The book Stephen Strange had gifted her explained things she had always somehow known but hadn't been able to put a name to, he had warned of a curse upon anyone who practiced said spells, but all she wanted was a life as normal as possible, enchantments that would have caused havoc once, were now overlooked and replaced by simple magic to tend the garden and make their lives easier. Loki had vowed to continue his mother's legacy by studying magic in all its expressions and keeping the knowledge protected.
It was poetic to think how magic and tragedy had followed them both throughout their lives, who knew a human mortal and an Asgardian god would have so much in common? Who could have guessed that Wanda and Loki, the wild cards of every team, were somehow able to bring the best in the other?
In the third year of their relationship, Loki had gifted her a golden ring, forged with the little Asgardian gold he had kept as a memory. The gesture had been simple, the truth is he didn't expect an answer, so he asked no question. To his surprise, Wanda had extended her hand so he could place the ring on her finger.
"I'm human" she finally spoke, her hands moved in the air, as if she summoned a spell, instead she studied the ring on her left hand "I'll grow old, I'll die"
Her words were soft but firm, accepting her mortal condition and his immortal one, both gifts, both curses, quite a tragic trope for two people used to tragedies.
"Do not worry about that for now" he answered sweetly, his hand cupping her cheek "life or death whether they come soon or later, will not take away the time I have with you, and so if you'll let me... I vow to love you for all your mortal life, and my immortal one"
Her response had been a kiss. They were married by the local tradition and ritual, their feet dipped in the sea, and a golden thread of gold around their joint hands.
They merrily talked and danced all day and whispered and loved all night.
Three years after their wedding they began noticing slight changes in their magic, dreams, and a quiet unbalance. The dark hold spoke of a multiverse and all its curses if someone dared to tamper with the course of another reality, they never asked each other about each their dreams, but they never saw themselves together in any of them.
Wanda saw herself being a mother to two boys, Vision by her side, her father asking her to join his army, Pietro alive and well, her life as tv series, and the havoc caused by her own grief.
Loki saw himself running from Thanos and living in exile till old age, dying repeatedly, as a woman, as a child, by Thor's side, and breaking the sacred timeline and allowing all its possibilities.
The dark hold burned itself one day, they had been sleeping, when both their senses woke them. The powerful book dissipated into thin air.
"It was all real…" she let out. All her dreams were true somewhere else, she had become a monster her own children feared and destroyed herself alongside the powerful cursed magic "Loki, it was me"
He went by her side, her eyes watered from whatever vision she had had of herself in another reality. He knew what it was to be the villain, and he would not allow it to happen to his Wanda "It's not your fault. I saw myself destroying the sacred timeline, if you somehow managed to breach realities, it was only because I caused it. I sought redemption and only permitted chaos"
"That wasn't you" she reminded him and took a deep breath, and she repeated mostly to herself "that wasn't us"
He agreed, but couldn't help to let out a small chuckle "I destroyed the sacred timeline, and you somehow breached another reality? We really are the most boring versions of ourselves, aren't we?"
That made her smile despite a few tears in her eyes "I have children"
"Vision's?" he simply asked, didn't know if it was even possible.
"I think so…" her chest ached, a pain she had hidden for many years was now exploding inside her.
"Is he somewhere out there?" he asked again, softly.
"Yes," her voice was low in shock, but also to avoid it from breaking into a cry "I'm sorry"
"It's alright" Loki pulled her into a hug, her face hiding on his neck "I've seen Thor in some dreams, but no Midgard or you. Don't feel guilty about wondering, I've done it too"
"Do you think it was us?" she whispered after a while.
"I hope not" he confessed "but I will not lie to you. If I could trade places or lives, I wouldn't"
"You think we deserve to be happy?" Wanda asked, this time she pulled away and looked directly into his eyes, guilt, and pain.
"I'd like to think that whoever allowed me to exist thought of a safe secret place where I am more than a device of evil someone must defeat" he answered truthfully, perhaps he was being selfish and hurtful, but nothing had ever made more sense to him "so yes, Wanda Maximoff. I'd like to think I deserve to be happy. I won't try to stop you from searching for your own haven no matter the great cost in the multiverse, now that we know it's real"
Wanda touched his face "Loki, the guilt and the wondering will never stop, but that is the cost that I am willing to pay to be with you. I've chosen you; it doesn't matter if this is the only reality where we are together, where we even meet. I don't regret it; I love you in this universe and that is all I know"