Endearment ▶️ Pietro Maximoff

Fifteen

"Okay so I tipped the glass to one side a little before he could grab it properly and boom—he misses and it goes all over his new tech. I swear he screamed like a little girl!"

I was laughing so much that my cheek hurt. Pietro shared all the pranks he played on Tony Stark and I couldn't help but wonder how he was able to get away with it. I was just glad it wasn't me this time and I could laugh over Tony's shortcomings. 

"And he doesn't suspect a thing 'cause I'm just that good." He said proudly, tugging on the shirt collar. I rolled my eyes at him, shaking my head slightly. "Oh yeah, of course he didn't suspect a thing. Like it just happened to drop on him whilst you were there, nothing suspicious about that." I teased. "Who said I was there with him?" 

I felt so sorry for Tony, I could imagine how much restraint it would have taken him to let Pietro do that to him over and over. I sighed, stretching my arms over my head absentmindedly. "You're mad Pietro. I can't believe Mr. Stark lets you get away with this stuff." I said, watching his eyes follow my every movement. "Yeah well, with great powers comes great responsibility I guess.." He replied nonsensically.

Pietro was just as I had expected, an intense and hyperactive kind of guy—I could barely keep up with him at times. The conversation would switch so fast, I would forget to breathe. But he was also really cute in the way he would talk about the little things that made him happy, and the love for his sister literally had my heart melting. He cared so much for her but was really protective of her over the 'purple weirdo my sister is always with' guy. The way his nose had scrunched up when he mentioned him had me laughing. He truly was a child at heart and it was just so..endearing to me. I could imagine talking to him for hours and never getting bored with our conversations.

We lost track of time until my phone buzzed in Pietro's jacket from behind my chair. I saw a flash of annoyance in his eyes but it went away just as quick. "Hold that thought, prankster." I said before reaching into the pocket. It was a text from Thea and I began to read it.

'I know I said something about a careless curfew but damn girl. You've been gone a long time! I hope Pietro's not keeping his promises and does exactly what you want him to do to yo—'

I switched off my phone screen quickly and tried hard to keep that stupid blush off my face. Shit, Thea! Pietro had that knowing look on his face and I wanted the earth to swallow me right then and there. I closed my eyes for a moment before opening them. Nope, I was still here. 

"Looks like it's way past my curfew." I mumbled, trying to ease my awkwardness—by being even more awkward. Pietro took another sip of his wine as I tried to avoid eye contact. The atmosphere had changed almost entirely and the nervousness was starting to settle into me once again. I didn't drink, my body wasn't made for the enjoyment of alcohol and I knew better than to disobey what it wanted. Maybe if I had, I wouldn't be this jittery.

"I guess I don't have a choice but to take you home like I promised." His deep voice echoed through the empty restaurant and that's when I realised— the staff, the poor staff! I felt awful about this but in my defence, this boy didn't even let me notice anything else other than himself. It was like I was in his bubble and in his alone, he wanted my undivided attention and wouldn't let me focus on anything else. My thoughts came to a halt when his voice almost purred against the walls. "Unless you want me to break every promise I've made and—" I gasped, mortified. "Pietro!" I spluttered, unsure of what to say. He didn't seem phased by my reaction, if anything, he seemed to be enjoying it.

"I feel bad that we've held up the staff in this restaurant for no reason." I admitted in embarrassment. "Who said there was anyone here?" Pietro's response left me confused. I looked around and there was no one there. Where had the staff gone all of a sudden?

"Um, do you mind explaining why there's no staff around here?" I questioned, fidgeting with the hem of my dress. He just shrugged his shoulders casually and drank the last bit of wine from his glass.

"Come on, I gotta get you home before your sister decides to run around and tell everyone that I've kidnapped you or something." He muttered, rolling his eyes at me. I couldn't tell exactly but I think..I think he looked a little annoyed. "Yeah, we don't want that." I murmured, standing up and straightening my dress a little.

We made our way outside and I began to get goosebumps from the cold again. Warmth surrounded me once again and I silently thanked him for offering his jacket again. "Hold on to me tight, this might get a little windy." I was already screaming before it had even happened. I was never going to have any sort of advantage against this boy, ever. Just when I thought he couldn't surprise me anymore, out came another leaving me stunned as usual.

"I..didn't I...tell you.." I was breathing hard. The world had stopped spinning but my brain was too slow to process anything in that moment. His arms held me tightly by the waist as I clung on to him for dear life. "I know. Still too slow for me, sorry." His casual response had me gasping in shock. "You are.. so annoying!" I yelled, smacking his hard chest as he chuckled. "Why, thank you." 

I couldn't even stay mad long enough before I ended up laughing too despite the dizziness. I looked around my surroundings after taking a few moments of trying to recover from whatever it was that he'd done to me. We were outside my apartment building already—I guess this is where we were going to part ways. Something awful tugged at my heart.

"Come, let me walk you to your apartment." He whispered against my ear. Okay, maybe not yet then. I nodded quickly and we headed inside. Walking toward my apartment door I fumbled around in my—his pockets looking for the key card and stood in front of the door once I found it.

"I had a great time tonight, Charlie. I want you to know how much this means to me." Pietro's words threw me off guard and I turned around to face him fully. He looked so beautiful under the fluorescent lights of my apartment building. His eyes held nothing but sincere gratitude and I couldn't help but smile. "I had a great time too, thank you for taking me out tonight" I said, voice barely a whisper.

He stepped closer, his stare suddenly wreaking a havoc inside me. His hot breath fanned my lips and my heart nearly jumped out of my mouth. He was so close, so dangerously close. Something was waiting to happen. The only question here, was I willing to let it happen?