#monica and darcy

[incorrectquotesmcu]

Wanda: Girl’s night, done right, is about female bonding, sharing problems, origin stories, secrets.

Yelena: Can’t we just drink?

Darcy: Fine. I’ll start. Ummm. I worked my way through college as a phone sex operator.

Monica: I would totally call that.

Kate: Nice.

Cassie: I used to steal cars.

Jennifer: Who’s next?

Yelena: I was forged in the bowels of hell to torture the guilty for all eternity.

Carol: Interesting share.

[tashdemetriou]

WANDAVISION for @mcuchallenge

[unholyhelbig]

oversight part 6 ??

Title: The Oversight [Part 6/7]

Ship: Female!Reader x Natasha Romanoff

Wordcount: 6237

Warnings: SMUT UNDER 18 DNI, oral (r recieving), Dom/sub dynamic, slight mommy kink if you squint, fingering (r recieving), and horrible grammar

[A/n: This took literally all day because I hadn't started it until this morning, and it's now 12am. Good thing it's -15 degrees outside and I physically cannot leave my home. I haven't written Nat smut... ever. Go easy on me.]

[ Part one | Part Two | Part Three | Part Four | Part Five | Part Six | Part Seven ]

Main Masterlist | Read my stuff on AO3 | Leave Requests

Natasha Romanoff knew how to handle a gun. She tested its weight; the mix of metal and plastic was familiar to her as lungs were to breathe. As ocean was to water, as sky was to rolling thunder. Handling a gun, especially while loaded, was a delicate process. She’d stroke the trigger, ghost her fingers over the barrel and expertly tease the weapon into doing exactly what she wanted.

Natasha Romanoff was not one to do anything without calculation, not one to do something without complete control. But, the soft noises that escaped your throat as she nipped across your jawline and licked over the burning bites to soothe the smallest bit of pain made her stop thinking. Stop calculating. It threatened to take her control.

Your back was up against the cool mahogany of her bedroom door. You’d barely gotten a chance to close it before her hands were all over you, and that floral scent invaded your lungs. You were frantic to pull her as close as possible, to feel her body fully against yours. You needed Natasha Romanoff more than you needed life itself. You needed her inside of you.

She seemed just as beside herself. Her nails ran up and down your sides, brushing against the exposed skin that the slit in that beautiful emerald dress provided. You were enamored with it earlier in the night. Now you were grateful for all the exposed parts of you, the hot touches and breathless kisses.

“So needy, malyshka” Natasha whispered between kisses. “You need me to take care of you, don’t you?”

Yes. You wanted that more than you could vocalize. Instead, you let out a groan that was muffled by her lips against yours. You understood the irony, feeling so safe with a woman who was one of the most feared within the city.

She reminded you in a gentle growl “words, baby, use your words.”

“Please, I need you.”

Natasha didn’t need another green light. She hauled you into her arms in a feat of strength, backing you onto the bed. The sheets were cool against your bare legs. The last time you’d been in this bed, you were in much worse shape. You preferred this, coming undone with Natasha’s wandering hands and damp kisses.

You hungrily pushed her jacket from her shoulders, brushing the pads of your fingers over her defined muscles. She smiled against your lips, throwing the expensive garment to the floor. You made quick work of the buttons down the front of her waistcoat, barely exposing the curve of her chest before her fingers reached up and grabbed yours.

“You’re far too clothed, darling.”

The objection was soft, and you were quick to comply when she pulled the dress up to expose your thighs. You lifted your hips and she moved the dress the rest of the way over your head, tossing it to the side. Her eyes raked hungrily over your dips and curves, hands caressing your sides, watching as your pulled air in and let it out in excitement.

“You knew this was going to happen?” Natasha said with a wolfish smile as she took in the lacy bra and panties that you wore.

“Hoped, really.”

“Do you have a safe word?”

“Do I need one?”

Her smile widened as she expertly slid the buttons from their proper place and pulled her waistcoat off. You were met with tanned skin, with a toned stomach and breasts that you itched to palm. She started to kiss along your neckline, down your chest, and the very start of your stomach. Expertly, she unhooked your own bra, tossing it in the same direction as your dress.

Natasha bit and sucked in the right places and your back arched in eager response. It distracted you from her wandering hands. You shuddered as she pushed past the elastic of your underwear, she brushed her finger up the length of your slit, and a breath got stuck in your throat.

“So wet already, just from a little teasing.”

“Natasha,” You moaned her name.

You squirmed as her touch moved lower, she kissed along your waistline, moved your underwear down your legs until you were fully exposed to her. She let out a content breath that was hot against your center, you fought the urge to press against her.

“Zaychik, I have a few rules,”

“Anything, just… anything.”

She kissed against your thighs, ever so close to you. It was driving you nuts, and while you trusted Natasha with your life, with your sanity, it was you who was struggling with control. You craved her touch and then resented how much you relied on it. You had never wanted anything more in your life.

“You belong to me. And that means, you can only cum when I give you permission.” You whined under her soft ministrations, bucking your hips forward. She bit hard against the expanse of your skin, enough to bruise. “Am I clear?”

“Y-yes, yes. Clear. Crystal. Baby please.”

Natasha hummed against you. “Good girl.”

Your cheeks heated at the positive reinforcement and your fingers curled into the expensive sheets. A gasp escaped you when her tongue met your folds. She licked expertly across the length of your center and an entirely pornographic noise left your throat when she stopped at your clit, sucking softly.

You could feel your heartbeat in your chest, pounding against your ribs in a perfect rhythm. Natasha slid a singular finger into you. It was painfully slow, and far from enough to fill you up. You resisted the urge to grind further into her. Another finger, another soft noise.

A combination of her quick movements and attention mouth brought you close to the edge embarrassingly fast. You had thought of this moment for months, how skilled she was, how your naked body would be writhing under her touch exactly as it was now.

When Natasha added a third finger, your mind started to grow foggy. You had known for awhile that you would do anything for her. It wasn’t a feeling that you shied away from in the slightest. Excitement was building in your core, breath coming quicker, sweat slicking against every inch of your body.

“Remember your manners, baby girl.” Natasha’s words vibrated against your core, making your squirm. “Not until I say.”

Her fingers curled inside of you, your walls tightening expertly around her. It took everything in you not to give in to her. There was an impossible pressure building inside of you. You gasped in as much air as you could muster.

“Who do you belong to?”

“You,” the answer came without hesitation. “Only you,”

“That’s right. You’re all mine, my little toy.”

Her words only worked you up more. You wanted to take care of her, wanted to worship her. You’d do anything she commanded. The word slipped past your lips without a second thought. She was working so hard to undo you. “Natasha… mommy”

Natasha let out a moan at the title, her pace increasing. She returned her hot mouth to your clit, circled it with your tongue expertly. She mumbled against you, words vibrating. “You can cum, princess.”

She didn’t’ have to tell you twice. You tightened around her fingers, arching off the bed as pure extasy washed over you. You clenched every part of your body, groaning into the crook of your arm to muffle the noise. Pleasure rolled over you, through the pit of your stomach.

Her mouth continued to work throughout the lingering pressure of your orgasm, threatening to build to another one. Natasha pulled her fingers from you with a wet noise. She breathlessly moved herself next to you, kissing your neck, your jawline. Natasha pressed her fingers against your lips, and you were eager and ready to accept them. 

You could taste yourself on her, sucking them as she nipped at your earlobe. She whispered, feeling hot against your skin. “Such a good whore, so willing and ready to suck anything. Take anything. I can’t wait to give you a strap.”

Your heart began to race at the thought, and she smiled against you, clear that she could feel the increase of the rhythm from your closeness. Natasha removed her fingers, she kissed you hard, and you kissed her back with just as much passion, pulling away slightly to stifle a yawn.

“Tired already, Zaychik?”

You chuckled “you wear me out. Though, I’m not too worn out to make you feel good.”

“Mm, you’ve already made me feel good. I think we should get some sleep.”

You wanted to fight her on it, body still trembling from the rolling orgasm she had given you. But exhaustion was fighting too and Natasha readjusted you both until you were settled gently into the crook of her neck, one arm lazily over her midsection. She was gentle and attentive with her movements. Brushing strands of your hair behind your ear. Who knew Natasha Romanoff was a cuddler?

A spring storm had taken full effect by the time you had crossed back into the city, but it seemed that nothing could dampen your mood. The clouds that formed in dark clusters and released sheets of rain were something of beauty, not despair. The day was still warm, the breeze cold to cut through the sweat that formed on your brow. You’d cracked the window, allowing stray drops to cool your skin.

You stopped by the mailbox on the bottom floor, wiggling the smallest key on your ring into the lock until it opened. You barely checked the mail and it was stuffed full of coupons, advertisements, and the occasional statement from Veronica’s after-school daycare.

You tucked the papers under your arm and started the long ascent to your floor. You avoided the nails that stuck up through cheap wood. The spots in the carpet that had been soaked through with water damage. None of it seemed to bother you.

“Good morning, Miss Baxter.” You mumbled to the older woman who always perched in front of her door in a busted lawn chair. She had a perfect view of her neighbor across the hall. Her little, crusty white dog barked in morse code at you.

“What’s so good about it? Raining buckets and everything in this godforsaken place leaks.”

“Well, I suppose that’s where the buckets would come in handy.”

She made a disgusted noise in the back of her throat but you were already a good portion of the way up the final flight of stairs. You pressed your shoulder tactfully against your apartment door pushing it open before you threw the mail on the table and flicked on the kitchen light. The air conditioning chilled you to the bone, drying the damp spots on your clothes.

There was a click in the far side of the room, one that was unfamiliar from the ticking of the air unit, or the settling of an old building. You were used to those noises. This was entirely too human for your liking, so you drew your gun in a fluid movement, much like the other night.

Without hesitation, flicking off the safety and aiming.

Darcy was sitting in the beaten recliner in the corner. There was an upturned book on the side of the chair. You weren’t sure how long she had been sitting there, but from the bags under her eyes, the way her hair was pulled up into a messy bun, you knew it had been awhile.

You instantly lowered the weapon, hands suddenly shaking. “Darcy, what are you-?”

“I… I knew that something was up these last few months. I thought you had started seeing someone, a regular at the diner, or, or God forbid the dude who works behind the grill. But when I went to the diner you weren’t even there. They said you hadn’t been there for months. And can you please put that thing away?”

“Sorry, I’m sorry” your words were pinched as you rebolstered your weapon. “I can explain.”

“Can you?” She stood, closing the distance between you both now that there wasn’t a loaded gun in the middle. You straightened up, heart pounding haplessly in your chest. “Because Monica Rambeau came up to me at work the other day and told me that you were lying. She… she wouldn’t tell me what, just that you weren’t being truthful, and I defended you, y/n.

“I defended you because you’re my best friend. You have been for years. I’ve stood by you through everything. Through meeting Ronnie’s father, and getting pregnant and comforting you when he left you- because he did leave both of you!”

“Darcy,”

“No. Let me finish. Let me finish. I’ve been here for you every step of the way. Every single step and the only thing that I’ve ever expected from you is honesty. Don’t you think I deserve that? Don’t you think Ronnie deserves that?”

You swallowed the lump in your throat, watching her carefully as she caught her breath, and her bearings. You had only seen Darcy this angry once, and it had been years ago. Sophomore year of high school when her parents decided to split, and her father tried to get her to move to Washington state with him.

She fought and fought because they waited until the last minute to tell her. They weren’t truthful, and you hadn’t been truthful either. More importantly, in both situations, she had been right.

“The y/n I know, can’t draw a gun like that, and doesn’t come home covered in bruises, and doesn’t flinch into action at every little noise. The y/n I know wouldn’t have lied to me in the first place. So, what is going on?”

“Can we… sit?”

You didn’t entirely trust the strength of your legs right now. Parts of you were sore, you had realized that as you climbed the stairs. You could feel them trembling now and fought the urge to curl up on the carpet that was right under your feet.

“I’m fine standing.”

“A drink, then? It’s uh, it’s five somewhere, right?”

“y/n.”

“Right, yes. I know.”

And you did know, but only to a certain extent. If Monica hadn’t gone to Darcy, would you have? It was a single night of drunken lovemaking followed by a less-than-graceful exit into the cold of autumn. There was a tightness to seeing her again, and the underlying fear that this would happen. But so many things were happening.

“I am sorry that I haven’t been truthful with you, but you have to believe me, it was for your own safety. For Ronnie’s safety. I would never lie without a good reason.”

“Well, that’s subjective, isn’t it?” Darcy’s breathed “You always think you know what’s best for me, what’s best to hide from me. But you don’t know what I can handle.”

Okay, you absolutely needed that drink. Darcy wasn’t going to leave now, not without answers she was pushing so hard for. Ronnie was getting too tall for her own good, so you hid the good liquor in the cabinet above the fridge.

Bourbon, warm or not, was your choice and right now you couldn’t bother with ice, just a mug that you had gotten from a thrift store. It was from Cabo and had a little white sand beach and a flamingo wearing sunglasses on the front. You’d never been to Cabo.

The first sip went down burning, and the second soothed the first. “I took a loan.”

“Like, from a bank?”

“From a shark. Technically. They don’t call them that, but that’s what they are. I didn’t realize it at the time, or else I wouldn’t have, but I was already two months behind on rent and I refused to ask you to cover me again. That’s not your responsibility. You already do so much for me and Ronnie.”

She opened her mouth to object, to rush in and say that she would have given you anything and you knew she would. But that didn’t change the fact that you wouldn’t have asked her in the first place.

“I didn’t pay them back in time and they weren’t very lenient. They took me under their custody to persuade me into coming up with the money.”

“Persuade? Their custody?”

“Kidnapped… beat within an inch of death. Whatever way you look at it, I was on their bad side.”

With horrible judgement you filled up another two fingers of whisky, only swallowing half but making eye contact with Darcy as you had done so. Simmering behind her deep blue stare was a mix of pity you were desperate to avoid. It soon dwindled back into discontent and that made you want to continue.

“I was spared on account that I wasn’t their usual clientele. Natasha, she called me… shit, what was it? An oversight? I was a blip in the system. I wasn’t supposed to happen and for that reason, and that reason alone, she offered me an ultimatum.”

Darcy sidled up to the counter that rested like a drawn line between you both. Her fingers tapped nervously on the surface but some of the tension had drained from her shoulders. “Natasha? That.. woman from the fair? The one with Clint?”

“Oh, Clint, you remember?” You smiled.

“He’s strong. Rugged.” She shrugged, frowning “That’s not the point. You’re telling me he’s a part of this sharking business? You’re telling me you let a known criminal that close to your daughter? To me?”

“I get how that sounds bad, Dee, but he’s really not a horrible guy. He’s a father himself and you’re right. You’re right. It’s not the point.” You swallowed the second half of your drink and placed the novelty mug in the sink to stop yourself from polishing off more of the bottle. “They gave me an ultimatum.”

“An ultimatum?”

“I could kill myself working at the diner everyday for the rest of my life. Twelve-hour shifts with most of the funds feeding right back into their palms. It would take decades to give back the money I took from them. Or, I could work for Natasha and pay off my debts in a quarter of the time.”

Silence filled the room. The only type of silence that you knew, that was filled with the sounds of the city. Your neighbors to the left were having a fight that seemed bigger than the one you and Darcy had now. A boombox blasted reggae music across the street and certain beats bled through the thin glass windows.

You swallowed the acrid flavor on your tongue. “For the last four months instead of the diner, I have been with Natasha. With Clint. They’ve been teaching me, and at first, I hated every single second of it. I was scared for… for weeks. But, Darcy, I’m starting to enjoy it and that scares me more than anything.”

“I need to sit down,” She mumbled.

“I offered,”

“I know.”

She flopped down onto the sofa that folded out into a bed. You’d slept there for a month when Darcy’s apartment was being fumigated and you refused to make her take the couch. It was hell on your back, but Ronnie had never been happier to wake up to the both of you each morning.

It carried a familiar clean scent. Darcy pulled a blanket into her lap and ran her fingers over the bumps in stitching. You cautiously lowered yourself down next to her, starting to feel the effects of an empty stomach and too much liquor for the afternoon. You were suddenly nauseous and starving all at once.

“There’s more,” Darcy said, “What you just told me was a lot, but there’s more. I know you, y/n, and I’m giving you an opportunity here to tell me everything.”

You sighed, slumping on the couch. You could feel the bar in the center of the couch push against your spine. There was a crack in the ceiling next to a gray and brown water stain that looked like a Rorschach test.

“Natasha. I think I’m in love with her.” You could hear Darcy turn her head with a dizzying quickness. “I’m not supposed to be, it’s the last thing I’m supposed to be. I’m supposed to be protecting her and that’s incredibly hard to do when I’m distracted by her eyes.”

Darcy was laughing and it lightened the mood in the room. The tension was still thick enough to slice with a knife, but it was enough to get you to look at her. “You’ve got it bad, huh?”

“The worst.”

“You really think this is what’s best, huh? Putting yourself into the line of fire like this? Handling a gun?”

“I do. I really, really do.” You picked up her hand, relieved that she didn’t pull away so you squeezed it, just to make sure that it was real. That she hadn’t run at the first sign of trouble. “I always tell Ronnie that I’d get us out of here one day. All of us. And I never knew how to do that on $2.00 an hour.”

Darcy sighed heavily; she leaned her head on your shoulder. “I don’t want you to get hurt.”

“I know. But some risks you just have to take.”

The sun had broken through the clouds for the first time in days. It streamed through the windows of Natasha’s private office, nestled at the back of the large house. In the past week, you had been here twice and each time your heart thudded impossibly fast.

This time, she had summoned you before you were through the doors for your normal shift. There were no extra caveats. You weren’t meant to head down to the docks, or to one of the many storefronts that were rented from the Romanoff family. Instead, you were simply meant to be here.

The home was empty, you knew from the lack of cars that were outside. Natasha’s was the only one in the lot besides yours. There was a certain quiet to the day and the French doors that led to her private office were ajar to strengthen the airflow.

She was focused on the work in front of her, hair in a messy bun and two strands falling from her haphazard job. There were black frame glasses on her face. Her face was scrunched up in a frankly adorable expression. It softened when she glanced up and saw you, the ghost of a smile on her lips.

Much to your dismay, she removed her glasses “Come in, close the doors behind you.”

You did as you were told, letting them fall with the subtle shake of the blinds. They’d been closed but a small stream of golden light was splayed across Natasha’s desk. It caught the intensity of her eyes, the sharp green color that only came out when she was surrounded by these walls.

“Sit,”

Obediently, you moved to do so, pulling one of the leather chairs out from its spot on the other side of the desk. You felt shame, despite last night. She was still your boss, still the person you were meant to protect. That’s what you were being altered for.  

“Not there.”

You lifted your eyebrows, halting in your spot. Natasha pushed back in her rolling chair, ever so slightly. She gestured vaguely to her lap. She can’t be serious? This had to be some type of test? It didn’t seem like one. You certainly wouldn’t mind having her arms wrapped around you, her scent enveloping, intoxicating.

Cautiously, you did as you were told, lowering yourself onto Natasha’s lap. There was an overwhelming warmth, a destined comfort to being in her arms, so much safety in the simple gesture of her pulling you close.

She guided your chin until your lips were close to hers, not quite touching. “Hi, baby.”

“Hi,” You responded before closing the distance. She hummed into the kiss, her tongue running over her lips, against the roof of your mouth. You could taste her morning coffee and a hint of mint.

“I missed you.”

“It’s been two days,”

She hummed, pressing her cold nose against your throat. The weekends were reserved for relaxation, and as much as you wanted to stay with Natasha in this giant house, you had a life within the city; a daughter, friends, responsibility.

“I don’t want you work for me anymore.”

You frowned and pulled slightly away from her, your arms still circling her neck. This certainly had to be a test but there was no indication to such on her face. She had nothing but a tender expression, a quiet one that left no room for argument, but you weren’t built like that.

“What?”

“I,” Natasha dipped her gaze, pressing her forehead against your cheek. Her words were a whisper. “I don’t want you to get hurt. You can’t get hurt if I don’t put you in the line of fire.”

There were a few moments of silence aside from the large clock on one of the bookshelves that clicked with each passing second. Natasha had never been vulnerable with you like this. There had been moments of soft expressions, but never this.

Gently, you lifted her chin, forcing her to look at you. “Natasha, I can’t do that. I can’t just stop protecting you. It’s all I’ve been training for these last months.”

“I want to offer you something more, y/n. You and Ronnie both. I want you to have a home here… with me.”

You breathed her in, your forehead against hers. Your eyes were closed, but you could feel her watching you for any kind of reaction, anything that would give your feelings away. She tucked a strand of hair behind your ear, the gesture making your shudder against her.

“I want that too. But more than anything, I want to keep you safe. I still want this. I still want to be there for you like I have been. Behind you every step of the way.” You chuckled sadly, “While being a trophy girlfriend sounds amazing, I want to earn my keep.”

Natasha smiled at you, “Girlfriend? That’s quite the title.”

“I mean it,” you played with her necklace, an equally as small gold chain. “I want to keep training. Girlfriend or not. If you’re going to keep me around.”

She moved forward, kissed against the small expanse of skin behind your ear, down the side of your neck. “Okay.”

“Okay?”

“Mmhm, but I was serious about you and Ronnie.” She pulled back, brushing her thumb over your flushed cheek. “I like you, y/n. You make me happy.”

Before you could respond, her lips were against yours again, her hands tracing up your sides. You were well aware of how close the two of you were, of how easy it was to get heated in this position, of Natasha’s cold fingertips as they ghosted under the hem of your shirt.

“I brought pizza from that place on the corner that you like,” You balanced the large and greasy box on your hip. It wasn’t your favorite place, the man behind the counter was always rude and the line was out the door. But it was for good reason, you had to admit, because the food was always delicious and made you forget about all the complications.

Darcy ate pineapple on her half the pizza like a criminal. You and Veronica were content with pepperoni, but you’d have to sprinkle extra parmesan cheese on her slices, cutting them into small pieces and providing her with a fork.

There was quiet to Darcy’s apartment. One that reminded you of the many times you had pulled your weapon in preparation. Your hands were full with the box, with a plastic bag filled with off-brand soda and two-dollar movies that were on the shelf at the corner store.

You struggle to swallow your own fear at the sight that lies in front of you. The television is muted, but a cartoon continues to cast the living room in a pale, blue light. Darcy is sprawled on the couch, her chest rising and falling in what seems to be a heavy sleep.

The light above the oven is on and the kitchen table is far from unoccupied. Ronnie looks up at your entrance, content with the array of markers, colored pencils, and crayons that are scattered in front of her.

Carol Danvers sits in an adjacent chair, working on staying in the lines of her own picture. You weren’t close enough to see what she had drawn, but based on her track-record you were sure it was something ghastly.

Monica Rambeau sat in the recliner, a mug of something steaming in her hand. Her eyes were trained on the television despite the lack of sound. They didn’t flick to you when you entered. She was confident that you weren’t going to make a move. Cocky.

“Is that from Ginos?” Carol asked, capping the marker that she was using. “God, they have the best pizza.”

“Yeah, it is.” You whispered.

Cautiously, you let the door close behind you. With an almost domestic way about you, you set the box and the bags down on the counter before wiping the sweat on your jeans. You made quick eye contact with Monica. She nodded at you, regarded you quietly.

“Sit, I was just telling Veronica that she’s very good at coloring. You’ve got a real artist on your hands, Y/n.”

“So, I’ve been told.” You sat down, keeping both of your hands on the table. Kate told you that it was a sign of trust. That if you were quick enough, and she was sure that you were, it wouldn’t matter how far away your weapon was. “What did you do to Darcy?”

“Oh, she’s just so exhausted. Sometimes working a nine-to-five will just take it right out of you. She’ll wake up tomorrow morning after some much needed rest.”

You nodded; mouth incredibly dry. Carol was watching you carefully. She had scribbled something that looked like a mass of color but the more you stared, just like the stain on the ceiling in your own apartment, the more it looked like something more.

She laughed, shaking her head “I’m afraid I’m not as good of an artist as your daughter.”

Ronnie looked at you, her eyes searching your face. It was easy to read her. You had for years. There was curiosity there, but no fear. Carol had probably led with something along the lines of I’m friends with your mother.

Or maybe it had been Monica who forced her way in first. She’d wandered into the kitchen and opened the box of food. Her nose scrunched up at the prospect of fruit on pizza, but she made quick work of picking off the offensive items.

Carol pushed the sheet of paper close to you. “Tell me, y/n, what do you see?”

“I… I don’t know. It looks like a duck.” She lifted her eyebrows, looking or more, and you confidently pointed to each element. “The beak is right here, and the eye is here.”

“Right.” Carol made a swift movement and flipped the photo. “What does it look like now?”

For someone that claimed not to have a good eye for art, Carol sure had a high opinion of a diagram she’d created with a few waxy crayons. It wasn’t the best drawn creature, but you got the general idea.

“A rabbit.”

Carol beamed at you and it made you feel sick to your stomach. “Clever one, aren’t you? Do you see how the world can be viewed in more than one way? To you, this could be a duck, or a rabbit, or just a poorly drawn abstract painting.”

“It’s very well done.”

“Don’t flatter me. I know what I’m capable of. I know what I’m up against. More importantly, I need you to know that sometimes, perspective can change everything.” She leaned back in her chair, rolling a crayon under her fingertips. “The Romanoff family is on the wrong side of an ongoing war, and by association, so are you.”

Veronica got out of her chair then, finally losing interest in the activity that was given to her. Monica and Carol tensed, as did you. But your daughter gave you a look that indicated television. Something else to occupy her mind. You let out a shaky breath.

“Sure, baby. Keep it low, okay?”

She nodded at you and scrambled over to the living room. There were soft noises from the cartoons afterwards. She sat patiently close to the screen to she could hear. She minded you well, hugging a throw-pillow close to her chest.

“It was very easy to track you down. Did you know that? Almost as easy to get in here, to have full access to your life. The life you had before you met Natasha Romanoff.” Carol reached into her coat pocket, she pulled out a business card. “You need to choose a side. If you’re going to stick around in this town, you need to choose a side, or get better locks.”

She left it on the table along with the smattering of art supplies and her crudely drawn photo that was supposed to teach you about perspective. Though, you were certain you knew all you needed to. There wasn’t even a question.

Carol stood and gestured for Monica to follow. She clapped you on the shoulder before she left, her words just the quietest of whispers. “I understand her allure, y/n. But there’s more than one force to deal with in this city.”

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[starlightshadowsworld]

You remember that era, where all the fics were the Avengers being best friends living in Avengers Tower.

Thor's obsessed with pop tarts and Hawkeyes in the vents for some reason.

Natasha steals everyone's clothes, Tony and Bruce are Science Bros TM doing all kinds of chaos in the labs.

Steve's sketchbook is beside him and Jarvis is helping him figure out his new phone.

I really want that era for the current MCU.

Just

Kamala and Darcy making lists of all the classics Carol needs to watch.

Yelena winning family game night. Demands Jimmy teachers her his card tricks.

Sam and Shang trying to out dance each other and pulling out the DDR machines.

Kate casually spoiling her friends.

While Bucky and Katy collect bets.

Monica and Wanda watching sitcoms together on rainy nights.

Zemo and Sharon showing up like they aren't both wanted criminals to watch horror movies.

[lalchimiedecupid]

Guys,im the writer of an Agatha All along/WandaVision fanfic and I need a beta reader. Because my fanfic is a REWRITE and was written before AAA and during Wandavision instead, therefore I chose to alter the storyline and the plot for the fic but I need a beta reader. Please. Mwah bisoux.

also im heavily drunk so excuse the typos

PLEASE TELL ME WHO'D LIKE TO BE MY BETA READER ALO I NEED Y'ALL'S HELP

[sycamorelibrary754]

Guardian Angel

Chapter 10: MacGyver

Summary: Wanda and Monica hurry to Rome to save the team from San Castillo's catacombs while you anxiously wait for news about Wanda and your newfound family.

Warnings: Mentions of injury, asthma, anxiety

Word Count: 8k

A/N: The latest chapter of Guardian Angel is the longest yet. Thanks to everyone who's reading! I'm excited about where the story is headed, and I hope you enjoy this chapter.

Guardian Angel Masterlist 

Tony slowly opened his eyes, but all he could see was darkness. The faceplate of his Iron Man helmet slid open, and he heard the dripping sound of condensation. The only indication that he was still alive.

Steve stirred next, feeling the damp air and touching the hard stone floor. He started crawling on all fours and ripped off his oxygen mask, coughing as small pebbles from the drop scraped against his skin.

“Buck, come on. There you go.” Steve tapped his friend's cheek as he started to come around. “Wow,” Barnes gasped as he looked back up at the height of the drop.

Yelena crawled towards Natasha, her face and arms stained with dirt and blood. Despite the pain in her wrist, she began moving the small pile of rubble that had buried her older sister's lower body.

“Are you okay, sestra?” Her voice was muffled under the oxygen mask, but she managed to ask.

Nat slowly sat up and let out a hiss as the pain in her right leg began to hit her. Looking down, she noticed a gash spanning the length of her lower leg, visible through her suit. Although the cut wasn't deep, it was enough to cause her discomfort.

All around them, there was an eerie silence that sent shivers down their spines. The darkness was so thick they could barely see anything beyond a few feet.

Carol quickly sprang into action, helping Peter and Kate to their feet, while Sam and Clint sputtered and coughed as they crawled out from behind a chunk of stone slab covered in a cracked fresco painting that had fallen along with them. The sound of the debris crashing against each other had been deafening, and it had taken them a few moments to get their bearings.

Thor was the last to appear, tossing rubble and rocks aside like Legos. His strength and determination were evident as he worked to clear the wreckage.

“Is everyone alright?” Steve asked the team.

A smattering of grunts and mumbles floated out of the team in response. Everyone was nursing a modicum of injuries, but somehow, all were alive.

"FRIDAY, can you give me an IR scan of the space?" Tony's voice echoed through the underground catacombs.

FRIDAY's response was unexpected. "This is not part of the previously mapped subterranean pathway, boss."

Tony's curiosity was piqued. "What do you mean? Are there any air currents?"

"This catacomb is not accessible to the general public. Therefore, no air currents were constructed at this depth," FRIDAY replied.

Steve had a sudden realization, "How much oxygen is left in the masks?"

"Undeterminable, Captain,” FRIDAY said.

Panic set in as the realization hit them - they were running out of oxygen. "Maria, can you hear me?" Nat urgently called out through her comms, hoping for a response. But all she got was static. "Is comms working for anyone?" she asked, looking around for a glimmer of hope, but no one could get through. 

Not waiting for further instruction, Carol swiftly flew up the shaft. The team could hear the distant sound of energy blasts as scattered debris and water droplets fell from above. She returned shortly after, displaying an air of calm anxiety similar to Natasha's.

"We fell at least one hundred feet," Carol reported, removing her oxygen mask. "The top of the shaft narrows, and the passage is blocked by rubble from the fall."

Thor looked around in frustration, "This is ridiculous," he lamented. "I'm getting us the hell out of here," he declared as he started to spin Mjölnir.

But Bruce quickly stopped him. "No, don't you remember what Friday said before the fall?" he said, grabbing Thor's forearm. A core reactor holds the tunnel together. We have no idea what is behind the energy surges. Introducing thunder into the mix could collapse the entire catacomb."

Thor's face contorted in exasperation, "So what do we do now?" he asked, the tension rising.

*^~^*

“How far out are we?" Wanda inquired.

The low and gentle hum emanating from the Quinjet reverberated through the atmosphere as it soared through the endless expanse of the bright blue sky.

"Just a few minutes. Their trackers are still active, but I can't say how long they'll stay online," Monica replied, glancing down at the GPS display.

Wanda wasn't sure what to say. This was the first time she and Monica had been alone together since the events in Westview. Despite the hug they had shared on the loading dock, Wanda wasn't sure where they stood. However, she couldn't bear to dwell on what they might find when they arrived in Rome. She needed a distraction.

"So... how have you been since, well, since..." Wanda began.

"Since you trapped Westview, New Jersey in an idyllic suburban illusion of your grief and turned me into a photon," Monica finished for her, raising an eyebrow.

Wanda buried her face in her hands, feeling embarrassed. "In a manner of speaking, yes," she mumbled.

"I've been okay. After the Hex was dismantled, Fury sent for me. I was recruited into S.A.B.E.R. I've been shuttling back and forth between Earth and the space station for the last year," Monica explained.

Wanda nodded in understanding, her eyes reflecting a mix of emotions as she absorbed Monica's words. After a moment, she turned to face her. "Listen, I-"

"You don't need to say anything, Wanda. You already apologized, and I meant what I said that day. I understood how you felt, and given the circumstances and your powers, I would have tried to bring my mom back, too," Monica said, her voice filled with empathy.

Wanda nodded in recognition and gratitude, feeling a weight lifted off her shoulders.

"Now, I have a question for you," Monica said. "What's the deal with you and Y/N?"

"Our meeting was pure luck, and now... now I can't imagine my life without Y/N. Losing Vis was a turning point in my life. The world around me crumbled, leaving me and my boys vulnerable and exposed. But I had to be strong and protect them, even if it meant building a fortress around my heart. But Y/N, she shattered the fortress the moment our eyes met. It's weird; sometimes it feels like Vision sent Y/N to me, you know? Like she's my guardian angel."

"That's amazing, Wanda. I'm so happy for you,” Monica declared.

"Approaching target landing zone. Cloaking technology initiated," FRIDAY announced.

*^~^*

Darcy seemed to have an unmatched familiarity with the Overwatch system—she navigated through it with precision and ease, almost as if she had designed and constructed it. You couldn't help but notice how meticulously she calibrated her equipment, making every adjustment with utmost care and attention to detail.

“What kind of data were you seeing before the fall?” Darcy asked.

“Mostly thermostats,” Maria said. “A core reactor holds together the stabilization of the tunnel structure.” 

At this point, they could have been speaking a foreign language. You were having difficulty washing off the shock of the last few hours. You were also worried about Wanda putting herself in danger to rescue everyone.

“Why were they all on this mission, anyway?” Darcy continued. “Jack Sparrow doesn't usually push all his Poker chips into the middle of the table for surveillance.” 

Maria pulled up the mission file on the screen, "In the city of Rome, there are more than sixty catacombs composed of miles of underground tunnels in which thousands of tombs are found. Currently, only 5 of them are open to the public. For the last month, we have received some unusual readings from the Catacombs of San Callisto. It spans five floors and more than 12 miles in length,”  Maria continued. “Despite our best intelligence, we were unsure about what we were walking into because it wasn't publicly accessible. Fury wanted us to be prepared for any contingency."

Darcy caught sight of your zoned-out expression. “Hey, Y/N, you okay over there?” 

“Yeah, I just,” you trailed off. “I mean, I make candy for a living. The most dangerous thing I encounter in my day is Harper forgetting to turn off the stove,” you said, starting to get worked up.”

“Y/N,” Maria said, seeing your anxiety rising. 

“I just watched the Avengers fall to God knows where, and my girlfriend just left to try and rescue them with her magical powers…. What the hell is my life?” 

“Y/N, it’s going to be okay,” Maria repeated as she and Darcy approached you.

“How can you possibly know that? This is fucking terrifying!” You shouted. “What if we never see any of them again?”

As you were spiraling into a state of panic, Darcy's hand came down hard and made contact with your cheek, jolting you back into the present moment.

“You were spiraling,” Darcy said, patting you on the back with a smile. “All good now.”

Y/N," Maria said as she placed her hands on your shoulders and looked you in the eyes while you rubbed your cheek. "Everything will be alright. Their trackers are still sending signals, and I just received an update on everyone's vital signs. They're in distress, but they're still stable. Wanda and Monica will find them.”

After a deep breath, you said, "I'm sorry, Maria. I don't know how you guys do this every day,” wiping your hand across your face. “With Natasha down there, I don't know how you're holding it together." 

“I’ve been doing this for a long time, and if there’s one thing I know for sure, it’s that Nat doesn’t give up. If anything, this entire ordeal has pissed her off, and she’s even more of a fighter when she’s angry,” Maria said.

You glanced at your watch. "Shoot,” you sighed. It's almost 3 p.m. I have to go pick up Billy and Tommy from school. Please call me as soon as you know anything.” 

*^~^*

As you arrived at the boys' school, a sense of nervousness washed over you. You had only met Billy and Tommy once before, and you weren't quite sure what to say to them. You remembered Wanda’s request not to go into detail about the reason for her unplanned departure, so you were hesitant about how to approach the conversation.

Within just a few minutes of your arrival, the sixth-grade class began to come out of the building. It didn't take long for you to spot the twins, carrying their backpacks and books, scanning their surroundings for you.

You called out, "Boys, over here!" Billy and Tommy ran towards you.

“Hi, Y/N, how come you’re picking us up today?” Tommy asked, his curiosity piqued.

“Yeah, where’s our mom?” Billy added, looking a bit confused.

“Your mom had to go on a last-minute mission with the rest of the team,” you said, trying not to go into too much detail. “So, she asked me to look after you boys until she gets back. Is that okay with you?”

Billy and Tommy looked at each other, seemingly communicating a message without words, and then turned back to you with a nod. You couldn't help but wonder if they had some secret twin language that only they knew. Either way, you were relieved they seemed alright with you taking care of them. 

It felt odd stepping foot in Wanda’s home without her. It was your first time there, and the absence of her presence made the atmosphere feel eerie. However, you took a deep breath and tried to shake off the feeling, reminding yourself to focus on Billy and Tommy.

Once settled, you asked, “Okay, so what do you guys usually do first when you get home from school?” 

Tommy and Billy stood in the kitchen, looking up at you with hopeful eyes. "Well," Tommy began tentatively, "Mom usually lets us play video games after school."

Billy nodded eagerly, adding, "And then we have ice cream. It's our favorite snack."

You couldn't help but smile at their enthusiasm. "I see," you said, playing along with their little routine. "And after video games and ice cream, you'll probably get started on your homework, right?"

At this, Tommy's face fell. "We don't have any homework," he admitted sheepishly.

You chuckled, leaning back against the counter. "Listen, boys," you said, adopting a more earnest tone. I know we don't know each other very well yet, and you're probably thinking this is a free-for-all. But you should know I invented the 'I don't have any homework' line," you said, placing your hand on your chest. "I was a kid once, too, you know."

“It was worth a shot,” Billy said. 

Why don't you two bring your homework out here, and I’ll fix us a snack in the meantime?” You suggested. 

“Okay,” they said in unison before clambering down the hall. 

You shook your head at their cheekiness and set about preparing a snack. You sliced up some crisp apples, added a dollop of creamy peanut butter, and poured some refreshing lemonade.

After spending some time helping the boys with their homework, which turned out to be more challenging than you remembered, you decided to tidy up around the house. As you walked into the living room, your attention was immediately drawn to the family photo on the wall. Vision stood tall and robust, with Wanda's arm around him, while Billy and Tommy grinned from ear to ear. The image was a gentle reminder of her life before you. Rather than jealousy, you felt a deep empathy and sorrow for all the hardships and heartbreaks she had endured.

You couldn't help but wonder if Wanda was okay right now. If they were all okay.

*^~^*

As the first light of dawn crept over the horizon, a soft glow began to spread across the ancient cobblestones of the Appian Way. The air was still and quiet, and the only sound that could be heard was the distant chirping of birds. The surrounding landscape was bathed in a golden light, casting long shadows stretching across the fields and trees. Amidst this stillness, the Quinjet lay concealed in a nearby field. Wanda and Monica walked down the cobblestone path and made their way through the Arch of Dursus, their footsteps echoing in the quietness of the night. The entrance of the San Callisto catacombs suddenly materialized, rising from the ground like an ominous apparition.

The iron gate had been meticulously re-welded shut—Tony’s standard attempt at not drawing suspicion after they entered. Wanda’s hand began to swirl in red. 

“I got it,” Monica said, breaking the lock with electrifying blue energy. 

The two women donned oxygen masks and walked down the stone stairs into the catacombs, their communications and body cameras crackling to life. 

As they descended the steps, their feet moved steadily, one after the other. The count of each step eluded them as they were fully immersed in descending. As they reached the end of the stairs, the first of the tombs revealed itself, emerging from the darkness before them. 

Do you feel anything?” Monica asked, “Anyone?” 

Wanda shook her head, “Not yet.”

“We’re looking at 90 acres of catacombs to search, ladies,” Maria said over the comms.

“So, you know, it may take a minute,” Darcy added. 

*^~^*

Yelena frustratingly turned to Tony, "Can't you fly us out of here? I thought Iron Man could do anything?"

Tony snapped, "Oh gee, I hadn't thought of that blondie. Thank God you finally mentioned it after five hours!"

Natasha intervened, "Take it down a notch, Tony."

Tony sighed and rubbed his forehead, "Don't you think if I could have flown us out of here, I would have done it by now? The energy surges compromised the calibration of the thrusters. FRIDAY is down, too.”

Sam nodded in agreement, "Same here. It's a complete multisystem failure."

Suddenly, Kate's voice echoed off the stone, "Help!!"

Peter dropped from the wall onto the floor, webbing still hanging loosely from the rocks. "I couldn't find any other openings."

Bucky added with a hint of sarcasm, "Terrific. Well, Steve, we died once; looks like it's going to stick this time," he lamented, as he pulled a small flask from inside his leather jacket and removed his oxygen mask.

“Bucky, stop,” Steve sighed.

Clint chimed in, "Hey, give me some of that," as he took a swig out of the flask. 

The archer passed the flask to Thor, who reluctantly sipped,” Your human alcohol is so weak.” 

Natasha stood and hobbled over to Bruce, the cut on her leg now causing her more significant discomfort. 

“Do you want me to look at your leg?” Bruce cautiously asked.

“No,” Nat said, ripping off her oxygen mask. “I want you to get your green ass off that rock and go MacGyver something with Stark to get us the fuck out of here!”

“What’s a MacGyver?” Peter asked.

“It's not a what, it's a who,” Kate responded. 

“I've never heard of him,” Peter continued. 

“MacGyver is amazing!" exclaimed Kate, her excitement bubbling over. "He’s a super resourceful secret agent who uses his vast scientific knowledge to escape dangerous situations. He uses everyday items like matchsticks, paper clips, and rubber bands to complete his missions.”

Nat's voice echoed through the cramped quarters as she shouted, "Knock it off!" The two young Avengers quieted down immediately, their eyes fixed on her. 

Steve took a deep breath and scanned the room, his eyes settling on each of his teammates in turn. "Look," he said, getting everyone's attention. "We don't know how long Wanda and Maria will take to find us, but we must assume they're close. That means we need to stay calm and do everything we can to conserve oxygen in this tiny space and our masks. We don't know what will happen next, but we're in this together, and we're going to make it through."

*^~^*

It had been an hour since the boys had gone to bed. Now that you were finally alone with your thoughts, you couldn't hold back the tears. Your mind was consumed with worry and fear, and you had not received any updates from Maria and Darcy. The silence was deafening, and the longer it persisted, the more scared and anxious you became.

You gazed at your phone, considering calling them, but decided against it. Instead, you wiped your eyes and scrolled through your camera roll, looking at pictures of you and Wanda that reminded youof your favorite memories together.

You suddenly felt like someone was watching you. You looked up and saw Billy poking his head around the corner.

"Hey, Billy. You okay?" you asked, trying to sound as casual as possible.

"Are you?" the young boy asked in return, his voice barely above a whisper. "Your thoughts are really loud."

It took you a moment to realize what he meant, but then it hit you. Of course, like his mom, Billy could hear other people's thoughts. You wondered how often he had to deal with that and how overwhelming it must be.

"I'm sorry, Billy," you said, trying to keep your thoughts in check. "I didn't mean to be so loud."

"It's okay," he said with a shrug as he joined you on the couch. "I'm used to it.”

You sat in silence for a few moments, unsure of what to say next. Then, you remembered why you were there in the first place.

"I'm just excited for your mom to come home," you said, trying to inject some positivity into the conversation.

"Same," he said, his face lighting up a little. He scooted closer to you on the couch. It was a small gesture, but it made you feel like maybe you were doing something right.

"You and Tommy love your mom a lot, don't you?" you asked, trying to start a conversation.

"Yeah, she's amazing. She's always there for us," he explained with a smile.

"I can tell," you said, pulling a soft blanket off the back of the couch and placing it over Billy. "She talks about you and Tommy all the time. She's so proud of both of you."

"Really? What does she say?" Billy asked curiously, his eyes widening with interest.

"Well," you began, "she says you're both brilliant, funny, and sweet young men. She admires your sense of humor and your kindness towards others. Tommy is a great athlete, and you like to draw. She thinks you're a very talented artist."

"Mom told you that?" he said, surprised. "I didn't know she talked about us so much."

"Yes, she does. She loves you two very much," you replied, smiling at him warmly.

You followed Billy’s eyes as he stared at the family photograph you admired earlier. "I miss Dad," he said. "Tommy does, too."

"I know you do," you replied. “I’m sorry.” 

"We were happy in Westview," Billy said, fidgeting with his hands just like Wanda. "Then, one day, we woke up, and Dad was gone and Mom said we had to go."

"That must have been difficult," you said softly.

"Yeah, at first it was tough," Billy continued, "but then we came here. Mom got Uncle Tony to build us this cool house, and we have a lot of fun.”

You couldn't help but smile as he talked about Wanda. "Your mom is the coolest person I know," you said, and Billy beamed with pride.

"You miss her too, don't you?" he asked, and you felt a pang of longing in your heart.

"You're good, kid," you said with a smirk as you ruffled his hair. "Yes, I miss your mom very much."

“She talks about you too, you know,” Billy mentioned.

Your surprise showed on your face. "Really?" you asked.

"Yeah," he said matter-of-factly. "She says you make her happy, and you make the best chocolate in the world."

You giggled at the compliment, but then you noticed the time. It was almost 2 a.m. "I think we both could use some shut-eye, Billy. We want to be well-rested when your mom gets home."

"Okay," he agreed, climbing off the couch.

But before he left, you had an idea. "Hey, what do you say you and I and Tommy make brownies tomorrow as a treat for everyone when they get home?"

Billy's eyes lit up. "That would be awesome!"

"I think so, too," you said with a smile. "Okay, now, bedtime. Off you go."

Unexpectedly, the young boy hugged you goodnight, and you felt a warmth in your heart. "Thank you, Y/N. Goodnight," he said.

"Goodnight, Billy," you said.

*^~^*

Meanwhile, half a world away, Wanda and Monica ventured through the dark and musty catacombs. The eerie silence was only broken by the echo of their footsteps. They had been walking for hours with no sign of anyone. Suddenly, Maria's voice broke through their comms, sending chills down their spine.

“Our last point of contact was down this secondary tunnel just ahead,” she said.

Wanda's eyes narrowed as she surveyed the area. "Watch your step," she warned. "If this is near where they dropped, we're on unstable ground."

As they continued, the walls around them became adorned with ancient symbols and paintings, marking Papal tombs. But their peaceful exploration was abruptly interrupted when Monica came to a sudden halt. "Stop," she said, sensing a change in the electromagnetic spectrum. 

Wanda spun around to face her. "What is it?" She asked, her anxiety rising.

Before Monica could answer, the ground began to shake violently, throwing both women to the ground.

As the ceiling crumbled, debris rained down onthe two women. Acting quickly, Wanda summoned her powers to redirect the falling fragments away from them.

“Are you two okay?” Maria asked nervously.

“Yeah, we're okay,” Wanda said as she helped Monica to her feet. “What was that?” 

Take a look around," Darcy pointed out. "Do you see those fissures along the walls? Someone is utilizing the catacombs as a natural storage space for geothermal energy. But there is something wrong with the core reactor. It's causing the structure to become destabilized.

Monica's voice trailed off as she tried to put her thoughts into words. "So, in other words, we're..." she hesitated, unsure.

Darcy picked up on Monica's hesitation and completed her thought. "Walking on eggshells. You need to find them, and soon.”

*^~^*

Clint, feeling a tad bit drunk from sipping from Bucky’s flask for the last few hours, began singing to himself, “Nobody knows the troubles I've seen.” 

“No, we need to find some physical conductor for the thrusters! We can't use Thor or Danvers down here,” Bruce exasperated.

Clint, not paying attention to the conversation, continued his solo performance, “Nobody knows my sorrows.” 

Tony suggested, “We could use Barnes’s arm,” side-eying the super soldier sitting against the wall. 

Bruce momentarily thought about it and responded, “That could work. We could use the vibranium and cybernetic implant to hot wire the thrusters”.

“Nobody knows the troubles I've seen,” Clint shamelessly continued. 

Bucky, who had been quietly listening, pulled down his oxygen mask so that only his eyes were visible and said, “Come try to take it; I dare you.”

“No one at all!” Clint finally finished singing. Natasha gently coaxed her best friend back into a sitting position beside her and Carol.

Nearby, Yelena, Peter, and Kate sat on the ground. Kate’s head rested in Yelena’s lap, doing her best to clean the cut on the young archer’s forehead. 

"Ouch!" exclaimed Kate, her voice muffled by the oxygen mask.

Yelena had attended to Nat's leg gash and now turned to the cut on Kate's forehead. She took out a disinfectant wipe from her vest pocket and dabbed the wound gently.

“Stop moving, and it won't hurt so much, Kate Bishop,” Yelena said, trying to hold her still. 

Suddenly, the sound of Peter wheezing broke the blonde's concentration away from Kate's forehead.

"Woah, are you okay, spider?" Her voice was filled with concern as the boy tore off his oxygen mask.

Peter gasped between every word and said, "I don't know, I can't,” he sputtered. “Catch my breath."

Kate sat up nervously, "Hey, what's happening? Where is your inhaler, Peter?"

Peter's voice strained, and his breaths became shorter as he said, "On the jet."

Bruce took charge of the situation, moving Peter into a sitting position against the wall. He placed an ear to his chest and frowned at the raspy, short breaths.

"Peter, look at me," Bruce said gently as he held the boy's face. "Are you certain that you don't have a rescue inhaler with you?"

He shook his head, his eyes filled with fear as each breath became more labored.

Tony quickly turned to Steve and said, "Help me out of the suit."

Steve was confused and asked, "What?"

"FRIDAY is down. I need you to get it off me, do it!" Tony's voice exclaimed anxiously.

Steve found the central seam of the Iron Man suit and tried to pull the chest plate apart, but it wouldn't budge.

"Buck, Thor, help me!" Steve shouted.

The sound of Peter's shallow breaths was drowned out by the metal bending as Bucky and Thor worked to free Tony from his suit.

"It's going to be okay, Peter. Stay with us," Sam said, as he and Carol did their best to keep him calm.

Peter's vision began to blur as his breathing was reduced to a squeak.

"Shit!" Bruce exclaimed, realizing the gravity of the situation.

Tony quickly stepped out of the broken pieces of his suit just as Peter was about to lose consciousness. He reached into his pants pocket, pulling out a rescue inhaler. He shook it several times before removing the cap as Nat lowered Peter’s head into her lap. Tony tilted the puffer slightly, angling it down his throat as he gave two puffs into his mouth. 

"Slowly breathe in, kid," Tony instructed. "One, two, three, four, five."

Tony administered two more puffs of the inhaler before Bruce listened to Peter's chest and confirmed his breathing had improved.

"Thank you, Mr. Stark," Peter whispered as his lungs began to open up. "Where did you get that inhaler?"

From Aunt Mae. It was one of her conditions for you to join the team. I always have it on me," Tony explained.

"You broke your suit," Peter realized.

"It's an easy fix, kid. You're not," Tony smirked.

Peter continued to use the inhaler as Tony kissed his forehead and walked away, his hands trembling.

Kate and Yelena comforted Peter while Bruce examined him.

"You're okay, Peter," Bruce said. "Continue using the inhaler, and when you feel up to it, put your oxygen mask back on." He picked up Peter’s mask, but his eyes widened with anxiety. The gauge was empty, and the light had turned red.

"What's wrong?" Steve asked.

"The mask is out of oxygen," Bruce whispered.

"I'll give you mine," Carol offered, taking off her mask and giving it to Peter.

"Thanks, Carol," Peter said as he continued to use the inhaler.

Steve pulled Bruce to one side. “Be honest with me, Bruce. How much time do we have left?”

"It's hard to say. With Peter's preexisting medical condition, he may have been using more oxygen than the rest of us. I'll check the other masks, but with so many people in this small space—”

“Bruce,” Steve said solemnly. 

“An hour. Maybe,” Banner conceded.

*^~^*

Instantly, an avalanche of disordered thoughts rushed into Wanda's mind, emanating from Peter. The intensity of his anxiety was so profound that Wanda had to cling to the wall of the tunnel to steady herself. Overwhelmed with relief and anguish, she burst into tears. It was as if Peter's distress was contagious, and his emotions threatened to engulf Wanda's consciousness. His mind was a chaotic maze of thoughts, all leading to the same inescapable conclusion: they were all going to die.

Monica's voice interrupted her thoughts, "Wanda, what is it?"

Wanda had to grab the side of the wall for support. "Peter. I can feel him; he's close."

It was as if Peter’s thoughts broke the dam, and one by one, the desperation and fear of her teammates came through. But soon, it was replaced with something else entirely: acceptance. They seemed resigned to their fate, and Wanda couldn't help but feel a sense of dread.

“This way,” Wanda said as the two women doubled back. 

A dark tunnel forced the two women to duck as they crawled through it. As they forced their way through the ancient passage, they were relieved when it opened into a larger space—rubble scattered everywhere and the feeling of uneven ground underneath their feet. 

Maria's voice echoed through the comms, "What do see?" 

Monica took a deep breath and replied, "It's much cooler in here." The air around them was refreshing, starkly contrasting the humid air in the rest of the catacomb.

Wanda knelt and placed her hand on the ground, feeling the dampness seeping through her fingers. "The ground is damp, too," she added.

Darcy's ears perked up at their report, and her eyes widened. “This is it! If the water sinks into the ground, it's coming out somewhere.” 

Monica took notice of the uneven gravel. “Don’t move,” she said as she phased through the ground, leaving Wanda alone with the team’s thoughts in her head. 

*^~^*

Bruce, true to his word, carefully examined all the oxygen in the ten remaining masks. Unfortunately, five more had depleted, leaving the group with only five masks to share. They sat in a circle and passed the masks around, agreeing on five-minute turns, but the adults made sure Yelena, Kate, and Peter had the masks on for a bit longer without saying anything.

As they breathed heavily and coughed occasionally, it became apparent that the air was running out. Suddenly, a low rumbling sound made everyone scramble to the walls. Yelena instinctively reached out for Natasha, who was struggling to stand on what was now most likely an infected cut in her leg.

"Cover your head!" Steve shouted, not sure if it was another energy surge or if the catacombs were finally caving in.

Suddenly, Monica dropped through the stone ceiling and landed on Carol, causing her to grunt in pain. Monica quickly stood up, dusting herself off and helping Carol to her feet. 

Kate screamed in relief, "Oh my God, it's Monica!!" and hugged her. Yelena tried to pry Kate off Monica while everyone else watched in surprise.

"You found us," Carol said, hugging her next.

"Actually, Wanda found you,” Monica said as she held Carol. “She heard Peter's thoughts," turning to the young Avenger.

"Thank you for having asthma, you wonderful little arachnid!" Clint said, kissing Peter on the cheek.

"Umm, you're welcome," Peter replied.

"Wanda is here?" Steve asked.

"I knew she could do it," Natasha said under her breath, recalling the day Wanda returned to the compound.

"Wanda," Monica said, pressing her comms closer to her ear. "You were right, they're down here."

"Are they alright?" Wanda asked, her voice a mix of anxiety and relief.

"More or less," Monica responded, looking around at the sweaty, exhausted, and dirt-covered group. "When I give the word, you do your thing."

"Got it," Wanda replied.

"Everyone move away from the center," she instructed. 

After ensuring that everyone was safe, she issued the command, "Alright, Wanda. Now.”

The redhead stood still, taking a deep breath to calm herself. Her hands and eyes began to emit a bright red glow, almost like they were on fire. As she closed her eyes, your words echoed in her mind.

“The magic that courses through you is the true measure of who you are, Wanda. Don't let a single mistake define you or your legacy."

She focused her energy and channeled her magic to lift the endless amount of heavy rubble that blocked the narrow shaft. As she lifted the debris, the sound of rocks and debris tumbling down from above echoed through the small space. The team looked up as they saw a faint ray of light piercing through the small opening over a hundred feet above them. 

Wanda's heart pounded as she floated down, eager to reunite with her family. As soon as her feet touched the ground, Natasha enveloped her in a warm embrace. "No arm tied behind your back anymore," she whispered, her words full of relief. 

Tears filled Wanda's eyes as she nodded, overwhelmed with emotion. Then, Tony stepped forward and hugged her tightly. "I can't even tell you how happy I am to see you, Red," he said, his voice filled with genuine joy.

"Same here, Tony," Wanda replied, a smile spreading across her face.

But their reunion was cut short by Maria's voice crackling over the comms. "You can all exchange pleasantries on the way home; time to rejoin the above-ground dwellers," she said briskly.

Wanda quickly wiped away her tears and, with a wave of her hand, conjured a ladder leading out of the shaft. 

After Wanda and Monica checked the stability of the ladder, Bucky, Clint, Sam, Thor, and Carol led the way up. Monica offered her assistance to anyone who needed it. 

"Does anyone need a lift?" Monica asked, glancing around at the group.

Tony immediately pointed to Peter, who quickly protested, "What? No, not necessary, Mr. Stark. I'm fine."

However, Tony was quick to dismiss Peter's objections. "Nice try, kid. Your asthma almost killed you. Let the Photon carry you. That's an order," he said, picking up the broken chest plate of his suit and ascending the ladder.

Peter reluctantly acquiesced. "Fine," he grumbled, "but no one tells MJ.”

Monica picked Peter up bridal-style and flew up the shaft, ensuring that he made it to the top safely.

Natasha leaned on Yelena and Kate for support as she hobbled toward the ladder.

"May I offer you a lift?" Wanda asked with a smirk, knowing that Nat would be hesitant to accept help from anyone.

"Do I look like Peter?" Nat replied sarcastically, trying to shrug off the offer.

Wanda's smirk turned into a concerned expression as she noticed the pain she was in. "No, but your leg looks pretty bad, and I have someone on the line who wants to speak with you," she explained, handing Nat her comms earpiece.

Nat begrudgingly grabbed it, knowing precisely who would be on the other end. She put it on and said, "Hi, Maria.”

Maria's voice echoed through the earpiece. "Natalia Alianovna Romanoff! I can see your leg on their body cameras. Let Wanda help you, or I swear to God, you are sleeping on the couch until it heals," she shouted in a stern tone. 

Natasha let out a frustrated sigh, knowing that Maria was right. She reluctantly handed her earpiece back to Wanda and nodded in agreement.

"Have a nice conversation, did you?" Wanda teased, noticing the annoyed expression on Natasha's face.

"Shut up, and get me out of here," the Black Widow grumbled.

"Good choice," the redhead said with a smile as she used her magic to lift Natasha out of the shaft. She then turned her attention to Yelena and Kate and gestured for them to follow. "After you."

The last one to leave, Steve smiled broadly at Wanda, his dirt and blood-covered face unable to conceal his immense pride in her.

“Are you going to give me some big hero speech, Cap?” Wanda asked, half-joking.

"Maybe later," Steve replied with a sigh. "But for now, all I want to do is this." He wrapped his arms around Wanda, pulling her close. "Welcome back, Wanda," he said, his voice filled with warmth.

Night had descended upon Rome by the time the team finally boarded the Quinjet. Monica took control of the jet and put it on autopilot, allowing her and Wanda to attend to everyone's injuries. The mood was somber as they tended to the team.

"No more underground missions!" Sam declared loudly, wincing in pain as Wanda wrapped his shoulder. "I mean it. If we need to go underground, Fury can send in the incredible shrinking Scott or use Red Wing. I was chasing ghosts down there, and we still don't know what the hell was going on."

Monica tried to reassure him. "You were probably just hallucinating from a lack of oxygen," she said.

Ha! Probably!" Sam responded, his tone skeptical. "See, that's not exactly comforting. Steve, I need you to make sure this is included in the mission report. We can't afford to overlook any potential threats."

Looking around at the team, Steve agreed with Sam. "I think we could all use some rest first though," he suggested. "We can reconvene in the morning and go over everything in more detail.”

*^~^*

The next morning, you woke up to the sound of your phone ringing on the coffee table. You had decided to sleep on the couch after Billy went back to bed, in case either of the boys woke up again. As you picked up the phone and saw Maria's name on the screen, your heart skipped a beat.

Anxious and nervous, you answered the call, "Maria? Have you heard anything?”

Maria's response brought tears to your eyes, "They're all safe. A bit bruised and battered, but alive. ETA is about 2 hours."

Relieved and grateful, you could feel a weight lifted off your chest. "Oh, thank God… and Wanda?"

"She was amazing, Y/N. You would’ve been so proud," Maria's voice was filled with admiration.

You couldn't help the tears that fell down your cheeks. You asked, "So, what happens now?" while looking around the corner to make sure Billy and Tommy were still asleep.

"Well, they'll have a short debrief when they get back and presumably a visit to the med bay. But I know Wanda will want to see you and the boys ASAP," Maria explained.

You nodded, even though she couldn't see you, "Okay," you said while running your hand through your hair and looking at the clock. "We'll be there."

"Good, see you in a bit, Y/N," Maria said.

"Bye, Maria," you replied before hanging up the phone. 

As you were putting the couch back together, Billy and Tommy, still in their pajamas, walked into the kitchen. You greeted them with a warm smile and said, "Good morning, boys! I have some good news for you - your mom is on her way home."

Tommy's face lit up with delight as he exclaimed, "Yes!"

Billy looked at you with curiosity and asked, "When will she be here?"

You checked your watch and replied, "In a couple of hours. I was thinking we could all meet her at the compound. What do you think?"

Both boys nodded eagerly, thrilled at the prospect of seeing their mother again.

Then, you added, "Cool! So, I was thinking, would you like to help me make some brownies to bring as a welcome-home treat for everyone? It's a very special recipe from The Candy Bar."

You raised an eyebrow, waiting for their response. The boys looked at each other, then back at you, with wide grins on their faces. "Yes, please!" they exclaimed in unison.

As you stepped into the kitchen, you were struck by the state-of-the-art sound system that Tony had built into the house. You paired your phone with it and turned on your “Baking playlist” to set the mood for your baking session. Billy and Tommy sat at the kitchen island, eagerly awaiting their tasks. You laid out all the ingredients for your fudgy chocolate brownies on the sleek granite countertop, admiring how they gleamed under the overhead lights.

“Okay,” you said, clapping your hands together. “Tommy, you mix the dry ingredients, and Billy, you mix the wet ingredients.”

You couldn't help but grin as the boys rolled up their sleeves and got to work, their eyes fixed on the recipe book as they measured each ingredient with utmost care.

While the brownies were baking to perfection, you whipped up a decadent chocolate frosting that would add an extra layer of sweetness to the treat. The smooth, velvety texture of the frosting was the perfect complement to the chewy, chocolatey goodness of the brownies.

Once you finished frosting the brownies and placing them in the refrigerator, you checked the clock and said, "Okay, why don't you guys get showered and dressed? You want to look your best for your mom."

In perfect unison, they responded, "Okay." That's when Tommy suddenly zipped away and returned in a split second, ready to go. 

"Whoa! That was fast," you said, impressed.

"I know, right? I have super speed, just like our Uncle Pietro!" Tommy proudly announced.

"Ah, your mom has told me a bit about him," you replied, nodding in understanding.

"Well, that's why I'm so awesome at sports!" Tommy exclaimed with a huge grin.

"Actually, that's not true," Billy interjected. "Mom doesn't want him to use his powers while playing."

"Ugh, don't listen to him. Sometimes I use them when she isn't looking," Tommy said, a mischievous look creeping across his face.

"What?! I'm going to tell Mom!" Billy shouted, looking outraged.

"You will not!" Tommy said, pushing his brother playfully.

"Hey, hey, hey!" You stepped between them, breaking up their squabble. "Billy, you can go get ready, and Tommy, how about you help me pack the brownies?"

"Fine," Billy grumbled.

"Okay," Tommy said with a nod.

*^~^*

As you entered the compound, you were informed that the team had already finished their debriefing and were receiving post-mission examinations and oxygen treatments in the med bay, as per Fury's orders. You and the boys patiently waited outside the medical facility, observing as doctors and nurses went in and out.

After what felt like an eternity, you finally caught a glimpse of Wanda. The sight of her filled you with joy, and you couldn't help but smile. Wanda was scanning the room before her eyes landed on you and the boys. The twins' excitement was palpable as they ran towards Wanda with unbridled enthusiasm.

Wanda hugged Billy and Tommy tightly, kissing the tops of their heads. You hung back, holding the Tupperware full of brownies, not wanting to impose on their family reunion. 

“I missed you boys so much!” Wanda said, kneeling to hug them.

“We missed you too,” Tommy replied.

“Yeah,” Billy agreed, “but we had a great time with Y/N. She's so much fun, and we made brownies for everyone, see?” pointing back at you. 

Wanda glanced back at you, and her eyes lit up with joy upon seeing you standing there. “Hello, my love. I missed you too," she said, pulling you into a warm embrace, and giving you a soft kiss on the lips, which made you blush.

“You brought everyone home,” you said, repeating the words you spoke to her before she left. “I knew you could do it,” you said, as you both tried to hold back tears in the middle of the med bay. 

Lost in the moment, Tony's voice brought you back to reality. "Aww! Look at the lovebirds," he exclaimed. You saw Stark walking towards you, holding Pepper’s and Morgan’s hands. He looked a bit worse for wear than the last time you saw him, with a limp, butterfly stitches above his eyebrow, and a cut on his cheek.

You hugged all three of them. "Mmmm, what do we have here?" Tony asked. "Very nice! I don't remember you making brownies for me when I came home from a mission,” turning to his wife.

Pepper shot back, "Oh, I'm sorry. I'm a little busy running your entire company. If you want brownies, make them yourself."

Natasha appeared next, being pushed in a wheelchair by Maria, followed by Yelena and Kate. Natasha's lower right leg was heavily bandaged, "Oh, Nat, are you okay?" you asked.

"I'm fine," she said, reassuringly smiling as you leaned down to embrace her. "This is all just precautionary."

Maria chimed in, "Right, that’s why Dr. Cho also gave us precautionary antibiotics," doing air quotes, and you couldn't help but laugh at her comment.

"My sister has always been stubborn," Yelena said as she and Kate joined the group. The blonde adjusted the brace on her wrist before hugging you and grabbing two brownies.

"Yeah, you should have seen her down there," Kate added. "It was like the Black Widow on steroids," she whispered as she wrapped her arms around you.

"What was that, Bishop?" Nat asked, giving Kate a suspicious look.

"Nothing," Kate responded nervously. "Would you like a brownie?"

"Mmhm, that's what I thought you said," Nat smirked as she took the brownie.

*^~^*

You joined the team for dinner but retired early to your room, wanting to give the group some space to decompress after a traumatic mission. While resting on your bed, a knock on your door caught your attention, and Wanda poked her head inside. 

“Sorry, sweetheart. Were you sleeping?” she asked.

“No, just resting my eyes,” you replied as you sat up with a yawn. 

Wanda joined you on the bed, giggling. “Yeah, that's how I usually feel at the end of the day with the boys, too.”

You wrapped your arms around her and kissed her cheek. “The boys were great. It was nice to spend more time with them.”

“They feel the same way, love. To quote them, Y/N is super cool,” Wanda smirked.

“Super cool. I should put that on my business card,” you joked.

“Seriously, Y/N. Thank you. I know two 11-year-old boys are a handful, and I put you in a challenging position, but it means so much to me that I can trust you.”

As soon as the word "trust" was uttered, memories of your parents' dubious actions over the remains of Sokovia and your conversation with Tony flooded your mind. The weight of the past seemed to take its toll on you, and your anxiety was on full display, which the redhead must have picked up on.

Wanda glanced at you with concern etched on her face. "Are you alright, sweetheart?" she asked, her voice laced with tenderness and care.

You tried your best to put on a reassuring smile and push the nagging thoughts out of your mind. "I am now that you're home," you replied softly.

Taglist: @xxxtwilightaxelxxx @bibliophilicbi @darkstar225

[denwritesandcries]

ugh, the urge to write for a certain character but their fandom/tags are practically dead

[lands-of-fantasy]

MCU Poster Ladies

2021 Edition (Phase 4 Part 1)

Elizabeth Olsen as Wanda Maximoff / Scarlet Witch

Kathryn Hahn as Agatha Harkness

Teyonah Parris as Monica Rambeau

Kat Dennings as Darcy Lewis

Emily VanCamp as Sharon Carter

Florence Kasumba as Ayo

Erin Kellyman as Karli Morgenthau

Sophia Di Martino as Sylvie

Gugu Mbatha-Raw as Ravonna Renslayer

Wunmi Mosaku as Hunter B-15

Rachel Weisz as Melina Vostokoff

Olga Kurylenko as Taskmaster

Scarlett Johansson as Natasha Romanoff / Black Widow

Florence Pugh as Yelena Belova

Hayley Atwell as Peggy Carter / Captain Carter in What If...?

Lake Bell as Natasha Romanoff / Black Widow in What If…?

Cynthia McWilliams as Gamora in What If…?

Meng'er Zhang as Xu Xialing

Awkwafina as Katy

Fala Chen as Ying Li

Michelle Yeoh as Ying Nan

Gemma Chan as Sersi

Salma Hayek as Ajak

Lauren Ridloff as Makkari

Angelina Jolie as Thena

Lia McHugh as Sprite

Hailee Steinfeld as Kate Bishop

Alaqua Cox as Maya Lopez

Vera Farmiga as Eleanor Bishop

[lowkeyerror]

Drunk

Wanda Maximoff x Reader

Word Count: 3.6k

Notes: Underaged drinking, college Au, funny at times

Summary: Wanda goes to her first college party with a few friends. You're the one they call when something goes wrong.

Masterlist

You were nervous. It was apparent by the bouncing of your leg. Truly, it was more like your whole body was vibrating. Everything felt like it was in high definition. The walls were a pale green, the threads of the furniture stood out, the ticking of the clock was loud.

It was funny how thinking about her made you nervous. It was as if she had been in the room with you. Her hair shines brilliantly to match her smile. You'd listen as she spoke animatedly about whatever it was that she liked. You tried your best to focus on her words and not her lips, but it was a challenge to you.

Loving Wanda made you nervous because you weren't supposed to love her. Not to this extent, at least.

She was your best friend's younger sister. You had known Wanda and Pietro just about your entire life. The three of you were a good group of friends. Being two years younger than you and Pietro mean that Wanda didn't always mesh well with your other friends. She eventually found her own group and started spending more time with them.

The three of you still hung out regularly, but not as much as you did when you were younger. You think that you always had a crush on Wanda, though you may not have been aware at the moment.

" So, ya, I'm just really excited. My first college party."

You frowned as you tuned back into what the red head was saying," Who's going with you?"

She wasn't privy to your dismay," You know the usual girls."

You nodded your head hesitantly, trying to remember their names," Ok, just be careful. Your first time can be pretty overwhelming."

Wanda rolled her eyes," Whatever, you and Piet literally party all the time."

" Yes, but our first time was a mess."

" You're just trying to scare me," Wanda ignored your words.

" She's not. Our first party, I came home with my hand fractured. And by the end of night, Y/n had traded all her clothes for duct tape armor."

" It was way less fun to take off than it was to put on," you chimed in.

Pietro gave his sister a stern look," Just be careful, sestra, and call Y/n if anything happens."

" Why me?"

" Because unlike you, my dating life is flourishing. Monica and I have reservations at some fancy restaurant she wanted to go to. I'm planning on making it official tonight," he smiles brightly as he speaks.

" My dating life is fine, but I'm happy for you."

" Whatever you say Y/n," he turned his attention to Wanda," Be safe. If anything happens, call Y/n. If it's an emergency, you know you can always call me. Have fun, but not too much."

Pietro kissed both of you on the forehead before walking straight out of the door.

" You're having girl trouble," Wanda sounds like she's trying to hold back her surprise.

" Try not to sound so surprised, Wands."

A blush spreads across her face," Sorry, I just- Piet didn't have any issues. If he could find someone as good as Monica, I was thinking that-"

You stop her mid-ramble," I'm just teasing, Wanda. The truth is, I've had a few girls and boys interested in taking me out. I just usually say no."

" Are you not looking for someone?"

You look into her eyes, maybe for a second too long. A shaky breath spills out of your lips," Let's just say that I know what I want and none of them are it. Now, don't you have a party to get ready for?"

She looks at the time on her phone and basically bolts up the stairs. She pokes her head back down the stairwell for a second," We're finishing this conversation later!"

Then she's gone in a flash, leaving you with your thoughts. You weren't lying. There were plenty of people who had hit on you, but you just weren't into them.

The last date you had was months ago with Darcy. Everything had gone well. The two of you actually went steady for about two months, but you just saw each other as friends.

After that, you didn't try with anyone else. You wanted Wanda, and there was no denying it. Your conscience was stopping more than Pietro was. If anything, you knew that he'd approve of you two being together.

The doorbell rang, causing you to get off of the couch. When you opened the door, the girls that you assumed were Wanda's friends were standing there.

You analyzed the group as you felt them do the same with you.

" You're Wanda's friends?"

" You have got to be Y/n," the one with dark brown hairs speaks first, earning a nudge from the blonde standing beside her.

A smirk took over your features," In the flesh, what are your names?"

You step aside to let them in the house. They file one by one.

" I'm Kate," the brunette speaks.

" Yelena," the blonde says shortly.

The redhead doesn't give you an answer. You don't mind pressing her for it.

" And you, sweetheart?"

Her eyes scan over you, and it makes you a little nervous.

" Natasha... sweetheart," she sends a wink your way.

There's a tension between the two. It stays until Wanda appears in the stairwell. She looks amazing. You gulp as your eyes rake her outfit. There's no doubt in your mind that she's going to have eyes on her. The thought makes you clench your jaw.

Her friends whistle as she makes her way down the stairs.

" You look... good, Wands." Your tongue grazes your bottom lip as you speak.

She blushes and that makes you smile," Thanks, Y/n. Are you girls ready to go?"

" Not so fast, let me see your phones," you stop the girls.

Kate is the first to pull out her phone and eagerly hand it to you, it makes you chuckle to yourself. You put your number in her phone, then Yelena's, and lastly Natasha's.

" If anything happens, call me. I don't care what time it is, I don't care how minor it is. If you're too drunk to drive, if you just want to leave, or if some guy is being a weirdo. Anything, and that goes for all of you, not just Wanda."

The girls nod in understanding before heading towards the front door. Natasha, Kate, and Yelena walk out, but Wanda lingers for a moment. She turns back to give you a quick hug, you kiss her temple, similarly to how Pietro did earlier in the night.

" Be safe, I'll hold down the fort."

While she's walking out of the door, you can't help yourself," DON'T FORGET TO CALL, IF YOU NEED ANYTHING."

In the hours that passed, you found yourself switching between watching tv and being on your phone. Nothing too interesting. You had dozed off at some point, at least that what you assumed when you were jolted to reality by the sound of your phone ringing.

" Hello?"

Your eyes shot open as the phone speaker was filled with loud music.

" Hey... hottie, we- we're a little. Whoops, sorry. We- could you just come. Please, hot Y/n. Really, really hot Y/n," Kate's words were barely coming out of her mouth.

" Katie, share your location with me. Can you do that, while we're on the phone, lovely?"

" Mmmm. Ya- ok, I- did I do it," she chuckled as her location appeared on your phone.

" Just sit tight for me, ok, Katie?"

Katie let a vulgar moan slip through her lips," You- you're so hot Y/n. The nicer you are, the mo-more I want you t-to taste my- I think I'm going to puke."

" I'll be there as quick as I can," you repeated into the phone before hanging up.

You shook your head before laughing a bit at the brunette's words. You were quick to hop in the car and drive to the location Kate sent you.

From the outside, you could tell that the party was definitely a level 5 on the chaos scale. The amount of people in the front yard alone, sent a little more urgency in your movements.

4 girls amongst hundreds. How hard could it be? You pulled out your phone and made 3 phone calls. Within 15 minutes, you had assembled a team to help you search for the girls.

" Thanks for these guys. Carol, we're going to have you grab Natasha, Valkyrie you're going to get Yelena, Darcy you'll handle Kate. Everyone clear?"

They nodded.

" Just bring them to the car once you find them. BREAK."

The four of you quickly dispersed. The only thing on your mind is finding Wanda.

You checked outside first. Not really wanting to go inside of the house unless you had. As far as you could tell, she wasn't in the front or the back.

Going into the house almost made you want to give up immediately. There were people from corner to corner. You had to push through bodies just to move. The floor took about 20 minutes for you to search properly. You didn't see Wanda anywhere.

When you got to the kitchen, the population of people was a little less dense. You saw Val struggling to get Yelena off of a table. The blonde kept kicking out her foot every time Valkyrie tried to grab her.

You got close enough to where they could both hear you," Yelena, would you just go with my friend please!"

The blonde turned to you," Oh, this is your friend. I thought she was a kidnapper. Obviously, I did not want to be kidnapped. Ok, strong warrior woman, let us leave."

" I've been telling you I was a friend of Y/n for 10 minutes," Val huffed as she yanked the blonde off of the table.

" Wait! Do you know where I can find Wanda?"

Yelena's eyes squinted and she pointed behind you. Following her gaze, you saw Wanda trying her best to get up the stairs. You took off in that direction, scared that you'd lose sight of her.

Going upstairs at a party like this only led to trouble. You'd stopped it from happening too many times not to have a pit of fear in your stomach. After shoving your way through the crowd, you ran up the stairs.

You didn't bother knocking and started just opening doors. To your surprise, a lot of the rooms were actually empty. The last door you opened is where you found Wanda.

She was sprawled out like a starfish on the bathroom floor. Her head turned in your direction and a wide grin spread across her face.

" Hi."

The way she was looking at you made your heart stop. There was something in her eyes that you couldn't quite decipher.

" Come on, Kate called, so I came to get you guys."

She laughs, eyes not moving from yours," I- I don't think I can stand up."

You shake your head, but nonetheless pick the girl up off of the ground. Her arms lock around your neck, while her legs do the same to your waist. Her head is buried in your shoulder. You can feel her warm breath tickle your neck.

Carrying her out of the party was a trying task, but you were able to manage. When you got to the car, your friends stood, waiting with the other drunk girls.

" Where'd you find her?" Carol asked.

" Bathroom floor. Let's get them in the car."

Natasha was the most coherent, so she sat up front with you, while Kate, Yelena, and Wanda took the back seat.

" Thank you guys for helping me. Lord knows, doing it on my own would have been a pain in the ass."

" You're definitely going to need help with them," Darcy says.

" We'll follow you," Valkyrie chimes in.

You try to stop them," You guys don't have to. I know you probably have better things to do with your night."

Carol snorts," And leave you alone with 4 drunk 20-year-olds, absolutely not. We're coming whether you like it or not."

You smile at your friends," I love you guys. We're headed to the Maximoff's."

They all mutter 'love you' back before getting in their cars. The backseat of your car was loud and vibrant due to Yelena and Kate.

" Y/n," the woman in your passenger's seat said.

You glanced at her briefly before turning your attention back to the road," Natasha."

" Thank you for picking us up."

" It was nothing, you guys can call me anytime. Your safety is important to me."

You hear the girl sniffle beside you," But... you don't even know us. The fact that- that you came is so," she starts sobbing in the middle of her sentence.

" Hey, hey, you're ok. You're Wanda's friends, and by the transitive property you're my friends too. I'll always be there when my friends need me."

" You're- You're so kind," she cried even harder.

" HEY! STOP MAKING MY SISTER CRY," Yelena yelled from the backseat.

" They're prob-bably happy tears, Leny. I know if I was in the fr-ront seat with really, really hot Y/n, I'd be crying too," Kate said dreamily.

You did your best to hold in your laughter. With a quick glance in the rearview mirror, you caught Wanda's eyes. She was already looking directly at you. Her expression was something you recognized, but not on her. Her gaze seemed lustful.

When you pulled up to the house, you waited for your back-up to get there before trying to unload the girls from the car.

Wanda was still convinced that she couldn't walk and wanted to latch on to you. You let her as the other girls were helped by your friends. As much the drunk girls wanted to just crash on the couch, you made them shower and change first.

If Wanda had been on a stranger's bathroom floor, who knows where the others had been.

After the showers, the girls seemed to be ready for bed. The Maximoff's were well off, so the house was pretty big. Wanda's friends slept in her room. While your friends took one of the guest bedrooms close by. They wanted to be able to check on the girls.

You and Wanda were the only ones who hadn't retired for the night. The two of you sat in the living room watching tv as you had done hours ago.

Wanda was close to you. She left no empty space between the two of you. Her skin was touching yours.

" Y/n," her voice was deep when she said your name. You were scared to look at her.

" Ya Wands," you tried to focus on the tv to ignore your heartbeat.

" What do you want?" She said it like it was an obvious question.

" Earlier, you said you knew what you wanted and none of them were it. So what do you want?"

" Wanda," there was a warning edge to your voice.

It didn't deter the woman. She carefully slung her leg over yours to straddle your waist. The ends of her hair tickled your face as she looked down at you.

" I think I know what you want."

Your body feels stiff under hers. Every muscle is tensing, and you don't know what to do.

" You're drunk," you tell her, avoiding eye contact.

" Tell me I'm wrong." Her finger starts in the middle of your chest and trails all the way up until she's lightly gripping your chin. She's forcing you to meet her eyes.

" Wanda, you are going to regret this in the morning. We can't have this talk right now. You're drunk and I'm not. It's wr-"

She leans down so that her lips are close to yours. It stops your sentence in its tracks. You swallow hard, fighting the urge to connect your lips.

" I'm not that drunk, Y/n. I know what I'm doing," her lips brush against yours as she speaks.

It takes all of the strength that you have, but you lift the red off of you and get to your feet.

" I'm going to bed. If you want to talk in the morning, we can do that." Your feet carry you up the stairs, but you stop when you hear Wanda call your name.

You lock eyes with her. A sly smile lies on her lips. " You didn't tell me I was wrong."

You hold eye contact with her for another minute and make your way to the second guest bedroom, which is basically your room. The first thing you do is lock the door behind you. Then you face plant on the bed. Your body is hot from all of Wanda's advancements.

Eventually, your breathing evens out as you fall asleep with the redhead running through your mind.

The next morning, you are woken up by the sound of banging on the door. In your groggy state you open the door, still wiping the sleep from your eyes.

The silence makes you stop wiping your eyes to see who disrupted your sleep. Wanda is standing at the door with her eyes glued on you. That's when you realized you are only wearing a bra and some boy shorts.

You clear your throat, expecting a blush to spread across her face. It doesn't. Instead, her eyes snap to yours, seemingly darker than usual.

" You just gonna stare at me or did you want something sweetheart?"

She takes her time answering you," Can I come in?"

Reluctantly, you let her in the room. She closes the door behind her, and you swore you heard the lock click.

" So..."

" It's the morning," she says, and you know exactly what she's referring to.

You take a seat on the bed and motion for her to sit next to you. She does and waits for you to speak.

" You're wrong," you say simply. You can see her confident demeanor leave as she tries to leave the room. Your hand reaches out to grab her wrist and pull her back to the bed.

" Listen. You're wrong because I think that you think that I'm just attracted to you. I am attracted to you, I mean, you have always been drop-dead gorgeous."

You pause to make sure she's listening to you.

" So you like me?"

" No."

She tries to leave again, but this time you get up to block her path. " You've got to let me finish, Wands. I know you too well to like you. I'm light-years past liking you."

Her eyebrows furrow," Then what are you saying?"

" SHE'S SAYING THAT SHE LOVES YOU!" A voice that sounds suspiciously like Kate's yells from the other side of the door.

Her outburst is followed by loud whispers and shuffling feet. You laugh at the invasion of privacy.

" Is- is that what you're saying?"

You give her a genuine smile," Wanda, I've been in love with you for a while now. I just didn't know what to do. We've known each other so long, and Pietro's like a brother to me. You guys are the most important people in my life, and I was scared to fuck that up."

Wanda's hand caresses the side of your face," I love you too."

Your eyes shine as they peer down into hers. It felt like you had more to say, but then Wanda's lips were on yours. The words were now irrelevant.

Her lips were the softest you had ever encountered. She was certain in her movements. She was certain about you. The sensual pattern in which she kissed you made you feel like you were floating.

You had never known such peace. You had never felt something so right. In this moment with Wanda, you felt like you were complete.

" I want to do that forever," your eyes shot open to look at the beautiful woman in front of you.

" Me too."

There was a knock on the door," I'm glad you two finally sorted things about, but I spent a lot of money on this breakfast."

Pietro's voice sounded from the other side of the door. You could feel the heat rushing to your face.

Wanda giggled at your state and told Pietro you'd be right down. She kissed you one more time.

" Put some clothes on, I don't know if I want everyone seeing what's mine."

" Yours?"

She nods, her hand plants it on your bare stomach. It rubs the area up and down," Mine."

You smile," I don't mind that at all."

You slip on a shirt and some sweatpants. Then the two of you head downstairs. All eyes are on you, when you make it to the kitchen.

" Took the two of you long enough. I mean both to get together and come to breakfast," Pietro smiles teasing at the two of you.

" Don't tease them hard. I mean, it took you entirely too long to ask me to be your girlfriend," Monica shoots back at him.

He pouts," Why must you tease me so, my love."

" Enough sickly romantic couple behavior. Let's eat."

Together you all sat at the table and ate. The smile wouldn't slide off of your face for anything. Here you were surrounded by people that you loved. The woman that held your heart was right beside you. Her hand intertwined with yours under the table. The light chatter made the atmosphere even more warm. This was the happiest day of your life. You'd be having a lot of those now. With this group of people as your friends, and Wanda as your other half, you could see many happy days ahead of you.

[ijustreallylikecaptainamericaok]

Title: Sparks Fly (Whenever You Smile) AO3: Here Rating: General Warnings: None Relationship: Monica Rambeau/Steve Rogers Word Count: 130 Additional Tags: seasonaldelightsbingo's Language of Flowers Bingo, Steve Rogers Bingo, Fluffy Steve Fest, Moodboard, Not quite drabble, Ficlet, Fluff, First Meetings, Crush at First Sight, Reminiscing, Matchmaker Darcy Lewis, Photographer Peter Parker, Photographs, Party, Nervousness, Butterflies, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Not Canon Compliant Summary: Even without the serum’s help, Steve knew he’d always remember the moment he and Monica met. Notes: Made for the Steve Rogers Bingo (Round 3) prompt “Monica Rambeau,” the Language of Flowers Bingo (Seasonal Delights Bingo) prompt “Taking Photos,” and the Fluffy Steve Fest Day 4 Honeymoon challenge and prompt “Party.” I actually missed the posting deadline for all three, but I figured I’d post it anyway. Title from “Sparks Fly” by Taylor Swift.

Even without the serum’s help, Steve knew he’d always remember the moment he and Monica met.

Every little detail.  

The first time he saw her from across the room, throwing her head back with laughter. The way Darcy caught his not-so-subtle gawking and dragged him through the rest of the party to meet her. The butterflies that filled his stomach in a way he hadn’t felt in decades. Her dazzling smile and firm handshake. The way he was so engrossed in their conversation until he heard Peter shout, “Captains! Photo?” and the next thing he knew their arms were around each other. How his skin tingled at even that brief closeness.

And how he hoped she felt the same.

He didn’t have to wait long to find out the answer.

[incorrectquotesmcu]

Darcy: If you really want to get back at a man, scare him with a pregnancy test. I’ve got a whole box of old positives at my house.

Monica: You’re an American treasure.

[olsenmyolsen]

Chapter Four: The Farmer's Daughter

The Farmer's Daughter - (A WandaNat Story)

Masterlist

Summary: Natasha quickly realizes how fucked she is with Wanda Maximoff on the farm.

Word Count: 1.4K

Content: The Start of Big Time Flirty Wanda Maximoff

The woman spoke in a slight accent, making Natasha smile like an idiot.

"I uh-" The redhead cleared her throat. "I'm Natasha. Natasha Romanoff." She took steps forward with her extended.

Green eyes watched her carefully before quickly looking Natasha up and down.

Yes, she noticed the tags around Natasha's neck.

"I work here. On the farm." Natasha spoke with honesty as a soft hand met hers. The touch was gentle. "Oh!" Green eyes sounded surprised with a hint of excitement. "Well, in that case, I'm Wa-"

"Wanda!"

"Our girl!"

Everyone turned to the sound of Erik and Magda exiting the house and running down the porch steps. Excited to see their daughter, Wanda Maximoff.

Their daughter Wanda!

Natasha's eyes became wide. She pulled her hand away and watched as the mysterious person turned around and greeted Erik and Magda with a hug.

Shit! Natasha thought. She hated how her heart was beating right now.

What's worse was the smile Wanda shined when she briefly looked Natasha's way after exiting the hug with her parents.

It was the most beautiful smile she had ever seen be graced upon someone. Natasha especially liked the two front teeth. They were cute, and she could feel herself start to melt under Wanda.

This was trouble for Natasha. Wanda could sense this as she looked back at Natasha before glancing at her friends.

"Sam!" Erik turned away from his daughter and stuck his hand out to shake the driver of the Jeep. "Sir." The man inside the open Jeep stuck his hand out the nonexistent window and shook Erik's hand. Erik then looked from the man named Sam to the other occupants of the SUV. "Bucky, Carol, Darcy, Monica. Hello!" Erik smiled and waved.

They waved back.

"Hey, Mr. L. Who's that?" Asked a dark-haired younger woman with glasses. Darcy. She was pointing at Natasha.

All eyes were on her again.

"Oh!" Erik spoke up with a smile. Natasha moved a few steps closer and made sure to make eye contact with everyone. She raised her hand and waved. "Hi, I'm Natasha. Natasha Romanoff, and I'm Mr. Lehnsherr's new farmhand..." Her eyes slowly drifted past Erik and Magda and to the green eyes of Wanda. "I see myself being her for the foreseeable future." Natasha's eyes darted away.

Sam looked down at Natasha's chain.

"Did you serve?"

"Samuel!" Erik snapped his head towards the driver and shook it. Sam made a what?? face. Natasha cleared her throat and nodded. "No, it's alright," Natasha said to Erik as politely as possible. "But, yes, I did. Eight years."

Natasha missed the sound of Wanda's quiet gasp.

Sam swallowed his throat. "I have a buddy, Riley, who serves. It's honorable." Natasha smiled but shook her head. "Thanks." She wasn't ready to talk about the past she just left.

Wanda could see that, and her teasing smile and wandering eyes softened as she stared at the side profile of the sweaty redhead.

"Well, you're jacked!" A supportive voice came from the guy in the passenger seat. Wanda quickly looked in the direction of her friend Bucky. She watched his eyes scan Natasha like she was something he wanted.

Wanda unconsciously flared her nostrils and stepped forward, faking enthusiasm before Natasha could respond. The older woman watched Wanda. "Well, thank you, Sam, for driving!" Wandas walked up to the door and hung on it with a smile as she looked back at Carol, Darcy, and Monica. "Keep these boys in line, Danvers." The blonde laughed. "You got it."

Darcy looked from Wanda to Bucky.

She noticed and would always have Wanda's back. "It's rude to stare, Buck," Darcy said, making him pull his eyes away from Natasha. "I wasn't staring." He said before realizing how loud he was and turned away.

Missing the glare Wanda sent and the tilt of the head from Natasha.

Regardless, Sam laughed and got the jist. "Have a good one, Wanda." He said quietly with a wink. Monica slapped the back of his shoulder. "Just drive."

"See ya, Mr. L!" Darcy sang from the backseat for everyone in the car. Erik smiled and waved back as Sam started to turn the Jeep around. "Be safe!"

Everyone waved as they passed Natasha, who smiled and returned a courtesy wave. The redhead noticed a wink sent by the man named Bucky from the side mirror. She turned away and found the eyes of Wanda Maximoff looking up her body. Natasha swallowed and cleared her throat. "Well, I'll let you all catch up." Natasha smiled and turned to walk away when Wanda spoke up. "Wait!"

Natasha stopped and slowly turned back. "Come join us for lunch." Natasha looked past Wanda to Erik and Magda. They weren't planning on having lunch quite yet, but there was nothing wrong with having Natasha join and help out.

Especially if Wanda was going to join instead of spending her time ignoring her responsibilities by posting pictures and videos on the internet all day.

"Oh no, I have more work to get done and-" Erik stepped up and placed a hand on his daughter's shoulder. "Romanoff, come on. Wanda won't bite." He joked, but that's just what Natasha was afraid of. Wanda sinking her teeth into her because Natasha knew the second that happened, it would be all over.

Natasha cursed internally and nodded. She placed her work gloves into her back pocket, and followed the family inside their home. And Natasha didn't mean for it to happen, but her eyes found themselves glued onto the back of Wanda's tan thighs.

Wanda could feel it and hide a smile as she turned her head to the side. She cleared her throat.

Natasha immediately looked up and turned red from being caught. Wanda looked up and down Natasha before raising her eyebrows and turning back. "Mama," Wanda spoke up as she kicked off her shoes by the front door. Natasha was afraid of what was going to come out of Wanda's mouth. "Yes?" Magda and Erik stopped to hear their daughter's next question.

Wanda briefly glimpsed at Natasha, who was gently stepping out of her boots.

"Oh shit." The redhead thought.

"Where is Natasha staying?" She asked, knowing she made Natasha sweat. "Tiny House," Erik said. "No need to worry about her." He smiled and kissed his daughter's head before turning to Natasha. "Once you wash up, join me in the kitchen, and we'll cut up some potatoes." Natasha nodded. "Yes, sir."

Magda patted her husband's shoulder as he walked past. "Like Papa said, no need to worry about Natasha here, little one." Magda then turned to Natasha as Wanda walked up a few steps. "She always worries about the farmhands." Natasha looked past Magda and found Wanda winking.

Oh, she definitely "worried."

Natasha smiled. "Well, nice to know there's another person that'll be here in case anything happens." Magda smiled at that. "Oh, is chicken, potatoes, and rice okay for lunch? My husband just assumed." Natasha thought back to all the pecking she endured. She nodded. "Yes, ma'am."

"Good." Magda smiled and went to join her husband in the kitchen.

Natasha looked up to Wanda on the steps. Wanda was staring back with a teasing smile. "You were checking me out." The younger of the two said.

"You checked me out, too," Natasha replied. Wanda lightly laughed. "Yeah, but didn't you hear? I worry about the farmhands."

Natasha closed her mouth and rolled her tongue over her teeth, unknowingly making Wanda bite her bottom lip. "Well..." Natasha looked up to Wanda. "You don't need to worry about me. It won't do us any good."

Wanda didn't like that. She pulled her teeth back into her mouth and smiled with the look of someone who hated being told no.

She stepped down a few stairs and lowered her voice just above a whisper. "Being bad is more fun." Natasha swallowed as Wanda came closer and looked up at the body of the redhead slowly. "Natasha." Wanda husked out her name and made Natasha look her way as their green eyes reached each other. "You'll see." She said before turning around.

Natasha could breathe again.

"Oh, and in case you were wondering, my room is at the end of the hall on the left." Natasha gave nothing. So Wanda smiled. "You know the window you can see from the tiny house."

Natasha walked away with this new information and locked herself in the bathroom.

Her hands gripped the sides of the sink as she looked at herself in the mirror. "Get yourself together, Romanoff." She whispered shouted at herself. "Yes, she's fucking incredible, but she's your boss's daughter." Natasha sighed, and a flicker of Wanda smiling and her tan skin worked its way into Natasha's mind.

She looked up at herself in the mirror again.

"Get it together."

dividers by @/benkeibear

Tag list: @xenaizogie

[angelwiththeblue-box]

watching the marvels was so fun pls go watch it but also i need everyone to know this very specific thought process:

carol has def slept with dar-benn the amount of ex lovers energy off of them is insane, she was dating maria and they were serious until carol lost her memory then they were on and off, but carol was always there and maria never stopped loving her and carol and valkyrie are dating thee power couple of the mcu i love them

thank you and goodnight

[the-lesbian-of-too-many-fandoms]

I JUST REALIZED THAT I SHIP THESE THREE SO HARD

i don't know who drew this amazing fanart but if someone knows tell me so that i can tag them :)

[biromantic-barbie]

WANDAVISION (2021, dir. Matt Shakman) 1.01 FILMED BEFORE A LIVE STUDIO AUDIENCE 1.02 DON'T TOUCH THAT DIAL 1.03 NOW IN COLOR 1.04 WE INTERRUPT THIS PROGRAM 1.05 ON A VERY SPECIAL EPISODE... 1.06 ALL-NEW HALLOWEEN SPOOKTACULAR! 1.07 BREAKING THE FOURTH WALL 1.08 PREVIOUSLY ON 1.09 THE SERIES FINALE

do not repost/remove my username.

[iobsessoverfictionalmen]

Spooktober (3) - A terrible promise

Warnings: soulmate au and spoilers for Wandavision.

“He is a vile, reprehensible excuse for a human being!”  You stormed into Darcy’s lab with a scowl and sat down with a loud thud, jostling the equipment on the desk.

“Whoa!  Easy with the aggression!”  Darcy yelped grabbing for her coffee cup as it tilted next to her laptop, threatening to spill its contents over her keyboard.  “I’m guessing the meeting didn’t go well?”

“It didn’t,” Agent Jimmy Woo confirmed.

“What?  Did the big bad Hayward bench us?” 

“It would have been so much better if he had!” You complained heatedly before dropping your head into your hands.

There was silence and then Darcy broke it by complaining that no one ever told her anything important.  Captain Monica Rambeau entered the lab just in time to catch the end of Darcy’s complaint and shooting you a remorseful look, which you didn’t see because your head was till in your hands, she spoke.

“(Name) began to see colour the second we walked into the command centre.”

“Oh,” Darcy gasped in understanding.  She pulled herself out of her chair and walked over to you.  She patted you on the shoulder awkwardly, “Are you sure it’s him?”

You raised your head, “We were the only four people in the room.”

Darcy blew out a breath, “Well, this sucks for you.”

“Yeah, no kidding.” 

Jimmy held up his hand, “But this isn’t the first time that you’ve been in the same room as Hayward.”

“Besides,” Monica interjected, “I’ve heard rumours that Hayward’s married.  A soul bond wouldn’t activate if one of the people involved is already taken.”

“That’s a good point.”

“Your body could have been reacting to the presence of your soulmate even if they weren’t in the room with us.”

Hope began to spread through you, “Maybe it’s not Hayward after all.”

“Hold up!”  Jimmy made a T shape with his hands, “Can we go back to the part where Hayward is married?  Who would marry him?  I wonder what they’re like.  They must have the patience of a saint to put up with him.  Or maybe he’s subm-”

“Jimmy, I beg you not to finish that sentence,” you pleaded.

“Right yeah,” Jimmy shuddered.  “I don’t want that mental image either.”

Monica looked similarly grossed out while Darcy seemed intrigued by the fact that Hayward was married.

An alarm rang out unexpectedly causing you to flinch reflexively, “WEAPONS OFFLINE!  WEAPONS OFFLINE!”  A robotic voice shrieked.

You covered your ears as the alarm and the voice continued, “WHAT COULD CAUSE THAT?!”  You shouted over the noise.

“NORMALLY I’D SAY AN EMP BUT IF THAT’S THE CASE THEN WE WOULDN’T BE HEARING THE-”

The robotic voice stopped booming as abruptly as it started and Jimmy cut himself off.  He stared at the speaker in the ceiling with an expression of dread on his face.  Darcy raised her raised her eyes to stare at the same spot with her hands covering her ears.

“That’s not a good thing right?!”  She exclaimed, removing one of her hands from her ears to point at the quiet speaker.

There was a crackling sound followed by a popping sound and all of the technology in the lab suddenly shut down.

“Yeah, that’s not good.”  Monica agreed, walking over to Darcy’s machines and trying to manually turn them back on.

“YOU POSSESS SOMETHING THAT BELONGS TO THE GODS!”  A thunderous voice rang out, brimming with the promise of ancient power and retribution.

Now it was your turn to stare up at the ceiling, wondering if the voice was coming through the speaker.  Out of the corner of your eye, you saw Monica, Jimmy and Darcy falling to their knees with the heels of their palms pressed into their temples.

Your breathing grew ragged as it dawned on you why you were the only one still standing and not clutching your head.

“BRING HER TO MY TEMPLE ON THE EDGE OF TOWN OR THE HEX ENCIRCLING WESTVIEW WILL BE THE LEAST OF YOUR WORRIES!” The voice declared ominously.

When she was certain that the voice wouldn’t say anything else, Darcy lowered her hands from her head and still kneeling, she grinned up at you, “He called it The Hex.”

The smile that appeared on your face at Darcy’s comment was wiped off your face when Monica spoke as she climbed to her feet, “The only temple on the edge of town belongs to the Greek God of War.”

Your breath whooshed out of you at her statement.

Jimmy exhaled, “Well, at least your soulmate isn’t Hayward.”  He said with a tone of forced cheer.