Chapter 6: Returning from the Hunt
It was a quiet summer day, the birds were singing in the trees, the stream running lazily down its track out to the ocean. The sun was warm on Logan's face as he laid in the tall grass, the only shade provided in the open field, a tree its roots touching the water dappling the sun with its branches.
Logan was content here, the memory was warm and soothing, a balm to his tormented mind, though he didn't know why. It was a new one, but he was sure it was something he treasured when he could remember. He breathed deeply, waiting for the moment to play itself out, knowing somehow that no harm would come to him or anyone else at this time.
He showed up soon after, wild raven hair drifting down his back as he walked, shoe and socks clasped in his left hand, the other occupied with an apple. The figure walked to the water's edge, staring for a moment into its depths, before jumping back, laughter bubbling forth as he threw his head back, allowing the wind to lift and play with his hair. The small figure dropped his shoes by the stream, his bare feet padding softly as he walked to the prone form, circling the larger man, as he appeared to sleep.
Smiling internally, the older mutant waited, keeping his breathing even and smooth as his small prey crept closer to him. The boy was always faster than him and it was near impossible to catch him once he started running. Logan wanted the small male caught today, he'd waited long enough. It was time they met face to face.
The boy came closer, his warm bare feet making only light indentions in the warm soil. He knelt and Logan could feel his breath over his face, but he didn't move. The muscles in the other male's legs tensed, waiting to spring away as Logan had seen him do so many times before, but not this time.
This time Logan would have the young boy within his grasp and not let him go. He would hold him down if he had to, but he would have his way and talk with this childlike soldier. The Southern runaway who joined the Union army and served as an aid under Major General Sherman. Who let his hair grow long, and hated wearing shoes. He trailed Sherman wherever he went, a changeling among humans, roughened by war. Logan's brother a worn warrior wrapped around his little finger.
The dark haired boy leant closer, his apple scented breath, flavoring Logan's own. It was then the larger mutant struck, his arms reaching out and grabbing the lithely muscled arms and holding the boy to him. He went down without a struggle, his bright green eyes starring up into Logan's as the man rolled them over, his superior weight preventing the nymph from running away.
"If ya wanted ta talk ya just had ta ask." The voice was soft, barely a whisper against Logan's ear as he spoke, his breath ghosting around the larger mutant like a warm summer breeze.
"I tried. You always ran." Said Logan, gazing down into the sharp apple green eyes. The boy laughed, sweet and clear, and Logan felt his heart clench.
The smaller male smiled, leaning into the older male face, pressing his lips softly to Logan's, chaste and clean. "This is a memory, Logan. Wake up Big Papa...wake up..."
Logan started awake, his eyes snapping open, chest rising and falling with his breathing. He was leaning up against the jet's copilot chairs, seatbelt securely fastened around his chest, uncomfortable in its tightness. Ororo sat beside him, her eyes glued to the windshield as she steered the large vehicle home.
"You're awake. That's a surprise, I was thinking you were going to sleep until we got back." Ororo smiled, the corners of her eyes crinkling in the corners as she spoke, affection and laughter layering themselves over her usual tones.
"What's so funny?" Logan asked
Storm giggled at the older man, "You talk in your sleep." barely looking away from the windshield and various other things that she had to monitor as she drove.
The burly man grunted, rubbing the sleep from his eyes as the woman laughed outright again.
"What were you dreaming about?"
"Nothing important."
"You sounded happy. You were laughing and smiling. It sounded like a nice dream."
Logan grunted again in reply.
"I was thinking about Bobby. He was really a hassle." Said Storm, glancing over at a map before correcting her flight path.
"He's just a kid, you can't really blame him."
"True, but he could have done some much better than he did. I mean wondering off from the group to search for an unknown mutant? Scott's not going to like hearing that one."
Logan grimaced as he thought of Slim's reaction to the news that one of his students wandered off and got himself taken in by a strange mutant with bizarre powers of persuasion. It wouldn't be pretty, that much Logan knew, but he really couldn't see Summer's yelling at someone for it. It just wasn't his thing.
"He'll be alright."
Ororo nodded, her brows furrowed in thought, the trees outside a blur as the jet made its way home. It wasn't long before Jean walked in, her lab coat draped over an arm as she removed the band tying her hair back.
"Do we have any coffee in here?" She asked, sitting in the chair not far from the other two mutants.
Storm looked at her friend, smiling at the red head's obvious discomfort, before switching the jet to auto-pilot, rising to get her friend some coffee.
Logan grinned at Jean, "Rough night?" he asked, nodding to Ororo when she looked his way and shook the instant coffee packets.
Jean leaned back in her chair, lifting her legs to place them on Logan's thighs, ignoring his glance in favor of looking out the windshield. "I've been up all night making a preliminary examination of the mutant. Do you have any idea how annoying it is to try and exam someone with only a standard medical kit?" She paused as Storm walked over two coffees, handing one to her and then to Logan. Jean didn't speak again, until she had three large gulps of the burning liquid. "I can't do anymore than take his vitals and monitor his condition."
"How is he doing then?" Asked Ororo turning the captain's chair to face Jean and Logan, their chairs forming a circle as they talked.
"Stable, but that's about all I can say. The sedatives seem to be lasting longer in his system than in a normal one, but there's no mark from the injection on his skin." Said Jean, watching Logan's reaction to the news from the corner of her eye.
Logan looked at the red head, his eyes distant, " What about that ankle? Is it hurt?" the words leaving his mouth, softly as though trapped in a dream from long ago.
The telepath sighed before finishing off her coffee, placing the paper cup in the secure holder. "The injury he sustained last night is completely healed, even though the sedative is still in his system. He's a lot like you in that aspect. He has accelerated healing, but it seems that certain things stay for a long time in his system."
The feral glanced at Jean, looking back into the dark brown liquid in thought, the memory from last night flashing through his mind. "So what exactly are you saying? Me and that kid are related?"
Ororo smiled at the thought, her eyes crinkling in the corners as she pictured little Logan's running around with little metal claws and cigars, calling everyone 'bub'. "That'd be an... interesting experience, to say the least." She said, looking over at the Canadian.
"Wouldn't it though? Anyway I can't tell you anything about this mutant other than what we've observed in the bar. A physical will have to wait until we get back to the school, I don't want Bobby to bleed out from a nosebleed when I take the kid's clothes off." Jean smirked as she spoke, her colleagues chuckling as Bobby's head appeared in the doorway at the mention of his name.
The boy blushed at the older mutants, walking into the main room to look for something that looked like breakfast. "Morning?" He said, unsure about reason about his teachers' good humor.
Storm took pity on the teen, rising from her chair to shuffle through one of the cupboards onboard, pulling two breakfast bars from the cabinet and handing them to her nervous student. "Here you go Bobby. There's hot water in the dispenser incase you want something like cocoa or coffee to drink."
Bobby nodded, looking at the metal dispenser before opting for two water bottles. The older mutant's watching the boy as he made his way back to the back room.
"Leaving so soon, Mr. Drake?" Asked Jean smiling, when the tall teen paused at the partition to the back room, turning back to face the group looking similar to a puppy caught having chewed someone's shoes.
The boy smiled nervously looking back at his teachers, the breakfast bars and water bottle chilling in his hand as he felt the eyes boring into him. He shrugged, "Just getting back to bed, you know? I'm still a little tired." Bobby said, blue eyes flickering between the older mutants and the mystery boy in the next room.
"Of course you are. Just don't get to close, he's still a threat." Said Ororo after glancing at an amused Logan and bored Jean.
The teen walked through the partition, sitting down quietly on his cot, his eyes glancing hesitantly over at his current roommate.
It wasn't a complete lie, he was tired, exhausted really. It just wasn't the complete truth. He wanted to watch the other boy. Trace his delicate features, that were hidden in the darkness the night before, with his eyes. Wanted to watch the slow rise and fall of the other's chest as he breathed. He wanted the time to think back on what happened last night: to examine, the feelings and fogged over memories of that loss of innocence while he was wrapped safely in the strange mutant's power. But Bobby wanted to do this alone, without the watchful gaze of Jean as she studied the still form on the small cot, poking and prodding with a clinical detachment that seemed out of place in the presence of the small paramour. It was a strange feeling, that he gave off, like any chill would be overtaken in the boy's heat.
He was so different from Marie. His warmth something that pulled you closer and wrapped you up in something akin to sunshine. Rogue was warm, but hers was kept inside as she held you at arms length both physically and emotionally. She protected you and herself from getting hurt, and Bobby loved her for that, really he did. It was just that sometimes he wanted to know what it was like to actually be with someone who could possibly kill you if they wanted to. He knew Marie would never let him that close, but last night, with that other mutant, he had felt it. Buried under the ecstasy the smaller male was weighing the value of his life, seeing if he was worth the hassle of living or if death was a safer option. Bobby felt the other mutant's power over him, had been manipulated so sweetly that no matter the other's decision he could feel happy with that moment.
Bobby wanted to feel that way with Rogue. Life and death in that one moment when the heat wanted to eat him alive and heartbeats and breathing patterns were in-sync. He wanted to be drained of everything that made him Bobby Drake and to just be another living being without any other purpose other that to exist in that moment.
But he didn't know if he could exist with Marie as he had with the mutant lying in front of him.
The half-shrouded memories of their stolen moment causing the water in Bobby's hand to freeze solid.