Control (Avengers Fan Fiction)

[ 32 ]

The Next Day

Scarlett's bare feet padded silently through the house. It was early in the morning and the house was silent. After a long night in L.A., everyone was getting the sleep they desperately needed. Dressed in a pair of short spandex shorts and a gray hoodie that Scarlett was sure belonged to Pietro, she ventured around the house in an attempt to find him. She found the Quicksilver sitting out on the balcony in a chair. His feet were propped up on the railing and there was something in his lap. He was reading.

Scarlett pushed the door to the balcony open and stepped out. Pietro lifted his head up. A soft smile crossed his lips. He put his feet down on the ground and placed whatever he had been reading on to the tabletop.

"I thought you were sleeping, princessa."

"I've been waiting for you for the last hour." She softly shook her head and sat down next to him. Her eyes flickered to the file he had been looking through. It was labeled Project Recluse. Her eyebrows drew together as she reread the name of the file. "Why do you have that?"

"I-I just wanted to know a few things. And I knew you wouldn't answer everything."

"Did you find what you were looking for?" She leaned back in her seat.

"I don't know, to be honest." He let out a soft sigh. "I just wanted to know more about you. Have you read all of this?"

"I glanced through it a while back when you guys first apprehended me.... but I never really wanted to read it."

"Come here." Pietro's voice was soft and gentle as he patted his thigh. Scarlett stood from her seat and moved over to him. His hand found her hips and guided her down on to his lap. He wrapped an arm around her waist and held her close.

"Do you have any questions?" She turned her head to the side to rest her cheek against his shoulder. "I'll answer them honestly."

"You don't have to do that, princessa."

"I want you to know the kind of person I am." Scarlett closed her eyes. Pietro's arm tightened around her waist. His opposite hand was on her thigh, rubbing gentle circles into her soft skin with his thumb. There was a brief moment of silence before he pressed a kiss to her head.

"When do you remember starting your training?"

"I can't remember a time when I wasn't training."

"When did you kill someone for the first time?"

Scarlett took a deep breath, opening her eyes so she could look out at the ocean. She placed her hand down on top of his that rested on her thigh.

"I was eight, I think. Eight or nine. It was one of the girls I was training with. I.... I choked her."

"Do you remember the trials they performed on you?"

"They were to monitor a tumor I had. It was in my chest on my left lung. I needed to be as healthy as possible to carry out the intensive training. Even with my genetic enhancements, the tumor was killing me. I was only maybe six. Pierce wasn't ready to let me die. My blood was far too valuable. That's when I met Vince. His father was a geneticist but he started out as a physician." Scarlett brushed her fingertips over the back of his hand. "Giovanni saved my life on more than one occasion."

"Were you ever like this with Vince? Close to him? Gentle with him?"

"No." Scarlett almost laughed. "Never. I never felt this.... comfortable with him."

"Good." He muttered under his breath. "I've been looking all over for this. Where did you find if?" His hand left her thigh to tug on one of the strings on the hoodie she was wearing.