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Its been two days since Jean has seen anyone from the team or school at all.
Two days since she irrationally took her anger out on Erik Lensherr, then promptly went back into her room into self solitude.
Two days since she's seen Logan and how he stormed off, and how Rogue, distant as she's never seen her, left her to return to the school as she announced her new housing situation.. away from the mansion.
Two days since Kitty explained in full detail what was going on to Erik Lensheer; and Jean begged them to stop.
And two days since Logan reminded her that she ripped his face clean off.
There were no windows that occupy the four white walls, so Jean was stuck and left in the corner. The nurse was just finishing up tidying the room and Jean herself, assisting her with a nice shower, rebandaging her wounds, plopping her back into her chair and moving her out of the way so her and another woman could sweep and change the bedsheets and everything else. She could hear their thoughts. One thought of going outside for a walk and to the store. Another thought about buying more crayons for the children. The first one thought that Jean was just a poor girl and needed to get air. Jean agreed..
And when they were done? They quietly left her there to sit and stew in the corner, her hands in her lap, her fingers worrying against the other as she nearly bores a hole into the damned wall in front of her.
*
Jean only has a few minutes to herself before there is a quiet knock against the closed door.
Standing just outside, Piotr lowers his hand back to his side and raises his voice just enough to carry through the door. "Jean? It is Piotr." As if anyone else at the Institute speaks in such a heavily-accented baritone, but it is only polite to specify these things. He frowns to himself, glancing down the hallway before looking up at the door again. "May I come in?"
*
Jean 'awakes' from her staring at the first sign of the knock, her eyes squinting as she performs a brief scan of the mind outside the door. Nothing intrusive, just an identifying marker. It was Piotr. She knew this even before he spoke; she was already turning away from the wall, her hands gripping the wheels of her chair to roll it into the middle of the room. For a sake of normalcy, she grabs the book from her tray, flipping a few pages to pretend that she was reading, then lays it upon her lap.
"Sure.. come in!" She calls out, her hands fixing her wet hair.. well attempting to, until she gives up whole heartedly to leave the mess of red hanging over one shoulder. At least she was dressed in an actual outfit.
*
So far, so good. Piotr actually finds himself smiling when he cracks the door, peeking inside to make sure he isn't about to open it into someone before opening it more fully and ducking inside. Literally ducking. He's too blasted tall for New England doorways.
"I thought you might like a little company," Piotr says, wiggling one hand's fingers at her in a wave as he closes the door behind him. "And I am past due to come and say hello, besides. You are well?" he asks hopefully, clasping his hands in front of himself. The 'all things considered' goes unsaid.
*
It was kind of hilarious the way he peeks himself in. She could tell that he actually -leaned-, and in fact.. seeing him in the doorway as he was sparked up a little smile. And once he enters in, she was at full blown giggles, one hand covering her mouth as she lifts a hand to motion him inside further.
"Thank you.." She finally murmurs, looking around the cleaned room with a little bit of awkwardness. Her hand lifts, and with a flick of her wrist, a chair is soon blasted into the middle of the floor so that he could settle down in front of her. "I think everyone is past due.. but.. I suppose that there are other things out there in the world that are more important than little ol' me." She jests, naturally. "I'm fine though." She lies, naturally. "Come, come have a seat and tell me what's going on in the world."
*
The giggling actually makes Piotr pause, his brow creasing in surprise, as if the sound were entirely unfamiliar. Since, well… lately, it kind of is. He just blinks once and develops an odd smile, running a self-conscious hand back over his hair as he watches the chair make its way to the center of the room seemingly of its own accord. He knows better.
"Not more important," Piotr assures her, promptly making his way over to settle into the chair in front of her. "I think we are all… what is the word." He makes a bit of a face and scowls down at the floor between his sneakers. "…processing? What has been happening, in different ways. And trying not to think about it too deeply." He lifts his eyes to her face again, a very apologetic expression on his own. "I know that I have. I am sorry."
*
"I know, Piotr." Jean finally murmurs quietly, keeping her gaze downward. "I.. I was just kidding. At least.. maybe a little bit of self depreciation." Her shoulders slump almost defeatedly as he apologizes, her head shaking slowly as she lifts her gaze with a little added smile. "Don't aplogize. We can't keep harping on the past.."
And it was like a timed event, the horrors in which she's seen herself do flashes within her mind that has her shifting rather uncomfortably. "It's over now, right?!" She nearly frantically says. "Everyone is okay, I hear! And you and Kitty? How are you two doing?"
*
The good news is, Piotr has no objections to the deflection away from that particular topic. Even with the new topic being… that. He reaches over to try and give Jean's shoulder a very light pat in silent apology. "Katya and I are well. Although we still have not had a chance to go on a proper second date," he admits, shrugging helplessly. "But. There will be one."
*
There was a little smile, which soon grows a little bit wider at the mention of a second date. This was a much desired topic, one different and a little bit more light hearted. "I suggest a movie." Jean helpfully adds. "Dinner -and- a movie. Don't come back here after, just go for a nice walk before the colder months come upon us. Then it would be a bit difficult to go outside."
She smiles a little, then removes the book from her lap. She really wasn't reading it either way. "I.. wish I could do something with Sam." She confesses. "I haven't seen him in a while. A long while." Her bottom lip sticks out, but she shrugs. "At least Logan kept me company.." Those words were murmured, and soon she glances up towards Piotr, worried. "H.. have you seen him?"
*
"I promised Katya that she could plan the second date, but that does sound like a very good plan for the third," Piotr notes in a low, almost playful rumble. He is, as a rule, an intensely private person, especially when it comes to his personal life. But there are times where he will make exceptions. "I think we will do that."
As she brings up Sam and Logan, the russian's brow furrows in mild concern. "Sam? I… we do not cross paths very often," he admits, lips twitching into a frown. "Our class schedules do not allow for it, I expect." He doesn't say anything aloud regarding Logan, but there is certainly a heavy sense of something there.
*
Jean wanted to bounce in her chair, but she knew that it was going to hurt. But that didn't stop her from wiggling a -smidge- and clapping her hands in excitement. "I love it!" She was happy, this obviously made her happy. Everyone deserved to be happy, right? It was at least something she could feed off of..
"Sam! Yes. Sam Guthrie." Jean wasn't shy about telling her own business. But she knew how Sam felt about Piotr, yet she wouldn't relay that information. "He's.. my boyfriend of sorts? I don't know.." She didn't know what to make of their relationship, but further talking it out was put on hold at his reaction towards Logan.
"Piotr? What is it.." That happiness faded almost instantly. "Tell me.."
'Or we will pluck it out ourselves..'
"Quiet, woman!"
*
"Sam seems like a nice man, from what I have seen," Piotr notes with a slightly lopsided smile. The 'of sorts' doesn't get missed, but even if he were the sort to pry, she pivots long before he gets the chance. He looks a bit worried when the happiness fades from her face — and then rather surprised by the exclamation, turning in his seat to cast a quick look around. He could swear they're in the room alone.
"…Jean? Are you… mmh." Piotr turns back to her with a slight shake of his head. No, it was surely nothing. He gives a little sigh and holds up a hand, looking apologetic. "Logan and I do not get along. That is all. It is nothing important," he promises.
*
Jean was holding her breath. She was ready to roll out of the room in search for Logan, or to find out if something really happened to him.. but nothing. Her shoulders slump, her brows lifting as she glances around the room..
"I.. no no no! Sorry. It.." How could she explain the voice in her head? The .. thing that she joined with while she was captured. She would sound like a crazy person if she tried to, so she just lets it go.
"Logan.." She starts, changing that subject quickly. "..he's a hard man to get used to." She tries to search for the words, but she couldn't, and with a shake of her head she just blurts it. "But he's a really, really good man. He's like an uncle or a father that in a way, I kind of always wanted. Though, he does swear a lot. Smells like smoke. Always angry at times. Sometimes profound." She smiles. "He's just set in his ways. I promise, once you get to know him he'll be like family to you too."
*
"He called me a coward." The words just come spilling out before Piotr can even think better of it, his nose wrinkling in distaste for the memory. "It… I am sure you are right, though. I do not doubt you. And I am pleased that you have him." However he feels about Logan, he really does mean all of that. He offers her a small, sheepish smile, leaning back in his chair with a tired sigh.
"My family is… complicated. I suppose he would fit right in," Piotr rumbles, running a hand over his face.
*
Jean wrinkles her nose a little at Piotr's minor confession. "Why did he call you -that-?" That was boggling. There must have been an argument that he never really spoke about. "When did he, even?" Her head shakes a little though, leaning forward with a slight pained grunt to reach out to pat his large knee. "He's really not nice at all, but there are times when he will amaze you."
She does nod at that, smiling towards Piotr. "Illyana." She says, then glances up towards the ceiling. "I think I knew of Logan before I actually knew him. When I was in.. you know.. the mental institution. All I felt at times were pure rage. Anger. Sometimes I would go to sleep to it and wake up to it like clock work. It wasn't until Professor Xavier came and just.. told me to leave that I decided to finally seek out the source. I thought that maybe I could take that anger with me so that the person didn't have to feel it anymore."
She frowns a little. "Turns out? Underneath the hospital, someone had him locked up there. Strapped him down to a table where he couldn't get out. He looked broken, and he was bloodied and healing from his bruises. And it all made sense then, Piotr. All of the electroshock therapies, the injections, the water hoses.." She shivers at the thought. "It was like our anger was related. And we saved each other. Though, he saved me more times than I could count. I just feel bad for Akihiro, he's missed out on a wonderful father." She coughs a little. "Sorry. That was a bit much."
*
The touch doesn't bother him at all, though question of when actually sees Piotr hesitate, the large man anxiously wringing his hands. It's impressive, sometimes, just how small he can seem. "…if you truly want to know, I will tell you. But he will probably be upset with me for doing so," he says lowly, rolling his eyes towards the ceiling. This, apparently, is something that has already happened once.
"Bah. You do not have to apologize." He gives the back of her hand a reassuring pat, his smile wry. "I hope he will not be upset with you for sharing. I understand why you did, I think."
*
"Yes. I truly want to know. It's really bothering you.." She murmurs softly. "You have to understand, Logan is like a perpetual furry little ball of anger. Just give him some good beer and he'll be quiet." Her nose wrinkles, a little smile put upon her lips as she attempts to make the situation light. "I'll just tell him that I forced it out of you. He will believe that more than anything lately.."
She smiles tightly, then reaches her own hand up to flick at Piotr's fingers jovially. "Logan will be fine. Trust me."
*
Piotr can't help a little smile at having his fingers flicked at, though it doesn't quite reach his eyes. Whatever happened with Logan really is bothering him. He nods once and draws in a deep breath. Just summarize, Rasputin — like taking off a band-aid. What could go wrong?
"He struck a bargain with one of Illyana's patrons in exchange for your location," Piotr says with a thin frown, unable to hide how he feels about that bit of the puzzle. "He insisted the three of us leave immediately to come for you. I thought we should come prepared, with a team. With a plan. And so." He spreads his hands. "A coward."
*
It was good that he was smiling. Whatever Logan did wasn't that bad, was it?
Well..
"Huh?" Jean looked completely confused. "Illyana has.. a patron? Like a sponsor? Is.. is she okay?" She obviously didn't get it. While she does adore Illyana, and knows about Limbo having been there herself.. albeit briefly, she wasn't on the up and up of the machinations of it all. "Well, that does sound like Logan, if you don't do something right away and rush into it all like a boulder ready to crush a civilization then he'd get testy.."
*
"She is fine, it…" Piotr hesitates before he just sighs and hangs his head, sounding resigned. "A demon," he murmurs. "The patron is a demon. Logan traded it a favor in order to find you."
He rakes his free hand back through his hair. "I understand why he did," Piotr says quickly, feeling the need to specify this. "If it had been Katya, I cannot say that I would not have done the same. But wanting to rush in without a plan…" He makes a face, slowly shaking his head. "Every time we go up against these people with a plan, as a group? We do well. When we do not think and just rush in blindly, we are lucky to escape alive."
*
Hearing that.. it has her brows shooting upright. She.. "He wha.."
It almost made sense. How they found them. Logan's voice in her head nearly clouded. How he rushed off in anger so fast that.. she..
"Oh god no.." She nearly breaks out, her hand lifting to clench at her own lips, attempting to stop the tears from falling but dammit, they do! But she takes in a breath, wiping away at her cheeks as she quickly tries to reassure her friend. "You make perfect sense, I would have waited and wanted a plan and.. everything worked out fine. He waited, saw the benefit in it.. and.. and.. why the hell did he do that?"
*
Even though he warned her, Piotr winces at the reaction. He's on his feet immediately, though only long enough to drag his chair around next to Jean's so that he can settle back down next to her, instead. It seems more supportive somehow.
"He wanted to find you before you were hurt," Piotr replies lamely, looking at a bit of a loss before he just offers her a hand. He doesn't have anything else. "And it did work out. You are home again. We got all of the other prisoners out." Which, in his mind, he feels they would never have been able to do without the rest of the team who accompanied them. He feels strangely guilty for even having the thought.
*
Jean was a blubbering mess, her hand covering her mouth as she dips her head lower to at least hide her face from Piotr. "But look at me! I.. I did things to him I'd never dream of and now I'm in a wheelchair.." She shakes her head faintly, then sniffs quietly, reaching out to take his hand. "I know that he didn't mean it, and I would have hurt someone else but.." She begins to rock back and forth. "He didn't have to.. he didn't have to. Not for me."
She sniffs loudly, he did put out the bright side of it all. Everyone was home, safe and sound. Life continued around the mansion. But the cost itself was heavy. "I gotta get out of here. I need to talk to him."
*
Piotr reaches over to hold Jean's hand between both of his, his expression pained. He doesn't like seeing anyone so upset, but particularly in circumstances like these. Avoidable. If he'd simply kept his mouth shut. "He heals quickly," he notes in a gentle voice. "And you will be on your feet again soon, too. It will work out."
He purses his lips and casts a thoughtful glance towards the door, still clasping her hand between his own. "…if you know where to find him," Piotr says slowly, "You would not be the first person I helped sneak out of the medbay before they were supposed to."
*
"Not on the inside. He's got a lot of scars.." She admits quietly. She does nod, it was encouraging to hear that she would be better soon, even if she knows it. But someone else saying it, like a friend, it just makes it all the better.
Though as he looks up towards the door, she does as well, already knowing that glance that has her smiling a little. "I don't know where to find him.. no.." She confesses quietly. "But, we have to start somewhere.." She smiles a little sadly, then looks around the room for at least a brush.. something to make herself look presentable. But, she throws caution against the wind, then slowly begins to inch herself forward with one hand. "Lets go.. at least before a nurse comes back." She was hungry too, after all.
*