Scott Summers wasn't much of a gambling man. He'd preferred to live his life surrounded by structure and thorough calculations. Every move was a tactical, well thought out decision down to the last detail meant to give him clarity and focus, yet when Logan threw out their bet on the table, Scott had willingly pushed aside everything he'd prided himself on living by to indulge the idea. Sure, he'd known it was a gamble, but given that he and Logan were working towards reconciliation with one another, he'd figured why not? It was too delicious of a bet to simply refuse and back down from the challenge—that was until Scott had uncharacteristically found himself on the losing end of the deal they'd made. Now standing in the center of a less than reputable establishment with form fitting yellow spandex caressing every line of his body, he couldn't help, but ponder that somehow he'd been on the receiving end of a well thought out hustle that had always kept the odds stacked against Scott. However, a deal was a deal and if anything Scott Summers was a man of his word.
"There's nothing wrong with a little friendly wager now is there Slim?" he could hear Logan's voice in the back of his mind when he felt the eyes of the men backstage upon him. Pretending that he didn't have a care in the world, Scott stood up taller, puffing his chest out and exhaling sharply. Wordlessly he reached down to the already far too short hemline of the garment he was wearing. It stretched out just enough for him to push it down further over his solid muscular thigh, but he knew he wasn't kidding anyone let alone himself. If he bent over everyone would get a painstakingly embarrassing view of what was underneath the less than reputable canary colored spandex gown he'd been wearing.
"You're a fashion disaster darling," he could almost hear Emma's voice in the back of his head mocking his decision to play nice and indulge Logan. Of course had Emma been there at the moment she would've found her way to the front table near the stage watching him shake his ass like an amateur in the seedy strip club that Logan had provided to set the stage for the backdrop on Scott's display. Scott could almost imagine her heckling him, shouting lewd and obscene propositions that under other circumstances he'd be inclined to try out, but tonight with a far too restrictive dress and a black lace thong riding between up the crease of his muscular bottom driving him to distraction he realized that he wouldn't be able to face that kind of humiliation. Then again for an instant he found himself wondering if Emma had felt like he did back when she'd been at the Hellfire Club. Had she, too, been presented by a moment of fear and concern when she was about to be exposed to an audience on display like a piece of meat for them to oogle and objectify? Granted he hadn't really given that much thought in quite some time, but as he stood backstage listening to the catcalls from the other side of the curtain in response to the dancer who was performing on stage, he suddenly found himself wondering about a great many things beyond the moment.
"You're up next sweet cheeks," the burly man walking by announced as Scott felt the distinct slap of thick fingers across the right side of his ass. It caused him to stand up straighter, immediately rigid when he shot the man a glare.
"Hands off," Scott mouthed in warning before reaching up to adjust the top of his dress. He let out a small huff, puffing his chest out as he thought about what he'd learned. If he could make his way across the stage, over to the pole and keep his balance then he'd be all set. After all dancing was an art and a skill, much like martial arts had been. How difficult could it be?
"Only the biggest disaster of your life," Scott mouthed to himself knowing that it was humiliating enough for Scott to pull off such a feat with an audience. At least Logan had decided to keep things between them thus providing Scott with an out of the way, run down place just outside of town where no one would have any inkling of who they were. As the guidelines of the bet spelled out Scott would get up on stage, dance around in the dress Logan selected for him and ultimately they'd be even. Simple enough. Five minutes of humiliation would bring about the end of the painful schism between them as Logan agreed to their reconciliation once Scott paid off his debt.
Hearing the music come to an end on the other side of the curtain Scott stood up taller knowing he was seconds away from one of the most challenging missions of his life. Listening to the men in the crowd going wild about the dancer on stage Scott knew it would go one of two ways. He'd either come off stage unscathed or fail miserably in the process.
"Failure is not an option," Scott decided drawing in a breath and reaching for the curtain bound and determined to settle things once and for all.
xxxxx
Guilt tugged at Logan's insides as he held onto the long neck of the beer bottle in his hand. It's cool, icy glass was enough to chill the warmth radiating over him at the thought of what was ahead for his evening. Yes, perhaps he'd played a bit unfair, but it seemed appropriate given that he and Scott were in talks about reuniting again. Their fighting had transformed into a reluctant partnership, which had opened the door to that early Sunday morning sports bet Scott and Logan had made after one of the students had roped the two of them into joining a fantasy football league. Scott, the smug asshole that he was, had beaten Logan each and every week especially during the week when they had played one another. Scott's team had annihilated him, so rather than attempting to argue, Logan had laid out another far more delicious proposition in a winner takes all suggestion. At first Scott had seemed hesitant to agree to the bet, but after a few minutes of contemplation Scott had shared a handshake and a nod that set Logan down a deviant path. Smirking as he looked to the stage Logan couldn't help, but feel as if perhaps he'd pushed the envelope a little too far when he'd gone well out of his way to stack the odds a little in his favor. Yes, it was duplicitous and would've been reason enough for Scott to want to call the bet off if he'd truly known what lengths Logan went to in order to achieve his win. However, what Scott didn't know wouldn't hurt him, Logan decided as he finished off his beer and flagged the waitress over to provide him with another.
"It's all in good fun," Logan thought to himself when he sank back further into his seat. His eyes immediately traveled to the stage wondering if Scott would back down from the challenge as the lights went down. There was an announcement introducing him to the crowd as Logan's grin expanded. Twisting in his seat he reached into his pocket pulling out the pile of singles he'd specifically gone down to the bank to retrieve in preparation for the night's excursion. Now armed with a shit-eating grin and the notion of getting loud and making this as uncomfortable as possible for Scott, Logan found that things were about to get interesting. Remembering the far too tiny yellow dress he'd picked out specifically for Scott, he found that the tables were about to turn in ways he hadn't anticipated. A moment later the thick, heavy bass kicked in with neon lights flashing across the strip club. However, in an instant he found that he wasn't at all prepared for what was ahead of him.
"Holy shit," he heard a man at the table beside him call out when Scott walked out onto the stage with the presence and grace of a runway model with his head held high. His chest was puffed out, arms at his side as his strut commanded attention. Not only had he been wearing the sleazy yellow dress, but he'd also donned high heeled stilettos that Logan was convinced Scott had to have stolen from Emma's sacred collection. In an instant Logan's eyes ran up the lines of Scott's body from those made for sin heels to the thick, powerful thighs that immediately gave Logan thoughts of Scott in his bed, gripping and squeezing him in ways that only a skilled power bottom could offer up. With each movement Scott made, his body seemed to meld with the dress, claiming dominance as Scott worked the room in his silent strut. The lighting drew even more emphasis to his face, casting shadows over his high, sculpted cheekbones that hadn't gone unnoticed by the crowd. Scott paused momentarily casting a glance out across the crowd before blowing a kiss from those lush, full, pouting lips in Logan's direction.
For a moment Logan gulped down harder than before feeling his heart hammering in his chest. He watched Scott approach him, dominating the stage as if he'd been anything, but an amateur in the moment set out to entice and seduce the audience around him. Logan watched as Scott paused running his hands over his hips, up over the front of the slinky, yellow dress Logan had provided him with. It elicited a round of catcalls from the audience, lending weight to the charisma Scott carried with him when he moved over the length of the stage stopping just short of where Logan was. Smirking Scott bent down balancing himself on those heels of his. He was nearly eye level with Logan pursing his lips suggestively as Logan found himself instinctively moving in closer to him. There was the scent of confidence, of power and seduction in the air, but just when Logan was convinced that Scott would reach for him, Scott pulled back redirecting his attention to the man seated at the table beside Logan. Immediately the man reached out for Scott slipping a twenty dollar bill down the front of Scott's dress. Scott responded by leaning forward to whisper in the man's ear, which prompted the man to offer Scott another ten. With a smile and a wink Scott accepted suddenly moving across the stage as if he hadn't noticed Logan watching him on bated breath, waiting like a man ready to pounce.
"Well, well, well," Logan mouthed to himself when Scott danced around the stage looking hotter than any other exotic dancer Logan had ever come across. With each movement of his hips, with every blatant gyration it drew emphasis to Scott's body transforming him from the stoic leader to a highly sexual force of nature.
With his eyes glued on Scott's movements, Logan realized he hadn't wanted Scott more than he did in the moment. There was something oddly primitive about his moments, enticing and captivating every man in the room when Scott reached for the pole set up on the left side of the stage. Effortlessly his long, lean thigh wrapped around the silver metallic surface causing Scott to go into full swing around the pole. His body contorted around it, wrapping it up like it was made for him alone in the moment. With each beat of the music, Scott twisted and turned owning his movements as the tiny little dress moved with him, giving Logan another glimpse of the man he'd teasingly forced into the situation. Yes, when they'd made the bet he half expected Scott to balk out and refuse to pay up, but instead he was on the stage commanding that each and every person in the club worship him alone. It was the dance of seduction, of pure narcissism and desire when Scott eased down over the pole in order to turn around and provide a glimpse of the backside Logan had found himself staring at more often than not.
Clearing his throat Logan watched as Scott shimmied and shook looking less like an awkward, uneasy leader and more like a professional set on destroying the sex lives of everyone else in the club when they most certainly would spend every night the rest of their lives fantasizing about Scott alone. Licking his lips Logan watched as Scott leaned forward sliding his legs out across the stage and giving the audience a teasing hint of the black, lacy lingerie he was wearing. Suddenly on edge Logan looked around the room seeing the way the others were watching Scott, wanting him and as Logan redirected his attention to the stage he realized Scott had shifted his hips just enough to bring the dress up over his bottom to reveal the full, ripe flesh that Logan had often fantasized about taking a bite out of. With each teasing pull Scott guided the dress up further causing it to curve and contort around his body enough to reveal the muscular, rounded cheeks that brought the audience into an uproar.
Squeezing his fingers around the neck of the beer bottle Logan found himself met with the scent of arousal and the sounds of longing when Scott moved across the stage prompting one man in the audience to rush up over to him and reach for the ass that Logan had found himself fantasizing about more often than not. That thought in itself caused Logan to snarl, immediately springing up onto the stage to tear the man with groping hands off of Scott. Before Scott could react Logan bent down throwing Scott over his shoulder and charging out of the strip club overtaken by jealousy and lust.
"Logan, what are you doing?" Scott questioned once Logan burst out of the back of the club with Scott over his arm, "Logan, put me down!"
"Not a chance Slim," Logan roared making his way over to the motorcycle that he'd brought with him to the club, "We're getting you out of here."
"But I haven't finished my dance," Scott's voice hinted at the amusement he'd felt in the moment at having Logan tear him from the stage.
"You're not going to either because if you were up there any longer I'd have to kill each and every person in the club for the way they were looking at you," Logan announced setting Scott down on the back of his bike.
"Is that right?" Scott wiggled his brow suggestively as he made no move to wrap his legs around the motorcycle in cooperation, "Well, in that case would that include you killing yourself considering that I saw the way you were salivating in there. Clearly you enjoyed this and…"
"That's irrelevant," Logan threw his hands up in the air, "because this wasn't supposed to be about my enjoying it. It was supposed to be about…"
"You humiliating me?" Scott questioned folding his arms in front of his chest.
"Yes. No. I mean…" Logan threw his hands up in the air before yanking Scott off of the back of the bike and into his arms. Instinctively his lips came crashing down over Scott's kissing him as if anything and everything depended on their lips melding together in such a union. At first Scott seemed surprised, but soon after his arms wrapped around Logan squeezing him closer yet as their tongues tangled in a frantic, eager display.
"Let's get out of here Slim," Logan finally breathed recklessly. His forehead pressed in against Scott's shoulder as Scott's arms still surrounded him tightly.
"Where can we go?" Scott questioned lazily, "I don't exactly have anything else to wear other than this."
"Where we're going Slim, I can promise you that you won't need anything to wear…not even this," Logan revealed with desire carrying over him. He touched the side of Scott's face before arching up to kiss Scott again with all the need and urgency he'd felt from the moment Scott set out on stage bound and determined to make him rethink their location. However, with Scott in his arms Logan was certain they'd find another more personal, rewarding way to settle their bet.
xxxxx
Laughter carried over the inside of the club as a sixteen year old Bobby slapped the shoulder of the teenage version of Scott Summers, who now sat beside him mortified by the situation they'd watched unfold before them. When Bobby had suggested they sneak away from the school away from the others Scott had agreed thinking that there was no chance of getting caught. A strip club was risky, but when Professor Logan had come in it seemed that the risk was going to get them into trouble. However, once they'd realized Professor Logan had come to drink and oogle the talent on stage, Scott had been convinced that the worst of it had been over. The two boys were about to sneak out of the club undetected, but once Scott was presented by the other version of himself on stage strutting his stuff in ways that Scott couldn't even begin to comprehend, he'd found himself unable to do anything, but lower himself in his seat behind the table and hope that no one notice. Now, however, alone with Bobby, Scott realized he was never going to live this one down.
"And here I thought my future was screwed up," Bobby chortled with amusement, "Hooking up with Professor Kitty seemed like it was the worst of it, but this…well, this is priceless."
"Shut up Bobby," Scott spoke up behind gritted teeth, "Let's get out of here."
"Not yet," Bobby snorted wildly, "Given how fast he left I'm sure everyone in here wouldn't mind you getting up there to finish what he started."
"It's not going to happen," Scott shot Bobby a glare from behind his visor.
"Oh come on," Bobby slapped Scott's shoulder playfully, "You might make a few extra bucks and who couldn't use that right about now since we're on our own?"
The words prompted another glare from Scott before Bobby raised his hands in the air defensively.
"I'm just saying," Bobby shrugged his shoulders.
"If it sounds like such a good idea for you, then why don't you do it?" Scott huffed looking to the beer bottle in front of him that Bobby had managed to get with the fake ids another one of the students had made for them. Now as Scott looked to it, he found himself rethinking his notion of sobriety in order to burn out the image of himself on stage in a dress and high heels. As if life wasn't hard enough he was going to have to live with the thought of what everyone would think once he and Bobby returned to the school where Bobby would undoubtedly open his mouth up about the experience.
"You think I could make as much money as you—I mean he did?" Bobby inquired with a sincere interest in his voice. When Scott shot him another glare Bobby reached for his beer and slumped down in his seat once again, "Never mind."
"Yeah never mind indeed," Scott huffed noticing that in Logan's haste to get the other version of himself out of the club that Scott had lost one of his shoes.
"So do you…um, do you think that was part of that bet that they made last weekend?" Bobby questioned refusing to let go of the issue as Scott turned to face him fully. "I mean I heard them whispering about something big as a wager. I know that the other you lost."
"Only because Logan cheated," Scott frowned when his eyes returned to the stage again. Thinking about what he'd witnessed, he couldn't help, but remember the moment when he'd found his way down one of the hallways only to encounter Logan slipping a twenty dollar bill to one of the students whose abilities had been insight on future events. Logan had purposely inquired about the sports game that the wager had been upon. Having watched the unscrupulous exchange Scott had been immediately infuriated, angry and agitated that Logan would attempt to pull the wool over the other him's eyes. In fact, it had agitated Scott so much that he had gone specifically to his other self to warn him of Logan's duplicity. He'd revealed the details of the exchange he'd witnessed and his other self had promised with a smile and a nod that he would take care of it. Now in thinking about how things had played out on the stage Scott couldn't help, but wonder why his other self hadn't called Logan out on his actions. Instead he'd acted as if he'd been unaware of Logan's cheating on the bet. He'd simply taken the 'consequences' and turned the situation into a strip tease that had driven Logan crazy until that moment when he'd pulled Scott off of the stage and rushed wildly out of the club.
"Do you think they're going to do it tonight?" Bobby snorted with a laugh that left Scott more unsettled than he was before, "Like you know…have sex?"
"Shut up Bobby," Scott groaned outwardly.
"I mean like seriously, do you think they're going to go for it because with the way Professor Logan was acting I'm pretty sure that they're going to just do it tonight," Bobby added reaching for his beer and laughing again.
"I don't know," Scott wrinkled his nose at him and glared behind his glasses once again, "Maybe we should go talk to your older self and see how much you enjoy hearing about his sex life with Professor Kitty."
"Ugh," Bobby shuddered and nearly spat out his beer. With a frown he set the bottle on the table top pushing it across the table as the two teens fell into a moment of silence. After what felt like an eternity Bobby finally spoke up again in a much more sympathetic voice, "For what it's worth I'd rather be sleeping with Professor Logan myself. In that sense I think you're the luckier one in the long run."
"Yeah, I think so too," Scott mouthed under his breath knowing full well that while he'd never admit it from what he'd seen his future wasn't nearly as awful as he'd anticipated. Yes, he was still figuring it out, but despite the humiliation that surrounded him, he'd have to make a mental note to find an appropriate way to deal with Logan's cheating when he was his future self living in the moment. Then again thinking about the rumors he'd heard about his future self's relationship with Miss Frost, Scott decided that perhaps he'd also find a way to enlist her help along the way for extracting a proper punishment on Logan for his duplicity. Yes, that sounded like a good plan indeed.