Disclaimer: Not mine. If it were, Marie would have been in that clinic when Pyro torched it in X3. If I'd even let her live that long.

Author's Note: Well, here we go again. What can I say, I can't stay away for long. This is going to be a multi chapter story set after X-Men 3: The Last Stand. A Pyro/Iceman romance with some Pyro/Multiple Man but only a little Pyro/Multiple Man, mostly in the early chapters. Really it's all about John and Bobby. There will be a fair bit of Marie too (grrrrrrr…) with some Bobby/Marie. And just for the record – the Pyro/Multiple Man side romance is not the little complication…

A Little Complication

Chapter 01: First Day of Winter

"Bobby?"

The ice mutant turned from his text book to find John Allerdyce hovering in the doorway, lighter in one hand constantly flicking open and shut, the other raised to his lips as if he was biting his nails.

"John?" Bobby prompted expectantly as the fire mutant just stood. John took a deep breath.

"Can I have a word?"

"Sure," Bobby turned away from his text book as John closed his bedroom door, sitting down on the ice mutant's bed. For a moment he just sat, flicking his lighter open, gazing intently into the flickering little flame.

"Thing is Drake," he began, a little uneasily. "Well, I've been doing a lot of thinking recently and…" he looked up suddenly, pointing a finger at Bobby. "Don't you dare comment," he shook his head as Bobby held up his hands innocently, but his smile showed he was dying to make a remark. "Anyway, I've been thinking…about me…and stuff and…well…" the fire mutant inhaled sharply and just blurted it out. "I'm gay."

Bobby blinked. And he blinked again.

"What?"

John glanced up briefly, flinching as he caught the horrified expression on his friends face before returning his eyes to the comforting flame in his hands.

"I think you heard me…" he muttered uneasily. Bobby frowned heavily.

"Well what the hell are you telling me for?"

John looked back up, his own face pulling into a frown as his shoulders tensed defensively.

"I thought you'd rather hear it from me than someone else."

"I'd rather not hear it at all," Bobby muttered, turning back to his textbook. John stared at the ice mutant's back in disbelief.

"Well in case you haven't noticed Drake, this shit hole is a cesspit for gossip," he snapped angrily. "Nothing stays secret here."

Bobby looked up from his book but did not turn round.

"There's no reason for anyone else to know either," he replied flatly. John glared at the ice mutant, torn between being upset and angry.

"I'm running out of excuses for turning down all your girlfriend's attempts to match-make me."

"Well have you ever tried going out with a girl?"

The only reply Bobby received was the sound of his door slamming shut.

They barely spoke after that. Everyone in the mansion noticed. It was hard not to when the one person who could calm down the temperamental fire mutant was no longer there to calm him down. Rumours were rife as to the reason, but the favourite seemed to be that John had tried it on with Marie. Bobby had been in the room when one of the younger kids (clearly a new kid who didn't know any better) had asked John if it was true. The fire mutant had arched an eyebrow and curled up his lip.

"She's not my type," he had muttered, calmly leaving the room. Five minutes later however, the fire alarms signalled the evacuation of the building. Bobby wasn't entirely sure what had been set alight, but Summers had appeared with that disapproving frown he only reserved for John…

Bobby Drake sighed heavily, leaning back against the tree he sat under, casting his gaze towards the dark sky above. It was the first day of winter, the ice mutant should have been happy. The evening air was cold and crisp, the clear sky above sparkled with stars but all Bobby could think of was the fire mutant who used to hate this day so much. He couldn't help a wry smile at the irony of the hot headed pyromaniac having his birthday on the first day of winter. John hated winter. He hated the cold, he hated snow, he hated ice…

Then again, the fire mutant didn't really like his birthday anyway. Just another day he had muttered. A slight frown took over Bobby's face as he thought of his attempts the year before to cheer his friend up. Although reluctant, the fire mutant had managed a small smile as Bobby had given him his present. It was only another Zippo lighter to add to his huge collection – a silver, chrome lighter with etched flames flickering up the side – but it had become the fire mutant's lighter of choice. At least until their…falling out.

He hadn't meant to be that…scornful that day. Truth was he had already suspected John wasn't interested in girls. And contrary to previous feelings on the subject Bobby hadn't been bothered by the idea. In fact…

There was a quiet click and the small swoosh of a flame as Bobby pulled said lighter from his pocket – salvaged from John's room following his departure – flicking it open and staring into the small fire. For a long time he just stared into the flame, occasionally running iced over fingers through the small but intense heat. He wasn't sure if the cold sensation on his cheeks was the fresh winter air or the now all too familiar tears that fell whenever he thought of his old friend. The friend who had left him. The friend he had fought. The friend he had killed…

x-x-x x-x-x x-x-x

"Fucking winter…" a bitter voice muttered, smoke billowing from dry, rueful lips. The fingers shook as the cigarette was raised back to those lips, the feeling in them all but gone. "Fuck."

Pyro held out his free hand and extinguished the cigarette, pulling the small sparks into a fireball. He moved to flick the now unlit cigarette on the ground but stopped himself, taking it instead back into the well hidden underground base to dispose of it. He remembered all too well the one time he had left a cigarette stub outside the base – and Mystique's reaction when he had…

The fire mutant sighed heavily as he wandered through the entrance corridor into the main part of the base, discarding the cigarette in the bin Mystique had left for him. An eerie silence consumed the large dwelling place, the three other usual occupants all away to destroy some building or other. Pyro paused, leaning briefly against the wall as a wave of dizziness swept through him. Another curse slipped from his lips as he closed his eyes, pressing his fist to his pounding forehead. Finally it passed, allowing the pyrokinetic to continue. Gingerly he brushed his fingers across the scar on his forehead. The scar left from a fight on Alcatraz island. The scar left by…him…

Pyro scowled. He didn't want to think about that hypocritical, narrow-minded, idiotic…

Grumbling under his breath the fire mutant made his way absently towards the kitchen, seeking sugar now he had had his nicotine fix. Grabbing some chocolate he made his way back through the corridor to one of the smaller rooms, slumping down in front of a computer and switching it on. Munching away at the bar in his hand, the fire mutant loaded up the internet, navigating to news pages to see if any important political buildings had been destroyed yet. He curled up his lip as he couldn't find any such information. Maybe he wouldn't have any company that night after all...

"Oh," the pyrokinetic's attention was distracted as his eyes fell on the date at the top of the webpage. Pyro ran his hands through his hair, a weary sigh escaping his lips. Suddenly the base seemed so much emptier. The fire mutant grunted in distaste at himself, shutting down the computer abruptly and moving across the room, slumping down on the sofa and switching on the TV. It was just another day. Nothing special.

Pyro jumped slightly as the mobile in his pocket rang after almost half an hour of flippant channel surfing. Frowning slightly he delved into the pocket and looked down at the screen.

"Hi," he tried not to sound too enthusiastic. "How's it going?"

"Don't ask," came Multiple Man's mumbled reply. "I hope you're not too bored on your own?"

"Of course not," the fire mutant lied.

"Good, cause this is going to take longer than we thought," the older male paused. "How's your head?"

"I keep telling you it's fine," Pyro sighed.

"You keep telling us that, and then you keep having dizzy spells," Multiple Man replied softly. Pyro scowled but did not argue.

"So you guys are going to be late back and Mystique wants me to run all her checks, right?" he sighed instead. Multiple Man laughed quietly.

"'Fraid so."

Pyro sighed again.

"Fine."

"We'll be back as soon as we can," Multiple Man said reassuringly.

"Whatever," Pyro again tried to sound casual. "I can cope on my own you know. See you when you get back."

"Bye Pyro."

The fire mutant was unable to contain the weary sigh as he hung up, the loneliness quickly returning. Cursing under his breath he shoved his phone back into his pocket and made his way back to the main exit, pulling his cigarettes from his other pocket. Stepping out into the deep snow the pyrokinetic frowned heavily, quickly lighting a cigarette and inhaling deeply.

"Fucking winter," he muttered. "Fucking snow, fucking cold, fucking…" the fire mutant's face softened slightly as he turned, finding a large icicle hanging not far from him. Reaching out instinctively he ran his fingers down the sharp piece of ice, frowning thoughtfully. Shaking his head at himself, he pulled his hand away sharply, raising his cigarette back to his lips. "Fucking ice…"