Clarice and Warren talk about Illyana and Piotr

[x-blink.livejournal.com]

Clarice was flipping through her patterns, trying to decide what she should make next for the fall. She was just considering knitting when a shadow passed over her. "Hi, Warren," she said, looking up from the floor.

"What's all this?" He surveyed the floor in front of him, which was covered with large patterns, a variety of cloths, and the occasional pincushion. Buried somewhere in the mess was a sewing machine as well. "Making something new?"

"Mmmm, maybe. I have new plaids for skirts," she gestured to the fabrics stacked against one wall, "Paul took me out today."

"Ah." He picked up one of the plaids and studied it. "Yeah, this is a pretty nice one. I like the pattern. So, what's your new project?"

"Just this. Not much to do quite yet, can't start in the medlab until after Dr. Bartlet recovers from Iceland. And I can only do Arabic homework for so long," she tried to clear the chair off so he
could sit. She really needed to clean her mess up before starting a new project or she'd never be able to finish.

"Thanks," he said, taking a seat. He handed her a scrap of printed cotton he'd accidentally sat on.

"No, I mean... What are you making next? The skirts?"

Clarice nodded, "Or maybe some cropped pants. I saw some awesome ones on the hot topic website. Need anything made or fixied? I work for cookies."

"No, nothing at the moment that I can think of. I've got enough clothes as it is. Of course, if you could think of something that would look stunning on me, I wouldn't say no." Warren laughed. "And
I'd bring you cookies, of course," he added.

"Cookies are good," she nodded solemnly, folding her patterns back up and putting them neatly into their packets. "Is Piotr going to be okay?" she asked, changing the subject.

"I don't know. I hope so. I tried talking to Illyana about it, actually, but she was none to pleased to hear from me and made it clear that she wants nothing to do with him," he told her, winncing. "I don't know. I don't think I did any harm, at least... Just didn't do any good."

She shook her head sadly, "Y'know, as much as I hate him doing this, I can't see how it's not mostly his fault. Sure, she could have handled things differently too, but he doesn't have reasonable
expectations," she paused, "I hate it when my friends do stupid stuff like this. It's supposed to be my job."

Warren let out a short laugh at that. "I can see how some of it's his fault, but come on, it's not as if Illyana has exactly been giving it her best shot either. And I talked to her today, Clarice... She really does seem pretty... well, pretty mean. And," he added, leaning in, his voice suddenly stronger, "I definitely don't think that what he needs right now is people like Angie telling him he's a pillock."

"Name calling isn't going to help," she agreed, "but neither is expecting Illyana to be seven again. And y'know, talking with her on the journals and whatnot, you're right. She's not nice. She's not
cute little hyperactive Illyana who ran around screaming with Artie and Miles. And he doesn't accept that."

"You're right, he doesn't," he agreed. "But you do have to appreciate how difficult it is for him. You remember before the whole Limbo thing happened. Illyana was his life. He was terrified when she disappeared. And then she returns as this mean older girl who wants nothing to do with him. That's got to be tough for anyone to handle, but on top of all that, she's his only family."

Clarice hadn't quite considered it like that. She had been friends with Piotr when Illyana had been a child, but hadn't really known much about his sister beyond the basics. "But he's had all these
months to try to get to know her or not. And instead he went away. When she probably wanted him the most."

"That's true. I really, really wish he hadn't done that." Warren closed his eyes and sighed. "At any rate, I'm getting tired of people saying they would've done better in his shoes. Frankly, I want to tell them: 'Fine. Why don't I take away your little sister and only family, give you someone who doesn't like you anymore, and then we'll see how you react.' Advice, like you tried to give him, is one thing, but just telling him he's doing everything wrong is another."

She shook her head, only semi-daunted, "When you put it like that, it makes sense. And it's 'woulda coulda shoulda' now as my mom would say. 20/20 hindsight. But that doesn't change that he made those choices and has to live with them. We're back to unreasonable expectations."

He sighed. "I guess. At this point, though, it seems like it's too late to do anything but help him cope with the aftermath of the decisions that both of them have made, good or bad." He fingered a
piece of fabric, frowning. "Seriously, though, Piotr aside, she worries me. There's something very... not right about her. And it's not just that she's not seven any more. I know it sounds cheesy, but it's like something went wrong in her soul."

"She's scary. And not just in the 'I will eat you' way, but it's like...I dunno," Clarice struggled to explain her thoughts, she wasn't very good at it most days and this time it seemed to be harder than the others, "She's not aloof like Monet or arrogant like Manuel, she's just...she reminds me of the Bride of Chuckie."

Warren laughed mirthlessly. "I know what you mean. Thank God. I was starting to wonder if I was going crazy. I mean, if you read the journals, it seems like a lot of people don't notice anything wrong with her at all."

"You are crazy. I think it's a prerequisite for being at Xavier's," she told him laughing, before turning serious, "As for the journals...she isn't coming off any stranger than some others around
here. It's the one-on-one conversations that creep me out. She doesn't try. Manuel tries sometimes."

He sighed. "But there doesn't seem to much we can do about it," he said unhappily. "Nothing gets to her anymore; she's like ice. Guess all we can do now is work on making Piotr feel better. Although if you have any ideas about how to get to Illyana Rasputin, please, tell me."

"I plan on avoiding her as much as possible," she told him, mentally placing Illyana higher on her 'avoid' list than Manuel, "As for Piotr...tell him I don't hate him, okay? I don't."

"I know. I'll tell him." Warren smiled crookedly. "You know, you really are a good friend, Clarice."

Clarice blushed magenta, "We need to hang out more. And Piotr."

"Definitely." Warren stood. "I think I'm going to go look for him now, actually, if you want to come with me. We can grab some cookies on the way, even."

She joined him, "Y'know, people are going to think I have a sweet tooth."

Comments

[x-colossus.livejournal.com]

Everyone's a little bit crazy.

Bring me cookies!

[x-blink.livejournal.com]

okay. what type?

[x-colossus.livejournal.com]

White chocolate macademian nut. Mmmmmmmmmm!

[x-blink.livejournal.com]

oooh....yum!

seeing as how Lorna dislikes her kitchen being burned down, storebought or someone-else made will have to do.

[x-snowflake.livejournal.com]

Are you guys sure teachers should be discussing other students with their students? :P I'm just sayin'.

[x-foliate.livejournal.com]

You're just cranky that you're not getting any cookies. *tickles, hee* Come on, bring out 'Yana so that Paige can be totally unafraid of her.

"You and I are demon sisters in common, chickpea. And I deal with Jono on a regular basis. Why would I be afraid?"

[x-crowdofone.livejournal.com]

And that would probably frighten 'Yana.

"Wait, you're a demon too? Um. I mean, uh, that is . . . look! Over there! What's Sam doing to that sheep?"

[x-foliate.livejournal.com]

If Paige gets herself stabbed with a Soul Sword she is going to be mightily ticked off.

[x-crowdofone.livejournal.com]

I hear that happens when lots of people get stabbed.

Although, wow, the lawsuit potential. "Hey! She penetrated me with her soul! Isn't that sexual harassment or something?"

[x-blink.livejournal.com]

I did NOT need that image.

[x-crowdofone.livejournal.com]

What, of Sam practicing for a sheep-shearing competition? :)

[x-blink.livejournal.com]

...I have a dirty dirty mind.

excuse me while I go hunt up some mental-floss

[x-crowdofone.livejournal.com]

*snicker*

[x-foliate.livejournal.com]

Paige is now attempting to scrape out her brain with a fork. Thaaaaanks. ;)

[x-snowflake.livejournal.com]

Well, clearly. ;) Demons need cookies, too!

I can see 'Yana choking on that. Much sputtering.

Then the comparing of stupid things their brothers have said and done. ;)

[x-vega.livejournal.com]

Wait until Aurora shows up...

[x-cypher.livejournal.com]

Hey, Sam means well, he really does. :)

[x-snowflake.livejournal.com]

*grins* Hey, so does Piotr, but younger sister appreciation never takes that into consideration. (Just ask my little sister. ;)

[x-angel.livejournal.com]

Probably not, but I think Warren was stressed and not thinking about that. At any rate, there should be no harm done as neither of them will really be going around repeating the conversation to anyone.