A/N: This might suck… I have to start writing before the plot's fully developed otherwise I lose interest and I've had and lost this idea several times now. Hopefully this time it'll stick! I've already got the pairings I want in mind, though. The obvious one is Wanda/Bucky, but the others you'll have to wait and see. I love the Avengers, and I love how the family keeps growing! I wanted to add Peter in this, but compared to the others he'd just be a fetus. Maybe he'll be a younger sibling or a freshman later on? Anyways, hope you enjoy.
P.S.: Something that'll help keep my attention on this story is lots of reviews! Constructive criticism and suggestions are very welcome. Roasting me is as well, because hey it ups the review count lol. Do try to be nice though. Hate to admit it, but my ego is easily wounded.
Xoxo Hailbutter
-Chapter 1-
Wanda threw her suitcase onto the old mattress. So far she was less than pleased with their new house. It was a major downgrade for sure. They'd gone from four bedrooms to two and a couch, and had to sell all of their furniture, so were left with what the landlord decided to leave here. Thankfully there were beds, a couch, and a television that looked like it came straight out of the sixties.
She should've expected this really. Their family has come to pieces; no way they could afford a place like their old urban mansion. There could still be less cobwebs, she thought glumly as she opened the door to her little closet. On the brightside, this house didn't stink of alcohol yet.
She grabbed hangar after hangar, trying to organize her clothes with somewhat order. She knew it was a futile effort - without a dresser, there wasn't enough space for all of her clothes to hang. It ended with a stuffed closet and her shoes in a pile on the floor.
"Wanda?" Pietro asked. He leaned against the doorframe with his arms crossed. He'd likely been there for a while, but she couldn't make herself snap at him for watching her. Since Mom had died and Papa… neglected his responsibilities, he'd taken over making sure she was alright.
"Yes?" she asked, after having glanced at him but not turning around fully.
"I'm going to see if there's any take out places near here. Want to come?"
She paused. "I think I'll stay." she decided. Food sounded great right now, but she didn't feel like taking a stroll through the lovely neighborhood they would now have to call home.
He nodded understandably. "Any requests?"
Chinese almost rolled across her tongue - nothing made her feel better than orange chicken - but she faltered. They couldn't afford that now. "Burritos?" she asked. Taco Bell was probably in their budget.
"I'll see if I can find a place." He spared her one last glance before walking away.
Her fingers brushed across an old family photo, the only one she had with her. A smiling family of four looked up at her, and she brushed away a tear as she realized a picture like this could never be taken of them again. Even just the three of them, it was doubtful any of them could muster up a smile full of innocence like the one from the photo. It was placed carefully on her little bedside table, and she winced as the wood splintered under the weight of the frame.
She stayed in her room a while longer before venturing into the living room, to see a blanket draped across the back of the couch. Pietro had offered to take the couch so she could have the other room, after Papa had flat out refused to give up his room. She felt a pang of gratitude for her twin.
"Wanda," Papa came from the kitchen, holding a half-empty beer bottle.
It's starting, she wrinkled her nose. She caught sight of another empty bottle on the ground by the couch.
"Hello, Papa." she greeted, not having seen him since they arrived at the house earlier.
"Where's your brother?"
"He's getting food."
"Like?"
"He's looking for Mexican." She replied.
He grunted in disapproval. "I wanted sushi."
She blinked. "You know we can't afford that Papa." His spending habits mixed with the drinking problem were what got them in this dump in the first place.
"Then get a job!" he growled, suddenly angry.
She hated when he got like this. She contemplated hiding his alcohol stash, but the thought was short-lived when she realized he would just go buy more and they'd be more broke than before.
"I'm fifteen!" she retorted.
"Then you can legally get a job!" He spat, and took a step forward. He dropped the bottle he was holding and it shattered on the hardwood floor. A string of profanities came from his mouth as her went to the fridge to grab another and stepped over the mess, going to his room. "Clean it up." he demanded over his shoulder.
She sighed and started picking up the glass, tossing the other empty bottle as well. By the time she'd sponged up the mess, Pietro was walking through the door with a Taco Bell bag over his arm. "Found some!" he grinned, placing it on the counter.
She pulled out her rice and bean burrito, noticing it had gotten a little cold on the walk over. He handed her his as she walked to the microwave to heat it up. She placed them both in and tried to set it for two minutes, but pressing the buttons did nothing. It was plugged in, but nothing was happening. It was broken.
Frustration flooded through her, and she tried to stop the tears that were threatening to spill over, but it was overwhelming. First her mom died, then her father started drinking, he lost his job, they had to move to a new state, ripped from her friends, her home, her family, the house had barely any furniture, her room was mildewed, and she couldn't get the damn microwave to work…
Before she knew it, Pietro was pulling her to his chest with promises of "It'll be okay," and "We'll make it through this." She cried into his shirt for her mom and her dad, and because her twin brother shouldn't be burdened with comforting her.
They stayed like that for a few minutes until her tears had ceased, and wordlessly he pulled their food from the microwave and put them in the oven. When they were hot they each sat on the couch to eat, talking about little nothings like what school would be like tomorrow and the weird guy in line at Taco Bell.
She went to bed early, not wanting to stay awake in the house with the loud noises outside but also dreading her first day at a new school.
