Chapter 8: The Victory Party
Pale feet rested in the lazily drifting stream, the heavy boots of the army cast aside along with his socks, wild black hair slipping from the braid that bound it to his neck. Slim, white fingers manipulated the wild-flowers from the surrounding area into a summer jewelled crown, a long, slow hum rumbling in his chest as he breathed words into the air, an unruly head pillowed in his lap as they sat under a tree, the shade hiding their forms from the camp. Words between the two remained unspoken, their (proximinity?) conveying the feelings that lurked in the background of their relationship, always waiting to pounce unsuspectedly from the brushes to devour them in its potency.
"Can't we stay here forever?" asked the boy, his transparent green eyes staring into the dappled sunlight of the tree shading them.
"They'll come looking for us...He'll come looking for us." Logan grumbled from his spot on the youth's thigh, cracking one eye open to look at the teen, "But I doubt they'll really care where we are, as long as we make it back by the time Sherman heads out again."
The boy laughed, running his fingers through the mass of hair on the older man's head, his voice striking a chord deep in his chest, causing a smile to curve the man's mouth, his musket roughened hands to brush the wayward strands of hair from the sprite-like face, the pixie smiling almost bashfully at him in return.
The hardened soldier looked at the boy, his eyes soft as he breathed the smell of fire and leaves, the earth around them sinking slowly into its slumber. Logan could almost feel the seasons changing, his love for this boy growing as the days turned into weeks, the weeks into months, each moving with the same lethargy that dazzled him, seeming to have sped by without him noticing.
He loved this boy, that much was certain. The attraction between the two of them breathless and wanting, the heat running across their skin as they touched, the goosebumpes rising from the surface of their bodies. The youth was a balm to the ever present wound of Logan's reality, soothing the burn that seemed to permeate his being, adding to the need for that healing touch that the young boy offered in wanton abandon.
But was always denied.
This was one of the few precious moments that the two had shared in the chaos that drowned out all else, the sporadic skirmishes, the constant walking, the pillaging. There was no time left in the war for a small sweet sentiment between two people,like the one they were experiencing in this moment of pure unadultered affection. This was what they took for themselves, the quiet of the lazy river, the laughter that was so hard won in times like these, the warm dappled sunlight throught the shade of the old willow, making daisy chains, thinking about the future that was so close, the taste the boy's sweetness on his tongue.
This was happiness. This was paradise.
"I love you." Said Logan the words leaving his chest as though a great burden had been lifted.
The boy smiled, his eyes the ever youthful green of spring, cooling the burning flames that had risen in Logan's chest. "I know, big papa. I know."
The older man chuckled, his eyes covered by the small white palm of his cohort. "So?"
"So, what else is thar' ta say?"
...
Logan eyes opened softly in the early morning light, his thoughts warm and gentle as he lay, pondering this new memory. The softness of it. The familiarity and peace he had felt even during such a time as that. He knew he had been happy then, if the memory was anything to go by.
Content to lay in bed for the rest of the day with his thoughts Logan almost ignored the gentle tapping on his door, no unlike the sound that had brought him upon these new found memories in the first place.
"Logan...you up yet?"
It was Rogue. Her soft voice sounding far away, as though Logan was still wrapped in cotton from his dream.
He sat up, the sheets pooling around his waist, the band of his boxers showing plaid against the clean blue bedclothes. "Yeah, I'll be out in a minute." He said, slowing rising from the warmth of the blankets, pulling on jeans and grabbing a shirt that smelled clean, before heading to the bathroom to complete his morning ritual.
Logan opened the door a few minutes later, rubbing his eyes to rid them of the last traces of sleep, Rogue was standing by the door, her hair covering a good portion of her face.
"Hey." He said, looking at his watch, as he followed the younger mutant as she headed toward the cafeteria, the black lace ruffles of Marie's clothing rustling as she moved.
"Hey, yourself." She replied, glancing over her shoulder at her surrgogate parent. "I thought we would have breakfast together before you went to talk with the professor."
"Doesn't that boyfriend of yours usually eat with you?"
"I went down to the medical bay this morning...Dr. Grey said he was still sleeping and to go ahead without him."
Logan nodded his understanding, slinging his arm around the girl's shoulders as theyh continued to walk down the still dark halls of the school.
They entered the cafeteria not long after, the room still quiet in the early morning light, the large bay windows showing off the red and gold of the leaves outside, the smell of food making the room warm and inviting, though only a handful of people were actually there.
The pair sat down, the cook, a plump older woman with bright red hair, only just beginning to gray, sat two full plates of food infront of them. Her eyes twinkling, merrily as she greeted the two mutants, smiling happily as she conversed with Rogue for a moment, before heading back into the cook kitchen.
"So?" Marie asked as soon as the cook was out of hearing distance, her eyes tracing Logan's face in determination as he salted his eggs and bacon.
"So?" Replied the older mutant, shoveling eggs into his mouth as he spoke, thinking back to the conversation he had in his dream the night before.
"Are you going to tell me about what happened on the mission?" Rogue, began eating, pulling her hair to the side to save it from getting caught in her food.
"Nothing happened, it was a pretty routine assignment."
Marie put her fork down, her eyes icy as she looked Logan up and down. "I think that's a load a bull."
Logan stole some of the eggs from her plate, salting them lightly before eating, Rogue's expression not deterring him from his breakfast.
"Well?" She asked, sitting back in her chair, brooding.
"Well what? Nothing really happened." Said Logan both amused and annoyed with the teen infront of him.
"Something did happen. Bobby's in the medical bay and you used a sedative on that new mutant. That hasn't happened since before we came here." Rogue picked at her bacon, now cold on her plate as she spoke her tone sulky and bored.
Logan nodded, at her acknowledging her observations, but not giving her any further information, drinking his black coffee that the cook had brought him.
"At least tell me what happened to Bobby. He is my boyfriend after all."
"You should ask him yourself. It's not my place." Said Logan rising from his chair, nodding politely to the cook in thanks and receiving a smile in return, as he headed out of the cafeteria on his way to the Professor's
"Logan..."
"Eat your breakfast. I gotta go talk with that Professor of yours."
"...Fine, see if I care."
...
"Logan, so good of you to join us. Did you rest well?" Asked the Professor, as he sat behind his desk, the original reports littering the dark, usually clean surface.
Logan grunted as he entered, throwing himself in the last available seat next to Bobby, who looked a little bit like better than he did the day before.
The Professor smiled at the Canadian, his amusement shining through his eyes as he watched the two men on the sofa get comfortable with the added body next to them. "Now that everyone's settled, let us review the events that surrounded this particular assignment. Jean would you care to enlighten the rest of us?"
Jean nodded her hands fiddling with the hologram projector control before standing where everyone could see her, the bright red of her hair catching the sunlight, making it shine even brighter.
"The mutant seems to have the ability to drain an individual's vitality through sexual interaction. He seems to choose victims that are male, in good health and physically strong. He draws them in with a potent pheromone this appears to pull his victims deeper into what Hank and I have dubbed a 'thrall'. When he finally decides on his victim, he has intercourse with them and then drains their energy."
"Why do you suppose he does this?" Asked Ororo, her eyes looking over the copy of the report in her lap.
Jean switched on the hologram projector, the first image showing a human cell. "This is a normal, healthy human cell. Next is a mutant's cell." She said, going to the next slide. "The difference is barely distinguishable, but still present, a very thin cell wall is present in a mutant cell, whereas a normal human doesn't have a wall. In this aspect mutants are more like plants in that we have cell walls. Clear?"
A collections of nods responded, Bobby almost asleep in his seat, Logan nudging him roughly as he began to tip over. The teen jolting awake from the sensation.
The doctor continued, ignoring the teen on the sofa, turning back to her slide show. "This is one of our mutant's cells, see the the difference? The cell wall is much thicker, as well as the mitochondria are enlarged. This a double-edged sword, not only does this prevent sickness, but the enlarged mitochondrian allow for him to go longer without food, while also requiring him to have a vast store of energy to keep himself going. This is what Hank and I believe is the cause of the mutant's need for the energy of others."
"What is the reason behind his constant moving, though I wonder? Was he feeling threatened? What would cause this growing need for more...vitality than he normally received?" Asked the Professor, his brow furrowed under the thoughts circling in his mind.
"We don't know, but it seems to be the source of his nearly constant 'feeding'. When the body is stressed it uses more energy then when a body is at ease. Possibly something in his home life caused him to strike out on his own." Speculated Hank, his eyes scanning the map on the back wall of Xavier's office, trying to find an answer within the color paper.
"Were there any signs of abuse on him, at all: fractures, breaks, bruises?" Asked Scott, bringing the mutant's medical report closer to his face.
Jean looked at the Beast before answering, hoping to confirm her suspicions with her colleague before delving into the topic at hand. "Both Hank and I believe that...while the patient appears to be no older than sixteen, he is in fact much older."
Xavier looked at the doctor, his eyes locking with hers for moment, "Go on, then."
"Well, when the mutant was first captured, he rolled down a hill, injuring his ankle. Logan can confirm that." She said, to which Logan nodded the affirmative.
"He wasn't going to be moving anytime soon."
"Right, but when we got him on the jet, there was no evidence of anything wrong with it. I even x-ray'd it when we returned, nothing."
"So, you're saying that, this mutant is just like Logan?" Said Scott, skepticism apparent in the lines of his face.
Jean shook her head, "No, I'm saying that he's similar to Logan in that he has advanced regeneration abilities."
"Then why does the sedative have an effect on him, when it doesn't on Logan?" Asked Scott, crossing his arms over his chest.
"Jean and I have speculated that Logan, with the lifestyle he's had has been exposed to many different types of medications, and has therefore built up a tolerance to them over time. And since new drugs are just variations of the old ones his body refuses them more easily. We suspect that this little one hasn't been exposed to the amount of things Logan has so he doesn't have the immunity to them yet." Hank lectured, pacing back and forth as he spoke, his eyes wide and glassy in thought.
Charles nodded, his eyes focused far away, in another place, "Well that would explain the maturity of his powers and the control he has over them. I fear that if he had been as old as he looked there would be bodies somewhere."
Scott nodded in agreement, flipping through the medical report, "How long before he becomes active again?"
Jean thought for a moment, "There's no real way to tell. We don't know how long it takes for his bodies to work off chemicals, so it could be anytime now. Don't worry we strapped him to the medical bay and are monitoring his condition for stress."
"This little mutant has been causing quite the stir." Said Scott, massaging the bridge of his to alleviate the pressure there.
"There still is one more surprise." Said Hank, rubbing his hands together in apprehension.
"The more you guys talk about him, I feel like a bigger idiot for not wearing protection." Said Bobby, putting his head in his hands as the older mutants laughed at his expense.
"Don't keep us in suspense." Said Ororo, sitting on the edge of her seat, looking from Hank to Jean to Xavier in his chair, an amused smile making its way across his face as he watched adults he considered his children interact.
Jean smiled nervously, wiping her slightly damp hands on her lab coat, looking ot Logan for a moment. "X-rays and a physical have shown that he has a fully functioning vagina and...uterus."
Silence descended on the room, shock written on the faces of most of the room's occupants, all save Logan who somehow knew that the small mutant in the medical bay had those qualities before hand.
"Oh my god! I didn't use protection!" Said Bobby, his chest heaving in panic as he thought back to the woods in Canada, if what he had entered had been misplaced or if it was normal, but he had nothing to compare it to. He just knew that it had been silky and...hot. Flushing, the teen putting his head in his hands between his knees trying in vain to control his breathing.
Logan felt bad for the kid in that moment, his panic and fear palpable in the sun brightened room. He reached forward, clasping the shocked teen's shoulder in comfort awkwardly. "It probably didn't take, besides you don't know if he's actually ever been...you know...up the duff."
"I think wondering if Bobby has impregnated the kid or not, is the least of our worries right now." Said Hank, as Jean lifted a pager from her belt, its signal blaring in the fairly spacious room.
"Looks like Bobby's baby mama's up from naptime." Said Ororo, chuckling gently as she rose to follow Jean and Hank as they left the room to head to the medical bay.
"Oh god." Groaned Bobby, his face red as he was led by Logan to follow the others, leaving the Professor and Scott.
The Professor smiled as the two men were almost out if sight, "Logan, do bring our guest to come see me once he's calmed a bit."
Logan grunted in response as he led the still panicing teen around the corner that took them out of sight.