Rinks vs. Rings

December 05, 2015:

Brian and Kitty go skating at Rockefeller Plaza and have a discussion about the direction that their dating has taken.

Rockefeller Center, New York

The Rockefeller Center is a 22 Acre commercial complex located between 48th and 51st Steets. It was declared a national historcal landmark in 1987. Noteable buildings in the 19 building complex include the Radio City Music Hall and the GE Building (formerly the RCA Building). Down in the plaza itself there are 200 flagpoles flying the flags of the UN Member Nations and the US States and territories, or sometimes decorative or seasonal motiefs. A number of artistic objects and sculptures also adorn the plaza and are notable attractions.

Characters

Shadowcat

NPCs: None.

Mentions:

Plot:

Mood Music: Lee Brice - I Don't Dance

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Fade In…

It's finally cold enough, and with the tree lighting complete, well, Brian couldn't think of a better place for a date than a twilight meeting with Kitty at Rockefeller's famous skating rink. Standing outside of the rink with their passes, he carries a thermos of hot tea with him, though there is probably places for them to drink at once they get in. But still, tea.

He's dressed more.. casually. Blue jeans, a stocking cap.. and a black sweater with an embrodiered AT-AT in the middle of it in white with C3PO doing various poses of the 'Egyptian' bordering it across the top and bottom. Ugly sweater day!

Kitty didn't get the memo on the ugly sweater. However, she skated quite a bit in Illinois and is quite the natural at it. Her own outfit is jeans, a warm woolen coat with colorful scarf, mittens and knit hat. As she approaches Brian, she grins, looking upward. The famous tree lighting ceremony was a few days ago and the gigantic specimen towers above the ice skating rink with its multiple twinkling lights.

As Kitty approaches, her nose is slightly red from the cold and she grins. "Pretty classic," she applauds him his venue. "Did ice skating come with all the, you know, other stuff?" she asks, waving a mitten'd hand at him, meaning his magic in general. "'Cause I came from a frozen wasteland. I can ice skate."

Brian grins and offers Kitty a warm hug and a quick kiss, if she allows it as he chuckles at her remark to step back and look her over. "Let me guess." he says with a teasing lit, "You were born with a hockey stick in one hand and a pom-pom in the other." There's a wink as he drops down to catch her mittened hands with his gloved ones. "And yes, I know how to ice skate. It was part of my blue-blood training one winter - Betsy whined about wanting to learn, so I had to tag along to learn too." Rolling his eyes, he steps to the side to allow her to pass first since he's already paid for admission - it is an actual date after all, though he's not going to ever stop her from doing her own thing.

"How's school been treating you?" he asks curiously, a tilt of his head suggesting that he might have a thought on his mind, but nothing too heavy if his expression is any indication.

"More the hockey stick, less the pom-pom," Kitty raises a grin and hugs, then gives Brian a quick kiss as they move their way to get skates. As his hands move to grab hers, she doesn't pull away, smirking as they move toward the the ice. "I didn't realize ice skating was a part of the blue-blood training." As admission is already paid for, she smiles and thanks him, moving toward a bench so that they can lace up their skates.

"Oh, it's going. Finals and kids bemoaning grades. You know, the usual." She grins. Though she seems to be bemoaning the system herself, she certainly seems to be enjoying it. "How has, you know, your things been treating you?" It's hard to talk about it without just coming right out and saying it. And who knows who is watching.

"Busy. Training, watching and learning. It seems I've been getting more training in the diplomacy, these days." What with a drinking Princess and all. As Brian works on lacing up his skates, he smirks. "Apparently Betsy deciced I needed to meet Emma. I had to back out of the earlier attempt, but it seems that they have caught on that we have been spending quite a lot of time together - well, at least more time than I spend with my sister." he gives a good-natured roll of his eyes.

"She really is a hard read - Betsy that is. She gripes about wanting space and freedom - even going as far as shouldering all the responsibility on me and running off to America. And then has a bigger fit when I have to come here. But then she complains I don't visit her often enough now that I am here." he sighs as he tightens the laces and then stands up to make sure he has his balance. Yes, he could just fly a little, but he likes being somewhat normal at times.

"Other than that? It's chaotic. There seems to be no organizational leadership, and it's a right mess that somehow works. I assume that duct tape and bubble gum has something to do with it." With that, he steps onto the ice to slide backwards and wait for her. He's not great, but he's got the basics down.

"Diplomacy does seem like it'd be important," Kitty replies with a laugh. She has deft fingers with lacing her skates and is up and on the ice with a smooth motion. She wasn't kidding when she said she knew how to skate. "Betsy isn't that hard to read to me," the phaser grins. "She loves her brother, likes her space and wants to be protective of both."

There's a bit of a bright red blush at the idea that people are starting to talk about all the time she's spending with Brian. "I don't mean to take away time from your sister." Though an only child, she's very cognizant of the brother/sister bond.

Once on the ice, she glides very gracefully. It's like walking to her. "Well, that seems like a point where a captain steps in and takes charge of a ship." She winks.

"Yeah, tried that once." Brian says, turning on his skates to be beside Kitty as he glides along with her. "Was immediately reminded that I was the rookie observer and should act as such. I don't rock boats that don't want rocking." he casts a smirk back at the wink as he shrugs his shoulders. "I get to have a say in this whole who I get to spend time with thing, I think."

He doesn't quite reach out to hold hands with her, but he does stay close, hands tucked to his sides as he does so. "And I think part of it was them seeing if they could get under my skin by bringing you up. Betsy does like taking stabs at my defenses from time to time." Specifically as he has learned to misdirect and block some things from her mental grasp.

The two glide along together across the ice. Rockefeller Plaza is filled with tourists and those who are here to sight see. The ice isn't even the best, grooved with multiple visitors. But, that doesn't matter to Kitty. She's dealt with worse ice and on ponds that have no zambonis.

"Sometimes there are boats that are just meant for rocking," She replies with a grin. As for getting a rile out of him, she tilts her head. "Funnily, I haven't heard anything from anyone. Maybe it's just coming from Betsy. We both know how she can be about stuff like this." r

"Yes, quite. Probably wants to make sure you meet her haughty requirements before she plans a state wedding." Brian rolls his eyes as he tries to stay out of the grooves as much as possible. He could have picked a better place for a date, but he was trying to be spontaneous. "After all, she has made it clear that I'm the one that has to carry on the family name and such." he shrugs his shoulders. "I'm not in such a big hurry." he admits finally.

"I'm yet just starting my twenties and have a whole life and career ahead of me. Who would want to burden themselves with all the baggage that comes with being a Braddock anyway. Especially gaining a totally nosey sister in law." he laughs a little at that as he tries to turn around to give her a wink, but his skate catches in a groove and he tumbles, sliding into more pristine ice in the middle of the rink with a hearty laugh of self-amusement.

"I'm not worried about making your sister's requirements," Kitty tells Brian both seriously and with a bit of a smile. She's known Betsy, worked with her. Maybe not in the context of dating her brother, but that means she at least knows what she's up against. "And you've got a ton of time to carry on the family name. Plus, you know, adoption."

As Brian's skate catches a groove and he goes tumbling, she quickly skates up to him and reaches over a hand to help pull him up. It's a risky endeavor on the slippery ice, but she doesn't seem to mind. "Are you okay?"

"Nothing broken but my Pryde." Brian.. dared to make that pun as he accepts the hand to help pull him to his feet as he dusts himself off with a wide and playful grin at her. "Don't worry, there's no ring or prepared speeches. There is no rushing." With that, he resets himself to wait for an opening. "Want to do a couple of more laps and maybe grab some tea or hot chocolate?" he asks as gives her shoulder a gentle nudge.

"And don't sweat my sister, she already adores you apparently. She's more worried about the inevitable break up and being mad at me because it's all my fault when you show up for consuling with a gallon of chunky monkey and bad chick flicks."

At the pun, Kitty snorts and shakes her head. She's not a huge fan of that kind of humor. "There better not be," she tells him with a grin. Planting her back heel on the ice, she's able to help Brian without toppling herself over. "Ooo, hot chocolate. I know this place nearby that has really good hot chocolate with rum. We should go there!"

Even despite the ruts in the ice, she skates backwards an twirls a few times to show off a little. She can't help it. Skating back toward Brian, she loops an arm through his. "I won't. I like Betsy. Would it help if I pretend we were already broken up with the ice cream and movies? And then we can have a reunion scene."

Brian chuckles, after making a note that puns have bad effects on Kitty. He'll behave on that front, "No, because her first response would be to try to read your mind to figure out why we broke up and then murder me, even if it wasn't my fault." His other hand covers the one she loops through his arm, clearly impressed with her skatesmanship. "Because, the golden rule is that the male is always wrong, and even when he's right, it was only because his significant other said that he was." A grin and a wink is offered as he nods.

"Then I put our beverage hunt in your very capable hands, Kitty." Brian agrees to readily, giving her hand a fond squeeze before releasing it.

Kitty grins. "I'll stay slightly phased, then. She can't read my thoughts when I'm phased." She's good at problem solving. "I think that's pretty sexist. I can be just as wrong a you can," she tells him. Clearly, she doesn't mind arguing about it and is amused by the idea. "Though, I like the idea that I'm the one who tells you when you're right." How could she not?

"Beverage hunt?" The idea makes her laugh. "I like the idea. It sounds like I'm a lion on the hunt for beverages." Squeezing his hand, she pulls him along through the ice skating rink.

"Well, yes, I suppose it was, and I apologize. I could blame my upbringing, but really, I just like the taste of my own shoe leather sometimes." Brian says with a smirk as he's pulled along to the edge of the ice and steps off to head back to the bench to change back into his more sensible shoes. "So you know how to skate, bowl, quite the computer wiz.." he frowns thoughtfully. "I really should try to find something that I can do slightly better than you before you decide that you are completely the dominant one in our relationship." He dares to tread into that water to test the temperature, to get read on if she even wants to discuss the idea of more than just occasional dating and actual approach 'going steady' idea.

"Well, I've seen your dress shoes. They're very well polished," Kitty replies with a smirk. Gliding off the ice, Kitty yanks at the laces of her skates and pulls them off before slipping into her non-slippery surface shoes. It's always strange to move from skates to solid land. Almost like sea legs. Her boots are zip up, so she's finished in quite a short period of time. Brian's quip is met with a raised eyebrow. "Well, typical American things I'm good at. And whose to say I haven't already the dominant one?" At the word relationship, though, she gives an awkward smile. "Is that what this is? A relationship?"

"They're also blatantly expensive and comfortable like noone's business." Brian responds with a smirk, "They better be well worth the taste." As he works on tieing the rentals back together so he can turn them in. "Maybe I should see how well you do with the more British things, then. I could prove to be quite the quandry to you after all." Then as she brings up the very question he was treading towards, it brings a pause, and he reaches up to rub the back of his head. His cheeks colour just a little bit more than the ice did to them earlier as he considers her.

And he can tell by the look on her face he may have treaded into a bad minefield of trigger words as he holds up his hand. "I know you've had your fair share.. probably more.. of bad times when it comes to dating and all that. You made it clear." he finally says as he lets out a breath, visible in the cold air as he studies her face and body posture, waiting for the tell-tale signs of a woman that's about to bolt. "And we both said we'd take it slow. I.. like to think that we've gone out enough that maybe.. I mean, if you want, start seeing each other exclusively?" Poor Brian, he's trying so hard, but that social awkwardness is making it's presence more and more known as he goes on. "It's not like I have a bevy of girls wanting to date me or anything, I don't mean it like that.. I.. just." he sighs. "Okay, this is totally not going how it went in my head."

"I can't say I've ever really thought of taste as a selling point for shoes," Kitty laughs. Standing up, she follows him to turn in the skates. "I'd be lost at cricket. And rugby," she agrees with a nod. "Looks like that will have to be what we try next." Though, she already finds the image of herself trying to play cricket rather ridiculous.

As he stops, she stops with him, crossing her arms in front of her. While her body posture is not one of someone about to make a break for the hills, it's also somewhere in the awkward spectrum. She's silent for a few moments, though she gives him a smile at his last statement. "It rarely does for anyone." She takes a breath and nods once. "We've certainly been spending a lot of free time together and I do really like your company." She pauses before adding, "Is that what you'd like? To be exclusive? I mean, I haven't really been dating anyone else, either."

"Bullocks, I'm just cocking this right up, aren't I, Katherine?" Brian asks with self-chagrin as she points out the rather obvious. They are rather exclusive without being exclusive. Not noticing the obvious seems to be par for the course for the man that has to serve as the defender of the Isles. "Maybe darts." Little does he know of Kitty's rather.. ninja.. past and how much trouble he's going to be in on that front. But the converstion comes back around to the rather large elephant in the room that he quite accidentally unchained. "I'm not really sure how to put it, to be honest." he finally admits. "And it's equally hard for you. Maybe I shouldn't have brought it up. I know it's only been a couple of months, but I do quite enjoy your company and would like to be.. oh what would be the appropriate term - boyfriend makes it sound so high schoolish. Companion?"

"Katherine," Kitty laughs a bit at hearing her full name. There's very few people who call her Katherine. Mostly only the Professor - maybe it's a British thing. Realizing that she may be better at darts than he is, as she actually has thrown ninja stars before, she just smiles and shakes her head. "Maybe pool. You guys have snooker, right? That's similar? I think? Not to mention the fact that snooker's a funny word."

Looping her arm through his in a steadying manner, she shrugs her shoulders. "You wanted to make it something more official," she replies softly. It is a touchy topic for the young mutant, but she doesn't shy away from the conversation. Instead, she snorts at the term 'Companion'. "That makes me sound like you're a politician and I'm your mistress on the side. Or about to go travel through space and time in the TARDIS. Boyfriend seems like the proper term for it."

"Considering what I am.." Brian starts to say, companion may not be far off the mark, what with the alternate worlds, alternate versions.. but then she settles it for them as she takes his arm. ".. and I meant more the TARDIS version.." a bright blush hits his cheeks for no reason - thank goodness Kitty is no telepath. With a light clearing of his throat, he snaps away those particular thoughts and gives her an almost shy smile. "So. Well.. would you consider honoring me by being my girlfriend?" he asks her finally as he puts the skates away for them both so that hands are free.

"I assumed." Kitty laughs, as she knows Brian is too shy to have actually been implying that. Especially when he blushes an incredibly bright red for her even bringing up the implications. With the official question out there, the mutant bites her lip just a bit, nervous of the implications and what they might mean. But, then, she nods. "Sure." It's not quite as formal as Brian's ask, but it's the meaning behind it that matters more.

"Well, that settles that. Shall we celebrate our newfound status over Facebook and hot chocolate, or is that passe now?" Brian asks teasingly as he leans over to kiss her temple, not daring to do what he wanted which was to sweep her up in his arms and lay one on her - because well, she'd probably have phased and then it would have really been awkward. "Or do you need something a bit stronger with such a heavy commitment?" A light bump of his hip to hers. They should be happy to be a couple, right? Then why does she not seem so pleased with the idea.

"Facebook?" Kitty raises an eyebrow and laughs. "Well, you did put me on the beverage hunt. We could try for a bar with a pool table." At the bump at the hip, she grins. "I think I'll manage without the hard liquor." Grinning, they start to move toward the street. "I'm not upset or sad. It's just a bit scary for me."

"Alright, well, nothing really has changed.." Brian points out for her, moving from an arm loop to actually holding her hand. "Except that if you want to stop dating me, you actually have to break up with me." he winks at her. "Now you can go visiting Betsy if that happens and tell her what a total jerk I was." he rolls his eyes playfully at the quip and gives her a light squeeze. "And yes, you are our beverage hunter, Kitty, so lets see what we find." Not only in beverages, but each other.