(KAI) Well, this has definitely been one of the weaker ones.
It seems as though I finished it for the sake of getting it done with, eh?
Still, all well that ends... at all.
Which means it's time to go back to WIM.
Ah, cest le vie, thank you for coming this far with me.
Ah.

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Chapter Three

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The rain came down in the silence, permeated the room, and left them alone, together, hot and coldening. A shudder ran through Kurt's spine, and he wriggled from underneath with embarrassment. "I- I apologize," he said lightly, his tail flicking in agitation.

"What for?" the growl was low in the back of Logan's throat, softer than it needed to be. Softer for the thin arms holding each of Kurt's elbows closely to him, for the averted golden eyes.

"I..." the younger mutant's intuition struck, lightning in a storm like, "should have turned out my light. It's past curfew."

Slickery rain went down the window's panes, hit the glass like quietude, and Logan's fists curled and uncurled in overtired frustration. There was no reason for him to stand there; eyeing the teenager with whatever hunger had been gnawing at him for all this time. No reason to have come, save to see the boy in a state of shamed weakness, and even now uncomfortable and afraid. He had run away earlier... so indeed, what was he afraid of?

Again, Kurt went into the other man's thoughts and said, "I am sorry for, ah, freaking out today Herr Logan. I won't do it again..."

It was eerie. Logan slumped into the window seat, Kurt mirroring on the unslept bed. "Next thing, you'll be finishing my sentences," the man huffed under his breath, reaching into his back pocket for a cigarette.

There was no reason for him to be there.

Kurt curled up his legs, as though putting up a barrier, and prepared to be patient. Still, his heart thud against his ribs with force and clatter, and he almost shivered with strange anticipations. The rain down outside went harder and softer and the wind went behind Logan with howling voices, but he did not move. He smoked and he did not meet Kurt's eyes. "Herr Sir, I dreamt you died."

Logan coughed as he exhaled, "So have I."

"I thought I would die, too."

There was no reason for the skipping heart beat, the gentle sway of softness as Kurt lay his head on his knee, closed his eyes, and seemed almost sleeping. "Why?"

"Eh?" Logan strained his ear, as though the whisper had not been so lost in the space between them.

"Why does it... When it rains... You leave."

"Sometimes."

"What if you never came back?" Kurt's tail curled tightly around his shins, drawing them closer to his chest. "I might die, too."

Logan inhaled deeply, and perturbed at this line of thought the boy had developed. "Why would you die, elf?"

"It was my fault you left tonight. If you had never returned, I would be to blame," as suddenly as the thunder came rolling finally across the hills, little iridescent tears came pouring from the corners of Kurt's half-closed eyes. "Crybaby Wagner," he taunted himself in a soft whisper.

"Bull," Logan said, exhaling around the harsh word, "If I died, it was the rain. It was me- probably being stupid." He tried to smile, tried to look relaxed to alleviate the child, but there was a uselessness in being far away. Slowly, he stood.

"You are leaving?" Kurt said, embarrassment gently filling his senses, and turning his cheeks reddened. "Thank you for coming to wake me."

Logan stooped in front of the boy half-heartedly, stubbing the cigarette on the back of his hand. Nonplussed, Kurt watched the skin smolder and then heal. "You shouldn't do that often," he admonished, heart quickening in its pace and making him dizzy.

"Why," the teacher began, laying his hands on either side of the boy, resting his palms on the blankets for balance, "do you worry?"

"About you?"

"Yes," Logan said, his patience thinning as the boy's small shoulders came together in a small shrug, as his neckline plunged and resurfaced in the over-sized t-shirt.

"I think I'm in love with you," the boy hid his face, drawing his body tighter for any negative repercussions the confession may have held. "Maybe, since you're so warm, and sometimes, I feel like you care about me," came the muffled voice, "I'm really sorry."

"Stupid kid," Logan groaned, reaching out to pet down the disheveled hair.

The shoulders shook, and the teacher's heart skipped entirely. One beat, two. His throat clenched together, and he brought his lips in one thin line of discontentment, "I can't..."

Those fingers clenched on little knees, "I can't understand why, Kurt."

"I promise not to do anything funny," the boy murmured, as though another person, "I won't act up or be weird, just please don't hate me."

"Hate you?" a bark of a laugh, "Hate?"

Kurt looked up dejectedly, a frown pouting on his lips, "Please don't..."

There was no reason for him to stay.

There was no reason for him to talk.

There was no reason for him to reach around and pull the child forward, off the bed and onto the floor with him; no need to unabashedly hold him against his chest like a doll, or cradle his soft hair greedily. No need to make the boy look up at him, and to twitch his lips in a smile. Confused and heartbroken, Kurt only laid his head on the older man's chest, convinced it was a dream, now, and miserable.

"I love you, I love you," he whispered, shaking his head, his hands folded in his lap, where he sat in the circle of Dream-Logan's legs. "So much."

"I love you, too, kid," Logan responded, disbelief at the situation forcing a deep chuckle burbling up and out, and the thunder echoed across and Kurt let out a soft sigh. "When I wake up, it won't be true anymore."

Logan kissed him; let his lips rest against the soft, tear-swollen boy's, and did not close his eyes though Kurt began to. And Kurt's eyes shifted to the window nearby, where the raining was reaching its catharsis. He felt empty, too. Surreal and lovely.

"You love me, Herr Logan?" said so softly, the rain down almost drowned them.

"Yeah," he said, kissing him again as proving. The boy's tail curled around Logan's arm and those arms tightened around, bringing a gasp from the boy in moments.

And the rain came down, down, down until it stopped.