Pietro Maximoff/Quicksilver Imagines

Can't Leave

You stare at the ceiling, exhaling softly. Machines beep and whir behind you, and you try to remember everything you were supposed to do before the soldiers arrived. Have needles ready for blood transfusions, check. Make sure the x-ray scanners are functioning, check. Have all the necessary documents and paperwork that are scattered about your desk, check. This is the life of a HYDRA scientist- procedure after procedure.

You weren't always like this, someone wishing fervently that the end of the day would come so they could block out everything that had just happened from their mind. When things had gotten bad all those years ago, HYDRA had come knocking and you had, unfortunately, answered them. It wasn't entirely your fault- you needed a way to support your family and HYDRA needed a new scientist. The deal could practically sell itself. It doesn't matter that you were forced to take part in procedures that weren't exactly up to the proper ethical standards, or that although the job was advertised as ordinary you knew you would be killed the second you put up your two weeks' notice. HYDRA was your life now, and you would do well to stand by it.

A knock at the door distracts you from your gloomy thoughts. "Come in." You call, and the soldiers you've been expecting march in, dragging with them one unconscious man. He appears to be about your age, and he's clearly been drugged so he would be easier to transport. The soldiers strap the man into a hospital bed and then march out just as quickly, leaving behind a few men as guards in case this particular patient tried anything too risky.

You prepare a few sensors and apply them along the man's arms and legs, then turn to a nearby screen. As the man begins to stir and wake, you study his vital signs. All seems well, except for the fact that his heart is beating far faster than any normal human man. This is to be expected- Pietro Maximoff has been given superhuman abilities, and so he will behave as superhumans do.

The man is fully awake now, and watches you with furtive eyes as you ignore him in favor of studying the readouts in front of you. You prepare a needle, then turn to him. "This is a penicillin shot. It will help with your recovery." The man looks at you in confusion. "You know, for a HYDRA doctor you seem less crazy than the others. Are you actually a doctor or have they brought in a nurse to placate me and make it seem like HYDRA's doing the right thing?"

One of the guards struts over to Pietro and glares down at him. "I would advise you to hold your tongue, Maximoff. Remember that you signed up for this." Pietro returns the glare. "I remember that I was a little forced for a volunteer. Tell me, are all your human test subjects kidnapped or are you just low on new victims." The guard draws his fist back to strike Pietro, but you fling out a hand to stop him.

"Corporal! The goal is to check on his vitals, not try to damage him. Please return to your post by the door." The guard looks at you with blank eyes. "He insulted you as well as HYDRA. He deserves punishment." You shake your head calmly. "The procedures you've asked me to run do not involve the protection of my ego. They should not involve yours either." The guard gives Pietro one last icy look, then storms off to stand beside the other guard on the far side of the room.

Pietro looks up at you in bewilderment, then speaks softly. "Why did you do that?" You glance over at him bemusedly. "Do what?" Pietro looks back at the guard, making sure he can't be heard. "Why did you stop him? No other doctors would have intervened, no matter how healthy they were supposed to be keeping me." You laugh softly. "I may work for HYDRA, but I'm not completely a monster. I didn't want to see you get beaten when you were literally tied down."

Over the next few days, you continue to check in on Pietro. You run his vitals, you give him necessary injections to make sure the newly given powers won't kill him, and you find time to have conversations with him. You're not quite sure why you're so drawn to this metahuman, but the look in his eyes when he sees you is enough to make you realize that he depends on you not only for physical strength, but to make sure he has one bright light in his otherwise dark existence.