All rights go to emomilfwanda
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Wanda was resting against the bed side rail, staring absentmidedly at the rain drops hitting the bay window of her room. A firm knock pulled the witch out of her thoughts, the kind that made her shoulders feel way too heavy. She stayed put in her position, meaning to make as little noise as possible, she had craved to be alone since she had woke up this morning from some sort of a nightmare - which was closer to being an unpleasant guilting dream related to her brother than a simple nightmare. She even held out her breath, scared that somehow, the person standing behind the door could hear her and decide to come in. She waited a bit more, silent and still until a voice broke out.
"Hey Wanda, can I come in ?" Natasha asked softly. There was some hesitation in her voice, maybe a bit of nervousness, Wanda could feel it. She considered saying no for a minute : the woman would surely walk away without thinking twice - she seemed to be the type of person who could understand when a battle was lost without having started - Natasha would probably not be mad nor bring this up. However something with this scenario felt wrong. A part of the witch was dying to be left utterly alone, alone with this endless feeling of hopelessness, lonely, but another part wanted Natasha's calming presence. So she answered positively, one simple word which already scared her. She was used to staying in her room, hidden, anytime she would sense this familiar gloominess kicking back. It was less unbearable now, she had learnt how to handle melancholia, which she was not sure she fully accepted. The pain resting in her heart was one of the rare things she had left of Pietro. Hearing the door slowly opening, the witch tried to gain back her composure. Fortunately, today, her cheeks were free from tears.
"You skipped lunch," the redhead woman stated, not fully sure how to start this conversation. She was certain that Wanda was feeling sorrowful, and she did not know how to handle it. She had been taught to just ignore the pain, to burry it deep inside, so profound that it seemed like it wasn't even real anymore. But that was a form of denial, and she presumed Wanda was way too connected to emotions - her own feelings and other people's ones as well - to be able to achieve that.
"I was planning to eat tonight, when I am hungry," Wanda replied, her accent peeking through the last word she pronounced. As an answer, Natasha nodded, now actively wondering if she should leave the room. The witch, without any intention, was able to feel her growing discomfort and tried to break the silence to reassure the former spy.
"I feel like I'm going to go crazy here." The words escaped from her mouth, she probably shouldn't have let them slipped.
"You know, you're not grounded, Maximoff," Natasha said, a smirk on her face. Teasing. It meant she was already getting more comfortable.
"I am aware," she retorted firmly while maintaining eye contact with the woman. "It's just that I don't think I have the energy to be around those idiots." She was obviously joking but Natasha immediately understood what she was implying, years of reading people's minds by studying their expression and the true meaning behind the words they chose to use was often very helpful.
"We can go outside, I'm positive no one will try to follow us, even the clingy ones." Her final words stole a small smile from Wanda, her first one of the day. The Sokovian knew who she was talking about, Natasha never lost a chance to roast Sam even when he was nowhere to be seen, luckily.
"Have you seen the weather ? It is awful."
"I didn't get the memo about your new fear of rain. You're already getting too American," she added before chuckling. Maybe mocking someone that was feeling quite miserable wasn't the most intelligent strategy, but it was what she was going for. Wanda seemed to love being provoked, as far as Natasha had noticed. In reality, she merely enjoyed when the person doing the teasing was the Russian woman. Anytime she sensed she had hit the right spot, something magnetic would enlighten her eyes, and Wanda wouldn't miss it for the world.
"Says the woman who I discovered eating macaronis and cheese, last night," the witch bit back, she realised her attack was efficient when the red-haired woman rolled her eyes, quite caught off guard.
"We'll talk about your growing spying, or should I say creepy, skills later. We're going for a walk in the rain, unless you're too scared." She proceeded to playfully raise her eyebrows, another way to annoy the witch, not aware of the arousing effect this single action had on the latter.
"I am never too afraid."
Thus, they were walking side to side in the woods, near the compound. Natasha was wearing a long black coat that had the outcome of making her seem even more enigmatic than most of the time. Whereas Wanda hadn't even bother to change, she was simply clothed in a black dress along with a sweater. Nevertheless, she had put on leg warmers that covered most of her calfs as well as wool mittens. None of them were speaking but it didn't matter, the silence was masked by the sound of the rain. Thanks to this setting, Wanda somehow felt a bit at home. Although it was different, more peaceful maybe.
"Your thoughts are way too loud," the witch declared in a failed mocking tone, kindness was something that was more natural when it came to the Russian woman.
"Are you trying to invade my mind ?" Wanda noticed a bit of mistrust in her tone, but it was Natasha, after all. She rarely let her guard down, especially when it was about something private.
"No, I am not. I don't think you realize that as you are always trying to hide your true nature to others, your internal desires are very intense. It is like you are banging my own mind," Wanda genuinely tried to explain, not registering how her last sentence sounded. Natasha evidently picked up on it, hence her smirk.
The avenger decided to let it slide, give the woman a break. "So you can always read people's minds this easily ?" She asked calmly, eager to know the truth. She was starting to acknowledge that Wanda was possibly aware of a lot more than she allowed to show, which the former spy found unsettling. Even her oldest friend ignored various stories in which she had been involved. Someone she met less than a year ago couldn't hold this much information on her, it was unsafe.
"I do not exactly read people's thoughts, I feel them. But yes, it is like that. When I'm tired like today, it is harder for me to push them back, particularly when they are strong like yours. But do not worry, I respect people's privacy," she asserted in attempt to not completely lose the small trust Natasha had offered her in the last months.
"Whatever." Natasha answered in a light tone, already trying to control her thoughts, keeping them away from the witch walking beside her. She quickly glanced at the Sokovian who was already gazing at her, caughting a tender smile from her. "Aren't you cold ?" she asked, remarking some small worry in her voice and immediately feeling stupid for it.
"I like the smell of the rain as well," she stated, completely ignoring the question. Wanda seemed to be trying to destabilise the woman, and she was having fun with the process.
"Stop that !" she complained whilst pushing away the witch in a childish way. Wanda let out a subtle laugh that made Natasha's heart flutter.
"Do not pretend to be upset, I can tell you are hiding some thoughts from me."
"Well, it seems like the little witch is not that powerful," the former spy teased, appreciating the moment a bit too much for someone who had simply been asked by Steve to try to cheer up the woman. There was nothing more, she was just helping someone, the same way she would have enjoyed to be supported, in a stage of her life. Did Wanda even believe that ?
Wanda, who didnt't like her abilities to be questioned, pushed herself back a little bit into the former spy's mind, making sure to stay on the surface. She didn't want to trigger anything. "Romanoff... You think a lot about my hands, don't you ?" she interrogated, victory covering her face. A huge smirk arose from her lips.
Natasha seemed speechless, she had definitely lost this battle. On top of that, heat was changing the colour of her cheeks, they were getting redder. "Good luck on finding your way home alone." She proceeded to walk faster in order to distance herself from the woman. That was enough vulnerability for the day.
"Wait, Natasha ! Are you mad at me ?" she cried out, not hiding how upset she was by the idea of the red-haired woman holding any kind of resentment against her.
At the emotionality coming from the woman, Natasha felt something invisible sting her heart. It was almost painful how easily Wanda had achieved to gain her affection. She turned back, looking at the Sokovian, taking in all her beauty. Her cheeks were bright pink from the low temperature of the air, her dark hair was dripping wet, her stare held something deep and intense. Natasha sighed at the vision, "Come here, we're going to be sick if we stay here."
Wanda sniffed whilst smiling. "I am cold," she admitted before following the woman who was heading back to the compound.
"I don't care. You won't have my coat, you clothes stealer," she joked, trying not to break every boundary she had built between herself and others.
"Even if I beg ?" Wanda asked in a low voice that almost killed the redhead. She couldn't handle this much seduction coming from the witch.
She breathed in deeply, gaining back some composure. "I'm merciless, honey," Natasha replied with a wink. Wanda blushed strongly at the nickname as something warm spread into her body. Maybe she could get used to coming to the Russian woman whenever darkness made its way back to her. At this exact moment, when Wanda locked eyes with the redhead whose lips were arching, she felt overwhelmed by the desire of being hugged by the redhead. And she swore that somehow, Natasha knew, because she brushed the back of the Sokovian's hand with her index, giving her a small form of comfort that Wanda was grateful for. A soft caress remained a huge matter for the former spy, which pleasantly warmed the witch's heart.