Here we go, time for a major shift in the romance dynamic. If you think it's going too fast. Please remember that each of these is spaced out by at least a month or more. I really enjoyed this one no matter how much I cursed these two black and blue while I struggled to keep the word count under 5000. Read and Review, I would really love feedback on this one.
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To be friends forever was what she, Pietro, and Wanda had promised to one another. He had said boys didn't make mushy promises like that, but he had reluctantly linked fingers with her after seeing Evanna and Wanda doing it. The two looking pleased as they wove flower crowns for one another Evanna finishing first and placing it on Wanda's head.
"You look so pretty Wanda, like a princess," Evanna said as she tucked some of Wanda's hair behind her ear.
Wanda smiled at the compliment finishing her own crown after a few moments and placing it atop Evanna's head. Her hair unlike when she was older was long, gracing her bottom, but at the moment it pooled behind her in the grass as she and Wanda complimented one another. Both were aware that Pietro was getting antsy. Evanna had known Pietro and Wanda for a very long time, since the diaper days someone would one day say to her. So she knew that when a tiny hand reached into her hair and pulled if she ignored him he wouldn't stop, he was persistent like that. At least when it had to do with her or Wanda.
She gave a yelp when he tugged a bit harder and she turned tugging her hair from his hands. He looked sullen as he looked at them, holding his own pinky out. Evanna couldn't help the smile that spread across her face as she linked pinkies with him.
"Cross my heart and hope to die, stick a needle in my eye," Evanna said as she gave his pinky a squeeze with her own.
She laughed as Pietro released their pinkies and instead grabbed her hand pulling her up. She reached behind her pulling Wanda along. The three of them were as close as could be, thicker than thieves, but that was all looked at through the rose colored glasses of childhood. It wasn't too long after this that Wanda disappeared, and Pietro never told Evanna where she went.
"I don't get it though, where'd she go," Evanna asked, not for the first time.
"I can't tell you…it's a secret. Besides it's none of you beeswax," Pietro told her gruffly.
"Liar, I bet you don't know either," Evanna snapped, she really missed Wanda who was usually the buffer between them unless she became upset too.
"I do too! I was there! I'm still not telling you though," Pietro muttered.
"Why can't I know? We're friends forever remember? We promised," Evanna asked, her throat starting to tighten.
If this was a joke on Pietro's part it had definitely run the course. She didn't think it was funny after all. That wasn't the first time the two of them fought and no way would it be the last but it was the first time Evanna had never had someone to go to. Her mom wouldn't understand, and Evanna had tried to explain it. Her mom had cited things like privacy whatever that was, and it was a family matter. Evanna had cried over that too, she had thought the three of them were family. Even if she wasn't allowed to go over to their house. Her parents didn't want her there, and Pietro and Wanda didn't really talk about home often.
She and Pietro fought about this for almost a week, until she found him crying on his stoop. His dad must not have been home again, or he wouldn't have been comfortable doing this. She dropped the bag she had been carrying, and hopped up the steps. Wrapping her arms around him, she didn't say a word as he flinched at first before caving into her, sobbing into her shirt, getting it wet with both his tears and snot. After that she swore she wouldn't bring up Wanda again, it was clear that he missed her. They were twins after all and had a bond Evanna wasn't sure she would ever understand.
Still it took time for Evanna to fully stop anticipating seeing Wanda when she saw Pietro. It took time for Evanna to stop looking around and look at Pietro head on instead of trying to spot her friend from wherever she had gone. Not to mention she had her hands full after that, before it had been sort of easy between herself and Wanda to keep Pietro entertained, now it was harder though, it was just her.
Now she was older though, and she and Pietro weren't friends anymore. Not by anything she had done, not intentionally anyway. Nothing she could think of, after Wanda was gone things had fallen apart, and she had tried to keep it together. He had gone too far though…how was she supposed to know if he didn't tell her what was wrong? They had fought the worst kind they could possibly have and she was sure they would never be friends again.
She hadn't replaced him, more like moved on. Scott, Jean, Kurt, and Kitty they were all good people, and genuine. Still sometimes they're genuineness…it seemed too nice. She missed having someone to have witty banter with…someone that sometimes got her without words.
Now things were getting even more complicated between…he had kissed her but he hadn't treated her any differently. Not until recently that is, he seemed like he was really taking her words to heart, he was listening to her when she told him she needed space. With space had come some serious introspection and self-reflection. After all was she really going to trust him with something as precious as her heart…after everything he had done to her? After the way he had hung her out to dry and framed her for something she had never done. Sure, those charges had been dropped and all but still. What was a girl to do when faced with something like this?
She was fiddling with her skateboard, doing some modifications to it. Her teeth worrying her bottom lip as she spun a wheel.
'On the one hand, I don't know if this isn't some trick because of his dad or Mystique…on the other he could really care about me. Maybe it isn't love, but it could be a start of something amazing,' Evanna thought, sighing as she loosened the bolt.
She thought about the desperate look in his eyes as he had asked what she wanted from him. Her grip on her screwdriver tightened, time, space, she wanted to know he cared about her. She wanted to see how far he would be willing to go, but she could never ask him to give up on this Brotherhood thing.
'This is so messed up, why did this have to go down like this,' She thought as she finished modifying her board for the time being. 'Ok, I'm making this way too complicated. It's not like this is marriage or something…it's just…dating? Dating, which would be betraying the team that got me through that really dark time. This is Pietro though, he's been with me since we were kids and he's needed me with him like I've needed him through times that were just as bad. Like, when we lost Wanda.'
She pressed her hands to her face as she thought about it. It was so frustrating to her; she was just going around in circles thinking like this! The only way she was going to figure anything out was going to be if she went to the source. With that decision made she got up, taking her board with her. She was done being this passive little girl that let him decide the pace and what was going to happen, she was going to get answers and start doing things for herself again!
Where would she find him though? She couldn't exactly show up to the Brotherhoods place and demand to see him, but he wasn't going to be anywhere that she could just find him. Did she wait to talk with him? Tomorrow would be Friday, she could probably get to him in their English class…she pinched her cheeks as she walked down the hall; there was no way she was going to put this off. The longer she did that, the harder this was going to be on her to actually approach him and she wasn't scared…not of this. Okay, well maybe a little.
There was no way she was going to the Brotherhoods place though, not if she wanted to avoid having to deal with the peanut gallery, which she did! Maybe wandering around town? He might be bored at the house and wandering around town himself…like the park. He could be running the track, staying in shape and keeping moving like he always seemed to need. The point was she needed to find him…
She searched all over for him, but she could never seem to pin him down. She returned to the manor just in time for dinner, apologizing for not being there to help get it ready and helping with the dishes instead as her way of apologizing. She reviewed her homework a bit and managed to get a few hours of sleep. Though that was a real test on her part. Her mind was just spitting out scenario after scenario of how this could go wrong.
The next morning she was a bundle of raw nerves, trying not to be called out on how strange she felt she laughed and joked around with Kurt, and gave Kitty opinions on the latest fad accessory she was using. Once she was in a class without someone from the team she took that time to express how nervous she was. Her expression twisting into something complex and she found herself at the end of the classes without notes to help her on the off chance of any test.
She looked around, wondering if maybe it would be possible to get this done now. Like tell him she needed to talk with him after school or something. She didn't see him though, not at lunch and not around the halls. She did see him in English class though. Her heart gave a painful lurch before she schooled her expression, sitting next to Kurt and giving Kitty a weak smile.
"Are you ok Vanna, you like look horrible," Kitty asked concerned.
"Gee, thanks Kitty. You really know how to make a girl feel special," Evanna said rolling her eyes.
The teacher clapped his hands together and called their attention to the front.
"Alright everyone, it's been brought to my attention that I might not have given you enough time to work on your scenes. In exchange for an extension however I also want a paper on the emotions you believe your character went through in your particular scene," He explained, as he looked at them.
There was a pause before the class erupted into cheers. The teacher let them have their moment before clapping his hands and calling them to order once more.
"Now, I'm giving you this extension along with class time to work on this with your partners. For that reason I expect you to all get with your partners and start working on lines or discuss your characters," He told them all, giving them a fairly stern expression.
Evanna felt her heart clench before she glanced over at Pietro, he wasn't looking at her and was instead looking into his book. Though it was clear he wasn't reading it. He was perfectly still except for a subtle rise and fall of his shoulders. Evanna knew he was never still when he was really focusing, whether it was tapping a pencil or doing something he just wasn't able to focus unless he was in motion. She nudged Kurt before getting up book in hand and sitting next to Pietro.
"What do you want to work on Maximoff," She asked as she opened her book to the section they had been assigned.
"Don't care Daniels, should probably run through the lines again though. Slow-mo like you it'll take forever," Pietro said as he pointed to his own book.
Evanna snorted, but she buried her nose in the book, agreeing with him. Between this thing between them, and danger room lessons, time with Auntie O, other classes, and any time the Brotherhood or some other big bad caused trouble well memorizing these lines weren't exactly her top priority. Once the class had been filled with a suitable amount of commotion and she was sure Kitty and Kurt weren't watching her she looked over her book.
"Say…Pietro…you wouldn't happen to be free this afternoon would you," She asked.
He looked up from the book. Seeing that she was looking at him head on, even asking him about this afternoon he eyed her. Something in her expression must have given away how nervous she was though.
"Yeah, why," Pietro answered her.
"I just…I thought maybe we could talk. I just wanted to maybe…," Evanna gave him a weak smile.
He nodded at that, looking back at his book.
"Sure where," He asked.
"The library…where this all started," Evanna had thought about it for a while and she figures that this would be the best way to go about.
This was going to come full circle today. She was going to deal with this today…she was definitely not going to run away. Her nails dug into her palms as she reminded and reassured herself of this.
After class was over she waved Kitty and Kurt off. She needed to be alone, to mentally prepare herself for what she was sure was going to be a very trying conversation.
"Yeah, I'm gonna get a head start on this paper. Try and wrap my head around her. We don't have a danger session today. I'll be back in time to help make dinner. Don't worry," She said as she waved them off.
She hurried to the library, wanting to be sure that they would have some privacy. That and she didn't want to bump into Jean. Don't get Evanna wrong, she loved her but that girl was so nosy sometimes.
Sitting in a back corner, she took out the book and reviewed her lines. Might as well have something that resembled school work in the library so the professor wouldn't have a reason to look too closely at her memories. She flipped through the pages until the book was taken from her hands. Looking up she saw mercurial gray eyes looking down at her.
"What do you want from me Pietro," She asked softly as she took the book back.
"Uh, you called me here remember Slow-mo," He countered.
"I know, and that's why…Pietro what do you want? I just do you just want to kiss me and be done? Do you want something more? I don't have any plans of hurting the X-men," She informed him.
"Good, I don't want you to. I just…I don't like you being with other guys. I don't want you thinking about other guys either. I kind of miss you," He confessed in a small voice.
"So what you want me to stop being friends with Kurt and Scott," She asked. "Not going to happen."
"No, no, no that's not what I meant. I just," He ran a hand through his hair. "I just I realized I missed you. I know I made mistakes…and I want to get better…but I just. I'm asking for a second chance."
Her heart gave a painful lurch as he looked at her, his expression particularly lonely. Reminiscent of when he had first lost Wanda.
"What about the Brotherhood," Evanna asked.
"What about them? They don't have anything to do with this. Just like I'm not asking you to turn your back on the X-men," Pietro said with a shrug.
Evanna had to admit, she wasn't expecting that. Pietro might even like them, never mind they had been brought together by the totally crazy Mystique.
"Ok, that makes sense" Evanna murmured. "Second chance, you want us to go back to how we were before?"
She rose to her feet, looking up at him. They were talking; this conversation wasn't falling to pieces. He was respecting her space and she was listening to him…not just jumping to conclusions and asking clarification questions.
"What no, I want something more. I want you…to be my girlfriend," He confessed, thanks to his pale complexion she could see his cheeks turning a bit red.
"What about your girlfriends," Evanna asked.
"What about them," He asked, arching an eyebrow.
"I'm not going to agree to anything if you're dating three or four other girls Pietro. I want to be the only one. Like you don't want me dating or thinking about other guys, I want the same courtesy," Evanna told him.
Pietro moved closer, his arms slowly going around her. His hand felt lie a hot brand on her lower back. She resisted the urge she felt to take a step back or to tense up and remained relaxed in his arms.
"Does that mean you're mine now," He questioned, his hands flexing against her back possessively.
Evanna hesitated for a moment, they still had talking to do…but for now they were alright. Was this really what she wanted?
"On a few conditions, yeah I'll be your girl. Condition number one, you can't date all those other girls. If we're dating…then that's it, we're exclusive just me and you. Number two, I won't ask you to betray the Brotherhood so don't you dare ask me to betray my friends. Number three, this thing we need to keep it quiet or the Brotherhood and the X-men are going to freak out," Evanna listed a few of her conditions.
Pietro was silent for a while, but Evanna knew he was thinking his fingers drumming along her back. His expression a look of concentration. She didn't think her conditions were that bad, after all knowing Pietro as well as she did she knew that if he wanted to do something big it had to be his idea. For example them becoming more then friends or rather going from friends to enemies to dating, yeah that's all him. In a blur Pietro had leaned down and pressed a lingering kiss to her lips. Evanna stared up at him; he had a grin on his face that could only be described as mischief, only it wasn't an aggressively malicious one. This grin was more like the ones she had seen back before the change had happened between her and Pietro.
She felt her heart kick up a beat her own hands travelling up his arms to rest on his shoulders. A warm but anxious feeling spread in her chest.
"Well, it sounds like a challenge," Pietro murmured softly so only she could hear.
The smile that spread across her face was hesitant but hopeful as she leaned up and for the first time since the history of these kisses had started she pressed her lips to his in a sweet and gentle kiss.
"Aren't the best things usually though," She asked just as softly, her lips brushing against his as she spoke.