Two Pair
Epilogue: Of Teapots and Tiaras
by L.M Griffin
Cold
November winds whipped through Logan's hair as he stood quietly, admiring
the woods around him. Autumn was in its final calling days and the ground
around his feet was littered with leaves in shades of red, gold, and
orange. He always liked to talk a walk in the forest around the Mansion
this time of year - not one of his half-wild ramages, but a quiet, reflective
stroll. Take in nature's beauty. Marvel at another year gone by.
Being able to smoke a cigar without having Ororo giving him the evil
eye was big plus as well.
It was the crunch of leaves that told Logan he was no longer alone,
and his hand almost automatically formed a fist, until he caught a certain
scent. A mixture of herbal shampoo, axle grease, cinammon, and bubble
gum. A tight grin passed his craggy face, but he remained silent.
Jubilee strolled into the clearing, moving to stand beside him. Logan
looked her over critically. The hair was longer, but still styled the
same. The slender body clothed in jeans, a dark red v-neck shirt, the
multi-colored scarf setting off her pale skin, and a long black leather
coat that came to mid-thigh on her. He nodded his head once in approval.
"You grew up on me."
A wry smile crossed her lips. "Young people have a tendency to do
that, Canucklehead. What, did you want me to stay thirteen forever?"
"Maybe. At thirteen you wouldn't have run off without a good reason,"
he retorted, blue eyes twinkling.
"What can I say? Seems to run in the family," she replied, one dark
eyebrow raising. The two looked at each other for a long moment before
Logan closed the gap between them and enveloped her into a tight hug.
Jubilee bit her lip, wrapping her arms around Logan's middle. Something
close to a sigh of relief seemed to pass both of their lips.
"I missed ya, kid."
"Missed you too, Wolvie..."
Logan's smile widened at that and arm in arm they started back towards
the Mansion. Logan's expression became thoughtful after a moment.
"Hey kid? You're not about to get all mushy on me for Gumbo, are
ya?"
Jubilee's eyebrow quirked again and she spoke calmly. "I'm only going
to say this once, Canucklehead - No Chance
In Hell."
"You sure about that?"
"Positive. Absolutely no mush here. There's more of a chance that
you'll become the Queen of England then there is of me turing into one
of those kinda girls who swoons at the sight of her man bringing her
some trinket."
At that moment, Remy strolled through the front door of the Mansion.
A light layer of dust covered his dark blue sweater and jeans, and he
looked as if he had been rumaging around in the attic. Which he had
been. In his hands he carried a light blue shoebox, beaten up beyond
all repair, and he had a triumphant look on his face as he ambled towards
the duo. With an almost regal air, he handed the box over to Jubilee.
"For you, mon p'tite. Now, I will take my kiss."
Jubilee took the box dubiously as she glanced from the smug thief
to Logan. For his part, the shorter man simply shrugged. "Don't ask
me kid. I just got him to stop talkin' about teapots."
Remy's expression changed from smug to embarrassed as both of Jubilee's
eyebrows rose. She turned back to her lover. "Teapots?"
Remy coughed. "It is a long and complicat'd story, Jubilee...somethin'
that you would have ABSOLUT'LY no interest in. It is borin', tedious..."
"...and it involves skipping," Logan supplied with a little smirk.
"Stop tryin' t'HELP, Logan," Remy growled, then gestured again to
the shoe box, his cocky grin returning. "Open it, open it! I've waited
a long time to give this to you."
Jubilee muttered under her breath as she lifted the shoe box cover,
moving the aged paper aside carefully. "Gee, thanks sweetie. Always
wanted an old, beat up pair of -- sapphire earrings and matching TIARA??"
The rest came out in a squeak as she stared at the contents of the box.
The jewelry glittered in return.
Remy crossed his arms over his chest, taking on a mock-superior air.
"Oui. Now Mme. Lee, I do believe you owe me a birtday kiss. After all,
y'did say it would take the tiara and earrings, non?"
Jubilee looked down into the box, then at Remy's half joking, half
hopeful expression. Then down at the box again. Which promptly tumbled
to the ground as Jubilee leaped onto Remy, pressing her lips firmly
againist his. Remy stumbled backwards for a moment before recovering.
He wrapped his arms around her waist, returning the kiss wholeheartedly.
Logan just coughed.
"Uh...huh. Yep. Feelin' that third wheel feelin'. Excuse me kids,
I'll just take this," he said as he lifted the box off the ground, heading
back towards the Mansion without a backwards glance. "Back inside the
house. Yer both a little distracted right now."
They didn't answer him. He hadn't expected them to. He strode up
to the front door, still chewing on his cigar. As he stepped into the
foyer, he heard a delicate cough coming from the open study door. He
turned and faced a stern faced Ororo. She tapped one foot on the ground,
looking pointedly towards his cigar. "Well Logan, what do you have to
say for yourself?"
Logan lifted one shaggy eyebrow, before a slow, smirking smile came
over his face. He took the tiara out of the box, tilted it at a rakish
angle on top of his pointy hair, and said, with a completely straight
face, "Long Live The Queen."
Still smoking his cigar, the tiara glinting in the hall lights, he
ambled off towards the kitchen and a cold beer. Ororo stood stunned
for a moment, before simply shaking her white-maned head with a sigh.
"I do not want to know. Bright Lady, I simply do NOT want to know."
She closed the study door behind her, effectively cutting off Logan's
barking laughter.
~~~~~~
~THE END, for now. Adieu, my friends.
'Till next time.
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