grounded「peter parker.」

04

𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓴𝓷𝓸𝔀 𝓲 𝓬𝓪𝓷'𝓽 𝓰𝓸 𝓽𝓸 𝓼𝓬𝓱𝓸𝓸𝓵

"Still have no idea who her parents are?" The Avengers are in the conference room of the facility, minus Wanda and Valentina, still knocked out from earlier's events. At first, they were worried that they might be dead, but after checking their vital signs, they figured out that the two enhanced are just drained. Computers surrounded Natasha while Tony was pressing something on his hologram. They were talking about the girl they just met a few days ago. Despite knowing that she is far from being a threat, they still want to know where she came from.

"You won't find anything about me, trust me, I've tried." Valentina suddenly appeared at the doorframe, arms crossed. She walked further into the room and sat beside Natasha to see what she was doing, "The day I tore Hydra's base down, I went to check the computers to see if there's anything about me. I messed up, though. I accidentally deleted all files before I even read them. Everything was a blur that time. My heart's racing, my visions blurred, my head throbbing. I wasn't thinking straight." She shook her head, looking down at her fumbling hands on her lap. Tears threatened to fall down her cheeks when she remembered all the tortured she endured in that hellhole.

"And it sucks, you know? Not knowing anything about my past, where I came from, what was my life before they got their hands on me. I feel... incomplete. There are so many questions unanswered. Did I have parents? How about siblings? Did I have friends? What is my real name? I don't even have a last name. Where was I born? When is my birthday? I can only hope my memories will resurface someday. That's what I'm holding on to." She looked up to see everyone's eyes on her, feeling sad for the girl before them. They can't believe she had to go throughout it at such a young age. She doesn't deserve it, no one does.

Valentina can read minds, that's how she got a glimpse on what is going on in their heads. All she could see was the pity that they felt towards her. And she's not having it. "Come on, guys. Haven't I told you not to let your guards down when you're with me? You guys know I can see through you, right?" She smirked, badly wanting to ease the tension. So, she changed the topic. "I'm craving shawarma right now. Should I call?"

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"So, V, how do you feel about having your own bedroom?" Tony said in the middle of his bites on his shawarma. Wanda, who just woke up upon smelling the shawarma's mouthwatering scent, cringed at disgust when he talked with his mouth full.

"No. Absolutely not," V shook her head hard, opposing to Tony's idea. "My cell room is fine. I don't wish to leave the comforts of it. And what if I killed you all in your sleep unconsciously? I won't be able to forgive myself if that happened."

"Don't be ridiculous. I'm sure it won't happen, V. Have a little faith in yourself. And we all trust you, even Steve." Sam Wilson leaned closer to her ear, "He has a thing with trusts, you know?" He leaned back on his chair. "And besides, if you really don't trust yourself and you become a bit paranoid, your room's beside Wanda. Because she's the strongest among us, she might be able to stop you."

Valentina knows well that they will not take no for an answer, and she's not really in the mood to listen to their whines and rants, especially Tony, so she agreed. Tony Stark lead the way to her new room. She must admit that even she's excited on having her own personal space, not getting to experience that during her time with Hydra.

It was spacious. Or that's what she thinks because she's used to her cramped cell with just a bed in it. But the room in front of her holds a queen-sized bed, a study table, a single couch right across the room by the window, her own bathroom and a large closet. She squealed at the sight and hugged Tony, "Having my room isn't something I'd thought of having. Thank you so much, Tony." Tony patted her back before she lets go. She jumped on her bed, the cushion much softer than her old one in the cell. Tony Stark smiled before closing the door, leaving the teenager in her sanctuary.

A little while later, Tony rushed back in her room, startling her. He dumped books on her study table, leaving a questioning gaze from the woman. "What are those?"

"Books."

"Uh yes, Tony. I know what books look like. I mean, what am I going to do with those?" Before Tony could give her a sarcastic remark, she held his hand up in the air, stopping him. "One more sarcastic answer and I swear to God I will hurl you across the whole facility."

Tony gulped, sensing the seriousness in her voice. "Well, I want you to study."

Valentina scoffed, "Study? You mean that depressing thing teenagers like me doesn't want to do?"

"Hey, studying is fun! You get to learn new things, yada yada. And besides, having FRIDAY as a teacher makes it more exciting." He sat beside Valentina on her bed, "Listen, I know you think you're not normal because of your powers, but you're still a kid. And normal kids go to school. I don't want you to miss out on all the fun, meeting friends, learning something you actually want to learn. Since the school year just ended, consider this as a refresher course before you go to an actual school."

"You can't be serious, Tony. You know I can't go to school. I can barely control my powers. I don't want to hurt innocent kids."

"We still have a lot of time to train you. School's not going to start in a few months. And besides, I want you to experience being a normal teenager for once. It's more fun to do stupid things when you're younger. Go to parties, get drunk, get high, make out with someone behind the bleachers, I don't know what teenagers in your generation do. But, I want you to go out and socialize with people you like, not being stuck in these four walls with a hundred-year-old man." Valentina chuckled at Tony's teasing towards Steve.

She sighed, knowing she can't win this argument with Tony. That guy has his way with words, you just find yourself agreeing with him. "Fine. If I can be able to control my powers before school starts, then consider me enrolled."

"Deal."

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[a.n]

valentina being excited having her own room isn't weird because as far as she can remember, she spent her whole life in hydra's cell with zero privacy. and when the avengers caught up to her, she was also taken into a cell. she's quite used to it but still, she once dreamed of having her own room where she can be herself but in her situation, it was a luxury she didn't thought of having, until tony gave her one.

also, she may or may not go to school :')

which means peter parker content is coming :')

i hate to ask but is my book okay? or the story sucks?

with love, rie