Author's Note: Oh...I've been looking forward to this. I hope you all approve!
Disclaimer: Some of this chapter may be lifted straight from the film, so obviously not even the plot is mine.
Chapter Eleven: Just Because we're Bored
(During X-Men 3)
Multiple Man cast his eyes around the bustling camp, shaking his head slightly at just how busy it was. A slight smile played at his lips as he spotted the feisty little pyrokinetic, sitting by a small bonfire in front of his tent, set a little higher atop a nearby slope, just that little bit away from the rest of the camp but close enough for him to bark out orders. The multiplying mutant gave a small wave as Pyro glanced in his direction, but the fire mutant just scowled and looked away, reaching out a hand to pull a small fireball towards him, twirling it around his fingers. Multiple Man frowned slightly. Pyro had been in a foul mood since Magneto had returned with that red head. It hadn't been helped by the argument they had had about leaving Mystique behind...
With a small shake of the head, Multiple Man made his way towards Pyro.
"So..." he smiled at the younger mutant, sitting down next to him and raising an eyebrow questioningly. "Word on the grapevine is you used to be an X-Man."
Pyro's face darkened slightly.
"I was never an X-Man," he replied bluntly. "I was a student at Xavier's school," his eyes narrowed. "Who's talking about it?"
"Everyone," Multiple Man smirked as the pyrokinetic's face reddened. "You're young but second in command and probably second most powerful! Of course people are gonna talk about you," the older mutant raised an eyebrow tentatively. "And there are a couple of people who are concerned that if you were once an X-Man, you wouldn't be able to fight them if we come up against them."
Pyro scowled.
"I have no problem with fighting the X-Men," he stated flatly.
Multiple Man just nodded in acceptance, realising too late that he had jumped straight into a topic he should have steered well clear of. There was a short silence as both mutants stared into the fire in front of them.
"So...why just seven banks?" Pyro asked suddenly, focussing on the fireball twirling around his fingers. Multiple Man gave him a quizzical look.
"What do you mean?"
"I mean...why just seven?" Pyro replied obviously. "You have ten duplicates guarding the perimeter, four training basic defence, three training basic combat and one flirting with that bimbo over there."
Multiple Man looked in the direction in which Pyro nodded to find that indeed, he was flirting with some leggy, blonde bimbo. He curled his lip up slightly and shook his head as Pyro continued;
"You can obviously make more duplicates so why just seven?"
"That's why!" Multiple Man pointed in the direction of his flirting duplicate. "Most of the time they're fine, but occasionally my dupes have a mind of their own! Sometimes they try and wander off and don't come back."
Pyro raised an eyebrow.
"Really?" he pulled a face. "You mean, they're not just...carbon copies?"
"I wish. No, most of them are but some..." Multiple Man shook his head. "Some really just have a mind of their own."
Pyro nodded slowly.
"So...have you ever lost any?"
"Oh yeah," Multiple Man laughed and shook his head helplessly. "Back in the early days. You know, I could be married with kids for all I know."
Pyro laughed.
"So, you like to keep tabs on them?"
"Yeah," Multiple Man nodded. "I try and keep duplicating to a minimum unless I'm gonna be in the vicinity with them."
"Makes sense," Pyro nodded, casting a quick glance at the other mutant. He couldn't help but smile as Multiple Man smiled back.
"I thought so," the older mutant looked back at his flirting duplicate. "Oh please flame him for me. He's going to be trouble."
Pyro frowned.
"Would that not hurt you?"
"Nah," Multiple Man waved a hand dismissively. "You can do whatever you want to them – it won't hurt me. I can reabsorb them and I only take on a little of their injuries but if they're really badly injured then I would just leave them. Doesn't hurt me if they die."
"Why would you want to reabsorb one that was injured?"
"To get their memories," Multiple Man shrugged. "We're not all linked once I duplicate. I mean...I can send them out with specific instructions – like rob a bank and meet me back at location x – but that's it. If I want to know what my dupes have done – I need to reabsorb them."
"Really?" Pyro screwed up his nose. He didn't like that idea. It all sounded too complicated. There was nothing complicated about controlling fire. Multiple Man laughed.
"Yeah. You think I learned all those martial arts techniques the hard way?" he smiled as Pyro looked across at him. "No. I had dupes learn them...and then just stood and took it all in. But trust me – sometimes I wish I hadn't bothered," he shuddered slightly for effect. "God some of my dupes have poor taste."
Pyro laughed heartily as the other mutant pulled a face. With a slight shake of the head, he blasted a stream of fire at the feet of the flirting duplicate and bimbo.
"Get back to work!" he shouted as the two looked round startled. Grudgingly the two complied.
"Case in point," Multiple Man gestured to the two, before turning back to the pyrokinetic. "So anyway..."
"Stubborn shit, aren't you?" Pyro interrupted, his eyebrow raising. Multiple Man frowned slightly, following the direction the other mutant was looking.
"Oh for crying out loud..." he muttered as he saw himself propping up one of the nearby trees with the woman he had just been told to leave alone. Not what he wanted the hot little pyromaniac to see... "I think it's time I got rid of him."
"I think you may be right," Pyro forced a smirk as the other mutant wandered off, returning his attention to the flickering fireball still in his hands. A slight frown played at his face. Like he cared that Multiple Man was hitting on some bimbo...
--- --- --- --- ---
Pyro lazily flicked his lighter open and shut, lying atop his sleeping bag within his tent late that evening, his wrist lighters abandoned by his side. He was so damn bored. And he couldn't stop thinking of... Pyro let out a heavy sigh, chastising himself as once again his thoughts drifted back to Multiple Man. It was time to stop getting attracted to guys who were attracted to girls. It really wasn't worth it. Rumour about the camp was that the multiplying mutant was bisexual. Pyro frowned slightly. He was quite sure that was worse than him being straight...he was fed up competing with girls too. But this really wasn't the time anyway. He had to focus. That's what Mystique had been teaching him. Another heavy sigh escaped the pyrokinetic's lips as he thought of the former shapeshifter, wishing she were there. Shifting uncomfortably, the fire mutant cursed under his breath. He wasn't all that fond of this camping lark either...
A sudden noise from outside his tent brought his attention sharply back into focus. Sitting up quickly, he narrowed his eyes as the entrance to his tent was slowly unzipped, flicking a fireball from his lighter into his hand.
"Oh it's you," he muttered, closing his hand around the flame as a tight T-shirt clad Multiple Man clambered into the tent, smirking as he zipped it shut behind him.
"Sorry, did I startle you?" the older mutant raised an eyebrow mischievously. Pyro scowled and leant back, propping himself up on his elbows. He didn't need this right now...
"Were you wanting something?" he asked pointedly. Multiple Man chuckled, shrugging absently.
"Well..." he began slowly before suddenly multiplying, five duplicates grabbing the pyrokinetic's legs, arms and head, pinning him down and covering his mouth, one of them taking his lighter. The fire mutant struggled to free himself but found he was well and truly captive. His eyes widened slightly as the original crawled up to whisper in his ear; "You see, I'm horny and all on my own..." hands from somewhere began to unzip Pyro's jacket and undo the buttons on his shirt. "And you are hot and all on your own..." the original Multiple Man smirked as the pyrokinetic squirmed under his duplicates' touch. He pulled his head back to look into Pyro's deep, blazing brown eyes, studying them closely before smiling, moving to plant kisses down the fire mutant's now bare chest. "I'm sure you get the picture. Of course..." Pyro heard the familiar click and swoosh of his lighter. He stopped struggling suddenly, pulling a fireball to hover over his head as Multiple Man continued; "If you want me to go..."
Pyro took in a sharp breath as finally his mouth was released, his arms and legs also becoming free as the duplicates all morphed back into their original, still kissing the fire mutants chest.
"Awfully sure of yourself aren't you?" the pyrokinetic muttered, writhing slightly as the older mutant's lips tickled around his stomach, his arms hovering by his side as if unsure whether to push the man on top of him away or pull him closer. He wasn't ready for this...but...where was the harm? It would just be a bit of fun...right? Multiple Man smirked, working his way back up to Pyro's neck, raising an eyebrow optimistically as he glanced up at the still hovering fireball.
"Well, you haven't flamed me yet," he brought his head level with Pyro's, looking into the younger mutant's eyes challengingly, his hands slowly working down to Pyro's belt. Pyro gulped but returned an even look.
"Doesn't mean I won't Multiple Man. Neve..."
"Jamie," the older mutant corrected, discarding the pyrokinetic's belt to the side.
"Jamie, then," the fire mutant raised an eyebrow as Jamie set to work on the button of his trousers. "As I was saying..." without warning the smaller mutant hooked his leg around the mutant on top, flipping them both over to pin Jamie beneath him. A grin spread over his face as he pulled the fireball into his hand, close to Jamie's head. "Never underestimate me."
For a moment a hint of panic flitted through the duplicating mutant's eyes as the flames flickered close to his face. The panic faded quickly however as he caught sight of the mischievous glint in the other mutant's eyes. With a smirk, Jamie returned his attention to the fire mutant's trousers.
"Wouldn't dream of it Pyro," he replied innocently as the pyrokinetic diminished the flame, running his hands down Jamie's sides.
"It's John," the fire mutant murmured, leaning down as if to kiss him, but raising a finger to his lips instead. Jamie stopped unbuttoning John's trousers and looked up at him questioningly. "Just because we're bored," the fire mutant raised an eyebrow pointedly.
"Just because we're bored," Jamie agreed, tilting his head up to meet John's lips halfway. Abandoning the other mutants' trousers, Jamie ran his hands up his back, pulling him closer as he slid the jacket and shirt from his shoulders, allowing a small moan in appreciation of the pyrokinetic's surprisingly athletic physique. Suddenly he rolled the two over, pinning the smaller mutant securely beneath him. Any objections from the fire mutant were lost in a moan as Jamie instantly found a tender spot on his neck. Somewhere that annoying little voice was saying something – warning him about something. But as he tugged at the other mutant's t-shirt, pulling it over his head as he grabbed Jamie's hair and pulled him into a bruising kiss, John decided that little voice should know him better by now...
--- --- --- --- ---
Jamie made his way up the small hill to the rocky outcrop Magneto used to address the brotherhood, the space currently being occupied by one feisty little pyrokinetic. He smirked as the fire mutant stifled a yawn. Well, to be fair, it had been almost dawn by the time Jamie had finally – grudgingly – left the other mutant's tent...
"Hey John," the older mutant crossed his arms and retained a composed expression. "Sleep well?"
John's eyebrow rose slightly as he kept his gaze fixed firmly ahead of him, crossing his own arms.
"Like a baby," he replied casually, allowing himself a quick glance at the other mutant. A smirk spread over the pyrokinetic's lips at the mischievous glint in his companions' bright blue eyes. "When I was finally left in peace."
Jamie let out a laugh, uncrossing his arms and daring to move a little closer.
"I don't remember being asked to leave..."
John turned his attention back to the mutants mingling below to try and cover the flush creeping up his cheeks. The younger mutant opened his mouth to retort but was cut off by the sound of a commotion below them.
"Hey!" the pyrokinetic barked, his face storming over as he shot a torrent of flame between two arguing mutants. "Cut it out!"
Jamie took a slight step back at the fire mutants' change in demeanour. He raised an eyebrow as the mutants below – albeit grudgingly – returned to their tasks.
"Bossy little fucker, aren't you?" the older mutant smiled. John couldn't help but smile too.
"Less of the little, thank you," he turned and looked up at the significantly taller mutant, a slight frown playing at his face. "Anyway...I..."
Another explosion of noise came from the gathering below. John scowled as the two mutants returned to their fight.
"Excuse me," the fire mutant muttered, making his way down the hill. Jamie smirked as the two mutants immediately jumped apart as the smaller and younger mutant approached. Bossy little fucker indeed. With a small smile, Jamie stood and waited for the other mutant to return. Hopefully things would be quieter that evening and the fiery little pyromaniac would be bored again...
--- --- --- --- ---
The Phoenix stood atop a rocky outcrop later that day, casually surveying the Brotherhood camp, her black eyes casting a steely gaze around her. Her expression softened slightly as her eyes fell on the mutant she had once known as John. A small smile played on her lips as she watched the pyrokinetic pretend not to notice that Multiple Man was sneaking up on him through the trees diagonally in front of him and to his left, completely unaware that the real Multiple Man was in fact just about right behind him. Her black eyes lightened as she shook her head and laughed as Pyro took a step back just as Multiple Man burst out of the trees, smiling smugly, only for the smile to fade as he backed into the original mutant behind...
"Those two are getting rather friendly," Magneto commented, appearing beside her suddenly. Jean frowned slightly at the older mutants' displeased expression.
"It's about time Pyro was happy," she found herself saying. Magneto raised an eyebrow at the red head.
"And what use to me is a happy Pyro?" the Brotherhood leader held out his hands and caught control of the young mutants wrist lighters, turning him to face him. "I have a job for you," he called, beckoning for the pyrokinetic to approach. Pyro waved a quick farewell to Multiple Man and promptly made his way to Magneto, looking at the older mutant expectantly.
"I want for you to go and blow up a clinic."
Pyro raised an eyebrow.
"Any particular one?"
"Oh they're all good to burn," Magneto waved a hand dismissively as the other stretched out to a nearby tent, pulling out a set of keys which he threw at the fire mutant. "You choose."
Pyro took the keys and nodded, turning to head for the nearby parked cars and vans. Jean watched the young mutant go sadly. She had a bad feeling about this...