Know Your Neighbours

It was later in the afternoon when Remy had put on his faded jeans and T-shirt and came outside for a smoke and a breath of fresh air. He had watched Alex leave to go home and then to work- so he said- and hadn't felt like going back in just yet. Remy strolled down the driveway in his bare feet and stood at the end of the sidewalk to stare at Logan's white Envoy that took up most of his driveway, across the street.

With fingers in his front pockets and an unlit cigarette hanging from his mouth, he looked up and down the street for cars before casually making his way over to Logan's yard. Up the drive and onto the porch, he stopped at the door and hesitated before knocking. He knocked twice and took a step back, turning around to light his cigarette, and waited.

The door opened and Logan stepped outside to talk to him. "Hey kid, how ya feelin?" He closed the door behind him and smiled as Remy turned around, removed the smoke from his lips and smiled back.

"Je suis tres bien,..... mostly." Remy shrugged and glanced at the floor a moment. "Just stopped by to say merci for watchin de house. Alex told me ya stopped by earlier but Remy was asleep."

Logan nodded lightly. "Yea, he uh- looked hungry so I didn't want to keep him." Not wanting to offend Remy by saying what he was thinking, Logan only mumbled the words before leaning back against the doorframe. "You sure you really wanna be smokin, now?" He raised an eyebrow at the smoke but his tone was only curious.

Remy nodded as he took a long drag. "Alex- he's only after Remy's money, non?" The smoke from the cigarette rolled out of his mouth like crashing waves of white and gray. "Was actually lookin for de petite. She say she wan's Remy ta help her, no?"

"Yea, but she ain't feelin too well. I think you better wait 'til tomorrow."

Nodding and checking his phone that had been concealed in his pants pocket, he agreed and told Logan he needed to get some work done as well. "Wish de petite well." He said with a smile. "See you tomorrow, Logan." He waved goodbye and turned to head back to his side of the street. His phone rang in his hand and he answered it as he had already gotten to te middle of the street. "Oui...? Ah, yes....." His voice trailed off as he got farther and farther away and back inside his own house, locking the door behind him.

***************

Remy stepped up to the door of his neighbor's house and knocked, a little uncertain about how he was going to be recieved. When no one answered, he rang the bell and listened to the faint chime inside. He tried to remember all of the science projects he had done as a kid so he could have them fresh in his memory. He stood there in just jeans and a faded blue T-shirt that barely fit him. His pants hung off his hips and his shirt had been untucked that he resembled a rock star on laundry day. His auburn locks had been combed back and placed nicely into a ponytail that lay between his shoulderblades.

Stephanie had been up in her room, lying on the bed and facing the end, studying when she heard the bell and pushed herself to sit up from her stomach to go answer it. Red jeans, a sweatshirt that had been Logan's, and her white tennis shoes had been what she changed into from her school clothes. Her red hair cascaded down her back and had been held at bay from her face by a thin, pink headband that made her look a bit more older than she was. Wandering curiously down the stairs, she expanded her mind to the person behind the door but only felt their emotions, nothing else. Opening the door, she was caught off guard by seeing Remy standing there.

"Bon soir, Stephanie." He said with a smile.

"Hello, Remy." She smiled back. "Are you feeling better, now?"

"Fit as a fiddle, but we ain' studyin' music, are we?" He smirked.

Stephanie tilted her head to one side and quirked a questionable note at him before smiling and taking the hint. "Close. However, music is an entirely different tune of science." She stepped back and offered him inside.

Remy smiled at her and stepped through the doorway. "Oh, dat's right, you mentioned y' were gonna be workin' wid sound. You wanna show me your experiment so far?" He asked.

Nodding and closing the door behind him, she led him to the garage through the kitchen. As they passed the back porch, she waved to Logan mowing the backyard lawn.

Remy nodded to him on his way by and smiled, then turned his attention back to Stephanie.

Looking up from his mowing, Logan smiled and waved back to both of them as they passed.

The garage had been empty from the vehicle, which made room for a banquet table that displayed her already started science project. Several mirrors, a flashlight, a light bulb, copper wires, and a carboard milk carton with a side missing lay ontop of a big piece of poster board. Flipping the lightswitch on, and leading Remy over to the table, she began to tell him what she had started.

"Well den, let's get started, non?" He came around to stand on the other side of the table, across from her and took a moment to familiarise himself with the project.

Stephanie leaned against the table, watching what he was doing with a few mirrors. "I tried to bring your mail to you, the other day but the guy that was there was kinda busy so, I didn't bother him. Is he your best friend, or something?"

Remy pursed his lips before he spoke. "If I had one... I think he'd be it... but he ain't what I would call a friend." Remy felt he wa a pretty solitary man.

"What would you call him, then?" When he didn't answer but only shrugged, she continued. "No girlfriends, or family?" She watched him and noted his expression.

A small smile tugged at the edges of Remy's lips as he worked with the mirrors. "I didn' choose m' family, so I can't really say dey're friends eider. An'... I've never had a girlfriend," Remy admitted quietly, wondering how the sharp child in front of him would take that.

"I-i-is he your .....?" She wanted to say the word as she thought it in her head. Stopping herself and thinking back to what Logan had told her in the kitchen Stephanie only bit her lip and "hmm-ed".

Looking at the little girl, Remy raised his eyebrows. "My... boyfriend?" He asked bluntly.

Blushing nervously, she averted her eyes and nodded as she added. "Yes." She glanced up as the air about him had suddenly changed. "I told dad about something I saw that guy do. He said that was your business."

"What... what was it?" Remy asked, a bit defensive, but hiding it.

Stephanie didn't answer right away, only averted her eyes again and toyed with her fingers on the table. "I saw him kiss you and-- sort of-- try to take off your shirt." She couldn't bare to look at him and became slightly annoyed with her hair that managed to slip over her left shoulder, sweeping it back with her hand, her mouth made a "tsk" sound.

Remy smiled a little shyly and let out a short breath, a little embarrassed at having been caught by his neighbor's kid. "Sorry if dat made y' uncomfortable, petite.... I didn' realize anyone was lookin'...."

Smiling and remembering watching him, through her telescope as he washed his car in the middle of the night, she blushed. "Well, it isn't everyday that a neighbour moves in across the street and dad invites them over for dinner." She paused. "Why do you....? How- how is it you can just kiss him like that?"

Smiling, Remy said awkwardly, blinking at her, "Um... I don' understand, petite... I just... kiss him."

"Oh." Feeling a little stupid at how to approach the conversation, she stepped back a moment. "Forget it. Dad says it's your thing but when you got sick, I thought it was from you being homosexual." She cringed slightly at the word but continued as she tried to make her point. "Did he hurt you?"

"Non, petite... it was... I was born wid de reason I had t' go to de hospital," he said quietly. "But if y' curious 'bout somethin', y' don' gotta ever be afraid t' ask me. I kiss him because I like him... You too young to know about dat?" he asked with a smirk.

She thought about her best friend and what it might have felt like to kiss them. Shaking her head back to the present topic, she nodded and agreed that it was a grown up thing. "Do you like my dad?"

Remy's mouth dropped open. He swallowed. "Y' dad is a real nice man, petite..." he said, not looking at her. What was he supposed to say-- he had the hots for her dad?

"I could tell when you first moved in." She smiled. "My mom used to say that he was a catch she was lucky to snare."

Shyly, Remy smiled and looked at the floor. "Oui... she's right about dat... but how did you know as soon as I moved in?" What had he done that gave him away?

"When you introduced yourself, you took a puff of his cigar. Gross, unsettling things, but it didn't bother you like it would anyone else." The redness in her face crept up as she realised she might have a crush on him, even if it was only puppy.

Remy noticed the red in her face and could sense the affection. It made him a little uncomfortable, but he wasn't going to let it get in the way of his relationship with any of them. "Does it... boder you... dat I like y' dad...?" he asked.

She had to think about the question. Stephanie hadn't exactly known of many people that let her ask them what she was asking Remy. "Not really..... kinda?.... no, not so much now, although it is hard to get used to the idea." A snap inside her made her look up at him and hope he understood as love wasn't really a strong point for her. "I'm sorry."

"Y' don' have t' be sorry, petite... Y' feel what y' feel..." he shrugged and looked back at the mirrors, not really concentrating on them, just using them as something to look at.

"I'm sure I wouldn't know how to answer things like this but, I didn't mean to be nosey." She handed him another mirror and wrinkled her nose in thought about the project.

"I don't mind, petite." He knew how hard it was growing up without a parent and feeling like he had to protect his family.

"So, did that guy- your boyfriend- find what he was looking for in your car?" She asked but hadn't really paid attention to what she was saying. Placing another part to the project, she bit her lip as her words finally came back to her.

"I didn'... realize he had lost anythin' in dere..." He said. "Y' watche de house quite a bit, don' you?" he asked, starting to get a bad feeling about Alex.

"Uh, yea, I guess I do. Dad is a security agent and is always watching for things out of the ordinary. When I was trying to bring you your mail, he was... uhh... going through your car. I thought you asked him to find something." Her eyes opened wide as she felt his rhythm of thought tense at the mention. "Just making sure you're okay."

"I appreciate dat very much, petite." He smiled. "How would y' feel if I asked y' t' keep... keepin' an eye out f' anythin'... out o' de ordinary?" he asked, hoping that he wouldn't have to worry about this.

"Sure." She smiled. "It's a habit that dad says I really shouldn't press."

Remy's smile became brighter. "Y' poppa's a smart man."

"Yea, he hasn't burnt the house down with his cooking yet so, he's pretty smart." She giggled.

That was an odd criterion for intelligence. Remy turned back to the project and started working on it again. He smirked at her though.

Stephanie watched him closely out of the corners of her eyes. The picture of him kissing Alex tumbled like a shoe in the dryer, through her head. "Can I ask you what it was like? The first time...?"

"Uh... y' can ask, but... de first time what, petite?" Remy bent over to get a level view of the lining up of mirrors and wire. He glanced up and blinked at her before turning back to the wire before standing up again to straighten one piece out.

"The first time you....." Mumbling the last of her sentence, she kept herself open to try not to offend him with her pryings. "kissed him....?"

A slow smile spread over Remy's face. "Was a little awkward... 'cause I wasn' sure dat he... liked me back. It was... thrillin'. Felt like I could fly." He blushed and looked at the project. Her father was going to kill him for talking to her about this.

"Was he your first?"

"Non." Remy said, remembering he was quite young when he started figuring out who he was attracted to.

"Oh." She busied herself with writing configurations but tended to shake a bit and dropped the pencil onto the floor. "So, how old were you when you.... um... did it?"

Lifting an eyebrow at her, Remy asked, "Which 'it' we talkin' here, petite?"

He could be a bit embarrassing himself.

Biting her lip in her nervous habit, she had a feeling she was getting too personal with her wonderings. "Err, The 'it'. I mean, how do you know when to do it?"

"We still talkin' 'bout kissin'?" Remy asked with a smirk. He wondered if she even knew about the bases.

Logan was going to be upset at her outspokenness but what patterns she was getting from Remy, didn't let her think about the consequences of what she was asking. She hoped he was still in the backyard, mowing. "Uh... yes?"

"Well... kissin'... is kind of a risk y' gotta take sometime when y' like somebody. Y' do it when y' wanna tell somebody dat y' like dem... but de mood has t' be right, y'know?" He smiled. "Y' look at each oder a lot... an' den y' lean in... an' if dey're still lookin' at y'... y' can kiss 'em. Simple as dat... but real complicated in practice." Remy paused to look at her as she listened and watched him closely. "More dan dat an' I think y' gon' have t' wait 'til yer older t' hear about." He didn't want to be contributing too much to the delinquency of a minor.

"That's it?"

"Like I said, more complicated in practice," He smirked. "Y' do a lot of it by feel, trial an' error." He shrugged, using terminology she would understand.

"What if you like them but they don't like you?"

"Dat... happens a lot..." Remy said with a grimace. "If dat's de case... when you lean in t' get a kiss... dey'll lean away," He assured.

Stephanie thought, taking in what he had said. "What do you think would happen if you kissed my dad?"

"Think I might get socked." He said with an expression that was trying to be a smile, but was weighed down by the heaviness of it. It turned into more of a grimace.

"You don't think my dad likes you?"

"Petite, I think y' dad likes me as a friend... I got no reason t' think he wants t'... kiss me." He said looking at the floor. He wasn't even going to mention that he didn't think the man wanted to take him to bed. God, that would get him into trouble. "I got no reason to suspect dat he'd like me... like dat. He had you, oui? Y' poppa probably likes women, petite." He explained.

Stephanie shied away, staring at the pencil that was still on the floor. "I don't think he's had a date since mom died." Rolling the pencil under her shoe, she clarified. "I haven't seen him with anyone and he hardly talks on the phone, unless it's work. When you were in the hospital, he slept on the sofa, if he did sleep, and was constantly thinking about how you were doing."

"Petite... would y'... feel comfortable... if y' poppa an' I... started datin'...?" He asked carefully.

Looking at him plainly and then twisting her expression into confusion, her mind leaped forward and she found herself picturing the answer. She raised an eyebrow. "I-I-I don't know." She swallowed. "I guess. Perhaps. Would you?"

"... F' me de answer would depend on you. If you... an' y' broder were okay wid it... I'd consider m'self real lucky t' be able t' date y' poppa...."

"I'm convinced Matthew is from aliens but dad says he's my actual brother so, I have no idea what goes on in his head. I don't think I want to know." A thought struck her as she bent down to finally pick up the pencil she had been toying with on the floor. "What would it be like?"

"Me datin' y' poppa... or findin' out what goes on in y' broder's head?" He smirked. Considering it a rhetorical question, he continued, "I think y'd jus'... see more of me..." He didn't know whether he would kiss Logan in front of his kids though...

Stephanie smirked a bit. "Would we have to move?"

"Move?" Remy asked confused. "I live across de street, petite. I don' see no reason t' move." He got the feeling she was pulling his chain.

"Right, but instead of going back and forth..... Wouldn't it be easier to just move. Because I like my room." She smiled and hoped he got the joke as she was trying to lighten the conversation up.

Remy smiled at her. "If it got dat serious... we'll see, petite. We ain' even talked to y' poppa an' y' talkin' 'bout matrimony! Good lord, girl!" He teased.

A knock at the door before Logan opened it and peered in to see what they were doing. "Dinner's ready, you two. You can talk shop tomorrow, c'mon." He paused to catch Remy's eyes as he stood up from placing a coiled wire around the bottom of the lightbulb. "Even have a place for you, Rem, if yer hungry?"

"Ah, merci." Remy smiled and nodded.

***********

"Can I help wid de dishes?" Remy asked looking at Logan from his seat at the table.

Logan picked up a towel, after thinking for a moment, and tossed it onto the piece of counter separating them. "If ya don't mind dryin."

Remy rose and grabbed his own dish to bring to the sink. "Not a bit." He smiled and set the dirty dish with the others. He thought about how he was going to broach the subject and figure out... how Logan felt about him. They did after all, hardly know each other... yet he couldn't help feeling a strong attraction to the older man. "It's de least I can do... y' family's been takin' care o' me an'... I..." he didn't know what to say. "Thanks." He shrugged.

Bringing a plate up, out of the soapy water and shaking the excess off, Logan handed the plate to him and grabbed another. "Not a problem, kid." He scrubbed the plate with a sponge while feeling Remy's eyes on him. "Did you two have a good chat?"

"Uh... oui. We got a lot done on de project, but... I think we could use anoder evenin' t' work on it." Remy was a little shocked that he called him 'kid'. He supposed that he was more likely to view him as a surrogate son than a potential lover. That was one thing he hadn't considered when Stephanie was talking about how distraught Logan was when Remy was in the hospital.

"Just one? Heh, she's very thorough so don't be surprised if she asks for more." Logan turned as he handed him the next plate, and looked at Remy's expression. "Steph isn't the kind to warm up to anyone just like that."

"I guess I... got my work cut out for me, non?" He smiled awkwardly.

Logan smiled. "Guess ya do." Turning back to the sink, he had caught the catch in Remy's voice as he met his eyes. "Maybe she'll grow up to be the next millionaire to own a corporation."

"I hope she does, Logan... but wid a mind like hers, y'know she's gonna wanna be in a lab changin' de world." He smiled.

Logan recalled what he had desuaded her from after Jean died, and froze a shutter as he pictured her becoming too intense in trying to cure the common cold. "Yea..."

"She's a real good kid." Remy smirked. "Observant, too."

Logan chuckled. "Almost too observant."

"Eh... oui. I think she... sees things dat jus' ain' dere sometimes." He said sadly, remembering her observation about Logan's worry and how she interpreted it.

Stopping what he was doing, Logan turned and glanced back at Remy. "What do you mean?" A questionable frown on his face but keeping his mind open to the answer.

Remy shook his head. "Oh, nothin', mon ami. Jus'... she said somethin' dat... I think she misinterpreted some things is all." He shrugged.

Logan sighed inwardly and didn't press the issue. Instead, he turned back to the dishes and started cleaning a few silverware he had snagged. When he turned to hand them to Remy, he saw a faint sign of an indescribable silence.

"Logan... I... I don' mean t' sound ungrateful... but... I'm curious... Why'd y' do so much f' me...?" He asked quietly.

Forgetting about the dishes, Logan leaned against he counter on his left elbow, and thought deeply about what he had done for Remy, exactly. "I know what it's like to feel helpless with a child. Yer dad asked me to check on ya, and I did. When I saw you lyin there, I thought somethin happened to ya, and I couldn't imagine how to begin to tell yer dad you were gone. I tend to have restless times when I can't do anything else but kick myself for not doin somethin so, I try to at least make sure those I care about can get around without me."

Remy smiled a small breath escaping him. He tried to hide his disappointment. It was stupid of him to get his hopes up and also stupid to have talked to Stephanie like he was planning on making moves on her old man. Logan had been doing this for his father... not for him. The realization didn't take any of the kindness out of it... it just took the... hope from Remy's heart. "Well, thanks, Logan... I apreciate y' lookin' out for me."

"Whoa... wait a minute. Yer dad wasn't the only factor that I did what I did. I guess you could say you're the only neighbour I've had over for dinner in a long time. Not to mention it'd be a let down if my kids got ahold of the news before I did." Keeping a picture of Remy in the elevator, after a chat with his father, fresh in his mind, was reason alone to worry about him.

Remy's expression brightened a little. "I'm glad y' invited me over... Made me feel at home." He said wistfully. He hadn't felt much at home any of the other places he lived. Remy kicked himself for expecting a romantic relationship to develop out of this at all, to say nothing of in a few visit's time. He was just being foolish. His smile faded as he thought about his crush on Logan and how it was just going to linger.

When they finished the dishes, Logan let the water run out and grabbed a towel to dry his hands. "Smoke?"

"Definitely." Remy smiled and followed Logan outside.

They stood on the porch in the dark as Logan hadn't turned on the porchlight. Lighting his cigar, Logan held the lighter up for Remy to light his smoke on. Removing the cigar from his lips, he released the gray puff and stared at Remy's front door. "Everythin all right, kid?"

"I s'pose... Life's gettin' a little bit more interestin', but hey-- who don' wan' dat, right?" He smiled half-heartedly. He didn't know what he was going to do about Alex, but he needed to let whatever it was run its course.

Taking another puff, Logan kicked a small rock off of the top step and looked down to see it land in the grass, past the walkway. "Look, this ain't none o' my business but, I don't have ears to listen to crickets. If you wanna talk, talk away, and it won't leave this porch."

"Thanks, Logan... Guess I'm jus' woried 'bout somethin' Stephanie said she saw... she saw Alex pokin' through m' car... but don' recall askin' him t' get anythin' out of it for me...." He frowned pulling a drag out of his cigarette.

Logan debated telling him what he knew of that happening but hadn't wanted to spook Remy. "Perhaps, he was lookin fer somethin he thought he lost? You might have picked up? How well do ya know him?"

"Known him for a while. Not like I know him like de back o' my hand or nothin'... but we... we been havin' fights an'... it jus' feels like... it ain' gon' last much longer. I seen the signs before, I jus'... guess I don' wanna admit... defeat...." Remy shrugged and took another drag from his thin cigarette.

Sighing inwardly and bit his cigar in thought. "Defeat from what?"

"Well... defeat o' de relationship, y'know? I mean... I guess I dunno how serious I thought it'd be... but it jus' ain' workin'." Remy shrugged.

"It takes two and a Hellova pair of shoes to tango." Logan tried to keep the sexuality card in neutral for sake of understanding but had only reminded himself that he wasn't talking to his children.

"I know..." Remy said quietly. "guess dat's why I'm still tryin' t' keep it alive... Feel like a bunch of it is my fault, y'know?"

"Why? That is... I can't pretend to understand your business but, there is such point to mistakes."

"Well, I'm pig-headed," Remy smirked. "Obviously." He waved his cigarette elegantly.

Logan smirked back, playfully. "So I've noticed."

"Yeah, well... Alex don' 'xactly see it as such a good thing... Part o' me wishes I were more agreeable... but I can' give on de tings he wants me t' give on... y'know?" Remy exhaled a long breath of smoke.

Logan looked confused. "Like what?"

"I ain' gon' give up my right t' have friends jus' t' stay wid him. He wants my attention completely an'... he got... jealous f' me comin' over de oder day. You an' I jus' met an' he's jumpin' all ov' me tellin' me dat y' tryin' t' steal me away." Remy smirked at Logan. "You wouldn' even be interested."

Logan's eyes opened wide. "I'm tryin to steal you away?" Remy and Alex thought he was gay? Logan was floored. He thought back to what Stephanie had warned him about and then paired it up with what Remy had just said and quietly coughed on the smoke.

Remy looked at Logan a little concerned. It wasn't often that smokers coughed on their deathstick of choice. "Logan..?" He questioned.

"I'm fine. Just uh--...." Logan turned away and covered his mouth to clear his coughs before turning back and looking at the door across the street. "What do you think?"

"Bout what? De probability dat you'd try an' get togeder wid me? Or de next t' no coaxin' it'd take t' get me t' kiss you...?" Remy was actually taking a pretty big risk there... but Logan seemed like a reasonable man... he probably would take the confession of attraction okay.

Logan turned fully to look at him after smudging out the cigar on the closest post that held up the overhang. "Why not just ask me, instead of dodgin glances and skippin around the bush?"

Remy swallowed and looked away from Logan, his breath coming to him shallowly. Glancing at him out of the corner of his eye, his fear was evident. "Cause I'd hate t' loose y' as a friend... an' even dough... I don' tink y' de type t'... shun a man f' expressin' himself... I don' think I could act de same 'round y'... if y' said no...." Remy's heart was beating a mile a minute.

"I'm not that type of man, Remy. I'm not gonna shun you fer bein who you are but, since the fight was about me per se, don't you think it'd be easier to just ask me and get it out in the open than to wonder about it?"

"Kinda... rude t' ask... 'specially when we didn' know each oder so well... I wasn' sure back den dat y' wouldn' be offended...." He dodged it. He dodged it completely. Clenching his fists, he bit down trying to get the words to come out of his mouth that seemed to be glued shut through a will he didn't totally understand.

Logan stepped forward, listening and waiting. He stared at Remy calmly and noted the young man's expression. "To not know eachother that well is one thing. To know someone, even for a little while, and not be able to ask-- can be taken as missed opportunities." Without another word or even preparation, Logan leaned in and kissed him on the lips before backing away and noting the sound of the blue Yamaha on the street.

Remy was shaking-- Logan kissed him! His lips had felt so wonderful, soft and unfamiliar... They seemed right even though he'd never touched them before. The sound of the Yamaha made Remy look for the bike and his mouth opened when he looked back to Logan. "I... I wan' y', Logan..." He said looking into the man's eyes, trying to read him. "Dere's... somethin' I need t' do first... but when I see you tomorrow... can I kiss you again?" He asked, leaning closer to the man, but not touching him.

Logan didn't answer. Instead, he glanced of to the driveway where Alex now stood, looking towards them. "I think yer bein paged, and it's gettin kinda late. G'night, kid." He was unsure of how to answer and thought it best to move along to avoid uncomfortable silences.

Remy had to brace himself for what he was going to do next and he tried not to be put off by Logan's... noncommital attitude. Sighing as he watched Logan go back inside, he turned to Alex and stepped over to him. "Come on inside." He invited casually to Alex as he unlocked the door. Remy led the way into his house, opening his door for Alex.

************

"What's goin on, Remy? Why is it that when I'm over here, you're always on his front porch?" Alex was slightly hurt and a bit standoffish.

"Because he's my friend an' tonight I happen t' be helpin' his little girl wid her science project." He explained as he stepped inside.

Alex remembered the little girl and shivered in thought of what might the project have been about. "So, during the day, you keep this place like a hole in the ground but at night, you trapse over to chat with his kid about school?" He held his helmet in his right hand and closed the door behind him with his left, standing just inside.

"She's in school durin' de day, Alex." Remy explained, his voice telling him it should be common knowledge. "I was dere f' several hours helpin' her set up her experiment." Remy was quiet for a moment after pacing the living room once. "Mind if I ask you a question now?"

"Go right a head." Aggrevation touching his voice but managing it barely, Alex didn't look at him.

"What de fuck were y' doin' rootin' through my car unbidden?"

In amazement, Alex looked to Remy. "I- I- I was lookin for somethin I thought I left on the seat." Oh shit. He thought, knowing he had been caught by the girl but wasn't sure before. "What does it matter what I was looking for? I just thought I lost something."

Taking a deep breath, Remy tried to calm himself. That didn't change anything... it just made it a little less easy to justify. "You should have asked." He said and went to the other side of the room again. Facing away from Alex, Remy said gently, but loud enough he was sure Alex could hear him, "I don' wanna see you again, Alex...."

Seeing Remy upset had always turned him on and he made an attempt not to act on what he was thinking. "Wha-? What do you mean? Look, Remy, why don't we just go to bed, and we can talk in the morning? We've been through this before, and we're still together."

"Alex... y' don' want me even havin' *friends*-- y' made it clear dat y' jus' too paranoid... I don' wanna stress you an' I don' wanna be stressed. You should go an' find someone whose okay wid bein' y' entire life."

Alex crossed the room in a hurry and walked around to face Remy. "No, Remy please...? Look, I just get crazy sometimes 'cause of you're dad tryin to tell you what to do. I know you don't want to be under his thumb, and that Logan guy is just where that is. Please, Remy..." Holding Remy's head and letting his fingers run through his hair, Alex kissed him in an attempt to save any kind of grace.

"Alex... I can' do dis any more... Please... y' know I love you, but... I can' go on under my fader's thumb... any more dan I can go on... under *yours.*" Remy wrapped his arms around Alex in a habit he had developed over the year they had known each other, but he pushed Alex away as soon as he realized that he was pulling Alex closer.

Alex closed his eyes and started to move his hand up under Remy's T-shirt. His skin felt the soft but firm plains of Remy's stomach and then started upward, hoping Remy would change his mind. "I know we can work this out, Remy."

"Alex... I ain' sure I want to..." He said softly.

Kissing him again gently, Alex inhaled and backed up slowly. "Right. Okay. I'll uh- see you later." He wanted to say something to make Remy feel the hurt he felt but only bit his tongue and hurried for the door. "Night, Remy."

"Alex!" Remy turned to look at Alex's retreating back.

Alex stopped in the doorway.

"I'm sorry, Alex..." He said softly stepping over to him. He was a gorgeous man. It would be so easy to say he would try again with him... but he had said that so many times before.... "Will y' let me say goodbye... properly?" He asked and leaned in to kiss him slow and deep.

Closing his eyes and leaning in, Alex moaned and began to feel a bit sloshed as he breathed in the scent of Remy, fisting his shirt. He didn't want to let go and hoped he wouldn’t have to leave when Remy was so close to him in that second. Alex sighed and moaned again, trying to keep the kiss.

Taking that as a yes, Remy dragged Alex further inside and reached down to grab his firm ass through his jeans. He felt the blood make him stiff as he pulled Alex's hips closer to his own.

Opening his eyes, Alex smiled and pressed his hips against Remy's as his hands started to tug upwards at the shirt. "Please, Remy, don't stop."

Remy's hands went to Alex's under his shirt and covered them, caressing the tops for a moment, as if to tell him wordlessly that it was okay... he wasn't going to stop. He kissed Alex again and let his hands relieve Alex's shirt from his jeans. Then his hands found their way into the jeans and he grasped the ass again, this time bare and it made Remy's heart beat faster.

Alex gasped and threw his head back in pleasure. His hands shook as he lifted Remy's shirt to his neck and started kissing as much of Remy's chest as possible. Taking a moment to catch a breath, he moved to unbutton Remy's jeans while kissing his collarbone.

"Alex..." He stopped him and smiled at the pouty face he caught Alex with. Pulling off his shirt, he tugged Alex toward the stairs and led him up them to Remy's room. Once they were inside, he pulled Alex into another kiss and started undoing Alex's jeans so he could get him out of them and feel that beautiful ass again.

While Remy was working at his jeans, he was working the zip on Remy's. The thought hadn't crossed his mind that it was only for a night and in the morning, it would be a different road. He was only thinking about how good Remy felt inside him and with him. He had come so far and craved the touch Remy always had with him.

Remy let his hands slide along Alex's hips as he pushed the jeans and boxers off his body, leaving him exposed. Oh, he looked good. Working up his chest in a caress, he carried the shirt away and then kissed along his neck, his tongue leaving wet trails of passion on his skin. Remy's hands roved over Alex's back and back down to his ass-- he loved that ass and couldn't get enough of it. He didn't want to think about how things in his life were going to change in the morning; he would deal with them when they came about.

Alex took a brief second to revel in the kisses and sensations he was feeling. He noticed that he was nude but his hands shook at the try of undressing his living Adonis. Reaching his right hand inside Remy's pants (unders), Alex felt the hardness and rubbed his palm against it to hear the wonderful chorus of gasps Remy gave his ears. Getting braver, Alex slowly lowered the trousers and then the pants to get more touch to Remy.

Remy found his hips completely out of his control as he bucked into the hand that pleasured him and he smiled as Alex removed his pants. Stepping out of them, he guided Alex over to the bed and pressed him back onto it, kissing him and insinuating a leg inbetween Alex's. His hands caressed Alex's chest and he played with his nipples as he sipped kisses from his sexy lips.

Alex cooed softly and let his eyes slide closed as his legs spread slowly wider to accommodate his lover. He wanted this night to last and tried to place clips of every minute in his mind. Feeling Remy roam over his body, he purred into his ear. "Please Remy... I need you so much. Now."

"Soon..." Remy purred into his ear and then leaned away from him to kiss down his body. Alex had a wonderful piece of meat between his legs and Remy stopped to lap at his sensitive spots long enough to get him moaning loudly before he moved on and coaxed Alex's legs wider and delved his tongue into the crevice hiding the entrance to his body. Spreading him wider, his tongue pushed farther in and he was able to lick all around Alex's puckered opening, tasting his sweat before pushing his tongue against the muscle there, pressing in as far as he could.

Alex gasped and arched his back, panting heavily as he watched Remy through heavy lids and felt he was going mad.

Remy smiled at the reaction Alex gave him and kissed at his hole before leaning away to grab the lube from his nightstand. Putting a bit of the liquid on his fingertips, Remy grabbed one of Alex's hands and poured the fluid into it, then guided it to his cock so Alex could prepare him. His own click fingers found their way to Alex's anus and he pressed gently in at first with one finger, then with another, watching his lover's face for any signs of discomfort.

Alex rubbed the gel over the hardened length and groaned at the stretching that quickly turned to moans of pleasure. "Pleasepleaseplease."

Remy could feel Alex's muscles contract around his fingers and that made Remy just want inside him more. His cock was dripping a bit of its own lubricant that mixed with the stuff Alex applied and he leaned down to kiss Alex again. Pulling gently away from his hand, Remy positioned himself between Alex's legs and leaned over his gorgeous chest to swirl his tongue around his nipple, then scrape it with teeth. He listened closely to the sounds Alex made, using them as a key to guide what he did to his lover next. Remy twisted his lubed fingers inside Alex and pressed them deeper, scissoring them inside him to loosen him.

Reaching down to blindly pull at Remy's hand that was inside him, he whimpered and looked into Remy's eyes as they caught each other.

Remy smirked at Alex's whimper. Feeling he probably had been tortured enough, Remy let the tip of his rod press against Alex's hole and he glided it up and down the crack, teasing him with its presence. He could feel his muscles work, begging him for the piece of flesh that Remy wanted to give him. Slipping inside him was eased by the lube, but it was always tight going into Alex. Tonight Alex practically swallowed him up and Remy gasped at the clench around his manhood, maintaining eye contact with Alex as he entered him.

"Sorry." Alex whispered as he saw the pain on Remy's face and tried to relax as much as he could to lessen the restraint. He smiled as sweat glistened on his forehead. His hands moved to Remy's hips and then to his ass as he needed him deeper.

Remy's eyes fluttered closed in extacy and he whispered, "Don' be sorry, cher..." He braced himself with his arms over Alex and thrust into his willing lover, encouraged by the hands at his ass. Lowering himself closer to Alex, he let their bodies slide over each other, the smooth skin feeling delicious especially where it rubbed Remy's nipples. "Dieu... Alex... y' feel so good." He whispered into his ear as he slid inside him. It wasn't long before he couldn't control his movements any longer and he began thrashing in pleasure over the gorgeous body that lay open to him.

"Yes... Oh Remy... God, yes. I love... the way... you feel..." Alex panted and wrenched his eyes shut. "Ah! Ohh.. God, Remy." His fingers pressed into Remy's flesh as it moved atop him and he moaned a steady hum that bumped with every pound Remy thrust into him. Oh it felt so good to have Remy this close and to hear him say his name while they made love, on Remy's bed.

Remy panted over Alex and he gripped his shoulders to pull himself deeper inside him. The feeling of Alex's cock in between them, rubbing against his skin made him hot and he let his fingers caress him so they could lubricate him and keep him feeling good. Remy loved the way Alex was panting in turn and he wanted to give him everything in that moment. "Come f' me, Alex." He breathed hotly in his ear and thrust hard and fast into him, aiming for the spot he knew drove him crazy every time.

"Want me to..." Alex kept his eyes closed and wasn't able to raise his voice above a hoarse whisper into Remy's ear. "MM..." biting his lower lip and then Remy's shoulder, tasting the salty taste of sweat and Zest soap mixed with the wonderful taste of Remy's skin. "Want... you.... to.... mmm.... auhhh..." Saying remy's name in just as sultry a voice as he could talk, he sprit little and moaned before letting go of everything completely. "I love you, Remy."

Alex biting his shoulder made his excitement rise to levels just below bursting. The sudden tightness of the sheathe he had buried himself in made every part of Remy's body sing just before it exploded into a cacophony of pleasure and Remy made out the whisper of love before gasping himself and clutching Alex to him. Spilling his seed deep inside Alex's body was always such a wonderful, beautiful thing and he caressed Alex's hair as he started to come down from the intensity of pleasure. Panting still, he opened his eyes and looked at Alex... and saw the love that was on his face. Collapsing over Alex, Remy supported himself what he could on his elbows, but just lay over him, letting his love make them sticky and messy. His thoughts started to drift... and he thought about Logan on the porch earlier that evening and he wondered what it would be like to be in a relationship with him... But when he looked back at Alex... he wasn't sure he could do this... He would sleep on it and he would feel better about letting Alex go in the morning.

Watching Remy and raising a hand to the soft glitter of auburn hair, Alex smiled and closed his eyes as he stifled a yawn. He felt so comfortable where he was, with Remy near. He noted silently that Remy had made next to none acknowledgement about Alex's last cry of passion, he let it slide as he glanced over at Remy's dozing face. It was so serene and calming that he couldn't bare to see the sunrise, let alone deal with the after effects while crying on someone else's shoulder. Yawning again, he sighed and closed his eyes to sleep.

Remy hugged Alex close and tucked them under the covers after slipping from the warmth of his body. Remy was starting to dread the morning.

Continued....