AN: Enjoy!
They wandered around the Carnival together, munching on their caramel apples, and looking around at all the different games and stalls and rides. Despite her best laid plans, Wanda found herself leaning quite close into Vision's side, blaming her leg and letting him wrap his arm around her to keep her steady, even though her leg was actually holding up quite well, she just felt like being close to him.
And why shouldn't she, Wanda reasoned?
Why couldn't she enjoy time with a man who was nice to her, kind to her, just for a bit?
So much of her life had been a horror show, and there was almost certainly more to come. She knew this couldn't last forever, for Vision's own good. But surely, it would be okay to make at least one more day of nice memories with him before she had to start pushing him away, a day she could hang onto when the horror inevitably resumed.
One more day. Wanda didn't have to hurt her angel. Not yet.
"I'm going to win you a prize" Vision declared, after finishing his caramel apple and dumping the stick and the core into a nearby trash can.
"Vision" Wanda frowned, "You know it's nearly impossible to actually win at those games, right? Carnys are stramb. Crooked. They cheat."
"I am aware of the general consensus about Carnival workers" said Vision, "But this is a School Carnival. Surely, they have to keep things fair when there are children involved."
"It's a nice thought, but.."
"I am going to win you a prize." Set on his task, Vision was already marching toward a nearby stall.
Wanda finished her own caramel apple, and was about to simply toss the remains over her shoulder, then stopped, dropping it in the trash can instead, and sighed, following Vision. Her poor, sweet, naive Angel was definitely having an affect on her behaviour, whether she wanted to acknowledge it or not.
Vision tried each game stall they passed.
Balloon Popping, with the balloons not quite blown up enough to easily burst.
Basketball with hoops that were just a little too small for the ball provided.
A Strength Test that Wanda couldn't quite work out the Carny con for, but definitely seemed dodgy.
Those creepy, open mouthed Clowns.
Vision paid for a few attempts at each one, but as predicted, failed each time. With each failure, he became noticeably more downhearted.
Wanda opened her mouth, intending to say 'I told you so..', but the look on his face..
"It's okay, Inger" She said instead. "You tried, but nobody is really supposed to win these games.. let's just go on a ride instead."
"But.."
"What?"
"I'm supposed to win you a prize.." Vision stared at his feet, quite disappointed in himself. "I'm supposed to be wooing you. I wanted everything to be perfect, and part of a perfect Carnival experience is winning a prize for your date. At least, that's what it looks like on Television.."
Wanda felt her well-laid plan slipping faster through her fingers as Vision put yet another chink in the armor surrounding her heart. Nobody had ever cared so much about making something perfect for her before.. Not even her brother. And nobody was allowed to upset her Angel this much except for her.
Suddenly, she had a brand new plan. An Angel was much too good and pure to turn the tables on the cheating Carnys, but a Demon like her had no such qualms.. Especially if it meant she could put a smile back on Vision's face.
"Well, you're my date, right? Who says I can't try winning something for you?" Wanda asked. "Give me a go at the next game."
"Well.." Vision paused for a moment, thinking, then handed Wanda the money to pay the attendant at the next stall, featuring a game of knocking down a tower of bottles with a ball. "Alright. Good luck."
Wanda paid for three chances at the game. She noticed that the balls did not weigh quite enough for their intended purpose, but that could be corrected without much trouble.
Her first shot, Wanda intentionally missed, and the second ball, she threw unaltered, hitting, but not knocking down any of the bottles. On her third and final shot, she infused the ball with a little of her demonic powers. However, Vision was watching, a literal angel on her shoulder, so when she did throw the ball, she didn't obliterate the tower completely, instead knocking down just enough bottles for the slightly shell-shocked attendant to offer her one of the smaller prizes.
Wanda surveyed her options, then smirked, selecting a small plush baby Devil and handing it to Vision.
"There you go, Inger. Keep it."
"Oh.." Vision stared at the toy, surprised. "A-Are you sure?"
"Yeah. You can look at it and remember me when I'm gone" She felt a pang in her heart at her own words, but slipped her arm through his, leaning into his side once more, and steered him away from the Game Stalls. "Let's go on the Ferris Wheel."
"Yes.." Vision was still staring at the toy. "Of course.."
Vision paid for two tickets to the Ferris Wheel, before he and Wanda joined the queue to get on the ride. Soon afterwards, Peter, holding hands with a girl who must have been MJ, got in line behind them.
"Hi, Mr. Vision!" Peter greeted him.
"Hello" added MJ, waving shyly with her free hand.
"Hello, Peter, Miss Jones" Vision tore his eyes away from the Devil Baby plush to greet the teens.
"Is your special.." Peter began, before trailing off as he spotted Wanda. "Wanda, hi! I thought maybe you moved away or something.."
"No, I've just.. been on Vacation" Wanda replied.
"Oh.. well, I'm glad you're back" Peter smiled. "You'll have fun with Mr. Vision, he's really great."
"He is.." Wanda couldn't help smiling a little. The line had been moving as they spoke, and Wanda and Vision now found themselves at the front. "It was nice to see you, Peter. Say hi to your Aunt for me. Come on, Vizh, it's our turn.."
As they both shuffled into the Ferris Wheel cabin and settled in, Vision was looking at Wanda, rather puzzled.
"I didn't know that you actually knew Peter.."
"We went to the same Deli" Wanda shrugged. "We chatted sometimes, that's why I know he's a good kid who needed your help."
"I see." That did explain a lot of things.
As the Ferris Wheel began to turn, Wanda admired the view as they approached the top. Vision's attention, however, had returned to the Baby Devil plush that Wanda had won for him. Like all Carnival prizes, the toy was nothing special, cheaply made in China most likely, and yet Vision held it as if it was something precious.
"What's up with you, Inger?" She asked, teasing. "You're acting like you've never been given a present before."
"Well.." He blushed, "That may be because I.. because I haven't."
"Oh, come on" Wanda chuckled. "You don't really expect me to believe that, do you? You're an Angel, you guys are all about gifts.."
"To the humans we watch over, yes.." Vision replied. "But Angels giving gifts to each other isn't something that happens often.. Or ever, really.."
"You're serious, aren't you?" Wanda's eyes widened, a part of her cursing inwardly.
This was just brilliant. Absolutely Goddamn Fucking Brilliant. Instead of breaking the Angel's heart, she'd gone and given him his first ever present.
"I am." And now he was smiling, the most wonderful little smile. "So.. Thank you, Wanda. Very much.
"Cu placere.. You're welcome" Wanda swallowed a lump in her throat. "And Thank you, for Today.."
"You're welcome."
"We.. we're almost at the top" Wanda looked out of the cabin, then back at him. "A lot of girls would think the top of the Ferris Wheel is a pretty perfect place to try for a kiss."
"Do you want me to kiss you?" Vision was gazing at her with those gorgeous eyes, and there was an endearing innocence to his question, despite the fact that the same mouth asking it had spent a lot of time suckling at Wanda's breasts, or buried between her legs.
No-one had ever asked if she actually wanted to be kissed before. Wanda knew she should say no. Push him away, laugh in his face, let his tender heart shatter. What she actually said, with a catch in her breath, was:
"Yes.."
So Vision kissed her. A soft, tender kiss. Wanda could taste the sweetness of lingering caramel on his lips, and felt her eyes drift shut. It was like the first kisses she'd seen in movies, the kind she'd dreamed of before she knew better, the kind of kiss that wasn't supposed to be real.
And when he pulled away, and Wanda's eyelids fluttered open, Vision's hand stroking her cheek as he smiled that wonderful little smile..
She knew that she was in deep, deep, trouble.
