The Heart is a Lonely Hunter

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


A/N Goddess FoxfeathQueeQueen of Mad Plotbunnies, character forthcoming...and why is Ted still pacing? Isn't he over it yet? ((sigh)) InterNutter, TC and Maxwell Pink get psychic valentines for archiving. Picture a red paper doily with lots of gold and silver glitter...there ya go. Happy Valentine's Day! Readers/Reviewers: Masses of love for reading and reviewing and dodging the Killer Kitties (tm) (I'm just all lovey dovey for Valentine's...go figure. How unlike me.)



Thursday was miserable all around. At least for the males of the Xavier Institute. The day had started with a veritable explosion of glitter and foil confetti at Kurt's locker, a monstrosity of a card having been wedged inside by means that would have, at first thought, require Kitty's phasing ability but apparently were of a more mundane origin. Paolo had also bothered Kurt, lurking around seemingly every corner and stammering in Italian before darting away in a flurry of embarrassed hand gestures and apologies whenever someone else approached. Lance and Todd had found Kurt's plight quite amusing and even made up a limerick about it, entertaining everyone except their fourth period gym teacher, leading to extra laps around the frigid track. Scott had avoided Jean all day, but had also been practically stalked by Patricia Garrison. He had met up with Kurt during gym class, both of them hiding behind a bank of lockers to avoid Duncan's sudden interest in their whereabouts. "Man, what the Hell is up today? First he's following Jean, then Kitty..."
Kurt's eyes narrowed. "He was following Kitty?" He stuck his head around a corner of the lockers to see Duncan standing with is back to them, talking with some football player about various girls. "When? Where? How should I hide the body?"
"Chill, Kurt..." Scott pulled him back behind the protective shield of the lockers. "He was just walking behind her on the way to class this morning. Well, each class before lunch. You didn't notice?"
"Er...no...I kind of blank out most stuff when I'm with Kitty. It's kind of a bad habit." Kurt blushed beneath his holo and shrugged.
Scott rolled his eyes. "Well, start lookin' around, man. I don't know what's been going on, but since Monday, guys have been following her around like she was giving it away or something. Don't give me that look. Duncan's been leading the herd today...for someone who's already stolen a girlfriend, he's sure doesn't waste time moving on, does he?"
Kurt felt like slapping Scott at that moment. "He didn't steal your girlfriend! I am sick of hearing this! You two are ridiculously happy and in love so deal with it! She's just trying to get him to tell her why he's being such a fucking dick to Kitty and frankly, I'm glad!"
Scott glared at his friend. "You're telling me that if Kitty were doing what Jean is, you wouldn't be mad?"
"Yes, I'd be upset, but I love her and I know she would never cheat on me. Ever. No matter what she says about Orlando Bloom." After a pause, he added, "Though I might be okay if she felt like having a fling with Kate Winslet."
Scott smi, th, then chuckled at Kurt's answer. "You think I'm being an idiot, too?"
"Oh, Jean and I aren't the only ones?" Kurt asked innocently, moving with Scott down the row of lockers as Duncan's voice came closer, still prattling on about girls and "getting some."
"I've heard it from Jubilee, Kitty, Rahne, Jamie, Evan...even Storm made a snarky comment this morning. The only one who didn't is Logan and he's gone off somewhere again."
"Well, what are you holding out for? You can't be that mad at her. Kitty said that Jean said she apologized to you..." They rounded the corner ahead of Duncan, sliding along the bench between rows of lockers, trying to attract as little attention as possible from the others in the locker room.
"I don't know why we bother trying to keep secrets around the Institute...everyone will know everything about everyone by the end of the day anyway," Scott sighed. "I didn't tell her I forgive her because I wanted to wait and do it tomorrow...sort of make it special or something. That's dumb, isn't it? Did I fuck up royally?" He was suddenly panicked, stopping in his tracks and making Kurt run into him, knocking them both into the lockers with a clatter. There was a moment of silence and then they made a dignified mad dash for the door, emerging into the gym as Duncan called out to them.
Kurt led Scott under the bleachers, oblivious to the practicing volleyball team and Jubilee with the gymnastics group. When they caught their breath, Kurt said, "You didn't fuck up royally, but you did fuck up. Jean is moping and let me tell you, a teep with a headache and depression is a projector and it hurts, even if I can block out that sort of thing. Just talk to her. Don't wait for tomorrow. As soon as Jubes is done with practice and Todd and Lance are out of detention, we'll pile into the car with Remy. You can have some alone-time with Jean on the way home that way."
"If she doesn't decide to walk home," Scott muttered darkly, lacing his fingers around the supports for the bleachers. "What would you do if you were me?"
Kurt snorted. "I can't answer that. If I was you, I wouldn't be in this mess in the first place. I would have tried to understand why Kitty-in your case, Jean-was doing what she's doing, told her how I felt, and then tried to come to an understanding with her about the situation."
Scott stared at him from behind ruby-tinged lenses. "Kurt, have you been hanging out with Beast lately? You've come over all rational."
"I know...weird, huh?"
The door to the locker room slammed open and Duncan strode out in his true cock-of-the-walk fashion, looking left and right for his quarry. Scott and Kurt shared a look of pure panic for a moment when they realized there was no where else to hide. "Come on, we're X-Men. We can do this. It's just Duncan," Scott muttered as they were spotted.
"You know...this whole X-Men thing...has it ever occurred to you how emasculating that is? Couldn't we come up with a name that doesn't make us sound like eunuchs?" Kurt said only slightly nervously as Duncan crept towards them, ducking supports and outcropping bleacher pieces.
"Summers, Wagner," Duncan said in his too-loud voice.1 "You guys been hidin' from me." It was a statement, not a question.
"Nah," Scott said, slightly irritated. "We're just waiting for our friends to finish their after school crap so we can go home."
Duncan nodded, not quite believing him. "Yeah. Whatever. Look, just wanted to tell ya that Big Red's all yours again for tomorrow. I've had a better offer."
"Oh?" Scott could not help it. He was extremely happy to hear that. "Who's the...er...lucky lady?"
Duncan smirked and poked Kurt in the chest. "Wagner's little piece. Kitty asked me to go to the dance with her today. Guess you and her aren't so tight after all, huh?" With a slight shove that made Kurt rock back on his heels, Duncan turned and wove his way back through the bleachers and into the open area of the gym where Patricia was waiting for him.
Scott could only blink for a moment, finally asking, "So, think you can answer that question now?"


Kitty was having an odd day. Between L pul pulling a vanishing act, Rogue moping about Todd having detention at lunch and after school, Amara grousing about Lance doing the same thing, and Jubilee trying to steal saltpeter2 from the chemistry lab, she almost missed Duncan's lurking in her footsteps. She first noticed it between third and fourth period when Kurt was leaving her at her classroom door. She was kissing him on the cheek when she saw Duncan over his shoulder and part of her brain registered that he wot sot supposed to be in this part of the school just then at the same time she noticed he was staring at her. When Kurt pulled away and said goodbye, she looked again to where Duncan had been standing to notice he was gone. _Weird. Maybe he was looking for one of his goons or something. _ She did not give his appearance in the hall much thought until she was on the way to lunch, walking in a group with Kurt, Jubilee, Rahne and Jean. She dropped her notebook and, bending to pick it up, saw two very large sneaker-clad feet dart to one side, ostensibly hiding in the doorway of a nearby classroom. Standing slowly, she casually stretched and looked behind her, twisting as if to pop her back. Duncan seemed to be studying the bulletin board outside the classroom, something that would have been believable had it not been the Home Ec. Room and the board a list of sewing projects due that week. Kitty frowned to herself but trotted to catch up to Kurt, who was waiting a few feet away where he had paused when he realized she stopped. "Sorry," she said, smiling brightly despite the niggling of worry in the back of her mind.
"No worries, Katzchen...I know it was all a clever ruse so that you could lure me away from the group and have your wicked way with me in the ladies' room during lunch." Kurt slid his arm around her waist and nuzzled her neck, necessitating another pause in the hallway to keep from tripping over themselves.
Kitty was aware of Duncan's presence like never before then, lurking just out of her line of sight, his eyes boring into the side of her face. "Mmmm...I'd love to but you know we'd get caught..."
"Oh, come on, Liebes," he teased, nibbling her earlobe, "It's not like you to turn down a assignation at school..."
Kitty giggled, forced but believable. "Assignation? That's it...it's time for a new movie for you, one made _after _ 1942!"
"You wound me, Katzchen!" He fell away from her, his hands clasped over his heart and sighing theatrically. "It's the least you could do, considering I'm doomed to a date with Amanda tomorrow night!"
"Still? I thought you had some grand idea involving Scott or something..."
"There's no way out of it, Schatz." Kurt sighed, taking her hand in his and resuming the walk towards the cafeteria, Duncan a ghost to their progress that only Kitty could sense. "I'm not going to have a good time, you know," he offered after a moment of pained silence.
"It's okay if you do. I trust you. I mean it. I really do." Kitty sighed, though, feeling unbearably sad. "I'll just load up on Ben and Jerry's, yoga myself silly, and watch movies with Rogue and Jean all night."
"They're not going?" They had reached the cafeteria and stopped just outside the door, still holding hands.
Kitty saw Duncan walk by as if he had somewhere to go, but she did not miss his duck into the alcove by the soda machines, waiting for someone. _Please just go away. _ "No. Rogue is protesting Todd's lack of romantic inclination and Jean...well, you know about that. Amara said she is going under duress, but I think she means _Lance _ is going under duress and she'll make it up to him later with sexual favors we'll need ear plugs to avoid knowing about."
"Ew. Thanks for that mental picture, Katzchen." Kurt shuddered. "I'm going to go get in line...Salisbury steak waits for no man! Meet me at the table?"
"Sure, babe..." She nodded absently and kissed him on the cheek. "I'll just go get a soda and meet you there..." She decided to take the bull by the horns and marched straight to Duncan's hiding spot. He grinned at her from between the machines, leaning casually against the wall. "What do you want?"
"You and freak boy still together?"
"Kurt and I are together and pretty damned happy, too. Why are you following me?" Kitty was made brave by her annoyance. "Make it quick-I'll be damned if I get busted and kicked out for talking to you when I'm not supposed to."
"I'm a big believer in keeping your friends close and your enemies closer. You know something that could really fuck me over, Kitty. That makes you my enemy." He reached out and twirled a lock of her hair around his finger, tugging a little too hard for her pleasure.
"I have no idea what you're talking about. Is that why you're so intent on seeing Kurt with Amanda? I've heard the rumors...I know Patricia Garrison is trying like Hell to get them together at the dance and to make sure I know about every little thing that could even remotely be construed as hanky panky between them! Patricia is your lap dog so I know you're involved...but I have no idea what you're on to me about!"
"Clever, Pretty Kitty. Really clever. I was going to tell Jean all about how you've been trying to get in my pants for weeks now, let her come with me to the dance, just to get under Summer's skin, but I think that I'd rather have you for my date."
"Huh? Are you high, Duncan?" Kitty backed away slowly, not sure where he was going and not wanting to be part of the trip. "I've got to go."
"You can't play dumb forever, Kitty. You know why I'm on your ass. You know what you saw... I'm not going to leave you alone until I'm sure you're not going to spill it."
Kitty gritted her teeth and steeled her nerves. "Will going with you to the dance make you leave me alone? Forever?"
"Yes."
"Fine. I'll go with you. I'll meet you here, I'll dance once with you, then I'll leave. That's it. And you swear on your damned football team that you'll leave me alone? All of us?"
"Yep. You got it."
"Fine. See you tomorrow then." Kitty stalked away, feeling sick to her stomach and dirty all over.
Duncan smiled broadly. _Just one more thing and she'll never be able to tell anyone what she saw...not when I have the goods on her... _

1 I admit it. Duncan, in mttlettle world, is an amalgam of every jerky football player I knew in high school and college. There were some very nice football players-don't get me wrong and think that I mean all of 'em are jerks, but the ones that WERE jerks...boy howdy did they corner the market on asshole.
2 I know I've said it before, but for those of you late to the party, saltpeter serves as an effective deterrent to male arousal. Can't get it up to save your life if it's administered correctly. At least so I've heard...