Paper Training

Chicken Hawk

K and Kate had spent the last couple of hours prepping for the masquerade ball that Kate had pulled together. It was strangely advantageous that they'd been in the city for two weeks with the Avengers, since it made coordinating the party that much easier. But now, it was time to finish their preparations, and Kate was giddy with anticipation — for the time being anyhow. She was alternating between that and sheer terror at any given moment, if she was being honest with herself.

"Kate, I could use a hand," K called out from behind the dressing screen that she'd set up in Kate's room. The guys were using Logan's room, since Kate insisted that they needed to be surprised by the big reveal. And, you know, so Kate could get some other things ready as well.

Kate finished zipping K up, and the shorter woman took a moment to check the way her hair was pinned up as she put in the sparkling earrings and glanced up at Kate in the mirror. "What?" she asked when she saw the almost dreamy smile on her friend's face.

"I'm just in a great mood. You know. Because I was right. And this dress so needed to be seen. And you are going to make an enemy when you kill Logan dead," Kate said with a grin.

"What about you?" K said as she turned to face her and reached out to fiddle with Kate's hair. "Aren't you supposed to get changed? You didn't trick me into putting on an evening gown all by myself, did you?"

"No way; I just want to see the hug magnet's face when he sees you ..." She gestured at K with one hand and a broad grin. "...like this. So far from blue jeans and t-shirts."

K rolled her eyes but quickly put on a swipe of lipstick, then tried to laugh off Kate's obvious enthusiasm as there was a gentle knock at the door — that Kate answered.

"He's distracted," Logan said quietly to Kate. "You ready for this, kid?"

Kate glanced up at K — who looked as if she was still preoccupied with getting her makeup just right — and took a deep breath. She plastered on the huge smile she'd been wearing before with K and nodded. "Yes. I think so," she said. "Just don't ...worry about me. You have your own things to worry over." She took his arm and pulled him inside, though she didn't get him far before he stopped and gave K a slow once over with a growing smile.

"So subtle, Kate," K said as she made her way over to Logan. She opened her mouth to say something snarky, but it never got out before Logan simply kissed the sense out of her and swept her out of the room.

"See you downstairs; can't promise that we'll be dancin'," Logan said with a wink Kate's way, finally leaving her alone to gather her thoughts like Logan knew she needed to do.

Kate let out a breath and closed the door, leaning on it for a moment before she made her way back over to the dresser to steel herself.

She examined the ring one last time in its velvet case. It was a deep black Tungsten — it would look amazing on Kurt, especially with the white gold in the middle. Darkness with light at its center — it was just what she wanted for him.

Now if only she could just... give it to him.

She was supposed to be changing into her dress ... she'd insisted that Kurt couldn't spoil the surprise by peeking. So there was no worry of him seeing...

She slid the lid closed and put the box back in the drawer of the dresser, tucked behind her socks. So far, she'd managed to keep it hidden from all but one bamf, too — and thankfully, it was her little flirt, who saw the box, let out a string of giggles, and then held his finger to his lips with a significant look, though the little guy kept giving her this look ever since he'd found it, like he was waiting for her to get a move on.