Kitty Pryde, Ororo Monroe and the X-Men and all characters therein are trademarks of Marvel Comics. This story is an unauthorised work done purely for my personal enjoyment, and is not intended to infringe on any of their rights in or their profits from these characters. But this story is copy write to me.

Comments, especially (constructive) criticism, always welcomed. Please e-mail me at

mshakespeare@callnetuk.com

Notes

This story is set after Kitty's return to the X-Men.

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Ebony and Ivory

"Look, 'Ro, all I'm saying is, it's about damn time you got away from the mansion for a few hours, kicked back and just relaxed. I'm in the mood to unwind myself, so, you wanna come or not?" Kitty glared at her friend in exasperation. She'd been trying to persuade Ororo to come out with her for the best part of an hour, but every time, the older woman had simply fallen back on the argument that 'I need to be here to lead the team in case anything happens'. Now Kitty's patience was just about exhausted. "For God's sake, Ororo, the flaming end of the Universe won't happen just because you took some time off! Now, I'm going to be out front in fifteen minutes. If you're not there, I'm going out alone, okay? The choice is yours, but I can't be bothered to argue anymore!" And so saying, Kitty spun on her heel and marched up the stairs to her room.

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She threw her leather jacket over her shoulders, pushed her mirror shades onto her nose, and looked at herself in her mirror. She grinned at her image - the 'Red Dwarf' tee-shirt always got a reaction from fellow Americans, who just had to ask what 'smeghead' meant - and she always told them........ <Not bad, Pryde. The jeans're a bit tight, but then, I've had 'em for years - just goes to show how much my figure's improved, right? Still, tight is good, right? The jacket's old as well, hell, I had it when we started Excalibur. Glad I got it back off Phoebe Huntsman. Right, now to see if Ororo's gonna play along. Remember to thank Logan for letting me use his bike when I see him next - heh, X-Bikers of the World Unite!> And she walked out of her room laughing to herself.

To her surprise, Ororo was waiting for her on the front porch. To her bigger surprise, she was wearing an outfit Kitty hadn't seen her wear for a very long time. It was her black leather 'biker babe' outfit, that she'd worn waaay back when Kitty and Kurt had been on the team for the first time, all polished and gleaming, high-heeled boots making her tower over Kitty even more that usual. "Kitty, I have decided to accept your offer of a night out. I hope you don't mind?"

Kitty struggled to get her jaw back into place and find her voice. "Uh, yeah, sure thing. Of course you can come, I invited you, didn't I? I'll get the bike." She walked towards the garage, casting surreptitious glances at her friend. Ororo hadn't looked like that for so long, she'd forgotten just how beautiful her friend was, shining white hair against rich dark skin, blue eyes almost catlike. Tall, curvaceous, exotic and regal, Ororo looked every inch the goddess her people had considered her, even in such casual clothes. <Though she hasn't got her hair in a Mohawk at least - that didn't suit her, to my mind. But heck, she sure as hell looks like a Goddess - unlike yours truly! I'm surprised she never had men hovering round her like Ray always used to have.....>

"Kitty? Does Logan know you're taking his motorbike? And are you sure you know how to ride it?" The older woman was surprised to see Kitty reach into her jacket pocket and pull out the keys for the powerful trail bike. She'd never thought of Kitty being able to ride a motorbike - but then, they had been apart for so long that Ororo still found it difficult on occasion to think of Kitty as a adult - though she had to admit that her young friend had more of a figure than she had before. In fact, though Kitty would have been surprised to learn it, the darker woman had found herself glancing at her companion repeatedly, especially since they had posed together naked for one of Piotr's paintings, admiring her slim, youthful figure, and (though she hesitated to admit it) finding herself attracted. Ororo remembered the feel of Kitty's warm, soft skin against hers when they had been close, the scent of her, the sight, and wondered how Kitty might react if she were to do anything about it. It was an unusual feeling for the African-born weather goddess - she hadn't been attracted this way since Forge (or did she mean Yukio? She shied away from that line of thought). And she'd thought of Kitty as her surrogate daughter for so long that it made her feel uncomfortable to think of her any other way.

"Course he knows, 'Ro. Ya don't think I'd steal it, do you? I know how to ride a motorbike, same as I can pilot a plane or spacecraft, drive a car - you name it." Kitty turned the key and the powerful machine roared into life. She swung herself onto the seat and gripped the handlebars. "Hop on then!"

Ororo swung herself behind Kitty, and took hold of the younger woman's waist to steady herself. She froze at the tingle in her fingertips where she touched the young girl in front of her, and made to move her hands to the metal bar at the back, but forced herself to hold on to Kitty. The latter, meanwhile, felt a sudden warmth at the touch of Ororo's hands on her, and a sudden blush came to her face. Before she could make a fool of herself, she gunned the bike and they roared out of the garage.

"Okay, 'Ro! Now we find ourselves a fun nightclub, and spend the rest of the evening flirting with the guys!"

"Flirting, Kitten? Is that your idea of having fun nowadays?"

"Hey, I don't intend it going any further, Ororo! Just a bit of flirting, dancing, drinking and generally messing around for a few hours! It's fun, you ought to do it more often......"

Whatever response the other woman might have made was whipped away in the warm evening air as they sped away towards the city.

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By now they were on their third bar, having walked out on the first two within minutes - the clientele wasn't exactly the sort to make two young women feel comfortable, even if they weren't in any real danger, what with their powers and skills.

"Here you are, Ororo - one orange juice, just as the doctor ordered!" With that, Kitty set the older woman's drink down, and sat down in the opposite seat, holding her own Bacardi and lime. Ororo's eyebrows rose at the sight of the alcoholic drink, but before she could say anything, Kitty said "I am old enough, 'Ro, so please don't start! This is a night of fun, so I'd rather not get into any arguments, thank you very much!"

"Of course, Kitten, as you wish." The darker woman took a sip of her drink, then looked at the petite brunette sitting opposite. "I have to say, however, that I am surprised that you were so eager to come to a 'pub' - let alone a mock-Irish theme 'pub' such as this one? Is it a habit you have gotten into whilst with Excalibur?" The look on her face spoke volumes - Ororo did not hold with the consumption of alcohol, feeling that it was polluting the body with foreign substances. She might accept it in Logan, given his healing factor which meant he could never suffer any long-term harm - not that she would have had any chance of changing his habits! - but certainly did not approve when it came to Kitty.

The latter, however, was unfazed (if you'll pardon the pun! - Author's note) and simply took another mouthful of her drink, ignoring Ororo's pained expression, before setting her glass down and regarding the woman opposite. "Yeah, since you're asking, it is. We all got into the habit - Kurt, Brian, Meggan, Piotr, Rahne..... every one of us. Even if Rahne and Brian didn't drink alcohol, they came along. We found it a great way to unwind, relax after the pressures of our occupation as heroes. Just sitting around, nursing our favourite drink, talking, listening to music on the jukebox, Pete smoking, even dancing on the tables - second time they did that, I joined in, and even managed to drag Pete up there, even though he nearly killed me later." She fell silent at the remembrance of her ex-lover, wincing with the painful memories that stirred up, whilst Ororo wordlessly put her hand over Kitty's. The latter sat silent for a few more seconds, then went on, "you ought to try it more often, 'Ro, even if you don't start drinking." And she took another sip, as much to calm herself as anything else, before relaxing back into the upholstery and regarding her companion.

Who was looking somewhat flustered. Ororo hadn't expected to be challenged on this, hadn't expected such an attitude. <What happened to the sweet, innocent little girl who joined the X-Men? I... I guess she grew up. But I never saw it happen. She was like the daughter I never had, and I didn't see her grow up. And it was my fault, I know, for doing what we did after Dallas. My decision, and it drove Kitty and Kurt away from us, drove a wedge between us which still exists even now they're both back on the team.> She fought back the tears - she'd spent so long keeping a tight control over herself, that she found it easy. But Kitty noticed anyway, she simply chose not to mention it. Yet.

Ororo heaved a sigh, and answered Kitty's earlier comment. "Perhaps you are right, Kitty. We never seem able to relax nowadays, it is as if we are constantly at war with one enemy or another. And I cannot remember the last time I danced. Or when we went out as a team for some fun. Australia, probably." She didn't catch herself in time, winced at that last remark, and waited for an explosion from Kitty.

Who simply sighed. "Ororo, if you're waiting for me to chew you out for that, don't bother. I've already done that to Logan, so there's no sense repeating what I said then. It's just, whatever relationship we had then, whatever relationship I had with any of the X-Men, that's changed. I don't see you like a mother-figure, any more than I do Logan as a father-figure, and I certainly don't want Piotr anymore. Ororo, let me make this clear. I don't see any of you in the same light anymore. As far as I'm concerned, you're a friend, and I trust you with my life - just as I do Rogue, or Betsy, or Meggan. Beyond that, no. Our special closeness is gone now, and it'll take time to rebuild, if we still can. So let's just forget it. Tonight, we're just old friends, out for a good time."

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Ororo shook her head in disbelief. "I can barely believe it, Kitty. You made love with another woman? On your fifteenth birthday?? Whatever possessed you to do such a thing?!"

Kitty bristled. She'd had a few drinks already, and was in no mood to be lectured to - especially over such a sore point. "As far as I knew I was alone! The X-Men were dead. Excalibur were missing, and I didn't know if I'd ever see them again! My parents either had no time for me, or were in the Federal Witness Protection scheme, so I couldn't see them either. I had no-one, Ororo, no-one! So, yes, I turned to her, for comfort, and because she was the first person to show any interest in me, my body, my sexuality dammit!" She ran slender fingers through her hair. "No-one else I knew gave a damn! But she was kind to me, treated me like a friend, so, when she wanted me - to hell with it, she could have me!" She slumped down in her seat, and glared at Ororo. "Don't tell me you never thought of trying it! I saw how you acted after meeting Yukio, in Japan! You dressed like her - like you are now - acted like her - hell, 'Ro, admit it, you had a crush on her!"

"Kitty! I never ...... " Ororo's voice trailed away in confusion. To be perfectly frank, she'd never actually thought of why she'd started acting as she did. She'd thought it was because the Professor had started going out into the field, taking the leadership from her, undermining her decisions. So she'd toughened up to compensate. Hadn't she? But if that was the case, how to explain what she'd felt when Kitty had been in her arms, naked, whilst Piotr had painted them. <Admit it, Ororo Monroe. The truth is in front of you. You were attracted to Yukio, and now you want to make love to Kitty, with Kitty. Is that the reason you have dressed the same way? But can you admit it to her? She says that the almost mother-daughter relationship you used to have is dead, and you certainly don't feel that way anymore. But how will she react? Could you stand it if she turned away in rejection? She might, just to spite you for rejecting her, as she sees it, after Dallas? Well? How would you react?>

There was a long silence, seeming to stretch almost to infinity.

Kitty broke it. "And then I found out it wasn't Courtney after all, but Sat-Yr-9, the otherworldly fascist dictator. God, I felt ....... I dunno, unclean, sick, violated. I hated her, and hated myself for being with her, making love with her. I tried to forget, put it behind me, move on and pretend it never happened, but ... oh hell, why am I telling you this? I guess I've had one too many..........."

Ororo didn't answer - she was lost in thought about what Kitty had revealed.

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"What a bunch of losers!" Kitty snorted in disgust mixed with a liberal helping of disdain. Ororo giggled at her friend's expression. "Well they were! A bunch of unshaven, beer-bellied gorillas, smarmy slimy scumbags, and drippy wimpy dipsticks! I'm tellin' ya, 'Ro, we'd have to have been in a pretty sad state to want to get to know any of that lot! All they were concerned about was their image, and how they could brag about 'pulling the birds' to their friends tomorrow! Jerks!"

"Oh come now, Kitty. What did you expect men found in that sort of establishment to be like? You are not likely to find a knight in shining armour in a nightclub, are you?" To be honest, Ororo herself had not thought much of any of the men they'd encountered during the evening, and thought that Kitty's description summed them up perfectly. She stretched herself, to get a kink out of her back, sighing as she did so. The bike was parked just inside the entrance to the mansion, both women deciding to get some fresh air before retiring for the night.

"Oh, maybe you're right, Ororo. I just wish I could have found someone to have a bit of fun with. Guess I'm feeling a bit lonely since I broke up with Pete - and please don't try pushing me in the direction of Piotr, that relationship's dead and buried, has been for years!" Kitty sighed. Dammit, how come Kurt could always find someone else at the drop of a hat, but she couldn't? <Guess some people have it, some don't - and I'm one of the latter.....>

"Really, Kitten? Then perhaps I can do something about it." Before Kitty could ask what she meant, Ororo had stepped up and, putting her hand behind Kitty's head, kissed her, a long, lingering kiss. The slender brunette froze for a second, then put one arm round Ororo's waist and the other reached up to caress the other woman's neck. They remained like that for some time, savouring the taste and feel of each other, then broke apart. They studied each other intently.

"'Ro? You sure you want to do this? I mean, it's been a long time since we were close, and I'd understand if -"

"Hush, Kitten. I would not do this if I did not mean it. I want you, Kitty, I want you now, all night long. I want to help you forget about Courtney Ross, or Sat-Yr-9. I want to wipe away those memories and replace them with something better." She smiled at the amazed look on the younger girl's face, then her eyes widened as Kitty dropped her jacket, then pulled her tee-shirt off.

"Okay then, Ororo. we may as well start right now - the cameras have a blind spot here, so we won't end up on the X-Men's Playboy video!" She undid her jeans and let them fall, leaving her wearing only her habitual blue bra and panties, then stepped over to Ororo, and began undoing the belt on the other woman's leather trousers. "I'm up for a little al fresco lovemaking, how about you?"

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They lay together, clothed only in their hair, rich chestnut brown mixed with startling white. The pale skin of the younger girl looked even whiter than usual against the dark skin of her companion, whose arm was around her slim waist as she lay with her head between Ororo's full breasts. After a while, Kitty felt Ororo moving under her. "Getting cold, huh, 'Ro? Oh no, you don't feel the cold, do you? I've got pretty immune to it myself, thanks to Logan's training and living in Scotland for so long." She got to her feet, and reached out a hand to pull her lover to her feet. "Come on, let's go inside - your place or mine?" she giggled at the old line, and Ororo joined in.

"I think mine - I have a few things there which might be of use to us when we continue with proceedings...... "

"Oh really? Sounds intriguing. Let's go!"

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Ororo certainly has a large collection of massage oils and suchlike, Kitty reflected in amusement. The two of them had made great use of them. <'Ro's gonna have to get some clean sheets!> Kitty giggled at the thought, then her mouth turned up in a wry smile. "Hey 'Ro!"

"Yes Kitten, what is it?"

"Given my comments earlier about how you need to relax, stop trying to be in control and just let things happen naturally, how come I'm the one with my hands tied to the headrest?!"

"Well....... I suppose it just happened. I'm too used to being in control all of the time, I find it hard to stop......"

"Right, that does it! You need to get rid of that control obsession of yours! And I know just who to get to help me with it........... "

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To be continued.........................