"NO!!" I screamed desperately. "MOTHER, DON'T!" But she did not listen, and she stood in front of me, shielding me from my father. He took his anger out on her instead, despite my screams, and-
"Suzan! Suzan, love, wake up!"
Waking, I sat up instantly, screaming, from the same nightmare I'd had, off and on, since I was eight, and the event had actually occurred. When I realized where I was, I turned to Toad and buried my face in his chest, sobbing. He held me awkwardly and let me cry myself out. When I finished, I pulled away and looked at him with shame in my eyes. He smiled at me consolingly, and said, "It's time to get up anyway. Remember, today we have to deal with training the fire kid. I'm going to go shower and dress. I'll be back in a half hour, okay?"
I smiled wanly, and nodded, following him with my eyes until he exited. I went through the routine of showering and hair brushing without concentrating, pulled on the first clothes I saw, and sat on the couch until Toad returned. By the time he did, I had calmed down reasonably and looked partly normal. "Sorry," I said. "I dreamed abo- I had a nightmare. I- well- I'm sorry."
He walked over and sat next to me, and he pulled me against his chest. "It's okay. I'm flattered that you turned to me."
After a pause, he said, "You were talking, then screaming. You were saying, 'zombie-eyes, zombie-eyes.' Were you meaning your own?"
I looked down and nodded. "That's what I was called in school. I even heard the teachers calling me that behind my back."
He raised my chin and looked into my eyes, in my opinion, my glowing, unfeeling eyes. He shook his head, and said, "People said that? Nothing could be farther from the truth. I saw hope and love last night; terror this morning, and happiness right now."
I smiled at him, because I really was happy. He kissed me, and I felt his love for me overflowing from it. I smiled at him, ignoring my feeling of guilt at leading him on. I asked him something, anything to take my mind off the fact that I didn't love him.
"How did Sabertooth break his back?" He noticed my abrupt subject change, but he chalked it up to feeling uncomfortable at the compliment to my eyes.
"We were in a battle against the X-Men. A man named Wolverine threw him out of a window, and he crashed into a boat. A woman named Storm electrocuted me, shot me with a bolt of lightning. It took me about a month to recover, but I didn't hurt anything vital."
I nodded, and then I looked at the TV, and saw that it was about nine. "We should go before someone comes looking for us."
I got up, and walked to the door. We went to the living room in silence. He obviously realized something was on my mind, and let me think. The training practice of Pyro was very funny, and tiring, but I didn't register much of it. I found myself mentally complimenting Pyro's work, and admiring him. I realized that this might count as cheating, so then I studiously looked at and thought about Toad for the rest of the day, but I couldn't help my body's attraction to Pyro. That night, after I made Toad sleep, I rolled away from him and thought for a while.
I whispered, "I'm sorry, Toad, but I can't love anyone. I'll stay with you for a while though. I really hope that will be enough."
Thus said, I rolled next to him and slept. My sleep was blissfully free from nightmares, and I felt really refreshed when I awoke. I hadn't in several days. I looked at Toad, and smiled happily. I had woken before him, for once! I sat up, and watched him sleep. Hmm… I thought. He's not nearly so ugly as he thinks. He's never held still for long enough for me to notice before.
After a few minutes, I put my hand on the back of his neck, the best place to reach the mind, and less tiring, and I made him a little less tired, so he would wake up. I smiled at him a little while later, when he awoke. He looked at me and smirked, and I was sure he was thinking about the fact that I had awoken before him. I said, "Go change. I'll come see you soon."
He nodded, and I showered, pulling on the first shirt I saw, and a pair of jeans. I left my room, and hesitated in front of Toad's door for a minute before smiling to myself and entering unannounced. I saw him sitting on the bed, wearing jeans and drying his hair. He hadn't noticed me yet, and I found myself admiring his chest, which was very muscular. Somehow, the light green color of his skin made him even more attractive to me.
I walked over to him quietly; amazed that he hadn't noticed me, with his perceptiveness. He flopped backward onto the bed, closing his eyes and throwing his towel across the room. I stopped about two feet away from him, and said, "Hi!" He sat up so quickly that you'd think the bed had tried to eat him, and stared at me, wide-eyed. I laughed for a minute, and sat next to him. I kissed him, my fingers tracing lazy patterns on his bare back. He returned the kiss, getting over his surprise quickly. (And my hand on the back of his neck, draining the adrenaline from his system had nothing to do with it, right?)
I leaned to the side, pulling him with me until we were lying on our sides on his bed. I ran my hands slowly up and down his back, making him shiver.
I whispered, "Do you want me?"
He nodded.
"Then prove it."
He did.
