Snakehead
36
Of the assembled mutants, only Thomas, Ray and Angelo knew who Emma Frost really was.
She smiled at the spat between Lance and Kitty. She knew that she was an attractive woman, and often used that to her advantage, but she wasn't a cradle-robber. She wasn't trying to impress these children, at least not in that way.
"So, Miss Frost, what brings you here?" Thomas asked.
" Despite my figure, I do eat sometimes. I must say it's been amusing watching you children. You really liven up a room."
She could sense several of them resented being called 'children'. With the exception of Angelo, who was nearly old enough to buy a beer, they were all children to her.
"That was the idea. Give my friends a good meal and annoy people at the same time." Thomas reached over and wrapped an arm around Todd's scrawny shoulders, "Look at this poor boy! He's practically starving!"
Todd was blushing and staring at the beautiful creature in front of him with huge yellow eyes.
"He is adorable. But, he's far too young for me. Oh, my, I think he's about to faint…"
At which point Todd did faint.
"You're right, the poor boy is starving. He's lucky to have you to take care of him." Emma said, "May I join you?
All eyes, all male eyes, anyway, were on Emma Frost, White Queen of The Hellfire Club.
Well, almost all eyes, Thomas and Freddy were trying to wake Todd up and Lance was doing his best to stare at anything but Miss Frost, fearing for his life if Kitty caught him peeking.
His thoughts were the worst of all...
A small number of uniformed guards had joined them, most of the kids recognized the uniform, having seen pictures of Richard.
"You're with The Hellfire Club?" Someone asked.
"Yes." She said simply, she did not want to reveal her rank within The Club to the world.
A waiter had brought over something to help wake Todd, who practically jumped to the ceiling upon awakening.
Emma smiled, "So, he is alive."
"Thank God..." Wanda said, while rolling her eyes.
"How have you been, Angelo?" She smiled.
"Muy Beuno…" Miss Frost had been one of his teachers for a short time, one that he wasn't likely to forget anytime soon, "And you?"
"I've been well. Like you, we've had a few hurdles, I'd like to think we've come out on top."
Not surprisingly, a few of the boys made rather lewd connotations between her and the phrase 'on top'. She decided to stop looking into their minds, as they weren't much of a threat and most weren't particularly subtle in their feelings for her. Or pleasant...
Except for one who might prove dangerous in ignorance.
I'd rather not have anyone know that I am The White Queen of The Hellfire Club, Mr. Crisp, so please, don't mention it.
Ray nodded in agreement. He was a smart boy, a smart young man. Neither Thomas nor Angelo would reveal anything about her, they knew the importance of secrecy.
"Tell me, is Selene really dead?" Thomas asked.
"I sincerely hope so, but creatures like that rarely die so easily."
"Selene? That crazy S&M chick that, like, nearly killed Magneto?" Kitty blurted out.
Both Pietro and Wanda flinched a bit at that.
"Yes, the same. Selene Gallo." She didn't want to mention Magneto around the man's traumatized children. "By the way, St. John Allerdyce has joined The Hellfire Academy."
"Pyro? That nut'll probably burn the whole school down!" Pietro was glad to get the topic off of his estranged father.
"Don't worry, I can handle him."
"Is his first name really St.?" Todd asked.
"Actually, it's pronounced Sinjin. He prefers to go by John or Johnny, though."
"What about Gambit and Sabertooth?"
"Gambit is back in New Orleans, I don't really want to know where Sabertooth is."
Emma Frost noted that one young man in particular was no longer swayed by her charms. She walked over to Wanda and smiled.
"You're very lucky, Wanda, to have such a devoted young man seeking your affections."
Wanda looked over at Toad, who was giving his most cheesy and desperate smile.
"Yeah, lucky me..."
Emma sighed sadly, "It's rare to find someone who loves you unconditionally. I know, I've known several men I thought charming, who were really pigs. Young Mr. Tolensky is sincere. Whatever you think of his appearance, he is a truly noble young man..."
Todd's pathetic grin widened, his puppy-dog eyes full of hope.
Wanda face-palmed, "God, I must be going insane. I swear, if he calls me 'schnookums', 'Sweetcakes' or something similarly stupid, I'll kill him!"
"Play it cool..." Ray whispered in Todd's ear, "And if she gets angry, run like Hell, I'll cover you..."
Pietro glared at Todd as he made his way over to Wanda, shaking like a leaf. "Uhm... Uh... Sweet- I mean, Wanda... Wanna' see a movie... Or somethin', yo?"
Everyone tensed to dodge the Hex Bolts.
Wanda threw up her hands, "UGH! One date! If you so much as touch me, you die."
Todd had to hold back from hugging her and bringing certain doom on himself, tears of joy running down his face.
Pietro was already calculating how long a prison sentence he would get for killing Toad. Salmons would almost certainly make sure he got The Chair, but it might just be worth it...
Bless you Miss Frost! Todd thought happily.
Ray and Tom exchanged hopeful glances. Maybe Toad would live though this after all...
...
Almost everyone in the mansion pitched in to help Todd with advice, some good 'Never discuss her weight!' to bad 'Girls like boys to be aggressive' to terrifying 'The leading cause of death in teenage boys is teenage girls...'.
The hardest part was cleaning Toad up.
"AHHH! You got it my eyes!" Todd wailed as he frantically rubbed his eyes. He was being somewhat forcibly bathed and wasn't happy. It was bad enough to have his friends strip him naked, (then force him to put on swimming trunks), drag him into the shower and start scrubbing him raw, now they were trying to blind him with shampoo.
"Just rinse it out..." A hand under his chin pushed his face toward the showerhead. "It'll be fine."
Todd yelped, "Hey! Hands above the waist, yo!"
"Nobody's touching you down there, Todd." Freddy said. He was assigned to guard the door, in case Todd bolted, again.
He'd finally given up when they threatened to drag him stark naked into the front yard and hose him down in front of everyone.
"I can't tell which marks are dirt, spots, bruises or scars..." Ray observed.
Todd had a lot of scars, he'd had a hard life.
"The scars are pale." He mumbled.
At least he'd stopped screaming 'RAPE!" and trying to escape.
He closed his eyes and submitted to the indignity of being bathed like a child.
"Who gets the job of washin' his feet?" Ray frowned at the thought of touching Toad's feet.
"I'm not a leper, yo! An' I'm not helpless, I'll wash my own feet!" He frowned, "An' everything else below my waist!"
"Ah, well, that's not much territory to cover." Ray smirked, "Except for the feet, of course."
Todd stuck out his tongue.
"Don't be so hard on Todd, Ray. He's actually-" Thomas was about to say something truly embarrassing (for both of them) about Todd's size, but realized how it would sound in time, for once. His face reddened slightly, "I mean..."
Ray wondered about the mild remark, but didn't push it.
"I know," He smiled and tussled Todd's hair, "He's not that small..." In fact, if anything, Todd was big for his size and age, but Ray knew better than to say that. If word got to Roberto about him saying such a thing, the little creep would have all of Bayville convinced that he was gay and chasing Toad...
Todd smirked, he knew from their expressions what they were thinking. He laced his hands behind his head, after what they'd put him through, seeing them squirm was priceless.
Whistling innocently, he pulled off his trunks and threw them at Ray.
"That's It! I'm takin' this punk out front!"
Tom had to hold Ray back, getting a mild shock in the process. With a little help from Freddy, he managed to drag the raging Berzerker from the bathroom before he electrocuted them all.
Todd grinned and shut the door behind them, then locked it...
...
"Are you sure you're alright?" Ray asked. He was worried he might have actually hurt his friend...
"I'm fine." Thomas said quietly, he was laying on Todd's bed. Ray was sitting on Lance's bed, anxiously watching his friend. He was acting even more odd than usual, "Don't kill Todd, okay?"
Ray laughed, "I'll let Wanda do it..." He nodded toward Freddy, "Besides, between him and you, I'd be dead before he hit the ground."
Todd strode out of the bathroom, still naked, still whistling. "Wha's up with Tom, yo?"
"Put on a towel on or something!" Ray snapped, eyes clearly electric blue.
Todd jumped back a foot or so and quickly snatched up a towel, "Okay! Okay! Wha's wrong with Tom?"
Ray shook his head, "Just a slight shock. You're lucky he jumped in, I was gonna' fry your sorry a**."
"I guess I'm even weaker than I thought..." Tom sat up, rubbing his head.
"I'm sorry, Dawg, I didn't think..."
"Oh, shut up, frog legs." Tom smiled, "Get dressed. You can't go out with Wanda like that..."
Thomas shot Ray a sinister smirk, and when Todd dropped his towel to grab his clothes, he did his best impression of a wolf-whistle possible with a vocal projector.
Todd froze and his whole body turned bright red.
Ray collapsed on the bed laughing, and Freddy was doubled over. Tom was making that loud buzz indicating laughter as Todd quickly grabbed his clothes and rushed into the safety of the bathroom.
"That's not funny, yo!" He shouted through the bathroom door.
"Did you see his face?" Thomas was practically in tears. "I kind of feel sorry for him!"
"Wait... Wait until we... Tell him about... His chaperone..."
...
"You alright, kid?"
Todd was a shade of cherry red. "Y-yes, sir, Mr. W-Wolverine... Sir..."
Wolverine grinned as he drove the jeep out for Todd and Wanda's big date...
...
To be continued…
Notes:
More gratuitous naked Todd! He's a shameless little guy... Just can't keep his clothes on.
Wolverine is actually protecting Todd from Wanda.
Yes, Lance is a pervert.
Tom's just nuts. He loves freaking people out.
In canon, Skin was a member of Generation X, a team of young mutants led by Emma Frost and Banshee, until those fools at Marvel killed him off. That was one of their worst mistakes, he was an awesome character, and I've never forgiven them for it.
Ray knows Emma through Thomas and Richard.
Poor Todd, love makes fools of us all...