Chapter 9
"I'm really sorry. But as I've told you three times now, there's no one under the name Maximoff on our guest list."
With all of the bad luck that's been chasing Wanda around lately, it really doesn't surprise her that it follows her to the Stark Party tonight. It makes sense, the more that she thinks about it, that the universe decides to throw one last thing her way before the night even begins. It all feels cursed, and she knows the way it sounds in her head, like an exaggeration when it's just bad luck. But she's really not sure how she's supposed to feel right now. Tonight was supposed to be so many things (a break, a distraction, a fun time) but instead all she's done is think about all of the reasons why she shouldn't be here and now her mind is caught on the signs the universe keeps giving her.
She can't help feeling like she's not supposed to be here. First. the shawl ripped within seconds of arriving here tonight. It's not the biggest sign, or the first one, but it really kicked off her bad mood. Then there's the whole not being on the list at all situation, which is definitely a sign. There's all of this, and then there's everything that's been on her mind through the week. She's been looking forward to the party because of them, but at the same time she's been secretly anxious about it all. She's not sure that she fits in here, and even if she does she's not sure that this is going to be the kind of night she needs, or that she keeps promising herself it will be.
Wanda feels stuck, like she's really not meant to be here. And if she isn't meant to be here then she accepts that and feels ready to give up on tonight and just go home. She's not interested in fighting the universe, and if tonight isn't supposed to happen then it's really not a big loss. She doesn't want to fight for it. She just wants to get out and get away from this, and maybe find a quiet bar a few blocks away. It's why she gives up so easily and steps away from the man at the door with the list, and then away from her group of friends.
It just turns out that Clint has other plans. He presses a gentle, reassuring hand to Wanda's shoulder to let her know that he's here and that he's ready to do anything to fix this. Then he wedges himself into the front of the line to fix the problem for the two of them, and it's just so like Clint to try and save the night when she's already given up on it.
Wanda's not even sure that she wants Clint to save this now, because it feels like everything about tonight has been a whole lot of effort—and she's not really sure it's worth the effort anymore, from him or from herself. She's decided on leaving, she's ready to go, but seeing Clint trying to fix this mess means something and she finds that she can't walk away yet.
"Yeah, that's great and all. Really, man, it is. And you know, I may be deaf but I still heard you the first three times you said that." Clint tells him, a half-smile on his lips. "The thing is, there should be a plus two next to Barton. Okay? I have regrettably known Tony Stark for a long, long time. Yeah? So we're not trying to crash this thing. We have invites. You can see my invitation right here, you know I have one. And these two are my guests. I'm not going inside without them, so I hope you can find a way to make that happen."
Ted, the man with the list, stands unwavering in front of the four of them.
"I understand your frustration, sir, but as I've already said they're not on the list and you don't have a plus one by your name. I'm not sure what else to tell you, sir. They're not on the list."
"Yep, I got that. I got that part, and that's fine. It's not your fault that they're not on the list. It's totally fine, really." Clint says, sighing before he continues. "But what I need you to do now, Ted, is work this out. Do you think you can do that? Or do you wanna give Tony a call? Because I guarantee you that he'll confirm it in a second. Or maybe I should just cut out the middle man and call him, he'll get it sorted right away."
There isn't time for Ted to answer, before Scott wiggles up into the front of the line and gently nudges Clint aside. He's here to help, to fix this, and Wanda appreciates their efforts more than she can say. She knows Scott is just trying to be helpful, and Clint's just trying to fix things because he really believes that she needs this night out to forget about everything else. And maybe Clint is right, maybe she does need tonight and the escape that this party would give her.
Wanda just feels like she's at the point where she's almost ready to call it a night because it shouldn't be like this. It shouldn't be this hard or this much of an effort, and that's why she's ready to give up on it and leave them. Despite this, she doesn't walk away yet and she knows why.
A part of her still wants this, even if the signs tell her that she shouldn't. Then there's the part of her that finds their efforts to fix things touching and it makes her want to stick around to enjoy the party with them. She feels conflicted as she often does, and she soon decides to see where things go before she lets herself commit to the decision that she's given up on tonight.
"Hey, sorry. What about me?" Scott asks, smiling. "The name's LANG. It's L-A-N-G. If I've got a plus one, I'll just take one of them in. That's how this works, right?"
Ted glances down at the list briefly, then looks up with that same look on his face that tells Wanda that Scott's not on the list either.
"My apologies, sir, but there's no one under that name on our list."
It's not something that Scott understands, not at first anyway. He goes from being genuinely shocked,to looking a little pissed off that he's somehow not on the list. Then he's shocked again, and it turns into a fifteen second roller-coaster of emotions before he can even find the words to begin.
"What the heck—"
Scott can't get the rest out before Clint's intervening again. He pats Scott on the chest, swiftly pulls him away, and then takes a small step over to the left to make a call.
"Don't worry, guys." Clint tells them, smiling through his tension. "I'm just gonna call Tony and work this out. Don't worry, really. It's not gonna be a problem. I'll work it out."
And then a man appears, coming up from behind them, and Wanda knows him. She recognizes him and then she hears him speak and it feels familiar for a stranger she only met that one time. It doesn't take her long to remember him, she's always been too good with faces and names. It's Sam, from that day at the meeting hall when they shared a cigarette and a small conversation.
Sam slings an arm around Clint's shoulder, grinning as he glances at the four of them. He looks happy to be here, and then sort of amused to see them in the situation they're in. It's a lot for Wanda to take in at first, and she really can't process it all when her mind won't stop thinking about how he's here with them and why they met the day they did.
"No need to call Tony. I've got you, Barton. Like old times." Sam smiles, squeezing Clint in a warm but annoying, brotherly kind of way. "There a problem here, buddy? Your old eyes forget to read the invite?"
For a second he's tense, then it all slips away and Clint's smiles, and his face is suddenly free of all that stress and tension. He nudges Sam in the shoulder, then laughs and pulls him into a hug.
"There's no problem anymore, Wilson. Not with you here. And look at you, man. You don't clean up half-bad." he smiles, nudging Sam a second time. "And, hey? That comment you just made about my eyes? I'm gonna remember that when your birthday comes around man. Just saying. But hey, that's just a problem for future you to worry about. How are you, Wilson? It's been too long."
It's now that Wanda stops stressing about the party because she knows Sam will get the four of them inside and that they will have a fun night. That's not what she's stressed about anymore. No, her mind is stuck on Sam being here. It's about how they met, why they met where they did, and what it means if Sam talks about any of it tonight. She really doesn't want tonight to be the moment that Pietro finds out about her meetings, and that's why for a second she almost feels like she can't breathe.
Her chest feels tight and she suddenly feels warm. Too warm. Wanda takes a breath, calms down, and tries to focus on anything else. She ends up feeling glad that there's no shawl on her arms right now because she feels too warm already. She wants more than that though, she wants to step away and feel a breeze rush over her skin. She wants to run, to go anywhere else, but she can't. She stays where she is by Scott's side, even if she really wants to leave before Sam recognizes her.
She stays at the back of their small group, while Sam and Clint spend another minute catching up. It helps her to cool down a little, and to focus on new things, like how they know each other and what this means. She connects it all together slowly; Steve works with Clint and they're close friends, this she already knows. Sam works at the meetings hall, talking to men and women who need it. Steve is a friend, EX-Army. This means Sam is likely also a Vet. It's how they're connected. This means Clint knows Sam through Steve, or through his past which he doesn't really talk about. She vaguely remembers mentions of Sam now from Clint, only she remembers him more as someone called 'Wilson' that Clint would joke and talk about every now and then. It makes sense now, but she still hates that she didn't think of it all earlier.
It leaves her feeling like she's been caught unprepared and she has. She feels vulnerable and she isn't. She breathes through it, and then brings herself back to reality when she picks up on the sound of Clint saying her name.
"Sam, this is Wanda. And you know these two guys." Clint says, voice warm and excited again. "This is Lang. And like I said, you already know Pietro from that thing. Shit, I can't remember. But I think it was someone's birthday?"
Then Clint gestures to the three of them, smiling as he waves them over. Pietro steps up first, to greet Sam and shake his hand. Wanda follows, with Scott by her side. The three of them join the small group and move away from the line to the party that's now moving swiftly inside. Wanda glances over at the building and the main doors for a second, and then back at her brother as he pats Sam lightly on the shoulder.
"Yes, Clint is right. You are looking nice tonight." Pietro says, then smiles. "And it has been a long time. It has been too long."
Sam laughs. "Thanks, man. You too. And hey, was it that thing for Bruce that we met at? Or Sharon's party?" he pauses, then smiles wider. "I can't remember. I only really remember that I drank your ass right under that table, Maximoff. Your boyfriend had to carry you out of there."
There's a soft laugh from her brother, as he scratches at the back of his neck.
"Oh, yes. That. That only happened in your dreams, Sam." he smirks. "It is nice to see you again. Maybe we will have drinks later?"
Still smiling, Sam nods and glances to Wanda next. A look on his face tells her that he remembers her, but for the moment he says nothing. He takes Scott's hand to shake it, then looks back to Wanda and holds out his hand like they've never met before. She doesn't know why, she doesn't understand it at all, but she really doesn't want to question it now. Wanda shakes his hand lightly, then moves back to Scott's side.
"Good to see you, Lang. I like your tie, it's nice." Sam smiles, then looks back at Wanda. "And it's nice to meet you, Wanda. I've heard a lot about you."
Wanda smiles and says nothing, because the words won't come, because—what can she say? She finds that there's nothing she can say, nothing that she wants to say, so she says nothing and it feels easier than coming up with words that won't come. She manages to hold a real enough smile on her lips though, to convince her brother and Clint that there's nothing wrong. Then they become distracted by the party and the invite situation, and Wanda is left fidgeting with her rings while Sam sorts things out.
Soon enough the problem is fixed and they're free to go inside.
"Come on in, kids. Let's see what all this fuss is about." Sam smiles, waving them through the doors. "Honestly though, this place is cool. I'll give it to Stark, he knows what he's doing like 1% of the time."
That's the last thing Wanda catches as she trails behind them and follows them inside the building. She tunes in and out of their conversations, about old times and what drinks are on the menu, and she lets her attention follow her gaze as it wanders across the open space of Stark's lobby. It's a large and elegant area, with light floors the color of a sandy beach, dark brown walls, and deep silver rugs on the floor. It's not at all like what she expected and maybe that's a good thing. It all looks lovely and she feels in awe of the elegance for a moment.
She follows them quietly, through the open space of the lobby to three elevators. They wait outside the second elevator and when it's ready the five of them fit inside easily. Once inside Sam hits the level 2 button and they start to go up. It leaves her curious about how many levels there are and what she will find on each one, and almost on cue Sam begins to tell them about it all.
"I know this place can be a bit of a maze for newbies, so I'll give you a quick guide." Sam explains, as he leans back against the wall behind him. "It's real simple, okay? There are 4 levels. We were just in the lobby, that's the first floor with the coat room, donations rooms, and a couple of other rooms that aren't open to the public. Second floor is where we're going first, which is the main bar. And I'm just gonna say it: It's my favorite spot so far, and you may never leave this place once you get there."
Clint smiles warmly, arms folded over his chest. "Shit. I can't believe that dick never invited me before tonight."
"His team were doing last minute renovations or something like that. You know how it gets." Sam shrugs. "And it's worth the wait, trust me. You'll see when you get there."
"What are the other levels like?" Pietro asks, curious.
"I had a feeling you might ask that. The third floor is this crazy dance-floor type area. It's wild. I'm gonna make a bet here and now and say: once you get in there, Pietro, we will never see you again. I know you like to dance, and that place is the spot for it. That just leaves level four, and it's another bar area with an open patio if anybody needs some fresh air. " he explains, smiling again. "It's a really sweet set-up, and with all of the money from the events going to charities—well, Stark's got a lot of good money going to a lot of good people. So why not have some fun while we're here?"
Seconds after Sam's done explaining Stark's place to them, the elevator stops and the doors open up—and Wanda thinks that she finally gets it. She follows them into the bar and sees it all for herself, and for a moment she is completely lost in it all. Everything here on this floor is beautifully bright, neon, and glowing. It fills the entire space. Bursting shades and deep colors glow off everyone and everything in the room. Wanda's eyes are stuck on the shades of yellow, blue and purple that fill up the room. Her eyes flicker across the colors and then up to the lights, that are round, pretty, and elegant, and hang all over the ceiling. For a long time she is lost in the light, and all of the colors, and she loses herself to it all.
She gets so lost in it that she forgets where she is, and that this is a Stark party. Wanda thinks that she gets so lost in it because she has never seen anything like it before. Soon she looks away from all of the lights and the colors to the rest of the room, and now she gives herself a chance to take everything else in. The floors are dark, made of old wood. The walls are almost the same shade, just a little lighter, and they both glow purple and yellow under the lights. It all looks so warm and alive, and everyone here looks so blissfully happy.
Over on the right side of the room, Wanda soon discovers a small area with stairs leading up to a long, curved black couch that looks comfy and never-ending. It's filled with people dancing, drinking, and laughing so much. It's a lot to take in, and for a while she struggles to because there's so much to see and there are so many people here.
Minutes later her attention is pulled away from all of these people, and that little VIP like section, and she ends up taking in the rest of the details of the room, like the glass tables and black bar-stools and chairs placed throughout the room. She looks across it all slowly, taking it in, until she finds the bar against the wall in the middle of the room. It's a long, blue and white bar, that is neon, and glowing, and looks chaotic and fun. It's surrounded by people, and covered in light, and there's something intoxicating about it, even from here.
It all makes sense to Wanda now. It's not how she expected it to be, but that's what it should be. It isn't a place for Stark, it's a place for all of these people who will give money and will keep coming back. It's for the donations, and it's also for the escape that this place will give people, and for a moment she starts to think about how Stark can't be so bad with intentions like this.
And that's about all the time Wanda spends thinking about Tony Stark, because when she looks to her side she realizes that only Sam is left and that everyone else is gone. She doesn't know how long it's been, and for a second she doesn't know where they are until she spots Clint and Pietro down near the bar, trying to look at the drinks being made and the bottles on the glowing blue shelves. She watches them for a minute, and then reminds herself that she's not alone here and that right now she can't let herself get lost in her head, or in the blur of colors around her.
"You alright there?" Sam asks, smiling when she looks up. "I get it, you know. This place is cool, but it can be intense at first. So I get it."
She nods a little, tucking an arm around herself. She doesn't know what it is about Sam, but when she's around him it almost feels like she could say anything to him and he would get it. She feels like she could open up and he would listen, and maybe that's all he would do but it feels like it would be enough. Wanda doesn't know why she feels this way, she just knows that tonight isn't going to be about any of that and this is the last time she wants to think about what's on her mind.
Tonight is here for Wanda to enjoy herself and to have fun. She's here to drink, to dance, and to forget about what's been going on, and she wants it to be like this because everyone needs a break from life sometimes.
"Yes, it is very cool. And I am fine, thank you." she pauses. "You remember me. Don't you?"
Sam smiles a little more and it oozes warmth.
"Yeah, of course. Of course I remember you, Wanda. I remember most of the people I meet, especially the nice ones."
She nearly smiles, but it slips a second later at the memory of the day that she met and why she was there. It reminds her why she hasn't been there since and she wants to look away, but she stops herself and lets her gaze stay on Sam while she finds the words.
"Actually I do not think I was so nice when we met. I was not in the best mood, but that is nice of you to say anyway." Wanda pauses, glancing him over slowly. "Since you did remember me, then I don't understand why you acted like you didn't know me. Why did you pretend like we'd never met before?"
He sighs, and for a second looks away. "Let's just say that with my job I get to know a lot of people. And I know some of those people like to keep things to themselves until they know how to share it. It can be easier that way." Sam stops, then turns back to her. "I was just being cautious, Wanda. That's all. The last thing I'd ever want to do is overstep and put you into a position that was uncomfortable for you. I didn't want to put you on the spot back there, so I decided to do the right thing and not say anything at all. Sometimes the best thing we can do is be quiet when the situation calls for it."
Suddenly she looks to him more, wanting to thank him for all of it. Wanda wants to thank Sam for their talk that day even if they really didn't talk at all. Then she wants to thank him for tonight, for getting them into Stark's party without any issues, because when she looks back at the bar and sees her brother smiling and laughing with Clint by his side it brings her the kind of happiness that she's glad she could feel tonight.
Wanda wants to thank Sam for this, for all of it, but she can't find the words. And it feels like she doesn't need to, like Sam isn't here for that and he's here just to be there. It's a nice feeling.
"That is very thoughtful and kind of you." Wanda muses, half-smiling.
He shrugs. "It's fine, really. And you know, it's weird but I always thought I was gonna see you again."
"Really?" she raises an eyebrow, curious. "Why?"
"I'm not sure. I think there was just something about you. Something in what you said. It stuck with me." Sam tells her, smile back on his lips. "I just never thought that of all places I'd meet you again at a Stark party. Or that you'd be the sister of Barton's boyfriend. The world works in weird ways."
"Yes, it does." Wanda smiles. "It was also a surprise for me to see you here of all places."
"Yeah, I could tell that it was a surprise. You know, just a bit." he grins. "So, it's been nice talking to you again but I've gotta go see a guy about a thing. I'll be back later if you want to chat some more, or you could try your hand at beating me in some shots. If you're up for the challenge, that is. Warning: your brother failed. I'm talking a big, extremely embarrassing, shame to the Maximoff name, kind of fail."
She smiles more, almost laughing this time. "Thank you, but I am not like my brother."
"No problem. I'll see you later."
Wanda waves back at Sam, then watches for a minute as he disappears into the crowd. She quickly looses sight of him after that and doesn't look again, instead she ends up searching for her brother. She finds him in the line at the bar, with Clint by his side.
"You two look so happy here." she tells them when she reaches them. "And this place is very nice."
"Mm. So, was that your way of saying I was right, sweetheart?" Clint smirks.
She feels like she's about two seconds away from an eye-roll with that comment, but she stops it and just gives Clint a small look, while trying to hide a smile.
"Don't push it, yes?" Wanda settles on saying, as she succeeds in hiding her smile. "I am going to be back soon, okay? I am going to find a bathroom and put my mask on, don't forget yours."
Pietro nods, grinning. "Yes, of course. We won't forget. I will pick out drinks for us, yes?"
"Okay, this sounds fine. I will see you soon?"
"Yeah, sure. We'll find you. Or you'll find us." Clint says, smiling as he pats her arm. "I mean, this place can't be that big. Right?"
* * * *
Wanda gets lost on the third level of Stark's new building.
It's warm, bright, and yellow, and all of the neon lights remind her of the second level of the bar—and that's where the similarities between the floors begin and end. There's a lot to take in on this level, and somehow she gets lost between the bar, the dance-floor, and all of the private little seating areas in-between. It all feels endless and busy, and somehow she gets stuck in one of the bigger crowds. It takes her a minute to wiggle free, and once she's out of the crowd she takes a moment to rest and breathe on the left side of the room, in the area that looks like a VIP section but isn't closed off to anyone.
There are circular black booths on this side of the room, filled with groups like downstairs. They're all drinking, and laughing, and eating little pieces of food being carried around. She's not hungry yet though, she's just curious. Everything is still so intense and bright up here, and then there's the dance-floor that's crammed with so many people that Wanda really isn't sure how so many people can fit into the one space. She gets lost in the lights and the colors again, until she ends up by the side of the long, sleek black bar, that's filled with bartenders on all sides. The service looks fast and everyone looks so happy that she reminds herself to come here later when she feels like a drink. For now she gets distracted again, but this time it's not by the lights. This time she gets distracted by a staircase just a few steps away from the end of the VIP section.
The long, winding staircase is silver and leads up onto a platform area above the bar. It catches her interest, so she follows the stairs up to the new level and takes it all in from there. Up on the platform it feels like a new level and another private space. Sleek purple couches and black-armchairs have been placed through the space for people to relax on, and there's a nice, calm vibe to the area. It feels less busy than the last two levels and Wanda welcomes the feeling, she even decides to stay for a while.
She ends up leaning against the glass railing that curves around the space, while her gaze flickers down to the large, glistening disco ball that hangs down in the middle of the room. For a moment all that Wanda can think about is the dance-floor and what it would feel like to go down there and dance underneath all of those colors and lights. She thinks about the glimmer of the disco ball and the glow bouncing off her skin, and then she thinks about how good that would feel. But in the end she doesn't go downstairs to dance. She's not sure she's really in the mood for it anymore, so she watches everyone else dancing until she gets bored and needs something else to put her mind on.
That's how she ends up downstairs again, but this time she finds her way to a new space. Wanda ends up outside in a private little balcony area that she finds through a back-door off the dance-floor. It's not really clear if this space is open to the guests but Wanda doesn't care, it's empty and spacious and she's all alone here. She welcomes it, and the way the breeze feels against her skin. It's quiet out here and so different from inside, with only a few, soft looking arm-chairs placed out here. It definitely feels like a private space and at first she doesn't really want to leave, but she knows that she has to. She wants to finish exploring the building, and then she needs to find her brother again.
She spends another minute outside on the little balcony then leaves and takes the elevator up to the last level of Stark's building. It's a big, wide space like the other levels, but this one already feels different; with soft, long green couches lined up against dark blue walls, elegant glass tables placed through the room, and glowing candles scattered through the space, it feels so unlike everything she's seen here so far. Then there's a sea of little lights up on the ceiling that make it feel so calming, so different to everything else. She gets so deeply lost in it that for a while she doesn't realize she's walking around the space, taking it all in, until she ends up going down a narrow corridor and making her way outside to the roof-top area.
It's her favorite place already. It only takes Wanda less than a minute to decide this because of the way it looks and how it feels to be out here. Outside on the roof-top space it feels earthy, warm, and inviting. Everything is a different shade of light brown, soft blue, and pale green. Her eyes flicker across long, reclined white couches placed all along the roof-top, to the deeply colored cushions, and the rustic brown tables placed by each couch, all covered in elegant vases and pretty candles.
Wanda wants to stay out here more than she's wanted to stay in any of the levels so far. She feels like she could stay here all night and never leave, and maybe another time that's exactly what she'll do. She knows that she can't spend tonight up here though, she needs to find Pietro and Clint now because she came here with them and it doesn't feel right walking out on them or spending the night up here away from them. So she leaves reluctantly, and takes the elevator back down to the second level where she begins her search for them through the crowd.
It's twice as busy at the bar now, and everything is more chaotic and loud than it was earlier. Somehow through all of the tight spaces and chaos, Pietro finds her. She's so glad that he does, because she's really not sure she would have seen him at all. He finds her through the crowds and waves her over to where they are on the far side of the room, close to the VIP looking section and the bar. She takes a minute, then pushes her way through the crowd to get to him.
Wanda picks up a glass of champagne on her way, drinks half, and continues to squeeze through crowds. When she's almost there Pietro helps her through a group of people, by putting an arm on her shoulder and taking her hand to help her get to him. Then she's suddenly free of the crammed spaces and busy crowds and she feels better, like she can breathe again, and typically that lasts for another three or four seconds before she sees them.
"Hey, there you are!" Clint smiles at her. "We were looking for you, but we just found these idiots instead."
There are two men by his side, this is all she can focus on at first. Two men. She recognizes both of them for very different reasons, and somehow they all know each other.
"You already know Steve. He's not such an idiot. I take that back. He's not an idiot at all." Clint continues, grinning. "But this idiot here? Well he's the bane of my existence. Wanda, meet Mr. James Barnes."
Bucky looks different tonight, this is Wanda's first thought. James, she thinks it over, rolling it over silently on her tongue. Bucky. James. James Barnes. He looks different, but still the way that she remembers him looking in the park and then again at the market. His long hair is slicked back off his face, and his suit is dark and elegant. She ends up staring at Bucky too openly and for too long, and she doesn't even realize it until she catches Steve's smile as he stretches out a hand to shake hers. He looks just as nice. Wanda thinks he looks lovely, dressed in a pretty, retro looking blue suit, with a white and golden tinted mask that makes the blue in his eyes pop.
Then there's Bucky in his dark suit and dark mask combo, and he looks just as lovely. His mask shadows his eyes over a little, making them look darker than they are, but she still gets lost in them. For a second she is lost in this, lost in him. Then she takes a breathe, shakes Steve's hand, and swallows a very big sip of champagne.
"Nice to see you again, Wanda. You look lovely." Steve says warmly, smiling.
"Yeah, Steve's right. You look great." Bucky adds, and smiles slowly. "And it is nice to see you again, too."
Wanda spots a tray of champagne coming their way, finishes her glass, then swiftly swaps out her old glass for a new one. She returns to them after this, just as Clint is trying to find out how exactly they know each other.
"We met twice, right?" Bucky smiles. "The market, then the park?"
"Yes, I think so. It was..Twice." she pauses, drinking half of her champagne.
Three times, Wanda thinks and almost says, if Peggy's place counts. She's not sure any of it counts though. Right now she's really not sure what to think or what to say. She knows how she's coming off because of this, because of the words she can't find. She knows that she's coming across how she often does, as cold or uninterested in the two of them. And sometimes she is like this towards new people. But with this, with them, and the man who has been on her mind since they met—Wanda is more interested than she can show, and she thinks maybe that's why she can't show it the way she wants to.
She finishes her glass of champagne soon, holds up the empty glass, then smiles and nods towards the bar.
"I think I will get a new drink from the bar now." Wanda pauses. "Can I get anyone else a drink while I'm there?"
Both Pietro and Clint are good, which is a relief. But she notices Bucky's drink is empty and so is Steve's, so she waits for a minute.
"You know what? I think I'll come with you. Maybe I'll try something new." Steve smiles, then looks over to Bucky. "You need anything while I'm there, Buck?"
"Nah, I'm good. Thanks."
Steve follows Wanda after this, walking with her until they reach the bar, join the line, and begin their wait. It doesn't feel like they're going to be waiting for too long though, since Wanda soon spots trays of champagne and shots of drinks being carried out to guests. She feels like she could use a few shots of vodka right now, but for the moment she decides to wait in line and see what they're serving at the bar.
"It's all a bit much for my taste, I think. But then again, I won't pretend like I don't know how to enjoy a nice night with good company." Steve says soon, then glances back at her. He smiles again. "You enjoying yourself so far, Wanda? I was happy to see you'd come tonight. I'm sure it's gonna be a lot of fun."
She nods, smiling a little. "I have to say that I wasn't expecting to see you here. But now I think that this all makes sense, because you know Clint and he knows Stark. So you all know each other."
There's a pause between them while Wanda searches for the right words, and Steve is patient while he waits for her to find them.
"I have not told my brother why I am training with you." Wanda admits soon, just for him. "So I did not know what to say when I saw you here. If I seemed.."
"Surprised? You seemed a bit surprised, that's all. But I get it." he says, smiling softly. "I guess you were also pretty surprised to see Bucky here, too. I don't think he was expecting to see you here tonight, but he did mention you to me. Once or twice."
It's now that she turns to look at Steve again, suddenly more curious. Wanda tells herself that she doesn't know why she's curious, or that it doesn't mean anything, but she knows that they are both lies. It's Bucky, it's the way he's been on her mind since they met. It's the little things like the painting, the shadow, and that look in his eyes that afternoon. She wants it to fade away because tonight isn't the night she wants to spend thinking about this, but she can't help the way he lingers in her thoughts.
"What are you talking about?" she asks. "He mentioned me?"
"Just that he ran into you. Well, he told me someone else ran into you. At the markets, I mean. I'm just gonna make a guess here and say you're that Wanda. The one he talked about. The girl with the broken carnations. And blueberries, right?"
Wanda half-smiles thinking about him and that afternoon, and then her gaze travels across the room and over to where Bucky is standing with the two of them. He looks like he's making a joke, or giving Clint a hard time, and it feels nice to see them all smiling and laughing so much. It leaves her to thoughts of him for a minute, and she doesn't know why it makes her smile but it does.
"Yes, I suppose that is me. Though I am not sure how I feel about this name he calls me."
Steve seems happy, and mostly curious. "Sure, I get it. Some people just don't like blueberries. Or the color blue."
"It is not that. I prefer red to blue, if I am honest. But it is not that." Wanda says, and then hesitates again. "That was not such a good day for me, that's all. So I wanted you to know that if I seemed like I was not pleased to see the two of you here, it was only because of the surprise. That is all."
"Hey, we all have bad days. Don't worry about it." Steve assures her warmly, with another smile. "Let's hope tonight is a good one for you and for all of us."
She appreciates Steve's words and his company, she just finds that she suddenly needs a minute to herself. Wanda gathers her things in her hands, glances briefly back at the room, and lingers for a moment as she watches Pietro telling a story to Clint, who looks like he's laughing because he doesn't believe one word of it. She files away the memory, then turns back to Steve.
"I hope so, too." Wanda smiles. "I am going to check in my purse downstairs. Will you tell my brother that I will be back soon?"
"Of course." he nods. "Want me to order you something from the bar?"
She steps away, winding a hand around herself. "No, thank you. I will see you soon. And Steve? It is nice to see you again."
"You too, Wanda. I'll see you later."
For half a moment more she watches him. Then her eyes flicker back to Bucky through the crowd to where he is, and this time she discovers that he's looking her way. She lets her gaze linger, probably for a minute too long, before she turns away and disappears into the crowd, where it's quickly becomes tight and difficult to get to the elevators at first. When she gets to them she's tempted to just go home but she doesn't. Wanda steps inside the elevator, hits the lobby button, then lets herself breathe again now that she's away from all of those people.
Her eyes shut in the elevator and she leans back into the wall, enjoying the ride down to the first floor. Once the doors open she joins the line to check in her bag and waits for a few minutes, but it doesn't take long at all. Three minutes later Wanda's back in the elevator and on her way up again.
This time it's crammed full with people. It feels so tight, so sweaty, that she wants to get out as soon as she gets in. She knows that she can't, that they'll all be this full this going up, so she accepts it and tries to just breathe through it. She ends up crammed in between two strangers so closely that it feels really odd to be this close to people that she doesn't know. She tries to think of something else, of anything else, to get her through it until the doors open up again. Wanda ends up thinking about an ocean. An empty, quiet beach. She imagines open, endless roads, and a sunset in the distance. It's all that she can think about until the doors open and she pushes her way out, longing to feel better, only she quickly discovers that the room feels crammed and busy, and she finds no relief here.
Wanda knows where she needs to go to find that relief. She needs to go outside, to feel the cold air against her skin again, and to just breathe it in and let the quiet sink into her. But then she spots the bathrooms over to her right and before she even knows what's happening she's moving quickly for the door. Inside the ladies room, everything is elegant and spacious. There are dark tiles on the floor, smooth black walls surrounding her, and bright globes dangling from the ceiling. It's a pretty, nicely decorated space, with chrome sinks and wide mirrors hanging above the sinks. This is about all she can really take in before she ends up at the basin, longing to feel the cool rush of water spill over her and calm her.
Wanda spends a minute there at the sink, washing her hands until they feel clean again. Then she dries her palms, takes a look at them, and ends up stretching her hands out to lean against the basin. She takes another minute and spends it there to rest, and to remind herself of what's real and what isn't.
"You okay over there?" a voice reaches out to her soon, distracting her. "Do you need me to get someone for you?"
She waits for a minute then looks up to find a woman at the basin next to hers, watching her distantly in the reflection of the mirror. Dressed in a nice blue dress with red lipstick on, the woman is standing near Wanda while casually reapplying her lipstick underneath the warm, glowing lights. She stops applying her lipstick for a moment, fixes up a few red curls of her hair, then goes back to applying the make-up. Wanda watches her for a second then looks away and back to her own reflection in the mirror, which she realizes looks so composed, so together, for someone who's starting to feel like she's slowly unravelling on the inside.
"No, thank you." Wanda answers soon. "I don't need anyone, I am fine. Thanks."
There's a moment where it feels like the woman might leave Wanda alone, but in the end she doesn't.
"You're Wanda. Right?" she asks. "I know Clint. My name's Natasha."
"How do you know me?" Wanda glances up again. "And how do you know Clint?"
Natasha smiles a little, pausing for a minute. "Well, I can't tell you the classified version of how I know Clint. But what I can tell you is that I've known him for most of my life. And as for how I know you? I don't know you, but Clint talks about you and your brother a lot. That's how I know of you. If I'm honest, I've never seen Clint happier in your life and I've got your brother to thank for that."
"Yes, it is the same for my brother. I am not sure I have ever seen him this happy in his life."
"And what about you?" she asks. "It's not my place to say, but Clint mentioned you were going through something right now. Are you sure you don't need me to find someone for you? I'd be happy to, if that's what you need."
Her gaze flickers up to Natasha's again soon and she notices that she seems genuinely concerned for someone who really doesn't know her at all. She wants to ask Natasha what Clint has told her, but then she thinks about it and she knows that he'd never break her trust and tell someone else what he knows, or what he thinks he knows happened. It starts to lead Wanda to thoughts about how unfair it is to burden Clint, and for him to be the only one who knows, and Wanda knows this. She also knows she needs to change this, to finally do something about it and take this secret off his shoulders, but it's not something she's prepared to think about tonight so she doesn't.
"Don't worry, he only told me that he was concerned." Natasha says quickly. "And before you ask, no one sent me in here. I recognize you from a picture he showed me of you and your brother. He didn't send me in here. This is just me applying a little make-up and talking to another girl in the bathroom. It's just girl talk. That's all it is, all it has to be."
"Thank you for that, but I am fine." Wanda says, as she holds her mask loosely in her hands. "I am just—it is very loud and busy out there tonight. And there are so many people.. I am fine, I just needed space."
"I get that. Trust me, I do. But that's what all Stark parties are like. Actually, I think tonight might be tame by his standards." she tells her, a half smile on her lips as she packs up her things. "You know, Wanda, if bright, shiny and loud isn't your thing then maybe you signed up for the wrong thing coming here tonight to a Stark party. Just saying."
She sighs quietly, looking away. "Yes, I know. Maybe you are right."
"I don't like to brag too much, but I tend to be right. Just ask Clint: he'll adamantly deny it, which will only prove to you that I am right." Natasha says, smiling in a small and genuine way. "Now are you sure that you don't need anything before I go back out there? Because I can be very resourceful."
"I'm fine, really." Wanda assures her. "I don't need anything. Thank you, though."
"Great. Good to know. Because I've got a hot date somewhere by the bar that I've been looking forward to all week. If you need me, I'll be there. And if we can't catch up later and share stories about Clint, then we'll have to make time for it. I can always make time in my life to share embarrassing stories about Barton."
She smiles back. "I'd like that, Natasha."
"So would I, Wanda. Have a nice night."
A few seconds pass and then Natasha is gone, and Wanda is left to the quiet space of an empty bathroom. It gives her a moment to pull herself together before she goes outside, so she takes a minute, composes herself, and even pulls on her mask and ties it on to put herself back into the mood for the party. She still ends up feeling like she needs a real moment of peace away from the crowds, and she knows exactly where to go to find it.
It's how she ends up on the private balcony space again with the candles, flowers, and the fading sky above the city. She leans against the railing slowly, takes in a breath, and lets her gaze wander across the city skyline before it goes up to the sky. Wanda gets lost in it all for a while, until her eyes close and she welcomes the breeze that seeps into her skin. She stays here like this for what could be hours, but really it's only about five minutes before the quiet ends and she realizes that she's not alone anymore.
Her eyes open at the sound of his voice.
"Hey, red. What are you doing all the way out here?"