(Six)

"Hey, Cajun!"

Remy turned, his eyes narrowing at the less than playful use of his nickname. He was at the snack table, sipping at a cup of iced coffee and chatting with his wife. She made the best coffee to be true, but he was more grateful for the way she had perked up in the sun. She was feeling better now, or perhaps it was just his company.

"Oui?" he replied as he watched Jerry approach. The man's shine was swirling anger.

"Your pilot just took off!"

Remy took out his locator box. Yeah, Kimble had strayed and he wasn't the only one. Seth's little light was blinking, too. Both had come to a stop at one of the outbuildings, out of bounds for their trackers but not out of range of the Complex shield that was protecting the site. Remy took a couple of steps away from the table, peeking around the construction to get a look at where Seth had parked. It was a distance away, but not out of sight. It was a borderline transgression and not worth raising an army for. "I'll go see what's up. Wait 'ere an' 'ave a drink."

Jerry nodded, more than happy to let Gambit take care of this.

Remy headed out that way, but as he came towards the construction site, was stopped when Aiden clicked his tongue at him. Aiden moved in front of him, directly in his way on purpose. "Let zem be, Remy."

"Sumptin' I should know about?"

Aiden just shrugged casually, altering his posture in order to charm, to lure. / Zere isz not'ing dere to be concerned about, he vibrated. / All isz well. / His voice was silky smooth as he explained. "Set' juszt need to talk awhile. It isz bro'der 'e want. Let zem be. Dey ain't goin' nowhere."

Remy squinted, feeling the vibration, but rather than be assured by it, it made him all the more suspicious. "Why is Set' all upset?"

Aiden shook his head, seeing that even this one still didn't understand. Impossible that a Siskan could be in Shemusk and have no one know. The cruelty of the Game knew no bounds. 'Grams that needed full time care and feeding were spread out to those who knew nothing about them and left to suffer. Only a few people out there really cared, one like this man in front of him, blind as he was. On the other hand, an argument might be a good distraction, the Spirits knew Aiden was good at that. Causing arguments, that is. "Don' you know? It real obviousz to anyone wit eyesz."

Remy froze in anger, stopped just as the Dreamer knew he would be. "Quoi? Just what is dat supposed to mean?"

"You szeen isz shine, what doesz it tell you?"

"Dat de boy a little wigged out is all. 'E got a lot on 'is plate."

"Or mebbe not enough, eh?" Aiden teased playfully. "Look at all zat red. What a shame."

Remy advanced a step, his fists automatically raising at the sexual inference. " 'Scuze-moi, cher? Didn't quite catch dat."

Aiden retreated, causing the thief to pace him, moving out of sight of the shed. Out of sight out of mind and all. "Set', 'isz Mistressz neglect him, poor t'ing."

"Don' you even t'ink about messin' wit 'im, or I swear I'll kick yo' sorrowful ass right up an' down dis 'ere runway!" Gambit threatened, his intent sincere.

Aiden let him rant, taking in each and every word with that smile, the one that only egged Remy on to continue. Gambit was going on and on about Seth's loving Mistress and all she had done for the boy, that nothing should interfere with that and all. Aiden didn't mind this, the verbal abuse and education the X-man was giving him. Every word ate up precious time, each retreat moving him further and further away from the shed. Remy was calm enough that he wasn't making a scene, Aiden had counted on that. They appeared to be having a discussion, a passionate one by the look of it, but the guards didn't trouble them.

"You 'earin' me, cher? You get all I was sayin'?" Remy concluded, in Aiden's face now.

Oh, it was so hard now for Aiden not to laugh. The playfulness in his shine had to be driving poor Gambit insane with impatience, like punishing a kid who refused to cry for all of his efforts. "Or coursze I 'ear you," Aiden replied, doing his best to look properly chastised and sorrowful. It was impossible of course. A glance at his internal clock told him Kimble had been gone almost twenty minutes, hopefully long enough. "Beszidesz, Keemble isz wit 'im now, ze boysz will talk, yesz? Let zem be, let zem talk. Who better to szee Szet'sz troublesz?"

Gambit took a step back, calming as he realized just how long he had been there arguing. It occurred to him that he had been tricked by Aiden's reactions, but the why of it escaped him. There was never any reason to fear Kimble being in Seth's company, and the reality was, Aiden had spoken the truth. Seth needed to unload and if there was anyone who was best for that it was Kimble. There was no way he could begrudge Kimble that.

Aiden saw the beginnings of understanding twinkling in Remy's shine and was quick to reassure. "Keemble gonna take care of Szet', dat'sz a promisze. Gonna get ze boy all szet. Relax. Let Keemble be. Pleasze."

Remy capitulated, backing off. Aiden's argument made sense, but he was uncomfortable having the brothers where they couldn't be seen. Neither one had been acting all that well lately, now they were off together. They had been gone for so long, too. What had they been up to?

(break)

Kimble held Seth, waiting for total calm before he began to speak again. "See, it's like what Remy said about money once, ya gots ta have it ta makes more sometimes. Our magic, the more ya gots, the easier it gits ta control."

"H-how do I get more?" Seth asked, unable to hide a tone of fear there. He had no desire to go back into the system again.

Kimble brushed his tears away. "Well, I don't thinks ya needs more, ya gots plenty. Thing is, ya gotta turn it on. You know, start it up."

"How?"

"Well, Remy said ta me that when he wuz first comin' inta his power, it wuz makin' him all crazy, kinda like you are now."

"And what did he do about it?"

Kimble smiled. "He got jumped by a bunch of our sisters."

"They aren't my sisters," Seth said softly, turning his head away.

Kimble turned his head back. "Oh yes they is. They belongs ta both of us. We're twins, you an' me. Twins alla the way. Ferever."

Seth blinked up at him, his heart filled with a strange longing. The idea of family, of having real kin, made him feel happy in a way he didn't understand. "You really believe that?"

Kimble kissed him gently. "Of course. Now them sisters, they blasted poor old Rems again an' again, an' then, well, heh... he got jumped by Aiden."

Seth's eyes widened. "No way!" he said in a scandalized whisper.

"Nope, it's true. And alla that exposure, well, it leveled Remy right out."

"Is that- is that what you're going to do with me?"

"I'm gonna try. That is, unless you changed yer mind."

Seth surged forward, kissing Kimble with renewed passion.

Kimble laughed, "I'll takes that as a yes."

Their play resumed, the interruption over. Kimble did as promised and took Seth to a place he had never been. Whatever he was doing, it was the right thing - all during their play, Seth was shivering off pulse vibrations of his deep pleasure and happiness. Nothing had come close to what this felt like, of being made love to like this. Kimble's own power embraced it and the pulses melted together, washing over them both and easing the pain of holding their passion in check. The door was cracked open in Seth's mind and now that power was leaking free and pleasing them both.

Kimble laughed again and pulled Seth's hair back to lick the back of his neck, tasting him and the sweetness of the gel sweat that was cooling him. This was nice, really. Kimble was quite relaxed, and enjoying this more than he would have guessed. Once he got past the barrier of who belonged to who, it just didn't matter anymore. The Kundatesh was whispering to him, telling him this was so good, so right. Seth had needed this and now he was going to be okay.

It wasn't just the Kundatesh vocalizing this sentiment. Seth was having a blast and not even trying to be silent about it. He groaned and gasped, shivered and laughed, drunk now on all this sensation. He reminds me of me, Kimble thought. I cain't never hide nuthin' I feels. Don't want to, neither.

Kimble lay with his brother and rode the waves of pleasure and happiness that came from him, enjoying this and being the good teacher. He whispered soft encouragements and touched him all over. "Reach out with yer power. That's it. Kin ya feels me now? Right here in yer mind?"

"Yeah. My god, this is so good..." Seth breathed, washed away by a powerful duality. Their bodies were here out on the blanket, but their minds seemed to be floating just above them, touching on levels he had never felt before. He sensed Kimble's great love for him like a solid real thing. It was like a blanket he could wrap himself in and he wanted that so very much. He took it, disappearing inside of it, and shuddered from the intensity of it.

Kimble was aware of it and shook from the return of brotherly love that poured into him. He felt Seth getting close again and this time he didn't fight it. He couldn't believe they hadn't been walked in on before this and decided he wasn't going to push his luck. He used all of his skills to bring this a close and it didn't take long.

It was too much pleasure for Seth to handle. He cried out as he finally climaxed in a meaningful way, a final and perfect and perfect release. He wasn't the only one effected. He slammed Kimble with a huge wave of Kundatesh Kimble didn't expect and wasn't prepared for. The air crackled just a bit and puff of sparkling glitter came off of Seth's body like fairy dust, drifting up and raining down on Kimble, adding a little kick to the Kundatesh wave he had just released.

Kimble had no time to ponder the incongruity of that - Aiden had said he was the one with a hidden Morrowhiem talent, not Seth. He grunted loudly from the pleasure of that wave and couldn't stop himself from finishing. He might have withstood the wave by itself, but not coupled with a the glitter cloud. No, that was more than he could take. He couldn't resist this from Aiden, no way would he be able to fight it now, especially when he hadn't been expecting it. It was too soon and his desire too powerful from holding himself back all this time. He barely had the consciousness to try and check his orgasm before he returned the favor to Seth with a Kundatesh wave of his own.

Kimble didn't have a prayer of controlling it. It was powerful in its own right, even though it didn't have a glitter cloud of its own. Most of it got loose and Seth gasped from the shock of it - in all of their play today, Kimble had never blasted him with a force of Kundatesh as large as this. Seth jerked as something brilliant and wonderful exploded inside his mind, something blissful and liberating in a way he had never felt before. It was more euphoria than his fragile state could handle. His eyes rolled up behind his eyelids from the sensory overload and he lost consciousness.

Kimble had no time to breathe before Seth climaxed again without feeling it, his body had responded to the Kundatesh without his consent, not needing him there for this. Kimble grunted in surprise as there was another explosion of sparkling lights all around him and he blacked out.

Kimble woke a moment later, his brain too fogged to completely understand what just happened. He was laying in a heap, Seth tangled around him, both of them drenched in sweat. Glitter was drifting down all around them, weightless and beautiful. For some reason, it reminded him of love and Aiden, though if you asked him why at that moment, he wouldn't have been able to say why. He groaned and tried to move, but he was wasted. He blacked out again.

The next time he was awake, he knew he had been out a few minutes. The line of sun had crept further down the edge of the blanket. Seth was still out cold.

"Shit!" Kimble gasped in panic at the sight of his brother so immobilized and attempted to rise. He was trembling and shaking all over, too weak to even move properly. How stupid of him to think he had the control for this! He staggered up onto one arm and pulled Seth's head back. His eyes were half open and glazed. At least he was still breathing, but he was out cold and down for the count. "Damnit!"

Kimble grabbed at his shorts and dressed as quickly as his weak and feeble hands would allow. He was still a bit out of it himself, he could hardly control his shaking and things seemed dim and far away. How was he going to handle this? Should he stay here and wait for Seth to revive or bring him back? He had no idea how long Seth would be out and he couldn't hope to explain this. Seth wasn't dressed and there was no way for Kimble to make him create his clothes. Bringing him back nude would cause quite a stir.

He tried to calm himself, remembering what it had been like with Remy. They had both blacked out the first time, but it hadn't been for long. Seth was apparently more powerful with the Kundatesh than Remy had been, but more fragile in his sensitivity to it. The best he could hope for was to make Seth comfortable and pray he would be out only just a few minutes.

He decided to wrap Seth up in the blanket and just hold him for a while. If anyone came in and asked, he could try to say Seth had been upset and once calmed, had fallen asleep. Kimble sat with his back to the wall and took out a cigarette. He was shaking badly now and almost couldn't get it lit. He couldn't believe that Seth was capable of such power. The Morrowhiem? That had been something Aiden had said he would have, not Seth. What a surprise. Seth was more powerful with the Kundatesh than Remy it seemed. Remy had certainly never let go with any glitter, funny how here it was with Seth. Was it a Siskan thing? He laughed to himself, amused by his questions. He should have known better than to be surprised by anything Seth might do, really. How many times had he shocked other people by doing things no one knew he was capable of? Hell, he even still shocked himself.

He lay Seth's head in his lap and petted him gently, relaxing and enjoying this quiet moment. Kimble's head was still in a dreamy fog, things still seemed so unreal, but he couldn't deny how calm and peaceful he felt right now. He could hear Seth snickering softly without waking and smiled, relieved that Seth was coming around. He loved his brother very much and hoped this hadn't turned out to be a mistake. He just prayed Seth got out of this what he had been looking for.

Seth was out longer than Kimble had expected, far longer than Kimble and Remy had been. He was out for almost five minutes before he started to come around. He'd had the most pleasant dream, one where gentle hands touched him all over. He could hear breathing, it must be Kimble's. He could sense his brother close by and the soft stroke of his hands on his body. It was like he should be awake, but he couldn't move. It was dark and warm and wonderful. He was drowning in love, that was it. He laughed and laughed, wanting it to never end. Unfortunately, he didn't get his wish. He startled and jerked, coming out of his daze with a jolt. "F-Fallen!" It was the first word out his mouth.

"Rise an' shine, Bunkie," Kimble joked with a snicker. He couldn't hide his relief that Seth was finally awake. This was going to be okay. "Have a nice sleep?"

Seth groaned and held his hands to his face. He was seriously hung over, but immensely satisfied in a way he hadn't felt since he had altered his codes. "What happened?"

"Aiden says that when Siskans lay with each other, the Kundatesh wipes 'em out. I wuz tryin' ta be careful not ta slams ya, but ya kinda slammed me first. Sorry, kiddo."

Seth laughed sheepishly. "It's all right. You okay?"

"I'm fine. I've done this b'fore. Aiden packs quite a punch. He's gotten me broken in quite nicely," he teased, happy now Seth was okay.

Seth looked up at him with a smile, but found himself squinting. There was a haze about his brother now, a glow. He reached for his glasses, but when he put them on, the shimmer was still there.

Kimble cocked his head at him. "What?"

"You look funny. You're glowing."

Kimble snickered softly and shook his head. There it was. Aiden said Seth was coming of age, and he was right. It had just taken him eight years to get here. "Yer seein' the shines."

"That's what you meant? They're so beautiful."

"Yeah. Not so great around Logan. He's real bright and he ain't always so nice. A real strong shine what comes with the anger kin hurts us. Keeps yer glasses on, he's gonna blind ya."

Seth laughed again, loud and hearty and Kimble knew he was okay. His eyes were bright and happy, as if a great big weight had been removed from him. His shine was bright blue and perfect, so perfect. Kimble was elated to see it. He had done the right thing, no question.

Seth staggered to his feet, wobbling, and glanced out the window. So far the cavalry hadn't come. He squinted through the tinted lenses of his glasses, expecting to be blinded more by the light than he was. Actually, with his glasses on, things seemed too dark now. He lowered them, finding it was better without them. It seemed the problem with his eyes was fixed, go figure. He sighed in exasperation, dressing himself with a shiver. "Man, I could use a beer."

"Since when do you drink beer?" Kimble grunted.

"I do lots of things you don't know about," Seth said arrogantly, smiling now.

"That's it. I'm definitely comin' 'round more often. Someone's gotta keep an eye on you."

Seth laughed merrily. "I'd like that. It's been entirely too dull without you. I haven't been in trouble in a long time."

"Then it's done. I'm gonna get you all straightened out," Kimble said chuckling happily.

"I meant it when I said I missed you," Seth said seriously. "It's been nice having you around, working with me again."

Kimble smiled and rose to give Seth a kiss. It was gentle at first then deeper and more passionate. "I like bein' around ya again, too. I liked this, too...but it ain't never gonna happen again."

"No. No, I understand. Thanks for doing this for me, really. I got it out of my system and I feel...I feel better, now. Clearer. That thing that was nagging at me..it's gone. I feel so good now, like I could take on the world. The Kundatesh, it's nice."

"Good. I'm glad yer happy but ya gots to be careful, now. The Kundatesh kin be dangerous. Keep a lid on it, all right?"

"Yes, I will. I love you, Kimble," he said and reached out.

Kimble took him and held him close, grinning and smelling the desert air on him. "I loves ya, too. You kin come see me anytime ya got sumpthin' on yer mind. Don't wait 'til ya gits all messed up."

Seth laughed. "Just like Remy. He tells me that all the time."

"Then ya gots lotsa friends lookin' out fer you. That's good, kid. That's real good. Now I ain't done lecturin' ya, kid, so ya best listen up. You gots it so good with Fallen, kinda like what I had with Sheyman. It's a good thing, and you don't want ta be doin' nuthin' ta screw it up. That kinda love is so hard ta find...so hard. An' even harder ta keeps. Remy told me that once an' he wuz right. Don' fuck this up, Seth, please. I mean it."

"I won't, I promise."

"Good, good. Now, we best be gitten back b'fore Fallen gits all bent. C'mon."

To be continued in Aftermath