Sins of the Father

Sins of the Father Chapter Sixteen (NC-17)
Disclaimers Apply

A/N Goddess Foxfeather, Queen of Mad Plotbunnies, BUSIEST WOMAN ALIVE (tm), Prophetic Muse, Hamster Witch and Uberbeta... Watari is AWFULLY quiet lately... InterNutter, TC, Maxwell Pink and Dracena are all splendiferous for archiving/hosting! ProPhile is weird but gets gloked anyway. ;) Morgan: semiformal glomp! Readers/Reviewers: The Killer Kitties (tm) are apparently holding ReiMars hostage for finals... They scare me a little...

"But I don't WANT to go on a trip!" Pietro complained as Tarot sorted through his socks and underwear. "Hey!" He grabbed his favorite, worn pair of boxer shorts away from her. "Those are my favorite ones!" He clutched them protectively, glaring at her.
"I know," she sighed. "It is disgusting." She tossed a pair of socks into the open duffle bag between them. "Throw them away before I do!" She help up a new pair of briefs. "These aren't as disgusting. Wear them."
He frowned. "Stay out of my underwear, Tarot!"
She rolled her eyes and smirked faintly, putting the underwear into the bag. "Not what you keep telling me late at night, Pietro darling." She ignored his hissed invective in Russian and busied herself with packing his duffle bag. "We are going on a trip because we have to. Magneto wants us to." She decided that most of the truth was better than all of the truth, in this case. "Don't you want to be all alone with me for a few days?" Tarot favored him with a look she knew was both promising and innocent. "All by ourselves...get rid of some of this nasty stress..."
Pietro had the distinct feeling he was being manipulated but was torn. His teenaged hormones were kicking into overdrive at the implicit promise of sex, but the last rational part of his brain, the part with blood still in it, was already snarling against the implied denigration of his intelligence. " Tarot, my father does not just send people off for no reason." He stood and pulled the duffle bag out of her easy reach, starting to pace. "He wants something...what is it though?" He paused at the window and turned to face her. "You're in his hip pocket these days..." He paused suggestively, unable to keep the anger out of his voice.
Tarot raised an auburn brow and folded her arms over her chest, leaning back to regard Pietro with a critical eye. "He is not replacing you with me. He merely...appreciates my drive. You," she added primly, reaching to retrieve his bag, "are still in school. I am not. Think of me as..." Here she seemed stuck for the right word for a moment until a slow smile spread across her features. "Think of me as a placeholder." She busied herself over the bag, tucking in socks and now t-shirts as she tried furiously not to think of just who's place she wanted to be holding. _A matter of time, _ she soothed herself. _A matter of time... _
"Tarot, you have no idea who you're involved with. He's nothing like Emma Frost," Pietro began in earnest, only to be cut off by her derisive snort. From the stories he had heard of the Hellions, he knew that Tarot was not even close to prepared for Magneto's level of...he decided to call it intensity for lack of a more favorable word. "Tarot, listen to me, please..." He moved to her side and knelt on the floor, looking up at her. He had noticed some time back she seemed to respond to him more favorably when he seemed submissive or subservient. Pietro took the chance and laid his hand on her knee, feeling her tense momentarily beneath his touch before relaxing enough to seem casual. "Tarot, I know you're very smart...brilliant even...but listen to me when I say you don't know what is going on in his mind. He'll be your friend, be your mentor and guardian for as long as he likes then..." He snapped his fingers. "You're cut off."
Tarot sighed and laid her hand over his. She knew Pietro cared for her in his way and meant the best but she was finding it very annoying as she tried to plan their-her-future. "Darling, I know what I'm about. I am not some...hanger on of your father's. I do as I am asked and act for the best interests of the Brotherhood. Your father appreciates this and wants us to enjoy a nice little break from Bayville."
He sighed and rocked back on his heels. A good run, he thought, would make him feel better. _Preferably to the Institute to kick some geek ass, but I guess that's off the menu for the time being. _ "Well, can you tell me why we have to leave tonight? I had stuff planned for tomorrow!" _Like sleeping in... _
Tarot shrugged and resumed his packing. "Might as well leave early so we can spend as much time as possible alone..." Already she could hear Mystique pacing the hallway, waiting for them to leave. Tarot moved slower. "If it will make you feel better, when we return, you go to the Monday meeting with Magneto and I'll stay here and watch Court TV."
Pietro blushed slightly. "We'll both go," he said firmly. "Misery loves company," he added under his breath as he headed to the bathroom to gather his toothbrush and toothpaste.
Mystique intercepted him halfway to the second floor bathroom. "Are you almost done packing?" she demanded without preamble.
"Tarot's almost done with it, yeah," he muttered. "Why you so hot on us leaving?"
"Do not question me," she snarled, her eyes almost glowing in the dark hallway. "Just be ready to go in ten minutes."
Pietro narrowed his eyes but did not question the order. "Who was that Poena chick anyway?" he asked suddenly. "I mean...why didn't we keep her here? Why didn't Magneto want her?" He turned sideways to slide by Mystique as she spoke and knew she was mentally daring him to touch her, just so she would have a reason to go off on him.
Mystique's lips pressed into a thin line. "She was not his to have."

A/N Next...SMUT!