Chapter 4: Touch the Elf and Die Bitch!

Disclaimer: Meh.

A/N: I'm feeling spiteful, so yes, there is major Amanda bashing in this chapter.

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Amanda was still annoyed when she left to go to school the next day. How dare he break up with her! She was way too good for him and he knew that, it was obvious.

Forget him, she decided, he wasn't good enough for her.

Still, there was the fact that she was infatuated with him. She missed his silky fur, his odd glowing eyes, his pointed ears and fangs. She missed being the girl who could stand up and say: "I'm dating a mutant!"

She couldn't anymore, and it was all because of him.

She mentally shrugged, he'd come back to her, after he realized how stupid he'd been.

With that heartening thought in mind, she turned the corner to come face to face with a very unsettling sight.

Scott Summers was at the back, and even through the shades, you could tell he was glaring at her. Beside him stood Jean Grey, her arms crossed across her chest as she gave the girl a look that made Amanda think, 'Now go sit in the corner and think about what you've done.'

In the front was Evan Daniels, looking quite irritated and with a look that said 'You're in for it now.' as he stood beside Rogue who was giving Amanda a glare that made her want to turn and run.

Finally, Kitty was at the very front, glaring at the girl angrily and the look on her face made Amanda want to curl up, rock back and forth and whimper pathetically.

All in all, they were an imposing group.

"Alright girlie, you are about ta find out what happens when ya mess with our family!" Rogue snarled out.

The next few minutes were a blur as Amanda was verbally attacked, but she could see the group of teenage mutants barely holding back from using their powers to tear her apart.

And at the end of it all, Amanda was scared and the X Men were done telling her what would happen if she ever came near Kurt again, while having also knocked her down a fair few pegs and gotten in several insults that were more than a little imaginative.

The mental images of what would happen to her if she ticked them off again were also more than enough to scare her into avoiding the X Men like a plague.

The X Men were done, but Kitty wasn't.

The shorter girl strode forward and gave the older girl a swift but strong slap that made Amanda reel back.

"You don't hurt my Fuzzy Elf." The words, while slightly humorous, were the most venomous ones anyone had heard. The absolute loathing in Shadowcat's voice was enough for Amanda to quickly decide to ask to transfer math classes.

There was no way she was about to tempt the X Men again.

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Kurt stared at the ceiling, something that had quickly become his favourite pastime today as, for some reason; he'd been completely unable to locate his watch, leaving him unable to go to school. A fact that was fine by him as there was no way he was up for it.

He'd spent the entire day in his room, only leaving for bathroom breaks and lunch and breakfast, but now he was finding himself twitchy, something that happened often to him when he hadn't done anything all day.

So, preparing himself for the social interactions that were sure to happen, he left his room, his natural slouch even lower than normal.

He walked around the mansion for a little while and found no one, he found this strange before he noticed the time and realized no one would be back from school for another half an hour.

Blowing his bangs from his face, Kurt found himself wandering into the main entry.

He took a deep breath, for some reason loving the feeling of the entry. It was open, free, bright.

~Kind of like you before. ~

Kurt shook himself, stupid voice in the back of his head.

~Leave me alone will you? I'm trying to be depressed. ~

~Oh stop being so dramatic! ~

~I have plenty to be dramatic about, the only girl I've ever liked, only dated me because I was a freak. ~

~You know, lying to yourself is a sign of immaturity. ~

~And fighting with yourself is a sign of insanity…Well; there goes the 'So You Want to Know How to Be a Sane Elf' seminar. ~

~Come on! Amanda was not the first girl you liked. Think about it: she is now your best friend. ~

~Exactly best friend, ergo, she's off limits! ~

~So? You're supposed to be the daredevil of the group! Live up to your name! ~

~I'm the goofball, not the daredevil. ~

~Oh right, because Evan's the one to throw himself off of high places, do about a million inhuman flips and land safely. ~

The voice was silent and Kurt really wondered if he was insane.

Then decided if he was questioning it, he was sane and went over his small inner battle.

~No, off limits, off limits! Besides, even if that sort of thing did happen, I want to know it's because I really love her, not as a rebound. ~

He barely resisted the urge to bash his head through a wall as he went into the kitchen, for once thanking God for his high metabolism as it gave him something to concentrate on that wasn't his messed up romantic life.

~I should just swear off dating and become a priest. ~ [1]

After fixing himself a sandwich, then demolishing it, he made his way through the halls again, not really heading to any direct place, just moving.

"Kurt?"

~Eh, guess the being by myself for another fifteen minutes thing is shot. ~ Even if he had been hoping to be alone with his thoughts for a bit longer, the mothering air Ororo brought with her was embraced slightly. He didn't have his real parents to go to right now (well, his blood mother was nearby, but he'd be damned if he went to her willingly) and while he wasn't about to start spilling his guts, the fact that just Ororo's calm and living demeanour was welcome was most certainly acknowledged.

Storm had always invoked these feelings in him, she made him feel safe. He loved and respected her like a second mother (or third in reality).

She and Logan balanced each other, Kurt realized, Ororo was the level headed and compassionate mother figure, while Logan was the gruff, but caring, realist father figure that you could turn to if you were in need of someone to give you their blunt opinion.

Logan could be good at giving you something else to think about too. He was able to make you realize that your problem wasn't all that bad.

It made for a nice pair of parent place holders while they were at the Institute.

He was able to give Storm a small smile as she walked up, graceful as always.

"Guten Tag Frau Monroe."

She gave him a warm smile in return, "Hello to you too. May I ask what you're doing around here?"

Kurt looked and saw he'd made his way outside somehow, and had been walking through Ororo's large and beautiful gardens. The rich and numerous colors and plants reflected how much care Ororo put into tending to them.

He shrugged, "Just thinking… a dangerous action for me to be taking part in, but I promise I'll be careful."

That got a small grin on Ororo's face.

~If he's making jokes, he must being doing at least a little better. ~

"Well, just avoid the sunflowers, the sprinklers are going and I doubt you want to get wet."

"Got it." He chimed before they parted ways.

Kurt left the gardens to walk around to the front of the mansion. He ended up sitting on the side of the fountain, the tip of his tail playing with the water as he alternated looking at the sky, the gates and his distorted reflection in the water.

He looked down at the water and contemplated his reflection.

He'd done this a few times, but he hadn't done so recently.

As always, a blue, furry face looked back at him. Pointed elf ears partially hidden by long indigo hair, fangs shown as he opened his mouth for a moment before closing it.

And bright golden eyes that seemed to be even more dramatic against the dark color of his fur and skin.

If he was honest, he loved his eyes. While he sometimes hated his…uniqueness, he'd always loved his eyes.

They were different, sure, but they a good different. They glowed even in the sunlight like twin balls of fire. And at night, they helped him see in the darkness that so many others were terrified of.

The other times he had looked at himself, he'd usually frowned, or glared at himself, but now he smiled.

He was different, unique, a mutant but not a demon.

Just another person.

His shoulders relaxed as he felt some invisible weight lift.

His looks were what drew in Amanda, but they were also what kept her away.

Maybe that would be how he evaluated future girlfriends.

Kitty had squeezed his shoulder, treating him like a human, not a pet.

He wasn't a pet, and none of the people at the mansion treated him, or any of the other furry, both part time and constant, housemates like pets.

Sure they got the occasional stroke, but so did everyone else. Everyone got the stroking back of their hair from Ororo or the pat on the back from Logan.

Jean would often rub his back and shoulders if he had strained them in a workout.

Kitty played with his hair occasionally, but that was nice, familiar, friendly contact.

And everyone knew that if you went against the grain of his fur, he became extremely ticklish.

He wasn't their pet, he was their friend.

It was strange how having someone treat him as a pet was what brought this to light.

~I should've figured that out a long time ago. ~

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[1] Kurt actually did train to become a priest in the comics.