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Gambit slipped out onto the roof of the X-Men Mansion drawing a shaky breath of the damp, autumn air. He was trembling with pent up anger and a good measure of guilt. They were determined not to let him forget what had happened in Antarctica, all of them. He thumbed a card from his ever present deck and charged it lightly letting it explode with a muffled thump in his hand. The impact, like a sharp slap, did little to relieve the anger, but still made him feel marginally more in control of himself.
"Gonna blow yourself up someday doin' that, Cajun."
The coarse voice made Gambit jump and spin around, a second card appearing between his fingers. The card's glow faded as he recognized Wolverine's silhouette.
The Canadian was leaning casually against the covered doorway into the mansion. Gambit had not seen him hidden in the shadows as he stepped out.
"I didn't know anybody out here." He moved back toward the door, but the gruff voice stopped him.
"Stay, Cajun. I won't bite."
Gambit nodded tersely knowing Wolverine would see it even in the darkness and turned his back to the other X-Man. He walked out to the knee-high railing that ran around the perimeter of the roof and stared morosely out over the darkened grounds. At the moment he really didn't care what Wolverine thought about his sulking.
There was a familiar 'snick' and a popping sound. He spun around in time to see Wolverine detach himself from the shadows and move stealthily towards him, then something smooth and cold was being pressed into his hand. The familiar shape proved to be a cold Samuel Adams.
"Here, kid. You like you could use one."
"Thanks Wolvie." Gambit was truly grateful and a little surprised. Wolverine did not often indulge him in his self-pity. "I thought Jean said no drinking on the grounds. It's a bad influence on the kids."
"We're not on the ground, and Jeanie ain't here."
Gambit laughed, the first time in at least a week. "You tell her, Gambit not have anything to do wit it when she catch you."
"Fair enough." Wolverine's tone of voice changed abruptly. "They won't let it drop, will they?"
Gambit felt the sting of tears again and turned into the wind until they were under control. He drained the beer in one long swallow before speaking. "Nah, I think maybe it would be better if I left, better for Rogue and the younger ones anyway. You and Storm still treat me the same, and Hank when he's around. Everyone else look at Gambit like he lower than dirt." Under his breath he added, "Maybe they right."
Rough hands grabbed him from behind and slammed him none too gently into a large cooling unit. Wolverine was in his face and obviously furious. His adamantine claws were not extended, but somehow that did not make him look one bit less dangerous. Fear seemed to squeeze the air from Gambit's lungs. It took him a moment to realize that Wolverine was speaking and not just snarling.
"I don't give a damn what those kids think, but I sure as Hell ain't gonna stand here and listen to that same crap from you, LeBeau. It would be different if none of us had ever made a mistake or been misled before. Hellfires boy, they left you to die in the ice up there. Seems like if anyone ought to be feeling guilty it should be them."
Gambit forced himself to meet angry blues eyes, no mean feat with Wolverine. He was surprised for the second time in a matter of moments by what he saw there. The anger was accompanied by sympathy and, for some reason Gambit could not fathom, guilt. The compassion was more than he could stand up under. The tears he had been fighting all night escaped. He tried to pull free of Wolverine's grip and failing tried to avert his eyes. The Canadian caught his chin and forced the glowing red eyes to meet his own.
"Let it out, Gumbo. You were tricked, used, then left to die by people you trusted. I'd be tearing things up and looking for someone to hurt, not taking it like a whipped puppy."
Instead of making him angry, the taunt seemed to release something in Gambit. The guilt and pain ran out of him leaving only the hurt and betrayal burning like a wildfire in his heart. His shoulders shook as he cried silently. He was so caught up in the raw emotion he did not even have time to register amazement as Wolverine pulled him into a tight embrace.
Gambit did not resist. He let his head drop onto the strong shoulder offered him and let his silent tears run into the warm, flannel shirt beneath him. Powerful, thick arms held him securely. For the first time, the tears seemed to do some good.
When the sobs had faded to an occasional shuddering breath, Gambit was too tired and wrung out to stand without his friends help.
"You should sleep, Remy." Wolverine's voice was understanding, a calm anchor in the madness that threatened to overwhelm the younger mutant.
Gambit shook his head. "Non, Don't want t' sleep."
"Nightmares?"
"Oui, bad ones."
"How many hours of sleep have you had this week, Cajun? Don't lie to me, I can smell it when you do." Wolverine's voice was firm, commanding an honest answer.
"Maybe six hours. No more."
"Maybe you should go see Hank, ask for somethin' to help you sleep."
"Non, no more drugs. I can no stand anymore. Better to never sleep again."
Wolverine sighed in annoyance, but he could understand that. "Look Remy, I'm gonna put you to bed myself. I'll stay with you and wake you up if you have a nightmare. "Kay?"
Gambit drew back and looked at Logan with such naked wonder and gratitude on his face that Logan actually found himself blushing. To cover it, he took the taller mutant by the arm and led him through the door.
Wolverine had taken a small corner suite on the top floor since he was in the habit of wandering the grounds at night and a particularly tall, thick stand of poplars blocked all of the windows providing an easy path down to the grounds or up to the roof. It also served to keep the sun out of his room until well after noon and to screen him from anyone below when he walked around nude in his room.
Not wanting anyone to see Gambit in such an emotional state, Logan led him to his own room. He undressed the young man himself and tucked him into his bed. Then gently wiped his face with a cool washcloth before turning out the light and settling into a rough looking easy chair facing the bed.
Gambit jerked upright after an hour screaming and scrambling up from the bed. Wolverine tried to wake him, but the Cajun was caught in whatever nightmare world he had created. Not knowing what else to do, he caught the struggling, panic-stricken young man and wrapped him in a bear hug pinning his arms to his side and holding him still perforce.
He rocked the Acadian's slender body noticing how much weight he had lost since his return. Anger washed over him. He had nearly gutted the lot of them, when they had returned from Antarctica without Remy and then reported having left him to die in the ice and snow. If he had been there instead of caught up in his own problems, it might have ended differently. He knew that he could not be in two places at once, but that did not make him feel any better. He had been bound and determined to go searching for the Cajun, but then the mansion had been attacked and by the time that was all sorted out, Remy had found his own way home.
Gambit had finally quieted down, though an occasional sob still shook him. Wolverine continued to hold him for no real reason other than that he wanted too. The slim body curled snugly against him. The long auburn hair was soft against his neck. He smoothed it back from Gambit's face. Even tear streaked and hollow eyed from lack of sleep, it was beautiful.
He let his thick, blunt fingers sweep over the delicate features. He wiped the tears away gently then traced the perfect line of his cheekbone. "You are a beautiful man, Remy LeBeau. I'd take all the pain and hurt away if I could."
"I know."
The soft voice actually made Wolverine jump.
"Yer awake." He started to let go of the younger man, but Gambit wrapped his arms around him and snuggled in closer burying his face in Wolverine's neck.
"What are ya doin' Cajun?"
"Lots of people tell Gambit he's beautiful, no one ever offer to take away his pain before. You mean that Logan? You really care, even after what I've done?"
"Yeah, I meant it. I've done a lot worse things and seen more innocent people die because of me than you'll ever have to live with."
"You mean the other part too, 'bout me being beautiful?"
"You know damn well you are, kid. Don't go fishin' for compliments here."
Wolverine opened his mouth to say something else but never got the chance. Gambit's soft, strong lips caught his in a kiss. The Canadian was shocked. Gambit took advantage of the fact to slip his tongue inside the older man's mouth.
Logan caught Remy's head pulling him back. "What do ya think your doin'." His voice was harsher than he meant it to be and his heart was racing too fast.
"Remy not made to be alone. I need to be loved, need to be held. You the only one who love me now. You want me to go, I will."
Logan looked into the scarlet on black eyes that gave away nothing. He could smell the sincerity on Remy, smell desire, need, and plain old lust too. He almost laughed at that. He was painfully hard and wanted nothing more than to throw the Acadian down and take him right there, but he knew that he needed more than that, and if the beautiful thief would allow him, he would give him anything he wanted.
"Stay, Remy, if you really want to."
In answer, Gambit caught his sideburns and pulled his face into another deep, probing kiss. This time Wolverine responded taking the younger man's breath away.
"You been holding out old man. Where you learn to kiss like that?"
Wolverine drew back and held Gambit firmly by the shoulders. "You sure you want this to happen, Kid? Tell me no while I can stop."
"I not sayin' no, Logan. You make love to Remy."
In answer, Logan crushed the younger man's mouth under his own pushing him back into the bed with the weight of his body. There was a muffled 'snikt' and the silky material of Gambit's boxers was no longer between them. Another ripping sound and the remains of Logan's clothes were flying unceremoniously across the room.
Remy reached down, catching the metallic claws before they could retract. He ran his hands down the smooth shafts until he reached the places where they had torn through his knuckles. Remy's long fingers caressed the skin between the blades.
Logan groaned into his mouth sending delicious shivers over the Cajun. He guided the strong, calloused hands down his body until the long blades rested on his stomach, not pricking him just lying cool against his hot flesh. He cried out as Logan's fiery mouth moved down his long throat to the sensitive hollow beneath his collarbone. He knew he was playing with fire with Wolverine and he wanted to burn, to feel the flames melt away all that he was and create him anew. He whispered his new lover's name like a benediction.
Wolverine looked at the gorgeous body beneath him, the long auburn hair spread across his pillow, the inhumanly beautiful face thrown back in pleasure, and his own claws glowing in the lamplight and lying against that golden skin, skin that responded to his every touch. An animal lust seized him. He wanted to take Remy hard and fast, to crawl inside his skin, to consume him completely.
Instead he stroked the silky hair letting it slide across his fingers and claws, and whispered softly into Remy's ear. "I won't hurt you."
"I know Logan, Remy trust you." Gambit's voice was hoarse with desire. He tried to wrap his arms around Logan, but found himself pinned firmly to the bed.
"Just lie still for now, Remy, let me taste you."
Wolverine's blades carefully traced a line from his waist to his knee before they sank back into his knuckles with a sigh of metal on metal. He leaned in and kissed Remy again, letting his tongue explore the sweet, darkness of his mouth. Then, he traced his way with teeth and tongue over the fine bones of his face, across the sharp chin and graceful throat, down the smooth chest to the shallow dip of the navel, then along the narrow hips to the hardness between them. Remy moaned and bucked under him as he tasted the salty, sweetness there.
Only when Remy came, clinging to his shoulders and calling out his name, did Logan move downward to pay equal attention to the long, incredible legs and delicate feet. As he grew aroused again, Gambit whispered softly, "Oh, Logan where you been all Remy's life?"
Wolverine laughed and grabbed both legs pulling Remy up into his lap. "Been right beside you, Darlin' all ya had t'do was reach out 'n' touch me." He wrapped his arms around the slight figure and lifted him up into a sitting position against his own broad chest.
Gambit's arms wrapped around the thick neck even as his legs encircled the older man's waist. "Remy never saw you even look at a guy before. Never thought you could want me."
"You thought about me before?"
"Gambit never tell that." The Cajun's teasing voice suddenly changed and his scent with it. The voice was hesitant and half-afraid. "I touching now, Logan, I may not let go."
"Suits me, Kid."
Gambit felt his last bit of apprehension slip away with that simple statement. Logan would not gut him in the morning, or pretend this never happened, nor would he run away if he wanted this to be more than a friendly tryst. He bent to kiss Logan, burying his hands in the wild tangle of dark hair. Then, thought fled as Logan's hands slipped beneath him and started to explore.
There was a brief moment of fear as Logan laid him back down and positioned himself to enter his lover's body. Gambit had never been with anyone so large or powerful. His fear lasted only a moment though. Logan stretched out over him and whispered gently into his sweat soaked hair, " You are so beautiful, Darlin'. Don't be afraid. I won't hurt you."
"I not afraid, Logan. I want you inside me."
Logan pushed inside the Cajun carefully trying to go slow enough to minimize the pain. The kid was so hot and tight, it was harder to maintain control than he had imagined. It felt like heaven. He stopped when he was completely in to give Remy time to adjust to the size and pressure.
Beneath him, Remy felt as if he were being ripped apart until at last, Logan was resting deep inside him. he relaxed his death grip on his lover's shoulders and squirmed a little to accommodate Logan.
The shifting was almost more than Logan could resist, he shuddered deeply holding back his own climax. "You alright, Babe?"
"Yeah, Wolvie, I fine. You a big one, feels good." He was not lying either. Logan would have smelled that. After the initial pain, the sensation of being filled, desired, and protected was incredible. He was hard again and wanted to lose himself in the wildfire that was Wolverine. "Take me, Logan. Make love to me now."
Logan moved slowly at first, in long,easy strokes until Remy was moaning in pleasure and rising to meet each thrust. The sounds and scents were quickly eroding Logan's control. The rhythm grew more frenzied, his strokes more powerful. He worried about hurting the slender Cajun, but Remy was meeting him motion for motion and crying out his name in undisguised pleasure.
Logan had never had a lover to compare with Remy. He was responsive, generous, and fairly vibrating with life and energy. He gave back as much as he took and gave completely of himself with no reservations. He slid one burly arm under him and lifted him up into a sitting position. Remy cried out at the shift in position.
Remy was saying something urgently in French and trembling. His fingernails were biting into Logan's back, but the scratches would heal almost before they were made. Gambit cried out once more and pushed down hard driving Logan even deeper inside the fiery heat. Hot, sticky fluid spread across Wolverine's chest and stomach and tremors ran through Remy's entire body. Logan could not hold back any longer.
He hugged the slight body tight against him until he could move again then gently withdrew and collapsed onto the bed beside the younger man pulling him into his arms. He smoothed the wet hair back from the handsome face. Demon eyes looked up into his sky blue ones somberly. "Logan, you hold Remy tonight?"
"Yeah."
"What about tomorrow night?"
"If you want me, Cajun."
"Good."
Gambit slipped off into a deep and blessedly dreamless sleep. Wolverine watched until he was sure that there would be no more nightmares, then he curled his shorter body around his lover and fell asleep with the word 'tomorrow' ringing sweetly in his head.