Normally Abnormal
By Chyna Rose
Disclaimer: I don't own X-Men Evolution; I'm just borrowing them for a bit. This is a Brotherhood fic, and set in an alternate universe at that.
@---*---@
"Ah shrimp!"
"Who you callin shrimp, yo?"
"These." Abby said as she held up a bag of raw shrimp. Todd perched himself on a chair to watch Abby.
"Oh."
"You really should learn to be a little less sensitive about that."
"Whatever. Hey, isn't Pietro supposed to be workin KP tonight?"
"I know. And I still have to do laundry." Abby sighed. She set the bag on the table and began shelling. "Do you have any idea what's up with him? He's been acting strange lately. Well, strange for him anyway."
"It's probably a foster thing."
"That's what you always say."
"Well, it's true ain't it?"
"Only some of the time. So, basically you have no idea what's up with him."
"Uh… Yeah. That's about right."
Todd and Abby lapsed into silence as Abby made short work of the shrimp in front of her. Todd just sat there watching her. Elsewhere, a door slammed, shortly followed by a second one.
"Wonder what that was about."
"Wanna find out?" Abby asked as she put the now shelled shrimp in the fridge.
"How?"
"Well, I do have to gather the dirty laundry before I can wash it…"
…---…
"Dirty laundry. Toss out your dirty laundry." Abby asked as she stopped in front of the closed door, and knocked. Abby and Todd waited. When no answer came, she tried again.
"Dirty laundry. If you want it cleaned, toss it out."
"I don't think he's in there."
"Good." Abby said as she pushed her way in.
"Good? What do you mean good? And what are you doing?"
"My chores. Besides, I'm not actively snooping."
"Then what are you doing?"
"Passively snooping. I'm just keeping an eye open for any clues; not searching them out."
"What kind of clues?"
"Anything that may help explain his behavior. Hey Todd, come over here for a moment."
"You found something?"
"Sure looks like it."
Todd made his way over to where Abby was standing. She didn't turn to face him, instead keeping her attention on whatever she had called him over to see.
"What do you make of it?" she asked. It turned out to be a particular section of Pietro's bed. This section appeared to be the site of some recent action.
"Isn't that the pic Tamara drew for your birthday?" Todd asked pointing to a picture of some immodestly clad males pulled from various fandoms.
"So that's where it went. I wondered what happened to it."
"Uh, Abby, why are you smiling like that?"
"Like what?"
"Don't give me that innocent act
yo. You're smiling evilly again aren't you?"
"So what if I am?"
"It's just wrong."
"But it's fun. Besides, how evil is it to be proven right?"
"Right about what?"
"Nothing that I'm really free to tell."
"Oh come on."
"Think Todd." Abby said as she waved the picture in front of Todd's face. "I know you can put the pieces together for yourself."
Todd looked from the picture to the spot where it was found. And then back a few times. Slowly a smile of realization began to form on his face. Abby answered it with her own cat and canary grin. And together, they finished collecting the dirty laundry.