The Mavericks and Nyx
Vortigern opened his bedroom door and blinked at Nyx. His hair was all mussed from sleeping, and the sweatpants he wore to bed were dangerously low on his hips. "Yes?"
"Your art supplies arrived." Nyx smiled. Hw was just so darn cute. He went from sleep dazed to happy awake in a second.
"Fantastic! I'll just get dressed." He disappeared back inside his room and soon reappeared, fully dressed in old comfortable clothes that already showed signs of hard wear. His feet were bare. "Where?"
"Oh, I got them to leave it in the garage."
~*~*~*~
"Have I told you lately how much I adore and worship you, Nyx?" Vortigern said dreamily as he unpacked some of the boxes.
She chuckled. "Not very lately."
"Fine, I adore and worship you, oh beautiful dark goddess."
"I think I might buy you more stuff if I get this reaction." Vortigern just nodded as he spread a dropcloth over the floor and set up an easel on it. "You need your sketchbook?"
"Please." Vortigern shucked off his top and jumper and then started to get some paints ready. Nyx handed him his sketchbook, and he flipped to a page then got out a paintbrush and began to paint.
"I'll see you later then?"
"Mmhmm." Nyx shook her head and left. Vortigern painted.
~*~*~*~
"Where's Vortigern?" Octavian asked. Mordred made a face.
"Painting."
"Oh, dear god. Who gave him paints?"
"Her." Mordred jerked his head at Nyx.
"You will now have a slave for life. Vortigern will do anything for his art."
"I was counting on it, sweetie." Nyx grinned.
~*~*~*~
Mordred went to see his twin. Vortigern ignored him, several prelimary canvases already drying, leant up against the walls. His hands and pants were caked in drying paint, and he had several streaks down his body as well. "You hungry?"
"No." Vortigern glanced at his sketchbook.
"Want anything?"
"No." He dabbed his paintbrush in some black paint, and then frowned as he studied the artwork that was forming in front of him. Spike stared from the painting, seemingly half merged from the darkness behind him, subtle brushstrokes suggesting the lines of his duster. A trickle of red ran from the corner of his mouth, but it was barely visible unless you looked intently. Vortigern started to paint again.
"Don't forget we have our punishment as well." Vortigern waved to show he had heard. Mordred frowned, and then left quietly. "I don't think we'll see him for the rest of the weekend, really," he said to Octavian. "We better get started on our work."
"Good point." Octavian shrugged. "Will Vortigern be joining us?"
"I'll do his share. He'll lose track of the time. He always does when he gets like this. He'll paint and paint and paint, take like ten minutes to nap, and then start painting again. He won't hardly stop to eat. It's useless trying to talk to him."
"Well, that's interesting."
"He hasn't had a chance to paint for ages. He'll be all muse struck. Leave him be." Octavian raised his hands defensively as Mordred glared at him.
"Ok, ok. We won't talk about Vortigern and his obsession." They went to gp and do the punishment they had received from Jean for the ad.
Nathan and Vortigern
Nathan stepped in the door of the garage and watched Vortigern paint. "You want him, the vampire," he said quietly, looking at the one of Spike.
"We all want a lot of things." Vortigern didn't pause in his painting. This one of Jean and Scott. He was hoping to give it to them as a kind of apology for the way he'd been acting, him and the other Mavericks. "Doesn't mean we get them."
"You hide this side of you from your friends...why?"
"They know I paint."
"But they don't see what it is to you. This is more nesscary then breathing." Vortigern halted for a moment at that, tip of his paintbrush barely touching the canvas, then he shrugged.
"I don't mind."
Nathan looked closer at Vortigern's colours. "You really don't..." The older mutant shook his head wonderingly.
"No, I don't." Vortigern resumed painting in the curve of Scott's eyepiece.
"Do you think the vampire could?"
"No. And I wouldn't expect him to. I know I couldn't catch his eye, at all. I'm used to the people I want not wanting me back."
A flicker of remembered hurt flared through Nathan's eyes. He nodded slowly. "You've been hurt."
"I really hope you don't breathe a word of this."
"I wouldn't." Nathan half grinned and stepped into the garage. "Hey, you did one of me. I'm impressed." The picture Nathan was looking at was of him looking away to the side, scars in high relief.
"The scars were difficult, you keep your head down all the time," Vortigern said proffesionally. "That was a lucky sketch. I think you looked away because Chelsea called you." Vortigern wiped his brush off on his pants and took the canvas off the easel. "I can draw fast though."
"Yeah...I've watched you."
"You watch everyone." Again, Vortigern's tone was simply matter of fact.
"I do. It's who I am."
"I know." Nathan cocked his head.
"You're very perceptive at times. Why do you act like you do then?"
"To keep my twin out of trouble. Because I like to play. Because I can. Do I need more?"
"You're not quite telling truth," Nathan said slowly. "But I'll leave you to your painting."
"Thank you." Vortigern picked up his sketchbook and rapidly flipped through it. He looked at the canvas, then at the book, then at the canvas, mentally assessing the ratio needed. He put down the book and picked up a smaller, finer brush. He started painting wings. Nathan backed out quietly.
Gwen
Gwen sauntered around the mansion, looking for things to do. She decided to go and take someones car for a spin, so she headed for the garage. Opening the door, she spotted a paint covered Vort.
"Oh sorry, I didn't know anyone was..." she trailed off as she saw his painting.
"Hey, that's hell cool."
Vortigern
Vortigern turned to face her, running a paint streaked hand through his hair. "Thanks." And then he noticed that he had paint on his hand, which he had just spread through his hair. "Oh, bloody hell. I forgot I had paint on my hands...damn." He made a grimace of distaste. "I'm gonna have to use turps to get it out. The many travails of the artist, or at least the artist stupid enough to paint in oils, ey? See any you like?"
Gwen
Gwen was careful not to lean against anything as she walked closer.
"Hmmm, they're all really good. I like..." She looked around and spotted a large picture of Mordred. Topless. Yum.
"I like that one. Droolworthy."
Gwen sent a spark up in the air to punctuate her sentence. "You're good, you know. Really good."
Vortigern
"One of my favourite subjects." Vortigern smiled fondly. "And he'll always pose for me as well, for free. You think I'm good? Thanks." He shifted on his feet. "You want that one? Wolf wouldn't care."
Gwen
Gwen smiled slyly. She nodded.
"You know, Mordred's really hot..." She stopped and looked at the painting from an angle. "Yeah, I'm sold. I'll take it."
Gwen straightened up and brushed her pants off. "Have you been in here all day? What do you say, we go get something to eat?"
Vortigern
"What time is it?" Vortigern looked around blankly, and then swore softly as he noticed the clock on the wall. It was about twelve thirty. "Damn, I've been in here since six. Nyx came and told me she'd got my stuff, and I just...I haven't painted for so long. The painting's yours for when you go back to LA. It should be dry by then, needs a bit more work..." He looked at it critically. "Especially on the hair. But hey, you like that one, I could see about doing another, larger nude for you. Wolf'd laugh but he'd do it, especially if I told him who it was for."
Gwen
"Oh yeah... LA. I'd almost forgotten I had to go back." Gwen let out a little laugh.
"Nude Wolf, hey? Hmm, I think I might like that... although, I'd rather see that in the flesh. Come on, let's get some food. I'm starving."
Gwen put her gloves on then reached out her hand for Vort to take. "Don't worry, shock proof."
Vortigern
Vortigern held his hands up. "I better not. I have paint everywhere." He looked around for his top and shrugged it on. "Now that you've mentioned food, I'm suddenly very hungry. I didn't stop to have breakfast, at all." They started walking to the caf.
Gwen
"Don't worry, I couldn't sleep, so I figured I'd nick a car... but I'm willing to put that on hold for you."
Gwen and Vort reached the caf and walked inside.
"Hmm, quiet."
She reached around and switched on the light.
"And then there was light..."
Vortigern
Vortigern laughed quietly, then he suddenly looked worried. "Octavian's gonna kill me. I forgot completely about what we were supposed to do for punishment." He smacked his forehead with the heel of his hand. "I think everybody heard about our complete stupidity with the ad? God, I still can't believe we didn't get expelled. Tav is gonna bloody kill me...no, Wolf must've done my share. I'll have to make it up to him..." Vortigern reached into the fridge and got out a can of soda. He pulled the ringtab and drank thirstily. "I still can't believe I've been in that garage all day."
Gwen
"Hey don't worry about it... you can make it up to him later. Or I can. But in a different way to you. I hope."
Gwen paused and grabbed herself a drink.
"And besides, you're an artist, you're allowed to be all space headed and such."
Vortigern
"I'll probably do his tomorrow, or should that be today? Wolf calls it muse struck." Vortigern couldn't help but smile. "I just..." He made a helpless sort of shrug. "I lose track of time. I don't sleep, don't eat or drink unless someone comes and gets me. Don't stop. Just paint. Or draw. Paintings usually what gets me though." He looked through the fridge for something to eat, grabbing some butter and spreading on some bread. He started to eat it, ignoring the paint on his fingers, which was thankfully mostly dry.
Gwen
Gwen grabbed some bread and chicken and made herself a sandwich.
"Ah well, it's the artists way. So what have they got you doing anyway? What's the punishment?"
Vortigern
"We have to clean the floors of the mansion, manually, no cheating allowed. And we have to wax and wash the Jet." Vortigern shrugged. "It's more of a problem for Tav them me and Wolf. Tav's never been one for manual labour, but Mordred won't let him get away with shirking. When my twin starts something, he'll finish it to the best of his ability, and he hates people who fall down on the job." Vortigern made himself another sandwich, eating quickly as his body finally made its demands. "People don't get him, really, cos he doesn't make an effort to get people to like him."
Gwen
"Hmm, once he starts something? I seem to recall a certain dance we shared where offers were made but no follow-up."
She thoughtfully took a bit of her sandwich.
"I like him... I don't know, I'm sorta drawn to him. He interests me."
Vortigern
"He thought you were joking. He...doesn't trust people much. It's me and him, always. Everyone else can come in for a bit, but in the end, it's just us. Always." Vortigern shrugged. "He doesn't see other people really as people, you know? Either there, ally, enemy, friend, person to be protected, person to be obeyed...or not when he can get away with it. Earn his trust, and he'll stay loyal to the end of the world. Betray him...you wouldn't like to see what would happen." Vortigern's eyes went distant. "We've been hurt. Once bit, twice shy. He likes you, he does. But he won't take it much anywhere."
Gwen
"That, I understand."
Gwen took a sip of her drink and placed it back on the table, leaning back against her seat in a fluid motion.
"I hate being close to people, mostly because I'm not used to it. For... really all of my life, I've been exiled coz I'm a freak. Everytime I thought I could have friends, I've scared them because of what I really am. By the time I was 11, I was struck by lightening at least 1000 times. Do you think anyone showed up to my 12 birthday party?"
Gwen let out a bitter laugh.
"Then I finally meet people that I can relate to and it doesn't seem real, you know? It just seems like they're gonna leave again. So if he wants me to back off, I will. But I do like him."
Vortigern
Vortigern leaned forward on the bench. "If you want him, I can help you get him. I like to see my twin happy. I think you could do it." He smiled roguishly. "So...how should we do this?"
Gwen
"Hmm, I don't know. I don't usually see him much, really... not unless I pass him on the way somewhere."
Vortigern
"He sees you though. You just don't see him. He lurks. He always accuses me of lurking, but he does it much better." Vortigern grabbed another can of soda. "And the advantage of being a teleporter is that he can always vanish just before you see him. You have no idea how much he really talks about you. He wants you bad, he just can't convinve himself that you're not playing him."
Gwen
"Hmm, I spose my behaviour with the whole Bobby thing didn't help him to see I wasn't gonna play him."
Gwen sighed.
"Damn... I don't know how to convince him though. All I know is that when I'm with him... I get all sparky inside. Which is usually an indication of my attraction to someone."
Vortigern
Vortigern grinned. "What if I call him down here? He'd want to know that I was finished painting and actually eating anyway. Then I just kinda fade into the wallpaper, and you can convince him you eant what you said."
Gwen
"Um..." Gwen paused nervously then decided to go for it.
"Yeah. Do it. Thanks."
Vortigern and Mordred
Vortigern raised the can of drink. "I salute you. Not many girls would have the guts. Mordred can be very...menacing." He closed his eyes and reached out. Oi, wolf?
What? Mordred's thoughts were sleepfuzzy. You finished painting yet? I looked in a few times, but I didn't want to make you stop.
Yeah, yeah. All done for today. Want to join me for a late night snack?
Why not? Mordred rolled out of bed and opened the door of their room. He headed down to the caf, and opened the door. "So, you decided to get something to eat, finally?"
"Yeah. Gwen came in, and we talked." Mordred's eyes flicked to Gwen. Vortigern grinned.
What are you doing?
I like to see my twin smile.
You are an intefering nosy son of a bitch. "Hey Gwen." Mordred nodded. "Thanks for making him eat."
Gwen
Gwen smiled warmly at Mordred.
"Yeah, well... it took some convincing, I'll tell ya that. He's not easily moved from painting... but then, I guess I wasn't easily moved from the picture of you."
Vortigern and Mordred
Mordred's eyes widened almost comically. Dear god, what did you paint?!
"Nothing for you to be worried about, Wolf. Just a head and torso painting. Topless, of course."
"I am going to kill you," Mordred didn't realise he was talking aloud. "Slowly. Painfully. Almighty god, you know how I felt, and you, gah!" He clapped a hand over his mouth as he realised he wasn't talking to just Vortigern in the safety of their own heads.
Gwen
Gwen raised an eyebrow.
"Don't be upset... it's a very flattering picture. I was thinking about taking it when... when I go."
Mordred and Vortigern
"I think I'm gonna go." Vortigern put his can into the trash and headed towards the door. Mordred, stay.
You have got to be fucking kidding me!
No, I'm not. Stay. Talk. Be civil. She wants you, just like you want her. And there was the business of the promise you made while dancing. "Good night, all. I'm going to bed. More painting tomorrow, oh bliss." He closed the door behind him, grinning faintly.
"When are you leaving anyway?" Mordred asked in a tone of disinterest, but he drummed his fingers on the bench as he asked. He didn't want her to leave. Not yet, anyway.
Gwen
"Not for a bit yet, I guess. I have to learn to fully control my power before Xavier even thinks about letting me out on the real world again."
Gwen rolled her eyes good-naturedly.
"But you know, time here isn't that bad. I can think of a few other reasons why I'd wanna stay..."
Mordred
"Me and Vort pretty much have a handle on our powers. I don't know, we just always seemed to be able to talk to each other in our heads, it's a twin thing. I thought you were pretty good at controlling your powers, really. The electric thing is pretty cool." Mordred shrugged. "I s'pose it could have its bad moments."
Gwen
"It has it's moments... I guess it was a big part of why I was such a good thief... coz I could break any electrical alarm circuit. But then there was the no human contact and the killing people accidently thing. Although, I can bring them back."
Gwen paused and sat forward in her seat.
"But now I have LISA, so it's not a big problem, I guess. Xavier just wants to be extra sure. But being a twin... man, I would've loved to have had a twin or something... just someone who'd always be there."
Mordred
Mordred's eyes warmed as he looked at her. "Yeah. Can have its moments too though. Vort's polite though, he always knows when I want to be alone. If Tav was my twin, f'r instance, I doubt I'd get even that. Scathach...he's a bit like a cat. Knows when to take his leave." He blew the hair hanging over his face out of his eyes. "He's always gonna be there though. And I'll be there for him."
Gwen
"It's good to have someone like that. It's not right for a person to be left alone."
Gwen bitterly looked away before returning her gaze to Mordred. She shyly looked away.
"How long do you think you'll be here?"
Mordred
"Don't know. Long as they'll keep us, I think. We don't really have anywhere else to go..." Mordred shook his head. "Nyx said she was going to show some of Vort's work. I can't see myself becoming an x- man, though if Vort wants to, I will try."
Gwen
"Then you get to wear one of those snazzy tight suits."
Gwen flicked her eyes up and down his body.
"Wouldn't mind sticking around to see you in one of those."
Mordred
"Ya think?" Mordred grinned, slowly relaxing. Maybe Vort was right. "I think they looked cool."
Gwen
"Depends on who's in them I guess. Bobby looks kinda... kinda funny in his. But I think it's coz he's so little."
Gwen smiled again at Mordred, wanting to say so many things but unable to find the words.
"But I think you'd look hot in them... of course, you'd look good in just about anything..."
Mordred
"He does, a bit." Mordred's grin got a bit wider. "Vortigern told me you told him you were upset about a certain promise not being kept." He decided to just jump.
Gwen
Gwen bit her lip and leaned closer to Mordred.
"Yeah, I was very hurt. I thought that you and I had something sort of... for lack of a better word... electric."
Mordred
"So, sparks were flying?" He leant forward and kissed her gently, giveing her every chance to back away. "What about now?"
Gwen
Gwen pulled back quickly.
"Sorry, I'd love to continue... but I'm not wearing LISA at the moment, I don't wanna hurt you. Hold on a second."
Gwen pulled LISA out of her pocket and reached around under her shirt and placed it on her back. A second later it was up and running. She took her gloves off and touched Mordred's arm lightly.
"Sparks are flying."
Gwen leaned forward and kissed him again.
Mordred
He stepped forward and wrapped her in his arms, still being gentle. "Should we continue this promise elsewhere?" He ghosted hot kisses over her neck.
Gwen
Gwen grinned and stood up, enjoying the feeling of his arms around her.
"We should. My room or yours?"
Mordred
"Yours. There's people in mine...and I think I'm gonna say, to buggery with this stupid punishment and hope to god Jean is asleep." He 'ported to her room.
Gwen
Gwen dropped her gloves onto the bed and turned to face Mordred.
"I think Nyx has put some sort of charm over my room, so we can't be interrupted."
She kissed him again and ran her hands over his chest.