Red Assassin ~ Pietro Maximoff x OC

two ~ revels

edited 1/27/2022

I wake up feeling warmer than I was, the steady beat of my heart on the monitor next to me. My shoulder is bandaged and my butt feels like I was never shot in the first place. I'm wearing a soft blue pajama shirt and matching shorts. My hand shoots to my neck hoping it's there...it is. Thank God.

"Hey, kiddo," Steve says, coming into my room. "Feeling better?"

"I think so. Could really use a sandwich," I groan as he helps me sit up.

"How about Panera and Starbucks?" He holds up a Starbucks cup and a paper bag from Panera Bread. "I went to the one you always study at and asked them what you like. I'm pretty sure it's a kiwi-starfruit lemonade refresher?"

I turn the cup and show him the label. "Yes. That's what it is. And it's one of my favorites. Try a sip."

He pops the lid off of the cup and takes a sip of the drink. "Wow, that's really good."

"I know." I put the lid back on and take a sip through the straw. "Okay. So, how long was I out, what happened while I was out, and why am I not feeling any pain in my behind?"

"Technology." An Asian woman I vaguely recognize comes in, though I can't remember her name. "I reprinted the tissue and after a blood transfusion, you were all good to go. All we needed to do was wait for you to wake up."

"Kat, this is Dr. Helen Cho," Steve says. Ah, that's her name—it sounds familiar. "Dr. Cho, it's okay for her to enjoy her sandwich, right?"

"Mmm, Panera. What'd you get?" Dr. Cho asks as I start to open the bag.

"Yeah, Steve. What'd you get?" I ask.

"Nat told me you like grilled cheese and corn chowder," Steve says.

"God, she knows me so well," I sigh.

"That should be fine. But go easy on the Starbucks for the next few days and light foods, alright?" Dr. Cho says. "You should be able to go to Stark's little shindig in a couple days and back to school on Monday." She gives Steve a nod, smiles at me, and leaves.

"So. Catch me up," I say, opening the soup container and dunking one of my grilled cheese triangles in it.

"Mission was a success. You were in and out on the way back. So was Barton, but he's been up and walking around ever since Cho's magic machine reprinted his side. We got back from Sokovia at about three in the afternoon yesterday. Scepter's with Stark and Banner," he says, grabbing one of my grilled cheese triangles.

"And?" I ask, filling my mouth with crispy, grilled-cheesy goodness. "There's more. Don't lie."

"Don't talk with your mouth full," he reminds me, smirking. "We ran into two Enhanced. A boy and a girl. How did Hill describe them? He's fast and she's weird."

"What are their names?"

"Wanda and Pietro Maximoff."

I choke on my grilled cheese and Steve starts rubbing my back. "I...I know them," I say between coughs. My throat clears and I take a sip of my drink, but I feel my throat slowly closing up again. "They lived across the hall."

"Across the hall?" Steve asks. Right. He knows about my parents and the Red Room, but he doesn't know about the twins.

"When I was a kid, Wanda and Pietro lived across the hall from my family," I begin, playing with my locket. "They were my best friends in the whole world. After...after the shells came, I hid with Wanda and Pietro. We were trapped there for two days. The whole time, there was another bomb...three feet from our faces. I never saw them again after we were rescued. I just assumed they were dead." I stare at my grilled cheese, not feeling hungry anymore. I haven't talked or really even thought about the night of the bombing in years.