Continued from yesterday:
Sara clung to him even tighter at the prospect of going down, especially since she’d have to do it backwards. Todd went first with the assurance that he would at least cushion her if she slipped. It was a long struggle for Sara to lower her legs into empty space and climb by feel, but she did with Todd’s support and coaxing. Soon they were back on the landing of the second story just in time to witness the front door banging open.
Cyclops walked in followed by Ororo, Kurt, Jean, Logan and the others.
“What a pleasant surprise,” Todd said sarcastically. “Doorbell busted?"
"We didn’t see one."
"Did you look? Normally it’s by the door."
Scott reached for his visor. "Just let her go, Tolensky. We don’t want any trouble."
Todd walked down the stairs with Sara, allowing those assembled below to see the grip that she had on his arm. "I don’t want no trouble either. Yo can talk to her all you want, long as yo civilized and don’t talk a lot of bullshit. But fuck you if you think I’m gonna let you kidnap her for ‘her own good’.” He really didn’t want to cuss in front of her, but he was upset and old habits were hard to break.
Sara was trembling and fighting to keep it under control. Her eyes had filled with emptiness again. Todd glanced at her nervously. He needed her here. She needed to be here so she could speak her mind.
“Isn’t dishonesty and kidnapping generally a Brotherhood tactic?” Scott said coolly.
“Mystique ain’t here no more, yo. Sara came here of her own free will. I invited her.” Todd glared meaningfully at Scott. “When we invite people, it means they can hang out with us. See what we’re about. No harassment. No prying.” He shifted his glare over to Ororo. “No tests."
Logan growled softly. Todd ignored him and looked up at Sara. "Sara? Hon? I’ll speak for you as much as I can, but you gotta stay with me. Please?” He sighed. He didn’t want to play devil’s advocate, but she looked so frightened. Todd couldn’t bear it. “Don’t be afraid, yo. They won’t hurt you. I won’t let them hurt you. They just gonna talk.”
~
Sara fought the shakes. The trip up and down the ladder had made her aware of the potential fall down the stairs. She could feel it pulling at her like a ghost.
Her tic’s fought for control of her face, albeit briefly.
_Nobody wants to look at a spastic wreck like you,_ said her Inner Mom.
_Go back into your box,_ she ordered the phantom. _Nobody needs *you* here._
She clung tight to Todd and used his assistance to descend the stairs. “You’ll have to pardon us,” she said, Boston controlling her voice. “As you can see, we’re quite unprepared for visitors. Alas, the furniture has been freshly cleaned and is still damp. If we decide to take tea, we shall have to take it standing."
The one in orange had a complete posture change that clearly read _What the *hell*?_ while the dark-skinned woman in the cape simply raised an eyebrow.
Sara spotted the famous Jean Grey in amongst the costumed crowd and repressed an ironic smirk. _If they do take me away,_ she thought, _I may finally have something in common with Mom’s favourite girl._
"Todd spoke the truth. I was invited here. As a place of shelter while I–” she gestured at her peeling face, “–changed. He’s been… a very valued friend. I’ll thank you all not to pursue any grudges you may have during this parley."
One of them moved - for a blue fuzzy entity with demonic features, he certainly knew how to vanish when he wanted to. Nothing as overt as Sara’s gift, no. Just the simple trick of fading out of notice. Were it not for his posture change, Sara might not have noticed him at all.
"He’s helped you out, ja?” he said. “Told you about mutants… Told you about us?"
"Quite,” said Sara. He was reading her as much as she was reading him. It was fascinating to watch his yellow eyes jink from indicator to indicator.
Jean made to step forward, her mouth opening to speak, but the fuzzy German fellow shot out an arm without looking and stopped her cold. They shared meaningful glares and the German stepped forward in her stead.
“If you don’t mind me saying so,” said Sara, “you’re the most physically fascinating fellow I’ve met."
He actually grinned. "Ja. I’m pretty unique.” He preened, gaining confidence when she didn’t react as he expected. Given his physical resemblance to a woodcut demon, Sara could easily guess what the expected reaction was. “My name’s Kurt,” he offered his tridactyl hand.
“Sara Louise Adrien,” she returned, politely shaking. Now *there* were some working hands. She could actually feel trained muscles and tendons. “The unsolved mystery[1]."
”*Babe*…“ chided Todd.
"Sorry, darling… I can’t help doing that for the meantime."
"If you don’t mind *me* asking,” said Kurt. “What exactly were you told about us?"
"That you would help,” she said. “If there was nothing that Todd and his friends could do for me."
Kurt shared a look with Todd, a puzzled one that attempted to work everything out anew. "You told the truth?"
"Yo, it’s such a shock?"
"I take it you two have a history,” said Sara.
[1] The show _Unsolved Mysteries_ periodically has pieces about paranormal happenings and cryptozoological sightings.
~~
“Eh… yeah. We got some things in common, but it’s not always enough, y'know? Certain personalities tend to collide and go boom."
"Especially those that make a habit of lying and stealing,” Scott added.
“Scott,” Jean admonished, and gave a smile that was all damage control and very little sincerity. Kurt could have told her it wouldn’t have worked on Sara, but his eyes were on Todd.
Todd was different somehow. His lights were prettier… stronger. And they were mingling with Sara’s like will'o'th'wisps. Kurt understood.
He smirked like the proverbial cat who had caught the canary. It was a bemusing revelation, but one that couldn’t be well explained to his teammates without attracting a lot of confused stares. Kurt wasn’t the type to blurt out things like this anyway. Far better to leave it be.
Of course that didn’t mean he was above a little teasing.
“So, you do occasionally put others before yourself."
Todd bristled. "Yo, what you sayin? That I’m a coward or somethin’?"
Kurt raised his hands in a peaceful gesture. "Easy, liebhaberjunge(1). You asked for peace remember?"
"Yeah, did I fail to ask fo’ respect?” he grumbled.
“Ja, but you’re earning it. Slow and steady.” Kurt winked. Todd snorted softly and crossed his arms. He could talk all he wanted about Kurt, but the elf could suck tension out of a room like nobody’s business when he tried.
“A'ight. Go on then. I’ll keep it shut if you keep it real."
Logan grunted, the closest articulation of satisfaction he could muster.
Ororo stepped forward and took Sara’s hand. "My name is Ororo Munroe. I wish to apologise for assuming the worst and for our resulting behavior. Since you already know our intentions are to help out fellow mutants,” here Ororo smiled at Todd - who all but ducked under it in surprise. “I invite you to visit us at the Institute and have a look around. Professor Xavier would like to meet you. We can provide a supportive and safe environment where you can learn to harness your powers until you are ready to interact socially again."
Sara nodded her understanding and glanced at Todd to gage his reaction. He returned her gaze solemnly. "They’re keepin’ it real, hon,” he confirmed. “You wanna ask questions, now’s the time."
Scott stared and managed a squeak. Logan reached over casually to pop Cyke’s jaw back in place.
"Well, if you don’t mind questions, Ms. Munroe, how do you propose introducing me back into society with my current differences?” Sara gestured once more to her face. “I was popular enough before,” she commented wryly. “As the travelling drag-show."
"Sara,” Todd nudged her gently.
“Sorry, dear. Anyway, it’s going to be a while before I can make myself look normal enough to pass as human. Or something closely resembling.” Todd sighed. Kurt watched carefully, observing both.
Ororo smiled at her. “We have ways of making it possible to mask our differences from those who are not yet capable of understanding them. Kurt attends school with the aid of a holowatch, for instance. But we do not require you to mask yourself among fellow mutants. Your powers are nothing to be ashamed of. You are normal, Sara, no matter what anyone else might think or say of you."
"Damn straight, yo,” Todd added, earning himself another round of blinking stares. Kurt bit the corners of his bottom lip to keep from grinning himself into certain doom.(2) Nobody was remotely *trying* to understand Todd’s oddly cooperative behavior - not even the telepath, judging from Jean’s stupified expression.
Todd ignored them and took her hand. “I agree wit most of what she’s sayin’. But it’s not gonna be easy to figure yoself out, no matter where you go. Some people never do. What the X-men are tryin’ to say is, they want to be there for you like I am and like Freddy is. Plus they got a lot of extra resources an’ shit. Like a medical lab in case yo get injured or somethin. Not to mention real food, clean beds, and probably even clean bathrooms."
Scott looked indignant and about to speak, but Jean elbowed him from one side and Kitty elbowed him from another, so he kept his mouth shut.(3)
"So it’s there if you wanna go. Y'know, if things get outta control here.” Todd’s hand wrapped tighter around hers, despite the assuring smile on his face. It had hurt him to say that. But he loved her.
(1) Quite literally mashed together the words 'liebhaber’ (lover) and 'junge’ (boy) to come up with 'loverboy’. I speak Spangrish, not German. *pats her German phrasebook*
(2) Ever wanted to laugh at something in a situation that wasn’t really the best for laughing? And you know that if you even smile, you’re *that* much closer to losing your self-control? That’s what Kurt’s going through right now.
(3) I love picking on Scott. XD But really, the bathrooms in the X-mansion plus all the teenagers living there… who save the world, do schoolwork, participate in Logan’s training sessions, and are seen doing chores only when they get into trouble… you do the math.
~
Sara had no idea what a 'holowatch’ was, but she could guess. The fuzzy-blue Kurt had most of the same features as Kurt Wagner, German class clown and campus acrobat extraordinaire. Replace the fur with pink skin, edit the ears, hands, feet and tail… and the similarities were more than remarkable.
It certainly explained his infamous “thing” about not touching people who didn’t “feel safe”.
Sara rubbed idly at her creepy-feeling scalp with her free hand. They could hide the peeling. Hide the shedding.
Heck, they could explain things to her *Mother*. Things Sara personally dreaded.
Sara quelled the small tic under her right eyelid, and refused to let go of Todd’s hand. She cleared her throat. “Might Todd come with me? I have no doubt that he might need more than a modicum of medical attention himself."
"Hey, *whoah*,” Todd almost jerked out of her grasp. “I ain’t about t’ go there… I’m fine, yo. I be fine."
He was *afraid*… genuinely afraid of the place.
"But you’re hurting as well,” she murmured. “That won’t *do*."
He battled with himself, then lowered his voice to a whisper. "Yo, I only been there once or twice… It - didn’t go well…"
"Automatic defense system,” said the tall one in the wraparound specs with a shrug.
“Which, I presume, will not be activated in our direction if I come in?"
The burly man in the orange outfit flinched at the 'if’. So. Someone at least, was listening.
"Yo… sweetie… you don’t gotta drag me along…” Todd wheedled.
“It’ll be fine,” she soothed. “I won’t let you fall."
+
All of Todd’s arguments evaporated in his throat with a small gargle. Now he could see why a flick of her fingers and a few small words from her could move Freddy so. It was the power of her eyes.
Sara saw things in a unique way. She saw virtues in those who were assumed to have none. She saw potential in the chronic loser.
And when she spoke, that sight inspired whatever small part she admired to come forward and rally to meet her expectations.
Anything to avoid her disapointment.
"A'ight,” he said at last. “I’m'a help you get yo’ stuff, 'kay?"
Her smile dazzled his world. "It’s a deal."
+
They sat in the back of the van, holding hands as if glued together. Their exchanges were soft, cryptic, and sporadic.
They knew they were being watched.
Kurt, certainly, made no secret of it. He sat backwards and rested his chin on his forearms as he observed them. Things made a lot more sense now that he knew the tall girl’s true gender. The character of "Adrian Essel” had been - off… and certainly his lights weren’t very *male*. But then, neither were the school’s other individuals famous for their allegedly warped preferences.
Now that he *knew*, for certain, that Sara was guaranteed female, a lot of little things made a world’s worth of sense. The hairstyle, the affection for pretty things, the neat little artworks she occasionally doodled on the handouts at morning assembly… the distinctly feminine way she walked - even if it was with a pronounced stoop.
And it definitely explained the delicate way she removed the dead rat someone left in her locker every morning.
It certainly explained the burning wafts of crimson shame he’d observed one afternoon when she’d been collecting her lost articles under the supervision of Mr Hinkley.
Those size eight flower-print underpants replacing the American flag outside Kurt’s classroom had been her spares.
Kurt, who had three younger sisters at home, knew all about some discrete feminine practices[1] and felt that he probably owed Pietro a few lumps for it. And he certainly owed her alleged 'friend’, Janine Wiltshire, a scare in a dark alley for all the evil she’d wrought with her metal-bound mouth.
She was the first person - besides the Professor - who hadn’t reacted in one way or another when they saw him for the first time. He owed that quality of character something.
Part of his debt would be repaid in not haranguing her boyfriend.
Kurt was distracted from his observations by the sensation of someone else sharing his eyes. _Relax, Jean,_ he thought to the team telepath. _They’re not stealing our emergency rations or putting athlete’s balm in our spare uniforms[2]._
Jean’s mind flitted away from his, then attempted to ease more subtly back.
_She’s not sabotaging our equipment, either._
This time, her mental presence departed for good with a growl.
Kurt smirked, but kept it hidden from their guests’ view.
+
“Don’t worry about yer bag,” said Logan as they piled out of the van, “I got– *umph*."
Charles resisted the temptation to snort at his friend’s shock. Logan had clearly been expecting something a lot lighter.
Logan tried again, lifting it with both hands. "You pack like this every day?"
"I’m not in the habit of unpacking it,” she said.
Logan grunted. “Explains a lot."
"Well, it is *one* kind of anti-theft device,” Sara explained. “Are you all right, dear?"
Todd Tolenski was broadcasting foreboding. "Yeah. I be fine…"
"I *will* be fine, darling."
"Sorry."
They rounded the open door of the van, and Charles got his first look at Sara’s physical body. Her skin could be said to be literally hanging off her, and she rubbed at itches or cramps. "Sara,” he smiled. “Welcome. And you, too, Todd. You’ve done a commendable job of helping her."
Well, that threw *him* for a mental loop. Charles allowed them to approach.
"Was I correct in reading the name of your establishment to be an institute for *gifted* youngsters?” said Sara.
“Yes. That’s quite correct."
"Ah.” Her gaze lowered and her skin darkened. “Then you might have a time explaining my presence."
”*Sara*…“ chided Todd.
"I *am* in Remedial Ed., dearest. You can explain me as a Savant but not–” a shiver of facial tic’s overcame her, “–g-g-gifted."
"That is among the things I wish to discuss,” said Charles. “I have tea waiting for us in the library."
Sara relaxed. She knew where she was with tea. Her mind filled with a sussuration of rules on how to sit, stand, hold cups, plates, forks and whatnot… as well as polite conversational subjects.
All of this, Charles could pick up without any effort. Sara’s mind, like so many others knew to the world of strange mutant powers, was broadcasting at a very 'loud’ level… and none but other psychics could pick it up. It was the principle behind Cerebro, in fact.
There was more than tea in the library. Hank had laid on a number of high-protein, high-calorie treats. Evidently, he knew something.
Sara sat primly and served up some pate on a cracker, then passed it to Todd. "Try some,” she said. “It might do you a power of good.” She did the same for herself. Demonstrating that it was safe. “Mmm… *very* rich. Not that I’m going to object…” she smiled, quite charmingly. “My horrendous physical adaptations are demanding richer foods of late."
Todd’s nibble was far more tentative than any attempt at daintiness. "Hey, yo, this *is* good.” He ate the rest of the cracker and pate in one go.
Sara almost glowed. “Try the camambert,” she suggested. “It’s rather sweet."
"Uh…” Todd surveyed the array of foodstuffs.
Sara blushed, selected the proper knife, and cut him a portion for another cracker. “Pardon, darling, I quite forgot. It’s cheese."
[1] My mother always told me that it never hurts to carry a pair of spare undies in case of unexpected menstruation.
[2] I figure Kurt might not know all the brand names, but you can think "Ben Gay”.
~