Author's Note: Ok, this chapter is a little heavy on Jinx and Tommy at the start, I hope that's ok. I know a lot of you seem to like them but I am very wary of the overuse of OCs.

A Little Complication

Chapter 37: Endings

Jinx couldn't help the scowl as he found Tommy in one of the rec. rooms talking to none other than Carl…who was leaning far too close to Tommy for Jinx's liking. Jinx jumped back as Carl turned to leave the room. He started forward again as the new student came out the doorway, making it look like he was just coming down the corridor.

"Hi Jinx," the other student smiled. Jinx forced a smile in return and offered a small nod before ducking into rec. room.

"What the hell did he want?"

Tommy looked up startled.

"What?"

Jinx scowled, crossing his arms.

"What did Carl want?"

"We were just talking," Tommy replied defensively. "He was just wondering if I wanted to go see that new comic book movie that's just out."

"He what? I'm gone for five minutes and you're disappearing off to the movies with that sleaze ball?"

"Hey! I can go to the movies with whoever­-the-hell I want!" Tommy's frown faded slightly. "Besides, I said no," a quiet sigh escaped his lips. "I'm still kinda hoping you'll go with me."

Jinx shut his mouth against the retort on his lips. Pausing for a moment, his angry stance visibly softened.

"I'll maybe think about it," he shrugged absently. Tommy smiled optimistically at the other mutant's improved mood.

"I am sorry Jinx. You know I never meant to upset you…"

Jinx scowled heavily but his demeanour softened further.

"So you keep saying," he muttered. Tommy sighed quietly.

"I only did it 'cause I thought it was for the best," he pointed out. "You said yourself how you thought Mr Drake was looking much happier."

"Yeah, but Pyro doesn't look so happy does he?" Jinx slumped down onto one of the sofas. "I know you meant well Tommy I'm just mad that you lied. You always do it – you pretend to listen to me then just go with your own way anyway."

Tommy bowed his head guiltily.

"I don't mean to…" slowly he made his way forward, sitting down carefully next to the other mutant. "I promise I'll listen from now on."

Jinx shifted slightly.

"When did I say there's going to be a now on?"

Tommy smiled, leaning towards the other mutant.

"I've missed you…" he whispered, tracing his fingers lightly over Jinx's arm. The older mutant laughed quietly, looking up.

"It's been seven days."

Tommy laughed as the anger in Jinx's eyes faded. Quickly he pulled himself upright, leaning very close to the other mutant.

"Seven days too long."

Jinx arched an eyebrow.

"You've seen me everyday."

"Not the same…" Tommy clambered onto Jinx's lap, grinning widely. "Not the same when I can't touch you…"

Jinx couldn't help but return the grin, leaning forward to capture Tommy's lips. Falling back onto the sofa, he held the younger mutant tightly, groaning quietly in objection as he pulled away for air.

"I can't believe you were jealous of Carl…" Tommy smirked. Jinx scowled.

"I wasn't jealous…" he muttered.

"Good," Tommy smiled, leaning in for another kiss. "Because you wipe the floor with him."

"I would if he ever laid a finger on you…" Jinx tightened his grip possessively. Tommy grinned, continuing to kiss the older mutant softly. Both jumped slightly as Tommy's cell phone started to ring in his pocket. The younger mutant pulled a face but answered the call none-the-less.

"Hi mom…yeah…yeah I'm still coming. Ok. Sure…yeah he's coming too…" Tommy smiled at Jinx, not noticing the other mutant's eyes darken. "Of course…uh uh…See you Friday. Ok…bye mom…" Tommy threw his cell phone onto the cushion beside Jinx, screwing his nose up playfully. "Mom's insisting we sleep in separate rooms when we go stay at the weekend."

Jinx arched an eyebrow.

"When we go to stay?"

"Yeah," Tommy nodded, seemingly oblivious to the other mutant's change in mood. "God I was dreading telling them you wouldn't be coming after taking so long to convince them to give you a chance."

Jinx inhaled deeply, slumping back against the back of the seat, pulling as far away as he could from the mutant on his lap.

"I told you I wasn't going to go and visit your parents."

"Yeah I know but…"

"But what?" Jinx snapped. "Tommy what have we just been fighting about?"

The younger mutant bit his lip, realising how serious Jinx was.

"Because I called Pyro and…"

"Because you never listen to me!" Jinx shifted his weight, making Tommy clamber off his lap. "I said I'm not going!"

"But Jinx…they just want to meet you!"

"We have met."

"Properly!" Tommy replied indignantly. "They want to get to know the guy their son is dating. What's the problem with that?"

"The problem is your parents hate me," Jinx mumbled.

"That's 'cause they don't know you!" Tommy tried to cosy back up to the other mutant. "Please Jinx…"

"You're not listening!" Jinx leapt to his feet. "I am not going to meet your parents! It's great that they're trying to be supportive of you but me and them in the same room is not a good idea. I mean what will they want to know? Where I'm from? What's my power like? Do I have any brothers or sisters? Are my parents supportive of their gay mutant son?"

Tommy's brow furrowed slightly as he bit his lip guiltily.

"I'll tell them not to ask about your parents…" he said quietly. Jinx shook his head.

"Oh 'cause that won't look suspicious," he scowled. "How about for once you just listen to me, accept that you don't know best and let me do things my way?"

"But…"

It was not the word Jinx wanted to hear. Curling up his lip he turned sharply and walked away, several items in the room crackling slightly behind him. Tommy shut his mouth abruptly, recognising the telltale signs of Jinx losing his temper. Sighing quietly he let him leave. That had been a short lived reconciliation…

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

A quiet, helpless sigh escaped Bobby's lips as Jinx shoved his way out of the danger room early the next morning. The ice mutant exchanged a concerned glance with Piotr.

"Jinx wait," he called the younger mutant back. Jinx scowled heavily but backtracked never-the-less. Bobby took a deep breath. "Look – I know you and Tommy are having problems right now but you can't let that affect your training," he crossed his arms as the student curled his lip up. "You are part of this team Jinx, so act like it."

Jinx arched an eyebrow.

"Who said I wanted to be part of your damned team?"

"Jinx…" Bobby sighed exasperatedly as Storm and Logan emerged from the nearby observation room.

"I told you having the pyromaniac here would give the kid ideas," Logan muttered. Storm rolled her eyes.

"Well you'll be glad to hear John and Jamie left this morning," she informed him before turning to Jinx. "Can I see you in my office Jinx? Now."

Jinx scowled but nodded. Bobby inhaled sharply.

"John and Jamie are gone?" he asked casually. Storm turned to look at him.

"Yes, they left this morning."

"Oh…"

Jinx chuckled quietly, arching an eyebrow pointedly as icy blue eyes turned back to look at him. He opened his mouth to comment but Storm's voice stopped him.

"Jinx…my office…"

The student gave the ice mutant one last pointed look before turning and skulking down the corridor. Storm turned to Bobby.

"You'd better get back in there and finish the session. Everyone else is doing really well."

"Except Tommy," Bobby pointed out but he turned to return to the danger room. Storm gave a conceding nod, sighing quietly as she turned to follow Jinx towards her office.

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

Toned blue arms stretched elegantly outwards, reaching up to clasp together before slowly arching backwards…

A loud crash caused the arms to drop. A golden eye opened lazily, eyebrow above raising. A quiet sigh escaped the shapeshifter's lips. Her peace was over.

"Multiple Man…Pyro," she made her way out into the corridor, giving the two returning mutants a nod.

"Mystique," the fire mutant mumbled, managing a smile in her direction before continuing on his way down the corridor. Mystique turned to Multiple Man inquisitively, finding him watching the departing mutant with concern in his bright blue eyes.

"What's up with him?"

Multiple Man sighed.

"Do you really need to ask?"

Mystique rolled her eyes.

"Iceman…" she shook her head in despair. "So…on other matters. Is the mansion secure?"

"If I hadn't set it up I couldn't break into it," Multiple Man replied confidently. Mystique gave an approving nod.

"Good. Can't have any of the precious x-munchkins going missing now, can we?"

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

Bobby sat in his classroom early that evening simply staring at the cell phone in his hand. The fire mutant still hadn't even bothered to let him know he was gone…

"Mr Drake?"

"Tommy," Bobby sat up straight in his seat. "Come in."

The student entered with a meek smile, holding a form out towards the ice mutant.

"I can't find Miss Munro so can you sign a permission slip for us to go to the movies tonight?"

Bobby smiled and took the form.

"You and Jinx made up then?"

"Eh…no…" Tommy rubbed the back of his neck. "I'm going with Carl."

"The new kid?" Bobby arched an eyebrow. Tommy nodded, crossing his arms slightly defensively.

"Just trying to be friendly," he muttered. Bobby frowned slightly as he signed the form.

"I wasn't implying otherwise…"

"Good."

Bobby sighed quietly and handed the form back with a small nod. Tommy returned the nod.

"Oh and I'm going to stay with my parents for the weekend – they're picking me up on Friday. Dad was wondering if he could pick me up early so we can miss most of the traffic? I'd only miss my last class…your class…"

"That's fine," Bobby smiled, although his concern had not entirely faded from earlier. "We're not doing anything you won't easily catch up on."

"Thanks," the student gave one last smile and turned to walk out the door. Bobby shook his head as he watched him go. Did Jinx realise there was someone else vying for Tommy's attention?

With one last quiet sigh the ice mutant stood and returned his cell phone to his pocket, tidying up the papers on his desk. He'd better get moving…Marie and Abi would be wondering where he was…

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

A knot tightened in Jamie's stomach as he watched John check his cell phone…again. Still the ice mutant hadn't called. Still the ice mutant hadn't messaged. Jamie wondered if the damned ice mutant had even realised they were gone yet…

"Hey…" Jamie moved forward into the room. John rolled his head back to look at him tiredly.

"Hey."

Jamie sat down opposite the fire mutant.

"Still no word?" he couldn't help but scowl as John shook his head dejectedly. "You gonna call him?"

"No."

"Maybe you should. You know…just…"

"No," John repeated. "Come on Jamie – you tell him to buck up or you'll go after me and what does he do? He backs off."

Jamie sighed quietly but didn't argue. He hated seeing the pyrokinetic upset but he hated sticking up for the iceblock even more.

"So…" he said eventually. "It's over."

The fire mutant laughed dryly.

"Yeah," he mumbled. "Yeah it's over…"