A/N: After far too long of an absence, I'm back with fic number 35. Yaaay! Now, I recently had the opportunity, privilege, honor, and absolute pleasure to work alongside (and subsequently meet) Hugh Jackman. Ever since, I've been on this enormous X-Men kick, and this was the only thing I could muster from it…for now, anyway.
Just a quiet moment between the boys…that part of the film ended too soon, I thought.
Anyway, read and review. Thanks! Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Marvel characters, but I do own a Hugh Jackman-autographed copy of The Boy From Oz OBC cast recording...so who's the lucky one? Me, that's who.
Proximity
A moment. ORIGINS fic. Victor/Jimmy.
Stars dotted the otherwise black canvas of a sky as yet another winter night passed over the Canadian wilderness. An owl hooted somewhere in the distance. Much closer, a voice roused the boy from sleep. Victor was instantly alert, ready to run again, if that's what it came to. But he'd already been running for so long-an eternity, it seemed.
"Victor?" He looked down to see his younger brother a few feet away, slumped against the wall of their lean-to, shivering.
"Go back to sleep, Jimmy," he commanded in a hushed voice. In the moonlight, the younger boy's skin seemed even paler than usual, and Victor could see the tears that pricked at the corners of soft, brown eyes. If he were honest with himself, the elder was unsure how much longer either of them could keep on this way.
"I c-can't, Vic," Jimmy whimpered. "I tried, but I can't." The other tried to stuff down his growing irritation. He was tired-far too tired to put up with any whining tonight.
"Try harder, kid. There's nothing to be afraid of." It was silent for a few minutes as Victor attempted to close his eyes once more, but the timid voice again called his name.
"Victor?"
"Damn it, Jimmy, what is it now?" Victor liked the way the curse word tasted on his lips-something Mother would never have approved of. Jimmy stared up at his big brother with a pleading look.
"It's c-c-cold, Victor. I'm so cold…" The elder feral looked around. The fire was burning dangerously low, and all they had for blankets were the overcoats they had left the house in-in Jimmy's case, that tattered red bathrobe. Creed's generally hard expression softened slightly, and he held out his arms.
"C'mere, Jimmy." Bathrobe and all, the younger, sickly child scooted closer to his big brother until they were pressed together. "Is that better?" Victor tensed slightly as James' frigid little nose brushed against the crook of his neck.
"Mmm-hmm," came the muffled response. Again, it was quiet.
"Hey Victor?" Jimmy whispered.
"Yeah?"
"Maybe runnin' away isn't so bad…I mean, it's just you and me…together…I kinda like it…" The words were slurred, hindered by the sleep that was finally coming. Victor laughed softly to himself and raked his fingers through Jimmy's thick, dark hair. Being hard and tough was for waking hours, he decided.
"So do I. Sleep now." The two siblings snuggled together, reminiscent of two puppies, using each other for not only body heat, but also for some sense of comfort.