LIGHTNING ✔P.M. ₁

chapter thirty

PIETRO WOKE UP tied to a chair. How many times was he going to be beat up, by Robin of all people? The boy was shorter than him, and had pink hair for god's sake! It was getting embarrassing at this point. From the window he had broken in through, the sun shone. He must've been out all night. Robin was nowhere to be seen, but the other boy was.

Nico noticed him wake up. "Don't bother trying to escape, you won't get far," He said bluntly.

"I'm faster than you think," Pietro replied.

The son of Hades snorted. "Robin will be back in," He glanced at the clock on the wall, "about three hours." He didn't say more than that, and went to make himself a sandwich. Not that Robin had much food in his kitchen.

Pietro frowned. "Can I at least get something to eat?"

Nico opened the fridge and threw an apple at him, regardless of the fact that his hands were tied. It hit the boy in the forehead. While Pietro struggled to eat the apple, the Avengers were debating sending someone to go find him.

"He's been gone a long time," Wanda stressed. She couldn't stand the thought of loosing her brother.

"I'm sure he's fine. He can handle himself," Tony said. It was odd that the boy had been gone this long, but the building was a little ways away. Maybe he took a break.

Wanda wasn't so sure. She knew Robin wouldn't kill him. Despite his facade, she could see that he cared. He wouldn't want to hurt her, not after everything. And he would never purposely hurt Sam, either. It even seemed like he was getting along with Clint.

Sure, he and Pietro weren't exactly bffs, but Robin still wouldn't hurt him too badly. Wanda was sure of it. On the other hand, none of them knew much about the boy. Maybe they sent Pietro to the wrong address.

"Maybe we should go check," She said, unable to keep her emotions in check.

Giving her a sympathetic look, Clint agreed with her. Tony sighed, giving in.

"Fine. You two go," He said.

"I'll come too," Sam said. Maybe he could convince Robin to come back.

The three of them - Wanda, Sam and Clint - got into a car and drove off into the direction of Robin's apartment building, hoping to find both of them. It took them longer than it should've to arrive, because they kept stopping to go to the washroom or pick up snacks, or see a goose. That last part was mostly just Clint, and since he was the one driving, they had to stop.

Robin got back from school, immediately going to check on the tied up Avenger. He was surprised to see him still were he had left him, trying to watch the show Nico put on. He blinked.

"This is a shocker," He said, referring to Pietro's state.

Pietro glared. "Just let me out, Carter," He snapped.

"As you wish, Princess," Robin said with a smirk, untying him.

Still staring at the TV, Nico addressed Robin over his shoulder. "He's gonna beat the shit out of you."

"Watch your language, young man," The son of Zeus joked.

Pietro rubbed his wrists. "You are the worse kidnapper ever," He said, referring to the fact that he was let go.

Robin shrugged. "You broke into my house, Speedy. This is not a kidnapping," He said, looking at him. "Go put this chair away," He ordered. He went and made three cups of coffee, one for each of the boys in the apartment.

Pietro sat down on the couch, as far away from Nico as he could, watching the show on TV. Robin brought both of them their coffee. Nico nodded in gratitude, and Pietro just thanked him quietly.

Robin sat on the floor in front of the couch, sipping his coffee as they quietly watch the show. The doorbell rang. Confused as to who would be there, Robin went to answer the door. He wasn't too surprised to find Clint, Sam and Wanda standing there. With a soft sigh, he let them in.

He knew they were there to bring him back to the compound. He was suddenly very thankful that Nico had shown up. It's not like the would apprehend him while someone was watching, right?

Clint raised an eyebrow at Pietro. "I didn't know you were staying for tea."

Nico scowled. "I didn't know we were having guests," He grumbled, loud enough for everyone to hear.

"We weren't," Robin replied, going back to his seat on the floor.

Seeing nothing else to do while there was a witness, Wanda sat down on the couch while Sam and Clint sat on the two open chairs. They all sat silently watch TV until Robin glanced at the clock. He sprung up.

"Shit! I'm gonna be late!" He exclaimed, quickly gathering his keys and sprinting out the door to get to work. The Avengers, with the exception of Sam, shared a look. Sam and Nico were clearly use to this kind of behaviour from the boy, and weren't fazed.

Robin sprinted to the bar where he worked, praying to Zeus that he got there on time. He got behind the counter as soon as he arrived. His coworker, a sweet brunette woman in her mid-twenties by the name of Kiera, shot him a smile.

"Right on time," She said. The demigod glanced at the clock, seeing that he was indeed, exactly on time for his shift to start.

He gave her a smile back. "Yeah. I thought I would be late. I have some company over," He said, making his way to ask what someone wanted to drink.

"On a school night?" Kiera said, letting out a fake gasp. "How scandalous."

He flashed her a grin as he poured a drink. Despite Robin not working there long, he and Kiera got along great. They shared a sense of humour, their exchanges amusing for the rest of their coworkers.

A young man, around Robin's age, walked up to the bar, flashing a flirty smirk in the demigod's direction.

Robin gave him a smile back. "What can I get for ya?"

"I'll just have a beer," The man said, brown eyes twinkling with mischief.

Robin got his drink, and slid it across the counter. The man leaned in closer. "Meet me in the bathroom in twenty," He whispered with a wink, and went off.

Robin smirked, planning to meet him there. Kiera walked up behind him and gave him a friendly pat on the shoulder. "Someone's popular tonight," She teased.

Robin winked back, and went back to pouring drinks, until the twenty minutes was up, and he went and took his break, meeting the man in the washroom.