1/7/03 - So yeah, this is ridiculously late. Which is doubly sad, because this was my babeh's X-Mas present XD. One of them anyway, heh. Happens to fit the holidays challenge at our Todd/Kurt LJ community, by using mistletoe. Whoo! Happy belated holidays everybody!
Title: Look Who's Coming to Dinner
Rating: PG-13
Pairings: Todd/Kurt, a'course
Disclaimer: Closest-thing-to-bishounen-America's-got Kurt and the lovely and amazing Toad-Boy belong to Marvel, the WB, and probably bunches of other wonderful peoples. So do anyone else mentioned herein. I don't own them, I'm just a klepto who intends no harm and will return them when I'm done. Please dun hurt me.
SLASH Disclaimer: This is SLASH. Ever seen Boy Meets Boy? That's what this is, only in this case it's Toad meets Elf. If the thought of boys hugging, and touching, and kissing, and... [eyes go unfocused for a moment] Ahem. Yeah, if that disturbs you then you should probably turn back now. Run, RUN, while the getting's good!
___
"And they're okay wit' this?"
"They don't really have a choice, do they? The Prof and Logan both gave the okay...though I'm still not convinced the Prof didn't have a hand in that. It's hard to imagine Logan agreeing without persuasion at least as strong as the Prof's mind control."
"Maybe he threatened him. Said that otherwise Mr. Claw-happy has to take Little Miss Perfect shopping or something. At the mall. The day after Christmas, in the middle of the annual sales and after-Christmas refund-rush. Whatever, dawg, so long as I ain't gonna get my ass sliced up over it...Heh, bet the others weren't thrilled. Ooh man, wish I could'a seen Summers's face!"
"Aheh...yeah, you know, um..."
"...Fuzzy?"
"..."
"..."
"I don't BELIEVE you! What about Red? Rogue? The porcupine?!"
"I was going to tell them, it just...never seemed like the right...time?"
"Aw hell no. Fuck that shit, I ain't comin', yo."
"Wait! Listen, I-"
"No, YOU listen, dawg. I had enough'a those kinds'a Christmas parties when I was little. Family gatherings ain't nearly as fun when you're the black sheep. Especially the freakish, unwanted black sheep with the 'glandular problem'. I learned not to go where I'm not wanted, and I sure as hell won't be wanted at this particular soiree. Count me out, Fuzzy, and you can call me back when you're not too ashamed to be seen with me-"
"No! Listen, it's not that! I just..."
"...Well?"
"Come to the party. Please?"
[inaudible mumbling] "Fine. But you and me're gonna have a talk when it's all over. Be there at seven." [click]
_______
It's fifteen minutes till seven when Kurt creeps away from the clambering crowd in the den they'd reserved for the night. He makes his way into the darkened lobby of the mansion, not bothering to turn on any lights; the dim glow creeping in from adjacent rooms is enough for his sensitive eyes. Quiet laughter and chat lingers in the door through which he just came, wrapping around him as he climbs the stairs, slumps down a few steps from the bottom and tries not to stare at the front door. Idly, he fingers the inducer on his wrist, and the wide, woven blue band now nestled against it, a gift that hasn't left his wrist since it was given.
Kurt stares at the door, ears pricked, waiting.
"He coming?"
The phrase 'nearly jumped out of his skin' briefly comes to mind. Kurt starts, fur bristling slightly and eyes flashing pale gold. A shadow detaches itself from the den door, white and green picked out by the dim light, and crosses the lobby to slide down languidly beside him. "Well? Where's your mystery date?"
Kurt gives Rogue a soft smile, knowing she probably can't see him, a side effect of his deep blue fur. "Assuming he's coming, he'll be here soon." He frowns, finding sudden interest in his fingernails. "Rogue, I...I'm sorry."
One shapely eyebrow creeps under her white bangs. "Sorry? What for?"
"I should've told you who. You've been so great about all this, better than I could've asked for! But every time I tried to tell you, it just..." An uncertain shrug, hands open, palms out. His gaze seems to have taken up permanent residence on the floor.
Out of all the possible reactions, a soft chuckle is the last he expects, and the first he gets. Kurt chances a quick glance at Rogue's shadowed features, and the barely discernable black leather glove covering her mouth. Her quiet laughter finally fades out, and she leans forward, catching his eye. "How many times do I have ta' tell ya', Kurt? It's fine, okay? I mean, yeah, I was a little irritated at first," she gives him a parody of her usual glare, then softens it with a smirk. "But I got over it. You weren't ready, I learned to deal with that. I'm just glad you think it's finally time." She leans over, nudges him gently with her elbow, "The suspense was damn near killing me."
Kurt smiles through his growing nervousness, fighting the urge to peek at the door again, keeping his gaze trained on Rogue. Her pale skin seems to glow in the dim light. She lays a hand on his arm, rubbing against his fur for a moment before giving a firm, reassuring squeeze.
"I only want what's best for ya'. You know that, right?"
And he does, and he says so. She smiles at him, and it's filled with more affection and love than she's usually willing to show.
"If he makes ya' happy, I could care less who he is."
The sudden knock on the door is perfectly timed. Kurt rolls his eyes. "Warm and fluffy moment over, I suppose." Bounding to his feet, he turns back to take Rogue's hand and helps her up; he kisses the leather of her glove gently, says sincerely, "Thanks, sis...for everything." Then he's at the door, glancing back over his shoulder to give her a rakish grin before grabbing the doorknob.
Todd's back is to the door when Kurt opens it, and he's staring out across the precisely manicured lawn, the toe of one newly-shined shoe digging idly at the porch and one hand rubbing nervously at his arm, and fidgeting with his silken sleeve. Kurt gave him the clothes -a silk shirt, a soft green shade that matches the trees at the lawns edge, black slacks and dress shoes- as an early present. He pauses to admire the fit; the shirt's untucked, and the lay of the fabric reveals just enough of the wiry frame beneath. Kurt leans his head against the door, unaware that he's staring.
"Take a picture, fool, and invite me in. 'S fucking cold out here."
Kurt starts, feeling his cheeks flush, and looks up to find Todd's amber eyes on his, his arms crossed. Todd's features are making an attempt at irritation, but the slight quirk of his lips serves to foil it. Kurt smiles, grabs for the boy's hand, and pulls him inside.
When he turns around he finds Rogue's regarding them with a blank expression. Blank, that is, but for an amused glint in her eye. "Gotta hand it to ya', Kurt. Who would'a guessed the boy cleaned up so nice?"
"Hello to you too," Todd snaps, but his tone is equally amused and his eye affectionate. Kurt releases his breath, which was becoming painful to hold, and wraps an arm around Todd's shoulders. The boy leans into the touch, and Kurt feels a bit of the tension in his chest release. Not much, because there's still many possible confrontations waiting for them in the den just down the hall, and after that the 'talk' Todd promised him, but it's enough to free up his rapidly freezing vocal cords.
"Shall we?" He hopes they didn't notice the slight tremor in his voice.
Todd affects a snooty accent, which sounds utterly horrible mixed with his natural street drawl. "We 'shall'. I'm starvin', dawg."
"Grub's right this way, boys. Everyone's been waitin' on our 'mystery guest' so the food's ready to be served as soon as we show up. Let's not keep 'em waitin' any longer."
Rogue turns on her heel and leads the way to the den. Kurt's nervousness increases with each step, and he finds himself trying to focus on anything but the glaring light at the end of the hall. And what better to focus on than the warm body beside him? For a moment he's distracted, studying (not for the first time) Todd's swaggering step, the slight glow buried in his eyes, his scent...which, unusually enough, is fresh, almost woodsy. It's a far cry from the particular musk Kurt's used to (definitely an acquired taste), and he gives in to a gentle smirk, leaning in close and nudging Todd's elbow. "You took a bath, didn't you?"
A faint blush on Todd's pale cheeks and nose is his reward. The boy gives Kurt a halfhearted glare. "It was that time of the month, fool. Not like I did it for you or those X-Geeks or nothin'."
"Of course-" Kurt's response is cut off by the arrival of light, and sound, of many conversations being held simultaneously and embers cracking and popping in the fireplace that almost fills the opposite side of the room.
Rogue's voice is suddenly beside him, saying, "It'll be all right," and then she's taking up a post behind he and Todd, crossing her arms, her glare daring anyone to say a wrong word, just go ahead and make her day.
Kurt involuntarily curls his arm around Todd's, and his tail clings pathetically to his boyfriend's waist as he waits for the inevitable reactions.
The slow dying of the susurrous hum of conversation equals a short lifetime to Kurt, one in which he has nothing to do but listen to the rat-a-tat tempo of his own exceptionally fast heartbeat. But eventually all eyes are on the door, all voices stilled for one panic-filled moment. Kurt digs his fingers into Todd's arm.
"Like, hey guys!"
Kurt blinks, stares, and blinks again. Out of the corner of his eye he watches Todd's jaw drop as Kitty approaches them, a wide grin on her pretty face. Something dangerously close to a snort sounds behind them, as Kitty reaches up to clasp Todd's free hand. "It's about time you brought him home, Kurt." She winks, and a disbelieving smile crosses Kurt's lips.
"You knew?!"
His smile widens when she rolls her eyes, releasing Todd's hand and placing a hand on her hip. "Well duh. They don't call me the Queen of the Grapevine for nothing, you know."
A fuzzy blue brow raises. "Nobody calls you-"
"Come on, come on!" She grabs both boys' hands now, attempting to drag them into the room. "Everybody's starving, but the Prof wouldn't let us start till you got here. So let's eat!"
The shocked smile's still plastered on Kurt's face as he allows himself to be pulled into the room, and he almost begins to hope it will be that easy. He looks over to see Todd's following his lead, though his eyes are darting defensively around the room, and Rogue's still watching them like an overly protective hawk.
When Scott's voice rings out, it's almost a surprise. "Professor, what is this?!" He gestures sharply at Todd, who pulls free of Kitty's grip and glares back (though his hand runs instinctively to Kurt's tail, still wrapped snugly around his waist). It's only then that Kurt notices Evan's shocked, angry expression, and Jean's upturned nose. "What's HE doing here?" Scott almost growls, and miraculously, Kurt opens his mouth, prepared to defend the glowering boy at his side.
Unexpected burst of courage aside, though, he's glad when the Professor takes that responsibility out of his hands. "I should think that would be obvious, Scott. Mr. Tolensky is Kurt's guest for the evening." He speaks it out loud, softly and with a warm smile in Kurt and Todd's direction, but it's followed by a sterner, telepathic message. 'As such, I expect you to show him the respect and manners I've come to expect of you. Let us indulge in the holiday spirit, shall we? And anyone who takes issue with this can bring the matter to me, privately and at a later date.'
Kurt sighs with relief, and answers Todd's questioning glance with what he hopes is a reassuring smile. Then Kitty's behind them, her and Rogue both pushing them towards the dining hall, and Kurt only has time to catch a glimpse of Scott, posture tense as coiled wire and attention fixated on Xavier, who's staring serenely back. A small shudder runs up Kurt's spine, and he wonders just what kind of conversation the two are having.
____
Dinner is, surprisingly, a suitably joyous affair. The food is plentiful and delicious, the conversation is lively, and the animosity is thankfully kept to a minimum. Kurt's a little irritated to see Logan slide into the seat on Todd's other side, but he can't help the smile that breaks out at Logan's growled order to 'keep that tongue in your mouth unless you wanna lose it' and the resulting blanching of Todd's already pale skin.
There are a few incidents. Evan keeps making sarcastic, sharp remarks in Todd's direction - until he learns that doing so results in a swift kick under the table from a glaring Kitty - and Bobby spends half the time flicking frozen peas at Todd's head. As soon as Logan's not looking Todd lets loose his tongue, catching a pea expertly, and he's shocked when Bobby and Ray both laugh and clap, Bobby giving him thumbs up and calling 'Score!'
Kitty and Rogue keep Kurt engaged in lively conversation, even managing to drag some grudgingly friendly response from Todd. By the end of the meal even he seems to be enjoying himself, and the tension is light as they all file back into the den for the presenting of gifts before dessert.
"Go on, yo. Open it." Kurt eyes the small box warily, before ripping off the Spider-Man wrapping paper. The box is taped...a lot. He glares at Todd, who only gives him a smug smirk. "I'm waitin'."
"You're gonna be waiting a lot longer from the look of this stuff." Kurt fumbles with the tape for a while, irritation growing, until Todd interrupts him with an exaggerated sigh. The boy flips open a small pocketknife that suddenly appeared in his hand, slices the tape expertly, and hands the package back.
Kurt opens the box to reveal... "A brush?" It's a heavy brush, made of a dark red wood and with soft, smooth black bristles. He gives Todd a quizzical look.
"That's the first half of the present, fool. The second half comes when I show you just what I can do with that thing."
Heat rises to Kurt's cheek, and thoughts of ditching the rest of the party pop into his mind. It takes a great deal of effort to supress them, but he gives Todd a gentle kiss, a 'thank you', and hands him his present. "It's not much, but..."
Todd has the advantage of the wrapper not being a sadistic jerk, and makes much shorter work of it than Kurt did. His mouth drops open as he stares at the leather-bound journal, running his fingers over it almost tentatively. "How did you...You've been goin' through my stuff, haven't ya'?!"
A playful shrug and smile are his response. "I can't help it if you leave your scribbles all over the place."
"Ass. I oughta pluck some'a those hairs outta you."
"You're welcome." The smirk dies quickly on Kurt's lips, though. "Todd, I..." He stops, glances around at the happily animated faces of his friends, his family. No one's paying them any attention anymore, save Kitty, who gives him a smile and a wave before returning to her pile of presents. Kurt catches Rogue's eye; she gives him a questioning look, and he cocks his head towards the door, and she nods.
"Come on," Kurt whispers to Todd. He grabs his hand, makes sure he has his brush, and notes the journal clutched tightly in Todd's other hand. Then there's smoke, and brimstone, and silence and darkness. They look around at the darkened hall. Voices still drift in from the den, quiet and muffled. Kurt lets go, averts his eyes, the nerves of the night finally getting to him.
"Todd...about earlier..."
"Yeah, about that." His tone drags Kurt's head up, forces him to look at Todd, to face his glowering eyes and the pain that lurks in them. "Listen, fuzzy. If you're ashamed of me-"
"No!" Kurt chokes out around the lump that's lodged itself in his throat. "How could I be ashamed, there's nothing to be ashamed of! You're smart, you're caring, even if others don't bother to see it..." He grins nervously. "Not to mention you've got a great ass."
"Flattery'll get you jumped, dawg."
"Promise?" Kurt's brief smile fades, his expression sobering and brows drawing together. "I'm so sorry. I never meant to make you feel that way. I'm not ashamed, I'm proud. So proud, and still sometimes a bit unclear as to what I did to get you in the first place. But the others... They're my friends, Todd. And so much more. When they're mad at me..."
Todd frowns. "You wanna know when I told the guys about us? The day after I knew there was an 'us' to tell about. And they sure as fuck weren't happy about it. Well, 'cept Pietro. He called it cute, and kept bugging me to let him pick out my clothes when you and me went on dates. Weirdo. Point is I told 'em, and I dealt with the shit they had to say, because I thought you were worth it."
Kurt's breath hitches in his throat, and he turns away, tail twitching irritably behind him. "I'm not strong like you, Todd. I didn't want to fight with them...they're all I've got."
"You got me."
Whirling around, Kurt's struck by the raw hurt in Todd's eyes. And he realizes that the Brotherhood is all Todd has, and he risked them, everything, for him. "I've been such a coward. I never meant-" Soft fingers on his lips and wrist stop him. Amber eyes trap him.
"It's okay."
"Vas?" he whispers, and tastes the salt of Todd's skin. Todd smirks.
"Eggnog gone to your head, fuzzy? I said it's cool. I understand. Just don' let it happen again and we're good." The vice on Kurt's heart eases, the lump in his throat melting. He smiles, the expression tainted with awe, wraps his arms around Todd's neck and kisses him, letting it deepen, humming softly at Todd's hungry response and the hands now clutching his waist. By the time they break free he's lightheaded and breathing heavily. Todd nuzzles his neck for a moment, sending a chill up his spine.
"Bamf us to your room, dawg. I got one more present for ya'."
Kurt runs the brush through Todd's hair, tickling his ear with the bristles. "Not to mention you must demonstrate the rest of your other present, ja?"
"'Ja.'"
With a soft sound and a puff of smoke they're gone. Rogue steps out of the shadows, regarding the site for a moment with a knowing smirk, then turns back into the party.
___
"All right dawg, ready."
Kurt opens his eyes. Todd's reclining on his bed. One hand holds a sprig of mistletoe over his head, the other holds a sprig over...an area far south of there. Tied around his waist is a large red ribbon, complete with bow; the rest of his skin is bare, glowing softly in the dim moonlight flowing in from the balcony.
"Happy holidays, yo."
Kurt smirks. "Pervert."
"Shut up, get your ass over here, and kiss me."
__________
Title: Look Who's Coming to Dinner
Rating: PG-13
Pairings: Todd/Kurt, a'course
Disclaimer: Closest-thing-to-bishounen-America's-got Kurt and the lovely and amazing Toad-Boy belong to Marvel, the WB, and probably bunches of other wonderful peoples. So do anyone else mentioned herein. I don't own them, I'm just a klepto who intends no harm and will return them when I'm done. Please dun hurt me.
SLASH Disclaimer: This is SLASH. Ever seen Boy Meets Boy? That's what this is, only in this case it's Toad meets Elf. If the thought of boys hugging, and touching, and kissing, and... [eyes go unfocused for a moment] Ahem. Yeah, if that disturbs you then you should probably turn back now. Run, RUN, while the getting's good!
___
"And they're okay wit' this?"
"They don't really have a choice, do they? The Prof and Logan both gave the okay...though I'm still not convinced the Prof didn't have a hand in that. It's hard to imagine Logan agreeing without persuasion at least as strong as the Prof's mind control."
"Maybe he threatened him. Said that otherwise Mr. Claw-happy has to take Little Miss Perfect shopping or something. At the mall. The day after Christmas, in the middle of the annual sales and after-Christmas refund-rush. Whatever, dawg, so long as I ain't gonna get my ass sliced up over it...Heh, bet the others weren't thrilled. Ooh man, wish I could'a seen Summers's face!"
"Aheh...yeah, you know, um..."
"...Fuzzy?"
"..."
"..."
"I don't BELIEVE you! What about Red? Rogue? The porcupine?!"
"I was going to tell them, it just...never seemed like the right...time?"
"Aw hell no. Fuck that shit, I ain't comin', yo."
"Wait! Listen, I-"
"No, YOU listen, dawg. I had enough'a those kinds'a Christmas parties when I was little. Family gatherings ain't nearly as fun when you're the black sheep. Especially the freakish, unwanted black sheep with the 'glandular problem'. I learned not to go where I'm not wanted, and I sure as hell won't be wanted at this particular soiree. Count me out, Fuzzy, and you can call me back when you're not too ashamed to be seen with me-"
"No! Listen, it's not that! I just..."
"...Well?"
"Come to the party. Please?"
[inaudible mumbling] "Fine. But you and me're gonna have a talk when it's all over. Be there at seven." [click]
_______
It's fifteen minutes till seven when Kurt creeps away from the clambering crowd in the den they'd reserved for the night. He makes his way into the darkened lobby of the mansion, not bothering to turn on any lights; the dim glow creeping in from adjacent rooms is enough for his sensitive eyes. Quiet laughter and chat lingers in the door through which he just came, wrapping around him as he climbs the stairs, slumps down a few steps from the bottom and tries not to stare at the front door. Idly, he fingers the inducer on his wrist, and the wide, woven blue band now nestled against it, a gift that hasn't left his wrist since it was given.
Kurt stares at the door, ears pricked, waiting.
"He coming?"
The phrase 'nearly jumped out of his skin' briefly comes to mind. Kurt starts, fur bristling slightly and eyes flashing pale gold. A shadow detaches itself from the den door, white and green picked out by the dim light, and crosses the lobby to slide down languidly beside him. "Well? Where's your mystery date?"
Kurt gives Rogue a soft smile, knowing she probably can't see him, a side effect of his deep blue fur. "Assuming he's coming, he'll be here soon." He frowns, finding sudden interest in his fingernails. "Rogue, I...I'm sorry."
One shapely eyebrow creeps under her white bangs. "Sorry? What for?"
"I should've told you who. You've been so great about all this, better than I could've asked for! But every time I tried to tell you, it just..." An uncertain shrug, hands open, palms out. His gaze seems to have taken up permanent residence on the floor.
Out of all the possible reactions, a soft chuckle is the last he expects, and the first he gets. Kurt chances a quick glance at Rogue's shadowed features, and the barely discernable black leather glove covering her mouth. Her quiet laughter finally fades out, and she leans forward, catching his eye. "How many times do I have ta' tell ya', Kurt? It's fine, okay? I mean, yeah, I was a little irritated at first," she gives him a parody of her usual glare, then softens it with a smirk. "But I got over it. You weren't ready, I learned to deal with that. I'm just glad you think it's finally time." She leans over, nudges him gently with her elbow, "The suspense was damn near killing me."
Kurt smiles through his growing nervousness, fighting the urge to peek at the door again, keeping his gaze trained on Rogue. Her pale skin seems to glow in the dim light. She lays a hand on his arm, rubbing against his fur for a moment before giving a firm, reassuring squeeze.
"I only want what's best for ya'. You know that, right?"
And he does, and he says so. She smiles at him, and it's filled with more affection and love than she's usually willing to show.
"If he makes ya' happy, I could care less who he is."
The sudden knock on the door is perfectly timed. Kurt rolls his eyes. "Warm and fluffy moment over, I suppose." Bounding to his feet, he turns back to take Rogue's hand and helps her up; he kisses the leather of her glove gently, says sincerely, "Thanks, sis...for everything." Then he's at the door, glancing back over his shoulder to give her a rakish grin before grabbing the doorknob.
Todd's back is to the door when Kurt opens it, and he's staring out across the precisely manicured lawn, the toe of one newly-shined shoe digging idly at the porch and one hand rubbing nervously at his arm, and fidgeting with his silken sleeve. Kurt gave him the clothes -a silk shirt, a soft green shade that matches the trees at the lawns edge, black slacks and dress shoes- as an early present. He pauses to admire the fit; the shirt's untucked, and the lay of the fabric reveals just enough of the wiry frame beneath. Kurt leans his head against the door, unaware that he's staring.
"Take a picture, fool, and invite me in. 'S fucking cold out here."
Kurt starts, feeling his cheeks flush, and looks up to find Todd's amber eyes on his, his arms crossed. Todd's features are making an attempt at irritation, but the slight quirk of his lips serves to foil it. Kurt smiles, grabs for the boy's hand, and pulls him inside.
When he turns around he finds Rogue's regarding them with a blank expression. Blank, that is, but for an amused glint in her eye. "Gotta hand it to ya', Kurt. Who would'a guessed the boy cleaned up so nice?"
"Hello to you too," Todd snaps, but his tone is equally amused and his eye affectionate. Kurt releases his breath, which was becoming painful to hold, and wraps an arm around Todd's shoulders. The boy leans into the touch, and Kurt feels a bit of the tension in his chest release. Not much, because there's still many possible confrontations waiting for them in the den just down the hall, and after that the 'talk' Todd promised him, but it's enough to free up his rapidly freezing vocal cords.
"Shall we?" He hopes they didn't notice the slight tremor in his voice.
Todd affects a snooty accent, which sounds utterly horrible mixed with his natural street drawl. "We 'shall'. I'm starvin', dawg."
"Grub's right this way, boys. Everyone's been waitin' on our 'mystery guest' so the food's ready to be served as soon as we show up. Let's not keep 'em waitin' any longer."
Rogue turns on her heel and leads the way to the den. Kurt's nervousness increases with each step, and he finds himself trying to focus on anything but the glaring light at the end of the hall. And what better to focus on than the warm body beside him? For a moment he's distracted, studying (not for the first time) Todd's swaggering step, the slight glow buried in his eyes, his scent...which, unusually enough, is fresh, almost woodsy. It's a far cry from the particular musk Kurt's used to (definitely an acquired taste), and he gives in to a gentle smirk, leaning in close and nudging Todd's elbow. "You took a bath, didn't you?"
A faint blush on Todd's pale cheeks and nose is his reward. The boy gives Kurt a halfhearted glare. "It was that time of the month, fool. Not like I did it for you or those X-Geeks or nothin'."
"Of course-" Kurt's response is cut off by the arrival of light, and sound, of many conversations being held simultaneously and embers cracking and popping in the fireplace that almost fills the opposite side of the room.
Rogue's voice is suddenly beside him, saying, "It'll be all right," and then she's taking up a post behind he and Todd, crossing her arms, her glare daring anyone to say a wrong word, just go ahead and make her day.
Kurt involuntarily curls his arm around Todd's, and his tail clings pathetically to his boyfriend's waist as he waits for the inevitable reactions.
The slow dying of the susurrous hum of conversation equals a short lifetime to Kurt, one in which he has nothing to do but listen to the rat-a-tat tempo of his own exceptionally fast heartbeat. But eventually all eyes are on the door, all voices stilled for one panic-filled moment. Kurt digs his fingers into Todd's arm.
"Like, hey guys!"
Kurt blinks, stares, and blinks again. Out of the corner of his eye he watches Todd's jaw drop as Kitty approaches them, a wide grin on her pretty face. Something dangerously close to a snort sounds behind them, as Kitty reaches up to clasp Todd's free hand. "It's about time you brought him home, Kurt." She winks, and a disbelieving smile crosses Kurt's lips.
"You knew?!"
His smile widens when she rolls her eyes, releasing Todd's hand and placing a hand on her hip. "Well duh. They don't call me the Queen of the Grapevine for nothing, you know."
A fuzzy blue brow raises. "Nobody calls you-"
"Come on, come on!" She grabs both boys' hands now, attempting to drag them into the room. "Everybody's starving, but the Prof wouldn't let us start till you got here. So let's eat!"
The shocked smile's still plastered on Kurt's face as he allows himself to be pulled into the room, and he almost begins to hope it will be that easy. He looks over to see Todd's following his lead, though his eyes are darting defensively around the room, and Rogue's still watching them like an overly protective hawk.
When Scott's voice rings out, it's almost a surprise. "Professor, what is this?!" He gestures sharply at Todd, who pulls free of Kitty's grip and glares back (though his hand runs instinctively to Kurt's tail, still wrapped snugly around his waist). It's only then that Kurt notices Evan's shocked, angry expression, and Jean's upturned nose. "What's HE doing here?" Scott almost growls, and miraculously, Kurt opens his mouth, prepared to defend the glowering boy at his side.
Unexpected burst of courage aside, though, he's glad when the Professor takes that responsibility out of his hands. "I should think that would be obvious, Scott. Mr. Tolensky is Kurt's guest for the evening." He speaks it out loud, softly and with a warm smile in Kurt and Todd's direction, but it's followed by a sterner, telepathic message. 'As such, I expect you to show him the respect and manners I've come to expect of you. Let us indulge in the holiday spirit, shall we? And anyone who takes issue with this can bring the matter to me, privately and at a later date.'
Kurt sighs with relief, and answers Todd's questioning glance with what he hopes is a reassuring smile. Then Kitty's behind them, her and Rogue both pushing them towards the dining hall, and Kurt only has time to catch a glimpse of Scott, posture tense as coiled wire and attention fixated on Xavier, who's staring serenely back. A small shudder runs up Kurt's spine, and he wonders just what kind of conversation the two are having.
____
Dinner is, surprisingly, a suitably joyous affair. The food is plentiful and delicious, the conversation is lively, and the animosity is thankfully kept to a minimum. Kurt's a little irritated to see Logan slide into the seat on Todd's other side, but he can't help the smile that breaks out at Logan's growled order to 'keep that tongue in your mouth unless you wanna lose it' and the resulting blanching of Todd's already pale skin.
There are a few incidents. Evan keeps making sarcastic, sharp remarks in Todd's direction - until he learns that doing so results in a swift kick under the table from a glaring Kitty - and Bobby spends half the time flicking frozen peas at Todd's head. As soon as Logan's not looking Todd lets loose his tongue, catching a pea expertly, and he's shocked when Bobby and Ray both laugh and clap, Bobby giving him thumbs up and calling 'Score!'
Kitty and Rogue keep Kurt engaged in lively conversation, even managing to drag some grudgingly friendly response from Todd. By the end of the meal even he seems to be enjoying himself, and the tension is light as they all file back into the den for the presenting of gifts before dessert.
"Go on, yo. Open it." Kurt eyes the small box warily, before ripping off the Spider-Man wrapping paper. The box is taped...a lot. He glares at Todd, who only gives him a smug smirk. "I'm waitin'."
"You're gonna be waiting a lot longer from the look of this stuff." Kurt fumbles with the tape for a while, irritation growing, until Todd interrupts him with an exaggerated sigh. The boy flips open a small pocketknife that suddenly appeared in his hand, slices the tape expertly, and hands the package back.
Kurt opens the box to reveal... "A brush?" It's a heavy brush, made of a dark red wood and with soft, smooth black bristles. He gives Todd a quizzical look.
"That's the first half of the present, fool. The second half comes when I show you just what I can do with that thing."
Heat rises to Kurt's cheek, and thoughts of ditching the rest of the party pop into his mind. It takes a great deal of effort to supress them, but he gives Todd a gentle kiss, a 'thank you', and hands him his present. "It's not much, but..."
Todd has the advantage of the wrapper not being a sadistic jerk, and makes much shorter work of it than Kurt did. His mouth drops open as he stares at the leather-bound journal, running his fingers over it almost tentatively. "How did you...You've been goin' through my stuff, haven't ya'?!"
A playful shrug and smile are his response. "I can't help it if you leave your scribbles all over the place."
"Ass. I oughta pluck some'a those hairs outta you."
"You're welcome." The smirk dies quickly on Kurt's lips, though. "Todd, I..." He stops, glances around at the happily animated faces of his friends, his family. No one's paying them any attention anymore, save Kitty, who gives him a smile and a wave before returning to her pile of presents. Kurt catches Rogue's eye; she gives him a questioning look, and he cocks his head towards the door, and she nods.
"Come on," Kurt whispers to Todd. He grabs his hand, makes sure he has his brush, and notes the journal clutched tightly in Todd's other hand. Then there's smoke, and brimstone, and silence and darkness. They look around at the darkened hall. Voices still drift in from the den, quiet and muffled. Kurt lets go, averts his eyes, the nerves of the night finally getting to him.
"Todd...about earlier..."
"Yeah, about that." His tone drags Kurt's head up, forces him to look at Todd, to face his glowering eyes and the pain that lurks in them. "Listen, fuzzy. If you're ashamed of me-"
"No!" Kurt chokes out around the lump that's lodged itself in his throat. "How could I be ashamed, there's nothing to be ashamed of! You're smart, you're caring, even if others don't bother to see it..." He grins nervously. "Not to mention you've got a great ass."
"Flattery'll get you jumped, dawg."
"Promise?" Kurt's brief smile fades, his expression sobering and brows drawing together. "I'm so sorry. I never meant to make you feel that way. I'm not ashamed, I'm proud. So proud, and still sometimes a bit unclear as to what I did to get you in the first place. But the others... They're my friends, Todd. And so much more. When they're mad at me..."
Todd frowns. "You wanna know when I told the guys about us? The day after I knew there was an 'us' to tell about. And they sure as fuck weren't happy about it. Well, 'cept Pietro. He called it cute, and kept bugging me to let him pick out my clothes when you and me went on dates. Weirdo. Point is I told 'em, and I dealt with the shit they had to say, because I thought you were worth it."
Kurt's breath hitches in his throat, and he turns away, tail twitching irritably behind him. "I'm not strong like you, Todd. I didn't want to fight with them...they're all I've got."
"You got me."
Whirling around, Kurt's struck by the raw hurt in Todd's eyes. And he realizes that the Brotherhood is all Todd has, and he risked them, everything, for him. "I've been such a coward. I never meant-" Soft fingers on his lips and wrist stop him. Amber eyes trap him.
"It's okay."
"Vas?" he whispers, and tastes the salt of Todd's skin. Todd smirks.
"Eggnog gone to your head, fuzzy? I said it's cool. I understand. Just don' let it happen again and we're good." The vice on Kurt's heart eases, the lump in his throat melting. He smiles, the expression tainted with awe, wraps his arms around Todd's neck and kisses him, letting it deepen, humming softly at Todd's hungry response and the hands now clutching his waist. By the time they break free he's lightheaded and breathing heavily. Todd nuzzles his neck for a moment, sending a chill up his spine.
"Bamf us to your room, dawg. I got one more present for ya'."
Kurt runs the brush through Todd's hair, tickling his ear with the bristles. "Not to mention you must demonstrate the rest of your other present, ja?"
"'Ja.'"
With a soft sound and a puff of smoke they're gone. Rogue steps out of the shadows, regarding the site for a moment with a knowing smirk, then turns back into the party.
___
"All right dawg, ready."
Kurt opens his eyes. Todd's reclining on his bed. One hand holds a sprig of mistletoe over his head, the other holds a sprig over...an area far south of there. Tied around his waist is a large red ribbon, complete with bow; the rest of his skin is bare, glowing softly in the dim moonlight flowing in from the balcony.
"Happy holidays, yo."
Kurt smirks. "Pervert."
"Shut up, get your ass over here, and kiss me."
__________