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ax_mainA make out session leads to plans to go on a date, which leads to plans to take down a secret subdivision of the Russian military. As you do.
Piotr wasn't usually one to feel a thrill of anticipation over new clothing, but the outfit he wore today was special. A form-fitting, short-sleeved burgundy shirt cut to show off his physique, paired with what appeared to be fashionable denim jeans. The design was by Gilmore, naturally, made with that special fabric with the unfortunate name, to which he'd layered on a fairly thin and loose cardigan sweater, left unbuttoned. To mark the occasion, and because it seemed like a good time to see how he felt about it now, Piotr decided to remain in his steel form for the entire day.
Well, maybe not theentire day. He switched back to flesh at choice moments, such as meals or whenever it was more practical. As soon as those moments passed, however, it was back to being metal. The experience was more comfortable than he'd expected, and surprisingly... liberating. He no longer felt like nothing but a tool of destruction in his steel form. He was slowly discovering plenty of ways to use his strength and invulnerability which suited him, and he'd nearly forgotten just how strong he really was. Earlier in the day he'd carried a fully loaded semi trailer into the hanger bay, and it had barely been any effort at all. But today hadn't been about doing things with his steel form, it was just about being in it, and he was glad he'd decided to give it a try.
Plus, Gilmore's special fabric worked like a charm, and Piotr liked the way he looked in the outfit.
Now the afternoon had grown late and Piotr found himself wandering the halls with Nora chatting by his side. "...so does this mean we can practice out by the lake some more?"
Piotr nodded. "Yes. Your landing strategy is definitely improving." He quirked a slight smile. A little over a week ago she'd talked into helping her practice her hammer flights and landing strategy by flinging her hammer into the sky while she clung to it. The lake was one of the safest place at the school for that, although a stray comment from Nora about Genosha had given Piotr an idea he'd been developing ever since.
"Awesome! I gotta go. See you tonight!" They shared a quick hug before Nora pranced down the stairs and vanished from sight.
Dinner was still a couple of hours away and Piotr realized he was in the mood for a quick snack. A quick trigger of his power switched him out of his steel form and he headed for the upstairs kitchen. His face lit up when he saw who else was already there. "Hello, Jester," he said, stepping inside. "How are you doing?" She'd been on his mind all day and she looked pretty as ever. Snacks could wait.
"Piotr!" Jester had climbed on the counter to reach the topmost cupboard where she knew some doughnuts had been stored away. She had her prize in her hands now as she turned to him, and grinned. "You're just in time for doughnuts!"
"Then I am in luck," Piotr said, chest filling with that pleasant flutter of warmth he always felt when he was around Jester. He approached her and offered up his hands to about her waist level. "Would you like me to help you down?"
Jester grinned, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Not really." She had much better plans, and used her tail to encourage his hands onto her waist as she leaned down to kiss him. She'd never been the taller one, and she wanted to try it for a moment!
Piotr's hands circled Jester's waist as he tilted his head back to meet her lips. It felt a little different and very nice to be kissed from above like this. It gave him a few other ideas that could be interesting, even as he parted his lips for her.
Jester wrapped one arm around his shoulders, still holding the pack of donuts, and cupped his face with her free hand as she deepened the kiss. This was really nice!
Pulse quickening, Piotr let out a soft hum as he pressed in closer and sank into the kiss. He finally pulled away to catch his breath, and smiled as he gazed up into Jester's eyes. "We should definitely do that more often," he said. "And it has given me an idea." He moved up for another kiss, and at the moment his lips brushed against hers he lifted her off the counter. As they kissed, he spun her around in a slow circle, mindful of the space around them. He didn't want to ruin the moment by bumping one of them into something, after all.
Jester squealed when he lifted her and spun her around, temporarily breaking the kiss. But she got back to it immediately, because there were few activities in this world better than kissing, it turned out, in her admittedly limited experience. The point was, kissing Piotr was amazing, spreading warmth through her entire body - it even trumped donuts.
Once the kiss intensified, Piotr's awareness of their surroundings faded. His movements stilled and he simply held Jester in place above him, just to be safe. They'd have to find an open area where they could move more freely and try it again sometime. Not he was complaining, and Jester didn't seem bothered either. Kissing her was the most wonderful feeling and he couldn't seem to get enough. A pleasant dizziness that had nothing to do with the earlier spinning filled his head when he eventually broke the kiss and gently lowered Jester until her feet touched the kitchen floor. He chuffed out a soft laugh and quirked a smile. "What did you think of that one?" Trying out new ways to kiss had become a big part of learning how to be even better at kissing, after all, and knowing these things was important.
"The maneuverability on my end was pretty limited, but I give it an A for spontaneity," Jester replied with a grin. "Do you want to go find somewhere to make out more? I have donuts!" She brandished them proudly.
Piotr grinned back. "Just what I was in the mood for." It was true enough of both to serve as a blanket response. "Where should we check first?"
Nott hadn't been in the bedroom Jester shared with her, so they'd ended up settling down there for a long, wonderful session of locked lips and wandering hands. Eventually, things wound down, and Jester was happy to mind her horns and snuggle up to the side of her big strong boyfriend. (He had to be her boyfriend, considering how much making out they had under their belt.) She traced random patterns on the back of his hand (including a dick now and then), happy to focus on his breathing as they cuddled.
It wasn't often Jester stayed quiet, but it was the mark of her profound comfort with someone when she did.
For a while Piotr just enjoyed the feeling of contentment that came with these quiet moments he and Jester shared. Cuddling with her was its own kind of amazing, warm and soft and close. Eventually, though, his thoughts wandered to something he'd been meaning to ask her about, and he shifted, snuggling a bit closer as he looked at her and smiled. "Do you remember how much fun it was at the Halloween party in Genosha?" he ventured. The fun had mostly been hers, but eventually even Piotr found himself having a good time in spite of his concerns about what they might encounter there.
The question surprised and confused Jester in equal measures, and she peered up at Piotr curiously. "Yes?" It had only been a couple of months ago. She pushed up on her elbow suddenly, alarm etched across her face. "Is your memory slipping again? Do you need me to remind you?"
"I have not forgotten," he assured her, giving her shoulder a light squeeze. "But thank you for making sure." There had been a month or so after he'd arrived where he had worried the memory loss might persist, but it seemed that the only missing memories were those lost to the stasis pods. "I was just wondering if you would like to plan a trip back there with me sometime soon. ...As a ...date?"
A date! Jester realized her mouth was hanging open after a few seconds, and she planted a loud kiss on Piotr's lips. "Omigod, Piotr, that would be perfect!" Why hadn't she thought of that? She didn't have to use an inducer over there! It was perfectly safe for mutants like her to actually look like her, and Piotr and she could have an actual date!
Piotr's heart leapt at her enthusiasm and he smiled happily. "I was hoping you would say that."
"What did you have in mind?" Jester asked with raised eyebrows, then immediately hurried to add, "No! Don't tell me. I want the surprise."
"A surprise?" Piotr said, slightly off balance by her sudden turn. He hadn't exactly planned on surprising her, but the idea did have a certain appeal. "That does sound like fun. But if you would like to guess, I am sure that would be okay."
"No, no, I want a surprise," Jester said with a bright smile. "It will be amazing! When are we going?"
Piotr let out a soft chuckle as he felt himself getting swept up in the moment. They were going on real, genuine date! "How about this Saturday?"
"Sure!" Jester agreed enthusiastically. Oh, this was amazing. She would need to go to the mall and find a super cute outfit to wear. She reached for her phone to text Nott about making plans immediately.
Piotr loosened the cuddle slightly to give Jester enough room and privacy to send her message. He could hardly wait himself, although there was still the matter of not being entirely sure of everything Genosha had for two people on their first date. While Jester was busy, he thought about who, of everyone he knew, was most familiar with the place.
Jester's thumbs flew over the keyboard, quickly typing the text before hitting send. Then she twisted around to press a happy kiss to Piotr's cheek. "I am so excited."
"So am I," Piotr said. This was a big deal, after all. Their first date together, not to mention their first dates, period. He gave Jester a little squeeze and turned to press a quick kiss on her lips. He affected a devilish grin and added, "And if you keep doing that, I will have no choice but to make asking you on dates a new habit."
Jester giggled. "Maybe I'll be asking you on a date next!" Not that they really needed to ask each other, at this stage; it was more like making plans together, wasn't it. She paused, chewing on her bottom lip, tail tapping the mattress in a nervous rhythm. "Piotr? We're - boyfriend and girlfriend, right?"
Piotr's expression sobered the moment he noticed the shift in Jester's body language, but softened a moment later. That very question had been on his mind for a while, and her asking seemed to be the answer they both needed. He reached for her hand and wove their fingers together as he met her eyes and smiled. "By now we must be, yes?" They'd confessed their feelings, they made out every chance they got, and now they were dating. Wasn't that what people did when they were special to each other in that way? He brought their hands up and lay them against his chest. "I mean, I feel that we are, and I like that very much."
"Good!" Jester enthused, as if she hadn't felt so vulnerable just a moment ago. She'd been right! Nothing to worry about. "I like it a lot, too."
"Then it is official. We are boyfriend and girlfriend." It felt so nice to finally say out loud. Piotr brought their joined hands up so he could kiss the back of Jester's. "I think, perhaps, this calls for a little celebration," he said, grinning. "Would you like another donut?" It wouldn't be long now before the cafeteria served dinner, but he knew it would only hurt his appetite a little, and Jester's not at all.
"Is that really a question?" Jester asked with an amused little grimace.
"Never," Piotr promised, still grinning, before he reached over to where they'd left the box and plucked a donut from it. Tearing it in half, he clasped the end of one half between his fingers and bent toward Jester to offer the other half. Donuts were good, but they were just the preamble. A good long encore make out session seemed like a much better way to celebrate.
Jester had sat up by the time he held the donut out to her, purple eyes sparkling happily as she accepted the half pastry. She bit into it happily, then made a small, happy sound. "You're a really good boyfriend, Piotr."
"And you are such a wonderful girlfriend, Jester," Piotr said, smiling softly. He reached up to tenderly brush her cheek and in a soft voice added, "Vi prekrasni iznutri dazhe bol’she chem snaruzhi. It means 'Your inside is even more beautiful than your outside.'"
Jester giggled, because it was both really beautiful and heartwarming... but also she couldn't help but feel like he was complimenting her entrails a bit. "Ti si najbolji, Piotr," she told him, and leaned in to peck his lips. "You're the best."
Piotr answered her kiss with one in return. "You bring out the best in me," he said. "I feel it is such good fortune that we have found each other."
Before he could stop it, Piotr's expression suddenly faltered as a thought struck him, brought on by his own words. His lips pressed tight and a hint of sadness began to show in his blue eyes before he lowered them away with a sigh.
Jester frowned at the obvious dip in his mood, and she swallowed her latest bite of donut before asking, carefully, her hand poised as if to reach out, unsure whether it would be welcome, "What is it?"
Piotr lifted his eyes back up and felt a twinge of guilt at the worry on Jester's face. "I am sorry," he said. "I was just thinking how I wish Alexander could have seen how much better our lives have become since we arrived here. That we are safe and happy." He draped an arm over Jester's shoulder and gave her a gentle squeeze. "I wish he could have seen that we are together now. He would have loved you, I am sure."
"I'm very lovable," Jester agreed, quietly, while she figured out what else to say. Now she reached out for Piotr, no longer hesitant, and rubbed a hand on his shoulder. "I'm sure he's watching us from the afterlife, and he knows all about you, and he is super happy for you. If you want I can ask the Traveler to make sure he knows? I don't know if he can do stuff like that, but probably, he's so powerful."
"Thank you, Jester. I think I would like that." It couldn't hurt to ask. Piotr didn't feel like he really understood the Traveler yet. He tried, of course, and listened, but he couldn't quite seem to grasp exactly who the Traveler was supposed to be or what exactly he even was. But one thing was absolutely certain and that was how important he was to Jester, and that was what mattered. "What does he think of us? Has he told you?"
"He thinks you're very good to me," Jester told him with a smile. "Because you are." She'd been afraid that he might be jealous, but it didn't seem so! He was still her #1, anyway, so he didn't have to be, but Jester had been reassured that he seemed to know that.
"I am glad to know that," Piotr said, his own smile gradually finding its way back to his lips. The kiss he gave her held more emotion than passion this time, and when he pulled away he said, "You are the best, Jester."
"Welllll." She petted his hair gently, and her smile went teasing. "Do you remember how to say it in Serbian?"
Piotr let out a soft chuckle and leaned in close. "Ti. Si. Najbolji. Jester." He punctuated each word with a quick little kiss. "So. How did I do?"
Jester giggled. "Not bad!" Her eyes were full of mischief. "But, technically, you were just talking to a boy. And I am not a boy."
"Then I will have to try again, yes?" he said, before repeating the attempt, just as he had the first time. "Ti. Si. Naj. Bol. Ja." With the last syllable spoken, he drew her into a deeper kiss, lips parting in invitation.
Jester giggled, this time in delight at his correction rather than at her mischief. She kissed him back eagerly, but less deeply than perhaps he wanted, and pulled back quickly enough. "I will let you know what the Traveler says. About Alexander."
Piotr gave no protest, and smiled softly at Jester's promise. "Thank you, Jester," he said, sobering once more. "I owe him so much for finding us and sending us here. It is not fair that he lost his life doing it."
"It really isn't," she confirmed, and reached up to run her hand through Piotr's hair. "You know, if one day, you and Nora want to go after the people responsible..."
"...I know." Piotr pressed into Jester's touch, drawing comfort from it. "We both do. It will not be an easy decision." For him, at least. Nora wouldn't hesitate. "But I think it is something that will have to be done."
Jester nodded, and there was none of the usual lightness in her expression. This was serious business. "I agree. They could be hurting other mutants."
Exactly. And they would. Of that Piotr had no doubt. "And using those mutants to hurt other people." He squeezed his eyes shut and shuddered. A beat of silence fell before he found his voice again. "I am scared, Jester."
Jester's face twisted in sympathy, and she pulled him close, his head on her shoulder, so she could stroke his hair like her mama did to her. "That's okay, Piotr. It's really scary. And you don't have to go if you don't want to, you know?"
Piotr let out a steadying breath and opened his eyes. "Yes. But it would feel wrong." Not everything that scared him had to do with going there. Some of the things that scared him would be worse if he didn't go. "And if Nora goes, I could not stay behind. We have always stood up to them together."
Jester was quiet for a moment. "I think she'll want to go?" She didn't sound 100% certain, because nobody could really say apart from Nora, of course. She huffed out a short, decisive breath. "And I need to get better with my powers, so I can come too." She was not staying behind if Piotr or Nora were going, never mind both of them!
Piotr was quiet for an even longer moment. He simply didn't know what to say as he stared at Jester, expression steady and solemn, though a kaleidoscope of emotions was visible in his eyes. It flashed in a spectrum of worry to awe. He could see how serious Jester was, and he understood it, which didn't make things easier. This whole thing was quickly becoming very real in ways he hadn't quite had time to come to terms with. "Just when I think you cannot get more amazing," he said, reaching up to brush the back of his hand along her cheek. "I wish we did not have to make these kinds of decisions. There has to be a day when the fighting ends." Didn't there?
Jester shrugged. "I don't think so. We can do some of the fighting now. Others can pick it up later, when we've had enough. But there will always be assholes taking advantage of people."
"Major assholes," Piotr agreed with solemn and deliberate emphasis. He couldn't deny the truth of that observation, no matter how much he hated the thought that their fight, and fights like it, would go on forever. "It means a lot that we will not have to fight these assholes alone this time. It was just Nora and me for so long. But not anymore."
Jester's purple eyes shone with sympathy. "You will never be alone again, Piotr." She knew what that was like. She loved her mama and Blude and her mama's colleagues, but it wasn't the same. Now that she had found who she felt were her people, she could only acknowledge how lonely she'd felt at the Château all her life.
Piotr smiled softly. "You have always been there for me, Jester," he said. "And I promise I will always be there for you." He paused, expression growing thoughtful. "I will talk to Nora, and if she says she wants to do this, we will talk to the Professor. We told him as much as we could when we arrived, but I have no idea where they are hiding-" He broke off, eyes going wide with sudden realization. "Oh, God. I do know how to find someone who does."
Her eyes went saucer-wide too. "You do?"
"I am sure of it," Piotr said. There was a twinge of excitement in his voice, but his expression was grim. "They must have someone watching mama and papa, in case we try to go back to them. If we can find their spy..."
"We can get information from them!" Jester finished for him with a bright grin. "You're right! That is a good plan, Piotr."
"It could really work," Piotr said. "I do not know how to figure out who it could be, but we-" he fumbled and groped for ideas. "-but we have telepaths. And wizards. And people who are much smarter and better at this sort of thing than I am." He looked at Jester, blue eyes shining. "Like you and Nott."
Jester nodded with a bright smile. "Nott and I are really clever. We will figure out the best plan!"
"Of course you will," Piotr said with complete confidence. "You are the greatest detectives." Oh, god, were they already figuring out plans? They were, weren't they. He was going to have to have that talk with Nora tonight. Maybe even sooner.
"Exactly," Jester agreed without missing a beat. "We'll figure it out. And we'll shut them down, and make sure they never hurt anyone again."
"And if there is anyone else they are hurting now, we will help them."
"And we'll bring them back here and they can recover in peace and decide what they want to do next!" Jester confirmed enthusiastically.
Piotr nodded. "There is still plenty of room in the school." Surprisingly, it was even more true now than it had been when he and Nora had arrived. Piotr made a quick mental note to write Sunny some time soon to see how she was doing.
"What if some of them are not mutants? Do you think the Professor would still let them stay here?" he asked after another moment. "Kitty once told me there are aliens right here on Earth, and TJ has told me of worlds where people have abilities like ours, but do not have the mutant gene."
"If they're on the weird side of things, sure!" Jester said, hoping that was the truth. He wouldn't turn them away, would he? "Maybe not if they're baseline humans, though? But I mean, the rest of the world is made for baseline humans! They'd be fine!"
"I hope you are right about the Professor, and about everyone being fine." Piotr would hate to see anyone who needed the Professor's help turned away, and there were already baseline humans on the staff who, in all the ways that mattered to him at least, fit right in at the school. "But I am getting ahead of myself, I am thinking," he added with a hint of amusement directed at himself. "These are things for later, and what is in front of me right now is much more appealing."
Piotr wasn't usually one to feel a thrill of anticipation over new clothing, but the outfit he wore today was special. A form-fitting, short-sleeved burgundy shirt cut to show off his physique, paired with what appeared to be fashionable denim jeans. The design was by Gilmore, naturally, made with that special fabric with the unfortunate name, to which he'd layered on a fairly thin and loose cardigan sweater, left unbuttoned. To mark the occasion, and because it seemed like a good time to see how he felt about it now, Piotr decided to remain in his steel form for the entire day.
Well, maybe not the
Plus, Gilmore's special fabric worked like a charm, and Piotr liked the way he looked in the outfit.
Now the afternoon had grown late and Piotr found himself wandering the halls with Nora chatting by his side. "...so does this mean we can practice out by the lake some more?"
Piotr nodded. "Yes. Your landing strategy is definitely improving." He quirked a slight smile. A little over a week ago she'd talked into helping her practice her hammer flights and landing strategy by flinging her hammer into the sky while she clung to it. The lake was one of the safest place at the school for that, although a stray comment from Nora about Genosha had given Piotr an idea he'd been developing ever since.
"Awesome! I gotta go. See you tonight!" They shared a quick hug before Nora pranced down the stairs and vanished from sight.
Dinner was still a couple of hours away and Piotr realized he was in the mood for a quick snack. A quick trigger of his power switched him out of his steel form and he headed for the upstairs kitchen. His face lit up when he saw who else was already there. "Hello, Jester," he said, stepping inside. "How are you doing?" She'd been on his mind all day and she looked pretty as ever. Snacks could wait.
"Piotr!" Jester had climbed on the counter to reach the topmost cupboard where she knew some doughnuts had been stored away. She had her prize in her hands now as she turned to him, and grinned. "You're just in time for doughnuts!"
"Then I am in luck," Piotr said, chest filling with that pleasant flutter of warmth he always felt when he was around Jester. He approached her and offered up his hands to about her waist level. "Would you like me to help you down?"
Jester grinned, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Not really." She had much better plans, and used her tail to encourage his hands onto her waist as she leaned down to kiss him. She'd never been the taller one, and she wanted to try it for a moment!
Piotr's hands circled Jester's waist as he tilted his head back to meet her lips. It felt a little different and very nice to be kissed from above like this. It gave him a few other ideas that could be interesting, even as he parted his lips for her.
Jester wrapped one arm around his shoulders, still holding the pack of donuts, and cupped his face with her free hand as she deepened the kiss. This was really nice!
Pulse quickening, Piotr let out a soft hum as he pressed in closer and sank into the kiss. He finally pulled away to catch his breath, and smiled as he gazed up into Jester's eyes. "We should definitely do that more often," he said. "And it has given me an idea." He moved up for another kiss, and at the moment his lips brushed against hers he lifted her off the counter. As they kissed, he spun her around in a slow circle, mindful of the space around them. He didn't want to ruin the moment by bumping one of them into something, after all.
Jester squealed when he lifted her and spun her around, temporarily breaking the kiss. But she got back to it immediately, because there were few activities in this world better than kissing, it turned out, in her admittedly limited experience. The point was, kissing Piotr was amazing, spreading warmth through her entire body - it even trumped donuts.
Once the kiss intensified, Piotr's awareness of their surroundings faded. His movements stilled and he simply held Jester in place above him, just to be safe. They'd have to find an open area where they could move more freely and try it again sometime. Not he was complaining, and Jester didn't seem bothered either. Kissing her was the most wonderful feeling and he couldn't seem to get enough. A pleasant dizziness that had nothing to do with the earlier spinning filled his head when he eventually broke the kiss and gently lowered Jester until her feet touched the kitchen floor. He chuffed out a soft laugh and quirked a smile. "What did you think of that one?" Trying out new ways to kiss had become a big part of learning how to be even better at kissing, after all, and knowing these things was important.
"The maneuverability on my end was pretty limited, but I give it an A for spontaneity," Jester replied with a grin. "Do you want to go find somewhere to make out more? I have donuts!" She brandished them proudly.
Piotr grinned back. "Just what I was in the mood for." It was true enough of both to serve as a blanket response. "Where should we check first?"
Nott hadn't been in the bedroom Jester shared with her, so they'd ended up settling down there for a long, wonderful session of locked lips and wandering hands. Eventually, things wound down, and Jester was happy to mind her horns and snuggle up to the side of her big strong boyfriend. (He had to be her boyfriend, considering how much making out they had under their belt.) She traced random patterns on the back of his hand (including a dick now and then), happy to focus on his breathing as they cuddled.
It wasn't often Jester stayed quiet, but it was the mark of her profound comfort with someone when she did.
For a while Piotr just enjoyed the feeling of contentment that came with these quiet moments he and Jester shared. Cuddling with her was its own kind of amazing, warm and soft and close. Eventually, though, his thoughts wandered to something he'd been meaning to ask her about, and he shifted, snuggling a bit closer as he looked at her and smiled. "Do you remember how much fun it was at the Halloween party in Genosha?" he ventured. The fun had mostly been hers, but eventually even Piotr found himself having a good time in spite of his concerns about what they might encounter there.
The question surprised and confused Jester in equal measures, and she peered up at Piotr curiously. "Yes?" It had only been a couple of months ago. She pushed up on her elbow suddenly, alarm etched across her face. "Is your memory slipping again? Do you need me to remind you?"
"I have not forgotten," he assured her, giving her shoulder a light squeeze. "But thank you for making sure." There had been a month or so after he'd arrived where he had worried the memory loss might persist, but it seemed that the only missing memories were those lost to the stasis pods. "I was just wondering if you would like to plan a trip back there with me sometime soon. ...As a ...date?"
A date! Jester realized her mouth was hanging open after a few seconds, and she planted a loud kiss on Piotr's lips. "Omigod, Piotr, that would be perfect!" Why hadn't she thought of that? She didn't have to use an inducer over there! It was perfectly safe for mutants like her to actually look like her, and Piotr and she could have an actual date!
Piotr's heart leapt at her enthusiasm and he smiled happily. "I was hoping you would say that."
"What did you have in mind?" Jester asked with raised eyebrows, then immediately hurried to add, "No! Don't tell me. I want the surprise."
"A surprise?" Piotr said, slightly off balance by her sudden turn. He hadn't exactly planned on surprising her, but the idea did have a certain appeal. "That does sound like fun. But if you would like to guess, I am sure that would be okay."
"No, no, I want a surprise," Jester said with a bright smile. "It will be amazing! When are we going?"
Piotr let out a soft chuckle as he felt himself getting swept up in the moment. They were going on real, genuine date! "How about this Saturday?"
"Sure!" Jester agreed enthusiastically. Oh, this was amazing. She would need to go to the mall and find a super cute outfit to wear. She reached for her phone to text Nott about making plans immediately.
Piotr loosened the cuddle slightly to give Jester enough room and privacy to send her message. He could hardly wait himself, although there was still the matter of not being entirely sure of everything Genosha had for two people on their first date. While Jester was busy, he thought about who, of everyone he knew, was most familiar with the place.
Jester's thumbs flew over the keyboard, quickly typing the text before hitting send. Then she twisted around to press a happy kiss to Piotr's cheek. "I am so excited."
"So am I," Piotr said. This was a big deal, after all. Their first date together, not to mention their first dates, period. He gave Jester a little squeeze and turned to press a quick kiss on her lips. He affected a devilish grin and added, "And if you keep doing that, I will have no choice but to make asking you on dates a new habit."
Jester giggled. "Maybe I'll be asking you on a date next!" Not that they really needed to ask each other, at this stage; it was more like making plans together, wasn't it. She paused, chewing on her bottom lip, tail tapping the mattress in a nervous rhythm. "Piotr? We're - boyfriend and girlfriend, right?"
Piotr's expression sobered the moment he noticed the shift in Jester's body language, but softened a moment later. That very question had been on his mind for a while, and her asking seemed to be the answer they both needed. He reached for her hand and wove their fingers together as he met her eyes and smiled. "By now we must be, yes?" They'd confessed their feelings, they made out every chance they got, and now they were dating. Wasn't that what people did when they were special to each other in that way? He brought their hands up and lay them against his chest. "I mean, I feel that we are, and I like that very much."
"Good!" Jester enthused, as if she hadn't felt so vulnerable just a moment ago. She'd been right! Nothing to worry about. "I like it a lot, too."
"Then it is official. We are boyfriend and girlfriend." It felt so nice to finally say out loud. Piotr brought their joined hands up so he could kiss the back of Jester's. "I think, perhaps, this calls for a little celebration," he said, grinning. "Would you like another donut?" It wouldn't be long now before the cafeteria served dinner, but he knew it would only hurt his appetite a little, and Jester's not at all.
"Is that really a question?" Jester asked with an amused little grimace.
"Never," Piotr promised, still grinning, before he reached over to where they'd left the box and plucked a donut from it. Tearing it in half, he clasped the end of one half between his fingers and bent toward Jester to offer the other half. Donuts were good, but they were just the preamble. A good long encore make out session seemed like a much better way to celebrate.
Jester had sat up by the time he held the donut out to her, purple eyes sparkling happily as she accepted the half pastry. She bit into it happily, then made a small, happy sound. "You're a really good boyfriend, Piotr."
"And you are such a wonderful girlfriend, Jester," Piotr said, smiling softly. He reached up to tenderly brush her cheek and in a soft voice added, "Vi prekrasni iznutri dazhe bol’she chem snaruzhi. It means 'Your inside is even more beautiful than your outside.'"
Jester giggled, because it was both really beautiful and heartwarming... but also she couldn't help but feel like he was complimenting her entrails a bit. "Ti si najbolji, Piotr," she told him, and leaned in to peck his lips. "You're the best."
Piotr answered her kiss with one in return. "You bring out the best in me," he said. "I feel it is such good fortune that we have found each other."
Before he could stop it, Piotr's expression suddenly faltered as a thought struck him, brought on by his own words. His lips pressed tight and a hint of sadness began to show in his blue eyes before he lowered them away with a sigh.
Jester frowned at the obvious dip in his mood, and she swallowed her latest bite of donut before asking, carefully, her hand poised as if to reach out, unsure whether it would be welcome, "What is it?"
Piotr lifted his eyes back up and felt a twinge of guilt at the worry on Jester's face. "I am sorry," he said. "I was just thinking how I wish Alexander could have seen how much better our lives have become since we arrived here. That we are safe and happy." He draped an arm over Jester's shoulder and gave her a gentle squeeze. "I wish he could have seen that we are together now. He would have loved you, I am sure."
"I'm very lovable," Jester agreed, quietly, while she figured out what else to say. Now she reached out for Piotr, no longer hesitant, and rubbed a hand on his shoulder. "I'm sure he's watching us from the afterlife, and he knows all about you, and he is super happy for you. If you want I can ask the Traveler to make sure he knows? I don't know if he can do stuff like that, but probably, he's so powerful."
"Thank you, Jester. I think I would like that." It couldn't hurt to ask. Piotr didn't feel like he really understood the Traveler yet. He tried, of course, and listened, but he couldn't quite seem to grasp exactly who the Traveler was supposed to be or what exactly he even was. But one thing was absolutely certain and that was how important he was to Jester, and that was what mattered. "What does he think of us? Has he told you?"
"He thinks you're very good to me," Jester told him with a smile. "Because you are." She'd been afraid that he might be jealous, but it didn't seem so! He was still her #1, anyway, so he didn't have to be, but Jester had been reassured that he seemed to know that.
"I am glad to know that," Piotr said, his own smile gradually finding its way back to his lips. The kiss he gave her held more emotion than passion this time, and when he pulled away he said, "You are the best, Jester."
"Welllll." She petted his hair gently, and her smile went teasing. "Do you remember how to say it in Serbian?"
Piotr let out a soft chuckle and leaned in close. "Ti. Si. Najbolji. Jester." He punctuated each word with a quick little kiss. "So. How did I do?"
Jester giggled. "Not bad!" Her eyes were full of mischief. "But, technically, you were just talking to a boy. And I am not a boy."
"Then I will have to try again, yes?" he said, before repeating the attempt, just as he had the first time. "Ti. Si. Naj. Bol. Ja." With the last syllable spoken, he drew her into a deeper kiss, lips parting in invitation.
Jester giggled, this time in delight at his correction rather than at her mischief. She kissed him back eagerly, but less deeply than perhaps he wanted, and pulled back quickly enough. "I will let you know what the Traveler says. About Alexander."
Piotr gave no protest, and smiled softly at Jester's promise. "Thank you, Jester," he said, sobering once more. "I owe him so much for finding us and sending us here. It is not fair that he lost his life doing it."
"It really isn't," she confirmed, and reached up to run her hand through Piotr's hair. "You know, if one day, you and Nora want to go after the people responsible..."
"...I know." Piotr pressed into Jester's touch, drawing comfort from it. "We both do. It will not be an easy decision." For him, at least. Nora wouldn't hesitate. "But I think it is something that will have to be done."
Jester nodded, and there was none of the usual lightness in her expression. This was serious business. "I agree. They could be hurting other mutants."
Exactly. And they would. Of that Piotr had no doubt. "And using those mutants to hurt other people." He squeezed his eyes shut and shuddered. A beat of silence fell before he found his voice again. "I am scared, Jester."
Jester's face twisted in sympathy, and she pulled him close, his head on her shoulder, so she could stroke his hair like her mama did to her. "That's okay, Piotr. It's really scary. And you don't have to go if you don't want to, you know?"
Piotr let out a steadying breath and opened his eyes. "Yes. But it would feel wrong." Not everything that scared him had to do with going there. Some of the things that scared him would be worse if he didn't go. "And if Nora goes, I could not stay behind. We have always stood up to them together."
Jester was quiet for a moment. "I think she'll want to go?" She didn't sound 100% certain, because nobody could really say apart from Nora, of course. She huffed out a short, decisive breath. "And I need to get better with my powers, so I can come too." She was not staying behind if Piotr or Nora were going, never mind both of them!
Piotr was quiet for an even longer moment. He simply didn't know what to say as he stared at Jester, expression steady and solemn, though a kaleidoscope of emotions was visible in his eyes. It flashed in a spectrum of worry to awe. He could see how serious Jester was, and he understood it, which didn't make things easier. This whole thing was quickly becoming very real in ways he hadn't quite had time to come to terms with. "Just when I think you cannot get more amazing," he said, reaching up to brush the back of his hand along her cheek. "I wish we did not have to make these kinds of decisions. There has to be a day when the fighting ends." Didn't there?
Jester shrugged. "I don't think so. We can do some of the fighting now. Others can pick it up later, when we've had enough. But there will always be assholes taking advantage of people."
"Major assholes," Piotr agreed with solemn and deliberate emphasis. He couldn't deny the truth of that observation, no matter how much he hated the thought that their fight, and fights like it, would go on forever. "It means a lot that we will not have to fight these assholes alone this time. It was just Nora and me for so long. But not anymore."
Jester's purple eyes shone with sympathy. "You will never be alone again, Piotr." She knew what that was like. She loved her mama and Blude and her mama's colleagues, but it wasn't the same. Now that she had found who she felt were her people, she could only acknowledge how lonely she'd felt at the Château all her life.
Piotr smiled softly. "You have always been there for me, Jester," he said. "And I promise I will always be there for you." He paused, expression growing thoughtful. "I will talk to Nora, and if she says she wants to do this, we will talk to the Professor. We told him as much as we could when we arrived, but I have no idea where they are hiding-" He broke off, eyes going wide with sudden realization. "Oh, God. I do know how to find someone who does."
Her eyes went saucer-wide too. "You do?"
"I am sure of it," Piotr said. There was a twinge of excitement in his voice, but his expression was grim. "They must have someone watching mama and papa, in case we try to go back to them. If we can find their spy..."
"We can get information from them!" Jester finished for him with a bright grin. "You're right! That is a good plan, Piotr."
"It could really work," Piotr said. "I do not know how to figure out who it could be, but we-" he fumbled and groped for ideas. "-but we have telepaths. And wizards. And people who are much smarter and better at this sort of thing than I am." He looked at Jester, blue eyes shining. "Like you and Nott."
Jester nodded with a bright smile. "Nott and I are really clever. We will figure out the best plan!"
"Of course you will," Piotr said with complete confidence. "You are the greatest detectives." Oh, god, were they already figuring out plans? They were, weren't they. He was going to have to have that talk with Nora tonight. Maybe even sooner.
"Exactly," Jester agreed without missing a beat. "We'll figure it out. And we'll shut them down, and make sure they never hurt anyone again."
"And if there is anyone else they are hurting now, we will help them."
"And we'll bring them back here and they can recover in peace and decide what they want to do next!" Jester confirmed enthusiastically.
Piotr nodded. "There is still plenty of room in the school." Surprisingly, it was even more true now than it had been when he and Nora had arrived. Piotr made a quick mental note to write Sunny some time soon to see how she was doing.
"What if some of them are not mutants? Do you think the Professor would still let them stay here?" he asked after another moment. "Kitty once told me there are aliens right here on Earth, and TJ has told me of worlds where people have abilities like ours, but do not have the mutant gene."
"If they're on the weird side of things, sure!" Jester said, hoping that was the truth. He wouldn't turn them away, would he? "Maybe not if they're baseline humans, though? But I mean, the rest of the world is made for baseline humans! They'd be fine!"
"I hope you are right about the Professor, and about everyone being fine." Piotr would hate to see anyone who needed the Professor's help turned away, and there were already baseline humans on the staff who, in all the ways that mattered to him at least, fit right in at the school. "But I am getting ahead of myself, I am thinking," he added with a hint of amusement directed at himself. "These are things for later, and what is in front of me right now is much more appealing."
