Chapter 3

Runaround Sue

Durring the time that Scott spent with Lance he learned many things about the other teen. For starters this guy was always on a hustle.

If there was money to be made he was there.

He had three jobs that Scott knew of. And he was sure there were more.

Mystique was gone. But Scott knew that already.

He wondered even as he watched the other change the oil on the old ford in this old worn down garage, when did he even have time to make mischeif. The Lance he remembered stayed in trouble. He couldn't go anywhere without it seeming to follow him. Now if you wanted to find him you couldn't unless you already knew where to look.

"You gonna sit there and watch me all day?" Lance called from under the truck.

Scott only smiled. "If you'd let me help you'd already be finished and we could get the hell outta here." He joked but made sure to sound annoyed. Being annoyed all the time to everyone was all apart of the whole bad boy bit, or thats what Lance had drilled into his head with a few other things.

Like he couldn't cut his hair, letting it grow out long and slightly oily. And of course all bad boys needed the signature barking laugh of synicalness.

"I don't need your help boy scout. Im almost done." Yeah lance was better at the annoyed responses than him. But he'd get there.

He slid out from under the truck with a proud smirk present. And rounded the old ford to climb in and start her up.

She was so old she definitley wasn't purring. It was more like a bark but hey it was running.

The old engine shut off and the other climbed out swinging the keys. "What? Are you staying. Come on lets go."

Scott smirked and follow the other out. He had brief words with the old man who ran the place. Mr. Baker if Scott remembered correctly. And then they both headed out to Lances jeep.

"So am I learning anything today or am I just here so you have something nice to look at." Scott teased once they were rolling down the road and he was pleased to see the other color slightly at this.

"Well we can rob this little corner store on the right just ahead here. Or we can go back to the house and watch Family Guy. Your choice." He was serious Scott could tell and was more than astonished for a second by the carelessness of his tone.

"You know I think cartoons sounds like a good idea." He squeaked out.

Lance only nodded. "Another day." he said smirking his evil bad boy smirk. Lance 1, Scott 0.

So thats where he found him self and hour or so later. Lance Alveres head on his shoulder. While his arm was sat loose around his shoulders.

Something else that Scott noticed was that the other was quite fond of his personal space. It was odd for the other to let anyone close to him even Scott.

Scott himself usually initiated the touches. Lance did occasionaly. Mostly under durress and this made the spectacled teen wonder if the emotions that were there were just too much him. Like the one time he'd picked Lance up from his job roofing houses. He had been distant and unsettle and the moment he and Scott were alone he'd pulled him into an intense kiss. There were so many emotions in that kiss it made Scott dizzy.

There weren't supposed to be emotions there.

Scott knew. And so did Lance.

But then there were moments like these. Where Lance would laugh softly. Or lightly thrum his fingers against his thigh sending sparks of electricity through him.

Times that made him wonder if his dark thoughts of Jean and Logan really mattered anymore. It still hurt. That hadn't changed. He had gone to tell her many times. Even after promising himself he wouldn't anymore. But he never in any of those times told her about himself and Lance.

It was like a physical, breathing monster in the house. Every set of knowing eyes.

Every lie hurt worse than the last. And the worse times of catching the other two in the act were getting old. He wondered why he returned there sometimes.

He was beggining to dose when he was suddenly overtaken by bright white electricity. He was shot from the couch and stuck securly to a nearby was by a flying slime ball.

Perfect.

The other four brotherhood members looked a him with distasteful expressions while Scott could see Lance scrambling off the couch a furious look present.

"Damnit Todd! Do you know how hard it is to get that crap off the walls." He snarled out and the house gave a slight shake.

Oh boy.

"Do you know you was layed up with Summers yo'." He shot back.

Lance turned an even darker shade of red and the others shot him accusing looks.

"Well obviously I knew, I was there." He was blocking the question Scott could tell the others knew too cause now they were smirking.

"So you wanted to be snuggled up with Summers?" Wanda teased clearly ammused. She was never amused but this was too good.

The house gave a rough shake. Rougher than before. And Suddenly Scott slid from his blue shirt and plopped down to the floor.

He looked up at his shirt. Now permenantly implanted on the brotherhood wall.

"I dont know Lance, Its like a new crazy art peice or something. You should leave it. Yeah?" He said it as serously as he possibly could and the reward was the look of pure annoyance on the others face.

"Ha ha Scott. Your gonna start now too. Ok I got you." He smiled and evil smile and barely was there time to take the words back.

"Scott wants to be a bad boy. As a matter of fact. I think now may be the perfect time to take this bad boy thing to the next level. What do you say Scott."

"Um. . ." he stuttered but it was Fred who spoke up before he could.

"Scott a bad boy. But you said he would always be a goody goody."

"Right. How cute. Why would you even humor this X-geek Lance." Pietro conitued.

"Cause Im a good kisser." Scott smiled as Lance suddenly shot him a murderous glare. If he had to put up with the teasing so did lance. Scott 1 Lance 1 they were all tied up.

And the tie breaker would be what ever Lance had up his theoretical sleeve next. Scott could tell by the look on the others face he was gonna have to prove himself to his team here and now. So he would.

Everyone in the room was silent for a moment. And Scott wondered if he may have broken the brotherhood. No such luck.

"That makes so much sense. All that fighting ya'll use to do. That was just foreplay." Pietro said and laughed. And it must have been infectious because everyone was doing it.

He shot Lance a look and other huffed and rolled his eyes.

"Wanda. Feel like doing an initiation?" Lance asked, Wanda suddenly froze looking like a cat who got the cream. She scrambled out of the room excitedly to parts of the house unknown.

"Well boy scout if your gonna back out it'll probably be now." Lance grinned at him. A grin and not a smirk Scott noticed. Ah to be insulted and praised at the same time was an odd feeling Lance managed to invoke so well.

Wanda reappeared with a Large box and Scott suddenly got it. The Tatoo gun cute and red and all the colors were a dead give away.

"Well whats it gonna be Summers? You gonna back out." Pietro taunted and Scott just rolled his eyes behind his glasses.

This was gonna hurt.

"Nope. Wanda where do you want me." Scott asked, wary but ok. Wanda smiled and sat . Patting the dirty floor.

He huffed and sat, back faceing her.

The tatoo gun lifted in a blue white glow and seemed to pulse in the air.

Scarlet witch.

Gotta be careful with this one.

"Wanda?" he started but was cut off.

"Hush. The magic will find the words beneath you skin. It'll be cool." Her tone was reassuring. But It stung sooooo freaking bad.

He bit his lip to prevent from griping and sat as still as possible as to not jerk and get a needle in the back.

After what seemed like hours, but Scott was quite sure it wasn't. He was finished.

He stood and flexed his sleeping legs.

Every member of the brotherhood had remained through the "initiation" .

Surprising? Just a bit.

Lance was the first to hop up from the worn sofa. And spin him around.

"Runaround Sue." he said aloud and snorted.

"Damn thats rough buddy." wanda snickered and the others look uneasy.

"Well I guess it official yo" Todd bounced excitedly.

"Yup." Pietro and Fred Chimed in as well.

"They're right. Scott welcome to the brother hood." Lance gave him a look that meant trouble. This whole situation was trouble.

Scott sighed. And boredly said "Yipee"