June 6, 1988
Kurt walked alongside his brother, his tail moving back and forth behind him. He had attracted less stares in New Orleans than any other city that they had visited. He didn't know if it was because people thought he was a costume and it fit in, or if the population of New Orleans was just more accustomed to the unusual than other cities.
For some reason, he didn't really care. Any enjoyment he might have felt from this anonymity had been sapped out of him by the conversation that he'd had with his brother. It still preyed on his mind.
He hadn't wanted to go out afterwards, but David had said that they should. Kurt didn't see why, but he hadn't had it in him to argue with his brother. Not after everything that he'd told him.
Kurt looked around. The streets were illuminated with loud neon lights and bright decorations. It was pretty enough in its own way, but it blocked out the stars. He wasn't sure if he liked New Orleans yet, but he'd been nothing but optimistic when he talked about it to his brother. David didn't have to deal with him bringing the situation down on top of everything.
He looked at his brother. David was looking around, his expression pleasant enough. Kurt didn't know if that was how he really felt though. He had no idea what struggles were secretly going on in David's head. Not anymore.
Part of him wanted nothing more than to rush to the nearest payphone and tell his parents everything David had told him. He wanted to beg them to come down and do something, anything that would help David.
At the same time, David had told Kurt what was going on. Not his parents. Kurt wasn't naïve enough to think that anything told in confidence, especially something so harmful, should be kept secret. However, given his brother's track record with his father, as well as what he'd told him, calling his parents might only make things worse.
Kurt didn't know how to help David though. His brother had always stood up for him and been there when he needed him. The only reason the voices were in David's head was because he'd been trying to protect Kurt. David might not see it that way, might not have told Kurt that, but it was impossible not to feel that he was responsible on some level or another.
"Kurt?" David asked.
Kurt turned his head towards his brother, cocking his head uncertainly.
"What?" he asked.
"I asked if you wanted to get some of that fried alligator I was talking about," David said.
Kurt laughed.
"Sorry, I got distracted by all the lights," he said, "I kinda zoned there for a bit."
David grinned and put his arm around Kurt's shoulders.
"You like them?" he asked.
"Yeah," Kurt lied.
"New Orleans was a good choice on my part then," David said.
His brother steered him into a diner and got a seat. Kurt looked at the menu and, true enough, there was fried alligator with a side of fries. He also saw fried green tomatoes and a variety of other fried foods.
"They really do fry everything here, don't they?" Kurt asked.
"It looks like," David said, "Southern food you know."
"I don't really," Kurt said, "All I really know is Mr. Guthrie's fried chicken, and you know that I don't get that often."
"He snacks on fried chicken skin and fried green tomatoes too," David said.
Kurt put down his menu.
"Fried chicken skin?" Kurt asked.
"Eats it like potato chips," David said.
He leaned back, laughing. Suddenly his brother winced and put a hand to the area under his eye. David closed his eyes and Kurt dug his fingernails onto the underside of the table. As Kurt watched David's nose began to bleed.
David opened his eyes and touched his nose. He sighed when he saw the blood on his hand.
"I'm going to go to the bathroom for a minute," David said, "I'd like the jumbalaya if the waiter comes back."
"Got it," Kurt said.
Pinching his nose David walked away. Kurt watched him go with a sinking feeling. He looked down at his menu, all thoughts of fried alligator leaving his mind. He buried his face in his hands, just wanting to shove everything away.
Kurt wished he knew a way to help his brother. He didn't have any experience with these things. Kurt started to reconsider his position on calling his parents in. It might make things worse, true, but it would be doing something rather than nothing.
He just wanted to cry. He was only fourteen, and it didn't seem like it was old enough to be involved in a situation like this. Then again, he'd learned that he was adopted at eight. Terry had been snatched from her father before she could talk. Sharon had struggled after an explosion had injured her and left her mother in a coma.
Then there was David. Being twelve hadn't stopped the horrors of life from becoming real for his brother, from scarring him for the rest of his life. Why should the world take exception for anyone's age now?
A crash made him look up. Kurt saw a teenager go rolling across the floor, pieces of glass spraying out everywhere. Everyone quickly got out of their seats and rushed towards the exit. Kurt watched as the teenager tried, and failed, to get to his feet.
Kurt teleported to his side. He put a hand on the teenager's shoulders, only to have it furiously pushed out of the way.
"Get outta da way."
"I was just-" Kurt tried.
"No!"
Kurt moved back and watched the teen try shakily to get to his feet. He stumbled and Kurt grabbed his arm. Without asking, Kurt helped him to his feet.
"Are you okay?"
"Fine," the teen said.
Kurt let go, feeling uncertain. The teen clutched his left arm, and Kurt saw that there was a deep slash there. It had gone straight through his brown trench coat. His face was decorated with bruises and swelling fast, but Kurt could still see his furious black and red eyes.
There was also blood spreading across his shirt.
"Did you get shot?" Kurt asked.
"Dun't matter," the teen said.
"You need to get to a hospital," Kurt said.
The teen slid his eyes over to him.
"Ya know, Remy appreciate da help, but if ya don't wanna get hurt, ya gotta git outta da way," Remy snapped.
Kurt opened his mouth just as someone kicked the door open. He felt Remy push him out of the way as an older teen walked in, flanked by four other men. Kurt pushed himself up and looked. The mens' guns were trained on Remy, and the teenager in front of the men was looking at Remy, his eyes glowing with a strange joy.
"Gotcha Remy," the teen said.
"Never could do anytin by yaself could ya Henri?" Remy snarled.
Henri opened his arms.
"What did ya expect?" he said, "Daddy's pretty damn furious right now."
Kurt pushed himself up a little bit, breathing in deeply.
"And that's why ya're gonna hafta die now Remy," Henri said.
Without thinking Kurt teleported behind Henri and wrenched his gun out of his hands. Another of the men brought his gun around, and Kurt smashed the butt of the rifle into his face. He saw yet another of the men cock his gun and aim it at him.
A glowing playing card landed on the man's chest. It exploded and the man was sent rocketing backwards. Kurt saw Remy pluck another glowing card from his pocket, but Henri launched himself at him and the two fell to the ground in a swirl of fists.
The butt of a shotgun hit Kurt in the stomach. He stumbled and barely managed to avoid a blast from another shotgun. He jumped up onto the wall, climbing it before dropping down on the nearest man and shoving him to the floor.
Kurt heard clicks from a shotgun and looked up. The last two men were aiming both of their guns at him. Kurt calculated where he needed to teleport just as the two men were sent flying into the wall.
He turned and saw his brother coming out of the bathroom, his eyes wide and his hand outstretched.
"Kurt, what the hell is going on?" he asked.
"No clue," Kurt said.
He rushed forward and grabbed Henri beneath his arms, pulling him off Remy. He struggled and David raised his hand just as Kurt let go. Henri was lifted into the air, snarling and spitting.
"All ya freaks are in dis ting together, that it?" he demanded.
David's eyes narrowed.
"I really, really have a thing against being called freak," he said, "So unless you want to end up a smear on the floor, you're going to shut the hell up."
Henri glared at him as Remy tried to get to his feet. Kurt helped him up, and he saw Remy's eyes flash.
"I told ya ta stay outta it," Remy said.
"I wasn't raised that way," Kurt said.
From his place in the air Henri began to laugh.
"I think I'm going to regret asking this, but what's funny?" David asked.
"Y'all are," Henri said.
His eyes slid over to Remy.
"Daddy's still comin after ya, no matter how many freaks ya got."
Henri slammed into the wall and David's fingers twisted.
"I told you not to use that word," David hissed, "I have a real impulse control problem when people do it."
"Really?" Henri said, "Let's see what ya be made of."
"Whoever ya are, my brother be an idiot," Remy said, "But don't."
David still didn't move.
"David," Kurt said, his voice desperate.
David blinked and looked over at Kurt. Kurt saw that his nose had started to bleed again. David wiped it away with his shirt sleeve.
"Never mind," David said, "Just go to sleep."
Henri made a face, and then his eyes slid to the back of his head. David let him drop and he walked over to Kurt and Remy.
"Kurt, you good?" he asked.
"I'm good," Kurt said.
He gestured to Remy.
"I can't say the same for him though," Kurt said.
"Remy be fine," Remy said.
"You've been shot," David said, "And most likely stabbed, and beaten. I don't think you're fine. Interesting what you did with the card though. We'll have to discuss that later. But right now, we have to call the police and get you to a hospital."
"No."
David threw his hands into the air.
"Look, I don't pretend to know what's going on-" he began.
"No, ya don't. But if ya take Remy to a hospital Remy's gonna be killed," Remy said, "Same ting if you call da cops."
"What?" Kurt said.
David glanced at him.
Kurt, I think that this is a little more complicated than we thought, he thought.
I'm getting that too, Kurt thought.
David looked back at Remy.
"How far do we have to take you before you'd feel safe going to the authorities or a medical facility?" David asked.
Remy laughed. He stumbled on his feet and Kurt had to fight to keep him upright.
"Couple o states," Remy said, "Mebbe Maryland."
David's eyebrows rose even further.
"That's...weird," he said, "But fortunately for you, we do actually know a doctor up there."
"Ya don't understand-" Remy tried.
"No, you don't understand," Kurt said, "We're not just gonna leave you here to die."
Remy looked at him, his black and red eyes puzzled.
"But...ya don't know Remy," he said.
"I have a feeling that's going to change in the next few hours," David said, "Now, let's get moving."