ADORE ↠ b. barnes [III]

four

"You shouldn't worry yourself too much about me. I'm fine." Nadenka teased, Pietro rolling his eyes but sending her a smirk.

"If I don't worry about you, who will keep you from getting into trouble, draga mea?" He asked her, making sure he was supporting her enough so that she wouldn't feel any pain.

"You certainly won't." She told him playfully, the boy laughing and shaking his head.

"Oi." He mumbled, observing the castle as the doors opened. "Feels like it was yesterday when we were last here."

"It was three months ago." Nadenka told him with a raised eyebrow, the boy shrugging.

"Still. Too soon." He held her close to him, telling himself that it was just because she couldn't walk, it was just because he needed him because of her wound...

... But he knew it was the bad feeling in his gut that made him hold her close. And he was terrified.

"If I hit you, will you calm down?"

"Always so aggressive, Nad." He chuckled. "But no. You hitting me won't make me calm down. On the contrary, I might have to fight you back. And with you wounded like this, I might actually win this time."

"I can take you even with this injury, Pietro." The boy smirked, sending her a wink and letting go of her arms for a second.

"You can take me anytime, prinţesă." Nadenka laughed loudly, turning slightly so that he wouldn't notice her blushing cheeks— which, unfortunately, he did, and it only made him laugh harder.

When his laughter died down, Nadenka began overthinking again.

She could feel butterflies in her stomach— an entire damn zoo,— and her hands begin to sweat. Her feet were walking on their own accord and a million situations of what could happen began thundering around her head.

What if they thought she was a monster?

What if they preferred just seeing her as a purple silhouette?

What if she wasn't talented or smart enough?

What if they didn't love her?

Nadenka took the deepest breath she's ever taken and focused her strength on moving. Her blue eyes seemed calm to the ordinary sight, but if her frændi Ezekyel looked at her, she knew he'd be able to catch every single thought running through her mind.

So, she focused ahead, avoiding eye contact and pushing her body just a little closer to Pietro— knowing he was her anchor during her worst fears.

"Should we bow?" Nadenka heard Bruce ask, the girl looking at him and almost laughing at the reply James Rhodes gave him.

"Yeah, he's a king."

No. Don't bow. Nadenka thought to herself, a small part of her wishing to tell him but the other and the one she went with allowing Rhodes to make his joke.

Nadenka found T'Challa leading his soldiers, standing firm and elegantly as he welcomed the heroes, the damaged and the wronged. He wore a neutral expression, but she could spot the pride in his gaze from being chosen to help in such an important and majestic cause.

"Seems like I'm always thanking you for something." Steve spoke, Nadenka scoffing quietly.

"You're telling me about it." She mumbled, Pietro grinning slightly.

As Steve shook T'Challa's hand, Bruce bowed, and Rhodes coughed uncomfortably and looked at thin.

"What are you doing?" T'Challa asked and shook his hand dismissively. "We don't do that here." Bruce glared at Rhodes and T'Challa looked at Nadenka, a small smile forming on his lips.

After all, it hadn't been just HYDRA to train the young warrior.

Okoye sent the blonde a nod, making Nadenka straighten slightly at the sight of her teacher as she nodded back with a soft smile on her pink lips. She then looked at T'Challa and they shook hands, him doing the same with Pietro.

"So, how big of an assault should we expect?" T'Challa asked, Pietro and Nadenka walking next to Okoye as the woman looked at the injured blonde.

"Where did you fail, Barnes?" She asked the girl, Nadenka sighing and trying to not make it obvious that she was in pain.

"I left my stomach unguarded, as you can see. But I don't think it counts, they had a hold of my arms." She tried to excuse, perfectly aware that she wouldn't get away with it.

"Excuses? You still had your legs."

        "Kneeling, couldn't move."

       "Could've used your powers."

       "You know Uncle Steve and Aunt Nat prefer that I don't." Okoye smiled at the young girl, knowing the she was taking everything she had been taught into account.

       "Good." She said, admiring that, even though she was hurt, she had managed to keep up a fight before she was. And knowing Nadenka, who was as stubborn as the good half-Jupiterian she was, did not go down without a fight.

       "Sir, sir. I think you should expect quite a big assault." Bruce said, his nerves being heard in his voice. Nadenka and Okoye exchanged a glance, and like the rest of the group, ignored his comment.

       "How are we looking?" Natasha asked.

       "You will have my Kingsguard, the Border Tribe, the Dora Milaje and-"

        "And a semi stable 100 year old man and a former three thousand year old Jupiterian."

       And when she heard their voices, was when Nadenka Barnes-Ljós felt the air leave her lungs and her heart beating faster than the speed of light...

       ... because her parents were finally standing right in front of her.

It's tiiiiiiiime! A reunion is in order and I can't wait!

Allura and James are back, Nat and Ezekyel are together and Nadenka and Pietro are better than ever! I love them too much, to be honest.

I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Soon, The Barnes-Ljós family will be together as they should.

Stay safe!

- evanescence2016