Letters from Nowhere

Chapter 9

PrincessofLasagalen

Disclaimer: I don't own X-men, Marvel does. Any character you can recognize belongs to them. I only own Evan and Chris.

Warnings: Rogue-bashing (I apologize to all those that do like her, but I just don't), mentions of slash, boy-boy action (mostly kissing) and minor cursing.

A/N: Thanks to all the people who reviewed. I really appreciate the positive feedback. I apologize for the long wait. Now that school is out the updates will be more frequent.


"I love you, Bobby."

'Johnny, I love you too. You're my best friend." Bobby said, wrapping one arm around John's shoulders in a half-hug.

"No, you don't understand. I love you." John said, emphasizing his real meaning.

"I…oh…" Bobby said, dumbstruck. He coughed lightly to clear his throat. "You're sure about this?"

John let out a humor-less laugh, "You think I would just leave if I wasn't positive about it? I'm not a moron, Bobby."

"Oh…" Bobby trailed off as he tried to process the information John had just given him.

"Is that all you can say?" John asked.

"I…uh…I got to go. I think I hear Kitty calling me."

John watched his best friend run out of the door as if Wolverine was chasing him with his claws.

"And you said you wouldn't leave me again."


'Hey, kid."

John looked up from his hands to see Logan standing by his door. Storm had just stopped by to show him his new room that he now shared with Peter. His old clothes, carefully packed by Bobby after he had left, was now unpacked and shoved into any available space in the closet.

"Heard the snowball picked you over Marie."

"Rogue tattled to you, didn't she?" John asked with a snort. "Bet she wanted you to rip Bobby into pieces."

"She actually wanted me to rip you into pieces."

"Thanks. I hope you have fun doing that." John mumbled as he walked over to the door and slammed it into Logan's face.

With a growl, the other mutant threw open the door and pushed John onto his bed.

"Oh…I didn't know you were this kinky." John said with a smirk.

"I'm trying here, kid. You're not helping one bit."

"You're not required to try to do anything for me. I already told you that." John snapped as he sat up.

"I'm trying to remember my life. I don't care what I have to do and that includes listening to little brat mutants." Logan said, sitting down heavily on Peter's bed. "Now tell me why you're acting like someone set your boxers on fire?

"Do you really want to know or is this your weird twisted way of trying to persuade me into telling you about your past? John asked, glaring at the other mutant.

Logan simply lit a cigarette and grunted for John to continue.

"FINE! If you really must know, I just told my best friend I love him and he ran out on me." John yelled as the cigarette flared and set Logan's shirt on fire.

"Holy shit!" Logan yelled as he patted his shirt. "Control yourself!"

"I don't want to. Besides, you just keep on coming back anyway. Kind of like a cockroach once you think about it." John mumbled as he trailed off into his own thoughts.

"You want me to turn Iceman into bite-sized pieces too?" Logan asked, cracking his knuckles.

"You know I still love the guy. It's not like killing him would make a difference. If it did, I would've done it a long time ago." John said with a shake of his head. "Why am I talking to you about love anyway? You're like incapable of it."

"And the great Pyro is capable of it?" Logan said with a raised eyebrow.

"I loved my brother. I love Bobby." John said matter-of-factly. "If that's not being capable of love then I don't know what is."

"That's some tough love considering he tried to toast you."

"His name is Chris. You should know about him. He was the only reason I went to jail anyway. The only reason I met a moron like you." John said with a sad smile. "But then again, you don't remember shit about me."

"You can try all the guilt you want. It's not going to work. I won't feel bad for you and let you use my car." Logan growled as he pushed himself to his feet. "The only thing I can do right now is promise I'd beat the crap out of anyone who tries to mess with you."

"And you don't think I can handle things myself?"

Logan turned back, "Not when it comes to Iceman, it doesn't."


"You seem to be doing a lot of thinking lately."

Bobby smiled as he saw Kitty walking towards him. After running from his own room, he had taken a walk through the gardens and eventually ended up on a bench.

"So John's back now?"

The way she said it made it seem more like a statement than a question.

"Yeah, he is."

"You should be very happy about that." Kitty said as she sat down next to Bobby on the other end of the bench.

"If only it was that easy." Bobby mumbled as he pulled on the collar of his sweatshirt.

"What's the matter?" Kitty asked, leaning her head down to hear him.

"He just told me he loved me."

"Everyone knew that already, Bobby. I think you were the only one who didn't." Kitty said matter-of-factly. "And let me guess, you don't feel the same."

"I don't even know." Bobby said with a sigh. "It would've been so much easier if I knew."

"From my view, I think you do feel the same way. I mean you were always so excited to get his letters. You were more upset when he left then when Rogue left." Kitty said. "And I remember when I first came here, you two were inseparable. I even asked Peter if you two were going out."

"He's my best friend! Those letters meant he was alive and not butchered by some mutant hate group." Bobby said in protest.

"You defended him to the rest of the X-men." Kitty pointed out.

"Yet again, my answer is that he's my best friend." Bobby exclaimed, dropping his head into his hands.

"Bobby, you picked John over Rogue. When Logan found John, you couldn't sleep for days waiting to hear back. You would ignore all of us the moment you received John's letters. And don't even lie about this next one. You were actually secretly comparing Rogue to John all the time. And she just didn't match up to the only person in your heart." Kitty said. "Just admit it. I mean everyone thinks you two already did it like bunnies."

"You're hanging out with Jubilee too much, Kitty."

"Stop changing the subject, Bobby." Kitty said, narrowing her eyes and glaring at him. "You've always looked out for me. Now it's my turn. Stop lying to yourself and go find John before he leaves again."

"He promised he wouldn't leave again."

"Then hurry up before John shacks up with Logan or locks himself and Peter in their room."

Bobby covered his ears with his hands, "That's too much information!"

"You should be thanking me. I'm helping you solve your problems." Kitty said indignantly. "Fine, I just won't tell you what Rogue has been saying about you."

"Rogue's talking about me?"

"She's a girl, Bobby. You sound like you expected anything else." Kitty said. "Anyway, she says she dumped you because she can do better than a love-sick puppy now that she's cured."

"I knew there was a bigger, greater reason I picked John." Bobby mumbled.

"Admit it, Bobby. You just can't resist." Kitty said with a laugh. "Just give in and then everyone will be happy."

Bobby simply glared at the younger mutant. "Who told you to come talk to me anyway?"

"Logan."


Bobby knocked on the door before entering with a mumbled, "Hi."

Peter was nowhere to be seen- as usual. The Russian mutant spent more time with the children in the institute than anybody else.

"I saw you with Kitty. Move on so fast already, Bobby?" John said, voice laced with venom.

"Kitty's just a friend. Besides, she was talking to me about you." Bobby said, moving to sit down by John's feet on the fire mutant's bed. "She helped me figure out something."

"And what would that be?"

"That deep down, I haven't been thinking of you as a best friend for a very long time." Bobby replied. "I know I ran out before but I wasn't expecting it, Johnny."

When the brown-haired mutant didn't comment, Bobby continued.

"I'm probably too late and you've shacked up with Peter."

The small laugh Bobby received gave him the confidence to go on.

"The way I feel about you, I haven't felt like that for anyone else. Not even Rogue. When you were away, I spent every moment waiting for your next letter. And everytime I got one, I'd wish for the next one. I would wish I could actually speak to you face-to-face."

Still the other body didn't respond. Bobby took a deep breath before continuing.

"I don't know what else to say, John. I know I promised you I'd never leave and that still stands. I want to be wherever you go. I want to be wherever you are. This time I'm not letting you go."

Bobby reached for John's hand and gently squeezed the smaller boy's hand. Bobby looked up to John's face and saw the small smile. He opened his mouth to start professing his undying loyalty but was cut off when John leaned forward and captured his lips.

"You talk too much, Bobby." John whispered as he pulled back.

Bobby smiled as he took the hint. This time he was the one to capture the other's lips.

"You taste like chocolate ice-cream." John murmured against Bobby's lips.

"Comfort food." Bobby whispered back.

The two mutants leaned forward for another kiss just as someone cleared their throat by the door.

"John, the Professor wanted to see you." Storm said tightly. Her face was pulled back into a frown. "And he also wanted to see the X-men, Bobby."

The two boys nodded and waited for the white-haired mutant to leave. When the older mutant left, Bobby turned back to John, "I won't let them do anything to you."

"Who said I needed protecting?" John challenged as he wrapped his arms around Bobby's neck.

"Hey, it's the boyfriend's job to be protective, jealous, and growly." Bobby pointed out as he nibbled at John's lower lip.

"You're my boyfriend now, are you?" John raised his eyes to meet Bobby's baby blues.

"Well…I just recently broke up with my girlfriend. There's a wanted sign out the window for a boyfriend. You think you can help me with that?" Bobby asked with a smile, which John could feel against his own lips.

"I don't have much experience in that department but I promise to work very, very hard." John brushed his lips against Bobby's and smirked when he pulled back.

Robert. John. I don't suppose you two could return to catching up after you've paid a visit to my office? Now would be nice.

"Oh…eww…you don't think he knows what we were doing, does he?" John whined as Bobby pulled him up from the bed and led him towards the door.

"He can read minds. Do you know how many people in this institute thinks about sex?" Bobby asked rhetorically.

"I'm sure more than just a few girls are fantasizing about Peter and that featherball in your room." John provided.

"Are you fantasizing about them?"

John smirked almost wickedly, "Why? Are you jealous?"

Bobby simply smiled indulgently and continued walking to the Professor's office.

"Hey at least you're not the growly, possessive type." John pointed out. "Cause, Bobby, I like you just the way you are. It's my job to threaten to torch someone's balls, okay?


I hope you all enjoyed that. Remember to review!!