Eloi

A/N Goddess Foxfeather, Queen of Mad Plotbunnies, BUSIEST WOMAN ALIVE ™,
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archiving/hosting. J ProPhile: *glomp * Morgan: *waits patiently *
Readers/Reviewers: Sorry for the delay. Thanks for keeping up!

Kitty smiled faintly as Kurt executed a complicated series
of acrobatics to land on his feet in front of several of the new
students. He bowed with a flourish and grinned, playing to his
audience. They were, Kitty thought, in awe of someone who seemed so at
ease with their mutation. As her gaze moved over the small group—each
one with a visible difference from their non-mutant family members—she
wondered what they would think if they knew how hard Kurt worked to seem
so blasé, how fearful he was about anyone outside the Institute finding
out about him… “Kurt, the beach trip is canceled,” she called from her
vantage point by the door to the gym.

He broke away from his newfound admirers, winking as if to
promise another show later, and trotted over to Kitty. “Why? Logan not
get his bikini wax done on time?” He kissed her soundly on the cheek,
grinning as she made a face at his comment.

“That’s a lovely mental image I’ll never be able to get rid
of.” She leaned into his half-embrace, his arm going around her
shoulders as his tail went around her waist. “I’m not sure why… Logan
just announced it in the hall upstairs and said all afternoon outings
are canceled until further notice.” She frowned and furrowed her brow
in thought. “I wonder if it’s because of the Morlocks.”

“Why would you say that?” Kurt asked with a hint of a
laugh. “They’re underground…they stay hidden. Last I checked, the
beach wasn’t in the sewer tunnels!” He kissed her cheek again and
tugged her ponytail affectionately. “Don’t plot. It gives you wrinkles.”

“I’m not plotting!” she protested, untangling herself from
his grasp gently. “I’m just wondering!” She glanced up at his
incredulous expression and sighed. “Kurt, I’m not Velma.[1] <#_ftn1> I
can go a day without plotting and scheming.”

“Ja, but it’d be a miserable day for you,” he teased,
missing the sudden flash of annoyance in her eyes. “Come on, Liebes,
let’s see if we can take the rowboat out.”

“No,” she said firmly, aware of Kurt’s audience shifting
their attention towards their burgeoning argument. “Let’s go upstairs.
I’m about to say some things twelve year olds shouldn’t hear.” She
clasped his elbow lightly and began leading him towards the double doors
of the gym which opened into the hall. “Come on…”

“Nein, Katzchen,” he said quietly, standing firm and making
her gentle tugging ineffective. “What’s wrong?” He slid his arm from
her grasp, taking her hand in his and squeezing gently. “You look upset.”

“I am not some flighty idiot, Kurt, no matter what people
seem to think.” Her voice was low and tight, her gaze carefully locked
with his as she studiously ignored the younger students gathering behind
him, just far enough away to look as if they weren’t listening but close
enough for Kitty to know better. “I know I talk like I’m ditzy, I know
I get weird ideas and can be kinda flakey sometimes but you know
something?” She paused, her eyes narrowing slightly. “I expected better
from you. You know how hard I work, you know the real me… why do you
have to act like I’m going to run off and do something stupid like go
looking for Morlocks in the kitchen drain?”

Kurt drew back slightly, shocked to say the least. “Liebes,
I never said you were flakey or ditzy. I never implied you’re stupid…”
He shook his head in disbelief. “Why are you attacking me like this?”

“Kurt,” she began, then paused, shaking her head in a mirror
of his action. “Never mind. I’m going to go work on my project for the
summer semester. I’ll be in my room if anyone is looking for me.” She
turned to leave, then stopped, pivoting on her heel to look at him
again. “I’m not mad at you, Kurt. I’m just… I’m very tired.”

Kurt glanced over his shoulder and seemed to realize for the
first time in several minutes that they were not alone in the gym. With
a harried sigh, he crowded her out into the hall, pressing his back
against the doors to keep them from being opened. “Katzchen, this has
been a very rough year. You’ve had a hard time of things and add this
whole college thing into the mix…I can understand you’re being upset.”

She did not say anything. She sighed and looked upwards as
if expecting to find some great revelation written on the acoustic
ceiling tiles. Finally, she said softly, “I’m tired, Kurt. I need to
rest.”

He nodded. “I know, Liebes. Go rest.” He reached out,
pushing a stray tendril of hair from her face. “I’ll be here when
you’re done.”

Kitty’s lips parted, words rising in her mouth, but she
instead smiled, pressing against his hand slightly before turning and
padding back up the hall towards the stairs. She looked back over her
shoulder once, smiling sadly, and disappeared up the dimly lit
staircase. Kurt felt a tightness in his chest that he could not
explain, the urge to call out for her great. Jubilee’s sudden
appearance made him stop, though, Kitty’s name dying on his lips. The
Asian girl fairly bounced down the stairs, her hair damp and eyes
shining. “Kurt! Dude! Where the HELL have you been? All Hell’s about
to break loose upstairs!”

Kurt swallowed hard and shook his head. “Um, I’ve been here…
What’s going on?”

She bounced on her toes, grabbing his elbow in a more
exuberant gesture than Kitty’s earlier grasp. “We’ve got a bomb threat!”

“Was?” He felt his jaw drop. “Don’t kid about that sort of
thing!” He found himself being pulled towards the stairs, tripping
after his friend. “Jubes, this isn’t a game!”

“Nope,” she said cheerily, “but it is great stress relief!”


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[1] <#_ftnref1> You know…Scooby Doo…Velma….