Disclaimer: I don't own X-Men: Evolution, but I certainly have dibs on Kurt!
A/N: There is more of this coming. Eventually. Four parts, over like, ten years, each chronicling a major event in Kurt's romantic life. And there will be various pairings. This first story, for example, is Kurt/Scott, as is the next. As for the other two . . . We'll have to see.
WARNING: as made obvious by the a/n, this story is SLASH, which in the fanfic community is defined as a romantic relationship between people of the same sex. If you cannot grasp this concept, or are (for some inane reason) insulted by such an implication, leave now and never again touch my fanfic with your bigotry. If, however, you are open to love in any and all forms, please proceed with my blessing!
Romantic Inclinations Quartet I:
Confessions
It had been annoying Jean since she'd come to the Institute. She could have put up with it when she'd thought it was just him leaking through his rusty shields and her badly-construction shields. But it had gotten much worse when Kurt arrived, and even more so when Kitty made herself at home. In fact, that was when it had leapfrogged past annoying and straight into driving her mad.
Scott didn't love her.
In fact, he wasn't even attracted to her, except as a friend. But he put on this elaborate display, and thought about it, and was hiding something that lurked just behind his shields. It was distracting her from homework, Duncan, and even the Danger Room on occasion. That last one was bad - and the reason she'd decided to confront him about it. He was either to drop his ridiculous facsimile or tell her why he was doing it, and if it was a dumb reason, he still had to drop it.
At least, that was the speech she had rehearsed in the shower as she scrubbed the ash from her incident in the Danger Room out of her hair.
Putting on a light t-shirt and black jeans, she went in search of her quarry. Scott, however, didn't seem to want to be found - and since he had been studying under the Professor longer than she had his shields were stronger than hers, and she couldn't penetrate them or even locate him. "Dammit, Scott," she muttered under her breath. "If you're not underfoot, you're practically lost!"
"Looking for One-Eye?" Logan asked from behind her, and Jean jumped about a foot and a half before turning to glare at her light-footed teacher.
"Yeah. D'you know where he is?"
Logan sniffed. "I think he's helping the elf find his brushes. Apparently he's misplaced them, and shedding season is upon us."
Jean's eyes widened at the thought. "Shedding season? As in, tiny blue fur everywhere?"
"Well, not anymore," Scott laughed as he came out from behind Kurt's door. Jean heard a squealed "Danke, mein fruend!!" from behind the closing door. "Were you looking for me, Jean?"
He pulled the lost-puppy face, and Jean rolled her eyes. *Stop it,* she snapped telepathically as Logan walked away. Scott radiated surprise. "Can we talk? Somewhere else?" Logan hadn't yet rounded the corner at the end of the hall, and Jean knew he could hear them.
"Uh - sure," Scott sounded rather unsure as he followed Jean into the lounge. "Why exactly are we having this little meeting?"
"Because you don't have a crush on me."
Scott's face went blank. "Why would you . . ."
"I'm a telepath, Scott, I've known the whole time. I was mostly willing to let lie until your attention got too intense. Why are you pretending you have some terminal case of True Love?" Jean was staring intensely at Scott, who fidgeted under her glare.
"Does the Professor know?"
Jean shook her head. "If he does, he didn't find out from me and is keeping his peace on the matter. So what is it, Scott? If you're doing it to shake off Tarren, forget it. The girl is blind to competition."
Scott grimaced. "She is, isn't she?"
"Spit it out, Scott."
The other mutant fidgeted some more, but Jean just waited him out. Finally, Scott sighed. "I don't - I don't like girls." His face had gone slightly red, and he couldn't seem to meet Jean's eyes.
It took Jean's startled mind a moment to process this. "You - you're gay?"
"Shh!" Scott put a panicked finger to his lips. "As far as we know, Logan's still at the end of the hall!"
They had to talk about this, so Jean formed a private mind-link. It was easy, too easy, with Scott - he had been one of her first contacts, and like the Professor, when he was willing, she could hear anything he thought, not just what he thought at her. *You're GAY?!*
Yeah, Scott's mind-voice sounded embarrassed, on the edge of ashamed.
*And you feel the need to hide this from the Professor and everyone - why?*
It doesn't bother you?
*Scott, I'm a telepath/telekinetic, you shoot lasers from your eyes, we live with a former goddess, the world's strongest telepath, a guy who pops claws out of his hands, a girl who walks through walls and a furry demon. Who the hell would care if you're gay?*
People seem to care about the oddest things, sometimes, Scott shrugged. They all knew Kitty had been tormented at her school, even when they'd thought she was a normal. Bayville High didn't even have a Gay-Straight Alliance, a club most of the other schools in the area had. Which, upon consideration, was worrying when considering mutant rights as well.
Jean wasn't entirely convinced. *There has to be more. I can understand wanting to keep it secret, but why the pretense of practically worshiping me?* Scott caught the annoyed undertone and turned a deeper shade of red.
It's - something that happened before I came here. What the Professor rescued me from. If he found out that I was gay . . . He would think I wasn't entirely healed. And I'm not - but I don't think I'll ever be. You can't go through - that - and not be scarred for life in some way or another.
*You weren't -* Jean's eyes widened in horror as she realized what Scott had to be referring to. *OhmyGod, you were! Holy shit!*
Yeah.
*Why?!*
The foster home didn't know what the guy who was adopting me was like. He'd done this before, and his record was clean, put-together. Fear kept his other adoptions silent - the way it has me, I guess. He's been mind-wiped of my existence. We never brought him to court, we didn't prosecute him, we didn't - didn't stop him. Just - took me away.
Through the telepathic bond Jean could feel Scott's lingering sense of guilt at that, at letting the man who'd used his body as a child walk free to do it again.
*Do you know what happened to him?*
No! that last had a hint of anguish. We can't bring him to justice. The Professor was so preoccupied with getting me out right away that he wasn't exposed to his psychic signature long enough to track him, and he moved soon after I left - before we'd even designed my glasses.
The telepath digested this. He was her friend - possibly the best friend she'd ever had, barring only Anita - and he had this horrible secret. She kept the bond steady, regardless of the fact that she could feel it molding into place. She'd never kept contact with anyone continuously for so long. Perhaps due to the evolving nature of the link, or the depth to which it had penetrated his mind, Jean sensed there was yet more to the story.
*That's still not everything. Dammit, Scott, just tell me so we only have to do this once!*
Scott was startled, then the blush, which had begun to fade, returned full-force. Do I really have to?
*Yes!*
I - dammit, I have a crush on Kurt!
Jean started at him a moment before breaking into laughter.
What the hell is so funny?!
*You - have - a - crush - on Kurt!* she replied, almost nonsensically. *Oh, that's really amusing!*
I don't see why! he snapped, and Jean got the impression he was glaring at her through his ruby-quartz glasses.
*Oh, but I do! And you will, too, if I've my way. Thank you, and excuse me - no, I take it back, I'm coming back. Wait right here!* And with that Jean leaped up and sped down the hall, laughing lightly to herself the whole way. With each thought, however, she reinforced her novice shields, as well as Scotts'. Wouldn't due to have the Professor accidentally 'hear' what was about to happen!
She knocked rapidly on Kurt's door.
***
Scott found himself abruptly alone in the lounge. "Okay," he muttered to himself. "Right then."
*Oh, hold your horses. You are an impatient person, and I'm doing you a favor!* Jean shot down their link which, Scott realized with a start, was still intact. *And if you still want to know my horrible-past story, you can in about ten minutes. I don't think this will take any longer, but you never know, you might not want to be disturbed . . .* Jean trailed off tantalizingly, and Scott got the impression that she was still giggling under her breath.
The telepath/telekinetic returned a minute later, dragging a protesting (and newly-groomed, from the looks of it) Kurt behind her. She summarily pushed Kurt down on the couch next to Scott, who turned disbelieving eyes on Jean.
What the -!
*I'm about to explain, so stop distracting me!*
"This is the kind of thing where being a telepath comes in handy," she told the pair on the couch, who were both staring at her, mildly horrified. "Scott, you just confessed that you're gay, and have a crush on Kurt. Kurt, about a week ago, I found out you have a crush on Scott," Jean grinned as Kurt and Scott turned identical looks of astonishment on first her, then each other. "I love being a telepath. Call if there's a problem!" she grinned, and trotted out of the room.
*See, I told you it was amusing.*
***
It was Kurt who worked up the courage to speak first. "So. What just happened?"
"I think . . ." Scott said slowly, as if working through a thick fog. "that Jean just summarily outed us to each other, and told us we have crushes on each other."
"She was playing matchmaker!" Kurt exclaimed. Then he paused, and ventured, "You - really do like me?"
"Um," Scott replied eloquently. "Yeah. I just did this with Jean!"
Kurt grinned a little, shy all of a sudden. "How did she find out about you?"
"She knew I was putting everyone on with my I-Love-Jeannie act," Scott confessed. "What about you?"
Kurt's cheeks went royal purple, a blush through blue fur. "She - ah - caught me checking out Logan and Kitty at the same time."
If Scott had been drinking there would have been water marks on the opposite wall. "Logan?!" he demanded. "You think Logan is hot?!"
"You have to admit, he had a certain - presence?"
Scott just shuddered. Then he finally registered the other half of the statement. "Wait - Logan and Kitty?"
"Ja. I'm bi."
"But - you're Catholic!"
"I'm not a very good Catholic, I'm afraid. Besides, if everyone is beautiful in God's eyes, why shouldn't everyone be beautiful in mine?"
Well, there wasn't really an argument for that.
He slowly expelled a breath, then looked at Kurt. The other mutant looked back - the offer stood between them, but one had to make the first move, in acceptance or rejection.
"Alright then. Do you - do we - want to try this?"
A relived grin full of fang greeted this proposal. "I think - ja."