AN: Enjoy!
Vision was surprised how quickly, how easily, he settled into life at the Cabin. It was of course, slightly strange,living with the love of his life and her children, fathered by another version of him, but it was less awkward than he'd expected.
Wanda didn't judge him, look down on him, or blame him for anything he had done under Hayward's programming, even though Vision still very much blamed himself. And, she was genuine in her promise that she wouldn't expect him to immediately be just as he was before. She let him know that she was there if he needed to talk, but otherwise, she simply left him be to work out all the things he needed to.
Of course, not being pressured to talk to Wanda only made it easier to talk to her when he did feel ready. Not anything too deep, mostly idle chit-chat, but it was nice either way. It wasn't too long before the two of them felt like friends again.
Wanda would sit with him when she had her afternoon cup of tea, or her evening one. They would watch TV together, usually a sitcom of some kind, just like they had in the early days at the Avengers compound. They would laugh together, and Vision still thought Wanda's laughter was the most wonderful sound in the universe, and sometimes she would smile at him. It was harder for Vision to fathom being just friends when she smiled at him that way, but he didn't tell her so. Being her friend again at all was better than he ever could have hoped for, and so much more than he thought he deserved.
Once, while they watched a late movie, Wanda had fallen asleep on his shoulder. Vision had remained still for hours, unable to face waking her when she looked so peaceful. When she did wake, she blushed furiously, apologising and rushing off to bed.
He never even had the chance to tell her that he didn't mind.
Wanda would take Tommy and Billy with her, when she left the cabin to fetch groceries and other supplies. She assured him that this was to give him alone time, and not because she didn't trust him, although he wouldn't have blamed her if this were the case.
While some time alone was nice, too much tended to send Vision down some rather unpleasant trains of thought, but he didn't tell Wanda this either, not wanting to give her anything to worry about.
He wouldn't have minded much, if the boys were to stay behind. He actually found them rather delightful, although it was slightly odd seeing his own features in them when he, technically, had nothing to do with their coming into being.
Tommy was a ball of energy, racing around the place at super-speed as his Uncle once had. He wasn't at all bothered by Vision's presence, figuring that if his Mother was okay with it, then he should be too. Vision now seemed to have a part time job, retrieving Tommy's soccer ball when he kicked it on to the cabin roof, or into the nearby lake. The boy always thanked him with a cheeky smile that tugged on Vision's synthetic heart.
Billy was slightly quieter, calmer, and, it seemed, a little more wary of Vision, for which Vision didn't at all blame him. Sometimes, he would catch Billy looking at him, his brow furrowed as if concentrating, but he would always look away when Vision caught him out. Despite his shyness, Vision felt himself easily becoming just as attached to him as he was his boisterous brother.
After Vision had been at the cabin for a couple of months, winter arrived. Poor little Billy caught a cold, and Vision could hear him coughing and sniffling sometimes as he passed by Billy's room on the way to his own, the sounds hurting his heart. But Wanda was a wonderful Mother, she was taking good care of him, and so Vision didn't think much of it.. until shopping day.
"Hey Vizh, I have to go pick up some things" Wanda told him, around mid-morning on the day in question, "I'm taking Tommy with me, but Billy's not well enough. He's got TV and video games set up in his room so he shouldn't bother you.."
"You're leaving him here?!" Vision almost dropped his book.
"It would be pretty irresponsible of me to leave him alone while he's sick. I've left a pack of instant chicken noodle soup in the Kitchen. Could you make it up and give it to him around lunch time?"
"You.. you trust me?"
"I know you're not the greatest Chef, Vizh" Wanda raised an eyebrow, "But you can pour hot water into instant soup."
"I didn't mean that" Vision mumbled. "I meant.. You trust me to be alone with your son?"
"I do. You've made me check that all Hayward's programming is gone at least twice a week since you moved in" Wanda's gaze softened, and to Vision's surprise, she pressed a kiss to the top of his head. "The soup at lunchtime, and listen out in case he needs anything else, okay?"
"Yes" Vision felt like he might have been blushing, but was unsure whether it was possible for colour to enter his pale cheeks. "Okay."
"Thank you.. Tommy, we're leaving!"
"Okay, Mom!"
After Wanda and Tommy left, Vision tried to return to his book, and not panic too much over the fact that he was suddenly solely responsible for the well-being of a sick child. The fact that he could hear Billy occasionally coughing from his room did not help much.
But, as midday approached, Vision did as Wanda had requested, making the soup and putting it on a tray, carrying it to Billy's room. He knocked softly before entering.
"Oh!" The boy's eyes widened a little, and he sat up higher in bed. "Hello."
"Hello" Vision smiled softly, holding up the tray and the soup. "Your Mother asked me to bring this in for you."
"Okay.. Thank you."
"You're welcome" Vision carefully laid the tray in Billy's lap, and turned to leave. He was almost at the door when Billy spoke again.
"A-Are you my Dad?" The words came out in a rush, and Billy seemed embarrassed as soon as he'd said them. I mean, you look kind of like him, and you sound like him, and you have the same name, and Mom seems really happy that you're here..But you have different memories.. I don't mean to look, but sometimes your thoughts are loud.."
"It's alright.." Vision turned back to face him, pondering how to reply to his question. He should have said 'No', almost did, but choked on the word. It didn't feel right. "I.. I don't think there is an easy answer to your question. You and your brother were born through.. A very idealised version of myself, who was, in turn, born from your Mother's memories of me. So.. the matter of who or what I am to you is rather complicated. Do you understand?"
"Yeah" Billy sniffled a little. "I think so.."
"I.. I am happy to be a friend, if you need one."
"Okay" Billy managed a smile, one very much like Vision's own, "Friends are good."
"They are" Vision smiled back, "Now eat your soup, and call out if you.." He paused, recognising the program playing on Billy's television. "I used to watch this with your Mother."
"Malcolm in the Middle. It's still one of her favourites" Billy nodded, and shuffled over a little. "Do you wanna stay and watch?"
"Yes, alright" Vision settled in the empty space Billy had made for him.
They watched, and laughed, and Billy ate his soup, and Vision patted him on the back when he coughed. After a while, with the tray and empty soup bowl set aside, Billy fell asleep on Vision's shoulder, just as his Mother had a few nights earlier.
Vision looked at him, seeing the most wonderful little mixture of Wanda and himself, and his synthetic heart swelled. Something woke within him, growling and purring all at once. If anyone or anything ever wanted to hurt this child, or his brother, they would have to go through him first.
It didn't occur to him until later that this was how most Fathers felt.
Later that afternoon, when Wanda arrived home and brought the groceries inside, and Tommy rushed out to expend some of the energy he'd been forced to hold back while in public, Wanda looked around, slightly concerned when she didn't see Vision in his usual spot on the couch. However, seeing that the pack of chicken soup was gone, she headed towards Billy's room.
"Billy? Vizh?" Wanda nudged the door open, and her heart both melted and broke a little all at once.
Vision lifted a finger to his lips to tell Wanda to be quiet, then gently moved Billy's head from his shoulder and laid him back against his pillow. He stirred, but did not wake. Vision crept out to join Wanda, pulling the door shut behind him.
"Sorry if I worried you, he fell asleep while we were watching television together and I didn't have the heart to.." He paused. "Wanda, are you crying?"
"No.. well, a little.." She wiped at her eyes. "I'm sorry. It's just.. Billy was always Daddy's boy. He even got his name because yo.. he loved William Shakespeare."
"Oh.." Vision felt a lump in his throat. "Really?"
"Yes.. Now all either of the boys have is me" Wanda sighed. "Sometimes I'm not sure if I'm going to be enough for them.
"Of course you are.." Without really thinking about it, Vision reached out to catch one of Wanda's tears. He was probably, definitely, overstepping with what he was about to say, but something inside him wasn't going to let him not say it. "But maybe.. Maybe it doesn't just have to be you."
"What do you mean?"
"Well.. I'm here.. Maybe.. If they want."
Wanda stared at him for what felt like a very long time, and Vision was worried that he had made a very big mistake. Then she took a few steps forward, grabbed Vision's face, and kissed him. Soft and shy, probably more like a first kiss than their real first kiss, so long ago now, had been.
"I'm sorry.." Wanda murmured, "I probably shouldn't have.."
Vision kissed her back, because he absolutely could not have her believe she had done anything wrong.
"It's okay.." He smiled softly. "As long as we, maybe, take things slow?"
"Of course" Wanda smiled back, her eyes sparkling. "And as far as you and the boys.. Let them decide what they want you to be."
"Of course.." Vision agreed.
He kissed Wanda again, and she happily kissed back. It felt like coming home. As long as Wanda cared about him, trusted him, nothing else seemed to matter.