6692/The Russian And The Kat

The Russian And The Kat
Date of Scene:	27 February 2019
Location:	Piotr's Room - Xavier's School
Synopsis:	Piotr and Kitty are reunited after a year apart, and part as friends
Cast of Characters:	Colossus, Shadowcat

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Colossus has posed:
Piotr has been back at the School for a few days now. Next week he is supposed to get back to teaching art classes and back into his training regiment with the team, but for now he is still settling in. He has spent a lot of his time out in the gardens, returning to his old hobbies of maintaining the grass and flowers and similar. Now, though, he is simply relaxing.

The door to his room is open, as he has rarely ever been one to crave tons of privacy. The big man is dressed in gym shorts and a sleeveless shirt, showing that he is planning on going for a run or something in a bit. He sits on the edge of his bed, peering out the window at the students below, lost in thought.

Shadowcat has posed:
Kitty had been meaning to come by Piotr's room long before now. Since Rogue dropped the information that he was back at the school. Though events seemed to conspire against her. First an injured friend she was away from the school to nurse. Then the mission to Gotham to monitor the FoH rally, which ended with the X-men having to fight a pair of Sentinels. And since, she has been working analyzing data from the head of one of the Sentinels that was recovered after the fight.

Even with all that, this is the third time recently she's gone looking for him, but not having found him yet. Until now.

Kitty stands at the doorway, leaning against the door jam. Her eyes are on the big Russian, watching him as Piotr's attention is focused out the window. Her hand goes to a necklace that hangs about her neck with a Star of David hanging from it. She fingers the holy symbol as she looks at him. Finally drawing a deep breath, in and out, Kitty then clears her throat to get his attention, and let him know she is there.

"Hey... Piotr," she tells him softly, eyes revealing a bit of emotion at even that first greeting.

Colossus has posed:
He hears her soft footsteps before he hears her breathing, and he feels his heart rate increase a bit. The big stoic does what he can not to show it. Once she speaks he looks up at her, and his expression is hard to read for a brief moment.

"Katya."

The name is accompanied by a soft, warm smile. "It's good to see you. You...look well. Da, you look well." The big man clears his throat and straights his back, rising to his feet until he towers over her from across the room.

Shadowcat has posed:
The memory of Piotr's height, of his presence, never compares to the real thing. Kitty moves further into the room. Drifting closer slowly, rather than walking right to him. The young woman has changed in the last year. The last of that teenaged baby fat is gone from her face, the face of an emerging young woman rather than a girl. Her figure as well, still slender, but there is less girl and more woman than there was before.

"You look good too," she tells him. "It's been way too long," she says, looking down. Back up again, as if looking at him too long requires a break for Kitty. She clears her throat. "I'm sorry for things I said. At the end," she says. The hurtful things it seems, if not their disagreements that finally ended with those comments. "You didn't deserve them, and I was wrong to say them," Kitty says.

Colossus has posed:
He nods to that, not looking away from her. "Far too long." Piotr is quiet for a moment when she begins to explain and apologise, and he shifts his weight from one foot to the other, looking down at her. "Apology accepted. I hope you also accept mine in that I should have supported you. I was afraid of things changing. In that change I...ruined everything."

The big man shakes his head and brushes his fingers back through his hair, sighing. "But we are both here and we are both breathing. It is okay, Katya."

He still hurts a bit inside, of course. It pains him to see her...but not as much as it elates him to do so. Simply to look her in the eyes, even if the glint in them is so different now.

Shadowcat has posed:
Kitty Pryde moves over to Piotr, and if he allows her, Kitty will slip her arms about him to give him a hug. A long hug unless he releases her, and her eyes closing for a few moments during it. Finally she would pull back, if he hasn't ended it though.

Either way, once a hug would end, Kitty moves a couple of steps away. "You didn't ruin it," Kitty says. "I think if we went a year without talking, it probably says something about where we'd gotten to. Where we are at. And that wasn't you. It was... IS... it is just, us," she says, turning to look at Piotr and see if he agrees with any of that.

"I'm always going to care for you. But it feels like it means something if we could both go this long without mending it. Maybe that's what we are instead? Two people who care about each other a lot?" she asks him.

Colossus has posed:
He very briefly tenses when she reaches for him, but the big man loosens once he feels her warmth again. He wraps his muscled arms around her and leans down, cradling her head to his chest for as long as the hug lasts. When she pulls back he lets her go.

Piotr nods after he has had a moment to consider her words. "You're absolutely right," he concedes. He rubs at the back of his head and sighs, before he nods.

"I think it is. And....that's okay. I think. It -will- be okay."

Shadowcat has posed:
Kitty Pryde finds it easier to look up at Piotr's face now than when she first arrived. That lump of emotion having resolved itself in the hug and in their newfound understanding. "You're going to make someone /very/ happy. And I'll be a little jealous inside. But mostly I'll just be supportive of you," Kitty tells him, and manages a big smile for the large Russian, even if her eyes glisten just a bit more than normal.

"And I love the necklace," she says, fingers going to touch the Star of David around her throat. "It means a lot." Kitty draws a deep, cleansing breath and then sits down on the edge of his bed. "I heard you were in France? Farming? How did you like that?" she asks him.

Colossus has posed:
"The same can be said for you. There will be a very happy man or woman eventually, thanks to you."

Piotr moves back over to the bed and sits on the edge of it, the mattress creaking from his size. "I am glad you like it. That warms me." He clears his throat and rests his hands on his knees as he smiles. "Yes! I travelled Europe, but spent most of my time in France. It was very lovely. Calming."

Shadowcat has posed:
"I met someone a little while ago. I'm giving it a chance with him," Kitty says softly. "It's going well so far. Actually, he bought one of your paintings, for an orphanage, is how we met. One you painted of Illyana at a young age, with golden flowers around her, making a garland out of them?"

Kitty clears her throat and smiles. "It's going up in the girl's wing of an orphanage, where lots of little girls can appreciate it. I figured you and Illyana would both enjoy knowing that," Kitty tells him.

Colossus has posed:
He's clearly caught off-guard by that, but then reminds himself that it has been a year. He ends up smiling, and the big man nods gently. Piotr nods slowly at the description of the painting, and he recites the name of it. "I like that one. I'm glad it's being used for such a purpose. Well, he's a lucky man, then."

He smiles softly. "I'm glad."

Shadowcat has posed:
Kitty Pryde leans over to rest her shoulder against Piotr's... well it's not his shoulder, that's like another half a foot to a foot up. His arm or side at least. "Thank you," she tells him, glancing up, grateful for the understanding stance he's taking with her.

"I'm glad you're back Pete," she tells him quietly. "Even if things are different... you're still an important part of my life," she tells him. "Or, I hope you'll continue to be. If it ever, if you need something different, I'll understand. But I want to be here for you," she tells him, resting her head against him.

Colossus has posed:
"Regardless of anything, Katya, I'll be here. Always. In whatever way." He gently pets her hair as she leans against him. He looks down at her, and she can feel the heavy thudding of his heart. "I will always here in whatever way you allow me to be."

Shadowcat has posed:
Kitty Pryde's eyes shine with warmth. And a little moisture. "I'm going to have to find you a woman worthy of you," she says, taking a moment to wipe at one of her eyes. "Though I'm going to hold any to a pretty high standard. But as long as you care for them, that's all that will really matter," Kitty says, flashing a smile up to the big Russian.

"So are you doing any more painting? Or mostly focusing on gardening and farming these days?" she asks him. She wipes at her other eye for a moment, and a deep breath helps Kitty clear most of those built up emotions, allowing her to converse in a more normal tone with him.

Colossus has posed:
"Um...I'm actually thinking of asking Jubilee out, but..." The big man trails off awkwardly, and shakes his head. "I haven't decided yet. Even then, it wouldn't be anything...official. So, if you know someone..." He laughs, feeling a bit weird talking about this, clearly.

He nods to her. "I will be painting and sculpting once I've finished settling in. For now I've been focusing on the gardens, though. Just...resettling."

Shadowcat has posed:
Kitty Pryde reaches a hand up to pat Piotr's back, giving him a little rub there. "I'd support you if you did decide to," Kitty tells him softly. "I'm still getting settled back in a bit. I'm taking the semester off from school. I decided I just needed the break. Wanted to be around everyone again," Kitty says. "I'm glad Lorna is back. She and I are... well, we're going to see if we can't help her father maybe regain a little faith in the religion again. Try, at least," Kitty says.

Piotr would know that Kitty has some hard feelings for Magneto. Though their shared religious faith has at times been a bridge between them. It seems this might be one of those. "Lorna was burned kind of badly fighting Sentinels in Gotham. Should be out of the Med Bay now though. I need to track her back down. And speaking of, I'm working on decoding some transmissions from the Sentinels, and using them to track other related signals in the area."

Colossus has posed:
"I wish you both luck in that regard. You...know my opinion on him." Piotr is not a fan of the Master of Magnetism. "But...I hope it works out for you and for her." He glances out the window again. "I should get that run in before it begins to cool down too much, though." Piotr turns back to Kitty, offering another smile down at her.

"I should be back with the team soon, Katya. I look forward to saving the world at your side again."

Shadowcat has posed:
"I do too," Kitty tells him. She rises from the bed, and will offer Piotr another warm hug before pulling away. "I've missed you. Looking forward to spending some time together, but if you'd rather I leave a little space for a while, I'd understand. I can just kind of... well, I'm right down the hall and all. So, anytime you want to go for ice cream, or a bowl of cereal together." Her and the cereal!

Kitty gives Piotr a soft smile. "Enjoy your run."