Warning: mentions of drowning. 

Please don't read if you are not comfortable with it. It is only the part in italics and it is just a flashback <3

"No, please!" I begged.

The men didn't listen to me; they never did. They hoisted me up by my arms as I screamed and kicked, unwilling to go into the water again.

They held me over the water and my feet splashed on the surface as I tried to wriggle free. They lowered me into the water, and my scream turned into a gurgle as they shoved my head under. They closed the door, encasing me in darkness.

I held my breath for as long as I could. My lungs were burning with the need for air. I couldn't think around it, I was fully conscious of it.

I needed to take a breath...

I woke up with a gasp. I was breathing heavily and sweating intensely. I quickly turned the lights on, the darkness reminding me of a time that I'd rather forget. Even though it was impossible for me to do that.

I sat down on my new bed with my head in my hands. That dream had happened to me before. Hydra had put me in extreme conditions to see if I had powers that would show themselves.

The drowning was always the worst. Even though they tortured me and I had scars from it, the drowning was always the worst, because they were never actually doing anything to me. The pain of not being able to take a breath of air haunted me the most.

I shook myself and stood up from my bed. I needed to get out of my room and get some work done. I walked out of my rooms quietly, careful not to wake Pietro or Wanda. Pietro's room was across from mine, and Wanda's was next to his.

I got to the elevator and told Friday to take me to the business level. She did as I asked and soon enough I was in my office. I started playing some music softly and hummed along while started to organise my emails. After four days of no work, I had thousands of emails. A lot of them were fan emails, which I started forwarding to the correct Avengers.

There was a knock at my door and I looked up to see Pietro leaning against the doorway with his arms crossed.

"Aren't you supposed to be taking the week off, Printsessa?" he asked.

"Actually, I go back on Wednesday, which is today because it's the morning," I replied with a grin.

"Y/n, it's two in the morning."

There was a beat of silence.

"I am a dedicated worker."

Pietro gave me a look and I sighed and rolled my eyes.

"Why are you really up, Draga?" he asked.

I shrugged and looked away.

"Nightmares," I murmured.

Pietro looked at me for a moment longer before walking over to me and grabbing my hands. Fine Line by Harry Styles began playing and he held my left hand in his while his other went to my waist. My right hand landed on his shoulder and we began swaying together. Pietro rested his forehead against mine, and I closed my eyes and sighed in complete bliss.

This is what I wanted. Pietro and I together, alone, dancing in the early hours of the morning. Why couldn't I just tell him that? Why couldn't I tell him that I just wanted him, and wanted to spend moments like this with him?

"Pietro?" I said softly, opening my eyes.

His eyes were closed as he hummed in acknowledgement. I took another deep breath, nervous to tell him.

"Pietro, I-"

I was interrupted as my office door opened and Tony walked in. Pietro let go of me and I turned to face Tony, who looked like he was regretting all of his life choices.

"What are you doing working, Y/n?" he asked. "I thought we agreed that you go back on Friday."

"Actually, we agreed I'd go back on Wednesday, which is today," I said.

Tony looked bewildered for a moment before looking at his watch and then the clock on my wall.

"Maybe I really do need to sleep," he muttered, raking a hand through his hair.

"How long have you been up for?" I asked.

Tony shrugged and scratched the back of his neck.

"Oh, you know, just a normal amount of time... like... twenty hours..."

I narrowed my eyes at him.

"Jarvis?" I asked.

"Mr Stark has been awake for forty-three hours and seventeen minutes," Jarvis supplied.

Tony shook his head.

"Fuckin' snitch," Tony muttered.

"I do try to help," Jarvis replied.

Tony rolled his eyes and I narrowed mine at him.

"You go sleep, and I will too," I said.

Tony looked at me in contemplation before nodding.

"Deal," he said. "You too, Sonic. Your bedtime."

Pietro rolled his eyes but didn't disagree. We all took the elevator to our rooms, Pietro and I getting off on the same floor and Tony continuing up. We walked to our rooms in silence.

I reached my door and leant against it, just looking at Pietro. He smiled at me and grabbed his door handle.

"I – uh... I suppose we should get some rest, then," he said softly.

I nodded and bit my lip and he turned to enter his room. I really just wanted to kiss him. I wanted him to be mine.

"Pietro?" I said.

He turned around with a soft smile on his face.

What if he said no? What if he didn't feel the same?

"Sleep well," I said instead.

Pietro smiled at me.

"You too," he said, a hint of disappointment in his voice.