FIC: Daken, Dark Wolverine - 'A New Way of Looking at the World'

[fajrdrako]

Title: A New Way of Looking at the World
Author: fajrdrako
Fandom: Daken: Dark Wolverine, Fantastic Four
Characters: Daken Akihiro/Johnny Storm
Challenge: from baronjanus, whom I thank for beta-reading
Rating: G
Disclaimer: Not mine, no claims, all property of Marvel Comics.
Notes: 1201 words.


A New Way of Looking at the World

"It's a beautiful world," said Johnny.

The lights of New York spread in front of them and around them. From the top of the Baxter Building in central Manhattan, there were few stars to be seen. Stars hid above the lights below, which were like a futuristic starscape around them. Old buildings, new buildings, tall buildings, buildings which were monuments to technology, surrounded them - buildings like the one on which they stood. Each one a microcosm of some sort: a business, a hive of businesses, an industry whose hallmark was light spilling out of windows and into the Manhattan night.

"Yes." Daken's face, for the moment, was unreadable. But then, thought Johnny, it often was. Daken never revealed himself in his expression. He was like an actor who specialized in close-ups, with perfect control of his face. "I suppose it is."

It was his voice and his words which carried his thoughts and sometimes, if you were lucky, his feelings.

Johnny wondered about those feelings.

They stood side by side, contemplating the city. Both thinking about peace, perhaps? Johnny could feel Daken's body heat as they stood almost shoulder to shoulder. He liked the feeling. It was, yeah, peaceful. But exciting, too. He liked standing out here with a friend - one who wasn't Ben. He had too few friends, male or female. Too little peace, what with one crisis after another in their lives. Things should settle down, now that Norman Osborn had been put away.

No. Stupid. When did things ever settle down for the Fantastic Four?

Daken glanced at him. It was dark enough that details of his face were difficult to see, and what was left was the stark lines and curves - the smooth forehead, the straight nose, the long eyelashes. It was a striking face, a beautiful face.

They'd talked about a lot of things, him and Daken, since they'd become friends. They talked about girls, and events in Johnny's life, and car racing, and supervillains, and what a douchebag Osborn turned out to be. They talked about music and family - Johnny's, not Daken's. Wolverine was a forbidden topic.

They hadn't talked about Daken's girlfriends. Johnny knew Daken had them, or suspected so... There'd been a vague mention of a model in Milan, a dancer in Paris. And boyfriends, unspecified and unknown, but they were somewhere around... weren't they?

They were friends. Why was he afraid to ask?

"That was funny," he said. "You flirting with Ben."

In the dark, Daken smiled. A flash of white teeth and amused eyes. "Ben is a sexy guy."

"Yeah, if you like a gravel pit on steroids."

Daken's head tilted, considering. "Kinky. Tempting, yeah, certainly. You think I have a chance there?"

Johnny laughed. "So. You really like doing it with guys, then?"

"I like sex. Gender is irrelevant."

Not quite the answer he'd expected. He felt strongly aware of Daken's physical presence, aware of the muscles, the warmth, the fluid control he had over every motion. He could hardly see the tattoo in the dark, but he knew it was there, mysterious and bold. The claws were retracted, but he shivered at the thought of them, a weapon that was as much a part of Daken's body as flames were a part of his own nature. Along with the scent of a mild city evening, he thought he could smell Daken's skin, and he liked it. He dipped his head, moving a little closer. "I didn't used to think so."

"No?"

"I never thought guys were beautiful. Not that way."

"And now?"

"Well. You're sort of beautiful."

"Johnny? Are you coming on to me?"

Johnny listened closely for mockery in his voice. His palms were sweating. Maybe he should just flame on, fly away, be anywhere but here and now. Even though he loved this, loved being here with Daken, loved this conversation as much as it scared him. Fuck! It was like being fourteen again, talking to some girl.

"No," he said, quickly, before he could stop his tongue. "Maybe. Yes. Sort of."

Daken turned to face him, but there was too much darkness to make much of his face. "You don't sound very sure."

"I'm not. Hell, Daken, I've never tried this before. Never wanted to. This frightens me. I only know I never felt like this before ever in my life and I don't know what to do about it."

"Do you want me to flirt with you, the way I do with Ben?"

Johnny didn't answer. He wanted to say "Please," but that sounded undignified. It was easier with girls. His heart was pounding now. He swallowed.

"Do you want me to kiss you?"

Daken was just about close enough to do it. If he moved his head an inch...

But no. Daken did not move. He was waiting for an answer. Patiently. Quietly. Enigmatically.

If Johnny had pictured anything, it was not this.

Fuck it. He wasn't a blushing maiden on a Harlequin cover, and he wasn't going to act like one. He could make a move as well as anyone. He kissed Daken, lips to lips, reaching for him -

Well, he tried. But Daken merely let their lips brush lightly before moving quickly away with a motion so quick and graceful that it appeared invisible. "Johnny? You're not ready for this."

"Why not?" Johnny made fists at his sides, too proud to run after Daken. He wasn't going to beg, or get angry. He wasn't going to be childish. He wasn't going to handle this badly and ruin the friendship, or ruin whatever else might develop between them. He'd thought of Daken as predatory. It had never occurred to him that Daken might be skittish.

"Because I have to leave. Because there's unfinished business. Because right now I can handle friendship but not - complications. Because Ben would kill me."

"If he could."

Daken's grin flashed. "Yeah. If he could."

There was an awkward moment of silence. Daken said, so softly Johnny could hardly hear him, "Don't hate me."

"You asshole," said Johnny, affectionately. "Never."

Never is a very long time. Daken nodded, as if accepting a truth, and they walked side by side back into the building, where Daken pushed the button for the elevator. He was leaving, as suddenly and enigmatically - though not as dramatically - as he arrived. They didn't speak. Daken had nothing to say, and Johnny had said as much as he could. This time.

The elevator arrived. Daken clasped his arm - neither a handshake nor an embrace. More like a promise. Johnny put it into words. "Come back."

"Count on it," said Daken, stepping onto the elevator. "Hasta la vista, baby." The doors closed, leaving Johnny with a glimpse of a tight smile and a beautiful, tattooed body still wearing Johnny's own blue T-shirt.

Daken would return, Johnny knew. If he survived. If he found whatever he was looking for - or if he didn't.

He knew Daken would come back. The strange thing was how much he wanted him to.

- end -

Comments

[isagel]

I am really so very glad that you are writing again! All I know of Daken is what I've read in your posts (which admittedly make him sound like I would love him to pieces), and I'm very hazy on the Fantastic Four, but this was still a wonderful scene, very soft and quiet and loaded with things crackling beneath the surface. Excellent.

[fajrdrako]

I am really so very glad that you are writing again!

Yeah, me too. And I'm glad you're glad, because I love and admire your writing, too.

All I know of Daken is what I've read in your posts (which admittedly make him sound like I would love him to pieces)

I think you would. Really, I don't know how anyone could resist him - though many fans hate him because he's bad to the bone. So what's wrong with that?

Anyway, I'm delighted you liked my scene, and let's see what I can write next.

I'm open to challenges.