Earlier that day...
Pietro Maximoff could honestly say that very few things in life left him truly speechless anymore.
After all, he'd lived through more than his share of chaos and adventure. From battling giant robots to finding himself stranded on alien worlds across the galaxy, it was safe to say that not much surprised Pietro these days.
"Well, I must say, Mr. Maximoff, I didn't expect you to clean up quite so well," Riyo Chuchi said with a gentle smile, a faint blush coloring her blue cheeks.
For the speedster, this was genuinely the first time in his entire life that he'd worn anything remotely this formal. The outfit was the galactic equivalent of a very expensive Earth suit, if he had to make a comparison. This was definitely uncharted territory for him, since everything he'd worn in the past consisted of either simple civilian clothes or his Avengers uniform.
The elegant suit he was currently wearing had actually been a gift from Cham Syndulla.
When the Twi'lek resistance fighter turned Senator had come to Coruscant, the man had needed an entirely new wardrobe to better suit his elevated position. While Cham could have easily handled the shopping expedition alone, he'd decided to bring Pietro along and had insisted on getting the young Avenger a suit in return for his help on Ryloth.
Since receiving the finished garment, the Sokovian had never actually worn it again... well, until tonight.
"Pietro?" Chuchi's voice gently interrupted his wandering thoughts.
Pietro shook his head, trying to organize his scattered thoughts, and finally managed to blurt out...
"Sorry, it's just... you look absolutely beautiful," Pietro said with characteristic bluntness.
Riyo's eyes widened in surprise, then she blushed an even deeper shade of blue as a radiant smile spread across her face. After a moment, the petite Senator stepped closer to the Avenger and smoothly linked her arm through his.
Riyo Chuchi wore an elegant fitted dress in rich purple fabric with intricate silver embroidery along the edges. The design featured graceful off-shoulder sleeves that draped elegantly from her neck, creating flowing lines both front and back. She'd accessorized with simple but tasteful silver bracelets around her wrists.
"You certainly have a way with words," Chuchi said in a genuinely cheerful tone, causing Pietro to smile sheepishly.
Pietro shrugged and looked up at the obviously upscale and luxurious restaurant towering before them. "Wow, what exactly is this place?"
"My dear friend Padmé suggested I try this establishment," Chuchi explained as they walked forward together, their arms still linked. "She insisted it was worth experiencing at least once."
Pietro thought to himself that while he'd accumulated a decent amount of credits by now, he still wasn't entirely sure it would be enough to cover a meal at a place this obviously expensive. To his Earth-born sensibilities, it looked far beyond his price range.
The maître d' at the entrance immediately recognized Chuchi and smiled warmly, nodding respectfully before gesturing for a server to escort them to a private dining booth positioned next to a panoramic window overlooking the Senate building.
After settling into their seats, the beautiful Senator let out a long, tired sigh.
"I have to admit, I was definitely ready to get out of that stuffy office environment."
Pietro laughed good-naturedly. "Stuffy? That office of yours is larger than most two-bedroom apartments back on Earth."
"Well, I've been spending almost every waking hour in that same room," Chuchi pointed out. "It does become rather monotonous, seeing the same four walls day after day with hardly anything interesting happening."
Pietro couldn't really argue with that logic. "Fair point. I hope you haven't been working yourself too hard."
"Beyond the usual Senate meetings and committee obligations, you mean?"
"Yeah."
The Sokovian glanced down at the menu and did his best to decipher what was written in Galactic Basic. He could always just order whatever she was having, but he'd probably end up eating something he might not even enjoy. That seemed less than ideal.
"I was meaning to ask—have your people managed to elect a new Chairman yet?"
"Fortunately, yes, they have."
"That's excellent news. You've been under tremendous pressure lately, shouldering all those additional responsibilities."
"Absolutely. To be honest, I'm counting down the days until the transition is complete so I can properly hand over these duties and get back to my normal workload."
"So who's this lucky person taking over from Chi Cho?"
"Baron Papanoida," Riyo said, taking a sip of her drink. "He's highly respected among our people and will undoubtedly do everything possible to improve upon what Chi Cho established."
"Good to hear," Pietro nodded approvingly. "I heard from the other about that mission they went on with you and the former Chairman."
"Yes... that wasn't exactly our finest moment, but it was one of my first major actions as acting Senator."
Pietro hummed thoughtfully. "I don't think I could ever handle being a politician. I just don't have the temperament for it."
"Given everything you've accomplished over these past few weeks, that shouldn't really surprise anyone," Chuchi said, her tone carrying obvious admiration. "Charging headlong into the thick of battle while protecting our Republic's forces and the Jedi. Your actions on Ryloth were particularly noteworthy."
"I just can't stand sitting back and watching terrible things happen, you know?" Pietro said earnestly. "I've dealt with a situation like this before. I don't want to see it happen again on an even larger scale."
"Yes, you've told me about that," Chuchi said, nodding to the server who was refilling her glass with a pale blue wine. "Sokovia, wasn't it? Your homeland?"
"It used to be," Pietro said, folding his arms and leaning forward on the table. "But you already know that story."
"I do," Chuchi nodded sympathetically. "What about this Avengers headquarters you've mentioned? What's that facility actually like?"
Before Pietro could respond, their server approached the table. "Good evening."
"Hello," the Avenger replied.
"Good evening," the Senator added politely.
"Are you ready to place your orders?"
As it turned out, they were. They made their selections before the server departed for the kitchen. Once they were alone again, Pietro remembered his date's question and provided his answer.
"The Avengers Compound used to be a massive Stark Industries facility until Wanda and I joined the team. Then Tony moved our operations to this sprawling complex in a remote location that his father had owned decades ago."
"Really? What kind of complex?"
"I promise you, it's much more impressive than it sounds."
"Isn't there anywhere more... central you could have used?"
Pietro considered this for a moment. "I believe Tony was planning to convert his family's huge estate in upstate New York into another Avengers base before we ended up here."
The two continued their conversation throughout their meal, sharing stories about their respective backgrounds and experiences. Pietro told her more fascinating details about Earth while she answered his questions about galactic politics and culture as thoroughly as she could. They'd had many similar conversations by now, with Pietro making sure to speak with Chuchi whenever either of them happened to be on Coruscant at the same time.
Whenever he was away on missions, Pietro made sure to contact her during moments when he sensed she might need someone to talk to—and more often than not, his instincts proved correct. Chuchi had even jokingly suggested that he seemed to possess some kind of Jedi-like ability to know exactly when to call when she needed someone to brighten her day or lift her spirits.
Pietro had laughed off the suggestion, claiming it was just natural intuition and good timing.
They were sharing dessert now, having spent nearly two full hours in the restaurant.
"I must say, Pietro," Riyo gave him a warm, genuine smile. "I never realized how much I needed time like this until you provided it."
"Wanda taught me that I needed to learn how to slow down and actually enjoy moments instead of rushing through them."
"I can imagine," Chuchi chuckled softly at the mention of Pietro's twin sister. She hesitated for a moment, her expression growing more serious. "Is there... any news about your sister or the other teammates you're searching for?"
Pietro's shoulders sagged slightly as he shook his head with obvious disappointment.
"I'm sorry, Riyo," Pietro said glumly, turning to gaze out the restaurant's window. "Wanda, Vision, and T'Challa are still lost somewhere in this vast galaxy, and we have absolutely no idea where they could be."
Seeing his deflated mood, Chuchi reached across the table and gently placed her hand over his, encouraging him to meet her eyes.
"You will find them. You will find your sister," Chuchi said with quiet conviction. "I know you will."
Pietro's expression softened as he slowly turned his hand over so he could properly hold hers.
"Thank you, Riyo," Pietro said warmly, giving her hand a gentle squeeze that caused her face to flush a deeper shade of blue.
They both sat there in comfortable silence, simply looking at each other...
Woo-woo-woo...
Both turned toward the window to see several civilian speeders racing past at dangerous speeds, with LAAT gunships and Coruscant Security frigates in hot pursuit.
Following close behind...
Chuchi's eyes narrowed with recognition. "Those aren't—"
"Yep."
Sam and Peter were clearly giving chase to whatever was happening out there.
Riyo glanced back at Pietro and immediately recognized the expression on his face as his eyes tracked his two teammates disappearing into the distance.
She blinked, but it didn't take long for her to understand what that look meant. She also knew that she needed to return to the Senate floor soon anyway, since there was supposed to be an emergency session later this evening.
"Go," Chuchi said simply, releasing his hand.
"What?"
Chuchi nodded toward the window where his two comrades had vanished. "Obviously, they need your help."
"Are you sure? I don't want to be rude and just abandon—"
"I'll be fine, Pietro."
The Sokovian fidgeted in his seat, torn between his sense of duty to his teammates and his desire not to end their date abruptly.
"But—"
"I can handle paying a simple restaurant bill, Pietro," Chuchi said with gentle amusement. "You, on the other hand, clearly have more pressing responsibilities."
Pietro's face creased with uncertainty. "Are you absolutely sure?"
The raised eyebrow she gave him was all the answer he needed. As much as he hated going against the gentlemanly manners his father and Clint had instilled in him, right now there were obviously more urgent matters demanding his attention.
"I'll find a way to make this up to you somehow. I promise."
In a silver blur, Pietro vanished from the table, leaving Chuchi sitting alone.
A few moments later, she sighed softly. The Senator was about to signal their server so she could settle the bill when she suddenly felt a gentle breeze brush against her face.
"Almost forgot something important."
"Forgot what—"
She suddenly felt something warm and soft press briefly against her cheek. Turning her head, Riyo caught just a glimpse of Pietro's smile before he disappeared once again in a streak of silver.
After he'd gone, the Pantoran Senator still felt the lingering warmth where his lips had touched her cheek. Raising her fingers to the spot, she realized exactly what her date had just done, causing her face to flush a brilliant shade of blue. Without thinking, she found herself smiling radiantly.
Chuchi gently touched her cheek, her heart racing with excitement. After paying their bill, she stood up and left the restaurant several minutes later, that smile never leaving her face.
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