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The Avengers were a weird band, Wanda realized that. First of all, they were handpicked by the CEO of the label they worked for, secondly, their age ranged from twenty-five to forty-three at the time of their debut and third, they weren’t all American, with a Russian guitarist, a Norwegian screamer and a clean vocalist whose parents were Irish immigrants. In 2012 they released their first album, self-titled, fifteen tracks Wanda loved from the first to the last, with a certain predilection for those more focused on Steven Rogers’ wonderful voice. She didn’t deny she had some sort of celebrity crush for him, and sometimes her brother teased her about it, but she didn’t care, as long as he drove her to their concert. When the world tour for the release of their second album was announced, Wanda was jumping in her bedroom like a child, mostly because she saved up enough to be able to afford two tickets, standing seats front stage. At first Pietro didn’t seem to like much the idea, after all the concert of a band you’re not particularly passionate about can be a pretty boring experience, but when Wanda proposed to do the cleaning for a week, he ended up accepting the deal. Now, it must be recognized not everyone likes to listen to an hour and a half of guitar virtuosities and half electronic breakdowns, especially if in the middle there could be screams apparently incomprehensible to poorly trained ears, but Wanda really liked the genre and wouldn’t have given up the possibility to see her favourite band live only because her brother was a sissy. Even getting ready was fun. She wasn’t delusional, she knew there would be tons of beautiful girls in the crowd, and potentially, from the stage, with all those lights and special effects, no one would notice her makeup, maybe a little too heavy, or her black nail polish, but it was so long since she last had the luxury of choosing a cute outfit that she allowed herself to be ridiculous, all dressed up to go sweat in a jumping and screaming crowd.
“Trust me, you look beautiful, but that dress is absolutely wasted on the event,” her brother told her as they walked out. Pietro’s dilapidated car was parked a little ahead on the street, and Wanda wondered when it would finally leave them, forcing the twins to take the subway again. At least the apartment complex they were in was in a nice neighbourhood, even though the price they managed to get away with was probably dictated by the fact the elevator was constantly broken and they had to walk ten flights of stairs every time they wanted to go out.
“Don’t think about money now!” exclaimed Pietro, nudging her in the ribs. With him there was no need to talk, he recognized every look and the meaning of every silence. “Tonight all we have to do is have fun and maybe find someone to take home with us.”
“If you can, could you please not abandon me to sneak out with the first person more interested in a hook up than the music?” she asked, fastening her belt.
“I’ve never abandoned you!” he exclaimed, finally starting the engine. Wanda glanced at the time on the car stereo. If only she hadn’t known how Pietro drove, she would’ve said they were late. “It was just a moment of weakness for awesome tits.”
With an evil grin, he sank his foot into the accelerator, and when they finally reached their destination, Wanda wondered how they managed to get out alive from the traffic.
“Do you think I’ll be able to charm the beautiful bassist, even if I’m wearing a simple sports jacket?” he teased her, hopping to the gate for the standing area. If only Pietro hadn’t been so stupid, he would’ve had half of New York’s population at his feet, but there was no need to inflate his pride further.
“Isn’t he a little too old for your taste?” she asked, after they handed the tickets to a menacing-looking bodyguard.
“Do you already know the set list?” he asked, ignoring her question. Truth be told, there were no real limits to the attraction Pietro could feel for someone. Wanda gave him her phone, and watched sideways as he studied her guessings thoughtfully.
“Wait, I know this one!” he exclaimed, pointing to one of the first titles, earning quite a few indignant glances from the rest of the fans present. “Isn’t it the one that goes united we’ll fail and divided we’ll fall? A bit depressing, isn’t it?”
“Not if you listen to the lyrics in the end, but I suppose you skipped after the breakdown again,” she replied, trying to make sure they were in the best place to take pictures.
“What’s the point of putting one, if the song has to go on?” Pietro asked, following her like a dog. Her brother was all barking, but in the end he was as dangerous as a Chihuahua.
“I swear you’re not made for music,” Wanda commented, rolling her eyes. Truth be told, Pietro wasn’t made for anything that didn’t involve a strong adrenaline rush within thirty seconds from the start, that’s why he was so obsessed with extreme sports and one night stands. Suddenly, the auditorium seemed to fill up to burst, a sign that in a short time the lights would go out and a roar would precede the entrance of the Avengers. Live, Steven Rogers was no different from the photos, his clean, perfectly shaved face hiding a deep and incredibly sensual voice. Beside him, Thor looked like a mountain, his long blond hair now over his broad shoulders and his full beard completely covering the square shape of his jaw. Soon after, the guitarist and the bassist took their places, exchanging a knowing look. There were rumours of them dating, even though the age gap was more than ten years. The last to appear were the oldest: friends from university, where one studied robotics and the other nuclear physics, once they started working they were so unhappy with their lives they abandoned everything to pursue a career in music, which in principle didn’t turn out to be very profitable, although Stark continued to have a solo career, until the Avengers arrived. It must’ve been strange, to see your life change drastically after the age of forty. Just as she supposed, the show began with Breaking and Entering, and Wanda quickly got lost in the lyrics she knew by hearts. Another interesting fact about this band people might think was completely controlled by S.H.I.E.L.D., was the complete freedom the members had to make their ideas come to life. According to the credits on the albums, which she also bought in physical copy, the lyrics were written entirely by Steven and Thor, while the instrumentals was entrusted mainly to Natasha and Clinton, even if both the drummer and the keyboardist often gave their contribution.
“Don’t you dare record me while I sing!” exclaimed Wanda, when she noticed her brother with the phone pointed right at her face, smiling mischievously, half hidden by the screen.
“Already done, Mom will die of laughter when I’ll send it,” he replied, but she was more likely to have a heart attack, seeing them so crushed by the crowd to hear two big dudes sing of worn out memories and open wounds.
“Weren’t you here to have fun?” Pietro asked, in front of her annoyed expression, and in no time Wanda forgot about everything, Steven approaching dangerously fast, ready to high-five any fan who managed to lean out enough. It was like being hit by a wave too high, and in no time she found herself gasping, her ribs pressed against the balustrade that separated them from the safety corridor. Fortunately, the pressure didn’t last long, and for a moment she thought the singer’s blue eyes rested on her, as if to check she was okay. About halfway through the event, they played her favourite song from the second album, and by then she was pretty sure Steven was looking her straight in the eyes.
“It’s probably what everyone thinks. Maybe we don’t realize it and the poor guy is cross-eyed,” Pietro suggested, but Wanda realized he was trying to figure out if his sister wasn’t suddenly hallucinating. When she recognized the chords of The Mission where Vision should actually have been, Wanda felt her heart tighten. She hadn't even allowed herself to dream of such a fortuitous event, for she saw a couple lives on YouTube, and on previous dates, every time they played that song they pulled a couple of lucky fans onstage.
“It’s time to make a move,” Steven sang, in his heavenly voice. “And I know what we have to do. We have nothing to prove, not a plan to stick to, I can see through the pretty you, I know you want to fight too.”
“Sister, I swear he’s definitely staring at you,” Pietro yelled in her ear, hoping to be heard, but Wanda was completely lost, to the point she almost failed to see the big hand stretched right in her direction.
“He’s calling you, idiot!” Pietro yelled, giving her a loud bang on the shoulder. The singer gave him a crooked look, but he did everything in his power to let him know she was his sister. If Wanda wanted to get banged by a sweaty guy with biceps the size of her head, he wouldn’t be the one to stop her. Besides, it was good to see her having fun for once, but even more to hear her sing. It was since they moved to New York he hadn’t seen her do it in front of an audience, even though it was school plays at the time.
“I should be careful, this girl is going to steal my job!” joked Steven at the end of The Battle, and Wanda didn’t know what kept her from fainting. She spent the rest of the concerts in a trance, as if she couldn’t believe what just happened.
“If you behave like a normal person, I have the distinct impression you’ll even be able to earn a trip backstage,” said Pietro, when there were only a couple of songs left.
“You’ve been a wonderful audience!” Thor exclaimed, in a moment of pause. “That’s why I would like to hear you shout all your enthusiasm for the best discovery of this evening.”
“What’s your name, dear?” Steven asked, extending the microphone right in her direction. Wanda was paralyzed. No previous show had something like that and she wasn’t ready.
“My beautiful and very talented sister is called Wanda Maximoff,” replied Pietro, in a fake annoyed tone. “And if you want to have her for a few more songs, I think once she’s on stage she’ll recover her voice.”
The audience laughed, and her stupid brother gave her one of his dazzling smiles. Wanda felt her cheeks turn hot, and she was sure she was now as red as a pepper, but she still took the stage again. Why was it that whenever there was a pair of twins, one always had to be ridiculously outgoing and the other shy like a child on the first day in a new school?
“I guess you know Darkest Intentions, Wanda Maximoff,” Steven said into the microphone and all she could do was nod.
“How about we duet again?” Thor asked, and Wanda was sure her insides were twisted into a big and complex knot.
“I think you’ll have to support her Steve, the girl is shaking like a leaf,” Natasha said into the microphone. In addition to being the only girl and playing the guitar like a goddess, she also provided back vocals whenever needed.
“I’m sure she’ll be a good girl,” Steven replied, placing a large hand on her shoulder. The audience was in raptures, the exchange after all lasted only a few minutes, but Wanda felt too many eyes fixed on her, looks as sharp as blades, full of envy. She too would’ve envied whoever found themselves in that sandwich of muscles and talent, had she been in the audience, but at the moment she wasn’t sure she wanted to stay under all those probing gazes. For the first time since discovering the Avengers, she was grateful for a song to start with a grow, but her turn came too soon anyway, and only later she discovered the held her favourite singer’s hand the whole time.
“Thanks New York!” shouted Thor, who was the most energic of them all, and as if they were a theatrical company, the rest of the group also raised their hands and bowed in front of the audience. Wanda, who still had her hand in Steve’s, couldn’t help but imitate them. Before the crowd dispersed, picks, drumsticks and even the singers’ shirts were thrown, and judging by how sweaty they were, Wanda prayed no one would get them straight in the face.
“I say you deserve to celebrate too. What about a drink with us?” Steven proposed, and it was in that instant Wanda thought she was dead and gone to heaven.