Inner Conflicts

Inner Conflicts -- Part 22 Inner Conflicts Part 22 Kurt stared into the mirror in Lance's room, scrutinizing his image. While the hologram hid his true image, he couldn't help but see , or think that he saw, all the imperfections that now plagued his face.  The bags under his eyes, the sunken look, the way his face was rapidly becoming thin. He looked and felt older. But despite how he felt, the hologram showed a picture of a healthy boy.   He felt himself tense as Lance came up behind him. "Hey, everything will be fine," Lance murmured, holding him around the waist, pulling him back so that his whole back pressed inis fis front. Lance kissed him on the side of the neck, before giving him another kiss on the cheek. "I'll be there, and you can have lunch with us." Kurt just nodded.   Lance smiled and hugged him tight once more before letting him go. X School usually went by quickly, unless one was waiting for something exciting at home. But when you were spending theire ire time avoiding not just one, but a whole mansion's worth of people, the day seemed extra long. Jean always seemed to pinpoint where he was, despite his attempt to block her out of his mind. Evan would pop up unexpectedly, sending him hurrying for cover behind a flock of loud chatty girls, or sneaking by unnoticed behind a group of oblivious jocks. It was easier to spot Rogue, but avoiding her was still troublesome. And Scott managed to blend in despite his unique red glasses.  Several times Kurt almost ran into him, but spotted him just in time and turned the other way. Classes were a bit more difficult. He got to classes early and begged to switch places with people, putting himself at a distance from his Institute friends. Kurt saw Evan frown when he realized that Kurt was not in his favorite seat. Half an hour into class, someone tapped his arm and dropped something into his desk. Kurt slowly opened it up, afraid to see what was written inside. Pervert? Sinner? Fag? Kurt glanced down. LUNCH? E Kurt felt his hands shake just a bit.  Why?  Did they want to question him there?  Make a public scene? Humiliate him in front of everyone else? He crumbled the paper and looked at Evan, a short shake of his head as he glared at him. X Evan was . . . shocked. . . to say the least. He had been hoping that Kurt would meet with him at lunch so that they could talk about Saturday night, and beg him to come home.  But the look Kurt gave him... Did the Brotherhood do something with his mind, turning him against them? Maybe another psychic mutant that Xavier didn't know about? Evan hoped to catch bef before he walked through the door...and if not...he hoped the others fared better. X Scott was feeling pissed.  Through out the morning he had been trying to catch Kurt, but each way he turned, Lance, Pietro, or Freddy was there to block his way, trip him, or something that distracted him from his search of Kurt. What made him more angry was that he really couldn't do anything about it. If he tried picking a fight with Lance, the jerk would probably play it off as being inn innocent one and he would end up in trouble alone.  Then what? Suspension? Detention? Neither option was really good unless it guaranteed information on Kurt. But there in was the problem...who could say that he would be able to get any information from the three. Speaking of which... that left them two members short. Tabitha and Todd seemingly made themselves scarCoulCould they know something? Scott sighed.  Maybe he would catch Kurt at lunch. X Tabitha watched Lance. Was he flirting with a girl? No... Dammit.  She wanted some proof first that Lance was using Kurt.  If only she hadn't thrown away the aphrodisiacs!  That would have been proof alone to have Kurt leave the Brotherhood house. But nope. Blonde moment...she didn't even think about taking it out of the garbage until it was too late. Kurt was being slippery today too.  She kept hoping that she would catch him on his own, but each time she spotted him, he was already darting into a class or joining a group of kids when she was stuck in the middle of a group herself. She cursed her luck. Kurt was confused...and he was treading a confusing path.  She had been there before, and she knew to where it could lead. Please hang on, Kurt... don't fall for his lies...cause I'm sure that's what they are... X Kurt was starving.  All the extra running around was building his reserves he had been saving by not teleporting at all. He waited in line, somewhat grateful that he was able to avoid both X-men and Lance. He was afraid to know what the X-men were thinking, and after the "quickie" he and Lance shared in the morning, he wanted to be left alone for a bit. It still made him feel weird...but Lance seemed at peace, and happy. He had just finished paying for his lunch when a familiar hand landed on him. With his heart in his throat, Kurt slowly turned to look at him. Scott's rlasslasses were staring down at him. Funny. Ever since he had met them, those glasses were a sign that a good friend was nearby, waiting to help.  Now they made Scott seem distant, standing so close, yet unreachable. "Kurt," said Scott, all seriously.  "We need to talk." "About vhat?" asked Kurt, sullenly.  He didn't want to do this. Not now.  He couldn't handle it if Scott voiced his disappointment, or disgust. "Away from here?" Scott urged, gently pushing Kurt away from the line. Kurt slowly advanced forward, knowing that Scott was going to lead him to the table with the other Institute mutants.  He wasn't ready yet.  He didn't want to do this. His grip on the tray became tighter as his heart rate and breathing increased in speed. "Vhy not here?" Kurt asked, his voice taking a higher and panicked note. Scott sighed in annoyance. "I'd rather not.  Kurt, why did you..." Here it comes. . . Why did you let him do that to you? He probably thinks I wanted this to happen.  Please, don't say that. . . Scott, I'll die if you hate me now. But Scott didn't finish his question. X "What are you doing, Summers?" "I'm talking to my friend," Scott said, vehemously, not noticing the way Kurt flinched. Lance was at fault here.  He had done something to Kurt, that was way beyond obvious.  But other than the injuries, just what had made Kurt run away like that.  That's what he wanted to know.  Why did Kurt run from the X-men?  From him?  They were such good friends. Scott turned to Kurt and was appalled and hurt to see Kurt looking away from him.  It was as if he were afraid of him.  His anger towards Lance returned tenfold. "Kurt, let's go," he said tightly, trying to get his anger back under control.  Oh, he so wanted to cause Lance some physical harm, but then he'd get in trouble and that would screw up everything. Kurt just stood there, his handsrtinrting to shake. Scott felt his stomach drop.  Why was Kurt so nervous about him? "He doesn't want to go with you," said Lance, rather smugly.  With those words, Lance pulled Kurt away. Please, Kurt... say something.  Give me a sign that this isn't what you want. Talk to me! Scott watched with growing despair as Kurt moved away, not looking back. Then he watched as Lance draped an arm around Kurt's waist. His blood boiled. Damned if he was just going to stand there and let Lance be all over his friend. Scott stepped forward and almost fell to the ground. "Watch were you're going, Summers," he heard a taunting voice. "Duncan," snarled Scott. "Now is not a good time." He turned away from Duncan and his jock friends who were laughing their heads off.  Lance and Kurt were not in sight. "Fuck!" tbc. . .