Freaks||Wanda and Pietro Maximoff

Chapter 18

Wanda woke up at five in the morning to let Pietro sleep after he had sat with her, waiting. Despite the intentions of this method, Wanda had actually had a dreamless sleep for once and it had been wonderful. And as she watched Pietro fall asleep, his pale hair covering his eyes, she felt content for once.

While Pietro slept, she decided to look through one of the draws she hadn't looked through. It was full to bursting of photo albums. Smiling to herself, Wanda took out the first one and sat down crossed legged on the floor, the album open in front of her. She used a small torch, in order to not disturb Pietro and looked at the front of the book.

In big, messy felt tip bubble writing was written the words "best friends". It was incredibly messy and was hard to read because of the brown colour of the album but Wanda smiled non the less.

She opened the album as quietly as possible and looked at the first photo. It was of Steve, Tony and Bucky. They all looked about eight and they all stood in front of what seemed like a big rollercoaster painted in dirty blues and yellows. Steve was small and skinny, his blond hair thin, his eyes wide with terror. On his left stood Bucky, clutching his hand trying to look brave. On his right, Tony was grinning widely looking wild and ecstatic. Thrill seeker.
The next photo was of Steve and Peter. They looked about 10, sitting down together on the grass in the very garden Wanda was surround by. Peter wore a dark jacket and a malicious grin, his arm around a shy looking Steve. The third photo didn't have Steve in it. It was just of Natasha, Clint and Bruce all standing outside what looked like their school, arms around each other, grinning. Bruce's glasses looked like they were just about to fall off his nose and he was smiling directly at Natasha. Natasha seemed totally oblivious. The next photo was of two people. With a jolt, Wanda realised the boy was Fitz, looking around fifteen. So a year ago now. He hadn't grown a stubble like he had now and he looked happier. His blue eyes were bright...so bright. His hair was curly, his cheeks healthy and red. He looked healthy. He looked nothing like he looked now. He was holding hands with a girl. A very pretty girl. She had long brown hair and dark brown eyes. She wore a pale blouse, jumper and jeans and was the same height as Fitz and looked equally happy, grinning broadly at the camera like she was the luckiest person on earth. This must have been Simmons...or Jemma or whatever they called her. And with how different Fitz looked now...Then he wore a bright shirt, blue jumper and a small tie with a pattern of monkeys. He looked happy, healthy, hopeful. Now, Fitz wore baggy cardigans and dark plaid shirts. He had a stubble and rings under his watery blue eyes. He even held himself differently . To change that much because of one person... but Wanda supposed if she lost Pietro, she might become the same.
                                  *
The noise and crowds of the busy hallway hit Tony as soon as he stepped one foot in, Bruce following up behind him. Tony wasn't in a good mood. His dad was seeing his falling grades and was threatening to send him to private school again. Tony argued back, saying that the mark schemes were stupid and that he should have been moved up a year. His dad just snapped at him to memorise the mark schemes and had got on his jet to go somewhere abroad for work.

"Don't worry" Bruce sighed as they weaved their way through the crowds towards the library for their free period "he always threatens sending you back but he never does"
"Last time I set foot in that place I was seriously considering killing myself" Tony growled back at him
Bruce raised his eyebrows, shaking his head. He was not wearing his glasses today as he had lost them. Instead he was wearing contact lenses which he claimed made his eyes burn.
"Don't make suicide jokes" he murmured
"It wasn't a joke" Tony retorted as they made their way in to the library and towards the computers
"You're not doing last minute homework are you?" Bruce asked, wearily
"No I need to search something up" Tony responded, slumping down in front of the first computer "I couldn't do it at home because my dad has enabled this thing that makes sure we can't delete our search history. Then he checks it weekly. I can't believe I haven't been able to disable it" maybe this is why he was failing his exams... Tony pushed the thought away.
"That's cruel and an invasion of privacy" Bruce frowned, drawing up a seat and sitting next to him.
"Welcome to the Stark household" Tony said sarcastically, pulling the keyboard towards him "where your privacy is invaded to keep a good name"
"What are you searching up?" Bruce asked
Tony didn't respond. He just typed in "Maximoff".
"Ohhh" Bruce breathed

Nothing came up. Nothing useful anyway until after ten minutes Tony found a list of names of potentially missing people from the Sokovia accident. And there they were: Pietro and Wanda Maximoff.
"Shit" he muttered under his breath
"But have you found anything on Peter?" Bruce pestered, looking around to make sure no one was looking at their screen
"No..." Tony responded before typing in something new in to the search bar. "Mutants"

After scrolling through a load of outdated anti-mutant propaganda, Tony found another website made by shield.
"Even though the mutant and inhuman problem has been dealt with, even though you are safe this blog is used as a precaution. If you spot anything suspicious, anything odd or out of this world please send us a message via this page. One of our currently recovering agents, Bobby Morse is here to help."
"Shit" Tony repeated, scrolling down the page.
"It's probably all superstitious crap" Bruce muttered, rolling his eyes
"Shit" Tony repeated again as he read a certain message. Panic ran through him. "No no no that can't be possible. I thought Wanda..." he trailed off.
"What?" Bruce asked, leaning forward to read the text and after a few seconds..."shit"
"I am writing from a small town school where two new students joined us a two weeks ago. But they left one week ago. The problem is that I seem to be the only one that remembers them. The rest of the school are oblivious. I don't remember much but I remember the girl and something red... not of this world like you say. I don't know what to do"
Then there was a response:
"Thank you for contacting us and emailing us the more private details. We have sent three agents on an assignment to keep an eye on if anything happens that is unusual in this area. You are helping our society by acting on something that may be potentially dangerous so, thank you"
"No no no" Tony breathed. It seemed to be the only word in his vocabulary. This was all his fault. All his fault. For being arrogant and snarky. For being disrespectful and unruly. This was all his fault...
"Three agents" Bruce raised his eyebrows in surprise "there have been two new teachers and some new people working at my parent's work. It could be them... it could be anyone."
"Bruce shut the hell up" Tony snapped, holding on to the mouse tightly. The whole room was spinning. This was all his fault.
"Sorry" Bruce sighed and then he seemed to notice how Tony was feeling "Tony you need to calm down"
"I'm trying" Tony said, clenching his eyes shut "this is all my fault"
"It's also the twins' fault for coming here"
"They wanted a normal life!" Tony tried to keep his breathing even "They wanted to be normal and my dad took that from them! He didn't mean to hit them. He didn't mean to hit anyone but he did and now they're the ones paying for it!"
Bruce didn't say anything but Tony understood. Bruce wasn't very good with these kinds of situations. He found them awkward and never knew what to say or do.

But it was all his fault. All his fault.