All That They Needed

Part 3


Pietro rarely slept for a whole night. Not even after missions. It was just in his nature.

Laura was the same as well, except she slept a few more hours longer than Pietro did.

Most nights, Pietro and Laura would just meet up over at the boarding house and just talk. About anything. They usually talked about trivial things, like the weather and random news stories. Somehow, those conversation starters led to philosophical debates. Pietro usually lost on most of them. Where both of them saw the little shades of grey between the black and white, Laura understood the grey areas. It was one of the many things Pietro both envied and loved about her.

But this night, this night was different.

Laura just wasn't in the mood for talking. The girl looked so broken. Yet she still tried to act normal.

Either Laura's acting was getting bad or she was really, really miserable.

And before Laura could give him a greeting, Pietro asked what was wrong.

She didn't reply, she just walked up to him and hugged the speedster, catching him completely off guard. She wasn't crying (and for that he was eternally grateful. 'Cause seriously, dealing with crying women was so not his thing), just shaking. Pietro could only hold on the girl and go down to the ground with her when her legs seemed to just give out. Pietro thought she heard her say something, but with her face buried in her chest, the words were just jumbled.

"What?"

Laura brought her face up, "He cheated on me." Her voice was no louder than a whisper. Pietro didn't know what to say. If he said that she deserved better than him, Laura would probably defend him. If he said that maybe what she saw or heard really wasn't true, not only would he never forgive himself for pretty much sending her back to him, he'd have the whole Brotherhood on his ass for months (years, with the way Lance and Wanda held grudges).

Pietro remembered that time when Laura that boyfriend of hers got into their first fight. The girl was a cross between pissed and hurt. "The first time we met, he asked who I was. But last night, he asked what I was," she had said. Back then, he did all the wrong things, and she didn't talk to him for months.

Green eyes bore into blue ones and the couple sat there staring at each other. Pietro closed his eyes, unable to look her in the eyes for such a long period of time especially with the thoughts that were going through his head. He could hear Laura sigh, feel her breath against his skin, bring up other thoughts that he really didn't need to be thinking of. Pietro pulled away completely.

"Let's go inside then." Pietro smiled, "It's close to morning and I'm an incredible cook."

OoOoO

Laura could only smile at her friend. It seems that everyday she was learning something new from him. During her time working for HYDRA, she had picked up a lot of new talents but she had to admit, Pietro was one hell of a cook. Better than she was. Laura smiled as the silver haired mutant started humming as he cooked breakfast for the rest of the Brotherhood residents. It was a strange melody, Laura thought. One she that she couldn't even guess where he got it from. She would have to ask him about that melody later.

"Do you want me to make coffee or something," Pietro asked without turning around.

"No... I'm not a big fan of coffee."

"Shame," came a voice from behind her.

Laura knew that somebody was coming, but Pietro didn't have her type of abilities; he jumped with a slight yelp. Pyro seemed to notice this as he grinned at the raven haired mutant, as if to say "look at this guy". Laura smiled back.

"Coffee's just about the best substance on earth."

"When made right," came the tired female voice behind the pyromaniac.

"Wanda, luv! You're awake." The red haired Aussie leaned down to give the girl a kiss but she turned away.

"Didn't brush my teeth," Wanda murmured.

"Never stopped me before," he replied as he tilted the girl's head towards him to give her a small chaste kiss. Pietro, Laura and Pyro grinned at the completely dazed look on the woman's face. There was a slight red ting to her cheeks and Laura could smell just how much the kiss affected her. If only...

Laura turned away in an attempt to stop the thought that entered her mind, only to find that Pietro was looking at her. Such a beautiful shade of blue, those eyes of his had. And those eyes momentarily were filled with a warmth that Laura couldn't even try to describe. She wondered what exactly she did to deserve such a look from Pietro. Said mutant looked away, tending to the food on the stove.

Wanda and Pyro went over to sit at the small table next to each other, on Laura's right. Laura noticed how Wanda kept her boyfriend away from the stove.

"Pietro, would you mind –"

"– Black, right?"

"Yeah."

"How 'bout you, John?"

"Same."

"'Kay, jus' give me a sec."

The two nodded, then sort of drifted into their own little world. Pietro gave the couple a glance and laughed.

"Ah, Jonda. Such a strange couple they make," he said offhandedly.

"A perfect couple!" John barked.

With a smile, Laura couldn't help but agree.