X-men – Guardians
A/N italics are thoughts, telepathy, noises or dreams.
A/N Nightcrawler/Kurt is a teenager in this story.
Disclaimer: I do not own X-men or the x-men characters (except ones I have made up e.g. Caleb and Ashley) if I did I would be very, very rich and very old.
X-men Guardians
Alpha Team
Cyclops
Marvel Girl
Wolverine
Storm
Beast
Angel
Iceman
Rogue
Jubilee
Beta Team
Chaos
Colossus
Berserker
Shadowcat
Nightcrawler
Magma
Sunspot
Multiple
Boom Boom
Gaia (Later)
"Aww Kitty! Not another one!" Caleb moaned lifting up the bags dangling from his hands. "Haven't you bought enough?"
Kitty, or Shadowcat as she was also known, had already led/dragged him and Kurt (nightcrawler), who was wearing holographic image projector and looked normal, around about a dozen shops and had already spent enough that Caleb had to use his telekinesis to be able to carry his load.
The store now in front of them was a, rather expensive, jewellery store. "Aww Kitty, haven't you already spent enough?" Kurt asked in his German accent.
"NO!" Kitty gasped out as if he was insane. "A girl can never have too much clothing or jewellery." She said, as if to a small child.
"No. But a girl CAN clean out her bank account." Caleb told her in the same tone she had used with Kurt.
"But isn't that MY choice?" she rhetorically. "Now come on!" she announced, dragging the two boys by their t-shirts."
The two boys just sighed and allowed themselves to be woman handled. It was easier this way.
The inside of the store was dimly lit, casting shadows all over the shelves. These shelve s were topped with all kinds of rings, necklaces, bracelets, even tiaras!
Caleb resigned himself to a long wait as he heard Kitty squeal over a 'fabulous ring' or a 'isn't this a GORGEOUS tiara'.
He set the bags he was carrying down behind a box and leisurely scanned the shelves. Okay, this place could do with a good dusting. He thought as he ran his finger along a top shelf and it came back covered in grey.
He sighed and continued along the shelf, the superficial metals not interesting in the least.
He had almost given up hope of finding ANYTHING worth looking at in this place when glint caught his eye. The ring sat amidst bland and boring bands of gold and silver. But this ring was different, something about it whispering to Caleb. MINE!
He lifted the ring with trembling fingers. It was tick, round band of silver with a perfect grey/ blue angelite gem in the centre. It wasn't the ring itself; it was the gem that entranced him, whispered for him to look into it closer…
Flashes assaulted him mind's eye, images of power, death, and destruction. An image of a large man appeared. His dark, soulless eyes staring back into Caleb's.
"CALEB!"
Caleb blinked and breathed rapidly as the horrific images ceased and his mind became his own once more. He swallowed and thought about leaving the ring which held such frightful tales and filled his mind with horrible things. But it felt like it belonged to him, like it WAS his!
He walked towards the counter in a half trance like state, ignoring the, few, other customers in the store.
"Find anything you like?" Kitty's high voice chimed, breaking him from the trance.
"Huh? Oh, this," He looked up at her and answered simply, showing her the ring. Kitty examined the ring with an approving eye, nodding.
"Mmm, not bad," She said neutrally "Nice jewel." Her girly side showing through the appreciation for the gems beauty.
Caleb's mind tuned out again and before he knew it he had purchased the ring and they were in the car, speeding away back to X-mansion.
For the fifth time on the journey home Caleb found himself glancing back down to the ring in his, shaky, hand. He hadn't yet put it on, something was holding him back. He had a feeling that SOMETHING would happen when he put it on…
"Caleb! For gods sake just put it on!" Kitty moaned irritation in her voice, from the passenger seat. "And then maybe you could pay attention when someone's talking to you. It's not gonna to bite, you know."
Caleb half smiled, that's what you think… he thought, remaining silent. Finally he turned the ring over once more and slid it on his left hand's middle finger.
A faint, strange, tingle erupted through his hand and a light pressure built up behind his eyes. Caleb squeezed his eyes shut. After a blinking both sensations stopped as suddenly as they had come. Okay, weird much.
Caleb rolled his shoulders. He felt lighter somehow, more free. A smile crept onto his face. Looking up he took in his surroundings, now enjoying the bright sunshine and wind blowing through his dirty blonde hair.
They were now cruising along the road in the convertible. They had asked/begged Scott/Cyclops to lend them his convertible. He had eventually caved, once Kitty had pulled her crying act. The top was down and the music was blaring.
Turning the corner they arrived at their destination. 1407 Graymalkin Lane. The Xavier Institute.
The trio dropped off Cyclops' car in the garage, grabbing their things from the trunk.
Caleb waved to the other and headed to the kitchen. Shopping with Kitty could really drain a person and he was in need of some sugary goodness to charge up his batteries. Fuel of choice, ice-cream.
Caleb pushed through the door to the kitchen. Looking up he found the room occupied by Warren/Angel and Peter/Colossus.
Oh. My. God. Caleb thought eyes wide and his mouth threatened to fall open.
Angel was well-known for gallivanting around shirtless, because of his wings, but not Colossus! Peter stood beside the kitchen counter in all his toned torsal glory. A wide expanse of smooth skin and bulging muscle.
Caleb blinked rapidly, remembering to breath.
"Hi." He said simply as he trekked further into the room, towards the refrigerator.
"Hi." The two men replied, Colossus in that deep voice that made Caleb's breath hitch and heart beat faster. God! I'm like some little school girl with crush!
"Isn't that basically what you are" a feminine giggle invaded his head
"JEAN!" Caleb mentally shouted back, embarrassed
Her laughter filled his head. "Don't deny it! It's so obvious you like him. Logan can even smell your…desire.
A blush crept upon Caleb's face at the thought of the feral man being able to actually SMELL his feelings. "Oh my god! He's not going to tell him is he?"
"He's not like that. Besides shouldn't it be YOU that tells him how you feel?" She asked rhetorically before dropping the physic link between them and shielding her mind.
Caleb sighed and redid his shield also. Grabbing the ice-cream and a bowl he moved to the counter. Looking up Caleb notice the other two men staring at him.
"What?" he asked self-consciously
"Nuthin' you just went very still." Angel explained. "Talking to someone?"
Caleb nodded, "Jean."
Angel raised a pale eyebrow, "Oh. And what were you talking about?"
Caleb's cheeks burned red. "None of your business!" He blurted defensively as he looked down and telekinetically dumped a large block of ice-cream into his bowl.
"Oh, I see!" Angel drawled knowingly, making Caleb feel more nervous.
Hastily he threw the ice-cream back into the freezer and closed the door. "I don't know what you mean." He said feigning innocence as he grabbed his bowl and made for the exit.
"Sure you don't…" Angel's voice floated from the kitchen, laughing sarcastically.
Swinging through the door Caleb made a hasty exit.
After having satisfied his craving Caleb suited up and headed for the Danger Room. His team, Beta Team, had a training session scheduled in 30 minutes and Caleb was going to blow off a little steam beforehand.
His suit was a dark red body suit, not unlike Storms, with a yellow X on the chest and back and dark blue almost knee high boots and gloves. The suit was completed with a belt which also had the X symbol as the buckle.
The changing room was, thankfully, empty. It was bad enough dealing with his crush on Peter but to have to deal with a NAKED Peter was just torture!
Caleb set the Danger Room computer to a simple program and half a dozen FOH's, Friends of Humanity, appeared. All where equipped with handguns and some with tasers.
The safety protocols may prevent physical harm but it still hurts like a bitch!
Caleb smiled and took to the air, levitating above them. A few BANGS where his only warning before he threw out his mind and stopped four bullets inches from his body. He concentrated and the bullets reversed course and embedded themselves in the thighs of two of the men. He removed their guns, throwing them far from them. Two down.
An intense sting erupted in his right shoulder as a taser latched onto it.
"Aargh!" Caleb grunted as he spun in the air and hit the man with telekinetic blast that threw him against a wall. He meant to push the man with enough force to knock him out but he hit the wall with a sickening crunch and a puddle of blood was growing fast around the head of the lifeless man.
"Computer! Delete all other simulants except the….dead one," Caleb called, stumbling over the word 'dead'.
The other five FOH's disappeared. Only Caleb and the dead body remained.
Caleb levitated over to the body and landed softly beside it, making sure to keep his feet away from the growing expanse of blood.
He took a deep breath and willed the body to roll over.
Caleb gagged as he looked down at the man. His skull had cracked open, the brain spilling out.
He turned and ran. Ran from his victim and the horror of the damage he had inflicted
He ran for the changing room but collided head first into something big and bulky, but also soft.
He fell back, or would have if two strong arms weren't holding him steady, and close.
He looked up, and found the two big, chocolate brown orbs of Peter looking back at him.
Caleb looked away, afraid of what he might see in those eyes, dreading Pete looking at him like a monster. Instead he buried his face in the larger man's shoulder and wrapped his arms around his waist. Peter held him until he had calmed down, the tension leaving Caleb's body and allowing him to sink further into the embrace.
After only a few minutes of basking in the other's arms Caleb lifter his head to look up at Pete's face. A faint red tinged his cheeks as he whispered a "Thank you."
Peter smiled down at him with that 'oh so cute' smile that Caleb loved. Then he leaned down and brushed his lips along the smaller boy's. "Anytime."
Caleb stood totally still, his mind frozen from the shock that this gorgeous man in front of him, his crush, had just kissed him!
He opened his mouth to say something, anything, when the male members of their team could be heard entered the changing room.
He sighed and let go. "Computer. End simulation." And the bleeding body disappeared, leaving no trace of what had happened.
The rest of the team suited up and met in the Danger Room.
It was decided they would load up a basic sentinel program.
The metal room shimmered with colour and then they were standing along a deserted street. The silence made Caleb uneasy.
The team trekked further down the street, not a one of them talking or making any noise as they kept sharp eyes out for their opponent.
They heard it before they saw it, the rhythmic tremors that shook the whole street a clear indication of what was coming. And it was coming at them.
Then the huge purple and blue giant came into view. "Mutant signatures identified!" rand out the ominous mechanical voice before it shot a pink energy blast from its hand.
Caleb flew into the air, Colossus metalled up, Magma and Sunspot flared, Multiple multiplied, Berserker charged up and Boom Boom created a handful of her little orbs.
They were ready.
Multiple had his clones acting as diversions, distracting the sentinel while Berserker, Magma and Boom Boom assaulted it with electricity, fire and explosions. Colossus and Sunspot used their incredible strengths to attack it's feet, trying to cripple it.
Caleb saw this tactic and telepathically called to Berserker, Magma and Boom Boom, telling them to concentrate on the leg.
The Jamies took some hits and Caleb moved to block some of them. He knew that Jamie could feel what his clones were feeling and that the pain would eventually overcome him if he didn't help.
The Sentinel staggered as their efforts paid off and its right leg came off at the knee. Caleb saw an opportunity and psionically told the team to knock it over, assisting with a strong telekinetic blast.
The loud sound of metal against concrete echoed as the earth shook with the impact of the sentinel's fall.
The team refocused their efforts on the sentinel's head, intent on shutting it down. The elementals and Boom Boom bombarded it with their attacks but sentinel just swept its arm out and sent them hurtling towards a shop wall.
Caleb saw them connect with the arm and caught them before they impacted with the wall.
Colossus started punching the head and seemed to be doing some damage, but the robot's other hand came up and metal tentacle furled from it and coiled itself around Colossus' body. He was lifted into the air.
It was Colossus' screams that drew his attention and Caleb's head shot over to see him writhing as his metal body was pelted with lasers from the tentacle, lasers intent on hurting him!
A hot, fiery rage erupted through Caleb's body and an intense pressure built up in his head. He locked his gaze on the sentinel's offending hand, and then screamed as his power lashed out and coiled around the hand. The sound of metal screeching filled the street, and then the hand exploded. The team was showered with raining bits of metal and wire but Caleb noticed none of it. He focused quickly on Colossus and glided him gently to the ground.
Caleb felt weakened, less than he should have, but was determined to finish this.
He let his fury still flow and this time focussed on the sentinel's head. With a growl that grew louder and louder, until it was a scream, Caleb threw out all he had at the mechanical head. A loud BANG was heard as the face of the sentinel imploded, and then the head ripped violently from the body. A vast array of sparks flew from the large hole where the head used to be attached and the robot became motionless. Dead.
Caleb's vision blurred as his body went boneless and fell from the air. The last thing he saw was Colossus' worried face as he caught him. Then darkness took him.
He groggily opened his eyes, a blinding white light stabbing them with its sharp needles. He blinked rapidly as he orientated himself and the illumination began to recede until he could see that he was in the infirmary.
He wasn't alone. On the edge of his consciousness Caleb could sense another person in the room…….His father.
"How long was I out dad?" Caleb grumbled.
His father wheeled into view, "Three hours. But we couldn't enter the room until 30 minutes ago. You put a telekinetic bubble around the room. It was subconscious and….that's not all" his father trailed off ominously.
Caleb's father handed him a mirror and he gasped at what he saw. His once dirty blond hair was now DEEP RED, and his eyes that were once a light blue had darkened to a deeper blue.
He groped his new hair to reaffirm that it was really there. "Wh…What happened to me?!" he asked squeakily God, what next?
"What next? Has something else happened?" his father asked in that voice that betrayed that he already knew the answer.
"Did Pete tell you?!" Caleb asked his father harshly, half of him already knowing the answer was 'no'
"No, Peter did not tell me. I reviewed the video footage. You really shouldn't doubt Peter" That last bit was said in a voice that both brought pink to his cheeks AND made him want to punch his father.
"Anyway...What did you….find?"
"It would appear that your powers are evolving, becoming stronger. This could also explain your…physical changes"
"So, that's it? My powers are only getting stronger? Sweet!" I suppose the red hair IS actually kinda cool!
"No! Not 'sweet'. With more power you're going to have to have more control. You wouldn't want what happened in the Danger Room to become a reality."
Caleb sighed, "You know how to take the fun out of everything. I know that I'm gonna have to have more control. I WAS in the Danger Room remember?" he asked sarcastically.
Xavier's lips thinned into a line but he didn't say anything more about it. "There are some clean clothes in the cupboard by the door. Dinner's in ten minutes if you're up to it." And with that he turned and wheeled out of the room.
Caleb sighed and sat up, grunting as his muscle gave their protest. Yeah, I suppose I could do with a change. He looked towards the cupboard, intent on summoning the clothes, and it blew open, the tracksuit trousers and the jacket flying towards him and landing beside him.He took off his uniform and threw on the loose clothing, ready for dinner.
He rode the elevator to the ground floor and slowly made his way to the dining hall. Throughout the journey he was in deep thought about his recent strangeness. First his powers, and now his eyes and hair. What next?
He half didn't want to know the answer to that question.
When he reached the doors to the hall he took a deep breath, opened the doors, and entered the room.
The couple of people that looked up at his arrival stopped all motion as the shock of his….metamorphosis overtook them. This then drew more attention towards him, and before most of the room was staring at him.
Caleb cringed and grabbed his head as dozens of thought's bombarded him.
Who's the new kid?...Oh my god! That's Caleb!
What the hell happened to him?
Wow! Cool Look!
His eyes are so dark…
And so on and so on. His mind being hit from all sides by the thoughts of the students.
Caleb swayed and staggered, and then fell. Fell onto a familiar chest, with familiar arms holding his steady. "Get me out of here!" he grunted through clenched teeth as he was being deafened by the invading thoughts.
Peter had led them from the hall and closed the doors, the physical barrier actually helping him silence his mind.
"Thank you," Caleb whispered quietly as he took a seat on a bench nearby.
A strong arm wrapped around his shoulders and a weight settled beside him. Peter didn't say anything or ask any questions, and for that Caleb liked him even more.
Caleb steadied his breathing and calmed his mind. He wiped his forehead as he felt beads of sweat roll down his forehead.
He turned to the man beside him and gave a small, but real, smile. "My hero."
Peter responded with a smile of his own and an "Anytime."
Caleb looked into the other mans big brown eyes and slowly leaned forward, giving the other boy ample time to pull away.
He didn't
Their lips met in a soft, chaste kiss that quickly grew intense and deep, both boys exploring the others with an almost animalistic passion.
A whimper escaped Caleb when Peter wrapped his other arm around his waist and pulled him against his large, perfect chest.
He submitted to the larger man, allowing him to dominate the kiss and plunder his mouth. Caleb's own hands wrapped around Peter's neck and he pulled him even closer, the feel of the big, strong, muscled chest rubbing against his own sent tingles down his body to his crotch, his cock hardening so much it was almost painful.
For what felt like hours the two men explored each others mouth and groped at each other's torsos, only separating when the need for air became an important issue.
Caleb wracked his mind for something to say, something intelligent, something meaningful, but all that was whispered was, "Wow"
Peter smiled, "Your welcome."
Caleb smiled back and planted a long, but chaste kiss on the other man's lips. "How about we grab some dinner and eat it outside?"
They ate their food while sitting beside the fountain in the main garden, the sound of the running water casting a serene atmosphere around the two boys.
Their empty plates were dumped in the kitchen on their walk around the grounds. At the pool they waved a 'hello' to Amara, who was lounging in the water. At the forest perimeter Caleb looked over at the big man and reached out, lacing their fingers together.
Is this okay? He telepathically asked him.
Peter smiled in response and held the hand in his.
Their happy mood, however, was broken when Danny, a typical jock who was gifted with super speed, saw their linked hands and decided to make something of it.
"Knock it off Danny!" Caleb warned the other boy after he had insulted Peter.
Danny didn't listen and continued ridiculing them, unaware of Caleb's rising fury.
Peter growled beside him and as good as Caleb's mood had been, that's how sour it was now.
"I'm only gonna say this once. Go away and you won't get hurt."
Danny laughed. "Or what? You'll bitchslap me?"
He had barely finished his insult before he was unceremoniously lifted from the ground. He started wheezing and grasping at his throat, his throat which Caleb was now constricting.
Caleb looked over as he felt Pete tug on his hand. "Don't" was all the other boy whispered.
He sighed and threw the worthless bastard through the air, and felt mild satisfaction at the THUD he heard when Danny collided with a tree.
"Well….that's that." Caleb shrugged.
Peter half smiled, "How about we go up to my room?"
"Lead the way," Caleb smiled, taking Pete's hand and allowing himself to be guided by the other boy.
In the hours before bedtime the two boys had gained deeper insights and knowledge of the boy beside them.
Among the things Caleb had learned was about how his powers had first activated, and about his family and his sister Illyana, or Magik as the was also referred to.
In return Caleb told Pete about himself. He even told of how his own powers had first activated when a group of gay bashers had cornered him.
He looked away when from Pete's face when he admitted that not all of the bashers had made it to hospital.
Peter's response only deepened Caleb's feelings for him when he his two large arms envelop him and pull him close.
Time ran away from them and before they knew it, it was time for Caleb to go. They exchanged 'goodnight's, and a soft kiss, before Caleb trekked the distance to his own
room. He wore a light smile, it had been a good day.
He threw off all but his boxers and climbed into bed, sleep quickly taking him.
A tall man swept his scimitar, all his foes falling before his unstoppable wrath. Dozens of fighters fell from his path, bodies staining with increasing red. The last victim fell and the man surveyed the scene. An ocean of bodies littered the sands, their life's blood staining the area, creating a vast field of red.
A red sun. A bright red sun with orbiting planets, moons, stars, and all other celestial bodies. He hurtles through this galaxy, intent on reaching it's centre, it's heart. He smiles in pleasure as he sinks into the molten orb and revels in his own power. The sun roils and expands, his power pushing it bigger and bigger. He can feel the planets connect with the supernova, and he feels them crumble. The life on those planets, extinguished.
A dark, desolate city. Buildings black and crumbling, bodies littering every home, every street. One being though is still alive. A tall, pale blue, mammoth of a man. A blue metal moulding itself to his body like a suit. He is laughing manically, victoriously.
13