selcouth | wanda maximoff

twelve.

"She said no," Athena mutters, "I would have seen a rejection coming, I would have known if Wanda weren't ready or if she didn't love me enough, but I suppose that's the thing about love. It blinds you and what you expect to see coming, you don't."

"Your life isn't over," Freya says softly, but Athena scoffs.

"It is," Athena states, "My heart doesn't beat like it used to. Honestly, I'm not sure it beats at all."

"You really loved this girl," Freya notes, staring at her daughter in slight awe.

"I did," Athena tells her as she looks at her drink, "I still do."

"Then why have you run from her for a year? She's been searching for you and just because she said no, doesn't mean that she doesn't love you," Freya explains.

"Look," Athena says shaking her head, "I don't need you to use your weird love analysis powers on me. Wanda may love me, but love that isn't to the same extent, it's pointless."

"Why?" Freya asks.

"Why ask questions you already know the answer to? You loved Odin, but he had a wife. He was never going to love you the way that he loved Frigga. But you saw an opportunity and got your heart broken anyway," Athena says shaking her head.

"That wasn't how it happened."

"That's how most affairs tend to happen," Athena shrugs, "And even if Odin did somehow love you, that love was never going to compare to that of Frigga's. He married her. He just fucked you."

"Don't project onto me because of your insecurities," Freya tells Athena firmly, "The reason you ran from Wanda is that you believe that you tricked her into falling in love with you. That your entire relationship had been a lie because of your abilities."

"That – that isn't true," Athena says shaking her head.

"Then why did you run, Athena?" Freya asks her, "We both know that you are crazy for that girl, so why run from her?"

"Because she said no."

"That isn't why," Freya states, "Why did you run from Wanda? I want to hear you say it."

"There isn't anything to say," Athena says, standing from her seat. She doesn't get the chance to leave as the entire bar shakes and the lights begin to flicker. Athena looks at her mother who slowly stands as well.

The door of the bar is shoved open as three figures that certainly were not human walked in. The patrons let out screams as they rushed toward the exit of the bar, but Athena didn't move as she stared at them curiously.

"Athena, let's go," her mother tells her, grabbing her wrist, ready to follow everyone out. Athena, however, stays rooted to her spot.

"You!" one of them states, "You have the stench of the Mind Stone all over you. Where is it?"

"Well, it's gonna be complicated to understand where the stone is if you don't have an understanding of European geography," Athena says as she heads over to the back of the bar, looking at the drink selections.

"Don't play games with us," the alien states, "Where is it?"

Athena grabs a bottle of vodka and takes a sip of it before setting it down on the bar. On the other side, the alien was glaring at her, the two other aliens accompanying her were drawing their weapons and Athena relaxes. She wasn't scared of them. At this point in life, she wasn't scared of anything.

"I'll tell you where the stone is, but I want something first."

The alien tilts her head curiously at Athena, "And what is that?"