Blurred Bloodlines

Laura knew something was troubling Pietro as soon as he came outside.

He was always so happy and energetic, so when he sat down on the porch and just stared into the sky, looking so lost, she was immediately worried.

She nudged Clint, who was working on their truck.

"Yeah, babe?"

"Honey, I'm worried about Pietro."

Clint glanced over at the young man sitting on the porch.

"What, a guy can't sit on a porch?"

She smacked him.

"Clint, I'm being serious. He didn't start acting like this until after he talked to his sister."

He wiped his hands on the rag next to him and nodded.

"Alright, alright, I'm going."

As Clint approached Pietro, he noticed a few things.

First the kid was completely still and he always fidgeted, even sitting down.

Second of all, he had something in his hands, a little piece of rock, it looked like.

"Hey man, what's eating ya?"

Pietro jerked in shock, looking up at him with wide eyes.

"Clint! I-I wasn't paying attention, sorry. Did you need something?"

Okay, now Clint was worried too.

Pietro usually never called him by his first name, instead opting for either 'old man' or 'birdman'.

"What's wrong kid? And don't say nothing or Laura will have both our hides."

Pietro handed the rock to Clint.

It was a crystal. With a smooth finish to its cloudly surface.

"It's a nice bit of quartz, where'd you find it?"

"Selenite."

"What?"

"Its not quartz. Its selenite. It was a gift."

"Your sister?"

The speedster shook his head.

"No, but still someone special."

'And there's the million dollar answer.'

"Girlfriend?"

"Ye-well, its complicated, you see."

"How complicated can it be? You like her, she obviously likes you, go get her."

Pietro gave a hollow laugh.

"She was another of Strucker's experiments."

Clint placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Damn. I'm sorry kid. What happened?"

Pietro shrugged his hand away and in a split second he was up off the porch and standing in front of Clint.

He was breathing heavily.

"Strucker made us fight each other to test our abilities. I was skeptical of her fighting prowess when I first met her because how could a blind girl, although paler than the moon and oh so very beautiful be as highly skilled as she was. Me, a speedster against a blind girl. I didn't want to hurt her and I told her as such. You know what she did?"

Clint shook his head.

"She punched me, nearly breaking my jaw."

"Well, it sounds like she can take care of herself."

"Yes, she can. I've seen it with my own eyes. We continued fighting for a solid hour. Continually pushing each other further and further until we both just dropped to the floor in exhaustion. I remember turning to her and saying, 'So 'malen'kaya luna' same time tomorrow?'"

Clint snorted.

Of course the kid would say something like that.

"She didn't speak, she just smiled at me. Smiled. I was grinning like a fool the whole way back to my cell."

Pietro chuckled.

"I remember Wanda telling me that I had probably hit my head too hard because clearly I had a concussion."

Clint laughed with him.

"Hey, look kid, I don't know what happened in that facility but it sounds like you met one hell of a girl."

"I did. She was the one who gave me the Selenite. It is named for Selene, the goddess of the moon. I always think of her and feel at peace when holding it."

"Like I said, one hell of a girl. But if your memories of her are so good, why so down?"

"The captain is going to try and rescue her."

Clint's eyes widened.

"Rescue her? Did you ask him to?"

The young man shook his head.

"No. Black Widow sent him some information on the Winter Soldier."

"And?"

"Apparently this Barnes is her real father."

"Well, there's some news."

"Exactly. That is why I am flying out to Wakanda tomorrow."

"Well, why not make the trip tonight and save yourself some time?"

Pietro smiled wide and was gone in the blink of an eye. He returned a few seconds later, dropping a bag at his feet.

"Well, then lets get going, old man."

Clint grumbled under his breath about punk kids having no respect as he made his way inside the house.

He had a few favors to call in.

Notes