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What if Thanos lost and you lived…
October 31st, 2018
You loved her…
The way the sun shined on her made her look like a goddess. Her red hair was made to be auburn against the bright rays of the giant star above you, finding yourself incapable of looking away as she relaxed against the picnic blanket beneath you, staring out over the water before you.
The lake held up a mirror to reflect her beauty, and you couldn’t take your eyes off of her as her head tilted up towards the warmth radiating from the sky, her hand running through her copper locks. Her eyes were closed, but you took the time to silently trace her jawline from your spot, your hands fiddling with a piece of wicker sticking out of the picnic basket settled in the middle to fight against the strong urge to reach out and touch her, your gaze soft as you watched a smile tug the corners of her lips.
And when she turned to look at you, her eyes fluttering open, your breath hitched in your throat as you found yourself lost in the depthless green eyes that held an exotic aura of a baby dragon. How her irises shined brilliantly as she looked at you, letting that smile widen into perfection as a soft laugh escaped her soft lips.
And all you can think about right now is leaning forward to kiss her.
“Do it.” Her voice was gentle in the air between the two of you, a light command as your chest swelled with pure joy. You obeyed without hesitation, leaning over the nearly empty basket. You didn’t realize that she, too, was moving to meet you halfway until your lips collided with her sooner than you had estimated. The entire world around you faded into nothing as she melted into you; there was nothing that could pull you away from her.
You don’t really know how it’s possible, but the kiss held all the same feelings as the first one; the same fire that burns through your bones, the same sparks that formed in the pit of your stomach and only began to grow stronger with every passing second, and the same way the power of the stone in your heart made your veins glow yellow with excitement.
The morning ended all too fast, sitting in your bed later that night as your eyes scanned your notebook resting against your knee. Your fingers held the small, yellow gem tightly as you worked the red strands of yarn around it intricately. You looked down at the small ring, twined together sloppily and unevenly, the gem uncentered slightly, just enough to annoy you.
A soft knock on the doorframe drew your attention from the project, picking your head up to smile lightly at the redhead leaning against the archway. Natasha smirked at you, her arms tucked behind her back. “Whatcha got there?” You instinctively glanced down at the notebook, pursing your lips at the diagram of the ring.
You held up the book to Natasha, smiling as she wandered further into the room to get a closer look. “I’ve been working on it for weeks.” You frowned slightly, turning the notebook back to you as you looked down at the real thing in between your fingers. “It’s easier to draw it out.”
Natasha laughed lightly, shaking her head shallowly. She took a moment to enjoy the mural you had painted onto the walls, her eyes scanning the room for a brief moment before she pulled her hands out from behind her back to present a gift box. Rather than handing it to you, though, she moved to place it on the nightstand before sitting on the edge of the bed, gently taking the ring out of your hand. “I think she’ll love it.”
You felt agitation form in the pit of your stomach as she examined it closely, your eyes following the loose threads that just wouldn’t stay tucked in. It wasn’t as perfect as your drawing, and your excitement to finish it and present it to Wanda caused you to rush the process. You couldn’t tell if Natasha was admiring the ring or analyzing it.
“Why did you choose these colors?” She gestured towards the yellow gem, trailing her finger down the dark red yarn forming the ring.
You furrowed your eyebrows slightly, tilting your head as you stared at the band. You had thought the answer to that question was obvious. “The gem represents my heart,” you explained, pursing your lips tightly, “and the red is her magic.” You cleared your throat, holding your hand out so she could drop it into your open palm. “I want her to look at it in case I’m not here to remind her that she’ll always have my heart.”
“Y/N-”
“Nothing lasts forever.” You picked your head up to look at her, sending her a soft smile. “It’s not perfect yet, but-”
“I think it’s perfect just the way it is,” she stated. “She’ll love it even more.” She breathed out, looking down at the ring as you took it between your fingers once more. “How long have you been in here? I haven’t seen you all day.”
You furrowed your eyebrows at the sudden topic change, blinking as you looked around your body until you located your cell phone. Scooping it up into your hand, the screen didn’t turn on despite the number of times you pressed the button. “It’s dead.”
Natasha chuckled heartily, smirking. “Your phone is always dead, Y/N.”
You shook your head with a sheepish smirk, placing the device back onto the bed, looking down at your notebook. The phone never interested you, not when you had the chance to be interactive physically. And it was certainly out of your mind at the moment, having lost yourself in weaving yarn around the gem. But, with Natasha in the room, you were more aware of your surroundings now than before. “What time is it?”
“It’s nine o'clock.” You tore your eyes away from your notebook to look at the former assassin with a raised eyebrow. Her small smirk and sparkling eyes told you she was telling the truth, a low chuckle emitting from underneath her breath. “You were really focused on that thing, huh?” She looked down at your lap, letting her eyes scour the drawing. “I can see it - you’d be blind not to - but the love you two hold for each other? It’s beautiful.”
You pursed your lips, placing the notebook onto the bed in front of you, the ring on top of it, to turn your body so you could face Natasha. “Do you ever think…” You huffed, shaking your head as you watched your thumb dig into your palm nervously, feeling the smoothness of the scar. “What would have happened if Thanos had won?”
You were scared to look up at her when you heard her breath catch in her throat. The idea of Thanos winning was always on your mind. The phantom feeling of his hand clenched around your throat as his fingers prepared to dig into your chest to fetch the stone settled in there was always something that had you waking up in a panic at night… until Wanda would reach out to you to ease your fear. Her touch alone was enough to still your rapidly beating heart.
Natasha clearly didn’t know how to answer your question. You were forced to pick your head up to check if she was still breathing, and the way her eyes were watching you made you regret ever voicing the thoughts out loud. You could see the shiny coat covering her eyes from the unshed tears, making the green irises glisten in the lamplight. She didn’t want to think about the possibility of Thanos achieving genocide, the possibility of losing you in the process. It was a thought that had always occurred to her, something she always fights to get out of her mind. She knew that if Wanda was a mere second later, he would’ve taken away her entire world.
It was too late to take back the question now, though you wish you could. It seemed to only be creating tension in the air around you, the way your chest was tightening and stomach was churning made you fidget under her sad eyes. But she saw the nervousness consume you and quickly changed her expression, masking her true feelings once more. “Hey, it was a traumatizing experience, nobody’s expecting you to not think about it.”
She knew what she felt being trapped underneath the rocks, watching helplessly as he gripped you tightly in his ruling fist. She had never felt that level of fear in her entire life, remembering the expression on your face when he started to dig into your chest…
She shook herself out of the memory quickly, breathing out heavily as she refocused on you. “It has crossed my mind before.” She smiled softly at you, moving to rest a hand on top of your fidgeting ones. “I don’t know what would’ve happened if he had succeeded in his mission, but I know that I would’ve done anything possible to make it all right because that’s what you would’ve done.”
You furrowed your eyebrows, tilting your head as you looked down. The war against Thanos happened months ago, but it was a moment that will never stop coming back to haunt you. “Vision-”
“Was rebuilt.”
“But he’ll never be the same.” You looked up at her, shaking your head. “He’s haunted by it.”
“He’s not the only one.” You released a deep breath as you turned away from her once again.
You furrowed your eyebrows. “Wanda can’t have a peaceful sleep unless her head’s on my chest.” You thought it was absurd at first, but you had let her do it because it gave you the opportunity to go to sleep with her in your arms. When you had decided to ask her about it one day, her answer shook you to your core…
“After almost losing you… I need to listen to your heartbeat to make sure you’re okay.”
“I’m not talking about Wanda, Y/N,” she said softly, pulling you out of the memory. She moved her hand to grab your notebook, palming the ring carefully, and you were still processing her words to stop her from flipping the page. You felt your heart stop at the drawing orchestrated by your own hand, the vision of Thanos holding up the completed gauntlet in the woods of Wakanda, Natasha trapped under the Earth’s bands, and Wanda grieving over your lifeless body. The hardness in the Titan’s eyes caused you to shiver. “I’m sure there’s more." You were quick to take the notebook from her and close it with a huff, glancing her way as you hugged the pad tightly to your chest. “You’re smiling through the pain. You struggle to find a safe place.”
“Wanda’s my safe place.”
“And when she isn’t around?” She tapped her finger against the back of your notebook, causing you to look down at it with furrowed eyebrows. “You let the memories burn you.” She huffed heavily as you picked your head up to look at her. “You’re refusing to accept the fact that you’re alive, Y/N. You’re breathing and you’re making new memories. I’m not telling you to forget it, but you need to let it go. What was it you said to Wanda?” She hummed thoughtfully, turning away from you as her mind seemingly raced to remember what you had said. And though you were momentarily confused as to what she was implying, you figured it out.
She knew exactly what you had said to Wanda the night before going to Wakanda, she just wanted you to remember it. “It’s easier for me to move on from the past by doing impossible tasks.”
“Like letting go.”
You pursed your lips together, looking away from her to stare at an empty space on the bed in front of you. You’ve always tried to be the one to leave the past behind, believing it didn’t shape who you were, but how could you get past something like this? There were days you could still feel the giant hand wrapped around your throat, his fingers pressing into your chest, and it caused you to suffocate until you were gasping for breath. But you knew Natasha was right, you had to let go.
You just didn’t know how.
“I think you need a distraction.” Natasha’s voice pulled you from your thoughts, turning your head to meet her soft gaze and warm smile. She moved to stand up off the bed, gently placing the ring onto the nightstand as she grabbed the box. “Wanda wanted me to give this to you.”
You scooted to the edge of the bed, planting your feet on the ground as you accepted the box. This isn’t the first time you’ve been handed a random gift, but it is the first time since you and Wanda had started dating. You didn’t know what to expect when you took the top off the box, but you definitely didn’t expect a business suit. And Natasha couldn’t help but chuckle at your expression.
She sat back down on the bed next to you, pulling the box out of your hands and into her lap. “Don’t ask me any questions. I told her I wouldn’t say anything.” She looked at you, raising an eyebrow as she met your sad eyes filled with silent pleading. “Your puppy dog eyes aren’t going to work this time, sweetheart.”
You huffed as she brought the suit out of the box to hold it up, your eyes following the cardboard as it slid off of her lap. “Not even a hint?” you inquired and her lips tugged up into a smile.
“Put this on,” she told you, ignoring your question and standing up once more to lay the outfit on the bed. “Meet me out in the hall when you’re done.”
Your eyes didn’t leave the clothing as Natasha left the room, the door clicking shut behind her. You couldn’t help but wonder what Wanda was planning, your mind running through several different scenarios. Dinner could be an option, but you weren’t opposed to wearing a dress either. The suit was nice, seemingly expensive, and it was comfortable when you finally put it on, but it seemed to have been specifically chosen and you were only making yourself more nervous by trying to figure it out.
You cast your eyes over to the nightstand, pinching your lips together in a tight, thin line as you looked at the ring, a fleeting thought passing through your mind.
“Look at you looking so handsome.” Your nervous smile briefly eased into a wide grin as you stepped out into the hall, your cheeks flushing a light red as Natasha wiped off the nonexistent dust from your shoulders. “Walk with me.”
“Can you tell me what’s going on now?” You followed Natasha down the halls of the compound, your hands fiddling nervously with each other the longer you walked. Though you knew you shouldn’t be nervous, you trusted Natasha with your life, but the mystery of the surprise caused you to hold a sense of anxiety.
She remained quiet, though you could see her ears perk up as an unseen smile grew on her face. You pursed your lips together, following her closely, but you felt yourself relax the more you thought about it. Natasha wouldn’t be smiling if she were leading you to something that’ll bring you down. If she had bad news to tell you, she would’ve sat down with you on your bed and told you right there. She was never one to shy away from telling you the truth, no matter what, and you were always grateful for that. You had to stop thinking cup half-empty and start thinking cup half-full.
Especially when it comes to Wanda.
Natasha stopped walking in front of a door, your eyes lingering on the all-too-familiar piece of wood preventing you from peering inside the room. You had managed to calm your nerves on the way to the undisclosed location - which turns out to be Wanda’s bedroom - but now that it was going to happen in less than thirty seconds, you couldn’t bring it upon yourself to stop fidgeting.
The return of your nervousness didn’t go unnoticed by the redhead standing patiently next to you, a light sigh parting her lips as she stepped closer to you. “Hey.” You slowly turned your head to look at her, feeling your heart beating in your throat as she smiled softly at you. Your eyes were wide with fear, only managing to think the worst in this scenario. “It’s going to be okay, Y/N. Take a deep breath and open the door when you’re ready.”
You nodded, following her direction and sucking in as much air as your lungs would allow. You faced the door again, swallowing hard to get rid of the lump in your throat that you had mistaken for your heart, and reached for the doorknob. It was seemingly impossible to turn, but you pushed open the door when you finally managed to twist it.
Your movements were slow, stepping through the doorway as you looked around the room. You no longer felt the presence of Natasha behind you, figuring she had walked away and left you alone to face whatever was going to happen, but every thought and worry cleared your mind when you spotted Wanda twirling in front of a mirror. The way the dress shifted slightly as she turned made it seem like a gust of wind flew through the room, her smile seen in the mirror only grew wider when she saw you in the reflection. She spun around quickly, her now-short hair flowing with her movements, and she stepped towards you.
“You look-”
“Beautiful.” You blinked yourself out of the stupor when you felt the word vibrate your throat, shaking your head as your cheeks flushed with embarrassment. “You look beautiful.”
“And you look amazing, Y/N,” Wanda commented, “but you are missing something.” She held up her finger, turning to grab something off of her bed. She held it up as she made her way towards you, her steps bouncing with excitement. “A tie.”
You reached out and accepted it from her when she made it to you, looking at the strip of cloth in your hands with perplexity. You would be the first to admit you didn’t know how to tie a tie, but the way Wanda’s eyes watched you with pure enthusiasm, you had to at least try to get it.
She took it out of your hands before you could move and her soft, warm laughter managed to get you to relax. She was gentle when she draped the tie around your neck like a scarf, and the strong tug she gave you caused you to move a step closer to her. You could feel your breath catch in your throat as you looked into her eyes, though she was too busy with the tie to meet your gaze.
“Cross the wide end over the narrow.” Her voice was smooth, quiet in the small space between you and her. And you weren’t really focusing on her directions, not with her so close to you. She was talking, you could feel her breath brushing across your face, but you couldn’t concentrate on her words no matter how hard you tried. You could feel your heart squeezing in your chest, your cheeks burning with adrenaline at the heat you could feel radiating off of her. “And then you… tighten the knot.”
Gripping the narrow end of the tie, her free hand slid closer to you to secure it. She finally met your gaze, looking up from her work to let you fully immerse yourself in the greens of grass in the morning dew. She clenched the tie tightly as she gave it one short, hard tug, and you were falling into her.
Your lips crashed into hers instantly, the grip she held on the tie tightening as the fabric crushed beneath her fingers. The sparks that exploded within your gut caused your stomach to twist, and her hand on the knot of the tie kept you upright, already feeling your knees beginning to quake the longer she held the kiss.
Your hands hesitantly went up, your fingers teasing her jawline as she deepened the kiss. You never wanted this moment to stop, the feeling of her against you was indescribable, so it was way too soon for you when she slowly pulled back. Your instinct was to chase after her, leaning forward slightly as she broke the kiss, and the soft laughter that escaped her throat caused you to open your eyes.
As your hands returned to your side, she reached with one of hers to cup your face, a smile lighting up her features. “I love-” She abruptly cleared her throat, her tongue flicking out briefly to moisten her lips. “I love kissing you.”
She smiled at your expression, the way your face brightened at her confession. The hidden meaning behind the phrase was lost on you, she could see that by the way your thoughts were happy at how much she truly enjoyed kissing you. She let it go for now, she didn’t find the need to overwhelm you at the moment.
You couldn’t take your eyes off of her as she walked away, admiring her outfit as she picked up a pair of dress shoes. The way her short hair curled above her shoulders, you couldn’t help but be reminded of Laura Petrie, the wife in Wanda’s favorite sitcom - one that had quickly became a favorite of yours as well - The Dick Van Dyke Show. And it took you only a split second after that little tidbit of information for it to click in your head with realization, stepping to the side to view yourself in the mirror against the wall.
Wanda returned to you, presenting the dress shoes to you with a wide smile, and you looked at her with curious eyes. “Wanda-” You pursed your lips together tightly, tilting your head slightly as you watched the smile on her face only brighten once she saw you finally piecing everything together. “Why are we dressed like Rob and Laura?”
She placed the shoes down on the ground in front of you in a way that made it easy for you to just slide your feet in, straightening her posture as she reached out to rest her hands against your chest, taking a moment to breathe in deeply as she felt your heart beating underneath her palms. You felt the chills erupt up your spine when her hands ran up your shoulders to interlock behind your neck, and you suddenly forgot how to breathe. She smiled warmly at you, her eyes as soft as silk glistening in the fluorescent light. “What is it that you love the most, Y/N?”
You. It was a thought that crossed your mind quickly, though the word was on the tip of your tongue on instinct. The answer to the question was simple - to you at least - but it didn’t seem to be the answer she was seeking.
You didn’t want to take the leap if she wasn’t ready.
Your eyes brightened with pure joy, a wide smile stretching your features excitedly. “Stargazing!”
She laughed lowly, shaking her head. The motion caused your noses to brush against each other as she pulled you an inch closer. “Guess again, darling. What’s today?”
You hummed, pursing your lips together. Your eyebrows pinched together slightly in confusion. Of course, you knew what today was, it was a holiday you’ve been fascinated with ever since Natasha had introduced you to it. You were always afraid of going out, not fully comfortable with your powers. But what did Halloween have to do with her making you wear-
Your thought process abruptly interrupted itself and her face brightened when the puzzle was finally solved in your mind, the way your expression grew wide with excitement. Your mouth parted open with a silent question, and she didn’t even need to scan your mind to know what you were asking. She was nodding as you bounced on the tips of your toes, her light laugh causing a tornado of butterflies to swarm around your stomach. “Yes, Y/N, we are going trick-or-treating.”
Your chest tightened in the excitement you were feeling, your heart pattering unevenly at the news. Your first official Halloween spent in matching costumes with Wanda Maximoff. The only thing you wanted to do right at this second was to kiss her, and with how close she was to you at the moment made it possible to do so instantly. “Can I-” Your question was interrupted by the exhilaration cutting through your throat. She raised her eyebrow, smirking. She knew what you were going to ask, yet she patiently waited for you to put the words out in the open. “Can I kiss you? Please…”
She barely managed to nod her head before you leaned forward to connect your lips to hers in another heated kiss. Nothing beats this feeling flowing through your veins, not even the power of the stone nestled in your heart. A fire burned your bones as you deepened the kiss, feeling as if you could just simply melt into her if that were a possibility. But you were soon forced to break the kiss as your lungs yearned for oxygen, your eyes sparkling with eagerness as she looked at you.
It wasn’t long afterward where you were impatiently waiting as Wanda parked the car on the street of a neighborhood, ignoring the other pedestrians in their own costumes as all your attention was focused on the first house as you climbed out of the car. Wanda could see how much you were forcing yourself to be calm - the urge to run ahead to a candy source was clearly written in your eyes - as you restlessly bounced back and forth on your feet, listening to the clacking of her heels against the pavement as she rounded the car to reach you. She reached for your hand, to which you automatically grabbed onto.
“I’m teaching you how to drive tomorrow.”
“Come on!” You ignored her comment and nodded your head towards the house, the closest one with a porch light on. You gripped a pillowcase in one hand and dragged her up the sidewalk with the other, your feet quick to move up the stairs as you released her hand. “What do I do?”
“You knock."
You looked at her and she watched with a small frown as the excitement faded away from your eyes, replaced with worry and concern. "What if they don’t answer?”
“Their light is on. They’re required to answer.” She smiled softly at you.
“Well… what if they don’t give me candy? What if they think I’m too old?”
She sighed, reaching up to bring your face in between her hands. “Y/N, baby, everything is going to be okay. I promise.” Her thumbs moved in small circles against your cheekbones, the motion almost instantly soothing your nerves as you sucked in a deep breath and slowly released it. “Now, come on. Knock on the door.”
Her hands fluttered away from you, gesturing towards the door as you turned to face it. Your breathing was gentle and heavy as you nodded your head. Your grip on the loose pillowcase tightened as you walked the rest of the way to the door, and you found yourself holding your breath as your knuckles rapped against the steel. You looked over for Wanda, and your shoulders slumped in relaxation when you saw that she was right next to you.
Her movement was subtle, quick, as she was suddenly holding onto your hand tightly once again. You were vaguely aware of the shuffling inside the house, but not even someone as beautiful as Wanda Maximoff was going to distract you from the sense of excitement flowing through you the second you heard the door pull open.
“Trick-or-treat!” The phrase left your mouth before you had a chance to process anything else, your head snapping towards the elderly woman that had opened the door to greet you.
Wanda was incapable of taking her eyes off of you, and there was a fleeting thought in the back of your mind wondering if she had even noticed the older woman at the door. And, if you were to ask her, she wouldn’t deny the fact that she was too busy admiring the wide eyes and bright smile on your face - the way your inner child showed as clear as day - to realize that there was a new addition to the party. And she loved seeing that side of you; the excitement, the astonishment, the purity.
“Aw, look at you two,” the woman declared, her focus entirely on Wanda. “You look almost identical to Laura Petrie! So gorgeous. Which means” - she slowly turned to look at you, her eyes wandering up and down and, for a split second, you felt that nervousness coming back - “you’re Rob! And such a brilliant one at that!”
Your heart fluttered greatly at her comment, feeling yourself breathe out with relief as the nervous smile grew to become a genuine one. Wanda released your hand as you held up your bag to her, your eyes sparkling with hope as the woman released a light smile. “Thank you,” Wanda expressed, resting a hand on your arm. It was clear she was willing to do anything to maintain physical contact with you.
Your eyes followed the falling pieces of candy with wide, excited eyes as she dropped them into your pillowcase, moving to look down at the small bars resting on the bottom of the bag. You quickly thanked her and hurried off the porch, leaving Wanda behind as you made your way to the next house.
You could hear her laugh trailing after you as you clambered up the stairs, slowing your walk when you spotted a small table with a bowl, the torso of a skeleton resting in it. Candy filled what would’ve been empty space. You tilted your head slightly, furrowing your eyebrows in confusion at the piece of paper sitting just beneath it, written in rushed handwriting; Take one.
You looked at Wanda as she finally joined you, pointing at the skeleton bowl with curious eyes. “We don’t knock on the door?”
She shook her head gently, resting a soft hand on your shoulder. “No, sweetheart,” she said lightly, smiling at you as your head turned back to the bowl. “They could be busy, or maybe they’re not home, but they’re still honoring the Halloween tradition by giving out candy. Go ahead.”
You glanced at her, an eyebrow raised deviously. “So… there’s really nothing stopping me from taking two pieces, right?”
Wanda’s hand slid off your shoulder to cross her arms over her chest, a small smirk tugging a corner of her lips. She shrugged as she said, “I mean, technically you’re right, but do you really want to go against the rules?”
You pinched your eyebrows together, meeting her eyes as your lips pursed into a thin, tight line.
“Yes.” Your smile widened as you reached your hand into the bowl, barely managing to grab onto a piece before the skeleton moved, its hand reaching out for you. The sound that came out of your chest was inhuman, constricting your throat as your free arm shot out in front of Wanda, instinctively positioning yourself slightly in front of her. Its plastic fingers scraped against the top of your hand as you quickly pulled away from it, casting your eyes down to the singular piece of candy in your grip before looking back up at the skeleton, deep laughter emitting from the plastic animatronic was in sync with Wanda’s laugh next to you.
You looked at her, your eyes wide with shock, and you could barely get your voice above a whisper, “It heard me!” Your hand landed on Wanda’s arm, quickly tugging her away from the bowl. “It knows, Wanda!”
She couldn’t bite back her smile as you laughed heartily, holding your hand tightly as you continued on throughout the neighborhood. She absolutely loved watching you trick-or-treat, seeing how happy you were. She knew this was the sort of distraction you needed, knowing what was going on through your mind despite trying to hide it. The pain you felt from the past was only building up with every moment. From HYDRA to Thanos, she knew that one day, eventually, you’re not going to be able to handle the pressure. As hard as you’re trying to, you just can’t seem to get out of the past. And going on missions prevented her from being by your side 24/7, but she was going to make sure to free your mind from the burdens as often as she can when she’s with you.
Because she is unconditionally and inexorably in love with you.
“People are going home.” You had stopped walking some time later, causing Wanda to slow down to turn and look at you as you watched some families gather into their cars. “The night’s not over!” You faced Wanda, your eyebrows furrowed deeply in confusion. “Why are they leaving?”
Wanda took a significant step towards you, “They could be tired.” She laughed lightly at your pout, crossing her arms over her chest to fight back the crisp, cold breeze that swung by. She followed your stare, noticing the porch lights slowly flickering off. She opened her mouth, the words to assure you forming on the tip of her tongue, but she was cut off by your voice.
“Here.” She turned to look at you, watching as you placed your bag of candy on the ground to shrug your suit jacket off, moving in front of her to wrap it around her shoulders. She gripped it on instinct, pulling it around her tighter to cover her body. And she couldn’t deny that the warmth she instantly felt wasn’t from the jacket, but from the closeness of you. Because as you helped her pull the jacket close around her, you unintentionally pulled her closer towards you.
She was mere inches from you, picking your head up to look at her, your nose brushing against hers at the motion caused your cheeks to burn a bright red. Your heartbeat’s rhythm faltered unsteadily and you were almost certain it was going to stop when a smile lifted her lips. Your hands gripped the front of the coat, frozen in your position as you were captured in her glistening emerald eyes once again. “Can I kiss you?” She said it teasingly, though it was a light tone that made your stomach swirl. She leaned forward ever so slowly as she patiently waited for your response, a smirk tugging the corner of her mouth.
And when you nodded, she didn’t hesitate to tilt her head, pressing her lips against yours softly and letting the kiss deepen slowly as you intentionally pulled her closer to you by the jacket. You could feel the sparks light up at her touch, the way your heart squeezed in your chest. You never wanted her to let go, the feeling of kissing her was just as strong as every other time.
As soon as you thought about it, she pulled away from you and you couldn’t stop the whine that escaped your throat. She laughed lightly at your slight tantrum, shaking her head gently as she took a step back. “Come on.” She gestured for you to join her, resuming your stroll down the sidewalk as the houses continued flickering their lights off. “We have one more house I want you to see.”
She held onto your hand tightly, walking alongside you as you gripped the heavy pillowcase tightly in your free hand, letting it swing by your leg. You couldn’t help but feel a bit sad as you watched the porch lights flicker off, not being able to fill your bag anymore. Although, you’re not certain how much more candy you’d be able to take without the bag getting to be too much to carry. You were beginning to think that maybe it’s a good thing the holiday was coming to an end.
But when you rounded the corner, you completely forgot your previous thought. The house was decked out to the brim with Halloween decorations; orange and purple lights hung from the gutters and twirled around the trees, inflatable witches and ghosts settled on the yard with skeletons and tombstones scattered about. The lights flashed in patterns, your eyes trailing after holographic ghosts dancing across the front of the house. People mingled on the front porch near the jack-o’-lanterns loitering the staircase, the door wide open to let anybody in. The party seemed to hold an open invitation for anybody who wanted to join.
You knew this house belonged in some sort of magazine, and you didn’t realize your jaw had fallen open until Wanda gently pushed it closed with a soft laugh.
“I figured you’d like this,” she expressed, moving to push her arms through your jacket. “Would you like to go in?”
You felt your eyes widen as you looked at her, cautiously eyeing her bright smile and shining eyes. You pointed at the house, the words not being able to become sounds as your mind raced to form a coherent sentence. Wanda laughed again, warm and light, as she looped her arm through yours and guided you closer to the party.
It was instinct to tighten the hold on Wanda as you entered the crowded home, feeling your heart beat heavily in your chest as you narrowly avoided bumping into the strangers surrounding you. Your grip on your pillowcase was vice-like, your eyes roaming around the rooms as Wanda guided you through. The outside was nothing compared to the inside; artificial fog covering the floor in a light layer, fake cobwebs hanging from the ceiling while animatronic bats flew around on strings. The rooms were dimmed with lights colored in the Halloween theme as partygoers mingled and danced to the spooky music playing from the speakers. Statues of the dead held trays offering samples of food and candy, and it wasn’t long before your eyes landed on a buffet table with a cauldron settled in the middle of it all, watching as someone scooped out red liquid from the container.
“Are you okay?” You turned your head to look at Wanda, seeing her leaning over to you so she could be heard over the music. You nodded quickly at her, gesturing towards the buffet table with eagerness. She laughed lightly as you felt her hand slip out of your arm, your eyes watching her carefully. “Go get a drink.”
You took the lead, weaving around people as you made your way to the table. It was instinct to roll your sleeves up when you reached the cauldron, placing your bag of candy onto the table and picking up a plastic cup to fill it with juice. You watched the liquid pour from the ladle into the cup, doing the motion a couple more times to fill up two. When you were satisfied with the results, you turned around to give one to Wanda but froze when you saw the person behind you was not her.
“I’m sorry,” you mumbled, stepping away from the table so they could retrieve their own drinks. Your eyes scanned the crowd, searching for Wanda as you pushed yourself through the throng of partygoers.
The music seemed to grow louder when you yelled out for her, drowning your calls. You desperately pulled the cups away from you when someone bumped into your side, your heartbeat overpowering the music in your ears. You couldn’t find the energy to call out for Wanda again, your voice blocked by the lump forming in your throat. Your eyes frantically scanned the crowd, seeking the familiar warm feeling you’d get whenever you see her, but that comfort never came.
Your heart squeezed in your chest, hands shaking slightly as you ditched the drinks onto a table. You clenched your jaw when you bumped into someone, instinctively stepping away from them only to run into someone else. The stone in your chest began to burn harshly, lighting up your veins in that all-too-familiar yellow as your steps faltered to a stop. Your shoulders moved in a quick rhythm to match your breathing as your stomach twisted uncomfortably.
“Whoa!” You looked up to see someone in a Captain America costume staring at you, his eyes following the colored veins on your arms. He stepped towards you, his exclamation tugging the attention of the people closest to you. “Is that a part of your costume? It’s so dope!” He reached out to run his fingers down your arm, but you were quick to jerk away from his touch.
“Where’s Wanda?” you tried asking, but your voice came out a soft whisper amongst the booming music and loud questions of the crowd gathering around you.
“How did you do that? It looks so real!” You turned your head as a woman in a skeleton costume stepped closer to you, causing you to move back, but you were forced to a stop when you bumped into someone behind you.
You turned around to look at the man and you felt your entire body freeze when you met the eyes of General Ross. Your arms grew brighter as your heart burned stronger, your stomach churned tightly and your breathing becoming uneven. You were pulled out of your frozen stupor when you felt a hand reach out to touch your arm, flinching away instinctively.
“They’re real!” someone called out, and it only caused more people to surround you. “Are you an Avenger?” It was only instinct to squeeze your eyes shut, hoping they’d all just leave you alone.
You had no hope of freeing yourself from this situation anymore, not with bodies blocking any possible path to escape the forming circle. Everybody wanted to get a glance at your glowing arms, trying to peer over people’s shoulders and pushing to get a better view. Your voice was smothered in the loud noise, begging for Wanda under the uproar of questions and comments. Your fists clenched tightly by your sides, your nails digging into your palms to fight against the urge of letting the stone control you. You didn’t want to let go, to let the stone overload, but the more the people pushed closer to you, ultimately creating a smaller space for you, the more you felt yourself losing the fight against that feeling.
It was an unseen victory, the thought of experiencing your first overload in years vanishing the second you felt the familiar tug of Wanda’s magic engulf you in a hug. When you opened your eyes, they instantly landed on Wanda at the end of the parted path held open by the red vapor, her eyes that were glowing menacingly had evaporated into the soft greens when she met your gaze. The smoke swirled around you as your legs carried you down the path, everybody’s eyes closely on you as your glowing veins faded back to normal.
“I’m so sorry, Y/N.” Her voice was heard clearly over the music that had been lowered back down to the original volume, but there was no hesitation in your movements when you wrapped your arms around her waist upon reaching her to bring her flush against your body, nuzzling your head in her shoulder as you released a deep, shaky breath. Your hold on her was tight as the people around you moved on to their own things, her arms folding around you like a tight blanket as she pulled you harder against her. You had no idea where she had disappeared to, but it no longer mattered to you. She was here now, and that’s all that mattered.
She was quick to guide you out of the house, pushing past people who were stupid enough to get in the way. You sucked in a deep breath of fresh air the moment you reached the porch, Wanda close on your heels as you clambered down the stairs to reach the sidewalk.
Your heart continued to hammer in your chest as you turned to look at the house, your eyes searching as much as you can through the front door. “He’s… He’s here.” You barely felt Wanda’s touch when she rested her hands on your shoulders and she didn’t hesitate to search through your thoughts to figure out what was going on in that mind of yours. “He’s going to take me away again, Wanda.” You shook your head, clenching your jaw to fight against the tears burning your eyes.
“Hey.” She moved to step in front of you, blocking your view of the house as her hands slid up to cup your face gently. You met her tender gaze almost instantly, that familiar, comforting warmth flowing through you. “Nobody’s going to hurt you, you hear me? You’re okay. I got you.”
“I don’t want to go back.”
“You’re not,” she whispered, stepping closer to you. “As long as I’m here, they will never get their hands on you ever again. I promise.“ She pressed her forehead against yours as you sucked in another deep breath, letting your eyes flutter close.
Your senses were taken over by her; your touch, your smell, your hearing. She brought a soothing presence, your rapid heartbeat ultimately slowing down the longer she held onto you. You felt safe in her arms, but you knew she can’t hold you forever. You were the one to break the connection, taking a step back as you breathed out slowly, pressing your thumb against the scar on your palm as you looked down to the ground. Now that you weren’t in your panicked state of mind, it wouldn’t have made sense for someone as important as General Ross to be at a Halloween party in the middle of a suburban neighborhood. You were sure he had more vital things to do with his time - celebrating Halloween is most likely not on his to-do list - and you settled on the fact that it wasn’t Ross in the house, that it was just an ordinary civilian dressed in a military costume.
“How are you feeling?” You met Wanda’s gaze when her voice pulled you out of your thoughts. You had always hated seeing her eyes filled with concern, it replaced the bright glint of joy and love with a darkness that held worry and sadness. You knew she wasn’t going to be at ease even if you tell her you’re fine, the distress would linger, hidden behind a fake shine of forced happiness until she was absolutely positive that you were okay.
“I’m okay now.”
There it was, the way the darkness in her eyes sulked back to showcase relief. It didn’t matter if your mind was displaying the truth, she knew you were good at hiding your true thoughts. “Y/N-”
“My candy.” Your eyebrows furrowed together, looking over her shoulder at the house behind her. You couldn’t stop the frown from slightly pulling down your lips. “I left it inside. I have to go get it-”
Wanda was quick to press her hands against your shoulders when you moved to step around her, a soft chuckle escaping her throat as you repositioned yourself back in front of her. “I’ll get your candy, darling.” She reached up to smooth out the scrunch that had formed in between your pinched eyebrows, her fingers gentle against your skin and you felt your muscles relax underneath her touch. It was foolish of you to try to go back inside, you knew that, but you’d be damned if you had left all of tonight’s work behind in that house.
After planting a fast kiss on your nose, she spun around and made her way back into the house. You crossed your arms over your chest as you watched her disappear in the crowd through the front door, your lips pursed together tightly.
Time seemed to go slow, feeling as if it was taking forever for her to make her return and it only made you begin to worry. Your hands were restless as they fiddled together, bouncing on your feet as your eyes remained glued on the front door. You knew exactly where you had left it, and it wasn’t that far from the door if you remembered correctly, but as the seconds continued to tick away with no sign of Wanda, you found yourself pushing back towards the door.
But as you reached the top of the porch stairs, a hand reached out to loop through yours, forcing you to a stop. “You’re not going back in.” You turned to look at Wanda, a soft smile on your face as she presented the bulging pillowcase to you. As you accepted it in your hand, you turned around to walk down the stairs with her once again. “Come on, we have one more stop.”
As cool as the house was, you had no problem leaving it behind as you walked alongside Wanda. You sent one last lingering look over your shoulder before releasing a soft breath. You held your pillowcase in one hand and - upon noticing the brief flash of pain on her face after every step she took - her heels in the other.
With a quick glance over your shoulder, it wasn’t difficult to notice how far away from the neighborhood Wanda was leading you. The car seemed to be miles away at this point, and the walk back would be tiring either way, but you didn’t voice your concerns or questions, following her in silence. You knew there was nothing to worry about when it came to her, and it was a relief to you to finally see that darkness evaporate in her eyes whenever she looked at you. Pure happiness had returned, making her eyes sparkle brighter than the stars above you.
“Where are you taking me?” Your curiosity caused you to voice the question, though you were positive she wasn’t going to give you the answer you were looking for.
“We’re almost there.” She sent you a wide smile, stepping closer to you to loop her arm through yours. “It’s just up ahead.”
It was supposed to be an instinct to turn away from Wanda to look ahead at her words, but the smile that held more warmth than the sun could ever possibly provide made it nearly impossible to look away from her. You could look at her all day.
“Does this place look familiar?” Those were the words that caused you to finally look away from her, looking ahead to see candles surrounding a blanket that sat in front of a lake. Though there was a lack of people, it wasn’t difficult to realize that she had guided you back to the park you had been at just this morning for your picnic date. Her laughter was light and warm when she saw you piece everything together in your mind, your eyes flashing back towards her with a raised eyebrow and a small smile.
“What are we doing here?”
She gestured for you to continue walking, her arm still looped in yours as you stepped onto the grass. “I figured what a nice way to end your first experience trick-or-treating with something else you love to do.”
You were already staring at the stars as you started the trek to the blanket, and it was at this time that you knew what you wanted. These moments with Wanda, you didn’t want them to stop. You don’t want her to go, you want to keep her by your side for as long as you can… and you knew exactly what to do.
You dropped the pillowcase upon reaching the blanket, chewing the inside of your cheek as it landed on the ground with a thump. You leaned down to place the heels next to the back quickly, standing back up as you rubbed your hands against your legs nervously. You looked up to meet Wanda’s curious gaze, and you were trying your hardest to keep the thought out of your mind as she stepped onto the blanket.
“Wanda, I… I appreciate you.” You cleared your throat, looking down at the ground once more. “You make me… You make me feel safe and you… you make me forget about a lot of the terrible things that had happened and the things that could’ve been. Everything just… fades away.”
Wanda tilted her head to the side in confusion, her eyebrows bunched together slightly. She was scanning your thoughts, but you were giving her nothing to work with. Something was bothering you, she knew that; it’s been a long time since you hesitated with your words. But the patience inside of her was still there.
“You… You…” You huffed out a heavy puff of air, frustrated, and you tucked your hands in your pockets to prevent them from fiddling. You sucked in a deep breath and released it slowly before starting your sentence over, “You were one of the few people who had made me feel like I belonged in a place I thought I didn’t, and I… didn’t know what butterflies felt like until I met you. I…” You chewed on your bottom lip for a moment, shaking your head shallowly. “It’s hard for me to describe how you make me feel so I thought I’d just… I thought I’d show you.”
You were oblivious to the way her eyes widened as you slowly got down on one knee, pulling your hands out of your pocket to hold up the makeshift ring in between your fingers, presenting it to her. “Y/N…”
You looked away from the ring at her, noticing her shocked expression, and your eyes widened to match hers. “O-” You shook your head quickly, lowering your arms and bringing the ring back to you. “No, I… I don’t want to marry you. I mean, I do want to marry you, but not today… Not that you have to marry me. Anybody would be lucky to be your wife… or husband! You… I’m…” You readjusted your leg so you were sitting on both knees, looking down at the ring in your hands. You knew you were messing this moment up, thinking about how truly terrible this was going. You didn’t want to lose her, but now you just might and you were starting to regret this atrocious idea.
The feeling of her hands cupping your face caused you to look back at her, noticing that she, too, had gotten down to her knees to be face to face with you. Her smile of warmth caused you to breathe, though you were incapable of hiding the concern showing on your expression. “Take your time,” she said softly, her thumbs running soothing circles on your cheeks. “We got all night.”
You nodded against her hands, taking a long, deep breath and releasing it. You slowly held up the ring in between the two of you, looking into her eyes. “Wanda Maximoff, will you…” You shook your head, taking your bottom lip in between your teeth gently. Just say it. “Will you be my girlfriend?”
Her smile grew brighter, her eyes twinkling with euphoria as she moved her hands to cover yours. “Yes, Y/N, I would love to be your girlfriend.”
You felt your heart squeeze with excitement as she held up her left hand, letting you slide the ring onto her finger. It rested perfectly, though looking at the poorly made jewelry only made your stomach churn with disappointment. “It’s… It’s not perfect, but-”
“I love it,” she interrupted, tearing her eyes away from her finger to look at you. “It’s perfect to me.” She leaned forward to press her lips against yours in a soft, heated kiss, and the exhilaration you felt only drove you forward in desperation to deepen the kiss, but the sudden force of you pushing against her caused her to fall back on the blanket with you following her down. Laughter broke the kiss, her hand wrapping around your neck as her other one rested against your cheek. You were instantly lost in each other’s eyes, a smile riddling both of your faces as you relaxed above her. “You’re missing the stars.”
“They’re not going anywhere,” you whispered.
She chuckled heartily, shaking her head slightly as her tongue flicked out to lick her lips. “Yes they are,” she corrected. “I’m the one not going anywhere.”
Your smile widened at her words, leaning down to press a quick kiss against her lips before rolling off of her. You sat up on the blanket next to Wanda as your eyes wandered up to the dark sky above you. The moon - nearly full, but not quite - was glowing strong tonight, making the stars pale in the darkness and washing Wanda in a faint blue against the flickering yellow of the flames surrounding you. Though you knew the significance of the candles, you wished you could see her in just the moonlight.
"Thank you.” You smiled softly at her as she tore her eyes away from the ring on her finger to look at you, her eyebrows furrowed just slightly as she tilted her head. “I had a lot of fun tonight… and I’m glad I got to experience it with you.” You felt yourself relax underneath her soft gaze, the feeling of bliss settling inside of you. “I think Nat would like the story with the Bowl Skeleton.”
She mirrored your smile, hugging her legs to her chest as she sat up as well. “You should wait until you see what I have planned next year,” she told you, resting her cheek against knees as she continued to stare at you. “It’s going to top this.”
You raised an eyebrow, laughing lightly. “What is it?”
“I haven’t figured it out yet, but I will,” she confessed, and you shook your head with a grin, cherishing her beauty as she laughed lightly. She admired you for another moment as you turned your attention back to the moon, watching the way your face relaxed as you looked up at the Earth’s natural satellite. You sat cross-legged, your hands resting still in your lap, and you breathed out heavily.
“The sun’s light reflects off the moon and bounces off,” you stated, your lips lifting up in a small smile. “That’s what gives us moonlight.”
She picked her head up off her knees and followed your eyes to look up at the orbiting material, her fingers spinning around the ring absentmindedly. “Tell me more.” It was three words that made your heart still with excitement, that small smile that had formed on your face only growing wider at Wanda’s soft command. Your slouched form straighten almost instantly, your face getting to be brighter than the sun would be.
“We only ever see one side of it,” you expressed. “It’s the fifth-largest moon in the solar system and our only natural satellite!” Wanda’s light laugh only made you more eager to continue, your eyes not once leaving the sky.
She smiled softly, releasing her legs to lay them flat in front of her. She loved hearing you talk about things you were passionate about, the way your words became rushed together, impatient to get the sentences out into the air. The way your eyes would light up to match that of the stars. And the way your smile would send warmth through her entire body. She never wanted you to stop talking in general, your voice being the only sound she found to be the most important thing in the universe.
“It’s about two hundred forty thousand miles away from us!” You pursed your lips together, your hands beginning to fiddle nervously in your lap as pressure begins to form in your chest, twisting and tightening. “That’s how much I… love you.”
Wanda felt her heart leap at your words, her eyes flickering away from the moon to look at you. She breathed in slowly as if she were nervous that a sudden noise would scare you off, releasing the breath quietly. You seem to refuse to look away from the moon, but she could see the way your eyes glistened with unshed tears at your confession. She saw the fear written on your face, the way your thumb dug into your palm anxiously. She opened her mouth to say something, but you were already speaking once again.
“To the moon and back,” you stated, as a matter of fact, finally looking away from the moon to meet her soft, warm gaze. “I love you, Wanda, to the moon and back.”
You heard the moment her breath caught in her throat, her eyes bouncing between yours as if she were analyzing the color of your irises. But the longer she stayed quiet, the more you felt your heart rise in your throat. Was it too soon? It had only been a few months since the first kiss you shared with her in Wakanda, a few months since the two of you had started dating, but it’s been years since you’ve been friends with her and the feeling of love never left you.
“I love you.” You felt yourself respire at her confession, the way she nodded her head quickly to confirm her words. “I love you so much, Y/N… to the moon and back.”
You leaned towards her, pressing your lips against your girlfriend’s - your heart skipped a beat at the new label. You smiled into the kiss, causing her to laugh and pull back. You reached up to wipe away the tears crawling down her cheeks with your thumb, your smile softening. You cupped her face in between your hands, pulling her gently towards you to rest your forehead against hers. You both breathed out in relief, your eyes fluttering close under her touch as she wrapped her hands behind your neck.
…to the moon and back.