𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐬

𝐯𝐢𝐢𝐢

𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐀𝐝𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐝 consciousness, she immediately jumped upwards, looking around erratically. The room she was in was dark and damp, and the cobbles that made up the walls had moss and ivy climbing up towards the roof. The twins looked comfortable where they sat. Pietro was asleep in the chair behind her, and Wanda sat next to him, spinning a small ball of red energy in between her fingers. She didn't look up when Adelaide woke from her sleep, she just kept focussing on her little ball of magic that danced on her fingertips.

As soon as Adelaide's head spun so she was able to see Wanda, she stared at her, breathing heavily and eyes fixated not on the energy she was producing, but on the way her face lit up in different areas when the energy moved, highlighting things like her freckles and the dimples she had.

'So, you're awake? Ultron was really throwing you around this morning, are you feeling any better?' The teen asked, finally crushing the ball in her hand and looking up at Adelaide, who was now embarrassed for have been gazing for so long.

'I'm fine, no thanks to you, Princess.' She commented with snark. Wanda scoffed and then got up from were she was standing, brushing her dress clean and kicking Pietro awake. He woke up violently, snorting as he jolted from his chair. Wanda rolled her green eyes.

'We have to leave, Ultron will go without us and I do not want to miss Stark.' Wanda said, packing some things into her pockets and moving towards the door. Pietro walked towards his sister, unaware of their guest until he collided into her in his sleepy haze.

'Shit.' He sputtered, looking groggily at Adelaide, and when he realised it was her his face immediately lit up. 'The Ameri-! Not American she... she is not... American. Nice of you to wake up.' He spoke, still groggy from being in such a deep sleep. Adelaide didn't acknowledge him, and instead followed behind Wanda.

Her clothes were ragged and torn, however Adelaide didn't really notice as she was too busy attempting to enter the witch's mind, which was certainly a task indeed. Wanda felt her presence in her head almost immediately, but let her fiddle around. She felt a strange comfort in Adelaide, one she hadn't felt before with anyone.

Pietro ran after Adelaide and walked beside her as they left the room they were in, and to Adelaide's surprise, she was suddenly on a beach, with old shipwrecked boats surrounding her. Pietro hummed and made noises with his mouth as they all walked along the sand to god knows where.

Wanda had finally had enough of Pietro's antics and turned around so she was facing him.

'Pietro, that is... incredibly annoying.' She stood still as she reprimanded him, her fists slightly clenching. Pietro huffed and turned to Adelaide.

'You see what I have to put up with?' He complained as Wanda rolled her eyes and turned back around to carry on walking. The boy chuckled to himself as he and Adelaide carried on walking, until Wanda lead them inside a large boat, with people working machines and shouting at each other in an African dialect Adelaide didn't understand.

The noises got louder, to the point where Adelaide began to fidget with her sleeves with worry. The twins stopped walking, sensing Adelaide's obvious discomfort and faced her, a frown placed on Wanda's face.

'What is it?' She asked, with genuine concern tainting her voice. Adelaide swallowed the lump in her throat and gave a hollow chuckle.

'Nothing! I'm fine, let's just get this over with.' She responded, and the twins shrugged and turned back around. Adelaide began to walk with them before she stopped in place and furrowed her brows.

'Wait-' She began, confused. 'Why am I even following you two-?' Adelaide pondered dodging her eyes between the siblings. Wanda laughed and carried on walking while shouting behind her,

'Because when you went prying into my head, I was inside yours. This whole time actually, up until now, because I noticed you were upset, Addie.' Her voice echoing off the steel walls of the boat as she and Pietro walked up the metal stairs to an office.

Adelaide's mouth opened wide, a shock slapped onto her face. 'Hey! That.' She started running after them, 'Is.' As she got closer Pietro's eyes widened as she noticed Adelaide sprinting towards him and Wanda, who were halfway up the stairs by now. 'Not. Fair!!' Adelaide ran past Pietro, who's white hair attempted to trail after the girl in her speed, and grabbed onto Wanda's jacket and playfully punching her shoulder. The girl's giggled, before realising they were, and then they both awkwardly cleared their throats and continued walking up the stairs in silence. Except for Pietro of course, who sniggered uncontrollably at the two girls.

'Ah, the enhanced, Strucker's prized pupils.' Klaue mocked, looking between the twins and grinning. He hadn't noticed Adelaide hiding behind Pietro, as the black dress and black jumper she was wearing camouflaged her as she hid in the darkness. 'D'you want a candy?'

Klaue lifted the small bowl up and ushered it towards them, the dirt under his fingernails scraping off the metal bowl. Adelaide jumped backwards, her piercing blue eyes catching the man's attention.

'And who's this? Got yaselves a buddy?' He chuckled hoarsely, his golden teeth shimmering off the red energy Wanda held in her hand, which immediately disappeared when Adelaide placed her hand upon Wanda's.

Adelaide didn't look at Wanda when she did that, Wanda look at Adelaide though, surprised she wasn't afraid of her, surprised she wasn't repulsed to even touch her. Adelaide shivered, releasing her soft grip on Wanda and turned to speak to Klaue.

'Tell us what you know... about Strucker.' She commanded, voice strong. Klaue sighed and shook his head and angled it towards the cement of the floor.

'Yeah I am sorry about him, but then he knew what kind of world he was helping create.' He began, to the twins bafflement, 'Human life, not a growth market.' Wanda and Pietro looked at each other, utterly confused. Adelaide hadn't even known the man, so she definitely didn't knew he was dead, but the twins themselves reacted in the way that they were kept in the dark about the fact.

Klaue scoffed. 'Oh, you didn't know?' He asked, already knowing the answer from the look on the siblings' faces. 'Is it your first time intimidating someone?' Klaue once again questioned. Adelaide rolled her eyes, then clenched her fist, causing Klaue's eyes to suddenly bulge and his hands to rush to his throat. He laughed quietly, while choking on the force of Adelaide's grip that she held from afar.

'You're enhanced...?' He managed to choke out. 'Yeah, I'm afraid.... I'm not that... afraid' Adelaide scoffed and released the tension from her wrist and turned to face the back wall, throwing her arms in the air in frustration.

'Well, you can't say I didn't try so...' She commented. Wanda stepped forward, eyes tinted scarlet.

'Everybody's afraid of something' Wanda stated, beginning to enter Klaue's mind. His eyes brightened as he pointed towards Wanda.

'Cuttlefish!' He announced. Wanda took a double take at his spontaneous remark. 'Deep sea fish, they make lights - disco lights...' He mimicked the fish, moving his hands in time with noises he was making with his mouth. 'To hypnotise their prey, and they- whoosh!' Klaue grabbed air with his fist and smiled again, before returning his hand to his side and wiping his expression clean. 'Saw a documentary on it, t'was terrifying.'

'Hey, I actually kinda do want a sweet.' Adelaide pulled on Pietro's shirt as she whispered to him. He rolled his eyes before leaving her side in a blue smoke, and then returning in an instant, a small caramel in hand. Adelaide smiled genuinely and grabbed it from his hand, beginning to unwrap it, when she looked up and saw two red LEDs rise into the air behind Klaue.

'Oh that was a shit move.' She commented, throwing the sweet into her mouth, and not moving an inch when Ultron smashed the large window behind Klaue and grabbed the man violently.