Shooting Star
by
Diebin
Disclaimer: Marvel and Fox. Bah Humbug.
Notes: I get to say all the mean stuff I said about Minnesota because I've lived there for many years. It's my right. :)
------
Postmarked:
December 21st
Duluth, Minnesota, USA
-------
Hey Marie,
Well, leave it to me to find another place that's god damn frigid. I'm not quite sure how I ended up here--it just seemed to happen. A lot of things just seem to happen these days.
I'm on the other side of the Great Lakes now. They are pretty big, and sometimes, when I'm lookin' at this one here--I think it's Superior, but I'm never quite sure--sometimes I can pretend it's the ocean.
Don't know why I'd want to pretend. Figure if I really need to see an ocean, maybe I'll go find one.
Well, you'll be awful surprised to know how pansy I've gotten. Bought the baby a blanket and put it in this package with your stuff--I figured it's winter and it's got to be getting cold, and she might like something warm. Are you watchin' out for her?
I was lying outside last night, just kinda sitting there and ignoring the snow, and I saw a shooting star. Want me to tell you just how much of a pansy I am? Maybe you'll at least get a laugh out of this.
It made me think of you. Because it was a white streak against the dark sky--and with all those stars there, twinkling away . . .
What, haven't you ever looked in the mirror? Your eyes do too twinkle. And don't you laugh at me.
So I bought you some stuff here too, and I figure you can just count this as a Christmas present, since I can't be there to give you one in person. Don't worry about giving me one--I'm never sure when I'm going to move so gettin' anything to me would be kinda hard.
Well, the rocks aren't much, but I've never seen a state more determined to sell you rocks. Any store you go into up here has all the funny little rocks spread out, and some of them are kinda nice looking. I still don't get it though--I mean, I'd see these kids coming in and buying stacks of rocks like there were candy. What do they do with them?
The brown ones are my favorite. I think they're the same color as your eyes, but I'm not sure. It's not that I didn't look at your eyes enough to know, Marie, but you have a way of distracting a man so he's not thinking too well.
Well, you have a way of distracting me. And there you go again, I can see you scowling. Yeah, you distracted me kid. Don't believe it? Well I don't think I've ever even written a letter before these last few months, and you've got me sending them off left and right. That's some major distraction.
So I gave you some rocks, and if you can figure out something to do with them, I'll be glad.
And there's something else in this box that's a Christmas present for me. When I come home Marie, I hope to god you've changed your taste in music. I mean, considering that you like me better than Scott--and you'd better, or I'll come home right now and straighten you out--I'd think you'd avoid listening to those bands made up of a bunch of pansy-Scott types with their bleached hair and whiny voices.
So I sent you some real music. Rock and Roll. The good stuff. So you just stick that in your CD player and toss all those whiney boy records out the window or something. For me? Please?
You know what the funniest thing is? I can't for the life of me remember if you had your ears pierced. Seems like a silly thing--but I found some earrings and I thought they looked nice--they were black and silver and I remember how much you like black. Well, I bought them anyway. If you can't use them, give them to someone you like.
I threw a few postcards in too, and at the last minute I went back to where I'd gotten the baby that blanket and got you a scarf that matches it, because the pattern was really nice and I liked the man who was selling them.
He was one of those guys like you see in the movies . . . he talked really slow and chewed on his pipe and told me all about the weather and where to catch the best northern pike and how the engine on his car's been rattling a lot. And for once it didn't annoy me that someone was trying to talk, because he was just so friendly and open.
And yes, they really do talk funny here. Just like that awful movie you told me you liked--the one with the woodchipper in it. It was just tasteless, Marie--and when you've got me telling you that something is tasteless . . .
Oh well. So I got you the scarf, and I hope you like it.
Miss you, darlin.
-L
~*~
"Rogue, this is really not a good idea." Kitty wrapped her hand around Rogue's elbow and tugged. "Jubilee said she'd do it for you--this is just--it's not a good idea, honey."
"If she wears gloves it'll be fine," Rogue replied, still staring into the store, her eyes wistful. "It's not like she has to touch anything but my ears."
"I said I'd do it for you, Rogue." Jubilee sighed and shook her head. "And I still don't see why we can't just ask Jean. If she can perform surgery down there, a simple ear piercing is probably within her qualifications."
"I'm going to do it." Shaking off Kitty's arm, Rogue walked around to the open side of the store and slid into the seat.
Kitty and Jubilee exchanged looks. "I suppose we should go in there in case something happens," Kitty said with a resigned sigh, staring through the glass at her roommate. "I just wish she'd listen to us once in a while."
"I'll bet you anything she got earrings in that last box from Logan," Jubilee replied, flashing a grin. "I can't think of anything else that would make her this irrational. I swear, that man will be the death of us."
"He's gonna be the death of someone if we don't get in there and make sure nothing goes wrong," Kitty said, rolling her eyes. "Well, if it was earrings from Logan, that'd explain why she won't let Jean do it. She actually thinks we don't notice."
Jubilee grinned. "Let her have her illusions. And let her have her earrings."
Kitty rolled her eyes again, heading around the side of the store. "Let's just hope she doesn't get a nose ring or bellybutton ring from him next time. I can just imagine what she'd put us through then."
"Oh, I dunno." They rounded the corner and met Rogue's grateful eyes, her body tense as the woman held a gun up to her ear for the first hole. Jubilee lowered her voice so only Kitty could hear her. "At least he keeps our lives interesting."
There was nothing to say to that, since it was the truth.
All references to characters belonging to the X-Men Universe are (c) and TM the Marvel Comics Group, 20th Century Fox and all related entities. All rights reserved. Any reproduction, duplication or distribution of these materials in any form is expressly prohibited. No money is being made from this archive. All images are also (c) and TM the Marvel Comics Group, 20th Century Fox and all related entities; they are not mine. This website, its operators and any content used on this site relating to the X-Men are not authorized by Marvel, Fox, etc. I am not, nor do I claim to be affiliated with any of these entities in any way.