THE ILLUSIONIST WOMAN

fifteen. Look After Each Other

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LOGAN WAS THROWN HARSHLY against the interior, rusted green walls of the Lady Liberty. His body made a -- Clang! When it hit. Metal shrapnel wrapping around his wrists and torso to keep him restrained. Before Ximena could try to do anything about it, she too was slung across the room and secured tightly to the walls.

Her breath escaped her forcefully upon impact. The rest of her team in a similar predicament as herself. She instantly knew who they had stumbled upon, or in retrospect, who had been expecting them to arrive.

Out from the shadows, Magneto appeared in a graceful decent from the ceiling with a prideful smirk. The air about him was full of ambitious theatrics. He walked with a certain gibe that impressed power and wisdom beyond his years. Trauma, which boiled down into revengeful fury simmered behind his dark eyes. His hair had long greyed, but his tenacity was as youthful as ever.

"Ah, my brothers... Welcome." He observed his captives, witnessing the useless struggle they insisted to continue. Then he turned and eyed Logan with pure disdain, lips curling into a deep scowl. "And you, just point those claws of your in a safer direction."

Erik lightly curled his hand, exhibiting zero strain as the metal bars he used to keep Logan suspended forced his hands inward. If he extended his claws, they would go straight into his own artery.

"You better close your eyes," He suggested with a snide attitude.

Sabretooth jumped down from the rafters and purposely stalked towards Scott to swipe his glasses off. Ximena, who was suspended beside Jean stared at him with gritted teeth. The last thing they needed was for him to accidently open his eyes or they were going to get lasered right through.

Ximena focused her glare on Erik's head. His helmet was on, meaning he knew exactly what her abilities entailed and it put her at a massive disadvantage. Sweat trickled down her temple, mixing with the blood Mystique's claws drew from her face. Her chest heaved in agitation.

"Mystique," Magneto called for multiple times on his ear com link, which made Ximena sigh knowingly.

"Something tells me she's incapacitated at the moment," She sucked her teeth, glaring down at Magneto. What surprised her was his lips turning up into a smile, like he was pleased. Although Ximena didn't know it, Erik admired her spiteful spirit.

"I've seen Senator Kelly," Jean drew his conniving attention away from her friend. Her face forced to face Scott as he clenched his eyes closed.

Erik prowled closer to the them, arching an intrigued brow. "So the good senator survived his fall and the swim to shore. He's become even more powerful than I could have imagined."

"He's dead," Ximena spat, nostrils flaring. Logan glared at her to shut up across the room, but she ignored him. "I saw his body deteriorate into nothing but a puddle. And like him, all those people down there will die."

The Metal Manipulator moved in front of Ximena, his face close enough to feel his breath on her neck. She didn't shiver or flinch, only scowled. Her friends -- her team, were beyond nervous for her. But the Doctor rather go out speaking the truth than die a gutless mute.

He leant towards her, "Are you sure you saw what you saw..." She didn't respond, tilting her head back against the copper walls. "Why can't you people understand what I'm trying to do? Those people down there, they control our fate and the fate of every other mutant."

Erik widened his arms as if to convey his sincerity, but the hero shouting inside Ximena didn't see this as the answer. Judging by his unimpressed expression, her team members thought the same. "Well, soon our fate will be theirs."

"Help! Please help me!" Marie's shouts from above echoed around the copper interior of Lady Liberty. It made Ximena's heart clench, but for Logan it only made him angry.

Logan's upper lip curled in disgust. "You're so full of shit. If you were really so righteous, it'd be you in that thing."

The cries of a defenseless teenage girl slammed against his head as his blood boiled. Magneto didn't care for every mutant. Logan could see it in his eyes as he levitated himself to the torch of the great, rusted green statue. He only picked and chose who he deemed worthy while the others picked up the scraps left for them at the table. Logan could see that now. It was a war -- yes -- but not with the humans. No, it was a war within their own species. A battle for dominance, for superiority.

If there was one thing the Wolverine wasn't, is submissive.

Logan could feel the steady tempo of his heartbeat in his ears as he grunted under his restraints. A drizzly of sweat trickled down his forehead as he prepared himself. The inner struggle is what worried Ximena as she watched him at her odd angle. He was doing what he had to do.

With a yell, Logan extended his claws and pierced himself through the chest to cut his restraints. Ximena held in her cry of concern as he dropped to ground, successfully freeing himself.

He laid perfectly still, wading his time. Sabretooth walked over to his. The habitual growling sounds rumbling from his chest and expelling from his mouth. Ximena's eye twitched as she watched them with baited breath. Just a little closer, she thought.

By some act of the gods, he listened. As he hovered over Logan, the Alpha male shot up and shoved his clawed fist into his gut, causing Sabretooth to let out an agonized roar. Ximena knew exactly what it felt like and her own stomach clenched at the sight. Although this time she welcomed it.

Logan tossed Sabretooth fought him with every ounce of energy he possessed. Their grunts and growls drowned out by the display of fireworks at the gala a ways away.

Ximena struggled in her restraints, wiggling the fingers on her left hand at her side. She huffed, biting her lip as the rusted copper scraped at her skin. Tearing flesh, drawing blood and healing over thereafter. "Logan!" She shouted in both exasperation and pain, popping her wrist out of its natural socket so she could slip it out from under the metal bar.

He looked up for just a second, meeting her beckoning gaze. She erratically nodded, shifting her eyes towards her misshapen hand as it started to sputter an orange glow. They were on the same wavelength.

Returning back to his current fight, Logan slammed his fist into Sabretooth's hairy face. His elbow coming up right after to follow through. It was a back to back shot. Sabretooth was minutely disoriented and Logan instantly took that as his advantage, kicking his leg out into his chest.

Sabretooth soared through the air and crashed right in front of Ximena, just where she wanted him. Her eyes flashed orange as she shot an echo of a spinning halo towards his temple. His dark eyes pinged with a bright, coppery light.

The sudden sound of his horrified screams could send paralyzing chills down anyone's spine. He stood, stumbling blindly, seeing the unimaginable.

"Jean," Logan called and he backed Sabretooth in the right position.

Jean immediately knew what he meant, turning to Scott. "Scott, when I tell you. Open your eyes." Scott shook his head, refusing. However, Jean implored him. "Trust me."

"You dropped something." Logan threw Scott's glasses towards Jean and she caught it mid air. Telepathically placing it at the right angle as she urged, "Now."

Scott opened his eyes and the fiery, red lasers they were expecting shot out uncontrollably. With his glasses at the perfect angle, the beams bulleted into Sabretooth's hysterical frame, projecting him right out of Lady Liberty's crown as it melted an opening.

Logan rushed to Ximena's side first, wrenching the metal bands off her, catching her by the waist to set her on the ground. "Thank you," She muttered breathily, groaning under her breath with gritted teeth as she set her wrist back in place.

"Mention it anytime you get a chance." He smirked at her before helping to release everyone else. "We gotta get her out of there. Cyclops, can you hit it?"

Scott furrowed his brow as he looked up at the torch. "The rings are moving too fast. If I shot it I'll kill her. Storm, can you get me up there?" 

The platinum haired weather-starter shook her head, frowning deeply. "I can't control it like that. You could fly right over the torch --"

"Then let me go," Logan interrupted, to which Ximena parted her lips to object but he sent her a strong look, as if expecting her to say something. "If I don't make it, then at least you can still blast the damn thing."

"You can't be serious --"

"All right, do it." Scott agreed, causing Ximena to send him an incredulous face. When he saw her reaction, he further elaborated his idea, spinning to face the Mind Reader. "Jean, use your power to try and steady him."

"Hang on to something..." Ororo muttered before her eyes blurred into that familiar opaque white. The winds picked up, sending Ximena's ponytail whipping around wildly. She squinted her eyes through the forceful air, watching nervously as Logan started to levitate until he was flying through the night sky altogether. He fumbled to catch a grip on the top of the torch, but then the intense, brilliant white of the energy bursting from Magneto's machine overcame any sight of Logan Ximena previously had.

It was a sanctimonious moment in time. Where all else seemed to divot down to a single second.

The glare of Rogue's powers taking affect burned the whites of Logan's eyes, like looking into the sun. His heart seemed to beat at a sluggish tempo, lulling to it's own legato -- andante drum. White noise filled his ears. Cotton clouded his thoughts, but the only thing he could make out was Ximena's voice.

One particular time, when she explained to him again and again that when all else did not matter, one thing did above all else... That when the going gets rough, we take care of each other.

Because no one else will. 

That was the only words he could hear when he jumped into the blazing magma force. His class extended, stretching forward despite Magneto's metal manipulating pressure holding him back. Logan yelled out in a steady stream of frustration, inching closer by the seconds.

"I've got a clear shot!" Scott shouted above the screams. Ximena placing a hand on his shoulder in anxiousness.

"Take it," Jean nodded and he did.

Logan jerked forward as Magneto was shot by Scott. His hindrances abolished, he raised his arm and brought it back down in a slicing motion, breaking the binding that conducted Rogue's powers. The white energy snapped back like a rubber band and obliterated what remained of Magneto's machine.

Grabbing the teenager in his arms, Logan panicked, shaking Marie to somehow wake her up. She laid there limply. No pulse, no breath. A strand of her hair disturbingly bleached white from the prolonged exploit of her abilities. Logan's chest constricted, his adrenaline kicking in. The desire to help her overtaking his other rational thoughts.

Ripping off his gloves, he shakily placed his hand over her face and instantly felt the affects of her gift sucking the life force out of him. He trembled, his knees buckling as he hug her to himself.

The pain was excruciating. He could feel his skin splitting in a series of lesions all over his body. The veins throughout be deprived of oxygen as they darkened a deep onyx. As his eyes closed, he collapsed onto his back, hoping that his last intent to save her life was fulfilled.

Because for once... he found himself wanting to be the person someone could count on to be there when they needed him.

...

FOR ONCE, JAZZ MUSIC didn't play through the speakers of the lab as Ximena worked. She was focused, maybe a little too focused on her tasks.

She couldn't help it. Not when the man she suddenly couldn't get her mind off of was laying there on her table for the millionth time since she'd met him.

Truth be told, they came a long way from their first encounter. From putting her into a choke hold after freaking out, to finding herself actually admiring him. Ximena didn't know where to start.

When they finally got to Logan and Marie, the teenager was practically good as new. However, Logan was in a ghastly state. She had never felt both relieved for Marie's safety and well being, and full of despair at the same time before. And Logan... he drew that out of her. Ximena didn't know if it was toxic or simply because she cared for him and this was how her compassion expressed itself. In waves of uncontrollable chaos.

He had her mesmerized. In the continuous loop of addictive stimulation she couldn't get anywhere else. It was troubling. It was enthralling.

Ximena wondered if this was going to be their routine now. Logan getting himself hurt by sacrificing himself and her having to patch him back up. The thought put a light, adoring smile on her lips.

She wanted him to stick around. If only to fill her newly realized, chasm of loneliness in the shape of James Howlett's heart. He seemed like the perfect man for the job.

Sighing to herself at her ridiculousness, she peeled back the bandages placed in various places all over his body. Logan looked to be healing back up nicely. There was no scaring or bruises -- unlike when she first started treating him. That image she wanted to get burned from her brain simply because it saddened her, made her feel helpless in the grand scheme of events.

Tugging on the white bandage smeared with dried blood from his abdomen, she ghosted her fingertips over the hairy area. Checking for any sensitivity or discoloration. Her mind was so focused, she gasped when his hand swiftly caught her wrist.

Ximena jumped, flickering her cocoa brown eyes to his seemingly sleeping face. "Oh, that tickles." His voice was husky, sleep induced and pure baritone. It sent shivers down her spine.

Her lips curled into a genuine, watery grin. Ximena's cheeks instantly started to cramp from the pure joy radiating from her radiant face. "Welcome back, Wolfie."

Logan fought a weak smile, "Hey." His eyes opened to her heart shaped face above him and all he could think about was just how beautiful she looked while happy. He didn't believe it was him who caused her such elation, but he wanted to thank whoever did.

"How are you feeling?" Her voice was like warm honey melting into a fresh cup of tea. Sweet and sprinkled with undertones of rich flavor. Ximena couldn't help lightly running her fingers into his hair to brush it out off his forehead, her touch hesitant now that he was aware.

"Fantastic," He muttered sarcastically.

Ximena nodded off-handedly. "Right, stupid question," She mused. "Y'know, that was a... brave thing you did for Marie. Truly admirable."

"It was no time to be a coward," He echoed back at her, to which it caused her to hum in agreement.

"I tend to be right most of the time. You should get used to it..." They chuckled together gently, falling into a peaceful silence before he uttered the question that was on his mind.

"Did it work?"

"Marie is fine. She's great really... She took on a few of your more charming personality traits for a while, but she fine. Comes in to see you everyday after class. Actually, I think you might have a secret admirer, but don't tell anyone I told you." That caused his eyes to momentarily grow wide before he coughed in a fit of amusement.

Ximena placed her hand back on his chest to settle him down, unable to wipe the subtly smile off her face. "Well... you can tell her my heart belongs to someone else."

The smile on her face waned at his honest words. Logan looked her dead in the eye, gauging her reaction. Although, Ximena didn't know if she had one at the moment. For a second, she didn't believe him. Her heart picked up speed, tripping over itself like an idiot. She felt the warm blush take over her tanned cheeks.

Then, the sincerity in his voice. The warmth of his dark eyes as he gaze up at her made his words sink into her skin, leaving nothing but a gentle caress in its wake. Ximena's breath caught and she tucked her lip beneath her teeth in apprehension.

"I'm not very good with hearts," Her voice lowered into a insecure whisper. "The last one broke and it broke mine too in the process."

Logan moved to clutch her hand within his own. It was much larger, wrapping around her entire wrist while still having room to do it once more. The pads of his fingers were calloused but he handled her with gentle care, like she was the one in the hospital bed.

Ximena swallowed subtly, glancing to their intertwined hands before meeting his adoring gaze. "It's a good thing we heal quick then, huh?"

An exhale seethed between her teeth as she closed her eyes. Leaning forward, she touched her forehead to his own, inhaling his woodsy scent.

She debated with herself on what he was offering without saying. Ximena had been on a rollercoaster with Logan since the day they met, even before that if you counted the illusions she sent of herself. The man was intense, so much so, she couldn't look him in the eye right now. She was afraid the passion with burn her alive and leave nothing but a whisper of her name to remember.

... Yet, she didn't think that was a horrible way to go. She tried to convince herself.

Being adored by Logan could be her undoing or the thing that causes an awakening of her greatest potential.

Question was: was she willing?

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Unedited. 6/23/21

Ah, cliffhanger is a bitch I tell ya. Don't worry, I'll post again soon lol Let me know what you thought of this chapter by commenting, Vote! Xx