R͟u͟t͟h͟l͟e͟s͟s͟ {Q͟u͟i͟c͟k͟s͟i͟l͟v͟e͟r͟/ A͟v͟e͟n͟g͟e͟r͟s͟}

Chapter 1: I Thought You Were My Friend

The cold metal was like a dagger to my heart already. I'd looked death in the face and laughed, but this... This was different.

The man in front of me didn't look much different from the boy I knew. "You." He said with a cruel laugh.

"Me." I choked out, gasping for breath, my heart pounding louder than I could handle.

"You... You are with him?" Pietro said, pressing the knife closer to my neck and pushing me against the bloodstained concrete wall.

"He's doing the right thing, Pietro." I felt a cough rise in my throat, unable to come out. I was running out of air, and the knife was now cutting my throat slightly. "You don't understand-"

"Oh, I understand." His thick Rusian accent was almost like déjà vu to me. It'd be years since I've heard him speak. "I understand perfectly. I knew you, I trusted you, I thought, you might be a friend." His teeth were gritted so tightly, inches from my face. "And you leave me and my sister to join with.... Stark?"

"He's a-" I wheezed slightly, "good man."

"HE KILLED MY PARENTS." Pietro released me sharply, and the breath came flooding through me like manna from heaven. I felt my chest rising and falling desperately for air. He pinned me to the floor with one foot. Wanda approached behind us.

"It's not like that-"

I was interrupted by a shooting pain up my arm, making me make a sound close to a mangled scream. The blade was expertly wedged between my shoulder blade and my arm. I cried out loudly and I felt my vision immediately blur, with tears or with pain I couldn't be sure. Maybe both. I could still see the silver haired man and his twin sister hovering above me.

"Pietro..." I mumbled, my thoughts swarming and buzzing, my eyesight fading. My head was swimming in pain. My blood was uncomfortably sticky.

"I kill you another day only because you can change." His accent was stronger. "You've chosen a very wrong side."

I wanted to reply, but I was too far past consciousness. The last thing I remember seeing is the room illuminate with a flash of red, and a swipe of blue cut across before the darkness consumed me.