Dear Readers,
It's been a while since I've written fan fiction, so I'm getting back into the habit by re-learning the characters through one-shots. Enjoy and review!
Sincerely,
Serafimo's Pretense
Ororo could not sleep at all due to the raging storm outside. It was not fear that kept her eyes from closing; far from it. It was the pull of the storm. Like a siren call, the torrent rain and gnashing wind lured Ororo to come closer; to be Storm.
Ororo leaned her forehead against the cool glass of the window pane. She could not afford to lose any sleep. The last few days had been so stressful; she needed all the energy she could muster. Ororo decided to calm down with a warm mug of herbal tea and headed towards the kitchen.
As Ororo drew nearer to the kitchen, she noticed the light was on. She wondered who could be up at this ungodly hour. Maybe Logan. Maybe. She quietly padded into the kitchen's flood of light. Ororo was taken aback to find Katherine Pryde, better known as Kitty, sitting on a stool at the counter. Kitty had her legs drawn up close to her body and hugged herself tightly. She was rocking back and forth slightly. Ororo thought Kitty looked exactly like a scared little kitten.
"Kitten?" Ororo called out in a concerned voice. The older X-woman silently reprimanded herself for the slip of tongue. "Sorry, it was a slip of the tongue," Ororo apologized.
Kitty gave Ororo a small smile and replied softly, "It's okay, Miss Munroe. I don't mind the name too much."
Ororo nodded and gave Kitten a warm smile. "Couldn't sleep either?" the young girl asked out of curiosity. Ororo shook her head and sat in the chair next to Kitten. They sat in silence until the thunder clapped loudly. Out of the corner of her eye, Ororo saw Kitten jump at the booming.
Ororo laid a gentle hand on Kitty's shoulder and said maternally, "It's perfectly fine to be afraid, Kitten." "I'm not afraid," Kitten snapped defensively. Ororo gave her a knowing smile and raised her eyebrow. "Well, maybe a little. I'm just homesick is all," Kitty admitted sheepishly. "You need not fear Nature, Child," Ororo comforted. "That's easy for you to say, Miss Munroe," Kitty said defiantly. "Touché, Kitten," Ororo laughed.
Another clap of thunder resonated throughout the mansion. Kitty nearly jumped out of her seat. She chanced a quick glance at Ororo's calm demeanor and hot embarrassment spread on her cheeks. Kitty bowed her head and hid her face behind her hair. "Jeez, I feel like a little kid. It's so pathetic," Kitty complained. "My Kitten, it's okay. Everyone gets frightened," Ororo explained. Kitty was not moved by Ororo's words, but huddled herself tighter. Ororo scooted her chair closer to Kitty. She lifted Kitty's face and tucked her hair behind her ears. She smiled reassuringly and wrapped Kitty in a tight hug.
"Can you keep a secret, Kitten?" Ororo asked. Kitty nodded against Ororo. "I'm scared right now, too," Ororo whispered. Kitty looked up and said incredulously, "Of the storm?" "No. Of you," Ororo publicized. Kitty gave Ororo a look of confusion. "You see, you've stolen my heart. All of the students have," Ororo explained. "I love you very much. If any harm would come to you, I would die of a broken heart," Ororo continued. "I am afraid of the power you hold over my heart; over me," she confessed. Kitty turned and awarded Ororo with a huge grin. "Don't be scared, Miss Munroe. We have you and the rest of the teachers. You can protect us from anything," Kitty said happily. Ororo pulled Kitty closer and kissed the top of her head. "I hope so, Kitten," Ororo whispered into Kitten's hair.
Ororo slipped out of Kitty's arms and opened the fridge. Kitty pouted slightly at the loss of warmth. "How about some warm milk to help you sleep?" Ororo offered. "Sure," Kitty replied. Ororo poured a glass of milk and popped it into the microwave. Once it was done, Kitty accepted the glass gratefully. She sipped the warm milk and emitted a sound that was close to a purr. "My mom used to give me warm milk when I couldn't sleep," Kitty reminisced. "Really? What else did she do?" Ororo inquired. Kitty finished the milk and shyly murmured, "She used to lie in the bed with me until I fell asleep. But that was when I was a little kid." Ororo smiled softly. She rinsed the cup and left it in the sink.
Ororo placed a soothing arm around the younger girl's shoulders and led Kitty back to her room. Every time she would flinch at the thunder, Ororo gently squeezed her shoulder. A silent reassurance. Kitty opened the door when they reached her room. Kitty situated herself under the covers. Wordlessly, Ororo closed the door behind her and snuggled in the blankets next to Kitty. Her little girl stiffened at the next round of thunder.
"It's okay, Kitten. I'm here to protect you. I promise," Ororo soothed. Kitty relaxed and let out a sigh of relief. Ororo began to softly sing African lullabies and Kitty soon drifted into sleep. As soon as Ororo was sure that Kitty had fallen into deep sleep, she slid off the bed. Ororo tucked the blanket in around Kitty and left a motherly kiss on her cheek. "Sleep well, my dear. You're safe," Ororo whispered. Silently, she crept out of the room and up into her loft.
Ororo plopped down onto her bed. She pulled the covers over her body and smiled into the dark. Her mind was at peace knowing that her child was sleeping soundly and that everyone was safe. With that thought, Ororo surrendered to sleep.