"Dude, it's so wrong how right that looks on you."

Heath Ledger struck a pose suitable to the Wolverine costume and makeup. "I do look pretty good, don't I?"

"You look amazing," Jake said. "What about me?"

"Cyclops is a good choice for you. Those eyes of yours are deadly."

"Still?"

"We've been together less than a year, Jazza, how could I be immune to you already?"

"That's sweet."

"Yeah, I'm a complete and utter girl when it comes to you. Why else would I agree to wear this ridiculous costume?"

"Did I mention how good you look in it?"

"Good enough to give you ideas?"

"Heath, you know you don't need to dress flashy to be sexy. I'd think you were sexy even if you were naked."

"Why are you such a dickhead to me all the time? I left my home and family for you, you ungrateful git."

"Yes you did," Jake said softly. "You made a big leap of faith and I hope you don't regret putting your trust in me."

Heath backed the other man up against the wall, resting his palms on either said of Jake's head. "I'd like to put something else in you," he said, pressing his leather-covered crotch against his lover's.

"Hang on," Jake said as his cell phone chimed Pachelbel's Canon in D Major. "Hello, Maggie. Yes, we are coming up to the house sometime tonight. Yes, we can stay away from each other for longer than fifteen minutes. Yes, Heath's costume looks sprayed on and your film school friends did an incredible job on the hair and makeup. No, you can't come out to the pool house. You're a married woman now, have a little propriety. Good-bye." Jake hung up and put the phone away. "We should get to the party," he said. "Unless you want the party to come to us."

Heath leaned in to steal a kiss. "I'm going to make love to you all night," he said. "By the time this party's over, you'll be quivering goo begging me to fuck you."

"That sounds like a threat."

"It's a promise, mate. You've been given fair warning."

Jake pulled down the faceplate of his mask and the world was awash in scarlet. "How did we let Maggie talk us into this?"

"Your parents are in Florida and your sister wanted to throw the best Halloween party ever and got all her friends from school to help with the superhero/supervillain theme and was so excited about dressing up as Rogue that we couldn't say no to her."

"Yeah, the last part," Jake said, as he went to the door. "The not being able to say no part."

"I'll bet Maggie looks shit hot," Heath said and was proven right a few minutes later when she opened the door. "You're smokin'," he said.

Maggie accepted this sincere accolade and led her brother and his boyfriend into the main room to show them off. A fit young woman dressed as Mystique collared Heath and Maggie ordered Jake to mingle as well. Jake accepted a mug from a red-bearded dwarf that challenged him to a drinking contest. He declined and made a circuit of the room, saying hello to Maggie's friends that he'd met before, introducing himself to those he didn't recognize. When he returned to the keg, he looked around for Heath, but didn't see him.

"I'll get more cups," Jake said to the dwarf, and headed into the kitchen. He walked into the pantry and reached for the red plastic party cups on the top shelf. The door clicked shut behind him and the light went off. Before he could turn, arms went around him from behind, pulling him tight against a hard male body.

"Cyclops," Heath growled. "I'm gonna give you what you've been begging for since we met." Jake shivered as Heath ran his hands down the front of the leather jumpsuit until they rested against his lower belly. Rolling his hips, Heath pressed his arousal against the crack of Jake's ass. Jake turned his head as far as he could, seeking Heath's mouth. "Say 'Cyclops is Wolverine's bitch'," Heath said.

"Why?" Jake wanted to know.

"Because he is, Jazza, and you know it too. A woman like Jean Grey would never look at a boy like Cyclops with a man like Logan around."

Jake smiled in the semi-darkness. "I'm Wolverine's bitch," he said.

"Too right you are," Heath squeezing Jake's stiffening shaft.

"Do I have any other lines?" Jake moaned. "Or am I your hapless love slave?"

"You shouldn't say things like that, Jazza; it gets me so hot and we have hours to go."

"You know I love your games, I'm just not as good at this as you are."

"It's not important," Heath said, reaching for the zipper of Jake's costume. Jake turned in Heath's embrace, welding their mouths together as his lover struggled to unfasten the jumpsuit. Giving up on getting a hand on bare skin for now, Heath returned the kiss with eager ardor, kneading Jake's firm ass cheeks through the butter soft leather. Their lips parted as the door opened and Superman came in.

"Shit! Sorry!" said the Man of Steel. "I came for more cups."

"Hi Brandon," Jake said, tossing the bag of cups to the newcomer. "Here you go."

"Thanks," Brandon said, but made no move to leave. "Um… were you guys kissing when I came in? Cause that's what it looked like."

"Yes we were," Heath said. "And as soon as you go, we can get back to it."

"Didn't know you were gay," Brandon said to Jake.

"Yeah, me neither," Jake said. "Shit happens."

"Remind me not to go to Australia," Brandon said as he turned the doorknob. "You going back to school?"

Jake nodded. "I want a degree in something," he said. "But I'm going to work on the farm."

"You could do a lot worse," was Brandon's opinion. "Playing any polo?"

"Not lately."

"Me and some of the other guys still get together on Saturdays. You'd be welcome anytime."

"Thanks," Jake said. "I'll try and make time. See you, Brandon."

"I love the way you rich people talk," Heath drawled, after Superman left. "Raising and managing multi-million dollar racing horses is called working on the farm."

"You have to admit that it's a lot easier to say," Jake murmured as Heath moved close, nuzzling at the little hollow at the hinge of his jaw, biting gently at his ear lobe, kissing a fiery trail down his throat to the top of the zipper. Taking the tab in his teeth, Heath pulled until the costume was fastened right up to the high collar. "What're you doing?" Jake asked in confusion.

"I said I was going to make love to you all night," Heath said, shoving Jake toward the door. "I need to pace it just right."

"Finally coming out of the closet, huh, Gyllenhaal?" someone said as Heath and Jake left the pantry. "This must be your boyfriend."

"That's right, sport," Heath said. "Anything else you're curious about?"

Jake rolled his eyes at the challenging note in his lover's voice. "Tobey's just kidding. Nice Spiderman costume."

"Thanks. I tried to find a way to make Silly String spray out of jets but there was no place to hide the canister in this outfit.'

"I don't have deployable claws either," Heath commiserated and the tenseness evaporated from the atmosphere.

"Yeah, but you got cool hair and those wigged out sideburns. I have to wear a sock over my head all night."

Jake faded back from the conversation and went across the kitchen in search of something besides beer. No way was he opening up his parents' liquor cabinet in this crowd, but there was sure to be a few bottles of wine in the rack. Pouring a glass of something red, Jake wandered back out into the party. A statuesque Electra that confided her real name was Jennifer introduced Jake to a buff Batman with a vaguely British accent that turned out to be Welsh. Batman, real name Christian, belied his brooding looks with a boyish charm that took Jake off guard. "I'm going to be direct," Christian said, when Jennifer left. "I'm here alone and I'm hoping you are too."

Jake shook his head. "Nope. Happily coupled."

"My loss. In another world, perhaps? Do you think Cyclops and Batman might fancy one another?"

"If you're asking if I play around, the answer's no," Jake said, lowering his visor.

"I thought you and your partner might have some sort of understanding. I'm sorry if my suggestion was offensive."

"You'll be even sorrier if I think it was offensive," Heath said. "I've been looking for you, Jazza. It's time for a refresher."

Jake held up his hands in a gesture that illustrated his helplessness. "Sorry," he said to Christian. "I'm needed elsewhere."

"If you ever get to Gotham City, look me up."

"We will," Heath said, stressing the plural pronoun. "What are you laughing at, Jazza?"

Jake shook his head. "I'm laughing at myself. I'm appalled when you act like a caveman, but I like it too. I find it amusing and arousing at the same time."

"Then you're going to love this," Heath said, taking Jake's hand and dragging him away. "Hey, Caped Crusader, I saw Two-Face and the Scarecrow plotting on the patio," he called over his shoulder, as they left the living room and headed down the hall. Opening the second door, Heath yanked Jake inside and locked the door. "Up on the table," he said as he turned and took hold of Jake by the biceps. Obligingly, Jake hopped up on the pool table and sat on the edge. Heath moved between Jake's thighs, wrapping his arms around Jake and hugging him fiercely. Jake rested his cheek against the top of Heath's head and they stayed that way for a long moment just being together.

"What do you think of Maggie's friends?" Jake asked.

"Some of them are really pushy," Heath said, sliding down the zipper of Jake's costume. The dark brown leather parted on an appealing delta of bare skin and Heath peeled it farther back. "No t-shirt," he observed. "Are you going completely commando?"

"That's for me to know and you to find out, Wolfie."

Heath bit down on the nipple he was sucking, before relinquishing the hard bud to look up at Jake. "Take off the visor," he said, unbuckling Jake's belt and pulling the zipper of the leather cat suit all the way down to the crotch. Taking Jake's arousal in a gloved hand, Heath drew it forth, and bent over the gracefully curved column of flesh. Jake groaned as the Australian took him in his mouth, a teasing tongue circling the sensitive head, flirting with the moist slit, massaging the thick vein. Jake sank back onto his elbows on the felt surface, as Heath worked his way down.

"Hang on," Jake gasped as a warm, wet tongue darted into him. "Get up here where I can reach you."

"Aren't you having a good time?"

"I always have a good time when we're together, because you make sure of it," Jake said, sitting up. "Why won't you let me do the same?"

"What are you talking about? I'm just trying to give you head."

"This is a terrible time to bring this up, but I don't expect mind-blowing sex from you every time I look at you. It's not part of some deal or something. I mean, you're not like a gigolo or anything. I don't think of you that way is all I'm trying to say. God, why is shit like this so hard to talk about?"

"Because we don't want to hurt each other," Heath said, leaning his forehead against Jake's. "I talk big. I'm the Thunder from Down Under lest you forget, but as I look around at the place where you grew up, and get to know your family and friends, I have to wonder, why me? And, if not sex, what exactly do I bring to the table in this relationship?"

"I'd be mad at you if I didn't love you so much," Jake said, carefully zipping his jumpsuit. "You're willing to leave everything you know to be with me. You not only support my dreams, you're sharing them. What more could I ask?"

"I like the way you put things, and for the record, I don't have sex with you because I feel obligated to. I have sex with you because I want you so much it hurts."

"I just don't want you to feel like some kind of kept man or something."

"Why not? Are you saying you wouldn't pay for my company?" Heath pulled Jake forward until their groins were pressed snugly together.

"Laugh it up," Jake said in Heath's ear. "Sean's very impressed with how the horses respond to you and he's willing to take you on. He won't stand for your nonsense though." Heath nodded his understanding. Sean Bean was one of the best trainers in the world and didn't have time for anything but the horses. Heath had been getting his feet wet by working in the stables as an exercise boy and in two months, Bean had not spoken to him once. He was surprised to hear the man had an opinion of him. "You're going to be a great trainer," Jake whispered. "And the two of us are going to raise a Derby winner some day. Maybe we won't ever get to have kids, but we can have dreams and we can make them come true."

"You should run for office."

"Shut up," Jake said, covering Heath's mouth with his own. Heath's fingers sank into Jake's hips as he pulled him as close as possible, matching fire with fire, his tongue sliding over Jake's in a slippery tango. Jake slid down from the pool table, the hard ridge of his cock rolling over Heath's as his feet touched the floor. Heath sucked the tip of Jake's tongue back into his mouth as the kiss ended, making Jake's knees weak. "Did you say you were going to turn me into goo?"

"Quivering goo."

"Congratulations. Ready to listen to me beg?"

"I'd love to, but it's time for the costume contest and we told Maggie we'd be there to help with the judging."

"Heath," Jake pulled his lover back into a hug. "You mean the world to me, okay?"

"Okay, just don't get angry when I feel like proving myself once in a while."

"It's a deal. I told you; we're going to make this work. Dad said I could have Countess of the Cape's first foal to train. What do you think of Raw Prawn for a name?"

"Are you trying to shame the poor beast into running faster?"

"It has a deep sentimental meaning for me," Jake said as they moved down the hall to the living room.

"Of course. It reminds you of the time you turned gay."

Jake sighed, but he was used to Heath's very non-pc sense of humor now. "How could I forget that magical moment when I spontaneously, simultaneously grew an instinctive sense of fashion, became cuttingly clever, and a membership card in the Barbra Streisand Fan Club appeared in my wallet."

"Those are terrible stereotypes, Jakey," Maggie said. "I'm surprised at you." Jake endured her reproach and Heath's smirk, and helped choose three winners. "I suppose the two of you are going to disappear again," Maggie said, after the prizes were awarded. "But I want to say something first. Heath, I'm really glad you came to live with us. My brother has always had tons of potential, but he couldn't make up his mind what to do with himself until he met you. Mom and Dad are so much happier now that Jakey's actually making plans."

"And they really don't care that I'm a bloke?"

Maggie rolled her eyes. "Well of course they do, silly. They're not stupid. They know how much harder it will be for the two of you to have a life together and no parent wants their child to have a hard life. The important thing is, they see how good you are for Jake, and they see that Jake loves you. Dad's having a tougher time than Mom, but he respects your relationship, and I think that's a pretty big step for him."

"Have I ever told you how excellent your timing is?" Jake said as he kissed her cheek.

"No, but feel free. And Jake? I want you to know that your family stands with you, and your friends too. Pretty much everyone here tonight knows your gay and nothing terrible happened. We might not all understand, but we love you."

Heath wrapped his arms around Jake and Maggie. "All right, stop it now," he said. "You're getting all soppy. Can I go take this costume off now?"

"Sure," Maggie said. "Maybe you can talk Jake into helping you."

"Stop it, Mags," Jake said. "I'm not comfortable yet with my big sister telling me to get some. What if I said that to you in front of Peter?"

Maggie laughed. "You are so cute," she said. "Take him out of here, Heath, and thanks for being good sports about the costumes."

"We've made the best of it," Heath grinned.

"I told you my family would love you," Jake said, as they entered the pool house.

Heath was already pulling off his boots and running his fingers through the stylized Wolverine coif as he headed for the bathroom. When Jake came to stand in the doorway, Heath's hair was wet and there were clumps of sideburns in the sink. Jake pulled off the red visor and set it on the counter. He turned the shower on and began stripping off the form fitting leather. Meeting Heath's eyes in the mirror, he grabbed the bottle of lube and stepped under the hot spray. A minute later, he felt Heath's hands lathering his back and shoulders, before moving on, rubbing a soapy finger between his cheeks, nudging his opening in passing. Reaching around Jake's slim hips, Heath soaped his crotch, stroking Jake's arousal with slippery fingers, pretending he couldn't keep hold of it until they were both breathless with laughter.

"You really did make a great Wolverine," Jake said as he turned to kiss the other man.

"You want me to keep the costume?" Heath asked as Jake kissed his way down to his nipples.

"No," Jake said, his speech muffled against Heath's chest. "I want you to grow sideburns."

"Not even for you," Heath gasped as Jake's tongue delved his navel. "Not even for you will I walk around looking like a dag."

"Wolverine's not a dag." Jake licked his way down the freckled trail to Heath's crotch.

"Wolverine has an adamantine skeleton, razor sharp claws and major attitude, sport, of course he's bloody well not a dag. And that's why he can get away with the sideburns."

Jake rubbed his lover's pierced foreskin as he ran his tongue around inside the hood. Heath grabbed hold of Jake's head, rubbing his ears between thumb and forefinger as Jake teased the sensitive tip of his cock. When he could no longer stand it, Heath pulled Jake to his feet, and pushed him against the tiles. Taking Jake's mouth in a slow, deep kiss, he rolled his buttocks, dragging his hard dick up and down Jake's arousal. Breaking the kiss, Jake reached for the lubricant. "God, I love doing this," he said. "But it gets me too excited. I need to feel you inside me."

Heath took the bottle from Jake and poured a wasteful amount over his fingers. Leaning in, he brushed his lips against Jake's as he rubbed his fingertips around Jake's perineum. Heath's tongue flicked out, running along the seam of Jake's mouth as his finger breached the resilient ring of muscle that guarded the velvet sheath. Jake made a small noise against Heath's lips, as the finger pushed deeper, probing gently as it sank into him. Heath drew back to look into Jake's eyes as he found the springy swelling in front wall of his passage. Jake's eyelids fluttered as Heath pressed firmly and swirled his fingertip around the sensitive mound. When Jake started to slide down the wall, he turned and put one foot up on the tiled bench. Looking over his shoulder in clear invitation, he widened his stance, and braced his hands against the wall. Trickling more oil down Jake's cleft, Heath worked two fingers into the tight entry, reaching under with his other hand to fondle the hanging sack and stiff rod. Jake leaned his head against his forearm, savoring each moment, even the discomfort of being opened up, relishing the pressure and the burn because they were part and parcel of the rough miracle of sex. It was a little like being a virgin every time, having to break through the barrier of pain, each surrender a gift, proof of desire, an act of trust.

"Wait," Jake gasped as he felt the hot hardness of Heath's arousal nudge his entrance. "Slow. Go as slow as you can. I want to feel everything."

"You say that every time, Jazza."

"Then I guess you'll be hearing it again," Jake said, his words ending in a small cry as Heath applied pressure and entered him. Pressing his palms against the wall, Heath leaned forward letting his weight ease his hard length into Jake in minute increments. "God, that is so sweet," Jake moaned. "I love this."

"I don't mind it either," Heath said, as he began to withdraw. "And I love the way it feels when you're inside me."

"So I'm not your bitch anymore?"

"Never said you were. Jesus! Oh, yeah, that feels bloody marvelous. I said the Cyclops is Wolverine's bitch. Which he is."

"If the X-Men were gay, you mean."

"Of course they are. I mean look here, Rogue's a girl, right? She can't touch anyone so how could she possibly have sex? Jean Grey was supposedly a love interest, but she was just standing between Cyclops and Wolverine and eventually got snuffed after building the sexual tension to an unbearable degree."

"Oh yeah, right there," Jake groaned as Heath thrust shallowly. "What about Storm?"

"Storm? She's not a woman; she's a goddess. I don't factor her in at all."

"I see. Do you want to fuck, or discuss your theories about the sex lives of the X-Men?"

"I was hoping we could do both," Heath said as he took hold of Jake's flagging arousal.

"Holy shit!" Jake yelped as Heath rapidly stroked his shaft, thrusting into him with the same urgent rhythm. "God damn! Don't stop. God. Don't stop. God. Stop! Stop!"

Heath pulled back to the brink and eased out of Jake. "What do you want?"

"Take me to bed. To our bed. Lay me down on our bed and fuck me forever."

Heath turned off the water and they took turns leading in a slow, clumsy waltz from the bathroom to the bed, shedding damp towels as fell together to the mattress already entwined. Lifting one of Jake's legs to his shoulder, Heath took himself in hand and sank into the only evidence he had that heaven existed. Jake let out a big sigh and smiled up at his lover, a look of welcome so unconditional that it pierced Heath's heart to its core. This was real, not some cruel trick. Jake wasn't trying to take advantage of him. Jake loved him and wanted to have a life with him. All Heath had to do was stop mucking about, take Jake at his word, trust the man he claimed to love, and give all of himself, as Jake was doing.

"I love you," Heath said, as he leaned in. His lips met Jake's in a bridegroom's kiss, as he shuttled his hand up and down Jake's quivering cock. Easing a finger in alongside his shaft, Heath rubbed at Jake's prostate as he tongue-fucked Jake's mouth. Jake whimpered against Heath's lips, lifting his pelvis as Heath's finger coaxed him closer to the edge. Heath put a knee on Jake's thigh, pinning it to the bed, holding him in place as he thrust delicately. Jake grasped the headboard with both hands, the wood creaking as he strained to lift his pelvis higher. "Come on, Jazza; come with me," he crooned. Jake made a strangled noise as Heath increased the power of his stroke. "Come on; come on," Heath said under his breath, as Jake bucked under him and spilled hot cream over his knuckles. "Yeah, baby," he murmured. "I'm almost there. Almost. Yeah. Shit that feels good!" he said as Jake bore down on his pistoning cock. As Heath pushed back into the velvet vise, the building friction reached a critical mass and his release detonated deep inside the snug passage. Jake groaned deep in his chest as the thick cock jerked in his sheath a couple of times before it was spent. "That was bloody brilliant," Heath panted, hugging Jake's thigh, nuzzling the inside of his knee. "We really have to try and do that more often."

"Let me catch my breath and we'll start working on our timing."

Heath chuckled as he pulled out and moved up to lie next to Jake. He kissed Jake's forehead, nose, mole, lips, cheeks and chin. "You're amazing," he said.

"You're incredible. What could possibly stop us?"

"From coming together every time we make love?"

Jake laughed, rolling over until he lay atop Heath. "From doing whatever we want."

"I guess we'll find that out together."

"You mean that? Cause you sound like you really mean it."

"I really mean it. Let's train a Derby winner. Let's find a way to get married. Let's raise some kids and grow old together. I really want to as long as it's with you."

Jake grinned happily. "Now that we've settled our future, let's work on that timing thing.

Read the sequel I Love Therefore I Am to Bailey's The Raw Prawn and XXX Men: The Raw Prawn Interlewd