Title: You've Got a Friend
Author: Vangiekitty (Email)
Website: no site
Rating: PG-13 for adult situations and angst.
Pairing/main characters: Iceman/Beast
Series/Sequel: unfinished, parts 1-3
Summary: Slash. Bobby is confused about his sexuality and Hank is determined to help any way he can.
Disclaimer: I don't own the x-men. I make no money from these stories. I get paid in reviews so pony up, bub! :)
Notes: To Peg for being the fantastic beta that she is and whose stories keep me up all night even when I have to work the next day!. Hey, this fic is my first attempt at slash so please be kind! It is inspired by the COLD series by V.Hayrabedian. I just like the idea of someone comforting Remy. He's so deliciously pathetic now that he's back from the deep freeze and Rogue is giving him the cold shoulder! Somebody's gotta warm him up, Scott, Bobby, or even... Logan. :) Yummy. Luv it!
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You've Got a Friend 1
By Vangiekitty
"Robert, what is the meaning of this, please?" Dr. Henry McCoy asked sternly, his eyes locked on the nearly healed slash marks that ran the width of the younger X-man's wrists.
Robert Drake twisted uncomfortably, but his wrists were held firmly in the large, blue hands of his best friend and doctor. Only right now, the Dr. part of Hank was definitely dominate. Though his question had included a polite please, Bobby had known him long enough to understand that when Hank used that tone, he meant to get what he wanted. And what he wanted was an explanation of the slash marks on his best friend's wrists. Robert shifted in the vice-like grip again. This was what he had feared, the reason he had been avoiding the bi- annual physical all the X-Men were required to undergo regularly for nearly a month. He had been ducking and dodging the inevitable until Hank had practically dragged him down to the lab.
"No more excuses Robert. To the lab, now. March." Hank had told the reluctant iceman when he found him a hiding out in the rec. room, watching cartoons Jubilee.
"Aw, Hank, can't it wait? I want to see the end of this one, it's really funny! I'll be down as soon as it's over."
"No, my friend. No more excuses. You have put me off with that particular promise twice now. You are very overdue for your physical and you are coming with me right now to remedy that situation."
Jubilee, having no idea of the real reason Bobby was so desperate to avoid his physical, said gleefully: "Bobby's just afraid of needles, Hank. Ya gonna do blood tests --huh? Ya gonna take gallons 'n gallons of blood from ol' Popsicle here?"
Hank's look softened a little. "You know blood tests are necessary part of the checkup, Robert. But I promise to be quick about it. I will even employ the smallest gauge needle at my disposal, all right?"
"All right." Bobby said weekly. He knew what he was beaten and he wasn't overly fond of needles. Maybe if Hank thought that was why he had been avoiding the exam he might not notice... Except he had. Because no matter how he tried to get out of it, Bobby couldn't avoid taking off his shirt.
"Robert, be reasonable." Said Hake patiently. "I can't attach the EEG leads unless you take off your shirt. The stress test is a new part of the physical but one the professor and I both feel will be extremely beneficial. Also, how am I to find a vein in your arm when it is covered by a long sleeve?" His brow wrinkled. "Come to think of it, haven't you been wearing long sleeves a lot lately? It's August, and I don't think I've seen your arms since the Fourth of July pool party. Care to explain?"
"I'm... uh... cold?" Bobby muttered the words, knowing it was a lame excuse that wouldn't fool anyone, let alone his best friend. Hank raise one disbelieving eyebrow.
"You, Robert Drake, the iceman are cold?"
"Well... You know." Bobby made a vague gesture with one hand.
"No I don't but I think I'd better find out. Robert, kindly remove your shirt. Now." There was no mistaking the tone of command in Hank's voice: it was not a request.
Bobby knew when he was beaten. It was either comply with Hank's order or run away. And part of him was so terribly tired of running. Anyway, he told himself, maybe Hank wouldn't notice the marks. Yeah, right.
Hank had seen the wounds immediately and had grasped his friends hands firmly in order to study the half healed slashes.
"What happened here, Robert?" He asked again. "These don't look accidental. They look... Deliberate." //And very deep.// His mind added.
The blue doctor looked up from the marks on his friend's arm and into his eyes. Bobby saw concerned written all over the large, blue -- furred face. He shook his head. He couldn't tell Hank, couldn't lose his best friend that way.
"Robert..." Hank still had him by one hand and was pulling him towards the large black sofa that sat in the far corner of the lab. This sofa was extremely large and rugged -- built to Hank's proportions and often doubled as a bed for him when he had experiments he didn't want to leave overnight. Hank sat on one huge, overstuffed cushion and pulled the younger X- man down beside him. He turned to face his friend and said earnestly, "Robert, please. I'm not only your doctor, I'm your best friend. In either capacity or in both I'm here when you need me. I can see that something is troubling you deeply, won't you please talk to me about it?"
Bobby shook his head again, feeling the prickle of tears against his tightly shut lids.
"Please Hank, don't make me." He whispered trying to hold his emotions in check. "I don't... Don't wanna lose your friendship. So please, just let it be."
"Robert, I can't let it be. Not after seeing this." Hank indicated the ugly marks on Bobby's arms. "There's nothing you could tell me that would make me stop being your friend. I value our friendship, and I trust that you value it too. Please, trust me with your secret. Tell me your problem."
Suddenly, the dam broke and Bobby felt the feelings he had been pushing down inside himself for months and months come rushing through the floodgates. He hated to show his emotions this openly, but Hank's words had completely eroded his already fragile control. Huge, choking stops forced their way out of him. It was the worst kind of crying -- the kind that feels like it will tear you apart or kill you before you can stop it. Somewhere in the middle of it, Bobby just stop caring. He was so swept up in the emotional tidal wave that he barely even noticed when Hank took him into his massive, furry blue arms.
Hank held the younger X-man to his chest and rocked him soothingly, one large hand caressing the bare, trembling back in long up-and-down strokes.
"Let it out Robert." He rumbled softly. "Whatever it is you've been keeping inside, it's been poisoning you, my friend. So tell me all about it and let it out."
"Oh God, Hank. I think... I think I may be gay." Bobby blurted it out, unable to keep the shameful news inside anymore. Tears were still pouring from his eyes and he fully expected to be pushed violently away the moment what he had said registered fully with his friend. The hand on his back paused for moment and he heard Hank take a quick breath.//Here it comes.// he thought, and braced himself, tensing against the large, blue body.
But strangely, instead of pushing him away, Hank drew him closer -- until his cheek was pressed into the soft, dense fur of his friends shoulder.
"Is this what the marks on your arms are all about Robert?" Hank asked softly as his hand continued its slow, soothing caress of Bobby's shirtless back. "Is that why you cut yourself? Because you're gay?"
"Maybe, I don't know! I'm just so damn confused, Hank." Now that he knew his friend wasn't going to disown him, Bobby felt somewhat calmer. "Ya see," he continued, his cheek still nuzzled comfortably into the velvety blue plush of Hank's shoulder, "I'm just not sure what I AM. Gay, straight, bi.-- I just don't know. Only," his voice dropped to a shamed whisper, "I'm pretty sure I'm not straight or at least not completely straight, because I keep having... Fantasies."
"Fantasies... About other men?" Hank's voice remained steady and Bobby drew strength from its steadiness --and the fact that it held no horror or recrimination.
"Uh-huh. But you know... I mean, how am I gonna know? For certain, I mean..." Bobby's voice trailed off.
"I guess you could try dating..." Hank offered uncertainly.
"When I'm not even sure if I AM or not? Gay I mean? I've never even kissed another man, let alone... anything else. I mean, what if he wanted to... I don't know. And all of a sudden I realized, hey -- this is all a big mistake. And I had to tell him -- "sorry -- please don't take us personally -- but..." He broke off with a grimace. "No way --huh-uh. There's no way I can take a chance like that the total stranger." He looked up at his friend who was staring at him thoughtfully.
"Well," Hank finally asked quietly, "Then what about with a friend?"