A/N: I am going to KILL my computer!!!! I swear if Microsoft word has one more "error" and makes me rewrite another chapter I'm going to throw this damn POS out the window. I HATE YOU!!!!!!!!
At least this time I hadn't finished the entire chapter. -.- Stupid computer.
A yawn escaped from Charlie's mouth as she and Kurt made their way up the stairs. It was really late and they had just gotten back from their trip to NYC. Once again, Charlie was too late to catch dinner.
"Do you vant any help unpacking," asked Kurt as they walked down the hall to their rooms.
Charlie smiled at the mutant and was about to accept but her smiled soon faded. Laying on the green carpet in front of her door was an agitated looking cat. His tail twitched violently as he glared at the two mutants
"Uh," she said looking from the cat to Kurt. "I think it'd be best if I did it alone." Kurt's eyes flashed disappointment and Charlie quickly added, "Captain looks like he's about to kill me. I don't want you to have to listen to him yelling at me."
With a slight smile Kurt bade Charlie goodnight before teleporting away. A cloud of acrid smoke was all that was left of the blue German.
Charlie sighed and opened the door, Captain getting up and entering the room. The tabby took to the bed while Charlie began to unpack. She was fully aware of the cat's yellow eyes boring into the back of her head.
"Did you have a nice time," Captain asked, icily. Before Charlie could respond he continued. "I didn't. While you were out with Blue boy I wasn't fed. I almost got kicked by that idiot with the shades. I had my tail pulled by some snot-nosed little brat. And then I had to wait five hours for you to open the damn door!" The cat's yowls of anger had been reduced to a low hiss as he said, "I hope you enjoyed yourself."
Charlie had just finished putting her stuff away when she turned to the cat. "Oh, come on Cap'n. It couldn't have been that bad," she said. The tabby grunted and turned his back on her. "Look, I'm sorry. I'll make you a huge breakfast with all your favorites." She paused. "Even caviar."
Stretching out on the bed and closing his eyes Captain growled, "You can find somewhere else to spend the night."
With a defeated sigh, Charlie slipped out of the room and left the door ajar. She crept down the stairs. Not a single soul was awake in the mansion and all was quiet.
Rummaging through the fridge, Charlie came up with a jar of pickles and sliced cheese. She downed the milk and winced at the sour taste. The white liquid always tasted like it was a few days away from curdling.
The small meal appeased her grumbling stomach and she sat back in her chair, thinking of where she would sleep.
Her black and white cat ears swiveled. A sound had drifted to her from somewhere down the hall. As quietly as possible Charlie padded down the hall, following the noise.
Ahead of her was the rec room and Charlie could see a soft glow on the hardwood floor. Voices reached her ear and she identified one of them as Kurt Russell's.
Walking into the room she could see that the TV was on, playing Tombstone. The back of the couch wasfacing her impairing her vision and making her think that no one was around. A slight movement caught her attention and Charlie grinned.
Crouching down she crawled across the room towards the couch. The predator within took over as she eyed her prey and moved silently in the dark. She kept low and paused when her position was in potential danger.
Finally she was crouched just a few feet away from the couch. Charlie's nose was filled with the smell of her victim. It was a purely masculine scent and yet it was gentle and earthy with a hint of brimstone.
The give-away trait of her victim swished by slowly. A blue spearhead tail. Charlie hunkered down as she watched. It drifted by lazily and she prepared herself for the jump. For a third time it passed by and Charlie felt her own tail twitch as she judged the distance and made the final preparations.
On the fourth passing Charlie launched herself off the floor. Her body soared through the air. With ease she reached one clawed hand down and slapped the blue tail before landing perfectly on the coffee table.
Unfortunately for Charlie she hadn't counted on there being stuff on the table. Her foot slipped on the slick pages of a magazine and she could feel herself falling backwards. Flailing her arms wildly, Charlie tried to regain her balance but to no avail. She clamped her eyes shut while she waited for the impact of the floor between the couch and the coffee table.
She never hit the ground.
One of Charlie's eyes opened and then the other. She was being held up something or someone. There were two strong arms wrapped around her waist, it was comforting to have them there.
"You are verrückt," whispered a voice in her ear.
Charlie smiled and said, "And you're speaking in a language I don't understand."
She felt Kurt smile as he said, "You are crazy. Vhat vere you doing?"
"I was just practicing my hunting skills," she said feigning innocence.
It was at this moment she realized the position they were in. Her feet were still on the coffee table but she was leaning back against Kurt. His arms were wrapped tightly but comfortably around her waist while his head rested on her shoulder. Charlie's hands were resting lightly on Kurt's.
She could feel his bare skin. It was soft and smooth, much like her own. As Charlie sat there thinking about how his skin felt against her own she noticed that she was gently rubbing his hand with one of her fingers. Her cheeks grew hot as a blush crept up on her and deepened when she noted that neither one of them was pulling apart.
Kurt could feel his heart race as he held Charlie firmly in his arms. Her brown hair was right next to his face and the smell of watermelons and snow filled his nose. For a minute he thought about why she would smell like snow but the thought was quickly pushed away. One of her fingers was gently caressing his bare skin. His bare, blue skin. Her hands were soft and reminded him of silk. I should let go Kurt thought. I really should let her go… But his arms remained around her waist.
It seemed like an hour passed when Kurt finally convinced himself to let go. Reluctantly his arms slowly removed themselves as Charlie steadied herself.
They stood there in an awkward silence. The movie was coming to a close and the credits began to roll across the screen.
"So," said Charlie finally. "What are you doing up?"
Kurt looked to the TV and said, "I don't sleep much so I just vatch movies at night." His yellow eyes turned back to Charlie's face, her black stripes illuminated by the soft glow of the television. "Vhat about you?"
"I was kind of kicked out of my room" she said with a grim smile. "Captain was a little mad about me leaving him for so long." Kurt suppressed his laughter and Charlie narrowed her eyes at him. "What's so funny?"
"You got kicked out of your room by a katze," he said has his laugh finally escaped and he collapsed on the couch.
Charlie glared at him with mock anger and plopped down next to him. She waited patiently for his laughing fit cease before she turned to him again.
"It doesn't really matter if I can't sleep in my bed anyway," she said thoughtfully. "I'm more of a catnap kind of girl."
Kurt's pointy teeth could be seen as he smiled. "Zere are a lot of katze-like things about you."
"Really," asked Charlie in mock surprise. "Like what?"
Kurt nudged her and she laughed. "Vell since I'm stuck vatching movies vith you,"he said pretending to be annoyed. "Vhat do vant to vatch?"
Charlie dropped to her knees in front of the big screen TV and rifled through the many movies.
"How about a horror flick," she asked over her shoulder.
Kurt shrugged, "I don't sink I have ever vatched any of zose. I usually stick to ze vesterns."
"Ah, a John Wayne type." Charlie continued to browse through the selection of horror movies. "How about 'A Nightmare on Elm Street: The Dream Child' I think its one of the few Freddy movies I haven't seen."
"Okay," said Kurt with a smile. "But if I have nightmares it vill be your door I knock on."
Charlie laughed as she put the movie inand joined Kurt on the couch. "I bet you I can predict every surprise this move has to offer."
The blue German raised an eyebrow at Charlie and he asked, "Vhat do you vant to bet?"
"We'll think of something after the movie," said Charlie with a shrug.
The movie started and the two young mutants watched in silence. It hadn't even been two minutes into the movie when Charlie grinned.
"She's going to get a scare," she said without taking her eyes from the screen.
Kurt looked from the movie to Charlie and then back again. Sure enough the girl on screen screamed.
For a half on hour things carried on this way. Charlie would predict something would happen, it would, and Kurt would be amazed. She never missed a single beat.
The movie was showing a dream one of the characters was having. The girl sat a large table while trays of food were brought out her. Tentacles came out of her chair and held her there while tray after tray was forced into her mouth.
"Zat is disgusting," said Kurt, wrinkling his noseas the girl burst, literally.
"Kind of makes you want to make a sandwich," Charlie joked. She had Kurt had edged closer together as the movie progressed and were only a fraction of an inch apart when she spoke. Charlie gave way to a long suppressed shiver as goose bumps formed on her skin.
Kurt's yellow eyes were torn from the movie and focused on her. "Are you cold," has asked, his voice etched with concern.
After a slight nod from Charlie, Kurt reached up and pulled the blanket off the back of the couch. He threw it over Charlie who smiled up at him.
"Thanks, Kurt," she whispered as she curled up under the warm material.
Sleep began to take over, making her eyelids and head weigh a ton. Charlie closed her eyes and rested her headon Kurt's shoulder.
He tensed slightly atthe sudden contact but relaxed quickly. With a moment's hesitation, Kurt put his arm around Charlie's shoulder and gently pulled her a little closer. Looking down he could see a slight smile on her face as she struggled to stay awake for the rest of the movie.
In a whisper Kurt asked her, "Are you tired?"
His soft voice drifted to Charlie's pointed cat ears and sounded like a lullaby. "Just a little," she murmured while stifling a yawn.
"Do you vant to lay down?" Kurt could see her eyelids droop with every passing second.
"No," Charlie uttered. "I have to stay awake. We have a bet remember?"
With a chuckle Kurt said, "Alvight. Ve vill vatch the rest of ze movie."
A minute passed and Charlie said, "Maybe if I lay down for just a minute…"
Kurt nodded and shifted so he was sitting in the corner of the couch. He had expected Charlie to move to the opposite end and curl up so its needless to say that he was surprised when she didn't.
Charlie moved to Kurt's end of the couch and looked at him blearily for a moment. "Aren't you going to get comfortable," she asked.
Kurt's yellow eyes blinked a few times before he shifted into a slightly more comfortable position. He was now half sitting, half laying on the couch. Charlie lay down next to him and rested her head on his chest.
The rhythmic rise and fall of his chest and the sound of his heart beating eased Charlie into a deep sleep just as Freddy Krueger was tearing some poor kid to shreds.
Kurt lay awake for some time, Charlie by his side. The movie still played but he wasn't paying attention to it. His yellow eyes were focused on the girl who slept next to him, using him as a pillow.
The pale skin and black stripes of her face were illuminated by theartificial light and she lookedtotally relaxed. Her eyes were closed, concealing the beautiful green that lay behind the lids and long curling lashes. Her pale lips curved into a slight smile as she rolled over in her sleep. One of her clawed hands found its way onto Kurt's stomach.
Again the German tensed slightly but soon relaxed. Smiling down at the girl he adjusted himself so was laying next you her as opposed to only half laying down. One of his blue arms wrapped around her and his tail draped itself over her hip. Kurt played with the ends of her brown hair, running it through his fingers.
It seemed to the mutant that his prayers had finally been answered. There he was with a beautiful mutant, who wasn't so different from himself, laying in his arms. She had willingly touched his blue skin, something that very few people outside of the circus had done. With a sigh he rested his head and let sleep wash over him.
Kurt Wagner's last conscious thought was, Danke Gott.