X-men: Mutant Awakening (Ch. 8)

Author's Note: Big Thanks to deathklat and Kindar for their help in filling in character reactions, and suggestions!

Chapter 8

"So how'd you do?" Brenda grinned, then took a bite out of her sandwich.

The three of them were sitting on a blanket in front of a tall oak tree with Tad leaning against the trunk. He munched on his sandwich silently, then swallowed. "Umm, Not bad, I guess? It was kinda fun other than being attacked by holographic animals." He made short work of his sandwich, and reached for another one.

Brenda giggled. "At least it wasn't a gigantic robot or something coming after you!"
Ororo delivered a mock-glare at Brenda before grinning. "Oh hush. Don't scare him."

Tad chuckled uneasily. "You're joking, right?"

Ororo took a bite out of her sandwich, and nodded. "Remember, simulation room? Any scenario programmable?"

Brenda paused in between bites, then glanced at Tad curiously. "So, what's your teleporting like? We have another teleporter mutant here."

Tad stared at both of them in shock. "I'm not the only teleporter? Who's the other one?"

Ororo laid her hands in her lap, holding her half-eaten sandwich. "His name's Kurt. He has a distinctive teleport. His method is vanishing into a puff of black sulfur smoke, and a popping noise. Yours seems to be a momentary flash of light and puff of white smoke without the smell or noise."

Tad frowned. "Okay. Is he a nice guy?"

Brenda nodded. "Very nice. Very devout as well, which is different considering..." She trailed off, not really sure if she should say anything more.

Tad leaned forward. "Considering what?"

Brenda darted a glance at Ororo with a plea of help.

Ororo sighed. "Kurt has a visible mutation -- He has dark blue skin, a pointed tail, ears, and yellow eyes. It hasn't helped him fit in easily in society."

Tad suddenly felt lucky, then ashamed at once. Like him, Kurt probably had no choice in how his mutation manifested. He pulled himself out of his thoughts. "I see. Er, I guess he sounds like an interesting fellow." He chuckled weakly.

Ororo smiled. "We can meet him sometime later, if you want to 'compare notes' so to speak."

Tad nodded. "Sure."

Brenda looked at her watch, and squeaked in delight. "Oh yeah! I've got a class in about twenty minutes -- want to sit in and watch? It's Mutant Ethics -- Professor Xavier teaches it." 

Tad sighed. He wasn't sure he wanted to go. It was too nice outside.  "Ethics? I went through a class on that in college, and I dropped it early. Couldn't stay awake."

Brenda laughed. "Oh, no worries. He presents interesting dilemmas. It could help you figure out things."

Tad shrugged, then smiled. "Sure. Why not? I am at least here until Sunday, and it's only Friday, so I might as well see what happens."

Ororo smiled at the two of them. "Great. I'll clean this up, while you two run along."

Tad climbed to his feet and hesitated. "Are you sure you don't need a little help?"

Ororo shook her head. "No, that's okay. Thanks."

He felt like he ought to stay and help more, but Brenda was already dragging him away by the arm.

Tad was curious about the class. "So, um, how does he make the class interesting?"

Brenda grinned, and started rambling on about Xavier's class happily.

It seemed as if she was a different breed after all -- not many people would enjoy an Ethics class. It'd be a good thing, he hoped, because he was still wondering exactly when and how to use his powers.

* * *

Logan sat down once he realized that something was amiss. He wasn't the easiest person to be manipulated by any telepath so that idea was shot down. He scratched his chin in puzzlement. He was uncertain whether he really ought to be here, staring at Tad. Others might get the wrong idea. But he had found himself reluctant to leave. Logan could detect a faint trace of Tad's scent from this distance, and was strangely content to stay put.

He was about to stand up and leave when he saw Brenda and Tad walking in his direction. He hesitated when Brenda waved at him, wondering if he should just wave back and leave, or stay. Logan ended up waving, then waiting for them.

* * *

Brenda walked across the green lawn to the mansion, talking about her classes. She had sensed Logan, then looked ahead to see him sitting on a bench. She was able to feel Logan at that distance even though he was strictly her teacher in defense training because she'd been around him long enough to recognize his emotional presence.

She knew that Tad hadn't noticed Logan yet, and tried to keep him distracted. She also had a strong hunch that Logan was possibly interested in Tad, and the urge to throw them together was incredibly tempting. Her suspicions were confirmed as they got within her sensing range, and Logan was alternating between lust and confusion. The feelings were more sharply focused the closer she got. She decided to keep quiet, primarily because she knew what Logan was like, and it was better for her to leave things alone.   

But they were getting close enough to see each other clearly. She smiled and waved at Logan.

* * *

Tad glanced in the direction of her wave, and stumbled slightly. Logan was sitting on a bench, waving back at her. He felt a momentary wave of shyness, and a tightness in his throat. They fell silent as they neared the steps to Logan's left.

Brenda smiled as they reached the top landing. "Nice day out, isn't it?"

Logan grunted, then nodded once.

Tad stared at him with a deepening flush while standing partially behind Brenda, then belatedly remembered to look elsewhere. There was no use in trying to flirt with a straight guy but why was he so attracted? Was Brenda right that he was feeling possibly smitten as well? He felt his cheeks burn as thoughts suddenly ran through his mind from his fantasies revolving around Logan the other night. Belatedly he shoved them back into the back of his mind then glanced back, feeling acutely shy.

Brenda looked at Tad and grinned. "Oh! I have to grab my books -- I'll be right back." She dashed for the doors, leaving the two of them alone.

Tad began to protest being left alone with this hunk, then felt flustered while looking at Logan. He stuck his hands into his pockets.  "Uh, I'm sitting in her ethics class."

As if that reminded Logan, he nodded. "Ah. I teach defense training classes."

Tad's interest perked slightly. "Really?" 

Logan smiled briefly. "If you're interested, you should attend one of them."

Tad stood there, struck shy by Logan's smile. "M-Maybe." His voice was more soft-spoken now. "I, um, should go wait for her inside." He started to leave, when Logan's deep voice stopped him with a low intensity to it.

"You smell good."

Tad paused, then turned around with surprised confusion. Did he hear right? "Excuse me?"

Logan blinked, then shook his head. "Never mind, bub. I gotta go." With that, he walked off without another word past him into the mansion.

Tad sniffed his armpits, and frowned. He didn't smell anything out of the ordinary. He stared at the doors that Logan had disappeared into with a frown. Did this mean that Logan wasn't entirely straight? He'd have to ask Brenda when he got her alone.

* * *

Logan's mind was a blur of chaos and confusion. He hadn't meant to say that out loud. He really hadn't but the words had come tumbling out without warning when Tad almost left. Tad's scent had been the foremost thing on his mind - alluring and comforting ever since he had come out into the garden.

His earlier promise to himself to remain uninvolved had been thrown out the window, it seemed. He had a slim hope that Tad would brush it off as a weird moment, and not anything more. Logan slowed his steps when he noticed students milling into the halls. He composed himself and walked toward his room to try to relax again. He had no classes until mid-afternoon, so he could afford to regroup.

* * *

Tad pondered for several minutes while waiting for Brenda to return. The thought that Logan might be even at least half-way interested in him was surprising. Tad didn't know how to ask him, and wasn't sure if he should. He didn't want to get burned or beat up again. Perhaps it was best to not do anything.

Maybe Brenda would know what to do.

* * *

Brenda was slightly winded as she skidded to a stop in front of Tad. "Sorry I took so long!"

Tad glared at her, his hands on his hips. "Are you sure you didn't do this on purpose to leave me with Logan!?"

Brenda stared at Tad in dumbfounded surprise, then chuckled. "Hello! You're smitten with the guy. Maybe talking with him will help you get over your shyness."

Tad growled at her slightly. "Oh shut up. He's a hunk, but I don't know about smitten."

Brenda grinned, and turned to walk back into the mansion with Tad beside her. "Whatever. What happened?"

Tad frowned as he kept up with her pace. "Um, not a whole lot, really. He teaches a defense training class and invited me to one."

Brenda glanced at him with surprise. "Really? That's it?"

Tad hesitated before speaking. "Yeah, um, well... no. I was gonna wait inside for you, then he said something odd. I probably just heard wrong." He was curious about Logan - at least exactly what his mutation was. As for Logan being possibly bi -- he wasn't sure he was ready to find that out.

Brenda peered at Tad, studying his expression, before speaking. "I'm sure he said what he meant. What'd he say?"

Tad flushed, and slowly stopped walking, then bit his lip. He whispered quietly into Brenda's ear. "He said, um... 'You smell good.'"

Her steps faltered at what Tad said, then she turned around slowly. Brenda's eyes couldn't have gotten any wider than they did, as an expression of surprise flickered across her face and her mouth dropped open.

Tad raised his hands, then continued on feeling confused and a little frustrated. "All I'm wearing is deodorant -- what the hell is this guy's mutation? Sex Appeal?" 

Brenda stared comically at Tad, then chortled for several seconds. It took her a minute to catch her breath, and then she laughed breathlessly. "Oh jeez. No, it's not sex appeal, although if you like them rough looking, then it may seem like it." She continued after taking a deep breath to calm herself down. "No, he can regenerate himself, and has animal senses like smell, hearing..."

Tad grew slightly nervous. "Oh." The possibility of Logan being capable of knowing what he smelled like was a little disturbing. He didn't know how far Logan's olfactory senses extended, and he knew that emotions also produced pheromones. Tad knew he couldn't help himself when in Logan's company. He was also afraid that Logan probably knew exactly what he was feeling.

Brenda touched Tad's shoulder, and squeezed gently. "Listen, if he really does have an interest, then let it play out. Let him make the first move." She dropped her hand and resumed walking toward the left hallway, making Tad hurry to catch up.

Several minutes later, and walking through a hallway, they arrived at a study filled with eight students scattered around the room in chairs.

Professor Xavier was seated calmly in front of them, and looked up at the two latecomers. He spoke with a smile. "Welcome to Mutant Ethics, Tad. You are more than welcome to observe."

Tad flushed, now feeling the center of attention, cast around for an empty chair and sat as soon as he could. "Uh, Thanks."

Brenda slipped into a chair next to Tad, and the class began.

(TBC)

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