Authors note: Another long one, but I wanted to give the Brotherhood at
least a little bit in this fic. Todd may seem a little OC, but if I had
him acting totally in character then this chapter would have gone on
forever while he and Kurt swapped insults! Plus, there is a bit of cussin'
in this chapter ---- but not too much. Anyways, hope you like it!
His body gave a slight jerk, pale eyes snapping open. He quickly raised his head from the pillow --- and then instantly regretted it. His skull screamed in protest, causing him to wince in pain and hold a three-fingered hand to his forehead.
"Ach, schieze!" he cursed, flopping weakly back onto the bed. There was the sound of hurried footsteps and the unexpected feel of someone's hand on his arm. A low voice whispered softly from the darkness.
"I know, I know. It hurts."
The blue furred boy stared unblinkingly up into the woman's face. "I thought you said that tea would help," he spluttered painfully through gritted teeth. "I feel worse!"
Mystique pulled her hand away and seated herself on the edge of the bed. "Your temperature has gone down and your fever is dissipating. The worst is over."
Kurt groaned and rolled over onto his side. "Tell that to whoever's dancing the can-can on my brain."
"For one who was out all night in the middle of a storm, I would say that you look remarkably well." She watched his closely for a moment, then turned slowly away. "It is merely a head ache. It will soon pass."
He muttered illegibly under his breath, but said nothing further. His hooded gaze followed the movements of her hands with idle interest. There were a number of candles placed around the room, and she was moving one on the bedside table in order to offer him greater illumination. The room was a dark as it had been before - the only light was that which pooled flickering gold from the candles. After a moment of silently surveying the room, he surmised that the curtains were pulled. He could see the dim outlines of windows, heavy drapes fixed in place. It half occurred to him to wonder why she ha done that. Not that it mattered much.
"What time is it?" he croaked.
"Almost noon." The response was automatic - she didn't even pause to check a watch or clock. But somehow, he knew that she was right.
He frowned sleepily. "How long was I out?"
"Five hours or so."
Kurt blinked, surprised. It didn't feel like that long.
A sudden thought crossed his mind, and he looked at her with suspicious curiosity. "And you stayed here the whole time?"
She turned to face him, nodding slowly. "I said that I would."
There was a short silence as he processed this information. Mystique had stayed with him --- as he slept --- for five hours? It seemed so --- so motherly --- something that his own mother - his German mother - would do. A memory of Mrs Wagner sitting by his bedside when he was sick with measles flicked briefly through his mind. The longing for home was suddenly so strong, he could hardly breathe.
He would have given anything if it meant that he could open his eyes and find himself in his bedroom in Germany. He could imagine it now. Same mountain view from his window --- same scent of forest fresh air --- his fathers voice drifting up the stairs, just as it had every morning for the fifteen years before he came to Bayville.
But that was all a dream. This was real. And if Kurt was going to get through it, he couldn't afford to waste his time with idle hopes.
A sudden noise pulled the young mutant from his thoughts. He jerked in surprise, eyes flying wide.
"What was that?" he murmured, glancing at the bedroom door with ill- disguised apprehension. The heavy banging continued downstairs.
Mystique snarled and silently rose from the bed. Standing at her full height, Kurt couldn't help but feel a twist of instinctive fear. He had seen her in battle and knew just how fearsome an enemy she could be. She may have helped him on this occasion, but he wasn't foolish enough to let his guard down.
And right now she was looking royally pissed.
Glittering eyes narrowed, she turned briefly to look at her son. "Stay here," she told him firmly. "I will not be long."
Kurt watched silently as she strode towards the door, disappearing into the darkness beyond. He coughed weakly and rolled over onto his back; head feeling like it was being split into two.
Stay here, she said. Where else did she expect him to go?
Lance released his fist, allowing the tremors to subside a little. Chucks of dry plaster fell from the living-room ceiling, dust falling in light cottony clouds.
Todd looked up at him uneasily from where he was crouched on the bare floorboards. "Hey man, you sure you want to be doing that in here? I mean, I'm pretty pissed with Mystique too, but I don't see how demolishing the house is gonna help."
The Brotherhood leader frowned. "If I wanted to bring the house down, you losers would be six feet under a pile of rubble by now." He sniffed at kicked distractedly at the wall. "I'm just getting the boss's attention, that's all."
If that was Lance's objective, it was successful. They heard her unmistakable tread before she even entered the room, footsteps made heavy with her angry stride. She burst through the door, eyes flashing in dark rage, scarlet hair flaming over her shoulders.
"What do you think you are doing?!" she cried furiously.
Lance met her stare with cool detachment, raising his chin slightly. Lance might not have been Mr Responsibility --- but he was a good leader, and he wasn't about to take any BS from Mystique. They had already been down that road once --- he wasn't prepared to do it again.
"I could ask you the same question."
The sapphire skinned mutant gave a low growl. "I have no time for your games, Avalanche. I want you all back at school --- now. I will not tell you a second time."
Lance scowled. "Actually, I think we're pretty comfortable here thanks."
"It was *not* a request. It was an order."
The boy took a step towards her. "The Brotherhood doesn't take orders anymore. Not from you, not from Magneto." He narrowed his eyes. "Maybe if you asked nicely---"
Mystique briefly considered simply picking him up and throwing him out of her way. She was certainly strong enough. However, she simply curled her hands into fists, holding back. Like it or not, she needed the Brotherhood --- for the time being at least. They had their uses.
And besides, from the corner of her eyes she noted the other three boys closing ranks around their leader. One alone, she might have been able to fight. But all four? Even if she wanted to, it would be a battle that she would have difficulty in winning.
A silver-haired mutant appeared from behind Lance. Pietro, immaculately presented as usual, watcher her with grim amusement. She hated it when he got that smug look on his face. He was too cocky --- too self assured ---
It unnerved her.
"Seems you've been keeping secrets, oh beloved leader. So come on - anything you want to come clean about? Any burning confessions that you need to make, hmmmm? Come on Mystique - you've got a captivated audience here. Don't keep us waiting."
He flashed her a confident smirk, eyes glittering with dark entertainment.
You wouldn't be such an arrogant little bastard if your daddy knew what you got up too, Mystique thought to herself. It cheered her a little. She didn't say anything, however - simply gritted her teeth. It didn't take a telepath to figure out what Pietro was talking about.
She sighed wearily and looked down at the floor. "Kurt."
"Damn right, 'Kurt'." Lance folded his arms across his chest, tilting his head. "Now what I want to know is - since when were the X-geeks allowed in the Brotherhood house?"
Mystique allowed a small smile of self congratulation to play on her mouth. "He is no longer a part of the X Men. He left them last night."
A short silence greeted this revelation, as she had known that it would.
"Why?"
The question was from Fred, his voice lowered thoughtfully. Mystique held little love for the Brotherhood --- or for anyone else for that matter --- but Fred Dukes she somehow found able to tolerate. Of all the boys, he was the least irritating.
"That is none of your concern," she told him sharply, looking around at the four watchful figures. "All that any of you need concern yourselves with is the fact that he will be staying here for the time being."
She turned to walk out of the door but suddenly found her way blocked. Pietro Maximoff leaned against the door-frame.
"Sorry boss lady, but that just ain't good enough."
Mystique was about to bat him out of her way, but seemed to think better of it. She considered him thoughtfully for a moment, a meditate frown contorting her brow. What was the point? It was probably all over the Xavier Institute by now - it was only a matter of time before someone told them. And what harm could it do. In their own way, the Brotherhood might even prove useful to her ---
She turned to Lance, placing her hands on her hips and coolly lifting her head. She gave a minute nod. "Very well. As you have probably gathered by now, Kurt came here late last night after running away from Xavier's. He found out something last night that was --- difficult for him to come to terms with. I offered him a place here until he could get his head together."
Lance didn't miss the small gleam of triumph in the woman's eyes. "Difficult to come to terms with?" He arched a dark eyebrow. "And I don't suppose you had anything to do with that did you?" He watched her expectantly.
Mystique gave a slow smile. He was smart, but she was smarter.
"As a matter of fact --- yes, I did." She began to wander leisurely about the room, movements slow and deliberate. She ran an azure finger over the sideboard. "I allowed him to find out certain truths about his past --- truths which I knew would cause him a conflict of interest. You see, Kurt is my son --- but he is not the only child I have borne. There was another. A sister. And last night I revealed her identity to him."
There was an even deeper silence than before. The four present members of the Brotherhood stared at her in utter shock, eyes wide and jaws open. Even Pietro seemed to be at a loss for words.
Take that you condescending little creep, she sneered inwardly.
"It gets even better," she told them, victorious smile flashing brilliant white against midnight blue skin. "My daughter --- Kurt's sister --- was standing right next to him when I told him. They had been friends for months and had no idea!" She gave a hard laugh, turning on her heel to face the boys.
"It's Rogue."
Freddy stared at the ceiling, scowling of thought. He was laid across the dilapidated old couch, one arm resting under his head. The blue flicker of the television cast weird shadows against the wall, tinny TV voices doing little to disguise the heavy quiet. A quick glance out of the widow would have told him the night had fallen --- but he didn't look. He simply continued to stare at the ceiling. It helped him to think.
"So do you think she was telling the truth? About Kurt and Rogue I mean?"
It was Todd.
Pietro gave a snarl of irritation. He was occupying the window ledge, leaning against the glass with his knees pulled up to his chest. Freddy recognized it as his thinking pose, and knew better than to try and disturb him.
"For like the fifteen-billionth time already," the snowy haired mutant hissed, "We don't know. Now leave it!"
Lance shot him a warning look before continuing to stare dully at the television. "As far as Mystique's concerned, I wouldn't trust her as far as I could throw her. But if she was lying, then why is the fuzz ball sleeping upstairs?" He frowned and shook his head. "It doesn't make sense."
Quicksilver looked blankly out at the darkened garden. "Maybe she's screwing him."
"Pietro, you're sick, you know that?"
The boy remained motionless, then gave a world-weary sigh. "That's what living in this dump for a year does to you," he mused quietly.
Todd listened to the conversation with idle interest, scratching his limp hair. They hadn't gone back to school after Mystique's revelation - simply hanging around the house for the afternoon. He had been struggling to get his thoughts straight all evening --- with little or no success.
Kurt was Mystique's son. Rogue was Mystique's daughter. Kurt was Rogue's brother, but neither of them knew, except now they did. Kurt was an X Man but he had run away to the Brotherhood house, but he wasn't joining the Brotherhood. Or was he? Or was he just spending some time with Mystique before he went back to the Institute ---?
He shook his head, more confused than ever.
Freddy had been watching his friend for a couple of minutes now. He gave a slight smile and shifted until he was in a sitting position. "You okay Toad?"
Todd started at the sound of his nickname. He was called Toad by both his friends and his enemies, but by the way that Fred said it, he knew better than to take offence. He sniffed and raised his pale eyebrows.
"Huh?"
"By the look on you're face, you're either thinking about something or you're severally constipated."
The small boy rolled his eyes. "The way you cook, I wouldn't be surprised."
Freddy grinned. Insults were the way that the Brotherhood communicated. In actual fact, his cooking had vastly improved over the past few months. Ever since Tabitha had left the house, he no longer feared what he might find in the refrigerator. It had helped his confidence in the kitchen.
His look softened and he shrugged one shoulder uneasily. "You thinkin' about what Mystique said?"
"Uh-huh."
"Yeah. Me too."
Todd Tolanksi raised himself onto his hunches and hopped closer to the couch. Crouching in front of Fred, he screwed up his face in a look of confusion. "I don't get it."
"What's not to get?" Lance's voice drifted from the armchair. "Rogue and Kurt are brother and sister. Its not exactly rocket science."
The Toad scowled. "Yeah --- but how?"
Pietro gave a short laugh from his perch by the window. Half his face was consumed by shadows, the other glowing eerily pale in the lamp light. "Dude, I know that you're 'inexperienced' in that area, but didn't you ever learn about the birds and the bees?" He snorted. "Pleeease don't make me draw you a diagram. I flunked art."
Todd gave a small grunt of indignation. He hated it when Pietro got all superior on him.
"I didn't mean it like that, yo. All I'm sayin', is that even if Kurt and Rogue where --- you know --- related, those two are, like, buds or something. Why is the blue freak here instead of playing happy families with Rogue? It don't make no sense."
There was a considering quiet, Todd's question left hanging in the air. The truth was - nobody knew the answer. Why was Kurt at the Brotherhood house? That guy was almost as dedicated to the X Men as Scott 'stick-up- his-arse' Summers. It would have taken a lot to get him to leave ---
Lance sighed and rose slowly from the armchair, slight look of discomfort playing on his face as he rubbed at the small of his back.
"Spaghetti for dinner do you all?"
Days passed and Kurt knew nothing but the darkness of the bedroom. Wait, no, that was a lie. He had made brief trips into the on-suit bathroom for the essentials. He didn't dawdle in there however, and he never once looked at his reflection. At the back of his mind there was the nagging fear that if he looked in a mirror, the face that looked back at him wouldn't be his own. Something had changed in him, deep down. He didn't want to be confronted with that reality in his reflection.
He hadn't washed in the time that he had stayed at the Brotherhood house. Hadn't showered, brushed his teeth, combed his hair --- such things seemed so inconsequential in the big picture. He hadn't changed his clothes either - still wearing the X Men uniform he had on the night of the Monster Truck rally. He suspected that he probably smelt a lot like Toad. The truth was; he simply didn't care.
His only visitor for the whole time was Mystique. She visited him at least once a day, sometimes for hours on end. And they talked. Day by day, hour by hour, Kurt began to unravel the mysteries that had plagued him his whole life. She told him about their lives together in the castle in Germany --- about what had happened on the night he had fallen into the river. He had expected to feel angry with her, but somehow, he couldn't muster the energy. All he felt was a kind of weary acceptance. Must have been the tea.
Their conversations were long, but Kurt found that he had problems keeping track of them. He would drift in and out of consciousness --- floating somewhere between purgatory and earth. Sometimes he would hear himself speak, and wonder who it was who was talking with such intimate knowledge of his thoughts. He told her about his life in Germany --- what his parents had been like --- small memories from his childhood that seemed to give her infinite pleasure. And she told him things too. She was always very vague --- never providing him with many details --- but from what he gathered, he began to paint a picture of his mother's life.
Kurt had thought that he had had it bad. His experiences were nothing compared to hers.
But the one thing that he wanted to know was the one thing that she never told him. During the talks, she never once motioned anything of Rogue's origins. When he would ask her, she would always brush him off.
"Later Kurt. The time isn't right yet."
When would it be time? She was waiting for something, he could tell. The question was - what?
Days of talk and sleep and bitter tea. Soon the blue furred boy found himself gaining in strength. He didn't leave the confides of the room, though he often heard the movement of the Brotherhood members as they occupied the house. Mystique brought him his meals - he had a feeling that he was dining far better than any of the Brotherhood - and they ate together. He wasn't lonely. Not yet. But he knew that he soon would be.
He couldn't stop thinking about Rogue.
She was on his mind every waking moment, and she haunted his dreams at night. He wondered how she was coping. So many times he considered calling her at the Institute, but something always held him back. Common sense most likely. Their last meeting had ended baldly and now he was too ashamed to try to get back in contact. He had tried to kiss her. He had tried to kiss his sister. No wonder she had gotten mad - she probably thought that he was some kind of pervert. More than that, it was the look of utter disgust when he had told her how he felt. Rogue had never made an issue out of his appearance, but the look in her eyes that night told him all that he needed to know. She thought he was a freak --- a thing --- an it. He revolted her.
How could he ever show his face again?
Kurt sat up in bed, eyes trained dully into space. He was alone in the room, Mystique having left almost an hour since. She would be back before the day was over, that he had no doubt of. In the mean time, it gave him a chance to think. Or sleep. Whatever came first.
There was a soft knocking at the door. Kurt frowned - Mystique never knocked.
A slim band of light widened as the door opened. The illuminated doorway stood out, bright and golden, against the shaded darkness of the bedroom. A silhouetted figure appeared from the light.
Kurt gave a grunt of pain and shielded his eyes. After endless days of darkness, the sudden brightness hurt his eyes.
"Oops, sorry 'bout that." There was a hollow thud as the door was hurriedly shut. "That better?"
He blinked, giving his sensitive pupils a moment to adjust. He frowned and looked over to where the figure was still standing. "What--"
"It's Todd. You know, Todd Tolanksi? The Toad? Don't tell me you've got amnesia!"
Kurt scowled. "My brain's working just fine. Thanks for caring." He rested back against the propped-up pillows. "What are *you* doing here?"
Todd hopped tentatively closer. "I brought you lunch, see?" He held up the tray he was carrying.
"Lunch?"
"Its half past one in the afternoon Rip Van Winkle, and I know that Mystique hasn't fed you all day. I thought you might be hungry." Reaching the bed, he stood to his full height and deposited the tray on the bedside table. He looked around him with undisguised curiosity. "Jeez, did somebody die in here?"
Kurt watched him uncertainly. "Huh?"
Todd waved a hand at the darkened room. "Candles --- drapes --- it looks like funeral parlor in here. Either that or the set from a bad porn movie."
The other boy coughed weakly. "Why don't you go and ask Mystique if you're so interested? I'm sure she'd be more than happy to answer any questions you have. Me, I have better things to do."
"Like what? Get rigor mortis? You haven't left this room since you got here."
"Ja. So?"
"Well, don't you think that's kinda rude? I know you're only a ratty fuzz ball loser but I figured that they taught you better manners than that up at X-Geek mansion."
Kurt groaned. He didn't want to fight. Not now. He could feel the by-now familiar throb of an approaching headache. He looked up at Todd with mournful eyes. "Why are you here, Toad?"
Todd paused, blinked once, then shrugged. "I don't know. Just wanted to talk I guess."
"I don't feel much like talking." Kurt told him pointedly.
If Todd understood the hint, he didn't show it. He hopped onto the edge of the bed, perching himself near Kurt's knees. "That's okay; I don't mind doing all the talking. You can just listen if you like." He sniffed and continued to gaze around the bedroom. "This a real nice set-up you've got here, blue boy. Really landed on your freaky two-toe feet this time, haven't ya? Still, I guess you're used to living the high life, right? Living up at that Xavier place. Three meals a day and carpets in every room." The pale boy sniggered. "The Brotherhood house is going to be one heck of a culture shock for you, man."
"Really?" His voice was cold, disinterested.
"Yup."
Kurt yawned. He wished he could sleep some more. "Who cares? I'll happily go and live in Siberia if it means that I never have to see the Institute again."
The traces of bitterness in the words did not entirely escape Todd's notice. He squirmed uncomfortably, looking away. "I err --- I know about you and Rogue."
The blue furred boy shot him a sharp look. "What do you know?"
"You know, about her being your sister an' all."
"Oh, that." Kurt let himself sink wearily into the soft pillows, small sigh escaping his lips. "If you've come to make a joke about it, take your shot. I don't care anymore."
Todd frowned, turning to face his long-time advisory. "Hey man, I'd never joke about something like that."
Kurt snorted. "Sure you wouldn't."
"No, really." The Toad-like mutant cupped his hands in his lap and began twiddling his thumbs self-consciously. "You and me aren't exactly best buddies, but I'd never make fun of family stuff. What do you take me for?" He frowned uneasily. "That's --- well, that's kinda the reason what I came to talk to you about."
There was a lengthy pause, then a suspicious glare from Kurt. "What do you mean ---?"
Todd sighed and shook his greasy head. "Okay, I'm gonna be straight with you. I don't think that you should be here."
The ex-X-Man gave a slight exhale of relief. Now he understood. "Well that's a surprise."
"No, that's not what I meant." He thought for moment. "Well, it is, but that's not what I'm talking about now. I don't think that you should be in the Brotherhood house because I think that you should be trying to patch things up with Rogue."
"Can it, Tolanski, you don't know anything about it. Now leave me alone."
Todd sneered. "Typical X geek philosophy. Abuse the Toad, even when he's trying to be nice."
Kurt rolled his pale eyes, pulling the blanket closer around. "If you tried to be nice to me, I'd probably die of a heart attack first."
"You really can't accept that I might actually be trying to help you, can you?"
Kurt laughed bitterly. "Let's just call it experience, shall we?"
Todd stared at him incredulously for a moment, shaking his head. He hopped down of the bed and began to walk away. "Fine." He growled "Just forget it."
"Where are you going?"
Todd didn't turn around. "Downstairs. Enjoy your lunch."
He reached the door and placed a hand on the handle. Gripping the cool metal tightly, he began to step out of the room.
"No, wait. Don't go."
Todd paused in surprise at the plea. Turned around to look at the raven- haired boy, Kurt had sat up in bed, pale blue eyes staring at him in undisguised desperation.
The Brotherhood mutant scowled. "You think I'm gonna stick around here to be insulted?"
Kurt shrugged weakly, swallowing. He ran a tongue over his dry lips. "Look --- I-I'm sorry about that. If you stay I'll be on my best behavior --- I promise." He watched Todd's reaction hopefully. "I guess --- I need someone to talk to too."
Toad sniffed, pausing in thought. After a long moment, he gave a slight nod. "Okay, deal." He turned from the door and moved back towards the bed. "Heck,'s not like I have anything better to do."
The young German gave a small smile of gratitude. "Dankeshone."
Todd scratched his limp mousy hair. "Dude, I will never figure you out."
Kurt chewed happily on a slice of pizza, a long gluey string of cheese oozing over his fingers. Chomping on the crust, he swallowed and licked the tomato sauce from his thumb.
Todd Tolanksi watched him in disgust. "And I thought that Tabitha was disgusting. What do they have, like, bad-table-manners classes up at that Institute?"
Mystique's son continued to eat, undaunted. "This from the dude that eats insects? And anyway," he licked the grease from his chin, "I'm starving."
"Ain't the boss lady been feeding you right?"
He frowned. "Who? Oh, Mystique." He shrugged. "She feeds me good. It's just that it's all steaks and salads and salmon and junk. I've been dying for some fast food."
Toad sniggered. "You should come down for dinner with the Brotherhood sometime. It's always interesting. Especially when it's Lance's night to cook. Man, that's a riot!"
"Hm?"
"He doesn't have the patience for cooking. In the end he just gets totally pissy with everyone and causes a shakedown in the kitchen."
Kurt nodded. "Sounds kind of like Mr Logan when it's his turn up at the Institute." He grimaced. "I'm sure not going to miss that."
Todd paused, chewing thoughtfully on a rubbery clump of cheese. Slowly, he put his slice of pizza down. "You sure about that?"
"Sure about what?"
The Brotherhood mutant watched him closely. "Why are you here, fuzzy? People don't run away from home without a reason."
Kurt didn't look up. "Maybe I just got bored."
"Maybe you had a bust up with Rogue and now you're too chicken shit to go back."
Nightcrawler glanced up at him swiftly, pale eyes wide. He swallowed the food that he had been chewing, inhaling deeply.
Todd gave a small grin of triumph. "I knew it! I knew that it had to be something like that!"
Kurt clenched his jaw, looking away bitterly. "So? Big deal."
"Big deal?!" The pale skinned boy stared at him incredulously. "You really are an idiot, hair ball, you know that?" He shook his head despairingly. "Jeez-us!"
"Oh, what are you harping on about now?"
Todd took a shallow breath, letting it whistle through his yellowed teeth. "You stupid bastard."
"Huh?"
"You find out that you have a sister for the first time in your life, and what do you do? You run away so that you can wallow in self-pity in a dump like this." Todd shook his head. "If I were given a chance like that, I know what I'd be doing. Forget Mystique - she ain't good for you. Rogue's the only family you've got, and that's more than a lot of people can say."
Kurt frowned. "What are you talking about?"
"I'm saying, get out of here! Let's face it blue, you're not exactly Brotherhood material. You couldn't survive in a place like this."
"Says who?"
"Says me. Rogue's cool --- you two could be a family. You hear what I'm sayin'? A real family." Todd sighed, and suddenly he seemed a lot older than his fifteen years. He looked like someone who'd been there and seen it all. His eyes had a jaded quality to them and his mouth hung grim. "Me, Lance, Fred, Wanda --- heck, even Pietro --- we never had that. You know, a family that loved us." He looked up at the ceiling. "And don't you think that any one of us would give anything to have one?"
Kurt watched him, brows pulled together uncertainly. A shimmering slick of pizza grease went unheeded on his upper lip.
Todd didn't wait for a reply. "I --- well, my family wasn't exactly the Brady Dunch, you know what I'm saying? My dad was in and out of jail ever since I was a kid. He drank too. My ma kept saying that she was going to get rid of him but she never did. He just kept coming back for more, and she'd always let him. He was a bum. Never had a job --- not that I can remember --- so my ma had to clean bathrooms for a living. You know what people called us? White trash."
Kurt looked down at his hands. "I'm sorry."
"I don't want your pity. My point is that I never had a family --- not a real one. None of us did. I jumped at the chance to join the Brotherhood, if only 'cause it meant that I got away from my parents. Take Fred. His mom left him when he was a kid, so it was just him and his dad. Freddy's dad worked damn hard to keep him and his son together, but he managed it. Never had no money or nothing but they were happy. Then what happens? His dad gets plowed down by a drunk driver on the way to work.
"And then there's Lance! His parents were scum. He doesn't talk about it much, but they treated him like crap. His sisters went into care when he was four and he hasn't seen them since. I don't even need to tell you about Wanda and Pietro."
Kurt closed his eyes, leaning weakly against the wall. "Why are you telling me this?"
"Because it's the only way I'm going get it through your thick skull! If anyone us us found out that we had family --- any family --- to go back to, do you honestly think we'd be hanging around here? Do ya?" He shook his head. "Of course not. But it ain't gonna happen. We don't get second chances. But you have! You and Rogue --- you two could make a real go of it. Be a proper family an' all."
The furred mutant raised a raven eyebrow. "Like Pietro and Wanda are a proper family?"
Todd tapped his long fingers against his knee. "That's exactly my point. They left it too long. Ten years down the line, if you don't make the effort with Rogue now, that is exactly what is gonna happen to you two. And then what? You're chance will be gone, and you'll have lost the closest thing to a family that you're ever going get."
There was a short silence.
Toad shrugged. "Or something like that anyways."
Kurt looked up at him uncertainly. A starnd of dark hair had fallen across his eyes and he pushed it away with his hand. "Why are you trying to help me?" me murmered questioningly. "We're supposed to be enemies --- aren't we?"
Todd blinked. "We can be enemies later. All I'm sayin' is to think about it, you know? I don't like you much, but that don't mean that I want to see you ruining your life."
"And you think that that's what I'd be doing?"
"Don't you?"
Kurt narrowed his eyes, staring intently at the floor. "I don't know."
The younger boy sniffed and picked up his half-eaten piece of pizza. "Well you'd better figure it out soon, fuzz boy. Times a' ticking. Until then, you can always hang with us for a while. We might not be quite up to your X geek standards of sophistication, but we're better than nothing." He paused, frowning. "You're not going to tell the guys about what I said, are you?"
He shook his head. "Your secret's safe with me."
"Good. Err --- by the way, don't you think you'd better clean yourself up a bit? I mean, no offense like, but you stink worse than I do!"
Kurt blinked in surprise. "Worse that you?"
Todd nodded. "Man, at least brush you're teeth. You're breath is making *me* gag. You might want to think about changing the threads as well." He mused silently for a moment. "You're about Pietro's weight - you can borrow some of his stuff."
The blue boy gave a slight smile, looking slightly embarrassed at the same time. He ran a three fingered hand over the nape of his neck. "I'm sorry. You know --- for being such a jerk."
"Forget it. Us underdogs got to stick together."
He blushed hot under his fur. "Yeah. I guess. Thanks Toad."
"Todd."
"Huh?"
"It's my name. Todd, get it?"
Kurt gave a nervous grin. "Sorry - Todd."
The Brotherhood mutant shrugged, then glanced at his wrist watch. "Well, I've wasted enough time with you. Baywatch should be starting soon." He looked up at the other boy. "If you want to come down and hang or whatever- --"
Kurt nodded. "I will."
Todd smiled, then hopped off from the bed. In three agile leaps he had crossed the room, reaching up to grab the handle with a skinny hand. He opened the door, and prepared to step outside, then had a thought and glanced over his shoulder. "Pietro's room's the first on the left. Don't touch any of his stuff except the clothes that you want. And whatever you do, *don't* look in his bedside draws. He gets kind of touchy about that."
Mystique's young son arched an eyebrow, but obediently agreed. He realized that he wasn't in much of a position to oppose anyone. Right now, he need all the friends he could get.
Todd's face fell into its customary snigger. "See you later, loser!"
The door slammed shut, and Kurt was once again alone.
Who'd have thought it - he had just made friends with the Toad. At least, he thought he had. That last comment had thrown him somewhat.
Smiling thoughtfully to himself, he crawled sluggishly out of bed, and made for the bathroom.
Freddy frowned, looking up from the television sitcom he was watching. The tinny peal of canned laughter filled the air.
"You actually talked to him?" He scowled. "Why?"
Todd shrugged. "Why not?"
Lance stood nearby, arms crossed over his chest. "I could think of a number of reasons," he told him darkly "The fact that he's in with the X- Men being the most obvious."
The Toad-like boy sniffed indignantly. "You are the last one to be lecturing on not seeing X Men. And anyway, he's not that bad. He's kinda cool."
"Toady made a play mate?" Pietro sneered from his seat perched on the sofa.
"Hey puff boy -- bite me."
Before the silver haired Maximoff could retaliate, a figure appeared in the doorway. Hair damp and newly combed, fur gleaming with a newly washed shin, Kurt stood self consciously in a pair of borrowed jeans and t-shirt. He looked around at the Brotherhood members.
"Hi," he greeted shyly.
There was a short pause.
"Is that my shirt?!" Pietro spluttered.
His body gave a slight jerk, pale eyes snapping open. He quickly raised his head from the pillow --- and then instantly regretted it. His skull screamed in protest, causing him to wince in pain and hold a three-fingered hand to his forehead.
"Ach, schieze!" he cursed, flopping weakly back onto the bed. There was the sound of hurried footsteps and the unexpected feel of someone's hand on his arm. A low voice whispered softly from the darkness.
"I know, I know. It hurts."
The blue furred boy stared unblinkingly up into the woman's face. "I thought you said that tea would help," he spluttered painfully through gritted teeth. "I feel worse!"
Mystique pulled her hand away and seated herself on the edge of the bed. "Your temperature has gone down and your fever is dissipating. The worst is over."
Kurt groaned and rolled over onto his side. "Tell that to whoever's dancing the can-can on my brain."
"For one who was out all night in the middle of a storm, I would say that you look remarkably well." She watched his closely for a moment, then turned slowly away. "It is merely a head ache. It will soon pass."
He muttered illegibly under his breath, but said nothing further. His hooded gaze followed the movements of her hands with idle interest. There were a number of candles placed around the room, and she was moving one on the bedside table in order to offer him greater illumination. The room was a dark as it had been before - the only light was that which pooled flickering gold from the candles. After a moment of silently surveying the room, he surmised that the curtains were pulled. He could see the dim outlines of windows, heavy drapes fixed in place. It half occurred to him to wonder why she ha done that. Not that it mattered much.
"What time is it?" he croaked.
"Almost noon." The response was automatic - she didn't even pause to check a watch or clock. But somehow, he knew that she was right.
He frowned sleepily. "How long was I out?"
"Five hours or so."
Kurt blinked, surprised. It didn't feel like that long.
A sudden thought crossed his mind, and he looked at her with suspicious curiosity. "And you stayed here the whole time?"
She turned to face him, nodding slowly. "I said that I would."
There was a short silence as he processed this information. Mystique had stayed with him --- as he slept --- for five hours? It seemed so --- so motherly --- something that his own mother - his German mother - would do. A memory of Mrs Wagner sitting by his bedside when he was sick with measles flicked briefly through his mind. The longing for home was suddenly so strong, he could hardly breathe.
He would have given anything if it meant that he could open his eyes and find himself in his bedroom in Germany. He could imagine it now. Same mountain view from his window --- same scent of forest fresh air --- his fathers voice drifting up the stairs, just as it had every morning for the fifteen years before he came to Bayville.
But that was all a dream. This was real. And if Kurt was going to get through it, he couldn't afford to waste his time with idle hopes.
A sudden noise pulled the young mutant from his thoughts. He jerked in surprise, eyes flying wide.
"What was that?" he murmured, glancing at the bedroom door with ill- disguised apprehension. The heavy banging continued downstairs.
Mystique snarled and silently rose from the bed. Standing at her full height, Kurt couldn't help but feel a twist of instinctive fear. He had seen her in battle and knew just how fearsome an enemy she could be. She may have helped him on this occasion, but he wasn't foolish enough to let his guard down.
And right now she was looking royally pissed.
Glittering eyes narrowed, she turned briefly to look at her son. "Stay here," she told him firmly. "I will not be long."
Kurt watched silently as she strode towards the door, disappearing into the darkness beyond. He coughed weakly and rolled over onto his back; head feeling like it was being split into two.
Stay here, she said. Where else did she expect him to go?
Lance released his fist, allowing the tremors to subside a little. Chucks of dry plaster fell from the living-room ceiling, dust falling in light cottony clouds.
Todd looked up at him uneasily from where he was crouched on the bare floorboards. "Hey man, you sure you want to be doing that in here? I mean, I'm pretty pissed with Mystique too, but I don't see how demolishing the house is gonna help."
The Brotherhood leader frowned. "If I wanted to bring the house down, you losers would be six feet under a pile of rubble by now." He sniffed at kicked distractedly at the wall. "I'm just getting the boss's attention, that's all."
If that was Lance's objective, it was successful. They heard her unmistakable tread before she even entered the room, footsteps made heavy with her angry stride. She burst through the door, eyes flashing in dark rage, scarlet hair flaming over her shoulders.
"What do you think you are doing?!" she cried furiously.
Lance met her stare with cool detachment, raising his chin slightly. Lance might not have been Mr Responsibility --- but he was a good leader, and he wasn't about to take any BS from Mystique. They had already been down that road once --- he wasn't prepared to do it again.
"I could ask you the same question."
The sapphire skinned mutant gave a low growl. "I have no time for your games, Avalanche. I want you all back at school --- now. I will not tell you a second time."
Lance scowled. "Actually, I think we're pretty comfortable here thanks."
"It was *not* a request. It was an order."
The boy took a step towards her. "The Brotherhood doesn't take orders anymore. Not from you, not from Magneto." He narrowed his eyes. "Maybe if you asked nicely---"
Mystique briefly considered simply picking him up and throwing him out of her way. She was certainly strong enough. However, she simply curled her hands into fists, holding back. Like it or not, she needed the Brotherhood --- for the time being at least. They had their uses.
And besides, from the corner of her eyes she noted the other three boys closing ranks around their leader. One alone, she might have been able to fight. But all four? Even if she wanted to, it would be a battle that she would have difficulty in winning.
A silver-haired mutant appeared from behind Lance. Pietro, immaculately presented as usual, watcher her with grim amusement. She hated it when he got that smug look on his face. He was too cocky --- too self assured ---
It unnerved her.
"Seems you've been keeping secrets, oh beloved leader. So come on - anything you want to come clean about? Any burning confessions that you need to make, hmmmm? Come on Mystique - you've got a captivated audience here. Don't keep us waiting."
He flashed her a confident smirk, eyes glittering with dark entertainment.
You wouldn't be such an arrogant little bastard if your daddy knew what you got up too, Mystique thought to herself. It cheered her a little. She didn't say anything, however - simply gritted her teeth. It didn't take a telepath to figure out what Pietro was talking about.
She sighed wearily and looked down at the floor. "Kurt."
"Damn right, 'Kurt'." Lance folded his arms across his chest, tilting his head. "Now what I want to know is - since when were the X-geeks allowed in the Brotherhood house?"
Mystique allowed a small smile of self congratulation to play on her mouth. "He is no longer a part of the X Men. He left them last night."
A short silence greeted this revelation, as she had known that it would.
"Why?"
The question was from Fred, his voice lowered thoughtfully. Mystique held little love for the Brotherhood --- or for anyone else for that matter --- but Fred Dukes she somehow found able to tolerate. Of all the boys, he was the least irritating.
"That is none of your concern," she told him sharply, looking around at the four watchful figures. "All that any of you need concern yourselves with is the fact that he will be staying here for the time being."
She turned to walk out of the door but suddenly found her way blocked. Pietro Maximoff leaned against the door-frame.
"Sorry boss lady, but that just ain't good enough."
Mystique was about to bat him out of her way, but seemed to think better of it. She considered him thoughtfully for a moment, a meditate frown contorting her brow. What was the point? It was probably all over the Xavier Institute by now - it was only a matter of time before someone told them. And what harm could it do. In their own way, the Brotherhood might even prove useful to her ---
She turned to Lance, placing her hands on her hips and coolly lifting her head. She gave a minute nod. "Very well. As you have probably gathered by now, Kurt came here late last night after running away from Xavier's. He found out something last night that was --- difficult for him to come to terms with. I offered him a place here until he could get his head together."
Lance didn't miss the small gleam of triumph in the woman's eyes. "Difficult to come to terms with?" He arched a dark eyebrow. "And I don't suppose you had anything to do with that did you?" He watched her expectantly.
Mystique gave a slow smile. He was smart, but she was smarter.
"As a matter of fact --- yes, I did." She began to wander leisurely about the room, movements slow and deliberate. She ran an azure finger over the sideboard. "I allowed him to find out certain truths about his past --- truths which I knew would cause him a conflict of interest. You see, Kurt is my son --- but he is not the only child I have borne. There was another. A sister. And last night I revealed her identity to him."
There was an even deeper silence than before. The four present members of the Brotherhood stared at her in utter shock, eyes wide and jaws open. Even Pietro seemed to be at a loss for words.
Take that you condescending little creep, she sneered inwardly.
"It gets even better," she told them, victorious smile flashing brilliant white against midnight blue skin. "My daughter --- Kurt's sister --- was standing right next to him when I told him. They had been friends for months and had no idea!" She gave a hard laugh, turning on her heel to face the boys.
"It's Rogue."
Freddy stared at the ceiling, scowling of thought. He was laid across the dilapidated old couch, one arm resting under his head. The blue flicker of the television cast weird shadows against the wall, tinny TV voices doing little to disguise the heavy quiet. A quick glance out of the widow would have told him the night had fallen --- but he didn't look. He simply continued to stare at the ceiling. It helped him to think.
"So do you think she was telling the truth? About Kurt and Rogue I mean?"
It was Todd.
Pietro gave a snarl of irritation. He was occupying the window ledge, leaning against the glass with his knees pulled up to his chest. Freddy recognized it as his thinking pose, and knew better than to try and disturb him.
"For like the fifteen-billionth time already," the snowy haired mutant hissed, "We don't know. Now leave it!"
Lance shot him a warning look before continuing to stare dully at the television. "As far as Mystique's concerned, I wouldn't trust her as far as I could throw her. But if she was lying, then why is the fuzz ball sleeping upstairs?" He frowned and shook his head. "It doesn't make sense."
Quicksilver looked blankly out at the darkened garden. "Maybe she's screwing him."
"Pietro, you're sick, you know that?"
The boy remained motionless, then gave a world-weary sigh. "That's what living in this dump for a year does to you," he mused quietly.
Todd listened to the conversation with idle interest, scratching his limp hair. They hadn't gone back to school after Mystique's revelation - simply hanging around the house for the afternoon. He had been struggling to get his thoughts straight all evening --- with little or no success.
Kurt was Mystique's son. Rogue was Mystique's daughter. Kurt was Rogue's brother, but neither of them knew, except now they did. Kurt was an X Man but he had run away to the Brotherhood house, but he wasn't joining the Brotherhood. Or was he? Or was he just spending some time with Mystique before he went back to the Institute ---?
He shook his head, more confused than ever.
Freddy had been watching his friend for a couple of minutes now. He gave a slight smile and shifted until he was in a sitting position. "You okay Toad?"
Todd started at the sound of his nickname. He was called Toad by both his friends and his enemies, but by the way that Fred said it, he knew better than to take offence. He sniffed and raised his pale eyebrows.
"Huh?"
"By the look on you're face, you're either thinking about something or you're severally constipated."
The small boy rolled his eyes. "The way you cook, I wouldn't be surprised."
Freddy grinned. Insults were the way that the Brotherhood communicated. In actual fact, his cooking had vastly improved over the past few months. Ever since Tabitha had left the house, he no longer feared what he might find in the refrigerator. It had helped his confidence in the kitchen.
His look softened and he shrugged one shoulder uneasily. "You thinkin' about what Mystique said?"
"Uh-huh."
"Yeah. Me too."
Todd Tolanksi raised himself onto his hunches and hopped closer to the couch. Crouching in front of Fred, he screwed up his face in a look of confusion. "I don't get it."
"What's not to get?" Lance's voice drifted from the armchair. "Rogue and Kurt are brother and sister. Its not exactly rocket science."
The Toad scowled. "Yeah --- but how?"
Pietro gave a short laugh from his perch by the window. Half his face was consumed by shadows, the other glowing eerily pale in the lamp light. "Dude, I know that you're 'inexperienced' in that area, but didn't you ever learn about the birds and the bees?" He snorted. "Pleeease don't make me draw you a diagram. I flunked art."
Todd gave a small grunt of indignation. He hated it when Pietro got all superior on him.
"I didn't mean it like that, yo. All I'm sayin', is that even if Kurt and Rogue where --- you know --- related, those two are, like, buds or something. Why is the blue freak here instead of playing happy families with Rogue? It don't make no sense."
There was a considering quiet, Todd's question left hanging in the air. The truth was - nobody knew the answer. Why was Kurt at the Brotherhood house? That guy was almost as dedicated to the X Men as Scott 'stick-up- his-arse' Summers. It would have taken a lot to get him to leave ---
Lance sighed and rose slowly from the armchair, slight look of discomfort playing on his face as he rubbed at the small of his back.
"Spaghetti for dinner do you all?"
Days passed and Kurt knew nothing but the darkness of the bedroom. Wait, no, that was a lie. He had made brief trips into the on-suit bathroom for the essentials. He didn't dawdle in there however, and he never once looked at his reflection. At the back of his mind there was the nagging fear that if he looked in a mirror, the face that looked back at him wouldn't be his own. Something had changed in him, deep down. He didn't want to be confronted with that reality in his reflection.
He hadn't washed in the time that he had stayed at the Brotherhood house. Hadn't showered, brushed his teeth, combed his hair --- such things seemed so inconsequential in the big picture. He hadn't changed his clothes either - still wearing the X Men uniform he had on the night of the Monster Truck rally. He suspected that he probably smelt a lot like Toad. The truth was; he simply didn't care.
His only visitor for the whole time was Mystique. She visited him at least once a day, sometimes for hours on end. And they talked. Day by day, hour by hour, Kurt began to unravel the mysteries that had plagued him his whole life. She told him about their lives together in the castle in Germany --- about what had happened on the night he had fallen into the river. He had expected to feel angry with her, but somehow, he couldn't muster the energy. All he felt was a kind of weary acceptance. Must have been the tea.
Their conversations were long, but Kurt found that he had problems keeping track of them. He would drift in and out of consciousness --- floating somewhere between purgatory and earth. Sometimes he would hear himself speak, and wonder who it was who was talking with such intimate knowledge of his thoughts. He told her about his life in Germany --- what his parents had been like --- small memories from his childhood that seemed to give her infinite pleasure. And she told him things too. She was always very vague --- never providing him with many details --- but from what he gathered, he began to paint a picture of his mother's life.
Kurt had thought that he had had it bad. His experiences were nothing compared to hers.
But the one thing that he wanted to know was the one thing that she never told him. During the talks, she never once motioned anything of Rogue's origins. When he would ask her, she would always brush him off.
"Later Kurt. The time isn't right yet."
When would it be time? She was waiting for something, he could tell. The question was - what?
Days of talk and sleep and bitter tea. Soon the blue furred boy found himself gaining in strength. He didn't leave the confides of the room, though he often heard the movement of the Brotherhood members as they occupied the house. Mystique brought him his meals - he had a feeling that he was dining far better than any of the Brotherhood - and they ate together. He wasn't lonely. Not yet. But he knew that he soon would be.
He couldn't stop thinking about Rogue.
She was on his mind every waking moment, and she haunted his dreams at night. He wondered how she was coping. So many times he considered calling her at the Institute, but something always held him back. Common sense most likely. Their last meeting had ended baldly and now he was too ashamed to try to get back in contact. He had tried to kiss her. He had tried to kiss his sister. No wonder she had gotten mad - she probably thought that he was some kind of pervert. More than that, it was the look of utter disgust when he had told her how he felt. Rogue had never made an issue out of his appearance, but the look in her eyes that night told him all that he needed to know. She thought he was a freak --- a thing --- an it. He revolted her.
How could he ever show his face again?
Kurt sat up in bed, eyes trained dully into space. He was alone in the room, Mystique having left almost an hour since. She would be back before the day was over, that he had no doubt of. In the mean time, it gave him a chance to think. Or sleep. Whatever came first.
There was a soft knocking at the door. Kurt frowned - Mystique never knocked.
A slim band of light widened as the door opened. The illuminated doorway stood out, bright and golden, against the shaded darkness of the bedroom. A silhouetted figure appeared from the light.
Kurt gave a grunt of pain and shielded his eyes. After endless days of darkness, the sudden brightness hurt his eyes.
"Oops, sorry 'bout that." There was a hollow thud as the door was hurriedly shut. "That better?"
He blinked, giving his sensitive pupils a moment to adjust. He frowned and looked over to where the figure was still standing. "What--"
"It's Todd. You know, Todd Tolanksi? The Toad? Don't tell me you've got amnesia!"
Kurt scowled. "My brain's working just fine. Thanks for caring." He rested back against the propped-up pillows. "What are *you* doing here?"
Todd hopped tentatively closer. "I brought you lunch, see?" He held up the tray he was carrying.
"Lunch?"
"Its half past one in the afternoon Rip Van Winkle, and I know that Mystique hasn't fed you all day. I thought you might be hungry." Reaching the bed, he stood to his full height and deposited the tray on the bedside table. He looked around him with undisguised curiosity. "Jeez, did somebody die in here?"
Kurt watched him uncertainly. "Huh?"
Todd waved a hand at the darkened room. "Candles --- drapes --- it looks like funeral parlor in here. Either that or the set from a bad porn movie."
The other boy coughed weakly. "Why don't you go and ask Mystique if you're so interested? I'm sure she'd be more than happy to answer any questions you have. Me, I have better things to do."
"Like what? Get rigor mortis? You haven't left this room since you got here."
"Ja. So?"
"Well, don't you think that's kinda rude? I know you're only a ratty fuzz ball loser but I figured that they taught you better manners than that up at X-Geek mansion."
Kurt groaned. He didn't want to fight. Not now. He could feel the by-now familiar throb of an approaching headache. He looked up at Todd with mournful eyes. "Why are you here, Toad?"
Todd paused, blinked once, then shrugged. "I don't know. Just wanted to talk I guess."
"I don't feel much like talking." Kurt told him pointedly.
If Todd understood the hint, he didn't show it. He hopped onto the edge of the bed, perching himself near Kurt's knees. "That's okay; I don't mind doing all the talking. You can just listen if you like." He sniffed and continued to gaze around the bedroom. "This a real nice set-up you've got here, blue boy. Really landed on your freaky two-toe feet this time, haven't ya? Still, I guess you're used to living the high life, right? Living up at that Xavier place. Three meals a day and carpets in every room." The pale boy sniggered. "The Brotherhood house is going to be one heck of a culture shock for you, man."
"Really?" His voice was cold, disinterested.
"Yup."
Kurt yawned. He wished he could sleep some more. "Who cares? I'll happily go and live in Siberia if it means that I never have to see the Institute again."
The traces of bitterness in the words did not entirely escape Todd's notice. He squirmed uncomfortably, looking away. "I err --- I know about you and Rogue."
The blue furred boy shot him a sharp look. "What do you know?"
"You know, about her being your sister an' all."
"Oh, that." Kurt let himself sink wearily into the soft pillows, small sigh escaping his lips. "If you've come to make a joke about it, take your shot. I don't care anymore."
Todd frowned, turning to face his long-time advisory. "Hey man, I'd never joke about something like that."
Kurt snorted. "Sure you wouldn't."
"No, really." The Toad-like mutant cupped his hands in his lap and began twiddling his thumbs self-consciously. "You and me aren't exactly best buddies, but I'd never make fun of family stuff. What do you take me for?" He frowned uneasily. "That's --- well, that's kinda the reason what I came to talk to you about."
There was a lengthy pause, then a suspicious glare from Kurt. "What do you mean ---?"
Todd sighed and shook his greasy head. "Okay, I'm gonna be straight with you. I don't think that you should be here."
The ex-X-Man gave a slight exhale of relief. Now he understood. "Well that's a surprise."
"No, that's not what I meant." He thought for moment. "Well, it is, but that's not what I'm talking about now. I don't think that you should be in the Brotherhood house because I think that you should be trying to patch things up with Rogue."
"Can it, Tolanski, you don't know anything about it. Now leave me alone."
Todd sneered. "Typical X geek philosophy. Abuse the Toad, even when he's trying to be nice."
Kurt rolled his pale eyes, pulling the blanket closer around. "If you tried to be nice to me, I'd probably die of a heart attack first."
"You really can't accept that I might actually be trying to help you, can you?"
Kurt laughed bitterly. "Let's just call it experience, shall we?"
Todd stared at him incredulously for a moment, shaking his head. He hopped down of the bed and began to walk away. "Fine." He growled "Just forget it."
"Where are you going?"
Todd didn't turn around. "Downstairs. Enjoy your lunch."
He reached the door and placed a hand on the handle. Gripping the cool metal tightly, he began to step out of the room.
"No, wait. Don't go."
Todd paused in surprise at the plea. Turned around to look at the raven- haired boy, Kurt had sat up in bed, pale blue eyes staring at him in undisguised desperation.
The Brotherhood mutant scowled. "You think I'm gonna stick around here to be insulted?"
Kurt shrugged weakly, swallowing. He ran a tongue over his dry lips. "Look --- I-I'm sorry about that. If you stay I'll be on my best behavior --- I promise." He watched Todd's reaction hopefully. "I guess --- I need someone to talk to too."
Toad sniffed, pausing in thought. After a long moment, he gave a slight nod. "Okay, deal." He turned from the door and moved back towards the bed. "Heck,'s not like I have anything better to do."
The young German gave a small smile of gratitude. "Dankeshone."
Todd scratched his limp mousy hair. "Dude, I will never figure you out."
Kurt chewed happily on a slice of pizza, a long gluey string of cheese oozing over his fingers. Chomping on the crust, he swallowed and licked the tomato sauce from his thumb.
Todd Tolanksi watched him in disgust. "And I thought that Tabitha was disgusting. What do they have, like, bad-table-manners classes up at that Institute?"
Mystique's son continued to eat, undaunted. "This from the dude that eats insects? And anyway," he licked the grease from his chin, "I'm starving."
"Ain't the boss lady been feeding you right?"
He frowned. "Who? Oh, Mystique." He shrugged. "She feeds me good. It's just that it's all steaks and salads and salmon and junk. I've been dying for some fast food."
Toad sniggered. "You should come down for dinner with the Brotherhood sometime. It's always interesting. Especially when it's Lance's night to cook. Man, that's a riot!"
"Hm?"
"He doesn't have the patience for cooking. In the end he just gets totally pissy with everyone and causes a shakedown in the kitchen."
Kurt nodded. "Sounds kind of like Mr Logan when it's his turn up at the Institute." He grimaced. "I'm sure not going to miss that."
Todd paused, chewing thoughtfully on a rubbery clump of cheese. Slowly, he put his slice of pizza down. "You sure about that?"
"Sure about what?"
The Brotherhood mutant watched him closely. "Why are you here, fuzzy? People don't run away from home without a reason."
Kurt didn't look up. "Maybe I just got bored."
"Maybe you had a bust up with Rogue and now you're too chicken shit to go back."
Nightcrawler glanced up at him swiftly, pale eyes wide. He swallowed the food that he had been chewing, inhaling deeply.
Todd gave a small grin of triumph. "I knew it! I knew that it had to be something like that!"
Kurt clenched his jaw, looking away bitterly. "So? Big deal."
"Big deal?!" The pale skinned boy stared at him incredulously. "You really are an idiot, hair ball, you know that?" He shook his head despairingly. "Jeez-us!"
"Oh, what are you harping on about now?"
Todd took a shallow breath, letting it whistle through his yellowed teeth. "You stupid bastard."
"Huh?"
"You find out that you have a sister for the first time in your life, and what do you do? You run away so that you can wallow in self-pity in a dump like this." Todd shook his head. "If I were given a chance like that, I know what I'd be doing. Forget Mystique - she ain't good for you. Rogue's the only family you've got, and that's more than a lot of people can say."
Kurt frowned. "What are you talking about?"
"I'm saying, get out of here! Let's face it blue, you're not exactly Brotherhood material. You couldn't survive in a place like this."
"Says who?"
"Says me. Rogue's cool --- you two could be a family. You hear what I'm sayin'? A real family." Todd sighed, and suddenly he seemed a lot older than his fifteen years. He looked like someone who'd been there and seen it all. His eyes had a jaded quality to them and his mouth hung grim. "Me, Lance, Fred, Wanda --- heck, even Pietro --- we never had that. You know, a family that loved us." He looked up at the ceiling. "And don't you think that any one of us would give anything to have one?"
Kurt watched him, brows pulled together uncertainly. A shimmering slick of pizza grease went unheeded on his upper lip.
Todd didn't wait for a reply. "I --- well, my family wasn't exactly the Brady Dunch, you know what I'm saying? My dad was in and out of jail ever since I was a kid. He drank too. My ma kept saying that she was going to get rid of him but she never did. He just kept coming back for more, and she'd always let him. He was a bum. Never had a job --- not that I can remember --- so my ma had to clean bathrooms for a living. You know what people called us? White trash."
Kurt looked down at his hands. "I'm sorry."
"I don't want your pity. My point is that I never had a family --- not a real one. None of us did. I jumped at the chance to join the Brotherhood, if only 'cause it meant that I got away from my parents. Take Fred. His mom left him when he was a kid, so it was just him and his dad. Freddy's dad worked damn hard to keep him and his son together, but he managed it. Never had no money or nothing but they were happy. Then what happens? His dad gets plowed down by a drunk driver on the way to work.
"And then there's Lance! His parents were scum. He doesn't talk about it much, but they treated him like crap. His sisters went into care when he was four and he hasn't seen them since. I don't even need to tell you about Wanda and Pietro."
Kurt closed his eyes, leaning weakly against the wall. "Why are you telling me this?"
"Because it's the only way I'm going get it through your thick skull! If anyone us us found out that we had family --- any family --- to go back to, do you honestly think we'd be hanging around here? Do ya?" He shook his head. "Of course not. But it ain't gonna happen. We don't get second chances. But you have! You and Rogue --- you two could make a real go of it. Be a proper family an' all."
The furred mutant raised a raven eyebrow. "Like Pietro and Wanda are a proper family?"
Todd tapped his long fingers against his knee. "That's exactly my point. They left it too long. Ten years down the line, if you don't make the effort with Rogue now, that is exactly what is gonna happen to you two. And then what? You're chance will be gone, and you'll have lost the closest thing to a family that you're ever going get."
There was a short silence.
Toad shrugged. "Or something like that anyways."
Kurt looked up at him uncertainly. A starnd of dark hair had fallen across his eyes and he pushed it away with his hand. "Why are you trying to help me?" me murmered questioningly. "We're supposed to be enemies --- aren't we?"
Todd blinked. "We can be enemies later. All I'm sayin' is to think about it, you know? I don't like you much, but that don't mean that I want to see you ruining your life."
"And you think that that's what I'd be doing?"
"Don't you?"
Kurt narrowed his eyes, staring intently at the floor. "I don't know."
The younger boy sniffed and picked up his half-eaten piece of pizza. "Well you'd better figure it out soon, fuzz boy. Times a' ticking. Until then, you can always hang with us for a while. We might not be quite up to your X geek standards of sophistication, but we're better than nothing." He paused, frowning. "You're not going to tell the guys about what I said, are you?"
He shook his head. "Your secret's safe with me."
"Good. Err --- by the way, don't you think you'd better clean yourself up a bit? I mean, no offense like, but you stink worse than I do!"
Kurt blinked in surprise. "Worse that you?"
Todd nodded. "Man, at least brush you're teeth. You're breath is making *me* gag. You might want to think about changing the threads as well." He mused silently for a moment. "You're about Pietro's weight - you can borrow some of his stuff."
The blue boy gave a slight smile, looking slightly embarrassed at the same time. He ran a three fingered hand over the nape of his neck. "I'm sorry. You know --- for being such a jerk."
"Forget it. Us underdogs got to stick together."
He blushed hot under his fur. "Yeah. I guess. Thanks Toad."
"Todd."
"Huh?"
"It's my name. Todd, get it?"
Kurt gave a nervous grin. "Sorry - Todd."
The Brotherhood mutant shrugged, then glanced at his wrist watch. "Well, I've wasted enough time with you. Baywatch should be starting soon." He looked up at the other boy. "If you want to come down and hang or whatever- --"
Kurt nodded. "I will."
Todd smiled, then hopped off from the bed. In three agile leaps he had crossed the room, reaching up to grab the handle with a skinny hand. He opened the door, and prepared to step outside, then had a thought and glanced over his shoulder. "Pietro's room's the first on the left. Don't touch any of his stuff except the clothes that you want. And whatever you do, *don't* look in his bedside draws. He gets kind of touchy about that."
Mystique's young son arched an eyebrow, but obediently agreed. He realized that he wasn't in much of a position to oppose anyone. Right now, he need all the friends he could get.
Todd's face fell into its customary snigger. "See you later, loser!"
The door slammed shut, and Kurt was once again alone.
Who'd have thought it - he had just made friends with the Toad. At least, he thought he had. That last comment had thrown him somewhat.
Smiling thoughtfully to himself, he crawled sluggishly out of bed, and made for the bathroom.
Freddy frowned, looking up from the television sitcom he was watching. The tinny peal of canned laughter filled the air.
"You actually talked to him?" He scowled. "Why?"
Todd shrugged. "Why not?"
Lance stood nearby, arms crossed over his chest. "I could think of a number of reasons," he told him darkly "The fact that he's in with the X- Men being the most obvious."
The Toad-like boy sniffed indignantly. "You are the last one to be lecturing on not seeing X Men. And anyway, he's not that bad. He's kinda cool."
"Toady made a play mate?" Pietro sneered from his seat perched on the sofa.
"Hey puff boy -- bite me."
Before the silver haired Maximoff could retaliate, a figure appeared in the doorway. Hair damp and newly combed, fur gleaming with a newly washed shin, Kurt stood self consciously in a pair of borrowed jeans and t-shirt. He looked around at the Brotherhood members.
"Hi," he greeted shyly.
There was a short pause.
"Is that my shirt?!" Pietro spluttered.