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Peja's Wonderful World of Makebelieve Import
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Published:
2020-11-05
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And He Observes

Summary:

The relationship of Remy and Logan through the eyes of Charles Xavier

Work Text:

The breeze was cool and fresh as it rustled the leaves along the Xavier estate. It was night and most rooms were dark as the mutants slept peacefully. But there were still those around that preferred to stay up late. In the lower levels, Hank was currently working on one of his projects, once again forgetting all about the world outside his lab and its natural biorhythm. On the other side of the estate in the first floor window, a dimmed light was gently shining as a still figure gazed upon the world outside. The professor preferred the still of the night to gather his thoughts and calm his mind from the constant onslaught of other people´s psyche. It was the best time to ponder things he normally didn´t have time for during the day.


Tonight, it seemed that all of his thoughts would inevitably lead to the pair he could faintly see in the windows of the boat house. Logan and Remy, a pair well worth the thinking. It was a shame that so many of his beloved students were so quick in labelling the duo, both as separate people and even more so now, as a couple. There were of course a choice few who saw past the pretence and bias and caught a glimpse of the real men who only shared all of their secrets with each other. To Charles, they posed the most intricate puzzle he wasn´t sure he´d ever completely put together. Perhaps he didn´t even want to.


On a psychoanalytical level, Charles could see the basic instinct that drove both men together. Remy had been abused his whole life, abandoned by almost everybody including, to Charles´ greatest regret, the X-men themselves. His life of hardship and early childhood horrors where there was nobody to protect him from the worst humanity had to offer left scars. Jean-Luc did an incredible job making Remy believe in people again and showering the boy with as much love as humanly possible but the scars were deep and would affect the young man for the rest of his life.


It wasn´t surprising then, that Remy had a tendency to gravitate towards strong partners. Charles knew it was a desperate attempt of the boy´s psyche to find someone who could protect him. Belladonna was an assassin, very capable of taking care of just about any threat. She would have protected her husband fiercely had the circumstances been different. Then again, as an assassin she would prefer to lead a loner´s life. She was strong but too independent. Rogue was the epitome of strength with her acquired abilities. Powerful, fast and nearly indestructible, she could have kept Remy safe even from Apocalypse himself. Sadly, she had just as many if not even more psychological problems than Remy and so couldn´t be the pillar he so desperately needed. She was very strong but too broken to hold Remy up.


Then there was Logan. The man, even despite his shorter build, emitted an aura of power and strength than anyone in the near vicinity could easily pick up on. A savage animal ready to tear into flesh of a possible enemy at a moment´s notice inside the body of a reserved man. However, unlike the ladies before him, Logan was a born protector. Perhaps it was the alpha male instinct that dictated him to protect the pack. Perhaps it was because while harsh and gruff, Logan was actually a caring man. Whatever the case may be, out of all 3, Logan was the only one both capable and willing to protect Remy. It came from the need of a deeply psychologically disturbed child for protection but it eventually led Remy to notice the older man.


Another aftermath of a life full of abuse combined with his emphatic powers made Remy practically addicted to touch. Whereas everybody else needed air, water and food to sustain them, Remy needed all those and touch. He would perish without it. That was another reason his previous relationships failed. Belladonna was too free spirited to spend her evenings cuddling with her husband, Rogue too paranoid about her powers and unwilling to take certain measures to allow much touch even though she often teased Remy with promises of it. Logan however seemed to understand Remy´s need and promised to provide. It was common for Logan to touch Remy in at least some way no matter what they were doing. A gentle brush while working on their motorcycles, a tender caress when walking by him in the hallways, a light peck on the lips during breakfast. Running his fingers through Remy´s hair in his lap while watching a movie, holding Remy while asleep, maintaining contact with him whenever he was in the infirmary, whether conscious or not. Hank actually proved once that the empathic bond shared by the 2 lovers had effect on Remy´s recovery. He became more stabilized the moment Logan was near and doing better still when Logan was touching him. However, it would be false to think that it was a great sacrifice for Logan. As much as Remy loved and needed to be touched, Logan loved and needed to touch him.


Besides providing the basic needs of protection and touch, Logan was one of the few capable to rein Remy in when needed. The young Cajun had learned to enjoy life to its fullest in every moment knowing that it could easily be his last and so developed quite a social, flamboyant and downright dangerous persona. At times it was great and what the whole group of X-men needed but there were situations where it easily became too much and caused far too many problems and general mayhem. That´s when Logan arrived and all but draped Remy over his shoulder and carried him away kicking and screaming. He still knew it was important to let Remy´s free spirit fly whenever possible though.


There were those out there that thought it was quite a one sided relationship. That Logan was giving far more than he would ever get back from the high maintenance Cajun. However, years of practice taught Charles to understand Logan better than most did. As much as Logan needed to be with his mate and protect the pack, there was also another instinct running deep within his animal side. The needed for loneliness males of so many species required. He needed space and time to think and clear his mind. To meditate and to find Logan. Remy knew this. As much as Remy needed closeness and touch, Logan needed space. That´s what Remy supplied.


He had this uncanny ability to feel whenever Logan needed a break and would let him go without a word, without regret. Sometimes, Logan would be gone for days without any contact and yet Remy didn´t go after him, didn´t nag him about what he did afterwards when he returned. He accepted the cold shoulder Logan would give him when he was lost inside his jumbled memories. He´d let him go with a whispered "I´ll be waiting" instead of "hurry back to me" in reassurance than no matter how long it would take, he would be always there waiting for Logan´s return. As much as Logan gave Remy in noise and attention, Remy gave back in silence and space.


There were other things Remy did for Logan too. Charles felt honoured when Remy asked him for that specific text book. It was also remarkable to observe as Remy studied and mastered the Japanese language in an impressively short time. Charles would have to have a talk with Remy about that and the possibility of using his apparent talents for more one of these days. However, the motivation to learn Japanese was much stronger since Remy was doing it for Logan. Not only that, whenever Charles caught him in the library, Remy was studying everything they had available on the Japanese culture and customs. Charles was sure the young man succeeded when the lovers returned from their 2 week trip to Japan and Logan was positively glowing with happiness and pride. It was a good look on him albeit a bit disconcerting. He looked much younger but on the other hand, a happy Wolverine was an almost unheard of sight that no one knew quite how to react to.


It was interesting to analyze Remy´s understanding of Logan´s quirks. The younger man seemed to fully understand how Logan falls in love and just how devoted he is to someone he does fall for, in life or death. Most people would be jealous but Remy was always simply supporting. He would let Logan deal with his memories and feelings every year on the anniversary of Mariko´s death, all the while making sure all of her possessions that Logan had would be well taken care of. Charles was one of the few who knew that Logan had actually built a tomb for her in New York so it would be easier to come visit. He also knew that Remy visited just as often brining flowers and generally making sure it was well maintained. And that Remy would thank Mariko for making Logan the man he was and for loving him so freely.


Remy accepted Logan for what he was just as much as Logan accepted Remy. Many people and especially women had been drawn to Logan´s masculinity and danger and while several would enjoy the ride, most would fantasize about taming the beast. Remy would never attempt such a fallacy. He accepted the simple truth that Logan was a package of 2 in 1. That he was as much the man as he was the beast and Charles knew that Remy loved both equally. While he would eventually miss the ability to have a conversation, Remy would happily spend the rest of his life with a berserk Wolverine. He never feared the beast and always spent time with it when Logan went feral. It was never a chore but merely an opportunity to be with the other side of Logan that he loved. There were perks to both and while Logan was probably the more likely choice, Remy would never want to have to choose between staying with one or the other. While infinitely grateful for this gift, even Logan had problems wrapping his mind around the concept of Remy loving the animal as much as the man.


It was also interesting to observe the relationship from Wolverine´s point of view when Logan went berserk. Just as Remy loved both halves, both halves seemed to love Remy and view him as mate. The Wolverine was even more protective of the younger man than his human counterpart and wouldn´t hesitate to attack anyone who threatened his Remy, even members of his own pack. As unbelievable as it may sound, his instincts to care for the mate were multiplied compared to his human form as he felt the need to not only protect but clothe and feed the mate as well. Remy had to use his abilities to hastily cook freshly caught meat the Wolverine tried to feed him all the while understanding the attention for what it was. As amused as Remy was about it, Charles knew he was equally touched.


However, the biggest proof that all of Logan agreed that Remy was the mate came every time that the girls went ripe in the feral´s understanding of the world. As the alpha male and the strongest of his species, the Wolverine felt the instinctual need to mate and sire offspring to carry the strong code of his heritage to further generations. As such, it was always difficult for Logan to be around when it was that time of the month for the girls. However, Remy seemed to be considered the mate even though conceiving offspring was the only thing he couldn´t give Logan, no matter how hard he wanted to. It was the one fear they had of Logan rejecting Remy once it was apparent to his feral side that there could never be a next generation created from them. However, the beast seemed to have realized it and surprisingly didn´t care one tiny bit. That special time every month was no longer stressful for Logan as it was no longer a temptation or reminder. The Wolverine had its mate now and so didn´t care about the females around.


Then there were the little things. Getting to watch Logan practically dragging Remy to the infirmary so Hank could do the routine check up and draw some blood was a spectacle. Remy fought tooth and nail but Logan knew most of his tricks and wouldn´t let him escape. While he´d never admit it to Logan´s face, Charles had to admit that a pouting Remy was one of the cutest things he had ever seen. Hank had hundreds of tales about how Remy would try and ignore them both just to spite them while Hank did what he needed to only to practically melt into Logan´s embrace whenever the other offered. Which was nearly always. Logan was one of the few who didn´t consider Remy a wuss for being so scared of medical instruments and the lab in general. He understood the fear only too well, although while he had mere snippets of the horrors inflicted, Remy had the whole account burned in his memory. He´d never let his lover go to Hank alone unless Remy wanted to and made sure to have the rest of the day free to spend with Remy until the younger man could breath normally again.


Inspired by their tortured pasts, it was no secret that both men suffered from terrible nightmares. Nightmares so consuming, they transported them back into the time when they lived them only to replay over and over again until the here and now existed no more and all that was there was pain and fear and death. As the strongest telepath, Charles had the opportunity to catch glimpses of the nightmares that were especially bad, so much so that even Remy and Logan with their almost impenetrable shields projected. He loathed humanity for what it could do to some people in those times. But, he had to admit, the nightmares were becoming less frequent nowadays. He had a suspicion that Remy used his empathy on numerous occasions to enter Logan´s nightmares and fight them for his lover. And if he knew Logan, which he did, the older mutant would tell Remy to allow him passage into his mind as well so he could return the favour. Of course he could only speculate but he was quite certain that´s what was happening. That and the reassuring unconscious awareness that there was the body of the sleeping lover nearby whenever a nightmare loomed close. Whatever it was, it seemed to be working and Charles couldn´t be happier for them.


Then of course, there were all the times that Remy and Logan got to play house. There was nothing quite like watching 2 of the most dangerous men on the planet who could wreak havoc of galactic proportions washing the dishes or watching sports on TV. It was established early on that Remy would be the cook which landed Logan with the important role of doing laundry. The feral protested that the laundry was something the great Wolverine most definitely didn´t do only to end up with an enraged Cajun right in his face. A Cajun who proceeded to yell in a jumble of English and French for half an hour strait about the duty sharing and that he was just as manly as Logan thank-you-very-much and that if the other preferred, Remy could do the laundry while Logan cooked, washed the dishes, hovered, dusted and took out the trash. It was odd watching Logan shrinking with each shouted word until he looked like a puppy with its tail between its legs and asked Ororo for help with washing powder, detergent and fabric softener. Remy smiled triumphantly and prepared Logan´s favourite steak since he was a good little Wolverine and good little Wolverines needed to be rewarded.


More commonly than vacuuming, the duo could be seen playing pool either in the mansion or at Harry´s or alternatively, with Remy dragging Logan away for a night out dancing. With careful observation, Charles deduced that both of these activities served as foreplay. Or rather that both served Remy to get Logan growling and ready to snatch his lover and search for passable privacy for a quick release. Always the exhibitionist, Remy had little trouble with an audience so even the word passable for the privacy was far too generous. There wasn´t an adult mutant in the mansion who hadn´t stumbled upon the duo in heated moments at least once, monthly. In the dark of the night, Charles admitted that Logan wasn´t the only one around appreciating the handsome Cajun stretching over the pool table to sink a ball either. As a matter of fact, as much as he hated his telepathy for it, Remy was common as the object of fantasies of most mutants around, female and male alike. It was a wonder Logan hadn´t gutted anyone because of it yet.


While on the subject of Logan gutting people, Charles couldn´t help but think about the fact that as much as Remy was the general of chores, Logan was in charge of the remote control 90% of the time. Especially if there was hockey. Remy learned, and quite painfully at that far as Charles remembered, that taking the remote from Logan during an engaging game was approaching suicide. He was pretty sure that that glare was only used on Jubilee when she did something terrible or Sabertooth. Even Charles made a mental note never to take the remote in those times. Indeed, the mere memory made Remy shudder and snuggle closer to his lover. And anyway, he could just nap instead of watching the game that bored him so much. Logan would be happy, Remy would get more sleep and they could be together. Charles approved of the solution.


Speaking of Sabertooth, another interesting aspect of their relationship were their personal and common foes. Victor was a member of the second category for all that he´d done to either man and the pair as a whole respectively. Their relationship changed their fighting a bit from what Charles had seen. They still trusted the other´s abilities to the fullest and wouldn´t take over the fight for their lover unless absolutely necessary. However, they seemed to watch each other´s back even more now. They had always been a formidable team when fighting but now, they were a downright menace. Their closeness and empathic bond made them an unbeatable team and the only reason Victor wasn´t in pieces yet was because depending on who saw him first, they still respected the right of first blood instead of killing him together.


It was this knowing each other inside and out that made them such a great fighting tandem. It was remarkable how much they trusted the other and Charles didn´t know of anyone who was as honest with each other as those two. It seemed that they didn´t hide anything and bared it all for the other to see so that no one could ever try and tear them apart with secrets. And considering how secretive both men were, that was saying something. Not even Jean and Scot who had been together much longer with a telepathic link in place bared it all but maintained some secrets. Remy and Logan did not. They knew everything there was to know about each other and so worked together perfectly. It really was true that they knew what the other´s thinking even before he did it.


While trusting each other fully, both men still maintained a certain distance from most of the others. They both felt a strong need for privacy, a commodity very rare in a mansion full of curious and gossiping mutants. So whenever the need for privacy became too much, they´d just pack some things and drive up north to Logan´s cabin in the Canadian wilderness. No one was allowed to join, not even Jubilee and while the others knew where the cabin was for safety reasons, they were forbidden to enter and come pester them unless the end of the world was happening. They called Storm daily to check in and prove they´re still alive but that was it. Charles could only guess what was happening over there and not even he with his great observational skills could be certain. They could be screwing each other like animals, playing poker, kissing on the couch or playing hunter and prey in the woods... all possibilities were equally plausible and Charles usually presumed they did it all.


Another instance when Charles didn´t get to observe them as much as he´d like to was when Logan decided it was time to give Remy a few new lessons on survival in the wild. He packed the bare necessities and took the Cajun away with him not giving him the option to protest. Charles presumed that Logan than proceeded to teach Remy how to orientate himself in the wild, how to navigate back to civilization and how to survive while on his own. Of course, for all they knew it was a devious plot to make them all think they were somewhere in the woods while they had actually flown to Vegas for a poker game. With Remy and Logan, you could never tell for sure.




All in all, from what he was blessed enough to be shown, it was interesting to observe their interaction during big events as well as mundane activities. Charles always learned a little bit more about both men and how their relationship worked. It was fascinating to uncover because it was so complex. There was simply much more to them than meets the eyes, a mystery to be uncovered one piece at a time. However, Charles had to admit that the more he uncovered, the more he considered himself lucky to be allowed to bask in the proximity of such love and devotion.

The End