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Pietro, a young man who did everything too fast it seemed, glanced over at one Todd Tolensky, as the boy gleefully tried on a pink hat with a ridiculous Yellow flower stuck on the side. Why Todd was doing this was unknown, but he apparently found it the most amusing thing in the world from his almost lunatic like giggles. "Why did you bring him?" Pietro sighed in annoyance looking over Lance who stood in front of him holding a pack of cigarettes and a dirty magazine. Lance sighed looking over at Todd with what Pietro described as a, "fond annoyance," by Most of the brotherhood. Whether their self proclaimed leader admitted it or not he was very fond of Todd and very protective, even if he did occasionally swat the boy. "Because Pyro is staying with us, and Pyro tends to burn things, including people." Both Pietro and Lance frowned with distaste at the mutant that had started staying with at the brotherhood home.
Wanda, who had disappeared quite some time ago to be on her own, had walked in to discover Pyro had the rather cruel tendency to burn Todd when it couldn't be seen. Thus, the members of the brotherhood who'd been on the team the longest did not leave the youngest member of the group alone with the lunatic as much as possible. "And," Lance added, "that guy Pyro brought with him...Snake...I don't like the way he looks at Toad...or his catch phrase of, "Some snakes eat toads..." Pietro snorted, "Yeah he pisses me off when he'll say, "Watch yourself," like he can take us down...damX faggot." The two boy's turned their attention to Todd when he bounded over in his toad like manner shouting, "Hey, yo! Doesn't this hat match my eyes?" He grinned from ear to ear, as he mocked a girly twirl, smirking looking rather amused at his own antics. Lance rolled his eyes though a smile graced his lips, "Put it back you little idiot." Todd snickered tossing a, "You're just jealous Yo!"
As Lance paid for his things, and Pietro complained about, "their little annoyance," Todd did just as he said strolling out of eyesight to return the hat. As he jumped up putting the hat on the highest shelf, landing in a very toad like manner, he was suddenly aware of a shadow that fell over him. Turning around his eye widened considerably as he let loose a loud screech of terror.
Pietro and Lance both turned crying out, "Toad?" They barely took a few steps forward when Toad came crashing into Lance gripping his brown vest and screaming as loud as he could. Pietro looked around muttering, "Shut him up people are staring!" Lance shook the small boy crying, "What the hell man!" Todd struggled to get away managing to break loose Lance accidentally ripping his arm band clear off Todd's wrist. Wasting no more time Todd ran screaming out of the store. "Xhit what the hell man?" Pietro mumble looking over at the door Todd had run out. Lance rose to his full height marching over where the store kept the hats, and began searching for someone who might have attacked Todd in some way. "If it was those X-pukes I'm gonna rip their heads off!" Lance snarled glaring around. "Dude," Pietro interrupted, "I think it was this..." Lance turned seeing a helmet that greatly resembled none other then Magneato's Helmet. The two looked at each other perplexed and startled and confused, but their confusion turned to anger as they stormed out of the store.
"TOAD, GET YOU ASX OVER HERE!" Lance shouted looking around. The two teens looked around, until they spotted a shoe sticking out of a bush. Rushing over there they pushed the leaves aside staring down at the small boy who sat on the ground looking kind of confused himself. Lance jerked the boy up throwing him on the pavement, "Don't ever embarrass me like that again!" Lance turned followed by Pietro, and then Todd who eventually rose to his feet and followed as well.
During their walk back to their rundown home Lance grumbled, "I can't believe you did that!" Pietro however joked, "I thought it was funny way to go Toad!" Todd however remained quiet his knees trembling. With a sudden sharpness he cried, "SHUT UP! SHUT UP! YOU DON'T KNOW ME; YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT'S GOING ON!" Todd collapsed with his two older brotherhood members staring on, and looking mortified as the young mutant collapsed and burst into loud tears. "Toad!" Lance cried startled, but as always Pietro beat him with his quick movements and gripped the young teen by his shoulders. "Toad what is it? What's got you acting like a spaz?" Todd struggled, beginning to scream again hitting Pietro as he tried to jerk away. When Lance got there, he was there to catch Todd's head as he went limp and leaned over.
"Toad!"
"Toad, Stop playing!"
Todd did not answer.
Lance checked his pulse, find young Todd's pulse beating at a rapid pace but eventually began to slow down. "Did he...faint?" Pietro asked brows rose stunned. Lance's brow furrowed, worry lines appearing on his forehead. He scooped the boy up with little effort surprised by how light the teen was. "Jesus, does he eat?" Lance cried staring down at him. "Dude, did he just faint!" Pietro demanded again. Quickly rising, and ignoring Pietro's query Lance sighed, "Yes motor-mouth he did!" Staring at the limp boy Lance sighed, "C'mon let's get him home...maybe he's got some sort of fever." The two walked on a heavy tension weighing down on the boys.
"Is it just me, or does he smell good?" Lance suddenly questioned. Pietro blinked surprised at the odd question and leaned down quickly sniffing the boy. "Yeah he smells like strawberries..." Pietro agreed. Suddenly recalling an offhanded comment Freddy had made he in his quick manner added, "Freddy said that Todd's been taking baths everyday now...and he'll stay in there a long time." Lance frowned, "As much as I'm glad his personal Hygiene has improved, I can't say that I'm not a little concerned." Lance and Pietro walked home in, frowning as they spotted Pyro and Snake putting out the couch. "This place is a Xhit hole enough, do you have to make it any worse?" Lance snapped at the two. Instead of answering Pyro merely asked, "What's wrong with the little toad-boy?" Pietro snapped, "None of your business!" And with that both boys marched up stairs to Lance's room.
Lance had Pietro toss his laundry, a cd player, as well as some cds on the floor, and then with care he laid Todd on the bed. "I'll be back in a flash!" Pietro said with a smirk. Lance blinked, and Pietro had already stuck the thermometer in Todd's mouth. Waiting for a moment they found Todd's temperature to be 60.2 degrees. "Whoa, damX why is he so cold!" Lance gasped, but surprisingly Pietro had the answer. "He's cold blooded," The white haired teen answered, "That's normal for him; we should worry only when he reaches the high seventies." Lance glanced over at Pietro, "Where'd you learn that?" Pietro shrugged, "Mystique mentioned it once." Lance nodded and took a seat in his bean bag chair. "One of us should stay with him...in case Snake or Pyro get any ideas." Pietro agreed, "Sure...I'll take over in case you want to do something or whatever..." Pietro stood awkwardly for a moment, "Can I stay too?" Lance smirked, "Are :you: worried Quicksilver?" Pietro snorted crossing his arms, "Nah…I'm just curious!" And with that Pietro pulled up Lance's computer chair, and sat quietly occasionally glancing at the slumbering teen.
Periodically Snake and Pyro would come and check on Todd...trying to see the boy when Lance and Pietro were not there, but true to their words the two were always there, never allowing the two boys to enter the room. Pietro eventually left Lance and only popped up to deliver food and some soup for Todd if he ever woke up. Night came after what felt like many hours and Lance found himself nodding off only to be awoken around midnight by a strange noise. Looking up to the bed he was startled to see a dark figure looming over Todd. Quickly switching on the lamp he snapped, "Okay Snake what do you...want?" But instead of Snake, it was Magneto looming over Todd. Todd's eyes were open wide and he stared up at the ceiling, as tears quietly raced down his cheeks. Magneto held Todd by the arm, and had a needle in Todd's arm a rubber rope tied off up high on the same arm so Magneto could find Todd's veins better. Magneto paused in pumping a silver liquid in the boy and smiled easily at Lance, "Ah...Avalanche..." Magneto said, "I didn't realize you were there..."
"What do you think you're doing Magneto?" Lance asked, his voice unexpectedly cracking. The older man looked at Todd then to Lance. Feeling the ground begin to rumble Magneto removed the needle and rubber rope. Without any sort or explanation he walked out of Lance's room and disappeared down the hall. Lance did not move until he heard the front door close, but when he did move he'd pulled Todd up and gripped him tightly by his shoulders. "What was that? What was he doing? Tell me!" Lance demanded staring directly into the face of the sobbing boy. Todd opened his mouth whispering, "Let me go, Yo!" Lance scowled shaking the boy, "Not until you tell me what the hell is going on!" Todd's head dropped and he leaned forward brow on Lance's chest. At first Lance thought he fainted again when in the tiniest of voices Todd spoke, "Since Snake and Pyro moved in...When you, Pietro, or Fred ain't around...They been "escortin'," me to See Magneto. I don't know where, Snake always sits me in his lap and covers my eyes. When I go there...he does something to me and I wake up covered in blood...sometimes it's mine but most of the time it ain't." Todd went quiet and Lance was half disgusted with himself when all he could think about was Todd's atrocious grammar.
Lance squished to boy against him, rubbing a soothing hand up and down his back, "Why didn't you say anything?" Todd took in a shuddering breath, "I didn't want you to die, yo! He said he would...said he would..." Todd repeated his tears soaking through Lance's shirt. Lance bitterly closed his eyes hugging the boy tighter, "C'mon..."Lance whispered, scooping the boy up as you would a young child, "C'mon..." he repeated. Going into Todd's room he set the boy down, and grabbed Todd's backpack dumping all that was in there out of it. Opening Todd's closet he stuffed shirts inside, then moving to the dresser he opened the drawers and shoved boxers, pants and socks in the bag. "If there's anything else you want shove them in there!" Lance ordered going to his own room to pack. Lance took his clothes, including his cds, his cd player, and a small book with several phone numbers in it, including Kitty's. Todd only shoved his arm bands and several black bracelets in his bag before slipping it on. Lance exited his room just as Todd did and grabbed Todd by the hand making the boy flush red, "Yo, I ain't your girlfriend!" Lance ignored him and dragged the boy out to his jeep pointing at it and snapping, "Get in." Todd obeyed, and Lance was about to run inside to grab his keys when he found Pietro holding his keys in his left hand, and a duffle bag in the other.
"I got your toothbrushes...you forgot them." Pietro whispered a sad expression on his face. Lance held out his hand, and gently Pietro placed the keys in the waiting hand. Pietro's eyes looked glassy and with a fake smile he whispered, "I want to go wherever you two are headed...the walls are paper thin you know." Lance nodded whispering, "Go on then..." Pietro climbed in the front seat, turning around to ruffle Todd's hair as the boy sat their quietly not knowing how to react. Lance started the car, and looked at Pietro, "We need money...think you can get that?" Pietro smirked, "No camera can spot me!"
Driving off the car only stopped for Pietro to, "borrow," some money and Lance to, "commandeer," some gas. Off into the night they drove leaving Bayville city limits quicker then they thought. Todd finally spoke, "Where are we going to go?" Lance shrugged, "Somewhere out of New York...we'll steal what we need for awhile until we find a good place to stay, and then we'll worry about putting you back into school, and us two getting jobs." Todd sat quietly before he put his head between his knees tangling his hands in his brown hair. Lance thinking the young boy was about to get sick pulled over, "Don't you dare throw up in this car!" Todd sniffed loudly, "It's not that Yo! Magneto...he'll kill you both and it'll be my fault!" Lance sighed annoyed and turned looking at boy, placing a gentle hand on his head. "Toad...just shut up man...just let me protect you, you pest. We're the brotherhood remember? That means we stand by each other...Magneto may have started this team, but he is not going to break it!" Todd looked up at Lance who was gazing at him with a soft expression, and Pietro who looked at him with his normal cheeky smile on his face. "O-Okay...if that's what ya want, yo." Todd finally sighed resting against the back seat. "Good," Lance said firmly, "Now let's find a hotel we can stay at."
Putting the car back into drive they drove on until they found a small town with only one cheap hotel with a blaring neon sign. Lance led the group in, a hand on Todd's shoulder. He approached the desk, a young woman immediately smiling, and welcoming them to their fine establishment. "One room...is there one with three beds?" Lance asked pulling out the money they had stolen earlier. "I'm afraid not dear, only two beds." Lance sighed and nodded, "Okay, give me one of those rooms." As they were led to their room Pietro grumbled appalled that one of them would have to share a bed. Once inside, Lance closed the door behind him stripping off his vest, and kicking off his shoes. "I'm going to bed now." He climbed in the nearest bed Pietro shrugging, "I'm taking a shower, Toad...I am not sharing a bed with you!" And with that Pietro disappeared into the bathroom the sound of running water soon filling the room.
Todd had kicked off his shoes, and now stood quietly by himself holding his arm in a shy manner. "Um...I'll sleep on the floor, Yo. I'm used to that." Lance rolled his eyes, "Get over here." Todd stared at Lance not moving and Lance snapped again, "Get over here!" Obeying, Todd slunk over to Lance not making any other type of move. Lance sighed disgruntled, and grabbed the boy jerking him in the bed. Todd tumbled in and Lance pulled the covers around them both. "If you drool or I find that nasty long tongue of yours on me I'm throwing you out the window." Lance warned Todd's eyes widening. "But we're on the fourth floor yo!" Todd squeaked. Lance gave Todd a hard stare, "I know, now get to sleep!"
"How do you expect me to sleep when your damX well near making me piss my pants!"
"Do that and I'll beat the crap put of you, and then drop you out of the window!"
"Yo, seriously this ain't funny!"
"For God's sake Toad, try using the word, "isn't," for a change!"
"Not my style!"
"Shut up and go to sleep!"
"Fine!"
"Fine!"
"I will!"
"Good!"
Todd pouted and tried to sleep unsuccessful even when he could hear Pietro sleeping soundly when he had just gotten out of the shower. Todd turned to look at Lance, and was surprised to find Lance has his eyes open and was staring off into space. Ever so slightly, Todd poked the dark haired teen who looked over at him with an annoyed expression. "Uh Lance...Thanks...Thanks isn't enough but...ya' know...I can't find any other words to say." Todd quickly mumbled averting his eyes. Lance's hand was suddenly running through Todd's hair, "its okay Toad I understand...get some sleep, you're safe now." Todd was almost reduced to tears again at the soft sincerity and gentleness in Lance's voice. Lance noticing that Todd might just start crying again pulled the younger boy to him and rubbed his back soothingly. "Shh...It's okay." Todd closed his eyes his tears burning his pale cheeks, his hands gripped tightly to Lance's shirt, and his shoulder shuddering from his tears. The tears were brief, and soon Todd was asleep. Sighing Lance carefully rolled over on his back, Todd's small frame moving with him, so that Todd's arms were slung around Lance's shoulders, and his head rested on Lance's chest.
Lance let out a sigh, his stomach twisting in knots, wondering what Magneto had been doing to the boy and what it was that Todd couldn't remember. What especially worried Lance was how Todd had revealed that sometimes he's be covered in blood. But Lance had never noticed any injuries and wondered if there were scars on the teen's body hidden by his clothes. Lance briefly thought of removing Todd's shirt while he slept, but decided against it not wishing to violate the boy's privacy. "Hey Toad..." Lance whispered, "I promise I won't let Magneto touch you again...I swear."
Todd slept on a smile gracing his cheeks.
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End of chapter one...woohoo!