Chapter 7
“Pietro Maximoff,” Maria greeted the teenager who shot her a charming smile.
“Ma’am,” he said.
“Detective Hill,” she corrected him and sat down, making a show of opening the file in front of her.
“Pietro, you are in a sexual relationship with Natasha Fury and Clint Coulson, is that correct?”
Pietro’s smile dropped and he blinked several times. “Yes?” he answered, sounding unsure, “What does that have to do with anything?”
Maria smiled, “I’m getting there,” she assured the boy, “Can you tell how that started?”
Pietro blinked again, all the previous bravado gone from his demeanour, as he answered, “I supposed you could say at Steve’s party…”
Pietro had been surprised when Steve had told him to come by. Back when they’d still gone to the 107th, they hadn’t been friends, and even now Pietro wouldn’t say that they were particularly close, except for the fact that they were in the exact same position: the new kid in an unfamiliar environment.
Still…Pietro wasn’t about to say no to free drinks, so he and Wanda had arrived at the apartment at around eight and been met by a group of older guys, Bucky’s colleges from the garage mostly, as well as Angie Martinelli, and a couple people from Shield, and, of course, Steve and Bucky themselves.
“You made it.” Steve smiled at them and offered them a drink.
It was bit weird. He’d only ever seen Steve in school, smart but tense, a little withdrawn and private, fast to throw a punch and run his mouth. This? Here? Watching him in his own home? It was different. Steve was relaxed, he smiled and laughed and joked, drinking more than Pietro would have expected and not in the least shy about his relationship with Bucky.
Pietro and his sister ended up on a corner with the two hosts who shared a joint and stories about all the shit they’d gotten into at some point. Something about hot-wiring a car, going on a road trip, and a herd of cows on the highway…not that Pietro had been paying much attention…At the other end of the apartment, half-hidden by shadows, were Clint and Natasha, talking, flirting, throwing each other dirty looks and filthy smiles and damn, they’re hot together…
It wasn’t like he meant to watch…he just couldn’t make himself look away.
Across the room, Natasha moved her head slightly, her gaze landing on Pietro and Pietro quickly lowered his eyes, feeling slightly embarrassed at being caught. The next time he looked at them again, the couple was having a hushed discussion, Natasha’s eyes flicking towards Pietro every now and then.
She winked.
Pietro watched in stunned shock as the redhead very slowly and very deliberately caught Clint’s lips between her own, her eyes never leaving Pietro. It was mesmerising and exhilarating to watch. Hypnotizing.
He didn’t even notice Tony Stark arriving to the party until the very same exclaimed, “We come in piece!” There was obviously some kind of conflict, Bucky glaring at Stark who looked slightly intimidated but didn’t step away. Eventually, Bucky leaned forward, undoubtfully to growl some kind of threat before walking away.
Natasha and Clint didn’t seem to have noticed any of it, or maybe they had but just hadn’t cared – their making out now involving very obvious rutting and grinding.
Pietro got up to get himself another drink, his eyes never quite leaving the couple, but before he could get to the kitchen, Natasha’s eyes meeting his had him stop in his tracks. She raised a single eyebrow at him and jerked her head towards the door, untangling herself from her boyfriend and taking his hand to drag him outside, but not without throwing one last heated look at Pietro.
Swallowing around a dry throat, Pietro glanced at his sister who wastalking to Stark’s friends, not paying him any attention, and he made a decision.
“And did anyone know about your relationship?”
“Wanda found out a few weeks ago…
“Where were you?” his sister asked as soon as Pietro had entered his room. She was sitting on his bed, back leaned against the wall, looking angry.
“Out,“ Pietro answered without looking at her. Instead, he pulled off his shirt, threw it into the corner of his room where the rest of his laundry was, and began digging in his closet for a clean one.
“Do not get smart with me,” Wanda replied. A creak from the bed told Pietro that his sister had stood up, but he was not prepared for her to stand right behind him. “You have been acting weird lately and today, Sharon came to me and told me that if you didn’t stay away from Clint, she’d make you regret it.” Pietro froze, suddenly painfully aware of his bare chest that was covered in bruises and scratches. “So, do you want to tell me what that was about or do you want me to guess?” she continued, her eyes dropping to a particularly deep hickey just above his collarbone before meeting his again. Cold and unyielding. Pietro had never quite acknowledged how terrifying his sister could be.
“It’s not what you think,” he said weakly.
“Isn’t it?” Wanda shot back, “Then what is it like, Pietro?”
“That’s none of your business.”
“It is my business when people threaten you in front of me!”
Pietro threw his hands in the air, pushing past his Wanda. “I don’t need you to protect me!” he told her, trying to keep his voice even.
“Clearly you do,” Wanda said, “Because whatever is going on, you are the one that’s going to end up being hurt.”
“Just stay out of this, Wanda. I know what I’m doing.”
“Do you?” There was something in Wanda’s voice, something like defeat and sorrow, that made Pietro’s heart ache. She shook her head. “We need to look out for each other. You’re the one who taught me that. And we do….because they won’t.” And with those words she turned around and left, shutting the door softly but with a finality that felt like a slap in the face.
“Fuck!”
“She didn’t really speak to me for a while after that,” Pietro finished, running his hand through his hair.
“Were you angry?” Maria inquired, “Sharon telling your sister, threatening her and you. Your sister trying to tell you what to do…”
“Of course I was angry but…she’s just looking out for me. I’d do the same for her, y’know?”
“Thank you, Pietro.”