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Wanda could tell it had snowed overnight before she had even opened her eyes. The compound had an extra stillness to it this morning, a new sense of peace, and there was a slight unmistakable crispness in the air. She lay there a few extra moments with her eyes closed before glancing at the time. She knew there was no possibility of going back to sleep now anyway, the buzz in her veins and the childlike need to fling open the curtains and press her face to the glass to gaze out at the fresh blanket of snow covering the training field taking over everything else; she just hoped it wasn’t too early. Cracking her eyes open, she rolled over to face her clock. The bright red numbers piercing the darkness of the room shone out proudly, illuminating her cheeks as she smiled back at the time: 4:15 am.
“Not too early at all,” she thought to herself as she excitedly flung off her covers, “though I may give Nat a run for her money”
It had taken a while for Wanda to allow herself the liberty of enjoying things again, especially the little things. She missed her twin deeply and would always be incomplete without him, but as she paused to pull the comforter back up over the mattress and straighten her pillows she reminded herself that Peitro wouldn’t want her to punish herself for something as out of her own hands as living. He loved the snow, she had always found it harder to appreciate until now because of her tendency to fall ill easily. When living as runaways on the streets medicine was hard to come by, so she had to suffer in silence. Now, as Wanda pulled off her pajamas and picked a cozy outfit (fuzzy socks, leggings, a tank top, and a large red sweater that hung off her shoulder on one side) she had a lot less to worry about. She had a home now, with the Avengers. More luxurious and encompassing than anything she ever dared to dream of back on the flea bitten streets of Sokovia, but she was eternally grateful for it. She opened her door and poked her head out into the hallway: empty. She began to walk down the hall, passing the rooms of her teammates, no, her family. She let her fingertips drag lightly along the wall as she let the dull hum of sleeping minds sooth her, heading toward the common area, lost in thought about how far she had come, thoughts of her brother.
Vision had been in Tony's lab all night, and though he could not technically grow tired, he felt weary. He had been looking into his systems, deeper into his circuitry. Tony and Dr. Banner had both run several tests at his request on his systems for abnormalities and assured him he was fine but he still felt odd. When they inquired what he was searching for, he had brushed them off. It must be nothing, there was no data to prove otherwise. He shut down the computer, and turned to straighten the papers he had drug out when he felt it again, the anomaly. He turned and to no surprise at all, saw Wanda. The anomaly always and only came when she was present or near. He began tracking his systems reaction as he watched her cross the glass passageway. He admired the way she stood out against the frozen landscape, pausing to gaze at the falling snow, red dancing from her fingertips to illuminate her path. He felt his face flush with heat, and his posture relaxed. He hadn't realized he was so tense until he saw how serene she was, and decided to join her on her venture, whatever it may be, to collect data, of course.
As Wanda made her way into the kitchen she didn't bother flipping on the lights. She padded across the room, tugging her sweater back onto her shoulder from where it had settled on her arm and ran her fingers through her hair, separating the tangles at the ends from one another until her fingers combed through freely. She leaned against the counter and flipped on the faucet, summoning the kettle to her with a wisp of scarlet. She set the filled kettle on a burner and switched it on then leaned back against the counter, sighing deeply and reveling in the dark calmness. It was nice to have some peace and quiet, sharing a living space with Sam, Rhodes, and Steve could lead to its fair share of typical male ruckus. She was pulled from her thoughts by the gentle hum of another mind joining her and felt her face flush at the familiarity of it. She opened her eyes and smiled. Vision.
"I apologize, I did not mean to intrude-" And just like that, he was backing away.
"Nonsens Vizh(nonsense Vizh), you aren't intruding!" Slipping into her native tongue from disagreeance, she caught his arm and pulled him back into the kitchen. "Theres no one I would rather have join me this morning other than you!" She wildly gestured toward the windows, "It snowed so much, frumoasa zapada(beautiful snow), look at all this beautiful snow!"
Vision felt heat return to his face as he watched Wanda as she continued on excitedly, she was so entranced by the snow, bouncing around making her green tea, and going on and on about the beauty of the landscape being covered in billions and billions of ice crystals, and to him it felt so small. He had never encountered snow before, yet the beauty of his first snow felt insignificant and meaningless compared to the beauty standing in front of him, hot mug of tea clasped between ring laden fingers, the way her red sweater slid further and further down her shoulder until it reached her arm, and the way she smiled at him. All these things cataloged themselves in Visions mind, and as Wanda clasped his hand to lead him to the window, still talking animatedly, he was presented with an answer to the anomaly.
Wanda stood next to Vision at the window of the kitchen, her arm looped through his, and stole glances up at him as he looked out at the field; unknowing and innocent to the fact he stole glances down at her while she looked out, sipping her tea. She was so entranced in her mission that she didn't notice Natasha enter the kitchen until the light flipped on.
"Whats going on in here? Standing around with the lights out in each others arms like lovers?" Natasha slid into a seat facing the pair who had since jumped apart. Not out of embarrassment or shame, though both their faces were flushed, but because they had their own way of comfortable closeness with each other that the others would only interpret one way, romantically. Vision found his voice first, cool and collected as always.
"Wanda was showing me the snow."
Natasha squinted at him then swiped the air playfully "Jeeze, you'd better learn to take a joke or someone might think you two are up to something" she waggled a finger at them with an eyebrow raised.
"Veni Vizh!(come Vizh)" Wanda turned up her nose at Natasha and slid her hand into Visions, who raised her eyebrow higher at the young girl, "Walk with me." She began walking, heading out of the kitchen, toward the rest of the common space.
"Of course" Vision nodded politely at Natasha as Wanda led him from the kitchen, discarding her now empty mug into the sink. They left the kitchen, leaving a slightly confused Widow all to herself.
"Wanda, where are we going if you don't mind me asking?" His face felt flushed again, warmth seemingly filling his entire being at the sight of her small flesh toned hand wrapped around his, leading him through the maze of corridors and lounges seemingly at random, and he let her drag him deeper and deeper.
"To a quiet place…" she trailed off and he was somehow satisfied with her answer. They took an elevator down and rounded a few more corners before stopping in front of the doors to a small training room, bare of all the fancy specialty Avengers grade training equipment. It looked like a beginners facility to test new recruits in. She dropped his hand and pushed open the doors.
He was breathless; and she was beautiful. The way she spun in wide playful circles across the floor, the way her nose crinkled when she laughed, and the way her brow furrowed as she summoned telltale tendrils of scarlet to lift herself, gracefully soaring up to look out the narrow windows where the ceiling met the west wall. He smiled at the memories flashing back to him as clear as if they were the present; her clinging desperately to his arm as they shot up into the sky hundreds of feet, cries of protest ringing out as he coaxed her to let go and support herself because he knew she could, he always knew. And look at her now. If he needed to breathe like a regular man he would have surely died taking her in. She brought him back to reality with a playful shout.
"Hei, tu!(hey, you) Care to join me?" She curled her lip to fight back a giggle as he flew up to join her, wrapping an arm around her waist to lessen the need for her to support herself fully. "Vai Vizh(oh my Vizh), such a gentleman."
"Of course." He smiled down at her, and her powers faltered. Vision compensated to keep them steady. She let him hold her as the sunrise broke over the hill at the edge of the property, sending dazzling sprays of orange and pink light across the snow, little gusts of powder dancing in the new light; and he watched it all in her eyes, faint sunlight falling across her cheeks. She rested her head on his chest, and he began to compose himself to reveal to her the effects their interactions had been having on him. Then the light flicked on.
"Oh, hey guys!" Rhodes and Sam walked in, coffee and a plate of bagels in tow. Vision immediately dropped them back to the floor, Wanda stepping awkwardly away tugging her sleeves.
"Damn," Rhodes took a chunk out of a bagel and held it up as he continued, "Nick needs all four of us to screen these guys?"
"Yeah no offense, but I don't see how you guys are qualified for this…" Sam dug his bagel into the cream cheese like a chip into salsa and took a bite, sending some tumbling down his face and onto his shirt, which he scooped up and then proceeded to eat.
"My apologies Colonel," Vision offered his hand to Wanda, and she took it. "We are just passing through."
“Hey man, it’s cool! If you wanna stay, we can come up with something for you guys to do, no sweat!” Sam wet a napkin and started scrubbing at the creamy residue left behind on his shirt.
“Actually copii(actually children) we were looking for something more… relaxing to do today” Wanda smiled as Vision started walking, pulling her in tow.
“Alright, well have fun!” Sam waved as they pushed through the door, passing a trickle of arriving recruits to be trained as field agents.
"What did she call us?" Rhodes dug his bagel into Sams cream cheese.
"I don't have any idea-" he smacked Rhodeys hand away from the cream cheese as he tried to dip his last bite, "But NO DOUBLE DIPPING! Comeon man!" Rhodes plunged his last bite into the cream cheese anyway, and a childish scuffle ensued.
Wanda followed as Vision lead her back upstairs, and stared at her hand in his. It was a friendly action, wasn’t it? All of it was… the holding hands, the closeness, the need to just be together without speaking or needing any explanation from the other; comparable to how she was with Pietro. It had to be. So thats what she told herself, not that she believed it, not that she should even have the audacity to try to convince herself of it because even as she followed behind him now her eyes wandered over his toned muscles, still visible beneath his navy sweater, her face flushing when she remembers his strong arms around her.
"Wanda, are you feeling alright?” Visions voice brought her back from her thoughts just in time, as she was about to indulge herself on the gratifying memory of their first encounter (and how steamy it was, his bare chest and toned muscles prominent against the smoke from the cradle...)
"Opreste rahatul asta Wanda(stop this shit Wanda), this is your friend!” She scolded herself, then flashed a smile at him.
"Fine Vizh, I just want to enjoy the snow with you" The mind stone shone bright against his red and vibranium complexion, and she picked a fuzz off the shoulder of his sweater. "What if we went outside? The sun is up, we could go for a walk if you'd like?”
He smiled and offered her his arm, “I know just the place.”
After a brief detour to bundle up which was really more for Wanda's sake then Visions, they ventured out into the snow. Wanda took the first step out, the first to disturb the perfect landscape.
"Veni Vizh(come Vizh), come on!” she scooped up a bundle of snow and compacted it into a snowball. “Or do you require motivation?” she lifted the snowball with her powers and let it rise and fall as if tossing it up and catching it, but it never landed back in her palm.
Vision stepped out into the snow to join her, the fresh snow crunching beneath his weight.
“My motivation to join you is not sparked by your threat of hitting me with compacted snow but from my desire to spend time with you.” he stated matter of factly as he reached her side, causing her to erupt in laughter.
"I was not going to hurt you, it's a snowball!” she used her powers to hover it in front of his face, and he took it, examining it. “Scuze Vizh(sorry Vizh), I forget how new you are sometimes! It's okay. I”ll show you!” she got down on her knees and set to work, sending a sea of scarlet out over the ocean of white, and pulled back dozens of perfect snowballs. As they flew back, Wanda directed them into two different piles about 20 feet apart. She looked back at him as she stood, brushing snow from her knees. He was still examining the snowball. She crept out to a pile of snowballs, and deviously used her powers to send one soaring across the lawn, hitting Vision in the side of the head. He reached up to touch his cheek, which had a dusting of the exploded snowball clinging to it, still staring at the snowball in his hand.
"Wanda I believe I understand the objective of a snowball." She laughs in the distance, and he looks to where she had been standing according to his calculations of the trajectory from the snowball that hit him, but she was gone. Another snowball hits him from above, then another, playful laughter ringing out across the field. The next snowball misses, he phases his density so that it flies right through him and collapses into a puff of snow behind him on the ground. Vision scoops up an armful of snowballs from his pile, and flies up to meet his challenger in the skies.
"Wanda I intend you no ill will" he hurdles a snowball at her, hitting her shoulder, "but I fear you have left me no choice. I must engage in this battle, I will not let you take me down easily." They flit around the sky, hurling snowballs, dodging (or phasing) away from some hits, and falling victim to others, laughing loudly until the snowballs run out, then they chase each other through the sky at racing speeds, as snow begins falling again.
"Children!" Tony's voice ringing out across the lawn stops Wanda midair, and Vision crashes into her, sending them both falling to the ground. He regains control before they hit and adjusts his density so that Wanda doesn't take any of the collateral. "Children, does mother know you are out of bed? It is rather early." He lifted up his key fob and clicked lock twice, and his car chirped. She had never seen that car before, it must be new.
"Nabia Stark(fuck off Stark)! My parents are dead have you forgotten? I am not your child, and neither is he" Wanda spits as she crawls out of Visions arms. He had caught her midair and held her to his chest so she would be safe as they landed. "Why must you ruin everything? Bogat idiot!(rich idiot)" She began to stomp away, headed for the snow covered jogging trail.
"Jeeze, whats got her so hot already?" Tony pocketed his keys and started walking out to Vision, arms open. "Come on, I know you're still my boy roboson, no matter what little red has to say about it." Vision backed away, glancing to the trail Wanda had disappeared onto.
"I apologize Mr.Stark but I really should make sure Wanda is alright." Tony pulled off his sunglasses and opened his mouth to speak, but Vision was already flying away. He was left standing there, staring after them until Bruce opened the front door and drug him in to review some test results.
"Idiot bogat, stricând totul(rich idiot, ruining everything)" Wanda huffed and kicked the snow, feeling conflicted.
All she wanted was a day with Vision. A day in the snow with her best friend. She sat on a bench along the path, pouting. It wasn't supposed to be this way, she was supposed to be having a nice day, honoring Pietro, enjoying the beautiful snowfall. Vision made her happy. She loved spending time with him, it felt like he was the only person in the world who could understand her. It hadn't always been that way, for the first several months after Sokovia and Ultron she loathed him. Angry at him for saving her life, for choosing for her. She felt guilty that she lived while Pietro died, he deserved better than that. But as time went on, she began to accept it, and decided to honor Pietro by doing all the things she never would have had the chance to if she had died too. Vision had been alone too, she had discovered once she started talking to him. The rest of the team had been friendly to him, sure. But friends? No. He had spent his time studying humanity, learning about as much as he could. Wanda taught him there was so much more to humanity than any book or website could tell him. She stayed up late with him to show him the little things. She assisted him in various experiments, could he eat, sleep, did he prefer one thing to another. These nights changed into movie nights, where she would snuggle up to him on the couch with a bowl of popcorn, helping him understand the social nuances in the plot lines, and summer nights on the roof spent stargazing. Wanda would lay on the roof beside him and he could point out every constellation in the sky, listing trivia and factiods on each grouping until her head spun. At some point these nights became something more, something meaningful and dear to her. She opened up about Pietro and her parents, and confessed her nightmares to him. The horrible nightmares that came in waves, sending her back through her worst memories, breaking her heart into a million pieces again. The nightmares that sent her screaming into her pillow, hot tears streaking her cheeks. He would help her with those too now, coming in and stroking her hair, his hand resting on the small of her back. She would cry herself back to sleep in his arms sometimes, or she would roll over, intwining their fingers and just staring at their contrasting skin tones in the dark. He was her friend, cel mai bun prieten(my best friend). Wanda sat on the bench, hot tears welling in her eyes as Vision landed beside her.
"Wanda, I am sorry. I did not know Mr. Stark had plans on visiting the compound today. I would have come up with alternative activities." He meant it, he knew how Stark made her feel. She was working toward forgiveness truly, but he made it so hard.
"That doesn't fall on you Vizh. He just makes me angry." The tears spill over and she sniffles as Visions hand swoops in to wipe the tears, his arm slipping behind her back to sooth her, urgency forming in his mind once again with the need to inform her on his research.
"I hope you realize he doesn't intend to upset you." She looked up at him, some hair slipping out from her hat and hood into her face.
"I know, but he is so arrogant. When I think I can be civilized with him, he does something to push my buttons all over again." She shoots a wave of scarlet out in frustration, knocking the snow from several trees across from them.
"Wanda…" Vision takes her hands in his, completely encasing them, "You are amazing. Did you know that?"
"Indiferent de Vizh(whatever Vizh), I am nothing special." She shook her head, more hair slipping loose.
"You are special to me. Wanda I have been running some tests-" He was cut off again, this time by the sound of someone approaching their bench. Captain Rogers on his morning run no doubt. Rain, snow, or shine, nothing stopped him.
"Hey guys! Up and about early today, huh?" He stopped in front of them on the bench, breathing only slightly heavier than usual.
"Captain, are you not cold?" Vision stood, stepping slightly in front of Wanda to give her some privacy, as she was still visibly upset.
"Oh, no actually! I think I've done my time being frozen." Steve gestured to his attire, a regular tracksuit, no extra layers to account for the weather. "One of the perks to being a lab created super soldier I guess. I didn't know you could get cold though!" He pointed at Visions hat, puffer coat, and gloves.
"I do not technically require extra layers to maintain my internal temperature, but it is the socially acceptable attire for the current weather." Vision pulled his hood down, and released the ear flaps from being pinned up on his hat, and smiled, which earned a laugh from Steve.
"Well, don't stay out too long. Especially you Wanda. Don't want you to get sick! See you back inside later, Sam is making chili and cinnamon rolls for lunch. Tony said he tried it while he was traveling for a Stark event once, in some small town diner in Kansas! It should be great!" And just like that, he was off again.
"Wanda, Steve is right, we should consider getting you back inside soon." He turned and squatted down to be at her eye level, brushing the hair back from her face. Her nose was bright pink, and her cheeks were red. He felt heat rise in his face again.
"Se limpezi Vizh,(fine Vizh)" she smiled and stood, wrapping her arms tightly around herself to draw more warmth. "But when we go in, I want some delicioasa ciocolata calda, delicious hot chocolate. Then you can tell me about your tests!"
"That sounds enjoyable to me." He watched as she headed back toward the facility, striking against the world of white, and wondered if he was making a mistake. He began following her, thinking about their friendship, the only real friendship he had. Were his results conclusive?
Ahead on the path, Wanda was punishing herself. "Pietro would have teased you so," she thought, "staring at Visions ass as he covered for you in front of Cap…he's your best friend, hristos(christ), you just had to teach him what a snowball is! Hes basically a child..."
"Vision!" She spun around, walking backwards now through the clearing, "how old do you consider yourself to be?"
He paused, and thought aloud. "Well, I am not human, so it wouldn't be fair to hold me to the same standard as a human in regards to age. I was born with mental and physical attributes that surpass a human my technical age. To my knowledge, my physical state and condition will not naturally age or deteriorate or grow. I will remain as I always have been. I am an adult. Why do you ask?"
She smiled, "Just wondering who is older."
"In that case, I would say I am physically more mature than you-" Wanda ducked her head and tried hard to think of anything but the moment he emerged from the cradle, anything but the toned expanse of crimson and vibranium, anything on earth other than what the smoke just barely covered, "but we are equals Wanda. I do not see myself as much older than you."
"Good." She spun back around, smiling like an idiot. Maybe he wasn't just her friend. Not anymore…
When they reached the doors, Vision pulled them open and let Wanda in first, always the perfect gentleman, he could hear Clint and Natasha nearby, Clint was probably headed home to spend time with his family. As Wanda unzipped her coat, he pulled it off and hung it up, reveling in the faint warm scent of strawberry that lingered from her soap. She was beautiful, shaking out the waves in her hair after taking off her hat, straightening each ring on her fingers after removing her gloves. She caught him watching this time, and before he could explain, she had closed the space between them, playfully pecking his cheek as she pulled his hat off and tossed it aside.
"Dulce Vizh(sweet Vizh), don't be so shy." He phased straight out of his coat and gloves right then, before she could offer him any more "help", not realizing his mistake before it was too late.
"Hey, what the hell!" Clint shouted as he rounded the corner with his bags, "You'd better have a good explanation for this or I'm gonna put an arrow straight through that mind stone of yours!"
"Ooh man." Natasha poked her head around the corner and giggled. Vision, in his haste, had phased out of not only his coat and gloves, but sweater and trousers too. Wanda tore her eyes away from the mostly nude Vision, blushing madly.
"Oh, Dumnezeule Vizh(oh my god Vizh)… you may have taken off too much!" She tried to say in an even tone, but failed.
“Ooh, la nabia, ia o fata! Wanda likey” Nat teased, wiggling her eyebrows (damn girl get some!) Wanda shot a death glare at the older woman, face still beet red. “Or don’t, hey, who am I to judge.” Clint raises an eyebrow, looking between the girls for an explanation, but is met by Wanda rolling her eyes and Natasha's hands up in a half “i surrender” half “I don’t know” formation.
“Apologies everyone.” Vision had sorted himself, but was visibly shaken “I mistakenly phased out of nearly my entire outfit when my intentions were to simply phase from my coat. I have learned from this mistake and again, do apologize.” That last part was directed at Wanda, who was still looking away.
Clint narrowed his eyes and pointed at Vision. “You’d better get that phasing under control buddy. Until then, take your coat off like the rest of us.”
Wanda's face had returned to a more natural color by now, and she ducked out of the room, headed for the kitchen. Vision took a step to follow her, to apologize and to confess his feelings, but Clint jabbed his finger into Visions chest.
“You’d better watch yourself. Shes just a kid, and shes been through enough already.”
“Jesus Clint, let him go.” Natasha sighed, seeming bored. “She deserves to be happy, doesn’t she?”
"Yeah.” He let his arm drop, and looked Vision in the eyes. “Happy. She deserves to be happy.”
“I hope you have a nice trip home, Mr. Barton, but if you would excuse me please, I really must go find Wanda.” The urge to talk to Wanda had boiled over, he could not go another single second without telling her the results of his studies on his behavior. He stopped in the kitchen to make their hot chocolate, ignoring Sams desperate cries for him to leave before his bad luck in the kitchen rubbed off on him as he prepared the chili. Hot mugs of cocoa in hand, he set out down the halls to search for Wanda.
When he found her, she looked so small, so fragile. She was curled up against the window, watching the snow fall. Without speaking, he sat beside her, setting the mugs of hot chocolate between them.
“Wanda, I have been analyzing my behavioral and physical reactions to spending time with you for quite some time now, and I am afraid to say my symptoms are worsening. I fear I may malfunction if we continue to spend time together… I am sorry.”
Silence.
It had taken Wanda a while to allow herself the liberty of enjoying the little things, and it was time she allowed herself to enjoy the big things too.
“Wanda, did you hear me?” he brushed her hair over her shoulder, so he could see her face. She was smiling. “Wanda, do you understand?”
“Dulce Vision(sweet Vision), tell me what you feel.” her voice was quiet, but held hope.
“I do not see how it could matter, I fear you do not understand the gravity of the situation Wanda.” She turned to face him, picking up her mug.
“I can tell you what I feel.” she took a sip and sighed. “When I am with you Vizh, I am happy. I feel happy and safe and calm. I also feel nervous. You make me feel hot and cold and clammy and sweaty all at once.” her eyes shone at the confession as she continued. “You make me feel like I can fly, but you also make me feel sick to my stomach.” she began tracing lines on the carpet, Visions undivided attention making her hyperaware of what she was saying.
“I apologize Wanda, I had no idea I was causing you discomfort!” he began to stand to leave, looking hurt, and she caught his wrist.
“Vizh, it isn’t a bad feeling. It’s an alive one.” he relaxed and sat back down, watching the steam fade from his untouched mug still sitting on the floor. “Tell me what you feel.”
He looked back up at her, and how could he resist? “Wanda, when I am with you my systems frequently fail. I feel my temperature rise, yet there is no statistical proof that it does. I doubt common knowledge before reciting it to you, and often lose focus on the task at hand when I see you, hear you, or hear mention of your name. The very idea of you is a weakness in my system and yet every analysis and diagnostic test I have run on my system suggests this is all impossible.” he paused to gauge her reaction, and she was beaming. “Wanda this is not meant for your amusement, I am alarmed at the results of our increased time spent together, what does this mean?”
Wanda shifted from sitting with her legs crossed to sitting with her legs tucked under her, facing Vision still. “Let me try something, and if you don’t like it, I will never do it again, okay?” She was serious now, so he obliged. “I’m going to conduct my own experiment.” she began to lean in, and he felt the heat rise in his face again, more fiercely than ever before. She gave him a weak smile, and closed her eyes. There was something else now, flaring up within him. A primal need, a want to have her pressed against him, to hold her and cherish her. As she grew closer, his own eyes fell closed, and he was drawn in to meet her in the middle, lips crashing together at last.
Warm.
Soft.
Sweet.
Gone.
Just like that she was pulling away, and he felt empty.
“How did that feel?” her face was flushed, eyes shining.
“Like I want to do it again.” Vision said matter of factly, and she let out a breathy giggle as he pulled her back to him, lifting her into his lap and closing the distance again.
Warm.
Soft.
Sweet.
Wanda.
His thoughts blurred into focusing on her, warm in his arms. The softness of her sweater against his arm, the cherry and chocolate on her lips, the small giggles and sighs between kisses, her silky hair in his hands.
He didn’t notice that he had spilled their mugs of hot chocolate while pulling her to him, but the dark stain by the window would always remind him of the night Wanda taught him the greatest lesson of all, the one of love.