Lar

A Legion Tale by Jo Nah (aka Dannell Lites)

The firelight danced in his eyes, reflecting off the sharp planes of his high cheekbones and I shivered. I couldn't seem to take my eyes off him. He was just about the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen.

Except for Tinya, of course ...

Well that did it, alright. *That* threw water on the fires smouldering in my veins real quick, I can tell you. Phantom Girl is way possessive and I have to admit that for the most part I like that a lot. I'm the kind of guy that needs to "belong", you know? I like the security of being part of something bigger than me. Back on Rimbor, the gang was my family. Now it's the Legion. Becoming a Legionnaire was the proudest day of my life, no contest. I like belonging to the Legion and I like belonging to Tinya Wazzo, Phantom Girl. She's a lot smarter than me anyway so it works out. We make a great team.

Maybe that's why Tinya, Mon-El, Shadow Lass and I get thrown together so often on these jobs, I don't know. It's kind of dumb if you ask me, but as usual, nobody does. Out of the corner of my eye I watched Mon stir the fire. Sparks crackled and flew still dancing in the depths of his bright blue eyes. I bit my lip.

"Damn, Jo," I castigated myself, "get your tiny little mind outta that atomic slag heap and on the job, okay?"

"Cold?" he asked and drew me closer to the fire and the warmth of his body.

"A little, I guess," I admitted.

I was using my flash vision to signal the girls in the orbiting Legion cruiser and it *was* sort of cold. See, I can only use one of my powers at a time. I'm not like Mon. His powers are "on" all the time. All of them at once, too. I know Brainy thinks I'm jealous. We even had a big discussion about it once.

"You are an interesting person, Ultra Boy," he said to me. I guess I was feeling testy that day or something. "How's that?" I snapped. He just *looked* at me in that analytical way he's got. "Consider this," he mused, "You are, without doubt, one of the strongest beings in the Galaxy..The *third* strongest to be exact ... It is a strange fate indeed that brings you to the Legion ... the sole place where you are likely to encounter, on a regular basis at any rate, the only two who are *stronger* than you." He was talking about Lar and Clark, of course. Everybody knows who Clark is. Superboy is a legend. Lar, well ...

Lar. Lar Gand. That's Mon-El's real name. And Brainy is wrong. I'm not jealous. Not at all. I admire Mon like nobody's business. He's a hero; a real one. He always does the right thing. And he's just about the best friend I've got.

I just have to keep reminding myself that it's tasteless to rip your best buddy's clothes off, throw him to the ground and pounce on him, that's all.

But grife! Sometimes I want to so bad my teeth ache.

Mon slid his arm around my shoulder and I swallowed hard.

You've got to understand. He didn't *mean* anything by it. Well, at least not what I wanted him to mean by it, anyway. What he *meant* was that he didn't want me to be cold. That's it. Mon *is* from the twentieth century, after all. They had some pretty strange and sad ideas back then about love and sex. Hell's fires, they thought two guys together was a sin of some stupid thing. Now, not that Mon isn't cool about Jan. Element Lad is the best leader the Legion ever had and everyone knows it. Who cares who he sleeps with? And Vi and Ayla are two powerful ladies who more than pull their weight in a crisis. Shrinking Violet and Light Lass are the best. And if they love each other, hey, that's great as far as everyone else is concerned.

Mon and Tasmia are like joined at the hip, chemically bonded or something, anyway. I don't think she's even looked at another man since the first time she set eyes on him and I know damned well he hasn't looked at another woman. Or man. Sometimes Sunboy isn't real subtle, you know? Dirk can be pretty obvious and he's real persistent. I don't see why Jan puts up with him sometimes. The whole thing gives me a headache to tell you the truth. But Mon never seems to take offense. That's something, at least.

Isn't it?

Still ... sometimes when I see him and Clark together ... I don't know. Like I said, the whole jeezly thing gives me a fragging headache.

All I know is that I've never worked up the nerve to let him know how badly I want him.

Not yet anyway.

Mon pulled me closer still and even though I'd switched on my invulnerability so that I wasn't cold any more, I didn't say so. Do I look like a fool to you? Don't answer that.

I'll take what I can get, okay? I don't feel good about it, no. I'll admit that. I don't like it, not one fragging bit; not *one*. But it's all I had of him. Or was ever likely to have. It'd have to do.

Except that it wasn't enough. Not by half.

So there I was, at the end of a long hard mission, looking forward to going home, all warm and cozy with my best pal ... Cursing myself for an idiot, wishing I was anywhere else, on any of the United Planets but here on this one. With Mon. I guess I forgot to mention that sometimes I have a hard time getting my ultra-powered butt in gear. It's a gift, let me tell you, a sprocking *gift*. So why can I *not* wait until Klordny rolls around again so I can give it away?

I made up my mind then to do something. I mean, this doing nothing was dumb, dumb, dumb. The best thing I could do was probably put the whole thing out of my mind and just forget about it. Trouble was, I'd already tried. You can see how well *that* was working. I wasn't left with many options. Just one, really. Taking a deep breath, I narrowed my eyes and went for it.

I pulled his head down and bit his earlobe.

Just like that. Okay, I told you I'm not subtle. But, nass on it all, I couldn't think of anything else to do.

Mon's blue eyes went wide with surprise. I guess I don't blame him. I was just hoping real hard that he wasn't mad. Suddenly, I felt pretty much like pond scum, you want to know the truth. Really, really low. If he'd resisted me or said anything, or even *looked* like he was sprocked off or, worse yet, *disgusted* ... I'd probably have hurt myself back pedaling so fast.

But he didn't.

I lowered my head and began what looked to be a really abject but heartfelt apology.

"Mon, I - I -I'm sorry ... I ..."

Damn! I was making a jerk out of myself. Miserable, I started to move away from him, waiting for him to leave or yell at me or whatever. I almost wished he would hit me something. He's got a hot temper sometimes. I was prepared for just about anything, I told myself.

Except what happened. He wouldn't let me move off. I tried but he held me fast. Did I mention that he's stronger than me? I mean, what was I supposed to do, huh? Arm wrestle him for my hand? Hey, robotics are great but I like my hand just fine where it is, thanks. I'm kind of attached to it. I held my breath, waiting. I can do that for a really long time. Hold my breath, that is. Waiting I'm lousy at.

"I didn't say no," he murmured.

He was studying the ground on this lifeless barren rock like it was the most interesting thing ever. I wasn't sure what the meant. See, sometimes Mon gets so wrapped up watching atoms bang together or something he kinda loses focus with the rest of us. When he answered, his voice was so quiet it's a good thing there wasn't any background noise for it to compete with. It hit me like a ton of nutronium. He wasn't sure of himself. He was afraid of being rejected. Grife, imagine that! I'd have laughed but he'd have thought I was laughing at *him* and been real hurt. I lifted his chin with a smile and curled my fingers around the back of his neck possessively, kissing his hair. His eyes widened again in surprise and pleasure. With a really huge effort, I put Tinya out of my mind. Later was the best time for the guilt about that. Not now. Now there was Mon.

"That's good," my grin was huge. "No is an ugly word. Never much liked it ..." He leaned forward and gave me the sweetest kiss I've ever had. Eager but like he wanted me to take the lead ... like he wanted me to devour him alive.

I could live with that.

Straightening, I grasped Mon's thighs to pull him closer, until our bodies met. Mon threw his head back and wrapped his legs around my hips, sighing his pleasure. I welcomed the warm throb of his rising flesh pressing against me. Grife! We were both so ready for this. Looking up into Mon's sapphire eyes, I knew I was drowning but I sure didn't care. Not that Mon would have let me, anyway. He's always been a real level headed guy.

Until now, anyway.

Nass take it this was crazy! Even for me, never mind Mon. How was I going to explain this to Tinya? I'd have to tell her. I'm no good at keeping secrets anyway ... and secrets from her? Can't be done. Not by this little Ultra Boy, it can't. The only thing that I could hope for was that she loved me enough to understand. Or at least forgive me.

Shady ... I gulped involuntarily. Mon depends on Tasmia a lot for a whole bunch of different things. She's his rock, the one he always comes back to. He'd be lost without her. In the Phantom Zone he spent a thousand years all alone with no one to talk to or be with. It's left it's mark. Sure, he's *used* to being alone ... It's what he knows; but he doesn't like it, not one little bit. I'd never forgive myself if I came between him and Tasmia. Neither would he, I don't think. I almost let him go then as hard as that was. Better that than what could happen here. I almost did it.

Yeah ... almost.

But, like they say, almost only counts in horseshoes and planetary thermonuclear warfare. Slowly, I undressed him, taking the time to inhale the heady masculine scent of him. He smelled like warm sunshine. All that solar energy, I guess. I kissed Mon deeply, ran my fingertips up and down his muscular arms. Nass, he felt good! The tanned skin just felt so soft under my hands. So warm, so alive. I couldn't get enough of the feel of him. I just had to taste, you know? I trailed my lips and tongue down his long, smooth neck. Mon tried to catch his breath and didn't quite make it. I had his uniform tunic half off him when it happened.

The com link buzzed loudly and Lar groaned beneath me. With gritted teeth, I let him sit up and watched him run his fingers through his tousled hair. He straightened his uniform quickly, getting ready to answer the call. He looked so unhappy as he moved away from my embrace that it nearly broke my heart just to watch him. Me? I was about ready to *hurt* something.

"God, I'm sorry Jo!" Mon murmured. Then he looked away. "I - I guess it's for the best." He tried to smile but it was pretty wan. "Except for Tasmia, I've never had much luck with sex, anyway ..." My smile got kind of predatory when I reached for him and crushed him roughly to my chest. His startled blue eyes flew open wide.

"Your luck's about to change," I growled.

With one hand I held him tightly; with the other I reached out, touching the 'send" button on his com link.

"Shady?" I said, calm as a Spring day on Starhaven, "can you give us a little while longer? Something's ... come up ... We're not done here. We'll call you when we're ready, okay?"

"Got you, Jo," said Lar's lover. "We'll wait for your signal." I could almost hear the smile in her voice. I felt a lot better, then, thinking that Shady was probably okay with this. She's a great lady and she loves Mon more than's probably considered decent on about half the United Planets. So did I. I was beginning to realize that. That was kind of scary, but good scary, you know?

I kissed him hard on the mouth. If he hadn't been invulnerable, I'd have left bruises, I swear. Turning Mon's head to deepen the kiss, I yanked his tunic off him. Then I threw a leg over him so he couldn't get away, trapping his body under mine. When I gripped his muscular shoulders and began long, sweeping caresses down his back, he moaned.

He slid smoothly out of his pants and I was suddenly so hard I ached. Losing my own pants was a definite relief, believe you me.

I shifted a little and took Mon's length in my hand; he leaned back further on his hands to ease my way. Gently, I blew warm breath down on his growing flesh. He gasped sharply and his invulnerable fingers clawed small craters in the earthy rock beneath us. My smile was triumphant as I caressed him rough and hard.

"Jo!" he cried, "Jo!" I love it when that happens, when a lover yells out my name. It's one of the sexiest things I know. Mon groaned at the feel of my hands on his body. I was giving him what he wanted, that was for sure. He tightened his legs around my hips, pressing his thigh against mine. I brought my other hand to the back of Mon's head, then pulled him in for a searing, biting kiss.

Devouring Mon's mouth with mine, I could feel him losing that tight control of his under my lips and hands. That was more than fine by me. Grife, I felt him tremble and cling to me, gasping and making small, soft cries and I was hotter than the surface of a star. His hips moved by instinct and he began a low moan throaty moan. He flung his head back, arched his back and thrust himself into my willing hands. Totally lost, he trusted me completely. I didn't fail him.

As he climaxed, his eyes sprang open wide, unseeing. Like a com sat in a decaying orbit, I fell into those sapphire depths. This is the moment I love the best, when a skillful lover strips away all that reserve and power and sees the naked need and desire underneath it all. Tinya does it to me all the time. Right now, he was totally mine. Totally. I was the center of his world. His cry for release was so loud I'll bet the girls heard him in the orbiting cruiser. I was damn proud of myself.

He sagged into my arms, his legs still locked loosely around my hips. He clutched at me like an anchor, trembling, his breathing so shallow I was worried until I remembered he doesn't *have* to breath. I'd never seen him like this before; so ... so ... vulnerable, I guess. I decided I liked it. Sex is a great equalizer. Even somebody as powerful as Mon or me is helpless when it grabs them. It seemed like a long time before he reached for me, but I could be wrong. My sense of time wasn't working real well just then. He lifted me, rolling me over, and I found out in a big hurry what part of this business he was best at.

I'll never get tired of the sight of Mon standing over me, naked and aroused, his skin damp and flushed liked he'd had too much sun. I love to see his broad chest heaving and his mouth waiting to be kissed. Looking up at him, my breath caught. Yeah, he literally took my breath away, corny as that sounds. His midnight dark hair was sweat slick, curling around the edges. His desire plainly etched on his face, I saw him grin and let myself stretch lazily under his hot gaze. I wanted to tempt him to watch his eyes get that dark and hungry look again.

But we we'd run out of time.

"We'd better go," he said, after a minute.

"Yeah," I nodded in sad agreement. "We'd better."

I watched him tug on his boots in silence.. There was a lot I wanted to say, damn it. A lot that needed to be said. It wasn't right for this thing to end like this. It just wasn't. He sat and waited for me to finish dressing, straightening his cape. God, I love that cape. I mean, there aren't many guys who can carry off one of those stupid things, you know? I'm no fashion plate but Tinya tells me that's true. Once or twice, I've thought about getting a cape for my uniform, but on me it just looks dumb. On him it looks majestic.

The corners of his mouth tugged down and he was staring off into space, not really looking at anything. He was brooding, I could tell. It figured that he was the kind who gets sad, afterwards. He wouldn't look at me and for a really bad second or two I thought it was because he was ashamed of what we'd done. But when he finally did look at me, he smiled.

"Jo ... I ... " His throat worked, swallowing hard, but nothing else came out. It looked like it was up to me. No problem. Look, I'm a simple kind of guy. I'm not stupid, even if a lot of people might disagree about that. I just don't think things always have to be so complicated that's all.

"Mon," I told him firmly, "I don't' like one night stands. I'm just not made that way, okay? I want more of this." I gestured, taking in our surrounding and our situation. "I want more of *you*." His face lit up from the inside. I don't think I've seen him happier since the first time he was with Shady.

"We'll have to tell them," he said, his voice thick with sudden worry. "I won't lie to Tasmia. And I don't think you want to lie to Tinya. What if ..." He didn't finish the sentence. He didn't need to.

"Do you trust Tasmia?" I demanded. "Does she love you?" He nodded automatically, frowning, a little, puzzled at where I was taking this.

"Then you've got to believe she'll understand," I told him. "We've both got to believe."

"But ..."

"No 'buts'!" I cried. "Believe."

After a moment he relaxed. With a blinding smile he took my hand.

"I believe," came his simple reply. He cocked his head and looked at me askance. "When did you get to be so wise?" he wanted to know. I scoffed.

"Me? Wise? You're kidding, right? I'm just a farm boy who got lucky and's still trying to figure out how to be the best I can, that's all. *You're* the hero. You ready hero?"

"Ready ... hero."

I squeezed his hand in reassurance. Then, with a calm, steady hand I reached up and activated my com link.

This site is dedicated to the memory of Dannell Lites, who died unceremoniously on 16 September, 2002, in Kansas City, MO. Other than characters, place names, etc., which are ©DC Comics, Marvel Comics, Warner Bros., WGBS or any other television/movie owner, or Wizard Magazine, all content is ©2002 Dannell Lites. Background set ©2002 by SleepyHead. Please do not use without her permission. Site url= http://dannfan.50megs.com/