Natasha stood beside Pietro’s coffin, frozen, fighting tears. Wanda, Pietro’s sister, stood off the the side, weeping. The rest of the Avengers stood beside and behind Natasha. As they lowered Pietro’s coffin into the ground, as they threw flowers and dirt over his grave; as everyone, even Wanda left, Natasha remained standing.
~~~
I’m still holding onto a memory
Pietro ran around a 4 year old Natasha, trying to gain her attention.
“Look, look, look! I’m the fastest person alive!” he exclaimed, his young face grinning a smile that only young children could smile.
“Wow, Pietro! One day, maybe you’ll be in the Olympics and win a gold medal!” a young Natasha exclaimed, smiling back ot her little cousin.
~~~
An echo from another time
“Tash, look at what I can do! Aren’t you proud, Tash!” Pietro asked, smiling happily.
He was now 6, and Natasha was 8.
“That’s wonderful, Pietro! You’ll be able to show Wanda all of the new tricks you can do when you get home!” Natasha praised him, happy that her little cousin was happy.
~~~
Another place
Natasha was 9, Pietro was 7. It was time for Pietro to return home to Sokovia. He couldn’t stop crying, he didn’t want to leave his beloved older cousin.
“It’s alright, Pietro. I’ll always be there for you. Always.” Natasha comforted him.
“Promise?” Pietro asked, sniffling.
“Promise.” Natasha promised, hugging her little cousin.
“Here, I….I made this for you. So that you don’t forget me.” Pietro said, handing Natasha a small package.
Natasha opened it, curious. Inside was a picture of the two of them, laughing. It had been taken two years previously. It was framed by an intricately carved wooden frame that she knew Pietro had carved. There was also a necklace on a piece of leather cord, an intricately carved pendant in the shape of a sparrow taking flight hung off of the leather.
“Thank you.” Natasha breathed, sad that Pietro would soon be gone.
“You’ll always be my cousin.” was his only response as he hugged her tightly, kissed her cheek, and climbed into the waiting car.
Natasha stayed standing at the end of the drive, waving sadly until she could see the car no more.
That night, the Red Room took her. She was able to take Pietro’s gifts with her, hiding them, and taking them with her when she escaped.
~~~
But now Pietro was gone, and they hadn’t gotten to have a proper reunion, and she regretted it bitterly. She would never see his smile, hear his laughter. She clutched the pendant that he’d given her so long ago, and dared to hope that maybe, just maybe, Wanda would one day remember her, who she was. Until then though, Natasha would grieve silently, alone. Just as she’d been when Pietro had returned to Sokovia, just as she had been when she had been taken by the Red Room, by S.H.I.E.L.D.
“Nat, you coming?” Clint called out from behind her.
Slowly, as though every movement pained her, she turned her back on her cousin’s grave, and walked away.
Clint didn’t notice the single crystalline tear that had slipped past Natasha’s defenses, and down her cold cheek.