Among the Strong
Mar. 29th, 2024 07:13 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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marysuevirusTitle: Among the Strong
Chapter Ten: Revelations
Fandom: the Marvel universe
Rating: 18 and up
Warnings: graphic violence, language, sex, dark themes, anything else i can toss in.
Disclaimer: the recognizable characters and places contained herein are the property of Marvel. i'm merely borrowing for the sake of entertainment. no money is being made from this venture. Haley belongs todazzledfirestar Morgan belongs toginevra Roxxy belongs tonanaeanaven Jehnna belongs to silverfox_chan and Dare belongs to me. the concept and title of The Mary Sue Virus are used with permission from dazzledfirestar .
Author's Notes: this is almost entirely Daz's fault. okay. so it really isn't. its actually almost 100% my fault. Daz just did a whole lot of encouraging. this fic is going to be kind of dark, so please keep that in mind while reading.
Among the Strong - the index
Deirdre stared at the door silently and contemplated just turning around and going somewhere else. Anywhere else than here, honestly. She did not want to go into that office. There was some instinct telling her that stepping into that room would change her life. She wasn't sure how it would do so and she wasn't sure how she knew it would happen, but the thought was there. And it scared her.
This was almost like that time she'd been called to the office because she'd gotten into a fight with another kid over her mum's name. This kid, some little boy who thought he knew everything, had told her point blank that there was no way anyone had named her mother Dare. He'd also said that Dare was a stupid name for a girl. And he'd gone further and said that Dare wasn't even a real name. Deirdre had gotten so angry at him that she'd punched him in the nose. Hard enough to break it. She'd left him to bleed all over his shirt and gone back to playing on the swings. Until he'd gone and told on her to the teacher.
That had been a bad day, because she'd been sure she was going to be in trouble with her parents. Especially with her Da. She'd worried for nothing, of course. Da had told her not to do it again while laughing the whole time. And Mum had offered to have a word with the little boy to prove to him that a girl could be named Dare. Then there'd been a discussion about impulse control and tempers, followed by her favorite ice cream.
There'd been almost the same exact feeling of dread then that there was now. This was... some how worse. Dee didn't want to go in there and find out what Professor Xavier had to say to her. It had nothing to do with the man himself. He'd always been nice to her. But the unease filling her refused to settle. It refused to fade. It made her hesitant to go inside.
"Is something the matter, Deirdre?" A voice behind her saw her turning to find Ms. Grey coming up the hall. There was a touch of curiosity and concern on her face, telling Dee that the woman had stood and watched her staring at the door for a while.
Dee tipped her head to the side, considering her answer. There were any number of things she could tell Ms. Grey. She knew the woman wouldn't have any issues prying the truth from her brain without thinking twice about it. So Dee sighed and shook her head. "Just don't want to go in there," she replied and motioned with one hand toward the professor's office. "He called me here to talk to him."
The addition wasn't necessary. Dee felt certain that the professor had asked Ms. Grey to be part of the conversation. Maybe he'd even sent for her after he'd sent for Dee in the hopes that she would be capable of convincing Dee to step into the office. Professor Xavier didn't know her very well if he thought Dee could be convinced to do anything by someone else.
"I'm sure the professor only wants to check in with you and make sure you're okay since your parents aren't here right now," Ms. Grey suggested.
Dee stared at Ms. Grey. It didn't exactly feel like she was telling a lie. But it somehow didn't feel like the complete truth, either. It made Dee think that she had been called here for another reason entirely. And that the Professor had asked Ms. Grey to sit in on it with him. She considered that for a little while. After several long moments of staring at Ms. Grey, who watched her expectantly, Dee heaved a sigh and turned toward the office door. Fine. She'd go in and see what this was all about.
Ignoring the woman behind her, Dee made her way to the closed door. It opened before she got close enough to knock and that almost brought her feet to a stop. But she'd decided to do it and there was no backing out now. Not with the professor before her and Ms. Grey behind her. Unless she developed teleportation in the next few seconds.
When thinking about popping into the kitchen failed to produce any results, she resigned herself to her fate and stepped into Professor Xavier's office. Ms. Grey came in behind her and shut the door. At the same time, the professor wheeled himself back into place behind his desk. One hand motioned toward one of the chairs. Dee tried to figure out what either of her parents would do. Something told her they'd stand. So she shook her head and stood between his desk and one of the empty chairs. She noticed that Ms. Grey moved to stand on the other side of the desk with the professor.
Yeah. He'd definitely asked her to join him.
"Good afternoon, Deirdre, and thank you for coming," the professor said. He sat behind his desk, his gaze intent on her. He was smiling at her. "I'm certain you're curious as to why I've asked you to join me in my office."
She gave a faint nod, not bothering with any words. They weren't necessary until he made them necessary and a voice in her head was telling her to keep as many of her words behind her teeth as she could.
"I understand you spoke with your father earlier today," the professor continued. Dee again nodded, wondering why he was bringing up the phone call. "Do you remember what you talked about with him?"
"We talked about classes being canceled. We talked about Mum and the rest of Purple Team being on a mission and something happened. We talked about how he's looking for Purple Team. And we talked about him coming home."
"You asked him to come home?" Xavier asked her. The question made it sound like he was confused as to why she would do so, but that instinct was suggesting that his question was meant to lead her down the line of conversation he wanted her to cover.
"Yes," she nodded. She'd play his game until she got tired of it.
"Why would you ask your father to come home if he's looking for your mother?"
Dee stared at him a moment, trying to figure out his angle. The answer should have been obvious. She and her siblings needed him here. And she got the impression he knew that already. No. He was looking for another answer. She just wasn't sure what it was. "Da needs to come home and be with me and my siblings," she said. She took the most obvious answer because she wanted to see what he did with it.
There was a voice whispering at the back of her brain, telling her she needed to be careful with her answers. She wasn't sure why that voice was telling her such a thing, but she was going to listen to it.
"But why would you ask him to come home if he's out looking for your mother? Isn't it important to you that she come home, too?" There was something there in the professor's voice. A kind of lure. Something meant to coax her into answering the way he wanted her to. Dee bit back the urge to tell him to kiss her butt. It was what her mother would do, only in a far more direct manner. And with coarser language. But she stomped on the urge and took her attention off him. She didn't want to look at him. She couldn't say why that was. She just didn't want to.
Dee's gaze drifted around the office, taking a moment to catalogue all the books on the shelves. The pictures on the wall. One of them had Uncle Henry in it, from before he'd gotten all blue and furry. How she knew it was Uncle Henry, she couldn't say. But she knew it was him. The sight of his face without all the fur made her smile a little bit. There were other pictures, She saw her Da. And Uncle Remy in some. Her Mum was in another. Of course she was the only one not smiling in the whole picture.
Finally, her wandering gaze landed on his desk. There, at the edge, was the outline of a hand. And Dee knew, without having to be told, that her mother had left that mark. That she'd burnt the outline into the wood. She knew her mother's temper was as fierce and unpredictable as her flames. And she was flooded with the certainty that her mother would be home.
"She knows what you want, Charles. She just refuses to say."
Dee frowned, her attention snapping to Ms. Grey. "I don't like it when people talk about me behind my back," she said, her tone filled with accusation. "Its rude and its disrespectful."
Before she allowed the woman to say anything, she shifted her attention back to the professor and stared him down. She thought she might have heard something about her mother's eyes, but she couldn't be sure. Her temper had surged and with it came more of that same certainty. A lot more of it. It kind of made her feel a touch invincible. She put her hand on the print that decorated the edge of his desk and swore she could feel her Mum's presence fill her.
"My da is doing about as much good in the search out there as you are here. Which is absolutely none at all." Dee didn't hear the coldness of her tone. Or the complete belief in her words. She just knew she was saying what needed to be said. "And he's coming home because I asked him to. Because Mum will come home. And when she does, she'll come home here at the school. Not in the desert. Da needs to be here for her when she does, because she's going to need him."
Dee tilted her head a little and stared past Xavier at the wall behind him. "Now. If you'll excuse me. I don't want to talk about this nonsense anymore. And Uncle Johnny is here to see Aunt Roxxy. I think I'll show him to the infirmary."
Dee turned for the door and left the two adults behind. Something told her her mother would have been proud of her for delivering the politest 'fuck you' in recent memory.
~*~
"Uncle Johnny!' Dee exclaimed as she burst out onto the front lawn. The man was just climbing from an expensive looking car. Da or Uncle Remy or even Uncle Scott would likely know what it was, but she just thought it was a pretty shade of blue that made his eyes darker. She launched herself into his arms even as he was spreading them wide for her and hugged him like her life depended on it.
For his part, he did the same. He hugged her close to his chest and squeezed tight. She thought that it maybe took him a little longer than necessary to let her go. But when he did, he set her on her feet and looked her over carefully. "How are you holding up, Dee?"
She thought it was a funny question to ask. He had to know Aunt Haley would be home. But he seemed so serious about it and, when she looked up into his face, she could see the sadness there. He really missed Aunt Haley. So she hugged him tight again. "I'm okay."
Uncle Johnny pulled back from her and used a hand to tip her chin up so he could look her in the eye. "You're sure? I know you have to miss your mom. Its okay to be sad."
"I'm not sad, Uncle Johnny. I'm okay. Da will be home soon. And Mum is coming home, so there's nothing to worry about," she told him. Then she took hold of his hand and started pulling him toward the front steps. "Come on. I'll take you down to see Aunt Roxxy. I'm sure she's going to be happy to see you."
Their trip to the lower levels was made with Dee doing most of the talking. Uncle Johnny was quieter than usual, but she figured that was because he was upset about Aunt Haley. That was okay. Aunt Haley would be home soon and then Uncle Johnny could be happy again. Well, once things got straightened around. She wasn't sure what things. She just knew that there were things. She was sure that they would be okay, though.
It didn't take long to reach the infirmary. Dee pushed the door open with her free hand and pulled Johnny inside behind her. Uncle Henry was in his office and barely glanced away from his papers. Dee knew he knew they were there, though. He'd join them when he was ready. So she turned toward the beds and smiled to see Aunt Roxxy was sitting up in bed. She was looking at the papers in her lap and there was a faint frown on her face.
"Aunt Roxxy. Look who came to visit," Dee said, breaking across the woman's concentration. The frown faded when she lifted her head and spied Dee and Uncle Johnny. She smiled at them both and set her papers aside.
"Johnny! This is a pleasant and welcome surprise," Aunt Roxxy said. Her golden gaze slid toward Dee. "Thank you for bringing him down, Dee, but shouldn't you be in class right now?"
Dee rolled her eyes at that. What was it with adults and questions? "In case you missed it, Aunt Roxxy, classes have been canceled. Too many teachers are missing. In Da's case, he's just parked his butt in the middle of the desert for no reason. Showing Uncle Johnny down here was more fun than having the professor ask me stupid questions. Especially since Ms. Grey was there and she was talking about me behind my back. When I realized Uncle Johnny was here, I went to get him."
Aunt Roxxy stared at her for a few moments, as if she'd said something strange. Dee got the feeling she wanted to ask some questions of her own, but Uncle Johnny spoke and took the opportunity away from her. "Its good to see you conscious, Rox. You look much better than when I saw you a few days ago."
"I feel much better," Aunt Roxxy admitted. "There's a still some weakness in my limbs, hence being in bed. But I don't feel like my insides are boiling. And I hear I have you to thank for that."
Uncle Johnny was quiet a moment, one hand reaching up to rub at the back of his neck. As if he was feeling shy with Aunt Roxxy's praise. "I just got you to Henry when you passed out. He and Reed did all of the hard work."
"You still helped, Johnny. Thank you for that. I know I told you I'd help in the search for Haley and I mean it. But until Henry takes me off bed rest, I won't be able to do much but sit here and worry. I'm so sorry."
"You don't have to apologize, Rox. I have faith that Haley will come home," Uncle Johnny replied. Dee could hear that he really didn't have that much faith. She hated that he sounded so sad. He'd always done everything he could to make her happy when she'd been a little girl and had been sad. She also hated that Aunt Roxxy looked like she might cry. Dee reached out and took hold of one of Uncle Johnny's hands. She used the other hand to take hold of one of Aunt Roxxy's hands. Then she let her gaze slide from one to the other.
"Don't be sad. Aunt Haley is coming home. Mum and the others, too. Uncle Warren and Auntie Morgan. Uncle Sam and Aunt Jehnna. Mum and Uncle Remy. Aunt Haley and Uncle Scott. They'll all be back soon. You'll see. But you have to be nice to them. They're all going to be confused. And sad. You have to be nice to Aunt Haley, Uncle Johnny. She's going to be really sad and she needs you to be nice to her. Promise me you'll be nice to her."
"What are you saying, Dee?" Aunt Roxxy asked. She was staring at Dee as if she'd never seen her before.
"They're coming home. Soon. So don't be sad. Okay?" A glance at Uncle Johnny told her he was staring at her in much the same way as Aunt Roxxy. Why were the adults looking at her like she had a few screws loose? She swore they were the weirdos.
Every last one of them.
~*~
Warren stared at the album in his hand. Most of what Sinister had included in their small music collection was classical. Warren generally put one of the albums on to break the silence that seemed to fill the room more often than not. But the one he had in his hands... It was strange. This was the first time he'd seen it and he was sure he'd been through the entire contents of their collection many times. "How does Sinister know about Barry White?" he asked, glancing up to find Morgan idly paging through a book. "I didn't think Sinister would know about Barry White."
"Maybe he included it in the hopes it would convince us to fuck more," Morgan said in that almost flippant manner of hers that Warren had come to despise. Not that he didn't understand it. She was trying to keep her distance. And he'd discovered, pretty early on in this thing, that flirting was Morgan's version of armor. But it made it damned hard to have a real conversation with her. She acted like that wasn't something that was possible because it was only allowed to happen with people she wanted to have sex with. To be perfectly honest, he was really goddamned tired of it.
"Like the pheromones don't already do that," he responded, his voice tart and bitter. For some stupid reason, he wanted to be one of those people she felt she could have a real conversation with. They'd been stuck in this goddamn box for five weeks now and all she did was throw out leading, sex-laden comments that were supposed to throw him off his game. "Enough of the game, Morgan."
The heat in his voice saw her looking up at him. Her eyes were wide and her mouth hung open. Just a bit. Seeing that expression on her face sent a shaft of need stabbing through him. She was an attractive woman. How could he not find her beautiful when she was all tiny and petite? When she knew exactly how to use her body in the middle of sex to get what she wanted. To give him things he didn't even know he'd wanted until they happened. She was smart and worldly. She didn't shy away from things that might make her uncomfortable. Much as he hated to admit it, she was everything Jehnna wasn't.
He hated making that comparison. He loved his wife. How could he not? Jehnna was sweet and she'd given him four beautiful, amazing children. Jehnna was sunshine and light, despite the code name she went by. And he never wanted to hurt her. So there were things he felt he needed to keep from her. Not hidden, exactly. But just not out in the open where she was sure to stumble across them.
This wasn't something he needed to worry about with Morgan. She was made of sterner stuff. Hell, hadn't she proved that when the two most important people in her life had been snatched away from her? How she'd survived the horror of that time, he didn't know. But he didn't know many people who could have. It was something he'd long admired about her. And now, having spent the past five weeks with her, he had discovered that there was so much more about her to admire. And there was so much more about her to learn. If only she'd fucking let him.
"What game, Warren?" she asked. It almost sounded as if she honestly didn't know what he was talking about. But she had to know. She was the one who had been putting up barriers since the beginning. He hadn't tried putting up barriers, per se. He'd just tried to compartmentalize all of it. Put Jehnna and their love affair in one box. Put Morgan and the really amazing sex in another.
Except it was easier to keep one contained than the other. Morgan had refused to stay in that box. Every time they were in the glass cube, that box exploded open and was that much harder to close at the end. Because the sex was mind-blowing in ways Warren couldn't describe. He swore that there was some part of Morgan in his brain, but he had to be imagining that. It was only because he found himself thinking about her more and more often as the days rolled by. He wanted her. He wanted her for more than just a quick roll in the hay. If he just wanted a quick fuck, there were women out there who would oblige and they'd never cross his mind again after the deed was done.
"Don't think I don't know that you keep using the flirty lines to keep me at arm's length," he said. Emotions made his words sharper than he'd intended them. Emotions for her that he knew he shouldn't be giving into. Emotions that were slowly taking control of his mind and his heart.
She blinked at him, her green eyes huge in her face. There was a touch of confusion there that told him she wasn't sure what he was trying to say. Setting the record aside, he moved across the room toward her. Each step saw her shoulders tensing a little more. He was halfway across the room when she rose from her chair. He felt certain that her intent was to step away from him. Sadly, there was no place to go. And she knew it. "We are stuck here together, whether we like it or not, Morgan. I'm tired of the flirty little sayings meant to throw me off and push me away. We have to live in this box together. I know you don't like it. I know you want to go back to Remy and forget all this happened."
"You misunderstand, Warren," Morgan began, her interruption an effort to distract him from his current topic of conversation. Too bad he wasn't going to be swayed.
"Do I?" he asked. He was almost in her personal space when she took a step or two back. It put her closer to the wall, which meant he was going to be able to cage her in with his body. "You do everything you can to avoid having a real conversation with me. Like you're trying to keep me at a distance. Like I'm not worth getting to know. Is that how you treated all the boys you went out with before you finally settled down? Fed them lines to entice their interest? Never gave them a piece of the real you?"
"It was just sex, Warren," she said. She halted there, but she could hear the unspoken words. Like its just sex between you and I. She'd very firmly put him in that category and he found he did not care for it. Not one bit.
"And you can't keep friendship separated from love. That's what you're saying. That in order to have a real, deep relationship with someone, you have to love them. Only then can you give any part of yourself to them."
"That isn't true," she protested.
"Isn't it? You're best friends with Dare. And you sleep with her. You're good friends with Logan. Hell, you had his baby. You're sleeping with him. And let's not forget Remy. Good friends. The love of your life. And you're sleeping with him, too."
"That doesn't mean anything."
"You don't honestly believe that, do you?" Warren took those last few steps forward, forcing Morgan up against the wall. His wings swept forward to brush the wall on either side of her, a soft cage to keep her in place. "Do you know how crazy you make me? You're smart and you're beautiful and you smell so damn good and... I want to get to know the real you, Morgan. Not this shell you wear for everyone else. The real you. Is that so wrong?"
She blinked up at him, not a word passing her lips. But there was something in her eyes. There was fear there. She was afraid. Afraid of him. Afraid of herself. And there was more. He swore, under all that choking fear, he saw a faint flutter of hope. Warren leaned closer, until his lips were almost touching her. Until their breaths mingled. "Let me love you, Morgan. Let me in and let me be a part of your life. Let me see the real you."
"What about Jehnna?" she asked softly. A last ditch effort to make him back off. He leaned in even closer, his lips brushing hers gently.
"Jehnna isn't here, Morgan. You are. I love her, but she's not here," he replied. One hand lifted to stroke her cheek, a caress meant to soothe and coax. "Let me in, Morgan. Let me taste the love I know is there."
"Please don't make me love you, Warren," she begged, her voice so faint that it was hard to hear over the way his heart pounded in his chest. There were tears in her voice. "I can't love anyone else. I already love too many people. Please don't."
He tipped her head up toward his, forcing her to open her eyes. They were dark and heavy with emotion. Leaning in, he brushed a teasing kiss against her lips. "Love is unending, Morgan. Its what gives us life. Its the air we breathe. The warmth of the sun on our shoulders. Its everything and more. And you can never, ever love too many people."
He caught hold of one of her hands, settled it against his chest so she could hear the way his heart slammed against his ribs. "You do this to me, Morgan. You. Do you think I never saw you when you were a student? Do you think I never noticed how enticing you were as you grew older? As you grew into a woman and found your confidence? Do you think my heart and soul were blinded to all else when I first laid eyes on Jehnna? You're a passionate woman, Morgan. I've known that from the start. Let me be part of that passion. Let me love you, Morgan. Please."
There was maybe a little hint of desperation on the last of his statement. And he knew she heard it, because her eyes widened with surprise. "Warren..."
His name was a prayer on her lips, reverent and holy. He pulled her close and crushed her against him. And then their mouths were feasting from one another. He wrapped his arms around her and lifted her up until their faces were level, saving them both the trouble of straining themselves. Morgan wrapped her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist, clung to him like he was the only lifeline she had. Maybe, caught up as she was in the hurricane of her emotions, he was.
Their kiss was a wild, untamed thing. He plundered her mouth, tongue delving deep to feast on the need she fed to him. On the tiny, mewling noises that rolled up her throat unhindered. His hands were curved around her ass, holding her in place despite the way her limbs clutched at him.
He wanted to do this right. He needed to get her to the bed so he could love her the way she deserved. He didn't want to take her up against the wall as if this was some sort of back alley tryst. It was a struggle, because all of the blood in his body was currently tenting his shorts. His dick was so hard, it hurt. The feel of his clothing hurt. The sensation of walking hurt. It all just hurt because he wanted her. Now. With every last inch of his being.
Somehow, he made it across the room to the bed. Somehow, he managed to strip them both of their clothing. And somehow, he managed to hold back from burying himself deep so he could fuck them both senseless. Instead, he buried his head between her thighs and let his tongue do all the talking.
Morgan writhed beneath him. She moaned, a throaty sound that did weird things to his equilibrium. She curled her fingers into his hair and tugged at it. She begged and pleaded. She gasped for breath. And then she came, her spine arching while she cried out her pleasure into the silence of the room.
No Barry White necessary.
And then, when she collapsed against the mattress, her chest heaving as she tried to draw enough air into her lungs, Warren rose up over her and fitted his hips between her thighs. He slipped his cock inside of her, inching forward so slowly that Morgan's eyes rolled back into her head on another orgasm.
His mouth took hers again, before she fully came down from her orgasm, and he kissed her. Sent his tongue deep and mimicked the slow, unhurried speed of his hips. He only pulled back when they both needed air in the worst way. His hands found her breasts, teased them gently. Goddamn, she was lovely. She responded so strongly to his every touch and stroke. She stared up at him with big, bright green eyes that held wonder and surprise and were soft with love.
"God, you're beautiful, Morgan," he whispered. His voice was filled with awe and wonder. He thrust into her harder, sped his tempo ever so slightly. She responded to the change with a gasp of surprise and her eyes slid closed as sensation obviously spiraled through her. "Tell me about the foursome, Morgan. Tell me how it works. Tell me everything."
His whispered words barely touched her. She was too caught up in her own bliss to feel anything. But she wasn't so far gone that she didn't start talking. The words fell from her lips in short, halting sentences.
The whole time, he thrust in and out of her. He showered her with words of love. With touches and kisses. And he showed her, without any words of all, everything that he felt for her.
~*~
She'd woken up with her head on his chest again, arm thrown across his belly in what could only be called a possessive manner. Worse, he'd had his arm curled around her shoulders, effectively pinning her against his body. The warmth of his flesh pressed to hers was a pleasant feeling. The look in his eyes when they'd opened and sought her out first had left her tingling with so many things. The softness that had been in them and in the smile he'd worn when his gaze landed upon her face had sent her equilibrium tumbling all over itself.
Such events had been happening with surprising frequency ever since she'd confessed to him her need for things like cuddling. There'd been sweet, almost chaste good morning kisses. There'd been slow, lingering hugs. There'd been questing hands and plundering lips and several rounds of slow, sweet, early morning sex. She'd loved every single moment of it. Scott was sweet and passionate by turns. He was intense and silly. He knew just how to turn her on with little more than a look. He was everything she'd never allowed herself to think she wanted. He was... everything.
The feelings that knowledge left behind scared her.
Sighing, Haley worried at her lower lip with her teeth. She knew where this was going. Hell, it had already gone there. At least for her. She didn't know about Scott. And she wasn't going to ask. None of this was real. None of it was permanent. When they went home, and she was sure they would go home, things would go back to the way they'd always been. She'd go back to Johnny and pretend like none of this had ever happened. And Scott would go back to Jean and...
The thought broke apart when her heart twisted in her chest. And that was a problem. Because she didn't want Scott to go back to Jean. She wanted to keep him. He was easy on the eyes. Not that this was a new revelation for her. She'd had a very brief crush back when she'd first gotten to the school. But she'd stashed it away before Harper could dig it out of her brain. The last thing she'd wanted was to have him tease her about being hot for Scott Summers. Even then, he'd been known as something of a tight ass.
That thought sent her brain on a short journey that brought a smile to her face. Yes. It certainly was a tight ass. It filled out his uniform well. As did other parts of him.
Damn it. She was obsessed with the man. From the softness of his hair to the soulful brown of his eyes to the tenderness of his smile to the strength of his hands to... well, everything. She wasn't just obsessed, she was in lo-
The thought hadn't even fully formed when Scott was just suddenly there in front of her. Apparently she hadn't heard the bathroom door open. She hadn't heard him come out. His hair was wet, dripping water onto his shoulders and chest. She tracked them as the droplets rolled unhindered down the smooth expanse of his skin. When they soaked into the top of his towel, her mouth went dry. Fucking hell. She was doomed.
"Come here, Haley," he said, hand reaching for her hand. His voice was low and husky. That did nothing to hide the desire that lived in it. He pulled her to her feet, unaware of her inner turmoil. Because she knew, without a doubt, that he was going to kiss her. And then he was going to take her over to the bed and lay her out on those boring ass white sheets and he was going to make love to her like it was all they would ever have to do with their time. Like this was some kind of vacation instead of the weird medical experiment that Sinister meant it to be.
The arrogant mother fucker hadn't been kidding when he'd suggested that she and Scott were super compatible.
Haley found herself on her feet, her body held tightly against Scott's. There was a soft look in his eyes. A carefree look that she didn't think he'd ever allowed himself before. Not that she thought he'd forgotten about going home and the responsibilities that waited him there. It was more that he knew they were stuck in this place until Sinister got what he wanted and decided to let them go home.
She wanted to pull away, to put literal and figurative space between them. But she was weak. She longed for his touch and the promise of intimacy it offered. So she allowed him to wrap his arms around her body. Allowed his mouth to covers hers in a blistering kiss that stole her breath, her thoughts, and her will all in one fell swoop. His tongue slid in past her lips, glided against her own as he plundered her depths with a thoroughness that left her dizzy and light-headed.
"God, Haley. You're so beautiful when you look like this. Wrecked and hungry with desire. Your mouth is swollen from my kisses and your nipples are so tight, they're poking my chest through our clothes. I want to spend all day making love to you. I want to hear you scream my name every time you come. I just want you."
His words came in a low voice, hunger and desire woven thickly through his statements. She felt herself melt into his hold just a little bit more. Why did it feel so right when she knew it was wrong? Why did she want to keep this? Keep him? Why did she have to want something she didn't have a chance of getting?
Scott's mouth moved over her cheek before nipping along the line of her jaw. The action saw her head tipping back and to the side so that he had clear access to her throat. And her thoughts skittered away with the tiny, sharp pains that came from his teeth grasping at her flesh.
This was the here and now. There was no one here to stop them or hold them back. There was no one to tell her she was ruining lives by indulging in hidden desires. There was no one but herself and Scott.
Scott, who was taking her to the bed with him. Scott, who was somehow holding her close while walking her. Scott, who was working her out of her clothes despite his lips leaving fiery, possessive kisses along her shoulder blade.
He laid her out on the bed and settled himself over her. Somehow, in their short walk, he'd rid her of all her clothes. And his towel was nowhere to be found. It was just his slick, warm skin against her own. His hands moving feverishly... possessively over her skin. His mouth, which teased a nipple using his tongue and his teeth. His everything.
It was just her and it was just Scott. And it was the growing emotions that surrounded them.
He slid himself deep inside of her body, his cock thick and long and hard as it stroked into her. His mouth returned to hers, kissed her with reckless abandon as he thrust again and again and again. Haley clung to him. Her hips rose to meet his. Her sighs and moans of encouragement were muffled by his lips moving against her own. Her skin was on fire with his touch and her mind was a whirling mass of desire and need.
And love.
Chapter Ten: Revelations
Fandom: the Marvel universe
Rating: 18 and up
Warnings: graphic violence, language, sex, dark themes, anything else i can toss in.
Disclaimer: the recognizable characters and places contained herein are the property of Marvel. i'm merely borrowing for the sake of entertainment. no money is being made from this venture. Haley belongs to
dazzledfirestar Morgan belongs toginevra Roxxy belongs tonanaeanaven Jehnna belongs to silverfox_chan and Dare belongs to me. the concept and title of The Mary Sue Virus are used with permission from dazzledfirestar . Author's Notes: this is almost entirely Daz's fault. okay. so it really isn't. its actually almost 100% my fault. Daz just did a whole lot of encouraging. this fic is going to be kind of dark, so please keep that in mind while reading.
Among the Strong - the index
Deirdre stared at the door silently and contemplated just turning around and going somewhere else. Anywhere else than here, honestly. She did not want to go into that office. There was some instinct telling her that stepping into that room would change her life. She wasn't sure how it would do so and she wasn't sure how she knew it would happen, but the thought was there. And it scared her.
This was almost like that time she'd been called to the office because she'd gotten into a fight with another kid over her mum's name. This kid, some little boy who thought he knew everything, had told her point blank that there was no way anyone had named her mother Dare. He'd also said that Dare was a stupid name for a girl. And he'd gone further and said that Dare wasn't even a real name. Deirdre had gotten so angry at him that she'd punched him in the nose. Hard enough to break it. She'd left him to bleed all over his shirt and gone back to playing on the swings. Until he'd gone and told on her to the teacher.
That had been a bad day, because she'd been sure she was going to be in trouble with her parents. Especially with her Da. She'd worried for nothing, of course. Da had told her not to do it again while laughing the whole time. And Mum had offered to have a word with the little boy to prove to him that a girl could be named Dare. Then there'd been a discussion about impulse control and tempers, followed by her favorite ice cream.
There'd been almost the same exact feeling of dread then that there was now. This was... some how worse. Dee didn't want to go in there and find out what Professor Xavier had to say to her. It had nothing to do with the man himself. He'd always been nice to her. But the unease filling her refused to settle. It refused to fade. It made her hesitant to go inside.
"Is something the matter, Deirdre?" A voice behind her saw her turning to find Ms. Grey coming up the hall. There was a touch of curiosity and concern on her face, telling Dee that the woman had stood and watched her staring at the door for a while.
Dee tipped her head to the side, considering her answer. There were any number of things she could tell Ms. Grey. She knew the woman wouldn't have any issues prying the truth from her brain without thinking twice about it. So Dee sighed and shook her head. "Just don't want to go in there," she replied and motioned with one hand toward the professor's office. "He called me here to talk to him."
The addition wasn't necessary. Dee felt certain that the professor had asked Ms. Grey to be part of the conversation. Maybe he'd even sent for her after he'd sent for Dee in the hopes that she would be capable of convincing Dee to step into the office. Professor Xavier didn't know her very well if he thought Dee could be convinced to do anything by someone else.
"I'm sure the professor only wants to check in with you and make sure you're okay since your parents aren't here right now," Ms. Grey suggested.
Dee stared at Ms. Grey. It didn't exactly feel like she was telling a lie. But it somehow didn't feel like the complete truth, either. It made Dee think that she had been called here for another reason entirely. And that the Professor had asked Ms. Grey to sit in on it with him. She considered that for a little while. After several long moments of staring at Ms. Grey, who watched her expectantly, Dee heaved a sigh and turned toward the office door. Fine. She'd go in and see what this was all about.
Ignoring the woman behind her, Dee made her way to the closed door. It opened before she got close enough to knock and that almost brought her feet to a stop. But she'd decided to do it and there was no backing out now. Not with the professor before her and Ms. Grey behind her. Unless she developed teleportation in the next few seconds.
When thinking about popping into the kitchen failed to produce any results, she resigned herself to her fate and stepped into Professor Xavier's office. Ms. Grey came in behind her and shut the door. At the same time, the professor wheeled himself back into place behind his desk. One hand motioned toward one of the chairs. Dee tried to figure out what either of her parents would do. Something told her they'd stand. So she shook her head and stood between his desk and one of the empty chairs. She noticed that Ms. Grey moved to stand on the other side of the desk with the professor.
Yeah. He'd definitely asked her to join him.
"Good afternoon, Deirdre, and thank you for coming," the professor said. He sat behind his desk, his gaze intent on her. He was smiling at her. "I'm certain you're curious as to why I've asked you to join me in my office."
She gave a faint nod, not bothering with any words. They weren't necessary until he made them necessary and a voice in her head was telling her to keep as many of her words behind her teeth as she could.
"I understand you spoke with your father earlier today," the professor continued. Dee again nodded, wondering why he was bringing up the phone call. "Do you remember what you talked about with him?"
"We talked about classes being canceled. We talked about Mum and the rest of Purple Team being on a mission and something happened. We talked about how he's looking for Purple Team. And we talked about him coming home."
"You asked him to come home?" Xavier asked her. The question made it sound like he was confused as to why she would do so, but that instinct was suggesting that his question was meant to lead her down the line of conversation he wanted her to cover.
"Yes," she nodded. She'd play his game until she got tired of it.
"Why would you ask your father to come home if he's looking for your mother?"
Dee stared at him a moment, trying to figure out his angle. The answer should have been obvious. She and her siblings needed him here. And she got the impression he knew that already. No. He was looking for another answer. She just wasn't sure what it was. "Da needs to come home and be with me and my siblings," she said. She took the most obvious answer because she wanted to see what he did with it.
There was a voice whispering at the back of her brain, telling her she needed to be careful with her answers. She wasn't sure why that voice was telling her such a thing, but she was going to listen to it.
"But why would you ask him to come home if he's out looking for your mother? Isn't it important to you that she come home, too?" There was something there in the professor's voice. A kind of lure. Something meant to coax her into answering the way he wanted her to. Dee bit back the urge to tell him to kiss her butt. It was what her mother would do, only in a far more direct manner. And with coarser language. But she stomped on the urge and took her attention off him. She didn't want to look at him. She couldn't say why that was. She just didn't want to.
Dee's gaze drifted around the office, taking a moment to catalogue all the books on the shelves. The pictures on the wall. One of them had Uncle Henry in it, from before he'd gotten all blue and furry. How she knew it was Uncle Henry, she couldn't say. But she knew it was him. The sight of his face without all the fur made her smile a little bit. There were other pictures, She saw her Da. And Uncle Remy in some. Her Mum was in another. Of course she was the only one not smiling in the whole picture.
Finally, her wandering gaze landed on his desk. There, at the edge, was the outline of a hand. And Dee knew, without having to be told, that her mother had left that mark. That she'd burnt the outline into the wood. She knew her mother's temper was as fierce and unpredictable as her flames. And she was flooded with the certainty that her mother would be home.
"She knows what you want, Charles. She just refuses to say."
Dee frowned, her attention snapping to Ms. Grey. "I don't like it when people talk about me behind my back," she said, her tone filled with accusation. "Its rude and its disrespectful."
Before she allowed the woman to say anything, she shifted her attention back to the professor and stared him down. She thought she might have heard something about her mother's eyes, but she couldn't be sure. Her temper had surged and with it came more of that same certainty. A lot more of it. It kind of made her feel a touch invincible. She put her hand on the print that decorated the edge of his desk and swore she could feel her Mum's presence fill her.
"My da is doing about as much good in the search out there as you are here. Which is absolutely none at all." Dee didn't hear the coldness of her tone. Or the complete belief in her words. She just knew she was saying what needed to be said. "And he's coming home because I asked him to. Because Mum will come home. And when she does, she'll come home here at the school. Not in the desert. Da needs to be here for her when she does, because she's going to need him."
Dee tilted her head a little and stared past Xavier at the wall behind him. "Now. If you'll excuse me. I don't want to talk about this nonsense anymore. And Uncle Johnny is here to see Aunt Roxxy. I think I'll show him to the infirmary."
Dee turned for the door and left the two adults behind. Something told her her mother would have been proud of her for delivering the politest 'fuck you' in recent memory.
~*~
"Uncle Johnny!' Dee exclaimed as she burst out onto the front lawn. The man was just climbing from an expensive looking car. Da or Uncle Remy or even Uncle Scott would likely know what it was, but she just thought it was a pretty shade of blue that made his eyes darker. She launched herself into his arms even as he was spreading them wide for her and hugged him like her life depended on it.
For his part, he did the same. He hugged her close to his chest and squeezed tight. She thought that it maybe took him a little longer than necessary to let her go. But when he did, he set her on her feet and looked her over carefully. "How are you holding up, Dee?"
She thought it was a funny question to ask. He had to know Aunt Haley would be home. But he seemed so serious about it and, when she looked up into his face, she could see the sadness there. He really missed Aunt Haley. So she hugged him tight again. "I'm okay."
Uncle Johnny pulled back from her and used a hand to tip her chin up so he could look her in the eye. "You're sure? I know you have to miss your mom. Its okay to be sad."
"I'm not sad, Uncle Johnny. I'm okay. Da will be home soon. And Mum is coming home, so there's nothing to worry about," she told him. Then she took hold of his hand and started pulling him toward the front steps. "Come on. I'll take you down to see Aunt Roxxy. I'm sure she's going to be happy to see you."
Their trip to the lower levels was made with Dee doing most of the talking. Uncle Johnny was quieter than usual, but she figured that was because he was upset about Aunt Haley. That was okay. Aunt Haley would be home soon and then Uncle Johnny could be happy again. Well, once things got straightened around. She wasn't sure what things. She just knew that there were things. She was sure that they would be okay, though.
It didn't take long to reach the infirmary. Dee pushed the door open with her free hand and pulled Johnny inside behind her. Uncle Henry was in his office and barely glanced away from his papers. Dee knew he knew they were there, though. He'd join them when he was ready. So she turned toward the beds and smiled to see Aunt Roxxy was sitting up in bed. She was looking at the papers in her lap and there was a faint frown on her face.
"Aunt Roxxy. Look who came to visit," Dee said, breaking across the woman's concentration. The frown faded when she lifted her head and spied Dee and Uncle Johnny. She smiled at them both and set her papers aside.
"Johnny! This is a pleasant and welcome surprise," Aunt Roxxy said. Her golden gaze slid toward Dee. "Thank you for bringing him down, Dee, but shouldn't you be in class right now?"
Dee rolled her eyes at that. What was it with adults and questions? "In case you missed it, Aunt Roxxy, classes have been canceled. Too many teachers are missing. In Da's case, he's just parked his butt in the middle of the desert for no reason. Showing Uncle Johnny down here was more fun than having the professor ask me stupid questions. Especially since Ms. Grey was there and she was talking about me behind my back. When I realized Uncle Johnny was here, I went to get him."
Aunt Roxxy stared at her for a few moments, as if she'd said something strange. Dee got the feeling she wanted to ask some questions of her own, but Uncle Johnny spoke and took the opportunity away from her. "Its good to see you conscious, Rox. You look much better than when I saw you a few days ago."
"I feel much better," Aunt Roxxy admitted. "There's a still some weakness in my limbs, hence being in bed. But I don't feel like my insides are boiling. And I hear I have you to thank for that."
Uncle Johnny was quiet a moment, one hand reaching up to rub at the back of his neck. As if he was feeling shy with Aunt Roxxy's praise. "I just got you to Henry when you passed out. He and Reed did all of the hard work."
"You still helped, Johnny. Thank you for that. I know I told you I'd help in the search for Haley and I mean it. But until Henry takes me off bed rest, I won't be able to do much but sit here and worry. I'm so sorry."
"You don't have to apologize, Rox. I have faith that Haley will come home," Uncle Johnny replied. Dee could hear that he really didn't have that much faith. She hated that he sounded so sad. He'd always done everything he could to make her happy when she'd been a little girl and had been sad. She also hated that Aunt Roxxy looked like she might cry. Dee reached out and took hold of one of Uncle Johnny's hands. She used the other hand to take hold of one of Aunt Roxxy's hands. Then she let her gaze slide from one to the other.
"Don't be sad. Aunt Haley is coming home. Mum and the others, too. Uncle Warren and Auntie Morgan. Uncle Sam and Aunt Jehnna. Mum and Uncle Remy. Aunt Haley and Uncle Scott. They'll all be back soon. You'll see. But you have to be nice to them. They're all going to be confused. And sad. You have to be nice to Aunt Haley, Uncle Johnny. She's going to be really sad and she needs you to be nice to her. Promise me you'll be nice to her."
"What are you saying, Dee?" Aunt Roxxy asked. She was staring at Dee as if she'd never seen her before.
"They're coming home. Soon. So don't be sad. Okay?" A glance at Uncle Johnny told her he was staring at her in much the same way as Aunt Roxxy. Why were the adults looking at her like she had a few screws loose? She swore they were the weirdos.
Every last one of them.
~*~
Warren stared at the album in his hand. Most of what Sinister had included in their small music collection was classical. Warren generally put one of the albums on to break the silence that seemed to fill the room more often than not. But the one he had in his hands... It was strange. This was the first time he'd seen it and he was sure he'd been through the entire contents of their collection many times. "How does Sinister know about Barry White?" he asked, glancing up to find Morgan idly paging through a book. "I didn't think Sinister would know about Barry White."
"Maybe he included it in the hopes it would convince us to fuck more," Morgan said in that almost flippant manner of hers that Warren had come to despise. Not that he didn't understand it. She was trying to keep her distance. And he'd discovered, pretty early on in this thing, that flirting was Morgan's version of armor. But it made it damned hard to have a real conversation with her. She acted like that wasn't something that was possible because it was only allowed to happen with people she wanted to have sex with. To be perfectly honest, he was really goddamned tired of it.
"Like the pheromones don't already do that," he responded, his voice tart and bitter. For some stupid reason, he wanted to be one of those people she felt she could have a real conversation with. They'd been stuck in this goddamn box for five weeks now and all she did was throw out leading, sex-laden comments that were supposed to throw him off his game. "Enough of the game, Morgan."
The heat in his voice saw her looking up at him. Her eyes were wide and her mouth hung open. Just a bit. Seeing that expression on her face sent a shaft of need stabbing through him. She was an attractive woman. How could he not find her beautiful when she was all tiny and petite? When she knew exactly how to use her body in the middle of sex to get what she wanted. To give him things he didn't even know he'd wanted until they happened. She was smart and worldly. She didn't shy away from things that might make her uncomfortable. Much as he hated to admit it, she was everything Jehnna wasn't.
He hated making that comparison. He loved his wife. How could he not? Jehnna was sweet and she'd given him four beautiful, amazing children. Jehnna was sunshine and light, despite the code name she went by. And he never wanted to hurt her. So there were things he felt he needed to keep from her. Not hidden, exactly. But just not out in the open where she was sure to stumble across them.
This wasn't something he needed to worry about with Morgan. She was made of sterner stuff. Hell, hadn't she proved that when the two most important people in her life had been snatched away from her? How she'd survived the horror of that time, he didn't know. But he didn't know many people who could have. It was something he'd long admired about her. And now, having spent the past five weeks with her, he had discovered that there was so much more about her to admire. And there was so much more about her to learn. If only she'd fucking let him.
"What game, Warren?" she asked. It almost sounded as if she honestly didn't know what he was talking about. But she had to know. She was the one who had been putting up barriers since the beginning. He hadn't tried putting up barriers, per se. He'd just tried to compartmentalize all of it. Put Jehnna and their love affair in one box. Put Morgan and the really amazing sex in another.
Except it was easier to keep one contained than the other. Morgan had refused to stay in that box. Every time they were in the glass cube, that box exploded open and was that much harder to close at the end. Because the sex was mind-blowing in ways Warren couldn't describe. He swore that there was some part of Morgan in his brain, but he had to be imagining that. It was only because he found himself thinking about her more and more often as the days rolled by. He wanted her. He wanted her for more than just a quick roll in the hay. If he just wanted a quick fuck, there were women out there who would oblige and they'd never cross his mind again after the deed was done.
"Don't think I don't know that you keep using the flirty lines to keep me at arm's length," he said. Emotions made his words sharper than he'd intended them. Emotions for her that he knew he shouldn't be giving into. Emotions that were slowly taking control of his mind and his heart.
She blinked at him, her green eyes huge in her face. There was a touch of confusion there that told him she wasn't sure what he was trying to say. Setting the record aside, he moved across the room toward her. Each step saw her shoulders tensing a little more. He was halfway across the room when she rose from her chair. He felt certain that her intent was to step away from him. Sadly, there was no place to go. And she knew it. "We are stuck here together, whether we like it or not, Morgan. I'm tired of the flirty little sayings meant to throw me off and push me away. We have to live in this box together. I know you don't like it. I know you want to go back to Remy and forget all this happened."
"You misunderstand, Warren," Morgan began, her interruption an effort to distract him from his current topic of conversation. Too bad he wasn't going to be swayed.
"Do I?" he asked. He was almost in her personal space when she took a step or two back. It put her closer to the wall, which meant he was going to be able to cage her in with his body. "You do everything you can to avoid having a real conversation with me. Like you're trying to keep me at a distance. Like I'm not worth getting to know. Is that how you treated all the boys you went out with before you finally settled down? Fed them lines to entice their interest? Never gave them a piece of the real you?"
"It was just sex, Warren," she said. She halted there, but she could hear the unspoken words. Like its just sex between you and I. She'd very firmly put him in that category and he found he did not care for it. Not one bit.
"And you can't keep friendship separated from love. That's what you're saying. That in order to have a real, deep relationship with someone, you have to love them. Only then can you give any part of yourself to them."
"That isn't true," she protested.
"Isn't it? You're best friends with Dare. And you sleep with her. You're good friends with Logan. Hell, you had his baby. You're sleeping with him. And let's not forget Remy. Good friends. The love of your life. And you're sleeping with him, too."
"That doesn't mean anything."
"You don't honestly believe that, do you?" Warren took those last few steps forward, forcing Morgan up against the wall. His wings swept forward to brush the wall on either side of her, a soft cage to keep her in place. "Do you know how crazy you make me? You're smart and you're beautiful and you smell so damn good and... I want to get to know the real you, Morgan. Not this shell you wear for everyone else. The real you. Is that so wrong?"
She blinked up at him, not a word passing her lips. But there was something in her eyes. There was fear there. She was afraid. Afraid of him. Afraid of herself. And there was more. He swore, under all that choking fear, he saw a faint flutter of hope. Warren leaned closer, until his lips were almost touching her. Until their breaths mingled. "Let me love you, Morgan. Let me in and let me be a part of your life. Let me see the real you."
"What about Jehnna?" she asked softly. A last ditch effort to make him back off. He leaned in even closer, his lips brushing hers gently.
"Jehnna isn't here, Morgan. You are. I love her, but she's not here," he replied. One hand lifted to stroke her cheek, a caress meant to soothe and coax. "Let me in, Morgan. Let me taste the love I know is there."
"Please don't make me love you, Warren," she begged, her voice so faint that it was hard to hear over the way his heart pounded in his chest. There were tears in her voice. "I can't love anyone else. I already love too many people. Please don't."
He tipped her head up toward his, forcing her to open her eyes. They were dark and heavy with emotion. Leaning in, he brushed a teasing kiss against her lips. "Love is unending, Morgan. Its what gives us life. Its the air we breathe. The warmth of the sun on our shoulders. Its everything and more. And you can never, ever love too many people."
He caught hold of one of her hands, settled it against his chest so she could hear the way his heart slammed against his ribs. "You do this to me, Morgan. You. Do you think I never saw you when you were a student? Do you think I never noticed how enticing you were as you grew older? As you grew into a woman and found your confidence? Do you think my heart and soul were blinded to all else when I first laid eyes on Jehnna? You're a passionate woman, Morgan. I've known that from the start. Let me be part of that passion. Let me love you, Morgan. Please."
There was maybe a little hint of desperation on the last of his statement. And he knew she heard it, because her eyes widened with surprise. "Warren..."
His name was a prayer on her lips, reverent and holy. He pulled her close and crushed her against him. And then their mouths were feasting from one another. He wrapped his arms around her and lifted her up until their faces were level, saving them both the trouble of straining themselves. Morgan wrapped her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist, clung to him like he was the only lifeline she had. Maybe, caught up as she was in the hurricane of her emotions, he was.
Their kiss was a wild, untamed thing. He plundered her mouth, tongue delving deep to feast on the need she fed to him. On the tiny, mewling noises that rolled up her throat unhindered. His hands were curved around her ass, holding her in place despite the way her limbs clutched at him.
He wanted to do this right. He needed to get her to the bed so he could love her the way she deserved. He didn't want to take her up against the wall as if this was some sort of back alley tryst. It was a struggle, because all of the blood in his body was currently tenting his shorts. His dick was so hard, it hurt. The feel of his clothing hurt. The sensation of walking hurt. It all just hurt because he wanted her. Now. With every last inch of his being.
Somehow, he made it across the room to the bed. Somehow, he managed to strip them both of their clothing. And somehow, he managed to hold back from burying himself deep so he could fuck them both senseless. Instead, he buried his head between her thighs and let his tongue do all the talking.
Morgan writhed beneath him. She moaned, a throaty sound that did weird things to his equilibrium. She curled her fingers into his hair and tugged at it. She begged and pleaded. She gasped for breath. And then she came, her spine arching while she cried out her pleasure into the silence of the room.
No Barry White necessary.
And then, when she collapsed against the mattress, her chest heaving as she tried to draw enough air into her lungs, Warren rose up over her and fitted his hips between her thighs. He slipped his cock inside of her, inching forward so slowly that Morgan's eyes rolled back into her head on another orgasm.
His mouth took hers again, before she fully came down from her orgasm, and he kissed her. Sent his tongue deep and mimicked the slow, unhurried speed of his hips. He only pulled back when they both needed air in the worst way. His hands found her breasts, teased them gently. Goddamn, she was lovely. She responded so strongly to his every touch and stroke. She stared up at him with big, bright green eyes that held wonder and surprise and were soft with love.
"God, you're beautiful, Morgan," he whispered. His voice was filled with awe and wonder. He thrust into her harder, sped his tempo ever so slightly. She responded to the change with a gasp of surprise and her eyes slid closed as sensation obviously spiraled through her. "Tell me about the foursome, Morgan. Tell me how it works. Tell me everything."
His whispered words barely touched her. She was too caught up in her own bliss to feel anything. But she wasn't so far gone that she didn't start talking. The words fell from her lips in short, halting sentences.
The whole time, he thrust in and out of her. He showered her with words of love. With touches and kisses. And he showed her, without any words of all, everything that he felt for her.
~*~
She'd woken up with her head on his chest again, arm thrown across his belly in what could only be called a possessive manner. Worse, he'd had his arm curled around her shoulders, effectively pinning her against his body. The warmth of his flesh pressed to hers was a pleasant feeling. The look in his eyes when they'd opened and sought her out first had left her tingling with so many things. The softness that had been in them and in the smile he'd worn when his gaze landed upon her face had sent her equilibrium tumbling all over itself.
Such events had been happening with surprising frequency ever since she'd confessed to him her need for things like cuddling. There'd been sweet, almost chaste good morning kisses. There'd been slow, lingering hugs. There'd been questing hands and plundering lips and several rounds of slow, sweet, early morning sex. She'd loved every single moment of it. Scott was sweet and passionate by turns. He was intense and silly. He knew just how to turn her on with little more than a look. He was everything she'd never allowed herself to think she wanted. He was... everything.
The feelings that knowledge left behind scared her.
Sighing, Haley worried at her lower lip with her teeth. She knew where this was going. Hell, it had already gone there. At least for her. She didn't know about Scott. And she wasn't going to ask. None of this was real. None of it was permanent. When they went home, and she was sure they would go home, things would go back to the way they'd always been. She'd go back to Johnny and pretend like none of this had ever happened. And Scott would go back to Jean and...
The thought broke apart when her heart twisted in her chest. And that was a problem. Because she didn't want Scott to go back to Jean. She wanted to keep him. He was easy on the eyes. Not that this was a new revelation for her. She'd had a very brief crush back when she'd first gotten to the school. But she'd stashed it away before Harper could dig it out of her brain. The last thing she'd wanted was to have him tease her about being hot for Scott Summers. Even then, he'd been known as something of a tight ass.
That thought sent her brain on a short journey that brought a smile to her face. Yes. It certainly was a tight ass. It filled out his uniform well. As did other parts of him.
Damn it. She was obsessed with the man. From the softness of his hair to the soulful brown of his eyes to the tenderness of his smile to the strength of his hands to... well, everything. She wasn't just obsessed, she was in lo-
The thought hadn't even fully formed when Scott was just suddenly there in front of her. Apparently she hadn't heard the bathroom door open. She hadn't heard him come out. His hair was wet, dripping water onto his shoulders and chest. She tracked them as the droplets rolled unhindered down the smooth expanse of his skin. When they soaked into the top of his towel, her mouth went dry. Fucking hell. She was doomed.
"Come here, Haley," he said, hand reaching for her hand. His voice was low and husky. That did nothing to hide the desire that lived in it. He pulled her to her feet, unaware of her inner turmoil. Because she knew, without a doubt, that he was going to kiss her. And then he was going to take her over to the bed and lay her out on those boring ass white sheets and he was going to make love to her like it was all they would ever have to do with their time. Like this was some kind of vacation instead of the weird medical experiment that Sinister meant it to be.
The arrogant mother fucker hadn't been kidding when he'd suggested that she and Scott were super compatible.
Haley found herself on her feet, her body held tightly against Scott's. There was a soft look in his eyes. A carefree look that she didn't think he'd ever allowed himself before. Not that she thought he'd forgotten about going home and the responsibilities that waited him there. It was more that he knew they were stuck in this place until Sinister got what he wanted and decided to let them go home.
She wanted to pull away, to put literal and figurative space between them. But she was weak. She longed for his touch and the promise of intimacy it offered. So she allowed him to wrap his arms around her body. Allowed his mouth to covers hers in a blistering kiss that stole her breath, her thoughts, and her will all in one fell swoop. His tongue slid in past her lips, glided against her own as he plundered her depths with a thoroughness that left her dizzy and light-headed.
"God, Haley. You're so beautiful when you look like this. Wrecked and hungry with desire. Your mouth is swollen from my kisses and your nipples are so tight, they're poking my chest through our clothes. I want to spend all day making love to you. I want to hear you scream my name every time you come. I just want you."
His words came in a low voice, hunger and desire woven thickly through his statements. She felt herself melt into his hold just a little bit more. Why did it feel so right when she knew it was wrong? Why did she want to keep this? Keep him? Why did she have to want something she didn't have a chance of getting?
Scott's mouth moved over her cheek before nipping along the line of her jaw. The action saw her head tipping back and to the side so that he had clear access to her throat. And her thoughts skittered away with the tiny, sharp pains that came from his teeth grasping at her flesh.
This was the here and now. There was no one here to stop them or hold them back. There was no one to tell her she was ruining lives by indulging in hidden desires. There was no one but herself and Scott.
Scott, who was taking her to the bed with him. Scott, who was somehow holding her close while walking her. Scott, who was working her out of her clothes despite his lips leaving fiery, possessive kisses along her shoulder blade.
He laid her out on the bed and settled himself over her. Somehow, in their short walk, he'd rid her of all her clothes. And his towel was nowhere to be found. It was just his slick, warm skin against her own. His hands moving feverishly... possessively over her skin. His mouth, which teased a nipple using his tongue and his teeth. His everything.
It was just her and it was just Scott. And it was the growing emotions that surrounded them.
He slid himself deep inside of her body, his cock thick and long and hard as it stroked into her. His mouth returned to hers, kissed her with reckless abandon as he thrust again and again and again. Haley clung to him. Her hips rose to meet his. Her sighs and moans of encouragement were muffled by his lips moving against her own. Her skin was on fire with his touch and her mind was a whirling mass of desire and need.
And love.
