Pryde and Wisdom: Bedtime Reading

Summary: Kitty and Pete, from a space outside the lines, obcerve the current workings of the Marvel Universe.

Disclaimer: I own NOTHING! Rub it in, why don't you?! Hmph!

"I don't believe this, Pete." Kitty Pryde walked into the New York City flat she and Pete were currently sharing. She tossed a plain paper bag onto the table and strode into the living room area.

"Whassat, luv?" Pete, who was engrossed in a combination of a Marlboro and episode of Law and Order: SVU, looked over at his lover and turned his attention away from the enthralling investigation of Detectives Stabler and Benson. "What're they up to now?"
"Piotr is apparently back from the dead!" Kitty threw her hands up over her head in a gesture of frustration. "No one ever really dies around here."

"So? I mean, he's one more friend you've got around, luv. That can't be bad. Unless- wait… they wouldn't?"

"Oh yes! They would!" Kitty headed into the kitchen to retrieve the bag from the table. "And, I think they are! I just picked up the last four issues of the "Astonishing X-men"- pe-eww what a title, by the way- and Piotr and I are apparently replacing Scott and Emma as the X-men's hot couple."

"I thought they settled this…" Pete sighed and took the comics that Kitty had picked up. "Bugger me… what's with this cover? I don't need to see that. I'm kind of ill now…You've put me right off dinner, luv?" Pete held the comic away from him in partially fake disgust. Kitty sighed and placed it on the coffee table none-too-gently.

"This all just… I mean…. Grrrr! Oh yeah! And in case that isn't bad enough, Pete, it gets better! I also picked up this new X-men: The End title cause I'm supposed to be in it. And apparently, you are such a horrible thought to Claremont, that I'm in a lesbian relationship with Rachel of all people. Oh yeah, and I'm running for the mayor of Chicago! Because we all know how much I love politics." Kitty rolled her eyes partly to illustrate her sarcastic reaction to all things politics, but mostly to the smirk on her boyfriend's face at the sound of the words 'lesbian relationship.' "I swear, all of you men think alike. Geez!" Kitty headed back into the kitchenette to get a bottle of water from the fridge. Pete, smirking in an almost lecherous manner, followed her, the fictional quest to discover who had raped the young model on TV completely forgotten.

"Hey, you haven't shown me any of those books. Those End ones or sommat. I'd like to see them, I would." He advanced on her, jokingly reaching for the stack of books in her hand.

"I bet you would, bub. You take a giant step back. I'm burning all of these for our own good." Laughing, Kitty extended a hand and laid it flat on Pete's chest. She couldn't fully restrain him in this manner, but it was enough to playfully deter him.

"Aaaah… don't worry about it, luv. 'S nothin' we haven't dealt with before. We'll make it." Pete shrugged, slightly uncomfortable with the way that this conversation had gone in the past and extremely uncomfortable with where it could presently travel. Kitty's insecurities might have been partially buried, but sometimes, they could still claw their way to the surface. And things like this going on within the confines of continuity could make her uneasy about the permanence of their relationship. That was one particular insecurity that Pete had to often battle with exuberance. But, there was definitely one method that he had proven successful in the past, and he was perfectly more than willing to attempt it now.

"Pete. I know… It just pisses me off. It's worse than the constant online 'fan-handling' to know that these people are seemingly being paid to ruin my life."

"Our lives, luv. Mine's nothin' if you're gone." Pete's face tensed painfully at that thought and crossed the distance between them to hug her.

"Whatever." Kitty returned his hug, "Can't they see that I'm only happy when I'm with you? What is the matter with them? What's so horrible about you that they are willing to go to such lengths to distract people from the truth?"

"Heh. You want that alphabetically, luv?" Pete grinned wryly, "Look, luv, it's okay. We're together. That's all that matters. And these other ideas, they're just red herring. You know what the problem with red herring is, that people usually see through it eventually. They'll figure it out. Just give them credit, and time. After all, luv, they're the best there is at what they do." He grinned and secretly thrilled to see her grin back. "Now," he smirked, "we've got that settled, we can take care of a few other… pressing issues…" Pete kissed her suddenly and fiercely, set to drive all of this out of her head until the next time she felt like bringing it up. He grinned as she dropped the comics on the counter and wrapped her arms around his neck, returning his kiss.

"Sounds good to me. After all, I've got you now. Let the fan-handling commence!" With that emphatic statement, Pete could lead her to the bedroom with all of her fears temporarily stalled. At least, until the next time Marvel chose to mess with their heads.

"God help us." He thought before she managed to skillfully drive every intelligible thought from his brain.

The End… for now…

Okay… I don't know… wouldn't leave me alone. Get over it. Sorry!

-J.