Flashback 12: I Knew You Were Trouble

So Aurelietro (that is not a good ship name) is CANON! Though this flashback is more Wanda, so I apologise. Trust me, there's a lot more Pietro coming, hang in there!

Enjoy!

LittlePond

Flashback 12: I Knew You Were Trouble

"Von Strucker," Aurelia Tempest stated, closing the door to the agent's office. The room was near identical to Whitehall's back home, except the regal, wooden walls; Von Strucker's were composed of drab grey stone. How charming.

"You asked to see me?" he asked, scratching his bald scalp. The assassin decided to cut to the chase. "The twins; their birthday is coming up."

Von Strucker looked up from the file he was reading, odd single lens flaring as it caught his lamp's illumination, "Is it now?"

It was deducible that he knew very well their birthday was coming up and had decided not to tell Aurelia. "Yes, and I think that they should spend the day together. Out of the base," she suggested. Von Strucker looked back down to the file, shaking his head, "You are insane."

The assassin sauntered to the consulting chair. "True," she agreed, twirling her hair, "but I'm the best assassin you've got."

The agent smirked, most likely at her foolishness, "Get the twins by themselves out of the base, and you've got yourself a deal."

Aurelia saw an opportunity, and took it. "Why? Together they're too strong? Together they scare you?" He looked away, eyes closed and mouth scrunched up. Aurelia knew she had hit her mark with ease.

"Perhaps. How long do they require?" She shrugged and itched the curve of her neck, "How long will you allow?" Von Strucker considered his options, looking skyward as he pondered. "10 hours maximum."

"12."

The HYDRA agent held his head in his hands, "Are you trying to break all the rules, Agent Tempest?" The assassin pulled at her hoodie, which, she noticed was damp in her armpit areas. "I know I can. HYDRA needs me," she answered, ignoring the discomfort between her arms.

"You realise you're still just one agent; you have the same value as say, Agent Appleshade?" Von Strucker sneered, knowing bringing Hunter in would piss her off. He leant forward, voice hemlock and she refused to be Socrates.

"I know my value. Everyone's opinion doesn't really matter. Now, my bargain is 12 hours each to a destination of their choice, which I will relay back to you. We spend the time and return. Do we have a deal?" Strucker shook his head and sighed, "Fine. Do what you will. But if you let them loose, it's your damn fault."

"Has it ever crossed your mind that they're human too?"

"They are not human. They are Enhanced."

"Maybe that makes them more human than we are," the assassin shot back, her voice a sword. Von Strucker was radiating frustration and anger now, answering, "I don't have time for this. Deal."

How could his office be so well furnished when the Maximoffs lived in cells?

"Thank you for your time, Von Strucker," she grunted, making her way silently toward the door, unable to stand his presence. "Indeed, Agent Tempest. Have fun with Wanda and Pietro."

Aurelia fake gasped and turned around, gripping the metal door handle, "The use of their names? Baby steps, Strucker." His gaze became steely, "Go," he commanded.

"With pleasure," she answered, and once out, flipped him off when she knew the coast was clear.

~~~

"You flew here in this?" Wanda marvelled as she entered the plane that Aurelia used for the trip to Sokovia.

"Yep," she answered. Since they were going to the outside world today, Von Strucker had allowed her friend to be decently dressed. So instead of her usual garment, they had found a pair of jeans and a plain grey T-shirt.

"It's very nice," Wanda replied, running her fingers over the leather of the seats. "So where would you like to go? Theoretically, we can fly anywhere in the world," Aurelia smiled.

Across her 100 missions, she had travelled across the globe, and had snuck in time for sight seeing. She was an assassin, not a slave.

"Could we go to...what do you Americans call it? A mall?"

The younger Maximoff could visit the Taj Mahal, where the marble was whiter than the clouds, or stare up at the renowned statue, Christ the Redeemer. They could drive across the Golden Gate Bridge or climb up the Eiffel Tower or the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Hell, she could visit New York!

"A mall?" she echoed, still deep in the thralls of disbelief. Wanda nodded, investigating the dials and meters across the plane. Giving in to Wanda's suggestion, she sighed, "Your wish is my command."

Aurelia directed the Enhanced to the shotgun seat and buckled her in. She did the same to herself, and in no time at all, they were in the air.

~~~

"So this is a mall."

Aurelia had taken it on as her personal mission to get Wanda decent clothing that did not include the colour grey. She was sure that Wanda had seen enough of it too.

"Where would you like to start?" the assassin asked. The younger twin looked around and pointed at a random shop, "That one."

Aurelia decided to begin their mission with dresses. "Which one tickles your fancy?" she asked, dragging her hand along the fabric. The Enhanced pulled out 3, "These ones."

Looking at them up and down, Aurelia realised that her fashion sense was impeccable.

The one to her right was a murky black, and across the hem a white paisley floated up. The gown in the middle was a vibrant red, small white flowers threaded thinly across the fabric. The final one on the left was black again, but without a pattern, with buttons down the centre.

After Aurelia offered it, Wanda locked herself in the changing room and showed off the new gowns, changing into them with enough speed that almost convinced her that it was her who had super speed and not Pietro.

"Do you like them?" Wanda asked, looking at her reflection with the last dress that she had; the red one with the flower pattern. "Of course I do, red and black are definitely your colours." Wanda laughed, "Whatever you say."

By the end of the day, they had purchased quite a few clothes. Along with the trio of dresses, Wanda had purchased a red leather jacket, heeled combat boots, assorted jewellery items, knee high socks and even a red shawl.

It seemed that Wanda had taken her comment about red and black being her colours to heart.

They bought a burger and chips each from the food court and walked to the nearest park after they'd finished the shopping. The assassin almost let out a groan in pleasure when she bit into the burger for the first time.

It had been so long since she had eaten junk food, and hell did she miss it.

"So this is how most girls spend their time," Wanda sighed, staring at the food, and then at the young children playing on the playground nearby. "I guess," she answered, twirling a chip in her fingers, "I wouldn't know."

Aurelia turned to face the children playing.

The playground itself was horrible; just a meagre collection of metal painted in primary colours, a swing and a seesaw. And yet, they seemed to find endless amounts of fun in them.

Children- their innocence and their curiosity always astounded her.

Wanda suddenly laughed, accent turning her laugh into something exotic and new. "What is it?" Aurelia asked, taking another bite. "I have an idea," Wanda sniggered, and stealthily stretched her fingers towards the playground, her trademark scarlet energy rolling out of her fingers.

Slowly but surely, the energy wiggled through the grass and, with a scream, the kids noticed her powers. "Mummy!" they screamed, as the wisps curled around them, but not touching the youngsters.

Behind her, Wanda giggled. They may be innocent, but it was hilarious.

The youngsters ran around the equipment, fleeing from Wanda's power, silently following them wherever they went. On the other side of the playground, their parents looked at them suspiciously, but passed it off.

Soon enough, the girls were laughing at the top of their lungs, earning themselves several death stares from their 'mummies.'

~~~

"That was fun," Wanda sighed, collapsing in her seat, "But very tiring."

They had spent the past few hours strolling through the streets of the suburb Aurelia had flown them in. They had even bought Pietro a bunch of athletic clothing, since that was what Wanda assumed he'd like.

"Affirmative," Aurelia passed her phone over to the telekinetic, "Can you tell Von Strucker we're heading back?" Wanda held her red cased phone, skeptically replying, "You can contact Strucker with your phone?"

It definitely sounded weird, but it was a precaution ordered by Whitehall.

"Don't question it," she scoffed as they begun to fly back to Sokovia. Wanda laughed softly, "That's already happened," she muttered under her breath.

"I'm feeling the love, Wanda."

"Do you want to play some music?" Aurelia asked, nodding down at her phone which lay silently on Wanda's lap. She shrugged, "I guess. But I don't know many songs." The younger Maximoff handed over the phone, which the assassin swiftly unlocked and handed back to the Sokovian. "Don't worry, just scroll through my library."

"Most Played?" Wanda asked. Still keeping her eyes peeled for any civilian or army planes, Aurelia answered, "That's a safe bet." Wanda scrolled down the list, "You seem to have a lot of one artist...Taylor Swift?"

The assassin gasped in surprise, frightening the living daylights out of Wanda. "Yes! We are playing her music, I'm sorry, but you have no choice," she exclaimed.

Wanda clicked the first song underneath her fingers; I Knew You Were Trouble.

Just before the chorus rang and Aurelia was sure that she would fall into a chasm of Taylor Swift she said, "Happy Birthday, Wanda." The witch grinned and answered, "Thanks, Aurelia."