5. Relating
The next morning, after they all had had a good night's sleep, Xavier asked Ktelor to show the two new students around. Ktelor did as was told, boringly showing the place in accustomed routine that had not really became routine at all.
After finishing the tour, Ktelor turned around to face Kitty and Manuel. "That was it for the tour. Anythin' ye want to ask?"
Kitty stepped closer to Ktelor. "Ooh yeah... can we see your room?"
Ktelor was slightly startled. "Ehm..."
Manuel looked from Ktelor to Kitty and back at Ktelor a little disbelievingly. "No. See ya later." Manuel turned on his heels and walked away toward his own room.
"Well, can ya show me your room?"
After looking at Kitty for a while, Ktelor turned her eyes away, looking after Manuel and at the floor. She looked back at Kitty. "Um... I guess." Ktelor walked down the corridors to a corner of the mansion. There was a lonely door in a corner of the corridor that turned to the right. It had a sign that read "Ktelor Gilian / Teleshade" on it.
"Hey... Is your like, your codename Teleshade?"
"Yes." Ktelor opened the door and went in. Kitty followed.
To describe Ktelor's room in one word, it looked metallic. It was cold, both literally and emotionally. The walls under the several blueprints, sci-fi movie posters and metal music posters were bare, painted gray. In the ceiling were two fluorescent lamps. The room was long and rectangular. Right in front of and left from the door there were shelves filled with old technological stuff, albums and papers. To the right from the door there was a small table with a few small things on it and Ktelor's narrow and messy bed. Behind the bed was a clothes closet, a rather small one. Its doors were open, some clothes hanging on them. Opposite to Ktelor's bed there were more shelves and a rather long working desk with boxes under it. After it there were two windows with curtains and venetian blinds. Then there were just more shelves and boxes until the end of the room. Behind the clothes closet there was a room to the bathroom. Before the bathroom door there was a TV and before the shelves in the back a couch on which to watch the TV. The TV was very adjusted, full of wires of which some lead outside, where Kitty could see a satellite plate and antenna.
"Uh... oh, wow", Kitty managed to mumble.
"Ye don't have to hide it. If ye don't like it, just don't come here. No one ever likes my room. Even... even Logan didn't like it." Ktelor looked down as she said this. "You probably want to show me yer room. Let's get."
"No, Ktelor... I, I don't like, y'know, dislike it. It's okay."
"Kitty, I'm a telepath. Don't lie to me. There's no use an' secondly, it hurts me. Let's get." Ktelor went outside, waiting for Kitty to come out. Kitty took a look at the room before she went out. Even though its general feeling was very repulsive to her, she had never seen such a mysterious place; there could be almost anything in there. Ktelor could probably do almost anything there. It was dark, misty... just something Kitty had not seen before.
Kitty had not even seen all there was to Ktelor's room, for there was a door hidden behind the shelves before the back wall. The door led to a light, normal, soft-coloured but small room. There was a big couch in there, joyful landscape posters hanging on the wall and a cassette player. Ktelor had prepared that room herself, soon after the X-Men had died. Xavier, Lilandra or others did not know what was in it, or even that it was there. Even Ktelor never went there anymore.
As of now, Kitty's room was rather plain. Most of Kitty's stuff was still in the two big bags that she had dragged along from her home. The room was nice and light, like every other room except Ktelor's.
"Doesn't look like much", said Kitty. "Not near as interesting as yours... but it'll be better." She turned to Ktelor, smiling. "You want to help me unpack?"
"Um. If... you want to."
"Sure I do. Here." Kitty handed Ktelor the other one of the bags. Ktelor opened it, seeing in it mostly clothes. "Now... this closet is gonna be my clothes closet. Can you hand me the stuff an' I'll pile it in?"
"Okay." Ktelor handed over Kitty's jeans, T-shirts, other shirts, jacket, some other kind of trousers, socks, shoes and a few weird things Ktelor did not know about. "Kitty, um... ye want to look to yer underwear yerself, right– –"
"Just hand them over." Ktelor could sense that Kitty was slightly embarrassed, but Kitty wanted Ktelor to hand them over. And Ktelor did as was told. She had not really seen girls' underwear before, and blushed slightly while handing them.
"Okay – –"
"Can you help me with the other stuff too?"
"... Okay." Ktelor kept on handing Kitty's stuff over to Kitty, and Kitty searched for a proper place for each thing.
Later the both big bags were empty.
"You can store the bags in the closet", said Ktelor, opening a small closet door next to the bathroom door. "An' other stuff ye don't really need. "Um... if ye need some more stuff, we've got a storage room in the first floor. I can take you there some time."
"Okay."
Ktelor was quiet for a moment. She did not actually feel like spending any more time in Kitty's room. "I think I should better be going."
"No... c'mon Ktelor, we like just started talkin'."
"Eh... What do ye want to talk about?"
"Anything?"
Ktelor's line of sight wandered around the room for a moment. It was quite a surprise. "Eh... anything?"
"Ktelor..." Kitty looked rather frustrated. "You don't mind if I hug ya, will ya?"
Ktelor startled slightly. "What? What did..." Ktelor became quiet as Kitty stepped closer to her, placing her arms around Ktelor's neck. "K-Kitty..."
"Sh." Kitty hugged Ktelor, pressing her body against Ktelor's and laying her head on Ktelor's shoulder. Ktelor was stunned, standing there like a statue. "C'mon, Ktelor. Ya gonna hug me or not?"
"Eh, oh..." It was like Ktelor had suddenly realized she had arms, now having no idea at all what to do with them. She then just placed them on Kitty's back, very gently but stiffly.
"Ktelor... have you... Have ya like never even hugged anyone before?"
Ktelor tried to speak calmly, seeming to know what she was doing at least verbally if not practically. "No, I haven't. Not like this I mean." Kitty let go of Ktelor a little, looking Ktelor straight face-to-face. She moved her hands from Ktelor's neck to her face. Ktelor was pretty much terrified, still standing like a statue.
"Ktelor, come on... don't be scared. What's the matter with me hugging ya? It can't be that bad..." Ktelor tried to speak but could not get out a word. She turned her head down, looking at her own chest, breathing quickly.
"I..."
Kitty took a moment before speaking. "Ktelor, relax. Just relax... take it easy... you don't have to worry about it..." Kitty let go of Ktelor and stepped back a little. Ktelor had never been this uneasy. While the majority of her body and mind wanted to just run out of the room screaming like hell, a small part in her wanted to do just what Kitty said, and even a smaller part wanted to grab Kitty and kiss her passionately. So, Ktelor just stood there, tensed and terrified, looking at Kitty. Kitty was worried. "Ktelor... y'should like, relax..." Ktelor could do nothing. Kitty sighed, reaching out with her right hand for Ktelor's left hand. She took and held it. Ktelor looked at the hands and did nothing. "Are ya okay?"
Ktelor pushed Kitty's hands away, marching outside the room. It was clear to Kitty that Ktelor was just inexperienced and had no idea what to do. She figured Ktelor would need time to think it over. She would catch Ktelor later.
Ktelor rushed to Xavier who was in his office for a change.
"What is it, Ktelor?" said Xavier, not that surprised at Ktelor's coming.
"She hugged me!" exclaimed Ktelor, rather tight-lipped. She leaned on Xavier's desk, hanging her head down.
Xavier looked up at her, slightly amused, but remembering that this was Ktelor in question after all. "She hugged you? Is that all?" Ktelor shook her head, still looking down. "What did you do?"
"Nothing! I did nothing! I couldn't even move! Ah!"
Xavier moved his hoverchair from behind his desk to where Ktelor was. While he lay his hand on Ktelor's shoulder, Ktelor continued leaning on his desk, turning her face away from him. "You just walked away then?"
"That was all I could do, now wasn't it."
"Ktelor, relax. You can't hide from your peers forever."
"Why... why did she do it. Why'd she pick me?"
"She met you first. You impressed her. Now, I'm sure she isn't that serious anyway, after all, you haven't even told her anything about yourself yet."
"What should I do then?"
"You don't really like her that much, do you?"
"That's right, I don't."
"Well, considering your previous life and relationships, I'd recommend you to play along for a while. A few days. I'm sure it'll do you both good. Kitty will realize that you aren't really what she wants."
"What should I say to her?"
"I don't know. Ask her. Maybe it'll be a little inconvenient, but you're just practicing, after all. Both of you. Now relax a little. Moving on, have you read the optics extension?"
"No, not yet."
"Good. Then go read it, do the first exercise and come for lunch."
"...Okay." Ktelor turned slowly, walked a little unsteadily across the room and outside.
Xavier shook his head slightly and looked after Ktelor, smiling.
Ktelor did as Xavier suggested and read physics until lunchtime. After reading the chapters, she went to the kitchen, where Xavier and Lilandra had been preparing the lunch.
"Ah, Ktelor. Can you help?" asked Xavier as he saw Ktelor come. "Lay the table for five, please." Xavier gave a telepathic image of what the table should look.
"Alright, it's not like I had something better to do, is it?" As soon as Ktelor was done, both Kitty and Manuel arrived. Ktelor looked at Kitty, not saying a word. Manuel noticed the tension.
"Huh, what's up?"
Ktelor looked at Manuel. "Tension." Manuel rolled his eyes.
Xavier looked at Manuel and Ktelor. "Come on, let's eat. I'll explain to you later, Manuel." He turned to Ktelor. "And what I am going to explain to him is how to use his powers. So don't worry, Ktelor."
Ktelor sat on her usual place. "As if I really cared much."
"What's for food?" asked Kitty eagerly, sitting next to Ktelor.
Lilandra put the dishes on the table while Xavier took his usual place. "Nothing very special", said Lilandra. "But I think you'll be surprised at the dessert."
Ktelor chuckled slightly. "What, we're gonna get some Shi'Ar gharel again? Why not just blow out their taste receptors beforehand?"
"You are such a spoilsport", answered Lilandra happily.
"What, alien food?" began Manuel. "Um..."
"It's quite alright, Manuel. It does taste rather extraordinary, but it is very good", said Xavier.
"Yeh, it's good. It's just a little funny on human taste receptors y' know. That's why we use it as dessert. The Shi'Ar take it for appetizers."
"Oh. ..." Manuel looked at the food.
"Let's start, shall we?" said Xavier, grabbing a pair of knives.
Ktelor looked at Lilandra's pair of forks, amused. "Whoops." Xavier grinned at Ktelor as he switched one knife for Lilandra's other fork. They started eating.
When they were done, Xavier told Kitty and Manuel to come later to his office so that he could tell more of the school.
Kitty was about to leave for her room, when she noticed Ktelor was following her. "Ktelor?"
"Can I come with ye?"
"Of course", said Kitty, looking at Ktelor, smiling. She turned and Ktelor followed her to Kitty's room. After they had stepped in, Kitty turned to Ktelor.
"Um... I'm sorry that I just... walked away like that. I was just... y'know, shocked."
"It's okay... I mean, you've probably been all alone pretty much your whole life an' all. I'm sorry I startled you." Ktelor just smiled at Kitty. She was being so nice; Ktelor was a little confused by Kitty's kindness. Even though this had surprised Ktelor, she still found Kitty rather boring and too normal. Ktelor reached out, taking Kitty's hand in hers. Kitty smiled, looking up at Ktelor, and hugged her again. Even though Ktelor was still rather uneasy about it, she decided to hug back properly, wrapping her arms around Kitty. Kitty smiled and nudged her head against Ktelor's shoulder.
"Kitty... um... Have you, y'know, ever done anything like this? I – –"
"No, not really. I've like hugged people before, but not exactly like this... y'know." Ktelor hummed a positive answer. They just stood there for a while, cuddling.
After a moment, Kitty let go of Ktelor, but still holding her hands on Ktelor's shoulders. "So... What do you do here usually?"
Ktelor almost let completely go of Kitty, but then kept her hands on Kitty's sides. "Um... Well, I read... an' exercise... do what Xavier says... build things an' fly with our plane... I guess that's it."
"What do you read?"
"Well, physics... math... comics, magazines... and stuff..."
However, Manuel did not quite approve of Ktelor. To him, Ktelor was definitely something that should not be. Now that she was there anyway, he did not like the fact that Ktelor had beaten him when they had fought. Then again, Manuel did not bother with it that much, so he just kept his mouth shut about it, occasionally having a few conversations about it with Xavier. Ktelor did not bother even that much, basically wholly ignoring Manuel.