Natasha gave him a ghost of a smile at that. It was a sweet thing to say, surprising from Logan, though she knew that everyone had their facets. He had been there for her just like Clint had been when she had been pulled out of the Red Room. She may have lived with Barton for the rehabilitation process, but Logan had been strong enough to actually subdue her when she slipped into her programming or lost control of herself and her brainwashing settled in. He’d been there when she had lost to him and then immediately snapped back into training sessions with the Winter Soldier. He’d been able to answer her in Russian and pull her out again. She had had glommed onto Clint, but recognized that she owed Logan, too. Even if she was sure that he wouldn’t let her believe that if he had his way.
She scoffed. “Fair enough,” she answered. “Drink your liquid bread and I’ll keep the potato. Almost a balanced meal, right?” Natasha appreciated that about Logan. He was earth. Solid. Relatively immovable. He didn’t burn in heat of the fire she had burned with back then, and the ember she was now settled comfortably behind him, sheltered from the rain for now. It was nice. To just sit. Drink and be.
“Oh yeah?” She asked. “I’m sure Summers is coming up with something. I’m surprised that Magneto has let it go this long. I thought there was about to be a city-wide war after what he pulled back in February. It would have been supremely dangerous had that started. And she wasn’t sure what they would have done then. Would they have sided with the mutants? Or would there have been yet another situation of opposition while the mutants emerged to fight humanity, overpowered and angry, and the Avengers had to decide between their friends in some cases… or the ones who would be crushed beneath the boot of people like Magneto, who decided on a whim who lived and who died? She was glad that it hadn’t ended up coming to fruition.
Considering that, Natasha cocked her head. “You don’t think they’d use them again? I’m not sure they’re going to do a small scale situation like forty-eight hours again unless they’re making a big move, but i wouldn’t be surprised if they came up again. Too many people rely on their powers in the city. When they’re gone, some of us are sitting ducks.” She grinned. “Not most of the Avengers, though. Cap puts us through enough training without them that most everyone can hold their own in hand to hand. You remember?” Logan had been with the Avengers a few times before, after all.
“I’ll hold you to that,” she answered. She couldn’t imagine the struggle being a mutant had afforded Logan. She was enhanced, but it didn’t earn the same kind of ire as the mutants seemed to receive. Most of the fear was born of nothing. Though there were a few of them that were unstable enough to be watched. She was sure Wayne had files on most of them–unconfirmed, but she had her own intel and files and she wasn’t leading a massive group of heroes. She wouldn’t be surprised if he had a collection on all of them, too. Were she in his position, she would. Steve would never be the type. Too trusting. But Bruce Wayne? She recognized in him a paranoia that she, herself, carried around the shoulders.
“But enough about NOVA. I didn’t come for that. I wanted to see you. Tell me about you.”
It had been a long time ago, but Logan could still remember Natasha’s experience with the Red Room. He’d never asked too many questions, or pushed her to do anything she wasn’t ready for, but he’d been ready and willing to provide a stabilizing force when he had to. She didn’t have to worry about accidentally harming him. Although he could feel pain, his tolerance for it was a lot higher. His body had been through its share over the years. He could withstand it. What’s more, he’d been happy to do it.
“Got at least one food group in there,” he said gruffly, motioning to the glass with his cigar. “Maybe two.” With his other hand he slid the clear bowl of peanuts over. “Three.” He couldn’t call himself a good influence; he wouldn’t encourage anyone to live the way he did, least of all Natasha. She deserved better than that.
The X-Men hadn’t exactly reformed. If Scott had a plan, Logan didn’t know a lot about it. There was the X-Force, but they hadn’t been given a mission. “Considerin’ this shit.” He motioned around them. “Pretty sure whatever plans he got are gettin’ sped up.” Shaking his head, he grunted in affirmation when the bartender offered to refill his drink. “As for Magneto, don’t say his name too many times and jinx it. Pretty sure he gets off on the sound of his own voice.” They’d had their share of disagreements, to say the least, and he always thought Scott was a little too tolerant of his bullshit. “Then again, I’m sure he ain’t gonna show his face until his powers are back, safe an’ sound.”
He shrugged. “Who says they’re even turnin’ ‘em off?” Everyone was counting on that, for reasons he wasn’t sure about. “If they were smart, they’d keep ‘em on and hunt us down while we’re reelin’. Not give us time to prepare for a next time. Maybe this is their big move. Good a time as any.” He chuckled at the mention of the Avengers, nodding. “Yep. Pretty sure they’re outranked even with the inhibitors, but it’ll be a hell of a fight.” And not really one he wanted to see play out.
“About me?” He laughed, his eyes narrowing. “What about me, darlin’? If ya wanna know what I got goin’ on... well, you’re lookin’ at it.” Aside from this, the only other thing he had to keep him occupied was District duties. “Might be seein’ ya sooner rather than later, judgin’ by how things are goin’.” It seemed certain that the league and X-Men would eventually be fighting against NOVA, especially because of Scott’s ties to them. It was an alliance Logan was almost certain he’d make use of.
