1964-05-29 - Drinking Buddies
Summary: After the fiasco at the Barbeque, Charles needs a drink…
Related: [http://marvel1963mush.wikidot.com/log:1964-05-29-xavier-institute-barbeque]
Theme Song: One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer - George Thorogood
logan xavier 


It's been a few hours since the… utter disaster that was the end of the Annual Barbeque. Really, the mansion being destroyed in the biannual super-fight has nothing on that display. But, there's a rather firm knocking on Logan's cabin door, and considering everything that happened, there's really only one person that it can be.

In this case, it's Charles, looking rather upset about, well, everything at the moment. And holding a six pack of /really/ good beer. His own personal stash, as it were. Which normally only comes out when Charles has had one of those days. And this, would definitely qualify.

*

Logan snorts and gestures towards the rocking chairs on his porch. He carved them himself, from wood he chopped in these very woods. A man's gotta keep his hands busy, else they start getting him into trouble.

"I was about to lay me down fer the night, but ya bribed me proper,' he says, taking one of the good beers. "Guess things got a little messy earlier. Price o' being Daddy to a pack o' wounded orphans," he says. "I seen it with raisin' wolf cubs before. Abandoned, they latch onto you somethin' fierce - but that don't mean they won't bite ya when they come of age.'

*

Charles sits down in the offered chair, taking one of the beers for himself, "Yes, I wasn't think it would be quite like /that/." He snorts a bit, using a bottle opener to pop the cap off. It's a nice dark beer, with a hint of sweetness to it, and he takes a long swig of it before sighing, "Scott, of all people… actually saying that to her. Or anyone, for that matter. Thought I raised him better than that." He sounds rather disappointed, more than anything else.

*

Logan shakes head and takes a long sip of his beer before he draws out a cigar, lighting it with a flick of his zippo. He leaves it on the little table he's fashioned, in case the Professor has a pipe or some such.

"Kid sees himself as the heir apparent, or at least he did," he says. "Top o' the class, head boy, settin' the standard and callin' the shots. He likes bein' your right hand. And now you've got a different one, an' she's prettier and she smells a lot better and she's formidable and kinda scary in her own way," he says. "I mean, he ain't exactly a girl you jilted, but he feels the same, even if it ain't so."

*

Charles does, indeed, pull out an elaborate pipe, making sure it's filled, then lights up. Taking a few puffs, he then blows out a smoke ring. "Yes, you're right. I didn't think he'd have a problem with that, considering Jean's ahead of him in /that/ order anyway, but…"

Sighing, he takes a drink from the beer, and grins, "She is formidable, and scary, and gorgeous. I've never quite met anyone like her. Even Moira wasn't quite like that." Charles gives Logan a wry expression, then says, "It's more like my son is reacting badly to a potential stepmom. And I'm getting put in the position of having to mediate it." With that, he downs another good part of the bottle, sighing under his breath.

*

Logan shrugs, "Jean's Jean. She don't carry authority the same way Emma does - she phrases things like favors, asks nicely, an' more'n apt to do things herself an' never ask fer help at all," he says. "I don't know Emma much yet, but she don't seem like the kind o' woman is afraid o' delegatin'. Or afraid of tellin' you exactly what to do an' exactly what she thinks," he says.

"If Emma's stickin' around - an' that seems likely, even if you an' she don't keep up yer canoodlin' - then he's gonna have to get used to her. If that means he's gotta go walkabout and get a little taste o' life outta the mansion, then maybe that's what's best for 'im. You can argue sense to him, but it ain't about thinkin', Chuck. It's about feelin'. An' feelin' usually gotta work its own way out."

*

Charles nods, "True, Emma's… well, she's had to succeed in a world where a woman is typically locked into the secretarial pool. So she's got drive and doesn't cotton to bullshit." He smiles wryly, "It's a nice thing to see, honestly. And I'm pretty sure she's sticking around for the long haul."

Though at the mention of Scott taking a walkabout, Charles hrms, "Honestly, might not be a bad idea if he did. He's been here so long, this is all he knows. I didn't think he'd have a problem with some of the changes, but…" Of course, this is why he values drinking time with Logan. Helps put things into perspective. He then takes the pipe, blowing a pair of concentric smoke rings, apparently having learned some tricks while in England.

*

Logan nods, "I think Jean's feelin' restless, a little, too. These kids grow up here, wantin' to please, wantin' to be heroes. An' that's a good thing. But it's hard t'be a hero when you ain't even really figured out who you are yet,' he sighs.

"They're kids," he says. "They don't like to hear it, but all I see when I see 'em is how god damn young they are. They seen sufferin', yeah, but they don't really know all the dark out there in the world. Not yet," he sighs, taking another long drink of his beer.

"They gotta see it if they're gonna fight it. But they gotta decide that for themselves. An' when they decide to test their wings, you gotta be a good mama bird an' be willin' to let 'em fall hard, much as you might wanna keep 'em in the nest."

*

Charles nods, "I know, old friend, it's hard to let them go." He smiles a bit, "I just remember what Korea was like. And I just think that these children hadn't really seen a war." He sighs, a bit heavily, then takes another drink of the beer, "I can feel the restlessness. And you're correct, as usual, though I'll deny it if you ever say it to anyone else." A wry grin crosses his lips, at that.

Charles shakes his head a bit, "It's just a bit harder than I thought it would be, considering Jean and Scott especially. They were my first students, and more than anyone else here, they're like my children." And with that, bottle number one is finished, Charles sighing and staring out over the lake, puffing on that pipe of his as he looks lost in thought.

*

Logan nods, "An' yer a better father'n me. I got kids out in the world, but most of 'em either don't know me or want me dead,' he says. "Can't say I much blame 'em for either option."

"Yer a good teacher, Chuck. You gotta trust that you did write by 'em. But they're gonna screw up. An' when they come back with a scraped knee and a busted lip, you patch 'em up, pat 'em on the head and give 'em somethin' to eat. And hope whatever hit them don't show up on your doorstep."

*

Charles takes up another beer, opening it as he gives Logan a wry look, "Or whatever hit them better hope it doesn't show up on my doorstep. Like this Maximus fellow." Which is probably something else that was bothering him, what he did to Lorna.

Charles does look curiously at Logan, "Never knew you actually had children, Logan." Not that he exactly asked, but then… it's not really something that's come up between them.

*

Logan looks off for a moment, taking in the horizon and the treeline. "Didn't always know about 'em myself," he says. "I lived my share o' lives. I been married, more'n once. Loved an' lost an' did it again, even if I shoulda been smart enough to know better," he says.

"I'll keep a nose to the ground for that Maximus bastard. Some of the circles I run in, somebody's bound to know somethin'," he says.

*

Charles nods, looking a bit grim, "Considering what he did to Lorna, it might be best if Erik doesn't catch him before we do. If only because Erik has enough of a reputation as it is, and with what Maximus did…" He trails off, making it clear what he thinks Erik will do if he does catch Max.

Charles smiles faintly at Logan, "And here I thought I was supposed to be the old man of the school. But you're putting me to shame." He's definitely drinking that second beer slower, though, since he doesn't have that healing factor.

*

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