"Nice legs," Jamie snickered, his eyes scanning Kitty's body from hip to toe. She practically growled, nearly lunging to attack him, but John held her back as gently as he could, sick of fighting at the moment.
"Lay off, Madrox." John grumbled, his grip on Kitty's shoulders loosening until his hands just sort of rested in that space between her neck and shoulders. Kitty shook free, giving Jamie the meanest stare she'd ever given a heckler before.
"Keep looking, asshole, 'cause you're never gonna even get close to touching." She gritted her teeth, her eyes narrowed into hostile little slits. John muffled his laughter, secretly admiring her spunky attitude. Jamie shrugged with a goofy smile on his face.
"Hey, man, just admiring the scenery." He laughed softly, turning and making his exit, leaving a scowling Kitty behind.
"He's just an ass sometimes." John took her hand in his. "You'll get used to him." He took a few steps towards the room that served as a sort of a mess hall, but stopped when he realized that Kitty was staying put right where she stood.
"I'm not getting used to anything around here, John." She didn't speak with anger in her voice. It was dead calm and not meant to upset him. "You should know me better than that."
"Yeah," John shook his head. "It's just…" He looked into her eyes, smiling so very faintly. "It's not permanent. It's just until all of the hype over the robbery dies down." She nodded in agreement even though what she really wanted was to be back at the mansion that very second. She wasn't going to say that she wanted him there with her, either. Some things are best left unsaid.
"What's so bad about staying here, anyway?" Things like that are best left unsaid. It was too late, though, and Kitty snapped at him. She huffed, crossing her arms and then gingerly uncrossing them as said action made the shoulder wound hurt more.
"What's so great about staying here, John? Hmm?" She raised her eyebrows and spoke again before he had a chance to respond. "You're around really, truly evil people who are just I using you /I as a weapon." With that, John looked hurt.
We're a team, Kitty and me… He repeated that thought over and over again in his mind. She'd saved his life and he'd saved hers. Normally he would have abandoned her and called it even, but he felt an inexplicable need to stay by her side.
"John," She recognized his expression, immediately feeling bad for insulting the only real family John had anymore. "I'm sorry. I just…" I worry about you. She thought, leaving that bit out of the conversation.
"No sweat, Kitten." He looked down at her with an honest smile on his face. "Now let's get something to eat." He nodded in the direction of the mess hall.
"Is there anything to eat that doesn't come from a can?" Kitty scrunched up her face, complaining about the selection of food.
"We've got…" John sorted through a cabinet. "Chicken noodle soup, tuna, mushroom soup, more tuna…"
"So that's a 'no' then?" She sighed, leaning onto the counter.
"Oh, wait." She looked up at the cabinet at John who'd apparently discovered something other than soup or tuna. "We've also got sweet corn." Kitty's mouth dropped open and she shook her head.
"I'll take the chicken noodle soup." Kitty grumbled but smiled playfully up at her partner in crime. John nodded to her, also smiling a little bit. He grabbed a can-opener from a random drawer and opened the container of soup with a little effort. He flicked his lighter on and held the flame over the soup for a little bit.
"You're gonna have to drink it. I don't remember there being any spoons around here." Kitty frowned a little. If they'd gone to hide out at the mansion they would have had a whole kitchen of ingredients at their disposal. They could have had ice cream, but instead they were stuck between various cans of food and Kitty never really liked things that came from a can.
Kitty reached out hesitantly, afraid that John's flame had heated the metal of the can enough to make it burn to the touch. She took the can in her hand and sipped at the broth, flinching a little as the too-hot liquid burned down her throat. It had been about two days since she'd eaten, though, so she blew on the soup as if it would make any difference at all.
"Aren't you eating?" She looked up at John, taking another drink of soup.
"Not hungry. Maybe later." He shrugged and pulled up a stool next to the one Kitty stood on, taking a seat and propping his arms up on the counter.
"I've got a question." He leaned a bit closer to her.
"Shoot." She set down the soup, looking intently at him.
"Why were you out all on your own?" Kitty chose to take this as an insult.
"What do you mean?" She narrowed her eyes. "Poor little Kitty can't manage on her own without a chaperone? I go places on my own all of the time." She took a gulp of soup, wincing again as it scalded her sensitive throat.
"Heyyy." He laughed a little, holding up his hands. "I'm not insinuating that you can't manage on your own. You just never really strayed from the mansion before unless one of the professors dragged the students out into the real world. I know you can manage. It's just… Strange."
Kitty sighed, pushing her soup away from her so that she would have room to put her arms on the counter.
"Sorry. I just… I'm a little bit high strung right now."
"No sweat." He smiled faintly.
"I was getting away." She confessed with a nod.
"Away from the stressful life in a mansion with everything a person could ask for?" He raised his eyebrows. The question was asked partially because he really was curious as to why she'd want to escape such lush surroundings and partially because he wanted to push her buttons.
"Don't be a jackass, John." She pleaded with a smirk on her face. "I needed to get away from Bobby." Kitty sighed a little.
"What'd he do to you?" Suddenly it looked like John was really angry. She wanted to tell him that she didn't need a big brother out to get anyone who looked at her the wrong way, but Bobby was far away from any threat John posed.
"He…" She paused, trying to figure out how to word it. "He took a piece of my heart and threw it away for…" She really wanted to say 'sex' because that's what it had seemed like, but she chose a more subtle phrasing. "Rogue."
There was a short silence. Kitty was afraid that she'd killed the conversation with her angst. She wanted her time with John to be as pleasant as possible and now she'd caused the mood to take a dive towards depressing. John wasn't sure of how to fill the silence. He wanted to say that Bobby was a dick, that he was just too stupid to see a wonderful girl like Kitty and not fall head-over-heels in love with her, but he didn't want to get emotional or mushy.
"That's stupid." John shook his head. Kitty looked hurt for a second until he clarified. " He was stupid, Kitty, not you."
"Yeah," She murmured. "Maybe."
"No, not 'maybe'. He's an idiot. He leads you on and then when his pathetic girlfriend gets the cure--"
"How'd you know…" It seemed strange to ask John how he knew that Rogue had been cured before scolding him for calling her pathetic, so she trailed off into silence. Rogue was supposed to be like a big sister to Kitty, but their relationship changed so drastically because of Bobby.
"What do you miss most about your old home?" He was caught off-guard by Kitty's completely random question.
"Nothing," He scoffed, crossing his arms and turning on his 'tough guy' façade.
"There's got to be some--" John cut her off.
"I don't want to talk about it, Kitty." Kitty just nodded, respecting his wishes.
"Okay," She smiled warmly, putting a hand on his arm and looking up into his eyes. Something was perfect about that moment, even the coldhearted John Allerdyce could admit that. He was glad that she didn't press him for answers.
"Do you know what I miss most?" Her gaze shifted and she was staring into space.
"No, but I'll bet you're going to tell me." John smirked at her even though she wasn't even looking at him.
"Dance." She nodded. "Definitely dance." A smile formed on her face as she remembered all about her dance classes. The grace she'd shown in countless Danger Room sessions came from hours and hours of practicing her ballet moves. She wasn't exactly a swan but she carried herself with the air of a ballerina. It was one of her strengths.
Suddenly, Kitty reached over to the clock radio that sat below the cabinets of soup and tuna. She turned it on, adjusting the volume so that it wouldn't bother anyone else in the Brotherhood's bunker.
"Kitty, what--" She gently put her fingertips to his lips to silence him for a moment.
"Dance with me." She smiled a little, half afraid that he would make fun of her for even asking. John looked around to make sure that no one was watching. That was all he'd need. Someone to saunter into the mess hall and catch him being I nice /I . He gave in, though. There was that look in her eyes that made him melt and want to make her happy.
"One song," He nodded, sliding off of the stool and offering his arm for the temporarily handicapped Kitty. She stood on her tip-toes, wrapping her arms around his neck. It was awkward for a moment, but they both got into a comfortable position.
Mine, immaculate dream, made breath and skin, I've been waiting for you
Kitty sighed, stepping a little bit closer to John and he did the same, his hands sitting on her petite hips. It was funny how something so strong could seem so delicate. That was how he thought of Kitty. She was a hellcat in battle but so small, so fragile… He couldn't help but want to protect her.
It'll take a little time, might take a little crime, to come undone.
We'll try to stay blind, to the hope and fear outside,
Hey child, stay wilder than the wind
And blow me in to cry.
They swayed to the gentle music, every so often looking at one another and exchanging a smile. Kitty stepped as close as she could get, resting her head against John's chest. He was taken slightly off-guard by this action, but he welcomed it. It had been so long since someone had embraced and shown affection towards him. His arms pulled her against him and he tilted his head downward so he could breathe in her scent.
His one hand wandered up to the back of her neck, running his fingers through her chocolate brown hair. Who knew that just one dance could be so personal?
Who do you need?
Who do you love,
When you come undone