Terri's Peep Hut ~~ Fiction Archive

Summary: Logan braves a discount store for his woman, Jean gives Scott an incentive to shop with her, and Jules gets an unconventional breakfast. They're all the start of some Not-Quite-A- Holiday traditions.

Comments: I got to thinking about some of my own holiday traditions lately and it occurred to me that there are a lot of them revolving around the Friday after Thanksgiving, which, if you think about it, isn't really a holiday or at least not your usual kind of holiday.......I tend to like the socializing, shopping, and more laid back aspects of my own day-after-turkey-day traditions better than some of the actual holiday-related ones, and I thought the x-men might too :) I'm not quite sure what universe this one might be set in - Jules appears, but it's not really a Rules story at all. I guess it's on it's own little island :)

"For the love of God, how didya ever talk me inta this?" Logan was staring down some of the most horrific sights he'd ever seen in his life. It was more frightening than Magneto, more stomach-churning than one of Jean's tuna-noodle casseroles, more jarring than that time he'd caught Scott practicing his 'leader-voice' in the mirror, and filled with more sheer evil than all the black hearts of the Brotherhood combined. It was Wal-Mart. On the day after Thanksgiving.

"It's not that bad," Rogue countered. Logan's sight strayed to two very large women playing tug of war with what was apparently the last Tickle-Me-Elmo in the store. Neither would let go.

"Oh, come on, you big baby. We have to get something for Jules." Hank's son was universally beloved by all at the mansion. Even Logan admitted to enjoying babysitting the small blue furball. This would be his first Christmas with the x-men, the first he'd spent outside of the lab he'd been born in. Rogue was determined to get him a good gift. In fact, she was determined to get him a lot of good gifts. She had the Professor's credit card, so she was more than capable of achieving her aims. All she had to do was keep Logan calm and make sure he didn't claw any fellow shoppers.

"Couldn't we just shop over the internet or somethin'?" A faint thud could be heard from somewhere behind them, followed by a cry of 'that was the last one!' Logan wondered what poor bastard had gone down in search of the latest must-have toy. Probably one who let his girlfriend talk him into going shopping at six in the morning at a damn Wal-Mart, Logan thought.

"Hmmm." Rogue turned the box on it's side, looking it over. "It says ages seven and up and he's only four, so I guess so." She put it back on the shelf, and Logan watched as it was snatched up by another shopper not a second later. "Do you have any ideas for presents for him?"

"Darlin', I don't have 'present ideas,'" Logan said, a little exasperated already. "I don't do Christmas presents, remember?" He'd staunchly refused to get involved in the Christmas madness last year, his first Christmas at the mansion. Buying presents for people - that gave the impression that you liked them or something.

"Not the kind ya wrap, darlin'." A smile formed on Logan's lips for the first time this morning, and his irritation melted. He remembered Christmas night well. After all the mansion festivities were over, Marie had brought him a present and shyly handed it to him, explaining that it was OK that he hadn't gotten her anything since saving her life pretty much covered him for the duration thereof. She gave him a lingering hug and then a kiss on the cheek along with the present - too fast for her skin to react. The gesture was so tender, so affectionate - that was the moment that it dawned on him that Marie's feelings might go beyond mere gratitude. Of course, Logan being Logan, he responded by grabbing her by the shoulders, throwing her on his bed, climbing on top of her, and proceeding to make love to her quite thoroughly.

"What about this?" She'd grabbed a set of tinker toys, and Logan grunted his approval, tinged with a little disappointment at being pulled out of those pleasant memories and back to the over- crowded shopping hell he was currently in. "Good. That's one"

"Oh, let's just see what we can find here. There's plenty of stores." Logan tensed appreciably at that. "Oooh - I bet he'd like these." Rogue deposited some toy that wasn't immediately recognizable to Logan in their cart. A shopper bumped up against Rogue as he made his way through the aisle, and Logan growled.

"Easy, sugar," Rogue smiled, heading for the Fisher-Price section. "I bet he'd like some play people. You know, they even have that mutant set now, with little winged figures and ones with blue skin. Let's see if we can find that one.." Logan huffed but followed her into the aisle, bracing himself for a very long morning.

At long last, Marie had given him some respite from shopping hell. They were finally out of the stores. Of course, they were now in an equally crowded restaurant having a late breakfast, but Logan was confident that the worst was over. Marie had declared Jules 'done' and had told Logan (OK, after he put the claws out a little while they were in line to check out at Target) that she could handle the rest of the shopping on her own. She suggested getting something to eat, then dropping him off back at the mansion. He was eternally grateful. He watched Marie sip her coffee adoringly.

"Aw, you know I don't want any presents." There really wasn't anything he wanted for - Chuck and the occasional fight kept his bank account full, and he wasn't the kind of man who had elaborate wants or needs.

"Oh, come on, there's got to be something you'd like. Besides, I like giving you a present on Christmas. That worked out pretty well last time." She winked at him over the rim of her coffee cup before setting it back down.

"Only when it comes to you." Logan smirked a little and leaned across the table. "If you really wanna get me a present, just stop by that lingerie store we passed. That little black number in the window would look hot as hell on ya." He exchanged a naughty smile with her before leaning back in his seat. He enjoyed just looking at her sometimes, and especially times like this, when she was blushing a little. "I like doin' stuff like this."

Logan said it, then shut his mouth quickly. Sometimes things like that just popped out when he was looking at Marie, and he really wanted to find a way to stop that. He'd already blurted out that he loved her, that never wanted to be apart from her, and various and sundry other very un- Wolveriney things. Of course, his distress was usually mitigated by the fact that the blurts tended to make her very happy, and this time was no exception.

"Uh, no. Not the shopping." Logan resolutely focused his eyes on the table and not Marie's blushing cheeks so that something semi-coherent and sufficiently manly would come out. "This part. Hangin' out. Eatin'. Food - that's it. I like food." Satisfied that his macho image was repaired, he chanced another look. He really shouldn't have done that because she was smiling and leaning toward him and blushing all at the same time. He could also see a little cleavage. "And you. I like you with my food." Dammit, Logan thought, I've really got to get a grip on this kind of thing.

Luckily for him, Marie decided to let him off the hook. She reached across the table to take his hand in hers and looked him squarely in the eye. "I like you with just about anything, sugar. I'm glad you like me too."

Logan really couldn't be blamed for what happened next. He was a little lost in her gaze and it was the holidays and he'd been thinking about it for a long, long time, since last Christmas in fact. It just bubbled up to the surface and popped out. "Marry me."

Marie's eyes widened, and her mouth fell open a little. For a terrifying moment, she said nothing at all. But then she shut her mouth, formed it into a full smile, and answered, "OK."

"Honey? Have you seen my - " Scott's sought-after white socks magically floated over to him, cutting him off mid-sentence. "Thanks, dear." There were a lot of benefits living with someone who was telepathic and telekinetic.

"You're welcome, but if you really want to thank me, you could get a move on. It's six fifteen and we're not shopping yet!" Scott knew well Jean's love of shopping and today was the holiest of all shopping days. He hurriedly put his socks on, then his jeans. Jean was shuffling things around in the bathroom, putting on the finishing touches for her hair and makeup.

"We have to shop, there's no time for belts, let's go!" Jean exited the bathroom in a flurry, brushing past Scott and physically hauling him along after her by the arm.

"Ha, ha. It's six sixteen and yet we are *still* not shopping. This is no time for jokes, Summers." She bounded down the stairs, finally letting go of Scott's arm. When she reached the bottom, though, she stopped abruptly and turned to face him. "You do have the credit cards, don't you?"

"It's your fault, you know," she said, in a completely different and altogether more relaxed tone. "I could've been shopping by now, but, no, you had to have all that sex with me first." Scott smiled, lips curling sensually. That expression usually drew Jean to him like a magnet and this time was no different. He pulled her closer, pressing her hips to his and grinding up against her a little. "If you don't stop that, I'll have to tell Charles that the reason he didn't get a Christmas present was because his prize pupil got too horny to let me out of the house."

"He owns the house. He doesn't need presents," Scott countered, complemented by another hip grind. Jean appeared to be considering it for a moment, but then she broke from him.

"Deal," Scott agreed, looking forward to it. Jean got the same kind of rush from shopping that he did from a good mission, and the parking lot sex promised to be excellent. Yeah, Scott thought, there are a lot of benefits to being engaged to a shopaholic.

"A while," Jules answered. Hank was very proud of how his vocabulary and speech were progressing - the poor child had known few words when he arrived at the mansion. "Dada OK?"

"I am very well this fine morning," Hank smiled at him. Jules always asked that question. Hank suspected it was a way for Jules to reassure himself - when they'd found him, there had been several dead children in the same cell with him. Jules was just now beginning to allow Hank a full night's sleep without waking him periodically to ask that question. "How are you?"

"Yes, let's go down to the kitchen for breakfast, shall we?" They were both in pajamas, but Hank supposed it would matter little. Most of the x-women were bound to be shopping by now - it was almost seven a.m. - and most of the x-men had probably been dragged along in their wake.

"Tookey?" Jules inquired hopefully. He had eaten, by Hank's ballpark calculations, more than two pounds of turkey at yesterday's feast. That was roughly five percent of his own body weight. They had definitely found a favorite. In fact, the whole idea of a table full of food seemed to be quite a hit with Jules. Ordinarily, Hank would prepare a plate of food for Jules in the kitchen - he didn't usually bother to set the table. But Jules' wide-eyed appreciation of yesterday's feast might change Hank's mind on that.

"I was thinking of something more along the lines of eggs and bacon." Bacon was another Jules- favorite, and Hank didn't often have time to cook it for him in the morning. "But we can make turkey sandwiches if you like." Hank delighted in giving things to his son, even things as seemingly insignificant as a choice of breakfast dishes. Jules had had little food to eat and no choice whatsoever in what he ate before coming to the mansion. The joy on Jules' face now, happily overwhelmed by the comparative bounty of options before him, reminded Hank just why he liked to indulge Jules so much. "Take your time," Hank soothed, "We can decide in the kitchen if you like."

"If you like, or I could carry you if you would prefer that." Jules anchored both arms around Hank's thick neck, and he had his answer. "Very well. Let's go get some breakfast." Hank rose, holding Jules to him with one arm. Pausing for a big yawn, Hank slowly headed downstairs.

Hank chuckled a little at that, twisting his head so that he could see Jules' innocently hopeful expression and give him a wink. "Well, I suppose that since it is a holiday, you could have your daily twinkie for breakfast instead of as your afternoon snack if you like." Jules nodded enthusiastically. He had definitely inherited Hank's love of the sugary, spongy treats.

"Ah, a holiday is - is a special day, usually one that commemorates the anniversary of an important event or is held for a specific purpose. Yesterday was Thanksgiving, a day set aside for everyone to give thanks for the good things in their life, and today is - " Hank paused. Today was the day after a holiday, not really a holiday in itself. How to explain that to Jules? "Today is the day after Thanksgiving, which is traditionally regarded as a day to be with family and friends. And to shop," Hank added, remembering the x-women.

"Mmm-hmm. Remember the store we went into to get some clothes for you? That was shopping." Hank opened the refrigerator and began shifting the leftover pie and cranberry sauce aside in an effort to find some bread and meat with which to make a sandwich. "People use this day to shop for Christmas presents. It is a sort of tradition. People enjoy doing that, usually with their friends and family."

"Us shop?" Jules' head was tilted to one side in curiosity. Hank backed out of the fridge holding bread and turkey, and took a moment to think about whether he wanted to face the hordes of crazed consumers that surely would await them. Jules thought about it for a moment too, then declared, "Us fam-ly."

"Yes, we are," Hank agreed softly, the crush of shoppers now seeming like a small price to pay for solidifying his familial bond with Jules. "And we'll go shopping. Right after we eat breakfast. How does that sound?" Jules nodded enthusiastically and Hank began preparing his turkey- sandwich breakfast. Turkey-and-twinkie breakfasts, late-morning shopping, and spending all day with his son - to Hank, those seemed like fine makings for a new not-quite-a-holiday tradition.