Title: Charmer

Author: Vera (tarrotcat@aol.com)

Website: no site

Rating: R

Pairing/main characters: Gambit/Wolverine

Series/Sequel: complete

Summary: Slash. When Gambit's charm gets the better of him, he and Wolverine wind up on a ship of alien beings, who are asking an... intersting price for their freedom.

Disclaimer: Sadly, not mine, but rather Marvel Comics.

Notes: To Peg for being the fantastic beta that she is.

/ / indicates thought

______________________________________________________

 

Charmer

By Vera

 

Chapter One

The night was still relatively young when Remy gave up on his date. Normally, he would be more then happy to listen to her idle chatter and slowly get his way under her skin, then later her dress. Yet, tonight all the usual games seemed dull and worn. His body betrayed itself, nervously twitching and his usually sensual movements, clumsy and awkward.

"Excuse me, ma amie, but Remy has had a long evening."

The woman protested, all ready entranced by the elegant man, who had approached her at the bar. But, she could not stop him and soon the x-man had sauntered into the night.

Walking back to his motorcycle, he paused.

/What is wrong with Gambit? Perfectly nice femme in the restaurant and he runs out like the place is on fire?/ No answer forth coming he hopped on the bike and roared away to lose himself in the cold clean air.

***

It was no secret that the mansion held little appeal for Wolverine, tonight was no exception. Something in the air called him outside. Patrolling around the massive estate cleared his thoughts down to the basics, not that they had far to go.

/Still. Bird. Squirrel. Cricket./ Noises broke down into neat animal categories. He wore on shoes and was just as quiet as if he had been born among these trees. And he immediately noticed when something out of place entered them. His heightened senses identified the approach of Gambit or maybe it was just the mixed English-French rambling.

"Remy's gone straight out of his mind, ma copaine. C'e n'est pas bien."

"Cajun?"

The slender man went immediately into an attack stance, his eyes glowing in the darkness like those of a deranged wolf. Wolverine would have laughed, but in after thought it wasn't very funny that Gambit considered him a threat.

"Just me."

"Wolverine?"

"Yeah. What are ya doin out here, this time of night? No girl?"

There was a brief silence as Remy weighed the impact of revealing his odd behavior of the evening. And then the silence stretched on.

"Oui. I left."

"Huh." And the conversation died. Just as all of their conversations had in the past. There never seemed to be that much to say. Gambit turned his eyes from the dim outline of his team mate to the moon, full tonight and the eerie orange tint it had occasionally. Something in his blood called out to it. A wind blew through the trees. /Something is very wrong./ The thought occurred to both men, simultaneously.

"Cher? DO you feel something?"

Mutely, Logan nodded, then remembering his companion could barely see him added a vocal affirmation. "Yeah."

They inched closer together until they were back to back, ready to take on any foe. Which was when they were knocked unconscious and dragged on board a starship.

***

"Are your specimens awake?"

Wolverine had been up for an unknowable amount of time, pacing the small quarters that held him and the unconscious body of Gambit. It was maddeningly indefinable. There were no lines, the walls were rounded and they seemed to blend in perfectly with the floor. Why did this feel like some hicks idea of a good time?

"Hey, Gumbo. Wake up!" Wolverine attempted to rise the other man for a few minutes. First trying to be loud then adding virgorous toe prodding. When that didn't work, he began to worry kneeling to study his prone companion.

And was struck again by the odd beauty that was Remy. It wasn't hard to see what the ladies liked about the Cajun. His hair had been pulled free from its neat pony tail to frame his face in soft waves. Eyes now shut would exude the glow that enticed other mutants and attracted regular humans in their exotic promises.

Wolverine stayed up too late to miss the comings and goings of his fellow fighter's and he knew that for all Remy pined for Rouge, he had kept himself busy with a long line of lovers, female, male, human and mutant. Touching the other's face lightly, Wolverine let his mind idle, trying to block out the rage that threatened overcome him from being locked in a cage. Pleasant thoughts gradually overcame his rising temper. /Hah. I can control my anger. Got tell Storm when we get back./ Which brought him back to the situation at hand.

"Hey, mon ami? Where the 'ell are we?"

Wolverine stood up abruptly, offering a hand to the taller man who took it gracefully. Glancing around a bit and taking in their surroundings. /Quoi? This es not a good place, non?/

That was when the door slid open and beings that seemed be made up of gas and silver spaghetti strands, wrapped in lab coats entered.

"Merde. Scientists from the x-files."

"What?" Wolverine was already trying to figure out a way to destroy these things and barely caught the reference to pop culture.

"Never mind, mon ami." Their captors? Were mutating!!!!

 

Chapter Two

The rapidly changing forms of their captors sent the x-men into fighting stances, prepared for a fight. Instead of attacking, however, their captors took on human forms one looked like Jean Gray and the other like Rogue. If you could convince Rogue to wear a doctor's coat. They spoke in unison with smooth toneless voice.

"We are from a distant galaxy and we have advanced far beyond your species. We still believe we can learn from lesser species." Wolverine began to growl and only Gambit's hand on his shoulder stopped him from attack.

"And we believe that your species has something we do not. This thing you call love. It is unfamiliar between us."

Logan looked over his shoulder at Remy. Just low enough so only the Cajun could hear he growled, "Somehow this is all your fault."

"We are told that radically different beings chose to become life mates spontaneously."

"It is not as easy as all that, mes cheries," Gambit began.

"For your sake it had better be," one of them said out of sync, the one that looked like Rogue. "We picked the tall one because of the intense amount of hormones he gave off and the shorter one was an accident. Our leader will not accept mistakes and insists that the experiment goes on as planned."

"As planned?" The gnashing of teeth that were barely human. "I knew this was your fault."

The duo voices began again. "To win your freedom, you must demonstrate for us, what love is."

The room froze in place as the implications of that statement sank in. Neither could recover fast enough to answer before the two almost women had disappeared through whatever door they had come.

"This is all your fault!" Logan stated. The growl was accompanied by a left hook to the unsuspecting Gambit's face. Reacting solely on instinct, the ex-thief caught Logan's hand and used it to propel over the huskier man. They spared for a while, Wolverine's advantage being in sheer strength and Gambit's in greater agility.

They became like children again, wrestling and refraining from using their more supernatural powers. Eventually, exhausted and sweating they fell on to the bottom of their white prison.

"Are you happy now, mon cher? We are still here."

"Brilliant observation, Gumbo," Wolverine growled, but he realized the Cajun had made a valid point. They were still stuck and now, they were tired out.

Silence won over for several minutes and it wasn't until the floor started to change that they stood. Watching in awe and fright, the two mutants stood up as grass and other small bits of greenery rose from the ground. The roof became sky and the walls seemed to fade into more forest.

"What the hell?" Wolverine sniffed the air carefully. "It's home, but not. I can still smell those aliens." Familiar noises also began to permeate the neighborhood.

"I tink they are trying to reassure us," Gambit proposed as he leaned against a tree that had wormed its way onto the virtual reality.

"Well, it sure ain't makin me feel any better." Though it seemed to be quite the contrary. Wolverine had visibly relaxed. His muscles no longer tense and his breathing no longer erratic with rage. The familiar sight and sound of the forest outside the manor visibly reassured him. Life was here and he wasn't caged. Well, not really.

"We hope you like your new environment," chimed the alien voices from seemingly everywhere. "Please continue. Our research is expanding by leaps and bounds."

"I'm really beginnin' to hate being referred to as research."

"Maybe we should just give them what they want," Remy put forward, waiting to be shot down. Logan's eyes narrowed to danger level.

"And do what?"

"You know as well as I what lovers do, mon ami. Unless you are more naïve than Remy thought." Having the sudden urge to leave, the tall thin man, turned to walk the forest that was now fully settled in around them.

/What the hell does he mean?/ Wolverine's thoughts were having a hard time keeping up with his libido. /He couldn't be serious? Could he?/

/What the 'ell was I tinkin'? I'm really lost it! As if Wolverine would ever do what I was suggestin'. What was I suggestin'?/

 

Chapter Three

Wolverine was still standing in the same place when Gambit returned. Ordinarily, this type of behavior would flatter the Cajun. He enjoyed the thought that he could so thoroughly confuse someone as to leave them physically frozen in time. But, this was different. They were trapped under unusual circumstances and the walk had given him time to think. Perhaps, too much time. His thoughts had gradually looped around themselves.

/They want us to fall in love, not such an easy ting. I tink I could love him. Wolverine? Am I crazy? Non. There is somethin' I am missin' here. They want us to fall in love.../ and so on.

Now, nearly a half hour later, he had surveyed their new habitat and had come full circle. He had prepared nothing to say to Logan and maybe it was better that way.

Logan wasn't much better off. He had never been very good at expressing himself verbally. Mostly, because he never had anything important to say that couldn't be communicated with an unsheathed claw. And yes, he knew just how wrong that was. His thoughts were if possible more jumbled then Remy's and punctuated with a methodical breathing to keep the animal part of him at bay.

/Trapped. Calm down. Don't want to be an experiment, been there and done that. Gambit suggested... Calm down. What was he suggesting? He's attractive. But, that? How far do we go to be released? Calm down!/

That was as far as he got before Gambit came back. He cursed his inability to get passed his own blind rage long enough to work out an answer to this problem before it was too late. Too late for what? If the aliens were telling the truth they would be kept here for their rest of their natural lives if necessary. Escape was nearly impossible, mostly because there were no doors.

When Remy entered the clearing, he stopped and made eye contact with Logan. Unreadable glowing eyes locked with steel hard blue for what seemed like forever. Gambit looked away first, turning his head to the trees, speaking low and soft. "Walked de parameter. Dese are the woods outside the mansion for 'bout a half mile 'round," Gambit said. "It's also surrounded by a lake." The training he had received from both the Thieves Guild and the X-Men allowed Gambit to think critically at a time like this. "We can' swim."

"Why not?" Wolverine managed, trying to make this a double sided conversation.

"It ain't real. When Remy tried to walk in, it was like hitting a brick wall."

"Oh," was the best response Logan could manage.

Now, they were both looking at the grass as they frantically tried to come up with something to say that would clear the tension. It was Remy, who came to a conclusion first.

/Wait, a minute. This is my area! I know how to do this! Mon ami! I was born wid a natural gift for makin' people fall in love wid me!/

With that thought in mind, Remy closed the distance between them in three long strides. Wolverine blinked up at him surprised and more than a little uncomfortable at Gambit's proximity. Without letting anything else run through his mind, Remy put a hand up to Logan's face and gently kissed him. Trying not to alarm the other man, Remy went slowly, brushing the other man's lips gently.

Logan tensed up and Remy stopped without lifting his head, waiting to be smacked to the ground. Wolverine stepped back and gave Remy one of the blackest looks he had ever seen cross a human face.

And moments later, he was on the floor, but not being beaten up. He didn't know that kisses could be this hard! Remy was certain that Logan was attempting to suffocate him to death. A betraying part of his mind suggested that if he had to die, this would definitely be one of the better ways to go... The hard kiss made his body respond to the invitation.

Something that had been bending for a long time, broke inside of Logan with the chaste kiss, which Remy had pressed onto his lips. Only now was Logan beginning to understand that he had repressed his desire for this man for too long and it quickly surfaced.

He had stopped for only a moment to gather his wits a bit before jumping on the prone lean man. Previous lovers had complained that he was to dominating during sex, but the man writhing beneath him now seemed to have no complaints.

Later, neither could remember who had been the first to shed their clothing, but after five or six minutes they had both rid themselves of everything. That was when they finally stopped. Gambit leaning against a tree and Logan pressing him against the bark. They stopped staring at each other, eyes lidded heavy with lust.

"You want this?" Logan asked eventually.

"You jokin with Remy?" the Cajun asked with a cocked eyebrow. He slowly pushed himself forward to brush their cocks together.

"I just wanted to make sure," Wolverine put in before leaning forward for another kiss. He slowed down however. He had been with no small amount of women, but only once with another man and that was too long ago to really remember how it all went.

That wasn't a problem for Gambit. The mood had changed obviously as Remy took over, becoming more of a seductive dance. The Cajun flurried kisses all over the stockier man, becoming familiar with his lover's body. It was something that came to him naturally and he soon learned all the right buttons to push. Like the back of the knees and fingertips. Logan didn't stay still. He joined in, and threaded his hands through soft locks, stroked the strong sharp planes of the others face and brought them both to their knees until they kissed again slowly and leisurely. Remy acknowledged Logan's desire for control, so he went slowly, not forcing the other man into anything.

Eventually it was Remy who took the head of Logan's cock into his mouth and licked slowly, using every skill he had to bring him to a screaming orgasm. Remy dutifully swallowed every drop and licked his lover dry.

"Hell, Cajun," Wolverine managed after he had found his breath again. "Where did you learn to do that?"

"Mystery is part of the fun, mon cher." Remy winked.

"Huh."

Wolverine sat up a little. Remy was still hard and something in Logan's post-coital brain suggested it would be a good idea to fix that.

"Hey-ulp," was what Gambit managed to squeak out when Logan took the head of his cock in his mouth. Without much practice, but willing to learn Logan tried to follow everything Remy had done to him. If Remy could have uttered a coherent sentence, he would have assured him that he was doing a fine job.

Finally, unable to hold out any longer, Remy let go. Logan did not try to hold the cum his mouth, took what he could and spit the rest out, much to the exhausted Cajun's amusement.

"You win. I dunno how you do it." Logan lay down beside him.

The Cajun chuckled. "That's where you're wrong. Remy doesn't know much, but he does know that we weren't playing no game."

They would have just drifted off to sleep if the intoning voices hadn't begun again.

"Thank you for your cooperation. The experiment will conclude in one hour and then you will be sent back to the moment in time from which you came. We can wipe your memories if you so desire."

 

Chapter Four

For a moment neither moved. Only seconds ago, they had been ready to fall asleep in each other's arms. It had been so warm and safe, so isolated from the real world that they had easily dismissed reality. Now, the damnable aliens who had forced them into this very situation were thrusting them back into reality. Wolverine sat up, breaking the tense silence.

"Memory wipe," he stated, not really needing to go any further. If he had been asked to make this choice a scant hour ago, he would have taken it immediately. But, now... now what? This wasn't about feelings, right? Just survival.

Every part of him denied this as Remy stretched out catlike, showing every corded muscle in fine relief. That was how he wanted to see the Cajun all the time, naked and well rested. It didn't matter that only yesterday there had been nothing between them, but amiable dislike. Except, if they returned wouldn't it be different? Then there would be Jean and Rouge to deal with. Not that Jean so much as looked at him. Or that Remy had much of a chance with Rouge. What a fine pair they made! Wolverine chuckled mirthlessly.

"What is funny, mon cher?" Remy sat up a little, leaning on his elbows.

"We're pathetic," Wolverine told him.

The Cajun blinked and raised his eyebrows a little. "What brought dat on?"

"Do ya wanna forget that this ever happened?" Wolverine asked abruptly changing the subject and just as suddenly aware that he was totally naked. Reaching over he plucked his jeans from the ground and jumped into them.

Remy was very aware of the shifting power here. Moments ago they were they had been equals in lust and desire, but now Wolverine stood above him, partially dressed while Remy still lay on the forest floor nude. He thought for a moment trying to come to a conclusion.

/I've seen dis before, from both places. I gonna wanna forget dis. Do I? What about Rogue? What about Rogue! I donna owe her notin!/ He stretched again, aware of Logan's heated gaze on his body. /Non. This ain't about her. Logan was right, I am pat'etic./

"Do you want t' forget dis?" Remy lobbied back the question to Logan.

" I asked first." Wolverine crossed his arms on his chest and stared down at the Cajun.

They stared off like small children. Remy broke first unable to take it. Briefly as he stood he thought, /Why do I feel like I've done dis before?/ He took Logan in his arms and kissed him passionately, not caring that he was wearing significantly less clothing then his lover. If anything it increased the intensity of the moment.

When Remy finally had to breathe, he pulled away and purred into Wolverine's ear, "Non, mon ami. I donna wanna forget."

"I? What happened to all that third person shit?" As Remy didn't answer, Wolverine sighed; enjoying the feel of Remy pushing against his chest. Even if they parted, never to speak again after this, Wolverine wanted this memory. "Yeah. Let's remember this one."

And just as abruptly as last time, they were pulled away from the forest and each other. They had landed again, backs against each other in an attack position. They had come full circle, back to where they had begun.

" Merde." Remy stood up and turned. He was fully dressed again and so was Wolverine. They faced each other for what seemed like the umpteenth time in the past six hours. Here time hadn't moved forward and it was almost like jet lag. Even without the memory wipe they still had a choice to forget. Just walk away and not come back. Another conquest for the Charmer. Another victory for the beast within Wolverine. It didn't seem fair that all the choices they had made so blithely about lovers past should were now laden with trepidation and nerves. And that was when it hit Remy hard and fast.

/Mon Dieu! I 'ave not felt like dis since... Non! I canna love 'em./ "Good night, Logan." He stalked, no ran as far as he could into the night and away from Logan. Which was all to the good because otherwise he would have been faced with a most disturbing image.

Tears that hadn't fallen in years were making their slow way down Logan's face. In answer to his sorrow the heavens opened up and a very drenched Wolverine made his way back to the mansion, berating himself all the way.

 

Chapter Five

Three days. Three very long days spent avoiding glances, tense conversations and three sleepless nights. Thinking, wanting, waiting for the other, but pretending they weren't thinking of it at all. Painful tense days, hard lonely nights with little comfort in sight.

And no one even noticed Wolverine's rages were so legendary that no one spent any time wondering what was wrong this time. Even Storm, just inclined her head ever so slightly when he spent three hours in the Danger room, destroying various enemies. He had given her a black look and that had been the end of it. As for Gambit, no one even knew anything was wrong. Countless love affairs and one-night stands gave him a wealth of experience to draw from. No one really noticed anything unusual about Remy, perhaps he was slightly more subdued than normal, but that could be chalked up to the ceaseless rain that had kept everyone indoors. Tempers were short amongst the youngsters of the school and bad mood wasn't long in catching up with the X-men. They snapped at each other during dinner and missions were greeted with bad grace and muttering. The bad weather felt like a trap.

That was when Remy decided it was laundry day. The other x-men knew nothing of his hidden talent with washing clothes, because he had the sneaking suspicion that if they found out, it would only result in ribbing and mysterious piles of dirty clothes showing up in his vicinity. Years of wearing fine silks and cashmeres had taught him that professional cleaners had an alarming tendency to rip, tear and generally, maim his things. Not to mention his sometimes inability to pay the bills and never seeing his clothing again. So, he had learned to do it himself.

There was, in the nether regions of the mansion, a small laundry room, exclusively for the X-Men. It was normally used to get out bloodstains and the like that a normal laundry might become suspicious of. Remy used it in the early mornings when no one thought he was awake, which suited his purposes nicely. It also served as a time when he could read old French literature. It reminded him of happier times when life had been filled with running, stealing and laughing.

So here he was. Early on Sunday morning, every one else in the oversized house was asleep, and he was ready to do his laundry. With a sigh he sifted some things into a dryer and put another load into the washer. There was no place to sit because the room was too tiny. There were only the machines lined up against the wall.

Three washers and three dryers. Well there was no one else here and there was more than enough space for his long, lean body. He stretched out over the machines, which hummed pleasantly underneath him, giving off a soft warmth.

/Mmm. Dat's nice. Though I can tink of other warm and hard tings, that would feel nice... Non! Bad t'oughts!/ He forced himself to focus on the book in front of him.

***

Logan seriously considered staying in bed. Life beyond the blankets was too hard to face. The rage that he had been spending fighting instead of spending for the past three days had drained him. Endless sparring rounds in the Danger room. A mission. Prowling the drenched grounds, coming back in at midnight saturated to the skin and still unable to sleep. He had finally slept early this morning, but now at six in the morning, his habits came back to haunt him. After about three minutes, he knew that he wasn't getting any more rest.

/Damn Cajun. I'll never sleep again. / But, the anger which had come so easily before was elusive now. He just felt weary. Too upset to be angry, too angry to be just upset. And obviously too confused to think in a straight line.

Ruthlessly, he tossed himself into his morning routine of stretches and work out. Toned and ready for another day of going slowly insane, he showered and went to patrol the hallways. This habit of his occasionally irritated the other x-men, which believed the mansion to be impenetrable, but time and time again it had proven its worth, so they said nothing. Today seemed quiet, but when Wolverine stopped in a hall, the faintest of sounds reached his ears.

Into the bowels of the mansion he went. An open door brought him the sounds of the washing machines. Curiosity drew him forward until he paused outside the door. Only ten feet away Remy was stretched, belly down, long legs hanging off the sides of the machines. The delicate smell of sweat, lust and crackling energy invaded his senses and drew him farther through the door, on silent feet.

The Cajun was bare to the waist and hanging desperately to his hips were the most abused pair of jeans Wolverine had ever laid eyes on. The waist was frayed, one back pocket was completely gone, and the other hung on by a mere thread. The denim was faded to the point of being almost white and small torn holes showed off bits of Remy's tanned skin. Tanned skin that shouldn't be tanned. And apparently, Remy didn't wear underwear. Unconsciously, Wolverine licked his lips.

"Bonjour, mon ami," Remy greeted without looking up.

Caught by surprise, Logan's head snapped away from the ass of the man in front of him, desperately staring at the wall. "Mornin'."

"You 'ave a reason to be 'ere or you just come to look and leave?" The Cajun's tone was light, but biting and it drew Wolverine's teeth.

"Nah. That's more up your alley. I came to see what the noise was."

Head hidden in his auburn hair, Remy winced. "Just laundry," he said dismissively. Wanting so much to look up, but that little voice that spoke of rejection and heartache told him: Head down! Then you won't have to see.

"You read?" The surprise in Logan's voice was overdone. On purpose.

"Oui. French," he said vaguely with venom and a very you-wouldn't-understand tone.

Which was some kind of breaking point for Wolverine. He seemed to have hit rock bottom. He couldn't go on doing this. It was stupid and pointless. Every instinctual part of him fought against these barbed conversation. It told him to be abrupt and brutal, told him to remember their time on the ship and it whispered that just maybe Remy was as scared as he was. And like him, he was unable to deal with that fear.

"This is ridiculous."

Remy's head snapped up with that. Glowing eyes that had so rarely wept let a single tear drop.

"Notin' is ridiculous about dis." Logan pressed a thumb against Remy's face, brushing away a tear and no longer able to resist, kissed Remy with all the passion he had kept inside for so long. Not the harsh kisses of the ship, but lighter sweeter kisses that flurried reverence all over Remy's face. In the end it was Remy who pulled him to attention, nipping gently at his lips.

"We doin' dis again, mon ami?"

"Looks like it. You gotta problem with that?"

"Just t'ought we might want to get outta da public eye?" With a growl, Wolverine stepped away from the machines.

 

Chapter Six

Cautiously, they left the protecting warmth of the laundry room. They crept through the house, careful not to wake anyone. Gambit's hand on Wolverine's shoulder, the quieter man leading them through the halls. Nervous anticipation was occupying in both their minds.

By silent agreement, they went up the extra flight of stairs to Wolverine's room, which was far away from the other inhabited rooms. Logan could feel the intensity of Remy's power pushing in on him. The Cajun had lost his tight reign on his powers, and Wolverine felt oddly flattered and more than a little concerned as his desire to fuck Remy into the nearest wall overtook everything else.

"Hey, Cajun!" Logan whispered over his shoulder.

"Oui?"

"If ya want us to make it to the room ya better control that charm of yours!" The surge retreated and more normal lust reasserted itself. "That's a powerful kick, Cajun." A light chuckle from the lean figure behind him and the sudden fleeting warmth from another's breath raised the small hairs on Wolverine's neck.

"It's a gift, cher." The quiet words tickled the burly man's ear and they stumbled into Wolverine's room just in time.

Remy glanced quickly around him before refocusing on Logan. The double bed was neatly made and at its foot was a locked trunk. There was a tall closet next to the door they had entered and bay window thrown wide open to let in the early morning air. The sun was just beginning its ascent into the sky, splashing the forest with colour.

Now, the man in front of him had all sorts of interesting colours. Like blue denim jeans that definitely had to go, same with the black T-shirt. Ice blue eyes that had darkened with lust.

An abrupt "You just gonna stare?" from Logan jostled Remy out of his reverie and into the oh-so-sweet present.

"Non." Gambit rapped his arms around the shorter man and leaned down to capture his mouth. Their tongues met without hesitation and fought for dominance. To equal things out, Gambit slid his hands under Wolverine's T-shirt and tried admiralty to remove it. This somehow landed them both on their knees, on the floor, T-shirt gone and still kissing.

"That was impressive," Logan muttered into Remy's mouth.

"Mmmhmmm." Remy was too busy mapping his lover's back with fingertips to respond. Light hairs rose under his fingers.

"Bed?"

Before Remy could reply, he was scooped up and tossed without ceremony onto the bed. The sound of unsheathed claws echoed through the room and light as whisper, metal claws did away with the battered jeans.

"Ey! It took years to perfect dose!"

"That was perfection?"

"Well, mon ami, it worked on you," Remy pointed out.

With a growl, Wolverine sheathed his claws and ran a hand over Remy's side. Warm flesh with hinted muscle shifted beneath his palms and a low purring sound came from Remy's chest and he pushed into the touch.

Wolverine paused. He wasn't normally an intense lover. For him foreplay were a few well-placed kisses and then get on to the good stuff, but Remy seemed to live crave these gentle touches and careful bites. He hovered uncertain, if he should precede or stop this before... before what?

"Don't tink," commanded Remy from the bed, red eyes glowing darkly.

"Right." Wolverine leaned over to kiss the Cajun, before shifting on the bed.

"'Ey!" Remy protested. But before he could further protest, Logan was back, holding a small bottle in his hand. Remy narrowed his eyes. He hadn't fancied Logan to have lube just lying around.

"Are you sure?" Logan hovered on the end of the bed.

Remy rolled his eyes. "Non. But, dat never stopped me before." If Wolverine noticed the shift back to first person, he didn't acknowledge it.

Taking this as a yes, Logan leaned forward spraying Remy's face with gentle kisses and massaging his thigh. Slowly, he stroked up the leg; finally reaching the tight ring of muscle. He sent a slow, lube covered finger up and crooked it, eliciting a small moan from the man beneath him. Careful, Logan eased in a second finger; suddenly very aware that Remy was no virgin which also made him very glad that he had slipped on a condom.

After what seemed like hours of this slow torture, Remy began to show signs of strain and an incomprehensible stream of English and French erupted from him.

"Merde. T'enule moi! T'enule moi! Fuck me!" This loss of control was exactly the push Logan needed and he entered the squirming man beneath him, in slow and eager stokes. Gradually, he increased his tempo and wrapped his hand around Remy's erection. The Cajun's careful control over his talent was lost and whipped out of control as he came with a scream. The overwhelming desire fanned the flames of Logan's lust to the point of no return and he slammed hard into Remy, coming so hard it hurt.

Unable to do more then than to roll of his lover, Wolverine fell exhausted to one side with Remy, pressing kisses onto his face. They lay quiet for a moment, unable to find words. They listened to panting breath and slowing heartbeats.

/Now what? Dat was de best I've had in a long time. But what does it mean?/ Remy wanted to tell Logan what he felt, but what would the other man do? Images of being ripped apart at the seams tore through his mind. /I'd rather live to see another day, s'il vous plaît. Why is dis so 'ard?/

/Goddamn it all to hell./ Was an approximation of Logan's thoughts. /So beautiful and he wants me. Doesn't he?/ Sleep beckoned, promising to solve all problems, but a large part of Wolverine's mind pointed out that it wouldn't help anything. It was too much work to do anything else right now, but speak the truth.

"Remy?"

"Oui?" The Cajun's red eyes focused on him with an intensity that was rarely seen in him.

"Love you." A blush rose to Logan's face where no blush had dared to go for years. About to take it back, a stammering voice, accent over pronounced answered.

" Je t'adore, cher." No translation necessary. They fell asleep before they could talk further, but enough had happened to fuel some very pleasant dreams.

Outside in the corridor, hand still poised to knock, Scott stood wide-eyed. One hour ago he'd started his search for Wolverine and had been about to knock on the man's door when he'd heard Gambit's voice, pleading for mercy. Unable to move he had stood and heard it all. And now, assured that the two men inside were sound asleep, he slipped away, spreading the news as he moved through the mansion, informing his team mates.

 

Chapter Seven

Logan slept lightly, dreaming of the forest, aliens and Remy. A board outside his room creaked and awoke him instantly. A delicate sniff at the air informed him of Cyclop's earlier visit.

/He must have heard us. Damn! And he won't keep his mouth shut either./

The sudden lack of body heat forced Remy to open his eyes. He really didn't want to leave his dreams, too afraid of reality right now. With great reluctance he sat up in bed. Gazing around the room, he spotted Logan watching him from the bathroom door, now half dressed in jeans.

" Déjà vu," he muttered to himself remembering the alien ship that had gotten them into this in the first place.

"What?" The confusion written all over the craggy features was priceless.

"Not important, cher," Remy said with a smile.

"Scott knows." And the smile disappeared at once.

"'Ow?"

"Stood outside and heard what happened." Icy blue eyes dared Remy to ask him how he knew this.

"So?" And that was definitely not the reaction Logan had been expecting.

"They'll all know," Logan pointed out. Remy shrugged.

"Know what?" This stumped the normally confident X-men and Logan moved from the doorway to sit on the bed. Remy, sensing his lover's feelings whispered low in his ears. "It don't matter, cher. They don't think much of me."

"Rogue?" Logan asked soflty. The Cajun stiffened for an instant, then shook his head. "She made it clear, she wants nothin' to do with me."

"And I do?"

The moment hung on for what seemed an eternity. Remy let out a breath. "I thought we talked bout this."

"We did." Logan stared out into space. "Sorry."

Remy lifted an eyebrow. "That is the first time, I ever 'eard you say dat!"

Logan laughed a little. Remy leaned forward and tentatively brushed his lips against Logan's. The kiss was deepening when Logan pulled back. Remy looked mildly offended, but recognized a look of mischief in his lover's eyes.

"I have an idea."

***

The X-men were all trying to talk at once, in rather loud voices, which were giving the Professor a headache. They were bickering about Wolverine and Gambit mostly. In one corner, Jean Grey was repeatedly slapping Scott, something about deserved privacy and keeping his yap shut. Storm was trying to talk Rogue down from serious violence and Jubilee looked like she'd been crying, Beast was trying to tell her something, but she turned away.

"Would you all please just sit down?" the Professor pleaded. Seconds later, every X-men was seated and attentive. "Now, will someone please explain exactly what the problem is. "

"Scott... overheard... Logan and Remy. They're having a sexual relationship of which we were unaware," supplied Storm, ever calm.

"I see." The Professor stared at the rag tag team of heroes. "And the problem is..."

"It's madness!" screeched Rogue. "We're supposed to be heroes, not animals! How can we be a team if we're havin' flings on the side!"

"I didn't hear you complaining when Remy chased after you," Jubilee slipped in a cool tone. Rogue sat down hard. Everyone stared at her for a moment. She didn't normally back down so easy. Then she began to cry. Storm put an arm around her friend. The cha-cha players that had invaded the Professor's skull began to pick up the tempo.

"What are we going to do about this?" Scott asked. "We can't just let it go on!"

"What would you have me do, Scott?" the Professor inquired.

"Something! There has to be something we can do! WE have a situation here!"

"I still don't understand what that situation is. When you and Jean Grey got together, no one had a problem with it, Scott. Why is it a problem if others do the same thing?" the Proffessor reasoned.

Scott sputtered for an instant. "B-b-because it's just wrong," Scott objected.

And that was when the kissing noises started.

It was an awkward moment. Never had so small a sound become so completely enthralling. The room was frozen in shock. No one even breathed. Slowly, as one body, they turned their heads to the doorframe where Logan and Remy were utterly engrossed in each other.

For nearly a full minute, everyone stared, Remy looked up briefly with a smile and everyone tried to find somewhere else to look. It took everything in the Cajun not to laugh. They had no idea what to do. He muttered into Wolverine's ear, "I tink our work here is done, cher."

Apparently, Wolverine agreed because he lifted Remy up and carried him out of the room with a growl of satisfaction.

"Who else really didn't need to see that?" Scott asked. All the men raised the hand. The women blushingly abstained.

 

Chapter Eight

It was dark when Remy woke up. Logan was dozing next to him and they were both still naked from the night's activities. The last three or four weeks had been hard on the both of them. The other members of the team were trying to come to terms with their relationship, but it would take a long time for them to really accept it. Right now, it was hard to take the awkward pauses and the sidelong glances that kept coming their way. Scott, as far as anyone knew, had been sleeping on the couch for a while after his whole stunt with spreading the story about and was now, far more subdued.

Then a mission had come up. Nothing big, just a small spat of mutant crime in the city, but enough to prove that their new relationship wasn't going to hamper any crime fighting. If anything it helped because like most lovers they had learned to read each other's body language and subtler meanings. Not to mention the fact that the normally irritable Wolverine had become much more relaxed and less likely to kill someone out of rage. /I like havin' somthin to do wit dat,/ Remy thought as he tried not to move too much. He didn't want to wake his lover, who had spent the better part of the day doing various repairs around the mansion and later, had joined him in bed for a good romp. /And what did I do? Notin'. Jus' sat around useless as always./

That wasn't precisely true. He had spent some time moving his things into Logan's room. Today he had brought some of his nicer shirts and last week he had slipped a few books into Logan's collection. The week before that he had left behind his bathroom things. It was a slow process and one he was hoping Wolverine wouldn't notice. They hadn't really clarified anything between them, certainly not how long this was going to last, but the sparse furnishings and fresh air made Wolverine's room infintely more pleasant. With the added benefit of the man himself, currently snoring lightly into Remy's hair. Remy's hand trailed down the other man's body with great fondness. The irascible older man had become not only his lover, but also his best friend. Gradually, Remy was learning just how complex the man he shared his bed with was and discovered an intelligence that far surpassed his own , yet was never turned against him even in an argument. /Je t'aime, cher./

"Love ya too," Logan replied and with a start Remy realized he had spoken out loud. Logan wasn't quite awake, seeming to have settled back into the light sleep he had been enjoying. Might as well ask now.

"Really cher?" Remy whispered.

"Remy." Logan hadn't wanted to release his grasp on sleep, but decided that this situation warranted his full attention. He opened his eyes and sat up so that he was staring at the worried Cajun.

"Oui?" Remy wanted to laugh at the sound of his own breathless voice. The sight of Logan above him, was enough to almost make him forget what they were talking about.

"Do ya really doubt me?"

"Non." Remy paused for a moment. "Not you, cher. Moi. I've never really stayed long with anyone."

"A month is long?" Logan asked with chagrin.

Remy shrugged and bit his lower lip a little. It was a habit he had long ago given up, but the last few weeks had driven him into doing it again. "I never want to stay too long, cher." He shook his head. " Now, I can't picture leavin'."

"That's why you've been movin' in?" Logan watched Remy blush. " Never seen ya turn that color darlin'."

"T'ought you wouldn't notice," Gambit muttered and Wolverine gave a low dangerous chuckle.

"In my own room? Ya gotta a lower opinion of me than I thought." Logan searched his lover's eyes for a hint of what had brought the original question on.

"Mon ami?"

"Marry me?"

"Quoi?!" Remy leaped up from the comfortable tangle of sheets, his grace failing him for once and he landed hard on the floor. He landed with a thud and didn't bother to rise again, only staring up at the man in the bed.

"All right down there?" Wolverine asked from the side, torn between laughing and feeling hurt that his proposal was met with such a reaction.

A shaky, "Oui." came up from the floor.

"I wasn't jokin you know."

"Je sais. Je sais, mais marie, mon couer? J'ai une epouseux."

"Gambit?"

"Oui?"

"English please."

"I know that you mean dis, my 'eart. Mais, I have a wife."

"I know and me marrying you is illegal anyway. Might as well make ya a bigamist as well." Logan wished he could see Remy's face. And as if in answer to this silent request, a hand appeared on the bed, followed by the rest of the lanky Cajun.

"Now dat y' put it dat way..." Remy straddled Logan's lap, pressing his erection into his lover's stomach. "Let's do it." And bent down to kiss his lover.

Their lips met and their tongues did a slow dance while Remy tangled his hands in Logan's hair. Logan wrapped strong hands around the Cajun's waist, but Remy broke away from the kiss, turning his attention to Wolverine's neck and trailed down his chest with his lips, issuing a warning rumble from Logan. Remy ignored it and continued his slow exploration of the man in front of him, heading steadily downward.

That was until he was flipped onto his back, a wicked smile on his looming lover's face. Remy shivered, feeling completely abandoned to this man and allowed himself to drop the tight reign he had kept on his powers.

"Playin' dirty, darlin?" Logan inquired as the impact of Remy's power rolled over him like a warm wave.

Remy didn't bother to reply, reached up to receive a kiss that Logan eagerly gave. Languidly, Remy reached for the night table and pushed the tube of lube into his lover's hand without breaking the kiss.

Just as slowly, Logan coated himself with the lube, trying to keep as much contact with the body below him as he could. Eventually, he poised himself at the entrance of his lover's body. Having already done this twice in the last six hours, it was easier to take everything slowly, the way Remy liked it.

Logan tried to drink in everything about his lover at this moment. Remy, spread full out on the bed, opening himself to him without a single thought. His auburn hair fanned out on the pillow and his strange eyes dilated widely from fully red to pinpricks of light in a sea of black. His hands, with long supple fingers, were clenched into the bed sheet.

Logan kissed the fingers lightly, provoking a raised eyebrow from the Cajun.

"You just gonna stare, cher?" Remy asked with a laugh. Logan growled and pushed, burying himself deep within his lover with a low moan from both of them.

They rocked together as Remy began to speak in tongues. Half English, half French, entirely incomprehensible. Logan moaned and spoke in soft whispers and when he came deep in the warmth of his lover, he hallowed.

A few seconds later, Remy followed him with a wordless scream and an arch that lifted him a foot off the bed. "Mmmmmm," Remy muttered into to the quiet aftermath.

"Still gonna marry me?" Logan asked as they drifted into sleep.

"After 'dat, I'd 'ave to be dumb not to." Remy burrowed himself into the powerful chest next to him. "Where we gonna 'ave the 'oneymoon?"

"How's Alaska sound?" Logan asked with a yawn.

"Cold."

They laughed lightly and fell deep into sleep.

 

Chapter Nine

The sun streamed into Logan's room, waking Remy from pleasant dreams. He reached for Logan, but grabbed only empty space. Confused, he sat up and for a few moments blinked owlishly at the morning sun. Sounds, coming from the bathroom told him that Logan was not far. And morning amnesia fell away all at once.

"Merde!" Remy leaped out of bed and into the bathroom. Logan was shaving and nearly cut himself as Remy breezed by and rushed into the shower.

"Good mornin' darlin," Wolverine said with a laugh.

"Nous tardons! Et toi, tu pense est un bonne matin!" Remy admonished from the shower, sounding like a clucking hen.

"What?!" Logan was sure that once they would get to know each other, he would learn all of Remy's French phrases that he liked to bandy about, but right now he hadn't a clue as to what had just been said.

"Late. We gonna be late for our own weddin'!"

They moved like lighting with Remy scolding Logan the whole way for letting him sleep in and other things that were in inaudible French, but Logan suspected were intended to disparage his mother. Understanding, the younger man's tension, Logan didn't bother to halt the stream of words and instead concentrated on his own preparations.

For weeks they had debated this. How would they tell the X-men? Who would be allowed to attend, if anyone? And who would conduct the ceremony anyway, given the legalities? And where would they go afterward?

In the end, they told Professor Xavier, who promptly insisted on marrying them himself and also politely advised them to get as far away as they could for a few weeks afterwards, so that tempers had time to cool. Only Hank, Jubilee and Jean would witness their vows, but that was enough for them.

"I hate suits," Logan mumbled to himself. Remy, who was still muttering and fussing over his perfect apperance, turned rapidly on one foot.

"Bien! Maybe we can find you a dress! Better, non?"

Wolverine growled at his mate and they held eye contact until Remy began to quiver with suppressed mirth.

"I'd look damned good in a dress. Now move your ass!" Logan growled before walking out of the room. Behind him, Remy stared wide-eyed before breaking out in peals of laughter, then following Logan out and through the mansion to the Professor's study.

There was nothing about the mansion to suggest that today was different from any other day and for that Remy felt a bit of regret, but he had had the other type of wedding. A huge celebration with hundreds of people and party that raged into the night and once it had been over, he had been left with a bride he didn't know and wasn't sure he could ever love. Now he could have the opposite and he had a feeling he would like it much better.

The study was quiet when they entered. Hank, Jean and Jubilee sat quietly against the walls and the Professor regarded them from behind the desk. The windows were open to offer fresh air and sunshine into the room.

Remy's hold on Logan's hand tightend to bone crushing. And Logan whispered in his ear, "Easy, kid."

"Kid?!" Remy whispered back infuriated, but he eased his grip somewhat and they turned to face the Professor.

"We're going to have to make this short," he informed them, but they knew that already. They had plane tickets for a flight that left in three hours. Luggage had been sent a head of them and this was the last thing they had to do. The tickets were open ended. Maybe they would never return, but Logan knew in his heart that the X-men had given him a home and that eventually, they would be back.

"Marriage is the sacred bond between two people in love. I see no reason why these two should not be wedded in holy matrimony. If any have a reason why these two should not be wed, speak now or forever hold your peace." The whole room tensed up waiting for someone angry to barge into the room. Nothing. A collective sigh of relief rose up.

"Do you, Remy LeBeau, take this man to be your husband?"

Remy's red eyes bore into Logan's blue and he smiled a little. "Oui."

"And do you, Logan..."

There was a pause and Jean shifted a little in her seat. No one was really sure what Logan's last name was which was why he was taking on Remy's. "Take this man to be your husband?"

Logan paused for a moment as if considering. Remy's eyes narrowed in a silent threat. Wolverine turned to the Professor with a laugh. "I'll take 'em."

" You may now kiss... each other." The Professor looked slightly confused, but Logan and Remy knew what to do well enough. Jean began to sob and Beast looked a little misty eyed. Jubilee turned her head, unwillingly to relinquish the last of her crush on Logan.

A few hours later and they were gone. Having argued long and hard over their vacation spot, they had compromised eventually. The first few weeks would be in Alaska, visiting various tribes that Logan claimed to know. The second leg would be to Paris where Remy had always longed to go.

Neither was quite content with this half way treaty but it was the best they had been able to come up with.

The plane ride was a long one and as they settled back into their seats, Remy cushioned his head on Logan's shoulder. "I love you," he whispered and fell asleep, exhausted and content.

Absently, Logan stroked his lover and life mate's hair. Before he had joined the X-men, Wolverine had been a fighter, living in the present. They had been his friends, real true friends and he had spent the last several years of his life trying to remember his past. Now, for the first time, in Remy, he could begin to see his future. But now, as he looked at Remy he saw his future.

 

END