"You're very lucky! It just so happens that we have a vacancy for a
'dangerously unpredictable psycho slasher!'"
— The Professor to Wolverine, "$ Men," _MAD Magazine_ #399 November
2000
*****
Luckily, stalking and devouring lunch (not to mention more or less cleaning up after himself afterwards) had taken up most of the class period, so Chuckie was actually free by the time Logan tracked him down. Hearing a single heartbeat and no voices, Logan opened the door to Xavier's office and stuck his head in without bothering to knock.
Unsurprised at his appearance (as was only proper for someone who had no doubt sensed his approach telepathically), the Professor raised an eyebrow. "So good of you to stop in to say hello, Logan," he said dryly.
Logan almost smiled. "Well, after chasing down Rogue, getting something to eat, and getting bitched out by Cyclops, you were the very next on my list..."
It was of course nowhere near to being an apology, but Xavier chose to accept it in the spirit with which it was intended. Courtesy ranked very low indeed on the list of things Wolverine was willing to spend time dealing with. In this case at least, no deliberate offense was intended.
Skipping over the pleasantries his companion would so obviously be impatient with, he moved directly to, "Did your trip north shed any light on your origins?"
"Not a damned thing. How's Ma— Rogue been?"
"Fine, just fine. She's doing very well in her studies and has made a number of friends among her fellow students."
Logan accepted this with a brief nod. He wouldn't ask Chuckie why Marie had felt compelled to spend so much time in his room — or why she'd had such a sad note to her scent — unless and until he couldn't find that out from the girl herself. "How about her ‘gift'? Any luck with that?"
Charles looked saddened. "Nothing yet. She still cannot touch or be touched by anyone."
The Wolverine wanted to whimper in frustration at the news. Logan managed to keep from making any unhappy puppy noises in front of Wheels, though under the circumstances he figured that he could get away with looking distressed at Marie's predicament. "Poor kid," seemed to be a safe statement.
Chuckie was giving him a thoughtful look, and Logan felt compelled to change the subject. "How's Jeannie?" he asked, not having to fake a lascivious grin. Red was a dish and no mistake — granted, she hadn't stuck in his mind the way Marie had, but he wouldn't exactly kick her out of bed. (Unless Rogue wanted her spot...)
Xavier went from pensive to acerbic. "Jean is very happy — with Scott, I might add."
Logan shrugged. "Most women are about as happy as their options." Which was really an asinine little bit of pseudophilosophy, but at least it had gotten the topic off of Marie.
The Prof gave him a warning look, but dropped the subject, suspecting that nothing but a definitive denial from Jean herself would convince Wolverine (if even that would be sufficient). "Were you planning on staying here, or wanting to go out again?"
Another shrug — handy all-purpose gesture of noncommittal, disinterest, and occasional outright rudeness, that. "You still wanting an unstable short-tempered homicidal bastard on the team?"
Xavier's look actually softened at that, he being more than sensitive enough to pick up the faint note of isolation underlying the snide remark. "You made a valuable contribution when you helped us against Magneto. Of course you're more than welcome for as long as you want to stay."
Soppy sentimental thank-yous were on the list of Things Wolverine Didn't Do. "Yeah, I guess I could stay — for a while. Until something better comes along, anyway..."
*****