Chapter Text
Wanda Maximoff was deeply troubled, stemming from the many traumas she had suffered in her life. Unfortunately, she was very good, too good, at pushing her troubles aside, burying everything deep, until it all exploded at he most inopportune moments. Triggered by a dream, or a noise that sounded too much like something else.
For a while, after first joining the Avengers, Wanda had been able to hide her aversion to loud noises, avoid the adverse reaction that she would sometimes have to certain sounds.
Wanda would often still startle at something loud, and someone, usually The Vision, would ask if she was alright. She would say that she was. If someone else had asked, they would let it go, but somehow Wanda didn't think that The Vision had ever believed those assurances. Sometimes, it seemed like the synthezoid could stare right into her soul.
Wanda wasn't really sure how she felt about that at the time. It probably should have bothered her, but somehow it didn't.. much. It was nice to feel understood. She had more important things to worry about, like the unpleasant knowledge that she could not hide her troubles inside herself forever.
—
When it happened, Wanda wasn't at all ready for it. For her first week or two at the compound, as she adjusted to her new surroundings, she had been exempt from training sessions.
When she did finally join in, things seemed to go well for a while.. Until the day that Captain Rogers decided to run a training exercise simulating a real battle situation, including mock bullets and projectiles, and, unfortunately.. sound effects. One of said sound effects, something like a crumbling building, sounded just a little to similar to the crumbling of Wanda's own childhood home.
One moment Wanda had been shielding Sam from something, and the next she was ten years old again, cowering under the bed next to an unexploded bomb.
Of course, she was really cowering on the floor of the training centre, a blubbering mess. Though not entirely aware of what was going on around her at that moment, she felt crowded, restricted, struggling to draw breath. On the very edge of her awareness there was shouting.. A voice she vaguely recognised, even if it sounded strange when it was raised.
Then Wanda was moving.. well, not herself. Someone was moving her, carrying her.. it was almost like flying. Everything went away, the crowding and the restricting and the noise.. the noise was gone, all except the previously raised voice. Speaking softly again now, whispering, telling Wanda that everything was okay, that she was alright. That she should take slow, deep breaths.
Eventually, she wasn't sure exactly long afterwards, Wanda did take a few slow, deep breaths. Then a few more. In time, she stopped being a frightened child trapped under her bed. Once she became fully aware of her surroundings again, Wanda realised that she was floating, or rather the person holding her was, hovering somewhere above the compound, and she realised that she was clutching handfuls of teal material. Able to move again, she looked up at The Vision. No.. just Vision.
"Are you alright?" He asked her.
"Yes" Wanda nodded. "Well, I think so.. Thank you."
"You're welcome."
"Can we stay out here a while?"
"We can."
—
When they returned to the compound, Vision took Wanda directly to her room. Told her she should rest, then left. She heard him being scolded afterwards, and she felt bad about that.. Why should he be in trouble just because he helped her?
—
She found him later, sentenced to cleaning up the training centre alone after the disastrous session.
"Hey.."
"Hello, Miss Maximoff" Vision turned, slightly surprised to see her there. "Are you feeling better?"
"I am, thank you" Wanda shifted awkwardly. "I'm sorry if I got you in trouble.."
"I believe I got myself in trouble" said Vision, as he put things away.
"But.."
"I yelled at the Captain, and shut off our communicators when i took you outside.. Neither of those things are your fault."
"I.. wait.. you did?" Wanda blinked. "Why?"
"You were already overwhelmed, Miss Maximoff, and I did not want things to get any worse" Vision explained. "I was in the best position to help, and so I did, but.. I think I may have frightened everyone, when I took you away. I.. I don't think they entirely trust me, yet.." He tried not to look hurt by this, but he clearly was.
"That's not fai.."
"You didn't, at first."
"I.. but.." Wanda flushed, a little embarrassed, and was then startled when Vision laughed. It was the first time she had heard him laugh, the first time anyone had, which was probably why it had startled her, but.. she found that she quite liked the sound.
"It is alright. I understand that, for a creature such as myself, trust is something that will take a little longer to earn. And that in the future, I should probably not yell at my team leader that he should know better, or spirit a teammate away without telling anyone where we are going, but I do not really regret doing those things. The types of trauma you carry with you don't go away overnight.. we will all need to be prepared to help you."
"Right.." Wanda blushed. "Well, thank you again.."
"You are welcome, Miss Maximoff."
"Uh.. do you need any help cleaning up?"
"I fear that may defeat the purpose of my punishment."
"Nobody has to know.. and no matter what you say, I am partially responsible for you being here" She nudged him playfully. "Come on, Vizh. Let me help."
"Well.." He seemed slightly surprised by the nickname. "If you insist, Miss Maximoff."
"I do.. and Vizh?"
"Yes?"
"Call me Wanda."
"Alright.. Wanda."