Yvette and Fred - Sunday afternoon

[x-penance.livejournal.com]

Yvette seeks out Fred to talk to him about something that happened while they were taking down Christmas decorations.



Talking with Logan had given Yvette a lot to think about, especially about one thing in particular. She hadn't mentioned what had happened with Fred while they were de-decorating the mansion after the holidays, not really sure what to say, but now she was wondering if perhaps now was the time. No, no "perhaps" about it - Logan had been firm about doing, not hesitating, and in this case, she had the feeling she was right.

She needed to find Fred.

Fred was probably one of the easiest mutants to locate in the history on the Mansion. He was in the garage, as usual, with a Brian Fallon record and a VHS copy of 'Octaman' softly vying for his audial attention as he pulled the distributor cap and plugs out of his truck.

From under the hood, he caught the flash of red that always signaled to him Yvette's proximity. While this was usually cause for celebration, it currently had Fred wondering how much of his form he could hide around a full engine block...

She almost giggled at the sight of Fred trying to hide his bulk behind the engine block, but managed to keep it to a twitch of her lips instead. "Hello," she said instead, trying to sound casual. "I was wondering if we could talk?"

Fred sighed a little inwardly, straightening up and lighting a cigarette. If he wasted enough time lighting up and wiping the oil off his hands, maybe she would get distracted and wander off...

No luck. Yvette, unfortunately, had more of an attention span than Doreen. Fred managed a small, unsure smile, "Uhh, sure, Vette. What, uh, what's up...?" As if he had to ask. This conversation started almost a month ago...

***

"-totally counts. Ah told Kyle that, while Die Hard ain't mah favorite, it totally counts as an Xmas film."

Fred followed behind Yvette, the box of Xmas decorations balanced on his shoulder easily weighing more than her. He had offered to help her remove the last remnants of the holiday decorations, not realizing that it still felt...odd, now. Hanging out with Yvette alone. Fred had been doing his level best just not to acknowledge it and try to be as pleasant as possible...

She laughed. "See, when I was little, Bruce Willis crawling through the air conditioning ducts was not so much the feature of the stories my school friends told about their Christmas. Of course, growing up with the Muslim relatives, I did not know anything, so I would have believed whatever they told me." She slipped a finger through the plastic zip-tie attaching the garland to the wall and cut it with a small movement before going onto the next one. "So, besides Die Hard, do you have the favourite Christmas film?"

Fred shook his head as he pulled several larger wreaths down and threw them in the box. He stopped for a minute, thinking about his mom and Christmas morning and turning on the TV to watch... "Me? Nah. Was always more of a Halloween kid, myself. I have plenty of favorite Halloween movies. How about you? Any favorite Xmas movie..?"

"I have only been celebrating the Christmas since I came to the school," she replied thoughtfully. "But I do like the cartoon with the bald boy and his dog and the little yellow bird." She stretched up to cut the last of the zip ties she could reach, then looked up at where the garland was suspended across the entrance way. "I think I am going to need the lift here, Fred."

Fred grinned, and put the large box down. He held his hand out to lift Yvette up to cut the last piece down.

It was...weird. Holding Yvette, even just to casually assist her like this. It reminded him of how rarely she could interact with those around her. That he could...

-No. No no no. There has to be something you can comment on, Dukes. Anything. Look around. not at her , idiot. Just...what's that on the garland? Go with that.-

Fred pointed his free hand at the small, dangling plant, "Uh...what's that on the garland...?"

-Smooth, Dukes.-

It never ceased to amaze her how strong Fred was - he was holding her up as if she weighed nothing at all. She was busy concentrating on cutting the zip ties and failed to notice his awkwardness, so when she registered his question, she didn't pick up anything strange. "It is... oh, how do you say... the mistle?" she replied looking at the plant in question. "No, that is not right... Mistletoe, yes? The plant for the..." She paused, eyes suddenly flaring brighter. "Um, for the kissing?"

Fred set Yvette down gently, looking at the small plant in her hand like a live grenade. He looked from the mistletoe to Yvette, then back again, "Uh, yeah...that's what it's for...sorry, Ah didn't really, uh, get a good look at it..."

She turned it over in her hands. "Yes, it is mistletoe. Callie told me all about it when we were decorating." She giggled a little and held it up. "It is the cute tradition, I think. And even if it is not Christmas, the tradition should be honoured, yes?"

Fred coughed a bit. Had to be the smoking. Yep, that was it, "Ah, uh..." They would kill him. All of the Mansionites that saw Vette as a little sister. They would kill him. Fred Dukes brain understood this. His mouth, on the other hand..."Ah, uh, would say traditions are pretty important..."

She put her hand on his forearm, pressing slightly to indicate he should lean down, raising herself up on her toes as she did. Fred was one of the few people she knew she could touch without harm, and it meant there was no hesitation - except perhaps for a little shyness - as she went to kiss him briefly on the cheek.

It was odd, feeling her hand on his arm, like warm sandpaper, and not at all unpleasant. He was running through the list if people that would kill him if he did what he wanted to do. Yep. Kyle would track him down, Angel would kill him, an Jello would hide the evidence. If he did what he wanted, invulnerability or not, Fred Dukes was a dead man.

Fred's large hands went to Yvette's hips, gently squeezing and pulling her closer and higher. He leaned in, putting his lips against hers as she leaned towards him.

Cause to hell with it: If Frederick Jacobi Dukes was going to die, he'd at least have it coming to him...

Yvette's eyes, which had been half-closed as she leaned in, flew open at the touch of Fred's lips on hers, her hand tightening on his arm. For a moment, it seemed she would pull away - then she closed her eyes again and kissed him back.

...He was supposed to be dead by now, wasn't he? It was a pretty nice heaven, if his head had exploded at some point. Instinctively, Freds' arms wrapped around Yvette's waist, and pulled her closer into the kiss.

This was different to when Kevin had kissed her. Very different. That had been almost like a fairy-tale, sweet and magical and so very chaste. This on the other hand... Yvette's heart beat faster and her skin hardened and spiked, responding to the emotional rush, armoured plating growing over her forehead and nose, her hair stiffening into deadly daggers.

With a gasp, she pulled back, eyes wide beneath the heavy plating. "Oh, no..."

Fred, shocked, let Yvette go. Far from terrified, his initial and lasting reaction was concern, "Wait. Yvette, are yah-? Yah, hey, it's...it's alright...Ah'm sorry, Ah was an ass...just...it's alright..."

"No, it is my fault." She pulled away from him, mortified at herself and frightened for Fred. She might have hurt him without even knowing it! "I-I should be going. I am sorry, Fred," she managed to choke out, and before he could do or say anything else, she was going, running for the front door and out into the woods.

Fred put his hand up to stop her, but Yvette was already gone...

***

...only to show back up in the garage, weeks later. Fred had tried to find her, speak to her since then, but he was a pretty easy guy to see coming, and Yvette was much quicker than he was. He was almost glad when he couldn't see her, but now here she was, and there was no question of what she wanted to talk about.

Fred exhaled smoke, trying to be interested in a spot if grease on the floor, "Ah, uh, haven't seen yah around in a bit, Copper Top..."

She scuffed the floor with a long toe. "Yes, I was avoiding you," she said softly. "I am sorry, Fred. But I was hoping we could talk now, if that is all right?"

Fred nodded at the ground a little, taking a drag off of his cigarette, "Course. Ah, uh..." he sighed out another plume of smoke, "What Ah mean is...uh..."

Fred rubbed his temples. His power was to teleport, right? Not to be ridiculously fat? No dice. He bit the inside of his mouth, and tried again, "Uh...what's on yah mind, Vette...?"

She took a deep breath, trying not to fidget too much. "It was wrong of me to run away like that," she said with a gulp. "But it was because I was... well, ashamed of myself. For changing like that. I do not want to be the monster and when I look like that..." She dropped her eyes to the floor. Apparently the grease spot was that fascinating.

Fred took a slow, small step forward. Yvette looked on edge, and apart from their shared fascination with his new favorite grease spot, she looked light she may think better of the conversation at any moment, "Ashamed? Monster? Vette...yah gotta be goddam kiddin me, right...?" his voice was humored as he tried to catch Yvette's eyes, taking another small step towards the girl...

She looked up as he moved, and gave him a small, wry smile. "Yes, I am the, how you say? Doofus? Dork? But I am sorry that my damages are giving you the trouble. It is not fair for you when I am being so weird."

Fred took another step forward at the word 'stupid', his face a little more serious. "Yah ain't bein stupid, or any of those things. An yah ain't bein weird," Fred held out his hand towards the smaller mutant, managing a small smile, "ah ain't anywhere near damaged, or troubled for that matter..."

'...The one way, the best way, I know how to deal with that is to be more human. Love more, enjoy more, throw yourself into everything that makes you a person and you you.' Logan's words rang in her memory as she looked at the offered hand. Slowly, she pulled off her glove and lay her bare hand in his. "Fred, I am liking you. And when you kissed me..." Her eyes glowed brightly and she ducked her head shyly for a moment. "I was wondering, if you are not busy, that perhaps you might like to do something? With me?"

Fred ginned a little, his larger hand closing tightly around the clawed hand, smiling a little at the warm sandpaper feeling he remembered. "Do something, huh?" he throw the cigarette aside, "Did yah have anything particular in mind...?"

"A movie perhaps? Maybe something with food?" Yvette cast around in her mind for things people did on... well, dates. Since that was just what she'd done, wasn't it? Asked Fred out on a date? "Or maybe there is something you would like to do?"

Fred had Yvette up and off the ground before she had finished the word 'do', his hands around her waits and lifting her. He stood there for a moment, grinning at her, before he finally spoke up, "A flick and some grub? Sounds like a plan tah me."

She had squeaked at the sudden change in altitude, and then laughed at his expression. "It is better than a plan. It is the date, yes?"

Fred laughed, putting Yvette back on the ground without moving them any further apart, "Yes, it is being the date."