Philophobia ➤ W.M.

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  Honestly, Astrilde had had better ideas. Love shouldn't've justified being put in a prison in the middle of the ocean, yet it did. The funniest part was that she didn't regret her actions. Even when she sat in a cell that was so strong that she would have to hit it a few times to escape. She kept from doing so anyway. Instead, she stayed to watch over Wanda, who had been beaten into submission by the collar around her neck. A straightjacket was also on the girl, which pissed off Astrilde even further.

  The goddess hadn't even been able to speak to Wanda, not even to explain her confession of love which still weighed heavily on her chest. Not that she wanted to in front of her friends. Astrilde looked down, feeling guilty whenever she looked at the woman she couldn't protect. It was mere minutes before Astrilde looked up again, hearing the sound of the door open.

  Wanda tensed nearly noticeably, but with Astrilde's enhanced vision she could see it clear as day. In hand, the goddess looked at the door, unsurprised to see Tony Stark walk in with a sling holding one of his arms. Clapping echoed in the cell block as Tony glanced around, but it came from Clint.

 "The Futurist, gentlemen! The Futurist is here!" Clint's voice covered the clapping. Astrilde sighed, Tony shouldn't have come. Nobody was happy at their imprisonment, least of all Astrilde. However, she couldn't really blame Tony for her imprisonment though, so she stayed quiet. "He sees all! He knows what's best for you, whether you like it or not."

  "Give me a break, Barton," Tony said as he walked up to Clint's cell. "I had no idea they'd put you here. Come on."

  "Yeah, well, you knew they'd put us somewhere, Tony."

  "Yeah, but not some super-max floating ocean pokey. Y'know this place is for maniacs. This is a place for.."

  "Criminals? Criminals, Tony. I think that's the word you're looking for. Right? That didn't use to mean me. Or Sam, or Wanda. But here we are."

  "Because you broke the law."

  "Yeah."

  "I didn't make you."

  "La, la, la-"

  "You read it, you broke it."

  "La, la, la-"

  "Right? You're all grown up, you got a wife and kids. I don't understand, why didn't you think about them before you chose the wrong side?" Tony then walked off.

  "You gotta watch your back with this guy." Clint hit the cell bars. "There's a chance he's gonna break it."

  "Hank Pym always said you can never trust a Stark," Scott said as Tony passed his cell.

  "Who are you?"

  "Come on, man."

  Tony stopped at Astrilde's cell then. She refocused her eyes on the ground she was sitting on, her back against the wall.

  "What better place to store people like us?" Astrilde's voice rang through the prison, causing Wanda to glance up. Astrilde, like Wanda, had not spoken often during the stay they had there. Tony's gaze burned holes in her skin.

  "You had a choice." Astrilde let out a mirthless laugh.

  "I know, Tony. You knew I could not go with you. Why else would I purposefully attack somebody that could have killed me?"

  "That stick wouldn't have-"

  "If I had been a mortal, it could have killed me." Astrilde's voice had increased in volume, before she glanced at Tony. It quickly lowered. She was mad at herself and the men who had put her in this prison. Not Tony. He was her friend. "I apologize," She said, heart aching.

  "What for?"

  "I should not have raised my voice. I do not blame you, Tony. I am simply upset." A dagger appeared in her hand as she said so, and she twirled it in her fingers. Suddenly, she threw it at the wall opposite the glass and bars. The vibranium dagger easily found it's way into the Raft's walls.

  "They didn't take away your powers?"

  "Not enough resources. The amount of vibranium they need is-" Astrilde stopped. No need to divulge Wakanda's secrets. "Nevermind. There is no vibranium left. Not on this planet."

  "There's more somewhere in the universe, huh?" She smiled.

  "Nowhere mortals will ever be able to travel." Tony nodded, before walking to Sam's cell. Astrilde leaned her head back, drowning out the two's talking.

***

  The sound of footsteps caused Astrilde to glance up from her seat on the bed. However, darkness encompassed the room, causing her to be blind to any dangers she could face.

  Her worry was for nothing, though. That much was clear when somebody stepped out of the shadows. The familiar blue of Steve's armor came into view, and for the first time in days, a grin broke across her face.

  It was time to escape.

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