The Reason Behind Their Names
There were two boys, both about the same age, both tall for their age, both playing a game they loved. One was blonde with dark skin and was a few inches shorter than the other. His hair had a single spike in the front. The other was pale with silver hair. The way they acted with eachother sparked my interest. For some reason I found these two interesting. Mostly the silver-haired one in fact. He moved quickly through the court, but always let the other boy take the shot unless there was no way the blonde one could make it. There must have been a reason for this. No reason came to mind, though. These two weren't even who I was supposed to be watching, but it was difficult not to. They worked amazingly well together, like they were the only two needed for the entire team.
Next thing I knew these two had made the winning shot, mostly 'cause the silver-haired boy got the ball and got to the other side of the court, but then was blocked by three guys from the other team, not smart since that only left two from their team to block the other four from the silver-haired boy's team. The boy passed the ball to the blonde and he shot and got it in the basket just as the buzzer went.
A while after the game, after everyone had gone home, including my family, I had decided to go for a walk. It was still fairly early in the afternoon, only about two. I came across a park. It had swings, a slide,a merry-go-round, a small playground, a very tall tree and a small basketball court. I went on the swings for a while, but seeing everything around me moving and me feeling like I wasn't moving at all made me feel sick. I walked over to the tree and sat down for a few minutes. Once I felt better I decided the climb the tree, just to see if I could. It looked like it would be more difficult than any other tree I had ever climbed before.
A good twenty minutes later I finally made it to the first branch. I was too tired to carry on for at least a while, so I got comfortable.
"Whatever, Daniels, you know you wouldnt have made half those shots if it wasnt for me."
"Yeah, right, Maximoff! I don't know why you keep bringing this up after every game."
"'Cause it's true! No point denying it any longer."
I must have fallen asleep for a while, not sure how long, but these two were very rudely interrupting. I took a look over the edge of the branch and pulled back so fast I nearly fell off the branch I was sitting on. It was the two boys from the game earlier. Luckily they were too busy arguing to notice the branch shake when I moved to get a better look at them.
"It is not! I am JUST as good a basketball player as you." That was the blonde boy speaking.
"It is too! You know I'm BETTER at basketball than you, just admit it, Daniels." If the blonde boy's name is Daniels, then the silver-haired boy must be Maximoff.
"Listen to yourself! You're always saying you're better than me bu-" Daniels was cut off.
"I say it 'cause it's true."
"No it isn't."
"Yes it is."
"Whatever, I have to go. I'm going to be late." Daniels said leaving looking pretty angry.
"Yeah, yeah." Seems he just had to have the last word.
Maximoff walked off and picked up a basketball I hadn't noticed was sitting there and started playing by himself. He really must love the sport to play it even when he just had a game just hours before. I'm not sure how long I watched him play for but I suddenly felt the need to talk to him, but what to say I didn't know. I ended up saying:
"When I first saw you guys I thought you two would have been the best of friends."
He spun looking for the source of the voice, clearly I had scared him.
"Who's there?" He said, rather loud I might add.
"Sorry, didn't mean to scare you." I started to say.
"I wasn't scared!" He shouted, interrupting me. He seems to like doing that.
"Right... Well, anyways as I was saying, I'm in the tree." He started to walk over to the tree slowly. Once he stopped I knew he could see me so I waved. He smiled like he had just seen me grow a third eye or something.
"What are you staring at me like that for?" I asked after a minute.
"No reason, just wondering how you got up there?"
"I climbed." I said, stating the obvious.
"What are you? A cat?"
"Nope, but that's my name... Well, sort of."
"What do you mean 'sort of'?" He questioned.
"Why would I tell you my name when I don't know yours?" I shot back.
"You were sitting in a tree watching me." He answered as if it had been obvious.
"Well, I guess that is true."
He waited. Impatiently.
"Okay. My name is Kitty." I answered after a minute as I climbed down the tree.
I walked up to him and realized just how tall he was. I don't even come up to his shoulders. I also noticed how his hair was swept back like he was always moving so fast that it stuck that way. I also noticed his eyes were a cool, icy grey. He was wearing a plain blue shirt along with some loose grey sweatpants.
"So what were you doing in that tree?"
"I was sleeping 'til you and your friend woke me up with your argument." I said with a slightly annoyed tone.
"Evan Daniels is not my friend." He said quickly.
"Well, either way you two woke me up so I heard part of the fight." I said casually.
"What exactly did you hear?" He sounded like there was something I wasn't supposed to hear.
"Started at 'Whatever, Daniels' 'Yeah, right, Maximoff' ''Cause it's true' ' Just as good at basketball' you said you were better at it. I think you get the picture." I changed my voice for each of their voices during that.
He looked relaxed, guess what I shouldnt have heard happened before that. That's too bad, now I want to know.
"So, what's your name. It's only fair, I told you mine." I soon asked.
"My name is Pietro." He answered, seeing no reason not to.
"Don't you have any really cool basketball nickname? After seeing you play today I'd think you would." I asked excitedly.
"No, were only kids so we don't really et nicknames. Wait, you saw me play." He looked confused.
"Yup, I did."
"But, I've never seen you around here before. And everyone from the other team, along with anyone who came to see them, are long gone. Are you new around here or something?" He came to the only conclusion he could think of.
"Nope I'm not." I smiled.
"Then why are you here?"
"My cousin, he plays on your team." I explained simply.
"Really? Who is it?" He seems to eager to know that.
"How about I tell you later?" He pouted. So cute."I wanna come up with a cool nickname for you?"
He looked at me curiously,"Why would you want to do that?"
"'Cause like I said earlier, I saw you play and thought you would have one and you don't so I'm going to give you one." I got excited.
"Uh... Okay." He said simply, still looking kind of confused.
"Hmm... Well, you were easily the fastest one out there."
"I really was, wasn't I?" And he's boastful.
"How about 'the Bullet'." It was the first thing that came to my mind.
"No way. It sounds weird. Pietro 'The Bullet' Maximoff."
"I guess it does." I said through giggles.
"How about instead 'The Silver Bullet' or just plain 'Silver' or 'Zoom' or 'Speedster' or 'Silver Streak'?" Well now look who's all into this. And with his rambling of random names I came up with the perfect name. Now to get his attention back.
"Hey. Pietro. Pietro? Earth to Pietro? Pietro Maximoff? PIETRO!" I soon yelled. It got his attention though. He looked completely shocked. I couldn't help but laugh.
"There was no need to yell, Kitten." I went completely red-faced when he called me Kitten.
"I only said your name like ten times, Pie." I looked away trying to hide my blush. I still took a glance at him, and, he was blushing just as much as I was.
"Well, anyways," I coughed to clear my throat," while you were babbling, I thought of the perfect name, Pie." He blushed more, if possible.
"Well, then what is it, Kitten?" He just had to say it.
"Quicksilver!" I couldn't decide if he wanted toinjure me cause it was awful, or hug me for how amazing it was.
Apparently it was the latter. Next thing I knew I was being squished by two very thin, but strong arms.
"I thought of the perfect nickname for you too, Kitten." He said, still hugging me.
"Kitten isn't your nickname for me?"
"Nope, I though 'Shadowcat' would be just perfect." He said, releasing me to see my face.
"It's wonderful." I beamed at him. It was my turn to hug him. "How did you think of it?"
"Well, you were very well hidden in the shadows of the tree. And, one of the first things I asked you was if you were a cat." I laughed.
We realised we were still hugging eachother and we jumped apart, blushing like mad, laughing nervously.
"So, um, If you and that spikey-headed boy aren't friends, how come you two play like you're the best of friends?" I suddenly felt the need to ask, though, by the look he got on his face, I probably shouldn't have.
"Me and Daniels were, once upon a time, the best of best friends." Pietro started saying,"I don't even remember what split us up, but no point saying that, we can't ever stop fighting about anything and everything. When we're playing a game of basketball though it's like before, in perfect unition." A small smile.
"So, you still want to know who my cousin is?" I said teasingly. Suddenly he had his head up looking excited.
"Well, yeah, I do" He said trying to look all cool again, but he couldn't hide his curiosity.
"His name is Kenny."
"No way! That little kid is your cousin, who you came to watch play basketball?" I get that my cousin is really young for that team, but, honestly, couldn't the guy try not to laugh this hard?
"The kid is like 7 on a 10-12 team." Pietro somehow managed to say that through all his laughing.
"Yeah, yeah, laugh it up." I said, pushing him over, which he just put out his elbow, since we were only sitting.
"So how old does that make you then, Kitten?" He stopped laughing like a maniac and is not only giggling.
"I'll tell you if you tell me?" I said quickly.
Pietro cleared his throat trying to hold down anymore fits of laughter, "Twelve." He answered simply.
"So, after this year I probably won't ever see you again?" I mumbled sadly. I looked at Pietro, his face went from puzzled to shocked to upset. Clearly he hadnt thought of that.
"Kitten..." He was at a loss for words." I won't have my birthday this year, not until your cousin is old enough to get into the older year basketball team." He suddenly said with such spirit I wasn't expecting. I couldn't help but smile wide.
"Thank you, Pie. You realize by this time I will be sixteen. It would be weird to be friends with a twelve year old. Pie, don't skip your bithday, you'd be seventeen by that time, and who knows maybe we'll see eachother again. We'll use those nicknames to prove it. Even if we end up enemies. Promise me, Pie."
"Of course, Kitten, I promise."
"Kitty? Where are you?" Yelling could be heard in the distance.
Before I knew it, it was dark and there was a full moon. I couldnt believe how good Pietro looked in the moonlight. Because of how pale everything about him was, he looked like he was glowing.
"Well, that would be my mom." I said as we both stood up, "If New York basketball of our ages I promise I'll go see the game. But, it's probably not going to happen, since I'm from a small town in Illinois."
"Then, why else were you here?" Probably confused.
"The once a year family trip to see our relatives."
"Kitty? Honey? Where are you? We have to leave in the morning." The yells came again.
"May we see eachother again, my dear Kitten."
"I hope so, Pie." I smiled.
"Good-Bye, Kitten."
I pulled Pietro down to my height, he came slowly, "Personally, I thought you were the reason the team won the game today." I gave him a quick peck on his cheek. I let him go and he stood straight and looked completely shocked. From what I said or the kiss, I never asked.
"Good-Bye, Pie."