A/N: I posted a dream/story for Kurt. Go see it if you want, it has hints at the background story I'm making for him.
They stared at each other for what felt like ages. It was too unreal for either to move. Finally, Kurt felt his hand move on its own, stretching delicately towards a man he hadn't seen outside his dreams in three years.
"Herr Pierson…"
The priest's hands wrapped firmly around his own, their warmth surging into his blue-furred skin. Kurt felt a sob of air rush out of him. He pulled the hands toward him through the bars and buried his face in them, an uncontrollable grin growing on his face. "Jou missed mein birthday, Father Pierson."
Pierson smiled, tears in his eyes. "June 29th. Your mother told me. We celebrate it every year."
"How did you find me?" He asked, his face still pressed against hands he thought he'd never see again.
"When the circus left for Europe, we waited for you to come home for a week. Finally, your father wrote a letter to the Ringmaster, and you replied…"
"I did not." Kurt hissed.
Pierson nodded. "I know…you replied that you were going to wait another few years to earn more money and that we shouldn't worry."
"Coldrim." Kurt hissed angrily. Something inside his mind clicked into place. "Ze mob…he arranged it…he must 'ave." Pierson's hands tightened around the boy when he shivered, more than a little startled by his sudden anger. "He's kept me trapped and fooled all these years…he told me zat it voesn't safe to go home…he convinced me zat I vas dangerous to be around. I believed him. I let him put me in the Freak Show. I let him take me from Germany, mein leibling schwester! I let him lock me in a cage and flaunt me like a wild animal. I let him ruin my life!" He snarled, startling himself. He'd never been so angry with the man before…it was like a shell was wrapped around his emotions and Pierson was slowly prying it open.
Pierson listened calmly, but his eyes shone. The boy's pain went far deeper than the bruises and scars that decorated his fur. His mind flew back to the night he met the boy, the gentle child that just wanted to be a good person. "Kurt. Kurt, I'm so sorry." He reached through the bars to stroke the boy's cheek. Kurt turned into the touch, seeking comfort in his gentle tracing of the bruises there. The man's eyes hardened. "We have to get you out of here."
Kurt went limp. "I..."
Thoughts rushed through his mind. I can't…I'm trapped…They'll get hurt…I'm too scared… Kurt shuddered. Then his eyes locked onto Pierson's. Something else fell into place. The shell cracked again. "Just tell me vhat to do, mein freund."
"I will tell you a secret, my good man!" Coldrim announced. "I have tamed this demon."
"No!"
"Yes!" Coldrim threw back his cape dramatically, lifting his arms above their heads. "And now I shall prove it!"
Kurt smiled menacingly as he stepped from the cage. His eyes settled on a young boy near the front. He glanced at Coldrim, patiently awaiting the signal.
"You see? He is perfectly tame!"
The Midnight Visitor threw himself forward, eliciting the usual scream as he scooped the boy into his arms. He slid effortlessly around her, about to place the startled child back on the floor, when a horrific choking sound erupted from his chest.
He dropped the child. Kurt fell forward onto his hands and knees, still choking as they all scrambled away from him. A low moan escaped his lips.
Kurt threw his head back. A keening wail made the entire menagerie shake in terror. The boy collapsed completely onto the ground, grabbing his head between his hands and flailing about in pain.
"Gnade!" Kurt whimpered suddenly. The crowd pressed itself against the locked door, staring at him in shock. One of the men stared at him, a small German flag was tucked into his vest pocket. Tears filled Kurt's eyes as they rolled towards him. "Gnade, gnade…" He cried quietly.
"Mercy." The man mumbled, stunned. "He's asking for mercy…"
Then they all jumped again as Kurt slipped into English, their own tongue. "Ze curse…'alp me, please!" He cried out, clutching at his sides as he began to thrash again.
Pity appeared on a few of their faces. Kurt caught their expressions in a glance and flung himself to the side. He froze, allowing his eyes to rest on Coldrim's face for a full five seconds before he let out another piercing scream and scrambled backwards. Halfway to his feet he crashed into the wall, dropping down again. Gaze locked on his "master", Kurt began to sob. "Please, sir! Take me home! I don't vant to be a monster anymore!"
Coldrim glanced towards his audience. Shock, mingled with suspicion, turned towards him. He moved quickly. Grabbing Kurt by one arm he half-threw the limp, struggling boy into his cage and kicked the catch release. The prison rocketed skywards out of sight.
Kurt stopped crying. He peered over the edge and snickered quietly to himself. Coldrim was trying to reassure his customers that it was all just part of his act as he hurried them on.
The small boy had glanced back. Kurt waved to him, a huge grin on his face. The boy glanced from side to side, making sure no one was watching him before he waved back. His arm was…sparkling? What the…
Before Kurt could process what he'd seen the boy had disappeared back into the crowd. He caught Coldrim's glare turn towards him, shocking him back into his situation. Kurt felt a shiver run through him like a cold wind. His master's eyes promised far more than a reprimand and a drunken song tonight. Kurt slipped back into the dark, relative safety of his cage and waited for the shop to close.
He could only hope that this would be the last time he was around to see it.
A/N: Short, because it was a good place to stop. I have the rest and am typing quickly. Updates will be soon! Mwahaha…
"Gnade" means "Mercy", as near as I can tell. Please correct if wrong. Also, I was going to use Colossus as the small boy, but he's so much older than Kurt…I tried Pyro, but he's a tad old, too. All the Eastern people are taken! Augh! Anyways…made my own mutant. No purpose yet. Maybe later he'll have significance.
