AN: Enjoy!

After a few moments, Vision shook his head and got up. If he had done something wrong, then he needed to find out what it was so he didn't do it again. Vision headed out of the hut, finding Wanda hovering just outside the door.

"Wanda.." He began, frowning slightly when she jumped a little at the sound of his voice, "Are you alright? If I did something wrong.."

"No.." Wanda quite stubbornly stared at her feet. "It's not you, Vizh. You did nothing wrong, I promise."

"Then why do you seem so upset?" Vision was confused.

"I'm not. Not really. I just.."

"What?"

"I was locked up for a long time, Vision.." She sighed, forcing herself to look at him. "And after Pietro died, I sort of.. Closed off my heart a bit. Made myself numb, as a defence against everything that was happening to me.. And when the twins came along, I had no room at all to worry about my own feelings. Everything became about them, keeping them safe.."

"That's understandable," Vision nodded.

"But now.. Now I'm free, we're free, and I think.. I think my heart is starting to wake up" Wanda continued. "I'm starting to feel things again.."

"Well.." Vision thought for a moment, "That's good, isn't it?"

"It's confusing" Wanda sighed. "And it's a lot. Because these are feelings I've never had the chance to really have before, and a lot of them are about you.."

"M-Me?"

"Yes. You're the first person in years who sees me as more than a test subject. You are so sweet, and kind, you make me feel things and want things I never.. but I've cut myself off from all those feelings for so long, that I can't tell whether it's real or just because you're nice to me.. and if it's not.. I wouldn't want to hurt you.."

"I understand" Vision smiled softly. "And if it helps, I find feelings rather confusing too."

"You do?" Despite everything she had just said, Wanda found herself shuffling a little closer to him.

"I do" Vision nodded. "I am a synthetic human partially made of vibranium with a very precious stone in the centre of my forehead. Many out there do not see me as human. I spent much of my early life fighting off people who wanted to strip me for parts."

"That's horrible.." Wanda frowned.

"It was what it was..One of my main reasons for joining the Ravagers was as a way of protecting myself. Not that some of them didn't want to take me apart too, but Yondu decided that in the long run, I'd probably be worth more as a hunter. You can say a lot of things about the Ravagers, but once you're in, and keep to the code, they protect their own most of the time. Still, those early days made it hard to trust people. You understand that well, of course.."

"I do.." Wanda's frown deepened. "You gave up your protection for me.."

"I didn't want it anymore, if keeping it meant an innocent woman and children would be hurt" said Vision. "There was really no choice to make. And I haven't regretted it. You treat me like I am a real person.."

"Because you are.."

"Still, you are the first person to treat me like one. To look at me as more than a machine, or a means to an end. And.." He trailed off.

"And?" Wanda gently prompted.

"You.. I.. you make me feel things too.." Vision blushed. "Feelings I can't quite explain, or understand. I'm just trying to say that I get it.. The confusion. Having to lock your heart away to avoid getting hurt. I just.. I understand."

"Well.." a shy smile tugged at Wanda's lips. "That's nice to know, I suppose."

"You were hurt so badly, for so long" Vision continued. "You lost so much.. Of course it's going to be difficult to navigate what it means to really open up your heart again."

"And so many people tried to hurt you.." said Wanda. "So of course you'll find it hard to trust someone with your heart."

"Perhaps for now" Vision suggested, "We can simply acknowledge the fact that we are important to each other. The rest we can work out as we go, in our own time. And until then, we can be friends."

"We'll be friends either way" Wanda added."That's not even in question."

"That works for me.." Vision smiled softly.

In the distance, they could hear Tommy's giggles, looking over to where he, Billy, and Groot were playing with a group of other children, Mantis still watching over them.

"They saved my life.." said Wanda. "The twins. After Pietro died, and everything was just pain and horror and humiliation day in, day out.. It would have been easy to just let myself.."

Vision shuddered a little at the thought. He didn't think a world without Wanda was a place he wanted to be.

"I'm very glad you didn't.."

"I couldn't, once Tommy and Billy showed up. They needed me. The people experimenting on me were trying to give me a weakness.. Instead the boys became my reason to be strong. And then you saved us.."

"I did" Vision nodded. "And I think the three of you saved me, too."

"We did?" Wanda looked at him, a little confused.

"I.. well, I'd been a little bit lost, I suppose. Disillusioned with life. But then I found you, and Tommy and Billy.." A rather bright smile spread over Vision's face. "You reminded me of who I really wanted to be."

"Oh.." Wanda's breath caught for a moment, her reawakening heart fluttering at his smile. "Hey, Vizh?"

"Yes?"

"It's okay for friends to hug, isn't it?"

"Yes.." Vision pulled her gently into his arms. "That's okay."