InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "my lips hurt"

Waking up in Pete’s bed was still a very new and slightly awkward experience for Kitty. Once they’d decided to give things a shot, it hadn’t taken long for them to end up in bed together, despite her heightened anxiety over taking that step. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to, it was more that she was afraid she wouldn’t be able to measure up to the women Pete was used to being with and that he’d decide this whole thing was a mistake. So far, that hadn’t happened and she was cautiously optimistic that maybe this could work out.

Now, if she could only convince him to spend the night in her place instead of his.The other option was for her to purchase new things for his to make it more cozy and comfortable.

Something felt off when she woke up this morning, though it took her a while to figure it out. The room was awash in sunshine and that wasn’t typical. Still, she slipped through the wall separating their room so she could use her own bathroom and make a pot of real coffee before she actually looked out the window and realized that something was very wrong.

She glanced at the network, saw Tony’s post, and realized that whatever was going on was happening to all of them. Even though she knew Pete was far from a morning person, she carried two cups of coffee back with her and sat on the edge of his bed. “Pete. Wake up. Something’s going on.”

---

Mornings were for people that tried too hard to please others. Or at least that was Pete's motto, and he made it a point to piss others off on the regular. Which was why he was wallowing face down in bed, not wearing more than a sheet, and grumbling gibberish.

Something smelled good though. Not as good as Kitty's hair, which he could probably huff at for a while if it wasn't too weird. And he was trying not to be weird.

Last night had been a pleasant enough memory, of Kitty blushing a lot as he tried his damndest to make her feel fantastic. It seemed like it worked and she was still there in the morning, so no walk of shame by sneaking out of the door as quietly as possible. Always a good sign.

He stretched while rolling over, a sly smile on his face as he didn't dare open his eyes. The light was nearly blinding, and he yawned hard enough that his jaw popped.

"Pour it in my open mouth," he groused, although it didn't have any note of bitter sarcasm to it. "Then tell me what's gone on. Other than you and me. Going on. A lot."

He cracked open one eye to look up and see if she was blushing yet, but ended up squinting it shut.

"Fuck, the sun's violent today."

---

Kitty’s cheeks went pink at his innuendo. Hopefully she’d get past that soon. It was embarrassing that she still reacted that way after everything they’d done together. Things that she’d enjoyed far more than she expected. Apparently sleeping with someone older and more experienced had some perks over being with fumbling college boys.

“I am not pouring coffee in your mouth,” she said. “Sit up. And we’re not in New York anymore. That’s why the sun seems different.”

---

All that Pete, and parts of Pete, could think of for one brief shining moment, was how bendy Kitty could be.

Then she had to go and say that, and he made a face like he sucked on a sour lemon.

"Can't even do a poor bastard a favor, it's so bloody early," he complained, sitting upright and looking from her to the nearby window.

Pete stared.

Pete stared a lot.

And in typical stiff upper lip fashion that only a true Englishman could manage, he said, "Right. That's something, isn't it."

It wasn't even a question. It was more like a statement from someone who had seen too much over too many years. Still, it WAS weird. Weird enough that he actually got out of bed before 9 AM. Pete took one cup of coffee from her hands and kissed a blushing cheek.

"What's the word on the network," he asked her. "Trebles and stark incomprehension all round, then?"

---

“Basically a lot of confusion,” Kitty said, sipping her coffee once he’d taken his. “Apparently it affected Asgard somehow too.”

She was wearing one of his t-shirts, which hung down to her mid-thighs, and a pair of underwear since she still wasn’t entirely comfortable walking around naked in front of him. To be honest, she wasn’t the type of person to walk around naked even when she was alone. “We should probably get dressed and go see if there’s anything we can do.” Not that she had any idea what they might be able to do, but it still seemed like the right thing.

“Also, you’re welcome for the coffee,” she said, her tone a bit snarkier than usual. She was getting more comfortable with giving him a hard time.

---

"Great. Last thing anyone needs are a bunch of upset Asgardians. They come down here, sneeze the wrong way, and a McDonald's falls over."

Which wasn't a bad thing, necessarily. Another not a bad thing was he was entirely comfortable being naked around her, but he also wasn't going to embarrass her to death about her lack thereof. Teasing though? He could manage that. He sipped the coffee, nudging her with his hip, eyeing her with a smirk against the rim of the coffee cup.

He set it aside, rubbing a hand on her upper back, not minding that she was wearing his clothes. He liked seeing her in them. What he didn't like was them going to sleep in one place and waking up in another.

"I've seen some weird rubbish before. Ritualistic suicides, demonic shite, and the likes," he told her, setting down the coffee cup on a bedside table to pull on some boxers. "This nearly makes that pale in comparison. As long as my sis doesn't show up and speak in Atlantean tongues again, we're all right."

That was reassuring.

---

When he nudged her, Kitty thought about moving so she was sitting next to him, having the intention of cuddling a little. Which, of course, when he decided to get up. Oh well. So much for that. She sipped her coffee as she watched him pull on a pair of boxers. He was so ridiculously hot that it still amazed her he was interested in her.

“I’d like to say that nothing surprises me after the past year and a half,” she said. “I’d be lying though. This is… I don’t even know.” How was it possible for a whole building to move across the country?

She stayed where she was seated, coffee cup cradled in her hands, waiting to hear if he thought they should go out and explore or maybe head up to the common area to see if others were gathered there.

---

"This is...too right. I don't even know. I'll find some way to complain about it though."

He made a face as he looked out the windows. At least his semi-messy apartment was the same on the inside as it was before.

"Thank you, Kitty, for the coffee," he said as he headed into the bathroom to get himself presentable. Pete had little shame, as was evident when he said, "I'm going to splash some water on the old tackle, while I think about your ice cold feet rubbing against my legs all night."

Which he liked. Her feet really weren't that cold and it reminded him that she was there. He only wanted to tease her about it, smiling as he closed the bathroom door a bit, leaving it only slightly ajar. Not enough to see him, but enough to be heard through.

"What're the Avengers doing about this right now?" he called out, now out of sight.

---

Kitty chuckled, watching him walk over to the bathroom with a small smile. “You wouldn’t be you if you didn’t complain,” she said. “And I’m still reeling over the whole Rogue and Remy thing. You’re not allowed to be secretly working for Sinister too.” Not that she thought there was even the tiniest possibility he was. If he was some kind of double, or triple, agent, Kitty didn’t think he’d have waited so long to make a move on her. Or be so adorably awkward about their burgeoning relationship.

“Tony and Sam were doing a flyover,” she said. “Not sure what anyone else is doing yet.” The network was surprisingly not inundated with posts of people freaking out. What did that say about all of them?

---

Pete was preoccupied as he talked, blurting out an acerbic, "LeBeau was always a greased weasel, luv. I knew as much that day you went to the museum. He was practically casing the joint, and then those Fabrege eggs went missing...."

Those words hung in the air and he realized he ratted himself out for tailing them. An uncomfortable sounding cough and he cleared his throat, getting ready as loudly as possible and trying to ignore he said that. It didn't sound desperate at all, following them just to make sure they were going to be ok. Whoooooooops.

Better try to cover that up.

"Flyover's good, But if this universe's gone ass over tits, m'not surprised if they turn up empty handed."

---

It took a few long moments for Pete’s words to sink into Kitty’s still caffeine deprived brain. When they did, she wasn’t about to let him distract her from addressing it. “Wait. What are you talking about? Were you there?” She’d made a joke at the time about him waiting outside the museum, but the fact that he’d apparently been inside and watching them was… simultaneously sweet and unsettling. Sweet because it meant he was worried about her and Raven’s well being. Unsettling because none of them had noticed they were being followed.

“Do you do that often?” she asked. “Follow me when I go places?” Kitty didn’t sound mad, simply curious.

---

Two routes. Save face or come clean. Pete wasn't the sort to lie and beat around the bush. Instead, he'd beat the bush with a very big stick and light it on fire.

"No, I don't do it often," he replied, coming out after he was done cleaning up. He eyed her for a moment, as he started getting dressed in his standard spook suit. "I bloody well followed you both, because I had a bad feeling about LeBeau. Smarmy arse. He reeked of suspicion."

He eyed her legs.

"I know better now, since it's hard to catch a ghost," he added. "Unless you want me tailing you."

---

When she saw him getting dressed, Kitty realized she should probably get up and go to her own room to do the same. Or she could stay here and finish her coffee. “You clearly have better instincts than I do,” she said, given that she’d trusted Remy and had no inkling that he might be up to something. “Just, you know, tell me next time? Even right after.”

She smirked at him. “But, you know, if you want to stare at my ass, all you have to do is ask,” she added in a rare display of sass and boldness. The more time they spent together, the more comfortable she became making those kind of jokes.

---

"I'm a spy," he said while buttoning the cuffs of a vaguely crinkled white shirt. "Double agents happen, though they're rarer than you think. Not many can pull that off. Not unless they've got an angle to play or they're compulsive liars. Those two certainly played theirs? I suspected him more than her."

A perfect ruse to get eyes off the sulky girl, Pete thought to himself. Although that thought passed quickly. They'd find that pair eventually, even if he had to phone in a tip to a buddy in Interpol to keep an eye out, internationally.

His eyes strayed down as he drew closer to the bed, stopping only to pick up his cup of coffee with one hand. With the other, he combed through Kitty's hair. His fingers, much like the rest of him, were impossibly warm.

"Bend over so I can," he replied, all joking smarm. He liked how bold and sassy she was getting. The more they were together, the more it came out. It was hilarious as much as it charmed his pants off. Trousers too, since those are two different things.

"Can't say I've slept with anyone in San Francisco quite yet. We'll have to fix that. Once we've made sure a giant beastie isn't about to fly over and take a ginormous shite on Stark's mid-life crisis. Fucker can't buy another sports car or date a supermodel? Instead, it's high rises with his name on it."

---

Kitty laughed as she leaned into his touch. The constant warmth he generated was nice and she had been thinking it would be especially so come winter in New York. Idly, she wondered how cold it got in San Francisco.

“Never ever?” she asked, eyes all wide and innocent. “What kind of international man of mystery are you? I’m starting to doubt everything I thought I knew.” She really hoped that there wasn’t going to be anything major they had to deal with right away. Madripoor was a lot for her and she would appreciate some down time before she had to do that kind of thing again.

---

Probably not as cold, which wouldn't be that useful. Still, there was drizzle and fog, so that might be nice for a walk with his arm tucked around her. Which was what he was thinking of. Living in London for so long meant he was more used to that sort of weather anyway.

"I'm the absolute worst kind. All your preconceived notions are a lie," Pete joked with a lopsided smile. His fingers combed in toward the nape of her neck as he leaned in for a long kiss, that promised more to come later on.

When it ended, his fingers drifted away from the silken strands, down her shoulder, over her arm, and he promptly gave her a playful swat on the hip.

"Up and at them, Pryde," he said. "We've got to gawk at the weird with the best of them. And I need a full English to cope, afterward."

Where she could no doubt make fun of his poor table manners.

---

The kiss left her breathless for a few moments and she frowned in displeasure when he pulled away from her. “Fine, fine,” Kitty said, downing the rest of her coffee before finally climbing out of bed again. She stood there for a moment, wondering how exactly she’d ended up with this being her life. Though she wouldn’t want to go through Genosha again, she couldn’t really complain about how things turned out after her escape.

“I guess it’s good that my classes are all online this semester,” she added. The commute otherwise would suck.

She ran her fingers through her hair, trying to untangle some knots. “All right. I’m going to get dressed. Be ready in ten.” With that, she walked over to give him one last quick kiss before ghosting through the wall between their rooms again. It was a nice stroke of luck that they were right next to each other.