ideas-for-you-to-adopt

[ideas-for-you-to-adopt]

Fur Better or Worse🐈‍⬛

Natasha Romanoff x Female Reader

Summary: Natasha Romanoff has survived aliens, norse gods and the world ending and now her cat is apparently on a mission to ruin her life, one litter at a time.

Word Count: 12k

A/N: part two coming tomorrow!

Chapter One

The conference room was packed. Not just full of people but full of power.

Everyone with clearance above Level 6 had been summoned. Rows of SHIELD operatives, section chiefs, tech leads and tacticians were hovering with Stark data pads. At the centre table sat the Avengers, the ones the rest orbited around like gravity. Steve Rogers sat upright, hands folded, eyes already scanning the room like he was expecting a mission. Tony Stark was reclining in his chair, wearing a three-piece suit like he’d rather be at a gala, spinning a stylus through his fingers. Sam Wilson leaned back, watching everything with casual calm but his jaw was tight. Bruce Banner seemed nervous, fingers drumming against his knee, like he wanted to be anywhere else but here. Thor was lounging with godlike ease, sipping from a coffee mug that absolutely wasn’t standard issue. Clint Barton was late, of course, sliding into a seat with a grin like he hadn’t jogged the last twenty feet to get there on time. Wanda Maximoff sat quiet in the corner, legs crossed, hands folded in her lap. Her red jacket was the only splash of colour in the room. And Natasha Romanoff, cool and composed, sat in the middle of it all like a woman surrounded by pawns on a chessboard. Eyes sharp, body still. She hadn’t said a word since she walked in, and no one expected her too.

The room hummed with quiet conversation, heavy with curiosity. If Director Hill was calling this many people together, something was shifting. The glass doors opened and Maria Hill entered first, cutting through the tension like a blade. She didn't waste time.

“We’ll keep this brief.” She said, stepping to the centre of the room. “This is a procedural announcement, not a debriefing. And no before anyone asks, no, there’s no imminent apocalyptic threat that brought you all here.”

There was a collective snicker around the room that somehow still sounded professional. “Effective immediately, the Avengers Initiative will operate with a new internal liaison for all mission-level directives.”

That stirred a reaction. Tony raised a brow. Steve looked curious. Natasha’s jaw flexed.

Hill continued. “We’ve formalised a position within the Avengers Initiative that reflects operational reality. Our new liaison will serve as your primary coordination point for all missions, threats and international engagement. They will determine what qualifies for Avengers involvement and what gets reassigned to SHIELD response units.”

Tony sat up slightly. “You’re giving someone a shiny button that says ‘No, Tony, you can’t play with your toys today’?”

Hill didn’t even blink. “I’m giving someone the clearance to keep this team from being pulled in seventeen directions at once, based on who’s yelling the loudest.”

Sam raised an eyebrow. “So... a boss?”

Natasha’s eyes narrowed.

Hill shrugged. “She’s already been acting in that capacity covertly. Most of you just didn’t know it. She’s the reason the last few years haven’t turned into global chaos every time something went bump in the night.”

She turned to the door and stepped aside. You entered, sharp in regulation black, practical, composed, every inch the seasoned agent. Hair neatly styled, expression unreadable, presence unmistakable. You didn’t need to make an entrance. You were already in control.

You nodded to Hill as she quickly introduced you before you turned to address the room yourself. 

“I’ll make this quick. My role is to coordinate and triage all incoming field intel and determine whether it’s something you need to act on or if we’ve got it covered elsewhere. If a mission makes it to your level, that means it’s serious. If it doesn���t, trust that it’s being handled.” You looked directly at Tony. “That includes rogue tech.” Your gaze flicked to Bruce. “Bio threats.” And then finally, you locked eyes with Natasha. “And anything remotely involving espionage, political leverage or black-market intelligence.”

A brief silence.

Then Tony smirked. “So basically, you’re the one who’s been babysitting the planet while we’ve been playing dress-up.”

“I prefer 'keeping things from going nuclear’.” You replied dryly. “But sure. Babysitting works.”

Sam chuckled under his breath. Steve offered a firm nod. Thor beamed like someone had just introduced a new Midgardian war general.

Even Bruce gave a quiet: “Glad to have you more involved.”

But Natasha Romanoff? She hadn’t moved. Her gaze was razor-sharp, locked on you like she was trying to see under your skin. No expression. No reaction. Just a woman who had seen the inside of too many operations to trust anyone without scars on their hands. 

You glanced her way, held her stare for a second longer than necessary and moved on.

Hill wrapped it up. “So she’ll be based in the Tower, fully integrated. She reports directly to myself and Fury. Anything going through you, goes through her first. Get used to it.”

The moment Hill dismissed the room, the suits and agents filtered out in a steady wave but the Avengers didn’t move. Steve leaned forward, his fingers laced in front of him, that trademark warm diplomatic but always strategic posture of his. “Mind staying a few minutes, Agent?”

You paused in the doorway and turned back. “Not if you drop the 'Agent’ and call me by my name. If I’m going to be deciding which of you gets to blow things up, I figure we should at least be on a first name basis.”

That earned a few chuckles. You made your way back to the center of the table, dropping into one of the empty chairs like it had been waiting for you all along. Relaxed, not careless. Casual, not unprofessional.

Tony kicked one boot up on the table’s edge and pointed. “Okay, so that was a pivot. Where was this energy five minutes ago?”

You gave him a look. “That was for SHIELD. You give those people too much personality and they start asking questions like, ‘do you have a work-life balance?’ or ‘are you free on Friday night?’ The answer to both is no.”

Sam grinned. “Now that’s relatable.”

“I know we’ve worked together.” Steve said, brows knit slightly, like he was sorting a mental file. “Afghanistan, right? Civilian extraction during the chemical plant siege?”

“Yeah.” You nodded. “You carried three injured men on your back while I argued with a regional warlord in a language I definitely only pretended to know. Worked out, though.”

His smile widened. “It did. Barely.”

“Clint.” Clint smiled, offering his hand which you took with a smile. “I know we met briefly on the Sokovia cleanup effort.”

“Right! Sorry, that was a little chaotic.”

“No, you impressed me.” Clint assured. “You were no nonsense sure but you were efficient. A little scary even.”

“Then I did my job.”

Bruce leaned forward. “You’re… the one who neutralised that off-grid bio-lab in Nairobi, right? That wasn’t even supposed to be a one-agent mission.”

“Yeah. SHIELD said I’d have backup. The ‘backup’ turned out to be a goat and a radio with one working frequency. So I… improvised.”

“See?” Tony spread his arms dramatically. “This is what I’m talking about. Why do we not get reports that sound like that?”

“They always edit out the colourful parts.” You said with mock offence. “No one wants to admit half our successful missions come down to luck, caffeine and stubbornness.”

Thor was nodding enthusiastically. “This one has the spirit of a warrior.”

You shot him a finger-gun. “And you’ve got the hair of a shampoo commercial. We’ll get along great.”

Even Wanda let out a soft laugh, her accent warm. “You’re not what I expected.”

You tilted your head. “Let me guess, you expected older? Scarier? More clipboard-y and Hill-adjacent?”

“A little.” She admitted with a smirk.

“That’s the fun part.” You shrug. “Keep the briefing room version of me in your back pocket for when things go to hell. The rest of the time, I’m just here to keep your lives from becoming a logistics nightmare.”

As you spoke, you noticed Natasha, still seated. Still silent. Her posture hadn’t shifted since Hill had left. Neither had her eyes, fixed on you like a threat assessment she hadn’t yet cleared.

You offered her a slight, friendly smile.

Nothing. No returned smirk. No sarcastic comment. Not even a twitch of amusement.

Okay. Duly noted.

You filed that expression away, a wall with no visible doors. You weren’t offended but you just hadn’t decided if she hated you or was just naturally like that.

“So what’s the real reason they pulled you in now?” Clint asked, his voice casual but perceptive. “We’ve been coasting on mission chaos for years. Why put a leash on us now?”

You shrugged. “Because too many people noticed the leash already existed. They just didn’t know where it was tied.”

That got a collective ‘ohhhh’ from around the table.

Tony raised his water bottle in a mock toast. “To the ghost in the machine.”

You clinked your coffee against it. “Cheers.”

“Did they say you were moving tomorrow?” Wanda asked.

“Yeah, moving in tomorrow.” You confirmed. “I travel light. Just a few boxes and my cat.”

“Cat?” Thor looked intrigued. “Is it large? Does it attack?”

You grinned. “Only when you don’t feed her fast enough.”

Wanda perked up a little. “I like cats.”

You glanced toward Natasha, maybe not directly but enough to catch a reaction.

Still nothing, stone-faced and eyes calculating.

Sam nudged you playfully. “Well, if you need help moving in, let me know. I’m good at carrying awkward boxes and terrible at small talk.”

You smiled warmly. “You’ll fit right in.”

But the moment of ease didn’t extend to everyone.

Natasha stood without a word and slipped out of the room so quietly, only you and Wanda noticed.

Wanda gave a small, sympathetic glance your way. “She’s... slow to warm up.”

You shrugged but something flickered behind your eyes. “I’m not cold.”

Wanda smiled. “I didn’t say you were.”

⋆⋆⋆⋆

You’d warned them there weren’t many.

Three moving boxes, one duffel bag and a sassy, crate-hating cat named Nova. That was the full extent of your worldly possessions arriving at Avengers Tower.

Still, the moment your badge activated the Tower’s service elevator, it opened to a scene that looked like a bizarrely well-dressed moving crew. Sam in a hoodie and joggers, Steve in his civilian jeans, which still somehow looked like military issue, Clint balancing a paper coffee tray and Thor towering in the back like a golden retriever in god-form, grinning like this was the highlight of his week.

Tony, of course, had sent a bot.

“I told you.” You said, amused. “It’s three boxes.”

“Right.” Sam said, stepping forward and picking one up like it might detonate. “And we believe you. But we still didn’t want you to go full lone-wolf and carry everything up yourself.”

“I’ve done worse.” You replied, lifting the duffel and tossing it over your shoulder.

Steve grabbed the second box without comment, while Clint offered your coffee like a peace offering. “Black. No sugar because you strike me as someone who takes caffeine like a challenge.”

You blinked, impressed. “I do. Are you profiling me?”

“Just a little.”

“Then I’ll save you the trouble and tell you my guilty pleasure is an iced brown sugar oat milk shaken espresso but make it with almond milk ideally instead of oat, add one and a half pumps of caramel, light vanilla cold foam on top, mocha drizzle in the cup, not on the lid, one scoop of vanilla bean powder and a dusting of cinnamon powder to finish.”

You only wish you had your phone more accessible to snap a picture of Clint’s face.

Wanda appeared next, barefoot, hair loosely braided, looking every bit like she had just floated out of a dream and into your doorway. Her eyes were warm as she crouched beside the crate on the floor. “Is this Nova?”

Inside, Nova yowled dramatically, a long, theatrical complaint about being contained.

“That’s her.” You said, setting the bag down and opening the latch. “She’s very vocal about injustice.”

The cat immediately strutted out like she owned the place, rubbed herself along Wanda’s legs once and flopped down dramatically in a sunbeam just inside your new quarters.

Wanda lit up. “She’s gorgeous, her colour is beautiful. She lets people touch her?”

“She lets people worship her.” You said, pulling out a scratching post from one of the boxes. “If you’re lucky.”

Wanda was already kneeling to scratch behind Nova’s ears, whispering to her in Sokovian.

“She’s got a temper.” You added. “But she’s loyal. And she’s picky about people, so don’t be offended if-“

Nova rolled onto her back with a loud purr, letting Wanda scratch her sleek grey coloured belly.

You stopped. “Wow. Okay. I feel replaced.”

“She’s perfect.” Wanda said, softly. “Nat’s cat doesn’t cuddle. Like at all.”

You looked up. “Nat has a cat?”

There was a small pause, a subtle shift in the air.

From behind the group, Natasha Romanoff stepped into view, arms crossed, posture sharp as ever. She hadn’t dressed down like the others, black on black tactical wear, not out of place, just deliberate. She had that presence, the kind that didn’t demand attention so much as command it.

“I do.” She said, coolly. “His name’s Liho. He doesn’t like people.”

You raised an eyebrow. “Charming. Sounds like someone I know.”

There was a moment of silence.

Then Clint let out a half-snort.

Steve shifted like he wasn’t sure if that was a jab or an olive branch. Maybe both.

Natasha didn’t flinch. “He’s a rescue.”

You nodded slowly. “I respect that, so is Nova.”

Nova strutted over toward the hallway, curious, her tail high.

“She’s going to explore.” Wanda said gently, still kneeling. “She’ll find the vents and secret corners before you do.”

“She always does.”

You followed her gaze as Nova paused, tail twitching at a doorway further down the hall.

There was a low growl from inside.

A black shape moved in the shadows.

“Oh.” You said, flatly. “I’m guessing that’s yours?”

“Yep, Liho.” Said Natasha, still dry. 

Nova hissed once but not with real intent. Liho didn’t move, just stared.

You watched for a moment, arms folded. “Great. My cat makes friends easier than I do.”

Natasha met your eyes for the first time since you arrived. “It’s probably because she’s not here to ‘run’ the whole building.”

You froze for a second, having to blink a few times to actually think if she did just say that.

Tony stepped in, sensing tension like a shark smells blood. “Okay, who wants lunch? Your choice. You moved in. You get the pick.”

You didn’t break eye contact with Natasha but your voice lightened.

“As long as it’s not from a vending machine or has the word 'military' in the packaging, I’m in.”

Sam laughed. “Okay, definitely not MREs. Come on. Tony knows a great shawarma place.”

As the group began to drift down the hall, chatting, teasing, already integrating you like it was second nature, you lingered just a moment longer.

Natasha still hadn’t moved. Liho padded out into the hallway, brushing once against her leg before disappearing around the corner.

You tilted your head. “I think our cats might get along better than we do.”

Natasha’s reply was cool, almost distracted. “Cats don’t need to get along. They just tolerate each other.”

You smiled, tight-lipped, unreadable. “Sounds familiar.”

And then you turned and followed the others, Nova at your heels. 

⋆⋆⋆⋆

The first sign that something had changed came early before breakfast, before mission briefs, before Steve had even finished his morning jog.

It was the silence. No alerts. No city-wide scans. No buzzing comms with intel screaming for a Quinjet. No alien portals. Just peace.

The Avengers, by habit more than instruction, gathered near the Tower’s central common area. They weren’t used to this kind of downtime without a catch. Stark was already tinkering with a drone that looked suspiciously like a beer delivery system. Steve was reading intel reports like they might change if he squinted hard enough. Clint had fallen asleep upside down on a couch.

Natasha watched all of it with the quiet patience of someone waiting for the other shoe to drop.

Sam, meanwhile, wandered out toward the upper training floor to stretch. As he rounded a corner, he passed a small group of SHIELD agents, all in gear, trailing out of one of the upper-level sparring rooms. They looked wrecked. Not injured, just exhausted and sweaty, talking in clipped phrases.

One of them, Agent Jeffries, if Sam remembered right was laughing breathlessly.

“Two minutes into the simulation and Ramos almost fell off the catwalk. She had us running urban evac under flashbangs while mid-recon. Said something about ‘adaptive stress profiles.’”

Sam slowed. “Wait, who had you doing what?”

The agent looked up, startled. “Oh- Sorry, sir. Uh, The new liaison. She’s reassessing all our squads this week. Said most of the team rotations were outdated or built around proximity, not actual tactical balance.”

Sam blinked. “She’s… testing everyone?”

“Pretty much. Every unit that’s getting reassigned under her new model. She wants baseline metrics on reaction time, field cohesion, communication and mental load under stress. Called it a ‘team stability audit.’”

Sam whistled low. “She’s not wasting time.”

“Nope.” The agent grinned. “She’s scary good, though. Caught two of our blind spots before we even hit the second stage.”

Sam smirked and nodded, then continued down the corridor.

By mid-afternoon, the buzz had spread. SHIELD agents kept disappearing into test rotations and emerging sore, sweating and unusually impressed. You hadn’t even been in the Tower 24 hours and people were already talking like you’d been running ops there for months.

Later, the core team made their way toward the secondary command wing. Steve, Sam, Natasha, and Wanda up front, with Tony hovering nearby, partly for curiosity and partly because he liked watching people attempt to out-organise him, which wasn’t hard.

You were standing in the center of the operations room, surrounded by three open holographic projections, one physical whiteboard and about six cups of half-drunk coffee.

Nova was curled in a chair behind your desk, completely unbothered by the flurry of movement around her.

You didn’t flinch as the team stepped in. You just finished your note, turned and smiled like you’d been expecting them.

“Afternoon.”

“Looks like someone’s been busy?” Steve said, glancing at the shifting data.

You nodded. “First week is always calibration week. I’m running the numbers on SHIELD units that have been lumped into legacy squads for too long. Field performance was uneven and burnout’s creeping up in all the wrong places.”

“Yeah.” Sam said. “I ran into a squad that said you were reassigning everyone.”

“Not everyone.” You replied, flipping through a tablet. “Just the ones who’ve been functioning on autopilot since 2018. Some of these units were built for one mission and never reassessed. Too many squads were chosen based on who was standing nearest to each other, not actual complementary strengths.”

Wanda raised a brow. “You’re rebuilding SHIELD’s internal command structure?”

You smiled. “Not rebuilding. Just leveling the floor so it stops tipping over every time someone sneezes in a different timezone.”

Tony looked mildly impressed. “So basically, you're min-maxing humanity.”

“Exactly.” You said without missing a beat. “But with less math and more trauma assessments.”

Natasha crossed her arms. “And you’re doing all this alone?”

You glanced at her, measuring her tone.

“I have help running the simulations.” You said. “But yes. The actual assessments and reassignments are mine.”

Her eyes narrowed slightly. “You don’t think it’s overstepping? Restructuring SHIELD when you've barely had time to unpack?”

You met her gaze evenly. “Not when SHIELD asked me too. I didn’t take it upon myself, I’ve been around long enough in my previous role to already have some reservations. I submitted a proposal within twelve hours of onboarding. Hill approved it. Twice.”

Steve raised a brow. “You really don’t sleep, huh?”

“Power naps.”

“Robot.” Clint muttered, not unkindly, under his breath from the doorway.

You turned slightly toward Natasha again, voice calm. “I’m not pulling people apart for the fun of it. With clearly balanced squads, I can allocate teams more surgically. It means we don’t have to mobilise a sledgehammer every time we need a scalpel. And it stops junior agents from burning out because their CO hasn’t updated training protocols since Ultron.”

There was a beat of quiet.

Natasha’s eyes were unreadable. “You’re not wrong but changing systems this fast? It shakes people. Doesn’t matter if it’s the right call.”

You nodded, voice even. “Sometimes systems need shaking. Doesn’t mean I’m not watching how hard I hit.”

You tapped the edge of one of the holograms, rotating it slightly to reveal a timeline.

“This morning at 4am, I got a call, unidentified tech signature lighting up over in the Rockies. Quiet, remote, not a huge threat on paper. I had four agents pre-assigned based on reaction profile, altitude conditioning and complementary skill sets. They were in the air in ten minutes. On-site in thirty. They neutralised it before the coffee in the cafeteria had finished brewing. Did you guys even hear about that or was it solved before you could nosey on the systems?”

You looked up, direct but didn’t wait for an answer. “That’s what I’m building here. Not chaos. Precision. I don’t want to ground the Avengers but I want to stop calling you in for every single spark when we can put out most of the fires before they reach your doorstep.”

There was a pause.

Wanda nodded slowly. “It’s smart, strategic. I won’t complain about the extra time off.”

You shrugged one shoulder. “It’s efficient. That’s what they brought me here for.”

Sam leaned in toward Steve. “I think she might actually be more Type A than you.”

“Not possible.” Tony said. “She still drinks regular coffee instead of whatever Steve calls that brown sadness.”

You smiled faintly. “Don’t worry. I’m not trying to replace anyone.”

Your eyes flicked to Natasha again, brief, almost too quick to register.

She didn’t respond.

But when the others started filtering out, making jokes about lunch and scheduling, she lingered for just a moment. Just long enough to glance at the holograms again. Then she glanced at Nova. still asleep in your chair, tail flicking once.

“You brought the cat into a command room…”

“She’s the only assistant I trust.”

Natasha’s mouth twitched. “Your strategy’s good.” She said eventually, voice quiet but pointed. “Smart. But I don’t know if it’ll last. The team gets… antsy. We’re not built to sit still.”

You didn’t bristle. You just nodded once, understanding woven into your tone.

“If the Avengers are looking for a fight.” You said, calmly. “I can give them one. SHIELD has no shortage of missions that need eyes, audits or someone to remind the rookies what fieldwork actually looks like. It’s not about keeping you from doing your job. It’s about giving you room to breathe without the world ending every time you close your eyes.”

You didn’t wait for her to agree.

You simply added. “And if you ever get too antsy, Romanoff, my door’s open. I work late. There’s always intel to tear apart or simulations to break.”

Your tone was light but there was something steadier underneath it. An offering. A quiet acknowledgment that the tension between you didn’t have to be a wall. For the first time, Natasha’s lips curved, barely a smirk but you noticed it.

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

And then she turned and walked out.

Nova lifted her head from the chair just long enough to watch her go, then curled back up as if the air hadn’t shifted slightly on the way out.

⋆⋆⋆⋆

Tony’s grin was impossible to resist. “You’re not getting off that easily. Dinner with us, tonight. You’re officially part of the family now.”

You raised an eyebrow but didn’t protest. The idea of sitting with the team, just normal people for a few hours, sounded surprisingly good.

By the time you arrived in the Tower’s dining hall, the team was already gathered. Steve was quietly setting plates, Wanda arranged drinks, Sam was in mid-joke, Clint’s smirk was ready, and Natasha… Natasha was already there, arms crossed, eyes sharp and unreadable.

Tony handed you a plate like a general handing over a weapon. “Eat. Talk. Try not to break anything.”

Nova, your cat, had slipped out of your sight and made herself at home, padding onto the table, tail high and eyes bright. Not far behind, Liho, the black cat that belonged to Natasha, stalked in with all the cool aloofness of a feline emperor surveying his domain.

The two cats exchanged looks that could curdle milk but soon dissolved into mild chaos. Nova knocked over a salt shaker, Liho responded with a swat that sent a napkin flying. Natasha shot you a sharp look.

“Let them be.” You shrugged. “They’ve been negotiating peace terms for two days now.”

Natasha grunted but said nothing else.

As the team ate, conversation flowed. Tony’s terrible puns, Sam’s banter, Wanda’s quiet smiles. When the team asked you eagerly about work, you found yourself sharing about a recruit you’d been mentoring closely. You’d just assigned her a challenging mission lead as a test of readiness.

“She’s promising.” You said, pulling up the agent’s stats and field reports on a tablet. “Solid instincts, great under pressure. I’m confident she can handle more responsibility.”

Natasha’s posture stiffened, the faintest shadow darkening her gaze. “You’re putting her in charge of a unit? After what happened on the Griffin run?”

You took a breath, steadying your voice. “It’s not a promotion. It’s a deliberate assignment. She needs the experience. Growth only comes with responsibility.”

Natasha’s voice dropped, sharp and low. “Growth, sure. But that run? She nearly got us killed. Her decisions cost us time, resources and almost lives.”

Your eyes locked with hers. “She made mistakes. But she owned them. She adapted. I believe in second chances.”

Natasha’s jaw tightened. “I took her on that mission because I thought she was ready. I trusted her with my life. And she put me in a position where I had to choose between saving her or several agents. That’s not the kind of risk you roll the dice with.”

You leaned forward, voice firm but measured. “Every agent has a first mission where things don’t go perfectly. You were no exception. You survived because you learned. So will she.”

Natasha’s eyes flashed. “I’m not talking about a rookie slip up. I’m talking about poor judgment. Recklessness. We can’t afford that in the field.”

“It wasn’t recklessness.” You frowned, shaking your head slightly. “It was hesitation under conflicting intel. She chose caution over aggression. I’d rather have hesitation than blind recklessness.”

Natasha scoffed, voice low. “That hesitation nearly cost lives.”

You didn’t back down. “And it taught her invaluable lessons. She’s debriefed with the team, trained with you and Clint and passed every evaluation since. She’s ready to lead. Not because I want to gamble but because I’ve built a framework where failure isn’t fatal, it’s a step toward mastery.”

Natasha folded her arms tighter. “That framework’s still new. Unproven. People like you, shaking up the system, it breeds uncertainty. Makes agents nervous. I’m not saying your method is wrong. I’m saying it’s risky.”

You softened your tone just a little, recognising the weight behind Natasha’s words. “Risk is inherent in this line of work. But the alternative is stagnation. If we don’t evolve, if we don’t test and challenge, we become predictable. Vulnerable.”

She looked away, voice quiet. “I’m protective. Not just of the team but of the people who’ve earned their place. I worry you’re pushing too fast.”

You nodded slowly. “And I respect that. That’s why I’m inviting you to be part of this. Not just a spectator. If she stumbles, I want you involved in her course correction. We’re a team, after all.”

Natasha’s gaze met yours again, something unreadable flickering in her eyes. “Fine. But if she screws up again, it’s on you.”

“I wouldn’t expect anything less.”

A tense silence settled over the table as the others looked on, sensing the weight of the conversation.

Then, unexpectedly, Wanda broke the quiet, her voice gentle but firm. “Growth means making mistakes. We all have.”

Natasha’s eyes softened a fraction, the fight momentarily easing.

You allowed yourself a small, genuine smile. “Exactly.”

Nova, meanwhile, had settled onto the table near Liho, who was glaring but resigned. Somewhere under the surface of tension, the night continued, filled with the quiet hope of change and the messy business of trust.

⋆⋆⋆⋆

The call came in just after 2:00am.

The overhead lighting in the Tower flickered to life as doors hissed open, footsteps echoing through the empty command floor. You were already there, half-dressed in a hoodie thrown over regulation gear, comm in one hand, a tablet in the other.

“Status?” You asked sharply, striding toward the live display wall, voice low but steady.

Maria Hill’s voice came through your earpiece. “Undercover op in Northern Germany. A deep-cover SHIELD unit, Omega 3 was compromised during an asset transfer. Civilians nearby. No known intel breach yet but they’re boxed in. Five hostiles, two friendly agents and one asset.”

“Extraction?”

“Mid-prep. They’re trying to push to a safe house but local law enforcement's started sniffing. We have about twenty minutes before it escalates.”

You stepped forward, already activating new comms channels, scanning the blueprints of the town they were pinned in. “Patch me through to the team lead and scrub local surveillance. No Quinjet, no boots, no noise. Keep it silent.”

The Avengers began arriving, most half-awake, all armed and assuming the worst. Steve, Sam, Clint, Wanda, Bucky. Natasha walked in fully dressed, eyes already sharp.

“What’s going on?” Steve asked.

“Undercover op in Germany.” You replied, not looking up. “It’s bad but not your play.”

“We’re suiting up,” Clint said immediately, glancing at Natasha, who was already moving toward the weapons console. “If someone’s pinned, we can help.”

“No.” You said without hesitation.

Natasha straightened, frowning. “We can be there in less than an hour. Why hold us back?”

“Because this mission was set two years ago, deep SHIELD black file. Pre-dates my time here. And sending in the Avengers now, in costume, with a Quinjet overhead? That turns a small, silent fire into a media wildfire.” You said crisply. “This isn’t a rescue mission. It’s containment.”

“Still sounds like they need backup.” Clint pressed.

“They have backup.” You replied, tapping your comm. “Me.”

That hung in the air a second too long.

Across the floor, live footage blinked in from helmet cams. The agents were moving through alleyways, adrenaline high, panting commands. You dropped into a seat beside the comms team, Maria already sliding over to give you space.

“I’ve got the asset in sight.” One of the agents was whispering. “Moving east, three blocks from safe house Echo.”

“Copy that.” You replied immediately. “You’ve got three potential obstacles between you and Echo. Take route Charlie. The butcher’s alley, it's narrow, enclosed, no line of sight from the main street.”

You pointed at the screen and the tech crew scrambled to reroute surveillance. Maria shot you a quick, silent nod. She trusted you.

The team behind you? Not so much.

Natasha crossed her arms. “You're gambling with their lives.”

You finally looked at her. “No. I’m protecting their cover. You storming in would guarantee them exposure. You’d get them out, sure but in body bags or on every news feed from Berlin to D.C.”

“You think you know better?” She asked, voice low and biting.

“I think I was asked to lead this initiative for a reason.” You said, eyes locked with hers. “I think I’ve planned more silent extractions than I can count. And I think I told you, very clearly, not to suit up.”

Silence.

The team watched, uneasy. Wanda took a small step toward Natasha, like she might cut in, but thought better of it.

Bucky cleared his throat. “They’re making it.”

Everyone turned back to the display. One by one, the agents on screen ducked into shadow, slipping past the final checkpoint. The camera feeds dropped as they entered safe house Echo.

A moment later, Hill’s voice came through. “Extraction complete. Asset secured. No civilian casualties. We’re clean.”

You leaned back in your chair, exhaling slowly.

Maria stood, her hands squeezing your shoulder softly. “Good work. This was for the best. The mission was never a positive, it’s better that they’re out.”

You nodded, already gathering your tablet and sliding into mission debrief mode.

Behind you, the team lingered. Steve finally said: “Anything we can do now?”

You shook your head. “There’s still a lot to handle, internal reports, asset intel, prepping for retaliation in case the op leaks.”

“We could help.” Sam offered, gently. “At least with the boring parts.”

You gave him a grateful smile but waved them off. “I’ve got it. Get some rest. We’ll reconvene when the sun’s up and everyone’s thinking clearly.”

Bucky gave you a crooked smile. “I’m bringing you the strongest coffee I can find.”

“I’ll hold you to that.”

The group started to disperse, quiet footsteps padding out of the command center.

But before Natasha could follow, you spoke again. “Romanoff. A word?”

She paused at the doorway. Then turned and followed.

You led her to a quieter hallway just off the ops center, private, but not closed in. Neutral ground.

You turned to face her, expression unreadable now. “You don’t get to undermine me in front of my team.” You said calmly but with steel in your voice.

Natasha crossed her arms. “I questioned your call. That’s not undermining. That’s what we do when lives are on the line.”

You took a step closer. “No. What you did was second-guess me mid-mission. Loudly. In front of everyone. That’s not tactical, Natasha. That’s personal.”

She didn’t flinch. “I don’t trust silence. Or hesitation. You were calculating risk while people were bleeding.”

“And I got them out.” You snapped. “All of them. Clean. Quiet. You think I don’t feel the weight of every call I make? I’m not doing this to play god. I do it because I’ve lived through missions where the wrong kind of help made everything worse.”

Natasha’s jaw clenched. “I’ve seen missions fall apart too.”

“And yet you keep assuming I haven’t.” You said sharply. “You don’t have to like my style but you will respect my command. Because if you can’t do that, then this whole system falls apart before it even begins.”

The hallway went quiet. Your voice dropped, lower, steadier.

“You don’t get to trust me only when it’s convenient. I don’t need cheerleaders. But I do need partners who don’t sabotage me the moment they disagree.”

Natasha looked at you for a moment longer than she probably meant to.

And for the first time, she didn’t push back. “I’ll think about it.”

You nodded. “Good. You do that.”

Then you turned and walked away, tablet tucked under your arm, your cat probably curled up in your chair. You had a stack of reports, a potential international incident to manage and, finally, a line in the sand.

Or so you thought.

-

The sun had barely risen when you finally slipped back into your quarters, exhaustion clinging to your shoulders like a second skin. You’d barely closed the door before Nova emerged from under the bed with a chirp that was far too judgmental for a creature that had done nothing all night.

“Yeah, yeah. I know.” You muttered, crouching to scratch behind her ears. “I missed breakfast. Again.”

Nova flicked her tail and sauntered over to the window ledge, where she perched with queenly disdain. You collapsed onto the couch, halfway to sleep, when you heard the softest rustle at your door.

A moment later, claws tapping on tile. 

You blinked.

Nova’s head turned, ears forward.

And then Liho padded into the room like he owned it.

“Of course.” You mumbled. “Your as entitled as your mom.”

He didn’t acknowledge you. Just leapt lightly onto the couch armrest, looked at Nova, and let out a low, insistent meow. Nova chirped back, tail swishing. Then the two of them trotted off to the sunspot in the window, silent, synchronised and absolutely plotting something.

After nearly five straight hours of debriefs, fallout containment, a call with Berlin and two hours sorting the mess someone left in the SHIELD East-Asia rotation schedule, your brain had turned to static.

You barely remembered kicking your boots off, pouring way too much cat food out that you knew wasn’t needed. You didn’t even make it under the covers, just collapsed sideways onto the bed like a felled tree and let the darkness take you.

You weren’t sure how long you were out, it can’t have been long, when you were woken by a sharp, persistent knock.

You groaned. Then came the voice, sharp, clipped, pissed.

“Open the damn door.”

You peeled one eye open. For a second you weren’t even sure where you were.

Then came another knock, louder this time.

You stumbled out of bed, still half-dreaming and cracked the door open.

Natasha stood there, tense and wild-eyed, hair loose and jacket half-zipped. “Where is he?”

You blinked. “What?”

“Liho.” She snapped. “He’s been missing all night. He didn’t come back. I checked the vents. I checked the stairwell. I even called Barton in case he’d taken him for some insane reason-“

You opened the door wider. Liho had now moved and was sprawled across the foot of your bed, sleeping like a rock beside Nova, both of them full and blissfully unconscious.

“I- I got back like- I- I was sleeping. I- Nova-“ Your brain was not working so you finished, lamely. “He stayed.”

Natasha stared past you at the cats. “You just… let him stay?”

“I was tired. I am tired.”

“I can’t believe you just fed him and just what? Adopted him? You don’t just feed someone’s cat and let him shack up with yours like it’s a sleepover. Do you know how long I’ve been looking for him? I’m sorry, I must’ve missed the mind link between your cat and mine. What gave you the idea you could just keep him in your room like some stray?! You could’ve-“

You didn’t let her finish. You just turned around, walked past your own damn bed like your soul was leaving your body and crawled under the covers without ceremony. Boots still on the floor. Hair still a mess. Full collapse.

She blinked at you from the doorway, caught mid-mouthing what was clearly about to be a fresh round of protest.

“What are you doing?” She asked, sharply.

You pulled the blanket up to your shoulder and buried half your face into the pillow. “You can stay. You can shout. You can give me a ten-point breakdown on why I’m a menace to feline boundaries, do whatever the hell you want. But I-“ You paused to yawn. “-am going to sleep.”

She didn’t say anything.

“I just redirected a covert international leak, ran back to back simulations, talked a SWAT team out of storming a Paris train station and filed paperwork for an agent who listed their emergency contact as ‘their dog.’” Your voice was muffled now. “I got off the clock ten minutes ago, which was 5:30am when I should have got off at 10pm last night. I start again at 8am so please… do whatever you want. Just do it quietly.”

There was silence behind you, for so long you almost peeked.

Then a sigh, soft but loud enough for you to hear. 

The door clicked shut.

And you fell asleep with the vague impression of footsteps retreating… and one small, warm weight curling up behind your knees.

Liho had apparently claimed you too. Cat diplomacy was alive and well.

⋆⋆⋆⋆

You’d known it was going to be a long day the second your comm lit up with a Level 3 incident before breakfast. A black market arms deal laced with HYDRA tech, a faction of ex-SHIELD operatives and at least three different jurisdictions all fighting over the same intel dump.

You were in the War Room for six straight hours coordinating personnel, redirecting satellite feeds, cross-checking with intelligence logs and trying to keep three hot-headed local agencies from pulling rank on each other. 

The briefing was in full swing and the mission parameters were clear: silent infiltration, intelligence sweep, no casualties, no noise. You stood at the head of the table, tapping through satellite footage and agent placements.

Then Natasha walked in.

She was assigned as field oversight, not your call, strictly Fury’s and favouritism. Of course she’d go straight over your head to get in on things. But from the moment she entered the briefing, the air in the room got colder.

She stood behind the table, arms crossed, jaw tight, as you explained the multi-agency strategy.

“This is a low-profile engagement.” You said, gesturing to the live map. “Covert extraction, minimum exposure. I’ve already tagged tactical points. Barton and Wilson have joined this mission as per request and they can get us in and out without triggering a full lockdown. Local forces have eyes on the perimeter, but we’ve got a ten-minute window if we’re clean. If we engage overtly, we risk exposing the double agent inside-“

“You’re sending two people, no- two avengers, into a triple-faction gridlock with three escape routes and no confirmed friendly perimeter?” Natasha interrupted, voice clipped. “You’re assuming too much control. That’s either arrogance or delusion.”

You turned to her, calm and sharp. “I know it’s a calculated risk. One I’ve assessed. One I’ve handled before. And I’m assuming trained agents can handle what they’ve handled a hundred times in the past.”

“It’s not about training.” She snapped. “It’s about instincts. And yours don’t extend past a monitor.”

A low oof floated from somewhere behind you. You didn’t turn to look.

The silence crackled.

You stepped forward, cool and precise. “If you have a tactical suggestion, Romanoff, I’m happy to hear it. This isn’t about you. This is about the mission.”

“And I am part the mission.” She fired back, her voice rising slightly. “You can’t coordinate a team you don’t even understand.”

“You’re out of line, Romanoff.”

That earned a few coughs masked as throat clearing. Steve shifted awkwardly. Bucky suddenly found the ceiling very interesting.

Natasha’s eyes narrowed. “You don’t get to tell me how to do my job.”

“No.” You said, evenly. “But I do get to tell you when you’re disrupting mine.”

A pause.

“Now, if you’re not going to follow the plan then don’t involve yourself in the op. You’re not needed." It came out sharper than you intended, clipped, final. But you didn’t take it back.

Natasha’s head tilted, slow and deadly. “So now you’re deciding who gets to be an Avenger?”

You met her eyes, unwavering. “I’m deciding who’s actively undermining a live operation with personal ego.”

She took a step closer, eyes flaring. “Don’t confuse questioning your judgment with ego.”

“I’m not confused.” You stated, calmly. “You’re the one struggling with the difference between control and cooperation.”

Natasha blinked, just once but her jaw clenched.

Before she could speak again, you turned to the table, back to the mission. “Thank you, Agent Romanoff. That will be all for today.”

Her voice sliced back, sharp and incredulous. “What?”

You looked over your shoulder at her. “You’re dismissed.”

She blinked, like she couldn’t quite believe you’d said it. “Excuse me?”

You didn’t raise your voice. You didn’t flinch. You didn’t need to.

“You’re. Dismissed.”

The silence cracked like ice. For a split second, it looked like she might argue. Like she might refuse.

But she didn’t.

Instead, Natasha Romanoff turned on her heel and walked out, the sound of her boots echoing like gunfire in the room.

The doors hissed shut behind her.

No one spoke.

Tony let out a long breath. “God, I wish I had popcorn.”

Wanda sipped her coffee awkwardly, looking at you with a supportive smile. “She just needs to cool off.”

You ignored them. “As I was saying let’s get eyes back on Grid Five. We’ve now got a nine minute window.”

And just like that, the mission resumed.

But the tension never left.

⋆⋆⋆⋆

You padded into the Tower’s common area in socks and a hoodie, hair down, your expression softer now that the adrenaline had faded. The mission had gone smoothly. Sam and Clint were fine and already on their way back the asset was secured and nobody died. Always a plus.

You were just finishing your tea when Wanda floated in, barefoot and glowing slightly in that always effortlessly beautiful way.

“How are you doing since earlier?” She said gently, plucking a mug from the cabinet.

You groaned. “Please tell me I overheard the wrong thing and there isn’t a betting pool.”

“There was. It’s closed now.” She smiled. “My money was on you letting her get away with it so I'm pleasantly surprised. No one expected you to go full military commander in front of her.”

“She came in hot.”

“She always does.”

You leaned against the counter. “I didn’t want to humiliate her but she can not keep doing this to me.”

“She’s been used to calling shots for a long time.” Wanda said, sipping. “Letting someone else take the lead… it’s not easy.”

You nodded slowly. “That’s fair but she has to give me a chance or what's the point here?"

Before either of you could say more, a door slammed down the hall. It slammed so hard, your cup shook on the countertop.

Footsteps, sharp and fast and echoed closer.

Natasha Romanoff stormed into the common area, her braid swaying behind her like a warning flag and… carrying your cat.

You blinked. “Uh-“

“She was in my room.” Natasha snapped, thrusting Nova into your arms like she was radioactive. “Again.”

Nova meowed lazily, completely unbothered.

Behind Natasha, Liho trotted in, giving a pathetic little whimpering meow as he stared at Nova like she held the secrets of the universe.

“She somehow got in through the vents that imbe blocked off TWICE.” Natasha continued, arms crossed, tone sharp. “Woke up with her sleeping on my chest.”

Wanda tried not to laugh.

“She’s got a thing for hostile environments.” You shrugged, letting Nova jump down from your arms. “She probably thought she was doing a wellness check.”

Natasha pointed down. “And now he won’t leave her alone. He hasn’t left my side in two years and now he’s acting pathetic.”

“Liho, buddy.” You said gently, glancing at the sleek black cat who was now flopping at Nova’s feet in utter devotion. “You okay?”

He meowed, long, sad and tragic.

“He’s embarrassing himself.” Natasha muttered.

You tried to hand Nova off, half-joking. “You want her back?”

“No.” She snapped. “Keep her out of my room. Next time I find her on my bed, I’m locking her in the vents.”

“She’ll chew through steel.” You smirk. “She has… commitment issues.”

Natasha turned, already walking away.

“Come on, Liho!”

Liho did not come on.

He stayed planted where he was, curling himself around Nova like a stage-five clinger.

Natasha stopped at the doorway, turned and glared at her own cat this time.

“Traitor.”

Then she stormed off.

You looked down at the cats. Nova had already fallen asleep, half on top of Liho.

“…Well.” You muttered, sipping your tea. “I guess that’s going to be a thing.”

Wanda was still grinning. “They love each other.”

You arched an eyebrow. “And she hates that.”

Wanda nodded. “It’s adorable.”

You sighed, staring toward the hall Natasha had disappeared into.

“Would she throw her widow bites at me if I initiate a custody agreement?”

⋆⋆⋆⋆

You sat across from Maria Hill in her office, the door closed, the lights dimmed to that ‘I’m listening but I’m also watching for incoming missiles’ level that she seemed to live in.

Hill was calm, as usual, pen in hand, notes in perfect lines, expression unreadable.

“You’ve handled bigger egos than Romanoff.” She said after a moment.

“Yeah but most of them didn’t glower at me like they were calculating sniper angles.”

Hill cracked a smirk. “She respects strength. Just not when it’s not hers.”

You leaned back. “Then what? Wait for her to get bored of fighting me?”

“Nope.” Hill said, flipping to a different page in the file on her desk. “You make her feel something.”

You arched a brow. “Should I send her a scented candle and a therapy voucher?”

“Send her out?” Hill said, blunt and pointed. “Let her vent it out on the field. Make her trust you with something small. If she’s out there and you’re on comms, she has to listen and trust. If it works, she starts seeing you as a partner. If it doesn’t…. well, at least she’ll be too tired to pick a fight for a few days.”

You didn’t love it but she wasn’t wrong.

⋆⋆⋆⋆

It wasn’t complicated.

Infiltrate a low-security facility storing stolen Stark tech. Clear the perimeter, locate the gear, extract it before local law enforcement even noticed the breach. In and out. Nothing Natasha hadn’t done a hundred times.

You assigned her a small four-person team, just enough to make her feel like she had autonomy, not enough to blow the op wide open.

She accepted the mission with a flat look and a nod that barely counted as acknowledgment.

“Eyes on the north door, Romanoff. That camera blind spot’s shifting in ninety seconds. Move on my mark.”

You sat in the War Room, headset on, watching the drone feeds flicker with real-time surveillance.

Natasha’s voice crackled back, already dry. “Roger that, handler.”

The way she said it made the word sound like a curse.

You ignored it, choosing professionalism, choosing to stay focused. Even with Clint snickering behind you.

“Move now. You’ve got a seventy second window before the guard rotates back. Left hallway, second door. Your target’s in the vault. Code incoming, sending to your reader.”

A pause.

“Copy.” Her teammate echoed.

Natasha? Silent.

But you saw her on the feed, moving exactly as instructed.

So far, so good.

Then the extraction point fell apart.

Three patrols. A late shift change you hadn’t predicted. Not enough to blow the mission but enough to shift it into ‘get creative or get caught’ territory. In hindsight, this wasn’t a big deal, it happens often but with Romanoff? Everything was a big deal when she had to wait for an instruction for longer than 0.4 seconds. 

“Romanoff. Change of plans. South exit is compromised. Sending you east, through the shipping bay. I’ll clear your path.”

“No.” Natasha uttered, immediately. “Too exposed. We’ll take the upper rafters and loop behind.”

You narrowed your eyes. “That’s a ten minute detour. You don’t have the time.”

“I’ll make the time.”

“You don’t need to. Just follow the reroute.”

“I don’t need your hand holding.”

You didn’t even blink.

“That’s not what this is. That’s a direct order. East. Bay doors. Now.”

Silence on the line.

Then, cool as ever: “I’m going north.”

Your jaw clenched. “That’s not the f-“

You cut yourself off, breathed in once and recentered.

“Romanoff, you’re putting your teammate and the mission at risk. Follow the goddamn plan.”

She didn’t even pause.

“Comms going fuzzy. Must be the interference.”

And just like that? Radio silence.

Your hands flexed around the edge of the console, knuckles white.

The other agents in the room were quiet, pretending they weren’t listening but they were. They always did when your voice slipped into command tone.

“She’s gone full rogue.” One of the techs muttered, trying to get the communication line back one. 

“She does that.” Another whispered.

You didn’t hear them. You were already switching feeds, already tracking her movement across the rafters, already rewriting the playbook around her impulsiveness. 

“It’s not a bad call.” Clint cringed from behind, watching as the team were successfully reaching the new extraction point. “But she should have listened.”

“Extraction complete.” The robotic voice echoed as you saw the jet leave, already on the way back to HQ. The mission was done. Clean extract. No injuries. Tech secured.

And still you could feel the pulse in your jaw as you watched the screen fade to black, the live feed from Natasha’s team cutting out once they were airborne.

You didn’t say anything but you didn’t have to.

The others were already filtering out of the War Room behind you.

“She made it harder than it had to be.” Steve said first, quiet but firm and supportive. “That route you gave them was solid.”

“She didn’t even hesitate.” You said, still staring at the screen. “Just ignored direct orders mid-op like it was optional.”

“She didn’t just ignore you.” Bucky added, arms crossed, leaning against the frame of the doorway. “She ignored the chain of command. That’s not just dangerous. That’s disrespect.”

Clint shifted beside you, chewing the inside of his cheek. “It was a good route. I’m not saying she was right because she wasn’t but Nat’s always been more instinct than protocol. That’s how she’s survived.”

“She’s not on a solo mission anymore.” You said, trying not to raise your voice in fury. “If her instincts tell her to go rogue during a coordinated extraction, they’re not instincts, they’re liabilities. She’s been in SHIELD for how long? She knows how these things go and I’m sure as hell, she’s never disobeyed Commander Hill when she’s been present. So why now? I think we all know why.”

Everyone went quiet.

Then Wanda spoke, voice level but not soft. “You were right. She should’ve followed the plan. Unless it’s life or death, comms takes lead.”

“Exactly.” You muttered. “The second she starts picking and choosing when orders matter, she turns the whole team into a guessing game. I can’t have junior agents thinking this is the way it goes.”

Steve nodded. “You’re not wrong. And deep down, she knows it.”

You finally turned away from the monitors, rubbing a hand across your jaw.

Clint offered, a little more cautious, “You want us to talk to her?”

“No.” You said, firmly. “I’ll handle it.”

There was something final in your tone. Not cruel but resolute.

“She doesn’t get special treatment. Not from me. Not from anyone in this room.”

No one disagreed.

And that silence said everything.

⋆⋆⋆⋆

The Quinjet touched down on the landing pad with all the subtlety of a sigh, the soft hiss of hydraulics breaking the stillness of the hangar.

Natasha descended the ramp first, flawless as ever, no blood, no bruises, not even a scuff on her gear. She walked like the mission had gone off without a hitch.

Like she hadn’t just made you re-route an entire operation mid-flight while she played solo with federal-grade weapons.

And there you were, standing at the base of the ramp, arms folded, headset clipped to your belt, expression unreadable.

She paused when she saw you, just for half a second. Barely perceptible but it was there.

Her posture shifted, shoulders straighter, steps slower.

“Debrief’s already logged.” She drawled, tone casual, like she’d walked into a meeting five minutes early.

“Not with me.” You replied simply.

She opened her mouth, maybe to argue, maybe to deflect but you were already turning.

“Follow me.”

And for once, she did follow an order.

You walked fast, no wasted steps. No looking back to see if she was behind you. She was. You could feel it.

The others stayed behind, lingering at the jet, exchanging glances none of them dared speak aloud.

You didn’t stop until you reached the private debrief room, just off the tactical floor. Soundproofed. Sealed. One table. Two chairs.

You opened the door and held it just long enough.

“In.”

Natasha stepped inside like she wasn’t being led somewhere like she’d chosen it. But the tension in her jaw said otherwise. The door closed behind you with a soft click.

No one else.

No distractions.

Just you, the table and the weight of everything unsaid.

You didn’t sit.

She did slowly, like she was waiting for a trap.

You stayed standing, arms crossed and voice barely controlled.

“Do you have any idea what you risked today?”

Natasha looked up, expression unreadable. “We got out. Mission was a success.”

You leaned forward, both palms flat on the table on the other side of the desk.

“You don’t get to rewrite what success looks like. Not when you willfully went against a direct order in a live field operation.”

Her brow lifted slightly. “I made a tactical decision.”

“You made a power play.” You snapped, your patience wearing thin.

She stilled.

You continued, quieter now. More dangerous.

“And if your ego had gotten your teammate injured, or worse? What then? You think your instincts would’ve carried them through that? Or would you have to rely on the comms, the people who can see and access everything, like what’s supposed to happen? 

“You act like I don’t know what I’m doing.” She said, voice finally cutting back. “Like I haven’t made calls in worse situations than you’ve seen on a screen.”

“I act like you’re part of a team.” You shot back. “And on a team, you don’t get to go rogue just because you don’t like who’s holding the comms.”

You stepped back from the table, your jaw tight and hands clenched once at your sides, then relaxed again.

“You’re not in charge out there. I am. And if you ever pull that again-“

She stood slowly.

“What?” She challenge, voice low. “You’ll bench me?”

You stared at her.

“No.” You almost had to laugh, voice like ice. “I don’t think you’ll sit still. I think you’ll burn the room down on your way out.”

Natasha’s jaw flexed but you cut her off before she could speak again.

“You go rogue again, you won’t be benched.” You leaned in, just slightly, low and calm, no heat, no rage. “You’ll be out. Out of the field. Out of the team. Out of this tower before you can pack up Liho’s dishes.”

Natasha’s eyes narrowed.

“You think you’d have permission to do that?” You wish you could have swiped that smirk off of her face.

“You think I need permission to remove you? Maybe you aren’t reckless like I thought after tonight, maybe you’re as stupid as I should have assumed.” The venom in your voice even surprised you. “You’re dismissed, Agent.”

For the first time, Natasha didn’t have a comeback. Something flickered in her eyes like she was also holding herself back from brawling with you right there in the empty room.

You stepped back, not giving her a chance to leave before you. You wanted away from her as fast as possible. Just as you got to the door, you turned and looked at her.

“Early retirement…” You said, almost softly, almost like a kindness. “It might look good on you.”

And then you left her there, quiet, jaw tight, blinking like someone who didn’t expect to be outplayed in her own game.

⋆⋆⋆⋆

The gym was quiet at this hour. Just the faint hum of the overhead lights and the rhythmic thump of your fists against the heavy bag. You didn’t count reps. You didn’t need to. This wasn’t training, it was purging. Pushing the weight of her voice out of your head, the memory of her stepping close like she owned the floor beneath your feet, like you were the one trespassing.

You hadn’t changed out of your tac gear, sweat clung to your spine and your knuckles were raw inside the wraps. You kept swinging.

Then a quiet click of the door caught your attention.

You turned, breath sharp, ready for round two but thankfully it was just Bucky.

And Nova.

She was draped across his forearm like a spoiled princess, completely at ease, purring softly as his metal fingers gently scratched behind her ears.

“I found her outside Nat’s place. Pretty sure she threw her out.” He smirked, tone low, casual. “I tried taking her to see Wanda but she sat on my chest and refused to leave ‘til I carried her somewhere.”

You managed a tired smile. “She does that. Not a fan of personal space.”

“She’s alright.” He murmured, crossing the mat to you. “Little demanding. Real judgmental.”

“Sounds familiar, must come with moving into this place.” You muttered, brushing a hand through your damp hair.

He quirked a brow but didn’t press.

You collapsed onto the nearest bench with a groan, chest still rising and falling from the workout. Bucky sat across from you, setting Nova down in his lap. She immediately curled up, content and utterly unconcerned with the chaos you’d been carrying all night.

“She likes you.”

“Yeah, well…” He said, stroking down her spine. “I’ve got the emotional depth of a housecat. Maybe she relates.”

You huffed a small laugh.

“She makes me so angry.”

Bucky didn’t ask who. He didn’t have to.

You kept your eyes on the floor, words dragging out of you like a confession.

“I try to be fair. I give her space. I show her respect. But every time I offer her the chance to meet me halfway, she acts like I’m trying to control her, like I’m the enemy.”

Bucky listened, gaze steady.

“She walks into every room like she’s already winning. Like trusting anyone is a weakness she won’t allow herself to have.” Your fists clenched again, tight. “And I get it. I get it. But that doesn’t make it any less exhausting.”

Nova jumped from his lap and hopped up beside you, butting her head against your arm before settling on your thigh.

You exhaled.

“I’ve worked with cold people, broken people, people who’ve lost everything. But she’s different. She- She looks at me like I’m a threat just for doing my job. Like I’m trying to take something from her.”

“She doesn’t hate you.” Bucky said after a beat.

You looked up.

“She doesn’t even dislike you.” He added. “That would be easier. But this?” He gave a soft huff. “This is what Natasha looks like when she’s trying not to feel something she doesn’t know how to explain.”

You were quiet for a moment.

“Could’ve fooled me.”

He offered a ghost of a smile. “She’s trying. In her own way.”

“And failing spectacularly.”

“That’s the only way she knows how.”

You didn’t speak for a moment, your hand absently stroking down Nova’s back.

“I don’t need her to like me.”

Bucky tilted his head. “No?”

You looked at him, jaw tight. “I just need her to trust me. And if she can’t then we’ve got a problem.”

⋆⋆⋆⋆

Mandatory dinner was yet another one of Tony’s idea.

Which meant takeout containers spread across the kitchen island, music playing a little too loud and an unspoken agreement that no one would talk about missions, protocols or the fact that someone had nearly set fire to the training room earlier that week. Thor. It was Thor. He’d been on Earth for two days and mayhem had followed.

You were just starting to relax, actually laughing at something Clint said when the elevator doors opened.

Everyone turned as Natasha stepped out.

And she was carrying Nova.

The cat looked pathetic, ears back, body limp, a little smear of dried puke on her whiskers.

“Where is she?” Natasha’s voice rang out across the room.

You stood instinctively. “What-“

“She was in my room again.” Natasha snapped, crossing the floor with military precision. “I came back from the gym and she was curled up in my laundry basket, vomiting on my clothes.”

You rushed forward, arms out. “Is she okay?!”

“I don’t know, you tell me! She looked like she was coughing up her soul.”

You gently took Nova from her as she  gave a weak 'mrrp' and immediately pressed herself into your chest.

“Oh, baby.” You whispered, stroking her back. “You’re okay, shh…”

“She is not okay.” Natasha said, still loud, still pacing. “She was gagging and shaking and acting like she’d been poisoned. I thought she was dying on my carpet.”

You didn’t look up. “She gets like that sometimes when she eats too fast. Or gets too worked up.”

“Oh, great.” Natasha snapped. “She’s emotionally dramatic, too.”

You winced, rubbing Nova’s ears. “Could you not-“

“She shouldn’t be in my room in the first place!” Natasha snapped, now talking more with her hands. “She’s broken into my vents three times this week. I’ve locked the door, blocked the crawlspace, sprayed lemon oil, and barricaded the closet. You know where I found her today? Inside my pillowcase.”

“She probably just wanted to be near Liho.” You explained softly, still focused on Nova. “She gets anxious when they’re apart too long.”

“She’s not dating my cat!”

Nova meowed weakly between you, a pitiful sound made worse by the awkward silence around you. Before you could reply, Liho was suddenly there and from his perch on the kitchen island, he was leaving over to lick at Nova, clearly more worried than his owner.

“She’s ok buddy, she’s just a little sick.” You muttered as Nova preened under the attention. 

“Get her away from him, she doesn’t need to make my cat sick too!” You breathed out, Nova looking miserable and sick in her arms, you felt your patience crack like glass under pressure.

“Are you serious?”

“She’s been dragging herself across my floor like a dying starfish and now Liho’s not even eating his dinner. Don’t act like this doesn’t start with your cat.”

“She’s not contagious, she’s just sick!” You bit out. “She got into the vents again, probably stressed herself out, and-“

“Oh again, right.” Natasha said, full tilt now. “Because it’s perfectly normal for a cat to rip apart a vent cover to sneak into my apartment and throw up in my underwear.”

“She was looking for comfort!” You snapped, unable to hold back now. “And clearly she made a mistake cause she wasn’t gonna find any with you.”

“Oh yeah?” Natasha laughed dryly. “You think this is about her needing comfort-“

You stepped forward, Nova still pressed against you. “I didn’t ask her to sneak into your room. I didn’t teach her to chew through metal. And I sure as hell didn’t plan for her to get sick on your weird tactical panties!”

“Oh real mat-“ Natasha’s voice was still echoing when you stepped in front of her, Nova cradled protectively against your chest. The others had gone silent, dinner abandoned, eyes flicking between you like they were watching a bomb countdown.

You were done being polite, done holding the line or the white flag.

You looked her dead in the eye. “Natasha, I don’t know what else you want from me.”

Her mouth opened, ready to fire back but you didn’t give her the chance.

“You hate me.” Your voice was even. “You hate how I work. You hate that I give orders you don’t like. You hate that my cat prefers your vents over her own bed. And honestly? I don’t care anymore.��

The words hit like a slap, not loud but undeniable.

“Liho shows up in my room every damn day.” You gestured toward the hallway, where his black fur still clung to the sleeve of your hoodie. “He leaves hair everywhere. He knocked over my lamp yesterday. But you know what I didn’t do?”

You didn’t wait for her to answer.

“I didn’t storm into your space shouting like you burned my house down. Because he’s a cat. They do unpredictable, messy, inconvenient things. That’s kind of their whole deal.”

You shifted Nova gently, your voice softening for just a second as she nuzzled into your collarbone with a tired, faint purr.

Then your gaze cut back to Natasha.

“Get over it. And while you’re at it? Do everybody a favour and get over yourself.”

Natasha’s jaw flexed but she didn’t speak. Her eyes were hot with something, rage or regret or something else she’d never name.

But you were done waiting for her to figure it out.

Then you felt it. Nova’s body stiffened slightly, a low, pitiful sound rumbling in her throat. You pulled her back to look at her and there it was again.

A gag.

Her whole body convulsed.

“Nova?” You whispered, panic sliding through you fast. “Hey, hey, sweetheart, it’s okay.”

Another dry heave. Her ears pinned, eyes watering.

“Oh my god.”

You turned, fast. “I need to get her downstairs. Now.”

“I’ll come with you.” Wanda said, already rising from the couch, her face tight with concern.

You didn’t even glance back at Natasha as you moved toward the elevator, Nova curled weakly in your arms, her breathing uneven.

Wanda followed, silent, her hand glowing just faintly. ready to help, to soothe, to do something.

The elevator pinged and as the doors slid open, all Natasha could do was watch, your face drawn with worry, arms wrapped tightly around Nova’s trembling body. Your eyes didn’t meet hers. Liho hovered at your heels, pacing in restless circles, the soft sound of his claws tapping against the floor the only noise in the heavy silence. Then you stepped inside. Wanda followed without a word. And the doors closed before Natasha could even move.

⋆⋆⋆⋆

The exam room was quiet, sterile, humming faintly under flickering LED lights. Nova lay curled on the metal table, bundled in a fleece blanket printed with little cartoon mice. Her purring had finally steadied and she looked smug, frankly, for someone who’d caused a full-blown domestic incident two hours earlier.

You were perched on the edge of the bench, hair a mess, hoodie pulled halfway over one hand where you’d been nervously chewing your thumb.

Wanda sat beside you, sipping a paper cup of watery tea like it might cure dread. “She looks fine now.”

“She always looks fine until she’s projectile vomiting on someone’s tactical boots.”

The vet walked back in, cheerful as ever, holding a tablet. Dr. Montgomery, according to the badge. Mid-50s, calm, confident, clearly a woman who’d seen some things. Possibly a cat exorcism.

“Vitals are good.” She smiled pleasantly, setting the tablet down. “No obstruction, no fever. Classic overexertion, might’ve stressed herself out.”

You exhaled, slumping with relief. “Okay. So it’s not anything serious?”

“Not at all. Maybe a little nausea from hormone fluctuation but very common during early feline pregnancies.”

You blinked.

“…What?”

She tapped the tablet casually. “You might notice her appetite change soon, some mild irritability, nesting behavior, the usual.”

You squinted. “Sorry, did you just say ‘feline pregnancies’?”

Dr. Montgomery looked up, completely unbothered. “Yes. She’s pregnant.”

You and Wanda exchanged a slow, wide-eyed look.

Then back at the vet.

“Pregnant.” You echoed, like you were trying the word for the first time.

“About four, maybe five weeks,” She added, scratching something on his chart. “Textbook. Honestly, I’m surprised you didn’t notice the weight shift.”

“…She’s never even left the Tower.” 

Wanda saw the moment the realisation set in your face as she murmured a quiet: “She never had too.”

You stared at Nova, who was now blissfully asleep on the exam table, one paw curled over her stomach like she knew exactly what she’d done.

You exhaled slowly.

“…Son of a bitch."

You blocked out the sound of Wanda's sniggering in the background and her faint. "Literally."

[ideas-for-you-to-adopt]

You Lost Me

Main Masterlist

Summary: With a single glance, Y/n understood that it was time to take a leap of faith, to embrace the possibility of a love that could heal their wounded souls.

Pairing:

Natasha Romanoff x gn!reader (past)

Wanda Maximoff x gn!reader

Genre: Fluff then downright Angst

Word count: 7.7k

Warning(s): brace for impact

A/N: As per request, here is the part two of You're Losing Me. I'm sorry once again. (:

Years had passed since Y/n summoned the courage to walk away from Natasha. The initial aftermath of their decision was a tumultuous emotional rollercoaster, filled with heartache and longing. Every corner of their world seemed to echo with memories of their time together, reminding Y/n of the love they had lost.

The void left by Natasha's absence felt all-encompassing, a constant ache in Y/n's chest. The familiar places they used to visit together became bittersweet reminders of a past that was now unreachable. Y/n found themselves grappling with the conflicting emotions of grief and the need to move forward.

In those early days, Y/n's heart yearned for peace, for a sanctuary where they could heal away from the haunting specter of their lost love. It was during this time that they stumbled upon a new job opportunity, one that offered a fresh start and the promise of a distraction from their painful memories. The prospect of escaping the constant worry of running into Natasha brought a glimmer of hope to their shattered heart.

With every passing day at their new job, Y/n found solace and a renewed sense of purpose. The tasks they engaged in became therapeutic, diverting their thoughts from the past and allowing them to focus on the present moment. The daily routine became a lifeline, an anchor that kept them grounded amidst the storm of emotions.

It was music that truly became Y/n's constant companion during those trying times. As they walked the streets, the melodies flowing through their earphones acted as a shield, drowning out the memories that threatened to overwhelm them. Each song became a powerful antidote, their lyrics resonating with Y/n's emotions, offering catharsis and a temporary escape from the pain.

On a sunny morning, Y/n walked briskly, lost in the melody playing through their earphones. The rhythm fueled their steps, bringing a sense of purpose to their stride. But as fate would have it, their path collided with a lean figure, and before they could react, a collision occurred. Y/n looked up, their eyes widening in surprise at the unique hair color of the person they bumped into.

"Pietro! I told you to watch where you're going! I'm sorry for my brother's actions, miss. I hope he didn't cause you any damage." The voice that reached Y/n's ears was melodic and profound, capturing their attention instantly. They looked into the eyes of the woman who spoke, finding themselves mesmerized by their depth and warmth. Before Y/n could reply, the man, Pietro, interjected.

"She's fine, setra. The impact wasn't that hard, right, miss?" Pietro's thick accent accompanied his words, and Y/n couldn't help but notice the playful twinkle in his eyes. The unexpected encounter left them momentarily speechless, trying to process the situation unfolding before them.

As the woman and Pietro continued their playful banter, Y/n found their voice, finally breaking the silence. "It's alright, really. No harm done," they replied, their voice tinged with a mix of surprise and curiosity.

The woman's gaze softened, and a warm smile graced her lips. "I apologize once again. My brother can be quite careless at times." Her genuine concern resonated in her words, drawing Y/n's attention to her compassionate nature.

Pietro, however, shrugged nonchalantly. "Oh, come on! You worry too much. She's fine, isn't she?" he said, his mischievous grin never leaving his face.

Y/n couldn't help but smile at Pietro's lightheartedness. "Yes, I assure you, I'm perfectly fine," they replied, feeling a hint of amusement creeping into their voice.

The trio stood there, a moment of awkward silence hanging in the air. Y/n's curiosity got the better of them, and they finally spoke up. "I couldn't help but notice your unique hair color," they said, their eyes landing on Pietro's hair.

The silver haired boy chuckled softly, running his fingers through his vibrant locks. "Yes, it's a bit unconventional, isn't it? But it's just a part of who I am."

The woman chimed in, her tone filled with playful sarcasm. "And a way for him to stand out in a crowd, as if his personality doesn't do that already."

Pietro rolled his eyes, playfully nudging the still nameless woman's arm. "Don't mind her. She's just jealous of my fashion choices."

The lighthearted exchange between the duo brought a sense of joy to Y/n, momentarily lifting the weight of their past heartache. There was something refreshing about the siblings' dynamic, a spark that reignited a flicker of happiness within Y/n's heart.

Y/n extended a hand towards the woman. "I'm Y/n. It's nice to meet you both," they introduced themselves, eager to learn more about these intriguing strangers.

Setra shook Y/n's hand warmly, a genuine smile gracing her face. "Y/n, pleasure to meet you too. This troublemaker here is my brother, Pietro and I'm Wanda."

Pietro mockingly bowed, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "At your service, Y/n. I apologize once again for our unexpected encounter."

Y/n chuckled, feeling a newfound connection forming in that moment. "No need to apologize anymore. It seems fate had a hand in bringing us together."

Wanda's eyes sparkled with curiosity as she glanced at Y/n. "So, where are you heading to? Perhaps my brother and I can walk you there," she suggested with a warm smile.

Y/n's heart skipped a beat at the thought of spending more time with Wanda, feeling a sense of comfort and familiarity in her presence. They nodded, their blush deepening. "I'm actually heading to work at a music store nearby," Y/n replied, their voice filled with a mix of excitement and fondness for the place.

Wanda's eyes lit up at the mention of the music store, a genuine enthusiasm shining through. "Music has always been my comfort, especially during the tragedies of our lives," she shared, her voice tinged with a hint of nostalgia. "I would love to accompany you. Lead the way, Y/n."

With a shy smile, Y/n linked their arm with Wanda's, feeling a subtle electric current pass between them. The warmth of their connection enveloped them, momentarily forgetting Pietro, who stood nearby with a dumbfounded expression on his face.

As Y/n and Wanda continued their walk together, their steps in sync, a comfortable silence settled between them. The world seemed to fade into the background as they exchanged glances and shared unspoken understanding. Y/n couldn't help but blush, their heart fluttering at the closeness they were experiencing.

Pietro, finally recovering from his surprise, shook his head with a bemused smile. "Well, looks like I've been left behind," he remarked, his voice filled with amusement. He quickened his pace to catch up with the two, joining them in their journey to the music store.

----------

Ever since their fateful encounter, Y/n and Wanda had been texting each other back and forth, their conversations filled with laughter, shared interests, and growing affection. Y/n had no idea about Wanda's dangerous life as an Avenger, but they found comfort in the moments they spent together.

On days when Wanda was occupied with her heroic duties, she would make it up to Y/n by visiting their place. They would spend entire days laughing, chatting, and immersing themselves in movies. Each moment was a precious treasure, deepening their connection and fueling their desire to be together.

During one of Wanda's visits, as they sat close to each other, Y/n noticed a bruise forming on Wanda's cheek. Concern instantly coursed through Y/n's veins, and without a second thought, they gently cupped Wanda's cheeks, their eyes filled with worry. Their closeness made Wanda blush profusely, captivated by Y/n's beauty and overwhelmed by the chance to be this close to them.

Y/n's voice was filled with genuine concern as they asked, "Max, where did you get this bruise? Are you okay?"

Wanda's heart skipped a beat, torn between wanting to confide in Y/n and the fear of losing their friendship if she revealed the truth about her powers and her role as an Avenger. She mustered a smile, hoping to reassure Y/nn. "Don't worry, it's just a small accident at work. Nothing serious," she replied, carefully deflecting the question.

Though Y/n sensed there was more to the story, they respected Wanda's response. They wanted to be a source of comfort and support for Wanda, not a burden. Little did they know that Wanda's feelings ran deeper than friendship, her admiration for Y/n reaching the depths of her soul.

As the day unfolded, Y/n and Wanda continued their activities, the unspoken tension between them adding a touch of bittersweetness to their time together. Y/n's heart ached to know more about Wanda's life and the secrets she held, yet they didn't want to push too hard and risk damaging their delicate bond.

The hours slipped away in a haze of laughter and stolen glances, their connection growing stronger with each passing moment. Neither of them could deny the electric chemistry between them, but fear and uncertainty held them back from crossing that boundary.

----------

As Wanda returned to the Avengers compound, her shoulders slumped and her expression filled with defeat. She couldn't contain the overwhelming emotions that had been building up inside her, and the weight of her growing feelings for Y/n was becoming unbearable. Entering the kitchen, she was greeted by Natasha, her mentor turned friend, who immediately noticed her downcast demeanor.

Natasha, ever perceptive, approached Wanda with a gentle smile. "Hey, Wands. Is everything alright?" she asked, concern etched in her voice.

Wanda sighed, her eyes searching for solace in Natasha's understanding gaze. "Nat, I... I have feelings for someone," she confessed, her voice barely above a whisper.

Natasha's smile faded slightly, recognizing the vulnerability in Wanda's words. She knew all too well the pain of unrequited love and the weight of missed opportunities. She motioned for Wanda to take a seat, silently urging her to share her heartache.

Wanda opened up, her voice trembling with raw honesty. "This person, they're so caring and kind. Just being around them makes my heart beat faster, and it feels like I can't even breathe. They have this way of making me feel seen and understood, like no one else does."

Natasha's eyes softened with a mixture of sympathy and regret. She couldn't help but see glimpses of her past self in Wanda's words. The missed chances, the overlooked moments of tenderness, and the regret of taking someone for granted—all of it came rushing back.

She took a moment to collect her thoughts before responding, her voice filled with sincerity. "Wanda, love is a beautiful and complicated thing. It's both exhilarating and terrifying. Sometimes we don't realize what we have until it's too late. But you have the chance now, and I hope you don't let fear hold you back."

Wanda's eyes welled up with tears as she absorbed Natasha's wisdom. She longed for the courage to embrace her feelings and seize the opportunity to love and be loved.

"I don't want to let fear control me, Nat," Wanda confessed, her voice laced with determination. "I want to be honest with myself and with them. I want to cherish this connection and take a chance, even if it scares me."

Natasha smiled softly, reaching out to squeeze Wanda's hand in support. "Then go for it. Embrace the possibility of love and don't hold back. You deserve happiness."

Their conversation continued late into the night, with Wanda pouring out her heart and Natasha offering guidance and empathy. Natasha made sure to remind Wanda of her worth and the incredible person she had become.

----------

The next day, Wanda mustered up the courage to send Y/n a message, asking if they could spend the day together. As Y/n read the message, their heart skipped a beat at the thought of Wanda wanting to spend time with them. Without hesitation, they eagerly agreed, their excitement and anticipation palpable.

Wanda wasted no time and went straight to Y/n's apartment, her nerves visible on her face. As she entered the familiar space, Y/n could immediately sense Wanda's unease. Concern washed over them, and they gently took Wanda's hand, leading her to the couch, a safe space where they could share their thoughts and emotions.

After settling down, Y/n couldn't hold back their worry any longer. "Wanda, what's wrong?" they asked, their voice filled with genuine concern.

Wanda took a deep breath, her heart pounding with anticipation, as she gathered her thoughts and prepared to confess her feelings to Y/n. With every word she spoke, her voice trembled with raw vulnerability, exposing the depth of her emotions.

"I... I don't know how to begin," Wanda stammered, her eyes locked with Y/n's. "But ever since that day we bumped into each other, something changed within me. You've become someone I can't stop thinking about, someone who makes my heart skip a beat with just a smile."

Y/n listened intently, their own heart racing as they recognized the weight of Wanda's words. They reached out and gently held Wanda's hand, offering comfort and reassurance. "It's okay, Wanda. Take your time. I'm here, and I want to hear everything you have to say."

A flicker of gratitude danced in Wanda's eyes as she drew strength from Y/n's support. She continued, her voice growing steadier. "Being with you feels like finding a missing piece of myself. Your kindness, your warmth, and the way you see the beauty in the world—it all draws me closer to you. I've fallen in love with who you are, inside and out."

Y/n's breath caught in their throat, their own feelings echoing Wanda's words. "Wanda, you've touched my heart in ways I never thought possible. From the moment we met, you've shown me a love that I didn't believe existed anymore. Your strength, your empathy, and the way you see the world with such compassion—it's captivated me completely."

As their eyes locked, an unspoken understanding passed between them. The chemistry that had sparked from the beginning had now transformed into a profound connection, intertwining their souls in a tapestry of love.

Wanda's voice grew softer, a hint of hesitance tingeing her words. "But... I understand if you don't feel the same way. I don't want to lose our friendship. I couldn't bear the thought of not having you in my life."

Y/n's heart swelled with tenderness, their thumb gently tracing circles on Wanda's hand. "Wanda, I want you to know that my heart has already chosen you. The love I feel for you goes beyond friendship, beyond anything I've ever experienced before. I'm here, right now, choosing you."

A mixture of relief and joy washed over Wanda's face, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears. They leaned closer, their foreheads touching as they shared a tender moment of understanding.

In that quiet embrace, their unspoken fears and doubts melted away, replaced by the undeniable truth of their love. Their eyes locked, silently conveying a depth of emotions that words could never fully capture. And in that moment, with a shared understanding, Y/n closed the gap, capturing Wanda's lips in a long-awaited kiss.

Time seemed to stand still as their lips melded together, a fusion of passion and tenderness. It was a kiss that held all the weight of their unspoken desires, all the love they had confessed to one another. In that embrace, they found solace and an affirmation of their connection.

As they finally broke apart, a sense of serenity washed over them. They gazed into each other's eyes, breathless and smiling, their hearts now intertwined on a deeper level. The room seemed to shimmer with newfound possibilities, the air crackling with electricity.

Y/n's voice, soft and filled with wonder, broke the silence. "I never thought I could feel this way again," she whispered, her fingers gently brushing against Wanda's cheek. "You've breathed life into my heart, Wands. I am so grateful to have you by my side."

----------

Wanda's eyes shimmered with hope as she gazed at Y/n, her voice filled with an earnest request. "Y/n, would you like to come with me? I want you to meet the people who have become my family, to see where I stay, to know the real me. Pietro would be thrilled to see you again too."

Y/n's initial hesitance melted away as they looked into Wanda's eyes, seeing the love and sincerity shining within. "I... I would love to, Wanda," they replied, their voice laced with a mixture of excitement and apprehension. "But what if they don't like me?"

Wanda gently cradled Y/n's face in her hands, her gaze unwavering. "Y/n, they will love you. Just as I do," she assured them, her voice carrying a depth of conviction. "You've already captured their hearts through mine, detka"

"Oh, detka, what's happening? How can I help you?" Wanda's hands hovered anxiously, unsure of what to do to ease their pain.

Detka. It has been so long since they've heard that term of endearment. her thoughts wandered down to Natasha. Where could she be right now? Is she still busy chasing fame as an avenger? Did ever regretted taking them for granted?

Her thoughts were instantly cut short by a searing pain on her head. Y/n's expression twisted in agony. They whimpered, unable to contain the intense sensation that pulsed through their head. Wanda's eyes widened with concern, and she immediately rushed to Y/n's side, her voice filled with panic.

Y/n clenched their fists, trying to bear through the waves of agony. "I... I don't know," they managed to say between gritted teeth. "It's... just a headache... it comes and goes randomly."

Wanda's worry deepened at Y/n's response. Headaches were not supposed to be that intense. She held Y/n tightly, offering comfort and support as they rode out the pain together. The minutes felt like an eternity, but eventually, the searing sensation began to subside, leaving Y/n exhausted and drained.

Once the pain had passed, Wanda gently caressed Y/n's face, her eyes filled with concern. "Y/n, that wasn't normal. You shouldn't have to endure such intense headaches. We should go to the hospital and get it checked."

Y/n hesitated, their hand reaching up to brush away a lingering tear. "I... I appreciate your concern, Max," they whispered, their voice filled with a mix of gratitude and apprehension. "But I promise, the next time it happens, I'll tell you. We can go to the hospital together."

Wanda searched Y/n's eyes, sensing their determination. Reluctantly, she nodded, her worry still etched across her face. "Alright, moya lyubov. I trust your judgment. But please remember, I'm here for you, and I'll do whatever it takes to ensure your well-being."

----------

As nightfall enveloped the surroundings, Y/n and Wanda arrived at the Avengers compound. Y/n's eyes widened in disbelief at the sheer size and grandeur of the building. It was a stark contrast to anything they had ever imagined. The realization that Wanda lived in such an extraordinary place left them momentarily stunned.

Entering the elevator that would take them up to the compound's common area, Wanda took a deep breath, her gaze fixed on Y/n. She knew it was time to reveal her true identity, to share the secrets she had kept hidden.

Wanda took a deep breath, her voice trembling slightly as she began to share her painful past. "Dekta, I need to tell you about my past," she started, her gaze never leaving Y/n's eyes. "It was a dark and twisted period of my life. My parents were killed by Stark's weapons and with all the anger, Pietro and I seek revenge and that's when we volunteered for Hydra. Both Pietro and I were subjected to unimaginable pain, manipulation, and experimentation. They sought to control and harness our powers for their own gain."

Y/n listened intently, their heart aching for the suffering Wanda had endured. They reached out and gently clasped Wanda's hand, offering a silent reassurance and encouragement to continue.

Wanda continued, her voice filled with both strength and vulnerability. "But amidst the darkness, I discovered the immense power I possessed. My abilities are a part of who I am, and I have learned to control them. I can manipulate reality, alter minds, and tap into a force beyond comprehension."

Y/n's admiration for Wanda grew with each word. They squeezed her hand gently, conveying their support and acceptance.

"And now," Wanda hesitated, her voice tinged with both apprehension and hope, "Pietro and I are working alongside the Avengers. We're trying to make amends for our past actions and use our powers for good."

As Wanda's words sank in, Y/n felt their body tense up, an icy chill running down their spine. The mention of the Avengers brought forth a flood of conflicting emotions. Within those ranks stood Natasha, the person who had left Y/n heartbroken and shattered.

A heaviness settled upon Y/n, and the thought of facing Natasha once again stirred up waves of anxiety and nausea. They struggled to process the mix of emotions swirling inside them.

Sensing Y/n's turmoil, Wanda's heart sank. She reached out to gently cup their face, her voice laced with concern. "Y/n, I can see that this news has affected you deeply. I'm so sorry for not being completely honest about my powers from the start. I fear that my abilities may be too much for you to handle, that you might see me as a freak."

Y/n's eyes filled with tenderness as they took hold of Wanda's hand, their voice filled with sincerity. "Wanda, please don't say that," they pleaded, their words infused with love. "You are not a freak. Your powers, no matter how incredible, do not define you. It's your kind heart, your strength, and your unwavering compassion that I fell in love with. I am here with you because I believe in you, I believe in us."

Tears welled up in Wanda's eyes, her fears dissipating in the face of Y/n's unwavering love and acceptance. She leaned in, resting her forehead against Y/n's, their connection growing even stronger.

----------

As Wanda and Y/n stepped out of the elevator, their hands intertwined as they entered the bustling common room of the Avengers compound. Eyes turned towards them, curiosity and warmth evident on the faces of Wanda's newfound family.

In that moment, Pietro's eyes lit up with unbridled joy as he spotted Y/n. Without hesitation, he rushed towards them, a wide grin stretching across his face. "Y/n! You're finally here!" he exclaimed, his voice filled with genuine excitement. He swiftly scooped Y/n into his arms, spinning them around in a whirlwind of happiness.

Laughter bubbled out of Y/n, a blend of surprise and delight. "Piet! It's so good to see you too!" they exclaimed, wrapping their arms around his neck in a tight embrace.

Pietro gently set Y/n down, still beaming with enthusiasm. "I've missed you, solnyshko," he said warmly, his accent adding a touch of charm to his words. "And I'm thrilled that my sestra here finally mustered the courage to confess her feelings to you!"

Y/n's cheeks flushed with a mix of embarrassment and affection. They turned to Wanda, whose eyes sparkled with love and gratitude.

Y/n's heart raced as one by one, the other Avengers introduced themselves with warmth and enthusiasm. Tony Stark, always the charmer, was the first to step forward, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Well, well, well, who do we have here?" he quipped, smirking at Y/n. "Finally, someone with good taste. I'm Tony Stark, genius, billionaire, philanthropist. Pleasure to meet you."

Y/n couldn't help but chuckle at Tony's confident introduction. Soon after, the rest of the team followed suit, introducing themselves with genuine kindness and curiosity. From Steve Rogers, the embodiment of integrity, to Thor Odinson, with his regal presence and boisterous demeanor, each Avenger welcomed Y/n into their midst.

Amidst the friendly chatter and introductions, Y/n's attention was momentarily distracted by the sound of approaching footsteps. Natasha Romanoff, clad in her signature black attire, entered the room. As her eyes landed on Y/n, she gasped, her voice catching in her throat as she called out their name. "Y/n".

In that instant, the world seemed to freeze for Y/n. The memories of heartbreak and pain flooded their mind, gripping them with an overwhelming sense of anguish. They stood there, paralyzed, unable to move or utter a single word, as Wanda desperately tried to get their attention, her voice laced with concern.

The room fell silent, with every Avenger's gaze fixated on Y/n. Natasha's expression mirrored a mix of longing, regret, and an unspoken apology. Y/n felt the weight of all those emotions, their fight or flight response triggering an instinctual need to escape.

Without a second thought, Y/n hurriedly turned on their heels, brushing past Natasha without making eye contact. Their mind was a whirlwind of emotions as they rushed out of the common room, their footsteps echoing in the empty hallway.

Wanda, her heart filled with worry and determination, exchanged a glance with the rest of the team. She knew she had to go after Y/n, to offer comfort and reassurance during this overwhelming moment. As she swiftly followed their path and Natasha also followed shortly after, the Avengers stood in silence, confused at the scene that unraveled before them.

----------

Y/n, their emotions overwhelming them, found their way to the sanctuary of the compound's balcony. The tears streamed down their face as they heard Wanda's voice calling out for them. Turning around, they saw Wanda approaching, her expression filled with concern and love. Without hesitation, Wanda enveloped Y/n in a warm embrace, offering comfort and solace.

Y/n couldn't contain the flood of emotions any longer. The heartbreak and hurt caused by Natasha's presence, mixed with the weight of past pain, consumed them entirely. In the safety of Wanda's arms, they finally broke down, their sobs echoing through the night.

As the tears flowed, Natasha, having followed their trail, stepped onto the balcony. The sight before her took her breath away. Y/n was the person Wanda had spoken about, was in such anguish. It was a revelation that struck Natasha with a profound sense of regret. She had given Wanda the advice she wished she had received when everything was falling apart with Y/n.

Natasha's voice trembled with regret and vulnerability as she called out to Y/n, her words laced with remorse. "Y/n... I'm so sorry," she uttered, her voice carrying the weight of her past mistakes. "I never should have let you go. I chose my career over our relationship, and I neglected you in the process. I didn't listen to you, and I failed to love you the way you deserved."

Her voice cracked with emotion, Natasha continued, her voice filled with longing and sincerity. "You were everything to me.. you still are, and I let it slip away. I wish I could go back and make it right, but I can't change the past. All I can do is apologize and hope that you can find it in your heart to forgive me."

Wanda, still holding Y/n close, observed Natasha's remorseful demeanor. Confusion mingled with her protectiveness as she tried to understand the depth of their shared history. While she couldn't grasp the full extent of Y/n and Natasha's past, Wanda recognized the pain it had caused Y/n.

Natasha took a hesitant step forward, her eyes pleading for forgiveness. "I don't expect you to forgive me easily," she confessed, her voice heavy with regret. "But I want you to know that I've learned from my mistakes. I've changed, and I would give anything for a chance to make things right, to have another chance with you, to love you once again."

Wanda's grip on Y/n tightened, her protective instincts urging her to shield them from any further harm. Y/n, lost in their anguish, remained nestled in Wanda's embrace, finding comfort in the love and acceptance offered. They couldn't bring themselves to face Natasha just yet, their tears staining Wanda's shirt as they clung to the one person who had shown them unwavering support.

Wanda's protective instincts flared as Natasha attempted to reach out towards Y/n. Her voice, laced with determination and anger, cut through the tense air. "Don't you dare," Wanda warned, her tone firm and unwavering. "You have no right to reach for her now, not after what you've done."

Natasha, her own emotions swirling, withdrew her hand, frustration and regret etched on her face. She chose to respond with words instead. "This doesn't concern you, Maximoff," she retorted, her voice tinged with defensiveness. "This is between Y/n and me."

Before Wanda could fire back, a whimper escaped Y/n's lips, a plea for relief from the pain tormenting them. Wanda's attention snapped back to Y/n, her protective instincts shifting into overdrive. Even in the safety of Wanda's embrace, Y/n's hands instinctively reached up to grip their own hair tightly, their face contorting with agony. The searing pain in their head had returned, intensifying with each passing moment.

"Wanda, make it stop... it hurts," Y/n pleaded, their voice filled with anguish. Wanda's heart twisted with worry and fear as she held Y/n even closer, her mind racing to find a way to alleviate their suffering. She gently cradled their face, her voice trembling with a mix of desperation and determination. "I'm here, Y/n. I won't let it consume you. We'll find a way to make it stop. Just hold on, my love."

Natasha's shock was palpable as she witnessed Y/n writhing in intense pain. Despite their recent conflict, the sight of Y/n's suffering erased any animosity between her and Wanda. In that moment, their shared concern for Y/n overshadowed everything else.

Without hesitation, Natasha rushed to Wanda's side, offering her support. The two women, their faces etched with fear and worry, worked together to assist Y/n. Natasha's voice was urgent as she suggested getting Y/n to the medbay, and Wanda nodded in agreement, her determination unwavering.

With Y/n still cradled in her arms, Wanda sprinted through the compound, their footsteps echoing through the corridors. Natasha, communicating swiftly with the AI system, instructed FRIDAY to alert Bruce and Cho to be ready in the medbay upon their arrival.

The medbay doors slid open, revealing a team of concerned faces. Bruce and Helen, their expertise honed through countless emergencies, immediately sprang into action upon seeing Y/n's unconscious form. Wanda gently laid Y/n on a nearby examination table, her grip still protective and unwavering.

Bruce's analytical eyes scanned Y/n's vitals, while Helen prepared her equipment. Wanda stood by Y/n's side, her hand clasping theirs tightly, unwilling to leave their side even for a moment.

As the medical team worked to determine the cause of Y/n's pain and administer the necessary treatment, Wanda and Natasha exchanged anxious glances, their shared worry bridging the divide that had once separated them. In this critical moment, their focus was solely on the well-being of the person they both cared deeply for—Y/n.

----------

Y/n's eyelids fluttered open, their vision blurry as they regained consciousness. Wanda's worried face came into focus as she rushed to their side, her voice filled with relief. "Y/n, you're awake," she breathed, her hands cupping Y/n's face gently. Natasha stood up from her seat nearby, an instinctive urge to be close to Y/n evident in her movements, but she restrained herself, acknowledging that Y/n belonged to Wanda now.

"What happened?" Y/n's voice trembled as they asked, their memory of the events leading up to their collapse still hazy.

"Detka, you passed out after experiencing a severe headache." Wanda explained.

Just then, Bruce entered the room, his demeanor serious and somber. The three women turned their attention to him, anxious for answers.

Bruce took a deep breath, the weight of his words evident in his voice. "I'm sorry, but the scans confirm it," he continued, his tone filled with empathy. "Y/n has a brain tumor and its location makes surgical removal impossible. It's infiltrated critical areas of the brain, and any attempt to remove it would result in severe damage or loss of vital functions."

Wanda's eyes welled up with tears, her voice choked with emotion. "There must be something we can do, Bruce," she pleaded, her grip on Y/n's hand tightening. "Experimental treatments, alternative options—anything."

Bruce shook his head sadly. "I wish there were, Wanda. I've consulted with top specialists, explored every avenue, but the prognosis remains the same. Palliative care and management of symptoms are the only options we have."

Natasha, her voice trembling, finally found her words. "Is there no hope at all?" she asked, her eyes fixed on Y/n, searching for a glimmer of a different outcome.

Bruce's gaze shifted between the three of them, his expression heavy with regret. "I won't lie to you. The chances of long-term survival are slim. We can focus on making Y/n as comfortable as possible and ensuring their remaining time is filled with love and support."

Wanda was in disbelief while Natasha was stunned into silence. Y/n, on the other hand, remained strangely calm, knowing the truth that Bruce was about to confirm.

"It's back," Y/n sighed, their gaze fixed on the sterile white walls of the med bay, avoiding eye contact with anyone, especially Wanda. Natasha's confusion prompted her to ask, her voice filled with distress, "What do you mean it's back?" Wanda and Bruce paused, their attention drawn to Natasha's question. Wanda squeezed Y/n's hand, her voice shaking as she added, "Detka, why is Natasha asking you that?"

Y/n took a deep breath, gathering the strength to share their painful revelation. "It's back. My brain tumor's back," they admitted, their eyes filled with a mix of resignation and sorrow. "When I was with Natasha, I used to have constant headaches. At first, I didn't think much of it, but then the seizures started, and I knew something was wrong. I went to the hospital and got the tumor removed on the day I left Natasha. My doctor assured me it was gone, and I was optimistic too. I never thought it would come back."

"You had a brain tumor when we were together and you didn't even tried to tell me about it?" Was Natasha's only response.

As Natasha's words hung in the air, filled with accusation and disbelief, anger coursed through Y/n's veins. They locked eyes with Natasha, a fire burning in their gaze, as they spoke with a mixture of hurt and frustration. "I tried telling you, Natasha. Countless times," they retorted, their voice laced with bitterness. "But you were too consumed with chasing fame and glory as an Avenger to sit down and listen to what I had to say."

Wanda's anger mirrored Y/n's, her grip on their hand tightening, but she chose to remain silent, allowing Y/n to express their feelings without interruption.

Y/n's voice trembled with the weight of their words as they continued, their tears falling freely. "Remember when I asked you to marry me? I was terrified at that time. I had just been diagnosed with a brain tumor, and I didn't know if I would survive. All I wanted was to spend whatever time I had left with you as my wife, but you shut me down. That's when I realized it was better for me to leave than for you to come home one day to find a lifeless body in your apartment."

Natasha's expression turned to horror as the full extent of Y/n's pain and the missed opportunities for understanding crashed over her. She wanted to apologize once again, to beg for forgiveness, but Wanda's voice cut through, filled with a protective ferocity. "Leave, Natasha," she stated firmly, her gaze unwavering. "I don't want you near my girlfriend ever again."

In the days following Y/n's diagnosis, Wanda and Y/n had numerous discussions with Bruce about palliative care. The weight of the situation settled heavily on their hearts as they explored every possible option to make Y/n's remaining time as comfortable as possible. While they were making these difficult decisions, news of Y/n's condition spread among the Avengers, leaving them shocked and terrified. Among them, Pietro was hit the hardest, his emotions bubbling to the surface as he broke down in front of Y/n and Wanda. He pleaded with Y/n, expressing his fear of losing them, unable to fathom a world without their presence.

Natasha tried to plead, to explain, but Y/n's voice rang out, filled with finality and hurt. "You heard her, leave."

----------

Wanda, deeply moved by her brother's display of raw emotions, convinced Y/n to stay with her in the compound. Y/n resigned from their job, while Wanda obtained a leave of absence from the Avengers until further notice. Still grappling with the reality of the situation, Wanda secretly sought out additional options behind Y/n's back, even going as far as begging Tony to explore any scientific advancements that could help Y/n's recovery. Her desperation to find a solution reflected the depths of her love for Y/n.

Y/n was acutely aware that now, living in the compound, Natasha would stop at nothing to try to reconnect with them. However, Pietro stood as an unwavering guardian, ready to protect Y/n from any further heartbreak that Natasha might bring.

As time passed, Y/n's symptoms gradually worsened, leaving them weak and unable to stand without assistance. Wanda's heart shattered a little more each day, witnessing the decline of the person she cherished so deeply. But in the midst of the darkness, Wanda came to a profound realization. She understood that whatever time they had left together, it had to be filled with love and cherished moments. Y/n was the love of her life, and even in sickness, they brought light into Wanda's world.

With a secret request to Stark, Wanda set in motion a plan to create the most perfect ring for the most beautiful person she had ever known. She was determined to marry Y/n, to make a lasting commitment before it was too late. Over the next few days, Wanda and Pietro meticulously planned the perfect proposal, with the rest of the Avengers joining forces to orchestrate the most extraordinary wedding they could envision

----------

Pietro, a mischievous smile on his face, carried Y/n in his arms as he declared, "I have a surprise for you, solnyshko." As they approached the balcony, Y/n's eyes widened in awe at the magnificent sight before them. It was adorned with a stunning display of flowers and enchanting decorations that painted a picture of pure beauty.

Y/n, their voice filled with wonder, exclaimed, "Wow, Pietro! This is incredible!"

Pietro set Y/n down gently on one of the decorated chairs and said with a playful wink, "Enjoy the view. I'll be right back."

Y/n watched as Pietro joined the rest of the Avengers, leaving them alone on the balcony. And then, from behind the archway of flowers, Wanda emerged, a radiant smile gracing her face.

Wanda, her voice filled with emotion, spoke directly to Y/n. "Y/n, my love, you've brought light into my life even in the darkest of times. You've shown me what true strength and beauty are. Today, I want to ask you something." She reached into her pocket, revealing the small box containing the ring.

Y/n's eyes widened in awe and anticipation as they listened to Wanda's heartfelt words. "Wanda..."

Wanda's voice trembled with vulnerability as she continued, "Y/n, will you marry me? Will you spend the rest of our days together, creating a lifetime of cherished memories?"

Y/n, their voice filled with love, replied, "Yes, Wanda, a thousand times yes! I want to spend every moment with you."

As the Avengers watched with joy and pride, their voices filled with happiness and celebration as they cheered and clapped. Natasha, standing at the back, couldn't help but let a mixture of emotions wash over her. She mourned the love she had lost.

----------

The Avengers, filled with excitement and joy, swiftly shifted gears to prepare for the wedding. Y/n, still taken aback by the sudden turn of events, protested, "Wait, Wanda, I'm not dressed for a wedding. We can't do this now!"

But Wanda, her eyes sparkling with love and determination, placed a gentle hand on Y/n's cheek and reassured them, "Y/n, my love, it doesn't matter what you're wearing or how prepared we are. Today is about us, about our love and commitment. You are already the most beautiful person in my eyes, and that's all that matters."

Y/n couldn't help but be moved by Wanda's words and the unwavering love in her eyes. With a deep breath, they nodded and surrendered to the spontaneity of the moment, ready to embrace the journey ahead.

The Avengers gathered around, taking their seats in front of the flowered archway, with Steve positioned at the forefront, prepared to officiate the wedding. The atmosphere was filled with anticipation and love, as the gentle breeze carried whispers of excitement and the scent of blooming flowers.

Y/n looked at Wanda, their eyes locked in a shared connection, while the Avengers offered warm smiles and encouraging nods. It was an intimate gathering, a celebration of love amidst a group of friends who had become family.

Steve, his voice steady and filled with genuine warmth, began the ceremony. "Today, we gather here to witness and celebrate the union of Y/n and Wanda—a love that has endured hardships, conquered obstacles, and remained unwavering in its strength."

As Steve spoke, the words resonated deeply within the hearts of everyone present. Wanda, her eyes shimmering with tears of love and determination, took a deep breath and began her vows, her voice filled with unwavering devotion.

"Y/n, my love, from the moment you entered my life, you brought with you a light that has illuminated my world. You have shown me what it truly means to love and be loved. Today, as we stand here in front of our family, I vow to cherish every moment we have together, for as long as time allows. I promise to be your strength when you feel weak, your comfort when you're in pain, and your rock when the world feels overwhelming. I will hold your hand through the darkest nights and the brightest days, reminding you that you are never alone. Our time together may be limited, but the depth of my love for you knows no bounds. I vow to make every second count, to create memories that will carry me through the days when you are no longer by my side. I am grateful for the love we have shared, and I am honored to call you my partner in this journey. With all that I am, and all that I have, I choose you, Detka, now and forever."

"Wands, my Max, from the moment I met you, my world was forever changed. You breathed life into my existence, filling it with love, warmth, and acceptance. Today, as we stand here, ready to embark on this beautiful, albeit uncertain, journey together, I vow to cherish every fleeting moment we have. Even in the face of my own mortality, I promise to give you all the love and joy that resides within me. You have shown me the true meaning of unconditional love, and for that, I am eternally grateful. I promise to be your anchor when you feel adrift, your laughter when sadness creeps in, and your unwavering support when the weight of the world feels too heavy. Together, we will face whatever challenges come our way, hand in hand. I may not have an eternity to spend with you, but I vow to make each day count, to fill our time with unforgettable memories and boundless love. You are my light in the darkest moments, and I am blessed to call you my forever. With every breath in my fragile body, I choose you, Wanda, to be my partner, my love, and my everything."

With their vows spoken, Wanda and Y/n's love echoed through the hearts of all those present, leaving an indelible mark on their souls. It was a testament to the power of love, defying time and circumstance, as they embarked on this poignant and profound chapter of their lives together.

----------

The sun began to paint the sky with hues of orange and gold, signaling the arrival of a new day. As the first rays of light kissed their faces, Wanda held Y/n close, feeling their fragile heartbeat against her chest. The weight of their impending loss hung heavy in the air, the bittersweet beauty of the moment intertwined with the ache in their souls.

With each passing second, Y/n's strength waned, their grip on consciousness slipping away. They knew their time was drawing to a close, and they wanted to savor these last precious moments with the love of their life.

Wanda's voice quivered as she whispered, her words filled with a mix of desperation and longing. "Please, Detka, don't leave me. I can't bear to lose you. We were meant to have more time, more moments, more love."

Y/n mustered the strength to turn their face towards Wanda, their eyes filled with tenderness and a bittersweet acceptance. Their voice, though faint, carried an overwhelming gratitude. "Wanda, my love, thank you for everything you've given me. I am sorry I couldn't stay longer. I wish we could have had it all—our dreams, our family. But know that you've filled my life with more love and happiness than I ever thought possible."

Tears streamed down Wanda's face as she held onto Y/n, their fingers caressing each other's cheeks. "I wanted to give you the world, Y/n. I wanted to create a future with you, to build a home and fill it with laughter and love. I am not ready to say goodbye."

Y/n's weak voice trembled with a mixture of love and acceptance. "We had a love that transcends time. Our love will live on, even when I'm gone. Remember me in the beauty of the sunrise, in the warmth of your heart. I will always be with you."

As the first rays of sunlight painted the sky, Y/n closed their eyes, their last breath escaping them. Wanda's cries filled the air, her heart shattered into a million pieces. The world seemed to stand still as the sun rose, marking the beginning of a new day without Y/n.

In that moment, Wanda whispered, her voice filled with undying love, "I love you, my Y/n. Always and forever."

----------

A/N: This is my longest fic yet, I don't know if I would ever beat this record. I'm really sorry for the pain. Also I've just realized that I pulled an A Walk To Remember on this shit.

[ideas-for-you-to-adopt]

A freaking masterpiece

tinseltown ࿏ wm

summary: in which you are drawn to an old movie theater playing an 80s sitcom called wandavision.

words: 4.8K

warnings: fear, horror, manipulation, mind control, oh how i wish this happened to me, no smut surprisingly, straight outta goosebumps episode

this post should be read with discretion.

masterlist.

It was almost summer.

The last cool breezes of spring strung their chilly tendrils throughout the air, desperate to hold on, desperate to provide relief before the blazing sun and suffocating humidity took its hold over the town. When the sun went down, spring was back in full swing again, offering its comfortable air and soft winds that refreshed your lungs as you walked downtown.

The night was quiet and desolate. There weren’t many people on the streets, though usually the streets are still crowded even in that late hour of the night. You passed by shops and markets who kept their lights on though they were closed. You peered into the window of a drugstore as you passed, seeing the eerie stillness of the empty store as its lights flickered over the rows of products, no clerks standing at the counters.

Even the roads were relatively empty save for the occasional passing car that drove smoothly down the road, as if relaxed to be free from the usual traffic that prevented the driver from soaking in the beauty of the historic downtown of your city. When a car was not passing, the only evidence of the town being alive was the interval change of the redlights going from red to green, to yellow, then back to red again as its adjacent constituent followed the same pattern.

You stuffed your hands into your pockets as you walked. Recently, you have been suffering bouts of insomnia. You wake in your bed in the middle of the night, sweating, restless, panting, desperate to break out of your apartment and get out into the fresh air. It had become a routine. You try to go to sleep early, wake up in the middle of the night, and find your apartment lacking oxygen, throwing on the nearest pair of shoes and proper clothes you can find before heading out to walk the streets.

Tonight, you were extra antsy and reluctant to go back home. Usually, you walked around the corner of your apartment building and up six blocks until you passed the drugstore. You would cross the street, an easy feat due to the empty roads, and walk back down the six blocks, cross the street again, and turn the corner to your apartment to head back inside. Usually, you feel relaxed enough after that to go to sleep for the remainder of the night. Tonight, you didn’t cross the street. You kept going after the sixth block, after you passed the drugstore.

Hearing no car around, you didn’t bother waiting for the crosswalk to signal for you to walk. You stepped right onto the row of lines and crossed the street, until suddenly headlights were flashing into your eyes and a loud honk made you jump and freeze.

“Hey!” someone yelled, and you turned your face to see that a car’s bumper was inches away from your knees, the yellow headlights blaring into your face and blinding you from seeing the driver who was sticking his head out of the window and yelling at you.

“Sorry,” you murmured and skipped out of the way to the other side of the street. Once your feet hit the sidewalk again, you turned to watch the car zoom past the greenlight angrily. You hadn’t even seen the car coming.

Wiping your face that was hot now from the adrenaline of nearly getting hit by a car, you stuffed your hands back into your pockets and kept walking, now feeling much farther from being able to relax and sleep.

You needed to go back to your apartment, as much as you hated to. You were obviously getting delirious from lack of sleep and were going to get yourself killed—you hadn’t even seen a car driving towards you as you crossed the street. Even if it meant just sitting up all night on the couch watching TV, you would be safe back home and not endanger yourself or others.

So, after the next block, you turned the corner and decided to walk down the other street. It would put you farther from your apartment, meaning you would have to cross two blocks to get back, but you didn’t mind. Maybe a change of scenery would intrigue you enough to soothe your racing mind. You noticed that this side of the block was darker than the other side. The shop owners did not leave their lights on, as the other block did. Every building and store was entirely dark, and the only thing that lit your path was the orange flickering streetlights and the full moon hanging above the sky like an animated sticker.

As you realized that there was no chance of you getting sleepy enough to go back to sleep, you noticed something sparkling down the block, too far away for you to see what it was, but close enough for you to see green and purple lights and the dazzling white sign in cursive letters you could not read from so far away.

“Huh,” you murmured to yourself, casting a glance around the block and seeing not a soul in sight. You found it odd that there was only one building not cast in total darkness, thinking that maybe it was some nightclub. It was a bad part of town to put a nightclub, since it was so empty here tonight, and you wondered if it was just recently established. You had never seen it before, though you have only walked this side of the block a few times since living in the city. There wasn’t much on this end except pawn shops and electronics repair and bail bonds and a dingy fitness gym.

As you walked on the other side of the street and came closer to the dazzling building, you could finally read the big sign across the front.

Tinseltown.

A movie theater, you realized—one that stayed open all night, apparently. How had you never known that you lived a few blocks away from a movie theater? You didn’t recall ever seeing it on the maps, nor hearing people speak of it, nor noticing it on your occasional walks through this street.

As you came closer and saw the retro way in which it was built, the cinema signs looking like they were straight out of the 90’s or 2000’s, you couldn’t convince yourself that this theater was so recently built, unless its purpose was to look old-school and vintage. It looked like the kinds of movie theaters that your parents might have taken to you when you were only a small child.

You stopped walking as you stood face-to-face with the theater across the street. There was still nobody around, not even the pigeons that usually pecked at the day’s crumbs on the sidewalk. The street was entirely lifeless, except for this movie theater whose LED stars sparkled and blinked invitingly.

Maybe a movie would calm your nerves—it looked open, besides the fact that there was no one around going in or out. Maybe sitting in a dark theater would soothe your nerves, get you sleepy enough to go home and finally sleep. Something was drawing it towards you—the bright lights, the buzzing noise of the electronics of its face, the bright purples and greens of its temple.

Why the hell not? You couldn’t remember the last time you had went to a movie theater, anyway. And this theater seemed to you like a little hidden gem in the neighborhood just waiting to be picked.

This time, you looked both ways before crossing the street. As you came near, you noticed that the breeze picked up, sending chills up your spine. You clutched your jacket closer to you and came towards the wide front doors, your hand touching the cold metal handle—was it buzzing under your palm? You pulled, and the door swung open with a squeak.

You stepped into the warm theater and found that the first room was the ticket center, booths lined up along the wall with two sets of doors on either end. You stepped up to the glass, pressed your nose close to the speaking hole and looked around.

There wasn’t a single worker in the booths. There were no noises besides the whooshing sound of old central air conditioning coming through the dusty vents. “Hello?” you called, wondering if someone would come through the back.

Not a sound, not a soul.

Maybe the workers were further inside, you thought. Maybe the theater was brand new and still understaffed, so they sold tickets inside where you could get concessions simultaneously, reducing the effort of labor.

You pushed through the swinging doors and stepped into a much larger, well-lit room. The ceilings, floors, and walls were painted deep scarlet with golden designs. A large counter stood at the front of the room, a menu hanging on the wall. You could smell popcorn and looked to see a large golden popcorn machine behind the counter, humming as it popped fluffy kernels into the vessel below. You saw hot dogs roasting on a rotating spit. You saw rows of candies and drinks, and even an icee machine that hummed with life. The sounds and sights and smells of it all soothed you deeply, but still, you saw no one.

“Hello?!” you called more loudly, coming up to the counter and peering past it. “Um,” you began, “I’m here to see a movie.” You looked at the popcorn machine and the buttery, golden fluffs, your mouth watering. “And maybe get some popcorn.”

Is this place even open? Surely it would be, since it was unlocked and lit up and had the machines going.

Then, you heard a noise coming from deeper in the building. Your eyes turned towards the noise—a wide hallway to the right. You heard the distant sounds of people talking, of laughter. Your stomach, which had started to knot, soothed as you felt relief at the evidence of people. Maybe the graveyard shift was still a little unexperienced and expected no one to come in this late at night and were all huddled somewhere down the hallway in a break room.

Your feet led you toward the hallway, hesitantly leaving the delightful smell of the popcorn and candy. You came closer to the noise, to the sound of a woman’s voice, of a man’s, too. You look around the hallway and see the doors to theaters with the numbers written on a sign above them, along with what is playing in the theater—all the signs are blank, and the voices are not coming from them. You come to a jog, eager to find the workers so you don’t get in trouble for being there without a ticket.

Finally, near the end of the hallway, you can hear the muffled voices more clearly now, light flickering from the circle of glass on the theater door. You glance up—the sign says Theater #13, and below it, the title of what’s playing: Wandavision.

You’d never heard of that, and you wondered why the workers were watching a movie if they were supposed to be out in the front hall selling tickets. Carefully, you push through the swinging door, and you freeze.

The entire theater is empty, not a single soul sitting in the crowd of red seats facing the screen. The theater is entirely dark, except for the ray of light particles above your head projecting the film onto the screen; you look.

You see a woman on the screen, with fiery red curls, wearing a blue plaid shirt and jeans with suspenders. She is in a kitchen, picking up toys and putting them into a basket under her arm. You see the camera shift—a blonde man walks into the kitchen, looking distressed.

“You can’t do this again, Wanda,” he says in a refined, almost robotic voice. They start to argue—this looks like something from the 80’s, like some sort of sitcom rather than a film. How old was this theater?

With legs that suddenly feel wobbly, you step down the stairs and look around again. There’s evidently no one in the theater. Even as you glance up at the projector box high up on the wall, you don’t see anyone in the little room there either.

There is not a single soul in this entire movie theater.

You hesitated, considered. What would a worker say if they walked in and saw you watching the screen without a ticket? It wasn’t your fault that there was no one around. You would easily pay for a ticket right there if they asked you to. Surely, they would understand that you simply couldn’t find anyone, and that the seats were calling your name, and that suddenly you found yourself sitting down on a seat somewhere in the middle, red fabric scratching your fingers as you gripped the squeaking cushion and sat down, eyes stuck to the screen.

“Do you know how lonely it gets, Vision?” the woman with red hair, apparently named Wanda, asked the blonde man named Vision, putting her hands on her hips and glaring at him. “You are hardly ever home. The kids have grown up—God, it feels like they were just born yesterday!” A laugh track of an audience plays, and your lips curl upwards at the comedy of it, though you didn’t get the joke. It definitely was an old sitcom—maybe they were still practicing using film rolls and were using this old TV show to test their machines. The quality of the show was grainy, a colorful little square box of images on a wider, more rectangular screen.

“Wanda,” Vision says, stepping closer to her and placing his hands on her shoulders, but she moves away from him. “You are abusing your authority. Your… powers.” Vision face tilts to the side towards the camera, and for a moment you thought his eyes looked right into the lens and at you, as if you were interrupting the conversation, before he turned back to Wanda. “Please don’t do this.”

Wanda only raises her eyebrows and smirks, a satisfied and amused look crossing her features. She was beautiful, really. You didn’t recognize her as an actress, nor him, but the green in her eyes and red on her lips, with her fiery hair and fierce cheekbones, mesmerized you.

“This conversation is over,” she whispered, and suddenly credits started rolling up the screen, listing the names of the directors and producers and actors over the image as an audience clapped in the background.

“What the hell,” you mumbled, disappointed that the show was ending right as you had just sat down to watch. Through the letters of the rolling credits, you saw Wanda turn away and walk through a door, Vision following after her.

“Wanda!” he exclaimed, trying to follow her through the door, but suddenly the picture was jagged on the screen. Your eyebrows sewed together in confusion as the image froze, of Vision just getting to the door, the credits flickering.

“What the…” you began, glancing up to the projector box. There were no more light particles in the air.

The image blinked and glitched in pixels of red, the image warping and the saturation fading as if it were melting right off the screen, only incoherent bits of audio glitching through the speakers before suddenly the screen went black, leaving the theater in complete and utter darkness and silence. It must have been an issue with the projector.

“Shitty movie theater,” you grumbled, throwing your head back on the seat. You got the sudden feeling that you should not be there, that you should leave immediately, that you were about to get in trouble.

You should just head back to your apartment, you thought to yourself. Stop running from your problems and lay down in your bed and just force yourself to go to sleep no matter what it takes. Do anything. Just get out of there.

As you stood to leave, a light emerged from the screen. You froze, looking at the screen to see that the projector was working again, that the show was back on. Only this time, the blonde man named Vision was not there, and Wanda was in a living room right now, sitting on a couch and staring right into the camera with an eerie half-smile. You felt the shock of the fourth wall breaking.

You blinked—why was she staring into the camera, making it seem as if she was looking right at you? What kind of a show was this?

“Where do you think you’re going?” she spoke languidly, her voice echoing through the large, empty, dark theater. A hot fire of fear rose up through your chest, alighting your nerves.

Was this another one of your insomniac episodes, like when you didn’t see the car coming as you crossed the street? Was it the projector glitching again? Was it some strange joke within the show that you didn’t understand?

She was silent again, staring right through the screen with her lips curled into a subtle smile, hands resting on her jeans. On the screen, on the projection, she was ten times larger than you, like some sort of purveying giant watching the theater with catlike, observant eyes.

You looked around the theater again, now hoping to see a worker, but there still was no one.

“I’m talking to you,” Wanda spoke, the ends of her words curling up like crumpled paper, the edge of a foreign accent. “Yes, you.” She tilted her head patronizingly, her voice lilting. “The girl with the jacket and the sleepy look on her face.”

Your hands in your jacket pockets started to sweat. There were no other people in the theater, and you were a girl, wearing a jacket, donning perpetual dark circles under your eyes. You opened your mouth to say something but stopped, feeling stupid for the urge to talk back to a TV show. But how did she know? Was it a joke? Was the theater playing a prank on you using the magic of technology?

“Come closer,” she said, whispering. “I want to get a better look at you.” You only stood there in the row, lips agape, eyes widening and moistening with fear. She stared at you expectantly—what were you supposed to do? You were curious about this, albeit terrified.

With unsteady feet, you stepped out of the row and onto the center aisle, taking a few steps downward, closer to the screen. Her eyes squinted and followed your figure.

“Oh,” she said, her smile turning into a wide, pearly grin. “You are a pretty one.”

A pretty one?

“Why don’t you tell me your name?”

This would be the final evidence of whether this was real or not. If this was some pre-recorded clip, some kind of uncanny coincidence, there was no way you could reason its unreality if she said your name.

“Y/n,’ you murmured.

She leaned forward, turning her head and cupping her ear. “What was that? I didn’t hear you.”

Your mouth was dry as you licked your lips and said louder, “Y/n.”

She leaned away and grinned. “That’s a pretty name, y/n.”

Horror sparked within you, your feet stumbling backwards as you gasped. All the hairs on your neck stood up on their ends, and you finally listened to your instinct telling you to run. Grabbing at the railing, you sprinted up the stairs towards the door, only inches from grabbing the handle when a sudden wall of red energy bolted itself against the wall. You stopped, staring at the strange red energy that buzzed and circulated within itself as if it were alive. You reached out—fingertips met the wall of red and zapped you, sending you stumbling back down the stairs.

Wanda’s voice was louder and deeper now through the speakers. You stared up at the screen as she stood up, smile fading, camera following her to focus on her face. “You’re not going anywhere, detka.”

Shadows cast down on her face as you watched her green eyes swirl into vermilion orbs, her hand lifting and reaching forward, that same red energy swirling around her fingers. You watched her fingers, so close to the camera that they were blurred, make a gesturing motion. Red energy jumped through the screen and wrapped around your ankles like a rope, pulling you down to the ground harshly.

A scream left your throat as the magic started dragging you by your ankles towards the screen. You grabbed at a railing to catch yourself, but the magic was too strong. The metal railing slipped from your sweaty palms and sent you off again, down the long center aisle, the stairs bruising your body as you turned onto your back and flailed, reaching for anything but finding nothing. You were dragged closer and closer to the screen, and when you expected your feet to rip through the paper, instead a red orb opened and swallowed you whole.

Hot energy surged through you, and you felt things moving on your body, moving within you, the air getting hot and cold and then there was no air at all, a loud buzzing sound piercing your eardrums, redness blinding you, until suddenly you felt the feeling of cold wood on your face. Catching your breath, you laid your palms flat on the wooden floor and lifted yourself up.

Blinking, your vision cleared, and you looked around the room you were in. It was a house, a living room—the same one that the redheaded woman was in on the TV show. You were lying on the floor in front of the couch as if you had just fell off it, and as you raised your head, you saw her sitting there.

The redhead named Wanda, who had just been a projected image on the movie screen, was sitting on the couch right in front of you, now proportioned to real life.

“This isn’t real,” you whispered, grabbing at your face and scratching to wake yourself up. Surely this was a dream, a nightmare. Maybe you never left your apartment at all, never walked past the six blocks and the drugstore, never stepped into the theater. Maybe you had fallen asleep that night and were having this horrific nightmare safe in your bed.

“Oh, it’s all real,” Wanda said, glancing around the living room with a proud smile. “Down to the details.”

You could feel the wooden floor under your hands and knees. Her voice was clear in your ears. You smelled the lingering smell of dinner having been made just hours before. You heard an engine—looked outside a near window to see a neighbor mowing the lawn, and another neighbor with long black hair and a purple sweater clipping the hedge bushes, discreetly looking towards the window.

You moved your hand outwards to touch the coffee table—it was real. You swiveled your head around to where you had fallen through, expecting to see the other side of the screen, but you only saw the other side of the room. It was all dimensional now, all real right in front of you. You were not dreaming.

“Let me go,” you said, clumsily getting to your feet. “Please.”

Wanda smiled and stood from the couch, stepping towards you. You took a step away. “I’m afraid I cannot do that, y/n. It’s a one-way street, as they say.”

You turned in a circle, trying to find the movie screen again, the red seats, the golden popcorn machine. There was nothing but this unknown house you were standing in.

“The man,” you said, turning to look at her again, feeling yourself dwindling down. “Vision,” you remembered, thinking back to their conversation before the screen had glitched. He was asking her, pleading her, to not do something. You remembered the way he nearly looked at you. Maybe he could help you. “Where is he?”

Wanda laughed, her voice ringing eerily in your ears. You were still having trouble realizing that she was real, until she reached forward and snaked a hand on your shoulder, her touch warming your skin there. “Oh, he went out of town,” she said, holding back her strange laughter. “Don’t know when he’ll be back.” Her laughter ceased, smile fading as she stared at you.

You tried to step away from her touch, but her hand squeezed your shoulder. “Wanda,” you said, and it sounded strange saying the name of this woman you didn’t even know, who had only been a character just moments before. “What is this?”

She blinked and creased her brows. “I don’t know what you mean.”

“Where am I?” you demanded. “I was just in the movie theater—Tinseltown.” You tried to remember walking into the theater, seeing its dazzling sign from across the street, but your brain could not conjure the memories. You froze, feeling fog fill your mind. Why couldn’t you remember walking in? It was all fading fast from you now. “And you…” you trailed, trying to catch onto the memories of your last few moments before you were pulled into the screen, but you couldn’t. “You…”

“Oh, honey,” Wanda cooed, placing her hands on either side of your face, grinning at the confused look on your features. “You must have had a bad dream.”

A bad dream is what it felt like to you. You wanted to ask her how she pulled you right into the TV show, right through the screen with that buzzing crimson magic roped around your ankles, but it was gone from your mind now. All of it was. All you remembered was standing up from the wooden floor and touching the coffee table. Did you fall asleep on that floor? Had a bad dream, like she said?

You didn’t know that the Tinseltown theater was closed during the day. It was closed because, under the sunlight, around the swarms of people, it was a fitness gym, filled with weights and machines and sweaty people. During the night, under the stars and the full moon, it transfigured into the Tinseltown theater, empty and luring with its flashing lights, inviting any stranger in, never letting any of them out.

You didn’t know that the neighbors you saw out the window of that house had once walked into Tinseltown, curious about the retro theater with not a soul in sight. They had once walked that same block, wondering why they didn’t see anyone around, why they had never seen that theater before, why it was totally empty, why the only thing playing was a TV show called Wandavision. They never left the theater. They were residents of Westview now, the population built from the number of individuals who were lured into Wanda’s trapping illusion. Once Wanda pulled them through the screen, they forgot who they were, what life they lived before, where they came from.

You didn’t know that the reason you didn’t see any other people on the streets that night was because Wanda’s reach left you blind, made you see what she wanted you to see, made you do what she wanted you to do. In reality, the theater was still a fitness gym at night. When you stood across the street, the dazzling lights you stared at was actually the dark face of the closed gym. When you walked in, the ticket counter was just a service center. The popcorn machine, the candy, the hot dogs, none of it was there. You were only staring at stacks of weights and metal machines in the dark, empty gym.

You had fallen for her hex.

“Come, detka,” she whispered, placing a kiss on your forehead and holding you in her arms. Suddenly, you no longer remembered your apartment or your friends or your parents. You only remembered living there with Wanda as her lover and wife, raising Billy and Tommy with her, leading a simple, calm life in Westview suburbia. Your life built up behind your eyes, constructed by the vermilion flare in Wanda’s fingertips.

Wanda’s lips kissed down your cheek as you remembered these things, as if her lips were pressing the memories into your skin. She kissed the corners of your mouth, then her lips melted against yours. Her lips moved to your jaw, your neck, behind your ear, encasing you in a familiar lust that it seemed you had known all your life. “Come to bed,” she whispered, and you did, not seeing the devilish, malignant grin on her face.

[ideas-for-you-to-adopt]

Wednesday's Bestie

I hope the wednesday-fandom hasn't died out yet, but I wanted to share my thoughts on Wednesday having a best friend who just came out of nowhere and shocking everybody. Also with a hint of pining, but - who knows? Maybe also angst for those who want it~...!

Also I didn't proofread and english is not my mother's tongue.

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What if Wednesday had a best friend, somebody, who's got the same mindset and lifestyle as her. But, her best friend shows more emotion, AND, her best friend is manipulative.

Imagine, you, who's been the deadly girls best friend ever since you two could remember, also comes to nevermore a few days later for similar reasons as Wednesday and Wednesday shows actual emotions on her face.

Of course, Enid, Ajax, Xavier, Bianca and the others are shocked by the behavior of you two meeting and being all giggly and shit. Enid is jealous that you make Wednesday laugh until she wheezes, Bianca is disgusted by both you and your goth bestie and the others...well, they don't know if they should be happy or crying, since they don't know you.

I mean, Enid was the one who tried to get on Wednesday's good side since day one while you just swooped in one day and reclaimed your spot as her best friend. How were you able to befriend her anyway? You seemed so...well, too nice for Wednesday! However, she should actually listen to what you two are discussing while squealing like little piglets instead of getting her load of prejudice out on Ajax, who has to listen to her tantrums about her trying everything in her might to become the Addams' best friend while you are casually cracking jokes left and right, making Wednesday ring for air between laughter.

Xavier sees you as a potential rival- love rival, to be exact, because he doesn't miss the way you two look so fondly at each other. I mean, maybe it's just his jealousy and mind playing tricks on him, because you two obviously haven't seen each other in so long, maybe he's also right about his suspicious about you two secretely liking each other.

And for principal Weems, oh, that poor, poor lady...

One minute it's a student crying for help- Wednesday's fault, the next minute somebody breaks their arm- your manipulative advice. Sure, Wednesday and you have missed each other dearly, but what you guys missed much more was to cause chaos all over your surroundings. And what better place would be than your sweet Nevermore, where you and Wednesday didn't want to be in since the beginning?

Weems can only do so much as to threaten and give you guys detention. Because A. you guys hide the evidence too good, B. She never sees you two doing anything suspicious, and C. You, for example, don't look like somebody who'd befriend Wednesday at all, but there you are, talking to her about things Weem's too far away to understand.

In the prom or wherever you guys had to go, you asked Wednesday if she'd like to be your date there with fiddling thumbs and your eyes cast downside in a shy manner, but she declined, having to go with some normie called Tyler.

Oh yeah, you were a multi-monster. Extremely rare. To put it simply, you could shapeshift into anybody you'd like, have the icks of a siren, vampire, werewolf and every other monster, making you practically invincible.

Upon hearing her choice being some lanky dude who worked at a boring cafe, you were furious, but you didn't show it. Instead, you stalked Tyler through and through. and you found some interesting details about his past. But, it seemed like Wednesday really was all heart eyes for the little shit and threatened you to break whatever connection you two had if you didn't stop with accusing the 'human'. After that blood-incident by the prom happened and some time later, where Wednesday went to meet Tyler, you followed, in hopes of gaining her trust again.

Of course, you were still sour about this, and you even lost some of your treasureable feelings for her, but she was still your friend, that you'd still hoped that she'd listen to you. And well, if it wasn't for you, then Wednesday could've died that day if you didn't save her. Furthermore, instead of apologizing for her not trusting you even though you were her closest friend of more than a decade, using you being manipulative and shit as an excuse to defend herself, you just...shut off. Now, you were really like Wednesday, no emotion on your face, and Wednesday didn't like to admit it, but she felt scared for some reason.

"All I wanted was your love. Your attention on me. And you give it to some dude you don't even know for a month? Kissing him and exchanging spit?", you asked quietly, in a hissing matter as you slowly stepped towards the black haired girl, and she took a few cautious steps back.

"We were fucking friends, wednesday, you- you were my friend, even if you didn't believe so! I never know what is going on inside your head and I never know if you ever even thought of me as even an aquaintance, but you s-saying that I am manipulative ot you?", you stopped, taking a deep breath and giving the gurl in front of oyu some space too. your voice was croaking like a frog and your throat was going dry, but you had to get one last thing out of your soul and heart.

"I never manipulated you wednesday. In fact, i fucking admired you, you know? I wanted to become like you; uncaring of what the hell other people thought about me, being scared of me, never knowing what is going on inside my head, and more.

Also, I had the longest crush on you, but of course you'd never know. You're too egoistical to even notice your own fucking mistakes. You're toxic and I should actually fucking-...hate you. And I do.

I do hate you Wednesday Addams.

But oh, cara mia, I'd be lying if I said that I didn't love you.", you whispered, your eyes filling with tears and your fisted hands wiped them aggressively.

During your whole confession, Wednesday only stared at you, unable to form any words. She knew that you were hiding something from her, but not...that. Bad thing was, she didn't know if you were even telling her the truth. Or if you were just manipulating her with gaslighting. She didn't know whether or not you were the still person she hung out all these years. I mean, you grew in all the right places, you had a new haircut and you looked much more mature than you did the last time she saw you.

And there was another thing; Even though she didn't harbour any feelings for you, your romantic speech did things to her, too many than she'd like to admit so herself. Wednesday couldn't handle any of it, so she chose the safest option.

"Get out."

You stood there for a moment, stopping dead in your tracks with wiping the neverslowing waterfall which came from your tearducts. you then frowned at her before storming out of the room.

Wednesday sunk to the ground and even her eyes got wetter than usual.

---

How was that? I hope it wasn't too confusing cause I threw in some sentences there and here, hehe...

Would oyu guys like a part two?

[ideas-for-you-to-adopt]

Murderous Love

Summary: When the worlds youngest detective, Wednesday Addams, is set to uncover the dark truth of the serial murders popping up across America, the last thing anyones expecting is her to fall in love with the charming killer.

pairing(s): detective!wednesdayaddams x serialkiller!reader.

Warnings: murder, gore, blood, intense description of mutilation, manipulation, gaslighting, smut(?), abuse, torture, child abuse, stalking, non-con (no description, but possibly mentioned), domestic abuse, (+?).

First chapter premiere: January 5th

Schedule: new chapter every Sunday.

Chapters: part one (prologue), chapter one

All characters are 18+ (Wednesday, 22, Reader, 20)

im so beyond excited for this fic, y’all don’t even know it. stick around to see this fic blossom, hoping for maybe 40k words?

[ideas-for-you-to-adopt]

Heart in Two Worlds (Part 1)

(G!p Natasha Romanoff x Stark!Fem!Reader x Lena Luthor)

TW: Mentions of Abortion

Summary: Your life as an Avenger and as the oldest daughter of Tony Stark couldn't be better. With Natasha as your fiancé and Wanda as your best friend, you couldn't possibly ask for anything more until you find out something that could make or break your relationship with everyone that you love.

Tags: @unexpected-character

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Earth-199999

Year: 2020

Being the daughter of the infamous Tony Stark, you're expected to act in a particular matter. Still, just like your dad, you never gave a shit about anybody's opinion. You were a part of the Avengers initiative, a S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent, and a brilliant scientist just like your dad.

You were always calm, collected, and graceful. That's why it is very unusual for you to be having a full-blown panic attack just like this one. You are currently inside your bathroom crying. Your fiancé, Natasha, was out on a quick mission and would not be back until a few hours later.

You've just found out that you were pregnant. You and Natasha have been really careful when engaging with sex, but now you're pregnant and do not know what to do. As you try to control your breathing, you can hear someone knocking from the other side of your bathroom door.

"Y/n, hun. What's wrong? Are you okay? Speak to me, please."

You hear the voice say.

"W-Wanda... I can't b-breathe."

You say, still unable to move from your spot, still crying, and unable to breathe correctly.

Wanda immediately opened the doors using her powers, quickly rushing down towards you.

"Honey, what's wrong? Follow my breathing, y/n I need you to look at me, and I need you to follow my breathing, can you do that?"

Your best friend asked, earning a nod from you. You slowly followed her breathing, trying to calm yourself down.

"M-mom... I need my mom."

You tell Wanda, still trying to even out your breathing. The redhead wrapped her arms around you, nodding at your request.

"Friday, please call Pepper."

Wanda calls out to the A.I.

"Absolutely, Ms. Maximoff."

Your best friend smiled, thanking the A.I., helping you out of your bathroom and into your shared bed with Natasha as she continued to help you calm down.

A few minutes later, your mom came into your room with a worried look on your face.

"Baby, what happened? Friday called me saying you had a panic attack."

You hear your mom asked, not daring to look up to her face, scared of what her reactions might be when you tell her the news.

"I'm pregnant."

You mumbled. With you cuddled beside Wanda, she was able to hear your words.

"Oh my God."

Your best friend says in shock.

"What? What is it?"

Your mom asked once again, unable to understand what you said the first time.

"I'm pregnant, mom."

You said a bit louder, trying your best not to cry for the second time today.

"Oh, but that's good news, hun! Your dad and sister would be thrilled upon hearing that."

Your mom said. Wanda remained silent, but you can feel her hand stroking your back, letting your know that you have her full support and that she's happy for you.

"B-but what about Natasha?"

You asked both your mom and best friend.

"We thought we were cautious. We both agreed not to have a child right away."

You added. You could feel the panic attack starting once again. Sensing your distress, Wanda hugged you tighter in hopes that it could somehow help stop the in-coming panic attack.

"What about her y/n/n? Nat loves you. You guys are getting married. For Pete's sake, she'll be thrilled to know that you're pregnant with her child."

Wanda says from behind you.

"Wanda's right, baby. You don't have to worry about anything. Everyone will support you. Heck, your father might just throw another party at the news of your pregnancy."

Your mother said as she held your hand, earning a laugh from you from her last sentence.

"I guess so..."

You said as you could feel yourself going back to your usual self.

"I should tell her tonight when she comes home."

You said, smiling at your mom and your best friend.

"You do that. Morgan and I will be staying here at the compound for the night. Your sister misses you already."

Your mom said, smiling back at you.

"I miss that little munchkin too."

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Friday had notified you that the Quinjet had landed on the hangar and that Natasha would arrive in a few minutes.

"I'll leave you alone so you can talk, okay? I'm so happy for you, y/n/n."

Wanda said before leaving you. She had decided to stay with you until Natasha arrived from her mission.

"Thank you, Wands."

You said, incredibly grateful to have her as your best friend.

"Hi there, moya lyubov'. Missed me?"

You heard Natasha say as she emerges from the hangar.

"Yes, I missed you so much, Tasha."

You felt your fiancé smile at your words, leaning down to kiss you on the lips.

You smile through the kiss. Sending butterflies down your stomach. You were hopelessly in love with the red-haired assassin.

"How's your day been? Anything interesting?"

Natasha quickly asked, hating that she had to leave you for a mission, missing the whole day she wanted to spend with you.

"Just a few gossips with Wanda. Mom's staying here with Morgan on the compound tonight."

You said, trying your best not to panic from the news that you were about to tell.

"Actually, I need to talk to you about something. But I think it's best if we go to our room first."

You say as you can slightly feel the panic starting to rise once again.

"Okay? Is this a bad thing?"

Natasha asked, worry now evident on her face.

"No, no. It's not... at least not for me."

You quickly said, causing Natasha to feel more confused.

The two of your started to head back to your room hand in hand while Natasha told you a bit of what happened before at her mission.

"So, what is this thing that you wanted to tell me?"

Your fiancé immediately asked the moment the two of you stepped foot in your room.

You took a few breaths before telling her the news.

"I'm pregnant, Tasha."

You said, looking up at her with hopeful eyes.

"You're what?!"

Natasha said, utterly shocked at the news you've just dropped. You didn't know if her shock was good or bad, so you decided to repeat what you said.

"I said I'm preg--"

"I know what you said, y/n. How can you be pregnant? We were careful. We both agreed that we wouldn't have a child for now!"

Natasha said, interrupting you. Her reaction took you by surprise.

Everyone already knew about your pregnancy, and they were happy for both of you. Seeing how your fiancé reacted is like a punch in the gut.

"You think I planned this? I'm just as shocked as you, Nat! I don't know how I got pregnant, but they're here now."

You said, hurt evident in the tone of your voice.

"No... no."

Nat started.

"This is not happening. I want it gone."

Natasha said in a stern voice.

You were crushed by her words. She didn't want your baby.

"No, Nat I--"

"Terminate it, Y/n. I don't want it now. We will have a baby when we're both ready."

She said, interrupting you once again. Every word that's coming out of her mouth slowly breaking your heart.

"How could you say that? This is our child! You can't expect me to just kill our baby!"

You shouted at her, failing to notice that you were already crying.

"No, I will keep this baby with or without your support. I am not a-"

"A what? Huh? You're not a monster like me? Is that what you're saying?"

Natasha interrupted you for the third time tonight. You couldn't believe the words that were coming out of her mouth right now. This isn't the Natasha that you knew and fell in love with.

"What? No!"

You exclaimed. It's bad enough that she called your unborn baby 'it,' and now she wants you to kill them.

"You are a lot of things, Natasha Romanoff, but you are not a monster."

You told her. If she doesn't want your baby, then you have no other choice but to walk away.

Taking off the ring that she gave to you when she proposed, you looked at her in the eyes before you spoke.

"You're a coward. We're over."

And with that, you walked out of your shared room with her and out of her life.

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Part 2

[ideas-for-you-to-adopt]

I really want an ending where Y/N moves on with someone new (hopefully a crossover with Wonder Woman or Supergirl) and when the Russian family finds out, they give Natasha flak for letting Y/N go.

Buttered Up to Break Your Heart

Pairing: Natasha Romanoff x GN!Reader

Word Count: 1.2k

Warnings: angst, breakups, hints at emotional cheating, language, written on mobile

Summary: You saw a loving future with Nat, until one day she woke up and decided she no longer wanted you in hers.

A/N: I've been in an angsty little mood so I apologize for this. If y'all want a part two where the reader gets a happy ending, just scream at me in the comments 👀 also thank you for 4k!! I was very happy to see I made it back there after weeding through the blank blogs. I love y'all sm 🖤

The dimly lit restaurant gave off the perfect vibe to end your vacation weekend. A small jazz band played in the corner, and you had your own section alone with Nat. It was the type of luxury you were used to being with her. Perks of dating an Avenger, you guessed.

You spent the last three days at a beach resort soaking up the sun and drinking boozy punches out of hollowed coconuts. You and Nat didn't get much time away together, so you enjoyed it for all it was worth. And being able to cuddle up with Nat three nights in a row was worth a lot in your eyes.

You sipped your wine and hummed along with the music softly playing in the background. Part of you didn't want to go back to reality.

"We should talk," Nat said once the waitress set your food in front of you.

"About what, my love?" You reached across the table to take her hand, but she purposefully moved away from your touch. You frowned. Well that wasn't a good sign.

"When we get back to New York, I think it may be best for us to go our separate ways." You blinked, and she took your silence as an opportunity to keep going. "With Steve and Tony gone, I have to step up with the team. I won't have time to cater to your needs in a relationship."

You sucked in a breath. "Cause it's so hard to be in a relationship with me?"

"It's not your fault. I understand what you went through in previous relationships, but I don't have time to coddle you."

"Coddle me? Nat, what the fuck!"

She sighed and set her silverware down to the side. Her demeanor felt like that of a mother getting ready to scold a child and not a woman breaking up with her partner.

"Please don't make this more dramatic than it needs to be," she pressed. "We had a nice weekend, and now we can part ways."

"Why are you being so damn cruel?" You sniffled, trying your best to swallow back the lump burning your throat. "What was this weekend? Your way of getting any last minute feelings out for me before letting me loose?"

"You're being ridiculous."

"Am I? You're acting as if we're talking about the weather and not ending our relationship of five years! Did you ever really care about me, or was I just someone to pass the time?"

When she didn't respond, you stood and tossed your napkin onto the uneaten food. If Nat wanted to end things amicably, you weren't going to comply. She was fucked in the head for treating you like this, and you had no idea why. She spent the whole weekend holding you and kissing you and telling you how much she loved you. Did those gestures mean nothing to her? Were they all just empty words?

"When did you decide you were going to end things?" Your voice raised slightly, but being in a private section kept you from feeling embarrassed about it. "This weekend? When I met Alexei and Melina? When we talked about our future homes and having kids?"

You started for the door but stopped just short of it. "You may be able to turn your emotions off like the trained assassin you are, but I can't. I will never forgive you for treating me this way, Natasha."

●●●●●●●●●●

Two weeks you spent wallowing in your apartment. You told yourself you wouldn't be so affected by her words, but you couldn't help but doubt. She viewed as nothing more than a chore. Despite all the sweet words she said to you in the five years you dated, she reduced you down to nothing but something to check off her to-do list. And every time you thought about it, you burst into tears.

You never had the best luck with relationships, but Nat changed your view. She made you believe you had someone you could open up to. Someome who could make you feel seen and loved in a way you never experienced before.

What a fucking joke.

Heat rose to the backs of your eyes, and you pressed your fists to them to keep the tears at bay. You were so tired of crying. Especially when you knew Nat was not mourning the loss of your relationship the way you were.

A knock came from your front door, and a sadistic part of you hoped it was Nat. You didn't care if she was here to beg for you back or not, you just wanted to hear her voice again. Because as stupid as it sounded, and as much as you hated yourself for it, her voice would have been such a comfort right now.

You tried not to seem disappointed when you saw Wanda on the other side. If she noticed the way you deflated, she said nothing.

"You haven't been around the compound in awhile." It clearly wasn't a question. "Is everything okay?"

She let out a small "Oh!" when your bottom lip trembled, and you could no longer hold back the tears you were fighting. Wanda caught you in her arms as you broke down, letting you sob until you ran out of breath then started all over again. It wasn't until you began to hiccup that she finally used her powers to soothe you. Only slightly. Not enough to put you to sleep.

"She dumped me, Wanda," you croaked. "Told me she didn't have time for a relationship."

Wanda's brows furrowed. The way she chewed on the inside of her cheek told you she knew something you didn't, and you sucked it up long enough to ask her what she knew. It obviously wasn't good news, but you needed to know it regardless.

"I don't think I should tell you," she whispered.

You shook your head. "No. Tell me, I'll be fine."

"Nat's already dating someone else. I thought - I didn't think she broke up with you because she was too busy. I thought you both just decided to go your separate ways because that's how she made it seem."

You gripped the front of her shirt and pressed your forehead to her chest. Another sob forced itself out of your mouth sounding more like a stangled plea than anything else. You expected bad news, but you surely didn't expect this.

Nat lied.

No, she didn't just lie. She broke your heart and practically blamed you for it, so she wouldn't have to admit that she wanted to be with someone else. She was a liar and a coward.

"Who?"

"I don't think knowing is gonna help, babe."

"Who, Wanda? Please," you begged.

She sighed through her nose. "Maria."

Despite being livid, you also felt even worse about yourself than before. You spent a lot of your relationship worried that you would never be enough for an Avenger. And now you knew that was true. Everything Nat said to make you believe otherwise was a lie. You were never going to be enough in her eyes.

You weren't a trained agent like Maria. You were too much. Required too much. For five years, you were nothing more than a charity case, and now she was done with you.

[ideas-for-you-to-adopt]

Romance overload. Love it

To Grow Old With You

Information: Pt.3 of Song Prompt Mini-Series under Natasha X R; Wanda X R

Summary: It wasn't all good getting there, but you got there anyway

Pairing: Natasha Romanoff x Reader

Theme: Angst/fluff

TW: Mention of cheating

Word Count: 3,505

A/N: Thank you so much to @lostandsearching for proofreading for me 🥰 and thank you to @ideas-for-you-to-adopt for requesting this!

“Can you show me your best ones in this color?” You asked the Jeweler who happily assisted you

He laid down five options, you didn't like the first three. It doesn't scream her but the fourth one made your eyes sparkle

It's simple and elegant, just like her

"She's taking that," Stark said immediately. This was the 4th store you dragged him into. If this one had drawn your attention, he won't waste any more time so you can convince yourself otherwise

While the jeweler packs the item, he leans on the counter and got your attention

“I’m happy for you. You two deserve each other” Tony taps you on the shoulder as you both watch the item you just bought being wrapped nicely

“Me too, Tony. I’ve never felt this happy before her”

. . .

“Shall we eat somewhere outside tonight?” Natasha asked, her head leaning on your shoulder as you two sit on the sofa, legs lifted on the coffee table, popcorn bowl resting on your lap while you watch an episode of your favorite TV series

“If you promise to behave and not do something extreme, yes, gladly” You teased the woman eliciting a snort from her, disbelief in her voice

“I always behave” She complained and you chuckled

“Your idea of behaving is chasing a thief and opening multiple stitches, darling” Natasha crossed her arms on her chest and huffed

“I’m not about to let a criminal getaway”

“There’s like...maybe 3 officers chasing him” you shook your head, attention fully on her and judgment on your face

“Well they were too slow, he was getting away” You glared at Natasha and she rolled her eyes “Fine, no more extreme actions from either of us” You smiled. Your phone silently vibrated on the table and you picked it up

“Better pick a restaurant then while I get this” You sighed after seeing the caller ID, you stood up and walked to the kitchen so your conversation won’t interrupt the show as Natasha continue to watch while scrolling on her phone for the nearest restaurant that will catch her interest

Looking back again on Natasha, you answered the phone and ask in an exasperated tone “Steve, I told you I’m on a leave until Nat-”

“Y’n, it’s Wanda” Your eyes squinted

“Do you need something?” your voice takes on a tone of indifference, Natasha picked it up and looks up at you

“Can we talk, in person and in private?'' Wanda asked and you purse your lips. Natasha gave you an inquisitive look but you only sighed and mouthed ‘later

“If it’s about missions, I’m on a leave” Natasha’s curiosity got the best of her, and walked up to you, you smiled and shook your head at her. She shrugged, trying to listen in on your conversation

“It’s not…” Then there was silence, Wanda’s heavy breaths filled the void, her voice was hesitant when she spoke again “I...I made a mistake. I still love you Y/n, I want to talk about it more in person if you are willing to get back together again and make us work”

Natasha bit her lips at Wanda’s words. She tried to read your expression even if she was scared to know your answer. Technically, you weren’t together with her because Natasha wanted to wait a bit more, to make sure you both wanted the same thing, to be together

Now, Wanda is trying to get you back. Wanda was the love of your life. She was your first girlfriend and she will always have a special place in your heart. Now you are being offered a chance to continue that life with her, to fill that space inside you that she had left behind

You watched insecurities flash on Natasha’s face before she gave you a smile and a nod. It was permission to cancel your plans tonight and try to make it work with Wanda again. She was conflicted, her eyes show that she wants you to stay, but at the same time, she also wants you to be happy

She just doesn't know yet that your happiness lies here, with her

You held Natasha’s hand with your free one and kissed her open palm before pulling her closer and wrapping her arms on your waist

“I’m sorry Wanda, I have a dinner date with Natasha,” You said without breaking eye contact with Natasha “Our time has passed, I’ve moved on for the better. I’m sorry if it didn’t work for you and Vision but I do hope for a better future for you just like what I see in mine” You said before cutting the line and putting the phone on the counter

Natasha teared up, she clenched her jaw to stop herself from crying

“Darling, what are you waiting for? We have a date to get to” You smile, leaning down and kissing her on her lips that she gladly returned

. . .

[You say you know, when you know, well I know

I know that's true

Never did, never did, as a kid

But now I do, oh-oh, oh-oh]

“Ugh Nat, this bag is so heavy!” You grunted, complaining as you haul the luggage up the stairs “What the hell is in this thing?” you asked and she shook her head smiling

“You’ve become weak, you have to train with me again,” she said, hauling hers easily up the stairs. You rolled your eyes at her but watch her get up the stairs and down again to help you with a smile

She’s finally moving in with you and today, you can’t be happier. You will carry hundreds of heavy luggage as long as you know that she’ll be waking up with you in the morning and going home to kiss you after a long day

[Rush of blood, to my head, swear to God

I wanna die inside this feeling

You say you know, when you know, well I know

Looking at you]

Natasha proudly sighed, putting the last of the books on the newly assembled bookshelf you bought from IKEA once you realized she would have more books than you had storage for

You saw something rolled on the floor and picked it up, turning it over on your palm to investigate the metal “Hey Nat?” You called and she turns to you, a proud smile still on her face after finally finishing assembling the bookshelf, you showed her the screw

Her eyes squinted trying to focus on the small item and when she realized her eyes grew wide at the same time as a creaking sound could be heard, the bookshelf crashing from the weight and the missing material follows soon after

You both step back hopelessly watching the books and broken shelves settle on the floor

“Maybe it’s better to just buy a newly built one…” You suggested and she nodded, not wanting to say anything more about being self-sufficient

[I know time can change us, break us

Make us lose our minds]

���Come on...do we need to clean every month?” You ask, pouting while leaning on the mop Natasha brought to you

“Yes, I can’t live in a filthy house!” She laughs, pushing you to start cleaning “Also, it keeps the mold and insects out. You hate insects right?” You squint your eyes at her, still not convinced “Remember when we were on a mission and something crawled up to you?”

She made a gesture of creepy crawlies walking up to your arms “And then” her voice lowered and you felt the room got colder “Those itsy bitsy insect legs running up your exposed skin” she whispered in your ear. The hairs on your body stood to attention as you jump away from her with your skin pale and sweaty

You hurriedly mop the whole surface of the floor, making sure to get the corners and crevices. Natasha watched you with amusement. She had you in the palm of her hands and she was more than happy to give you a little nudge, if you needed one

[I'll hold you 'til we're older

Love you when I'm sober

Be there 'til the air stops

Pumping out your lungs]

"Darling?" You called, tracing your hand up and down her arm. Your head propped on your hand as you lay to your side, trailing short kisses on her neck and shoulder. She hummed, rotating her head to look back at you. There was silence as you contemplate on the things and feelings you want to convey

She rotated her body to face you, her hand on your blanket-covered waist, rubbing small circles with her thumb. You watch her eyes glint under the moonlight glow slipping from the cracks in between the curtains

"Are you happy?" You asked in a whisper and she frowned but Natasha knows you well enough to read right through you and your self-doubt

Natasha smiled, taking your face in her hand and pulling you closer to claim your lips. It was a gentle kiss, it was soft, warm, wet...you tasted all of her and all of you in her mouth, unsung feelings dancing between you through your connected lips

She leans back, kissing you once more before looking into your eyes with all the sincerity in her heart

"I have never been happier, Moya Lyubov. I love you"

Your heart exploded with warmth. You buried your head in her neck and smiled, muttering a soft "I love you, too" in the crook, tickling a giggle out of her

Natasha pulled your body closer to hers and you both fall asleep keeping each other warm

[Kiss me like the first time (the first time)

Even at the worst times (the worst times)

Even when it hurts, I swear you keep mе up

I'll hold you 'til we're

Old, old, o-o-o-old]

“Y/n’s been acting weird with me,” Natasha said, complaining to Bruce and Steve about your recent treatment of her

“What do you mean weird?” Bruce asked

“Well...she’s giving me the cold shoulder and she doesn’t say anything probably to avoid a fight but I feel like she’s doubting every move I make” Natasha sighed with irritation

“Well, you’ve been going on a lot of missions lately and since she is no longer an Avenger, she’s not allowed details”

“That’s true but she was an Avenger and knows how we work so maybe, there is something more to it. What else do you notice?” Steve asked this time, knowing you a bit better than Bruce and finding your actions uncharacteristic

“Well, I don’t know...she gets sad when I get home very late. Won’t talk to me at all and just prepare meals in the morning before she leaves for work. I haven’t done the chores much either because of work and just forgets a few little details from time to time” Natasha closed her eyes, hand rubbing her temple “Is it that big of a deal, we’re just really busy these days”

“And all you tell her is ‘I’m busy with work and missions’?” Steve asked and Natasha nodded. He rolled his eyes and tuts his tongue “No wonder she’s giving you the cold shoulder”

“What do you mean?” Natasha asked, facing him. Her back facing the door while Steve leans on the table closer to Nat

“Isn’t that what Wanda kept saying before she was discovered having an affair with Vision? That’s what you kept telling me” Natasha’s eyes widen and she gasped, realizing that her actions were bringing up past trauma for you

She was about to agree with Steve but when she looked at him, his own eyes were wide with shock. Natasha turned around and saw you by the door, your face sullen and broken. You walked away at Natasha called but you ignored her

“What’s wrong with her?”

“I saw our reflection on the door opposite us, from her view, it looked like we were kissing” Steve muttered and Natasha’s heart dropped

“Oh no…”

. . .

Natasha immediately runs after you but she was surprised to see you in the living room of the compound instead while drinking water

“Y/n” She called, slowly approaching you

“Can you explain that or should I just assume you’re moving out now?” You answered, Natasha winced at the indifference in your voice but she froze when you looked at her. Your eyes were devoid of any emotion, your feelings shut down completely

Natasha only saw that expression on you once, it was when Wanda broke up with you, now it’s her on the receiving end. The difference is, Natasha is innocent and Wanda is not

“I-” Natasha started but her voice got caught in her throat. She doesn’t understand why she’s suddenly trembling. She is innocent!

“You what?” You asked, sipping on the water once more before gently and calmly putting it on the coaster

“Nothing happened,” Steve said, arriving to save Natasha and fix this mess. Your eyes traveled to Steve and he froze as well but he didn’t let it faze him “We were just talking, Bruce was there too. We can check the cameras if you want”

“No” You denied the offer, “I only want Natasha’s word” Natasha clenched her jaw and stood straighter, mad at herself that she can’t even assure you of her loyalty at the time you needed it the most

She needs to do better

“Yes, it’s true. We were just talking” You nodded and let out a sigh of relief before you felt tears run down your cheeks. You’ve been holding it in for so long, you just can’t stop it now

Natasha’s legs immediately brought her to your side, holding you close as your shoulder shakes. Steve felt both guilty and relieved, so he decided to leave and give the two of you some space.

Natasha’s recent actions were reminiscent of all of Wanda’s covering acts of betrayal. It wasn’t hard to convince yourself that Natasha was having an affair too. That pain and paranoia Wanda gave you is something that will forever be engraved in your heart and mind, and even if Natasha was able to heal the bleeding with her love, the scars will always remain as a reminder but despite the scars, there inside you is the trust Natasha built over the years, she just needed to access it again with the keys

This time, it was her words that were needed

“I’m so sorry, my love. I didn’t realize I was hurting you” Natasha whispered, tears of her own flowing freely from her eyes

“It’s okay, I’m just glad I didn’t lose you”

Natasha brought both her hands to your cheeks and smiled “You’ll never lose me” leaning towards you, Natasha brought your lips together, tasting the bitter side of love

[You can stay, you can sway, back and forth

I'd do it too, no, I

Wouldn't know, how to let, lеt you go

If I wanted to, oh-oh, oh-oh]

You watch Natasha pick out the best-looking ingredients on the shelves while you roll the cart away. Silently following the woman and answering questions when asked. You like admiring Natasha doing mundane, domestic things. She never had the chance when she was living in the compound, always tucked away in her room eating take-outs or requests from Stark’s kitchen

She made it a mission to learn to watch out for good and bad ingredients and learn how to cook, pestering the chef in the compound to teach her and let her experiment there

Natasha immediately learned that you like your junk food too much, she lets you buy a few, picking out some of her own as well. Snacks that you two would share for the month are separated from the snacks that would be served to the guests. Sam, Bucky, Steve, and Tony always insisted on hanging out in your apartment, sometimes sleeping over when they get too drunk

Natasha makes sure to keep all the cabinets and the refrigerator full for the month

When you get home, you wash and wipe the groceries and she sorts them out to their places that you both got accustomed to. She learned to put each item in places where it’s easily accessible when needed, she learned all that by observing

After cleaning up, she would look around and admire her work, you would stand by her side and admire her

[Cold sweat in the bed

Swear to God

That I would die before I'd leave you

You say you know, when you know, well I know

Laying with you

I know time can change us, break us

Make us lose our minds]

“These are the bills for this month, these are the taxes and these are the budgets for other things,” Natasha said, sliding some papers your way. Your brows furrowed and your tongue licking your lower lips as you compute the numbers written on the paper neatly arranged in a folder

It’s Natasha’s favorite time of the month where she can calculate everything this month and plan everything else for the next month. Living with Natasha, you’ve learned to follow a routine, schedules, and budgeting

To others, it might seem like a pain but the way she cared for all the details in your life together can only make you stop typing on your little calculator and steal a glance at the woman who had the tiniest smile on her face as she read more of the receipts you two have accumulated for the month

With Natasha, you have never felt more organize and secure

*Knock knock*

Natasha’s eyes squinted as she put on her earrings. You two will be going on a date but you will be going there straight after work. No one else said they’ll be coming in

Slightly irritated that she got interrupted getting ready, she sighed and went downstairs to open the door, taking her electric baton on the way, just in case

She waited once more for a knock and when there was another pair, she opened the door and saw you. She tilted her head with a curious smile aimed at you

“What’s happening?” She asked but you only flashed her a grin before pressing a button and music started

You sang the lyrics to her as you drop the placards on your side each time and Natasha smiling continuously, leaning on the ajar door trying to figure out what you’re planning

[I'll hold you 'til we're older

Love you when I'm sober

Be there 'til the air stops

Pumping out your lungs

You put the placards on the table and took Natasha’s hands, guiding her inside the house. You snapped your fingers and dim, romantic lights turned on. Natasha looked around in amazement

Kiss me like the first time (the first time)

Even at the worst times (the worst times)

Even when it hurts, I swear you keep me up]

You placed yourself in the middle of the living room, placed a hand on your shoulder and you held the other and her waist. You swayed yourself to the rhythm of the music as you sing the lyrics softly

Natasha giggled and moved with you. Sometimes, it annoys her that you act so rashly and become unpredictable but those times are what she enjoys the most

[I'll hold you 'til we're

Old, old, o-o-o-old

I'll hold you 'til we're older

Love you when I'm sober

Be there 'til the air stops

Pumping out your lungs]

You turn Natasha slowly and dipped her, you both chuckled when your spine cracked making your pitch unstable

“Maybe let’s stick to the basic swaying” She whispered and you snort

“I wish I can disagree” you answered before you started singing again

[Kiss me like the first time (the first time)

Even at the worst times (the worst times)

Even when it hurts, I swear you keep me up]

Natasha held you close for a while, her head leaning on your shoulders. The smell of roses from her shampoo filling up your senses and her hot breath fanning your neck. You felt like you were holding your world, and maybe in some way...you are

You stopped dancing and moved Natasha to arm’s length, her head tilted in question. You slipped away from her but continued singing. You took something from the cabinet near the television and when you faced Natasha, her eyes widen

[Oh (old, old, o-o-o-old)

You (old, old), yeah (o-o-o-old)

I wanna hold you, wanna hold you, wanna hold you

I wanna hold you

To raise and pain, I wanna hold you, wanna hold you

Yeah]

You walked towards her once more, smiling before you slowly kneeled in front of her, the black box with a green gemstone ring sitting in the small cushion

“Natasha Romanoff, would you be so kind and make my dream of holding you til’ we’re old come to life?”

Natasha’s face was filled with tears, happy tears. She flashed you a smile before wiping it away “Gladly”

[ideas-for-you-to-adopt]

I normally hate angst without happy endings but this is just perfect

If Only

Pairing: Natasha Romanoff x Reader

Summary: It had been two months without Natasha. It seemed she was happy without you, but you were barely surviving without her. When you run into her. things only get worse.

Word Count: 656

Warnings: Heavy angst, angst without a happy ending, break-ups, unhealthy relationship, and cursing.

A/N: This hurts… so bad.

Two months. Two entire months without Natasha, and everything seemed to get worse and worse. You knew it wasn’t working out the arguments, the late nights, the canceled dates. Everything screamed an unhealthy relationship, yet you couldn’t bring yourself to imagine life without her.

You had grown so dependent on her, even when she could do nothing for you. She always gave you the tightest, warmest, loving hugs you could ask for. Even when she was barely around, she made sure to have ramen in the cupboards so you could make your comfort food.

Now it’s just… nothingness. What seemed to be the worst for you is that… that she didn’t even care. Like it couldn’t have affected her less. When she broke things off, there were no tears or puffy eyes. Just a look of pity. You wish things had been different. There hadn’t been an explanation- she just left.

You’d spend hours just trying to figure out what you did wrong, analyzing every mistake you made. It seemed as though you still turned up with no response. You tried to be the best partner you could ever be. You guessed it just wasn’t enough to keep her happy. You weren’t enough.

You’re snapped of your wallowing thoughts when your coworker called you over. “Coming!” You yelled and walked over to the shelf with the laptops. “What, is it another unsatisfied customer? We made a deal, I already dealt with the last one now it’s your turn-”

You’re cut off, “No, no. I just think you might want to go home a bit… early today.” You raise a brow at her. You always were timely, it was one of the things your boss constantly complimented you for. Plus, you had another two hours before your shift ended.

“What do you mean? I’m not sick or anything. I’m fine to work Sonia, why do you want to kick me to the curb?” You joked but inwardly were confused and even a little anxious.

“It’s just a bad idea… just please go.” She desperately pleaded, and that’s where you got more confused. You weren’t in the dark for any longer though.

“Y/N! Hey, I didn’t know you got a new job. What’s new?” Your heart raced at Natasha’s voice. You didn’t know how she could talk so casually after just leaving you.

“Natasha babe, who’s this?” You heard a cheery voice ask her, and your heart fell. You swallowed down the tears threatening to spill as Natasha wrapped her hand around the woman’s waist.

“Sorry Y/N, I forgot to introduce you! This is my girlfriend Maria!” She sounded so… happy. Content. It made you feel so sick. She was able to live happily, move on. Yet you spend your nights sobbing and scooping ice cream into your mouth.

“Oh… well that’s cool. I got to go-” You tried to exit, but Natasha stopped you with a concerned expression. As if she had the fucking audacity to even be concerned. As if she ever even cared.

“Y/N, are you okay? I know this is hard but…” Natasha didn’t finish her sentence, just stared at the floor. Pondering how to explain herself. To you, there wasn’t an explanation. It was crystal clear how she felt.

“You weren’t there, Natasha! You fucking left me, left me!” You screamed, finally breaking down while Maria pulled the redhead a few steps back. “You always did this! You tried… to pity me! When you didn’t care! That’s it, I can’t.”

You wiped your eyes and pushed past the pair, ignoring the cries of your name. When you reached the parking lot, you collapsed in your car and let yourself cry.

“God, get it together Y/N.” You muttered to yourself, finally started your car and drove out of the parking lot, but the only thought in your mind was,

She was never there for you. Guess you just weren’t enough.

[ideas-for-you-to-adopt]

This love isn't pitiful. It's pure.

Fucking android doesn't get it

Take good care of her | Wanda Maximoff x Reader

A/N: Heyy! Hope you’re all doing okay! This story is based on a song called ‘Prends bien soin d’elle’ which means ‘Take good care of her’. Hope you’ll like it, good reading!

Summary: When love leaves you, you have to let it go. But you also have to make sure that the one who Wanda loves now will love her good.

Warnings: break-up, letting go of a lost love, tears, …

Masterlist | Character Masterlist

✦ ✦ ✦

Life has never been easy. We often had to fight. Cross the constraints, overcome the obstacles. And if life is a bitch, it takes love with it. And it’s alone that we fall asleep, the night without wonders.

There is nothing left around. Love has been replaced by nothingness. And you abandon yourself to outlines, to detours that leave you unsatisfied. But this is your life and it is like that. You can’t fight when the other one leaves. Hope is vain and you know it. And it’s because you love her that you let her go.

Wanda was for you the sun and the joy. She would light up your days with the mere sight of her smile. She rocked your nights with her velvet voice. She made you believe in love. You loved her as we love God. With a powerful love but with a serious love. You loved her like you never really loved anyone before.

But since all beautiful things come to an end, this love has ended. Wanda has fallen for other arms than those hugging her so far. And you saw her slowly fade away, far from your poor days. She has withdrawn from you like a liar’s heart is torn out of a chest. And Vision became the sole holder of her heart.

Your love for her didn’t matter anymore. Wanda loved Vision. You were nothing more than a flower from the past, now withered that rested on her memory like a worn out old movie. But your heart, however, loved her hard enough to face Vision. Not to take back the love that was now in Vision’s hands. No, since you wanted to see Wanda happy and you knew it was in his arms that she would be. So, you were facing Vision today, only to ask him to take care of her.

She ended up getting bored

Of this life, of this job

Eternal back and forth

Between work and love

When you stumbled across Vision in the long hallway, he looked serene. He wasn't mean, he didn't mean to hurt you. He knew very well that you were in pain and he was sorry about it. But love has its own laws and even a robot like him is subject to them. He loved Wanda, maybe even more than his own life. It was enough for you. You carried your burden and he carried her happiness. It was hard to accept. But you didn't wish him bad luck nor pain.

Vision saw you approach him and his serene expression broke. Maybe he thought you wanted to hurt him. Like if we’re always mean when love breaks us. But you gave him a smile and that was enough to soothe him. He looked at you without moving, waiting for you to talk.

You didn't try to have a conversation with the robot. All that mattered to you was that he take care of Wanda. You just wanted to tell him what's on your mind, tell him what you know about Wanda to make him love her properly. For him to love her as she deserved to be loved.

You took a deep breath and, without thinking, you let your heart speak for you.

“Wanda was never one to settle for routine. She loves poetry and beautiful flowers. Sitcoms and sweets. She’s probably the nicest person I know. She’s big-hearted and she knows it.”

As he listened intently to you, Vision could see your eyes shining. Whenever you mentioned Wanda, your eyes always lit up. And today you didn’t try to hide it anymore.

“Sometimes it does her bad. She gives more than she should. But she’s true to herself and that’s what I’ve always liked about her,” you confessed with conviction, ”I don’t blame her for choosing you, you know. She got tired of the life I was offering her. Eternals back and forth between work and love. It wasn’t enough for her. She deserves more than that.”

Vision shyly nodded in agreement and you gave him a weak smile. She deserved better than anything you could give her. She deserved him.

Since she turns to you

Try to love her better than me

I didn’t know how to understand her

I never knew how to be tender

“I haven’t come to threaten you, Vision,” you said, “I know she’s happy with you.”

“Miss Y/l/n-”

“Let me finish, please,” you interrupted, “I’m only asking you one thing.”

“What?”

You looked away for a moment to blink back your tears. Then you looked at Vision again.

“Since she turns to you, try to love her better than me.”

Vision cocked his head to the side, confused. He still had a hard time adjusting to human emotions, but he could feel your pain. And he didn’t understand why you were so nice to him. How could you stay so strong when the love of your life was being torn away from you?

“No matter how much I tried, I couldn’t understand her. And I was no match for it. But I know you will be.”

“What makes you think I will love her better than you did?” Vision asked curiously.

“Despite all the love I have for her, I never knew how to be tender,” you replied, “You know how to be.”

Be careful she catches a cold

In the first frost of winter

She fears the breeze and the mist

Protect her from headwinds

“I don't know if you know her as well as I do, but just in case, let me tell you a little more.”

Your speech was driven by your heart and your desire to see Wanda happy. Since she loved Vision, you wanted Vision to love her just as much. You wanted to be able to keep seeing her smile and then laugh. Even if it wasn't because of you anymore. Even if it was for another’s love.

“Be careful, Wanda is sensitive. She gets a bit of a mess sometimes and she happens to inadvertently get sick,” you said, “She catches a cold on the first frost of winter. She fears the breeze and the mist. You’ll have to protect her from headwinds.”

Vision was still silent. He listened to you with attention and passion. You could see in his eyes that he was in love with Wanda, as he could read in yours that you were also in love with her. Finally, Vision was learning you and you understood him because you both felt the same. You loved Wanda the same way. But Wanda only loved Vision now. You weren’t enough for her anymore.

Be careful not to lose her

Never to disappoint her

She’s not the one who stays

Hanging on to their handkerchief

“You have to love her right. Better than I have been able to do it. Because Wanda is an angel and often these angels are fleeting. You will have to watch over her as we watch over a child, as we watch over a heart that beats hard but better than before.”

As you spoke, tears formed on the edges of your eyes. Your heart was pounding, hurt and desperate. You only hung up to Wanda’s happiness. The one Vision was going to give her.

“Be careful not to lose her, never to disappoint her. She'll forget you as quickly as winter passes, if you hurt her. She knows how to forgive but she remembers. She doesn't turn around when she leaves. She already knows the way.”

Vision considered each of your words. He knew you knew Wanda better than he did and for that reason he was very attentive to everything you said to him. Thanks to you he would learn to love Wanda as she deserved.

“You know, she won't cry for you if you hurt her. She’s not one of those who stick around hanging on to their handkerchief.”

Vision nodded. He knew Wanda was a romantic but once hurt she was gone for good. He didn't want that. He didn't want to end up in the same condition as you.

Protect her, she is fragile

Be careful not to make her cry

She leaves me, so be it

At least try to love her good

“And cover her with love and joy. This is all I ask of you,” you said, wiping away your tears with the back of your sleeve, “Protect her, she's fragile. She is unique. But you already know that.”

Your sobs were getting harder to swallow and Vision's sorry look on you wasn't helping you. He looked at you like one looks at a wounded animal. You only saw pity in his eyes. And you hated it.

“Be careful not to make her cry, she will only shed a tear before she leaves you. And she doesn't deserve this pain.”

Your words were shaky but they were sincere. Your speech came from your heart. Vision could easily hear it.

“She leaves me, so be it, at least try to love her good.”

Take good care of her

Be faithful to her

Whoever she loves as long as she is loved

If I love her anyway, I’ll be discreet

No matter if she leaves, I’ll be a good loser

It will hurt a lot less if you really love her

“Take good care of her, Vision,” you pleaded with tearful eyes, “Please.”

Vision nodded.

“And be faithful to her. Never betray her. Don't hurt her.”

You couldn't hold back your tears anymore. By asking Vision to take good care of her, you were saying goodbye to Wanda. You were setting her free.

“Whoever she loves as long as she is loved… If I love her anyway, I’ll be discreet,” you said in a shaky voice, “You won’t hear from me anymore. As long as she »s happy in your arms, I won't interfere.”

Vision watched you for a moment, “Won’t that hurt you? Definitely give up on Wanda…”

“No matter if she leaves, I’ll be a good loser,” you replied, “But it'll hurt a lot less if you really love her.”

With that, you turned on your heels and Vision watched you silently leave. Then he was joined by Wanda who saw your silhouette fade into the distance.

Take good care of her

Be faithful to her

Take good…

“Was that Y/n?” Wanda wondered.

“Yes, Miss Y/l/n needed to talk to me.”

“What did she want?” Wanda asked, confused.

Vision glanced at Wanda. He noticed that she seemed troubled by your presence and the idea that you had been able to chat with him.

“She wanted to make sure I would take care of you.”

Wanda frowned, confused.

“Love is an amazing feeling,” Vision announced, “Miss Y/l/n is proof that when we love someone enough, the mere idea of their happiness is enough for us even if then that person is not with us.”

Wanda turned her head to where she had seen you go. She swallowed hard.

“I’m glad I didn't have to be in her place though,” Vision added and Wanda looked back at him, “She’s pitiful, so is her pain.”

✦ ✦ ✦

join the taglist!

taglist: @natashaswifey ; @dandelions4us ; @chaekhan ; @razorscooteer ; @romanoff-maximoff-lover ; @marvelwomen-simp ; …

[ideas-for-you-to-adopt]

Goof, dorky Y/N?

Pairing with Natasha please! Or bring in Yelena. They'll be hilarious together

Keeping Up With The Avengers I: Behind the Scenes (Avengers x Reader)

|main masterlist|

summary: The Avengers get their own reality show

word count: 4333

a/n: bold’s the confessionals, and i’m opening a taglist for this too 

warnings: Reality TV, some references, swearing, the accords, this isn’t proofread

          “Wait, what’s this for again? Like why do we have to do this?” y/n questioned as two of the crew members made attempts to help her hook the mic up to her clothes.

         “Hi, I’m y/n l/n, I work as a technician of sorts for the Avengers…wait I’m not a technician,” y/n chuckled awkwardly, turning to face the crew bundled up behind the camera, “Can we start that over again? No? M’kay, hi, I’m a hacker with cool laser blasters occasionally.”

Keep reading

[ideas-for-you-to-adopt]

You Weren’t There

Pairing: Natasha Romanoff x Reader

Summary: While you went through the hardest times of your life, Natasha abandoned you. So what will you do when she comes begging for forgiveness?

Word Count: 857

Warnings: Angst, cursing, violence, implied threats, arguments, unhealthy relationships, and break-ups.

A/N: Yeah… This made me feel powerful but also depressed. Enjoy! <3

“I need you, Natasha, please!” You sobbed, trying to get your girlfriend to listen to you. “I just l-lost my job and my best friend s-stopped talking to me, you can’t just leave me right now!” Natasha sighed and rolled her eyes at you- as if this was somehow a huge inconvenience for her, and that she was so busy and important and you were just a waste of time.

“I can’t hold your hand throughout your entire fucking life Y/N! Why can’t you just grow the fuck up as everyone else has?” She screamed, grabbing her purse, ready to walk out. “You’re so fucking immature, you can never even act like an adult!” She gestured towards you angrily.

“What do you mean I never act like an adult? I’m struggling Natasha, why can’t you just be here for me!” You yelled, finding yourself getting more hysterical by the minute. You didn’t understand what you had done to be treated this way.

“I don’t have to be here for you all the fucking time, why can’t you just accept that the world doesn’t revolve around you? And guess what, I don’t care about you or your fucking problems! It’s over, it’s done.”

You let sobs rack through your entire being as the door slammed violently behind you, and you knew she wasn’t going to come back hours later like she usually did.

You sat with your roommate Wanda on the couch, enjoying slices of pizza and The Office. “Oh my god, you know that girl I thought it would work with?” Wanda was excited, smiling at and finishing her slice.

“Yeah, I think you mentioned her a couple of times. Why did it not work out?” You questioned while your roommate responded with a bitter chuckle.

“Cheating on me the entire time. Honestly, I’ve given up on dating. How’d you feel about being single together?” Wanda laughed. You were very lucky you had her as a roommate- she always brought your mood up, and she was a great friend.

“God, she sounds like an ass. Avoided a terrible relationship to be honest. But yes, of course, we should. Single best friends forever.” You said dramatically while you both hooked your pinkies together and broke out into laughter after a moment of awkward silence.

You jumped from a knock at your door, and you raised a brow at Wanda. “You didn’t invite anyone over, right?” You questioned, walking over to the door with a sense of caution. You looked through the peephole, and your heart almost jumped out of your chest. You quickly turned to Wanda and mouthed, “It’s Natasha, what do I do?”

She replied with a concerned shrug, and you decided to do something you’d never think of doing. You opened the door. You gasped at the state of the redhead. Puffy, teary eyes with the most guilty expression one could just up.

“Y/N, please please! Don’t leave, I made the biggest mistake of my life. I need you, I need you.” Natasha begged, trying pathetically to grab on to you. You supposed if it was you a few years ago, you would’ve clung to her, scared she’d disappear again.

Not now though. You ripped your arms out of her grasp, and Wanda stood up immediately to make sure Natasha didn’t do anything she’d regret. “Natasha, I think you should leave. You’re upsetting my friend here.” Wanda snarled, coming to your aid and approaching Natasha angrily.

The redhead’s face dropped, and quickly replied, “No. no. You really don’t understand, I just want to make everything right. I know my mistakes, believe me, I do. I’m here to fix it all, I want to make things right.”

You grimly laughed at that. “Natasha, I think I understand perfectly. I’m not taking you back because of your pathetic, sad apology. Nothing you do can take away the pain you gave me. Get out.”

Once again, Natasha attempted to reach out for your warmth, but Wanda got in the way and pushed her back. “You need to watch yourself. I won’t sit back and let my best friend be harassed. They said they wanted you to leave, so take that as your cue to leave and never come back.”

Natasha clearly was scared by Wanda’s aggression. You wouldn’t lie- you’d be too. Wanda doesn’t joke around when she’s pissed off. And at that moment… she was very, very pissed off.

Natasha was conflicted- she didn’t want to just give up, but it seemed you did. “I know why you’re mad, but if I can just have to minutes I swear I-”

The violent sound of a distinct punch to the face rang through the room accompanied by an off-putting cracking noise, and you looked up to see blood pouring out of Natasha’s nose. You looked up at Wanda, whose face had turned bright red from anger.

“You don’t deserve two minutes. Get out.” Wanda whispered, but you knew the dangerous tone of voice she carried, trying to contain herself. Natasha looked sadly at you one last time before mopping out of the room.

“Well, I guess that ends it, right?”

[ideas-for-you-to-adopt]

Bittersweet

I'm getting cold, pt 2

Natasha Romanoff x reader, part 1, sad and angsty I guess, fluff in flashbacks, i'm so sorry about R's fate in this and Nat's level of suffering, but it had to be this way, also the cat

2016

Everything was going off the rails so quickly. What was supposed to be just a mission, turned into Sokovian accords, broke the Avengers.

But that very evening after the assignment no-one could predict it. They still didn't know, how it would fit in the grand scale of the world. The team was almost content, they stopped the terrorist.

But Nat didn't care about any of that. She ignored Cap, who wanted to talk with her afterwards. She ignored Vision, who wanted to analize other possible strategic decisions. She ignored Tony, who wanted to help clean the mess in the media.

She ignored everyone. Nat was owhervelmed with familiar need to be alone. To sit in the dark, close her eyes and concentrate on that very face that triggered her anger. Again.

Rumlow. She finally had a reason to justify her hatred. That very hatred she spent so much time getting rid of. Now it was washing her over again, pushing out of her head all the lessons she taught herself during the years.

Nat didn't think about her future, she was reliving her past.

She was getting cold again.

Wednesday

"Well, I wasn't expecting such reaction from you, babe." Just for a tiny second you really considered leaving the room.

"You're being unfair, love." She crossed her arms. "I'm not trying to belittle you. I just think Rumlow didn't plan it carefully enough. I've heard him talking about the assignment. He doesn't know everything."

"That's why he needs me. He's the one staying in the compound, I'm the one leading the men. I will think every little thing through."

Nat still wasn't convinced. And you knew why. It didn't help that she just didn't like Rumlow. She made sure you were never alone with him and always stopped any personal conversations if he was around. But you just couldn't lose this chance. Fuck Rumlow, it was about you.

"Babe, I'm ready. You taught me yourself. Simple mission. We go in, take the drive and we leave."  You let out a groan. "Come on, Nat. I'm finally given a chance to prove that I'm capable of making my own desicions. And you want to take it from me?"

"Are you sure you don't want me to go with you?"

"Yes, babe. I'm sure. You work on your own. So can I."

Nat finally gave in. Of course you were right. You were never meant to be a person who just followed orders.

"Fine. But I'll still talk to both of you about this mission. And three of us will go through every single detail."

"Deal." You sighed with relief. "I'll make you proud, babe."

"Will you do one thing for me, love?"

"Anything."

"Let your warmth stay with me, while you'll be away."

2016

What were the odds, that the viales were sent by her adopted sister. What were the odds, that she knew about the Budapest safehouse. What were the odds, that they would survive an assault together. And yet still somehow all those things created a very unbelievable situation.

Nat was sitting with Yelena outside the lost bar in the middle of whothefuckcares.

"You reinvented your life?"

"You're saying like it's hard. You're gonna like it." Yelena giggled. "My sister moved out west. She's a science teacher and is working part time, after she had her son. And her husband renovates houses."

"That is not my story."

"Tell me what is it." Yelena wanted to know everything she missed. Wanted to know how far was her fairytale from the reality.

"I never let myself be alone long enough to think about it." It was the truth. All these years it was the only way not to lose whatever was left from her sanity.

"You just don't want to tell me."

"No, I'm telling the truth. I'm on my own." Nat reluctantly admitted.

"So such people like us just can't be happy. Thanks for proving my theory."

For both of them that simple phrase was a sentence. Nat felt the familiar cold under her skin. Was it really that way? Maybe that was the simple answer, the one that explained her failure.

"No, that's not how it works. I... Once I was happy, more than happy. And my past wasn't important then."

"What happened?"

"I do know what, but I still don't understand why. I thought our future was... We were living a life, I thought I could never have. I even had a plan. Like normal people do." Nat swallowed down a sob. "But I should have known better."

Thursday

"Oh, what smells so nice?" Nat just returned from her usual morning run.

"Buckwheat honey. The one you love so much." You were already at the table, drinking your coffee. "And it's perfect for your blinchiki I've spent the whole morning cooking. With fruits by the way. And the biggest cup of espresso."

"What did you do?" Nat remained standing in the doorway.

"What?"

"You always cook when you want to suck up. What it is?"

"Nothing." You tried to sound offended.

"Played with the tech you're not supposed to?"

"No."

"Had a fight with someone?"

"No."

"You want to ask me to do something?"

"No."

"Did something happen to our cat?" She squinted.

"No, she's fine."

Nat sat down and as soon as she made the first sip you spoke.

"But, there's something I need to tell you. It's nothing bad." You quickly continued recognising "I knew it" face. "It's about us. About me. I'm thinking about changing my specialization."

"What?" She almost choked on her own coffee. "Why? Is someone treating you badly? Saying something? Not showing enough respect? You know I can take care of everything, right?" Nat was surprised. Everything was going well. And yesterday you asked her to allow you more autonomy.

"Nat, I need you to breath and stay with me." You smiled reassuringly. "Remember a couple of months ago I told you that, I'm not feeling that rush of adrenaline before the missions anymore and I'm starting to question the efficiency of every desicion, having doubts in everything. And you said..."

"...that every soldier experiences this at some point. And you have to trust your instincts."

"Exactly. And now my instincts say, that I would bring more good not doubting on the field but analizing and evaluating situations before the missions. To minimise doubt for the others."

"Oh, Hill's new department."

"Yes, it is her new department. I just want to make sure that soldiers, who fight are always prepared and have access to all the information."

Nat reached out to touch you, to gently intertwine your fingers. She supported your desicion. She would support any of your desicions, accept every choice, understand all the doubts. You would do the same for her.

"So, Rumlow's mission..."

"Will be the last one."

2017

Nat was anxiously waiting for Cap's rollcall. Any minute the battle could start. She ignored others asking her to stay with Vision. What would be the point of that. She had to prepare herself for the inevitable. Planing wouldn't change anything. Wouldn't protect anyone.

She stopped making plans a long time ago.

Avengers' quinjet was as good as any other place to wait.

The only other thing that belonged to her in this aircraft was a leather jacket. She didn't wear it anymore, but instinctevely took it with her. She always did. The only thing that was left from your house. The one she never returned to after.

Nat felt stiff zipper under her fingers and worn leather that wasn't dark brown anymore. This was the only piece of your shared past, she could snuggle into when pain and cold were becoming too much to handle.

Friday

"Nat! I need you here." 

"What is it, love? What the..."  She almost tripped over the box full of clothes.

"I was just cleaning the dressing room. And let me tell you, we have too much clothes that we can't even wear anymore." You took out a random shirt out of another box. "Like this. With a huge cut from, what I assume, was a knife"

"It was a knife. Shame, I liked that shirt."

She looked around. "Wait. Why is this one here?"

"Oh." You took the jacket Nat was pointing at. "This one is my favourite. It has not one, not two, not three, not four but five bullet holes."

"It was a particularly nasty terrorist. But we need to keep this one."

"Why? You have like hundreds of them."

"I want to."

"What's so special about this one?"

You could swear it was the first time you actually witnessed your woman turn pale and than bright red.

"It's silly."

"You know me, I like silly."

Nat still hesitated. It always happened when she wasn't sure what to expect from you. What if something silly like this could push you away.

"Remember our first trip to the beach house?"

"Yeah, what does it have to... Oooh."

How could you be so blind. It was the jacket. The one she gave you, while telling all the stories of your future. You were immediately transported to that day. The perfect day.

Nat read your expression wrong.

"I told you, it was silly..."

"No, no, no. I'm so sorry. I had to remember this jacket.  Of course, we're gonna keep it. I'm sure we can fix it. Surely we can find some obscure technology."

You remembered. For Nat it was enough. She heard the guilt in your voice. It wasn't fair. She took the jacket from your hands threw it over your shoulders just like that day.

"You think, I'm weird?"

"I'll tell you something, Nat. You are aware of my lucky t-shirt.?"

"Sure. "The star wars" one."

You imitated a sound of light saber and earned a laugh.

"It's my lucky one, because it is the one you wore the night you stayed at my place for the first time." You pulled her closer. "You think it's silly?"

"No. Anything but silly." Nat couldn't help but hide in your embrace. No more hesitations.

2020

Everyone lost. Lingering feeling of despair that before was just a frequent guest now was living with Nat all the time. It wasn't only inside, it was all around her. She could feel it in the air, she could see it in the light, she could notice it in the others.

Every day she was inhaling more and more of it. Pain of losing you almost was overcome by the pain of losing everything.

Nat tried so hard to survive, to root herself in this new reality. She didn't have a privilege of self pity anymore.

She had to work, to save, to help, to create. No-one was allowed to know how she cried herself to sleep, how she forgot how to take care of herself, how for days she was walking in illusions. She gradually was forgetting her life, forgetting you.

If only there wasn't a creature who didn't allow her to wonder in her dreams for hours.

There were the days, when she hated that cat. Liho was the only one who still required routines. Food, care, toys, attention. Feline just didn't care about the tragedy around.

There were also the days when Nat was greatful. Of course that cat could never chase the cold away. But when Liho was quietly purring on her knees, a weak shadow of her previous life was chasing the despair away.

Saturday

Lazy mornings were not the thing both of you were used to. Too many problems to solve, too many events to be aware of, too many enemies. That's why those rare moments were so valuable.

And that was exactly the reason why Nat not finding you in the bed was unexpected.

Your house was already filled with autumn and gold. Her every step echoed with anticipation and confidence. It was her safe place, filled only with love and affection. None of her past was invited here and none of your doubts could survive.

Every detail belonged to her, every choice was not accidental, every surface had a purpose.

She heard Liho meowing, which didn't happen often. But it was nothing compared to the sight of you actually playing with the cat.

Nat knew, you were a dog person. At first not liking Liho, even ignoring her, always claiming that cats were not active enough.

In time though something changed. She won you over. Maybe because of the way she reacted when you were coming home,  the way she was always trying to hide near you, the way she always allowed you to stroke her.

Your bond was becoming stronger every day. And now Liho was playing with you, something she did seldom even with Nat.

Both of you were her little family.

2022

It was her chance to finally make everything right. To help bring back everyone. To help her other family to reunite. It was not a choice, it was her future.

Maybe it was actually a plan. But never hers. What if you were a destination and not a path itself and she had to earn you.

Maybe through love, maybe through care, maybe through sacrifice.

Vormir was the cold itself. Barren planet that was the embodiment of her own emptiness and loneliness. Even the color of the sky was exactly the same as that day.

Nat had nothing to lose, but she had so much to gain.

She knew Clint would fight, she knew he would try to save her. Predictable loyalty, admirable devotion. She would give him his family back.

"Damn you." He grabbed her.

Sunday

You were supposed to get in, get the drive and leave. Simple. Nat didn't want to let you go. It was never easy for her. But you promised to return. Promised to keep her warm.

You left on Saturday evening, asking Liho to take care of your woman.

You had a scheme. Perfect, simple, effective. But you didn't know one thing. Hydra needed that drive. And one of your own men had to take it. You felt nothing, only heard a shot. Shot in the back.

"We lost her." Growned Rumlow over the phone. "I'm sorry."

Nat didn't believe him. It wasn't the truth, it couldn't be. She had to find you.

"Agent Romanoff, you can't go on there."

She didn't hear that. She didn't hear anything.

Her love needed her. Her love was waiting for. But her love couldn't answer her plea anymore.

"I'm getting cold." She whispered.

"Let me go."

Two friends stared at each other. A lifetime between them.

"No, please no..." Clint tightened his grip.

"It's ok... I need her. I don't want to be cold anymore."

She yanked out of his grasp. After all these years she was finally coming to you.

[ideas-for-you-to-adopt]

I have a love-hate relationship with angsty Yelena fics with sad endings

Isn't It Enough?

A/N: I got this idea while writing a blurb requested by the lovely@yelenabelovastolemyheart

Warnings: Angst, neglect, mentions of surgery.

----------

"Lena? 'S that you?" You grumble groggily, rubbing your eyes as the blurry figure tosses its jacket onto the desk chair.

"It's me сонная голова (sleepy head), it's me." She sounds exhausted, crawling across the bed and into your outstretched arms.

"Where were you?" You sniffle, burying your face into the loose t-shirt hanging around her body.

"Just a mission." Her vague response concerns you but you don't push it, opting to pull her even closer to you.

"Okay," you mumble, your eyes slowly fluttering shut as Yelena watches you tiredly. "Okay."

-----------

You groan, flinging your arms over to Yelena's side of the bed. It's cold. Your eyes flutter open to confirm what you already knew.

She was long gone.

Sighing, you haul yourself out of the comfort of your mattress. No point in staying in if your lovely girlfriend wasn't there to cuddle with you.

Actually, you weren't even sure if she was your girlfriend anymore. She was more like your roommate, always sneaking in at the dead of night, never offering a more detailed explanation then 'work'.

You pour your coffee sullenly, your attention on the calendar in front of you. Your anniversary is coming soon and you've never been more excited for it, hoping to rekindle your relationship with Yelena.

"Ah shit!" You look down to see your coffee forming a puddle on the countertop and seeping into your shirt. You sigh. It was going to be a long day.

-----------

"When's the last time she came home at a reasonable time?" Wanda watches as you munch on a burrito. You ignore her question. "Or took you out? Or even really paid you any attention?" You slam the burrito down rather forcefully, causing Wanda to flinch.

"She's busy. That's it, yeah, she's just busy." You mutter but it comes out unconvincingly, making Wanda arch an eyebrow.

"I'm just trying to make sure you don't get hurt," she whispers, stroking your hand with her thumb. You sigh, running a hand through your hair.

"I'll be fine. But what you could help me with is finding a gift for Yelena for our anniversary." You joke, changing the subject swiftly which doesn't go unnoticed by Wanda.

"Okay..." She gives you a small, unsure smile, laced with doubts and concerns.

"Now let me finish my burrito in peace!"

-----------

You flit around the house, dimming the lights, double checking that the dishes are centered before hurriedly running your fingers through your hair. Your phone pings with a text from Wanda.

She's coming!

Quickly, you take your position behind the kitchen countertop, a big smile on your face as the door to your home swings open.

"Hi honey! How was your day?" Yelena sighs, taking in the scene in front of her.

"It was good I guess," she walks over to you, gently taking your hands in her hers. "Listen, babe, I'm really tired," her eyes scan the candle-lit dinner table warily. "Can we not do this now?" Your hope falters but you smile reassuringly at her.

"It's okay. We can just watch a movie instead." You lead her to the couch but she doesn't move.

"медовый (honey), I just want to go to bed okay?" She pleads, tugging her hands from your grasp and trudging towards your shared bedroom.

"O-oh. Okay then. It's fine. You're really tired. I get it-" the door slams shut. You stare blankly at the elegant dishes you prepared. "I'll just put them in the fridge then." Sighing, you run a hand through your hair. "What am I doing wrong?"

-----------

Your phone blares consistently, vibrating noisily on the nightstand. You groan groping at the table blindly before your hand lands on the device.

Come quick. Westview Hospital.

Move ur ass.

Your eyes shoot open, instantly awake and alert and you hop around the room, frantically pulling your clothes on.

Omw.

------------

You burst through the standard, bland hospital doors.

"Where is she?" Nat grabs your hands which have somehow found their way to her shirt collar, gently removing them.

"She's in surgery." Your knees buckle beneath you but Nat catches you, gently leading you to a nearby chair.

"I don't get it, everything was going so well," Nat watches you panic, your breathing growing more unsteady with every passing minute. "Why? What went wrong?"

"I- I don't know. She's been taking missions more frequently now, every other day at least." Nat sputters. "Has something gone wrong at home?" You recoil.

"What do you mean 'has something gone wrong at home?' What's that supposed to imply?" She immediately backtracks, trying to calm you.

"No, no, nothing. It's just she never seems to want to leave. Always doing paperwork, taking others missions, heck, even going to charity events!"

You gawk at her. Yelena always despised having to stand in front of a camera or converse with people she really didn't feel like talking to.

"You're kidding," you say meekly, shaking your head in denial. "This is Yelena we're talking about. Paperwork? Parties? Charity events?" Nat watches as your composure crumbles, your reality cracking and breaking around you.

"I'm sorry Y/N, I don't know what to sa-" A nurse's head pops out of the door.

"Ms. Romanoff?" Her head snaps up.

"Yes?"

"She's out of surgery." You surge forwards, brushing past the nurse and into the room.

She's in a generic hospital gown, unconscious with tubes sticking out of her but she's alive. And she's never looked more beautiful.

"Lena!" You rush forwards, ready to throw your arms around the love of your life when a hand sticks out, catching you in the stomach.

"Sorry miss, but she requested that only Ms. Romanoff be allowed inside." Yelena stares straight ahead blankly, having no reaction to the hurt on your face.

"But-" Natasha grabs you arm, sending you a gentle look. Go. You sigh, exiting the room, leaving Nat and Yelena alone.

Where did it all go wrong?

------------

That night was the hardest.

You toss and turn, nightmares plaguing your dreams at every twist.

With a frustrated grunt, you throw the covers off of yourself, opting to sit in the dark of the living room, nothing for company save for a small lamp, it's light comforting you.

------------

Yelena is discharged the next day.

She sits on the curb, wondering where you could be. Surely you had gotten the call and were on your way to pick her up?

But you never came.

Eventually, she dials Natasha's number, explaining impatiently that you had forgotten about her. Natasha frowns but does as her sister says, picking her up from the hospital.

------------

"Y/N." Your head snaps up to see Yelena, her arm in a sling, her tone sharp. "Where were you?" You don't respond, fueling her frustration even more. "Where were you?" She grits out. You laugh drily.

"No. Where were you?" Her eyebrows scrunch together in confusion. "Where were you when I needed you? Where were you when I was alone? When I was scared? When it was our anniversary." You scoff. "Clearly this relationship is one-sided."

"Oh I'm sorry if I was too busy saving the world to spend time with you," she snarls.

"That's not the point!" You take her hands in yours. "I know about all the extra missions you've been taking." Her anger falters for a second before coming back full force. "Yelena, I know you feel the need to repent for your actions. You want their approval." Your voice cracks, desperation seeping into your voice. "But isn't mine enough? Isn't it enough for you?"

She pauses and for a second, you allow yourself a small, sliver of hope. Your hopeful smile melts when she pulls her hands out of yours, her face stoic as she moves to the door.

"I'll send Nat to pick up my stuff tomorrow." The door slams shut as you fall to your knees, sobs racking your body.

Apparently, it wasn't enough.

--------------

Taglist:@username23345 @musicinourlips@gingerbreadcookieforlife @xxxtwilightaxelxxx @trikruismybitch @ima-gi--na-tion @nicole-rayleigh-hot @olsensnpm @peabrain-likes2read

[ideas-for-you-to-adopt]

Hilarious and sweet.

That 'Oh my god' line is the best part

Serendipity

Pairing: Wanda Maximoff x Fem!Reader

Warnings: one swear word, symptoms of pregnancy

A/N: hello! this is a combination of two requests i received. this is my first try at a pregnant!character fic. so, i really hope y’all enjoy. happy reading <3

anons requested: I would like to request a fluffy pregnant!Wanda x reader and honestly the only thing I specifically want is WANDA’S HEAD TILT and reader is just intimidated lmaoo because I’d imagine her to be moodier as well with the pregnancy. (also who doesn’t want that head tilt???) + hey, i love your writing and i was wondering if i can request a one shot.. i love pregnant Wanda and maybe this could be a fluffy story (fem Reader) where she’s all antsy and demanding and we are just tired but still do whatever Wanda asks of us because we love her so much, i mean, yeah, i’ll leave the other details to your imagination if you feel inspired and comfortable writing it, thank you

Summary: Together, Y/N L/N and Wanda Maximoff embark on the unpredictable path to parenthood.

Word Count: 3.5K | navigation

please do not repost or try and take ownership of my work. reblogs, likes, and comments are always welcome. <3

The aspect of becoming a parent is equivocal. 

Depending on the situation, you’re either extremely excited, mortified, or a combination of both. Whether a pregnancy is intentional or not, there is one undeniable fact of the matter; the ability to bring new life to the world was stunning. 

No one ever really truly takes the miracle of pregnancy into consideration.

A small dot on an ultrasound monitor turns into a human being in a mere matter of months. Not only that, but that little speck is the tangible product of two individuals coming together as a whole. 

Of course, parenting is as exciting as it is daunting. Having to take care of another human was a huge responsibility. It is your job to support and raise them as best as you can. Your child is clay in which you mold and form into shape with your bare hands.

How your daughter or son turns out is a direct reflection of your parenting skills and that in itself was mortifying. 

You and your wife, Wanda had been trying for pregnancy for over a year.

It was heartbreaking, the seemingly endless number of times that the store-bought pregnancy test would flash a singular red line, indicating that your attempt had failed yet again. And with each negative, your hope had slowly diminished, as did Wanda’s.

However, the moment the familiar red line was accompanied by its twin, your entire world was turned upside down in the most beautiful way possible. 

You could vividly recall the excitement and shock that struck you both as you stood in the bathroom of your shared apartment. With wide eyes, Wanda looked between you and the stick as tears of happiness cascaded down her pale cheeks. 

A squeal met your ears as your wife jumped into your arms. You immediately caught her, spinning your bodies in circles as emotional laughter ricocheted off of the bathroom walls and echoed acoustically. 

After so many failed attempts, Wanda was finally pregnant and in due time, you would welcome your child into the world. This was one of the happiest moments of your life, second to your wedding day. 

Nonetheless, you knew that nothing in the world would ever compare to the day you would finally get to hold your kid in your embrace. You couldn’t wait for the gorgeous road of pregnancy.

•❅──────────────── ᗢ ‎────────────────❅•

Okay, gorgeous definitely wasn’t the word you should’ve used. 

The day after the amazing news, you and Wanda visited a highly-praised obstetrician. After all, you only wanted the best for your wife and child.

The doctor did a clinical pregnancy test to confirm Wanda’s pregnancy, and thankfully, it was true. Your wife was four weeks along and the doctor informed you both of the possible symptoms that may present themselves throughout the first trimester.

You and Wanda were shocked as the doctor rambled on. Unbeknownst to you both, she had already been experiencing symptoms. From the slight cramps to her extremely sensitive and tender breasts, it all made complete sense now.

You hung onto every word your doctor said and definitely felt fear settle in as she went on. Your wife was going to be going through an emotional and physical rollercoaster as her body adjusts to the drastic change. 

She was growing another person inside of her body, of course, it wasn’t gonna be a walk in the park. 

•❅──────────────── ᗢ ‎────────────────❅•

Week 5

Everything seemed to be going fairly well, but you knew not to get your hopes up.

Wanda had been fairly moody the entire week. One minute, she was cuddling into your side, practically clinging to you like a koala as you lounged in the living room. And the next? She’s crying because you apparently preferred the television over her. 

One night, her mood swings were especially confusing. 

You’d gotten home from a long day at work. It was a long day of boring meetings that you, nor the rest of the Avengers, didn’t seem to care about.

Since discovering that Wanda was pregnant, she made the decision to step down from the hero mantle indefinitely. 

So, while you were at work, she stayed home. 

You sighed as you entered your home, a feeling of relief washing over your body as you took in the warmth that greeted you. 

Wanda came bounding down the stairs as you kicked off your boots, a wide smile on her face.

She didn’t hesitate to fling herself into your arms, hers wrapping around your neck while yours rested on her waist. 

“Hi.” Wanda muttered against the crook of your neck, nuzzling her face into your skin and reveling in your presence. You let out a content hum.

“Hi, my love. I missed you today.” You spoke calmly, enjoying the feeling of the woman in your arms. 

However, you were caught by surprise when Wanda suddenly pulled away from your arms, an angry look plastered across her features.

“Oh. So, you don’t miss me any other days? Only today?” Your eyes widened at your wife’s words. 

Her eyebrows were scrunched together, head tilted to the side. This was a stance that had enemies quaking in fear, and you definitely understood why.

There was something about the murderous tilt of her head and the death stare that could burn a hole into your head that incited terror.

“I- no! Of course not, Wands. I miss you every day we aren’t together.” You immediately rambled on, trying to save yourself in this unusual conversation. “So, you don’t miss me when we’re together?” 

Your confusion increased tenfold. You didn’t even know how to reply to her question which she delivered in an accusatory tone.

How could you miss her when she was with you? That didn’t make any sense, but apparently, it made perfect sense to Wanda.

“Wha- What I meant to say was that I- I miss you every minute of every day. Whether we are together or apart, it doesn’t matter. You’re the love of my life and my heart will always want you.”

The room fell silent as you anxiously awaited your wife’s reaction. Obviously, you meant every word you said but couldn’t help but internally cringe at how cheesy they really were. You panicked as Wanda’s piercing eyes turned glossy, tears swelling up in her eyes. 

Initially, you thought you had said something to make her sad, but you quickly learned that it was the opposite. 

“Really? Every minute of every day?” Wanda asked shakily as her voice quivered, tears slowly streaming down her face.

You nodded, taking a risk and moving closer to her. When she didn’t pull away, you placed your hands on her cheeks, gently wiping away the fallen droplets.

“Yes, Every. Single. Minute.” You spoke softly, kissing her forehead gently with each word to emphasize your point.

Wanda’s eyes fluttered shut as she released a small sigh. There was a beat of silence as you pulled away from her forehead. You smiled at the Sokovian and she smiled back, but hers faltered after a minute. 

“You’re lying to me! It’s impossible to think about me every minute!”

“Oh my god.”

•❅──────────────── ᗢ ‎────────────────❅•

Week 8

As expected, Wanda’s symptoms had increasingly grown. However, this week was definitely the worst you had seen by far. By the worst, you meant the most exhausting not only for yourself, but also for your wife. 

You had learned to handle her mood swings, learning to be cautious of your word choices and the way they were spoken. You were able to bring comfort to Wanda, gently massaging her breasts as the tenderness became unbearable. When Wanda began bloating, you made sure she drank plenty of water and took probiotics daily.

But those were the manageable symptoms. It was the fatigue, nausea, and insistent restroom use that were the problem. 

Wanda’s body was working extra hard to accommodate your child, and it was expected that she would be exhausted. This would have been an easy solution, right? All she had to do was rest and that was the end of that, right? Wrong. Absolutely wrong. 

Wanda was extremely nauseous throughout this time, constantly waking up and rushing to the restroom to empty the contents of her stomach. You would wake up as she got up from the bed, quickly following after her and not hesitating to hold her hair back. 

If Wanda wasn’t going into the restroom to throw up, it was to use the restroom. She needed to use the restroom at least six times a night. There wasn’t a single night of uninterrupted sleep on both parts. 

You were tired as well, but knew better than to complain. You weren’t the one carrying the child, so the least you could do was be with your wife every step of the way. If supporting her meant waking up at ungodly hours of the night with her, then you would do just that. 

•❅──────────────── ᗢ ‎────────────────❅•

Week 15

Wanda was extremely bossy this particular week. Of course, you didn’t mind doing things for her. She was your wife after all, and you loved her. You would do anything for her and your child, but that didn’t mean it wasn’t a little frustrating and exhausting. 

The small requests were easy to handle. Whether it was making her a cup of coffee just the way she liked it, or moving a piece of furniture into a position she wanted it to be in; it was alright. It was the late-night requests that were rough. 

Sometimes, when Wanda couldn’t seem to get rest, she would begin craving. She would get very specific about what kind of food and what place, in particular, she wanted it from.

Normally, this wouldn’t bother you all that much, but at 3AM? There was no one in the world who would be happy about that.

“Y/N?” You slowly gained consciousness, the sound of Wanda’s voice meeting your ears. You became aware of your shaking body, and begrudgingly opened your eyes.

The Sokovian was staring down at you, her hands halting their movements on your body as you looked at her in confusion.

“Wands? What’s going on? Is everything okay?” Your voice was laced with sleep as you sat up, attempting to rub the tiredness from your eyes.

“I really want some chicken from that one place we stopped by after our stakeout mission in Queens. Could you get it for me?”

You raised your eyebrows at your wife as she stared at you. “Seriously babe? It’s…” Your eyes moved toward the alarm clock on your bedside table, a bright red ‘3:15AM” shining back at you.

“3AM and that place is an hour away.” You continued as Wanda pouted sadly at you.

She gave you her best puppy dog eyes, knowing how easy it is to get you to comply. With a bat of her eyelashes, she had the ability to bend you to her will; and she took advantage of that fact. 

“Please? My legs are cramping up again and I can’t sleep. I want that specific chicken because they season it really well.”

Wanda pleaded and you let out a reluctant sigh. You wordlessly stood up, already missing the warmth of the duvet. 

The Sokovian smiled triumphantly as you threw on a pair of shorts and a hoodie before walking back over to her place on the bed.

“You’re so lucky that I love you.” You mumbled against her lips, kissing her quickly.

“I know I am. Now go, I want my chicken.” Wanda demanded and you playfully rolled your eyes.

Thankfully, the restaurant was open 24 hours or else you would have to deal with a very unhappy wife. 

•❅──────────────── ᗢ ‎────────────────❅•

Week 30

Wanda’s baby bump was fully sticking out by this week. Your daughter had a mind of her own around week 20, kicking up a storm within your wife.

Yeah, a daughter. The two of you were ecstatic when your doctor performed Wanda’s mid-pregnancy ultrasound about two months back. 

Although it was uncomfortable, Wanda didn’t seem to mind all too much. 

She would rest her hands gently atop her stomach, anticipating the next little kick. Her eyes would light up when she’d feel the little thump against her hand, smiling brightly at you as you admired the Sokovian with a full heart. 

That was one of the good portions of her pregnancy, but once the baby started kicking, they never seemed to stop.

Wanda’s sleep was constantly disrupted by kicking or the pressure your daughter would put on her bladder. Not to mention, her itchy hands and feet were of no help to her sleep schedule nor comfort.

Wanda was as uncomfortable in her skin as ever. Her back ached from the weight of her full baby bump. She had put on some weight which was completely normal. The Sokovian had become insecure about her body. 

The extra weight was bittersweet to her. 

On one hand, with each pound she gained, she was a step closer to meeting her child. On the other hand, she feared that you wouldn’t think she was beautiful anymore, which was absurd.

One afternoon, you were cleaning up the bedroom when a loud groan came from the connected bathroom. With a frown, you threw away the trash that had been scattered throughout the room and stalked toward the bathroom door. 

You knocked softly on the door before opening it. Wanda was startled as you entered, staring at you sadly with a pair of sweatpants in hand.

She tried to cover her lower half with the clothing, only having a shirt and underwear on. It didn’t take a genius to realize the predicament your wife was in. 

“Need some help?” You offered with a smile, reaching out to grab the clothing from her hand. Wanda took a step back as you did so.

“No. I’m fine. I don’t want you to see me like this.” 

Your eyebrows furrowed in confusion, a teasing grin on your face. “Honey, I’ve seen you naked at least a million times.” You teased, but your wife was unamused, glaring at you unhappily. 

“Yeah, that was before I inflated like a balloon full of helium.” Wanda growled and you were taken aback by her harsh tone.

You frowned, not because you were offended, but because your wife was obviously upset about the weight associated with pregnancy.

You remained in place, staring at the Sokovian softly as she still covered her lower half with the grey sweatpants.

“Wanda, I love you for you. Your body is your least compelling feature.” You took a small step toward your wife and mentally cheered when she didn’t move backward.

“I fell in love with your mind, your heart, and most importantly; your soul.” 

You now stood directly in front of her, placing your hands on the pair of sweatpants and gently pulling the clothing out of her grip. Wanda’s eyes never left yours as reassurances poured from your mouth.

“So, you can inflate like a balloon all you want because it won’t change the way I feel about you. You will always be my love.”

You ended off your small speech with a small smile which the redhead returned gratefully. When she didn’t move to speak, you decided to follow through with your action. 

You got onto the floor on both knees, your eyes at level with her protruding abdomen which held your child. Wanda stared down at you curiously as you leaned forward, placing a gentle kiss on her stomach. Her heart fluttered at the feeling, an overwhelming feeling of love and appreciation taking her over. 

“My girls. So beautiful.” You murmured, words coming out muffled as your lips pressed against her smooth, pale skin.

After a moment, you held the pair of sweatpants open and Wanda stepped into the leg holes. You quickly slid the fabric up to her waist, loosely tying the string before standing up. 

Wanda grabbed you by the back of your neck as soon as you were fully up. Surprised, but not against it, you reciprocated the action.

You were positive that out of all the kisses you’ve shared with the woman, this was definitely the most passionate, by far.

You could feel the love seeping out of her with every movement of her lips, brushing softly but firmly against your own. You both pulled away, remembering that oxygen was a necessity.

Wanda smiled at you breathlessly while your hand came up to caress the smooth skin of her cheek.

“I love you.”

“I love you more.”

•❅──────────────── ᗢ ‎────────────────❅•

Week 40

It was the moment you and Wanda had been anxiously anticipating; the birth of your daughter.

Wanda’s water broke in the middle of the night. You were softly shaken awake by your wife in the middle of the night.

She was extremely calm as the words, “My water broke. We have to go now,” fell from her lips.

It took you a second to process what she had said, but when they registered in your brain, you shot up from the bed.

You frantically rounded the bed and helped Wanda stand, a huge wet spot present on the sheets of the bed. You steadily walked Wanda down the stairs, seeing as she rejected your offer to carry her.

“I’m pregnant, not incapable.”

So, once the both of you made it to the front door, you hastily grabbed the bag that you prepared for this exact circumstance. After getting into the car, you drove faster than you ever had before. Honestly, it was a miracle that you didn’t get pulled over.

The ride was filled with silence, save for the sharp intakes of breath your wife would take when a contraction would strike her abdomen.

“Y/N, I’d like to make it there alive.” Wanda spoke as you took a really sharp turn, the tires screeching as you continued speeding. 

Finally, you’d made it to the hospital. The second you walked in with Wanda, nurses surrounded the two of you, helping the Sokovian into a wheelchair.

You followed behind nervously as you guys were led into a room. You informed the staff that your obstetrician was on her way to deliver your daughter.

After five hours of labor, it was time for Wanda to start pushing. The process of childbirth was no joke.

Each time the Sokovian would push, she would accidentally use her powers. The lights in the room flickered and carts rolled across the room as your wife screamed in pain. 

You decided it was best for Wanda to hold onto your hand, which you immediately regretted.

Her grip was so tight you seriously thought she was going to break it. Not to mention, she wasn’t exactly your biggest fan right now.  

“Fuck you, Y/N! Why did you think this was a good idea?” Wanda blamed you in her fit of pain.

You had to hold back a chuckle, knowing all too well that she was the one who suggested having a kid first. She was the one who convinced Stark to find a way for you two to conceive. 

But you decided to remain silent, only uttering words of encouragement. 

“You’re doing great, sweetheart. You’re almost there.” You winced as your wife bruisingly squeezed your hand.

After a few more pushes, the sound of small wails filled the hospital room. You tore your eyes away from Wanda and your heart raced as you took in your daughter. 

The nurses cleaned your daughter and checked everything they needed to. Thankfully, she was an extremely healthy newborn. Wanda’s eyes lit up as a nurse handed your child over. 

The sight of your wife cradling your daughter in her arms was one you never wanted to forget. 

“Hi, Aaliyah. I’m your mommy and that’s your mama. We have been so excited to meet you.”

Wanda’s voice was worn out from the intense screaming she had done just moments prior. Tears sprung to your eyes, mirroring the Sokovian’s. 

The room cleared out, leaving the three of you some room for privacy. Wanda looked up at you, an exhausted smile on her face. You leaned down, kissing your wife lovingly before pulling back. 

“We’re parents?” Wanda whispered, a combination of disbelief and bliss across her features. You nodded your head at her words, gently placing your hand on her cheek.

“We’re parents.” You confirmed, despite being in shock yourself, the good kind, of course. 

Being a parent was no longer a fantasy to you and Wanda, but a reality. The path of pregnancy was a bumpy terrain, but it led to a beautiful field of love and possibilities. 

Now, you would be the sole protectors of your daughter. It was your job to be there in whatever way your daughter needs, and you would do so without hesitation. 

You couldn’t fathom your life at that juncture. You were married and had a child with a strong, intelligent woman who gifted you with a child.

You had a feeling that your daughter would turn out just like your other half; kind and giving.

Words couldn’t express how grateful you were. Your life had been filled with nothing but violence and pain, until it wasn’t.

Your life changed forever when your wife entered the picture, a much needed stroke of serendipity.

ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ

ㅤNow, you had not one, but two loves of your life;ㅤㅤ Wanda Maximoff and Aaliyah Maximoff-L/N.

ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ

ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ

───────── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ──────────

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[ideas-for-you-to-adopt]

I love happy endings but angst are my major guilty pleasure.

But the best ones will always be where the Reader does what is best for them and walk away even though it hurts.

Illicit Affairs

Summary: Sometimes you can't always have what you want, so why not make the best of it? But what if that starts to be what tears you apart. Pairing: Wanda x Reader Author's Note: More so just a vent piece, nothing that great. I apologize if grammar or such is off at any point. Warning(s): 18+ | Cursing, Implications of Sex

"Make sure nobody sees you leave," Wanda muttered softly in the stilling darkness of the room, her hand clutching the sheets to her bare chest as she sat in the bed you'd both just melted against one another within. Stray hairs still clinging to her cheeks as she brought herself upwards, sitting to watch you search for your clothing.

Your jaw locked at the words as you bent down to retrieve your shirt, standing and pulling it over your head as a sigh broke between your lips, shrugging through the material as you momentarily rocked back on your heels.

Wanda and you had been having multiple rendezvous' such as this. It started the same, lounging on her couch and scrolling through endless channels to find a movie that suited both your interests for the night. A bottle of wine that started corked and full at the beginning of the night was gone within only an hour into the film. And as the moments passed on she would end up in your lap, her fingers tangled in your hair, the room awash with breathless moans, and subtle pleas as you carried her up to her bedroom- night after night.

There was an undeniable love you'd felt for her even before these one-night-stands began.

You'd fallen for Wanda Maximoff the day you met her when you'd joined the Avengers, being one of the most inviting to you as she herself knew the outcast sensation of joining the team. She had started as a friend, nothing more than someone who gave you a sense of comfort, to now being the one you wanted to make everything worth it for. She was a drug, a dwindling high that only grew with the more and more time you'd spent with her.

But then she met him. Vision. Or more precisely, Stark had created him, bringing that high you’d been captured in to a crashing halt. Wanda had fallen for him the moment she’d met him, and you watched that immediate connection flourish. The nights she’d spent with you had turned into date nights with him, leaving you to see her only once or twice a week.

Of course, you were happy for her. You loved watching the smile that ticked across her lips when she told you of the dates, how happy he made her. But you couldn’t swallow the pang of undeniable jealousy and hurt that twisted in your gut every time she gushed about her love for him- because it wasn’t you.

And now, here you were. In her bed while Vision was off on a mission, becoming her toy for her behest when she needed a stress relief from everything and everyone else around her. It was never supposed to continue past the first drunken evening a few weeks ago, evolving from a simple movie night with a best friend into continuous illicit affairs between you both.

“Yeah,” you mustered, stepping into the legs of your jeans and stretching into them, “I know the drill.” Your tone was barely above a whisper, but it was laced in a subtle hostility, and she picked up on it. Her brows immediately knitted, bringing her hand closer to her chest to make sure she’d stayed covered- despite the fact your name had just rolled off her name countless times.

“Y/N,” Wanda tried, her voice firm as her expression continued to twist in confusion. You always went along with these trysts, but tonight there was something inside of you that was dying to break and you didn’t know how much more of this you could take. The way your name came between her lips in that wrenching tone of concern only made the feeling build as you turned on your heel.

“What is this to you, Wanda?” You managed, swallowing back through the growing lump in your throat as you met her gaze in the dim lighting, only slightly visible to one another through the moonlight that crept through the window.

A sigh laved out between her lips, her hand adjusting to tighten her grip on the sheet, “We talked about this…”

“Actually, no, we haven’t, Wanda,” you scoffed, an incredulous smile breaking across your lips before your jaw clenched again, “Am I just a fuck?”

The words stung as they escaped your mouth, and you could tell they hit her harshly as well, watching her nearly wince at the inflection of hurt in your tone. She held your stare for another fleeting moment before dropping her gaze, breathing out through her nose slowly, “I’m with Vis, you know that.”

You shook your head, almost in solemn disbelief. She claimed to be so infatuated with the android, but night after night you were both bedding together when he wasn’t home. It was lie after lie, over and over, and you couldn’t play this game anymore. Not when you were always losing it.

This time you couldn’t compel the tears to shrink back, letting them begin to cloud your line of sight as Wanda met your heavy stare again. An exasperated laugh left your chest, still shaking your head at her as her expression seemed to momentarily soften. “Look at this God-forsaken mess you’ve made me, Maximoff,” you knew she hated when you used her last name, always thinking it sounded too professional and formal for two best friends to use. But at this point, you felt like no more than a transaction to her, than someone she cared for.

“Baby-”

“Don’t call me baby,” you snapped between a crooked sob, making sure to swallow it back before it escaped fully. Wanda’s lips parted, twisting her jaw as her gaze averted from you again as you continued “this is ruining me, and it is nothing to you.”

The brunette barely managed a glance, hurt washing over her own features as she sunk back. You could see the tears taunting her own eyes, but to you right now they were no more than crocodile tears with her complete disregard for how you were falling apart and she still vowed herself to Vision.

“You know damn well, for you I would ruin myself,” you managed with a shaky breath to hinder the betrayal of more tears, “a million little times.”

The mindless fucking was never just that to you, but to her that was all it was. A quick release of pleasure when she had no one else to sate that with Vision out of the compound. There was no emotion behind it to her, she loved you but not in the way you wanted it. No more than a friend loving a friend.

Wanda caught your eyes once again, her nostrils slightly flaring to dissuade the welling tears in her own eyes. She could pick apart your mind, know what you were thinking in specifics, but there was no use. She already knew. The tension between the two of you was looming in the room, and she wanted to sate it.

“This is done, Wanda,” you swallowed behind the words, retrieving your phone from the nightstand and shrugging out of her attempt at reaching for your wrist.

“Y/N-”

“No, this is done. I won’t be a product of your relief anymore,” you admitted, keeping your glance downcast to the floor as you drew out a breath, continuing when you heard her draw a breath to speak, “no more of these clandestine meetings, and I think it’s best we end our friendship here because it can never be just that to me, Wanda.”

The last few words resonated in her mind, and you knew it by the way her brows pinched together then relaxed as her gaze froze on you, before dropping to focus on the sheets. This whole time she thought you’d been okay with these nights of release, it wasn’t until now she understood that you saw it as something more. Something more she couldn’t give.

And as the door clicked shut to you leaving her alone in the silence of her room, alone to move through life without you now, she finally let the anguish that tormented her fall around her.

[ideas-for-you-to-adopt]

Good start.

Wonder how it will go dark

BLACK MAGIC

PART 1

Summary:  Wanda Maximoff realizes one day that she has feelings for you. But when an uncomfortable secret comes to light, can she remain your friend? Or will she want more? A/N: This is a Dark!fic and as it goes on, there will be some 18+ chapters, as well as infidelity, toxicity and manipulation so be warned

Pairing: Wanda Maximoff x Reader | Reader x OC

Warnings: Heartbreak, ANGST

Word Count: 3.5k

Dedicated to my bestie @twilight-99-tm because without her, this thing would never be finished

Wanda Maximoff can have anything she wants in this world.

Anything - except you.

No matter how badly she wanted you, she couldn't have you.

You were the only person on the team to truly be warm to her immediately. You never questioned her allegiance, never acted wary of her, never mistrusted her. You had been completely on her side from the start. Some of the others thought you were naive, thought your easy acceptance of the brunette would just open you up to be hurt when she inevitably stabbed you in the back. You never listened to them. And for that, Wanda was immensely grateful, albeit surprised.

She began to trust you as much as you trusted her, and when you opened up your space and welcomed her in, she somehow found herself feeling at home, faster than she imagined she should have. She was cared about. Appreciated. You both had many movie nights together, countless hours training together, and dumb days off where you frolicked carelessly around town. Wanda had never had this kind of connection with anyone before. At night, she found herself asleep in your room or you in hers, or giggling while covered in an explosion of spices in the kitchen when you both experimented with different dishes for dinner. Soon enough, the team warmed up to her too. And they trusted her as much as you did.

Wanda remembered the first night she really felt like part of the team, with Clint's arm around her shoulder as everyone laughed at something she said during her many playful bickerings with Tony. She was proud of her own snark, proud of her feeling of belonging, and then her eyes met yours. She saw such depth in them, such pride and softness and adoration. She felt the room empty, and it was like you both were the only people to exist. She bathed in your eyes that night. It was something she'd never felt before. Especially not directed at her.

She knew then. It cut off her breath like cold air in her lungs.

She had feelings for you.

No.

She couldn't have. How did she not notice? How did it creep up on her like this?

Then again, maybe it didn't.

Maybe it was slow, like hidden roots burrowing deep into earth. That had to be it. This did not feel like something new in her, something recent. It was not a feeling that just bloomed at that moment. It was a well worn sweater that instantly relaxed you when you put it on, the soft pages of your favorite book. This has been developing in Wanda for a long time, but she never noticed it.

She always knew you were beautiful. Strong. Kind.

She watched you flirt shamelessly with women at one of Tony’s parties later that month, her eyes focusing on the brushing of your fingertips on some inconsequential woman’s wrist, or waist. She would watch them touch you in return, contact ripe with greed for your attention. She remembers the blunt ache in her stomach as she observed them, the way voices seemed to drown out around her into muffled incoherence. She remembers standing up, and walking towards you. She remembers the way your eyes would instantly flit towards her, as if sensing her presence and her proximity. She remembers watching the gleam in your eye that was sharp with mischief, turn soft with adoration.

She was always surprised at how easy it was to smile at you.

She could have your full attention instantly. Your arm would wrap around her shoulders, and you would introduce her to whoever you were talking to, and somehow, when you looked at her with that wicked smirk on your face, everyone in the room would cease to exist.

That was the moment she noticed how attracted to you she was.

How that dull ache was in fact jealousy.

A week later, you both were in her bed watching a movie, and she closed her eyes for a moment and let herself drown in you. In your closeness, the warmth of your arm pressed against hers. The gentle breaths you took, before you chuckled at the movie, and the way you seemed totally relaxed next to her. Maybe you felt the same? The way you looked at her, your eyes searched hers as if you were so familiar with her, your hands never hesitated to touch hers, you never gave it a second thought when you laid beside her in her bed. She wanted to peer into your mind, to take a peek. Just to see. No. She couldn't violate you that way. Not you. You who meant so much to her. You who trusted her. She felt guilty for even thinking about it.

She could take this slowly.

She could try to see how you felt, if you harbored feelings for her too, somewhere beneath your gentle exterior. She supposed it wouldn't be too hard to figure out. Maybe she could start doing things with you, things more forward than just friends, and see if you enjoyed it or it made you uncomfortable. It was a good idea, in theory. But the execution was her issue. She's not sure what she would do if it made you uncomfortable. She's not sure if she would be able to handle that with dignity.

You looked over at her then, and your eyebrow arched, a warm smile spreading across your face. She smiled back reflexively, staring at you so softly until your eyes turned questioning and it pulled her from her thoughts. She blinked, splintering the moment between you and looked at you in equal confusion.

"Is everything alright, Sparkles?" You asked her.

Wanda bit back a smile at the pet name, and elbowed you playfully. "Yes... why? And, you know how I feel about that name."

"I know nothing of the sort, this is the first you've mentioned it." She rolled her eyes at you as you grinned and continued. "And I was asking because you've just been looking at me for a little while."

Well, you were right. She had been. She can't remember anything that happened in the last 20 minutes of the movie. How could she when you were right beside her? How could she focus on anything else when the coldness of the room was such a deep contrast to the kindling of your body right within her reach?

"I've told you about calling me Sparkles a total of 3 times, Y/N." Wanda decided it best to avoid the question until she could come up with a good enough answer to why she was staring at you. She knew this was the perfect time to try to gauge your feelings for her but she was afraid. She had yet to reconcile the possibility that somewhere behind your eyes, requitement was uncertain. Like an effigy to you built on water, melting into nothing as she grasped at it with weak fingers.

"Wow," You nodded. Your eyes were alight with mischief and she could feel herself digging deeper into this mess of sentiment for you. "You counted them, huh?"

She swatted you in feigned annoyance and you turned over to her and tried your best to look wounded, “Ow.”

“Shut up. Yes, I counted the times. And don’t get me started on the rest.” Wanda rubbed her forehead as you cackled with laughter next to her. She rolled over to you in bed and proceeded to list the plethora of nicknames you came up with for her. “Wandy, Wands, WanWan, Winifred Sanderson - which by the way, I sort of like and sort of hate, I mean she is my favourite Sanderson sister - and then Swirly? I should Sparkle you out of this room right now.”

Wanda couldn’t stop herself from laughing as you wheezed next to her, gripping her arm. She gently placed hers over yours, and blushed at the contact. “Listen,” you tried to quell your laughter, “those are witty. Oh my God, Witty -”

“Don’t you dare.”

“Okay okay, alright, I’ll stop, I’ll stop.” You put both your hands up to defend yourself against what was definitely another incoming smack. Both your giggles had finally faded, and you settled into a warm, content silence. Her hand rested atop yours, and you couldn’t help but enjoy the warmth you felt.

"Seriously though, Wanda. What are you thinking about? Is it something on my face?" You dusted your fingertips along your lips and cheek. Maybe there were crumbs or something. Wanda's green eyes tracked the movement, settling on your mouth.

"No, your face is perfect." She whispered, thoughts lost on your skin.

She heard your tiny gulp and was thrown back into reality, ripped from her own mind to think about what she just said to you. Fuck. She instantly regretted the words as soon as they came out of her mouth. What was she thinking? Oh, yeah. She was thinking about you. She swallowed, blinking rapidly, trying to clear the haze of anxiety that took hold in her stomach. She knew she had to face this. She took a second before looking up at your face, hesitant, terrified to see the rejection she was sure to find there.

The disgust maybe.

Now or never, she supposed.

She glanced up at you, and blinked at the depth in your eyes. They scorched and smoldered, and she watched your lips part. Hope began to bloom in her chest. She thought she was about to feel you press against her, to feel your lips take hers for the first time. But hesitation halted you. Hesitation and… regret was all she felt emanating from you. What did you have to regret? Your brows knit and she exhaled deeply. She thought she knew what you were going to say. You weren't intere-

"Wan... I've been seeing someone."

...What?

Wanda felt her heart crack and her stomach dropped to her toes. The already fragile look on her face fractured into something broken and irreparable, and she felt the desire inside her catch fire and burn into nothing right in front of her. She never made a plan for this. She never even put the thought into her head that you could be with someone. She thought you would reject her, maybe. Say you didn’t see her that way, say you preferred her as a friend. That would have hurt her and she accepted it, because feelings change and develop, and there was always hope that you still could have loved her.

But this? She felt stupid. It never crossed her mind.

Another woman; someone else who was able to get closer than she could, who could touch what she wanted to touch, who would hear the words she wanted to hear from you.

Images flooded her mind, asphyxiating and tainting her thoughts of you. Images of this faceless woman touching you, kissing you, images of your lips kissing places on a body she wished was her own.

It seemed like everything slowed down around her, numbness spilling into her mind, tears scorching her eyes but she fought them back. She was shoved from the moment, and all her effort now was scrambling to react. To put up a brave front and shrug it off. She didn’t want you to see how much this affected her. How much this hurt her.

As she collected herself, scraping together her pieces that you inadvertently shattered, your hand closed around the hand that she had at some point pulled from you. The warmth that she loved so much, that comforted her, was too much now. It suffocated her, like a thick blanket on a hot summer day. She freed her hands from your grasp, her eyes cast down as she held her hurt at bay, missing the wounded look on your face.

“Wan-”

“Is it Natasha?”

The words were out before she honestly thought about them, but at the same time it made her nauseous. Was her other best friend sleeping with you? She knew how Wanda felt about you. She wouldn’t do this, wouldn’t betray her like this. Would she? Was Natasha in your bed every night? The images she conjured in her mind were in a frantic freefall now, and she couldn’t stop them from painting torturous scenes of Natasha beneath you and her lips on yours, her tongue in your mouth, moaning and writhing in your bedsheets. Wanda always sat atop your sheets when she visited you, could she have been on them when the whispers of your entwined bodies were still loud, were still hissing in her deafened ears? During the mornings, when she saw you both emerge into the kitchen together, did you still have the taste of her on your tongue?

Your voice was a lifejacket, keeping her afloat from thoughts that had become too powerful, thoughts that threatened to drown her. “No! No, Wan, it’s not Nat.”

You tried again to touch her, and this time she let you, finally making herself look at your face, determined to find a lie written on you. You held her wrist tighter, a reassurance, a promise. There would be nothing more hidden from her. She fought the tears building in her eyes, tried to hold them back as they threatened to spill over and drown her in their salt.

She hated the way she still clung to you, grasping at tender fingers, soft and sturdy. Blood roared in her veins, a mixture of agony and fear at your distance and your closeness altogether. Your grip was the only thing holding her in form, this trembling, splintering shape under your hands. You didn’t know if this was the right thing to do. You didn’t know if anything you were doing was right. From the placement of your hands to the hammering of your heart, and the gentle hush of your desperate voice.

“It’s not Nat. Okay? It’s not anyone you know.”

Wanda exhaled, a defeated whisper of a breath. “Then who is it?”

“She doesn't work for SHIELD or anything like that. She’s a chef… I met her before I even joined the Avengers.”

Something about that brought a venal sense of comfort to Wanda, and simultaneously, a feeling of vague inferiority. A civilian. Someone who could potentially give you a normal life. But Wanda also knew that wasn’t something you even wanted. You loved being an Avenger. She wanted to push further, to find out more about this woman who had stolen - No. Won your heart.

“So,” she croaked, clearing her voice as you eyed her, contrition heavy in your bones, “You’ve been with her long?”

“No, actually, we only got together about 3 months ago.”

3 months.

5 months after you met Wanda. And yet you knew her for years?

She nodded solemnly, still tipped on her axis and trying to regain her balance. The hurt she felt was thick and impenetrable, and talking about your girlfriend was ripping her apart. The word was a defiling, a poison on her tongue. She tried not to think, trying to find the words to say, and the right question to ask. Trying to reverse how affected she was by all of this.

You, an unwanted saviour, took pity on her, deciding to take the reins of the quickly dying conversation.

“We met back at a restaurant a few years ago, and we were friends for a long time. And then this year, I don’t know, something changed, I guess.”

Wanda’s ears piqued at those words. I don’t know - I guess. Not a certainty. An ambivalence. You weren’t sure what developed, you were probably unaware, heedless of this woman’s feelings for you. Another face, greedy for your attention.

“-and then, after a bit of flirting for a few weeks, she asked me to be her girlfriend.”

“She asked you?” Her tone was almost accusatory. You were usually always the aggressor in your little trysts.

The question initially threw you off. You didn’t know what about that seemingly trivial piece of information roused Wanda's voice, but you were just happy she said anything.

“Yeah, she asked me one night after a movie.”

Wanda blinked. “And you said yes.”

“Well, yeah.”

Wanda blinked at you, her hands pulling away and tucking into herself. You followed their retreat, ached to hold her steady again, but you knew she needed space. You looked back up at her, and all you saw on that beautiful, soft face was… emptiness.

There were few imperative things you ever found yourself missing in your life. Until now. The blankness and the hollowness in Wanda’s eyes proved to be the only time you ever wished so badly that you had her mind reading power. You would give anything to know what she was feeling. To be able to reach out and take her hand and push the hurt off her chest. You stared at each other, inches of space between skin seemed to lengthen, and you no longer felt her warmth. Only her devastation. Her heartbreak.

The distance between you was an abyss.

Your mind was at war. Guilt, regret, despair and frustration clashed and swirled. You wanted to comfort her, but how would you even do that? Tell her that your relationship wasn’t important? Tell her that your girlfriend didn’t mean more to you than Wanda does?

“Wanda, I -”

“I think it’s great.”

Your eyes flitted up to her, catching her fragile green gaze. She nods, trying to reassure you, lips curled in a delicate, breakable smile. But it’s more for her. To comfort herself, tell herself that everything was going to be okay. “It’s great, Y/N. I’m happy for you. Really.”

You couldn’t handle it. You couldn’t handle the effort in her voice, the way you knew she had to push the words out.

You reached for her then.

You didn’t care for her boundaries at that moment and her heart surged as powerfully as it broke. All you wanted was to hold her, to let your promises assure her that you would never abandon her like everyone in her life did. She felt firm arms envelop her, pull her in and wrap her into you. Her hands betrayed her, grasping at your shirt like a lifeline, knuckles pale as her sob pounded at her throat, begging its freedom into your chest. She held it back, forced it down. She had broken into enough pieces for you tonight, watched you struggle to hold her together.

She had firmly slotted herself under your chin, and your arms latched around her, intent on holding her until the morning if she needed it. You would always be there for her, and you just had to hope the way you cradled her said the words the way your voice couldn’t. You couldn’t tell her you loved her the way she wanted to hear it, couldn’t press kisses to her forehead. But you could do this. Be this. Be this place for her to rest her head when the world was too much for her.

Her deathgrip on your shirt started to loosen, and you felt her sigh before you heard it.

“This is the last time, isn’t it?”

You blinked. The last what? Last night together? Last time she wanted to spend with you?

“The last what, Wan?” You hated the hush of your voice, the fear seeping in it. You weren’t about to lose your best friend, were you?

“The last time you can hold me like this.”

The words were a whisper, a thought Wanda was terrified to pose to you. Dreading that the answer would be yes. She braced herself for it, memorizing the sound of your heartbeat and the feeling of your warm skin against her. The way you felt so soft and so firm at the same time. She memorized the low rumble of your chest as you spoke, listening to the way the sound of that voice she adored just echoed in your torso.

You knew what she was asking you. Would you allow Wanda, your best friend, a woman you now know to have feelings for you, however deep or fleeting they may be, lie in your bed?

Could you say no to her? To the bond you smithed together?

She closed her eyes against it. Willed herself away from what felt like quicksand.

“No. No, Wan. This is not at all the last time.”

Tears streamed across her face, soaking into your shirt. An involuntary sob escaped and she held you tighter, pressing herself impossibly closer. A silent thanks in the darkness.

“Really?”

Fuck, if that didn’t break your heart.

“Yes, really. Come on, what’s so bad about a good cuddle?”

She chuckled softly atop you, melting into your hold as you pulled up the discarded quilt that lay at your side. You tucked it around Wanda’s body and turned the TV back on. Her tears were drying in the cool night air, and her breaths were settling into an easy rhythm. You know within a few moments she’d be asleep, and you could finally breathe as she rested.

Conflict stormed in your mind. You had no idea how your friendship with Wanda would change after tonight. No idea if she would avoid you in the morning.

Wanda faded into slumber on your chest, unaware of your eyes on the ceiling, your mind lost on the night’s events.

As sleep claimed her, she remembered the anguish of one thought that followed her into her dreams:

No matter how much it hurt her, the most important thing to Wanda was your happiness.

Taglist: @captains-simp @wlwmarvelenthusiast @twilight-99-tm @too-gay-for-marvel @xxromanoffxx