When Verena demands they leave, the mutants, led by Kayla, retreat in the opposite direction, leaving Verena and Logan alone to face off against Wade. The atmosphere is thick with tension as Logan calls out to the figure standing before them, "Wade, is that you? Guess Stryker finally figured out how to shut you up."

But Wade doesn't respond. Instead, he begins to stalk towards them, his swords extending from his hands, gleaming ominously in the low light. "Wade, you don't have to do this," Logan tries one last time. But Wade's silent determination is clear as he suddenly breaks into a run toward them. Logan's jaw tightens. "Alright, maybe you do."

Wade's first swing is aimed at Verena, who meets it with a sharp clash of metal on metal, her claws catching his sword just in time. The sound reverberates through the room. Wade's other hand lashes out at Logan, who parries the strike with a swift block of his own. Wade pushes them both back, his swords a blur as he drives them on the defensive, each strike more vicious than the last.

Logan finally finds an opening and drives his claws into Wade's stomach. But as quickly as they puncture his flesh, the wound seals itself. Logan's eyes widen as he pulls his claws free. "Oh, you've got to be shitting me." Wade's lips curl into a cruel smile as he flips Logan onto his back with a powerful kick, sending him crashing onto the hard concrete floor.

Verena charges at Wade, her claws fully extended, determination in her eyes. But Wade spins around just in time to block her strike with one of his swords. They exchange a rapid series of blows, Wade's blades slicing through the air as Verena ducks and weaves, her claws flashing in the dim light. He manages to land a shallow cut across her arm, the pain sharp but fleeting as her healing factor kicks in.

Verena takes a step back, assessing Wade's movements, trying to anticipate his next attack. Logan is back on his feet, and the two exchange a quick glance, a silent agreement passing between them. Wade's acrobatics are impressive, his movements fluid as he twists in the air, landing a kick that sends Logan skidding back across the floor. Logan catches himself, using his claws to flip back onto his feet with a grunt of effort.

Wade pauses, his eyes flicking between his two opponents, calculating his next move. But Verena sees her chance. She rushes at him, leaping onto his shoulders, her claws sinking into his flesh repeatedly. Wade's grip tightens around her thighs, his fingers digging painfully into her skin before he hurls her to the ground. She lands hard but is on her feet in an instant, adrenaline dulling the pain.

Breathing heavily, Verena dashes toward where Logan has already started climbing the reactor. She digs her claws into the stone, pulling herself up with a grim determination, her hair plastered to her face with sweat. The flannel she had worn earlier is now discarded, shredded by Wade's katana, leaving her in a cropped, black tank top. Her skin glistens under the harsh lights, every muscle in her arms straining as she climbs.

Reaching the top, Logan grabs her hand and pulls her up the final few feet. She mutters a quick, breathless "Thank you," as they both turn their attention back to Wade. Logan taunts, "Let's see you dance up here." But before either of them can react, Wade vanishes from sight.

A heartbeat later, they feel his presence behind them. Logan spins, claws ready, but Wade disappears again, reappearing just out of reach. Logan almost loses his balance, but Verena grabs his arm, steadying him just in time. Wade materializes beside Verena, driving one of his swords into her stomach. She gasps in pain, her eyes widening in shock. The blade withdraws, and the wound heals almost instantly, but the pain lingers.

Verena's claws slash out, but Wade is already gone, reappearing behind Logan. The two mutants swing at him in unison, but Wade continues to teleport, dodging their every attack with infuriating ease. His mocking grin never falters as he teleports behind Logan, slamming him into the ground with brutal force.

Verena watches in horror as Logan lies there, struggling to regain his breath. Wade turns his attention to her, a predatory glint in his eyes. She charges at him, desperation fueling her attack. But Wade anticipates her move, teleporting behind her and driving both of his swords through her back. The agony is immediate and overwhelming, her scream piercing the air as her body struggles to heal around the cold metal impaling her.

Logan fights to his feet, desperation in his eyes, but before he can reach her, another figure intervenes. Victor's hand clamps down on Wade's wrist, stopping the fatal blow meant for Verena. With a vicious snarl, Victor hurls Wade off the side of the reactor, sending him teleporting away to safety. The force of the action causes Verena to roll toward the edge, her vision blurring as she teeters on the brink of falling.

A strong hand grabs her just in time, pulling her back from the edge. Gasping, she looks up to see Victor's feral grin as he steadies her. "Nobody kills you but me," he growls, the words heavy with possessive malice.

The three of them stand facing each other for a brief moment, chests heaving as they catch their breath. Sweat drips down their faces, muscles aching from the relentless onslaught. Before they can regroup, Wade suddenly teleports between them, his blades flashing as he slashes at all three. The clang of metal-on-metal echoes as they narrowly block his attacks.

"Back to back!" Verena shouts. Logan and Victor instantly react, moving to position themselves in a tight formation, their backs against one another. They stand in a small circle, each facing outward, prepared for the next assault.

Wade flickers in and out of sight, teleporting in a blur around them, delivering deadly strikes. His movements are fast—almost too fast—but the three mutants fall into a rhythm, their years of fighting together coming through. They move with an almost instinctual grace, dodging, blocking, and countering Wade's attacks in perfect sync. But even with their best efforts, Wade manages to land a few brutal cuts, his swords nicking flesh as they fight to keep him at bay.

In one swift, brutal series of blows, Wade gets the upper hand, slashing deep enough to bring all three of them to their knees. They struggle to regain their footing, pain flaring through their bodies, as Wade teleports to the far side of the reactor. His eyes glow a dangerous, bright red, and before they can react, a pair of fiery beams shoot from his eyes, slamming into the side of the reactor with tremendous force. The blast sends Logan, Victor, and Verena flying in different directions, each of them crashing against the stone with bone-jarring impact.

Verena scrambles to her feet, wiping blood from her mouth, and looks over in horror as Wade prepares to fire another beam. Logan plants his claws into the ground, using them to block the energy as it streams toward him. The force of it drives him back, but he grits his teeth and holds on, every muscle in his body straining to keep the beams from overwhelming him.

Victor and Verena lock eyes from across the reactor, sharing a single nod of understanding. Without hesitation, they break into a run in opposite directions, moving in a wide arc to flank Wade. Logan, his strength faltering, holds on as long as he can before his grip slips and he tumbles over the edge.

"Logan!" Verena screams, her heart lurching in her chest. She halts mid-stride, eyes wide in panic, but just as quickly as he fell, Logan's claws emerge over the ledge, followed by his body pulling itself up. She exhales a breath of relief, momentarily forgetting the chaos around her.

In that brief lapse of attention, she misses Victor getting hit square in the chest by Wade's energy beam, sending him crashing into the reactor wall. But Verena's focus is immediately drawn back to Wade as Logan climbs fully back onto the platform, his face grim with determination.

Wade's energy beams continue to sear into Victor, the heat from them filling the air. Seeing an opening, Verena sprints toward Wade with everything she has left. Her boots pound against the stone as she gathers momentum, leaping into the air and catching just the right angle. She soars through the air as Wade turns his head, his eyes still glowing with that deadly red light.

For a split second, the beams swivel toward her, and time seems to slow. But Verena's claws are already coming down. With a fierce yell, she slices through his neck with surgical precision. Wade's eyes flicker, the beams cutting off instantly as his head lolls to the side.

He drops to his knees. Verena steps forward, breathless and filled with adrenaline, raising her boot and planting it firmly on his chest. She shoves him back with a grunt, sending him tumbling over the edge of the reactor.

The three of them watch as Wade's body disappears into the reactor's depths, his headless form tumbling into oblivion. Beams of energy still shoot sporadically from his severed head as it falls, slicing through the structure below. A moment of silence hangs between them, the brief stillness after the storm of battle.

Logan and Verena walk over to where Victor lies slumped against the wreckage. They offer their hands, and with a feral grin, he clasps them and pulls himself to his feet, shaking off the dust.

"This doesn't change anything between us, Victor," Logan says, his voice rough but resolute. "We're done."

Victor's grin doesn't falter. "We can never be done, Jimmy. We're brothers." He turns to Verena, his yellow eyes gleaming with something close to affection. "And you, Vee...you'll always be my little sister."

Verena folds her arms across her chest, staring him down. "Baciami il culo, fratello."

Victor laughs, deep and rumbling, before patting her on the shoulder. Without another word, he steps to the edge of the platform and leaps off. Both Logan and Verena exchange a glance of surprise before feeling the vibrations under their feet. The entire structure begins to tremble, the building groaning as it starts to collapse beneath them.

Logan's grip tightens around Verena's hand. "Let's go," he says, pulling her with him as they sprint toward the edge, jumping into the forming cloud of dust just as the building crumbles behind them.

They hit the ground hard, their bodies slamming into the concrete below with enough force to create dents in the ground. Winded and bruised, they lie there for a moment, catching their breath in the thick haze of debris. But Logan's sharp senses catch the danger before it happens—a massive chunk of reactor hurtling down toward them.

"Move!" Logan rolls over onto Verena, wrapping his arms around her tightly, bracing his body to take the brunt of the impact. His adamantium-laced bones press heavily against her, every muscle in his body tensing in preparation for the crushing blow.

But it never comes.

"Logan, you're crushing me," Verena gasps beneath him, wheezing slightly from the weight of his body pinning her down.

Logan quickly rolls off of her, his brow furrowing in confusion as they both sit up. Standing before them is Remy LeBeau, a cocky smirk plastered on his face, the piece of reactor suspended in the air behind him by a charged kinetic card.

"You miss me?" Remy asks, tossing the card aside as the reactor piece explodes safely away from them.

"Ah, Jesus," Logan mutters, running a hand through his dust-covered hair.

"When you said you two were gonna kill everyone," Remy starts, his thick Cajun accent laced with humor, "I thought you might've been exaggerating."

He extends his hands, helping Logan and Verena up from the ground. Despite the ache in their bones and muscles, they both stand easily, their wounds already healing.

"Do we look like people who exaggerate?" Verena asks dryly, dusting herself off.

"Don't get all sentimental on me now," Remy teases, shaking their hands with a grin. But the moment is interrupted by a sudden urgency—Kayla's voice echoes in their heads, a reminder of their mission. She had been leading the group of mutants to safety.

"There are kids trying to get off the island," Verena snaps, urgency cutting through her voice. "Split up—go!"

Without hesitation, Remy nods and dashes off, his long coat flaring behind him as he races to help the mutant children.

Verena turns to Logan, still catching her breath from the intensity of the fight, but the air between them feels heavier now. The dust of the collapsed reactor settles around them, but inside her, a whirlwind of emotions stirs—a mix of fear, relief, and something even more terrifying: the overwhelming feelings she's been trying to bury for so long. The words are threatening to spill out before she can stop them.

"I—Logan, I—" she begins, her voice wavering. Her eyes flit between his, searching for something, anything to steady herself. "I thought I lost you. I thought when you fell—Dio, I don't know what I would've done if you hadn't—if I couldn't—" She rubs a hand over her face, trying to gather herself, but the emotions bubble over. "It's just—every time we fight, ogni volta che ti guardo, I keep thinking I can handle it, but I can't. Non posso sopportare l'idea di perderti. Damn it, Logan, io—" She chokes on her words, her breathing unsteady.

"Shut up," Logan interrupts quietly but firmly, his voice cutting through her panic. He steps closer, closing the space between them.

Verena's heart races. The intensity in his eyes sends a shiver down her spine. Her words die in her throat as he reaches out, taking her face in his rough hands.

"Just shut up," Logan murmurs again, his voice softer this time, but the urgency behind it is unmistakable. Then, before she can say anything more, his lips crash against hers, fierce and commanding.

Verena gasps into the kiss, her hands instinctively finding his chest. His hands slide up, tangling in her hair, pulling her closer, grounding her. The world around them fades away, leaving only the electric pulse of their connection. It's a kiss full of pent-up emotions—anger, longing, love—everything they've held back for far too long. And yet, despite the intensity, it's slow, deliberate, as if they're both savoring every second of finally crossing the line that's kept them apart.

When they pull apart, Verena's breath is shaky, her forehead resting against his. Her hands linger on his chest, feeling the steady beat of his heart beneath her fingertips.

Logan exhales, his thumb brushing softly across her cheek. "You're my moon," he whispers, his voice rough but filled with a tenderness that almost surprises her. "You keep me steady... you keep me from losing myself."

Verena's eyes well with tears, her chest tightening as she processes his words. She's overwhelmed—by the fight, by the kiss, by the realization of what they mean to each other. But most of all, by the way Logan looks at her, as if she's always been his anchor.

"I love you, ghiottone" Verena whispers, her voice barely audible, but Logan hears it.

His lips quirk into a small smile, and he presses his forehead against hers, closing his eyes. "I love you too, Reena," he murmurs, his voice low and rough, but there's no mistaking the sincerity behind it.

For a moment, they just stand there, wrapped in each other's arms, their foreheads still touching. The world around them is silent, the chaos of the fight and the dust settling, but neither of them notices. All that matters is the steady rhythm of Logan's heartbeat under Verena's fingertips, and the warmth of her breath against his skin.

Finally, Logan pulls back just enough to look into her eyes, his expression softening. He brushes a stray lock of hair behind her ear, his thumb lingering on her cheek. "We'll figure this out," he says quietly, his voice steady, but there's a promise in it—a promise that he won't let go, that they'll face whatever comes next together.

Verena nods, unable to find the words to respond, but she doesn't need to. The look in her eyes tells him everything. They've been through hell and back, and they both know that there's more to come. But right now, in this moment, they have each other, and that's enough.

Logan leans in, pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead, and then he wraps his arms around her, holding her close. Verena closes her eyes, sinking into the warmth and safety of his embrace, the steady rise and fall of his chest against hers reassuring her that, for now, they're both okay.

And as they stand there, holding on to each other in the aftermath of the battle, the weight of everything they've been through seems a little lighter. Because, for the first time in a long time, they're not facing it alone.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

word count: 2817

Translations

Baciami il culo, fratello - Kiss my ass, Brother
Dio - God
ogni volta che ti guardo - every time I look at you
Non posso sopportare l'idea di perderti - I can't stand the thought of losing you
io - I
ghiottone - Wolverine

A/N: IT FINALLY HAPPENED OH THANK THE LORD, there's still around 10 minutes left of the movie, I'll wrap that up in chapter 9 BUT GOOD LORD HAVE MERCY. I truly enjoy writing this book so I can't wait to continue with X-Men hopefully till I get to Deadpool and Wolverine but let me finish the Fox movies first before we get ahead of ourselves. Anyone hope you all enjoy this as much as I do, don't forget to comment and vote

Love y'all,

Allegra 💙