Author's Note: Right...it's 4:30 in the morning and I just typed most of this while on night shift. So if it's no good – I'm blaming that! Quite a fluffy chapter this one, as will be the next couple of chapters. We're gonna take it easy for a little while just to let poor Pyro relax a little after re-visiting Alkali Lake. But we are approaching the prolouge chapter...finally...
Chapter Twenty-three: Worried
A slight frown played at John's face as he slowly became aware of a weight around his waist. With a grudging moan, he blearily opened his eyes, blinking rapidly to take in his surroundings.
"Good morning sleepy head," Jamie smirked, the weight around John's waist moving slightly as the older mutant traced his fingers lightly over the pyrokinetic's side.
"Morning," John replied sheepishly, bowing his head slightly and letting some of his hair fall over his face. Jamie laughed and brushed the hair away.
"Oh don't go all shy on me now," he murmured as he leant forward to kiss the fire mutant. John smiled sheepishly and wrapped his arms around Jamie, shaking his head slightly as the two parted.
"I'm not being shy...it's just..." John paused, screwing up his nose slightly. Jamie frowned and opened his mouth to speak but he shut it abruptly as the fire mutant suddenly sneezed.
"Bless you," the multiplying mutant smirked. John pulled a face and went to retort, but again was prevented from doing so by another sneeze.
"Oh fuck," the fire mutant muttered, pulling away slightly to wrap himself tightly in his covers. "I told you I didn't do well with the cold..."
x-x-x x-x-x x-x-x
Mystique looked up from the table as Multiple Man wandered into the kitchen, a long yawn escaping his lips.
"How is he?" she asked, raising an eyebrow amusedly as the other mutant set about making yet another mug of ridiculously sweet hot chocolate.
"Still grumpy," Multiple Man muttered, but a smiled played on his lips as he turned to look at the shapeshifter. "But his fever is going down at last."
Mystique laughed.
"Well, that'll teach you not to go cavorting with a fire mutant in the snow."
Jamie just grinned sheepishly and continued to make the pyrokinetic's hot, sugary drink. Mystique stretched and stood up.
"I'm afraid there's work for you to do," she adopted a serious face. Multiple Man turned to look at her, duplicating as he did so.
"No problem," the duplicate smirked and started forward but Mystique held up a hand.
"I'd rather you went yourself," she looked at him pointedly. "It's a rather delicate matter."
Multiple Man sighed and pulled the duplicate back in.
"Ok, if I must," he nodded, a slight smile playing at his lips. "You can be on hot chocolate duty for a while."
Mystique raised an eyebrow but returned the smile.
"I think I'll cope with that. Besides..." the shapeshifter leant back casually in her chair. "If I have any problems I trust you'll be leaving a dupe behind anyway."
Multiple Man laughed quietly.
"Of course," he admitted sheepishly. "So, when do I need to leave?"
"A couple of hours, but it'll take an hour or so to brief you," Mystique smiled apologetically. "I'd get that hot chocolate up to him and say goodbye."
"Ha! He'll be glad to be rid of me," the multiplying mutant smirked as he made his way towards the door. "Apparently it's all my fault he feels like shit so he hates me and I'm not getting any for at least a month…"
x-x-x x-x-x x-x-x
"When is Jamie back?" Pyro muttered from under his duvet. Mystique laughed.
"Awww...you missing him?"
"No..." Pyro poked his head out from under the cover. "You don't put enough sugar in my hot chocolate."
Mystique pulled a mock hurt face.
"Well it's nice to know where I stand..." she pouted, crossing her arms. Pyro smirked and pulled the covers back over his head.
"You're not so good looking either."
Mystique laughed.
"He is good looking," she conceded. "However will you keep your hands off him for a month?"
Again Pyro's face appeared from under the covers, his eyebrow raised.
"What?"
"Apparently he's not getting any for a month," Mystique's lips quirked in amusement. "His punishment for making you ill."
"I said that?" Pyro shook his head as Mystique nodded. "Must have been the fever talking."
"That's what I thought," Mystique smirked, stretching her arms out behind her to lean on. "Well anyway, he should be back this evening."
The shapeshifter couldn't help but smile as Pyro's eyes lit up. She was pleased to see the fire mutant finally moving on with his life...
"Mystique?"
Mystique looked up startled, not having been aware of the silence that had fallen over them until Pyro broke it.
"Yes?"
"See the next time you're away?" the fire mutant looked up at her sheepishly. "Could you maybe get me a new lighter?"
A smile tugged at the shapeshifter's lips.
"Why didn't you just ask Jamie to get you one?"
Pyro shrugged and bowed his head.
"I'd rather you got it."
Mystique bit her lip to hide the grin threatening to take over her face.
"What kind do you want then?"
"Another Zippo."
Mystique laughed.
"I meant what kind of design?"
"Oh," again Pyro shrugged, looking back up at the shapeshifter with a soft smile. "You just choose one."
Mystique gave a nod, returning the smile.
"I'm sure I can do that..." her smile turned quickly to a frown as the pyrokinetic descended into a violent coughing fit, clutching his head as his whole body wretched. "Is your head still sore?"
"Violent head movement hurts..." he muttered when he finally stopped coughing.
"Jamie said you were getting dizzy spells again," Mystique's frown deepened. Pyro waved a hand dismissively.
"I've been in bed for ages. Of course I'm going to be unsteady on my feet. It's not dizzy spells like before."
Mystique raised an eyebrow, unconvinced, but did not press the matter.
"Ok. Well you just get some rest then. I'll go and see if Multiple Man's been in touch yet..."
x-x-x x-x-x x-x-x
John let out a string of curses, grabbing for the doorframe as he stumbled out of the bathroom. So…maybe he was having dizzy spells again…
A sudden noise grabbed the fire mutant's attention.
"Jamie!" he exclaimed as he looked up and saw the other mutant standing just outside his old room. Jamie opened his mouth to reply, but nothing came out. John's eyes narrowed suspiciously as he studied the figure in front of him. "You're not Jamie…"
The duplicate sighed heavily, holding up his hands in defeat.
"I suppose I should be impressed. Very few people can spot the difference between dupes and the real thing," he gave a wry smile as John stared back at him.
"Why are you…" the fire mutant frowned heavily. There was something unnerving about standing speaking with one of Jamie's duplicates when Jamie himself wasn't around. As Jamie had said many a time…not all of his duplicates were necessarily anything like him. "Where's Jamie?"
"He's still away."
"So you're here because…"
The duplicate sighed.
"Just…keeping an eye on you."
John opened his mouth but shut it abruptly. He crossed his arms, still leaning against the wall for support.
"Keeping an eye on me?" John's jaw clenched. "Why?"
"Well," the duplicate rubbed the back of his neck uneasily. "You weren't well! We just thought…"
"For Christ sake, I'm not a fucking kid!" John snapped. With a shake of the head he pushed himself away from the wall and stomped towards his bedroom. The duplicate stayed silent, pursing his lips as he let him go. That didn't go so well…
x-x-x x-x-x x-x-x
Jamie slowly eased open the door to his old bedroom, raising an eyebrow as he found his duplicate sitting on the bed, looking back at him sheepishly.
"What?" he asked suspiciously. The duplicate pulled a face.
"I got caught," he replied, standing up. Jamie frowned and pulled the other figure back into his own body, closing his eyes briefly as he tried to access that particular duplicates thoughts and memories.
"Oh shit," he muttered as he realised that John had bumped into the duplicate earlier that evening. So much for keeping a subtle eye on the fire mutant. With a heavy sigh he left his old room, quietly making his way next door to his new room. Gently he shut the door behind him, turning to look back into the darkness. A smile spread over his lips as suddenly there was a glow of light from the direction of the bed. Jamie looked up to find John sitting with a wrist lighter on, a small fireball flickering in his hand. The fire mutant raised an eyebrow.
"You took your time," he said sulkily. Jamie laughed quietly as he begun to undress.
"Traffic was a bitch," the multiplying mutant smirked. John rolled his eyes as the other mutant slipped into the bed next to him. "How are you feeling?"
"Why don't you just ask your dupe?"
Jamie cursed silently as the flame suddenly disappeared, preventing him from gauging the pyrokinetic's expression.
"John…" Jamie frowned and racked his brain trying to remember the conversation his duplicate had had with the fire mutant. "Look…I was worried about you! What's wrong with that?"
There was a short silence.
"You could have told me," John muttered eventually. Jamie smiled slightly in relief as the other mutant's mood seemed to soften. He reached out and pulled the smaller mutant closer as the fire mutant flicked on his wrist lighter, pulling a small fireball to hover above the two.
"I'm sorry, I'll tell you next time," he leant forward to kiss John's forehead but found John's hand on his chest, pushing him back.
"Next time?" he frowned, shaking his head. "But I'm fine now. You won't need to leave one next time."
Jamie laughed quietly, running a hand through John's hair.
"John, I always leave one behind," he inhaled apprehensively. "And I always send one after you if you go somewhere on your own."
Again there was a short silence. John bit his lip hard, somewhat annoyed at the idea of having someone following him around but a smile was playing at his lips at the other mutant's concern.
"But…why?" he asked quietly. Again Jamie laughed.
"I told you, I worry about you," he gently cupped his hand around the fire mutant's face, pulling him forward into a soft, lingering kiss. "I'd send an army of dupes with you if I thought I could trust them."
John laughed quietly.
"There's no need to worry so much," he said meekly, leaning forward to return the kiss, but he stopped half way. "When did you start?"
"Start what?" Jamie frowned apprehensively.
"Start sending dupes after me?"
Jamie laughed and shook his head. He wasn't going to lie.
"When you went off to Alcatraz."
Silence.
"It was you…" John finally whispered. "Why the hell didn't you tell me?"
"I don't know, I just…" Jamie shrugged, running his fingers lightly over John's back. "I guess I just wanted for this – if it was ever going to happen – to be based on us and not on my saving you."
John didn't reply, he just wrapped his arms tighter around the other mutant, pulling him closer as he captured his lips in another lingering kiss. Jamie smiled happily as the two finally parted.
"Has anyone ever told you that you're fucking amazing?" he laughed as the fire mutant bowed his head, a slight blush creeping up his cheeks. Cupping a hand under his chin, he brought John's face up gently to brush his lips. "I lo…"
His words were cut off as John's fingers pressed against his mouth.
"I'm sorry…I just…" John stuttered, biting his lip as Jamie's brow furrowed. "I can't say that back. Not yet."
A small laugh escaped Jamie's lips as John pulled his hand away.
"I don't expect you to," he said quietly. John frowned.
"See you say that, but it still hurts when you don't hear it back," John sighed, cursing himself mentally for the downturn in mood. "I'd just rather you waited."
Jamie smiled softly and gave a small nod.
"I understand," he said truthfully, although he couldn't hide the hint of disappointment in his voice. John smiled appreciatively and buried his head in the older mutant's chest. Slowly the fireball above them grew smaller, eventually flickering out completely. Jamie tightened his grip around the fire mutant's smaller body, holding him close.
In other words…he said it to the fucking ice mutant and he didn't say it back.
Oh don't bring him into this…
Why not? I'll bet that's what his problem is.
Oh shut up…
Well! Why else would he…
Finally Jamie tuned out the voices, the sound of John's soft breathing drifting to his ears instead.
"John?" Jamie whispered. No reply. "John?" Still no reply. Content that the fire mutant was definitely asleep, Jamie brushed his lips over his forehead, letting out a small sigh as he pulled away and rested his head back on the pillow, softly tracing his fingers over John's side. "I do love you…"
x-x-x x-x-x x-x-x
Author's Note: A little input from you guys? What kinda lighter will Mystique take back for her baby? A plain black one? A plain red one? One with flames on it? One with writing on it? All suggestions welcome!