Disclaimer: I do not own X-Men: Evolution, or any other Marvel or WB
property. The characters of Astrid and Johannes are the intellectual
property of the InterNutter, who is just lovely for letting me use them.
Notes: See! Had this one up faster than the last, right?
RedLion2: Yeah, I did it on purpose. I just decided to do that, because. . .well. . .people don't "think" in an accent. If anything, he probably thinks in German. Anyhow, that's what I asked my German friend Herbert a while back (about thinking in an accent that is). I'm so glad that you like the story!
Taekwondodo: Yeah, it is a bit of a stretch of the imagination for an acrobatic ballet to bring down the house. But. . .well. . .eh. In my mind, it looks very Cirque Du Solei, which is acrobatic ballet anyhow, and that pulls in huge numbers here in Orlando. La Nouba! Awesome!
Electric Russian: Um. . .I'm afraid not. You're going to have to find someone else to write a Titty (although, in all good taste, I think Tatty it a better name for a Kitty/Tabby romance). Anyhow, glad you're still liking the story, ya crazy little so and so!
Everyone: Thank you so much for reading the story, and I'm so happy that you all like it. Really, really, happy.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------
The opening night of the show in Frankfurt am Main was huge. The turnout of spectators from the city and its surrounding towns floored the gypsies, who couldn't have been happier. They had all been worried after the lackluster turnout of the previous towns and cities. Now, here was a crowd that they could play to! And collect money from. Which they did, with every chance they got. Food and candy sales were huge. The takings from midway games and fortunetellers were also sizable. They sold so many tickets that first night that they decided to prolong their stay there.
And all the gypsies were saying that it was because of the "The Lovers" act.
The newspapers were all applauding the act. People came from far and wide, even from cities that would be future stops for the gypsies, to see the act. It had been a regional favorite for years, and it seemed that its return had brought newfound interest. Night after night, the act received a standing ovation from the crowds. Once, they had even performed an encore presentation of it.
It really was beautiful to watch. Both performers were so graceful in their movements. The story, told through dance, acrobatics, wirework, and movement, was so powerful and emotional that it made people cry at the end. It brought the house down every night, both of the performers standing and bowing to wild applause before they made their way to the back of the tent, through the flap that led to the "backstage" area. Every night it was decided that it was the most successful, most entertaining act of the entire performance.
And every night, Kitty grew more and more jealous.
Not that she had a reason to be. Kurt detested the act, hated everything about it as a matter of fact. He hated hearing in papers and radio reviews about how great his "costume" was. Tabby began to think that for the first time in a long time, Kurt had grown tired of hiding behind the costume lie, or behind the image inducer. He certainly left it off most of the time nowadays. That was the only thing that made both of the girls happier. The sudden attention seemed to make Kurt a lot more comfortable about his appearance, and want to share it with the world.
After the seventh night of performing in Frankfurt am Main, the gypsies decided that it was time to move on. They would spend the next day packing. Tonight, they decided, they would celebrate.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------
Kurt walked through the crowd, looking tired.
"{Kurt! Come on!}" Gunther shouted to him.
Tabby, who was sitting next to Gunther at the fire, pointed to the food that was assembled nearby.
"{Come on, Kurt! We have food!}" Tabby yelled.
Kurt smirked at Tabby's sudden use of the German language. He had thought that she had taken to it too quickly, but he just as quickly decided that maybe she had learned a thing or two in her German language class. Maybe she just needed more and more practice.
"{No thank you, Tabby. You've picked up the language nicely, though, I must say."} Kurt said.
"{Thank you. Are you sure that you wouldn't like a shirt?}" Tabby asked, motioning to the food again.
Kurt laughed.
"{No, thanks. I have some. That sausage looks nice, though."} Kurt said, sitting down at the fire.
Gunther laughed, and began to talk to Tabby to explain her mistake. The two fell into a conversation with each other, and Kurt looked around the fire. Everyone else merely smiled at him and said hello, and then went back to their conversations. He looked all over for Kitty, but couldn't see her anywhere. Sighing, he sat back against a wagon wheel and began to eat his sausage. Finally, he turned back to Tabby and Gunther.
"I'm sorry, but do eizzer of you know vhere Kitty is?" Kurt asked.
"She should be here in a little while. All of her clothes were dirty and she needed to find something to where tonight." Tabby said.
Kurt cocked his head in confusion.
"Vhere is she getting somezing to vear at zis hour?" Kurt asked.
"Your mom said she'd help her." Tabby said. "They're. . .close to the same size."
"My mozzer is small, but I don't know if she's as small as Kitty." Kurt laughed.
"Kurt?" A voice said next to him.
Kurt looked up and saw Franka standing there.
"Franka." Kurt said, sullen.
"{Happy to see me?}" She asked, sitting next to him.
"{Always.}" Kurt replied sarcastically. "{So, are you here to start fights with my friends, or to annoy me?}"
"{I was just. . .I was just hoping to talk to you.}" Franka said.
"{That's what we're doing now, yes?}" Kurt said. "{What did you want to talk about?}"
"{About us.}" She said.
"{Franka, not to be rude or anything, but there is no "us." There is only you and me. Separate.}" Kurt said.
"{Kurt, do you think it was easy to leave you like that?}" Franka asked.
"{If it was so hard, then why did you do it?}" Kurt asked.
"{Because. . .I just. . .I couldn't bare to so goodbye to you.}" Franka finished, somewhat lamely.
"{Franka, what we had between us. . .it was good. I meant something, and I will always remember it.}" Kurt said slowly. "{But that time is gone now. I'm a different person. You're a different person. It's time to remember the past, but move on.}"
"{It's hard to forget someone like you.}" Franka said.
"{Well, then don't.}" Kurt replied. "{But it's still time for you to move on with your life.}"
"{Like you have?}" Franka asked bitterly.
"{Yes. Like I have.}" Kurt said, looking away. "{Franka, I want to be your friend. But that's all that I have to offer.}"
"{Kurt. . .we. . .}" She began, but didn't get a chance to finish.
Kitty walked into the light of the fire just as Kurt's eyes, bored of looking at Franka's face, began to scan the grounds for her again. For once, it seemed, her hair wasn't pulled back into a ponytail. Instead, it fell like water over the sides of her head to her shoulders. Kurt had never known that, without being pulled tightly back, her hair was wavy. She was wearing a peasant's top, decorated with flowers around the collar, which was cut somewhat lower than Kitty usually wore. The top was tucked into a long, flowing skirt, similar to the one Franka was wearing the night he had returned to his family. The vision of Kitty like this was something that took Kurt's breath away. He knew he would always remember her like this, as if she were some type of "gypsy princess" from the past. She saw him, staring at her wide-eyed, and a small smile crept over her face.
Kurt stood up, leaving Franka there. Franka, for her part, just stared at Kurt as if she couldn't believe that he had just left her side. Which he had.
Kurt walked up to Kitty, stopping mere inches from her. Kitty looked down at the ground, as if embarrassed by the way that she looked.
"I hope he likes this." Kitty thought.
"Hey, Kitty." Kurt said softly. "You look. . .nice."
"I look horrible, don't I?" she asked.
"No! Nein, not at all." Kurt replied.
"I wasn't sure. . .about wearing it. I felt a little embarrassed, but I didn't want to be rude to your mom." Kitty said.
"I lied. You don't look nice." Kurt said.
Kitty looked up at him sharply.
"I don't?" She asked, on the edge of being mortified.
"You look gorgeous." Kurt said, and then offered his arm to her.
Kitty blushed, then hit Kurt in the shoulder.
"Smooth talker." She muttered, taking his arm.
Kurt guided her to a spot next to Tabby and Gunther, but further away from Franka, who was just sitting there.
"Lookin' good, Kit Kat." Tabby said.
"Thanks." Kitty said, brushing her bangs aside.
The group of young gypsies, plus Kitty and Tabby, fell into their own conversations. Kitty began talking to Kurt about what she wanted to do with the rest of the summer. For his part, Kurt simply sat there, listening to her, trying not to be distracted by looking at her. It was hard for Kurt to take his eyes off of her face. She seemed so happy talking to him, and for a brief moment, he seriously considered taking her hands in his and kissing her. The thought was fleeting, however, and he just smiled, listened and nodded while she talked.
Franka watched Kurt watch Kitty. It was written all over his face how he felt about the other girl. He simply couldn't take his eyes off of her. She had his complete and undivided attention, and no matter how much Franka tried to signal to him that she'd like to continue their conversation, Kurt did not notice. Franka didn't understand Kurt's attraction to Kitty.. She felt that Kitty was a plain looking girl, with no remarkable attributes. Shaking her head, Franka got up and walked off toward another fire.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------
Kurt rolled over, somersaulting, then with the help of the wire attached to him, flew fifteen feet back into a graceful landing, kneeling over Franka. Franka looked up in fear, thrusting her arms in front of her face as she pulled away from him, flipping end over end toward another part of the ring. The audience was silent, watching the two twist and turn in the center of the tent, performing their act.
Once again, Kitty stood there, watching the two of them and feeling as if she wanted to throw up. Although, this time there was something different. She felt no real threat from Franka. She didn't think that there was anyway in which Franka could make Kurt hers. She had never really believed that Franka could convince Kurt to return to her, but there was always that little niggling fear. Or at least, there had been. Kitty didn't know when, but she knew that she had to talk to Kurt. And she was beginning to believe that, maybe, Kurt wanted to talk to her.
Sighing, Kitty left the tent. Moving through the empty midway, she saw that the lights were still on in Astrid's tent. She walked toward it, and entered through the flap. Astrid and Tabby were both still inside, laughing.
"Hey, Kitty." Tabby said upon Kitty's entrance.
"Hello, Kitty." Astrid said. "How are you?"
"I'm good." Kitty said, although she sounded as morose as she looked.
"What's wrong?" Tabby asked.
"Nothing, really. I just don't like watching Kurt and Franka's act." Kitty said.
"Ah." Astrid said, somewhat knowingly.
Kitty sat down in the seat reserved for those who wanted their fortunes read.
"And vhy is zat?" Astrid asked, sitting back in her chair.
"No reason, I guess." Kitty said, trying desperately not to blush in front of Kurt's mother.
Astrid nodded slowly, and then turned to Tabby.
"Vould you like to tell Kitty her fortune?" Astrid asked.
"What?" Kitty asked, looking up. "Oh, no thank you Astrid."
"Come on, Kitty, I need the practice." Tabby said.
"Yeah, but. . .you know. Astrid already read my palm." Kitty said.
"Not in depth. Vhy don't you let Tabby try. I haff to run back to my camper anyhow. I'll be back." Astrid said, standing up. "You did a great job tonight, Tabby. If you ever vant to run avay viz ze circus, I'd love to haff you viz us."
She bent over and hugged Tabby, who hugged her back.
"Thank you, Astrid. Although I think I'll stay with the Institute for now. The world needs saving, every now and then." Tabby said while laughing.
"Okay. I'll see you in a little bit." Astrid replied, walking toward Kitty, who she bent over and kissed on the forehead. "Let Tabby tell you your fortune, child."
Kitty blushed at the kiss on the forehead as Astrid left the tent.
"She's a cool woman, isn't she?" Tabby asked.
"She's certainly special." Kitty said honestly.
Tabby smiled and nodded. Then, reaching out with her hand, she motioned to Kitty.
"Give me your hand." Tabby said.
"Tabby. . .come on. This stuff isn't real." Kitty said.
"The hell it isn't." Tabby said. "My hand shows all kinds of relationships through my life, and. . .well. . .you know me."
Kitty laughed, and then, hesitantly, she held her hand out to Tabby.
"Don't tell me I'm going to meet a tall, dark stranger or anything." Kitty said.
"I think you've already met him." Tabby teased.
"Shut up. I'm sick of blushing." Kitty said, blushing yet again.
Tabby held Kitty's hand and lightly traced a path over Kitty's palm. Her smile was gone, and she concentrated on Kitty's hand.
"You know, Astrid taught me a lot about how a persons hand can tell a lot about that person. Not just because of all the lines in it, though. You can tell how hard a person works, what kind of things they do with their hands, how careful they are. It's weird. You can tell so much about a person from their hand." Tabby said.
"Okay, sounding a little "Soapdish" for me." Kitty teased. (1)
Tabby laughed, and then traced another path of Kitty's hand with her finger.
"Well, I can tell you things you probably already knnow." Tabby said.
"Like what? What do you see?" Kitty asked.
"Well, you take care of your hands." Tabby said.
"Oh, thanks!" Kitty said with a smile. "Why don't you just tell me that I'm a female. That's news!"
"Shut up." Tabby said. "Now, here. According to your hand, you were sick as an infant."
"Yeah." Kitty said, her eyes going wide. "Are you serious? You can see that in my palm?"
"Yup." Tabby said. "You were pretty sick. But you apparently got over it. Hm. After that, it shows you living a long, healthy life. Well, pretty much. And Astrid was right. You can see here that you'll meet someone soon and he'll be with you until death."
"You're just repeating what Astrid said." Kitty told her.
"Yeah, but I'm going to tell you something different." Tabby said, releasing Kitty's hand and looking Kitty in the eye. "It's Kurt. Okay, maybe this whole palm reading thing is bullshit, but you better listen to me. You need to talk to Kurt."
"I'm. . .I'm going to." Kitty said, looking down at her hands.
"No, you need to do it soon. You're both going to explode if you don't." Tabby replied.
"What do you mean, "both" of us?" Kitty asked.
"Kitty, if you can't see how he feels about you, you're blind." Tabby said. "You can't see that whenever you come near him, it's like he goes on autopilot for a moment. It used to make me jealous. Last night he was practically wearing his heart on his sleeve for you."
"Tabby. . ." Kitty said.
"No, Kitty. Listen to me. You know how he feels, and he thinks that you could never feel the same way about him." Tabby said.
"How do you know that?"
"Because he told me." Tabby said.
Kitty froze for a moment, her eyes going wide.
"He said what?" Kitty asked after a few moments of silence.
"He told me how he feels about you. It's obvious to everyone. Even Astrid has asked me about it." Tabby said.
"She has?" Kitty asked, going red yet again.
"Yes." Tabby said. "Listen, he thinks that you could never love, really love, him. He's scared as all hell that he's going to end up the best friend of his great love for the rest of his life."
"You're lying." Kitty said.
Tabby simply shook her head and sat back in her seat.
"You can think whatever you want. All I know is that you're both torturing yourselves needlessly." Tabby said. "Kitty. . .I think he's in love with you."
Kitty's breath had become shallow. She felt scared and elated at the same time. There was something so. . .adult about the feelings coursing through her body, and they scared her. At the same time. . .it elated her to know that Kurt felt the same way about her.
"Why do you think he wants nothing to do with Franka?" Tabby asked. "She's not a bad looking girl. They used to be quite the item from what I understand. She wants him, Kitty. And he, Kurt, a teenage boy filled with all kinds of crazy hormones, has denied her at every turn. Why would that be?"
Kitty was completely silent, staring into her friend's face.
"You want your fortune read?" Tabby asked her. "Here it is. You belong with Kurt. He belongs with you. Someday, when one or the other of you gets the guts to say something, you'll end up together, in love forever."
Kitty swallowed out of nervousness.
"That's your fortune." Tabby said.
There was silence in the tent for a moment, and then Astrid suddenly returned.
"Hello, girls. Tabby, did you read Kitty her fortune?" Astrid asked.
"Yes, I did." Tabby said.
"And how vas it Kitty?" Astrid asked her. "Vhat does your fortune hold?"
Kitty slowly looked over at Astrid, her mind a complete blank.
"I'm in love with your son." Kitty said after a few moments of silence.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------
Somewhat longer than the last chapter, but I'm really tired. Anyhow, I lied. I may get a few more chapters out of this story yet! Yippee. Okay, I'm off to sleep now.
Later.
Notes: See! Had this one up faster than the last, right?
RedLion2: Yeah, I did it on purpose. I just decided to do that, because. . .well. . .people don't "think" in an accent. If anything, he probably thinks in German. Anyhow, that's what I asked my German friend Herbert a while back (about thinking in an accent that is). I'm so glad that you like the story!
Taekwondodo: Yeah, it is a bit of a stretch of the imagination for an acrobatic ballet to bring down the house. But. . .well. . .eh. In my mind, it looks very Cirque Du Solei, which is acrobatic ballet anyhow, and that pulls in huge numbers here in Orlando. La Nouba! Awesome!
Electric Russian: Um. . .I'm afraid not. You're going to have to find someone else to write a Titty (although, in all good taste, I think Tatty it a better name for a Kitty/Tabby romance). Anyhow, glad you're still liking the story, ya crazy little so and so!
Everyone: Thank you so much for reading the story, and I'm so happy that you all like it. Really, really, happy.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------
The opening night of the show in Frankfurt am Main was huge. The turnout of spectators from the city and its surrounding towns floored the gypsies, who couldn't have been happier. They had all been worried after the lackluster turnout of the previous towns and cities. Now, here was a crowd that they could play to! And collect money from. Which they did, with every chance they got. Food and candy sales were huge. The takings from midway games and fortunetellers were also sizable. They sold so many tickets that first night that they decided to prolong their stay there.
And all the gypsies were saying that it was because of the "The Lovers" act.
The newspapers were all applauding the act. People came from far and wide, even from cities that would be future stops for the gypsies, to see the act. It had been a regional favorite for years, and it seemed that its return had brought newfound interest. Night after night, the act received a standing ovation from the crowds. Once, they had even performed an encore presentation of it.
It really was beautiful to watch. Both performers were so graceful in their movements. The story, told through dance, acrobatics, wirework, and movement, was so powerful and emotional that it made people cry at the end. It brought the house down every night, both of the performers standing and bowing to wild applause before they made their way to the back of the tent, through the flap that led to the "backstage" area. Every night it was decided that it was the most successful, most entertaining act of the entire performance.
And every night, Kitty grew more and more jealous.
Not that she had a reason to be. Kurt detested the act, hated everything about it as a matter of fact. He hated hearing in papers and radio reviews about how great his "costume" was. Tabby began to think that for the first time in a long time, Kurt had grown tired of hiding behind the costume lie, or behind the image inducer. He certainly left it off most of the time nowadays. That was the only thing that made both of the girls happier. The sudden attention seemed to make Kurt a lot more comfortable about his appearance, and want to share it with the world.
After the seventh night of performing in Frankfurt am Main, the gypsies decided that it was time to move on. They would spend the next day packing. Tonight, they decided, they would celebrate.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------
Kurt walked through the crowd, looking tired.
"{Kurt! Come on!}" Gunther shouted to him.
Tabby, who was sitting next to Gunther at the fire, pointed to the food that was assembled nearby.
"{Come on, Kurt! We have food!}" Tabby yelled.
Kurt smirked at Tabby's sudden use of the German language. He had thought that she had taken to it too quickly, but he just as quickly decided that maybe she had learned a thing or two in her German language class. Maybe she just needed more and more practice.
"{No thank you, Tabby. You've picked up the language nicely, though, I must say."} Kurt said.
"{Thank you. Are you sure that you wouldn't like a shirt?}" Tabby asked, motioning to the food again.
Kurt laughed.
"{No, thanks. I have some. That sausage looks nice, though."} Kurt said, sitting down at the fire.
Gunther laughed, and began to talk to Tabby to explain her mistake. The two fell into a conversation with each other, and Kurt looked around the fire. Everyone else merely smiled at him and said hello, and then went back to their conversations. He looked all over for Kitty, but couldn't see her anywhere. Sighing, he sat back against a wagon wheel and began to eat his sausage. Finally, he turned back to Tabby and Gunther.
"I'm sorry, but do eizzer of you know vhere Kitty is?" Kurt asked.
"She should be here in a little while. All of her clothes were dirty and she needed to find something to where tonight." Tabby said.
Kurt cocked his head in confusion.
"Vhere is she getting somezing to vear at zis hour?" Kurt asked.
"Your mom said she'd help her." Tabby said. "They're. . .close to the same size."
"My mozzer is small, but I don't know if she's as small as Kitty." Kurt laughed.
"Kurt?" A voice said next to him.
Kurt looked up and saw Franka standing there.
"Franka." Kurt said, sullen.
"{Happy to see me?}" She asked, sitting next to him.
"{Always.}" Kurt replied sarcastically. "{So, are you here to start fights with my friends, or to annoy me?}"
"{I was just. . .I was just hoping to talk to you.}" Franka said.
"{That's what we're doing now, yes?}" Kurt said. "{What did you want to talk about?}"
"{About us.}" She said.
"{Franka, not to be rude or anything, but there is no "us." There is only you and me. Separate.}" Kurt said.
"{Kurt, do you think it was easy to leave you like that?}" Franka asked.
"{If it was so hard, then why did you do it?}" Kurt asked.
"{Because. . .I just. . .I couldn't bare to so goodbye to you.}" Franka finished, somewhat lamely.
"{Franka, what we had between us. . .it was good. I meant something, and I will always remember it.}" Kurt said slowly. "{But that time is gone now. I'm a different person. You're a different person. It's time to remember the past, but move on.}"
"{It's hard to forget someone like you.}" Franka said.
"{Well, then don't.}" Kurt replied. "{But it's still time for you to move on with your life.}"
"{Like you have?}" Franka asked bitterly.
"{Yes. Like I have.}" Kurt said, looking away. "{Franka, I want to be your friend. But that's all that I have to offer.}"
"{Kurt. . .we. . .}" She began, but didn't get a chance to finish.
Kitty walked into the light of the fire just as Kurt's eyes, bored of looking at Franka's face, began to scan the grounds for her again. For once, it seemed, her hair wasn't pulled back into a ponytail. Instead, it fell like water over the sides of her head to her shoulders. Kurt had never known that, without being pulled tightly back, her hair was wavy. She was wearing a peasant's top, decorated with flowers around the collar, which was cut somewhat lower than Kitty usually wore. The top was tucked into a long, flowing skirt, similar to the one Franka was wearing the night he had returned to his family. The vision of Kitty like this was something that took Kurt's breath away. He knew he would always remember her like this, as if she were some type of "gypsy princess" from the past. She saw him, staring at her wide-eyed, and a small smile crept over her face.
Kurt stood up, leaving Franka there. Franka, for her part, just stared at Kurt as if she couldn't believe that he had just left her side. Which he had.
Kurt walked up to Kitty, stopping mere inches from her. Kitty looked down at the ground, as if embarrassed by the way that she looked.
"I hope he likes this." Kitty thought.
"Hey, Kitty." Kurt said softly. "You look. . .nice."
"I look horrible, don't I?" she asked.
"No! Nein, not at all." Kurt replied.
"I wasn't sure. . .about wearing it. I felt a little embarrassed, but I didn't want to be rude to your mom." Kitty said.
"I lied. You don't look nice." Kurt said.
Kitty looked up at him sharply.
"I don't?" She asked, on the edge of being mortified.
"You look gorgeous." Kurt said, and then offered his arm to her.
Kitty blushed, then hit Kurt in the shoulder.
"Smooth talker." She muttered, taking his arm.
Kurt guided her to a spot next to Tabby and Gunther, but further away from Franka, who was just sitting there.
"Lookin' good, Kit Kat." Tabby said.
"Thanks." Kitty said, brushing her bangs aside.
The group of young gypsies, plus Kitty and Tabby, fell into their own conversations. Kitty began talking to Kurt about what she wanted to do with the rest of the summer. For his part, Kurt simply sat there, listening to her, trying not to be distracted by looking at her. It was hard for Kurt to take his eyes off of her face. She seemed so happy talking to him, and for a brief moment, he seriously considered taking her hands in his and kissing her. The thought was fleeting, however, and he just smiled, listened and nodded while she talked.
Franka watched Kurt watch Kitty. It was written all over his face how he felt about the other girl. He simply couldn't take his eyes off of her. She had his complete and undivided attention, and no matter how much Franka tried to signal to him that she'd like to continue their conversation, Kurt did not notice. Franka didn't understand Kurt's attraction to Kitty.. She felt that Kitty was a plain looking girl, with no remarkable attributes. Shaking her head, Franka got up and walked off toward another fire.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------
Kurt rolled over, somersaulting, then with the help of the wire attached to him, flew fifteen feet back into a graceful landing, kneeling over Franka. Franka looked up in fear, thrusting her arms in front of her face as she pulled away from him, flipping end over end toward another part of the ring. The audience was silent, watching the two twist and turn in the center of the tent, performing their act.
Once again, Kitty stood there, watching the two of them and feeling as if she wanted to throw up. Although, this time there was something different. She felt no real threat from Franka. She didn't think that there was anyway in which Franka could make Kurt hers. She had never really believed that Franka could convince Kurt to return to her, but there was always that little niggling fear. Or at least, there had been. Kitty didn't know when, but she knew that she had to talk to Kurt. And she was beginning to believe that, maybe, Kurt wanted to talk to her.
Sighing, Kitty left the tent. Moving through the empty midway, she saw that the lights were still on in Astrid's tent. She walked toward it, and entered through the flap. Astrid and Tabby were both still inside, laughing.
"Hey, Kitty." Tabby said upon Kitty's entrance.
"Hello, Kitty." Astrid said. "How are you?"
"I'm good." Kitty said, although she sounded as morose as she looked.
"What's wrong?" Tabby asked.
"Nothing, really. I just don't like watching Kurt and Franka's act." Kitty said.
"Ah." Astrid said, somewhat knowingly.
Kitty sat down in the seat reserved for those who wanted their fortunes read.
"And vhy is zat?" Astrid asked, sitting back in her chair.
"No reason, I guess." Kitty said, trying desperately not to blush in front of Kurt's mother.
Astrid nodded slowly, and then turned to Tabby.
"Vould you like to tell Kitty her fortune?" Astrid asked.
"What?" Kitty asked, looking up. "Oh, no thank you Astrid."
"Come on, Kitty, I need the practice." Tabby said.
"Yeah, but. . .you know. Astrid already read my palm." Kitty said.
"Not in depth. Vhy don't you let Tabby try. I haff to run back to my camper anyhow. I'll be back." Astrid said, standing up. "You did a great job tonight, Tabby. If you ever vant to run avay viz ze circus, I'd love to haff you viz us."
She bent over and hugged Tabby, who hugged her back.
"Thank you, Astrid. Although I think I'll stay with the Institute for now. The world needs saving, every now and then." Tabby said while laughing.
"Okay. I'll see you in a little bit." Astrid replied, walking toward Kitty, who she bent over and kissed on the forehead. "Let Tabby tell you your fortune, child."
Kitty blushed at the kiss on the forehead as Astrid left the tent.
"She's a cool woman, isn't she?" Tabby asked.
"She's certainly special." Kitty said honestly.
Tabby smiled and nodded. Then, reaching out with her hand, she motioned to Kitty.
"Give me your hand." Tabby said.
"Tabby. . .come on. This stuff isn't real." Kitty said.
"The hell it isn't." Tabby said. "My hand shows all kinds of relationships through my life, and. . .well. . .you know me."
Kitty laughed, and then, hesitantly, she held her hand out to Tabby.
"Don't tell me I'm going to meet a tall, dark stranger or anything." Kitty said.
"I think you've already met him." Tabby teased.
"Shut up. I'm sick of blushing." Kitty said, blushing yet again.
Tabby held Kitty's hand and lightly traced a path over Kitty's palm. Her smile was gone, and she concentrated on Kitty's hand.
"You know, Astrid taught me a lot about how a persons hand can tell a lot about that person. Not just because of all the lines in it, though. You can tell how hard a person works, what kind of things they do with their hands, how careful they are. It's weird. You can tell so much about a person from their hand." Tabby said.
"Okay, sounding a little "Soapdish" for me." Kitty teased. (1)
Tabby laughed, and then traced another path of Kitty's hand with her finger.
"Well, I can tell you things you probably already knnow." Tabby said.
"Like what? What do you see?" Kitty asked.
"Well, you take care of your hands." Tabby said.
"Oh, thanks!" Kitty said with a smile. "Why don't you just tell me that I'm a female. That's news!"
"Shut up." Tabby said. "Now, here. According to your hand, you were sick as an infant."
"Yeah." Kitty said, her eyes going wide. "Are you serious? You can see that in my palm?"
"Yup." Tabby said. "You were pretty sick. But you apparently got over it. Hm. After that, it shows you living a long, healthy life. Well, pretty much. And Astrid was right. You can see here that you'll meet someone soon and he'll be with you until death."
"You're just repeating what Astrid said." Kitty told her.
"Yeah, but I'm going to tell you something different." Tabby said, releasing Kitty's hand and looking Kitty in the eye. "It's Kurt. Okay, maybe this whole palm reading thing is bullshit, but you better listen to me. You need to talk to Kurt."
"I'm. . .I'm going to." Kitty said, looking down at her hands.
"No, you need to do it soon. You're both going to explode if you don't." Tabby replied.
"What do you mean, "both" of us?" Kitty asked.
"Kitty, if you can't see how he feels about you, you're blind." Tabby said. "You can't see that whenever you come near him, it's like he goes on autopilot for a moment. It used to make me jealous. Last night he was practically wearing his heart on his sleeve for you."
"Tabby. . ." Kitty said.
"No, Kitty. Listen to me. You know how he feels, and he thinks that you could never feel the same way about him." Tabby said.
"How do you know that?"
"Because he told me." Tabby said.
Kitty froze for a moment, her eyes going wide.
"He said what?" Kitty asked after a few moments of silence.
"He told me how he feels about you. It's obvious to everyone. Even Astrid has asked me about it." Tabby said.
"She has?" Kitty asked, going red yet again.
"Yes." Tabby said. "Listen, he thinks that you could never love, really love, him. He's scared as all hell that he's going to end up the best friend of his great love for the rest of his life."
"You're lying." Kitty said.
Tabby simply shook her head and sat back in her seat.
"You can think whatever you want. All I know is that you're both torturing yourselves needlessly." Tabby said. "Kitty. . .I think he's in love with you."
Kitty's breath had become shallow. She felt scared and elated at the same time. There was something so. . .adult about the feelings coursing through her body, and they scared her. At the same time. . .it elated her to know that Kurt felt the same way about her.
"Why do you think he wants nothing to do with Franka?" Tabby asked. "She's not a bad looking girl. They used to be quite the item from what I understand. She wants him, Kitty. And he, Kurt, a teenage boy filled with all kinds of crazy hormones, has denied her at every turn. Why would that be?"
Kitty was completely silent, staring into her friend's face.
"You want your fortune read?" Tabby asked her. "Here it is. You belong with Kurt. He belongs with you. Someday, when one or the other of you gets the guts to say something, you'll end up together, in love forever."
Kitty swallowed out of nervousness.
"That's your fortune." Tabby said.
There was silence in the tent for a moment, and then Astrid suddenly returned.
"Hello, girls. Tabby, did you read Kitty her fortune?" Astrid asked.
"Yes, I did." Tabby said.
"And how vas it Kitty?" Astrid asked her. "Vhat does your fortune hold?"
Kitty slowly looked over at Astrid, her mind a complete blank.
"I'm in love with your son." Kitty said after a few moments of silence.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------
Somewhat longer than the last chapter, but I'm really tired. Anyhow, I lied. I may get a few more chapters out of this story yet! Yippee. Okay, I'm off to sleep now.
Later.