Chapter Text
"Are you sure you have everything you need?"
With the phone pressed between your ear and shoulder, you let out a chuckle in reaction to your father's speech.
"Yes, Captain Rogers, I'm sure." You retort good-naturedly, adjusting the box in your hands and opening the bedroom door with your foot. "I already got the last box, and I have the tour with the monitor girl now, so I gotta go. I'll call you later, Dad."
Steve sighed. "Okay, kiddo, take care. I love you!"
You hummed back as you put the box down on the bed to turn off your cell phone and put it away in your pocket.
Your gaze circled the messy room for a moment. All the boxes filled with your belongings scattered around, and you wondered for a moment how they would look organized there, the posters, the decorations. Sighing softly, you made your way out behind the room of the monitor responsible for introducing the Xavier Institute to you.
Fortunately, you didn't have to look far. Natasha Romanoff was chatting with two other girls at the end of the female dormitory hallway and offered you a kind smile just before dismissing the girls when you reached them.
"Everything okay with your room, Rogers? "She asked, calling you by your last name, and you cleared your throat to say thank you.
"Yeah. And I actually prefer Stark." You blurted out, to which the girl raised an eyebrow. You didn't clarify why, and she didn't insist.
"All right, Stark. Let's begin with the dorm anyway, since most of us spend most of our time, especially the seniors, locked in here while we try to keep up with the classes the stricter professors give us." She leads off casually, walking further ahead. "Your room is 121, and mine is the last on the right. The blackboard on the side of each door is for identification and for cool messages, like Jean and her good morning messages. Or, Anna and her moody messages in response to that."
You chuckled short, looking back to see if you could identify the pictures of the said girls, and smiled when you saw Jean's one outlined 'Someday you'll go far" and the other door, which you assumed was Anna’s was written 'and I really hope you stay there’ .
"They seem fun." You mutter to Nat who nods in agreement.
"You have no idea." She says mysteriously before gesturing to another wall. "Over there is our bulletin board. Everything relevant at the Institute gets notified here. Scheduling exams, club applications, official events, and so on. If you miss something and are selling something, you can put an ad here too. Oh, look at this, Peter is offering tutoring..."
"Can boys come in here?" You asked curiously, and Nat giggled.
"Officially, no." She retorted. "But no one's a snitch if you want to bring a boyfriend. The Parker boy sure didn't come in, he's not allowed anymore. He probably asked some girl to paste the poster here." Nat explained, pulling out one of the contact wires, and tucking it away in her pocket. "Come on, I'll take you to see the rest of the place."
The institute was huge as the application website said. Natasha took you to see everything from the main study building, labs, and classrooms, to the gym and volleyball courts outside.
"We also have a hiking club, which does its trips through there all the way down to the bay." She informs you as you both reach the east side of the outside hall of the main building, pointing to the tall trees a short distance away. You see that there are markings at the entrance with symbols of that club. "They, like most clubs, are still open for applications if you have any interest."
You chuckle awkwardly. "Sounds fun, but I think I'll just focus on classes this year." You mutter and Nat shrugs her shoulders.
"it's up to you." She says. "If you change your mind, they'll reopen enrollment in the middle of the year, or of course, if you befriend the leader or offer to buy lunch for all the members. I've seen the last one happen firsthand." She comments with a wink.
Natasha introduces you lastly to the pools and then leads you to the entrance of the Institute.
"Do you have your schedule yet?" She asks, and you nod. "Well, it's the only fixed time besides curfew at 10 p.m. Don't let the Drax Guard catch you walking around outside of curfew, okay? He's not very sympathetic, and he always seems to be invisible, so it's impossible to tell where he's hiding waiting for us..." She counters, and you laugh softly at the indignant tone of voice. Nat looks around and nods to a few students who greet her before gesturing further ahead. "The bus stop is over there, those who decided not to stay in the dorm usually use the circular vans and show up here at class time. If you have the day off, you can take one of them to go into town, they are always around and a lot of people like to eat lunch outside of here. Are you 18 yet?"
"Yeah."
"Great, then you can sleep out without permission." She explains with a smile. "The underage students do it on the sly, and usually have to come back before their first class so they don't get spotted by Drax. Anyway, I think that's about it, do you have any questions?"
You lift your chin toward the corner. " The train station doesn't work anymore?"
Nat raises an eyebrow. " You know it there?"
You smile awkwardly, nodding. "Yeah, I used to live here when I was younger. I went to live in New York about five years ago when my dads got divorced."
Nat stares at you and then lets out a small exclamation. "Wait, you're part of the Stark family, from the south side? The former owners of the Power Plant?"
You shift the weight of your feet. "Yep, that's them." You agree clumsily. Nat chuckles.
"Wow, aren’t you guys super rich?"
You laugh through your nose, scratching the back of your head. "Not anymore..."
Nat slaps her hand on her forehead softly. "Oh, shit, sorry. Of course! All that commotion after all. Your whole family left Westview for that, huh? Why did you come back?"
You clear your throat, looking away. "Look, maybe I should finish organizing my room, I still have to visit the counselor. But the tour was lovely, Natasha, thank you very much for that."
Nat hesitates, but seeing that you were uncomfortable with the questioning, she quickly nods and lets you go.
On the way to the dorms, you try not to think about your old life in Westview, but it is impossible not to.
–//–
Natasha didn't lie about the difficulty of the lessons at the Institute.
You would have thought it was because you were in your last year, but you saw younger students locked in the library with piles of books and articles on their desks when you went to get some, so you knew it must be standard teaching. It made sense, the Institute was a renowned institution throughout the United States.
Your curriculum, fortunately, was not so busy. Apart from the compulsory subjects of regular school and the chosen course, you had a lot of free time, especially in the afternoons. Too bad you spent most of this time studying and doing homework.
It had been almost a month since you had started your classes, and all you had done so far was stay in your room studying, not even visit the old train station - which by now you knew had been decommissioned shortly after the power plant - or the rest of the city.
At least you were making friends. Peter Parker, Kate Bishop, and Yelena Belova were your closest colleagues. Yelena was your next-door neighbor, and on your first day, she helped you with the locker room shower trick.
It was a funny situation actually. She was quite inquisitive, and definitely very comfortable with her own body. You left the shower stall in a towel and almost stumbled away when you found the girl leaning on the sink - completely naked - brushing her teeth.
And she stood there, saying nothing, watching you change.
"I like your tattoo." She declared suddenly, and it took you a few seconds to understand that it was with you.
"O-oh, thanks." You say clumsily, sticking your head through the hole in your shirt. "My dad would kill me if he found out though."
She laughs, spitting toothpaste into the sink and washing her mouth before turning to you again. "You sneaked it out to make it?"
You hesitate, but then clear your throat, denying it. "Actually, no." You mutter. "My other dad took me to make it, for my sixteenth birthday. He wanted... something for me to remember him."
Yelena blinked in surprise, absorbing your confession. And then she grabbed the towel and covered her body. "It's a nice tattoo, he had good taste." She said gently before leaving the garment.
The next day, she sat at your table during breakfast. And during lunch. And the next day too, and the others as well.
You found out that Yelena was Natasha's adopted sister - and she was pleased to hear that you were adopted too - and despite her being a few months younger than Nat, they were both in their last year like you.
In the second week, Yelena was mumbling her way through her calculus homework and was approached by a boy from the next table over.
"I can help if you want." He offered gently, but her grimace widened.
"I don't need your help, Parker." She retorted annoyed, but he sighed.
"Come on Yelena, there's nothing wrong with needing help..."
But Yelena collected her things and left the table, and you were completely confused by the whole thing. The boy sighed again before leaning a little toward you.
"Sorry about that. I'm trying to convince her that there's no shame in needing tutoring." Informed the boy. With that, you exclaim softly.
"Oh, you must be Peter Parker! I saw no ad on the bulletin board."
He smiles. "Yeah, that's me. And you are?"
"Y/N Stark." You say. "If you're good at calculus, do you think you could help me with some of Mrs. Van Dyne's questions? I'm kind of stuck on her paper. I can buy you a snack in repay."
He chuckles. "Don't worry about it."
Peter quickly gathered his belongings and moved to your table, sitting down next to you.
Parker was great company, and he was brilliant. It was up to you to convince Yelena that there was nothing wrong with asking for help though. And with a hamburger and a casual, understanding attitude on the subject, you succeeded.
After that comes the adorable and disastrous Kate Bishop and her latent crush on Yelena - who is probably the only person who hasn't noticed yet.
Kate was one of the richest girls in school - you heard that her family had a security company and several deals with the city council - and she was quite popular. She was in the journalism club with Peter, and practiced archery as a hobby. She had a talent for getting into trouble but never faced any real consequences because her mother, the elegant Eleanor Bishop, was on the parents' council and made generous donations to the institute's funds.
You didn't have an opinion about Kate and didn't want to be swayed by school gossip, so when the girl - who occupied the locker next to yours - came over to greet you as you put your books away, you were nice.
"You're friends with Yelena Belova, right?" Kate tried to sound casual, but you could see the blatant curiosity in her eyes, which made you let out a short laugh.
"Yeah, kind of." You mumbled. Your vague answer made Kate hesitate.
"You're not dating her, are you?" she inquired and to that you chuckled, returning a physics book to your locker before turning your body to Kate.
"No?"
"Oh, great. Cool." She retorted relieved. "Do you know if she's seeing anyone?"
You crossed your arms. "No, but I can tell her that you asked..."
"No!" Kate exclaims quickly, and you have trouble hiding your smile. She takes a deep breath, trying to disguise it. "It was just silly curiosity. I'm Kate Bishop, by the way. Yelena was my colleague in the archer club before she quit it and I'm just wondering why and.... damn it! I'm babbling again. You don't want to know this-"
You cut her off with a small laugh, "Don't worry, Kate. I'm Y/N, it's a pleasure." You said with a nod. "I can find out if Yelena is single, without mentioning any names."
Kate's eyes light up. "Really, you would do that?" She asks hopefully, and you smile gently.
"Sure, I'll catch up with you later." You inform her, closing your locker before leaving her.
You found out that Yelena didn't have a partner in a rather abrupt way. You looked for her around the school for a while after the last period and found her going over some exercises with Peter in the biology lab.
Professor Banner gave you a nod of greeting, turning his attention back to the papers he was reviewing, and you walked over to the workbench where your friends were.
"Hey, Belova!" You called out, taking the free stool on the other side of the table. The two of them looked at you. "Can I ask you something?"
"Sure, Y/N."
"Are you single?"
She raised an eyebrow, and Peter couldn't hold back his laughter - getting elbowed for it. You looked at her curiously.
"Are you interested by any chance? I should warn you that I see you only as a friend..."
You laugh, shaking your head. "No, not me."
She narrows her eyes at you, resting her arms on the countertop. "Then who?"
You shrug. "It was just a curiosity."
Yelena doesn't seem to believe much, looking at you suspiciously. Peter laughs at her reaction.
"She's single, Y/N, partly because everyone in this school is only looking for sex-OUCH!" Peter's speech is interrupted by another hard elbow from the blonde. You stare at them in confusion, and Yelena huffs in irritation.
"You're a big mouth, aren't you, Parker?" She complains as the boy massages his rib.
"Sorry, I'm a little confused..." You mumble, and the two of them exchange glances. Yelena sighs loudly.
"Great, here goes." The blonde says, staring at you. "I haven't told this to anyone apart from my sister and this gossip monger here, and if you have a problem with this and say something stupid I will break your arm." She comments and you raise your eyebrows in shock. But Yelena softens her gaze, looking almost unsure. "It's been a few months since I found out I'm asexual."
You stare at her without knowing what to say, surprised by the sudden confession more than anything else. Yelena grimaces.
"Do you have a problem with that, Stark?" She questions determinedly, clenching one of her fists, and you laugh sheepishly.
"N-no, Yelena, of course not." You mutter quickly. "You know I'm queer too, right?"
"And that doesn't prevent anything." Yelena retorts. "A lot of people in the community discriminate against others."
You swallow dryly, sighing. "Yeah, I know. I'm sorry if you've been through something like that." You say sincerely. "But know that I have no problem with your sexuality. And I'm honored that you trusted me to tell me."
Yelena smiles in appreciation, extending her closed fist for you to hit.
"I told you she was cool." Peter muttered but Yelena didn't seem too happy with him for sharing her secret. When they seemed about to get into a fight, you intervened.
"Anyway, are you aromantic too? Or are you up to date someone..."
Yelena laughed suspiciously. "I'm beginning to think you're hitting on me, Stark."
You rolled your eyes humorously. "I'm not going to say who asked, Yelena, there's no point. But just for the record, I'm sure a lot of people would be interested, besides being super pretty you're really cool."
Yelena rolls her eyes in embarrassment, and Peter makes a provocative mouth sound that almost gets him punched again. You chuckle.
"If the person doesn't care about sex, I'm in. If it's a girl of course." Yelena finally clarifies, and you hum in understanding.
"Fine, I'll let her know." You murmur mysteriously, and Yelena huffs impatiently wanting to know who it is, but you pull away from her hands with a laugh. "I'm going back to the dorm, want to watch a movie with me later?"
"Only if I get to choose." Yelena retorts and you shrug, but Peter complains.
"I don't want to watch anything scary!" He defends himself, but Yelena laughs, pushing her shoulders against him.
"And who says you're invited? It's the girls' dorm, big boy." Yelena reminded with a friendly teasing tone that you don't understand. Peter, surprisingly not bothering to miss the invitation, smiled almost proudly as he rolled his eyes, before turning his attention back to the question book. You put your hands in your pockets.
"All right, it'll just be the two of us then, Belova. See you later?" With Yelena's nod, you wave goodbye to them.
Your friends go back to studying, but before you leave the classroom, Professor Banner calls you over to her desk.
"I couldn't help overhearing the conversation, I do apologize..." He began by leaning over to get something from his drawer. You cleared your throat.
"That's not very polite, sir." You reminded, half worried about Yelena's exposure. But the man offered you a gentle smile, and from the drawer, he pulled out a flyer.
"Don't worry, Mrs.Stark, I haven't heard anything I didn't already imagine. After all, who would Yelena Belova have taken her doubts with if not an adult?"
You almost said 'google' but Bruce was looking at you so kindly that you didn't have the heart to do so. You smiled in return, accepting the paper he held out.
'Queer Alliance Group' was written in bright, colorful letters, with meeting times and the information that the club always had open membership. You chuckled half-heartedly.
"Wow, that's... wow." You didn't quite know how to define it. It sounds cool, but you still had a vision of the old, traditional Westview, and imagining an LGBT youth club in a small town like that was a bit difficult.
"We are no sports group, but we do some recreational activities. We mainly offer therapeutic support, in case you need someone to talk to. You and your friends would be welcome."
You tuck the folded paper away in your jacket pocket. " Thanks, Professor Banner. I'll think about it."
He smiled contentedly and nodded. Before you left, Bruce adjusted his jacket, and you could see the asexual flag brooch on his sweater. He gave you a wink when he noticed you looking, and you smiled before leaving the room.
–//–
You told Kate Bishop that Yelena was single on Thursday after PE. You had just finished using the showers, and Kate, who had the next period - arrived early in the locker room.
You were drying your hair with a towel and almost screamed in fright when the girl appeared in front of you without a blouse.
"Hey!" She greeted you excitedly. "Did you find out that information for me?" She asked like a secret agent, and you laughed nervously because you could see her breasts.
"I'd like to have that conversation with clothes on, please" You try but she grimaces.
"I just got out of archery practice, I need a shower..."
"God, I don't deserve this." You complain, sitting down on the stool to put on your shoes. Kate huffs anxiously, bypassing the row of lockers to approach you.
"Come on, Stark, just tell me. I've been waiting all week for this answer." She dramatizes making you laugh.
"She's single, but if you want something, you'll need to have a heart-to-heart with her." That's what you say to Kate, who stands thoughtfully for a few seconds.
"Okay, I didn't expect that step." She says in a panic and you laugh, shaking your head in disbelief.
"You thought she'd be single and what, magically become your girlfriend?" You tease gently, and Kate blushes, crossing her arms.
"Maybe..." She mutters, getting another laugh out of you.
"Come on, Kate Bishop, I'm sure you've asked someone out before."
She grunts embarrassed. "Okay, first of all, guys do that. And I don't date them, so I have absolutely no idea how to ask anyone out. And girls? They are frightening. Too pretty or too sarky. And Yelena? God, she's both. She'll eat me alive if I even think of going near her..."
"I bet you'd like it if she ate you..." You joke but Kate lets out an indignant exclamation, slapping you on the shoulder that makes you laugh.
"You have to help me!"
"Put on a blouse first." You retort and despite rolling her eyes, she covers her breasts with one of her arms. You laugh. "Thanks, that's better."
Ignoring you, Kate asks, "Will you help me?"
To torment her, you make a thoughtful face the entire time you finish putting on your sneakers. "What's in it for me?"
"My eternal gratitude." She retorts.
You laugh. "Aren't you the sweetest, Miss Bishop?" You retort good-naturedly, getting up now that you were dressed. "I can't sell your eternal gratitude on eBay though."
She rolls her eyes. "I have money if you need it-"
"Jesus, what an idea Kate! Imagine how it would sound if you paid me to date, my friend!"
She shrugs her shoulders. "I would totally pay for Yelena to give me a chance-"
You laugh incredulously. "My god, you're a disaster. Tell you what, I'll think of a favor, and in the meantime, you sit down with me at breakfast and I'll officially introduce you to Yelena, what do you think?"
Kate hesitates, and you know it's because she sits at a table of nearly twenty people - the entire popular gang of this place - who would surely miss her. But her crush on Yelena speaks louder. She agrees almost immediately, and you wrinkle your nose at her expression.
"You're a cutie, Kate Bishop. I'm sure Yelena already noticed you." You say to her, pinching her nose in playfulness, and causing her to blush at the phrase. "See you around."
Easy as that, Kate has become your friend. The first day was a little strange because she didn't quite know how to act when sitting down, but once the social awkwardness was overcome, the three of you got into a very comfortable rhythm.
Yelena however seemed completely clueless that Kate wanted to date her, even though it was obvious to anyone.
On Friday of the last of August, you were putting your books away and Kate practically teleported into the locker next to yours.
"Tell me what I'm doing wrong!" She declared dramatically, and you chuckled without taking your eyes from checking your books.
"I'm going to need more context to answer this, sweetie."
She sighs loudly, her back pressed to the locker. "It's about Yelena, of course! I've done everything, she just doesn't notice me!"
"Everything? You told her you're interested and asked if she felt the same way?"
Kate crosses her arms. "Don't be ridiculous."
You laugh, shaking your head in disbelief. "Seriously, Bishop, you amuse me. Keep thinking Yelena will read your mind, Peter and I have a great time watching you and your puppy dog eyes."
Kate grunted in embarrassment, moving away from the locker only to open the door with the intention of putting away her books.
But a flyer falls at her feet, and she bends down to pick it up.
With a dry laugh, she comments, "Great, my life is already a mess and they want to play tricks on me..."
You put your history book away, turning your face to your friend with curiosity at the complaint. "What's this?" You ask about the pamphlet.
She turns the paper over to you. "It's a silly first-year club, I didn't even know it still existed. I'm sure it's a prank. What a jerk thing to do..." Kate grumbled annoyed, crumpling the paper and storing it in the pocket of the flimsy jacket on her arms before starting to put the books away in her own closet. She went back to talking about Yelena, but you weren't paying attention.
You looked around and noticed two clearly first-year girls standing at the corner of the hallway looking at you. As soon as Kate crumpled the paper, they made faces of disappointment, and once they noticed you were looking, they widened their eyes and tried to cover it up, before practically running out of the hallway.
"Hey, Kate, let me take a look at that flyer again?" You interrupt her - she doesn't mind.
Once you have the crumpled poster back in hand, she comments:
"I think it used to be a mix of science group and biker gang, but nobody ever really talked about it."
You force a smile, looking away from your friend. "And what else do you know about them?"
She shrugs. "Not much, as I said, I didn't even think it existed anymore. It was one of the banned clubs when that accident at the dam happened."
You gasp slightly. "What accident at the dam?"
Kate smiles sadly. "I don't know much about it, it was my freshman year so I didn't know the kid. But he was pretty popular here, he was on the running team. You've never seen the memorial?"
You deny it with your head. Kate sighs, putting away the last book before beckoning you to follow her.
She leads you outside through the emergency exit, into the outer gardens. And stops in front of a small sign at the entrance to the gym. It was completely vandalized, so you never noticed what was written beyond the graffiti before.
"Here, it was a very sad thing when it happened. The dean even made a speech because the kid was his stepson." Narrated Kate, pointing to the stone. "He was one of the founders of that club, I guess, so I didn't imagine they would go on without him."
You clear your throat so as not to show any kind of emotion in your voice. "Yeah, that's not very common."
Kate doesn't notice, putting her hand in her pockets. "Anyway, I'm sure it was just some prank. I never signed up for the Mystery Club, and honestly, I have enough trouble already."
You force a smile at her, and Kate exclaims when your cell phone alarm rings.
"Shit! I totally forgot I have a dinner date with my mom and my new idiot stepdad. Wish me luck!" She quickly says goodbye, kissing your cheek before running towards the dorms.
You bend down, to get some of the dust collecting on the iron plate stuck in the grass. Your fingers trace the graffiti on the small photo next to the tribute message.
"Mustache would have suited you, Pietro." You whisper sadly before standing up.
–//–
Your determination to find out more about the mystery club dragged on for the rest of the week.
Since you didn't know many people at school, you couldn't just ask anyone about it. Imagining the approach made you laugh.
Hey, do you know anything about the secret club founded by the boy who died in the dam about three years ago?
Scary, honestly.
Peter and Kate, having been first-years at the time the club closed, knew no more than what you could find out on the Internet about the tragic accident in Westview. ‘ A 15-year-old boy drowns in a local dam during a school outing. Grieving neighborhood, all feelings with Dean Charles Xavier over the loss of his stepson.’
Flipping through the news made your stomach turn, so you risked asking Yelena, who didn't want to talk about it.
In fact, she was angry with you. "Why are you asking about this?"
You swallowed dryly, clumsily. "I just wanted to know a little more about how it was..."
"It was fucking horrible, Y/N, that's how it was!" She retorted angrily, closing the locker tightly.
She came to apologize the next day, regretting that she had yelled. She sat down next to you and pulled out of her pocket an old, crumpled photo.
"I found this in some locked boxes yesterday after I lost my temper with you. Sorry again." She mutters, pointing to the photo. "His name was Pietro Maximoff, he joined on a running scholarship here, and he was my best friend."
You swallowed dryly, picking up the photograph. Yelena looked away, at the green field in front of her where besides the team's people training, some people were practicing running.
The photo is full of people you know and doesn't know - some colleagues you've seen in the hall, Natasha with a longer hairstyle, and Pietro with his arms around Yelena as if he were climbing on top of her. Everyone looks so happy.
"The Dean told everyone we were on an official science club activity, an exploration tour. But that's bullshit." Yelena counters with a sad laugh, "It was a stupid party, with stupid people, and everything was so stupidly fun that nobody cared how much alcohol was hidden in the drinks."
You swallowed dryly, staring at Yelena. "Weren't you all 15 years old?"
She gave another wry laugh, spreading her own legs wide. "As if that ever stops anyone." She retorted upset. " Either way, there were older people, from the later years. That's why Pietro wanted to go so badly. He wanted to get in with the seniors, to make the captain of the team. I just wanted Natasha not to think I was a loser."
"Nat doesn't think that." You assure her, and Yelena smiles sadly, nodding in appreciation.
She sighs lightly. "One minute, we're all dancing and laughing. And Pietro is gone for two seconds, and the next thing I know, the police are on the spot, organizing a search inside the dam for my friend's body." Yelena fell silent, sobbing, and you put an arm around her.
"I'm really sorry, Yelena." You say to her, hiding your own tears. "I'm so sorry for asking."
She gives a tearful laugh, shaking her head. "Don't worry, I know you didn't mean any harm."
Once she has calmed down, you pull your arm away to return the photo, but she refuses.
"You can keep it."
You frown. "But he was important to you."
She smiles, looking away. "Pietro used to tell me about a friend who left Westview before he joined the Institute. Someone he loved, and missed dearly, and who was smart enough to have joined that school along with him. Someone who started the Mystery club at Westview elementary school."
You swallowed dryly, looking away from the photo, Pietro Maximoff's smiling face stared back at you.
"What else did he say?" You asked with emotion. Yelena sighed.
"That he was very sad to lose you and his mother in the same period." At Yelena's speech, you sniffled, nodding in agreement. "But he also said he never blamed you for leaving, you know?"
You laugh in disbelief, wiping your face on the sleeve of your blouse. "Hard to believe that one, Lena. And honestly, I would have understood if he hated me. My parents dragged me out of this town in a hurry, and I couldn't even stay for the memorial."
Yelena shakes her head. "Y/N, you were a child. You couldn't stay if your parents decided you wouldn't." She reasons, and you smile sadly.
"It doesn't matter, Yelena." You retort. "He needed me here. They both did."
Yelena swallows dryly but sighs in defeat afterward. She waits a moment to speak again.
"I know you probably think he hated you for leaving, but Pietro told me he understood." She continues. "He really understood, Y/N. He said that if there was a chance to heal your father, and if the chance was outside the pollution of the power plant, that he understood the rush. He would have chosen to do the same for his mom if there was time."
You sigh in emotion, trying to control your tears.
"Thank you Yelena." You say sincerely, being able to feel at least some of the guilt you have carried for so long leave your back. Pietro had no way to say he forgave you for leaving, so Yelena's words would have to serve as some consolation.
"Don't mention it." Yelena retorts with a smile.
You watch the sunset begin to happen, and it is beautiful from the bleachers. The runners are wrapping up their training, and Yelena takes her gaze from the scenery to you.
"After Pietro left, the club was banned, and the gang drifted apart." She recounts. "If someone reactivated it, none of the old members are part of it."
You blink at the information and nod in appreciation afterward. You put the photograph away in your pocket, and stand up.
"You should talk to her, Y/N." Yelena says before you leave, and you swallow dryly because you know exactly who she is talking about just by her expression.
You put your hands in your pockets and give an awkward laugh.
"I was kind of hoping to find her here." You say, and Yelena smiles sadly.
"Sorry, you were late." Yelena retorts. "Wanda was expelled last year."
You widen your eyes slightly, more impressed than anything. "Shit, what did she do?"
Yelena shrugs her shoulders getting up. "The question is what she didn't do..."
You chuckle. "My god?"
Yelena grins as she shakes the dust off her pants and approaches you, patting you on the shoulder to get you to follow her.
"Where do I start? Property damage, or maybe that time she told counselor Harkness to stop being a two-faced bitch in the middle of the hallway..."
–//–
So far, you had little information about the Mystery Club.
It was reactivated in secret by someone - Yelena didn't think it was any of its former veteran members, but that didn't make much sense to you. Why would someone who had no contact at all - like this year's first-years - be interested in a club banned from the school after a horrible accident?
But when you looked for Yelena's old friends - the original gang as she wrote behind the photograph - none of them seemed to have the profile to establish a secret club.
Pietro, obviously, wasn't. Yelena was beyond the options as well, the whole thing was too sad for her. Natasha had too many activities occupying her schedule. Carol Danvers had the necessary popularity, but she had just been promoted to team captain, so she wouldn't have time, and it wouldn't make sense to risk her position for a banned club. Her girlfriend Maria Rambeau was known for following the moral code of ethics of the school to the letter, as well as being class president and having the perfect resume. She would not risk tarnishing her record for this. Clint Barton and Maria Hill had the profile of troublemakers, but they were too antisocial to start something like this.
Wanda was no longer part of the school. Still, part of you knows that only she would have the audacity.
It had been exactly one month since you had been at the institute, and your search had come to a dead end. You needed more information to continue, and your remaining option was to approach the girls you believed had left the flyer in Kate Bishop's locker.
They were definitely avoiding you because, for days, you didn't see them around. But finally, after sneaking into the theater during rehearsal, you found them.
"Don't say anything and she'll go away."
You laughed at the smaller girl's whisper. "I can hear you, you know." You told them.
"Pretend you are not seeing her." The other whispered back, but you grimaced, putting your hands in your pockets as you approached them.
"Well, Romeo and Juliet, I wonder if we could have a chat?" You asked, teasing about the rehearsal robes and both of them sighed before the smaller one retorted you:
"I don't know what you think you saw, but it's not what you think!" She declares. You raise an eyebrow.
"I saw two brats trying to play a trick on my friend."
The taller one lets out an exclamation. "It wasn't a prank! Shit, Kamala, she thought it was a prank! That's why she crumpled up the invitation and-"
"America, stop talking!" Kamala elbowed her friend, but you were smiling.
You looked around at the rest of the drama group that was leaving the place at the end of class and lowered your tone.
"If you don't want me to turn this flyer and your name into the principal, you will answer my questions, okay?" You say, and they sigh in defeat, nodding. You laugh lightly. "Don't look so sad, I promise I'm great at keeping secrets. Definitely better than you guys. Come on, let's go for a walk."
America and Kamala follow you to the parking area, the emptiest space in the Institute. They look equally dissatisfied.
"All right, I want to know who reactivated the club."
The girls widen their gazes in surprise at the straight question, and it is Kamala who babbles:
"W-we don't know that!" She says. "We don't know members of different levels. Everyone gets an invitation in the locker, and then the missions-"
"Missions?" You interrupt curiously, and America sighs.
"It's like a scouting club. We get missions and rewards."
You cross your arms. "Then why all the secrecy?"
Kamala and America laugh, shrugging. "Because it's fun." They answer together, you laugh impressed. They are children. Still, the story is weird.
America sighs. "Look, everything in this place is over-supervised. It's nice to have something that doesn't have to go through dozens of student council approvals or reviews."
"Yeah, the missions are fun." Kamala adds. "The Dean would never let us go camping to see a solstice or make records of the wild animals in the local Forest. He would keep everyone locked up in that building if he could."
"We just do cool stuff in nature and take pictures of the local town legends. It's harmless. Can you please not rat us out?" America asked making you smile.
"I still have another question." You retort, raising a finger. "There's nothing wrong with the activities you talked about, but I would be surprised if a 17-year-old had any interest in them. Why recruit Kate?"
They shrug. "We just follow our mission."
You huff softly. "You said they get a mission invitation, can I see it?"
Kamala and America exchange hesitant glances, but the taller one nods to the other. Soon, Kamala pulls her backpack forward and rummages through her materials for a moment. Then she takes out a folded card and hands it to you.
The typed handwriting makes you smile. "Lovely, really. Quite rustic." You scoff managing to get a roll of the eyes from both of them. On the paper, it reads simply recruitment: Katherine Bishop, Third Year.
"Can we go now?" Kamala asks, but you deny it with your head.
"What is the reward for recruitment?" You question. America bites the inside of her cheek thoughtfully.
"I think it's a rated paper of the chosen subject." She confesses and you let out a surprised exclamation.
"Harmless you said, huh?" you comment, ignoring Kamala elbowing America. You tuck the invitation away in your pocket. "I'll keep this, girls, thank you very much."
"But-"
"And it's a pleasure to officially meet you two. I am Y/N Stark, original founder of the Mystery Club." You declare, patting each shoulder of the girls in shock before walking past them.
You make your way over to the pair smoking in a secluded area of the parking lot. Colleagues you haven't had a chance to talk to yet.
"Are you lost, Stark? The library is the other way." The rude teasing almost intimidated you to turn on your heels and head back inside, but Clint Barton might be tall but he wasn't two. Although, Maria Hill giggled and had muscles exposed by her tank top that made you swallow dryly.
"I was just chatting with those first years." You start clumsily, shifting the weight of your feet. "Funny story actually, they put up a flyer-"
"Touching, really." Clint cuts in impatiently, wafting a little smoke forward. "Why don't you share that with someone who actually wants to hear you? Like your angry friend or that tranny?" He mocks with a chuckle, but you frown in confusion and Maria clears her throat.
"Come on Clint, no need to get personal." Murmurs the girl, but the boy just rolls his eyes, taking a long drag.
You step forward. "What are you talking about?"
Your question makes Clint laugh, tilting his head as he tosses the smoke upward. Away from Maria, not you.
"Shit, I forgot you're new. She didn't even watch last year's nonsense, Hill." Commented the boy. Maria was no longer smiling, clearly uncomfortable with her friend's posture. Clint puffed again. "I'm talking about that little faggot Parker, of course. Although he can't be gay, right? He's a girl. I don't know how that shit works."
You were in shock at the complete offensiveness. You didn't know about Peter's transition, of course, he had known you for less than a month and probably had no reason to tell you.
Clint laughed, shrugging at Mary's grumpy expression and you swallowed dryly.
"Don't make fun of my friend, Barton." You warned, he laughed, putting out his cigarette on the wall.
"Sure, I won't bother that She-male if she stays away from me!"
If there's one thing Steve Rogers has taught you, it's that violence is never the way. He also taught you how to throw a good right jab.
And you only stopped when your hand was bleeding, and someone pulled you around the waist.
Maria was dragging Clint away from you, so who was-
"What a way to see you again, kotenok ." Wanda panted softly in your ear.
You shuddered, the anger completely dissipating. She helped you stand up straight, and she was standing right there in front of you. You almost couldn't believe it.
"Wanda, what are you...?"
But she was looking behind you, and she grimaces at Barton's bloodied face. And then she looks back to where the Drax security guard and some students who saw the fight from the race track start pointing.
"Come on Wanda, she'll be expelled if they catch her here." Maria warns and the brunette in front of you doesn't wait, grabbing your uninjured hand and pulling you away.
Ignoring your shock or the adrenaline coursing through your veins, Wanda opens the door of a pickup truck and pushes you inside. She climbs into the driver's seat, wasting no time in starting up.
You see in the rearview mirror the pool of blood on the ground where Clint's head was and gasp slightly, trying to stop shaking and keep the tears of anger and confusion in your eyes.
Wanda starts the car, and the parking lot and the Institute are left behind.