Run to You|Pietro Maximoff

Chapter Nine

Ira gasped and sat up, clutching the sheets to her chest as a large clap of thunder echoed through her bedroom. She got out of bed and peeked out the window, just as a bolt of lightening burst through the sky. She gasped, and sat back down on the bed, shivering with fear.

Ira's astraphobia had developed as a child. She was outside playing when she was eight, and had gotten stuck in the middle of a severe storm. It was so dark, she couldn't find her way back. There was lightning bolt after lighting bolt hitting the ground beside her.

Her mother had found her curled up in a ditch, sobbing. They had taken her home, and ever since then she had been afraid. Now, Pietro would usually be there to comfort her, but he, Wanda, and Clint were on a mission.

Not wanting to be alone, she grabbed a blanket from her bed, and wrapped it around herself. She walked through the hallways until she reached the living room. There she found Steve, sitting on the couch in his running gear.

"You're up early," She said, and he turned to face her.

"Yeah. I was going to go running, but..." he gestured outside to the storm. "Why are you up?"

"I can't sleep." She said. "I'm afraid of storms." She sat down on the couch next to him.

"Do... do you want to talk about it?" Steve asked hesitantly.

She shrugged. "It would be nice to tell someone." She sighed, and took a deep breath.

"When I was eight, I was outside playing. It started to rain. I wasn't worried, but then it started to storm. It got really dark, and I remember lightening flashing everywhere. I couldn't see anything, and I managed to fall into a ditch. That's where my mom found me. I was shaking, curled up in a ball." Ira smiled weakly.

"And it continued. Sokovia had a lot of storms, and our house wasn't built on a sturdy foundation, so every time it stormed, the house would shake, and it would feel like the world was ending. And when my mom died, it was even worse, because they weren't there to comfort me." She paused, and started again. "When I volunteered for Strucker's experiments, I was so scared. I knew I had to help Sokovia, so I volunteered. But I wasn't ready for the experiments."

Steve wanted to ask her about the experimentation, but he knew she probably wasn't ready to talk about it just yet.

"I remember the first night it stormed, I was sobbing in the cell. The guard got so annoyed that he sent Pietro in to comfort me. He sat by me all night, helping me through the storm. I think that's when I first started liking him." Ira concluded her story with a smile. "It feels good to talk to someone about this."

Steve smiled. "I'm glad you trust me."

They spent the rest of the morning watching TV and talking with each other. Soon, before the others woke up, Ira heard the sounds of a Quinjet above. She smiled, and raced outside. It was still pouring rain, so she was soaked by the time she got to the Quinjet. The doors opened, and Pietro, Wanda and Clint walked out.

Ira threw her arms around him. He was surprised, but wrapped his arms around her. "Hello, dragoste." He whispered.

"Thanks for saying hi to me, too." Clint complained. "I really appreciate it." Ira rolled her eyes at his antics.

"Hi." She said dryly to him. She smiled at Wanda, and the four of them walked back towards the facility.
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"Ira, come to the meeting room," Natasha called from the doorway to the training room. Ira unwrapped her hands, and walked towards the door, her blonde ponytail swishing with each step.