A/N Hello and thank you for choosing this story to read. I hope you like it. Please read and review. It really helps me. I don't own any characters because they belong to Marvel. ENJOY!


Why we do the things we do.

Kitty Pryde was on the phone again. She was on hold with the local Chinese restaurant trying to get an order of vegetable stir-fry to quiet her grumbling stomach. It was lunch rush, so she knew it would take some time. She rummaged through her closet for her pink hoodie which she found carelessly tossed to the corner where her new fancy shoes were. She smiled when the remembered the lady at the store who complimented her saying she 'belonged' in them. She also saw the big stain that was on it from the pizza accident yesterday. She settled for a blue sweater and tied her hair into a ponytail. Her long black coat with Piotr's suprise was hanging on her closet door, so she put it on as well

It was the beginning of holiday break at the mansion. Some students left and some stayed. Kitty's parents were heading up for a few days, but it would be a week from today that she would see them. She was excited to show the progress she had made and for them to finally meet Piotr. She was a little nervous what the reaction would be, since her parents had yet to see him. They were there for a week during summer break; however Piotr was in Russia during that time. She knew the age difference was going to be an issue. It was an issue that she rarely thought about, but knew it was a major factor in the relationship.

Her still being a minor at the ending months of her seventeen years, and his being the middle of his twenty three had already been the cause of many judging looks even among the residents of the Xavier Institute. Some openly mock her, calling her a "jailbait whore", and some spread untrue rumors. The professor allowed it when he was alive. He knew Piotr came from a rough background, but could foresee how the relationship would turn, in fact, anybody that knew the couple knew that Piotr would never take advantage of her. Logan wasn't too happy about the relationship but knew Kitty well enough to know that she would have her way, one way or another. As long as Piotr behaved, everything would be fine.

Kitty's parents were informed of the relationship when it started to bud in February. Mr. Pryde did not approve of the relationship but Mrs. Pryde was a little more liberal after a hand written letter was read. Piotr wrote of his love for their daughter, his intentions, and the boundaries he put in place. Mrs. Pryde thought for many nights over it and allowed the relationship to continue. A careful eye was put on the couple and Piotr was always confronted by Logan to make sure he was in line.

Today Piotr was playing basketball with some of the guys down on the mansion grounds. Jubilee was down there already watching the guys, so Kitty decided to bring her food down there once it was delivered. The stir-fry aroma was intoxicating as she walked to the rec grounds. Jubilee was sitting on a bench listening to her iPod; however her eyes were fixed on the game at hand. When Kitty came into view, she understood why it captured the gaze of her friend. A simple game of shirts versus skins was underway, and of course Jubilee's interest lay on one particular "icy" skin.

"I don't understand why you don't just ask him out yourself."

"Kitty, that smells delicious and I'm warning you ahead of time; I'm taking some of it." Jubilee pulled an ear bud out of one ear so she could listen to her friend. "Should I ask him out?"

"He's totally into you, and you are in love with him. Boys are kinda idiots."

"Easy for you to say. Your boyfriend isn't a boy! And have you noticed he's the only one with his shirt off that isn't using his mutation to keep warm?"

"I could tell. It's practically snowing. He must be warm enough. He doesn't seem to be shivering."

"I can't say I'm not a little jelly. Oh boy, you of all people would know the trouble I would get into if I had a guy like Piotr."

"I know, you told me about the night you orchestrated that movie night in the rec room. Too bad it didn't work. I honestly thought it was going to work, but I forgot how naïve Bobby can be."

"He fell asleep! That wasn't part of the plan." Jubilee huffed. Kitty just giggled softly.

"Your fault for picking a long movie and starting it at an already late hour of the night! It was the weekend for goodness sake!"

"Yeah yeah yeah…"Jubilee rolled her eyes. The game had apparently taken a break and all were getting something to refresh themselves. Piotr came over smiling to see his lover present.

"You brought me food! How thoughtful…"

"No… no… no no no nonononononono! You're all sweaty! Don't touch me… Don't you dare..NO!" He hugged her anyway. She laughed hugged him back "Ew! Now you don't get any food now."

"Aw, but I am hungry." Piotr took the take-out box and smelled its contents. It was a pleasing aroma to him and it made him lick his lips. Kitty quickly snatched it and stuck her tongue out at him. He leaned into her ear and whispered something that made her smile and shiver. Jubilee looked on with curiosity. "Until then." Piotr grabbed a water bottle from a bag behind the bench.

"Oh, I heard you were going through with the new uniform." Kitty stated as she reached into the pocket of her coat.

"Da. The red one was the one I had my eyes set on." *

"I like it. And I knew you were thinking of that one so I got you this." She pulled out a long red bandana mask. "It ties behind your head and has holes for your eyes."

"Thank you, Katya. It would be perfect."

"Put it on!"

"Wh…what?"

"You heard me."

"Why?"

"I want to make sure that it fits your head. And second of all if you're going to be playing basketball in the freezing cold half naked, at least keep your head warm." Piotr sighed and Kitty raised her eyebrow in defense. He took it from her and put it on. He reached behind his head to tie it, giving the girls a direct line of sight to his muscular physique. "Try transforming and let's see what it looks like."

He transformed slowly to make sure not to rip the clothing he was in. his body widened and the fabric stretched slightly to fit on the head of the steel-fleshed mutant. "Da. It fits." He reverted back to flesh equally as slow, just in case. He knelt down to be eye-level with Kitty as she adjusted it a little. She leaned in to kiss his stubbly cheek. He softly grabbed her hand and kissed the back of it.

"Here, eat this." She stabbed a broccoli flowerette and waved it in the air. He looked at it with slight repulsion and bit his bottom lip. One of the guys on his team called out to Piotr. The game was about to start up again. Piotr, in relief, turned towards the court.

"Save me some, I'll eat it later."

"Piotr Rasputin, you better eat your vegetables or so help me, I will tell your mom." Both teams laughed as Piotr smacked his now bandana-covered forehead and turned back around.

"Only because I know you would." He reached for the fork, but Kitty moved it out of his grasp.

"You better believe it!" She grinned mischievously. He opened his mouth for her to feed him. "Teeth…I don't want your slobber all over my fork."

"Yeah, right." He drew out the last word and chuckled He obeyed though, which produced some more laughter behind him. "It's getting cold, Katya. You should go inside. I will see you later tonight?"

"Of course. I'll be in my room." He bowed his head to her and joined his snickering teammates.

"What was that?" Jubilee asked with a suspiciously raised eyebrow.

"What was what?"

"Kitty…"

"I don't know what you are talking about…" Kitty sarcastically sang as she finished her food and threw it in the trash. Jubilee grabbed her bag and followed.

"You know damn well…" The two girls walked back to the mansion laughing all the way.

Piotr would glance in their direction to make sure they were ok. He knew they would be, but he felt compelled to do so anyway. Now the only thing he could think about would be what would happen tonight.


(*) basically Piotr was designing the uniform seen in "Earth 295: The Age of Apocalypse"

THANK YOU so much for putting up with my absence. Please check out my other recent fanfic "The Visit on Christmas Eve. It's kinda dark but if that's what you're into, then there you go. There is going to be at least TWO chapters to this story… Possibly more. Please Read and review! THANK YOU AGAIN!