[When she finally meets his eyes, they're still dancing with laughter, and he kisses her once again for good measure. If this is the start of a rumor, appearing together at the play in matching outfits will fuel the flame.
He doesn't mind at all, he finds.]
I cannot hide what is in my eyes when I look at you, Wanda. How can I blame others if they see it, too? Even if she is getting rather ahead of herself with her assumptions.
[He's not sure what's holding him back from approaching Wanda sexually except for the very important feeling that neither of them is ready for it. Many males are already sexually active when they're much younger-looking than he is, but--
--but his memories begin only a short time ago with his arrival in Sokovia, and Wanda is the only one he's been interested in at all since that time. Even kisses that use tongue are exciting new territory for him, and thank the Darkness he doesn't have the appetites of a Warlord Prince to push him to want more, faster. That would hurt her, and he would rather destroy himself than hurt her.]
[She kisses him back happily - really, she'll take any excuse whatsoever for more kisses.]
I meant it, Vizh. I don't care about the carriage or the destination, just who I travel with. And I don't care what anyone else thinks that this should look like. I just want you.
[Once again, she's glad Vision lacks a Warlord Prince's instincts...and sex drive. Most witches have already had their Virgin Night by Wanda's age, but first there was never anyone around her she could trust, and when there was, she'd already fallen hard for Vision. It's supposed to be an experienced male, because even Witch could be seriously hurt, but in her heart she only wants it to be him. And so she waits, dodging the topic any time her First Circle brings it up as a safety issue. There's no one who can overpower her under normal circumstances, and she trusts them to protect her from the abnormal ones.]
There are many kinds of closeness, not just...that. If there is something else, something more, that you want to try, please tell me.
[Oh, but that gives him such a stab of feelings, and Vision holds Wanda tightly and speaks in her ear, voice raw with longing.]
When that time comes, you will be the first to know. That is a promise.
[He has a bone-deep conviction that it is a when and not an if; he's felt the stirrings of desire, as he does now, but it's still nebulous. There is another feeling he has, though, and this one he'd approached their Court's Black Widow about. His suspicion had been that he needed to wait to pursue their relationship further until he made the Offering to the Darkness, and Natasha had agreed. There was no law saying the Blood had to take lovers of a certain Jewel strength - it made little difference to the people involved - but the Black was different, Witch was different. He could become lost in her without a second thought. If he wanted to meet her on her own ground, he will have to descend further into the Abyss first to even have a dream of it.
Not something he's talked to Wanda about, but it's a part of what holds him back. That and the lack of experience he'd need to safely bring her through her Virgin Night, and he had absolutely no desire to be with anyone else. So...it would probably have to be another man, when she decided she was ready.]
[She shivers at the change in his tone and snuggles back into his chest. It's more relaxed this time - she's basking in their closeness now, not hiding from him.]
Then for now...stay, [she murmurs softly.] I just want to hold you a little more.
[As the afternoon has ticked by, Wanda can't help but feel a faint, growing sense of dread. Dinner will follow their little outing, and after dinner bedtime, and with sleep come more nightmares. But here, tucked safely against Vision's side, they feel so far away and she can try to pretend that everything's fine a little longer.
The nightmares haven't bothered her the times she's fallen asleep on Vision accidentally, but Wanda can't just ask him to stay the night with her...can she?]
[He obliges happily, and they manage to work in a few more kisses before the carriage ride comes to and end and they have to resume their public personas once more. Or, well, as public as one gets around the Queen's residence, but it still means a bank on the physical affection for now.
He doesn't miss the slight anxiousness in Wanda's expression as the evening progresses, but neither does her brother, and at one point the First Escort pulls her aside for a chat and Wanda comes back looking somewhat more at ease. Vision isn't sure if it's something he needs to be concerned about - the First Circle is well aware that their Queen is prone to nightmares, but whether she can feel one coming on or it's something different isn't clear.
But because of it he has difficulty falling asleep, so he hasn't quite drifted off yet when he feels the tug of someone with darker Jewels than him cross the wards he's set along his room. Without bringing up a light or moving, he quickly forms a Sapphire shield and waits.]
[There's a soft brush of familiar dark power against his mind, just enough to confirm that he's awake, before a quavering voice breaks the silence.]
Vizh?
[Everyone helps where they can, but what can she do at this hour when anyone in their right mind ought to be asleep? She might have gone to Pietro, if she couldn't sense Crystal in his room too. And after what she'd seen happen to Vision...she needed to see him for herself to make sure he was really all right. The Rings of Honor don't lie, but it had been a particularly brutal nightmare.
She hasn't even bothered to find a shawl or slippers and has wandered the distance to the Steward's room in nothing but her black lacey shift. It's meant to be soft and cute, for Wanda's eyes and comfort rather than anyone else's, so even if it wasn't for the tear tracks on her cheeks, it's obvious that her reasons for coming here are perfectly innocent.
That and how small her voice sounds. She's crept towards him on Craft-muffled feet but has stopped within arm's reach of the foot of the bed, pale and trembling. There's an invisible line here that she won't cross without direct invitation, even in her distress.]
[At the brush of familiar power, he immediately extends his Sapphire shield over so she's included in it, and only then does he push back his covers and sit up. He calls in a soft light and hisses as he inhales, patting the bed next to him to invite her to sit. He knows about the nightmares - he has to, as a member of the Triangle - although he's not aware of the details behind them, and it's not something he'll pry about. If she tells him, she tells him; if not, all he has to know is that she's distressed by them.]
Sit down, Wanda. Do you need anything?
[And if she does sit down, she's immediately getting a tight hug. She shouldn't have t suffer like this. She shouldn't. But she does, and if she's come to him he'll do everything he can to help.]
[She comes to a stop right in front of him, silent, pale, and trembling. He's here, he's alive, she can sense him and see him, but it's not enough. She traces fingers lightly over the stone on his forehead, lightly cups his cheeks, and lets her fingers trail down to his chest. Her hands pause for a long moment over each place where she can still see those awful wounds in her mind, but Vision is warm and healthy under her touch.
Maybe that dream was a warning, but Wanda's finally satisfied that he's all right. She sighs, deflates a little, and finally sits beside him, clinging to him just as tightly as he holds her.
She's still shivering from a combination of cold and the force of holding back her tears, and finally she buries her face in his shoulder and breaks down in tears.]
[He--oh. Oh, no. He hadn't understood the significance of her fingers tracing along his chest before, but once she admits the contents of the nightmare to him he's quick to reassure her.]
**I am here, Wanda. I'm quite all right. See?**
[And he holds her, knowing the physical presence will do more to chase away those terrors more than words or Craft. Again he strokes her hair and presses a kiss lightly to her forehead, while deep in his gut he feels a keen sense of anger toward whoever hurt her so much that she has dreams like this.
Or, well, he hopes it's a symptom of past trauma and not a vision of things to come. It's one thing if she sees it in a tangled web. This, hopefully, is just a mind trying to heal itself.
His next words are aloud, and he keeps the light soft.]
I am here, always. You may stay as long as you like.
[It could be anything. Strucker had walked a fine line - he needed Wanda to secure his legitimacy, so he couldn't keep her completely hidden away. But even when there had only been whispers that she might have been the next Witch, the hope that a strong young Queen could save Sokovia had led people to take terrible risks trying to help the twins escape.
Each time, they had been caught. Each time, they had been killed. And Strucker would always bring her to see the bodies later and make her look. The poor young woman who had been her maid for a time had been the worst, but she is far from the only sight that haunts Wanda's nightmares. It's not hard to imagine what Strucker might have done to Vision if he'd crashed into another garden a few years earlier...
But they really are safe (for now) and slowly Vision's gentle ministrations pull Wanda back to the present. She likes to feel his mind, but right now she prefers to hear his voice. Her sobbing eventually quiets, and while she doesn't loosen her hold on him, he'll feel the tense muscles in her shoulders and back start to relax the longer he strokes her hair. She has a weakness and the entire First Circle knows it.
Her voice is a little muffled:] I was scared. It felt so real...
[For his part, Vision just likes her hair. It's fascinating to him, because he doesn't have his own; it's a gesture between them both intimate and full of trust. And it's soft, and it smells good, and it's part of her beauty.
He pulls the Sapphire shield closer and then, once he's determined the threat was only a dream, drops it entirely.]
Yes, they do, don't they? But it helps to ground yourself in the waking world. I am here, and I am unharmed; you are here, and you are safe.
[He finds her hand in the dim light and gives it a squeeze.]
Would you like something to drink? I keep a tea set in my room for late nights.
[Which says something, doesn't it? But he has an herbal mix to calm himself he'd learned from a Healer, and this wouldn't be the first time he's had some after one of Wanda's nightmares. (Usually he has to go to her room to deal with them, though, and then only when they're so bad the entire Triangle is called in to help. Pietro generally deals with the less strenuous ones, but even he needs a night off now and then, so Vision forgives him.)]
[She relaxes a little more when the Sapphire shield drops. Wanda doesn't fully trust her own perception right now, but she does trust his. If Vision is satisfied that they're safe, then they must be.]
And I love you.
[She kisses his cheek slowly and softly. Wanda also doesn't trust herself not to kiss Vision properly without letting her desperation slip through, but if he chooses to invite that...well, she won't complain.
Wanda settles her cheek on his shoulder for comfort, still needing whatever contact she can get, but she's not hiding her face from him anymore.]
Tea sounds wonderful. [Her hold on him loosens enough for her to run fingers lightly up his spine.] Do you have trouble sleeping too, Vizh?
[Half awake and not subject to his usual scrutiny in social situation, Vision grins at the kiss and holds Wanda tight. It's an easy enough matter to add a sachet of leaves and water from the pitcher from across the room, then heat up the water using Craft, all without letting go of her.]
I love you as well, my dear. [He presses a light kiss to her forehead.]
At times, yes, though I think it's for a different reason. There are times when my mind becomes hyperfocused on figures or a particularly intricate problem, and I have difficulty getting to sleep. [He finds one of her hands and squeezes it.] Other times I worry for you because you do not sleep well, and it keeps me up later than I'd like.
[The tea will be a few minutes still, so before it's done he has time to ask something in a hesitant voice.]
Would you--that is, if you think you'd be more comfortable here than in your own chambers, I could sleep on top of the covers. I'm up early enough most days the only one likely to notice is Zoran, and if I ask him nicely he will keep a secret.
[She rewards him with a smile and a gentle nuzzle. Her free hand keeps stroking his back and Wanda can't help but feel a small stab of guilt - has Vision just hidden it well, or has she been so wrapped up in her own problems that she never noticed? She'll have to keep a closer eye on him. It's simple enough to ease someone else into peaceful sleep even if Wanda can't do that for herself.
It makes his suggestion all the more absurd, but not for the reason he'd likely expect. Wanda pulls away just enough to cup his cheek and look him in the eyes.]
If you really don't mind if I stay...but you'll get cold, love. I have fallen asleep on you before. Why is this different?
[Okay, so those were accidental naps on a couch, not proper sleep in a bed, but still.]
[He smiles, leans into the hand, kisses it. But there's a wary question in his eyes, even as the room starts to fill with the sweet scent of the herbal infusion brewing.]
Because it is different when it is my bed and in the middle of the night. Though I suppose if you promise to keep your eyes closed I could find some loose pants to wear.
As for getting cold, I haven't truly found that to be a problem yet, even in the winter. But I do have other blankets I could use, you know.
[Wanda smiles and continues stroking his cheek...until she freezes and flushes absolutely scarlet.]
Vision, are you...? ['Naked,' but she can't quite bring herself to say it and squeezes her eyes shut in embarrassment.] I'm sorry! I just...I was scared, and I needed to see that you were all right...
[What was she thinking? Except that she hadn't been thinking at all beyond sensing Crystal in Pietro's room and having the sense to go elsewhere for comfort.
Her hand falls to his shoulder but she still can't quite pull away even if she knows she probably should. Wanda takes a breath to steady herself and looks back up into those beautiful blue eyes. Maybe this was a mistake, but...she'll never lie to him, even if she's fighting the urge to run away in shame. That's part of what figuring this out together means.]
I want to stay here with you, under the blankets. But only if you want that too.
[His laugh is so quiet it could almost be mistaken for a snicker. Yes, there's a reason he pulled the blankets over his lap, and it's exactly what she thinks it is.]
I'm afraid so. There's no need to apologize.
[He kisses her on her forehead right between those closed eyes, and when she meets his gaze again the question is gone, replaced by a warm assurance. If she thinks his presence will chase the nightmares away, he'll absolutely give it a try. And it's different enough from their stolen daytime moments that he's excited, and suddenly glad that he made enough tea for the both of them.]
I do want it. Yes. Though if you would, please do close your eyes for a moment?
[Once she complies, he gets up and there's the sounds of him rummaging around in his dresser for a few moments. When he returns, he hands Wanda a steaming cup of the relaxation tea and holds the other.]
There we are. Now drink this and let's get settled, hmm?
[Wanda even does him the courtesy of putting a Black lock on the door so that if someone has noticed she's not in her room and comes looking for either of them, they won't barge in on a naked Vision. With her eyes closed, she can better focus on the smell of the tea...and Vision's own very distinct psychic scent. Wanda inhales deeply and lets them draw her further into the present and away from the nightmare. They're safe now.
(And the only way someone is getting to Vision tonight is if they go through her.)
These are safer thoughts than trying not to think about Vision being very naked mere feet from her, or how soft his skin had been, or the warmth in his eyes, or how nice it had felt to be held against his bare chest. In and out; slow, deep breaths. The herbs smell familiar, but Wanda's too sleepy to pick them out beyond being pretty sure that lavender is involved.
She doesn't even jump when Vision returns and releases the lock on the door as she takes the tea. She pauses for another deep breath.]
It smells nice. [And apparently it passes the taste test, because Wanda manages a true smile after a small sip.] You're so good to me, Vision. Maybe I can help you sleep too.
[Now clad in some loose lounge pants, Vision sits down next to her on the side of the bed and sips at his own tea. The odd metallic patterns on his skin glimmer in the low light. He's never been sure whether they're a mark of his heritage, whatever it may be, or something else, but either way they're a part of him: just as warm as the rest of his skin, and more flexible than metal should be. He's self-conscious of his appearance around most people, but not Wanda. She's always liked him exactly the way he is.]
Hmm. Not so deep a sleep you couldn't wake me up if you needed anything, I hope?
[The brew works quickly enough, though, and he yawns as he downs the rest of his tea. He fusses with the blankets a bit to cover his nervousness (it's a simple thing, but he's never actually slept with another person in his bed before) and, finally, settles himself.]
[Wanda's eyes keep being drawn to the intricate metallic inlays on his skin. She'd often wondered how far they traveled over his body...now she knows. And she definitely likes what she sees. It's a beautiful contrast, and it's part of what makes Vision so unique.
She can't help but wonder what it might feel like to let her hands wander over his chest someday - but not tonight. Tonight is for sleep, and the more Wanda drinks of the tea, the drowsier she starts to feel.
She wasn't feeling nervous at all until Vision started fidgeting with the covers and her cheeks are a little flushed as she settles beside him. They're not touching. Should they be touching? Is that too much, or is that the entire point? She's shared a bed with plenty of other people before, but never someone she was courting. If there are 'rules' to this, she doesn't know them.]
It's fine, Vizh. [She reaches across the small space between them to briefly touch his cheek, and then hesitantly rests her arm over his waist.] Is this all right?
[Once he has a little guidance from Wanda he stops fidgeting as much and relaxes, one hand around her as well. It's not quite close enough for a great deal of skin contact, but somehow it won't surprise him if they end up curled against each other in the night.
Vision inhales deeply and closes his eyes, smiling to have Wanda's scent so close (and hoping he doesn't do anything terribly embarrassing while he's unconscious, but then, he hopes to not do any of that while he's awake, either).]
[Sleep comes much easier this time and the quiet sound of his breathing and psychic warmth of his presence lull her into dreams.
But she hasn't forgotten about him, and as Vision drifts off to join her, power gently cocoons him and brings his dreaming mind deep into the Abyss, far deeper than the Sapphire should let him go. But this is Witch's territory, and nothing will harm him here.
She is singing, and if he follows her voice he'll find her in no time at all. This is her true form: her eyes glow a steady red here, her nails have been replaced by sharp black talons, and her ears are delicately pointed like the Dea al Mon's. But most obvious is the rainbow of shifting cracks of powers across her body. Red and Black are the most prominent colors, but every color in the Darkness is represented somewhere on her body, even the White. Most of them shift and fade, but one crack of Sapphire never strays far from her heart. Even here, his love has marked her.
Not all of the dreamers who created her had been human, but in some ways Wanda comes more from the Darkness than the dreams. Something terrible is coming, and she'll have to be strong enough to protect the Realms.
But right now, she's allowed some peace to just be a girl in love.]
Vision.
[He will likely not be surprised to hear her midnight voice here - there's so much power flowing through her that it would take a great effort for her to speak normally. But she smiles just as warmly as his Wanda would in the waking world. If he thinks the Sapphire crack at her heart burns a little brighter, he's not imagining it.]
[By all rights, it should be terrifying to be this deep in the Abyss. Only the most powerful of the Blood can go this deep without walking the Twisted Kingdom - unless they are cocooned and protected by an even greater power. Vision knows the feel of the Black, though, and he relaxes into its embrace, trusting it utterly. And when he sees the shape of the one who's brought him here, his eyes light up in delight.
Far be it from him to judge someone because their appearance is different.
Reflexively, he bows deeply to his Queen before hurrying closer and, if she allows it, he'll take her hand to kiss it.]
Witch.
[Longing, fondness, respect - love. It is an immense honor to be here safely, and he knows it. And if his eyes linger on that Sapphire crack, surely the smile on his face is no coincidence.]
I followed your voice. This is your place?
[It's beautiful. Dangerous, yes, but beautiful all the same. Much like his beloved.]
[She does allow it, and her smile is warm and fond. Vision could have fought the pull and she would have released him immediately, and even now he's free to leave at any time. She had been a little nervous, bringing him here, but it's only fair, isn't it? He has welcomed her into his physical space...and so Wanda will show him what she really is.
Mindful of the talons, she carefully cups his cheek. They're Black-shielded just in case, because even a small risk of hurting Vision is too great.]
This is...like where I came from, but not. But it is mine, and it can be anything we want.
[But while she can make their environment be anything, she can't change. She'd been a little nervous initially - the same way anyone would worry about how their lover saw them - but Vision is just as accepting of Witch as she'd thought he would be. He really is everything she could ever have wished for.]
I wanted to make sure you had good dreams tonight. And...it was time for you to see me as I am.
[There's no denying he's curious about the space around him, but he's not afraid of it; he's never been afraid of her. Witch, Queen, woman: they're all aspects of her, gloriously mixed together and transmuted into a magnificent whole. The dark beauty in front of him now has the same smile as the laughing young woman on a garden bench from earlier today, and if some people look at her eyes and see only what's on the surface, well, he's never been one of them.]
You're beautiful.
[It's a murmur in response, and he runs one finger along a pointed ear to indicate that yes, he means in this form as well. A flare of Red power, like Wanda's Birthright, opens under his hand; he feels it as hot but not burning, and he suddenly knows with a soul-deep conviction that he could handle its power after he makes the Offering.
Soon. Things are starting to fall into place, but they're not there yet. Soon.
The throb of power around them seems to quicken his pulse in response, and Vision draws his body even closer to hers.]
I think this is a very good dream. May I kiss you?
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He doesn't mind at all, he finds.]
I cannot hide what is in my eyes when I look at you, Wanda. How can I blame others if they see it, too? Even if she is getting rather ahead of herself with her assumptions.
[He's not sure what's holding him back from approaching Wanda sexually except for the very important feeling that neither of them is ready for it. Many males are already sexually active when they're much younger-looking than he is, but--
--but his memories begin only a short time ago with his arrival in Sokovia, and Wanda is the only one he's been interested in at all since that time. Even kisses that use tongue are exciting new territory for him, and thank the Darkness he doesn't have the appetites of a Warlord Prince to push him to want more, faster. That would hurt her, and he would rather destroy himself than hurt her.]
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I meant it, Vizh. I don't care about the carriage or the destination, just who I travel with. And I don't care what anyone else thinks that this should look like. I just want you.
[Once again, she's glad Vision lacks a Warlord Prince's instincts...and sex drive. Most witches have already had their Virgin Night by Wanda's age, but first there was never anyone around her she could trust, and when there was, she'd already fallen hard for Vision. It's supposed to be an experienced male, because even Witch could be seriously hurt, but in her heart she only wants it to be him. And so she waits, dodging the topic any time her First Circle brings it up as a safety issue. There's no one who can overpower her under normal circumstances, and she trusts them to protect her from the abnormal ones.]
There are many kinds of closeness, not just...that. If there is something else, something more, that you want to try, please tell me.
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When that time comes, you will be the first to know. That is a promise.
[He has a bone-deep conviction that it is a when and not an if; he's felt the stirrings of desire, as he does now, but it's still nebulous. There is another feeling he has, though, and this one he'd approached their Court's Black Widow about. His suspicion had been that he needed to wait to pursue their relationship further until he made the Offering to the Darkness, and Natasha had agreed. There was no law saying the Blood had to take lovers of a certain Jewel strength - it made little difference to the people involved - but the Black was different, Witch was different. He could become lost in her without a second thought. If he wanted to meet her on her own ground, he will have to descend further into the Abyss first to even have a dream of it.
Not something he's talked to Wanda about, but it's a part of what holds him back. That and the lack of experience he'd need to safely bring her through her Virgin Night, and he had absolutely no desire to be with anyone else. So...it would probably have to be another man, when she decided she was ready.]
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Then for now...stay, [she murmurs softly.] I just want to hold you a little more.
[As the afternoon has ticked by, Wanda can't help but feel a faint, growing sense of dread. Dinner will follow their little outing, and after dinner bedtime, and with sleep come more nightmares. But here, tucked safely against Vision's side, they feel so far away and she can try to pretend that everything's fine a little longer.
The nightmares haven't bothered her the times she's fallen asleep on Vision accidentally, but Wanda can't just ask him to stay the night with her...can she?]
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He doesn't miss the slight anxiousness in Wanda's expression as the evening progresses, but neither does her brother, and at one point the First Escort pulls her aside for a chat and Wanda comes back looking somewhat more at ease. Vision isn't sure if it's something he needs to be concerned about - the First Circle is well aware that their Queen is prone to nightmares, but whether she can feel one coming on or it's something different isn't clear.
But because of it he has difficulty falling asleep, so he hasn't quite drifted off yet when he feels the tug of someone with darker Jewels than him cross the wards he's set along his room. Without bringing up a light or moving, he quickly forms a Sapphire shield and waits.]
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Vizh?
[Everyone helps where they can, but what can she do at this hour when anyone in their right mind ought to be asleep? She might have gone to Pietro, if she couldn't sense Crystal in his room too. And after what she'd seen happen to Vision...she needed to see him for herself to make sure he was really all right. The Rings of Honor don't lie, but it had been a particularly brutal nightmare.
She hasn't even bothered to find a shawl or slippers and has wandered the distance to the Steward's room in nothing but her black lacey shift. It's meant to be soft and cute, for Wanda's eyes and comfort rather than anyone else's, so even if it wasn't for the tear tracks on her cheeks, it's obvious that her reasons for coming here are perfectly innocent.
That and how small her voice sounds. She's crept towards him on Craft-muffled feet but has stopped within arm's reach of the foot of the bed, pale and trembling. There's an invisible line here that she won't cross without direct invitation, even in her distress.]
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Sit down, Wanda. Do you need anything?
[And if she does sit down, she's immediately getting a tight hug. She shouldn't have t suffer like this. She shouldn't. But she does, and if she's come to him he'll do everything he can to help.]
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Maybe that dream was a warning, but Wanda's finally satisfied that he's all right. She sighs, deflates a little, and finally sits beside him, clinging to him just as tightly as he holds her.
She's still shivering from a combination of cold and the force of holding back her tears, and finally she buries her face in his shoulder and breaks down in tears.]
**You were dead.**
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**I am here, Wanda. I'm quite all right. See?**
[And he holds her, knowing the physical presence will do more to chase away those terrors more than words or Craft. Again he strokes her hair and presses a kiss lightly to her forehead, while deep in his gut he feels a keen sense of anger toward whoever hurt her so much that she has dreams like this.
Or, well, he hopes it's a symptom of past trauma and not a vision of things to come. It's one thing if she sees it in a tangled web. This, hopefully, is just a mind trying to heal itself.
His next words are aloud, and he keeps the light soft.]
I am here, always. You may stay as long as you like.
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Each time, they had been caught. Each time, they had been killed. And Strucker would always bring her to see the bodies later and make her look. The poor young woman who had been her maid for a time had been the worst, but she is far from the only sight that haunts Wanda's nightmares. It's not hard to imagine what Strucker might have done to Vision if he'd crashed into another garden a few years earlier...
But they really are safe (for now) and slowly Vision's gentle ministrations pull Wanda back to the present. She likes to feel his mind, but right now she prefers to hear his voice. Her sobbing eventually quiets, and while she doesn't loosen her hold on him, he'll feel the tense muscles in her shoulders and back start to relax the longer he strokes her hair. She has a weakness and the entire First Circle knows it.
Her voice is a little muffled:] I was scared. It felt so real...
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He pulls the Sapphire shield closer and then, once he's determined the threat was only a dream, drops it entirely.]
Yes, they do, don't they? But it helps to ground yourself in the waking world. I am here, and I am unharmed; you are here, and you are safe.
[He finds her hand in the dim light and gives it a squeeze.]
Would you like something to drink? I keep a tea set in my room for late nights.
[Which says something, doesn't it? But he has an herbal mix to calm himself he'd learned from a Healer, and this wouldn't be the first time he's had some after one of Wanda's nightmares. (Usually he has to go to her room to deal with them, though, and then only when they're so bad the entire Triangle is called in to help. Pietro generally deals with the less strenuous ones, but even he needs a night off now and then, so Vision forgives him.)]
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And I love you.
[She kisses his cheek slowly and softly. Wanda also doesn't trust herself not to kiss Vision properly without letting her desperation slip through, but if he chooses to invite that...well, she won't complain.
Wanda settles her cheek on his shoulder for comfort, still needing whatever contact she can get, but she's not hiding her face from him anymore.]
Tea sounds wonderful. [Her hold on him loosens enough for her to run fingers lightly up his spine.] Do you have trouble sleeping too, Vizh?
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I love you as well, my dear. [He presses a light kiss to her forehead.]
At times, yes, though I think it's for a different reason. There are times when my mind becomes hyperfocused on figures or a particularly intricate problem, and I have difficulty getting to sleep. [He finds one of her hands and squeezes it.] Other times I worry for you because you do not sleep well, and it keeps me up later than I'd like.
[The tea will be a few minutes still, so before it's done he has time to ask something in a hesitant voice.]
Would you--that is, if you think you'd be more comfortable here than in your own chambers, I could sleep on top of the covers. I'm up early enough most days the only one likely to notice is Zoran, and if I ask him nicely he will keep a secret.
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It makes his suggestion all the more absurd, but not for the reason he'd likely expect. Wanda pulls away just enough to cup his cheek and look him in the eyes.]
If you really don't mind if I stay...but you'll get cold, love. I have fallen asleep on you before. Why is this different?
[Okay, so those were accidental naps on a couch, not proper sleep in a bed, but still.]
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Because it is different when it is my bed and in the middle of the night. Though I suppose if you promise to keep your eyes closed I could find some loose pants to wear.
As for getting cold, I haven't truly found that to be a problem yet, even in the winter. But I do have other blankets I could use, you know.
[He exhales, gaze clear now.]
Would you prefer me to stay under the blankets?
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Vision, are you...? ['Naked,' but she can't quite bring herself to say it and squeezes her eyes shut in embarrassment.] I'm sorry! I just...I was scared, and I needed to see that you were all right...
[What was she thinking? Except that she hadn't been thinking at all beyond sensing Crystal in Pietro's room and having the sense to go elsewhere for comfort.
Her hand falls to his shoulder but she still can't quite pull away even if she knows she probably should. Wanda takes a breath to steady herself and looks back up into those beautiful blue eyes. Maybe this was a mistake, but...she'll never lie to him, even if she's fighting the urge to run away in shame. That's part of what figuring this out together means.]
I want to stay here with you, under the blankets. But only if you want that too.
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I'm afraid so. There's no need to apologize.
[He kisses her on her forehead right between those closed eyes, and when she meets his gaze again the question is gone, replaced by a warm assurance. If she thinks his presence will chase the nightmares away, he'll absolutely give it a try. And it's different enough from their stolen daytime moments that he's excited, and suddenly glad that he made enough tea for the both of them.]
I do want it. Yes. Though if you would, please do close your eyes for a moment?
[Once she complies, he gets up and there's the sounds of him rummaging around in his dresser for a few moments. When he returns, he hands Wanda a steaming cup of the relaxation tea and holds the other.]
There we are. Now drink this and let's get settled, hmm?
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(And the only way someone is getting to Vision tonight is if they go through her.)
These are safer thoughts than trying not to think about Vision being very naked mere feet from her, or how soft his skin had been, or the warmth in his eyes, or how nice it had felt to be held against his bare chest. In and out; slow, deep breaths. The herbs smell familiar, but Wanda's too sleepy to pick them out beyond being pretty sure that lavender is involved.
She doesn't even jump when Vision returns and releases the lock on the door as she takes the tea. She pauses for another deep breath.]
It smells nice. [And apparently it passes the taste test, because Wanda manages a true smile after a small sip.] You're so good to me, Vision. Maybe I can help you sleep too.
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Hmm. Not so deep a sleep you couldn't wake me up if you needed anything, I hope?
[The brew works quickly enough, though, and he yawns as he downs the rest of his tea. He fusses with the blankets a bit to cover his nervousness (it's a simple thing, but he's never actually slept with another person in his bed before) and, finally, settles himself.]
Is this--is it all right?
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[Wanda's eyes keep being drawn to the intricate metallic inlays on his skin. She'd often wondered how far they traveled over his body...now she knows. And she definitely likes what she sees. It's a beautiful contrast, and it's part of what makes Vision so unique.
She can't help but wonder what it might feel like to let her hands wander over his chest someday - but not tonight. Tonight is for sleep, and the more Wanda drinks of the tea, the drowsier she starts to feel.
She wasn't feeling nervous at all until Vision started fidgeting with the covers and her cheeks are a little flushed as she settles beside him. They're not touching. Should they be touching? Is that too much, or is that the entire point? She's shared a bed with plenty of other people before, but never someone she was courting. If there are 'rules' to this, she doesn't know them.]
It's fine, Vizh. [She reaches across the small space between them to briefly touch his cheek, and then hesitantly rests her arm over his waist.] Is this all right?
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[Once he has a little guidance from Wanda he stops fidgeting as much and relaxes, one hand around her as well. It's not quite close enough for a great deal of skin contact, but somehow it won't surprise him if they end up curled against each other in the night.
Vision inhales deeply and closes his eyes, smiling to have Wanda's scent so close (and hoping he doesn't do anything terribly embarrassing while he's unconscious, but then, he hopes to not do any of that while he's awake, either).]
Good night, love.
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[Sleep comes much easier this time and the quiet sound of his breathing and psychic warmth of his presence lull her into dreams.
But she hasn't forgotten about him, and as Vision drifts off to join her, power gently cocoons him and brings his dreaming mind deep into the Abyss, far deeper than the Sapphire should let him go. But this is Witch's territory, and nothing will harm him here.
She is singing, and if he follows her voice he'll find her in no time at all. This is her true form: her eyes glow a steady red here, her nails have been replaced by sharp black talons, and her ears are delicately pointed like the Dea al Mon's. But most obvious is the rainbow of shifting cracks of powers across her body. Red and Black are the most prominent colors, but every color in the Darkness is represented somewhere on her body, even the White. Most of them shift and fade, but one crack of Sapphire never strays far from her heart. Even here, his love has marked her.
Not all of the dreamers who created her had been human, but in some ways Wanda comes more from the Darkness than the dreams. Something terrible is coming, and she'll have to be strong enough to protect the Realms.
But right now, she's allowed some peace to just be a girl in love.]
Vision.
[He will likely not be surprised to hear her midnight voice here - there's so much power flowing through her that it would take a great effort for her to speak normally. But she smiles just as warmly as his Wanda would in the waking world. If he thinks the Sapphire crack at her heart burns a little brighter, he's not imagining it.]
You came to me.
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Far be it from him to judge someone because their appearance is different.
Reflexively, he bows deeply to his Queen before hurrying closer and, if she allows it, he'll take her hand to kiss it.]
Witch.
[Longing, fondness, respect - love. It is an immense honor to be here safely, and he knows it. And if his eyes linger on that Sapphire crack, surely the smile on his face is no coincidence.]
I followed your voice. This is your place?
[It's beautiful. Dangerous, yes, but beautiful all the same. Much like his beloved.]
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Mindful of the talons, she carefully cups his cheek. They're Black-shielded just in case, because even a small risk of hurting Vision is too great.]
This is...like where I came from, but not. But it is mine, and it can be anything we want.
[But while she can make their environment be anything, she can't change. She'd been a little nervous initially - the same way anyone would worry about how their lover saw them - but Vision is just as accepting of Witch as she'd thought he would be. He really is everything she could ever have wished for.]
I wanted to make sure you had good dreams tonight. And...it was time for you to see me as I am.
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You're beautiful.
[It's a murmur in response, and he runs one finger along a pointed ear to indicate that yes, he means in this form as well. A flare of Red power, like Wanda's Birthright, opens under his hand; he feels it as hot but not burning, and he suddenly knows with a soul-deep conviction that he could handle its power after he makes the Offering.
Soon. Things are starting to fall into place, but they're not there yet. Soon.
The throb of power around them seems to quicken his pulse in response, and Vision draws his body even closer to hers.]
I think this is a very good dream. May I kiss you?
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