Tails of Change [Revamping!]

18) Back to School Again

[Author's Note:

X-Men Characters in this Chapter: Nightcrawler (Kurt), Cyclops (Scott), Phoenix (Jean), Spyke (Evan), Shadowcat (Kitty)

OC Characters in this Chapter: _____(Sorin)

*Italicized words are either German words or English words with a more Germanic spelling. Any words that are dissimilar to the English version (or a bit out of context) will have a translation appearing here:

Da [dah] == There

{4.26.2020} Revamped! New material!]

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Sorin spent Thursday preparing for school. Now that his heat was over, the Professor insisted upon his return to normalcy, and since he was supposed to have returned to school Monday, that meant school Friday. Sorin packed his schoolbag with supplies he had carefully organized and labeled for each class. He used the copier in the library to make several copies of his class schedule because he always ended up losing his. This time he taped his schedule on the inside cover of each notebook hoping to prevent that mishap. He would get his textbooks in his classes tomorrow, along with several months' worth of assignments. Catching up would be hell. The handful of assignments Kurt had shared with him would lessen the load, but Sorin couldn't imagine that would be by much.

When his alarm rang Friday morning, Sorin dressed, using a waist wrap to bind his tail around himself to prevent it from accidentally leaving the holo-watch's range. The Professor had informed him of when the bus stopped at the gates. The only one that drove to school was Scott, and unless Sorin was able to catch a ride to school with him, the bus was the only option. Considering Scott's jeep only had five spots in it, Sorin though his chances were unlikely. Scott, Jean, Kitty, Evan, and Kurt filled those spots. So, unless one of them opted for a different mode of transportation, Sorin was stuck with the bus. Sorin had an hour to eat breakfast and walk down the lengthy driveway to where the bus picked up students from the Institute. So, he slung his backpack over his shoulder and made his way to the dining hall.

~

The group of seniors was sitting at a table eating their breakfast. Joining them was the natural course of action since that was where he'd sat before, and since he was also a senior. Not joining them would be something questioned, something noticed. If Sorin acted like everything was normal, then maybe the others would too. He meandered through the tables, out-pushed chairs, and the handful of students moving to sit or to deposit their dishes at the kitchen bar, to take a seat next to Kurt. Next to meant proximity which, after the awkward laundry room run-in, Sorin had hoped to avoid for a while. Sitting next to also meant he was in a position where he didn't have to look directly at Kurt, and that seemed a better choice at the moment.

"Sorin! You're up and about!" Evan exclaimed a moment before Sorin plopped into the seat.

"Yeah."

"Man, you must've been wicked sick. Haven't seen you in days."

"Dr. McCoy says I'm good to go to school today." Sorin glanced at the layout of what appeared to be a normal breakfast meal. Scrambled eggs. Bacon. Buttered toast. Hash browns. Ham. Sausage. Orange juice. Some kind of red juice, possibly cranberry. Water. Coffee, and a little turntable with sugar, creamer, honey, and milk. Sorin had never had such a plentiful breakfast before coming here to the Institute, but even so he appreciated the normalcy of the options. The Professor wasn't wrong. Getting back to normal was exactly what Sorin wanted, and not just a normal before his heat. Normal before his mutation, where school was a refuge, where he was amongst friends and away from his parents.

"Aw man, it's Friday. You should've pretended to be sick another day. "

"Evan!" Jean chastised.

"I think Dr. McCoy would know if I was pretending to be sick," Sorin said, reaching for the plate of eggs.

As he piled his plate full of every kind of food on the table, the others remarked about Sorin looking fine, and how they were glad he was feeling better. He poured himself some coffee and a glass of orange juice, and thanked everyone. The conversation quickly turned to other topics. Homework, teachers, the cute girl Evan had a crush on, Kitty's relationship with one of the Brotherhood, the Brotherhood in general, fights with the Brotherhood, fights from missions, and Danger Room training sessions. Sorin listened attentively to all of it, gorging himself on breakfast as they talked.

"Well, I gotta go," Sorin said, stacking his dishes into one pile, after one of Evan's stories about nearly getting crushed in the Danger Room.

"Catching the bus?" Scott asked.

"Yeah."

"I'd offer you a ride, but I don't have any more seats in the jeep."

"Don't worry about it. Bus rides are good for doing homework." His statement was awarded with smiles, from everyone except Kitty and Evan. Their grimaces at the word 'homework' told Sorin all he needed to know about their outlook on school. He grinned, amused.

Sorin walked his pile of dishes over the designated dish drop spot and exited the dining hall.

~

Sorin was halfway down the driveway when he heard a bamf behind him and caught a whiff of sulfur.

"Kurt?" he asked, stopping and turning to look behind him. Sure enough, Kurt was walking quickly towards him.

"I thought you might vant to have company."

"Oh, uh, yeah." Sorin waved a come-on motion and continued down the driveway. Neither spoke another word while they waited for the bus, nor as they made their way to the back and plopped down together in a seat.

When the bus began to move, Kurt unzipped his backpack and dug around for a moment before pulling out a stack of papers.

"Da," he said, offering them to Sorin.

Sorin took the papers and flipped through them quickly. Blank homework sheets, reading assignment lists, and even an essay assignment, each one dated with the date given and the date due. Kurt was organized.

"There may not be time now, but I copied them for you."

"I can get a worksheet done on the way to school, if you have the book." Sorin pulled a sheet from the stack that looked quickest and held it up for Kurt to see.

Kurt dug a textbook out of his bag and passed it to Sorin.

"Alright, give me a warning when we're close, will you?" Sorin requested, sinking down in the seat and pushing his knees against the seat in front of him. He propped open the textbook and after grabbing a pen from his bag, began looking up answers.

"Ja," Kurt grinned.

~

The forty-minute bus ride was plenty of time for Sorin to finish the worksheet. As the bus pulled into the school parking lot, he passed the textbook back to Kurt and the two shoved their supplies into their backpacks.

As they waited for their turn to exit the bus, Kurt knocked his knee against Sorin's to get his attention.

"How is your back?"

"Oh, uh, better, but not completely. I sort of forgot about the goop."

"Because you vere unvell?"

"Mhm."

"I am here for as long as you need," Kurt said quietly.

Sorin met Kurt's eyes for the first time that day. The holo-watch did nothing to hide Kurt's expressions. The sincerity and concern Sorin could see stirred his own emotions.

"Thanks."

Kurt smiled. And just like that, Sorin felt the awkwardness melt away.