AN: Enjoy!
That night, as she had asked for, Wanda received a text from Vision with details of the time and location of the Fourth Of July party, along with a little extra note.
No pressure. If you already have plans, I completely understand.
Wanda did not already have plans. She rarely had plans to do anything socially, because Wanda did not really have friends. Pietro had been the social one out of the two of them. Any friends they'd picked up had been mostly his, and they'd all drifted away after his death.
The closest thing she had to a friend was Mantis, and she only saw her for a few minutes between shift changes, or the Halloween and Christmas seasons, when the store got busy enough to require both of them working.
And now, Vision. Vision had called her his friend. And Vision had said she was welcome at this party. A family-friendly party in the park did not seem like somewhere that Wanda would usually fit, but then, there weren't a whole lot of places that Wanda felt like she did fit.
Vision seemed to want her at this party though, and so did Viv. Maybe, Wanda thought, that was reason enough to try and go.
Wanda next saw the Father-Daughter duo two days before the Fourth Of July, when they came in to the store to pick up a few party supplies. While Vision gathered everything they needed, he left Viv by the counter happily chatting to Wanda. Wanda, today forced to wear a garish American flag T-shirt, had her mood much improved by the little girl's presence.
"The Party's gonna be really fun!" Vivian declared. "Uncle Clint's cooking a barbecue, and Uncle Scott's girlfriend Hope is bringing the cake.."
"That sounds nice" Wanda smiled. She saw Vision glance over at them from a few shelves away. "What's your Daddy bringing?"
"Daddy's gonna be the entertainyment" said Viv. "He's dressing up as his superhero alter-emo."
"Alter-ego, Sweetheart" Vision gently corrected.
"I'd like to see that" Wanda saw Vision blush and hurriedly look away.
"You can if you come" Viv bounced on her heels. "Are you coming to the party, Wanda?"
Vision's ears, making sure he completely failed any attempt at subtlety, visibly perked up.
"Hmm.." Wanda smirked. "Yes, I think I'll be able to make it."
"Yay!" Vivian cheered happily.
Wanda couldn't help but notice that, despite Vision trying his very best to seem focused on the store's selection of paper plates, he also seemed very pleased.
When the day of the party rolled around, Wanda found herself feeling rather nervous. She couldn't quite put her finger on why. It was just a casual get together in the park. And technically Vivian had invited her first, not Vision, so this was most definitely not a date.
So why the hell were her hands shaking as she tried to decide what to wear?
Wanda shook her head, and pulled herself together, choosing what she hoped was a sensible, comfortable outfit of jeans and a red shirt. She checked herself over in the mirror, running a brush through her hair one more time, then fetched the packet of chips she was taking as her party contribution, and headed out the door.
Upon arriving at the park, Wanda was almost immediately greeted by Viv, running over and grabbing her hand.
"Wanda, you're here!"
"I am" Wanda chuckled. "I said I was coming, didn't I?"
"Yeah.. But Daddy was worried that you was just too nice to say no" Vivian eagerly tugged Wanda towards the picnic area, where a small group of adults and quite a few children were gathered, and, unusually, a tent set up a short distance away.
Wanda could see no sign of Vision.
"Where is your Daddy?" she asked Viv.
"He's getting ready for his show" she replied, pointing towards the tent. "Come meet everybody before it starts!"
Wanda was quickly introduced to Scott, his girlfriend Hope, and Cassie, whom she already knew; followed by Clint, Laura, and their children: Cooper, Lila, and baby Nate. Wanda was beginning to think she was the only single woman in a hundred foot radius, until Viv introduced her to Natasha Romanoff.
"You must be the girl from the party store" said Natasha, shaking Wanda's hand. "I'm Natasha, but around this crew, I'm more commonly known as 'Auntie Nat'."
"Wanda Maximoff" Wanda raised an eyebrow as she returned Wanda's handshake. "How did you know I worked at the.."
"Oh, Vision's been talking about you."
Before Wanda had any chance to react to this, Vision came bursting out of the tent in full costume, his face painted a pinkish-purple, golden cape fluttering behind him.
He hadn't been lying about the green leotard, but he made it work. Like, really made it work. Wanda felt her jaw drop. Who would have thought that Vision was hiding a six-pack underneath the 'Dad outfits' she usually saw him in?
Vision seemed momentarily shaken when he saw Wanda, but quickly recovered, getting himself back into character.
"Fear not, children! The Vision is here. Who wants to help save the park from evil?"
"I do!" Viv released Wanda's hand and rushed over to her Father, all the other children following her.
"Excellent, plenty of volunteers" Vision grinned. "Follow me!"
As Vision led the children away for adventures, Clint used the quiet moment as a chance to get the barbecue started. Wanda stared after Vision as he departed, a flush coming to her cheeks.
Had the park gotten warmer? It definitely felt like it had.
"So.." said Wanda nervously a little while later, sitting between Nat and Laura. "Uh, what exactly did Vision say about me?"
"Oh, all good things, don't worry" said Laura.
"Yeah" Nat agreed. "How Viv likes you, and that it's nice to make a new friend.."
"A friend.." Wanda's heart sank a little. "Right.."
"Is something wrong?" Nat tried to hide a smirk.
"No" Wanda stood. "I'm just going to use the bathroom.."
Wanda survived the horrors of the Park's public restrooms. By the time she came out, the cooking was done, and she could see Clint handing out burgers and sausages to the children. She made her way back towards the picnic area, past the tent.. and heard a familiar, rather frustrated voice.
"Oh, bollocks.."
"Vision?" she frowned. "Is everything alright?"
"Yes" Vision replied a little too quickly, then sighed. "Well, no, not really. My zipper appears to be stuck."
"Oh.. I might be able to help, kids get stuck in costumes in the store all the time. As long as.. you're not completely nude underneath that thing, are you?"
"Definitely not."
"Okay then, I'm coming in."
Wanda entered the tent to find Vision, with most of his make up already removed, struggling with the zip.
"Easy, Vizh" Wanda chuckled, the silliness of the situation putting her at ease. "Turn around and let an expert handle this."
"Alright.." Vision blushed, rather embarrassed to have found himself in this predicament, but did as he was told.
"The trick with a stuck zipper" said Wanda as she took hold of it, "Is not to tug too hard. Don't force it. You have to try and ease it down gently, like this.." As Wanda very carefully pulled down the zip, Wanda felt her calm evaporate a little, her breath catching. Vision's back was as unexpectedly well-muscled as his front had been. A strong wall of perfect, unblemished skin.. except for his shoulder, which displayed a small tattoo. A name.
Vin.
Wanda's heart ached for him.
"Is something wrong?" Vision asked.
"No.." Wanda resisted a desire to run her fingers over the three small letters. "The tattoo.. for your son?"
"Yes.." Vision nodded.
"I have one for my brother.. but mine's on the opposite shoulder.."
"It is nice sometimes, isn't it?" Vision turned, "Having something special to remember them?"
"Y-Yes.." Wanda nodded, but confronted with the sight of Vision's bare chest, anything close to a truly coherent thought raced right out of her brain. She imagined herself curling against that chest, his strong arms around her..
"Wanda, Are you alright? I'm sorry if I brought up any unpleasant.."
"No" said Wanda quickly, snapping out of her fantasy. "Hmm, I think the food's ready, so I'm going to go, uh.. eat."
She raced out of the tent, leaving a slightly confused Vision behind her.