Room 232; Late Sunday Afternoon [01/01/23].

[outofthequiver]

It had been a long, strange break week (and some change) for Libby; honestly, it had been a long, strange month, when you really got right down to it. And even though she was still a little tired from staying up until midnight with Zo and Claire at their little party, she was back at the school, back in her room, tossing her suitcase on the bed and taking to unpacking and getting settled back in. Reflecting a little, as she put away thigs both new and old (lots of new books, mostly), and thinking on some of the odd, strange, awkward things that had happened while she was away.

Especially everything with Just's friend from church, confirming Libby's dreaded suspicion by making it crystal-clear that he was intending to court her. And her having to make it crystal-clear that she had no intention of courting anyone.

(But that wasn't exactly true, was it?)

It wouldn't be so bad, either, if he'd have gotten mad about it, or upset, or even belligerent like she imagined her father would have done. But he had been nice and kind and understanding, expressing that he knew God had given her a different path than most girls, and that he actually found that admirable, and that he could wait. What was just a few more years, anyway, in the great big grand scheme of things?

Libby sighed a little, but the fact that she was already feeling how good it was to be back here told her exactly what she already knew.


[[ door and post are open! ]]

Comments

[furrybluefreak]

And it was a good thing Libby was a bit distracted with her own roller coaster of feelings and then the gift so she didn't see the goofy grin spread over Kurt's face at those words. He liked being Libby's friend too, and it was good to know, though he already really did know, that the feeling was mutual.

He watched Libby inspect the journal, the grin on his face growing as he saw her reaction.

"I told them you loved to read and all but they didn't know what sort of book you might like. And most of the books we read and all back home are in German anyway," Kurt said with a small chuckle. "We used to make journals and scrap books all the time when I was little. My folks love making books and such, so they wanted to make something special for you."

He went quiet for a moment and looked at Libby with a timid grin. "I'm glad you like it. The embossing design was my idea. Vati has always loved leather working and Muti and I have made our own paper many times," he revealed.

[outofthequiver]

"I love it," said Libby, simply and sincerely, holding it closely against her chest as she looked back up at Kurt. "I think it's probably one of the nicest things I've ever been given, really. I'm almost too afraid to ruin it by actually using it!"

Almost being a very key word there, although it would be difficult deciding just what exactly to write in it. She already had a few ideas popping up into her head, though, as she dropped her eyes again, holding the journal out to admire it all over again.

[furrybluefreak]

While Libby was busy admiring the gift, Kurt finally made it into the room far enough to sit down in the chair by the door. The smile on his face more than conveyed how happy he was that Libby liked her gift. It made him think about the other books and journals they had made over the years. Though the accuracy of whether or not he had his own journal was something that was going to have to wait for another time to be revealed, thank you very much!

"I am sure you will figure it out" Kurt said with a smirk.

[outofthequiver]

"I'm sure I will, too," Libby agreed, taking just one more moment of appreciation for the journal before she sat down, as well, on her bed, but she kept it in her lap as she beamed over at Kurt.

"So," she said eagerly, "tell me about your break! Did anything exciting happen? Were you able to keep out of trouble? Did you make it back in time for the welcome picnic?"

[furrybluefreak]

"The trip back was great!" Kurt said excitedly. I spent half the time with the folks and the other half visiting the team. I even got to go on my first live training missions!" Kurt gushed with a big grin. "It wasn't anything too terribly huge, but it was the first time in the field and not in the training simulator or sparring with Logan or Scott or someone else. It was really cool though, and I got to help be guard detail with Logan for a political guy back home. One of the few that actually wants us Mutants around."

[outofthequiver]

"Then someone pretty worth protecting," Libby noted, with a soft, sad sort of smile, because she'd never understand why so many people would have so much hate in their hearts for others just because they were different, even when some of those people were her very own kin. "I take it that it was pretty uneventful, though? Or are you just building up the suspense by holding back the exciting details?"

[furrybluefreak]

"Aye, pretty uneventful. There had been some threats made by the group known as the Purifiers because he had signed some laws to protect Mutants in some areas," Kurt explained. "Us being there was kind of both a show that he was serious about standing with us and that we are committed to helping him and keeping him safe."

Ya know, can't get much more evident on the whole Mutant thing than someone who looked like a furry blue demon child so, it was a fairly effective tactic when combined with the likes of Professor Xavier, Logan, Storm, and Scott.

[outofthequiver]

"I think it's terrible, though," said Libby, with a frown, "that someone would even need protecting in the first place, just for something like that.."

Which she knew Kurt didn't need her or anyone telling him as much, but she still felt the need to put a voice to her feelings on the matter.

[furrybluefreak]

"It is, and I hate that there are people like that in so many places" Kurt said with a somber nod. But then he turned to look at Libby, and a soft, genuine smile spread across his face. "But as long as there are people who care and who can see us for who we are, like you, I think we will get to a better place soon."

Because really, Libby was the first non-mutant to have ever looked at him with something other than fear or loathing, and that was something that would forever affect Kurt in a powerful way.

[outofthequiver]

"Hopefully much sooner, rather than later," said Libby, her own soft smile a bit apologetic, and she shook her her head a little. "I'm sorry. Here you are, all excited about getting out on a field mission, and I turn it into kind of a downer. But I'm glad you finally got the chance to get out there, Kurt. And I guess it's probably actually a pretty good things that it turned out to be as uneventful as it was."

[furrybluefreak]

Kurt shook his head to let Libby know it was ok and he smiled. "Yeah, it's one of those cases where it was kinda boring but that was a much preferable outcome. Someday I hope to be able to make an actual difference for people who are in need."

Kurt fell silent for a moment then, not wanting the entire conversation to be about him and what all he had done over the holiday break, he gave a nod towards Libby.

"What about you? Any daring adventures for you and Zo while you were away? Anything exciting happen while visiting?"

He had gotten the few handwaved texts and photos from Libby but it had gone a little quiet towards the end of the trip. Kurt was very interested in what all Libby had been up to. And that was a fairly innocent and safe question to ask after a holiday break. Right?

[outofthequiver]

"Staying up until midnight last night was a lot harder than I thought it would be," Libby admitted with a wan sort of smile, after taking a moment to think about how to best answer that question, and what to focus on, because she definitely wasn't about to mention anything about the courtship business if she could help it. "But it was fun, the small party Zo and her girlfriend and some of their friends from school had. Nothing wild or anything, I even stuck with sparkling juice. Was there any parties or anything for it here?"

[furrybluefreak]

"Yeah, they had a party at the bar. It was open to everyone, but I just hung out in the dorms" Kurt said with a shrug. "It was mostly adults there anyway, according to Radio" he said, sticking his tongue out in an 'ewww grown ups' sort of way. And it had absolutely nothing to do with the fact that the person he would have wanted to spend the evening with wasn't on the island then, and that if they had, it would have led to even more awkwardness when midnight rolled around.... It was just a good choice all around, really.

[outofthequiver]

"I kind of wish I'd have been here for it," Libby admitted, a little reluctantly, a little shyly. "Obviously, I love spending time with Zo and Claire is really great, too, but I didn't really know anyone else but them, and it just sort of made me miss everyone here, you know?"

Some more than others, but she wasn't going to mention that part...

[furrybluefreak]

"I missed seeing everyone too," Kurt said with the faintest of nods in Libby's direction since he had a feeling he would have been included in her list but didn't want to make things awkward by calling her out specifically. "I'm glad you got to go see Zo and have a good time. We have plenty of time to make up for the missed hanging out and lunches and all, right?"