Keira's heart had dropped to the bottom of her stomach. Her team, no, her family was in shambles.
And she didn't know what to do. She felt helpless, and all she could do was stand aside and watch her life slipping through her fingers like grains of sand from a broken hourglass.
Who was she without the Avengers?
Just an ex-assassin with too many lives on her conscience to count. A mutant with too much red in her ledger, something she would never be able to make up for. The team might not be her family by blood, but they were by choice.
And to see it all shatter in just a few hours was heartbreaking.
"Hey."
A soft voice with just a hint of a Sokovian accent broke Keira out of her thoughts and she ripped her gaze away from the floor to meet Wanda's eyes. She hadn't even been aware that she had been walking over to Wanda's room, it seemed like her feet had moved on autopilot. "Hi." She smiled weakly as the brunette laced their fingers together and gently pulled her into the room.
Keira let herself be dragged inside and couldn't help but feel her heart lift a little when Wanda sat down on the floor in front of her bed, tugging on her arm to get her to join her. Sinking down, the blonde crossed her legs and let out a small sigh. "What do you think about all this?"
Wanda pressed her tongue against the inside of her cheek and slipped her hand out of Keira's. "I..." She averted her eyes to her hands and started to pull at the sleeves of her sweater. "It's all my fault." Seeing the way Keira opened her mouth to protest, Wanda held up a hand to silence her. "It is. If I had better control over my powers, this wouldn't be happening."
Keira's heart stung upon seeing Wanda this way, blaming herself for something that wasn't her fault. "That's not true, Wanda." She shook her head and grabbed one of Wanda's hand to stop her from fidgeting. "It would've been done to us sooner or later. If it hadn't been you, it would've been the Hulk, Thor, or even me. The Accords have been in the works for a long time, Ross was just waiting for the right opportunity to strike."
"Then why do I feel like it's all my fault?" Wanda shakily asked as her eyes started to brim with tears.
Keira felt her heart shatter for what felt like the millionth time and gently grabbed Wanda's chin between her thumb and forefinger, tilting her head up so their gazes met. "Because you're a good person, Wanda." She said sincerely. "You care about people. You want them to be safe. That's why you're hurting."
Wanda tried to avert her gaze, but the blonde in front of her stubbornly ducked her head to catch it every time she did so. "The world thinks I'm a monster. They're being very vocal about it." She helplessly gestured towards the black TV screen.
"The world thinks that anybody who's different is a monster." Keira replied, earning a skeptical look from the brunette. "In their eyes, I'm a monster too. And maybe I am. I've done unspeakable things in the past but I'm trying my best to repay my debt." Noticing how she was sliding away from the subject at hand, she shook her head.
"The point I'm trying to make is, that the world doesn't know you. And you're the furthest thing from a monster. Because of you, hundreds of lives were saved in Sokovia. The same goes for Lagos. And just because the world is unable to see it, doesn't make it any less true. You're a hero, Wanda."
Wanda gave an unconvinced scoff. "Heroes don't torture people."
"And villains don't feel the need to try and justify their actions." Keira countered simply. "The world isn't divided into good or bad people. It isn't just black or white. Sometimes, our best intentions turn out to be the worst. But it doesn't matter. In the end, we're all human. We make mistakes, it's a part of life. We're not perfect, nor should we be." Sliding her hand from Wanda's chin to her cheek, she gently wiped away a stray tear with her thumb. If only she could make Wanda see herself from her point of view.
Wanda's lower lip slipped between her teeth as she leaned into Keira's touch. The conversation was going a lot better than she had imagined. Her mind had painted a much more heated picture, so the fact that they were sitting on the floor, calmly discussing the matter was a big relief. It had been bad enough to listen to the team argue, and she didn't think she could handle it if she and Keira ended it on a bad note.
Raising one of her hands, she let a scarlet wisp dance around her fingers. "What if I never learn to control it? What if it devours me and turns me into something I'm not?"
It was such a fragile question, Wanda's voice filled with so much doubt that Keira closed the distance between them and pulled the brunette in for a hug, seeing the wisp disappear into thin air. "Then I'll be there to bring you back."
With her face hiding against Keira's shirt, Wanda's voice came out a little muffled. "You wouldn't be afraid of me?"
"You could never scare me, Wanda." Keira broke the hug, but she still let her forehead rest against Wanda's, her eyes closed.
Wanda didn't say it, but to know that there was at least one person out there who didn't fear her, who saw her for who she truly was, it meant more to her than words could ever describe. She too, allowed her eyes to close and with one of her hands intertwined with Keira's, they just sat like that, foreheads resting against one another and just enjoying the moment of peace.
But Wanda's brain wouldn't shut up. "I still don't know if it's the right decision not to sign." She sighed, reluctantly breaking the soft atmosphere that had settled in the room.
"If you're asking me to decide for you, I'm afraid I'll have to disappoint you, because I won't do that." Keira opened her eyes and straightened her back, and by doing so, increased the distance between them. "I've made my opinion pretty clear. I can't sign it, I just can't, even if I wanted to. I've already had organizations telling me what to do for the majority of my life, and I can't live like that again. And to be tagged like animals just so the government can keep track of us like some common pet? No." She shook her head firmly, and realizing the sharp edge that had entered her tone, she slowly relaxed her clenched jaw.
It wasn't Wanda's fault, and the brunette didn't deserve her anger at the Accords. "But you need to do what you feel is right. Just make sure that you're making this decision with your heart, and not your head."
Wanda merely gazed at the blonde, feeling the tears burning in her eyes. "And I believe that people will understand why you don't sign it, given your history. But me...?" She averted her eyes as a shaky sigh escaped her lips. The world was still screaming 'murderer' every time her name popped up in the media, but maybe if she signed, it would get a little bit better?
Keira knew what Wanda was getting at and shook her head. "Look, I understand why you would consider signing, Wanda. Just to get the world off your back." She began, ducking her head to catch the brunette's gaze. "But why would signing a document change anything? What really matters, what defines us, is whether or not we're willing to repeat our past actions. That is what separates good people from bad people. And you are good, Wanda."
Seeing Wanda starting to fiddle with her hands again, Keira placed her hand over them. "Just know, that whatever you decide, I won't hold it against you." Her eyes were bright as she spoke and seeing the tears glittering in Wanda's eyes, she cupped the brunette's cheek. "I'll support you either way."
❆
Keira ran her hands over her face in pure frustration. It was the night after the day that the Avengers had been presented with the Sokovia Accords, and things were tense, to say the least. What used to be a playfully bickering group had now turned into a painfully silent one.
The two sides were already clear. Those who would sign, and those who wouldn't. Although, the one who seemed to switch between the two sides the most was Wanda. She just couldn't make up her mind. Her heart fought against her brain, making the decision extremely difficult.
Blindly reaching out a hand, Keira managed to grab her phone from the nightstand. The screen read '3.37 AM' and a loud groan left her lips. She needed to sleep, but despite being exhausted, her brain wouldn't let her.
To make matters worse, her headache hadn't eased up either. And she knew that painkillers wouldn't have any effect since it was clearly related to stress. She wouldn't be too surprised if it evolved into a migraine.
Despite the very tense atmosphere hanging around the compound, there had been one person except for Wanda that Keira had needed to talk to, and that was Natasha. And it seemed like the feeling had been mutual.
Because when Keira had returned to her room after her talk with Wanda, she had been greeted by the sight of Natasha already waiting for her.
The redhead had been sitting on the foot of the bed with her head hanging, her hair shielding her face from view. Just by looking at her, Keira could tell she was hurting.
They already knew that they were on different sides regarding the Accords, which had been pretty clear during the team discussion.
But they still wanted to hear the other person's side. It had taken quite some time, their discussion leading them far into the night, and while the temper in the room had threatened to rise at one point, it cooled down quickly. They didn't want to fight, and none of them were angry with one another. They were just sad that something like this would split the team.
So, all in all, they ended it on a good note. They might not agree with one another, but they respected each other's opinions.
"I swear, I'm gonna get an ulcer from all this shit. And if I need to change my sleeping meds again, my doctor's gonna kill me." Keira muttered to herself while slamming down her phone beside her pillow. It was no use; she wouldn't be able to sleep.
Just like the previous night, all she would be able to do was turn restlessly in her bed until the sun rose beyond the horizon and she could surprise Natasha by being in the gym earlier than her.
With her arm resting over her eyes, she let her mind wander. Thanks to Wanda, she had slowly started to accept her telepathic powers more, and instead of purely ignoring them and trying to pretend that they didn't exist, had begun training them. Which was why she could now use her powers to feel other presences in her vicinity.
And to her surprise, she stumbled upon a few that weren't asleep. But there was one specific person that was awake that interested her more than the others, which gave her the strength to sleepily roll out of bed.
Grabbing one of the many blankets that occupied her bed, she lazily rolled it up in her arms, her eyes barely open. Walking through the compound, it felt as if she was on autopilot, her feet leading her over to the pool automatically.
Wanda was sitting by the pool's edge, the water rippling around her feet. Her eyes were firmly trained on the other edge, her mind deep in contemplation. A soft smile painted her lips as Keira neared her, already having felt the blonde's restless presence ever since she woke up.
"It's freezing in here." Keira remarked while wrapping the blanket around Wanda's shoulders before sitting down beside her. Lowering her feet down into the lukewarm water, she couldn't care less about the fact that her pajama pants were being soaked.
Wanda glanced at the blonde with a quirked eyebrow. "You're never cold." She deadpanned while pulling the blanket closer around her, the soft tones of cinnamon and vanilla that she associated with Keira invading her senses.
An amused huff escaped Keira's lips and she shrugged. "Well, yeah, that's true, but I could see your goosebumps from a mile away." She smirked, seeing Wanda playfully rolling her eyes.
"Well, thank you." Wanda said in a soft voice, leaning her head against Keira's shoulder. With the fuzzy blanket around her, she became aware of how cold she had felt before, and a wave of gratefulness towards Keira washed over her. "It's nice, you know."
Resting her head against Wanda's, Keira's eyebrows furrowed together as she threw a confused sideglance at Wanda. "What is?"
"I understand why you like it." Wanda continued, only increasing Keira's bewilderment. "The night." She clarified with a small smile, nuzzling closer to the blonde. "It's so much calmer, everything seems more at ease. And-"
"And it's quiet." Keira finished for her, a soft smile painting her lips now. "Yeah, I know what you mean. Even before I could hear other people's thoughts, I always found comfort in the night. I guess... I always appreciated the rawness of the world in the dark. It's so much more honest."
Wanda hummed softly. "Yeah, exactly. Although, quiet is not a word I would use to describe you." She added with a small smirk.
"Excuse you?" Keira gasped dramatically. "What's that supposed to mean?"
Wanda chuckled and faintly shook her head at the blonde's theatrics. "Drama queen. Besides, never said it was a bad thing, did I?" She teased gently, nudging Keira's shoulder. "It's just difficult. It's like your thoughts are testing me, seeing how loud they can get before I give into them."
Keira couldn't help the chuckle that escaped her at this and quirked an eyebrow. "Are you saying that my thoughts are trying to lure you in?" A sudden idea popped into her head and before Wanda had time to protest, Keira had gotten to her feet and elegantly dived into the pool, splashing the brunette in the process.
A shriek left Wanda's lips as she tried to shield herself with the blanket from the water raining down on her. "Hey! What was that for?!" She spluttered the moment that Keira resurfaced, throwing her a glare.
"Since I'm so loud, I thought I might prove that I'm not the only one." Keira feigned innocence, diving under the water quickly when Wanda tried to splash her. Breaking the surface again, she brushed her hair back and swam back to Wanda with a wide grin on her face.
When Keira was close enough, Wanda hooked her feet behind the blonde's back and pulled her closer, locking her in place. "I wasn't complaining." She breathed, leaning a little bit closer. "And you dove in with your pajamas on?" She noted as she glanced down at the mutant.
"Kinda sounded like it." Keira mused while resting her arms on Wanda's thighs. The soft light from the pool illuminated the brunette's features beautifully, making her look ethereal. "And if you wanted me out of them, all you have to do is ask. Thought the water might add to my siren look, since my thoughts are luring you in." She added with a smirk, watching with satisfaction as the brunette's cheeks turned scarlet.
Swallowing thickly, Wanda averted her eyes to try and collect her thoughts. "Oh, shut up." She grumbled, trying to hide her blushing face by pushing the blonde under the water. What she had not expected was for Keira to grab ahold of her thighs and pull her down into the water with her.
"Guess we're even now, sunshine." Keira smirked when Wanda broke the surface, spluttering as she did so.
At the offended look painting the brunette's expression, Keira couldn't help but laugh. It was truly hilarious; Wanda's mouth was open in a surprised 'o' while trying to brush the wet hair away from her face.
Wanda wanted to be annoyed, but she simply couldn't, so instead, she just fell in with the blonde's infectious laughter. "You're an idiot, you know that right?" She managed to choke out between giggles. Swimming closer to Keira, she tried to reach the bottom of the pool, but her toes only managed to graze it.
"Maybe so." Keira shrugged, smiling broadly. She just managed to stand on her tiptoes, being a little bit taller than Wanda. "What are you gonna do about it, Maximoff?" She challenged with a sly gleam in her eyes, grabbing the edge of the pool on either side of Wanda's head.
Being closed in, Wanda felt her breath hitch as her back made contact with the edge of the pool. The grey eyes that she had grown to adore were threatening to drown her, and yet, she was unable to rip her gaze away from them. One of her hands snaked itself around the blonde's neck to help keep herself afloat while the other cupped her cheek, caressing Keira's cheekbone with her thumb.
Completely entranced by the eyes in front of her and with her heart pounding in her chest, Wanda closed the distance between them and tentatively brushed her lips against Keira's. The fire in the pit of her stomach ignited, and it felt as if a wildfire was spreading across her body.
But her whole body seemed to turn cold when Keira didn't move, and she pulled back, terrified that she had misread the situation. Just as she opened her mouth to start apologizing, she was silenced as Keira's lips met hers again.
Keira turned the previous tentative kiss into an unapologetic one, pressing their bodies impossibly closer. Her eyes fluttered shut as their lips moved against each other, the darkness only enhancing the feel of Wanda's body against hers.
It was as if her very nerves were on fire, and each gentle touch from Wanda was like a trail of the most delicious flames. And at that moment, she knew that she would happily be consumed by them any day of the week.
Wanda hooked her legs around Keira's waist and deepened the kiss as hot met cold in an impatient battle for dominance. It was only when all the oxygen was almost gone from her lungs that she reluctantly pulled back, her heart racing in her chest as she rested her forehead against Keira's. "That." She whispered breathlessly. "That is what I'm going to do about it."
Keira's chest was heaving rapidly, trying to regain the air in her lungs and also trying to calm her racing heart that was threatening to break out of her ribcage. "I'm not complaining." She replied, equally breathless. "I've been wanting to do that since forever."
"What took us so long, huh?" Wanda whispered, brushing their lips together in a short but tender kiss. Looking back, it should've been clear that this was coming. The rest of the team had even seen it before they had realized it themselves.
But now, when they had shared their first kiss, it felt euphoric.
Keira smiled into the kiss, letting her eyes flutter close. "Because we enjoyed the drama of it?" She suggested jokingly, which earned her a light slap to the shoulder.
"You owe me new pajamas." Wanda whispered before pressing a trail of kisses from the underside of the blonde's jaw down her neck. It felt amazing to finally be able to kiss the mutant, and the butterflies in her stomach were going crazy.
Keira tilted her head to the side to give Wanda more access, suppressing a moan while her hands wandered up and down the brunette's sides. "That's still my t-shirt though and-" She protested weakly but was cut off as Wanda's lips pressed against her, effectively silencing her.
"Not anymore." Wanda smiled against the blonde's lips as their breaths mingled in the tight space between them. She couldn't even remember the last time she felt this happy.
~~~~~~~~~~
A/N: Well, well! A little bonus chapter for y'all! Aaaaand, they finally kissed!!!! :D Only took them like an eternity but they did it :D Hope I made it justice hahah