wanda and vision's mixtape

“Is this all really necessary?” Wanda asked, slipping her usual rings onto her fingers to retain a little bit of her everyday look.

“Of course, it’s necessary,” Nat said past the bobby pins in her mouth as she pinned up the last few strands of Wanda’s hair. “You’re going to the Hamptons; anything less will make you stand out.”

Wanda sighed but turned slightly to the mirror to take in what she was wearing. It was a rare pleasure getting dressed up like this, even if it was for work. She’d worried that she’d grown too recognisable in her year since joining the team but gazing at herself now she doubted anyone would think she was an Avenger. She’d chosen her dress from a selection that had arrived at the compound earlier that week for this specific occasion. Of course, it was no ordinary dress, the boddice was bullet proof and though the skirts appeared normal, dropping from her hips to the floor with several slits at the front and sides, Wanda had been told which button to press that would make the flimsy material snap its Kevlar protectively around her legs. It wasn’t as though she was going to go into this sting operation unprepared.

A soft rap came at the door right as Nat finished pressing pins into Wanda’s scalp.

“We’re ready,” Nat called over her shoulder admiring her work.

Steve stepped in, decked in a charcoal suit, sunglasses pushed up to rest on his hair. “Looking lovely, Wanda,” Steve said raising his hand to tip an imaginary hat to her, “we leave in half an hour.”

“I too, am ready,” Vision said his voice entering the room as he phased through the solid wall to their right.

Wanda raised her eyebrows at his unannounced arrival. “Captain Rogers was standing in the doorway…” Vision began but trailed off when he caught sight of her properly.

Wanda turned in her chair to admire Vision. He was dressed in a white suit with a pale pink and gold tie, holding the matching ivory jacket in one hand.

“Make sure you rehearse your cover stories, we don’t need any careless slip ups tonight,” Steve reminded him as he looked at his watch once more. “Nat and I are going to head to the jet, meet us down there.”

“We are?” Nat asked, as Steve tugged her out of the room without another word, door shutting behind them.

“You look beautiful,” Vision said reaching out to help her up. Wanda rested a hand on his arm and pushed herself to her feet, remarkably steady despite the outrageous heels. She liked the height they gave her but was quite sure her feet wouldn’t be enjoying things by the end of the night. At least they had a thick enough heel that she might be able to run or fight if need be. Hopefully things wouldn’t come to that.

“You look rather dashing yourself,” Wanda replied, giving Vision another once over. She could have sworn that there were silver threads running through the white of his suit, but it could have just been the harsh lighting distorting her gaze. At the compliment Vision’s gaze dropped to the floor, a happy smile about his lips.

“You remember our aliases?” Wanda prompted, walking over to her dressing table where she’d placed the necklace she wanted to complete her look with. She held it out to Vision, turning around so he could help her with the clasp. His hands were cool against the back of her neck as he delicately swept her hair aside.  

“Of course,” Vision replied stepping around to face her once the necklace was fastened, “I am Viktor Walkins and you are my partner Emilia Williams.”

“Exactly,” Wanda said turning for the door and leading him through the compound as she spoke, “Emilia Williams, 26, a post-graduate art student at RISD. My main focus is on the art of human anatomy, body paint, that sort of thing.”

Vision held the front door open for her and she smiled at him as she stepped outside. He continued their cover story. “Which explains my appearance,” he gestured to himself and Wanda watched as he bent the nanotech of his body to his will, “I am one of your models.”

Wanda had been expecting a new look from Vision, he’d been experimenting more with phasing, but nothing this detailed. His complexion remained the same, but little leaves and branches now extended up his neck, dipping below his collar as the same thing happened to his hands. Wanda resisted the urge to reach out and trace her fingers along the delicate gold whirls arcing over his cheeks. He was a piece of art.  

“Colour me impressed,” she said smiling as he led the way to the landing bay.  

Wanda felt out of her depth as soon as they arrived at the front gates to the mansion where the operation was to take place. The mission itself was simple enough, get close to their target, John A. Sterling a young-ish weapons distributor who had been attempting to recreate old Stark weapons, and get him on record saying where the next meeting was to take place. Wanda thought it was strange how public the underground weapons industry was, they certainly relished in having a good party. According to their sources, Sterling always attended things like this to catch new prospective buyers, inviting them to a private party at the end of a month. Wanda and Vision’s job was to either secure an invite themselves, or at the very least catch someone else getting one.

That wasn’t the difficult part, really. She didn’t doubt that with Vision’s help they’d secure the location by the end of the night. No, the real challenge was the party ahead of her.

She leant heavily on Vision’s arm as they walked up the marble stairs and into an actual ballroom. Wanda had only ever seen things like this on TV. The crowd was a swirling mass of glitz and wealth. It resonated with immorality and fraud and it was a good thing Vision took the lead because she felt minutes away from running away from the horror before her.

They walked around the edge of the decadent room, stopping finally at a table of canapes and fading into the background as one of many couples milling about the food.

“I have eyes on him,” Wanda said quietly pretending to straighten the lapel of Vision’s already impeccable suit.

“Take your time getting close,” Steve’s voice crackled in his ear, “we don’t want to scare him off.”

“I’m not scary,” Wanda huffed, grinning at Vision but he was keeping his eyes on the crowd, watching their target dancing. “I’ll just go and dance with him.”

“Go slow, and if you have the opportunity to get close, plant the mic on him,” Steve reminded her before going quiet.

“I think I’d rather you just scare him,” Vision said his eyes narrowing at the figure moving through the crowd. Wanda tilted her head but decided not to question what he meant and instead turned back to the crowd.

“He’s on the move,” she murmured, placing her hand at Vision’s elbow once more and casually starting to move around the room. She followed the example of couples they passed, smiling at those whose eyes were unable to avoid Vision’s glamour, though his appearance was on par with the cosmetics of some guests.  

Sterling had left the floor with his wife and was making his way to the spread of tables and seats at the back of the ballroom. Wanda paused briefly to collect a plate and some canapes so that they might fit in better and then led the way to a table near their target couple.

Vision gave her a look that said he thought they had gotten too close, but she shook her head imperceptibly and sat him down next to her. The tables were mere feet apart, but she had positioned them so that their backs were to the Sterling’s, whilst being close enough to listen in on their conversation.

“… too warm tonight,” she heard Sterling say gruffly.

“John, stop complaining,” came his wife’s short reply.

Wanda pushed the small food about her plate, feeling too on edge to eat. Vision was sitting unnaturally beside her, his head too high as he glanced around suspiciously.  

“You look too nervous,” she whispered, lifting a champagne flute to her lips and pretending to take a sip. She also wasn’t going to let alcohol dull her senses tonight. Vision snapped his eyes to her, and she was shocked to see his demeanour change almost immediately. He sat further back in the chair, smoothly crossing a leg over one knee and leaning closer to her chair, an arm slouched haphazardly at her back.

“Better?” he whispered back, his head now much too close to hers, she felt his warm breath on her neck.

“Yep,” Wanda murmured, this time taking a legitimate drink.  

They remained sat behind the unsuspecting couple until they rose once more to join the crowd milling about the ballroom floor. Wanda’s eyes snapped to Vision’s and she gave him a look someone along the lines of trust me. At least she hoped that’s what her face said because he looked shocked as she abruptly stood up, spinning and walking straight into their target.

“Oh my goodness!” She gasped delicately, bringing her hands to her mouth in shock as Sterling was forced to stagger back slightly. Wanda tried not to cringe at the warmness her hand was met with when she patted the man’s shoulder in apology. “I am so sorry.”

All those months working on her American accent with Nat was worth it all for this moment, her intonation was perfect.

Sterling had steadied himself and looked fit to argue until he looked up and saw precisely who had run into him. Wanda gave him her best apologetic smile. “Oh that’s, quite alright.” His hand went absentmindedly to his hair, running a hand through it.

“I don’t believe we’ve met,” Sterling’s wife piped up, standing up from the table and extending a hand to Wanda.

“Emilia Williams,” Wanda smiled shaking her hand delicately, “I am here in my father’s place.”

“Your father, Williams you say,” Sterling murmured with false understanding as though he were familiar with the man, which was of course impossible considering he was a fictional father.

“Say,” Wanda said turning a hopeful, yet shy, gaze to John Sterling, “I don’t suppose you can dance; my partner doesn’t like dancing.” Vision scowled from where he was still sitting.

“Well as a matter of fact, we were just about to join the floor again.” John looked at his wife for permission, “you don’t mind do you darling?”

“Not at all,” Ms Sterling replied, her gaze on Vision, “I’ll be quite happy sitting here and talking with this fascinating figure, I’m sure.”

To her dismay, Wanda had to take the arm Sterling offered as they made their way out to the dance floor.

“How has your father been?” Sterling asked as they stopped in an open space, Wanda taking one of his hands while the other came to rest at her waist. It amused her that he was still pretending to know the fictional man she had created, but all for networking she supposed.

“Oh he’s doing well, he just wasn’t feeling up to this evening and I was more than happy to come in his stead,” Wanda said sweetly as they starting to dance slowly. “He speaks of you often, always talking about the good work you do.”

“I’m glad to hear that,” Sterling said graciously dipping his head, but Wanda knew she’d pressed the right button to direct the conversation where she needed it to go.

The music picked up and the dancing became livelier, and she had to focus on keeping up with her dance partner. Over his shoulder she spotted Vision still stranded with Mrs Sterling, who appeared to have gotten quite touchy in investigating the paint on his body. Vision was in the midst of rolling up his shirt sleeve to the elbow so that she could see more clearly, and Wanda’s heart tightened with irrational jealousy. She mentally reprimanded herself, she had no right to be possessive. Instead, she focused on the task at hand, she needed to get more out of Sterling and the sooner the better judging from the friendliness of his hands.

“Such terrible disasters happening in California this week,” she said in an attempt to make small talk.

“Dreadful,” he replied shortly, and Wanda resisted the urge to step on his toes a few times as his gaze dipped too low.

“I almost wish I had a better way to protect my family, if such things begin happening further north,” Wanda said contemplatively and tried not to bristle at how quickly his eyes snapped up to meet hers. Now he was paying attention.

“It’s important,” he murmured more quietly, “that we can all protect ourselves in these troubling times.”

“My father agrees,” Wanda sighed forlornly, “but alas we don’t really have any good contacts in that sort of industry.”

They were quiet a little longer and Wanda feared she had pressed too far. Regardless, the conversation had made him serious enough that she’d had an opportunity to drop one of her rings, one with a microphone within the gemstone, into his pocket as the dance swapped directions and they traded hands. Mic planted.

“I have special parties each month,” he began slowly, “if you are interested, I could put you and your father on the guest list for July.”

Wanda let herself smile I surprise and excitement. “Really? My father would be so grateful.”

Back among the tables, Vision was trying to figure out why he had grown so irritable all of a sudden. It was really interfering with the flattery he was currently delivering to Mrs Sterling whilst Wanda was busy out on the floor with their weapons distributor. He kept one eye on the spinning couple, growing frustrated at how easily the man was touching her.  

“Gosh this paint is just divine,” Mrs Sterling said, fawning over his glamoured skin, “she is quite remarkable.”

“I know,” Vision said not thinking as the words left his mouth and the tenderness that went along with them.

Mrs Sterling smiled wryly at him. “Don’t give up yet. A nice man like you? She’s sure to fall eventually.”

“Pardon?” Vision choked out, wondering what on earth had given the woman the impression that he and Wanda were anything more than platonic.

“Oh you know what I mean,” she waved a hand and laughed lightly, “shall we go rescue her from my husband?”

Vision looked at the woman with new appreciation and offered his hand to help her to his feet. “You know, I think you’re right, I am suddenly in the mood to dance.”

“That’s the right attitude,” she said patting his arm affectionately as he led her onto the dance floor.

“John,” Mrs Sterling called out, waving a hand as he and Wanda spun past, “give this young man a chance, will you?”

It seemed they were too far away to hear, and John was decidedly preoccupied by his dance partner. Vision caught Wanda’s eyes and she tilted her chin down slightly. It was done.

“Thank you for your charming conversation,” Vision said patting the back of Mrs Sterling’s hand at his arm, “but I had best get to her.”

Vision arrived just in time to see Wanda spin in time with other dancers and reached out a hand to catch hers before she could spin back into Sterling’s grasp.

“Oh,” she said softly, as his hand came to rest at her back, steadying her.

“You’ll have to excuse me, Mr Sterling,” Wanda said apologetically, “it seems my partner is finally ready to dance, it was lovely chatting with you.”

Mrs Sterling was at his arm in a moment, coaxing her husband away from the dance floor.

“I’m glad thatis done,” Wanda sighed, turning towards Vision once the other couple was out of sight. “Mic planted, and hopefully Cap will get news of a personal invitation for Emilia Williams by the end of the night.”

“Excellent work,” Vision said taking her hands and putting them on his shoulders.

“What are you doing?” Wanda asked slowly, but she didn’t pull away.

“It would look suspicious if we left now,” Vision said, “so I am dancing.”

“I didn’t know you could dance.”

“While Natasha gave you your lessons, Steve gave me mine.”

“Huh,” Wanda murmured in surprise but stepped into the music with him, their feet moving in synchronicity, taking them around the other pairs about the floor.

It was different, being with her like this. But Vision enjoyed the closeness. In the past they had been physically affectionate without thinking about it but Vision was becoming more conscious of exactly how often they reached for each other, and what was worse, he was beginning to question his own reasons behind it. He rarely thought of ignorance as something good but there was a nagging feeling to this situation, an apprehension that if he examined the emotions he felt around Wanda there would be no going back.

Steve’s voice crackled to life in Vision’s head, “good job you two, get out when you can.”

“Sure thing,” Wanda murmured but made no move to leave the dance floor. When she saw Vision’s questioning gaze she smiled. “You wanted to dance right? It would be a shame the let those lessons go to waste.”

“Yes, it would be a shame,” he said absentmindedly, overly conscious of her hand resting at the nape of his neck.

“You seemed to be getting on well with Mrs Sterling,” Wanda said, her gaze a little distant as she looked determinedly over his shoulder.

“No more than was necessary,” Vision replied and then felt a little silly for saying it in such an assuring way, what did Wanda care if he had been friendly with their target? After all, it wasn’t as though she had done anything different. “You didn’t seem in a hurry to get away from Sterling.”

Wanda huffed in frustration and Vision felt bad for pushing further.

“It was part of the job,” she explained through her teeth trying to keep a smile on as they danced past chattering bystanders, “at least I wasn’t rolling my sleeves up and showing off my muscles.”

Vision actually sputtered. “That is not what I was doing.”

“Could have fooled me,” Wanda shrugged smiling pleasantly, but her refusal to look at him showed more.

He sighed wishing he hadn’t teased her or gotten onto this line of conversation. “I did not want for us to argue.”

“And what did you want?” Wanda said, her voice a dare asking for the truth, her eyes a constant on his and Vision resisted the urge to look away, maintaining her steel gaze.

“I want to be honest,” he said quietly and when Wanda didn’t prompt him, he continued speaking. “I’m afraid of saying something that might change things between us.”

Us.The word hung between them as an unspoken truth. They hadn’t acknowledged the possibility that they were becoming something other than Vision and Wanda, that perhaps there was a third alternative where they were something more.

“I’d rather honesty, even if it changes things.”

“As silly as it sounds,” he began hesitantly, “I was jealous, seeing you dancing out here without me. It irritated me that I had been shrugged off in favour of that man, even if it was for the mission.”

Wanda smiled and raised a hand to his cheek, his skin warmed as she brushed her palm over the intricate gold ‘paint’ still on his face. “It was not a choice I was making, but if I’d had to choose you could have no doubt it would be you.”

Vision resisted the urge to close his eyes and lean into her palm, trying to focus on the understanding in her gaze. “I was jealous too, watching you with her.”

“That has to mean something doesn’t it,” Vision said, his voice barely above a whisper as Wanda moved imperceptibly closer, his hand moved comfortably around her back as they slowed to a stop.

“It does,” she smiled and nodded, and Vision felt a wave of relief emanating out of him that they were on the same page. “The truth is out in the open now I suppose, no going back.”

“I think I’d rather look forward,” he said and slowly pulled them towards the outskirts of the ballroom and to a stop. Wanda’s cheeks were pink from the dancing and her eyes were light as she turned to him.

“So, we’ll just see what happens?”

“I’d like that,” Vision said keeping a tight grip on her hand, reluctant to let her go just yet. They went to leave the ballroom and once out in the night air he shrugged his suit jacket off and let it rest around Wanda’s shoulders. With one arm around her waist and the other holding her hand they left the faux cheer of the ballroom behind. The evening had been an adventure and a step out of his comfort zone, but Vision was as eager as Wanda was for home, to be back in the space they both knew so well and to relish in the step they had taken, to dream of all that was to come and all that they might be.