Yayyyyyyy! I *love* you guys. You are my *heroes.* I will try and uphold to
your wishes in this chapter, and since a walk in the park was suggested
more than once, that's what we're going with. Don't be surprised if one of
your ideas is included at some point.
To Furry Elf: You're right! Mr. Bobble *is* one of those souvenirs that you can buy anyplace in the world! Well, I was thinking more of a nodder-type guy, you know...I can't believe you guys didn't get his favorite color, though! Mr. Bobble is a Yes-Man, right (he nods all the time, saying yes to what everyone says)? So what color are Yes-Men very fond of? Right! Brown! They're all Brown-nosers! Lol! Okay, lemme just sober up for a minute. ::straightens collar:: There. Got a fabulous chapter, here, just beggin' for reading. Behold!
***
Kitty had a knot of nervousness in her stomach by the last period of the day, and tapped her fingers nervously while watching the clock for the whole of the class. _Calm down,_ she told herself. _You *know* he's gonna be nice. So what are you worried about?_ Lifting her twitching fingers, she peered down at the notebook she had been drumming them on. There were grooves where each finger had hit the cover repeatedly. _Well, my science notebook, for one,_ she answered herself, sighing aloud.
"Something bothering you, Miss Pryde?" Her head snapped up to see Mr. Robinson staring her down from the front of the room. Before she had time to think, her mouth had answered for her.
"Yeah, actually. Like, I have a date after school today, and I'm not sure how it's going to go." _Wow. Where did *that* come from?_
Taken aback, Mr. Robinson looked at her with his mouth agape for a moment, before returning to the lecture he had been giving.
"Oh, homework," Kitty murmured to herself, whipping out her agenda just as the bell rang. She jotted down the assignment, briefly wondering if she would have time to finish it before her bedtime, then threw her stuff together and practically bolted out of the room. Shoving her way through the bustling end-of-the-day crowds, Kitty found that it was slightly harder to breathe than it had been in her science class. Silently, she cursed her nerves before turning the corner, and--
Pietro was waiting at her locker for her, leaning against it, trying to look nonchalant--and failing terribly. Kitty's eyes crinkled a bit as she noticed how tense his posture was against the grey painted metal. Before crossing the hall to him, though, Kitty glanced left and right, making sure nobody she was really acquainted with remained to spread rumors about her. No one she knew was nearby, so she smiled and looked back to Pietro, drawn into his eyes. She darted across the hall.
"Hi."
"Hi," he smiled broadly, if nervously. "So."
"So," she chuckled just as nervously.
"Uh, you want to get out of here?"
She remained caught in his gaze a few more seconds before answering. "Uh, no, no." He looked hurt for an instant. "No, I have to, um, get my books. Excuse me," she gestured to her locker. He stepped aside quickly, and she did her combination distractedly, feeling his eyes on her skin. Finally, she managed to get the locker open and began digging around diligently for her ever elusive French notebook.
"Whatcha looking for?" Kitty stopped. She had almost forgotten he was there, and she smiled at remembering his friendly presence.
"My French notebook. It's been missing all day."
"Oh, that?" He scratched the back of his neck uncomfortably. "I know where that is. Just a second." Before she could blink, he had sped off at top speed, a rush of cool air hitting her face. Then he was back, handing her her French notebook. "Here. I, uh, found it yesterday. I guess I forgot to give it to you earlier. Um, just a second." He snatched it back out of her half-grip, flipped to a seemingly random page and tore a few sheets out, folding them up and sticking them into his pocket.
"What were those?"
"What?"
"Those papers." She was stuffing the notebook into her backpack, now. "What were they? Why'd you tear them out?"
"Uh..."
"Can I see them?"
"...Sure." He pulled them back out of his pocket slowly, handing them over to her. "Heh. Um, guess I didn't know what I was doodling today..."
Hastily, Kitty unfolded the wad of papers, and a grin slowly spread over her face. Hearts--hearts with her name inside them. And Pietro's. She started laughing, and after a few minutes, Pietro joined in. Their laughter echoed in the near-empty school, rising and falling. It took a bit for them to settle down, but by now the ice had most certainly been broken. "So are we gonna get out of here, or what?"
Kitty slammed her locker. "Let's go."
"Yeah. Let's blow this joint!" They headed for the building's exit, laughing once again.
***
When Rogue reached the X-Mansion she immediately pulled out her favorite book, heading for a quiet room to collapse with it. Unfortunately for her, that was just when everyone started asking questions, the most common one being: "Where's Kitty, anyway?"
"She's working on a project at school," spoke Rogue above the chatter.
It became an all-out inquisition, then.
"What kind of project?" Scott bore down on her.
"Is it a French project? Am I missing something in that class?"
"She's at *school* instead of being *here*?"
"Why didn't she come straight home?! She said she'd help me with my computer class homework."
"How come she only told you?"
"Guys!" Rogue managed to call above them. They hushed. "Just leave her alone, okay? It's not like she's started dealing drugs or anything." The group was abashed, and chose that moment to walk off silently, heads hung, with a couple of half-hearted "Bye, Rogue"s tossed in her direction on their way out. Sighing, she flomped into a chair nearby, opening her book to the page she had left off.
"Hey, Stripes. Have you seen Half-Pint?"
Rogue gave him a glare, then turned back to her book.
***
Wandering through the park, Pietro and Kitty spoke as if it was the most natural thing in the world. All awkwardness had vanished, as well as Kitty's normal verbal tics, and the conversation flowed. The talk turned from such things as hair--
"So why's your hair white, anyway?" asked Kitty. "I've been wondering."
"Hardly anyone cares enough to find that out." Kitty smiled at him encouragingly. "It's part of my mutation. I haven't figured out *quite* what it has to do with it, but I know for sure that the X-gene is affecting my hair color."
"What color would your hair be otherwise?"
"Brown," he grinned. "I have a theory about the white, though." Kitty nodded to show she was interested in hearing it. "I figure, I'm really pale and I have white hair, I go really fast--it's to protect me from the sun, you know? I'd be really hot otherwise. It's like my whole's body's geared towards being really fast. I think if I had darker skin and hair I'd probably overheat if I used my power."
"Wow. Yeah, I think that's it," she nodded.
"So what about you," he nudged her playfully. "Does your power force your to wear your hair in a ponytail?"
She shoved him back, giggling. "No! As a matter of fact, I happen to *like* wearing my hair like that."
"I don't think I've ever really seen your hair down," he said, thoughtfully.
"So?"
"So?" he mimicked. "Can I?"
"What?"
"Can I see your hair down? Please?"
"Fine. But I really think it looks better in the ponytail," she said reluctantly, sighing and pulling her hair band loose of her hair. Once the elastic was free her hair flowed out of its topknot and fell to her shoulders. She shrugged at Pietro. "It's gonna get tangled this way, though."
"There are a lot of other girls who wear their hair down, and it doesn't hurt them." Kitty cocked an eyebrow. "And besides. I like it." He smiled. "Wear it down for me?"
She grinned. "Sure."
--and clothes--
"Are you kidding?! I *love* your capris." He looked seriously at her before they both burst out laughing. "No, really," he said, chortling. "I do."
"I believe you, I believe you," she assured him, recovering from her laughter. "I just thought maybe it was time for a change."
"No, you look great with the capris. I couldn't imagine you wearing anything else."
"The same for you."
"What, I look great in capris?" He fluttered his eyelashes, laughing again. "Why, thank you," he said, pitching his voice higher.
"No!" She cracked up. "No. I *meant* you look good in what you're wearing. I especially like your shirt. Makes you look debonair." Despite himself, Pietro blushed.
--to friends--
"--and I just think it was really great of her to cover for me, you know? It's not like Jean would bother with anything like that. She's way too self-absorbed, and besides--she's too busy leading on about three boys at once to spare the time to help a friend out."
Pietro raised his eyebrows. "I gotta tell you, I agree with that. Both things. From what I've seen of Rogue, from when she was in the Brotherhood--it was, what? A week, tops. Even that, though, and I could tell she was not really that mean. In fact, she went out of her way to help out around the house a couple of times. And from what I've seen of Jean-- well, let's just say she's boy-crazy and leave it at that." Kitty giggled.
--until finally the conversation collapsed into silliness.
"And then Todd came hopping up and he was all like," Pietro started hopping as they walked, doing Todd to a tee, "'I wanna see, yo, I wanna see what a loser he is,' and we were all laughing so hard, and then Fred was going--" here Pietro puffed out his cheeks and held his arms away from his body, curved, and made an expression of utter shock "--on the floor, like he *hadn't* *expected* to fall down the stairs--"
"Stop it," Kitty gasped amid giggles, "stop it! You're killing me!" She doubled over in laughter, barely able to keep her step on the path.
"--even though he had just dropped the banana peel in front of his *own* *feet,*" Pietro continued. "And then Lance came in and he was like--" Pietro stopped, right there, just about to do his Lance impression, when he saw the look on Kitty's face. There was a long pause as she stared sullenly at the ground as it went past her moving feet. Trying not to sound insanely jealous and over-protective as he did so, Pietro finally asked, "He really hurt you, didn't he? He really meant something to you?"
"It was like he had never even cared." She had stopped in her tracks, and her voice was muted. Pietro watched silently as she brought her hand to her face, covered by a curtain of hair, and her fingers came away wet. She sniffled quietly. "I thought, the whole time we were together, that I had meant something to him, that I wasn't just," she muffled her sob, "just some girl who happened to go with him for awhile. I mean, we've known each other since we were kids! That should mean something, right?" Her hair fell away from her face as she looked up, eyes shining, at Pietro. "Right?"
He felt like his heart had been torn out and ripped in two. Later, when he trusted himself to say more than a few words, he would be able to rage at Lance if he felt the need, but for now he just slipped a comforting arm around Kitty. "Hey," he said softly. "It's not so bad." There was really nothing else to say, after that. Guiding Kitty to a bench, Pietro sat down with her and let her wrap her arms around his midsection, for comfort. He rubbed her back as she held back tears and pulled him a little closer.
So focused, were they, on each other, that they didn't notice at first the figure standing a few sparse trees away from them. Pietro finally happened to glance up, but it still took him a few seconds to spot him. "Kitty."
"Hmm?" She took a few shuddering breaths and straightened up, wiping away a line of tears.
"Look," he gestured. Todd disappeared behind a tree.
"Uh-oh."
"Yeah. This could be trouble." They watched him hop away among the foliage, with only one glance back at them. "What if he tells somebody?"
"He won't, right? What is there to tell? What could he get out of it, anyway, if he told?" Kitty was in the process of cleaning herself up.
"I don't know. I'll talk to him tonight, I guess. Hey," he changed his tone. "You okay now?"
"Yeah," she gave a watery laugh. "Sorry about that. I just--haven't really had anybody to talk to, besides Rogue. Sorry," she said again.
"Don't be sorry," he said. "Be better." He smiled, standing up and offering her a hand, which she pulled herself up by. "Okay?"
"Okay," she grinned.
"Come on," he pulled her down the path, slipping an arm around her shoulders. "I'll buy you some ice cream."
***
::sobs openly:: Wa-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!!! ::sniffles:: Dammit! It's just so sad, and crud! Okay, suspense, right? Right.
What's going to happen with Todd? Will he tell people about this secret romance? Will Pietro and Kitty be forbidden to see each other after only *one* *date*? And, most importantly, WILL KITTY ORDER THE FUDGE RIPPLE?! All these things and more are what you can look forward to in the next chapter (or chap*ters*), if you decide to review. So REVIEW! MAKE MY MUSE HAPPY! ...whee!
To Furry Elf: You're right! Mr. Bobble *is* one of those souvenirs that you can buy anyplace in the world! Well, I was thinking more of a nodder-type guy, you know...I can't believe you guys didn't get his favorite color, though! Mr. Bobble is a Yes-Man, right (he nods all the time, saying yes to what everyone says)? So what color are Yes-Men very fond of? Right! Brown! They're all Brown-nosers! Lol! Okay, lemme just sober up for a minute. ::straightens collar:: There. Got a fabulous chapter, here, just beggin' for reading. Behold!
***
Kitty had a knot of nervousness in her stomach by the last period of the day, and tapped her fingers nervously while watching the clock for the whole of the class. _Calm down,_ she told herself. _You *know* he's gonna be nice. So what are you worried about?_ Lifting her twitching fingers, she peered down at the notebook she had been drumming them on. There were grooves where each finger had hit the cover repeatedly. _Well, my science notebook, for one,_ she answered herself, sighing aloud.
"Something bothering you, Miss Pryde?" Her head snapped up to see Mr. Robinson staring her down from the front of the room. Before she had time to think, her mouth had answered for her.
"Yeah, actually. Like, I have a date after school today, and I'm not sure how it's going to go." _Wow. Where did *that* come from?_
Taken aback, Mr. Robinson looked at her with his mouth agape for a moment, before returning to the lecture he had been giving.
"Oh, homework," Kitty murmured to herself, whipping out her agenda just as the bell rang. She jotted down the assignment, briefly wondering if she would have time to finish it before her bedtime, then threw her stuff together and practically bolted out of the room. Shoving her way through the bustling end-of-the-day crowds, Kitty found that it was slightly harder to breathe than it had been in her science class. Silently, she cursed her nerves before turning the corner, and--
Pietro was waiting at her locker for her, leaning against it, trying to look nonchalant--and failing terribly. Kitty's eyes crinkled a bit as she noticed how tense his posture was against the grey painted metal. Before crossing the hall to him, though, Kitty glanced left and right, making sure nobody she was really acquainted with remained to spread rumors about her. No one she knew was nearby, so she smiled and looked back to Pietro, drawn into his eyes. She darted across the hall.
"Hi."
"Hi," he smiled broadly, if nervously. "So."
"So," she chuckled just as nervously.
"Uh, you want to get out of here?"
She remained caught in his gaze a few more seconds before answering. "Uh, no, no." He looked hurt for an instant. "No, I have to, um, get my books. Excuse me," she gestured to her locker. He stepped aside quickly, and she did her combination distractedly, feeling his eyes on her skin. Finally, she managed to get the locker open and began digging around diligently for her ever elusive French notebook.
"Whatcha looking for?" Kitty stopped. She had almost forgotten he was there, and she smiled at remembering his friendly presence.
"My French notebook. It's been missing all day."
"Oh, that?" He scratched the back of his neck uncomfortably. "I know where that is. Just a second." Before she could blink, he had sped off at top speed, a rush of cool air hitting her face. Then he was back, handing her her French notebook. "Here. I, uh, found it yesterday. I guess I forgot to give it to you earlier. Um, just a second." He snatched it back out of her half-grip, flipped to a seemingly random page and tore a few sheets out, folding them up and sticking them into his pocket.
"What were those?"
"What?"
"Those papers." She was stuffing the notebook into her backpack, now. "What were they? Why'd you tear them out?"
"Uh..."
"Can I see them?"
"...Sure." He pulled them back out of his pocket slowly, handing them over to her. "Heh. Um, guess I didn't know what I was doodling today..."
Hastily, Kitty unfolded the wad of papers, and a grin slowly spread over her face. Hearts--hearts with her name inside them. And Pietro's. She started laughing, and after a few minutes, Pietro joined in. Their laughter echoed in the near-empty school, rising and falling. It took a bit for them to settle down, but by now the ice had most certainly been broken. "So are we gonna get out of here, or what?"
Kitty slammed her locker. "Let's go."
"Yeah. Let's blow this joint!" They headed for the building's exit, laughing once again.
***
When Rogue reached the X-Mansion she immediately pulled out her favorite book, heading for a quiet room to collapse with it. Unfortunately for her, that was just when everyone started asking questions, the most common one being: "Where's Kitty, anyway?"
"She's working on a project at school," spoke Rogue above the chatter.
It became an all-out inquisition, then.
"What kind of project?" Scott bore down on her.
"Is it a French project? Am I missing something in that class?"
"She's at *school* instead of being *here*?"
"Why didn't she come straight home?! She said she'd help me with my computer class homework."
"How come she only told you?"
"Guys!" Rogue managed to call above them. They hushed. "Just leave her alone, okay? It's not like she's started dealing drugs or anything." The group was abashed, and chose that moment to walk off silently, heads hung, with a couple of half-hearted "Bye, Rogue"s tossed in her direction on their way out. Sighing, she flomped into a chair nearby, opening her book to the page she had left off.
"Hey, Stripes. Have you seen Half-Pint?"
Rogue gave him a glare, then turned back to her book.
***
Wandering through the park, Pietro and Kitty spoke as if it was the most natural thing in the world. All awkwardness had vanished, as well as Kitty's normal verbal tics, and the conversation flowed. The talk turned from such things as hair--
"So why's your hair white, anyway?" asked Kitty. "I've been wondering."
"Hardly anyone cares enough to find that out." Kitty smiled at him encouragingly. "It's part of my mutation. I haven't figured out *quite* what it has to do with it, but I know for sure that the X-gene is affecting my hair color."
"What color would your hair be otherwise?"
"Brown," he grinned. "I have a theory about the white, though." Kitty nodded to show she was interested in hearing it. "I figure, I'm really pale and I have white hair, I go really fast--it's to protect me from the sun, you know? I'd be really hot otherwise. It's like my whole's body's geared towards being really fast. I think if I had darker skin and hair I'd probably overheat if I used my power."
"Wow. Yeah, I think that's it," she nodded.
"So what about you," he nudged her playfully. "Does your power force your to wear your hair in a ponytail?"
She shoved him back, giggling. "No! As a matter of fact, I happen to *like* wearing my hair like that."
"I don't think I've ever really seen your hair down," he said, thoughtfully.
"So?"
"So?" he mimicked. "Can I?"
"What?"
"Can I see your hair down? Please?"
"Fine. But I really think it looks better in the ponytail," she said reluctantly, sighing and pulling her hair band loose of her hair. Once the elastic was free her hair flowed out of its topknot and fell to her shoulders. She shrugged at Pietro. "It's gonna get tangled this way, though."
"There are a lot of other girls who wear their hair down, and it doesn't hurt them." Kitty cocked an eyebrow. "And besides. I like it." He smiled. "Wear it down for me?"
She grinned. "Sure."
--and clothes--
"Are you kidding?! I *love* your capris." He looked seriously at her before they both burst out laughing. "No, really," he said, chortling. "I do."
"I believe you, I believe you," she assured him, recovering from her laughter. "I just thought maybe it was time for a change."
"No, you look great with the capris. I couldn't imagine you wearing anything else."
"The same for you."
"What, I look great in capris?" He fluttered his eyelashes, laughing again. "Why, thank you," he said, pitching his voice higher.
"No!" She cracked up. "No. I *meant* you look good in what you're wearing. I especially like your shirt. Makes you look debonair." Despite himself, Pietro blushed.
--to friends--
"--and I just think it was really great of her to cover for me, you know? It's not like Jean would bother with anything like that. She's way too self-absorbed, and besides--she's too busy leading on about three boys at once to spare the time to help a friend out."
Pietro raised his eyebrows. "I gotta tell you, I agree with that. Both things. From what I've seen of Rogue, from when she was in the Brotherhood--it was, what? A week, tops. Even that, though, and I could tell she was not really that mean. In fact, she went out of her way to help out around the house a couple of times. And from what I've seen of Jean-- well, let's just say she's boy-crazy and leave it at that." Kitty giggled.
--until finally the conversation collapsed into silliness.
"And then Todd came hopping up and he was all like," Pietro started hopping as they walked, doing Todd to a tee, "'I wanna see, yo, I wanna see what a loser he is,' and we were all laughing so hard, and then Fred was going--" here Pietro puffed out his cheeks and held his arms away from his body, curved, and made an expression of utter shock "--on the floor, like he *hadn't* *expected* to fall down the stairs--"
"Stop it," Kitty gasped amid giggles, "stop it! You're killing me!" She doubled over in laughter, barely able to keep her step on the path.
"--even though he had just dropped the banana peel in front of his *own* *feet,*" Pietro continued. "And then Lance came in and he was like--" Pietro stopped, right there, just about to do his Lance impression, when he saw the look on Kitty's face. There was a long pause as she stared sullenly at the ground as it went past her moving feet. Trying not to sound insanely jealous and over-protective as he did so, Pietro finally asked, "He really hurt you, didn't he? He really meant something to you?"
"It was like he had never even cared." She had stopped in her tracks, and her voice was muted. Pietro watched silently as she brought her hand to her face, covered by a curtain of hair, and her fingers came away wet. She sniffled quietly. "I thought, the whole time we were together, that I had meant something to him, that I wasn't just," she muffled her sob, "just some girl who happened to go with him for awhile. I mean, we've known each other since we were kids! That should mean something, right?" Her hair fell away from her face as she looked up, eyes shining, at Pietro. "Right?"
He felt like his heart had been torn out and ripped in two. Later, when he trusted himself to say more than a few words, he would be able to rage at Lance if he felt the need, but for now he just slipped a comforting arm around Kitty. "Hey," he said softly. "It's not so bad." There was really nothing else to say, after that. Guiding Kitty to a bench, Pietro sat down with her and let her wrap her arms around his midsection, for comfort. He rubbed her back as she held back tears and pulled him a little closer.
So focused, were they, on each other, that they didn't notice at first the figure standing a few sparse trees away from them. Pietro finally happened to glance up, but it still took him a few seconds to spot him. "Kitty."
"Hmm?" She took a few shuddering breaths and straightened up, wiping away a line of tears.
"Look," he gestured. Todd disappeared behind a tree.
"Uh-oh."
"Yeah. This could be trouble." They watched him hop away among the foliage, with only one glance back at them. "What if he tells somebody?"
"He won't, right? What is there to tell? What could he get out of it, anyway, if he told?" Kitty was in the process of cleaning herself up.
"I don't know. I'll talk to him tonight, I guess. Hey," he changed his tone. "You okay now?"
"Yeah," she gave a watery laugh. "Sorry about that. I just--haven't really had anybody to talk to, besides Rogue. Sorry," she said again.
"Don't be sorry," he said. "Be better." He smiled, standing up and offering her a hand, which she pulled herself up by. "Okay?"
"Okay," she grinned.
"Come on," he pulled her down the path, slipping an arm around her shoulders. "I'll buy you some ice cream."
***
::sobs openly:: Wa-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!!! ::sniffles:: Dammit! It's just so sad, and crud! Okay, suspense, right? Right.
What's going to happen with Todd? Will he tell people about this secret romance? Will Pietro and Kitty be forbidden to see each other after only *one* *date*? And, most importantly, WILL KITTY ORDER THE FUDGE RIPPLE?! All these things and more are what you can look forward to in the next chapter (or chap*ters*), if you decide to review. So REVIEW! MAKE MY MUSE HAPPY! ...whee!