AUTHOR'S NOTE: Very, very soon in the next couple of chapters I believe the story line will change. I also changed the reason for Gambit leaving the X-Men since a reviewer pointed out that last time the reason for him leaving was anti-climatic. I have to agree, it was kind of weak on my part. But after letting this story on the back burner of my mind for a while stewing I came up with something that will work much better.

As usual, reviews are always appreciated. Thank you for reading thus far.

Hasn't been your night, eh, chère? Or maybe it has - considering how often I am here to rescue you. – Gambit

Chapter 7

They settled in with considerable relief in the new cabin. Remy most of all seemed happy glad to take a hot bath. He stayed so long in the bathroom Victor actually knocked on the door to ask the Cajun whether he was okay or not. He was met with several curses in French and left the younger man in peace to take his bath.

The first few days were busy with cleaning mostly for both men. At least in this Remy seemed glad to be of use even if he could only sweep and wipe down the services on the inside. Back at the other cabin he had only been able to wash the dishes on occasion and read most of the time in others. Neither man was a fast reader but Remy to quickly went through half of the collection of books the feral had. Even though the Cajun said nothing Victor knew he too was glad to have some new material.

Outside Victor found himself walking around on the roof testing for bad shingles. When he found one he would take it out and install a new one. At this cabin instead of a shack for supplies there was a whole other building that held all the supplies he could ever possibly ever need to fix anything imaginable. Victor thought he could probably build whole new cabin if he wanted to just for the hell of it.

The days passed quickly and they lost track of them. There was a routine now to what they did. Remy would make the breakfast, usually pancakes since he had found three boxes of pancake mix in one of the cabinets in the kitchen. When the Cajun had asked Victor did he have anything to put on them the feral had produced preserves he had made himself. Strawberries, peaches, oranges, blackberries, raspberries, and anything else which could be found or Victor had bought at the farmer's market in the town from last year. Remy developed a taste for blackberries and Victor promised him he would be sure to track some more down when they began to ripen.

It was not until one morning he had gone back to work on the roof again after a particularly bad storm, there had been a leak in the roof he had not noticed, when he noticed for the first time Remy did not have a limp in his stride. Victor had grown so used to the sight he had come to ignore it. He had been wondering what to make for lunch since the Cajun had declared it was the feral's turn, even though it had been Victor's "turn" three days in a row now. When he brought this up Remy only retorted the feral could season the meat better than the Cajun could and left it at that. Well, duh, he had a heightened sense of smell. He knew how much spice to add to make the meat taste like it came out of a five star restaurant.

Remy had come walking out of the cabin the door slamming behind him. In his hand Victor noticed a large branch which had fallen in the storm. It was roughly the size of Remy's original Bo staff and to his alarm it seemed as if it had been sanded down so it was smooth to the touch. He watched as the Cajun went out to an open area and began to train first doing slow moves. Warming up as he trained with the branch. Twirling it as he swept it out in front of him, his eyes distant no doubt imagining an enemy.

"REMY!" Victor yelled. His cry startled the Cajun who turned around to stare at him drawn out of his trance.

"WHAT?!" Remy called back clearly annoyed he had been disturbed. For a moment Victor did not know what to say.

"Can you get me a drink?"

"Cher, I've seen you jump twice that high and scale the cliff a dozen times. Get your own damn drink!"

"Come on, Remy, I'm almost done here! Just get me the drink? You don't even have to climb up to give it to me." Victor argued. He could hear Remy cursing him out under his breath as the younger man propped up his staff against the tree going back inside. He heard the door slam and waited patiently perched on the edge of the roof. Despite the cool day Victor had opted to take his shirt off to feel the sun on his back. A moment later he heard Remy come back out a glass of water in his hand. That had been another blessing for them both. Ice cubes.

"Here, you bloody oaf." Remy said holding up the glass to the feral. Victor offered him a mischievous grin as he hooked his claws on the side of the roof to hold him steady as he hung over the edge reaching down to grab the glass. His chest half on the roof and other hanging off. He drank right there the cool drops spilling down his chin as he drank greedily. Once he finished he handed the glass back to the Cajun who still glared at him.

"Ah, refreshing. Thanks hon."

"Jerk."

"C'mon, do me one more favor?" Victor prompted. Remy sighed clearly annoyed at being ordered around.

"What?"

"I need you to hand me the glass first." Remy gave him the glass and that Victor gently set on top of the roof.

"Now?"

Without a word Victor grabbed the Cajun by the front of his shirt and lifted him clear off the ground. For a moment panic filled Remy's mind as he began to imagine worst case scenarios. Yet just as fast Victor had set him down on the roof and was pulling him up towards the middle stepping carefully in between the solar panels.

"Look at the river. You ever seen it like this before?" Victor asked him pointing out towards the river. Remy looked out over the water. In the afternoon the water glittered catching the sunlight and bouncing it back towards the two men. From where they stood it could have been mistaken for a river of light. Remy sighed grinning despite himself.

"It's beautiful, Victor. Now can you let Remy down? He was in the middle of something."

"Sure, you can use the ladder."

"There is no ladder, you jumped up onto the roof."

"Oh well, guess you're stuck up here then."

"You're impossible." Remy growled moving to the edge of the roof. It was only one story high. It wasn't like it would hard to get down. Yet when he made to leave Victor grabbed his arm and yanked him back.

"Why are you leaving? Stay up here with me."

"Why? Remy doesn't know anything about fixing roofs!"

"Lemme teach you then."

"No! Let go, Victor. I'm not in the mood."

Victor let his hand slip from the Cajun's arm. He felt a bit of coldness seep into his heart at that. This had been stupid. He had been stupid. What had he been thinking when he had asked the Cajun to remain with him? Remy gave him an annoyed look but then his expression softened as he sighed gazing at the feral.

"Don't give me that look, cher."

"What look? I don't carry around a fuckin mirror so I don't know what you're talkin about."

"You know, cher, the look. Like I hit you or something. I just want some time to train. I promise I'll let you teach me whatever you want later. Aren't you tired of Remy mooching off you?" Remy teased him. Victor blinked wondering how to respond to the question.

"I don't mind you mooching. You pull your own weight in your way." Victor answered.

"I was just wondering when you wanted me to take you into town."

Yeah, why don't you say that a little louder, idiot? Now he'll definitely leave. You grew to damn fucking attached. He'll tell everyone where you are now!

"You want me to leave?" Remy asked him. The expression on his face shocked Victor as much as it hurt him. Remy was staring at him as if he had been the one who had been struck.

"No, NO! Never, it's just…we had a deal. I thought maybe you…you know…" Victor said hastily unable to bring his thoughts together. How in the world had he turned into a bumbling idiot? He could stroll into any bar and outdrink every man there. Had led special ops missions with men who wanted nothing more than to see him dead. Always having to take the brunt of the blame even when he wished to tell his teammates it had been necessary. He was just there playing the part of Sabretooth so they could go to bed at night with clear consciences.

"So, I can stay?" Remy asked him hesitantly.

"Yeah." Victor blurted out. For a moment the two only stared at each other not knowing what to do.

"You have a lot of hair, Victor. You know that?" Remy said reaching up to touch the feral's bare chest. Remy had always admired the older man from afar. Victor truly was a handsome man up close. Covered in golden hair from his chest to his arms he glowed when the sun hit him. He lightly brushed the fine hairs reaching to run his fingers one of Victor's arms. He remembered once the feral telling him he weight was almost three hundred pounds. All of it hard muscle, not an ounce of fat on him.

"Thanks. Glad to hear it. I need to cut it some." Victor said brushing back a strand of his long blond hair. Remy chuckled reaching up to touch that was well. Victor's nostril's flared when the Cajun brushed his cheek as he stroked a lock of his hair smoothing it between his fingers.

"How about only a few inches, hm? It looks good on you long."

"Yeah, and gets in my way every time I'm moving around."

"You could always tie it back."

"Not bloody likely. If you want me to keep it long you're gonna have to bribe me to do so." Victor said gazing down at the Cajun.

"Make it worth my while, Remy."

The two stood on the roof gazing at each other. The question hung between them, all the history of their pasts laid before them. Victor had hurt and threatened people close to the younger man. Even killed a woman once who had loved him. He could see the same burning question in the other man's eyes as they both considered all this. The implications if they made this choice. Everything against it and yet so much going for it.

With a trembling hand Remy reached up to brush his fingers along the feral's jawline. Then the Cajun was stepping closer to the other man tilting his head up. At first Victor did not know what to do. He wanted to shove the Cajun away and tell him it was all a mistake. He had never meant for it to go this far. When those soft lips brushed against his all his doubts blew away in the wind. Suddenly Victor had his arms wrapped around the Cajun's waist and was crushing him against him. He heard a low moan from the younger man as he rubbed up against him his eyes hooded with pleasure. Victor growled feeling his own desire rise along with a sense of possession for Remy.

Mine. Remy's mine.

"Are you sure?" Victor whispered to him. Remy gazed up at him. Both men were slightly flushed expectant of what was to come. Even then Victor wanted to be sure. He did not harm to come to the younger man. His friend. His partner. His…mate.

"Do you?" Remy shot back. With that Victor chuckled wrapping an arm around the Cajun's waist as he easily lifted him off his feet. Going to jump down from the roof landing lightly on his feet.

"Damn right I do." Victor answered. He heard a soft laugh from Remy as he went inside towards the bedroom. Their bedroom. They had begun to sleep in the same bed their backs turned to each other.

He tossed the younger man easily onto the bed who yelped in surprise. A moment later Victor towered above him his sharp canines prominent when he smiled down at the Cajun in anticipation of what was to come. Rather than be put off Remy only reached for him drawing him down for another deep kiss.

Victor groaned deep in his chest when the Cajun ground his hips against his. It had been so long since he had done the act itself. He could only hope he did not come before they had even started.

Remy slipped out of his shirt tossing it to the side onto the floor. He wore all the clothes Victor wore having none of his own. The ones he had when the feral had saved him from the grizzly. When asked Victor had only said he had no idea where the Cajun's clothes had ended up. Remy never did think to suspect the unusually high pile of ashes in the hearth that day before Victor had cleaned it out.

He loved being surrounded by the Cajun's scent. Victor wanted nothing more than to bury himself in it as he took a deep breath against Remy's neck. Reaching up he had undone the Cajun's pants and slid them down off his partner. Neither man wore boxers of any kind not having any. When Victor slipped out of his he began to feel nervous. Where the hell did he…? How the hell did men do this?!

"Give me the Vaseline." Remy told him. He was breathless panting as he gazed up at the feral. His eyes glazed over from pleasure. Victor retrieved it handing it to the Cajun wondering what he meant to do with it.

"You know I have no idea what the hell is going on." Victor admitted to him. Despite his position Remy laughed catching Victor's hand as took a dollop of Vaseline spreading it over the feral's first two digits.

"That's why I'm about to show you. Just be gentle, cher." Remy told him. Before Victor could say anything Remy brought the feral's hand down and slid them into his entrance.

Oh, so that's where you stick it.

Victor didn't move much at first scared to hurt the Cajun. Remy was patient moving the feral's hand back and forth in him as he explained what he had to do. How the Vaseline lubricated him and made it more pleasurable for the both of them. Easier to…make love. When he hit a certain spot in his partner Remy's back arched as he let out sharp cry. Then he fell back with a moan continuing to make a variety of interesting sounds as Victor continued to hit the spot inside the younger man.

Each time Remy arched his hips begging for more, Victor obliged him. He grew harder each time he saw he brought pleasure to the younger man. Then he was inside him and crying out himself. Thrusting into him mercilessly as he crushed him beneath him. Biting his neck and hearing Remy's cries grow louder as he continued. The pants from the other man egging him on until they both started to come closer to the edge. They hung on the precipice tittering on the edge. Then they plunged over the edge both crying out as Remy arched against him one final time holding onto the feral's shoulders as if scared to lose himself. Then he fell back onto the bed exhausted and flushed trembling from his explosive orgasm.

Victor rained down kisses on the Cajun's sweaty brow. He had dug his claws unknowingly into the other's hips, but they had not broken the skin. However, there was a clear bite mark on the other's neck which had begun to bleed. Bending his head he lapped at it instinct taking over to heal the wound. When he was done he propped himself on his elbows playing a lock of Remy's hair.

"Hey, Remy?"

"Yes, Victor."

"Can we do that again? I don't think I did it right the first time. I need practice."

Remy groaned burying his head in the pillow by his head. When his shoulders began to shake Victor wondered if the younger man was crying. Until he heard the muffled laughter as Remy raised his head wiping a tear of mirth from the corner of his eye as he gazed up at the feral a gentle smile on his face.

"Sure, Victor. As many times as you want. Just don't bite so hard this time, hm?"