NOTE: hey everyone, I only wrote one chapter today because this one was
pretty long, and I didn't have time to write more. Oh, to answer the
questions on the review board (p.s. Thank YOU! I love reading them!), Laura
is a mutant who knew Lance before. You'll find out her power probably in
the next chapter. Hope you guys like this chapter! Please rate and review!
Kitty stood at the entrance to the carnival, armed with her babysitting manual and a backpack. She stared a little nervously at the cluster of kids that were impatiently scurrying around eyeing the rides and the candy stands eagerly. She checked her watch. Why was Pietro always late? Kitty rolled her eyes, and decided she might as well learn the kids' names. She didn't need her slacker partner anyways.
"Ahem, children, I am Kitty Pryde, and me and my partner Pietro Maximoff will be your babysitters for today. Can we go around in a circle and have you all introduce yourselves?" Kitty asked kindly. The children stared back at her as if she'd suddenly asked them to eat mud. Okay, this isn't working, Kitty thought, biting her lip. "Alright, how about we-,"
" I want candy!" a young boy with reddish hair bellowed. The prompted a chorus of similar requests.
" Shut up Davy, you always want to eat!" a little girl next to him said rather derisively.
"You shut up!"
"NO!"
"SHUT UP!" The little girl burst into tears and Davy, somewhat perplexed at the situation, sat down on the ground and punched the kid next to him. Of course, the boy began screaming. Kitty swallowed hard and backed away. She could handle a few kids, but 7?! That was cruel. Where is he?! Kitty thought furiously, as she knelt down to give some tissues to the still- bawling girl. The girl tugged at the tissues so suddenly that Kitty felt herself being jerked forward, and heard fabric tearing.
Looking down, Kitty saw that her new jeans had a hole in one knee. "Great, just great," Kitty muttered. "I wonder if I can get workers compensation for this."
Suddenly out of nowhere, Pietro appeared, looking cool and confident in a navy polo shirt and khaki shorts. Kitty fumed, as he took his sweet time in walking over. Why does he look so perfect, when I probably look like I've been dragged through the mud?
"Problems, already?"
" How nice of you to grace us with your presence," Kitty said through clenched teeth, feeling her cheeks grow hot at the grin he gave her.
"What's wrong, you look upset," Pietro asked, stepping closer. He actually looked concerned. Kitty felt her heart flutter strangely, but then stepped back, furious all over again.
"What's wrong? Okay, I'll tell you what's wrong! We have 7 kids to look after and I've had to deal with them for close to a half an hour, ALONE! What exactly were you doing? Trying out new hairstyles?" Kitty asked hotly. Pietro's eyes narrowed.
"Just because YOU can't handle some kids, doesn't mean you have to take it out on me! Instead of denying your incompetence, you should try to come to terms with it," Pietro said smoothly. Kitty forced herself to take a deep breath.
"I'm incompetent? I guess you haven't taken a good look in the mirror have you? Oh wait, that's right, I forgot that's all you do lately! Can you stop admiring yourself for one second and act responsible?!"
"Being responsible doesn't mean you have to be boring!" Pietro retorted. "I can handle these kids no problem. Watch and learn, Pryde." With that, Pietro stalked off and returned seconds later, with arms full of ice cream cones. Kitty watched open-mouthed as he handed each kid a cone, and helped the little girl that had been crying, to her feet. She took the cone from him and beamed.
"I'm Suzy," she ventured, giving Pietro a gap-toothed grin. Pietro smiled back at her and shook her hand.
"I'm Pietro."
The children had all mysteriously fallen silent, each absorbed with the task of eating. "You're the coolest Pietro!" Davy burst out, after he had finished. He wiped his sticky mouth with the sleeve of his shirt and beamed up at Pietro.
Kitty rolled her eyes. She couldn't believe it. All Pietro had done was get them ice cream and now they were treating him like a demi-god. Oh sure, he may LOOK like a god, especially last night with his hair tousled and his eyes gleaming...Kitty shook herself, blushing at her thoughts .What is wrong with me? Kitty chided.
"See, it's easy," Pietro said, walking up to her.
"Right," Kitty said dryly. Wait a few hours, and see if you feel the same way, Kitty thought, hiding a small smile.
An hour or two passed with Pietro frequently becoming distracted at the sight of a pretty girl walking by, leaving Kitty to deal with the children, who were getting more disruptive by the minute. The ice cream had served to make them hyper, and Kitty wished she had a leash to keep them, and Pietro, close by. Whenever Pietro did reappear every few minutes, he'd treat the children to more treats; candied apples, cotton candy, popcorn, and long sticks of licorice. And they loved him for it.
"They're going to be sick if you keep stuffing them with sugar," Kitty told him. Pietro scoffed.
"Please Pryde, not of all of us can live off green beans and tofu. These kids need to have SOME fun, even if you're here. Now if you'll excuse me-,"
"If you disappear on me one more time, I swear Pietro, I'll maim you!" Kitty threatened, losing the last of her patience but Pietro had already gone to talk to a tall blonde with a sickeningly phony smile. Kitty could practically feel the steam coming out of her ears. This was the last straw. He had to be the most irresponsible, arrogant-!
"We're going to go talk to Pietro okay?" Kitty told the children. At the mention of their idol's name, the kids nodded and followed her as she stalked over to where Pietro was standing, in full on flirt-mode.
"So you just dived into the ocean and saved her?" the blonde asked Pietro, awe-struck. Pietro nodded. "Wow, that is like so amazing!"
"Ahem, Pietro," Kitty said through clenched teeth. Pietro barely looked up. The blonde gave her and the kids a curious glance. "Pietro, the kids need you," Kitty repeated.
"Are all those yours?" the blonde asked disbelievingly to Pietro. Pietro opened his mouth to answer but Kitty quickly cut him off.
"Yes, I'm his wife, and these are our kids," Kitty said with a perfectly straight face. Pietro's face went bright red. The blonde gave them him a weird look.
"You should be looking after them," the blonde said. "Like, that's totally uncool." "Yes, he always neglects them, it's so sad," Kitty replied, a regretful look on her face, trying to muffle the urge to giggle hysterically. Pietro was looking murderously at her. The blonde waved and took off. As soon as she left, Pietro turned on her furiously.
"What was THAT!"
Kitty couldn't answer, the laughter that she'd suppressed came up in full force and laughed until she could feel tears starting in her eyes. Pietro watched her, his hands crossed in front of his chest.
"I was about to get a date with her until-until you told her that I was a DAD!" Pietro spit out the word.
"Daddy!" one of the children yelled helpfully. This only served to set Kitty off again. She staggered to a bench and sat down, giggling.
Pietro sat down next to her, his eyes changing as he looked at her trying to control her laughter. "What am I going to do with you Pryde?" he said softly. Kitty stopped laughing, her mouth went dry. Her mind flashed back to last night, and she felt herself leaning into him. His eyes were getting bluer and bluer as their faces got closer.
Suddenly, Suzy bounded up to them. "What are you guys DOING?"
The both jumped back, Kitty stood up blushing fiercely. "Nothing!"
Pietro looked at her and smirked. "I don't know, but it sure looked like you were trying to kiss me."
Kitty's jaw dropped open with outrage and embarrassment. Ugh, my mind must be scrambled. I will never think of Pietro THAT way, Kitty vowed, shooting him the dirtiest look she could muster.
"He's mine," Suzy informed her staunchly. Pietro muffled a laugh at the look on Kitty's face.
"Don't worry, you can have him. I wouldn't date him if he and Richard Simmons were the last two guys on earth!" Kitty retorted.
"Oh really Pryde? Are you sure you aren't secretly lusting after me?" Pietro asked, the smirk still firmly in place.
Kitty crossed her arms. "Sure in your dreams and my nightmares."
"As long as you admit it."
Kitty and Pietro faced off, their eyes sparking anger.
The children watched the exchange with interest, and Kitty snapped back to reality. She wasn't exactly making a great role model by fighting with her partner.
"Look, we call a temporary truce until this day is over. The kids won't respect us if we keep arguing," Kitty whispered to him after a moment. Pietro cast a glance at her.
"Speak for yourself, I already have their respect," Pietro said confidently.
"Oh yes, that's right...they really look up to you. Almost as if you were their..FATHER," Kitty replied sweetly, placing emphasis on the last word. Pietro glared at her.
"You're treading on thin ice, Pryde."
"Good, let's hope you fall through," Kitty replied smoothly and strode ahead. Round one was over, and she had won. Now let's just see if I can get through the rest of the day, Kitty thought, already feeling the makings of a headache coming on.
Kitty stood at the entrance to the carnival, armed with her babysitting manual and a backpack. She stared a little nervously at the cluster of kids that were impatiently scurrying around eyeing the rides and the candy stands eagerly. She checked her watch. Why was Pietro always late? Kitty rolled her eyes, and decided she might as well learn the kids' names. She didn't need her slacker partner anyways.
"Ahem, children, I am Kitty Pryde, and me and my partner Pietro Maximoff will be your babysitters for today. Can we go around in a circle and have you all introduce yourselves?" Kitty asked kindly. The children stared back at her as if she'd suddenly asked them to eat mud. Okay, this isn't working, Kitty thought, biting her lip. "Alright, how about we-,"
" I want candy!" a young boy with reddish hair bellowed. The prompted a chorus of similar requests.
" Shut up Davy, you always want to eat!" a little girl next to him said rather derisively.
"You shut up!"
"NO!"
"SHUT UP!" The little girl burst into tears and Davy, somewhat perplexed at the situation, sat down on the ground and punched the kid next to him. Of course, the boy began screaming. Kitty swallowed hard and backed away. She could handle a few kids, but 7?! That was cruel. Where is he?! Kitty thought furiously, as she knelt down to give some tissues to the still- bawling girl. The girl tugged at the tissues so suddenly that Kitty felt herself being jerked forward, and heard fabric tearing.
Looking down, Kitty saw that her new jeans had a hole in one knee. "Great, just great," Kitty muttered. "I wonder if I can get workers compensation for this."
Suddenly out of nowhere, Pietro appeared, looking cool and confident in a navy polo shirt and khaki shorts. Kitty fumed, as he took his sweet time in walking over. Why does he look so perfect, when I probably look like I've been dragged through the mud?
"Problems, already?"
" How nice of you to grace us with your presence," Kitty said through clenched teeth, feeling her cheeks grow hot at the grin he gave her.
"What's wrong, you look upset," Pietro asked, stepping closer. He actually looked concerned. Kitty felt her heart flutter strangely, but then stepped back, furious all over again.
"What's wrong? Okay, I'll tell you what's wrong! We have 7 kids to look after and I've had to deal with them for close to a half an hour, ALONE! What exactly were you doing? Trying out new hairstyles?" Kitty asked hotly. Pietro's eyes narrowed.
"Just because YOU can't handle some kids, doesn't mean you have to take it out on me! Instead of denying your incompetence, you should try to come to terms with it," Pietro said smoothly. Kitty forced herself to take a deep breath.
"I'm incompetent? I guess you haven't taken a good look in the mirror have you? Oh wait, that's right, I forgot that's all you do lately! Can you stop admiring yourself for one second and act responsible?!"
"Being responsible doesn't mean you have to be boring!" Pietro retorted. "I can handle these kids no problem. Watch and learn, Pryde." With that, Pietro stalked off and returned seconds later, with arms full of ice cream cones. Kitty watched open-mouthed as he handed each kid a cone, and helped the little girl that had been crying, to her feet. She took the cone from him and beamed.
"I'm Suzy," she ventured, giving Pietro a gap-toothed grin. Pietro smiled back at her and shook her hand.
"I'm Pietro."
The children had all mysteriously fallen silent, each absorbed with the task of eating. "You're the coolest Pietro!" Davy burst out, after he had finished. He wiped his sticky mouth with the sleeve of his shirt and beamed up at Pietro.
Kitty rolled her eyes. She couldn't believe it. All Pietro had done was get them ice cream and now they were treating him like a demi-god. Oh sure, he may LOOK like a god, especially last night with his hair tousled and his eyes gleaming...Kitty shook herself, blushing at her thoughts .What is wrong with me? Kitty chided.
"See, it's easy," Pietro said, walking up to her.
"Right," Kitty said dryly. Wait a few hours, and see if you feel the same way, Kitty thought, hiding a small smile.
An hour or two passed with Pietro frequently becoming distracted at the sight of a pretty girl walking by, leaving Kitty to deal with the children, who were getting more disruptive by the minute. The ice cream had served to make them hyper, and Kitty wished she had a leash to keep them, and Pietro, close by. Whenever Pietro did reappear every few minutes, he'd treat the children to more treats; candied apples, cotton candy, popcorn, and long sticks of licorice. And they loved him for it.
"They're going to be sick if you keep stuffing them with sugar," Kitty told him. Pietro scoffed.
"Please Pryde, not of all of us can live off green beans and tofu. These kids need to have SOME fun, even if you're here. Now if you'll excuse me-,"
"If you disappear on me one more time, I swear Pietro, I'll maim you!" Kitty threatened, losing the last of her patience but Pietro had already gone to talk to a tall blonde with a sickeningly phony smile. Kitty could practically feel the steam coming out of her ears. This was the last straw. He had to be the most irresponsible, arrogant-!
"We're going to go talk to Pietro okay?" Kitty told the children. At the mention of their idol's name, the kids nodded and followed her as she stalked over to where Pietro was standing, in full on flirt-mode.
"So you just dived into the ocean and saved her?" the blonde asked Pietro, awe-struck. Pietro nodded. "Wow, that is like so amazing!"
"Ahem, Pietro," Kitty said through clenched teeth. Pietro barely looked up. The blonde gave her and the kids a curious glance. "Pietro, the kids need you," Kitty repeated.
"Are all those yours?" the blonde asked disbelievingly to Pietro. Pietro opened his mouth to answer but Kitty quickly cut him off.
"Yes, I'm his wife, and these are our kids," Kitty said with a perfectly straight face. Pietro's face went bright red. The blonde gave them him a weird look.
"You should be looking after them," the blonde said. "Like, that's totally uncool." "Yes, he always neglects them, it's so sad," Kitty replied, a regretful look on her face, trying to muffle the urge to giggle hysterically. Pietro was looking murderously at her. The blonde waved and took off. As soon as she left, Pietro turned on her furiously.
"What was THAT!"
Kitty couldn't answer, the laughter that she'd suppressed came up in full force and laughed until she could feel tears starting in her eyes. Pietro watched her, his hands crossed in front of his chest.
"I was about to get a date with her until-until you told her that I was a DAD!" Pietro spit out the word.
"Daddy!" one of the children yelled helpfully. This only served to set Kitty off again. She staggered to a bench and sat down, giggling.
Pietro sat down next to her, his eyes changing as he looked at her trying to control her laughter. "What am I going to do with you Pryde?" he said softly. Kitty stopped laughing, her mouth went dry. Her mind flashed back to last night, and she felt herself leaning into him. His eyes were getting bluer and bluer as their faces got closer.
Suddenly, Suzy bounded up to them. "What are you guys DOING?"
The both jumped back, Kitty stood up blushing fiercely. "Nothing!"
Pietro looked at her and smirked. "I don't know, but it sure looked like you were trying to kiss me."
Kitty's jaw dropped open with outrage and embarrassment. Ugh, my mind must be scrambled. I will never think of Pietro THAT way, Kitty vowed, shooting him the dirtiest look she could muster.
"He's mine," Suzy informed her staunchly. Pietro muffled a laugh at the look on Kitty's face.
"Don't worry, you can have him. I wouldn't date him if he and Richard Simmons were the last two guys on earth!" Kitty retorted.
"Oh really Pryde? Are you sure you aren't secretly lusting after me?" Pietro asked, the smirk still firmly in place.
Kitty crossed her arms. "Sure in your dreams and my nightmares."
"As long as you admit it."
Kitty and Pietro faced off, their eyes sparking anger.
The children watched the exchange with interest, and Kitty snapped back to reality. She wasn't exactly making a great role model by fighting with her partner.
"Look, we call a temporary truce until this day is over. The kids won't respect us if we keep arguing," Kitty whispered to him after a moment. Pietro cast a glance at her.
"Speak for yourself, I already have their respect," Pietro said confidently.
"Oh yes, that's right...they really look up to you. Almost as if you were their..FATHER," Kitty replied sweetly, placing emphasis on the last word. Pietro glared at her.
"You're treading on thin ice, Pryde."
"Good, let's hope you fall through," Kitty replied smoothly and strode ahead. Round one was over, and she had won. Now let's just see if I can get through the rest of the day, Kitty thought, already feeling the makings of a headache coming on.