labyrinth2015: (halfsmile)
[personal profile] labyrinth2015
Title: United, We Stand, Part 2
Pairing: X-Men/Cookleta cross-over
Words: 8,000+ words
Rating: PG-13
Dedication: For [livejournal.com profile] motherendurance; with my thanks, for everything. ILU, bb! I know which X-ship you sail on – hope you enjoy ;)
A/N: Unbetaed, so this gets to R in time for her birthday! Please let me know if there are errors.
X-continuity is so screwed I haven’t attempted to adhere to any real timeline – this fic is loosely modeled on the 'verse of X1/ X-MEN UNITED (as indicated in the title). The Morlocks, whom I use in this fic, were one-time X-foes who lived in tunnels under New York, who named themselves after subterranean creatures found in H. G. Wells's book, The Time Machine; here, they're vaguely their John Romita JR/pre-Mutant Massacre era selves. More about the Morlocks here and here.

Disclaimer: Not-for-profit work of fiction. X-Men characters copyright Marvel Comics and their creators. Idol characters belong to themselves. No proprietary interest nor veracity asserted. Will remove without prejudice upon valid request.


United, We Stand, Part 2

Part 1

Logan hates the crowd, hates the smell of thousands of sweaty, horny bodies, hates the flashing lights. Hates sitting in the front row, amongst screaming, flailing teenagers, bawling children, grown adults who ought to know better, but who don’t, and are shrieking and crying anyway.


He really doesn’t want to be here; wouldn’t be, if not for Marie.

It does make his hard heart glad, to see how excited she is, watching these over-fed pop stars strut their stuff onstage. She’s waving her arms, dancing in her seat, beautiful face bright under the stage lights.

He can smell her, of course. Her pure scent is darker around the edges, because she’s so jacked up on adrenaline, and on something else he really doesn’t want to think about, and it’s this new combination, so close to him, that surrounds him and makes him a little incautious.

He later figures this is how the slender, scarred woman is able to get close enough to put her hand on his shoulder, without him sensing her approach.

”Wolverine? If I'd been the enemy…”

With a superhuman burst of restraint, he recognizes her scent, manages not to unsheathe his claws and rip her throat out where she stands.

“Callisto. What the fuck, Morlocks actually crashing a rock concert.”

The warrior woman’s thin lips curve upwards. Tonight she’s dressed in civilian garb: long black coat, faded jeans, black camouflaged walking stick in one hand.

“That what this is? Don’t get much TV in the tunnels. Surprised when Caliban said X-Men were here, though,” and her dark eyes flicker meaningfully towards Marie, who is transfixed by the scruffy rocker boy onstage singing some Michael Jackson song Logan vaguely recognizes.

Logan mutters, “Rogue,” and the kid swings her head around, initial shock changing very quickly into anger.

“Oh my – I don't believe this! You guys are so not gonna ruin this for me!”

“Priorities, kiddo,” Cal reminds her, smirking.

Over Callisto’s shoulder, Logan sees Caliban’s bone-white face hidden in the depths of his concealing cap and purple overcoat, smiling his nervous, placating grin. “Don’t worry,” he says. “Morlocks still pledged to Storm, we’re not here to harm anyone.”

Logan takes firm hold of Marie’s arm, so she doesn’t do something rash. He says, fairly reasonably, “If you guys aren’t gonna start something, why are you here, then?”

“Tracking,” Caliban whispers, and Logan’s enhanced senses go off like an alarm.

There’s a huge, sudden rumbling, the ground is shaking, Cal’s shouting, “Find him, boy’s going nuclear!”, and she's swinging her fighting stick up in a two-handed grip.

Logan, belatedly ripping his ear-plugs out of his ears, the better to hear unimpeded, feels Caliban’s power cast out into the crowd –

– and, there, there’s that huge ugly-ass Morlock, the one who absorbs energy, looming out of the audience, doing that freaky thing where he gets exponentially bigger and bigger the more light and sound waves he soaks up. Logan hates that kind of power manifestation, it seriously fucks with his enhanced senses.

Of course, around them, people are screaming, which of course just feeds into the Energy Suck’s power and ramps him up even more.

Logan hopes this concert has some form of security, because he doesn't have time to play babysitter and make sure folks don’t trample each other trying to scramble to safety: he needs to shut down the boy, and do it now.


There’s a flash as six claws slide into the night.

Wolverine cracks his neck, flexes his arms, and leaps.


* * * * * *


Cook loves the crowd, loves the smell of sweaty, horny bodies, loves the flashing lights, loves standing on the wide stage, and holding everyone in the palm of his hand.

Tonight, they’re going to do the thing in Please Don’t Stop the Music that Archie wanted them to make – a little duet, to balance the dance Cook does with Michael, with pom poms, and once, with someone’s lacey underwear. He’s grinning to himself, that Arch might have been a little jealous of the attention the Mavid dances had been getting from the tour, flatters himself to think Archie might actually feel something that was worth getting jealous over.

And, he doesn’t know if it’s the anticipation of their little duet, but he kind of thought Arch was in particularly good voice tonight, and was looking even better – the sparkles in his hair under the lights, the simple beauty of his face, the way he closes his eyes when he sings, that always gets Cook in the chest, and no more so than tonight.

Cook's left his guitar to one of the roadies and is starting his stage stalk to the final Rihanna song, and the Idols are all starting to return to the stage. He knows each of their places and patterns, the same way as a field commander might feels his troops' places instinctively in his head.

He hits his spot at the front of the stage, and waits for Arch to step in close. When the kid approaches, he gets on his knees, although he promised he wouldn’t tonight – it’s too irresistible, Arch is just too adorably embarrassed about it, every time, which is why he does it, so he can grin at the kid’s cute discomfiture.

“One day, I’m gonna kick you,” mutters Arch, leaning over, but there’s affection in his voice, and Cook is nearly undone by the clean, slightly sweaty fragrance of his skin.

“Sorry, kiddo,” Cook grins, getting to his feet, one, two, three, and they both launch into their duet.



When the bizarre thing happens, what Cook thinks is: Fuck, our fans are seriously getting weirder and weirder.

And then he stares, because, yes, he realizes this is a concert in the state of New York, home to the Baxter Building and the conglomeration of most of the super-powered costumed folk in all of America; he has no idea why the capes can't all decamp to less urbanized areas, it would make protecting the indigenous civilian population, not to mention, cleanup, much easier.

So the thing that seems to be glowing and getting bigger and bigger and looks like it's about to attack his stage is probably one of those super-powered villains that the costumes invariably attract - it's seriously lousy for interstate tourism.

Cook wonders whether, if he screams really loudly, one of the capes with supersonic hearing from the Avengers or some other superhero group will come to their rescue.


Ah, fuck it, stuff like that only happens in the movies. This is real life: in the real world, when bad guys attack, it's the non-super-powered humans who die. Cook knows there's no one to protect them except themselves.

It's a good job he always channels so much adrenaline while onstage (and that he was even more pumped tonight thanks to the kid), because his fight-or-flight reflexes are already whetted to a keen edge. It only takes a couple of seconds for him to react: he grabs Arch by the hand and spins around to head backstage, away from the glowing thing that's growing bigger and bigger right in front of them.

He needs to take charge – the guys look to him as their natural leader, are counting on him, some of them coming onstage, unaware of the danger, and he yells at the top of his lungs to them, "Get back! Run!"

He sees Michael freeze in his tracks, shielding the others behind him, sees Carly grab Jason and pull him back, and then a figure has cannon-balled overhead, landing between Cook and Archie and the descending platform, effectively cutting off their exit.

Oh shit, thinks Cook, boots skidding to a halt, Arch half a step behind him.

The attacker looks wiry and ape-like, rags covering his misshapen, agile body: he thought super-villains all wore self-identifying spandex, there really ought to be a villain dress code.


"Idolsss," says the simian guy, and, blow him, Cook doesn't believe that even super-villains watch the fucking show.

"Get the fuck off my stage," Cook snarls; it's the adrenaline talking, but he'll be damned if he's going to back down when he has the kid to protect.

The villain makes a typical villain-like sneer, and winds one massive arm back, almost lazily. Cook's bracing to feint left and dodge under the blow, when suddenly he pauses in place and looks over Cook's shoulder, jaw going slack with shock.

Cook sneaks a quick peek behind him as well. He sees a burly, compact figure with crazy hair, hurtling in a blur toward the big glowing thing (by now so bright Cook can hardly make out its outline), claws shining in the moonlight - and then there's a huge, earth-shaking noise like a massive thunderclap, that almost flattens everyone, and the bright light abruptly shuts off.

Cook turns back to face Ape Guy, who's hunched over from the thunderclap thing, and now staring at his own hand - is it weird to think that hand is somehow less misshapenly huge and simian, more human-looking?

Ape Guy is muttering something like, "Don't get it, what's happenin to us?" and Cook has no idea, either, but he's too much of a fighter to pass up an opening like this.

His hand closes around the nearest mic stand.

Arch at his rear, Cook hauls back in his best Mike Sweeney impression, and slugs the crap out of Ape Guy as hard as ever he motherfucking can. 

And permits himself a savage, electric jolt of triumph when the simian guy folds up under the blow, makes a sickening (thrilling) cartwheel, and smashes down, unmoving, on his stage. 

Arch grabs his arm; to his credit, the kid isn't trembling as much as Cook himself is. Whereas Cook's panting as if he'd just run around all four bases in very quick succession.

"C'mon, let's go," he says, urgently, and then, very suddenly, there are other strangers onstage.

One of them is a gorgeous young girl, not much older than Archie, although there's a white streak in her hair. She looks kind of star-struck at both Archie and Cook for a second, all big green eyes, but decides to reach out to Arch instead.

Cook notices she's wearing green gloves on both hands.

"David Archuleta, wow, I am such a huge fan!"

"Um, that's really kind of you to say!" murmurs Archie, politely, letting the girl clasp his free hand.

Unusually, because many of Arch's gorgeous teenage fans are very forward, she doesn't lean in to hug or kiss him at all - she just hangs on, smiles sappily, and starts to tell him how she loves Imagine.

Cook starts to relax. Clearly this girl isn't going to be much of a danger to Arch - maybe she's just a foolhardy fan, braving a super-villain attack to get some one-on-one time with the frightened Idols.

There's someone else, though, materializing at Cook's elbow, quickly and silently.

Cook looks into dark, penetrating eyes, at the crazy hair, the leather jacket. The silver claws no longer in evidence, replaced by a cigar.

"Not bad," says the stranger, appreciatively, waving the cigar towards the supine form of the guy Cook has just laid out. "Singing's not your only talent."

Cook considers his various options, like demanding, Who are you guys? and, What just happened? But finally, he decides to go with, "Are we safe?"

There's pandemonium around them, folks being evacuated to the exits, security guys shouting, panicked fans screaming, the faint sounds of sirens, in the distance.

The stranger nods. "Safe from them, anyway." He sniffs at the cigar, experimentally and then, entirely freakishly, sniffs at Cook, and mutters, "Power damper's still in force."

Cook has no idea what the stranger means, of course. It's beyond bizarre that the guy had smelled him. It occurs to Cook that it might be advisable to run away, and the craggy-faced stranger certainly looks scary, but Cook doesn't get that vibe from him.

Bizarrely, it feels as if they're kind of kindred spirits. Hell, their leather jackets and boots are the same, too.

The stranger looks down at Cook's hand, where it's still attached to Archie's, and then up at Arch and the girl, who are chatting excitedly about John Lennon.

"Huh," he says, and sniffs at Arch, as well, and Cook has really no idea.

"Excuse me?"

The stranger shakes his head, looks like he's considering whether to say something, then shrugs.

"The kid, your friend?"

Arch is right here! "Yeah?"

Penetrating dark eyes, a hard man, claws hidden somewhere under leather and wiry body hair. Screaming chaos around them. But there's compassion in the stranger's sharp gaze, a measured depth of understanding.

"He's not just a friend," is what the stranger says, and Cook's world shifts on its axis.

"Who are you?" There's clearly a reason why ordinary folk resort to cliches around the costumes.

The stranger grimaces. "Just a couple’a fans," he says, like it's the understatement of the year, and then, "Rogue."

Abruptly, the girl talking to Archie breaks off mid-sentence, looks guiltily over at the stranger.

"Sorry. Time to go! Thanks so much, sugar, you have no idea what this means to me, I'll love you forever, kay?"

"Oh, and me - !" says Archie, bewildered, but, as always, polite.

Hand in hand, Arch and Cook watch as the very odd couple take their leave, walk over to the slumped figure, and heft it onto the stranger's shoulder.


There's a snatch of conversation ("Could you have been any more of a fangirl?" "Aw, you're just jealous!"), and the girl and strange man have disappeared with their burden into the crowd.

Arch turns to him. Those huge brown eyes, which Cook could never resist.

"Well, that was really weird," he says, a little faintly, and puts his arms around Cook. He smells of clean sweat, and everything Cook's ever desired.

Cook closes his eyes, holds on tight.


* * * * *


Marie isn't sure whether to feel annoyed or thrilled about the evening.

On the one hand, she's pretty pissed that renegade Morlocks came to trash the best concert of her life.

On the other, if this hadn't happened, it's unlikely that she'd have gotten to meet David Archuleta, and to shake his hand. Although, darn it, she really ought to have taken her gloves off and pressed her skin to his, because it wasn't every day that they had a high-level power damper in the crowd, a girl shoulda really taken more advantage of that.

Callisto is saying to Logan, "Really didn't need your help, we'd got this without you." She's breathing deeply, blood on her fighting stick.

Logan, in his turn, is cool like always, hasn't even worked up a sweat, is taking a drag of his cigar. "You shoulda said you'd brought Leech along. Wouldn't've gone after Erg like that if you were gonna have Leech shut him down."

"Tried to tell you," Callisto shrugs; Leech, the little green-skinned power-damping Morlock boy, slides in close to her, waves his hand shyly at Marie.

Around them, the stadium is evacuating rapidly. Callisto's team has secured and locked down the renegades, five in all.

Caliban drags the misshapen figure of the ringleader from the circle, and flings it in front of Callisto and Logan.

"Masque," says Callisto, and Marie shudders a little when she looks at the renegade leader's twisted face; he's sick in the head, has always given her the total creeps. "What was it this time?"

The renegade shrugs, hideously. "Same scenario as under your rule, dollface," he says in his silken voice. "Capture city dwellers, give them new faces." Another equally horrid shrug. "Marrow took a shine to one'a the contestants, which is why. Hey, unlike some folks, I let my people watch TV."

Callisto looks like she'd rather be having this conversation without Logan smirking at her over his cigar.

"Your people need their heads examined! You too, dungheap! These kids are celebs from outta state; you think the feds and costumes won't all dig deep? They find our tunnels, and we're all dead!"

Masque shrugs for a third time, kinda enjoying that Cal's fighting to keep her cool. She won't break his fingers or slice his ear off with X-Men here.

"Not that stupid. We were going to snatch the kid after the show. But when your Caliban made Erg drop his cover, the lights and music got too much for him." Masque leers at her. "We're not really the concert-going types, gorgeous, not used to these shiny things like you."

"We'll see about that later. Get this thing out of my sight." Callisto's voice is like steel. Marie figures once she gets the renegade into the Morlock tunnels under the city, there'll definitely be some serious smackdown being administered.

As Caliban hauls Masque away, and the Morlocks prepare for transport, Callisto turns to Logan. "You gonna tell Storm bout this?"

Logan shrugs. "Don't see the need. You guys got this. Doin a fair job, darlin, too, 'far as I can see."

It's really weird - Logan has to be the least charming man in the history of super-heroing, but women tend to find him irresistible anyway.

Take Callisto, badass head of the Morlocks: all trying not to grin that he'd called her darlin. "Appreciate that. You're all right, Logan." Heck, for her, this is pretty much fluttering.

"You'd better get a move on," Marie tells her, making with the innocent eyes, and Callisto nods sharply.

"We need to leave," she tells Caliban, and to Logan and Marie, "See you two around."

"You too," Logan says, and little Leech sidles up to Marie and squeezes her hand goodbye.

Leech. Marie bends and kisses the little Morlock's cheek, just because she can. His green skin is cool under her lips. It gives her an idea; oh wow, she really shoulda thought about this before.

He smiles at her. "Marie happy," he murmurs, softly, and she tells him, "Yes, sugar, I am now."

"Leech glad," he says simply, then trails off after Callisto and her entourage, who melt into the shadows in that creepy way they always do.

Marie turns to Logan.

The stadium's now pretty much deserted, except for security guys. The sound of sirens have gotten close, she can almost see the flashing lights in the concert grounds, surrounding them.

"We should be goin, too, kiddo," says the love of her life, and it's killing her that he still calls her kiddo: she's had enough of it, seriously.

And so she takes the cigar out of his hand and reaches up and kisses him, like she's always wanted.

Without the burden of her power, her poisonous skin, her kiss is just a kiss - it doesn't steal his thoughts, his mutant talent, doesn't make him fall unconscious before he even hits the ground.

But it's enough to make his knees weak, and take his breath away.

She can feel a very un-Logan-like tremor work through his body as he stands in her arms and lets her kiss him.

So: she kisses him and tastes the bitterness of the cigar, the sweetness of his healing factor. Tastes the solitary man who never lets anyone inside his heart, except for her.

Without her power, there's no insta-connection, beyond that shared by homo sapiens, skin to skin - lips to lips, breath to breath. She closes her eyes, wraps her arms around him with only human strength, breathes him in.

She grins when, eventually, he makes a sound deep in his throat, slides his arms around her, pulls her off her feet as if she weighs nothing, and kisses her back.

She's so caught up in the awesomeness of the first real kiss of her life that, at first, she doesn't recognise the tell-tale numbness in her lips that signals Leech's power moving out of range. It's when she can feel the world around her suddenly shifting into unnatural focus (rough stubble under her gloved fingers, his sharp scent in her nostrils, rattling breath in her ears) - the supercharged energy that marks Wolverine's enhanced senses, his healing factor - and she can almost hear an echo of his thoughts: love her, need her, can't do this, can't run forever.

Then she feels her power come rushing back into her, and she pulls away before she spoils this moment, by sucking his brains and self and all conscious thought out of his body through her deadly kiss.

He sets her back on her feet, breathing very rapidly.

She should be devastated by her power returning, by how unfair it is - most girls are able to kiss the men they love without the brain-sucking getting in the way.

Should be devastated, but she's on cloud nine instead.

"Logan, oh my gosh! That was amazin! And, and you love me, I don't believe it!"

He glares at her, but she'd never been afraid of him, and never more unafraid now, than in his arms.

"Darlin, that's a sneaky thing to do to a man." He means the kissing, the mind-reading, all of it. And, this is important: he doesn't deny it. How can he, when his thoughts are echoing in her head?

"Can't help it. Always loved you, from the moment I met you," she says, grinning giddily at him, and watches the smile slowly grow on his face.

"Does it really bug you, that I call you kiddo?" he murmurs, and she realises the split second of mind-reading worked both ways.

"Only cause I'm old enough to know better," she says, honestly. "Old enough to be an X-Man. Old enough to love you."

He strokes her shoulder, brushes a strand of her hair from her cheek. They ignore the SWAT and SHIELD teams pounding into the stadium around them - anyway, Logan knows Nick Fury real well; if recognized, they'll leave X-Men alone.

"I'm sorry," he tells her, finally.

Her eyes fill with tears - he wasn't the sort of man who apologized.

"It's okay," she says. "I get it, y'know. But you don't have to try to protect me. From the bad guys, or from you."

Logan's face is wry. "Know that, now," he says, drily. "Shoulda known I couldn't resist you, Marie."

She puts her arms around him, puts her face in his leather jacket. "No more runnin, okay? Promise me."

"Time to make a stand," he agrees, and holds her to his heart.


* * * * *


Archie isn't sure whether to feel annoyed or thrilled about what's happened this evening.

On the one hand, he's pretty pissed that weirdo super-villains came to trash the best concert of his life: he was actually singing with Cook on Please Don't Stop the Music, like he'd planned, when the big glowing thing had attacked them and inconsiderately put an end to their duet.

On the other, if that hadn't happened, it's unlikely that he'd have gotten to hold hands with Cook, and watched Cook thrillingly slug the other guy that attacked them, just like a superhero!

It had been actually really exciting, and Archie's quite pleased to note he wasn't scared at all by the goings-on, although Cook had looked pretty freaked out, and, darn it, he really ought to have taken more advantage of that.

He'd caught on eventually, though, and flung himself into Cook's arms, and Cook had held him tightly and thrillingly, and didn't let go, even when a zillion security guys burst onstage and ushered them to the safety of the wings.

It's chaos backstage, the stage managers are shrieking, two of the security guys have Mike practically in a headlock, and the other Idols rush to surround them, all talking at once.

Brooke is the first to fling her arms around him: "Oh God, David!" Then Syesha and Jason are there too, hugging tightly, and Mike says to the guys holding him, "Get the fuck off me, they're okay, thank God," and runs over as well.

So everyone's asking them how they are and what happened, and Archie's trying to tell them they're both fine, and how awesome and brave Cook had been, and what a bummer it was that their concert got attacked by super-villains, but there's clearly a first time for everything, right?

"You are such a hero, dude," says Carly to Cook, stroking his hair comfortingly, and Mike growls, "Fuck, I was so worried," but Cook just stands there with his arms around Archie, his head buried in Archie's shoulder, and doesn't respond to anything anyone says to him.

"Think it's shock," says one of the 19E guys, eventually. There's some shouting for paramedics, which is how Archie ends up in the back of an ambulance heading to the North Shore University Hospital, because it seems nobody can manage to pry Cook away from him.

It's quiet, or at least as quiet as it gets in the back of an ambulance. The chief paramedic mutters to Archie: "Look, we need to take his blood pressure, can you get him to take his jacket off?"

Archie nods, and whispers into Cook's ear, "Come on now," and when he slides his hands to Cook's chest, gripping the lapels of the leather jacket, Cook finally loosens his grip and leans back a little, letting Archie slide the jacket off his arms.

The medics breathe a sigh of relief and glom onto Cook with the pressure cuffs and other medical equipment. Cook lets them do their thing, but keeps a hold of Arch's hand.

It's the same in the hospital - Archie tries to get out of the doctors' way, but, "Don't go, Arch", and Cook holds tight.

So Archie sits there, holding Cook's hand, while all the doctors and staff kind of flirt with Cook while pretending to examine him thoroughly.

It's really weird - Cook's certainly a charming man, and flirting goes with the rock star history, but c'mon, the guy is not well, it's ridiculous for both men and women professionals to still find him irresistible in this setting.

Eventually, the staff clears, and they're alone in the hospital room, Arch sitting on the side of Cook's bed. It's quiet, save for the soft buzz of the TV in the nurses' station, the faint sound of ambulance sirens in the distance.

And, for some reason, Cook hasn't let go of Archie's hand.

Arch feels he needs to make some conversation, to fill the silence.

"Hey, so, Cook, about what happened to us," he says, and, gosh, maybe Cook doesn't want to talk about this, maybe it's still too close to the shocking events of this evening, but Cook is looking at him, kinda sharply, and he continues, "I mean, it was really weird that we were attacked by super-villains, it was kinda special, and, gosh, you were really brave! And then, there was that girl," and Cook lets off a small laugh.


"Yeah, the girl. Should be flattered, kiddo, that a costume's a fan of yours."

"Think she was a real superhero?" Archie remembers green eyes, a warm clasp, a conversation about music.

Cook shrugs. "Her hair was as crazy as the other guy's, and he was definitely a costume. In fact, he told me -" Abruptly, Cook breaks off, and rubs the back of his neck, with his free hand.

"What?"

"Nothing, kiddo," says Cook, and suddenly it's killing Arch that Cook still calls him kiddo, after all they'd been through together: he's had enough of it, seriously.

So he takes hold of his courage, reaches over, to the love of his life, and kisses him, like he's always wanted.

And in this moment, away from the Idol stage and the competition, the publicity and the tour, his kiss is just a kiss, pure and simple: a gesture which any boy in love would make, had made, through all the ages of the world.

It's nothing super-powered, but it's enough to make Cook's knees weak, and take his breath away.

Arch can feel a very un-Cook-like tremor work through his body as he sits in Archie's arms and lets Archie kiss him.

So: he kisses Cook and tastes the bitterness of adrenaline, the sweetness of the gum he chews before going onstage. Tastes the competitive man, who's not let anyone inside his heart all season, except for the boy who ought to be his closest rival.

Archie kisses his love, feels the pure connection that's shared, skin to skin - lips to lips, breath to breath. Closes his eyes, wraps his arms around him with all his strength, breathes him in.

Grins when, eventually, Cook makes a sound deep in his throat, slides his arms around Arch and pulls him into his lap, as if he weighs nothing, and kisses him back.

Arch's world shifts around him into unnatural focus (rough stubble under his fingers, sharp scent in his nostrils, rattling breath in his ears) - it's so weird, but he can almost hear an echo of Cook's thoughts in his head: love him, need him, can't do this, can't run forever.

Eventually, Cook pulls away from this first real kiss and leans back, breathing very rapidly.

Arch should be disappointed. Should be, but he's on cloud nine instead.

"Cook, oh my gosh! That was amazing!"

Cook's trying to glare at him, but he doesn't look very convincing, in the circle of Archie's arms.

"Babe, that's a sneaky thing to do." Cook means the kissing, of course, but doesn't deny that it was awesome.

"Can't help it," Arch grins giddily, can't hold anything back, and watches the smile slowly grow on Cook's face.

"I'm sorry I called you kiddo. Does it really bug you?" he murmurs, and Arch realizes Cook is entirely more sensitive than he thinks Cook is.

"Only cause I'm old enough to know better," he says, honestly. And then, adds, "Old enough to know I've always loved you, from the first moment I saw you."

Cook is silent, for a while, strokes his shoulder, brushes a strand of hair from his cheek.

"I'm sorry," he tells him, finally. "And I love you, too."

Arch's eyes prickle hotly, suddenly - Cook isn't generally much one for apologizing, or for declarations of love, either.

"It's okay," Arch says. "I get it, you know. But you don't have to try to protect me. From the bad guys, but especially from you."

Cook's smile is wry. "Know that, now," he says, drily. "Should've known I could never resist you, Archuleta."

Arch puts his arms around Cook, puts his face in the broad shoulder under the hospital gown. "No more running, okay? Promise me."

"Okay; time to make a stand," Cook agrees, and holds his love to his heart.


THE END

Date: 2009-08-22 07:26 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] quack.livejournal.com
WTF IS THIS
AN X-MEN CROSSOVER

WRITTEN BY YOU

8,000 WORDS?

THIS ISN'T A PRESENT FOR ME BUT I FEEL LIKE IT IS

BRB READING
Edited Date: 2009-08-22 07:26 pm (UTC)

Date: 2009-08-22 07:36 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] jehane-writes.livejournal.com
OH F---

---YOU GUYS ARE SOOO SPEEDY! *FACEPALMMMM* I HOPE IT ISN'T AS CRAPPY AS I THINK ---

Date: 2009-08-22 08:11 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] penrith1.livejournal.com
This was a huge treat. Ren is going to love it. How clever are you. I loved the mirroring of the two worlds and characters. You seem to be experimenting with all kinds of storylines and ways of telling a tale. You are keeping us on our toes. I always look forward to each and every one.

Date: 2009-08-24 07:43 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] jehane-writes.livejournal.com
Darling, thank you so much! ;) I am having lots of fun experimenting with the different styles, it's true. It also takes the sting away from the untrammelled darkness of AIRN ;)

Date: 2009-08-22 08:45 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] clionona.livejournal.com
OH MY GOD THIS IS AMAZING!!!
*flails at you like the fangirl I am*
IT'S BRILLIANT!!!

The parallels between Logan and Cook were so clever!!! And I just...

ASDF)#(I$&YFCQ@(*#P&$W!!!!

*bows down once again to your greatness*

♥!

Date: 2009-08-24 07:44 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] jehane-writes.livejournal.com
oo, babe, thank you for this awesome comment!

and I'm snickering that it made you a little keyboard-smashy ;)

YOU KNOW WHAT A FANGIRL I AM OF YOU, ALSO. ♥♥♥

Date: 2009-08-23 12:57 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] quack.livejournal.com
this totally is not crappy! In fact, I love it quite a lot & you are amazing. I wish this duet had happened irl, js.

& I have to out my comic book nerd self & say I totally got & appreciated all the references. I'm not a Logan/Rogue fan (omg gambit/rogue foreva~~~) but I love the parallels you drew between the couples. & how rogue was such an idol fangirl.
Edited Date: 2009-08-23 12:57 am (UTC)

Date: 2009-08-24 07:47 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] jehane-writes.livejournal.com
Okay okay, I meant "cracky". YES.

I am possibly the hugest X-Men comic book nerd on Planet Cookleta - I was actually there for Claremont/Paul Smith and Claremont/John Romita JR, and the original Morlocks, jsyk ;) So it is possible that I had entirely too much fun making the X-references.

I actually kinda ship Logan/Ororo, but Renata is a big Wolvie/Rogue fan, so I wrote it this way, and, OMG THE PARALLELS WITH COOK/ARCHIE, NO? XD

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Date: 2009-08-23 03:15 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] asmallsmackerel.livejournal.com
Oh my gosh! Yeah, you definitely are brilliant.

-swoons-

This was amazing! The parallelism was spot on and sooo amazing. It's crazy how awesome that was for you to do and definitely clever as well. And ugh, it was just, I don't even know, it was like cotton candy or something else that is amazing to my eyes, they enjoyed this quite immensely because I am a Logan/Rogue fan and to add that with Cookleta? Pure win, in my book.

So yeah, ILU. <3333

Date: 2009-08-24 07:49 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] jehane-writes.livejournal.com
ILU TOO, BB ;)

As I was tellin [livejournal.com profile] quack, I am possibly the hugest X-Men comic book nerd on Planet Cookleta - I must have spent my teenage years fantasising about the Danger Room, LOL. So it's likely I had entirely too much fun making the X-references.

I am so glad Wolvie/Rogue worked for you, and OMG THE PARALLELS WITH COOK/ARCHIE, NO? XD XD XD

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Date: 2009-08-23 04:24 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] motherendurance.livejournal.com
Oh my Gosh, oh my Heck! Best birthday present EVER!!!!!

I bet you can hear my fangirly squeeing all the way from here!!!

Jay darling, srsly, beautiful, awesome, artistic, and so ROMANTIC!!!

Le sigh... you made my day. No joke!

Lovelovelove,
Renata

Date: 2009-08-24 07:50 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] jehane-writes.livejournal.com
BABY, I AM SO GLAD YOU LIKED THIS. APOLOGIES FOR THE HET, BUT WE DIDN'T DO MORE THAN KISSIN', AND I KNOW YOU SHIP LOGAN/MARIE.

AND THE PARALLELS WITH COOK/ARCHIE - NOT BAD, NO? XDXDXD

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Date: 2009-08-23 05:57 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] rajkumari905.livejournal.com
AGAIN, I DO NOT KNOW THE X-MEN PEOPLE BUT HEEEY I STILL LIKE THE PARALLELNESS AND FORWARD!ARCHIE IS <3 AND THIS IS AWESOME.

Date: 2009-08-23 05:58 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] rajkumari905.livejournal.com
OH MY GOSH WHY DIDN'T YOU POST THIS TO COOKLETA??

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Date: 2009-08-24 04:10 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] solacedoll.livejournal.com
I love the way you write :)
I didn't get all the X-men refs, but this was still really good!
Hearts :)

Date: 2009-08-24 07:51 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] jehane-writes.livejournal.com
Thank you, honey! I am possibly the biggest X-Men fan on Planet Cookleta, so I had tons and tons of fun making this fic ;)

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Date: 2009-08-24 07:27 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] andi-lee-09.livejournal.com
OH MY GOD, OH MY GOD, OH MY GOD...


LOVE, LOVE, LOOOVE THIS!!!

DAMN IT, THAT WAS AMAAAAZING!!!


OOOH, AND THE WAY COOK CLUNG TO ARCHIE AND NO ONE COULD PRY HIM OFF...
THE BEST, I TELL YA, THAT WAS THE BEST!!!


8D

Date: 2009-08-24 07:59 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] jehane-writes.livejournal.com
YAY! I AM SO GLAD IT WORKED FOR YOU!

AS I WAS SAYING, I AM A HUGE X-MEN FAN, SO I LOVED THIS!

AND I KIND OF ENJOYED THE COOK GLOMMING. YOU JUST KNOW HE DOES THIS, DON'T YOU. HE IS A GLOMMER. *NODS FIRMLY*

Date: 2009-08-24 02:26 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] zclover.livejournal.com
OH MY GOD, COOK! I LOVE YOU SO MUCH!!!
A /MIC STAND?!/ YOU ARE SO AWESOME!!!

Date: 2009-08-24 02:29 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] zclover.livejournal.com
*dies*
ROGAN KISS!
*squees*
YOU ARE SO AWESOME!

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Date: 2009-08-24 03:45 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] james-padfoot.livejournal.com
HI. I LOVE THIS. AND I LOVE YOU. AND IDK XMEN BUT I LOVED HOW IT ECHOED. TRU LUH.

Date: 2009-08-24 04:18 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] jehane-writes.livejournal.com
Yeah, true love speaks to true love ;). Thanks, sweetie!

Btw, I am nearly done with your domestic prompt; shd be posting the compilation in a couple'a days! ♥!

Date: 2009-08-24 05:34 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] witheredsong.livejournal.com
For the last scene alone, you own me. *dries tears*

Date: 2009-08-25 01:14 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] jehane-writes.livejournal.com
Oh, darling, I gave you tears? Awww!~ thank you! Okay, I think I need to make a Merlin crossover next ♥. I could do it, too - except not in the style of Tennyson.

Date: 2009-08-24 08:20 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] frackin-sweet.livejournal.com
THIS. IS. AWESOME. It was a crossover, yet it wasn't, somehow, it was more of a parallel storyline thing!! And I died over and over, you did such a good job of keeping everyone's character integrity while still painting the similarities - I loved the imagery you used to do this. And it even reminded me of my years-ago short-lived Logan/Rogue ship. If this were a movie, I'd go see it like 6 times!!

And all of your skills, everything I love about your writing, was in full glowing effect here.

I know you said this was a b-day gift for someone, but its like a gift to everybody. I totally don't know how you do it bb ♥

Date: 2009-08-24 08:21 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] frackin-sweet.livejournal.com
TOTAL FAIL GRAMMAR IN ABOVE COMMENT. YOU'VE UNDONE MY BRAIN.

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Date: 2009-08-25 03:15 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] elektra180.livejournal.com
So, here's my first comment to you! ( At last! )

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE! This crossover was awesome! The point of views, the action, and the kisses at the end! Your writing skills are amazing!

Thank you for sharing!! :D

*DIES*

Date: 2009-08-25 05:47 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] jehane-writes.livejournal.com
Eek, more X-Men fans amongst the Cookletas! Love that you liked this, bb! (I loved making the action - think we need more fighty Cookleta in this fandom!)

And so glad you delurked, also! ♥!

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Date: 2009-08-25 09:00 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] slasher48.livejournal.com
*squeals*

I never realized just how much Archie and Cook correlate to Marie and Logan. Beautiful stories both, and so similar!

Naturally, you open my eyes, my mind, and my heart to both. I kind of wish you'd written more X-Men now. I'd gorge myself on it!

♥ Je t'adore. :)

Date: 2009-08-25 10:11 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] jehane-writes.livejournal.com
Cherie, moi aussi.

I did not realise you were an X-Men fan! This merely convinces me of your exquisite taste, LOL. I actually wrote a ton of (very lousy) X-fic as a teenager (and drew many a page of (again, very lousy) comix. Fortunately consigned to the scrapheap of history, LOL.

I might in fact write more X-Men, since the response was this positive ;)

Date: 2009-08-27 07:50 pm (UTC)
ext_22627: (Default)
From: [identity profile] blacknblue2.livejournal.com
Wow. I really, really liked this. I love the similarities between the two couples, and how they're so very similar. Also, just awww.

Date: 2009-08-27 10:56 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] jehane-writes.livejournal.com
Aw, thank you so much! I'm so glad this worked for you!
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Date: 2009-09-04 02:15 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] jehane-writes.livejournal.com
Thanks, hon (and am snickering at your icon!).

Man, Arch/Logan and Cook/Marie? Aieeee! You want Logan to keel over from the cute, and Marie to suck Cook's brains out??? (Although, I have to say, I am now kinda envisioning Logan and Archie chatting while Logan is beating on the Danger Room, and Cook trying to get around Marie's poisonous skin by putting himself in that damn green man latex bodysuit and using an, um, implement.)

*screams softly to self*
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Date: 2009-09-12 12:17 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] chavelaprincess.livejournal.com
OH! This was amazing bb!

Just AMAZING! Probably besides Dramione from HP, the only other het I like is Rogue/Logan. And I've only like... found maybe two others that I liked... so this was AWESOME!!!!!
Best of both worlds!

Date: 2009-09-12 03:59 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] jehane-writes.livejournal.com
Oh, bb, so glad you liked! I don't believe there are so many Rogue/Wolverine shippers amongst us Cookletas, it's so cool! I am one of the hugest X-geeks in this fandom, so I had loads of fun making this ;)

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Date: 2009-11-18 01:52 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] jehane-writes.livejournal.com
And that just convinces me of your awesome taste, my dear ♥ As I keep sayin', I must be the biggest X-Men geek on Planet Cookleta, and I saw so many parallels with Cook/Arch and Logan/Marie XDDD

Date: 2010-01-29 10:14 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] evilgeniuslady.livejournal.com
Somehow I'd never read this! And here I was, thinking I'd read everything on your journal. Shame on me.

Anyways, I'm glad I finally got to read it, because I loved it. The mirroring of actions and X-Men! And and and yeah. *happy sigh*

Date: 2010-01-30 08:48 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] jehane-writes.livejournal.com
Aw, bb, thank you! I love the X-Men - they were one of my first fandoms - and I loved making this crossover. So glad it worked for you! <3

Date: 2010-11-14 07:25 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] deepshame.livejournal.com
The paralleling you did here was brilliant-- it's definitely a risky thing, and there's always a possibility of it coming off gimmicky, but I think you really managed to make it work. Awesome fic, thanks for sharing it!

Date: 2010-11-14 02:16 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] jehane-writes.livejournal.com
Ah, thank you! I am a huge X-Men fan, so I adored making this :) Glad the paralleling thing worked for you. And I so appreciate you coming here and reading my back catalogue. Thanks so much ♥
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