wanda and vision's mixtape

A fundraising gala wasn’t how Wanda had intended to spend her first free Friday night in over a month yet here she was, decked out in a red cocktail dress with her hair piled up in wavy curls atop her head.

Tony Stark had started by leading the team up to an actual stagewhich had Wanda feeling a hot wave of embarrassment that had little to do with the glaring heat of the spotlights overhead. She tried to stamp down the frustration that built in her with every joke cracked by the billionaire before the podium. Wanda had to give it to him this time, Tony had warned them exactly what tonight would be: a gaggle of busybody networkers and the odd philanthropist come to see the celebrities that were the Avengers. It just so happened that there was plenty of wealth to be given in exchange for a snatch of conversation with a superhero. So, Wanda knew she could grumble all she liked about how much she hated how they glorified her ‘job’ and made her famous in a way she knew she had no right to be, but that wouldn’t change the fac that she had agreed to this event. For the charities they were supporting it would be worth it. In a rare moment of understanding, Tony had even invited her to assist Pepper Potts in the distribution of funds to the various Stark sponsored charities, to see the work firsthand. It was an opportunity she couldn’t pass up. Not with her history.

Tony appeared to have reached the end of his speech and the rest of the team was thankfully let go to disperse around the large gala hall. Wanda took her time following Natasha off the stage, knowing that the moment she was enveloped into the waiting crowd the real trouble would begin. Already Steve was being mobbed making Wanda grateful that the public was still relatively fearful of her.

Natasha gave her a somewhat forced smile as she walked headfirst into the crowd, heading straight for Steve. A somewhat frantic scan of the crowd and Wanda had spotted Sam who had escape to the bar, talking with a child who looked far too young to be in such a place. She directed her feet there and did her best to weave throughout the glittering crowd.

A shoulder hit hers and Wanda spun, planting her feet the same way that she had been taught in training, barely stopping herself from falling over.

“I’m so sorry,” a woman’s voice said as Wanda’s assailant turned towards her.

“That’s alright,” Wanda replied trying to smile kindly despite the pain in her shoulder, “I should have been more careful about where I was walking.”

The middle-aged woman’s eyes widened when she saw who she had bumped into and she leant away slightly in way that indicated she clearly wanted to step back but didn’t want to be rude. “No trouble at all.”

Wanda decided it was best to leave.

By the time she made it to the bar the kid had been guided off by Pepper in her usual whirlwind of reddish hair. Sam was leaning against the bar and appeared to be pointedly ignoring the group of people who were ogling him from a few seats down.

“You have a fanclub,” Wanda said in a mock whisper as she sidled up to him.

“They aren’t all for me,” Sam grinned back and sure enough a few of the group had broken off and were heading her way.

Wanda resisted the urge to say oh no and instead braced herself with a welcoming smile. Undeterred by being in the presence of two of the Avengers a youngish woman with choppy black hair extended a hand confidently.

“I’m Alisia,” she said, and Wanda returned the hand shake as warmly as she could. She hadn’t spent a whole lot of time out in public in a long time, was this how things were done?

“I’m Wanda.”

“We know!” The person standing beside Alisia was all gangly limbs but the voice that emerged was pitched with such child-like excitement it almost made Wanda smile for real.

Alisia gave her companion a sharp look. “We really admire your work.”

“Thank you…” Wanda said slowly looking at Sam for guidance. He smirked and tipped his glass to her. At least Sam had had a regular life before joining the Avengers. Wanda tried not to think about a lot of what had happened before she had joined the team, though she had attended school for a period of time, she was still seriously out of practice in making introductions.

“I’m Aron,” the tall person said extending their hand, somewhat shakily, as Alisia had done.

“Lovely to meet you,” Wanda replied, not liking how tightly her hand was held.

When neither made to make further conversation and were instead content to look at her in awe. Wanda quickly turned to the bottle of wine that Sam had before him pouring a glass for herself.

“We have a proposal for you,” said Aron abruptly breaking the awkward silence that appeared to have their friends not far off in a bit of a tizzy, judging from the groans of shame.

“A plan you could say,” Alisia added.

“To take down scientology.”

It was said with such absolute certainty that even Sam choked on his drink.

“We’ve seen what you can do, what happened in Sokovia, Lagos. You could annihilate their headquarters with a wave of your hand–”

Wanda didn’t bother to correct them on the scope of her powers at present, rather she was consumed by the heartbeat that was growing louder in her ears, the fact that her hand had begun to shake a little around the glass she held. Holding the glass tighter helped marginally in blocking the onslaught of images that threatened to overwhelm her. Pietro, Ultron, Novi Grad’s destruction, Lagos and every mistake she had made since.

Sam wasn’t laughing anymore.

“Hey guys it was really nice meeting you, but I don’t know if this is an appropriate conversation to have at a charity function,” Sam said gesturing to the room around them. Distantly Wanda registered that an orchestra had started playing somewhere.  

Alisia wasn’t swayed. “It’s just a simple question, we’ve even written up a report for you with all the headquarters listed if you’d like to take it. The destruction you can cause could be of real use to our group in dismantling–”

This was not going in the direction Wanda needed it to. She tried to work through the breathing exercises that Sam had taught her or go over the mentally quietening techniques he’d said helped PTSD patients. She was usually quite good at it but hadn’t ever had to use such coping mechanisms in a public scenario. Wanda set the glass down quickly because any second she was sure it was going to shatter under her grip.

“That’s enough,” Sam said at the exact time a familiar figure stepped up to them, shielding Wanda from the warm lights overhead.

“Wanda, I’ve been looking all over for you.”

The relief that spread through her bones was tangible. Wanda felt herself straighten, take a deep breath in through her mouth and out through her nose.

“I was waiting her for you,” she replied breathlessly with her first real smile of the night.

Vision’s arm came to a comforting rest around her back, his hand cupping her elbow as he nodded to the Sam and lead her away. They left in time for her to hear Sam questioning the kids about the rest of their friends who appeared to be taking advantage of the free flow bar despite being clearly underage.

“Thank you, you saved me,” Wanda murmured as they arced around the outside of the crowd which had begun to section off into little groups, many focused around one or two members of the team.

“I thought you might need rescuing,” Vision said back and tapped his forehead with his free hand, indicating the mind stone that was usually atop his forehead. Tony had made it perfectly clear that Vision could appear as himself tonight if he so wished, but as Vision had confided in her beforehand, he hadn’t wanted to make any of the donors uncomfortable. His sensitivity to others warmed her heart usually, but the way he hid himself didn’t feel right. If anyone ought to be hidden away out of sight of the wealthy donors it was her.

As though knowing what she was thinking, Vision pulled her closer and over to an empty table where a handful of belongings had been abandoned in favour of the networking happening out on the floor. He poured her a fresh glass of water and placed it in her hand.

“Thank you, if you hadn’t saved me, I don’t know what I would have done,” Wanda said and reached out to touch his hand.

“It’s alright.”

“Still, you shouldn’t need to,” Wanda said sheepishly, not quite knowing why she was still talking. Thank you had been simple enough, where were these excuses coming from?

“You know why I do it,” Vision said making out to hold her hand in his, but Wanda was quick to draw it back to the water glass before her.

She did know why he did it. Vision had made that veryclear two weeks ago when they had returned from a particularly difficult mission. Things hadn’t gone the way they were supposed to, and Wanda had dislocated her shoulder mid fight. She’d used her magic to push herself away from the battle, leaving Steve and Sam to take the brunt of the thugs they had discovered were attempting to reproduce old Stark military technology. All it had taken was that spark of blinding pain as her shoulder slipped free of its socket for Wanda’s powers to momentarily get out of control. She wasn’t sure why she’d done it, if it was even a conscious decision really. But she must have reached out to Vision. He arrived just in time to knock the crap out of one of the thugs who’d stepped towards her to finish the work.

Vision had fallen to his knees next to her and assessed her injury immediately, even as she struggled to speak past the pain and explain that she was fine, that Sam and Steve needed help. He had lifted her with endless care and taken her straight to the SUV that Natasha was waiting in. He’d even gotten terse with Nat about Wanda’s condition and the need to get back to the compound but waiting for the others naturally won out (Wanda had had to deal with his disapproving muttering as he tried to make her comfortable in the back of the car). When they were eventually joined by Sam and Steve the pain had gone down significantly but Vision was on edge. He insisted on holding her steady in the back of the car, and when they arrived back at the compound and called for a doctor, he had carried her from room to room until they reached the infirmary. Vision had been a constant presence as the doctor arrived and set about administering pain medication and setting her shoulder back into its joint.

After a brief argument, Wanda had been allowed back to her regular rooms where Vision had pestered her all evening with fresh ice packs, more pillows and a steaming bowl of chicken soup (Wanda had to remind him this was usually just for the flu but when he began to list its benefits post-exercion she gave in and ate it all).

It wasn’t until late that night as she drifted in and out of a hazy sleep, waking every now and then to the throbbing in her shoulder as the pain medication slowly wore off, did Wanda realise Vision was still beside her.

His head was slumped against his chest in the chair that usually sat in the corner of her room. His hand was holding hers and it tightened as she shifted into a sitting position. Registering that she was awake Vision had snapped upright and pulled his hand away.

“Sorry,” he’d said and seemed to be about to stand up, “I–”

“It’s fine,” Wanda said assuring enough that he sat down once more, “I want you to stay.”

His face softened in the near darkness and he pulled his chair closer. They whispered quietly to each other for three quarters of an hour, despite no chance of waking up the rest of the team (Wanda’s room being sound proofed when she’d moved in thanks to violent sleep terrors in her first few weeks). When her eyes finally started to droop again Vision helped her lie down and again, he hesitated. Their eyes locked and for a moment Wanda thought for sure that he’d kiss her. Instead, he had leant closer and pressed his forehead to hers for the shortest of moments. It wound up being infinitely more intimate than a peck on the cheek might have been. The breath that he sighed as he rose again was of relief and Wanda felt it then – the absolute fear he’d felt that morning when her distressed cry for help had reached him along some line of connection between them (owing to the stone, she assumed). She wondered if Vision had ever expected himself to be presented with the idea of loss.

Worse yet, Vision had unknowingly (or perhaps consciously) left their link open as he resumed his seat and took her hand again. Wanda had done her best to pretend to sleep as Vision had closed his eyes, no doubt his brain was moving as quick as ever behind fluttering eyelids. But it was difficult to fully relax as he fed the feelings along this line of connection Wanda hadn’t even realised, they’d had. She supposed it made sense, they hadn’t always needed to use words and got along in a way that surprised most of the team. Wanda was about to ask Vision to feelmore quietly so she could get some sleep when his eyes opened again and whatever he’d been researching was left to the back of his mind. Instead, she felt his gaze on her ‘sleeping’ face and the following wave of affection that flowed to her, warming her from top to bottom. Adoration, coloured by fear yes, but overwhelmingly loving.

They’d remained that way most of the night, Vision retreating into his mind for most of the time no doubt aware that Wanda spent two hours focusing on regulating her breaths so that when she eventually dropped off into oblivion, she was exhausted.

They hadn’t discussed that day since. Vision had been gone by morning and Wanda wasn’t entirely sure she hadn’t dreamt the whole thing up. Except for the fact that she felt the same way every time she saw him and recalled the warmth of that night. Then Vision had been sent south and she’d been on house arrest for a week to heal her shoulder properly. They hadn’t really had the opportunity to sit down like this.

So yes, Wanda knew why he did what he did. Why he was drawn to her like this. But she also couldn’t ignore the stone that hung between them and the connection it held to both their lives. How could she call the feelings that flowed through her real – what if it was all owing to the stupid stone in his head? That was the fear that had stuck with her in the two years since they’d started living together at the compound, she wasn’t about to start listening to her heart now.

So, she snatched her hand back, immediately regretting her action at the flash of emotion across Vision’s face and went back to her water. She convinced herself that his statement, you know why I do it, didn’t require any further discussion for the moment.

To Wanda’s surprise the silence between them was broken by the small orchestra in one corner of the hall which had started up a mighty waltz. Dancing? She mused to herself. Sure enough couples had begun to pair off across what was revealed to be a dance floor in the centre..

While Wanda’s eyes had been stuck on the floor, Vision’s had been fixed to her and she could see he was about to ask to dance. She knew she should say no, but also knew she wouldn’t be able to if it came down to it.

Her second saviour of the night was Steve Rogers who happened to walk past at exactly that moment. Wanda launched herself up and in a few short strides was at his side asking for a dance with a mocking curtsey, a dismayed Vision left behind her. It has to be like thisshe told herself.

“Would you care to dance, Captain?” Steve looked taken aback at first but quickly joined in on the charade.

“Of course, milady,” and extended an elbow in a way that reminded Wanda that going dancing like this had probably been fairly common for Steve when he was a teenager.

They took up a position on the outer rim of the dance floor as Wanda tried to find her feet and recall what little she knew about waltzing from television and the one dance lesson Nat had teased out of her. Thankfully Steve was an excellent partner. She knew there were a whole host of jealous eyes on her as they spun around but Wanda paid them little attention. Her thoughts were so clearly occupied, and so obviously on Vision that Steve had to save her from stumbling a few times.

“It doesn’t have to be like this between you two, y’know?” Steve said giving her a comforting smile.

Wanda sighed hopelessly. “It does though.”

“I don’t know everything that is happening or if this helps, but you know that no one in the team would have an issue with it right?”  

“I know, thank you.” It was comforting coming from him, but Wanda knew it was the least of her concerns.

“So why do you avoid his advances?” Steve asked bluntly in a way she knew only Steve would. “Are his feelings not reciprocated?”

Wanda flushed. “No, they are reciprocated…”

“So, what’s the problem.”

“Isn’t it obvious?”

“It isn’t,” Steve said shrugging and Wanda thought she noticed a little edge to his voice. “If you both feel something strong, I can’t begin to imagine what could be keeping you from each other. At least nothing worth listening too.”

“Maybe,” Wanda said thoughtfully. She wanted to tell Steve about the connection they seemed to have, her fear that their connection was down to the stone and the stone alone. That she had imagined all the instances over the last year when her heart had fluttered or warmed at the sight of him. But she knew, deep down, that this wasn’t the heart of the fear. She was more afraid than she’d been in a long time. It wasn’t the fear that came with regular life-threatening missions or the fear she had felt crouched below her childhood bed, waiting for a bomb to finally detonate. It was the fear that she’d get attached and when she eventually lost Vision… that this time she wouldn’t climb out of the pit of grief.

“Don’t let fear be your compass,” Steve said squeezing her hand and pulling her to a stop by the outskirts of the dancers. He was so intuitive when it came to what she was worrying about that it was unnerving. He also knew precisely what to say. “Take it as someone who didn’t take the leap when he had the chance.”

Even if Wanda had wanted to protest this, she didn’t have the chance as Vision appeared yet again. His brow was furrowed, it furrowed deeper when he caught sight of Steve’s hand which she hadn’t realised she’d still been holding.

“May I take over?” Vision asked looking rather than at Steve, but directly at Wanda.

She nodded to Steve and he gave her hand one last squeeze. “Take the leap.” With that last reminder he disappeared off into the crowd. Without hesitation, Vision offered up his hand.

In moments Vision had her spinning around the floor, no longer hidden around the outside but edging closer to the centre of the dance floor. His movements were fluid, his hand a soft assurance cupping her back, his left hand guiding her through the dance. Without warning the orchestra picked up a livelier tune and the dance changed, some couples left the floor in surprise, but more were quick to replace them. The contemporary music filled the hall around them, but Wanda paid it little attention, her gaze was focused on Vision only.

After a particularly wonderful spin that had Wanda twirling back into Vision’s embrace, she felt she was finally able to form words.

“I didn’t know you could dance?”

“Until a few minutes ago I couldn’t,” Vision said honestly, a somewhat sheepish smile grace his face. “The only reason it took me so long to go after you was that I didn’t want to fumble on the dance floor. I was watching videos…” He trailed off in something like embarrassment.

“Well, I’m glad one of us knows what to do.”

“I–” She began.

“Wanda–” Vision started and they both looked at each other before laughing.

“Would you like to go first?” He offered.

“I just wanted to apologise for leaving you at the table, it was rude.”

“Not at all,” Vision said shaking his head fervently, “I shouldn’t have put you on the spot like that. I’d hate to think that I’ve pressured you into anything, I’d never want to do that. If anything that I’ve said, or done, has made you uncomfortable, tonight or in the past–”

“No,” Wanda said, cutting him off more forcefully than she intended. She cleared her throat, her cheeks warming again. “You haven’t pressure me into anything, this is entirely me. I’ve been acting without thinking about what we both feel and what I want.”

Before she could elaborate on what she had just revealed they were whipped up in the music once more and she was spent spinning around again and again. She barely felt her feet moving across the shining marble of the floor and had to check that she wasn’t legitimately levitating. Pairs moved to make space for them as Vision led her through a simple but elegant routine of spinning, stepping and swaying. Wanda relished the feeling of his hand at her back and the closeness between them. The intimacy as clear despite the hundred eyes piercing into their back as they flew around the space in perfect synchronicity. With a final crescendo that left Vision to dip her gracefully, Wanda couldn’t help but laugh, her arms holding onto him tightly. When he pulled her up, her arms settled around his neck and they swayed for the final bars of the song before the audience began too applaud the orchestra. They were left staring at each other, almost nose to nose. Wanda noted that she was breathing hard, and it wasn’t entirely from the exertion of dancing. She was so focused on his eyes and the way they were looking at each other, the knowing and understanding passing between them. With a slight hesitation she reached up and pressed a hand to his cheek and felt the warmth there as he leaned into her caress.

There moment was interrupted by a loud wolf whistle and Wanda started to realise that they were somewhat the centre of attention and that the dancing had stopped for the night. The source of the wolf whistle was, unsurprisingly, Tony himself.

“We should get out the way,” Wanda said backing away. She saw the momentary fear on Vision’s face, or rather felt it crackle in the air around them and took the opportunity to extend her hand. It was a simple gesture, but she knew as he gently took her hand that it meant everything they hadn’t yet said. It was what Vision had been waiting for, the confirmation of his feelings and the return of hers and that was all they needed for the moment. Wanda squeezed his hand tighter as they stepped around the groups of people blocking their way out of the hall. Vision seemed somewhat confused about where they were going but realisation kicked in when Wanda pulled him behind the curtains that lead to the backstage area of the events hall. The heavy black material swung shut behind them, thoroughly insulating their voices from the outside world.

“Should we talk about this?” Vision said as Wanda dropped his hand and turned back to face him. He gestured between them at this which summed up exactly how uncertain he still was.

“Why talk?” Wanda asked, tilting her head and stepping forward.

One hand caught the lapel of his blue suit, the other rested against his chest as Vision took her face in his hands with all the care in the world. His breath was a whisper against her face as he delicately kissed her cheek on one side, then the other. He pressed his warm lips to her forehead. Starting at her jaw next he pressed tender kisses all the way until he reached her mouth. Wanda tilted her head up and her eyes fluttered open. Vision had dropped his phased glamour and was his usual self, eyes glowing somewhat in the dark. The stone sat quietly at his forehead, but Wanda didn’t spare it a glance. Perhaps this connection was partly due to the stone, but that couldn’t be all it was. This feeling had grown over time, it had been slow and then suddenly quick until she was hurtling towards the cliff and falling before she knew it.

When Vision pressed his lips against hers, she couldn’t help the smile that broke across her face as she flung her arms around him. Finally, her soul seemed to sigh. She was still afraid, but it was a different kind of fear, the fear that she might pass this up, this feeling that was threatening to make her heart beat out of her chest. That she might miss the opportunity to have a life with Vision was more frightening that dangerous missions or the shadow of death always at her back.

Vision drew back slightly, his forehead was still pressed to hers, but his hands had slid down to her waist. Without hesitation Wanda threw her arms around him and pulled him close. It was a moment before he returned the motion. The air crackled around the pair with something only they could sense, affection and longing hung about them that made Wanda press into his embrace further. There were no more words to say for the moment, Wanda had taken her leap and now she had him she was never going to let go.