Avengers - Lost Souls 2.5

Kerica's cheeks were flaming after the little kiss, but she shook her head and cleared her throat, "Are your visions subjective or are they more or less set in stone?" as she said stone, she went to the necklace rack, grabbing three...the two she'd seen before and then a third, that wasn't as dark as the ruby dragon claw but not as bright silver as the opal, with a pale blue stone for March, and pulled out her card, since she'd used all her in-hand cash, "I'll take these necklaces'...as a promise to you that we can make it. We're all fighters."

"Subjective though there are times where it's set in stone." Cassandra said as she thought about it. "Example being my little brother is about to find out that his wife's pregnant with a second kid. Another girl." She looked at Kerica. "Subjective is always changing. Every little detail, thought, and decision so...I try to give the best. I never doubted you nor Steve or Bucky. You all made the decision. Bucky made his a long time ago too. So perhaps you shouldn't promise me. Give the necklaces out as promises to each other. That might be a start." Cassandra took the card went to the cash register. After ringing it up, she smiled. "We're going to meet again. Two more times in fact. At least, Steve and I will. Maybe you."

"I hope so! I hope a /lot/ more than that, really," Kerica nodded, securing the blue one in her pocket and wearing the red one immediately, delighting in how it shined in the lighting of the store, "My question to you is...Will we get to keep Bucky? Not...now, because J.J. is uncomfortable with us, but...later? Steve just found him again. Even if he says he's okay with Buck's decision to leave like you mentioned in his reading, he really won't be."

"Here's what I think," She said slowly. "I think that right now he's torn in two. Had things been different, had situations not been the way they were and certain decisions not been agreed on or disagreed on, he would stay. But you have to understand that the way he's torn at the moment isn't about what he feels. It's about whats' important. Safety is the key."

She paused in thought, "Would he come back? I think he might. I think that he will. I think that the way he comes back though, will scare everyone because he's going to lose someone very dear to him. And he's going to want her back, because if he doesn't....well...everyone knows what kind of massacre she'll cause."

J.J. did attack her because she wasn't colorful enough. Bucky had been through things with her that she wasn't even sure about. Kerica took a deep breath and let it out slowly, "Then when we come to that bridge, we'll do what we can to cross it and get her back. I know we will. If she's important to Bucky, then she's important to Steve. That's how he works. I would say you should work with us, but...that'd be an abuse of power, now wouldn't it?" she smiled but it didn't quite reach her eyes, "It'll take time, and lots of it, but it will all be worth it." She bowed politely, "Steve's probably wondering what's taking me so long. See you," she waved and hurried out of the store.

()

J.J blinked a little when she heard the door knock insistently. She carefully stretched up to a downward dog position from lying on her stomach and walked her hands back up to her feet. She had been reading on the tablet that Tony gave her and she came across motorcycles. Almost everyone in the Avengers seemed to know how to ride if not operate them. It made her fingers itch on trying to find one in a junkyard and bring it back to the labs just to see if she could fix it up to her fancy.

But then you'd have to leave it.

The door knocked again. Less insistent, more hesitant.

"I know." J.J sighed as she looked around at the empty room. Bucky was down at the gym with Steve. Probably trying to tire him out through exercising. She stretched and walked to the door, opening gently. "Hello."

"Jay-Jay!" Pietro chirped as he flung his arms around her and pressed his cheek against hers, "Hello! Oh, what are you working on now?!" She had made her temporary room a sort of workspace, tools and parts strewn everywhere.

"I'm thinking a motorcyle." J.J grinned as he hugged her. She hugged him back and looked at her room. "I was reading and found different types of motorcycles. I want to build one. Something like from Advent Children where Cloud has all those swords in the cycle, but instead of swords, they need to be smaller and compact." She explained. "Knives, guns, something like that and if that's not feasible, then I just want a fast motorcyle. Real fast. Something that could probably race you." It was a high achievement, and one that she knew wouldn't work since Pietro would never be beaten by a motorcycle, but the idea remained. Something super fast.

"Oh! I have a really fast motorcycle," Pietro beamed, "Steve showed me how to ride it. Scared Clint and Wanda half to death vhen I had a bunch of scrapes and bruises from turning too sharp and skidding it. Ve vere out in ze open back at ze other base so it didn't have anything to /crash/ into, zankfully," he nodded, "Ya couldn't build a motorcycle in here, too cramped. I like zat idea, zough." He bounced a bit on the balls of his feet, "Would you like to go out with me?" he asked softly, expression shy, "I can't ride as fast in the city, but we could use my bike and go to Central Park? Go see flowers outside instead of the gardens here. There's lots of places to go, like the Museum of National History and several legit Botanical Gardens...even the Butterfly Gardens in Brooklyn!"

J.J blinked. He was right about not being able to build one in here. She would have to badger Tony for lab space. She was certain that she would get it somehow. Yet, the thought of going outside scared her just a little. "I like the idea of the parks and gardens." She said slowly as she unfolded her arms, not realizing that she had folded them to begin with.

Stop being a scaredy-cat. Jesus.

"I have concerns." J.J frowned deeply at the thought. "I don't wanna get lost in the city, and people talk a lot in their heads. Makes it spin."

That's why he suggested the garden. If you do not get out of this room I'll-

J.J quickly grabbed Pietro's arm. "You chose first on where to go. I trust you."

"Central Park then! It's really open, so we won't run into a lot of people. Good thing you can't really hear me, huh?" Pietro pulled her closer to him and after turning off the light and closing the door, he led her towards the elevator, his other hand over hers and he looked down at her with a soft expression, "Once you're comfortable, we can go to the Butterfly House. We don't have to, though, if you don't want to. We'll see," He nodded mostly to himself and pressed the B button for Basement where the cars were.

They reached his bike after several minutes and he pulled two helmets out of the big round metal box on the back, handing her the black one and putting the one that matched his bike on himself. Electric blue with silver and white streaks along the sides of it like wings. Even the wheel rims were a shimmering blue color. The shape was very aerodynamic and he swung his leg over first, turning his key and revving it up and Friday beeped that she was opening the garage door, "Hop on," he looked back over at her, the visor clear and his eyes sparkling and portraying his excitement since she couldn't see his shit-eating grin with the way the helmet was designed.

J.J grinned, putting the helmet on as she walked over to the bike and swung her leg over. She gripped his waist tightly and let out a loud laugh as he suddenly revved the engine and sped out of the basement and into the city's traffic. He couldn't go fast, he had to go with the speed limit, but it was just perfect and fun.

Especially when they did the turns for the corners. It gave her ideas on how to build her own bike and what kind she wanted to start with for a base.

They got to Central Park and after finding a place to park his bike, Pietro locked up the helmets and laughed softly at her helmet hair and fluffed it a little bit, then let her ruffle his own hair before he caught her arm in his again and led her down the walkway, just wandering. If a path forked, he would go one way, and at another fork he'd let her chose the direction. They went on like this, sometimes stopping to look at the flowers, and eventually they got to one of the many ponds, "You know I think Kerica comes out here to take pictures. She does do photography. I haven't seen her do it in a while, though."

J.J frowned a little as they walked. "I had my picture taken once..a few times. I don't like it anymore." She carefully let go of his grip and knelt down by the pond, looking at the water lost in thought. "Robbie took my picture last. I still have that picture. He gave it to me. It's in the bag." She gestured over towards where they had come from in the park. "I don't know what to do with it. I'm trying to keep it from getting damaged, but it's hard. I have it in a temporary frame right now."

"I wonder if you'd prefer to be behind the camera more," Pietro murmured softly to himself and he watched the ducks swimming around, "I think your Robbie would be happy you're safe. You could always put the picture up in your room. I know you talk about leaving, but the room would still be there for you if you ever came back. You know that right? Tony's got lots of room, he won't miss it." He noticed some kids on the other side of the pond throwing bread. In a flash he was there and back, with two bread slices and handed her one, "Let's feed the ducks!"

J.J grinned as she stood up from her position. Carefully, she tore the bread so that the ducks could eat it better and tossed it into the pond. Some of the ducks who were starting to come over towards the kids, turned course since J.J and Pietro were nearer. "...Is this a courting ritual or a mating one?" She asked after a moment of silence.

"I...vhat?!" Pietro stared at her with wide eyes, "N-No! Not...not mating. C-Courting, maybe? Dating? I vanted to zink of it as a date..." his face had flushed hotly and he tore a small piece off and tossed it, "I like yu...you're interesting. I like hearing ze way yu zink and spending time vith yu. I zink you're really pretty, too..." he was rambling and his voice grew quieter with each sentence.

J.J fell silent for a moment as she tore another piece of bread. "I like you. You're safe and your sister is safe." She said after a moment of silence. "You're kind to me and I don't get that a lot. I like spending time with you too. But I want to get to know you more. I want to be your friend before I say we can court. I don't want a connection based on one thing. Please understand?"

A considering moment of thought. Pietro drooped a little at first. He'd never felt this strongly toward someone, but as he tried to look at it from her perspective, he knew she was right. It had only been a couple days, after all. Even Steve and Kerica had been friends first and comrades in war before they just agreed to start dating. He realized he had been coming on quite strongly, and he turned sheepish for another reason, "I'm so sorry. I did not mean to push yu. Of course ve can be friends first! Zis can just be a simple little outing, zen! Forgive me?" he smiled at her shyly.

J.J smiled gently and took his hand into hers. "No forgiveness for honesty." She told him simply. "I could use the outing. The Tower was getting cramped and people on the streets were making me antsy. Thank you for getting me out before I went crazy."

"I am glad I could help, either way," Pietro smiled, squeezing her hand, before taking it back and tossing some more bread pieces to the ducks, playfully quacking with one of them when it swam up real close. It was almost like they were really having a conversation. Then he grinned at J.J. "Yu know yu can ask me anything, right?"

"You can ask me the same thing." J.J agreed after a moment as she bent down and tried to touch one of the ducks. Of course, none of them wanted to be touched, but she didn't let that disturb her. "Hm. If your little sister went missing for years...and suddenly came back....how would you reconnect with her?"

"I would want to hug her and tl her how much I missed her, but I would see how she is doing first," Pietro answered immediately, "I would probably try and reconnect by doing the things she wants to do, and if she can't think if anything tjow out suggestions and go from there. I wouldn't want her to leave me again, so I'd try to make her as comfortable as possible. If she doesn't want to stay, I would be heartbroken... but I would let her go and hope to see her again."

J.J sighed as she stood up and stretched. "I wonder if Slate is trying to do the same thing. Says he wants to know me, but then I haven't spoken to him since. Maybe it hurts for him to see me. Can't blame him, wouldn't blame him. Too different now." She thought about it for a moment. "He was...proud of me for surviving the Cage. I don't know if he should be. Don't know if he knows what it is that I lost. That I gained." She tilted her head a for a moment. "But pride has nothing to do with that, I know. Just happy I am alive. But at what cost? It's a hard story. A harder riddle. I can't read him, so I can't solve it."

"Slate works mainly at the other base, and he probably hasn't had another day off," Pietro reminded, "I think he'll come by as soon as he's able. What /would/ you like to do with him? Give him a chance before you judge him too harshly. If he said he was proud of you and wanted to get to know you, then he is and he will." He finished tearing up his piece of bread and stuck his thumbs in his pockets as he continued to watch the ducks, "You're overthinking things."

What would she do. J.J hummed as she placed her hand on her chin. "Stop being difficult." J.J scolded but it wasn't really to Pietro. "I guess I'd do what I do with you. Park, feed the ducks, and see what else he wants to do." She sighed. "Complicated...sometimes."