Interlude #6: Kurt's First BAMF!
Kurt Wagner is my favorite X-Men. He is the one I originally fan-girled over about ten years ago when I was blissfully introduced to the world of Marvel comic books. It absolutely crushed me when I found out that "they" had killed off Kurt while he was protecting Hope Summers. (By the way, comic books are an expensive habit and we haven't had enough disposable income to pick up the habit again. I have to rely on the Internet to get my information.)
Anyway, I seem to be writing a complete little universe inside the universe that I'm creating for the longer piece that I'm working on. Oh, well. Should I call it, Earth-617? ;)
I own nothing.
Kurt Wagner was only a baby when he was secretly deposited at Xavier's School for Gifted Children. He did not know the ruckus he had made when Sean, almost legally an adult, found him on the steps that cold, cold day wrapped tightly in a blanket. One look at the baby and Sean went into full-blown panic mode.
"OH, MY GOD, PROFESSOR!" Sean nearly screamed, he barely remembered in time that he would mostly like hurt the baby in his arms, if he actually screamed. The baby was still blissfully unaware of the potential danger that he could have been and cooed softly. From somewhere in the mansion, Sean barely heard a soft thump.
Sean? Was Charles' perplexed and telepathic query, what's going on? Are you in trouble?
"The baby's going to die!" He turned and practically tumbled onto the distinguished Professor, who was quickly wheeling himself from the elevator.
"Baby? What baby?" It was early in the morning and Charles, looking rumpled, hair sticking up was practically shouted from his warm and comfy bed, was not in control of his mental facilities. Had he been, Charles would have simply put his fingers to his head and looked into Sean's mind. But here he was, sleep deprived, a little annoyed and rapidly getting more and more anxious. What was going on?
"This baby," and Sean shoved the little bundle onto Charles' lap. Charles' forehead wrinkled and he cocked his head to the side, understanding sinking in.
"Sean," Charles said gently and softly, because the baby – despite all the stage-whispering going on around it, was still sleeping peacefully, "you do realize that the baby is naturally blue, yes?" He tried, unsuccessfully, to keep his face neutral – a grin broke out over his face. His own blue eyes meeting Sean's wide and distressed eyes.
"I…uh…oh," was Sean's response, his face beginning to match his fiery red hair. "It's cold outside," was Sean's muttering final answer.
Charles just chuckled and said soothingly, "you did well, though, bringing him in speedily." He took a look at the sleeping bundle on his lap. "Sean, would you check outside to see if there is anything else accompanying this baby?"
"Of course," Sean said and promptly turned to go outside. Charles chuckled again, briefly wondering how his life made that turn. Here he was, barely 30 and in charge of three young men with extraordinary powers. Check that, three young men and one undetermined gender baby.
He looked closely at the baby in his arms. No…can this be? Charles stroked the baby's cheek, marveling at the softness of a baby's skin when the baby yawned a tiny little yawn. Charles felt his insides turn mushy. Oh, dear, he smiled ruefully at the baby knowing that he had fallen in love.
Then the baby opened its eyes (Charles was not sure about the baby's gender. He would have to look with Hank, to make sure that there were no lasting damages to the cold.) and all Charles could see was yellow. Yellow eyes. Yellow like…Charles swallowed the thought as a tale, complete with pointy, spade-like end, poked out of the blankets and began softly to poke Charles' nerveless lap. Charles startled, began laughing out right at the baby's action, which in turn, made the baby smile back at him. A tiny hand, (two thick fingers and one thumb – interesting) reached out of the blanket and grabbed onto Charles' finger tugging it into its mouth.
"No, no," Charles said gently and pried his wet finger out of the baby's mouth. "You need a bottle, little one. We will have to get you one speedily."
"Here Professor," Sean said handing him another bundle – no baby, this time - clothes, baby food, bottle and a small blue teddy bear that marked a striking resemblance to a certain scientist. Charles could sense Sean's discomfort at the whole situation (guessing who might be the mother) and sent him to wake Hank.
Charles opened the letter on top of the bundle.
Dear Charles,
I know. I know. I know. I can barely take care of myself and now…this baby. I'm trying to do right by him and the first step is to give to someone who can take better care of him than I can. Please don't be angry with me. I have enough anger in me already.
You can probably guess whose baby he is. Believe me when I say, I didn't plan on this. I planned none of this.
Oh, Charles, you should have seen the look on Erik's face when I told him. You would've laughed…well, if not for the seriousness of the situation. I knew then that I should have just come back to you and let you *help* me, but you know how I am. I...don't like asking for helping.
His name is Kurt and no, I didn't name him after that bastard. I had no better ideas and besides he seemed like a Kurt to me. And Azazel…well, he had long since left…
Please, please, please take care of him for me. Tell him that his mother loves him and she has always wanted him. But for the time being, placing him in your care is simply the best thing for him.
My heart is breaking, Charles, but I know, I know, that this is the best decision to make for him.
Please don't hate me.
All my love,
Raven
Charles closed his eyes, a tear slipping down his face for his sister, for her situation and for Kurt. He opened his eyes again and wiped the tear that had landed on little Kurt's hand. He smiled again at the little bundle and was rewarded with a tiny, toothless smile.
Kurt was growing up fast – All babies grow up fast, Charles, Erik reminded him genially from across the kitchen, lowering his newspaper and smirking at his partner. Charles merely smiled, trying, unsuccessfully, to keep the blush from creeping across his face. Charles was regularly amazed by many things – oftentimes on a daily basis: one, mutations showing up in children and adults across the world; the number of students enrolling his school was two and three having Erik back in his life was three of the constant amazements in his life.
Erik smirked again and went back to reading the newspaper, but not before he projected, that blush is quite becoming on you, Love. I'd like to see it again later in bed.
"Erik!" Charles laughed and contemplated throwing an apple at him, earning him a chuckle from the German.
Kurt came toddling quickly in with Alex running behind him. Alex seemed out of breath and perturbed. "How do you move so fast?"
"What is it," Charles asked him. "Is Kurt giving you problems?"
"Ummm," Alex began, not quite answering his mentor's question. "I swear I didn't do anything," he started. Erik lowered his newspaper and gave him the look. Alex squeaked and exclaimed, "no, really! I didn't do anything! But one minute I was changing the Elf's diaper (both men's eyebrows shot up at the nickname) and the next minute he had disappeared! I smelled something funny – like rotten eggs and then there he was again, laughing and holding his teddy bear! I think I'm going crazy!"
"May I," Charles asked the agitated young man and placing two fingers to his temple. Alex nodded and the Professor slipped in easily and saw exactly what Alex had described. "Interesting," was all he said when his mind left Alex's. "No, you're not going crazy. And two, I think I might know what his secondary mutation is," Charles paused here and Kurt unsteadily walked to Erik's legs, begging to be picked up.
Erik indulged the toddler and picked him up swinging the boy easily into the air. Kurt squealed delightedly, crying "gen, gen!" Erik raised an eyebrow at that but did as he was requested. Unfortunately, the toddler came down at an awkward angle and before Erik could properly catch him, Kurt came hurtling down on the kitchen table edge. But before anyone could react, Kurt simply vanished into thin air appeared on Charles head laughing and crouching like a little tiny gargoyle, his hands clutching Charles' fluffy brown hair and his tiny tale wrapping itself around Charles right ear.
At first there was complete and utter silence and then one by one they all started laughing at the absurdity of the situation. Charles reached up and grabbed the little boy and brought him to sit on the kitchen table. He reached out and stroked Kurt's cheek and finally tapping his nose lightly.
"Well, young man, what do you have to say for yourself," he said mock sternly, eyes twinkling.
"Gen?" Kurt asked innocently.
That gen, gen, is what I would think "again" would sound like without the first syllable. Then again, I'm no linguist.
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