Why yes, yes I am a little obsessed over Remy.  Hmmm, is it that obvious?  Ah well, I do actually have a couple of ideas that don't involve him *shocked gasp* and I will get around to writing them eventually….

Will Remy become Gambit?  Um, I dunno… I guess you'll just have to wait and see :P

Kurt and Bobby will play more jokes in the future chapters as it is fun.  I have some good ones planned :D

Chapter Six

Roberto trudged up the stairs and headed for Bobby's room, hoping that he and Kurt would be there.  He desperately needed someone to talk to and they might understand.  He threw the door open without bothering to knock and walked in.  There were startled shrieks from the bed and Roberto raised an eyebrow at them.

"Would you two quit pawing each other for a moment?  I need to talk to you."  He walked up to the bed and flopped down on it, next to the now scowling boys.  Kurt rolled himself off of Bobby and looked over at Roberto, curious as to why he had actually sought them out.

"What can we do for you?"  Kurt asked.  Roberto looked kinda like someone had just died.

"I really fucked up with Remy."

"How?"  Bobby asked, for once serious when he heard the defeated tone in his friend's voice.

"I guess we had a fight and I told him that I loved him, he… ran…"  Roberto was at a loss for words.  All he wanted to do was break down and sob but he refused.  "Now, I don't know what to do."  He snorted softly.  "He probably hates me."

"Talking to him and telling him how you feel might help."

"I already did that and look what happened!  He's probably disgusted by me!  He could have anyone, why would he ever settle for me?"

"I happen to know that he's not disgusted with you," Bobby said.  Roberto looked at him.  "Are you blind?  Every time he looks at you even a fool could see how much he cares about you!"

"Then why did he run?"  Roberto asked helplessly.

"You'll never know if you don't go and talk to him.  At least that way you'll know what he thinks and you can stop wondering," Bobby said.  Kurt looked at him with big eyes.  "What?" Bobby asked truly clueless.

"That was actually good advice."  Kurt said in awe.  "I'm shocked."

"Ha ha ha," Bobby said back in a monotone voice.  Kurt ignored Bobby and turned back to Roberto.

"Bobby is right, though.  You should talk to him, see what's going on.  Don't want to drive yourself crazy wondering."

Roberto nodded and stood.  "Thanks guys."  He felt better than he had before though he was still nervous.  He resolved to go and speak with Remy right away.  He would at least assure Remy that he didn't need to worry about Roberto telling anyone anything.

"Try knocking next time!"  Bobby shouted as Roberto left the bedroom.  He turned back to Kurt.  "Now where were we?"  Kurt smirked at him and the sound of a zipper opening filled the room.  Bobby groaned in pleasure.

"Right about here," Kurt purred.

"Actually I think you skipped ahead a bit," Bobby half groaned.  Kurt cocked his head to the side.

"Want me to stop?"  Kurt asked, pausing the motions of his hand.

"Only if you fancy an ice pick through your skull," Bobby said pleasantly.  Kurt chuckled but continued his ministrations.  God how he loved making Bobby squirm.

#

Remy rushed up the stairs, thankful that the house was empty, collapsing on his bed when he reached his room.  How could he have been so stupid?  He shouldn't even have spoken with Roberto let alone gone to that school.  He had already let Roberto get too close and now he knew about Jean-Luc.  Roberto would want to get involved but by trying to help he would only make things worse.

That was if he even wanted to be near Remy after he found out what a weak and pathetic loser he really was.  He would leave, laugh at him.  That realization hurt more than it should have.

He needed someone to talk to and reached over to the bedside table for the phone, quickly punching in Belle's number.  He was relieved when someone picked up the other end.

"Belle?"  he asked quickly.

"Remy?"  She could tell by his tone that something was upsetting him.  "What's wrong?"

"Never could hide anyt'ing from y', Belle."

"Don' change de subject an' tell me what's wrong," she demanded.

"T'ink I messed up, Belle."  At her questioning sound he proceeded to tell her about Roberto.  When he finished, Belle spoke to him in a chiding tone.

"You're shutting people out again, Remy, an' it's not healthy.  Y' need somebody t' be dere for y' Remy an' it can' be Emil or me anymore.  He could help y' if y' were t' give him a chance."  She'd had this conversation with Remy before and knew exactly what he would say next.

"I'm not worthy of-"

"Y' are more dan worthy of his friendship, even love.  Dat's your fat'er talking, Remy, don' listen t' him.  Let Roberto in, Remy.  Let him support y', help y'.  Y' need dis an' you'd be a fool t' throw away a perfectly good friendship because of Jean-Luc.  Do y' want him t' be responsible for ruining yet another t'ing in your life?"

"Non," Remy whispered.

"Den what are y' doing still talking t' me?  Go an' find him!"

"T'ank y', Belle."

"Sometimes y' just need t' be kicked in de ass."  He could hear her smile.

"J'taime, Belle."

"Love y' to, Remy.  Now go!"  He laughed softly and hung up the phone.  Now he just had to find Roberto.  He ran down the stairs and grabbed his sunglasses off the table by the door.  He was just reaching for the doorknob when the door was flung open, knocking him backwards in surprise.  He was surprised to find a fuming Jean-Luc glaring back at him.

"Where de hell do y' think you're going?"

"Out."  Remy didn't have time to deal with Jean-Luc, he had to go and speak with Roberto.  He glared at Jean-Luc, willing him to just let him pass.  Jean-Luc didn't move though.

"What have y' been doing dese last few weeks?"

Remy paled.  This was a question that he was hoping he could put off for a while longer.  "Told y', I got a job."

Jean-Luc took a threatening step forward and Remy couldn't stop the instinctive cringe back.  "Don' lie t' me, boy.  What have y' been doing?"  Jean-Luc demanded once again.

"Nothing," Remy mumbled.  He couldn't let Jean-Luc know that he had been training with his powers; Jean-Luc would force him to stop, saying that it was a waste of time, Remy would never learn.  He was prepared for the blow to the side of his face but it still sent him back a couple steps, head reeling from the impact.  He stared stubbornly back at Jean-Luc, no way was he going to answer him.  The next blow impacted against his chest, driving the breath from Remy and causing him to stumble back.  He gritted his teeth, his fists clenching and glared back defiantly at Jean-Luc.  Jean-Luc smirked at him.

"I know y' wouldn't be t'inking of fighting back, Remy.  Y' remember what happened t' your mother last time."  Jean-Luc chuckled at Remy's helpless expression; he knew that Remy wouldn't hit back now.  He smashed his fist into Remy's throat and watched in amusement as Remy fell to the floor gasping for breath.  Leaning over, he grabbed Remy by the throat, squeezing tightly and forcing Remy to look at his face.

"Y' will be home in de evenings from now on, got it, boy?"  Jean-Luc snarled.  Remy weakly shook his head, no, and was rewarded with a hard slap. "Y' want t' make y' mother do all de work around here?"  Again Remy shook his head.  "Den y' better be home from now on, y' hear?"

"Okay…"  Remy managed to gasp out.  Jean-Luc released his hold and let Remy fall back to the floor.  Jean-Luc went to the kitchen, grabbed the money off the top of the fridge that he had come home for and left again without another word.

#

Roberto was running as fast as he could, trying to get back to Remy.  When he got to the house, he was surprised to see that the front door was open and jogged up the steps.  He knocked lightly on the already open door, not wanting to just barge in.

"Remy?"  he called out when he got no answer.  There was a soft moan, so quiet that for a moment he thought that he had imagined it.

"…Roberto…?"  It was a pain filled whisper and Roberto rushed forward, shocked to see Remy curled on the floor.  Roberto dropped to his knees next to Remy, hands hovering, afraid to touch.  He needn't have worried as Remy latched on to him, hands gripping his shirt desperately.  Roberto wrapped his arms around Remy, soothingly rubbing his back in long strokes.  "I'm so sorry, cher, so sorry…"  he half sobbed into Roberto's chest.

"Shhhh, its okay, Rem."  Roberto stood and pulled Remy up with him.  "Come on."  He wrapped his arm about Remy's waist and took him over to the sofa he had spotted in the next room.  "Where is a med kit, Rem?"  Remy looked at him in confusion.  "You've got a cut on your head," Roberto explained.  Remy reached up to his temple and his fingers came away sticky with blood.

"In de bat'room under de sink, upstairs," Remy whispered.  Roberto made sure that Remy was settled and ran for the med kit.  When he came back, med kit in hand, Remy was staring down at his hands blankly.  Roberto gently turned his head to the side and cleaned and bandaged the cut.  Remy's lack of response was beginning to worry him.  He gripped Remy's cool hands in his own warm ones and began rubbing the knuckles trying to reassure Remy.

"Remy, please look at me?"  He had to find a way to help Remy but knew that Remy wasn't going to make it easy.  Remy reluctantly looked up and stared into Roberto's eyes.

Why was he still here?  Probably it was out of pity but when Remy looked at Roberto's eyes he saw only fierce protectiveness and even love.  Remy blinked in surprise.  "Why are you still here?"

"I told you earlier that I care about you, Remy."

"But you know what Jean-Luc did!  How can you still want to be near me?"  Remy tried to pull away but Roberto would not release his hands.  Remy felt one hand brush against his cheek and flinched expecting to be hit but Roberto only stroked his cheek soothingly.  Remy looked at him in surprise and hope.

"Your father did do this to you, then?"  Although the answer was fairly obvious, Roberto wanted Remy to talk about it.  He was determined now to help Remy no matter how much Remy tried to push him away.  Nobody deserved to be treated like this.

"Oui…"  Remy dropped his gaze once again.  He didn't want to talk about this.

"Remy you have to tell somebody, the Professor or-"

"Non!"  Remy suddenly stood and forced himself away from Roberto.  "Can' tell anybody!  Don' tell anyone, can' leave my mother here wit' him, I can' leave, please…"  Remy was close to panic, pleading with Roberto to keep his secret.  Roberto had to listen!

"Remy calm down."  Roberto stood as well and wrapped his arms around Remy, surprised when Remy began to cry against his shoulder.

"Please don' tell anyone."

"I won't tell anyone, Remy, I promise."  But he already regretted making that promise.  The Professor could have helped Remy but now he had to do it on his own.  He would not break Remy's trust.  "Sit down and relax."  Roberto maneuvered them back over to the couch and sat them both down, still holding onto Remy who obviously did not want to let go yet.

They stayed on the couch for some time, Roberto holding on to Remy as tight as he could.  He began to enjoy the feel of Remy in his arms and wished that it could be under different circumstances.  He chided himself for having thoughts like that when Remy needed him.  At least Remy hadn't pushed him away yet so maybe there was still a chance that Remy could harbor feelings for him as well.  Eventually, Remy pulled back and stared at Roberto forlornly.

"It's late an' I'm sure dat y' want t' go."  Remy rose from the couch and began to walk away.  "Don' blame y' if y' don' want t' see me again."  Roberto most likely wanted to get as far away from him as possible.  He knew that Roberto had said that he cared but he probably was just trying to be nice, nobody cared about Remy that way.  Especially somebody like Roberto, he simply wasn't that lucky.

"You stupid Cajun!"  Remy looked back at him in shock as Roberto walked over to him.  "I don't think I've ever met anybody with such a thick head!  How many times do I have to tell you that I care about you?  I love you, Remy!"  He was surprised by how easily, how quickly he was able to say that and mean it.  "It's okay if you don't want to say that back but I'm not going anywhere until we talk about this."

"Dere is not'ing t' talk about!"  Remy was getting angry at Roberto.  Maybe he did care but what right did Roberto have to meddle in his affairs?

"Do you think that it's okay for Jean-Luc to hit you like that?!"

"I don' want t' talk about dis now!"  Remy bit out and stalked up the stairs.  He glared over his shoulder when he heard Roberto follow him.  "What de hell are y' doing?"

"Staying until you do feel like talking about it," Roberto replied simply.  He was not going to let Remy push him away.

Remy scowled at him.  "Don' y' gotta get back t' de mansion?"  Remy asked snottily.

"No, it's a weekend; I don't have to go anywhere."  Roberto was beginning to sound smug.  No way was Remy going to get rid of him so easily, Remy wasn't the only stubborn one around here.  He grinned at Remy's scowl.

Without another word, Remy spun around and stomped into his bedroom, slamming the door in Roberto's face.  Once inside his room, Remy smiled.  Roberto wasn't letting Remy push him away, he really did care and Remy loved him for it.

It was a few minutes later when Remy heard the knock on his door.  He ignored it; if Roberto really wanted in he would simply walk in.  He did wonder what had taken Roberto this long to say anything, though.

"I hope you're decent because I'm coming in," Roberto declared, opening the door.  Stepping into the room, he looked around but saw no sign of Remy.  "Oh shit, Remy!  You had better not have gone through the window, you piece of-!"

"I'm in de bat'room," came Remy's annoyed voice, cutting him off.  The water turned on a moment later.

"Oh," Roberto murmured, embarrassed.  Guess he could trust Remy more than he thought.  "I called the mansion and told them I wasn't coming home."  He sat on the edge of Remy's bed and watched as Remy come out and glared at him.

"Y' really gonna stay aren't y'?"

"Yep, so ya may as well get used to me."

Remy snorted in amusement.  "If Jean-Luc comes home and finds y' here…"  he let the sentence trail off.  Roberto instantly sobered.

"Why don't you fight back, there's no way he's stronger than you."  Roberto still didn't get this part.  Remy took it like there was nothing he could do about it, why not leave?  Why not stay at the mansion where he would be safe?

Remy sighed and looked down at his hands.  "Can' leave my mother with him."  Remy sat on the bed, leaning back against the headboard.

"Why?  Why don't you just take her with you?"

"She won't come, she t'inks it's wrong to leave her husband," Remy's voice was bitter.  He got up and shuffled over to his closet, grabbing boxers and a t-shirt and changing, completely ignoring Roberto who was still on the bed, staring at him in shock.

"You're not exactly the modest type are you?"

Remy didn't bother answering, just walked back to the bed and rolled under the covers.  "It's late, I'm going t' sleep."  Roberto stared at the lump under the covers for a moment before sighing and rolling under the covers himself.  Remy turned to glare at him.  "What do y t'ink y' doing?"

"Going to sleep."  Remy raised an eyebrow at him.  "I'm not about to freeze on top of the covers when I could be perfectly warm under them and I don't want you sneaking off before we've had the chance to talk."  Remy growled and turned away from Roberto again.  Roberto chuckled and settled in for a long night.