Disapproving Fathers

By: Esprit

Author’s note: this story is based off of events that happen in the story series, “The Betrayal Arc” by Valerie Jones.  It is written in the form of an ‘alternate ending’ to the story.

 

            The gates to the Xavier Institute for Higher Learning opened for the cabby and his passenger on the rainy evening in the middle of spring.  Bobby Drake sat a little nervously in the back seat as the car pulled up to his old home.  Bobby had been to see his parents and to frankly lay low after Sebastian Shaw and his men lay siege to the mansion.  It was only recently being lived in again and that’s when he had gotten the call—that they needed his help.  Him!  Iceman and screw-up were synonymous.  Not only did he feel obligated to go, but he was kind of flattered that they asked him of all people for help. 

            Paying the driver with good tip, Bobby slid from the back seat with his duffle bag and slammed the door shut.  He stood in the turnaround for a moment as the taxi drove away, looking up at the mansion.  It didn’t look to have changed much, except for the scoring on the siding that hadn’t been removed yet.  Looking down to the steps in front of him, he ascended the stairs and tried the door to see if it was locked.  It was.  Absently, he knocked on the door wondering if Bishop was back, or if the rest of the team had just taken lessons in paranoia from him.  There was certainly reason to be paranoid with all the action lately.

            The door cracked open and a cocoa face framing light blue eyes peeked through.  The he saw the flash of white teeth as the door opened wider to accept him.  Ororo Monroe was on the other side of the door and her arms opened as well.  Bobby found it easy to fall into her offered embrace.  It had been a while since he’d seen her, or any of the team for that matter.  He was anxious to see everyone.

            “Hi, Storm.”  He looked around expecting there to be others hanging around or at least expecting the place to be furnished.  It wasn’t.  “Where is everybody?” he asked.

            Storm looked around and saw what must have made him uncomfortable.  It was worse when she came back to the mansion after the raid—nothing was there at all and it made the place feel so… vulnerable.  “We’ve been calling everyone we could.  Most of them are doing restoration work in the parts of the house that are more vital.  Come, let me take you to a room that isn’t too bad.”

            Bobby was expecting a place that had a little twin bed in it and a dresser, not equipped with amenities like a desk and computer, but no, when Ororo showed him a room it was barren.  There was carpeting in it and that was it.  “I’m sorry, Bobby.  We’ll see if we can’t dig up a mattress or something.”

            “It’s okay, I’ll be fine without one.  Why don’t I just throw my stuff here and see what I can’t do to help?” he said tossing his bag down in a corner.

            Ororo smiled at him.  “We’d love your help in the den.  They managed to find a couch and working TV.  The den has been the most comforting place for people to go since we got back.  We really have accomplished a lot, but rooms that haven’t had occupants have been on the back burner.”

            “That’s okay.  What needs done in the den?”

            “I believe they are still repainting a bit.  Some of the walls were damaged and they patched them up, but haven’t quite finished.  They may also need help repairing the Danger Room.  It is still inoperable at last report.”

            “Wow, they did a number on us, didn’t they?”

            “Yes, they did.”

            Bobby closed the door to his new room and followed Storm down to where he’d be of most use.  “The Professor may want to see you later today to discuss rebuilding finances—“

            “The Professor?!  He’s back?”

            “Yes, he is.”

            “Is he… okay?”  Bobby asked in an uneasy tone.

            Storm was quiet on that question, thinking how best to phrase her response.  “He is—himself again.  We are all trying to put those particular events behind us—where they belong.”  Bobby nodded.  As long as the Professor was okay… he didn’t quite know how to finish that sentence.  As long as the Professor was okay, it’d be okay to go and see him, be in the same room with him, not fear a deadly outburst?  Perhaps all of these thoughts were applicable.  He’d have to make sure that his mind was wrapped tightly so as not to offend him.

            The work crew was just breaking out the paint.  Colossus and Sarah, whom Bobby hadn’t met yet, were the ones assigned painting detail.  Half of the main wall and a good portion of another were where the holes had been fixed.  The white of the plaster stood out against the type of paint they had used in the den previously.  The couch and TV had plastic wrapped around them for the paint job and some tarp was laid down for the areas of carpet below the holes.

            “Trovarsich, come and grab a brush.”

            “Hey big guy, it’s been a while.  How’s the weather been up there?”

            “Much the same as all the way down here,” he said bending over as he spoke, mock glaring at Bobby.  Bobby smiled sheepishly and grabbed for a brush.

            He turned his attention to Sarah who was looking at her brush with a mix between distain and curiosity.  “Hi, my name’s Bobby, what’s yours?”

            “What’s it to you?” she asked menacingly.

            “Oh, uh—just trying to be friendly.”

            “Yeah, well go try someplace else,” she growled.  Bobby decided that he’d work on the wall that she wasn’t working on.  Colossus on the other hand didn’t seem to mind as much when she’d grumble at him.  Her grumble wasn’t as emphatic toward him, either. 

            Storm had disappeared, without even saying goodbye Bobby noted, as soon as he stepped through the door.  Sighing, he went to work on the wall.

 

            Dinner only rolled around after lots of rebuilding type chores, which really Bobby should be used to by now seeing as how many times they had to rebuild the mansion from basements up.  Everyone gathered for dinner in the kitchen, which pretty much looked like its usual self, thank goodness.  That was probably the first place to be repaired.  They were still eating off of paper plates though.

            The Professor was at the head of the dining table as always and did seem like he was himself, although he seemed that way before he attacked everyone too.  Bobby looked at his food considering his thoughts privately when the back sliding glass door drew his attention.  Slipping through like a shadow in daylight was Gambit.  His eyes didn’t meet anyone’s and he made for the back of the kitchen.

            Although Gambit’s eyes didn’t meet anyone’s, Bobby noticed that not only his eyes were following Gambit.  He would have expected that Rogue be looking at him, or even Storm, but they were all ignoring him.  The eyes that were following him belonged to the Professor.  Bobby watched how long the Professor was looking at Gambit and it seemed odd.  Since the Professor was mostly turned away from Bobby he couldn’t really see the expression, but the curiosity was gnawing at him to see it.

            “Professor?”  Bobby asked.  The Professor turned to him with a jolt as if he’d been caught doing something he shouldn’t and tried to wipe the expression off his face to regain his composure. 

            “Yes, Bobby?” he said, pretending to be very interested in the question not even knowing what it was yet.

            “Storm said you might want to see me today to discuss finances and boring stuff like that.”

            “Oh, yes.”  He knew it needed to be done, but it really wasn’t something he felt he could concentrate on at the moment.  Then again, he could hardly concentrate on anything lately.  Ever since he heard about what happened to Gambit in Antarctica his heart had beat at an erratic pace.  “Um, do you think we could possibly postpone until tomorrow?  It’s been a long day.”

            “Sure, Prof.” Bobby turned back to his food to consider the Professor’s behavior secretly.

            It wasn’t as if you weren’t allowed to look at Gambit, plenty of people did.  Just not at that moment, when he was hiding from everyone’s stares by being quiet enough to not draw attention overtly.  After all, who would look at him except to appreciate the view, and even Rogue did little of that these days.  Bobby thought that they weren’t looking at him to ignore him—and to ignore the responsibility of reaching out to him—forgiving him.  He had heard about the trial in Antarctica; it didn’t sound pretty.  The trial was probably why even Rogue was trying to ignore him.

      Well, maybe the Professor was concerned about Gambit.  He had plenty of reason to be concerned with how thin the guy looked as he peeked in the fridge apprehending something small from its resting place.  After all, the Professor had been like a father to many of them.  On the other hand, he never remembered Gambit being a favorite, nor did he think Gambit felt that Xavier was like a father.  Then again, they were kind of similar now, with the Professor’s betrayal.  Maybe the Professor was looking for an ear that would understand how he felt?

      Oh—who knew!  Bobby grumbled to himself and started eating.  There was just no telling what was going on in his head even if he were a telepath himself—fat chance.  He would just have to ignore it and hope that everything turned out for the best.

     

      The next day Bobby didn’t remember seeing Gambit at all once dinner rolled around and he was reminded of the episode yesterday.  Everyone sat down to dinner and thinking about it, Bobby didn’t even see a place setting open for him.  “Hey, Storm?”

      She looked up cheerily at him.  “Yes, Robert?”

      “Where’s Gambit?”  Ororo’s smile became more brittle, then faded.  Conversation around the table stopped.  “Did I say something wrong?”

      “Um, no, Robert.  Gambit does not choose to join us for dinner very often,” she said sadly.  “I wish I could persuade him, but he seems to prefer his solitude.”

      “Oh.  Sorry, I just wondered why he was never here.”

      “Gumbo’ll come ‘round.  Y’ just wait,” Rogue assured.

      Bobby nodded and turned back to his food.  He’d wait.  Maybe he just needed some cool off time before he could be at the mansion continually.

     

      Rebuilding went on and Bobby still didn’t seem to see Gambit around anywhere.  It had been three days and he hadn’t seen the man.  He approached Ororo about it when it got to him on the third afternoon.  “’Ro, does anybody even care if Gambit just drops off the face of the planet?”

      “He does as he wishes.  He’s always been that way.”

      “No, I meant if he starves to death?”

      “Remy would never starve to death purposefully.  It’s simply not in him.”

      Bobby considered her, crossing his arms.  “I’ve only seen him once in the past four days.  Are you sure he wouldn’t starve?”

      Ororo’s eyes squinted as they filled with tears looking far away.  “I don’t know any more.  I don’t know if he feels like he can ask us for help.  I don’t know if he eats or sleeps.”

      “And nobody checks on him?  Not even you, ‘Ro?”

      “He wouldn’t answer these questions even if I were to ask him.”

      “Come on ‘Ro, somebody has to do something!  I mean, feed the guy at least!”

      “Oh, Robert, would you?” she pleaded with him.

      “Um… I was thinking maybe you would do that,” he said.

      “But he expects it from me.  Don’t you understand?  Someone else has to reach out to him before he’ll be comfortable enough to return.  All he gets while he’s here is turned backs and icy stares.  Remy has never liked the ice and now least of all.”

      “Precisely the reason it should be someone else that goes.”

      “Tell me one person who cares enough, Robert.”  She stared him down.

      “Um… Rogue?”

      “Not surprisingly, she won’t go near him.”

      “Yer kidding!”

      “No.  I don’t believe they’ve spoken since I returned with him.”

      “Jeez….  Okay, ‘Ro.  Why don’t I bring him some soup tonight?”

      “Perhaps you should eat with him.  He would feel incredibly awkward eating in front of someone who didn’t also have a plate.”

      “You’re implying I should watch him eat it?”

      “How else am I to keep tabs on the thief?”  Sighing, Bobby hung his head.

      “All right!  I’ll eat with him.”

      He could see Storm nearly jumping out of her skin with excitement.  “Thank you, Robert!”

      “Yeah, okay.  Who’s cooking tonight? Colossus?  He makes a pretty good stew as I recall.  I’ll go see how the grub is in progress.”

      Colossus was monitoring a stewing pot of what smelled like broth and Marrow was nearby cutting vegetables with a sharpened bone spur.  Making sure to not disturb her space, he walked over to Colossus.  “Hey, Pete, when do you expect the grub to be all boiled and ready to shove in our faces?”

      “Trovarsich, it is not even near dinner time.  You’re hungry yet?”

      “Not quite.  Just wondering when I can expect it.”

      “Usual time.  Seven o’clock.”

      “Da, da,” he said walking away.

      Robert?

      “Hm?” he said out loud, but then realized that it was the Professor speaking to him in his head.  Uh, yeah, what’s up?

      I wanted to review the figures we came up with.  Can you spare a moment?

      Even a couple.  Be right there.

      Bobby reached the Professor’s office and tapped on the door.  It took a second for the Professor to respond, but he finally did and Bobby opened the unlocked door.

      “Hey, Prof.  You wanted to see me?”  Bobby looked at the Professor and found that his eyes were a bit droopy and his mouth seemed to have a permanent frown set in place.  He looked tired.

      “Yes, Robert.  I’m looking over these and wondering what our reasoning was for this figure here.  It has no mark next to it.”

      “Which one?”  The Professor showed it to him.  “Prof, this is for the new medical equipment Hank thought we should have.”

      “Oh.  Oh, yes, that’s right.  Please forgive me, Robert.  I didn’t recall.”  He sounded tired too.

      “Prof, are you all right?  You look like you could use some rest.”

      “Rest?”  Rest!?  What else had he been doing for the past week?  He’d barely moved from his study, had no sleep, yet gotten nothing done.  He’d been doing nothing but resting ever since... Jean informed him of Gambit’s trial.  “I’m fine, Robert, really.”

      “Y’ know, Prof, we’ve been like family for a long time.  Visiting my folks, I realized that family is around for a lot of reasons.  Don’t hesitate to take me up on the offer of a listening ear, okay?”

      Weakly, the Professor smiled at Bobby.  “I won’t, Robert.  Thank you.”  With a nod, Bobby left his study still feeling that something was wrong.  Not much I can do about it anyway.  Sighing, he went off to avoid work all he could before Ororo found him lazing about.

     

      It was time for dinner and Bobby was in the kitchen right on the dot so he could get the food packed up for him and his mission.  Through the dinning room Bobby carried a medium sized pot and headed out the sliding glass door to the back yard.  “Bobby?”  Bobby turned at the Professor’s voice.  “What are you doing with that pot?”

      “I’m on a mission, Professor.  It’s Storm’s new ‘Intra-Team Outreach Program,’ I-TOP.  I have first shift.”

      “Intra-what?”

      Bobby smiled.  “I’m just going to see Gambit.”  He turned and headed the rest of the way out the door, waving to the Professor before he trotted off with the stew.

      The Professor turned to Storm when she walked in.  “Storm?”

      

      Bobby hurried down to the boat house, stopping his hurry half way, not even knowing where it came from.  He felt excited and he didn’t know why.  He was just bringing dinner to a teammate.  He hadn’t even wanted to do this for Storm, but she somehow talked him into it.  Unhurriedly and not out of breath, Bobby approached Gambit’s door.

      Knocking casually on the door he noticed that the lights weren’t on.  That was funny.  Wouldn’t somebody be up around now?  It had gotten dark a little bit ago, but he still couldn’t imagine anyone seeing in there.  “Hello?  Gambit?  You in there?”  Bobby knocked again.

      The door opened soundlessly and glowing red peered at him from beyond.  It was kinda creepy, but he forced it down knowing that it was only Gambit.  “Hey, you hungry?” he asked in his best, ‘I’m not nervous’ voice.

      “What?” asked a whisper from the dark.

      “I said, are you hungry?  Come on, you gotta be.  It’s dinner time,” not to mention that you haven’t eaten in three days and I know it, he finished to himself.

      Bobby opened the lid in front of Gambit’s face so he could smell it.  That got him to open the door and turn the hallway light on inside.  “You brought me food?”

      “Yeah, I figured you might need it.  It’s Colossus’s turn to cook so it can’t be poisonous or anything.”  Gambit looked like he was considering it heavily.  He looked at Bobby and his expectant expression.

      “Did Storm put you up t’ dis?”

      “What?”  How did he know!?  “Um, no,” he lied.  “I was really worried about you.”  Okay, that part wasn’t a lie.  “So, I decided to save you some food,” before it all got ravaged because there would be no leftovers, “and bring some over for you.  It was good.”  Bobby could practically see the hunger in Gambit’s eyes, taste his need—maybe that stew was getting to Bobby too.  He was thankful that his stomach didn’t growl at that moment.

      By the time he had seen Gambit eyeing the pot as closely as he was, Bobby had decided that he should let Gambit have all of what he brought.  He was sure Gambit could eat two servings if his stomach was empty and Bobby could get food any time he wanted at the mansion.

      “Can I come in?”  Remy blinked like he hadn’t expected Bobby to want to come in to begin with.

      “Uh, sure,” he said opening the door further.

      “Thanks,” Bobby said as he walked into the kitchen and set the pot down on the burner.  “I’m not sure if this is still warm enough for human consumption since I brought it over, so I’ll just warm it up a bit.”

      “Don’ trouble y’self,” he said from the small kitchen entryway.

      “Hey, don’t sweat it.”  Bobby turned around to see Remy leaning up against the entry, forearms braced against the doorjamb, looking intrigued at Bobby.  “What?”

      “Why?”

      “How?”

      “Bobby!”

      “Hey, I thought we were doing the question prefix thing.  You might think about forming complete questions if you want complete answers.”

      “Why,” he said walking closer to Bobby, who ceased to be bent over the stove, “did you bring me food?”  He was very close by the time he finished his question.

      “I said I was worried about you.”

      “Nobody worries about me up on de hill.”

      “Oh, come on—uh—lots of people worry about you.”

      “Mmhm?  An’ just who are dese people?” he leaned in closer to Bobby.  Bobby thought he was trying to smoke the lie out of him, but he couldn’t budge.

      “Um… well there’s Storm… and—and me,” he added quickly.  “And then, there’s the Professor.”

      Remy’s eyes became hard and he moved away from Bobby.  “What?  What did I say?  You think he doesn’t care about you, Gambit?”

      “No, I know he doesn’t.”

      “Why would he even let you be here, then?”

      “Prob’ly ‘cause o’ Stormy.”

      “The Professor’s not like that, Gambit.”

      “Oh yeah?  How would you know?”

      “I’ve lived with him for half my life—I know these things.”

      “Just like y’ knew he’d try t’ kill you an’ yer team mates?”

      That was a low blow.  It certainly shocked Bobby that Gambit would be talking this way, not to mention the simply shocking reminder of what happened with someone he trusted so deeply.  “I thought you’d be the last person to point fingers, Gambit.”

      “Just usin’ it as an example of how well y’ know de Professor.”

      “That doesn’t count!”

      “Doesn’t count?!  Dere’s no score to keep here, Bobby.  Look, all I’m tryin’ ta say is dat if y’ seen him look at me de way he looks at me, y’d tink differently.”

      After the look he saw the Professor giving Remy at dinner the other day it made Bobby wonder very much the types of looks Remy had gotten from the Professor.  “What types of looks?” he asked in a small voice.

      “De ones dat have disgust written all over dem.  Disapproval, disappointment, despising—need any more ‘d’ adjectives?”

      “But… he doesn’t look at you that way….”

      That made Remy look harder at Bobby.  “What are you saying?”

      Uh-oh, now he’d done it.  Remy probably wasn’t meant to see how the Professor was looking at him and he just opened up a big can o’ worms.  “I’m saying that I don’t think the Professor would give you looks like that.”

      “Dat’s not how you phrased it.”

      “Well, I meant to.”

      “If yer gonna lie to me outright, I suggest you leave.”  Bobby sighed and then took a step toward the door.  “When y’ feel like tellin’ me a semblance of truth, come back an’ I’ll listen.”

      “I wasn’t lying about caring about you, Remy,” he said as he passed.

      Bobby calling him Remy was something that hit him harder than he thought it would.  Nobody called him Remy around the mansion.  It was always his code name or some other nickname they decided to dub him with.  The admission of concern also made him mentally stall.  “Why do you care about me?”

      “Do I need a reason?”

      “Yes,” Remy demanded, nearly on impulse.

      “Well, then I’ll have to come up with one,” he said heading the rest of the way out of the kitchen and then out the boat-house.

      Remy stared at Bobby’s retreating back long after he’d faded into the darkness.  It was only the smell of the stew on the stove that drew him away from the window, but not from his contemplation on Bobby.

     

      Breakfast the next morning brought a welcome surprise for Storm.  Remy had decided to join them, much to Bobby’s dismay.  He hadn’t come up with an answer to Remy’s question yet.  It was actually starting to bother him because he’d been up half the night trying to figure it out.  Every explanation he came up with sounded—hollow to his ears, like it was only half true. 

      Still, he was glad to see that Remy had decided to eat.  He hoped that Remy ate the stew he gave him last night; otherwise Storm was going to kill him.  It occurred to him well after he’d left that he was supposed to stay and actually watch him eat, but he hadn’t gotten the opportunity with all the fighting.

      He wondered how much opportunity Gambit was going to give him to feed him now that they had their little spat.  Sighing heavily at the table, he drew the attention of a couple of people—including Remy.  Bobby swallowed.  Sheepishly smiling, Bobby turned back to his pancakes with… frozen syrup trails—how did those get there?!

      Remy laughed out loud at Bobby’s frustrated look at his pancakes and his attempts to eat them.  He ended up folding the pancake around a trail section and skewering it to shove in his mouth.  Remy tried to ignore the shocked looks around the table.  He realized that he must look odd to everyone, laughing, enjoying of all things, a meal.  He also knew that he had reason to be enjoying it and he had someone who cared about him, no matter what their reasoning was.

     

      Bobby’s peace of mind was increasing as Gambit started working around the house with them and acting normal.  He found that Remy preferred to be in at least medium proximity to either Bobby or Storm, and he supposed he should expect that.  After all, he did reach out to him last night and it seemed he had gotten through.  It wasn’t unusual that anyone want to be away from Sarah and her nasty attitude, so Bobby totally understood why Remy avoided her, but everyone else it seemed he was indifferent to.  At least it was a start.

      After dinner, which Remy stayed for, Bobby saw that Remy was going to head down to the boat house again.  He was headed out the sliding glass door when Bobby caught him.  “Hey, Remy, wanna have your brain sucked out for a couple of hours?”

      Remy raised an eyebrow at this as way of a question.  “The cable isn’t hooked up yet so we rented a crapload of movies.”

      He looked at the wall he was passing through judging what he should do.  He wanted to spend time with Bobby, and a movie sounded nice and relaxing, but he didn’t think he could stay at the mansion for much longer.  It got tiring after an entire day of people beating down his mental walls with their own emotions.  “Why don’t y’ bring a few down t’ de boat house?”

      “Gotcha.  I’ll be down in a minute.”  Remy nodded and headed out the door, trying not to care whether Bobby actually followed him or not. 

      It was actually longer than expected before Bobby got down to the boat house, which did make Remy worry, but not outwardly.  The reason for taking so long was apparent by the time he showed up at the door with a cardboard box in his arms.  “What’s dat?”

      “Munchies!”

      “Munch—Bobby, are you tryin’ t’ make me fat?” he said looking through the box at all of the junk food Bobby had brought down.  He counted seven different species of junk food and that was without taking into account the movies he brought with him. 

      “Heh, not that you couldn’t use a little more meat on your bones, mister.”

      Remy paused at that comment.  He wasn’t in the greatest shape, but starvation and emaciation would do that to you.  Hank was probably the only person in the mansion who realized what type of damage was done to his body out there in the snow.  Shaking his head, he waived Bobby into the boat house living room where the TV and VCR were set up.

      “Wow, your place looks like it was hardly touched.”  Bobby looked around at the interior and noted that the walls had neither holes nor exposed plaster.  The place was furnished and Bobby wondered how he managed that before most of the rest of the mansion. 

      “It was ’bout as bad as de mansion when I first got here,” he said sitting down on the couch and putting his legs up on the coffee table. 

      “How did it get to be so nice-looking then?”

      “I fixed it.”

      “You?  You mean—alone?”

      “Yeah.  ‘S not fabulous, but it passes.”

      “No, Remy, you did a really good job.”  Remy shrugged, although he secretly enjoyed the praise.

      “So wha’cha got stashed in dat box dat de VCR can eat?”

      “Let’s see, We’ve got T-2, ID4, and Raiders of the Lost Arc.”

      “Raiders of de Lost Arc, deffinately.  Den maybe Independence Day.”

      “Harrison Ford, fan are we?”

      “Ford’s okay, but I mostly love t’ catch all his mistakes when he’s goin’ through de ruins.”

      “Like you’ve ever been tomb raiding,” Bobby snorted as he searched for the appropriate box.

      “I’m a thief, Bobby.  O’ course I been.”  Bobby paused in his search to look up at Remy.  He was smiling at Bobby in a very odd way.  It was a smile he didn’t think he’d ever seen directed at him before.  Bobby’s heart-rate started to pick up.

      Remy half leapt at him and shouted, “Raa!”  The desired effect was that Bobby jumped out of his skin.  On the other side of the couch Bobby tried to collect himself while Remy laughed at him.  “Scared o’ mummies, Bobby?”  Remy rummaged for the movie now.

      “No, I just…”

      “Just what?  I could see you getting’ scared.  What were you tinkin’ about?”

      “I just don’t like creepy scary places,” he lied.  In actuality, Bobby lived for Halloween and wouldn’t be caught dead being scared especially since it was the time for all the scary jokes to be played by him. 

      “Just like ‘em in movies, hunh?”

      “Well, there it’s not real and I know it.  It’s all Hollywood, but if it gets real, I get all clatter kneed.”

      “Mhm.  Well, don’ worry.  Dere’s no such ting as mummies dat move under deir own power,” Remy said as he put in the movie.  He moved the box to the coffee table and pointed the remote at the VCR to make it play.  It played the intro as Bobby got comfortable.  “Want a blanket?”

      “Hm?  Naw, I’m cool.”

      “Dat’s de point, but I forget who I’m talkin’ to,” Remy said as he walked up into the loft to bring down a blanket.  In hind sight, Remy thought he should have started a fire, but who knew if it would make Bobby too uncomfortable.  As Remy curled up with the blanket the movie started and Bobby actually asked him to point out the mistakes during the movie.  So they were going to Mystery Science Theatre 3000 it, hunh? 

      “First mistake dis guy makes is letting anybody know what de hell he’s doin’.  If he didn’t do dat, den he wouldn’t have M’sieur Competition hangin’ off his trousers all de time.  Annoyin’ as fuck t’ have somebody else steal what y’ stole.”

      “You swear, Remy?”

      “Hm?  Sorry.  Occasionally, yeah.  I’ll stop.”

      “I mean, it’s okay and everything, I just didn’t know you did.”

      “Y’ learn a lot when y’ decide t’ watch a movie wit’ Remy Le Beau.”

      “Oh yeah?  Like what else?”

      “Like sand doesn’t weigh de same as gold per volume.”

      “Oh.  That makes sense.  I was wondering why that still tripped the trap.”

      “Yeah.”

      The movie continued on and Remy had some really good points about all the mistakes that were made by Dr. Jones during his adventure. 

      “What mistake number we on?”  Bobby had gotten out a pencil and paper and started counting after he got beyond ten mistakes.

      “Fifty-three.”

      “Mistake number fifty-three, fallin’ in love.”

      “That’s a mistake?”

      “Lucky for him it turned out all right in de end.  Plenty o’ thieves where it was deir doom no matter if de woman betrayed him or not.”  Remy was quiet after he said that.

      “Uh… we can stop this if you want….  Do you want me to leave?”

      That comment brought Remy back from his reverie.  “What?  No.  Why would I want y’ t’ leave?”

      “Well, because you seemed like you were upset about Ro—um—something.”  Bobby did catch himself, but he realized it just wasn’t in time.

      “You mean I was upset about Rogue.”

      “Well, I didn’t mean to say it, but it came out, didn’t it?”

      “It’s okay, Bobby.  I know it was my fault.”

      “Hang on a second,” Bobby said as he paused the movie.  “You’re taking all the blame?”

      “Y’ weren’t dere Bobby.  It was my fault.  It was my trial, I didn’t want to live any more and I kissed her.  It was my fault!”

      There was silence for a while after that.  A lot of different things were going on in Bobby’s head as he sat in silence opposite Remy.  He hadn’t known that Remy didn’t want to live any more when he was in the midst of the trial, but he supposed that being strung out in front of all your friends would do that to you.  It made him feel so sad to hear about it and think about it.

      “I wish I’d been there.”

      “What?”

      “I—don’t know if I actually would have done it, but I think I would have gone back for you.”

      “Nobody else did, even after dey got to safety.  It’s okay, Bobby.  I’m back now.”

      And people still aren’t reaching out to save you.  I mean, just look at you.  You’re half starved and I bet you’re emotionally distraught even though you won’t let me see it.

      Remy could feel Bobby’s worry as it gently lapped at his shields.  He wished he could let them down every once and a while because it was hard to keep them up, but every time he let go there was always disaster.  As it was he could only identify emotions broadcast by another person, not so much experience them.  Intermixed with the worry was a feeling like guilt.

      “I said it’s okay,” he said more insistently.  Bobby nodded.

      Bobby brooded for a little bit more, but Remy had turned the movie back on.  Remy watched Bobby’s mood as he slowly got distracted by the movie again. 

      When it was over Remy decided that it was probably a good time to start building a fire while Bobby switched movies.  “Fire won’t make y’ uncomfortable, will it?’

      “A fire?  No, go ahead.”  Nodding, Remy threw a couple of logs that were piled by the hearth into the fireplace.  Some kindling and a charge of bio-kinetic energy later and he had a nice fire going.

      By the time the fire died down the other movie had ended.  They looked at each other for a few moments as the credits rolled and both reached for the last movie Bobby had brought down.  Neither of them wanted to leave the other’s company.  When they both grabbed the movie Remy let up and allowed Bobby to grab the movie instead.  “It’s a good thing the Shi’ar aren’t like that,” Bobby said as Remy stopped ID4 which was still in the tape player and began to rewind it.

      “Nah.  Dey have an entire galaxy of deir own to conquer and behave like dat before dey get urges to come over here.”

      “Well, Lilandra would make sure that wouldn’t happen anyway, right?”

      “Long as she’s in power, I’m sure.”

      Bobby got a worried look on his face.  “But what about when she’s not?”

      “Den we don’ know.  I mean, even if she has kids eventually dere’s no guarantee dat dey’ll like Earth.”

      “I suppose not.”  Bobby’s frown deepened.  Searching for something more cheerful to think about he came up with an idle curiosity on the subject.  “Hey, do you think Lilandra and the Professor are ever gonna have kids?”

      “Much as dey love each oder, Bobby, I don’ tink dey can.  I ‘member readin’ how Shi’ar are hatched an’ humans couldn’t be, so—dere y’ go.”

      “That’s really too bad.”  Remy shrugged.  That was life sometimes.

      Remy ejected the movie when it was ready and leaned back into his blanket as Bobby switched the tapes around.

      “Now, doesn’t this sort of thing make you think—I mean, after meeting Bishop and everything, we know that this is possible.  Doesn’t it scare you to know that?”

      “Bobby, don’ try to make it more real dan it is.”

      “I wasn’t trying to.”

      “Yeah, unh-hunh,” he said sarcastically.

     

     

     

     

      Bobby and Remy had started a tradition of watching movies together, and when the cable finally came around, they’d watch their favorite shows together, sometimes making fun of each other or the program, sometimes just sitting in silence to let the TV supply the noise.

      It was a night where they had rented some videos and both had fallen asleep.  The movie hadn’t been boring, but it was something Remy had seen before and they’d had a hard day with Storm and training earlier.  She could be a slave driver if she wanted to be.  Remy had dozed off first.  That’s why he didn’t notice Bobby curl up in his lap until something woke him.

      What woke him was Bobby… nuzzling him.  His head worked in Remy’s lap and he could feel the faint vibes of pleasure running through Bobby’s unconscious mind.  That was odd, he thought.  He was just curious enough and just comfortable enough to take a peek at the feelings in detail.  Laying his fingers gently on Bobby’s face, which was pointed toward his stomach, Remy was able to sense more concretely the emotions he was experiencing in his dream.

      Feeling very much like a voyeur and a little guilty for it, he let go and tried to put his shields more firmly in place.  Remy was pretty sure that Bobby was having an erotic dream of sorts.  How cute, he even stuck his tongue out.  He must be one of the type of people who was very motor-sense connected when dreaming.

      “Mmm… Remy….” Bobby moaned.

      Remy started.  The quick motion got Bobby to wake and he lifted himself from Remy’s lap.  “Hm?  Oh, hey, Remy.”

      “Uh… Bobby…?  Do you remember what you were dreaming about just now?” Remy asked uneasily.

      Bobby thought about it and remembered his dream, quite vividly.  The question was did he tell Remy the truth?  If Remy asked the question in the first place then there must have been a reason.  He could just waive it off, pretending to not remember and then there wouldn’t be any point in answering the question—

      “De truth, Bobby.  Please,” he asked earnestly.

      That made Bobby pause.  He must have been too transparent in his thinking expression, or taken too long or something.  He nodded nervously.  It had been a while after he started watching movies with Remy on a regular basis that he began having dreams like this and admitting that he was curious about Remy in more than just his personality.

      Earlier that evening, after Remy had fallen asleep, Bobby had been thinking about what it would be like to kiss him or run his tongue along places that would drive him crazy.  Very scared, but feeling that this was the only opportunity he would have to be bold, he had nuzzled Remy’s crotch through his jeans, wishing that he could explore him and see which stroke would illicit which response.  He wondered whether Remy would like it at all.  Thinking probably not, he had sighed and curled up in his lap facing the crotch he had just nuzzled and tried to go to sleep thinking warm and still warmer thoughts.

      Thinking that Remy hadn’t heard him, he nodded again, this time more firmly just to emphasize.  Remy was looking at Bobby with an obvious load behind his thoughts.

      “Is dere anyting you’d like to try from dat dream?”

      Bobby’s jaw dropped.  Had he heard him right?  Remy probably didn’t know what he was talking about.  He probably thought Bobby had a dream about all the construction and was thinking maybe Remy wanted to help him build a new mantle or something.  He couldn’t mean that Remy wanted to—experiment with him.  “What… do you think I was dreaming about?”

      “What were you dreamin’ ‘bout?”

      “That’s not fair I asked you first.”

      Remy sighed.  “One of us is gon’ be embarrassed here, so it might as well be me.”  Remy thought about how to approach this for a second.  “You an’ me are friends, right, Bobby?”

      “Of course we are,” Bobby said a little bit worried.

      “I know we ain’t had de most serious o’ relationships, but y know y’ can tell me anythin’ an’ I won’ get upset, right?”

      “Well, I didn’t know until you said anything, but now I do, so thank you.  But what has this got to do with my dream?”  Bobby was trying to back away from the seriousness because he hoped to god he could get out of this.

      His backing away from the weightiness of the subject made Remy pause, but he continued on, knowing that Bobby had been having an erotic dream, whether he remembered it or not.  He just hoped that Bobby had remembered it and he wasn’t going to make an absolute ass out of himself and lose the only other friend he had on the team.

      “I… coulda sworn dat you… were havin’ an erotic dream.”

      Damnit!  Bobby shouted to himself.  How did he know?  Bobby’s whole body sagged against the weight of Remy’s words.  “How did you know?” he asked in defeat.

      Remy let his breath go, but didn’t let it out in a sigh.  He didn’t want to offend Bobby.  “It was kinda obvious.  Y’ were… squirmin’.”

      “God, I’m sorry, Remy.  I didn’t mean to fall asleep in your lap in the first place,” he lied.  “I’m sorry if it made you uncomfortable.”

      “Did y’ hear m’ first question?”

      “Um….”  In his nervousness Bobby had forgotten.  “No.”

      “I asked,” Remy said as he leaned closer to Bobby, “if y’ wanted to try anythin’ from your dream.”

      “You’re not serious are you?” Bobby asked in a trembling whisper.

      “I’m serious.”

      Bobby leaned away from Remy to look him in the eyes.  “How did you know it was about you?”

      “Y’ moaned my name Bobby.”  Bobby put a hand over his mouth and Remy’s teeth flashed in his smile.  “So, I figured dere might be somethin’ y’ wanted to try.”  Remy’s voice was a low purr.

      Bobby nodded his head and tentatively reached for Remy’s face.  Remy let himself be lead into a kiss that was so light he could barely feel it at first.  He could feel as Bobby’s shaky breath passed by his cheek when their lips were apart and hear his ginger intake of breath.

      Gently, Remy opened up his perceptions to Bobby and made sure he wasn’t uncomfortable.  He could feel the amount of nervousness intertwining with the desire that was flowing through him.  “Tell me what you want, Bobby.”

      “I want—you.  Can I…?” he wasn’t sure how to ask for what he wanted—politely.

      “You can do whatever you want, Bobby.”

      Bobby slid his hands down Remy’s back and tugged on the ends of his shirt asking silently for access.  Remy removed the shirt and put his hand to Bobby’s face, then kissed him deeply.  Bobby’s reaction to that was surprised, but he liked it.  Remy thought it probably made him more comfortable to know that he wasn’t the only one getting something out of this.

      Bobby’s hands were a little freer now and he roamed over Remy’s body like a trailblazer.  Then it seemed he couldn’t decide where he liked best, but he did seem to like the reaction Remy gave when Bobby played with his nipples.  He tried his mouth at it next and Remy’s reaction was more intense of a moan, more insistent.

      With his lips fastened to a nipple his hands were open to start undoing Remy’s jeans.   Bobby stopped his toying with Remy’s chest and looked at what he was doing with great interest.  A smile grew slowly on his face that had a hint of wonder.  Bobby had to admit that he was very curious to see what it was like underneath these jeans of his, and behind his boxers.

      Remy was about to ask what Bobby was doing when he started tugging at his pants.  Oh, he thought.  His jeans and shorts got half way down his thighs when Bobby ceased to push them further.  Bobby stared at Remy’s cock for a few minutes and Remy thought he was going to curl into a ball from embarrassment, but instead he searched for what Bobby was feeling to make sure everything was all right.

      By the time he sensed that everything was fine Bobby was leaning down, testingly licking at him.  Oh, the teasing was fun.  Bobby got a little bit bolder once he realized how much he liked the taste, but even better was the texture of the skin there.  It felt incredible against his tongue.  He ran along it in long slow strokes making Remy intake his breath loudly, then shudder when he exhaled.

      “Dieu,” Remy whispered.

      Bobby thought that this might be a good time to step it up and engulfed Remy all he could.  Bobby was pleased with the grunt that came from above and started to suck and move his head.  He felt Remy’s hands running through his hair, squeezing lightly when he did something particularly good.  Bobby experimented with all the different ways he could make Remy feel until Remy had to pull Bobby off of him forcefully.

      A look of question was plastered on Bobby’s face until Remy kissed him deep, thrusting his tongue into Bobby’s mouth tasting himself on Bobby.  “Teasin’ time’s over,” he said as he pushed Bobby onto the couch and removed his pants faster than Bobby thought could be done.  He yanked on Bobby’s shirt and made a motion of tossing something over his shoulder signaling Bobby to get rid of the shirt.  Bobby did and Remy’s eyes glowed hot when Bobby was naked in front of him.  Remy practically dove onto Bobby and he felt like he was going to have his brain sucked out with the force Remy was applying, but oh, did it feel good!

      Remy stopped and Bobby was about to complain when he saw the look in Remy’s eyes.  He could see the amount of need that was in that expression and feel it as he spoke.  “Please, Bobby….”

      It was quite the ego plug to have Remy Le Beau, the hot sex god himself, begging Bobby for anything remotely sexual in nature.  “Anything, Remy,” he whispered, intent on his next words.

      “Fuck me….”

      Bobby’s breath caught in his throat.  He couldn’t breathe.  He forced something out, but it wasn’t the most coherent response he could have put together.  “…uh… I’ve never—ever—before, and… h-how?”

      “M’ suivie,” he said removing the last of his clothing with one hand.  Remy lead them to his bedroom.  The nightstand by the bed was what he went to first and showed Bobby a bottle of lubricant.  “Relax,” he said and motioned to the bed.

      Bobby went and lay on his side and watched as Remy crawled over him.  “Remy, I don’t know if I can—“

      “Shh,” he said.  “Y’er instincts are intact and it’s very much de same,” he said as he opened the bottle.

      “Same?”

      “Bobby, I know y’ ain’t a virgin,” he purred as he spread some lubricant onto Bobby’s cock, which hadn’t lost interest through the pause.  Bobby drew in a long breath as the cold hit him, but Remy warmed it up quickly enough with his hands.  Kissing Bobby again he explored the willing mouth with his tongue.  He liked Bobby’s teeth.

      Bobby’s hands moved to Remy’s cock and stroked the velvety skin.  Exhaling, Remy asked again, “Bobby, please?” sliding his hand along the lubricated length.

      “Yes, Remy….”

      Remy kissed him as he guided himself over Bobby and sank onto him in one motion.  Bobby grunted into Remy’s mouth and Remy smiled around his lips.  Oh this felt so good!  He started to move back and forth almost instantly, impatient and still needing very much.

      A thought occurred to Remy and he wasn’t sure whether acting on it would be a good idea or a horrible idea.  They were far enough away from the mansion that even a small telepathic exchange would go unnoticed, let alone an empathic one.  Remy really wanted to show Bobby what this was like, but he supposed that it would have to be another time.  It was a pity really.  Having feelings mount like that was really intense and would keep him coming back for more, guaranteed.  Then again, Bobby had professed to care about Remy.  He didn’t need to entice him to come back.  He’d come back anyway because he wanted to.

      Concentrating on giving Bobby the best ride he’d ever had, Remy worked himself over the shaft, impaling himself again and again then sliding up and down Bobby’s hips for a different angle.  His own cock was between them, rubbing against Bobby’s stomach when he slid and Bobby reached down to grip it giving him something more concrete to feel instead of the insubstantial scrapes across his belly.

      Remy moaned and started to work at a more furious pace.  He leaned down to Bobby and whispered in his ear, “Fuck me, Bobby… oh, please….”

      Bobby ceased to be a passive part of the performance and lifted his hips as best he could to Remy on top of him.  That tired out his muscles more quickly than he liked, so he rolled over and took Remy with him.  He was glad there was enough bed to maneuver.  With Remy now underneath him in a position he was more familiar with he began to pound into Remy like he had plead for Bobby to.  He was so good to slide in and out of—the way his muscles squeezed around him as he thrust in and pulled out… it was all so perfect.  The rhythm was good too and it was like music with Remy making more and more sound the higher he got.  Bobby was actually surprised how much the writhing beneath him turned him on.  He could tell he was driving Remy insane.

      Not knowing how much longer he could last, Bobby tried to think of a way to drive Remy over the edge.  Gripping his cock he stroked with his pounding, and captured Remy’s lips, jutting his tongue into Remy’s mouth, he then fucked Remy’s mouth with his tongue, plunging his tongue in time with as his dick.  That made Remy scream into Bobby’s mouth as he sucked on Bobby’s tongue and exploded all over himself and Bobby.  The clenching down and spasming of Remy’s muscles when he came drove Bobby over the incredibly high precipice they had gotten him onto.

      That felt indescribably good as Bobby collapsed onto his elbows over Remy.  They both panted in each other’s ears for a good minute before they had breath to talk.

      “God, Remy….”

      “I take it y’ liked it,” he said, pretty sure of himself.

      Bobby lacked any way of describing how much of an understatement that was.  Thinking of how much he liked it, he thought of how much he wanted it to happen again.  Not that he was up for another round just yet, but—in the future.  He wanted to make love to Remy again.  “Remy…?”

      “Oui?”

      “Can we… maybe do this again sometime?”

      “À tu desires,” he breathed.  Bobby sighed happily and curled up into Remy’s arms.

     

     

     

     

      Bobby and Remy’s tradition of movies had turned into a habit for Bobby.  It was a habit that was as addictive as Remy’s cigarettes—although Remy hadn’t managed to get him to smoke yet, thank goodness.  The nightly love was enough of an addiction.  Each time Bobby would sneak off to his room in the middle of the night making sure no one saw or heard.  Well, Logan might hear, but there was no helping that.

      Bobby sighed in contentment as he curled up by Remy’s side on the couch as their movie of the evening ended.  Bobby looked shyly at the coffee table as he hoped that Remy wouldn’t break the developing routine.  Bobby’s feelings came so much more easily to Remy now, especially when they were in close proximity.  With Bobby curled up against him it was second nature to feel what his lover was feeling.  The anticipation prickled against his mind and he smiled.

      His relationship with Bobby had become something he was beginning to feel might become permanent—as permanent as his relationships got anyway.  Remy felt that this was probably the night to show Bobby more about himself—more than anyone else knew.

      Shifting to kiss Bobby sensually, he could feel Bobby melt in his arms.  He liked it when Bobby did that.  Turning off the VCR and TV as a second thought, Remy gently pulled Bobby toward the bedroom.  Before he lost his courage he was going to do this.

      Bobby was slightly surprised by the enthusiasm Remy suddenly put into his kiss.  It almost seemed to come out of nowhere.  There was little fumbling with clothing.  Watching in amazement as Remy stripped for him Bobby wondered what spark was in this particular night.  They had been sleeping together for two and a half weeks, almost nightly, and Remy had always been interested, but tonight he seemed especially excited.

      Whatever the reason, Bobby enjoyed the show, hands roaming over himself as he watched, then reaching out to Remy when he crawled onto the bed.  Opening his mouth to praise Remy, Bobby smiled, adoring him, but Remy placed two fingers over Bobby’s lips to quiet him.  The silencing command turned into a caress and Bobby closed his eyes and felt, trying to relax.

      For the first time in longer than Remy could really remember, he opened his shields and let Bobby’s experiences wash over him.  There was a bit of curiosity at the edge of Bobby’s mind, but Remy made sure that it was put on the back burner when he leaned down to kiss Bobby with a passion that buzzed with energy.  Then the kisses trailed down his body.  Arching into the touch, he writhed beneath Remy.  Smirking to himself in the dark he gave no warning to Bobby as he took his erection into his mouth and swiveled his head while moving up and down.

      Bobby’s moan was a breathed whisper as the warmth enveloped him.  He was surprised how much he liked the heat of Remy—being the Ice Man and all.  Remy played with his ass cheeks as he was down, Bobby’s weight on his hands as Remy squeezed his cheeks, spreading them a bit.  It sent electricity up Bobby’s spine, but Remy wasn’t sure he wanted to push Bobby at this stage.  One traumatic event per night, Le Beau, he said to himself.

      Reaching over to the night stand where the KY Jelly was kept, Remy unscrewed the cap and let up from Bobby.  Turning slightly from Bobby, Remy made a show of preparing himself for Bobby, which Bobby watched eagerly.  Remy could feel the heightened excitement in Bobby as he saw Remy’s fingers enter him and his face contort in pleasure.  Scooting closer, Bobby wanted in on the action and placed his own fingers inside Remy, smiling as Remy gasped and wriggled on his fingers.

      Bobby took the tube of jelly and coated his cock in it, squeezing and enjoying the sensation, knowing it only got better from here.  It was rather obvious what Bobby wanted, so Remy turned around presenting his ass to the man.  Stroking Remy’s cheeks, Bobby parted them and moved up to Remy’s entrance.

      Remy could feel Bobby’s nervousness even though they’d been doing this for half a month already.  He supposed Bobby thought that if he hurt Remy that he wouldn’t want to see him any more.  So long as it wasn’t on purpose Remy was okay with that.  Besides, he doubted that Bobby could hurt him, riled up as Remy was.

      Taking the initiative, Remy backed onto Bobby’s parked cock and Bobby got the hint that it was okay to proceed.  Bobby moved inside Remy, deepening himself slowly.  Savoring the heat that surrounded him Bobby paused and sighed.

            Remy concentrated on what Bobby was feeling as his own cock twitched at the shadow sensation of Bobby’s cock in him.  He hadn’t felt this way in a long time and his excitement grew.  He was eager to show Bobby how good sex with him could be.  Writhing over Bobby’s length Remy moaned for more and upon request, Bobby delivered.

      Gripping Remy’s arms as he leaned over Remy, Bobby tugged on Remy to pull himself as deeply as possible into Remy with swift thrusts.  Bobby kissed at Remy’s shoulder and played with his ear, making breathless sounds into it.  “Remy… you feel incredible,” he whispered.

      Y’ don’ realize de half of it yet, cher, he thought to Bobby before he stepped up the pleasure by letting Bobby feel his own.  Bobby was suddenly aware of just how good things felt and couldn’t at that point control his pace.  Remy’s mind was in very close proximity to Bobby’s at that moment and he couldn’t keep his hips from bucking up to meet Bobby’s thrusts. 

      When Remy couldn’t stand it any more, he projected his orgasm into Bobby’s mind setting him off instantly.  It was explosive—like his entire body was going to burst.  How could anything be so intense? 

      Bobby panted and his vision started to tunnel when Remy’s arms brought him back from the encroaching dark.  “What… what was that, Remy?”

      Remy chuckled lightly at Bobby, knowing what it was he was asking about, but feeling the need to pester him.  “Ifn’ y’ don’ recognize sex by now homme, no one can save y’.”

      Bobby was too exhausted and jelly feeling to get mad at Remy’s impertinence.  Instead he gave him a look that told him volumes without voice.  The look told him that Bobby knew something—different had happened.

      “Okay, Bobby.  I’ll come clean.”

      Bobby waited eagerly for Remy’s response, a touch worried, although his response wasn’t anything he thought it might be.  After receiving several years of training, Bobby and every other X-Man was acquainted with the sensation of someone else in their mind.  Bobby felt a sensation just like that only with it was a nervous feeling that he really didn’t have any reason to be feeling.

      Remy held out his hand to Bobby and tentatively, he took it.  It felt really weird holding Remy’s hand… like there was an energy reverberating between them.  Guiding Bobby’s hand to Remy’s chest he traced a pattern with Bobby’s fingers along it.

      Bobby felt the pattern mirrored on himself.

      “What is this…?”

      “Um…  I don’ quite know.  Had a friend o’ mine tell me once dat it was called empathy.”

      “You’re an empath?”  This was certainly news.  “Why didn’t you ever tell anyone?”

      “Never been… close enough… to trust—“

      That was right.  Trust was a four letter word to Remy.  It should have occurred to Bobby before he asked a stupid question like that.  “So, the Professor or Jean—?“ 

      “Dey don’ know eider.  It’s kinda hard t’ keep it a secret from dem, dat’s why I don’ use it much.  I think day’d know pretty quickly if I were to open up—like I jus’ did.”  The feelings Remy was projecting into his head faded slowly and Bobby sighed.

      “But… was this okay?”

      “We’re pretty far away from dem.  I think we should be fine.”

      “Okay….”  Bobby looked at Remy for a moment trying to decide what to make of this mysterious man he was learning more and more about every day.  “Remy… can I stay here tonight?”

      “Tought y’d never ask,” he smiled pulling him closer and settling into the embrace.

     

      That was the first night Bobby had decided to stay the entire night with Remy in the boat house.  He liked waking up in Remy’s arms and having breakfast with him now that Remy had put some food in the refrigerator.  They showered together, which Bobby enjoyed a lot and finally around noon went up to the mansion.

      Bobby was surprised that Storm wasn’t having a fit.  “Good—afternoon, Storm,” Bobby said, catching himself before he said morning.  “What’s on the duty list today?”

      “Robert, I thought you and Remy could work on the library and install the shelves that arrived today.”

      “Sure, we can do that.  Where are they?”

      “They are in the lobby.”

      “Great.  Remy, you grab the tool box from the garage and I’ll meet you in the lobby.”  Remy smirked, knowing he was going to be talked about behind his back, but went anyway.  After Remy was gone Bobby turned to Ororo.  “Okay, Storm, I’ve been watching him eat and in some cases cooking for him for the past two weeks.  He’ll be gaining wait soon, I promise.”

      “I think he already has.  Thank you, Robert.”

      “I’m not saying I’m stopping or anything.  Just wanted to give you a progress report.”  Smiling, she nodded.  “Okay, see you at lunch—er dinner.”  As Bobby hurried to catch up with Remy Ororo thought to herself how glad she was that Remy and Bobby had become friends.

      Bobby hit the Professor’s office and found Xavier himself hovering outside his door.  “Bobby, are you busy?”

      “Just about to start installing book shelves with Remy.  What can I do for you, Professor?”

      “I was wondering if the two of you might put my desk together for me.  The filing cabinets have arrived and I’ll need to do a lot of work, but if my work surface isn’t assembled, I’ll have a tough time of it.  Would you mind?  The parts should be in with the shipment of shelves that arrived.”

      “I don’t think we’ll mind,” Bobby said cheerily.

      “Thank you.”  Charles was happily surprised to see Bobby in such a good mood.

      “I’ll go get Remy,” and Bobby was off.  He found Remy lifting one of the boxes that was about shelf size.  “Oh, Remy, the Professor wanted us to assemble his desk for him first if that’s okay.”

      “Sure, dat’s fine,” he sighed, setting down the box and straightening.  Looking at the biggest box there he said, “Think dis is probably it.  Y’ wanna help me out wit’ dis monstrosity?”

      Chuckling, Bobby rushed to help with one end of the box while Remy carried the other and the tool box.  They heaved it to the Professor’s office and set it down inside and began working.  The Professor sat in the corner with a book of his as they worked.

      Xavier watched as they occupied themselves with the desk, pleased that Remy was such a good worker and was getting along with people after he got back.  He had been worried about that.

      Remy tried to ignore the stare as Xavier’s eyes bored into his back.  He wondered what Xavier was thinking and wanted to ask Bobby if he had any insights, but couldn’t ask right in front of Xavier.  He would steal a glance from the corner of his vision every now and again and Xavier would pretend he’d been reading his book, or was just glancing up, or that he had been watching Bobby instead.  Of course he’d see the look Xavier was giving him before he looked away.  Maybe the expression was of contemplation, but that was the best he could hope for.

     

      “That wasn’t so bad, was it?” Bobby asked when they were finished.

      “He was staring at me de entire forty-five minutes we were in dere for,” he complained.

      “Remy, he wouldn’t have asked us to put his desk together if he weren’t okay with you, okay?”  Bobby had a point, but it was still hard for Remy to swallow.  “Anyway, it’s over now and you don’t have to deal with him and his maniacal looks until dinner.”

      “Don’ get me wrong, Bobby.  Dey’re not maniacal.  I jus’ get de distinct impression dat he don’ like me.  Maybe he was watchin’ me ‘cause he felt he had to, but if dat were de case why’d he even let me on de grounds, y’ know?”

      “It really doesn’t make any sense.  That’s why I don’t think you’re interpreting his attention correctly,” Bobby said as he opened a box and took the shelving out.

      “Den what do you t’ink his attentions are really for, hmmm?”

      “Well… I don’t know.  I mean… he has Lilandra and everything….”

      “Bobby!” Remy shouted in shock.  “How could you even tink dat?”

      “Well, I only brought it up as an impossibility,” he defended weakly.

      “Dat y’ even tought it is disturbin’.”

      “Why, because he’s crippled or because he’s the Professor?”

      “Because he’s de Professor, o’course.  Now how do we put dese stupid tings t’geder?”

     

      Respective work parties around the mansion labored through the afternoon.  Bobby and Remy finished their project just in time for dinner.

      “I never wanna see anoder bookshelf.  Bobby, I’m becomin’ illiterate.”

      “You mean you weren’t already?” Bobby asked perplexed.

      It took Remy a fraction of a second to figure out that Bobby was actually playing with him, but the doubt made his heart sink.  Bobby got an elbow in the ribs for his comment.  They sat next to each other over dinner and held their own conversations as the world seemed to move around them.

      Xavier was making sure to not watch Remy as he gave his attention to the young man sitting halfway down the table from him.  Soon he was going to have to work up the courage to tell the young man everything that had gone on in the past five years.  That was going to be so hard.  He was eager to get it off his chest though.  Over dinner he started thinking of ways to broach the uncomfortable subject.

     

      No one was surprised when Bobby followed Remy to the boat house and no one questioned what they were doing, especially after everyone in the mansion had gone to sleep.  The others finding out about this new relationship with Remy wasn’t something Bobby felt he had to be worried about.  The only time Bobby ran into a problem was when there was Danger Room practice since the training hall had been fixed.

      Leaping out of Remy’s bed and scrambling for his clothes strewn across the floor Bobby barely remembered to give Remy a good-bye kiss before dashing out the door.  He had woken bleary-eyed to find the alarm clock read that he had ten minutes before he was supposed to be in the Danger Room.  Then it occurred to him that he had forgotten to set Remy’s alarm clock, and since Remy didn’t have practice that morning, the clock had gone unset.

      That put Bobby in the embarrassing situation of running unshowered to the mansion and to the practice session obviously having come from the boathouse. 

      Most likely the worst of these things was that in the path to the lower levels was through the kitchen, the only two residents of were Logan and the Professor.  Bobby thought he would die and so rushed as fast as he could through the room.

      Noticing the blonde, blue and grey streak that flew past the breakfast table, Xavier put down his morning tea and looked at Logan.  “Was that Bobby?”  Logan nodded a bit perplexed.

      A moment later, Logan smiled.  “And it looks like somebody stuck an ice cube in the gumbo,” and chuckled to himself.

      Xavier looked horrified at Logan.  “You don’t mean they—“ Charles faltered.

      “I sure do.  Kid’s got Remy’s smell all over ‘im an’ I’d recognize the smell o’ sex anywhere.”

      Charles knocked his tea cup to the floor as he pounded the table.  “This is unacceptable!”  There were few times Logan had seen Charles mad and this was one of the worst times if he knew anything about his current expression.

      “You have a problem with this, Chuck?  You of all people on the planet?  What gives?”

      “I will not allow anyone to get hurt,” he defended, knowing how much he sounded like a bigot.

      “You really don’t trust Gambit that much?”

      Clenching his teeth to keep from saying anything else stupid Charles floated into his study.  Storm, have Bobby report to my office immediately, he sent telepathically.

      Yes, sir, was her tentative reply.  “Robert… the Professor has asked to see you.”  Bobby went pale and turned from the Danger Room doors he had just barely entered.  He didn’t like the sound of Storm’s worried tone.  The whole way to Xavier’s office he dragged his feet wondering what the problem could be, knowing in the pit of his stomach that it had something to do with Remy.  Maybe his running through the halls was offensive, but something that minor would have waited until after the session was over.  Damn.

      His knock was contrite on the study door.  The harsh response from beyond the door made him stiffen with a type of fear he had not felt for the Professor since Onslaught.  Gingerly, Bobby opened the door.  The Professor looked mad behind his desk.

      “You wanted—“

      “Sit down, Robert,” he directed sternly.  Bobby took the chair across the desk from him.  At Bobby’s puzzled and concerned look Charles softened.  “Bobby, I know I’m not in the habit of interfering with my student’s personal lives, but in this one case I will have to make an exception.  I don’t want you seeing Remi any more.”  The order hit Bobby like an optic blast from Scott.

      “What?  You’re not serious, are you, Professor?”

      “Unfortunately I am.  I have no wish to hurt you, Bobby—or Remi, but this needs to stop immediately.  Is that clear?”

      “I don’t understand, Professor… why would you restrict us like this?  I thought you’d be more understanding.”

      “Bobby, I’m not opposing your interest in men, I’m opposing your relationship with this man.”

      “Does this have anything to do with those stares you give Remy?”

      Xavier straightened, perturbed.  “What stares?”

      “Oh, come on, Professor, you didn’t stop looking at him over dinner the other night and the day we put your desk together you were looking at him the entire time.  So what is it, Professor?  You want Remy for yourself?”

      “Robert!  Don’t be disgusting.”

      “Then why?!”

      “He’s—“ Xavier stopped himself short of the explanation.  “That’s not your concern.”  That sparked a fight in Bobby.

      “When whatever this is keeps me from the man—I think I’m falling in love with,” he stumbled over the emotional phrase, “then it concerns me, Professor.  You can’t keep me from him.”

      “Do you want Remi to die, Robert?” the Professor asked pointedly.  The question stopped Bobby cold.  His brain tried to think of ways what the Professor described could happen while trying to overcome the shock of the implications.

      “What are you talking about?”

      “Do you want Remi to die?”

      “N—no.  What would cause his death?”

      “Electrical heart stop, most likely.  It is painless, but I still don’t want him to have to go through it.”

      “By sleeping with me he’s risking hear failure?”

      “Yes.”  In the most direct sense that was true, but he let Bobby run with the misunderstanding.  He would do anything to get Remy out of this relationship.

      “What disease is it?  Is it terminal?”

      “Remi does not know yet.  Could you please find him and send him here?”

      “I can, but I….”  The Professor’s look was firm when he figured Bobby would try to object further.  Still don’t understand, he finished to himself.  He did leave the room in order to fetch Remy.

      Once Bobby had shut the door behind him Charles let a heavy sigh pass from him and put his head on his forearms over his desk.  This was a nightmare.  Whoever thought Remi would ever find attraction to another man?  He was going to have to talk to Jean-Luc about this.

     

      Bobby ran out of Xavier’s office and to the kitchen to head out to the boathouse to get Remy and tell him the awful news.  Logan was in the kitchen and watched as Bobby ran through it, this time smelling traces of saline through the other scents.  Growling to himself he went to see the Professor.

      When he got to the door though, a conversation was already in progress.  Logan listened at the door.  “I don’t know how it happened, Jean-Luc, but I think you had better come up.  He’ll need to see you.”  There was a pause as Jean-Luc responded, which was too faint to hear through the doors and through the phone lines.  “I’ll have one of my students come to pick you up.”  Another pause.  “Thank you, my friend.  I am eager to see you.”  Logan could hear the phone being let down.

      Logan chose then to knock.  “Come in,” he sighed.  Charles looked surprised to see Logan opening the door.  “Yes?”

      “What’s all this about, Chuck?  Bobby was just crying as he left the mansion.”

      “I didn’t wish to hurt either of them.  I should have seen this earlier—stopped it before it started.  I just didn’t think Remy was capable of….”

      “Being attracted to the same sex?” Logan asked.  Charles nodded.  “What the hell is so wrong with it, Chuck?”

      Charles looked away from Logan.  “I can’t explain it all to you before I’ve told Remi, but I can’t let Remi engage in such activities.”

      “Just Gambit?”  Charles nodded.  “What makes you feel it’s you that has to watch out for him?” Logan asked a little more gently sensing that maybe Xavier’s actions were meant to be protective.

      “It’s my responsibility,” he stated.

      Just then there was pounding on the door.  Logan just bet it was Gambit with his fury about to be unleashed.  Turning to leave, Logan got out of his way as soon as Remy set his sights on the Professor.

      “What’s de big idea tellin’ Bobby we can’ see each oder any more?” he shouted.  “Tought y’ had a policy ‘bout not interferin’ wit’ y’ students private lives.”  The door closed behind him, but Remy didn’t spare it any attention; he was focused on the man across the desk from him.

      Charles was silent for a long moment.  “This is all going to be difficult for you to hear, Remi.  I’ve called your foster father up because I’m sure you’ll have questions for him that I cannot anticipate or answer in his stead.”

      “What does m’ father have to do wid any o’ dis?”

      “Remi, I cannot allow you to engage in homosexual activities because of your heritage.”

      “My father never said he had a problem wit’ bein’ gay.”

      “Which is I’m sure why this problem had crept up.  By your heritage, Remi, I didn’t mean that of your adopted family.  Your biological heritage is more the issue.”

      “Prof, nobody knows what m’ biological heritage is, ‘ncludin’ me.”

      “You’re wrong, Remi.”  That made Remy pause.

      “What?”  Remy blinked, then stared at Xavier.  “You mean you know who m’ parents are?”  Charles nodded.  “How did y’ find out?  Who are dey?  An’ why de heck does dat mean I can’t see Bobby?  Poor Bobby was sayin’ somet’in ‘bout m’ heart stoppin’.”

      “You can’t see Bobby any more because you are Calidir Rem’aillon Neramani II.  You are Lilandra’s son.  Homosexuality is a crime on Chandilar still punishable by death, Remi.  In order for you to survive at all you will have to stop all such activity immediately and never see another human on a romantic level.”

      “What?!”  Remy balked.  “You’re insane, Professor, y’ know dat?  Like I’m gon’ believe dat hog wash!”  Remy stalked out of the Professor’s study going to find Bobby.

      “Remi, please!” Charles shouted after his son.  The door slammed closed on his shout.

      Remy was leaving, but he wanted to see if Bobby would come with him.  Bobby was waiting nervously down the hall.  “What did he say?” he asked timidly.

      “Such a pack of unbelievable lies I c’n hardly stand it.  I’m leavin’.  Y’ comin’?”

      Bobby nodded and they headed to the garage and hopped on Remy’s motorcycle.  “Where are we going?” Bobby asked before putting his helmet on.

      “Anywhere but here, cher,” he said as he started up his bike.  They rode away from the mansion and the insanity that lay therein.

     

      Charles watched from his window as Remy rode away with Bobby.  He was going to have to get Jean-Luc to go after them.  Sighing, he mentally beckoned to Logan.  Logan was in the room within two minutes.  “What is it, Chuck?”

      “Since you seem to know something of what’s going on, would you be willing to go pick up Remy’s foster father from the airport?”  The guy he was on the phone with earlier.

      “Sure, Chuck.  Mind tellin’ me what it’s all about?”

      “Of course.  Please come in and shut the door.”  Logan complied and stood in front of Xavier’s desk.  “For the past five years I have been living with a secret.  That secret was that the next emperor of the Shi’ar is here on Earth hiding.  He is hiding from the future.”

      “What’s this emperor in hiding have to do with Gumbo?”

      “The emperor in hiding is Remi.”

      “Yer shittin’ me,” Logan said shocked.  “Remy doesn’t seem the type, and he ain’t Shi’ar,” he pointed out.

      “Remi is half Shi’ar, half human,” Xavier explained.

      “Wait a second….”  Logan put the pieces together.

      “Yes, Remi is my son with Lilandra from the future.”

      “Whoa.  How does the kid not know?”

      “I took his memories from him and gave him an alternate identity to wear so that no one would suspect him—and so that the flow of history would not be disrupted.  Remi came to me as a boy who had just escaped the collapse of his universe—an alternate time line.  It is a very long story in full and I intend to tell it, but I’d prefer to wait until we have everyone assembled.  I believe I’ll need Jean-Luc to get Remi and Bobby to come back.”

      “The kid ain’t gonna take kindly t’ this even after you explain everything, Chuck.”

      “That’s unacceptable.  Remi will need to rule Chandilar some day.  His people won’t accept him as ruler if they know he’s been homosexual and if he ever went to Chandilar, he’d be executed.”

      “Sounds to me, Chuck, like you don’t have any choice if you want your boy to live.  From what yer tellin’ me he’s already ineligible fer the position.  Sending’ him ta rule the Shi’ar would just be a death trap.  They have telepaths over there too, Chuck, not to mention any of the million other ways somebody could find out.  Don’t do this to the boy.”

      “We have some time to figure it all out,” he said avoiding Logan’s glare.  “Jean-Luc should be calling me any time with his flight information.  Are you still willing to pick him up?”

      “Sure.  I’ll get him.  How does he fit into all o’ this?”

      “He is a friend of mine.  He raised Remy for me.”

      “So he knows.”

      “Yes, everything.”  Logan nodded.  Charles could only sit and think of how much of a mess he’d made for himself and Remi.

     

      Bobby hugged Remy’s waist as they flew down the freeway.  He was sure they were going to get pulled over the way they were going.  It didn’t matter so much though; they were in no hurry.  They hardly had a destination.  Remy hadn’t said much during their trip.  Communication was limited because of their helmets.  The direction they were traveling though was south.  Bobby thought that was probably because he could put more distance between them that way as opposed to traveling north.

      By luck or providence—probably luck, they didn’t get pulled over the entire day.  They reached a hotel that Remy was willing to stop in near the end of the day when they were both worn out and Gambit waltzed in like he owned the place.  Bobby hung back as Remy talked to the desk clerk and assumedly paid for the room.

      Once safe inside Bobby plopped on one of the beds and watched as Remy paced.  “So… what did he say?” Bobby asked.

      Remy stopped in his tracks.  Of all the looks that Bobby had ever seen on Remy’s face, he liked this least.  His brows were drawn together in a scowl and the frown etched into his lips had a slightly puzzled tilt to it.  Remy didn’t respond.

      Bobby waited patiently for about three minutes waiting for Remy to react.  “Rem?” he finally asked.

      That brought Remy’s gaze away from outer space and back to the room, then steered it toward Bobby.  Encouraging him to speak with a lift of his eyebrows, Bobby waited.  Remy finally broke the angry silence.

      “I t’ink de man t’inks he’s m’ fader.  What a crock,” he seethed.

      “Yer dad?  Really—the Professor?”

      “He’s not!”

      Bobby jumped.  “Okay.  So why would he act like it?”

      “Power trip? I don’ know.”

      “What was the thing about electrical heart stop?”

      “Execution, I t’ink.”

      “What?!”

      “He thinks I’m Shi’ar or somethin’.”

      “Shi’ar?”

      “Can we jus’… not talk about dis?  It’s givin’ me de creeps.”

      “…Okay.  Do you wanna sit down and relax then?”

      It was after those words that Remy realized that he had been pacing.  That wouldn’t have been so bad if it didn’t mean that he was disturbed enough to forget how unthief-like it was to pace.

      Without acknowledgement Remy stepped to the other bed and plopped onto it.  He still had that perplexed and angry expression on his face.  Sitting for a while, he stared into the carpet trying to find in its purely random pattern reasoning for the Professor’s behavior.  None was apparent.

      “Hey, Rem?”  Remy looked up.  “Where are we going?  Eventually?”

      “Anywhere y’ wan’, I guess.  Was gon’ go t’ N’Awlins, but m’ poppa’s prob’ly on his way t’ de mansion right now if de Prof was tellin’ a lick o’ trut’.  No use goin’ dere.”

      “Then… do you think we could visit my parents?  My dad still needs help around the house sometimes and my mom can’t take car of him all the time.  Besides, I’m worried about them.  I felt kinda’ guilty coming to the mansion when Storm called, so I think this is a good time to go and see if they’re okay.”

      “Sure, Bobby.  Sorta headed dat way anyway.  Any oder requests f’ dis road-trip?”

      “Road-trip?  Remy, I didn’t think you were planning on going back….”

      “I’m not, but I thought you’d wanna go back and we’d have to part ways.”

      “The Professor offended me as much as he offended you.  I’m not going back—definitely not without you.”  Bobby knelt in front of Remy and took one of his hands to give it an encouraging squeeze.  Remy squeezed back and grimaced before pulling Bobby into a hug.