Chasing the Sun (Pyro/X-Men)

Chapter 5: Morals

Finally, it was time to go to class. Pyro walked down the hallway slowly, keeping his head down and minding his own business. People glared at him left and right, and a few even used colorful language directed at him. If it weren’t for Frost beside him, he probably would have blown up by now and hurt someone (he was wearing his spark gloves).

When he finally entered Storm’s classroom, his heart nearly leapt out of his chest. Almost all the class had already entered Storm’s lecture room, and there were only two empty seats. The first was immediately taken by Frost, but the other one was right next to the one person Pyro had most hoped to see. The only downside was that she sat next to Bobby.

Nevertheless, Pyro gulped and sat down next to Rogue. She gave him a half smile as he sat down, but Bobby openly glared at the young pyrokinetic. “If you even think about talking to her, I’ll filet your liver like a fish,” Bobby hissed. His hands turned blue and ice-cold. Pyro merely nodded and got out a spiral notebook to take notes, but Bobby wasn’t done taunting him yet.

“I see you have a new look, you little leech. Did you go wild out there with the humans? When you betrayed your own kind, did you think you’d always be one of them?”

“Bobby,” Rogue cautioned softly.

“No,” Bobby said stiffly, holding up his hand. “Just be quiet for a second, Rogue.” Then, Iceman stood up and addressed the entire room. “You see, guys, this is what happens to mutants who are dirtbag pieces of shit. They eventually come sniveling back to us because the real world hates them. Now, we as X Men know it is important to fight for the humans because they’re not like us but they’re not animals either. They are capable of being peaceful, and they can be kind and smart. However, they aren’t like us. They don’t understand our kind, and will kill us if we put one toe out of line. Their ridiculous treaty shows that! And this thing here? He allowed them to coddle him like a pet and send him on missions for pay. He’s nothing more than a mercenary now, and who trusts a mercenary? Certainly not me. This piece of shit doesn’t deserve to be here, and I’d appreciate it if he’d crawl back into whatever hole he came from in the first place.”

“Bobby, shut up,” Rogue hissed. She had noticed that Pyro was speechless and trembling. It wasn’t that he was being a wimp, but it was that he was absolutely terrified of rejection. The old Pyro probably would have shrugged it off, but not the new Pyro. Both needed a sense of belonging, but New Pyro wasn’t getting it where he needed it. Public humiliation was also a fear of his, and Bobby was humiliating him in front of the girl he still harbored a small crush for. It was his worst nightmare.

“Shut up? You’re really going to take his side, Rogue?” Bobby asked as Storm quietly entered the room. Pyro hoped she would save him, but she only smiled a bit and watched the unfolding of events.

“You’re damn straight she’s going to take his side,” Frost laughed, joining the argument. “Lay off your damn girlfriend, asshole. She’s way too pretty for a fucker like you anyway, plus she knows how to treat people right. I know she definitely didn’t learn that from you, retard.”

“This is rich coming from the school’s resident prostitute,” Bobby laughed. “What gives you the right to lecture me about morals when you don’t even have any?”

“I have morals,” Frost said angrily. “So what if I use my body to get good grades? I don’t mind it at all. What I do mind is when shitheads like you treat nice people like dirt just because they made a few mistakes. If you ask me, you’re the one who needs to get your morals straight.”

Storm applauded from the corner. “Well said, darling. I think you get an A for the day. Bobby, do I need to explain why you lost the debate?”

“This is an ethics class, Storm. You’re not supposed to teach morals.”