A Flap of Wings (NigthAngel)

III

Two days passed. Kurt basically lived in the lab watching Hank treat Warren. The steel wings had been removed. And according to Hank, he would need to do a lot of research and see about the steel remnants fixed to Warren's body.

The chair next to the bed practically smelled like Kurt. He spent his time looking at Warren. Watching over his sleep while Hank was away.

Kurt looked at his clawed hands with guilt. The memories of Berlin haunted him. For some, what he did might have been something simple.

But for a mutant, losing something they are proud of and love is something horrible. The sound of electricity as Warren's wings were charred. Warren's look of hate. The urge to cry was strong.

Kurt knows how much Warren hates him for ruining his wings. The guilt was almost inevitable, he didn't know how to solve it.

'I hurt him.' Kurt thought, feeling a tear run down his eyes.

"Don't feel guilty." Charles said entering the lab. "There's no need to cry."

"Professor, I did this to him. I hurt him!" he said without taking his eyes off Warren. "His wings... I should have done something different. Maybe if I had... he wouldn't be like this." he shook his head, suppressing the urge to break down even more. "Now he hates me." His voice broke, if he wasn't sitting down he would probably have to try to stay standing.

"Kurt, you're one of us, part of the X-Men. I know what happened in Berlin was difficult, but I want you to understand one thing. In extreme situations, things don't always go as planned." He paused, studying Kurt's face.

"But I hurt him, Professor. I saw what I did to him! I can't erase that." Kurt clenched his fists tightly, feeling the claws gently dig into his own skin, like a punishment he thought he deserved. "Charles let out a low sigh."

"I'm not going to say you're not feeling this for a good reason. You caused him harm, but Kurt, you can't carry that guilt alone. Warren made his own decisions in that fight. He was fighting for something bigger, just like you." Kurt took a step back, shaking his head.

"But I could have stopped. I could have found another way." His voice was full of regret.

Charles watched his student, feeling the weight of the pain Kurt carried. He knew this wasn't something that could be simply solved with words, but Kurt needed a guide.

"You're a teleporter, Kurt, not a psychic. You couldn't foresee all the consequences of what happened. What you can do now is learn from it, accept your mistakes, and grow from them." He paused, his voice full of gentleness. "And also, know that forgiveness, both from Warren and from yourself, will take time."

"Forgiveness…?" Kurt almost laughed in disbelief. "I'm not sure he'll be able to forgive me, Professor. I don't know if I could even forgive myself." Charles made a slight gesture, pulling his chair closer.

"Forgiveness is a process, Kurt. It doesn't happen overnight, and Warren is dealing with his own pain. But one thing I can guarantee is that the guilt you're carrying won't help either you or him." His eyes softened. "Try to give yourself the opportunity to heal. Warren will also need time to process what happened, but don't give up trying to help."

Kurt lowered his eyes, Charles's words starting to make sense, even though he still felt the weight on his chest.

"I just want to fix this, Professor…" He whispered. "But I don't know how."