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]

"Have I kissed every bruise, or did I miss a spot?"

He looks worse than she does, but his eyes appear - There's no other word to use other than "boyish." He reaches out and wraps some of her hair around his finger.

[just_a_phase]

She laughs at that, a little breathlessly, and can't help watching her hair wind around his finger; it has some red to it from her mother, but that doesn't always show.

Tonight, her hair and her eyes are both dark. Even if part of her hair is due to dust and bits of rubble being in it, it would be dark despite that; her hair and her eyes change color regularly. And it's always a surprise (and not always one she likes, as it means a wider makeup collection) as to what color both will be each morning.

"Pretty sure you missed...basically everything the clothes cover." Her smile is crooked, but not at all in a bad way.

[konocc]

Yeah, they didn't make it to the shower yet.

He should fix that.

Without warning, she's swept off her feet and Piotr plods along - neither rushing nor reluctant - to the bathtub that is actually his (not their) size.

He sets her on the counter as he turns on the hot water, steaming up the compact room quickly.

[just_a_phase]

"Are you going to use the teeny tiny bath soaps too?"

It's teasing. And it's happy. She's happy.

So why not?

[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."

[konocc]

He melts into that touch, breathing in her hair for a long moment.

"I am forever grateful to finally be your jerk."

[just_a_phase]

For several moments she just breathes, saying nothing.

"And I'm forever grateful to finally be home. And I don't...mean this house."

[konocc]

"Da."

He breathes in some more of her hair. "Has there been any more signs?"

They suspected from the beginning that any lovemaking they engaged in might result in starting a family. There had been some interesting readings, but it had been too soon to tell. Still, with the amount of times they've been at it, it almost feels like it's a foregone conclusion. He did also tell her the first night here that he had the resources a man should have in place to start a family. And honestly? Having this kind of life is all he ever truly wanted down to his soul. when you know what life you want, it's impossible even for a patient man not to want it as soon as possible.

[just_a_phase]

She doesn't response immediately before finally saying, "My nausea is more frequent. Not bad, but more frequent. And my headaches are worse when they kick in. And I just feel...kinda off."

Another pause. Because she's so afraid to be wrong about this.

"I think...I think that we're looking at a 95% chance I'm pregnant. At least 95%," she amends, but then adds something quietly.

"And you know that won't stop me from taking on the Red Room when the time comes, Piotr.

[konocc]

"I wish it would. They have taken too much."

[just_a_phase]

"Yes. They have. And that's why there's not a fucking thing in existence that will stop me from returning the favor."

She cups his cheek with one hand.

"But I'm also not going to risk losing this baby. Not even slightly. I've been modifying the space armor Seth planned to use while kidnapping me. Iron Man won't have a thing on me when I'm done, love. Plus, I do have this ability called 'phasing'."

It's all true--and the best reassurance she can give him.

[konocc]

"But we don't know how phasing will affect them," he frets, hand moving to her stomach. "Mutants have more risk in everything."

[just_a_phase]

She stares at him, then points at the ceiling. "Kinda just phased now."

And then, more gently, "How many nights do I phase in my sleep, Piotr? Remember, sweetie: my natural state isn't to be solid. It's to be phased. I'll be phasing no matter what. I won't be able to help it." Kitty kisses him softly, then. "We're just...I think we're just going to have to have faith. No matter what."

These are not the sort of words anyone would ever expect from Katherine Ann Pryde.

But then, she's never been pregnant--on her own terms, that is--before.

[konocc]

Everything about him is so solid, which is why the fragile smile is that much more vulnerable-looking.

"And hope," he agrees in a voice barely above a whisper.

[just_a_phase]

"We're bad at having both of those," she acknowledges with a sigh, arms wrapping around him. "But this is a good reason to have to get better, I guess."

Kitty bites her lip and then murmurs, "Wow. A baby." It frequently hits her all over again the same way it did the first time.

"We're having a baby. If not now, then, like. Really soon." She rarely sounds amazed.

She does now.

[konocc]

This thought brings the light back to his eyes. "They will probably be good with computer things," he grouses.

[just_a_phase]

She winces. "Remember what I said about using a singular pronoun? Either he or she?" But she's also grinning up at him. "And I'm going to have to teach her to have fun, since she's half Russian," and Kitty flicks his ear as she says that. "She'll be at a disadvantage there, after all, since Russians don't do fun well."

Actually, Illyana was great at it. But Kitty's generalizing from one Russian in particular.

[konocc]

"But it would be rude to say the wrong thing," he protests.

Followed by more protesting. "Russians are not allergic to fun!" Then he amends. "Just much fun Americans would not understand."

Even Yana would back his opinions here.

[just_a_phase]

She stares. "Rude...how? I don't think the baby can hear us. And I'm pretty sure he or she will forgive us for sometimes using the wrong pronoun if he or she can here us. Honey. Darling. Love."

Then Kitty laughs. "Nooot exactly. It's more that Russians--or one particular Russia who our baby has several genes from--find fun in a limited number of things. And rarely cut loose and just, oh, play pranks. Skip class for a concert." Dryly, "Or do anything at all on a computer."

[konocc]

"I am not taking that chance." After the Summer, who could blame him?

"You cannot make food from a computer," he insists, pointedly.

[just_a_phase]

Kitty can't help rolling her eyes a little. "Yes, dear." It's said patiently, if with some amusement.

Her hair has dried a fair amount and, almost impossibly, the henna has already done it's work--and extremely well. Her hair is not quite as red as her mother's is, but it's damned close.

She hasn't noticed this yet.

Kitty giggles a little at his response. "And you cannot work all the time, even if you take pleasure in your work." Gently, "I know farming takes a great deal of time--but maybe you should make the plot sizes a little bit smaller. Just a little. It would give you more free time to spend with me. And the baby, whenever we have a baby."

Though oh, she hopes it's in nine months.

[konocc]

He shrugs. "Farm life is different. The size of the farm does not matter. The seasons chose the work. I have the students, but -" He shrugs. "Some of this just must be done by one's own self."

"If you want more time for me, learn to predict weather and soil."

[just_a_phase]

"Don't tempt me to do just that," she mutters.

A strand of red hair crosses her vision, startling her slightly. She wraps some around a finger to look at it.

It really is so close to the color of her mother's.

"The size does matter. Some. But I guess modifying the plots only a little won't do much. It would have to be more."

Kitty sighs, looking away from her hair and into Piotr's eyes.

"It's not me needing more time. I mean, I love time with you. But I'm happy in my workshop. It's me pregnant wanting you around more and experiencing as many moments as possible. And then me wanting you spending time with the baby--and needing you spending time taking care of the baby."

[konocc]

He kisses her lightly. "The winter is coming." That smirk is downright lethal. So are where his hands are going. "And Russians know how to have fun in the winter!"

In the Spring, he will have student helpers, and he will ask for more help from the X-Men.

This is, of course, also if fate allows the Red Room a swift death. He refuses to think on this more, however.

[just_a_phase]

She can't help smirking at him. "And I bet they know the best ways to stay warm, too."

But mentally, she's planning to also spend the winter working on some new projects in her workshop.

She may not be able to predict the weather, but by God she'll make things to ensure Piotr has much, much more free time.