Order & Chaos

As begrudgingly as he and his sister seemed, Pietro could not deny he found a sort of thrill in suiting up alongside "Earth Mightiest." It was true that he and Wanda had taken up arms against the team, but destroying the heroes was not their ultimate goal. They just wanted to keep their family together. Pietro had sworn on his honor that he would protect Wanda, no matter the cost. At first, Ultron had seemed like the best option to see his wishes through. Now he saw the machine for the monster he truly was, and Pietro knew he had to play a part in keeping his home from certain destruction. Which is how he found himself at Avengers HQ, picking out a costume.

Somehow, Stark had a knack for making sure everyone looked their best when saving the world, and it seemed he and Wanda would be no exception. In one of the many closets in Stark Tower, Pietro found a pair of specially designed, very comfortable running shoes that he'd been told would withstand the friction caused under his feet. As he pulled an aerodynamically designed blue and silver long sleeve over his head, Pietro turned to see if Wanda had chosen from any of the red and black garb available to her. She was not, however, perusing the apparel, but instead he found his sister intently watching the newborn android. He smirked to himself – ever since his sister had gained her abilities, she could not resist delving into the minds of others, especially when they were different and interesting. And Pietro could safely sat this newly-created man was the most indifferent and interesting thing either of them had encountered. He pulled the first jacket – red leather – he saw off the rack and threw it over to his sister, amused at her sudden realization that she had been caught staring.

"Come on now, Wanda. You're usually much more vigilant than this," he teased, coming to stand next to her and crossing his arms. "Is he really that fascinating?" Wanda shrugged on the jacket, turning her gaze once again to the strange man she had witnessed being born not two hours ago.

"He is, Pietro," she answered. "His mind, his thoughts… they are so organized, so logical." She paused for a moment, daring to travel even deeper into his head. "His decisions are not influenced by emotions. Yet," Wanda turned to look at her brother. "I think he does feel, Pietro. I can sense it. There is joy, for the new life he's been given. Sadness, that his creator cannot see the destruction he will cause. And…" She stopped, tilting her head in her continued observance.

"And what, Wanda?" She turned to her brother slowly.

"Hope. That we might work as one to save our home." Pietro glanced over at the humanoid, who was still in deep conversation with Norse god.

"He believes we will succeed?" He saw his sister nod out of the corner of his eye.

"Yes. He has faith in us. And I… I think I trust him."

The speedster laid his arm around his sister's shoulder protectively, his smirk returning. He could not deny the admiration in her eyes, the man piquing her interest.

"We'll see about that, dear sister. He and I will have a little talk when all this is over." Pietro kissed the crown of Wanda's head, winking at her playfully as he began walking toward the hangar. "I am the better judge of character between the two of us, after all."

"How do you figure?" she called after him.

"I am twelve minutes older!" he called over his shoulder with a laugh.

Two months later

Wanda sat in her room, holding her brother's bullet-ridden long sleeve in her hands. She took it out only on particularly trying days, when training had been grueling and she began to wonder why she was here, amongst legends and heroes, in the first place. Today Natasha had gotten the better of her in the training room, and a psych evaluation with Maria that afternoon hadn't helped either. As someone with nearly free access to the minds of others, Wanda was very protective of her own. She hated the thought of being poked and prodded mentally – at least when she entered the thoughts of others, she did so without the subject knowing. She tried her very hardest to be gentle.

'It is necessary," a voice almost like whisper floated to her. Wanda looked toward her door, where The Vision stood just under the doorframe. She usually kept her door closed, but must have forgotten in her weariness.

"The evaluations with Miss Hill," he continued on. "I know they can seem invasive and tedious. But they ensure that all our minds are focused, that we can work cohesively as a group when we are out in the field." Wanda said nothing, but continued to stare at the synthezoid in front of her. She remembered – that is how he liked to be identified, if it was necessary to classify him.

"I'm sorry, Miss Maximoff, I didn't mean to intrude." Vision looked away from her, appearing slightly embarrassed. "I was just walking past, and you thoughts…" He abandoned his sentence and began to walk away.

"Wait." He immediately turned back to her, waiting to be chastised for eavesdropping on her private musings. "I am sorry – I am still trying to train my mind to use its inside voice. There hasn't been one like me before." Vision could see a sad almost-smile creeping over her lips. That was another thing he had observed about her. She had not exhibited a true smile in all the time he had known her.

"Were they very loud, my thoughts?" she asked, looking at him apologetically. He shook his head, attempting to reassure her that she was not at fault here.

"Not quite so loud as a yell. More like…" Vision searched his vast mind for an apt comparison. "Like a mother, raising her voice at her child." Wanda huffed, another laugh laced with sorrow. Vision saw her close her fists around her brother's bloody shirt. He approached her carefully, still not sure if he as welcome in her company. She again didn't say anything as he came to stand beside her.

"I am sorry, Miss Maximoff. About your brother. I know we were not well acquainted, but he was a good man. He will be remembered honorably." Wanda glanced up at her comrade, the first to on her new team to really make a sincere effort at consoling her.

"He liked you, you know." Vision looked at the girl, confused.

"How do you know? We were acquaintances for less than a day." He immediately regretted his indelicate phrasing, as he saw Wanda look away. "I'm sorry, Miss Maxi-

"Wanda, please," she held up her hand to silence him, then motioned for him to sit next to her. "And please stop apologizing. I know you are still learning." He carefully settled himself beside her, a respectable distance between them.

"How do you know?" he asked again. "That you're brother liked me?"

"That night, when you were… born. Before we traveled to Sokovia. I was…watching you, reading you. You said I could look again, remember?" she added hastily, justifying her reading of his mind. He did mind, and he told her just as much with a nod. "You were so young. Yet your mind is so ancient, so wise. I wanted to know if you could be trusted. I saw you could be, and told Pietro just as much." Wanda paused in her tale, and Vision took the moment to watch several emotions play across her face. Happiness, then pain, then melancholy. Then, to his surprise, a small but honest smile.

"He didn't say it, but I knew Pietro liked you. He could see that your mind was a mystery to me, presented me with a challenge. It is not often I am confused by a person. He thought it was funny that I was fascinated by you." She turned back to Vision, the true smile still gracing her face. He couldn't help but reciprocate it.

"I will do my best to honor your brother's sacrifice, Wanda." He had never used her given name before. Yet it felt so much more natural coming from his voice. "I will keep you safe."

He meant to imply that he would try to keep the entire team safe, but it came out sounding like he was singling Wanda out specifically. He couldn't find it anywhere in himself to try and clarify. Vision would be lying if he said he didn't find her equally fascinating this tortured sorceress. She had every right to be angry at the world and make it pay for how much it had wronged her. Yet here she was, a renegade child, learning to be a hero. She had his utmost admiration, and perhaps something else. He could sense and emotions lurking inside of him, one he recognized but had never been privy to himself…

His speculations came to a halt when he felt cold fingers wrap around his hand.

It was curious, Wanda thought to herself. She was the one made of flesh and blood, yet here was an android, providing her with a warmth she had been lacking as of late.

"Thank you," she said to him. Not just for your promise, but for your concern. And for listening. And I promise to look out for you, just as you have promised to do so for me. Pietro wouldn't want it any other way." She tightened her hold on Vision's hand. Wanda decided there and then that he would be her anchor thought all the oncoming chaos.

And Vision decided she would be the unexpected surprise in his orderly world. After all, he knew how well order and chaos could coexist.

A/N – So I had wanted to write a little something for these two ever since opening weekend of AoU, but I could not find an idea that stuck with me. Then, upon my second viewing of the film, I took notice of the scene where all the team is prepping to go to battle and getting their duds on. Pietro totally catches Wanda checking out her future husband, and I just knew he would take that opportunity to tease her about it. So yeah, that's how this came about.

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