The light was off in his room again she noted detachedly. It had been that
way ever since he returned under the cover of darkness from a research lab
on Muir Island - one that *wasn't* receiving funding from her mother's main
grant. The lab had been funded at one point by a Warren Worthington the
third - but had supposedly been abandoned several years ago following the
disaster known as the Four Horsemen.
Sighing, she finally gave in to her curiosity and made her way to his room. She moved silently through the hall - not wanting to attract unwanted attention. She wanted this meeting to be done in private - without having to fight for his attention when they discussed what happened while he was gone. Finally she reached his room, and she hesitated over the thought of knocking on it. That would attract too much attention. She bit her lower lip, and thought. She could phase into his room but that usually left her ill and weak afterwards. But it was well worth the risk, she thought and silently stepped through the still closed door.
She shuddered and nearly fell to her knees from the sudden bout of weakness brought on by her phasing. It *hurt* using that gift in particular - but she could only blame herself for not telling the professor about it and allowing herself to be trained in how to use it. "Kurt?" she called, her lilt soft and gentle.
"Get out," a voice whispered harshly. He didn't want anyone to see him like this. He was even more of a monster then he had been when he left. He stared at one of his hands - at the talons that could tear the girl's soft flesh to shreds if he touched her wrong.
"No," she answered firmly. "Ah wulnae lae ye tae yer broodin'. Yoo've bin daein' 'at since ye gotten back frae Muir Islain."[1] She crossed her arms stubbornly over her chest and pouted ever so slightly. She cursed herself for letting her brogue get too strong - something that always happened when she was upset.
He pursed his lips before glancing over at her, an amused look in his golden eyes that slowly faded once more. A sad, pained expression fell across his face once more. "Please, get out," he begged. "Do not come closer."
"Ye ken Ah'm nae one tae listen[2]," she answered amusedly. She quietly padded her way over to him and knelt down before him. "Kurt?" she whispered, and reached up to touch his face with her hand.
His lower right hand caught her right hand that had reached up to touch his cheek. "Don't," he whispered again. He saw the look of pain that graced her features when the talons on his lower hand found home in her arm.
She hissed slightly in pain from where the talons had sunk in. "Ah'm okay, Kurt. 'Tis only a flesh wound," she whispered, knowing it was a poor attempt at humor.
Kurt blinked a moment and nearly started to laugh at her flippant answer. But the humor quickly died before it even escaped him. He let her arm go and a tear streaked down his face.
She reached up and touched his cheek, managing to avoid having his hand catch hers. "Shh." she whispered. "It'll be okay."
"No. It von't," he whispered, gently guiding her hand to see what he meant. He hoped it wouldn't chase her away - but knew it would. He was even more of a freak then he had been before he had heard about the possible cure - a possible way to look like the others.
Her hand felt a small horn and she paused, wondering what it was. She knew he didn't have horns before and she grew worried as he continued to guide her hand. His ears longer and seemed to be pointier - if it were at all possible. He continued to guide her hand - having it come into contact with his wings, and then the extra arms.
"Unfair," she whispered. "You'd have the advantage over the girl when it came to make out." Her cheeks took on a crimson tone when she realized what exactly she said. "Er. Uhm." she stuttered, looking embarrassed.
His tail snaked around her thin waist and pulled her closer - so he could look into her eyes and see the truth. He didn't want to believe that she still felt anything for him - especially after what he had done.
"Looking in your eyes how I hope that you will see my heart that our lives will meet -- never have to part Feelings here inside How I wish the world would go away All would disappear -- but you and I would stay And I'd be -- forever in your eyes Standing in the dark wanting only to be next to you shine your light on me -- nothing else will do Deep inside my heart I believe that you and I could be Friends forever more -- through eternity And you'd see -- me forever in your eyes The two of us together I see it in my dream nothing can tear us apart though any kind of weather it's always you and me Together we can stand the test of time Feelings here inside How I wish the world would go away All would disappear -- but you and I would stay And I'd be -- forever in your eyes The two of us together I see it in my dream nothing can tear us apart though any kind of weather it's always you and me Together we can stand the test of time Standing in the dark wanting only to be next to you shine your light on me -- nothing else will do Deep inside my heart I believe that you and I could be Friends forever more -- through eternity and you'd see -- me forever in your eyes," she sang softly, placing both her hands on Kurt's face. She shyly captured his lips with her own.
The grip his tail had on her waist tightened every so slowly until she gasped in shock from feeling the air being cut off. He saw the look of shock that mirrored his own face had and he quickly loosened the grip and held her at arm's length - trying to regain control of his emotions. He nearly killed her!
She took several deep breaths, trying to regain the air she lost during his tail's tight embrace. "Ah'm fine," she managed to whisper out. "Ye jist startled me."
"I could have killed you," he whispered, brokenly.
"But ya didnae," she bit out firmly. "Ah'm fine." If it was going to take all night for him to believe that - so be it. She was ready to argue circles around him if the need arose. "That's it," she whispered. She rose slowly and walked over to the wall and flipped the switch up. The light slowly came on and bathed the room in a soft golden glow. "Now. I can." the rest of the sentence died in her throat as she had turned and caught sight of the new Kurt. Her knees gave out from under her and she sat down roughly on the ground.
He was crouched down - in an almost feral position, ready to bolt at any moment, at the slightest movement of fear from her. His tail - nearly six feet in length - was curled close to his body and a second spaded tip was only a foot away from the one at the end. Huge bat-like wings were drooping and appeared to be so very fragile that the slightest wrong touch would destroy the delicate flesh between the finger-like appendages. He seemed to be much taller - she guessed he'd be close to ten feet if he ever attempted to stand up straight - and she felt even smaller then she did normally when she was around him.
She could clearly see the horns she had felt - and tried not to shudder, they were too alien and didn't seem to belong to the Kurt *she* had known. She could see all too clearly the talons that had injured her arm and she found herself holding her breath - now she understood the odd thought she had picked up when she entered the room. She let out a shaky breath as she continued to view Kurt. She could see the extra set of arms that had appeared under his original pair. He looked heavier - the bulk of the new muscle in his legs - legs that ended with a new thumb-like digit on the heel of his feet. She steadied herself as she rose from the floor and walked over and knelt down in front of him.
He could see the fear in her eyes that she was desperately trying to keep hidden. Tears streaked down his face, dampening the soft fur on his face. "I'm sorry," he whispered, and made ready to leave.
She pursed her lips together and looked at him. "Why?" It was a simple question - but one that carried a variety of meanings. What could have driven him to such extremes - was it something she or someone else said.
He paused a moment. He carefully placed one hand on her cheek, cupping it and staring into the pale blue of her eyes. "I vas tired of hiding," he whispered.
"But I... we." she stammered.
"I know. You all accepted me. but I vas tired of hiding behind a vatch - behind an illusion." ----------------------- [1] I will not leave you to your brooding. You've been doing that since you've gotten back from Muir Island. [2] You know I'm not one to listen
Sighing, she finally gave in to her curiosity and made her way to his room. She moved silently through the hall - not wanting to attract unwanted attention. She wanted this meeting to be done in private - without having to fight for his attention when they discussed what happened while he was gone. Finally she reached his room, and she hesitated over the thought of knocking on it. That would attract too much attention. She bit her lower lip, and thought. She could phase into his room but that usually left her ill and weak afterwards. But it was well worth the risk, she thought and silently stepped through the still closed door.
She shuddered and nearly fell to her knees from the sudden bout of weakness brought on by her phasing. It *hurt* using that gift in particular - but she could only blame herself for not telling the professor about it and allowing herself to be trained in how to use it. "Kurt?" she called, her lilt soft and gentle.
"Get out," a voice whispered harshly. He didn't want anyone to see him like this. He was even more of a monster then he had been when he left. He stared at one of his hands - at the talons that could tear the girl's soft flesh to shreds if he touched her wrong.
"No," she answered firmly. "Ah wulnae lae ye tae yer broodin'. Yoo've bin daein' 'at since ye gotten back frae Muir Islain."[1] She crossed her arms stubbornly over her chest and pouted ever so slightly. She cursed herself for letting her brogue get too strong - something that always happened when she was upset.
He pursed his lips before glancing over at her, an amused look in his golden eyes that slowly faded once more. A sad, pained expression fell across his face once more. "Please, get out," he begged. "Do not come closer."
"Ye ken Ah'm nae one tae listen[2]," she answered amusedly. She quietly padded her way over to him and knelt down before him. "Kurt?" she whispered, and reached up to touch his face with her hand.
His lower right hand caught her right hand that had reached up to touch his cheek. "Don't," he whispered again. He saw the look of pain that graced her features when the talons on his lower hand found home in her arm.
She hissed slightly in pain from where the talons had sunk in. "Ah'm okay, Kurt. 'Tis only a flesh wound," she whispered, knowing it was a poor attempt at humor.
Kurt blinked a moment and nearly started to laugh at her flippant answer. But the humor quickly died before it even escaped him. He let her arm go and a tear streaked down his face.
She reached up and touched his cheek, managing to avoid having his hand catch hers. "Shh." she whispered. "It'll be okay."
"No. It von't," he whispered, gently guiding her hand to see what he meant. He hoped it wouldn't chase her away - but knew it would. He was even more of a freak then he had been before he had heard about the possible cure - a possible way to look like the others.
Her hand felt a small horn and she paused, wondering what it was. She knew he didn't have horns before and she grew worried as he continued to guide her hand. His ears longer and seemed to be pointier - if it were at all possible. He continued to guide her hand - having it come into contact with his wings, and then the extra arms.
"Unfair," she whispered. "You'd have the advantage over the girl when it came to make out." Her cheeks took on a crimson tone when she realized what exactly she said. "Er. Uhm." she stuttered, looking embarrassed.
His tail snaked around her thin waist and pulled her closer - so he could look into her eyes and see the truth. He didn't want to believe that she still felt anything for him - especially after what he had done.
"Looking in your eyes how I hope that you will see my heart that our lives will meet -- never have to part Feelings here inside How I wish the world would go away All would disappear -- but you and I would stay And I'd be -- forever in your eyes Standing in the dark wanting only to be next to you shine your light on me -- nothing else will do Deep inside my heart I believe that you and I could be Friends forever more -- through eternity And you'd see -- me forever in your eyes The two of us together I see it in my dream nothing can tear us apart though any kind of weather it's always you and me Together we can stand the test of time Feelings here inside How I wish the world would go away All would disappear -- but you and I would stay And I'd be -- forever in your eyes The two of us together I see it in my dream nothing can tear us apart though any kind of weather it's always you and me Together we can stand the test of time Standing in the dark wanting only to be next to you shine your light on me -- nothing else will do Deep inside my heart I believe that you and I could be Friends forever more -- through eternity and you'd see -- me forever in your eyes," she sang softly, placing both her hands on Kurt's face. She shyly captured his lips with her own.
The grip his tail had on her waist tightened every so slowly until she gasped in shock from feeling the air being cut off. He saw the look of shock that mirrored his own face had and he quickly loosened the grip and held her at arm's length - trying to regain control of his emotions. He nearly killed her!
She took several deep breaths, trying to regain the air she lost during his tail's tight embrace. "Ah'm fine," she managed to whisper out. "Ye jist startled me."
"I could have killed you," he whispered, brokenly.
"But ya didnae," she bit out firmly. "Ah'm fine." If it was going to take all night for him to believe that - so be it. She was ready to argue circles around him if the need arose. "That's it," she whispered. She rose slowly and walked over to the wall and flipped the switch up. The light slowly came on and bathed the room in a soft golden glow. "Now. I can." the rest of the sentence died in her throat as she had turned and caught sight of the new Kurt. Her knees gave out from under her and she sat down roughly on the ground.
He was crouched down - in an almost feral position, ready to bolt at any moment, at the slightest movement of fear from her. His tail - nearly six feet in length - was curled close to his body and a second spaded tip was only a foot away from the one at the end. Huge bat-like wings were drooping and appeared to be so very fragile that the slightest wrong touch would destroy the delicate flesh between the finger-like appendages. He seemed to be much taller - she guessed he'd be close to ten feet if he ever attempted to stand up straight - and she felt even smaller then she did normally when she was around him.
She could clearly see the horns she had felt - and tried not to shudder, they were too alien and didn't seem to belong to the Kurt *she* had known. She could see all too clearly the talons that had injured her arm and she found herself holding her breath - now she understood the odd thought she had picked up when she entered the room. She let out a shaky breath as she continued to view Kurt. She could see the extra set of arms that had appeared under his original pair. He looked heavier - the bulk of the new muscle in his legs - legs that ended with a new thumb-like digit on the heel of his feet. She steadied herself as she rose from the floor and walked over and knelt down in front of him.
He could see the fear in her eyes that she was desperately trying to keep hidden. Tears streaked down his face, dampening the soft fur on his face. "I'm sorry," he whispered, and made ready to leave.
She pursed her lips together and looked at him. "Why?" It was a simple question - but one that carried a variety of meanings. What could have driven him to such extremes - was it something she or someone else said.
He paused a moment. He carefully placed one hand on her cheek, cupping it and staring into the pale blue of her eyes. "I vas tired of hiding," he whispered.
"But I... we." she stammered.
"I know. You all accepted me. but I vas tired of hiding behind a vatch - behind an illusion." ----------------------- [1] I will not leave you to your brooding. You've been doing that since you've gotten back from Muir Island. [2] You know I'm not one to listen