Chapter 37 – Food for Thought.

  “His strategy worked. I didn’t think it would, but it seems our Kurt knows a thing or two about how some people react to certain situations.” - Val to Jay in a report about team dynamics.

  Kurt stepped in the room and closed the door. He had to avoid the tangle of limbs that was Val comforting the sobbing dragon girl on the bench near the entrance. He noted that there was a bathroom directly to his right and a closet next to that. Further in the room he saw a bed, dresser and desk but not much else.

  Deciding to give the girls some space rather than standing awkwardly in the entry way, he stepped further into the room. The furniture was simple and rugged, simir to dorm furniture. Lots in the way of wood and little in the way of styling, preferring cut outs or lips on drawer fronts instead of a knob that could break. It reminded him of the barracks that he was in at one point.

  He also noted that the room was rather spartan. Other than a ptop on the desk, there wasn’t much else that was out and about. He did do a little looking around and besides some basic utensils on the microwave and fridge, the only other thing that was out was something he recognized.

  Sitting in the middle of Kristi’s dresser, right next to the desk, was a little dispy. On a stand, made of a gnarled branch of a cherry tree, was a thin, eight-inch-long and four-inch-wide piece of native Michigan copper. She had seen it in one of the trinket shops on their trip to the commons and became entranced with the twisting green and red metal.

  Kurt asked if she wanted it and then had asked her again since she didn’t quite catch his first question. She had said no that she didn’t need it, but Kurt had a feeling and followed his gut. He had bought the piece for her, giving it to her as a little gift to remember the trip.

  Apparently, that gesture had really meant something because it was the only thing that was on dispy in her room. It was also pced in a location that she could see from any point except perhaps the bathroom. He smiled, happy that she liked the little trinket. He then noticed the crying had turned to talking and tuned in to the now slightly calmer Kristi.

  “I don’t think I can keep doing this.” She said, dabbing at her eyes with a tissue. “After the agent thing didn’t work, I tried the teams, hoping for better but it’s the same.”

  “Hey, hey.” Val was rubbing her arm. “It’s going to be OK.”

  “How? How is it going to be ok? I can’t just keep bouncing around from team to team every month for the rest of my life.” Her voice had some anger, but it was more of frustration than being directed at anyone in particur.

  Kristi just continued her rant. “Where am I supposed to go? If the order won’t take me, I can’t go home, I can’t just walk into some random city and find a job. Who would want me around.” Her voice was raised at the end.

  “I do.” Kurt said causing her to look up as he crossed his arms over his chest and looked down at her. “I want you around. Val wants you around. God fucking damn it, I can probably find a dozen people that want you around and want you to be happy.”

  “But...”

  “No. Since you are having a hard time, I am going to make this easy.” Kurt cut her off. “Stand up.” She stood. “Go pack a bag for the weekend. A few changes of clothes, work clothes too. Come on, let’s go.” Kurt cpped his hands. “Hygiene kit, phone, charger, whatever you need.”

  “Kurt…” Val used a less than friendly warning tone.

  He just gave her a look to cool it. “Come on, we have dinner pns and I need to get things ready.” He opened the closet and saw that the clothes she had bought were also dispyed prominently, hung as outfits. He grabbed a duffel bag from the bottom of the closet and handed it to Val. “You can help.”

  Val fttened her ears to her head and opened her mouth to give him a piece of her mind but then noticed something. Kristi was actually packing. She wasn’t just going through the motions either but thoughtfully pulling out clothes and stacking them. Grumbling a little, she passed the bag to Kristi before going to pack her toiletries.

  Fifteen minutes ter, they were walking down the corridors headed for Penny’s office. Kristi had started to go sullen again, but Kurt engaged her in conversation. Asking if she liked chili, or if he should make something else. He kept the conversation moving, bouncing from topic to topic and eventually getting into a heated argument about a certain company remaking cssic children’s films into live action.

  Half an hour ter, they stepped through the portal and were back at the house, sun still up but the day getting te. Kurt started mumbling about his chili burning after gncing at his watch and hustled to the house.

  When they got inside, Kristi paused and took a deep sniff. Val followed suit and eventually they both sniffed their way over to where Kurt was stirring the crockpot on the counter. He was stirring the steaming mixture, seeming to be feeling for something with his spoon.

  “This is chili?” Kristi asked.

  Kurt, seemingly satisfied with his stirring pulled the spoon out and held it for her. “Take a taste.” Kristi leaned forward and hesitantly licked the still hot spoon. “It’s made with venison rather than beef since its much leaner and I don’t want a fat yer. Only thing is, I need to brine the meat before putting it through a grinder otherwise it’s too gamey.”

  Val tasted the other side of the spoon. She hummed appreciatively looking to Kristi who’s eyes had gone wide. It would seem that their guest liked the spicy mix since she tried to dip a finger back in the pot but got her hand spped in the attempt.

  “Ah-ah. Go put your things away.” Kurt said and put the lid back on the pot. “Then I need to know what toppings you guys like.”

  Kristi grumbled about it not being fair and snatched up her bag before headed for the guest room. Val on the other hand, did managed to take a second taste and smacked her lips in appreciation.

  “What’s your game here?” She asked as Kurt began grating cheese into a bowl.

  He looked up and smiled. “She needs to stay moving for a while. Get up and out of the funk. She can have a little sit and sulk before dinner if she needs to but otherwise, she should keep occupied.”

  Giving him the side eye, Val pressed on. “And this helps?”

  Once more nodding and moving to put a pot on the stove, he decided to give some context. “Val, some people need to cry and be alone, others need to piss and moan to someone sympathetic. I saw in her reactions that she needed to take her mind off it for a minute otherwise she would spiral.”

  Val wanted to press for more but Kristi came back into the room and Kurt greeted her. “Hey, grab a knife and cutting board. I need some white and green onion chopped. Val, can you make sure we have sour cream in the fridge? I can’t remember if it’s in here or the garage.”

  “Yes, ‘chef’.” Val teased while turning away. She got a swat on the butt from a wooden spatu and scampered out of the way, ughing.

  They worked on prepping the toppings for a while as Kurt made some rice. He liked his as more of a topping over pasta or simir carb base than as a soup. Eventually he told the girls that he could handle the rest and they moved off. Val went to do… something, being coy about it. Kristi went and sat on the porch, looking out over the field alongside the house.

  Kurt finished the prep and then decided to go check in on Kristi. He walked outside, headed her way and saw her sitting with her eyes closed, head leaning back. He turned around and began to head back inside to not disturb her when he felt a hand brush his.

  “Hey, um.” Kristi began then took her hand away. “Thanks.”

  “No problem.” Kurt replied, not having to ask what she meant.

  “Sit for a while?”

  Kurt took the chair next to hers, leaning back and not saying a word. They sat that way for a few minutes, listening to the birds and insects while watching the shadows lengthen across the grass. After a while, Kristi was the first to break the silence.

  “Can I… that is if its…” she started and stopped.

  “Want to stay for a while?” Kurt asked and she nodded.

  Kristi was just staring out into nothing as she talked. “I really appreciate what you did. You didn’t have to help me out like this and I… I would understand if you said no to me hanging around.” She gnced at him, but he was also just looking off into space.

  She continued. “I know what you and Val have, and I don’t want to intrude. I am happy for her, she needed someone… um… well, like you.”

  “And what do you want?” Kurt asked.

  “I don’t know yet.” Kristi admitted after a few quiet moments. “I don’t know what I need but I know what I want. I just wa…”

  Kurt held up his hand. “Don’t. Just keep it to yourself until Sunday.” He could see hurt in her eyes as she looked at him. “Can you trust me on this?” she nodded, taking a deep breath and letting it out. “Then just wait till Sunday. I won’t ask and I don’t expect you to talk about it. Just take the next couple days to get right in your own head and let things settle.”

  He reached out his hand and patter her arm. She flinched initially but then turned her hand over and took his. They sat for another minute. Neither one moving or talking, just holding hands and watching the world go by.

  Eventually Kurt had to disturb the peace. “I am going to go get cleaned up. You take as long as you need. Okay?” she nodded, and he left her in peace.

  When he got back inside, Val was sitting at the kitchen isnd staring at him. It was that squinty, happy smile she did but made all the more pronounced as she rested her chin in her cupped hands, elbows propping them up on the counter. “What?” he asked, wondering why she was suddenly happy.

  She stood up and held out her arms in a hug motion which he stepped into. “That was very nice of you.” She said in his ear, barely whispering. “I think you are right, and she needs some time to work through things in little bits and pieces.”

  “Thanks, I am really trying to be nice, and she deserves a little extra support.”

  She rubbed her face into his neck and shoulder, slightly tightening the hug. “Oh, you have been a very nice boy. So nice to me and my friends.” She pulled away and gave him a kiss and a wink.

  Kurt chuckled and moved off to get food set out. It was a good thing since the sound of tires on gravel could be heard a moment ter. He looked out the window and saw a familiar Subaru pulling in. The familiar oddball couple got out and this time, Na grabbed her hookah before coming in.

  Alec and Na came up the stairs and Val greeted them at the door, inviting them inside where they said hello to Kurt. “Feels like it was just a minute ago that we were here.” Alec said and cpped Kurt on the arm. He then moved off to put his case of beer in the fridge while Na took his pce.

  “Nice to see you.” She said and gave him a hug. “But, um…” she looked around and lowered her voice. “Why is there a strange woman softly crying on your porch?” she whispered.

  Val joined in on the hushed conversation. “She was going through a hard time, and we invited her to join us to get away for a weekend.” Val said. “She’s a friend of ours.” She used a little inflection on the word ‘friend’.

  Both their guests just nodded in understanding like a couple bobble heads. They chatted for a couple minutes while they got settled. Kristi ended up coming back inside shortly after and introducing herself. Na’s eyes immediately locked onto the neckce that she was wearing, likely being on the lookout for enchanted items around Kurt.

  “May I ask about your neckce?”

  Kristi looked startled at the sudden question then hesitantly answered. “What do you want to know?” she looked a little nervous at the sudden line of inquiry.

  “Well, where did you buy it? And what does it do?” Na asked and ughed a little. “My family is always into that sort of thing, so I am naturally curious.”

  Looking to Kurt for help, Kristi saw him give her a thumbs up and mouth ‘jinn’ while pointing to Na. “Ah, well Kurt made it for me.” She said and fingered the pendant. “It was his way of helping me fit in.”

  Na shot Kurt a look then returned her focus to Kristi. “And what does it do?”

  “This.” Kristi said and deactivated the enchantment. Her scales emerged from her skin, running up her arms, neck and face. “I can’t hide them myself, so he made something to help me.” She then reactivated the enchantment and left Na stunned to the point her mouth hung open for a second.

  “How fast do you enchant things?” she asked and turned to him.

  Kurt shrugged. “Eh, as fast as I need to. Now, let’s eat.” With that, they dug in.

  Kristi tried her chili a few ways, noting that both Kurt and Alec put theirs over the rice and making references to something called chili-mac. She found it to be nice but thought it might be better over a pasta. Then she tried the way Na had it with a bit of corn bread sitting in the middle of the bowl. She liked the mix of sweet and spicy and definitely preferred that to how Val topped hers with everything they had prepped earlier that day.

  She chatted with Na about a few things but found that she preferred talking to Alec, grilling him about working in a gun store which led to Kurt telling of the adventures they had earlier that day. After promising to let Alec bum a crate of ‘the good stuff’ They began bussing the table after everyone had eaten their fill.

  Same as st time, they made drinks and retired to the couches with Na setting up the hookah. Kristi was delighted by the contraption and, though she preferred the cigars Kurt got, she liked the social aspect of it.

  Alec and Na didn’t stay too te that night. They both had pns the next morning and didn’t want to be too sleep deprived. They headed out, leaving them with a lot of extra beer and promises of more get togethers in the future.

  “So, what now?” Kurt asked as he closed and started the dishwasher. He looked to Val and Kristi who were putting away leftovers.

  “How about pajamas and movies?” Val offered and got wholehearted support for the idea.

  After they changed, Kurt having to dodge some grabby hands from Val while he was only in boxers, they retired to the basement. In a not surprising twist, Val snuggled up to Kurt as he hit py on the movie. In a very surprising twist, Kristi took the other side, making a Kurt sandwich.

  To be fair, it was partly Val’s doing since she had pushed him to the middle and left Kristi just looking at them. When she went to sit in the chair, Val had told her to grab some shoulder and snuggle. The hesitation on her face was rather amusing as she tried to make up her mind.

  Eventually she caved and plopped down next to Kurt and leaned in. She had to admit it was pretty nice and wouldn’t mind more close contact with people. She tried to focus on the movie, but her mind wandered occasionally, thinking of what she would do and what she wanted to do. Not long after, the movie ended, and it was decred that bed was the next step.

  On the way up the stairs, Val asked a lot of questions, not understanding a few of the references the movie made and the multiple fourth wall breaks. Kurt did his best to expin the comic franchise turned movies as they walked. He failed.

  Kristi eventually split, going to the guest room while Kurt and Val went to theirs. She did have to politely reject Val’s offer to ‘tuck her in’, seeing the kitsune was being a little too pyful at the moment. She climbed into bed feeling refreshed, not full of energy but mentally more at ease. She drifted off to sleep without even noticing what was happening in the room across the hall.

  The next morning, after bumping into a strangely embarrassed Kurt, Kristi just followed along as her hosts went about their day. Kurt had them into work clothes first thing in the morning and they were out cutting more wood.

  It was simpler this time with a third person, Kurt and Kristi split the logs and Val stacked the in the trailer. They managed to do another pile before stopping for the day. It was fortunate timing since Mark and Hailey showed up with a truck and trailer to start on the breeze way.

  Having an opportunity to learn something, Kristi and Val both jumped on the chance to help with the framing efforts. With guidance from Mark, the five of them quickly had the stud walls up and trusses standing on top. Kurt did think Mark took little too much satisfaction in demolishing part of the decking and cutting a hole in the outer wall of the house.

  “I can’t believe we got the sheeting on.” Mark said as he sat on the porch steps drinking a beer. “Figured we might get shingles up, but this is far beyond my expectations.”

  Hailey chimed in with her thoughts. “Yeah well, we had more help than we normally get.” She looked to Kristi. “Some that took a little too much joy in using a circur saw.”

  Kristi blushed and busied herself with drinking her beer. She had to admit Alec had decent taste in the stuff. Kurt butted in, saving her from the situation. “Are you going to be back tomorrow? I can get electrical roughed in from my breaker in the garage.”

  Mark shrugged and stood up, stretching as he did. “If you find it in your heart to do so then far be it from me to stop you.” He pulled Hailey up to stand next to him. “We will be by some time after breakfast tomorrow. See if we can get the interior finished up too.”

  Kurt waved as they climbed back into the truck. They left the trailer with the materials, not wanting to unload it just yet, since they might have extra to put back on. Kurt and the girls got up and they helped him mark and run electrical through the studs, remembering to run a line down to where the baseboard heaters would be installed.

  With wiring done, Kurt called it a day and they polished off some leftovers in a te dinner. Everyone cycled through the shower before just deciding it was better to go to bed a little early than waiting for a specific time. Kristi also knew that next day included a deadline but couldn’t quite bring herself to worry about it between being tired and Kurt asking her to just trust him.