*Disclaimer* (yawn) I don't own X-Men or any part of it. Elli/Elf is my character, though. I can only say this so many times: DON'T TAKE ELF!
ELFEN
******************************
Elf sniffed the air as she sat at her window, looking very catlike without the hologram on. Her tail made a graceful arch next to her as she sat, reading the dictionary.
"Elli? Are you zere?"
Elf squeaked and put up her hologram as Kurt popped his head in.
"Reading? Ze dictionary! Elli, sometimes I vorry about you."
Elf giggled and closed the dictionary, tossing it onto her bed for later.
"So, Kurt, about that dance..."
Kurt covered his head and backed out. Elf couldn't help but giggle at him again.
"I didn't even get to talk yet."
Kurt popped his head back in, curious to what Elf had to say.
"I don't know how to dance." Elf said sheepishly. "Only fight."
Kurt shrugged and grinned.
"I cannot dance eizer. As Keety vould say, I am most embarrassing."
Elf grinned back at him, grateful.
"We'll be bad dancers together then?"
Kurt's ears turned red for some reason. He nodded, and they left the room.
Together.
******************************
Wolverine watched Elf leave her room with Kurt. His eyes narrowed in suspicion. No matter what he heard from the Professor on the boy, he still didn't trust him and Elf alone together.
He followed them.
******************************
Elf and Kurt walked to the danger room together. Elf listened while he talked about how the danger room worked, and he listened while she bubbled about the dance.
"I can't wait! At the institute, we never had anything like that! It was all work work work, eat your paste, work work work, eat more paste, and training until lights out."
Kurt shot her a confused glance, but Elf never noticed.
"I just hope they got the picture and let everyone go." She mumbled, scuffin her foot on the floor.
Kurt dismissed the comment, since he hardly even heard it.
"So, Elli. Do you have any ozer name?"
Elf nodded and grinned.
"Elf."
"Elf?"
"Yeah, Elf. I got it at the institute."
Kurt smiled nervously.
"I meant a last name."
Elf stared blankly at him, then shrugegd.
"Just Elf, or Elli. But I'm used to Elf. It's all I've heard since I was about...three months old."
Kurt just pretended he didn't hear her.
"Like I said before, Elf." He grinned. "Sometimes, I vorry about you."
******************************
Wolverine listened closely to the conversation. He felt like kicking himself. Why hadn't he told Elf that the institute was to be a mystery to everyone?
Elf continued to talk, even though Kurt was looking uncomfortable.
Elf ducked into a bathroom, and Wolverine sighed from behind a pillar. That girl was more trouble than she was worth.
******************************
Elf washed her hands in the bathroom sink and went outside to where Kurt was. A little shock on her finger made her yelp.
"What the hell was that?"
Her hologram buzzed for a moment, and then Elf was left in the middle of the hall, a monster.
She looked around in fear as people gasped and pointed.
"Monster!"
"Freak!"
"Mutant!"
Elf felt a tear fall onto her furry pale green cheek.
"I'm not a monster!" She shouted, and flung herself out the open window.
"Elli!"
Kurt ran to the window, and looked out to see Elf land in the middle of a group of friends. They all began screaming, pointing, jeering. It made his blood boil just to watch as she ran screaming from them.
Kurt ran down the hall as fast as he could, going on all fours when the coast was clear.
Rogue, a girl with two toned brown and white hair, emerged from her room, and Kurt ran right into her.
"Sorry Schwester, but Elli's hologram failed and she's running."
Rogue whistled.
"That girl is in fo' some helluva ride, then.Eh, Fuzzy?"
Kurt shrugged and ran off again, on all fours.
"Elli?"
No response. He ran farther, and out of the school onto the lawn, only on his back legs now.
"Elli?"
A faint whimper. She was hidden behind a bush, her green self blending in with the freshly budded leaves.
Kurt bent down next to her, careful not to be seen.
"Elli, did you get vater on you ring?"
Elf nodded and curled up into that position she made when she was scared: her knees hugged to her chest and rocking back and forth.
"What do I do?"
Kurt sighed, and pinched the bridge of his nose for a moment. After a moment, a spaded blue tail came from behind him, he had uncurled it from around his waist. He took Elli up into his arms, curled his tail protectively around her, and they disappeared in a small black cloud with the smell of sulfer lingering in the air and a sound that could be described only as BAMF!
******************************
Rogue sniffed the air gingerly. Was that...sulfer?
"Why must ah be cu'sed wit' a fuzzy blue boy fo' a brotha?" She muttered.
The usual glances from the preppy kids didn't throw her off balance. Her goth look scared them away.
Amen fo' that, eh Professor?
Amen, Rogue. Amen.
Rogue strolled through the school grounds, hoping to catch a glimpse of Kurt and that new girl...what was her name? That other guy called her Elf...was that her name?
Rogue shrugged. If she could call herself Rogue, that girl could call herself Superslut for all she cared. The thought of the girl going around with people calling her that made Rogue smirk.
"Hey, Roguey!" Rogue felt suddenly nauseated. The only person with the guts to cal her that was...
"Lance. Go away."
"Oh, Roguey you'll make me cry." The teen pouted at her, and Rogue grabbed their bare neck.
"Nighty, night, Lance."
Lance slumped to the ground, his energy drained. Rogue stomped away. At least her powers were good for something...
******************************
Wolverine growled when he saw that Kurt boy duck behind the bush where Elf was hiding. He just didn't trust the kid.
They disappeared as soon as he got close. Wolverine growled deep in his throat. What was that kid up to now?
******************************
Elf shrieked when she was teleported. Kurt let her go immediately, and ran away, too ashamed of himself for showing his powers to face her.
"Kurt!"
Elf jumped up, and realized she was in the danger room.
BAMF!
Elf looked where Kurt had been, but only saw a thinning cloud of black smoke and the scent of sulfer.
"Oh well." She sighed, turning to the big room.
"Hello?"
"Hello, Elf."
Elf jumped and did a barrel roll forward, facing the person behind her. Ororo stood, confused at the reaction. Elf relaxed and stood up straight, ashamed of her appearance.
"I was so scared, I forgot my powers. Kurt brought me here, but then he left." She gestured to where the cloud was still thinning.
The ring shocked her again.
"Shit!"
Elf pulled off the ring and put it on a table, rubbing her hand.
"Ororo?"
The placid woman looked up with only mild curiosity.
"Ororo, why is everyone afraid of me?"
******************************
Kurt leaned against the wall, looking at the ceiling. The bright hallway light hurt his eyes. He lowered his gaze to Elf's door. Still closed.
Kurt sighed and knocked.
"Elf?"
There was a bump, like she had fallen. She let out a stream of colorful words before she let herself say that she got herself hurt.
Kurt opened the door in a flash, and heard a little squeak.
"Kurt! I'm not even dressed!"
Kurt blushed and slammed the door shut. He heard Elf swearing in her room.
After a few minutes, Elf came out, ready at last.
"I say nosin (nocin? nussin?) if you say nosin."
Elf nodded in agreement.
"Umm...Kurt. You are very red."
"Mein gott! Red be gone!" He hissed to himself.
Elf giggled.
"We should go, Kurt. Or we'll be late."
Kurt rolled his eyes and they walked down the hall to the gym.
******************************
Wolverine stood in a shadow at the far end of the gym. He didn't like the loud music, the way the kids from the school were dressed, or how Elf had decided to go with Kurt.
He had her scent now, he knew she was close by. But she hadn't entered the gym yet. What were they doing?
Wolverine growled when he thought of Kurt taking advantage of naive little Elf. But he couldn't attack the kid if he was just standing next to her.
He would have to wait...
******************************
Elf stood uncertainly at the gym door, the sight of how the other teens were dressed reminding her of her own appearance.
"Kurt, I'll be right back."
Kurt could only stare at Elf as she ran down the hall. Now what was she doing?
Elf hid behind the corner and flipped open her ring. The little button gleamed for a moment in the light before Elf pressed it.
The hologram buzzed for a moment, and Elf went back to where Kurt was waiting for her.
Kurt scuffed the floor with his foot, wondering where Elf had gone.
"Sorry I took so long, Kurt."
Kurt turned to her, ready to tease her, and stopped short.
"Mein gott..."
******************************
Rogue watched Kurt curiously from her perch on the bleachers. He looked genuinely happy. Not his little 'watch-your-back-I-know-a-new-joke' look, or his 'you-look-funny-but-I'm-not-saying-why' look. Or any of those other looks he wore when he wanted to tease or joke.
He was happy...and with that girl.
"Roguey!"
Rogue shut her eyes and swore under her breath.
"Ah'm trying t' wacth mah brotha', Lance. Go away."
Lance ignored her request.
"Roguey, you have a visitor. Don't be so...mean...to them."
Rogue glanced at him curiously.
"Who?"
Lance gestured with his chin to a tall, slim woman wearing a business suit. Her dark hair was up and her glasses hid only some of the harshness in her dark eyes.
Rogue gulped, and was glad nobody saw it.
"Hi, Mrs. Darkholme."
Mrs. Darkholme didn't acknowledge the greeting. Instead, her eyes became sharp.
"Rogue, I gave you one task and you failed me. Again. Once more and I shall cast you out."
Rogue got a chill up her spine. Cast her out? Like a dog? How could she say something so casually?
"Ah understand, Mrs. Darkholme."
The woman nodded, and left the gym. Rogue pushed Lance off the bleachers and sulked.
******************************
"Woah..."
"Who's she?"
Kurt smiled to himself as he brought Elf into the gym. Elf stuck to his side, her fingers curled into the fabric of his sleeve.
"Calm down, Elf. These people, zey von't hurt you."
Elf relaxed a little, but not enough.
"Hello, nurse!"
Elf was swung away from Kurt, and found herself looking into the wild eyes of Lance.
"How about a dance, little lady?"
Elf hardly realized it when her fist pulled back, she only felt it when her fist connected with Lance's chin. Lance fell onto the ground, and spit out a tooth.
"You crazy bitch!" He yelled, scurrying away.
Elf glared after him, and felt Kurt's reassuring hand on her shoulder.
"That vas a wundervoll hit, Elf. Let's get going before Frau Darkholme..." His eyes flashed with sudden anger, and Elf understood his remark.
"Let's dance, Kurt. That is what a dance is for, isn't it?"
Kurt grinned at her teasing.
"But of course, Elf. Let us be fools!"
Elf laughed as they went onto the dance floor. Just like they had promised, they were the idiots of the dance.
Elf stopped as the song ended, and then it was a slow song.
"Kurt, how do we dance to this?"
From the far end of the gym, Wolverine growled softly in his throat.
"Vell, just follow me."
Kurt stepped towards her, and slipped his arms cautiously around her waist. With a few more whispered directions, Elf put her arms around his neck.
"Like this?"
Kurt nodded as they moved in rythm with the music.
"Ja. Just like that..."
******************************
Wolverine narrowed his eyes at the couple. Sure they looked like they were just having a good time, but Wolverine begged to differ. Kurt had that certain look on his face...
Wolverine growled and wished there weren't so many non-mutants around.
He would have challenged the kid, right then and there.
******************************
Elf moved slowly, following Kurt's lead. Every once in a while, she would look down at their feet tosee how they were moving, and then look up at Kurt again with a satisfied smile.
"I think I'm getting it."
Kurt smiled back at her, but only a little. He was nervous having her this close to him.
Elf heard the song fading, and suddenly Wolverine was next to her.
"Elf, we need to talk."
Elf shot him a glance, mostly annoyance, but let go of Kurt with a sigh and followed Wolverine off the dance floor.
"Are you insane, Wolvie?" She hissed, her eyes flashing with that bottled up anger. "I was having a good time! For the first time...in a long time..."
Elf lowered her gaze from Wolverine's face, suddenly ashamed of her outburst, although it had been small.
"You have to keep your guard up, Elf. I don't trust that kid. I think you'll end up in a tight spot if you stick with him."
Elf's eyes flared up again and she made fists.
"I'm not a little girl to be ordered around, Wolvie. I can take care of myself quite well." She raised her eyes to his face once again and found that Wolverine was just as furious as her.
"I count as your guardian here, Elf. you will listen to me!"
"I'll do what I want!" Elf tried her best to keep her voice in check. "You're not my father!"
Elf turned on her heel and went right back to Kurt.
"Sorry about that. Wolvie's getting jumpy for some reason."
Kurt just shrugged.
"It is alright. Maybe ve should stand out for a moment."
Elf shrugged. She was still unsure of how dances worked.
Kurt worked through the dancers to a table laid with food. Kitty stood nearby, sipping from a glass and watching Kurt and Elf with sideways glances.
"Food!" Kurt cried, grabbing the nearest...anything...he could.
Elf laughed at him, but joined in his little celebration by nibbling on a potato chip.
"Elf, eat!" Kurt said through a mouthful of something orange. "Zat is half ze fun!"
Elf shook her head, smiling just so that Kurt stared at her, his jaw slightly slack.
"I don't eat much."
Kurt smirked and swallowed what was in his mouth.
"As I have said before, Elf. Sometimes, I vorry about you."
******************************
Kurt couldn't believe his luck. He had asked Elf to the dance..and she said yes! Then she had showed up looking so...beautiful it made every other boy in the gym boil with jealousy.
Elf had emerged from the bend dressed differently. Her roguish look had been changed to a princess type of look. Elf hair, isntead of dreadlocks, was loose in curls and waves that fell softly to her waist, some of it pulled back with white clips. Her whole 'stay-away-from-me' look had been replaced with a soft green dress that dipped low on her neck, had short but billowy sleeves, and a skirt that went just above her knees.
Elf had gone right up to him as though she didn't looka s though she had just jumped off a cloud, with that little skirt swinging around her legs, and just apologized for taking so long.
Kurt had told himself he would bring her back to her room that night, maybe see her the nextday in class, but Elf wanted to walk with him on the school grounds.
The school grounds were full of little shrubs bursting with flowers, bushes that were lush and green, and trees that provided shade for students as they studied. At night, there were little lights every once in a while to flood certain spots with light.
Elf liked the dark areas. They made her feel safer for some reason.
"Vas? Ze dark? Elf...I von't say it now. Let's just valk."
Elf laughed softly, a sound almost like the silver bells the gypsies wore in the circus.
"I say we just walk."
The silence around them seemed deafening, but every once in a while there was the friendly chirp of a cricket, the rustle of leaves in the wind, or a bird giving out a sleepy cry.
Elf lifted her face to the moon, a full one. The light stretched out with soft fingers to carress her skin. Kurt just watched her as her eyes filled with a happiness, that was also a sadness.
"Have you ever wanted to die, Kurt?"
The question would have sent him reeling if it was a punch.
"Vas?" He breathed, almost too afraid to ask the meaning behind it.
"Have you ever wanted to die, just disappear of the face of the Earth so the pain would stop?"
She looked at him now, the moon behind her. Kurt's mouth felt dry suddenly.
"Never."
Elf sighed, and her fingers curled around a silver chain around her neck. She closed her eyes and her face got a suddenly peaceful look, as though she was remembering something.
Kurt stepped closer to her, watching her intently.
"Vhat do you see, Elf?"
Elf opened her eyes slowly, taking in the sight of Kurt in the moonlight.
"I see...me."
Kurt caressed her cheek, and Elf smiled lazily.
"I see you, too."
Kurt lowered his face to her's, their lips meeting. Elf's eyes flew open in surprise as it happened, but let Kurt take over from there on.
Kurt put a hand behind her neck, pulling her closer to him. He felt the prickle of a sharp tooth on his tongue, the delightful pulse of Elf's heart against him as the kiss became deeper. She opened to him, putting her own trembling hands around his neck. Kurt smiled against her lips, wondering what was going through her head. But then, at the same time, knowing it didn't matter.
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Ok, so this chapter wasn't exactly my love. Tell me what you think so I can decide whether or not to kill this story.
ELFEN
******************************
Elf sniffed the air as she sat at her window, looking very catlike without the hologram on. Her tail made a graceful arch next to her as she sat, reading the dictionary.
"Elli? Are you zere?"
Elf squeaked and put up her hologram as Kurt popped his head in.
"Reading? Ze dictionary! Elli, sometimes I vorry about you."
Elf giggled and closed the dictionary, tossing it onto her bed for later.
"So, Kurt, about that dance..."
Kurt covered his head and backed out. Elf couldn't help but giggle at him again.
"I didn't even get to talk yet."
Kurt popped his head back in, curious to what Elf had to say.
"I don't know how to dance." Elf said sheepishly. "Only fight."
Kurt shrugged and grinned.
"I cannot dance eizer. As Keety vould say, I am most embarrassing."
Elf grinned back at him, grateful.
"We'll be bad dancers together then?"
Kurt's ears turned red for some reason. He nodded, and they left the room.
Together.
******************************
Wolverine watched Elf leave her room with Kurt. His eyes narrowed in suspicion. No matter what he heard from the Professor on the boy, he still didn't trust him and Elf alone together.
He followed them.
******************************
Elf and Kurt walked to the danger room together. Elf listened while he talked about how the danger room worked, and he listened while she bubbled about the dance.
"I can't wait! At the institute, we never had anything like that! It was all work work work, eat your paste, work work work, eat more paste, and training until lights out."
Kurt shot her a confused glance, but Elf never noticed.
"I just hope they got the picture and let everyone go." She mumbled, scuffin her foot on the floor.
Kurt dismissed the comment, since he hardly even heard it.
"So, Elli. Do you have any ozer name?"
Elf nodded and grinned.
"Elf."
"Elf?"
"Yeah, Elf. I got it at the institute."
Kurt smiled nervously.
"I meant a last name."
Elf stared blankly at him, then shrugegd.
"Just Elf, or Elli. But I'm used to Elf. It's all I've heard since I was about...three months old."
Kurt just pretended he didn't hear her.
"Like I said before, Elf." He grinned. "Sometimes, I vorry about you."
******************************
Wolverine listened closely to the conversation. He felt like kicking himself. Why hadn't he told Elf that the institute was to be a mystery to everyone?
Elf continued to talk, even though Kurt was looking uncomfortable.
Elf ducked into a bathroom, and Wolverine sighed from behind a pillar. That girl was more trouble than she was worth.
******************************
Elf washed her hands in the bathroom sink and went outside to where Kurt was. A little shock on her finger made her yelp.
"What the hell was that?"
Her hologram buzzed for a moment, and then Elf was left in the middle of the hall, a monster.
She looked around in fear as people gasped and pointed.
"Monster!"
"Freak!"
"Mutant!"
Elf felt a tear fall onto her furry pale green cheek.
"I'm not a monster!" She shouted, and flung herself out the open window.
"Elli!"
Kurt ran to the window, and looked out to see Elf land in the middle of a group of friends. They all began screaming, pointing, jeering. It made his blood boil just to watch as she ran screaming from them.
Kurt ran down the hall as fast as he could, going on all fours when the coast was clear.
Rogue, a girl with two toned brown and white hair, emerged from her room, and Kurt ran right into her.
"Sorry Schwester, but Elli's hologram failed and she's running."
Rogue whistled.
"That girl is in fo' some helluva ride, then.Eh, Fuzzy?"
Kurt shrugged and ran off again, on all fours.
"Elli?"
No response. He ran farther, and out of the school onto the lawn, only on his back legs now.
"Elli?"
A faint whimper. She was hidden behind a bush, her green self blending in with the freshly budded leaves.
Kurt bent down next to her, careful not to be seen.
"Elli, did you get vater on you ring?"
Elf nodded and curled up into that position she made when she was scared: her knees hugged to her chest and rocking back and forth.
"What do I do?"
Kurt sighed, and pinched the bridge of his nose for a moment. After a moment, a spaded blue tail came from behind him, he had uncurled it from around his waist. He took Elli up into his arms, curled his tail protectively around her, and they disappeared in a small black cloud with the smell of sulfer lingering in the air and a sound that could be described only as BAMF!
******************************
Rogue sniffed the air gingerly. Was that...sulfer?
"Why must ah be cu'sed wit' a fuzzy blue boy fo' a brotha?" She muttered.
The usual glances from the preppy kids didn't throw her off balance. Her goth look scared them away.
Amen fo' that, eh Professor?
Amen, Rogue. Amen.
Rogue strolled through the school grounds, hoping to catch a glimpse of Kurt and that new girl...what was her name? That other guy called her Elf...was that her name?
Rogue shrugged. If she could call herself Rogue, that girl could call herself Superslut for all she cared. The thought of the girl going around with people calling her that made Rogue smirk.
"Hey, Roguey!" Rogue felt suddenly nauseated. The only person with the guts to cal her that was...
"Lance. Go away."
"Oh, Roguey you'll make me cry." The teen pouted at her, and Rogue grabbed their bare neck.
"Nighty, night, Lance."
Lance slumped to the ground, his energy drained. Rogue stomped away. At least her powers were good for something...
******************************
Wolverine growled when he saw that Kurt boy duck behind the bush where Elf was hiding. He just didn't trust the kid.
They disappeared as soon as he got close. Wolverine growled deep in his throat. What was that kid up to now?
******************************
Elf shrieked when she was teleported. Kurt let her go immediately, and ran away, too ashamed of himself for showing his powers to face her.
"Kurt!"
Elf jumped up, and realized she was in the danger room.
BAMF!
Elf looked where Kurt had been, but only saw a thinning cloud of black smoke and the scent of sulfer.
"Oh well." She sighed, turning to the big room.
"Hello?"
"Hello, Elf."
Elf jumped and did a barrel roll forward, facing the person behind her. Ororo stood, confused at the reaction. Elf relaxed and stood up straight, ashamed of her appearance.
"I was so scared, I forgot my powers. Kurt brought me here, but then he left." She gestured to where the cloud was still thinning.
The ring shocked her again.
"Shit!"
Elf pulled off the ring and put it on a table, rubbing her hand.
"Ororo?"
The placid woman looked up with only mild curiosity.
"Ororo, why is everyone afraid of me?"
******************************
Kurt leaned against the wall, looking at the ceiling. The bright hallway light hurt his eyes. He lowered his gaze to Elf's door. Still closed.
Kurt sighed and knocked.
"Elf?"
There was a bump, like she had fallen. She let out a stream of colorful words before she let herself say that she got herself hurt.
Kurt opened the door in a flash, and heard a little squeak.
"Kurt! I'm not even dressed!"
Kurt blushed and slammed the door shut. He heard Elf swearing in her room.
After a few minutes, Elf came out, ready at last.
"I say nosin (nocin? nussin?) if you say nosin."
Elf nodded in agreement.
"Umm...Kurt. You are very red."
"Mein gott! Red be gone!" He hissed to himself.
Elf giggled.
"We should go, Kurt. Or we'll be late."
Kurt rolled his eyes and they walked down the hall to the gym.
******************************
Wolverine stood in a shadow at the far end of the gym. He didn't like the loud music, the way the kids from the school were dressed, or how Elf had decided to go with Kurt.
He had her scent now, he knew she was close by. But she hadn't entered the gym yet. What were they doing?
Wolverine growled when he thought of Kurt taking advantage of naive little Elf. But he couldn't attack the kid if he was just standing next to her.
He would have to wait...
******************************
Elf stood uncertainly at the gym door, the sight of how the other teens were dressed reminding her of her own appearance.
"Kurt, I'll be right back."
Kurt could only stare at Elf as she ran down the hall. Now what was she doing?
Elf hid behind the corner and flipped open her ring. The little button gleamed for a moment in the light before Elf pressed it.
The hologram buzzed for a moment, and Elf went back to where Kurt was waiting for her.
Kurt scuffed the floor with his foot, wondering where Elf had gone.
"Sorry I took so long, Kurt."
Kurt turned to her, ready to tease her, and stopped short.
"Mein gott..."
******************************
Rogue watched Kurt curiously from her perch on the bleachers. He looked genuinely happy. Not his little 'watch-your-back-I-know-a-new-joke' look, or his 'you-look-funny-but-I'm-not-saying-why' look. Or any of those other looks he wore when he wanted to tease or joke.
He was happy...and with that girl.
"Roguey!"
Rogue shut her eyes and swore under her breath.
"Ah'm trying t' wacth mah brotha', Lance. Go away."
Lance ignored her request.
"Roguey, you have a visitor. Don't be so...mean...to them."
Rogue glanced at him curiously.
"Who?"
Lance gestured with his chin to a tall, slim woman wearing a business suit. Her dark hair was up and her glasses hid only some of the harshness in her dark eyes.
Rogue gulped, and was glad nobody saw it.
"Hi, Mrs. Darkholme."
Mrs. Darkholme didn't acknowledge the greeting. Instead, her eyes became sharp.
"Rogue, I gave you one task and you failed me. Again. Once more and I shall cast you out."
Rogue got a chill up her spine. Cast her out? Like a dog? How could she say something so casually?
"Ah understand, Mrs. Darkholme."
The woman nodded, and left the gym. Rogue pushed Lance off the bleachers and sulked.
******************************
"Woah..."
"Who's she?"
Kurt smiled to himself as he brought Elf into the gym. Elf stuck to his side, her fingers curled into the fabric of his sleeve.
"Calm down, Elf. These people, zey von't hurt you."
Elf relaxed a little, but not enough.
"Hello, nurse!"
Elf was swung away from Kurt, and found herself looking into the wild eyes of Lance.
"How about a dance, little lady?"
Elf hardly realized it when her fist pulled back, she only felt it when her fist connected with Lance's chin. Lance fell onto the ground, and spit out a tooth.
"You crazy bitch!" He yelled, scurrying away.
Elf glared after him, and felt Kurt's reassuring hand on her shoulder.
"That vas a wundervoll hit, Elf. Let's get going before Frau Darkholme..." His eyes flashed with sudden anger, and Elf understood his remark.
"Let's dance, Kurt. That is what a dance is for, isn't it?"
Kurt grinned at her teasing.
"But of course, Elf. Let us be fools!"
Elf laughed as they went onto the dance floor. Just like they had promised, they were the idiots of the dance.
Elf stopped as the song ended, and then it was a slow song.
"Kurt, how do we dance to this?"
From the far end of the gym, Wolverine growled softly in his throat.
"Vell, just follow me."
Kurt stepped towards her, and slipped his arms cautiously around her waist. With a few more whispered directions, Elf put her arms around his neck.
"Like this?"
Kurt nodded as they moved in rythm with the music.
"Ja. Just like that..."
******************************
Wolverine narrowed his eyes at the couple. Sure they looked like they were just having a good time, but Wolverine begged to differ. Kurt had that certain look on his face...
Wolverine growled and wished there weren't so many non-mutants around.
He would have challenged the kid, right then and there.
******************************
Elf moved slowly, following Kurt's lead. Every once in a while, she would look down at their feet tosee how they were moving, and then look up at Kurt again with a satisfied smile.
"I think I'm getting it."
Kurt smiled back at her, but only a little. He was nervous having her this close to him.
Elf heard the song fading, and suddenly Wolverine was next to her.
"Elf, we need to talk."
Elf shot him a glance, mostly annoyance, but let go of Kurt with a sigh and followed Wolverine off the dance floor.
"Are you insane, Wolvie?" She hissed, her eyes flashing with that bottled up anger. "I was having a good time! For the first time...in a long time..."
Elf lowered her gaze from Wolverine's face, suddenly ashamed of her outburst, although it had been small.
"You have to keep your guard up, Elf. I don't trust that kid. I think you'll end up in a tight spot if you stick with him."
Elf's eyes flared up again and she made fists.
"I'm not a little girl to be ordered around, Wolvie. I can take care of myself quite well." She raised her eyes to his face once again and found that Wolverine was just as furious as her.
"I count as your guardian here, Elf. you will listen to me!"
"I'll do what I want!" Elf tried her best to keep her voice in check. "You're not my father!"
Elf turned on her heel and went right back to Kurt.
"Sorry about that. Wolvie's getting jumpy for some reason."
Kurt just shrugged.
"It is alright. Maybe ve should stand out for a moment."
Elf shrugged. She was still unsure of how dances worked.
Kurt worked through the dancers to a table laid with food. Kitty stood nearby, sipping from a glass and watching Kurt and Elf with sideways glances.
"Food!" Kurt cried, grabbing the nearest...anything...he could.
Elf laughed at him, but joined in his little celebration by nibbling on a potato chip.
"Elf, eat!" Kurt said through a mouthful of something orange. "Zat is half ze fun!"
Elf shook her head, smiling just so that Kurt stared at her, his jaw slightly slack.
"I don't eat much."
Kurt smirked and swallowed what was in his mouth.
"As I have said before, Elf. Sometimes, I vorry about you."
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Kurt couldn't believe his luck. He had asked Elf to the dance..and she said yes! Then she had showed up looking so...beautiful it made every other boy in the gym boil with jealousy.
Elf had emerged from the bend dressed differently. Her roguish look had been changed to a princess type of look. Elf hair, isntead of dreadlocks, was loose in curls and waves that fell softly to her waist, some of it pulled back with white clips. Her whole 'stay-away-from-me' look had been replaced with a soft green dress that dipped low on her neck, had short but billowy sleeves, and a skirt that went just above her knees.
Elf had gone right up to him as though she didn't looka s though she had just jumped off a cloud, with that little skirt swinging around her legs, and just apologized for taking so long.
Kurt had told himself he would bring her back to her room that night, maybe see her the nextday in class, but Elf wanted to walk with him on the school grounds.
The school grounds were full of little shrubs bursting with flowers, bushes that were lush and green, and trees that provided shade for students as they studied. At night, there were little lights every once in a while to flood certain spots with light.
Elf liked the dark areas. They made her feel safer for some reason.
"Vas? Ze dark? Elf...I von't say it now. Let's just valk."
Elf laughed softly, a sound almost like the silver bells the gypsies wore in the circus.
"I say we just walk."
The silence around them seemed deafening, but every once in a while there was the friendly chirp of a cricket, the rustle of leaves in the wind, or a bird giving out a sleepy cry.
Elf lifted her face to the moon, a full one. The light stretched out with soft fingers to carress her skin. Kurt just watched her as her eyes filled with a happiness, that was also a sadness.
"Have you ever wanted to die, Kurt?"
The question would have sent him reeling if it was a punch.
"Vas?" He breathed, almost too afraid to ask the meaning behind it.
"Have you ever wanted to die, just disappear of the face of the Earth so the pain would stop?"
She looked at him now, the moon behind her. Kurt's mouth felt dry suddenly.
"Never."
Elf sighed, and her fingers curled around a silver chain around her neck. She closed her eyes and her face got a suddenly peaceful look, as though she was remembering something.
Kurt stepped closer to her, watching her intently.
"Vhat do you see, Elf?"
Elf opened her eyes slowly, taking in the sight of Kurt in the moonlight.
"I see...me."
Kurt caressed her cheek, and Elf smiled lazily.
"I see you, too."
Kurt lowered his face to her's, their lips meeting. Elf's eyes flew open in surprise as it happened, but let Kurt take over from there on.
Kurt put a hand behind her neck, pulling her closer to him. He felt the prickle of a sharp tooth on his tongue, the delightful pulse of Elf's heart against him as the kiss became deeper. She opened to him, putting her own trembling hands around his neck. Kurt smiled against her lips, wondering what was going through her head. But then, at the same time, knowing it didn't matter.
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Ok, so this chapter wasn't exactly my love. Tell me what you think so I can decide whether or not to kill this story.