i'm not bitter, she said, bitterly.

      ¬ “that makes absolutely no sense, there is no way that darth vader could beat superman, i’ve seen what that man can do and he would kick vaders ass.”

It’s hard to keep the warm smile from his face -can’t have students seeing that, they might suspect he has a sense of humor. But her energy is irresistable, and its nice just to talk like friends with another x-man. Relationships become estranged when one side gives the orders -even Emma had fallen into that strange space. “You shifted through dimensions. Are you okay? We’ll have Hank check you out just to make sure. Maybe you have space germs.” he teases.  He smiles seeing the reactions of the other students to her. Already the place feels lighter with her around. “Space dude better get his act together. Do I need to chase after him with a baseball  bat? I still can’t believe you were engaged. And you’re a Guardian now. Can you go back to being sixteen?” He led the way to the food counters, ordering a coffee for himself. “Mhmm.” he hummed. “I think some of Kurt’s bamfs might’ve taken a favourite window ledge.” he muses arms crossed, leaning on the counter as they wait for the food. “Looks like you might have a few fans.” he nods to a group of younger kids, marvelling at her costume.

     “ a celestial being, ” john repeats, an eyebrow raised slowly.  he tries to sound bored with it, but frankly it’s…a weird thing to say.  he doesn’t know what the fuck it even means.  “ oh, i love hostile hellos, actually.  don’t worry about it. ”

There’s a small person running at him. Well, not small. He was too tall, everyone was small. Scott’s discussing security with a staff member when he spots the movement. Red jacket, bouncing ponytail. Wait, was that-? “Kitty??” he turns half yelling, cutting off whatever his companion was saying mid-sentence- he quickly excuses himself. Then Scott ’s beaming at her -his first full smile in what feels like an age, and bracing himself for impact, half expecting her to jump on him. He wouldn’t have minded. God, he’s missed her, snark and all. “When did you get back? Why didn’t you call? How was space? What happened to space guy?”. Surprise quickly fades and the questioning starts off in a blur. He nudges her on the arm. “C’mon let’s go to the dining hall. Are you hungry? Have you eaten yet?”.

“You sure do seem friendly, and with a cool name like that how could you not be? I’m Jonathan Kent. Jon is fine though!”

    “ doing a paper?  i don’t know, shadowcat. ”  or whatever the fuck she’s calling herself these days.  “ like you said, trouble comes in multiple ways.  and god knows i’m trouble. ”  there’s like — a dirty joke to be made there, too, but he’s doing this thing called ‘ being an adult ’ nowadays. 

 “ the fuck were you doing in space? ”

      “kitty !!” his tone is one of excitement as he rushes towards her, blue eyes alight. arms are immediately thrown around her, smile bright. “i didn’t know that you were back from all your space adventures. i haven’t been at the mansion for a few days but i heard you were around and i had to come see you.”

@stcrkitty

    okay, that was not what peter had been expecting. at all. the last person in the world that he had been expecting to be under that mask was kitty and yet – here she was. the confusion only furthered as he took in her words, an eyebrow raising. “okay, okay. hold up there for like a second. what do you mean that we were fighting?? last i remember, you and i were like incredibly happy and there was no fighting at all. and i know that i sort of did vanish but my ship got wrecked really badly and i had to land on terra. that’s where i’ve been.” 

     “you know, i totally dig the whole roleplaying thing and whatnot, but why are you dressed up like me??” not that she didn’t look good in his get up. because she totally did and peter couldn’t deny that. “uh – what?? no, i only got one element gun. you know that. i’m more confused as to why you have one on you because i have mine. what the flark is going on??”

          domestic bliss hadn’t described them for... well, for a good while. months at least, as they’d grown further apart and had the issues that one would expect to come from FULL LIVES and busy schedules. her brows press together and she assumes alright, there’s a time gap here. they’d seen weirder.           “what’s the last thing you remember? do you remember being elected king of spartax? any of that? you HAVE to remember the mirror, don’t you?”          if he didn’t, he wouldn’t even REMEMBER their failing engagement, and that would be legitimately awful. she can’t be mad at a man who doesn’t remember WHY she’s angry. it’s unfair.      ( and just, well, pointless. )

“My parents always told me never to talk to strangers. Guess I’m breaking that rule today, aren’t I?”

          just because peter was stuck on terra, it hardly meant he wasn’t going to do the whole hero thing. ‘hero’ being a light term used given that he wasn’t exactly a fan of being labeled as such, but he supposed it came with the whole gig of saving people. it was typical for him to jump into action whenever he saw the headline on the television in the bar. bank heist. typical down on terra, but at least he was able to do something about it. rushing from behind the bar, peter grabbed his jacket and quickly shrugged it on. a quick stop at his employee locker and his element gun was in hand, ready to do what was necessary. 

         peter had been completely prepared to stop the robbers, but as he came to the scene – he was already there?? okay, that was just…weird. same jacket, same outfit, same helmet. and was that an element gun he saw?! brows furrowed as he watched the person, confusion seeping in. what the krutack was going on?? it took him a few more seconds until he realized the one major difference that this copy cat had that he didn’t. curves. definitely a lot more curves.

        “hey, you imposter !! what the flark is going on and why the hell are you dressed like me??”

          she phases through a wall, and into a robbery in progress. she’d popped off to the x-mansion, said hellos and goodbyes and promised not to get into too much trouble while she looked for the rest of the guardians. HER scooby gang these days, since she’d gotten kinda used to being with them, after all. kitty doesn’t let the robber get away, element gun in it’s holster as she chases him onto the street, finally phasing though the halls he’d been forced to run and body checking him. before picking up peter’s discarded mantle, she HAD been shadow cat for YEARS, and the take down is a solid one, sending the man sprawling, groaning as he lay on the pavement.

    john is in a good mood, like a suspiciously good mood.  especially given recent political events.  he scribbles hurried notes across the paper in front of him.  in his other hand, a miniscule flame dances between his fingertips.  it keeps him busy, focused while he works.  

good mood or not, though, he does make a point of flipping his paper over when he realizes he’s not alone.  john at his best mood isn’t friendly, still.  “ you need something? ” he asks, eyes on the fire that’s begging to take more solid shape in his hand.

“I bought this puzzle. I thought it might help take my mind off all this crazy but I can’t concentrate and it’s not cause I’m on my third mimosa. Do you like puzzles?” At first the spy is just talking out loud but she turns to the person at the table next to her and smiles. “Do ya?”

          “  NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS.  ”  they immediately interject when eyes set upon them and their cigarette,  perched on the x - mansion’s farthest fence in the night.  “  heal too quick for damage,  anyway.  ”