Disclaimer: I don't own X-men Evolution. Anyone who
didn't know this should probably be reading all of the disclaimers.
I really should have been doing this before, but I think
it's time to start thanking all of my reviewers: Rina, Dione Kitane, Kell Kell,
Eilonwy Angel, Fasheem, *~Chaya~* (as if you didn't see it coming), Arkanfael,
LeeLee, Blitz, sparklagal, Queen of Hearts, Mistogirl/Thundercat, Morty's Girl,
Slacker, (stops, takes deep breath) starlett_gurl, Daine, Crash, Leah Labadie,
*~Chaya~* again, Fasheem again, Fasheem again… okay, that's a bit long…
(Spell Check starts to read, "Error, Error") I'll get the others next chap,
trust me.
I woke up a little late the next morning, which surprised me. Rogue, it seemed, had the effect of making me actually sleep.
I had done a lot of thinking the night before, after Rogue had gone to bed. About my relationship with Kitty. I was sure that Kitty wasn't any different then any crush. I mean, she hadn't shown any interest other than comments that could be taken as nothing. And besides, I was interested in Rogue now.
So, I was over Kitty. Man, this relationship thing wasn't as easy as it looked.
I definitely needed to apologize to Kurt.
However, in the hassle of early morning, that thought was swept aside. I double-checked to make sure I had my paper (I did, though I never knew what I'd've done if I didn't), and headed downstairs to get breakfast.
Breakfast, talk, and a ride to school. That was my morning.
School was uneventful, except for one thing, which happened during lunch.
I was standing in the lunch line, wishing the people in front of me would grab their damn lunches and hurry up, when Kitty stepped behind me into the line and said, "Like, hi, Leo."
"Hey, Kitty." I suddenly noticed that she seemed upset. "Is something wrong?"
"Nothing much. I… have you heard about the dance coming up yet?"
"Dance?"
"Yeah. It's a totally big deal, costs a lot of money and everything."
"No, I hadn't. Not that it matters a lot, though. I can't go. I'm furry and everything.
"Well… I don't have a date."
"Would you like to take Kurt?" I asked. "I'm sure he wouldn't mind going, since he'd have to go with someone from the institute."
Kitty gave me a surprised look. "Kurt? Why?"
I sighed. "Never mind. No reason."
Things went back to normal for a few days. Then Thursday rolled around.
Then all hell broke loose.
The whole thing started when I was watching some movie with Scott and Jean. I felt like I was where I wasn't wanted, and destroying the romantic atmosphere, but Scott seemed annoyed whenever I tried to sneak out, saying, "It's just a movie, Leo, you can stay."
I had finally figured out a good excuse to leave, when Kurt showed up. He was furious as anything, and ready to act on it.
"Kitty told me," he said angrily, "zat you asked her to ask me out."
Uh-oh.
"That's- that's right."
"I DON'T NEED YOUR PITY!" he roared in my face.
It was very clear that Kurt wanted to hurt me, and badly. I hoped he was as nice a guy as he had seemed when we weren't fighting. Scott jumped up to get between us.
"Stay out of zis, Scott," Kurt advised.
"I think not," Scott said.
"Scott, back off," I said. Scott stopped in surprise. "Let me handle this."
At that point, Rogue, Kitty, and Logan happened to show up.
"Kurt, what're you doing?!" yelped Kitty.
Logan strode forward, but stopped at a look from me.
Kurt grabbed my arm and ported the kitchen, supposedly to get away from the growing crowd.
"Vell? Vhat's the big idea."
"Of me trying to get Kitty to ask you out?"
"Ja!"
"Well, first I want you to forgive me for earlier. I was a jerk."
"Vhat?!"
"It's true. I was an unreasonable, self-righteous bastard. And I don't say bastard lightly."
Kurt looked at his feet. "It vas good advice."
"Yeah, maybe, but it wasn't reasonable advice. If advice isn't reasonable, it's useless, in my humble opinion."
Kurt smiled slightly. "Ja, zat's true. So, vhy did you tell Kitty to ask me out to the dance, rather than going with her yourself?"
I shrugged helplessly. "First of all, I didn't ask her to ask you. She said she didn't have a date, and I suggested you. Just a suggestion. Also… I'm over her, Kurt. There's no longer any interest there, and there never was any return interest. She's all yours."
"All mine?"
I winced. "I mean, I'm not going to give you any competition."
"Vhy aren't you interested any more?"
"I'm kind of… interested in someone else."
"Vho?"
Okay, time to take the plunge. "Your… sister?"
"Oh, all right."
"All right?"
"Vell, Ja. She's a big girl. She can make her own choices. Oh, and Leo?"
"Yeah?"
"If you hurt her… vell, I zink ze vord is 'castra…'
"Okay, okay! I get the message!"
After this, I walked upstairs and calmly laid down on my bed. I was prepared to finish some homework for Biology.
I wasn't expecting to have the others care about this issue quite so much.
It started when I felt myself get lifted up into the air.
Everything clicked in about a second.
"JEAN?! PUT ME DOWN!"
I was shot down the hall at definitely unsafe speeds, down the stairs, and into the rec room. I hit the wall above the couch with my stomach and chin, with a force that would jar someone hitting something soft.
As it was…
"OOF! Whose bright idea was this?" I gasped as I slid down onto the couch.
"Mine," said Scott.
I tried to move, but Jean held me down with her mind.
"Jean," I said, "let me up. I have to kill Scott."
"AHHHHHHHOOF!" Kurt quickly joined us. "Vhat ze…?"
"Now look, guys," Scott said, "this is getting serious. You guys have to work this out."
"Say vhat?" Kurt said.
"Um, Scott?" That was me.
Scott continued on. "I can understand you guys not liking one another, but you have to work at getting along."
Kurt burst out laughing. I would've, too, but I was now in serious pain, and hungry for blood.
Scott's blood.
"Scott," I said in a calm, my-anger-is-barely-being-controlled-right-now-so-run-like-hell voice, "we worked that out a few minutes ago."
Scott blinked. Yes, I know he was wearing shades, but you could tell anyway.
"You- you did."
"Ja, ve did," rang in Kurt.
"Oh, I- I guess you can let them up, Jean."
That was a mistake. The moment I was up, I made it a point to chase Scott until he had gone into the Danger Room, and then toss him his visor (I'm not completely immoral), lock the door, play with the controls, and leave.
Two hours later, I felt guilty, so I told Jean where he was.
Yes, that's right. Two hours. Maybe I am completely immoral.
When he saw us again, Kurt was laughing hysterically, and I was chuckling, both in the rec room, acting like best friends rather that people who just worked out their differences. I saw him and shouted, "Get in some good training, Scott?"
He groaned, feeling his chin, which looked sore. Kurt and I promptly started laughing again. Scott and Jean both glared at us, and headed upstairs.
I went to bed, absolutely determined to fall asleep earlier than I normally did. Of course, this ended with me staring at the ceiling for a few minutes.
Then a more appreciated interruption came.
"Ya all right, Leo?" asked Rogue, sticking her head in through the door.
"I'll be fine. Nothing a little rest couldn't handle."
"Good." She leaned in, putting her face inches from mine. I promptly lost all form of rational thought, along with the ability to breathe.
"Rogue," I whispered, "what…"
She laughed quietly. "Ah'm just checking to see if ya scraped your cheek on the wall, earlier."
"O-okay."
"Take off your shirt."
I couldn't be hearing right. Maybe I had hit that wall a little hard. "Excuse me?"
"Take off your shirt. Ya hit your stomach, too. Ah wanna see if it's gonna bruise."
I pulled off my shirt, wondering the whole time if it was possible that I had fallen asleep, and was dreaming.
"Hmm," said Rogue. She slowly parted the fur on the middle of my stomach.
You will not panic. You will not panic. I mentally
chanted to myself. I had a sudden, interesting thought. You will not do
that either.
"You seem okay." Rogue said thoughtfully. "Ah'll see ya tomorrow, Leo."
And she left. I swore colorfully for a minute or two, and finally managed to get to sleep.