Disclaimer: As usual, I don't own them. Well, unless you count the fact
that they're um, "visiting" right now. *Looks over where Todd is jumping
up and down frantically waving his arms and laughs nervously* Um, ignore
him. He's just unhappy that he hasn't got as much time in the story as he
wants. *Turns to Todd* Don't make me grab the soap frog boy! Calm down,
you'll come in later!
A/N: Wow, I can't believe all the reviews that I've gotten for this! Thank you so much to everyone who has reviewed so far, I'm glad that you're enjoying the story. Also, sorry it took me awhile to get this chapter out. The characters were giving me some problems. *glances at a certain speed demon who's trying to hide* Yeah I'm talking about you Silver! He just didn't seem to want to write this chapter. Anyway, read, review, and enjoy! (Or try, whatever.) Oh and also, it looks like the pairing for Kurt is going to be Kurt/Wanda. She won by a landslide basically. Tabby only got a few votes. So, Wanda it is. Hmm.and as a side note, I don't remember if the Brotherhood ever found out about Mystique being Rogue's foster mother, but just pretend that they did for this story, okay? And now, on with the story!
"Hey Wanda!"
Wanda turned and sent a look that had often caused the Brotherhood to tremble in fear before running and hiding. Kurt merely smiled and continued walking towards her. She sighed. It seemed like that look worked on everyone else but him. Well, okay, so it didn't cause Rogue to tremble in fear either but it let her know that she wanted to be alone.
Not so with Kurt. She had yet to see him in a bad mood and had learned that he didn't like to see anyone else in a bad mood.
Which meant that he was always trying to cheer them up.
"How are you on this fine day?" Kurt asked, gesturing to the overcast sky. When she merely raised an eyebrow at him, he studied her. He had noticed this morning that both Wanda and Pietro had been quiet. And while that wasn't too unusual for Wanda, it was for Pietro, who was usually amusing himself by plotting with Rogue and Wanda or picking a fight with Evan.
Evan had even noticed it and given Pietro a strange look and when he had looked like he was going to ask what was wrong, he had gotten a glare in response causing him to turn back to his breakfast.
As a result, breakfast was less lively than they had gotten used to, despite the fact that Kurt had gotten in trouble (again) for teleporting to the middle of the table to get the bacon.
Even Scott, who just the other day had been muttering something about Pietro being the most annoying person on the planet, had looked concerned.
When he still got no answer, his smile disappeared. "Do you want to talk about it?" he offered. Wanda shook her head.
"No." she said flatly. Pietro clearly didn't want anyone to know about last night and she wasn't going to be the one who told someone else. That would be up to him. Kurt frowned, thoughtful, and then perked up a bit.
"Can I walk with you then? I swear I won't talk unless you want to." Kurt was determined to be there if Wanda needed to talk and he was determined that she knew he'd be there, just like he'd let Pietro know that he could talk to him, though he had a feeling that Rogue would have more luck with him.
Wanda stared at him suspiciously before apparently deciding that she had no reason to suspect him of anything. "Let's go." she told him simply before turning and walking away. Kurt grinned, satisfied that was making some progress, and followed.
~*~*~*~*~*~~*~*~
Kitty sighed as she walked down the street heading away from the Institute. Where she was going, she didn't know, she just knew that she had to get out. The depressing mood at the Institute was beginning to get to her and she knew if she didn't go for a walk her normally happy mood would be gone. She began walking faster.
She heard the engine of a car approaching behind her and ignored it. She kept walking.
"Kitty!"
Kitty stopped and turned to see Lance leaning out of his jeep. She looked at him, confused.
"Lance? What are you doing here?" she asked, the confusion in her eyes clear in her voice. Lance looked at her sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck.
"I, uh, I was coming to see you actually. When I saw you walking, I figured I got lucky since I kind of wanted to talk to you in private anyway." Lance told her. Kitty tilted her head to the side a bit, reminding him of the very thing she was nicknamed for.
"Like about what?" At the question, Lance seemed to become a little nervous and he shifted in his seat.
"About a couple of things actually." He looked up at her. "So, what do you say? Will you go with me so we can talk?" Kitty glanced at the Institute and then back at Lance as if considering.
"Okay." She nodded and walked around to the passenger side of the car, getting in. She looked at Lance. "Let's go."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Pietro glared at the ground as if it were the reason for all his problems. He didn't want to talk to anyone.
Pietro leaned over and dangled his arms over his knees, ducking his head. He had been in this mood all day and everyone had noticed. For once, he hadn't said a word at breakfast.
So far, no one had bothered him, which was probably why, now, when Pietro most wanted to be alone with the worst mood he'd ever been in, a pair of feet came into his view. A pair of very familiar feet. He'd recognize the shoes anywhere. Mostly because nobody else that he knew, except for his sister, would ever wear shoes like that.
"Go away Rogue."
Rogue hesitated before continuing to walk towards him. She sat down on the bench next to him, not saying a word. He scowled at her.
"I said go away." Rogue looked at him wryly.
"And since when do I do what you tell me to?" she asked. His scowl deepened and he looked back at the ground. Hesitantly, she put a hand on his shoulder. He jerked away, not wanting to be touched by anyone. "Pietro, what's wrong?"
"None of your business." He took in a shuddering breath and closed his eyes. "Nothing is wrong, so just.go away, okay? Just leave me alone."
Rogue bit her lip. Normally, she wouldn't pry into a person's life like this, especially since she hated it when other people did it to her, but with Pietro something was telling her that until he talked about it, he'd just continue to get worse. So, instead of going away, she did the opposite.
"Tell me what's wrong. You're not going to feel any better until you talk about it." She thought about the time when her powers had gone out of control and she had cut herself off from everyone for awhile, choosing to brood instead of talk. It was just the way she was, but sometimes, and this was a rare sometimes, she wished she had talked to someone about it and everything that had happened that night, including the stuff with Ris- Mystique-she corrected mentally. "Trust me. I know."
Pietro whirled towards her, eyes blazing with an icy fire as he glared at her. The hold that he'd had on his mood, on his temper, since last night snapped.
"What the hell do you know about it? It's never happened to you before, has it? So you can't touch anybody, big fricking deal, at least you still have people who care about you! The people that you considered to be your only family don't treat you like dirt do they? No! Have you ever been this badly betrayed by one of your parents? No! You don't know anything about it, Rogue, so just leave me the hell alone!" he shouted. During this tirade, Rogue had paled, hurt shock clouding her eyes. Then she stood, her eyes going a little cold.
"You seem to forget that Kurt isn't the only one with Mystique for a mother. So I do know what it's like. And you do have people who care about you, people who want to help. But you want to be alone, Pietro? Fine. Have it your way." she said.
Rogue turned and walked away, leaving Pietro alone.
A/N: Wow, I can't believe all the reviews that I've gotten for this! Thank you so much to everyone who has reviewed so far, I'm glad that you're enjoying the story. Also, sorry it took me awhile to get this chapter out. The characters were giving me some problems. *glances at a certain speed demon who's trying to hide* Yeah I'm talking about you Silver! He just didn't seem to want to write this chapter. Anyway, read, review, and enjoy! (Or try, whatever.) Oh and also, it looks like the pairing for Kurt is going to be Kurt/Wanda. She won by a landslide basically. Tabby only got a few votes. So, Wanda it is. Hmm.and as a side note, I don't remember if the Brotherhood ever found out about Mystique being Rogue's foster mother, but just pretend that they did for this story, okay? And now, on with the story!
"Hey Wanda!"
Wanda turned and sent a look that had often caused the Brotherhood to tremble in fear before running and hiding. Kurt merely smiled and continued walking towards her. She sighed. It seemed like that look worked on everyone else but him. Well, okay, so it didn't cause Rogue to tremble in fear either but it let her know that she wanted to be alone.
Not so with Kurt. She had yet to see him in a bad mood and had learned that he didn't like to see anyone else in a bad mood.
Which meant that he was always trying to cheer them up.
"How are you on this fine day?" Kurt asked, gesturing to the overcast sky. When she merely raised an eyebrow at him, he studied her. He had noticed this morning that both Wanda and Pietro had been quiet. And while that wasn't too unusual for Wanda, it was for Pietro, who was usually amusing himself by plotting with Rogue and Wanda or picking a fight with Evan.
Evan had even noticed it and given Pietro a strange look and when he had looked like he was going to ask what was wrong, he had gotten a glare in response causing him to turn back to his breakfast.
As a result, breakfast was less lively than they had gotten used to, despite the fact that Kurt had gotten in trouble (again) for teleporting to the middle of the table to get the bacon.
Even Scott, who just the other day had been muttering something about Pietro being the most annoying person on the planet, had looked concerned.
When he still got no answer, his smile disappeared. "Do you want to talk about it?" he offered. Wanda shook her head.
"No." she said flatly. Pietro clearly didn't want anyone to know about last night and she wasn't going to be the one who told someone else. That would be up to him. Kurt frowned, thoughtful, and then perked up a bit.
"Can I walk with you then? I swear I won't talk unless you want to." Kurt was determined to be there if Wanda needed to talk and he was determined that she knew he'd be there, just like he'd let Pietro know that he could talk to him, though he had a feeling that Rogue would have more luck with him.
Wanda stared at him suspiciously before apparently deciding that she had no reason to suspect him of anything. "Let's go." she told him simply before turning and walking away. Kurt grinned, satisfied that was making some progress, and followed.
~*~*~*~*~*~~*~*~
Kitty sighed as she walked down the street heading away from the Institute. Where she was going, she didn't know, she just knew that she had to get out. The depressing mood at the Institute was beginning to get to her and she knew if she didn't go for a walk her normally happy mood would be gone. She began walking faster.
She heard the engine of a car approaching behind her and ignored it. She kept walking.
"Kitty!"
Kitty stopped and turned to see Lance leaning out of his jeep. She looked at him, confused.
"Lance? What are you doing here?" she asked, the confusion in her eyes clear in her voice. Lance looked at her sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck.
"I, uh, I was coming to see you actually. When I saw you walking, I figured I got lucky since I kind of wanted to talk to you in private anyway." Lance told her. Kitty tilted her head to the side a bit, reminding him of the very thing she was nicknamed for.
"Like about what?" At the question, Lance seemed to become a little nervous and he shifted in his seat.
"About a couple of things actually." He looked up at her. "So, what do you say? Will you go with me so we can talk?" Kitty glanced at the Institute and then back at Lance as if considering.
"Okay." She nodded and walked around to the passenger side of the car, getting in. She looked at Lance. "Let's go."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Pietro glared at the ground as if it were the reason for all his problems. He didn't want to talk to anyone.
Pietro leaned over and dangled his arms over his knees, ducking his head. He had been in this mood all day and everyone had noticed. For once, he hadn't said a word at breakfast.
So far, no one had bothered him, which was probably why, now, when Pietro most wanted to be alone with the worst mood he'd ever been in, a pair of feet came into his view. A pair of very familiar feet. He'd recognize the shoes anywhere. Mostly because nobody else that he knew, except for his sister, would ever wear shoes like that.
"Go away Rogue."
Rogue hesitated before continuing to walk towards him. She sat down on the bench next to him, not saying a word. He scowled at her.
"I said go away." Rogue looked at him wryly.
"And since when do I do what you tell me to?" she asked. His scowl deepened and he looked back at the ground. Hesitantly, she put a hand on his shoulder. He jerked away, not wanting to be touched by anyone. "Pietro, what's wrong?"
"None of your business." He took in a shuddering breath and closed his eyes. "Nothing is wrong, so just.go away, okay? Just leave me alone."
Rogue bit her lip. Normally, she wouldn't pry into a person's life like this, especially since she hated it when other people did it to her, but with Pietro something was telling her that until he talked about it, he'd just continue to get worse. So, instead of going away, she did the opposite.
"Tell me what's wrong. You're not going to feel any better until you talk about it." She thought about the time when her powers had gone out of control and she had cut herself off from everyone for awhile, choosing to brood instead of talk. It was just the way she was, but sometimes, and this was a rare sometimes, she wished she had talked to someone about it and everything that had happened that night, including the stuff with Ris- Mystique-she corrected mentally. "Trust me. I know."
Pietro whirled towards her, eyes blazing with an icy fire as he glared at her. The hold that he'd had on his mood, on his temper, since last night snapped.
"What the hell do you know about it? It's never happened to you before, has it? So you can't touch anybody, big fricking deal, at least you still have people who care about you! The people that you considered to be your only family don't treat you like dirt do they? No! Have you ever been this badly betrayed by one of your parents? No! You don't know anything about it, Rogue, so just leave me the hell alone!" he shouted. During this tirade, Rogue had paled, hurt shock clouding her eyes. Then she stood, her eyes going a little cold.
"You seem to forget that Kurt isn't the only one with Mystique for a mother. So I do know what it's like. And you do have people who care about you, people who want to help. But you want to be alone, Pietro? Fine. Have it your way." she said.
Rogue turned and walked away, leaving Pietro alone.