❧ 003 [video]

[shadowblends]

[The video feed flickers to life, although there is currently nothing that is recognizable. Everything looks shadowed and tinted gray, like something is covering the TAB up.

A faint sound of footsteps, some other shuffling noises, then the camera shifts as the darkness is lifted away, revealing Kurt staring down at the device. Honestly, he looks a mess, clothes and hair disheveled, eyes rimmed red and bloodshot for some reason.

For the longest time, the cobalt-tinted mutant says nothing, simply stares blearily at the TAB, one hand still holding the blanket that'd been blocking the view before. Kurt opens his mouth, hesitates then sighs heavily, head dipping forward in defeat.] He's gone, [he whispers, barely audible, despite the fact it's eerily quiet, wherever he's at.

He releases the blanket without much care as to if the video is still going or not and the lightest footsteps can be heard retreating, but they don't disappear. Alternatively, there's a rather loud thud before the feed finally clicks off.

That was just Kurt, hitting the floor. Everything is totally fine. (No, it's not.)]

Comments

[video]

[im_a_leg]

Whoa, Kurt--

[This is absolutely not okay. Kurt looking this upset about stuff is not okay. Cue worried Hunk. Asking if he's okay is stupid for two reasons, one because he's clearly not and two because Kurt may actually try to insist that he is.]

Where are you right now?

audio;

[shadowblends]

[Too bad Kurt's a stubborn little blue.

A faint sound - something tipping over, perhaps? He crawls for the TAB and makes sure to switch it to audio before lying it next to his head.]

I'm fine, Hunk. [Except, he does not sound fine.]

[still video. SO YOU CAN SEE HIM FROWN.]

[im_a_leg]

Okay, yeah, also I was born yesterday and eat crayons. Dude, I can always just show up at the mansion. One way you get pancakes, the other way I get to awkwardly meet your housemates by promising that you totally know me.

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[gentlemenpreferblondes]

Way to be vague, blue boy.

audio;

[shadowblends]

You can't feel it?

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[gentlemenpreferblondes]

[frown.]

Feel what

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[promises_to_keep]

[Well. That's. Not good.]

Kurt? Kurt! [Lea of all people knows how crushing it can be to lose a friend, but Kurt apparently being unconscious is more his concern at the moment.] Talk to me, buddy. Where are you, do you need a hand?

audio;

[shadowblends]

[Thankfully, he's done the smart thing and put the TAB on audio while face-first on the floor with it next to his head.

Why are people so worried? He's fine, okay!] It's fine, Lea. I'm alright.

audio;

[promises_to_keep]

[Fine, he doesn't want faces, we can do no faces.]

You know, in my experience, the people who always say they're fine are the ones who rarely actually are. [pause.] I'm speaking from like... my own personal experience, here.

[He gives a sigh.]

Look, I'm not gonna push you to spill what all is on your mind--we dunno each other well enough for that yet--but... if you want some company...

Video

[prorenataa]

[ What in the ... ]

Because that didn't sound suspect.

Kurt?

audio;

[shadowblends]

Mmn, [is all he's able to grunt out at first, until the voice becomes more recognizable.

Shit, it's Adrien.]

Ja, I'm here.

video;

[dreamkid]

[ Matthew's never lost anyone here, so he doesn't really understand what's happened. But he knows enough to be concerned. ]

Kurt? [ And then, carefully-- ] What happened?

audio;

[shadowblends]

[And hopefully, Matthew won't have to lose anyone here; it's more than a little devastating.]

Matthew? [Regardless of having the TAB near his face, his voice still sounds far off and somewhat muffled.] Nothing, it's ... [A quivering breath.] It's nothing.

video;

[seeingscarlet]

Kurt? Kurt!

[Okay, Peter is really not on good terms with the crew at the mansion right now, but she can't be expected to just pretend she didn't see that. Kurt, at least, doesn't seem capable of malice.]

audio;

[shadowblends]

[Shuffle, shuffle, thump. Never fear, Wanda, that's just Kurt trying to move around.]

... Wanda?

action;

[greyate]

[ Jean is actually in the process of packing what she has into bags. Her room is a disaster thanks to her emotions and she can't stay here. Peter hates her and Charles is gone and she just... doesn't feel like she can take another hit. She needs to get away from this place. Just for a while. Or maybe forever. Planet hop and find a way home.

But then she gets a beep for a post. It only does that noise when someone she knows is posting to the Network. She looks at her TAB and her eyes well with tears again. She sniffs a few times before she feels composed enough to leave the room. She knows where he is but Jean still stops outside his door and gives a soft knock before speaking to him mentally: ]

Kurt. Can I come in?

[ She doesn't trust her own voice right now. ]

action;

[shadowblends]

[Perhaps, if Kurt had paid better attention, not worried so much about what he was doing outside of the mansion, he'd know more about why Jean is planning on leaving and why Peter'd taken off one day without a word, but he's got no idea about any of that.

Right now, all he knows is that Charles - their mentor, one of their guardians, their friend - is gone and it hurts to think about it. His enhanced hearing can pick up on the footsteps before she knocks, but it's the telepathic voice ringing in his mind that finally demands he drag himself up off the floor, make himself presentable for Jean.

He has to be strong and not selfishly so.]

Please, [he responds through the link, pulling himself up onto the edge of his bed with shaking hands. That's all that he can manage for the moment, though.]

voice;

[brokeassgoing]

You better not have just fucking fainted in the bathroom, kid.

voice;

[shadowblends]

No, Badou. The bathroom is clear, so I won't interfere with any reason you may need it.

Video;

[takeitslow]

[Peter hasn't exactly been talking to anyone in the house the past couple of weeks, content to ignore everyone from home in a bizarre punishment for not telling him the truth. But Kurt hadn't been at the center of Peter's anger and he's not going to ignore someone that sounds that upset. At least not until he knows someone else has it covered.]

Where are hiding Kurt?

audio;

[shadowblends]

[Of all the people to respond to this, Peter is the last person he's expecting, so pardon the slight surprise in his voice when he sees the speedster on his screen.]

P-Peter? I-- [a pause, his breath catching in his chest then releasing in a hiss. Was that a wince?] I'm not h-hiding.

text;

[culver]

Kurt??

text;

[shadowblends]

[Oh, no, Nill. Can he pull himself together enough for a text?]

yes, nill?

[Absolutely.]

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[heisenbitch]

[ Incoming video call chiming on Kurt's TAB. Whenever the call is answered, there's a somewhat wide-eyed, kinda worried looking Jesse on the other end. ]

Uhhhh, yo? Kid?

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[shadowblends]

[The insistent jangling of the TAB is enough to rouse Kurt from his slumped position on the floor; he reaches for the device and flicks it on, unconcerned with the fact that he's on video, even when he draws his head up to rest his chin on the floor so he can see Jesse on the screen.

Oh, damn, another person he's distressed with his impromptu fall. At least he has the decency to look humiliated this time.]

... hi, Jesse.