Leah Aeron David

     ( @didnseethatcomingpietro ) 

       She burnt a match and went to light on the first candle. She had nothing really fancy, only separate candles. She was maybe Jewish, not like she really chose to worship a god, it was more a family matter, but it was keeping her close to her dead loved ones. She shared some beliefs on that religion in particular, but Leah wasn’t practicing, not like every Jewish out there. But she liked the light as well as her necklace. She took that one in her hand and closed her eyes for a second, quickly praying for them. Then, the mutant patted Ari’s head gently and went to finish everything she needed before her guest arrived. 

Charles sighed. He wasn’t buying it. So he simply checked the veracity of the information directly at the source and got the location at once. “ Then leave, I gathered what I need. Abandon her face once you’re off this planet. Never come back. “

       Oh, she could have protected her mind, the skrull in her was a telepath as well. But she didn’t, why would she? She had nothing to hide. Skreah remained however cold. She’d never fit in anywhere, that was for sure... “Thank you, for your understanding.” she spoke and bowed a little, before leaving the building and headed towards her next destination. 

Pietro didn’t let the awkward looking smile on her face effect him. He waskind of banking on making her laugh a bit from it. Just as he thought she was leaving, she did something he didn’t expect - kiss his cheek. He stood there frozen, watching her leave as he tried to wrap his head around what just happened. For once, the fastest man on the planet couldn’t move.

“Sounds like a date,” he teased, although in a way, it sort of was? Ah, he was sure that Leah would get the teasing tone and think nothing of it. “Glad to have you back,” he said with a smile.

       Shit, that was a date now? Oh god, she was terrible at this. she badly smiled. “Good to be back.” she grinned. Even though she needed to be sure, to be sure she wasn’t being manipulated. She was scared of it. Her power of empathy sometimes could tell her such things, but she needed to get closer. Leah approached, put a hand on his arm and quickly gave Pietro a smooch on his cheek. Once she was sure, she smiled at him and left. 

Pietro stood up a bit straighter as Leah began to speak. It was almost painful for Pietro to know he would be spending Haukkah without Wanda this year, but her proposal sounded much more pleasant. “I would be happy to do Hanukkah with you this year.”

       ... Okay. She didn’t think it would be that easy. But yay, social interaction succeeded. What a first. “Oh... Okay then.” she licked her lips. “Then I won’t bother you too much anymore. I’ll send you a text if you want.” 

“Of course I do,” he replied, giving her a smile, “I was a bit preoccupied with these green alien bastards who were trying to take over the world. You know, hero stuff.”

       The mutant rolled her eyes. “Sure.” Leah thought about something but wasn’t really sure. “Hey since uh... I mean I’m alone and you are as well this year, I figured... I don’t know you but I... I’m doing Hanukkah. More to... remember than anything but uh --” ugh, words. So overrated. “Would you like to do it with me?” she asked. 

The corner of Pietro’s mouth quirked up into a smirk. “You’ll find that I’m very hard to get rid of,” he half-joked. “Many people have tried. I think I might be immortal.”

       A quick smile appeared on her lips. “Seems like it. Good for you.” The mutant cleared a bit her throat. “Anyway the invitation is still on the table if you ever wanna pass by my place.”

“Yeah, she did,” Pietro said, eyeing her a little as he noticed her lok away. It was intrigue as he tried to get a read to her reaction. “So…..what you’re saying is what she said is what you feel?”

       She shrugged. “I’m saying what she said is true.” Leah took her time before really looking at him. “I don’t have many friends or people close to me. They usually don’t stick around, I’m weird after all, or they die. And you... stayed and survived. It’s... the closest relationship I have right now.”

On the one hand, Pietro wasn’t sure he wanted to broach that subject, but on the other, it wasn’t fair to keep things from her about herself….Skrull-self? Man, this was all confusing! His cheeks did turn a little red as he remembered the conversation. “Well…she, invited me over to your place when I was back on my feet after Seattle and that you-sorry, she, considered me someone close to her?”

       Leah tilted her head, opened her eyes a bit bigger and quickly looked away, pretending to be interested in something else to process it. “She said that.” she said, not really asking. “You know she wasn’t... like the others. She was... kind, and she protected me before the final fight.” Leah explained. “I was connected to her, at all times. What she thought, felt, was mine, not hers.” The mutant said, without actually saying it. 

“Me? Oh, I’m fantastic. You know, my sister is still missing…well, sort of. We know who has her, but we don’t know where. So that’s fun,” he attempted at humor. “Yeah, I uh…I checked on you….I mean her, after they got back from Seattle. She said a few things, but nothing important.” Well, a lot of cryptic things that hinted at other stuff, but it wasn’t actually her so it didn’t mean anything. Right?

       “I’m sorry, about your sister. I’m sure you’ll figure that out, you and the uh heroes. At least you know who. Progress is good.” she tried to compassionate, which wasn’t really her strongest suit, but she was working on it. She could definitely relate, her brothers being dead. “Yes?” she inquired him, suddenly interested. “What did she say? I have holes in my memory and I just... hate it.”

With all the Skrulls now gone, Pietro was trying to piece together everyone that turned out to be a Skrull, and that included Leah, his very close….friend? Sure, that was the word. He wasn’t sure when she’d show back up so he was hanging around the mansion, waiting for her to come back. When he heard her voice, he looked up and smiled. “Well, it’s about time,” he said jokingly, standing up. “How are you?”

       She nervously -- why? -- put her hair behind her ear. “About time?” she repeated. “Well, sorry. Not my fault that skrull took control of me longer than she should have just because she... whatever.” she sighed, looked down and up at Pietro. “I’m fine I guess. How about you? I don’t remember much, but I know Skrull me was with you after the invasion when they took me.”