Disclaimer: I don't own X-Men
Summary: Todd follows Wanda, and they talk for just a little while as the rain starts pouring down. Where will it lead them?
A/N: Thanks to S Mark Guntherfor the main part of the idea! And despite the summary....this is not the chapter that the 'R' rating comes from. I will probably surprise a lot of you with where I'm going with this story... This particular plot has been haunting me, so I must write it to make it go away! Anyway, enjoy.
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Todd remained on the roof for a few minutes, seeing where Wanda was heading and finally leapt down. At first he hopped after her, using the extra energy from the fall to the ground and the rebound from it to propel him farther without using more energy. But when he became a reasonable distance from her, he started walking. He hated her going into the city at night alone...he couldn't help but worry about her. He knew that if something were to happen to her, he would never forgive himself. He had lived on the streets long enough to know that his worry wasn't without reason.
Wanda sighed. She didn't even have to look behind her to know that Todd was following her. She had almost gained a sixth sense to tell when he was around, it seemed, since she had started living with the brotherhood. Which at times was nice. As much as she hated to admit it, she liked the fact that he was never far from her...it meant that outwardly she was never alone despite the inner abyss she had thrown herself in where no other soul dared try and rescue her from. She abruptly halted her walking, her eyes going wrong. No...there was someone trying to save her from her inner torment. It was him, he was with her both out here and in the pit of her soul. She felt a hand lightly come to rest on her shoulder, and whirled around with a snarl plastered on her face. Todd recoiled his hand, holding it in front of his face. Wanda stared at him for a moment, the cold heartless glare that he was used to. Then she slowly closed her eyes and sighed.
"What are you doing Toad?"
Todd shrugged trying his best to give her a smile.
"Don't want ya gettin' hurt, yo."
Wanda fisted her hands, as if she might punch him right then. Todd gently took a step back. She opened her eyes, and there was something that said 'you idiot, stop making me think about you' in her gaze.
"I can take care of myself, Toad."
She said, turning to walk away from him.
"I know that, yo. I'm just here to make sure."
Wanda just started walking, ignoring the twilight hour that turned the sky amaranthine, deep violet and most of all black. She did her best to ignore the beginnings of a thunderstorm. The lightning flashed across the sky, illuminating the darkening sky for brief seconds before the clap of thunder shook the earth. The rains started pouring down, hard and stinging like needles on her bare arms. But she didn't wince, she was just concentrating on walking. She remained aware that he was still following her.
In the dim light, Wanda looked even more deadly and dangerous...but also even more beautiful in Todd's eyes. He didn't know that such a dark person could possess such a goddess like beauty. It never stopped puzzling him. The rain didn't bother him, he had often sat outside in worse rainstorms than this before. He was walking almost right beside Wanda, slowly reaching over and taking her hand in his. He didn't interlace their fingers, afraid that she would shriek if she felt the webbing between his fingers. He wasn't surprised that she jerked her hand away, glaring evilly at him.
"Knock it off."
She growled, stopping and staring down at the younger mutant. Todd sighed, nodding his head. He knew that she would do that, she hated what his mutation did to him maybe even more than he did. His clammy skin...swampy smell...habit of eating flies...all of it disgusted him.
"Sure thing, babycakes."
Wanda shot him another death glare, just as an ear drum splitting clap of thunder introduced a downpour. Wanda looked up at the sky, then walked slowly over to the nearest building and sat on the steps that sat under the overhang. She sat down, not surprised at all that Todd did the same.
"I thought I told you I didn't want to talk."
She growled. Todd shrugged a little.
"Ya wouldn't have gone on a walk if somethin' wasn't botherin' ya."
Leaning forward, letting her fingers play with the side hem of her jeans, Wanda only stared at the ground.
"Why did you do that back there at the house?"
She asked numbly, void of her anger and malicious tone. Todd looked over at her, his dull amber eyes trying to look into hers.
"'Cause I wanted ya ta know how I feel deep down, not just on the surface, yo"
It was a simple enough answer, the kind of response that usually would have satisfied Wanda. But not today, today she wanted to know why he was even trying to get her attention. She powered up a hex bolt in one hand, the part of town they were in now was abandoned, construction equipment waiting to tear it down. She stared at the bluish light it created as if fascinated by it.
"I could have killed you easily back there if I had wanted too...and you were a fucking idiot and let it hit you. Why? Why risk your life that I could smite out with one attack just to tell me up front how much you love me?"
"That's the whole reason. Every time you hex me, I know that you could do some serious damage...but there's something in your eyes that I see every time you do it. You hold back, you don't wanna hurt me as bad as you know you could. So I figured that it was time you knew exactly how I felt 'bout you."
Wanda was silent for a long time, not exactly sure what to say to that. How could he possibly tell that she always held back a little, just enough to give him a shock, not do any major damage. She had almost broken that deal with herself back at the brotherhood. He still had the scald marks to prove it. She had hurt him, lost her temper and injured the only one that could possibly care that much about her. Yet she didn't feel remorse or satisfaction from it. She felt void, empty and confused by the emotions he had brought to her attention with his words. Damn she hated him...and yet...
"I'm...sorry."
She said softly. Todd's eyes widened a little. Never had she apologized to him before.
"For what?"
Without making eye contact, Wanda reached out and gently touched a scalded place at the base of his throat. She felt the muscles in his neck tense up at her touch, and recoiled her hand quickly.
"For that. I-I didn't realize..."
"It's alright, I know you didn't mean to."
He seemed a bit worried. This wasn't the Wanda he loved, nor was she the Scarlet Witch he feared. The persona's of past and present seemed to be conflicting inside of her, one wanting to watch his demise, the other possibly wanting to return the love he felt for her. This left an eerie void about her, but Todd remained anyway. He wasn't about to leave her side unless she out right told him to. And with her past and present personalities conflicting...she seemed to vulnerable to leave alone on the streets at night. He noticed her shiver slightly, and moved closer to her. She gave him a skeptical look, looking out at the rain as it rebounded back into the air after first striking the pavement.
"Toad, why don't you just go back to the house. I'll be fine out here."
Todd shook his head in a firm 'no'.
"I ain't leavin' you out here by yourself."
"I'll be fine."
Wanda hissed each word slowly and threateningly. She sighed, and stood up, walking out into the rain again.
"I can't think with you here. I'll be back soon. I promise."
Todd stood up, starting to follow her until her gaze met his. It was an emotion he had never seen in her eyes before...it was pleading. She was begging him to leave her alone. It was a heartbreaking stare to see her give him, to see her going through such inner torment. He nodded slowly, and turned to walk away.
"I'll leave ya alone, sweetie, but I ain't going back to the house withoutcha."
Then his form became lost as he moved away from her and into the rain.
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A/N: thanks all for the wonderful reviews! I hope you approve of where I'm gonna go with this plot...because it's not gonna be what most of you are thinking. The next chapter is where the 'R' rating comes in...so you have been warned. Please R&R and tell me what you think. I'm very open to ideas!
~Dragonmistriss
Summary: Todd follows Wanda, and they talk for just a little while as the rain starts pouring down. Where will it lead them?
A/N: Thanks to S Mark Guntherfor the main part of the idea! And despite the summary....this is not the chapter that the 'R' rating comes from. I will probably surprise a lot of you with where I'm going with this story... This particular plot has been haunting me, so I must write it to make it go away! Anyway, enjoy.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Todd remained on the roof for a few minutes, seeing where Wanda was heading and finally leapt down. At first he hopped after her, using the extra energy from the fall to the ground and the rebound from it to propel him farther without using more energy. But when he became a reasonable distance from her, he started walking. He hated her going into the city at night alone...he couldn't help but worry about her. He knew that if something were to happen to her, he would never forgive himself. He had lived on the streets long enough to know that his worry wasn't without reason.
Wanda sighed. She didn't even have to look behind her to know that Todd was following her. She had almost gained a sixth sense to tell when he was around, it seemed, since she had started living with the brotherhood. Which at times was nice. As much as she hated to admit it, she liked the fact that he was never far from her...it meant that outwardly she was never alone despite the inner abyss she had thrown herself in where no other soul dared try and rescue her from. She abruptly halted her walking, her eyes going wrong. No...there was someone trying to save her from her inner torment. It was him, he was with her both out here and in the pit of her soul. She felt a hand lightly come to rest on her shoulder, and whirled around with a snarl plastered on her face. Todd recoiled his hand, holding it in front of his face. Wanda stared at him for a moment, the cold heartless glare that he was used to. Then she slowly closed her eyes and sighed.
"What are you doing Toad?"
Todd shrugged trying his best to give her a smile.
"Don't want ya gettin' hurt, yo."
Wanda fisted her hands, as if she might punch him right then. Todd gently took a step back. She opened her eyes, and there was something that said 'you idiot, stop making me think about you' in her gaze.
"I can take care of myself, Toad."
She said, turning to walk away from him.
"I know that, yo. I'm just here to make sure."
Wanda just started walking, ignoring the twilight hour that turned the sky amaranthine, deep violet and most of all black. She did her best to ignore the beginnings of a thunderstorm. The lightning flashed across the sky, illuminating the darkening sky for brief seconds before the clap of thunder shook the earth. The rains started pouring down, hard and stinging like needles on her bare arms. But she didn't wince, she was just concentrating on walking. She remained aware that he was still following her.
In the dim light, Wanda looked even more deadly and dangerous...but also even more beautiful in Todd's eyes. He didn't know that such a dark person could possess such a goddess like beauty. It never stopped puzzling him. The rain didn't bother him, he had often sat outside in worse rainstorms than this before. He was walking almost right beside Wanda, slowly reaching over and taking her hand in his. He didn't interlace their fingers, afraid that she would shriek if she felt the webbing between his fingers. He wasn't surprised that she jerked her hand away, glaring evilly at him.
"Knock it off."
She growled, stopping and staring down at the younger mutant. Todd sighed, nodding his head. He knew that she would do that, she hated what his mutation did to him maybe even more than he did. His clammy skin...swampy smell...habit of eating flies...all of it disgusted him.
"Sure thing, babycakes."
Wanda shot him another death glare, just as an ear drum splitting clap of thunder introduced a downpour. Wanda looked up at the sky, then walked slowly over to the nearest building and sat on the steps that sat under the overhang. She sat down, not surprised at all that Todd did the same.
"I thought I told you I didn't want to talk."
She growled. Todd shrugged a little.
"Ya wouldn't have gone on a walk if somethin' wasn't botherin' ya."
Leaning forward, letting her fingers play with the side hem of her jeans, Wanda only stared at the ground.
"Why did you do that back there at the house?"
She asked numbly, void of her anger and malicious tone. Todd looked over at her, his dull amber eyes trying to look into hers.
"'Cause I wanted ya ta know how I feel deep down, not just on the surface, yo"
It was a simple enough answer, the kind of response that usually would have satisfied Wanda. But not today, today she wanted to know why he was even trying to get her attention. She powered up a hex bolt in one hand, the part of town they were in now was abandoned, construction equipment waiting to tear it down. She stared at the bluish light it created as if fascinated by it.
"I could have killed you easily back there if I had wanted too...and you were a fucking idiot and let it hit you. Why? Why risk your life that I could smite out with one attack just to tell me up front how much you love me?"
"That's the whole reason. Every time you hex me, I know that you could do some serious damage...but there's something in your eyes that I see every time you do it. You hold back, you don't wanna hurt me as bad as you know you could. So I figured that it was time you knew exactly how I felt 'bout you."
Wanda was silent for a long time, not exactly sure what to say to that. How could he possibly tell that she always held back a little, just enough to give him a shock, not do any major damage. She had almost broken that deal with herself back at the brotherhood. He still had the scald marks to prove it. She had hurt him, lost her temper and injured the only one that could possibly care that much about her. Yet she didn't feel remorse or satisfaction from it. She felt void, empty and confused by the emotions he had brought to her attention with his words. Damn she hated him...and yet...
"I'm...sorry."
She said softly. Todd's eyes widened a little. Never had she apologized to him before.
"For what?"
Without making eye contact, Wanda reached out and gently touched a scalded place at the base of his throat. She felt the muscles in his neck tense up at her touch, and recoiled her hand quickly.
"For that. I-I didn't realize..."
"It's alright, I know you didn't mean to."
He seemed a bit worried. This wasn't the Wanda he loved, nor was she the Scarlet Witch he feared. The persona's of past and present seemed to be conflicting inside of her, one wanting to watch his demise, the other possibly wanting to return the love he felt for her. This left an eerie void about her, but Todd remained anyway. He wasn't about to leave her side unless she out right told him to. And with her past and present personalities conflicting...she seemed to vulnerable to leave alone on the streets at night. He noticed her shiver slightly, and moved closer to her. She gave him a skeptical look, looking out at the rain as it rebounded back into the air after first striking the pavement.
"Toad, why don't you just go back to the house. I'll be fine out here."
Todd shook his head in a firm 'no'.
"I ain't leavin' you out here by yourself."
"I'll be fine."
Wanda hissed each word slowly and threateningly. She sighed, and stood up, walking out into the rain again.
"I can't think with you here. I'll be back soon. I promise."
Todd stood up, starting to follow her until her gaze met his. It was an emotion he had never seen in her eyes before...it was pleading. She was begging him to leave her alone. It was a heartbreaking stare to see her give him, to see her going through such inner torment. He nodded slowly, and turned to walk away.
"I'll leave ya alone, sweetie, but I ain't going back to the house withoutcha."
Then his form became lost as he moved away from her and into the rain.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
A/N: thanks all for the wonderful reviews! I hope you approve of where I'm gonna go with this plot...because it's not gonna be what most of you are thinking. The next chapter is where the 'R' rating comes in...so you have been warned. Please R&R and tell me what you think. I'm very open to ideas!
~Dragonmistriss
