Quiver | Pietro Maximoff ✔

Chapter Twenty One

~Pietro's POV~

I'd never seen Bruce run so fast before. The Hulk, maybe, but not Bruce. He was old, compared to the other Avengers, and he didn't really appear to join the others in the gym unless he was testing some physics based method of playing basketball with Peter and I a few months back.

Which is why I was surprised that when Tony had suggested I didn't speed-run, so as not to scare the locals, that Bruce swore loudly and took off running ahead of the group. I kept pace with him, so neither of us were alone, and together we chased through the bustling crowds of accented voices to the hotel.

A ginger receptionist behind the desk stood up at our intrusion, bafflement plastered across her face. I'm sure we all looked a state - none of us had really slept since we left the US, and since then we'd flown from London up north to Scotland.

"I..." she stumbled over her greeting, "how may I help?"

Bruce began panting after his sprint through the town, and crouched over his knees as he caught his breath. I glanced over at him before stepping forward. "We're guests of Scott Lang."

Scott never seemed to have power within the team - he had been introduced as 'silly' when I met him the first time, so didn't expect the receptionist to suddenly become serious and direct us to his rooms. The change in atmosphere became tense, and my heart began thumping at an uncomfortable pace.

It felt like whole months had passed since my strained goodbye with Eliza. And so much had happened since then... and even more time had passed since I'd seen Wanda. She was my own sister, and I was scared I wouldn't be able to recognise her.

"Scott afforded this place?" Raven kicked at the carpeted floor as she whistled loudly. "I know I've not met the guy but I've seen the training videos... yikes, an Avenger salary must be fucking huge-"

"Shut up." I muttered.

"Why are you like this?" She turned on me. "I'm here for Wanda, the same as you."

"But-"

"Pietro." Bruce cut me off, his eyes challenging me to stay quiet. I just nodded, guilty that I couldn't hold it together to be kind for a day.

We could hear the Avengers wandering up the stairs behind us, and though he attempted to stay quiet, Thors God-like booming voice was reverberating around the walls of the stairwell.

The light bounced brightly through the newly painted hall, but the silence that loomed over Bruce, Raven and I suddenly made the hotel feel eerie. Small shadows flicked and enlarged, growing wider against the wall and floor as we walked to the door right at the end of the corridor.

"This one?" I checked, watching our reflection in the polished plaque that declared the rooms number. Bruce nodded, and after tapping on the door we fell into silence.

Two pairs of footsteps approached the door as a quiet argument became audible. "But Dad-"

"No, now isn't really the best time-"

"I'll stay with Eliza?"

"I think Eliza will want to stay with Pietro and Bruce, why don't you go out for a bit?"

"Because Mum and Jim went looking for food."

"Scott?" Bruce banged on the door a second time, "for my sanity please open the fucking door."

Biting back a bittersweet smile at hearing Bruce curse so loudly, I tried to look a little more serious. But my resolve shattered as Scott opened the door, and Cassie poked her head around his side. "Pietro!"