Chapter 15: "Day Off"

Kari had noticed James was still working on the fence project from earlier in the day, and when he was out there well past lunchtime, she decided that he needed at least some water. Especially because he was so exhausted all the time from the work his parents were having him do that he was actually tanning … with his white t-shirt hanging from the back pocket of his jeans as he worked. It really was a mark of how run-down he was and how stretched his healing was from him not taking care of himself while he was working so hard.

Kari grabbed a pitcher full of K's freshly-made lemonade as well as two glasses before she teleported over to where James was working with a smile. "Okay, you should maybe take a break before you fall over."

"I just wanna get in a couple more posts," James replied.

Kari frowned at him before she teleported even closer and pushed the glass into his chest. "Uh-huh. Let me rephrase. Take a break so I don't have to carry you back."

He gave her a look, though it was clear once he'd stopped for a moment that he was out of breath. "What time is it?"

"Three. You missed lunch by a pretty wide margin." She smirked at him. "You missed the show. I think Krissy's pretty close to convincing Mama to let her go to Europe, and Papa is so, so betrayed."

"How romantic," James deadpanned as he pulled off his gloves and headed for the nearest tree.

Kari laughed at that. "Yeah… Gerry's been helping her make a more solid plan than just 'because Chance is there'. Now, it's more about getting out on her own and learning to be her own person. Which… is pretty good. She needs that."

"Yeah, chasing the boyfriend is a crap excuse. She's gotta know that." He leaned back against the tree and slid down to the ground. "Three? Really?"

"Aren't you so glad I came over here to reintroduce you to reality?" Kari smirked.

"I dunno; it's kinda nice just being alone and not having anything pressing to think about but getting the line straight."

"Yeah, but I think we'd all appreciate it if you didn't totally pass out on us," Kari pointed out.

"I doubt anyone would notice. It's almost like I don't live here right now."

Kari rolled her eyes and leaned over to kiss his cheek. "I swear, you say things like that just to get a rise out of me for calling me 'nobody'."

"I didn't call you 'nobody'," he defended. "I meant it in the larger view."

"You said no one would notice, and yet, here I am, with lemonade, and I should be so offended, James. I really should."

He shrugged. "Wouldn't be the first time."

She rolled her eyes and refilled his glass. "Uh-huh."

"Anything else happening in the world at large that I should know about?" James asked. "Since … you know. No computer."

"Well, the Summers clan still looks weird blonde," Kari said. "But the grins get wider every picture, so… that's good. Chloe missed her family." She leaned back against the tree. "Zoe's pouting because your dad said she couldn't join the team, but Nikki said they got some personal training with their mom, who's the Black Widow, and Mama says that's perfect."

"So she's trying to guilt trip my dad with the pouting," James guessed before he tipped his glass back, not realizing until just then how overheated he was.

"Maybe. But it looks genuine. I mean, she's not as dramatic as we are — elflings, I mean," Kari said with a small smile.

"No one is dramatic as you guys," James said, setting the glass down as soon as it was empty.

Kari refilled it again for him. "Um… Sying and Penny are still sickeningly cute…"

"It's okay, Kari … I don't really need a rundown. I'm okay with quiet too. You don't have to reach for something if there's nothing to say."

"I was just trying to think if anything else had happened that you missed," Kari said. "I mean… you probably know the twins are grounded again, since… morning runs."

"Yeah, I was there for that. I'm doing them too. Only Dad and I start at five."

Kari nodded. "You're both insane," she agreed. She leaned back a bit and watched James for a second before she said, slowly, "And… Harry asked me out."

"So … where are you going?" he asked.

"Smoothies and a movie," she said.

"Sounds like an alright time."

"Well, it's just for fun, I think," Kari said. "I'm not like Krissy. I don't really… know about all this dating nonsense."

"You never know," he said with a shrug. "And smart money is just … generally to not. All around. Too bad no one is smart."

"Yeah, well, it's more fun to be stupid," Kari said with a smile. "I don't want a boyfriend, but dating is fun."

"Yeah, I think …" He let out a sigh. "I'm not sure I want to go back to Stark in the fall."

"Really?" Kari asked with one eyebrow raised. "Why not?"

"Mostly because I don't do anything that's been very useful. Little improvements here and there and a lot of coding, but so far, everything I've made on my own has gotten me into trouble. So …"

Kari frowned at him for a moment. "Okay, I hear you," she said. "But… really?"

"I mean, it's not Ultron level stupid, but it could be."

"You're too smart for that," she assured him.

"Yeah, I'm not so sure about that."

Kari watched him for a second before she made sure to kiss his cheek again. "I think you can do amazing things," she said. "And for as mad as Charlie was, I promise, she's excited about Amy. You can read it in her emails."

"It's not about how mad Charlie was." He shook his head again. "Doesn't matter. I handed it over to Hank."

"Just to finish," Kari pointed out. "It was so, so stupid what you did, but… the project as a whole?"

"No, I handed it all over."

"But it's such a good idea!" Kari stared at him. "Don't you want to see it through?"

"I … think that he'd do a better job," James said slowly.

"You should at least work with him," Kari said. "You made it."

James frowned and shook his head lightly. "Off of his specs. It's his."

Kari frowned at him and then put her head on his shoulder. "If you want to take a break, that's fine," she said. "But I hate to see you give up. That's not very… you."

"I think I just picked the wrong things to do, that's all. Maybe some other lab or group or something."

Kari nodded. "Alright. I just don't want you to give up."

"What do you think I'm giving up on?" James turned her way and watched her as she pulled her answer together.

"I think you're a total genius," she said, meeting his gaze. "And I think you could do amazing things with the team, with Tony Stark… even with the whole… debacle with Amy, I still think it's a brilliant invention." She tipped her head to the side. "You're my best friend, and I want you to be able to be amazing."

"So now wouldn't be the time to break the news that I'm going to just go be a mechanic or something then, right?"

Kari laughed. "Yeah, that would be a big fat 'no'."

"Carpenter?"

"Mmm, no," Kari said, though she was really starting to laugh now..

"Guess I'll just stick with 'stable hand' then."

"And get used to all the girls in the school staring at you. Yes, I think that's acceptable," Kari teased.

He burst out laughing at that. "And you think I'm overheated? I think you fried your brain."

Kari grinned. "Hey, I don't know if you know this, but you're actually very cute."

He pushed the glass back toward her as he shook his head 'no'. "I think you're low on sugar or something, because that's just nonsense."

"Would I lie to you?" Kari shot back.

"Intentionally, no, probably not. But if you're like … severely dehydrated or … I don't know. Too much banana bread ... maybe."

"Annie's not even here. I'm banana bread-free," Kari laughed. "And hey, I'm an artist. I know when things and people are aesthetically pleasing. You, my friend, are just that."

He leaned over and kissed her cheek. "And you're too kind. You said the same thing about a set of artistically-placed boxing gloves. Context."

"Learn to take a compliment, James," she teased.

He shook his head as he got back to his feet. "Nope, nuh-uh, not gonna happen. I happen to know for a fact that I didn't get that gene."

Kari just laughed at him and picked up the empty pitcher. "Want me to come let you know when dinner is? Because you might forget."

"Dad'll get me if I go for too long," he told her with a little self-deprecating smile.

Kari smiled at him. "Okay; if you say so."

"I think we should let Krissy go to Europe."

Kurt didn't even glance up from the book he was reading. "Whatever it is that Kaleb has done, you've already used up that bluff, love."

Kate chuckled to herself before she climbed into the space beside Kurt and slid her hand up his chest until she found his face to turn him her way and steal a long and involved kiss. "It's not a bluff."

That got Kurt to raise his eyebrows as he turned her way and put down the book. "You can't be serious."

"I am."

Kurt pressed a hand to her forehead. "Are you sure you're feeling well?" he asked, patting her head. "Maybe you should stay out of the sun."

Kate laughed and pushed away his hand. "I've just been thinking about it, and I think it could be good for her."

"We are talking about our oldest daughter, ja? The same girl who had to be rescued from the Atlantic for running after Chance?"

Kate smiled up at Kurt impishly. "I didn't say I thought we should let her go for Chance."

Kurt frowned at her as his tail snaked up her leg and wrapped around her. "I think you've lost me, Vögelchen."

Kate brushed his hair back from his face a bit, smiling over the slight gray in the strands between her fingers. "We're trying to teach her how to be on her own," she explained. "And how to accept the consequences of her choices."

"Yes," Kurt said, nodding slowly and not quite sure where Kate was going with this.

"So." Kate straightened up and let out a breath. "We let her go — but with stipulations. She has to stay the whole year — regardless of who she's dating."

Kurt tipped his head to the side and started to smile. "Yes, that would be good."

"I don't think they're going to last," Kate said, which got a wider smile out of Kurt that he tried to hide. "But that's not the point. I want her to have to stick to something. And I want her to learn how to be on her own." She shook her head. "We've bailed her out of everything. Don't get me wrong. I'm glad that our kids have a way better family than either of us did. But she needs to be able to get along as her own person."

"And you think Europe is the best option," Kurt said.

"I think it takes care of a whole lot of different aspects of letting her grow up at once," Kate said. "And you know — you know — Moira isn't going to let her get away with anything. Much safer than if she had to learn this later, as an adult."

Kurt considered her for a long time with his head tipped to the side. "You've certainly given this a lot of thought."

Kate smiled and kissed him. "I know you don't like it, but our little girl is a teenager now. And she could do a lot worse than a trip to Europe under the supervision of your old team with a Summers boy who learned how to be a gentleman from Annie."

Kurt let out a breath. "This is true," he had to admit.

Kate kissed him again. "If it makes you feel any better," she said, "you don't look older to me at all."

"And you only look lovelier every day," he said, shaking his head at her before he kissed her right back.

It was just a little past six A.M., and James was with his father in the woods. The two of them had run for over an hour, and when they got to the tall, rocky outcropping deep in the woods, they'd stopped to do the second part of what had become their morning routine. The meditative tai-chi had morphed into a light lesson — though no words were spoken between them as they practiced. When James finally mastered a new combination, Logan gave him a few moments to catch his breath before the two of them started to run again — this time back toward the house.

But this was the first time all summer that Logan had started to chat with him as they headed back. "Hank says the little doo-hickey you made for Charlie's ready to use."

"That's good to know," James said, bristling at the mention of the device. Not once all summer had Logan or K mentioned it after they'd chewed him out properly for it, though they had kept him away from more work on the thing.

"They're gonna want you to help adjust it."

"That's too bad, then," James said, shaking his head. And that was it. Just like that, Logan dropped it and left the subject there on the running trail. James let out a little breath when he realized that his father wasn't going to push him into it. And he slowly started to relax, wondering if it was a good thing or a bad thing — and realizing that it was entirely possible that having nothing to really think about all summer may have been the best thing for him.

The two of them kept up their run, and when they finally got back to the trailhead that opened up at the lawn, James steeled himself for whatever God-awful chore list that he had to finish up, confused when his father simply started to stretch on his way up to the house.

"Hey," James called out before he jogged to catch up. "What am I doing today?"

Logan shrugged. "You've got about two, three days maybe before classes start back up. How about you spend 'em relaxin'?"

James stopped dead in his tracks, obviously not prepared to hear that, of all things. But as his father headed up to the house, James turned to look back toward the forest. After he started to walk across the lawn, he found a spot with soft grass under one of the bigger trees littering the lawn and simply dropped down to lie on the grass.

He was tired, and his entire body was buzzing, still. He had to wonder for a moment if his father wasn't giving him a day to recuperate just so he could really hammer him when classes started up freshly. He wouldn't put it past him. But he did tell him to relax. So James took a moment, stretched out, then laid down on his stomach, using his arms crossed under him for a pillow.

He didn't know how long he'd been there before he heard a muted bamf some ways off, but it wasn't enough to alarm him into stirring. Not when he was that comfortable.

"Oh my gosh, have you been taking lessons from the twins in how to pull off repeat groundings?" Kari said as she sat down beside him.

James didn't even open his eyes as he replied in a sleepy tone, "Dad told me to relax."

Kari blinked at him. "Seriously?"

"Seriously."

"Huh." Kari tipped her head to the side before she simply lay down next to him with her hands behind her head. "Bout time."

He finally cracked an eye open to look over at her. "You're ridiculous."

"I'm an Elf."

"I totally earned what I got," he said.

She turned her head to look at him. "But now you've learned from it, right? So…"

"Which part are you worried about me repeating?" he asked as he rolled onto his side and propped his head up with one hand.

"The part where you end up totally exhausted all summer and I miss my best friend," Kari said. She rolled over to match his posture with a smile.

"Are you saying I wrecked your summer?" He smirked. "Because I'm pretty sure you've been having fun anyhow."

She grinned. "I have been. Harry and I are going out again. But you asked me what part I didn't want repeated—"

"Did he kiss you yet?"

"... almost," Kari admitted with a little blush.

He shook his head. "Not good enough. Lazy."

"Blame Kade. He totally busted us," Kari said, rolling her eyes and flopping back onto the grass. "I hereby appoint you tiny demon wrangler to prevent that ever happening again."

"That was rude of him," he said. "But I'm … not going to be around all the time to handle your little brother for you."

"So you decided what you want to do?"

"No. But … I do have a healthy sense of irony, so …" He drew in a deep breath and started to smile a little wider. "I'm going to spend some time with Dr. Banner."

Kari burst out laughing. "I love you. So much. Oh my gosh."

"I figure for as anxious as Tony's getting, if I want to get away from him for a while, I'll need to go to someone that he won't really want to tick off, and Richards is a pushover."

"He totally is," Kari agreed. She grinned. "Do you think I could come visit sometime? I think I want to paint the two of you working together. Call it 'Irony'."

"Probably," he said with a shrug before he slid back to the ground. "He's fine as long as you don't screw with his stuff."

"I'll just bring an easel and sit in the corner, I promise," Kari said with her hand over her heart. "But it's too good to pass up without capturing it for all time."

"I'll ask him just to make sure. He was a little grumpy about the idea of a bamf staying with me."

"Why?" Kari asked, one eyebrow raised. "You've got the best-behaved one. He actually thinks the lab stuff is cool."

"He's quiet most of the time, yeah. But I think the others made an impression when they tinkered with Tony's suit and tried rearranging Bruce's notes."

"Ah." Kari nodded. "I'd offer to be the stand-in bamf, but I think my papa can only handle one girl spending all day with cute boys," she teased.

"Yeah, I don't want him to have a conniption over nothing," James agreed.

She rolled her eyes at him but made herself more comfortable, stretching out in the grass. "Uh-huh."

"So what are you doing today, then?"

"I only have plans tonight for Harry," she said. "He's in New York with his sister and Strange."

"Learning magic and he can't even conjure you some flowers. Laziness."

Kari grinned. "Clearly, he should learn from you how to properly woo Wagners."

He laughed at that. "Right."

"Hey, middle name you've got? You're practically one of us."

"Yeah, you'd think your dad would like me better," James said with his nose scrunched up.

"He loves you; what are you talking about?" Kari said, shaking her head at him.

"He gives me dirty looks half the time," James pointed out.

Kari waved her hand. "My sister is chasing boys, Kaleb is sneaking kisses… he's paranoid. Don't take it personally. Harry gets way worse looks."

"If you say so," James said, half snuggling down into the grass again, simply trying to settle in and not let anyone think he was trying to pull anything.

"Tell you what: take a look when I'm not around and you'll see a difference, I promise. He adores you, but he's all…" She scrunched her nose up and drew her shoulders taller. "'You both need to stop growing up so fast'," she said in a deep German accent.

He smiled a little wider her way. "Oh, is that what it is?"

She grinned over at him. "Well, you are incredibly cute. Can you blame him?"

"You really need your eyes checked. I'm concerned."

"Fine. Don't believe me."

"You are literally the only person that's said that," he said.

At that, Kari looked honestly surprised. "Really?"

"Yeah," he said, laughing. "Who's going to say otherwise? Howard?"

"... good point," Kari said. She shook her head at him. "Well, you won't hear it with Bruce Banner either. At all."

"I really hope not," James said. "That would just raise more questions than answers."

"It really would," Kari giggled.

A moment later, there was a muted bamf — this time announcing Kurt's arrival as he raised an eyebrow at the two teens laid out in the grass together. "And what are you up to today?"

"Trying not to die," James drawled out. "I've set the bar low."

"Relaxing," Kari explained. "James has the day off."

"Then it would definitely be a good idea to keep from anything that would get you in trouble," Kurt agreed with a smirk.

"If I get into trouble, it'll be because it falls on my head," James replied.

"So, you plan to sit out in the sun while you can still tan?" Kurt asked, the smirk widening a bit James' way.

"I'm just avoiding everyone," James answered.

"You've done magnificently," Kurt said.

"James was just saying he's trying to figure out a new lab to go to," Kari explained. "And I was telling him about my date with Harry."

"Don't worry; I'll be out of here in a few days," James said.

Kurt shook his head James' way, though the look he'd been wearing had dropped several notches. "That's a shame. It feels like you have been gone all summer."

"Everyone has," James pointed out. "Lot quieter than usual."

Kurt shook his head. "So, what were you thinking of doing?"

"I've been talking to Dr. Banner." James managed to keep a perfectly straight face this time.

At that, Kurt burst out laughing and rested a hand on James' shoulder to keep himself upright. "Dies ist perfekt."

"Hopefully," James agreed. "No one wants to go in his lab."

"And I'm sure there is plenty you can learn," Kurt agreed. He was still smiling before he simply had to shake his head and couldn't hold back the chuckle. "Have you told your father — and if not, can I come?"

"I have, and he's fine with it. He likes Bruce," James pointed out.

"Ah, but you will come home every day with a smell, and I wonder if he has thought of this."

"That … is what we need to figure out," James admitted. "How often I'll be back here. Might be easier for me to just stay out of everyone's way and stick to the city for a semester."

"You won't be coming back in the afternoons?" Kurt asked, frowning slightly.

"We're talking about it." James shrugged. "Any lessons I get from Dad at this point have to be private anyhow. So it won't really matter when we do them."

"There is more to life than a lab and lessons," Kurt pointed out gently.

"Not really at this point," James countered.

"You should come to dance," Kari suggested. "We need more guys anyway, and you actually can dance."

"We'll see. That's all …" He waved his hand. "Details."

"Okay, but now I'm just going to assume you're my dance partner," Kari said perfectly matter-of-factly.

"I'm sure your dance card is already full," James said with a little smirk.

Kari grinned. "Exactly. Nothing like a little flair to make everyone seethe with jealousy."

"You and Harry will look great," James told her, looking perfectly sincere.

Kari shook her head at him. "James… you're an idiot," she said as she got to her feet and then popped up to kiss Kurt on the cheek. "Bye, Papa. I'm going shopping with Krissy and Mama for school," she said, then disappeared in a poof of pink.

Kurt shook his head before he sat down next to James. "I hope you'll decide to be around more," he said.

"I don't know if that's a good idea. I think I irritate everyone enough with limited access," James said.

"Lächerlich," Kurt said, shaking his head with a warm smile. "You are simply too wonderful for others to handle, clearly."

"That is a slanted way of agreeing with me," James told him.

Kurt waved a hand. "Ah, but it's true," he said. "I was the same way at your age. Too amazing for anyone else to deal with."

"Then I think it's kinder to let them try to catch up."

"And leave those of us who are already perfect?" Kurt asked, putting a hand on his heart.

"Again … let you shine," James replied in a muted tone.

Kurt leaned back and shook his head. "Then let me put it to you this way, James," he said. "You're loved here, and for that reason alone, we like to see you."

"I know," he agreed, nodding. "But … I dunno."

"But nothing," Kurt said. "You are loved. That is the end of it." He got to his feet and offered James a hand up. "Now. I think it's about time you and I had a game of pool."

"Is this one of those 'you're doing it' things, or is it optional?"

"If you're planning to disappear with Bruce Banner for who knows how long, then yes, it's something you're simply going to do. As it is, you've already been unreachable to me all summer." Kurt tipped his head down to catch James' gaze, since the young man was more focused on the ground than anything else. "I think you've spent far too much time alone and outside lately. Come along. I'll order dinner for us while you lose at pool."