Pietro rapidly clicked the channel button on the tv, trying to find something interesting to watch. Todd came in with his notebook and paused, watching the screen shift so quickly it started looking like one of those flipbook comics.
"Dude, we have five channels," he retorted. "Stop flipping before you break the tv again."
"I-didn't-break-it-last-time, that-was-you," Pietro said, keeping his eyes on the tv. "Remember? You-and-Fred-were-fighting-because-he-wanted-to-watch-the-news-and-you-insisted-that-Wanda-would-actually-sit-through-the-Notebook-with-you."
Toad turned pink at the memory, then shook his head and started to go back into the kitchen.
"What's-with-the-attitude-lately? You've-been-walking-around-like-you've-been-kicked."
"Haven't I?" Todd remarked.
Pietro stopped surfing and gave him a glare.
"Don't-start, no-one's-been-treating-you-any-different, Toad, so-"
The glower Todd shot him brought his words to a stop.
"...What?"
"Gee, you're right, yo. I mean, it wasn't all that different when you threw me up on the roof and told me to keep the tv picture clear. Nevermind that I fell and could've broke something."
"Oh, that, I-"
"Or those times Fred threw me into the wall. That was pretty normal."
"Yeah, okay-"
"Or, hey, how about all the times that Wanda zaps me across the room because I'm so repulsive?"
"What-do-you-"
"No, you know what? Forget it, man," Todd sighed. "I guess I should just be used to it. You guys have never even called me by my real name."
"Well-it's-not-like-you-said-you-wanted-us-to," Pietro reasoned.
"Fred didn't have ta tell you to call him by his name!" Todd shouted, causing Pietro to flinch. "Lance didn't ask! Or Wanda! Or you! Why did I have to ask you guys? Couldn't you just assume?"
"I, uh-"
"Do you know how it feels to be called 'Toad' all the time, yo? Like I'm not a person! Like I'm so different and I'm so disgusting that no one even remembers what my real name is! Like I'm exactly what everyone at school thinks I am! Just some...freak!"
"Alright!" Pietro interjected, zipping over to him. The younger boy was shaking from anger and he wasn't looking at him anymore. "I-get-it, we-haven't-been-treating-you-well. Heck, you're-treated-the-worst-out-of-all-of-us!"
Pietro paused, feeling a strange sort of lump in his stomach. He cringed.
"And...and-I'm-sorry."
Todd's eyes shot up and stared at him.
"For, you-know, everyone-else-treating-you-bad," Pietro clarified. "I-guess-if-I'm-leader-I-should've-told-them-to-stop-picking-on-you."
Todd kept his stare, then sighed and gave him a crooked smile. That was probably the closest thing he'd be getting to Pietro apologizing for his own actions.
"Yeah, okay."
They were silent for a moment, then Todd scratched his arm and pointed to the kitchen.
"So...I'm going to go eat," he said.
"Yeah, sounds-good," Pietro said, rubbing his neck. "I'm...probably-going-to-break-the-tv."
Todd laughed a little and shuffled to the kitchen while Pietro went back to the couch, going over the conversation again before shaking his head and starting to rapidly click through the channels again. Someone knocked on the door and he groaned, sinking lower on the couch.
"I got it," Fred said as he came down the stairs.
Pietro silently pumped a fist in the air as Fred opened the door, then froze at the sound of Tabitha's voice.
"Hey Fred, how's it hangin'?"
"Uh, fine, Tabby."
Pietro could practically see Fred protectively rubbing his blonde Mohawk, thinking of the time when Tabitha shaved it off.
"I'm just coming to get some things I left, that's cool right? I won't be here too long."
She came to the doorway and grinned at Pietro, who was still frozen with his arm half raised.
"Hey Speedy!" she greeted. "You keeping out of trouble?"
"Who-me?" Pietro asked with a smirk. "Not-in-the-slightest. How's-living-in-that-rundown-apartment?"
"Has more water than living here, but less of the social interaction."
Her eyes darkened a bit, then she turned and headed up the stairs. Todd came in just as Fred exchanged a look with Pietro.
"That Tabitha?" he asked. "What's she doin' here?"
"Getting some of her stuff," Fred answered. "But I coulda swore she got it all when Mystique came."
"Well, with a crazy blue woman on your case, I could see her forgettin' some stuff, yo."
Pietro pursed his lips, then zoomed up the stairs, leaving the remote and a trail of wind behind. He zipped passed Lance's room, then stopped and went back, hands on his hips as he smirked.
"Whatchya-doin'-Tabby?" he asked with mock innocence, causing the blonde to jump out of her skin.
"Oh, Speedy it's you," she sighed as she went back to picking through Lance's things. "I'm looking for the song books I lent Lance."
"Really? Funny, I-don't-remember-you-doing-that."
"Well then I guess even you can have imperfect memory."
She sent a smirk his way as he scowled. True, Tabitha hadn't given him any song books, she was taking the ones he'd bought himself, but if that boy was acting anything like he did when he dated Kitty, he wouldn't miss them for a while.
"What-do-you-need-those-for?" Pietro asked when she grabbed three of them and stood.
"My business," Tabitha said easily, brushing her jeans off before turning to him. "Why do you care?"
"Don't. But..."
Her eyes flashed open as a whirlwind surrounded her, then dispersed to show that Pietro was holding the music in his hand, waving them tauntingly.
"Curiosity-always-gets-the-better-of-me," he said, holding them out of Tabitha's reach when she lept for them. "What're-you-stealing-from-Lance-for?"
"I need them for school, Pietro," Tabitha snarled, reaching for them again. "Now give them back."
"Right! See, I-know-you're-lying-'cause-you-called-me-by-my-name. You-always-call-me-'Speedy'."
Tabitha tried to reach the music again, then backed away and gave him a dirty look. He stuck his tongue out as an idea formulated in her head. Without warning she jolted for the books again; Pietro saw it coming and held them over his head.
His eyes widened when he felt Tabitha's fingers scribble across his sides.
"No-no-AH! Stop!" he screeched as she dug in and started prodding his ribs. "No-fair-Tab-AHAHA! Not-there!"
He brought his arm down to protect himself and Tabitha snatched the music, holding it to the side as she used her other hand to pinch his stomach. Pietro finally zipped to the other end of the hall, panting and glaring at her as he held his sides.
"I win again," Tabitha gloated, shaking the music at him. "Tell Lance I took these and the whole Brotherhood will be informed of those mutation side-effects."
He didn't answer, and didn't follow as she decended and started conversing with Todd and Fred, just glared, his face beet red. Now he was sworn to secrecy, knowing that if the boys found out they'd never let him live it down. Why couldn't his father leave his powers alone when he was a kid? Why couldn't his father leave anything alone, for that matter?
Pietro shook his head and raced downstairs, hoping his face had returned to normal as he joined the others. Todd noticed the receding redness and cocked an eyebrow at him, then looked over at Tabitha. Something had happened up there, he could tell by the way Tabitha grinned at 'Tro when he came down. That and the speedster was silent for once, just forcing a smirk on his face as she talked. Todd finally caught Tabitha's eye when Fred started talking and he smirked. Tabitha had confided something to him when she'd still lived with them. He was wondering if that had anything to do with Pietro's awkwardness.
Tabitha furrowed her brow at him, then reddened slightly and turned to Fred, pretending they'd never met eyes. If he told anyone what they'd talked about she'd kill him, honestly she would.
"So, think-you-should-be-leaving-soon?" Pietro finally snapped. "After-all, Lance's-going-to-be-home-any-minute-now."
"Oh, yeah, that's right," Tabitha said, smirking at him. "Well, guess I'll be off then."
"You sure you can't stay a little longer?" Todd asked slyly.
"No, not really, Toa-"
"Todd," Pietro interrupted.
Tabitha furrowed her brow at him, then saw the grateful look Todd gave the older boy.
"Todd," she said; the name felt weird when she said it, but it was the kid's name. "I've got some stuff to do with Kitty and her friends, and they need me back before five."
"What kinda stuff?" Fred asked as the boys followed her to the door.
She paused, hand on the doorknob, then she turned and smiled a mischievous smile at them. They didn't like it.
"Who knows. Maybe you guys will see come Friday."
The boys stared at her as she left, then turned curious looks to each other. What was going on? Did they even want to know? If it involved Tabitha at all, then they probably didn't.
"...Well, I'm going to make plans for Friday," Fred decided.
"There's only so many restaurants we can go to, Freddy," Todd laughed.
"Yeah, and-something-tells-me-we're-going-to-find-out-what-she's-planning-whether-we-want-to-or-not," Pietro said, still looking at the front door.
They paused again, thinking about that.
"...Think Goodwill has any bullet-proof vests?" Todd asked.
