Cosmic Collision | Wanda X OC

Chapter Nine

A soft laugh escaped the redhead's mouth. "True."

Movement in the corner of Nyxa's eyes caught her attention and she saw a tendril of shadow reaching out for the Sokovian woman next to her.
"Stop it," She chided and they both watched as the shadow paused before snaking back guiltily.

Nyxa looked back and took in the brilliant smile on Wanda's face. It was wide and happy, green eyes alight.

Wanda paused, smile softening but not disappearing. "What?" A nervous laugh escaped her this time and her green eyes darted to avoid eye contact.

"Nothing," Nyxa replied with a causal shrug. "My shadow likes you."

Wanda's nose scrunched up. "So they're the friendly extension of you?"

Her eyebrows rose. "I'm so bad that literal shadows are my lighter half?" That brilliant smile reappeared as they headed to their side of the facility together. Nyxa wanted it to stay there.

"Something like that."

"Good to know," She laughed quietly. She'd done that more in the past two weeks with this team than she had in the past five years she'd been here. It felt so nice to be light for once. She was worried it wouldn't last.

Their pace slowed and Wanda's face wore all the signs of someone about to say something vulnerable.
"You're different to how I thought you would be."

Asking the same thing she once had last time Wanda had said that-- about her shadows that time-- Nyxa looked at her. "How so?"

Wanda took a breath. "I don't know, you used to seem... far away. Like you weren't really here. It always seemed like you were just going through the motions."

"And I'm not like that anymore?"

"Only sometimes, when you're thinking for too long."

"Sounds like you've been watching me."
Nyxa noted as Wanda immediately avoided eye contact again. She suddenly felt her guard go up. This conversation was beginning to feel like more than casual words and she wasn't ready for that. It would only complicate things.

"You often seem sad," Wanda said softly, trying to smooth over her nervousness. She took a deep breath. "After... after Pietro, I felt like you would understand. And you seemed like a comfortable option, removed from things the way the others aren't."

"Don't think anyone's ever described me like that before."

Wanda gave her a gentle push at her dry tone, smiling. They'd reached their destination by now, having to split up to get to their rooms.

Nyxa's guard was still up from earlier and she couldn't help her curtness. "Well, I'll see you soon."
She left quickly after that.

____

Why the facility had a whole bar, Nyxa didn't know. But no one was complaining.

The team was sprawled out on various couches, a few agents scattered throughout the room as well. There was still a lot to be done in terms of moving things into this new facility so there were lots of people running around during the day.

"What you drinking, shadow lady?" Sam asked as he headed to the bar.

"I'll take a beer."

He frowned a little, still smiling, as if that surprised him. "Never would've pegged you as a beer girl."

"Sounds like bad intuition."