ECCENTRIC ➲ a Pietro Maximoff fanfic | based on AOU

CHAPTER 14: Siblings are Annoying

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"No way we'll all get through this," Stark stated, his tone heavy with uneasiness as we boarded the cutting-edge Quinjet. "Even if one tin soldier is left standing, we've lost. It's gonna be blood on the floor."

"I got no plans tomorrow night," Cap said, cocking an eyebrow.

"I get first crack at the big guy," Stark continued. "Iron Man's the one he's waiting for."

"That's true," Vision chimed in as he strode past in swift steps, "He hates you the most."

We looked up as Bruce helped Natasha onto the Quinjet. After all the fiasco with the berserk train and Ultron kidnapping Austin, Natasha had been out cold for some time - she had knocked her head on the hard surface of the Cradle during the tug-of-war with Ultron when she was trying to pull back Austin. Thanks to the cutting-edge medical technology and whatnot in Stark's laboratories, she was back and kicking in no time.

"I'm gonna kick Ultron in the ass," Natasha muttered angrily as she stalked past me, shoving her gun into her back pocket.

As Cap called for a short briefing, we gathered around him for instructions. "Ultron knows we're coming," he stated, grim written all over his face. "Odds are, we'll be riding into heavy fire. And that's what we signed up for. But the people of Sokovia, they didn't." He casted a sideways glance at Pietro, Wanda and I before resuming his speech. "So our priority is getting them out. All they want is to live their lives in peace. And that's not gonna happen today. But, we can do our best to protect them. And we can get the job done. We find out what Ultron's been building, we find Austin, and we clear the field. Keep the fight between us."

He paused for a second, the ominous look on his face intensifying. "Ultron thinks we're monsters, and we're what's wrong with the world. This isn't just about beating him. It's about whether he's right."

Each of us were silent as the Quinjet rocketed towards our destination. My hands were quavering - not out of fear, but out of anxiety for my brother. If Ultron did anything to him... if Ultron hurt him...

"He'll be fine," Pietro said softly as though he had just read my mind, putting his hand on top of my shivering ones. The mere gesture made my heart skip a beat. He laced his fingers through mine, stopping them from trembling. His hands were full of warmth that seemed to slowly seep through every part of me, filling my insides with a strange sense of affection.

I smiled weakly at him in response, before casting Wanda a careful glance, afraid that she would see our actions and start teasing us again - but, nope - the joke was on her, because she was chatting rather amicably with Vision.

"What's she doing with him?" Pietro demanded suddenly, having following my glance. I failed to stifle a giggle and tried to mask it with a cough, but he arched an eyebrow at me, narrowing his eyes.

"You're such a galoot," I said, smirking.

"I am not," Pietro retorted indignantly. "She's my sister and -"

"You can't stop her from talking with guys," I reasoned, raising an amused eyebrow.

"But -"

"Trust me, if Austin was here now, he'd probably act the exact same way as you do." My grin faded rapidly as my thoughts snapped to my brother, my insides twisting terribly with worry.

Ultron, if you've so much as touched my brother, you're dead.

-

Thor and I were dropped off at Austin's last detected location, just as Clint had informed us, thanks to his awesome tracking tools and whatnot. Pietro and I had been having an intense staring contest after I had been tasked along with Thor to find and rescue Austin. He was extremely insistent on not letting me go, and I was extremely insistent on going - thankfully, Stark cut in and mentioned casually that "This girl kicks ass better than me, don't worry" - and, finally, though reluctantly, Pietro gave in.