Iron Witch [3]

Chapter 20: Brother pt.2

I rubbed my face, trying to hide my embarrassment from the concerned, yet slightly angry Peter who stood in front of me.

I peeked through my hands, up at my older brother. His arms crossed as he stared down at me. He's even tapping his foot!

"Come on, Peter. Leave the girl alone. She's fine." Gamora stretched her arm out to me and lifted my fully healed arm. "See."

"Her arm was cut off! Splat! Went right to the ground!" Peter yelled out to her in disbelief and shock. He looked traumatized.

I almost laughed at the memory of his face when my arm got blasted off. There wasn't any blood though. It was just glowing and it fell onto the floor and melted it.

I may or may not stopped paying attention to the fight with the big dude with the gun. I got distracted by this really cool looking flower, but it almost bit me. Yes... it tried to bite me.

"I'm fine. It grew back, just like I told you it would." I wiggled my fingers, showing him it is fully operational and able to do its job.

"What if he shot a little to the right? Then what? Would you heal?" He bent down, right in front of me face. He squinted at me as he waited for an answer.

"Umm... maybe?" I gave him a uncertain smile.

"Ah-ha!" He stood up straight and pointed at me as if he won this argument. If you could even call it an argument.

"PJ, I'm perfectly fine." I stood up and walked up to him. I lifted my hand and put it directly over his face. My palm squishing his nose in. "See. It's there."

"That's not the point." He pushed my hand from his face with a glare. He used his hand to gently massage his nose.

"You could have gotten killed if the dude shot just a little over to the right. You could have died!" Peter exclaimed in anger.

I looked over to Rocket.

"Don't look at me." He shook his hand and went back to Groot, who he was showing how to play one of Peter's old games.

I sighed at the sight of Peter's protectiveness. I know he's only feeling so protective because of the whole kidnapping thing.

And he knows we could get killed on any of these little missions or calls. He's just worried.

I grabbed his arm and quickly teleported us to his room in the ship. Peter looked a little dazed at the quick movement and change of scenery.

"I hate when you do that." Peter shook his head tp try and get rid of his dizziness.

I sat down on the bed I've been sleeping on for the past few months.

"I'm sorry I wasn't paying attention earlier." I apologized to the man. Peter scoffed a laugh.

"I'm serious." I told sincerely. I softened my face, staring at him with a defeated look. "I was just caught up on the scenery and shit. And I forget sometimes I'm not immortal, at least anymore."

"Yeah. I'm pretty sure you're almost as bad as Drax, and that's saying a lot." Peter nodded and took a seat next to me.

I chuckled at the comparison. Drax thinks he is the strongest there is out there. I guess I always think I am too.

"But seriously, Hope, you have to be careful out here." I glanced at Peter. He rested his elbows on his knees, his hands together.

"I know." I nodded and wrapped my arm around his shoulders and rested my head on his shoulder.

Peter tapped my head with his hand lightly.

"I mean it. If Terra is anything like I remember, than being out here is a lot different from that. There are dudes out here who will give no shots who you are or what you can do. There are places we can't go." He continued.

He grew up, trained to be a thief and criminal. He knows who's bad and who's worse. He's seen a lot of shit up here.

"I promise to be more carful from now on, okay?" I smiled weakly at him. He gave me a side glance. I pursed my smile.

He sighed and leaned his head on mine. "You scared me half to death."

"I tend to do that a lot." I laughed as I remembered all the times I've worried the Avengers after getting hurt. "I will be more careful, however, I will probably, most likely, just maybe get hurt again."

I winced at the glare he gave me.

He stared at me for a moment. I smiled as sweetly as possible.

"You really changed a lot." Peter seemed to finally realize.

"Well, yeah. I'm a lot older—."

"Yeah I know." Peter waved me off and looked at the wall across from us. I pulled away from him and lifted my legs under me, sitting in a criss-cross position.

"I just remember the little girl who was too afraid to even look into her closet or under her bed because she might see a monster." Peter smiled fondly to himself. "The little girl who would never stop talking about how her day was or just about anything that came to mind. Who made me read her bedtime stories."

I tilted my head as I remembered how I used to be. When I was... innocent.

"Now, you seem like you're not afraid of anything. You certainly know how to stick up for yourself against monsters now. I would probably be the one to call you if I ever seen one." Peter sent me a toothy smile.

I smiled back as I stared at him, my head to the side.

"You still talk a lot, but you mostly just talk shit."

"Hey!" I scrunched my face while moving back slightly, not liking the sudden verbal attack.

"I'm just kidding." Peter chuckled at my expression. I glared at him knowing he wasn't kidding. 

"It feels weird having you around now." He stated.

"How so?" I asked him curiously.

"Not to sound rude or anything obviously. It's a... nice weird." Peter clarified making me smile. "I just never thought I would have someone who knows my references and it's actually from home."

"You're references are all so old." I told him.

Peter gasped and lowered his eyebrows. "I am not old!"

"Mmm, you are." I smirked with a nod. "You really need to catch up on Earth pop culture. Everything these past 20 years. I don't understand half the references you make."

"I guarantee my generation of pop culture and about everything else is better than yours." I raised an eyebrow at his statement.

"You do have some good stuff, but there are so many other good songs from my generation." I hit my chest with my fist.

"At least I know that classics, and I clearly have the better taste in movies and music." Peter crossed his arms childishly and stood up.

I snorted. "Whatever you say Millennial." I walked by him and out of the room back to the others.