Log: Jubilee and Kurt

[x-jubilee.livejournal.com]

Jubilee and Kurt discuss their relationship, and movies the night before she has to go to China for an important meeting.



Jubilee ran her fingers through Kurt's hair, stroking the tip of one pointed ear as she read through the email on her phone.

Quiet moments like this were what she missed when she had to be off on a job.

"I am not looking forward to China."

It wasn't just that her family had disowned her and now refused to speak to her. It certainly wasn't the danger of going to a place where you had a criminal record, she was enough of a ghost that her identity was secure.

It was mostly just the feeling of alienation. Her American accent always marked her as a foreigner, and despite training she still hadn't managed to banish it entirely.

Business was business though, and they needed this contact to feel like they were being taken seriously. Which meant a personal visit to show she was serious, and that she wasn't some wet behind the ears rookie.

He sat up and looked at her, concern in his eyes.

"I would offer to go with you, but I think you will say no. Not for a business trip."

"I might have taken you up on that, if it weren't a business trip."

Jubilee leaned down and kissed his forehead before resting back against the headboard of her bed. She was tired, the last few months had been full of travel and a little more excitement then even she wanted but it wouldn't be much longer till she could slow down again.

It wouldn't last, there were always places in the world that needed them, and there was the excitement that came with living in New York and being associated with the mansion on top of their normal day to day axe-crazy associations.

"Tell me about your day, what you've been doing?"

"Ah, well - today being a weekend, there was no teaching. I had some practice in the gym, walked Triscuit twice, did some reading... and then came over here to you."

There was a quiet yip of acknowledgment from the other room, at the sound of the dog's name.

"Sounds like a good day."

Jubilee curled her fingers through the hair at the nape of his neck, letting them rest there as she sorted through a few more urgent emails on her phone.

She tapped out a short reply to Amanda, telling her she'd check out the website tomorrow before shutting her phone off and placing it on a bedside table.

"What do you want to do tonight?"

"You know I never mind what we do, mein herz", he said, amused, twining his fingers through her free hand. "And do not come up with many very original ideas. We could go to dinner."

"You're selling yourself short, Fuzzy. I always love your ideas. Besides, it's nice not having to make the calls sometimes, but you know what that's like. How 'bout we watch Pacific Rim? I'll make the popcorn?"

Jubilee didn't really want to go out, much prefering to have Kurt to herself and without the image inducer for the night. Most of the time she chose things for them to do that would allow him to go without it.

She had enough of playing image games in her professional life, her personal was as honest as she could make it without compromising herself or her team.

"Then Pacific Rim and popcorn it shall be." He smiled. "I shall find the DVD while you are doing that."

He didn't really like the image inducer himself, wearing it only when he had to - but sometimes it was necessary to guarantee a peaceful night out.

***

Jubilee hummed happily as she consumed another handful of popcorn and snuggled in closer to Kurt's warmth, the days had started to turn colder again and she'd never particularly been a fan of more frigid temperatures.

"So, that was fun."

"It was", he agreed, settling his arm comfortably around her waist and letting her have most of the popcorn. "I do rather enjoy kaiju movies."

"Watching imaginary monsters get done in by heroes is kinda relaxing when you've gotta deal with the two legged kind on an almost daily basis."

Jubilee knew the only thing that stood between her and such designations were the reasons she did what she did but she also wasn't blind to know that didn't count for much at the end of the day.

Still, it was the knowledge that she tried that mattered, that she didn't kill on a whim ever and that any cold equation she might make was done with the greater good in mind, no matter how cold that comfort.

"I love you, you know."

The silence at that was a little startled - but only because it was the first time she'd said it, and the happiness and love in Kurt's eyes as he looked at her were unmistakable.

"I do now. I love you too."

"Is it such a shock?"

Jubilee had noticed the silence before he answered, and the slightly startled look in his eyes. The last time she'd told someone she loved them, it hadn't gone quite so well, and she was still feeling a little gun-shy.

"Not a shock", he said quickly, "and most certainly not unwelcome. Say... a little unexpected, as I was not allowing myself to expect it until you were ready."

"It's felt right for a little while, I just didn't want to make it awkward."

Jubilee smiled wryly, as she supposed awkward was the least of their worries in this relationship. If neither of them faced life threatening situations in a month, they considered it a good one.

"Not awkward at all, mein herz." His arms slipped warmly around her, holding her close. "I am glad it feels right and comfortable - and for me, too, nothing but that. You know, it is the first time anyone has said it to me, meant in that way."

"Really?"

Jubilee blinked up at her boyfriend from the warm circle of his arm, pushing herself a way a little to better see him, and for him to see the look of incredulousness in her eyes.

"You've been with people before though..."

I have", he agreed, "but Wanda I think did not want that sort of commitment - indeed, she told me as much, and I would never have had her say what she did not feel. And Monet... well."

"But did you love them?"

She wasn't the type of person to be jealous of anyone's past relationships, but she was curious, and she didn't believe in hiding that curiosity, especially not from Kurt. She settled back down against him again, tucking herself into the circle of his arms.

"It's okay if you did, I'm just curious."

"Wanda, I was beginning to", he told her honestly, holding her close, "but she saw that and put an end to things before it could go too far and cause anyone unavoidable pain. And Monet, I did once."

"It's hard to love people, only to have them leave or not live up to what you originally thought of them. It's taken me a long time to realise that just because it hurts when things end, doesn't mean I should never try again."

Jubilee paused with a sigh, and leaned up to kiss his chin before curling herself back against him. She enjoyed the warmth of his body, especially when her own ability to regulate temperature was somewhat sabotaged by her inability to keep on a lot of weight.

"I'm glad you had other people to love in your life, even if it didn't end so well."

He ran his fingers gently through her hair, nodding.

"As am I, for you. And I promise you that whatever happens, I will never lie to you."

"Lying is boring anyway, I'd always know and the truth is way more fun."

Jubilee grinned at him impishly as she tangled her hands in his hair and pulled him down for a kiss.

"I'm told love sex is awesome, wanna go try it out?"

He laughed warmly and kissed her again.

"I think we should, yes."