Chapter Text
Kurt got to Louisiana earlier than anticipated.
A promise to Harvey’s parents turned into a family nightmare—opened up old wounds that hadn’t been properly stitched up in the first place. Relatives and grandparents in denial of Harvey’s gift, assuming it was a curse place upon him. Having a…demon show up to give a eulogy was simply the spark that lit the fire.
His parents were distraught as they bid their goodbyes to him. Couldn’t even grieve their son how they wanted. In the privacy of his bedroom, away from searing glares and harsh snarls, he said his last prayers with them. He promised to return to visit his grave. It was a promise he intended to keep.
As he made his way down to Louisiana, he found himself fiddling with his rosary. His mind still on the hospital. Harvey’s last words echoed in his ear. Help them. Who was them?
Louisiana was humid. Its heat didn’t let up even after the sun went down. The air felt heavy, smelled musky and salty. Frogs croaked out songs while insects his eyes couldn’t see buzzed around incessantly. Even as the heat stuck to him, he was grateful for his fur protecting from the mosquitos.
Marcus, the man who took them in, directed him to the fire pit as soon as he arrived on the doorstep. Kurt’s friends were out there, and Marcus seemed to pick up that he wanted to see them. He wouldn’t even let him take his bag up to his room. Not that it was a lot. Just a duffle bag of clothes, some keepsakes. He was used to traveling light. The circus and being an X-Man prepared him for that.
Truth be told, not having a stable place was something he should be used to. Should be.
At least family made it easier.
Even if they were all sitting around, dejected, by the fire pit.
Rogue was fuming about a phone call with Kätzchen—Kate when he plopped down next to Gambit. Something about her not wanting to be an X-Man anymore, for her to be left alone. Kurt felt his heart crush slightly at the news.
His little Kätzchen, whose enthusiasm had been so great for the X-Men that she designed the most ridiculous costumes, was now pushing them away. A part of him understood. A more selfish part bristled. Was it too much to ask to return to what they had been?
His gaze swept over to Logan, who was staring down the bottle in his hand. Kurt wasn’t sure how many he had drank, but it was never enough considering he couldn’t properly get drunk. In the flicker of the flames, Kurt could just make out his features. He had cleaned up a bit since he last saw him. His hair was shorter, facial hair preened. Definitely not the wild man he had met out in the snow.
Kurt’s temple ached at the memory. He pressed a palm against it, pretending to fix his hair.
The pair departed shortly after they made it back to civilization. Logan had to get down to Mexico. A promise he had forgotten. The time had been too brief for Kurt’s liking, but he did his best to make the most of it. He wanted to make sure Logan was okay before he left. He wouldn’t be able to join him down in Mexico.
Scott had left a message about something important, a meeting of some kind. Something Kurt was best at handling. He appreciated how Scott trusted him, even in times like these.
For a moment, it felt like he had his family back. Just for a moment. That illusion shattered as quickly as it formed. Kate wasn’t joining them. Cyclops was up north with the others. Logan and Gambit had have no interest in ‘playing hero’ again. Rogue seemed lost, unsure what to do.
The X-Men were fractured. Their people were fractured. Left homeless, aimless. Nothing to guide them. But they had been a fractured team before. They could overcome it again. They had to. The X-Men had always been a glimmer of hope in darkness. Kurt knew they could be that hope again.
Rogue seemed to think so, too.
“I’ll do this alone, if I have, too,” she muttered towards Gambit, pacing away from the fire.
She wouldn’t be alone. Kurt would be here. He opened his mouth to assure her, but was cut off by a hissed “Hush” from Logan.
Rogue turned sharply, her nose scrunched up from a frown. “Don’t you tell me ta—“
“Hush,” Logan hissed again, throwing up a hand. “Something’s out there. And it’s got hooves.”
Logan was tensed for a fight, claws unsheathing immediately. When it came to instinct, there wasn’t anyone Kurt trusted more. The anxiety in the air was palpable as Gambit charged a card while Rogue pulled up her fists.
Just beyond the light of the fire, the sound of something large rustled through the overgrowth. In firelight, Kurt saw a pair of small hands part tall grass. A quavering voice followed.
“Help.”