AUTHOR'S NOTE: I have to say I've never been much for very manly men. But these two, Wolverine and Gambit...I have to say I've quite fallen in love with them. Not even I imagined they could work out so well together. They seem to be able to compliment each other very well.
Chapter 8
Remy heard a pained squealing sound almost like that of a pig. He groaned, closing his eyes when the light hurt his eyes. His head ached as if he had slammed it into a wall. Groaning, he rolled over; covering his ears and wishing it would stop. After a few minutes he heard beastly grunt then the squealing abruptly stopped. Blissful silence fell upon his ears as he sighed, letting his hands fall to his sides. A distinct sound reached him after a few minutes as he lay there. A huffing sound as if someone were catching their breath.
Mon glutton must have slain the beast, Remy thought smiling to himself. Good, then he had been of use to Logan after all. After resting his eyes a while longer, he cracked one open testing the light. At first it was a bit too bright, but his eyes quickly adjusted. The first thing Remy noticed was the blood.
The clearing was soaked in blood.
There was blood splashed in the snow, on the trees, even on Remy himself. It gave off an acrid stench, making him gag and nearly retch. He felt his energy crackling over his skin as he inhaled the stuff then began to dissipate within his body. Panicked, Remy reached down pawing at his pockets for a card. Most of them lay scattered across the clearing but one had managed to stay with him. As he drew it Remy saw it was his Queen of Hearts. His very last card. He had slipped one into the back of Logan's pants pocket before he left. The only one left after their last battle. The reason being Logan had saved him that time and not she. Remy had thought it only fitting perhaps some of his Queen of Hearts luck should go to Logan. He hadn't told the man because it was too embarrassing. A stupid romantic gesture he had done because he didn't want to see the other man go.
Remy charged the card as much as he dared, putting enough energy into it to make a small pop. When he tossed it away from him it did nothing at first. Then he heard a sharp crackle as an edge burst into flame then went out. He sighed looking about him for another object to test his powers on. Perhaps if he put in more energy…
A low snarl drew his gaze upward, making Remy's heart stop. No more than ten feet away from him covered in gore was Logan himself. His mask had been torn off his costume in shreds on his body. Guts and bits of bone hung from his claws as the older man glared at him. Remy stared at him, aghast, only beginning to make out mounds of flesh in the clearing. It wasn't only blood he had seen after all. Logan had torn the beast apart. That would explain the squealing sound as Logan tore into it.
Logan locked gazes with him, baring his teeth. His canines had grown sharper it seemed, almost like an animal's. The next second, Logan loomed over claws still out hanging only inches from Remy's face. Remy was stunned, unsure of what to do. He averted his gaze to the half burnt card trying to remember what Logan had told him. What was it had he said?
"Mon glutton, why do you get angry sometimes?"
"I'm not angry, Cajun, I just go berserk."
"With me, you do not. Why did you not kill Remy in the hospital bed?"
"Probably because your sorry ass was too injured and weak to do anything. Listen, Cajun, never get me like that deliberately. Alright?"
"Never, mon glutton, whatever you wish."
"Good, and another thing. If and when I do get in that state don't make eye contact with me. Second, for fucks sake don't go ballistic and start running or show fear. I'll smell it, Cajun, and think you're prey."
"Oui, I will remember."
"Last, don't even bother trying to fight me. Just back away and leave me be. I'll come back after a time. You'll see."
Remy had already broken the first two rules within the first five seconds. He could feel his heart pounding in his chest as he broke out in a sweat. Damn! There was nothing he could do. He was at the complete mercy of Logan until he came back to his senses. In front him, the feral man knelt, his claws still inches away from the thief's face. Remy tensed when the claws moved, scratching his cheek as Logan appeared to move a strand of hair. Shit, Remy knew he had once managed to calm the man down when he had been like this once before.
"Mon glutton, do you not recognize yo' Cajun? Do you understand?" Remy whispered quietly. A low snarl was his answer as the claws moved to under his chin. Remy swallowed, his mouth going dry as he tried to think. He felt the last of his energy slip away into nothingness.
Licking his lips, Remy decided to try one more thing. He reached up and gently gripped the unsharpened end of a claw, tugging at it. Above him, Logan narrowed his eyes but allowed the action his fist going down to rest in Remy's lap. With shaking fingers Remy stroked Logan's wrist trying to relax him. After a few minutes he saw the hand begin to open a bit at a time showing the calloused palm underneath. He held his breath waiting as the fingers uncurled bit by bit.
After a few more seconds Remy looked Logan in the eye. It was a bad move. When their gazes locked whatever spell Remy had managed to cast upon the man was broken. Immediately the hand clenched back into a fist, pulling back to drive his claws through the thief's throat. Remy wasn't sure what else to do and dodging would be useless in his condition. Instead he tilted his head, reaching up to touch the older man's shoulder. He kissed Logan under the chin as he had done the first time. Their first kiss, the one he had stolen from him.
Remy pulled back, resting against the boulder as he stared up at Logan. The feral man seemed frozen then lowered his fist instead of a being angry his face took on one of curiosity. Reaching out Logan cupped the side of Remy's cheek as his claws slid back slowly. Remy froze, his heart quickening again as Logan leaned forward to smell the side of his neck. He felt the older man's lips press against his clammy skin as he inhaled his scent. It was an intimate gesture, one Logan had only ever done once. Remy remembered asking him why he had done it.
"So I remember your scent, Cajun. Wherever I am."
"Is that what you are doing, mon glutton? Making sure it is Remy?" Remy asked quietly. He felt a stream of warm breath brush across his neck as Logan pulled back to stare at him. Remy watched him, waiting for his partner to come back. After a minute, Logan grabbed Remy under the arm, pulling him to his feet with hardly any effort.
Too tired and relieved to resist, Remy staggered as Logan apparently had decided to take him somewhere. The older man tugged at his arm incessantly when Remy didn't make good progress, nearly dragging him at some parts where Remy stumbled in the snow. As night began to fall, it became colder causing the young man to shiver, having to stop in order to draw his trench coat tighter around himself. Blood and gore had long since dried on him, making him reek, but he wasn't about to ditch the coat simply because it smelled. Beside him Logan gave him an irritated look, yanking on his arm to make him hurry along.
Remy glared right back at Logan at the gesture. He had tried to twist his arm out of the other man's grasp to no avail. With a sigh, he pressed himself against Logan for a bit more warmth feeling the older man growl in response. He did not attack though as he continued following a trail Remy assumed only the other man could see. As they walked Logan stopped, sniffing the air his head moving as he identified what the scent was. Then suddenly the man threw back his head and let loose a howl similar to a wolf's. A few seconds went by until an answering howl came back to them coming from just ahead of them.
Logan grunted, moving off in the direction of the answering howl, Remy forced to follow after him. It took a while before they came to a cave. Remy looked it over, unsure of whether he would dare to enter it or not. On one hand it looked very inviting in terms of shelter. On the other, there could be a bear or another dangerous creature lurking in the cave. Beside him Logan had narrowed his eyes, making low huffing sounds in the back of his throat.
"Mon glutton, I do not think yo' friends are here. Perhaps we should try another time?" Remy insisted, tugging on the hand that had a grip on his arm. Logan gave him a warning glare to which Remy sighed, leaning against him. Logan shifted, letting go of the energy user's arm to wrap around his shoulders to hold him against his body.
"Merci, Logan it is very cold out here. Remy wishes dey were back at the mansion sleeping in bed rather than stomping t'rough de snow." Remy said to the feral man. Logan showed no signs he understood him as he continued to scan the area. Minutes ticked by with Remy shivering as night began to darken, pressing himself against Logan for warmth. It was shocking how warm the other man felt compared to the cold, almost as if he had his own internal heater. Fortunate for both of them, since Remy was sure he would perish in the cold without the source of heat. Logan being lucky since he no longer had on anything except torn pants and boots.
As they waited, Remy finally heard the click of claws on stone. A low huffing sound echoed from the cave mouth as a wolf appeared, shaggy silver fur glittering in the waning light. Logan answered with the same gruff calls, drawing the magnificent beast closer to them. The wolf swung its head to focus piercing golden eyes on the Cajun as it ventured closer to them. Unsure of what to do, Remy remained at Logan's side, trusting him to protect him. His legs were screaming from hiking around the mountain all day. He was going to have to lay down soon to rest and in the morning perhaps Logan would return to his senses.
Remy felt the hand on his shoulder shove him down, forcing him to his knees. Remy sank into the snow grateful for the rest despite the alarm bells going off in his head. The wolf ventured closer, baring its fangs at the younger man, warning growls coming from it. Above him, Remy heard Logan give a much deeper, threatening growl in return that vibrated through his entire body. Remy could feel it pressed against Logan's leg. In front of him the wolf paused, giving the younger man a curious look.
It leaned in to sniff him, being cautious of the dangerous man beside Remy. Remy waited, expecting either the wolf to die by Logan's claws or to have his throat torn out. The wolf sniffed carefully, putting its nose in the thief's face then nosing his palm. Remy made no move as the wolf finished its investigation, taking a step back to peer at him. Above him, he heard Logan begin to growl again in agitation, nudging him with his leg. Ticked, Remy pushed back, no longer in the mood to be shoved around like a pet.
"Mon glutton, Remy does not know what you want him t' do! Stop baring yo' fangs an' show him instead of scaring him. At dis rate he would rather risk going back to Fury den to stay with you." Remy snapped, tired and impatient. He could barely see now it was so dark, only able to make out the snow, Logan, and the wolf. The forest appeared as a black mass around them, making him wish he had at least retrieved his Bo staff before being hauled off by his partner.
To his surprise, Logan knelt down next to him. The man glanced at him, reaching out to cover Remy's hand in his. The gesture was gentle, Logan's calloused palm cradling Remy's slim fingers, lifting them up and placing them on the wolf's muzzle. Remy waited with baited breath, expecting his hand to be bitten off. Nothing happened, however, as the wolf shied away from the touch making a low huffing sound again as it turned around and went back into the cave.
It must have been a signal as Logan stood up as well, helping Remy up. He led the Cajun into the cave, having to duck at the entrance to get in. Remy did as well, but inside it was bigger allowing him to stand up straight. Inside it was warmer than outside, but still cold. Their wolf friend had gone to the back of the cave, curling up among a few other wolves Remy was able to make out but he could not see how many. Logan went to the right of them, taking Remy with him. Now it had become full dark as stars began to come out, twinkling in the night sky.
Shivering, Remy followed Logan all the way to the back of the cave. He heard rather than saw Logan lay down with a sigh. Reaching out blindly, he touched Logan's shoulder, using it to guide himself so he could lay down as well. There was a bunch of leaves littered on the cave floor, keeping the chill of the stone at bay. It actually felt warm to Remy, the smell of the rotting leaves comforting after the freezing scent of the snow.
He lay down, taking off his trench coat to use it as a blanket. Beside him Logan shifted, wrapping an arm around Remy's waist to pull him closer. The thief sighed, turning his head to bury it in Logan's chest. He heard the thud of his heart in the older man's chest, slow and strong as always. Reassuring in its basic rhythm since Remy knew it would not stop beating for a long, long time.
"Logan, come back in de morning. Dese cavaleur friends of yours are fascinating, but yo' Cajun does not want to impose on their hospitality to long. Dey may mistake Remy for Gumbo if dey get hungry, non?" Remy whispered. He heard a low sigh come from the big man, but nothing else.
Exhausted, protected from the cold by a feral man and a pack of wolves, Remy slipped into sleep within a matter of minutes. At least, for now, he still had his glutton.
NOTE: Cavaleur means wolf in French. There are many other types of words but I am not aware of how they are used so I will just go with the basic translations in this fic.
