The small crowds in the mall had begun to migrate towards the food courts. Kurt—who had been staring in amazement—had a small honest smile on his lips as he looked around, almost completely ignoring the looks of others who watched him in fear and disgust as he walked alongside Scott, Jubilee, and Jean. Kurt had heard Scott faintly mention something about going to eat, but he wasn't exactly listening, he was more interested in the building, the colours, and the people—even the ones who were looking at him, he didn't seem to take much notice of the horrified glances they sent his way.

"Kurt?" Jubilee asked, pulling him out of his daze.

"Ja?" His attention was brought to her.

"Do you want a burger?"

"Oh, ja." He smiled widely at her, nodding his head once.

Jubilee nodded back, going up to the counter with Scott, as he was trusted with the money, for some odd reason. Jean and Kurt moved to one of the small rounded tables in the food court. He continued to look around in awe, up until his gaze shifted to someone who was eating the chips off the tray, surrounded by a few of their friends. Kurt felt as if he had been struck by lightning, his heart raced, and his palms began to feel sweaty. It was you.

Before Scott and Jubilee had returned, Jean looked at Kurt weirdly before glancing, subtly, behind her, noticing you smiling at something one of your friends had said. She turned back to look at him. "Your thoughts are loud."

"What?" He didn't want to, but his eyes moved from you to Jean.

"Your thoughts, it's like your screaming."

"Oh, sorry," he mumbled, looking down at the table.

"Don't be."

As soon as he heard a laugh escape your lips again his head shot up, his eyes glued back to you. "What am I feeling?" He asked Jean.

"Go talk to them," she encouraged.

"I can't.

"Why not?"

"I've seen the way people look at me."

"Not everyone looks at you like that."

"Yeah, the mutants who understand what it's like to be different."

"You'll never know unless you try."

"What if, what if—Ja, what if we make a loud noise, then they look over and you can read their mind."

Jean shook her head. "I won't do that, Kurt."

"What? Why not?"

"Just go talk to them."

"What if they're scared of me?"

"Show them there's nothing to be scared of."

"What if they are disgusted and leave."

"They won't."

"What if—"

"That's a lot of what if's, buddy." Scott placed one of the trays on the table, sitting next to Jean with his arm over the back of her chair, playing with the ends of her hair.

"What's going on?" Jubilee asked as she set his burger out in front of him.

"Kurt has a crush." Jean smiled to herself, picking up her drink, playing with her straw.

"Jean," he whined, knowing Scott would have a field day with that information.

"Who?" Scott asked, looking around, non-discreetly.

"The one over by the wall," Jean told him.

"Oh," Scott mumbled as he turned back to look. Kurt panicked, looking between you and Scott, as he knew Scott was not one for being subtle. He worried that you would hear Scott and see him, not liking what you saw. "Go say hi." He looked back with a shrug. "Their friends are getting up, maybe you should go over, wouldn't kill you."

"It might," he mumbled.

"Kurt, there's nothing to worry about, you could always meet someone else."

"What if I don't want to?"

"If you don't want to then don't waste your chance with this one," Scott told him as he shoved the chips in his mouth.

"Okay." Kurt nodded, slowly standing up, his eyes already plastered on your figure.

"Are you going to go over or just stand there?" Scott raised an eyebrow.

Jean slapped his chest. "Give him time."

Kurt began to slowly make his way over; his tail was curled up towards him. He quickly tried to flatten his hair down as best as he could before fixing his red jacket. His hands shook as he got closer. You were sitting all alone now, he wasn't sure where your friends had gone, or for how long. There were whispers about him as he walked passed other people. He was terrified.

A shadow loomed over you and you froze, slowly turning your head to see the blue boy, shuffling awkwardly on his feet, seemingly breathing heavily as he forced out a small, quickly glancing back to a group by a different table—who were all watching before they realised you had seen them, they quickly turned back, trying to seem as normal as they could after being caught. You turned back to the boy.

"H-Hello," he spoke, barely above a whisper.

"Hi," you replied with a kind smile. "You okay?"

"Ja." He gulped.

"Did you want to sit?" You pointed to the chair next to you.

He looked at it, then back to you a few times before he pulled the chair out. "Ja." He nodded, sitting down nervously.

"You sure you're okay?" You placed a hand on his shoulder.

"J-Ja."

You smiled softly. "Okay." He smiled back, his white teeth showing as the corners of his lips tugged up. "You want some chips?" He nodded his head and you moved the tray between the two of you.

"Danke."

"You're welcome." You smiled again. "I haven't seen you around here much."

"My friends and I only really come here when we're able to."

"That makes sense."

"It does?"

"Yeah, I mean, mutants need to practice control, right? While still going to school." Kurt nodded. "So, I'm guessing most of your time is already taken up."

"Ja." He nodded again.

"Do you like it here?"

"The mall?" You nodded. "Ja. There's a lot to do here."

"Have you been to the arcade?"

"A few times." He shrugged. "I'm not very good."

"Maybe when you, you know, have time, we could go together? I could teach you how to play a few of the games there."

"Really?" His eyes widened as he looked at you.

"Yeah, I mean, if you don't mind of course."

"I don't mind."

"Great, it's a date." You nodded with a smile.

"It's a date." He nodded back, his own smile growing on his face as well.