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xp_logsIllyana's woes with technology these days tend to have less fire and destruction and more glaring. At least the unexpected run-in with her brother means she gets warm Pop-Tarts.
Illyana had her back to the rest of the kitchen, staring at the toaster irritably. She didn’t remember it having so many options the last time she’d lived here, and all she wanted. was. her. darn. Pop-Tarts. A slender finger poked the thing again, and she huffed out a breath, bangs blowing upward. “Just. Work.” she growled out, smacking her hand on the counter. “Why do people make things so difficult?”
She just wanted to make them and scamper back to her room, ghosting through the mansion at times she hoped would be least likely to put her in Pyotr’s path, but this toaster’s inability to just let her press a button and receive toasty sugar delight was putting a crimp in that plan. She wasn’t ready to see her brother yet, which was why she hadn’t announced her presence on the weird bookface system. Soon. She’d have to say something soon. But not today.
Perhaps unfortunately for the Russian sorceress and ruler of Limbo, the Fates had other inclinations. Pyotr, as Colossus and dressed in his X-Men uniform, was making a quick stop at the kitchen to make himself some pre-workout before heading down into the Danger Room. But this time he wasn't looking to lift some seriously heavy metal or even continue his eternal quest to get as strong as possible.
Nope. This time it was one of the canned teamwork scenarios. Which probably meant there was going to be a lot of crunchies that needed to stay safe and someone else looking to make them dead. Or something like that. He'd find out soon enough.
Illyana heard someone else enter the room, but was still locked into a glaring contest with the toaster. “I leave, I come back, the toaster will no longer just let me press a button,” she lamented. “I just want warm Pop-Tarts. I missed them.”
Pyotr wasn't sure who it was that was apparently struggling with the toaster - until she spoke. He shifted back into flesh and just stared for a moment. "Illyana?" he said in Russian, his voice filled with surprise. "Is that you?"
Shit. Shit, damn, and shitsticks. Of course, of course technology would be the cause of this. Illyana turned slightly, overlarge t-shirt slipping slightly on her shoulder. “Surprise?” she offered weakly, giving her older brother an almost ill-looking smile. “Pyotr Nikolaievitch, is that you?” She knew perfectly well it was from her scrying, and his face wasn’t so different. But a mirror didn’t quite show off how much bulk he’d put on, or the height. “It has been some time.”
Instead of speaking he lunged forward to wrap her in a bearhug that stopped _just_ short of causing some structural damage. He was unashamed of shedding tears of joy as he hugged his baby sister for everything he was worth.
Illyana was stiff in his arms, unused to such exuberant affection. She relaxed in stages, eventually squirming just loose enough to awkwardly pat him on the back. “You are squishing me, let go,” she managed to croak out.
Right. No squishing the snowflake. He reluctantly let her go, then just looked down at the top of her head. "How?" he asked simply. "Nevermind. Does not matter. Are you staying?" he asked, the hope writ plain across his face.
“Long story,” Illyana replied shortly. “Am mostly staying for now. Sometimes… have to go back.” She sighed, finally looking her brother over. “And you, big X-Man. Going somewhere?”
"Yes." he said, switching from English to Russian. "Am training." he said simply. "To protect people, to help those that need it." he elaborated.
“Always protector, helper,” she teased lightly. “Help me with toaster? Can have long conversation about how I am alive when there is more time.” Time for her to put things into words instead of being on the spot. Perhaps time for a short demonstration, even, scrying for their parents or something similarly un-scary. She wasn't quite sure she could move him to Limbo and back with her safely unless they stayed for a while, and she didn't quite want to go back and deal with S'ym again yet. Let him get comfortable ruling for her before she popped in, but not too comfortable.
He nodded to her words and then reached over her shoulder to push the maddening button that was thwarting her. "There." he said with great amusement that came right out of her childhood. "Many things here are more complicated than they need to be. Too many builders, engineers, always tinkering." he said. "You get used to it." he said with a shrug.
“Will not throw it out of window like last time,” she agreed. “Even if it is tempting.” She wasn’t sure what stories people here might’ve told her brother about her, if any, but she still remembered that much, at least.
Nobody told him _shit_. It was one of his real bones of contention that, luckily for everyone, just became irrelevant. "You threw toaster out window?" he said with a quirked eyebrow. "Blame demons. Little snowflake I remember loved playing with things."
“Someone told me computer had demon in it,” Illyana replied stiffly. “Had just come back from Limbo, did not understand topside technology. Had to feed it Xavin’s cash, then they said it had a demon so I threw it. Maybe a little fire, too.” She frowned at the memory. “Better at computer now, but not much.”
That … was a thing that happened. Apparently. "Well, if demons come, I will protect you. Am very strong and tough. Handled tractor, can handled possessed microwave." he said with a slight smile on his face. "Or computer." He then paused for a moment. "Parents have internet on farm now. Next time they call, want to say hello?"
It was charming that her brother thought she needed protecting from demons. As Queen, she was slightly more likely to be the one the demons needed protection from instead. The mention of their parents had her wan smile tugging into a deep frown. “Maybe wait for long explanation before we consider telling them. Do not think it is good idea. They’ve mourned. Moved on. No need to upset that.”
He frowned, but then nodded slowly. "Da, makes sense." he said. "Although, I am still lousy liar. Cannot promise it will not come up." he said. "Also! Have something for you. Project I took on when I heard about disappearance." he said. "Will share it with you later, as is late and I am … late. Late for training. This is bad. Does not make good impression." he said, and then reached over to fold his sister into another near-bone-breaking hug. "Is best thing ever, you came back. But in case I am wrong, is not you, if impostor I will squish you into jelly." he said.
Illyana gave him a small, genuine smile and a very loose hug. “If it is not me, wards should be stopping already,” she pointed out. “Go, give my apologies for keeping you.”
He leaned down - way down - and gave his sister a kiss on the cheek. Then he spun and bolted out of the kitchen. He was late, so very late!
The toaster released her sugary goodness as she watched him disappear, a somewhat baffled smile on her face. That had gone better than expected. Hopefully the longer conversation would as well.
Illyana had her back to the rest of the kitchen, staring at the toaster irritably. She didn’t remember it having so many options the last time she’d lived here, and all she wanted. was. her. darn. Pop-Tarts. A slender finger poked the thing again, and she huffed out a breath, bangs blowing upward. “Just. Work.” she growled out, smacking her hand on the counter. “Why do people make things so difficult?”
She just wanted to make them and scamper back to her room, ghosting through the mansion at times she hoped would be least likely to put her in Pyotr’s path, but this toaster’s inability to just let her press a button and receive toasty sugar delight was putting a crimp in that plan. She wasn’t ready to see her brother yet, which was why she hadn’t announced her presence on the weird bookface system. Soon. She’d have to say something soon. But not today.
Perhaps unfortunately for the Russian sorceress and ruler of Limbo, the Fates had other inclinations. Pyotr, as Colossus and dressed in his X-Men uniform, was making a quick stop at the kitchen to make himself some pre-workout before heading down into the Danger Room. But this time he wasn't looking to lift some seriously heavy metal or even continue his eternal quest to get as strong as possible.
Nope. This time it was one of the canned teamwork scenarios. Which probably meant there was going to be a lot of crunchies that needed to stay safe and someone else looking to make them dead. Or something like that. He'd find out soon enough.
Illyana heard someone else enter the room, but was still locked into a glaring contest with the toaster. “I leave, I come back, the toaster will no longer just let me press a button,” she lamented. “I just want warm Pop-Tarts. I missed them.”
Pyotr wasn't sure who it was that was apparently struggling with the toaster - until she spoke. He shifted back into flesh and just stared for a moment. "Illyana?" he said in Russian, his voice filled with surprise. "Is that you?"
Shit. Shit, damn, and shitsticks. Of course, of course technology would be the cause of this. Illyana turned slightly, overlarge t-shirt slipping slightly on her shoulder. “Surprise?” she offered weakly, giving her older brother an almost ill-looking smile. “Pyotr Nikolaievitch, is that you?” She knew perfectly well it was from her scrying, and his face wasn’t so different. But a mirror didn’t quite show off how much bulk he’d put on, or the height. “It has been some time.”
Instead of speaking he lunged forward to wrap her in a bearhug that stopped _just_ short of causing some structural damage. He was unashamed of shedding tears of joy as he hugged his baby sister for everything he was worth.
Illyana was stiff in his arms, unused to such exuberant affection. She relaxed in stages, eventually squirming just loose enough to awkwardly pat him on the back. “You are squishing me, let go,” she managed to croak out.
Right. No squishing the snowflake. He reluctantly let her go, then just looked down at the top of her head. "How?" he asked simply. "Nevermind. Does not matter. Are you staying?" he asked, the hope writ plain across his face.
“Long story,” Illyana replied shortly. “Am mostly staying for now. Sometimes… have to go back.” She sighed, finally looking her brother over. “And you, big X-Man. Going somewhere?”
"Yes." he said, switching from English to Russian. "Am training." he said simply. "To protect people, to help those that need it." he elaborated.
“Always protector, helper,” she teased lightly. “Help me with toaster? Can have long conversation about how I am alive when there is more time.” Time for her to put things into words instead of being on the spot. Perhaps time for a short demonstration, even, scrying for their parents or something similarly un-scary. She wasn't quite sure she could move him to Limbo and back with her safely unless they stayed for a while, and she didn't quite want to go back and deal with S'ym again yet. Let him get comfortable ruling for her before she popped in, but not too comfortable.
He nodded to her words and then reached over her shoulder to push the maddening button that was thwarting her. "There." he said with great amusement that came right out of her childhood. "Many things here are more complicated than they need to be. Too many builders, engineers, always tinkering." he said. "You get used to it." he said with a shrug.
“Will not throw it out of window like last time,” she agreed. “Even if it is tempting.” She wasn’t sure what stories people here might’ve told her brother about her, if any, but she still remembered that much, at least.
Nobody told him _shit_. It was one of his real bones of contention that, luckily for everyone, just became irrelevant. "You threw toaster out window?" he said with a quirked eyebrow. "Blame demons. Little snowflake I remember loved playing with things."
“Someone told me computer had demon in it,” Illyana replied stiffly. “Had just come back from Limbo, did not understand topside technology. Had to feed it Xavin’s cash, then they said it had a demon so I threw it. Maybe a little fire, too.” She frowned at the memory. “Better at computer now, but not much.”
That … was a thing that happened. Apparently. "Well, if demons come, I will protect you. Am very strong and tough. Handled tractor, can handled possessed microwave." he said with a slight smile on his face. "Or computer." He then paused for a moment. "Parents have internet on farm now. Next time they call, want to say hello?"
It was charming that her brother thought she needed protecting from demons. As Queen, she was slightly more likely to be the one the demons needed protection from instead. The mention of their parents had her wan smile tugging into a deep frown. “Maybe wait for long explanation before we consider telling them. Do not think it is good idea. They’ve mourned. Moved on. No need to upset that.”
He frowned, but then nodded slowly. "Da, makes sense." he said. "Although, I am still lousy liar. Cannot promise it will not come up." he said. "Also! Have something for you. Project I took on when I heard about disappearance." he said. "Will share it with you later, as is late and I am … late. Late for training. This is bad. Does not make good impression." he said, and then reached over to fold his sister into another near-bone-breaking hug. "Is best thing ever, you came back. But in case I am wrong, is not you, if impostor I will squish you into jelly." he said.
Illyana gave him a small, genuine smile and a very loose hug. “If it is not me, wards should be stopping already,” she pointed out. “Go, give my apologies for keeping you.”
He leaned down - way down - and gave his sister a kiss on the cheek. Then he spun and bolted out of the kitchen. He was late, so very late!
The toaster released her sugary goodness as she watched him disappear, a somewhat baffled smile on her face. That had gone better than expected. Hopefully the longer conversation would as well.
