Kitty and Piotr scene

[metallic-giant.livejournal.com]

They had been trying to avoid each other since he had returned with Theresa and John, delaying the inevitable. They had gone to watch Jubilee’s fireworks with different people. But now they are both in the kitchen. It is late. Nobody else is around. This has been delayed for too long.
 

“Katya,” he says, just as she says, “Piotr.”
 

They both stop and fall silent, waiting for the other to continue. It is Kitty who finally speaks up.
 

“This isn’t…I don’t think this is working out,” she says quietly, gazing at the table rather than at him.
 

A sad smile appears on Piotr’s face. “I know.”
 

Kitty hesitates, and finally looks up at him. “I just don’t feel the same for you,” she almost whispers, apologetic and tentative and sad. Her eyes drop again, not wishing to face the expression in his.
 

“I know,” he repeats quietly. “You care for John.”
 

There is a pause, and then she answers, voice strained. “Yes.”
 

Piotr says nothing. He has known this for a long time already and bears no resentment towards either of them. And yet he can’t help but feel hurt.
 

“I’m so sorry, Piotr,” Kitty whispers, still refusing to lift her head. “I shouldn’t have done this to you. I should have…” She trails off with a sigh.
 

He reaches out and tilts her chin up, looking directly into her eyes.
 

“It is okay,” he says, trying to smile. “For a short while, we had some happiness. That is enough.” He lets go of her chin and gazes at his hands on the table. “I will need some time. But I will be okay.”
 

“I’m really sorry,” she says again. They fall silent, both of them staring down at the table.
 

“He cares for you, too,” Piotr says suddenly, ignoring the pain he is feeling.
 

“What?”
 

“John. He cares for you. That is why he attacked me in the Danger Room.”
 

Kitty sighs. “I just…I don’t know.” She suddenly remembers something and looks Piotr straight in the eye. “He told me about what happened when you went to get him.”
 

Piotr nods slowly. “I wish I could say I had no choice, but I know I did. I could have asked him to come with us. But I was angry and I had been struggling with realising that you did not care for me as I did for you. I am sorry. He did not deserve that. He is a good person.”
 

She is struck with another pang of guilt.
 

“Theresa calmed me down afterwards,” he says. “She…” He trails off and gazes off into space, pondering.
 

Kitty tilts her head to one side and recalls how Theresa and Piotr had spend the entire fireworks show sitting together. “What happened?” she asks him gently.
 

“When we went to find John, we talked a lot,” he tells her. “And Theresa…she told me that she has feelings for me. She said she has felt this way since the invasion.”
 

“And how do you feel?” she asks him cautiously. “Do you care about her?”
 

Piotr gives her a half-hearted smile. “I have not yet stopped caring for you, Katya.” He sighs and glances away. “But I believe that with time, I will be able to care for her as much as she does for me. She understands how I feel. She says she can wait as long as I need her to. And we already have become so close.”
 

“I think she’ll make you happy, Piotr,” Kitty says quietly, resting a hand on his arm. “I’m sorry I couldn’t.”
 

“I hope we can both be happy soon,” he replies. “John is a good person. He will look after you.”
 

He gets up and smiles – a real smile this time, untainted with pain or sadness. “Good night, Katya.”