Carmine Jewels ║ Wanda Maximoff

Chapter 82 - Chasing Memories

Clint opened his mouth to say something but closed it again when no words came out. He was touched by the blonde's concern for his life, but he felt like he needed to redeem himself. To not look like a complete monster if he was reunited with his family. "Keira, I- I-"

But Keira shushed him with a look and grasped his hands in her own. "You already deserve to see them again. You are worthy of their love, regardless of what you have done. Let me do this, okay? Let me be the hero for once."

There it was.

The reason why Keira had volunteered as a test subject in the first place, but been denied due to Scott knowing more about the Quantum Realm. Why she would never allow Clint to go when there was even a chance they could get his family back.

And as Clint met her gaze, he finally understood her urge to do this. While he regarded himself as a monster for the things he had done during the last five years, it was nothing compared to what Keira felt about herself.

For all the things she had done under HYDRA's control. For all the innocent lives she had taken.

Just like Natasha, she tried her best to wipe the red out of her ledger.

"Okay, okay." Clint said reluctantly, shaking his head in defeat. "You win, Key." He didn't like this, but what choice did he have? The mutant had a past she wished to make up for, so maybe he should let her try.

When they returned to the group to announce that Keira would take over the test run, it didn't take many seconds for Scott to slide out of the suit like a greased-up slug. Taking the suit from Scott, she held it out in front of her, eyeing it. "I sure hope these adapt to the body, or I'm filing a complaint to HR."

"Do we even have an HR?" Scott questioned, scratching his neck.

"Don't think so. Still doesn't mean I can't complain." Keira shrugged before pulling the suit on. Lucky for Tony, the suit did adapt to her body, so complaining until his ears fell off proved unnecessary. It was surprisingly comfortable, almost like a second skin over the clothes she was already wearing.

From the corner of her eye, a movement caught her attention.

Out of reflex more than anything, she quickly grabbed ahold of the arm that was reaching for her, twisting and locking it behind the poor unsuspecting person's back. Only when she was pressing the person up against the wall, did Keira notice that it was in fact, Nebula.

Quickly releasing the blue woman, she backed away with her hands slightly raised. "Shit! I'm really sorry, Nebula. I didn't mean to do that. Guess I'm still a bit..."

"Jumpy? On edge?" Nebula suggested, a very unimpressed look on her face. She rubbed the spot where the mutant had grabbed her, sensing the damage that had been done to her arm.

"I'm so sorry." Keira said sheepishly, her gaze flicking between Nebula's face and forearm. Damn, the guilt was killing her. It hadn't been on purpose.

Clint, who had taken her spot by the wall, just shook his head. "New rule, don't sneak up on people in the compound. We're all traumatized."

"I'm not!" Scott exclaimed, raising a hand as if he was a school child. But he quickly lowered it at the glares he received.

Nebula just shrugged. "It happens." And this time, she made sure to approach from the front so she could work on the suit without getting her arm twisted.

"Sorry." Keira repeated, and tried to make up for her mistake by standing extra still as Nebula fine-tuned the timesuit. It appeared that the blue woman knew what she was doing, as Tony trusted her enough to put in the finishing touches while he worked with Rocket on the platform.