Written post- "Time bomb". Made partially because I feel like the Brotherhood should get a fanfiction that ISN'T slash for once. Also, I always say this when I'm writing something different, could be a bit OOC, since I'm not used to the characters as much.
The flight back to the lair was strangely silent. Everyone had expected for Quicksilver to explode from such an embarrassing failure, but- perhaps more worryingly- he only sat in the front of the plane, grinding his teeth in frustration. No one wanted to test his temper, so the flight remained tensely silent the whole way back. AS they entered their hide-out of the last few days, the atmosphere had not gotten any lighter, and everyone felt that the slightest thing could set Quicksilver off.
Apparently it took even less than they thought, because although no one had said a word the whole way back, with a blur of movement, Quicksilver was holding Toad in the air by his collar before he could even think to go "meep". "This whole mess was your fault" he hissed at the somewhat shocked and definitely terrified Toad. "We're takin' you back to the MRD". The rest of the Brotherhood looked on unsympathetically as Toad squirmed in Quicksilver's grasp, and then hanged limp, taking on a panicked expression at the speedster's last comment.
"What? But…but, you thought Nitro was a good idea, too. You can't take me back there!"
Quicksilver didn't want to hear any logical statements about how he had screwed up, especially not from Toad. Bringing the quivering mutant in his grasp closer to him, he glared at him threateningly. "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't".
Unable to watch anymore bullying and threatening, Rogue felt pity for the terrified, wimpy, mutant in Pietro's grasp, and without his noticing until it was too late, moved between Toad and Quicksilver and removed him from the other's grasp. "Because he's your teammate".
Surprised at this encouraging change of fate, Toad crouched behind Rogue, using her as a living shield against Quicksilver's anger. Rogue looked down at the mutant cowering against her leg like a child with a mix of disgust and pity, before turning back to the Brotherhood leader. "I cannot believe that you'll just turn over one of our own to those Mardies ".
"Yeah, it's unbelievable" chorused Toad hopefully from behind Rogue.
"He may be annoying and useless…" continued Rogue without listening to Toad's comment.
"Hey" he interjected weakly.
"…but he's still a part of the Brotherhood. We're supposed to be standing up for mutants, and instead you'll just give over a Brotherhood member to the MRD?" She shook her head in disappointment and then moved to tug off her gloves. "Taking him back there is wrong, and would go against everything we're supposed to achieve. So if you want to try" she ended, her bare hands out where the still surrounding (and, in Quicksilver's face, mildly shocked) Brotherhood members could see them. "You'll have to get through me".
Slightly more cocky now that he was protected by hands that could knock anyone out with a single touch, Toad peeked his head out from his hiding place, and nodded enthusiastically. "You'd better listen to her" he warned as much he really could sound threatening. Quicksilver glared at him with a scowl, then shifted his gaze to Rogue's hands. He was fast, for sure, but did he really want to take a chance of getting knocked out over this? So he settled for arguing about it further. Or, at least, he was going to, when, with an annoyed sigh, Domino stood from where she had been leaning against the wall.
"As much as I want the slimeball gone, I agree with Rogue. Giving over a mutant to the MRD, even one as pathetic as Toad, is basically like giving them a win. And the Brotherhood shouldn't let humans win at anything".
Toad brightened now that a whole two people were on his side. That was a lot more than he was used to. Pietro sighed in exasperation for the same reason. A rogue ex-Xman he had plenty of leverage against, but Domino was a strong and loyal Brotherhood member, through and through. And she was on the side of the toad.
"Alright, fine, I give. Listen here, wart," he said darting around Rogue to threaten the now once again cowering Toad, "We're keeping you around, not cause we like ya, but because we hate those stinking Mardies just a bit more. Consider yourself very, very, lucky".
"Considered" he replied falteringly.
"So, we are not getting rid of the toad?" asked Avalanche, disappointed at not getting rid of the biggest annoyance in his life.
"No" replied the leader, equally disappointed and more annoyed. Rubbing his head, he offered one last glare at Toad before saying, "Whatever. I'm going to bed".
"Since the show is over", said Avalanche a little later once he had made sure that they actually weren't taking Toad back to the MRD, "I will go to bed as well". And he left the room for his own quarters.
Gradually the only ones left were Toad and Rogue, the latter finally pulling her gloves back on, and the former with an expression of profound bewilderment and more than a bit of curiosity.
"If you're gonna say something, just say it instead of staring at me. You're creeping me out" said Rogue after Toad had in fact been staring at her for nearly a solid minute and a half.
He sputtered a bit, being more often told to shut up rather than to speak his mind, but finally managed to get out, "You stood up for me. Why'd you do that?"
Rogue shuffled awkwardly a few times, expecting the question, but still not really wanting to answer it. Then, with a seemingly nonchalant shrug, replied, "Because you're a teammate" as if the reason were perfectly obvious.
"That must be an Xmen thing or something, because that doesn't really matter to the Brotherhood".
Not having a response to that, Rogue just shrugged before going to bed herself.
So, R&R, please.