With This Ring, Thee I Wed

[just_a_phase]

She's battered and bruised and--despite his insistence on carrying her bridal-style into their home and all the way to their bedroom--she's aware that Piotr is too.

Kitty doesn't care.

This. This is what she's been moving towards for a decade, even if at times she denied the fact. They've finally made it through all the pain and hurt and lies (to themselves as well as each other) and now--

They're actually married. She's kept her maiden name, while they both muse on if he takes her name or she takes his, but that means nothing.

The fresh ink on and in her skin tingles, even if rationally she knows it can't.

She's seen so many marriages fall apart, and she promises herself, nuzzling Piotr's neck as he shuts the door to their room with his body, that this marriage won't be one that does.

Comments

[konocc]

"Made a new one!" Piotr exclaims proudly, glad once again he paid close attention when his parents were making soap and repairing items from around the house while Mikhail was off with girls or schoolwork. Americans lack so many skills, which has made his old-fashioned ones successful enough to live a life of his own.

He presents the brown-red bar to Katya for her inspection.

[just_a_phase]

She notices the shape first.

She is certain her husband, if asked, would say it's a somewhat abstract flower.

Kitty sees that it can also be a snowflake without too much detail added to it. She doesn't comment on that, and she won't: sometimes the things we do unconsciously don't need to be pointed out to us.

She lifts it to her nose, wondering if it will smell like coffee; it doesn't, and she realizes that's probably a good think given her already-existent cravings.

It does smell of honeysuckle, and she thinks of making out in the woods at Xavier's, the scent and flowers both seeming to be all around them. There's something subtle under that scent--orange water, she thinks. A few other smells tickle her nose; she could identify them if she wanted to take the time.

She doesn't.

Instead she smiles at him and hands the bar of soap back. "Color doesn't exactly match the scent, but both color and scent are lovely."

[konocc]

Piotr tilts his head. "You need to come out from the computer and see the sun," he protests. "Brings out the fire in your hair."

This is not the time to waste a bar of soap. Lather dyes his hands a faint shade of auburn as he brings his hands to her breasts taking his time in making sure all of their curves are covered.

[just_a_phase]

"You mean make my hair more like my mother's!" she protests with a face, but since she leans into his touch...well, it is likely she is not seriously protesting anything.

Besides, she is dirty from the fight, and that's the main reason that she rests her forehead on Piotr's shoulder as he cleans her chest very carefully, her fingers lightly tracing patterns on his back.

"My hair is going to be seriously red if you get any of that on said hair, you know," she murmurs near his ear.

[konocc]

He winces. "I don't want your mother."

Silently though, he moves his slick hands to her back, rubbing it gently.

[just_a_phase]

"Yeah, okay, bad timing to bring her up."

She's quiet for a few moments before asking quietly, "But would you like to see me with truly red hair?"

[konocc]

His countenance turns thoughtful. "No." Piotr moves one of his large hands into her hair. "It becomes more red when you let yourself be outside -" He frowns and she can tell he's fishing for words. "I am more outside person. Is you coming to me...outside -" He growls at his lack of verbiage. Worse, that hand comes to a halt.

[just_a_phase]

She just barely manages not to groan when his hands stop moving.

It's willpower, nothing else, that enables her to life both of his hands to her hair.

"Maybe you mean that I spend more time outside while you're also there, and less in my workshop?"

[konocc]

"That is part of it." The frown is still there, but his hand moves down her neck. "More like, I wish you to be well. Sun is good for you."

[just_a_phase]

"Vitamin D," she agrees. "I do have some sun lamps in my workshop."

But that's not going to make him happy, so one of her hands rests over the one of his that's on her neck.

"What if I promise to go outside at least an hour a day?"

[konocc]

He scoffs. "Technology is not always the answer." Her hands on him stop his Luddite rant.

"Watch some sunsets with me," he offers. "The farm offers good ones."

[just_a_phase]

"Tech's the first thing I turn to and always will be," she admits softly, saying something they both are well aware of.

Then she leans in to kiss him; it was supposed to be brief, but it quickly becomes passionate, which lengthens it.

When Kitty finally breaks the kiss, she manages, "Let me keep the dummies up for practicing my fighting, and you've got a deal."

Another kiss.

"--You'd have a deal anyway."

[konocc]

"Dummies are in your garden, but keep them there."

There is more kissing where that came from; in the hair, down the forehead, across the jaw

And

Going

Lower

[just_a_phase]

Oh God. It's too soon for him to--

"Piotr," she says breathlessly, "you--you know that when you do that I some--sometimes lose control of my phasing."

Sometimes actually means...well. Every time.

It should be noted that it's really obvious she's in no way protesting.

[konocc]

A few minutes later he's climbing down the stairs into the kitchen since it's just under the bathroom.

"Smug" is not a look he wears often, but here it is, hanging with the rest of him in the doorway with a single towel dangling over his finger.

[just_a_phase]

She snatches the towel from him and quickly wraps it around herself.

"This is all your fault," she manages between gasps. "Totally your fault. So glad we didn't go to a hotel."

[konocc]

He frowns a little. "Farmers cannot take time off," is his honest reply. "Besides -" Piotr waves a hand. "I am never sure what to do in a hotel, and the beds are too small!"

[just_a_phase]

Kitty's slumped against the fridge now, body limp and loose. She feels like she'll never move again.

She will, of course, and soon. Just...in a minute.

"Missing the point about why I'm glad we didn't go to a hotel, sweetie."

[konocc]

His eyes move over her and then shyly back down at his feet.

"No, I did not. But it is the man's job to put his wife in a suitable place." His eyes dart around the room, before he crosses it to get to her. "So let it be on me."

[just_a_phase]

She stares at him for a moment before moving to lean against him, nuzzling his neck for a moment.

"Jerk. I said I was glad that we weren't in a hotel. Phasing through the floor isn't the only reason I'm glad about it, either."