Shiny

Chapter Thirteen.

They were stretched out on opposite ends of the couch as the firelight played across their features. It was an unusually cold night for September and the fireplace was a welcome source of heat. Kitty was busy reading her book while her fingres methodically swirled through her hair. Piotr sat at the opposite end of the couch, sketching, brows slightly furrowed. The clock said it was midnight, but they felt as if it was only nine. Once in a while one would sneak a glance at the other, or mildly tickle their companion's foot. The only sounds were the occasional flipping of pages, and the scratching of Piotr's pencil.

"Illyana asked me today where our parents are." Piotr sighed suddenly, resting his sketchbook on his knee.

Kitty looked up, surprised. "What did you say?"

"I didn't say anything." His face was frighteningly blank.

"Peter... you'll have..." His raised hand stopped her mid-sentence.

"I know. I just... I want her to be the one of us to have a happy childhood. Mikhail grew up in the depths of poverty and Communism. I was raised having to endure severe hatred towards mutants. Even before my own powers manifested the other children would make my life miserable because of what my brother is."

"Wait. Your brother is a mutant?"

Piotr chuckled ever so slightly. "Yes. He prefers to keep it underwraps. He always has. Otherwise, his career as a cosmonaut would be terminated. Compared to Russia, America is a very tolerant place for mutants. When my powers arose... Let's just say that things got unbearable." He shrugged off the memories, "Anyways. I'm not exactly sure what to say. Sooner or later she WILL figure it out. She'll learn that children aren't normally raised by their brothers." He ran his hands through his black hair and sighed heavily.

"Peter..." Kitty reached over and lightly touched his hand. "I think you should tell her. She's a tough little cookie and you can always make sure she has a happy childhood otherwise."

The brooding look on his face faded away into a small smile. He gathered her into his lap and circled his arms around her waist. "You're right."

"I know. I always am." She joked mildly.

"Will you come with me?" Piotr asked after several minutes of silence.

"Hm?" Kitty murmured dreamily.

"Will you come with me to tell Illyana?"

"Are you sure?"

"She's very fond of you. Plus... I dont know. It'll be easier for me if you're there." As much as he tried to mask it, a pleading and nervous look arose out of his eyes.

Turning around in his lap, she put her arms around his neck and whispered sincerely, "Of course I will." He drew her close to him. They eventually arose from the couch and trooped up to Illyana's room.

Mikhail had moved in with Alice a few weeks ago, which allowed Piotr and Illyana to have their own rooms. The little girl had already started to personalize it, covering her bed with a frilly pink bed spread and have even commissioned her brother to paint a mural on one wall. The half finished unicorns winked out through the still glistening paint and the Knight was holding flowers in handless arms to a Princess in a colorless tower. the room smelled strongly like the scent of acryllic paint was attempted to be masked by spray-on deoderant. Kitty's nose wrinked but she decided against saying anything.

Kitty squeezed Piotr's hand for reassurance, as he stood over Illyana's bed, watching her sleep. "Do you," He swallowed, calming his voice, "Do you think that we should wait until the morning?"

Kitty didn't have a chance to answer as Illyana's eyes fluttered open. "Piotr? Katya?" The blonde yawned. "Is it morning already?"

"It isn't morning. Not really." Piotr pulled his sister into his arms and started speaking. "Illyana..."1

Morning dawned and found the room quiet. Illyana was curled up in her brother's arms, tiny hand clutching his t-shirt, and Kitty was dozing peacefully in the armchair. Piotr was awake staring at his sister. The tears of last night had faded and she was once again under the peaceful enchantment of the sandman.

Something was tickling the inside of Piotr's nose. Not wanting to sneeze in Illyana's face, Piotr turned away and sneezed. As he opened his eyes again he was faced with Kitty's staring gaze. "You sneeze loud." She murmuered, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. The Russian smiled halfheartedly. He got up and walked into his room, careful to quietly shut the door behind him. Crossing his arms, he stared silently out his window and settled into deep thought.

He was surprised when Kitty's arms laced around his middle and her cheek reasted on his back. "Are you ok?" The whisper was barely audible but Piotr heard it as if she had shouted it into his ear.

"I will be if she is," was the simple and emotionalless reply.

Kitty turned him around, tearing his gaze from the window. "Piotr." She grasped his arms. "Dont beat yourself up about this. You are a wonderful, caring brother. Illyana loves you. You are doing a wonderful job with her and you're going to continue doing a wonderful job. No child could ask for anything more." She moved in and hugged him close. "Dont doubt yourself, okay?"

Piotr drew his arms tightly around her small body and buried his face in her neck, not fearing if the tears came.

Ororo was daintily sipping her coffee and absentmindedly staring out the large bay windows in the kitchen. She was a morning person, and loved getting up early when the house was the quietest so she could be alone with her thoughts. And the weather witch had a lot to think of lately. She was just starting her second cup when the kitchen doors opened. Both of them stopped slightly when they acknowledged the other, but Ororo continued to drink and Logan sat down across from her with the newspaper.

The silence was deafening, but neither adult seemed to mind it in the slightest. Slowly, stealthily Ororo's hand alighted on top of Logan's resting one. The movement resulted in no outward reaction of eithe rparty. Neither said a word as their fingers slowly intertwined. Logan continued reading his paper and Ororo continued drinking her coffee while looking out the windows.

1--- Taken from "Gone with the Wind"

(A/N: Another short chapter. But I really really really like it, especially the end. You all didn't think I forgot about Logan and Ororo, did you? P Hopefully more of them to come. I have my plans for them. ::laughs maliciously::

I was sad that I had to make Mikhail move... but I had two reasons for that. 1) I was having trouble fitting him in... 2) What respectful 26 year old would live with his brother and sister while he has unlimited access to poontang if he lives with his girlfriend?

Anyways. I'm gonna do shoutouts at the end now.

GiniaTM- Yeah. The Romy banter was one of my favorite things to write in this whole story. I also hate those stories where she is a scared little girl and is angsty. She's a very strong person, so I write her as such. And Remy... ah... dear Remy. He's a lover. What kind of girl would be turned on by third-person speaking? )

Lia Fail- I used to make forts out of menus. Then the waitresses would look at me like I'm crazy or sometimes knock them down. Man... Junior year ROCKED. And yeah.. I TOTALLY would be in love with Piotr too. It sounds silly, but every guy I meet now I compare to him. Suffice to say.. All the guys I meet are pimply losers.

The Uncanny R-man-- I love fire. I got a lighter at a baby shower on Sunday. That was the biggest mistake they could have ever made.