///Brody backed himself under the cot-like bed he was forced to sleep on.
The five year old whimpered in fear and curled up in the corner looking at
the black boots entering the room. He folded his wings around himself in a
protective manor as the big boots walked toward his bed.
"What're ya doin' you little mutie freak?" The owner of the boots grumbled. "C'mon out you fuckin' monster I know you're under there."
A large hand reached under the bed and toward the very small mutant. Brody's defensive instincts kicked in and the cat mutant sunk his fangs into the human's flesh. The man roared in fury and jerked his injured hand back. Brody tried to back further, but there was nothing but cold concrete wall behind him.
"I'm gonna kill you!" The man boomed.
Suddenly the bed was thrown across the small room practically shattering against the far wall. Brody shrieked in fear and tried to scramble away but a whip fell harshly on his back. He cried out in pain and continued to try and get away but his tormentor kept whipping him with no pause to the torture. His back was torn open and bleeding everywhere and bits of fur clung to the whip.
"STOOOOPPP!"///
Kurt jolted awake at the unfamiliar scream. It took him a second to realize it was from within his own room. For a moment he was confused, only barely awake at the time, and didn't understand how the scream was in his room but it wasn't his own. He didn't have a roommate after all. And then he remembered the guest in his room.
"Brody?" Kurt murmured sleepily.
Only frightened and pain filled whimpers answered him.
A jolt of fear struck Kurt and he bolted out of the bed and down to where Brody was thrashing and whimpering in his sleep. Occasionally the cat mutant would mumble a plea for someone to stop hurting him. Kurt's heart broke at the sight and he kneeled down beside his friend.
"Brody, Brody wake up," Kurt said as he shook Brody's shoulder. "Es ist in Ordnung."
"No...stop pwease...stop!" Brody cried out.
Kurt looked up as his door opened and a handful of mutants poked their heads inside, apparently awakened by Brody's screams. Upon seeing what was happening Scott and Jean quickly joined Kurt at Brody's side.
"It huwts...stop, pwease..." Brody was now sobbing.
"Brody wake up." Scott said as he had Kurt both gently shook the small mutant.
"AHHHH!" Brody shot awake.
The cat mutant instantly realized there were people around him and with a shriek of fear he threw himself under Kurt's bed. He crawled under as far as he could so that the only things that could be seen were his two big green eyes filled with fear. His fearful whimpers continued even though he was now awake and far away from the nightmare world.
"Brody, it's okay we're not gonna hurt you." Scott coaxed gently. "Come on out."
"Is he okay?" Jamie asked from the doorway.
Jean got up and went over to the door. She gave Jamie and the other younger mutants a comforting smile. "He'll be okay. You guys just go back to bed and we'll handle this." Jamie hesitated, but Bobby grabbed his shoulder and started to lead him away. "And guys, don't mention this to anyone, especially Brody."
Meanwhile back in the room Kurt and Scott were still trying to coax an obviously very frightened and confused Brody out from under the safety of the bed. Their efforts were simply met with more frightened whimpers from the mutant. Nothing they said could get Brody to come out.
*Scared. Very scared.* Child whimpered.
No other voices answered him. In some strange way the other personalities were still asleep, even Normal. That left the easily frightened and young personality in control.
Jean walked back over to the bed after closing the door. She moved closer to where Brody was under the bed and knelt down. She could feel the terror that the younger mutant was feeling as if it was her own. She'd never felt someone as scared as him. Not only that but his mind felt different somehow more disorganized and in some strange way very child-like.
"Guys...I think one of his other personalities is in control." She told the other two.
"I bet I know," Kurt said. "He mentioned something about having a personality called Child. I bet that's who is in control."
"How do we deal with him?" Scott asked having never dealt with that kind of situation before.
"Offer him food maybe?" Kurt suggested.
Scott rolled his eyes. "Not everything can be solved with food Kurt."
"Wait, he might be on to something," Jean spoke up. She kept her eyes locked on the violently shaking Brody. "Hey, do you want some cookies?"
The big green eyes simply blinked, but she was relieved he didn't whimper.
"I don't think he knows what cookies are Jean. He didn't know what soda and macaroni and cheese was," Kurt said.
"Alright, port down to the kitchen and bring up a bag of cookies." Jean ordered.
"Right."
BAMF!
Jean experimentally reached out a hand toward Brody, but jerked back at a frightened shriek. "Okay, okay, I won't touch you."
BAMF!
"Got the cookies, now what do we do?" Kurt asked and handed the bag to Jean.
"Let's move where he can't see us," Jean said. "Eat some cookies and comment on how good they are."
The three moved across the room and away from the bed. Each of them took a cookie from the bag and began eating it.
"Mmm, this cookie is good," Scott said.
"Ja, these cookies are the greatest." Kurt added.
"Mmm they're so sweet and the chocolate just makes me feel sooo good." Jean looked toward the bed and saw a pair of green eyes watching them. "These are so good Brody, are you sure you don't want one?"
At being talked to the frightened mutant backed further under the bed again, but Jean could still see those glowing green eyes watching. She took one of the cookies from the bag and used her powers to place it just barely under the bed. All three mutants watched with baited breath as Brody slowly crawled forward and snatched the cookie before ducking back again. They listened to the crunching of the small mutant eating the treat before going on with the unspoken plan.
"They're good aren't they. Do you want another?" Kurt questioned.
Only silence answered him, but the green eyes did move closer. Jean floated another cookie to Brody, but this time placed it where he would have to crawl out from under the bed to get it. For a moment the small mutant hesitated but the prospect of another cookie was too much for him to ignore. Slowly he emerged from under the bed, his watchful eyes going back and forth between his goal and the three other mutants. When they made no move toward him he grabbed the cookie and greedily began eating it. This time he didn't go back under the bed.
"See, they're good aren't they?"
"More?" Brody questioned softly.
"You can have another, but you have to come over here and get it." Jean told him.
Brody seemed to debate that for a moment. In his mind Child wasn't sure what to do. Usually when he was in control it was only for a short while and then Normal would take back over. But Normal was in his own little private corner of their mind and Child was unable to wake him. Child had never dealt with the kind of situation he was faced with. The people seemed nice enough and they were giving him sweet treats, but he just wasn't sure it was safe to get too close to them.
But he wanted the cookie Jean was holding out toward him. Like any kid he was attracted to sweets like moths to lights. Even though he was scared out of his mind Child just couldn't resist the offering. Slowly but surely he crawled toward the three, hesitating every once and a while until he was only a few inches from his target.
"Come on, we won't hurt you. I promise." Jean coaxed softly.
Brody watched the treat hungrily as Jean waved it in the air tantalizingly. He couldn't take it anymore. He decided that these three were safe and that even if they weren't he could handle them if they attacked. He reached out and took the cookie from Jean and hungrily ate it. Crumbs were sticking to his fur creating a little cookie mustache that Kurt couldn't help but grin at.
"See, we're not going to hurt you." Jean said.
"Want another cookie?" Kurt offered, holding out the treat.
Brody's eyes sparkled and he reached for it, quickly muttering a polite "pwease" before snatching the cookie away. He didn't notice the other three mutants exchange relieved looks. As they continued eating the cookies Brody began relaxing more and more even to the point of happily purring as he ate.
"Okay, you can have one more and then we all need to go back to bed." Scott said as he handed one more cookie to Brody.
The small mutant's eyes widened and his purring stopped. "No sleep! Nightmare's scawy. Child scawed."
Kurt glanced at the other two wearily and suppressed a yawn. Scott and Jean looked just as tired and desperate to get Brody to go back to bed.
"Would you feel better if you had something to snuggle with?" Scott asked, grinning suddenly at Kurt.
"Was? Nein, Ich bin kein Teddybar!" Kurt growled.
"Aw, c'mon Kurt. If any of us are going to get some sleep tonight you're gonna have to put your pride aside and take one for the team." Scott said.
"Please Kurt, I have a test tomorrow and I need sleep." Jean begged.
"Ach! Fine, but you two owe me for this." Kurt grumbled.
The two older teens grinned at each other before casting hopeful looks at Brody.
"Fuffy keep Child safe?" Brody asked in a tiny voice.
Kurt mentally groaned at that. It could be worse I guess. He could call me fuzzy bunny or something like that. He shot Jean and Scott a glare that clearly told them not to tell anyone else about this. He turned his attention back to Brody, smiling gently at the scared mutant.
"Ja, I'll keep you safe."
"Bad people stay away?"
"Ja, the bad people will stay away. No one will dare mess with you while I'm around." Kurt replied.
Before Kurt knew what was happening he had his arms full of a happily purring Brody. The little mutant wrapped his wings around Kurt's torso and had his face buried in the bigger mutant's chest. Kurt looked down at Brody in surprise and then up at his two friends who were standing up to leave.
Jean smiled approvingly. "You two look so cute."
"Not a word of this to anyone else." Kurt told them as he stood up with the surprisingly light Brody in his arms.
"Of course not." Scott said with a smirk. "Our little secret...fuffy."
With that Scott left the room. Jean started to follow, but stopped at the door and looked back at Kurt. "You have no idea how much of an effect you just had on that kid."
"Was? What do you mean?"
"It's not my place to explain." The older girl said. "Good night Kurt."
Before Kurt could open his mouth to say anything the door closed behind Jean. He sighed and accepted the fact that there were some things he just wouldn't know the answer to. He wrapped his arms a little tighter around his now deeply asleep friend and walked over to the bed. Carefully, so as not to wake Brody, he laid down on the bed and pulled his blankets over them. He shifted around to a comfortable position and absentmindedly wrapped his tail around Brody and pulled him closer.
This is nice. Kurt thought after a moment of lying there. Funny, the first person I get to snuggle with has multiple personalities and probably won't remember this in the morning.
Kurt looked down at Brody's peaceful face and smiled. He's beautiful. He thought. I don't understand how anyone could hurt him. The thought of someone hurting such a beautiful being brought protective urges he had never felt before. Looking down at his friend he felt as if he would move Heaven and earth to make Brody's life better. And Lord have mercy on any soul that got in the way.
"What're ya doin' you little mutie freak?" The owner of the boots grumbled. "C'mon out you fuckin' monster I know you're under there."
A large hand reached under the bed and toward the very small mutant. Brody's defensive instincts kicked in and the cat mutant sunk his fangs into the human's flesh. The man roared in fury and jerked his injured hand back. Brody tried to back further, but there was nothing but cold concrete wall behind him.
"I'm gonna kill you!" The man boomed.
Suddenly the bed was thrown across the small room practically shattering against the far wall. Brody shrieked in fear and tried to scramble away but a whip fell harshly on his back. He cried out in pain and continued to try and get away but his tormentor kept whipping him with no pause to the torture. His back was torn open and bleeding everywhere and bits of fur clung to the whip.
"STOOOOPPP!"///
Kurt jolted awake at the unfamiliar scream. It took him a second to realize it was from within his own room. For a moment he was confused, only barely awake at the time, and didn't understand how the scream was in his room but it wasn't his own. He didn't have a roommate after all. And then he remembered the guest in his room.
"Brody?" Kurt murmured sleepily.
Only frightened and pain filled whimpers answered him.
A jolt of fear struck Kurt and he bolted out of the bed and down to where Brody was thrashing and whimpering in his sleep. Occasionally the cat mutant would mumble a plea for someone to stop hurting him. Kurt's heart broke at the sight and he kneeled down beside his friend.
"Brody, Brody wake up," Kurt said as he shook Brody's shoulder. "Es ist in Ordnung."
"No...stop pwease...stop!" Brody cried out.
Kurt looked up as his door opened and a handful of mutants poked their heads inside, apparently awakened by Brody's screams. Upon seeing what was happening Scott and Jean quickly joined Kurt at Brody's side.
"It huwts...stop, pwease..." Brody was now sobbing.
"Brody wake up." Scott said as he had Kurt both gently shook the small mutant.
"AHHHH!" Brody shot awake.
The cat mutant instantly realized there were people around him and with a shriek of fear he threw himself under Kurt's bed. He crawled under as far as he could so that the only things that could be seen were his two big green eyes filled with fear. His fearful whimpers continued even though he was now awake and far away from the nightmare world.
"Brody, it's okay we're not gonna hurt you." Scott coaxed gently. "Come on out."
"Is he okay?" Jamie asked from the doorway.
Jean got up and went over to the door. She gave Jamie and the other younger mutants a comforting smile. "He'll be okay. You guys just go back to bed and we'll handle this." Jamie hesitated, but Bobby grabbed his shoulder and started to lead him away. "And guys, don't mention this to anyone, especially Brody."
Meanwhile back in the room Kurt and Scott were still trying to coax an obviously very frightened and confused Brody out from under the safety of the bed. Their efforts were simply met with more frightened whimpers from the mutant. Nothing they said could get Brody to come out.
*Scared. Very scared.* Child whimpered.
No other voices answered him. In some strange way the other personalities were still asleep, even Normal. That left the easily frightened and young personality in control.
Jean walked back over to the bed after closing the door. She moved closer to where Brody was under the bed and knelt down. She could feel the terror that the younger mutant was feeling as if it was her own. She'd never felt someone as scared as him. Not only that but his mind felt different somehow more disorganized and in some strange way very child-like.
"Guys...I think one of his other personalities is in control." She told the other two.
"I bet I know," Kurt said. "He mentioned something about having a personality called Child. I bet that's who is in control."
"How do we deal with him?" Scott asked having never dealt with that kind of situation before.
"Offer him food maybe?" Kurt suggested.
Scott rolled his eyes. "Not everything can be solved with food Kurt."
"Wait, he might be on to something," Jean spoke up. She kept her eyes locked on the violently shaking Brody. "Hey, do you want some cookies?"
The big green eyes simply blinked, but she was relieved he didn't whimper.
"I don't think he knows what cookies are Jean. He didn't know what soda and macaroni and cheese was," Kurt said.
"Alright, port down to the kitchen and bring up a bag of cookies." Jean ordered.
"Right."
BAMF!
Jean experimentally reached out a hand toward Brody, but jerked back at a frightened shriek. "Okay, okay, I won't touch you."
BAMF!
"Got the cookies, now what do we do?" Kurt asked and handed the bag to Jean.
"Let's move where he can't see us," Jean said. "Eat some cookies and comment on how good they are."
The three moved across the room and away from the bed. Each of them took a cookie from the bag and began eating it.
"Mmm, this cookie is good," Scott said.
"Ja, these cookies are the greatest." Kurt added.
"Mmm they're so sweet and the chocolate just makes me feel sooo good." Jean looked toward the bed and saw a pair of green eyes watching them. "These are so good Brody, are you sure you don't want one?"
At being talked to the frightened mutant backed further under the bed again, but Jean could still see those glowing green eyes watching. She took one of the cookies from the bag and used her powers to place it just barely under the bed. All three mutants watched with baited breath as Brody slowly crawled forward and snatched the cookie before ducking back again. They listened to the crunching of the small mutant eating the treat before going on with the unspoken plan.
"They're good aren't they. Do you want another?" Kurt questioned.
Only silence answered him, but the green eyes did move closer. Jean floated another cookie to Brody, but this time placed it where he would have to crawl out from under the bed to get it. For a moment the small mutant hesitated but the prospect of another cookie was too much for him to ignore. Slowly he emerged from under the bed, his watchful eyes going back and forth between his goal and the three other mutants. When they made no move toward him he grabbed the cookie and greedily began eating it. This time he didn't go back under the bed.
"See, they're good aren't they?"
"More?" Brody questioned softly.
"You can have another, but you have to come over here and get it." Jean told him.
Brody seemed to debate that for a moment. In his mind Child wasn't sure what to do. Usually when he was in control it was only for a short while and then Normal would take back over. But Normal was in his own little private corner of their mind and Child was unable to wake him. Child had never dealt with the kind of situation he was faced with. The people seemed nice enough and they were giving him sweet treats, but he just wasn't sure it was safe to get too close to them.
But he wanted the cookie Jean was holding out toward him. Like any kid he was attracted to sweets like moths to lights. Even though he was scared out of his mind Child just couldn't resist the offering. Slowly but surely he crawled toward the three, hesitating every once and a while until he was only a few inches from his target.
"Come on, we won't hurt you. I promise." Jean coaxed softly.
Brody watched the treat hungrily as Jean waved it in the air tantalizingly. He couldn't take it anymore. He decided that these three were safe and that even if they weren't he could handle them if they attacked. He reached out and took the cookie from Jean and hungrily ate it. Crumbs were sticking to his fur creating a little cookie mustache that Kurt couldn't help but grin at.
"See, we're not going to hurt you." Jean said.
"Want another cookie?" Kurt offered, holding out the treat.
Brody's eyes sparkled and he reached for it, quickly muttering a polite "pwease" before snatching the cookie away. He didn't notice the other three mutants exchange relieved looks. As they continued eating the cookies Brody began relaxing more and more even to the point of happily purring as he ate.
"Okay, you can have one more and then we all need to go back to bed." Scott said as he handed one more cookie to Brody.
The small mutant's eyes widened and his purring stopped. "No sleep! Nightmare's scawy. Child scawed."
Kurt glanced at the other two wearily and suppressed a yawn. Scott and Jean looked just as tired and desperate to get Brody to go back to bed.
"Would you feel better if you had something to snuggle with?" Scott asked, grinning suddenly at Kurt.
"Was? Nein, Ich bin kein Teddybar!" Kurt growled.
"Aw, c'mon Kurt. If any of us are going to get some sleep tonight you're gonna have to put your pride aside and take one for the team." Scott said.
"Please Kurt, I have a test tomorrow and I need sleep." Jean begged.
"Ach! Fine, but you two owe me for this." Kurt grumbled.
The two older teens grinned at each other before casting hopeful looks at Brody.
"Fuffy keep Child safe?" Brody asked in a tiny voice.
Kurt mentally groaned at that. It could be worse I guess. He could call me fuzzy bunny or something like that. He shot Jean and Scott a glare that clearly told them not to tell anyone else about this. He turned his attention back to Brody, smiling gently at the scared mutant.
"Ja, I'll keep you safe."
"Bad people stay away?"
"Ja, the bad people will stay away. No one will dare mess with you while I'm around." Kurt replied.
Before Kurt knew what was happening he had his arms full of a happily purring Brody. The little mutant wrapped his wings around Kurt's torso and had his face buried in the bigger mutant's chest. Kurt looked down at Brody in surprise and then up at his two friends who were standing up to leave.
Jean smiled approvingly. "You two look so cute."
"Not a word of this to anyone else." Kurt told them as he stood up with the surprisingly light Brody in his arms.
"Of course not." Scott said with a smirk. "Our little secret...fuffy."
With that Scott left the room. Jean started to follow, but stopped at the door and looked back at Kurt. "You have no idea how much of an effect you just had on that kid."
"Was? What do you mean?"
"It's not my place to explain." The older girl said. "Good night Kurt."
Before Kurt could open his mouth to say anything the door closed behind Jean. He sighed and accepted the fact that there were some things he just wouldn't know the answer to. He wrapped his arms a little tighter around his now deeply asleep friend and walked over to the bed. Carefully, so as not to wake Brody, he laid down on the bed and pulled his blankets over them. He shifted around to a comfortable position and absentmindedly wrapped his tail around Brody and pulled him closer.
This is nice. Kurt thought after a moment of lying there. Funny, the first person I get to snuggle with has multiple personalities and probably won't remember this in the morning.
Kurt looked down at Brody's peaceful face and smiled. He's beautiful. He thought. I don't understand how anyone could hurt him. The thought of someone hurting such a beautiful being brought protective urges he had never felt before. Looking down at his friend he felt as if he would move Heaven and earth to make Brody's life better. And Lord have mercy on any soul that got in the way.
