Who: Piotr NPCs: N/A When: February 14th, 2009. (Backdated) Where: Outside of Kitty's room. What: Piotr loses his nerve. Rating: G
Growing up on a Russian farm, Piotr had always been strong of body, long before his latent mutant power ever made itself known to him. By and far the most physically dominant of any who had ever passed through the school of Xavier, Piotr knew that he was a force to be reckoned with. In his younger years at the institute, as a teenager, he could through his mutation lift up to seventy tons with relative ease. Now in his mid twenties, he could heft as much as one hundred tons. Piotr could, if he wanted, hurl a truck as another man might a base ball. With his powerful hands, he could bring down an entire building, all by himself. There were few he had ever encountered who could match him, strength for strength.
But for all of his strength, he could not lift his arm. All it would have taken was a knock or two on the door before him, to put him in the presence of the person he had come to see. Only a few words would reveal to him whether or not his lingering hopes would see fruition.
He couldn't do it.
He desperately wanted to knock on her door, and invite her out on the town on this, of all days. He wanted to tell her what he thought of her. To show her a good time. Maybe even get a smile or a laugh out of her.
But what if she turned him down? Worse yet, what if she...already had a Valentine?
It was hard enough living in the proximity he did with her, without her knowing of his feelings. Would they be able to function as part of the same team, he wondered, if she knew how he felt? Would the awkwardness be enough to drive one of them out of Chicago entirely?
Piotr sighed.
He liked Kitty. Had for years. But for all his strength, he could not muster the fortitude necessary to simply tell her. Shaking his head slowly, he gave into failure, crumpling the card he had made special for the occasion that was not to be. Turning from her door he strode down the hallway and tossed the crumpled card in the trash. The card, which featured hand drawn hearts, was simply signed "from your Valentine."