Avenger's AOU~ Oblivion. { Quicksilver Fanfic }

Chapter 21: Hide Behinds

A cold evening breeze laced through my loosening braid causing small goosebumps to web across my exposed skin. It got real cold here at night. I sat with my back against the brick wall looking out at the sea, almost the same location where Steve and I had set off to find Van Strucker. Pietro brought me down here a few hours ago and told me to keep still. He should know by this morning, I'm not exactly good at that.

I didn't know exactly what it was, but I felt a distinct change start up in me as soon as Steve and I left New York. Wait, no before that. I traced the feeling of transformation all the way back to H.Y.D.R.A. Maybe it was the blast that gave me these wretched powers, or the first time I met Pietro, I couldn't put a finger on it. I looked down on my slightly exposed shoulder half revealing the white jagged scar. I sighed and yanked my jacket over my shoulder and up the crook of my neck. A cold gust of evening wind gusted my body into the hard wall.

I huffed watching my breath float off in a puff of vapor. Hmm. I did it again and watched it as it floated up in to the sky fading away. Left behind like a veil being lifted were the stars. They littered the sky here as much as they did back on the beach.

Loud footfalls made echoed down the alley a shadow dancing across the brick walls. I looked down the narrow passage to see nothing. I frowned. I could have sworn...

I stood up to get a better look and leaned into the corner. Before I could react, someone clamped their hand over my mouth. I tried to scream, but instead I sounded like a suffocated cat.

"I thought I told you to stay still."

I stopped kicking and bit down on the hand clasping my mouth.

"Ow," Pietro murmured rubbing his hand as he stumbled back.

I turned back at him and shoved him by his shoulders. "What the heck was that?"

Pietro smirked slightly before stepping towards me. "Bad things happen if you don't listen to me."

I rolled my eyes. "Okay, Yoda, and what is that supposed to mean?"

His smirk grew as he took another step closer making me take one back. "I guess you'll find out now won't you?"

* * *

Pietro took me to the beach where I thought we might be taking a boat or something (though I strongly hoped we wouldn't) but instead he just led me straight across and towards the black forest beyond the city limits.

I frowned. "Um, where exactly are-"

"Shh."

"Why are-"

"Shh!"

I glared and crossed my arms over my chest, but kept walking. Soon we were inside the forest and I almost started to wish we had taken a boat after all.

When I was a kid, I would practically live outdoors, totally taken aback by the course of nature. I'd climb trees, pick flowers, pretend I was Snow White and could talk to animals. But that was in the day. At night, the woods took a completely different toll.

A thin glossy frost began to form on the brush and trees around us. The moon glinted dully behind the clouds and a cold breeze blew continually through the thin fabric of my pants giving me constant goosebumps. I lumbered behind Pietro, avoiding large branches and piles of dead leaves. Now as I looked back on my life, the childhood I had, this world seemed to constantly be careening into a black void, making my past life look like a fairy tale. It seems I have lost two lives, two fairy tales I tried to live to the point of happily ever after. My father, Harry. They were my only family. We were happy, moving past mother, past the car accident. And then, because of me, they're gone. Then I moved to New York, starting fresh, interning For Tony at Stark Tower, landing a job at S.H.E.I.L.D, training under Clint's careful supervision, then becoming an Avenger. Then becoming a monster. Then losing Steve. I already lost my childhood, moved on and started a new life. I wasn't about to let go of that either.

The further we went into the forest the more eerie the atmosphere became, and the more aware of my surroundings I became. Hollow noises of night creatures echoed through the dusty pines and oaks. My eyes darted back and forth uneasily as I imagined faceless figures watching silently from the distance.

"Don't do that."

I jumped at the sound of Pietro's voice, but at the same time found comfort in it. "Don't do what."

"They can sense your fear."

"I'm not afraid." I mumbled. I slowed down. "Wait, who doesn't like that?"

I could almost feel the sinister smile enlightening his stupid face. "Oh, the Hide Behinds."

"The what?"

"They're little creatures that lurk just out of sight. You think you see them, but when you do a double take," He made a poof motion with his hands. "gone. Drive you insane and some people eventually kill themselves from the paranoia."

"You're lying."

"Tell that to them."

Suddenly Pietro was gone, leaving behind a faint blue glow in the misty air. I froze and whipped around, looking in all directions.

"Pietro?" I murmured hoping he could hear me.

Something to my left darted behind a tree and disappeared. It's just my imagination. Don't believe Pietro, he's just trying to scare you. I took a single step forward only to be stopped as another shadow danced across my peripheral vision.

"Pietro, this isn't funny." I shouted into the darkness trying to sound brave, but instead my voice was quiet and small. "Please, please, just come out. I want to get to wherever we're going."

Wisp.

Something flew just past my ear and I jumped. "I thought I sa-"

Suddenly a shadow came racing towards me out of nowhere, arms plunged forward and fingers outstretched as if to strangle me on contact. I screamed and stumbled backwards landing on my butt. The shadow came to an abrupt stop over me, arms still outstretched. Then it burst into laughter.

"Did I scare you?" Pietro asked calmly.

I frowned and glared into the darkness searching out Pietro's eyes behind the lingering shadow above me. "Why would you feel the need to do that?"

"Oh lighten up a little." Pietro said reaching an arm.

I ignored his request and stood up brushing the dirt and leaves from my clothes.

I crossed my arms over my chest. Why in the world are you acting up? I've been acting so childish lately and now it was affecting my emotions. I'm not scared or frightened by Pietro or the woods or even our mission ahead. I just had to focus on Steve.

We walked on for many hours it felt like. The moon crept higher into the night until it almost disappeared behind a cluster of clouds directly above us. I tried to keep my eyes on Pietro, making sure he doesn't slip off to play any more tricks, but my eyes were getting gradually heavier by the moment. Every... dreary... moment.

A large branch had hooked itself under my boot and I staggered forward many steps before landing on my knees. I heard Pietro halter then his footsteps getting close.

"We can make camp for the night." He offered indifferently, but I was grateful nevertheless.

"Alright." I mumbled.

Pietro sighed before grabbing my forearms and helping me to my feet.