Cornelia Street - Avengers

Watch Us Fall

"How did we get here? Oh, I used to know you so well. How can I decide what's right, when you're clouding up my mind."

(Just Pretend, Bad Omens)

...

"So, you're signing."

Bethany slipped into the threshold of his darkened room, leaning her head against his wardrobe, watching as he slipped runners onto his feet beside his packed bag of things. Her words, perhaps to an outsider would have sounded like a question, but it was in its entirety, a statement.

A definitive, that even with his perceived nonchalant debating, it was clearer to her more than anything that he had made up his mind. And once he had, she knew that there was no changing it.

"I have to, Anastazya."

Her body went cold. She couldn't help the frown that took over her face, as she looked at the boy that she admired so much. She knew that, of all people, Pietro Maximoff would do things he believed in, he would never be forced into things after all the years he had spent under somebody's thumb. 

But she also knew he was smart, smarter than he would ever let on, and that in of itself warned her of an ulterior motive of his. And that scared her more than anything.

"What aren't you telling me?" She whispered, stepping further into his room with crossed arms. He looked up, fleetingly, before standing up from his bed. "I don't understand why you'd want to sign that thing after everything control has done to us..."

Pietro shrugged, zipping up his duffel before slinging it over his shoulder. "I guessed so. Given you've never made a difficult decision to benefit anyone but yourself." He began to walk past her, eyes cold and his strides long, but she wasn't done.

 If this were to turn to war, like Lucia had feared it would, she'd be damned if she would let this be their final words before the breaking of their families' ties.

Grabbing his arm tightly, she pulled him back to her. "You think when I chose to save our friend's life, that wasn't hard? When I was the reason, they trusted us, and I thought beyond my hatred for Stark and did something good for the first time in years. You think I did it for me?"

He stopped; his jaw clenched as he turned to her. "You believe that makes up for everything else? For all the times you looked out for number one, leaving the rest of us to pick up the pieces?"

"What are you talking about?" Her grip tightened. "I'm not perfect. But I am trying, and I have since we got here. And if you can't see that, then maybe you don't know me as well as you think you do."

"Trying isn't enough," he snapped. "Not when our freedom is at stake."

"And walking away is?" She shot back. "Running from the people who need you? That's not who you are, and I know you."

The anger in his eyes wavered just for a moment. "Maybe I've changed."

"Maybe we both have," she whispered, her voice breaking. "But that doesn't mean we have to throw everything away. You think that Ross is going to change how he feels about us, just because of your signature on that page?" She scoffed, anger radiating off of her. "Come on..."

He looked away, the weight of her words settling between them as he stepped out into the hallway. "I can't do this right now," he said finally, his voice softer but no less resolute.

"If not now when? When it's all thrown fists and cuffs? Is part of you signing out of guilt?" She followed him, glaring daggers at the back of his head as he walked briskly down the hall. "You think that Ross will give you a suit and signature shield the second you do what he wants? No, he'll just have you right where he wants you."