To Be A Hero - Colossus and Angel

11. To Be in Love

Kath and Piotr ended up spending a wonderful, quiet afternoon together. With the library to themselves they read in comfortable, companionable silence, chatting here and there, making each other laugh. Kath loved the others, but didn't mind these quieter days. She realized then how little time alone she actually had with Piotr - sure, in passing in the halls, but they didn't usually have this long to themselves, and certainly not since she had started developing feelings for him.  And she loved it.

She was just recovering from a particularly funny joke he had told her, laughing so hard her stomach hurt and tears filled her eyes.  It had also been a long time since this had happened. 

The last of her laughter faded, and they smiled at each other, both content, once again in comfortable silence.

Now was her chance. 

"Piotr, there's something I have to tell you: I really like you, as a friend, but also as something more... I've developed romantic feelings for you..." This was all she had to say.  Short and simple and only the truth. 

"Piotr, I-"

RING!

Both jumped when startled by the shrill ringing of the library telephone which abruptly cut her off. She had barely opened her mouth to speak before it  interrupted her.  

Piotr got up to answer it.  "Hello, Professor Xavier's School for the Gifted, how may I help you?" Kath couldn't make out the words, but she could hear a lot of shouting from the other end. Piotr held the phone away from his ear.  "What - Wade?  Is that you? What is it? What are you doing?"

Kath sighed. Deadpool. Of course. Horrible timing, as usual. 

Piotr received no response, as the other end of the line suddenly went silent.  He stared down at the phone confused for a moment before returning it to the cradle. "He claims it was wrong number.  I thought it was another prank call."

"Wonder what shenanigans he's managed to get himself into this time."

"Nothing good, I can tell you."

Well, that scare had really killed the moment.  Kath was considering how she could now subtly dive into her confession, when noise filled the hallway outside, noise which turned out to be the overlapping voices of her friends and siblings.

"Still here? What have you been doing this whole time?" Daniela cried when she saw Kath and Piotr.  

"We were reading and chatting."

"Oh, fun." Daniela scrunched up her nose. 

"Yes, it was. How was the mall?"

"Really good! Scott bought a Culture Club record just to annoy Jean, we're going to go dance to it! And Warren tried on these super sexy sunglasses!"

Kath rolled her eyes.  "Sounds fun. What about the match? Who won?"

"Kurt and Scott scored a tie!"

"Ah. So I sense another trip to the mall in the near future."

"Probably! You'll have to come - you really missed out this time."

Kath shrugged.  "I was perfectly happy here."

"If you say so." The others had already headed upstairs, so Daniela followed them, leaving Kath and Piotr alone once more. 

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"So, you never told me about your one-on-one with Piotr yesterday."