Fire and Smoke - Wanda Maximoff x Reader

Chapter 98

(you love me. you love me. you love me. repeat this mantra.)

.

Despite hating myself for doing it to him, I carefully push Steve back into the chair, making sure he's secure, before I unwillingly turn around. My heart feels like it's about to jump out of my throat at any point. Wanda's placed herself slightly in front of Steve and me, blocking us from the door we just entered from. Her hair cascades down her back, shimmering in a thousand shades of red. I shuffle slightly to the side, gaining a clear view, and the view that lays before me makes my knees weak. And not in the good type of way.

My poor eyes are unfortunately accosted with the view of none other than Strucker, standing in the doorway, her black dress bat-like, her arms crossed and her hair precariously perched on top of her head in her signature unyielding bun. Her painted red lips are pulled into a strained smile that doesn't reach her heartless eyes. She watches us like a hawk, and I want nothing more than to tug Wanda behind me; Strucker's eyes on her feel like a violation of my promise to never let anything hurt her again. And yet, Wanda's doing the exact same thing with me, keeping her right hand out slightly to her side, making sure I stay behind her.

"Look at you two, reunited with me in this very room of all places." Strucker purrs, her voice soft, her tongue tapping every consonant with care. "I was almost worried I wouldn't get the chance to speak with you again, after your little break-away. But Hydra always gets its way."

Her words are gentle, but there is no mistaking the animosity behind them. From behind her, a dozen Hydra-clad soldiers begin rushing into the circular room filled with nothing but pain, their guns trained on Wanda and me. They gradually start to encircle us and I can't keep them all in my eye-line. It makes me extremely nervous. Wanda, on the other hand, has not taken her eyes off Strucker. I doubt she's even noticing how scarlet sparks have started to come alive around her hands. Her red hair shines brightly on her back in the harsh light, and although I only have a view of her profile, I can tell her mouth is pulled in a small snarl. She looks kind of terrifying, not going to lie.

"You." Wanda venomously says, tilting her head. "You are a liar. You hurt me. You hurt Livvy. I don't like liars."

"Oh Wanda, don't be so naive." Strucker sighs.

Then, my heart does another weird offbeat in my chest as someone I hadn't expected to see walks up from behind Strucker. It takes me a second to even comprehend that I'm watching Agatha saunter in, looking slightly bored.

She stops, leaning against the door frame slightly behind Sturcker, and finally looks up. At the sight of Wanda in front of her, she looks like the sight in front of her tastes like the tastiest piece of birthday cake, her lips pulled into a real smile, unlike Strucker's, and it reaches her eyes which sparkle in the harsh light. Her brown hair is frizzy and she looks extremely lively. That expression on her face makes me feel the opposite of cheerful.

"Agatha?" Wanda sucks in a breath, tilting her head in question.

Great, they literally made her remember even Agatha, but not me, I jealously think.

"Hiya hon." Agatha brightly greets Wanda, as though they're merely meeting by accident in the mall, lifting her hand in a small wave.

"Isn't this the reunion we've all been waiting for?" Strucker looks from Agatha to Wanda and me.

"Not going to lie, not particularly, no," I say, walking a couple of steps that are separating Wanda and me so she's no longer standing in front of me. She turns her head towards me, not looking happy with me.