The Tales of Pietro and Zrinka

Idiot

"That habit is gonna get you killed," Wanda commented when she saw Pietro smoking a cigarette.

"It's not a habit, and we both know it. This is exactly the third one I've had in my entire life."

"We're thirteen," Wanda deadpanned.

"You want it?"

"Sure."

He handed it to her.

A old man who was walking down the street clicked his tongue. "Pietro, Wanda, you know better."

"Sure we do, Mr. Novak. It is just a rough day," Pietro said.

Mr. Novak nodded in understanding. Many people knew that this day was the anniversary of Django and Magda Maxmioff's deaths. He understood why the twins could use a smoke. Help numb the pain. "Just don't get too attached to them. You don't need to kill your lungs so early."

"Yes sir," The twins chorused as Wanda put the cigarette to her lips. The twins took turns, switching it between each other.

"That is pretty terrible for you, you might want to stop," A girl's voice chimed.

The twins looked over to see Zrinka. "Oh, hey Zrinka," Wanda said.

"Hey. Stop it."

Wanda sighed and didn't take it from Pietro. Pietro just rolled his eyes. "You know today is a tough day, Zrinka. Your parents died two months ago, so I know you know how it feels."

"I do. But you really shouldn't do that. It's really not good for you."

"It helps, though. I'll prove it." He offered it to her.

She shook her head. "No, Pietro. I don't want it. What I want is for you to throw it away. There's an ashtray right there." She gestured to a trash bin with an attached ashtray a few feet away.

Pietro sighed, raising the nicotine back to his lips. He felt it suddenly ripped out of his fingers as Zrinka took it from him, putting it in the ashtray. He looked at her, anger flickering over his features. "Zrinka!"

"You can't do that." Her voice didn't waver, though she had never seen him so angry. "It's idiotic."

"You can't tell me what to do."

"Pietro-"

"Go away, Zrinka."

"Pietro-"

"I SAID GO AWAY! ZRINKA IF WE HAD ANYTHING, ITS GONE, OK?! I CAN'T BE WITH SOMEONE WHO CAN'T UNDERSTAND ME!"

Zrinka was taken aback by the tone of his voice, and was deeply hurt by his words. But she nodded, walking off. Why did he have to be such an idiot? And Wanda? She was smarter than that! If anyone could talk Pietro out of it, it was his twin! But no, she went along with what he did, same as always.

Zrinka huffed. Why did she have a crush on such a huge idiot? Especially one with such a nasty temper. Pietro's attitude had worsened since his patents' deaths, and Zrinka understood that. Having come home from school with Costel to find their parents' shop blasted to bits was heart wrenching, and Zrinka knew it would take a long time to recover.

She couldn't imagine how much worse if she, like the twins, had been there. Had watched her parents die in front of her very eyes. And then been trapped with no access to clean air, food, water, or really anything at all for fifty-two hours. It seemed like the stuff nightmares were made of.

But that didn't excuse smoking that death stick! Seriously, they flirted with death once and they decided to casually do it again?! What were they on?! Oh, right. Nicotine.

Zrinka let out an exasperated sigh as she made her way to her aunt's house. Why did she have to fall for an idiot?

She passed by Markus, who was kissing some girl named Emilia. Zrinka rolled her eyes. Her friend had given up on Wanda, who said that he deserved better than her, and that he needed to go find someone else. But he was still crushing on Wands, that was for certain. Though turning into a playboy wasn't much better. Though she was willing to take a bet that Pietro would take the same approach.

She sighed as she opened the apartment door, tears welling in her eyes. She tried to blink them away. She was only trying to help! Pietro had a nasty temper, he probably didn't mean to say that. He'd come by soon, bearing an apology and some chocolate and flowers that he undoubtedly stole. He just needed time. He was already upset, probably going through flashbacks, and she had set him off. It wasn't entirely his fault.

Zrinka's aunt and uncle greeted her, but then noticed she was crying. "What happened? Was it Pietro?" Her aunt asked.

Zrinka nodded.

"D*** that street boy," Her uncle growled.

Zrinka sighed again. "He was just angry, I think. He was smoking, and I told him to stop and threw the cigarette away when he wouldn't. He yelled at me. Today's the anniversary of his parents' deaths, though, and I know how hard that's always been for him. I don't think he meant to say it. His emotions are just off the rail today with grief, just like every year. He just doesn't usually yell at me."

"Still not much of an excuse until he apologizes," Her aunt commented.

Zrinka opened her mouth to respond before a huge boom rattled the windows. Her aunt and uncle tackled her and Costel under the table. A few more explosions followed, and none of the bombs hit the building, thank God. They seemed to stay near the marketplace. Near the building where-

Zrinka almost screamed. The bombs sounded like they were coming from near the twins' makeshift shelter. If they had bombs that close to them, especially on the anniversary of their parents' deaths... As soon as the sirens for the all-clear rang out, Zrinka took off for the twins' hideout the back way.

The marketplace was completely closed off. Their were huge holes in the concrete. A few bodies, some dead, some injured, were scattered around. She was at the building though. One of the walls and part of the ceiling had collapsed. She ran in, knowing no one would look for people in the already bombed out 'abandoned' building a fair distance from the marketplace.

Wanda and Pietro were both sitting on the floor. Wanda was in Pietro's lap. They were clutching each other, rocking back and forth, whimpering and muttering. Their hands were locked over their ears. Wanda had a nasty gash on her forehead. Pietro had one on his cheek and shoulder. It looked like he'd probably dived on top of Wanda to shield her. Both were pale and shaking.

Zrinka knelt down next to them. "Shh, shh. It's over, it's over. It's alright, you're ok."

"Trapped," Wanda whispered.

"You're not trapped, I promise. It's me, it's Zrinka. You're safe, I promise you."

"Máma, Táta!" Pietro exclaimed. His eyes were glassy.

"Pietro, calm down. You're ok, that was three years ago! You're safe now, this one barely hurt you."

"Wanda," He whispered, holding his sister tighter.

Wanda was sobbing, and tears were running down Pietro's cheeks. Zrinka knee that they must be having anxiety attacks. Which sucked.

"She'll be ok, you'll be ok! You just need to calm down so you can get help!"

A strawberry blonde and a flat-out redhead walked/ran in. Gertie and Tomas. They were followed by a paramedic. The twins finally calmed down enough to allow themselves to be whisked away after about ten more minutes.

Zrinka was relieved until she learned that Markus had broken his leg in the bombing. His current girlfriend had died, along with his mother, father, and younger brother. Zrinka's heart sank. Markus' family was another family to her, just like the Maximoffs had been. Why did her families keep getting torn apart by bombs? She wondered that as tears ran down her face. Today had been a very bad day.