Chapter Text
3 weeks later
Pietro was impatient, but the past few days the mundanity of Wakanda left him feeling quite empty. He knew he should be grateful not to be pushed on every new dangerous mission, but just like many people of the word he missed the rush of heart that it gave him.
And his matchmaking strategies have a small cap on them for now as to past... incidents.
He tried to find other stuff to do, but he couldn't be away for long from his sister nor his mama. But he couldn't just keep running across continents unless he ate a lot, which frankly he did not have the patience for. So for now, anytime you need to find the speedster just look near the agent.
After Elara had found an excuse not to jump in the lake, he visited the princess. Knowing well that Elara would have to say yes if he had proof.
Now he was strutting back to the hut with a wide grin on his face. When he reached there he found James pacing back and forth, right in front of Elara's door. He sped over to him, slightly startling the deep in thought Sergeant.
"Why are you lurking here?" Pietro asked, knowing exactly why he was.
"I-uh" James sighed looking down, as he couldn't find any excuses. "I was gonna spend some time with Elara..."
"Doing what?" Pietro asked wiggling his eyebrows.
James looks down defeated, not noticing the speedster's teasing in his nerves. "I don't know yet."
Pietro coughs loudly to gain the soldier's attention, "You are lucky that I'm generous."
James look at him slightly confused, but Pietro just winks at him before speeding to Elara's door, knocking loudly.
She opened the door, the hut sparkling as she just finished her monthly cleaning. She simply raises an eyebrow at him.
"I talked to the Princess, and you are a liar Mama. The lake does not have crocodiles in them. Ergo, we will be having a pool party."
"With three people?"
Pietro huffs loudly, "Fine. Then a pool gathering or something. Pleaseee Mama." He said, not waiting for an answer as he began pulling her towards the lake.
The he sped on top of the water, and Elara watched from the land alongside James. But Pietro simply couldn't have that, Elara's eyes widened as the blur began getting closer to her. She attempted to hold onto James, but before she could Pietro had successfully pulled her into the lake, fully clothed.
She let her head up the water, spitting out some water that got into her mouth. Looking unamusedly at a grinning Pietro, who had fallen in too in his attempts to make her swim.
She then sharply turned her head to James who was looking far too amused at her state. She sighs, lying down on the water backwards swimming back to the land, accepting her fate... almost accepting it.
As she neared James, she let out a tired groan. So James offered his hand to help her up. She held his hand back, and smiled at him before pushing off the ledge with her legs taking James into the water with her.
He came out of the water, his hair slicked down because of it. A small frown on his face, which turned into a relaxed smile as he heard Elara's laugh.
"Since we're already in here, might as well make something out of it." She says swimming deeper into the lake.
James looks at her swimming away, but he was quickly taken out of his thoughts by a Pietro who canon-balled right in front of him.
The water went straight up his nose, and he looked at the speedster who wasn't even paying attention to him a huge scowl. He glanced at the river then back to Pietro with a scowl, but something caught his eye. It was Elara Vance, floating on her back now, eyes closed, and a breathtaking smile on her face. She was just floating through the lake, the picture of serenity. James felt a violent thud in his chest, and thoughts filled his head.
He swam closer, he just had to be closer.
When she opened her eyes and saw him floating a few feet away, her smile softened, just slightly and just enough to matter. "Water isn't too bad, Sergeant?"
"Could be worse." He said softly, grinning at her attention.
*****
Elara laid on her bed, staring at the ceiling. Low snores and grumbles from Pietro acting as background noise. She was aware James might have a little crush on her. And for a while she thought she did too...
But now she realizes that isn't a case. She turns her head into the pillow, her eyes shut tight hoping it isn't what she thinks it is.
She had fallen in love with the man she is supposed to guide through this time. Sure he might like her a bit, but could he love her. Her brain was screaming at her with questions, when did this happen, why did this happen, even where did it happen. But she couldn't even deny the fact that she had fallen fast for him, in a time she does not know. She twisted and turned in her bed, finally facing the door that led to his hut.
On the other side of the door, James was fighting his own thoughts.
He was hiding a mountain behind a pebble. It was getting more difficult each passing day to hide the feelings he had for her. He had enough and more blood in his ledger to deem her too good for him. But what he fails to understand is that, love finds a way.
Every time he saw her, and even when he doesn't, his thoughts were of her. Always one way or another leading back to her. But he was a man who screamed in his sleep from terrors, one who might even forget his own name sometimes.
The one thing he knew was that he'd never forget her. He wanted to tell her he loved her, he loved her the moment he first saw her. She was burned into his mind, even if he didn't know her as he does now. But he couldn't, but he also couldn't not anymore.
A/N I would pay to see Pietro walk on water. I hope you enjoyed this chapter.
Have a great day!!!