Title: Alien Wilderness

Author: Scorpio

Archive: Nesting Place, WWOMB, The Den, anyone else - just ask.

Fandom: X-Men (comic, not the movie)

Pairing: Remy/Logan ::leers::

Rating: NC-17

Series: Alien Wilderness

Category: AU(?), First time, h/c, mild angst

Disclaimer: Marvel owns these lovely boyz... I just picked the lock to thier cage so they could come out to play. ::grins:: Remy is *so* proud of me. I promise to put them back when I'm done with 'em.

Warning: Remy owwies, m/m sex (eventually), and various acts o violence (duh! Logan's in it!)

Note: For Peja, who asked me to pull this out a storage and dust it off. ::grins::

Summary: An accident throws Logan and Remy together... in more ways than one.

Alien Wilderness

by Scorpio

Chapter one: The Accident...

Walking back out into the bright sunshine, Logan paused a moment to watch Scott, his father, and the rest of the Starjammers' crew unload boxes and crates full of the supplies that Hank had requested to help with his research. Hank and Nate were working together to move one of the larger boxes and Bobby was already maneuvering one of the smaller ones inside.

"Hey Logan,... bring this box into the lab for Hank. Careful though,... it's heavy."

He turned at the sound of Scott's voice and saw the crate he was pointing at. He sighed and rolled his eyes. It never failed. *He* always got stuck with the heavy or awkward boxes. Okay, okay, so Hank and Nate were hauling some of the heavy stuff into the lab as well, but somehow, Bobby always managed to squirm his way into carrying a lighter load.

A bit of movement off to the side caught his attention. He watched with open amusement as Gambit picked up a box and headed for the lab, grumbling and moaning the whole way. He smiled. That cheered him up when all else couldn't. At least *this* time the Cajun wasn't able to charm his way out of helping. His good mood restored, Logan picked up the big crate and headed inside right behind Remy.

The two straining and sweating X-Men passed Nate and Bobby as they were headed back out to pick up another load of the Shi'ar supplies that were littering the back lawn. Bobby was babbling away and Nate was glaring at him, but that was nothing new. Logan was more interested in the steady stream of muttered curses that his enhanced ears were picking up from Gambit. The Cajun's use of language was both colorful and inventive. Logan chuckled. Remy fumed.

Finally, the two X-Men made it to Hank's lab with the heavy boxes. Walking in, they found the blue furred scientist sorting through bizarre equipment from one of the already open crates. While Logan could recognize and even read a few words of the Shi'ar language, he had no idea what all of this high-tech stuff was or what it was for. He just knew that it was heavy and that he wanted a beer.

"Hey! Blue-boy! Where ya want this stuff?"

Henry looked up from what he was doing, his glasses perched on the end of his nose. He squinted a bit as he read the labels on the sides of the two boxes and waved one blue paw towards a side chamber.

"Oh yes. Those boxes can both go into the far room Gentlemen. They are mainly specimens and chemicals. I will store them away later this afternoon, once all of the crates have arrived to the lab. Just set them down along the far wall, if you please."

Logan grunted his acknowledgment and followed the still grumbling Cajun into the side room that Hank used as a storage facility. The room itself wasn't very large, but it was filled with all sorts of things. It contained equipment, chemicals, organic material, basic supplies and a number of other things Logan couldn't name if his life depended on it. It was also in total disarray due to the fresh batch of supplies being delivered.

Logan watched -it- happen in something close to a state of shock. Gambit *tripped*. That in itself was strange. The Cajun, for all his annoying faults, was normally very graceful and sure footed. But, he tripped over some of Hank's supplies and fell to the ground on top of the crate full of alien chemicals right at Logans feet.

Logan had a scant second to decide that it probably wouldn't have been so bad if the silly frog hadn't *charged* the box on his way down. Wolverine tried to leap back out of the way with his armful of supplies, but for once, his reflexes weren't fast enough. Remy and the kinetically charged box hit the ground with a loud explosion of sound and light.

A concussive force of energy rippled out from the center of the explosion, throwing Logan backwards. He kept expecting to hit the wall, but he didn't. Instead, he fell endlessly through a dense blackness. A ringing sound echoed through his ears and along his skin. A sudden sensation of vertigo washed over him and he felt certain he was spinning end over end. It seemed as if he was being stretched out in every direction at once, yet at the same time, he was being compressed, squashed in on himself. A flood of pain washed over him like an electric shock along his metallic spine. Finally, he slammed into the wall. *Hard*.

A painful shutter ran through his body and a last wave of vertigo swept over him. For a few seconds he fought the desire to throw up. Shaking his head to clear it, he focused his enhanced senses outward. A feeling of mild panic rushed in as he realized that he was no longer in Hank's lab. He was in a lush meadow under a pale purple sky and somewhere in the background he could hear and smell sweet water and animals.

Logan didn't have very long to study his surroundings when a fast wind kicked in and swirled into an upside-down funnel over his head. The funnel grew dark and red jagged light flickered deep within. A loud sonic POP made him cringe as it hurt his sensitive ears. Then suddenly, he saw Remy appear at the center of the funnel and begin to fall.

Logan ran forward, trying to line himself up to be underneath his unconscious team-mate. As Remy plummeted to the ground, Logan dived with all his strength. He caught the Cajun in his arms in mid air and then tucked them both into a roll. It wasn't graceful and they both suffered bruises, but at least Remy didn't end up with a broken neck or shattered spine from impacting with the hard ground.

As suddenly as it had appeared, the funnel shaped portal vanished. The winds died down and the soft sounds of the meadow and the lush forest beyond once again made themselves known. Logan glanced round once more, scanning the area with his senses and his instincts. Nothing seemed to be dangerous or threatening. It was peaceful and tranquil now that the wind funnel was gone. Logan turned his attention to Remy.

Blood. Blood and burnt chemicals. The scent was an odd mixture of foul and alluring. The wild animal buried deep within Logan responded to the smell of blood, but the civilized man in him recoiled. The stench of the chemicals were repulsive on all levels. Fighting to control his queasy stomach, Logan pulled open Remy's ever present trench-coat.

He gasped. Remy had taken the blast from the explosion full force. Both from the kinetic charge on the crate itself, as well as the resultant detonation of the chemicals that were stored inside it. The shrapnel from the crate had torn and cut into the flesh of his chest, stomach and arms. The chemicals had caused severe burns on those same areas as well as along one side of his neck and head.

Logans stomach clenched and a new rush of fear swept over him. He didn't know where they were, or when they would be found, but he did know that Remy needed medical attention right now. Instead of Hank and the lab to heal him,... he had Logan and an alien wilderness.

Pushing down a wave of panic, Logan gently gathered his team-mate into his heavily muscled arms and stood up. He ignored the protesting several pulled and abused muscles in his back made and concentrated on his sense of smell. Sniffing the air while slowly turning in a circle, Logan figured out which way to travel. Moving as swiftly as his delicate burden would allow, he headed towards the scent of fresh water.

Chapter 2:Healing...

-1 month later-

Remy lay back on the soft bed of leaves and moss watching Logan skin the small furred animal they would be eating for dinner. It wasn't a very pleasant sight, but it suited his mood. Wordlessly, he took in the quiet untamed strength of his friend and brooded.

It had been a month, or what passed for a month on this strange alien planet that they were stranded on. A month of slow painful healing from serious, and at times, life threatening wounds. A month of no modern luxuries that he had always taken for granted in the past. No electric, no plumbing, no pain killers, no cigarettes, no people. No one but him and Logan and the great outdoors.

He had always respected Logan's ability at fighting and he had admired the man's determination to never give up. To fight against all the odds. To adapt and survive. At least, he thought he had. Now,... he had that respect on a whole new level.

Logan had literally saved his life with nothing more than instinct and determination. He had cleaned and tended Remy's wounds with nothing more than the natural substances found in the alien wilderness which was now their home. He had located the cave they lived in and turned it into a defensible and livable shelter. He had carved necessary tools from indigenous wood with his claws, carried water from the river and hunted down every meal they ate. And he had done it all without any help from Remy.

Every scrap of food, be it animal or plant, Logan tested before he would let Remy eat it. Without any scientific equipment to do this, he used himself as a guinea pig. If he needed to use his healing factor after ingesting something new, it was labeled as poison and then avoided.

Remy's cuts had been carefully stitched closed by Logan using thread from his clothes and a claw carved needle. His burns had been bathed in water several times a day and treated with a poultice that Logan made from some local plants to take the aching sting away.

Logan had even sat patiently by holding Remy's hand when fever and delirium overcame him and he began to ramble. He remembered very little of what he said, only that he spoke half in English, half in French. And Logan was a stoic rock of strength and comfort when the pain became too much and he broke down in a flood of tears.

And he never complained. He never once bitched about the lack of anything or moaned over their circumstance. He never accused Remy of trapping them in a bizarre and alien Garden of Eden far from everything they were and everyone they knew. No, Logan never complained. He just endured, he survived...

Remy sighed as he watched Logan skewer the meat onto a spit and position it over the fire. He shifted a little drawing his friends attention and a small smile. No, Logan didn't need to accuse Remy. Remy accused himself. Guilt and a sense of uselessness weighed him down as much as his injuries.

Moving slowly to prevent his tight and tender skin from pulling too much, Remy sat up. Most of the cuts had healed now. Only one or two still gave him any trouble. They were the ones that had gotten infected. Logan had sliced those back open with his claws and let them drain while Remy had tried not to scream.

The burns, however, were another matter altogether. The smaller and minor ones were almost healed, but the larger and more severe ones were still very tender. His skin was tight and hot in those places. The burns itched horribly at times and he often would peel. The one along the side of his neck was the worst. It had not been protected by his leather trench coat like his arms and it had also gotten infected. Turning his head was still an exercise in extreme pain.

Moving slowly and gently, Remy got up and walked over to Logan. Just as carefully, he lowered himself down to sit next to his friend. The smells coming off the fire were beginning to make his mouth water. His stomach rumbled.

"Hungry Gumbo?"

"Oui, mon ami. Gambit is starved."

Logan flashed a grin and chuckled. Then, predictably, he settled into silence once more.

Remy watched Logan tend the fire and their dinner. Logan had never been as social as Remy, but since they had become trapped on this planet, he had been down right subdued. He wasn't stony and unforgiving. In fact, Logan seemed more... peaceful than usual. However, he also rarely spoke.

That was all well and good for nature boy to be one with the forest and commune with the animals, but Remy was a city boy. He felt *very* out of his depths here and to make matters worse, his injuries limited what little he *could* do. He couldn't hunt or carry heavy things. Hell, he could barely walk without putting an awful strain on his healing and battered body. But what good did that do his sorely abused conscious?

Slowly reaching behind himself to grab the claw carved wooden plates, Remy made a decision. He might not be able to do *much*, but he was going to start to try. It wasn't fair to keep letting all the responsibility fall on Logan. Starting tomorrow he would try to do *something* to help out. Even if it was something small.

Remy watched as Logan divided up the cooked dinner onto the two plates. He noted that Logan gave him an equal share. Fully half. A half he didn't earn...

Chapter 3: Hunting...

-1 month later-

He was crouched down low in the bushes with Remy close behind him. It was a bit of a distraction, but ultimately, a welcome one. With half of his attention focused on his companion, Logan let his senses roam outwards into the dense forest and brush. His ears perked and twitched. He could hear the wind in the tree branches and the rustling movement of small animals up ahead. He could also hear the steady breath of Remy behind him. He sniffed at the light breeze. He could detect the spoor of some small furred creatures to the left and the faint musk of wild birds. He could also smell the light sheen of sweat coating Remy's skin.

Not for the first time, he wondered if it was a blessing or a curse that he wasn't trapped on this world alone. Pushing that thought aside with an iron determination, he focused on the task at hand. Hunting.

A rustling movement followed by a low pitched clicking sound caught his ear. He tilted his head and listened. Finally satisfied, he pointed towards a low bush with bright green blossoms and pale yellow leaves. Silently, Remy held out his palm showing two seeds that slightly resembled walnuts in size, if not color. Logan nodded.

When Remy had asked him to teach him how to hunt, Logan had agreed so long as the Cajun *promised* not to use his deck of cards. It was the only form of entertainment they had, and Logan refused to give it up. So, a compromise was made. Remy would hunt using the walnut-like nuts that were found everywhere along the forest floor. Charged up, they were as effective a weapon as the cards.

Motioning for Remy to stay there, Logan moved off into the forest. It was frighteningly easy to become a part of the forest,... one of the animals. A wild predator on the hunt.

Logan knew that he was essentially a split personality. The problem was, only one of those personalities was human. The other was a feral beast that operated on instinct alone. That wild animal within him rejoiced at the freedom and primitiveness of this world. Logan did not. As much as he tried to fight it, he would often find himself slipping down into that wild state of non-thought, of freeing the animal within. Only Remy LeBeau stood in it's way. Only Remy kept him human.

Stalking through the woods to get behind his prey, Logan let his thoughts drift to the Cajun. Remy had healed up nicely. His two month old injuries barely bothered him anymore. His scars were still livid, but the pain was nearly gone. Now that his body was healed, the Cajun wanted to do all that he could to help Logan. Hence, the hunting lessons.

He knew that Remy wanted to try to make up for all that Logan had done for him, but what the Cajun didn't realize was that he already did so much. And most of it Logan couldn't really find a way to put into words. Remy was his only hold on sanity,... his link to humanity. Logan didn't mind doing all the physical work,... Remy kept the beast within at bay.

Finally, Logan had moved into position. He could see the large flock of wild birds gathered near the bush. With a snarl, he leapt towards them, scattering them, causing them to take flight. The animal in his mind roared his dominance over the simple creatures, the man simply watched them fly off to their doom.

Remy quickly stood up from behind a clump of bushes across the clearing and hurled the two glowing nuts, one after the other, into the flock of wild birds. The explosions sent a concussive blast of energy through the air. Two of them plummeted to the ground in a rain of feathers. Dinner was now officially dead.

The walk back to the cave was completely different from the one out into the woods. The need for silence was gone and Remy took the opportunity to chatter away in his eclectic mix of French and English. Logan didn't mind. Half the time, he didn't really listen to the words that the man said, it was enough to hear a human voice.

He had recently noticed that more often than not, when they were together, he had his enhanced senses trained on Remy. Not only did he listen to his sounds, check for his scent, or stare at him, he also felt the need to touch him. It was almost as if he needed to reassure himself that Remy really was there and was not just a memory or sensory hallucination.

Even his inner animal recognized Remy. He had gotten very close to going feral on a few occasions. He could feel his thought processes turn primitive and instinctual. He could recognize the signs and fight against them, but he was beginning to fear that it might not be enough. He feared more for Remy than himself if that happened.

Not that he would deliberately hurt the Cajun, not even as an animal. Not at all. It was just that, Logan the man understood that they were in an unusual situation. That separated from the rest of their kind, certain feelings of closeness and kinship were normal. The beast within looked at Remy as a mate. And while Logan was often lonely and even horny, he wouldn't push himself on the admittedly charming Cajun. His feral half, however, would.

Watching Remy walking towards the cave they called home, Logan took in the long lean legs and the smooth flowing movements. Yes, Remy had healed up nicely, and now that he was once again physically active, the grace, charm and cocky attitude that was known as Gambit was surfacing.

The slow, deep hypnotic southern drawl, the swaggering languid walk, the cocky and irrepressible charm and the need for human contact and to connect to something real and familiar all combined to make Logan wonder once again if Remy's presence was a curse or a blessing. Shifting his sudden erection into a more comfortable position, Logan followed Remy into their home.

Chapter 4: Autumn Chill...

-1 month later-

Remy lay back in his fur covered bed of moss at the back of the cave and shivered. It was getting cold at nights. The seasons on this planet were turning, and after four months, Autumn had finally arrived. With it came a change in the color of the leaves on the plants, turning the oddly colored forest even more exotically beautiful. Unfortunately, it also brought cold nights of sleeping in a damp cave with only a pile of moss and a few furs for warmth.

In an effort to distract himself from his own shivering, Remy considered his friend. Logan. He had always been a bit of an enigma,... even to himself. His checkered past was lost in the mists of time and the fog of periodic insanity. Only patchy traces of vague recollections were available to the volatile X-Man.

Even though Logan couldn't recall long stretches of his own history, Remy figured it must have been an exciting and rough life. Wolverine had many obscure and even archaic skills that made Remy wonder just how old Logan *really* was. Hell, even Logan didn't know that. Some estimates placed him at around two hundred years. Remy figured that was a very low estimate.

After all, how many modern men knew how to skin an animal and then stretch and cure it's hide with nothing more than the materials and tools found in nature? Just one. Logan.

Another thing that Remy had noticed, was that Wolverine seemed to be,... different now. Not in any exaggerated or truly noticeable way. It was subtle, but it *was* there.

He knew from the start that Logan had animalistic tendencies and a very tenuous grasp on his humanity. He had personally been witness to Logan losing control before. It was not something that Logan liked to talk about though. Remy had a few secrets of his own, so he tended to respect others privacy and as a consequence, he had never pushed for personal details about those incidences. Now he wished he had.

Logan was quieter than normal and he seemed to be more relaxed and less tense than Remy had ever seen him. It was understandable though. Four months without any crazy criminals to fight or any psychotic megalomaniacs trying to take over the world does wonders towards letting your guard down. Still, it was just *odd* to think of *Wolverine* as being content.

If that wasn't enough of a puzzle, Logan had recently begun to be more obvious in his use of his enhanced senses. Normally, it was something he downplayed and then startled you with once in a while. Now, he used them often and with no subtlety at all. At first, Remy felt good that Logan was comfortable enough around him to not try and hide his animal nature, but now...

Logan had taken to... *sniffing* Remy. That was the only word he could use to describe it. Logan would flare his nostrils wide and just breath his scent in. It was unnerving and disconcerting. It was also a huge turn-on. That, of course, was what made it so embarrassing. Logan could *smell* his arousal.

A violent shiver jolted him from his circular musings. A chilly and damp gust of wind had pulled him from his half-sleep. Once again wide awake and down right cold, Remy turned his glowing red eyes on his Team-mate. Logan.

A tiny little voice inside Remy's head whispered that Logan was probably warm. Very warm. He had to be with all that fur-like hair. Why, he was most likely a walking-talking furnace.

Yeah, he answered himself, Logan probably *was* a portable human heater. But how could that help *him*?

Get him to climb under your furs with you.

Yeah, but how?...

*Charm* him.

Yeah... No, he'll kill me.

He didn't spend a month putting you back together just to gut you for admitting to being chilly.

True, very true.

"Hey. Mon ami."

Logan grunted and turned to faced him. He seemed calm and slightly curious. Good. Remy turned on the charm.

"Is gettin' chilly, non? Gambit is t'inkin' that de seasons be turnin', oui?"

"Yeah. Guess we're hittin' this world's version of Fall."

"Oui,... Autumn wind, she blows chill, non?"

Logan nodded in agreement and flashed what passed for a smile on his face. Remy turned up the charm a little higher.

"Gambit, he be cold at nigh'. Non like de cold, mon ami."

Logan tilted his head slightly and Remy could clearly see him take in a deep breath through his nose. A flush of tingles swept over him at the sight of it. He could feel himself blush slightly.

"Logan,... You be willin' ta keep Gambit warm, non?"

Wolverine got an odd expression on his face and for a second Remy feared for his life. Then Logan's eyes darkened and his smile deepened.

"Sure Gumbo,... I'll get you warm."

With a swiftness and agility that spoke of a large predator stalking mouth watering prey, Logan rose from his own bed of moss and crossed the cave to Remy's.

For a long moment, the heavily muscled man stood over him, simply staring down at him. It was an interesting moment of clarity for Remy. It excited him and made him nervous all at once. The very air seemed charged with emotion. Belatedly, he realized that he was still using his charm power at full strength on Logan.

Wolverine sniffed at the air above Remy again and all thoughts washed from his mind as Remy rode on a wave of erotic desire. Logan's eyes darkened even more and a smirk broke across his face. Remy realized then that Logan *knew* he was aroused.

Just as Remy was about to say he changed his mind, Logan crouched down and slid under the fur. A lovely wave of heat washed over Remy and all he could think was, I was right. Logan *does* radiate heat. Then Wolverine pushed his heavy frame up against Remy and his mind turned to mush.

Remy could feel the hard solid muscles of Logan's chest press against his own and one thick heavy arm came around to drape across his waist. Sexual tingles rushed through his system and gathered in his groin. He could feel his cock begin to lengthen and fill. But unexpectedly, a feeling of safety and togetherness is what struck him the hardest. After months of being stranded on this planet, Remy suddenly didn't feel lonely any more. He felt... connected.

It was a heady pleasure. Without even being aware of it, Remy snuggled in closer to Logan. Wolverine, however, did notice. He burrowed his face into Remy's long auburn locks and inhaled deeply. Spice. Heat. Sweat. Arousal. *Remy.* Logan's low growl filled his ears and drew his attention to the strong sexual undercurrents racing back and forth between them.

Remy looked up into Logan's face just as he began to run his hands along Remy's body, petting him. Waves of pleasure rolled along his skin. He gasped. Just then, Logan leaned down and licked Remy's throat. His cock sprang to full hardness instantly, poking Logan in his hard muscled thigh. Logan's growl deepened and turned husky.

Slowly, and surprisingly gentle, Logan began to remove Remy's clothes. It didn't take very long as most of them were ruined in the explosion that brought them here. Once he was completely naked, Logan began to run his large hands all over Remy's skin. His touch was electric. Remy leaned into the warm strong hands, moaning his approval.

"Mon ami." He gasped. "You are *way* ov'r dressed fo' dis party, non?..."

Logan grinned in the darkness and then began to remove his own clothes. He didn't use any restraint or care on himself. Clothes flew everywhere. Once his team-mate was also naked, Remy leaned in once again. He gasped at the shock of pleasure when his erection pressed against Logan's. Wolverine growled.

"Mmmm... More."

As if that was all he'd been waiting to hear, Logan pushed Remy onto his back and then rolled on top of him. The feeling of all that heavy muscle pressing into him was beyond compare. Wantonly, he spread his legs, letting Logan settle in between them. This caused their shafts to grind against each other. They both groaned.

Slowly, Logan thrust down on Remy. Pleasure coursed through him in an erratic wave. On the next thrust, Remy lifted up with his hips, grinding against his friend and personal bed-warmer. The lovely sensations were doubled. They groaned again.

It didn't take them long to establish a rhythm. Remy grasped hold of Logan's shoulders and wrapped his long legs around his thick waist. Logan buried his face in Remy's neck, enjoying the raw scent of passion. Suddenly, Logan began to lick and nibble at the corner of his throat and shoulder. It was if there was an invisible line connecting his neck and his groin, because the sensation shot straight to his throbbing cock. Remy moaned and began babbling encouragement in French.

Faster and faster they writhed, each caught up in his partners enjoyment as much as his own. They both gave as much as they took. It was as tender as it was passionate. It was sweaty and joyful and caring. It was, ultimately, too much.

With a shudder of spasming muscles, Remy lost control. With one last strong thrust he pushed himself over into orgasm. Some small part of his brain registered the fact that Logan thrust into the warm wet fluid of his cum twice and then followed him over into the abyss.

After several long minutes of deep shuddering breaths, Logan pushed up on his elbows and grabbed a handful of material from someone's clothes and wiped them both off before settling slightly to one side of Remy. He left one arm and one leg hooked over him. A wide toothy grin split his rugged face.

"So Gumbo, you warm yet?"

"Oui, mon ami. Gambit be *very* warm now. Merci."

"Anytime buddy, Anytime."

That said, Logan gently rolled Remy over and spooned up behind him. With a sated sigh of contentment, Remy snuggled deeper into the moss and furs,... and most importantly, Logan's embrace. Yes,... it looked like Remy was going to stay warm this fall after all.

Chapter 5:Migration...

-1 month later-

Silently and with surefooted swiftness, he ghosted through the forest. He scented the air with every breath and his ears twitched at every sound. This world was changing, slowly, day by day. The plants had been turning bright exotic colors for several weeks already, but now, it was more than that.

Logan loped forward, ever deeper into the settling gloom of leave shrouded night, noting the signs of the turning seasons easily. Many of the plants that had been growing and blooming when they first arrived were fast approaching full ripeness. Harvest would be upon them very soon.

They'd have to build some type of storage area. Some place cool and dry and well secured that they could turn into a lauder area for food storage. Neither of them had any idea how harsh or how long the coming winter would be, but as a citizen of Canada, Logan knew that winters could be an extreme amount of both cold and long if they so choose to be. And he had no intention of letting himself or his mate starve if he could avoid it.

He figured that he should tell Remy to start collecting various roots, tubers and legumes that they could dry out and store away. Then, when winter hit and there were no fresh greens available, they could simply boil them up as soup stock. It wouldn't be the best tasting meal, but it would be healthy and it would prevent them from starving.

A flock of birds flew overhead in a noticeable pattern formation. They seemed to be headed in the same general direction that he'd witnessed other species of birds flying all week long. They were going to warmer climates to be sure, but Logan wished they would stay and act as fresh meat for him and Remy.

Vaguely, he wondered how many of the small creatures he hunted would be migrating out of the forest. Then again, how many more would be entering the forest ahead of the biter cold of the arctic regions? What new species would call this forest home for the winter months before leaving once more for the far north? Only time would tell.

Still, he hoped that the shiny red fish-like creatures that flourished in the local streams and rivers didn't hibernate. They were small, and it took a lot of them to fill him up, but they *were* delicious. Remy seemed partial to them in particular, he said they reminded him of crawdads. In any case, they would be an excellent source of fresh protein if they could be found year round.

Scents and sounds alerted him to the various birds and animals that still called these woods home as he moved off of the trail and deeper into the bush. He paid them little attention, his mind elsewhere...planning.

Suddenly, the breeze shifted slightly and a new scent teased at his nose. His eyes slid down to slits and he grinned as his mouth began to water. Blue Deer. The hoofed creature was about the size and shape of a white tailed deer, except that it's fur was a shaggy blue and it had three spiked horns upon it's head as opposed to antlers. It was swift, surefooted and strong.

Blue Deer also tasted divine.

Crouching down for cover by a large thorny bush, Logan watched his prey move forward into view. He had a vague idea that this creature would be perfect for cutting into strips and then smoking into jerky to provide meat for the coming winter. Then he caught its scent full on and thought vanished as instinct kicked in. In a heartbeat, Logan was left behind as Wolverine took his place, from man was born beast.

Moving slowly, flexing one muscle at a time, Wolverine began to move. He was almost preternaturally aware of every twig and leaf surrounding him. He shifted forward, then paused. Another movement, then pause. Slowly, with painstaking care, he worked his way into position.

From his place of concealment, he watched as the Blue Deer gracefully made it's way over to the gurgling creek. He admired its form as it lowered its head to drink the clear running water. He scented the air, taking care never to move down wind or into its line of sight. He shifted closer yet.

Suddenly, the creature raised its head in alarm and it's ears flicked back towards Wolverine. He grinned. The scent of fear perfumed the air for a split second and then he pounced.

*SHNICK*

Claws fully extended, Wolverine growled deep in his chest, pulse pounding in his ears and adrenaline flowing through his veins. The prey whinnied in terror and its muscles bunched up tightly before it sprang away. With a snarl of hunger and fierce need, Wolverine dashed after it.

He dodged to one side and cut off its escape route. Turning on its hoofs in bounded away in the opposite direction. He leaped and twisted and kicked off of a thick tree only to land upon the hapless creatures furred back. It screamed loudly as Wolverine sank his claws into its meaty neck, knocking it to the ground with a painful thump. Quickly, he twisted his body around the large animal and took aim.

Thunk.

His other hand smacked against its ribcage, burring his claws into its lungs. It wheezed and gurgled and then died. Wolverine threw back his head and howled his triumph to the uncaring sky.

The scent of hot spicy blood flooded his brain and drool dripped from his fangs. With a snarl, he yanked his claws out of the dead beast, splattering himself with red gore. Quickly, he shifted around to face the soft underbelly of his prey and sank his claws back in. Hot liquid splashed across his hand and arm as he slowly gutted the creature. He could feel the oddly giving tension as the cooling flesh gave way before his razor claws.

Reaching inside the hot depths, Wolverine curled his hand around the soft squishy intestines. With a grunt, he yanked them out. Swiftly, he did the same with the other organs he had no real use for. A small red pile began to form next to him.

Finally, he reached the heart. Extending one claw, he carefully carved this fist-sized hunk of flesh out of its resting place. Once it was free, he pulled it out and held it up over his open mouth... and squeezed.

Hot liquid red life poured into his mouth and onto his tongue. He swallowed it down, feeling it invigorate him. He squeezed the heart tightly until all the liquid was gone and only the meaty flesh remained. Then he took a huge bite out of it.

A sudden sound caught Wolverine's ears and he tensed up. Wildly, ready to defend his kill from other predators, he scented at the air.

*SHNICK*

All six claws extended to their fullest, he rose to his feet, ready to fight to the death over the cooling carcass of the Blue Deer. Turning in a slow circle, sniffing at the air, he scented birds, small furred creatures, many plants, and... his mate.

A low growl, both a welcome and a possessive warning, rumbled in his thick chest. Slowly, and with the snap of a twig, Remy stepped into the low clearing. He stopped short, a wash of fear scent coming off of him. Crouching down and growling, Wolverine scented the air and turned in a full circle again, trying to find what it was that had so alarmed him mate.

Seeing nothing, he tried to ease the man's obvious tension. Slowly retracting his claws, he held the half eaten heart out to his mate. Remy went pale.

"Ah... no t'anks, mon ami. Gambit p'fer his dinner ta be *cooked* first."

Wolverine cocked his head as he considered his mate. He enjoyed the musical sounds the man was making, but he didn't understand them. Deep inside, he felt that he *should* know what the meaning behind those noises were though.

"Logan, ya feelin' okay? Mon Dieu, dis be weird. Even fo' you."

Wolverine heard those strange noises coming from his mate again. However, one of those sounds settled deep in his mind with a strong flare of recognition. *Logan*.

Logan?... What was a Logan?...

Oh shit!

Logan looked down at his gore splattered body and the bloody heart in his hand. With tortured eyes, he turned around to find the gutted remains of a Blue Deer lying behind him. Grimacing in horror, he realized that he could still taste hot blood on his tongue and he knew that he had been feeding from the carcass. With a groan of unutterable despair, he crumpled to his knees.

"Oh God. Remy... I... Oh fuck, I went feral. Didn't I?"

He looked up at his lover, ignoring the tears that swam in his own eyes. He suddenly knew that the fear he had smelled on the Cajun was fear *of him*... not of some predator running loose in the woods. *He* was the wild animal... not anything else.

Horror and fear washed over him. He tried *so* hard to keep the beast within caged away. He didn't want to loose hold on his humanity, to go feral and wild, an animal with killer instincts and battle-honed skills. It was too frightening to consider, yet it had happened.

"Gumbo... ya gotta just... get away from me. I'm... I'm a danger to ya. I could go primal at any moment and I don't want ya ta get hurt."

Something in Remy's face softened imperceptibly and he stepped forward. Logan flinched back, but Remy reached out and grabbed him before he could flee into the woods. Suddenly, Logan found himself wrapped in a tight hug by long thin arms and his blood-smeared face was pressed against Remy's long pale neck.

"Non Cher, you won' hurt Remy, mon amour. You didn' now and you won' if dis happens again. Trust Gambit. He know dese t'ings."

Logan could feel Remy's long fingers rubbing a soothing circle on his back and slowly he began to calm down. He was still fearful though. Maybe he didn't hurt Remy this time while he was... insane, but that didn't mean he wouldn't hurt him the next time it happened. And sure as the sun comes up at dawn, Logan knew there would be a next time.

Chapter 6: The Nomads

-1 month later-

Remy sighed. It was a resigned and defeated sort of sigh. The kind of sigh that told anyone listening that the person making the sigh was not amused by any stretch of the imagination. Bored, tired and lonely, yes. Amused, no.

Finding another patch of the small plants they had taken to calling 'sorta carrots', Remy knelt down on the ground and reached into the mid-sized hand woven basket that Logan had made for him. He pulled out a wooden trowel and began to dig the tubers up out of the ground.

They really did seem like carrots. They were the same basic shape as a carrot, even if they were purple.

In any case, they weren't poisonous, so he could eat them, and they tasted pretty good baked. One by one, Remy dug them up and put them into his basket. It was a simple, repetitive chore and soon enough, his mind began to wander.

Logan seemed to thrive in this wilderness. He was very much at home living in a cave and hunting down wild animals for his meals. He seemed... happy and almost carefree. The only threat Logan faced here was his own inner demons. And they were working on that, together.

But he himself was not happy. On the surface, this world seemed almost a paradise. There were no crimes, no laws and no threat from evil mutants or the FOH. The only rules were the laws of the jungle and the need to survive. And for a jaded and cynical soul, it was a soothing balm... at first.

It wasn't until a month or two after he'd recovered from the accident that he realized something else, however. This planet was totally without anything remotely resembling civilization. Remy was a city boy, born and bred. He *needed* the sounds of concrete under his feet and the smell of pollution in the air. Most of all, he needed the hustle and bustle of thousands and thousands of minds pressing down on him.

He was so used to the feelings and emotions of humans pressing against his mind and psi shields that it took him a while to figure out just what was missing. Once he did, the alien planet felt even more empty and lonely than it had before. Sure, the animals and plants were there, but it wasn't the same. The animals were not self-aware. There was only his lover.

A smile crossed his face as he remembered the first time he had completely dropped his psi shields around Logan. They had been making love at the time and Remy felt this... *need* to be closer, to feel more, to... *connect* to his lover. And without warning, his psi shields had dissolved and then they were in each other's minds.

It wasn't the same as a connection forged by Jean or Professor Xavier because Remy wasn't telepathic. It was a connection of feelings and emotions, wants and needs, hopes and dreams because he was an empath. An empath who was literally starved for human connection.

He had never created a link with someone before, at least, not on *that* level. It was a solid link that pulsed and throbbed between them. Even now, it was wide open. Once it had been forged, Remy didn't even want to consider closing it, let alone severing it. Logan had suggested doing just that after he had suffered one of his infamous Weapon X nightmares, but Remy had flown into a full-blown panic attack at the very idea of losing that connection and Logan had dropped the suggestion.

Now, he could track Logan through the link just as easily as Logan could track him with his senses. They were always vaguely aware of the basic feelings and emotions of the other through the link and they only had to focus on it to get more detail.

Finishing up with the last of the 'sorta carrots', Remy put the wooden trowel into the basket, and stood up. He dusted off the knees of his pants and adjusted the furry blue shirt that Logan had made for him from the Blue Deer's hide. Picking up the basket of roots and tubers, Remy headed down closer to the stream to look for those little orange plants so he could dry them out into a nice spicy herb.

He was half way to the small burbling creek when he heard it. At first, the sound was so unexpected that he just stopped, stunned. His mind swirled dizzily for a second and then everything clicked back into place.

Drums.

He could hear the sound of drums. Granted, it was no John Bonham solo, but it *was* drums. Not an animal thumping it's feet or the sound of water or anything like that. It was the steady pounding rhythm that only a sentient mind could conceive. Somewhere out there, *someone* was beating on a drum.

A welter of emotions and thoughts washed through his mind. It had been almost six months that he had been trapped on this planet with Logan. Six months! And not once had they come across another person... well alien sentient life form.

Remy loved Logan with all his heart and soul. They were all each other had and they lived in each other's back pockets and each other's minds. They ate together, they hunted together, they sparred and fought together, and at night, they made love together. But after six months of being around no one else *but* each other, they were both slowly going out of their respective minds. And Remy, social butterfly that he was, was leading the way.

The link between them was fairly new. He had only forged it into place, and by accident at that, about three weeks ago. He had become quite good at monitoring and locating Logan through it, but he had never deliberately *tried* to make it deeper or stronger by actively using it unless they were in bed. But now, he wanted to try.

Remy took a deep breath and stood still. He closed his eyes and concentrated on the empathic link that connected his mind to Logan's. A soft smile crossed his face. At this very moment, Logan was slaughtering trees for firewood and he was enjoying himself immensely. Remy chuckled quietly to himself. Only Logan would stalk up on a tree and pounce. He even referred to it as 'hunting firewood'.

Grinning, he spent a moment trying to open the empathic link up wide and just let his presence pulse along it. Then, once he felt he knew what it was he wanted to do, he sent a bright shimmering sensation of curiosity along the link. It was almost like hunger and want, but without the sexual overtones that would signal arousal.

He could feel Logan's mind come to attention. Curiosity and a hint of mild worry flowed back to him along the link. Remy smiled.

"Mon amour. Can you hear Gambit? Do your fine sensitive ears hear dis Cajun?"

Remy felt a pulse along the empathic link. A wave of curiosity and amusement tinged with a mild sense of shock. He chuckled softly to himself.

"Remy take dat as a yes. Good. Dere be de sound o' drums by dis here stream o' water. Peoples might be near here. You hear dem too, mon ami? Gambit, he wan' t' investigate dese drums."

Another pulse of emotion flooded the link. Curiosity was the first sensation, but it was followed by a fierce sense of protectiveness that was almost non-thought in it's innate territoriality. Remy wasn't sure if Logan felt the need to protect him or the land that they had made theirs. In either case, Logan was projecting a need to dominate the 'interlopers' and possibly defend against attack. Remy idly wondered if that was an impulse of the wild animal within Logan, or the trained response of a lifetime of being a soldier.

"Don' get t' e'cited, mon amour. Dey could be no't'ing t' worry 'bout, non?"

The emotional equivalent of a derisive snort pulsed along the empathic link and Remy grinned.

Glancing around quickly, Remy found a spot where he could easily tuck the basket and the food it contained. Hoping that would keep it safe from the various small furred creatures that shared their forest, Remy turned and began making his way through the woods in the direction of the drums.

He didn't have to go too far. Their woods were located on the lower half of a mountain within a range of mountains. On one side of the forest was the meadow where they had first arrived, and on the other side, the side he now headed towards, was a slight cliff face that led down to a dusty valley between their mountain and it's neighbor. That valley eventually led out onto a vast plain. It was from the valley that the sounds were coming from.

Logan had made some explorations of the plain below, but he himself had never wandered past the cliff face that marked the edge of the woods. Instead, he had been more interested with going up the mountain to its peak instead of down into the valleys. Now however, he was getting a good view of what lived below.

The plain stretched out beyond the valley with shimmering waves of tall grass the color of vibrant crimson. Clearly defined trails of crushed and bent grass led unerringly into the valley directly below the cliff face. The trails became more difficult to follow through the lower bushes and ground plants that thrived there, but Remy didn't need them to find the interlopers.

They were in the center of the valley, by a small pond fed by the stream. The aliens were tall lanky bi-peds with long lean limbs that were covered by what looked to be crimson and bronze stripes. They appeared to be a tribe of nomads. All but the youngest carried large packs upon their backs and most held what appeared to be walking sticks. The nomads were surrounded by a herd of large hoofed creatures with shaggy coats of dark orange fur. Three of the older aliens carried small skin drums that they beat in a slow continuous rhythm.

Remy crouched down at the top of the cliff face and watched. He could hear the unmistakable sounds of conversation even over the noise of the small waterfall and the beat of the drums. He couldn't understand the language that they were using, but he could pick up the sense of emotion and feelings that came with sentient minds.

It was... overwhelming.

For six months he had not felt the press of multiple minds against his, only Logan's. Over that time, his need to hold up psi shields had vanished. On top of that, he had recently dropped what little shields had remained. His mind was wide open and his focus was squarely on the people below. The rush of emotion and feeling that slammed into his head was not only unexpected, it was in essence, alien. Non-human.

A wave of dizziness rushed over him and the world seemed to tilt to the left. His balance deserted him and his footing slipped. With a startled cry, Remy went over the edge of the cliff face.

Oddly, he flashed back to that time in New Orleans when he had been contracted to break into the Bonteir Estate. He had been crossing the roof when some storm damaged shingling had given away beneath him and sent him tumbling off of the roof. As if that memory jolted him to action, he slammed his psi shields up into place and allowed his thieve trained and battle honed agility to kick in.

A twist in mid air, a light kick away from a sharp rock, a grab for an exposed tree root and a graceful landing on a narrow rock ledge. Catching his balance, Remy looked up in time to hear a wild hooting battle cry. The aliens had pushed their younglings and herd animals back away from him, while the adults dropped their packs, grabbed weapons and charged.

"Merde!"

The weapons seemed to be some primitive form of bow and arrow, but Remy knew that didn't matter. An arrow can kill you just as easily as a bullet or a laser. Quickly, he reached into his pockets and pulled out a double handful of the walnut like nuts that he hunted with.

Vaguely, he wished they were his playing cards. Over the years he had become an expert at tossing playing cards to exactly where he wanted them to go. He could hit any target that brought itself into range, even if it was a moving one. The nuts weren't as easy to do. It required a different style flick of his wrist and long time habits were not easy to break.

But Remy didn't let that stop him from trying his best. One after the other, he charged a nut and let it fly. He managed to destroy almost half of the arrows mid air and he was able to dodge the rest of them... well, all but one.

A bright stab of pain flashed across his left leg. He clamped his teeth down on a howl of pain so that only a sharp hiss escaped. Glancing down, he saw that the arrow hadn't penetrated his flesh, but had merely grazed it.

A jagged rip in his pants gave evidence to a shallow cut along his skin. That cut burned mercilessly and his leg began to throb. Ruthlessly, Remy ignored the wound and charged up more of his nuts. He let them fly into the air towards the next barrage of flying arrows.

A wave of nausea and dizziness washed over him and his vision began to go fuzzy and blurred. A tiny part of his mind recognized the feeling as being poisoned by the arrowhead and Remy fought against the need to pass out.

Suddenly, much to his chagrin and the alien's vast fear, a loud angry animal roar echoed across the valley. He watched in a sort of stunned stupor as the nomads all looked up above him to the top of the cliff face. He knew what it was they saw. Wolverine, in all his berserker glory.

*SHNICK*

Remy watched with a growing sense of unreality as his lover literally leaped from the top of the cliff to soar through the air. The enraged X-Man hit the ground in an oddly graceful tumble that sent him rolling into the middle of the nomadic aliens. With a vaguely detached sense of horror, Remy watched as Wolverine sprang up to his feet and violently gutted one of the crimson-stripped bi-peds.

Then, with a sickening lurch and a rush of vertigo, the world was drowned in darkness.

Chapter 7: Mating

-1 month later-

Wolverine crouched down lower on the thick branch high up in his tree. The crunchy fruit was long since gone, but the broad leaves that the tree grew were still mostly clinging to the branches and they provided a curtain of violet and blue to conceal himself behind. He was downwind, quiet and almost motionless in his hiding spot, yet he knew that his prey was keenly aware of his presence.

In fact, it didn't matter how well he hid himself from this particular prey. This lovely creature was agile, cunning, swift... and had taken up residence within Wolverine's own mind. A few times, the prey had even used this means to turn the tables and become the predator.

A small secret smile stretched his lips wide as his mind provided him with a few choice memories of the times when his chosen prey - his mate, had taken complete control. It didn't happen often, but when it did, it always left him feeling particularly mellow and cheery for several days afterwards.

Wolverine shook his shaggy head with fierce determination pushed those thoughts aside. He had to stay focused if he was going to be able to hunt down and catch his prey. He had to stay firmly in control...

A small voice in his head quietly informed him that he was already out of control... that he wasn't thinking clearly. It whispered that he had slid down into that feral non-thought state of the beast, and that this had been happening much more frequently lately. That internal voice also warned him that he had to be *very* careful with this game. As much as he himself enjoyed the hunt and as much as Remy enjoyed being caught, Wolverine didn't actually _want_ to hurt the younger man.

With a low growl, Wolverine told the voice to shut up and he went back to watching his mate. Shifting slightly for a better view, he watched as the prey stood shivering in the creek washing the soap-root lather out of his long auburn hair. His vision focused on a sparkling droplet of water that slid down his prey's long lean muscular back. That lucky water drop followed the curve of his spine as it flowed over Remy's creamy skin only to collect in a shallow pool of water at the small of his back.

Wolverine felt his mouth water as he played through his memories of just how wonderful that particular spot on his mate's body tasted. His tongue darted out and licked at his lips and he had to restrain himself from rushing down to the creek and claiming the tall mutant right then and there.

Wait. Watch. Savor and enjoy. This time, he agreed with the quiet voice in his mind.

His prey began to climb up out of the water and Wolverine could easily hear Remy's teeth chattering from the cold. He idly wondered why the easily chilled mutant didn't use his kinetic charge ability to start a small campfire to get warm. Instead, his mate grabbed up a soft supple skin and vigorously dried himself off. Then, with quick practiced movements, the prey dressed himself in warmer furrier skins and worn boots. Once dressed, it didn't take Remy long to get his bathing supplied packed together and settled into place over his shoulder.

Wolverine shifted slightly and was prepared to sit and wait it out a bit, however, the object of his lust upped the stakes in a sudden move that only served to get his blood pounding in his veins. Without even truly looking up at him nestled in the tree, his mate sent a minor charge of kinetic energy into a small twig and tossed it up into the air towards him.

With a startled snarl, Wolverine leaped backwards off of the branch to the ground below. The resultant explosion wasn't strong enough to injure him, but it did make a big ear-ringing bang and it shook a swirling rainstorm of leaves down on his head. By the time he had managed to shake the last of the ringing tones out of his ear canals, the leaves had settled and his prey was gone. Wolverine grinned with a wicked sort of hunger gleaming in his eyes. The hunt was on.

It only took him a heartbeat's worth of time to pick up the scent that was forever engraved in his memory and on his soul. Forcibly quieting the rumbling growl of pleasure that echoed from his massive chest, Wolverine loped off through the trees, hot on the trail of his quarry.

A hundred feet into the forest Wolverine was forced to double back. He was forced to pick up the trail at a different point when Remy took to the trees. There wasn't anything that Wolverine had ever come into contact with that he couldn't climb up, and that included trees. However, his mate had long limber arms and legs and a natural agility that was breath-taking to behold. Remy could launch himself from one tree to the next, turning the forest canopy into his own private highway across the sky. He could easily shimmy up one tree faster that a squirrel and then shimmy down another tree a hundred yards away and not touch the ground once. His mate was a challenging and exciting creature to hunt. And the rewards for catching him were indescribable...

Finally, Wolverine found the trail again and set off after his prey. Scent, sound and vision all worked together to paint of vivid picture of the route that Remy had taken to flee him. And in the back of his skull a flare of warm happiness and love pulsed and shimmered in a soothing and charming way. The empathic link that Remy had forged between them only served to urge him forward, to fuel his desire. He hungered to hunt and then claim his mate.

As always, Remy was leading him home to their cave. A toothy smile split his face and his eyes gleamed. There, on the ridge, working his way past the loose shale and towards the harder granite that composed much of their mountain was his tall Arcadian. Mindful to keep downwind and to move slowly and quietly, Wolverine began stalking his prey. Closer and closer he moved until he could practically reach out and touch Remy's soft skin.

With a startling swiftness and a wild roar Wolverine leaped from concealment and *pounced*. The younger mutant gave a good fight, but it was inevitable that Wolverine would win. Grasping his captured mate with both hands, Wolverine heaved the Cajun across his shoulder and carried him back to the cave, leaving the echoes of Remy's laughter and curses ringing from the mountainside.

Once inside the cave, Wolverine stalked over to the bed of moss and furs and dropped to his knees. Leaning forward slightly, he lay his precious burden onto the fur in front of him. Wolverine took a moment to allow his eyes to run over the long lean form of his mate. He breathed in deep, the warm spicy scent rising from Remy flooding his brain. A deep husky growl rumbled in his muscled chest.

"Mine!"

"Oui mon amour. Gambit be yours."

As if those words had shattered his fragile control, Wolverine rushed into action. He roughly grabbed his mate and began to quickly peal him out of his clothes and he didn't stop until Remy was naked before him.

Wolverine reached out with both hands and laid them on Remy's chest. His mate's skin was pale and creamy and smooth, except for the scars from the explosion which were a vivid red, bumpy and gnarled in texture. He ran his thick fingertips along the lines of muscle and flesh is a swirling pattern, tracing the ridges and dips of Remy's chest.

His mate writhed and arched under his soft teasing touch, eager for more contact. A musky wave of pheromones rose from Remy's body in a counterpoint to the pulsing throb of arousal that flowed across the empathic link directly into Wolverine's brain. He shivered at the erotic effect the taller mutant had on him.

Growling low in his throat, Wolverine leaned away from his mate for a quick moment as he quickly tore his own clothes from his body. After a brief struggle with his worn jeans, he was finally free of the restraining material and then he turned his full attention back where it belonged. On his naked and aroused mate.

Positioning himself to kneel between Remy's widespread thighs, Wolverine stretched his body forward to blanket his mate's chest. He grabbed Remy's wrists in his large callused hands and trapped his mate's arms up above his head. Wolverine then buried his face in Remy's long auburn hair and neck. He snuffled and sniffed, breathing in the sharp spicy scent of his mate.

He luxuriated in the wash of heat that rose up from his lover's body and the musk of arousal the hung thickly in the air. Practically trembling with desire and need, Wolverine opened his mouth and ran his tongue along the length of his mate's throat. His sense of taste bloomed in a riot of flavors. Spice, salt, musk, flesh, *Remy*. Wolverine growled louder as his hunger spiked.

He began a journey across his mate's body. A journey of taste and scent. He licked and nibbled and kissed his way across Remy's neck and chest. He lavished attention on the dips and valleys between each rib and he nibbled and suckled upon his mate's peaked nipples. His large square hands traveled down the undersides of Remy's arms, tracing the outline of muscle and tendon.

Remy writhed and arched, he whimpered and babbled, whispering encouragement and compliments in his eclectic mixture of Cajun French and broken English. He rubbed his body against Wolverine's in a wanton and almost vulgar display of want and need. And when Wolverine moved his hands from Remy's wrists, the taller mutant keep his arms right where Wolverine had placed them, restraining himself as easily as if he'd been shackled in place.

Wolverine rewarded Remy's perfect submission by traveling further down his body. He licked a trail from his ribs to his navel. He nipped gently at the skin of his mate, leaving behind red marks caused by his hungry mouth. His hand ran patterns along Remy's ribs and down his sides, and he thrilled at the sensation of that taunt skin twitching and jumping beneath his touch.

Wolverine shifted further down his mate's body and nuzzled his face into the thick bush of soft red hair that surrounded his lover's long hard cock. Remy's scent was strongest here and he breathed in deeply, filling his lungs with that wonderful perfume.

Moving his head around the drooling swollen cock, Wolverine aimed his attention at Remy's balls. Gently and reverently, like a starving man at a banquet feast, he licked at them. The pure unadulterated taste of Remy LeBeau exploded across his tongue and shivers raced down his spine. His brain howled for more.

Opening his mouth, he carefully sucked one of those precious orbs into the wet heat of him. His tongue wrapped around it and laved it lovingly. His mate moaned and twitched, begging incoherently. Tenderly, he released it and then sucked in the other one. Wolverine lavished the same gentle attention on that one as he did its mate. And when he released it too from the wet cavern of his mouth, he blew a stream of cool air against the wet sack. Remy shivered.

Able to resist no more, Wolverine ran his tongue along the length of Remy's shaft from base to tip. Mouth watering with excitement and hunger, he swirled his tongue along the ridge of the swollen crown. His ears thrilled to the sounds of his mate moaning and whimpering under him. Each hissed breath and every pleading whisper was music to his soul and he craved those erotic noises as much as he hungered for the musky rich taste. He dipped his tongue into the slit at the tip of Remy's shaft and was rewarded with more lovely noises as well as the sweet salty taste of Remy's desire.

Stretching his mouth wide to accommodate Remy's girth, Wolverine slid his mouth down over the full head of Remy's cock. He swirled his tongue around it, delighting in the smooth texture and the burning heat of it. He could easily feel his mate's thighs tremble with excitement beneath him and he growled low in his throat at the pleasure.

In a swift move borne from much practice and great hunger, Wolverine angled his head and neck perfectly, then he swallowed Remy's cock down into his tight hot throat. His mate wailed and arched up off the bed of moss, thrusting deeper into the tight wet heat. Wild pleasure sizzled along the empathic link and mixed with his own, only to return back to his lover twice as strong.

Wolverine clamped his hands down on Remy's hips, trapping him into a semblance of stillness until he could only writhe helplessly below him, a prisoner of desire and need. Mewling noises of pleasure washed over his ears and a thick invisible cloud of pheromones rose up from his lover's body to drench his heightened senses.

Wolverine began to bob his head up and down on his mate's shaft even as a husky growl erupted in his chest to send erotic vibrations through his lover's cock and balls. White heat exploded along the mental link between them and Wolverine felt Remy's balls pull up tight to his body as every muscle Remy had locked down tight and began to tremble.

He pulled back his head so that he could catch the first eruption of seed onto his tongue. The hot salty sweet flavor drowned his taste buds in pure ecstasy and then he yanked his head free to catch the rest in one open hand. With his other hand, he milked his mate's cock for every last drop.

Remy seemed to almost melt bonelessly into the soft thick furs of their makeshift bed, a wide smile of sated pleasure plastered across his beautiful face. Wolverine greedily drank in the lovely sight of his mate laying beneath him in surrender and bliss while he coated his own throbbing and rock hard cock with Remy's hot seed. He didn't even have to tell his lover what he wanted, Remy simply raised his legs and tilted his hips up wordlessly.

Wolverine could see the fine tremors that raced through his love's muscles. He was a lush and wanton banquet of delight, and Wolverine was starving for him. His own hand shaking with need, Wolverine reached down with the hand that was wet from Remy's seed and began to stretch out the muscles that guarded his lover's center.

"Non... jus' take me mon amour. Remy be ready fo' you. Maintenant!"

Not needing to be told twice to just take that which was rightfully his, Wolverine grabbed Remy's thighs and spread them wider even as he pushed them back, opening his mate up to him. He took a quick moment to aim his throbbing and angry cock at Remy's opening and then he thrust inside in one swift movement.

"Ahhhh... Mon Dieu!"

Remy's voice was a whisper that caressed his ears even as velvety heat clutched at him in an almost painfully tight grip. His eyes slammed shut and he gritted his sharp teeth, willing himself not to come right then and there. His body trembled and he squeezed Remy's thighs hard enough to leave bruises in the shape of his fingers, but he managed to push himself away from the razor edge of completion.

Taking a deep breath to help calm himself further, he only succeeded in inhaling the musky scent of sex into his lungs. Hunger and lust rose in him once more and he pulled back until only the head of his cock was left inside his mate. The tight ring of muscle squeezed him deliciously and he began to growl once more. Then, he slammed back inside of Remy's tight hot sheath once more. His mate howled at the sensation and pleasure flooded the empathic link.

Faster and faster Wolverine pulled back out of Remy's hot throbbing body only to slam back in as hard as he could. His mate's entire body jolted with each violent thrust, even as he bucked and arched below him, meeting each powerful thrust with one of his own.

The link that was between them pulsed and throbbed with sensual pleasure and overwhelming need and hunger. Wolverine could *feel* Remy's pleasure, his desire and arousal. But more than that, as the last tiny shred of his mate's psi-shields dropped away under the onslaught of sensation, Wolverine could feel Remy's joy and happiness in his own surrender and submission to the wild half-feral man that was claiming him.

Wolverine basked in the knowledge that his lover had opened up everything that he was to him without hesitation or fear. Remy's body, heart and mind were all there, open willing and begging to be claimed. And love... Bright pure selfless love washed over him, into him and through him. That deep wellspring of emotion seared him and claimed him, even as he claimed Remy physically.

His mind swirling with fevered emotions and his body pulsing and throbbing with pleasure, Wolverine shuddered and trembled as he slammed one last time, deeply into the scorching heat of his mate and came. Hard.

All the muscles in his body strained and shivered as jolts of erotic pleasure sizzled along his nerve endings. White heat flashed before his eyes, blinding him to everything but glowing red on black eyes as his cock swelled to impossible dimensions and pulsed out jet after jet of seed deep in his lover's body.

A wave of dizziness washed over him and the world tilted erratically. He somehow managed to thrust one hand down into the pile of furs to prevent him from collapsing on top of Remy. Painfully, he heaved great draughts of air into his oxygen-starved lungs as violent aftershocks of pleasure zipped across his sweaty skin.

As he lay there trembling, he felt the warm sweet body of his lover roll over into his arms and snuggle tightly against his body. Delicious warmth and tenderness flowed over him and through his still spinning mind. Gently, he pulled that wonderful body closer and wrapped his arms around it.

"Je t'aime mon couer."

Logan felt a small smile spread across his rugged face and then he realized that he was once again in his right mind. Sane and whole, loved and needed. He placed a gentle kiss on the soft auburn hair nestled close to his face.

"Love you too Gumbo."

Chapter 8: Promises

-one month later-

The night was crisp and cold. A thin layer of frost coated everything, making the whole world seem to sparkle and shimmer under the starlight. The cloudless sky appeared to be black velvet sprinkled with glittering diamonds. Elegant and beautiful. A light breeze rustled the last tenacious leaves still clinging to their branches and a peaceful stillness held the forest in it's gentle grip.

A small cloud of frost forming with every breath he took, Remy leaned his chest tight against Logan's back. Warmth blossomed across his body wherever they touched and a soft smile stretched his face.

"Tres magnifique, non?"

Remy wrapped his arms around Logan and his lover's thick fingers laced together with his own.

"Yeah. It's beautiful out tonight. Reminds me of Canada, right before the first big snowfall."

Remy's smile grew a little wistful and he tightened his hold around his lover. Tilting his head to rest his cheek against Logan's wild mane of hair, Remy basked in the bittersweet feelings of contentment and love that flowed to him along their empathic link.

"Homesick, mon couer?"

Logan's shoulders shrugged lightly and he grunted.

"A little. I miss some things, like my beer and my cigars. There are other things that I don't miss at all."

They both grew quiet for a long moment, just watching the stars sparkle in the sky and listening to the quiet sounds of the slumbering forest around them. Finally, Remy pressed a soft kiss to Logan's temple and whispered in a voice slightly rusty from disuse.

"Cher?"

Logan grunted and pressed back against Remy, his head tilted slightly in inquiry.

"Gambit is glad dat you are here wit' him. Vraiment, you keep dis Cajun sane. De empat'y, it is not an easy t'ing to live wit'. Dis world, she is so empty of thoughts and feelin's. Don' know what Gambit do wit'out you, mon amour."

Logan patted his hands softly and flooded their link with the warmth of compassion and love.

"Keep the faith, Gumbo. The X-Men will find a way to get us home and then you'll be bitching and moaning about so many people pressing in on your shields and driving you nuts in the process."

Remy didn't even try to contain the chuckle of pure delight that bubbled up out of him.

"Oui, mon couer. You mos' likely right. Gambit gonna be fightin' to get his psi-shields back up when de ot'ers bring us home. Mais, you be dere to help, so Remy not worried."

At that, Logan gently squeezed Remy's hands and turned his face up for a kiss. Remy tipped his own head down and their lips met in a brief gentle brush of skin against skin. Then Logan pulled back and twisted slightly so that they were gazing into each other's eyes.

"I promise ya right now I'll be there for ya, whatever ya need. Us going home won't change that and it won't change how I feel about ya."

Remy felt his eyes mist up and he blinked them rapidly to keep from crying, but a single tear escaped down his cheek. Logan reached up and brushed it away with one thick finger.

"Je t'aime, Logan."

"I love ya too, Remy. Forever."

Remy smiled and pressed himself deeper into his lover's embrace. His empathy let him *feel* Logan's love and sincerity as it surrounding and filled him. Whispering his own promise to his lover, the trees and the stars above, Remy finally knew true happiness.

"Forever, mon amour. Forever."

Chapter 9: Crazy

-one month later-

Logan studied his obviously insane mate with a mixture of worry and aggravation while coming to a definite conclusion. A bored Remy LeBeau was a *dangerous* Remy LeBeau. Make that a *cranky*, *homesick*, *pouty* and *crazy* dangerous Remy LeBeau.

For the past several months, his beloved had been trapped in a forest wilderness, light years from all of the amusements and distractions that he adored so much. Granted, Logan missed certain things as well, but all in all, he was much more adaptive to a wild primitive environment.

Remy, on the other hand, craved his missing nightclubs and bars, his cigarettes and bourbon, his motorcycle and his music. He missed picking locks, breaking into advanced security systems and hacking into protected computer databases. He missed flirting with everyone he met and his competitive prank-pulling with Bobby Drake. Although, Logan was willing to bet money that Cyclops, the usual victim in a Gambit and Iceman Joke-War, was probably glad for the respite.

No, Logan's beautiful social butterfly had been forced to wear rags and fur, hunt animals and harvest fruits, nuts and roots while limiting his chitchat to Logan himself. And even at the best of times, Logan knew he wasn't a great conversationalist. At the worst of times, Logan didn't even recognize human speech as a form of communication.

At first, Remy was too injured to worry about anything beyond getting better. Then he was kept busy learning about his new world, not to mention the deepening of trust and friendship into lust and love. However, that was not enough to keep Remy's complex mind occupied for long. Logan found the forest endlessly fascinating, even to the point where it's lure threatened his very humanity. Remy, on the other hand, was slowly but surely going out of his mind with boredom.

And he was cheerfully taking Logan along for the ride.

The weather lately had only been acerbating the problem. Cold and wet, outside activities were limited to the bare necessities, forcing both of them to take shelter inside of their small rocky cave. This wasn't that big of a problem for Logan, however, it was a lot harder on Remy.

They had played with Remy's single deck of cards until the ink had practically been worn off. They had talked about everything and anything; from Remy's painful and traumatic childhood to Logan's sketchy and fragmented memories of the Weapon-X Project. They shared their hopes and dreams, their desires and fears. And to lighten the mood, they had sung every song that either of them could remember all the words to. And still, Remy was bored.

In fact, Remy was currently pacing around Logan in an endless circle, juggling four of the walnut type nuts that he used as weapons and lecturing Logan on the proper way to prepare crawdads. In full detail. Informative, yet also highly annoying after four hours of nonstop babble. Logan found himself grinding his teeth.

"Remy."

As if Logan hadn't spoken at all, his mate continued to pace in his endless circles, an unending flow of patois pouring from his lips as he denounced the evils of walking away from "the sauce" while it was cooking.

"Gumbo. Stop. Ya making me dizzy."

Once again, Logan's voice wasn't enough to break through Remy's self induced trancelike state of pacing and juggling and babbling. Logan was sure that his mate could actually *smell* the food he was describing in such rich detail. Memory was an odd thing. Some things disappeared forever, and others were available for complete surround-sense experience whenever you pulled them up for review.

"Come on, Cajun. Just... sit down and let's, I don't know, play cards again. Anything but this, huh? You're driving me batty, bub."

Even his appeal to Remy's inner gambler didn't work. Logan had the faint idea that his insane mate couldn't even *hear* him anymore because Remy was too busy listening to the sound of his *own* voice. Unfortunately, being trapped inside the cave with him meant that *Logan* had to listen to it as well. Not normally a problem, but it was far passed ridiculous by now. Making a mental note to find some newborn animal to turn into a pet for Remy to babble at with the first sign of Spring, Logan figured that it was time to make a stand and *demand* Remy stop walking in endless circles complete with babble-mode sound effects.

Standing up and placing himself directly into Remy's path, Logan put his hands out wide to prevent his loopy lover from simply walking *around* him. Then, when Remy got close to him, Logan opened up his mouth and shouted at him.

"GAMBIT!"

For his part, Remy looked slightly startled.

"Oui, cher?"

Logan wasn't quite sure where to begin, after all, he hadn't really been certain that this would work any better than his other attempts to distract Remy. However, it did work. The glazed look melted away from his red on black eyes and he seemed to focus in on Logan for the first time in several hours. Gambit's head tilted slightly to the side and he seemed to study Logan intently, most likely noticing his exasperated and slightly desperate expression.

"Y' okay dere, mon couer? Y' look like y' could use a good nap."

Logan gapped at Remy for a long moment, then his jaw snapped closed and he ground his teeth together. He wasn't sure if he wanted to laugh, cry or just punch Remy in the nose.

"A nap? No, darlin', that ain't what I need. What I need is *quiet*. I need you to *stop* walking in them damn circles and I need you to stop yaking on about the damn crawdads. I mean, ya don't hear *me* yammering on about pot roast and rack of lamb, do ya?"

Logan knew that he'd made a tactical error the moment those words left his mouth. He wished that it was physically possible to kick ones self in the ass as soon as Remy began babbling again.

"Dat's true, mon ami. Oh, an' never let Betsy cook de pot roast. De femme has no true u'erstandin' o' wha' it means t' season de meat. Wha' does she t'ink dat spice rack fo', anyway? T' collect dust?"

Logan frowned. He *liked* Betsy's pot roast. A lot. Hell, at the moment, he'd happily *kill* for a plate of her pot roast.

"Now hold on there, bub. Betsy's a *good* cook. Just because she doesn't baste the meat in the juice of a thousand red hot peppers doesn't mean that she doesn't season it just perfectly."

Remy threw up his hands in disgust as if he'd just been exposed to the foulest form of blasphemy known to civilized man. And Logan conceded that maybe from a Cajun cook's point of view, he had. However, the whole point of standing up and making Remy stop babbling about crawdads had been missed seeing as how Remy was now pacing around while expounding the *best* way to cook a pot roast.

Obviously, if Logan wanted a little peace and quiet, he'd have to come up with a new tactic to get it. All he'd managed to do with his standing up and yelling was change the channel, not turn off the tv. Stepping back out of Remy's way to let him make another circuit of the cave, Logan concentrated on the problem.

Food was one of the basic motivators of primal man, so Logan could understand why Remy would get caught up in that subject as the focus of his mental breakdown. However, so was fighting, sex and alcohol. Logan figured that Gambit also considered stealing to be a basic motivators as well, but that was probably a thief thing as opposed to a primal man thing. Well, they didn't have any alcohol and while Logan enjoyed a good fight, it was risky with the distinct lack of medical facilities available. All it would take is for Logan to get one good hit on the Cajun and then they'd be back in the same situation that they were in when they first got here. He didn't want that. So... sex it is.

Completely ignoring the endless stream of babble that emerged from his mate's lips, Logan reached out and gently reeled Remy in on his next pass. Nodding his head seriously as if he was actually paying attention to the words, Logan carefully steered Gambit over to the soft thick pile of furs that they used as their bed. Once there, he paused a moment to peer thoughtfully at the Cajun as he nattered on about the benefits of candied yams verses plain sweet potatoes. Logan was sorely tempted to merely gag his lover into silence, but he dismissed the idea almost immediately. Remy'd probably hurt himself trying to babble around it. There was only one truly safe way to spare his delicate and abused ears, and that was to fuck the Cajun into unconsciousness.

Patiently, Logan began to methodically peel the layers of Blue Deer furs and hide off of his mate. Almost automatically, Remy shifted and moved his limbs to assist Logan at his task, but it was painfully clear that his mind was occupied completely by his mental kitchen. The fact that he was at all helpful in getting himself naked was merely habit and it was done by rote. Logan didn't mind at all. Once Remy was nude, he gently guided him down until he was stretched out on the furs and then began removing his own clothing.

However, whispered words of pot roast just wasn't as conducive to hot sex as it should have been. Logan's mind scrambled for an acceptable substitute. Stretching his own heavy body out over top of Gambit's, he leaned down and nipped at his lover's jaw to get his attention.

"Sure, Rem. That's fine for *dinner*. But what about after? I mean, ya gonna make me a fancy desert, ain't ya?"

Red on black eyes glazed with a light sheen of insanity, Remy smiled widely at the very suggestion.

"Oui, cher. Gambit be t'inkin' maybe chocolate mousse? Wit' whip cream an' fresh strawberries on top."

Instantly, the mental image of Remy laid out over black satin sheets, his soft skin covered in creamy chocolate, whipped cream and fresh ripe berries popped into Logan's head. Drool began to gather in his mouth and at the tip of his suddenly hard cock.

"Yeah, darlin'. That'll work. Why don't ya tell me all about it."

Tuning out the exact words, but letting the sound of his mate's husky voice wash over his ears, Logan nuzzled his nose into Remy's hair and breathed in deeply. The musky spicy scent of his lover filled his mind and lungs, speaking to him at an animal level of home and safety and love. With a sound that was half growl of possession and half purr of contentment, Logan nipped at the soft flesh of Remy's neck. Then, he ran his tongue over the tiny bite to soothe and comfort. The flavor of his lover's skin practically exploded across his tongue and Logan's mind made one single demand: *more*.

Not one to argue with himself, at least in this respect, Logan nibbled and licked his way down the lean column of Remy's neck to the thin line of his collarbone. This temptation was too much for Logan, so he ran his tongue along the entire length of it only to end in a sucking kiss on the hollow at the base of Gambit's throat. His lover moaned loudly and babbled something about caramel sauce. Logan considered that for a brief second. He finally came to the conclusion that Remy flavored caramel sauce *would* be delicious, however, he himself was *far* too hairy to even contemplate it seriously. The very thought of trying to pick all that sticky sauce out of his chest hair made him wince. He made a mental note to break it to Remy gently later, right now he had more important things to worry about. Twin peaked nipples poking his chest, to be exact.

Working his way down with a few nips and licks, Logan found himself faced with Remy's chest. Almost absently he noticed that his lover's chest was different than it had been when they first arrived. Firstly, there was absolutely no spare ounce of fat on Remy's body at all, not that the Cajun had *ever* had a lot to spare, but it was much more pronounced now. His muscles' mass and tone had changed as well. No longer the perfect proportions of one who spent lots of time working out in a well equipped gym, Remy now had the tight sinewy look of someone who's physical activity was from hard demanding physical labor. Logan's inner animal approved of this obvious sign of toughness and the ability to survive punishing conditions.

Flattening his tongue against the soft skin covering Gambit's tight pectorals, Logan ran it in a direct line to the tight bud of skin that was his lover's nipple. Remy arched his back, pressing his chest against Logan's mouth. He rewarded this display of submission by sucking the nipple into his mouth and pulling on it gently.

"Dieu!"

Logan grinned at finally grabbing Remy's full attention even as two long fingered hands wound into his hair. His smugness lasted for as long as it took Gambit to mutter something barely coherent about raspberry Jell-O and a bathtub. However, it sounded interesting and far less threatening to his chest hair then the caramel sauce, so Logan forgave him.

Bringing up both of his hands, Logan ran them over his lover's flesh. He knew that his fingers were rough and calloused from long hours of hauling wood and working this wilderness with his bare hands. He could only imagine what that felt like to Remy as they petted over his soft creamy skin. Some part of his lover must have enjoyed it because Gambit pushed up against him trying to deepen the contact as Logan skimmed his fingertips over his mate, caressing and worshiping delightful curves, lines and muscles that he had already memorized long ago.

And all throughout, Logan kept on moving his mouth downwards. He trailed gentle kisses as he counted Remy's ribs and he nuzzled his nose in the beginnings of soft red fur that thickened as Logan followed it along his mate's tight stomach. That musky spicy scent that Logan adored so much got stronger the further down his mate's body that he went. His chest rumbling with soft growls of pleasure, Logan dipped his tongue down into Remy's bellybutton. His efforts were rewarded with a low smoky moan and his lover writhing under him in an effort to press their bodies closer together.

Trailing his hands down along Gambit's sides, Logan grasped tight hold of his lover's hips. This move somehow sparked a trigger in Remy because he automatically tried to pump his hips upwards against Logan's restraining hands as if, even in the midst of his insanity, he knew what was coming next. Also, the softly muttered patois began to get a little louder and faster as Remy rambled on about the joys of steamed salmon. Logan frowned slightly at that. He wasn't hungry for fish. At all. However, he was able to push the distraction aside since what he *was* hungry for was currently standing at attention and waving in front of his face.

Running his tongue along the length of Remy's hard cock, he tasted the firm shaft from base to tip only to lightly suck the crown into his mouth briefly. Gambit's fingers were still tangled in Logan's hair, and they gripped down in a painful tug. Logan didn't mind, however, he was too busy filling his senses with the bittersweet spice of his lover's scent and taste.

Letting his lover slide back out of his mouth, Logan ran his tongue all along the shaft, wetting it, making it slick. Briefly, he dipped his head down to nuzzle his nose against Remy's softly furred balls, enjoying the almost overwhelming wave of pheromones carried on his mate's deep musky scent. Then, he gently nibbled his way up the underside of Remy's cock so that he could take it into his mouth once more.

Mindful of his teeth, Logan ran his tongue around the edge of the crown and then sucked Gambit deep into his mouth. Taking in a deep breath and forcibly relaxing his throat, he then swallowed. The long hard cock in his mouth slid almost effortlessly passed his suppressed gag reflex as Remy clutched his head painfully and cried out at the sensation.

All at once, Logan realized that his lover had stopped his inane babbling about food and he practically smirked around the shaft in his mouth. Sliding back up Remy's cock, Logan hollowed his cheeks to increase the suction and then slid back down it once more. He soon had a nice steady rhythm going that was as pleasurable for *him* as it was for Gambit. Pre-cum dribbled in an almost constant flow into his mouth and his lover twitched and wiggled beneath him. So, it was almost a disappointment to him when Remy suddenly jerked hard and came.

Logan allowed himself to swallow a mouthful of the delicious salty liquid, but then he pulled off of his lover so that he could catch the rest of it in his hands. Remy was practically boneless with pleasure and he was whispering something in his eclectic mixture of French and English. Logan was beyond caring at this point, however. His own cock was rock hard and screaming at him about neglect.

Carefully pushing himself up on his knees, Logan used one hand to spread his lover's legs and tilt his hips to the best angle. Almost automatically, Remy tried to help, but Logan didn't mind manhandling his lover in the least. Once settled to his satisfaction, Logan scooped up some of Gambit's still warm cum and used it as lubrication. Wetting his fingers, he reached down and pressed gently against the opening to Remy's body. Only the slightest pressure was needed to gain entrance to his mate's most private place anymore and soon Logan found himself buried up to his last knuckle in Remy's hot clutching passage. It was tempting to just forget this step and take his lover dry, but they hadn't been together *that* long and he didn't want to hurt Gambit. So, as frustrating as it was to his throbbing cock, Logan took the time and care to make sure that Remy was slicked down and his muscles were loosened.

When he was certain that his lover was ready, Logan quickly coated his painful erection with the remaining cum. He made sure that his touch was light for he didn't want to risk spilling into his own hand. That would never do, he wanted to cum deep inside of Remy's body. Pulling his mate's hips and ass up onto his lap, Logan lined the purple head of his cock at the wet and waiting entrance to Gambit's body.

"Ready darlin'?"

Glazed red on black eyes locked onto his.

"Je te desire. Je m'abandonne. Prends-moi, je suis a toi."

Not entirely certain what his lover had just said, but liking the sound of it anyway, Logan smiled.

"I'll take that as a yes."

Slowly, Logan slid into the furnace hot depths of Remy's tight clenching body in one smooth motion until he was seated to the hilt. Gasping for breath, Logan held perfectly still with all muscles locked in place as a wave of sizzling pleasure rolled up his spine and into his brain. Clutching wet heat grasped his throbbing length as Remy's body rippled around him, adjusting and shifting to accommodate his girth. It felt amazing and Logan gritted his teeth against the urge to cum.

Little by little, the sparkles faded from in front of his eyes as he backed away from the precipice and he gathered his self control to him. Then Remy moved, arching his back and thrusting his ass tightly against Logan's groin, embedding his shaft even deeper into that glorious passage of muscle. Logan growled in pleasure.

Grabbing hold of Gambit's lean thighs tight enough to leave hand sized bruises, Logan spread his lover's legs wide open. Remy was splayed out before him in a visual feast of decadent submission that looked as sexy as it felt. Hard cock standing out from a nest of bright red hair. Long lean legs and tight hard stomach leading up to a firm muscled chest and above it all, that inhumanly beautiful face flushed with pleasure and lust.

"Mine!"

A pink tongue slid out to lick against full luscious lips.

"Oui, je suis a toi."

Growling deep in his throat, Logan pulled back so that just the thick crown of his shaft was still inside of Remy's sweet body. Then, with a powerful lunge of his strong hips and back, Logan slammed into his lover deeply. With a cry of dizzying pleasure, Remy arched into his thrust, rising up to meet him.

Reason carried away in a rush of animal hunger, Logan set up a punishing rhythm, plundering his mate's body. Possessing him, claiming him. Their passion flirted the fine line between making love and bestial mating. Fast and furious, Logan growled and pounded into Remy even as his lover writhed and clawed at him with his blunt fingernails, leaving trails of bloody scratches behind. Painful pressure built up inside his balls and his skin tingled with jolts of blinding pleasure as they raced to completion. Feeling as if he were ready to explode into a thousand screaming pieces, Logan leaned down and clamped his jaws on Gambit's throat at the point where his neck connected to his shoulder. Biting down hard, the hot coppery taste of blood flooded his senses and with a violent shudder he thrust one last time and came. Hard.

White noise sizzled through his brain and his vision dimmed to black for a brief second as he teetered on the edge of fainting. A burning hot splash of semen against his stomach and the painful clenching of Remy's channel against his overly sensitive cock yanked him back into awareness, however. With a heartfelt moan, Logan rode out the waves of Gambit's second orgasm until his lover stilled under him. Then, as gently as he could, he slid out of his mate's body and flopped over onto his back beside him.

Almost immediately, Remy rolled over and cuddled up against him, tucking his head under Logan's chin and resting it against his sweaty chest. A grin forming over his face, Logan wrapped his thick arms around his lover and pulled him in tighter. Gambit wiggled into his favorite "fall asleep" position and then mumbled something about making Chicken Cordon Blu for dinner tomorrow night. For half a second, Logan was ready to start cursing, but then Remy slipped off into a deep sleep.

Cuddling his sleeping lover tightly, Logan prayed that it didn't rain again tomorrow. While his plan to tire Remy out had worked, he didn't know how much longer he could stand being trapped in a cave with the man. And it was painfully obvious that his lover *needed* to find something to occupy his mind before he drove them both around the bend. But for now, this sex sated exhaustion would do.

Settling back against the furs, Logan listened to the sound of the rain and his softly snoring lover as he finally got to enjoy some peace and quiet.

END: chapter 9 "Crazy"

END: chapter 9 "Crazy"