Author's Note: Some short and sweet Pyro/Multiple Man since poor Jamie's gonna get screwed over in A Little Complication. Fluffy nonsense. You've been warned.
Behind Closed Doors
Magneto and Mystique watched the monitors carefully as their team frantically searched the simulated base in the Brotherhoods version of the X-Men's danger room. The task was simple – reach the target room before anyone else. Of course some were managing better than others. Mystique rolled her eyes as she watched the mutants stagger their way through the maze of corridors and hidden traps. Finally one of the newer recruits – a cocky young male with the ability to manipulate electricity – made it to the room they were all searching for.
"Made it!"
"Took your time about it though."
Mystique couldn't help but smirk at the voice that came from the corner of the target room.
"Pyro?"
The fire mutant looked back at him with a bored expression.
"Yeah, I've been waiting for you guys for ages," he drawled.
"Right, that's enough," Magneto's voice drifted through the simulated base before it slowly faded away, leaving a handful of mutants standing in a huge empty room. The Brotherhood leader rolled his eyes and turned away from the control panel, leaving Mystique to watch the mutants file out.
"Well done Pyro," she gave the younger mutant an approving nod. The pyrokinetic just gave a passive shrug.
"Teacher's pet," one of the other mutant's muttered, but they quickly scurried away as fiery brown eyes turned on them. Mystique laughed quietly and turned to the mutant approaching her.
"I expect better from you Multiple Man," she arched an eyebrow pointedly. "You seemed to be struggling."
The multiplying mutant winced slightly.
"It's just my shoulder giving me grief, I'll be back to normal soon," he assured her. The shapeshifter looked at him questioningly.
"What did you do to your shoulder?"
"Just overdid it a bit exercising."
Mystique nodded slowly.
"Ok, well if it's not any better tomorrow let me have a look at it," she gave the male a nod to allow him to continue on his way. A quiet laugh escaped her lips as she watched him depart. Exercising?
x-x-x x-x-x x-x-x
Multiple Man stifled a yawn as he wandered absently into his bedroom, covering his mouth with his left hand as he circled his right shoulder, wincing slightly as he did so.
"Your shoulder still sore?" a concerned voice came from the side of the room. Multiple Man stretched his right arm out to the side, trying to find an angle that would alleviate the pain in that shoulder.
"A little," he muttered, sitting down on the corner of the bed. He smiled softly as the bed behind him shifted, a pair of hands starting to massage both his shoulders gently. "Mystique wants to have a look at it tomorrow."
"Did you tell her how you hurt it?"
Multiple Man laughed softly.
"I told her I just overdid it a bit when I was exercising," he replied, a mischievous glint in his eye.
"Damn good exercise it was too..." Pyro smirked, kissing the back of Multiple Man's neck as his hands worked slowly down his back. Multiple Man moaned softly, rolling his head to the side to allow the fire mutant more access, sliding his good arm behind him, his hand resting on Pyro's thigh.
"Maybe for you…" the older mutant smirked. Pyro grinned and kissed his way up Multiple Man's neck.
"I don't remember you complaining…" he whispered, smiling at the shiver that coursed through the mutant in his arms as his warm breath ghosted over his ear. Laughing quietly, the fire mutant shuffled round, cupping his hands either side of Multiple Man's face, pulling him into a soft, lingering kiss. The older mutant's lips curled into a smile as he responded, gently lowering his lover to the bed. A soft laugh escaped his lips as they parted, causing the younger to frown and – although he would deny it – pout. "What?"
"You," Multiple Man smiled affectionately, brushing some of the pyrokinetic's floppy blonde hair from his face. "Out there you are so…" he shook his head. "Everyone is scared of you. But as soon as that door closes," he leant down and gently captured his lover's lips. "You turn to mush."
"I do not!" Pyro scowled, tensing up defensively, trying to push the mutant on top of him away. Multiple Man just laughed and pinned the smaller mutant down, silencing his protests with his own lips. Quickly the fire mutant relented, slipping his arms around Multiple Man's neck, one hand running up into his hair as the other gently traced down his back. "Mmmmm…" he moaned softly as once again they parted, opening his eyes lazily, the burning brown glazed over. "God…when did this happen?"
"When did what happen?" Multiple Man asked, a bemused expression on his face. Pyro glanced away sheepishly.
"This…" he waved his hand but it made no more sense to the other mutant. Pyro frowned slightly. "I mean…you used to sneak in here and we'd fuck like rabbits and then all of a sudden…" the fire mutant paused uneasily, his gaze still fixed to the side. "One night you sneak in and we just…talked and fell asleep."
The older mutant bit his lip, suppressing a laugh as he nodded understandingly.
"We still do the rabbit thing," he pointed out innocently, smirking as Pyro glanced up quickly before scowling and turning away again.
"I know, but…never mind," he tried to roll away but Multiple Man caught his face, softly capturing his lips. The fire mutant struggled slightly but quickly relented in the arms of the stronger mutant atop him. Silently Multiple Man pulled away, rolling onto his back, pulling the smaller mutant with him to lay cradled against his side.
"Have you ever thought about what you'll do when this is all over?"
Pyro frowned.
"When what is over?"
"This. All the fighting with the humans."
Pyro's frown deepened.
"I've never really thought about it…" he muttered. Truth was he had. There had just been nothing worth thinking about. He had nothing. He had no-one…
"I figured I'd just head for home," Multiple Man said casually, absently tracing his fingers over the fire mutant's back. "I think you'll like it there too."
Pyro's eyebrows arched up.
"What would it matter if I like it?"
Multiple Man laughed quietly and turned to look down at the smaller mutant.
"You think when all this is over I'm just gonna leave you behind?" he shook his head softly. "This is what helps keep me going. Having something to fight for."
Again the fire mutant found himself bowing his head to hide the colour creeping up his cheeks.
"Oh," was all he managed to respond with. Multiple Man smiled mischievously.
"That is of course unless you wouldn't want to come with me…"
"No of course I would! I just…" Pyro looked up quickly only to shake his head and look away again, although a smile pulled on his lips. "Dick."
Multiple Man smirked, leaning closer till their lips almost brushed.
"Now I just have to trick you into telling me how much you love me."
The fire mutant flushed but managed to return an even gaze.
"Who says you'll have to trick me?"
It was Multiple Man's turn to find his cheeks colour, temporarily at a loss for words. Any reply he may have formed was prevented by the shrill sound of an alarm – the signal that Magneto needed his team assembled urgently. Both mutants groaned inwardly, grudgingly pulling apart.
"No rest for the wicked," Pyro arched an eyebrow, rolling off the bed. Multiple Man sat up, tilting his head slightly as he watched the fire mutant cross the room.
"Be careful, yeah?" he said as Pyro reached out for the door handle. The pyrokinetic paused, turning to look back at the other mutant. He simply gave a small smile and a nod before turning back, his shoulders tensing as he made his way back out into the corridor.
"Watch where you're going," Multiple Man heard the fire mutant snap as the door shut. A quiet laugh escaped his lips as he waited. A few moments later he clambered off the bed leisurely and made his own way to the door, certain everyone would have passed. Roll on the end of this stupid war…
