Disclaimer- "Are you talkin' to me? Are you talkin' to me? Well, there's no one else here..."

Chapter Eleven- Picnic

"You've been avoiding the house," Pietro stated, lying down on his back in the grass, rolling a dandelion by the stem between his index finger and his thumb. "My friends scare you off?"

"No," Crystal said as she unfolded the thick, cotton blanket and spread it out. She picked up the basket that had been next to Pietro and set it on there also. Pietro rolled onto the blanket, stopping when he faced her. He propped his head up on his hand, supported by his left elbow, the dandelion still in his right hand.

"I'd understand if you were a bit uncomfortable. Pyro's a handful," he flicked the dandelion off to the side.

"No, I've just been busy with college," Crystal said, starting to set out the food they had packed in front of him.

"Oh," he sounded like he didn't entirely believe her, but he let the subject drop.

She idly watched as a little boy kicked a red ball to his friend, her feet tucked under her. She felt a small tug at her shirt, and noticed that Pietro had grabbed a fistful of the material just below her left shoulder, and he pulled down at it again, bringing her down to just a centimeter away from his lips. She felt his warm breath tickle against her lips, and she watched as he licked his slightly, then bringing his hand up to the back of her head, he pulled her down the rest of the way. She seemed to melt when his soft lips touched hers, and her mouth parted slightly and his tongue slipped in. Just as quickly as it started however, it ended. She almost groaned in disappointment.

"Let's eat," he said softly, looking away from her and starting to unwrap the sandwich next to him. Reluctantly, Crystal did the same.

"Since I met your friends, I think you should meet some of mine," Crystal told him. He didn't say anything for a while, now unscrewing the cap to the bottle of Mountain Dew, and his brow was furrowed slightly.

'Doesn't he ever actually smile more than once a day?' she thought.

"Sure," he said so lowly she wasn't sure if she imagined it or not.

Before she had even eaten half of her sandwich, she noticed that he was already finished and was starting on his second. He drank the Mountain Dew thirstily, a single drop of the soda running down his chin and then down his throat. Crystal watched it with fascination. Finally, after finishing her sandwich, they packed their things up, and set the basket to the side, laying next to each other on the soft blanket, soaking up the sun.

Then he rolled over to his side again, resting on his elbow, and he just stared at her with intent blue eyes. She met his gaze and smiled softly. The right corner of his lip quirked up slightly and he leaned down to kiss her again. She cupped his cheek, but then she moved it to the back of his head, clutching a small amount of his soft, white hair. He moaned slightly, slipping his tongue in once again, and her lips parted more, and he deepened the kiss.

They heard a distant 'Ewww' and parted, looking up to see who had interrupted them. The two boys who were playing ball were now staring at them, making retching noises and clutching their throats. Pietro stuck his tongue out at them and Crystal gave him a playful smack on the arm. He turned back to her with a small smile, eyes sparked with mischievousness and he went down once again and caught her unawares.

A distant, "Get a room!" but he ignored the two boys who couldn't have been more than eight years old.

He pulled back again, taking his index finger and stroking down the side of her face, tucking a lock of silky blonde hair behind her ear as he did so. Crystal's heart started thumping madly, and she could feel herself blush under his touch. How embarrassing!

"You're different," he whispered, staring at his finger as it moved underneath her chin, "You aren't like the other women. Something...about you."

He lifted her chin up slightly and kissed her softly again. He licked his lips again and stared in her eyes, sapphires meeting emeralds.

"And you're different from all the other guys," she whispered back to him, reaching up to tuck the flyaway lock of hair back, caressing the side of his face with the back of her hand. "Let's head back to my apartment, to escape from prying eyes." Her eyes glanced at the direction the two boys had been, and Pietro smirked agreeing, and packed and folded everything in a matter of seconds. He had to slow down his powers so he wouldn't attract a mutant-hating mob after them.

"Let's stop at the store on the way back! My supply of Pixie Sticks is low," he told her, and then hoisted her onto his back, much to her surprise.

"Since when did I want a piggy-back ride?" she asked him, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"Since you don't have any choice," he replied, wrapping his arms around her knees. "Wrap you're legs around me too, it'll be easier."

Crystal obeyed. "You just want an excuse to touch my legs."

"Maybe," he said, walking off to the direction her apartment was three blocks away.

"What are we going to do with the basket," she asked, eyeing the picnic basket on the ground, the blanket presumably rolled up and tucked away inside of it. He stopped, walked back and bent down and kneeled in front of it.

"Grab it," he told her, and she did and he lifted himself back into a standing position with ease.

"Am I too heavy?" she asked concern, shifting her wait slightly. He shook his head, walking again in the direction of her apartment, where they would pass the White Hen and there they could buy his Pixie Sticks.

"Like, I'm not hurting your back or anything? Or your legs? They're not tired?"

He shook his head again, "Enhanced leg muscles. Todd and I have the strongest legs out of the group of us, including the X-Men. Useful for soccer."

She cocked her head in interest, "Do you play soccer?"

"When I was in junior high. Basically the only main sport I didn't play was football. Sport for dumbass jocks." He shifted her wait a little.

"You like sports?" she asked, resting her chin on his shoulder. He nodded. "What kind did you play?"

"Basketball and track mostly," he lowered his voice slightly, "Didn't even need to use my powers. Still left them in the dust."

She laughed lightly. "Any others?"

"A little hockey in junior high too. Fastest on the team. But it was just basically basketball throughout the years. I was unsurprisingly one of the best," he sounded arrogant and proud right then.

Crystal laughed, "A little full of yourself, aren't you?"

"Course not."

They arrived at the White Hen around ten minutes later, and Pietro let Crystal slide off his back. Immediately entering the small store, Pietro began his hunt for the candy section and found it almost right away. Grabbing all the bags of the Pixie Sticks that they had (there was only four in stock that day) he made his way to the front counter. He began drumming his fingers at the counter as Crystal waited for him at the side, examining the covers of the magazines. Finally, the man behind the counter turned around. He was loaded with tattoos and piercings, his hair looked greasy and slightly tinged green, and he was chomping on gum like a cow would chew grass.

"That it?" he said in a bored tone. Pietro nodded with his eyes narrowed.

"Eight fifty," he drawled. Pietro saw that his name was Carl from the nametag. He paid. He turned and saw that Crystal was flipping through a magazine. She walked past him and to the counter, setting it down in front of her.

"Want anything else, babe?" Carl asked with a crooked smile, still chomping on that gum. Pietro took a step closer to her, his eyes narrowed to slits.

"No," Crystal told him, digging in her purse for money.

"Three fifty."

"Here," Crystal paid, putting her purse into the basket that she had set up on the counter.

"Going on a picnic?" Carl asked, leaning on the counter.

"I already went," she replied politely, grabbing the basket off of the counter.

"Alone?" Carl emphasized.

"No, not that it's any of your business," she said pleasantly enough. She turned and grabbed Pietro's candy, put it in the basket, and then wrapped her free hand in one of his. Together they exited, and Pietro made an effort to wrap his arm around her waist in plain view of the doors.

"Jerk," Pietro muttered as they crossed the busy street and to the apartment buildings. Crystal smiled. "A little jealous, are we?"

"Course not."

They climbed up the stone steps and entered the building, Crystal digging out her key and unlocking the door in front of her.

"Lorna might be there," she told him, "She has an extra key. Usually when her mom and step-dad fight she comes over until it cools down. They fight a lot, so don't be surprised."

Pietro nodded solemnly, his arms still wrapped around her waist as they climbed up to the top floor. "If there is, uh, could you not tell anybody I'm a mutant?"

She nodded, and they stopped at a door with a nice welcome mat with kittens chasing butterflies on it, and she unlocked it and they both stepped inside.

Crystal was right. There was somebody there. Sitting at the table, was a pale blonde woman with milky white skin and a cigarette in her hand. She idly flipped through a magazine.

"Hello Crys," the woman said.

Crystal sighed and tossed her keys and purse on the table. "Fighting again?"

"Of course. I hope they divorce." She took a drag of her cigarette.

"Lorna, this is my-uh boyfriend, Pietro," Lorna looked up immediately, her eyebrow raised at Pietro.

"So this is where've you been all this time? Out on romantic dates I expect?" Lorna smiled at Pietro, who nodded slightly back.

"Yup," Crystal set the basket on the table, opened it and pulled out Pietro's candy, handing it to him.

"You're a looker," Lorna told him as he sat at the table. "Wanna smoke?"

He looked up at her, eyeing the cigarette in her hand. He smirked, gently plucked it from her fingers and took a long drag, "S'bad for your heart and lungs. Unhealthy heart and lungs is bad for your running."

She raised an eyebrow. "And do you run often?"

"Quite," he took another drag, then turned it around and handed it back to her. "I don't smoke often, but a few of my friends do. Impairs your performance in sports."

She twisted the butt in the ashtray besides her. "So, you're an athlete."

"You could say that."

Crystal, after relieving herself in the bathroom, walked in and sat in the chair next to Pietro. Under the table, she folded her right hand around left. His right arm rested on the table.

"What kinda sports you play?" Lorna asked, leaning forward.

"Basketball and track mostly," he answered, stroking his thumb across Crystal's knuckles.

"So there're others?"

"Played hockey and soccer in junior high, but I sort of stopped. Running and basketball."

Lorna smiled. "Me and the girls work out at the gym. Maybe you should...join?"

Crystal threw Lorna an alarmed look but then glanced back at Pietro to see what his answer would be. He stared coolly back at Lorna and then smirked in his arrogant way, "Is this just an all female gym or are there guys too?"

"Oh, it's coed," Lorna grinned, twirling a lock of pale blonde hair in her fingers.

"Alright, I'll join you. If it's all right with Crystal," he glanced at her with a questioning raised eyebrow.

Crystal immediately blushed. Seeing him work out? This was all so unexpected! "Of c-course I don't mind!"

The corner of his lip curled up in slight amusement. He was enjoying seeing her uncomfortable! "Good."

Lorna grinned almost wickedly. "Alright. Next week, Friday. Bayville Gym. Three o'clock."

Pietro released Crystal's hand. "Alright," he turned to Crystal, "I have to go. I'm still needed to help around the house." He rose, and Crystal followed him. Opening the door, he turned to her and leaned in close, first glancing at Lorna but she was flipping through the magazine and politely kept her gaze averted from them. He then looked back into her eyes and firmly planted his mouth onto hers, causing Crystal's knees to buckle. Lorna looked up in interest, since she was the nosiest out of their friends.

He deepened the kiss, wrapping his arms around her waist; and she was glad too, because she had been sure she would collapse. Slowly pulling back, he gave her a crooked smile and walked backwards out the door. Crystal closed it quietly.

"You're quite infatuated with him," Lorna said with amusement. Crystal turned to glare at her.

"What was that all about?" she seethed. "Why did you invite him to work out with us?"

"Because," she said, lighting another cigarette. Crystal growled slightly and glanced at the table. The Pixie Sticks were still there.

"Ohh," Crystal moaned, picking up the bags of candy. "He's not going to be happy."

"Why?" Lorna asked a little curiously.

Crystal sighed. "He's obsessed with these. He said it's what keeps him going."

Lorna raised an eyebrow. "He's weird. Hot, but weird."

"Psst, Crystal!" someone hissed from the direction of the balcony, and both women snapped their heads towards it. Pietro was standing there, half outside and half inside, his hand resting on the edge of the sliding glass door. Reaching his hand further inside of the apartment he nodded towards the bags of colorful sugar that Crystal was holding. Crystal rushed over there and shoved them in his hands. Leaning forward and giving her a peck on the cheek faster than the eye could see, he then vanished.

"How'd he get on the balcony?" Lorna asked incredulously, her eyes widened slightly. Crystal shrugged. "I don't know, climbed?"

Lorna furrowed her brow and slowly sat back down at her spot at the table, putting out the cigarette with a thoughtful expression.


Wow! This chapter would have been posted a bijillion years ago, but I have neglected to finish it, or start writing other chapters for other stories. I've been busy, because I am OUT OF SCHOOL, BABY! That and my social life seems to be coming back. It's all good.

As you can see, they're a LITTLE bit closer in this chapter. Pietro is already in love with her. She's falling in love. And next chapter...Hot and sweaty Pietro! YES! Or maybe not... He doesn't really get tired easily, does he? And no, it's not sex.

Zee4- Why doesn't Crystal ever use her powers? I... don't know. I'll have to work that in here. Umm... Pietro getting Crystal pregnant? Lets just say that I know the EXACT last words that this story's going to end in. My cousin is the only other being that knows what they are, but she tortured the information out of me. But there's a sequel! Think of all the possibilities! They screwed my formatting up! I had those stars and swirly things to separate the sections but nooo the thing didn't recognize those characters!

Insanebunneh- Why would you be disappointed? At least the chapter's there. Next update will be Up In Flames, I promise. Actually I might break that, but I have a little of it written! I'm getting there!

Sona Camdyn- A lurker we have, yes? Glad you decided to drop in and leave a review! Glad you like it.

Childrenwithblades- Yes, poor John. Pietro does love him deep down. He just got annoyed!

SperryDee- I wish I were Crystal too. Isn't she one lucky bitch?

The Uncanny R-Man- You don't LIKE Pietro centered fics? He's my hero! Glad you liked this one though. Yes, the way I see it, Pietro does have a nice side than his usually written 'this guy is on the eviler side and seems to brag, therefore he is an arrogant jerk'. Pietro could be sweet if he wanted to! Dammit he's not an asshole! Well, he is a little bit but THAT DOESN'T MATTER! Duncan bashing! Oh you just reminded me! I have to fit that in this story too! There might be Crystal/Wanda bonding. But WOW! Thanks for reviewing every single chapter! That's great! You get one HUGE cookie!

Thanks for all who reviewed!

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