Summary:A bit of gardening does wonders for the talking. Log Info:Storyteller: None |
Related LogsTheme SongNone |
  |
It is mid-morning, and Elena is not in school today. Out in the backyard, Piotr and the child are working. While Keiko has been showing her combat and other crafts, in perhaps a reversal of roles, Piotr has taken to showing the girl how to garden. Dressed in a pair of overalls and nothing else, the large Russian is currently clearing the backlot that they will be planting their own garden in.
Elena is currently helping to pull weeds - and by helping, she has taken the dandelions and is making a crown of flowers. "Papa, your head is so big, I may not have enough flowers for it!"
This brings a chuckle from Piotr as he glances over to his daughter and smiles toothily. "It is so large because your mother fills me with so many ideas." he teases back before pulling up a rotten stump to toss aside.
Keiko is always busy. If she's not mending or altering clothing, she's repairing something or training. Today it's fixing the railing on the backstep which had come loose. It helps keep her mind busy and stop her thinking about… anything.
"You should be in school, Elena." she tells her daughter as joins the pair with a tray containing a jug of juice and three cups. "You have your father at your every whim." She's always so severe with the girl. Almost as severe as she is with others.
Had she heard the comment Piotr just made? It's not clear as her cat slitted eyes fix on the man. "It's is hot mi Rey, I brought juice." for both of them clearly.
"It will be holiday week next week." Piotr explains. "American Independence." Not that either of them celebrate it - but technically their child has tri-citizenship, Russia, Peru, America. And Limbo, but that makes things complicated.
"Papa said I could stay home since they were only doing busy work today." Which is why Piotr's home as well. There's few classes, with the holiday at mid-week, and in summer, it's just easier to give everyone the week off.
"It is hot, solnyshko." Piotr agrees as he reaches up to wipe at his brow with the bandana around his neck. "And I thank you for the juice." His smile is warming as he reaches to take the juice from her.
"It's always good work leading up to the holiday." Keiko answers, frowning slightly. She'd lost track of time and she'd forgotten. "I've been so… busy it had slipped my mind."
"Busy work, peque%<241>a estrella." Not a question, but a question anyway. Keiko sits on the ground, cross legged and gestures to Elena. come here. Sit with me. It might be an imperious gesture, commanding rather than a request, but it's also slightly out of character.
Keiko is aloof. She doesn't do physical contact like normal people.
"You are planting a garden. Vegetables or Flowers."
"I thought maybe both." Piotr admits as he accepts the juice. He starts to move to touch her fingers, but when she withdraws, he stops himself. Elena goes to sit with Keiko as Piotr continues work. "We can grow tomatoes, cucumbers, good vegetables. But also flower garden to relax. Maybe a fruit tree."
"You said you wanted to go out." More like she told him to take her out. "Are you busy tonight? We can find a babysitter for Elena." This time, he plans not to back down and invite Elena along.
Keiko never withdraws when Piotr tries to touch her. When his hand brushes her, her touch lingers a moment. Everything about the Peruvian is severely muted until her temper is pricked and then… It seems explosive.
Settling Elena in her lap, Keiko smooths the girls hair almost playing with it, the way a *normal* mother would. "You were making a crown for the King, estrella. Show me." She murmurs.
"Food is good. Flowers aren't useful. In the compound we all did our bit. It was part of our physical training." There's no smile or anything to soften her expres
That's a good question that Piotr asks and it has Keiko looking at him thoughtfully. "It is the truth. " she starts but she knows deep down that's not what he's asking. "I did not mind doing so. I am your solnyshko, you are mi Rey."
Her hand is entirely engulfed in Piotrs. She's tiny and his height just makes her seem smaller. She's not fragile though, brittle at the moment maybe, but not fragile. Limbo hadn't broken her, after all. Or, had it?
"I will call you Piotr, if that's what you want."
"I liked the Zoo but it might be dark there if we go at night." Is it open at night? She doesn't know but that might *almost* be attempt at humour. "Surprise me. I would like that." That's going to be a gamble for Piotr. She's feral enough that he takes her somewhere, she might end up trying to skin the attendants in her surprise.
Elena leans forward and tries to get the daisy crown around Piotrs head. It's nowhere big enough, and sits lopsidedly in a charming sort of way. "Mama is wearing your clips, Papa. Did you see…"
Glancing down at her hands Keiko draws in a breath "I know this is hard for you, Piotr. I'm … trying. I … " she gestures hopelessly.
Elena's attention draws Piotr's eyes to the clips. His lips pull into a momentary smile, and he nods. "They still look lovely on her, Elena." he says in mild admiration of the woman. When she starts to speak, he lifts his hand, and touches it to her lips.
"I know." he finally says. "I do not want to push. But don't take that as feeling I no longer…" he trails off himself now. It's hard for both of them. He doesn't know how much give to have for her, and she has no take for him.
The flowers dip down, resting almost comically on Piotr's head as he chuckles and moves his hands to take the crown and sets it on Elena's head. "It is much better on you, my little Princess." he offers to her with a smile.
"It's not what I want, Keiko. It is what you want. If you want to call me that, then do so." he sighs. "If you do not like solnyshko, then say so." he glances down at his hands, feeling almost helpless and he laughs. "When I was young, there was girl. Always tried to get my attention. Even showed up in my room in her underwear. I turned her away." Perhaps this is karma.
For seven years, Keiko has had to be strong. Not show weakness of any sort. When Elena had arrived she had to be stronger and she had been. That, along with the effects of Sifror and Illyana, had dehumanised her.
Of course, there's the small issue of the fact that she's taken in a demon spirit and her animals are slowly corrupting as well.
"I like it, Piotr. I didn't say I didn't." Would she have said if she didn't? Probably not. "I don't know how to do this …" Those catseyes hold his. "… you and me. Us, with Elena. I … it wasn't encouraged in the compound and I was more interested in being the best I could I be."
The story has her looking in that cold, aloof way Keiko has. Her lips quirk, just a little, in a smile - not that it touches her eyes. "I have been in my underwear. You didn't turn me away." Obviously. They have Elena as a result of that.
There's a blush at Keiko. "I have seen you in much less. And you did not turn me away either." Piotr manages, before Elena is making a face. "Ewwww!" she says, squirming as she looks between the two of them, as she's getting up. Apparently she don't wanna hear mom and dad having a private talk about these things.
"I can only try to be patient with you, Keiko. I want you…" and he sighs. "No. What I want is you to be happy." he says finally, as his blue eyes hold hers. His soul was damaged, but for the most part whole, as he reaches up to touch her face again. "I can only try." To be there for her. To be patient and wait for her. And maybe.. if she decides it's not what she wants - let her go.
"That much is obvious. We have child because of it." Keiko answers, squeezing Elena as she squirms. "Don't wander too far, estrella." she tells the girl as she releases her. "You know the rules…" Rules that might not apply here on Earth but had kept the child safe for five years.
Without even thinking, Keiko touches the tattoo of Bella and murmurs a short phrase. Seconds later, the demonic grey wolf stands beside her, pushing her muzzle under Keiko's hand. "Good girl. Guard Elena…" Keiko scritches the demon wolfs ears before sending them on their way.
Keiko holds Piotrs gaze in return, solemn and unable to feel much of anything. Yet she turns her cheek into his hand. "What do you want for yourself, Piotr?" That it's a direct question is … telling.
"I haven't been able to summon Alexei, since.." Piotr admits quietly. He's tried. But he doesn't have a connection to him. He watches Bella trot off after Elena. His attention turns back to Keiko, and he considers her.
"I want to find my art again. I want to feel like me again. But what I want most?" he asks. "Is for you to stop telling me that you can't give me what I want, Keiko. You ask me what I want for myself, but then tell me you can't give it. It's maddening." There's a heave of his shoulders as he just out and says it.
The touch of her cheek to his hand is electric, and he doesn't draw away this time. "What I want… I'm told I'm not going to ever have."
"You haven't…" that draws a frown. "You should ask Illyana about that. Make sure … " They're broken the two of them. Illyana and Sam? She doesn't know. Each of them had their own trial. But make sure there isn't something that they can actually deal with.
He says something interesting though that has the frown deepening "You want to feel as you once did? Before Limbo?" When he was with Kitty. The girl that Keiko had seen him with.
"I … want to be able to feel again, Piotr. I'm … numb." There's only one person who's said that to her directly and she refused to acknowledge it then. She is now, though. To Piotr.
"You and Illyana have called me frustratingly stubborn several times. Is it something you really want to change?"
She'll get to the rest, in a minute.
"No. I do not want to take back what happened in Limbo. Or being with you." Piotr makes a frustrated noise as he tries to gather his thoughts and his hand presses to her cheek. "No. You are stubborn. It keeps Elena safe. I just.. you say your numb. I was there. There were times when you were alive. And not just when she was skinning demons or making clothes."
And he knows he may get hit. She may run away, but he has to know. He moves, pressing in and his mouth catches hers, kissing her. Is she so numb that she won't even acknowledge that?
"Then you will discover who you are now…" Keiko sighs "… just as I need to find out who, and what, I am becoming." She shakes her head at his words, not to deny them. He's right. She remembers and she knows what he's referring to.
"When we opened the Heart, Piotr and fought that demon in the circle, my trials completed… I bound it to me, to my soul and I took in the metal of Limbo."
That's what has left her numb. That's what has changed.
When Piotr moves, Keiko's eyes widen, she tenses as his lips meet hers. He might think she's going to run for the briefest of moments before she, not quite melts, against him.
Piotr presses to Keiko for what seems like minutes, sharing in that first kiss they've had since they left Limbo. When he breaks away - it is only for his brow to rest against hers. "I was numb for seven years. I was without a soul. But there was only one constant. And that was you. I was ready to assume you did not want this after you came, that you were only here for Elena." he closes his eyes.
"I want you, Keiko. We were forced together. But I don't want to be forced apart now."
It's not the woman he knew in Limbo who returns that kiss. Keiko is changed, she knows that and Piotr will come to know that too. But she is here and she doesn't pull away when he rests his forehead against hers. "I am here, Piotr. I'm not going anywhere." is all she says.
Can she give him what he wants? She doesn't know, but she's willing to try.