Disclaimer: I do not own the X-men.
What If 1
"Hey Kurt," Kitty said, popping her head through his door at seven in the morning. He was already sitting at his desk, sketching a bird perched on his windowsill, loosening up for the day. "There's like, a mission being set up. Wanna sign up with me?"
"Nice try," Kurt said, pointing at her with his pencil without looking up as she phased completely into the room. "But I'm on vacation, no missions, no homework, no distractions for the next week."
"Aww," Kitty whined, stepping up behind him and tugging on his longish hair. "Please, I don't want to sign up by myself. Besides, I hear that new guy is signing up too. The one Mr. Logan's, like adopted?"
Kurt stood up. "David signed up?"
"Yeah," she said. "He said he's like, totally ready for a full blown mission."
"Well if he signed up," Kurt said, brushing some pencil shaving off of his shirt. "I guess I have too."
"But I thought you said you were on vacation," Kitty giggled.
"That David gets on my nerves," Kurt growled, opening the door as Kitty phased out of it. "And I am going to beat him at everything, no matter what."
"David's not so bad," Kitty said breezily, walking down the hall towards the sign up sheet with him. "I actually kinda like him. He's so totally hot."
"What?" Kurt said angrily, grabbing the pen and signing his name with almost furious lightning speed. "You think he's good looking?"
"Well yeah," Kitty said, giggling to herself absently. "I mean, any guy who struts around in leather and knows how to ride a motorcycle is cool."
"You LIKE those kinds of guys?" Kurt said, shocked.
"Yeah," she sighed. "Doesn't everybody?"
As she signed her name and skipped off, Kurt grumbled to himself. He couldn't strut to save his life, and there should be a law against short people walking around in leather of any kind.
But then he grinned. "Motorcycles," he said to himself, grinning wickedly. "Those are easy."
...
"What the hell do you think you're doing, kid?"
Kurt got off of the motorcycle and laughed sheepishly. "Nothing, Mr. Logan sir."
"Get the hell away from my bike, Elf."
"Yes, Mr. Logan sir."
Logan watched Kurt scamper back into the house. Smiling to himself, he realized he wasn't really angry. He never really got angry at Kurt, for some reason he just couldn't force himself to. He often found himself saving Nightcrawler's butt instead of busting it. He couldn't quite understand it, but he had a connection to that boy.
Shoving his thoughts aside, he grunted in true Wolverine fashion and stomped off to his cabin near the trees. Act tough, he said to himself. Don't let the kids find a weak spot. If they do, they take advantage.
Nightcrawler, still thinking he was in trouble, teleported into the kitchen to lay low. David was in there, two sandwiches in front of him. "Hey, blue dude," he said, taking a huge bite.
Kurt scowled and got three sandwiches out of the refrigerator. David thought he could out-eat me? He thought. He's got another thing coming.
He watched as he polished off the second sandwich, getting up for another one. Kurt got up too and grabbed two more.
"What is your problem?" David asked, sitting and watching as Kurt scarfed down the food.
"I'm hungry, what's your problem?"
David raised his eyebrows. "I saw you try to get away with Logan's bike."
"Yeah, so?"
"Stupid move, blue dude," he said, waving and getting up to leave. "Why don't you use my bike instead? Even if you can't ride like I can."
Kurt growled as he closed the kitchen door. "Alright," he said to himself. "Alright, now you've challenged me."
...
Riding on the cliff was dangerous, everyone knew that. But Kurt had something to prove. He knew David was watching, from the windows in the institute. He started the engine of David's bike and shot into action.
The view of the ocean was amazing, and he kept on the cliff as long as he could before he had to detour around trees. Logan had taught most of the boys at the institute how to ride a motorcycle, at least the ones who signed up for lessons, and Kurt had been repeatedly praised by Logan himself for his hand-eye coordination and dexterity.
A bird startled him, flying right in front of the bike and he skidded to a stop. Getting off of the bike, he watched the bird land and peck at the ground. "Move it, bird," he said. "I'm riding here."
The bird flew into his face, cawing loudly, and while he covered his eyes it transformed slowly into Mystique.
"Mother?" he shouted. "What are you--"
"Kurt, I have to speak with you," she said, almost desperately, but out of the trees jumped a roaring Wolverine.
"Mr. Logan!" He cried, stepping back.
"Get the bike and get outta here, Elf!" Logan shouted. "I'll handle Mystique!"
"No, you don't understand!" Mystique yelled, kicking Logan off of her and shifting back into bird form. She disappeared into the trees, lost from sight and smell.
"Mr. Logan?" Kurt stepped forward and touched his teacher's arm.
"C'mon kid. Let's get home."
...
"So what do you think Mystique wanted?"
Kurt looked at Kitty as he perched on the end of her bed. "No idea. But it looked like she just wanted to tell me something." He looked down, thinking. "Something important."
"Well yeah, if she like, came out of hiding just to come here and talk to you."
Kurt shook his head. "I just can't get over how upset she looked. Like she really cared about me... maybe she was trying to warn me about something."
"She dropped you into a river and abandoned you, Kurt. She can't care all that much." Kitty closed her book and curled up. "We care. Just don't, like, think about it anymore, okay?"
"I have to talk to Rogue about this."
Kitty sighed. "If you have to."
He teleported, and she stared at the spot he had just been sitting sadly. "Fuzzy Blue, don't get all upset now, okay?"
...
Rogue was in the library, and she saw Kurt approach her. She closed the book she was reading and watched him sit down across from her, fiddling with his image inducer.
"What's up Fuzzy?"
"Nothing," he said. "Mystique tried to talk to me about something."
"She was here?" Rogue looked startled. "At the institute?"
"Down the cliff side, yeah," he said. "She jumped me. She looked really upset."
"So?" She shook her head. "She left us, Kurt. Ignore her."
He glared at Rogue and stood up. "Why do none of you ever think about what I want to do??"
She sat back, startled.
"Maybe I want to hear what she has to say!"
"Kurt..."
"No, I don't want to hear it anymore!" Kurt teleported out.
Jean stepped over and touched Rogue's shoulder. "What happened?"
"I think Kurt's going to find Mystique," Rogue said quietly.
...
"Mother?" Kurt teleported to the next tree branch. "Mother, where are you?"
"Here," Mystique jumped down to the ground and watched as Kurt joined her. "I have to speak with you."
"I know," Kurt nodded. "What is it? It seems important."
"I found your father, Kurt," she said. "I know who your father is and I thought you might want to know..."
Kurt stepped back, shocked. "My... my father?"
"Yes Kurt. Do you want to know?"
Logan stepped out of the trees and stood in front of Kurt. "Back off, Mystique."
"Mr. Logan, wait, I want to hear..."
"Wolverine," Mystique said. "You might want to hear this to."
Logan froze. "What's THAT supposed to mean?"
"Your father Kurt, you know him, you live with him," Mystique said. "It's Logan."
"You lie!" Wolverine lunged at her, roaring. Mystique jumped back, startled by the attack, and jumped into a tree and out of view. Logan ran after her, but Kurt ported in front of him.
"Let her go," he said, touching Logan's shoulder. "Just... let her go."
...
They walked back in silence for a while, until Kurt spoke up.
"Is it true?"
Logan shook his head. "I don't know, Elf. I really don't know."
"But you were with her," he said. "Sixteen years ago, weren't you?"
He nodded. "But that doesn't prove anything."
Kurt nodded. "But... it could be true. Right?"
Logan didn't respond.
Kurt stared at the ground as he walked a little ways behind Logan.
"Okay, kid. I admit it. It could be true."
Kurt looked at him as he stopped walking, hope in his eyes. He was shocked as Logan turned around and hugged him.
"So... you're going to be my father now?"
Logan let go. "You bet, Elf. You bet."
Kurt grinned.
"But NOBODY knows I hugged you."
Kurt laughed and touched his arm, teleporting the two of them back to the institute. It was stupid to compete for Logan's attention, Kurt thought.
Especially now that I know I never have to compete again.