Deciding he wouldn't get much sleep anyway, he slunk to the garage to tweak his bike and maybe work on the old Chevy he had up on blocks.

Once in the garage, he sighed deeply. Though there wasn't often stress in this lifestyle, it was hard to relieve. Everything here was so mundane, so… domestic. No danger room to blow off steam in, no harrowing missions to take his mind off of the raging of his own emotions, and booze was beginning to lose its charm.

He kicked a dusty wrench out of his way and plopped down on an overturned bucket. This was turning out to be a lot more complicated than he'd hoped.

Sure, he could fuck the kid. It wasn't like he'd never spent the night with a prostitute. But what would that gain him? Besides, the kid was working for him now, for whatever reason, and it would only make things uncomfortable. Besides… Logan didn't want to just fuck him. Sure, he wanted to fuck him, but more than that too, and that's where things got complicated. The last time he'd found himself feeling this strongly… -a flash of red hair, a teasing grin- , Well, she was happy with Scott now.

Even though the good thing to do, the altruistic thing, was to be glad for that fact, Logan realized that he wasn't. Sure he wanted her happy, but he'd wanted her happy with him. He hadn't felt like that for anyone, as far as he could remember, before or since. So why now? Why the kid? It was true, Logan hadn't been with a man before, but the thought didn't exactly bother him, and he was pretty sure he could figure it out in a pinch. But that had nothing to do with it. If it was just tail he was chasing, it would be easy enough to find. Out here, he didn't have a reputation to protect and everyone pretty much expected it. Not just out of him, but every healthy man. It was that sort of town. Not a bad place, just kind of back woods, and more concentrated on meeting hedonistic needs than actual ones.

Was he just a substitute? Logan wondered. Was the kid just a substitute for Jean? The same hair, the same teasing smile… it was possible, and that disturbed him. He'd thought he was pretty much past all that. Not over it, sure, but at least past it. But what was bothering him more than why he'd kissed the kid was why he'd stopped.

Because his feelings had already grown deeper than he'd originally intended, he realized. Because what he'd hoped would just fizzle out in the form of harmless lust was developing into something much more severe.

"Dammit…" he grumbled.

-scene-

Remy lay on his cot, staring at the dim ceiling. He knew it was morning from the sliver of light creeping under his door. He also knew he would have to get up soon and go to work… he would have to face Logan. He touched his lips lightly with the tips of his fingers. It had surprised him too, but apparently not in the same way as it had surprised the stockier man. He had to admit, at least to himself, that he'd been developing feelings for the man these past weeks. He'd thought at first that he was just grateful for all Logan had given him, but recently, he'd begun to realize it was something more. When he'd catch Logan watching him and a blush would fly to his cheeks as he caught himself hoping that Logan was thinking thoughts about him like the one's he thought about Logan, he would realize. When he'd lye awake at night on his cot, straining to hear anything, Logan's rhythmic breathing, a slight creek, and it was comforting, he would begin to realize.

He rubbed at his eyes, trying to rouse himself. Maybe he could pass off the depression in his eyes as sleep deprivation… but he didn't think he could hide the ache in his voice.

Finally, deciding it was inevitable, he put his contacts in and slipped his blue jeans back on, heading for the kitchen. Logan wasn't there, and maybe he wouldn't be for awhile. Remy felt a slight twinge of pain at that fact. He'd been growing rather fond of their breakfasts together. He glanced to the sink, noticing last night's unfinished dishes. He figured he'd better get them started at any rate.

-scene-

Logan wiped the grease on his jeans, finally having gotten around to his bike, as he strolled through the connecting door to the kitchen. He stopped short, noticing that the kid was up. "Oh." He exclaimed, unsure of what sort of response to follow up with.

The boy turned around, but did not speak. Things had certainly gotten awkward.

"Er…" Logan cleared his throat. "Not gonna be especially busy today." He told him. "You could… sleep in if ya wanted to."

Remy hesitated, but shook his head, deciding to stand his ground. "Like bein' roun' ya, boss." He said quietly. "Don' much feel like sleepin."

Logan felt himself flush slightly, taken aback by the kid's honesty. "Fine." He replied in a clipped voice. "Well then just… just take it easy I guess."

With that, he spun around, headed for the bar to unlock the doors.

As per usual, Warren was waiting with a grin.

"You're looking chipper." He teased Logan.

Logan grunted. "Don't need it today, Wings, got enough problems goin' on."

Warren raised an eyebrow. "Like what?" he pried.

"Like a nosy friggin' customer." Logan replied, ushering the man inside. "Usual?"

Warren glanced around the room. "Where's Remy?"

"Kitchen." Logan replied curtly. "What'll it be?"

"Why's he in the kitchen?" Warren pried.

Logan glared at him. "Cause I hired 'im ta wash the dishes!" Logan shot. "That a problem?"

Warren shrugged. "I don't suppose so, but the two of you seemed to be growing so close lately, it's odd to see you apart. I know, I know," he brushed off Logan's attempted protest, rolling his eyes. "You're not attracted to him, so-"

"I ain't denyin' that no more." Logan replied gruffly, turning away.

"Hn?" Angel inquired. "…There's more to this story, right?"

Logan sighed. He really didn't want to share his innermost feelings with an ex-teammate, but he was sure having a hell of a time figuring it out on his own. He slumped down, running his fingers through his hair in frustration. "I kissed the kid." He admitted.

Warren smiled. "And so?" he asked.

"And so," Logan continued, "I don't know what ta do now."

Warren puzzled a moment before replying tentatively. "Logan…" he began. "If I have to tell you, I will, but I really don't think it's that complicated. I mean, it isn't all that much different than with a woman and-"

"You know that ain't what I meant!" Logan growled, jerking his head up.

Warren smiled. "Well then, it's even simpler."

"What's that supposed ta mean?" Logan demanded.

Warren shrugged. "Kiss him again."

"It's not that easy." He protested.

"Why isn't it?" Warren wanted to know.

Logan glowered at him. "Don't you even think? Look, I ain't gonna fall for someone that ain't gonna stick around this time."

"What makes you think he won't?" Warren persisted.

Logan stared at the man like he was truly daft. "Don't be a moron." He replied.

"Logan," Warren challenged. "What makes you think he wouldn't stick around? Even a hooker likes a place to hang his hat, you know."

"I don't want it like that!" Logan retorted.

"Fine." Warren replied. "But that's all the advice I have. Either get over it or get on top of it."

Logan's eyes widened. It was rare that Warren was so crass which lead him to believe the man might have some sort of voyeuristic interest in his love life.

"My Usual." Warren finally replied, grinning smugly over Logan's response.

-scene-

As the evening wore on, it was becoming increasingly apparent that the boy was avoiding him. Logan wasn't sure why, but this set his hackles up and he didn't like it at all.

He watched the kid slip back to the kitchen as the last customer departed for the evening. It was time to settle this once and for all.

Logan locked the bar up for the night, turning off the lights before slipping back to the kitchen himself. The kid was already gone, and he figured he'd gone upstairs. He could hear the shower running, and that was a sure sign.

-scene-

Remy wrapped the towel around his waist, preparing to go to his room. Logan hated it when he took the towels out of the bathroom because he had a habit of leaving them piled in the corner of his closet, but he figured Logan had a lot of other reasons to hate him at the current moment, so it didn't much matter. He sighed, tugging the door open and prepared to step out, but was stopped short.

"B-boss…" he stammered. The bigger man was leaning in the doorway, his arms folded, a look of deep concentration on his face. "Ah!… Remy gon' put de towel back dis time…" he promised nervously.

"Ain't about the towel, kiddo." Logan replied in a resigned tone.

Remy swallowed hard. "Non?" he asked.

"Non." Logan replied.

Remy opened his mouth to reply, beg, anything. If he was going to be kicked out, he at least wanted the chance to speak for himself. But before he got that chance, a strong arm had suddenly wrapped around his waist and pulled him crushingly against Logan's chest. Logan's mouth was on his, kissing his hard and deep, and Remy had no words left in his mind to form thoughts. He stiffened at first, surprised, unsure, but eventually, it was too much and he melted into the older man's arms. He gripped the front of Logan's shirt, not intending to let him go so easily this time.

A slight fear crept into his mind like pinpricks as the passion of the kiss increased. Logan tugged at Remy's bottom lip before moving his mouth to the boy's throat, kissing, sucking…

What should he do? What was expected of him? But Remy's fears gradually melted away as he realized that regardless of the intensity with which the man expressed his affection, his hands had not strayed below the hem of the towel, and didn't seem as though they would. That was quite a comfort. He allowed himself to relax, his eyes sliding closed as he drank in the sensation of those lips and that tongue and those arms. Ultimately, the moment ended and Logan pulled away from him slowly, rubbing the back of his hair in an embarrassed gesture.

Remy waited with baited breath. Would it be like before? Would he apologize and regret his actions? Ignore him for another day, or worse?

Instead, the man looked up with a rakish grin on his face. "Ya like that?" he asked.

"Mais Oui…" Remy breathed in relief. "Bien Siur!"

Logan took the boy's chin between his thumb and forefinger, stealing another quick kiss. "Good." He replied.

The redheaded youth hesitated a moment. "Boss?" he asked quietly.

"Hn?" Logan asked, now used to the appellation.

"Don'… don' wan' to sleep in de closet tonight." He told him. "Is too dark."

Logan studied the boy. Remy's eyes were downcast, studying the cracks in the floorboards. "You know I ain't expectin' nothin…" he pointed out.

"Que?" Remy asked, puzzled, looking up.

"Fine." Logan nodded. "Come on."

-scene-