Contest of Champions

43

"It worked," Pietro says exultingly, dressed simply in jeans and a form-fitting blue and grey shirt, as the girl comes up alongside him. She places the second fire bomb carefully on the ground and glances over at the rapidly fleeing Carnage. "It actually worked."

"I told you that you shouldn't doubt me, Pietro," the girl said, grinning, and my eyes are finally able to identify her.

It's Cassie Lang, Scott Lang's daughter. Her long brown hair is tied back in a low ponytail and she wears a T-shirt and jeans, her Army jacket thrown over her outfit and gauntlets wrapped around her wrists. There's a long dagger in her hand that she now tucks into her belt, with Carnage gone from sight.

"I know," Pietro says, wrapping his arm around her shoulders and giving her a side-hug. It's such a brotherly thing to do. At least, for brothers whose sisters aren't goddesses of death.

Then again, I have seen his sister in action, and she's not exactly a normal one, either.

What is normal?

Both Cassie and Pietro turn to me as I just lay there, continuing to blink. Pietro lifts an eyebrow and cocks his head to the side and Cassie puts her hands on her hips. It takes me a minute before I realize they are sizing me up.

"I thought Asgardians were supposed to be impressive," Pietro says, smirking. "You know, like Thor, god of thunder, or Hela, goddess of death."

"What did you expect, Pietro? He is just the god of mischief, after all. Nothing impressive there." Cassie laughed. "Let's get him to safety before Carnage forgets he's scared of us now. We can continue ribbing him later."

I'm not even sure what to say. For a moment there, I forgot I am injured but when I attempt to move, a spike of pain shoots through my abdomen and I wince, gritting my teeth together. Cassie notices instantly.

"Pietro, help me get him up," she demands, and there's a note of firmness in her voice. She's not going to take no for an answer and the way Pietro quickly comes to my side shows me who's in charge in their alliance.

Together, the two of them pull me up and I bite my tongue so as not to yelp. Pietro loops my arm around his shoulders and looks at Cassie.

"Take him to our hideout," she instructs.

"Are you sure you'll be all right on your own?" Pietro asks, his brow furrowing.

Cassie grins at him. "Of course. I still have a fire bomb, and you're fast enough to return for me before Carnage's fear wears off." She holds up her wrists, displaying her gauntlets. "Besides, my dad didn't let me come in here empty handed."

Pietro nods, wrapping his arm around my back, and then jumps into motion. I say jump because there's no other word to describe the transition from standstill into that tear-jerking run of Quicksilver's.

Blue and white flash past me as I'm torn through the air, half-carried, half-dragged by Pietro. I'm quite proud of myself for not screaming, all in all, but when Pietro comes to a stop not a minute later – but it feels like infinity – I'm in a basement. He drops me on the floor, gives me a quick, appraising look, nods when I gasp for breath, and then he's gone within the blink of an eye.

I'm still lying on the floor of the basement when Pietro returns, this time with Cassie in his arms. She laughs as he stops, breathless. "I can't get over that speed, Pietro."

Pietro grins at her in the way I've seen him smile at Wanda, the time he was drawn at the reaping and he glanced back at his sister with a reassuring expression. Also in the times after the entrance and interviews, where he had hugged Wanda and given her a light kiss on the forehead. Cassie has taken Wanda Maximoff's place to Pietro because she's someone he can protect, look out for. To him, protecting Cassie Lang is the only thing he can do for his sister now that he's in the Contest of Champions.