Part 26

 

 

Nathaniel smiled a little at Mark sitting there playing X-box.  Mark held the controller up and away from himself making funny faces at the screen as he played, trying to keep himself on the driving track.  He finished in second again, but with a better overall score.  "Man!" he shouted annoyed at the computer for beating him again.

Softly, Nathaniel said, “Mark?”

Mark looked up and blinked at Nathaniel.  "Yeah?" he asked.

“If you're ready, your bath is waiting for you.”

"Oh," he said.  He was having mixed feelings about this whole thing.  He was anxious, but fearful.  Getting up he stood there, not knowing what really to do.  "Um... I'll follow you, I guess?"

Nodding, Nathaniel took Mark’s hand, understanding that he was scared.  “There's nothing to be afraid of.  This is quite safe.  I will have to sedate you, however and let you soak for a little over two hours.  Then when you wake up, your mind should be reverted to its state before the memory implants.”

Swallowing, Mark asked, “Oh... okay.  What's the... sedation for?" warily.

“Mostly to make your subconscious accessible...  Here...”  He took the robe he brought with him and handed it to Mark, “If you'd change into this please...”  It was a flimsy paper thing, but he offered him a secluded area where he could change in privacy.  Mark grimaced as he took the thing and changed into it.  He came back out and stepped over to Nathaniel.  He got the urge to hug Nathaniel before he was sedated.  He felt like he might be saying goodbye to Nathaniel, but he wasn't sure.  He swallowed and leaned in to give Nathaniel a friendly hug.

A little touched, Nathaniel wanted to grip onto Mark and never let go, but gave him a firm squeeze.  “You'll be fine.”  Scooping him up Nathaniel gently placed him on the table, attaching little monitors to him.  Mark closed his eyes as he let Nathaniel hook him up to things and do whatever he needed to.  At a point he didn't keep track of, he faded into unconsciousness.

Smiling, Nathaniel gently went through the procedure, steeping Mark in the bath, watching him breathe through a tube and watching the nanobots do their work.

 

 

He was there for about 3 weeks.  Nathaniel was nice to him, but dark and brooding and moody and wanting to be left alone most of the time.  Nathaniel had been privately disappointed that he'd failed in structuring Remy's empathy, but he was obviously very much attracted to his little clone.  They would always have dinner together and Nathaniel would always try to convince him that the outside world was better, and eventually ended up telling him stories that probably seemed like fairy tales about the outside world.  Then, some nights Mark would fall asleep curled up against him in bed.  Mark wasn’t sure whether or not he actually wanted to leave... Nathaniel was the one who put the process it into motion.

 

 

When Mark could feel himself again, he blinked his eyes tiredly, wanting to wake up and see the world around him.  His memories of this place were few when compared to his memories of living in his little apartment outside New York....  He looked around for Nathaniel.

Softly Nathaniel’s ‘voice greeted him.  “Good morning.”  He was gently removing Mark’s sensors and wiping away the goo.

Memories were just... accessible now and he looked at Nathaniel and remembered how he longed for nothing more than his love... but that seemed to be the one thing he would not give him.  "Did you... not like me?" he asked, perplexed.  His attitude toward him now was so very different than it had been before he was given new memories and sent off to 'the real world.'

Smiling, Nathaniel retrieved Mark’s clothing and handed them to him.  “I loved you.”

Mark looked around the room, chasing his new memories as they skittered across his mind.  He could remember Nathaniel asking him to leave him along whenever he would ask him questions, or want attention...  He remembered being pushed into leaving... flooded with stories about the outside world that were nothing like it really was when he got there.  Was that love?  Surely it wasn't....  Then again, the only love he had experienced was in a dream.  Mark felt sick.  Did the world not work that way?  Did love not feel that way?  Oddly, he thought of Victor and Logan... and how Logan sank three claws into Victor because he was mad at him.  Was that love too?  Mark felt very confused and held his head in his hands.

Looking over at him, Nathaniel observed, “You are overwhelmed... Can you stand?”  Mark was so confused.  He stood and wobbled a little

Gently Nathaniel led Mark down the hall, arm snug around his middle, to his bedroom, tucked him in.  Looking at Nathaniel, pangs like Mark had felt few of in his life ran through his body.  He was guided by Nathaniel to his room, presumably so he could rest.  "Nathaniel.... would you... stay with me?" he asked in a small voice.  He just... needed to be held.

“Of course.”  Sitting on the bed beside him, Nathaniel’s hand covered Mark’s, quite nervous about his reaction to this.  Mark pulled Nathaniel's hand to his chest and held onto it, as if it were going to disappear.  

"How did you know that I... wasn't how you wanted me to be?" he asked softly as he lay there holding Nathaniel's hand.

“Your empathy came up blank on all of my tests...”

"Oh...."  He clutched his hand harder and curled in on himself a little.  He felt like such a baby now.  He could only remember a year and a half of his life.... everything else just seemed like a dream.  "How can I talk?  Was that because of the implants?  Do I know anything?"  He really felt abandoned by Nathaniel.

“You are not a child, Mark.  Just young.... but a fully grown man with a fully grown intellect.”  Getting a little closer to him, Nathaniel could see how scared Mark was.

"How...."  He was going to ask how he got it, but figured that would be too complicated.  He didn't want to hear it right now.  Nathaniel was right—he was overwhelmed.  Really feeling the need to be close to someone, he scooted over into Nathaniel's lap.  He really wished that Nathaniel would hold him, but he didn't seem like the touching type.  That sent another pang through him.

Feeling a bit awkward with him there, Nathaniel managed to hold him closely like he had seen supportive types do, and settle more comfortably with him, stroking his hair.

A shaky breath left Mark as he drifted off to sleep.  He wondered as his thoughts ran what his dreams would be like.  The stroking of his hair gave him a peaceful feeling. 

 

 

 

 

Sighing, Logan sat on the bed, having no idea where Remy was off to.  Flopping back, Logan wanted to go find Remy, but that would be like abandoning Creed, so he stayed put.  Theron came out of the shower a few minutes later and was toweling off, trying to find some clothes that he could wear.  He grabbed another pair of the same type of clothing Remy had gotten for him.  He had been nice enough to get four pairs of the same stuff in varying colors.  He thought about Remy as he dressed, ripping the tags off of things as he went.  He acknowledged Logan when he came into the room, but was quiet.

Looking up at him, Logan curled his toes a little.  “Did he getcha any pajamas?”

Startled out of his thoughts, Theron looked over at Logan and shook his head.  "Nah.  Figured we'd be sleepin' in the buff, I guess."

Smiling a little, Logan said carefully, “How ya doin'?”

"Fine," he said awkwardly. 

Scooting up behind him a little Logan just pressed his nose into Theron’s shoulder and grunted, “Good.”  Theron sighed. 

"You figure we should go tell Remy everything's all right?" he asked.

Nodding a little, Logan nuzzled him.  He was so fucking warm.  “Yeah...”  Carefully wrapping his arms around him Logan gave him a squeeze from behind before letting go.

Theron's eyes were locked to Logan as he turned around to face him.  He leaned down and gave Logan a hug, letting his hands run through his hair.  He didn't know what he would do without Logan now that he had him back.

Pressing his face into Theron’s neck, Logan pressed against him, not wanting to lose him either and he nibbled on his neck.

Letting his embrace slacken, he asked quietly, "Should we go find Remy?"

Giving him a wet deep kiss, just so he knew he was there and all right, Logan muttered, “Yeah.”  Nodding, after the kiss broke, Theron turned to go outside and up to the mansion.  He didn't know what he was going to say to Remy, but he figured that bringing it up tomorrow would probably be the best idea. 

Following him pretty closely, almost protectively, since this was the first time Creed had been free in the mansion, Logan kept his eyes sharp.  Theron enjoyed Logan’s closeness and asked casually as they walked, "Where do ya suppose he'd be?"

Lifting his nose to the air, Logan could smell him near the phone and traced the scent, following it up to Remy's room.  Pointing with my thumb, Logan said, “In here.”  Knocking gently, Logan called, “Hey, darlin’?”

Remy started out of his thoughts and leapt to the door.  He really felt like he needed something to do—someone to interact with.  Opening the door, he was a little surprised to see Theron there behind Logan.  He opened the door to let them in.  "What..." Remy grimaced before asking, "What happened?"

Looking up at Creed, he figured it was his business if he wanted to tell Remy.

"I'm okay," was all he said.

Looking back at Remy. Logan asked, “Do ya wanna come back with us?” or are ya too scared to be near Creed right now?  Remy frowned at that brief explanation, but didn't pry further.  He nodded to Logan and stepped toward the door.

Oh, thank god!  Walking out, Logan was noted the lack of children in the halls.  On the walk down, Theron tried to hang back and grabbed Remy's arm so he could take Remy aside and talk to him without Logan being able to hear.   He made sure they were in Logan's hearing range when Theron said, "Hey, Remy can I talk to ya?" and let Logan walk ahead.

Not making any stink, Logan was sure aware of Theron keeping Remy back and he listened into their conversation as much as he could.

Stopping, Remy looked oddly at Theron, but followed him over a ways so Logan could definitely not hear them.  "What is it?" he asked.                                                    

Looking seriously uncomfortable, Theron said, "Remy.... will you... let Logan feel what I'm feelin'?"                            

Remy almost couldn't believe his ears.   How could Creed ask that of him?  Remy hadn't even developed that kind of a connection with Logan yet and he was asking him to go and be his medium?  A medium for a relationship that was on some level competing with the one he had with Logan, no less!!  Remy hauled off and socked Creed so hard that the big man staggered back.  He didn't hold back any of the force he was feeling like delivering.   "Y' askin' me ta be your emotional connection?!" he seethed.

Logan stopped when the two men wandered off, knowing he wasn’t wanted in that conversation, so he stayed right where he was standing... but definitely heard Remy yell.  Deciding to stay out of it for now, they probably needed to get a fight out of their systems.

Theron looked at Remy with hurt eyes, but Remy just stared back at him with his eyes glowing.  "De answer t' dat is, 'no,' Creed," he spat.  The imbecile just tried to commit suicide—how was that a healthy set of emotions to be passing on to others?  Not only would Logan have to feel it, but Remy would have to feel it in detail as well.  Remy stalked off and Theron stayed outside and walked off toward the water to sit and watch the lake shore.

Stalking past Logan Remy didn't pause until he got into the boathouse, where he paced around the living room.

Oh, fuck the both of you.  You're making me decide again.  Fuck you both!  Grinding his teeth Logan followed Remy into the boathouse, trying not to growl.  “So what happened?”

"He asked me ta be a medium f' you two," Remy growled, never stopping his pacing.  He felt really pissed.

Frowning a little, Logan said, “Huh.”  He could see how that wouldn't have been the smartest move on Creed’s part.  “Cut him some slack...  You know how fucked up he is.”

Remy growled some more, but saw Logan's point.  Why did he have to have such a fucked up lover anyway?  He stopped dead in his tracks.  Wasn't that like... what he had asked Nathaniel for?  To grant him the ability to have an emotional connection with his lover even though it would cause him pain?  Remy started laughing despite himself.  He couldn't help how hypocritical he looked to himself.  He crumpled under weak knees and leaned up against eth couch he'd been passing and curled up into a ball.  After a while, he couldn't tell if he was laughing or crying.

“Hey...  Hey, darlin’...” Logan crawled up behind him and tried to pull Remy into his arms.  “Remy...  C'mon...”

Remy fell into Logan's lap and the transition from laughing to crying was easier than Remy realized.  "I'm sorry, Logan," was all he could mutter out in between shudders.

“It's ok...  It's ok, darlin’....”  God, my lovers are a jumble of emotions.  “It's ok...”

Asking himself questions about whether or not he was a fool to believe they could pull something this complicated off with people who were this messed up Remy noted that he could go to anyone—he could go to Rogue now, or Peter, or Jean-Paul.  Hell, even Storm would probably take him if he were to advance on her.... but his gut twisted hard when he thought about leaving Logan.  Remy hugged Logan tighter.

“What's wrong, baby...?  What're you thinkin’?”

"I'm jus' wonderin' why tings can't be simple," he groused, talking like he hadn't just been crying and his face wasn't still wet. 

Nodding, Logan said, “Yeah...  I know...”

"Should I jus...." he didn't even want to say it, much less do it... but if Logan thought it was best, then... he would gather up the strength to do it for them....

Bowing his head a little, Logan asked, “Should you just what, Remy?”

"Y' know what I mean," Remy said frustrated.  "Should I jus' go... make dis simpler?"  Of any of them to leave, he was the most logical choice.  He'd clearly be able to survive better than Creed would.

Throat squeezing up, Logan felt a little sick and couldn’t reply for a while.  “I... I can't tell ya what ta do, Remy....”

"No... but y' can give me guidance, Logan....  I trust what y' tink...."

“Remy...” burrowing into Remy’s hair, Logan continued, “I got no advice, all right?  Other than ya gotta do what ya gotta do...  An’...  All I know fer sure is that I love ya..  A lot....”

That Logan had no advice was... hard to hear.  It made him feel like he had no direction to go.  But hearing that Logan loved him warmed him and relaxed him.  He snuggled up in Logan's lap deeper and thought about what he said.  Could Remy keep living like this—at Creed's throat all the time?  Competing for affections he'd worked hard for?  Living with the guilt that he was being selfish to keep the two of them apart?  Creed needed Logan more than Remy needed him, right?                                    

Remy felt like... he should probably leave, but... he wanted something first.  Kissing the top of Remy’s head, Logan was scared to death that Remy hadn’t said anything.  His heart was pumping fast.  “Whatt're ya thinkin’?”  Remy leaned up from his resting place on Logan's lap and looked him in the eye before leaning in to kiss him deeply.  Kissing him back, Logan stroked his neck, but broke the kiss off.  “Remy, tell me what y'er thinkin’….”  He wanted to hear his decision so bad he was shaking.

Remy's stomach was positively rolling as he said, "I'm tinkin' I love y' too."  He loved him so much... that he was going to let him go.  Maybe he could join the two of them for some play sometimes, but he couldn't hold a primary position in Logan's heart... and have everyone be happy at the same time.

Crushing his arms around Remy, he kissed his neck.  “So y're stayin’?”

Swallowing hard, Remy shook his head.  "Not—not as a primary, Logan....  I can' compete wid him....  I tink it'd be best if I were a... liquid part o' dis relationship.  Not permanent.  I could be y' secondary, but... I'd wanna be free t' be wid oders too...."  He knew he wouldn't be able to handle the frustration of Creed kicking him out sometimes and not being able to be with Logan whenever he wanted.

Going a little stiff... Logan didn’t like this....  “Y' doin' this fer you?  Or ya doin' this fer Creed?”

Looking at Logan's lap—away from his eyes, Remy said, "I'm doin’ dis f' you, Logan."  Remy being gone would certainly alleviate the pressure and the emotional confusion.  Maybe then Creed wouldn't feel like he had to use Remy as simply a means for furthering his own relationship with Logan.

Sitting up straight, Logan shouted, “I'm not askin' any favors of ya, Cajun!  If I wan'ed ya ta go, I'd a sent you on yer way!”

"I didn'... Logan, I don' wanna leave completely...."  Remy sighed.  "Logan, look, people have been havin' relationships like dis fer along time.  Y' said y' were monogamous when I first met y', but dat's changed now, so I gader y' ain' familiar wid de terminology o' de polyamourous community.  Me movin' to a secondary position would jus' mean dat Creed gets priority.  Dat's all."

“Ya don't deserve that, Remy....  Ya don't deserve ta be a hanger-on!”

Sighing, Remy asked, "What oder options do I have, Logan?  I'd rader be wid you an' have an open relationship dan t' be fightin' all de time.  I tink it'd be better f' everybody.  We could jus' try it out f' a while....?" he suggested.

Getting up, Logan said, “We've gone over our options, Remy!”  He pushed his fingers through his hair in distress, pacing a little.

"Not dis one, we haven't.  You been tryin' ta make us equals, Logan... but we can' exist as equals.  It don' matter who's got y' heart... but y' need t' know who t' go to when tings like dis happen...." an' who t' favor, he finished to himself.

Pressing the heels of his hands into his eyes, Logan mumbled, “I just...  I just wan'ed ta love ya...”

"You tink dat's gonna stop because y' put him first?"  Remy knew that he wouldn't stop loving Logan just because he wasn't paying as much attention to him.

“Remy!  It's because I love ya equal that I treat ya equal!  You're askin’ me ta put him first which I don't know if I can do!”

"Den try dis out wid me, okay?  We don' even have ta tell 'im."

“No!  Remy!”  Then he'll think I'm favoring him because he's my favorite.  “I don't like this; it's a bad idea!”

"You got any oder suggestions ta keep us from rippin' out each oder's troats?!" he asked pointedly, his accent thickening.

“Why doncha just rip out each other's throats and get over it??”

"We'd be fightin' forever, Logan!  Don' y' understand?  Fightin' doesn't solve tings like dis!  It's not somethin' dat can be solved between us.  De solution has t' come from you because you are our air.  We can fight for it all we wan' an' it won' change nothin'."  Remy paused.  "Logan... I've tried t' work dis out wid him, but de root of de problem is dat we wan' y' love to ourselves.  If y' agree t' prioritize him, I can live wid dat, but dat has got t' come from you."

“Well, I can't, Remy!!  I can't!” he cried and flopped back against the sofa.  “Doncha think I asked myself that?  I mean, c'mon!!  Every night I ask myself who I'd rather be with!!  I imagine the future with you an' with him...  I can't imagine it without either of ya...  I don't know, Remy, I never get an answer and I kinda resent you tryin' ta make it for me!”

"What do I have ta say dat will get it trough dat tick adamantium skull o' yours dat y' future won' be widout eider of us?"  Remy sighed, then licked his lips.  "Logan, go t' Creed," he said.  Maybe it would be better for him to start to resent Remy.  Would that wean him off his love? 

“No!  not while yer thinkin’ a leavin’ me!”

"Den come 'ere," he said, still sitting on the floor below the couch. 

Feeling a little sick, Logan flopped to the floor beside him.  Wrapping an arm around Logan, he pulled him against his chest.  "I ain' goin' nowhere," he said and squeezed Logan.  He sat there for a moment silently, hoping that his presence would calm Logan down.  Remy really wanted to open his shields to Logan, but wasn't sure if Logan would be okay with it.  Gently, he brushed his empathy against Logan's mind, not very intrusive... asking permission.

Pressing his face in Remy’s neck, Logan wanted him there, all of him, including his empathy and he was afraid to let him go.  “I love you so much...” he said welcoming him into his heart.  Remy's heart melted when Logan opened his mental walls.  He felt like he slid into a glove and Remy wrapped his love around Logan's consciousness.  There was a little ache in there, but that was to be expected in this situation.

Aching a lot, all the way down to his bones, Logan hated this situation but loved them both so much, and he crushed Remy against him, snuffling against his neck.  Remy really liked being alone with Logan and thought about how few times he'd gotten to be alone with him recently.  That brought him down, but he tried to ignore the feeling. 

Cradling Remy’s head Logan kissed him deeply and felt like he had been neglecting him.  “Remy....”

"Oui?" he asked in a whisper.  Shaking his head, Logan had just wanted to say his name.  He loved being with him like this as well and took his thigh and draped it over his hip, kissing his neck and his lips.  Remy easily slid into the straddling position and kissed Logan just as deeply, but he couldn't help the nagging feeling that something was wrong.  Breaking the kiss and looking into Logan's eyes, he showed Logan this nagging little fear.

Swallowing a little, Logan asked, “What?  Baby?  What's wrong?”

"I don' know... maybe y' should go check on Creed?" he suggested.

Wincing, Logan looked away and sighed.  “All right....” and suddenly he was not so convinced Remy loved him as much as Logan loved Remy.  Gently Logan put Remy to the side and got up.  Remy felt the emotional sputter and grabbed Logan's hand, standing up.  "Logan... please come back... if y' find Creed's okay...?"

Nodding, Logan said, “Yeah, Remy,” and kissed his cheek, just adoring him and he went outside lifting his nose to the air.

Letting go the emotional connection Remy wrapped the cloak of his shields around his mind again, sealing himself off from the rest of the world... and Logan.

Following Creed's scent Logan found Theron down by the water, pacing.  Seeing him, Logan stopped by a tree and leaned against it.  “Hey.”

"Hey...."

“Remy tol' me ta come find ya.”

"Remy told ya?" he said looking at Logan sideways.

Logan nodded.  “Yeah...  You okay?”

"I guess," he said.  "Think I screwed up again."

Smirking a little, Logan said, “Ya just weren't thinkin’ is all.”  Theron sighed loudly.  Softly, Logan said, “We ain' never been in a polygamous relationship before, right?”

Theron shook his head.  "No."

“Do ya... know anythin' about ‘um?” because Logan sure as hell didn’t.

"Not really," he said.  "I figure that everything's gotta be equal...."

“Y' think... What... What if that means that you gotta love Remy as much as ya love me?” he asked, just curious.

Theron looked at Logan like he had grown another head.  "What??" He was shocked that he would even suggest that.

Shaking his head, Logan said, “Nothin'....” and sighed.  “Look, ya wanna come back in?  Please?”

"Sure...."

Logan headed back to the house, feeling severely downhearted, stressed out and so overwhelmed he felt a little numb.  Theron followed feeling like an ass.  Reaching back at one point Logan took Theron’s hand and walked with him like that all the way to the door.  Coming inside, Logan asked, “Remy?  Darlin’?”

Remy looked up to Logan's voice and when he saw Creed his face fell.  "Yeah?" he asked.  Theron squeezed Logan's hand in fear of Remy's reaction.

God, did I fuck up again?  Sighing, Logan said, “Lets just get some sleep, all right?”  Remy nodded and got up from the couch and headed to the bedroom.  He turned down the bed and waited for the other two to follow him in.  Following him Logan slowly got undressed, feels so burdened, so guilty, so responsible for this pit of misery he had steeped them all in... and started to think he should leave them both again.

Remy smiled up at Logan and looked over at Creed.  "Sorry 'bout hittin' y," he said before taking off his shirt.  Crawling into the bed, in the middle, Logan felt so exhausted.  Trying to keep two lovers happy was draining.  Remy curled up next to Logan and hugged Logan tight. 

Squeezing Remy tight too, Logan kissed him sort of fiercely.  Remy melted in Logan's grasp and nuzzled him.  Remy looked over Logan's shoulder and said tersely, "Night... Therr."

Turning over, Logan took Creed's mane, and pulled him into a kiss as he crawled into the bed on the other side of Logan.  “You too, kiss me.”  Theron looked over at Remy at tried to muster a smile before he kissed Logan.  His fingers curled tightly in Logan's hair and around his shoulder as he held him.

Goddamn Logan loved them both so much.   Snuggling in, Logan kept Remy's hips snug in his lap, his soft bottom against Logan’s groin, and made sure he was nestled in against Creed just as snugly.  Theron thought they talked an awful lot, but he wasn't going to pry into it.  Sighing, he settled into his pillow.

 

 

Up before the sun as always, Nathaniel looked at the beautiful boy wrapped around me, and felt his body stir.  Mark woke just about when Nathaniel did.  He had been waking up early on the ship because work started when light did, pretty much.  He felt warm and comfortable and snuggled into the lap he was resting on.

Oh, God... Nathaniel thought and shifted his hips away so Mark wouldn’t feel that.  He didn’t know if he was awake yet and should probably get out of bed if he wasn’t awake yet.  Carefully Nathaniel tried to disentangle himself from the boy.  Mark felt the familiar protrusion and wished that Nathaniel would just... decide what their relationship was going to be.  Mark got up when Nathaniel started to get out from under him.  "Oh... Morning..."

Caught!  “Good morning...” he said, trying to be casual but embarrassed that Mark felt that.  He hoped that he would think it was just general ‘morning wood,’ not because Mark was one of the two most beautiful men in the world.

Mark smiled at Nathaniel and said, "So... what are we going to do today?"  He was interested in learning about Nathaniel.  He hadn't gotten to experience much of who he was when he was living there before.

“You... wish to stay?”  He was ready to open a tesseract for him, supposing he would want out first thing.

"Well... I... don't know anything about you.  What do you do here all day, all by yourself?"

Smiling softly, Nathaniel said, “Not much.... I tinker in my lab...”

"I only saw a little of your lab.  What do you do there?  I mean... what are your projects?"  He felt that he would be... ungrateful if he just got his memories back from him and then left. 

Nathaniel couldn’t keep himself from stroking Mark’s hair behind his ear.  How was it he was so beautiful this early in the morning?  “If you are not interested, you don't have to pretend to be.”  

"Well... I probably don't know anything about what you're doing, but you could tell me just basically what you do, right?"  He was kind of curious to know if another Remy was on the way, or if he had just given up, but he wasn't going to pry about that.  He seemed pretty upset by the subject of Remy, or himself, really.  He wondered idly if he should just ask to leave, but still... that would seem harsh. 

“Well... I...   Still like to work with things on a molecular level...  But I like to think I spend my time now in more morally acceptable ways....”

"Oh...."  Mark didn't actually know what Nathaniel had been doing that was immoral, but he didn't think he wanted to know anyway.   He knew that he was a doctor, and obviously one who could fiddle with genetics because he had modified Mark from Remy's DNA, but he didn't know the types of things Nathaniel would be doing.

“Already I am boring you...”  He could read Mark’s mind; he was already thinking about leaving.  “I can open for you a tesseract to Westchester today, if you wish.”  Who am I kidding?  Of course you wish.

"Well, I just... don't know much about what you do....  Do you... want me out of your hair?" he asked fearing to be brushed off yet again.  Mark bit his lip in worry as he waited for Nathaniel's reply. 

“No.”  Fuck no!  “No, I don't.  I love having your company.  But I understand this place lacks the...  well... breath of life.”

"I can wait for the breath of life," Mark said with a smile.  "It just... seems so wrong to me to just leave you here like this."  He at least wanted to get to know him.  Best way to do that was to strike up a conversation.  "Um... did I tell you what I did while I was 'out in the real world?'"

Smiling back, Nathaniel noticed that when Mark smiles his cock and heart jumped a bit.  “No.  But I would love to hear.”

Mark started to tell him about his life in New York, how he had gotten a job at a diner and did that for a while, living in his little apartment, wondering what the rest of the world was like.  Then he had heard about sailing and started to learn all he could about it.  When he found his boat, he jumped on anxiously and been so excited he couldn't contain himself.  He told him how the first mate asked him to go get something from a storage facility and he had burst through the door only to find that it was occupied by two crew members who were staying in the spare bunks.  "That was Victor and Logan," he explained.  He explained a little about their relationship, and how hectic it was.  "Why do you think I felt so drawn to them?  Either of them?" he asked, curious.

Smiling, Nathaniel said, “It could have been any number of things.  It may have just been that before you awoke, you heard Victor's voice in the other room and found it familiar.”

"Was he here before I was born?" he asked excited.

“Oh yes.  And once or twice after.  But you had never met face to face.”

"Woah.  What about Logan?" he asked, wondering if Logan's familiarity had any similar explanation.

“I don't believe so, no.”

"Hunh," he said.  "Do you think it's creepy that I got so excited about going on that ship... and that it lead me to them... and they led me to you...?"  Mark thought it was a bit too much of a coincidence, but didn't know how to phrase it.

Shrugging, Nathaniel said, “Probably not.  I am having difficulty believing in coincidence nowadays.”

"Oh... does that mean that I can... tell if something good or bad is going to happen... like on the ship with the men in the fire?"

Nodding, Nathaniel said, “I suppose...” and stroked his cheek with the back of his fingers.  “It's the little remaining empathy....”

Mark blinked at Nathaniel.  "Really?"  He liked that Nathaniel was expressing affection to him.  He had wanted nothing else when he was there those first weeks.  He was starting to want nothing else now that he was back.  There was nothing really waiting for him in New York, so why should he go back?  He leaned into the touch.

“Yes...  If you wish, we could hone it.   You are still young, you're in your prime for learning and advancing what skills you have.”  Suddenly Nathaniel wondered if Mark was still a virgin.

"I... think I might like that, but... how would I do it?" he asked curiously.  Mark wouldn't have known that Nathaniel was thinking about it, but he was still a virgin.

“Simple tests and practice... Same as everything else.”  Pulling Mark under his chin, Nathaniel held his upper half close.

Relaxing in the embrace, Mark sighed.  "We could do that here?" he asked.

“If you wished, yes.”  Although Xavier's School would probably be much more interesting for you, but I won't tell you that... yet.

"Can we do that?  Like—now?" he asked, pulling away from Nathaniel to look him in the eyes excitedly.

Nodding, Nathaniel said, “If you like...” but then he would have to get up and Mark would see he still had a hard-on.  Mark got up and watched Nathaniel, hoping that he would show him something new about himself.

Swallowing, Nathaniel decided there was no hiding it and got up, saying, “Let me dress,” and started for the door, slightly embarrassed.

"Nathaniel?" he asked before he left.

Wincing, Nathaniel thought, you noticed, didn't you? but stopped.  “Yes?”

"You made me... for you—right?" he asked, swallowing.

Not turning, Nathaniel didn’t really know the nature of that question, so just answered truthfully.  “Yes.”

Mark stepped up behind Nathaniel and let his hand slide down the fabric of Nathaniel's robe to his hip and let it rest near his crotch.  "Why don't you want me then?" he whispered into Nathaniel's ear, his lips so very close to the lobe.

Completely startled by that, Nathaniel jerked and whipped around.  “Mark...  Mark...  It's...” are you blind?  I want you madly!  “This...  this isn't....” he cleared his throat.  “I will not ask anything of you.”

Squinting at him perplexed, and let his hand rest by his own side.  After thinking about it for a moment, Mark concluded that Nathaniel had it all wrong.  "But... I'm asking something of you." 

“You don't...  You don't want this, Mark.  You are too young, too naive.  I do not wish to do something you would end up resenting me for in the future.”

That made Mark mad.  "The only thing I ever resented you for was not loving me in the first place!"  Mark ran out of his room and down the hall to the garage—only to find himself in the clean white labs that Nathaniel kept.  He decided he would just get lost for a while.  He didn't think that Nathaniel would want to see him until they both cooled down.  Wincing, Nathaniel felt the sting of tears behind his eyes, swelling with guilt.  He padded down to his room and immediately got in the shower as if it could ease the ache.

Grousing to himself about how Nathaniel thought he was naive, he wandered down the laboratory halls and looked in each of the labs. 

After he wandered around for fifteen minutes, he went back into the house to see if Nathaniel had calmed down.  He had calmed down a little bit and was willing to talk about what they would do now because Nathaniel didn't love him.  Would he just want him to leave? 

In the shower, Nathaniel just stood naked with his hands pressed against the wall.  Mark heard the water running and snuck into Nathaniel's room... which was different than his mother's, and waited for him to come out.  Coming out completely naked, Nathaniel searched around for a towel and didn’t notice Mark.  He was still hard.

Mark waited on his bed, frowning at the hard-on that he was still sporting.  He didn't understand this man who was half way in between a lover and a family member.  He was acting like a family member more than a lover, yet he wouldn't let Mark call him 'father.'  What did this man want?  Why wouldn't he tell him?

Finding a towel, Nathaniel scrubbed down his shiny silver skin, and turned to see you.  Nathaniel nearly leapt.  “Mark!!”  Nathaniel wrapped the towel around his waist quickly.  “What're—!”  Sighing, Nathaniel covered his face.  This was just too embarrassing.

Mark settled from a sitting position to a laying position on Nathaniel's bed, noting his different and exotic looking appearance.  "For a man who won't let me call him 'father', you sure act like you just caught yer kid in here."  His voice was flat—observing the fact... and maybe a touch annoyed.

Scowling a little, Nathaniel said sternly, “I don't think of you as my son, Mark.”

"But you still treat me like I am."  That's not fair. 

Sighing, Nathaniel said, “Because I'm shocked when you see me naked, it means I see you as my son?”

"It means you don't think of me as potential lover material."  I've seen you getting hard for me over these past few days, why are you trying to hide it?  Mark's eyes found Nathaniel's crotch and kept them locked onto it.  He was curious what Nathaniel would do.

Covered by a towel, but still feels naked, Nathaniel said, “Mark... That's not fair.” I made you to be my lover.  “I want... I want you to have your own will.”

"You think that because our wills happen to coincide that it isn't what I really want, then," he said as an observation.

“You wanted to call me father earlier!” eh shouted confused.

"I thought that's why you made me. I was willing to live with whatever affection you were willing to give me. I never felt any from you when I first woke up." Nathaniel was always telling him to just leave him alone... then he would leave... and he thought he heard Nathaniel getting upset a few times.... Mark imagined him crying, though he couldn't see it when he left. What was he supposed to do but try out the different relationships? He wasn't sure how he was supposed to fit in with Nathaniel... but he knew he wanted to.

“You're... I won't use you, Mark. I'm not that.... person anymore....” that monster, really.

Mark sighed. "What's your definition of used, hunh?"

“Taking advantage of you! Of your loneliness! Your confusion….” He tried to explain sitting on the bed.

"Well, then anybody who is ever in a relationship with anybody else is guilty of that." Mark reached out a hand and put it on Nathaniel's. "If you think giving me your love will hurt me... then there's nothing I can do. But... I would really like to love you, Nathaniel...." Right now though... he didn't know who the man was. He knew him about as well as he knew anybody else-- which wasn't much.

Looking over at him, Nathaniel took Mark’s hand.  “You... I am so sorry for everything, Mark... I wanted you to have a normal life... I wanted you to have a normal family... That's why I sent you into the world.”

"But you sent me without a family... you are my family, Nathaniel. You're all I have in the world... except for Remy, maybe." Mark paused. "Nathaniel—I'm a clone. The clone of a mutant. I can't have a normal life."

Reaching out, Nathaniel stroked Mark’s cheek.  “I know,” but I still think this is a bad idea.

"So... you don't want me...?" Or, you're going to keep yourself from me? he asked with a sad note.

Stroking his thumb across Mark’s cheek, Nathaniel admitted, “I want you very much.”  Mark got up into a sitting position beside Nathaniel and leaned in to kiss his lips.

Taking mark’s face Nathaniel kissed him gently, letting him control it so he didn’t startle him.

Mark's heart started to race with the acceptance of his kiss. Nathaniel's lips were cold, but they warmed quickly and sent a jolt through Mark when he kissed them. He didn't know what to expect really, but cold wasn't it. Mark wrapped his arms around Nathaniel and deepened the tentative kiss. It was all he could do to contain his excitement.

Not going to try his tongue on him, Nathaniel assumed there would just be some gentle kissing today, unless of course Mark wasn’t a virgin, but he just let him experiment.  Mark hadn't ever been kissed... now that he knew he hadn't kissed Ronnie when he was a kid.  He felt like his heart was about to explode and he let his tongue play across the closed lips in front of him.   He hugged Nathaniel harder and then let a hand run down his chest, brushing lightly over a nipple.

Jerking and gasping a little, Nathaniel liked that a lot, and wrapped an arm around Mark’s shoulder shifting him off his hip because he didn’t want him rubbing up on his cock, accidentally or otherwise.  Please, don't push me away, Mark begged silently to Nathaniel.  He continued his kiss and let his fingers rub along the stiff nub on his chest.  Mark felt his hardness getting uncomfortable with desire and his veins pumping with it.

Pulling back a little winded, Nathaniel trembled with restraint, wanting to take him so badly.  “Mark... have you ever done...  anything like this before?”

"Uh...."  Mark blushed.  "To be honest... that was my first kiss—I mean... real kiss."  He figured his face must be bright red.

Smiling broadly, Nathaniel was one of those perverts that just adored virgins and he kissed him again holding him close to his chest.  He was so gorgeous, and Nathaniel was really kissing him this time, nibbling his lips, tickling Mark’s tongue with his own.

Mark whimpered against those lips and the feeling of his tongue.  It was so erotic he thought he would cum in his jeans.  He didn't quite, though he was close.  Everything seemed so much more real than in his dream-memories, now that he knew what they were.  The difference in Nathaniel's kisses were about the same as the difference from dream memory to reality.  So much more real, so much more passionate. 

Hearing Mark’s whimper, Nathaniel almost came in his towel... well... not quite, but it sure was sexy.  Carefully he reached his hand to Mark’s pajama bottoms and pushed his hand inside, curling it around Mark’s cock and gently tugged.  Mark broke away from the kiss reflexively lifting his head up and shouting, "Oh, god!"  That felt so wonderful.  Mark bucked into his hand and clutched at Nathaniel's chest, unable to reciprocate because of the intensity of feeling that was running through him.  It seemed so short to Mark, but he couldn't really tell how long it had been because time seemed so skewed, when he came in the hand that was pulling on him, gliding over his most sensitive place.  He bit down a groan as he squirted into Nathaniel's hand, the wetness from his completion slicking Nathaniel's strokes, compounding the pleasure.

Stroking him until he was spent, then letting him go, Nathaniel wiped his hand on his towel, then leaned over to give Mark soft kisses that didn’t interrupt his panting.  Mark panted through his nose, trying to maintain contact with Nathaniel's lips.  His hands became more active at Nathaniel's nipples once he regained his awareness.  His hands traveled all along Nathaniel’s chest and he left Nathaniel's lips in favor of the nipples that were abandoned.  Wetting each of them, he let his hands play on the wetness as he deposited kisses in a trail down his stomach.

“Mark...” Nathaniel mumbled, his chest heaving with desire.  “You don't have to do that….”  He knew he was pretty well endowed... as all of the studly X-characters were.

"Please?" Mark begged looking up at Nathaniel shifting to kneel in front of him on the floor. 

Nodding, Nathaniel wouldn't deny him that and just hoped he didn’t bite and he gently stroked Mark’s hair.  “I'll warn you...”  As soon as he nodded, Mark was unwrapping the towel with his teeth.  The clean smell of him made him comfortable and he let his hands play at Nathaniel's peaked nipples again.  He took in the size of the shaft he'd uncovered.  It was really much bigger than his own, and he wondered idly what size Remy was, but the thought could wait.  He licked long at the underside of the meat and concentrated on the tip underneath, where his felt most sensitive. He could only assume that Nathaniel was built the same way.

Groaning, Nathaniel definitely liked that and he trembled at the feel of his mouth.  Stroking his hair, he really wanted Mark to suck, but he wouldn’t pressure him, and watched as his precum slicked down my metallic shaft.

Gently, he took the head of the huge cock into his mouth.  It was hard to fit inside his mouth, but he managed.  He couldn't take it down so far, but he hoped he made up for it by letting his tongue work against his skin and twisting his head as he rose and descended on the swollen manhood.

Nathaniel wasn’t going to be able to withstand that long; he felt so good and he looked so sexy.  Lifting his hips against Mark because he couldn’t resist, Nathaniel moaned, “Mark... move...”  He was going to come.

Mark liked the stroking of his hair and was lost in the first of the small drops sucked into his mouth.  He heard Nathaniel, but didn't understand why he would ask him to move.  He wasn't giving up his prize just yet!  He moved deeper onto it and felt the tip hit the back of his throat.  Breathing in, he forced down his gag reflex and sucked to swallow and regain his equilibrium.  Despite the discomfort of the gag reflex, his cock still felt really good inside his mouth.

Coming hard, with one hand on his shoulder, and the other trying to stabilize himself on the bed, Nathaniel trembled as the orgasm wracked his body, gushing into Remy’s mouth.

Mark was surprised by the liquid that came spurting into his mouth.  It was salty with a thick texture.  He swallowed some of it, but he really couldn't get all of it and quite a bit dribbled down his chin from the corners of his mouth.  He figured that he would look ridiculous if he let go of the cock in his mouth, so he kept sucking on it, trying to swallow the cum and clean the cock.  His hands left his nipples and went down to Nathaniel's balls and rubbed just underneath them before trying to clean up the cum mess on Mark's face.

Jerking, Nathaniel loved his touch and grabbed his face pulling him into a kiss, not minding that he had cum dribbling down his chin.  Pulling Mark on top of him on the bed, Nathaniel fondled his bottom through his pajamas.

"Mmmm..."  Mark liked the feel of Nathaniel playing with his butt.  He kissed Nathaniel deep, sharing the taste of cum with its owner.

Really loving his arse, Nathaniel hoped to fuck it some day, and he gently used his sharp teeth on Mark’s lips.  “You are so sexy.”

Smirking, Mark licked Nathaniel's lips.  "Thanks, Nathaniel...  I really liked that," he said resting his head on Nathaniel's shoulder and wiping the rest of the cum off his face.

Smiling, Nathaniel said, “You can use my shower if you like... It's better than yours...”  Mark smiled.  Too bad Nathaniel had already taken a shower, but he nodded and stripped in front of Nathaniel.  It wasn't the first time he had been naked in front of anyone because of the communal showers on the ship, but it was the first time he'd been naked in front of anyone who wanted to sleep with him.

Grinning, Nathaniel threw his towel in the hamper and followed Mark inside.  He was a little cummy, too and he gazed at Mark’s body admiringly.  Mark looked over his shoulder at Nathaniel as he bent to turn on the shower and smiled secretively.  "Care to join me?" he asked.

“I think I will,” he said and unashamedly checked out Mark’s lovely bottom when he bent over, hoping to be thrusting his dick in it some day.  Mark started the water, hoping that it hadn't all been used up.  He stepped in and held the curtain aside for Nathaniel.  Mark got wet as soon as possible and grabbed for the soap.  He started lathering and as soon as Nathaniel stepped in, he was rubbing his chest with his soapy hands.

Grinning at him, Nathaniel wouldn’t mention that he didn't get hit by any cum there, and wrapped his arms around Mark, kissing him, lifting him off the ground so he didn’t have to crouch so much.  Mark was surprised when his feet departed the ground, but he just drew his legs up and wrapped them around Nathaniel.  From there he soaped Nathaniel’s' back and let his fingers dip down into Nathaniel's crack.  He was curious about that area.  It had felt so good when Ronnie had played with it on him in his dream and when he had brushed it playing with himself, but he hadn't really had experience with eh area.

Purring against mark’s lips, Nathaniel loved the feeling of Mark’s young cock on his stomach, and pressed him against the wet shower wall stroking his hand up and down his sides.  The cold tile startled Mark, but he undulated his hips into Nathaniel anyway.  Stroking his thighs up to his butt Nathaniel just held him, thinking he really was the most beautiful creature in the world.  He soaped him gently.

Mark wanted to explore further down Nathaniel, but was limited by his reach.  He pacified his urge by suckling at his ear lobe.  Running his mouth all over Mark, Nathaniel let his feet hit the ground and turned him so he was pressed face first into the cool tiles.  Kissing down his spine, Nathaniel nibbled on the soft swell of Mark’s bottom and licked between his cheeks, kneading his soft tush.

"Ah!  Nathaniel..."  Somewhere along his readings of gay porn, since he had the urge since he woke up, was where he learned about anal sex.  He thought it looked so good and he wanted to try it... but he had barely been able to fit Nathaniel in his mouth... how was he ever going to—?  He didn't care.  He wanted Nathaniel.  He jutted his hips out for him lewdly.

Not intending to take him, Nathaniel just wanted to do this to you because his butt was too lovely to resist, and he started kissing his hole as wetly and passionately as he kissed his mouth, gently working him open by degrees.

Electricity seemed to jolt through Mark as Nathaniel's tongue found his opening and delved inside.  He couldn't believe how giddy it made him feel.  His heart was pounding hard again and his cock was refilling with blood quickly.  He desperately wanted more.  Managing to work his long, thick tongue inside him, Nathaniel wriggled it a little, still tickling his plush tush and toying with his balls from behind.  "Nathaniel!  Please....!" he gasped at the tongue deeper inside him and moaned at the playing with his sac.

Nathaniel didn’t know what Mark was begging for, so he made him open his legs wider, and reached between them to gently start stroking his cock in time with his thrusts.  Mark was panting heavily again and pressed back onto Nathaniel's tongue.  "Nathaniel... nnn, you feel incredible!"

Smiling a little, Nathaniel then wormed his tongue back in him rubbing deep inside Mark’s chute, one hand working Mark’s cock, the other working his own.

"More... I need more," he whimpered.

Well, he couldn’t push his fingers into him due to the talons that he sported ever since his transformation and he doubted Mark was ready for dick, so he spun him against the wall and slurped his cock down his throat.

"Ooh!"  That wasn't what he was expecting, but it was still plenty good.  His hips bucked into Nathaniel's mouth and he didn't think he could have helped it.  Wanting to push his fingers inside him to feel that clenching heat again, Nathaniel could get addicted to that, and he easily took Mark’s cock deep and sucked hard, fondling his adorable balls.

Nathaniel’s fingers brushing at Mark's taint and his balls made him wiggle. His hands found their way to Nathaniel's head and brushed along his long hair, urging him on, showing his appreciation.  Sucking on him hard, he was able to take Mark deep, bobbing his head up and down on Mark’s cock.  He just adored him; he was perfect, even more perfect than Remy because he made Mark and he was so clean and perfect, perfect.

Mark's hands clenched in Nathaniel's hair tightly as he couldn't stand it any more and came violently.

Easily sucking Mark down, Nathaniel had been craving the taste of him; holding his rocking hips and pawing at his soft rump.  Gently Nathaniel let go of Mark’s dick as soon as it was limp and kissed his stomach.  Mark slipped down the tile, unable to support himself any more and kissed Nathaniel on his way down. "That was.... oh...." he fumbled with the lack of how to explain how good that felt.

Grinning a little, Nathaniel kissed his neck and stroked his back, stealing small kisses from his lips, washing him gently again.  Mark was surprised that his taste was so different from Nathaniel's... and that it tasted so good. Maybe that was just the lingering taste mixed with the taste of Nathaniel.... He felt the hands wandering over him and relaxed into them. The hot water cascading over him made him feel like he was just melting.

Nuzzling him, Nathaniel could support all Mark’s weight in his strong arms and he licked Mark’s neck and gently started soaping up his hair, just for an excuse to push his fingers into it, really.  Mark’s hair wasn't as long as Remy's or Nathaniel’s, but it was shoulder length. "I should... mmm... do something for you...." he sighed.

Smiling, Nathaniel kissed Mark’s hair.  “You can help me stroke it...” he offered  his erection still cocked and ready to fire as a tank and he wrapped Mark’s hand around it and his own hand around Mark’s.

Mark sighed loudly over the water. Nathaniel's swollen shaft was smooth and felt great in Mark's hand, especially as they went over the head. He loved the little bump over the crown. The receptors in his hands were singing at the texture. "I...." I wish I had Remy's empathy so I could feel this with you... so I could feel closer to you, Nathaniel....

Hushing him with a kiss, Nathaniel made him stroke a little faster, cradling his still soapy head in his large hand, feeling his balls squeeze up.  Mark squeezed his hand during the increased pace and listened carefully to the sounds that Nathaniel made. He wrapped his free arm around him and held him as close as possible.

Making soft, deep, hungry sounds against Mark’s neck, Nathaniel jerked and tensed as he came, squirting over his thighs and onto the shower floor.  "Ohhhh.... Nathaniel...." He hugged Nathaniel close and slipped his hands through his long hair.

Kissing Mark’s lips softly, Nathaniel cradled him close.  “You are so... erotic.”

Mark smiled and kissed Nathaniel's wet neck. "Thank you, Nathaniel." He pulled back and looked him in the eyes. "You are too, you know." Mark's face showed a type of longing that Mark had never felt before. He felt it so strongly that he was frowning.

Furrowing his eyebrows, Nathaniel asked, “What's wrong?”

"I... want to be closer to you... so much...." His eyes squinted in pain looking at Nathaniel. "I want to have empathy...."

Smiling a little, Nathaniel assured, “You're perfect as you are, Mark.”

"But I...." His voice was a little choked up as he wanted to say more. He wanted to say how useless he felt... how-- disconnected he felt... and he couldn't explain why.

“Mmm?”  Nuzzling him, Nathaniel ran his fingers through Mark’s hair to get the soap out as it was rinsed.  Only after having felt so close to Nathaniel did he realize what was missing... and how far away he really was from him. Mark started trembling and clutched Nathaniel.  His breath was coming to him unsteadily and he felt like crying.

Realizing something was really wrong here, Nathaniel asked, “Mark? Mark, what's wrong?” did I break your psyche already?

"I feel like something is missing from me...." he trembled out.

Thankful Nathaniel had a near-limitless supply of hot water and cradled him against his chest.  “No, nothing's missing. You're complete... You're whole.”

Mark hugged Nathaniel just as hard to him and wanted to just stay there forever. He nodded... but had trouble believing him. He stayed latched onto him for a few minutes while he tried to push the feelings from him.

Leaning against the wall of the shower, Nathaniel pulled him into his lap and kissed him.  “You are perfect...” he said, cradling his face.  “I never make anything less than absolutely perfect.”  Nathaniel admitted that he did have a bit of a God complex.

Mark was about to tell him that he had originally wanted to make him with empathy, but he had failed... which was why he felt unwelcome and unwanted in the first place. He didn't bring the point up just to save Nathaniel's feelings.  He just nodded into Nathaniel's shoulder.

Able to sense what Mark was thinking, Nathaniel asked himself, how could you not be? You are perfect because you are unique.  “Come... Let's get you dry,” he said keeping him in his arms.  Taking him out of the shower, Nathaniel got one of his towels out of the warmer and wrapped it around Mark.  Gripping the towel Mark gave a grateful glance to Nathaniel before rubbing his body down with it.

Taking one for himself Nathaniel dried off as well before swooping Mark into his arms again before he was even done and took him into the master bedroom, depositing him on his large, satin covered bed.  “I could have sex with you all day,” he said very matter-of-factly.

The smile that brought to Mark's face was a peaceful one. He was glad to hear that. It was too soon probably to say that they loved each other... but Mark felt that he wanted to get to know Nathaniel... and he definitely felt a connection with him. "Give me a minute... an' I'll be back in action," he smirked to him, brushing his cheek.

Grinning, Nathaniel leaned over and kissed him.  “You must be hungry.”

Mark nodded. "Have anything in mind?"

“I can have anything made.”  He had machines to do that, of course.

"I wish I knew how to cook," Mark said with an apologetic smile.

“Do you?” he asked, lifting an eyebrow.  “It's not a skill I've ever much prized... But if you wish to know it, you'll be taught.”

Mark lifted his eyebrows. "Really? I'd love to learn!" He was really excited. It sounded like fun.  He also wanted to have something that he was good at. He felt so useless.

Kissing his cheek, Nathaniel made a mental note to kidnap Wolfgang Puck and said, “But for now what would you like?”

"Hmm.... french toast?" he said with a silly smile.

“And eggs. You need your protein.”  Getting up, Nathaniel pulled on his silk robe and turned around again.  “And sausage. You need your iron.”  He probably knew too much about biology for his own good.

"That sounds yummy." Sighing, Mark relaxed into the bed. "Do you need my help?" he asked from his relaxed position.

“No. But thank you...”  Gazing at his body, Nathaniel thought he was just too beautiful and went to the 'kitchen' to demand breakfast from one of his many machines.  Mark felt like he could just slip into sleep. His body was so sated.....

 

 

 

Waking up with the sun, Logan was smooshed between the two bodies of his lovers and could feel both of their heartbeats.  Remy was still fast asleep. Theron asked Logan in a fully awake voice, "Logan... what did you mean yesterday... about me loving Remy as much as I loved you?"

Closing his eyes Logan thought, oh, LORD did you have to ask that first thing in the morning?  “Nothin', Creed. Ferget it. I was just abusin' myself...”

"Logan... I didn’t love you as much as I do now when we first met.... I know that love can be learned.... I just wanna know if you want me ta learn to love him." Theron knew that he could probably do that if he were allowed to.  He felt that he had to ask it while Remy was still asleep, because he wanted to ask while they were alone... and this was as alone as they were likely to get today. He didn't want Remy to get mad at Logan for the suggestion, either.

Turning over, Logan nearly spat, “Love ain' learned, Creed!”  He closed his eyes, listening to hear if he woke Remy up.  “No. I don't wantcha ta ... do anythin' ya won't do naturally....”  Sagging a little, Logan still had that belief that they would both fall in love with each other and leave him.

"But if it comes naturally, just go ahead?" he asked incredulously.

“Well, it ain't like there's anythin' anyone can do ta stop ya.”  His heart hurt and he wanted out, wanted to run away from all the people he loved so much that had the power to just kill him.

"Logan... I'd kill him ta please you... ta say nothin' a' not gettin' infatuated with 'im." Don't you see that you control my life?

Knowing he was were just making a point, Logan snarled softly anyway, “I'd never ask ya ta hurt 'im...”  He closed his eyes a little and whispered, “He wants me ta favor you... Least that's what he said....”

Theron's heart felt like it stopped. Remy wanted Logan to favor him?? How could that be? Weren't they competing for Logan’s affections? His breaths were shallow and he stared at Logan.

"Yer kiddin'..."

Looking up at him, logan said, “No. Don't think he means it, though,” and I don't want to do it.  “He's just tryin' ta find ways ta hurt less.”

Theron nodded. "Can understand that." He liked the idea... but Logan's idea about them all loving each other equally also sounded like it had merit. Theron sighed. "Do ya know what yer gonna do?"

“No. Scared as shit is what I am...”  Reaching out, Logan touched Theron’s chest, goddamn he was ripped.  “Sorry... Didn't mean ta be callin ya Creed, I'll try harder...”

"Thanks, Logan," he said with kind of a sad smile.

Letting his finger trail over one of his brown nipples, Logan’s body suddenly was very ready and willing to make love to him, since it remembered that was what they did in the morning, and that was the way it always had been, but he squelched it down.

"Careful doin' that," Theron warned. He was hard when he woke up and Logan touching him like that only made him want to rim his ass.

Nodding, Logan took his hand away and tried to roll back onto his back and stared at the ceiling for a moment, then looked over at Remy.  Remy's breathing was slightly off for him to have been asleep, but he was motionless.  Suddenly a bit concerned that he heard too much of that, Logan grumbled lowly, “How long you been awake, Gumbo?”

"Mmm?" he moaned grumbly. "Wha—?"

Unable to tell whether or not he was pretending, Logan stroked a finger down his back.  “Just wonderin how long you been awake...”

"Not long," he said sleepily. "'S it mornin' already?" he complained.

“Yeah... Go back ta sleep, darlin’,” he said and stroked his fingers over Remy’s back and shoulders, heart and cock aching at how beautiful he was.  Remy had been going to bed entirely too early. Whatever happened to his late night jaunts and heists? Remy pulled the blankets farther up over his shoulder and made an affirmative grumble.

Grinnings because he was cute, Logan was very much aware that if he was alone with either of them, they would be having sex right then.

Sighing, Remy pushed at Logan with his feet. "Get outta here. Y'll disturb me if y' ain' sleepin' too."

Frowning, Logan said, “I wanna snuggle.”

"Den snuggle quietly," he groused.

Wondering if Remy heard what they said and was now pissed off by it or if it was just a morning Cajun, Logan looked over at Creed.  Theron shrugged.  He would really love to go and shag Logan on the couch outside, but didn't know if Logan would be okay with that.

Grinning, Logan twined his fingers with Theorn’s, and wrapped both their arms around Remy's middle, so he was spooned between them again.  Feeling Creed's hard-on against his butt and pretty sure Remy could feel Logan’s hard-on digging into his, Logan decided to ignore the both of them.  Theron made sure to keep his hands on Logan's and not touch Remy.

Feeling him being careful, Logan was pretty depressed by that, since it made him feel like a shit to have the two of them on edge because of him.  He just felt sick at the thought of them leaving him.  Theron ground his hips lightly into Logan, but didn't push hard enough for the pressure to be transmitted to Remy. He was really hard with Logan's ass against him and his hand traveled up Logan's arm and to his shoulder, caressing his neck. He smelled his hair, running his nose through it.

Feeling his skin prickle up pleasantly when he did that, Logan’s cock got even harder against Remy, but he tried to brush him off, not wanting to leave Remy alone in the bed, so he just took Theron’s hand in his again and kept it snug around him.  Theron sighed poutily at that, but was still.

Smirking a little, Logan settled in, trying to get back to sleep.  He didn’t think he could when he was this turned on, though.

"Uresai!" [Shut up!] Remy said loudly and tugged the covers over his head. If they were so turned on, why didn't they just leave and fuck? If Logan had reached down, he would have found Remy particularly hard as well, but he wanted to give them some time alone, but Logan wasn't taking the bait. Remy could tell from that sigh that Creed was ready to go, but Logan was the straggler.

Definitely losing a bit of hard-on at that, Logan didn’t know why Remy was so angry exactly, but he could tell he was upset beyond just not being a morning person and suspected this was about him trying to sacrifice himself to be second place.  Logan grabbed his arm, forcing him onto his back and crawled on top of him giving him a deep, possessive kiss.  Remy gasped at Logan's forceful actions and the surprisingly passionate kiss. He cringed a bit at the fact that Logan was probably able to feel his hard-on now. Arching up, he let his hands drift up Logan's back and then through his hair. When the kiss was broken, he smirked at Logan. "Well if'n' y' gonna be insistant 'bout it." His hips lifted seductively into Logan's.

Bowing his head a little, Logan gave it a moment's thought, then kissed Remy again.  Remy looked over at Theron and gently reached out his hand to touch his shoulder.  It was meant to be an accepting gesture.  Pulling away from Remy Logan looked up at Creed, not knowing what to do there.  “We gonna have another threesome?” Logan asked.

Remy's eyebrow raised at Logan.  His lips parted slowly as he thought about how to phrase this to Logan.  "Is dere anoder way y'd prefer it?"  Since when had they had anything but a threesome—or something that turned into one since establishing this... weird relationship.  Remy really didn't get what the hell Logan wanted.

Not getting what the hell both of them wanted, either, Logan felt the mounting frustration and stress.  “Creed, what do you think?” he asked, then winced.  “Theron, shit, sorry.”

Pressing his lips together, Remy wondered at how he was able to consistently call him Theron and Logan wasn't, but didn't comment on it.  Theron winced a little, but looked up at Logan.  "I don't think the Cajun minds the threesomes," he said looking over at Remy.  Remy didn't offer any objection to his statement.  After all, the only person it was truly different for was Logan.

Nodding a little, Logan leaned down and snogged Remy again, wrapping Remy’s legs around Logan’s hips, letting their cocks rub together.  Remy moaned at the sensation and gripped Theron's shoulder, then withdrew it once he realized he was doing something that might hurt Logan.  Theron moved easily behind Logan and pressed his body against Logan's back.  He let his hands run over his sides and his arms.

The shoulder grabbing didn’t upset him much; it would be even weirder if each of them pretended the other wasn't there, but he didn’t want to bring that up.  “Remy...  Baby...  Get the lube....”  Logan loved the feel of Creed on top of him, his bulk felt so natural and good, then he licked and kissed along Remy's neck.  Remy's fingers were wrapped around the tube in two seconds flat.  He warmed up the gel in his hands before coating Logan with it.  He purred gently at the feeling of Logan in his hands.  Stroking Logan with one hand, his other went down to his balls and rolled them around in his other.  He slid his wet fingers along the space between his legs and hoped that Logan liked it.

Giving a soft purr Logan said fondly, “Remy...” and thrust into his hand which in turn kept his bottom rubbing gently against Creed's cock behind him.  Taking the tube from Remy, Logan got his fingers slick before leaning back and handing the tube to Creed with a soft kiss on the neck.  Theron took the tube from Logan and when he turned away again, Theron pressed a love bit to Logan's neck in return.  He sucked on it until the skin rose with a red mark, but it dissolved before he was able to get a good look at it.  At least he had gotten to see it.  Taking the tube in one hand, he squeezed lube onto his hand and coated himself.  Parting Logan's cheeks he let his huge cock rub up Logan’s crack, teasing him with it.

Undulating with pleasure, Logan leaned down and started licking and kissing Remy's lips, really feeling like an asshole for denying him Creed's magnificent cock, since it really was a wonder.   Logan reached down and rubbed Remy's hole with his fingers, dipping them inside while he nibbled on his nipples.  Remy was thrashing all over the place with Logan's fingers in him and his mouth on him.  Theron's cock throbbed at the sight of Remy thrashing with pleasure.  He couldn't deny that he wanted that hot ass again... but he wasn't going to risk going after it.

Loving it when Remy bucked like a stallion, Logan brusquely pushed two fingers up him, jutting his hips back at Creed.  Remy started moaning as Logan delved deeper into his body.  Theron was grabbing Logan's hips and finally slid half way into Logan.  He liked the way it felt to just be buried in Logan a little... but he loved hearing him beg for the rest.

“Shit...” he panted against Remy's chest, fingers pressed deep inside him.  Logan trembled around Creed's cock.  “Shit...  darlin'... c'mon….” he tried to push his hips back into him.

"Come on, what?" Theron teased.

Huffing, Logan almost felt like saying, 'Remy, you gotta feel this cock!' but was in control enough to not say that.  “C'mon... thrust.  Thrust in me...  All the way....”  Logan kept trying to back up onto him.

"Say 'please,'" he whispered to Logan's ear.

Arching back up onto him, Logan hated begging for him, but he knew Theron got a kick out of it.  He just didn’t want to in front of Remy, and he growled at him.  “Theron....” he swallowed his pride a little and assumed that he deserved to be punished for treating the both of them like shit.  “.... please....”

At the little word, Theron thrust into Logan hard, holding him by the shoulders.  He listened carefully to Logan's reaction.  Barking, Logan panted against Remy hard, trembling and growling a little.  Crushing Remy against him, Logan wanted to tell him what it felt like; how good it was, but collected him up instead and kissed him wet and deep.  Eyes wide at Logan’s reaction, Remy kissed him and sucked his tongue in.  He wanted to open up and feel what Logan was experiencing, but he didn't really dare.

Pulling Remy snuggly under him, Logan stroked the underside of his thighs before pressing into him slow and sweet, panting against his nipples, often biting his tongue, wanting to share with Creed how magnificent Remy was.  Remy's hands were running through Logan's hair and they wandered up to Theron's head, but when he felt the difference in texture, his fingers rushed away as if he had been burned, gasping.

Panting gently against Remy's neck, Logan said, "You can touch him..." and shifted his hips slightly between the two of them, almost drunk and babbling from the pleasure.  "I know...  You have to touch each other...  You're too beautiful.…"  Diving for Remy's lips, he kissed him fiercely.

Remy's breath came more rapidly to him and his hands found their way up to Theron's long blonde hair.

Running his fingers through it, he noted the differences between the feel of their hair.  Rocking his hips up into Logan, Remy looked into Theron's eyes.  It was the first time they had actually looked at each other... and he saw Theron's gaze... soften.

Remy's breath actually caught in his throat. For a moment there, Logan felt completely disconnected from the two of them, but willed himself to believe he was just psyching himself out and he looked up at Remy, hearing him make a soft sound… the sound he usually made when he was looking at Logan, but he....wasn't.

Swallowing, Remy broke away from Theron's gaze forcefully.  He had never seen a look like that in Creed's eyes before... maybe that was why he wanted to be called by a different name now.  Remy had closed his eyes and then looked at Logan.  Theron felt Logan lose his rhythm and knew that he was probably uncomfortable... how were they going to deal with this?  He had an idea.  "Logan," he whispered against his neck.  "Will you try something with me?" he asked, licking up Logan's neck.

Closing his eyes, Logan grunted affirmatively a little softly, hips still now, feeling sort of far away from them both even though he was smooshed between them, their bodies united.

"Lay on yer back," he instructed pulling out of him.

Wincing when he pulled out, Logan almost felt like that was the last straw, and gently pulled out of Remy rolling away.  He halfway expected to see the two of them press together without him.  Theron held out his hand to Remy, making sure to keep looking at Logan as he did.  Tentatively, Remy took his hand and didn't meet his gaze either, as he was helped up and guided.

Theron guided him to straddle Logan and Remy took Logan's manhood and sank on it.  He looked at Logan's eyes while he was doing it and Theron's hands were only on his shoulders.  Remy moaned and squinted in pleasure.  Theron touched Logan's thighs and tried to spread them so he could settle in between them.

Physically responding to the pleasure Logan was still emotionally hiding from them on some level.  He le this hands rest on Remy's thighs and his hips settle in Creed's lap.  He swallowed, able to see the both of them and liking that.  Theron slid into Logan gently and he leaned down, squashing Remy to Logan while giving him a kiss over Remy's shoulder.  Remy took the opportunity to lick and bite at Logan's neck on the side opposite the way he was turned to kiss Theron.

Sighing a little, he hadn't been able to kiss Creed during sex yet, and unintentionally but unmistakably flexed in and around them both, hips jerking back and forth.  Remy started playing with Logan's nipples and smirked.  He liked being able to do that sort of thing to him.  Theron kissed Logan deeper at the squeezing of his manhood.

Huffing, Logan wondered what they were up to, and kissed them both hungrily, because he felt worshipped and scared all at once.  When Logan went for Remy's lips, Theron wasn't quite ready to give up Logan's and so followed his lips to Remy's.  His lips were off to the side, in a kiss that was more of a triangular melding of lips.  Remy backed off when he felt Theron's lips though and started kissing Logan's chin instead, nibbling along the stubbled edge.

Giving a low, satisfied grumble, he wishes he had more leverage to thrust against both of them.  Taking Remy's cock in his hand, Logan began to stroke it.

Remy started bucking against Logan... and consequently against Theron as well.  He moaned at the stroking and clenched the sheets in his hands. God, they were both so incredible, he felt unworthy between the two of them... and wondered in passing if

Creed wanted to fuck like this so he could fool himself into believing he was fucking Remy...    He wrapped his legs firmer around Creed and looked up at him.

Theron was looking at Logan's face and pressing his hands along Logan's arms and chest.  It had been awhile since he'd seen Logan on his back, but not that long.  He really did look great like that.  His eyes ran all over his prone body, taking in his muscles and his skin.  "You look so good, Logan."

Logan didn't say anything, but was aware that to touch Logan, Theron's arms were around Remy....  He pulled Remy down against him and snuffled into his ear, wondering if Theron was turned on watching him have Remy, even seeing where his dick penetrated him.

If asked, Theron would ask how he could not be turned on by such an arousing sight.  Logan really did look fine penetrating that hot ass.  Leaning back, he watched Remy slide over him and Logan's balls hanging just below.  Theron's cock jerked involuntarily inside

Logan and he thrust harder into him.  He watched his own cock entering Logan and was turned on by his clenching heat.

Snarling in passion, Logan could see where Creed was looking, and thrust hard between the two of them, biting gently on Remy's neck.  "Yer beautiful when yer fucked, darlin'...."  Well, he was always beautiful, even first thing in the morning, but this was really something.

Remy nuzzled into Logan's neck.  "Tanks, cher," he said.  Right after he said it, he realized that Theron must have a front row seat to their lovemaking.  He hoped that this was all okay.  He liked the way Logan was thrusting into him harder.  Groaning, Logan thrusts into him the way he liked Creed thrusting into him and kissed his beautiful pink lips, watching Creed's eyes all the while. Remy's eyes were closed throughout the kiss.

Theron's eyes were devouring Logan's once he caught Logan looking at him watching Remy's ass.  He wondered what Logan was thinking when he could see both of his lovers' faces at the same time.  Remy leaned up from Logan a little so they could look at each other.  His face was the picture of experienced pleasure.  Theron said to Logan, over Remy's shoulder, "I love you, Logan," as he thrust into him particularly deep.

Theron thought it was interesting that Logan was looking at him while he was kissing Remy and a feeling of superiority swept over him, titillating him.

Growling and closing his eyes, Logan thrust harder into Remy,  "Love you, too.…"  Kissing Remy's sweet lips more, he huffed, "Love you too... Gumbo.…" Grinning at him a little, he stared into his crazy, beautiful red eyes.

Whispering after the kiss was broken, Remy said, "Je t'aime, Logan," [I love you] looking at Logan's eyes.  He could get lost in them... especially if he were to use his empathy.  He missed doing that now.  He was struck with a little sadness how he couldn't with Theron around.

Noticing Remy look away, Logan realized how many number of things that could make him sad and sucked softly on his lips in a sort of apology.  Remy smiled at Logan's behavior and licked his lips back.  He let him go and as soon as he was released, Theron's lips were there taking his place.

Grinning, Logan's fingers twining through Remy's hair as he kissed Creed, Logan nipped Creed's lips playfully.  "That's all ya can do with that big cock ayers?"

"That sounds like a challenge ta me," Theron said and thrust hard enough to shake Remy on top of Logan.

Grinning at Remy, he knew he could feel that too, and stroked Remy's cock harder, grin fading in an expression of utter pleasure.  "Ghrghn!!"  Rocking over Logan because of the awesome handling of his manhood, Remy couldn't control his hips or his orgasm any longer.  He was so almost there.  Theron reached around and fondled Remy's nipples as he pounded hard into Logan and Remy came, cringing that he was coming from stimulation from Creed.  Red shame swept across his features and he nearly sobbed as he finished coming.  Theron kept pounding Logan, feeling his prostate with the tip of his dick.

Grabbing the back of Remy's neck Logan kissed him hard and possessively, desperate to fill his butt with come.  Bearing down around Creed Logan thrust hard into Remy, snarls getting louder and louder until it was a roar.  He came hard, clenching on Creed so fiercely it must feel like he couldn't pull out.

"Logan!" he shouted at the intense feeling.  He continued to pound into Logan and came around him, filling his chute with cream.  Logan was so tight and the way he moved when he was fucking Remy was so sexy.

Finally slowing his thrusts when his body had no more spunk to shoot into Remy, Logan sagged against thebe, breathing hard and feeling wonderful in Creed's lap with Remy collapsed atop of him.  Theron slumped over both Logan and Remy, but kept his weight on his palms so he wasn't squishing anyone.  "So... how was that?" he asked after a few minutes of breath catching.

Just making a deep, content sound, Logan pressed Remy’s face into his neck and twined Creed's hair around his fingers, making that same happy sound again.  Theron kissed Remy's hair and then kissed Logan’s lips.  Gently, he pulled out of his ass before he got hard again.  He flopped to the side of them and let his fingers roam all over Logan's body, especially over his chest, then through the hair on his head. 

Smiling pleasantly at Creed, Logan looked over at Remy.  "Y' okay, baby?"  Remy nodded with a pleasant smile.  He liked it when Logan called him 'baby.'  He thought that was interesting.  The three way kiss would also have been nice... but Remy was far too afraid when it happened last time.  Logan freaking out would not be acceptable.  He figured that Logan was just now learning how to deal with he and Creed touching each other at all, to say nothing of affectionate touching or kissing.

Logan was trying to get used to the idea of them touching... and thought if they got along, this could be a little easier….  It would be nice to know the two of them could have a civil discussion about who'd been hogging him or something.  Theron was just feeling blissed and relaxed off to the side.  He was pleased he had come up with a way for Logan to see both his lovers when making love as opposed to his lovers being able to see each other instead.  Still... the thought of loving Remy... or developing a relationship with him was eating at him.  What would that be like?  He had messed up with Remy last time because he had wanted Logan... and had been insane on top of it.  He still felt a bit more than unstable, but he wasn’t going to bring that up.

Preparing to slip off to sleep, Logan let them both fondle him as they pleased.  Remy played with Logan’s nipples for a little bit, but eventually sighed and got up from bed after slipping off of Logan.  He went to shower, leaving the other two alone.  Logan was pretty much a sleep for all intents and purposes, only vaguely aware that some warmth was missing.  Theron snuggled up to Logan, replacing what warmth he could.

He still liked cuddling Logan without Remy around.

Remy showered and then made a little breakfast for himself before taking off for the mansion to meet with Emma.

Waking maybe an hour and a half later, Logan mumbled, "Wheresa kid?"

Theron mumbled in his sleepiness, "<I dunno,>" in Greek.

Blinking a little, Logan wiped the weariness from his eyes, and wondered if he was still trying to be his 'second best'.  "Hmmm...."  He played with Theron's paws.  Liking the way it felt when Logan was playing with his hands, he curled up to him.

Sighing, Logan sat up.  "Can't ever tell what that kid’s thinkin'."  Theron was disappointed that Logan chose just that moment to get up, but sighed and let it go. 

"What?  You guys still have stuff ta do up at the big house, right?"

Shrugging, Logan said, "Yeah."  He knew that the team had been on missions and they had been left out because of this.  "I guess we might."

"Don't think One-Eye'd want ya ta leave me alone though," Theron said.

Smirking, Logan said, "Know fer a fact he wouldn't."

Which was probably why he was left behind, he thought as he looked over his shoulder at him.  "Think you should come on a mission with us...  If Cyke'd let

ya..."

"Are ya kiddin'?  He'd never let me anywhere near anyo' yer friends.  I bet he's steamed that I'm even here unchained," Theron groused.

Knowing he was, Logan said, "If he saw ya in battle I think he'd know you'd changed..."  Actually, Logan had no idea how he would look in battle, but wanted to see how he would react to that. Theron leaned up to Logan.  "Ya know I'd do anythin'

ta protect you... but... I dunno about anybody else....  Maybe the kid...."  Theron knew that Logan had such faith in him, but would he really be able to put his life on the line for people who locked him up and thought of him like an animal?  Logan knew he wasn’t an animal... not any more.  "I know ya think I'm all better, Logan... but I ain't perfect."

Looping an arm around him from behind, Logan always thought how difficult it would be to get them to accept Creed, and just then realized that the real problem was whether or not Creed could forgive them.

"Cr-  Theron.…" Logan said kissing his neck, pushing his hand in his hair, suddenly feeling guilty for all those years.  "'M sorry I didn't remember ya...."

Theron looked at Logan and saw the sorrow in his eyes.

            "Logan... it ain't yer fault... it was those damn bastards in Weapon X...."

Crawling up into his lap, Logan asked, "Whadd’ya say we go up there, bring um back ta life an' kill ‘em agin?"

Theron grinned, but the grin faded quickly.  He would rather go up there and get Logan's memories back.  The damn machine should be fixed by now....  He didn't want to push Logan, so he didn't bring it up.  "They deserve it," he commented.

Stroking his fingers down Creed's cheek, Logan nuzzled him.  "M' sorry...  M' so sorry...."

"It ain't you, love...."  He patted Logan's hair affectionately to let him know it was okay.  Huffing a little, Logan knew it wasn't his fault, but he felt he should've... done something...  something.  Theron held Logan more closely.  "Ya hungry, worry-wart?"

"Yeah... an' a little worried."  He gave a soft snort.

"Wha' cha worried about now, hunh?"  He hoped it was something he could help with... or make him feel better about.

Shaking his head, he said, "Just Remy.…"

"What—ya think he's gonna take off?" he asked doubtfully.

"Yeah.  I do."  Getting up, Logan padded naked into the kitchen.

"Yer kiddin'...." he said in disbelief.  He trailed after Logan to the kitchen and pressed, "You really think he would leave you?  After havin' you practically cheat on him in front of him every day?"  He knew that it wasn't cheating... necessarily because Remy was not only there, but that he said it was okay.  Still, no matter how they each dressed it up...that's how they would feel about it.  Things might change if their feelings were all reciprocated... but Logan wasn't going to allow that for fear of losing them both.

Turning on him, Logan snarled, "I ain't cheatin' on ‘im!!" but he still felt a little sick, because...well.... he was cheating on him.

"You can tell yerself that all ya want, Logan.  Hell, we're even sayin' it to ourselves... but that's how we feel about it.  There's no way around it, Logan."

Well, there was, but again, Logan wouldn't let it happen.

Snarling a little, like he used to when they always tried to kill each other, "If ya don't like it, you can leave."

"Logan, I'm still here despite it too.  I'm tryin' ta tell ya that yer stuck with both of us until ya throw our asses out!"

Shaking his head, he said, "Yer both pissed at me and ya know it!"

"And we're still here!"

"It won't last long!"  He turned his back on Theron and went over to the stove.  "Neither a you will put up with it fer long."

Theron sighed.  "That's why we're still tryin' ta work things out."  He leaned up against the door jam of the entry way into the kitchen.  "I... I think that idea ya had yesterday... might work...."  He was a little ashamed for saying that out loud... with how sensitive Logan was.

"Ya mean the two a you dukin' it out?"

"No.... the—"  He shut his mouth.  "Ferget it."  Logan wasn’t going to go for it and he didn't want him to be angrier at him than he already was.  He was half tempted to go and find Remy to see what he thought about the idea, but he probably wouldn't be crazy about it either.  It would certainly take Remy longer to become infatuated with Theron than it would for Theron to be infatuated with Remy... he wasn't sure he wasn’t already—the kid was so gorgeous and he remembered what he felt like.  He pushed the thought from his mind.

"You want my Cajun," he said kind of flatly.

"I said, ferget it," Theron said and left the room. He wasn't hungry any more.  That of course meant that what Logan said was true.  Leaning over the sink, Logan felt sick, and went into the bedroom, and mechanically showered.

Theron was in the empty room... the one that they didn’t sleep in now.  He had taken his clothes in there to change.  Forgoing a shower Theron just got dressed and headed outside.  He didn't know if he was going to go up to the mansion, but he didn't want to be in the house with Logan's accusing stare boring into his back.  Theron went out into the forest and sulked about.

Finding his keys Logan went to the garage and started his bike, tying his duffel bag to the back with straps and started off on the road.

**A-hem!** was heard in Theron's head and he whirled around looking for the intruder, but he didn't find one.  He realized then that it was Emma in his head. 

            **Wha'do you want... Emma, isn't it?** he asked her. 

            **I was asked to keep an eye on your presence.  You’re alone, which means I have to contact you.  You’re supposed to be escorted with an X-Man constantly.**  

            **Nobody said shit ta me,** he objected.             

            **We did figure that Remy and Logan would take care of that, but now you know.  I'll have Remy meet you outside... since Logan has just taken off.**  Theron was alarmed to hear that, but assented and walked out of the forest to meet Remy.  Remy met Theron in the back yard. 

"Looks like I gotta baby-sit y'," he complained, frowning at Theron.  Sighing, Remy said, "Wanna go around?" inclining his head.

Theron looked at Remy questioningly and nodded tentatively.  Remy led him down into the Danger Room and started a program.  He was originally going to take his aggression out on Creed... but he wasn’t really feeling like it, so he decided that he would let Theron have some fun... fighting the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants.

Theron had fun and was really releasing a lot of anger, Remy noticed as he watched him.  He was a little worried, but decided that Logan could probably deal with it better than he could... except that the reason he had to baby-sit Theron was because Logan was away.  What was he doing anyway?  He hadn't left the mansion since Theron moved in with them.  He decided that he would probably have to ask Theron about why he was so pissed after the session was over in... twenty more minutes.

The minutes passed slowly and Remy had to remind himself to pay attention to Theron so he didn't hurt himself while he was swinging around and ripping things apart.  Theron looked like he was probably in more of a mood to talk now that he had drained all of his energy.  Remy went down to the doors and opened them.  "Feel better?" he asked to the man who looked like he was about to collapse.

Theron looked at Remy and mumbled, "No way."

"What would make ya feel better?" he asked at his deep frown.  Theron cast him such a look it made Remy want to open his shields to see what he was feeling out of defense.  He looked like he wanted to either kill Remy or rape him again.  Remy stepped back from Theron and fell into a defensive posture.

"I want all o' this crap ta stop," Theron said.  Remy could only agree with him... but something was...rough—in his tone.                      

"I wan' it t' stop too, Therr..." Remy blinked with the realization of the meaning in that threatening look he gave Remy.  "Y' mean y' wan' me t' leave," he said interpreting what Theron wanted.  Remy gritted his teeth.

"That or I want you."  Remy's heartbeat picked up to double time instantly.  Logan would kill them both!  It didn't matter that they were all nearly immortal—he would kill them.  His thoughts were chaotic as Theron stepped closer to him.  Backing up, he slammed into the wall behind him.  Panic raced through him as Theron advanced on Remy and put his hands on either side of him to keep him from going anywhere.  "Is it so hard ta believe that I would want ya?"

"Don' y' care what Logan feels?!" Remy shouted as Theron's mouth closed the distance between them. Theron's lips stopped inches away from Remy's.        

            "Don't you?" he asked with a voice full of scorn.  "Why ain't ya runnin' away from me if ya care so much about what Logan would do if he caught us like this?"

Trembling at Theron's nearness, Remy wanted to run...but he was frozen.  He didn't know why he was frozen....  Maybe it was that look that he gave Remy earlier... when they could look at each other this morning, maybe he was still frozen with fear about their first encounter and Remy thought that was probably it.  If Remy ran, then Theron would be inclined to chase... and if he caught Remy... who knows what he would do with him.  The memory of Theron ripping out part of his shoulder flashed in front of his eyes and he cringed at the memory of all the blood… and pain.

 

Getting into a real shitty dive, Logan sat at the bar for a glass of beer, trying to decide what the fuck to do with his life.  Doing what he always did when he was scared and hurt, Logan started looking at plane tickets...  not buying... but definitely checking out where he could be if he ran off.

Sighing, Logan swallowed a little and turned away and went to get on his bike again, although going back to that house felt like a death sentence.  On his motorcycle driving home, Logan thought he probably shouldn’t have done that... shouldn’t have left.  He just needed some time away from that house and all that... pain. Pulling into the garage, moving slowly, Logan went into the house to drink some water, giving deadly vibes to anyone that looked at him funny.  Heading through the mansion to go out to the boathouse, Logan could smelled both his lover’s scents before he left the mansion and decided to follow them. 

 

The smell of fear wafted up to Theron and he looked at Remy's expression critically.  "Yer scared o' me?" Theron asked.  How could he be scared if they had made love to Logan at the same time earlier?  Wasn't he comfortable with him now?  Was that… episode still between them?  "Ya don't have ta be scared o' me," he said, closing the space between their lips.  Remy tensed and cringed as he felt Theron's proximity increase.

Tracking their smells to the Danger Room, Logan turned the corner and saw them both there, and could smell the arousal coming off of them and the fear coming off of Remy.  He reacted instinctively, with his claws out, and dug them into Creed's shoulders throwing him into the nearest wall, snarling viciously. “Logan... take it easy on 'im," he said gripping Logan’s shoulder as Theron flew into the opposite wall.  Now that Logan was there, things wouldn't be so bad.

Jerking out of his grasp, Remy wasn’t out of the shit either and he glared between the two of them.  This was his worst fucking nightmare, worse than anything at all and he couldn’t stop glaring and snarling.

"Logan..." Remy said with a frown.  He was trembling still especially when Logan looked at him. 

Growling deep, Logan thought at Remy, don't pretend you don't smell like want! and he turned his back on Remy.  Grabbing Creed again, Logan hauled him bodily towards the holding cells, sinking his claws into him whenever he looked like he might put up a fight.

Theron didn't look like he was going to put up a fight and was lead to the holding cell.  He honestly didn't think that he was going to be back in there.  He wondered if being put in the cell was because he didn't want Theron to hurt people, because Logan wanted to protect Theron from himself, or because he wanted to lock them both in there so he could kill him.  With the way his claws were digging in, he was kind of thinking the last one.  Throwing him into a cell, Logan slammed the door shut on him and marched off, not looking back and right past Remy.

“He's your responsibility now,” he snarled as he stormed out the door.

Remy watched Logan haul Theron off and felt the need to run.  That's what he always did when it came to problems he couldn't handle, right?  He watched Logan march past him and cringed as he didn't spare him a look.  Remy was struck with Logan’s words.  How could he just drop Creed on him like that?  Rage built in Remy and he wanted to shout after Logan, but he was gone before he got the chance.  Amidst the rage, panic was filling Remy and he didn't know what to do with it. 

Logan was out of there. He was not going to put up with this, he wasn’t going to think about it, he wasn’t able to deal with it.  But he had known this was going to happen all along; knew it from the start...  Going to get his X-Stuff, Logan went to give it all to Scott to hold in case he ever came back—which he knew he would, eventually.

Looking to the door that lead to Creed's cell, Remy glanced back at where Logan had been.  He didn't want to deal with any of this!  He didn't ask for this!  Crumpling to the floor, Remy shouted at the top of his lungs and punched the wall behind him until his knuckles bled... and healed over.  Remy ran to Scott's office.  He needed to ask how to deal with this.

Remy arrived at Scott's office and saw Logan standing there in front of Scott's desk.  He swallowed at seeing Logan... and his X-things....  Remy felt sick.

Turning, seeing Remy there, Logan looked at him hard, then turned back to Scott.  “Don't save my room.”

Scott nodded to Logan and turned to Remy.  "What is it?"

Wanting to tell Remy this wasn’t his business, but he supposed it was Logan skulked toward the door, wanting to be out of there.

"I... need t' ask... 'bout handin' Creed ov' t' de state...."  There was no way he could take care of Creed.... not if he was the one to have broken him and Logan up....

Stopping, Logan turned back.  “You're not givin’ him ta the feds, kid!!”  Yeah, he said it that time to be mean.

"I can't take care of him!!!  If you wan' him t' survive ‘til de next time you come here, take it up wid Scott!  I don' wanna look at him!"  He didn't think he could look at him.  Creed reminded him too much of an animal at that point... an animal that couldn't keep his mating instincts in check.

Pointing at Remy, Logan didn’t give a shit that Scott was there.  “You wan'ed him!!  I could smell it!”

Scott crossed his arms and let the two of them fight it out.  He wasn't going to be a voice on one side of this or the other.  He didn't trust Creed and he would be just fine with him being handed over to the authorities.                                          

"So you de only person who gets t' appreciate de male body?"  Logan was constantly putting him in the same room with that man naked and they were all fucking right next to each other—that was just like porn!  Show him the same man from a porn video and anybody'd start getting ideas!  And that Remy tried to stay away from him didn't count for anything??

A little stupid with hurt and fury, Logan shouted, “You were gonna leave me for 'im!!”  Pacing like a caged animal, Logan continued, “He was gonna seduce you and you were gonna leave!”

"What are y' talkin' about, Logan???!" Remy shouted confused.  Logan still didn't trust him.  Suddenly, he wanted Creed gone.

“You know what I'm talkin' about!!  You two have always had that thing!”

"You call rape a thing!?"  Remy shouted enraged.

“You don’t?!  All this time you had that sex history just brewin’ between the two of ya!!”

"I hate him!!!"  There was tension there, and he was trying to get along with him for Logan's sake... he had almost been able to just forget about all of that... but that moment down near the Danger Room reminded him of all that and reminded him that he hadn't changed so much.

“You want ta hate 'im, but ya don't!!  Ya think I wasn't in bed with the two a you this mornin’!?”

"I've been tryin' not ta hate 'im f' you!"  He looked away when Creed turned that stare on him.... he didn't want him to look at him that way....  He was so scared that something just like this would happen and he would lose Logan.  He wanted Creed out of his life!  "But look what it got me!"

Grinding his teeth in despair, Logan hissed out, “You tellin' me that if I hadn't asked ya ta keep yer hands to yerself, ya still wouldn't a gone for im??  I ain' stupid Remy.  There was a minute in bed t'day when I wasn't even there, goddammit.  I ain't fucking stupid!”  Thrashing his cowboy hat into a chair, Logan really wished they weren't in Scott's room so he didn't have to be so delicate.

"I never wanted him in this relationship t' begin wid!!!"

“Neither did I!!  But that doesn't change what it is now, Remy!!”  Pointing at him accusingly, Logan shouted, “You've fallen for him!”

"Are you crazy!???  I could kill him right now!" 

“Takes a lotta passion ta kill a guy, Remy.  Ya sure as hell feel strong for him...” And worse than seeing that look in bed this morning, Logan felt it.

“I feel strongly about him, but if I felt strongly for him, I’d be fuckin’ him right now!”  Remy noted how he was in fact there in Scott’s office instead.  He didn’t know if Logan would note that or not.  He wished that Logan had taken him up on that ‘secondary’ offer so they wouldn’t have to have shared their intimate moments.  Then Logan wouldn’t have had to interpret that look that Creed gave him… as something more than what it was.

Looking away from him, Logan shook his head curtly.  “Maybe it's best if we all spend some time apart for a while...”

"What's 'a while?'"  Remy's voice was full of doubt.

“As long's we need!  Ta figure out what… what we want....”

"Logan, we know what we want... at least some of us do."  Remy wasn't entirely sure what the hell he wanted, but he knew that he wanted Logan.  Creed could go hang himself right now and he wouldn't care, but before he had pissed him off royally... what were his feelings?  "De question is one of acceptance."  Was Logan ready to accept that there might be feelings between all of them?  Was Remy ready to accept Creed's feelings for him?  That just seemed... out of place.

Baring his teeth a little, Logan growled, “You want me to accept the thing scares me most in the world?  That what you want?”

"Y' gettin' me wrong.  I'm tryin' t' say dat y' know what y' want.  I ain' askin' y' t' accept merde.  I guess I'm askin'... f' y' t' tink about what is... an'... askin' y' t' come back...."  Remy bowed his head and started to shrink to the floor so Logan could leave like he wanted.  If Logan left for very long... Remy wouldn't be able to abide Creed and he'd have to take off himself.  That's why he had asked Scott about handing Creed over to the state.  Everything was out on the table.  Now Logan needed to decide what to do about it, as opposed to thinking about what he wanted.

“I'm not the only one in this, Remy!  And don't try ta bullshit me, you don't want this!  What you want is ta be loved fer who you are by someone who only has eyes fer you!  That's what Creed wants, too!  And neither a you 're getting’ it!”

"Dat's why I wanted t' be y' secondary, but y' wouldn' listen t' me!"  If they had just kept themselves separate then things wouldn’t be this complicated.  He didn't know if that was the case... but he felt that was the case.  Maybe things would have turned out completely different than what he thought.   

“I can't do that, Remy!!  I can't!  That's even worse than what we have now!  I love you, I'm not gonna push you off to the side ta make Creed happy!  Nobody deserves ta be treated like that!”

"It's eider dat, or have Creed make eyes at me, or everybody leaves everybody else!  Dose're de only options I see."  His voice was a little more clam now, but he was still irritated.

“Yeah, me too.”  Looking at Remy a little sadly, Logan said, “I told you this would happen Remy.”  He wasn’t blaming Remy and looking away, Logan found that he blamed himself, really.  “I figure we can send Creed ta Canada and put him under surveillance and house arrest...”

Remy blinked at Logan.  He hadn't thought of that.  He swallowed, afraid to hope... that things might turn out... that Logan might still love him.  His bottom lip quivered when he thought that Logan might still be leaving him....  He leaned more heavily into the wall he was curled up against, almost pushing on it with frustration.  He didn’t know how to ask Logan what he was going to do though....  "You gonna tell 'im?" he asked quietly.  He doubted Scott would have heard him, but he knew Logan could.

Bowing his head, Logan said, “Yeah...”  He could smell Remy’s tears, and felt pretty shitty about that.  He loved him so much; he ached to see him hurting and wanted to fix it, but he knew he couldn’t.  “Remy...  You'll...  You'll be okay without me.”

Remy cringed painfully at those words.  "Like hell!" he shouted, the tears spilling out.  He was the only person he ever had such a deep emotional connection with... maybe it was because of the empathy... but it didn't make it less real.  Remy felt so afraid... like a piece of him was going to be cut out....

Feeling his throat squeeze up, Logan carefully approached him.  “Remy...” he touched his shoulder.  “C'mon, darlin’...   It won't be that bad....”

"Don't call me dat if you don't mean it!!!!"  He was yelling at the top of his lungs and Scott discretely stepped out and made sure to seal the door to his soundproof office once Logan wasn't blocking the doorway.  He had been itching to get out of that room ever since they started fighting and it had only been his steely battle mode facade that kept him sane through it.

It will be dat bad!!! was all Remy thought.  How did Logan know how bad it was or wasn't going to be?  He didn't know how Remy felt about Logan.

Wincing, Logan backed off.  “Remy, fer fucks sake, calm down!”  He wasn’t really good when people got this emotional.  He usually just hit them.

"You wan' me t' calm down when a piece o' m' heart is bein' torn away?!"  Is dat yer zen logic, Logan?

Rubbing his face, Logan said, “Remy...  Yer just not thinkin' right...”  Feeling like he was trying to set a slave free who for some reason didn’t want to go, Logan tried to explain, “I mean, you'll find someone else...”  God, you're perfect, you'll have to beat people off with barstools.  “An'...  I'll always love ya, Remy... I'll always be here for ya....”

"No, you won't!!!  You tink I don' know you??!  You'll disappear!  Many people might wan' me... but de only one I wan' will disappear...."  Remy was so ready to punch a hole in something or blow something up, or both.  He had to keep his eyes closed so he wouldn't look at anything the wrong way and cause it to explode.  He felt like he was practically glowing, but he tried to keep his powers in check.  He didn't know how well he was doing though.

Touching Remy’s skin it crackled with energy.  “Yer hot, Remy...  C'mon, let’s get you somewhere ya won't hurt yerself,” and he started to help Remy to his feet.

"Touch me, or don' touch me, but don't you dare tease me like dis!" Remy nearly spat venom.  If Logan was going to leave him he had better not stick around with that, 'I just wanna be friends' crap.

“.......”  Logan just stared, because he had no idea what Remy was talking about with this 'teasing' business and he grabbed for his arm again.  “C'mon.  Danger Room before ya blow somethin’ up….”  He wouldn't mind seeing Scott's office go to flames, but for Remy's safety the Danger Room was better.

Shirking off Logan's grasp, but getting up Remy stared at Logan with his eyes glowing.  "Logan..."  Remy rose but found when he was up that he had no strength.  He leaned heavily on Logan as he allowed himself to be led to the Danger Room.  He felt like he was being tortured.  He was beginning to think strangely... to feel desperate.

Wrapping his arms around Remy, Logan helped him down the hall and down the elevator, not knowing why he should be so weak when he seemed to have so much energy.  Getting him into the Danger Room, Logan set up a program that looked like Scott's office and set him on the sofa.  Remy was weak with anger and frustration... with suppressed emotion... with suppressed power.  He wanted to just—explode.  He wanted to just die if Logan was going to leave.  "Why, Logan....?" he asked, helplessly.  How could he just... deny what they felt?

God damn Creed to the ninth level of hell!!!!!!!!!!  Crouching down in front of Remy, Logan put his hands on his.  “Cause we can't do this any more, Remy...  I can't do this anymore...  It's rippin’ me ta shreds.  I think I wanna just love you an' be with you f'rever, but then I think about Creed an' all that we been through an’ shared... I just... I can't do it, Remy.”

Remy's jaw clenched.  Hard.  "Den leave," he said through gritted teeth.  "Now," he said gravely.

Steeling up inside so he didn’t feel the agony, Logan rose and started to go, but felt like there was a big rubber band between them trying to snap him back to Remy.  He wanted him and loved him.  He needed Remy so terribly, but he managed to get to the door and say, “I love you, Remy....” before opening it.

Remy felt the pull of the rubber band.  Felt it draw him to a standing position and made him want to follow Logan out of the room whose furnishings were starting to glow.  With a trembling jaw, he reached out with his mind and felt that rubber band.  No!  They were linked!  He collapsed from the shock of finding that out.  How could that have developed and Remy not know about it?  He felt along it and traced in back to Logan's pained mind. 

Heart aching, Logan assumed that tugging feeling was just from his own desire to hold him and kiss him and love him forever, but he just couldn’t stand this constant fighting anymore.  Looking back when Remy collapsed, Logan swallowed and immediately went to the comm. on the wall and called Ororo and Hank down.

Bracing himself, Remy closed his eyes.  I hope dis lessens y' pain, Logan, he thought as he tried to snap the connection.  He had no experience at this, so it... was like slashing at his wrists—painful and hap-hazard.  Remy didn't know if Logan would have felt it, but he surely did.

Spinning immediately, Logan looked over at Remy.  “You doin' somethin’, Remy?” he asked and went over to him, collecting him up in his arms.  “Remy?”  He felt like Remy just left his mind or something, but it was combined with an awful empty ache that made Logan sick then there was a tearing sensation and Logan’s eyes widened.

With his eyes closed, Remy felt Logan holding him... why was he holding him?  Remy looked at Logan and squinted—questioning him.  "What... are y' doin'?" he asked with a hoarse voice.

“Makin’ sure you're okay....” he said stroking his face, feeling pretty torn up inside.  “What're you doin', baby?”  Why're you makin’ us hurt so bad?  Logan felt a little weak and sick, too, slumping over Remy a little.

"I'm—" Remy’s voice cracked.  "Lettin' you go," he said and tears spilled over his cheeks.

Kissing his face, Logan didn’t like this, and didn’t want this at all.  Emotionally he was grasping for Remy even as he tried to pull away.  “Remy... stop it….”

"What?" Remy asked, stopping his tearing of the last bits of the bond.  It ached and sent vibrations through Remy like nails on a chalkboard making him feel dizzy and nauseous.

“Stop doing that!”  Unconsciously, Logan was trying to repair the damage he had done, because it scared him shitless and made him weak.  “All right?  Just stop!”  Cradling his face, Logan held Remy to him.

"I... I stopped...." Remy said and tried to sooth the pain between the two of them.

Curling around him protectively, Logan grunted.  “It hurts.” His heart ached with the threat of losing him and the residual pain from the broken and battered link.

"S-sorry..."  What did he want Remy to do instead?  He was leaving!

“Seems...  Every time I think I find the answer...  somethin' happens ta bring me back inta this fucked up situation...”

"You... wan' me ta jus'... put it back... so it don' hurt?" he asked.  He wanted to ask Logan if he just wanted him to sever it for good so Logan wouldn’t be drawn back into the situation, but he kept that sentiment to himself.

Nodding, Logan said, “Yeah...”  Logan smooshed Remy to his chest as if physical closeness would heal their emotional hurt.  Remy swallowed and delved back onto his mental plane and looked at the tattered remains of the emotional bond.  Being able to see it this way helped him to reattach things.  Remy found that he was... comforted when the bond was restored.  He sighed in relief.

Of course I had to fall in love with an empath, Logan thought and pressed his face into Remy’s throat, nipping him gently and sagging against the sofa a little.  “Remy....  'M sorry...” 

"S' okay....”

Stroking the back of his fingers across Remy’s cheek, Logan assured, “I won' leave ya...”

“What?" he asked when Logan promised not to leave.  That didn't make any sense though....  "It... hurts y'... t' stay...." he said looking at Logan perplexed.

But it would kill you if I left, he thought and he didn’t know how he knew that with such certainty.  “We got this... this thing, don't we?  That ...  that tug....”

Remy swallowed around the knot in his throat again.  "Oui..." he said shakily.  "Looks kinda like... a big ‘lastic band...." he said trying to explain what it was that held them together.

“An' its there... cause we love each other, right?”

Remy nodded again.  "’Cause I'm a spook," he said quietly with vehement self-hatred.

Kissing him, Logan nuzzled him.  “Y'know, if anyone else talked about you the way ya talk about yerself, I'd knock his teeth out.”

"So knock m' teeth out already," he said.

“Nah.  Yah beat on yerself too much as it is.”

"Logan..." Remy asked tentatively, "will y' promise not t' leav 'gain?"  He had been severing the emotional bond for Logan's sake... to save him from the trauma of being attached to someone... as they died. 

Nodding, Logan said, “Yeah...   Yeah, Remy….”  Swallowing, Logan knew that was going to be a hard promise to keep because he got so fucking scared in this relationship.  “People weren't meant ta be with more'n one lover.”

Remy nodded emphatically and clutched Logan hard.  "M' sorry I'm a spook," he said, his voice barely a whisper.  He didn't want to keep Logan prisoner....

“You ain't a spook kid,” he said and then he voice commanded the Danger Room to construct a bedroom.  Going to it Logan tucked Remy in.

"What.... what a' y' doin', Logan?" Remy asked as he let Logan tuck him under the warm covers.  Then it occurred to him that he was still dangerous.  He still felt unbalanced enough to blow at any minute.

“Just tryin' ta let ya relax...  Yer exhausted, but yer body's still hot.  Just keepin’ ya in here in case ya... y' know...  Gotta blow somethin’ up....”  Remy nodded and grabbed for Logan's hand to give it a squeeze.  He relaxed back into the pillow and sighed.  Settling against the bed, Logan said, “M' sorry fer gettin' mad atcha....”

"Y' gotta right ta be," he said and looked away ashamed still.

“He didn't hurt ya, did he?” he asked, tipping Remy’s head back toward him.  Remy shook his head, closing his eyes at the memory of him closing in on him.  He had been afraid that he would hurt him... but he hadn’t known what to do in that moment.  Pulling Remy to his chest, Logan repeated, “I'm sorry, baby...”  He was going to go give Creed a damn good thrashing as soon as Remy seemed stable.

"Y' didn' do notin' wrong," Remy objected. 

“Neither did you.  An' don't contradict me,” he insisted pressing his thumb against Remy’s lips, because he knew Remy was going to want to since he thought he always did the wrong thing.  Remy just stared at Logan with glowing eyes full of emotion.  Leaning down Logan gave Remy a wet kiss.  “Stop beatin' on yerself.”

"M tryin'...." Remy said.  It was hard to not be hard on himself because Logan was so angry at him earlier.  He somehow believed that Logan was still angry.  

Logan wasn’t angry at Remy, just the situation and the unfairness of it all.  “I won't lettim’ hurt ya, Remy....”  Remy grimaced and nodded.  He still felt like he was forcing Logan along a certain path and he didn’t think that was fair.  Logan had wanted to leave.... he should be allowed to.

Not wanting to leave, Logan felt that might've been the best course.  He had no idea what to do and wished someone would just tell him.  “How you feelin’?  Still gonna burst somethin’?”

"In about two seconds," he nodded.  "Think maybe I should run a sim t' get all dis energy out?"  He would probably feel less edgy if he got all this energy out.  Some of it had been spent fixing the weird elastic band between the two of them on the psi-plane, but it wasn't nearly enough so Remy could feel like his energy wasn't going to leak onto the bed he tried to sleep on.

Nodding, Logan said, “Sure, kiddo.  Lemme just get up inta the control room...” and he wriggled out of bed after giving Remy a soft kiss.  Going up the stairs to the tower Logan started running a typical sentinel sequence, keeping it at moderate difficulty, just to see how Remy was doing.

Remy got out of the bed and stretched briefly while Logan got everything ready.  It had probably been too long since he'd run one of these things.  Taking a deep breath, he tried to get control of his powers so he could wield them effectively with how hot he was running.

Remy blew half of the Sentinels up within ten seconds of them appearing.  It wasn't as difficult as when he had to charge his cards and throw them—now he just looked at things and they'd go boom.  He looked up at Logan in the Control Room.  "Gimme a break!" he called up to Logan.  "Show some faith!" he groused loudly.

Chuckling, Logan upped the difficulty to 'master', but kept a close eye on him.

Remy was nearly on fire by the time he finished the simulation.  He had blown things up left and right—things he hadn't meant to, but were thankfully acceptable to blow up—like a stray parked car.  He wasn't doing this particular simulation for skill anyway.  He was doing this to get the energy out of his system in a way that was not damaging to those around him and not killing himself.  By the time he was done, Remy was barely able to stand.  He could get things to glow with lots of concentration, but that was the state he wanted to be in now.  Accidentally blowing things up made Scott mad at him.

Closing the sequence, Logan came down the stairs again.  “How ya doin' baby?”

Remy nodded, panting.  "Ain' gonna blow up now," he commented.  He wanted to go to his room and ignore the world for a few hours though.

Stroking his hair, Logan asked, “Ya wanna take a shower?”

Remy nodded.  "An' I wanna pass out," he said weakly.

Grinning, Logan said, “Not yet, doll,” and draped Remy’s arm over his shoulder, helping him to the locker room.  Fighting to stay awake for Logan, Remy was led to the lockers and stripped to take a shower.  His clothes were sticking to him.  He was not a happy camper.  He figured that his muscles weren't going to be very soar, but his skin was probably going to crawl and he was probably going to have one hell of a headache after this.  His head just felt kind of numb at the moment though.

Standing right outside the shower, Logan watched him shamelessly.  Remy enjoyed Logan's eyes on him.  It comforted him that Logan was really going to stay.  He smiled at Logan over his shoulder occasionally as he soaped up and rinsed off.  Unfortunately, Remy wasn't coordinated enough to make a show out of it at the moment, but he would soon.

Reaching in, getting his arm all wet, Logan stroked his fingertips down Remy’s wet, soft back.  Remy's eyes rolled into the back of his head at Logan's touch.  He couldn't say how relieved he was by his touch.  It still didn't seem real... like Logan was still going to leave at any minute.  Backing toward Logan a little, he pressed into the touch and opened his shields a little to feel the empathic bond.  It was still sore and strained, but it was functioning.

Logan loved him so much, and was in great agony over the stress of this situation.  He trailed his fingers through the slick strands of Remy’s hair with conditioner in it, making it particularly slick.  Remy felt like he was going to pass out into Logan's arms if he wasn’t careful.  He felt like he'd been released from a vice and could breathe again.

“Ya ready fer bed?  Yer swayin’,” he mentioned letting his fingers trail down to softly touch Remy’s bottom, trace the curve of it.  Remy nodded and ducked under the water to rinse off completely before turning the water off and searching for a towel.  He didn't want Logan's hands to leave him, but he was assured that he would get to feel his hands again.  He had to remind himself that Logan wasn't leaving though.

Rubbing his wet arm off on his pants, Logan wrapped his arms around Remy from behind while he dried and kissed his shoulder.  Well, more like his shoulder blade because he was pretty short and Remy was pretty tall.  Once Remy had dried off some, he leaned down to kiss Logan and when it was accepted, he sighed.  He wanted to go to sleep with Logan next to him, but figured that Logan had things to do besides deal with Remy. 

Curling his fingers against Remy’s skin, Logan asked, “Which bed ya want?”

"Tink I jus' go up t' my room... s' closest... um... 'nless y' let me sleep in yours?" he asked.  The place smelled like Logan and it always clamed him down.

Smirking, Logan said, “Sure.  If ya wanna...  Get dressed, baby.”  Nodding, Remy stuck on his clothes and dragged himself upstairs to Logan's room.  He hugged the pillow as he fell into the bed and snuggled into its depths.  Breathing in Logan's scent deeply, he sighed and was practically asleep right then with all his clothes on.

Grinning, Logan tucked him in, nuzzling his hair and kissing him.  Sitting with him for a few minutes Logan gently rose and went downstairs to the cells.

 

 

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