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Walking in a Winter Wonderland
All was quiet in the Avengers Tower. The rumble of the New York streets below was muted by the distance, and of course, the walls. Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse. One creature was floating. Not a human, not a machine. He was in a restorative cycle, perhaps… Sleeping? Not quite. He was a silent guardian, still alert and ready to respond to danger, keeping watch while the fragile ones rested for the night. Although only he was tasked with the nightly watch, he did not mind. The city was mesmerizing in its ever shifting patterns, and Vision didn’t need sleep. Even his rest was still conscious, and he enjoyed the time to observe the surrounding world, mostly uninterrupted.
Unfortunately, undisturbed was not how this chilly December night would be. Snowflakes drifted past the large window in Vision’s room. He had never registered real snow with his own optical nerves, only in prior knowledge, and images downloaded from the net. It was fascinating. The way that the fluffy flakes floated, gently tumbling down the window glass, sometimes sticking and melting, other times only passing by to join the piles of slush far below on the ground. Vision had never expected something as simple as crystallized water to be so complex and wondrous.
Suddenly there was a creak, Vision cancelled his restorative cycle, and exited his room. The door to the emergency stairs was slowly swinging shut. He entered the stairway, following the light sound of footsteps. Sinking through one final flight of stairs, he saw only Wanda, padding down the stairs in a jacket and knitted hat, carrying a dark blue backpack. A slight smile drifted across his face. She was not in imminent danger, and there was no security risk to the tower, so although this was an irregularity, Vision returned to his quarters. He mentally filed this away as something to address with the others. There was no procedure regarding other Avengers sneaking out in the middle of the night.
The next morning dawned bright and cold. Vision had spent the last hours of the night researching fruit trees. He had discovered an interesting phenomenon where gardeners would splice together different trees to get a ‘fruit salad tree’ that produced not one but four types of fruit. Vision decided that in his spare time he would like to plant a garden. Some of the balconies were rather spacious, perfect for some large plant pots, or even a trough. He considered asking if Wanda would assist him. He found her companionship quite enjoyable.
At precisely seven am, aggressive guitar chords pounded through the halls of the tower. It almost seemed as though the walls were vibrating with their force. Vision identified it as a genre called rock. Tony Stark was certainly behind this. From the surrounding rooms, a mix of curses and groans rose up. This alarm system had been used before, to nobody’s delight. Vision reminded himself to open his room door before exiting it, after changing into some daytime clothing. He emerged to the sight of other Avengers leaving their chambers with various levels of grogginess. He found this interesting to observe. The drowsy ones seemed to be Wanda Maximoff, Bruce Banner, Clint Barton, Sam Wilson, and Tony Stark, the last of whom was muttering profanities while rubbing his eyes. The rest were merely tired and rumpled. Natasha Romanoff and Steve Rogers were the only alert ones. Everyone stood in a loose semicircle for a few moments. Steve finally broke the silence.
“I’m going to go make some eggs, does anybody else want any?” he asked, followed by a general murmur of assent.
“Bacon?” Natasha added, met with more enthusiasm. She headed to the kitchen, closely followed by Rogers, and the rest of the Avengers. Wanda took a right turn to the pantry and removed a box of breakfast cereal. Vision walked to the large kitchen table and sat down. Wanda joined him with her cereal, and some milk. He wished her a good morning.
“Waiting on the eggs?” she asked with a small smile.
“No, I don't actually need to eat. I’m never quite sure what to do at mealtimes,” Vision replied, glancing over at the gaggle by the coffee pot. “And the phenomenon of coffee … Do you really require the caffeine?” he continued. Wanda gave a soft chuckle.
“You would be surprised. I’ve never been a fan of coffee myself. I tried it black once when I was younger. I didn’t enjoy it, and I never quite found the time to try again,” Wanda replied, spooning some of the crackly cereal into her mouth. Her hair was pulled back into a loose, low ponytail, and she was wearing a pleasant grey knit sweater, as usual, offset by some necklaces. Tony Stark shuffled over, looking about as lively as a corpse.
“God, am I regretting setting that alarm,” He mumbled, collapsing into a chair a few seats left of Vision, munching morosely on a piece of toast. Within a couple more minutes, Bruce, Sam and Clint sat down, with various snacks. Banner was favouring vegetables, and reading some sort of academic journal. Clint sipped on coffee, while Sam partook in the same toast as Tony. Vision wondered what the toast tasted like, in fact he wondered what food tasted like. Wanda sneezed.
“Bless you,” Sam said. Vision tilted his head.
“What relevance does a spiritual accolade have to a sneeze?” he asked, looking around at the table. There was a gentle, sleepy rumble of laughter.
“Actually, in medieval times, it was thought that when someone sneezed, the devil would go up their nose. They had to be blessed so that they could stay devil-free,” Bruce replied, crunching on a cucumber slice.
“Ah,” Vision replied, almost more confused. Natasha brought over a stack of plates, closely followed by Steve bringing cutlery. The people seated at the table grabbed their eating supplies, more alert now.
“Food will be ready in a few minutes,” Natasha announced, sitting down at the table. Steve leaned on the countertop, keeping an eye on the rapidly frying meal. Wanda finished her cereal, and got up to put her bowl in the high tech dishwasher. She put the milk back in the fridge, and turned towards her room. The door clicked shut behind her. Vision noticed a light morning conversation that had sprung up in her wake.
“But what I'm really saying is that students should be taught world history, not just the history of their own country,” Steve was asserting, gaze intense. With the Avengers, few conversations were ever too light.
“Pardon me, but last night I observed a security irregularity,” Vision interjected.
“Oh?” Tony asked, joined by the attention of the others.
“Yes. Miss Maximoff exited the tower around midnight, and returned at around two in the morning. I saw no imminent threat, so I merely made a note of the event,” Vision recounted. There was a pause as everyone processed the situation. There were many “hmms” and furrowed brows.
“I mean she technically didn't do anything wrong,” Natasha pointed out.
“That's pretty suspicious though,” Sam added, met with agreement.
“Damn,” Stark murmured. “We should find out where she went. Vision, if she sneaks out again, follow her.” He was met with silence. Nobody liked the idea of invading the privacy of the newest Avenger, but her safety, or the safety of others could be at risk.
“Very we-” Vision replied, cutting himself off abruptly as Wanda returned. Everyone quickly busied themselves with their cutlery and belongings, or in Natasha and Steve’s case, bringing over the food. Wanda looked around.
“Am I missing something?” she asked Vision quietly, sitting back down beside him. Vision hesitated, but he was rescued by Captain Rogers setting down the eggs and requesting that everybody dig in. Wanda looked at Vision analytically. He did not want to make an enemy out of her, and couldn’t help but feel that following her in the dead of night when she clearly wanted to go unnoticed would not go over well.
Breakfast was tense, but uneventful. During the training session that followed, Wanda seemed to forget about the morning’s awkwardness. Today was mid and close range weapons. Different Avengers had varying levels of competency, from Natasha’s absolute expertise, to Banner, Vision, Stark and Maximoff’s lack of experience. Each weapons trained Avenger paired up with one less trained. Romanoff gestured to Stark, Steve paired up with Wanda and Clint selected Vision, leaving Bruce to Sam. The small groups split up, the instructors gathering weapons and starting to teach from different places in the training centre.
“Alright Vision, I can't see why you would need a weapon, but it doesn’t hurt to be prepared. I’ll start you off with a handgun,” Clint said, grabbing one of the pistols off of the gun rack. He handed it to Vision.
“Is this armed?” he asked, gripping the weapon with one hand. Barton chuckled.
“That’s what you’ll learn first. Grab a magazine,” he replied, gesturing to the drawers under the handgun rack. Vision glanced at the other Avengers. Natasha looked frustrated, Stark smug. A shot went off, paired with a yelp. A startled looking Banner fumbled with a gun. It clattered to the floor.
“Sorry guys, my bad!” he called sheepishly, eyes flicking to a hole in the athletic mat on the floor. There was a short pause and some stifled laughter, but the rest of the training continued.
“Well, take a look at the gun and try to find the magazine that matches,” Clint instructed, indicating the ammunition storage again. Vision turned the gun over in his hands, quickly locating the identifying markings. He opened the drawer labeled ‘Handgun Magazines’ and searched for a matching one. As he searched, he heard a few thuds. Natasha was showing Tony how to throw knives. Vision located the correct magazine and turned again to Barton.
“Pass me those,” Clint requested. He slid the magazine into the open butt of the gun. It clicked in place. He then pressed a button. The magazine slid out. “Simple. Do that twenty times. Muscle memory,” he dictated, handing the weapon back to Vision
“Thank you,” Vision intoned, examining the magazine release. He inserted the magazine. Another click. He pressed the release, and the magazine dropped. He caught it, and turned to observe the other training sessions. Wanda was learning how to use a taser, in some sort of sparring match with Rogers. Vision replaced the magazine as Wanda ducked low and jabbed the inactive weapon into Steve’s thigh, who exited his fighting stance and uttered some form of praise. Vision continued his exercises.
The rest of the three hour long training session passed uneventfully. Vision found that although his handgun aim was passable, his aim with the gem was far better, and the weapon just didn’t feel right. Banner was still rather weapon-shy, and Tony Stark was struggling to find a weapon with which he was comfortable. The only group that seemed to come out of the session happier was Steve and Wanda. Vision gathered that Wanda was showing promise with knives and tasers. Steve was rather enthusiastic. The group congregated around him as he boasted about Wanda’s progress.
“...But that wasn’t all, the first time she threw a knife she hit the bull’s eye of the target!” Steve recounted jovially.
“Please, that was beginner’s luck,” Wanda protested, but Vision noted her slight smile, and the glimmer of success in her eyes. He was happy that she had done well.
Lunch went by without event, as well as the few hours of downtime. Vision encountered Wanda outside on one of the terraces early in the evening.
“Do you know any gardening stores nearby?” Vision queried, looking about at the city.
“Gardening?” Wanda inquired, peering at Vision in surprise.
“Yes, I was doing some research last night, and I discovered a very interesting type of tree, that can produce four different types of fruit simultaneously,” Vision replied, wondering if Wanda liked plants, or fruit for that matter.
“I don’t think you’ll find anything like that in the city,” Wanda pointed out.
“Ah, yes…” Vision trailed off, unsure how to continue the conversation. There was a pause.
“Follow me, I have an idea,” Wanda intoned mysteriously, turning with a smile. Vision followed her back through the doors to the terrace, down one of the numerous hallways, and found himself back in the kitchen.
“I probably should have asked this earlier, but can you eat?” Wanda questioned pleasantly, leaning against the countertop.
“I don’t see why I would be unable,” Vision responded, beginning to understand what Wanda had in mind. She smiled in return, pivoting to face the pantry.
“Hmm, let me see. We have some granola bars, protein powder… Aha! Chocolate. You’re in for a treat,” Wanda affirmed, presenting a large slab of milk chocolate. Vision allowed himself a smile. Chocolate. His first meal. Wanda sat at the dining table, Vision following suit. Wanda opened the package. With a quiet crinkle, a brown checked slab was revealed. She snapped off a row of four squares and broke it again into two bars of two.
“Here,” she said, passing him the chocolate. Vision examined it. It was the colour of earth, slightly bubbled on the bottom. He tentatively put it in his mouth. Wanda waited with a grin, eyebrows slightly raised, consuming one of her squares of chocolate. The chocolate broke and melted in his mouth as he chewed. He had nothing to compare it to, but found it agreeable, and oddly satisfying in how it could be solid or liquid, and almost sticky.
“So?” Wanda asked, biting her second square of chocolate.
“I have no frame of reference, but it is… Pleasant,” Vision replied, considering the still melting confection. Just then, Stark entered the room.
“You found my chocolate, and ate it?” he asked, beholding the sweet in question.
“Sorry, it was in the pantry,” Wanda defended.
“I was just joking, it’s fine,” Tony responded, clapping her on the shoulder as he continued on his way.“Keep up the good work.”
Vision smiled. Chocolate indeed. He ate his second square of chocolate.
“Thank you,” Vision pronounced. Nobody else had made such an effort to be kind to him. He hoped that he would have no cause to betray her trust, although he knew he had no choice. How ironic that the only one who seemed to treat him as human would be the only one whose humanity he would have to exploit, or… Diagnose.
“You said you wanted to learn about gardening?” Wanda asked, glancing at Vision.
“Yes,” he replied hopefully, wondering what else she had in mind. He so enjoyed her company, any company in fact. The human condition was foreign to him.
“Do you know about the rooftop greenhouse?” Wanda queried, replacing the chocolate bar in the pantry.
“No, I’m afraid that was one of the files damaged when Ultron attacked Jarvis,” Vision informed her. “Would you mind showing me?” he asked, hoping they could continue their time together.
“Sure,” Wanda replied with a scant grin. They waited for the elevator. Vision knew it would be faster for him to fly, but he did not know where this greenhouse was, nor would he want to leave his companion behind. With a pleasant ding the metal doors slid open. The pair shuffled inside. Wanda pressed the button labelled simply ‘R’, and the elevator rose with a light hum. The doors whooshed open, and the two stepped blinking into the cold winter air.
“It’s chilly!” Wanda called, jogging towards a squat, transparent building a few yards away. Vision followed suit. Jogging didn’t seem quite right, so he floated instead. He stepped into the building and was met with a spray of colour. Greens, dim and bright leapt out at him, studded with purples, yellows, oranges, and every other colour of the rainbow. He was speechless. The fragrance was heavy, but refreshing, as if from a faraway jungle, cool and untouched by mankind.
“Here you go,” Wanda said, warmth behind her normally guarded gaze.
“This is… Beautiful,” Vision replied, drinking in his surroundings. “I don’t think I have ever seen this many plants in person.” He found himself smiling, reaching out to touch a blossom. It was smooth and springy. Some yellow-orange pollen stuck to his fingertips. He turned to face Wanda.
“Thank you,” he breathed, still taking in the riot of leaves and blooms. Wanda released a smile, genuine and carefree. It was as beautiful as any flower in the greenhouse.
“I’ve never seen anyone this happy about plants,” she chuckled. Vision continued to admire the botanicals. He had never been this happy about plants, or this happy at all perhaps. He always felt happier around Wanda.
“This is a lily, yes?” he asked, gently brushing a flower on a lower shelf.
“Yes. That one over there is a chrysanthemum,” she responded, leaning in front of him as she pointed to his left.
“Roses...”
“Carnation?”
“Spider plants”
“Venus fly trap”
The pair made their way around the small greenhouse, stopping to marvel at each new specimen. The sun began to gleam through the side of the greenhouse with a reddish brilliance as they came up on the little door again.
“It must be time for the evening meal by now,” Vision pointed out, gesturing at the sunset.
“Oh, dinner! You’re right. Let’s go,” Wanda smiled. She seemed relaxed as she exited the greenhouse and jogged back to the roof entrance. Vision followed. He was entirely astounded, still buzzing from the greenhouse. He barely registered the now freezing wind. As Vision entered the elevator he wondered how he could spend more time with those plants, and perhaps with Wanda as well.
“Thank you again for sharing the greenhouse with me Wanda,” Vision mused. “You show such kindness.” His companion turned to look at him, now leaning against the wall of the elevator.
“Kindness,” she replied, crossing her arms and leaning farther back. “You know I grew up in a war torn country. Kindness was often hard to find. I suppose it’s our job to spread it where we can.”
Vision was surprised. He hadn’t known Wanda would have such care for the human race after all it had done to her.
“That is a beautiful outlook on life,” he acknowledged as the elevator slowed to a halt and the doors opened soundlessly. Wanda glanced back at him as she strode away to the dining room. The look in her eyes was vulnerable, perhaps even scared. Vision was unsure what he had done wrong. He drifted back to his room and took up his post at the window.
Minutes passed as he waited alone for his next duty. The sounds of laughter floated through the halls. Vision wondered what they were all bonding over.
Kinship, another facet of the human condition. Mealtime, a shared experience over shared food. He now wished that he had made a habit out of attending these nutritional events, if only to foster a relationship with the other Avengers. It must be too late now. The noises of merriment returned in greater force, but a thin, clear laugh cut through the others. Wanda’s laugh. Vision had never heard that before. It was almost magnetic, and he found himself pulled by it, enough so that he made his way over to the entrance of the dining room.
The table was a lovely sight bathed in the warm evening light. Wanda was leaning back, humour as a glitter in her eyes that Vision wished he saw more often. Rogers was gesturing animatedly, clearly the source of the humour. Stark and Rhodes were leaning on each other. Barton, Romanoff and Banner were struggling to continue eating as they chuckled. Vision let loose a small smile. Steve’s gaze caught on Vision, lingering in the doorway. The laughter quieted, though not unkindly.
“Come on in, we’ve got an extra chair,” Steve invited genially. Vision was almost unsurprised at his generosity. Rogers was an excellent man.
“Thank you,” Vision responded, stepping his way towards the empty chair Rhodes had pulled out. He sat, unsure how to proceed further.
“Do you want some food?” Tony asked, indicating the mostly empty bowl of pasta.
“Yes actually,” Vision replied, pleased that he could participate.
“I’m glad you made it for dinner,” Wanda intoned, with a look that spoke of their earlier culinary adventures.
“As am I.”
It turned out that dinner was a wonderful venture. Vision hadn’t guessed how much connection could be gleaned from such a simple activity. He learned about a pet Tony had as a child, and how it ran away. He heard about the awful experience Clint had at a coffee shop this morning. Vision even found out about Natasha’s affinity for cats, and Bruce’s three year winning streak of childhood science fairs. He hadn’t expected anyone to be this forthcoming, but within minutes of his arrival, everyone was once again merry and trusting. Wanda had been laughing along at every story, and Vision had seen that glitter in her eyes again. She hadn’t shared any stories of her own, but he could guess that she was slightly outside of her comfort zone already. Vision had heard that personal growth only occurs outside of one’s comfort zone. With a start, he realized that he too was in a new environment, and learning.
As dinner wound down, parties began to break away to their separate rooms. The now dark sky was studded with the city lights. Vision and Wanda somehow ended up sitting on a bench on the same balcony where Vision had hoped to plant a garden. Wanda shivered.
“I’m going to go grab a coat,” she said, hurrying back into the building. She returned within seconds. Her room was close to the balcony.
“Wouldn’t it be more practical to sit inside?” Vision inquired, analyzing Wanda’s huddled frame, knees drawn up to her chest. She must have still been cold. Tilting her head, she gazed at him.
“Practical? Maybe, but I like to look at the city. I used to look at the stars, just not here in New York,” Wanda replied, shifting on the bench.
“Stars have often been seen as a symbol of hope,” Vision added, peering up at them.
“When I was a little girl, I used to keep my curtains open at night.” Wanda murmured. “I would stare up at the night sky, or down at the buildings below our apartment until I would fall asleep. Sometimes Pietro would-” her voice wavered, breath catching in her lungs. “Pietro would tell me stories about the constellations. My parents had told them to us both, but he loved to tell them again, and I loved to hear them,” she finished, voice somewhat shaky. She swiped at her cheeks, turning to look at Vision.
“You know, he wouldn’t have wanted me to be sad, but sometimes… Sometimes it hurts so much I could die,” Wanda admitted. She seemed so vulnerable, shrinking back into herself. Vision wished he could take her pain away.
“I am sorry. I cannot heal you, or bring your brother back. I cannot feel your loss, but I sympathize,” Vision said, wishing he could convey what he meant. Even to his own ears that sounded cold.
“No. Nobody can, but you listened, and that is the most I can ask. Thank you,” Wanda sighed, rubbing her hands across a tired face.
“I will always be here to listen,” Vision attested, offering this one slim shred of humanity that he could. Wanda’s eyes met his. Her posture softened slightly.
“You can listen. Do you want to learn something else?” she asked cryptically, puzzling Vision somewhat.
“It’s no use me sitting here miserable. I feel horrible but sitting won’t help me, and I won’t start crying on your shoulder,” Wanda continued, baffling Vision further.
“Follow me, I have a plan.” Wanda concluded, striding back to her room. Vision followed, entirely off balance. She reemerged with a dark blue backpack and a knit hat, the same ones that she had taken with her the previous night. Vision was truly startled. Where was she taking him?
“You’ll want a jacket too,” she added cryptically. Vision merely nodded, drifting towards his room. This section of the tower was mostly silent. The rest of the Avengers were relaxing alone in their rooms, or a few floors down in the rec room. Vision sincerely hoped he wasn’t about to break a myriad of rules, but if he was, he figured he would be unobserved for some time. He returned to the elevator where Wanda was waiting. She had a mischievous gleam in her eyes. Vision felt apprehensive, and, to his surprise, excited.
“Where exactly are we going?” he queried, as the elevator doors slid open.
“It’s a surprise, but I think you’ll like it,” Wanda affirmed. “It’s the same place I went last night,” she continued, stopping short as Vision let out a soft exclamation of surprise.
“You were not trying to leave unnoticed?” he inquired. This was entirely unexpected.
“No, I figured there was some sort of security system in the first place… and I sensed you as I was going down the stairs. I guess I just like being alone,” Wanda revealed as the elevator slowed to a halt on the ground floor of the tower.
“Are you sure you want me with you, if this is where you go to be alone?” Vision wondered as they stepped out of the tower. He didn’t want to intrude. Wanda considered for a moment.
“No, I want to share something with you. I guess I trust you,” Wanda replied. Vision felt a sense of warmth despite the cold evening wind blowing down 45th street.
“Thank you Wanda. This means much to me,” he responded with a smile. Nobody had ever trusted him before. Nobody had quite treated him like a person before either. It wasn’t that anyone was inhumane, they just didn’t seem to realize that he yearned for the same sense of place and companionship. A give and take relationship like this, with some unidentifiable emotional component was truly new to him. He pondered this as they walked in friendly silence for a minute or two.
“Are you sure you can’t tell me our destination?” Vision prodded as they turned the corner onto 5th avenue, boots crunching on the thin layer of ice that coated some parts of the sidewalk.
“No! That would ruin the surprise,” Wanda countered jovially.
“Is there anything I can do to prepare myself?” he wondered, peering up at the walls of skyscrapers on either side of the wide city street.
“No, you’ll be fine as you are,” she answered. Despite the late hour, the street was full of pedestrians, laden with bags and bundled in winter gear, stepping carefully around the brown piles of slush. Him and Wanda blended in, despite Vision’s inhuman appearance. Nobody seemed to care. It was rather refreshing.
“It isn’t far now,” Wanda asserted, quickening her stride. She looked back, checking to ensure Vision was still with her. He had adjusted speed accordingly. Vision found his anticipation growing. What could be up ahead? The pair swept around another corner.
“Look,” Wanda stated simply. Before them was a tree of epic proportions, festooned with coloured lights, sparkling garlands and large baubles in festive shades. In front of it was a pit, where more citizens glided across a sheet of what must be ice, all glowing brightly against the night sky.
“This is truly magnificent Wanda,” Vision murmured, in awe of the display before him.
“I suppose you haven’t gone ice skating before?” Wanda challenged, Vision’s joy reflected in her own eyes.
“No. Is this a Christmas tree?” Vision breathed, glancing between the display and Wanda. She looked as happy as he was.
“Yes,” Wanda confirmed. “Enjoy.”
“I have never seen anything like this,” Vision attested, sure he was grinning like an idiot.
“Do you want to go ice skating?” Wanda asked, a flare of adventure lighting her gaze.
“Certainly,” Vision responded before he had even given himself a chance to think about it. “Although I’m sure my abilities will disappoint,” he added in haste.
“That’s alright. I’m sure you’ll still have fun,” Wanda promised, setting off towards the narrow skate rental booth. Vision was… excited. He couldn’t believe it, but here he was, feeling one of the more pleasant emotions for perhaps the first time. He quite literally had to keep his feet on the ground, as he kept floating up into the air when he lost focus, as if buoyed by his own happiness.
“What’s your shoe size?” A bored looking clerk asked, not at all fazed by Vision’s look. Vision was completely thrown by this question. He created his own boots before leaving, and was unsure what ‘size’ they were.
“I’m afraid I don’t know,” Vision admitted.
“Pass me one of your shoes,” the clerk grumbled. Vision complied hurriedly. A few other patrons of the rink were gathering behind him and Wanda.
“Here you go, size eleven,” the clerk pronounced, presenting Vision with a pair of slightly dishevelled black skates. “That’ll be twelve dollars,” he concluded as Wanda dug around in her pockets for the bill. She presented him with the fare, then led the way to the edge of the rink. Wanda sat down and Vision followed suit. She opened her bag and pulled out a pair of nondescript white figure skates, nearly identical to the ones many other skaters were wearing. She loosened the laces, showing Vision how to do the same. Vision had never tied laces before, and he was strangely humbled to be learning such a basic skill.
“Make sure you tie them tight. You wouldn’t want to twist an ankle,” Wanda advised, finishing off the bow on her second skate. Vision was still working on his first skate, but Wanda sat beside him patiently, offering the occasional hint. Before too long his skates had been correctly tied, and he was ready to venture out onto the ice. Wanda stood up and swung around to face Vision.
“Are you ready?” she asked, holding out her hands. Vision wasn’t quite sure about her hands, but he was indeed ready to learn how to skate.
“Yes, I am,” he replied, but before he could get to his feet, Wanda had grabbed him by the wrists and tugged him into a standing position. She adjusted her grip so she was grasping his hands instead. Vision barely had time to register this new footing on the teetering blades before Wanda began to skate backwards, pulling Vision along with her. He grinned. Skating felt similar to flying, only less stable. It occurred to him that the last time he had touched anyone else was when he had flown Wanda out of the false meteor that was Sokovia, more than two months ago.
Vision wobbled as Wanda pulled him around the gentle corner of the rink. He hit a dent in the ice, and stumbled, then fell over, knees buckling. He took Wanda with him, and the pair lay winded on the ice. Within a moment the two were laughing, for no particular reason other than that they could, that there was nothing wrong, and something right.
“I think maybe you should try skating on your own now,” Wanda managed once the had both clawed their way back upright.
“I do apologize,” Vision grimaced, rubbing the back of his neck. Wanda found the gesture rather human.
“No, Vision, you were doing fine. Just watch what I do. Push against the ice,” Wanda suggested, skating languidly ahead of him, so as not to drift too far. Vision observed her graceful movements, considering how to replicate them. He figured that he couldn’t accomplish much else standing still, so he tried to skate. To his own surprise, it worked. He slid forwards. He wobbled again. Continuing the pattern, he applied alternating pressure to the ice as if walking, but only barely lifting his feet. This worked too. He found himself picking up speed as gained a sense of the correct rhythm. He was catching up to Wanda. It occurred to him that he didn’t know how to slow down, and he was approaching quickly.
“Pardon me Wanda, but how do I stop?” Vision asked. He was no longer actively skating, yet he still moved forwards. Wanda turned back just in time for Vision to slowly bump into her. She let out a short chuckle as she caught Vision’s forearms before he could cause a full collision.
“I probably should have taught you that too,” she granted. “Do a quick turn, and use your weight to dig into the ice,” Wanda instructed, skating a few feet and demonstrating an elegant sideways stop, a light spray of shaved ice leaping into the air from her skates.
“Now you try,” she prompted, skating a modest distance away to give Vision the space he needed to attempt the manoeuvre. He resumed forward motion, then risked the halt. He leaned hard, driving into the ice. It was a powerful feeling, but gravity had its effects. Failing to recover from the intense angle of his stop, he fell almost pathetically on his side.
“Ouch,” he complained, sitting. He didn’t exactly feel pain, but found the expression appropriate for the bruising of his ego. Wanda skated back towards him, looking amused. She caught his hand once again, pulling him back to an upright stance.
“Let’s just skate together,” Wanda conceded. Vision found it curious, but not unpleasant that as they began to glide across the ice again, Wanda had not let go of his hand. The pair made their way successfully around the rink a few times.
“Watch this,” Wanda called, releasing Vision and skating ahead. She pulled into a tight spin. Vision watched her whirl in place. She looked stunning. Throwing her arms out, her spin slowed. Wanda came to a halt, facing Vision, a grin spreading across her face. Her cheeks were rosy in the winter air.
“That was fascinating,” Vision affirmed, skating up to her.
“Thanks Vision. If you think that was fascinating, maybe I should show you figure skating,” Wanda proposed.
“I would like that,” Vision answered. Gliding beside Wanda, he reached for her hand. A stray spark of electricity ran down his spine as his fingers met Wanda’s bare, slightly chilly ones.
“Hm, your hands are warm,” Wanda noted, adjusting her grip so her fingers were interlaced with his. A quiet feeling of warmth filled Vision’s chest. The pair continued to skate, hand in hand.
“Hey!” a voice interrupted some minutes later. Wanda and Vision slowed, trying to find the source. Standing in the little crowd around the edge of the rink was none other than Tony Stark.
“Come on guys, I go to my lab for half an hour and you two disappear?” he chastised lightly.
“Apologies Mr. Stark.”
“Sorry.”
“I suppose it’s alright. Nothing wrong with a little fun. Nobody’s breaking any laws,” he admonished, glancing at the pair’s joined hands.
“If you two want to go out again, just say so, ok?” Stark explained, clapping Vision on the shoulder. Wanda and Vision voiced their assent as their hands separated, and drifted back to their sides. Wanda stuck hers in her pockets.
“Relax, you aren’t in trouble. I just had to come all the way out here to tell you two to come back, it’s movie night,” Tony said with a roll of his eyes. “Honestly, someone could have brought a phone.”
“How did you find us?” Wanda wondered aloud. Tony smirked.
“A magician never reveals his secrets. Pack it up kids,” he said. Before too long, the skates had been returned, shoes had been replaced, and the three Avengers were heading back down 5th avenue. Conversation was amicable. Wanda and Vision’s hands came together again. Vision didn’t ever want to let go.