9429/There's No Taking The Illinois Out Of The Girl

There's No Taking The Illinois Out Of The Girl
Date of Scene:	04 October 2019
Location:	Deerfield, Illinois
Synopsis:	Kitty takes Peter for a walk around her hometown.
Cast of Characters:	Shadowcat, Spider-Man

---

Shadowcat has posed:
It's the second day of Peter and Kitty's trip to see her mother back in Kitty's hometown of Deerfield, Illinois. Kitty's mother was going to skip out on a regular game of cards with her friends, but Kitty insisted she go do it and it would give Kitty and Peter a chance to go walk about town together.

And so the two are strolling along a sidewalk together. It's a nice day, just a little cool. Enough that a sweatshirt or sweater is nice, but not totally required either. Kitty has on one of Peter's sweatshirts that she purloined for being nice and soft. A Navy blue one with a faded logo on the front that she's never figured out what it was, and keeps forgetting to ask Peter.

It'll have to wait another day. Her focus is on Peter and the town, walking together holding hands, Peter's promise ring on her finger. "And over here is the Little League diamond, the softball one is right behind it. I didn't really play too much softball, spent more time in dance and gymnastics lessons, until I dropped gymnastics," she is telling him.

Spider-Man has posed:
Peter is actually wearing pants!

Instead of shorts that is...

And he's got his Mets cap on backwards because he's a troll trolling Cubs fans.

He isn't wearing a sweater though, just a t-shirt with Captain America's shield on the front.. like some New York City knockoff rather than one of JVDs more exclusive collection.

"I never really played much sports either.. I think Uncle Ben wanted me to, but.." He wiggles his hand in the so-so realm, "I was more into science club and building computers than baseball statistics. I only got into really watching when he passed away." It still stings, but he finds it's easier to talk about with Kitty than anyone before except May.

His other hand is linked with Kitty's, periodically glancing down at the, modest certainly, but beautiful ring on her finger with a big grin.

Shadowcat has posed:
Kitty Pryde's hand squeezes almost instinctively as Peter mentions that about Uncle Ben. Maybe reading his emotions, maybe just knowing him enough now to guess his thoughts.

"Same here, other than dancing, I was mainly geeking out on computers," she tells him. She smiles over at her adorkable boyfriend that she shares so much with.

"And up here's the pond where we'd go ice skating in winter," she says. "My friend Madge lives right next to it. Or, did, she's at U of Illinois now, getting a degree in interior design."

The town is a nice suburban area over all. While not small town exactly, it is still the kind of area one could imagine raising a family. "I told you about that time I ended up following my dad to Japan? The... ninja, Ogun and all that?" she asks, lowering her voice a little bit for the last part. "I was actually ice skating that day. Stopped at dad's bank on the way home and that's what started it all," she says. She motions towards a three story building that can be seen further down the block. "There's the bank. No longer in the family, since back then when he sold it and it was the Yakuza who bought it," she says.

Spider-Man has posed:
"Yakuza in Deerfield." Peter finds the humor in the situation, even if he doesn't specifically think the incident is funny. He tilts his head a little to see the building what use to be a family bank, then leans towards Kitty. Turning, just enough anyways, to kiss her temple.

"You know, we could totally retire here... one day. I mean maybe, right? I'll probably be wearing spandex well into my twilight years, adjusting a big gut around the ever expanding spider-waistline.. but..." His free hand scratches at the back of his neck, looking now to the pond she mentioned.

"Wont be long and we could actually go ice skating. Oh, hey, maybe for the hollidays we can hit up Central Park? They do a week or so worth of skating... that'd be nice. Take some of the students, maybe."

Shadowcat has posed:
Kitty gives a small grin. "Yes, not really the kind of thing you'd expect around here. Not that they had a presence in town, it was just an investment. Wanted to use the bank as part of their overseas money laundering," she says. Her hand tightens on Peter's a little bit at the topic, but only a little.

"Dad paid for what he did. I'm really proud of him. Worked with the Feds and... I'm not sure who the Japanese police were. But anyways, he helped take them down, made up for what he did as best as he could. He was forced into it, but still, he did it," she says.

Kitty smiles over to Peter. "That's a great idea. The kids would love it. And you know, we have to be careful and all. But at the same time, I don't want the kids to feel like they are trapped and anytime they leave the school there is a Sentinel out to get them. We need to keep doing things with them."

Spider-Man has posed:
"The more we let those son of a bitch sentinels scare us, the more they win... it's terrorism and I do not negociate with terrorists..." Peter still gets a little, okay a lot, heated when thinking about her being hurt by one of them, but she's here beside him and... that settles his savage nerves.

Walking along the sidewalk with a grin, "I can't believe sometimes how lucky I got.. There wasn't always this clear picture in my head where my life would go.." Sidelong glance at the woman strolling along beside him, "Now I know. Without a shadow of doubt... I have a constant that I can latch onto.. you're my constant, Kitty." Moving so he's walking behind her, wrapping his arm around her waist where they're hands are linked and his legs out wide so he's duck walking a little.

"So, let's see your high school."

Shadowcat has posed:
Kitty Pryde drifts over towards Peter as he guides her to where he can slide his arms about her. "Always yours," she tells him softly, moving over top his hand her own hand that has Aunt May's ring on her finger as a promise ring.

Kitty leans her head back against Peter, slowing the pace a little bit as she's more focused on the contact with him than on movement. "You know I'd do anything for you, don't you?" she tells him, her voice carrying her smile clearly. "I didn't really get a chance to go to high school here," she says. "So... wow that's a story I haven't told yet, I don't think. It's how I ended up at Xavier's school," she says.

They turns a corner and Kitty points to the school. "That's where I would have gone, but for the way things played out and I ended up in Xavier's when I was 13," she tells him.

Spider-Man has posed:
"I do." Peter confids almost conspiratorily when Kitty informs him that she'd do anything for him, "And I'd bend heaven and stars for you." Kissing her cheek lightly, hand running against her forearm as they walk, if a little weirdly with his legs out to the side, down the sidewalk.

"Oh, no I think you told me a little, but not the whole story." He says to her, smiling all the same, "Turns out I teach at your high school.. great, now I'm that weird teacher dating a student." His perfunctory need to joke surfacing yet again!

"The world is lucky to have you. Maybe not as lucky as I am, but... I'm a benevolent boyfriend and will share you with them.. you see how good I am to make this sacrifice?"

Shadowcat has posed:
Kitty laughs at that, squeezing Peter's hand. "Well, at least you waited until I'd already graduated from college," she says, still chuckling. "The world is lucky to have you as well. I just wish more people were aware of how wonderful you are to them," she says. "But I understand why that can't be. Your kind of enemies are vengeful people even more than ours," she says.

Kitty and Peter walk along the edge of the school's grounds. "Well, the short version? A woman came recruiting me for her prep school. Talked to my parents and then left as I got home. And another school came calling. Professor Xavier and half of the X-men. Well, while the Professor talked to Mom and Dad, Storm and the others took me out to eat in town. And the woman from the other school? Was Emma. And she sent these power armored knights to capture the X-men. I got away, stowed away in the vehicle when she took them away. Storm gave me a phone number to call, which got me in touch with Jean and the others. And they came and rescued the rest from Emma," Kitty says.

"And I ended up at Xavier's. And... well, now you know why I don't trust Emma. Even if the telepaths say she has a change of heart... I just can't. IT wasn't the only time either. She kidnapped me and Doug when we thought she'd been neutralized, a few years later."

Spider-Man has posed:
"Oh.. you mean it's not because of her sneaky, snake like charm and the corruptive malecontent nature she bleeds like an open wound?" Peter asks in a voice that could be serious, if it were spoken by anyone other than him. His arms tighten a little around Kitty as they walk, him quiet for a couple steps.

"I guess I should be glad she had a change of heart. A telepath is a terrible enemy.. especially one that powerful. God damned know everything." He murmurs with a grumpy little frown against the back of her hair.

Shadowcat has posed:
Kitty's teeth grind a little bit, not at anything Peter said, but at her memories. "I've actually had some turmoil over this subject. I've fought Erik. He nearly killed me, closer to it than Emma has. Yet... I not only gave him a second chance, but I've tried to help him regain his faith in God," she says quietly.

Kitty walks along with Peter silently for a short bit before finally saying, "So am I hypocritical that I can't let myself trust Emma? I mean... yes. I am hypocritical. Yet... that's where I am," she says with a soft sigh. She moves enough to be walking beside Peter, the travel easier, but resting her head against his shoulder.

Spider-Man has posed:
"Are you, though?" Peter doesn't sound convinced, "You look at a situation like Erik... Magneto.. and it's pretty straight forward, right? He's not being duplicious or hiding his intent and he's convinced that his cause is just, even if it's misguided in how he's going about it a little.." Maybe, that's a philosophical debate he's not prepared for right now. "Then there's Emma, she used deception and gile in equal measures. It isn't about her intent or purpose, but the method she used that makes her hard to trust..."

Pete kisses Kitty's head, "I can't and wont tell you how to feel.. but there's a story about a scorpion and a turtle I think fits this situation perfectly.. I don't know if Emma is legitimately turned over a new leaf, but I hope so. I can just see how it might be kind of difficult for you to believe given your history."

Shadowcat has posed:
Kitty slides her arm about Peter's waist, keeping her head leaning against his shoulder. "Damn you're smart. Some girl is going to come along at some point and realize this and hope you put a ring on her finger. Oh wait, too late," Kitty says with a smile.

"No, really, Pete. I think you summed up in a few sentences what I've been agonizing over for months," she says. "I just don't know that I have it in me to trust her. And I feel guilty for it sometimes, especially when she does something to help me. Or, those times even I have to admit she was selfless. But I just find myself waiting for the other shoe to drop."

Spider-Man has posed:
"Ehhhh I just have a lot of time on my hands, is all." Peter says in mock humble voice, grinning against the side of Kitty's cheek. "This other woman who comes by hoping that will be unfortunately left sad in the street when they realize I've already found and promised myself to the most beautiful Princess in the Kingdom..." He sighs wistfully, "I'm sorry Princess... your Mario is in another castle."

He... is a nerd.

Arms tighter around her waist, "It takes time. Anyone who tries to force wounds to heal often finds them hurting worse for it.. so just plug at it, you know? You're a good person, Kitty." He does not tell her this lightly, "Probably the best of us all. So trust your gut, it hasn't stirred you wrong. When you're ready to trust Emma... it will tell you."

Shadowcat has posed:
The pair come up on a park bench alongside the sidewalk. Kitty will gently push Peter down into it if he allows her, and then move to sit in his lap, turned sideways so she can hug herself against him. "You really get me in ways I don't think anyone has before. Well, other than Lockheed," she says, squeezing Peter in her arms.

"I'll trust my gut on it," Kitty agrees. "Though I'll also keep questioning myself somewhat. I think that's part of trusting it too I guess." Kitty brushes a soft kiss to Peter's lips.

"Speaking of trusting, just wanted to make sure you know... Piotr Rasputin is back. We ended things long ago, and are nothing but friends. We're still close, but you have nothing to worry about from him," Kitty tells Peter. "You're the man that I want."

Spider-Man has posed:
Peter nods against his womans neck and leads her towards a bench beneath a tree where they can sit together in the cool afternoon air. He settles with his arm around her shoulder, head turned so she's got a place to lay hers against it. "Yeah, someone told me." About Piotr, "Scuttlebutt around the school." He explains with a smirk, damn gossiping savages, "I got a little antsy at first only because I know how close you are with the Rasputin's, but..." He shakes his head slowly and looks over at some kids playing kickball with a little grin. "I don't want to sound cocky, but I know you're mine." Glancing back to Kitty, "I'm going to marry you, when the time is perfect." So, with a shrug, he grins at her with a wink, "So I'm not anxious anymore. I'm just happy your friend is back."

Shadowcat has posed:
Kitty Pryde's face is filled with a warm smile for Peter. "I do love you," she tells him. Her fingers slip up into his hair, and then she's kissing him. Fingers seeking out the back of his neck and just ignoring anyone who might be passing by, seeing them making out on the bench. If they have a problem with beautiful love, the old grumps can keep moving down the street.

This is her first time having Peter in her hometown. And Kitty and Peter spend the rest of the day enjoying the time together.