Wanda walked up to the front door of Thor's home and entered. She wasn't surprised by the amount of people in the building. After all, Thor was popular at college, a football player for the school team and an all-around friendly guy to everyone he met. For Thor, the term 'a stranger is a friend you haven't met yet' described his outlook perfectly. He was also one of the people who accepted Wanda as a friend along with Bucky and Natasha, so she had a soft spot for the brawny blond.

Speaking of Thor, she hadn't been standing in the foyer for an entire minute before he called out her name and hurried towards her, picking her up and giving her a bear hug. Wanda smiled and wrapped her arms around him, squeezing him with affectation. Thor was a big guy and his hugs always made her feel safe and protected. She let her head rest on his chest for a moment until he let her go.

"I'm glad you came, Wanda! I wasn't sure you'd show."

"Well, James persuaded me to come by."

"Good man." Thor grinned at her and his eyes took in her outfit. He let out a low whistle. "Nice threads. Did you dress up for him?" There was a knowing twinkle in his eye and she flustered at his comment.

He was correct. She did dress with more care than she usually did and it was on account of James. She wanted to grab his attention for once - she had no idea that she'd been getting his attention since he first met her - and wearing an eye-popping outfit always did that in the movies, so why not? She wasn't going to admit that to Thor, though.

"Silly. Why would I do that? James and I are just friends." Wanda's voice wasn't as firm as she wanted it to be and there was a little crack in the last two words she said.

Thor didn't miss the uneven sound in her voice, but thankfully, he didn't comment on it. He took her by the arm and led her to a quiet corner by the closet under the stairs. "You know something? My mother always told me that the best romance starts off as a friendship. When you've known a person for years in a platonic way, you learn about them, their habits, the things they like to do in their spare time. They unravel their soul and let themselves be vulnerable around you. When you're that close to someone, it's very possible to fall in love with them."

Wanda looked down, feeling a little embarrassed that she was so easy to see through. If Thor knew how she felt, how many others knew? She thought she was good at hiding her emotions, but maybe she wasn't as good as she previously believed.

"Is that how it was for you and Valerie?"

"Yeah. We've known each other since we were little kids, which helped our friendship grow, but I had always thought she was one of the best people I knew. She's confident, dependable, fiercely protective of her loved ones and she just makes me feel at ease being in her presence. I've dumped a lot of my teenage drama on her over the years and she took it well. Val isn't a big talker, yet she knows how to listen and she's there for you whenever you need her. She's my rock."

The fondness in Thor's voice made Wanda smile. His confession was such a sweet thing to hear and she was glad that he chose to confide in her. It made her feel less nervous about her pending conversation with James. "Sounds like you really love her."

"I do. She means a lot to me and the funny thing is, I didn't even make the first move. She did."

"I'm not surprised at all," Wanda chuckled.

"Maybe you should follow in her footsteps."

She felt the urge to laugh, but stopped when she realised that he was being serious. "Thor, that's really out of my comfort zone."

"So? Sooner or later, we all have to step out of our personal safety net and risk getting hurt. It's not easy, but it's worth it, I promise. Bucky likes you and maybe all he needs is a little push to get him to open up to you. I'm sure that's what Natasha is doing with Steve."

Wanda knew he was right about that because Natasha told her Steve was going to draw her tonight and hinted that they may leave the party as a couple. Natasha was the kind of woman who didn't mind waiting for the guy to make a move, but if he was too slow, she'd help him out. That was in her character. Wanda was envious of her friend's firmness of mind. Her temperament was milder and it was difficult to combat the waves of shyness and anxiety that overcame her in large social gatherings, much less romantic situations. She didn't have a lot of experience.

"So, what should I do? Grab James by the arm and kiss him right there in front of God and everyone?"

"That's probably a little too direct. Just go somewhere private where the two of you can be alone and you'll feel more at ease about revealing your feelings."

Just then, Val came over and greeted them. "Hey, Wanda. It's good to see you...wow, you look sexy. I love the outfit." She nodded approvingly. "I'm sorry to interrupt you guys, but Thor, people in the living room are asking that you and Loki demonstrate get help." She rolled her eyes and Wanda snickered, understanding what she meant.

He snorted. "I'm sure Loki will be thrilled for us to show them. Wanda, please think about what I said. If you need to use one of the bedrooms upstairs when you talk to Bucky, feel free." Thor squeezed her shoulder kindly before following Val into the living room.

With that, Wanda started to look for James. It didn't take her a long time to find him. He was outside near the pool. There were a lot of people around and it was noisy because of the Bluetooth speakers blasting. Not the ideal place for a romantic confession for anyone. I'm glad Thor gave me permission to use one of the guest rooms.

There was a slight breeze in the air, but it was still a pleasant night. Wanda's feet took her across the grass-lined tile in the direction of her friend. James was talking to Peter Parker, the freshman who recently started going to their college. The younger man was laughing, but when his eyes turned to Wanda, his jaw dropped.

James turned to see what Peter was looking at. His eyes widened as he took in her attire. Wanda had shown up to the party wearing a pair of black chunky-heeled sandals, a black skirt with lacy red accents and a red short sleeved top with a decorative flame pattern and a hole in the chest which showed off a tidbit of cleavage. She exchanged the silver studs in her ears she wore at school earlier for a pair of small silver hoops. Her hair was curled, the upper half held up by a large clip and the lower half falling down past her shoulders, framing her face.

"You look amazing." James felt his heart begin to pound hard and he had to blink several times to make sure he wasn't imagining the sight before him. "How come I've never seen you wear this outfit before?"

"I never had the courage to put it on before." Wanda forced her fingers not to fiddle with the hem of her shirt and took in a deep breath to relax. She smiled at Peter and said, "Would you mind giving us a moment?"

"Oh, sure! I think I see Mary Jane near the back door anyway. See you later!" He waved goodbye and left.

James' gaze was so intense, it could've burned a hole through her clothes. Wanda felt her cheeks warm from the weight of his stare and she looked at the ground. "I guess you like my outfit."

"I'll say. If you wore clothes like this at school, I'd never be able to concentrate."

She dared to step closer. "Really, James. You have such a dirty mind. I guess all men are horn dogs." She was teasing him, but she intentionally added a hint of flirtation in her words so it wouldn't be missed.

A smirk appeared on his lips as he replied, "Not necessarily. Men are turned on by what they see, but some of us know how to control our libido."

Wanda didn't know why, but she felt like he was challenging her and the excitement from their banter fueled her to respond in a way that she normally wouldn't. She poked her bottom lip out in a mock pout. "So you don't find me alluring?"

James gave her a look again, making sure to take his time gazing at her body before meeting her eyes with his. "Oh, I do. As a matter of fact, I'm glad I convinced you to come, otherwise, I never would've seen you in this ensemble."

She let out a little laugh. "That's not true. I can think of one scenario where you'd see me dressed like this."

"And what scenario would that be?"

"A date."

"Is that a not-so-subtle way of you saying that you'd like to go out on a date with me?"

"Yes, I would love to go on a date with you...and I'd like to do some things to you as well." Her eyes twinkled with mischief.

James' heartbeat pounded in his ears and he was sure Wanda could see the pulse in his neck. He looked at her lips. They were shiny, but without color. She probably wiped her peppermint lip balm on before she came to the party.

He stepped closer and his hand touched her cheek, thumb smoothing the edge of her mouth. When he did this, her pupils expanded and her breath came out faster. Beads of perspiration developed at her temples and her eyes grew wide as she stared up at him, wondering what he was going to do next. Well, he wouldn't keep her waiting. James tilted her chin up a bit and lowered his head down to hers.

Unfortunately, their lips never met. Someone behind them cursed and Wanda squealed, jumped way from him and tugged at the back of her shirt. They both frowned and turned their attention to a young woman with white braids who held a cup in her hand.

"Goddess! I'm so sorry, Wanda! I tripped over a towel and - oh no, your beautiful shirt."

Wanda took notice of the leftover drink in the other woman's hand. It was clear and bubbly. "Don't worry about it, Ororo. It was an accident. I should've been inside anyway. There's too many people out here. What were you drinking?"

"Sprite. I normally don't drink sodas, but Kitty said I needed to try it at least once." She grimaced. "I wish I'd have just stuck with water."

"It's okay. Sprite doesn't have a color and it'll just make my shirt sticky. All I have to do is clean it when I get home." Wanda patted Ororo's shoulder and smiled to reassure her. Then she took off in the direction of the house with James in tow.

"Wait." He took her by the elbow and gently pulled her back to him. "Are you leaving?"

"Are you kidding? No way. You and I need to talk, but privately. I was thinking I could get one of Sif's shirts from the second story guest room. We can talk there."

James nodded. "Sounds like a plan. You go ahead. I'll tell her that you're getting one of her shirts and grab a few snacks, too. Do you want anything in particular?"

"Surprise me." Wanda smiled and they took off in their separate ways. Bucky went to the kitchen to grab their food and she went upstairs to Sif's guest room.

Once she was in the room, she closed the door and took off her shirt, eager to get the sticky wet feeling off her back. She pulled out a dresser drawer and found several shirts to choose from. After a brief deliberation, she settled on a tank top that had two swords criss-crossing on the front.

Wanda strode to the bathroom and turned on the lights. She put the faucet on hot, held her shirt under the spout for a few seconds and ran a bar of hand soap over the spot where Sprite had been spilled, scrubbing it with vigor. Once the smell of soda was gone, she wrung the shirt out and hung it on the shower rod above the bathtub.

Then she switched the lights off and walked back into the bedroom. She took off her shoes and placed them under the window sill. Something told her that she might be in this room for a while and she wanted to be comfortable. A moment later, James walked in with a plate and two cups in his hands. He kicked the door shut and his eyes bulged when he saw Wanda standing a few feet away in her bra.

"Oh, sorry. I thought you changed already." He set the plate and cups on the wooden chest that was at the foot of the bed and swiftly turned around to give her privacy.

Wanda put the tank top on and came over to James until she was standing in front of him. He looked at her and once again, she felt warmth flood her chest. Now she had him alone and so many emotions were running through her that she didn't know what to say or where to start. The only thing she could think was he's worth it.

James wrinkled his brow and opened his mouth to say something, but Wanda grabbed him by his collar and tugged him down to her. Their lips met and she didn't waste time running her hands to his sides. The kiss was heady and she let out of soft moan as he responded to her affection, raising his hands to cup the apple of her cheeks.

Eventually, they had to pull away to breathe and James gazed at her with his beautiful green eyes. His words came out huskily. "I thought you wanted to talk."

"We can do that later." Wanda's hands caressed his ribcage and she pressed herself against him, grinning wickedly. "Or would you rather have a conversation now?" She raised her eyebrows.

Arousal was etched in his facial expression as he shook his head. "It can wait." Their lips met again in a passionate kiss and they gradually slid to the floor locked in each other's embrace.