Post-Linkin-Park-Concert Rave

[Warren Worthington III]

The stream of thought is disorienting... not the words, or even the sensations and emotions, so much as the way they pull him further out of himself, so much like his own feelings that for a few moments he can't quite tell where he ends and where Josh starts, what's being received and what's being produced, what's memory and what's perception. He's not sure whose hands are where, or who is wearing the shirt, and he's sure he feels feathers under his own hands for a moment there... and over all of it pour waves of affection and lust and fear and passion and confidence and doubt and anxiety and curiosity and acceptance and, at the core of it, a serene white light that shows only the essence of himself, a light he's seen before and that he realizes part of him has wanted to return to for a long, long time.

And he knows Josh is feeling all of it too, because there's only one center to the experience and it's both of them.

...I wonder what this would be like between two telepaths...

The thought drifts into his mind, he's not sure if it's his own thought or not, he's not sure the question even means anything right now. But on its heels comes a wave of jealousy, and that has to be his own, a feeling so territorial and possessive and atavistic and yet so, so compelling that he's instantly ashamed of it, a shame that grows when he realizes Josh is aware of everything he's feeling, and that's too much, and...

...just like that, he's back inside himself. And he and Josh are still twined around each other like a tangled phone cord and Josh's too-tight jeans still pulse hot and hard against his own, his tongue still explores the inside of Josh's mouth like it's planning to draw a map, and the little whimpering noises he's making in the back of his throat are a melody line against the driving percussive line of their syncopated heartbeats, and their minds are still in touch, and it's all still firmly in the "Why am I not doing this ALL THE TIME?!?" category, but at the same time that lost fusion teases the edge of his mind, and it occurs to him that trying to recapture it would not be a bad way to spend a lifetime.

And he's glad their minds are touching, because there's no way he'd ever be able to express any of that if he was restricted to words, and he's pretty sure he isn't. Still, as their lips disengage for a moment to draw breath, he decides he has to try.

"Wow."

Which pretty much covers it.

[Josh Dalton Worthington]

The telepathic connection is like nothing Josh has ever experienced. It’s like their minds have lost all boundaries, and the two of them are floating in a pool together, with emotion, thought, and impulse exchanged freely.

Josh almost shudders while engulfed by waves of… everything. This seems so right, so perfect, yet so intense that one would lose their own mind if exposed to it for too long.

> ...I wonder what this would be like between two telepaths...

He’s not sure whether it’s his thought or Warren’s. But the jealousy that comes after it has to be Warren. Jealousy, and… possessiveness? A part deep down inside him is indignant - he’s going nowhere, whether Warren is a telepath or not. But mostly, he’s turned on that the other boy wants him that badly. Josh can tell Warren’s embarrassed that the thought occurred, and…

With a burst of pure light, the two of them are back in the rave, somehow. Things come into focus as if someone is tuning a television. And Warren is devouring his mouth and making the most amazing noises. They’re pressed up against each other - he can feel Warren’s hard warmth - and Josh flicks his tongue back at Warren’s, dragging a sweat-soaked hand down the front of his naked torso.

>"Wow."

“Yeah. I’ve never done that before.” Josh takes a shuddering breath in, and keeps talking. “I hope that wasn’t too out there for you. That feeling of being one…” He trails off. “It was amazing. So was seeing you deep down like that. I… didn’t know that was going to happen. It’s all a blur, but a good blur.” Josh looks up at Warren shyly. He ghosts a gentle kiss over Warren’s lips. “Thank you.”

What do they do now? Josh has to admit, he hadn’t planned on releasing all of his hopes, dreams, fears, and fantasies to another person for a long while more, if ever. Fortunately (or not?) the experience was much like opening an enormous book and flipping through it - no way to remember it all, just small bits and pieces. It was just… a really good book. A really good book. His shy look melts away, replaced with one that could only be construed as flirty.

“So. What do we do now, Mr. Worthington?” Josh wraps his arms around Warren’s neck and telekinetically ruffles the other boy’s hair. Funny how that outrageously hammering beat melted away during their telepathic excursion. He stares into the other’s eyes. “It’s getting pretty late - or early, should I say? When was that limo coming to get all of us? I think everyone else has had enough excitement for one night.”

He arches his eyebrows suggestively. “I think you and I make a pretty good team, though.”

[Warren Worthington III]

> "So. What do we do now, Mr. Worthington?"

"'Warren'... please." He doesn't add 'Mr. Worthington's my dad', though it crosses his mind... not who he wants to think about right now.

"So... well, what happens now, is..." Warren trails off, realizing this is where he actually has to have the conversation he put off having earlier, much as he'd rather avoid it by starting up the kissing again or by ending the sentence with some of the more short-term enjoyable options the X-fans have introduced him to over the last few months.

He takes a deep breath and continues "...sooner or later I put my wings down. At which point the seven X-fans who've been trying to get a clear shot of your face with their cameraphones take their shot if we don't stop them, and a few seconds later your face ends up on a bunch of mutant fansites all over the web. Maybe someone recognizes you, maybe not. If they do, your life gets a whole lot more public than you maybe had in mind."

He bites his lip, looking apologetic. "Which I really should have mentioned beforehand, but I didn't even know you were interested, and -- well, wasn't sure you were -- well, anyway, I should've mentioned it before, you know, everything. Sorry. That I didn't warn you, I mean, not anything else, even a little bit, but anyway I guess the question is, are you ready to be outed? As a mutant, as my, um..." he blushes noticably, then barrels on through, "...boyfriend?..." (and he really didn't mean that to be a question, because even if the details of his trip through Josh's brain are fading fast he's pretty sure this isn't just a drunken one-night thing, but on the other hand he doesn't want to take anything for granted, and anyway that's not the point right now) "...and, well, everything."

"Because it's OK if you're not," he adds hastily after a second, "I mean, I realize it's all pretty sudden, and we can just lift out of here through the skylight and meet the limo somewhere else and dodge the whole problem. Or, um... stay overnight in Hartford, if you'd rather?."

[Josh Dalton Worthington]

Josh can tell being referred to as “Worthington” bothers Warren in some way. Something to file away for later. His flirty smile fades away quickly as the conversations switches to a more serious topic.

His heart jumps in his chest at the word “boyfriend”, mostly because it allays his fears somewhat. Josh had known, going into this, about Warren’s playboy tendencies. Somehow that didn’t even slow him down. But hearing that their relationship wasn’t going to end in 12 hours with a broken heart and a destroyed friendship was encouraging.

Josh had no qualms about “coming out” to the public in terms of being the boyfriend of a celebrity. Half the time, you had to squint really hard at blurry candid pictures in gossip magazines, to make real celebrities look like their celluloid selves. A couple grainy cell shots probably weren’t going to suddenly get everyone to recognize him on the street. Lots of boys had blue eyes and black spiky hair, right?

The more pressing worry, then, was “coming out” as a mutant. Besides causing personal issues for him, if someone linked him back home to Miami it could cause problems for his family. It could even cause problems for the Institute… though Warren was well known and was able to keep his connection to the school and the X-Men on the down low. And Warren dealt with the very physical reality of his mutation on a daily basis. Yes, it allowed him to fly, which was great. But it also branded him a mutant, forever. Josh couldn’t even begin to imagine what that was like.

Suddenly his mind flashes upon the Senate Hearings. Dr. Grey risked her entire research career when she testified on the part of her brothers-and-sisters-in-mutation. Senator Kelly had made sure that her mutation came to light as part of his smear campaign. She had known the risks - but did it anyway. Warren did it on a daily basis. Professor Xavier hadn’t hidden who he was, either.

And that was it, really.

“I’m not ashamed to be a mutant. It’s who I am. I’m also not ashamed to be your boyfriend. You’re the one who gets to decide about this. Is being branded as gay,” Josh swallows a little at this, “going to hurt your campaign for mutant rights?” He looks down, afraid of the answer.

“At any rate, no need to involve the Institute in our little photo-op.” Josh yanks his leather choker off, making sure the charm is secure on it, and presses it into Warren’s hand. “I want you to have it. Souvenir of our first date, hey?” He gives a glimmer of a smile.

“Ready to get out of here? I can give Danny a telepathic shout when we're leaving Hartford. No need for them to leave quite yet.” He swallows and drops his other hand from Warren.

[Warren Worthington III]

> "I’m not ashamed to be a mutant. It’s who I am. I’m also not ashamed to be your boyfriend."

Warren lets go of a breath he hadn't been aware of holding, and suddenly it's like he's floating on air... and he laughs at the silliness of that simile in his case, but it still feels right.

Not that he'd expected Josh to be ashamed, exactly, but everything had moved so fast... he wouldn't have blamed the other boy for backing away, or wanting to slow down. But he's awfully glad he didn't.

> "Is being branded as gay going to hurt your campaign for mutant rights?”

The small laugh turns into a larger one, then suddenly chokes as he realizes what the question implies. "Aaaah... well. The thing is, you aren't... that is, I... I thought you knew. And you should know, I guess, before you decide what you want to... I mean, whether... oh, hell, I'm making a mess of this, aren't I?" He shakes his head as if to clear it, then takes a deep breath and tries again. "Josh... that ship has kinda sailed. I mean, I've... been seen with guys before. Like... like this. I mean, not like this, but... well. You know."

He closes his eyes, not wanting to see Josh's reaction. He'd known his reputation would bite him in the ass some day, and he was prepared for it, but he hadn't expected it to be like this. "Anyway... I thought you knew. And I, um... I'll understand if you don't... I mean, if it changes how you feel?" That turns into a question despite him.

[Josh Dalton Worthington]

“…Oh.” Josh blinks.

Well, that makes things a little simpler. Josh probably should have assumed Warren had done… stuff… with other guys. The impression he’d gotten from the media was that Warren was extremely heterosexual, which had led him to keep doubting what in hindsight had been clear signals. I guess those pictures were pretty blurry. Well, then there was the last 10 minutes where Warren had been writhing against Josh’s body like he couldn’t get enough and trying to swallow Josh’s tongue. If that’s not an indication… he blushes a little at the thought.

“I… oh, Warren! Why do you think that would matter?” He takes Warren’s head in his hands, touching their foreheads together briefly. “At least…” one of us knows how having sex works with guys. He couldn’t actually get himself to say it out loud. Josh had the general idea, but to be honest he’d never thought he’d need that particular skillset. That’s jumping the gun a little, though.

Instead, he continues with, “How could that change how I feel about you? I’ve never felt like this bef-“ He cuts himself off, face slightly red, not wanting to make him uncomfortable. “Okay. Are you ready for your public?” Josh places a soft kiss on Warren’s cheek, looking up at him in query.

[Warren Worthington III]

> “How could that change how I feel about you? I’ve never felt like this bef-“

Warren's smile is, for a brief moment, reminiscent of a seven-year-old realizing that the puppy under the Christmas tree is for him. He nods. "Yeah... this is pretty new territory for me, too. I just wasn't sure if you'd..." he trails off, not quite sure what it was he'd been about to say. "Anyway... I'm glad. I just wanted to make sure you knew which high-board you're jumping off of."

> “Okay. Are you ready for your public?”

"No... I never am, actually. But I've learned to fake it pretty well." He fusses a bit with Josh's hair, adding "You're probably going to see a lot of these pix, you may as well look your best in them." He grins. "Though personally I think the rumpled look is hot."

He takes a deep breath as his smile at once grows broader and more calculated, slips an arm around Josh's waist, and unfolds his wings with a snap. One wing drapes partially over Josh's shoulder as cameras go off all around, while the other points to the bar. "You want anything else before we take off?"

---

A few minutes later, Bobby hits 'refresh' on mutanttracker.com for the umpteenth time this evening, and his eyes bug out a bit as he stares at the monitor. He grins and prints out the latest picture.

When Josh finally makes it back to his room, he'll find it lying on his pillow. The note scrawled on it in blue marker reads "It's about time!"

[Josh Dalton Worthington]

Josh giggles a little as Warren messes with his hair. You’re so cute when you’re serious.

And as he feels Warren’s arm slide around his waist, the wings uncover them to the furious snap of cameras.

“No, I’m fine, thanks.” He doesn’t add that he wants to commit every moment of this day to memory. The two of them make their way steadily through the crowd, and Josh resists the urge to telekinetically yank cameras out of people’s hands - especially the guy with the telephoto lens. Seriously! Jeez.

With a slam, the two of them are finally outside the sliding doors and in the cool night air. Josh takes a moment to compose himself and to send a telepathic message to Danny:

<Warren and I ran into a bit of… company. We’re fine, but we had to leave the warehouse. Still meeting you at the limo. Give us - me - a jingle if you need to.>

He checks his cell phone. It’s about 3:05. “I don’t know how you do that all the time.” He exhales. “Just told Danny to meet us at the limo, like we said. We’ve got an hour to burn. Whatcha wanna do?”

Josh slips his hand into Warren’s, and leans his head on the other’s shoulder. He looks out towards the nearby riverbank. <It’s pretty, with the moon out and all. By the time we get back to the Institute, I’m going to want to sleep till dinner.> He can already feel a wave of tiredness coming on.

[Warren Worthington III]

> "I don't know how you do that all the time."

Warren shrugs agreeably. "I enjoy the parties, they give me a chance to cut loose a little, relax with friends. Well, not exactly friends... and not exactly relax, I guess... but..." he trails off, puzzled.

Thinking about it now he's not quite sure how he ever mistook performing for his fans and accepting their adulation as anything even remotely resembling friendship.

Maybe because I've never had a real friend before. And God, that sounds pathetic.

"...well, I just had to make do with merely being the object of fan adulation, until I met you." He laughs, trying to make it into a joke, but the seriousness of it slips into his voice, and he ducks his head sheepishly. "Yeah, OK, that sounds like I swallowed an issue of True Romance or something, but... well, it's true. I'm used to everybody wanting a piece of the celebrity, and don't get me wrong, it's a total rush and I wouldn't take any of it back if I had the chance... but this, with you, it's different." He blushes a little and adds "Better."

> "We've got an hour to burn. Whatcha wanna do?"
Warren walks casually over to the riverbank before answering, sits on a relatively flat spot near the water, looks at the moon reflecting on the ripples in the river for a while, looks at Josh for a long time.
He closes his eyes and listens to the wind-currents over the water, feels the breeze drying the sweat off his chest, squeezes his fingers against Josh's, curls a wing around Josh's other side and skooches the boy's body gently against him, enjoying the closeness and the warmth and the smell of soap and sweat and alcohol and Josh, nuzzles his cheek against Josh's spikey hair on his shoulder, and thinks about all the things he wants to do.

"Everything," he answers finally. "But not in an hour. Or two, or twenty, or two hundred. We have time." His voice is amazed, wondering, and he can't help but smile as he leans in for another kiss. <All the time we want.>

[Tempero]

As he sips his drink, Danny barely prevents himself from choking as he sees who emerges from the wall of feathers. Then, he laughs out a bit, and then calms down as he receives a telepathic message from Josh.

<Take all the time you need, Josh.> he sends, managing to insert a puzzling telepathic smile which seems to radiate the message of an "I know what you did and are still doing" character. Still, he doesn't reveal just how much he knows. <It's all good...> he adds after a while, and then laughs out loud once more, merely because he finds it amusing, and returns to his drink and Riley.

[Josh Dalton Worthington]

Josh cocks his head as he hears back from Danny. The tone of Danny’s mental voice leaves nothing to imagination. Somehow, the fact that the others probably are discussing him and Warren at this very moment should give him pause, but he pushes it out of his head - as Warren leans in towards him again.

Josh kisses back fiercely, a contrast to the quiet water and moonscape. He puts his other hand to Warren’s face, stroking it gently.

> <All the time we want.>

Warren’s mental voice cuts in, and what he says makes complete sense. But the idea itself makes his heart start beating fast again. They break for air.

“And I want to do everything with you, too, and then some.” A quirk to his lips leaves no doubt as to what he means. “I’m glad you want to take things a little slow. All of this is new to me. I didn’t even realize I had it for you until Bobby hit me over the head with a brick.” He smiles.

“In fact, we had that conversation right before we went to see ‘Snakes on a Plane’. And so he kept dropping these horrible double entendres all night. I still need my revenge for that… maybe you can give me a hand.” Josh leans back onto Warren’s shoulder, looking out at the water.

[Warren Worthington III]

> "And I want to do everything with you, too, and then some."

Warren wonders how long it's going to be before he stops feeling that little heart-stopping pulse of excitement whenever Josh says stuff like that. Never, he hopes.

Heck, he can feel himself sparking now just by listening to the boy's heartbeat and breathing speed up, like one of Pavlov's dogs (and, come to think of it, he is salivating, but that probably has more to do with the kiss), a side-benefit of enhanced hearing he'd never paid attention to before. He wonders if it's possible for him to memorize Josh's heartbeat.

> "In fact, we had that conversation right before we went to see ‘Snakes on a Plane’."

"Oh! So that's what that was all about! I was half-convinced I'd walked in on something between the two of you, between the way he was acting at the movie and the look on his face when he walked in on you treating my wings."

He blinks for a second as connections click in his mind: "Wait a half - you had it for me back then? So I wasn't wrong about you being -- um. So why didn't you say anything?" Then he shakes his head and adds "No, never mind... stupid question. I could have, too, and I didn't either. Didn't want to scare off the first friend I'd actually made at the Institute, even if he was hot enough to melt leather. It's just funny... you have no idea how many times I recited the Reasons Not to Hit on Classmates list during our flying lessons."

He blinks again, thoughtfully. "Or do you? I never know how much of what I'm thinking leaks through." It occurs to him that the idea would have embarassed him about an hour ago. Now, it's exciting. Because sure, he'll take this as slowly as Josh needs -- it'll be more fun for both of them, he suspects, actually taking the time to experience intermediate stages, instead of rush through them like he always has before -- but there's no reason not to provide the occassional burst of encouragement, is there?

Actually, he muses, I wonder if he could get 'experience' directly from my memories... or other people's? He makes a mental note to never bring up the idea. Some things are more fun to learn -- not to mention teach! -- the old-fashioned way.

> "I still need my revenge for that… maybe you can give me a hand."

Warren laughs, enjoying the feeling of Josh's body leaning against his side, sandwiched between him and his wing. He shifts his left arm out from in between them, sliding it around so his hand rests on the small of Josh's back, and gently strokes the boy's chin with his right where it leans on his shoulder as his wingtip strokes Josh's calf to the same rhythm.

"Well, they say living well is the best revenge... we seem to be making inroads on that. But I take it you had something less... um... philosophical in mind?"

[Josh Dalton Worthington]

>So why didn't you say anything?

Josh blushes a little. “I wish I had said something back then, but I didn’t want to freak you out. And I wasn’t really sure myself - I mean, before that I hadn’t really done much more than eye up the occasional guy on the street. Another thing - one might think that no one around the Institute should have problems accepting people for who they are, but I have the feeling things might not go so smoothly for us.” His eyes harden. “And if anyone says anything to you about us, I swear I will teek them into the chandelier before they can blink.” He takes a breath. “Sorry. That’s a little extreme. But I really do want to know if you have any problems with the others.” Psycho-shredder, anyone? He mentally chides himself.

He colors at ‘hot enough to melt leather’. “Like you should talk, mister. Warren, you look like a model. And you have no idea how hard it was to keep my hands to myself during our games of tag. You are such a fucking tease.”

> I never know how much of what I'm thinking leaks through.

“A good question. One that’s hard to answer exactly, too. I’ve definitely been making some inroads with Jake. I can easily communicate with you via ‘mental speech’. Depending on how emotional you are, I can pick up snippets of thought and piece them together, and pure emotion can get through as well. If you want me to know something, generally I’ll pick up the gist, even if you’re not ‘thinking aloud’. Like I did earlier, I’m learning to replay and project my short-term memory. We haven’t hit any walls yet, so we have no idea where my limits are. Jean and I just concentrated on my TK because it came more easily.” Josh runs a hand through Warren’s hair. “I think we’ve got to try to replicate what happened back in there some day. It was almost indescribable.” He giggles a little. “But I don’t think I want to ask Jake about how it works…”

> But I take it you had something less... um... philosophical in mind?"

“Oh, yes. I mean, he’s a nice guy, a great friend. But gosh! He had way too much fun with all of this.” Josh’s mouth curves up diabolically. “Preferably something that will make him question his sanity. Um. Actually, that might not be such a good idea.” He bites his lip. “Bobby’s been having some problems ever since the Battle of Alcatraz. I think it has to do with him having to fight John - he might have feelings for John that were never resolved when he jumped ship at Alkali.” He relaxes into Warren's touch. That feels amazing.

Josh’s eyes widen a little. “Aaah. I don’t know if I should have said that. But pretty much everyone has figured it out, I think. Then again, my perspective is a little different because we’re friends and roommates.”

“Enough about Bobby, though. I’m glad you want to take things slow, but let’s not move too slowly, eh?” He approximates the look Warren seemed to like so much back in the rave, and pushes him down onto his back. Josh leans back on one elbow, and captures Warren in a kiss, running a hand teasingly down his bare chest, starting at his neck.

[rileyfletcher]

When Danny said he was having a good time, she smiled at him. "I'm glad you are having a good time. Maybe once you have more energy we could dance." she suggested to him. Riley was having a pretty good time, even though she had gotten herself into trouble, it was all good.

While taking a sip from her drink, Riley noticed a wall of white feathers, and reconized them right away. It was Warren dancing out on the floor, but had his wings covering him and who ever he was dancing with. She had been watching him for a long time, wondering who could be with him, and hoping that it was nothing serious going on there. Since Riley had had a huge crush on him, ever since the first time she had met him. She wanted to become close friends with him and then maybe make her move, but it was seeming that it might not work.

After awhile, he soon moved his wings, showing that Josh was with him. By the look on their faces, it seemed that they were keeping busy and then took off. As soon as Riley saw and knew what was going on, she felt her heart rip in two and was feeling a bit depressed. But she didn't want to ruin the evening for the others, she hid her emotions deep down in her, and didn't allow any of it to show on her face. Riley looked back over at Danny and noticed that he was communicating with someone through telepathy and looked back at her.

"So how are you feeling now? Better?" she asked him with a smile. Even though her heart was broken, she still wanted to have a good time, cause she hardly went out to any clubs or raves any more, and wanted to enjoy them as much as possible.

[Bobby Drake]

> "if anyone says anything to you about us, I swear I will teek them into the chandelier before they can blink. Sorry. That’s a little extreme. But I really do want to know if you have any problems with the others.”

Warren blinks a few times, watching Josh lose and regain his cool with mixed feelings. On the one hand, it's nice having someone feel that protective of him... and on the other, he really hadn't been worried about the reaction of anyone at the Institute until Josh raised the question. He tilts his head, concerned. "Have you had any problems?"

> "And you have no idea how hard it was to keep my hands to myself during our games of tag. You are such a fucking tease.”

He laughs and raises both hands in the air in mock-surrender, without shifting the way his wing curls around Josh's body. "Hey, no fair! I was the one reciting "Reasons Not To Hit On Classmates every time we flew together, then running off to my room to, er..." he trails off, blushing all the way down to his bellybutton. "Anyway, I'm just saying, I was just trying to be a gentleman and stuff. I didn't know you were interested!"

Which wasn't entirely true, he admitted privately. There had been indications, and if he'd run into Josh at a party he'd probably have made an exploratory pass. It was just the fact that they were students together that had held him off. Which he still wasn't sure wasn't the right answer, he just no longer cared... whatever was happening now, he was diving into it with both wings folded tight.

> "I just concentrated on my TK because it came more easily. “I think we’ve got to try to replicate what happened back in there some day. It was almost indescribable.”

Warren smiles impishly as he tries to send back the sensation of Josh's hand running through his hair. "Well, TK has certain potentials, too... at least, with dexterity like yours. Which I may yet learn to envy. But yeah... that was... wow. Anytime you want to practice that, I'm in."

> "let’s not move too slowly, eh?”

He feels himself (well, most of him, anyway) melting under the influence of Josh's bedroom eyes, wondering idly whether there's some undisclosed hypnotic power involved or if they're just that sexy. It doesn't matter. He puts up no resistance as Josh moves him onto his back, and he leans hungrily into the kiss, whatever clever response he was going to make taking a distant second in the Things To Do With My Mouth elections.

Josh's hand teasing down his chest seems to slow time down to a crawl, and despite his resolutions to let Josh set the pace, his hips buck as if making their own decision to try to meet Josh's hand half-way. Warren tries to distract himself by bringing his own hand up to the back of Josh's neck, running his fingers gently along the side of it as they kiss.

Something is missing, he realizes as his hands explore Josh's neck, and a moment later he realizes what it is. He pulls the leather choker out of his pocket and slips it back onto the boy's neck, and the spike of his reaction as he runs his fingers along it doesn't require a telepath to notice.

It occurs to him at about this point that he doesn't need his mouth to talk with Josh. Of course, by this point he's having significant trouble forming coherent thoughts, so the signals he ends up broadcasting are really more the telepathic equivalent of random moans than of anything resembling words.