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[Wanda's seen his scars several times, but that doesn't stop her from sucking in a sharp breath when she sees the bruising.]

That doesn't make this all right.

[Her hand glows red as she directs her power into him to repair whatever internal damage has caused the bruising. Her other hand settles lightly on his hip to help her keep her balance - she is steadier in this form than she used to be, but it never hurts to be careful. And so what if she just likes to touch him?]

You should have called me.

[The magic from her touch sends a pleasant tingle over the skin her hand spans over the top of. A shiver runs up his spine despite himself and he hums.

His hum fades into a soft laugh at her words, until he realises she's not joking and the humour visibly falters in his expression.]

Wanda.. [Softly, a little sceptically.]

This is my life. This is what I do. [And he's never had someone to just "call" when he's had troubles so the concept is.. strange to him.]

I'm not telling you not to fight.

[It's part of him. She knows that. Especially now, when there are people who really do need help. He's not fragile either, but that doesn't mean he's unbreakable. And injuries like these add up.]

But there is no reason for you to be walking around hurt like this. You don't have to do everything alone.

But there is a reason.

[He asserts, his voice is firm but he still somehow feels like a child pleading his case to his mother. He rests a hand gently on her wrist.]

I needed to tie my loose ends. Couldn't rest until I did.

[Yeah, that's not going to work on her. He's still getting a Look, which is only mitigated by the fact that she is currently only coming up to his mid-chest.]

And how much worse has this gotten with you walking around? You could have been killed, Geralt.

[The thought is very distressing to her, so much so that he can catch a hint of it even without an active sync or Wanda consciously trying to project.

The tip of her tail is flicking back and forth in annoyance. It might be a wise idea to tread carefully, lest he wake her more feral protective instincts.]

You could at least have taken someone with you to watch your back.

It's going to happen one day. Just not today.

[He points out, it seems like a wry remark but he's dead serious when he says it. Her distress only makes him more raw and honest with her and the realities of knowing and caring about him.

Despite the fact that he feels a sense of warning in her voice, he simply reaches out and brushes the back of his fingers over her cheekbones.]

I'm not going to get old and retire. I'm going to keep doing my job and one day I'll die doing it.

No.

[Later, Wanda won't be able to pinpoint what exactly set her off. Maybe it's just how casually he seems to have accepted his own violent death on top of his disregard for his injuries. Maybe that gentle touch just made it worse. And maybe the lingering memory of Shaxx's near-fatal injuries and crystallization have her overly sensitive in this regard.

And, well, it's a particularly rough Monster Week and she was already feeling off.

Something finally snaps in her and she tilts her head while her already-red eyes start to glow. That's the final warning. Wanda gestures upward sharply, and the wisps of power that had been attending to his internal injuries instead wrap around Geralt and lift him into the air with surprising care and gentleness.]

Then I will have to put you somewhere you can't get hurt until you're healed. Any Amethyst could do this.

[To prove her point, she gestures again, moving him back and forth. She does it slowly, so as not to jostle him. But a feral Amethyst wouldn't be so careful. They could toss him around like a rag doll until they break him. And a feral, powerful Amethyst could rip the air right out of his lungs and not think twice.

And casually, Wanda turns to start slithering back to her apartment, Geralt floating alongside her.]

If you won't take care of yourself, I will.

Any amethyst knows I'm scared of heights?

[He asks, forcing a dry response to mask the concern that rises in him. He doesn't like being lifted off the ground at all, no less than he likes being reminded of the part of him that is still at it's core a vulnerable human.]

Wanda.

[At first his voice is low, a warning whisper as he levels a stern look on her. She starts to move along with him in tow and he curses, surprised by the turn this is taking.

He's not used to it. Not used to concern. He's not sure how to respond and so he squirms, but he's held firm.]

--Wanda!

[This time he barks it out, loud and commanding. At least, he hopes.]

[Wanda only half-turns, giving him a flat look and showing no signs of setting him down or stopping.]

Do you know how easy it would be to throw you through that building? You're in no shape to get into a fight.

[And he's far too casual about his own death for Wanda to leave him to his own devices, especially with her Ruby influencing her. She's going to take him home so she can take proper care of him and keep him out of trouble.]

Then don't fight me.

[He argues, but he senses it may be a lost cause. He has a limited resource of Witcher spells and he can't imagine any of them working on Wanda, but he's also not interested in floating helplessly.

When she turns to him, he casts axii at her in his best attempt to hold her attention. There's influence in his voice, but it's a novice spell. A sparkler being held up against a firework show.]

Put me down.

[Funny, because Wanda's gotten the same impression or else she wouldn't be witcher-napping him.

She wasn't expecting him to be able to try to fight her on that level, but even unprepared it doesn't matter. Rather than taking hold, axii slides off her mind like water. Her eyes glow briefly.

Well, he got her to stop, but only so that she can give him another Look.]

So you can run off and get yourself hurt again or worse? No.

[And then she very deliberately raises him a foot higher in the air before turning away to continue slithering home.]

[Well, that went about as well as anyone could have expected. The glow of her eyes, the look.. maybe he ought to sit tight after all. He's not sure he's entirely disapproving of it and he's confused by that.

Maybe it's the neediness in him. He's still weak, still a little manna starved and susceptible to her influence. And God, does she have influence.]

What's your plan, then?

You're still hurt. I need to finish healing you, and you need food and rest.

[She's unsure about his manna levels but that might also need some attention. She certainly wouldn't mind, ahem, assisting. And honestly, Wanda does want to wrap him up and keep him close for a while, just to make sure that he's going to be okay.]

Need.

[He repeats, pointedly.]

You're doing just as well as I am. You're getting possessive. [He points it out easily, almost gently. It's factual to him, not personal.]

It's the ruby. [It's not about her. It's not about him.]

I'm not the one with the broken arm and whatever else you've hurt. And I don't need the ruby to want you to stay alive.

[Does he really think she doesn't care about him? That he's just a dick to fuck to her?]

I'll heal. I always do. It's one of the nicer parts of what they did to me.

[Deliberately, it's phrased in a way she'll understand.

But, he concedes.]

I'll come with you, but I'd like to walk.

[Wanda turns to level him another unimpressed Look - like one silver lining makes this, any of this, okay - and huffs.]

It will be easier to fly up to my apartment than to stuff my tail in an elevator.

[Stairs are out for obvious reasons. She looks at him a long moment and then slowly, deliberately lowers him to the ground. It doesn't seem like he's lying, and she can always pick him up again if he tries to run. They've already proven that he can't get away from her in his current state.]

But until we get there, as long as it doesn't hurt you...fine.

You're the boss.

[He says, with some resignation. He's still relieved once he's lowered. He hesitates, a little irritated by the ordeal but fond enough of Wanda that he watches her for a moment and he grumbles to himself before stepping closer.

He rests the hand of his good arm on the small of her back, leaning down over her and pressing a kiss to her lips.]

[Well, he grumbles but clearly he can't be that mad at her. Wanda kisses him back eagerly, though her hands are careful where they come to rest on his hip and chest.

She huffs softly when they part.]

Don't tell me not to care.

((ooc: want to skip to her apartment soon?))

[Geralt's response is one of his typical grunts, but given that she knows him well enough now she will likely interpret it as a grunt of concession.

The rest of the journey is mostly silent. As much as he denies it, he is weary and there's not much to say. He follows her to her apartment, realising once they get to the door that he hasn't been there before.]

I'm not going to dirty it up?

[Wanda gives him a once-over. The polite assessment is that he's seen better days. The accurate assessment is that he needs a bath and his clothes need help. A lot of help. She frowns, considering.]

Stay still.

[She points at him, and a wave of red energy shimmers down his body. It turns out that cleaning someone is far, far easier (and faster) than healing them, and that fixing his clothes is trivial.]

Better. You can come in.

[She's going to let him go first, not because she doesn't trust him not to bolt but because her tail is extremely in the way in the closer quarters of her apartment. Eventually he's going to have to be careful not to step on her.]

[Geralt stills begrudgingly as he stares at her, bristling and frowning as the magic washes over him. He's not sure if he likes that more or less than being tossed in a bath, but it is over a lot quicker.]

Thanks.

[He says, with zero sincerity in his tone. He strides past her and her tail and walks into her apartment, looking around and back to her.]

Suits you.

[The place? The tail? He doesn't specify.]

[Wanda is an adult. She was always the more mature of the Maximoff twins despite being the younger one.

...that does not stop her from briefly sticking her tongue out at Geralt's back before slithering in after him.

She uses her powers to close the door because it's much easier than doubling back. Her apartment is mostly still in the almost-art-deco-style it came in, but she's added some cozy touches. She does appear to collect candles.]

Sit down, get comfortable. I'll get you something to drink.

[The foul mood is gradually dissipating, giving way to an amused look when she sticks her tongue out at him. As he loiters around the couch he picks up a candle and sniffs it, seemingly unwilling to just sit.]

You live alone? [He asks as she slithers away to get drinks. It's strange, he feels like he knows this girl intimately and yet, not at all. He doesn't know who she spends her time with, how she lives. It feels strange to be in her home, like he's out of place but he belongs here all at once.]

[Well, he's here; if he wants to fidget with her things instead of sitting and relaxing it's still a kind of victory.]

There's no one else from my world. Just me.

[It's a difficult position to be in. There are people who care about her here, of course, but it's a new kind of 'alone.' Sokovia and Ultron and the Avengers always require an explanation. At the same time, she hasn't wanted to get a large house like the Guardians did in anticipation of the others showing up. She's not sure she wants to live with them again. She's not sure she deserves to. There's too much unresolved pain, and Wanda's already decided that if she gets a choice, she's not returning home. All that's waiting for her is pain and a cage.

She'd be lying if she said it didn't hurt but it's better this way. For everyone.

Wanda comes back with two cold glasses of strawberry lemonade.]

If one of my friends comes here, we'll figure it out.

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