Quiver | Pietro Maximoff ✔

Chapter Five

Since the first day I was free to explore the inside of the facility, Bruce had invited me down to the labs. I was beginning to pick up some science terms, and familiarise myself with the equipment he used, but I was content to just sit in a different room with him and Tony. Sometimes Peter joined them, to work on suit upgrades and revise work for his studies.

"Eliza?"

"Tony?"

I was redoing some science work that I'd done back at school. As I now had Bruce as a mentor, he was helping me relearn aspects I hadn't understood in the classroom. I'd forgotten a lot of it, as I'd dropped the subject as soon as it was no longer compulsory, but Bruce was patient in helping me with it.

"How about we go outside this afternoon?"

I flicked my head up, then rubbed my neck as I felt it jolt. "Are you serious?" I still hadn't been allowed to venture outside, the furthest I could reach were the windows that showed the expanse of the fields surrounding the complex of buildings.

He nodded "yeah, it's the annual Avengers picnic. We're having it round the back." He gestured out of the window behind him.

I felt giddy with excitement as I pushed my chair back, spinning out of it. The thought of fresh air hitting my skin made me dizzy, and I felt like I was about to burst. "Does Bruce know?"

Bruce had popped out to his private lab to collect some results so he could continue on his current hypothesis, though he'd been vague about it.

"He was the one who suggested it." He lifted his head up from his work long enough to smile at me.

I couldn't hold it back anymore, and danced across the room to wrap my arms around his sitting figure. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

He gently patted my back, humming a soft tune. "It's alright kid."

I pulled away, offering him my largest smile before I stumbled slightly out of the room. I bounced into something, and yelped in surprise. Bruce's arms slowly helped me back to my feet, his laugh playing in my ears as I spun around to grin at him.

"I'm allowed to go outside!"

"I know," he laughed, wrapping his arms around me in a quick hug. He began to walk down the hall as his arms dropped from my sides. "We're heading down around 12. How about I come and meet you, and we can walk down together?"

I nodded, watching him walk away before running through the corridors I now knew as well as the back of my hand. Days of being locked inside gave me little else to do than wander the corridors and learn about the rooms behind the doors.

"Pietro!" I yelled, skidding through the door to the 'Young Avengers' sitting room, seeing him and Peter lying on the sofas throwing balls at each other.

Pietro pulled his face up, but was promptly hit on the nose by a bouncy ball Peter aimed his way. He grumbled as he sat up, rubbing the red patch as he flashed a smile in my direction. "Yes, Eliza?"

"I'm going outside!" I was almost shouting, as I literally jumped on my feet. I hadn't felt this happy in a long time.

"You get to come to the picnic?" Peter asked, beginning to sit up as Pietro walked over to me.

"You can meet Clint, at last." Pietro added, his body towering over mine as he drew ever closer.

I nodded again, and reached out to pull him into a hug. His large arms wrapped securely around my frame, and I felt a wave of butterflies hit my stomach. I pulled back, surprised at my body's reaction, but tried not to think too hard about it.