Behind the Veil

She ran through the wooded area with her troops and they began to take their chances at taking the prize. Capture the flag involving paintball guns was a little intense but the students of Xavier Institute for Gifted Youngsters, loved it. The teams were evenly separated and Lola found herself on the opposite team of Tony Stark, the provider of all the equipment. Logan was on Lola’s team and they began to siege the other team’s area with a few of the other students in hopes of capturing the flag. Everyone seemed to be having a blast and Logan sensed a shot so he grabbed Lola to pull her against his body. They were hidden by the tree and Logan looked down at Lola with a smile.

“Thanks Logan.”

“I‘ve got your back,” he says. Lola smiled and looked to the open area in which the flag stood. They continued on their mission and covered for the students who attempted to get the flag. Tony saw that Logan was in the open and shot a few paintballs in his direction. He smirked having hit the man and Logan looked in Tony’s direction a snarl escaping his lips. Of course Tony laughed.

“Nice try Mutton Chops,” Tony smirks. Being that Logan had anger management issues the taunting caused him to shoot Tony. Tensions ran high with the pair, the competitive nature soon turned into a fight. Lola was less than impressed, but the kids seemed to want to see the outcome of the fight. Using her abilities she restrained the pair hands behind their backs but their faces barely a foot away from each other. The bell had rung to signify the other team had gotten the flag so she was left to think of what to do with the two men. She dismissed the other students and she stood with her hands on her hips.

“Seriously you two it is just a game,” Lola states giving them both disapproving looks. Logan let out a growl and she decided best that she should let him go. She sighed as he stormed off and she knew she’d have to talk to him later. Her attention went to Tony who had a bloody eyebrow. The plants retreated and she went up to him to fix his injury. “Why would you pick a fight with someone who is virtually indestructible?”

“Not my fault he‘s a sore loser.”

“You could have done without the taunting Tony.”

“This isn‘t helping my case is it?” Tony replies looking at her.

“He is my friend Tony, you can‘t pick fights with my friends,” she responds giving him a look.

“Does he know you‘re just friends, because I sense some unresolved feelings. Who can blame him? I‘ve got some unresolved feelings of my own.”

“Tony,” Lola sighs. He opted to raise his hand and touch the side of her face. “How do I say this without you thinking that I am completely horrible?”

“Say what?” he inquires.

“I had made a deal with Franz while I was with you. He‘s the reason my mother snapped out of it and I was too stupid to realize that he was also the reason she was the way she was in the first place. I get stupid when things come to my family, I just turned a blind eye and convinced myself I could handle it all.”

“What kind of deal?”

“What do you think?” she mutters. “I‘m not proud but I just wanted to get my mother back.”

“Oh, so he was the one you visited late at night.”

“Yes.”

“You didn‘t enjoy it did you?” Tony questions hoping to reinforce his fleeting confidence with Lola.

“No,” she says shaking her head. “It made me physically sick to do anything with him.”

“Why would you tell me?”

“Because I don’t want to go back to lying all the time.”

“What do you want me to do with this information then?” he retorts with an incredulous look.

“I made the mistake of letting someone think I was good when I wasn’t, I don’t want to do it again,” Lola responds in a miserable tone. Her eyes cast downwards and remembered Daniel’s face the night they had their last fight. “It’s incredibly hard for me to even admit to all the horrible shit I’ve done and actually face the people I’ve wronged once they know. I‘m really fucked up and I‘m trying to get better at this stuff.”

“We’re all fucked up but we have to own up to our shit eventually.”

“I know, I just don’t want to hear or see the reactions people have when I do own up to things.”

“Well if it’s any consolidation I’m still here,” Tony states.

“I’m still trying to figure why you would be,” she mutters letting out a heavy sigh. Tony tilted her face up to meet his gaze and he held eye contact for a few moments before finally speaking.

“I think you know the answer to that.”

In this moment Lola’s eyes softened and Tony kissed her on the lips. He let his arms wrap around her, keeping her body close to his while she rested her hands on his shoulders. The kiss broke but they remained close, Tony’s forehead resting on hers both of their eyes still closed savoring the moment. Lola opened her eyes, looking up at Tony’s closed eyes. Her hand moved to graze his jaw line and she kissed him again. Tony smiled into the kiss and he raised his hand to touch her face. Eventually they pulled apart and Tony kissed her forehead. It seemed that things would get better from there on out.

She remained at Xavier’s institute and the week continued onwards with the finals. After the tests over and the students seemed relieved about the terms’ end that would be met with a couple weeks off. Lola was sure to set up a small dance for the teenagers. Professor Xavier allowed the dance to occur thinking that it was good for moral and helped give the students some normality in their otherwise different life. Ororo Munroe otherwise known as Storm, thought the whole dance was a great idea for the kids. She even helped Lola put it together.

“Thanks helping set up Ororo,” Lola smiles at the white haired beauty as they hung up decorative streamers.

“No problem Lola, it is my pleasure. I think its good that the students get to have some moments like this. They all seem very happy with you here.”

“I’m sure they were happy before I came here.”

“Perhaps they were but they do enjoy your company and teachings,” she states with a smile. Lola gave a smile and turned her attention to creating a few floral arrangements. They finished the decorations in the main ballroom area of the manor and Lola turned on the music. Students began to file in to let the games and fun begin. Each dressed in the best they had and each were ready for their first dance. Now Lola had to make sure they had the fun they so dearly needed.

The other staff members helped chaperon the event all but Logan. Lola took notice of his lack of appearance at the dance and she wondered where he was. She excused herself from the dance while she went to go search for Logan outside. He stood smoking a cigar on the gardens and he felt the cigar being pulled away by a nearby vine alerting him of Lola’s arrival. The vine carried the cigar to Lola and she held it in her hand before taking a drag of tobacco. Logan couldn’t resist letting the smirk slip onto his lips.

“There a reason you’re not at the dance?”

“Not my sort of thing.”

“You’ve been acting like nothing is your sort of thing lately,” she comments as the smoke billowed from her lips. She handed him the cigar back and he held it while staring at her. “Come on, we‘re going inside to the dance.”

“Not gonna take no for an answer are ya?” Logan responds.

“No not really. Finish the smoke and let’s head back to the dance.”

Logan knew it was futile fighting her persistent behavior. She brought him back to the dance and to see very few of the students acting dancing. Some bobbed their heads awkwardly to the beat but none really danced. From personal experience Lola knew if two people started dancing it would be deemed okay to dance other kids. Putting aside any awkwardness Lola began to encourage the dancing. She convinced the girls that had asked for the dance to do what a dance was for. Other girls followed while the boys seemed to be standing off the side. A slower song came on and Lola pulled Logan with her to dance hoping the others would follow in suit. Logan raised an eyebrow at her and she rested her hands on his shoulders.

“I’m trying to get these kids to dance,” Lola states.

“Trying to set an example.”

“Exactly.”

Logan smiled down at her and pulled her a little closer to his body. However awkward the other students were they followed the example set by their teachers. Ororo danced with Scott and she couldn’t help notice the look Logan gave Lola when they danced together. She knew him long enough to recognize the look and Ororo knew Lola was the reason he remained at the school. The pair got along well and they shared a few laughs while they danced.

Eventually the dance had ended and Lola began to pick up what was left of the party. She took down the decorations and stood on the ladder while doing so. It seemed to him it was the perfect time to make his move even though it probably wasn’t. Climbing back down from the ladder with the streamers in hand she found herself running into Logan. He didn’t hesitate to kiss her and she was completely thrown off by the act. Thoughts swarmed her mind and she felt the desire behind Logan’s kiss. She knew this couldn’t be good especially when her body seemed to react to the kiss as well.