Author's Note: We all know I'm not great with humour hides:: Please go easy on me! Eeep. This one was requested by BloodMoonLycan, a good friend of mine huggles her buddy::


"I mean, really, kid, what did you think he meant?"

Tom Sawyer winced at the name he was given as he paced with the others back to the Nautilus at a brisk pace. "How was I supposed to know? I don't speak Italian!" he returned, giving a grand gesture with his arms that nearly concussed Henry Jekyll at his side, who gave a small yelp and ducked. Nemo quirked a brow, and pretended not to notice.

Rodney Skinner sighed melodramatically. "I thought you were a spy."

"I am!"

Mina Harker threw him a scathing look that simply screamed for him to keep his voice down, and with that, he drove forward, matching Skinner' pace, and spoke in a lower tone, "I am a spy, but that doesn't mean I know all the languages, does it?"

"I thought it did." Skinner looked to him through dark pince-nez. "And besides, if you don't know the language, then why did you say you did?" One of the pasty pale brows lifted up nearly to where the man's hairline would have been had he not been bald.

Tom faltered there, and the entire League stopped. "He does have a point, Tom," Mina agreed, cocking her head just gently to one side in the manner of an animal, ironically. Nemo's brows were knitted in curiosity, and Jekyll looked intimidated by something. Perhaps Hyde was being disagreeable.

"I… well… I was…"

Spit it out, Sawyer… remember what old Aunt Polly used to tell you… after the thimble round the head. He thought for a moment. No, not that! He cleared his throat nervously. That's the one. Honesty is the best policy. So just tell them. How bad can it be?

"I was bored."

Mina blinked. Nemo quirked both brows for a change. Jekyll choked on… nothing. And Skinner snorted. "You were bored?"

Tom shrugged impassively, his shoulders slumping up and down in an exaggerated movement.

"Jeez, kid, play chess, practise with your guns… read a book! But don't pretend you know Italian, for cryin' out loud!" Skinner seemed in two minds whether to laugh or cry, even as an angry voice came from behind them, and as one, they turned to see the man Tom had apparently insulted pelting after them with, of all things, a cabbage.

"See what you did?" Skinner grumbled. "Don't just stand there, kid, move!"

"Or what? He'll hit me with a cabbage?"

The vegetable hurtled past him then, and Jekyll nearly jumped out of his skin. "Perhaps we should move," he suggested nervously.

"You heard him, kid…"

Tom grumbled to himself, and turned on his heels with the others, running as fast as his legs could carry him back to the Nautilus in dock. "Skinner, two things!" he called over the din of their footfalls. "Never chide me about boredom; at least I don't dig in underwear drawers!"

Mina growled at that, but ignored it for the situation at hand.

"And for the love of Pete," he continued irritably at the top of his lungs, "don't call me 'kid'!"