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Part 22
Remy's skin was healing as Logan took him upstairs. Carrying him into his bedroom, Logan gently placed him on the bed and went the bathroom to start the hot water running. Remy started to get himself together and looked around to find Logan in his bathroom. "Logan...?"
Looking up, Logan’s fingers tested the bath water. “Hey...” he rose and started undressing him. With all of this attention swapping—how was Logan going to keep it all up? Remy realized that Logan was supposed to be with Creed now, but instead, there they were, with Logan undressing him. "Logan... y' should be wit' Creed...." he protested.
Flexing the muscles in his jaw, Logan otherwise said nothing to that, and got Remy naked. “In the tub, Cajun.”
After all, they both needed him. He realized that it was his jealousy that had caused the explosion in the Danger Room, and that couldn't have helped anything.... Remy got up and climbed into the tub. He relaxed into the warm embrace of the water and sighed. So, Logan wasn't ready to address any of this. Great.
Getting a washcloth, Logan soaped it up, and cleaned the soot and blood off him, muttering under his breath, “This ain't gonna work, y' know….”
"I'm sorry, Logan...." Remy said. He felt that he should leave again. He agreed with Logan—that this wasn't going to work because he couldn't keep himself from being jealous and there no way Creed could keep himself under control... so what were they going to do?
Cleaning him slowly and gently, Logan was pretty crazy for Remy and studied him as he laid there under the water. He couldn’t leave Remy… and he couldn’t leave Creed.... Logan closed his eyes and sighed heavily.
Remy was quiet as long as Logan was. He was starting to think that if he just removed himself from this equation that things would be better for everyone. After all, he and Creed were getting closer and did have millennia of relationship together. Nathaniel was right—he couldn't compete with that! He knew how much Logan loved him, but how... could they do anything about this? Remy just wanted a clone of himself for every person that he'd ever felt attracted to—then things would be so much simpler.
Stopping his washing, Logan looked at Remy and just knew what he was thinking. “Yer not bailin' on me, kid.”
Remy frowned deeply and looked up at Logan. "How can I stay, Logan? Dat mean y' gonna kick Creed out on his rear?"
Heart squeezing up, Logan said, “Nah... Maybe we should just ferget the whole thing... each go our own separate ways... huh?”
"How would dat solve anythin’, hunh?!" Remy erupted suddenly. He sat up in the water, sloshing it about.
Lifting an eyebrow a little, Logan said, “S' only fair, doncha think?”
"It ain' fair dat all of us should end up miserable, Logan!"
“But it's ok fer you ta be miserable? Don't be such a martyr, Remy....”
"Logan, one of us has got to be miserable, or all of us do. I say dat makes de choice logical an' obvious!"
Baring his teeth a little, Logan insisted, “No, it isn't! I ain't choosin' between ya and you ain' makin’ that decision for me, got it!?
"Den what are you gonna do, hunh??!!!"
Leaning back, Logan folded his arms. “I told ya what I'm doin', Cajun.”
Remy glared at Logan. "What is dat?"
“I'm choosin neither a you!!”
Remy flopped back into the water. "So... y' leavin' both of us...?" he asked, the force having left his voice.
Working his jaw again, Logan felt a slight ticking under his skin. “Yeah.”
"Den get out," he said quietly.
Snarling, Logan objected, “Ya got no right ta be pissy with me, Cajun, I'm doin’ what I think's fair!”
"I got every right to be pissy wid you! You broke my heart! Get out!" he shouted.
Standing up, Logan pointed out, “You were plannin’ on leavin me, Cajun!”
"I was tryin' ta make somebody come outta dis happy, Logan! I was tryin' ta make you happy!
“You think I'm gonna be happy without you either way?” Logan asked.
"Yeah, Logan. I thought you would be... eventually. Dat you would find de happiness y' had wit' Creed all dose years ago."
Swallowing, Logan said, “I'm not the same person I was all those years ago.” I want you now.
"But you remember how you felt. You still feel dat way, Logan." Remy folded his hands in his lap and looked at them. He didn't want to see Logan's face just then.
Throat squeezing up, Logan felt like he was going to cry, but wouldn’t in front of Remy. He would fight like hell to not cry in front of him.
"You always sayin' how y' can't escape y' past…."
Arms folded defensively, Logan couldn’t look at him. Of course Remy already had someone else lined up. “There's no reason you should be sharin’ nobody with nobody,” he said indignantly standing up straight. “I'm gonna go tell Creed....” This wasn’t going to be pretty, but he needed a fight. “See ya around, Remy.” Opening the bathroom door, Logan paused when Remy called out.
"Logan! Don't! He'll go crazy! Logan!" Remy plead with him, getting out of the water and following him with a towel wrapped around his waist.
“He won't go crazy, kid! 'Sides he's locked up as it is.”
That was the reason Remy had been willing to leave—both times… because of the way Creed was likely to react. "How do you know he won' go crazy, hunh?" he asked pointedly.
“He's been level headed lately!” Logan swallowed. “Sides, Remy.... It ain't fair that I stay with him just ta keep him from flippin’ out... don't wanna be babysittin’ the rest a my life....”
"So yer jus' gon' run away for de rest of it instead?"
Turning on him, he shouted, “I ain’t runnin’!! I'm tryin’ Remy, I'm tryin’ ta do what's best an' it may be the most goddamn painful thing I've ever done in my whole goddamn life so give me a fuckin’ break!”
Remy looked at the floor. "You may not tink y' runnin', but y’ are. Y' jus' tink dat runnin' happens ta be de best f' everybody, but it's not!" he shouted looking back up at Logan with pain in his eyes. "Y' bein' just as much a martyr as I was tryin' ta be by bein' de first t' give y' up. I know dis is hard, Logan, but somebody should come outta dis happy, damnit!" He stepped up to Logan. "You deserve t' be happy, cher...." His hand trailed up to Logan's face because it looked like either way, he wasn't going to be able to see this face any more. He would miss it.
Grabbing onto his hand, Logan kissed his palm. “Why'd ya blow up the danger room just now, Remy?”
"I... I ate too much... and I was a petite bit jealous, but I'll learn ta control dat in time, Logan," I promise! he finished to himself.
Sighing, Logan’s face still nuzzled into Remy’s hand. “God, I love you... I don' wanna let ya go.” Kissing his palm again, Logan took a deep breath. “I hurt so bad when I was away on the water, I can't imagine havin’ that without knowin' you'll be there ta come home to....”
"Will y' give me anoder chance, Logan? I... I wanna try ta make dis work—between de three of us. I know I don' like him much... but maybe if I can see why you like him... I'll feel better about it?" Remy was really trying to figure out a way that he could get along with a man who had symbolized lunacy and carnage his entire adult life.
“He hurt ya so bad, baby...” he said wrapping his arm around Remy’s waist, and pulling him against him. Logan’s face buried in Remy’s shoulder, rubbing his thumb across Remy’s knuckles.
"I know... but he's goin' through a lot o' changes...." I know I can' be a part o' your life widout bein' part o' his....
“Remy... you ever stop carin’ fer me.... If ya ever fall in love with somebody else.... Or if Creed ever hurts ya, ya gotta tell me, all right?” Looking up at him, Logan hoped Remy understood how important that was to him. “That's my condition.”
Remy nodded and hugged Logan tightly. He sighed relieved. "Oui. I'll tell ya." He hoped that none of those things happened and that they could actually figure out a way to live with each other... and Remy figured that would probably be through exposure. "Why don' I get decent an' go down ta spend some time wid monsieur chat wid ya?" he asked with a smile.
“.... Why don'tcha get clean, first?” He swiped a finger across Remy’s shoulder, showing him the grime that came up.
"You wanna help me wid dat?" he asked, his smile turning sly. He wasn't about to jump Logan's bones, but he did want to have the comfort of his company for a little bit longer.
Smiling, Logan pulled Remy down into a deep, wet kiss. “Sure, kitten.” Walking back into the bathroom, Logan took Remy’s towel away from him. “Let's get you clean water,” he said noticing the water was a bit murky. Remy wrapped his arms around Logan while he drained and refilled the bath. Occasionally, he would squeeze him to remind himself that he wasn't holding a shadow; that Logan was really there.
Standing up straight, Logan folded his arms over Remy’s as the bathtub filled, loving the smell of him and the familiar feel. "Sorry I'm wet still," he mumbled against Logan’s neck.
Reaching up Logan tugged on one of Remy’s damp locks. “S' okay. Get in.” He leaned over to turn the water off, and sat on the edge of the tub again.
Remy leaned back into the water and grabbed the soap and wash cloth to scrub away all the grime. Boy, he had a lot of soot on him... some of which he suspected used to be his own flesh. He pushed that thought away and concentrated on getting clean.
Sitting behind him, Logan carefully scooped water up and let it fall over his head and across his shoulders before getting his shampoo and sinking it in his hair. Logan chuckled fondly. “No fragrance. Nice.”
"Told ya I was usin' it," Remy mumbled into the air as Logan massaged it into his scalp.
Still grinning, he said, “I know....” Rubbing it into his hair, Logan used his strong fingers to massage Remy’s head. He could do that forever, and got Remy’s head nice and frothy, scrubbing him pretty thoroughly.
Remy sighed and moaned, "Dat feels nice, Logan.”
Leaning down Logan kissed his wet, now clean shoulder. “Yer so goddamn beautiful....” Scooping more water up Logan poured it over his head, rinsing him off.
The kiss felt nice on his fresh skin. He felt like he was melting in Logan's hands. "Logan..." He wanted to reciprocate... but the comment just didn't match for what he thought of the man. He thought he was incredibly handsome, but he wouldn't describe him as beautiful. He smiled at the memory of the first time they were wrestling back at Remy's apartment and Logan had asked indignantly, 'You sayin' I ain't pretty?!' Remy had responded, 'Okay, okay, I'd do y' any day o' de week!' Oh, how he had meant that! Normally, it would have been a joke... but then it wasn't... and it hadn't been since.
Kissing up his neck to his ear, Logan muttered with his lobe between his teeth, “Now you got some special fancy-shmancy goo you put on now?”
Remy cleared his throat as Logan brought his attention back to the here and now. "Um... conditioner," he said, handing Logan the conditioner bottle that also was scentless.
“Oh... Right...” and he squirted a large glob on his hand, then ran it through his hair, making it all slimy. “So... Ya gotta meet this new kid... Met him on the ship... His name's Mark... He looks just like ya.”
"Just..." like me? Remy's heart almost stopped. Nathaniel had told him that he had already created a clone of him, but that he didn't have any powers... oh wait, except... what something like clairvoyance? Premonitions maybe? Did Remy have that in his DNA??? He stiffened in the water and looked at Logan. "Sinister...." he mumbled out trying to find a way to explain what he had been told to Logan. "Where is he?" he asked, standing in the tub.
“What?” Logan looked up at him. “Remy, what're you so freaked out about?” Rising, Logan was wet all over from Remy’s hug and spilling water on himself.
"I'm not freaked out," he said even then trying to calm himself down. If they found the clone... would that bring up questions of why Remy had been kidnapped and why Sinister would want to clone him in the first place? "I jus' need ta see dis kid."
Shrugging, Logan said, “Ok....” and watched Remy rinse his hair quickly and dry off. He sat on the bed, waiting for him to get dressed, unable to help but drool over his naughty bits a little.
Remy didn't seem to notice, where he otherwise would have. "So where is de kid? You brought him back wit' you?" he asked since Logan had mentioned him needing to meet the boy.
“Yeah, c'mon...” he said taking him down to Hank's lab, where Mark was getting tested. Taking his hand Logan just walked right in. “Hey, Hank.” He saw Mark sitting on a lab bed. “Hey, kid.” He smiled. God he did look just like Remy. “Uh... This is Remy. Remy, this is Mark.”
Remy grimaced as Mark jaw hit the floor seeing Remy's face. "You—you…." he stuttered. He looks just like me! Logan wasn't kidding!
"Oui, Mark." Remy looked at Logan and Hank. "You mind leavin' us 'lone for a sec?" he asked the both of them.
Kissing Remy’s hand, Logan said, “Nah, don't mind. Play nice.” Putting his hands in his pockets Logan sauntered out of the lab. Remy looked to Hank, hoping it wasn't too much trouble since they were in the middle of tests.
Shrugging, Hank assumed that meant he was not invited, and went out to busy himself elsewhere. Remy sighed and looked at Mark, who was nervously eyeing him. "Mark... I hate ta tell ya dis, but.... y' not—" How was he going to say this? Sinister probably gave him memory implants so he would blend into society. Damnit. "I know de man who... created you," he said slowly.
"Created? You mean my dad? Are we related?" he asked, not understanding... or not wanting to understand.
Waiting just outside, Logan gave them enough space to give them privacy but to be there if either of them needed him.
"Well, we're as closely related as y' can get, really. Y' my clone."
"WHAT??!!!" Mark shouted at the top of his lungs. He didn't want to hear this! He didn't want to hear this!!
Wincing, Logan got nervous that he may have to intervene. Remy stepped over to Mark and tried to comfort him, but Mark hopped off the table to avoid touching Remy. "You've gotta be lying! How can I remember my parents if I was a clone?"
"His name is Nathaniel Essex. He gave you memory implants so you would fit in when he dropped you off in de world."
"Essex...? That's my family doctor—he couldn't have!"
"He told me, Mark. Calm down. It don' mean y' not worth anythin' as a human bein'... it jus' mean dat y' didn' come from 'xactly where y' thought...."
Bowing his head, Logan groaned, feeling a bit sick.
"I don't wanna be a clone!!!!" Mark shouted loudly again.
Awe, well dat done it, Remy thought. The two men with the most sensitive hearing were right outside the doors and they definitely heard that. "Logan?" Remy called. "Hank?"
Huffing, Logan came in, keeping a close eye on Mark. “Yeah.” Hank flipped his ears forward, and went in to lean against the door.
Remy tried to approach Mark again but Mark was still avoiding him. "I guess y' heard dat," he grimaced. He had wanted to tell Mark in private first, just in case the boy wanted to keep it a secret, but now that wasn't an option, so he thought he would at least get the other two in on it so he could ask them to keep quiet if he wanted his medical privacy.
"Logan... tell me it’s not true...." Mark asked person he trusted most in the room.
Wishing Remy had been a little more gentle about that, Hank thought that was rough stuff.
Opening his arms a little, Logan said, “I dunno, kiddo. I got no idea....”
Mark wrapped his arms around himself and shivered. "Does he know a guy named Essex?" he asked referring to Remy.
Swallowing hard, Logan answered, “We all know a guy named Essex, darlin’...” Logan saw Mark didn’t want a hug. Hank was standing right there with the test results, but was waiting patiently.
"Does he... do this a lot? Clone people?" he asked angrily. Remy wanted to nod off to the side, but waited for Logan to answer.
Swallowing, Logan looked over at Hank, then back. “Yeah.”
Softly, Hank said, “Mark... if you'd like to come with me, I could show you the results of your tests.” He didn’t want to show him in front of Remy and Logan. Mark swallowed and nodded, then left with Hank to go see what he would show him. He felt so... invalid. It almost felt like being numb....
Remy grimaced and looked at Logan. "I... didn' know what t' say, Logan...."
“It’s all right, darlin’,” he said, rubbing his back, knowing he said he wouldn't ask, but this part wasn’t about sex. “How'd you know?”
"He told me... Essex told me—while I was in his lab," he said quietly.
“Why would he want to clone you, Remy?”
"Wit Mark... he was tryin' ta make a clone dat only had certain powers o' mine... but he got de wrong one wit him...."
“Remy... you put this in your report to Cyke?”
"Well, I will now. I hadn' gotten a chance t' make a report yet. Was kinda procrastinatin’'," he said shuffling his feet a little.
Softly, Logan asked, “Was it bad, Remy?” He had waited for an opportunity to talk to him about this.
"Y' might say dat," he said vaguely.
Pulling him into the empty War Room, Logan shut the door. “What happened?”
"He told me 'bout why he wanted... t' clone me. Told me about Mark, dough he didn't tell me his name...." Remy looked at the floor as he spoke. He didn't know what he was going to do if Logan asked the wrong questions. "Said dat Mark had a little bit o'... precognition..."
“Did he hurt you?” Logan really cared about him and wasn’t bothered by Mark's dilemma in comparison to Remy’s.
"Non. He didn' hurt me, Logan. He took some blood, dat was it."
“Ya said it was bad, Cajun.... What're you keepin’ from me?”
"He's... he's gon' make anoder," Remy cringed.
“Why? Why does he want to clone you? Why did he kidnap you, Remy?”
"He kidnapped me for de blood. He gon' make anoder one... jus' like me... wit no alterations dis time. He wants... de empat'y." Remy was getting nervous now. He was getting closer to his betrayal of Logan and he didn't want Logan to find out. That would just be—wrong.
Carefully cradling Remy’s face, Logan could smell his fear and anxiety. “Remy... Tell me what it was, baby....”
"I don' know why he wants my empat'y! He didn' tell me." He fought the urge to bite the inside of his cheek and clenched his teeth instead.
Swallowing, Logan let his hand fall, seeing Remy was not going to tell him and he sat on the table, a little defeated. “I dunno why yer so scared, Cajun.” but it hurts you don't trust me.
"I'm scared of what he's gonna do wid it! I'm scared I can't stop 'im!"
“He didn't tell you why he wanted yer empathy? He didn't tell you why he didn't bother with hidin' you from us? Remy, ita been easier fer him ta just have taken you away an' covered his tracks! We both know he could do it, so why didn't he? He didn't tell ya?”
"He told me dat he didn' need me... beyond de blood. Tink dat's why he didn' boder coverin' tracks. He didn' need me but fer a minute."
Sighing, Logan went and sat next to him. “Then why I get the impression yer scared a me?”
Remy's eyes widened. Looking away, Logan voiced his suspicion. “Did he rape ya?” Remy's jaw dropped. Looking up at him again, Logan asked, “Remy....?”
What was he going to do? He hadn't been raped, but was it worse to say that he had been raped, or that it had been consensual? Remy's knees went weak under him and he couldn't support his weight any longer. Why did you have ta guess dat, Logan? Could he just tell Logan that he had been raped and hope that Nathaniel stayed the hell out of his life from now on? God, this was such a mess!!!!
Scooping Remy up in his arms, Logan pulled Remy into his lap. “I'll get him for ya, Remy.” Kissing his neck, Logan cradled Remy close and rocked him. “I'll chase him to the ends a the earth, I'll make him pay... Oh, darlin’, why didn’t ya say anythin’? “
He was trying to keep Logan, not push him away! Did that mean it was best to tell him what had happened with his worst enemy or to keep it a secret? Face it, Le Beau... y' y' own worst enemy. Logan thought that he was raped, he concluded after Logan made a vow of vengeance. Vengeance? Would he make Sinister pay for what Remy had done...? No, he couldn't. Nathaniel would tell him about it if Logan ever confronted him anyway. "Logan... he didn't," he said without strength.
Looking down at him, Logan asked, “Whaddya mean?”
"He didn'... rape me, Logan...." God, Remy, what are y' doin'???? he berated himself. He was throwing Logan away, that's what. At least... now Logan could be happy with Creed, with him out of the way.
Wincing, Logan tried to be patient with Remy. “Okay. So... He didn't hurt ya. But he did somethin' that yer skittish about tellin' me.”
Remy was digging his own grave here, and the only difference he could see about this time was that he wasn't in Antarctica. "It was—voluntary," he said with a deep frown. He stopped breathing, holding his breath in preparation for Logan's rage. He built up his shields extra thick and braced himself physically. Thoughts of why he had been so stupid came pouring into him and he couldn't help but regret his actions now.
“It... Remy, what was...” Oh. “.... ..... You... with....” Logan felt his heart turn to lead, trying to stay even. “Did you... Did you not wanna be rescued?” he almost choked on the words.
"Non, I did wanna be rescued," Remy said brokenly. Le Beau, you de stupidest creature t' ever walk de earth! He cringed and shook his head at himself.
Swallowing again, Logan asked, “So... He just... spirited you away ta have a passion filled night while I ran my ass off ta save ya....” Logan’s jaw ticked.
"He didn't ask me ta go with him!" He jus' took me, damnit, Logan! It wasn't like dat....
Setting him aside Logan got up and paced, running his fingers through his hair. “I didn't even think Sinister could—” Looking at Remy sharply, Logan asked, “Sinister don't have feelin's, Remy; how'd he get it up?” There was an accusation there.
Remy cringed away from Logan as if he'd been hit at that remark. "Dat's why he wanted de empathy.... He got his feelin's back recently an' he's havin' trouble controllin' dem."
Logan stopped and looked down at Remy, tense. “..... Was it a pity fuck?”
"Pity...?" Was it? When he looked back on it... maybe it was. Yeah. Yeah, it was. God, y' stupid, Le Beau! Remy nodded and held his breath again.
Taking several deep breaths, Logan said, “Ok...” rubbing his face. “I c'n deal with that...” He couldn’t get the image out of his head though and it was driving him crazy!!
Remy's head snapped to look at Logan. "What...?" he asked in a shaky tone.
Pacing a little more, Logan ejected his claws and suddenly freaked out, clawing a chair into so many pieces one would never know what it had been... then breathed deeply. “I'm okay.”
Remy was trembling looking at the chair... imagining that it would be him. His heart beat faster and faster. Pulling his claws back in, Logan just had to get that out and turned back to Remy. “I'm okay... now.” Tentatively, Remy nodded, but he wasn't going to be regaining his feet any time soon.
Rubbing his forehead with the back of his hand Logan said, “Pete... Yeah, I was prepared fer hearin’ about Pete.... Never Sinister.” Logan was shaking a little.
"Tell de trut', Remy didn' expect it eider," he mumbled. He swallowed nervously, casting a glance at the chair again, but looking away quickly.
Carefully approaching him, Logan sat a foot away from him. “Don't be scared, it's out now.” Remy nodded and tried to take deep breaths. Still... he couldn't meet Logan's eyes. “C'mere...” he said reaching for him, getting a hold of his shirt. He pulled Remy toward him. “C'mon, c'mere...” He wanted to hold him and pulled Remy into his lap.
Remy curled up in Logan's lap and clutched him tightly. He couldn't believe that he wasn't either dead or packing. Sighing, Logan snuffled into Remy’s clean hair, and started trying to pet away his trembling. “Yer fulla surprises, ya know that?” He didn’t say that harshly at all... in fact, he said it with a good deal of fondness.
Wanting to say that he was sorry, Remy didn't know how Logan would take that. "Remy sorry, cher," he eventually whispered. He didn't know if he was apologizing for the act of betrayal or being full of surprises. Maybe both, but probably the betrayal more. No, definitely, he was sorrier about the betrayal. He felt sick thinking about it in those terms.
Shaking his head, Logan said, “Don't apologize... I got no right ta judge an' I said I wasn't gonna ask....” In fact, Logan really, really wished he hadn’t asked. “I just... I don't like thinkin’ a you with... well, anybody else... but especially... him....” There was an understatement to put all the rest to shame. But at the same time, Logan didn’t want Remy to feel chastised.
Remy felt similarly about what he did. He also felt similarly about Logan being with Creed, but he wasn't going to bring that up. That was something they actively had to deal with. "Remy still sorry." He didn't think he would ever stop being sorry, or torn about it. Nathaniel was... different than he had been, but he wasn't going to explain everything to Logan just now. Maybe much later when it didn't hurt so much.
Putting his thumb over Remy’s lips, Logan muttered, “With what I'm doin' ta you, I should be apologizin’, Remy... Not you.” But we already talked about this.
Remy hugged Logan, relieved that he was being forgiven. "Can Remy come wit you t' see Creed?" he asked shyly. He wanted to get away from this situation and these thoughts.
“Sure.... What ya wanna do that for?”
"Remy jus' want to get his mind offa dis," he said trying to summon a smile.
“Hey...” Logan said, tipping Remy’s chin up. “I love ya, all right?” He gave Remy a nice, deep kiss. Remy sighed into the kiss and clutched Logan, not letting him go. Once he felt that he could truly believe his words, he let Logan go and nodded with a more sincere smile. Goddamn but Remy was one beautiful creature. “Missed ya so bad....” Curling him close again Logan kissed him just as deeply as the first time.
Remy's hands twined in Logan's hair. "Missed y' too, Logan," he said against Logan's lips.
Really wanting to make up for lost time with him, Logan thought he might get infuriated seeing Remy naked, knowing Sinister had his hands there, and was a little wary about knowing he may have kissed Remy. “Y' ready?” Remy nodded and started to stand, trying to steady himself enough to stay up. Wrapping his arms around Remy, Logan knew why Remy was wobbly, and felt guilty about that, leading them to the holding cells.
Remy felt much better by the time they reached the cell that he was even smiling. After all, why shouldn't he? He had just been relieved of all of his secrets from Logan... and he still had him! He couldn't convey how much better he felt. "Hey, Creed."
Smirking as Creed sat there on the other side of the bars, Logan said, “Well, ain’t you just house trained.”
"Better than havin' ta be told by a feebe ta get the hell in here," he explained and looked at Remy. "An' it's 'Theron,' punk." Remy lifted an eyebrow at him.
“.... Whatt're you doin', Creed?” Why does he need to know that? I don't even call you that!
"I wanna start goin' by it, Logan. I dunno... maybe I can... start over," he shrugged. 'Sides, I don't like the way y' call me 'Creed' like it's a swear word.
Just staring at him a while, Logan didn’t know how he felt about that, so he just grunted, “Yer gonna have ta find some place ta stay. Can’t imagine ya like that cell too much.”
Victor shrugged. He didn't care as long as Logan visited him in there often. He wondered why Gambit was down there with them, actually, but he didn't say anything. The last thing he wanted was for Logan to get bent outta shape about Remy being around.
"We can look for a place for 'im in town, oui? Can't imagine Scott would object," Remy said.
Looking at Remy out of the corner of his eye, Logan muttered, “'We'?” curiously.
"W—um... Remy can jus' keep his bones here, if y' don' wan' 'im around," he defended quietly to Logan.
Looking at Remy, not hiding how startled he was, Logan asked, “Y' wanted ta get a place fer the three of us?” He assumed that Remy and he would stay at the mansion and Creed would go live somewhere else.
Remy blushed brightly. He had been thinking they would look together, but find the place only for Creed, but it would seem rude of him to back out of the seen offer now... what would he do...? "I jus' meant dat... if he wanted help lookin' fer a place dat we'd... keep 'im company. I didn'—" even tink.... God, Le Beau. What an ass! "Sorry," he mumbled.
Snorting, Logan shook his head giving a soft scoff. “Nah...” He looked up at Creed. “Whaddya say?”
"Don't mind the company," he said and walked toward the cell door. It was unlocked, so he just opened the door.
Setting Mark down on his big couch, Hank settled close to him... knowing his teddy-bear like physique could be a comfort in these situations. Mark followed Hank into his office and sat down shakily. Hank sat with the test results on his lap. “Mark... Before we start... Is there anything you'd like to say?”
Was Hank just going to confirm what Remy said...? "I didn't know about any of this!" he tried to defend. How was he supposed to have known he was a clone his family doctor made? He clenched his fists tightly.
Putting his large paw over Mark’s hand, Hank said, “And none of it is your fault, Mark,” very gently. “But your DNA is practically identical to Remy's... Still, there is the possibility that you are only long-lost identical twins...” He wouldn't put it past Sinister to do something like that.
"Twins? How does any of this explain that my eyes aren't the same as his... if my DNA is the same?"
Clearing his throat, Hank explained, “It would be possible for your eye color to be altered while you were very young, but you are right that it does not explain that you have none of his mutant abilities... However, empathy and clairvoyance have been shown to manifest themselves in the same area of the brain, so with some heavy conditioning and surgical tampering, that could have been altered as well. It would however, take a skilled geneticist to... remove the kinetics.”
Mark felt like his chest was being crushed. He didn't understand a few of the words Hank was saying and had to grasp for the definitions of the others... why were such hard words like empathy, surgical tampering and kinetics in a single sentence with him?? "How... do we find out?" Mark really just wanted to find out that he was a normal boy who grew up in upstate New York, who was maybe separated from his brother at birth, but... he didn't want to be some clone of somebody.
“We find your family doctor, of course...” Petting Mark’s hand with his velvety paw, he continued, “Mark... You realize that if you are a clone, that makes you no less of a person than the rest of us... You still have a soul and you're still worthy of happiness and love.”
"That's what everyone's been trying to tell me...." Why do I not believe it? "You sound like you all decided that a long time ago...."
Sighing, Hank said, “Unfortunately, Mark... We have known Sini... Essex to clone without regard to human life. Hopefully, we are just prejudiced, but your situation is extremely... well.... suspect.”
"So you're saying it's really likely that I was grown in a test tube?” Mark put his face in his hands.
Sighing, Hank stroked his back. “Mark... if you think about it... really think about it... how many memories do you have? Can you remember your 10th birthday?”
"Tenth....?" He tried to remember and he remembered having birthday parties... but he couldn't remember his tenth specifically. He remembered his only friend Ronnie... He stuck with him throughout his father's abuse... Did he even have a party for his birthday that year? "I don't... I don't know.... It was a long time ago...."
“How about your 16th birthday? Learning to drive a car?”
"I... I only remember once... when my mom took me out to a parking lot..." did I ever drive after that? "I don't remember using the car a whole lot after that...." He remembered his 16th birthday though. That was when Ronnie had told him how he really felt about him. He had been surprised, but... flattered. What else did he remember about Ronnie... they were very close... Ronnie grew a goti at an early age....
“Do you remember the house you grew up in?” He just remembered bits and pieces of his life, and no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't remember more detail to his days. Just holding Mark’s hand Hank petted his back while he thought, letting him take his time. Mark remembered the living room... but what were the hallways like...? "I... remember sitting in the living room with my mom.... I remember my room.... I... I don't remember the garage even... Oh, god, Hank—what if—" he couldn't get that sentence out even. What if that meant he was a clone???
“What if, Mark?” Stroking him, Hank said gently, “It makes you no less of a human being.”
"Yes, it does! If I don't have these memories... if I don't have parents, then it makes me a puppet! It means that I was manipulated, being given memories somebody wanted me to have!"
You should talk to Logan if you want fucked up memories. “Do you have some way to get in touch with Essex?” Doesn't everyone have the phone number of their family doctor?
Mark swallowed and nodded. He chuckled and said, "My mom made me memorize the number so I could call him in case dad beat her up too much, but now that I think about it...." What mom makes their kid memorize the family doctor number? Mark looked around for a phone. "Is there a phone in here?" he asked quietly.
Nodding, Hank rose and got his old 50's rotary phone, and set it in his lap. “I would not advise that you let him know you are here with us or that you are aware of his involvement in your life.”
"But... I wanna ask him— How else am I supposed to find out if I'm a clone?"
Shaking his head, Hank said, “He will not tell you over the phone. If you were to meet with him, we may be able to mediate.” with Sinister behind bars and sedated.
"Mediate?" Mark wasn't sure, but he thought that was a euphemism for something he wasn't comfortable with.
Sighing, Hank shook his large furry head. “Mark... Essex is dangerous. Here, we know him as Sinister. He has had his eye on several X-Men, on whom he would like to perform genetic experiments and we have been lucky enough to stop him... Gambit... that's Remy... has been... mistreated by him before. As has Sabertooth— Victor Creed.”
"Victor has?" he asked in shock. What did he do to Victor? He couldn't really imagine anybody getting away with mistreating Victor.
Nodding, Hank was not going to recommend talking to him... or getting anywhere near him. “Aye… and several other X-Men. I fear for your safety.”
Mark sighed. This was so confusing. There was obviously a lot of history here that he needed to catch up on. "Well... he let me go in the first place, right? Why would he do that if he wanted to keep me?" He really wanted to talk to this guy... to see if he really was a clone.
Swallowing, Hank said, “I believe he was trying to clone Remy... And you did not come out exactly like Remy.”
Mark reached for the dial phone. "Can I at least see what he says over the phone?" Nodding, Hank was very nervous and felt he should consult Scott on this. Mark took the phone from Hank, not comforted by the fact that he didn't turn out like a good experiment. He dialed the phone number and waited. The phone rang several times.
In his 'home', Essex was feeling the loneliness now that Remy was gone.... Hearing the phone ring he looked around for it. He hadn't used that phone in... ages.... Where...? Throwing around some cushions he found it and took a moment to decide whether or not to answer.... He knew it was his little clone.... Answering, he said “Hello?”
"U-um, hi. I'm looking for Dr. Essex...?" he asked, cringing on the other end, hoping to have it be him and not fake like every other phone number he tried. The voice sounded familiar, but he could never be sure now....
Closing his eyes, Essex sat down on his couch. “Speaking.”
"Dr. Essex... um.... This is Mark McCain. I was a patient of yours a while back.... You probably don't remember me," he said cringing, his voice losing hope.
Swallowing, Essex assumed Remy managed to find him already. “I remember you.”
"Really?" he asked hopefully. "I—um... had a few questions for you and I hope they're not too weird." Mark bit the bottom of his lip.
Sighing heavily, he said, “Yes?”
"How often did my mom and I visit your office?" He only remembered going about ten times.
Hmmm... maybe Remy didn't find you yet.... no, impossible... or maybe it isn't.... “I don't have exact records, I'm afraid....”
"No exact records?" What kind of doctor was this? "Um... Do you remember if my mother ever complained about me being... different?" he asked, with a heavy weight on 'different.'
Softly, Essex said, “You are different, Mark.” He felt a swell of emotion.
"How?" he asked, his voice cracking a little. "How am I different, doctor? I get these anxiety attacks when something bad is about to happen and I—" He swallowed into the phone. "I can’t explain it."
“You're... you're slightly clairvoyant, Mark. You're a mutant.”
"Am I... something else... too?" he asked tentatively. Please... just tell me the truth.... he thought hard.
Essex was definitely well aware that he was a being with emotions, now because that hurt... he was actually struggling with tears. “Yes….”
"Do... do you know... Remy?" he whispered the name.
Wiping away a tear with his taloned hand, he said, “Yes.”
Mark cringed. "How old am I?" he asked, his voice cracking and tears starting to spill over his cheeks.
“One and a half, Mark.”
Able to hear Sinister over the phone, Hank was shell-shocked.
"A year and a half??" I—this can't be! "Why?? Why did you make me?" Mark's tears were coming full force now.
“I....” how can I explain this over the phone? “I can't.... Mark... Would you come.... to my home?”
"Yes, where are you?" he asked urgently.
“Antarctica.” Hank almost fell right the fuck over. "What? Really? How am I supposed to get there??”
“I suspect you are with some friends who may be able to be of assistance.”
"Uh... yeah." The jet they had would probably make it... "I'll be there as soon as I can..." Quietly Essex hung up the phone and got ready for another arrival.
Mark ran out of Hank's office to try and find Victor. He wanted to take him and or Logan with him to his doctor's—and creator's? place.
Opening the cell block doors, Logan hoped Creed couldn’t smell his anger and anxiety. “C'mon.” Victor smelled the traces anger on Logan, but decided that he wouldn't pry. He stepped out of the hall with him and hugged Logan lightly. Unable to contain the big, happy smile when he did that, Logan hugged back. “Yer a hulkin' lug, ya know that?”
Victor scowled at him playfully, but a bit hurt. "Yeah, yeah, runt."
Smiling, Logan reluctantly let his arms fall around him, because Remy was there. “So, whaddya say? Apartment huntin’?”
"Sounds like a frickin' pain in the ass, but okay," he grumbled. He would have to come up with a fake name to go under that didn't have such a record or something.
Smirking, he said, “We'll find ya somethin’. Even if it means blackmailin' yer way inta one of Warren's lofts.”
"C'mon, Warren probably owns half de apartments in New York. I'm sure he can purchase one f' X-Men use. Kind of an off campus sanctuary, non?" Heck, Remy could do that and thought about it as kind of a gift of faith to the 'relationship.' Hmmm... could dat work?
Grinning, Logan said, “Yeah, a little.” He felt happily giddy and a little anxious with both of them together, even self conscious about where he should stand.
Shuffling along with both of them, Logan suddenly felt like he hadn’t had sex in ages. Remy walked slightly ahead of the other two, thinking to himself as they came up the stairs and Mark nearly ran into him. "Uh..." Remy stuttered at seeing Mark look kind of frantically at him.
"Have you seen—" he cut himself off when he saw Victor standing next to Logan. "Victor! Will you come with me to Antarctica?" he asked. He needed someone there with him he felt he could trust.
"What? What's goin' on?" Victor thought it was a little too coincidental that Sinister happened to be there.
Grabbing the waist of Remy's jeans for some unknowable reason, Logan looked at Mark. Remy glanced at Logan, but Mark held his attention for the most part. "I need to go to see Dr. Essex.... and I want somebody with me..." that I trust... who'll protect me....
Pulling Remy close, Logan felt this was Creed's decision.
"Okay, kid," he said and hugged Logan before stepping over to him. "Guess we'll have ta go lookin' fer houses after I get back." He smirked at Logan and Remy. "You two have fun," and he turned to go with Mark back down to the lower levels.
Sighing, Logan looked at Remy and shrugged. “I'm sure they'll have fun...” Suddenly Logan thought he might throw up because Creed was definitely going to nail that kid... no... be cool.
Remy squinted at Logan a little perplexed. He saw Logan's expression change and was worried. Biting his lip, he brought down his shields and thought really hard, Logan's worried, Creed. Don't screw dis up! Remy sent his own feelings of worry to Victor and closed back his shields and gave Logan a smile. "Shall we go an' see what we can't find in de way of a place f' Creed, or do y' wanna wait?"
“Hell, no, I ain't wastin’ our time t'gether findin’ him a place ta stay!” Wrapping an arm around Remy’s waist, Logan pulled him in tight.
Remy leaned down to kiss Logan. "In dat case... got any plans den?" he smirked.
Trailing his fingers along Remy’s cheek, Logan didn’t care that there were kids in the halls. “Nah... Nothin’ in particular....”
"Well, I do!" he grinned.
“Zat so?” he asked, raising eyebrows at him. Remy nodded and started swaggering toward Logan's room. Following him, Logan was getting more and more predatory as they got nearer and nearer.
Grabbing the waistband of Remy’s pants again, Logan stopped him and Remy turned to him to ask, "You got some beef wid my pants, Logan?" noting that it was the second time Logan had grabbed onto them.
Growling in his ear, Logan said, “Yeah, they're in the way....” Remy's eyes sparkled with mischief and he opened the door to Logan's room and tugged Logan inside. Slamming the door shut behind him, Logan started trying to uncover as much of Remy’s flesh as possible, opening his pants with one hand and pushing his hand up Remy’s shirt with the other while trying to devour Remy’s neck.
"Ahhhh, Logan," Remy gasped running his fingers up Logan’s sides under his shirt. He missed his skin and fur. He bet there were marks being put on his neck that were disappearing as soon as they were left, but that was better than having to feel broken all the time. He tugged at Logan's shirt to try and get it off of him.
Tearing his shirt off, Logan pushed Remy back on the bed, crawling on top of him. Logan had missed Remy so badly. “Y' taste so good....” Remy grabbed Logan’s ear in between his teeth and tugged on it while his hands traveled down his back and into his pants. His ass felt good in his hands, and he ground up against Logan, feeling their maleness grinding up against each other. Remy purred in Logan's ear as he let his teeth caress the shell of it.
Feeling the breath get knocked out of him, Logan struggled to get Remy’s pants down, and pushed them only as far as his knees before ducking down and sucking his long cock down his throat.
"Aah!! Logan!" Remy sucked in a breath and his hips lurched up into Logan's mouth. He couldn't help but want to get farther inside him. He felt so good—so warm.... Purring around Remy’s cock, Logan pushed his hand between Remy’s legs and fondled his tush, tickling his crack, sucking him deeply.
Remy squirmed, especially when Logan’s hand started playing with his ass. He tried to spread his legs, but they were constrained by his jeans, which were in turn constrained by his shoes. Damnit! And then, where the hell were they going to find lube? Remy grumbled in frustration made all the worse by just wanting to get higher.
Pulling off Remy’s cock to struggle with his shoes, Logan managed to finally get them off and throw them on the floor, then made short work of his jeans. Diving back onto his cock again Logan worked his legs wide open. All Remy wanted when Logan opened his legs was for Logan to be inside him. He couldn't explain the forcefulness of the desire, but he could convey it to Logan. "I wan' y' inside me, Logan—" he moaned loudly.
“Mmmhmm....” Slurping his cock one last time, Logan lifted Remy’s hips and kissed down his balls, feasting between his legs, deeply kissing his hole. “Mrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrmhh……”
Remy's muscles were spasming just thinking about Logan being inside him, to say nothing of when his tongue was playing with him. He no longer felt like he could be coherent, so his moans became wordless.
Loving driving Remy crazy, Logan could play with him like that until he just exploded. He thought he was so beautiful when he was wanton with his legs in the air. Logan was drooling over his bottom, getting him wet.
"Dieu, Logan!" His hips started bucking up against Logan's face, wanting more of him any way he could have him. Purring again with his tongue deep inside Remy, Logan licked up his balls to the tip of his cock, pushing two fingers in him.
"Nnn!" Remy's hips rose in an attempt to get more of Logan inside him. Just his fingers felt wonderful! He did feel tortured, though... or was this torture? He just wanted more!
Wriggling his fingers in him, stretching him open, Logan whispered, “Mmrghhg... Darlin'.... Wanna fuck ya so bad... Wanna take you hard an' fast and come hard in ya, but just keep fuckin' ya….”
Remy squeaked from a tightening throat at Logan's words. He wanted that too. "Fuck me, Logan...." he panted. "Please!"
Running his mouth over Remy’s, Logan lifted his knees up high, starting to push in, watching him for signs of pain. Remy squeezed Logan's arms as he drove in and he arched his back. It felt so intense! It felt like it burned along his skin. Once Logan was in, he felt himself work around Logan’s hardness and get used to him being there. Any hurt from the intrusion was healed over a moment later. He shuddered and relaxed. "Ah.... oui... fuck me, Logan," he urged in a purr.
Growling softly against Remy’s lips, he said, “Missed ya, baby.” Kissing him, Logan started working his hips in and out. “God, yer like... hot, wet velvet....” he cooed and pumped faster. Remy held onto Logan tightly as he moved in and out of him. He felt the pet name wash over him and smiled at it. He purred at the compliment, but it was cut off by his gasp when Logan started moving faster.
"Cher... can I... please—? I missed you too...." He brushed tentatively against Logan’s mind with his feelings.
Nodding wordlessly, Logan kissed him and spread his legs further. He loved Remy and loved this. He was so hot for Remy that he started ramming it into his butt, snarling with pleasure.
At the consent, Remy opened up his shields and sunk into Logan’s mind. He was like a sea again, his emotions coming in swells and all mixing together, the active emotions on the surface and the quieter ones, like fear, toward the bottom, not so noticeable. Remy loved his snarling and growled back, biting at his neck, watching the hicky fade in seconds as it had done on his neck.
Eyes snapping open when Remy growled at him, the primitive force inside him recognized it as a challenge, and he drove into Remy hard, pinning him down and fucking him passionately, making the statement with every thrust that he was Logan’s. He was going to come in Remy.
Remy let his own pleasure seep through to Logan—not like the bomb he laid the first time. He felt the animalistic temperament as kind of a haze over his mind. It made thoughts cloudier and feelings clearer. He felt the possessive wave too and raised his hips into the fucking force above him. Remy totally surrendered to Logan and loved every moment of it.
Pawing at him, Logan curled his hands into Remy’s sides, raking down his back, kissing him and biting his lips. “Tell me ya like it darlin’...” He wanted to hear him talk dirty.
"Are y' kiddin'??" he asked desperately. "Y' don' know what y' do t' me, Logan. I feel like I'm gon' explode!" Rocking his hips up into Logan, he tried to feel Logan more as he drew himself in and out.
Grabbing his long, beautiful cock, Logan fucked him harder, driving into his prostate. “Y' gonna come for me, kitten?”
"Yes! Ahah!" Remy bucked into Logan's hand, causing his ass to contract around Logan and make him absolutely fly! His desperation was the air beneath him, lifting him higher. Remy made sure that Logan could feel what he was experiencing as he reached the peak and was floating and falling and exploding all at the same time. "Fuck!!!" Remy's breath was short and he was trembling as he spasmed around Logan's cock that still hit his prostate.
Coming hard with him, Logan trembled, filling Remy with cream, baring his teeth and roaring, not coherent enough to form his name. Remy tried to free his arms so he could grab onto Logan and hold him tightly as he finished and slowly came down. Smiling happily Remy nuzzled Logan's neck.
Rocking his hips in Remy gently for a little longer while his cock faded, Logan blinked the pleasure haze out of his eyes, and smiled down at him. “Remy....” Carefully curling up on top of him, Logan’s cock still was inside him.
Squeezing around Logan, he wanted to milk him... he just imagined how much he spilled inside him. Remy purred as Logan said his name. "Je t'aime, Logan," he said and a hand came up to brush against his face.
Cradling Remy’s hand against him, Logan kissed the palm. “Love you, too, darlin’...”
Sighing, Remy felt like he was literally becoming a puddle under Logan. Carefully, he sent the emotions of contentedness and love he was feeling to Logan. Cradling his head, Logan kissed him wetly and deeply. “Yer mine.”
"So yours," he affirmed and kissed him back. Feeling a flare of pride and accomplishment and overwhelming love, Logan’s cock jerked inside of him. Remy smirked. "Cher?"
Pretending nothing happened, Logan asked, “Mmm?” nuzzling Remy’s ear.
"Y' only a little bit heavy, but...." he said kind of apologetically.
“Mmmm...” Lifting up, Logan reluctantly pulled his cock out of him and flopped to the side, letting him close his legs.
Remy felt like he could breathe again and rolled over to be half on Logan with a leg over his hips so they wouldn't feel like they had lost closeness. Remy started to tremble above the covers feeling the air chill his sweat soaked skin.
Struggling a moment, Logan managed to get the blankets atop Remy and folded him close. “You.... are... perfect.”
Remy blinked at that. He'd heard the same thing from three different people now... It made him wonder... was he really? Why did everyone think that about him? "Logan... non, I'm not...."
“Shhh...” he kisses his lips to make him hush and folded him close, reaching down to fondle his butt. “Sore?”
"A little, but it's goin' away," he said quietly. He nuzzled up to Logan and squeezed him, feeling content in his lover’s arms, but still a bit worried about this veneer of perfection that everyone seemed to see about him.
********