"Jingle vells, Jingle vells, Jingle all de vay!" Kurt Wagner sing songs as he walks down the stairs, looping furry blue tinsel through the banister as he goes. The tinsel almost resembles his own, endlessly dark blue skin. Except that there are shiny pieces of sparkles embedded in the tinsel, giving it a festive look. However, there is nothing shiny about Kurt's skin. Except for the fact that as he smiles, the white on his teeth almost gives him a dazzling look since it contrasts the deep, midnight blue that makes up most of his face. If someone who didn't know that this mansion Kurt lives in happens to be home to mutants-individuals that contain the X gene that separates them from the rest of humanity and gives them incredible gifts (and/or mutations in Kurt's case)-they would scream that he is a "Blue Devil". From his long, pointed tail that sticks out from the red-and-black uniform he is wearing, to his similarly pointed ears, yellow eyes, and three fingered hands. But anyone who actually knows Kurt would assure those individuals that the blue skinned mutant with a devilish appearance, was anything but a devil himself. In fact, Kurt is one of the kindest individuals in the mansion. No one needed to look further than his pleasant disposition as he whistles a merry Christmas tune and strings tinsel through the mansion interior to see this. It is a very undevilish thing to do. Even for a blue one.
"What're you so festive about, Elf?" Logan, who is the resident in the mansion that people should be afraid of, says as he enters the hallway that leads to the stairs. He is a short, hairy man, with his wild, black hair pointed every which way on top of his head, and unkept stubble on his face. He has on a checkered red and white button down with the collar left unbutton and the sleeves rolled up, because he can't stand feeling like he is constrained. His hands are casually pushed in the pockets of his tattered, blue jeans which reach all the way down to cover his worn, black boots. And it is probably best that he keeps his hands there. Anyone who knows Logan would advise not to provoke this mutant into showing his fists. Especially his knuckles.
"I'm getting you in de spirit, my friend," Kurt says cheerfully as he turns to face Logan, "I've decided to decorate de vhole mansion for de Christmas season!"
Logan chuckles. It sounds gruff and full coming out of him. Kurt is one of the few people that can make him smile. Usually he always wears a unmasked scowl.
"It looks good," Logan appraises, "Kinda reminds me of you"
Kurt flashes him a grin.
"I thought so, too," He admits.
Logan chuckles again.
Just then, from the east wing of the mansion, two other inhabitants round the corner. Scott Summers and Jean Grey. Scott, a tall man with an a lean, muscular build and broad shoulders, walks with authority. His eyes are covered with red, ruby-quartz tinted black glasses. In contrast to Logan, he wears a light, cream colored button up shirt that is buttoned all the way up with the collar left open slightly. It also has no wrinkles in it at all. His sleeves are pushed all the way down and folded neatly at the ends. And his brown slacks are pressed, belted, and show off his clean brown shoes. He looks from Logan to Kurt. His face is clean shaven, and although his dark brown hair isn't particularly styled it does appear to be tamed and lays in one direction.
"Logan," He says with a curt nod.
He offers a smile to Kurt.
"Kurt," He says.
"Hello, Scott! Hello, Jean," Kurt replies happily with a twiddle of his three forefingers.
"Summers," Logan says gruffly, his scowl reappearing on his face as the two men regard each other for brief second.
Then Logan's eyes dart to Jean, who meets his gaze. They lock eyes for what seems like more than a minute, and Jean looks away when a blush rises to her cheeks. A exchange that doesn't go unnoticed by both Logan or Scott.
"Hello, Logan," Jean says, trying her best to seem polite and not overtly show too much emotion.
She gives a warm smile to Kurt.
"Good morning, Kurt," She says.
Jean is a very attractive woman. She is tall, with straight red hair framing her face. Her eyes are kind, gentle and always appear as if she wants to and can fix whatever is wrong with whoever is around her. Which also passes on to a vibe she exudes. It is one of complete warmth. She is the poster child for mutants everywhere. Proof that mutants can coexist with humans in peace. A right she fights for adamantly alongside many others that live in the mansion. However, she is also known to get attached too easily. And to be too much of a flame that draws in the wrong types of people. She can't fix everyone, yet she still wants to try. Even if that means blurring the lines a little and causing heartache.
In her hands is a handful of the shiny blue material that Kurt is stringing through the mansion. Except it is in pieces instead of whole.
"I was wondering what this was," She says teasingly, "We followed your trail all the way here"
"Huch! I did not know dat it vas shedding," Kurt says with embarrassment.
"And all this time we thought Hank was the culprit," Scott says with a smile, teasing Kurt good naturedly, "Looks like we found the fuzz bandit"
"Ich bitte Sie! I'm sorry, my friends. I vill clean it up. Dis vas de only decoration left I could find in de mansion besides de Christmas tree and ornaments. I just vanted to try and make de mansion feel like it vas in de Christmas spirit," Kurt says with a smile and shake of his head.
"That's actually a great idea, Kurt," Jean says, "I was just thinking about going out to get some more decorations"
"Well, if ya need a ride, I was just on my way out," Logan says. He and Jean's eyes meet again.
"Why, thank you Logan, I think that's-," Jean begins to say.
"She's fine," Scott interrupts, "She won't be taking any rides from you". His voice is even and full of a threat that is left unsaid. He turns his head in Logan's direction and folds his arms across his chest.
Logan's fist clench in the pockets of his jeans and slowly inch their way to come out.
Kurt looks back and forth at the exchange between the two and realizes that he's missed something very important in the last possible twenty-four hours.
"I wasn't askin' you," Logan says through nearly gritted teeth.
"You didn't have to," Scott says, his voice still stern and threatening on authoritative, which would really send Logan over the edge.
"Again, I. wasn't. askin. you," Logan nearly snarls as he leans forward.
"I'm not letting her go. I don't trust a man who doesn't even know who he really is," Scott snaps, as he leans forward, too.
"And I don't trust a man who can't look me in the eyes!" Logan growls as he whips out his fists. Three, metallic like metal claws pop out of his knuckles.
Each man waits for what feels like an eternity for the first sign of movement.
"Scott," Jean's warm voice breaks through the tension, except this time it sounds more like a sad sigh.
Scott turns his head to his wife, breaking his moment with Logan who is consistently verging on looking like a wolverine. He sees the disapproval in her eyes. And in this moment he chooses to snap out of whatever territorial debate he has going with Logan. He looks away in shame.
"Thank you, Logan, for the offer. But I think I'll wait for Ororo and Jubilee to get back and we'll all go together," She says as she turns her same eyes on Logan.
Logan looks away from Scott and meets her gaze. Somehow her eyes relax him and he slowly unclaws his fists.
"Alright," He says gruffly with a nod of his head.
"Kurt, would you like to come?" Jean says, trying desparately to reestablish the normalcy that was lost just a few seconds ago.
It takes Kurt a moment as well to snap out what he just witnessed.
"Oh? Huh. Um, yes," He says and suddenly he feels shame as if that whole thing was something he shouldn't have seen. He knows that Logan and Scott are tense around each other. But he's never seen them like this. He feels as if he shouldn't be here. Especially now that he has a pretty good idea of why things are tense between Logan and Scott. "Yes, I vould like to go," He says, for Jean's benefit.
"Ok, well, it's set," Jean says as she grabs Scott's arm, "I'll let Ororo and Jubilee know"
She and Scott quickly walk back the direction they came. Jean silently talking to Scott as they go.
Logan and Kurt watch their backs as they leave.
"I'm outta here," Logan grunts suddenly.
Kurt whips his head to look at Logan, who strides and walks out of the arched, wooden doors in the mansion interior that leads to to the exterior.
"Logan! Vait!" He cries as he reaches out his three fingered hand to the clawed mutant.
It is in this moment that Kurt decides to use his gift that comes with being a mutant. A gift which, in a poof of blue smoke, allows him to transport from one place to another. One minute he is inside the mansion and the next he is outside, standing in front of Logan's motorcycle with hands over Logan's to stop him from pressing the handle to speed away. The motorcycle is revving and Logan's already astride it.
"How long vill you be gone?" Kurt asks him. He has a sickening feeling that Logan isn't just going to go for a morning ride like he probably would have just a few minutes before his blow up with Scott. Logan was known for leaving the mansion from time to time, and some rides lasted longer than others.
"Can't say," Logan says gruffly, "Move outta the way, Elf"
"At least say your coming back! I vas...hoping you could help me vith de rest of de tinsel," Kurt says hurriedly with a dejected laugh. He knows it's a silly thing to request of Logan, but it's the only thing he could think of to give Logan a reason to come back to the mansion in this moment.
"Sorry, Elf," Logan says, "You're going to have to do that without me"
"Don't go," Kurt pleads, "Vatever it is between you and Scott, ve can fix it!"
Logan looks back at the mansion. And for a moment, Kurt believes he actually has a chance to convince him to stay this time.
"Think about de Professor, Jubilee, Ororo," He continues, "You can't just leave!"
Logan looks back at Kurt. He hangs his head.
"I'm sorry. If I'm not back," He says, "Tell the rest of them that...I tried"
He revs the engine.
"I'm sorry, Kurt," He says again.
Kurt let's go of Logan's hands at the sound of him using his real name instead of "Elf". He knows Logan is serious.
He moves to the side in defeat.
Logan revs the engine again and speeds away. Kurt watches his disappearing figure for what feels like forever. Even after he exits the main gate of the mansion and is nonexistent in his view. Finally, he droops his shoulders. The once cheerful blue devil is now the epitome of sad.
"So much for de Christmas spirit," He whispers.