||"A damaged soul does not equal a weak one."||
Wanda rested her body against Steve's as the Professor and Emma came into the room. Her chest still felt heavy, but the sizzling pain in her stomach had died down, which meant the power she felt was done for the day.
She breathed in and allowed herself to relax.
"What the hell was that?" Steve asked, resting his hands on Wanda's waist to keep her upright. "What would have happened if Wanda didn't help out? Would you have ended the session? Would you have let someone get hurt?"
Emma glared at Steve, silently ordering him to be quiet, and Wanda felt his heart beating rapidly as his chest pressed against her back. The professor didn't respond, he simply just placed his hands on his lap and waited for the room to quiet down. When it did, he spoke.
"I would never allow any of my students, nor my guests, enter this room if I believed they could not fend for themselves. This room is used to strengthen my students, and to push them to their limits in terms of working together and understanding themselves better went forced under stress. I would never allow a student—or anyone for that matter—in this room if I weren't sure they could handle the pressure."
Silence fell upon them, and Wanda looked down as the Professor glanced her way. Steve's hands were still resting on her waist, and she was fully aware that everyone was looking at them.
As the weight in her chest simmered away, Wanda looked up. "We did not mean any disrespect, Professor," she said, pulling herself away from Steve. "It's just, I wasn't expecting to be...tested today."
"Do not look at it as a test, Wanda, look at it more as an observation. You are truly a fascinating girl to watch in action, so please, take my thank you in doing this for me today. Thank you to all of you," he smiled at her, and she felt incredibly isolated for some reason. She didn't know whether or not his compliment was a good one, or a bad one. "Scott, take them upstairs while I speak to the Captain. It was nice meeting the both of you," he said, and Wanda looked at Pietro with uncertainty.
"I thought you wanted to have a talk," Wanda interjected, taking a step towards him.
The Professor waved his hand gently, giving her another smile. "You've done enough for today, but I'll schedule a proper meeting with you later, if that's of course, all right with you?"
Naturally, she peered up at Pietro, and he crossed his arms and nodded his head. She agreed, and Scott and the other mutants made their way out of the room. Wanda looked back at Steve before feeling her brother's hand grab hers. They walked out of the room and followed Scott and the others back towards the elevator.
She was bothered by the fact that the Professor didn't feel the need to speak to her today, and she wasn't sure why he insisted on speaking to Steve alone. What did Steve have to do with it? He wasn't the one with a raging power sitting inside of him—she was the one who needed advice.
With Pietro and Scott in the elevator with them, Wanda felt squished, and she had to lean against Pietro's body or else she would have to rub against Crystal for the small ride back upstairs. And with the way Crystal was staring at the ground, there was no way Wanda would bother her with a small nudge. The other mutants spoke to themselves quietly, and Wanda held in her temptation to look into their heads.
One thing Nik told her repeatedly was to start a conversation instead of roaming into someone's mind unannounced. He was a man of manners, and she hated that about him at first, but it began to grow into one of his most endearing qualities.
When the elevator doors opened up, they were bombarded with the sound of talking children.
Scott and the other mutants walked out as if it were any other day, but Pietro, Crystal and Wanda all stayed in the elevator for a few seconds too long. "I hate kids," Crystal snapped, stepping out first. "You two coming or not?" she turned, staring the twins down.
Wanda and Pietro followed her down the crowded corridor and the students around stopped and stared at the twins. Some of the older kids showed off their abilities, trying their best to impress the new guests, and Wanda found it hard not to smile at them. One student gave her a toothy smile, and she noticed his fangs—sharp as knives—pulsing out from his gums.
Another student ran through the wall, then ran back out a second later. The other students cheered him on, and the twins looked at each other and grinned. Crystal didn't look amused, and she kept her straight face until they reached the foyer. Wanda felt her before she saw her, and soon enough, Katarina stepped out from the hall.
Pietro stopped in his tracks, and Wanda almost ran into him because of it.
Katarina gave them a small wave, and she walked up to them, but her attention was clearly focused on Pietro. "Wow...it's been so long," she said, her voice bringing back memories that Wanda didn't want to think about. "It's really good to see the both of you," she said, finally looking at Wanda. "How are you?" she asked.
"Things are good," Wanda answered, trying her best to smile. But the longer she stared at Katarina, the more she remembered from that night in the factory. All she could see were those blue and gold flames. "I hope you're doing better," she added, hoping not to sound rude.
"Oh, I am!" she said brightly, and Pietro finally looked away from Katarina to look at Wanda, but she kept her eyes on the girl. "Yeah, uh...I've been doing a lot better. Things are good for me right now, so hopefully soon I'll be able to leave."
Pietro looked up at that, and Katarina gave him a nervous smile.
"You guys know each other?" Crystal asked, and Wanda nodded her head. "Trask, right?" Crystal asked Katarina, and she gave Crystal a nod in agreement. "Fire?" Another nod. "Gold?"
"Enough with the inquisition," Pietro said, turning to look at Crystal.
"So it's only okay when you ask the questions?" Crystal glared at him, and Wanda pulled at her brother's arm. Crystal scowled, and Wanda gave her a sharp look before peering up at Pietro.
"Go talk with her, I'll stay here with this one," she whispered, and Pietro huffed with simmering anger. "Go," she said again, insisting. Pietro turned back to Katarina, and he guided Katarina back down the corridor so they could speak alone. She never knew how Pietro really felt about Katarina; he never spoke about it in Sokovia—he never spoke about it in general.
"Are they together or something?" Crystal asked, sounding spiteful. Wanda ignored her question.
___
They walked quietly for a few minutes, until Pietro felt they were far enough away from anyone's listening range.
It felt weird to him seeing her standing there, with her dark, gold hair and shy smile. The last he saw her was seven months ago, in the factory, but truth is, the last he thought of her was only just a few days ago.
They both stood next to a window that overlooked the front side of the mansion, and Pietro could see student's running about through the open garden, laughing together and smiling. Their life must have been great, being here, being able to learn to use their abilities without the fear of being discriminated by those who simply didn't understand.
"Wanda looks different," Katarina spoke, jumping up to sit down on the window sill. She matched his height now, and he couldn't bring himself to look her in the eye long enough, or else he felt as if she'd be able to read his every thought. "Not a bad different, but a good one," she said, and Pietro agreed. "Though, you haven't changed much."
He self-consciously looked down at himself, and he furrowed his brows because he was sure he'd gained more muscle over the last few months. Maybe she couldn't tell.
"So..." she trailed off, fidgeting with her bracelets, "where did you guys go? It was a big deal around here, actually. People were making bets on how long you two would stay away. No one won," she finished, her smile fading.
"Why?"
"No one ever thought you two would be gone so long," she said, and suddenly he felt bad. "When I heard you two were stopping by today, I was a bit worried I wouldn't see you. It gets pretty hectic around here."
"Has it helped?" he asked, and she tilted her head in confusion. "Being here? I know things were not so good for you when I last saw you." Katarina looked down and crossed one leg over the other. She was always so quiet...so reserved. But he liked that about her, because while everything else around him was moving quickly, she somehow managed to slow time down. Even months ago when all she would do was tell him to take his medicine, those very few words always calmed him.
"Professor Xavier started training me a few days after I arrived here. I hated it at first, because I was always so tired. I didn't want to be around anyone, not even my mother. But after a while, I actually started having fun. I still have a lot to learn, though. Having this...power isn't so scary anymore." She laughed nervously, shrugging her shoulders up and down in a little dance.
He found it hard to focus on what she was saying, because someone's voice kept popping up in his head.
Catseye's voice.
I think fire girl likes you
Promise me you'll ask her out after all of this?
He breathed in, avoiding Katarina's amber eyes. She didn't seem to catch his sudden change in mood, so he put a smile back on his face and asked her more questions. He joined her on the window sill, and he listened as she spoke of her training with Charles, and how one time she over-slept for class one day and ran into the classroom in nothing but her Mickey Mouse t-shirt.
She would laugh and lean into him without noticing, but he wouldn't say anything. She looked so comfortable with herself, and if he looked closely enough, he could see the gold specks of her fire in her eyes.
___
Steve tightened his mouth as the Professor and Emma led him into another room, and he waited for Emma to sit before he took his own seat. What he felt wasn't anger, but it felt like it. What he was feeling was more annoyance than anger—annoyance at the fact that Wanda was being used.
"Pushing her to her limit like that was dangerous, not only for her but for the rest of us as well." Steve ignored Emma's glaring eyes, and instead, he continued on. "She could have gotten hurt."
"But she didn't," Charles said, turning his chair in order to face Steve. "I've spent the last seven months watching her grow and learn, but this new control that she has is only strong enough to sustain a small part of herself. Her abilities are still manifesting, and she will only get stronger."
"So what was the point of that session? Besides watching her?"
"I needed to see how much control she really had. I could feel her darker magic sitting inside of her, just waiting for the perfect moment to release itself, but she had it under control. The young man who trained with her these last few months did a very good job at teaching her how to work with her power."
Unintentional jealousy formed in Steve's throat, and he clenched his fists and forced it down.
"But, I fear that her growing power will only damage her. If her body and mind are not trained to withhold all of her magic, it will destroy her."
"What do you mean?" Emma asked, her expression going from angry to concerned.
"If she isn't prepared for the next stage of her growth, then I'm not sure she'll survive the changes."
Steve and Emma looked at each other, and the temperature in the room suddenly went cold.
After a few minutes of agonizing silence, Steve asked, "And how do you plan on telling her this?"
"Exactly how I just told you. There is no soft way to put it, and I don't want to sugarcoat something this serious. I wanted to tell you because I know how much you care about her, and it wouldn't be fair of me to keep you out of the loop like this, not when you have a chance to be a big part of her life."
When Steve closed his eyes, he saw Wanda's smile, and then he saw her eyes, shifting from green to red. There was no way he would allow her to self-destruct, not when she was finally back home.
"How much power do you think she'll have?" Emma asked quietly.
Charles paused for a moment, taking a second to look at the both of them. Then, "When her magic is done progressing, Wanda will have the ability to rewrite reality—intentionally or unintentionally, it doesn't matter, because either way, that sort of power can change the universe forever."
Steve rested his head on his palms, and everything inside of him went numb.
He thought she was better, he thought things were going to be okay. Hearing this, from Charles Xavier especially, made him fear the unknown future. With a deep breath, he gathered his thoughts and stood. "What do we have to do?"
**************************
A/N: Katarina and Pietro!! My heart!
Okay, I'm going to see Civil War tomorrow and I am so EXCITED!!!! Omfg I've seen some gifs that are kind of "spoilers" but not really, but I don't even care because it just makes me so much more excited! I already have my outfit planned out: Blue jeans and my blue captain america shirt and blue sneakers. I'm gonna be decked out in blue.
Because you know, #TEAMCAP
I'll let you guys know how good it is! Then I'll start writing because god knows I'll start writing future chapters based on this movie and Wanda's characterization! Pray for me!