Chapter 13
With the way life had been treating you lately, the ups and downs, you felt as though this should be harder. You felt like there was a funk or depression that should be settling into your mind, but there wasn’t. There should’ve been anxiety building up, but all you felt was calm.
After the beating you suffered you thought you’d be more on edge. However as your body healed itself, you found yourself at ease. There was something smug about your survival. Perhaps it had to do with the blossoming relationship that you had been reveling in.
Throughout the years you had prided yourself on changing and morphing into someone with a tough exterior and an even stronger interior. While you never regretted becoming that way, you admit that in it you lost some of your personality.
You were so much more than a victim of the abuse you had suffered at the hands of your mother. As you grew, after separating yourself from her you were set on not ever being a victim again that you hid everything that you thought made you vulnerable.
Your likes and leisurely activities all of sudden seemed like weak points. The only one who was able to make you let your guard down was Pietro.
Now however, having Wanda and Natasha by your side, you find yourself on a path of rediscovery. You feel like you’re coming into yourself again. The women are the perfect models of work life balance and you think it’s everything you’ve been missing.
The can go into the office work diligently and complete their jobs, but also clock out and relax. The enjoy themselves and they enjoy you.
Wanda personally loves seeing you open up a bit more, after seeing how much of yourself you pushed down. Natasha finds herself collecting bits and pieces of information about you that she plans to commit to memory.
In the very back of your mind you think about how quiet the streets have been. You expected Fisk to brag about your beating just like he did with Dragos. However there had been no commotion, and the intel that you were getting didn’t indicate any attacks soon.
It was eerie and you would've dwelled on it in the past, but Natasha and Wanda reassured you that everything was under control. Natasha constantly let you go over her team strategies to show you she was utilizing the soldiers given to her.
They tried to keep you out of the office for your recovery, but you just found yourself working from home until your ankle was healed. As soon as you were able, you stepped back into the office.
While you had made nearly a full recovery, you could not say the same for Dragos. It pained you hear that doctors have reported a stagnation in his progress. Flora relied that certain doctors were starting to suggest pulling the plug as a feasible option. The entire family was adamant to oppose any talk of such actions.
“Baby?”
Your eyes leave your compute to see Wanda and Natasha entering your office.
“To what do I owe this pleasure?”
Natasha speaks, “We were wondering if you wanted to grab dinner tonight?”
You nod, “For sure.”
Wanda clarifies a bit, “Like a date, Y/n.”
Your eyes widen a bit, but you nod excitedly at the prospect, “Even better, of course.
“We’ll go home, get ready and go from there?” Nat suggests.
“Can’t wait,” a small smile plays on your lips.
Everything about this has felt casual and you love that, but that doesn’t mean you didn’t want to have the typical romantic experiences. This would amongst the first few dates you three had gone on.
Pietro storms into the office breaking up the relaxed atmosphere they had been sitting in. The man looks like he is complete emotional distress.
“I need to talk to Y/n.”
His sister wants to question him, but with one shake of your head she pulls her wife out of the office.
“What’s wrong, Piet?”
He doesn’t hold it together much longer as he signals he needs a hug. You stand up quickly and wrap your arms around him. You feel his tears hit his shoulder and admittedly, your worry multiplies.
“Monica,” he says in his broken tone.
You rub his back soothingly, “What about her?”
He pulls away, “ Two months we lasted, Y/n. I had asked her to be official she said yes, but she’s ended things with me.”
“Oh Piet.”
He shakes his head, “It’s worse than that. She indebted to Fisk, Y/n. She owes him money and favors, she never told me because he’s never come to collect. But now, he’s cashing in.”
You frown deeply, “So she’s protecting you.”
“I need to be protecting her,” he grits his teeth.
You feel for your friend, you don’t believe you have the right words to bring him comfort, “ But you don’t know how.”
Pietro has a new fire in his eyes, “With a bullet in his skull. He’s tried to take everything from me. Papa, you, and now the love of my life.”
You knew the man could be hotheaded at times, and for once you knew he had every right to be. Yet, you couldn’t justify him doing something irrational.
“When the time comes, he will be dealt with,” you say.
Pietro shakes his head, “Nothings happened since your attack, everything is settling. This war will drag on and on if we let it."
“We can’t tear apart the city for no reason, Piet. It’s a bad look from us,” you try to reason with him.
“I know that, but it’s not what I want to hear.”
He slumps down on your office couch with his head in his hands. You sit next to him and rub his shoulder.
“How about we do something tonight, like old times? Something so that we can feel normal for once,” you suggest.
“I can’t even text her because what if she becomes a pawn in this scheme,” he sighs.
“ We’re hanging out tonight. To take your mind off of this, even if it’s only for a moment,” you speak sincerely to him.
He nods slowly in agreement, “Fine, but only because I don’t want to be alone and maybe I’ve missed you. Wanda too, I miss when timed were simpler.”
You get a little excited, “Tonight, me, you, Wanda, Natasha we can do something together. It’ll be reminiscent of old times.”
Pietro agrees and you let him stay in the office as you work. You texted Wanda and Natasha filling them on the details. They were understanding about having to cancel your plans. Natasha also took note of Monica as one of Fisk’s new allies.
The three of you brainstorm to come up with some plans to help your friend for the time being. The night still had promise and none of you wanted to waste it.
Unfortunately for you all, the sir was about become ten times more suffocating and no one would see it coming.
Fisk knew you all would become complacent sooner or later, drop you guards prematurely. He was watching unfold and getting ready to strike again, however this time, he planned for the kill shot.