UNTHAW: Comet and the winter soldier

One

Earth
today

I'm reminded that the world is much warmer than one year ago.

It's been three hundred and sixty five days since we defeated the genocidal titan Thanos. I'm reminded of those few seconds that could have saved Uncle Tony's life. If I could have gotten to him sooner and done the snap myself he would still be here instead of this deep hole in my chest. The pain I've felt since loosing him doesn't compare to anything I've ever felt. And I was tortured for a majority of my adolescence. This pain.. was deeper. I couldn't breath if I thought about him too much. Which seemed to be all too often.

Not to mention the residual pain from loosing Aunt Nat, too. It had happened so closely to Uncle Tony's I never had enough time to process the two deaths separately. I knew going into battle we would risk loosing people but I never knew it'd be two of my favorite people.

I stand from my fire escape, deciding that if I sulked any longer I would be late for my first class of the day. Climbing back through the window I brisk through the kitchen to retrieve my bag, phone and keys before heading out the door. It's a short walk to campus. If I wanted I could take the train, but I prefer to stay in motion rather than sitting with a group of strangers on a slow paced metal caterpillar. When I'm a block from my apartment, my phone rings. It's Wanda.

I answer swiftly, "hey, you alright?"

"I could ask you the same thing," her accent had faded over the past year. From Sokavian to American, now it was somewhere in between and I began to wonder where she was now. Ever since her alternate reality show down with S.W.O.R.D she didn't tend to stay in one place for too long, but she always made sure to make time for me when she could. She also didn't like talking about Westview. "I can come to you, if you need some company today."

Today. One year without them. Being reminded that today was today had been the last thing on my list of needs. Remembering was painful. And what was the point of dwelling on more pain? "No, I'm fine," I lie when the light turns green and cross the walk. "Unless you need company today. I could use some work on my healing spells."

She laughs lightly, no doubt thinking back to my past failed attempts of healing. "No, I actually have my hands full for the day. I wanted to make sure you were okay today, hear your voice." It was a sweet gesture from her, "you know I'd do anything for you Lila? Just say the word."

Somewhere in between saving the world and then again but from herself, Wanda and I had connected over our similar past. Death, torture, power; we both knew all of this too well. And ever since I learned I had a connection to magic, it seemed like she was one of the few people I could count on in this little life of mine. After Tony's funeral my powers had stopped working. In between the theories and chaos, Wanda insisted that whatever I was feeling was similar to a mystic cry for help. So, she started teaching me spells and sooner or later my powers returned. I didn't like to use them, and ever since I helped pull her out of her own twisted reality, I hadn't practiced as much. But, I still kept in touch with Wanda, talking to her was always comforting. She reminded me of what I missed out on having a sister rather than only brothers.

"Anyway that you could you make this day end before it even starts?"

"I could make a call."

I considered the idea for half a second. Then I remembered how fragile the reality of time is and how dangerous the effects could be if we tampered with it. Again. I had learned from the past- or future? I time traveled once before and I still couldn't wrap my head around all the chronological details. I decided to skip the headache. "No, it's fine." Sometimes we'd stay on the phone just for the comfort of another person. The two of us were so similar, at times it felt like we didn't have to say what we were thinking.