I have always been incredibly shy, and my powers definitely aided in that.
It took a while to warm up to people, to trust people.
I remember the first time I saw Wanda.
I had been on the raft for about 3 years when she arrived.
She walked by my cell. She looked exhausted and had one of those power-controlling collars on, similar to mine.
She was walking in a line with a bunch of other new prisoners. Her eyes were glued to the ground.
But, as she waited in line while another prisoner resisted being put into his cell.
Her eyes snapped up from the ground, looking directly at me.
She lifted an eyebrow and maintained eye contact with me as she began walking with the now-moving line of people. Until she disappeared from my line of sight.
A few minutes later, between the sounds of people hitting the class of their cell and the screaming.
I heard the cell next to mine door open. A grunt, and then a slam.
Great, another screaming neighbor. My old neighbor was a yeller, but he kicked the bucket a few days prior. So, I finally got a little bit of peace.
He was nice though. Besides the yelling. I had no idea what he looked like, but I knew he was old. He would tell me about how he had been on the run for all of his life. But one tip finally led to his capture.
He spent most of his time crying for his family, but when he wasnt, he was lovely.
I heard another grunt, sounding like it was from pain coming from the cell next to mine.
It happened a few times, then I heard a sigh.
"It's going to keep shocking you," I said, in barely a whisper.
"Hello?" I heard a female voice say.
I honestly didn't expect whoever was on the other side of the glass to hear me.
I couldn't bring myself to respond. That newfound boldness I had previously had, very much disappeared.
"Wanda."
My eyes shot up to the wall between our cells.
"My name. It's Wanda."
I got off of my cot very slowly and went towards the wall. Sitting on the floor with my back against it.
"Y/n." I said, again, barely in a whisper.
"Y/n.." She said as if she was testing out my name.
We sat in silence for a long time, until it was lights out.
This was our routine for a while. I could always sense when she was sitting against the wall, and it felt like she could sense when I was there as well.
It was comforting.
"Y/n?"
My attention got brought back to reality.
I didn't answer, but she knew she had my attention.
"How long have you been here?" She said it like she was afraid to spook a stray cat.
There was a long silence.
"4 years..." I said, this time, not in a whisper.
I waited in response.
".... How old are you?" Wanda said,
"23."
I heard her sigh.
"I'm sorry.."
"It's okay. I've made my peace with it." I tried to reassure her.
This is the longest conversation we have ever had.
Over the next few weeks, we began talking more. I began talking more.
I had a friend, for the first time in my entire life. It was a new experience for me.
One day, the doors to our cell block opened.
"Be quick" I heard a man's voice say.
I saw a man begin opening cells for some of the others, which I now know were the avengers.
I listened as he finally went to Wanda's cell,
"Come on kid, we are getting out of here."
I heard her door open, then the sound of her shock collar falling to the ground.
"Let's go." The man said.
"No, wait."
She rushed to my cell.
Looking at me.
"What are you doing?" The man said annoyed.
"I am not leaving without her."
Her hands lit up red, and she broke the lock to my cell.
I just stare up at her from my spot on the ground as she opened the door.
She came close to me, putting her hand out.
I flinched in response, a conditioned habit.
"Do you trust me?" She said.
I don't know what came over me, maybe it was the look in Wandas eyes. Or the tone of voice she used.
But I did.
I trusted her.
I grabbed her hand, and she helped me to my feet.
She looked into my eyes and nodded.
We rushed out of the cell.
The tall man put his hand to his ear,
"Okay, got it."
He turned to us.
"Everyone else is out. They are waiting on us. Let's go."
We left the cell block, and as soon as we did, alarms started going off.
"They know we are here." He said.
We began running down corridor after corridor.
We turned a corner, there was a group of armors men with their backs to us.
The man, -made us retreat back around the corner.
He was looking around frantically, trying to figure out what to do.
We began hearing footsteps getting closer.
I turned to Wanda,
"Do you trust me?"
She looked surprised.
She nodded.
"Don't move," I said.
I reached out and put my hand around Wanda's arm and around the man's arm.
"What are you?" The man said in a whisper.
"Sh." I hushed him.
I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. Letting that tingle run through me.
The men turned the corner and ran right past us.
We all watched quietly as the men ran down the corridor and turn another corner out of sight.
I opened my eyes and released the man and Wanda from my grasp. I let out a few shallow breaths, trying to regulate my breathing.
Wanda put her hand on my shoulder and nodded at me in approval.
"Let's go."
And with that, we left. Meeting up with a few others on a helicopter.
After that, well.
Eventually, everyone was pardoned.
After being on the run for a while.
We all moved into the compound.
I followed Wanda everywhere when we first arrived.
No one really knew me, and I was extraordinarily shy.
That's how Tony came up with my nickname.
Shadow.
Honestly, fitting.