Avengers/MCU Oneshots

Switch (Pietro Maximoff)

AU where Wanda saved Clint instead of Pietro. Nat would be pleased by this artistic liberty because no more "traitor baby" as I'm gender flipping Nathaniel. Sorry, not sorry. He's Natasha Jr. now. Suggested by scarlettromanof. Super short.

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Clint grabbed the young boy, and took of running. He saw one of the robots aiming at him and the boy. He instantly went to shield, but instead felt himself be pushed out of the way.

"Does my seal of approval still mean jack to you?" Wanda asked him with a cocky grin, her body littered with bullet holes. She collapsed.

Clint immediately set the young boy down, running over to the teen. He checked her for breathing, for a pulse, for any sign of life, but found none. Captain America rushed over to them. "No use, Cap," Clint whispered. "She's gone."

As Pietro destroyed yet another bot, he suddenly felt like something was wrong. His chest ached. Something was missing, gone. He realized what it was, what was gone. WHO was gone. He screamed, and tore every bot in a hundred yards to shreds, taking off to where his gut told him Ultron was: in the sky.

How he arrived there, he wasn't sure. But he found himself standing in front of Ultron.

"If you don't leave, Pietro, you'll die." Ultron warned him.

"I just did. And do you know what it felt like?" He ripped out what was essentially Ultron's heart, crushing it in his hand. "It felt like that." He told the now lifeless robot.

The pit of his stomach felt like it dropped as the land plummeted. Pietro instinctively yelled as he was flattened against the floor. He braved himself for the impact, for death, but instead found himself being carried to safety by Vision. Then, everything went black.

He woke up in the most comfortable bed he had ever been in. That's how he knew that it wasn't all just some terrible dream. His heart ached, he wanted his sister. But he knew that he couldn't have her. She was dead. Just like their parents.

"How could you just leave me like this, Wanda?" He whispered. "You're not just my little sister. You're my twin, my other half. My better half. I need you." He started to sob. "WHY COULDN'T IT HAVE BEEN ME?! WHY WASN'T IT ME?! IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN ME! IT WAS MY JOB TO PROTECT YOU! IT WAS MY JOB TO PROTECT YOU, AND I FAILED! IT'S MY FAULT, I SHOULD'VE BEEN THERE!"

He heard the door open, felt the bed move as someone sat next to him. "It's not your fault, Pietro." He looked up, his eyes flooded with tears, to see Clint sitting there. "We can go placing the blame on anyone. You, me, Ultron, Tony.

"But ultimately, it was many deciding factors, many chains of events. She chose to sacrifice herself for me, and for that little boy. She knew that she would die, and she did it anyway. And I think that is the bravest thing that a person can do. You're sister died a true hero's death, Pietro, don't ever forget that. Also, I wanted to know if I could make my baby's middle name Wanda.""

"Yeah. Yeah, of course! Wait, what were her last words? I wanna know if they really sound like something she'd say."

"They were 'Does my seal of approval still mean jack to you?'"

Pietro smiled. "That does sound like her. Wait... where is she?"

"I'll take you to her."

He lead him out of the room to another, where he saw Wanda in an open coffin, her eyes closed. He felt tears starting to pour down his face. He ran over to her, taking her into his arms. "I'm so sorry, Wanda! I'm so sorry! Don't leave me, you can't, I need you! Wanda, wake up, please! Wake up!" He just started uncontrollably sobbing.

They buried her in the Sokovian synagogue's cemetery, which was somehow still intact, beside their parents. Pietro barley managed to choke out an obituary, and then stayed until everyone left. He knelt down next to the grave. "Hey, Mom, Dad, Sis. I want you to know that I miss you all more than any words could ever say. I know you're in a better place now, but I still wish that you were here with me, or I was at least up there with you. I love you guys. I'll never forget you, ok?"

He gently set three bouquets down on the grave, and walked towards the helicopter that would take him to his new, sister-less life in New York City.