Chapter Text
Arkady has had plenty of time to explore. Traveling the island while trying to ignore this body he doesn't yet see as truly his own.
Its a strange place, a place he thinks he could enjoy, if only he would let himself. if only he could stop seeing everything as survival. See it as living.
Hes only been able to do that once really, letting everything fall and just exist for a while. Sleeping for days because he didn't feel so high-strung.
Maybe he could do that here?
He doesn't know.
But he does know that the loneliness drags after awhile. He'd like to talk, but he isn't sure how.
Not that it's ever stopped Domino.
Neena found him yesterday, hiding in a hard to reach little plot of land on the north end of the island. It was colder, even snowed sometimes. It felt more like home than anything. Arkady tried to find a way to thank Krakoa for it.
But, Neena had found him and welcomed herself right in. She was careful of course, but she came with a gift.
"Kotik?" Arkady mumbles, but he isn't wrong, and it brings a smile to his face, his little tiger is older now. But she'll always be his little kitten.
Kotik tumbles into his arms, purring like thunder, so excited shes wiggling around.
"I kept an eye on her. Little sweetie." Neena said, Arkady nods. Not offering more than the small curl of an almost-smile.
She looks at the outside of his little place. Something small he had built by hand the past week or two.
Somebody told him once distraction was the key to keeping dark things put away. Put in their place.
Whatever.
"Its nice. In a rustic way. Could use some paint though." She walks past him on the porch and taps the door, "I like the blue. It's very you somehow." Arkady shrugs and stands, Kotik in his arms like a baby.
"I like blue. I think." He twirls a coil over Kotik's face and the cat purrs, slaps at it with her paw.
"Why are you here?" Arkady said, Neena shrugs.
"Kitten is expensive, I was bored, and I sort of missed you?" She said. All at omce, Arkady huffs. Kotik laps her rough tongue across his face.
"It's Kotik."
"It means the same thing." She said. She spins and sits on the steps, "you should come to the Blue Lagoon. Blob's actually really good at this shit. Was not expecting it. Makes you wonder why he even became a supervillian in the first place. He gave me the best blue Hawaiian ever." She gets tired of patting the step beside her and waiting for him to sit down and grabs his jeans. Yanks him and Arkady lets her, he scowls and Kotik climbs from his lap.
"I may live on this island, but they are not my people." Arkady said, he crosses his arms and stares out past the grass, past the cliffs, past the beach nearby, out across the water.
Domino baby talks Kotik until she lays next to her to get petted, then Neena sighs.
"A man without a place. Without a purpose, huh? Yeah. Me too. Don't have a home country, not really. So that's Krakoa now. The purpose thing?" She leans farther back, her free arm stretched behind her to hold her weight. "X-force. Ths same shit we used to do. The X-men's little secret task force." She grins at him and Arkady grunts and grumbles.
"X-men-" he spits. Neena pats his leg,
"Okay then. Make some friends. Get a hobby!" She stands and holds her arms out towards him, "I'll visit all the time of course, gotta see the kitten, and no matter what you think; we're friends. Have been for awhile. Always will be. Hopefully." She shrugs and drops her arms to her sides.
Arkady huffs and stands up with a groan,
"Okay." He mumbles. Neena grins and goes to hug him, but he puts his hand on her forehead and holds her away. "No." He said. He reaches out with a coil to open the door and wanders inside, but even the slam of the door doesn't deter Domino.
"See you later!" She yells, she hears him huff again.
—--------------------
Neena is true to her word, dropping by at any and every time,
Today's visit is around lunch, bursting through the door while Arkady is making lunch while sliding handfuls of food to Kotik.
He's unphased.
He glances over his shoulder to see the blood coating her side, the hilt of an entire sword sticking out next to her hip. Arkady hums and turns to wash his hands.
"Sit." He said.
Neena sits.
She peels her shredded shirt off and Arkady kneels down next to her to get a better look, he huffs and reaches a coil to pull the first-aid kit he had from the counter. He had originally put it in a cabinet. But he, mostly Kotik really, had needed it more than he thought.
"Mystique and I had a chat today," she said, waiting for him to say something but all he does is work faster to yank the sword out and stitch her back together, she les out a yelp of pain when he pulls the sword from it's spot in her side, but continues to talk a second after, "She wanted to know what you were up to."
"Nosey."
Neena laughs, and it hurts her but she doesn't stop.
"Yeah she is. She wanted to know what you were up to, which-" Neena waves her hand in the air in a so-so motion, "-probably for sinister reasons. But it's a good question. So what are you up to? Other than playing Halmark movie with Kitten."
" Kotik," he said. Arkady shakes his head and pulls the second to last stitch harder then he needed to, the yelp he hears is more than enough payback. For today.
"Answer the question." Neena said. He ignores her, until she sighs and cradles his face in her hands. And he would hate it, everything in his mind says to push her away, throw her, throttle her, drain her and leave the husk behind,
But its so nice to be held.
"We both know its not good for you to be alone. Listen Red…nobody knows you. I sure don't, but I know more than most people. Weapon x-force and all that. So I know enough to say you need fucking friends. Even if it's someone else from the old team!" She said. Arkady sighs and shakes his head, he stands and goes to wash his hands again. He scrubs so hard it isn't just her blood staining his kitchen sink-nothing new.
"Does not matter." He mumbles.
"Hey," Neena grabs his arm and he bristles, pushes her away with a glare. "Okay-" she holds her hands up, "it does matter. You matter, you know that?"
Red slams his hands on the counter, closing his eyes,
"How can I matter if I do not know who I am?"
He sort of hisses when she tries to touch him again, turning to glare. Dig his eyes into her.
"I am nothing." Neena tries to speak, really she does, but Red twirls a coil around her head over her mouth, "Leave Neena." He said. She nods and once he let's go she rushes for the door.
—-----------------
She shows up again.
Unafraid and loud. Ever weird and confident in the face of danger.
It's hard not to smile when he sees her from the window, that confidence is part of why he likes her, but he can't. He turns away from the window to go pretend he isn't here but before he can she's knocking on the door yelling,
"I already saw you Red, come on."
" Nyet"
"Yes, this is important come on! I wouldn't be here so soon again if it wasn't!" She slams on the door again and finally Arkady opens it,
"Speak."
"So after the Hellions mess Kyle got put who knows where because the powers that be refuse to let him roam around free. Say he's to dangerous. But I don't think they're treating him right. I would go check but I can't. They'll stop me, they'll lie to me. They won't do that to you. Xavier is trying to win your approval or something so I need you to check on Kyle." She lets out a heavy breath and smiles up at him. Arkady doesn't respond for a few seconds, after tilting his head and mumbling something to himself.
"Who is Kyle?" He said, Neena huffs and walks right past him. He doesn't try to stop her, rather he follows after her as she sits on the couch next to a snoozing Kotik.
"Victor's kid. Not that he'll ever admit it. Kyle looks just like him, acts just like him, his mutation is so similar. He's his kid. But Kyle just," she waves her hands and sighs trying to find the word. Arkady knows the feeling. "So much more feral . Somebody has to be in charge of him. He has to be told what to do but Victor's in the pit. he won't listen to anyone else. Not after Psylocke left."
Neena ruffles the fur on kotiks head.
"Why would he listen to me? Why should I care?" Arkady crosses his arms.
"Arkady Rossovich you told me you didn't want to just be a weapon anymore. That that's why you're still on the island." Arkady grumbles and Neena stands up to grab his shirt in both her hands. "That boy does not have a choice and every time I've tried to help him I've been denied. You can go and make sure he's okay Arkady. You want to be a good guy then be a fucking good guy and help that fucking kid!" She spits it out and lets go of him.
"Kyle doesn't deserve to suffer just because nobody understands his mutation Arkasha. Now you get on your fucking feet and go fucking get that kid!" Neena let go of him and stuck a hand in her hair. Tugging until she calmed down some.
She glances down at him,
"I'm sorry I should have asked before I used your diminutives." She shakes her head and flops onto the couch to hug Kotik. "Go get the kid you fucking ass." She said.
Arkady pats her back with a hum and finally stands up.
—--------------------
Neena was right, nobody really did anything to stop Arkady. Or even tell him he probably shouldn't be there. Whether it was fear or orders to be nice in the hopes he would play nice in return he doesn't know. Doesn't know or care .
He knows the healing gardens well enough to find the place Domino was talking about. Not that he hadn't already been making a mental map of the island, you can take the job away from the spy but you can't make him shake off old habits. He isn't sure if he could if he tried anyway.
Arkady moves in silence, and Armor doesn't notice he's there. It was only her at the moment and while she was strong she couldn't bear Arkady on her own.
But he shakes his head, play nice for now.
She finally looks up from her book and screams, half a second later she schools herself enough to talk.
"Omega Red! What are you doing here?" She said, she stands up as if she is going to move closer but she doesn't.
"Kyle." He said, armor frowns.
"What do you want with Kyle?" She waves a hand in the air, "I'm not allowed to let anyone see him anyway Omega Red it doesn't matter." She said, she tries to smile but she's nervous.
Arkady looks at the door behind her and starts walking, she sputters and moves to stop him but Arkady raises a hand and looks down at her.
"Do not try to stop me." He said, Armor hesitates, like she really will walk away, but she stands taller again.
"Kyle's dangerous and I'm not allowed to let anyone see him. Leave please-" Arkady twirls a coil around her hand and drains her enough to drop her unconscious on the floor.
Arkady sighs and rolls his shoulders. That's a feeling he's missed, the drain from anything but animals. He has to stop for a second to control himself. To leave Armor as is and ignore her, in favor of the door.
He ignores the lock on it, coils snap it easily, and pushes the door open with a frown.
The door frame cracks under his grip, his eyes wide but unseeing. The smell of metal and drugs hit him full force. Throwing him back into memories he isn't prepared for.
He pants- gasping for breath under the weight of it. Metal and drugs and needles. So many needles. The same cage day after day. A little room with nothing but a slab of metal as a bed-
"Hmm?" He hears, Arkady opens his eyes and sees Kyle. Looking tired and sad and more than anything excepting of the situation. Wobbling as he sat up like he would fall over at any time.
Arkady shakes his head and lets go of the wall, he has to school himself and he allows one, two, breaths before he turns to Kyle with his usual nonplussed expression.
"Domino sent me. She was worried about you. Neena tends to get very pushy when she wants something." He said. Kyle nods with another hum.
"Kyle?"
Kyle falls over with little more than a small yelp. Arkady moves to his side and crouches down to look at him.
"What have they done to you?" He mumbles, Arkady had only seen Victor like this once. Under the weight of heavy drugs made to overtake his healing. He could assume Kyle is similar. If he truly is Victor's child. Arkady slides a hand under Kyle's head to try and get him to make more than fuzzy eye contact, but his eyes don't focus any more than that, and all he does is mumble nonsense.
Arkady scowls and stands, he pulls Kyle into his arms and finds that he's more boneless than he thought. Something is very wrong.
Arkady grunts, that problem is lower on the list than simply getting him back to Domino.
—------------------------------
"They drugged him?" Domino mumbles, she pulls off her gloves to press the back of her hand against Kyle's forehead. He doesn't move, he'd passed out before Arkady had gotten him there.
Arkady waits to speak, she's gearing up to say something else he knows.
"They fucking dragged him!?"
She moves away from Kyle and throws her gloves hard enough to slap against the wall across the room.
"Who ordered this? Fucking Charles?" She spins on her heel and Arkady shrugs.
"Armor was there. She said she was told not to let anyone see him." He said. Domino looks down at Kyle stretched out under a blanket on the couch. Kotik curled and napping on the ground near his head.
"I have to go talk to Charles about this." She picks up her gloves on the way out the door, then stops and tosses one last thing over her shoulder, "Sage keeps asking about you."
It's an afterthought, something Domino has been rolling around her head while she waited.
"Let her ask."
—-------------------------------
Arkady dreams, though he'd heard once that many people believe he doesn't. That he probably doesn't sleep either. He does have horrible insomnia but that's beside the point.
As the morning light wakes him he finds himself grasping for a half formed dream, a familiar rough laugh and prick of claws from the hand holding onto his shoulder like if He let go Arkady would disappear. Arkady huffs and throws an arm over his eyes.
Then he hears a clatter, and a yelp that is distinctly not Kotik's. Arkady sits up with a groan and wanders toward the sound.
He finds Kyle hiding under the kitchen table with the blanket over his head.
"Are you hurt?" He said. Kyle pulls the blanket away enough to peek up at Arkady and shake his head. "Good." The boys focus is blurry, leaning side to side. He's still working the drugs out of his system.
It almost makes Arkady smile, a familiar situation in a way.
He understands feral mutants rather well, maybe from fighting Logan for so long. Maybe from knowing Victor for so long. Whatever it is, its easy for him to fall into old habits. Like ignoring Kyle unless he chooses to be seen; making breakfast for him even though he hasn't asked because if one thing stood true it was that food was the way to any and every feral's heart.
Kyle snarls and bites his leg when he walks by, but all Arkady does is pull him away with a coil and say,
"Not okay."
It seems to confuse Kyle, who only sort of chirps and hides under the table again. He's still sluggish.
"Kotik likes to sit there in the mornings for the sunlight. Unless you want to share you should move." Arkady said on his way to sit on the couch and tuck himself into breakfast and a book for a good few hours. He hears Kyle scramble off somewhere but he doesn't pay much mind to him. Let the boy scramble and mess about and cause problems. He's only exploring the new space.
—---------------------------
Domino pushes the door open a couple of hours before dusk with a huff. She steals the drink from Akrady's hands with a scowl and downs it all, then gags.
"Why the hell do you have this?" She pulls the bottle away from her face to read the label and half her mouth quirks into a smile. "This is the shit Victor likes isn't it?" She snorts and tosses the bottle towards the trash can, it bounces off the counter and into the trash can at a frankly impossible angle. "How is he?"
"He bit me three times." Arkady said, he hums, "He keeps trying to sneak up on me to kill me, but he hasn't done that in about an hour so I think he's settling down." He said. Domino nods.
"See this is why I wanted you to keep an eye on him. You're weird as shit already and you know Victor so well you just roll with it." She said, she smiles at him and Arkady grumbles.
"You never told me where Victor was Neena." He said, Domino sucks in a breath and crosses her arms.
"Yeah but, you know don't you?"
"Yes."
"They shouldn't have done it. If nothing else, for the sake of Kyle. Him and Victor have had their rough spots but I think Victor's been good to him recently." She flicks a ball of lint off her arm with a small huff, "I don't know."
Before Arkady can respond Kyle snarls and jumps out from behind fucking something to wrap his arms around Arkady's neck and try to claw at his face. Domino stares, but Arkady peels him off and holds him at a distance with one hand while Kyle continues to snarl and thrash.
Arkady smirks at her,
"He's getting calmer!" He said, Neena just nods, trapping her bottom lip between her teeth.
"Kay, good." She mumbles.
—------------------------------
"Smile red. Actin' like you ain't impressed by the view."
Victor waved a hand out in front of him, wobbled and almost fell down the mountain they were on. Sitting at the edge of a peak, Victor with his legs hanging off the edge. Arkady grabbed his arm and held tight to him.
"I am. But I am not fond of where you are sitting Victor." Arkady said, Victor laughed and leaned closer to edge; trying to test the hold Arkady had on his bicep.
"I'll be fine if I fall Red. Besides, you'd probably catch me." Victor said, he stopped leaning away and turned over his shoulder enough to give Arkady a fond smile. Arkady couldn't help but smile back, he was weak to the way Victor's fangs stuck out over his lips sometimes.
Arkady wakes with a gasp and a swear, kicking Kyle off where he's trying to claw at his face.
"Черт!" Arkady grabs Kyle my the throat and shoves him to the floor, it gives him time to stand up over him with a scowl.
"If you're going to kill me at least do it after breakfast." He mumbles. Arkady drags a hand down his face and walks around Kyle towards the kitchen.
Kyle chirps and runs after him, his claws clacking on the floor right at Arkady's heels. It seems that the murder attempts would take a pause until after breakfast.
Arkady finds Kotik curled up under the kitchen table, belly up to the sunlight shining through the window above the sink. He reaches a coil down to scratch behind her ears as he passes by.
From the corner of his eye he sees Kyle slide under the table and tuck himself against the tiger's side. Arkady chances a small smile, Kyle had befriended Kotik the day before and it had calmed him enough not to wake Arkady up in the middle of the night anymore to try and kill him.
"I assume you like raw meat, Victor does." Arkady sighs, "it's unhealthy, but even if it is you'll heal." Hes talking to himself essentially. Kyle can speak, but he hasn't yet. At least not to Arkady. Kyle squeaks from under the table, it's a yes then.
Kotik strides over to Arkady's side and sits all pretty like. He shouldn't give in to her begging, but he always does. She snaps a strip of raw bacon from his hand with a rumbling purr, while she swallows she shoves her head against his palm. Arkady smiles, he won't be getting his hand back until she's gotten her fill of pets.
Kyle sat on the floor next to Kotik, begging like she had. The image turns Arkady's stomach. He shakes his head.
"Youre not just an animal Kyle. You don't need to beg, and you don't need to be on the floor." Arkady said. He only glances down at the boy for a second, eye contact was a thing with Kyle.
To Arkady's surprise he actually stands up, hesitant, his head still bowed and arms crossed over his chest in a sort of self-hug.
"Now see, that was easy wasn't it?" Arkady said. Kotik jumps up onto the table and starts licking at plates half a second later,
"Kotik I have taught you better!" Arkady yells. Kyle flinches, but then he laughs.
—--------------------------------
"Okay, now you have to play a three on that seven before you can play a three on that seven." Arkady taps the table as he talks. Kyle leans closer with a small growl to see the cards closer. He slams a card down on the table, slashing a part of it off with his claws. But it's nothing Arkady hasn't seen before, Victor does the same thing.
Kyle almost smiles, until he sniffs and leaps over the table towards the door.
Arkady snatches him from the air with a coil and sneaks closer to the front door. He wouldn't act that way if it's Neena.
It isn't.
Landing softly on the overgrown lawn outside is Jean Grey. Looking elegant as always.
Arkady drops to his knees and stills Kyle's thrashing with a tighter hold.
"You need to stay silent and hidden. You understand? I know you don't like Jean. You have reason to think that way. She will take you away, she will put you back in that room. If you don't want that then hide yourself away. Kotik will keep an eye on you." Arkady lets go, he half expects Kyle to jump out the door and go at Jean, but instead he turns tail with a nod and hides away somewhere.
Arkady hums as he stands up. Kyle is actually listening to him now. Interesting.
The door jerks open behind him and all he does is roll his eyes and turn around.
" Добро пожаловать, Джин." He mumbles. Jean pins a glare on him.
"I heard about your little adventure in the healing gardens. The entire council has heard as well. Whatever you want him for you need to give him back. He needs taken care of-"
"Who?" Arkady said, he closes the door and walks down the steps of his porch and past Jean. She balks and turns to follow him as he wanders closer to the cliffs above the water.
"Don't play dumb please, it'll only make this harder." She said. Jean starts to reach out to touch him but thinks better of it quickly.
"Kyle does not want to go with you. I asked, and unlike your council I listen to what people want." Arkady said. He crosses his arms with a small tilt of his head.
Jeans mind reaches out for his own, Arkady only lets her see that he's telling the truth. His mental shields aren't perfect, but she's wary of digging to far into his mind. She should be.
"He's not well, he doesn't know what he needs." She said, her tone soft. Arkady is unefased.
"He is very much not well, but that will not be fixed with sedation and imprisonment." Arkady said. Jean frowns.
"It wasnt imprisonment Omega Red-"
Arkady scoffs and looks out towards the ocean,
" A place with no prisons. That is what your Professor said yes? He lied." Arkady brushes the hair in his face away, he really needs to tie it back, as a way of giving himself a second to think. "Kyle is not an expirament, or a prisoner. I won't allow you to treat him that way." At that he turns and starts back towards the housw.
"It isn't up to you! You're on thin ice yoruself." Jean said. Arkady can't help but chuckle.
"That is no threat." He said. Jean flies in front of him with a deeper frown on ber face.
"You can't just keep him-"
"But you can?" Arkady shakes his head and walks around her. "Come back when you wish to talk , and not just argue."
Arkady glances up to see movement in the living room window. Jean doesn't notice of course, but Arkady sees. Kyle peeking out of the window with scared eyes pinned on Jean.
—----------------------------
Arkady can't find Kyle. He knows he's still in the house, Kotik is probably with him wherever he is, but still he can't seem to pin him down. Every few minutes he hears bumps or other sounds from the other rooms, but he tucks himself into a book and ignores it. Let the boy do whatever he wishes. There's no reason to stop him.
He falls into his book, one he had read many times, and soon Kyle becomes background noise. Until Arkady feels a tug on his shirt and looks over his shoulder to see Kyle standing there. His eyes wide, but not in that scared way he had usually, and absolutely drowning in one of Arkady's shirts.
If it was anyone else Arkady would have been angry, but he knows ferals. Its a scent thing. Kyle is trying to show he trusts Arkady, that he wants to be friends with him and let other people know they're friends.
Arkady closes his book, with a quick glance at the page number, and stands up with a smile.
"Just don't hide my armor from me and you're welcome to steal my clothes. Not that I have much for you to steal." He said. Then Kyle grins. A wide toothy grin that split his face.
Much to Arkady's surprise Kyle jumps at him, this time not with his teeth bared or claws at his throat, but rather latching onto him with all his limbs and hugging him. Arkady hesitates, but he gently hugs him back. Sort of carrying him, what with how Kyle is holding onto him like a koala.
—----------------------------
The next time Neena comes to visit she stops stock still in the doorway, and points at Arkady.
And Kyle, who had been sitting on Arkady's shoulders for about two hours.
Arkady sort of forgot he was there really.
"How the fuck did you do that?" Neena said, Arkady hums with a smile. He offers no other response, other than continuing to wash the dishes without looking at her.
"No shut up-" she mumbles,
"I wasn't talking." Arkady said. Neena scowls and waves her hand.
"Shut up, even Pyslocke couldn't get him to do that. How the fuck did you do that?" She said, she tries to come closer but Kyle growls.
Arkady reaches up and taps his knee with a shake of his head.
"She's a friend, you know that." He said. Kyle huffs and goes back to messing with Arkady's hair.
"Sorry." He mumbles. Neena snorts out a laugh.
"You're magic ." Neena said, she pulls her gloves off and tucks them in her belt, then shoulders Arkady over a bit to make room so she can help with the dishes.
Arkady shakes his head.
"Neena, when I was young I spent days in the woods alone looking for food, if I didn't die by tigers then, I'm certainly not going to get murdered by a cub now." He said. Neena hums, and he knows the questions are coming even before she says it.
"So…-"
"We were poor, any job my papa could take he did. My other brother worked factories, lumber, any physical work he could, but I was to small-" Neena cackles , "-ironic I know but I was at the time, and since I couldn't work I spent my tine in the woods finding food. We got by. Now, no more questions." Arkady glances at her out of the side of his eye.
"I'm gonna ask more later." She said.
"We will cross that bridge when we get there." Arkady mumbles.