Saturdays

SATURDAYS CHAPTER FIVE (NC-17)
Disclaimers Apply

A/N Goddess Foxfeather, Queen of Mad Plotbunnies and BUSIEST WOMAN ALIVE (tm), Billy and Joaqappaapparently have some embarrassing photos of Steed...Should I try to get them or just wait it out? InterNutter, TC and Maxwell Pink are super-loverly for archiving. :) Readers/Reviewers: Land o'Goshen...The Killer Kitties(tm) and their Killer Minions(tm) are afraid of armadillos! "Too Southern," is the reason I was told. The Killer Kitties(tm) and the Minions (tm) are hammering out a treaty with the ducks right now, planning on making some sort of ubercritterforce to attack trmadrmadillos...

A/N 2: Just a quick caveat-while this chapter does NOT contain graphic slash, it implies a homosexual relationship between two males. If even the idea of a gay relationship squicks you out...sorry. However, there is a lot of crude language and things that I would never say in life but these evil little people towards the end of the chapter say with relish. I know I've said it before but I'll say it again-gay, straight, bi-whatever you want to be is FINE and have at it as often as you care to! Just be safe about it...



"What time does the movie start?" Bobby pushed the remains of his pizza crust around the paper plate idly, waiting for St John to finish his third slice as they sat in the mall food court.
"About...twenty minutes," his companion answered when he swallowed his mouthful of food. "What's wrong?"
Bobby was staring past St John and at a table of people across the food court. Several males and two females from Bayville High School, none of which were known for their particularly tolerant attitudes, were laughing and goofing around, occasionally glancing in their direction. "People from the school," he said finally.
"Here? We're in Riverview!"1 St John started to turn and crane his neck to see, but Bobby kicked his shin under the table. "What was that for?"
"Don't draw attention. Come on...we'll just go thr through that annoying movie quiz and the previews..." Bobby stood and grabbed his trash, grabbing St John's as well. "We're only two towns over...it's not like other people from Bayville can't go to Riverview for the day like we did."
St John looked slightly nervous. "I've just got a bad feeling, man...Look who it is!"
"I know, I know...Just ignore them. We won't even show up on their radar if we don't act twitchy!" Bobby knew they were being paranoid, but he did not see that as a detriment. They had gone to Riverview to avoid running into anyone from Bayville, so they could have a proper date instead of furtive glances and "accidental" touches while they acted like they were part of a group, always with Kurt and Kitty or Scott and Jean, always dragging along some poor unsuspecting girls who thought that they might have a chance with them. He and St John had put a great deal of effort into planning this trip, trying not to seem very anxious about it in front of their friends, but in the end they stopped caring who knew they were looking forward to the weekend. Even the Logan seemed to understand, though he did not quite grasp the idea of their relationship. He merely told them to bring the car back with a full tank and watch the temperature gauge, all the while giving them a speculative look that made Bobby a little nervous, worried that the man may start asking for details.
St John tugged on his sleeve surreptitiously. "I think they're going to the movie, too."
"So it'll be dark...we'll sit in the back row." He was determined not to let anything ruin the day for them. "We can go see a different movie if you want...or a later one!"
St John glanced at the gaggle of Bayville students walking their way and sighed. "No, we'll stick to the original plan. I'm probably just being hypersensitive about it."
Bobby smiled. "They probably don't even recognize us." The group from Bayville passed them without a backwards glance then and St John relaxed visibly. "See?"
"You were right. I'm just a little nervous...I mean, it's not that I'm ashamed of being with you, but..."
"I know. Not everyone understands." He looked around quickly, checking to see if anyone they knew from school was still around. "Come on. We're going to be late." Bobby took St John's hand and, smiling encouragingly as if to tell him not to worry, led him to the movie theatre just off the food court. St John was still a little nervous, eyes darting to take in everyone waiting in line, just to make sure they would not be outted prematurely. They had chosen Riverview for another reason, aside from being safer from recognition-Riverview was known for it's gay and lesbian and bi community. It had been an art colony at the turn of the century and had somehow morphed into a haven for people with "alternative lifestyles.2" They knew that holding hands would not be looked at strangely there. That is, St John reminded himself, would not be looked at strangely by residents of Riverview. Lost in thought, he felt Bobby looking at him intently, the gaze making him very self- aware. "What?"
Bobby reached out and passed his thumb over the corner of St John's mouth. "Tomato sauce," he explained, holding up the red-tinged finger for his boyfriend to see. "Schmutz."
St John smiled. He was starting to feel reasonably safe there, everyone else in line paying them no attention as Bobby obviously flirted with him. "Oh," he said for lack of anything else and leaned forward, taking Bobby's thumb into his mouth and licking it. "All gone."
Bobby blinked at him in surprise. St John, even when they were alone, was usually very reserved and almost shy about anything affectionate. "Well, I guess you're not too nervous about being caught anymore?"
"You guessed right," he said, moving up in line as the people in front of them bought their tickets. "So...back row, huh?"
Bobby laughed. "Sure, back row..."

"I don't know...do you really think that could happen?" St John asked hours later as they exited the theatre. The drive back to Bayville was a two-hour trip and quite dull, aside from conversation. Very few other cars were on the long strip of black top road that ran between the towns and only one other car had been in sight, and that was behind them.
"It could. I mean, for all we know, aliens are among us now!"
"Uh..."
"Come on...we're mutants. Is it really that hard to think that aliens exist?"
"Actually, yeah...." St John laughed.
"I need to get Kitty to give me the name of that website again with all the alien theories on it... Damn it. We need gas."
St John remained wisely silent, not trusting himself to not make a joke about space invaders until he knew if Bobby was serious or not. They rolled to a stop and Bobby got out, muttering about aliens and gas cards and Mulder and Scully, but St John bit his lip to keep the snicker in. Another car pulled up to the pump behind them and St John had to close his eyes against the glare of lights from the rearview mirror. "Damn," he muttered, "afraid of the dark much?"
"Fucking hell!" Bobby felt the blow to the back of his head through his entire body. He had not paid any attention to the other car behind them. He was busy trying to get the nozzle of the gas pump into the tank, cursing the universal problem of the stupid thing never wanting to go in right the first time,n hen he heard someone say his name. He turned his head to see who was talking to him and caught a glimpse of a familiar face before the blow fell.
St John heard the scuffle stand gnd got out of the car, thinking Bobby was having problems with the nozzle again. He tasted the coppery tang of fear as soon as he saw the handful of people standing on the driver's side of the car. Bobby was on the ground, one of the larger members of the group kicking him in the ribs repeatedly. "Fucking fag!"
"Leave him alone!" St John yelled, grabbing the nearest person and shoving them roughly aside and into the gas pump. Bobby sat up halfway as the person kicking him was distracted and turned to see St John. "Come on, Bobby. Get up..."
"Saw you two at the mall in Riverview," one of the guys said, smiling faintly as if about to share a great joke. "Knew you two were queer...just now we have proof!"
St John saw Bobby get to his knees and spit out some blood. He could not for the life of him remember any time when they had been seen at the mall doing anything that would tip their hand. "No, you don't."
The one who had been kicking Bobby snorted. "We saw you in line and then in the movies..."
_Fuck...he kissed me during the previews and again about halfway through...shit! _ St John did not have time to form a response or denial before he found himself face-down on the oily pavement. He wanted to use his powers somehow but knew that, even e coe could, doing that on top of tanks full of gasoline and diesel was possibly the worst idea he could ever have. Tendrils of ice crept over the pavement from Bobby's hands where they were pressed to the ground, someone's booted foot holding them in place. He could tell his boyfriend was having the same dilemma he was-use their powers and be found out as mutants, or take the beating. Even if they could get some good hits in, St John realized, they were outnumbered and more likely to raise ire than stem it. Someone was kicking his ribs and stomach, not giving him the opportunity to curl into a ball and protect himself. Bobby cried out sharply, the sound full of pain and loathing, and St John heard a sickening crunch.
It all went very, very quiet then. The person hitting St John stopped and cursed under his breath. "Dude, is he still breathing?"FuckFuck, man...I think you killed the little fag..."
"Shut up! No I didn't! He just fainted or some shit."
St John's eyes felt swollen and hot from the fumes rising off the warm pavement. His face hurt where it had been slammed into the concrete and he found it very hard to breathe properly. He forced himself to roll onto his side and look over at Bobby, feeling a cold dread in his stomach at the site of his partner. Bobby was bent at odd angles, his arm not quite the way it was supposed to be in its soc a l a leg looking disturbingly flat as if it had no bones between knee and ankle. His face was a bloody mess, split in places and marked with the sole of a shoe in others. He did not, St John noticed, seem to be breathing at all. "Bobby," he said quietly, though it sounded loud in the still parking lot.
"Shut the fuck up!" someone snapped at him, kicking the back of his neck and sending him sprawling face-down again. St John woed wed where the attendant was, why they had not called the police. He knew that they could be seen from the gas station's tiny cashier booth, despite the row of pumps between them and the attendant. There was some harshly whispered conversation and then he smelled gasoline. "Someone go take care of the greasemonkey!"
"What do yoan, an, take care of him?" one of the others asked incredulously. "I ain't gonna off someone just because we beat up some freaks."
"We can go to jail for this!" the first person snapped.
"What the fuck are you doing with the gasoline?"
"What the fuck do you think I'm doing?"
St John closed his eyes. He could not move. He was not sure he could even use his powers should they light a fire. Bobby hitched a breath, wheezing and loud, and a slight tremor of relief ran through the other teenager at the sound. The voices around him settled into an uncomfortable buzz and he wondered who would get the phone call about them, or if there would even be a call. _Jean will probably notice we're not back on time first...then she'll tell the Professor and he'll try to find us...Cant' find dead mutants with Cerebro, though, can he? _ He barely noticed when the voices stopped, the car drove away and the sound of thin sirens filled the air.

"St John? Can you hear me?" Storm held her hand just above his leg, not sure whether or not she should touch him. "He's very sedated, Ororo," the Professor said aloud. St John knew then that there were others, people who were not mutants, about. Something in the tone of the Professor's voice was different around non-mutants, like he was trying to be as normal as possible but did not quite know how. In his head, St John heard, _*Don't try and move...just rest for now. You're in the hospital in Bayville. You were brought here last night with Bobby. Someone called the police when they saw what was happening. * _
It took all St John's energy to respond, _*Why didn't the attendant... _ *
There was a long pause before the Professor answered, _*It was an unattended station. Fully automated after dark.3 There was no attendant, just an empty booth. _ *
_*Oh. _ * St John slid into a dark miasma of nausea and p Wi With his last bit of energy, he said, _*Saturday sucked. _ *
1 Made up a town. If there really is a Riverview, New York....well, sorry. It sounds like a condo community for the elderly to me, but the muses insisted.
2 That part is modeled after Montrose in Houston. It really was an art colony until about the 20's I think. Now, it's an "alternative lifestyle" intensive place. Though, I have a weird thing about "alternative" lifestyle as a designation...alternative to what? It's your life! It's not like you sit there with a catalogue and choose an alternative! *sigh *
3 I don't know if y'all have those where you live, but there's several around Houston. A little disconcerting in that 1984/A Brave New World sort of way.