CHAPTER 12 -

"Pietro! Are you okay?"
Those was the first words out of my mouth after I finally saw him after almost an entire week.
"I feel like I haven't seen you, like, at all," I explained; "you're not, I don't know, avoiding me or something, are you?"
I scratched my left arms as I looked at him desperately attempting to avoid facing me.
"Why would I?" I bit my lip unsurely.
"I...I don't know, but... do you have any plans tonight?" I instead asked.
"I... no," he admitted.
"Me neither. Maybe we could-"
The sound of my phone ringing interrupted me, and I held up a single finger as to tell him to give me one minute.

Pietro licked his lips uncomfortably as he watched Veronica turn around and attempted to not look too far down.
"Liam, hi! Oh, I mean, not technically, but... a date?"
Pietro raised his eyebrows as he tried hearing the other guy, Liam's, voice.
"Yeah. I know it's sudden but..." was all he heard before Veronica took a step further away and leaned her back against the white wall of the hallway.
"No, that's not it, I was just kind of hoping tonight I could hang here..." she admitted while looking to her feet.
She declined to spend time with her? Pietro couldn't help but feel a little bubble of happiness appear inside of him, even if he knew it shouldn't.
"No, of course not. It's a date, then," she decided with a small smile.
Pietro fought the urge to run away as she put her phone back in her back pocket.
"Sorry, I guess it'll have to be another day," she apologised; anyway, where are you going?"
"I was going to see your father, bu-""Oh, well he's down on the common floor. I was actually heading down there, too."
"I've actually been avoiding my dad," she admitted as she started walking, clearly expecting him to follow. Pietro looked around them before doing so.
"Why is that?"
Veronica sighed; "apparently he's decided on making up for the years we haven't really had together, and now he's just being super dad-ish," she explained tiredly, her voice being like that making Pietro smile.
"I thought you would want that," he admitted.
"Well, I do, but it's like, it's like he want to take over the parent moments I've already had. If he finds out I'm going out with Liam tonight, he'll probably act like it's my first date just because he wasn't present at the others," she explained; "I just hope he doesn't find out."
They'd reached the door, and Pietro once again did his best to not look too far down as he held it open and watched Veronica pass him.
"Hey guys," she greeted casually as she entered the living room where Natasha, Tony and Bruce were already hanging out. Bruce with a book in his hand, Natasha with her phone, and Tony swiping around on a tablet, although all three looked up when they entered
"Hey! I was thinking, we could order pizza tonight Veronica, have like a movie night? You know, toy story, finding nemo, all those," Tony suggested, looking,
back at his tablet.
"Actually, I have plans," she admitted as she sat down next to Natasha, who was carefully watching Pietro, who discreetly lifted his hands as in surrender, making Natasha nod slightly before looking away.
"What plans?" Her dad asked suspiciously, turning off the tablet.
"Just plans," she claimed with a shrug.
"She has a date," Pietro informed.
"Pietro!" Veronica exclaimed offendedly at the exact same time her dad said "what?"
"Yeah, Liam asked me out," she admitted while looking at her father.
"Liam? That guy? The one you went to see your mum with?" He questioned. Veronica nodded.
"Don't worry. I checked him, he's fine," Natasha said calmly, not looking away from her phone.
"Offensive, but not surprising," Veronica commented, making Natasha merely shrug.
"This is your first date!" Tony exclaimed. Veronica raised her eyebrows at him.
"The first one I've hear about, then!" He corrected. He thought for a second.
"I need to meet him," he then decided.
"No way," Veronica quickly decided.
"It's fine, Tony. She's been on plenty of dates, she can take care of herself," Bruce assured him.
"That's not the point!"
"No, the point is, you missed my first date, and trust me when I say that we're both upset about that, but you can't change how it's been so far. Just... be the dad I need now, okay?" She added quietly. Tony thought for a second before nodding.
"Fine. But I'm waiting up for you, and I want to hear about every part of the night when you get home, which will be at 11 sharp," he decided.
"Make it 12 and I can agree to those terms," Veronica stated.

She'd left soon after, as had both Bruce and Natasha, leaving Pietro to entertain himself while fully well knowing the girl he liked was preparing for a date with someone else.
He felt restless, had done nothing but wander the tower thin until he found himself back in the common room, hoping there'd be someone there to distract him.
Unfortunately, there was not, and he instead placed himself on the couch and turned on the tv.
He found himself placed there until he heard a sound at around 9, making him look up.
The sound was clearly caused by someone entering the common floor, however the sniffling make Pietro wonder who it was. He looked up as the person entered the room.
Veronica.
A tight black dress with no shoulder framed her body perfectly, however, this was not what Pietro noticed. A hint of mascara beneath her eyes where tears were welling up.
"Veronica!" Pietro quickly got on his feet, and before realising, had his arms around Veronica who was sobbing into his shoulders.
"I'm sorry," she whispered between her cries, only making Pietro whisper to her.
"Nu-ți cere niciodată scuze, draga mea, pentru că ești perfect."

Never apologise, my dear, for are perfect.

The sound of his voice seemed to have a calming effect on her as she pulled herself away and wiped the tears off her cheeks.
"Come. Sit down," Pietro calmly suggested, pulling her towards the couch where he practically placed her.
"What happened?" He asked her quietly, making the tears once again stream down her cheeks.
"Nu plânge, draga mea. Tell me what happened," he repeated.

Don't cry, my dear.

Veronica nodded and took a deep breath, before admitting; "this guy, James, I used to date him."
Pietro nodded understanding.
"Bad break up?" He asked.
"Bad everything," Veronica corrected.
"I found out he never loved me. And the day after I was out with a friend, and I haven't even seen her since, but I guess that's not really the point..." she admitted; "anyway, after that I went to his house."
The tears started rolling again, making Pietro gently wipe them off.
"I don't know why. It was stupid. But he was out, and we talked, and I went in with him..."
Veronica's voice shook as she told the rest of the story, Pietro being too horrified to say anything. He felt his blood turn cold as ice when he realised what Veronica was saying.
"He raped you," he stated quietly.
Veronica shook her head; "no! He didn't do anything wrong, I didn't stop him."
"Veronica, this could never be your fault! You told him to stop, and not doing so is what made him both a rapist and a terrible human," Pietro corrected, even though it seemed to only make Veronica cry harder.
"But, I don't understand, this was a while ago, why did it upset you tonight?" He asked, trying to keep his voice calming and sensitive.
"I saw him," she admitted; "when I was out with Liam. I saw him."
"What happened?"
"Nothing. I ran like a fucking girl!" She cried out before reaching out for a hug, Pietro quickly embracing her in his arms.
"Shh, shh, you did nothing wrong, draga mea, you are a girl, and an amazing one. You have nothing to be ashamed off," he promised her while holding her as she cried.
"Didn't Liam do anything?" He asked after veronica had calmed a little.
"He doesn't know," she admitted; "I can't tell him. Who could ever like someone who had that done to her, who let that happen?"
"Trust me when I say, it will only make him care for you more," Pietro realised; "you are amazing, strong, and this is merely proof of that."
"Maybe," Veronica mumbled as she wiped her eyes again. She realised the tv was on and turned to it.
"What are you watching?" She asked curiously.
"Some American movie. May I ask, why did you not go home now?" He asked, making Veronica sigh.
"My dad's up there. He doesn't know this, and I don't really want him to," she admitted; "I was hoping the floor would be empty."
"Oh, well, I can leave, I should get some dinner anyway," Pietro quickly replied while standing up.
"No!" Veronica quickly stopped him; "I mean, I would kind of really like it if you stayed. Would you?"
Pietro didn't think for a single second before nodding and sitting back down.
"You can go get some food, if you're hungry," she mentioned quietly. Pietro looked at her. She seemed okay.
"You do not mind?"
"Actually, I'm kind of hungry too. Could you bring me some as well?" She asked, making Pietro nod.
"Of course."