Title: Understandings

Author: Erin

Email: Erin_LoveRose@yahoo.com

Website: http://www.fanfiction.net/~AmarinRose

Archive: You want it, you got it.

Pairing: Rogue/Todd

Rating: PG-13

Summary: Scott has a little chat with Todd about his relationship with Rogue, and some truths are revealed.



Understandings
By Erin

"Did you just tell me to get bent?!"

Looking up at Scott's glaring face, (which was almost as red as his visor, he managed to note) Todd inwardly cringed, but outwardly managed to maintain his bluff.

"Yeah, Summers, I did. Rogue's and my relationship is none of your business!" he growled.

Taking a deep breath, Scott let it out slowly. The color drained from his face and after a moment he nodded. "You're right, Toa-- I mean, *Todd*. It's just kinda hard to get over the fact that you and the others were once Brotherhood," he admitted grudgingly.

Todd sighed. "Hey, I know, yo. But you managed with Rogue. We've been here for over three months, man, and haven't done nothin' wrong -- well, 'cept for Freddy eating up Fuzzball's snack cakes, but that was an accident. And Pietro's no worse with the practical jokes than Bobby and Fuzzball. We're trying to get along here, dude." He looked up at Scott beseechingly.

Rubbing the back of his neck the way he always did when he was stressed, Scott said, "You were with Magneto for so long, longer than Rogue, and she really didn't want to be with him...it's just gonna take a while for me to completely trust you."

Todd huffed, "You know, Summers, most of us were only with him 'cause he was our best option. Lance was about to get moved to yet *another* foster home, Freddy never really wanted to work the monster truck circuit, but his jerk of stepfather made 'im, Tabby had problems with her father that no one around here knew about and she didn't feel like she could talk about them, Pietro and Wanda were his kids, and had been listening to Maggie's crap for years; it was all they knew. 'Side from Speedy and the Scarlet Bitch, and excepting Blondie, if we'd known about you first, we woulda joined up."

Giving the shorter boy a calculating look, Scott asked, "What made you join Magneto?"

Sighing, Todd said, "I'm from Brooklyn, yo. My ma's a hooker named Trixie -- I don't even know what her real name is -- who only kept me 'cause she was gettin' too old for the business and she found out she could get food stamps and welfare if she had a kid. She has no clue who my father is, drinks all day, and the only one in my neighborhood who gave a damn about me was Babka Tolensky. She died two years ago, about a month before Mystique showed up. I had no reason to stick around, so I left. Now, you have any other questions?" He crossed his arms over his chest and smiled sardonically up at the older boy.

Scott was stunned. He knew, of course, that most of the Brotherhood hadn't had peaches and cream lives, but to have it all spelled out brought it home to him.

Clearing his throat and shaking his head 'No', he said gruffly, "Well, as long as you treat her right, I won't say anything. Deal?" He offered his hand.

Todd searched his eyes for a moment and clasped the proffered hand in his own web-fingered grip. "Deal, man."



END