The Heart is a Lonely Hunter

THE HEART IS A LONELY HUNTER CHAPTER TEN (NC-17)
Disclaimers Apply


A/N Goddess Foxfeather, Queen of Mad Plotbunnies-I got Joaquin to talk Ted down. Billy is too emotional to help! He feels Ted's pain... InterNutter, TC and Maxwell Pink are wonderful little monkeys for archiving (Coming from an anthro, that's a compliment. Trust me). Readers/Reviewers: I think the Killer Kitties (tm) are on the move...the car was out of gas this morning and I found cat hair on the seats...they've been driving around looking for the platypi, I'm sure of it... In any case, big lickity kisses for reviewing and reading. :)



"What's with the Elf?" Logan sniffed at the coffee pot with some suspicion, not quite sure who had made this batch of the brew and not quite willing to try it for fear it had been Kitty in one of her domestic moods. _That girl can make anything taste like tar... _
"Trouble avec son femme,"1 Remy said, raising his mug to Logan in a semi-salute. "C'est bon...I make few minute ago..."
Logan grunted his thanks and poured a cup of black coffee before sitting across from Kurt, staring hard at the forlorn teenager. "What'd you do?"
"How do you know I did something? Maybe it was Kitty..." Kurt said faintly, sighing as he did so. "Who am I kidding? Of course it was me..."
"Stop right there," Logan commanded, poking a finger in Kurt's direction. "If you're gonna be all self pitying, you're on your own!"
"You actually suggestin' ta help Kurt?" Remy knew he had overdone the awe in his voice when Logan snarled at him.
"Yes, Gumbo, I am..." _ If only for Kitty's sake..._
"Bon. Cause I been tinkin' dat me an' Jubes be helpin' dos wid prollems mais je pense que Rogue an' Todd good again an' Lance an' Amara seem ta be headed dat way... So now, Kurt an' Kitty get de benefit a' our happiness, eh?" His smirk was the only thing that kept Logan from gagging outright at Remy's syrupy tone.
"People in love," the older man groused, "sound like fucking idiots." Remy coughed, a noise that sounded suspiciously like a certain weather witch's name, before sipping long and slow from his coffee. "As I was saying," Logan shot a glare in the Cajun's directiopeoppeople in love say the damnedest things sometimes because they can't believe no one else can possibly feel the way they do."
Kurt looked up from his soggy cereal-his third bowl if truth be known-and murmured, "Thanks for the insight." Giving the ruined food a shove, he said a little more steadily, "What about when people in love screw up royally but don't have a chance to explain why they screwed up or even how to the person they're in love with?"
Logan looked at Kurt for a long moment and said, "Elf, I have no idea what the Hell you're talking about."
Remy sighed and quickly related that morning's tale of woe only to have Logan growl not just at him, but at Kurt as well. "It was an accident!" Kurt yelped, scooting his chair back so hastily that it toppled over, taking him with it.
"How the Hell is breaking Kitty's heart an accident?" Logan was around the table and at Kurt's side before Remy could put himself between the two.
"Now, Papa Logan, you jus' gotta calm down, eh? In all fairness, Kurt be real tore up 'bout it...an' he wanna make it right."
"Ja!" Kurt said, his voice about an octave higher than he would have liked at that moment, "I want to talk to her, tell her the truth and see if she can forgive me after that."
Logan jerked Kurt to his feet roughly but did not let go of his arm, effectively preventing him from porting away. "Remy, park it. You make me jumpy. And you don't want me jumpy..." Remy made a low noise of offended acquiescence and sat back in his chair. "I was just warmin' up to you and Kitty, Elf...you ain't helpin' me like this whole...sexual...thing any better. Now, I'm gonna make a deal with ya, bub. I won't kick your ass if you can make it right with her one way or another by Friday."
"Friday?" Kurt squeaked. "So soon?" _Well, if Kitty doesn't forgive me, I'm going to wish I were dead anyway... _
"Yeah, Friday." He let go of Kurt with a slight shove, sending him staggering back into the refrigerator. Logan felt a pang of guilt for giving Kurt a hard time when Storm was, at that very moment, in her greenhouse jabbing at potting soil and calling him all manner of names that had nothing to do with his prowess in bed. With a semi-resigned sigh, the older man said, "If all else fails, let me know and I'll talk to her myself..."
Kurt nodded vigorously. "Ja, Herr Logan...Danke!"
Remy made a low sign at Kurt when he saw the youth tense, a sign he was about to port. _Stay right dere, homme... _ "We jus' clean up here, Papa Logan...you don' worry 'bout nothin' but Storm, eh?"
"And why should I be worrying about Storm?" Logan asked, narrowing his eyes at Remy. _Damned Cajun sees more than he should... _
"No reason...jus' sayin'..." Remy shrugged as if he did not care and made a great show of gathering breakfast dishes and putting them in the sink.
"Riiiiight. Friday, Kurt." Logan nodded once at the teenager and turned on his heel to stalk from the room.
Remy waited until he no longer heard Logan's footfall and turned to face Kurt, shutting the dishwasher with a thud as he did so. "Hien,2 we got 'bout a week to make it up 'tween you an' Kitty..."
"We?" Kurt scoffed. "Mein Freund, this is my doing and I will fix it!" Kurt straightened visibly, his tail lashing in agitation. "I love Kitty with everything I have in me and I will do whatever it takes to make her happy after she hears the whole truth."
"Bien," Remy laughed, "you halfway dere...Now, you jus' gotta do what I tell ya."
"Why?"
"Cause, homme! I'm a coon ass!3 I de closes' ting you got to a French lover in yo' midst..."
"Gott im Himmel..." Kurt covered his eyes with his hands, feeling mildly panicked. "No matter what I say, you're going to 'help,' aren't you?"
"Oui! Me an' Jubilation...we be Cupid's enforcers4!"
"Take me now, Lord..."


"Was that Kitty I just heard?" Rogue asked idly, turning to and fro in front of the mirror, admiring the effect of the silk bodysuit on her pale skin.
"Huh?" Todd had effectively lost higher thought functions when Rogue came out of the bathroom wearing her latest purchase from the lingerie store in the mall. For the past several minutes, he had heard the dull rush of blood in his ears and was pretty sure he was drooling.
"Kitty...I thought I heard her go by talking to someone...I guess not." Rogue turned to Todd and held her arms out to the sides. "What do you think? Too...motocross?" She was clad neck-to-tn fon forest green, shimmering fabric, gloves as well as bodysuit. "I feel like I should have product endorsements on my ass or something..."
"No, no...you look...er...good. Really good..." Todd crossed his legs as casually as he could, trying to hide his obvious state of arousal at seeing her thus attired. "Um, so, want to go to a movie or something?"
"Talk about out of left field," Rogue muttered before turning back to the mirror. "Not really...what brought on the sudden urge to go out? It's barely above freezing out there."
"Well, they show movies indoors, too..." Todd fidgeted nervously and looked away when she turned to face him. "It's just...you know, it'd be nice if we went out on a date or something...get around other people and all."
Rogue frowned. "Get around other..." Her frown turned into a smile as realization hit her. "Todd, are you afraid to be alone with me?"
"No! Not afraid..." He was blushing. He could feel it spread up his neck and all the way to his hairline, coloring him an unbecoming pinkish green.
"Yes you are!" Rogue turned back to him and crossed slowly, purposefully walking with an added sway to her hips, crooning "You loooooooove me....you think I'm goooooooorgeous...you want kiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiisss me..."5 She pushed him back so that he was laying on the bed.
"You are so not funny, Rogue!" Todd ground out between clenched teeth. He braced his hands against her silk-clad shoulders as she leaned over him, her knees pressing into the mattress on either side of his hips. "It's just that I'd feel kind of weird...you know... right now."
"Because we'd have to do it through clothes or because of...other things?" She did not move but her smile slid into a frown.
"Rogue, just...not now..." Todd closed his eyes in frustration and nearly sighed as he felt her weight shift and her body come to rest next to him. "What're you doing?"
"Laying on my bed...is that okay with you?" Todd's sigh jabbed her in the heart and Rogue scooted closer. "Sorry. Didn't mean to snap. I promise I'll take things slow until you're ready again, okay?"
"Thanks..." Tentatively, he slid his arm around her waist, pulling her closer to him, their bodies moving almost without thought to avoid direct skin-to-skin contact. _Damn, that is thin fabric...I can feel her heat through it...Stop it, Todd...not yet! _ He sighed inwardly and made distracted circles on her back with his thumb. "It's not that I don't want to, you know," he said abruptly, making her twitch in surprise at his voice in the quiet room, "it's just...I don't feel right."
"It's okay," she said softly. "I can wait." Rogue stretched languidly along Todd's length and draped her leg over him casually, as if she did this all the time. "I can just entertain myself in the meantime."
"Entertain...er, you don't mean with boardgames, do you?"
"More liklitalitaire." Rogue grinned against his flannel shirt as Todd's breathing hitched in his chest, making him jerk slightly. "It's not so bad...I've been doing it for years."
"Ye...years?" Todd found her ceiling fascinating all of a sudden, his body hyperaware of hers so close to him.
"Mmmhmmm. Since I was thirteen or so. Maybe twelve." Rogue smiled to herself as she dragged one glove-clad finger up his chest to his neck, then his chin, tracing his lips as she sighedAlwaAlways the same. Well, almost. Invariably while I'm in bed or the tub, though the bed is easier. Less chance of making a mess there..." He caught her finger between his teeth and Rogue giggled, Todd seemingly only half-awarewhatwhat he was doing. "It's usually pretty easy since I wear nightshirts instead of pajamas and even if I do wear bottoms, I can just slide my hand inside..." She shifted against him, pressing her center to his thigh, hoping he could feel her arousal. Part of her felt a little strange telling him about her masturbatory exploits but she thought, _What the Hell...he's seen me do all sorts of weird things...and everyone does it. _ "If I'm in bed, I just start thinking of all sorts of interesting things, if I'm not already all hot and bothered." She extricated her finger from his mouth and trailed it wetly back the way she came, this time working a few buttons on his shirt open and tracing her initials on his chest with slow, cursive letters. Rogue spoke softly, making him strain to hear, as she continued her trek downward, working buttons open as she went. "I like thinking of you then...I think about all the things we've done and what I want to do to you...Honey, if you had any idea half the things I want, you'd go gray."
"Erk..."
Rogue ran her still-damp, glove-clad finger back and forth along the waistband of his pants. "So there I am, primed and ready to go, lights off, sheets kicked aside, usually I bend my knees..."
"Gah..."
"And I think of how it'd feel for it to be your fingers instead of mine, touching me there, stroking deep inside me, feeling how wet I am and how hot..." She ground against him again and was certain she felt him shudder. "Usually, I don't take very long... I know just how to make myself...finish...before someone hears all the gasps and moans and the bed squeaking..." She giggled at Todd's strangled moan as her fingers found his length through his pants and squeezed. "I know just how to rub, how man fingers to use...where to use them...Sometimes I like to play with my nipples, make it last longer..."
"Rogue!" Todd said sharply as she worked her hand against him faster. "Don't..."
"You don't like it?"
"That's the problem..." he moaned softly as she found just the right motion, "I _do..." _
'Then enjoy it..." She felt him arch against her hand and knew he was close. "And when I'm in the tub, there's this thing I like to do with the soap..."
"Oh, God!" Todd felt the spasm of release a second before the sticky moisture seeped across his pelvis, soaking into his boxers and jeans.
"Sorry..." Rogue did not feel actually contrite, just a little bad for making him have to change clothes again that day. Todd made a vague noise of acceptance and wilted against the bed. "You know," she said, changing the subject so fast Todd was sure he got whiplash, "Kurt fucked up royally..."
"Er...um...yeah?"
"I mean, just from what I heard, sounds like he needs some serious help sucking up..."
"Marie..." Todd had a sinking feeling as to where her train of thought was headed.
"No, listen-who better to help them out than two people who just mended their own rift? C'mon!" She was on her feet so quickly Todd was not sure how she moved. Pacing, she set into her plan about helping Kurt make up to Kitty.
Todd only heard half of it, though. _Fuck me, I'm in love with a crazy woman... _

1 Trouble with his woman
2 Means "then," but Cajuns esp. tend to use it like "okay," or to get your attention when they're talking to you.
3 For some reason, Cajuns call themselves coon asses from time to time. My grandma did all the time and she never did tell me why...
4 You know, like a mob enforcer? In my head, it's funny.
5 I got that from Miss Congeniality when Sandra Bullock is teasing Benjamin Bratt. Cute movie.