Cheshire, Canuckle, Retro ... you make the writing all worth while. I know I've slowed down a bunch when it comes to posts but Ill keep working and you three just keep reviewing.

Canuckle - I learn from the best. You're work is always so fleshed out and one of the ways you do that is with ... research. Boring ... tedious ... research. But it makes it all worthwhile when someone appreciates it : ) And yea, need a bit of fuzziness for the felines. And ... well Greer won't have to be growly alone for long ; )

Cheshire - yea, I'd keep an eye on Kraven too. But you know Colton, if he can kill it ... what's there to worry about?


Another week had gone by, and with it March turned April, Spring covering the ground of Xavier's academy and the surrounding forest. Apex had set up him and Greer on the deck in an attempt to get some early morning sunshine before classes.

The pair were eating breakfast slowly, Apex eyeing Greer's choice of 'diet' critically but otherwise staying quite about it, though Greer's head was clearly someplace else entirely. She hardly noticed when Colton finally slipped his tail around her's under the table ... he was certain that would be a sure fire distraction.

"Greer -" he said, trying to capture her attention, but it wasn't enough. It took two more times and a deeper rumble to get her to blink out of her thoughts.

"Oh sorry," and Apex relaxed a little when her striped tail curled around his firmly. But the next thing she said had his claws sink into the table in surprise.

"Can you teach me how to throw knives? I was watching Widow a while back, and she threw knives. I should know how too." He blinked and simply stared at Greer as she looked as if she'd asked him to teach her how to solve a particularly hard crossword. Letting out a short rumble he pushed back from his plate, earning a surprised look from Greer.

"Colton - what is it? What's wrong?" Greer reached out and covered her boyfriend's closed fist as he frowned at the table.

"This isn't supposed to be a good thing Greer. You rejoining the team." Now it was the tigress' turn to frown a little.

"Hey, we are not doing this again. I'm on the team." Apex shook his muzzle and turned to look at Greer.

"I know that. I just - this wasn't what I wanted." Apex had never wanted to have to teach Greer how to shoot a gun ... snap a neck ... hunt for killers. He'd started all of this to ensure she'd never have to do any of those things and now ... now here she was asking him to teach her to throw knives.

"Not what you wanted?" and Greer frowned a little. "Colton, we're out fighting bad guys all the time. I think it's a pretty practical for me to learn."

Apex rublmed.

"It's not practical," and the panther knew immediately he should be more careful with his choice of wording when Greer narrowed her eyes.

"Greer…" and Apex brought himself to wrap his hands around Greer's again.

"You have claws, fangs, enhanced strength speed, agility, feral state and accelerated healing. You don't need to learn how to throw knives." that seemed to get Greer to raise an eyebrow, a smirk tugging at the side of her lips.

"So you're basically saying I'm more powerful than Black Widow…" she drawled, purring slightly. Apex nodded and just as he thought he'd evaded a potential disaster, Greer shook her head and leaned back against her chair.

"Nice try, but if we are going by that logic, why did you train me to use a gun?" the tigress demanded, her smirk now an expectant scowl and Apex sighed.

"That was a mistake on my part." he admitted and that got Greer to pause.

"So you're saying I'm crap at using weapons." Apex shook his head again.

"Then what is it then?" Greer asked coolyand the panther could only stare at her.

There was a pause and the tigress relented by tossing her hands into the air.

"Fine whatever. You know what, let's just hit the gym, I could use the training." she grumbled before getting out of her seat. Apex watched her go before reluctantly following. This was going to be a very uncomfortable training session.


"C'mon Logan you gonna do it or not?" Greer glanced down at the Danger Room below where Colton was finishing up getting their guns assembled. How did he get those in there all the time ...

"Not necessary Tigger." Logan grumbled as he was in the process of setting up the cache of simulations. Seeing as how he was the only one without restrictions built into his sims, Logan was the only one Apex could go to with any sort of confidence to oversee his training when he wanted to be in the dark in terms of what to expect. And Greer wasn't letting him focus.

"What do you mean, 'Not necessary?' Of course it's necessary. This psycho is trying to hunt us," Logan raised an eyebrow which Greer didn't appreciate, "Fine him. Whatever. Can you just do it?" The tigress' tail thumped the ground as if her agitation wasn't evident. In a surprising move of self-control, Logan pushed off the controls to look at her.

"You think he hasn't ran through this already? Besides he's one of Web-Head's bad guys - he ain't that big a deal, Tigger. Just likes to think he is." Logan turned back to finish up.

"Just do it Logan." The older feral turned to growl but all he saw was the tip of a stripped tail as she headed down to join Colton. Logan grumbled for a few seconds as he plugged a variable into what he'd already set up.

"This is why I don't date women in this place." Logan growled to himself before flipping the switch, the lights in the Danger Room below darkening briefly before shimmering. Logan had his hands over the controls as the simulation began below.

...

As much as Apex was loathe to admit it ... Greer was handling herself well. While she might have not been where he'd preferred physically, there was no denying these last weeks of training had paid off. Regardless of the simulation, Greer performed. Stealth ... Hand to hand ... Assault ... Weaponry ... It was fluid and it was effective. Brotherhood, Screamers, Friends of Humanity, rogue Weapon X agents ... they took them all.

But she still wouldn't kill.

And if he was completely honest with himself ... it was a relief. At least that part of Greer remained intact.

There was just one thing that he did not appreciate.

The Danger Room kept its normal appearance, the only change being the raised sections of the floor creating a series of low and high grounds. He'd been engaged with a soldier from The Right while Greer was to his left breaking down members of U-Men, when his ears swiveled ... suddenly the Right disciple looked around for the panther only to stop mid-step and glance down in confusion at the darts lodged into his chest before dropping onto his back, convulsing for a few moments before dying.

Apex tore his way through two more assailants, following the path the knife must have taken and judging from the trajectory ... the panther tumbled to his left, never stopping his approach as gunfire rained down from the plateau his target had taken. Leaping the distance, Apex felt his claws sink into the metal as he began his ascent. Above him, a feral roar rose in challenge, the sound of a machete being drawn from its scabbard. But as he looked down to hack at his prey ... there was nothing there.

He took a few steps back, clearly confused ... and turned just in time to raise the machete and save his face. But that was the only thing he did right. Apex blocked the next blow and snapped the humerus. When he reached for his sidearm Apex was faster, sinking his claws into the shoulder ... and ripping the arm off. He only kicked Kraven's head off because he thought it bouncing off the observation rooms glass would make his point.

"I told you I could handle him."

Greer had been looking at Kraven's head with a bit of a shiver until she heard Apex's growl and Logan finally shut down the program. That had been the third Kraven he had dismembered and honestly it was just starting to annoy him having to stop what he was doing and kill him. He'd tried simply ignoring the first one but Logan had designed it so Kraven made that difficult to do. So ... he'd taken to removing his head.

Greer looked over at Colton and quickly reclaimed her demeanor, crossing her arms as she cocked a hip.

"Don't look at me like that. We both know that if there was some psycho hunting me you'd toss him at me ... worse probably." Apex eyed Greer's tail flick but this was completely unnessarcy. He had other things to focus on besides some delusional second-rate hunter. Lucky for both felines, Logan was there to play referee.

"You really need to see that again Tigger? Not sure if you were payin' close enough attention." Logan punted 'Kraven's' head across the Danger Room as it dissapated mid-air, "Want me to give Kraven superpowers this time? Think it'd help him?"

Greer glowered at her mentor but he'd already turned his attention to the frustrated panther.

"It's like stretching, kid. Now and again you gotta take a minute just to keep loose." Apex huffed in response as he kept his eyes locked on Greer who seemed to be very interested in something on the ground. Logan looked between the two felines and tossed his hands up, reaching into his back pocket for a cigar. Kid had asked for the morning and damn if he wasn't goin' to get some of his own shit done before he had class that afternoon.

"Let you two figure it out. Try not to shred any of the furniture while you do." Logan lit up his cigar mid-turn and headed towards the exit, missing the look Greer shot him as the fur on her tail stood on end. She'd been depending on Logan to back her up and instead all he'd done was leave her with a rumbling panther. And speaking of rumbling panthers ...

Greer shot a look over at Colton as she tucked some hair behind her ear. She was still angry at the big fuzzfaced idiot for not taking Kraven seriously ... but unsure of how to approach it.

Apex meanwhile couldn't understand what had Greer so focused on Kraven. He could be hunted down at any time. They knew it was him. He was confident. And if Kraven ever decided to fight him face to face ... well he'd remove that head too. Besides, he needed Greer focused on what was coming next. They needed to find and dismantle this group harboring Weapon X. Not bothering with what amounted to a distraction.

All of this passed unspoken between the two felines who instead let the seconds pass in silence. Greer had never had trouble talking to Colton before but after all those days of frustration and distance ... she just didn't know what to say.

"I - I'm gonna go. I'll see you later." Greer tried walking past Colton but stopped when she felt his hand close around her arm.

"Greer I don't want you -"

"What? You don't want me to what?" The timber of her growl and the look she was giving him caught Apex slightly off guard and he let his hold on her arm drop.

"That's what I thought." Greer muttered and stalked out of the Danger Room as Apex growled out for another wave.


Things were tense between Apex and Greer for the rest of the day. She managed to make it through study hour without growling at anyone and he didn't eviscerate any students during his time managing the gym. The rest of the night the two spent in mutual silence if not apart, though Jean could pick up the stream of negative thoughts coming off of her friend even if she wasn't looking for specifics.

Apex went to the library to finish up some work he owed Ororo. He'd thought Greer would stop by before heading upstairs but after today ... he wasn't surprised when she didn't make an appearance. Of course that didn't help to improve his mood. Something the other students that had spent the evening in the library picked up, giving the dour panther a wide space. Everyone of course expect Kitty and Amara.

"What's eating him?" Amara looked up from her bio textbook to glance over at the only person Kitty could be talking about.

"No idea. He's been glaring at everything all day."

"More like ever since he got back from ... well wherever." Kitty whispered as her and Amara shared knowing looks. While most of the student body had only noticed Logan's absence, the two teens had been some of the few students to notice Colton's absence as well. Jean had told them that he'd gone on some 'hunting trip' but that hadn't stopped the two from wondering

"Think we should ... I dunno ... say something?" Amara again looked over at Colton who had pinned his ears back. He was trying to focus but it was getting difficult to ignore the whispers coming from across the room.

"Maybe ... I mean you think him and Greer are fighting?" Kitty couldn't resist good gossip.

"Could be ... do you remember what she was like when he was gone? Not sure I ever saw Greer like that before." Amara's mind went to the image of a threadbare tigress stalking her way past the living room. It had been quite a sight and one usually reserved for Logan.

"Oh - Oh ... maybe she was mad about where he was! Like - Colton went someplace she didn't want him to." Kitty's idea had the two teens heads' together, their bio work clearly forgotten. Each one passing theories back and forth and rising in volume.

"And maybe that's -"

"And maybe that's why rumors don't help anyone pass biology." Colton's rumble got both girls to jump backwards into their seats and look over to see the panther staring straight at them as they quickly locked their eyes back onto their books.

"Sorry." Both whispered timidly, clearly embarrassed at having been caught, while there was a slight scent of smoke in the air from where Amara had singed her seat.

Apex kept his eyes on the two girls for a few more seconds before he let out a huff and went back to work. At first he'd been nervous about the path of conversation the two had been having, the notion that students might note his absence never really occurring to him. But eventually they had gotten so wild in their assumptions that he'd simply wanted them to be quite so he could get back to work on his paper.

A few more minutes passed and he glanced up again at Katherine and Amara. They really cared that he'd left?

Kitty was taking turns trying to memorize the phases of a cell and scolding herself for not remembering about ridiculous feral hearing. How could she forget? Stupid ... stupid ... stu -

"What happened with Greer while I was gone?"

"Holy! -"Kitty's heart felt like it was going to burst out of her chest at suddenly finding Colton standing right next to their table, ears still flat against his head and tail swaying ponderously behind him. He hadn't meant to scare the two girls who had nearly fallen out of their chairs. He gave them a moment to let their heart rates return to normal.

"Wh - what did you say?" Kitty had her hand over her chest as she looked up at the tall panther.

"You said something about Greer." Kitty and Amara shared a look before turning back to Colton.

"Yea ... well ... she - uh she wasn't -" Amara felt a little awkward but Kitty had recovered a bit faster than her friend.

"We'll tell you all about it. If you tell us where you went last week." Amara's eyebrows went straight up at Kitty's boldness but quickly looked up at Colton to check his reaction. As normal, he was difficult to read, though his tail had a slight twitch to it as he stared down at Katherine.

"Jean already told you where I was." Kitty smiled a little as she shook her head.

"No, Jean told us what you were doing. We wanna know where you were doing it."

"Hunting." Apex interjected.

"Yea ... hunting." Kitty's tone clearly showing her lack of faith in that line. Apex glanced over at Amara who quickly changed her face to match Katherine's determined one. For a moment Apex was reminded of seeing a similar look when he'd see Jubilee question Logan. He'd always wondered why Logan allowed the teen to pester him ... guess he was finding out it might not have been much choice.

But that didn't mean he was about to divulge everything to two gossip hungry teenagers.

"I'll make you a deal." Kitty and Amara sat up a bit straighter. Was he really going to fill them in?

"I'll answer one question from each of you ... if you keep your rumors as off base as usual." Kitty pulled a bit of a face but Amara quickly agreed for the pair. Apex turned to Kitty who seemed to consider things for a moment.

"Three questions each."

"No questions." Apex growled back, Amara now shooting Kitty an angry look.

"Fine ... Fine ... sheesh. Can't blame a girl for trying." Kitty muttered. Apex looked around the room to make sure the rest of the students stopped staring and focused back on their word before taking the extra seat at the girls' table.

"So what do you want to know?" Kitty and Amara shared an excited look and the odd threesome quietly put their heads together.

...

Greer was in the midst of giving the gym's punching bag the most vicious beat down she could dish out when the damn thing stopped swinging as the tigress' ear swiviled towards the entrance. Frustrated, she stopped only to look over her shoulder to see good old fuzz face staring at her. She curled her lip. Stupid fuzz face.

Greer went back to jabbing at the heavy bag. It was late and after Piotr had wished her a goodnight, she'd found herself alone for last twenty minutes or so.

"So am I punching the bag wrong or something. Or maybe you're afraid the bag might swing too hard, hit me and send me into a concussion." Greer mumbled sarcastically but Colton just continued to stare, which seemed to work up the tigress even more.

"Or maybe you still think putting me back on the team is a mistake. Can't keep precious ... fragile ... Greer safe if she's out in the field." Greer switched to kicking and elbowing the bag, earning some creaks from chain holding it up.

"But answer me this smart guy ... how am I going to be working with you if I can't ever catch up to you?" Greer landed a particularly hard shot with a growl.

"I don't want you to catch up to me." Greer bristlsed at Colton's answer, raising her intensity even more.

"Don't want to - Oh so that's what this is? You're afraid I'll out do you?" Greer honestly considered landing her next punch on the panther and not the punching bag.

"That's not what I meant." Greer growled in the back of her throat, not noticing the tint of red at the sides of her vision.

"Well you don't have to worry about me outdoing you cause it's not going to happen. But is it such crime to want to be out there with you? I know how you people talk about me. Little miss assassin Domino thinks I'm some kind of joke. Some wannabe sidekick. And who can blame her ... I'm JUST THE IDIOT WHO SCREWED UP, GOT SHOT AND PARALYZED!" Colton grabbed the shouting Greer's wrists. She struggled for a few moments, snarling and breathing heavily, as he kept staring her in the eye until she looked back. It took some time but Greer calmed down enough for Apex to let go, her arms immediately crossing as she took in the shredded heavy bag, sand steadily pouring onto the floor.

"Crap." Greer scolded herself. Just what she needed ...

Apex didn't notice it and kept his eyes on Greer.

"I don't want you to catch up to me because you are too good to become like me." Apex rumbled, getting her to look away from the bag and back to him.

"I never wanted you too kill, or throw knives, because that's not who you are. And the last time I made you do it, I know it hurt you."

"I was fine." But Apex shook his muzzle at her defiant response.

"Greer, you're not a killer. You're not. You're a hero. And that's not something you should change for me." That got the tigress to stop scowling and drop her hands, ears lowering as she looked up at Colton.

"But you're so … Strong and just badass out in the field. Everybody knows you can handle the job. And me? I'm like that annoying girlfriend you allow to tag along."

Apex shook his head and wrapped his arms around her waist before bunting her on the forehead.

"I'm not strong alone." he rumbled and Greer sighed before smirking slightly.

"Never knew you could sweet talk like that," she purred.

"What's 'sweet talk?'" Greer's smirk widened and she shook her head a little and just nuzzled a bit harder into his chest.

"Don't worry about it." Greer laughed a little before putting her hands onto Colton's chest to get herself a little separation.

"OK ... You don't have to to teach me how to throw knives but please ... give me a chance to actually do something." Apex rumbled.

"Fine ... so long as you won't try fighting Sabertooth on your own again." Greer's ears turned straight up before sliding back as she lowered her eyes a bit guilty.

"So ... you watched the tapes huh?" Apex just rumbled an affirmative. But Greer closed her hands into fists and glared back up at her boyfriend.

"Well don't leave me behind anymore and I won't have to fight psychos on my own for practice. Alright?" Apex tried not to sigh in frustration. He'd watched the footage and seen the state Greer had been in after she'd taken on Creed. He'd considered locking her personal codes but reconsidered when he thought of the fallout. He was trying to improve things with her after all.

"Alright." Greer narrowed her eyes a bit as she judged his answer before snuggling herself back into his chest.

"And I did pretty damn well if I may say so myself." Greer muttered as she looked over at the pile of sand and let out a sigh.

"Think I gotta clean that up." Greer moved to pull away from Colton and let out a little yelp as she found herself off the floor and back in his arms.

"I'll take care of it tomorrow." The tigress' fur stood on end a little as a shiver went up her tail at the sound of Colton's growl.

"Oh ... so - what are you doing tonight?" Greer whispered as she wrapped her arms around her boyfriend's neck.

"I think ... I'd rather show you." Greer's smile widened as she let Colton lead her from the gym.


The rest of the week went by and by all accounts, Greer had rarely been in a better mood. She was back to having relaxed mornings with her boyfriend, lunch with Jean and Ororo, her study hours were now fully booked through finals, and she spent her nights training with Colton. Sometimes in the Danger Room, one night even out in the forest. But it had been a session in the Danger Room that had her in a good mood this afternoon. She'd finally figured out how to spice up her gymnastics class.

So as the tigress came down the hall that Thursday afternoon with a conspiratorial smile, it was to find the confused faces of Rogue, Kitty, Tabitha, Ilyana, Monet, Paige, Dani and Hisako that turned at her arrival, waiting for her in the Danger Room. Sometimes staff like Rogue or Jean would come for a class and while she usually found it a little distracting, today she was pleased Rogue had decided to stop by. After all ... it had been Marie that had bashed her class as being 'boring.'

"Good, you all got my message." Greer walked confidently over to the console and plugged in the program she'd had Colton help her write the day before.

"Yea but ... why are we in the Danger Room?" Kitty didn't sound too happy. She'd already gone through a Danger Room session with Scott that morning.

"Is there something wrong with the equipment in the gym?" Dani asked before Greer could answer Kitty. She turned her head to focus on Dani when Tabitha spoke up between cracking her gum.

"And why'd you have us wear our training uniforms?" The class of girls glanced down at each other's uniforms at the mention of Greer's instruction on what to wear instead of their usual athletic wear.

"Just hold your questions for now. You'll see - I promise. But first," Greer finished up and picked up a controller from the insert in the console, "let's do some things were all familiar with."

The class turned to see a set of uneven parallel-bars, a vault and balance beam, all next to each other in a perfect imitation of the gym they were used to practicing in.

"Well c'mon ... get to it!" Greer's tail thumped on the floor and with a few confused mutters the girls got to work. Greer walked between the groups, taking the time to point out some things for each one to tighten up or loosen up on. The tigress a perfect balance of cheerleader pep and stern coach. As she watched everyone, she let out a content sigh. Greer had really missed her time teaching gymnastics. After all this time it was one of the few things she still enjoyed from when she was ... well from before.

"What's the big deal ... why'd she drag us in here? We could be doing all this back in the gym." Ilyana grumbled to Kitty as they finished up their circuit on the bars. Greer's ear flicked in their direction and she smiled.

"I'm glad you asked Ilyana," Greer had been waiting impatiently for someone to finally say something. Greer gestured for the class to move a bit to the side and pushing a button on the controller the equipment rearranged itself to line up like some sort of ...

"Wait - an obstacle course? I thought this was gymnastics, not combat training." Dani's comment got a few nods but Greer was still smiling.

"See ... that's exactly where you're wrong." The statement got several confused glances as Greer called out the commands under her classroom setting on the computer.

"Most of you came to this class because you wanted a better chance at surviving Professor Logan's. Well, since you've all been diligently doing your routines, now comes the most important part ...!"

The girls looked around at the sound of the Danger Room coming alive and the next thing they knew, Greer was running full tilt towards the unparallel bars ...

"Application!"

And that's when the bullets started.

"If I wanted to dodge bullets I'd ask Logan for extra credit." Monet muttered.

"Would you shut up." Kitty scolded distractedly, but it was unnecessary as pretty soon, everyone fell silent and just watched.

Greer ran across the mats and slid, flipped and tumbled through the torrent of bullets and leaped onto the bars, spinning once ... twice over the bar before stalling on the third rotation and landing on the higher bar. She was perched there for a moment, tensed on her haunches, before launching herself through the air and landing on the balance beam. Once her feet hit the bar, two men appeared in front of her. Greer looked up at the two with a smile ... and a growl. Somehow managing to maintain her balance, Greer knocked both of her opponents off the bar easily.

"She ... Hey I know that move ..." Dani nudged Hisako and a few other girls whispered in agreement as Greer was now head back towards the group over the mats, this time flipping and twisting her way through a laser grid, until she flipped clear of danger to land in front of the class in a perfect gymnastics pose. Greer looked around, taking some deep breaths to catch her breath, when all the girls started talking at once, the tigress beaming at their excitement.

"So ... who's first?"

The rest of the class was a blast ... if a bit of a mess. The 'bullets' the girls were dodging were actually paintballs and pretty soon the girls were covered in splatters of different colors. Jubilee came by half-way through the class and quickly gave the course a shot, almost making it through unscathed until Rogue pointed out the line of red across her behind from the laser grid.

"Son of a ... outta my way. I'm running it again." Jubilee gave her best imitation of Logan's growl but got yelled to the back of the line. And just when the girls started to get it ... Greer pushed a button on her controller and changed the program. But instead of a moan, the girls just got more determined, practicing with each other to the side as they waited for their turn. Greer actually had to shut down the program to a chorus of yells when they'd gone twenty minutes over and Scott called down from the control booth.

"Oh come on Greer ... give us one more shot at it." Monet spoke for the group.

"Don't worry, the course isn't going anywhere." Greer assured them as they headed towards the showers. She'd come up with the whole thing from all the training she'd put in with Colton. When he'd asked her where she'd learned a certain move, she'd had to actually stop was she was doing to think about it. And then it hit her.

"It better not." Jubilee grumbled as the class headed for their lockers.

Greer however was all smiles.

"Guess my class isn't so 'boring' anymore." Greer purred to herself as she started to strip down, her tail swaying happily all the while.


There were times Colton found Greer difficult to understand. She would say one thing but then be disappointed when he didn't do another ... and then upset when he pointed that out. Then of course there were those 'social' things she wanted him to do that he just never picked up on as important. But he'd always been able to read the tigress herself. Or so he thought.

Over the next few weeks, Greer was the picture of contentment. She was back to her regular schedule in the library getting students ready for finals season, setting up study groups and checking practice tests. Her gymnastics class was suddenly the talk of the students, with some already asking her when they'd be able to sign up for next year. She and some of the other female staff had taken to going out 'happy hour'-ing on Fridays. And his training with her had improved to the point that he was confident she'd be able to handle herself in the field. The part about them going on dates again was more her idea than his but ... he was OK with that.

Greer was happy again ... excited about things. And yet whenever he'd go to check his tablet, or he'd walk into their room, he'd catch her scent. The tinge of anxiety ... nerves ... mixed in with the typical floral spice he associated with the tigress. When he mentioned it, Greer had brushed it off.

"You're imagining things. I'm not nervous about anything. I mean besides for Jean cooking tomorrow night ... that has me a little nervous." Greer's teasing might have changed the subject but Apex hadn't forgotten about it.

But then the time had come that he'd looked up from the tablet and he hadn't even needed to say anything. He could tell that she knew, and without another word Greer had simply slipped on some shoes, grabbed her bag, and headed outside. But then things had gotten even more confusing when her scent had reversed ... now he could tell that her anxiety was in the forefront but the excitement was still there.

And when they'd come back from the mission, exhausted and sore, after they'd showered the mission away, with Greer's tail trailing off the bed as she quickly fell asleep next to him, that mixture of scents were still there ... even now. He'd asked Piotr about it in the gym the next evening while they boxed.

"Greer is zhenshchina my friend. What is there to know?" The Russian took a few jabs at Apex who slipped under the strikes.

"I know that she's a woman. I just don't know how she can be ... tense and happy at the same time." Apex went high, bringing Piotr's hands up before landing a blow to his ribs, forcing Piotr to circle away.

"Hah ... then you most certainly don't know about woman comrade." Peter's eyes slipped from his opponent for a moment as Kitty and Ilyana walked by the ring. "Because if you did, you'd know woman are ..." Piort's hands dropped, Apex took a step back but didn't drop his guard.

"Women are what?" Piotr looked up at the ceiling as he scratched his chin with his wrapped hand.

"Complex ... Yes, women are complex." Piotr nodded with a smile, clearly pleased with his analysis.

Apex just huffed as his tail thumped on the mat. He hadn't needed Piotr to tell him that.