'That's awesome,' Ned whispered, slurping his milkshake with wide eyes. 'Did you ask for his autograph?'
'What? N-no, I didn't ask for his autograph,' I said, making a face. As if I was in any state of mind to even think of it at the time. 'He did call me Beanstalk, though, so there's that.'
Peter snorted a little too hard at that, and I kicked him under the table. 'Ow! Hey, come on, it's funny!'
'Yeah, I know, it's hilarious,' I said sarcastically. 'He m-mentioned you, Peter, by the way. He actually remembered we were cousins w-when I said I knew you. How well do you actually know him, anyways?'
'Oh, well, you know,' Peter grinned sheepishly, giving me a half-hearted shrug and not quite looking me in the eye. 'I spent the summer just being an intern, right? We talked a lot, I guess. He really helped after, well, after Uncle Ben, you know?'
'Oh,' I said, my suspicion dying immediately. Of course Peter would get attached to his personal hero. And after Uncle Ben died...well, I could only imagine what that must have been like for him. Maybe there was something about Tony Stark that made Peter feel better about what happened. 'I guess I wasn't sure. Stark gets a lot of bad press. But h-he wasn't so bad in person, I think.'
'Lucky,' Ned groaned, throwing his head back. 'You got to meet two superheros in one day! The only superhero I met was Hawkeye, during the Incident — and all he has is a stupid bow and arrow. He doesn't even fly.'
'What, uh, what was he like?' Peter said somewhat haltingly, scratching behind his ear. 'Spider-Man, I mean?'
I took this as his attempt to change the conversation, and maybe not talk about Uncle Ben anymore. We still hadn't talked about what happened. I wasn't even sure where Peter had been at the time, only that Aunt May had been the last to find out. 'Eh. He's shorter than I thought. His suit's kinda lame up close.'
Ned laughed while Peter made a face.
'Well, it's not like he's a freaking Avenger,' Peter said, sounding a little annoyed, then added under his breath, 'No matter how hard he tries.'
Then he cleared his throat, and a little louder, he said, 'Not everyone's rich and famous or a god, you know. Some guy's just have to make do.'
'Peter, Spider-Man's practically wearing pajamas.'
'They're not pajamas!' He said so sharply that it actually made me jump a little. Peter blinked, unclenched his fists, before slumping back. 'I mean, have you heard of the Devil of Hell's Kitchen? That guy doesn't even have a suit. I heard he just wears regular clothes and a black scarf over his head.'
'Oh, yeah, so lame,' Ned rolled his eyes, shaking his head in disapproval. 'I heard he's a total wacko, too. Goes around beating people to a bloody pulp, like some sort of maniac. At least Spider-Man just webs them up for the police to get.'
I knew about the Devil, another new arrival since I'd been gone. No one knew where he came from, either; although violent, the guy didn't seem to have any powers aside from kicking tons of ass. And unlike Spider-Man, he didn't seem to have a friendly, public persona, and only operated at night. In my opinion, a lot creepier than any hero I'd heard of, and I was secretly glad that I didn't live in Hell's Kitchen anymore, so I wouldn't have to deal with that.
'And you don't see the Devil saving people from buses, do you?' Peter threw me a significant look.
I threw one right back at him. 'Okay, fine, just because Spider-Man looks stupid doesn't mean he's not a bad hero. And yeah, sure, maybe he saved my life. Not that he should get an award for acting like a basic human being or anything.'
I was still unwilling to admit I ever needed saving, considering what I'd been through. Still, it was Ned who asked, 'Still kinda cool, though. I've only seen videos of him, but is it true that his web-shooters are mechanical? I have a bet with Michelle that they're organic, that they come from his body.'
'What? Ew, no,' Peter and I said almost simultaneously, shuddering at the revolting thought. At least we agreed on that. I continued with, 'No, they were definitely mechanical. Some sort of trigger-action lever attached to tubes and canisters. I'm not sure, he was gone pretty fast. But they were probably the nicest part of his suit, really.'
'Must be a smart guy,' Peter remarked, trying to sound casual and failing. 'To be able to just make one of those himself, right?'
'Unless he got someone else to make them for him,' I pointed out, eyeing Peter and trying not to smirk. 'You really like this guy Spider-Man, don't you?'
'Uh, what? No, I don't!' Peter retorted almost immediately, straightening as if caught offguard. He glanced between me and Ned, pulling at his collar before glancing away. 'I mean, I think what he does is great and all, but like, the guy himself? Total loser. Doesn't do anything cool like show up to parties or hang-out with famous people.'
I frowned, a little confused by Peter's mixed signals here. Considering how hard he was arguing for Spider-Man, he was quick to deny even liking him. What was going on here? Wondering what he was playing at, I decided to give a little leeway and said, 'Well, the rich and famous aren't everything. He might be a show-off but at least he's not going around signing autographs and kissing babies like Iron Man or Thor. He seems a bit more down-to-earth, I think. I kind of feel bad for not thanking him, actually.'
Peter blinked, then smiled. 'He's probably used to it, you know? Spider-Man's busy, he can't hang around.'
What was Peter's deal? Before I could call him out, though, Ned gasped.
'You didn't thank him?' Ned demanded, scandalized. 'Mia, how could you!'
'Oh, come on, I was freaked out!' I protested, hunching up my shoulders helplessly. 'Honestly, Spider-Man's lucky I didn't sock him in the face on accident. I don't like people jumping me from behind.'
Peter rubbed the side of his face, frowning as if considering something unpleasant. Looking at me, his eyebrows raised uncertainly. 'But you are okay, right?'
'I said yes, didn't I?'
'I-I mean, I know, but,' Peter inhaled through his nose and I knew I had a big storm coming. 'It's just that, Mr. Stark called me, and he told me you had some sort of panic attack? Right before your interview…'
At first, I didn't believe my ears. My blood went cold. The look on my face must have said enough because Peter's voice died out as soon as I turned my head to stare at him, aghast.
'Wait, what?' Ned frowned between the two of us. 'Mia had a panic attack? Like a real one?'
But Peter had gone pale, pressing his lips together, only now realizing his mistake. I didn't look at Ned, just glared at Peter for a second longer. My voice was stiff when I answered, 'It was real enough.'
And with that I rose from my seat and stalked out of the room.
'Mia — shit — Mia, wait!' Peter called after me, and the sound of a scramble followed. A few seconds later he caught up with me at the bathroom door, snagging my arm. 'Wait, please, I'm sorry —'
I whirled on him. 'So, what are you, best buds with Tony Stark now? Does he always call you when someone has a dramatic breakdown at work?'
'What, no, no, that's not it at all!' Peter said, holding up his hands and frantically shaking his head. 'I'm always sending him texts, you know, but he usually doesn't reply. B-but today! Today he just called me during Decathlon, just out of nowhere! I had to answer because, well, it's Tony Stark! He told me he met you. I guess he was just checking to see if you were telling the truth. Then he mentioned the panic attack thing and, I don't know, I got worried! And then you didn't say anything at all about it just now, so I was just wondering…'
Peter's explanation was turning into a nervous rambling mess, so I knew he was at least being sincere. That didn't make me any less angry, felt like a major invasion of privacy. I guess I didn't really blame Peter, he didn't know but I wished Tony Stark had more tact.
Oh, who was I kidding? It was Tony Stark.
'Wondering if maybe I was keeping it to myself? Maybe I didn't want Ned to know just yet?' I demanded, managing to keep my voice level, if somewhat tense.
As much as I lo
athed even thinking of the experience, I had planned on telling Peter...preferably him and Aunt May together, so I had some sort of buffer.
It wasn't that I didn't trust Ned or anything, but I'd never shared emotionally distraught situations with him, and starting with a panic attack seemed like a bad way to go. I'd probably have to tell him eventually, now that he knew, but I wasn't ready just yet.
I kept my voice hushed so Ned wouldn't overhear. 'Did it ever occur to you that I'd tell you later?'
Peter's voice was tiny. 'N-no...I just wanted to help —'
He motioned to the red head, whose face didn't change at the mention.
'He used his start up set of soldiers to attack other units that entered their province and kept them for his own collection. Only thing he didn't count on was age. He died before he could reach his goals, leaving all these guys...'
He motioned around them to the men and women who clung to his every word.
'In stasis, at least until the Americans found them. Then they went to SHIELD, but lucky for them, Hydra operatives happened to be working in sleeper cells within the organisation. As you know, that collapsed, most chose to stay put with their Major,' he said motioning to the red head again. 'Who put them to work for the highest bidder, but little miss over here... she went AWOL.'
Crossbones stood in front of her, looking at her face, before his eyes drifted down. 'Her whole body is reinforced, she's a programmable soldier, spy and...well...' he leered at her body again, before looking back at Bucky. 'Anything I want her to be, really.'
Bucky struggled against the arms that restrained him. 'Don't you dare touch her,' he growled, itching to get his titanium fingers around Crossbones throat and feel his windpipe crush between them.
Crossbones laughed again. 'You don't get it, do you, Bucky? She doesn't need saving, she's a weapon, maybe even more so than you!' He looked deviously from Vielka to Bucky. 'Actually, how about a little demonstration?'
He walked towards Vielka, before leaning forward and whispering in her ear.
She stood straighter and her lips parted slightly in response to Crossbones words. She blinked, cocking her head to one side before she looked down at Bucky, kneeling before her.
Without hesitation, she strode towards him and Bucky's brow furrowed as he tensed and prepared for her to strike him. She stopped, peering down at Bucky, but there was still no emotion in her eyes, and she gave no clue as to what she was going to do next. He found her lifeless eyes eerie, as she stared down at him for a moment.
She knelt before him, her face still emotionless and Bucky felt the urge to apologise to her. He was so close to her, he could smell her flowery perfume, he just wanted to grab her now and run. He strained against the arms that held him but they didn't budge, pinning his arms tightly behind him.
She smiled at him, her lips curving up into an alluring shape as she tilted her head to one side, as if considering him for a moment.
'Vielka...' he started, hoping if he spoke to her, she might snap out of it. He had barely said her name, when she placed her hands about his face, and he stopped struggling in confusion. He tensed his body, thinking she would try and throw him or cause him some other injury as directed by Crossbones.
He was shocked when she crushed her mouth to his, her soft and warm lips enveloping his. His eyes widened as her perfume swamped him and he felt her fingers brush along his jaw line.
His body tingled from his lips to his toes and he closed his eyes for a split second, unable to resist the overwhelming feeling.
It was fleeting, as he soon came to his senses and he pulled away, ripping his lips from hers and struggling against the hands that held him again. 'Vielka! Snap out of it!' he shouted at her, but she just smirked before standing.
Crossbones laughed malevolently, clapping. 'See? She's the perfect soldier. God, I'm going to enjoy this.'
'I will rip you, limb from limb,' Bucky threatened quietly, glaring at Crossbones.
'Oh, there's an idea. Get him to his feet.' He motioned to the men holding Bucky and they hoisted him to his feet easily enough. Crossbones stepped behind Vielka and turned to smile at Bucky. 'Let him go.'
They released Bucky, stepping back and lowering their aim. Bucky looked from Crossbones to Vielka, before glancing around at the soldiers that stood around him. 'Well, come on, rip me limb from limb. Don't worry about those guys, they've got their orders.'
Bucky glared at Crossbones, before running straight for him. To his surprise, it was Vielka who struck out at him first. She thrust her leg around, attempting to hit him with a round house kick. He slid in time to avoid it, standing upright in time to block a swinging backhand hammer punch from her. There was some great force behind the punch and he wondered exactly how much she had been holding back, all this time.
She tried to punch him again, this time with her left and he caught her arm in the air, thinking to pin her arm behind her, but to his surprise, she dislocated her shoulder, spun around and brought a leg back to sweep his left leg from beneath him. He released her arm immediately, rolling away.
He watched in astonishment as she reset her shoulder, without even flinching.
Crossbones was laughing in the background as she ran at him again, launching a barrage of punches and kicks at him, he managed to block them all, but she was too fast as well as being stronger than he anticipated, he was being backed into a corner.
She managed to slip a knee past his guard, connecting with his ribcage and causing him to fall forward, gasping for air. She grabbed him by his hair with her left hand, hoisting his head up and stared down at him with her lifeless eyes.
'Vielka, come on, wake up,' he groaned. She didn't answer him, instead, drawing one of the swords at her back, slowly.
'This is awesome,' Crossbones laughed almost hysterically, clapping as he did so.
'Crossbones!' came a shout from a gangway above them. Vielka's head whipped around as Steve, Sam, Wanda, T'Challa, Clint and Scott began to drop from the ceiling. There was rifle fire as Crossbones' soldiers opened fire at Captain Armerica and his team.
Bucky quickly grabbed Vielka's sword with his titanium hand, using his spare arm to throw her to the ground with a sickening thud and causing her to release his hair. He tried to punch down at her with his titanium arm, but she rolled out of the way. She was quickly back to her feet, but now ignored Bucky as she ran to Crossbones.
Bucky realised her orders were specific. She was Crossbones personal bodyguard. That was her new programming.
Bucky struggled from his knees, where Vielka had left him. Natasha suddenly appeared at his side. 'Are you okay?' she asked, firing her handgun at a soldier who was running at them. Bucky didn't answer, instead running straight at the soldier, grabbing him with his titanium arm and throwing him angrily at the ground, before grabbing him by the throat and twisting. There was a sickening crack and the soldier lay still. 'I'll take that as a no.'
'It's the only way, these guys are programmable soldiers,' Bucky said, standing up and looking around. 'That's what Vielka is, a programmable soldier. She doesn't want to be though.'
'We heard,' Natasha replied. 'We need to reconsider how we are going to deal with this.'
'We just need to get her out of here,' Bucky replied, looking to where she was now engaging with Steve and T'Challa, defending Crossbones.
Another soldier turned their attention to him and Natasha, but they dispatched of him easily enough together. Bucky hurried over to help Steve and T'Challa, as Vielka fended both of them off easily.
'She's too quick,' Steve panted, picking himself up from where she had just kicked him, recalling his shield. Vielka slashed her swords at T'Challa, who was only just able to avoid them, sliding across the floor in his effort. Steve looked around to see Crossbones retreating towards a side door with Red and Viscount Fiori. 'He's getting away!'
'I'm on it!' Scott shouted, shrinking and disappearing from view. Bucky tried to tackle and restrain V
ielka, but she easily dodged him, moving to bring one of her swords down on him. He quickly brought up his titanium arm to block her strike.
She narrowed her eyes, before they widened and she turned her attention to the door that Crossbones was attempting to exit through. Scott appeared, trying to disable the soldiers that surrounded him, while Sam flew into assist, firing his weapons as he landed.
'Vielka, come on!' Bucky hissed, straining against her strength as she pushed her sword against his titanium arm. She turned her attention back to him, her head tilting slightly, and he thought perhaps she had heard him.
He saw her eyes flash slightly, before she grabbed Bucky's arm that held her sword, easily pulling it back. She then kneed him in the ribs again, causing him to collapse to his knees, and she hammered him with an elbow to the back of his head.
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