One-shots/Short Stories

Pietro Maximoff

His Family
After leaving Strucker's base and annoying the Avengers during their raid, Pietro ran them to their old home.
Stopping in front of the rundown apartment, Pietro looked to Wanda worriedly. "Are they -?"
"They're still here." Wanda assured him. Her lips lifted into a small fond smile. "It seems we have another addition to the Maximoff family. You and Ebony never get enough of each other."
"A new addition?" Pietro's eyes bulged out. "Well what are we waiting for? Let's go."
They entered the apartment building, going all the way up to the second highest floor, stopping in front of 21. They looked to each other nervously. "Are you ready?" Wanda asked her brother. Pietro took an intake of breath, nodding.
"I'm ready." And just like that, Wanda lifted her hand up and knocked on the door.

***

Two days later they're finally freed from under the rubble, away from the missile that yelled out STARK INDUSTRIES, feeding their anger and need to avenge for their home and parents.
Pietro held onto his sister with a tight grip, allowing the adults to lead them away somewhere. Looking around with a disheartened look, all he saw was people searching through rubble, pulling survivors and dead ones out. Pietro's heart broke when he saw survivors crying over their loved ones. But one's pain for some reason ate at him. Maybe because he was watching their best friend crying over her own parents?
"Is that Ebony?" Wanda asked from his side, removing her face from his chest. The young boy nodded.
"It is." He looked at her sadly. "Come on, she only has us now like we only have her."
Ignoring the man that was leading them to safety, they ran to the crying girl who refused to let go of her dead parents. "Papa, Mama!" the girl was crying. "Wake up!"
"Ebony!" the twins cried. They rushed to the poor girl, bringing her into a hug. Ebony had it worse; the twins have each other, but Ebony didn't have a twin. She didn't have any remaining family members anymore. It was just her and her parents - now her.
"Ebony. . ." Pietro murmured, holding her close to him. Ebony pulled away from her dead parents, holding on to Pietro in a vice grip. Wanda watched from beside him sadly, rubbing a hand on the girl's back. "Come on, we need to stick together."
"Mama, Papa. . ." Ebony sniffled, turning back to the deceased parents. Pietro shook his head, making her smash her face into his chest.
"I'm sorry," he whispered, "but we're alone on this. We're not going to leave you. I'm not going to leave you."
"You promise?"
"I promise, Ebony."

***

The door opened widely, revealing Ebony Maximoff. Her raven dark hair was up in a messy bun, her clothes baggy and big from her being pregnant. In her arms she was holding a newborn baby that was crying its heart out, silver hair peaking through the blanket it was wrapped in. Pietro and Wanda smiled at the baby.
"P-Pietro? Wanda?" Her dark brown eyes gleamed in shock and relief, tears building up that threatened to fall. "I-I th-thought - how - why - how?"
"I see you've been busy." Wanda smiled at her sister-in-law.
"Only a bit." Ebony laughed weakly, holding her baby tighter in fear of accidentally dropping it. The sound of two other kids playing together loudly could be heard. Said kids appeared at her mother's side, only to leave her side immediately when they saw who was in front of them.
"Papa! Aunt Wanda!"
"Malinda! Steven!" Pietro and Wanda exclaimed, hugging the five-year-olds.
"How are my favourite twins?" Pietro cooed towards his kids. They giggled in reply, hugging him tightly.
"Where have you been?" Malinda asked in her small voice. "Mama was getting big!"
"You missed Christmas!" Steve pouted.
"And our birthdays!"
"And Mama's!"
"And Baby PJ!"
"Baby PJ?" Pietro asked, a wide grin forming on his face. Ebony looked down at the baby embarrassed.
"Pietro Junior." she mumbled shyly. Pietro chuckled in glee, feeling tears gather in his own eyes. "Pietro, Wanda. . ."
"I know what we volunteered for was risky and dangerous. . ." Pietro explained, watching as Wanda ushered his kids into the apartment, leaving just him and his wife and child. "And we thought last year it was going to be the last time we saw each other. . ." Noticing her trying to hide her cries, Pietro pulled her into a warm hug, being aware of the small infant in between them. "I'm here." he told her softly. "I'm alive and well. It's okay. The process went well."
"I know, it's just. . ." Ebony shook her head, pulling away from him. "I thought last year's experiment was the last one. When you had to return back to HYDRA for more. . ."
"It's okay now, I'm here." Pietro assured her, pressing his lips to her temple. "I'm here for our family."
"Pietro," Wanda interrupted their talk, sending him a look. "It's time."
"And when I say I am here for our family, I mean after this small mission." Pietro corrected sheepishly. Ebony stared at him in surprise.
"Pietro!" She whacked him on the arm. "You haven't even held your newborn child yet!"
"I know, I know. . ." he grimaced. "But. . .we need to do this. Stark deserves what he's getting for ruining our lives."
"But look at us now!" Ebony told the two desperately. "We have a family of our own."
"And our family isn't safe with Stark being alive." Wanda told her sternly. "We talked about this. We need our revenge -"
"I have learnt to forgive Stark," she told the twins angrily, "why can't you? It's not just about us three anymore. It's about three others as well."
"I'm sorry, Ebony." Pietro and Wanda gave her a sad smile. "But we need to do this."
"I love you." Pietro told her softly, kissing her on the lips quickly. "And I promise you, I will return for good. For our family."