April & Piotr | Roommates
Feb. 22nd, 2022 11:24 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
xp_mayhem posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
xp_logsTheir schedules finally align enough for April to meet her new roommate while grabbing lunch. They end up bonding a little over art and family, and agree to be occasional gym buddies.
Piotr sighed as he stretched his large frame out in a chair that was actually sized to handle someone of his stature. He'd just had lunch, a simple brace of sandwiches, and made a mental note to hit up the farmer's market. Good that he had something in his new suite to make lunch from but ugh, the ingredients needed work. Nothing a good shopping trip wouldn't solve, though.
But that for another time - it was a lovely afternoon, the light in his suite's common room was excellent, so it was clearly an opportune time to break in a new sketchbook before he had to go back to the seemingly never-ending cavalcade of tests.
He left his art satchel on the chair next to him as he dug out a pencil and began to let his mind's eye wander. Finally, pencil hit paper and he began to sketch.
April made a beeline for the fridge as she came into the suite, items being pulled at random as she got to work making herself lunch. She’d spent the morning outside on the parkour course and then swinging through the bit of forest closest to the mansion, and the exercise had worked up quite an appetite. ‘Bread.. where had she left the bread?’ She took a look around the room, finally noticing the other inhabitant. “Oh fu–udge, sorry, didn’t realize there was someone else in here!” A set of tendrils had sprouted near her hair and waved in agitation. “I’m April, you… must be my new roommate.”
"I'd better be or I just ate someone else's groceries. I'm Peter." he said with an easy smile. "Also, I'm not sure if you're aware, but you have things growing out of your head. Is that normal for you?" he asked. Then he paused and glanced down at his newborn sketch and added a little bit to it. Dmitry would be tickled, as usual, that he'd drawn him from memory. Next time he was down at the gym he'd make a present of it for him.
“Oh yeah, that happens when I startle sometimes. It’s generally under control, but if I’m not paying attention to them, BAM! There they are, causing problems.” April grinned. “It’s good to finally meet you in person. Nice to not be the newest person in the house anymore.” She finally found the bread and grabbed a few slices, focusing on making her sandwich so she could eat. Everything found their spots back in the fridge or cupboards before she took the seat across from him. “You mind if I ask about your drawing, or are you one of the art types that prefers not to show off anything unfinished?”
Piotr gestured towards the sketchbook he wasn't using. "These are my day-to-day sketchbooks. All of my I'd like to sell this art is in there." he said, jerking a thumb back towards his private rooms. "So if you're interested, feel free. Do you draw?" he asked as his pencil danced over the paper, filling out lines and shading.
“A bit. Mostly sketching, some chibi stuff. I’m taking a drawing class this semester as one of my non-technical electives though, so I’ll be doing quite a bit of it.” April made sure her hand was clean before flipping open the indicated sketchbook and cooing over the tiny blonde girl. “Oh, she’s adorable. Family?”
"Yes." he said. "My sister, Illyana." His face softened with a sad smile as he glanced at the sketch. "I miss her." he added, then blinked as he looked back over to April. Then he looked down at his sketch and drew a quiet breath. "My parents are probably in there somewhere, along with my brother."
“I’m not as good at realistic sketches as this,” April said softly, turning the page. A couple stared back at her, dark hair and broad stature with a more willowy blonde. “Ah.. wow, those genes are strong.” She flipped the page again, smile widening as she took in the mock salute. “He looks like someone with a good sense of humor. Did he catch you in the act of sketching, or know you were doing it from the start?”
She took a bite of sandwich with her free hand, slowly flipping through the pages. Farm life looked calm from the pages, but since she’d only ever known the city she didn’t have much of a frame of reference. “Are they still at home, or?”
Piotr finished up his current sketch, then flipped to the next page to start another. Glancing up at April, he then dropped his eyes back down to his sketch. "Those are from memory. My parents are still living on the farm. They just got Internet a little while ago, which is vaguely terrifying." he said with the suggestion of a grin. "My brother Mikhail died when I was in my teens. He was a cosmonaut, the pride of the family. Launch accident." he said as calmly as he could. "Snowflake disappeared shortly after I went to Moscow for university."
“I’m sorry your siblings aren’t around anymore. Benjy was a pain, but I still miss him being a pain.” April’s eyes were sympathetic. “I’m glad you’ve still got your parents though. But internet? Next they’ll be getting on Facebook and sending you awkward emojis in your emails.” She bit back a laugh, thinking about how awkward her own parents could be with tech, and kept slowly flipping through the sketchbook. “This.. satire? I don’t get the reference, although some bits are fairly universal, I think.”
Piotr mimed dabbing at his lips, then nodded at April. Then he returned his attention down to his sketch, drawing quickly, his pencil skritching across the paper. "And yes. Friend was being a … goof, so had to draw him a little something." he said with a shrug. Said friend was, Piotr was fairly sure, connected to the Russian mob, which is why they were only gym buddies. He wanted nothing to do with their ilk. Gangsters. Pfaugh! "Illyana and I were close when she was just a little," he said with a smile. "Always with the Piotr, pick up tractor! Whee!" he said, using his free hand to make a lifting motion.
April took the hint, and grimaced at the smear of mustard on her napkin. “Benjy was closest to Mom. And then May and Dad, but I always freaked him out.” She fumbled in a side pocket of her yoga pants for a moment, unlocking her phone with a quick swipe of fingers and pulling up a set of images. When she turned the phone around, there was an identical young woman with longer hair and a young boy with reddish-brown hair and an impish smile. “Benjy and May, probably 3 or 4 months before I ended up here. I’m glad my phone survived it. My sketching could never get this quite right.”
He glanced over at her phone, then smiled. "They look like nice people." he commented before returning to his sketch. Almost done…
"I got my MFA in art from Columbia. If you'd like, and if you have time, I might be able to help you with your technique." he offered. If she said yes, that would be fine with him. He loved to draw and liked helping people. If she said no, he'd respect that too. Some people got funny that way and he'd just met this young woman.
“Sounds great! There’s a lot of technique I don’t usually use in the class. Surrealism, abstract… I like looking at some of it, but not really my style. A helpful or critical eye could be really nice. In return.. hm. I suppose if you need science help, or someone to climb tall things? Assistance in general? I’d be inclined to say yes.” She tucked her phone back into her pocket before flipping his sketchbook shut and sliding it back. “My specialties are more technical and mechanical. Minor vehicle repair, that sort of thing.” Hands free, she picked up her sandwich and dug back in.
Piotr nearly tore the page with the sketch he'd just finished out of his sketchbook and placed it face-down on the table, Then he used a finger to slide it in her direction. "A gift, if you'd accept it." he offered. "And that's all very good to know, and thank you. Only thing I could really use at this time is a gym buddy. When I'm not drawing or painting I'm usually in the gym. Gotta keep all this toned and ready to go." he said, gesturing to his very muscular, very visible physique. "You work out?"
April finished her sandwich, making sure everything was clean before she reached out. She laughed with delight at the image, her cheeks stuffed full with sandwich. “You have a talent. Thank you for the gift. And yes, I spend a decent amount of time in the gym, although I’m built more for agility than ah… Russian, right? What’s the phrase.. fizkult? I do lift a bit, though, just probably not as much as you.”
"Da, fizkult", he said with amusement. "And the impression that I am getting is that nobody here lifts as much as I do. But I cheat." he said serenely. "Proposal for you. Gym buddies. We can work on my agility and quickness and, if you want, we can help put meat on your bones. Get stronger. In addition to art help, which I am happy to provide regardless."
“Is it cheating if you’re born with the ability, really? My genes make me stronger and far more agile than the average woman of a similar build, but I still do the work to make myself better. Gym buddies sounds good, but if I put too much meat on my bones right after Clarice finished tailoring my clothes she might actually consider killing a spider.” April held out a fist to bump.
Piotr reached out a fist of his own to bump hers gently. "See, your genes make you strong. Quick. Fast. All good things. My gift acts as an amplifier, from what nice lady in Medical tells me. Strong as I am, as Colossus I becomes proportionately much, much stronger. And bulletproof." he said with a wink. "So the stronger Piotr gets, Colossus gets amplified that much more. In my best interest to bulk up, get strong as I can." he said. "But I do not want to neglect speed. Quickness. Agility. No one expects agile big guy!" he said with a smile, then held a finger to his lips. "Don't tell anyone. It's my secret." he said playfully.
April covered her face to muffle her giggles. “I won’t tell. So.. bulletproof? Theoretically, could someone launch themselves off your shoulders and into the air without hurting you in that form? Because I have ideas, my new friend, and they definitely involve launching myself from a tall space that isn’t a building.” Her ideas involved some of the ridiculous Danger Room scenarios she’d seen on the list, and also the temporary chance to be Very Tall. If Piotr was faster and more agile in the process, so much the better.
He just shrugged at her idea. "One way to find out." he said, then winked at her.
Piotr sighed as he stretched his large frame out in a chair that was actually sized to handle someone of his stature. He'd just had lunch, a simple brace of sandwiches, and made a mental note to hit up the farmer's market. Good that he had something in his new suite to make lunch from but ugh, the ingredients needed work. Nothing a good shopping trip wouldn't solve, though.
But that for another time - it was a lovely afternoon, the light in his suite's common room was excellent, so it was clearly an opportune time to break in a new sketchbook before he had to go back to the seemingly never-ending cavalcade of tests.
He left his art satchel on the chair next to him as he dug out a pencil and began to let his mind's eye wander. Finally, pencil hit paper and he began to sketch.
April made a beeline for the fridge as she came into the suite, items being pulled at random as she got to work making herself lunch. She’d spent the morning outside on the parkour course and then swinging through the bit of forest closest to the mansion, and the exercise had worked up quite an appetite. ‘Bread.. where had she left the bread?’ She took a look around the room, finally noticing the other inhabitant. “Oh fu–udge, sorry, didn’t realize there was someone else in here!” A set of tendrils had sprouted near her hair and waved in agitation. “I’m April, you… must be my new roommate.”
"I'd better be or I just ate someone else's groceries. I'm Peter." he said with an easy smile. "Also, I'm not sure if you're aware, but you have things growing out of your head. Is that normal for you?" he asked. Then he paused and glanced down at his newborn sketch and added a little bit to it. Dmitry would be tickled, as usual, that he'd drawn him from memory. Next time he was down at the gym he'd make a present of it for him.
“Oh yeah, that happens when I startle sometimes. It’s generally under control, but if I’m not paying attention to them, BAM! There they are, causing problems.” April grinned. “It’s good to finally meet you in person. Nice to not be the newest person in the house anymore.” She finally found the bread and grabbed a few slices, focusing on making her sandwich so she could eat. Everything found their spots back in the fridge or cupboards before she took the seat across from him. “You mind if I ask about your drawing, or are you one of the art types that prefers not to show off anything unfinished?”
Piotr gestured towards the sketchbook he wasn't using. "These are my day-to-day sketchbooks. All of my I'd like to sell this art is in there." he said, jerking a thumb back towards his private rooms. "So if you're interested, feel free. Do you draw?" he asked as his pencil danced over the paper, filling out lines and shading.
“A bit. Mostly sketching, some chibi stuff. I’m taking a drawing class this semester as one of my non-technical electives though, so I’ll be doing quite a bit of it.” April made sure her hand was clean before flipping open the indicated sketchbook and cooing over the tiny blonde girl. “Oh, she’s adorable. Family?”
"Yes." he said. "My sister, Illyana." His face softened with a sad smile as he glanced at the sketch. "I miss her." he added, then blinked as he looked back over to April. Then he looked down at his sketch and drew a quiet breath. "My parents are probably in there somewhere, along with my brother."
“I’m not as good at realistic sketches as this,” April said softly, turning the page. A couple stared back at her, dark hair and broad stature with a more willowy blonde. “Ah.. wow, those genes are strong.” She flipped the page again, smile widening as she took in the mock salute. “He looks like someone with a good sense of humor. Did he catch you in the act of sketching, or know you were doing it from the start?”
She took a bite of sandwich with her free hand, slowly flipping through the pages. Farm life looked calm from the pages, but since she’d only ever known the city she didn’t have much of a frame of reference. “Are they still at home, or?”
Piotr finished up his current sketch, then flipped to the next page to start another. Glancing up at April, he then dropped his eyes back down to his sketch. "Those are from memory. My parents are still living on the farm. They just got Internet a little while ago, which is vaguely terrifying." he said with the suggestion of a grin. "My brother Mikhail died when I was in my teens. He was a cosmonaut, the pride of the family. Launch accident." he said as calmly as he could. "Snowflake disappeared shortly after I went to Moscow for university."
“I’m sorry your siblings aren’t around anymore. Benjy was a pain, but I still miss him being a pain.” April’s eyes were sympathetic. “I’m glad you’ve still got your parents though. But internet? Next they’ll be getting on Facebook and sending you awkward emojis in your emails.” She bit back a laugh, thinking about how awkward her own parents could be with tech, and kept slowly flipping through the sketchbook. “This.. satire? I don’t get the reference, although some bits are fairly universal, I think.”
Piotr mimed dabbing at his lips, then nodded at April. Then he returned his attention down to his sketch, drawing quickly, his pencil skritching across the paper. "And yes. Friend was being a … goof, so had to draw him a little something." he said with a shrug. Said friend was, Piotr was fairly sure, connected to the Russian mob, which is why they were only gym buddies. He wanted nothing to do with their ilk. Gangsters. Pfaugh! "Illyana and I were close when she was just a little," he said with a smile. "Always with the Piotr, pick up tractor! Whee!" he said, using his free hand to make a lifting motion.
April took the hint, and grimaced at the smear of mustard on her napkin. “Benjy was closest to Mom. And then May and Dad, but I always freaked him out.” She fumbled in a side pocket of her yoga pants for a moment, unlocking her phone with a quick swipe of fingers and pulling up a set of images. When she turned the phone around, there was an identical young woman with longer hair and a young boy with reddish-brown hair and an impish smile. “Benjy and May, probably 3 or 4 months before I ended up here. I’m glad my phone survived it. My sketching could never get this quite right.”
He glanced over at her phone, then smiled. "They look like nice people." he commented before returning to his sketch. Almost done…
"I got my MFA in art from Columbia. If you'd like, and if you have time, I might be able to help you with your technique." he offered. If she said yes, that would be fine with him. He loved to draw and liked helping people. If she said no, he'd respect that too. Some people got funny that way and he'd just met this young woman.
“Sounds great! There’s a lot of technique I don’t usually use in the class. Surrealism, abstract… I like looking at some of it, but not really my style. A helpful or critical eye could be really nice. In return.. hm. I suppose if you need science help, or someone to climb tall things? Assistance in general? I’d be inclined to say yes.” She tucked her phone back into her pocket before flipping his sketchbook shut and sliding it back. “My specialties are more technical and mechanical. Minor vehicle repair, that sort of thing.” Hands free, she picked up her sandwich and dug back in.
Piotr nearly tore the page with the sketch he'd just finished out of his sketchbook and placed it face-down on the table, Then he used a finger to slide it in her direction. "A gift, if you'd accept it." he offered. "And that's all very good to know, and thank you. Only thing I could really use at this time is a gym buddy. When I'm not drawing or painting I'm usually in the gym. Gotta keep all this toned and ready to go." he said, gesturing to his very muscular, very visible physique. "You work out?"
April finished her sandwich, making sure everything was clean before she reached out. She laughed with delight at the image, her cheeks stuffed full with sandwich. “You have a talent. Thank you for the gift. And yes, I spend a decent amount of time in the gym, although I’m built more for agility than ah… Russian, right? What’s the phrase.. fizkult? I do lift a bit, though, just probably not as much as you.”
"Da, fizkult", he said with amusement. "And the impression that I am getting is that nobody here lifts as much as I do. But I cheat." he said serenely. "Proposal for you. Gym buddies. We can work on my agility and quickness and, if you want, we can help put meat on your bones. Get stronger. In addition to art help, which I am happy to provide regardless."
“Is it cheating if you’re born with the ability, really? My genes make me stronger and far more agile than the average woman of a similar build, but I still do the work to make myself better. Gym buddies sounds good, but if I put too much meat on my bones right after Clarice finished tailoring my clothes she might actually consider killing a spider.” April held out a fist to bump.
Piotr reached out a fist of his own to bump hers gently. "See, your genes make you strong. Quick. Fast. All good things. My gift acts as an amplifier, from what nice lady in Medical tells me. Strong as I am, as Colossus I becomes proportionately much, much stronger. And bulletproof." he said with a wink. "So the stronger Piotr gets, Colossus gets amplified that much more. In my best interest to bulk up, get strong as I can." he said. "But I do not want to neglect speed. Quickness. Agility. No one expects agile big guy!" he said with a smile, then held a finger to his lips. "Don't tell anyone. It's my secret." he said playfully.
April covered her face to muffle her giggles. “I won’t tell. So.. bulletproof? Theoretically, could someone launch themselves off your shoulders and into the air without hurting you in that form? Because I have ideas, my new friend, and they definitely involve launching myself from a tall space that isn’t a building.” Her ideas involved some of the ridiculous Danger Room scenarios she’d seen on the list, and also the temporary chance to be Very Tall. If Piotr was faster and more agile in the process, so much the better.
He just shrugged at her idea. "One way to find out." he said, then winked at her.
