Three days later (seventeenth day since the rescue, Wanda thought, strangely still cataloguing days in her head), Wanda was out on the balcony deck with Lila and Cooper when a familiar figure alighted onto the deck.
"Wanda, your weird red boyfriend is here," Cooper announced unnecessarily.
"A flying prince," Lila whispered to Wanda, still pleased with this idea.
"Will you and Cooper tell everyone else that Vis is here?" Wanda asked.
"Okay." Lila wanted to watch, but she did go back inside with Cooper, closing the door with an excited slam.
Wanda wondered why on earth Vision would show up with no warning again since he could have messaged her easily this time, but she figured he probably had wanted to surprise her. That kind of surprise was good. "I'm glad you are here again. Is...is Tony here too?" She still didn't want to see Tony, but she fully expected him to show up randomly at some point to discuss things as planned.
"Not yet, but he wished to surprise everyone here with takeout this evening," Vision told her. "I have decided to spoil the surprise because I thought you would want to know beforehand."
Wanda found this mildly amusing, and she nodded. "I do, thank you. Now I can be...mentally prepared for it. You...didn't drive this time. Are you sure it's safe?"
"Yes. Finding evidence our rogue teammates were indeed at that house in Norway was very helpful for us, even though they were no longer there. Ross has not bothered the Compound in days." Vision was hesitant to touch Wanda at all without her initiating it, after accidentally making her uncomfortable by stroking her hair when he had visited before. She was clearly stronger than last time, because she was standing there easily on her own, her good hand just resting on the railing to steady herself; and she'd been practicing walking along the balcony deck before he had landed. "Would you mind a hug? I will understand if you would prefer no touching."
Wanda answered by simply hugging him herself. I love hugs. Hugs are safe. "Hugs are good," she whispered. "I appreciate being asked, but you don't have to ask to do that."
"But you did not like your hair touched last time, and you kept those feelings to yourself until Ms. Romanoff mentioned it." Vision willingly returned the hug, glad to notice that Wanda actually had some strength in her arm now. Last time she had been so weak and shaky that she was barely holding onto him, really. Now he could actually feel her squeezing him as tightly as she could, and she wasn't leaning on him so much to stand.
I don't know how to explain myself. Nat told me to tell the truth. "That is...different. This makes me feel safe. I, um..." Wanda closed her eyes, her face hidden against Vision's shirt. "I don't know why, but I can't have anyone except Nat touching my hair comfortably right now. It's not you personally." She pulled away so she could see his face, half worried how he might react, but the synthezoid was just concerned.
"Because people were yanking it in that prison," Vision said flatly.
"Every time they injected...things into me." Wanda simply sat down where she was, leaning against the railing, and patted the deck beside her. She was still keenly aware of the bandages on her neck, though Nat continued to assure her it was healing nicely and there were fewer dressings there now, and she wished all of it would go away both because it was still sore, and because she didn't want to look at it nor have others staring at it.
"If I told you I might have something to put on your neck, would that be acceptable?" Vision asked quietly. "It just seems like if you are able to heal that entirely, you could hide much more easily after the summer ends."
Wanda shrugged slightly. "Nat said it was healing fine, and I...believe her, since it doesn't hurt nearly so much now. But...yes. You can do that." She didn't smile, but she scooted closer when she sensed Vis touching her face, ever so gently. You make me feel normal.
"You look nice."
"Somehow I rather doubt that. I think your eyes need adjusting," Wanda said, only half teasing. "Maybe my hair." She knew Nat had put it in two fishtail braids today for her, but she hadn't really looked at them herself, just told her friend to braid it however she liked.
"Your hair does look nice, but I do not need my eyes recalibrated." Vision was glad this seemed to amuse Wanda, because she was clearly trying not to laugh now. "I hate to see you in pain, but otherwise you always look nice to me. Besides, all of this will vanish, regardless."
Wanda was quiet for a minute, her expression slightly crumpled now. No, it won't. "Vis, my neck is not going to look completely back to normal once it heals. I know because Nat told me, and...I'm glad she was honest." And I have scars all over my back that have been there for a long, long time. He has no idea about those. Wanda couldn't help picturing him seeing them while they might be doing some intimate thing way later and then treating her differently because of it. Oh good grief, I need to stop. That's ridiculous.
Vision held her a bit tighter. "As long as it does not hurt you anymore, then." The idea that there might be permanent marks left on Wanda made him truly angry, because that meant people had hurt her, caused her pain, and he hadn't been there to stop it. "I do not care what you look like."
"Then why do you want to...put something on my neck right now?"
"Because it is still hurting you, and visible injuries make it difficult to hide."
Wanda remained silent for a bit, and then finally whispered, "I can't hide a fractured arm or those...those tremors, either." That isn't the same. Those are far more common, especially the arm. She watched Vision link his hand with her own smaller, somewhat shaky one. "I'm sorry for being such a mess. I'm trying, I promise. I'm better."
"Those things are far less identifiable, especially an injured arm. There must be thousands of young female humans with red hair and a splint on their arms. Moreover, the secretary is looking for a dark-haired human girl, not one with red hair. You cannot notice your hands are a bit shaky unless someone is already close to you. Distinctive burns to the neck are different. I do not think that would be common at all, especially not combined with other smaller injuries, all of which match yours exactly. Please do not apologize. You are not a mess; you are still healing. You know this." Vision decided he would sit here as long as need be, if it would help.
Wanda shook her head bitterly. "I don't...I don't think anyone there cared to...keep track other than to..." Vis notices the little things, but none of the people in that place did. She closed her eyes against hot tears. "To keep doing the same...things...again and again. I don't know." No one listened to Sam trying to get someone to provide medical assistance. No one cared she was hurting so much at all; at best she was treated with utter indifference, as if she weren't a live thing in the first place. "I don't think I would have lived much longer if I hadn't been rescued then. I couldn't move enough to even get my water anymore."
Vision was briefly stymied hearing that. Though he had known already Wanda had been in horrible condition when first rescued, he hadn't realized it was quite that bad, either. Wanda believed that she'd been dying in that place, and while part of him thought that was probably because her mind was hurting too, that certainly was not all of it. "Wanda, was no one feeding you there?" he asked in horror. "Water? Do you mean that prison was starving you?"
"There was watery soup after the first week...Sam finally convinced them I needed something to eat," Wanda said, oddly calm now. "Vis, you knew this. Nat told you last time."
"I thought 'starving' in this context meant 'not enough food', not giving a person nothing."
"I'd rather starve than be force-fed." I was so scared of those guards...touching me or something that I probably made everything worse purposely encouraging them to be scared of me...no I didn't. Nat said I did the right thing. That was protecting me in a way, even if it was causing the lack of food and whatever else to happen. Wanda knew Natasha's worry that someone could have sexually assaulted her in that place was a hundred percent valid, and she suspected that if it wasn't her trapped there, wasn't the girl with unstable mind-controlling and telekinetic abilities, it would have happened.
After all, the last time someone directly tried that, she had killed both culprits. That wasn't something she had told anyone, not even Nat, because she felt bad that she didn't feel bad for doing so. She'd mind-controlled both Hydra men into turning their guns on each other and simply stumbled away to find Pietro. Minutes later, Strücker was praising her improving skill at using her enhancements. Pietro had reasoned, you were defending yourself, so it's fine. What kind of stupid training session was that?
Now, Wanda was quite sure Strücker had simply used her to eliminate two of his men that he didn't want to work for him anymore, because he had been way too pleased with her reaction. After all, oops, oh well, one of my prize pupils is still learning. Sorry a couple men died while she's training, it was an accident.
Regardless, contact with others elicited very, very different reactions to her at this point. If it was someone she trusted and loved like a sibling, like Pietro or Nat, then she wanted all the hugs and touch she could have. Vision made her feel different, not in a bad way, just...different. The happy warm fuzzies in her heart were not quite the same, and she couldn't articulate it verbally. Strangers touching her was almost always bad, unless it was a small child like Lila or something.
"Do you want to go indoors?" Vision asked now, unsure whether to address Wanda's previous comment or not. She didn't seem distraught at the moment, but he knew she didn't really want to talk about people starving her for weeks, either. He settled for simply keeping his arm around her shoulders and holding her uninjured hand.
"Okay. You can show me and Nat whatever you brought," Wanda suggested, willing to try putting something else on those burns if Natasha thought it would help, but not particularly wanting to without her friend screening it first.
Vision was relieved to discover simply letting Wanda hold onto his arm was enough for her to walk steadily on her own. "Do you need that as well?" he asked, pointing at the crutch Wanda had left next to one of the deck chairs.
"I'm okay. I just need to take it inside." Wanda rather liked holding Vision's arm; it made her feel more like an ordinary girl hanging about with the boy she liked, which seemed silly but was true anyway.
They found Natasha waiting expectantly in the bedroom she shared with Wanda. "There you are. Took long enough for you to come inside from your surprise date," Nat teased, but she was obviously not displeased.
"Nat, it isn't a date. We were just talking," Wanda said.
"Oh, you don't talk on dates?"
Wanda's cheeks grew a bit pink. Vision, unsure why this had made Wanda all flustered, gently hugged her and then sat a polite distance away from her on the bed, which just made Nat look all the more entertained.
Wanda threw a pillow at Nat and completely missed. Then when her friend began laughing, she picked the pillow up telekinetically and dropped it directly on Nat's head.
Wanda looked exceedingly pleased with herself.
"...Might someone explain what is so hysterical?" Vision asked now. Nat was downright cackling now, which seemed very odd, and Wanda was stifling laughter herself. "I am glad you are happy, but I do not understand."
"It's so blatantly obvious you two love each other, and you are both so awkward about it," Nat said truthfully. "And frankly, if it isn't going to hurt anyone's feelings, then it's rather fun to tease you two."
Pietro would tease me too. Wanda could picture him now, doing something exactly like Nat had just done, and she wondered if Natasha realized her behavior reminded her of her twin. She probably does and would just stop immediately if I was really upset. Exactly like Pietro would do. "Vis brought something for my burns," she ventured finally. "I told him he had to show you."
Natasha didn't question why Wanda wanted the small jar of cream Vision handed her inspected first. It seemed Wanda's trust of the synthezoid did not extend to putting unknown substances on her damaged neck. "Seems harmless, but I don't know if it will help any more than what we've been doing. Vision, I assume the...recipe is another of Tony's prototypes?"
Vision nodded. "Yes. He was very upset after we spoke with you on the video call previously and saw Wanda. He said he wished to create something to make up for the damage that torture device caused."
"Tony didn't even see it, Vis." Wanda abruptly stood up, grabbed her crutch, and went into the bathroom by herself. Frustrated and irritated, she carefully peeled the dressings off her neck and then stared at herself in the mirror. Nat is right. It does look better than when I saw it at the motel, anyway. And much less of that mess has to be covered now, too. Without further mulling over, she reentered the bedroom and stared straight at Vision. "Does he really think making a new prototype invention makes up for the old one?" she asked, a slight edge in her voice.
"Wanda, what-"
"Because it doesn't. He is going to come here and bring takeout, and pretend everything is fine. It's not fine!"
"I am so sorry, I just wished to help."
"Stop staring at it. I know what it looks like."
"Vision, go wait in the hallway, please," Natasha ordered, pushing the horrified synthezoid out of the room. In a second she returned and crossed her arms at a very clearly upset, angry Wanda. The younger girl's eyes were tinted red, never a good sign, and Nat could tell Wanda was looking for something to throw that would be satisfying but not hurt anything. "Wanda, I did tell you to be honest with him."
"But what I did was petty and mean. I know." Wanda's eyes returned to their usual green, now full of tears. "I'm just so tired of this. I...don't even feel all that angry with Tony, either. I don't like him, but I know he's trying." I am better. And then some stupid thing sets me off and I'm angry and upset all over again. "The stupid part? I'm sure I confused Vis behaving like that. I was fine outside, talking. I teased him. I told him about...Raft things. He was holding me. I felt normal, for a bit, anyway."
"Tell him that," Natasha said quietly. "Look, I know I'm not exactly a reliable source for relationship advice. More often than not, it's just been a job for me. But I've seen you and Vision together. He loves you, even if he doesn't explicitly verbalize it."
"Maybe I should apologize."
"Are you sorry for snapping at him?"
Wanda mulled this over for a minute. "I'm not sorry for what I said about Tony, because I think it's true, but I am for...for saying it so rudely, and showing Vis my burns like that knowing it would make him upset," she decided. And then I snapped at him for staring, when I know full well he always stares at things to process them.
"Then tell him. You don't have to spend all evening with Tony if he wants to hang about for dinner, either. Now go get our supplies and I'll help you with your neck. If you can pull the dressings off neatly, then you can probably re-dress the burns yourself now, too. I can show you how."
Wanda really did not want to see him at all, but she just nodded. "Okay. Thank you."
Vision did not answer right away after hearing Wanda's awkward apology and explanation. Finally, he simply said, "I am not sure I understand why your previous behavior warranted an apology."
Wanda picked at her nails on her bad hand and closed her eyes, trying to figure out what to say next. Nat said I should just be honest. "Vis, what I did was mean, especially snapping at you for staring when I...know that is how you process things. Staring is rude, but I usually don't mind when you do it. And I didn't need to be so rude about Tony, either." She glanced at Vision, sitting next to her on the bed. "So, again...I'm very sorry."
"Perhaps you were simply expressing yourself instead of locking your feelings inside." Vision's soft smile made Wanda squirm guiltily. Of course he was trying to excuse her; he thought she always explained human feelings to him as best she could, and now he believed her own rude behavior was acceptable.
"No," Wanda said firmly. "That may have been me expressing myself, but it was still mean. Vis, I...I don't want you to make excuses for me. I know I hurt your feelings, and I'm sorry. My feelings are not more important than yours."
"Yours are the human ones."
"So are yours."
"They are objectively not. I am a synthezoid."
"I don't care what you want to call yourself, you have emotions, same as me or anyone else, and I hurt you." Wanda hesitated, unsure how to explain further. I don't want him to think of himself as not being human. He sounds a bit...sad. "I don't know how to explain. I'm not..." she trailed off again, now wishing Nat had stayed, but her friend had gone downstairs, saying she should handle and explain this herself. "I'm not good at keeping my emotions to myself, sometimes...literally. But I don't want to hurt people I love because of that."
"You are...counting me in this list?" Vision asked quietly.
Wanda's cheeks turned pink, but she immediately nodded. I do. I really, really do.
When Tony did arrive a little while later, Wanda was still sitting in the shared bedroom with Vision, now contentedly watching The Brady Bunch with him, which she had found in the big collection of DVDs on the shelf. Wanda closed her eyes briefly and paused the show. I can hold together for a dinner. "We should go downstairs," she said reluctantly.
Vision decided not to question this, but he did ask Wanda if she felt strong enough to handle the stairs alone.
"I can if I have someone watching me," Wanda admitted, looking a bit embarrassed, "but I'm still...slow." She was glad Vision didn't question this, and just stayed close by instead.
"So where's Little Red?" she heard a distinctive annoyingly familiar voice downstairs. Wanda glanced at Vision and sighed, wishing she had not taken such a deep breath to do so. While her ribs felt better, it was still very unpleasant to take deep breaths. They could hear Laura saying she was just upstairs watching TV with Vision, and then Natasha saying don't be pushy. The front door slammed, and Wanda knew Clint had just stalked outside without a word.
Wanda was suddenly very glad she could not gallop down the stairs full speed. This whole evening was going to be tense, and she didn't need her telepathic abilities to sense that.
Once they were downstairs, Wanda simply gave a puzzled-looking Tony a neutral greeting and sat in the living room in a corner of the sofa. Vision hovered next to her until she deadpanned, "I do not take up the whole sofa. Please sit," which made Tony laugh and earn an annoyed glare.
"You look better than you did on the video call."
"I should hope so." Stop it. Don't snap. Be nice, and don't cause trouble. Wanda picked at her nails and then splayed her good hand on the sofa, trying to stop herself from continuing the nervous tic. Then she realized her hand was shaking a bit and wrapped her arms around her middle instead. Tony was not being rude, but his presence made her uncomfortable and irritated all the same. And he was looking at her appearing rather guilty. "It isn't all your fault," she muttered, which felt truthful to her.
Tony thought this comment probably meant his frustrating younger (ex?) teammate really was fine. That sounded like something Wanda would say anytime, sensing that he felt guilty for something but not particularly wanting to engage, either. Knowing the girl was sensing his feelings made him a bit uncomfortable, but he also knew she wasn't actually poking at his mind, either. "Do you have to sense emotions?"
"Don't need to. It's all over your face," Wanda said immediately. Then she went silent and wouldn't say anything else. She did, however, scoot closer to Vision and rest her head on his shoulder, which made him put his own arm around her in a hug.
"There's plenty of Panera Bread crap on the dining room table, so help yourself, little witch," Tony told her.
I don't want your fancy takeout food, Wanda thought peevishly, but she nodded. "I think that you should find Nat and Clint, so we can discuss things."
Tony looked at her thoughtfully. "Hmm, seems you of all people are more willing to talk than they are. Strange."
Wanda didn't answer at all, and just curled up closer to Vision, who could sense that she was uncomfortable and would hold her unless she said not to. She was relieved when Nat entered the room a minute later. "Nat, is Clint coming?" she asked quietly.
"Yes. Laura and I told him to cool off first, that's all. Tony, you do realize you would have caused a lot of trouble if Vision hadn't had the foresight to spoil your 'surprise'." Natasha shook her head and glanced at Wanda, not liking that she had her arms wrapped around her middle again. "Why did you think dumping a suggestion like calling that asshole on her was a good idea? I imagine you didn't break it to her gently, either."
"Because the guy is scared of her. I might like calling her Little Red, but she's not a baby. Frankly from what you said before, I thought she would much rather do that than have that security footage you guys have used for anything." Tony glanced at Wanda and then back at Natasha again. "Look. I really am sorry, okay? I never wanted her harmed like this. Not liking her doesn't mean I wanted her thrown in an underwater prison and tortured."
Wanda felt Vision's arm tighten around her shoulders protectively. "Tony...I do believe you. What I don't understand is...how Ross got your invention," she said slowly. "Because if you created it last year, and then felt guilty about it...why did Ross have it? Why was it with those strike teams in Leipzig?" Do I even want to know? She heard a door slam and sensed that Clint must have returned already, which made her wonder if that was a good thing or not.
"After the Accords, my lab ended up searched. He saw it there because I'd forgotten to delete the designs and discard the prototype itself. I did not voluntarily share it with that man, Wanda, I promise you that much."
"So you knew it was brought to the airport." Clint was standing in the entrance to the living room, arms crossed. "And did nothing about it."
"Uh, she wasn't supposed to be in that airport at all, Hawkeye," Tony said immediately. "Not like it would matter if the mysterious enhanced kid wasn't there. Someone fetched her from the Compound."
Now Wanda was very irritated. "That was my decision. My decision, do all of you understand that yet? I think the only one that does is her," she said, pointing at Natasha, "...and Sam." She sat up straighter and held out her hand, hazed in scarlet now. "So now I am a child you need to protect, but also the weapon of mass destruction too? It can't be both. That isn't fair. Just...can you please just treat me the same as the rest of our broken team? Please." Frustrated, Wanda finally just stood up to leave the room by herself, thinking maybe she would just retreat into the kitchen with Laura and the Barton children. And stop staring at me. I know I'm still limping, I'm fine, let me be.
On impulse, she added, "Tony, I forgive you for creating that torture device. I understand why you did that. Thank you for being honest before. I can't forgive you for letting Ross have it. You know how he is. He is rude even to you." I know he couldn't have interfered in the airport. I get that. But without the collar, I definitely could have helped us escape before...all those awful days stuck in that prison. Well...maybe. Wanda suspected she would have simply been kept sedated to unconsciousness if there was no shock collar specifically designed to contain her, especially considering she had already been getting drugged daily even with those awful restraints. "Also, Vision? Did you know Ross had access to that collar?"
"No. I suppose I knew once it had already been placed on you by manner of inference, but not before. I did not know its mere presence was hurting you, either."
Wanda nodded, satisfied by that. "Okay. Thank you for telling me." The tension in the room was overwhelming, and she knew it was not really Tony's fault, as much as she wanted to blame him for all of it. She had added to it. So had Clint and Tony. The only innocent parties were Natasha and Vision, really. "I think that Nat and Vision should decide what to do. They have the most...objective views."
Natasha stared at the younger Avenger for a moment and then nodded. Wanda was surprisingly behaving quite reasonably in general; she had fully expected to potentially have to play referee between her teammates or help Wanda get out of the room if something did set her off. "While we appreciated the tip, I would like to know why it came so late," Nat said carefully. "You clearly wanted to help us, Tony. So I'd like details of what Ross was doing."
"Being all up in our business. Literally couldn't get a chance to contact you safely sooner." Tony sighed in annoyance. He did not, in fact, particularly want to help his ex-teammates right now; he was still angry. He just did not want them in trouble, either. There was a major difference between being frustrated and hurt with friends and coworkers and therefore avoiding them for awhile...and the abuse occurring on the Raft. At least that frustrating, stubborn, enhanced girl seemed to be behaving more or less like her normal self. "Come on, Romanoff, you knew I knew where your Norway safe house was all the time. Once I knew their location was irreparably compromised, I gave Ross the exact location so he would think I helped him."
I knew it. Unsurprised, Wanda returned to her spot on the sofa, where Vision tentatively put his arm around her again. "I like hugs, remember?" Wanda didn't feel any mental reply, but she could sense Vision hold her more securely.
"I'm assuming there's been no way to alter those Accords," Clint said. "If you even want to."
Tony stood up. "Now wait a minute-"
"Stop, everyone, please," Vision put in calmly. "There is no need for any of us to denigrate any of us at present. What is done is done. I have been considering. While it would not be ideal, perhaps threatening Secretary Ross with the surveillance videos is an option. He need not know Wanda does not wish them to be used."
Four Avengers' heads gave him a thoughtful look. No one disagreed with this.
"He'll ask for proof, Vision," Clint pointed out. "Then we're back where we started, with Wanda having to be the one to deal with it, which is unfair."
Vision nodded. "It is unfair. However, she was one of four in the Raft. The footage has audio, does it not?"
"Poor quality audio, but yes," Natasha said quickly. "You're suggesting use video of one of the boys instead." Not as viscerally disturbing, but it could work.
"Yes. Wanda confided regarding the lack of food, for example. The rest of the team must have protested this. Moreover, they must have protested how she was mistreated. Perhaps-"
"Nat, the time they hit Sam for trying to help me," Wanda interrupted quickly. "Day 17. We should ask Sam first, but..." she trailed off. I'm safe here. I don't like Tony, but he isn't trying to hurt me now. The lingering sting from the burns on her neck wanted to claim otherwise, but she pushed those thoughts away, focusing on Vision gently holding her hand instead. Vision never minded touching her dangerous hands at all; in fact, it seemed as if he liked holding them. I am safe. I am okay. I feel better too.
If some bad thing happened, she could defend herself now. Even if she couldn't, the others would not leave her behind. She knew that.
Wanda stayed quiet, letting the ongoing conversation wash past her without processing it. Though she did not particularly feel distressed at the moment, precisely, the instinct to disassociate to stay calm remained for now. At some point, something shook her gently, and she flinched before realizing there were just friends with her. "I...am here. Sorry, I wasn't listening."
"That's okay. Vision said you seemed like you were somewhere else and was...concerned." Natasha wasn't sure how to describe what Vision felt, since his precise words had been the human girl I care for is not here right now; her mind is hurt. I believe she needs you. "Do you want something to eat?"
Wanda nodded, but then reached for her crutch and stood up, heading for the door and ignoring Tony entirely. I need a tiny bit of fresh air first. "I am going outside. Alone. Please don't follow me; I'll be right back," she said firmly.
Natasha shook her head slightly at both Vision and Clint about to protest, and followed Wanda to the door herself. "Wanda, do you really want to be alone, or just needed an excuse to get out of the living room?"
"Both," Wanda said honestly. "Can you tell the others I'm okay though? Please. I just...need a few minutes."
Natasha nodded in understanding. "Sure. Do you at least have your phone on you?"
"In my pocket."
"All right. Text, call, use your mind-messaging on Vision, I don't care, but contact us if you need anything."
"I will."
Once outside, Wanda immediately relaxed. Though it was mostly dark, the moonlight cast shadows across the gravel driveway and the rustling trees, and she found herself mysteriously comforted by the sight. Maybe not so long ago being alone in the dark would have scared her all over again, but right now, it was okay. She could see. She could feel the fuzzy warm fabric of her hoodie against her skin, and despite it being chilly to her, it was not freezing or lonely out here. Even her splinted arm seemed to be a reminder, I am safe now, I don't need to be scared anymore, I'm not trapped somewhere unable to move again, because it really did feel much, much better by now.
On impulse, she lifted the bad arm and awkwardly ran her fingers over the smooth railing, and it did not make it hurt any more than its usual at this point deep ache. Maybe it really would be okay. Mostly she tried not to think about her arm at all, but she knew the others were still worried it wouldn't heal correctly since they hadn't been able to x-ray the injury or have a real doctor set it.
Welcoming lights shone from within the house, and it was pleasant to know she could go right back inside to her friends whenever she wished. Wanda slowly made her way a bit down the driveway where Lila and Cooper normally played, a light breeze ruffling her braids. Certainly she'd been outside many times since the rescue, but this was the first time she had gone for a walk on her own. Nat trusting her to be outside alone without supervision was a pleasant realization too. I should go back inside soon.
Wanda didn't trust herself to walk the entire length of the long winding driveway, and the uneven hillier portions might end up giving her issues too, so she only went to the hammock where Laura always told Lila and Cooper not to go any further if they were playing outdoors alone.
She turned when she heard someone calling her name, a bit startled and surprised she hadn't sensed anything, but it was just Cooper. "Mom won't let us eat until you come back inside," Cooper said. "She said I could come see what you were doing. Since it's been a few minutes."
"Just...thinking." And being happy I'm at least strong enough to walk out here by myself, finally. Wanda was relieved Cooper didn't question this and just walked beside her as they headed back to the house. "You don't have to wait for me. I know I'm still slow."
"That's okay. I wanted to ask you something anyway. It's a secret. Can you make Dad feel better? You have mind powers. He's acting weird," Cooper said simply. "I don't think he told Lila and me everything. I know that stupid prison really sucked. But Dad's been on sucky secret missions before, loads of times."
I don't know what to say. "I can't use my powers to do something like that," Wanda whispered. Rather, I could. I think. But it wouldn't be...real. Would it? Anyway, I won't do that.
"Won't."
"No, I won't. I don't think doing that is...right."
"Why not? It might help."
Wanda stopped walking and squeezed her eyes shut. "I don't...I don't want to warp anyone's mind again. I feel like even if I am giving someone good things, it's...it wouldn't be fair." She could sense Cooper being frustrated and puzzled, and she bit her lip. Then the realization that she could bite her lip now and not be hurting herself again struck her, and she shook her head hard. I need to calm down so I don't disturb Cooper. What on earth does my split lip being healed matter?
"I think I'd like good dreams instead of bad ones. Wouldn't you?"
"Yes..."
"Well, give me a really cool dream tonight. Something about dinosaurs, like riding one or something. Then if it works you could give Dad a good dream too tomorrow night."
Wanda smiled a bit and shook her head. "I'm not supposed to use mind tricks anymore. You know that; you asked me to do it to you last year and make you see something funny."
Cooper shrugged. "Yeah, I know. It could be a secret." He seemed entirely unbothered.
"You can ask him if he wants me to do it, but I won't without specific permission, okay?"
"I already did and he said no. He said it wasn't fair to you because you're the one that got all banged up on your mission. I don't understand. You guys have gotten hurt on missions a bunch of times."
Wanda felt far out of her league attempting to explain anything in a way that would make sense, but still not make Cooper upset or frightened. She certainly could not tell him precise details. "I think..." I know. "...he feels responsible for me. Imagine if you saw Lila or Nate hurt and you couldn't help them, and they couldn't help you or themselves. That would feel awful, right?"
"...Yeah. I'm sorry, Wanda. Am I making you feel like crap? Asking stuff?" Cooper questioned.
"No. I like being around you, Lila, and Nate. You make me feel like I have a family again. But different, because now I am the older one instead of the younger one." Wanda was surprised when Cooper hugged her, and then very unsurprised when he backed up, trying to act like he hadn't hugged her in the first place. "I like hugs, Cooper. It's okay," she said softly.
"Well, it's okay for you to like hugs. You're a girl."
"Somehow I think you wouldn't say that to Nat."
"She'd pin me on the floor in two seconds," Cooper said nonchalantly, "and you could, but you don't."
Upon going back inside, Wanda realized her little walk really had helped significantly. Between that and talking to Cooper, she felt like she could handle the group dinner, even though now she was physically tired. "I am okay," she assured Vision when he asked, and gave him a hug.
Vision was surprised Wanda had tried to hug him with her injured arm, but the confusing human girl he cared for did not seem to be hurting herself further in order to do so. Then he was happy when she left her crutch against the wall and let him help her to the table instead. "I am glad you are getting stronger," he said quietly in her ear.
This made Wanda smile. Sitting between Nat and Vision, she felt safe. She would just remain silent unless directly spoken to. The Panera Bread broccoli cheddar soup and baguettes were good, and thankfully it didn't irritate her sensitive throat, either. Next to her, Vision was, of course, not eating anything, but she had shakily touched his hand with her bad hand as best she could. Now he was just gently holding her hand, and she couldn't help feeling surprised that touching it was not making her damaged arm hurt worse. "Thank you for caring for me," she sent mentally.
Vision did not send a telepathic message back, remembering that Clint Barton had ordered him not to do that to Wanda anymore. "Is it acceptable to kiss you?"
Wanda's cheeks immediately grew hot as she stared at her plate. "Not here! Not in front of everyone. That's...private. And you can talk to me telepathically right now. I say it is okay."
Lila looked at them with great interest, gulping her lemonade. "Prince Vision should take Princess Wanda outside. For a moonlit stroll. Like in a movie."
Laura quickly shushed Lila, but Lila only smiled innocently and went back to her lemonade.
"Perhaps you and Wanda could go out on the balcony deck or take a walk after dinner and discuss that privately," Natasha suggested smoothly, and that was the end of that.
The rest of the meal went fine, and Laura took the children upstairs to let the others finish planning without the little ones listening.
Wanda could feel herself flagging by now, not in a bad way exactly; she was just tired. But the conversation was thankfully short. Tony would call Ross, claiming he had a message from the rogues that they had security footage from the Raft. This would, of course, be technically true, but Nat would only give him the portion from day 17 Wanda had suggested earlier. The first demand would be for clemency for all of them, else they'd release the video themselves. Obviously this wouldn't work, so Tony's job would be to get it in writing to get Scott and Clint home. If he could get anything else accomplished, then great, but the rogue team only needed that much.
"If necessary, I might be bugging you, Little Red," Tony said seriously, despite using that nickname she hated. "You're the biggest threat even if you're still the green bean."
Wanda glared at him. "I am not a green bean." She wished very much that Sam had not good-naturedly called her that one time last year. At the time, she had not even understood the term at all until she asked Natasha to explain it.
"Youngest Avenger besides-" Tony coughed to disguise his mistake.
"Spider-Man," Wanda said contentedly, pleased to make him squirm so easily, "I know you are protecting him. He is lucky." Very lucky.
"As I was saying. Youngest Avenger, squishy wizard, newest. Green bean."
"Green bean took you down her first day training, remember," Wanda said, her eyes sharp. "I hate being called that."
To his credit, Tony did nod. "Okay, no more green bean. Just trying to add some levity here. I really might need to bug you."
"I understand." I have Nat here with me. I can handle one phone call if I have to.
"Do you need to go back inside?" Vision asked a little later, after everyone dispersed. Tony left, simply saying Vision should return by morning, and Natasha took Clint down to the rec room insisting that she needed a sparring partner.
Wanda knew quite well her friend had just done that so she could have a little while with Vision by herself.
"Wanda, I am concerned," Vision said now. He could tell Wanda was struggling on their 'moonlit stroll' Lila had suggested, but she kept insisting she was fine, even as she started leaning on him more rather than just holding his arm for balance. "You already took a walk earlier. This is too much." In seconds, the injured human girl stumbled and then collapsed.
"I...I'm okay," Wanda stuttered quickly, wrapping her arms around her middle again. "Please don't leave me. I don't want you to leave me again." I am not hurt. Or...not hurt any worse, at least. I'll make him feel bad, I should be quiet. The driveway gravel was digging into her knees, and she felt gentle arms wrapped around her, distracting her from everything else. "I'm sorry. I don't know what's wrong with me. I know I am safe here."
Vision was hesitant to pick Wanda up without express permission, but she certainly could not walk back to the house right now; she was too tired. "May I pick you up?"
Wanda nodded, thinking that someone else would probably think she had collapsed on purpose so that he would offer that, but thankfully Vision understood that she hadn't. She closed her eyes and rested her head against his shoulder, exhausted but feeling okay otherwise.
"I am taking us up to the balcony deck," Vision said, thinking Wanda would not like if he flew anywhere holding her without being told first.
Wanda tensed, her magic stirring defensively inside just in case, but true to his word, Vision only flew them up to the balcony and carefully set her down on one of the reclining deck chairs. I shouldn't have been nervous just for that. I knew Vis wouldn't take me away from here, and I felt scared anyway. She could sense him about to ask something, and quickly just said, "You did not do anything wrong. I'm just being irrationally nervous."
"I do not find your feelings irrational, whether I understand them or not."
This made Wanda smile, and she patted the long chair next to her. "They probably are irrational, if you don't understand," she deadpanned, but that was a reassuring comment all the same. She hesitated and then added, "I, um...don't mind that question you asked during dinner one bit. You can if you want to." Is that okay to say? Nat would say it is, I think. She even suggested it, but we weren't even talking at all on our walk.
Vision continued looking at her thoughtfully for a moment, and then sat beside her, arm back around Wanda's shoulders. "You have made me feel quite strange. I believe this is what those characters in those unrealistic romantic drama movies are meant to feel."
Wanda didn't say anything to this, knowing he was referring to the Hallmark Channel movies Pepper often liked turning on back at the Compound, calling them a 'guilty pleasure' of hers. She scooted herself closer, wondering if she should do or say anything else. If Pietro was still here, he would tease her and tell her to hurry up and do something herself. Pietro had even for real teased her about Vision a year ago, even though Pietro barely knew him at all.
"Wanda, you have funny taste. I am going to kill him if he hurts you."
"I dare you to kiss him. The reactions'd be priceless."
At the time, Wanda had playfully smacked her twin and told him to shut up because they needed to finish getting ready to leave for that fateful battle and Pietro was being a pest, but she also remembered him hugging her too.
"I like teasing you, but I just don't want you hurt. I couldn't protect you so much already. I want you to be happy."
"Is it okay for me to kiss you?" Wanda asked quietly.
"Of course, if that would make you happy."
Wanda blinked in surprise at Vision, because he had gently kissed her uninjured hand, keeping the hurt arm carefully resting between them. "You don't...have to do that," she whispered. I put him through the floor at the Compound before.
"I am not scared of you, Wanda. Your hands are part of you. You are not going to hurt me," Vision informed her firmly. "Also, you do not need to be nervous. You are strong enough to throw me out if you wish."
Wanda smiled a bit, remembering the awkward No one dislikes you, Wanda line Vis had told her back at the Compound before Clint had come to fetch her. And for people to see you, as I do. "I don't wish. I love having you here." The chilly breeze made her shiver, but Vision was warm, and he was holding her close now. "Are you...emanating heat on purpose?"
"Yes. You are cold."
"I feel like I have a cozy blanket wrapped around me, but better." Wanda's voice had a tiny hint of laughter, and she happily relaxed. "This is for you," she added, and tilted her head to kiss his cheek innocently.
A quiet polite cough made both of them turn their attention to the sliding glass door. "Hi, Laura. Do I need to come inside?" Wanda asked.
"No, of course not. Nat and Clint are actually still in the basement working out. I just wanted to make sure you were okay since you weren't on the porch and never came back inside. I figured you might be out here. And you are, so I'll leave you alone. Vision, you better take good care of her." Laura smiled and slipped back inside.
"That was not a pleasant interruption."
"You just be grateful Clint did not come check instead," Wanda said, clearly amused. While she was not at all sorry for kissing him, she did not plan to share that information with Clint unless he specifically asked. "He would probably- definitely- be concerned and lecture you. I don't want to make him more upset anyway."