Title: The Last Time
Style: Oneshot
Type: X-Men
Category: Angst, Romance
Timeline: Two weeks before X2
Main Character(s): John Allerdyce (Pyro) and Bobby Drake (Iceman)
Minor Character(s): Rogue
Warning: Swearing and Slash
Word Count: 1160
Written By: Miss Sly
Disclaimer: I do not own the X-Men. Nor do I own Dashboard Confessional.
Note: This fic is best read with The Best Deceptions by Dashboard Confessional playing. Seriously, It was written to this song.

Well don't you see, don't you see that the charade is over?
And all the "Best Deceptions" and the "Clever Cover Story" awards
Go to you
So kiss me hard 'cause this will be the last time that I'll let you
You will be back some day
And this awkward kiss that tells of other people's lips
Will be of service
To giving you away

They stood facing each other, backs ramrod straight in anger. John felt his lips twist into a fiery sneer. He watched Bobby's eyes drain of their usual happy kindness. The ice-mutants blue eyes were cold, icy, and devoid of anything but rage.

The air itself around them trembled. John's body temperature had shot up, and the air around him shimmered as it would above hot asphalt. Tiny ice crystals swirled furiously, as if on an unseen wind around Bobby. In the small space between them, a miniature storm raged, hot meeting cold in a vicious swirling of air. Beneath their feet, ice rapidly formed, and melted, and turned to ice again.

A burner of the gas stove beside them roared into action as its tiny flame grew in height and width, licking at the kitchen cupboards.

"This is fucking bullshit, Bobby." John snarled, stepping closer, not noticing their clashing powers.

A scowl slithered its way across Bobby's lips, as he too took a step closer.

John raised his hands, one fisting in the taller blonds shirt, the other cocked back, ready to fly into the others face. Bobby responded in turn, gripping Johns elbow, preparing to heave the fire mutant across the room.

They stepped closer still, and lost their balance in the icy pool of water beneath their feet. They fell together, and their lips crashed against each other with tremendous ferocity.

All their pent up anger a frustration poured into the kiss, lips meeting again and again in crushing, bruising blows, neither boy fully realizing what was happening. Johns hand remained fisted in Bobby's polo, and the fingers of his other hand somehow tangled in his blond locks. Bobby's hand snaked its way up Johns elbow to his shoulder, and let his other wander freely over the brunette.

Time stopped.

Then in one sudden jerking motion, they hauled themselves away from each other. They each fell back against the walls on either side of the kitchen. Pure shock and confusion painted its way over Bobby's features. John studied the other for half a second, and let his face fall into an expressionless mask. Their eyes met from across the room. Their earlier disagreement forgotten.

Silence, broken only by their harsh breathing, filled the room.

The fire on the stove had iced completely over.

People rapidly began to fill the large archway leading into the kitchen. John half registered Rogue, Kitty, Jubilee, Peter, and Scott standing in the archway, all with puzzled expressions. He tried to ignore Jean's look of shocked understanding.

The two mutants stood stock still, backs still pressed against the wall. Each was as unwilling as the other to move. Their eyes remained locked.

Rogue took a step forward, a single gloved hand reaching out toward Bobby.

"Are you alright? We heard fighting… What's wrong?"

Bobby stayed silent, surprise draining from his features. He broke his gaze away from John's emotionless brown eyes, and took a step off the wall, toward Rogue.

John remained completely silent and stone faced. The onlookers watched him in confusion, waiting for him to break out into a smirk and hurl insults at the Iceman, waiting for him to shout and rage, for his temper to burn as hot as the fire he wielded.

Instead, he let out a sad half-laugh, and shook his head. Again, their eyes locked. He skirted around Bobby, avoiding touching him, let alone knocking into him like he usually would after a vicious argument. Without a word, John pushed past the onlookers and began to make his way to his room. The swish-flick of his lighter following him, punctuating his steps.

Bobby watched him leave.

Bobby returned to their room ten minutes after John. He stepped into their small shared room, closing and locking the door behind him. He stood and watched John throw his clothes and a handful of lighters into a knapsack. He pressed his mouth into a firm line when he heard the sharp sound of the zipper being forcefully zipped shut.

John spun to haul the straps on, but Bobby reached out and caught the smaller boy by the shoulders.

John didn't immediately glare up at him like he customarily would have. He was still stone-faced. In a deathly calm voice, he simply said, "Get out of my way Drake."

Bobby flinched at the use of his last name, but looked down at him a said softly, "No."

John scowled darkly. Anger coloring his tone, he said, "Get the fuck out of my way Drake. I'm serious."

"Why?"

"Why the hell what?"

"Why should I move?"

"Because I'm fucking leaving. Now move."

Bobby completely ignored him, hesitated briefly, and acted on pure impulse. His lips crashed down against Johns.

John froze, and then relaxed against him. The bag fell out of his left hand. His lighter fell from his right and hit against the hardwood floor with a dull, defeated thump.

They slowly pulled apart. Neither moved. Their eyes met in understanding.

Johns head tilted slightly to one side, and he said, "You better go. Rogue will be wondering where you are."

Bobby tensed, and for a long second he looked like he was going to turn and leave. Instead he brought their lips together once more, softly this time.

John pulled away. "I'm still leaving."

"Not today, you're not."

John studied Bobby's face. Then he rocked forward on the balls of his feet, bringing his lips up to Bobby's ear. He whispered, "So kiss me hard, 'cause this will be the last time that I let you."

Bobby complied. His arms wrapped around John, and they awkwardly stumbled backwards. John's legs hit a bed, and they went tumbling back onto it, never breaking the fierce kiss. The messy, unmade sheets of John's bed pressed hard against his back.

Eventually they broke apart from each other. They stared at each other for a long moment, foreheads resting together, noses touching.

"You will be back someday."

John just smiled sadly. He chose to say nothing.

A knock sounded on their locked door. For a second Bobby just lay there on top of John, reluctant to get up. Bobby closed his eyes, and heaved himself up off of John, taking a hesitant step toward the door, unsure if he wanted to answer it or not.

Rogues voice called out from behind it, her southern drawl laced with worry. "Bobby, are you alright?"

Bobby took one look back at John, who had sat up – all bruised lips and shadowed eyes, and slipped out the door, shutting the hard oak behind him.

John pulled his legs up to his chest, wrapping his arms around them, and laid his head down on his knees. He squeezed his eyes shut and let out a single, shaky breath.

John never did let Bobby kiss him again. Bobby never tried.

Two weeks later, John was gone.

Written: 11/30/08

Feedback is love. Constructive criticism is wonderful.

This song was written to The Best Deceptions. If you can pick out the quotes, and the references, kudos.

And also note, I don't have a beta. So I apologise for the spelling and grammar errors that I know are there, but I just can't find.

Love,

Sly.