1 year later
"P- Please. You d- don't wanna do this." The woman's voice quivered helplessly, feeling the fear seep out of her pores.
Keira, on the other hand, just shook her head slowly. The wicked grin on her lips widened as she tightened her grip around the woman's neck. She could practically feel the woman's pulse beating against her fingertips. "Oh, but I do. I really do."
It had been years since Keira had seen Alexandra Krieger in the flesh, and now, when she had finally tracked her down, she had no intentions of letting her go.
Alexandra's hazel eyes were wide in fear as she helplessly clawed at Keira's hand in a desperate attempt to get the mutant to release her. But her feet were dangling above the ground and thanks to the pressure on her throat, oxygen was becoming harder and harder to come by. "This i- isn't you, K- Keira. Topaz might've been a m- mindless killing machine, b- but you... you never were." Black spots were dancing across her field of vision, and she didn't know how much longer she would be able to remain conscious.
At the mention of her name, Keira's grip slackened just enough to let the scientist slide down the wall to stand on her tiptoes rather than dangle in the air.
Her eyes averted from Alexandra's face to the floor for just a moment. The ground was smooth as ice, crystal covering every inch of it.
Just like everything around them. Everything from the smallest speck of dust to the five henchmen that had been guarding the scientist.
And now, they would be frozen in time indefinitely.
Dragging her gaze back to the terrified woman in front of her, Keira tilted her head to the side. "Is that fear I see, Alexandra? Are you frightened?" Lifting her free hand, she let her finger trace Alexandra's cheekbone. Just like the scientist used to taunt the mutant, all those years ago. "You're right in one thing though." For just a second, she saw the hope flame into life behind those hazel eyes, but it was quickly extinguished by her next words.
"Keira might not have been a mindless killing machine, but she died the very moment the love of her life disappeared from this world. And while Topaz is a ghost buried in the past, Viceroy is just as vicious. The perfect assassin, just like you raised Topaz to be." She cooed innocently, smirking at the frightened expression on Alexandra's face. "So... Any suggestions on how I should kill you?"
It was an odd sensation. Even with half of its population gone, the world kept on spinning.
Ever since the day Keira left the compound, she felt lost. Which was probably why she had fallen back to her roots. Because when you're unsure or astray, you fall back to the things you do know.
The darkness that had been carefully kindled by HYDRA ever since she was a little girl, welcomed her back with open arms.
And she lost herself in. No, she reveled in it. Because if she was being honest with herself, there was a part of her, a small part, but a part nevertheless, that enjoyed the power she felt when she held a life at her fingertips.
Something she had kept deeply hidden inside of herself, behind lock and key, had finally gotten a chance to breathe the air at the surface. And it would not be dragged to the bottom of the sea again without a fight.
But she had made a promise to herself.
Topaz would never see the light of day again. That part of her life was over. She didn't want to be associated with HYDRA ever again. The organization had done enough damage to the world with her help, and she would not let it continue.
She didn't really know how or when the alias Viceroy had popped up, but she wasn't appalled by it. And after a bit of research, she actually came to like it quite a bit.
Apparently, the Viceroy butterfly was a known mimic in the animal world. It copies the wing pattern of the Monarch butterfly, which is known to be noxious-tasting to predators. In doing so, the Viceroy cleverly avoids getting eaten.
It was only later it was discovered that the Viceroy itself was just as unpalatable as the monarch. Which was a bit ironic.
So, in short, her new nickname had come into life for being a mimic.
And while there were quite a few mutants with similar powers to hers, nobody ever connected her to Topaz again. Something she was grateful for. Maybe it was because Topaz and Keira were known for being blondes, while her lengths now sported a deep mahogany color.
"P- Please don't." Alexandra begged desperately, her eyes bulging slightly from the pressure around her throat. During all her years of working with Keira, she had never seen the mutant this ruthless.
There had always been a streak of humanity in her, even when Topaz was supposed to be all that the girl knew. This was exactly why Alexandra had gone to some extent to keep herself hidden.
Because when the bodies of former associates of HYDRA turned up dead, she was the one who realized the pattern. It was always people who had been involved with Topaz, one way or another. And the more bodies that turned up, it became clear that the killer was working their way to the top, which just happened to be her.
"I can recall every time, every time I begged you to stop. I remember the tears streaming down my cheeks as I begged on my bare knees for you to make it stop. Did you ever listen? No, not even once. So why should I grant you that kindness?" Keira hissed, tightening her grip around the scientist's throat as their faces were mere inches from each other. The temptation to just crush the woman's windpipe was hanging over her like a dark cloud, but she had another plan.
Only when Alexandra's face started to turn blue from the lack of oxygen, did Keira release her grip completely. "But I have something different in mine for you."
Alexandra's legs wouldn't carry her, so she fell to her knees, massaging her throat while gasping for some much-needed air. She did not like the tone Keira's voice held, and it sent such a violent shiver down her spine that she feared what the mutant might have in store for her.
Keira took a step away from the crouching scientist and rolled her eyes. It was fascinating to witness how quickly a human could fall from the top of the pyramid to the bottom of it.
All it took was a more sophisticated predator.
Everywhere her eyes landed, a shiny surface met her gaze. From the crystallized flowers in the window to the five petrified guards, and Keira couldn't even bring herself to feel guilty. During her rogue year, she had lost count of how many lives she had taken. But they all had been involved with HYDRA, so how good of a person could they possibly have been?
She was just doing the public a service, those who remained anyway. At least, that's what she kept telling herself. "If I were to let you go, and the police would catch you... You would just rat me out and-"
"No! No, I wouldn't!" Alexandra interjected, shaking her head violently.
"Quiet!" Keira raised her hand, and even though she wasn't even close to touching the scientist, Alexandra flinched as if she had been slapped. The mutant crouched down, and her voice turned softer, almost as if she was consoling the crying woman in front of her. "If you were to be stripped of your memories, your very core... Everything that makes you, well... you. Then you wouldn't have the possibility to snitch on me, even if you wanted to. And with nightmares haunting your sleep every time you dare to relax... Well, it wouldn't take long until your sanity slipped away from you. You would see it disappear bit by bit, like sand slipping through your fingers. Now, that seems like a more fitting fate, does it not?"
If there was one thing Keira had discovered, it was that rage was a great motivator.
At first, in the beginning, her powers had felt weaker than normal. The diamond seemed to lack its normal sparkle and sharpness. Perhaps it was due to the great loss she had suffered. To have Wanda ripped away from her in an already unforgiving world.
But after a while, the suffocating sadness got replaced by anger.
And that was when she realized she could channel the raging flame inside of her into her powers. She could use the anger and wield it like a power tool.
Before, taking a trip into somebody's mind had been a difficult thing and something Keira rather avoided unless she had to do it. But now, it was no more difficult than taking a walk in the park. She could bend peoples' wills with ease.
After some experimentation, more parts of the mind unlocked themselves to her. While the mind is a difficult thing to navigate through, Keira had found multiple shortcuts that turned out to be quite valuable. With a bit of tinkering, she could either remove or create new parts inside of a person's mind, thereby making them a clean slate if she wanted to.
After all, everything within the brain is what gives a person its personality.
And while Keira remained under the impression that her rage was the reason why her powers had grown at such an exponential rate, the true reason was much darker. Without her realization, the Mind Stone had attached itself to her.
As if the Stone was faced with its destruction, it had siphoned its power into the last living person it had a connection to.
Its nature might not be malicious, but it heightens the host's emotions. Sometimes beyond what a normal person might call reasonable.
Alexandra's teary eyes met Keira's cold gaze. Her entire body was shaking by now, both from her violent sobs and the fear coursing through her veins. "No, no. Please. No." No other words seemed sufficient enough as the tears streamed down her cheeks.
Keira shook her head, almost pityingly before she cupped the scientist's cheek. "I'm sorry. But we don't always get what we wish for." By now, her voice had turned icy cold.
And before Alexandra had any chance to protest, Keira had already performed her little trick and wiped her mind. All that Alexandra would remember would be the torture she once exposed Keira to, although this time, it was the scientist that would be experiencing the searing pain.
Without even a second glance, Keira pulled up her hood and left the very confused woman behind her. Just another victim of Viceroy.
❆
A deep sigh escaped Keira's lips as she met her eyes in the mirror. Her reflection looked just like she felt. Exhausted. Tired. Done with life. The mahogany locks cascading over her shoulders nearly touched the sink she was leaning over, but it wasn't the split ends that caught her attention.
No, it was the necklace around her neck she kept staring at, and more specifically, the ring that dangled from it.
The ruby was shining just as brightly as it had done the day Keira had bought it, and she swallowed hard. The day she had asked Wanda to become her wife had been the happiest moment in her life, and yet, it caused her nothing but sorrow to think back on it.
"Am I allowed to look yet?" Wanda giggled as she held out one of her hands blindly, the other one intertwined with Keira's. The warm wind was tugging gently at her strawberry locks and the smell of roses hit her nostrils.
Keira, who was almost skipping as she walked just shook her head in amusement at Wanda's impatience, not that the latter could see it due to the blindfold over her eyes. "No, you're not allowed to look yet, silly. That would ruin the surprise. I'll tell you when you can look." She chuckled before pressing a kiss to Wanda's cheek as she led the redhead along the graveled road.
It was almost midnight and the stars above them twinkled as clearly as they possibly could. The moon wasn't shy of sharing its moonlight either that illuminated the path they were walking on.
Keira had difficulties containing her happiness that kept threatening to spill out over the edges. As she stepped off the graveled road and onto the grass, she snaked a hand around Wanda's waist to keep her steady as they walked across the grass. "We'll be walking up a hill soon, so just be prepared for that, okay?" She warned Wanda, who gave a nod of confirmation.
"What, you don't want me to fall for you again, sweetheart?" Wanda chuckled before leaning her head against Keira's shoulder.
The blonde pressed a kiss to the crown of Wanda's head, and her smile only widened. "Not if it means you've already fallen out of love with me and need to fall again."
This time, Wanda actually stopped in her tracks and pulled Keira with her. Blindly, she reached up and placed her free hand on the side of the mutant's neck. "Ria, I don't have to stop loving you just to fall for you all over again. Every day, I fall a little harder and I realize, you're the one for me." She attempted to peck the blonde's lips, but from the feeling of it, she hit her chin.
Keira felt her eyes water slightly and she closed her eyes to stop the tears from falling. "How did I ever get so lucky, huh?" She closed the distance between them, and their lips moved in perfect harmony as both of them just enjoyed the moment. A chuckle from the mutant interrupted the kiss, however, and Keira shook her head in amusement. "Hey, stop trying to figure out what I'm planning."
"I can't help it." Wanda gave an airy chuckle and pretended to stumble, which made Keira hold her even closer. "I'm just curious about what you have in mind." She defended herself and pressed a kiss to the blonde's shoulder. With her vision impaired, she had no other choice than to place her trust in Keira, something she would do in a heartbeat.
"You'll find out soon enough, my love."
And with those words, Keira went quiet. While the butterflies in her stomach were threatening to break out of their cage, she couldn't help the small hole of doubt that was brewing in the pit of her stomach. What if this didn't go according to plan?
What if Wanda didn't want this?
With a shake of her head, Keira pushed those doubts away. She would willingly place her life on the line if Wanda asked her to, and if they weren't on the same page about this... Well, sometimes you had to take a leap of faith, and this was a jump she was willing to take.
When they finally got to the top of the hill, Keira gently tugged Wanda to a stop before spinning her around so that they faced each other. Before Wanda had a chance to ask if she was finally allowed to remove the blindfold, Keira crashed their lips together in a searing kiss, and Wanda's hands immediately laced around the blonde's neck, playing with the baby hairs.
"I like the enthusiasm, but I'd much rather see you." Wanda whispered when they finally broke apart, their lips still ghosting against each other.
Keira's smile was so wide by now that it almost hurt her cheeks, but she slowly untied the knot on the back of Wanda's head and let the blindfold fall to the ground.
Wanda's hands flew up to her mouth as a happy squeal left her lips. Her mind was too occupied with taking in the sight to even notice Keira shuffling out of view.
A big blanket was laid out over the grass, a bucket with two glasses and a bottle of champagne resting in it. Beside it, in a small vase, a single rose was standing, but it wasn't red, like the ones in the surrounding rose bushes. No, it was white, but not only that, it was painted white. And if Wanda looked closely enough, she could see the careful brush strokes across the petals.
The scene was bathed in a soft yellowish light, thanks to the fairy lights that had been carefully strung up in the surrounding trees and the bushes along the ground. Red roses adorned them, fully in bloom and perfect for plucking.
In wonder, Wanda just gazed around, completely breathless as she reached down to touch the petals of a particularly red rose. "I can't believe this. It's perfect, Keira. Just perfect. How-" Her words fell short as she realized that she had lost sight of her girlfriend, and she spun around to locate the blonde.
And when her eyes found Keira, her breath hitched in her throat.
Keira was down on one knee, holding a diamond ring. Clearing her throat, she met Wanda's gaze, and at that moment, all her nervousness seemed to melt away. There was no mistaking the love dancing in those emerald eyes. "Wanda Marya Maximoff." Her voice shook slightly, and she took a steadying breath to not lose herself completely. "They say life works in mysterious ways, and I must agree. Our story may be broken and messy at the beginning, but I would do it all over again, a thousand times, if it meant that I would end up right here with you. I have-" The rest of her words were silenced by Wanda's lips on hers, and she was knocked back by the force of the kiss. Her back hit the grassy surface with a dull thud, and it didn't take long before Wanda straddled her waist.
"Yes, yes, yes!" Wanda whispered between kisses, barely separating their lips long enough to get some well-needed air into their lungs. Her hands roamed Keira's sides, not even caring about holding herself up before she laced her arms around Keira's neck, her fingertips gently scratching her scalp. "Absolutely, yes!"
Keira's smile stretched so wide that she nearly ruined the kisses, but the euphoric feeling outweighed everything else. The butterflies in her stomach were doing backflips and it was a miracle that her heart hadn't beaten out of her ribcage yet.
Out of habit, her hands immediately landed on Wanda's hips, but she let one of them trail up to the back of the redhead's neck to pull Wanda even closer to her. "Does this mean you want to marry me?" Keira panted breathlessly once they finally separated, their foreheads still touching as their hot breaths mixed in the night air.
Wanda playfully rolled her eyes at Keira's question and merely pressed their lips together again. "A hundred times, yes." She whispered, her eyes glittering with excitement.
Keira wiped her cheeks and drew a shaky breath. She hadn't even realized that she had started crying, but judging from her damp hand, she must've done so. Maybe reminiscing about a long-forgotten memory was just what she needed. Before pushing herself away from the sink, she squared her shoulders and straightened her back.
"What am I even doing?" Her voice was nothing more than a pathetic croak, and she shook her head in embarrassment. Why did she think that running away would be the answer? She knew it wouldn't fix any problems. It would just postpone them.
She clutched the ring around her neck and held onto it as she staggered through her apartment. It wasn't big, nor especially fancy considering that she was sleeping on a literal couch. A complete opposite of the luxury she had grown accustomed to during her time with the Avengers.
As she walked around blindly, the tears blurring her vision while she clutched her engagement ring, a cold hand suddenly wrapped around her wrist. The touch caused Keira to jump out of her skin. She was supposed to be alone in the apartment.
"It's okay, my sunshine. You're just lost. But that's the beauty of lost things. They can be found again."
Keira's blood froze to ice in her veins and the color drained from her face. She would never forget that voice, would recognize it out of a thousand. It was the one voice she prayed every day that she would hear again, but as she spun around with her heart beating out of her chest, she was met with... nothing.
Wanda wasn't back.
She wasn't really here. It was only Keira's imagination tugging on her heartstrings. Above anything, she wished she could just rip out her heart to be done with the pain, but life wasn't that easy. It never was.
In the back of her mind, a very small voice of reason was whispering a gentle reminder that the only reason why she was hurting, was because her love for Wanda was so great. And for as long as she kept loving Wanda, the pain would always be there to some degree, which in her case would mean forever.
~~~~~~~~~~
A/N: At least we got to see Keira earlier than 5 years, so I guess that's something! Even if she is a bit of a... monster, I guess some would call it?
And yes, the change of her middle name was a choice of mine :)