Notes: This is a six-chaptered story. Barring my untimely death, there should be a new chapter up every day because I have finished this story. The story takes place sometime during Season 2 when Tabitha is with the Brotherhood. And as for Evan's ability to do something that requires book smarts, I cite "Middleverse" because he and Kitty were intelligently looking over Forge's ray gun and figuring out how it works.

Feedback: I put time and effort into making this something *I* like, so what makes this a hit or miss for other people is something I'm very much interested in. I'll accept anything, even if you hate it. ::grin:: But I'm hoping that you don't hate it.


~Chapter 1: The Beginning of It All~

Pietro sighed as he waited for the school computer to catch up to him. Stupid word processor didn't have enough room in its memory to keep up with his typing, even when he did hen-peck the keys. So now he had to wait and see where his words had gotten cut off before he could continue.

He was *trying* to write a paper for English, due the next day. Except he spent more time waiting than writing.

When he was forced to pause for a fifth time, Pietro got frustrated. Computers were supposed to be *fast*, not as fast as him of course but then nothing was really as fast as him. Pietro smacked the side of the tower. And Word closed itself.

Well, fuck.

Because of course Pietro hadn't saved his work. There were times the damn thing took five whole minutes to save. No way was he that patient.

Pietro looked up at the wall as he gathered the will to begin typing again, this time saving along the way. A little sign taped there caught his attention.

It read: "Computer trouble? Come ask our student-staffed desk for help. Located in the library." And in smaller print: "Run by the Bayville High Computer Club."

Pietro vaguely remembered a car wash held in honor of raising money for the group. Lance had gone with the hope that Scott would be there getting his convertible washed. It had sounded like something Scott would do-- supporting a school club. And Lance had been right.

Pietro snickered as he remembered Boom Boom's complaints about being made to sit on "the wet spot" in the Jeep. It really had been water, but she didn't need to know that. Maybe there was a chance someone at the help desk would be able to retrieve his essay. Since he was already in the library, Pietro looked around for the computer nerd desk.

There, off in a corner. There was a door with a sign proclaiming "Computer Assistance" above it. Pietro began to walk over. He made slow progress in his own opinion, but anyone who might have been watching would have said he'd been in a hurry. The only person to see him was the crotchety librarian and she was busy reading, but still. He didn't *want* to risk being found out as a mutant.

After all, the punishment for taking such risks was the odious task of having to force Todd to bathe and then clean up after him.

And would you look at that, Pietro had made it across the room and was in front of the door to geekdom. The kid behind the door probably had thick glasses, acne up the wazoo, and absolutely no sense of fashion at all. Pietro prepared himself for the sacrifice of having to deal with such a person as he pushed open the door.

And very nearly yelled, "What the hell?" when he saw Evan Daniels, archrival and secret fantasy, sitting behind the desk with a textbook open. Evan had glanced up from his reading when he'd heard the door open.

"What do you want, Pietro?" he asked.

Pietro quickly shut his mouth. Wasn't attractive. Evan must be filling in while the actual techie went to the bathroom or something. Because Evan had never shown an interest in computers while at PS 104.

"Where's the person who's supposed to be here?" Pietro asked. He certainly wasn't enjoying showing Evan his incompetence.

Evan spread his arms wide. "That's me." Bringing them back in, he smiled. "How can I help you?"

Pietro couldn't help himself. He honestly couldn't. He had to give into his first instinct, the one he'd had when he'd first walked in, never mind that it underscored his entire assured image. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"Not failing my computer class. So, seeing as *you* don't have a reason to be here-- unlike me-- I'll go back to studying." Evan began reading his text once more.

Pietro could have kicked himself. Evan wouldn't help him unless he explained the problem, and there was no way he was doing that. No way at all. It was... degrading. Bad enough that he'd entered this place, but to admit that he wasn't omniscient-- to *Daniels* of all people? Never.

On the other hand, the essay would write itself-- so to speak-- if he could get it back. All it needed was a nice and tidy conclusion. And he wouldn't have to deal with the abysmally slow things Bayville High called computers anymore.

Damn, debate time. Getting this essay done and over with was so appealing. And he could go running after if he did. And Evan had been surprisingly non-hostile. And....

Gee. Seemed like there were more pros than cons. Decision made then.

He just needed to swallow his pride. In his own style, of course. He could also take advantage of the situation as an excuse to be closer to Evan. Pietro leaned against the edge of the desk, crowding into Evan's personal space.

"Actually, I do have a reason to be here. The school's computer does not recognize my superiority."

Evan groaned as he closed his book. Pietro thought that maybe Evan wasn't actually supposed to be behind the desk. And if so, he could force Evan to eat his words. Almost like a competition.... Or better yet, a challenge.

Pietro smirked as he followed Evan out of the tiny help room. And if following meant getting to stare at Evan's cute ass, then so be it. Wasn't a great hardship.

"So," Evan asked when they reached the computers, "which one were you working on?"

"The bright, glowing monitor amidst all the dark ones." Smugness had its place, and its place was now. If Evan was *that* dim, then he definitely wasn't going to be able to get the essay back. The missing essay was a small price to pay for the joy of interacting with Evan. And they weren't even on the battlefield-- just two students. It was a novel situation.

Evan sat in the indicated chair and faced the monitor. The blue glow from the screen really wasn't flattering for Evan's coloring.

"What's the problem?" Evan asked.

"I was typing something for English, and the program closed. I want my essay back." Pietro sat on the tabletop next to the mouse. If luck was with him, Evan would be forced to brush his hand against Pietro's thigh while failing to get the essay back. Plus, Evan's face was just about crotch-level, which led to all kinds of fun thoughts.

"You never *saved* your work?" Evan sounded incredulous. Damn. He'd figured out Pietro's slightly less-than-perfect secret.

Pietro leaned forward, taking on a husky whisper to talk to Evan. "C'mon, Daniels. You know me. Have I ever given you the impression of playing it safe? For anything?"

Evan gulped and trailed his eyes up Pietro's body, stopping at the eyes. "No."

Pietro was delighted; Evan had practically squeaked! If Evan was affected like this by gentle flirting, then what would happen if he turned it up a notch? Ooh, fun. Definitely.

Evan turned resolutely back to the computer screen and began the process of opening Word first by opening the "My Computer" thing and then by opening one window after another. Why he didn't just open it from the start menu, Pietro didn't know. Pietro rested one elbow on top of the monitor.

Word popped up on the screen, and Pietro twisted to see. He maneuvered so that he blocked the screen, and Evan couldn't help but see his lovely, streamlined back and sweetly curved ass. Pietro's shirt, which stretched across his torso but didn't come untucked, further accentuated the fact that-- while he might be skinny-- he was muscular. Oh yes. He looked *good*.

"Goody for you, Evan, but I don't see my essay."

Evan grumped, "Well if you'd *move*, I could--" Pietro saw movement out of the corner of his eye, quickly turned like only he was able, and caught Evan's wrist before Evan could push him out of the way. "--do something...."

"Tsk, you shouldn't touch people without their permission, Daniels."

Evan looked positively transfixed; he kept staring up at Pietro's eyes. Pietro took the opportunity to release Evan's wrist and trail his fingertips along the sensitive flesh of Evan's inner arm and palm. Even after Pietro's touch was gone, Evan was still too lost in the moment to notice that fact.

Pietro leaned back, bracing his arms behind him. Yes, he *did* tend to have that affect on people. After a second or so of being under Evan's admiring gaze, he got bored with the lack of action. He couldn't flirt with Evan if the beautifully dark-skinned boy didn't respond, for God's sake. His right foot started bobbing in the air.

Apparently, the movement was incongruous with whatever mood Evan was in, and the blond snapped out of it. Pietro could practically *see* the wheels turning in Evan's head as he fought to think up a comment that would bring this whole interaction of theirs back to what counted as "normal" for them.

In which case, Evan was out of luck, but still. Pietro was curious as to what Evan would say, so he decided to be generous and give Evan another two seconds to think.

"You're being a hypocrite, then!" Evan said.

Well, would you look at that? He'd only had to wait one second for Evan's comeback. He really had picked a keeper. Even if it wasn't the world's best comeback and left a *wonderful* opening wide for Pietro to use.

"I suppose, then," he said, his customary smirk sliding into place, "that I'd better ask permission." Really, Evan was begging for it. It wasn't Pietro's fault a few comments could get him so flustered now, was it? "So... may I?"

Pietro didn't know quite *how* to interpret the look that flashed across Evan's face before settling there. It could have been... determination, maybe. Or that smugness the X-Geeks got whenever they were winning in battle despite not having yet *won*, which was annoying in so many ways that even he wouldn't have enough time in the world to count them.

But he digressed. Whatever the look meant, it certainly wasn't the sexycuteness Evan had been displaying a few seconds prior. All these thoughts passed through Pietro's mind before Evan opened his mouth to talk.

"Look, *Maximoff*, I don't exactly know what you think you're doing, but stop it." The strange harshness passed from Evan's face, and he looked more resigned than anything else. "Here's your paper."

Pietro blinked in astonishment at how quickly everything had changed around as Evan walked away.

And if *he* thought something had been fast, then it definitely had been fast.

He slid off the tabletop he'd been sitting on and looked at the computer screen. Huh. There was his essay, glowing brightly in front of him; Evan had gotten it back. And all this time he'd doubted. Seeing his paper was enough of a surprise that Pietro thought it warranted a second "huh." So. Huh.

Sitting down, Pietro saw that it wasn't the *entire* essay, but it was most of it. He quickly finished typing while-- yes-- making sure to save along the way and printed. After collecting the paper, Pietro stood in the middle of the room and thought.

~End of Ch. 1~