James "Logan" Howlett (snikt) wrote in thedisplaced, @ 2017-11-21 11:24:00 |
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Jean headed for Logan’s gym early in the morning, before work. She knew he sometimes liked to go there when no one else was using it, and a quick telepathic check confirmed he was there, and that they would have some privacy - if only for a few minutes. Parking her car outside, she stepped out, then headed into the facility. For a moment, she let her eyes take in everything - she’d been there dozens of times, but every time she saw it, she found herself feeling proud of what Logan had done with the place. So it was with a smile that she eventually walked further in to seek him out. The early morning hours were nice and peaceful. There weren't many that were up as early as him, though if he was honest it was more likely that he hadn't slept at all the night before. He was far too used to it to complain about it now, though. His keen ears caught the slight creak of the gym door opening, and then closing, and he moved from the high perch he had taken to seek out the visitor. It didn't take him long to catch the woman's all too familiar scent, one that always brought a smile to his face. He bit back the grin, and leapt from the ceiling down onto the ground. He wasn't trying to be stealthy so there was a significant *thud* when he landed. "Hey, Red," he said as he stood up from his crouch. Jean's smile warmed by degrees when she saw him leap from the ceiling to the floor, far too used to it to be surprised at the action. Crossing the floor towards him, she picked up a water bottle from a small ledge, and tossed it to him with her mind as she stopped a couple feet away. "Hey, yourself," she replied, then glanced up towards the ceiling. "Practicing your Spider-Man impersonation?" Logan rolled his eyes and laughed. He caught the water bottle that Jean threw at him, and took a swig before he answered. "You found me out, Jean. I'm a huge fan, but don't tell all the web-slinging kids that." He took a few more steps toward her to close the gap, aware that there was something different about her. "What brings you in so early," he asked. "I'll keep your secret," she said, grinning at his laugh. He didn't do that nearly as often as he should, and that made it all the more nice when she heard it. At his question, Jean absently folded her arms over herself, but didn't pull her eyes away. "I haven't seen you in a few days, and...well, there's something I have to tell you." And it would be better coming from her instead of Scott or the Professor. "Been keeping myself busy," he said. Logan had the gym and his classes and the ranch to take care of, not to mention all the kids that flocked to him. Thank goodness Emma took Ellie under her wing otherwise he'd have to consider adding onto the ranch. But this wasn't about him. There was a serious air around Jean, one that was only added to with the words "there's something I have to tell you." His brow furrowed, and he crossed his arms over his chest. "What's wrong?" "I've noticed." And she was glad, because it meant that he'd probably stick around. Despite knowing that Logan was more than capable of taking care of himself - all of the X-Men were, to be honest - she preferred having him and everyone else closer to home the majority of the time. His concern was obvious and she smiled a little, then shook her head slowly. "Nothing's...wrong, actually. It's just - " She sighed, then decided to just take Scott's route and say it directly. "I wanted to tell you that I'm pregnant." Logan wasn’t quite sure how to take the news. He watched her carefully, a little thrown off and yet thankful that she chose to be so straightforward. He supposed it was only a matter of time before this happened, especially since they had been working at making things work. Still, a part of him wasn’t sure if this was the wisest decision the two had ever made. His brow furrowed a bit, and he let out a small, unintentional huff. “Well I’ll be,” he said. “I s’pose this calls for a celebration.” Or something he said to himself because he hadn’t convinced himself that this was a good idea. Jeannie seemed happy about it though, and Logan closed off his mind to her and smiled instead. “I’d offer up booze as a toast,” he said in a joking fashion. “Not for you, though. You need milk or something, right?” A tension she hadn’t realized she’d been feeling released itself in her shoulders, and she relaxed a bit, smiling at him. Jean knew that he had conflicted feelings about this - and that she didn’t need to read his mind to get a sense of what they were - but she was glad when he joked about the situation. Despite everything else, she truly valued his friendship and his opinion. “Water, juice, non-caffeinated tea or coffee on occasion. And milk, if it doesn’t disagree with me.” She grinned at him. “No more wine for quite some time, I’m afraid - but I think water will be just fine today.” And now she was rambling, and told herself quite firmly to stop. Logan would always be conflicted when it came to Jean. She was the one person his heart refused to let go of completely even when he had made the conscious decision to move on. A part of him had thought — hoped, even — that he and Red would have a chance, in this world or some other world, but it was a fool’s errand on his part. He nodded when she mentioned water. It was the one thing always on hand at the gym considering how much they went through it. There was the water fountain, of course, but he wasn’t about to make her drink from it. He moved past Jean toward the office and to the fridge he had there. Logan pulled out a bottle of cold water, and handed it to Jean instead of tossing it to her. “Here you go,” he said. He returned back to the fridge to pull out a beer for himself. He popped the bottle cap with his teeth, and spit it to the waste basket. “To the baby,” he said as a toast. Jean followed Logan to his office and leaned against the doorframe as he went to the fridge, taking the bottle he offered and giving a wry smile when he pulled out the beer. “I’m not even a little surprised you stock beers at the gym,” she commented, then grinned. “To the baby.” Plastic lightly rapped against his glass bottle before she opened the water and took a slow sip, then lowered it again. “I’m going to tell Laura today, too, but other than you and Scott, only the Professor knows right now.” Absently, she glanced down towards her stomach. She knew that since technically it was her first child, she shouldn’t be showing for a few more weeks, but she still sort of imagined, every now and then, that she was. Looking back up to Logan, she went on. “Scott wants to wait on letting everyone else know until we’re out of the first trimester, which’ll be in about two and a half weeks or so. But I wanted to let you know myself.” If he focused he’d be able to hear the heartbeat already. He’d be able to see the subtle changes in her skin, the slight glow that she gave off. If he was paying attention he’d probably smell it, too. But he wasn’t and he tried his hardest not to. This was Jean’s happy moment and he wasn’t going to ruin it. “I’m glad you told me,” he said. “Would’ve been pissed if I heard it from someone else.” He took a big gulp of his beer, and then wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. “It’ll be good for Laura to hear it from you, too,” he said. Logan usually would have taken a step toward Jean now, but he kept his distance for a moment as he watched her. All he ever wanted was for her to be happy, and while he would have preferred that to be with him he knew that it just wasn’t meant to be. Logan put down his beer, and moved toward Jean, this time with open arms. “C’mere,” he said, and when she was close enough he pulled her into a hug. “I am happy for you and One-Eye,” he said softly. “I thought you might be,” she replied in regards to him being pissed had someone else said something, but she grinned a bit. “Scott’s way of telling the Professor was to email him… which seems a little too impersonal, to me.” But at least it was done now, right? When Logan stepped forward, Jean set her water bottle down and gratefully stepped into his arms, sliding her own around him in return as she rested her cheek on his shoulder. “Thanks, Logan,” she replied just as softly, glad for both the hug and the easy offer of happiness. She hadn’t really been sure how he would take it, but this was the best possible result, and she was glad he was there. “I’m a little less scared about this, with you being here. I hope you know that.” “I’m glad I can be here for you,” he said to her without letting go. He inhaled deeply, and squeezed her a bit before he released his hold. “I’m already a grandpa,” he said with a grin. “Might as well add uncle to that list.” Logan glanced down at her belly, and laughed. “You’ll be showin’ in no time,” he said. “I wonder if you’ll waddle,” he teased. Jean returned the squeeze, then stepped back after he let her go, smiling at the uncle comment. Automatically, one hand moved to her stomach, and the smile shifted to mock outrage at his next words. Her opposite hand came up to punch him in his arm even as she telepathically pinched the other. “One baby is not going to cause me to waddle, she retorted, narrowing her eyes at him as she picked up on the stray image from his thoughts. “And even if it did, you don’t get to comment on that.” “All women waddle,” he said with a snicker. He’d seen it countless times, and there was no exception to the rule. It was the nature of things, and Logan didn’t have to be a woman to understand that it wasn’t easy carrying a child. He smirked at her, a small chuckle coming from under his breath. “It’s a rite of passage. Don’t worry, you’ll still be beautiful.” He continued to chuckle as he made his way back to his beer for another sip. “Lookin’ forward to meeting the little one,” he said. Though a part of him was a little worried about the sort of power a child of Jean Grey could potentially have. “I’m sure that I could avoid waddling - at least where you can see. Not all pregnant women have telekinesis that can adjust for that,” she said primly, then rolled her eyes as he wandered back to his drink. Picking up her water, she took a long drink from it, then glanced at her watch. “I am too - though I guess like Rogue, I’ll be able to sense him or her before too long.” And that was definitely going to be an interesting experience. With a smile, she walked over to Logan and leaned in to kiss his cheek. “I should get going to work, but I want to see you again very soon, okay?” “Don’t work too hard,” he said instinctively, and at the risk of sounding too concerned he cleared his throat afterward and immediately drank more beer. “Yeah, I’ll see you around. I’ll be at the mansion for Thanksgiving.” He smiled at her as she moved to leave the gym, and when she was gone he let out a sigh. Happiness was mixed with worry, and even more trepidation when he thought of how Emma would take the news. He shuddered a bit before he brushed it off. He’d cross that bridge when he came to it. |