SUPREMACY / P. MAXIMOFF

chips

"What food do you have around here?"

"We have chips."

"What? Please tell me you are kidding."

"...We have chips."

"There is nothing I can cook?"

"You can microwave your chips."

"I do not think you understand how impossible it is to be romantic when all you can feed your girlfriend is food out of plastic packaging."

"You can take the chips out of the package and put them on a plate."

"Seriously?"

"You can also put them in a bowl, but we only have two bowls. So, then again, maybe not."

Pietro sighed, running his hand down his face.

"Well, then what kind of chips do you have?"

"Lays."

"Where are they?"

"I just ate the last bag."

Pietro didn't like staying on The Bus. The days were spent bickering uselessly, and the nights were spent in dead silence, everyone putting their time and energy into performing tests on Ana. He couldn't complain about that. However, if they had found out a way to fix her, they hadn't alerted him or Wanda yet. They kept their discoveries to themselves.

Pietro knew that Ana had spent most of the day hooked up to wires and IV's, being poked and prodded and questioned ruthlessly. He knew how she would come back to her room absolutely exhausted, her mood deflated. He was hoping to have her come back to something special.

They had been together for a week now. It was their one week anniversary. Pietro knew Ana wasn't that type of girl, but for her sake he was going to be that type of guy. Every second, every day they spent together, still in love with each other, was worth celebrating to him, because in a few moments it could be taken away completely. He knew that now. After all of the accidents, after the months he spent alone without her, thinking she was dead, regretting everything he hadn't done for her.

Pietro settled with a bag of popcorn.

When he had made it back to his and Ana's shared room, (Wanda had insisted on staying with Skye, no matter how much Pietro protested), she was laying down, new band-aids applied to all their usual spots. The inside of each of her elbows, the back of her neck, both wrists. Her pale skin still had red marks from where electrodes were stuck to her forehead. Her skin was flushed with clear frustration. Pietro understood. It was frustrating for them both.

After a week, they had no leads on how to fix her, and if they did they weren't sharing. Ana was sick of being in pain, hooked up to chords and wires, being poked and prodded. Pietro hated seeing her that way.

He wanted to surprise her with something nice, that might lift her spirits after a brutal day of tests. He wasn't sure if popcorn would suffice, which made him nervous.

"Hello Princessa," He greeted her hesitantly.

Ana sat up slightly, smiling at Pietro.

"Hey," She replied, pressing her back against the wall. Her expression faltered when she fully took in his. "What's the matter with you? You look constipated."

Pietro snorted, before shaking his head. "Nothing, I just brought you something."

Pietro held out the bag of popcorn, and he thought he'd never see Ana so excited over something so small.

"Thank God, I'm so sick of chips!" Ana admitted, smiling at Pietro, who plopped down on the bed next to Ana.

Pietro was suddenly grateful that Skye had eaten the last of the chips.

Ana set the bag on the desk next to the bed they shared, and dove into Pietro's wide embrace, laughing when the two of them fell. Ana rested her head on Pietro's chest, feeling warm, comfortable, safe, and happy.

"I'm glad I'm here," Ana mumbled. Pietro scrunched his eyebrows together in confusion. Ana complained about how much she despised The Bus on a daily basis.

"Seriously?"

"Correction. I wish I was anywhere else. It's small here, the food is non-existent, and when it is existent, it sucks. There's a psychotic, war criminal harbored in the basement. Everyone here has stabbed me with a needle at least once. But right here, right now, I'm glad to be here with you."

Pietro smiled down at Ana, before pressing a kiss to her forehead. "I am glad I am here with you too. But you are right. It does sort of suck here."

Ana laughed, and before she could reply, Fitz popped in the doorway. His face burned when he saw Ana and Pietro together.

"S-S-Sorry for interrupting!" He stammered nervously. "B-But I have....I have...What do I have?"

"He has results," Skye finished for him, smirking at Ana and Pietro. "Ana. We have finally found something."