logan

“Do I look like a contractor or some kind of altruistic benefactor?” Quentin had strong opinions about the mutant ‘community’ but he wasn’t out trying to be its savior in the same way that Scott Summers was. He wasn’t building communal houses and kitchens and fucking…vegetable gardens. “I’m fine where I’m at. Don’t act like you’re broken up about it. I don’t exactly play well with others.” That wasn’t even really true. He could coexist perfectly fine if he wanted to, but the ‘want’ was the key, and he got terrifically bored of it. 

The mere idea of moving MJ into District X made him roll his eyes. “I don’t need an exception for her. We’re good. She doesn’t belong in that glum ass place.” Would she even want to? Quentin had been in her head a thousand times, but that wasn’t a question he’d ever gone looking for an answer to. “Are you telling me what you want, or are you here to pry into my personal life?” 

“You want me to tell ya what I think ya look like?” Logan challenged, eyeing Quentin in a way that made it clear that wouldn’t end well. It frustrated him to no end to talk to him sometimes, especially when it felt like he was getting nowhere, because he knew what he was capable of. It was a waste. Why Scott wanted to take the risk was beyond him - or maybe it wasn’t. He could understand the need to put faith in Quentin in spite of his piss poor attitude. That was why he was here. 

closed starter for @multiple-wars

Laura could practically feel the tension in the air the past couple of days, it was so thick she could probably cut it to pieces with her claws. The look on all of her fellow X-Men’s faces as she walked around the District was unsettling, as if a storm was brewing on the horizon and they all just had to wait for it to hit, and hope it all went their way. It had Laura on edge, to say the least. 

Inhibitor generators. The idea of it put a weight in Laura’s stomach, an anchor dropped deep into her gut. She had lived that world, and it was…well, if she never experienced it again it would be too soon. She’d do whatever it took to stop it. 

Which, led her here. To “team building with Logan” in the danger room. She was nervous, she hadn’t really spent time with him since she arrived on the premises. She’d been a cavalcade of emotions, all of them bordering on nervous as she stepped inside the chamber.

“Ready to get started?” She asked simply, rolling out her wrists as she approached her father. She hadn’t been in a fight in…far longer than usual for her, and she had to admit she was itching for one. 

Although everyone had their powers back, the uneasiness that had roiled through the district was palpable. They’d all gotten a taste of what it would be like without their abilities. Logan, admittedly, had been shocked when the effects of the inhibitors vanished after maybe 48 hours. It seemed like a real stupid decision on NOVA’s part. The element of surprise was gone.

Still, it gave him an idea. If Scott were giving him some lead in handling the X-Force, then he wanted to be sure they were more than prepared to face anything NOVA had for them. They had training, sure, and knowledge beyond their X gene, but they didn’t have practice being without it.

Natasha gave him a ghost of a smile at that. It was a sweet thing to say, surprising from Logan, though she knew that everyone had their facets. He had been there for her just like Clint had been when she had been pulled out of the Red Room. She may have lived with Barton for the rehabilitation process, but Logan had been strong enough to actually subdue her when she slipped into her programming or lost control of herself and her brainwashing settled in. He’d been there when she had lost to him and then immediately snapped back into training sessions with the Winter Soldier. He’d been able to answer her in Russian and pull her out again. She had had glommed onto Clint, but recognized that she owed Logan, too. Even if she was sure that he wouldn’t let her believe that if he had his way. She scoffed. “Fair enough,” she answered. “Drink your liquid bread and I’ll keep the potato. Almost a balanced meal, right?” Natasha appreciated that about Logan. He was earth. Solid. Relatively immovable. He didn’t burn in heat of the fire she had burned with back then, and the ember she was now settled comfortably behind him, sheltered from the rain for now. It was nice. To just sit. Drink and be.

“Oh yeah?” She asked. “I’m sure Summers is coming up with something. I’m surprised that Magneto has let it go this long. I thought there was about to be a city-wide war after what he pulled back in February. It would have been supremely dangerous had that started. And she wasn’t sure what they would have done then. Would they have sided with the mutants? Or would there have been yet another situation of opposition while the mutants emerged to fight humanity, overpowered and angry, and the Avengers had to decide between their friends in some cases… or the ones who would be crushed beneath the boot of people like Magneto, who decided on a whim who lived and who died? She was glad that it hadn’t ended up coming to fruition. 

Considering that, Natasha cocked her head. “You don’t think they’d use them again? I’m not sure they’re going to do a small scale situation like forty-eight hours again unless they’re making a big move, but i wouldn’t be surprised if they came up again. Too many people rely on their powers in the city. When they’re gone, some of us are sitting ducks.” She grinned. “Not most of the Avengers, though. Cap puts us through enough training without them that most everyone can hold their own in hand to hand. You remember?” Logan had been with the Avengers a few times before, after all.

“I’ll hold you to that,” she answered. She couldn’t imagine the struggle being a mutant had afforded Logan. She was enhanced, but it didn’t earn the same kind of ire as the mutants seemed to receive. Most of the fear was born of nothing. Though there were a few of them that were unstable enough to be watched. She was sure Wayne had files on most of them–unconfirmed, but she had her own intel and files and she wasn’t leading a massive group of heroes. She wouldn’t be surprised if he had a collection on all of them, too. Were she in his position, she would. Steve would never be the type. Too trusting. But Bruce Wayne? She recognized in him a paranoia that she, herself, carried around the shoulders.

“But enough about NOVA. I didn’t come for that. I wanted to see you. Tell me about you.”

It had been a long time ago, but Logan could still remember Natasha’s experience with the Red Room. He’d never asked too many questions, or pushed her to do anything she wasn’t ready for, but he’d been ready and willing to provide a stabilizing force when he had to. She didn’t have to worry about accidentally harming him. Although he could feel pain, his tolerance for it was a lot higher. His body had been through its share over the years. He could withstand it. What’s more, he’d been happy to do it. 

“Got at least one food group in there,” he said gruffly, motioning to the glass with his cigar. “Maybe two.” With his other hand he slid the clear bowl of peanuts over. “Three.” He couldn’t call himself a good influence; he wouldn’t encourage anyone to live the way he did, least of all Natasha. She deserved better than that. 

The X-Men hadn’t exactly reformed. If Scott had a plan, Logan didn’t know a lot about it. There was the X-Force, but they hadn’t been given a mission. “Considerin’ this shit.” He motioned around them. “Pretty sure whatever plans he got are gettin’ sped up.” Shaking his head, he grunted in affirmation when the bartender offered to refill his drink. “As for Magneto, don’t say his name too many times and jinx it. Pretty sure he gets off on the sound of his own voice.” They’d had their share of disagreements, to say the least, and he always thought Scott was a little too tolerant of his bullshit. “Then again, I’m sure he ain’t gonna show his face until his powers are back, safe an’ sound.” 

He shrugged. “Who says they’re even turnin’ ‘em off?” Everyone was counting on that, for reasons he wasn’t sure about. “If they were smart, they’d keep ‘em on and hunt us down while we’re reelin’. Not give us time to prepare for a next time. Maybe this is their big move. Good a time as any.” He chuckled at the mention of the Avengers, nodding. “Yep. Pretty sure they’re outranked even with the inhibitors, but it’ll be a hell of a fight.” And not really one he wanted to see play out.

“Sure, help yourself,” Quentin rolled his as Logan started prowling around for alcohol. He and MJ had that in abundance, but apparently it wasn’t lowbrow enough to suit. Good. If Logan had been happy with the selection then it would have meant he was doing something wrong.

“Oh, does District X have high rise luxury condos? I hadn’t noticed. It looked a little closer to the Eastern Bloc last time I was there.” Not exactly true. It wasn’t rundown or as much of an eyesore as it could have been, but Quentin had said goodbye to that communal mutant living and didn’t intend to go back to it. “And my roommate’s not exactly the District X type.”

The beer was too sweet. Logan didn’t drink for the purpose of getting drunk and he actually did enjoy the taste. Unlike most of District X, he’d found a way to enjoy temporarily being without his mutation. He couldn’t even remember the lat time he’d been properly drunk. 

“Zat I most definitely did. I don’t understand vy people don’t vant to talk vis me. I sink I am a very conversational person.” Kurt remarked before cracking a grin and bringing the bottle back to his lips. He let out a sigh at Logan’s words about the children. He knew there was a truth to them that was always difficult to accept. “I vish ve could make more of zem come to see ze opposite.” Kurt spoke quietly and shook his head once. “Vat exactly are you up to zese days anyvay? I nefer actually see you around.” He finally asked.

“Appreciate you taking it,” the redhead answered with a small smirk. It would have made her feel pretty stupid if she had texted for him and he had told her no. She would have ultimately understood–there was more going on than just her little life. Still, it was… really good to see him. In spite of his generally brusque demeanor, there was something comfortable about him. Russians didn’t tend to be an emotional people as it were. Add in her own training and the coping mechanism of hiding behind her personal shield, and being in the company of someone who didn’t need emotional coddling was a godsend. She didn’t mind doing it sometimes, but not when she was trying to process her own shit.

She laughed a little as the bartender came over with the pitcher, green eyes studying the man as he left. “Seems like you must be a regular here.” That didn’t really surprise her. She knew Logan liked his drinking. She did too, when the occasion called for it.

Quirking a brow, she hummed. “I think that’s where the League’s at too,” she answered. “Some of us are deeply disturbed, and some of us are just trying to figure out how to deal with it.” She sipped her drink as he continued. That made sense. He’d been around longer than her, even. She supposed he knew what was and wasn’t important in the grand scheme of things. “Don’t think the inhibitors are worth panicking over?” She asked him. “Or do you just know we’ll figure it out? With Stark, Banner, and Princess Shuri on it on our side, and whatever geniuses you have on yours, we might be able to come up with a solution. But I guess the nonchalance from me is unfair. I just… don’t need the serum to be effective. I’ve always made sure of that. Contingency plans, you know?” He knew what she was capable of. A body didn’t forget the muscle memory of knowing how to fight just because it was weaker.

“Did you handle losing your powers alright, then?”

“Wouldn’t think a’turnin’ down yer company.” Their shared history made their relationship much more meaningful than Logan often let on. He was more sentimental than most gave him credit before, it was hidden behind a gruff exterior, but he was more willing to show it to people who weren’t his actual family. There was no guilt to taint the emotion. For the most part, his influence and presence in Natasha’s life had been positive - and the opposite was also true. There weren’t many people who shared such similar experiences. It was a connection no one else would be able to understand.

But he still worried about her. What she endured was not anything that could be done away with overnight, if ever. It was also a subject he wouldn’t touch. He respected her too much to drudge up that painful history. “I know what I like.” Logan wasn’t adverse to trying new things, but he liked being able to count on getting his favorite beer in a timely manner. A good bartender was like a good mechanic. 

Nodding, he gave a soft laugh. “Guess yer already a step ahead of us.” District X didn’t have any plans, that he knew of, and as far as he could see, they were just waiting it out. “Dunno, darlin’,” he said quietly, his tone taking on a somber quality. “But if ya ask me, everyone is a bit too dependent on the hope that NOVA’ll just turn ‘em right back on. Maybe they will. Some are sayin’ it’s just a power play.” He shrugged. “But seems to me like they got us where they want us. Why turn ‘em back on at all?” There were no contingency plans and everyone was taken off guard. “Turnin’ ‘em back on means givin’ us a chance to be more prepared next time. Dunno just how stupid NOVA is, but I’ll keep my fingers crossed.” 

“Oh, you’re coming to my house giving me orders? Since when do I take orders?” Since never. Quentin let the music keep playing and propped his chin up on his hand. “You can talk louder. Get that growl going. Or you can ask me pretty, pretty please to turn down the music, and maybe I will.” He might at least turn it down. He was genuinely curious what got Logan to drag his ass all the way there to talk to him. 

Eventually, he did relent. When the song changed and there was a moment of silence, the next one just didn’t pick up again. “Go on, old man. You need some kind of favor and only Kid Omega will do,” he made a rolling gesture with one hand to get Logan to talk. 

Logan was patient. He made himself at home while he waited for the godawful music to come to a halt. There was plenty of alcohol in the pantry, no surprise there, but an alarming amount of it was cherry flavored. Wrinkling his nose, he rolled his eyes and bypassed the fancy vodka for a beer tucked away in the fridge.