driftfleet | [snuggle up real close everyone]

It would be a little opposite, but I'd support permanent solutions with that one. And I'm trying to...avoid those.

As much as I threaten, I don't think it's something I'd follow through on. And I'm sure there'll be other people in line in front of me.

...Have you? I mean, have you ever had to kill someone? [She would follow through. On him, she would. The list is small, but it's there. Others? She'd try her best to find another solution.]

Not directly. [has his team's decisions lead to someone dying? Sure, but that was how Kyriakos was] And never - with my own hands. Some of the competitions were . . . [he makes a gesture] Not every team would come out alive.

Competitions? You mean in Kyriakos, right? Did they come back to life? [Seems like such a strange question to ask, but she knows just how very real that can be.]

Usually when the game was over, yeah. [he's glad she seems to understand, since it's always hard to explain how that even works] Either - completely, or they'd have to heal from . . . whatever happened.

[She nods.] Death was death for awhile in Marina. At least it seemed that way. Then we found out it was a virtual reality environment and they dropped the act and started bringing people back if they died.

[a huff] There was one game, where . . . they didn't bring everyone back immediately. Something like that had never happened - at least, not in the time I was there.

Otherwise . . . usually it was instant. [he rubs the side of his neck] I, uh - I only died once, I think. But I came close a few other times.

I'm sorry. Even once seems like it would be a lot. It never happened to me in the prison. [Just in real life.]

[his lips twist a little, and - he drops his hand to gesture to a scar on his neck, under his ear - a puncture wound, about the size of a pencil] My teammate had to kill me. That . . . was probably the worst part. After - I was so focused on everything else going on that I forgot to be upset about dying myself.

[a pause] Maybe it's for the best it didn't happen in the prison. You . . . in your world, didn't you?

[She looks, wondering what the weapon had been, but not asking.] It wasn't betrayal though? [She does wonder what would make someone have to kill him.]

[Softer.] Yeah. I mean, I didn't technically. The prison pulled me out before it could happen, but it's what Kurt remembers. And it was just seconds away. I still thought... [That he'd stop.] It was a teammate of mine too. [She can't remember if she told him it was her husband or not. How much shock had she thrown in?]

[he makes a brief, stabbing gesture at her curious look] It was a quill. But no, it was nothing like that. We had to offer things up, and if they weren't accepted one of us would be the sacrifice - that was me. She . . . actually spared me from a death that would have been much worse.

[a huff] It was one of the last games I played there, too.

[he didn't tell her, no, but just it being a teammate means it must have hurt and he can't help but look surprised. But - not technically, she was pulled out right before. He immediately wonders if she has a chance to fix that, if she ever goes home] Another X-Man? I'm sorry.

I guess they are mightier than the sword. [Hilarious in our little conversation about deaths, right?] It must have been hard for both of you. [She would hate killing a teammate even if she knew it was temporary and the best thing for them.]

[She nods.] Peter. I mean...Piotr. Not the one you're thinking of. ...My husband. Ex-husband now.

Heh. [it does earn a brief smile] They're not supposed to be so sharp, though. [he purses his lips, then shakes his head] At first, but - like I said, our focuses turned elsewhere.

[that's a little more than teammate, Kitty. And that's a lot more upsetting than it just being someone she worked with] Your - I'm so sorry. Why would he - ? [he isn't sure if he's allowed to ask]

It's easy to get distracted in these places. [More so in the prison than here. So much time to sit and think here if you let yourself.]

[Teammate is code for family with her anyway.] He wasn't trying to kill me. He just...wasn't trying to not kill me either. [She wasn't his priority.]

Not so much distracted, but - during those games, a lot of people would - pitch in after, to help out. Everyone tried to work together, for the most part. [when it came to other teams, of course, not his, and certainly not Charles'.

"Teammate" is a complicated word for him, though] So . . . it was an accident?

It... No. He saw me and he didn't care. Murdering me just wasn't the goal.

[his first thought is "collateral" and that's. That's terrible]

I'm sorry.

Thanks. It was stupid. All I had to do was phase. I just... knew he'd never hurt me.

. . . will you - what do you plan to do? Once you're able to leave here?

When I first arrived my goal was to get back to Marina. Back to the prison. See if I can't free the people there the way I'd wanted to before. Now, I don't know. Winn wants me to go home with him. But we have no idea if we'll have any control over where we go.

Given . . . circumstances, I hope they let you do what you want. Whether it's - the prison or going home with Winn. [a huff] I don't know if Kyriakos allowed it, either - Charles was friends with a woman who was going to come to our world when she finished, but I don't know if she ever did. Not while we were home.

If I end up home then...hopefully I am alert enough to phase immediately. Then, who knows. Maybe I can change the future Kurt's told me about. ...Maybe that should be the plan. [She does like the idea of going back home to her family and changing things so they live this time. She just doesn't know if she'll have time to register where she is before it's too late. It was a matter of seconds. And what happens to Kurt then? She wants him with her. She doesn't want to lose Winn either, but his world isn't going to be kind to Kurt if they're weird about pretty blond girls with powers. And will Winn really want her in that context? It's a lot of pressure on both of them. She loves him, but it's early and there are a lot of commitments they aren't ready for. She thinks this might be one of them.]

Who was the woman?

I hope you're able to. I really do. [it's all so incredibly complicated and there's a moment where he's annoyed with himself, that all he can offer her are words and not solutions. He doesn't even have the little bit of research he did into other worlds with him here]

Uh - I think her nickname was Clover? She was Charles and Erik's friend, not mine. [~~cuz fuck playercest~~] She's a very . . . frightening witch.

Thanks... [New topics are good.]

Why frightening? [Don't be frightened of all witches, Hank. It's not a good look on anyone. And Misty will kick your ass. But if she was just specifically frightening that's another story.]

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