Illyana, Vex, and the Maximoffs (Brotherhood Party)

[ax_charm]

Illyana brings Vex to the Brotherhood party, where she meets the Maximoff twins.

A flash of light preceded Illyana's arrival in Vex's room, and faded to reveal Illyana, already dressed for the party in the outfit they'd picked out when they went shopping. "Ready to go?" she asked with a grin.

After all, Pietro'd said to bring cool people. Vex definitely qualified, even if she wasn't a mutant, yet. Illyana figured that given that she was a twin, it was just a matter of time before she started giving Tommy a run for his money, anyway.

Vex was just finishing tying her boots when Illyana popped in. Vex's door was locked for the night with the expectation of company, so no one else would witness the flashy arrival. She beamed at Yana. "All ready." Vex grabbed her satchel with the bottle of booze stowed inside safely. She went over and gave Illyana a peck on the cheek. "Thank you for the jailbreak. You're the best fairy godmother ever."

Illyana rolled her eyes and grinned as she waved the thanks aside. "You're mixing up your fairytales. Pretty sure I don't qualify as a fairy anything, and you're not supposed to thank the evil sorceress for the abduction, anyway. What's in the bag?"

"Maleficent is much sexier than the three pastel fairies." Vex grinned. "Booze for the party host. I don't want to come empty handed when they so graciously extended an extra invitation. It may not taste great, but I grabbed the sparkliest bottle I could find."

"Based on his text message and the neon theme? I'm thinking sparkly is probably thing to bring Pietro. I hope so, anyway." She reached into her pocket and pulled out a handful of glow bracelets in various colors, then grinned. "Great minds? Want one before I give him a color choice?" She had her own red ones in her other pocket - she wasn't sure how long they actually lasted, so she figured she'd put them on once she got there.

Vex stole a green one from the assortment. "Lovely. I can't wait."

"Who says you have to wait?" She didn't want to, herself. Illyana called up a stepping disk and grinned. "Express transport service from London to New York, with a stopover in Hell. Now boarding."

They stopped in Limbo only briefly - Illyana wasn't spending any unnecessary time there these days, not after having received incontrovertible evidence that Belasco hadn't just written her off - and reappeared a moment later on a dark street a block away from the address she'd been given. Illyana made a face as she looked up at the street sign. "Well, we're close, anyway."

Vex laughed warmly. "Closer than England. Lead on?"

"On it." Illyana grinned over at the other girl as they started walking. "So, what socially acceptable thing are you blowing off today to come to this?"

Vex feigned a dainty cough. “I'm afraid I'm too sick to travel with the step-mother and Velora today. Honestly, she was relieved not to take me on their trip. I've the house to myself mostly and instructions to behave.”

"Did she instruct you how to behave?" Illyana asked, laughing. "Because I think you might have some wiggle room there."

"You have a fair point," Vex said with a wink.

Illyana grinned. "Did you ever tell Vax you were coming?" she asked.

"Nope," she answered blithely. "He can deal with surprises tonight. Percy's birthday was this week, so he's getting the first greeting. Unless they are inseparable."

"I'd think they could be found separately at some point," she speculated. "Pretty sure Vax was bringing him, though, so it might be tough at first."

"I can lay low until I catch sight of them. We're on the earlier side, right? Introduce me to the host, and then I can keep an eye out for the boys before I get too wild." Vex beamed at her. "So how well do teleporting and alcohol go together?"

"Not so bad." Illyana grinned. "I got kinda buzzed at the last party, and still managed to get Pyro back to the park - and rewind the clock about twelve hours to buy more time. But I'm really hoping to get smashed at this one. We can always just wait until I sober up to get you home, though. You just need to tell me when."

"As long as we have a place to crash, I'll hold your hair." She playful tugged a blonde lock.

Illyana laughed and shook her head. "Not that smashed, I hope. And you can always crash with me and Kitty for a while after, if there's nowhere here." She turned the corner, and sure enough, just up the road was a big green warehouse.

"Excellent."

They reached the building, and went inside, and Illyana immediately began laughing when she saw the neon arrows directing them further. "Apparently, they thought we might get lost." She looked around, disappointed when she didn't immediately see Pyro. Maybe they were early? She hadn't checked.

"Helloooooo, ladies." Pietro suddenly appeared beside them, grinning. "Glad you made it, Illyana. Pyro will be thrilled. As much as Pyro is ever thrilled. Who's your hot friend?" He smiled sweetly.

Thank goodness Vex was used to Illyana and her brother at this point, because Pietro's arrival wasn't normal. Teleportation or speed? Maybe he was one of the speedster twins Yana kept mentioning, since she was so convinced that's what would happen to Vex.

"Well aren't you charming," Vex said with a smile. Also a flickering once over, because the boy was gorgeous. "I'm Vex, Illyana's distant pen pal."

"Her brother's here somewhere, we're surprising him." Illyana grinned and pulled the remaining glow bracelets out of her pocket. "For you! And is there any chance you know where Pyro is, so I can find out if he's thrilled or not?" Hopefully he would be. She'd be pretty upset if he wasn't.

"You're a princess, but I have no idea where he is." He accepted the bracelets--they looked perfect with his shirt--and put them on immediately. Definitely cool. Then he returned Vex's once over and held out a hand to her. "Vex, nice to meet you. I'm Pietro. I'm her sorta-dating-asshole-guy's sorta-kinda-roommate. Who's your brother? Is he as pretty as you?"

Vex took his hand and gave a playful squeeze. "We're identical so, yes, he is. Pietro! The party planner." Vex reached for her bag and pulled out the sparkly bottle of vodka. "Thank you for the invite. I've been very bored since my brother was stolen across the sea."

"She says, despite the fact I bring him back," Illyana inserted. She gave Vex a playful nudge and grinned. "Anyway, I'm going to go find the sorta-dating-not-an-asshole guy. Catch you guys later?"

Pietro waved and gave a thumbs up to Illyana, flashing his bracelets. Then he turned to Vex, making a face. "I had my sister stolen once. It was the worst. And yes, she's as pretty as me. The only one who is, so you can't miss her."

Vex blew Illyana a kiss farewell. At Pietro's statement she said, "I knew it. Yana said half the twins were speedsters. I'm not sure if Vax is here yet, but 10: 1 he's wearing all black and lurking in a shadow."

"Oooh, mysterious." Pietro grinned. "Let's see if we can spot him." He disappeared in a gust of wind, then reappeared half a second later, hair slightly more wind blown than before. "Nope! Let's get a drink instead. What can I grab you?"

Vex liked to see how her drinks were being mixed, and if he did it at that speed she'd have no chance. Pietro seemed darling, but she met him a minute ago. And he was apparently part of some sketchy organization. Like her brother's sketchy school. She could stand to be cautious a few minute longer.

Vex gave Pietro a warm smile. "Do you do everything this fast?" she asked with a wink. "Show me the way and I'll pick my poison. I like to know my options before limiting them."

Pietro held out an arm for her and led her gallantly to the kiddie pool fountain monstrosity. "I do everything that fast, yes. But that just means I can repeat even faster. Over. And. Over." He grinned.

She laughed brightly. "Good to know. Also, this fountain looks like a shrine to a neon god. Beautiful decor, darling. I love your style."

"It's awful, right? I love it--and I love you for appreciating it." Pietro gestured to the fountain with his free arm. "Plenty of poison to choose from. I don't always compliment Lance--he's the one with the abs, you can't miss him--but when I do it often has to do with alcohol. For someone who only drinks beer, he did good."

Vex stroked her fingertips against Pietro's arm before releasing him to grab a bottle from the fountain. She popped the cap, glad for a seal she could break. "Is he walking around shirtless? Or are the abs just that noticeable?"

Pietro grabbed for the nearest fruity beverage. The sugar would wind him up for a second, but the alcohol would chill him out for that same second. It'd work out. "He's wearing a vest. Over abs. I mean, they're amazing abs, so... both?"

"I'll be sure to appreciate when I spot him." Vex took the first swallow of her drink. "Do you guys throw parties often or is this a new bonding ritual?"

"Not like this," Pietro admitted. "Phantazia had the idea we should all--I don't know. Get together. Play get to know you? Whatever. If there's dancing and drinking I'm there, so I figured sure, why not.

"Oh, also, some people are bitter Pyro went to one of their parties." He waved to indicate the Xavier's kids. "But not me. I mean, I doubt they pulled off this."

Vex smiled at Pietro, wry and apologetic. "I admit, I'm kind of clueless--I'm stuck living at home right now with the overprotective father. But do you guys also have some well-meaning old bloke looking after you? This is a lot less boring than a school yard."

Pietro made a face, "Well-meaning old bloke, yes. That'd be my father. His style is apparently very different from Xavier's--thank god. Not that he doesn't have his issues, but you know. Easier to deal with than overprotective, I'm betting."

“Oh goodness. So you get to work with your father on a daily basis? Luck to you.”

"I've had worse," Pietro said with a laugh. "But it can get--annoying. Yeah. Wanda runs interference for me though. She's not just the pretty twin, she's also the brains."

"You seem pretty wise yourself, to say that." Vex winked.

"Learned the hard way. When your sister can hex your superspeed into oblivion, you learn that running away really isn't an option." Pietro laughed. "Not that I don't still try."

"She sounds lovely."

"The loveliest," he said freely. "Come on, I'll find her and introduce you. And if your shadowbro ever pops in you can return the favor."

"Happily." She fell into step beside him.

"Wandaaaaaaaa. Look, another twin. This is Vex!" he strolled right up beside his sister and slung an arm over her shoulder, at once protective and affectionate.

"Another?" Wanda tilted her head against Pietro's shoulder for a moment in greeting, then straightened up and grinned at the girl he was with. "All the best mutants come in pairs, obviously. Glad you could make it. I love your outfit."

“Thank you.” Vex smiled. “My broodier half hasn’t arrived yet, but I’ll drag him over later. Pleasure to meet you, Wanda.” She flashed a grin at Pietro. “You have this one well trained.”

"Oh, she knows," Pietro said with an eyeroll that was purely for show.

"It's still a work in progress, obviously." Wanda smirked at Pietro, then turned back to Vex and grinned. "So your brother's the broody one? Which one are you, then?"

“According to me or according to Vax?” She asked with a grin. “He’d probably say I’m the charming one.”

Pietro had stuck his tongue out at Wanda, but drew it in to say, "Oh, like me!" And smirk at his sister.

"Yes, that's obviously what I was going to say." She rolled her eyes, then turned to Vex and shrugged. What was there to say? Overall, he really was. That didn't mean she was going to admit it.

Vex gave Wanda a look of understanding, then grinned at Pietro. “You’re adorable,” she said fondly. If she knew him better, it would have likely been accompanied by a hair ruffle or pat on the cheek.

“I am,” Pietro agreed, winking at his sister. “Well my work here is done! Time to dance?” This was directed at no one in particular.

"Take a raincheck?" Wanda shrugged casually, but her eyes were glinting with mischief. "I'm pretty sure I saw Pyro and Magik, and I want to check her out before he talks her into bailing."

“Considering she’s my ride home, she can’t bail forever,” Vex piped in.

"Looks like you're it!" Pietro held out his hand to Vex. "Shall we?"

She slipped her hand into his. “Of course, darling. If you spot my double arrive, will you help whisk me out of sight?”

“Of course!” Pietro said, all gallantry. “Let’s tear it up.”