𝙼𝚒𝚜𝚝𝚛𝚎𝚜𝚜 𝚘𝚏 𝙼𝚊𝚗𝚒𝚙𝚞𝚕𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗 ~ Steve Rogers

Never Friends ~ 10

Eva has covered a considerable distance from the compound, not bothering to look back or apologize to the people she shoves aside in her determined pace. Only when she reaches a secluded alley does she take a moment to halt, hands pressed against a brick wall as she gasps for air. She glances around, ensuring no one is nearby.

"Right, you're getting out of my head, now! I can't do this anymore!" she exclaims, frustration evident in her quickened breaths, her scowl directed at the ground.

"Evangeline, you've just run away from the place that would allow you to do so," the voice responds, eerily calm, almost bored sounding.

"No, we need to figure out another way. There has to be another way to get you out of my head and back into some damn robotic body, Ultron!" Eva addresses the voice by its name, emphasizing her refusal to continue with the current plan.

"Or I could just use your body instead?" Ultron sighs, maintaining an unnerving calm.

Eva straightens at this, her breathing momentarily halting. "That's not funny," she mutters, her expression unimpressed, as if dismissing the suggestion outright.

"I wasn't trying to be funny, Evangeline," Ultron adds, his tone laced with a slight threat, prompting Eva to keep silent, growing concerned but more focused on regaining her breath.

"Human bodies are too feeble. Besides, the sound of all that blood pumping around your body irritates me on a daily basis," Ultron continues, expressing his disdain for the idea of inhabiting a human form. Eva raises a brow at the notion of Ultron being able to hear her blood, but she sighs with relief, knowing that Ultron would not take over her body permanently anytime soon.

Her moment of respite is interrupted as her phone begins to vibrate. Distracted, she pulls it out and groans a little when she sees who the caller is.

"Peter? You really pick your moments..." Eva answers his call.

Peter, having left the compound after eavesdropping on the conversation between Steve and Eva, is now perched on top of an apartment complex roof, having decided to search for her. He responds when she answers his call, his tone serious.

"Eva, where are you?" he inquires, not entertaining her sarcastic comments.

"I'm fine."

"Yeah, you sound it," Peter remarks, rolling his eyes, clearly able to discern that her breaths are quicker than usual.

"I just wanted to go home, okay?" Eva continues, her frustration evident.

"Please stop acting like I'm stupid, Eva. It's clear something is going on, so tell me now, where are you?" Peter says, his words interrupted by the sound of him eating another protein bar he hastily grabbed during his quick search.

"Are you eating?" Eva asks, frowning as she listens to the pauses in his sentence, astounded that he would be eating during this crucial call.

"I get hungry, and I didn't know how long I'd be out here looking for—wait! Don't change the subject, tell me where you are!" Peter rambles, almost falling into the trap.

"Peter, I don't want to be found right now. I'm hanging up," Eva sighs, aware that he isn't going to give up easily.

"Evangeline, wait!" Reluctantly, Eva does, taking Peter by surprise as he quickly comes up with his next plea, not expecting to still be on the call.

"We are friends, Eva. I want to help. Let me help. What is going on?" His voice softens, waiting silently for her response.

"Hang up, Evangeline, before I make you," Ultron declares in her mind, recognizing that Eva was about to give in. He inflicts a brief surge of pain through her head. She hisses at the pain.

"Eva?" Peter reaches out again, worried at her silence.

"Peter, I am not your friend! We were never friends. You have to leave me alone. Bye," Eva says harshly, cutting him off before he can say anything else. She rests her head against the wall in defeat, putting her phone away and closing her eyes briefly in guilt.

"Well, that was... soul-crushing," Ultron comments sarcastically at the interaction.

"Tais-toi!" Eva snaps, telling the AI to shut up, frustration evident in her voice.

Eva takes a deep breath, attempting to collect herself. The alley feels claustrophobic, the weight of her actions pressing on her shoulders. She glares at the ground, trying to shake off the emotional turmoil.

"Your attempts at human emotion are amusing, Evangeline," Ultron remarks, his tone mocking.

"Shut up, just shut up," she mutters, her frustration building. The pain in her head persists, a constant reminder of the internal battle she's facing.

As she starts to move away from the alley, Eva is acutely aware of the turmoil within her, the struggle against Ultron's presence. The city's noises surround her, the distant hum of traffic, the muffled chatter of people passing by. She's determined to escape both the voices in her head and the reality she's trying to avoid.

As Eva disappears into the bustling city, the consequences of her decisions loom large, leaving behind a web of uncertainties and a fractured sense of self.

Meanwhile, perched on the rooftop of the apartment complex, Peter lowers his phone slowly, staring at it in disbelief. The harshness of Eva's words hangs in the air, leaving him stunned. The silence on the line echoes, and he finds himself at a loss for words.

"We were never friends," her words replay in his mind, each syllable carrying a weight he never anticipated. Peter takes a deep breath, trying to shake off the sting of rejection.

A mix of frustration and concern paints his features as he decides on his next move. Determination fuels him as he swings off the rooftop, web-slinging across the city. His mind races, searching for any sign or clue that might lead him to Eva.

The city lights blur as Peter maneuvers through the urban landscape, his Spider-Sense on high alert. He recalls the urgency in Eva's voice and the hints of something more significant at play. Whatever troubles her, Peter is determined to help, even if she refuses to acknowledge their connection.

As he swings from building to building, Peter wrestles with his emotions. Conflicted but resolute, he knows that his path is intertwined with Eva's, and he won't let her face whatever challenges lie ahead alone.