Sunday
Title: Sunday
Fandom: X-Men
Disclaimer: This wonderful duo belongs to Marvel.
Rating: slash - soft
Pairing: Ric/Star
Feedback: Please do.
Author’s Notes: This one turned out slightly different from what I originally had in mind, but what can I say? Sometimes these fics just take on a life of their own. Enjoy it! Just Monday left now.
The order to read this series: Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday
Julio woke up Sunday morning with the strange feeling he was being watched. When he opened his eyes, his fear was affirmed.
“Shit, ‘Star!” he yelped, and grasped at the covers to guarantee he wasn’t exposing any intimate bits of flesh. “Don’t just stare at a guy like that!”
“Sorry, Julio.”
He rubbed a hand over his face tiredly. “What time is it?” he grumbled.
“Eight o’clock in the morning.”
“Why are you wakin’ me up at eight a.m.?”
Shatterstar shifted. “I’m bored. And your cat was trying to sleep on my head.”
Julio stifled his laugh and nodded. “Yeah. He does that.” He rolled over and buried his face into his pillow. “I’m goin’ back to sleep.” A beat, and he peeked over at Shatterstar, who sat against the wall like a lonely puppy. He groaned. “Fine. I’m up.”
The redhead perked up immediately. “Good! I’ll make you breakfast.”
His eyebrows rose. “You don’t need to do that.”
“But I want to,” he insisted.
So he shrugged. “Okay, have a party. I’m gonna take a shower.”
They sat there for a moment longer.
“Um, ‘Star? Can you leave now? I’m in my underwear.”
“Of course, Julio.” He ducked out. Julio heaved a huge puff of air and dragged himself out of bed.
Ten minutes later, he was rushing out of the bathroom with a towel hitched around his waist, pushing ‘Star out of the way and grabbing the burning frying pan to throw into the sink and douse in water. He snatched a wash cloth up and began waving it at the smoke detector, which was bleeping noisily at them. With a long-suffering sigh, he moved one of his fans to blow the smoke out the window.
Shatterstar looked at him guiltily. The toaster popped up two burnt slices of bread. “I’m sorry, Julio.”
“Yeah, whatever,” he muttered, wincing and looking at his hand. An angry red burn slashed across his palm. “Damn.”
Suddenly, Shatterstar was there, holding his hand gently, studying his burn. “I’m sorry,” he repeated softly. “I hurt you again.”
“Oh, ‘Star,” Julio released a long-suffering sigh. He placed his good hand on his shoulder and gave him a reassuring squeeze. “It’s just a burn. No big deal.” Moving away, he went back to the bathroom for some burn salve in his medicine cabinet.
Shatterstar followed him, taking the salve as Julio clumsily tried to open it with his left hand.
“Let me.” He popped it open and smeared the cool gel on his fingertips before gently running it over Julio’s hand. His large, blunt fingers, so skilled with the sword, were light and cool on his open palm.
Julio swallowed. Without knowing why, he was suddenly and irrationally weak at the knees. ‘Star concentrated on his burn, and Julio watched his face, the way his eyebrows furrowed, his lips held in a grim line. He was very aware of his near-nakedness, and the way the water drops on his skin cooled him.
“How does that feel?”
“Good,” Julio murmured, before realizing he meant his burn. He flushed, licked his lips, and looked away.
“Good,” ‘Star echoed. He released Julio’s hand and stood there, staring openly. The smoke alarm had stopped ringing, and the silence left in its place buzzed in his ears. Julio looked down at the sink to avoid Shatterstar’s gaze. There was a blob of toothpaste that must have fallen off his toothbrush at some point. He turned on the faucet to wash it away.
Shatterstar’s hand was on his back, fingers lightly brushing his skin. Tracing his tattoo, Julio realized. He’d gotten it when he’d first moved out here, a spontaneous and probably stupid act. It was between his shoulders, a star.
“Did you find yourself?” Julio asked, turning the water off but remaining where he stood. ‘Star’s hand stopped tracing, but remained against his skin. He hadn’t quite succeeded at keeping the bitterness out of his voice.
“Not yet,” ‘Star murmured. Julio glanced in the mirror and caught his eye. His hands moved to Julio’s shoulders, fingers squeezing to release the knots and tension. “Julio….”
“’Star, I--” he tried to interrupt.
But Shatterstar turned him to face him, his hand moving to caress his cheek, thumb gliding along his jaw. Julio’s breath left him, his heart speeding up. He leaned in, and captured Julio’s mouth in a warm, soft kiss.
It wasn’t like anything Julio had ever expected it to be, standing in his cramped little bathroom in nothing but a towel, his hand burnt and sore, and Shatterstar…. so tender and beautiful. His long hair tickled Julio’s chest as he kissed him until they were both breathless.
“’Star,” he panted.
“Is this okay?”
Julio faltered. “I--No. No, it’s not.” He pulled away. “Fuck, ‘Star. You can’t just… You can’t!”
“I can’t?”
“You left me!” Julio shouted.
Shatterstar blinked at him. “You have left me in the past.”
“But I came back when you needed me!”
The redhead looked even more bewildered. “And now I am back.”
“I--Well. Yes. But…” He smacked his fist against ‘Star’s chest. “God dammit. What was this then? Some sort of revenge?”
‘Star grasped him firmly. “No. It wasn’t that. I was very confused. I worried that perhaps you meant too much to me. I worried… that it would get you hurt.” He swallowed visibly.
Julio was stunned into silence. Wet heat pricked the corners of his eyes, and he blinked hard. Shatterstar’s arms folded around him, and Julio buried his face into his neck. He almost-cried a little, and laughed a little more in embarrassment. “Look, you can’t worry about that anymore, okay? Especially not out here. No psychopaths looking to exploit mutants. No gunrunning families. Just you and me. See? Safe.”
“I missed you,” Shatterstar whispered hoarsely. “So much.”
“Missed you too,” Julio murmured.
Shatterstar kissed him again, and Julio clung to him this time, his fingers digging into hard muscle. The porcelain sink pressed uncomfortably against his lower back, but Julio tried to ignore it, concentrating instead on the silky wonderful of Shatterstar’s tongue.
“So you won’t run off again, will you?” Julio paused to ask.
He shook his head. “No. Will you?”
“Nope.” Julio grinned. The smile faded on his lips almost as soon as it had begun. "What do we do now?"
"On television, usually someone shares a big secret," Shatterstar told him authoritatively.
He laughed. "Oh yeah? You have any huge secrets you care to share with me?"
'Star appeared to think it over. Julio almost got a little nervous. He most certainly did get nervous when Shatterstar nodded slowly, and leaned in, pressing their foreheads together. "Julio... I'm pregnant."
There was a long pause during which Julio stared at him, lips twitching. Then he burst out laughing. "'Star, do you even know what that means?!"
The redhead shrugged awkwardly. "Not... exactly."
"Well, trust me, amigo. You can't be pregnant," he told him, grin splitting his face from side to side.
"Do you have any secrets, Julio?" Shatterstar asked him, quickly changing the subject away from his moment of ignorance.
He sighed, wrapped his arms around 'Star, and nodded a little. "Yeah. I'm scared shitless. But that's just between you and me. Comprende?"
'Star kissed him. "It's our secret."
They spent their morning lazing around. Julio showed Shatterstar the proper way to make breakfast--burn free. He taught him how to play with Orion, rather than just stare him down.
"Why does he enjoy the string so much?" Shatterstar asked, watching the kitten pounce on the string, bat it around, and pounce again.
"I don't know," Julio admitted. He wiggled the string again. "It's a weird cat thing. Here, you try."
Shatterstar accepted the piece of string, holding it up and daring Orion to try it. The kitten stared, then leapt up. 'Star pulled the string away before he managed to grab it. He dangled it down again. Orion jumped for it. He pulled it away. Repeat.
Julio smacked his hand. "You're being mean. Let him grab it once in awhile."
"Why?" 'Star was bewildered. "If he cannot succeed--"
"'Star!" Julio laughed. "He's a cat! It's a game!"
Shatterstar looked pained. "I do not understand...."
So Julio placed his hand over his, squeezing it comfortingly, and shaking his head. "Never mind. He's bored now anyway. His attention span's about the same length as yours." Orion hurried off to tackle an abandoned sock in the corner.
They curled up to watch television. Just like the old days, Julio thought. A slightly hysterical bubble built up inside of him. Had it been so long ago when they had fought side by side on X-Force? It seemed like decades, but it was really only two years.
Two years, and my, Julio, how much you have grown. Are you actually showing affection for someone without running away? Are you strong enough to try out happiness for a change? When he looked up at Shatterstar, seeing the intensely concentrated expression on his face as he followed along with CSI, he felt that he could try. Really, really hard.
That night he decided to take him out. Not to a club or bar, 'Star had never really enjoyed those things like Julio did. Instead, he took him to the beach.
Julio loved the ocean, especially at night. The way it curved up to meet the sky, waves stretching to grab the stars. He could lay on the beach for hours, looking up at the stars, listening to the waves rushing in to greet the shore.
Shatterstar didn't understand. "Are we going swimming?" he asked.
"No," Julio laughed. "It's too cold to go swimming. And a shark might come up to bite you." He bit his shoulder for emphasis. "I just wanted you to see it."
He looked around, unimpressed. "It's dark." Julio's expression fell. Then Shatterstar bent and removed his shoes. Julio watched, confused, as 'Star squished his toes in the sand.
"What're you doin', 'Star?"
"Feeling the sand. It's nice."
"You're so weird." But he took off his own shoes too, and they walked down the beach together in comfortable silence. When Shatterstar stepped on a seashell, he became engrossed in locating them in the dark. Julio helped him, and they soon had handfuls of forgotten shells.
"Who left them here, Julio?" Shatterstar asked as they sat down to sort through them. Julio said they should only take the best of them home.
"Well, the little creatures did."
"Creatures? Like in those alien movies Tabitha used to make Guthrie watch with her?"
Julio laughed, remembering. Sam had hated those movies, but Tabitha had loved them. Watching them watch the movie had almost been as entertaining as the movie itself. "No, 'Star. Sea creatures. They use these shells for protection, see? And when they get too big for them, they crawl out of them and go find a better one."
The redhead appeared to be thinking it over. He turned a shell around in his hands, twisting it to see it from every angle. "I like that," he said at last. "Should we go home now, Julio?"
He nodded. "Yeah, probably. I have to work in the morning." He heaved himself up to his feet, brushing sand off himself with his good hand, the other one still wrapped in gauze. "So which ones are we bringing home?"
"This one," 'Star announced, presenting it to him.
"Just one? You sure?"
"Yes. It's the best one."
Julio grinned at him. "All right, if you say so. Hang onto it, then."
When they reached Julio's apartment, Shatterstar looked around for the best place to set his seashell as Julio got ready for bed. By the time he had changed into some shorts and brushed his teeth, Shatterstar had moved it to twelve different places.
"Here, 'Star, set it here," Julio suggested, indicating a bookshelf in his room. Shatterstar did so. "There, see? That works."
They stood there awkwardly for a few moments longer. Then, without a word, Shatterstar moved back into the living room and settled himself on the couch. Julio paused, unsettled, but went to his bed nevertheless.
He laid there for an hour, tired, but restless. He fluffed his pillow, turned from his side, to his stomach, to his back, and to his other side, even tried to sleep on the foot of the bed, but nothing was working.
Finally, he got to his feet and stepped out of his bedroom. Shatterstar was laying on the couch. Orion was sleeping on his stomach, but 'Star was wide awake, turning when he heard Julio leave his room. They looked at each other in silence, and then Julio moved forward, picking Orion up and setting him on the floor, who gave him a disgruntled look before leaving to find a better place to sleep.
Julio took Shatterstar by the hand. The man followed him, silent, intensity rolling off of him in waves, coming out to greet Julio. He crawled back into his bed, eyeing the other side of the bed pointedly. Shatterstar joined him cautiously, uncertain what was expected of him.
But Julio simply curled his arm around him, pushing in close for the comfort of that added body. "The couch is uncomfortable anyway," he murmured as an explanation. If Shatterstar replied, Julio wouldn't have known. He was asleep within moments.
Fandom: X-Men
Disclaimer: This wonderful duo belongs to Marvel.
Rating: slash - soft
Pairing: Ric/Star
Feedback: Please do.
Author’s Notes: This one turned out slightly different from what I originally had in mind, but what can I say? Sometimes these fics just take on a life of their own. Enjoy it! Just Monday left now.
The order to read this series: Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday
Julio woke up Sunday morning with the strange feeling he was being watched. When he opened his eyes, his fear was affirmed.
“Shit, ‘Star!” he yelped, and grasped at the covers to guarantee he wasn’t exposing any intimate bits of flesh. “Don’t just stare at a guy like that!”
“Sorry, Julio.”
He rubbed a hand over his face tiredly. “What time is it?” he grumbled.
“Eight o’clock in the morning.”
“Why are you wakin’ me up at eight a.m.?”
Shatterstar shifted. “I’m bored. And your cat was trying to sleep on my head.”
Julio stifled his laugh and nodded. “Yeah. He does that.” He rolled over and buried his face into his pillow. “I’m goin’ back to sleep.” A beat, and he peeked over at Shatterstar, who sat against the wall like a lonely puppy. He groaned. “Fine. I’m up.”
The redhead perked up immediately. “Good! I’ll make you breakfast.”
His eyebrows rose. “You don’t need to do that.”
“But I want to,” he insisted.
So he shrugged. “Okay, have a party. I’m gonna take a shower.”
They sat there for a moment longer.
“Um, ‘Star? Can you leave now? I’m in my underwear.”
“Of course, Julio.” He ducked out. Julio heaved a huge puff of air and dragged himself out of bed.
Ten minutes later, he was rushing out of the bathroom with a towel hitched around his waist, pushing ‘Star out of the way and grabbing the burning frying pan to throw into the sink and douse in water. He snatched a wash cloth up and began waving it at the smoke detector, which was bleeping noisily at them. With a long-suffering sigh, he moved one of his fans to blow the smoke out the window.
Shatterstar looked at him guiltily. The toaster popped up two burnt slices of bread. “I’m sorry, Julio.”
“Yeah, whatever,” he muttered, wincing and looking at his hand. An angry red burn slashed across his palm. “Damn.”
Suddenly, Shatterstar was there, holding his hand gently, studying his burn. “I’m sorry,” he repeated softly. “I hurt you again.”
“Oh, ‘Star,” Julio released a long-suffering sigh. He placed his good hand on his shoulder and gave him a reassuring squeeze. “It’s just a burn. No big deal.” Moving away, he went back to the bathroom for some burn salve in his medicine cabinet.
Shatterstar followed him, taking the salve as Julio clumsily tried to open it with his left hand.
“Let me.” He popped it open and smeared the cool gel on his fingertips before gently running it over Julio’s hand. His large, blunt fingers, so skilled with the sword, were light and cool on his open palm.
Julio swallowed. Without knowing why, he was suddenly and irrationally weak at the knees. ‘Star concentrated on his burn, and Julio watched his face, the way his eyebrows furrowed, his lips held in a grim line. He was very aware of his near-nakedness, and the way the water drops on his skin cooled him.
“How does that feel?”
“Good,” Julio murmured, before realizing he meant his burn. He flushed, licked his lips, and looked away.
“Good,” ‘Star echoed. He released Julio’s hand and stood there, staring openly. The smoke alarm had stopped ringing, and the silence left in its place buzzed in his ears. Julio looked down at the sink to avoid Shatterstar’s gaze. There was a blob of toothpaste that must have fallen off his toothbrush at some point. He turned on the faucet to wash it away.
Shatterstar’s hand was on his back, fingers lightly brushing his skin. Tracing his tattoo, Julio realized. He’d gotten it when he’d first moved out here, a spontaneous and probably stupid act. It was between his shoulders, a star.
“Did you find yourself?” Julio asked, turning the water off but remaining where he stood. ‘Star’s hand stopped tracing, but remained against his skin. He hadn’t quite succeeded at keeping the bitterness out of his voice.
“Not yet,” ‘Star murmured. Julio glanced in the mirror and caught his eye. His hands moved to Julio’s shoulders, fingers squeezing to release the knots and tension. “Julio….”
“’Star, I--” he tried to interrupt.
But Shatterstar turned him to face him, his hand moving to caress his cheek, thumb gliding along his jaw. Julio’s breath left him, his heart speeding up. He leaned in, and captured Julio’s mouth in a warm, soft kiss.
It wasn’t like anything Julio had ever expected it to be, standing in his cramped little bathroom in nothing but a towel, his hand burnt and sore, and Shatterstar…. so tender and beautiful. His long hair tickled Julio’s chest as he kissed him until they were both breathless.
“’Star,” he panted.
“Is this okay?”
Julio faltered. “I--No. No, it’s not.” He pulled away. “Fuck, ‘Star. You can’t just… You can’t!”
“I can’t?”
“You left me!” Julio shouted.
Shatterstar blinked at him. “You have left me in the past.”
“But I came back when you needed me!”
The redhead looked even more bewildered. “And now I am back.”
“I--Well. Yes. But…” He smacked his fist against ‘Star’s chest. “God dammit. What was this then? Some sort of revenge?”
‘Star grasped him firmly. “No. It wasn’t that. I was very confused. I worried that perhaps you meant too much to me. I worried… that it would get you hurt.” He swallowed visibly.
Julio was stunned into silence. Wet heat pricked the corners of his eyes, and he blinked hard. Shatterstar’s arms folded around him, and Julio buried his face into his neck. He almost-cried a little, and laughed a little more in embarrassment. “Look, you can’t worry about that anymore, okay? Especially not out here. No psychopaths looking to exploit mutants. No gunrunning families. Just you and me. See? Safe.”
“I missed you,” Shatterstar whispered hoarsely. “So much.”
“Missed you too,” Julio murmured.
Shatterstar kissed him again, and Julio clung to him this time, his fingers digging into hard muscle. The porcelain sink pressed uncomfortably against his lower back, but Julio tried to ignore it, concentrating instead on the silky wonderful of Shatterstar’s tongue.
“So you won’t run off again, will you?” Julio paused to ask.
He shook his head. “No. Will you?”
“Nope.” Julio grinned. The smile faded on his lips almost as soon as it had begun. "What do we do now?"
"On television, usually someone shares a big secret," Shatterstar told him authoritatively.
He laughed. "Oh yeah? You have any huge secrets you care to share with me?"
'Star appeared to think it over. Julio almost got a little nervous. He most certainly did get nervous when Shatterstar nodded slowly, and leaned in, pressing their foreheads together. "Julio... I'm pregnant."
There was a long pause during which Julio stared at him, lips twitching. Then he burst out laughing. "'Star, do you even know what that means?!"
The redhead shrugged awkwardly. "Not... exactly."
"Well, trust me, amigo. You can't be pregnant," he told him, grin splitting his face from side to side.
"Do you have any secrets, Julio?" Shatterstar asked him, quickly changing the subject away from his moment of ignorance.
He sighed, wrapped his arms around 'Star, and nodded a little. "Yeah. I'm scared shitless. But that's just between you and me. Comprende?"
'Star kissed him. "It's our secret."
They spent their morning lazing around. Julio showed Shatterstar the proper way to make breakfast--burn free. He taught him how to play with Orion, rather than just stare him down.
"Why does he enjoy the string so much?" Shatterstar asked, watching the kitten pounce on the string, bat it around, and pounce again.
"I don't know," Julio admitted. He wiggled the string again. "It's a weird cat thing. Here, you try."
Shatterstar accepted the piece of string, holding it up and daring Orion to try it. The kitten stared, then leapt up. 'Star pulled the string away before he managed to grab it. He dangled it down again. Orion jumped for it. He pulled it away. Repeat.
Julio smacked his hand. "You're being mean. Let him grab it once in awhile."
"Why?" 'Star was bewildered. "If he cannot succeed--"
"'Star!" Julio laughed. "He's a cat! It's a game!"
Shatterstar looked pained. "I do not understand...."
So Julio placed his hand over his, squeezing it comfortingly, and shaking his head. "Never mind. He's bored now anyway. His attention span's about the same length as yours." Orion hurried off to tackle an abandoned sock in the corner.
They curled up to watch television. Just like the old days, Julio thought. A slightly hysterical bubble built up inside of him. Had it been so long ago when they had fought side by side on X-Force? It seemed like decades, but it was really only two years.
Two years, and my, Julio, how much you have grown. Are you actually showing affection for someone without running away? Are you strong enough to try out happiness for a change? When he looked up at Shatterstar, seeing the intensely concentrated expression on his face as he followed along with CSI, he felt that he could try. Really, really hard.
That night he decided to take him out. Not to a club or bar, 'Star had never really enjoyed those things like Julio did. Instead, he took him to the beach.
Julio loved the ocean, especially at night. The way it curved up to meet the sky, waves stretching to grab the stars. He could lay on the beach for hours, looking up at the stars, listening to the waves rushing in to greet the shore.
Shatterstar didn't understand. "Are we going swimming?" he asked.
"No," Julio laughed. "It's too cold to go swimming. And a shark might come up to bite you." He bit his shoulder for emphasis. "I just wanted you to see it."
He looked around, unimpressed. "It's dark." Julio's expression fell. Then Shatterstar bent and removed his shoes. Julio watched, confused, as 'Star squished his toes in the sand.
"What're you doin', 'Star?"
"Feeling the sand. It's nice."
"You're so weird." But he took off his own shoes too, and they walked down the beach together in comfortable silence. When Shatterstar stepped on a seashell, he became engrossed in locating them in the dark. Julio helped him, and they soon had handfuls of forgotten shells.
"Who left them here, Julio?" Shatterstar asked as they sat down to sort through them. Julio said they should only take the best of them home.
"Well, the little creatures did."
"Creatures? Like in those alien movies Tabitha used to make Guthrie watch with her?"
Julio laughed, remembering. Sam had hated those movies, but Tabitha had loved them. Watching them watch the movie had almost been as entertaining as the movie itself. "No, 'Star. Sea creatures. They use these shells for protection, see? And when they get too big for them, they crawl out of them and go find a better one."
The redhead appeared to be thinking it over. He turned a shell around in his hands, twisting it to see it from every angle. "I like that," he said at last. "Should we go home now, Julio?"
He nodded. "Yeah, probably. I have to work in the morning." He heaved himself up to his feet, brushing sand off himself with his good hand, the other one still wrapped in gauze. "So which ones are we bringing home?"
"This one," 'Star announced, presenting it to him.
"Just one? You sure?"
"Yes. It's the best one."
Julio grinned at him. "All right, if you say so. Hang onto it, then."
When they reached Julio's apartment, Shatterstar looked around for the best place to set his seashell as Julio got ready for bed. By the time he had changed into some shorts and brushed his teeth, Shatterstar had moved it to twelve different places.
"Here, 'Star, set it here," Julio suggested, indicating a bookshelf in his room. Shatterstar did so. "There, see? That works."
They stood there awkwardly for a few moments longer. Then, without a word, Shatterstar moved back into the living room and settled himself on the couch. Julio paused, unsettled, but went to his bed nevertheless.
He laid there for an hour, tired, but restless. He fluffed his pillow, turned from his side, to his stomach, to his back, and to his other side, even tried to sleep on the foot of the bed, but nothing was working.
Finally, he got to his feet and stepped out of his bedroom. Shatterstar was laying on the couch. Orion was sleeping on his stomach, but 'Star was wide awake, turning when he heard Julio leave his room. They looked at each other in silence, and then Julio moved forward, picking Orion up and setting him on the floor, who gave him a disgruntled look before leaving to find a better place to sleep.
Julio took Shatterstar by the hand. The man followed him, silent, intensity rolling off of him in waves, coming out to greet Julio. He crawled back into his bed, eyeing the other side of the bed pointedly. Shatterstar joined him cautiously, uncertain what was expected of him.
But Julio simply curled his arm around him, pushing in close for the comfort of that added body. "The couch is uncomfortable anyway," he murmured as an explanation. If Shatterstar replied, Julio wouldn't have known. He was asleep within moments.