In Fear of Three Little Words

Chapter 49


Logan watched the chains of the tow truck maneuver Kurt’s Honda onto the truck bed, sending it on its way to have the windshield replaced. Under his arm he held a package, large and festively wrapped in Christmas paper, a tag already attached with his name on it. He had pulled it from the back seat of the SUV, realizing this was the present Kurt had gone to pick up the day he had been kidnapped.

The tow truck driver gave him a wave and rambled down the driveway and out of the gate.

With a sigh, Logan headed back inside, going to the Christmas tree in the Community room. At first, he started to place the package under the tree with Kurt’s unopened presents then thought again.

Good a time as any and maybe this would cheer the elf up.

Logan gathered up the presents, balancing them carefully and headed up the stairs to the infirmary. He pushed open the door with a foot and juggled the packages in the door, most of them falling onto the bed.

Kurt turned over with a gasp and stared at him. “What are you doing?” he said groggily.

“Playin’ Santa Claus.”

Kurt almost smiled.

“You feel up to openin’ some presents? Everyone else has opened theirs.”

Kurt wrinkled his nose. “I don’t know. I’m not much in the Christmas spirit.”

“Well, it’s about time we got in the spirit,” Logan replied with a grin. “And look here. There’s one with my name on it. Wonder who that might be from.”

“Oh,” Kurt said in a ambiguous tone. He pushed the control button on the bed and let it bring him up to a sitting position, wincing with pain.

“I found the package in the back seat of your SUV,” Logan explained unnecessarily.

Kurt nodded, still staring at the package.

“You want me to take it away?” Logan asked gently.

“No,” Kurt said, his gaze rising to meet Logan’s. “I want you to open it. I went to a lot of trouble for that present. You should have it. Please open it.”

Logan settled onto the bed and placed a present on Kurt’s lap. “Here, you first. It’s not much, but I hope ya like it.”

Absently, Kurt stroked the wrapping, fingering the ribbon. “Did you wrap this yourself?” Kurt asked skeptically.

With a chuckle, Logan shook his head. “Not hardly. Kitty help me with it.”

Finally, Kurt began unwrapping, careful not to tear the paper. Logan wanted to reach over and rip the paper off, but controlled the urge. Kurt opened the box and peered in.

“Seat covers!” Kurt ran a hand over the plush fabric and looked up. “Thank you. They’re wunderbar.”

Logan gave a shrug, but smiled, pleased at Kurt’s reaction. “Here’s another from me.”

Kurt unwrapped this one faster, starting to get into the spirit of the occasion. “Floor mats! I really needed these for the Honda. Thank you.”

Leaning in, Logan pressed a kiss to Kurt’s temple. Kurt allowed the touch, but otherwise didn’t respond.

“Now you open yours,” Kurt insisted.

“You’ve got more presents here. Kitty’s and Rogue’s and----“

“Enough. Open yours.”

Logan took a deep breath and snapped the ribbon and pulled off the bow. Paper went flying and the box lay before him ready to open.

“Go on. It won’t bite,” Kurt said with a hint of his old mischief.

Pulling the top off the box, Logan brushed back the red tissue paper. Inside lay a leather jacket, chocolate brown and velvet soft to the touch. He stared at it, speechless then looked up at Kurt, feeling stunned.

“Well,” Kurt said, sounding impatient. “Take it out.”

Logan obeyed, pulling the jacket out and laying it out on the bed. He drew an admiring hand over the leather, feeling its richness.

“You don’t like it,” Kurt said with disappointment in his voice.

“Like it?” Logan said, piercing Kurt with his still stunned gaze. “Like it? It’s beautiful. It’s...the best present I’ve ever got.”

Kurt’s relieved smile touched Logan’s heart.

“I love it,” Logan said, reaching and pulling Kurt into his embrace. “And I love you.”

Kurt stiffened a bit in Logan’s arms but didn’t pull away. “I love you too. Try it on,” Kurt said and gave Logan a push.

Logan stood and pulled the jacket on. It felt as if it had been tailor made for him, hip length and a little fancier than he was used to. He went to a mirror and glanced at himself.

“You look so handsome, Logan.”

“You think so?” Logan replied feeling inordinately pleased with Kurt’s compliment. Turning, Logan found Charles and Hank watching from the doorway with smiles on their faces. “Whatdaya think?”

“That Kurt has excellent taste,” Charles stated.

“Expensive taste,” Hank replied.

“It wasn’t that expensive, really,” Kurt protested. “I got a good deal...really.”

Again, Logan looked at himself in the mirror, admiring the cut of the jacket. He wondered at how Kurt saw him. Handsome? He’d never thought of himself as handsome.

“It’s...perfect. I don’t know how you’ll top yourself next year, elf.”

Kurt gave a shrug, but his expression lightened Logan’s heart. “You scared me there for a moment, Logan,” Kurt said, gaze dropping to his hands in his lap. “I thought you didn’t like it.”

Logan crossed the distance to the bed and reached out, lifting Kurt’s face up with a hand under the chin. Kurt’s eyes were bright with drugs and this momentary happiness. Logan knew that fleeting joy couldn’t last. Reality would set in again, bringing with it the need to heal and the need to face what had been done to Kurt. What he had done to Kurt. Life would go on and together they’d find a way to bear this burden. Logan would take the burden on and bear it for Kurt if he could, but that was impossible. All he could do was be there whenever Kurt needed him.

“You should know better than that, elf. I would have loved anything you got me.”

Kurt smiled lopsidedly, his swollen lip looking better today.

“How about opening the rest of your presents?” Charles suggested. “I happen to know there is one that may prove quite interesting.”

Logan flung a quizzical expression over to Charles, but the Doc just sat there with a smug smile on his face.

Settling onto the bed again, Logan watched Kurt open present after present, CD’s, gift certificates, a hand knitted scarf that Jean’s mother had made herself, one for each one of the students and instructors.

Finally, all that was left was Charles’ present, a box the size of a manila envelope. Kurt unwrapped the box and gazed at it then looked over at Charles.

“I had intended to wait until graduation, but thought this would be better,” Charles stated. “Go ahead. Open it, Kurt.”

Kurt raised the lid and inside was a document. Lifting it out, Kurt began to read, his expression turning awed, a brilliant smile spreading across his face.

“Professor,” Kurt said, breathlessly. “I don’t know what to say. This is so much.”

“Well, don’t keep me in the dark, elf,” Logan growled. “What is it?”

Kurt turned that brilliant smile on Logan. “It’s a full scholarship. the the university of my choice.”

“That is, of course, as long as you finish your senior year with good grades,” Charles said.

“Of course,” Kurt replied with a nod. “I’ll...do my best.”

“I know you will, Kurt. You’re a bright young man. I know you are going to do well in whatever field you choose.”

Kurt looked away, tears brimming in his eyes.

“Hey, it’s okay, sweetheart,” Logan said. He reached out and brushed the tears from Kurt’s cheeks.

“I’m sorry,” Kurt said, sniffing. “They are not tears of sadness. They are tears of happiness. Until I came here, I had so few choices in my life. I didn’t know how I would live, what I’d be allowed to do. Professor, you’ve given me so much....”

“And you have suffered much,” Charles stated in a gentle voice.

“Have you decided on a field of study yet, Kurt?” Hank asked.

Kurt sniffed and wiped his nose with a tissue Logan handed him. “I’m not certain. Something in the sciences. Chemistry or perhaps physics.”

“Well, there is plenty of time for you to decide,” Charles said. “Now I think it’s time we let Kurt rest. Merry belated Christmas and let’s hope the new year proves far less eventful than this year.”

“That settles some probl” Lo” Logan said after the door closed behind Charles and Hank. He sat on the bed still wearing the leather jacket. “Even if your parents decide to cut off your funding because of me, you’ll still be able to go to school here. As long as you pick a college close by, you’ve got room and board.”

Kurt looked thoughtful. “Yes, that does provide a solution to the parent problem. It’s not as if they have a lot of money anyway. But they have done their best for me.”

“I know they have and by the look on your face, you must be thinkin’ about tellin’ them about us.”

“Sometimes, I try to imagine that scenario. It always ends badly though. I’m dreading the confrontation.”

“Stop thinkin’ about it then. We’re months away from that. You’ve got enough on your plate right now. Let’s not conjure trouble, okay?”

Kurt nodded. “You are right, Logan. It is silly of me to worry.”

“And you’ll be nineteen before ya know it. Another year away from that parental control.” Logan reached out and took Kurt’s hand in his. “How did your parents come up with a date for your birthday anyway?”

A faraway look crossed Kurt’s face. “After I told them that I knew how they had found me, they told me they calculated that I was about two months old and backtracked from there.”

“You tell them that you knew who your birth mother was?” Logan asked, his curiosity peaked.

“Yes,” Kurt replied. “They were concerned, but I assured them that they were my parents and had no competition from Mystique. She may have given birth to me, but she knows nothing of being a mother.”

Logan lifted Kurt’s hand and placed a kiss in the palm, drawing another smile from Kurt. “I love you.”

“You’ve become quite the romantic, Logan,” Kurt replied. “Now that you’aid aid it, you have no trouble saying it at all.”

“It gets easier after the first time,” Logan said and kissed Kurt’s hand again.