Chapter Two
After wrapping Kurt up in his trench coat, Remy managed to sneak them both out of the alley. He wasn't sure where he should or could go. Kurt had made it clear that he didn't want to go back to the X-Men and Remy didn't blame him. He couldn't take Kurt to Magneto, he would probably just kick them out again and Remy didn't need the others around bothering them. The Brotherhood wasn't too fond of either of them so going there was also out of the question. He could take Kurt to a hotel but then there would be the problem of getting him in without turning too many heads. But he certainly couldn't stand here all day and made up his mind to try and sneak Kurt into a hotel.
Luckily it was beginning to get late out so not too many people were around. The only people who were around were in cars and they barely even glanced at Remy as he walked down the sidewalk, still holding Kurt in his arms. There was a hotel nearby and Remy headed towards it. The parking lot seemed pretty well empty and he sat Kurt on a bench outside one of the rooms so that he could go and pay. He hesitated a moment, he did not want to leave Kurt, who was still unconscious and looked so helpless half slumped over on the bench. He reached forward and brushed Kurt's long bangs away from his forehead, wincing at the large bump he found there. He began to worry that Kurt would have a concussion and quickly ran over to the office to get a room.
After paying for a room with two beds and making sure that there would be a bath, he ran back to Kurt and scooped him up into his arms. He carried Kurt carefully to room 21 and after fumbling some with the card key got the door unlocked and Kurt settled on one of the beds. As soon as he was sure that Kurt would be comfortable he sat on the side of the bed and took Kurt's unusual hand in his own. There was blood on his wrist where the watch had cut into it and Remy knew that his wrists had to be horribly bruised even if he couldn't see it.
"Kurt?" He spoke gently, not wanting to startle Kurt awake but he was worried about a concussion and wanted to make sure that Kurt was alright. "Kurt, mon ami, I need y' t' wake up now." There was no response. Remy reached his other hand forward and pushed Kurt's hair back again "Kurt, please, wake up." There was a groan and Remy took his hand away, not wanting to scare Kurt anymore. "Kurt?" He watched Kurt's eyes flutter as Kurt struggled to open them. A moment later and he was gazing at Remy through blurry vision. Remy could feel the panic building in the other mutant the moment he saw Remy. Kurt bolted forward but the movement caused him to cry out in pain before falling back against the bed. He curled up into a ball and began sobbing.
"Please, no, please, no more..." The pleas were quiet but still caused Remy's heart to shatter for the boy. Knowing better than to touch Kurt, he knelt next to the bed. Remy could feel the pain and fear battering against his shields, mixed in with that was shame and anger. He wanted to raise his shields against the foreign emotions but did not want to shut Kurt out so he let the feelings wash over him.
"Kurt, it's just me, remember? I took y' somewhere safe, dey can' get y' here. You're safe." As Remy whispered soft reassurances he reached out to Kurt's mind with his empathy; a gift he absolutely abhorred but he had to try and get through to Kurt. Sending Kurt all the comfort he could and taking away much of his pain, Remy felt him relax and begin to calm down. "Kurt?" he said, placing a hand gently on his shoulder. Kurt shifted and turned his head to gaze at Remy, eyes glistening with unshed tears.
"Gambit?" It was nothing more than a whisper and then Kurt was hurling himself forward into Remy's arms and crying brokenly. For one horrible moment he had been back at the alley and Gambit had been the man who had… who… He couldn't even think it, didn't want to think it, and didn't want to acknowledge that it had ever happened. He didn't care that this was supposed to be an enemy; he somehow knew that Gambit wouldn't hurt him and right now he needed somebody who would hold him without asking a million questions. He remembered now that Gambit had helped him, had promised not to take him back to the X-Men and held on tighter, cried harder. Remy held him back just as tightly, sliding onto the bed to hold Kurt in his lap.
He didn't want to think about what had happened to him, tried to push it back but he couldn't stop remembering. He couldn't stop remembering the pain, the grips on his wrists, and the weight of the man behind him. He was beginning to panic again, found it hard to breath and his head pounded so hard that he just wanted to pass out or start screaming. Suddenly feelings of comfort and protectiveness washed through him and he looked up at Gambit somehow knowing that these came from him. Remy ceased whatever he had been mumbling and looked down at Kurt's tear filled eyes.
"Are you doing that?" Kurt whispered.
"Oui, just tryin' t' make y' feel better." Remy seemed unsure and began to withdraw the feelings. He should have known better! Kurt didn't want him messing around with his head.
"No, please don't. I like it, feels nice." Kurt dropped his head back down to Remy's chest and Remy hugged him tighter for a moment. Kurt had stopped sobbing, though his breath occasionally hitched, yet he seemed in no hurry to move away from the comfort of Remy's arms and Remy was in no hurry to release him. It felt good to be able to take care of somebody for once.
Pain was shooting up Kurt's spine from the position he was in but he didn't care. Remy's arms felt too comforting. He didn't want to leave the circle of security that they created around him. He felt Remy shift under him and then felt himself being laid down into a more comfortable position. He was still wrapped in Remy's arms but was now lying on his side. He sighed in relief and closed his eyes, drifting off into sleep.
#
While Kurt slept, Remy went quickly to a small corner store only a block away and picked up some supplies that he figured he might need. Grabbing a soothing, healing ointment, gauze, aspirin and some food, he paid the man at the counter and practically ran back to the hotel room, not wanting Kurt to wake up alone.
Once back at the room, he checked to make sure that Kurt was still fine and then took the medicine into the bathroom. Leaving everything on the counter by the sink he walked over to the bath and twisted the tap on, adjusting the water and making sure that it wasn't too hot. As soon as the bath was full he shut off the water and set some big fluffy towels next to the bath within easy reach.
Walking back into the room he saw that Kurt was still curled up on his side, peacefully sleeping, and Remy hated to wake him. He knew that the sleep wouldn't last long before the nightmares would hit and was tempted to let Kurt sleep while he could. He was covered in blood and dirt, though, and Remy was afraid that if he let Kurt sleep too long that the concussion he had received would cause him to slip into a coma. Crouching next to the bed he once again brushed back Kurt's bangs but they fell back into his face. Remy frowned and tucked the loose strands behind his ear. Kurt groaned at the gentle touch and began to wake, looking up at Remy with bleary eyes, wishing that Gambit would just let him sleep. He seemed to ache everywhere, his head still pounded and he felt so tired. His eyelids seemed far too heavy and they began to drift shut again.
"Kurt, y' gotta stay 'wake for me, 'kay?" Kurt's eyes opened once again and looked up at Remy. Why couldn't he just sleep? Being awake meant remembering. "Y' can' be comfortable like dat, I need t' clean y' up but I can' do it wit'out y' help." Kurt struggled up on his elbows and looked down at himself. He hadn't really thought about it through the haze of pain that seemed to be clouding his head but now he could see the blood that stained his pants, could feel it matting his fur. He almost wanted to cry again when he saw the evidence of what had been done to him. His breath caught on a dry sob and Remy sat back on the bed. "Come on, wrap y' arms 'round my neck, I'll carry y't' de bat'room."
Kurt did so and Remy wrapped his own arms around Kurt's back, lifting him into the air so that Kurt's feet were dangling off the ground and his head rested on Remy's shoulder. The position was surprisingly comfortable and Kurt didn't even notice that they were in the bathroom until he heard Remy asking him a question.
"Can y' hold on and lean on me? Got t' put y' feet down, can' clean y' if y' got all y' clothes on." Kurt searched his eyes for a moment then nodded. The prospect of being clean drove away all other thoughts or doubts. Remy literally radiated caring and understanding, making Kurt feel like he was safe and he didn't fight when Remy quickly stripped him of his clothes. He felt Remy's arms close around him again and was lifted off his feet and placed gently into a tub of warm water. He closed his eyes and let the water envelope him, marveling at how good it felt. He shifted some so that he was resting most of his weight on his hip and reluctantly letting go of Remy's neck, draped one arm over the side of the tub.
"How's dat feel, good?" For an answer all he got was a murmur of approval as Kurt started to drift off again. "Don' fall 'sleep yet." He reached over to the counter and grabbed the bottle of aspirin and a glass of water. He shook out four aspirin and handed them to Kurt, who had opened his eyes to watch, along with the glass of water. "Take dese, dey will help wit' de pain." He watched as Kurt swallowed the pills and satisfied, took the glass away and sat on the edge of the bathtub. "Gonna wash y' hair so y' might wanna close y' eyes." Kurt did so and relaxed as Remy ran his hands through his hair getting it wet before working in the shampoo. He was drifting off again when a sudden thought occurred to him.
"What's your name?" he asked quietly. Remy made a questioning sound, rinsing out the shampoo and starting with the conditioner. "I know you're called Gambit but what is your actual name?"
"Oh. It's Remy, Remy LeBeau." Kurt nodded and Remy finished rinsing out the conditioner. Remy got up off the edge of the tub and knelt next to it, grabbing a bar of soap and attempting to clean Kurt as thoroughly as he could without making him uncomfortable or triggering flashbacks. He was mildly surprised that Kurt hadn't had any yet and assumed that he was still in shock over what had happened to him. He could feel the anger rising in him as the water turned pink from the blood he was washing out of Kurt's fur but managed to rein it in. He did not want Kurt to think that he was angry with him. He finished washing Kurt quickly and after rinsing him, Remy leaned over to lift him carefully out of the tub.
"You're going to get wet," Kurt whispered. Remy smiled at him. Kurt could have easily been killed and he was worrying about getting Remy wet.
"Don' worry 'bout it, I don' mind none."
He lifted Kurt out of the bath, soaking his shirt in the process, and, after some struggle with the towels, managed to get Kurt dry and snuggled up under the covers on the bed. Going back to the bathroom, he grabbed the gauze and the ointment and then returned to the room, sitting next to Kurt on the bed. He propped Kurt, who was drowsy from the bath, up against his chest. He pushed Kurt's hair away from the back of his head and inspected the gash that he found there. He was relieved to see that the bleeding had stopped and that it wasn't too deep. He treated the wound with the ointment and then wrapped the gauze around Kurt's head, covering the gash and the contusion on his forehead. He had checked Kurt over in the bath for any more injuries and was relieved to find that all bleeding had stopped and that there were no more injuries other than the bruises on his wrists. He lay Kurt back down and tucked the blankets around him.
"Get some sleep, 'kay? I'm gonna be right over dere in de ot'er bed," Remy reassured him. Kurt nodded and yawned before drifting off into sleep. Remy walked over to the other bed, slipping off his wet shirt and laying on top of the covers. Lying on his side, head propped up in his hand, he watched as Kurt slept.
He would never understand how some people could do something like this to someone who was little more than a child. What kind of mind did a person have that they could do this and actually get pleasure from it? Then again, he knew exactly what type of mind it took, had felt them more than once when he had been a child on the streets, fighting to survive. His mind shuddered away from the memories. He knew what Kurt was going through now, knew how much pain and humiliation Kurt had to be feeling. Not just because he was an empath but because he had been in the same position that Kurt was in now. Magneto had helped him get through all the pain, though, maybe he could help Kurt.
#
Remy refused to let himself fall asleep, he had to make sure that he woke Kurt every hour due to the concussion. He occupied most of his time by playing solitaire with the deck of cards that he always had on him or simply watching Kurt as he slept. There was a TV but the reception was horrible and the channels they did get were not worth bothering with. He was starting to lose his battle with sleep when pain and terror ripped through his mind and left him grasping his head and panting for breath. He managed to raise his shields against the onslaught of emotions and looked over to Kurt.
Kurt had tangled himself in the blankets and was now thrashing and screaming, trying to get away from their hold, locked in a nightmare. Before Remy could scramble off of his bed and over to Kurt's, Kurt lurched violently to one side and tumbled out of the bed, hitting the floor with a hard thud.
Remy swore and quickly made it around the bed to where Kurt was laying on the floor, trembling violently, looking dazed and confused, tears streaming down his face. He knelt in front of Kurt, talking to him all the while and enveloped him in a comforting hug. Kurt cried into Remy chest, shaking uncontrollably.
It had happened all over again, only this time it had been all three of the men raping him and beating him, calling him 'mutie trash', 'whore', 'demon'. He had tried to get away but he didn't have his powers and he was just too damn weak. All he could do was take whatever they had to dish out and he couldn't help feeling that this was his fault; that he should have been able to do something to stop them. Then the other X-Men had found him and told him he was too weak, that he would never be an X-Man. How could he be when he couldn't even defend himself, let alone other mutants? The others would all look down on him now. He would be nothing more than a whore in their eyes. He hadn't fought back hard enough and he hated himself for it. Kurt hadn't even realized that he was saying all this out loud until Remy took him by the shoulders and pushed him back so that he could look Kurt in the eyes. Kurt looked back at Remy and saw both anger and determination in his eyes. He dropped his head. He had been right, Remy was angry with him. He felt Remy's hand lift his chin so that he was forced to look into Remy's eyes again.
"Y' listen t' me, Kurt. None of dis was your fault! Y' didn't ask f' dis t' happen an' I know y' tried y' best to stop dem."
"But I didn't stop them. I tried but I couldn't and I couldn't teleport and I can see the anger in you now. You probably think I'm nothing but a pathetic loser." Kurt's gaze dropped in shame. Remy pulled Kurt to him again, whispering into his ear.
"Oh Kurt. I'm not angry wit' y'. I'm angry at dose sick fucks who did dis t'y'. Y' tried and dat's all dat matters. No one's gonna hate y' or be angry, 'specially not de X-Men. Dey're y' friends, dey'll understand."
"I'm sorry, I'm being an idiot."
"Ain't not'ing t' be sorry for. Y' didn' do anyt'ing wrong." There was silence for a moment, Remy holding Kurt. When Kurt started to shiver slightly he broke the hug and spoke, "Y' can' be comfortable like dat, let's get y' back t' bed" Remy stood, bringing Kurt up with him and settling him back onto the bed. After making sure that Kurt was comfortable again he headed back towards his own bed but was stopped when he felt a soft grip on his wrist. He looked back at Kurt and met shy eyes.
"I don't think I can sleep alone, I mean, would you mind," Kurt stumbled over his words not sure how or if he should make this request. Remy smiled down at him, knowing what Kurt was trying to ask. He slid under the covers with Kurt and settled on his side. Kurt wanted to ask Remy to hold him but was too shy and ashamed at his weakness. He was sure that Remy wouldn't want to hold him anyway; Kurt was surprised that he had stayed this long. Remy seemed to sense his desire though and pulled Kurt close, pulling the quilt over them and rubbing comforting circles over Kurt's back.
"Thank you," Kurt whispered before falling back to sleep, mind filled with the warm protectiveness that was coming from Remy.
A/N: SailorWade, nope, this has nothing to do with that vote thingy, this is just something that's been stuck in my mind for a little while and writing it is the only way to get rid of it. So far, the votey thing is at Remy/Roberto but it's still open so if anyone wants to suggest another Remy pairing for me to do, feel free. I'll tell you who won when I finish All That's Left, 'cause I'm not gonna start writing it until I finish that one. One more thing SailorWade. This is ALL YOUR FAULT!!! (lol, I'm just joking) I was thinking about Remy/Roberto yesterday when out of nowhere this Remy/Xavier scene flashes through my mind! ARGH!!! I can't get rid of it!! So, yes, I'm going to blame it on you for putting the idea in my head. God, I think I'm scarring myself, I'm actually considering it *shudder* Anyway, I guess I'll stop creeping everybody out and let you move on to thinking about more pleasant things than Remy and Xavier doing,uh…things…oh God somebody kill me….