On the train from Chicago to Emeryville, the four seemingly ordinary passengers were unremarkable. Save for the boy with shocking white hair, the appearance of Professor Xavier's team of xmen sent out for the latest mission was bland at best.
Recruited for the Professors most recent mission, swaying as they stood in the carriage of the train, the wind ruffling their hair through the open windows of the passenger car, Quicksilver glared at his in school arch nemesis from across the car.
Said nemesis, was Charlotte Andrews, code named Hourglass who stood in light hearted conversation with Havoc. Peter rolled his eyes, uncrossing one of his arms to tuck back the stray piece of hair that had been blown into his face by the summer breeze from his position leaning against the closed and locked train doors.
With a pat on her shoulder, Havoc walked further among the passengers, winding his way in search of Beast who was positioned further in the car. Noticing glared or the first time, Hourglass broke her gaze from Havoc's back to return the heated glare, the soft light in her eyes replaced almost instantly by fiery heat.
"What are you doing Pedro?" She whispered sharply as she strode across the aisle in quick footfalls, eyes still ablaze.
"Whatever do you mean, Charlotte?" Peter drawled nonchalantly, abruptly hissing at the sharp pain as Charlotte brought her heeled foot down in a swift stomp to his foot.
"What the hell what that for?" Peter yelled, uncaring that the muted conversation that lulled in the carriage was momentarily muted by his loud outburst.
"You were blowing cover!" Came her sharp whisper as conversation returned and the majority of curious gazes vanished from their position.
"How? By happening to look in your direction?" Peter scoffed.
"Your foot Peter," Charlotte replied, speaking slow with an edge of steel to her voice as if addressing a particularly dumb, disobedient child, "Was going sonic."
Peter couldn't help the widening of his eyes, taking a hurried look down at his foot (which was still throbbing in pain - not that he'd ever tell) he couldn't believe he hadn't realized his powers had been in action.
"What were you doing tapping your foot that fast? If I caught a glimpse of it, who's to say one of the other passengers didn't?" Charlotte continued, unaware of Peter's shock.
Shaking her head before puffing out her chest and poking a finger sharply into his chest, above the crossed arms, Charlotte continued.
"I am NOT having you blow my first mission because you can't control yourself long enough to sit still!"
"Talk about blowing covers, what about you and Havoc?" Peter bit out, hating how bitter the words seemed to come out. "We're supposed to act as strangers on this mission - separate back stories, different seating - we even got on at different stops! And yet here you are, first flirting with Havoc, then physically assaulting me!"
"For your information, I was not flirting." Charlotte hissed, her face flushed with red, "Havoc was giving me an update on the mission - were now supposed to _ instead of blank. And telling you this is the only reason I was coming over here in the first place!"
"I thought it was to stomp on my foot & cause a commotion."
Restraining herself from angrily stomping her way down the aisle, Charlotte allowed herself a moment of childish revenge as she took up a mirroring stance across from Peter, leaning up against the opposite wall with arms crossed and one foot crossed over the other, she took a moment to look down both sides of the barely occupied carriage aisle before levelling a murderous glare and sticking out her tongue at Peter.
And that's when they entered the first tunnel.
"I'm going to find Havoc-" She started to say
The press of lips against hers was so unexpected that Charlie didn't have time to react.
/
When they neared a second tunnel not two minutes later, she was ready for him. Closing her eyes before taking a deep breath in concentration, she snapped her fingers. Charlie could feel her surroundings slow to a snail-like pace. The chugging sounds of the train were spaced out, dramatic pauses in between the normally fast paced rhythm. Opening her eyes and glancing to her left, she could see the long block of shadow slowly creep across the floor. An invisible wind no longer bustled through the carriage but wisps of her hair still hung in the air, frozen in place and defying gravity.
As the shadow finally overtook her body and her eyes quickly adjusted to the darkness, Charlie could see Peter push himself off the door and walk towards her at a relaxed pace, hands tucked into the pockets of his jeans and a sly grin on his face.
"What happened to blowing cover?" He teased.
"What the hell, Pedro?" At her outburst, Peter's grin became wolfish.
"You're going to have to be more specific, Timepiece."
"Why the hell did you kiss me?"
"What can I say, I'm not meant to stay still. Forcing myself to slow down and live at such a normal pace is painfully boring. And I hate being bored."
At this, Peter leaned in, his breath hot against the low collar of her crisp, baby blue dress.
"So let's have some fun." He whispered in her ear.
Charlottes heart hammered in her chest. She could swear the pulse at her neck visibly jumped at the way her blood seemed to speed and warm at his voice. But this was Peter, Pedro — the insufferable speedster who made a relaxed life at Xavier's school impossible. The boy who stole her dessert, dunked her in the pool, and made a point of never getting her code name right. And luckily, that train of thought was enough to break her out of the spell of his presence. Narrowing her eyes at the grey material of his shirt she pushed him away at the shoulders, briefly registering how soft the material was.
"I'm not making out with you just because you're bored." She bit out bitterly.
Studying her face, Peter's expression went from a scrutinizing gaze to mischievous smile.
"A competition then." He began, walking backwards as he continued. "I was able to cross the carriage and kiss you in the milliseconds before the shadow passed. Think you can make it over here in the same time?"
Damn him, Charlotte thought. He knew she couldn't resist a competition.
"Unless you want to admit that I'm faster." He called out from his position propped against the wall with a pointed smirk in her direction.
Damn him.
Peter barked out a laugh, recognizing the fiery heat in her eyes and knowing that he'd won. She had accepted his challenge — she was far too similar to him not to.
Noticing the shadows were fading as they came out the other side of the tunnel, Charlotte levelled another glare at him. If he wanted competition, he'd get it.
As sunlight filled the carriage, Charlotte closed her eyes again before taking a deep breath. Snapping her fingers once more, the noise was awfully sharp without the sounds of the train to muffle it.
Instantaneously, sound and wind returned. Time was restored.
A/N Because I'm but a humble writer, I realize that there may be some scientific errors in the text. Apologies! I hope it wasn't too jarring to take you out of the story. However, if you do have the knowledgeable know-how and can give me any suggestions on how to improve the physics in this story — ones that don't involve me solving mathematical or scientific equations — please let me know!
If you enjoyed this story, please leave a like and review (though I do appreciate likes a smidgen more seeing as that's how I search for stories myself). All pleasure, no profit. Massively AU, all praise and intellectual rights for anything canon go to Marvel and 20th Century Fox for letting me dabble in their world. Happy reading! Penn'