Without thinking, Kitty through her arms around his neck. Slowly, Kurt's arms embraced her in a reassuring hug.
Kurt stepped back, "That was a very stupid thing to do, Kitty."
Kitty scowled, "Oh, and like you sitting on the ledge of a twenty foot drop while it's raining cats and dogs isn't?"
Kurt managed somewhat of a smile, "I guess you're right. We both didn't make the best decision."
"I came to see why you weren't at lunch. And here, I find you sitting like a gargoyle---," Kitty slapped a hand across her mouth. "Oops I didn't mean—."
Kurt shook his head, "It's alright. I'm not offended. I just came up here to…think."
Kitty's eyes held a look of incredulity, "On the ledge, outside? Kurt you have a perfectly good bed to use when you want to think."
Kurt shrugged, "Well, I needed to get some air. Besides, I go out there all the time. It's just that usually no one follows me."
"Well you don't have to worry about me doing it again; I think I've like really learned my lesson. By the way, what were you thinking about so deep, that you had to get fresh air," Kitty asked curiously.
Kurt shook his head, "Nothing Kitty…nothing at all." Kitty wasn't sure she believed him, but decided not to press the matter further. It was obvious Kurt was dealing with some issues.
"Alright, fuzzy, why don't we change out of these wet clothes and see if there's any lunch left? Though I like seriously doubt it, Evan was really going at it when I left."
It dawned on Kurt then, that he felt about ten pounds heavier than normal. It would take him the rest of the day to get completely dry.
"Well I have nothing better to do," he thought.
Kitty was smiling, waiting for Kurt's answer, she knew he wouldn' turn the offer down.
"Sure Kitty, let me get dressed and I'll meet you in five minutes."
She nodded, "Five minutes, and not a minute more, Fuzzy." Kitty turned toward the door, "You know you like really scared me today."
Kurt shuffled his feet and stared at the ground, "Yeah, I'm sorry about that."
Kitty grinned, turning the door knob, "It's like okay, just don't do it again, alright?"
Kurt nodded his agreement. Kitty disappeared through the door, her steps leaving damp footprints on his rug.
Taking off the soaked shirt, Kurt sat on the end of the bed. He had a massive headache. Kurt ran a trembling hand through his stringy hair. Thinking about Amanda was taking a harsh toll on him. He simply couldn't shake the feeling that something was not right with Amanda. Usually, she would have at least called him once today.
Stripping the sodden clothes from his body, he slipped on a Pittsburg Steelers shirt and a pair of old navy drawstring pants. Appearance was the last thing on his mind. Grabbing his brush (one specially designed by Dr. McCoy), Kurt attempted to not look a complete mess. He didn't want to have to explain his disheveled state to anyone.
The amount of hair on the brush made Kurt sigh, at least he wasn't shedding. Plugging the dryer into the wall, Kurt set it on the highest temperature and blasted himself with the steam heat. The dryer made a deafening sound Kurt was thankful for, it kept him from thinking clearly. Finishing, he turned off the dryer and looked into the mirror. A blue poodle was staring back at him, with mirthless eyes.
After running the brush once again through his fur, Kurt sighed (it occurred to him that he had been doing a lot of that lately), put a towel over Kitty's wet footprints, and left his room.
Turning, he was met with the face of a dry Kitty, "Hey"
Kurt almost jumped before recognizing her.
"Hey, ready?"
"Yep."
Together, they walked down the steps and into the kitchen. Kitty rummaged through the refrigerator, "There should be some…ah, something in here."
Kurt walked into the dining room. Surprisingly, the professor, Logan, and Storm were all seated discussing the latest basketball game.
"Naw, it wasn't fair. The ref called a heck of a number fouls on the Sixers. Hands downs, there still one of the best teams," Logan uttered.
"Be that as it may, Logan. They still lost 5-0 to the Lakers. Making them seem undoubtedly the better team," the professor countered with grave assurance. Logan couldn't really argue with that.
He turned to Storm, "What'd ya think, 'Ro? Whose better the Lakers or the Sixers?"
Storm laughed, "Ask me about the molecular structure of atoms, ask me about the makeup of a genus species, but never ever ask me about basketball. I don't watch, nor do I have any intention of watching a game."
"Aww, 'Ro come on, you can't tell—"
Kurt's presence ceased their conversation. Kurt's visibly evident absence at lunch had not gone unnoticed by the adults.
Storm was the first to speak, "Hello, Kurt. How did the meeting with Amanda go? You came back so soon. We all missed you at lunch."
Kurt's spine stiffened, "Oh, Ms. Munroe, she wasn't home, so I came back to the mansion."
Storm nodded, "But doesn't explain your absence at lunch."
The lie forming in Kurt's mouth, rolled off his tongue more smoothly than he expected it to, "Oh, I had a headache. I took a nap. It's gone now, so here I am. You know me, can't pass up food."
Logan patted the seat next to him, "Pull up a chair, bub."
The adults seemed satisfied with the answer and went back to their previous discussion.
Kurt sat down. His eyes passing over Ororo's gold hoop earrings.
"Amanda has the same pair in her jewelry box," he thought. Ororo felt his gaze upon her, "Is there something wrong Kurt?"
Kurt shook his head, "Oh no, I was just admiring your earrings."
Ororo gave him a slightly confused smile before returning to her eating and listening to Logan and the professor's debate. Kitty came into the dining room, balancing two large plates. Setting one before Kurt, she took a seat next to Storm.
"I hope you're hungry for Pb&j because that's all I could find," she said shrugging.
"It's fine Kitty, beggars can't be choosers," Kurt said as he took a bite of the creamy sandwich. The peanut butter stuck to the roof of his mouth, though Kurt didn't complain. He wasn't really hungry; he just didn't want to answer any questions as to why his appetite had waned. Kitty kept stealing sideways glances at Kurt while they ate. Kurt couldn't blame her; she was only being a concerned friend.
Xavier looked at the two students at the table. Kurt was unusually quite for this time of day, his full concentration on the half-eaten sandwich before him. Xavier feared the meeting with Amanda didn't go as planned, and that Kurt was keeping something from him. He had not failed to notice Kurt's change of clothes or the fact that Kitty's hair was slightly damp.
"What in the world is going on?" Xavier was very concerned about Kurt's well being. He looked like he had been through hell and back. His eyes held a distant look that disturbed the professor greatly.
Xavier made a parental decision. As a rule, he practiced the policy of never reading someone's mind unless prompted. But this was a special case. In might have been intuition, but Xavier was sure that whatever was on Kurt's mind was causing him pain and therefore affecting his health, both mental and physical(Kurt's fur in itself was cause for concern).
Stealthily, Xavier's mind connected with Kurt's. With great concentration, he glided through Kurt's memories, making sure that Kurt was unaware of his intangible searching. It took the professor little time to find what he was searching for. The memories of the earlier day, flooded before his eyes. Kurt talking to Ororo over coffee, the inside of the hummer, Amanda's empty room, Kitty falling through the air----kitty falling through the air?
Xavier interlaced his fingers. Obviously, Kurt had been up to a little more than he innocently let on. For the brief images, the professor had pieced together the reason for Kurt's melancholy behavior. He was concerned for his girlfriend's being. Reasonable grounds for a downhearted mood.
"I'm sure everything is fine with Amanda. If you'd like you may go call her after you finish," the professor's voice cut into Kurt's thoughts like a knife, quickly and smoothly.
Kurt turned into the professor's direction, "How," he mouthed.
The professor simply tapped his head, "Forgive me, I had to," he mouthed back. Kurt nodded, understanding his mentor's reasoning.
"I should be grateful to have so many caring people in my life. Danke Lord," he thought silently. Hurriedly, Kurt wolfed down the rest of the sandwich as well as a second one. Throwing, Kitty a 'thank you', he bamfed out of the room.