Author Note: This is my first Evolution fanfic. I just got Lifehouse's album "No Name Face" and was listening to it while doing homework. I heard the first section and instantly thought of Kurt in the cage in Soli's story "Disappearance." This songfic isn't related to her creation but I can't believe how lucky I am to have found a song that fits my favorite character perfectly.
Simon
By Lifehouse
"I swear Mrs. Mitchell has it out for me," Scott said fiddling with his locker.
"Its one bad test grade," Jean said sympathetically, "You'll make it up."
"That's not the point. I just don't think I can stand another class with that woman." He looked over at his friends. Jean was brushing aside a strand of hair and his foreign friend was leaning quietly against the wall.
He followed Kurt's line of vision down the hall. Two girls Scott thought he recognized from homeroom were chattering away. They glanced toward him and waved sheepishly then were reduced to giggles. Next to him, Kurt waved back, the largest of grins on his face. The girls' giggles grew louder and with dark grins they turned on their heels and walked away still buzzing.
The larger boy could almost hear the hiss and Kurt choked back his frustration. The blue boy awkwardly grabbed his backpack off the floor. "I should be getting to history. See you after school," he called before running off.
Catch your breath
Hit the wall
Scream out loud
As you start to crawl
Back in your cage
The only place
Where they will leave you alone
~*~*~*~
The bell shrieked and the hallways echoed with pounding feet as their owners ran for their classes. Kurt jogged a few feet to his class, where the teacher was waiting with the door ajar. A favorite student that actually passed the tests was a valued asset to surviving another day of teaching mindless sea sponges which never seemed to actually soak anything up.
The smell of chalk isn't an unusual scent for any student, but it was never so invading and thick as it was in European History class. Ms. Berger never passed up the chance to cover the board in another layer of the thick white dust. Kurt rubbed his nose and proceeded to the back of the room.
"Hey," he whispered as he passed Kitty's desk.
"Hi, Kurt." The words lost any of their supposed greetings as her eyes were buried deep in a stack of papers. He paused long enough to catch the title on the paper and as usual Kitty was double checking her homework before class.
Kurt dropped the strap of his bag over the back of the desk chair. He slid into it and lowered himself deep into the seat. In the current slouch he could just barely see over the heads of the people around him.
Ms. Berger shut the door and walked past the rows of desks collecting homework. Kurt pulled a slightly wrinkled piece of paper from his bag and handed it over the shoulder of the person in front of him.
She laid the stack on the desk and proceeded to the front of the room. With her hair up in a sturdy bun and dressed in a pantsuit, few would have believed her to be younger than forty. Kurt yawned and stretched his arms over his head.
"Today we'll continue our study of the French and British conflicts..." she droned on as white lines spread in a spider web of facts and dates. Kurt's ears were drawn away from the lecture by snickers next to him. A white blur raced past his face barely missing his nose.
Two football jocks with a cheerleader between them were warming up their arms in drills of annoying shots of paper wads. Kurt brushed back his bangs and pulled his book up, hoping to hide from further attack. The lecture continued and the teacher was highly focused on the small piece of chalk that her fingers were struggling to hold onto.
The book trembled as another paper bomb smacked against its cover. The distraction was driving the blue boy into the red. Ripping a sheet of paper from his notebook, he crumpled it at hurled it to his left. It suddenly became obvious to him why he stuck to soccer, his poor aim was meant for an arm or leg, but rather the mass hit one of the jock's head. It didn't hurt the muscle boy, there was nothing to hurt, but Kurt would probably be the one to receive the injury.
Kurt resisted every urge in his body to teleport as the group of three glared at him. The jock's face fixed itself into a look of sheer anger. The large boy's body quivered, ready to snap. Instead, the girl rested an arm on his shoulder and laughed.
"Jason, that freak isn't worth your time."
His tongue wanted to lash out, to shout some incredible insult that would turn heads and give everyone a reason to take a second look. And while his mouth silently mouthed fake comebacks, his arms raised his book again and his head dropped behind it.
Cause the weak will seek the weaker
Until they've broken them
Could you get it back again
Would it be the same
Fulfillment to their lack of strength at your expense
Left you with no defense
They tore it down
~*~*~*~
The hallways were packed with rushing bodies. Lockers slammed and the shouting was near deafening.
"Hey Kitty," Scott said as the brunette approached.
"Hi, sorry I'm late. Ms. Berger always holds us after the bell."
"It's okay. Where's Kurt?" he said looking behind her.
Kitty shrugged. "I don't know. He kinda rushed out after class. He was like in a hurry and all so I didn't ask."
"Maybe he's waiting for us, let's get going." The pair began to weave through the crowds around them. Jean and Rogue later waved them down. Finding Evan was so no difficulty but getting him out of a detention for reckless skateboarding was another matter.
"So where's boy blue and such?" Rogue asked as they walked towards the car in the parking lot.
"Ran off somewhere," Kitty replied.
"No surprise there," Evan laughed.
The boy's mood and intentions were light but were not greeted by Kitty's frown.
"He's not here," she spoke up as they came across the red sports car.
"Probably got a detention or something."
Kitty wasn't convinced and Scott was the first to notice. "Hey, what's going on?"
"There was this little paper fight is history. Kurt got hit a few times and I guess he was like joking around decided to join in," the girl said. "But he totally nailed Jason McKnight and I do not think he was happy about it."
"Oh great," Jean muttered quietly.
"Don't worry," Scott said throwing his backpack into the car. "Just wait here, I'll go find him."
He sprinted off across the paved ground and bolted back into the school. Even though most of the student population had left the school, extracurricular activities were in full swing and the hallways were far from empty. He ducked into empty classrooms but found no sight of his friend.
As he headed for the stairs Scott caught part of a conversation.
"So which gym is practice in?" asked a shorter blonde boy.
"Well, football is doing training in the east gym and I think girl's volleyball had the west gym. The other one is for gymnastics only."
Scott nearly hit himself in the head for overlooking that fact. "Of course." Ducking past the teens, he headed towards the gym.
When he made it through the maze-like hallways, he paused to rest his hand on the heavy wooden double doors. Scott leaned on one and squeezed his head through an opening. Seeing that the room was mostly empty, he threw the door completely open and in and stiff attempt at cool and casual, entered the gym.
"Hey, man," he said approaching his friend who was mindlessly pacing on a balance beam.
Kurt threw a look over his but then turned away. Running for the edge of the wooden length, he flipped over landing with his back to Scott. He stole an extra beat to breathe and supress his thoughts.
"Are you planning to go home anytime soon?" the redhead asked. "We didn't want leave without you."
"Nah," Kurt said with a wide-spread grin. "I was just on my vay to meet you."
Porting across the empty gym, Kurt appeared with a hand already pushing open one of the doors. "You coming?"
"Kitty told me what happened?" Scott said simply.
"Vhat, that paper mess. No problems, now let's go."
"No wait, I want to know what's going on. You're looking tense."
The hologram couldn't hide the shiver that ran through Kurt's muscles. The mind broke easily after the body lost it. That's how interrogation worked. The mental pressures were tapping through his system and poisoning his veins.
"Nothing much. Little case of the f-word but I'm fine."
"Freak?" Scott said softly. "No matter how it's said or who says it, it still hurts."
"You have no idea," Kurt sighed saying the cliched phrase.
Scott walked towards him and laid a hand on his shoulder. "Lucky for you, I do."
And I have felt the same as you,
I've felt the same as you,
I've felt the same
~*~*~*~
The red car slowed to a gentle stop in the safety of the garage. The team of young mutants turned off the light and headed into the mansion, leaving the little sports car alone with its several other expensive friends.
Danger room, homework, dinner. The routine was the same everyday. Kurt frowned at the day's predictably finding no security in any of it. As the plates were cleared and Jean and Rogue put on dish duty, the others were left to scram to their chosen corners of the large mansion. Kitty was cuddling her beloved laptop, the main link to her family, to her side as she phased through and wall. Scott and Evan walked off together, both discussing the dangers or joys of letting the younger one test out the newest road ride. Kurt was left to his own mind and scared with by the very idea, distracted himself on a leisurely walk through the building. His ears twitched at a slam at the door and he ported down the hall where Logan was pushing on the main entry door quite odd. The adult looked over his shoulders, nose wrinkled at the displeasing scent.
"Just checking the doors for security measures." Content with his simple answer he bolted straight-legged from the room.
Kurt thrust his six fingers into his pockets and teleported directly to his room. He threw the balcony glass doors open and with a small jump, perched himself on the iron railing. The wind brushed past his tail and sent wisps of blue hair into his yellow eyes.
Instinctively his eyes darted around the perimeter of the property. With the Brotherhood out there, safety was for primary for the older residents. As a member of the X-Men he was responsible for the others as well. That was what he had always wanted, to have people to care about and cared about him. But for a brief second he doubted the way he had come to find this comfort.
Locked inside the only place
Where you feel sheltered
Where you feel safe
You lost yourself
In your search to find something else to hide behind
~*~*~*~
Kurt retreated from the chilling wind, much rather preferring the comfort of his warm bed. He laid down on the bed letting his long legs hang off awkwardly and the rest of his body sank into the top of the comforter. Suddenly the walls shook as feet pounded down the hall. Fists banged on the doors and outside laser shooters and explosions warned Kurt to the reason behind the commotion. Suiting up quickly, he raised out into the hall barely catching up with Scott has he raced by blinding, trying to fix his visor to his head.
"Brotherhood?" Kurt asked running alongside.
"Who else?"
They joined the rest of the team at the large entry doors and together the group broke outside.
"They've been training," Wolverine grumbled watching as Quicksilver and Avalanche disabled yet another laser cannon.
"If it ain't the X freaks," said Toad licking his slimy lips.
"What's wrong? Were you attached to your little defense system," Avalanche laughed raising clutched fists. Behind him the Blob stomped a razor fire. The bits of metal joined others as they hurtled through the air.
Quicksilver flashed past choosing to take out Spyke first. The young teen was throw through the air as he was power-rammed from behind. Cyclops tried to follow the blur but his red bolts only caused a stir of dust.
The war was on now. With no more fun mechanics to distract them, the destructive youth turned all their attention to their living opponents. Nightcrawler ported across the lawn avoiding a bumbling Blob.
"Can't catch me," he said leaping into a nearby tree.
Grabbing the oak around its trunk, the Blob shook furiously sending leaves and the elf alike, piling to the ground. He raised his foot and brought it down on the blue boy's head, Kurt was only barely able to disappear in time. Nightcrawler was about to pounce on the turned back of the large teenager when Pietro hissed into his ear.
"Think you can handle two?"
His gold eyes darted past the white haired wonder. Jean was struggling to stand up and Spyke looked unconscious.
"We really should thank you. You're the reason we've gotten this far. Your mother decided to release all of her anger against you on us. The extra workouts have done us well, don't you think?"
Kurt could feel the Blob closing in behind him.
"You must be a real disappointment for her. Messed her up real bad, didn't it?"
The Blob nodded and stepped closer.
"But we have a message for you," Pietro murmured. "You can join us. The boss thinks you'd make a pretty good addition. Face it blue boy, the Brotherhood is in you blood," he laughed seeing the blood drain from Kurt's face.
"No," Nightcrawler spat back. "I'd never vant to be like any of you."
"Well you are," Quicksilver said jabbing at his shoulder. "You're just fooling yourself, thinking you're some sort of goody-goody hero or something. Well you're not. Just another loser who doesn't know what he is. Right now you're nothing."
The anger was boiling over. Water could not stop this fire, only feed it at make it crackle into the darkness. He couldn't escape; maybe he didn't want to. He didn't know anymore. He didn't know anything.
The fearful always preyed upon your confidence
Did they see the consequence when they pushed you around
The arrogant build kingdoms made of the different ones
Breaking them 'til they've become just another crown
~*~*~*~
His lips flicked over sharp fangs and for a short moment, he didn't mind having them there. "I am something. You can't understand that."
Nightcrawler dove at his opponents. He caught Quicksilver stunned but even pinned to the ground, he squirmed away in a flash. Blinded by anger, Kurt lashed out and again flung himself on Pietro, pressing his fists into Pietro's cheek several times.
The slow-minded Blob took plenty of time before reacting. But Kurt was too agile for him and easy avoided the large boy as he threw his weight around. But two on one weren't odd that even Logan would approve of. Lost in his panic Nightcrawler was knocked to the hard grou, his skull crashing against it in a battle of which would break first. He struggled and fought with his torn body to rise again but the blows were now coming from all angles. The blood poured from open wounds dying his fur a dark crimson. The ground seemed to be winning.
Suddenly, the two boys climbed off and rushed away. It took Kurt several moments to realize that the flashes of red were Scott and not the blood running into his eyes.
"Hide with you other loser friends, but don't forget what you really are." Quicksilver shouted before leading his team out the gates.
Refuse to feel,
Anything at all
Refuse to slip,
Refuse to fall
Can't be weak,
Can't stand still
You watch your back,
Cause no one will
~*~*~*~
After wounds had been treated and the suits hung up, Kurt teleported to his room to lick at his injured pride. He curled up in a corner and tapped carelessly at his watch letting the hologram flick on and off. Finally he removed it all together and let it drop to the ground next to him.
"Hey Kurt, can I come in?" Scott was tapping repeatedly on the closed door.
"It's not locked," Kurt shouted.
Scott hesitated when he saw the boy hidden away in the shadows of his room. The sunshine pouring through the open balcony windows didn't seem to quite make it to where Kurt had retreated.
"How you doing?" Scott asked pulling the chair for the desk. Kurt just shrugged and pushed the watch farther away.
"You can't listen to them," the older boy said quickly. "They're just trying to get a rise out of you."
"But they're right," Kurt sighed. "I don't know where I belong anymore."
"You're an x-men, you belong here. The Brotherhood doesn't care, could you stand being treated like that all the time?"
"Obviously they don't care. My own mother doesn't."
"I can't fix that. But you're worth more than this torture you're putting yourself through."
"Its just that-sometimes, I veel like I've changed. I'm not me anymore."
"I wouldn't worry about it too much," Scott said with a grin. "Whatever you become, I'm sure it'll be something great. I don't know what this team would do without you." He offered a hand towards the blue elf. "Let's go down to dinner."
Kurt pulled himself up and headed towards the bedroom door. "So you think this'll all work out?"
Scott patted his shoulder brotherly. "Yeah."
You don't know why they had to go this far
Traded your worth for these scars
For your only company
Don't believe the lies that they told to you
Not one word was true
You're alright,
You're alright,
You're alright
A/N: Feedback will be welcomed. I'm thinking of starting an actual fanfic to be called "The L.A.B." So keep an eye out for me.