The New Avenger

Eyebrows

Peters POV:

Even though having a pocket knife makes sense it doesn't seem like a suggestion that anyone who wasn't experienced in combat would make. And a pocket knife? Really? I mean, no offence, but what can a pocket knife do against guns?That old saying, don't bring a knife to a gun fight, well that still applies. 

"I get what you mean by a knife being more low profile, but don't you think blasters are a little more, oh I don't know, user friendly?" I don't mean it to sound like an insult and I don't think it does. Sometimes, though, I can't tell. The fact that nobody is looking offended is heartening. 

"Probably." Percy shrugs, "But I'm more comfortable with a pocket knife than whatever Stark'll cook up."

"I'm not sure if I should be offended." Mr. Stark might not know if he should be offended, but he's definitely disappointed. 

"Don't be offended!" Percy looks slightly worried, "You're only allowed to be offended when I'm trying to offend you." He gives what looks like an almost trademark smirk.

"You say you're comfortable with a knife? How'd you learn that?" Rogers asks, and for the first time since I told him we could trust Percy I see distrust on his face. He doesn't want to be quick to judge, that much is obvious. Except he doesn't trust Percy. Well, he doesn't trust how Percy become comfortable with a knife.

"When I was a kid-" Percy starts.

"Look, not that I don't love a good story but can we have the truth?" Mr. Stark tries to make this into a joke. It almost works. "But you know, sometimes the truth can be more entertaining than fiction."

Percy sees that Mr. Stark isn't trying to pick a fight, and to my surprise he doesn't either. Still, this isn't easy for him. Not easy at all. And if we're not careful, if we push him to far, we'll just get more lies, so carefully sculpted we won't be able to tell them from truth.

"Percy," I lower my voice so only he can hear, "if you can't tell us everything yet just tell us what you can. Please, if we know what you can do we can plan my Aunts rescue better. I have to save her, it's my fault she's gone in the first place. You know I have to save her, please, please help me do that." I don't know why I added that last bit, guilt trips should be below me. On most of the people I know, most of the people in this business, a guilt trip won't do a thing. Showing attachment is showing weakness. And showing weakness? You might as well already be dead. 

"I get in trouble a lot, with bad people. They hardly count has people once you see who they really are." He looks vaguely disgusted but also like he's making a joke. It seems like we should have a translator to tell us all the things he isn't saying, all the double meanings in his words. Except that would probably take a month or seven longer than we have. "So yeah, they never seem to like mean very much except for maybe as a punching bag or something. I guess with all that learning to defend myself sort of became a priority." 

"How good would you say you are?" Captain Rogers asks.

"If you can get me a balanced blade I can take Remix once I get close, doesn't matter how good she is." Percy shrugs as though it's no big deal.

"Don't you think that's a little over confident?" Captain Rogers seems annoyed, he doesn't like people who think they're gods gift to mankind. Normally I don't either, but I find myself believing Percy. Whoever or whatever is waiting for him, he can take it.

"I didn't mean to sound cocky, it's just that I've been training with blades since I was 12 years old. If she can take me then she's might as well have already won." Something like this would make most people proud, they'd say it with a condescending look on their face, staring down their nose at you. Not Percy though. He looks like he'd give anything to not have that experience, to not know how to wield a blade, to stand here completely befuddled, unable to do a thing.