AN: Enjoy!

After his punishment ended, Vision had dragged himself below deck, his back stinging, alight with pain, almost as though he'd been on fire. He'd found a cloth, water, and his jar of ointment, trying to treat and clean his new wounds, but had struggled for quite a long time, unable to properly reach them all.

Just as he'd been about to give up, Vision remembered a cry of relief that quickly turned to horror, and a pair of wonderfully familiar hands had taken the cloth from him, beginning to gently clean his back. She didn't speak, but Vision remembered hearing Wanda softly sob, her breathing shaky. He hadn't turned to look at her, not because he was upset with her, not at all. He understood why she did everything she did, even though it had hurt. Vision hadn't looked at her because he didn't think he could bear to see her crying.

After cleaning his wounds, Wanda had carefully applied some of his ointment. She didn't speak to him until she was done, and when she did, her voice was a shaky whisper.

"Vision.."

"Y-Yes?" He finally turned then, and Wanda had thrown herself into his arms. Despite all that had just occurred, all the pain he was in, Vision had been happy, so happy, just to hold her again, bringing her as close as humanly possible.

"I thought they killed you.." Wanda had sobbed. "When I came to, and saw blood on the deck.. I thought you were.. and I wanted to scream. I almost did, but I came down here so no-one would hear, and.l"

"It's Okay.." He'd whispered, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. "I'm okay."

"Your back.." She'd looked up at him, her soft green eyes still shining with tears that had broken his heart, and he knew he never wanted her to have to cry for him again. "W-What happened?"

Vision sighed, taking a deep breath, and, a little reluctantly, had begun to explain everything. How, flying into a rage when he had seen her fall, he had stolen Rumlow's sword, and attacked Rollins. He expected a scolding, he'd broken the two most important rules that she has ever given him, after all.

Instead, Wanda had been quiet for a while, as though she was thinking. She'd fetched a roll of bandages (her own, obtained in a raid before she had started skipping them to spend time with him, but after she'd learned he was good at treating wounds, carefully winding some around him to cover some of the open wounds from his lashing. Vision, a little confused at why he was not being yelled at, raised his arms a little to help with her task.

When she finally did speak again, Wanda simply said:

"We need to get you off of this boat.."

"We both need to get off of this boat" Vision replied, he'd been fully prepared for her to say no, and was ready to argue on the matter. "You think I'm too good for this ship, but so are you.."

"Okay."

"You might not be perfect, nobody is, but you're a hell of a lot better than anyone else here.."

"Okay."

"You try to be strong.. and you are, I know.. But you keep getting hurt anyway. What if next time you hit your head, you don't get up? You don't deserve to.."

"Vision!" Wanda had gripped his shoulders, laughing, and his heart had soared at the sound. "Okay."

"Okay?" He blinked.

"I agree" Wanda had smiled softly, and his already soaring heart did a backflip, because he had missed that smile so much. "We both need to get off this boat."

"You mean that?" A bright smile spread over his face.

"I do.. Those few minutes when I thought you were gone... It hurt, Vizh."

"I'm sorry."

"I'm just glad you're okay. I'm broken, Vision. Pretty seriously messed up."

"No, you're.." He tried to interrupt.

"Let me finish.." Wanda had frowned.

"Sorry.."

"I think.. I'm a little bit less broken when I'm with you. I like who I am when I'm with you, so.. maybe running away with you.."

"Could work?" Vision smiled hopefully.

"Well.. yes. It could work. But we have to be smart about this" Wanda had warned him. "We can't just go. We need money, and a plan, and.. Mmm.."

Wanda had been cut off when Vision suddenly kissed her, and she let him, returning the kiss, because she had missed him as much he'd missed her. And when they broke the kiss, Vision said those three little words he hadn't been able to say properly before, because he didn't feel as though he could go another moment without saying them.

"I love you.."

Wanda had sighed, and for a terrifying moment, Vision was afraid he had gone too far, that he had ruined everything again, until Wanda had reached up to tenderly stroke his cheek.

"I've lost everyone who has ever said those words to me.. and everyone I've ever said them back to. So, even if I feel it.. Which I do" She'd smiled softly, blushing, "It's hard for me to say. Do you understand?"

"I understand" Vision had replied. Just knowing that she loved him was more than enough. He didn't need the words. He ran his fingers through Wanda's hair, frowning a little when he felt the bump on her head. "So, what's our plan?"

"Later" With one last peck on the lips, she had reluctantly pulled away from him. "We have to be careful, someone might get suspicious if I'm gone too long.. How's your back feeling?"

"Alright now.. I'm used to it, unfortunately.. How's your head?"

"Throbbing a little, but alright.. So, I'll see you later?"

"Later" Vision agreed, smiling.

She flashed him one more smile before she hurried away.

Vision almost whooped, but managed to stop himself. After all, Cabin Boys who had just been whipped tended not to whoop with joy.

But he'd wanted to. His back still stung, but he hardly noticed it. He and Wanda were together again, and for a while, the future seemed bright.

That night, Wanda showed up a little later than usual to the cosy little nook where she and Vision slept (they'd had to be extra careful, then, lest the Captain become more suspicious), but to Vision's great delight, she let him hold her again, had even reached for him first.

"Rollins' face is pretty messed up" She'd whispered, curling into his arms. "He'll have a pretty nasty scar.."

"Oh.." Vision tried to look suitably chastened, but couldn't bring himself to feel guilty for what he had done.

Wanda looked up at him, her wide-eyed gaze beautifully soft.

"You did that for me?"

"I did.." Again, he'd been afraid that she might have been angry with him.

Instead she had kissed him, deeply, pouring all her love into it, everything she felt for him that she couldn't say with words, and Vision passionately returned it, drawing her close to him. When they broke for air, he kissed the bump on her head, and she kissed his bandages, a quiet apology for being unable to protect him.

Hands began to roam, and though they were aware of how careful they needed to be, aware that this was probably a bad idea, clothes were shed. Besides, the Captain and the rest of the crew were fast asleep, and Wanda and Vision had both missed this, missed the connection between them that went far beyond words. It was a little awkward trying to manoeuvre in their small space, but they eventually managed, Vision sitting up, with Wanda straddling his lap, her arms around his neck.

"Can you be quiet?" Wanda had whispered, and Vision had nodded, because he didn't have it in him to say no.

Taking a breath, Wanda sank onto him. Her breath caught, and so did his.

Wanda had moved slowly at first, rocking her hips against his, but this didn't last long, it couldn't, they didn't have time. The Hydra was not always the best environment for sleep.. Someone could wake, they could be caught at any moment.

She moved faster, and Vision had matched her pace with his own movements, gripping her hips for leverage. Wanda crushed her lips against Vision's, using the kiss to muffle the cries and moans escaping each of their throats.

They had risen together, clinging to each other for dear life, desperate to find that sweet release.

Vision could feel his own approaching, so close, and Wanda's too, but not quite close enough. He could not trust himself to hold on, not when he was so very lost in her, and so he had slipped a hand between them, touching her as she had taught him. After just a few deft strokes, pleasure washed over her, and she almost screamed into Vision's mouth as she rode out her orgasm, while he let himself follow her into bliss.

The day that almost ended everything became the night that truly bound them forever, although they weren't to know that yet.

They clung to each other for a few precious moments, before hurriedly redressing, curling up in a slightly less compromising position in each other's arms.

"I'm Sorry.." Wanda had whispered.

"For what?" Vision frowned.

"When I said.. I never really thought that you only said you loved me because.."

"It's Okay" Vision cut her off, holding her tighter. "That doesn't matter anymore.."

Of course, their troubles weren't over yet. At least one more near tragedy was to come their way. But in that moment, together, Wanda and Vision felt as though they could face anything.