Chapter 225 — A Family Gathering
Logan glared at his own reflection like it had just insulted him. The mirror showed a grizzled Canadian in a pressed suit jacket, a crisp white shirt, and — damnation itself — a tie cinched far too neat for his liking. He tugged at it with two fingers like he was choking on manners.
"Feels like a noose," he growled.
Behind him, Mariko's soft hands smoothed the silk down against his chest, ignoring his fidgeting. "Neckties are not nooses, Logan-san. You must not look like a barbarian at your friend's wedding."
Logan snorted. "My friend? That scoundrel bailed on my wedding, darlin'. Left me standin' with a busted heart and a church full of awkward silence. And now you expect me to give him face at his?" He tugged again.
Mariko leaned in, her perfume brushing past his nose — clean, floral, grounded. She pressed her lips close to his ear. "It is not about him. It is about you… and me. We attend with dignity. That is how we honor ourselves."
Logan let out a low growl in his throat but didn't resist as she straightened the knot with the precision of a blade-master. His eyes softened despite his words. "Fine. But don't expect me to smile for him."
"You always smile for me," she said, so quiet he almost thought he imagined it.
Logan's rough edges frayed for a second, then snapped back. He grabbed a cigar, sniffed it, then stuffed it back in his pocket. Couldn't light up in the mansion — not with Xavier's rules and all the kiddies running around. He huffed. "Let's get this circus over with."
---
The wedding hall in Xavier's mansion was dressed to the nines. Silk ribbons in blues and whites, garlands of flowers trailing from banisters, rows of chairs filled with guests. Mutants and humans alike crowded the place, and for once, it wasn't for a fight or a funeral. The old school building felt alive.
Storm swept forward in a silver gown that seemed to carry a whisper of wind with it. She looked across the packed hall and murmured, "For once… our family is gathered. Old and new. Together."
Logan grunted, eyeing the crowd. "Careful, Ro. You say that with that tone and you'll jinx it. Sounds like a funeral dirge already."
She shot him a look, then smiled faintly. "You find ways to spoil even moments of joy."
"Balance," Logan muttered, though the corner of his mouth twitched.
The guests themselves were a sight. Kitty Pryde bounced on her toes, Lockheed perched smugly on her shoulder, earning laughs from Moira MacTaggart when the little dragon tried to roast the floral arrangements. Colossus loomed beside her, straight-backed and formal, like a knight guarding a princess. Nightcrawler bamfed in and out of clusters of guests, a blur of blue, his laughter carrying across the hall.
Rogue stood at the edge, arms crossed, looking out of place in her green dress. Logan's nose twitched — the scent of two souls meshed still lingered in her. He caught her eye and gave her a small nod. She blinked, then offered a tiny, grateful smile.
Beast was already holding court near the punchbowl, quoting Shakespeare to Polaris, who tried to politely follow while Havok rolled his eyes. Iceman stood with Angel at the back, both cracking jokes about how Scott had finally managed to look less wooden than usual.
And then came the Starjammers — Corsair with his rakish grin and flask hidden poorly in his coat, Hepzibah prowling like she owned the room, Raza lecturing Ch'od about manners while Ch'od stuffed hors d'oeuvres into his massive maw. Logan shook his head. "Now it's a circus."
Sunfire lingered alone, aloof, arms folded, but his presence spoke volumes. He gave Logan a curt nod. Logan returned it. No love lost, but respect's respect.
Storm's eyes softened. "Almost all of us… yet not all. I wish we could have invited Thunderbird. But the Savage Land is beyond our reach."
Logan chewed the inside of his cheek. He remembered John Proudstar, remembered his fire. "Don't make the wedding a funeral, Ro. Thunderbird'll raise his own glass somewhere out there. Let the man rest."
Storm inclined her head. Logan's bluntness was his way of mercy.
---
The music swelled, and all eyes turned as the bride walked in. Lee Forrester, sailor's daughter, carried herself with grace, simple but strong. Scott Summers — Cyclops himself — looked almost human without his visor. The ruby-quartz glasses gleamed, but his stiff jaw had softened, his nerves naked in front of so many.
The priest began the vows, his voice echoing. The words carried: love, honor, commitment. Cyclops spoke them carefully, as though each syllable was being balanced on the edge of a blade. Lee answered with warmth, her sailor's strength shining through.
Logan watched, arms folded, jaw set. His keen hearing caught the heartbeats — Scott's hammering, Lee's steady as the tide. The scents swirled together. Nerves. Hope. Fear. He grunted quietly.
When the kiss came, the hall erupted. Applause thundered. Kitty squealed, "Finally!" Nightcrawler clapped his hands dramatically, tail swishing. Beast threw his arms wide and boomed, "A triumph for romance!" Rogue muttered, "Hope he don't burn it down later," earning a chuckle from Logan.
Corsair let out a whistle that nearly drowned the organ, Hepzibah purred approvingly, and Iceman shouted, "Get a room already!" Angel smacked the back of his head.
Even Xavier smiled warmly from his chair, Lilandra's hand in his. The room pulsed with genuine joy.
---
Logan didn't clap.
He stood still, watching. His fists clenched once, then relaxed. A flicker of bitterness slipped through his teeth in a mutter meant only for Mariko.
"Wouldn't it have been us first, Mari?"
Mariko stiffened beside him. Her hand squeezed his, almost painfully. Her voice trembled. "I… I am sorry, Logan-san."
He blinked, then cursed himself inside. The words had come sharp, poisoned like his own claws. He turned, grabbed her hand harder, locking eyes with her. "No. Don't you twist my meaning. It ain't blame. It's just my damn tongue. Poisoned thing never knows when to shut up."
Her dark eyes searched him, guilt fading into something softer. She bowed her head slightly. "You still ache."
"Yeah," Logan admitted, raw. "But don't mistake it. That ache's mine to carry. You… you're the one keeps me steady."
For a moment, the noise of the hall blurred away. Logan saw only her, her quiet strength, the softness that even his claws couldn't cut through.
Mariko's lips curved faintly. "Then let us endure together."
Logan huffed a laugh, low and ragged. "Endurin's what I do best." He leaned down, kissed her knuckles, then tucked her hand against his chest as though anchoring himself.
The applause still rang. The hall was alive with laughter, cheers, family gathered close. Logan forced a smirk across his face, but his eyes betrayed him — a man still healing, still waiting, still hunting for a peace that always seemed just out of reach.
---
The ceremony ended, the guests spilling into chatter and celebration. Cyclops and Lee smiled in their little bubble of new beginnings. Friends reunited, family ties knotted again, hope glittered across the mansion like starlight.
And in the back, Logan held Mariko's hand, his smirk fading into something real — a small, raw smile, carved painfully but true.
He let himself feel it.