STEEL-MINDED | erik lehnsherr

CHAPTER THREE

Grace couldn't decide if she was going to scream or cry. She had not been hired to be a housekeeper and she had most definitely not been hired to clean up after Peter.

"What do you mean I'm the one who started it?" Peter exclaimed.

Out of everyone in the room, he was the only one not drenched in water. Scott and Kurt were both soaked and angry, or Scott was angry and Kurt was very confused and upset.

"You v'ere the one trying to kill us," Kurt said, "You may think it vas a joke but it vas the complete opposite."

"Oh, come on, Tail! It was just some fun!" Peter protested.

In a blink, he went from standing arrogantly to leaning against the counter munching on a twinkie.

"Fun?" Scott said in outrage, "You stole my glasses!"

"For three seconds! It's not my fault the water pipe was in your line of sight!"

"You should've been smart enough to not take that risk!"

"All right!" Grace shouted interrupting the argument, "Peter, no stealing Scott's glasses, OK? I care how long it was for. I want none of it."

"Thirty bucks and we have a deal."

"You're an adult. You need to take responsibility for your actions," Grace complained.

"Thirty bucks and I will," he insisted. Grace glared at him.

"Don't think for one second that I'm going to baby you, Maximoff," she snarled, "I'm done with your shit and I'm not having it."

Peter shrugged.

"Whatever you say, Boss Lady," he agreed so obviously bored it hurt, "Still don't have thirty dollars yet."

Had he not disappeared in a split second Grace would have slapped those ridiculous goggles off his face.

Scott and Kurt turned to look at her. Scott was still fuming while Kurt had deflated. The teleporter looked exhausted.

"The two of you should go enjoy your weekend and dry off," Grace advised. The two nodded.

"Thanks."

They trudged out careful to not slip over on the wet tile floor. Grace sighed. She'd never been trained as a caregiver and it was stressful in every respect.

She was expected to parent and teach simultaneously, leaving little- to no time- for herself. She needed a break.

Only a couple of weeks left before the holidays, she thought, a fact that had kept her sane for the last month or so.

It wasn't that she didn't like helping the students but it was that they always needed help.

"I'll just clean up then," Grace sighed, "Instead of Peter who caused the whole mess, no big deal, it's fine."

She carefully crossed the tiles over to the supplies cupboard. She retrieved a cloth and promptly threw it at a particularly large puddle. She watched as it soaked up the water almost instantly, still leaving a huge amount behind.

Grace clenched her fists. This was too much. She was over it. As she felt a surge of anger pass through her she felt energy do the same.

There was a shower of sparks from overhead as the light flickered and went out. For a person who had their mutation under control, she wasn't doing a very good job of displaying it.

"I guess coffee's not on the menu at the moment," Erik said from the doorway.

Grace spun to face him, startled out of her anger.