TW: Referenced and Implied Child Abuse and PTSD.

Train-Train-Train — Chapter Seven

"Okay, I want you to close your eyes and put on the headphones— focus on the whistles."

"Why do I need the headphones again?"

"So... you— can't hear-me.. normally." Daisy replied hesitantly

Lukian stared at her. "That makes no sense,"

Daisy sighed, aspirated. "Just put them on."

The corners of his mouth twitched as he slid the gigantic soundproof headphones over his head and on his ears.

Immediately all the little sounds that were the background noise were removed, and surprisingly the whistling grew a considerable amount quieter— it was almost like he could think now. Almost— dare he say: peaceful. The wrinkling of clothing when they moved, gone. The squeak of the mat from their sneakers, gone. The soft hum of the air-con, gone. And the sound Daisy's voice had all disappeared. He could see her lips moving and her neck twitching, yet heard nothing but the softer whistling in its place.

It was only slightly eerie.

But boy the quiet was oh-so-nice.

" WHAT ?!" Lukian yelled much too loudly.

She rolled her eyes and motioned for him to take off the headphones. He did. He was immediately bombarded with the vicious noise-torture he has grown to hate in the past week.

"I think that was louder than a gunshot— Thanks." Daisy remarked as she rubbed her ear.

Lukian smiled, laughter threatening him. "No problem," He spoke sarcastically.

Daisy sighed. "Alright, put them back on and focus on the whistling you explained. I want you to try and hear my voice."

"With the headphones on?" Lukian questioned.

"Yes, with the headphones on." Daisy nodded.

He furrowed his brows. "With the... soundproof headphones on, I'm supposed to hear your voice?"

"Yes," Daisy confirmed.

"I can't even hear my voice." Lukian deadpanned.

"With your powers you can." She explained. "You said that the whistling morphed into their voices— yet you were half the lab away and they were whispering, I want you to replicate what you did, with the headphones on."

"All I did was focus on Mr. Fitz's lips, I was trying to lip read them."

"Then start there." Daisy said with a small smile.

"Alright…" Lukian said sceptically. He didn't have high hopes for this, he wasn't even sure what he was supposed to do…. well that's a lie, he knew what to do— he just didn't know how to do it.

Daisy was definitely saying something, he saw her lips move and he could hear the whistling flow with it. The sound paused when she did, and grew louder as— he was assuming— she did too. Lukian pushed the sound of the whistling to the back of his mind. He focused on the motion of her lips, just trying to figure out what the hell she was saying. After watching for a few seconds he could tell she was repeating herself.

The mon'k'ey' ...ve d'awn.

Sure. That makes sense.

Hah!

Who needs superpowers when you could just lip read?

Though— to be honest, he wasn't even sure how tornado powers = hearing through soundproof headphones. Then again, his adventure through the Science Lab last week proves that somehow on god's-green earth it does, somehow. Hey maybe he had two superpowers?

Wait… is that possible?

What if he becomes a statue again? Then does he get a second power?

Nevermind.

That whole list of questions only ends up adding to his already infuriating headache that came with these powers. Well… they didn't come with the powers, they seem to be an effect of it. Doesn't matter to him though, still a pain in the ass. But he completely— one-hundred percent, just didn't care. Even if he cheated at the task, he still completed it and he'll take it. It's only bad if you get caught, preferably not red handed too.

"The Monkeys have drawn!" He yelled out loud, trying to be a bit softer than last time.

It was honestly just. . . . there isn't even a word for how odd it is to feel your throat vibrating, hearing the whistling from the air being exported out of your mouth, but hearing no voice. He heard the increase of whistling that seemed to have accompanied voices, but no actual voice.

Daisy gave a look that was standing on the tight-rope between: ultimate confusion— and seconds away from laughing. Lukian shook the headphones off his ears. The whistles returned to their normal obsessively loud volume.

I'm fine—

"I said, The money is gone. " Daisy stated. She rolled her eyes. "Man, I need to teach you how to lip read." She chuckled.

Lukian eyes widened over the fact she knew. He immediately corrected himself. "What? Lip read?" He shook his head, he stared her right in the eyes. "I could hear you, or broken you— like on an 1890s radio that was underwater."

"You're a terrible liar, you know that?" Daisy said with a smirk.

Lukian took a reflexive step back, and snapped his teeth shut.

No.

He squeezed the jar's top closed, tighter— not letting anything get through.

He couldn't.

No—

Liar—!

Stupid, Stupid, Stupid, Stupid—

He had to keep his breathing steady, he knew that helped control the tornado and the breeze. He couldn't lose control in this moment.

It wasn't true. It was false.

He knew that for a fact.

How are you—

I'm fine—

He knew he was a good liar. Hell, he even put on that performance last week for the Dr. Buckerds. Sure, he lied to the guy. But he got away with it, and the old Australian believed him. Yeah, Lukian felt a little bad but he had his reasons. Good reasons. Justified reasons.

I'm fine—

Daisy gave him a puzzling look.

Lukian forced himself out of his mind and back to the present.

He put on a smile. "If you say so. But I wasn't lying. You really did sound like you're underwater with a fish in your mouth."

"I thought it was a radio?" Daisy mocked.

Lukian shrugged. "I don't know, maybe you had both. Who knows?" He teased.

Daisy chuckled. "O—kay, chatty-cat. Put the headphones back on." She ordered. "You can do this. And no lip reading, close your eyes and focus on the whistling."

Lukian sighed— but smiled, and got back to work.

If he had to be honest, training with Daisy has been a lot more fun than with Mr. Regio. Sure, he only knew the guy for twenty minutes, but in that twenty minutes he said like four sentences. The man wasn't much of a conversation holder. Daisy on the other-hand, actually made conversation with him like a normal human being. Plus she didn't have the face mask of an evil robot. Which made it a lot less stressful to actually do what he was told.

Lukian closed his eyes and breathed in. He listened to the whistle that had a darker tone to it, the one that came from inside him. Another whistle joined the band, this one came from about ten feet away from him.

Daisy.

This whistle had a different tone, it sounded different, it felt different. And it was also ten feet away so it was quieter. Lukian listened as the whistle blew then stopped. Blew then stopped. How it stretched out at two points, then the message would repeat.

The whistling shifted up and down the scale, slowly the scale became more pronounced. The whistling was replaced by whispers.

Daisy's voice.

"Am I und..." The soft sound of the wind stretching out replaced the letters. "'ter, do you unders—ssssssss'and me?"

Why was it that he was actually trying now, it was a whole lot more difficult? He focused even more intensely— if that was even possible. She repeated the message.

"Am I underwater, do you unders—ssstand me?"

Lukian laughed, he got the gist of the message. "Real original!"

Instead of hearing the whistling he was now used to when he spoke, all he heard was his voice. Just his voice. He could still hear the static tv sound, but the prominent whistling was gone, or quieted. It was a freakin' miracle!

"Am I underwater, do you understand me?" Daisy repeated probably for the umpteenth time.

"Yep!" Lukian exclaimed, overjoyed— at his own achievement and freedom from the goddamn sound. "Krystal clear!"

"Do one push-up." Daisy's voice said.

"I don't remember that being in today's interary for training."

"I don't think he can hear me, I see no push-up."

Lukian laughed. "I can hear you!"

"Merry Christmas," Daisy's voice said.

Um…... what ?

Lukian furrowed his brows and crossed his arms, he was seriously confused. "It's august."

Daisy chuckled. "Just double checking." Lukian could hear her smiling.

"Alright good job, Luke. You can take the headphones off now."

He was slightly reluctant to do so knowing he will be hit from a giant wave of unnecessary loud noise. When he finally did take them off and open his eyes of course— the amount of volume that the soundproof headphones suppressed was staggering. Lukian suppressed his grimace. He could handle it. He was fine.

"Do you know what you did, or did it just happen again?" Daisy asked.

"I focused on the whistling as you said. I could hear the difference whistles from my breathing and your talking." Lukian explained. "Then I just concentrated on your whistling as it went up and down— stretching out and stopping. It became you talking eventually, but it took a couple of repeated messages to get the whole thing. The S's got stuck."

Daisy nodded as she took in his probably less-than explanation. He wasn't sure if he could explain that any better if she needed him to.

"Did you notice anything else?" Daisy asked as she started pacing.

Lukian nodded. "Once your voice replaced the noise, it went away. My breathing whistling did too when I spoke."

"And you hear the whistling all the time?" Daisy inquired.

He nodded again. "And the white noise." He added. "But that's quieter in the prison room when I'm alone."

"It's not a prison room." Daisy told him for the millionth time. Honestly at this point he was pushing her buttons, he didn't even think this place was a prison— they were helping him and caring for him, not pointing a gun at him.

"Right— Right, sorry. Solitary confinement box." Lukian corrected himself, fighting a smile while doing so.

Daisy sighed, a small chuckle escaping her when doing so. "I can't even argue that, can I?"

Lukian shook his head as he lost the battle over smiling. "Nope,"

Daisy rolled her eyes playfully. "Whatever, I don't have all day. I wanna do one more thing before it's feeding time." She mused.

"Oh! Am I getting crushed peanuts today?" Lukian questioned with fake enthusiasm. Laughter was boiling over him.

"I dunno— I'm still waiting on the one push-up."

Lukian broke into giggles falling on the floor going into plank position. It was a miracle he didn't collapse from laughing as he did one weak push up with terrible form. Coach Mathahew would be disappointed.

Eh. Who cares.

As he pushed himself up to stand again he held out his right hand and looked at Daisy expectantly.

She raised an eyebrow then high-fived him. That action only feeded his full blown laughter now. After a few moments Daisy joined him. Once they started wheezing for air— both doubled over, the whistling grew strained, both of theirs. Daisy got control over her breathing much faster than he did.

"You- alright?" She asked.

He was leaning on one of the many brick columns in the secluded training area choking on air between giggles.

"Tot—ally." He squeezed out.

"Alright, come on. We're going into lunchtime, kid, and you don't want to be near me when I'm hungry."

Lukian straighted, forcing the laughter away. "Yes, Ma'am."

The look on Daisy's face when he said that almost made him gasping for air again.

"Ha-Ha, mister." Daisy mused. "Seriously, back to work. I'm supposed to be teaching you— not killing you from oxygen deprivation."

Lukian smirked. "Yes—"

"Don't you dare," Daisy cut him off, her voice was low and dangerous.

Lukian blinked. "I didn't say anything."

"Hmm-hm. Sure."

"Wha— I didn't!"

"Anyways…" She stretched out the word. "I want to test something... do you hear the white noise right now?"

He nodded.

"Okay…" She started pacing again, thinking. When she did so the noise got exceedingly louder.

Huh. Odd...

"Umm... Daisy?" He called out. "When you started doing that it just got louder, just the static— white-noise-whatever."

Daisy immediately paused her pacing and tilted her head in confusion, she glanced back towards the spot in the mats she was just burning a hole through. A second later it must have clicked why when her eyes went wide and she turned back to him. She smiled as she walked over to one of the benches, picked up the tablet she brought and pressed a couple of buttons.

He immediately noticed the white noise increased and the hum of the air-con got louder. He winced as the sound grew slightly painful, but it was nothing like on the plane.

"I think I figured out what the white noise is." Daisy stated. "It's the air currents."

Lukian looked at her. "The what now?"

"Air currents." Daisy repeated then sighed. "I'm not FitzSimmons. I don't have some sciencey explanation up my sleeve. But I do have a main idea of what's happening."

Daisy continued. "You know when someone runs by you and you can feel the small breeze they left behind?" He nodded hesitantly, still confused. "Well I believe the white noise is the breeze basically. That's why when the air conditioner was pumped up and started circulating the air more, it got louder." She backtracked. "It did get loud right?"

"Yeah..." Mega Loud. It was still loud.

"Okay, good." She pressed a few buttons on the tablet again. He assumed she turned it off. "So, now we know the whistling you hear is breathing and talking, and the white noise is the air currents."

Lukian took this in. "Question. Why do I need to hear people's breathing and the air currents? "

"For the same reason I can hear and feel all the vibrations this base is making, to be able to amplify them and control them— that's what causes the tornado. That is… if emotions aren't in play." Daisy explained. "Only you seem to be much more sensitive to the sound."

"I'm not sensitive to it, it's just loud." He got defensive.

Daisy raised her hands. "I know— that's what I mean." She clapped her hands together. "Just one more thing, then we're done and you can get your crushed peanuts." She teased.

Lukian smirked. "I'll hold you to that." He joked.

"I want you to try and create a tornado— or breeze without thinking of something that causes you to be anxious, nervous, scared, sad. Just do it with a clear head. . . Relax."

He nodded reluctantly, not sure how this was gonna go. He tried to focus, but he wasn't even sure on what?

"Close your eyes and breathe, picture the tornado forming in your mind. Try to amplify the white noise."

Lukian did as he was told, he pictured his time in the lab in the past week, the time he literally brought it to ruins with glass everywhere. He did his absolute best to not think about what caused the tornado, he thought only of the increase of sound with the white noise before it happened, and it's overwhelming presence when it did.

He wasn't exactly sure if the white noise was actually louder or he was stuck in the memory of when it did.

"Is it workin'?" Lukian asked.

His only response was small chuckling that started to grow after a couple seconds. Lukian cracked his eyes open and looked at Daisy with confused eyes. He did notice the air circling around them though.

It worked!

But Daisy was laughing her ass off with her hands on her knees gasping for air. "I'm sorry. You just— You-You look constipated when you did that."

"Wha—" Lukian started. He wasn't even sure what to say to that.

Wasn't she supposed to be his mentor

"I'm sure— you do as well."

Daisy stopped laughing to think on that for a moment, then it immediately resumed.

"I probably do!" She choked out.

—

It had been an hour since Daisy and Lukian stopped training, and since then they had lunch, talked, and played cards. And much to Lukian's joking disappointment…

There were no peanuts.

Not even crushed ones.

Daisy eating lunch with the kid after training was they're routine now— she had somehow managed to squeeze it into her everyday schedule. Her day consisted of waking up before crack of dawn— five am, doing Tai-Chi with May (and boy it was good having her back), then training, eating breakfast with the team, doing her always tedious chore. Then after that, she brings Lukian to the secluded part of the base for his training. They train-train-train…

blah-blah-blah…

Eat lunch and just mess around for a bit until the usual need of assistance by someone, which results with her needing to head back up to the main part of the base.

Like now.

Simmons had called her up to the lab, something about her presence is required and she needed her specifically . Daisy wasn't exactly sure what that was supposed to mean but she came upstairs anyways. She had no idea what to expect from the biochemist, but part of her told her to be ready to become a lab-rat.

Whatever. Let's get this over with.

She walked into the science lab.

"Hey Simmons!" Daisy called out. "You needed me?"

Simmons whirled around from her workstation with a smile on her face. "Daisy. Perfect, you're here. Okay I need your help with something."

The inhuman eyed her friend warily, she had that tone in her voice that made Daisy worry. "You said that…"

Simmons started walking over to a lab table that had a display case sitting on top of it, Daisy followed her. Inside was some orange goop just sitting there.

Cool...

"So I have a small issue," Simmons started. "I need to contain that substance and it's core temperature runs very hot, so I can't pick it up. Plus any pipette I try to use literally melts after a couple of seconds making it almost impossible to transport since it's a liquid. Now I'd much prefer if I was able to contain this substance as soon as possible considering it's not entirely safe to leave amuck. But, the only transport device that can be used is not here and would take over a week for it to get here. A week that I probably shouldn't wait given it's core temperatures and the indication—"

"Simmons."

Simmons immediately cut her rambling short.

"Cut to the chase."

"Right," She fiddled with her hands. "I was wondering if you were able to use your powers to lift up the substance and be able to put it in a proper containment case?"

Daisy stared at her best friend. "I've never done anything like that before, Simmons. I don't wanna screw up and accidentally burn off my right foot!"

The biochemist shook her head. "But this isn't your first time doing something like this, Daisy. Remember when you said you froze the water that was coming out of the sink, manipulated it and moved it while at the retreat— with your powers?"

"Yeah… But..."

"Well this is a liquid that has vibrations which you can manipulate, and it has many similar properties to tap water, such as the density…" She went to go on listing the similarities.

"It's orange, Simmons. . . . And looks murky." Daisy deadpanned.

Simmons scoffed. "The color and look of an object doesn't affect its density."

Daisy rolled her eyes. "Ah, yes. Because I went to S.H.I.E.L.D-Hogwarts and got seven PHDs…" She spoke sarcastically.

"It's three PHDs and this is eighth grade science." Simmons shot back.

"Same thing." Daisy stated. Honestly, to her— it was.

"Whatever," Simmons shook her head. She gestured towards the goop. "Could you please?"

"Fine— but if I burn off my foot you're building me a robotic one." Daisy stated while pointing at her friend.

Simmons looked at her like she was crazy. "Sure,"

Daisy went to go open the clear box the orange substance was located in— she paused.

"This stuff isn't toxic right? Like we'll be fine?"

"Yes it is absolutely safe and cannot containment the air, the only danger it holds to us is it's temperature..." Simmons explained.

Daisy nodded and went to open the case again but something stopped her again.

"At the moment." Simmons then added after causing Daisy to look at her sharply.

"What do you mean at the moment?" Daisy asked, paranoid. "What even is this stuff anyway?"

"I'm not even sure…" The biochemist replied hesitantly. "I was messing with chemicals— something I seriously should not have been doing— Some of the chemicals weren't labeled properly and I hadn't realized until after. And... I'm not even sure how I got here but— I ended up making... that." Simmons looked pointedly at the substance.

Daisy couldn't help but chuckle at how similar this situation was to one on the BUS back before S.H.I.E.L.D fell. FitzSimmons had almost blown the plane out of the sky causing May to have to land immediately due to a calculation error. Simmons had been acting in the same manner as she was now completely and it was slightly amusing. The nostalgic feeling was settling in her chest.

Simmons narrowed her eyes at Daisy. "This is not a laughing matter, Skye, I could have blown up the lab."

"Wouldn't be the first time…" Daisy said with a smirk— still sorta lost in the memory. "Also it's Daisy." She added.

Jemma looked like she had mentally slapped herself. "Daisy. Right. Sorry."

Daisy leaned against the lab table opposite from the case. "I could always give you more flowers." She teased.

Simmons chuckled. "I'm fine, thank you. It's just a slight adjustment that slipped in my slight agitation."

"Only slight?" Daisy questioned, not being able to contain herself. "And don't worry, you're still doing better than Coulson. He's called me Skye at least three times this week."

"Maybe you should send him daisies." Simmons suggested with a laugh. Daisy couldn't help but join her for a moment before remembering why she was called up here in the first place.

"Wait, didn't you say that stuff was toxic?"

Jemma rolled her eyes. "Do you listen to anything I say?"

Daisy stared at her like she was lost. "I'm sorry were you speaking?"

And that earned a slap on her arm.

And surprisingly it stung. A lot.

"Hey!" Daisy explained holding her injury.

"Oh— I'm sorry, do you want me to wrap it?" Simmons asked with fake concern, her accent got stronger in the moment.

Daisy glared at her for a second before finally opening the case. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, Daisy racked her brain trying to remember how she froze the water the first time. Honestly she just remembered it being an accident— she was just trying to wash her bruised arms. It had been the first time she saw the non-destructive part of her powers.

She remembered it being very cool.

Daisy could hear the soft hum that came from the liquid, it wasn't noticeable at all without looking for it. She had come to learn how to block out most of the vibrations she hears in the base— otherwise she'd have sensory overload all the time. Like she did when she first got her powers

She focused on the tiny hum, she could feel it vibrating through her fingers. It made them tremble as she absorbed it. Daisy held the vibration in her fingers for a second, being careful not to break her fingers in half. That would be very bad. She opened her eyes as she sent the vibrations back to the orange substance in a different form.

Daisy held her hands out hovering over the liquid only for a moment before slowly raising them up ever so carefully. She inhaled easy even breaths, keeping her heart rate at a normal rate.

Well... as normal as it can be while she's using her powers. And while dealing with something that could burn off an appendage.

Daisy turned around, keeping the goop suspended in the air and walked the two steps over to Simmons who held the proper containment case for the unknown substance open. Daisy could feel her bones start to rattle under her skin, she knew that she probably should hurry this along. Just as carefully as before, she lowered it into the case and eased the vibrations away. The liquid resumed it's soft hum after a moment.

Jemma let out a breath and smiled. "See? Easy."

Daisy rubbed her fingers together trying to ease the funny feeling her powers left in her bones, they weren't broken or fractured so that was a good sign.

"Easy," Daisy echoed.

Simmons closed the case, it let out a hiss of air then she set it down on the lab table. Jemma must have noticed the movement in Daisy's hands, she immediately eyed her with her doctorly concern. It was like a switch had been flipped.

"Are you alright? Should you have gotten your gauntlets for that? Do you want me to check you out?" Simmons started spitting questions out.

"Woah— Woah, Simmons, Slow down." Daisy said with a smile. "I'm fine," Simmons gave her a look. "Really, I am. It was just the factor of using them so concentrated for so long. Nothing hurts— it's just a funny feeling."

"Alright." The doctor said. She shifted gears. "Where were you anyways? I couldn't find you anywhere and no one has seen you for the past three hours."

"Oh— I was training Lukian in the gym that no one uses because it's on the other end of the base." Daisy explained.

Simmons started walking away to do other sciencey things, Daisy followed her around the lab just... because.

"You seem to be spending a lot of time with him." Jemma observed.

Daisy fiddled with a pen on one of the desks. "Yeah, I just want to help him get control over his powers as fast as possible so he can go home soon."

"That makes sense." Simmons agreed. She looked up from her work. "Have you found his family yet? I knew you were looking but I haven't heard anything."

Daisy sighed as she leaned back on the table. "Yeah. I've been looking for hours, still nothing. Can't find any trace of him. Not yet at least. It seems HYDRA was actually covering their tracks for once."

Simmons started typing on the computer at her workstation. "Well, kidnapping a child with armed forces in broad daylight — on the streets of queens is an attention grabber."

"Yeah." Daisy agreed. "Which makes me wonder how we didn't hear about anything about it in the first place."

"If I remember correctly— three months ago seems to be the time you guys pulled me out of Maveth." Simmons explained, it was clear at the pace she was talking she was focused on other things. "So you guys were a little preoccupied. Not that I blame you."

"How are you feeling by the way?" Daisy asked as she turned to face Simmons fully. She knew the transition between the different planets was difficult.

"Me? Oh, I'm fine." Simmos assured. "Have you even found any trace of a Lukian…" She's trailing and backtracked. "Do we even have his last name?"

"No, we do not— making the search even more difficult." Daisy sighed, aspirated. The situation makes no sense.

"You could just ask, you know?" Simmons suggested.

"Nooo…? Really ?" Daisy questioned sarcastically.

"Funny." Simmons said eyeing Daisy from the corner of her eye. "So why haven't you?"

Daisy shrugged. "I dunno." She sighed. "It seems every-time I bring up his life, or anything personal he somehow expertly changes the topic. . . It's kinda impressive."

Jemma glanced at Daisy for a moment. "I know someone like that."

Daisy narrowed her eyes questionly at Simmons. "Funny," She mocked.

Simmons laughed through her nose. "Have you talked to Dr. Buckerds about it?" She inquired.

"Yes, he told me while he couldn't say much— he had noticed that." Daisy explained. "And while a last name would be nice… I don't necessarily need one."

Simmons started rifling through a stack of papers. "You've been working on this for two weeks now."

"I said I haven't found anything yet, " Daisy repeated her words. "Key word: yet."

"Well maybe you're looking at the situation wrong." Jemma spoke with her face hovering over a binder reading something probably at inhuman speed.

Daisy furrowed her brows, questioning what her friend meant by that. But by the way Simmons didn't look up, or, even explain further it almost seemed like she didn't know she said it.

"What?" Daisy inquired, hoping it would prompt her friend.

Simmons looked up, confused for a second then realization hit. "Oh. What I meant was, maybe instead of trying to find Lukian… whatever-his-last-name-is. Maybe you could find the video or footage of him going through terrigenesis. If it happened on the sidewalk of a busy street— then it's highly likely someone recorded it. And then from there backtrack and see if you could find his life from there."

Daisy blinked.

Why hadn't she thought of that?

"Th-That— Actually pretty smart."

Simmons smiled. "I did go to S.H.I.E.L.D-Hogwarts after all."

At that they both couldn't help but laugh.