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It's cold and clear tonight, and the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree is brightly lit, the colorful bulbs reflecting off the ice below. Dozens of people, men, women, and children, are skating — most stumbling across the ice or sprawling onto it with some frequency, a few moving with more grace. But everybody is in a good mood. It's the holiday season, after all.
Overlooking the skate rink, off to the left of the tree, is a place where a number of people have gathered to watch the skaters below. One of these is a blonde youth, his neck wrapped in a scarf and a black peacoat keeping him warm. He is chatting with a tall blonde woma around the same age — both speaking in Dutch. The woman keeps casting longing looks toward the ice, and the man finally laughs and shoos her down the steps toward the rink. "Go! We all want to see you skate, Sjoukje, zoeteke!" She hurries off, a smile blossoming on an already pretty face, and Doug watches, though he glances around him at the same time — it's a pleasure to escort the woman, but he is not one who watches skating but for her costume.
*
Rockefeller center during holiday time is one of the few places in New York where it cna be hard to tell the natives from the tourists. Even the locals are prone to slowing down here, even stopping just to take it in. The Tree has that effect on people. Warren WOrthington III is one of those people who stop to look. With his looks, and how he's dressed,it's hard to tell if he's a high power businessman or a fashion model. This is new York, both are real possibilities. A street performer with a saxophone starts belting out a soulful rendition of "Angels We Have Heard on High", and Warren has to smile. He fishes through his wallet and leaves a fifty in the man's sax case, then goes over to stand where he can watch the skaters.
*
Piotr is head and shoulders above the crowd. He worked an odd shift today, so he's on his way home late in the evening. An entire day and then some of putting up Christmas lights at MoMA has left him sore and tired, even with his strength and stamina. Still, he's whistling cheerfully on the way through Rockefeller Square, hands deep in his pockets. Surely Kitty won't mind if he stops and does some art. The lights and the scenery are so beautiful here.
He does recognize someone, though, down by the rink. He thinks they met some time ago in a pub…always happy to say hello again, he heads that way. He's hard to miss, hard to forget, with those broad shoulders and that height and his bright smile. "Privyet!" he says cheerfully.
*
She's not a native, but Tigra's certainly no tourist. She's dressed warmly for the weather, though she doesn't truly need it, with loose tan slacks, green blouse and a long dark blue coat worn over it. She's got a knit watch cap tugged down over her ears, somewhat downplaying her features, but also not hiding them. At the moment, she's in the spectator's area, lifting a cup of hot cocoa held in a hand in a fingerless glove.
*
Doug watches Sjoukje down on the ice, putting on her skates. She looks up and waves, and he returns the wave in kind just as he hears somebody greeting him in Russian. He turns to look and smiles at the Russian giant, easily switching languages. "Piotr, hello! How are you?" All in Russian, of course. His eyes scan the crowd briefly, looking for others — the model-handsome blonde man is familiar. He's met Warren Worthington before as well, though he only briefly nods toward the man.
*
Warren is looking towards Doug to catch that nod. He returns a small smile and a nod of his own. But mainly he is looking there because he recognizes a certain gigantic Russian heading that way. So Warren walks up that way as well. When he approaches, he says, loud enough to be heard, "Dosvedanya, Piotr."
*
Now Piotr spots Warren and he gives the other X-man a cheerful wave. "«This is the place to meet it seems»," he says, catching up to Doug and Warren. He does switch back to English, since many people still don't take kindly to Russians. "Good to see you, Warren. And you, Doug. Kitty will be sorry that she missed you both."
Speaking of those the common folk don't take kindly to and kitties..the young woman over there is a…cat. Not completely but she is very catlike. Belatedly, Piotr realizes that he's staring and he offers a friendly smile in case he's caught out. His reaction isn't so much curiosity or dismay, he's just happy to see another person like them — a mutant or something like it — out in the world.
*
As luck would have it, when Piotr notices Tigra, she had been looking over their way as well, and started to glance away, thinking she'd been caught out. Not because they were unusual looking…well, okay, Piotr looks like a battleship made human, but it was the language that caught her attention. She doesn't speak it, but she recognized the Russian. Upon being waved at, she misinterprets the intent, and turns to step towards them. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have been nosy," she offers in apology.
*
Doug turns his attention toward Tigra as she approaches, nods a greeting to her in turn. "I'm sure it's not the season to take offense at curiosity, miss," he observes, though his brow rises in its own level of curiosity — yes, this woman is a cat, for all that she's hidden behind a scarf and cap. She's something of a curiosity herself.
"Warren, good to see you again," he tells the other blond man. "How is your father?" Because really, they know each other primarily through the fact that their wealth sends them to the same parties.
*
Warren takes a moment to look at the young lady who walks up. There's a momentary start at her appearance, but then he offers her his most winning smile. Which is saying quite a lot. He glances to Piotr for a moment with a knowing smil, the shared joke of knowing that their natures aren't so different from the girl's. Then Doug asks about his father and Warren stiffens. "He… died recently. We tried to keep it out of the news as much as possible. THe police are still looking into it."
*
"You can hardly help if you overhear," Piotr says graciously to Tigra. "We are, after all, in public." He's about to make introductions when he hears the news about Warren's father and his expression darkens as he turns toward his friend.
"Warren. I am so very sorry." He reaches out to offer Warren a comforting pat on the shoulder. "If there's anything Katya and I can do for you, please tell us."
*
Well. That's some awkward timing to step into a conversation. If Tigra's tail were loose, it would be in motion with her discomfort at the situation. "I'm sorry to hear that," she says softly to Warren, after she offers Piotr a quick smile of gratitude for his accepting his apology. "Do you have other family?" she asks Warren.
*
Awkward. But Ramseys don't really do sheepish. "I'm very sorry for your loss," Doug says to Warren. "If there's anything at all my family can do to help, please let me know." He manages to say this smoothly, as though he weren't the one to bring up the painful topic, and glances toward the ice briefly, returns another wave from Sjoukje as she spins on the ice. "I'm sorry," he continues a moment later toward Tigra. "I'm sure we haven't met. I'd remember. Douglas Ramsey, and you are?"
*
"You don't think you'd forget my face?" Tigra asks Doug cheerfully. "And here I thought I'd disappear in a crowd. And call me Tigra," she says by way of introduction. I heard you gentlemen speaking Russian, but now I realize that if there was anything…nefarious going, you probably -wouldn't- be speaking it, wouldn't you?"
*
"I'd think not," Doug agrees. "I'm a linguist, so I just speak pretty much anything — and I feel it's just polite to greet a friend in his native tongue." He nods to Piotr in indication — if the man isn't in the image of the Russian ideal, he's close. "Tigra. A bit on the nose, but it certainly fits. Pleasure to make your acquaintance."
*
"I would make a poor spy," Piotr admits with a chuckle. "Piotr Rasputin. I rarely speak my native tongue outside our neighborhood for that reason — it makes people uncomfortable even though I am mostly harmless. I apologize for staring, you are very striking and I rarely have an opportunity to paint someone so interesting. It's good to meet you."
*
Warren TUrns first to Doug and Piotr, "Thank you both for the kind offers. Like I said, we've been keeping it as quiet as possible, at least until tthings are settled at Worthington, Inc. There's a lot of formalities and legalities to be observed with this sort of thing." He shrugs. It's a burden he can do little about. He gives Tigra another smile, "And I was merely saying hello to my large friend here. Hello, goodbye, and what you say before you drink are about all the Russian I speak. Warren Worthington, by the way."
*
"I can certainly appreciate that," Tigra says to Doug, and she offers Piotr a smile. "You're a painter, then?" she asks. "I've never sat for one, before, but I'm open to being asked." Eyebrows go up a bit as Warren mentions Worthington, Inc and then his name. "You know, this city really is amazing," she says, then continues, "Only a couple of weeks ago, I met Tony Stark. I think I shouldn't be surprised if I meet the queen of England next week." Or of Wakanda.
*
Doug is about to reply when he notices from the ice a familiar hand. "You all must excuse me," he says apologetically. "I was asked to attend upon a visiting athlete from the Netherlands, and it appears she needs attending." He gives a wry smile. "Warren, Piotr, I'm sure I'll see you both in the near future. Tigra, lovely to meet you — and again, my apologies to you all." He turns away, heading down toward the rink to see what the figure skater wants. Another day in the life of a UN translator. Apparently.
*
Piotr waves goodbye to Doug and then turns back to Warren and Tigra. He gives them both a thoughtful look. "I work at the Museum of Modern Art — just as a guard at the moment, but I am easy to find there. I am at the school, also, from time to time, Warren. If either of you are interested in sitting for sketches, or painting, I would be pleased. I'm afraid I must get home to Katya, though." He offers them both a smile and a wave.
*
Warren answers Piotr, "I'll be spending more time in the city now. with a company to run. And It would be good to see old friends." He looks to Tigra then,, and responds to her comment, "It is an amazing city, it's true. And you meet all sorts. That's the wonder of it." Then he reaches into a pocket and produces a crisp, high quality business card. He holds it out to Tigra with two fingers, "But take my card. We may have a bit more in common than you think."
*
Tigra offers Doug a wave of farewell, and then turns to Piotr as he speaks. "I'll come by sometime to see your work. It might be a fun experience," she notes. And then Warren hands her a card, which she takes with a curious look. "Is that right?" she asks him. "Well, we'll have to meet again and find out. I need tobe on my way also. A pleasure meeting both of you," she says with a smile, and then turns to head for the subway, dropping her cocoa cup in a trash can she passes.
*