Carne Vale

CARNE VALE CHAPTER TEN (NC-17)
Disclaimers Apply


A/N Goddess Foxfeather, Queen of Mad Plotbunnies, Billy and Joaquin are appropriately sheepish over not spilling the Tim thing. They send chocolates in contrite apology. And extra muse kibble. InterNutter, TC and Maxwell Pink make me all warm and squishy inside with happiness for archiving. :) Readers/Reviewers: I'm still bummed about Mister Rogers dying (say what you want, but for people who grew up with him, he was right up there with Big Bird in terms of coolness and really had some great things to say), but, on an upshot, I'm almost over my illness so I've stopped seeing Jim Morrison dancing with the Indian in the desert. The platypi got smart and set fire to the Trojan Platypus. Either that or they're clumsy. Either way, the Killer Kitties (tm) have gotten loose from it and are now stalking madly...



Kitty did not put much credence in Rogue's theory that Mystique was trying to somehow sneak into the Institute until Wednesday morning. Logan was uncharacteristically cheerful as Kitty shuffled into the kitchen, silently damning herself for getting up early, wishing she had slept in and did not have some grand plan involving yoga and fruit as the way to loose that last twenty pounds. "Must you whistle?" she asked thickly, her lips still not wanting to work even after an hour of wakefulness.
"I was whistling?" Logan asked, grinning. "Didn't notice." He took a long sip of his coffee and smiled at her again. "What're you up so early for?"
"Three months until bikini season is in full effect and I jiggle." She sighed as she saw the cream cheese taunting her from the dairy compartment in the fridge door but forced herself to pick up the grapefruit half instead. "Why are you so happy?"
"Oh..." He shrugged and folded the sports page in half, setting it beside the saucer ringed with spilled coffee, "I'm takin' a little trip for a few days."
"Oh?" she squeaked, Rogue's panicked assertion about how Mystique could enter suddenly springing to mind. "Why?"
Logan raised an amused brow and feigned interest in the dregs of his coffee. "Well, Half-Pint, it's like this...sometimes adults need alone-time to sort of ground themselves in reality. It's very...frustrating...living with a houseful of teenagers. We...I...want to take advantage of this time you all have off of school, a time when I don't have to run myself nearly ragged with meetings, conferences, carpools and taking people to Wal Mart at ten o'clock at night for posterboard or some project supplies for a deal do the next morning..." He sighed. "Sorry...went off on a riff."
Kitty nodded. "So you and Storm want to go at it like bunnies without us knocking on the door every ten minutes. Got it."
"Kitty!"
"Whaaaaat? It's true, isn't it?" She did blush, though, and busied herself with the sectioning of her grapefruit.
"I'm pretending you didn't say that and, as far as I'm concerned, you really don't know what sex is. That whole thing with you and Kurt was a huge misunderstanding."
"Sure, Logan...What's a penis? I don't know...isn't it some sort of Eastern European car? Or is it Japanese?"
"Okay, you've crossed over into Jubilee-land. I'm gonna go get packed and I'll see ya before I go. And Half-Pint? If I hear you talk to me like that again, it's garage time for you."
"Ugh. Sorry...pretend this conversation never happened!" Logan laughed softly as he left the room, Kitty still blushing slightly as she worked on her grapefruit half heartedly.
"Oh, yum," Jubilee yawned as she trudged into the kitchen and headed right for the almost-empty box of Double Choco Sweetie Pops (now with more sugar). "Swimsuit time again, Kit?"
Kitty sent an arc of grapefruit juice flying across the table and winced as it splashed on Logan's sports page. "Skinny people aren't allowed to speak the word swimsuit in my presence, knave.d whd what's with you being all calm and normal? What happened last night? Spill it, sister!"
Jubilee shoved a handful of cereal into her mouth. "Marriage dissolved, we're still broken up, and Evan needs a root canal. I speak from experience here...Ow."
Kitty frowned sympathetically. "I'm still really sorry bio-dad punched you."
"It builds character. If I can't handle your father, what kind of sissy am I going to be when Sabertooth finally lands a punch?" she said goodnaturedly.
"And why are you still broken up? Don't give me that look! You know I'm not letting you off that easily!" Kitty trailed after her friend into the rec room to flop down on the sofa before _Live! With Regis and Kelly. _
"It's complicated, Kit. I mean...I love him. I love him so much it feels like my heart's being torn out slowly and set on fire and having acid poured in the gaping hole left in my chest."
"Ew."
"Well, it does. But I just can't get over it that easily. _And _ he hit Evan!"
"Evan kissed you, you know. If I were your boyfriend, I would've hit him, too."
"If you were my boyfriend," Jubilee said dryly, "we could sell tickets to the make out sessions."
"Jubes!" Kitty sighed, exasperated. "You and Remy are one of those givens in life. It's weird, but it works. Aren't you going to _try _ to work things out?"
"I never said I wasn't going to try," Jubilee pointed out. "But I just need to be mad now. I need to hate him a little, want to scratch Belladonna's eyes out a lot, and just...be."
"Does he know that?"
"He says he understands, but I swear, if he keeps giving me that _look _, that soulful puppy dog I'd-lay-down-and-die-if-that's-what-makes-you-happy look, I'll cave. And if I cave, I can never respect myself."
"Sometimes a little lack of self respect is a good thing, ja?" Kurt asked over the back of the couch, tugging a lock of Jubilee's short hair in teasing. "How long you two been up?"
Kitty tilted her head back and grinned. "I've been up since six. Yoga'd and everything. Jean's wandering around somewhere, too, unless she went back to bed after the lesson. Tabby threatened my life so I let her off this morning-I'll double up on her yoga tomorrow," Kitty prattled, aware that she was suddenly nervous. _Damn it-knowing I can't have him is making me act like some twit. More than usual. It's like before we even started going out and this is only an hour into the first day! Gah! _
Kurt nodded sagely. "Wise woman." He ported into the kitchen, reappearing minutes later laden with a breakfast that made Kitty and Jubilee cringe. "What?" he asked around a mouthful of bagel and cream cheese, lox liberated from the Professor's secret stash peeking guiltily out from under another bagel half.
"I just have to stare in amazement and the sheer amount of calories smooshed together in one place," Jubilee said in mock-awe.
Kitty made a face. "Please brush your teeth before you kiss me, okay? The residual fat alone will make me gain a pound!"
"Liebes," Kurt sighed, swallowing a mouthful of banana, "you are way too worried about weight!"
"Don't even start, Kurt!" she warned, brandishing her fork at him. "It's too early! Now, we're going to watch Reege and Kelly, eat breakfast, then act like teenagers until you have to go to Mass tonight. Got it?"
"Sure." He grinned at her and settled in between the two girls. "Why are you looking at me like that?"
Kitty wrinkled her nose. "Isn't Ash Wednesday one of those no-anything days? Fasting, prayer, ashes..."
Kurt smiled, pleased she had looked this stuff up. "Ja, but mit my mutation, I have special dispensation. People who are very old or very young, or people with medical problems, they can skip the fasting if it compromises their health. I would most certainly be compromised. The ashes come later, at Mass." Kitty nodded, seeming to file this information away mentally, and Kurt took another bite of his bagel. "So, Jubes, what're your plans for the day?"
"Conscript Rogue and Jean into going shopping. I want to hit the flea market in New Amsterdam1"
"Oooooh!" Kitty breathed. She looked at Kurt, seemingly intent on his breakfast but sneaking looks at her out of the corner of his eye, then at Jubilee, who was smiling in amusement at Kitty's predicament-torn between the two loves of her life: Kurt and shopping.
"It's okay, Katzchen. Just forty days," Kurt mumbled between bites of sausage.
Jubilee finally broke down and giggled. "Ye gods, woman! Stay here and get laid! The flea market will be here next week!"
"Jubes!" Kitty cried, embarrassed. With an indignant sniff, she stood and gathered the remains of her breakfast. "If you'll excuse me, I have things to do."
She made it to the kitchen before Jubilee called out, "You forgot something!"
"What?"
"Kurt!"
"What about him?"
"Isn't he your thing to do?"
Two voices chorused, "Shut up, Jubes!"

Kitty honestly forgot about telling Rogue that Logan _was _going out of town after all and that maybe she was right about Mystique. She later wrote that slip of memory off to not really believing that they were about to be infiltrated at all. She bounded down the stairs to find Kurt still in the rec room, but now firmly ensconced in a game of Dominoes with Scott and Evan. "Dominoes?" she said incredulously. "Are you guys, like, practicing for being old men or something?"
"Yeah," Scott said. "Next up is pinching too hard on the cheeks and giving out slightly hairy mints."
Evan laughed, the sound turning to a yowl of pain, his hand flying to cradle his jaw. Kurt snorted. "That's what you get for putting the moves on someone else's girl, man."
"They were on a _break2! _" Evan snapped, though thickly.
Kitty sat down on the floor behind Kurt, sliding her legs around his waist and her arms around his chest, making him go very still for a long moment before his breathing kicked in again and he played his turn as if she were not pressed against him. Scott noticed this and made a noise of disbelief, but did not say anything out loud. Kitty, however, addressed Evan. "To be fair, they were broken up and still are, but I _told _ you it was a bad idea to make a move on her. You and Jamie need to, like, start a club or something. Remy won't let Jubilee go without a fight."
"Caught on to that," Evan sighed. "I don't want to talk about it anymore. I'm in pain."
"Ah," Scott said, "that'd be because I'm kicking your ass!"
Evan and Scott degraded into an argument over individual prowess at dominoes, so Kitty took the opportunity to lean forward and whisper in Kurt's ear, "You know, I've been reading some things about Lent and Ash Wednesday, just to get a better idea about what you're doing, and from what I gather, you have until Mass before Lent actually starts."
"Katzchen," he sighed.
"Now hear me out," she said, cutting off his protests, "I was reading on some Catholic website that said as soon as you get the ashes, that's when your Lent starts...I see no ashes," she giggled, nipping his ear and eliciting a low moan, the thrum of his purr in his back vibrating against her parted legs, making her heart race a little faster.
"Kitty," he said gently, painfully, "that's one person's way of seeing it. Most Catholics, though, consider Lent to have started already, as soon as it became Wednesday. I really, really, really, want to, Liebes, but I can't. I can't cheat myself or God."
Kitty sighed and scooted away, pushing herself up onto the couch and frowning slightly. "Sorry," she murmured, so only Kurt could hear her. "Look, I'm going to go upstairs for a bit. Want to take a walk or something before you go to Church?"
"Ja, that'd be nice," he said, relieved that she was not upset. "Are you sure this won't bother you too much? I mean, a month..."
"A month and ten days," she noted. "I'm sure. Baby, you're good but I don't think you've turned me into a nympho!"
At the word 'nympho,' Evan and Scott looked up with interest. "Who's the nympho?" Scott asked.
"And do you have her number? And does she have a remarkably susceptible to suggestion friend?"
"Klappe, Evan," Kurt growled. "We going to play or what?"
Kitty felt a little lighter as she trod back up the stairs, not really sure what she was going to do with her time now that Kurt had put the kibosh on any last minute liaisons. A turn around her room had her CD player on, the random selection ending up on a Greek piece she used to sing with her grandmother. Her feet started picking out the steps without Kitty noticing at first, her arms coming up and wrists bending and twisting as she found the rhythm she had not given conscious thought to for years. It was an old folk dance her grandmother had taught her, one that was quite close to Kitty's favored belly dancing. The music picked up speed and she began a complicated series of steps and turns, dipping and bending, all the while evading furniture as if using a sixth sense. The song wound to a finish but another one, this one a Middle Eastern wahiida3 that she had used often when she had belly danced on a more regular basis. Lost in her own thoughts, slipping into the sensuality of the music and muddling with her thoughts of what she *wanted *to be doing with Kurt at that moment, y exy executed several slow step-turns towards her closet. Never losing the beat in her steps, she retrieved her sarong-type skirt, laden with silver coins and spangles, and the top that went with it, plain in terms of belly dancing costumes, and carried them towards the bed. _May as well do this right. Dancing in jeans and a tight shirt just doesn't feel right. _ The music played on, a long piece, as Kitty pulled her shirt over her head, flinging it with vague accuracy towards her hamper. Her bra followed, hitting the same spot. Kitty closed her eyes for the moment, ignoring her half-nudity in the privacy of her room, flinging her arms wide and spinning with abandon, balancing on her toes and kicking into a turn as the music became even faster.4

Kurt gulped silently. He would have liked to think that he had learned his lesson the first time he had ported into Kitty's room unannounced to find her dancing naked. But Kurt knew better. He was not the least contrite but only a bit nervous should she catch him, not out of fear that she would be angry but out of fear that he would not be able to turn her down again should she proposition him. He did not make an effort to hide himself but stood where he had appeared, near her desk, at the head of her bed, staring at the half-naked girl spinning like a dervish. Kitty's hair had come loose from her ponytail and was flying about her face and shoulders as she turned, her eyes closed and a smile on her lips. Her cheeks were flushed, making him think painfully of how she looked in the throes of passion. His eyes drifted somewhat unwillingly down her neck, curving like ivory to her shoulders and the cinnamon scattering of freckles, spilling faintly down her back to fade into nothingness as her skin became pale as milk, curving to her waist and then flaring to her hips. Kurt's mouth was hanging half-open and he closed it with a snap, Kitty's breasts calling his attention as she arched her back, her arms hanging behind her as if she were being held up by an invisible line around her waist. Kurt was sure she would him,him, open her eyes and smile and beckon him over, but she did not. She was following the now-slowing beat, her nearly frantic turns becominow uow undulations as she straightened, her arms rising out at her sides as she rose on her toes. Kurt unashamedly stared as her breasts heaved with each inhalation, her rosy nipples tightening as she lolled her head on her shoulders, her long hair brushing the peaks. She inhaled sharply and flung her head back, spinning three times across the room to end up on her bed, flinging herself on on her back as the music wound to a close. She giggled to herself, eyes still closed, Kurt still unnoticed.
He took a step forward, tentative, but stopped himself. Kitty was still lying on her bed, fingers drumming on her bare stomach to the next tune that played. She seemed to be catching her breath, her fingers moving from keeping time to pushing her hair out of her face, running down her neck and then to her breasts. She sighed deeply and Kurt felt the tightening in his groin grow more distracting. _Katzchen wouldn't resort to that so soon, would? I? I mean...Well, I guess I shouldn't complain...Damn it! I shouldn't be watching this! _ Kitty had definitely taken a turn for the self-exploratory. She was trailing her fingers across the slope and swell of one breast, then the other, her free hand working open the button of her jeans. With a remarkable show of will, Kurt ported into his own room and buried his face in his hands. After taking several deep breaths, he crossed himself5 _God, it's me again. Your favorite little demon from Germany. Until a minute ago, I thought I'd be able to do this Lenten sacrifice, no problem. I was so wrong...so if You get the chance between running the Universe and whatever else it is You do up there, would You mind sending me some willpower? _




1 The old name for New York, since it was originally settled by the Dutch. I couldn't think of a name for a nearby town to Bayville, so New Amsterdam is relocated. :)
2 That has to be one of the most annoying threads from Friends. "We were on a BREAK!"
3 Tons of spelling variants on that one in the Englishguagguage. It's a type of rhythm used in doumbek drumming for belly dancing. Kind of slow, an offshoot of the musquem type. Lots of hip rolls and undulations for that one. :)
4 Seriously, if you haven't heard it, listen to some doumbek or belly dance music heavy on the drumming. Those guys can play FAST.
5 Made the Sign of the Cross. Though why I didn't just write it that way, I don't know.