Notes: We love you too, Scruffy :D We'll try to keep the balance between fluff/action/drama as we go, but there are no guarantees that we'll be able to avoid too much fluff from time to time. There are so many shipped monsters to deal with here … Kart leading the charge, of course. As you'll see here…. *presentation hands*
Chapter 4: "Panicking Princess in Paris"
The morning after the team's return from Hawaii, there was a distinct absence at coffee, and it took Kate a little while to figure out what it was. But when she did...
"Where'd Logan run off to?" she asked Kurt over the top of her second cup of coffee.
"North," Kurt replied. He sounded tired as he set down his own coffee in front of himself and shook his head. "He lasted a lot longer than I could have given him credit for. Usually he does this at least three times a year."
Kate did the math in her head quickly. "Yeah. Over a year with no running out — he must like me," she teased.
"I think it's a combination of a lot of people he likes," Kurt replied diplomatically, though he couldn't help but kiss her for the sentiment. "Besides, it's been busy. Busy enough to keep him around."
"So what chased him off? He doesn't like weddings?" Kate asked curiously.
"I think it was the encounter with Sinister," Kurt admitted. He let out a long, weary sigh. "He has a special dislike for that man, and it seems to take it out of him when they meet up. I think the only reason he didn't go last time we encountered him was because he had other things to do."
"Well, he did take us to that cabin," Kate pointed out as she leaned on his arm.
"Yes, and he did run the woods for a little while," Kurt agreed as he tipped his head to the side to steal a quick kiss.
"So how long do you think he'll be gone?" Kate asked with the beginnings of a mischievous smirk when the kiss broke. "I'm just asking how much time I have to work with to mess with him later." A couple of the bamfs were seated on the kitchen table, kicking their legs over the edge, but at the prospect of messing with Logan, their heads came up, and they started to giggle delightedly, nodding their agreement and excitement.
"No telling," Kurt replied, with half an eye on the little imps nearby. "Sometimes it's just a few days — but he's disappeared for months at a time too." At that, the bamfs visibly pouted, and one of them stuck his tongue out at Kurt for raining on their parade.
"Well, that's no fun if he's gone that long," Kate said with a frown. "I was hoping he'd help me out with some sword training next week."
"I can teach you sword work," Kurt offered, the smile returning to his face in full force at the prospect. "Not katanas, but swords nonetheless."
She kissed his cheek and grinned. "I know you can," she told him. "And I'd love it. But you are a very distracting teacher."
"I'll wear my inducer and speak with a bad Amer'can ac-cent," he said with a horrible drawl, demonstrating his point by doing so just to make her smile.
She giggled and just couldn't help but kiss him for his theatrics. "And you'd win every match from me laughing too hard," she teased. "But ... I do want to learn the dual wield. If you've got time. It looks fun."
"For you? I've got all the time in the world," Kurt replied with a grin. "And we might even work with swords."
She laughed outright and snaked one arm around his waist. "It's a date then," she said and then grinned impishly. "Teach me, Professor Wagner."
"Oh, don't do that," he replied with a little growl, shaking his head sternly. "None of that."
"Oh, but you look so cute with the tweed jacket and the elbow patches," she said, only grinning wider. "All scholarly."
"I look cute most of the time," Kurt replied with a cocky little grin. "But I don't need the 'professor' nonsense."
"Would you prefer 'Professor Elf'? Because that's what it says on your door," she teased.
"You did not," he laughed.
"I didn't have to. Jubes beat me to it," she said.
"And they call me an imp," Kurt chuckled. "But I'll keep it. I like it."
"Oh good. Because I like it too, and I'd change it back if you got rid of it," she promised him with a wide, troublemaking grin.
He kissed her and shook his head, unable to stop the little smile at Jubilee and Kate's combined antics. When she met his kiss, he pulled her a little tighter for something more involved, and it was a good long time before they finally broke apart and he asked, in a low whisper in her ear, "Do you have any big plans this weekend?" with his face still close to hers, his nose practically in her hair.
"Short of some kind of apocalyptic X-Men nonsense?" she teased as she played her fingers through his curls. "Not really, no."
He pulled away abruptly, covered her mouth with one hand, and shook his head very seriously. "We do not tease about such things. Not with that word combination."
She nodded quietly and matched his serious look, but as soon as he lowered his hand, she said, "Then... short of X-Men nonsense in general. Better?"
"Much." He smirked at her and then allowed it to stretch into a smile. "I'd like to take you someplace then."
"A romantic weekend getaway?" She grinned. "How could I say no?"
"It's entirely possible that you might turn me down."
She just laughed and kissed him quickly. "I thought I told you you're impossible to say no to, you little imp," she teased.
"I never take a lady's opinion for granted," he replied before he kissed the back of her hand, his gaze never leaving her face.
She just grinned wider and inclined her head in the slightest bow. "Well, good sir, I accept your romantic weekend getaway invitation," she said, grinning wider with every word.
"Wunderbar," he replied quickly, turning her hand to place a kiss on her palm. "Let's finish our coffee and play with some swords."
She just winked at him. "Whatever you say, Professor Elf."
He let his shoulders drop dramatically as he let out a sigh and let her hand drop. "You see, now I feel as though you are a student."
She gave him the full force of a teasing grin. "What?" she said in mock disbelief, one hand on her heart. "Shame on you dating a student."
"I know, I shall have to cancel all my plans now and assign you to detention instead."
She just laughed harder at that. "Would it help you if I pointed out my office door says 'Professor Hawkeye' now?"
"Fraternization," he said thoughtfully, nodding once before he leaned in close. "Yes, I believe that is just the loophole I was in need of."
"I'm getting pretty good with technicalities," she teased. "Going cross-eyed with all that business work. Had to be good for something." She leaned over to kiss his cheek. "Like snagging a cute professor."
"Yes, lucky me," Kurt replied before he wrapped her up in a kiss, and in an instant of smoke and brimstone — they left the kitchen behind.
It was Saturday afternoon when Kate was just coming out of her office for a quick break — just to stretch her legs. She'd been trading emails all morning with Kamala over some new ideas for a book, and she was pretty excited about it — but sitting for that long? It was going to drive her crazy.
Plus, she had plans with a cute Elf.
She didn't know where they were going that afternoon, just that it was Kurt and he was being coy, so it was probably very sweet and romantic. Naturally, she had just the outfit to wear for such an occasion too. Brand new black skirt with a ruffle-sleeves purple top and scarf — and she'd grab a jacket if they were going somewhere cooler if she needed it. The black one on the back of her office chair.
She had just changed and reapplied her makeup when Kurt teleported into the room, looking dapper as usual, though this time a bit more so in a nice suit. "Oh good — I was worried I overdressed," she teased as she finished curling the sides of her hair and pinned up the rest of it.
He took a few steps forward with a little smirk and presented her with a single, long-stemmed rose. "To start the evening off properly," he said with a smile.
She plucked the rose from his hand and then threw her arms around his neck to kiss him. "You — are such a charmer," she teased as she kept her arms around his shoulders even after the kiss broke.
"I hope you mean that in a good way," he replied before he gave her another quick kiss.
"Always," she promised. "So, Mr. Charmer — where are we going?"
"Far from here," he said with a sigh. "I hope you're in the mood for a bit of French food. I have a rooftop reservation in the city."
She beamed at him. "Sounds delightful," she said and kissed him again. "Lead the way."
He grinned and pulled her in tight before they teleported off, only to reappear where it was quite a bit darker, with a decent breeze — and it took her a few moments to realize where they were.
She gasped in surprise as she looked out over Paris, then looked up at him. "This ... you…" She just wrapped her arms around him and kissed him again, unable to think of anything else to do or say in the face of her way-too-adorable and romantic boyfriend. "You're too sweet sometimes."
"I thought we could take in the lights," he replied with a grin. "And this restaurant is one of the best in the city."
"It is," she said with a contented sigh. "And it's not even my birthday. You spoil me."
"You deserve some spoiling," he told her sincerely. "You've put up with me for about a year now."
She turned to face him in surprise. "Oh!" A slow grin started at the corner of her mouth as she stepped in that much closer. "Well, 'put up with' is not that phrase I'd use. 'Been totally enamored with' is more like it — but whatever floats your boat."
He gave her another kiss. "I'll take it however you want to describe it, but a bit of spoiling is in order either way."
She stepped back slightly, took his hand, and just beamed at him. "Well don't let me stop you. Gotta mark one year of falling for an X-Man."
"And you call me the charmer," he laughed before they took their seats. They joked and teased through the bulk of the meal, drinking wine and enjoying the sights — though Kurt's focus was not the lights of the city by any stretch of the imagination.
When dessert came — before she'd gotten into it, he slipped a little gift across the table to her with his head resting on the palm of his hand.
She was grinning wide right up until she realized that it was a jewelry box, and then the panic set in. Fast. Oh crap.
She was moving more on automatic reflex than anything as she cautiously opened it, running through a thousand different scenarios — all of them less likely than the one before it. By the time she got it open, she had a plan on how to get to Clint's fast and let Natasha hide her out — before she saw that it was a necklace. A beautiful, gorgeous necklace with an arrow pendant made of sterling silver.
All her breath left her at once, and she couldn't stop smiling in pure relief. Not a ring. Not a ring. Thank goodness.
"Oh. Oh — it's gorgeous," she said in a slightly breathless voice.
"I was hoping you'd like it," he said in a subdued tone, though he was still smiling softly before he reached over and poured her another glass of wine.
"I do. I mean — I like it. I mean…" She gratefully took the chance to shut up by taking a long sip of wine. "You're… thanks. That was very… you're a charmer."
"Are you sure you're alright?" he asked.
"Mmhmm," she said as she reached for the wine again. "It's a very nice necklace."
"I'd hate to think I upset you," Kurt said sincerely.
"No! No — you didn't. You'd never — no. No, I'm fine. Really. Just totally misread that. Completely." She smiled at him. "Really. You're a darling."
He gave her another little smile. "You're cute when you're frazzled."
She smirked the slightest bit. "I'm always cute," she corrected him.
"Very true. But this — was cuter." His tone was light, but some of the sparkle had left his gaze as he at last turned his gaze away from her and out toward the sights of the city, which gave her a chance to try to compose herself a little better. "Whenever you're ready, I'll take you back, but if you're still interested, we can take a walk down by the river."
She had recovered a bit of her usual smile. "That sounds nice — the walk, I mean. With you. At the river." She reached over for his hand and grasped it with both of hers with as much sincerity as she could muster. "I'm still interested."
"That's good," he replied, smiling a bit more. "We'll take in the lights then. It's been a while since I've seen Paris at night."
She squeezed his hand with hers. "Well, let's fix that, shall we?"
Once the couple had returned to the mansion, Kurt had left Kate to change and do ... whatever it was she had to do. He had clearly shaken her in Paris, and he didn't want to make anything worse.
He'd taken a moment to try to give Logan a call — just to see how things were going in the woods with the whiskey, and half wishing he'd gone along with him as he looked out over the grounds from the roof of the mansion.
I should have realized… I've scared her off.
He was surprised, then, when his phone rang with a number that definitely wasn't Logan's — and that he didn't recognize. He'd hardly said hello before a young lady on the other line burst into her explanation:
"Yeah, hello, hi this is Cassie Lang, and you're Nightcrawler, and look, if you're gonna date my best friend, you have to talk to me, because there are things you need to know, alright?" the young woman said in a rush of breath.
"Hello, Cassie. Nice to — well, to speak with you," Kurt said in a slightly tired tone. He'd heard Kate speak about her friend Cassie, but he had never met her in person, and he wasn't sure why the former Young Avenger had chosen now to call him, though he could guess.
"Do you know where the malt shoppe is across from where Kate used to live in Jersey?" Cassie asked.
"Yes, she took me there," he said with a little frown. "Why?"
"I'm here right now. Why don't you come on over? So we can do the in-person meetup, because clearly you two are idiots, and it's time for you to know things."
"Look for a tall blonde with a German accent then," he replied, a bit weary. "If you insist on this."
"I'm the short blonde with the baseball cap and sunglasses," she said. "Don't be late."
"I can be there right now," Kurt laughed. "I'm sure I'll be there first — unless you're already there."
"In a chair and waiting for you, Mr. Best Friend's Boyfriend."
Before she could hang up the phone, he walked through the door of the shop and picked her out of the crowd. "I would hate to make you wait on my behalf," he told her as he pocketed his phone.
She grinned up at him and stuck out her hand. "Cassie Lang," she said. "I don't usually do superhero meetups, but this is a special case."
"I don't see any superheroes," Kurt replied with a little smirk he couldn't quite contain.
"Clever," she laughed, then settled back into her chair. "So ... Kate called me after Paris. Which was, like, not that long ago, I guess."
"Yes, well. I'm sure she had to speak with someone," he said quietly as he sat down across from her. Cassie was much younger than Kate was — still in her teens, or possibly twenty at the oldest, he thought. She still had that glow of possibilities about her, and when she leaned forward to talk to him, there wasn't the slightest hint of deception about her.
"She thought it was an engagement ring because of the box size," Cassie told him frankly, earnestly. "Total misunderstanding. You're fine."
"I appreciate you looking out for your friend," Kurt replied softly, his tail waving almost absently as he let his shoulders slump. "But I think you might just be wrong on this one."
Cassie just shrugged. "Not on this one. I've been wrong before, but not on this one," she insisted. She looked up to meet his gaze sincerely. "She's pretty far gone over you. Trust me. I've seen every single other relationship she's ever been in. So I'd know."
"Cassie, I've been through this enough times to know what it looks like," Kurt replied. He shook his head to himself as he stood from the table, thinking off all the other times he'd let his heart run away with him, and he started to back away. "Sorry to keep you out so late," he said quietly.
"Hey, no, wait, you're not—" Cassie shook her head. "Oh my gosh — it's like — you two just… ugh. Stop that. Sit down, please. Order something. We might be here a while."
He fixed her with a look that wasn't nearly as effective while wearing the inducer before he sat down again and politely folded his hands in his lap and waited.
"First of all, you didn't screw up," Cassie said patiently. There wasn't any trace of anger or disappointment or frustration — just an honest earnestness to her gaze as she tried to play mediator. "And I know, because Kate's exact words to me were 'I screwed up,' so clearly, you are both ridiculous and scaring yourselves."
When he didn't say anything except to frown, she shook her head at him, took a deep breath, and tried a new tactic. "Okay, look — you know about Kate's mom, right?"
"Kate said she passed away when she was young," Kurt replied as if that was explanation enough.
"Yeah. In an 'accident' during a skiing trip right when she was getting a divorce," Cassie said, raising an eyebrow at Kurt. "And about a month before the much younger future ex-Mrs. Bishop came in."
"She left that part out," Kurt said with a little disapproving frown.
"She would." Cassie kept her gaze on Kurt. "There were, like, five Mrs. Bishops. I think the most recent one was a year younger than Kate. So it's not like she has a real healthy view of marriage."
"I wasn't asking her to marry me," Kurt pointed out.
"She knows. Which is why you're fine," Cassie countered. "I'm just telling you why she freaked out."
Kurt frowned for a long moment at the girl sitting across from him, weighing out her earnest words. "So…. you asked me to come out so you could tell me there is no long-term future for us," Kurt said carefully. "Thank you. For the warning."
"Woah, hey, no. No, drama queen. Rein it in." Cassie held up her hands in a clear attempt to keep him from standing to leave again. "No, no, that's not — no. Wow. You took that and ran with it, didn't you?"
"I guess I don't understand what you're getting at, then," Kurt said. "I scared her. I understand that. It was not my intention, though I am entirely used to scaring people off. It's fine."
"Nightcrawler… can I call you Kurt? I'm going to call you Kurt."
"Please do," he agreed.
"Kurt, you are totally and completely missing the point," she said. "Kate would so not be scared of a future she was going to say no to anyway." She held Kurt's gaze with a raised eyebrow. "She has no problem just flat-out saying no to something she doesn't want."
He rubbed his nose with the back of his hand. "You're talking in circles."
"Sorry," Cassie said sincerely. "I don't mean to be? I just—" She took a deep breath. "Kate's totally terrified that you'll leave. Not that you'll stay."
"That's ridiculous," he scoffed. "Why would…?" He shook his head in disbelief. "That's not how it works."
"I didn't say it made sense. Wow — a year in and you're trying to apply logic to Kate. Poor Nightcrawler." Cassie shook her head at him and tried for a grin. "But that's happened every. Single. Time. Relationships, partnerships, teams — Kate gets left behind, or cut out, or ignored."
"She's got it backwards," Kurt said, his tone disbelieving as his tail started to get involved with how deeply he was shaking his head at the very idea of leaving her. "I'm not the one who leaves."
"You're the exception to the rule for her," Cassie agreed.
"So what are you trying to get at, Cassie?" Kurt asked as he leaned forward a bit. "Don't try to be so mysterious … what?"
"Just…" Cassie leaned back and took a moment to consider her words rather than just trying to say it all at once. "Don't let her try to run away because she thinks she's beating you to the punch. Which she does. A lot."
"I won't try to make her stay if she wants to go," Kurt replied softly.
Cassie groaned dramatically and put her head in her hands. "She doesn't want to go, you idiot."
"Then why would she leave?"
"Because she, like you, is an idiot," Cassie said, shaking her head in her hands. "Just ... I know you think you're helping? With the giving her space? But she's half-convinced she scared you off. And if you leave her alone long enough, she'll be wholly-convinced and run off before you have the chance to leave her — or whatever."
"Are all younger women so complicated?" Kurt asked with a little laugh. "Because I don't recall this much confusion at your age."
"We're a mystery," Cassie agreed with a smirk. "I just — I recognize the scared Kate phone call, and I had to step in before either of you totally wrecked the best thing that's ever happened to her ever."
"Wonderbar," he grumbled out. He was quiet for a moment before, softly, he asked, "Does this shop offer a to-go option? Perhaps she could use something."
Cassie grinned at him. "There you go. Ice cream. That would definitely help."
"So order her whatever she usually gets, and I'll bring it to her," Kurt said, then paused. "Unless she'd do better with you, then I'll take you too."
"Oh no. No — no. First of all, I'm so not allowed at the mansion? And second — I'm so not you. Totally different need," Cassie said, holding up both hands.
Kurt half laughed at that. "Why are you not allowed at the mansion?"
"Oh, um, I'm sorta ... well." Cassie rubbed the back of her neck. "Well, I died? Being a superhero? So Mom doesn't want me to do it anymore."
"That is a hazard," Kurt replied. "But you also need to do what you love. Follow your calling."
"I try to," Cassie agreed. "Just — trying to move out and get my own place first to avoid the Death Mom Glare. And the step-dad glare."
"If you tire of that and want training, we keep our doors open," Kurt told her. "I'd be happy to give you the address."
Cassie smirked. "It would make keeping you two idiots from running away from each other easier," she teased. "For someone who's supposed to be older and more mature, you're very dramatic."
"If the situation is as dire as you put it out to be, I'm not sure anyone can fix it," Kurt replied, though he was smirking by that point. "And I'm the drama teacher at Xavier's. If I'm not dramatic, then I'm not doing my job properly."
She giggled at that. "Okay, you're funny. I can see why Kate's totally in deep over you."
"I believe you are overstating things," Kurt laughed.
"No, no, you really are funny."
"Yes, well. You haven't seen the tail yet. It seems to give most people the creeps," Kurt replied.
"Kate likes it," Cassie pointed out. "She likes you."
"I think that has more to do with having saved her from an unhealthy fall," he teased.
"Uh-huh." Cassie leaned back, still laughing, before she seemed to change tacts entire again. "So — you know. In the far, far, future? You have to ask my permission for the real deal, right?"
"I don't know that will ever be an issue," Kurt replied easily, knowing that if this was how Kate reacted only to what she thought was a proposal… the real thing just wasn't going to happen. And that was fine — he was happy with her as things were, and he would never do anything to push her into something she didn't want. But all the same, he had to smile at Cassie and say, "But it's good to know where to go, seeing as there is … a gap."
"You know you're going to have to talk to, like, the whole team?" Cassie just laughed. "I mean, in the far, far future."
"If you say so," he replied.
The ice cream Cassie had ordered for Kate arrived in a to-go bag, and Cassie just grinned at Kurt as soon as the waiter had gone. "Hey. Right. So — talked a lot. I do that? But — thesis statement? We're all rooting for you. Whole team. Really. So — you know. Don't let her slip away because she's stupid."
"Good to know," he replied with a little smirk. "And, I'll try to convince her I'm not all that terrible. Would you care to walk with me to the alley?"
She grinned at him. "Sure. It's good manners to see someone off."
He paid for the ice cream, and the two of them left, more or less in silence. When they got to the alley, he slipped into the shadows and flipped off the inducer before he looked over to her with a sheepish kind of smile. "It's not fair to introduce myself not looking as I usually do." He extended his hand and said hello again.
Cassie looked a bit shocked at the sudden change but took the offered hand. "Oh. Okay. Hi," she said with a little grin. "You're ... not quite like Kate describes you. Or like your pictures. Just fyi."
"I'm … not surprised somehow," he said quietly. "You must come to see her when you've got time."
Cassie just grinned at him. "Go give her ice cream and attention. She loves both of those things from you," she said, shooing him with her hands.
"Goodnight, Cassie. It was … informative," Kurt said before he simply teleported away in a puff of smoke.
When he reappeared in their room, Kate was just coming back in herself, her hair pulled back in a ponytail and sticking to her face with sweat as she put away her bow and quiver after what must have been a strenuous exercise. She flopped down on the bed and grinned when she saw the name of the ice cream shop on the bag he was holding. "Oh. You must love me," she said with a sigh.
"As if there was a doubt," Kurt replied as he handed it over. "Cassie says hello, by the way."
"Oh, did she call you?"
He chuckled a bit as he slipped onto the bed. "Don't sound so surprised. She had to have gotten my number somehow," he teased. "I told her she needs to come visit."
"Yeah, I keep telling her to just tell her parents to lay off, but…" Kate shrugged. "I just go to visit her while she's still living at home. Easier that way."
Kurt waved his hand about it. "I'll handle it," he promised. "I have a way with nervous heroes-to-be."
"You have a way with everyone," she teased as she pulled out the chocolate sundae and handed him a second spoon that Cassie had slipped into the bag.
"One opinion in the crowd," he replied.
"The best opinion," she countered. "Because I'm always right."
"That could well be true," he said with a little smirk before he paused and let out a small sigh, looking a bit more serious. "I did not mean to set off the wrong impression. I don't move that fast," he told her.
Kate shook her head and waved him off with the hand that was still holding a spoon. "Don't worry about it," she told him sincerely. "It was just ... bad timing. I mean. The wedding with Scott and Annie and then Paris and ... and yeah."
"Yes, it was stupid of me," he said with a nod as he got into the sundae with her. "I didn't even consider how it looked."
"It was thoughtful and romantic," she countered.
"And stupid. I'll be sure to avoid any and all romantic locations in the future."
She grinned at him around her spoon. "If you insist," she allowed. "But — you know — I'm totally not opposed to more candlelight dinners and wine and long walks in the City of Lights with my favorite X-Man. For future reference. It was really nice."
"Well, don't worry." He let out a sigh and leaned back. "I won't do anything to mislead you again."
"We got our wires crossed, sweetheart. It happens." She took another bite and then shrugged up to her ears. "Sorry for ... you know. I sort of ruined the mood. You're not mad?"
"No," he said gruffly. "Never."
"Good, because I thought…" She shoved the spoon back in her mouth and chewed over another bite of ice cream. "Anyway. Happy one-year of whatever the heck we're doing."
"I believe it's putting up with demonic shenanigans," he said dryly.
"And tiny Katie terrors," she chuckled. "And bigger Katie terrors."
"Frohes Jubiläum," he replied with a little kiss that he was surprised turned into something a bit longer when Kate pulled him closer. "Let's see where it takes us."