Chaos (Sequel to Agony)

Chapter 26

||"My dear, we are all made of water. It's okay to rage. Sometimes it's okay to rest...to recede."||

She awoke that night with pain in her arms and legs, and she pulled herself free from Steve's embrace and crawled out of bed, hoping to find comfort in stretching out her sore muscles.

When she stepped out into the hall, she lazily made her way toward the living room, unsure of what time is was or who was even awake.

The living room was dark, save for the kitchen light illuminating the large room just enough for her to walk around. So she grabbed a drink from the fridge and took a seat on the kitchen floor. The coolness of the tiles soothed her aching bones, and she relished the release that it brought her.

It was so tempting to want to fall asleep after her workout with Emma and Crystal, but Steve had encouraged her to take a walk with him around the compound. A large part of her wanted to decline, but he insisted.

He'd walked her through the woods toward the lake, and before she could protest about the cold breeze and her tired limbs, he had pushed her into the water, joining her a second later. The water had been absolutely freezing, and her magic had shot out from her fingertips in an attempt to shield her from the cold. But the icy water actually relaxed her tight muscles, and she was greeted with a sort of bliss she wasn't expecting from a freezing lake.

"Your ice bath for the night," Steve had said, swimming slow laps around her, keeping her entertained as she relaxed. They had spent an hour in the lake before heading inside.

With a sigh, Wanda closed her eyes, but she felt her magic slither beneath her skin—warning her. The drink in her hand nearly spilled as someone approached from behind the counter, but she was relieved to find that it was only Bucky.

"What are you doing?" he asked her, ruffling his hair. She took a deep breath before using her legs to stand, and she ignored the pain as it seared through her thighs. Bucky let out a tired chuckle, holding her up as she found her balance. "Sore muscles are a beautiful feeling."

"I wish that were true," she remarked, placing her drink on the counter.

Bucky opened the freezer and pulled out an ice pack, handing it to her. She grabbed it willingly, putting down on her left thigh.

"Your muscles will get used to it," he told her, and she looked at him with droopy eyes and nodded in agreement.

"How long are you going to stay?" she asked him quietly, aware of her own groggy voice.

"I'm not sure," he answered.

Wanda glanced away from him, her body begging her for sleep, but she wanted to ask him—wanted to know.

"I don't mean to pry, but..." she stopped, unsure if asking him about Natasha was respectful. But she continued on regardless. "Are things going to be okay again? With you...and Natasha?"

A frown found its way on his face, but he shook it off before she could analyze it any longer.

Their relationship wasn't any of her concern, but she cared about Natasha, and ever since the twins returned, and even though Natasha had smiled and laughed with them, it was so clear that she wasn't happy. Not fully, at least. 

"I hope so," he finally said, and his left arm whirred as the metal flexed. A pain shot through her left arm as she stared at him, and she was reminded of the memories she took away from him, and how they were now hers. She didn't know how he survived such a tragic experience, or how he even managed to function properly after having his mind fried repeatedly for decades.