Watching and Waiting
by Chris
 

Archive: If you want it - please just let me know where.
Rating: NC-17 for m/m connotations.
Disclaimer: The characters and universe of X-Men are the property of 20th Century Fox and the Marvel Entertainment Group. This story is for entertainment purposes only and no copyright infringement is intended.
Series/Sequel: No.
Summary: Wolverine and Gambit pairing. Unexpected change and late night surprises.
Notes: This is my first attempt at writing slash, so any feedback would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks to: First and foremost, Lee - for convincing me to do this. And to Z and Jo - for always being there when I needed you- thanks, mates.

/..../ - indicates thoughts

The Professor had never forbidden any of them from having 'company' in their rooms. So long as they were discreet about it and the children at the school were not endangered, he left them to the privacy of their own lives. Which was as it should be, and Logan respected him for that.

It had been well over three months since Rogue had made it abundantly clear that her relationship with Remy LeBeau was over. The day she'd exploded in his face, after a session in the Danger Room, was one that Logan wasn't likely to forget any time soon. He'd been on his way to the room himself, intent on working off the day's frustrations, when he'd heard the shouting. Rogue's angry voice had carried through even the thickest metal walls.

"I told ya, Remy, it's over! I'm tired of knowing it's not me you're thinking about and I ain't gonna play second fiddle anymore!" Then she was out the doors and barreling past where Logan was standing. He was on the verge of turning around and heading back to his room, when the tall Cajun thief had slowly appeared in the open doorway. He froze in shock at the sight of Logan, and the look in his red and black eyes was... haunted. Not knowing why he felt such a stab of pain at the overwhelming sadness in those eyes, and feeling the need to say something - ANYTHING - Logan spoke quietly.

"Remy... I'm sorry..." The Cajun had started at the sound of his gruff voice breaking the silence and then he was gone without a word, striding quickly down the corridor to the elevators. He'd watched the spot where those slumped shoulders had disappeared for several long moments before finally shrugging it off and going into the Danger Room.

They didn't see much of Remy around the mansion that following week. He'd retreated into his room and replied in monosyllables when spoken to. The others had tiptoed around, respecting his need for privacy and careful to avoid mentioning Rogue in his presence. And then the week was over and he was his old self again - the mask of charm and wit sliding back into place. Logan was the only one who suspected that he wasn't as unaffected as he pretended to be. That underneath that mask was a welter of emotions, that behind those smiling eyes still lurked that sadness he'd seen a flash of that day. But the Cajun showed no desire to talk about it, so he just waited and watched.

Watched as, almost every night, a different person came home on Remy's arm and disappeared into his room. Male or female, it didn't seem to matter to the thief. They were always gone by the next morning and the other members of the team simply put it down to Remy returning to his loose ways on the rebound from Rogue. But it bothered Logan. He didn't know why - what the man did behind his door was no business of his. Somehow, though, it had gotten under his skin, burning like needles buried in his flesh every time he saw a different face walk in the door. Every time he smelled a different scent lingering outside the Cajun's room.

Tonight had been no different. Unable to sleep and feeling claustrophobic, Logan had gone up to the roof to smoke. He sat on the edge, staring out into the night as his cigar sent rings of smoke up into the sky, not thinking of anything in particular. But, as they had so often lately, his thoughts turned to Remy. The way the thief had looked at him that day... it had burned itself into his brain. The pain that had been so obvious weighed heavily on him. But there had been a flicker of something else there. Something that had run deeper than the pain, something that had only appeared in those eyes when the Cajun had seen him standing there in the hallway. The briefest flash of heat, of want, of need. And then he'd disappeared and Logan had begun to doubt what he'd seen. Began to wonder if it was only in his imagination. But every time he closed his eyes, he saw the Cajun's face again and he knew, he *knew* that he'd been right.

Not that he had any idea in hell what he was going to do about it. There'd been one time, very long ago.... but only that once. Nothing more than a barely remembered, drunken grope in a bathroom. Not something he'd regretted, but not something he'd ever pursued either. The thief, though... Thoughts of that tall, lean body, those beautiful eyes.... well, they stirred up feelings he hadn't experienced in a long time. Ones he wasn't quite sure how to deal with...

Logan's quiet musings were interrupted by the sound of the front door to the mansion opening and slamming shut again. He looked out over the edge of the roof, in time to see Remy's latest 'date' walking quickly to where his car was parked, and then he was gone in a shower of gravel.

"Must be an early night," he muttered, grinding out his cigar against the cement of the rooftop. Climbing slowly to his feet, he headed for the door leading down into the school. Figuring he'd stop by the kitchen, grab a few beers and then retire to his room and hope for sleep.

~~~~~~

Logan padded silently through the empty halls of the mansion. At 2 am, everyone else had long since gone to bed and he made his way to the kitchen without seeing a single face.

Flicking the lights in the kitchen on, he winced and squinted his eyes as the bright metal surfaces reflected back at him. Everything neat and clean, sterile... reminded him of the damn medlab. Cold and efficient, and devoid of any comfort. Shaking his head against the morose thoughts streaming through it, he muttered out loud, "It's just a fucking kitchen..." He yanked open the industrial-sized refrigerator door and grabbed a beer from the bottom shelf. Popping the top against the counter, he put the smooth glass to his lips and swallowed, closing his eyes and letting the cold liquid wash away the dryness in his throat. That was when a hand suddenly closed on his shoulder.

He was moving before the bottle shattered against the tile floor - spinning to grab his attacker and shove them up against the wall, the claws of his right hand shooting out to press against their throat. Adrenaline was pumping overtime through his bloodstream and it took him a moment to realize that wide, red and black eyes were staring at him over the metal gleam of his claws. Claws which retracted as quickly as they had appeared.

"Jesus fucking Christ, Remy!! You know better than to sneak up on me - I could've killed you!" he snarled out, shaken by just how close he'd come to punching three gaping holes in that neck. The one just above the deep wine-coloured silk shirt his fingers were still wrapped tightly in...

"Would you?" Startled by the despondency bleeding out of the Cajun's voice, Logan's eyes snapped back up to his face. Meeting hooded eyes that stared back at him. /You're still holding on to his shirt/, a small inner voice pointed out. /Let go.../ Instead, his fingers tightened and he growled and he leaned closer, glaring up at the taller man.

"What the hell kind of question is that?!" He sniffed and smelled liquor on the Cajun's breath. "You drunk?" That got a mirthless laugh and a barely audible reply.

"Not enough, homme, not enough..." Then the look in the thief's eyes turned pensive as he took in the agitated expression on Logan's face. "Nah, Remy don' t'ink you could..." he said louder, a slow smile spreading across his face. Logan swallowed past the sudden tightening in his throat, his eyes dropping to the soft curve of those lips...

"Could do what?" he asked, forcing himself to focus again on the Cajun's eyes. Was it in his imagination or was that same look he'd seen a glimpse of three months ago back in those shuttered eyes... His breathing grew harsher and he struggled keep his hand from shaking.

"Kill Remy..." The response to his question was soft, like liquid velvet wrapped inside that accent. A gleam sparked in the Cajun's eyes as he looked down at the fist that still clenched the collar of his silk shirt. When he looked back up at Logan, gone was the despair from his expression, replaced by a confidence and genuine relief that sent a shiver down Logan's spine. Something nameless danced in those eyes as the thief leaned forward slightly. "Sides, Remy not so sure dat what he want anymore..."

"Want...?" His own voice sounded harsh in his ears as his eyes fell unbidden again to those lips. The ones that curved up into a grin as the Cajun spoke.

"Oui, chere, dat's right... Remy t'ink he want something else..." The taller man's face was inches from his own now and Logan had to fight to speak.

"What... " The grin grew wider and that voice was like a purr in his ears.

"Remy want you, cher..." His breathing stopped and his whole body stilled. He opened his mouth to speak and then those lips were on his and they felt as soft as they'd looked...

Molten desire ran rampant through his body, as he felt the Cajun's fingers twine themselves in the tousled hair at the back of his head, pressing him more firmly into the kiss. Stubble rasped against the skin of his cheek and his hand spasmed tighter around the thief's shirt, the muscles in his back shuddering against the sudden sensation of long nimble fingers kneading against them. A tongue slicked across his lips, teeth nibbling gently, begging entrance and his eyes slid shut as he granted it. Remy's tongue danced against his own, suckling it, and a moan was dragged from his throat as he felt those fingers move from his back to his chest, nails scraping against taut nipples. The fingers in his hair pulled his head back none too gently, arching his neck as his eyes fluttered open to stare unseeing at the ceiling. Remy's kisses bruising and suckling at the skin of his neck...

As suddenly as it had begun, the assault was over. Remy was stepping back from him and he groaned in protest, his head falling forward again on weakened muscles. The Cajun was looking at him with a mischievous grin on his face.

"Remy t'ink he need some sleep now, cher... We take dis up again tomorrow... if you want..." A soft caress of fingertips across his chafed lips and then the thief was gone from the kitchen. A glassy eyed Logan staring after him, struggling to make sense of what the hell had just happened...

~~~~~~

Logan lay awake for the remainder of the night - lying in bed and staring at the ceiling, trying in vain to sort out what he was thinking. What he was feeling... The welter of emotions that broiled away inside of him were unfamiliar and unsettling in the least. Fear. Fear and uncertainty - those were easy enough to identify. Fear of what he had never expected, and the ensuing uncertainty over what might follow. God knew he'd had his fair share of romantic liaisons and one-night stands over the years, and he'd been content with that. He'd been confident, always in control, and that had been enough. But now... now he found himself wanting something more. Something real. Something more substantial. But with Remy? Oh, the passion and desire in the Cajun's touch, in his kiss, had been undeniable. Even now, the memory of it all made his breath quicken, and his muscles twitch. Yet, Remy's track record in the solid relationship department wasn't exactly sterling lately and that had his stomach twisting itself into knots. He didn't want to be just another conquest, something to be pursued and, once captured, discarded for the next thrill. No, he wanted more...

Which brought him to the emotion that coloured every single thought, that lay over everything in him like a blanket. Desire. God help him, he wanted the man... Wanted him so badly that he could taste it still in the back of his mouth. Could feel it singing through every nerve ending, sending a rush of heated blood to the surface of his skin and a shiver down his spine. It wasn't the emotion itself that unnerved him, it was the sheer strength of it. Yeah, he'd found the taller man attractive but he had never dwelt on it. Hadn't let himself dwell on it. After all, the Cajun and Rogue had been an item and that was something he'd always respected. But now, now that was in the past. He closed his eyes at the memory of those nimble fingers twining themselves in his hair... demanding submission from *him*, the Wolverine. The man who'd never, *ever* submitted to *anyone*. And there he'd been - willingly offering up his throat to the searing kisses of the man who held him. A shudder ran through him and he could feel a tightening in his groin, as his eyes slid closed and he recalled the sensation of those soft, sweet lips suckling at the tender flesh of his neck. Of that whiskered chin scraping across his skin... A man could lose himself in that.

The thought brought his eyes open again with a snap, a growl threatening to burst from tensed throat muscles. Losing himself. That frightened him more than anything, more than he wanted to admit, and he ruthlessly pushed the memories deep down inside as he climbed from the bed. Dawn was already lightening the horizon and he still hadn't slept. Walking with more than a little discomfort to the bathroom, he turned the tap on full and climbed in. Let the cold water drown out all thought while he struggled to get himself under control again. Forced his traitorous body to forget about anything but the stinging of the fine needle spray of ice water burning into his skin...

~~~~~~

Scott, Jean and Ororo looked up from the kitchen table in shock when he walked in. Logan was most certainly not a morning person and his appearance before the sun had barely cleared the horizon had them speechless. Jean recovered first, a smile quickly replacing the stunned look on her face.

"Good morning, Logan." He grunted in reply, grabbing a plate and mechanically filling it from the assorted foods laid out on the counter top. His eyes unfocused as he fought against the memories that threatened to undo him. Filling a mug with black coffee, he put his plate down at the other end of the table, taking a long sip of the steaming liquid and closing his eyes as it began to chase away some of the exhaustion he felt. He'd expected the conversation he'd walked in on to resume once he'd made it clear he wasn't about to be social, but the continued silence got his attention. Glaring at them from across the rim of his cup, he raised a silent eyebrow in question.

"Logan," Ororo began. "Are you feeling alright?" He was about to ask her what the hell she was talking about, when Jean joined in.

"Yes, is everything okay?" /What the fuck?!/ was the only thought he managed before it sank in that all three of them were staring at his plate. Letting his gaze drift down, his mouth dropped open. Rather than the eggs and sausage he'd intended to grab, on his plate were three bran muffins, a slice of toast, and a large helping of fresh fruit. A groan escaped his lips and he felt his cheeks begin to flush.

"I'm fine," he muttered, pushing at the offending food with a fork and taking another hurried swallow of coffee. It was at precisely that moment that a cheerful, whistling Remy strolled into the kitchen. Grabbing his own cup of coffee, he exchanged a few pleasantries with the others, before making his way down the table to where Logan sat hunched over his plate. Logan glanced up quickly, in time to catch the raised eyebrow and sly grin spreading across the Cajun's face.

"Light breakfast today, eh, homme?" Mirth was thick in the thief's voice and he had to bite down on an answering growl. Ignoring the question, and trying like hell to ignore the effect the other man was having on him, Logan lifted his mug to his mouth and sent up a silent prayer for the earth to swallow him up. And that's when he felt the Cajun's fingers trail lightly across his back, as he squeezed between his chair and the wall to a seat on the other side. Electricity shot through him like a bolt of lightning, and he choked on his coffee. Slamming the cup down on the table, he shoved his chair back and stood. He could feel his face colouring at the open shock on the faces around him, at the amusement dancing in Remy's eyes, and the kitchen suddenly seemed far too small for all of them.

"I'm not hungry. Think I'll go use the gym..." he mumbled, before turning and all but fleeing the room. He heard Scott asking Jean if she had any idea what had gotten into him, and then the door was mercifully slamming shut behind him.

~~~~~~

The second simulation he'd run through wound down, the broken and dismembered bodies of a dozen Sentinels disappeared. Leaving a sweaty and winded Logan hunched over, hands on his knees, as he fought to regain his breath. The tension that had been crashing through his body when he'd first entered the Danger Room had finally bled off enough for him to think more clearly. As his breathing slowed and settled, his senses picked up the scent of another person in the room with him. Just as his brain identified the owner of that unique scent, his eyes lifted to see Remy leaning propped up against the open door. The initial disgust he felt at himself for being too focused on venting his frustrations to notice the arrival of the other man quickly vanished, however. To be replaced by a white hot mix of panic and anticipation, as Remy slowly straightened and pressed the button to close the doors. Effectively sealing them off from the rest of the mansion's residents. Logan felt a shiver run down his spine at the indecipherable look on the tall thief's face when he began to casually walk about the room in slowly narrowing circles. Each pass bringing him closer and closer...

"What the hell are you doing, Remy?" His own voice sounded low and hoarse in his ears. The Cajun smiled at him, that same sly grin he'd given him in the kitchen earlier that morning.

"Remy jus' makin' sure we have some privacy, cher..." was the softly spoken reply from behind him. Logan suppressed another shiver at how close that voice sounded and fought to find his voice again.

"Privacy for what?" The sensation of long fingers trailing themselves up his back sent shockwaves through his body and every muscle froze. Every ounce of awareness focused on on the slow, torturous path of those fingers until they came to rest on the back of his neck. Felt the heat given off by the taller man as Remy leaned in closer to him. Felt his breath leave his lungs in a hiss at the soft breath of air that tickled his ear when the thief finally whispered into his ear.

"Remy t'ought maybe we finish what we started last night..." Then those lips - those god damned, unbelievably soft lips - were kissing the back of his neck and Logan swayed on his feet, a low groan tearing itself from his throat. The palm of one roughened hand burned like a brand against his bare skin, as it slid up inside the sweat dampened t-shirt he still wore, to knead at the muscles of his stomach. Logan moaned again, louder this time, and leaned into the stimulation. A tiny spark of reservation struggled past his addled senses and he fought to make it heard.

"Remy..."

"Oui, cher..." the Cajun murmured against his neck, the feeling of hot breath across damp skin sending another wild thrill cascading through Logan's body.

"I don't know what game you're playing, but -" The words had barely left his mouth, before all movement ceased. He found himself being whirled around and thrust up against the wall. A very angry looking thief in his face.

"Game? Is dat what you t'ink dis is - Remy playin' a game?!" Logan stared into the taller man's eyes, dazed by the depth of anger and pain he saw flashing there. Then he felt the knee being pressed between his leg, the hip that slowly ground against his groin, and his eyes rolled back as his head thrust backwards into the wall. Fingers tightened on the back of his neck as a low, heated voice continued to whisper in his ear. "Dat feel like a 'game', cher? Hmm?" A tongue flicked out against the pulse in his neck, the other man's hard erection pressed into his own hip, and Logan's knees felt suddenly weak. Then the Cajun stopped moving and he could feel his warm breath hovering inches from his lips. Forcing his own eyes open, Logan stared at the shuttered face before him.

"Remy not playin' any 'games', cher. He already said he knows what *he* wants. When you figure out what you want, you come talk to him..." The thief let go of the front of his shirt with a slight shove and was out the door before Logan could find his voice again. He lifted a shaking hand to wipe the beaded sweat from his brow, before slumping against the wall.

"Way to go, asshole..." he muttered into the stifling silence of the empty room. /Way to go.../

~~~~~~

Remy had been genuinely offended by his words... Logan stood under the shower head, hands flat against the tiled wall, and let the water run over his head to run in rivulets down his still body. Letting the hot spray wash away the stale sweat, leaving his mind free to dwell. Ever since that first kiss, he'd half convinced himself that the Cajun had been drunk. Hadn't cared who it was, so long as it was a warm body... Now he wasn't so sure. The wounded look he'd seen in the thief's eyes, before the rage swallowed it up, hadn't been feigned. - it had been too strong, run too deep for it to be anything but real. Logan had the sinking feeling that he may have irreversibly damaged a relationship that he no longer had a word for and, surprisingly, that bothered him. Not because he'd hurt a team mate. Not because he'd hurt a friend. But because he'd hurt someone who... cared about him. Someone, he was beginning to suspect, he himself cared a great deal about. And he had no idea how to repair the harm he'd caused with his unthinking words...

With a growl of frustration, he turned the water off and stepped out of the shower. After running a clean towel through his hair and over his skin with cursory roughness, he threw it into the hamper and pulled on a pair of jeans. Padding silently on bare feet back into his room, he slumped into a chair and stared morosely out the window. Replaying over and over in his mind the tormented look in those alluring red and black eyes... A soft, hesitant knock at his door snapped him out of his reverie with a growl.

"Yeah."

"Logan, it is I, Ororo... May I come in?" /Here it comes,/ he thought bitterly, /'send Storm up to find out what's wrong with him' time.../

"Door's unlocked." After a momentary pause, the door swung open and the white haired and ebony skinned woman walked in slowly. She carefully shut the door behind her, before turning to face where he still sat sprawled in the chair. Her eyes swept over him, quickly taking in his dejected and sullen demeanor, before finally meeting his eyes. The concern he saw there surprised him a little.

"Logan," she began, her voice soft and soothing. "Is there something troubling you?" As she spoke, she scanned the room for another seat, eventually settling herself on the corner of his bed. /Right on schedule.../, he sighed.

"What makes you think anything's wrong with me, 'Ro?" He raised an eyebrow, a small smile on his face.

"Well, for one thing, your... odd behaviour this morning." Her gaze was speculative as she continued to look at him, waiting for an answer. Logan turned his head back to the window, and was about to feed her a lie about having another round of nightmares, when she spoke again. Her voice even softer than before. Compassionate... "Logan... is it Remy?" His head whipped back around to face her so fast, he couldn've sworn he heard a bone crack.

"Why do you think that damn thief has anything to do with how I feel?" His voice was harsh and unsteady, and he cursed himself inwardly as he realized the very way he'd responded answered her question for him. The smile that spread from her eyes to her face only confirmed it.

"Logan," she chided softly, "anyone with eyes could see that your unsettled state increased greatly once Remy entered the room." Ororo hesitated for a slight moment over her next choice of words, and Logan's eyes narrowed. Chances were, he wasn't going to like what she had to say anymore than he liked the way the whole conversation was headed. "Also, Remy has spoken to me already." The air turned solid in his lungs and he had to choke out a reply.

"What?!" Ororo's eyes twinkled with amusement at the flush creeping across his cheeks, but her words remained soft and compassionate.

"Remy is a very private man. He does not often speak about matters that trouble his heart. But sometimes, he finds solace in a willing ear, and he has always honored me when those moments come. Recently," she said, lifting an eyebrow, "these talks have revolved more and more around a certain reclusive Canadian." Logan coughed harshly, in a vain attempt to hide the grin that was threatening to spread over his face. The damn thief had been talking, about *him*. Trying to cover the fact that that idea gave him a thrill of happiness, he forced his face into a frown and snorted derisively.

"Yeah, well, if he's so smitten, then why the hell has he been sleeping with everything that moves for the past three months?" The smile vanished from Ororo's eyes and she stared at him for a long moment, before leaning forwards.

"You tell me, Logan." Her words forced him to think about what he'd already been trying to force from his mind. Forced him to think... and what he realized surprised him.

"Because he's scared." /Just as scared as I am.../ he left unspoken. He looked up at her and found her smiling again.

"Yes, Logan. He is scared - scared of rejection, scared of the emotional pain that opening ourselves up to someone leaves us vulnerable to. One thing I do know about Remy, though, is that once he has made up his mind, his perserverance is admirable. Not unlike someone else I know..." He did grin this time, knowing full well just who those words were directed at. Seeing him finally smile, Ororo leaned back and continued. "So, Logan, have you made up *your* mind?" His grin slowly faded and he ran a tired hand over his face.

"I need a little more time to think, 'Ro... think I'll take a ride into town for a couple of beers. But yeah, I think I have..." The beatific smile she bestowed on him as she stood almost made the discomfort of talking about something so personal worth it.

"All right, Logan. But do not leave it too long?"

"I won't, 'Ro. Now get out of here so I can finish getting dressed." He cocked an eyebrow at her. "Unless you want to stay and help?" Her laugh rang out like the sound of bells and she walked swiftly to the door, turning once for a parting remark.

"No, Logan... although I do believe there is someone else who would be more than happy to accept your invitation." She closed the door on his barking laugh and Logan felt some of the weight that he'd held inside lift. A few beers to unwind, and then he and the Cajun were overdue for a talk.

~~~~~~

The smoke filled bar was the perfect place for Logan to find a quiet corner to be alone with his beer and his thoughts. Okay, his fifth beer and his thoughts... The other denizens of the bar were loud and raucous, standing in groups around the pool tables, hunched over the bar, and filling every other booth to capacity. And yet no one had challenged Logan to his claim on the corner booth in the back. One look into his eyes, and the only drunken slob who'd contemplated it had turned and walked away without a word. So there he was, with just his beer and his thoughts. The talk with Ororo had gone a long way towards resolving what it was he wanted. He couldn't kid himself any longer - he wanted the thief. Now that he knew that the other man had been watching him, had feelings for him, for far longer than he'd originally suspected, his reservations were vanishing one by one. Now he just had to figure out what he was going to *do* about it. If it'd been a woman, he'd have had no problems, no hesitations, in making his feelings known. But this... this was a whole new experience for him and for once, he was at a loss for what to do. Thanks to the heavy stench of smoke, alcohol and stale sweat, he didn't smell the man approaching behind him until a shadow spread across the table. His head started to turn, a scowl on his face, when the voice stopped him.

"Dis seat taken, cher?" Speak of the devil... His head continued its rotation, albeit far more slowly, and soon he was looking up at the tall thief. Who, underneath his trademark trenchcoat, was wearing a rich, emerald silk shirt that only served to outline every one of the muscles in his lean abdomen. He managed to drag his eyes up that torso until they met the other man's eyes. Eyes that were darkening at his obvious appreciation. He coughed and motioned at the seat opposite him.

"Nah... feel free..." With smooth grace, Remy slid into the booth and let his coat fall from his shoulders. Leaning forward, forearms on the table between them, he quirked an eyebrow.

"So, cher, dis de kind of place you like to spend your time, eh?" The red and black eyes scanned the room, amusement evident on his face. Logan laughed in response and those eyes turned back to him.

"Yeah, well, it is when I want a place to go and think." The amusement vanished from Remy's face and he leaned back slightly, his expression now guarded.

"Think... about what, cher?" The voice was carefully void of emotion but, beneath all other smells filling the room, Logan caught a wiff of fear and anxiety from the other man. And he felt his heart squeeze in response. How could he have ever doubted what Remy was feeling...

"Someone once said I needed to make up my mind about what I wanted. So I was making up my mind."

"And... have you?"

"Yeah, I have."

"What do you want then, Logan?" The Cajun's accent had thickened with each word and Logan wasn't sure he was even breathing any more as he waited for a reply. He stared for a long moment into his beer, before slowly raising his eyes to stare into the other man's.

"I want you, Remy." His voice was husky, and he could feel sweat slicking the palms of his hands, but well, he *had* made up his mind. No more hiding it. No more dancing around it. Remy's breath left his lungs with a soft hiss, the sly, sultry smile that spread over his face making Logan's mouth dry and his own breath quicken.

"Remy so glad to hear that, cher... So very glad..." The thief reached out and brushed his fingers across the back of Logan's hand. The contact sent a frisson of desire shooting through him and he jumped slightly. The Cajun's smile widened, a wicked glint entering his eyes. "Relax, cher, Remy don' bite... not unless you ask him to." Logan laughed low in his throat and turned his hand over, so that the fingers continued to stroke the palm of his hand.

"And maybe you've bitten off more than you can handle." It was Remy's turn to laugh and it was the kind of laugh that felt like velvet against Logan's skin. He shivered again and the fingers stroking his palm increased their pressure for a moment.

"Why don't we find out about that, cher?" The invitation was there in the thief's voice, his eyes hooded by his own desire, but Logan could still see a flash of uncertainty there. Worry that maybe he'd been too bold... Logan grabbed Remy's hand, stilling its motion and leaned in.

"Yeah, I think maybe we should get out of here. Now." The unease disappeared from the Cajun's eyes at the tone of Logan's voice and he leaned back.

"Dat sound like a damn fine idea, cher," he said, laughing as he stood. "But first, Remy gonna go use de men's room." He leaned in close to the still seated Logan and brushed his fingers lazily across one stubbled cheek. Logan felt himself beginning to harden and managed to growl out a response.

"Make it quick." The rich sound of the thief's laugh brushed against his insides, sending liquid heat through every cell.

"Nah, cher, Remy gonna make it slow. Real slow..." Then the man was gone, swaggering across the bar to the door set against the back wall. Logan let out a rough sigh and downed the remainder of his beer in one swallow. Just a few brief touches, and he could already feel the lust clouding his mind... "Damn Cajun's gonna be the death of me... " he muttered, chuckling under his breath. Hell, he felt more alive than he had in a very long time, and all because of the attention of one tall, lean charming thief...

He saw Remy exit the restroom and begin to make his way through the crowd towards him, the same sly smile back on his face as he noticed the way Logan's eyes followed his movements. As the Cajun passed one of the booths, a large, burly man slapped him on the ass and Logan heard one word distinctly - 'faggot'. A low growl began to build in his chest and he started to rise from his seat, as Remy turned to face the man, bending down to whisper something too low for Logan to hear. Then he was turning away, a smirk on his face. Apparently oblivious to the now red-faced drunk rising up behind him with a beer bottle in hand. The beer bottle snapped down to break against the table and Logan was moving before the sound had even died down. He shoved Remy roughly out of the way, raising his arm up to take the downward swing of the broken bottle. Felt the sharp glass tear right through his shirt and into his forearm, splattering blood onto the floor. The growl built until it became a snarl, as the edges of his vision began to tinge red.

"I was angry that you bothered my friend, bub, but now I'm really pissed off." The other man's smirk died on his face as he watched through the torn shirt as the wounds on Logan's arm slowly knit together and closed. He looked into the shorter man's enraged eyes, mouthed the word 'freak' silently, and began to back away. Logan started to move forward, when Remy's hand on the small of his back stopped him. Soft words from close behind his ear spliced through the rage and he took several deep breaths.

"Non, cher, he not worth it. We jus' go now, and all is forgotten, non?" The large man's head nodded so fast, it was a wonder it didn't fall from his thick neck. Logan sighed and shook himself, letting the rage bleed out of him, but he stared at the other man for a long moment before nodding himself. Then Remy was handing him his jacket and guiding him out the door.

In the cold air of the parking lot, Logan looked from where he'd parked the jeep to where Remy's Harley stood.

"So..." he coughed, uncertain of what to say next. Uncertain of what to *do* next.

"So..." came the soft whisper in his ear, a strong hand running up inside the front of his jacket. Long fingers splaying against his suddenly heaving chest... "Remy t'ink we take de bike back to de mansion, non? Such a fine night for a ride..." Logan nodded mutely, mouth gone dry again, and let the thief take his hand and lead him to the bike. Watched as Remy swung one long leg over it and patted the seat behind him. "Hop on, cher." Before his nervousness could get the better of him, Logan swung up behind the taller man and settled down against the leather seat. Strong hands reached back to grab his arms and wrap them around the thief's waist. "Now hold on tight, cher - wouldn' want you fallin' off now."

"No need to worry about that," Logan muttered, distracted by the feel of that lean, muscled torso underneath his hands. That, and the growing hardness in his groin... As if reading his mind, Remy shifted his hips until his ass sat snugly between Logan's thighs and he couldn't stifle the groan that escaped his lips at the delicious friction. Anything else was lost against the roar of the engine as Remy started the bike and tore out of the parking lot at a speed that had Logan's arms tightening instantly. A sensation the thief didn't seem to mind, as he leaned back a little into the embrace and pointed the bike towards the mansion. Logan relaxed after a few moments, and let his cheek fall to rest against the soft trenchcoat, revelling in the unique, spicy fragrance that was Remy with each breath, and the feel of those taut muscles against his fingers. He found himself looking forward to what it would feel like to run his fingers over that bare skin with an eagerness that surprised him. And yet... it felt right. He smiled against the Cajun's shoulder and let himself get lost in the sensations, trusting the thief to get them home in one piece.

~~~~~~

 
They were less than half way home when he made another decision - Remy was trying to torture him to death. The Cajun took every turn at a speed that forced Logan to wrap his arms tighter around the lean body in front of him, fitting those narrow hips even more snugly against the front of his painfully tight jeans. In fact, he realized, a grin spreading across his face, they were taking the straightaways at a relatively sedate speed. Yet, every time they approached another curve in the road, the thief would open the bike up again... Logan's shoulders shook with silent laughter - Remy was obviously all too aware of the effect he was having on him and was milking it for all it was worth. /But payback's a bitch.../

Logan let his arms relax their tight grip around the Cajun's waist, one hand sliding inside the open trench coat to rest on the wonderfully soft silk of the thief's shirt. The fabric felt like water brushing over his fingertips, as he began to massage at the tight muscles of Remy's abdomen. With nothing to separate their flesh but the wafer thin shirt, he could feel the Cajun's breathing quicken at his touch. Felt his own heart begin to thud in his ears, as he marvelled over the definition of each hard muscle. He let his hand work its way up the long torso to the chest, rubbing his cheek against Remy's shoulder like a contented cat as he felt a shudder run through the taller man's body. Splayed his fingers across that incredible chest and felt the heart that pounded so hard, it made his fingers vibrate with each beat. He stayed like that for a long moment, just feeling that strong heartbeat underneath his hand, feeling the heat of the thief's body seep through the silk to warm his own skin. Letting it really, truly sink in that, with just the barest of touches, this tall, enigmatic man was turning his whole world inside out. Was turning *him* inside out. He'd felt desire before, but nothing that even approached the strength of what he was feeling now. It threatened his control, put his confidence on fragile, shaky ground - and he found that strangely exhilirating.

The darkened woods bordering the words fell away, as his whole world narrowed down to the body that lay beneath his hands. He ran his hand across Remy's chest until he felt his fingers graze a hardened nipple. With slow, light movements, he began to circle the taut nub through the silk and Remy's body gave another wild shiver, pressing back against him, the sides of the trenchcoat flapping back to cover his own legs. Grinning wolfishly, Logan leaned upwards and ran an experimental tongue over the skin at the back of the Cajun's neck. The bike lurched erratically beneath them, before suddenly picking up speed. He bit down on a laugh. /Guess the slow, scenic ride home is over.../

~~~~~~

The Harley roared up the long drive leading to the mansion, stopping in a spray of gravel in front of the main doors. Logan's hands were still splayed across Remy's chest and abdomen, as the thief popped the stand and leaned the bike on it. Before he could react, Remy was arching his body backwards, his head coming to rest on Logan's shoulder. Long, strong fingers twined themselves in his hair and yanked his head downwards. The force of the kiss sent electric shocks running through him and his mouth instantly opened to the tongue that demanded entrance. His eyes slid shut and his hands tightened around the silk covering Remy's chest, as the thief's tongue danced across his teeth before engaging with his. The remembered taste of whiskey and smoke and spice set Logan's head swimming and he moaned into the other man's mouth. He felt Remy's lips quirk into a sly grin at the sound and then his lower lip was being pulled into the thief's hot mouth. There was the sharp pain of teeth breaking soft skin and then that tongue - that sweet, sweet tongue - was laving at the wound, suckling it like a babe. Logan groaned louder and let his hands slide down the long expanse of the thief's body, falling to rest on the tops of Remy's spread legs, his fingers digging into the tight muscles of his inner thighs. The Cajun broke the kiss at the caress, his open mouth gasping for air next to Logan's cheek.

"Cher... Remy t'ink maybe we best take dis inside now, non?" The passion roughened voice felt like whisper against his very soul, and Logan found his stomach tightening into knots at the promises it held. Unable to find his voice within the turmoil of desire racing through him, he nodded mutely, his hands reluctantly sliding off Remy's thighs. In a blur of motion, the thief was swinging his long leg before him, over the bike, and standing at his side. The moonlight shone down through the taller man's hair, turning it the deep ruby of dried blood, to accentuate the aristocratic high cheekbones of his lean face, and finally played across full passion-bruised lips. Lips that quirked into another slow, sensual smile at the glazed expression on Logan's face. Logan dragged his eyes up to meet Remy's and found himself drowning in them. The meager light seemed to get swallowed up the moment it touched the surface of those impossibly darkened eyes and yet, flaring brightly against the darkness, the red pupils burned like twin bonfires. Lust, desire, passion, want, need - all these swam across those eyes and Logan had to swallow past the sudden tightening of his throat. At that moment, nothing else in the world existed but the man before him. The man who was taking hold of his hand, pulling him from the bike and up the steps to the mansion. The man who pinned him to those doors for one last kiss that left Logan's knees weak, before wrenching the door open and pushing him inside.

Even though dimly lit, the hallway lights of the large old building were incredibly bright by comparison to the night they'd come in from, and Logan squinted his eyes as he tried to adjust to the change. Remy, whose eyes apparently adjusted far quicker than his own, continued to lead him by the hand up the long, winding staircase to the second floor. By the time they reached the empty hall, his eyes had compensated and he was able to make out the door at the end of the corridor that the thief was impatiently pulling him towards. His heart seemed to beat impossibly loud in his ears, and his lungs labored for air. He wanted this... he wanted this... Then why the hell did he suddenly feel like turning and running? Before his mind could even attempt to wrap itself around that riddle, they ground to a halt outside the Cajun's bedroom. Remy pushed the door open and turned to him, wicked eyes glinting and mouth spreading into a grin. A grin that sobered and died when he saw the wide eyed look on Logan's face, a face tight with the beginnings of panic. The thief's expression softened and he reached a hand up to stroke gently at his cheek.

"Cher... what's wrong?" The sincere concern in the man's voice broke through the panic that was threatening to choke him and Logan shook his head slowly.

"I'm just... I'm.... nervous." He coughed on the last word, feeling the blush of embarrassment colour his cheeks. The hand stroking his cheek stilled for a moment, before cupping his chin. He hesitantly raised his eyes to meet the taller man's, and saw warm, smiling eyes looking down at him.

"Shh, cher, dere not'ing to be nervous about..." Remy whispered, as he leaned in closer, his body barely brushing against Logan's. "You change your mind?" At the mute shake of Logan's head, he continued. "Den don' worry so much..." A soft kiss on his cheek sent a shiver running through him, chasing the panic away with returning desire. "Remy wanted dis for long time... He gonna take care of you, cher... gonna give you a night you *never* forget..." Logan could smell the other man's arousal and it fed his own, fanning it impossibly higher. A soft moan fell from his lips as he leaned in the final distance separating them, his hands grasping tightly at Remy's waist. Warm, strong arms came up to encircle him, pulling him to the thief's chest, as lips brushed against his temple. Firm hands slid down his back to his ass, tearing another moan from him as his groin was pulled against Remy's muscular thigh. Sultry, honeyed tones dripped from a voice that whispered in his ear, "Nervous still, cher?"

"No..." It was barely more than a rough growl, but Remy chuckled softly and pulled away to look down at him. The heat in those eyes burned into his skin and Logan's tongue slid out to lick at suddenly dry lips. Remy's eyes followed the motion and then he was being pulled through the opened doorway. A quick movement of the thief's hand to the wall next to him and low light sprung up from the corner of the sparsely furnished room. Logan's eyes had barely registered the pile of books in one corner, the single wood chair and desk against the far window, and the black satin sheets covering the large bed, when he was being pressed up against the now closed door by Remy. Whose eyes locked with his, as long fingers slowly slipped inside his leather jacket, running up his chest to his shoulders and sliding the jacket from them to fall forgotten on the floor. The look alone that the thief was giving him, was making his jeans feel increasingly tight, and Logan could hear his own breath growing harsher and louder in the quiet room.

Remy leaned in closer to him, one hand massaging the muscles of his neck as the back of the other grazed along the front of his shirt as it made its way down to his belt buckle. All of Logan's senses sharpened, focusing on the path of that hand. On the slight tug at his waist, as Remy skillfully undid the buckle one handed... At the mouth that hovered just in front of his own... He heard the rasp of the zipper as it was dragged slowly downwards and his lips parted in a soft groan at the release of pressure against his painfully hardened erection. Lips that were suddenly claimed in by a crushing kiss from the tall thief, at the same time as an incredibly hot hand slid inside his jeans to close around him. He cried out at the wave of pleasure that washed through him, arching his back and tilting his head upwards into the kiss, as his own hands flew up to scrabble for purchase against the smooth silk covering the Cajun's back.

"You like dat, cher?" Remy whispered hoarsely against his lips, the hand inside his jeans tightening slightly as it stroked along the hard length of his engorged cock. Logan moaned again in response, thrusting his own tongue into the thief's mouth and pressing his hips forwards into the other's hand. Remy pulled back from the kiss, a sensual smile playing across his lips as he stared down into Logan's flushed face. "Remy t'ink you like dis better..." he said softly, as both hands slid beneath Logan's jeans and gently guided them down over his hips. "Much better..." Then the thief was slowly lowering himself along the length of Logan's taut body, eyes locked on his, until finally he knelt with his face inches from his groin. With a devilish smile, he bent his head forwards, his tongue flicking out to taste at the drops of precum that dripped from the tip of Logan's cock. The sensation sent a bolt shooting through Logan, and his head slammed back against the wood door, his hands gripping Remy's shoulders tightly as the Cajun slowly drew his length into that incredibly hot mouth. Inch, by torturous inch, he felt as if he were being engulfed by a wet furnace... Remy's tongue swirled around him, as he began to suck - bending his neck slightly for a better angle, as he started a rhythmic bobbing motion that had Logan's body threatening to shake into pieces within minutes. He could feel his fingers digging into the muscles of the thief's shoulders, but the kneeling man made no sound of complaint. Only rolled his eyes to look up at the darkened blue eyes staring down at him, before raising a hand to squeeze at the base as he continued to suckle the tip.

"Oh god... Remy.... jesus.... oh god.... " Logan managed to groan, between gasps for air. He bit down hard on his lip, as he felt himself rapidly approaching climax. He didn't want it to end so quickly, but the Cajun was showing no signs of letting up and he could no longer hold it off. "Remy... god, Remy... I'm gonna..." With a final shuddering cry, his body slammed backwards into the wall, his hips thrusting involuntarily as he came in long, hot spurts deep into Remy's throat. He could feel the other man swallowing and the sensation sent another shudder through him. Finally, Remy licked him clean with a few strokes of his tongue and then climbed back up his body, to lean against him as he struggled to catch his breath.

"Like dat better, cher?" came the amused voice in his ear and Logan let out a shaky laugh.

"Much..." He could feel the stubble on the Cajun's chin scrape his neck as he grinned.

"Dat was not'in, cher... Remy ain't finished wit' you yet..." Those last, whispered words sent another shiver of desire racing down his spine and Logan's eyes rolled up as lips began to kiss and nibble at his neck. "Remy ain't even close to finished yet..."

~~~~~~

With his eyes still closed, Logan felt the fingers of Remy's hand whisper up his back, to entwine themselves once again in his hair. Stroking softly across his scalp before tightening, urging him to bare his neck further to the hard kisses that threatened to bruise his skin. And once again, Logan felt that same curious thrill run through him at giving himself over to Remy's ministrations, to his control. In all his experience, in all his self-perception, he could never have imagined he would find assuming a passive role during sex so alluring, so exciting. And yet, here he was, pressed up against a door by the lean body of the man whose every touch sent electricity shooting through him. That body, all angles and taut muscle, rubbing up against him and threatening to drive him out of his mind, even as he felt a renewed stirring in his groin...

Remy's free hand slid inside his shirt, kneading at the muscles of his back. Stretching and pulling the skin, until a soft moan tore itself from Logan's lips. The heat from the thief's hand felt like it was branding his flesh and suddenly it wasn't enough - he needed more. His own hands rose up and impatiently pushed the trenchcoat from Remy's shoulders, fingers flying to undo the buttons of his silk shirt. A shirt that fell to the floor in a shimmering puddle of green, leaving a smooth expanse of bare skin beneath his fingertips. He closed his eyes again, letting his hands map out in touch alone the lines and curves of hard muscle as they stretched themselves across the Cajun's abdomen. Remy's lips momentarily stilled and he could feel the hot exhalation of a sigh against his neck. His lips quirked in a grin as he slowly trailed his hands upwards, fingers tracing small circles along the way, until his thumbs brushed over hardened nipples. He rolled the tight nubs between thumb and forefinger and, this time, Remy gasped aloud. The taller man pressed himself into the sensation, the solid ridge of his erection poking into Logan's stomach and eliciting an answering groan from him.

Suddenly, he felt Remy's one hand untwist itself from his hair and join the other beneath his shirt. Then both were bunching the fabric and pushing it up over his head, the thief's lips leaving his neck only long enough for the cloth to pass. Almost before his nerves had registered the loss, that hot mouth was sealed over his skin again, licking and biting with greater urgency as they followed a path up to his ear. Remy's passion roughened voice breathed into his ear, sending another wave of lust crashing through him.

"Remy t'ink we move dis to de bed now, cher..." Then the thief was sliding down the front of his body again, fingers lingering on his thighs as warm lips placed a soft kiss on the tip of his rigid cock. His heart seemed to leap into his throat and his lungs labored for air, as he felt hands gently encircle his ankles. Remy's soft voice finally reached him and he struggled to make sense of the words over the haze of desire cloaking his mind. "Cher... lift your leg... Remy need to take your boots off..." Without a word, he complied - bracing his weight against the door, even as his knees threatened to give in. In short time, his remaining clothes joined the growing pile on the floor and he stood, fully naked, against the door.

Remy smiled at him as he slowly climbed to his feet again, a sensual smile below glittering, dark eyes. The kind of smile that felt like it was caressing every inch of his bare skin and sent Logan's head spinning. Left him leaning against the wood, his own eyes gazing out from beneath lids heavy with lust and want and need, his mouth parted as the sound of his own ragged breaths filled his ears. Continued to watch as Remy's smile grew lazy and playful. As the taller man kicked his soft leather boots off and reached a hand out to him. He stared at it for a long moment, part of him still rebelling at the thought of being 'led' anywhere. Long enough for one of Remy's eyebrows to arch in concern.

"Somet'ing wrong, cher?" A feral grin split his face and, before the other man could react, he had his hand around Remy's wrist and was jerking him up against him. Remy's other eyebrow shot up to join its twin and his voice lost some of its surety when he spoke again. "Cher?"

"Just didn't want you to think I was tame, that's all..." Logan whispered hoarsely against the other man's lips, scant inches from his own. Lips that resumed that same maddeningly seductive smile at his words.

"Ah, but cher, Remy never t'ink dat... He never make dat mistake..." Smooth as liquid silk, those words... They stoked the fire already burning in his belly, like the long slow burn of a shot of whiskey. One that spiraled out of control and burnt his brief need to assert himself to so many ashes when Remy dipped his head forwards and he felt those lips against the soft skin beneath his ear.

Logan let Remy lead him to the bedside and gently push him down onto the midnight satin sheets. He lay there, letting himself get lost in the sensation of soothing coolness against his too too hot skin, while Remy stripped from his own pants. In unabashed nakedness, the tall thief bent before the night table and the two red pillar candles that Logan could see standing there. Murmuring something under his breath in his native patois, so low that even Logan's enhanced hearing could barely make out the words, before striking a match and lighting their wicks. More from curiosity, than a need to break the silence of the room, Logan spoke.

"You praying, Cajun?" Remy cast him a sly smile before straightening.

"It never hurt to appeal to whoever be listenin', cher..."

"Bet your other dates just loved that," Logan snorted, pushing down the unsettling thought of being just one of many, and forced a grin onto his own face. Remy stopped his movements and stared down at him. Eyes glittering in the mix of low candlelight and artificial lighting. Hooded and unreadable. His voice, when he finally spoke was low and, oddly devoid of offense. His words were soft, but steady.

"Remy wouldn' know, cher. He never bothered before..." Then the thief was moving across the floor and flicking off the lightswitch. As the atmosphere of the room descended into smoky, flickering shadows, and the meaning behind Remy's words continued to elude him, Logan's hesitant voice once again broke the silence.

"Why not?" The lean Cajun stood immobile near the door, hand still on the lightswitch. Eyes already adjusting to the dim light, Logan could see his head bow slightly with his whispered words.

"Maybe cause it never mattered to Remy before. Maybe because you make Remy nervous, cher..." That admission, so softly spoken but so honestly given, startled Logan.

"*I* make *you* nervous?" No sooner had the words left his lips than Remy was gliding across the room. The light making his skin glow golden in its reflection, each muscle in that long, lean torso accentuated and defined. Logan's eyes unconsciously drifted from the thief's face, down along that beautiful expanse of taut skin and he could feel the heat inside him rising ever higher. When Remy's path ended at the side of the bed, he managed to drag his eyes back up to look at him. The eyes looking down at him were filled with that familiar wicked glint, and the voice was like a brush of velvet and bourbon, silk and cigarette smoke, against his ears.

"Oui, cher. But only cause Remy want badly for dis to be somet'ing you never forget, cher..."

"I ain't forgetting this any time soon, Remy..." Voice rough, struggling to pass throat muscles that tightened beneath that regard. The glint in the Cajun's eyes grew with his words, and Logan felt like he was melting into the sheets below him.

"Turn onto your stomach, cher..." Soft, honeyed words. Not a command, but not a request. Somewhere in between... Logan felt knots of uncertainty build in his stomach, as he slowly complied. The brush of sheer fabric across his aching hard on dragging a low groan from his lips.

"Remy..." The uncertainty he felt bled into his voice, and Remy bent to gently kiss the top of his left shoulder, eyes staring into his as he did so.

"Relax, cher... Remy not gonna hurt you..." One hand tracing soothing patterns on Logan's back, Remy leaned over and picked up a small bottle from the night table. The oil inside glistened and shimmered in the candle light and, as soon as the thief uncapped it, the smell of sweet almonds assaulted Logan's nose. Warming him and lulling him into relaxation, even as Remy began to pour the massage oil onto his broad back. At the first touch of Remy's strong fingers against his tensed muscles, he let his eyes slide shut and gave himself over to the experience. To the indescribable bliss of those nimble digits digging out each and every knot, kneading and rolling them until they unraveled. Slick hands stretching and massaging the skin of his back until he felt as if he were sinking through the mattress. So lost was he in the whirl of tactile sensations, he didn't register the shift of weight on the bed until he felt Remy settling down against him. His naked body straddling his waist...

The bliss he was feeling shot right off the charts, as the thief's lithe body stretched out along his, chest just barely touching his back. Strong hands rubbing his shoulders in a slower rhythm, as a warm, moist tongue licked a trail up the back of his neck. His body shuddered in ripples beneath Remy and involuntarily arched up into the sensation. Flicks of the tongue were replaced by gentle love bites and kisses across his shoulders, as Remy murmured soft, encouraging words against his skin. Words that made no sense to his pleasure distracted mind, but stroked his sensitive hearing as if it were an extension of his skin. Nerve synapses sparked, fired, and endorphins spiraled ever higher in his blood stream, with each word, each caress. Kisses lingered in a slow path along his spine, hands dancing along his sides. Touching every curve, every muscle, until it felt like his skin was aflame...

Remy's mouth traced the small of his back and he felt hands, hands that felt incredibly hot against his sensitized skin, slide along the insides of his thighs, gently parting his legs. Then a finger trailed across his perineum and he bit down hard on the pillow, a long, low groan escaping through clenched teeth, at the ecstasy that simple touch sent shooting through him. The pressure in his cock was agonizing and he ground his hips against the sheets, gasping aloud as that same finger slowly circled his tight opening.

"Remy... oh god... please..." He was out of his head with desire and need, his pleas growing increasingly incoherent against the damp pillowcase as Remy continued to tease him. When he was absolutely certain he could take no more, he suddenly felt the oiled finger slide inside of him. He cried out against the invasion, dull pain jerking his hips instinctively away from Remy. The low, soothing sound of Remy's passion roughened voice crept through the pounding in his ears.

"Relax, cher... Jus' relax... Remy not gonna hurt you... He gonna make you feel real good..." Even as he struggled to make his body obey, he felt the finger work its way past the tightly clenched outer ring of muscle and then stop. Slowly, agonizingly slowly, his muscles began to relax around Remy's finger and he sighed into the pillow. That's when Remy crooked his finger, brushing against his prostate, and white, blinding pleasure ripped through him.

"Remy! Oh god... oh god...." he screamed into the pillow, hips suddenly thrusting backwards, craving more. With a steady rhythm, Remy began to pump his finger inside of him and Logan's mind splintered into a thousand, ecstatic pieces. Soon a second and then a third finger joined the first, gently stretching Logan, even as they drove him closer to nirvana. His breath was coming in harsh pants, nostrils flared wide, as he arched his body up off the bed. He was so close... so close...

Without warning, the fingers withdrew, tearing a whimper of protest from Logan's mouth. He managed to turn weakened neck muscles far enough so he could look over his shoulder, find out why Remy had suddenly stopped. What he saw made his heart climb into his throat, his lungs struggle to keep breathing. Remy knelt behind him, long fingers slowly coating his own cock with massage oil. Hooded eyes staring down at him with such want, such unconcealed desire, it threatened to turn Logan's shaking legs to jelly.

Then Remy's body was covering him. One hand brushing his hard erection against the back of Logan's scrotum, as the other crept around his hips to encircle Logan's thick shaft. A low, animal groan tore from his chest at the dual stimulation, Remy's lips leaving a searing trail of kisses along his arched neck until they reached his ears.

"Remy wanna be inside you, cher..." came the velvet voice against the soft skin behind his ear, a kiss gently following. Asking permission...

"Please..." One word. That's all he was capable of, but he managed to fill it with all of the want and need he felt inside. Remy's lips locked against his skin, sucking and biting, as he slowly slid inside of Logan.

The pressure was incredible. The pain of being filled so beyond anything he'd ever experienced, all he could do was collapse against his forearms. Breath coming in sharp hitches, as his body struggled to accommodate itself to this new sensation... Finally, the pain began to fade against the pleasure of Remy's mouth on his neck, of the hand that had never ceased stroking his cock. Slowly, Remy began to move inside of him, and the pain vanished completely.

When he moved his own hips back against Remy, the slow grind stopped and the tall thief began to thrust into him. Slowly at first, hesitantly. Until Logan's low growling moans of pleasure joined those breathing into his ear, and he thrust back, impaling himself deeper. Then the thrusts became harder, faster, the harsh pants of the Cajun giving way to a heated jumble of broken words.

"Oh cher... Logan... you so damn tight... so good, cher..." The hand gripping Logan's weeping erection tightened, its caresses growing rougher, driving him right to the edge. Remy's teeth sinking into the skin of his shoulder provided the final push. Logan came violently, screaming Remy's name into the pillow between his teeth as his ejaculate spilled over the thief's fist. One, two, three more thrusts and Remy was shouting his name, sending his own seed deep into his lover's still shuddering body. Both men collapsed against the damp sheets, struggling to recover from the intense pleasure racking their bodies. Remy rolled them onto their sides, one hand holding Logan tight against him, as the other fought to pull the sheet up to cover them. Logan was rapidly losing the battle with sleep and he tried desperately to speak before he gave in. Tried to make his mouth form words... A soft finger against his lips and a tender kiss on the back of his neck stopped him.

"Merci, cher... T'ank you... Now sleep..." No longer able to keep his eyes open, Logan sighed and relaxed into the arms wrapped so tightly around him. Gave himself over to exhaustion and the warmth of Remy's embrace, and slept.

~~~~~~

*FLASH* Immobility... blinding pain....
*FLASH* Lights... so bright... can't scream...

"Cher?"

*FLASH* Masked faces... glint of sharp metal...

"Cher... réveilles-toi..."

*FLASH* PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN

"Cher! Réveilles-toi!"

Logan snapped awake, a scream dying on his lips as his body tried to arch upwards off the bed. A firm hand on his chest forced him back down as his lungs struggled for air. As his eyes slowly adjusted to the darkness of the room, he could make out Remy's face hovering over him, eyebrows furrowed with concern. He lifted a shaky hand to rub the beaded sweat from his face, a harsh sigh falling from his mouth as his eyes closed tight against the remnants of panic still coursing through him.

"Wanna talk about it, cher?" The sound of the Cajun's low voice was soothing in his ears, as the other man propped himself up on one elbow, his other hand gently brushing dampened hair from Logan's forehead.

"Nightmare..." His own voice sounded hoarse and rough in the quiet of the room, as though raw from hours of screaming, and he felt a surge of uneasiness over how vulnerable he'd made himself to sleep next to someone. Cracking his eyes, he was surprised to see the expression of tender sympathy on Remy's face and felt his heart squeeze in his chest.

"You have dese... nightmares often, cher?"

"Sometimes every night, sometimes a week goes by without one, but... yeah, often enough..." Logan whispered, the memories of what he'd dreamed already fading, the emotions they'd stirred up lingering more tenaciously. Something akin to pain flickered across the taller man's face and then Remy was slipping an arm behind his head, pulling Logan into a tight embrace. He tensed for a long moment, resisting the offered comfort as instincts of self-preservation screamed at him to show no further weakness. /Fuck it/, he thought bitterly, forcing his muscles to relax in the circle of the other man's arms. /I'm tired of it... Tired of waking up terrified and alone... Don't wanna deal with it anymore... Too tired.../ As exhaustion began to take hold once again, he felt Remy place a soft kiss against his hair.

"S'okay, cher... relax ... no one gonna hurt you now, cher... Remy won' let dem..." The gentle lilt of the velvet accent lulled Logan and his eyes began to slide shut. His mind not registering the continued whispers as sleep claimed him once more. "Not alone anymore, cher... no more..."

~~~~~~~~~

He was having another nightmare. Thick viscous liquid was smothering him and he couldn't break free from the restraints binding him. As his terror built, he could feel Remy shaking him, trying to get through to him through the panic. He couldn't break free... The sharp pain in his knuckles and a soft, gurgling gasp brought his eyes open in an instant. To find his claws embedded in Remy's chest, dark blood spilling across his hand as the Cajun stared back at him with confused reproach in his eyes. Eyes whose red glow dimmed and faded as Logan looked on in horror. Snapping the blades back into their sheaths with a sick, sucking sound, Remy gave one last wet sigh before collapsing motionless against the sheets. Logan threw back his head and howled in agony. "No!!!!!!!!!!!"

~~~~~~~~~

Lungs laboring in terrified panic, Logan's eyes snapped open. It was a long moment before the sound of deep breathing and the feel of warm arms tight around him registered over the roaring in his ears. /Oh god... thank god... just a dream.../

Logan shifted within the other man's embrace, earning a muttered protest, turning so that he could see the Cajun's face. Even in the darkness of the room, he could make out Remy's delicate features and he spent a long moment just letting his eyes linger over that face. In sleep, Remy's face had softened, losing that careful guarded look that was always there during his waking hours. He looked peaceful, angelic - innocent. Looking down on that beautiful face, Logan felt a stab of pain as memories of his dream came crashing down on him. He could've killed him. How it could happen any time, with such horrific ease. One nightmare, bad enough to release the claws, and all the love inside him wouldn't be able to save the man sleeping beside him. He couldn't risk it. No amount of peace, no amount of pleasure was worth that kind of loss.

Feeling as if his heart were cracking to pieces inside of an aching chest, Logan slowly slid out of the embrace and from beneath the sheets. Remy mumbled in his sleep, hand reflexively tightening against the still warm spot where Logan had lay, before he sank deeper into sleep again. Silently

pulling his jeans on, Logan picked up his shirt and shoes and turned for the door. His hand stilled on the knob and he closed his eyes against the pain inside. Against the urge to go back to that bed and those arms.

Turning slowly, he looked one last time at the lean body sprawled so unselfconsciously across the satin sheets. When his eyes began to sting, he bit back a low snarl and turned back to the door.

"It's better this way..." he whispered, before yanking the door open, stepping into the empty hall and pulling it shut behind him. /This way, no one gets hurt.../

~~~~~~~~~

Once again, Logan found himself the center of attention when he stalked into the kitchen just after dawn. This time, only Scott and Ororo were present -Jean had flown down to D.C. for hearings before the Senate on the proposed Mutant Registration Bill. Scott uttered a curt, "Logan", by way of greeting and stood sippind his coffee. Face, as always, an unreadable mask beneath those glasses. Ororo looked up from her breakfast at the table, the smile on her face dying when she took in the dark circles around his eyes and the palpable dark cloud hovering around him. He ignored them both, grabbing a mug of black coffee and slumping into a chair in the corner.

He'd done the right thing. He knew he had. He couldn't risk hurting Remy. So why did it hurt so damn much? Lost as he was in his thoughts, the slight sound of movement in the hallway and the steadily increasing scent of the Cajun was all the preparation Logan needed to school his face into an emotionless mask.

Remy's hair was still damp from the shower and there was a bounce to his step as he swept into the kitchen, slapping Scott on the back and almost making the other man choke on his coffee, as he turned a brilliant smile on Ororo.

"How's Remy's favorite goddess dis mornin', eh?" The grin on the Cajun's face began to fade as he took in the tight concern on Ororo's, her eyes flickering to where Logan sat silently. The smile fell completely as Logan stood without a word. "Cher?" The confusion in Remy's voice tore at Logan's control. He had to get out of there. *Now*. Not stopping to acknowledge the thief's words, Logan pushed roughly past him and fled the kitchen.

It was the right thing to do. It had to be...

~~~~~~~~~

Between occupying himself with making repairs out at the boathouse, and working on his bike in the garage, Logan managed to avoid the Cajun for most of the afternoon. The thought that he wasn't really trying all that hard to hide, that both places would have been obvious to anyone who knew him, was ruthlessly crushed. As was the more painful thought that Remy wasn't even looking for him.

Throwing down a wrench with a muttered curse, Logan climbed to his feet. All the pain and anger and frustration was driving him insane. Only one way to burn off that kind of tension. Wiping the grease from his hands, he stalked into the mansion and headed for the Danger Room and a few rounds of mind-numbing violence.

He'd only just entered the room and was standing at the console, keying in the simulations he wanted, when he heard the hydraulic doors slide shut with a bang. Nostrils flaring, he felt his heart begin to thud against his ribcage as the thief's scent washed over him. Turning slowly, he slapped a scowl on his face.

Remy was standing inside the door, hands clenched into fists at his side, eyes glittering dangerously.

"You got a problem, Gumbo? I'm trying to work out, here," he growled roughly, avoiding meeting those eyes directly.

"Oh, oui, Remy got a problem, homme... He wanna know why you take off in de middle of de night wit'out even a 't'ank you', and den treat him like de plague in de middle of de damn kitchen!" Whoa. The kid was definitely pissed...

"Yeah, well, it was fun while it lasted, but I got better things to do," Logan bit out, turning back to the console. /Hurt him. Make him think you don't want him. Then he'll back off.../

"Better t'ings to do? Like runnin', homme? Jus' a quick tumble all you wanted from Remy, eh?" The voice was low, the accent thick with anger and something else. Something Logan didn't want to identify. He spun back around at the accusation, forcing anger onto his own face.

"I don't run, kid. And I don't want anything from you." Remy's eyes narrowed in repsponse.

"You forgetin' Remy's an empat', homme... He know you're lyin'... An' ain't eit'er of us leavin' dis room til you tell him why you runnin' from what you feel." Logan could feel the bottom of his stomach drop out with that harshly delivered promise, and he watched helplessly as Remy's fingers punched in the code that would keep the door sealed against intrusion. Locking them both inside...

For several long moments, neither man moved. Neither man spoke.... They simply stood and stared at one another - Remy leaning back against the sealed door, the relaxed posture belied by the coiled tension rippling through the lean body, and Logan standing stock still in the middle of the room, hands clenching and unclenching at his sides. Finally the strained silence was too much for him and Logan shook his head. Taking a step backwards and turning away, his words were tight and measured.

"Give it up, Gumbo. It's over. There's nothing to talk about." The only warning he had over the other man's movement was the slight sound of displaced air and then a hand was clamping down hard on his shoulder and spinning him back around. The Cajun's eyes were glowing with a rage the intensity of which Logan had seldom seen outside of battle.

"Non, homme, ain' not'ing over til Remy say it is," the tall thief bit out, one long finger jabbing into Logan's broad chest for emphasis. "Dis ain' about just you, Logan, dis about *us*. Comprends? Last night, Remy t'ought maybe dat t'ings 'tween us were finally goin' somewhere. Somewhere more dan just a quick fuck..." The bitterness in the Cajun's voice gave way to dripping disdain as his expression grew cool and shuttered. "Now you sayin' dat ain' so. Your heart don' say dat, but your mout' is. Remy got jus' one question - why?" Black on red eyes locked with blue and Logan found himself beginning to drown once more in those eyes. One heartbeat, then two... A third and a harshly released breath before he could look away. Lift his gaze to focus on the wall behind one narrow shoulder, a mask of indifference sliding onto his own face as he struggled to bury the conflicting emotions inside beneath the conviction to do what was *right*.

"Listen, Remy, I'm sorry if you got the wrong impression, but I was never looking for anything more than just that. You'll get over it. Now, if you'll just let me get back to what I was doing..." Once more, Logan turned his back on the silent thief, every muscle in his body screaming to head in the opposite direction than the one he was moving in. To move towards, not away... It was one quietly hissed word that brought him to a grinding halt.

"Coward." Eyes narrowing as his nostrils began to flare with the beginnings of rage, Logan slowly turned to face the Cajun. Who, for his part, was watching him with a sneer on his face.

"What did you just say?" Each word bitten off, voice struggling to speak past the nearly overwhelming desire to wipe that smug look off of the other man's face.

"You a coward, Logan. De big bad Wolverine got scared an' now he ain' man enough to face dat fear, so he jus' gonna run. Run away an' hide..." The broiling emotions inside of Logan all erupted into a sharp spike of anger that sent reason hurtling right out the window. A loud growl erupting from his chest, he charged the other man. In one smooth motion, Remy snapped open his bo staff and vaulted cleanly over him. Lithe body twisting in mid-air, the thief planted both feet right in the middle of Logan's back and sent him slamming face first into the wall. Shaking off the bone jarring impact, Logan spun back around to find Remy leaning on his staff and watching him, expression still calm and unflustered. Anger still maintaining the upper hand, Logan rushed him again.

This time, he tried to anticipate the other man's moves and shifted to the side just as the Cajun made to move out of his oncoming charge. His hands found momentary purchase on the soft material of the thief's shirt and then there was a sharp, tearing sound as fabric gave way and Remy used his momentum to roll along the outside of his arm and across his back. Following up with a sharp rap of his staff to the unprotected back of Logan's head.... The lights dimmed for a moment and the shorter man could feel himself falling face forwards, the floor rushing up to meet him. This time, the impact knocked the anger out of him along with the air from his lungs. As he lay there, fighting to regain his breath, Logan could hear the snap of Remy collapsing his staff and then the sound of hushed footsteps approaching him. A brief pause and then hands were twisting into his shirt and rolling him onto his back. Bent over him on one knee, Logan caught a fleeting glimpse of concern cross the Cajun's face before the mask slid back down into place.

"Remy t'rough chasin' you, Logan. T'rough chasin' after you an' waitin' for you to come to your senses an' quit denyin' what you feel..." Remy's voice was tight and low, and Logan could feel the heart squeezing painfully in his chest. Long, thin fingers tangled in the front of his shirt and jerked his face up to hover inches away from the Cajun's cracking visage. "He can' love someone who's too afraid to love him back..." Then those hands were releasing him and he was falling back to the floor as the tall thief spun around and vanished from the Danger Room without a backwards glance.

Lying on the floor, his body aching from far more than just the physical beating it had just endured, Logan stared up at the ceiling. He'd been so sure that what he was doing was the right thing, that he was only acting to protect Remy, to protect him from the violence he was capable of inflicting. But now, in the face of the pain and misery he'd glimpsed between the cracks in that carefully constructed mask, beneath the staggering ache in his own soul, none of his arguments seemed to carry weight. What good did worrying about what *might* happen do, if it caused more pain than it prevented? Shaking his head slowly, Logan let his eyes slide shut.

"Logan, you're a fucking idiot..." he muttered, voice echoing off the walls of the empty room.

~~~~~~~~~

Early evening found Logan pacing his room. After making his way back from the Danger Room, he'd showered and then spent the past hour trying to sort things out in his head. Trying to find a reason why, any reason why he shouldn't seek Remy out and apologize for being an asshole. During the entire hour, he had yet to come up with a single reason. The truth was, he *was* afraid. Not of the things Remy had assumed, but he was afraid nonetheless and he had run rather than find a way to deal with that fear. He'd taken the simple, easy way out and now they were both paying for it. Sighing heavily, he ran a shaking hand through his hair and yanked his door open. Moving quickly down the hallway to the stairs, he followed the sound of voices to the kitchen.

Jean had yet to return from her business trip and Scott and Ororo were the only ones in the room when he entered, quietly talking over a game of chess. Both paused in their conversation to look up at him, and Logan didn't fail to notice the way the corners of Scott's mouth turned down and Ororo's face grew carefully guarded. Eye flicking from one face to the other, Logan cleared his throat.

"Listen, I... shit..." Shaking his head, he straightened his back and met their gazes squarely. "I'm looking for Remy - have either of you seen him? He wasn't in his room."

"He went into the city for the night, Logan," Ororo began, sad eyes dropping to the board before her as she added, "He said that he needed to unwind." Mind rapidly ticking off the possible meanings of that statement, Logan settled on bars, drinking and willing bodies and struggled unsuccessfully to bite back the growl those thoughts provoked.

"Logan," Scott interjected, never lifting his attention from the game board. Logan's head snapped around to face the leader of the X-Men, eyes narrowing as he waited for whatever biting commentary the other man was about to share.

"There's a bar on Grove Street he usually goes to when he's like this. I've had to drag him out of there a few times." Logan's eyebrows nearly climbed to his hairline in surprise at the unexpected offering of information. He was still staring at Scott when the other man lifted his head to face him, a slight smile twitching at his lips.

"He took the Harley. Shouldn't be hard to find..." Logan was across the kitchen and out the door before Scott had even finished speaking.

~~~~~~~~~

Logan found the black bike parked out in front of a non-descript looking bar. No sign announced it's name and the windows were darkened, leaving no opportunity to catch a glimpse of the interior from out on the street. Sliding the Jeep into the first parking spot he came across, Logan approached the bouncer leaning on the door jamb. The bald, dark-skinned man looked him up and down, taking in the worn jeans, the leather jacket and the barely contained violence that was radiating off of him, and stepped aside without a word, holding the door open for Logan to pass. The shorter man nodded sharply and strode inside.

The sound of pulsating music assaulted his ears and Logan had to pause for a moment, just inside the door, for his sensitive eyes to adjust to the dark, hazy atmosphere. Eyes slowly scanning across the packed room, Logan took in the male bodies gyrating on the dance floor to the heavy beat, the darkened corners and corridors, and the overpowering scent of *sex* in the air, and realized that this wasn't the sort of place anyone looking for something meaningful went to. It was a place where names weren't exchanged, where voices seldom spoke, and where pleasure was given and taken, sometimes unwillingly. It was a place to come and forget. A place to drown in alcohol and flesh and forget all about the pains of the outside world...

Growling low in his throat, Logan began to push his way through the crowd towards the bar. Halfway there, he caught a glimpse of long, auburn hair and his growling doubled in volume, earning him a few startled glances and a clearer path to his destination.

Remy was sprawled on a stool, one hand cradling a nearly empty glass of dark liquid as unconcealed eyes drifted languidly over the mass of people around him. Logan's eyes flicked to the half full bottle of bourbon on the bar behind the Cajun and widened in surprise. Considering he'd seen Remy put away far more and still appear dead sober, the alcohol didn't account for the heavy, glazed look in the thief's eyes. Eyes that slid around to focus on him and widened in dull surprise as he stopped in front of the other man. This close, he could smell the thick scent of arousal rolling off of the Cajun and had to fight to keep his body from responding in kind.

"Hey dere, cher.... what you doin' here?" The accent was thick and the voice a smooth caress across Logan's ears. Swallowing tightly, he stepped in closer to avoid having to shout to be heard over the loud music.

"Remy, we need to talk."

"Remy done talkin', cher... right now he jus' interested in feelin'..." The sensual smile that accompanied the thief's words had the muscles in Logan's stomach tightening despite himself, even as that black on red gaze returned to scanning the crowd. His own eyes narrowing at the drugged expression on the taller man's face, Logan shook his head.

"Remy... what the hell's going on here?" Head turned lazily to face him, Remy didn't speak for a long moment. Finally, as Logan was about to repeat himself, the Cajun spoke almost too softly to be heard.

"It makes everyt'ing else go away for a while, cher... jus' openin' up an' feelin' all dis need, an' pleasure... don' leave any room for pain..." With a click, it all came together in Logan's head - in a place like this, with lowered shields, an empath's emotions would be drown out by the sheer volume of those around him. Without the aftereffects of too much alcohol, but just as much an escape...

"Come on, Remy, we're getting the hell out of here," he growled out, as he wrapped a hand firmly around one of the Cajun's wrists and pulled him off of the stool. Intent on leading the mute thief through the crowd to the exit, Logan was startled when the hand tore from his grasp and he was suddenly shoved sideways, pinned with his back to a wall as glittering black and red eyes glared back at him.

"An' jus' why de hell would Remy wanna leave, eh?" The glazed look was still present in those haunting eyes but gone was the slur from his words. Logan looked down briefly before meeting those eyes with his own.

"Remy, we need to talk."

"What you wanna say t' Remy dat you can' say here?" One hand untangled itself from the collar of his jacket and fingers began to slowly caress Logan's jaw. Heat pooled and sizzled along nerve synapses and Logan found himself struggling to breath against the sudden desire crashing through him. All the while, the taller man continued to watch him from beneath hooded eyes.

"I...shit, Remy... I was an idiot..." Logan heard himself whispering, eyes mesmerized by the face now hovering so close to his own, the skin of his face burning beneath the fingers that were now stroking their way down his neck.

"Oui, dat you are... you gonna continue bein' an' idiot or we finally got dis straightened out?" The hot touch of a caress along the outline of his collarbone and the soft whisper of breath into his ear as Remy leaned in close, and Logan found himself rapidly losing the ability to form coherent thoughts.

"No... I'm done running away..." Raising a shaky hand of his own, Logan mimicked the actions of the man leaning into him and stroked trembling fingers across one stubbled cheek. A move that elicited a please sigh and the tight press of one muscular thigh against his own.

"Good, cher..." Remy whispered into his ear, before slowly running his tongue around the rim of the pink shell. Logan's hand fell to grip the other man's shoulder as his eyes slid shut and he gasped at the sensation. "Don' wanna wait to get back to de mansion, cher.... want you now..." Logan's eyes flew open at the heated words and he was about to protest that he wasn't exactly into public sex when the Cajun's next words turned the air in his lungs to cement and his groin to a throbbing stiffness.

"Wanna give up control, cher... wanna feel you inside..." Darkening blue eyes locked with softly glowing red and Logan could hear his own gruff voice responding.

"Where?" Soft lips brushed his own and the ability to think at all disappeared at the feel of a slick tongue flicking out to taste before Remy was drawing away. Taking one hand in his, the tall thief began to lead Logan down a long corridor lined with doors. Stopping before the last, Remy turned to face Logan once more, one hand stilling on the knob as the Cajun arched a brow at him.

"Dis your last chance, cher. You sure about dis?" Swallowing past the dryness in his throat and the undeniable need burning through his body, Logan leaned in to press the taller body against the door with his own. Hands no longer shaking tangled in red hair to drag the thief down into a searing kiss before parting reluctantly.

"Very sure." Logan let a smiling Remy lead him into the room and shut the door behind them, while the animal inside howled in triumph with the need to take, to own, to possess. For better or worse, he'd made his choice and now there was no looking back.

TBC