Burning Up
an X-Men story
by Niki
While the air inside the school was a burning 96 degrees, the air outside was a sultry 95 degrees, with a cool breeze blowing. And, that's where everybody was. Classes were being held outside and even most of the people in the infirmary had been brought outside to cool down. However, not everybody was outside.
Logan and Bobby were working on the furnace to try to determine what the heat, instead of the AC, kicked on. Hank was also inside, since there were several patients too sick to be moved. But, this heat was not helping them, at all. It wasn't helping Hank either. Being 6'3" and covered with blue fur, the heat was getting unbearable.
Overheated, tired and dizzy, Hank opened some of his research books and began to highlight passages that he wanted to use in his next journal article. A wave of nausea hit him and he closed his eyes. He knew all he had to do was click his comm. Link and Bobby would come over and cool him down – just as he had been doing for the patients. But, Hank preferred the AC getting fixed, to a quick fix now.
Suddenly, there was a op and the smell of sulfur ticked Hanks' nose. "Hachiff!" He took up his handkerchief and wiped his nose. "Good afternoon, Kurt."
"Gutentag, Hank. And Geusuentit."
"Thank you." The smell of sulfur was still in the air, and Hank felt another sneeze coming on. He was sure he could repress it. "What can I do for you?"
"Tis not a matter of what you can do for me. But, a matter of what I do for you." Kurt took 3 ice packs out of his pockets – 2 for the patients and one for Hank. "Storm and I felt you may be a little one in here."
The tickle in his nose had turned to an itch. "Thank you," Hank said slowly. He was no longer sure if he could keep the sneeze at bay.
"Tis nothing. I'll go give these to ze patients." And, with that kurt popped into the next room.
Now Hank knew he couldn't control it. "He-ACH-Chiff! Hitc- ACHOO! Ti-Ack-choo! I-eh-ACHOO!" Another wave of dizziness hit him so hard he sunk to the floor. The world looked as though he were underwater and spun like a merry-go-round. Hank closed his eyes tightly and prayed for the ride to stop.
Kurt popped back in. The new sulfur plugged up his nose, but with that came a whole new barrage of sneezes. "Isshoo! Asshoo! Tisshoo! Acksshoo! Tisshoo! A-A-Asshoo!" The pressure released and he gratefully took the handkerchief Kurt was handing to him. "Geusuentit, Hank. You don't sound very well."
Still unable to open his eyes, Hank replied, "I don't feel very well either." He felt a thin, gentle hand brush aside his fur and cold fingertips brush his skin. "Hank, you're burning up."
"Between the heat and the fur that's no surprise."
"Yea, but moreso. Are you able to stand?"
"Maybe, but only for a very shot time."
"No, don't." Kurt knelt down beside Hank. "Just close your eyes and don't move," he said, as he put his hands on Hanks shoulders.
The smell of sulfur was overpowering, but only for a moment.
When Hank opened his eyes, he was outside. He still felt like he was burning up, but the sulfur smell had disappeared and a breeze was blowing. Almost immediately, Hank started to shiver. "Kurt, it's cold."
Kurt looked alarmed. "Can you not feel the heat of the sun?"
"N-n-kisshoo! Kerchoo! Ackshoo! No," Hank replied, still shivering.
"And the cool breeze – it does not feel good?"
As Hank went to answer, he felt his stomach drop out. He turned away from Kurt and retched. He was aware that he was surrounded by people, but he was so disoriented that he didn't care. As he got sick, he felt Kurts' hands strong his back. "Rest, now. I'll go get ze Professor."
Hank put a hand on Kurts' tail, and shook his head. If he had to be vulnerable that was one thing. But he would be alone too. "Send someone else."
Kurt felt through the fur again. Hank was just as hot outside as he was inside. He looked around and saw 2 boys playing Frisbee. He popped out, caught the Frisbee mi-air and popped back to Hank. The boys came running right over.
"Hey! What'd you do that for?" the bigger of the two boys demanded.
Kurt handed him the Frisbee. "I need your help. I need Professor Xavier and a bottle of cold water."
"And what if we don't want to?" the boy answered back.
"Yea, what if we don't want to?" the other boy asked
"I need him here," Hank interjected quietly.
The two boys looked down. "Oh, gee, Hank. I'm sorry, we didn't see you." The two boys started running in opposite directions to help out.
"Glad you were here. I don't have such a way with children."
"Not as glad as I am that you are here," Hank replied, stroking Kurts' tail.
Kurt smiled and sat down next to Hank, creating wind-ways in his fur until the Professor arrived.
Not mine, don't sue. Not making money, just sharing the scenarios I think up.