Alison was quiet.
She had been ever since they had left the CADI. After what seemed like hours of questioning about the events at Camp Genoa, the CID finally allowed the surviving participants to leave. Before the organization had shown up, they had all gotten their stories straight, so there hadn't been repercussions for their actions. For now, at least. Maybe once they had finished scrubbing the camp, they would be back for more questions. Until then, the group of people could do as they pleased. At the moment, four of them had been piled into the Mayor's SUV. The other three had decided to go elsewhere, probably to patch up Job because the man had refused to go to the hospital.
Kurt glanced at the woman on his right. She was still covered in blood. Her cheek had darkened because of the large bruise. He wished he could have taken care of that as soon as possible, but other matters had gotten in the way. Now, he could get the chance. Alison's house was quickly approaching and he had already made up his mind to take care of her. She would let him stay, wouldn't she? The vehicle came to a stop in the driveway. The Mayor put it in park and looked back at his friend. "Are you sure we can't drive you to the hospital, Alison?" he asked.
"I'm fine," she replied, opening the door. Her brown eyes shifted to Kurt for a second. She tilted her head, and he knew that it meant she wanted him to come with. He moved to get out as well. It was obvious Hopewell was about to protest given the large gulp of air he sucked in. "Go home, Gordon. Take care of your wife. Goodnight, Carrie." Leaving no room for argument, the District Attorney climbed out and slammed the door shut.
"Mr. and Mrs. Hopewell," Kurt acknowledged with a slight nod before he, too, climbed out of the SUV. He followed Alison to her porch. He watched as she lowered herself and reached for the potted plant. She gripped the stems and pulled it up, along with compacted dirt. Her hand disappeared inside the pot for a few seconds before she pulled a dirty silver key. Obviously, it was a spare to her home, which made him think that her things had been left behind at the camp. Maybe eventually, her belongings would be returned to her.
After fumbling with the lock for a moment, Alison opened the door to her house. Kurt followed behind her, watching her pass the living room. He turned to shut the front door and lock it. She was still so quiet. He wanted to ask her, but after what she had gone through, maybe it was best that she didn't talk. For now, at least. With a sigh, Kurt went further into her house. He found her in the kitchen, standing next to the refrigerator. She had taken a bottled water out and was pressing it against her right cheek. It should have been done a long time ago, but better late than never, he guessed.
Alison noticed his presence, and her eyes darted up to meet his. For a moment, she only stared, and then lowered the bottle from her face. She set it down on the counter behind her before turning her attention back to him. "Come here," she said. No hesitation, Kurt obliged. As he made his way over to her, Alison moved further away, choosing to stand over the sink. She sank down and opened the lower cabinet. Standing up, she now held a first aid box. "Let me take a look," she said, placing the kit on the counter. Her hands reached for him, fingers curling to tug his shirt upward.
"Wait, your hands," Kurt's feeble protest fell on deaf ears as Alison removed his shirt. She tossed it to the side and began examining the wide gash on the side of his shoulder. It had stopped bleeding, and honestly, he had forgotten about it. "I'm fine," he told her. "Let me-"
"You got shot, Bunker!" Alison cut in, almost glaring at him. The rest of his protest had quickly wilted. "This isn't even my blood." Her gaze lowered for a moment. "You got shot… for me. So let me take care of you first."
Kurt could only nod at her demand. Sighing deeply, Alison went to work on his arm. Tentatively, she began cleaning around the injury. She worked silently, concentrating. It gave him time to look at her—really look at her. Not her blood, she had said. She looked too similar to that night at the CADI, though. Covered in blood that hadn't been hers. Only this time, she hadn't wiped any of it away. Her arms, neck, and face had been splattered. She probably wouldn't wear the top again since there was so much blood. Her hand was bloodied, too.
The image had stunned him at the time. After the Mayor had saved his wife by shooting the fingers off Stowe, he had relaxed. He had realized that he had had time to search for Alison. But only a few moments later, he had heard the gun shots. For several long moments, he had thought someone had… And then he had rushed around that truck and found her standing there, as bloody and magnificent as she had been when she had saved his life. His dangerous monster goddess. Standing tall, bloody, but alive. He had been so relieved that he hadn't thought twice about his actions, even though he had known the Sheriff had followed him. He had been so thankful and so taken by the sight of her that now the Sheriff knew about them. Kurt wondered if that met more people would come to know.
"Okay, I'm done," Alison's voice snapped him out of his thoughts. He shifted his line of sight to his arm, noting the gauze that had been wrapped, holding a thicker cloth in place where the injury was. Her fingers smoothed over the area, appearing satisfied with her work. "I'll take a look again in the morning."
"Okay… Now, can I…?" Kurt nearly pleaded. Alison pursed her lips, but nodded her head. He immediately lifted her up to sit on her the counter. She hadn't even yelped in surprise. His hands lingered on her hips seconds longer than he had planned while she watched him. Clearing his throat, he removed his hands, busying himself by turning on the faucet beside her. He felt her eyes on him, but she remained quiet. Taking her left hand, he held it under the flow of water, slowly massaging away the dry blood. Once clean, he saw the cuts in her skin. Her knuckles and fingers had been sliced into by teeth… by bone maybe. She had been ferocious to whoever had suffered her wrath. "What happened?" he asked, grabbing one of the kitchen rags from the small rack above the sink. They seemed to be more decorative than anything, especially since Alison had a dishwasher.
Alison drew in a soft breath as he began to dry her hand. "I… I stayed behind at the diner longer than I should have, talking to Carrie," she began. "Stowe came in and was being all threatening, so I couldn't just leave her by herself with him. He ended up taking me, too." Kurt frowned, dropping the rag into the sink. He then traced one of the cuts on her knuckle, lightly circling the cut. "Oh… You meant…" Again, she breathed softly, gathering words. As she prepared herself to answer him, Kurt reached for the ointment that had been left out of the first aid box. He carefully applied the ointment, briefing thinking back to when their positions had been reversed. The night she had initially—willingly—touched him. "I was… separated from the rest of the hostages while everyone was shooting. I was taken away by this guy who I thought had been knocked unconscious. I don't know why he took me—maybe to await further orders? Regardless, we were alone… and he tried to... not spare me."
Kurt halted his movements—just froze for several seconds as the information sank in. Some piece of shit had tried to attack Alison? "That motherfucker…!" he growled out, imagining a faceless bastard that had had the gull to go after her in the middle of a fucking warzone. His anger flared, and he had a hard time suppressing it. "Is he dead?" Alison didn't reply for a long moment. Then she shrugged her shoulders. "You should have made sure," he told her through clenched teeth. "Or told me sooner and I would have made sure!" To his mild surprise, she didn't flinch away from his obvious ire. In fact, the corners of her lips lifted as though pleased.
"It doesn't matter anymore, Kurt," Alison said. He opened his mouth to object. What? It didn't matter? The last time, when he had unintentionally hurt her that way, she had reacted in the only way that had made sense. Scared. Vulnerable. She must have felt the same, right? Seemingly knowing where his thoughts had gone, Alison shook her head. Her palms slid against his cheeks, and the anger and guilt left him at her gentle touch. "It doesn't matter," she insisted. "What does matter is that…" She leaned forward, lightly pressing the tip of her nose against his. "You came for me."
"Of course I did," Kurt replied.
"And I care more about that than what some monster tried to do," Alison said. She shifted her head, tenderly smoothing her lips against his. Kurt felt his eyebrows rise at her action. They were together. He knew that, and understood. But he also understood that Alison had gone through something horrible. He had realized that she couldn't so easily give affection. He had thought he would be the one to give and give. But here she was, willingly kissing him. So gentle. So giving. Christ. It was nice. Kurt shut his eyes, returning her affectionate gesture, quietly reveling in how easy this felt. His hands reached for her hips and tugged her forward, closer to him. But why did this feel so different? It wasn't reassuring or deep. It wasn't fueled by hunger and lust. It was just… something else entirely. He enjoyed it almost more than the other kisses they had shared, and he wouldn't mind more of this type of kiss.
After another moment, Alison reared back, sliding her hands down his cheeks, his neck, before her fingers finally curled around the neck of his undershirt. Kurt sighed deeply, wrapping his fingers around her wrists. He watched her bite down on her lower lip as she stared back at him. "I just… I just want to make sure you're okay," he said. Alison lowered her gaze and dipped her chin.
"I… I'm tired, Kurt," she admitted. "I'm processing. It's probably going to take a couple days. You know, it was a couple days after what happened with Chayton that I went home and cried myself to sleep, so after a few days, I guess I'll be okay. So… If—could you stay the night until that happens?"
"If you want me to, yeah," Kurt nodded his head. He was surprised that she would admit that. The night she referred to him had been the night he had approached her, wanting to show his thanks for saving his life. He hoped that he hadn't been part of the reason for her tears. "Anything."
"Thank you," Alison said. Her hands pushed him a bit, allowing her to hop down from the counter. "I'm going to change now." Kurt quietly watched her walk away. She had sounded so sure that she would break down because of what had happened at the camp. On one hand, he was dreading when that came. On the other hand, he was glad that she trusted him so much—that she could rely on him in her a vulnerable state. He felt himself smiling a bit. It wouldn't be enough for her. He had to do something else besides just be there. So as he turned and began searching her cabinets for canned soup, Kurt began thinking of ways he could help her. Help to take her mind off Genoa.
0-0
The past few days had been relatively peaceful. Alison hadn't had it in her to sit around her house all day, sleeping or pacing, so her return to work had been quick. Fortunately, the Mayor hadn't decided to give her a mandatory therapy. Hell, Gordon hadn't attempted getting into contact with her at all. This would be the first time they had spoken since he had dropped her off. For the moment, he chose to sit in one of the chairs opposite her desk, brooding. Alison did her best to ignore him as she typed away on her work laptop. Currently, they were both waiting for the arrival of the Sheriff. The three of them were going to discuss plans and such. She had already come up with something. So discussing was a bit of a stretch.
So in the time of waiting for the Sheriff, Alison focused on the document in front of her. Then, of course, Gordon grew tired of just waiting in silence. Lucas was already five minutes late. No doubt he was dragging his feet, trying to push back this meeting for as long as he could. The Mayor sighed in a pointed way. Alison discretely rolled her eyes, sensing that he wanted to talk now. She saved her work, and then shut the lid of her laptop. After pushing the computer to the side, she leaned back in her seat, locking her fingers together in front of her.
"Something on your mind, Gordon?"
"Yeah," he replied, chuckling without humor. "A lot of things actually." When she chose not to respond to his words, Gordon stood up. "What the fuck, Alison? You're friends with that Nazi?!" There it was. "Why didn't you tell me?! I had to hear it from him while your life was in danger?!" Fortunately, the door was shut. His voice had risen with each question. "I knew…! I knew something was up with you these last couple of months, but this…? I can't even wrap my head around it!"
"My free time is my business," Alison calmly stated. "And if I choose to spend some of it with Kurt-" Gordon scoffed. She forced herself to ignore it. "-it shouldn't be a concern for you."
"Shouldn't be…? Are you serious?" he questioned. "Of course I should be concerned, Alison! He's a fucking Nazi! Men like him hurt you in the worst way imaginable, and now you're willingly spending time with someone like him?! And for months at that! Why are you acting like this is completely normal?! Have forgotten what happened to you?!"
"Why do you think you have any say?" she asked.
"Because we're friends, or so I thought!" Gordon retorted. "Can't you see how worrying this is? I don't know how this started, and I don't care, but this is not good for you." A flash of irritation shot through her. Alison clicked her tongue and glanced away from the heated man in front of her. While she appreciated his concern, it was ultimately not needed. She knew Kurt. Gordon didn't. So as far as she was concerned, he had no right. "This scum is going to hurt you just like his so called brothers if they ever hear about this."
"Don't call him that," Alison said. "He's not who you think he is."
"What? Because he's change? People like him don't change—they can't."
Wow. This conversation again. And all it took was three months of knowing Kurt Bunker to know that wasn't all the way true. Alison looked down for a moment and bit her lower lip. "You know what, Gordon," she began. She crossed her arms. "The fact that I can spend time with him in the first place—that I can be comfortable with him—should you tell you that he's different than what you think." Not convinced, he opened his mouth. "I love him." Those words seemed to knock the protest right off his tongue. Alison took some satisfaction from his utterly flabbergasted expression. Not only that but, it had been oddly liberating. Saying it out loud, never mind that it had to be Gordon, had felt good. "I… I love him." Her repeat of words caused the Mayor to drop down in his seat, hand reaching up to slid his fingers in his hair.
"This is…" Gordon managed.
"Again, none of your business," Alison finished for him. His eyes turned her to her, and she leaned forward, hands still clasped. "Worry as much as you want, Gordon. It won't change how I feel towards him. I trust him with more than just my life. I know he would never hurt me. Regardless, it's my decision to have him in my life. Not yours." A knock at the door caused her to shift her eyes. The conversation was over, anyway. "Come in!" she called. Sheriff Lucas Hood walked in, head dipped down and a boyish grin on his face. "You're late," she told him, unimpressed.
"Sorry, traffic was hell," he replied with a shrug. He closed the door behind him, and then walked forward to sit beside Gordon. The Mayor made no move to greet the man. Apparently, he was still stewing. "So we're all here. What are we talking about?"
"The fact that you stole six million dollars," Alison stated. He lost his grin and sat up, tense and alert. "It's unacceptable that I found out about it, Sheriff. What you do in your personal life should never reach my ears. Under normal circumstances, trust me when I say we wouldn't be talking. You understand?"
"Straight to the point—yep," Lucas said. He leaned back, folding his arms over his chest. "So tell me why this isn't a normal circumstance."
"You are the reason I'm alive," Alison said. Then she shrugged lightly. "That, and I actually like you." A slight smirk tugged at his lips. "So I'm willing to keep what I know to myself on two conditions. One, your resignation."
"… That's fair," Lucas muttered.
"After, at least, a year," she continued. His eyebrows rose, clearly surprised. Gordon had snapped out of his slump and was also looking at her incredulously. "I'm not going to deny your skills as a Sheriff. You bring the criminals, and I put them away. The last couple of Sheriffs this town has had weren't as good as you at that, so I'm willing to keep you on board. Hell, you might be able to bring me Proctor in the end." Her explanation was met by silence from both men. "After a year, you will quietly resign, after making sure you leave behind adequate candidates to replace you."
"So you want me to leave Banshee then?"
"Whether or not you stay in Banshee is up to you. I don't care what you do after you're no longer Sheriff," Alison rejoined. "That is unless you're caught stealing in my district again. Then I get to put you away, of course."
"Of course," he repeated. "But I thought you liked me."
"You're cute," she admitted. "But you're not that cute."
"Yeah, not as cute as Bunker, huh?" Lucas had the nerve to sass. Alison frowned, not liking the comment in the least. Gordon, too, hadn't seemed to find the remark amusing. He glared hard and crossed his arms. Well, honestly, the Mayor generally did not like the things that came from Lucas' mouth, but that happened to come too soon after he had learned of her affection towards the ink covered man. The Sheriff cleared his throat and looked away, realizing that his humor was not about to win him any points. "Right, and the second condition?"
"You anonymously donate half of what you stole to Banshee."
"Are you fucking kidding me?" Lucas asked, astonished.
All humor drained away, and Alison had to force herself not to smirk at him. "You want to fight me on this, Sheriff?" she questioned, sharply. "Because I can anonymously donate this recorded conversation straight to CID." The man visibly clenched his jaw. "Resign after a year, donate half of the six million, and I'll keep my mouth shut and destroy the leverage. If not, you'll be thoroughly investigated. You'll go to jail. Your friends will go to jail. And I take all the money instead of just half. This is a good deal. You should take it."
"… And if I just run?"
"Please do." Alison could no longer hold back her smirk. She leaned forward as though to tell him a secret. "I actually enjoy the chase." The tension in the Sheriff's jaw became a bit tighter, and his pupils dilated. Alison narrowed her eyes, wondering about that reaction, but to be honest, she didn't very much care for it.
"You should just take it, Hood," Gordon spoke up. "Carrie would agree to those terms, anyway. She doesn't care about the money anymore."
"Yeah, it's not Carrie I'm worried about," Lucas grumbled, tearing his eyes away from her. Alison had an idea of who he would be worried about. She didn't know Job very well, but it was obvious he would react to this deal with contempt and disgruntlement. The Sheriff sighed deeply. "Fine—looks like I don't have a choice." Of course, he didn't. There was more at stake than just him being on the run. The man was obviously loyal, and he wouldn't just leave his friends behind. Nor his daughter. No matter what deal she had proposed, he would have agreed to it. There was no chance of him running. "So we're done here?"
"Yes," Alison said. "We're done. If there's nothing else, you can both go. I have work to do." Gordon opened his mouth as the Sheriff stood up from his chair. "And no, Gordon, we are not talking about that again. Accept it and move on. Handle your own affairs." The Mayor pursed his lips, obviously not happy, but he nodded his head and stood up as well. She watched the two men walk out of her office.
Maybe she had been too argumentative, but after yesterday, maybe she had needed to feel in control. Yesterday night, her reaction to the events at Genoa had come. Fortunately, Kurt had been there, as promised. And even better, he had offered to take her out of town for a weekend. Just the two of them, without having to worry about anything in Banshee. They could just relax. They would go see a movie—Ant Man, she had cheered mentally when he had told her; she had been itching to see that Marvel movie—and stay in a hotel. She couldn't wait for the weekend to come. For now, she supposed she had to deal with the rest of the week. Sighing to herself, Alison opened her laptop again.
0-0
Kurt couldn't help but smile as he watched Alison animatedly talk about the movie they had just witnessed. The theater was still dark as the end credits rolled up the screen. Other spectators were in the midst of making their exit, but the two of them stayed seated. There wasn't many in the first place, seeing as how the movie had come out about a month ago. The bright names on the screen was enough to make out her enthused expression as she told him her favorite parts. Admittedly, Kurt had fallen asleep for some of it. As long as she was happy with it, he would sit through any Marvel movie with her.
They had driven far from Banshee in order to see this movie—almost three hours, actually. They had practically reached the border of the state. They had arrived at the hotel with plenty of time to spare before the movie had started, so they had gotten something to eat before venturing into the theater. He almost couldn't believe the Sheriff had let him have the weekend off. I'm not trying to get on Alison's bad side… again, he had said, waving him off when Kurt had asked. He thought he would have had to persuade his boss. Getting the entire weekend off had been unheard of, especially for a rookie. Billy had been quite upset to hear about it, in which he had to be reminded that both Kurt and the Sheriff had gone through an ordeal, and had needed some time off. Billy begrudgingly agreed, but he had pouted for an entire day.
Anyway, Kurt was glad to have this time with her. Maybe they both needed this. Alison suddenly turned to him, smile on her face. "What'd you think?" she questioned. Kurt shrugged lightly. She hummed thoughtfully. "Well, this one had its moments, but I honestly can't wait until the next Avengers movie."
"You just want a chance to see Toki again."
"It's Loki!" Alison corrected with an eye roll. "And hush." She grinned as she stood up. Kurt stood up, too, matching her grin. "I'm going to the restroom first. Meet you in the lobby." The woman walked off, sliding her palm against his covered arm.
"I'll see if I can get you another Icee," Kurt told her. She smiled, and then disappeared around the corner. She had finished off her drink fifteen minutes into the movie. It had been a wonder why she hadn't complained about brain freeze. Chuckling to himself, he turned around and gathered their things. Alison had left her purse at the hotel. She had taken off her jacket during the movie, and so had he. So he draped their jackets over his arm and headed towards the exit.
When he got to the lobby, he was relieved that there weren't any people. It was late at night on a Saturday, so other shows must have been playing still. He went to the concession stand. One of the workers stopped having conversation and approached him with a smile on his face. Upon taking a look at him, the smile falter. Of course, it was always like this no matter where he went. The younger male eyed his visible ink before plastering on a fake smile. Before, Alison had been the one to get snacks, so no one actually noticed him until now.
Kurt cleared his throat. "May I please have a purple Icee?" The kid almost squeaked and scurried off. He held back a sigh as he waited. He didn't have to wait long. The worker set the plastic cup on the counter as he removed his wallet from the back pocket of his jeans. He pulled out a five dollar bill and set it on the counter. "You can keep the change." The kid looked to be straining to keep the customer service smile on his face. Keeping in another sigh, Kurt placed his wallet back into his pocket, and then took the drink and straw, quickly moving away from the stand.
He found a table and sat down. Again his eyes scanned the lobby floor as he idly wondered the time. Kurt reached into the right pocket of his jeans and pulled out his cell phone. He flipped it open and looked at the time displayed. Almost 11. He hadn't realized the movie had lasted so long. Then he noticed he had one new text message. Curious, he opened the app to see that Billy had been the one to text him. Well, of course, no one else would… besides Alison. Hope you having fun, it said. His sarcasm came through loud and clear. Kurt could just imagine the pout his coworker probably had sported as he had written the message. Stifling a grin, he sent back a reply. A blast. The message would be sure to piss off Billy, and he was sure to walk into a shit storm on Monday, but it was worth it. It only took a few seconds to get another message. Don't really like you right now, Bunk.
Laughing, Kurt shook his head and snapped his phone shut. Billy was probably just upset about doing paperwork he normally pawned over on him. Upon looking up, he realized the lobby now had people in it. Another movie must have finished. He tensed a bit, eyes immediately looking around for Alison. She hadn't appeared yet. Kurt removed his hands from the table and lowered his head. As long as he didn't draw attention to himself, and no one looked twice his way, then he could wait for her in peace. The reassuring thought didn't stop his knee from bobbing up and down in a nervous manner. Maybe he should have waited in the truck.
"What the fuck?!"
Kurt winced at the volume of the shout. It had been a startled shout. And angry. Having come across it numerous times in Dade, he recognized it instantly. He hesitantly turned his head to the right to see a couple staring at him, clear bewilderment and disgust in their expressions. They were of darker complexions. The man, large and muscular, and the woman, soft and round. Damn it. They must have seen the ink on his face. Kurt's eyes darted elsewhere in search of Alison. Again, there was no sign of her.
"I don't believe this shit!" the man continued in a loud voice as he walked over. The woman at his side followed, but she appeared less excited about approaching him. Her hands gripped the man's arm, visibly looking as though she tried to tug him away. Her efforts were ignored. The man yanked his arm away from the woman. Kurt looked down at the table. "Yo! Yo, Nazi, I'm talking to you!" He remained quiet, part of him hoping that if he ignored the man, he would just take the hint and go away. "Oh? So you don't hear me?"
His question had been equipped with his palm smacking against the cup on the table. The large drink went flying, and Kurt stood up immediately, knocking his chair over. He stood toe-to-toe with the darker man, a surge of anger shooting through his chest. If it had been his Icee, he would not have reacted harshly, but since it had belonged to Alison… Kurt clenched his teeth, glaring at the man. His dark eyes glared right back. This was a mistake. He knew it the instant he had gotten up, but he hadn't been able to stop himself. This man clearly wanted a fight. Kurt had seen the swelled shoulders too many times in his life. It wouldn't take a whole lot for him to start throwing punches.
Swallowing hard, Kurt glanced to the left, hoping to spot Alison, so he would have an excuse to walk away. He did not see her, but he did notice that a crowd had gathered and had formed a semi-circle. Shit. Obviously, they had heard the commotion. Half of them appeared curious at the spectacle. The other half seemed eager for blood. All of them wore faces of distaste. He had to get this situation under control. One or two false moves, and this could very well turn into a riot type situation. A righteous riot against the obvious bad guy. The one covered in ugly tattoos.
Kurt returned his full attention to the man. He forced himself to relax under the steely gaze of the man standing opposite of him. If the man punched him, then he would be forced to defend himself. The outcome of the brawl wouldn't matter. It would just matter that he was a black man, and Kurt was a white supremacist. It would be a story that could reach back home. He didn't even want to think about those consequences. Shit. "What? You gon do something?" the man asked, sneering. "I dare you."
"No, sir," Kurt replied. "I apologize for offending you. I don't mean any harm. I'm only waiting, and then I'll leave." The man sucked his teeth, clearly not convinced. "I don't want any trouble."
"Bullshit. If you didn't want trouble, you shouldn't have showed up with those fucking tattoos!"
"I understand that my physical appearance may be unsettling, but I can assure you-"
"Fuck you!" the man shouted.
Kurt dipped his chin, knowing that he deserved this scorn and ire. His tattoos, although he was ashamed, marked him as enemy number one. In a public setting, he couldn't relax. Never completely. He definitely should have waited in the truck. He turned his head, taking another look at the gathered crowd, hoping to see a glimpse of Alison. This time, he actually saw her. Near the back of the crowd. She, too, appeared to be watching, though her expression was unreadable. Nonetheless, her appearance met he could just leave this confrontation behind without it coming to blows.
Just as he was about to turn his full attention on the man, he noticed Alison shutting her eyes and turning away. His breath caught in his throat at the sight. For a long moment, he felt as though he couldn't breathe. It felt as though they were the only two in the room, and he could clearly see her back moving further and further away. He, of course, understood her reaction. Obviously, she wouldn't want to get involved. It was best if someone of her profession not be involved in such a thing. He knew that. He understood. He hadn't been expecting her to do anything anyway. But it didn't stop the distress. He didn't stop the way his stomach lurched. She had turned her back on him, and he had no right to feel anything other than acceptance. And yet…
Kurt tried to breathe again as he looked towards the man in front of him. Straining, he swallowed and grit his teeth. "Again, I apologize for my physical appearance," he said. "I'll leave now." He turned, fully intending on picking up the jackets that had fallen from his arm. However, just as he reached for the jackets, he felt a hard shove to his back, equipped with a 'damn right you will!' Kurt would have fallen over had it not been for the table. Lucky the thing had been nailed to the floor or both he and the table would have toppled over. He gripped the edge of the table, clenching his teeth hard enough for his brain to recognize it as painful. The anger was back, and he almost didn't want to repress it. Almost. So Kurt slowly turned back around to face the man. "Sir. You do not want this. Walk away."
His words had come out more aggressive than intended. He could tell by the way the man had faltered just a bit as though he was in the process of truly reconsidering. But Kurt's words had been too provoking. A man such of this would not take it as a warning. He would take it as a challenge. They had both provoked each other, and the only thing left to do was brawl. His eyes glared, watching the darker man tense and coil even more than he had been, obviously preparing to strike. And honestly, Kurt would let him have it—that first punch, maybe the next few after. Maybe if he got hit, it would replace the emptiness in his chest.
Suddenly, his clenched hand was covered. Kurt flinched before turning his head to his left. The ringing in his ears had ceased. He hadn't even known that his ears had been ringing until the drone had disappeared at the sight of her. Alison stared at him, expression open and soft. Her fingers curled around his fist, squeezing. Kurt let go of the breath he had been holding as his fingers uncurled, allowing her fingers to slide between his and grasp his hand more firmly. "You ready to go?" she questioned as though there was no one else around—no one else watching.
"What the fuck?!"
The question came again, causing Alison to turn her head towards the obnoxious noise. Unimpressed, she raised a brow at the man. He was too busy staring at their joined hands, eyes wide and mouth hanging open. "Can I help you?" Alison asked. The man only managed to choke out nonsense. Alison made a show of rolling her eyes. "Jesus Christ…! This is the fifteenth time I have to explain this today! These tattoos are not permanent. He's an actor!"
"Wha-? Actor?" the woman standing behind the man blurted. "He's… And you're with him?"
"Yes, I'm with him," Alison replied simply. Kurt felt his heart clench. "It's a very small role he has, but he's determined to crush it. Method acting, he calls it. I bet he hit you with that 'I understand that my physical appearance may be unsettling' bit, didn't he?" Her question successfully caused the couple to lose the tension in their shoulders. The way she had tried to sound just like him—deep voice and all—must have made them lose their guard. The man barked out a laugh. It was a little forced. He nervously rubbed the side of his face as the woman behind him.
"You could have just said that, bruh," he muttered. "I was 'bout to start swinging."
"He did try! You didn't give him a chance! See? This is what I'm talking about! So quick to bring your fists into conversation!" the woman lightly slapped at his back. The man pressed his lips together, appearing contrite. The woman slowly shifted her eyes to Kurt. "I'm sorry about him... sir." In response, Kurt cleared his throat and nodded his head. "Good luck with your movie role." The woman roughly grabbed the man by the arm, and tugged him along. The departing couple quickly made their way to the exit, having hurried and hushed conversation. It all faded away. Even the crowd had dispersed since it was obvious that a fight would not break out.
Alison let out a heavy, relieved sigh, shoulders sagging. Kurt was right there with her. Had she not come up with that excuse, things might have turned messier than it should. Had she not come for him in the first place… Alison turned to him, free hand patting his chest. "Next time, just wait in the truck," she told him, slight chuckle in her voice. Kurt nodded his head once. Then dropped down to pick up their jackets. Not releasing his hold on her, he began walking towards the exit. He didn't let go until they were at his truck, and even then, he didn't want to. Christ. He didn't ever want to let go. "… Are you… Are you alright?" she asked as she climbed into the passenger side of the vehicle.
Kurt gave a jerky nod to answer her question. Alison frowned, brow scrunching closer together. She looked as though she wanted to say more, but she kept her mouth closed. Obviously, she wasn't satisfied with his unspoken answer, but he couldn't find the words to say out loud. Kurt closed her door, and then moved around the truck to the driver's side. Alright…? He was better than alright. He had thought she had left him, causing a void in his chest. Empty. But she hadn't. She had come for him, and filled his heart and lungs. She had filled him to the core with just her presence. He was… He was in love with her, wasn't he?
The internal question had him gripping the handle of the door harder than necessary. Of course he was. How could he not be? She was glorious. Capable. Capable of allowing him close. She was trusting, and she understood him. She made him feel other things besides self-loathing. She made him feel like he belonged. She made him feel. For the first time in decades, he was happy. Because of her. He was in love with her. It was a staggering revelation. Swallowing hard, he finally opened the door and slowly got in.
Kurt set their jackets in between them. He felt her eyes on him as he fumbled to pull his keys from his pocket. He could always feel her looking. He had always been able to sense her eyes on him, even before he had known her. "Kurt…?" She called his name, and he was amazed at how her voice echoed within him. Swallowing again, he stuck his keys in the ignition. Christ. He needed to be distracted, or else… "I'm sorry it took so long. The stalls were a mess. I spent a long time just wiping the seat down… And then I came out to see that small crowd. I just knew you must have been at the center. I had to make sure none of them were filming. A kid was, but I accidently made him drop it. Good thing it didn't have a case. The screen cracked on impact, so you don't have to worry about it somehow getting back to Banshee."
He turned to her then. Alison had given an explanation as though she had needed to. Kurt supposed his silence, and his lack of response, had been a little worrying. He opened his mouth to reassure her. He hadn't meant to make her think he had been irritated by the outcome of that confrontation. "I'm going to kiss you." Instead of calm reassurance, he had blurted out his desire. Kurt scolded himself, frowning. "I mean… I want to kiss you. Can I do that?" Alison regarded him with confused, but indulgent eyes. She nodded her head. Slowly, she slid over to him, replacing the jackets with herself. She tilted her head up as his hand lightly touched her cheek. Her breath hitched, but her body visibly relaxed as she waited for the distance to cease between them.
Alison shut her eyes as Kurt moved closer. Her readiness for him made the corner of his lips tug upward as he pressed his mouth against hers. Now that he knew, kissing her felt the same, and yet so much different. Even the light, feathery brush of their lips had his heart pumping blood at a faster rate. This. He could stay like this forever if she would let him. Alison parted her lips, whispering his name, and just like that, she drew him in further. Her tongue hesitantly darted out to meet his, and Kurt gladly deepened the kiss. Her fingers curled around the top of his shoulder, just as enthusiastic.
Christ. His life had certainly turned around. When he had first arrived in Banshee after so many years, he had believed it would just be more hardships. Not being able to find a job for weeks had cemented that, but then he had stumbled onto the job he had wanted most. A Banshee county deputy. And from there, luck had smiled on him. He had gained a friend in Alison Medding. Then another friend in Billy Raven. Now, a lover—someone he loved. Years ago, he wouldn't have thought it possible, but here he was. Perfectly happy.
Alison reared back, breathing heavily. Kurt opened his eyes, breaths matching hers. Her eyes were squeezed shut as she worked to compose herself. Even now, he wanted to keep kissing her. His lips found her skin. Her cheeks, underneath her chin, her neck. "Kurt…" She tilted her head back. He lightly nipped at her skin now with lips and teeth. "We-We should head ba-back," she insisted. He nodded his head in agreement, and then reluctantly pulled away from her skin.
"I want-" he began.
"I know," she stated. "Let's go."
Kurt inhaled deeply through his nose, and then nodded bowed his head. In a way, she did know, but mostly she didn't. He wanted to make love to her. He wanted to tell her that he loved her. Over and over again. He wanted to make sure that she knew she was the one. But how would she take it? It hadn't even been two weeks yet. Maybe she would think all this was too soon? Pressing his lips together, Kurt started the truck. For now, this was fine. He could keep it to himself until she was ready. But from now on, it wasn't going to be just sex for him.
The drive to the hotel had been short. The walk to their hotel room had been even shorter. Kurt barely heard the click of the door shutting behind them before he was on her again. Hands cupping her cheeks, he kissed her, almost frantically. He felt her sharp exhale through her nose as she gripped the back of his shirt. Their jackets had been dropped from her hand at the clashing of their lips. Fuck. He needed to slow down. Swallowing hard, he reared back from her. As much as he wanted to proceed, he had to remember that she might not take too well with his aggressive advances.
"Is this too much? Am I-?" Alison cut him off with a sharp shake of her head, and then roughly continued the kiss. Christ. He loved her. Backing her up to the edge of the bed, Kurt lowered his hands to her sides and began lifting her shirt from the back. The heated kiss was broken, and Alison allowed him to remove her shirt. "Christ…" he said out loud as the shirt fell from his hand. She dipped her head, tilting her head to the right, showing her embarrassment. She hadn't needed to be. The red bra with black lace looked good on her. Kurt swallowed, wondering if she had worn it for him.
"Wait, let me…" Alison trailed off as she slipped off her flats. She then moved to unbuttoned her jeans. The pull of her zipper seemed to echo as Kurt waited in anticipation. Finally, she pushed down her jeans, revealing matching panties. So good. Heart-stopping good. The lace clung to her curves, enhancing the swell. Her smooth brown skin looked good enough to eat. "Do you…" Uncharacteristic shyness crept in. She bit her lower lip in that enticing way. "Do you like this?" Kurt lifted her chin with his curled index finger. He wanted to make sure he saw his nod, as well as the desire in his expression. She gave a little smile, and he couldn't resist kissing her softly.
He was going to savor this.
0-0
Sometime later, after their breathing had become steady, Kurt turned himself. He cradled Alison's body with his own, sliding a palm up and down her bare stomach. "You okay…?" he whispered. Her head nod was slow, but it was enough. He was glad that he hadn't been too rough. Kurt shifted his hand from her belly to her face. He tucked strains of hair behind her ear, and then moved to plant light kisses along her neck. Alison gave an appreciative hum.
"Are you okay?" she asked, softly. Her fingers lightly trailed across his shoulders, where her nails and teeth had dug deep. He would wear the marks proudly as far as he was concerned. To answer her, though, he smiled and nodded. She returned the smile, and Kurt could help but to kiss her lips. He couldn't get enough. Alison giggled against his lips as he repeatedly kissed her. It was nice having her softer side appear more around him. She giggled and teased easily more often than before, and it liked it. Alison reared back, inhaling through her nose. "Your hair," she mentioned, reaching to slide her right hand to the top of his hand. "It's out of place. Looks like you've got antennas." See? The teasing. Kurt chuckled, letting her try to smooth down his hair. "Why do you choose to keep this hairstyle?"
Kurt waited until she became satisfied of smoothing his hair back into place, and her hand fell down to rest on top of his on her belly, before he spoke up. "… Officer Miller wore his hair like this," he answered. Her expression sobered almost immediately. Kurt sighed a bit and shut his eyes, remembering the man that had been like a father to him. Alison shifted, causing him to open his eyes to watch her. She had turned on her side, facing him now. Her right hand rose, lightly rubbing at his side. It was… easier to talk about him. With her, it was always easier to talk about his alternative family. "Sometimes, I'd watch him style his hair this way. Thought he was so weird. My hair used to be longer—down to my shoulders. But I ended up cutting it. When I decided to get my life back together, I thought of him."
"You must really respect him," Alison commented. She shifted closer, moving her head onto his pillow. Laying so close, he could see the hesitation in her eyes. She bit her lower lip, obviously contemplating if she should voice her thoughts. "Since you've been back to Banshee… Have you thought about reaching out to him?" Kurt frowned then. He hadn't. He wouldn't. He had already accepted that he would never see his surrogate parents again. "Maybe you can tell him personally that you followed in his footsteps?"
"No," Kurt said.
"Maybe he'd be glad to see you—proud of what you've done," Alison suggested.
"No!" he repeated, louder than he should have. Alison flinched, but luckily, she hadn't recoiled. She pressed her lips together and dropped her gaze. "I'm sorry," Kurt whispered. "It's just… I don't deserve to see him. What I've done… I haven't done anything to make up for…" He paused as a little girl with white and green beads in her braided hair appeared in his mind. "He wouldn't want to see me after losing his daughter… because of me."
"He lost his daughter, Kurt," Alison agreed. "But after some time passed, maybe he thought… he lost a son, too." That thought had never crossed his mind. He would not have had the audacity to think something like that. Sifting through fond memories of the man, he caught hints that the father-son like relationship maybe hadn't been as one-sided as he first thought. His frown deepened. "Look, I'm just saying… You've accomplished so much since the last time you saw them. And he's one of your biggest influences. Maybe it would be so bad to get… closure?"
He didn't say anything in response. He couldn't. The words might have choked him. Alison nodded once, and then sighed softly. She moved again, turning her back to him. However, she hadn't attempted to leave the bed. Hesitantly, Kurt reached for her, wrapping both arms around her body and pressing his face against the back of her head. "I'm sorry," he repeated. Alison shook her head and sighed again. "I just… I don't think it's possible for me." She didn't respond to his words, which made him feel slight disappointment.
The truth…? The last rejection had run deep and scorched him like nothing else. Kurt wasn't so keen on experiencing it again. And his accomplishments…? What exactly had he accomplished that had been worth the life of Naomi? Nothing. There wasn't anything he could do to bring her back, but this life he had now couldn't come close to equivalent. As happy as he was, this life wasn't an accomplishment. It wouldn't be—not to Officer Miller. Not to Mrs. Miller.
Then it hit him. Hard. His life may be good now, but in the future…? His job, his friend, and the person he loved could very well become in danger simply because of his former ties. He could hope never to come across them, but they didn't deserve that. The people he had come to care for shouldn't have to make excuses, lie, or hide just because they knew him. Alison didn't deserve being driven hundreds of miles away from home just to go on a date. She didn't deserve being kept hidden in fear of retaliation. Neither she nor Billy deserved the life he would force on them simply for existing at the same time as the active Brotherhood.
So laying in the dark, holding on to Alison, Kurt made up his mind. He had initially come back to Banshee for the sole purpose of wiping out his former organization. That should not have changed. It should not have been pushed aside. He would destroy the Brotherhood, as he had set out to do. Only this time he had gained other motivations. Other parameters. He could not die. He would not die. He had gained too much to live for now. And maybe… After all was said and done, maybe he could show his face to the man that had shaped his current life. Maybe.
"Alison," Kurt whispered, shifting his head to rest his cheek against hers.
"It's okay, Bunker. We don't have to talk about it," she murmured. "Let's just go to sleep."
"… Okay," he agreed. Sighing, Kurt moved his head back onto the pillow again. "What do you want to do tomorrow?"
"Ice cream…?" Alison replied. He almost chuckled at her predictable response. Of course, she would want something cold and sweet. "I can't believe that guy knocked over my Icee." Kurt actually did chuckle because of the bitter way she had spoken. "Yeah, yeah, laugh it up, Bunker. After that, I probably just want to stay in until it's time to leave."
"Anything you want," Kurt stated. "I'll do… anything for you." Alison hummed lightly, and then settled to let sleep claim her. She was unaware of the extent of his words. Kurt shut his eyes, holding her just a bit tighter. Soon enough, she would. That was a promise.
0-0
