Chapter 12 - Rumor Has It

"Should have kept the muzzle on him," Elin muttered under her breath as she headed to her second class of the day. Now that Nolan was back — and having been rescued by Chance, no less — the boy was trying to get his revenge on Elin for dropping him.

He'd already 'let slip' all that the two of them had done while they were dating, and even before they got to a decent break for the day, the rumors were flying. It was mostly what she'd expected - a lot of crap being said about her mutation generally speaking rather than taking a direct shot, as if that was a safe route to take, seeing as it insulted the whole family, not just her.

But once Cody helpfully pointed that out to someone in the hall - purely as a deterrent - things took a much more personal turn.

By the end of the day, most of the boys that Sying had said he'd been keeping away from her had gotten over their fears and wouldn't leave her alone for five minutes. But she wasn't going to complain about it. She tried to ignore it and look at it as a kind of trial by fire - sticking her nose in the air and deciding to outclass them. Her reasoning, of course, was that all it would really take was a couple of them getting handsy - and walking away with broken wrists for the word to get out.

To make matters more interesting, the bamfs had already started decorating the place for the Valentine's dance, and that seemed to actually act as encouragement for much of the male population at Xaviers.

Elin was trying to prove that she could handle whatever repercussions came her way, so she couldn't talk to any of the adults about it. So by the end of the week, she had headed over to the lounge the teachers used more often than not for a solid place to keep to herself, since, by that time, the boys were even going to the horse barn to find her.

"Hiding again, schatzi?" Kurt asked when he got to the lounge.

"Too cold to go in the woods for long, and I need quiet to study," Elin replied without looking up from her book. "Am I bothering you?"

"Not in the least," he assured her as he sat down next to her. He was reading Kamala's most recent book - which she had signed for all the Wagners with a picture of the kids inside - and simply made himself at home beside her. "I know it won't do any good to tell you they're just words."

She looked up at him with one eyebrow raised. "It's fine. They'll move on eventually."

"Yes, but in the meantime, it can feel very isolating," Kurt said. "I felt the same when I first started - though admittedly, people wanted to avoid me, not…" He shook his head.

She turned his way a little and tried to give him a smile. "As long as they keep it to words and not physical contact, I won't break people."

"Anything beyond words deserves your fury," he agreed. He leaned over to kiss her forehead. "You are precious to me, Elin. It's taking everything in me not to simply teleport some of these… idiots into Siberia."

She couldn't help but smile at that before she closed up her book and shifted to give him a hug. "My stupid move - my time to deal with it. But thank you."

He hugged her a bit tighter. "Yes, well, consequences aside, they should learn consequences of their own stupidity as well - don't forget that."

"Oh, they are," she said, smirking to herself. "Pay attention. Not one of those idiots will be able to get a date as long as they're here. The girls can see what they're like."

"With good reason," Kurt said with a smirk to match hers. "Of course, if it gets to be too much for you, I may ask you to babysit the boys while Kate and I go somewhere for Valentine's - if you'd rather not be around such idiocy."

"I'm not going to let them win," she said, scrunching up her nose. "If they want to continue being morons, I'll nuke them. I'm a teenage girl. Good luck keeping up with my nastiness if that's what you want to do."

Kurt grinned at that. "That's my girl."

"I've got this," Elin said. "I did learn from my mother, after all."

"Yes, but I wanted you to know you didn't have to do it alone," Kurt said with a warm smile.

"If you wouldn't do it for any given student …" She shrugged.

Kurt kissed her forehead. "Not just for any student would I consider stranding people in Siberia."

"That's what I mean, though," she replied, hugging his arm. "If I can't handle stupid teenage stuff, I have no business trying to do anything bigger than that."

"Part of handling it is knowing when to let your support system kick in," Kurt pointed out. "I know I benefited greatly from having your father around."

"They better hope that support system doesn't start kicking," she said offhandedly.

"Yes, well, if that happens, we'll simply have to step back," Kurt agreed.

"Can't reason with him when he's like that," she agreed with a nod.

He grinned and wrapped her up in a quick hug. "You are wonderful, Elin - and handling yourself so well. I'm very proud of you."

"I love you too," she said. "But you are just about as subtle as Sadie."

"Why ever would I be subtle?" Kurt asked, looking as though the very idea was painful to him. "Can't I be a proud godfather without having to sneak around about it?"

"You're wonderful," she said with a smile. "And thank you."

The Valentine's Day dance was coming up, and while just about everyone was excited for it, Sying had to admit that he … wasn't really looking forward to it.

He was aware of the girls making eyes at him in his classes, though he knew he didn't have it nearly as bad as Elin did. No one had actually tried to touch him or anything, but as the dance got closer, it seemed like a few girls just… expected him to have a date or go with them.

He just wanted someone to go with that wasn't, well, the girls that were making sultry faces at him. Because that was weird.

But he also didn't want to give up on dating entirely, so he was trying to think of who he'd like to go with. It was just… totally unexpected when he sat down next to Charlie at breakfast and ended up asking her to the dance right there at the table.

He honestly hadn't meant to do it. He had just been thinking about the dance a lot, and Charlie had mentioned that she wasn't going with anyone, and it just… happened.

Charlie looked surprised for a moment, and he knew that she could tell he was too, but he was that much more surprised when she smiled and nodded. "Sure. That sounds like fun."

"Really?"

"Well, unless you're going to tell me you think I'm part of your rebound problem…"

Sying shook his head quickly. "No. I just…" He shrugged with both hands out. "I want to date someone I like."

Charlie just grinned at that. "How about going on a date with someone you're friends with, and we'll see where it goes," she corrected him, and he nodded sheepishly. She was right, of course; he didn't know if he liked anyone at the school at the moment. But Charlie was safe. She was honest about feelings, and she had a thing about relationships being balanced, so he was sure she would at least give him a shot while he figured out what he wanted.

Of course, what Sying had failed to take into account was the fact that he had a bit of a reputation himself after what had happened with Penny, and when the Valentine's Day dance came up and Chance saw Sying with Charlie, the look on his face was almost total betrayal.

"What - Charlie!" he spluttered as he made his way over to the two of them, with Krissy giggling madly as she hung on his arm.

"What, I can't go out with a nice guy?" Charlie said, shaking her head at him.

"You - Sying, that's my sister!"

"Yeah, and I asked her to the dance, that's it," Sying told him. "I didn't realize I had to ask permission."

"You so don't," Charlie promised him with a smile.

Chance just stared at Charlie for a moment. It wasn't just that Sying was dating his sister - it was that Charlie had really glammed up. She was wearing lipstick and heels and everything, even though she usually liked hoodies and sneakers.

"I think it's great," Krissy chimed in, grinning between the two of them. "You look great, Charlie."

"Thanks," Charlie said, fluffing her hair.

"Besides," Sying cut in. "I know better than to try anything dumb with the girl who could literally tell me I was thinking stupid before I even got there."

"He has a point," Krissy laughed, which got Chance's shoulders to drop.

"It's just a date to the dance, Chance," Charlie said consolingly before she leaned over and kissed Chance's cheek. "Besides, I should be more worried about you and Krissy. You've been dating forever now…"

"Oh, come on, Charlie."

"I'm just saying - you have no room to talk," Charlie said primly before she threaded her arm through Sying's. "Come on," she said. "Let's go dancing, shall we?"

While the four of them headed out to the dance floor, Elin and James were watching the fireworks from a quiet spot along the wall. To anyone else, the group would have been hard-pressed to understand what was happening, but for the two of them … it was too easy. "You sure you wanted to go to this thing?" James asked, though the boys weren't stupid enough to try to talk to her while he was chatting with his sister.

"I have had a dress for this dance for a long time," she replied, gesturing down at her little red ensemble. "I'm not going to let these idiotic losers stop me from at least trying to have a little fun." She turned his way and gave him a little look. "What about you? No takers?"

"I've been busy," James replied. "Doing anything but putting up with their crap."

Elin shooed him with one hand. "Go. Find a pretty girl that isn't a total idiot for a dance or two. Pretty sure I can survive one little dance alone."

James gave her a look that read more concern than anything else, but he wasn't about to argue with his big sister. "I'll accidentally skewer someone if you need me to."

"I don't." The two of them shared a look for a long moment before James let his shoulders drop, and he headed off to mingle. But Elin wasn't alone for too long. She hadn't expected to be, but the young man that had made his way over to her was even more crass than she was used to dealing with and outright asked if she wanted to go find a dark corner.

She spun on the spot and narrowed her eyes at him. "What makes you think you're worth my time?" She advanced one step, totally holding back the growl as she gave him a critical once over with a sneer. "Nothing I'm interested in. At all." Before he could respond, she simply brushed past him - though she was sure to put in a solid shoulder check on her way by.

Of course, Krissy and Chance hadn't been in Westchester to hear all of the rumors that had been flying around recently, so when Krissy went to get some water and craned around to look for her best friend while she was taking a break from dancing, she absolutely hadn't been expecting it when she overheard a couple boys talking about what they'd like to do with Elin and more or less leering at her from a distance.

Krissy's ears went up, and her tail stilled - and before she had even realized it, she teleported directly in front of the guy doing most of the talking and simply decked him with a punch solid enough to knock him out cold.

"Serves you right," Krissy said with a sniff before teleporting back to Chance to hand him the water she had gone to get.

"Um… Kris?"

"He was being a loser."

"Yeah, but… you knocked him out," Chance said, craning around her to see that Kurt had teleported the young man out of the way of everyone else.

"He was being a jerk. Saying horrible things about Ellie."

"Oh." Chance nodded as he sat down with her. "Well, he probably deserved it, then."

Krissy grinned and stole a kiss, though when she saw Scott headed her way, she let out a sigh. "Oh, hold on. I have to go get in trouble." She kissed him one more time before she teleported over to Scott to beat him to the punch and explain her side of the story, leaving Chance shaking his head in her wake.

"Most exciting dance I think I've been to," Mac said as he walked up to Chance. "Is that normal for X-Men Valentines dates? Crack some guy in the jaw? Cause if it is, I can see why Logan chose here."

Chance smirked. "Well, you know, if the guy's going to catcall Elin… kinda asked for it," he explained.

"Yeah, pretty easy to hear the rumors," Mac said, looking irritated himself.

"Not in Europe," Chance said, though he didn't have to think too hard about what, exactly, those rumors were, and he found his gaze on Nolan and Penny - who had come together - and settled into a glare.

"Oh, I didn't hear them up north," Mac said. "Just since I got here. I'm guessing they're not stupid enough to say stuff around her friends though. And … most of them don't know who I am … so." He drew in a deep breath. "Enough about that. How are things in the European School?"

"Pretty good," Chance said. "Krissy and I were talking about doing a tour of Europe after the semester's over - you know, see something outside the island."

"That sounds like a good time," Mac said, nodding. "I'll be taking my first visit to Muir before the end of the semester. Your dad finally cleared it."

Chance shrugged. "It's okay. You're honestly not missing much. I'm kinda… not going back in the fall."

"Well. We all go to each other's schools to give the kids all the options," Mac pointed out.

"Yeah, I know," Chance said quickly, then shook his head. "Sorry. I'm just…"

"Distracted. Yeah. I can see that."

"The whole reason I went out there was to be with my brother and to stay safe, and neither of those things is true anymore," Chance said, letting out a breath. "Honestly, I'm just staying for Krissy right now. She worked for months to get her parents to let her transfer, and I would be an idiot if I left after that."

"That's probably the right move," Mac agreed. "No quicker way to get in trouble with the girlfriend than to ditch her after she followed you to Europe."

"Yeah, no kidding," Chance said, shaking his head.

"Have you tried the other Xavier's campuses?" Mac asked. "I was kinda wondering how they stacked up to the original."

"No, but Elin went to LA for a while, and James was in Chicago," Chance said. "I don't really want to go to either of them, though. LA's … I mean, I like Storm, but it's not really… it's just a school. And Chicago is for the super geniuses, which I am not. I can fly anything, take it apart, put it back together, but me and technology are oil and water outside of the hangar."

"Probably smarter than you're giving yourself credit for," Mac said. "I was just a scientist before I started up our team. And I know it's hard being in a group and being the only guy with no powers. Worse still when you're trying to lead them."

Chance let out a breath that was almost a laugh. "Yeah."

"You know that's like … the entire reason I built the suit, right?"

"Yeah," Chance said. "I just kind of hoped I could do it on my own, though. Work hard enough and prove I could stack up."

"What makes you think you can't?" Mac asked frowning at him.

Chance paused for a second and then let out a breath. "It's going to sound stupid," he admitted. "I'm just… always the dead weight."

"See … I don't believe that," Mac said, shaking his head.

"You're not the one who has to play catch up trying to save your friends from crazy people - and then getting almost killed just for existing."

"No, I'm the guy that's been doing that for decades … and started out trying to keep up with Logan." Again, Mac shook his head. "You're right. I don't know squat."

Chance glared at the floor for a long time before he finally let out a breath. "I know. It's stupid."

"It's not stupid," Mac said. "There comes a point where you just get used to being underestimated though. And believe it or not - it is underestimated."

"Yeah, I've heard Kate say that a few times," Chance said with a small smile. He finally let out a breath and turned toward Mac. "It gets easier, right? Being the only human on the team?"

"Once you've established your place?" Mac smiled then shrugged. "For your team, yeah."

Chance raised an eyebrow at that. "You still get flack?"

"From people that don't know better - yeah. All the time. But those same people don't criticize when you're pulling them out of trouble. You gotta have thick skin to do this job."

"Yeah, I know," Chance said, nodding. "I guess I just… got shaken up." He shrugged. "You heard what happened, right?"

"The real short overview, yeah." Mac let out a breath. "I think you're already tougher than you're giving yourself credit for. Your age and you already have a personal grudge match with a super villain? Come on."

"To be fair, she hates me because of my face and my genes," Chance pointed out.

"Human hater. Too bad for her."

Chance couldn't help but smirk as he shook his head, though it was obvious he was feeling a bit better for talking with someone about it. "What about you? Weren't you on your way to retirement or something?"

"Still gotta find people worth stepping in," Mac said. "It's not easy, honestly. Can't hand it over to just anyone."

"Yeah, no, I remember all the crap I went through just to make the team here. It's a high bar," Chance agreed.

"If you made it through Logan's test, you're doing better than half my team as it is. That guy's a little nuts, if you don't mind me tellin' you." He gave Chance a crooked grin.

"Well, hey, if you want a measly human to come and mess with the guys that think they can make it…" Chance said with a smirk.

"I'm always a fan of measly humans," Mac laughed. "Nothing more entertaining than watching a puny human wipe the floor with powered up folks."

"Me and James used to do it together all the time before he got his powers," Chance laughed.

"It's even more fun on your own though," Mac promised.

Chance nodded to himself. "I may just have to do that then," he decided before he grinned Mac's way. "Thanks. Not everyone gets it, you know."

"Anytime," Mac said. "My door's always open."

In the meantime, Krissy had actually totally skirted getting into trouble for her own Valentine's escapades once she had explained to Scott that she was dealing with a guy who seemed to think he had a right to put his hands on Elin even if he hadn't quite gotten up to going to do it just yet…

But either way, she'd gotten a stern lecture and a "find other ways to deal with that" but no real consequences.

She wasn't going to head back to Chance, though, because she saw him talking to Mac, and they looked like they were in deep conversation. And it was honestly good for him, because she knew he needed to talk to someone, so she wasn't going to step into it.

Instead, she finally spotted Elin on the other side of the room and teleported over to her in an instant. "Can I kill Nolan?"

Elin raised an eyebrow her way. "I am pretty sure that you'd have to take a number at this point."

"I'm claiming best friend privilege to put my number up several slots."

"Still puts you behind my brother at least," Elin pointed out.

Krissy rolled her eyes dramatically. "Ugh."

"So not worth it though."

"Says you. You haven't seen the look on Sying's face when he saw Penny's new date. He's so… worried about her. It's obvious he still cares and she is just… and he's just…. UGH."

Elin shook her head at that. "Isn't it neat that they're all worked out and accepted and I get to be the big slut over this?" She gave Krissy a tight smile.

"Yeah. You're not helping my desire to stab him. I could drop him off a building. He'd survive and everything!" Krissy pointed out.

"It really doesn't matter," Elin said, wrapping her arms around herself tighter. "It's gone on this long. Sooner or later, it'll stop. And if it doesn't then … well… I don't know."

"It's just stupid," Krissy said, shaking her head.

"Your dad was offering to port some of them to Siberia," Elin told her quietly.

"Well, he has the right idea."

"I'm like … ninety percent sure that the boy that went to medical the other day said something a little too close to dad."

"He's the one that should be getting flack. He's the one that wouldn't take no for an answer! That's - that's - why can't I just stab him?"

"Something about some … kind of code? I don't know. Scott can explain it better."

Krissy couldn't help but laugh at that before she wrapped Elin up in a hug. "You are so. Much. better. Than any of these stupid people. You know that, right?"

She shrugged and frowned to herself. "You're way biased. And probably wrong."

"Ellie, if you can't see that you're better than perverts, we're going to have to talk about your worldview."

"Well right now the perverts seem to be outnumbering me and gaining more followers."

Krissy grinned that much wider. "But that's how you know you're right - didn't you know?"

"What? When the better part of the school is totally anti- me? I've never been popular anyhow, but this … "

"Clearly, I need to move back to Westchester to whip people into shape."

"Don't you dare. You keep doing your European drama tour with Chance. Where you belong."

Krissy let out a sigh. "I really am coming back after this semester, though. I mean, we're going to go tour Europe and everything but… Chance… needs to not be at Muir Island."

"Probably just as well," she said. "My family is going to Japan as soon as school's out."

"Oh, I heard Mama talking about that. I think it's a great idea - setting up a sanctuary for kids on that side of the world!"

"Hisako wants to run it," Elin said. "So we're going to help her secure everything and set it up. I kinda can't wait for Ael to come with Noh for the tech side of things. Kid is going to flip out."

"You'll take pictures for me, right? Video, maybe?"

"No." She shook her head seriously. "But James will."

"Oh good, because for a second there, I thought you were going to deprive me of the most dramatic Lee family meltdown of all time."

"We're already taking bets on what's going to freak him out worse - the fish market or all the sushi."

"Definitely the sushi, I'd think."

"I told dad I wanted to try the dancing squid," Elin said with a grin.

"Oh, please, video. Video. Not just pictures. I neeeeed it."

"For that? Absolutely," she agreed, nodding her head before she looked over Krissy's shoulder. "But … I think you should get back to your date, and I should probably just call it a night. I shouldn't have come down here."

"Well, I'm glad you did, even if it was just to get me excited for Ael Freakoutapalooza this summer," Krissy said, wrapping her friend up in a hug.

Elin gave her a little smile when the hug ended. "If I don't see you when school gets out ... well."

"Oh please. You'll see me at practices at least."

"Yeah, maybe," she agreed.

"Let me know before you leave so I can give you a solid hug, please? Or - I'll let you know before we leave on the tour."

"I'll do my best - you know how Dad is when he decides something is going to happen. Now."

"Yeah, but this is planned in advance. So please?" Krissy let her eyes go wide. "I need my snuggles with my best friend."

"Oh please," Elin said, shaking her head. "You get plenty of snuggles."

"I do, I do," Krissy said, nodding with a mischievous smile. "But I always need more."

"You just say that because you've never gotten to where you don't want to be touched." She narrowed her eyes and pointed a finger at her. "And I hope you never do."

"Me too," Krissy agreed brightly before she hugged Elin again. "See you later, Ellie."

Elin stepped back from Krissy, knowing that Krissy at least felt better about things, even if Elin was ready to run and stay gone indefinitely. It was easy to tell someone to buck up and ignore it when they'd only heard it for less than an hour. Krissy wasn't getting the full picture - the whispers in the hall - the groups of boys that were following her at Nolan's suggestion - or the flood of texts that came from boys who obviously wanted to score and thought that Elin would be up for it if they smiled at her right.

She was ready to go hide in her room for the duration of the weekend because it didn't quite seem like enough to hide out just for the dance. But as she reached the stairs - and just before she broke into a run, a familiar voice called out to her. "You're not gonna let those jackals chase you off are you?" Annie called out - and it was clear that she'd rushed to catch up to her.

Elin stopped and spun on her heel to face her, clearly at a loss, and feeling pretty self conscious about all of it at this point. "I … really shouldn't have come in the first place. So …yeah. I'm going to head upstairs and just … go to bed, probably."

Annie hummed to herself, wringing her hands, knowing that Elin had been keeping her misery as much to herself as possible. "It's not your fault, you know. The way they talk. That's their horrible manners. I don't care what kind of garbage they're throwing around. It's wrong. All of it."

Elin stopped and let her shoulders drop before she turned on the stairs to face Annie, but before she could argue it, Annie continued. "They don't know you, sweetheart. And most of 'em are either jealous of you or they know they can't have you. So they're going to display their stupidity instead. There is no reason for you to have to carry that all on your own. Especially when he was pushing you. Anyone could see that."

"I just want to forget it happened," Elin said in a heavy tone, but that had Annie shaking her head too.

"No, you don't," she said, almost wide eyed. "You made a mistake in who you shared yourself with. That doesn't mean you need to forget it. It means you need to do better next time. Take your time. Don't let whoever he ends up being push you one inch further than you're ready for." Annie made her way over to pull Elin into a gentle hug. "Besides. Anyone sayin' the kinda trash about you isn't worth knowin'."

Elin smirked into Annie's shoulder as she snuggled in. "Aunt Annie, your accent's getting heavier."

"Hush."

A few moments later, Annie finally let her go and held her at arms length. "It's a shame those idiots are bothering you. You look beautiful, Elin."

Elin brushed her hair behind her ear and forced a smile. "Love you too," she said. "But believe it or not, I'm wiped out."

"I believe it. Wearin' just to listen to that much ignorance." She watched Elin go, but it was clear she was still upset and Annie nodded to herself, already planning to tell Charlie to keep watching out for Elin. Even if tonight she was trying to act her age rather than play big sister to everyone around her.

While most of their friends were wrapped up in their own little dramas, though, Sying and Charlie were honestly just… having a good time together.

Both of them knew all of the songs, but Charlie didn't try to sing along with Sying, letting him decide whether or not he wanted to do something like that, considering he and Penny had bonded over their love of music and usually ended up singing and dancing.

And Sying knew that Charlie was holding back for his sake. "You're kind of amazing, you know that?" he asked after about the fourth dance that he saw her bobbing her head along to the song.

"What?" Charlie raised her eyebrows at him, completely thrown off by the sudden compliment.

"You don't have to walk on tiptoe around me," Sying said, shaking his head. "Music is for everybody - that's what my parents have always said."

Charlie couldn't help but grin. "I like that philosophy."

Sying matched her grin. "But it's sweet of you to think about stuff like that."

"It's a little selfish," Charlie admitted. "I can't stand it when people are uncomfortable."

Sying laughed and stopped the dance to pull Charlie into a hug. "Even if it is, you're sweet about it," he said.

"Like my parents would let me be anything less," Charlie pointed out.

Sying smiled a little wider. "Well, you're welcome to sing along if you want."

"Tell you what," Charlie said. "I'll sing along if you start."

Sying broke into a laugh. "Deal." With that, he swept her into a much more elegant dance than the one they had been doing before, and the two of them absolutely dazzled the dance floor for the rest of the night.

In fact, Sying even started to sing along by the end of the night - and kissed Charlie's cheek when he took her 'home' to her suite.

"Thank you," Sying said with a warm smile.

"For what?"

"For just… for letting me have fun."

Charlie smiled at him and leaned over to kiss his cheek right back. "Anytime."