In a Sulk

[Pietro Maximoff]

::Pietro crossed the small distance of grass between them. He placed his hands on her shoulders, and sought her eyes.:: "I trust you, Rossignol, and I will stay behind you."

[Typhoid]

She covered both his hands with her own. "Don't let me fall." It was, in its way, an admission. Tim had stopped being her anchor a long time ago, and she'd had no other for quite awhile. Whether intentionally or no, Pietro had become that anchor.

[Pietro Maximoff]

"I will fall in your stead," ::Pietro promised her, turning his hands up to take hold of hers. He would not let Mary take over, would not let her come to harm, not as long as he breathed the air and walked this earth. Any harm that might come, he would step in and stop, and if he could not, he would take it himself.::

[Typhoid]

Thanks didn't seem adequate enough for the sense of protection she felt, but his promise saddened her a bit as well. Everyone could be hurt so easily. "No," she shook her head, not wanting that either. "No one falls, not if I can help it."

[Pietro Maximoff]

"Nor I," ::Pietro promised, his grip tightening to encourage her. He would not let harm come to her or others. That was why he did what he did.::

[Typhoid]

Her grip tightened as well, wordless acceptance of his help. It had never been easy for her to accept help, even when she realized she needed it. The fact that she did now, without trying to run away, spoke volumes. She smiled weakly, but changed the subject. "Have you slept any?"

[Pietro Maximoff]

"Not yet," ::Pietro admitted. He had tried to nap but had found no rest. Instead, he had turned to physical activity, pushing his limits to see if that would give him the ability to sleep in the afternoon. When others were awake and did not need him to watch.::

[Typhoid]

Typhoid only knew that he was awake at night; she slept at all hours, except for during classes, due both to Mary and her own periodic insomnia. There would be nights where she did sleep, then others not at all, when she either read books...or when she was Mary. "You can't keep that up forever."

[Pietro Maximoff]

"I have before," ::All time was forever to Pietro; the world passed so very slowly. He had lived a thousand lifetimes at least. More than that, he had stood on guard for longer periods, back when Magneto was their only guardian and Uncle had been in the hospital. It might not be healthy; he was sure it wasn't, but he would do what needed to be done. Eventually, the pace might harm him, and then he would let Wanda watch.::

[Typhoid]

She shook her head. "Have before or no, it will hurt you. Let me watch some nights, or else stay with me when I sleep in the afternoon."

[Pietro Maximoff]

::Pietro could not leave her to keep watch; it was unfair to her, and it was his duty. The offer for sleep in the afternoon was tempting; he had enjoyed the morning he had spent with her after the Hellfire Club.:: "I warn you, I can be restless."

[Typhoid]

"And I can sleep like the dead," she said, chuckling softly.

[Pietro Maximoff]

::Pietro nodded slightly. If he would not disturb her...:: "I may take you up on that offer."

[Typhoid]

"If you want," she said quietly, merely leaving the offer there. It was enough to know that he might accept it, without pressuring him to do so, and it eased her mind.

[Pietro Maximoff]

::Pietro nodded slightly again. It would help to sleep more than an hour every other day, and he found her presence soothing. It was so rare that he could relax with anyone aside from Wanda.:: "Thank you."