Theft of a Life

Ch23

I sigh and tilt my head back as I hold not Wanda's, but Pietro's hair back as he loses his lunch into the bushes.

"You done?" I ask. Thankfully, the light breeze carries off the rancid smell of vomit.

"This was a horrible idea," He mutters in Sokovian, glancing up at me. I curl my lip in an expression between a bitter grin and a sneer as I drop his white hair and glance around. It seems like a lifetime since I was here last- my beach. Not the cleanest beach, but it's my beach. No one's ever here past 4:30- and hardly ever before that, anyways.

"Don't go anywhere, I'm gonna go get Wanda," I put my hands on my hips and port back to the Facility. Wanda and Peter both fly up from on top of and next to a table, spinning around to face me.

"Did he live?" Wanda asks, concern tainting her voice. I nod. Unfortunately. She smiles so hard her eyes squint and her nose scrunches up, spinning in a half circle before turning back to me. "Me next, me next!" She pleads, holding out her hand. I grin and take it, loosening myself and trying to take her with me.

"Hold on!" I warn her, giving no further warning as I port back to near where I left Pietro. For a beautiful split second- a time long enough that I can feel it- I don't exist. I'm everywhere and nowhere all at once, and no part of me truly exists. And then we hit the ground. Wanda's knees give out and she lands hard on the ground, bracing herself on her hands. Pietro appears next to her, hands outstretched, but Wanda just holds up her index finger and takes several deep breaths.

"Just...just give me a- a moment," She manages, looking quite pale. After a moment, Wanda starts to stand up as well. She turns around to face me, smiling harder than before, if possible.

"That was amazing!" She cries, her hair starting to glow red and float away from her in excitement. I smile despite how tired I feel- apparently hauling two other people with me is a lot of work- and turns my body towards Queens.

"Now, onward!" I dramatically point towards a back street that'll get us back into the city- it's about a 15 minute walk.

"Pietro, your turn," Wanda nods to Pietro, who groans. He mutters several curses under his breath and collects Wanda, a pre-rehearsed collaboration that allows him to carry her across the way. I hardly see him round the corner before he's next to me again, looking me over uncomfortably.

"Let's just get this over with," I say through gritted teeth, awkwardly holding my arms out from my sides. I have no idea how this works. Pietro nods quickly.

"Like you said, don't move," He mutters, quickly scooping me up as he did Wanda and very much unceremoniously dumping me next to her. I place a hand on the grimey wall and blink a few times, the dizziness quickly fading. Wanda looks at me and nods.

"Impressive," She notes, walking towards the main street. I shrug and follow after them, buzzing at the excitement of being back in the city- at my own devices, nonetheless. I follow Wanda as she leads towards some restaurant they like. Raising an eyebrow, I slip my hand into a pocket and come back with a pack of gum. Popping a piece into my mouth, I extend it to Pietro, who's watching the whole thing with vague fascination.

"Gum?" I offer, grinning when he takes a piece.

"I didn't see anything," Wanda says over her shoulder in Sokovian.

"Saw what?" I return, also in Sokovian, rifling through a wallet.

"You don't even need money, what's the point?" Pietro asks.

"It's fun?" I shrug, taking the cash and throwing the wallet into a garbage can. We follow Wanda into a restaurant and I stand behind the twins as they order in English, occasionally asking me about if I like this or how I feel about that. I look around, thinking about how many times I passed over this restaurant because I couldn't spare the money and it's structured to avoid theft.