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The immediate aftermath from the rescue mission had been… well, chaotic. There had been a lot of people to transport to hospitals, Logan needed to regrow his face for some reason Piotr still wasn't sure about, but was probably related to why Jean's legs had both been run through. He'd spent most of the night after everyone was back at the Institute trying not to think about it.
This morning, Piotr is still trying not to think too much. Which means he had woken up early, thrown on his sweats, and gone for a run. He was not avoiding his sister or his girlfriend, he just didn't want to wake them up too early after such a rough evening. And considering it could charitably be called 'breakfast time' when he rounds the bend and begins to make that final approach towards the Institute again, it would have definitely been too early.
*
The startling reality of waking up to someone sleeping on the floor of your room was something Kitty was becoming painfully aware of. Two mornings in a row she's awoke to X-23 — turned Laura — and twice she had this creepy sense that the other woman had watched her sleep.
Thanks to stretching her ability a big too far, she'd slept better than expected. Physical exhaustion has its uses sometimes. But a day apart from her all-too-tight encounter with ridiculously strong metal, and one side of her body, the one she used to literally pull Akihiro from his cell, is covered in a red rash that resembles a sunburn. In actuality, it is a thin array of infinitesimal scratches in and between cells. And it doesn't feel nice.
Blearily, she'd summoned Laura to go with her outside. Mostly because Kitty wanted to be outside, and she's still not entirely certain what the professor thinks of her bringing strays home; she's done it three times now. At some point, this has to be unforgivable.
She's far more put together today than last — a shower had done wonders for her post-hangover self. In her faded blue jeans and cable knit sweater, she almost feels like herself.
As for Laura? Well, she said the other young woman should help herself to anything in Kitty's closet…
*
Laura found the comfort of a plain, white smock allllllllllll the way in the back of Kitty's closet. It was surely not what the other girl had in mind at the time, but… what is one to do? She is at least cleaner and not at all vomited-upon this morning, and the combination of the smock and bare feet is… ALMOST like a nightshirt. Kind of.
Truth to tell, Laura/X-23 is feeling rather out of sorts— enough to leak through her disinterested deadpan a little here and there— and the familiar mode of dress is helping cover the way her routine has… pretty much completely vanished. This is also why Kitty's suggestion of 'outside' has the girl rather willingly tagging along on Kitty's heels. The mansion, being a normal kind of residence with normal people milling about in it? Makes her jumpy.
*
The Rasputin kids are getting their morning exercise in. Illyana's not the fitness advocate that many at the Mansion are— regular running schedules, exercise routine, workout plans.
She goes to Limbo and kills things.
So she *blips* to Limbo for an hour and *blips* back just as Piotr's coming back from his run, stepping from a shining yellow disc of energy and wearing her dark leggings and yellow leathers with a short split skirt. She also sports several cuts and tears in the clothing, a fresh bruise on one high cheekbone, and some singed hairs.
She gives Piotr a smug, overly triumphant look and waits for him to reach her position, then falls into step with her brother. "<Good morning. Did you have a pleasant run?>" she inquires of Piotr, her low yellow bootheels digging into the turf as they walk.
*
It is not surprise that makes Piotr nearly trip over his own feet when Illyana appears in his path and falls into step with him. It's the state that she's in. Although he continues moving forward, he cannot help but gawk at Illyana, one hand coming up to fuss worriedly with her hair before stopping short. Is that smoking? IS HER HAIR SMOKING. "<What in the — are you — why ->"
*
With Laura literally on her heels, Kitty spins to look at the androgynous looking waif thoughtfully, "You knoooow… I think I have a really cute pair of jeans I could lend you. I thiiiiink more than the smock would fit you…" because that's Laura's concern: clothes not fitting.
A few stray looks from wandering students has Kitty rolling her eyes and reaching for the other woman's hand as her paces quicken around a corner. Right into the Rasputins. Literally. Or, thanks to her ability picking up on imminent danger, through them. With Laura in tow.
*
Laura does rather look like an escaped mental/cancer patient. Given the year… probably more mental patient. At least she's used to people staring at her in public— her hair has grown out just noticably over the course of two nights out, but it's still far too close-trimmed to go unremarked. And then… there's the rest of her. At least she looks more quiet and lost than quiet and emotionless, now. But maybe 'lost and a little alarmed' isn't really an improvment.
Kitty is not having much trouble dragging her along, at any rate, and the comment about her clothing simply gets a distracted "Okay." Coming around a bend full-tilt into Colossus' bulk without warning, though— she throws up and arm to brace for the impact reflexively even though she's been through several feet of steel with Kitty before. Recently, even.
*
Between the fact that his sister has distracted him so thoroughly, and being literally a foot taller than Kitty — who herself has nearly half a foot on Laura? Yeah, Piotr never sees them coming.
Piotr feels himself being phased through before he even realizes they're there. He stops dead in his tracks with a very odd expression, hands held stiffly out to his sides, and just… waits, one eye squinting shut. Yeah. That's never not weird.
Slowly, Piotr turns in place to look for Kitty, and does find her. And her new friend. Ah. Yes. This won't be awkward at all.
"…good morning, Katya."
*
It's totally normally walking through things for the phasing young woman, but it catches her a stitch off guard when people know she's just done it; those continue to be few and far between. An awkward, nearly apologetic sheepish frown, that only Laura can see, draws her features upwards at the sound of her name at her back. Her throat clears, and she turns on her heel to face him, forcing an equally sheepish smile towards Piotr as her hand that does not clasp Laura's tucks into her pocket.
"…hiiii…" she drawls out while her eyes tick downwards for a few beats. Her eyebrows draw together and she continues to stare at the ground. Slowly she begins to work around things she should've yesterday, "Uh… I…" she lifts her chin. "I'm sorry." Good. It's out. "For… not calling?" she squints. That's probably only one part. It's then that her eyes widen and she remembers the girl whose hand she is decidedly linked with, "Uh. This is Laura. Laura, that's Pete — er Piotr." Her cheeks flush. She feels flustered.
*
For her part, Laura seems okay to still be holding Kitty's hand, but she views these social interactions a lot differently than other people do. Also it is a convenient anchor in a sea of chaos.
She takes the time Kitty spends stumbling over words to take in Piotr and puzzle over yet another name for Kitty. The girl has too many of them for one person. "Hello," she says evenly when the time comes. He's familiar, but without the armor? It's a little hard to place him from the one encounter.
*
Yeah, Piotr has a lot less trouble placing Laura's face, but considering the way last evening's rescue turned out — and the fact that she's holding hands with Kitty now — he's more apprehensive than anything else.
"Laura," Piotr echoes, before he offers a very slow nod and a slightly wary hand in her direction. Olive branch. "It is good to see you under better circumstances."
His eyes flick up to Kitty and the Russian offers her a somewhat lopsided smile. "It is alright. I am just glad you are safe. I was worried."
*
The lopsided smile is quickly mirrored by Kitty's face, and she can feel the flush spreading. "It's not alright," she offers quietly. "It wasn't alright." Her eyebrows tick upwards. "It was… a night." Her twist thoughtfully, "I went for a walk, ended up in Hell's Kitchen… kind of started a bar fight(?)…" she seems unclear on the details "…ended up sleeping in Patsy Walker's guest room, only to wake up to," she ticks her head towards Laura, "at the foot of the bed."
Yup, Kitty's life is average. "Long story short, we ended up at the facility to help the blondes escape." She shrugs. "I'm still sorry."
*
"I was looking for 1, 4, and 5," Laura explains. Such as it is. "I encountered Kath— Kitty's scent and asked where to find them. She suggested otherwise." She considers everything that happened after. "It was acceptable."
*
Piotr considers Laura for a long moment before he allows his hand to drop back to his side. Yeah, this is going to be a… a more long-term thing. "1, 4, and… the telepaths?" he asks, glancing between them for confirmation. Of course. "I see."
He runs a hand over his face as he listens to Kitty, using his palm to hide the way his eyelid gives an involuntary twitch. Piotr isn't upset with her. "…that does sound like a very busy night. You went alone?" he asks, looking between them both with a thin frown.
*
Kitty catches the twitch and quickly devolves into awkward contrition. Her eyes hone in on a spot on the floor, and her hands fold in front of her as she apologizes, "Yes but it's not like there was an opportunity to call I even said maybe I should call but wasn't exactly given the time for that — " she swallows hard, cutting herself off mid-thought.
"And I wasn't going to wait until people," aka Laura, "came here for the blondes so I did what I had to do at the time plus we were able to get Aki out right away along with that doctor woman — wait… what happened to her?" Kitty's nose wrinkles.
*
"She ran off," Laura supplies helpfully. "But she was not a doctor." A shrug, and her attention turns to Piotr. "I did not allow her to… 'call'," she supplies, uncertain why it is so important. "The window of time I was allowed to operate independently was limited." Implying her seeking the girls was NOT authorized, for those playing along at home.
*
For a moment, Piotr just catches the bridge of his nose in his fingers and breathes. There is suddenly an awful lot to try and keep track of. He… really does need to call Doctor Binx. Soon. Very soon.
"…it is fine," Piotr repeats, partially for his own benefit. For Kitty's benefit, he takes a step closer and reaches out to very lightly rest his hands on her shoulders before leaning down to warmly peck her on the forehead. Audience or no. "What's done is done. What matters is that you are here, and the prisoners are being helped. It worked out," he says lightly, glancing askance at Laura.
*
"Weird," Kitty returns to Laura. "I guess… Keith's illusion was a bit… off-putting…" the fire and brimstone were enough to make anyone not in the know hightail it in the other direction.
The peck on her forehead, however, seems to stop the chatter and earns a twitch of a smile as her gaze still trains on the ground. Her chin lifts and her hazel eyes, for the first time in days, finally seek out his blue ones. She swallows hard as she eyes his cheeks, still considering the scratches she'd caused on his skin days before. She lingers there with something unspoken on her mind, but leaves it there, perhaps to be visited another time. Her head tilts to the side instead, and she asks, "How did you all get there, anyways? You were opposite the entrance we went into — "
Instead, her head turns and she looks over her shoulder at Laura. "This place is different; I know you know that." She inhales a slow breath and holds it a moment before stating, "Whatever broken, I'm glad that you're free," freer? "from them. They're vile."
*
Piotr receives a somewhat impassive, curious headtilt as he eyes Laura. It's not unlike a cat staring back at him. Then Kitty talks to her, and her eyes shift. She considers the words, mulls over what she knows of how other people interact, and settles on "Thank you." For… being glad? Maybe. She's not good at people yet.
Speaking of, Kitty's attention to Piotr's scratches reminds her of… well, of their last meeting. She should say something about that, yes? Or perhaps not? Being a person is difficult.
*
Catching and keeping Piotr's gaze is not difficult for Kitty, like, at all. In fact, he seems rather relieved to have her seeking it out at all, and he finally cracks a genuine smile as he meets her eyes for as long as she'd like. Sorry, Laura.
…well. It isn't that long, anyway. The question of how they'd gotten to the facility causes Piotr's expression to cool and his head to turn away, though he does give Kitty's shoulders a gentle squeeze. Not her fault.
In a somewhat stiff voice, Piotr reports, "Illyana enabled Logan to broker a deal with one of her patrons. Jean's location in exchange for a favor at a later date." Yeah. It is not difficult to figure out how he feels about this.
*
Piotr's smile earns a rather warm one in turn, but it becomes rather concerned at Piotr's instant cooling. Her jaw tightens and she cringes, "Yikes. That… seems…" and then before she can suggest anything negative, she offers "…well, maybe the patron will forget?" With an optimistic shrug of her shoulders, she casts him a more hopeful smile. "It'll be okay. We're all okay." Although her eyebrows draw together as her thoughts turn to Jean, not everyone is that okay.
Kitty's head cants to the side curiously at Laura's thanks, settling on, "You're welcome?" as a response. Because it's polite, not because she knows why. And then, she looks towards Laura again, "I think Laura could use some help settling in…" her eyebrows draw together. "I know awhile ago I took Illyana to get a haircut. I was thinking it might be good to take the pair of them shopping, if Yana is amendable." She regards Laura a few beats, "At the very least we need to get you some shoes that fit." That's bound to be a disaster for Kitty. "I also need to get Jean," she almost chokes on the girl's name, "a new dress."
*
Laura looks down at her bare feet when Kitty looks at her and mentions shoes. "I have boots," she notes helpfully. Which… it is probably a good thing they are black because you can't tell they only got MOST of the blood washed out. "Though I have never understood why I must wear them." It's not so much a disagreement on the shopping topic— she doesn't have an opinion on going shopping— as an attempt to understand her strange new existance.
*
Piotr gives Kitty a very tired smile. "I do not think he will forget." He takes his hands back and takes two small steps backward, lowering himself down to sit on the curb. He's not physically tired from his run, it's just… everything else. He needs to sit. For a minute. With a groan, he drops his face into his hands and mumbles into his palms. "I need to speak to her mentor. She is too reckless. It is going to get people killed." Not may. Is. In his mind, it is only a matter of time.
With a sigh, Piotr drops his hands and casts another, tired look over the oddly-matched pair. "…Jean would like that, I am sure. I do not know if taking Yana would be… appropriate." Is he going to try and ground the Queen of Limbo? Yeah. Yeah, he's kind of thinking he might have to. To Laura, he adds, "Most of us do not heal as quickly as you do. Protects our feet from the ground."
*
When Piotr drops to the curb, Kitty casts a nearly apologetic glance towards Laura, and finally releases the other girl's hand. She settles next to Piotr and reaches up to give his shoulder a squeeze. She gives a small tick of her head, an open invitation for Laura to follow suit if she so desires. "Boundaries are a good thing," she suggests, "but — " her lips twist to the side " — instilling some of them could prove… tricky," where Illyana is concerned. She shrugs slightly. "Her mentor…." Kitty repeats "…is he the fellow that was there when she burst all of her wounds open?"
Laura earns a lopsided smirk and an ambivalent tilt of Kitty's head, "Yeah, for you boots and shoes are…" her eyes tick up to the sky thoughtfully "…more about blending in than needing it to protect your feet. If you don't wear shoes outside, you'll stand out. Which… you don't want to do." Although Kitty can't exactly explain why.
*
"Oh," Laura replies, nodding. She thinks she understands that. Or at least it sounds like a good reason. "Okay." She considers the invitation to comfort Piotr, and after some thought, steps to the edge of the curb on the man's free side, crouching down to rest her rump against her heels, crossing her arms across her knees, and tilts her head sideway and up to study the large Russian in a polite, quiet sort of way.
*
Piotr begins to nod to Kitty. "Yes, that was -" He pauses short as Laura settles down, blinking owlishly at her. After a brief moment, he turns his head towards Kitty again, though his eyes occasionally flick back to Laura. "…yes. That was him. Doctor Strange." Which, if anyone asked Piotr's opinion, is perhaps the most appropriate name Illyana's mentor could possibly have.
*
"Well, if you need help with any of that," Kitty actually squints as she makes the offer. She is not remotely qualified to help issue Illyana boundaries or enlist the help of Illyana's mentor. "It's also possible that maybe you talk to the Professor about it? I mean, he might be able to help as well. He has a way of getting through to people when they're," her eyes turn out to the horizon, "struggling, I guess." And oddly, her cheeks hue pink at the thought. "He can see things that others don't — not that he goes out of his way to expose them."
Her hands clasp lightly in her lap and she peeks around Piotr at Laura, "I think you and the professor should probably have a chat as well. He's kind of like the blondes," who Kitty refuses to call 1-5, "but more experienced, I think."
*
Laura looks skeptical. Helping people does not sound like XIV to *her*. But she doesn't look adverse to the notion. "If you think it will help," she allows. "It is… less comfortable Outside than I thought." That is an understatement. She has almost NONE of her routine to work with, and had no idea how much it was going to affect her. Because she's never been without it. Ever.
*
There is no hesitation from Piotr before he nods to Kitty's offer of help. "Please. You, the professor. Anyone. It is… I cannot do it by myself." He drops his chin, once again bringing a hand up to rub at his face. He's exhausted and he hasn't even had breakfast yet. This Is Fine.
He tips his head back enough to peek at Laura from between his fingers, thoughtful. "You will be staying here..?" Piotr asks, his brow furrowing. He doesn't sound opposed. But. "Does Logan know?"
*
"The professor is someone you definitely should talk to," Kitty's lips press together tightly and she emits a soft sigh. "You know how I said someone was in my mind vacuuming up what they did to me in that place? That was the professor. He asked permission and then went through all of my thoughts, emotions, and memories to find each of the triggers they'd set into place. It's unsettling," knowing that Xavier literally knows the inside of her head, "but he genuinely wants to help people. He helped me. And that's not the first time he's helped me either."
Piotr's obvious distress prompts her fingertips to reach out to draw the hand from his face. "I'll help where I can. We can come up with a plan together and then broach it from there?" She chews on her bottom lip.
The question about Laura staying has Kitty rocking her head ambivalently. It is Laura's decision, after all. "I want to help Laura adjust to life out here. So… " she turns to Laura, "if you want to, I'll certainly petition the Professor to that end." Her lips purse at the question about Logan, "Not…exactly."
*
Looks like she does not entirely like the idea Kitty is describing in regards to her own experience having her head cleaned out. But she doesn't dismiss it out of hand. "I will talk to him," she agrees. "But I do not think he should do that." She can't put her finger on why, at least not well enough to explain it. Logan? She's lost. Don't know anyone by the name, of course. Or, truth be told, her exact relation to X-1, either, aside from being his replacement.
The mansion.. that she can say soemthing about. So far, Kitty has not been wrong that Laura is aware of in regards to direction. BUT… "David asked me to go with him and XIV," she notes quietly. "I understand why. I do not believe the goal is productive. But I must talk with the sisters. We will see what happens."
*
"He will not do it if you do not want him to," Piotr says to Laura, offering her a tired, reassuring smile now that Kitty has pulled his hand away from his face. "He would not force it upon you. Katya asked," he presumes, anyway, "and so he helped. But if you do not ask, he will not." He lifts his shoulders in a shrug. Easy.
Absently, he shifts his hand to lace his fingers with Kitty's and gives her hand a grateful squeeze. "I do not know how much a plan will help. Every time I have a plan for her, it is…" Piotr's brow furrows slightly. What is the right word. "…knocked off tracks." He knows there's a better word for that.
*
"Yeah, he doesn't probe anything without permission," Kitty agrees quietly about the professor. "I…" she frowns "..hurt someone I care about. And I didn't want to do it again… so — " she shrugs.
Her eyes lid lightly and she hrms at the thoughts about Illyana. "Derailed?" she asks with a small cant of her head. "Maybe part of it is you've been handling Illyana mostly alone?" She shrugs. "She grew up in another realm where she had few — if any — rules to keep her in-check. I've caught that there are some areas of her life that she had boundaries employed by others, but she genuinely is learning how to live here. On Earth."
Kitty nods at Laura's potential plans, "I'd appreciate it you'd keep me win the loop — " too colloquial " — in the know — " not much better " — aware of your plans."
*
The description of Illyana's upbringing Kitty offers catches Laura's curiosity, though she doesn't ask for details at the moment. It's not hard to understand why it would interest her, though. Kitty gets an agreeable nod. Reporting in is a thing she understands. "I will not leave without talking to you." If that's what happens.
*
"Derailed. Yes. That." Piotr offers Kitty a small smile when she finds the word he'd been looking for. "I am sure that is most of it. She is used to being a Queen, not…" He falters momentarily, a flash of guilt washing over his face that he ducks his chin to try and hide. "…a person," he finishes quietly. "She does not know how." He lets his eyes drift up to Laura again, lips pursed in thought.
*
"Good," Kitty states towards Laura. "I want to make sure you adjust to life without them," her voice cracks around the word. "Whatever it looks like. Whatever you want it to look like." She absently chews on her thumbnail.
The conversation around Illyana prompts a slightly soured expression. "But she is learning," Kitty counters earnestly. "Slowly. I just think that if I spent my childhood away from my parents in the presence of magics, demons, and other worldly things that I'd be really different than I am now." Her eyes narrow, "While you grew up working on the farm she grew up — " Kitty has no idea what Illyana did in Limbo, and so she shrugs instead of finishing the thought. "But she's got a good foundation underneath all of that. I can tell." Her throat clears, "I happen to think I'm an excellent judge of character," most of the time.
*
The crack in Kitty's voice sees Piotr silently shift to wind one of his arms supportively around her shoulders. He does not try to stop her from chewing on her thumbnail, though he does give her a brief, wry smile and a pointed lift of one eyebrow.
"She is learning, but — she still takes demons lightly," Piotr murmurs, slowly shaking his head. "They are… mundane to her. Which makes the way she tried to caution Logan away from making that bargain all the more concerning." He's trying not to think about it too much. And failing miserably.
Still. Piotr gives her shoulders a light snug. "But you are a good judge of character. Yes. I am sure it will work out." Eventually. Maybe even before he's dead. If he's lucky.
*
Kitty inhales a sharp breath and her eyes narrow, "She cautioned Logan?" It's impossible to miss the concern in her tone. "So… it was genuinely a very bad decision…" she frowns slightly. "On the plus side, you guys found Jean. I mean, she's in rough shape, but you found her. At least the demon followed through on its end of the bargain?" Small comforts. She sidles against him. "Maybe it's a lesson that people around here need to learn. If Yana is cautious about something then it's probably good to exercise caution? I mean, Logan really wanted to find Jean, but the cost is high."
As she stares at the school in front of them, something finally occurs to her. "Laura," she peeks around Piotr, "I don't know what those people had you do around school, but maybe you'd be interested in going to school some. There's lots of classes you could join here. Probably. If you talk to the professor first," stop bringing home strays and assuming they can stay, Kitty.
*
"School?" Laura echoes in a sort of puzzled manner. This is a term she's heard, though the memory is fuzzy. Likely some technician thinking it was funny to refer to her training as 'school'. She has been rather withdrawn… sort of. She's spent her quiet time just… watching Piotr and Kitty talk. It might be just a touch disconcerting, the way she keeps glancing between them like the conversation is a tennis match.
*
Piotr just nods in response to Kitty, his jaw tight. Very evenly, he says, "I need to speak to her mentor."
At least there are things he has more faith about being able to handle available to him. Like domesticating a Weapon. Compared to his sister, that would be a piece of cake.
"Yes. Education," Piotr supplies helpfully, absently hugging Kitty against his side while he watches Laura. "Or… lessons. They helped me learn to speak english. Some maths. Things like that."
*
"Honestly Pete, let me know if you need anything from me. School starts for me next week," woah, Kitty is going back to class, "but I'm happy to do whatever I can. I think," her eyebrows furrow, "Yana mostly likes me." She puzzles, "Thought I'm not entirely sure why she calls me Cat."
Piotr's explanation of education merits a firm nod. "Exactly. It's great because it gives a foundation of life here. And can help build friendships. It's actually really fun — " She sucks on the inside of her cheek, "Kind of like debriefing for a mission that goes really well?" she shrugs. That seems like an analogy that Laura will understand.
*
Laura starts to tell Piotr that she "already speaks and can calculate"— and she does both very well, actually. Then Kitty manages to find an analogy that… well, one can debate the merit a bit, perhaps, but it gets the point across. Laura nods, frowning thoughtfully. "Ah. Perhaps, then. If it is a normal thing to do, I should consider it," she allows.
*
Piotr gives Kitty a slightly surprised look, head cocked to one side. "Really? I had been meaning to ask you," he muses, his brow furrowing. His lips twist to one side. "She said something about our relationship -" oh god that feels so strange to say "- being good for her, as well, but I never had a chance to press. I am a little afraid to." God only knows what the answers would be.
With a tired sigh, Piotr once again focuses on something easier. Laura. "Very normal," he says with a smile. "I am sure that if you expressed an interest, the professor would work with you. He is a good man."
*
"I had assumed it was just short for Katherine, but it's Illyana. Occam's razor doesn't seem to apply here — the simplest answer isn't likely the right one," Kitty's eyes lid lightly. Her eyes flutter open and she cants her head to eye Piotr warily, "Well that's an odd thing for her to say. I mean, I like Yana. I want to take care of her, but it's not only because we are together."
"Ohmygosh, Laura! There are so many awesome things to take! Like physics and chemistry and biology!" Pause. "I mean, history and poli sci are good too, but not like the sciences…" her hands rub together excitedly. "Just imagine all the possibilities! I think you'll love it. Definitely talk to the professor about it." Her lips purse slightly, "There's other courses too, of course. Life skills-y things sometimes. High school I definitely took a cooking class and a sewing class. Mind, I mostly just eat peanut butter out of the jar instead of actually making something to eat… maybe that was a wasted class…"
*
Laura looks a little startled as Kitty gets excited about school. It was not anticipated. Nope. Certainly not this bewildering array of subjects she's never really heard of— even though she's been introduced to a number of them in a highly focused fashion. She blinks several times during the rush of words, and can't… quite… get a response in. Not that she's sure what she'll say exactly.
*
Piotr tries not to look too amused when Kitty starts to get a good head of steam going, his eyes flicking between the pair. The fact that Laura looks visibly startled is probably why he gives Kitty another quick snug before he begins shifting to rise to his feet. "If you remember the lessons, it was not a waste, even if you do not use them… but you two were on your way out, yes?" he asks lightly, turning to offer Kitty a hand up.
*
The accepted hand up has Kitty leveraging to a stand with an easy grin. "Yes! We are out for a walk and a bit of air." The grin extends and she teeters slightly on her feet before giving Laura a hand just the same. "Come on, I'll show you the grounds. It'll be great." And as the pair of women walk towards the gardens, Kitty calls over her shoulder, "Everyone is home. Just you mind that. Everything is okay, and it'll be okay," yet something in Kitty's tone remains skeptical.
*
Laura rises to her feet smoothly, and doesn't even have to think about it before accepting Kitty's hand. It's comforting in a situation that doesn't spend much time making any sort of sense— IE; her present life. She glances at Kitty and nods. Piotr will find her pronounciation perfect, if incredibly formal.
"Das vidanya, Piotr."