☑ THE SHADOW | Peter Maximoff

t h i r t e e n

~ 𝐀𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐚 ~

"Peter?"

"Yeah?"

Tears pricked Amara's eyes. Her head rested against the bars that led to Peter's cell while he sat the same way, making them back to back. She stared up at the ceiling and swallowed thickly.

She knew what was coming. They were just injected by something that was probably giving Remedy control over her powers, and after all of the talking that came from Dr. Dietrich, she knew he was going to want her to show off her mutation soon.

From the little information she heard, the injections came in doses. Lots of them. They had to be dispersed hours apart over quite a few days, and it was crucial that all of it was administered, or the injection wouldn't be fully effective. But she didn't know the numbers, or how long it would take.

Or, more importantly, what would happen to her when it was fully administered.

"I need you to promise me something, okay?"

It was silent for a minute, where she played with her nails to pass the time.

"It depends on what the promise is," he answered softly.

Her tears welled even further, and she wiped away the one that fell down her cheek.

"If... if they ever get me to lose control over It... I want you to run away. Just... just run Peter." Her voice cracked as she said his name, and she sniffled. "You'll know that it's happening because my eyes, they'll... it'll look like I'm being possessed, and I'll be speaking but... it won't be me. The words will be... different."

Amara bit her lip to stop herself from continuing on. There was something else, right on the tip of her tongue. But she couldn't say it.

He had already been hurt so badly - he had gone through so much. What if she was the one that ended up killing him? All because she couldn't control her mutation, like she'd spent her entire life trying to do.

When she didn't receive an answer, Amara turned her head to look into Peter's cell. He was already looking at her.

"Aya, we're in this together," he murmured. "I'm not going to leave you."

Her chin quivered and her throat became thick. "I don't want to hurt you."

"Aya-"

"Amara."

She sniffled when Peter paused.

"What?"

"A-Amara. That... that's my name." Her head fell back against the bars. "I just thought someone should know before I die."

She knew that she was going to die alone. That was her plan all along. But she didn't think that it would be in a place like this - and she certainly didn't think it would be anywhere near Peter.

"Oh," he said. "So, why do people call you Aya?"

She shrugged. "I couldn't pronounce my name as a kid, so everyone just called me that. I don't bother correcting anyone anymore, even if I don't like it. People don't see me enough, anyway."

"You're not going to die here, Amara," Peter said, which made her turn to look at him again. "One day. Someone's going to find us, or we're gonna get out. We'll be okay."

Tears pricked her eyes again. "How do you do it?"

"Do what?"

"How- how do you stay so- so optimistic and happy, and how can you be around people without just getting so... frustrated, and..."