Tea and Empathy. {For Kitty.}

[Arthur Coleman]

Snow is falling softly, distant sounds of a snowball fight echoing somewhere beyond the protection of the window. Leaning against the counter with his arms folded across his narrow chest, Arthur stands in contemplation, his head turned to one side, as if thinking. The soft ding! of the microwave is enough to momentarily bring him to his senses, and Arthur crosses the kitchen in his usual long, easy strides. It takes him only a few minutes to complete his steaming mug of tea with the necessary implements and he proceeds to take a seat at the table, where his book lay at his place.

He had barely touched it since it had arrived for him in the mail--an early birthday present from his aunt. The gesture was kind, and Arthur was grateful, since undoubtedly Aunt Polly had gone through great pains to find him a copy of a book in braille that she knew he would like. Despite the fact that he wanted to scour the pages for knowledge.. the number 36 was looming over him like a bad omen, as though opening the book would prove his acceptance to another year gone, another year added to his age. It was hard to believe that he wasn't even forty, because he certainly felt as though he was seventy...

Lifting up his mug, Arthur took a long, thoughtful sip, letting the hot tea warm his body and bones that were still cold beneath his sweater. At last putting the mug down between his spindly hands, Arthur sighs and releases a long breath, hoping it would put him at ease. The silence that greets him when he is finished is unnerving and Arthur strains to listen for the children romping about in the snow outside..

[Kitty Pryde]

Kitty had been spending hours in her room recently. She would fade out at the oddest times and because of that she didn't spend a lot of time with other people. Hours were spent in her room alone doing anything to keep her mind off her problems.

Finally thirst got the best of her and she descended that stairs to the kitchen to grab something to drink. Most were outside anyway and she was confident that she could be quick enough not to run into anyone. That was her main goal.

Entering the room she went straight to the fridge not bothering to open in and phased her hand in to grab a Coke. Turning around she leaned against the counter finally realizing that someone else was there. She had seen him before, but never really talked to him. "Oh, sorry didn't know anyone else was in here." She said apologetically. She didn't want to bother anyone at the moment and she immediately realized that avoiding everyone would work this time.

[Arthur Coleman]

Arthur sits up slightly as he hears footsteps crossing the floor and a presence entering the room. For a moment, Arthur falters with a name, and the emotional pattern he is experiencing escapes him. He wants to say something, like a salutation as it would be the naturally polite thing to do, but it would feel empty without a name attached to it. So he just listens to the girl walk about the room. Oh, sorry, didn't know anyone else was in here. The man's eyebrows arch slightly, but he attempts a tiny, meek smile. "No, not at all.. it's no trouble...." An akward silence begins and Arthur clears his throat slightly. "Pardon me if I'm so forward.. but.. I.. cannot recall your name." He fumbles for a name out of thin air, quickly and mentally marking out other students that this girl was not. "It.. is.. Katherine, is it not?"

Politely, he has turned his head in her direction, having been told from a young age that it was akward when someone blind did not 'look' at them when speaking. Arthur could never say how to understand that notion.

[Kitty Pryde]

Kitty nodded as he identified her. "Yes I'm Kitty." She knew right away who he was. "Its nice to finally meet you Arthur." She had been away for awhile so there were a few that she hadn't met yet. She tried to keep her tone light.

Still standing at the counter she took a drink. There wasn't much she could think to say at the moment. Conversation eluded her recently and it was hard to think of things to say. "Its to cold to be outside. i don't see how the others can stand it sometimes." Now she was just sounding pathetic. It seemed that not matter what she said it always sounded wrong.

[Arthur Coleman]

Yes, I'm Kitty. It's nice to finally meet you, Arthur. "A pleasure, I'm sure." Arthur nods slightly in response, unused to a student calling him Arthur.. usually it was just 'Mr. Coleman' and not too long ago it had occasionaly been--he almost shudders at the thought--Radar. It was spelled the same way forwards as it was backwards, and he silently muses on this for a moment as he takes another sip from his tea. Once again, Arthur avoids his book like the plague, actually pushing it forward a little to have a place to put down his mug.

It's too cold to be outside. I don't see how the others can stand it sometimes.

Arthur nods almost knowingly at this, not exactly a cold enthusiast himself. "Ah.. well.. I suppose they put it aside to enjoy the snowfall," he murmurs. He tries to give her a reassuring smile, but he fails almost miserably at his attempt to cheer her up. "There are the winter holidays to look forward to as well," he points out, unsure of which background Kitty came from, assuming that she did, in fact, celebrate some type of holiday in the month of December.

[Kitty Pryde]

Kitty nodded a bit as she watched him. "I guess the holidays are something to look forward to. Though I'll just spend them here instead of back at my parents." She hadn't spent time with them in a long time and now just hung out at the institute or wandered the streets alone. This was her existence.

After a moment she finally conceded to walking to the table and sitting across from him. At least if she started to disappear he couldn't tell. That had to be a plus, and without having to think of it made it easier to relax. "So, do you have any plans for the holidays or anything?" She was beginning to relax already. It made it easier to keep herself solid.

[Arthur Coleman]

I guess the holidays are something to look forward to. Though I'll just spend them here instead of back at my parents. Arthur's brows arch slightly but says nothing, knowing better than to intrude on to as why she would be spending the duration of her holidays at the school instead of at home. It makes him sad inside when he hears of children who have no family to go home to, or some with families but no desire to visit them. He hopes that the staff and remaining students could be family enough to them, as he had slowly come to know the inhabitants of the institute as.

So, do you have any plans for the holidays or anything? He feels Kitty's presence near him and hears the creak of the chair as she sits. He shakes his head almost sadly,"No.. I will be spending them here just as you are." In his heart, however, Arthur knows that his brother would probably drive through the snow at the last minute just to say that he was here on Christmas Eve. "I'm sure we can think of something.. entertaining to do," he adds, once more trying to feebly reassure her. "After all, it is not as though you will be alone."

He takes another sip from his tea, shifting the mug to one hand and tracing the cover title of his book, wondering if he would ever be able to open it.

[Kitty Pryde]

Kitty nodded a bit. "I know I won't be alone. There are others that don't see their family. Though I don't really hang out with them like I use to. I spend most of my time in my room or the danger room. I try to make use of the time I have." She was being vague as she usually has been recently. She use to be talkative and bubbly, but not anymore. She spent most of her time just her now a days.

Taking another drink she leaned forward as she laid the Coke down and looked at the book. "What are you reading and is it any good?" She read quite a bit all her life and now that she spent time alone it gave her more time to read. She was not one to waste her time. She was constantly looking for something new to learn.

[Arthur Coleman]

I know I won't be alone. There are others that don't see their family. Though I don't really hang out with them like I use to. I spend most of my time in my room or the danger room. I try to make use of the time I have. Arthur nods, though does not comment, knowing there is nothing he can say, as he was known himself to be a recluse on many occasions. He also uses the beat of silence to take another sip of his tea, letting the soothing herbs calm his almost perpetually rattled nerves.

What are you reading and is it any good?

Arthur's back becomes straighter at the question, and he slowly proceeds to put his mug down. "Ah.. well.. the book is called Far from the Madding Crowd, and.. I am ashamed to say that I have not even so much as read the preface." He finishes with a soft sigh, the tips of his fingers reaching towards the book and barely grazing the corner of the spine. "It was a gift from my aunt, and it would be impolite if I did not read it..," Arthur adds as an afterthought, moreover to himself, as to force himself to hear the information aloud, as though it might encourage him further to open the book and to start reading.