Defeating the Brotherhood had been a utter debacle. Darkholme betrayed them. Despite their best efforts Evan saw more horrible stuff than more people saw in a lifetime and nearly gave in to their demands. Despite Baby's presence Sabertooth still got his hands on Oliver and he made him watch as Logan drowned Daken in a puddle of mud and blood. Logan had been completely unaware that they witnessed his heinous act until it was over and Evan attacked Sabertooth. When Logan tried to collect Oliver he hauled off and punched him - breaking his hand in the process. But even with a broken hand he was able to talk Evan down and get him to take off the suit and return to the school with them. Logan understandably didn't allow Oliver to accompany him to Japan to bury Daken.
To make matters worse another of Rouston's videos surfaced on the internet. The techs at S.H.I.E.L.D. couldn't explain it. The file seemingly decrypted itself and uploaded to the web on an automatic relay. Even after it went out they had no idea if there were others or how to shut the relay off. Just like before Oliver didn't care. It was more the fact that he could see Daken's face and hear his voice - moaning his name - Oliver actually remembered that moment quite vividly. The feel of Daken hand in his hair, tickling his ear. Hallucinating a halo around Daken's head - his eyes bright blue and his tattoo dancing around his skin as his muscles tensed—
"So you're just never going to talk to me again?" Oliver paused the video and looked up when he heard Logan's voice. He took off his headphones so he could hear him better. He was in his regular uniform, his mask in his hand. Oliver would be happy if he never saw the X-force 'black and whites' ever again.
"I could've helped him." Oliver said as he absently scratched at the cast on his hand.
"You helped save Evan - be happy about that. And don't take this as a dig at your abilities but no, you couldn't have helped Daken. And if you believe that then—"
"I helped you didn't I?" Oliver asked. "Despite how much he hated the comparison you two were just a like. As corny as it sounds Daken only wanted someone to love him. To see who he really was. He wanted someone to want to help him. Not just out of fear or pity. He wanted someone to see him and I did. Just like I see you. You gave up on him which is why you killed him. And you're mistaking my attitude towards you as hatred. I don't hate you, I love you Logan - which is why I'm so disappointed in you."
"I'm sorry... I love you too, kid." Logan admitted. "Sorry to disappoint you but I gotta do these things. Some people can't be saved. And you can't save everyone with a blowjob." Oliver looked at him sharply. "Did you think I wouldn't smell it on you? Everything he did to you? He waved your scent in my face just to piss me off. It's why you wouldn't let Hank take a look at you once you got back—"
"He didn't rape me, Logan - I wanted it. There were no drugs this time. He wasn't using his pheromones on me. And before you ask how I know for sure let me remind you that my senses are just as keen as yours. I was getting through to him. And if I had to blow him to do it then I would've stayed on my knees in front of him for the rest of my life if it meant I didn't have to witness you drowning him in a puddle of his own blood!" Oliver was suddenly screaming at him. "Is that why you're going to kill Darkholme? Yet another man you have to 'protect' me from?"
"He betrayed us!" Logan said. "That bum doesn't deserve your loyalty - just because he looks like Kurt—"
"Whose next on your hit list? Wade? Remy? How about Stephen - he's fond of me too. Azazel must have a target on his back by now."
"That's not what this is about and you know it. I'm not slaying your bedmates because they dared to touch you. I'm killing them because they're trying to destroy the world. They're bad men. They're using you to get what they want and you're just letting them take it because you think there's something worth saving - well there isn't!" Logan yelled. "Why don't you fuck someone nice for a change and maybe then we won't have to have this conversation again!" Logan regretted saying that as soon as it left his mouth. The look on Oliver's face broke his heart. He would've been able to handle it if Oliver had screamed back at him or attacked him but that wasn't Oliver's style. When he was hurt he retreated back into himself rather than lash out. He wasn't like his father - he wasn't like Logan in that respect. He was better than that and he deserved better than what Logan just said to him. He was a hypocrite - given the amount of questionable choices he's made in bed partners in his long life.
Kurt had been the one to hold up that mirror to him when he tried to come between them. He had been the only man Logan thought was good enough for Oliver. Ever since he died Logan felt like he was constantly trying to keep the vultures from preying on him. Oliver was too sweet for his own good. He saw the good in everyone even if it wasn't there. Kurt had been the one to instill that trait in him. He feared if Oliver ever fell in league with any of the derelicts that liked him they'd corrupt him and he'd lose his little boy to everything he hated in himself. And now that he thought about it Logan did want to hurt the men Oliver had just named. They were all shameless players - they'd break Oliver's heart and laugh about it.
"Oliver—"
"Get out." He growled as he pulled Maurice into his lap. He buried his face in the stuffed animal as Logan walked away. Oliver thought about calling Laura or Peter or Anole but he knew they would all be busy. He didn't want to go back to Serval. He just felt so alone - no amount of friends could help him. He felt insignificant - like he was a child, naked and alone in a one room cabin. Trapped and afraid to leave. He briefly thought about going to the library in Limbo or maybe the mirror dimension - just somewhere no one would be able to hear him crying. He heard it when the bamfs came into the loft. They chittered to themselves before they realized Oliver was sitting there miserable. Baby rubbed against him cheek and he could feel Marigold curl up underneath his bent legs.
"Whiskey." He looked over and the long-nosed bamf was offering him the bottle. It was more than half empty but Oliver appreciated the gesture. He took a shot before giving it back. Oliver didn't know why he felt so hollow. He had been defeated before. No friends, no family after he finally left his father's clutches. But the problem now was that he could remember being happy. There were hundreds of tiny reminders running around of what had made him happy.
"Baby..." The bamf chirped when Oliver called his name. "Take me to the library in Limbo." Baby squeaked at the other two bamfs before they teleported Oliver to the library. They ran off to explore as Oliver sat down. "I was able to talk to him here... halfway between life and death." Oliver laid back on the floor and concentrated. He had done it completely by accident before.
"Oliver!" He jumped when he heard Kurt scream his name. He sounded so panicked - not at all tranquil and relaxed like before.
"Kurt?"
"Oliver! No, look out! Run! Now!" He screamed. Oliver jumped when someone grabbed his wrist. He opened his eyes to see Azazel smiling down at him.
"AH!"
"I know what I need to defeat him." Azazel said before he pressed his hand to Oliver's chest. "A Soul Sword!"
Oliver had never experienced anything more excruciating. The power seemed to pass right through him and envelope him all at once. He couldn't move. He couldn't see anything around the blinding light besides Azazel's wide grin. He heard Baby's panicked squeaking before there was nothing. It started to hurt less and less. The light wasn't so bright and the weight of Azazel on top of him eased until it felt like he drifted into a weightless abyss. The last thing he saw was Azazel hoisting a sword made out of sparkling color and light over his head.
-----
Oliver didn't know how long he laid there. He drifted in and out of consciousness. One minute he opened his eyes to see Baby, Whiskey and Marigold looking down at him at him curiously. He blinked and they had changed to Turner and Hooch - was that Dr. Strange behind them? He knelt down and cupped Oliver's face. He said something but it was muffled. Oliver felt tired so he closed his eyes.
When he woke up he was suddenly back in the loft. But it didn't look right. As he got up and walked around he realized it was the old loft - back before Xavier's school was destroyed. Andre and Archibald were there on the bed - just the way he remembered them. He looked over when he noticed someone in the kitchen. "Kurt?" He moved closer and frowned a little seeing it was Dr. Strange. "Stephen? What are you doing here?"
"Trying to keep what's left of your mind together and your soul in your body." Strange said as he opened a beer. "This is your minds safest place? Wasn't this building destroyed?"
"This is where I was the happiest... well here and—"
"Olivier! Come here my precious baby boy."
"Mama?" Oliver turned around to see her sitting there on the couch in the living room. She was wearing the costume she made to match his mutation. Logan was sitting next to her. They both reached out for him and he eagerly ran to them. Strange noticed by the time he jumped into their laps that Oliver was a little boy again. "This is where I feel the safest." Logan and Ami wrapped their arms around him.
"Oliver—" Stephen took a step closer but froze when Oliver's parents glared him. He was impressed his mental defenses were so keen. "Can you tell me what happened?"
"He fell off the high wire." Logan said before Oliver could answer. "I caught him, he'll be okay. Won't you?" He glanced at Oliver and he smiled.
"Qui papa."
"Oh boy." Strange rolled his eyes. This was going to be harder than he thought. He couldn't pull Oliver out of his mental 'safe space' before he figured out what happened. It might destroy what was left of him. So he left Oliver in his parents care as he looked around the loft. He noticed there were people milling about behind him. He recognized Laura and Peter. Hank was there - writing into various books before he put them on a huge bookshelf. He was surprised to see himself floating with his legs crossed in the kitchen. "Hey." His other self opened his eyes.
"Hello."
"You wouldn't happen to know what happened to Mr. Croix, would you?"
"How would we know? We weren't there." The other him rationalized.
"Of course." Stephen sighed.
"He seems different though - like somethings missing." Other Stephen said. "It's a little dim in here, right?"
"Right..."
"We always thought Oliver was so bright. Even after the death of Nightcrawler... maybe you should ask him."
"I tried. Logan won't let him answer for himself." Stephen said.
"No I think he meant actually ask me." Stephen turned around when one of the mental projections talked to him. He thought that was odd - usually they didn't acknowledge him until he spoke to them. And Kurt appeared to be in full color as opposed to everyone else who were kind of black and white. Stephen felt the hair stand up on the back of his neck when he spotted another Kurt amongst the other mental representations - two in fact, but one had a red stripe over his eye.
"Are you... really here?"
"Yes. But I can't stay." Kurt said. "Oliver was attacked by my father while in the Limbo library. He made a sword out his soul but he didn't come back to Heaven after he did it. He's somewhere - more than likely collecting more souls to... y'know I'm just now realizing how insane this must sound."
"Well maybe if I wasn't astral projecting into someones mind I'd be less inclined to believe any of this." Stephen said. When he looked at Kurt he noticed his eyes had drifted to the couch where Oliver was still cuddled between Logan and Ami.
"You know him... on the other side I mean - do you know—"
"He's absolutely miserable without you." Stephen answered his question before he could even ask it.
"Really?"
"Would he be hanging out in Limbo if he was happy on Earth?"
"I guess not." Kurt shrugged.
"I remember what he was like before you died. He was trying for a long time but I guess Logan killed his new boyfriend last week and—"
"What!?" Kurt looked at him sharply. Stephen took a step back when all the projections turned to look at them. Kurt faded for a second and he looked at his hands. "Oh no, I think my time is up. Find Azazel and get Oliver's soul back—" He winked out of the room but the projections were still looking at Stephen.
"It's time for you to go." Other Stephen said.
"Gah!" Stephen fell back into his body and groaned. The bamfs scurried away from him as he got up. He picked Oliver up and transported him back to the school.
-----
Kurt was exhausted. Being just a soul in heaven he never felt tired, was never hungry. But after fighting Azazel - he had literally been through Hell just to stop him. And now he was back in a new flesh and blood body. A body that was immediately hungry, sore and tired once the fight was over. It was everything in Kurt to not break Azazel's arm clean off his body to get Oliver's soul sword out of his grimy hands. By the time it was over Kurt was back amongst the living and it took him a minute to believe it. He wanted to run to Oliver and put the sword back, tell him the story of how he got it, hold him close and reassure him that he was really back but he hesitated.
Kurt tasked Pixie with getting the sword back into Oliver. Hank and Stephen just stood back as she sunk the glowing rapier into his chest. Instead of coming through the other side of the bed it disappeared into his chest. The heart monitors understandably overloaded. All of the readouts just printed question marks - unable to accurately display the mystic powers pulsing through Oliver. When that blinding light was finally gone Oliver blinked slowly until he returned to full consciousness. His eyes came back into focus and he moved for the first time in days.
"What did I miss?" He asked. He looked over and gasped when he saw Logan in the next bed over. "Dad!" He hopped up before any of them could stop him. Logan jumped when Oliver grabbed his arm. "What happened? Are you okay?"
"Your latest 'boyfriend' literally stabbed me in the back with that fucking soul sword of yours." Logan croaked out. "Did you just call me dad?"
"Shut up you stupid man. Just shut up." Oliver said as he quickly rubbed his face against Logan's. He then buried his nose in his neck. Logan nodded at Pixie, Strange and Hank indicating he needed a moment alone with Oliver. He sighed once they left the room.
"Listen kid. I'm sorry about what I said to you. I was actually in Hell yesterday. And I thought... 'man, what I said to Oliver is worse than this place'." Logan joked. He put his hand on the back of Oliver's head when he let a sound half way between a sob and a laugh.
"But you were right." Oliver admitted. "The minute I began to trust Azazel... look what he did to me. I'm sorry for being such a little shit. Feel free to jab every man that looks at me in the balls."
"I don't think you have to worry about that anymore." Logan said. When Oliver sat up and looked at him Logan had drifted off to sleep. The machine next to him beeped and Oliver glanced at the read out. It had given him a dose of pain killers - Hank's own concoction for mutants with heightened metabolism. He laid there with Logan for a long time just listening to his heart, enjoying the weight of his arm around his back.
"You should let him rest." Hank said as he helped Oliver out of his bed. He gave him one last check up before discharging him. After all what could modern medicine really tell him about Oliver's magical recovery from having his soul back. "You're dead on your feet. Go get some sleep."
"Baby!" The bamf said his name excitedly as he landed on Oliver's shoulder.
"I'm glad you're okay, too." Oliver said. "Let's go take a nap. Being in a magic-coma is exhausting." Baby teleported him up to the loft and Oliver sighed - the big empty bed never looked so good to him. He smiled at Maurice - his goofy, sewn-on grin was very uplifted. "Bon nuit, Maurice." Oliver thought he heard something downstairs and looked over the railing.
When Logan rebuilt the loft for him he made it split level - with a more spacious bedroom that was actually elevated in a loft. It looked down right into the living room and his reading alcove. "Whiskey is that you?" He called as he looked around. He could hear the bamfs chittering about something. A few of them ran out into the living room - fighting over what looked like one of Logan's boots. "Boys take it somewhere else. I'm tired." He dismissed them. They looked up at him before they teleported away. Oliver sighed and got undressed. For once the school was nice and quiet. And nestled between Maurice and Baby, Oliver was asleep in under a minute.
-----
Kurt watched Oliver sleep for hours. He took breaks, went out to the roof to looks at the stars, got several snacks and tried to sleep on the couch but he always found himself back on the railing watching Oliver. His hair was longer but he knew the man before him was still his Oliver. He had been gone for nearly two years. The loft was different, the school was different, nearly everything had changed but he couldn't help but find a small amount of comfort in the fact that Oliver still liked to sleep cuddled up to the moose Kurt had given him. And he wanted nothing more than to crawl into bed next to him but how to explain, how could he expect Oliver to be okay with this? They couldn't just pick up where they left off, could they?
"Baby!" Oliver's favorite bamf jumped on to his shoulder and Kurt tickled him under his chin. He sniffed around Kurt's mouth and he smiled. "Baby!"
"Shhh... you'll wake him." Kurt hushed him. He wanted to run when Oliver stirred. What was he afraid of? Why couldn't he face him? 'Because you think after two years he's found someone else and forgotten you. You hope he's as lonely as you are - you actually hope that. What is wrong with you?' he thought.
"Wade?" Oliver yawned as he looked around. He jumped and hissed when he spotted Kurt. He imagined he didn't look very friendly - glowing gold eyes the only thing visible in the dark. "Darkholme? Get out!" Kurt couldn't help but laugh and it made Oliver stop as he reached for something to throw.
"You think I'm my mother?" He asked. Now was a good as time as any to let Oliver know he was alive. Instead of throwing the lamp Oliver turned it on. He saw Baby on Kurt's shoulder and the absence of the red strip over his eye and immediately knew it wasn't Darkholme - Baby took cues from him and the little bamf didn't like him.
"No... I... Kurt?" Oliver asked as he stared at him. He slowly crawled down the bed and poked him in the face. When Kurt sneered Oliver jumped back and hid behind Maurice and all of his pillows. "I saw you die. How are you here?"
"The closest I can describe it is... Mystic-Interdimensional-Afterlife-Tango. Also a gateway built by the bamfs to reach me in Heaven." Kurt explained as he rubbed his face.
"We... your funeral... you were cremated."
"Yeah, I'm gonna have a talk with Scott about that - you're not supposed to cremate Catholics." Kurt said. "This body is brand new... once again, bamfs and magic and here I am."
"You're not from another dimension?"
"No."
"Or a clone?"
"No."
"I'm not dreaming?"
"No." Kurt was surprised when tears welled up in Oliver's eyes. He didn't look happy at all and his trembling was making the entire bed shake.
"I saw you die!" He cried. Kurt crawled across the bed and pulled him into his arms. Oliver had been through the wringer in the past few days alone. Kurt didn't want to imagine what the past few years had been like for him - for any of his loved ones. He would tell Kurt in time but right now none of that mattered. Right now he just wanted to fix the bond between them that had been so brutally severed.
"I know. I felt myself die. I was in Heaven... but I wasn't content." Kurt said as he hugged Oliver close. He curled his tail around Oliver's and rubbed his back. "Not like I am right now... mit dir."