Fixing the Catlyst

February 23, 2016:

Returning from visiting Bobby at the nest, Brin and Piotr catch up

X-Red HQ - New York

Characters

NPCs: None.

Mentions: Bobby Drake

Plot:

Mood Music: None.


Fade In…

Colossus is in the building's motor pool, the hood of a 96' Ford Ranger up. His personal vehicle which is tough and reliable, though even the old girl is starting to show her age by now and the many miles that the engine block has collected in his travels. Two earbuds drop heavy bass in his ear as he inspects the parts, a converter resting on a wheelie next to him.


After seeing Bobby last and watching over him, Brins returned from The Nest for a while to catch up on things. Sliding from the car she's just parked, the small brunette looks tired and there's still ice on some of her clothing.

Seeing Piotr looking at the parts, she stops and smiles … she can see the earbuds and knows better than to try and be heard over them…


Colossus is aware of the car, as it passes in his peripheral view, but not the driver. Otherwise he'd have made more of an effort to greeet her certainly. She's right to know that trying to get his attention over the volume of hearing-damaging headset is a lost cause even if he wasn't distracted and knuckles deep in his motor's parts.

The low, keening sound is him humming along with whatever music happens to be on track as he loosens a lugnut.


Letting out a deep sigh, Brin moves towards Piotr, into his line of sight and reaches out to touch his arm. Growing up in the institute, she's learned not to surprise her friends - the surprise usually ends up hers - otherwise she would have just walked up and hugged him.


Colossus looks down at the small hand on his arm and then up to the person it is attached too, before smiling. "Kothek, hello." He does not remove his earbuds immediately, instead swooping her up into the hug that she wisely did not initiate on the oblivious giant. As a result, some of her ice becomes his ice and some of his motor grease becomes her's. Oops!

"Two days without life affirming danger? Is this record?"


Good thing it's nearly washing day! Brin hugs back and looks ruefully at the grease that now smatters her clothing "I … wouldn't say that exactly. I went to see Bobby last night, he … had an episode. Froze everything in his area, just as I was arriving." still she blushes a little "But perhaps a record … at least in the last 12 months or so."

"Rebuilding her…" she nods to the parts and the car … asking the /obvious/ question.


"Catalyst." Colossus says. "Have to replace her." He furrows his brow at the news, only vaguely familiar with Bobby. He's the /ice/ guy, that much is known by the Russian bruiser. He sets a hand on her shoulder, "I am sure that his freezing had nothing to do with you. As man, can say that when I see you parts of me do not suddenly get cold." Nailed the banter-romance game today!

"Is Bobby okay?"


"Catalyst?" Brins only passingly familiar with engines, business and people being more her thing. Leaning against Piotr, she blushes at his words "For that, I might be glad." the words murmurmed as she glances up to him.

"I don't know. His mutation has accellerated, that's why he's at The Nest, uh a farm just off the Interstate." She's clearly concerned "His form keeps fluxing from Ice to Flesh. He's … worried." Which is an understatement "Which means I am too."


"The Nest? Scary name." Colossus pops the hood back down over the engine block, and places hands on Brinley's waist, lifting her as if she weighs as much to him as a feather would to plant down on top the truck. His hands slide up her arms and take her hands in his, "That must be frightening for you. Is something that you struggle with too. Is there nothing to be done? Some sort of medication he can take?"


Brin squeaks, just a little, as she's lifted and set upon the hood of the truck. Fingers closing round his, now nearly eye to eye with the man, she considers "The Nest… I've always thought it meant home. It's a refuge of sorts for mutants who didn't want to join with the X-Teams." She'd not been around when that had been created, but she knows something of its history. "I can see how it sounds scary though."

Squeezing his hands, the small brunete smiles sadly "Yeah, I do. Most of us will continue to mutate and we just don't know how." For Brin, right now, it's her empathy waxing and waning "Bobby was seeing a doctor, who managed to slow things down for a while, but it's here now and it's happening and we just have to hope for the best." He can tell, because she's projecting again - that's new - there's fear mixed with concern, and a certain amount of resolve.


Colossus is forced to share her fear even if he'd rather not, but he does not flinch from the insidious dread that she unknowingly bleeds into his psyche alongside tendrils of other strong emotional impulses. She's scared for her friend, who is not doing well. He could tell her that everything will be okay, but how hollow would that sound? Instead, freeing one hand, he presses it to her cheek for the comfort that can come with contact. Which means a dark streak of motor oil stands out prominently on the fair-skinned American.

Then, without another word, he kisses her.


Brin doesn't know about the oil on her cheek, nor would she care. The touch, designed to ease and comfort her, is welcome and she closes her eyes, drinking it in.

The kiss comes as something of a shock, a pleasant surprise of course. And the pair loose a long moment … as she returns it.


Colossus withdraws relunctantly from the embrace, "See. No freezing." Distracted much? Well, the gesture was meant to comfort and soothe a weary heart but after about a minute, he's forced to squeeze her hand simply to keep the gesture on track and not pull and rip at her clothing. Right, long time away makes the heart grow fond but /here/ is not exactly the most romantic place to bed a lady. "Mm. It will be fine. Doctors will help him find way to regain control of his powers. You will see. Okay?"


"Mmmm, no freezing. So I see." Brins dark eyes focus on the man and she blushes again, resting her hands on his shoulders. "I missed you." Simple words as she squeezes his hand back. Still so reserved, even after all this time. "I'm glad you're back and hopefully can stay for a while."

As to Bobby, whatever is happening is happening and they'll just have to wait and see. "Bobby … yeah. It's up to him and his mutation now. All I can do is support him."

"Have you eaten?"


Mind out of the gutter! Colossus blinks twice before tilting his head. "Breakfast, but lost track of time. Is it late enough for lunch now?" He looks away just to check his watch, one of the few young men that hasn't quite given up that fashionable piece of apparel. "Hunh."


"Close enough. If you're hungry." God, that blush just gets worse as Brin picks up on that spike of emotion and realises … yeah, she'll just blush some more, thank you. Leaning forward, she kisses him again, he deserves the reward for not saying something!

Unless otherwise stated, the content of this page is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 License