"Try and be careful, alright?"
Pietro sighed slightly.
It had been three whole years since the battle with Ultron and his sister still fussed over him before every single mission. He knew she worried, but there was really no need. He'd gone through enough trauma, after his injuries in that fight, to let him know to be careful.
"Wanda, I'll be fine, don't worry."
She still looked anxious but didn't try to warn him again, settling herself by fumbling with one of the zips on his black, bullet-proof jacket. It was surprisingly comfy; Pietro drew the long, curved knife from its sheath on his waist. He inspected it carefully, enjoying the way the blue tinted, metal blade reflected light around the jet.
Glancing to his left, he saw Barton on the set next to him, twinging the string on his bow. He caught Pietro watching him and looked up, casting the younger man a quick smile. Pietro returned it and looked around, sheathing his knife. Natasha, Bruce and Thor were sat opposite them on the left side of the jet. Tony sat in the pilot seat, flying them to their destination- Tusheti, northeast Georgia- while Steve was on his own in the centre, facing the back of the room.
"Make sure you don't get your legs shot Cap." Natasha joked.
Steve smiled. "No, I think I've learnt my lesson."
The jet shuddered and Pietro gripped the edge of his seat.
He hated flying.
It was something that, if the jet crashed, you couldn't run from it. Right, I'm a coward, Pietro thought to himself. He forced his fingers to ease off of his seat before his knuckles became even whiter.
The jet descended, engines roaring as it lowered to the ground. Tony pressed a button on the console, lowering the door at the back of the jet. He spun round his chair, looking at Pietro.
"You're up."
Pietro unstrapped himself from the seat, getting to his feet.
It was the custom.
Pietro went to scout the area before the others went out.
Glancing at Wanda, he gave her a brief nod, before sprinting out of the jet, leaving nothing but blue strands of mist, quickly dissolving, behind him.
Pietro skidded to a halt as the land stopped ahead of him and he peered over the edge.
The jet had landed on a cliff, dropping down steeply into another flat surface. The level below Pietro was a good twenty metre drop, probably more. A waterfall cascaded down from the cliff the jet was on and into a crystal clear pool on the level below, cutting through the ground and thundering off the other side; where it went was not visible from where Pietro stood. It seemed to Pietro that the level he was on and the one below him met together at a perfect right angle.
The place appeared to be deserted.
Then a muffled yell met Pietro's ears and he crouched down, trying to make himself less noticeable on the clifftop. He heard a loud noise, like stones grating together, and a camouflaged truck appeared out of the bottom of the cliff, numerous agents following it, too many to count.
Pietro zoomed back to the Quinjet, quickly explaining the situation.
"Sounds like an all in mission. No time for subtlety." Steve decided, double checking his shield was still attached to his arm.
"Agreed." Tony inputted from behind him, now wearing his red and gold suit. "Let's smash them… Pietro." He turned to the younger man. "Is there any way to get down the cliff without dying?"
"There's a steep path to the right." Pietro reported. "I guess you guys can fly down though." He added, glancing between Tony and Wanda.
"Good point. You guys have fun on the death drop path." Tony joked, flicking down the suits face and walking out of the jet.
"Someone take out the truck!"
Pietro skidded to a halt momentarily to hear Natasha's yell. A moment later, something went whizzing through the air towards the truck. It exploded on impact, sending bits of the truck flying through the air. Pietro super speeded out the way as the door went flying past his head.
He whipped around to see Clint, bow still raised towards the truck. An agent came up behind him, wrapping their arms around his neck and swatting the archers bow from his hands. Clint struck his foot out, kicking them in the shins, but the man only tightened his hold.
Pietro sped up, crashing into the agent and thrusting his knife into their side, making him crumple to the ground.
Clint smiled slightly before picking up his bow and whipping it to the side, smacking some agent in the face. "I had that covered."
"Sure you did." Pietro replied, sarcastically, spinning round and slicing his blue-tinted knife upwards, cutting open the chest of an approaching agent.
A sharp pain stung Pietro and he looked down momentarily.
His bullet-proof jacket had fallen off earlier and he now had a large, bleeding hole in his arm, the bullet lodged in his humerus.
Snapping back to attention, he fought the agents, soon realising that they were forcing him closer and closer to the edge of the cliff. The drop was a fall of certain death. Pietro felt the edge under his foot and battled even more fiercely, slicing his knife at super speed.
Judging by the yells of the other avengers, he guessed they were receiving similar treatment.
I need to see if Wanda's alright, Pietro thought.
He swung his right leg round quickly, tripping up the first wave of agents surrounding him. An agent punched him in the jaw and he lost his footing, slipping off the edge of the cliff.
"Stark, little help." He raised his voice as he spoke into the earpiece, clinging onto a rock, jutting out the side of the cliff face, yet still managing to keep hold of his knife.
"Where are you?" Tony asked, sounding a little panicky.
"Well, I'm currently dangling off the edge of a cliff. So if you could find some time to…" He broke off, letting out a startled yell as part of the rock crumbled and he adjusted his grip.
"Oh my god. Okay hang on! I'm on my way!"
Pietro muttered something about 'hanging on', cutting open the throat of an agent who was aiming a pistol at him. Hot, red blood splattered his face and the falling body of the agent almost pushed him off his hold. He suddenly felt something wrap around his chest and he twisted round to see the face panel of the ironman suit about three inches from his.
"Try not to get shot." Tony advised, flying up, above the agents.
"Good life advice." Pietro muttered back, instinctively ducking as a bullet was shot at them.
Tony put Pietro down a few metres away from Clint. Pietro wiped the blood from his face and murmured his thanks, kicking away an agent who was running at him.
"Pietro! Look out!"
Pietro was shoved from the side, knocking him down to the dusty ground, almost pushing him into the fast flowing river. At the exact moment he hit the floor, he heard a noise like lighting cracking open a rock. No, anything but that sound. He lifted his head, scrambling to his feet, eyes wide.
Clint was stood where he had been previously; the archer was staring at him, shocked, his breathing slow and heavy. His arms were still raised slightly from where he had pushed Pietro out the way; they trembled visibly. He hesitantly put a hand to his heart, drawing it back to see his fingers coated in dark red blood.
"No." Pietro choked out the word.
Clint met his gaze, whispering, "I'm sorry."
His eyes fluttered shut and he fell backwards, disappearing off the side of the cliff and out of sight.
"No!" Pietro yelled, racing towards the edge.
Arms wrapped around his chest, detaining him before he followed Clint. He dropped to his knees, trying to struggle free from the persons grasp.
"Pietro, come on!" Wanda's urgent voice shouted, ducking as an agent fired a bullet at her head.
"No, Clint!"
"There's nothing you can do! He's gone."
"He can't be! Let me-"
He broke off as another gunshot sounded, unnaturally loud. The bullet embedded itself in his shoulder-blade and whizzed out the other side. A memory of Sokovia burnt in his mind as he let out a startled gasp. Wanda began dragging him away from the cliff edge, desperately calling out to the other avengers. The request was answered by Tony, who flew over to her, quickly taking Pietro in his arms and shouted for the others to fall back.
With the emotional trauma of those few previous minutes and a hole ripped through his chest, Pietro's head was swimming and his eyes flickered, threatening to close. Darkness washed over his vision and he fell limp in Tony's hold, unconsciousness claiming him.