Title: Marked By Darkness
Author: Nadja Lee
E-mail for feedback: neh@post10.tele.dk
English is not
my native language. Please forgive me my mistakes.
Disclaimer: "X-men" and all the characters here belong to Marvel , 20
Century Fox and I intend no infringement, this is a piece of amateur fan
fiction, and I make no money of it. Only the original idea contained within
this work is the property of the author. Please do not copy this story to any
website or archive without permission of the author.
Timeline: Set a little after the movie
Universe: Set in the movie universe. Only the movie NOT the book that goes with
it!
Pairing: Scott/Logan (friendship)
Summary: Scott has a talk with Logan about his past.
Rating: PG-13 (for violence)
Note: Sequel to "Colour Blind"
Author's note: This one is for Jemisard who asked for this. A special thanks goes
to Jemisard for the Beta. Without you this story would never have been. Warning
for slashy undertones!
Part 1:
" Morning," Scott said as he came down to breakfast and saw Logan and Rogue already there. It was 07:20 in the morning, on a Saturday, so he had thought he would be the only one up. It seemed that both Logan and Rogue were early risers as well. Jean had never been a morning person but that had only been one of many things where they had been different.
Their relationship had started to fall apart before Logan had first come to the mansion but after he had returned they had both faced the truth and Scott had moved into his own room not far from Logan's. Somehow the thought of having the other man near comforted him.
" Mornin', Sugah" Rogue said with a smile as she stopped her tale of Remy's advances towards her from last night which was probably just as well, as Logan looked ready to strangle the boy as he had just heard Remy had picked a flower for Rogue and had wanted a kiss in return.
" Mornin'" Logan growled but his lips curved in a small smile at seeing the other man. They shared a bond forged by shared pain so strong he had yet to fully understand it. " I made coffee," Logan said with a smirk at this their private joke and Scott smiled one of his rare smiles at him and Logan felt a warmth spread through his body.
" Ah have to go to the gallery of French art from the 1778's as someone.." Rogue gave Scott a meaningful look but he just gave her a perfect "Who me?" gesture. " has given us a report due in on Thursday on English literature, in which we have to investigate the influence French Art in that period had on the English writing. Wanna come with me?" She asked and smiled one of whose " Please Daddy" smiles at Logan which he couldn't resist.
" Alright. Are you coming, Slim?" Logan asked and cast a look at Scott.
" Sure, sounds interesting."
Part 2Rogue took hold of Logan's hand with her own gloved one and as Scott walked up on the other side of her she took his hand in the other and dragged them both with her to the ticket stand.
" Yes?" The man asked and eyed Rogue's long gloves on a warm day and Scott's visor. Logan felt more than saw both Rogue and Scott's discomfort and he gave the man a warning look as he paid for the tickets.
" You want family discount, sir?" The man asked as Logan was about to go, having one hand inside Rogue's much smaller hand and the other around Scott's shoulders.
" Hmm?" Logan asked confused. Family? He looked at Rogue and Scott. Yeah, this was his family. His pack. He walked back and agreed to the discount and they entered the gallery.
Scott seemed to know a lot about the period and kindly shared his knowledge with Logan and Rogue. Rogue was happy to get some more hints to use in her report and Logan was just glad to hear Scott talk about a subject which clearly interested him.
" Hey look. It's a mutie," someone said and he saw Scott stiffen and Rogue look around in fright. As Logan turned around he saw a gang of some six young men pointing towards Scott and Rogue. They were wearing leather jackets with the local gang member symbol.
" Hey, freak. Didn't you read the sign? No animals allowed," one said and they all laughed while Rogue was close to tears and Scott set his jaw, a common sign of annoyance or pain. Logan eased Rogue and Scott behind him and began to advance on the young man who had just spoken.
" Logan, you really don't have to..." Scott began.
" Yes, I do. They hurt my family; they hurt me," Logan growled and reached the group.
" Havin' fun?" He asked in an almost civilised tone.
" Who the fuck are you?" One asked, feeling brave when he was with his friends. Logan quickly glanced around and when he saw that there were no one else in the room but the six men and Scott, Rogue and himself, he leaned closer to the other man and whispered;
" Someone who don't like you much, bub" and with that claws appeared from his hands and he held a clawed hand under the man's chin.
" Oh, shit" one of the men mumbled and they all ran from the room.
" Hey man, I meant nothin' with it. Really," the man he held at claw point said nervously.
" It meant something to my friends. Apologise and I'll let you live," a evil gleam appeared in Logan's eyes as his protective instincts took over. " Maybe"
" I'm sorry, man, " the man said as sweat ran down his face. Logan nodded satisfaction but still pushed the claw deeper into the man's chin.
" Logan, don't" Scott said softly and laid a calming hand on his shoulder. For a moment Logan seemed to fight with himself.
" Ah, he isn't worth it," he growled and removed his hand from the man's chin but did a fast motion with his other clawed hand. Before their eyes the man's clothes fell from his body, leaving him in boxers with Goofy on them. The young man turned as red as Scott's visor and ran out, Scott, Logan and Rogue's laughter following him.
Part 3" Logan, hand me that spanner will you?" Scott asked as he lay beneath the Black Bird, the X-men's jet, trying to figure out why she didn't want to start. Logan had offered to help him but so far had done little more than complain about the Cajun's attention towards HIS Marie, the girl who was like a daughter to him.
" Sure. And can you believe Marie agreed to go out with him again? When I see him again...." Logan said as he handed Scott the spanner.
" Yeah," Scott just said, not really listening. Just having Logan near made him feel good. Made him fell protected. Made him forget the loneliness which he so often felt.
" And then she said that...." Logan continued.
Hmm, maybe I should change this one. Or it could be that one, Scott thought as he used his mutant ability to calculate complex mathematical problems in his mind, to try and figure out why the jet didn't start. He got an idea and came forth from beneath the jet.
" ...you know what I mean?" Logan asked as Scott emerged.
" Yeah, I agree," Scott said and walked over to the shelves in the garage where paint, repair parts and some other stuff stood. Scott reached for one of the top shelves to get the box he wanted. As he made a grab for it a can with some kind of liquid fell down and splashed all over Scott's torso, shoulders and started running down his back.
" Ahhhh!" Scott screamed in agony as the substance burned his skin.
" Scott!" Logan yelled, concerned, and came to him and without further ado lifted him up in his arms and carried the other man to the bathroom in the garage, ignoring what the burning the substance did to his own skin as he touched Scott. It had to be some kind of acid, Logan decided as he clenched his teeth closely together not so much against his own pain but because Scott's screams of pain cut his heart and made him want to scream for him.
" Relax. I got you. Everything will be okay," Logan mumbled softly as he gently laid the now still man on the floor in the shower cabinet. Scott winced in pain, barely conscious. Logan turned the water on and let it wash over Scott to remove the liquid from his body.
" Come on. We got to get you out of these clothes," Logan said, making sure to keep his voice soft and calming as he reached for Scott's shirt.
" Nooo," Scott mumbled weakly and drew away from him.
" Scott, it's okay. I'm not going to hurt you," Logan said a little confused. The man was in pain and barely conscious yet still he didn't want Logan to remove his shirt. Strange. Logan reached for him again and Scott tried to draw away from him again but was too weak.
" I won't hurt you," Logan promised as he let a claw appear from his right hand. Scott didn't even flinch.
" I...trust...you," He rasped weakly and Logan couldn't help but smile. With a quick motion he tore Scott's shirt to pieces and removed it so the water could wash Scott's bare chest. Logan noticed his beauty but also some strange scars on Scott's chest and arms. The marks on his arms were round and small like burn holes while the scars on his chest were striped which seemed to originate from his back.
Suddenly the room was filled with people led by Jean who must have telepathically heard Scott's scream of pain. Jean pushed him out of her way as she came to Scott, who had now lost consciousness. Logan stayed in the room, never letting Scott out of his sight and as Jean took him to sick bay Logan went with him.
Part 4After Jean had treated Scott and wrapped a bandage around his chest, Logan had returned to Scott's bedside and stayed there to keep watch over him. Jean had said it wasn't serious and that he'd soon wake up but Logan was still worried. Please, wake up. Please, he prayed silently not really knowing to whom he prayed and took hold of Scott's hand, holding it between his much larger ones.
" Uh,...Logan?" Scott asked weakly as he came to.
" Yeah, I'm here" Logan said softly and stroked some of Scott's brown hair out of his shaded eyes. Scott smiled at him.
" You stayed."
" Of course. But next time let me get the stuff, ok?" Logan asked with a grin and Scott nodded.
Logan got serious again as he remembered the scars on Scott's chest.
" The marks I saw...What happened?" He asked softly with barely controlled anger. If that son of a bitch who had hurt Scott was still alive he wouldn't be for much longer. Even if it had been Magneto who Xavier obviously had a weakness for he'd make sure his mate was safe. No harm would come to his family. Not as long as he still breathed.
To Logan surprise Scott turned his head away from Logan.
" It's nothing," he whispered but the pain and sadness in his voice belied his words.
" Scott, I saw it! I know it is not nothing," he protested hotly. Scott turned back towards him and gently stroked his chin as he said;
" Please, don't ask questions which I can not answer."
" Can't? ...Or won't?" Logan asked as he caught hold of Scott's hand.
" I...can't. Please, don't ask it of me," Scott whispered pained as he drew his hand to him, his voice speaking the volumes his words did not.
Part 5" Jeannie said she'll let you go today so I'll..." Logan began as he entered Scott's room in sickbay where he had been since yesterday. Scott stood next to the bed dressed in trousers, his bare back towards him as he tried to tie his shoes.
" Logan!" Scott said surprised and quickly turned around to face him but too late.
" My God!" Logan whispered in horror and shook. Scott's entire back was criss-crossed with a fine network of small white scars. The abuse had been so often that not a single space of his back was left unmarked.
" Who did this?" Logan asked, his voice harsh and low. He hated any kind of abuse but this was cruelty done against HIS Scott. His family. Just the thought made his blood boil in rage. Scott avoided his gaze and said softly;
" It happened a long time ago."
" Who??" Logan demanded to know, his voice tight with barely controlled anger. He needed to know if that bastard was alive and if he was he sure wouldn't be for long.
" My foster father," Scott mumbled and something in his voice made Logan come towards him and take him into his embrace.
" It wasn't your fault," Logan whispered and stroked his hair as he felt Scott cling to him as a drowning man to a lifejacket.
" I know," he whispered against his chest.
" It wasn't your fault," Logan repeated and drew a little back and took Scott under the chin, forcing him to meet his gaze to read the truth there.
" I...I," Scott's voice broke down and Logan took him in his arms, letting him cry after so many years without a single tear shed. Logan mumbled calming words and gently stroked his back. As the tears stilled somewhat Logan guided Scott to the bed and set next to him, holding on to his hand.
" What happened?" He asked softly, needing to know.
" My...my parents died when I was four. I was taken to a orphanage but at five I was given to a foster father," he looked at Logan as if he wanted to know if he should continue or not but Logan smiled encouraging to him and gently squeezed his hand.
" I began to have headaches and Jack, my foster father, had a real hot temper which didn't make things better," his voice had taken up a strange edge as if he was talking about someone else and not his own life. Maybe he needed to tell it like that to save his sanity. Scott looked at Logan again and Logan damned those red glasses as it prevented him from seeing if there were tears in the other man's eyes or not.
" Remember I told you I got my powers when I was five?" Logan nodded.
" Jack wasn't pleased to say the least about having a mutant as a foster child," Scott face twisted in pain and Logan wanted to do anything to ease that pain he must have felt. But more than anything else; he wished to kill Jack in a thousand different and horrible ways.
" I wasn't born without the ability to control my optic blasts. Jack hit me too hard that year and my head knocked into an iron pole. A brain injury caused by that blow prevents me from controlling my powers," Scott's voice was even again but with a sadness and bitterness so strong it made Logan wince.
" He did this to you?" Logan asked shocked and nodded to Scott's glasses. " Prevented you from ever seeing colours?" Scott just nodded.
" And the marks? That was him too, wasn't it? The marks on your back as from a whip and the burns..." Logan took hold of Scott's right arm and looked more closely at the burns on it. " Like from...cigarettes!" Logan muttered as he recognised the marks. A single tear rolled down Scott's cheek and Logan gently wiped it away.
" I'm sorry I made you remember it all again," Logan said softly and drew Scott into his embrace, stroking his hair.
" I remember every day. You don't know what I'd give to not remember like you; no memories at all. Total peace," Scott whispered in a dreamy yet pained tone by Logan's shoulder.
" I wouldn't wish that 'cause then we'll probably never have met," Logan said gently and planted a soft kiss on the top of Scott's head. " Thank you for sharing."
" Thank you for listening," Scott whispered softly. " And I'm sorry you had to see that." That made Logan stiffen.
" What do you mean?"
" My...back. I know I'm ugly," Scott mumbled against Logan's chest.
" What?" Logan drew a little back so he could see Scott's face but he refused to meet Logan's eyes.
" Look at me," Logan asked softly and slowly Scott lifted his gaze to look at him.
" You're the most beautiful man I have ever seen," Logan said gently.
" Don't. Don't lie to me," Scott's voice was weak, pained.
" I'm not. So you're no supermodel but neither am I. No matter what you looked like you'll still be beautiful. True beauty comes from within and I have seen your heart and it shines more brightly than anyone's. That's true beauty," Logan's voice was soft and his eyes let him know that he was telling the truth.
" No, my friend. True beauty is to be within your love. A part of your family," Scott whispered and laid his head on Logan's shoulder again and Logan stroked his hair. They sat like that for a long time, taking comfort in the other's closeness.
The sun wandered over the sky and bathed them in its light, Logan making sure he shaded Scott so the direct sunlight didn't reach him as it would hurt him because it powered his blasts. Ororo went past out in the hallway and saw the two men bathed in light and smiled to herself. Things was really getting better and better. Today she'd let the sun shine the entire day to celebrate love, friendship and bonds forged so strong that nothing could break them. Not even pain or death.
The End
Continues in " Nightmares And Dreams"