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Alec/Logan, with some m/f undertones. NC-17.

Alec does a little version control.

MAX: Hope is for losers.

ALEC (to Logan): What in the world do they see in you?

Dissassociation
By Melissa

Alec scanned the room. No sign of the little bastard.

"Alec! Just the man I was looking for."

Alec hid a grimace. "Hey, Normal. What can I do you for?"

Normal shoved three parcels at him. "Guess." He gave Alec a beautific smile and turned away, pausing only to yell something at a latecomer.

Dammit.

He had two hours - three at the most - to get the money to the steelheads before they came looking to break his legs.

Not that he was worried. He could - and had - taken them before. But there was something to be said for a professional attitude. Besides, he'd just acquired a whole bunch of andy, and if he couldn't move it through them, he couldn't move it at all. They'd seen to that. Funny how the drug market was so distrustful of new blood. And he really didn't want to be stuck with 5 kilograms of androstamine he couldn't move.

So, he was back to square one. Not pissing off the steelheads.

Which was going to be difficult if his associate didn't get his ass where it was supposed to be in the very near future.

Still, served him right for getting a twelve year old to courier two hundred thousand big ones. The little shit probably opened the package and decided all his christmases had come at once.

Alec wondered how many gobstoppers you could buy with that kind of money.

"Alec!"

Alec didn't turn around. Shit. Just what he didn't need right now.

"Max."

Max stopped just behind him. "We need a favour."

Alec rolled his eyes. Why else would she be talking to him? He turned to face her, disinterested look firmly in place. "We?"

"Me and Logan." Max was still in her leathers, sunglasses perched on top of her head. "I got a problem with Joshua. Long story. I need you to - "

"Is he okay?" Alec asked without thinking. "I mean, you know." He shrugged. "Not that I care."

Max waited a beat, her expression saying yeah, right, and continued, "I need you to take this over to Logan's," she waved a package at him, "while I get Joshua seen too. It's no big - he's got an abcess on his arm from where that dog bit him. I need to take him someplace to get him fixed up. He's not doing so well now, but he'll be okay."

"Whatever," Alec said. "But you'll have to find someone else to do your dirty work - I've got problems of my own to deal with just at the moment."

"Alec." Max narrowed her eyes. "I need you to do this for me. Joshua needs a doctor. Logan needs this disk. I can only be in one place at a time. There are lives at stake." She leaned forward and tucked the small package into his coat pocket. "Thanks. Gotta blaze."

"Fine," Alec said as she turned away. "Fine. Whatever. But this is the last favour. Don't expect me to help the next time you've got some big bad on the rampage and you've got better things to do."

"I never expect help," she tossed over her shoulder, disapearing into the crowd.

Typical, Alec thought, scanning the crowd again. Max always got what she wanted, one way or another. A favour. The upper hand. The last word.

Seemed like Logan wasn't the only one she had whipped.

He sighed. No sign of his courier. No sign of Max.

If he dropped the disk over at Logan's straight away - seeing as Max had her panties in such a knot over it - he could go chasing after his errant courier at the same time. The kid lived about three blocks over from Logan.

Because that was his priority, after all. Max was hot, but there was a limit. No way was he going to turn his own deal sour just to be running after her ass. Even if it was a great ass.

You had to draw the line somewhere.

And hell, it wasn't like he had a chance with her anyway. Even Logan hadn't managed to thaw out the ice queen, and hadn't that been a shock?

You had to hand it to the poor fuck. First he loses the use of his legs. Then, just when he finds The One - because Logan was just the type to believe in that sort of shit, Alec knew it beyond a shadow of a doubt - she gets infected with some kind of weird virus, which means the poor bastard can't even get his rocks off with her.

Not that he was implying that Max was capable of using something like that just to string a guy along. Hell no. Max had far too much integrity. She wouldn't dream of manipulating someone like that.

Alec snorted. Time to get moving. Before he started getting all bitter and twisted.

***********************************

Logan's place was quiet. Probably a little too quiet.

Alec stood outside the door for a moment. No sounds, no movement inside.

He shrugged. What the hell - whether he gave Logan the precious package or dropped it off, what did it matter? He just wanted to get it done and find his two hundred G and go home before his day got any worse.

It took a little under five seconds to pick the lock. Alec made a mental note to get Logan to improve the security. It was a little disconcerting to know that a man who had enough dirt on you to get you locked up for three consecutive life sentences was so easy to get to.

Alec slipped inside and closed the door quietly. No sense in alerting Logan's neighbours to any mildly illegal breaking and entering he might happen to be doing.

"I suppose I should be grateful you didn't break the door down."

Alec started. Seemed like Logan was home after all. He groped for the lightswitch. "There a reason you're sitting in the dark?"

The lights flickered on. Logan was sitting at his desk, staring at the floor, a glass of whisky in his hand.

"No." He met Alec's eyes. "No reason." He set his glass down on the desk just a little too steadily to be completely sober. "Something I can help you with?"

Alec shrugged. Not his problem. "Package for you." He tossed the package on the desk with only slightly more force than necessary.

Logan picked it up. "It's been opened."

Alec shrugged. "Yeah. Dropped it." Which was possibly slightly less than the truth.

Logan pulled the disk out and examined the label. "You can't tell Max. Not yet."

Alec nodded blankly. Tell Max what exactly? The label on the disk read, '45-789 Protein Resequencing Enzyme 34.' Not even any handy pictures to clue him in. He hadn't had time to actually see what was on the disk, but if the label was anything to go by he was perfectly willing to wait for the movie.

Logan was handling the disk absently. "I just - I want to be sure this time. Before I get her hopes up."

"You've found a cure for the virus?" Alec hazarded.

Logan gave him a sharp look. "No. Not exactly. This came from a Manticore tech. I've got a guy in sector 7 says he might be able to do something with it. Assuming, of course, that the thirty grand is enough to jog his memory."

Alec tried hard not to look surprised. "Thirty grand? That's a lot of money."

"Yeah." Logan picked his glass up and swirled the amber liquid around in the glass. "And that's just a start."

"Where exactly were you planning on getting thirty grand from? Because if you've got a money tree out back - "

Logan snorted. "Don't worry, Mister Compassion. I'll find the money. Besides which, it's ten up front, twenty on delivery." His smile was bitter. "Some lessons you have to learn the hard way."

Alec nodded. Made perfect sense. "I hope she's worth it."

Logan's eyes narrowed. "What the hell's that supposed to mean?"

Alec shrugged. "I don't know. Just hope you don't sign your soul away only to find out that it's just never going to be the right time. No matter what you do."

Logan shook his head vehemently. "Not going to happen."

"Whatever you say," Alec said diffidently, turning to go. Screw this. His hand was on the doorknob before he hesitated.

"I believe the doorknob principal involves a twist of the wrist, followed immediately by an increase in forward momentum -"

Alec turned around. Two could play at this sarcasm shit. "You know, Logan, I'm really beginning to see why you're so popular with the ladies. Your rapier like wit never fails to astound me."

"Fuck you." Logan drained his glass and reached for the bottle.

Alec sighed. "I'm just saying, Asha is as hot for you as Max is. Haven't you ever thought - "

"No."

But Alec was a much better liar than Logan would ever be, and he knew a lie when he heard it. "Bullshit."

Logan sighed. "Maybe - thought - "

"Ha!"

"But only *thought* - I'd never - " Logan gestured helplessly.

"And there's your problem. Too much thinking, not enough - " Alec mimiced Logan's gesture.

Logan rolled his eyes. "So, what? You think I should just ask her over and make her dinner and pour her some wine and then just fuck her here on my desk? Give up on me and Max and anything and everything meaningful in my life -?"

"Whoa!" Alec held up his hands in mock surrender. He'd actually provoked Logan into saying 'fuck.' That was a first. "I'm just saying, life is for living. You're only young once, and Max has been pulling your strings for just a little too long. How the hell do you dance around someone for a year and not have sex even *once*? And now she has this virus - "

"How do you know we never - "

Alec waved the question away. "We got stuck in a closet together. But seriously. Asha is one hot - "

"Why haven't *you*?"

Alec stopped mid sentence. "What, me and Asha?"

"Yeah. Seeing as you're so obsessed with her."

"I'm not obsessed with her. I just said she was hot - "

"About ten times so far today. So why haven't you done anything about that?"

Alec shrugged. "I don't know, I just - I wouldn't be good for her."

"And you think I would?"

"Why not? Maybe you'd be good for each other?"

"It never stopped you before." Logan's tone was only fainly sardonic.

"What?"

"Not being good for someone. It never stopped you before."

Alec shook his head. "Asha's different. She'd only get hurt and she doesn't deserve that." He took in Logan's raised eyebrows. "And besides, she's not really my type."

"Oh? And that would be?"

Alec shrugged. "Not Asha."

"You want Max." There was a quiet certainty in Logan's voice.

Alec was speechless. "I - I never - "

Logan reached for the bottle of whisky again. "You didn't have to. It's written all over your face every time you see her."

So much for playing it cool. "Logan. That's ridiculous. It's the alcohol talking - "

"No. And you know she takes advantage. And you still let her."

There was a brief silence.

"So? Maybe I let her think she's manipulating me," Alec offered finally, quietly. "Maybe it's really the other way around."

"Really?" Logan was the model of cool disbelief.

"Really." It was mostly the truth.

Logan was looking at him assessingly.

"How - how much exactly have you had to drink tonight?" Alec asked.

"Too much." Logan was pouring himself yet another glass. "Not enough."

A ghost of a smile touched Alec's mouth. "Which?"

"Both," Logan answered without hesitation. "Wouldn't you say?"

Alec shrugged. "I supposed that depends on your point of reference."

Logan nodded and toasted the room at large.

Alec tasted the irony. "You could have anyone. You coud have Asha. But you only want Max. And Max only wants one thing- "

" - Freedom - "

" - Martyrdom. And it's the one thing you can't bring yourself to give her."

Logan studied the floor. "I can't - I can't just give up on it."

Alec nodded. "I know."

This time the silence was strained.

"Why didn't you answer the door before?" Alec asked finally, needing to end the silence.

Logan shrugged. "Didn't want to see anyone."

"Just wanted to get toasted all on your lonesome?"

"Something like that."

Alec nodded. "Yeah. I hear that. Look, I should go - "

"No - "

Alec raised his eyebrows.

"I mean, it's a little late to worry about disturbing me now." Logan was putting his best diffident look on. "Do you want a drink?"

He should say no. He had a twelve year old whose ass he needed to locate - and kick the shit out of - to start with. Besides, did he really want to watch Logan drink himself comatose?

"Alec?" Logan was holding out a glass.

Alec accepted it wordlessly. The ass kicking could wait until after he'd had a drink. Another ten or fifteen minutes wouldn't make a difference anyway. He still had time.

"I sometimes wonder - " Logan's speech was only slightly slurred, despite the amount of whisky he'd put away. "You know, if it's on purpose."

Alec looked at him. "What?"

"Max. The way she is. What she does to me."

Alec smiled. "Yeah. You're whipped, man. Admit it."

Logan shrugged. "I guess."

"So the next time Asha comes over, why don't you ask her to have dinner with you?"

"Why are you pushing this? Why do you want me with Asha?" Logan was looking at him strangely.

Alec did his best to look innocent. "I'm not - "

"Because you don't think you're good enough for her? Or so you can have Max to yourself?"

"Hey!" Alec said, indignant. "At least then you could have a normal, *healthy* relationship."

"What the hell's that supposed to mean?" Logan rose unsteadily to his feet.

Alec shook his head in silent derision. "I see what she does to you. I see how she leaves you. You don't deserve that."

Logan was shaking his head. "I don't know - "

"Bullshit. She leaves and I can smell it on you - " Alec stepped forward. "I'm a transgenic, remember? Enhanced senses? I can smell it on you. How much you want it. What you'd do for it. And even if I wasn't, I could see it in your eyes. It's killing you to be around her. And she walks around like she doesn't even care."

"That's not true - "

"Bullshit," Alec said again. He was in Logan's personal space and he was fucked if he was going to be the first one to back down here. "It's bullshit."

Logan swallowed convulsively, and Alec realised suddenly that he could smell it again - the musky, needy scent of arousal. He wondered when Logan last got laid.

"Every one has needs," he tried to make his voice sound as reassuring as possible. "You can't ignore that. If you do, it'll all blow up in your face. You can wind yourself up as tight as you want, sooner or later you're going to lose control."

"So?" Logan was right in his face. "What the hell do you care?"

"I've been there," Alec said tonelessly. "It's not pretty."

"Fuck that," Logan said. "It's not like I have a choice - "

Alec closed his eyes for a second. Jesus. "There are always choices. *Always*. Even when the road is straight, you still choose the direction you go in."

Logan stared at him. "Yeah, that's very fucking zen of you - "

"Look, you can deal with the reality of the situation, or you can ignore it. Your choice, man. But don't come crying to me when you start to fall apart."

"I will not. Fall. Apart." Logan was radiating animosity from every pore.

"You'll explode," Alec continued, relentless. "You'll be wound so tight you'll think it can't possibly get worse, and then it will. And it'll only take one thing, one small, insignificant thing, and you'll go over the edge. And that famous self-control of yours will be so much history."

"Fuck. You." Logan's voice was low and threatening.

To hell with it. Without giving himself too much time to think, Alec leaned forward and kissed him.

Logan froze momentarily, and then his hands came up to push Alec away. "Alec - Jesus - what the fuck - "

Alec shook his head. "For once in your life, Logan - shut the fuck up." He leaned forward again and kissed Logan.

Logan resisted for a moment longer, then with a small sound of surrender grabbed Alec's shoulders and turned the kiss into a bruising contest of wills.

This time, when they separated, they were both breathing hard.

"Get out," Logan said unsteadily. "Just get the fuck out - "

Alec shoved him roughly against the wall and ground his hard on into Logan. "I don't think so. This has been coming for too long - "

There was honest bewilderment and confusion on Logan's face, mixed in with arousal and anger and something desperately needy.

"You want this," Alec said. Simple statement of fact.

Logan said nothing, refusing to meet Alec's eyes.

Alec took a deep breath and kissed Logan, very gently, where neck met shoulder.

Logan trembled in his arms, no longer trying to get away. "God, oh God - " He was thrusting in to meet Alec now, his hips moving in small, desperate movements.

Alec pulled away just long enough to pop the buttons on Logan's fly and reach inside.

Logan bucked frantically as Alec caressed him through the thin cotton of his boxers. "Jesus, please - "

"Patience is a virtue," Alec said with forced calm, deliberately slowing his hand.

"Alec - " Need and anger warred in Logan's voice.

Alec smiled. "Simple human need, Logan." He rubbed his palm over Logan's cock.

"Just - just like that?" Logan was breathing hard. "More like a mind game, wouldn't - "

Alec applied more pressure and Logan's breath hitched. "Shut up and enjoy it."

Logan met his eyes. "Alec. Why are you - "

Did he never shut up? Alec slipped his hand inside Logan's boxers and grasped his cock.

"God - "

There was no point trying to prolong things. Give Logan enough time and he'd be psycho-analysing his own orgasm. Alec moved his hand in a rhthym guaranteed to shut Logan up.

Logan whimpered, and began to thrust into Alec's hand.

"Hell, yes," Alec murmered unsteadily, using his left hand to pop the buttons on his own fly and free his painfully hard cock.

Logan was close. He was breathing hard and thrusting uncontollably.

Alec moved his left hand over his own cock in the same rhythm. Never failed.

Suddenly Logan cried out, something Alec couldn't quite make out. Maybe Max's name, maybe his own. Either way, Logan was coming, clutching hard at Alec's shoulders.

Alec grunted, feeling his own climax approaching unexpectedly. He buried his face in the hollow between Logan's neck and shoulder and came, silently.

For a moment, there was silence, broken only by the sound of their uneven breathing.

Alec recovered first and pulled away, using a nearby dishtowel to clean himself off. He passed it to Logan, who accepted it wordlessly.

Well. It had certainly been surreal, if nothing else. Alec had no doubt that he had just exploded several of Logan's most precious illusions.

Logan was leaning against the wall, staring at the carpet. Didn't look like he was in much of a hurry to say anything.

Alec shrugged. So tonight had ended with an unexpected twist. Didn't mean there was no way he could use it to his advantage.

Another look at Logan proved his theory - the man was in shock. Alec wondered if he'd ever thought about doing a guy before, or if it was just him Logan had never thought about in that way.

He sighed. Time to go. If he hung round any longer *he'd* end up doing the psycho-analysing.

He turned to go.

"Wait." Logan's voice was subdued.

Alec turned back reluctantly.

Logan had the disk in hand. "Can you - " He sighed, looking suddenly weary. "Can you deliver this for me? I can't do it myself, and there isn't anyone else I can ask."

"Max - "

"I told you." Logan's voice was strained. "She can't know about this. Not yet."

Alec shrugged. "Sure. Whatever."

Logan held the disk out. "Thanks. I - I appreciate it."

"Whatever," Alec said again, pocketing the disk. "Where exactly am I taking it to?"

"Oh." Logan grabbed a pen and scribbled an address on the back of an envelope. "Here."

Alec took a quick look before tucking it in his pocket. Great. Steelhead territory. And speaking of which, wasn't it time to go and pay his old friends a visit? Bust their balls before they came looking to bust his.

Of course, that would leave him with the triffling problem of the 5kg of andy he had stashed in his apartment, but that was a concern for another day.

He turned back towards the door. "I'll make sure it gets there."

Logan was silent.

Alec opened the door - to reveal Max, hand upraised, ready to knock,

"Alec." She looked less than thrilled. "Why are you still here?"

"Nice to see you, too," Alec said. "What exactly crawled up your ass and died? I was doing you a favour, if I recall correctly."

Behind him, Logan choked softly.

Alec smiled innocently. "Anyway. How's Dog Boy?"

Max bristled. "*Joshua* is going to be fine. No thanks to you." She looked past him. "Hey Logan. Got a minute?"

Alec shrugged and stepped past her, ignoring Logan's soft response, and deliberately letting his arm brush Max's.

She froze in place.

He kept moving, not bothering to hide the smirk on his face. Her senses were as heightened as his. There was no way she could miss the musky scent that told the exact story of what had been going on in the last quarter hour.

Let Logan try and explain that away.

"Alec." Max's voice sounded strained.

He turned back to her. "Yeah?"

Her nostrils flared. "Nothing."

Alec nodded. "All right."

He absently fingered the disk in his pocket as she slammed the door behind him. He might make the time to have a closer look at the contents of the disk. See if Logan was wasting his money.

But first, he had a bunch of steelheads to meet up with.

As he walked away, he heard Max speaking to Logan. He couldn't quite make out the words, but her voice rose at the end of her sentence. A question.

He smiled mirthelssly.

He couldn't have her - at least not for the moment - but he could have what she wanted, whenever he wanted it. He'd already proven that.

He ran his fingers over the disk again.

He could hold her life in his hands and never let her know it.

And maybe that would be enough.

 

 

THE END.

 
 
 
   
 

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