Chapter 4
The next day, Logan woke up with a little clarity. Despite them staying longer than anticipated, Logan didn't bother asking. He's glad Charles and Hank are taking a small break. He knew they were working hard for a reason, but even Logan couldn't convince them to leave their lab and go home sometimes. Erik seemed to have this type of influence, especially on Charles. The man was Charles' idol for as long as Logan could remember, he couldn't blame him. It was endearing to see the man blush every time he managed to get a glimpse of Erik's attention.
Hank seemed to enjoy the stay, even more when Raven appeared with them. He'd ask the man to make a move but god knows what would happen if he did. This whole trip somehow turned into an episode of Love island. He sighs, staring at himself in the mirror standing in his room. He looked tired, even if he didn't feel like it. He moved slower than usual, sluggishly pulling himself through the hallways.
The hour was still early, so he didn't expect anyone to be awake. He walked around the mansion, not having much to entertain himself with. Sure, it looked impressive at a first glance, but you got used to it after spending days inside it. Though quiet, he could hear another person with him, though he didn't bother checking. He sat in the living room, staring at the television playing some overrated movies on repeat.
A small crack on the floor echoed in his head, making him turn around to check. The lighting was dim, almost unable to recognise the face until a few feet closer. He saw the familiar eyes, immediately reminding him of Peter's dark ones, making his heart beat faster. Maybe from anxiety, maybe from rage. He didn't bother guessing. Soon, his heartbeat slowed when he saw the older face enter the room, a small smile present on his face.
"Morning, Logan. Up early again?" Logan resisted rolling his eyes, only nodding at the words. God, he wishes he had a cigar with him. The man, still smiling, sat the opposite of him, not bothering to start a small talk yet. After a few minutes of pure silent bliss, Erik's voice broke through. "It might be still a little early, but a decent bar is open a few streets away. Main road."
Logan's eyes averted to him, now curious. "What makes you say that?" He asked, knowing he probably outdrank all of them together in the few days spent together. Erik only smiled, ignoring his harsh tone. "You strike me as the type." Logan didn't bother answering, he was right after all. "Well..thanks." He answered, keeping his voice tame. Erik nodded, turning his attention to the screen himself, nursing a small drink in his hand.
A few minutes they spent silent, a few sips and grunts here and there, otherwise quiet. Erik interrupted the silence again, speaking lowly. "How did you, meet, Charles?" He seemed to be hesitant with the answer, not sure how to ask. Logan, initially confused, answered in a similar tone. "I met him when we were both young, barely adults. I came from a troubled past, and he helped me move on. Helped me see I'm offered much more than the shit my people did. I'm grateful for it. I owe him a lot."
Erik nodded, silent for a moment. His eyes were now filled with sympathy, almost making Logan leave the room. He didn't like pity. "So, are you good friends?" Logan nodded, a small smile appearing on his face as memories rushed into his mind. "Of course. The guy pissed me off more than any person managed to my whole life, but I love him like a brother." Erik nodded again, downing the drink before he spoke again, his voice slightly higher due to the practically inhaled drink.
"So, wha' about the, uhm, Hank guy?" His voice was almost timid now, even with the lifted confidence from the drink. He rubbed his eye as he spoke, now staring at Logan. "We met him while we worked together. The kid was kind of a fan of Charles, and the man stroked his ego. They soon became coworkers, good friends. I don't know what to tell ya, bub. Why d'ya ask?" The expression on Erik's face almost soured, almost as if embarrassed, hanging his head low.
Logan stayed quiet, not expecting a verbal answer since he'd seen enough. He cleared his throat, speaking slyly. "He's single. Been for a while. I'm sure he wouldn't mind." Erik's head whipped to him, his shocked eyes locking onto Logan's. Logan kept a calm smirk on his face, watching the man awkwardly scramble up. "Well, thank you, for that. Have a good morning, Logan." Logan nodded in return, chuckling silently as the man practically ran out the room. Sometimes it was just too easy.
He checked the time, seeing the similar numbers flash on it. He sighed, getting up to head to the kitchen. As he walked, he smelled a welcoming smell, his stomach rumbling slightly at it. He entered the kitchen, seeing Raven busy herself with cooking, not paying any mind to Logan. "Mornin'." he grumbled out, receiving a small nod from the woman. "Good morning." She answered a little distractedly before lifting her head up in a second. "Oh, hey Logan. Up already?" Logan nodded, sitting behind the counter after grabbing a can of beer.
The woman smiled, speaking teasingly. "Ya know, I'd usually say the usual "isn't it too early to drink?" but I don't think either of us give a shit." Logan nodded, a small smile painting his face as he drank. The woman mumbled quietly, speaking as Logan listened. There weren't any important stories, just to not risk any possibility of awkward silence.
Logan threw in a few words, the woman eager to listen to his personal stories.
The woman was easy to spend time with, even if he huffed a few times out of irritation. The woman wasn't fazed, chuckling at his attempt of showing annoyance. She served him a quick breakfast, Logan thanking her as he ate quickly. She smiled proudly, saving the rest of when the others wake up. Which wasn't far from now, as Logan checked the time.
"'s there anything to do 'round here?" Raven seemed to think for a moment before recommending a few places she could think of. It wasn't much by Logan's taste, but the promise of a good bar was worth it. Logan briefly thanked her as she picked his plate up, greeting him as he got up. He got up to his room, greeting Hank as he made his way downstairs. He entered his room, checking around for nothing in particular for a second before turning his head to his suitcase.
He grabbed a leather jacket he owned along with the car keys. He might as well use the opportunity to roam around the town a little. He's sure none of the guys needed his help at the moment. He picked up his bag, stuffing some cash inside since he doesn't know how long he's gonna be outside. He needs some break from the tension in this house. More importantly, from Peter.
He jumped into his car, luckily not meeting anyone else as he walked outside, huffing as he sat in the driver's seat, dumping his bag somewhere beside him. He drove around, not paying much attention the surroundings otherwise than the road. Didn't matter much anyway, it could be mistaken for his town if he didn't search for the differences. The town wasn't anything special, he stopped a few stops to pick up cigars and some beers with better quality.
He stopped at a small gas station, filling his car as he looked around, his face stern. He noticed the small bar both Raven and Erik praised, looking well enough. It stood, which was enough to convince Logan. He nodded to the older man who stood by the cashier's, smiling at Logan. The people seemed nice enough, he's grateful they're not bothering him.
He drove to the small diner across the station, seeing it was pretty much empty due to the early day. He sat in the back, mindlessly flipping through the menu, waiting for the waiter to take his order. A small voice brought him out of his thoughts, seeing a younger woman beaming at him as she waits for his answer. He read the tag. Maggie. He smiled, quickly asking for a medium rare steak, watching as she wrote it down with a small smile still present on her face. "'s that all?"
She had a small accent which could be missed if you didn't pay attention, which Logan caught. He nodded, the girl strutting her way back to the kitchen, Logan's eyes on her as she walked. Few minutes later, she appeared at his table with his order, her smile still on her face. He returned it, not wanting to be seen as rude. "I haven't seen you here before. You new?" Logan nodded, cracking a smirk as he answered. "You could say that."
She stood by him for a while, talking before noticing the almost forgotten meal on his table. "Sorry, I tend to talk a little too much." Logan chuckled, dismissing the apology with a small wave. "No worries." The girl smiled, now rolling a lock of her hair with a finger. The light shone on her light hair, almost looking similar to Peter's. He shook his head, trying to push the man out of his thoughts. He's here to enjoy himself.
"So, you work here?" He answered, a lame choice of words, but gained a giggle from the girl nonetheless. "Yeah, sometimes. I have a few shifts at the bar around here on weekends. Y'know, maybe you should check it out, it's a pretty good bar." Her voice was cheery, a giddy smile now appearing on her face as she talked. He debated a little, exhaling curiously as the girl patiently waited for an answer. "Ahh, sure, can't hurt to check it out."
He swears the girl almost jumped, holding in a chuckle as he watched her scramble up her words nervously. "Yeah- ok, yea! Sure, I'll, uhm see you there, if you'll be there." He chuckled, watching the girl blush at the chuckle, quickly excusing herself to the kitchen. He dug into his steak, which was luckily well made, his mind empty as he observed outside the window.
He passed the day driving around, stopping at a few stores to pick up some new clothes so Raven won't bother with washing them so often. Before he knew it, the sun already started setting, a low golden shine sprawling over the sky. He drove back, almost forgetting about the bar if he didn't see it while driving. He swerved, parking lousily as he walked in. It was pretty full, the most filled place he'd seen 'till now.
Some people were dancing, awkwardly in his opinion, clearly already intoxicated and meaning to stay for a while. He moved past them, dropping at a stool at the bar. He ordered a decently sized beer, paying no mind to his surroundings as he drank. Some time later, he didn't really know how much, a light tap on his shoulder could be felt, Logan turning his head around slowly. He smiled slightly when he saw the girl from the diner, now changed in dark clothes, which he'd guess is a uniform.
"Hey! You made it. I see you already got a drink." She said, a little disappointingly as she glanced down at the glass in his grasp. He smiled, hoping it wasn't too straightforward. "What'd you usually drink?" The girl took a couple of seconds before she realised what he meant, her face reddening slightly, though barely noticeable due to the dim lighting. "I'll take a white claw." He shrugged, ordering to the same bartender. She sat on the stool next to him, staying quiet.
Logan realised it was his turn to start the conversation, which wasn't really his thing, but he wasn't gonna complain. "So, how long have you lived here?" A basic starter, but it worked well enough. The girl smiled, quickly explaining her personal story, Logan doing his best to follow her along. They continued with the converstation, the girl pretty tipsy at this point. Her cheeks were now redder due to the alcohol, Logan himself now close to tipsy. The conversation turned into a simple small talk to pass time, none of them really trying to deepen it.
"So, where are you staying?" The girl spoke, now bolder because of the consumed alcohol. Logan thought for a moment, giving her a broad answer. "At a friend's, with a couple of others." The girl was grinning at him, barely holding herself up at this point. She stumbled over words, a little anxious. This was Logan's queue to leave. He quickly excused himself to the bathroom, not bothering to look back as he walked.
There were no urinals, only stalls, so Logan entered the first one. Before he could undo his pants, the door opened with the girl now flushed against him. She wrapped her hands around his neck, running her lips drunkenly over his jaw. Logan tried not to grimace, politely pushing her off. He wasn't planning to take advance of the woozy girl, quickly grabbing her smaller arms to pull her off. "Woah, slow down, doll."
The girl looked up at him, disappointment washing over her face as she heard the words. He felt bad, but he wasn't in the mood for anything right now. "Shit, sorry. I didn't mean to- shit." She babbled drunkenly, Logan politely shushing her. "No, don't worry, 's not you. I'm just-" The girl's hurt expression turned into an understanding one. "Oh, I'm sorry, you probably have a girlfriend." Logan shook his head, trying to reason with the girl. "No, it's not like-"
She almost gasped, shutting Logan up with it. Her face now showed an apologetic frown. "Oh, I'm so sorry, you have a boyfriend. I didn't mean to-" Logan's eyebrows lifted at the assumption, quickly trying to correct the still babbling girl. "No, I-" The girl now interrupted him, shushing him with a finger. "No, no, it's okay, it's totally my bad, I should've asked." The sadness evaporated from the girl, a friendly but embarrassed grin now present on her face. Despite the wanted opposing, he stopped himself, watching the girl awkwardly stumble over her legs, groaning as she looked at herself in the mirror. Atleast she wasn't sad anymore. He wasn't here for long anyway.
"Shit, my shift starts in, like, half an hour. I'm so sorry, I gotta-" Logan waved his hand, displaying an understanding face. "No, no, it's okay." She muttered a quick goodbye with another apologetic face, scrambling out of the room. He heard another 'shit' leave her mouth, probably realising she stood in the men's toilet for too long. Logan left the bathroom, checking the bar. It was getting fuller and louder, all of the people minding their own businesses.
Logan walked up to the bartender, paying the man, downing his last beer before leaving the bar. It was now almost pitch black outside, Logan sighing when he realised he was gone for the whole day. He's sure no one really minded, but he could still tell them first. He hopped into the car, luckily enough sober to drive. Maybe not sober, just a little too tipsy to see clear enough. He drove home, walking quitely as to not wake up anyone.
He walked up, luckily early enough, so the door was still open. He didn't see anyone as he walked, hearing a few chatting voices in the other room. He'd greet them but he wasn't in the mood to explain himself in the state he's in. He needs a good shower then hit the hay as soon as possible. He glanced up at the clock, showing 9:41 in the evening. He sighed, palming his dead face before he walked upstairs.
The hall was quiet, dim, and peaceful. Logan was glad for it, finally in some quiet after the loud bar he'd sat in for too long. He walked slowly, now starting to feel the influence of the one too many beers he'd drunk. Carelessly, he put a hand on the slightly open bathroom door, stopping himself as he saw another person occupying the room. The silver hair was tightly put up, yet still recognisable. Luckily, Peter hadn't heard him opening the door due to the shower already running.
Logan didn't know why he was still standing there, blaming it on his hazy state, his hand still slightly gripping the door. He couldn't see well, seeing the man's reflection shine on the nearby mirror. He couldn't see his legs, only from the waist up. His shirt lifted, revealing his upper body. He wasn't surprised by his slimmer frame, the chest hairless, as he expected. He could slightly see the side of his face, the other luckily unable to do the same. The steam made him less visible, but visible enough to Logan.
His hand travelled up to his hair, dropping his light hair down, falling onto his shoulders. Logan's eyes didn't move, almost too afraid that if he'll move, he'll be caught. He knew at any moment, someone could enter the hall and see Logan stand perfectly still at the door. But right now, he couldn't bring himself to care. His heart beat strongly, almost jumping out of his chest as if he was the nervous teenager. He watched the slim fingers slide against his neck, down to his hips, the man bending foward slightly to see his face better.
Logan could catch a glimpse of the lower waist, almost revealing his ass, before he snapped himself out of if with a inaudible gasp. What the fuck was he doing? His eyes travelled down the curved figure, his throat dry from the anticipation. He wasn't sure what he felt in the moment, it felt wrong, but he just couldn't fucking care. He's sure that was the younger man's intention, but how did he know he'd watch him?
Maybe he caught the few glances Logan couldn't restrain to hold back, the few almost too lingering ones. He'd told Peter he doesn't want to do anything with him, yet the younger man failed to listen. This was now his punishment. He let go off his now almost too intense grip, his knuckles almost white from the nerves that attacked him. He closed the door, slowly, hoping the man didn't notice.
He sighed, almost growling, the urge to punch a wall now greatening. He felt weird, disgusted by himself. He shouldn't be the one lingering, eager to watch the man, none of them should. He walked fast, entering his room in record time. He sighed, smacking his head as his vision hazed. He blames his act on his drunken state, clearly not in the right mind at the moment. Plus, the intense moment he'd shared with the woman only roused him further.
He'll sleep it off, and tomorrow with a clear mind, he'll make it his own mission to stop thinking. Ignore Peter as best as he could, reject any wanted advances the younger man would attempt. He is the responsible one here, he should act like it. And he will. No more creeping around. He could really go for a drink right now, despite his tipsy state. He held back the last second, not intending to do anything stupider then he already did.
He picked a few loose clothes, aiming for the lower bathroom, not in the mood for more 'incidents'. He kept his head down as he walked, despite the now closed door. He could hear the water still running, ignoring any sounds as he walked. He'll figure it out. Now, he needs to shower, badly.