1st attempt: criticism welcome.

Huddled in the remnants of a blanket, Todd shifted uneasily, wincing at the feel of bruised ribs. A glance out the window showed gradual illumination in the east. Todd jerked the blanket over his head, eyes clenched as his elbows hit the wall. Nervous eyes darted to the door, but nothing happened.

Nothing happened. For a moment, hope mixed with unease, then vanished, almost disappointed. Todd shifted, closing his eyes again.

Then, a short series of thuds approached his door. Hesitantly, Todd glanced at it. Just as hesitant, Fred opened the door.

"Todd? You alright?" But, he stopped, watching the boy in the corner.

"I'm fine, yo!" Todd forced a smile, "Just tripped over this thing." He brandished the tattered cloth over the mess of clutter in his floor.

Freddy smiled, carefully moving inside the room. "Are you sure it was that? You could've tripped over any of this."

"Yo! This thing's had it out for me since I ripped it!" Todd leapt to his feet, struggling to ignore the twinge in his side at the sudden movement. He grinned at the larger mutant. "Any chance of breakfast, or am I the last awake?"

Examining the other, Freddy spoke slowly, "It's three in the morning, Todd."

Beaming, Todd hopped to the door, "Perfect, yo! That means we may get something before the others clear it out!"

"Don't we do that?"

"But we get to eat when we do it."

Unwilling to argue with that logic, Freddy joined Todd in creeping downstairs and raiding the cabinets for a 'light' breakfast. Ten minutes later, the slim supplies halved, leaving two content mutants to sneak out of the Brotherhood house before their hot-headed teammates found out.

"So, where are we going, Todd?"

"…School? Let's head to school. They can't blame us if we were at school!" Todd grinned, cheerful in the empty street with a full stomach.

"Hey… Todd…"

Pausing in mid-jump, Todd looked to Fred.

"Why'd you bring me with you? You were awake before I came in… And you'd have eaten more if I wasn't there." Silence greeted him. Nervous, he glanced to Todd, only to see an uncommon look of thought on the toad's face.

"…You're my friend, Freddy." Todd finally answered, "Besides, why not?"

"If I'm your friend, why'd you lie about tripping?"

"I didn't lie-"

"You were curled up. That's how you sit when you're upset, not when you lose your balance."

Todd struggled for a response, uncertain how to respond when Fred had seen both situations numerous times before. "Cause it's embarrassing, yo." He looked down as he continued, "I was just thinkin' about stuff and sat down. It's nothing.'"

Freddy hardly looked convinced.

"It's nothin,' Freddy."

Nodding slowly, the giant responded, "Okay, Todd. I believe you."

The duo continued onward, the conversation gradually returning to its jovial atmosphere. After a 'short-cut,' they arrived at school ten minutes before class started. Crowds of teens remained oblivious to their arrival until any free space in the crowded hall vanished with Freddy's passing.

Glares and a few hissed words followed them. But, that was nothing new, and the two ignored them. The peace lasted until they passed a certain locker, one currently encircled by a group of jocks. Duncan looked up and smirked, his friends' eyes jumping to Todd.

In that moment, Freddy's stride changed, abandoning his normal attempt to walk softly as he stormed through the hall, actually denting several of the floor tiles. Shocked, Todd kept pace in silence. Shock apparently was the look of the day, marring every other face in that hallway.

Once they passed them, the younger mutant spoke softly, "What was that, yo?"

"Nothin.' Just being a friend." Freddy smiled, jumping subjects, "Think Lance and Pietro are ticked?"

"Yeh, but-"

The smile transformed into a grin, "Then let's stick together today. Keep them from yelling at you."

Todd paused, smiling softly as he realized he was safe from Duncan, even if it was just for a day.