AU: In this story, Kitty and Lance are broken up, but they have decided to remain friends and she comes over to the Brotherhood house occasionally. This story is a chance for me to explore Pietro's personality and how he would react to unexpectedly having to care for a child. This will be a Kietro, by will be more centered around Pietro. Wanda is not in this fiction though. Don't expect any frequent updates, I try but I'm not very consistent.
The rain is loud as the pounding echoes through the worn down house. Thunder rolls ominously overhead as a flash of lightning strikes just in front of living room window, causing the glass to tremble. Pietro glances uncaringly towards the window, before dragging his gaze back to the static filled tv.
Then, he hears something. It's faint and he can't quite make it out, but past the thunder, rain, and tv static, he can just hear it. The noise peaks his interest and he slowly rises off the couch. The sound gets louder as he leaves the room, raising his eyebrow as he faces the front door. Turning, he reaches for the handle, and yanks open the door. His eyes scan the area in front of the house, before dropping to the shivering bundle squirming on the door mat.
His eyes widen as he quickly snatches up the blanket, then a bolt of lightning strikes the spot where the baby had just been. The door slams shut with a resounding thud, the wood creaking eerily. He zooms up the stairs, flying into his room. Gently, he places the bundle of blankets on his lap.
Unfurling the soft, fuzzy fabric, he sees the plush face of a baby. It's shivering and its face is pale, almost blue. He throws off the damp blanket and carefully cradles it to his chest. He gently rocks it back and forth, soothing the child. Snatching up his own blanket, he smothers them both with it. Now swallowed in warmth and cradled in strong arms, the baby begins to calm, being lulled back to sleep.
The albino smiles down at the child as it snoozes happily against him, his shirt clenched in its little fists. With his back against the headrest, he slowly drifts off to sleep.
He awakens to the sound of whimpering. Blinking his eyes open, he gives a big yawn. He peers down at his lap, where the whimpering seems to be coming from, only to spot the baby with tears welling up into its eyes. That's when he remembers the events of the night before. He is drawn back to the present by the sight of the child's eyes. They are a mesmerizingly brilliant purple. Carefully, he lifts the baby up, cradling it to his chest like the night before. He slowly rises to his feet as he begins to rock it back and forth while hushing the child soothingly.
After calming it down, he sets the child on the bed just long enough for him to get dressed, before picking it right back up. He bundles it in one of his clean shirts, before leaving his room and making his way down the stairs. He can hear Lance and Todd arguing in the living room, while Fred cooks breakfast.
Lance, who has given up on the argument and has instead walked into the kitchen, is the first to spot the unusual bundle of cloth wrapped in Pietro's arms as the albino teen sits at the table, gazing down at the shirt.
Lance stands frozen in the doorway, "Um, Pietro, what'cha you got there?" he asks cautiously. His words catching the other two boys' attention as they turn to the teen in question.
Pietro slowly raises his head to look at the rock tumbler. "It's a baby, found it on our doorstep last night," he replies easily, his voice soft and calm.
The three teens freeze in shock as they stare at the speedster, whom has gone back to gazing down at the child.
"Breakfast is served," Fred breaks the silence as he slops two eggs onto four plates, before plopping them down onto the table. That's the last of their food, curtesy of Pietro who had stolen a few eggs yesterday. The four sit at the crooked table, eating quietly, an awkward tension filling the air.
"What's its gender?" Todd asks as he hops up next to Pietro.
"I don't know, actually, I haven't checked yet." The boy blinks for a moment, before glancing down at the baby, whose purple eyes peer back up at his. "You guys head out, I'll stay home today," he speaks distractedly. The three boys just shrug and drive off in Lance's jeep. Pietro sets the child down on his bed, before zooming to the store and snatching up some diapers, a bottle and baby formula.
With a determined huff, he begins to change its diaper. The experience isn't as bad as he has been told. But, that could just be because he did it at super speed. He reads through the directions on the container of formula. Then, he sets out to make some, with the baby- girl, he now learned- still cradled in one arm.
The child is now fed and changed, so he sits himself down on the stiff couch with the baby on his lap and turns on the tv.
After about two hours, he heads off to the library, with baby girl in tow. He seats himself in front of a computer and looks up how to take care of babies.
Now, with a basic understanding and list of supplies in his mind, he sets off for the mall. He asks for help when buying the child clothing. A nice lady who works there helps him figure out the baby's size and shows him what to look for. He ends up buying the child seven onesies, before going to the next store.
Then he buys her more formula, more diapers, and a binky. He pays for it all with the money he that he had pick pocketed off people on his way to the mall. He is preparing to leave for the Brotherhood, when something catches his eye. A plush, baby blue blanket sticks out on the shelf of colorful toys. He unconsciously walks towards it, his hand reaching up to touch the cloth. It is plush and soft, much like touching a cloud. Without thinking, he quickly snatches up the blanket and adds it to his bags. Then he heads to the food court to get a bite to eat, and maybe pick a few more pockets.
After eating a sloppily put together cheese burger and greasy fries, he stands up to refill his cup once more before leaving. Suddenly, something knocks into his back, he quickly steadies himself, hugging the baby girl to his chest. He hears the thud as the thing that rammed into him falls to the ground.
The person gasps, before scrambling to rise back to their feet. "I'm, like, so sorry, I didn't see you-"
He turns to find Kitty Pryde dusting off her pants as she apologizes. "Watch it Pryde." He sneers down at her.
The girl's hazel eyes widen as she spots the child- now sporting one of her new onesies- snuggled into the boy's chest. "W-Who's this?"
"I don't really know her name actually," he shrugs. Her eyes widened at the implication and she opens her mouth the voice her thoughts, when he rolls his eyes and continues, "no Pryde, I did not kidnap her. Somebody left her on the Brotherhood's doorstep last night, so I've been watching her all day."
"So, that's why you weren't at school." She flushes at the implication that she might have been worried about him. "But, why don't you just bring her to Xavier-"
His glare cuts her off, "are you trying to say I can't take care of a child, X-Geek?" She tries to squeak out a 'no', but he cuts her off once again. Bending down closer, so his face is inches from her own, he continues, "I've been taking care of myself since I was seven, so I think I can handle taking care of a baby."
Kitty flinches and takes a step back from the seething teen. "S-sorry, Pietro, I just thought it be easier since the institute has multiple adults…" she trailed off, giving up on the argument.
The two teens' heads drop to the baby's as the child begins to whimper, not liking the harsh voices. Kitty watches as Pietro's mood completely changes and the tense, angry aura surrounding him dissolves. His icy blue eyes soften as he stares down at the baby girl, he gently rocks the upset child, humming soothingly to her. Soon enough, the little girl in his arms quiets and falls back asleep.
Kitty feels surprised by the scene she has just witnessed. She feels a tingle in her stomach at seeing Pietro's tender side.
"So, what are you doing here X-Geek, school isn't out yet," the speed demon retorts, once the baby is sated. She jumps slightly, caught off guard by the sudden question.
"Oh, um, I," she stutters uneasily.
"So Miss Goody-Goody actually decided to skip, huh?" Pietro laughs. Kitty blushes as he hits the nail right on the head.
"W-well, I, like, just, um…" she fumbles over her words, causing Pietro to laugh again.
"Didn't know you had it in you Pryde." He ruffles her hair before picking up his bags and speeding off, forgetting all about his plan to refill his cup.
After putting everything he has bought away, he makes his way back downstairs. The boys are back from school and are lounging in the living room. Pietro sits down next to Fred with Todd resting on the couch's armrest. While Lance sits lazing in the broken recliner.
The four continue to lounge around, watching the old, fuzzy tv, until they hear a gurgling sound coming from Pietro's lap. Eight pairs of eyes glue onto the tiny female. She's happily blowing bubbles as she grips tightly onto Pietro's pinky finger- which he had never realized she had taken. Within seconds, Todd is crouched in front of Pietro, cooing sweetly at the giggling infant. Lance sits rolling his eyes at the boy, yet secretly he can't help but smile at the darling girl. Fred laughs lightly, carefully rubbing the little girl's head with one of his chubby fingers.