Pack Power

Remy watched with glee as Bobby Drake shrieked like a girl and dropped the box of Twinkies. The harmless rubber rat squeaked as it hit the floor. "This means war!" Bobby said pointing at the Cajun who was laughing hard enough to bring tears to his eyes.

*****

Scott grabbed Remy by the collar of his shirt and pulled him out of the pillow fight. He shoved him towards the wall. "Stop this immediately!" The room froze, feathers still floating in the air. Jubilee, Bobby, and Warren stood sullenly, pillows still in hand. "We have a Danger Room for this sort of thing. This parlor is *not* the proper place for a fight like this. Someone could be seriously hurt if they hit the marble on the mantel or a painting fell on them. Bobby, Warren, clean up. Jubilee, do your homework. I'll talk to all three of you later. Gambit, my office."

Remy slouched in the visitor's chair while Scott glared down at him. "I expect more sense from you." The thief crossed his arms. "You are more mature than this."

"Mebbe, I don' wanna be mature all de time. Mebbe I like t' play some!"

"Not in the parlor. How the Hell did there get to be pillows in the parlor!" Scott stood not a foot in front of the thief.

"The chairs ain't comfortable, so Jubes got pillows t' soften them up."

"And how did the fight start?"

"Don't recall. Just developed."

"You are on security duty until further notice."

"But Cyke. . . "

"Shut it. Report to the monitor room. You were supposed to be upgrading out security anyway."

"Already done that!" The Cajun protested. "Y' even approved it."

"Go. Now."

Remy bared his teeth at the older man.

"And you're acting like Logan. Even more reason to keep you grounded."

"Why does Remy get grounded f' playin'?"

"Because Remy is supposed to be an adult."

"Why y' so bitchy t'day?"

Scott leaned closer to the Cajun. "Stop acting like a blond and do as you're told."

Remy slunk to the control room. He settled into the chair. He pulled one leg up and leaned against it. He sighed. "Designate Wolverine main screen. Designate Cyclops inset. Designate Storm inset." The computer arranged the main screen to specifications. Remy watched Logan hunt.

*****

Scott looked up at the knock on his office doorframe. "Hey, Red, what's up?"

"Don't you think you're being a little hard on Remy?" she asked without preamble.

"No."

"You didn't ground Bobby, Warren or Jubilee."

"Jubilee is cleaning bathrooms. Warren's got a business to run. And Bobby never listens to my rules anyway, but he is grounded."

"He's sulking."

"So what?"

"What is this little power-trip really about, Slim, because it's not a pillow-fight."

"The fucking prank war that Bobby and Remy have been fighting. I expect better from Gambit and he knows it."

"Scott, Remy's just having fun! Logan's out hunting and Remy needs to blow off some steam. Why are you being this harsh for a minor infraction?"

"He knows better. He's more mature than Bobby and it's time he starts acting like it."

Jean scowled at Scott. "You've really upset him. I think you need to apologize."

"No."

"Scott." Jean sighed. "He was upset enough to curl up on Storm's bed like a six-month old kitten with stuffed animal under his chin. You scare him."

Scott snorted. "He sleeps with Logan and I scare him? Bullshit."

"He knows Logan approves of him. He wants your approval."

"Then he has to meet my expectations for being an adult."

Jean leaned over the desk giving Scott a very good view of her cleavage. "He was just playing. He's following Bobby's lead. Bobby is two years older than Remy. Shouldn't he have to act like an adult?"

"I've been trying to get Bobby to act like an adult for years. He just won't grow up. Gambit's heads and tails above Bobby in terms of maturity. I can see it in his eyes. But he insists like acting like a brat when we aren’t on a mission. I know for a fact that he's smarter and more capable than he acts."

"Have you tried telling that to him instead of just yelling? God, you drive me insane. Remy needs to be told when he's doing well. He wants your attention but you only give it to him when he pulls stunts that piss you off."

Scott considered that. "Fine. I'll talk to him sometime." Jean rolled her eyes and let it go.

*****

Logan gutted the third deer of the week and cut it up for transport back to the den. Hopefully his mate would be waiting for him. He'd enjoy hearing Spice's purr against his throat while he held him. Grinning, Logan packed up the meat and hung the skin out to dry. He'd make Spice a nice set of gloves and some boots to keep him warm for the winter with the hides.

Logan put the meat into the cold room and went in search of One-Eye. He found Spice and One-Eye getting into things. Pups, he grunted to himself. Spice was starting a full-out challenge. That wouldn't do. Spice needed a reminder of his place in the pack and if One-Eye had to do it, Spice might get hurt. They were well beyond posturing and growling. Logan had to break it up before it went to blows or he wouldn't be able to interfere.

*****

Scott was ignoring Logan, all of his attention focused on the Cajun. "You are not going out alone. There's been an upswing in mutant bashings and I refuse to have to pick you up out of a morgue."

"I'm a big boy, Cyke! I can fuckin' fight. Y' know it, homme. Why the fuck y' start treatin' Remy like a pup, hehn?" Remy demanded. "Next y' gonna make me go t' bed at eight and check t' make sure I brushed m' teeth."

"I wouldn't let Logan go roaming the city right now and he's less likely to attract attention. This discussion is closed, Gumbo."

Remy moved closer, fingers beginning to tingle as his charge built. Suddenly, Logan grabbed him around the waist, pulled him away and pushed him hard into the wall. Remy fought the restriction of Logan's body, knowing that it wasn't meant to hurt him, but furious at the treatment.

*****

Logan forced Spice's chin up and bit firmly, sucking to leave a dark mark on his mate's throat. Eventually, Spice arched into the contact, muscles relaxing under Logan's grip. He let go and Spice leaned against the wall, teeth imbedded in his lip. Logan glanced at Cyke, taking in his open-mouthed stare and almost able to understand it, smelling arousal and anger. Logan looked at the bruise on Remy's throat in confusion. He shook his head and went to meditate.

*****

Remy touched the bruise on his throat. "Merde," he muttered, blushing. "Don't that beat all."

"What was all that about?" Scott asked.

"He don't like me challengin' y'."

Scott blinked. "You challenge my authority all the time. That's why I beat you down. Has he gone feral on us?"

"Mais, non, not really. He's just blurred at the moment."

"Blurred."

"Somewhere between the two states. How he hunts is like bein' the wolf, but rememberin' t' bring it back and store it up f' the den. And he don' like disorder in the den."

"So why the hickey?" Scott hid a grin as the Cajun flushed.

"By him makin' me tip m' chin, he breaks the challenge up. Dis his way of puttin' m' in m' place accordin' t' the pack laws." Remy sighed. "And he's gonna go getting' all guilty on m'."

"Guilty? By the way, you still aren't allowed out alone."

Remy flicked Scott off. "Guilty f' bruisin' m'. The man apologizes if he leaves a bite on m' shoulder. Belle's done worse in bed, but he freaks out thinkin' he's lost control!" Remy threw a hand up to indicate his frustration. "Y' want him? I'll trade in maintenece f' a ride every now and again."

Scott snorted. "All or nothing, Gumbo. He's all yours."

Remy sighed. His face grew serious. "Scotty, gotta ask somethin' me."

"Yeah?"

"Him an' me bein' t'gether, does it hurt y'? Cuz I ain't gonna see y' hurt when y' been wantin' him and he been wantin' y' f' so long."

"I'm not in the market. Besides, I always thought you and Logan'd be a better couple than you and Rogue."

Remy stared at the field leader.

Scott shrugged. "Go find Logan and stay out of trouble and stay *in* the house."

****

Remy settled on the bed with one of Logan's books. He puzzled out the Japanese characters. He could speak the language fairly well, but reading was much harder. Eventually, the mattress dipped and a hand settled on his knee. "Sorry, kiddo."

"F' what?"

"Bruisin' ya. I don't mean to hurt ya. Maybe it'd be safer fer ya to quit this relationship."

"Non," Remy stated. "Breakin' m' heart ain't kinder than claimin' m' f' all t' see and protectin' m' from m'self."

Logan licked his lips. "Gumbo, I hurt ya."

"Non, cher." Remy shook his head. "This don't hurt none." The young man set the book aside. "Y' don't scare me, even when y' ain't t'inkin'. I know y' ain't gonna hurt m'. Y' treat me like royalty. You keep my secrets," Remy said, dropping his accent. "I've let you into my heart, shown you more of myself than anyone except maybe Belle. And you accept me without reservations. I don't have to play dumb, just tip up my chin when you're feeling dominant, or fuck you hard and fast when you ain't. I ain't the kind to say things often, but I try to show y'. Guess y' need t' hear the words. Je t'aime, Logan. I. Love. You." Remy placed his hand over the Canadian's heart.

Logan smiled. He wrapped his arms around his thief and held tight. Remy buried his face in the coarse, wiry hair of his lover's sideburns and smelled the forest in them. They stayed that way for a long moment. Eventually, Logan pulled back. He placed a sweet, soft kiss on Remy's lips. "Time fer dinner, Darlin'."

"Jean's cookin'. That ain't dinner."

The Canadian snickered. "Ya got a point. Ya noticed anything strange about Scooter lately?"

"He's treatin' Remy like a pup and drivin' this po' boy mad."

"Ya were always crazy, kiddo. No, I mean like sleepin' more or somethin'?"

"He got a bit of a cold. Y' can smell it on his breath, but that's all. Ain't nothin' serious, I don't t'ink."

Logan nodded. "Okay then. So what's fer dinner, kiddo?"

"Whatever Charles has on speed-dial. Merde. Worse than Rogue tryin' t' cook."

"Rogue makes a fine fried chicken and potatoes."

"Oui, cher, from Kentucky Fried."

Logan's jaw dropped. "Yer shittin' me?"

"Non." Remy grinned. "She's a worse cook than Scotty."

"That's hard."

"Not really. Boy's learnin' slowly, but he can only manage mac and cheese. Do we really gotta be sociable? I ain't seen ya fer days."

Logan considered. "We can stay right here 'til our stomachs start growlin'."

"D'accord." Remy snuggled into the embrace, eyes closing. Logan's hands roamed up and down his lover's back, reacquainting himself with the feel of him. He was rewarded by the soft, low purr in the back of Remy's throat that he'd missed while he was hunting. He smiled in contentment.

*****

"See, God's punishing you for being mean to Remy," Jean informed her husband. They were still married, despite Jean's relationship with Storm.

"I don't believe in God," Scott stated. He started coughing. "Shit. If Hank hears me, I'll be stuck in that fucking lab for months."

"Don't be a baby. Okay, nature is punishing you for being too uptight to take a break."

"I've taken breaks." Scott sneezed. "I've been torturing Charles with Remy and Logan's relationship. I've been taunting him with glimpses of you with Storm. I've been torturing the Cajun. I've been torturing Bobby. I've had plenty to entertain me recently."

"Picking on people is *not* a form of stress relief!"

Scott started coughing. He held up a finger for Jean to wait for his response.

//I know what you're thinking and it isn't true.//

//Yes it is. Stress relief is where you find it. Bishop agrees with me.//

//Bishop is biased. Gambit raised him. And from what I can tell, you're the one who raised the Witness, so I don't trust his judgement in the least.//

//I did not raise Gambit, we just have a similar outlook on life. And on this team truth be told. But I will *never* admit to it! *Never!*//

//Maniacal laughter will be summarily punished by a coughing fit. You have a fever don't you?//

//Maybe.//

//Let me check.// She placed her wrist on his forehead. //That's it. I'm calling Hank if you don't walk down to the lab right now and let him check you out.//

//Bitch.//

//That's Alpha Bitch to you, honey. Come on, Slim. Let's go.//

Scott rolled his eyes and followed Jean down to the lab.

FINIS

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