xp_logs | Kurt and Madelyn, backdated

He finds her in the gym and gives her her Christmas present.

On his return from Germany, almost the first thing Kurt did was go looking for Maddie, to talk to her about how it had gone. After checking the medlab and getting no answer at her suite, he went to check the gym - and, for fun, decided to teleport directly onto his trapeze rather than walking.

Madelyn was working the heavy bag, as was her wont. Not to work off frustration and stress this time, just her usual workout. It didn't pay to get out of shape around the school, and training with Alison had shown her she was getting seriously out of shape. She'd been there about an hour and a half, her tank top ringed with sweat around the neck, back and under the arms, hair braided back since it insisted on getting in the way. Intent on the punch-kick combination she was working through, she didn't even notice the tell-tale 'bamf' of displaced air and smell of brimstone that heralded Kurt's arrival. Besides, she had the CD player turned up fairly loud, remix versions of various 80s songs blaring.

He didn't like to disturb her at first, so just went about his own practice for a little while. He was hanging upside down from the trapeze by his feet and tail when she finally noticed he was there.

Movement caught the corner of her eye and she looked up to see Kurt swinging from the trapeze like he'd been born there. "Kurt!" she exclaimed with a welcoming smile. "I didn't hear you come in! When did you get back?" She moved to turn off the music so they could actually have a conversation. "And how'd it go?"

"It went well, I think", he answered with a smile in return. "Much better than I feared. I got back earlier today."

"That's good to hear. Very good," she replied, reaching for her towel to wipe the worst of the sweat away. "Want to come down? It's weird talking to you upside down like that - I keep getting this urge to stand on my head."

He chuckled and teleported to the floor. "Of course. Is this better?"

"Much," she said, grinning. "I'd give you a welcome home hug, but gah, sweaty. So Amanda accepted your family as hers, and vice versa?"

"And that they did not sell her, yes. I do not know how much more time she will be spending there, but at least now she knows us for who we are, a little."

"That must be a huge load off your mind," she said, giving his upper arm a pat in lieu of the hug. "I'm really glad for you." She turned and grabbed her water bottle from the floor, taking a deep swallow. "It's been so quiet around here - relatively - that I thought I'd work on getting back into shape. Too much Christmas cheer and all the rest of it."

He nodded. "Yes, I have noticed the quiet when I have been here. It was strange, the place being so empty..."

"Not for long - classes have started so we'll be inundated with all the teenage dramas again," Madelyn said with a small snort. "So I hope you enjoyed the break while you had it."

"Oh, it was very nice, yes", he assured her with a smile. "I do not get to go back to Germany as often as I would like, it being out of my range."

"You should talk to Clarice - if she can make it to Muir Island from here, I think she can make it to Germany." Madelyn chuckled a little. "I can't help but wonder if the lack of geography actually works in her favour - she has no concept of distance, so it doesn't seem to bother her. She honestly didn't see a difference between Montana and Scotland, distance-wise."

Kurt nodded. "I have been working with her on her power, a little, but there is only so much I can help when her range outstrips mine by so much. I could reach Scotland from here, but it would take me many jumps and I would be exhausted on arrival. And it would certainly not be safe to try."

"Then not trying is a good thing," said Madelyn with a grin. "Well, I should hit the showers before I go back on duty..."

Kurt nodded, then stopped short. "Wait. I have a present for you, upstairs. I will be right back."

"Present? What...?" Madelyn began to ask, but ended up talking to a cloud of smoke as Kurt teleported, only to return a few moments later. "You didn't have to get me anything, Kurt," she finished, for some unaccountable reason blushing slightly.

"I wanted to. You brought me something", he returned, holding out the small box in his hand. "Here."

"Thank you," she said sincerely, opening the box. Inside was a small silver cross, on a chain. "Oh, Kurt," she breathed, "This is lovely. But I can't wear it... the chain will get broken and I'd hate to lose it." She was referring to the difficulty working in emergency rooms and the Bureau - she'd had several chains broken over the years by flailing patients and rough arrests.

He shook his head. "It will not. It is titanium. No one short of, perhaps, Piotr could break this."

"You think of everything," she told him, pleased he'd remembered. The subject of faith had come up over one of their dinners, and she'd told him the story. She must have sounded wistful - certainly she had always regretted the loss of the cross her parents had given her for Confirmation. "In that case then, I'll never take it off. You are a wonderful, thoughtful man, and I love it." She was still sweaty, so instead of hugging him she leaned over and quickly kissed his cheek. "Help me put it on?" she asked, lifting the cross out of the box and holding it out to him, half-turning and moving aside her braid.

Kurt nodded, swallowing very slightly as he moved round and took the cross, before doing as she'd asked. He couldn't help his fingers brushing her neck as he fastened the clasp.

She shivered slightly at the feather-light touch - she was horribly ticklish around the neck - but held still until he was done. The chain was thoughtfully short as well, to reduce the risk of catching on things, and she looked down at the cross lying below the hollow of her throat with a pleased smile, before looking up at him. "It's beautiful, Kurt. Perfect. Possibly one of the nicest presents anyone has ever given me." She didn't miss the blush, even with the blue skin - Kurt tended towards a shade of indigo when he was embarrassed, and she smiled again, thinking her praise was making him react that way. "Now we're both back under the same roof, we should do dinner again sometime. It's been a while."

"I am glad you like it. And yes, it has", he agreed. "How does Saturday sound for you?"

"Saturday?" Madelyn considered it, and then shook her head. "I'm sorry Kurt, I can't - I'm going to this dinner with Hank. Cream of the scientific community crop, lots of champagne, formal wear, the whole enchilada. Maybe during the week after?"

Kurt looked a little disappointed, but nodded. "Of course. What night is best? I am free all week, I think..."

"I'll get back to you - I have to check the medlab rosters and my class times - I promised an open Q&A session with my Anatomy class sometime this week." Wrinkling her nose at the clammy sensation of her sweaty tank top, she patted Kurt's arm again. "And I really need that shower before I stiffen up and I'm hobbling around like an old lady at this thing on Saturday. Thank you again for my Christmas present, Kurt. I really do love it."

He smiled. "I am glad. I will see you soon."