Stop and say you'll love me, always...

[nomadeupname]

I found a loop hole for us now
It's called redemption of my history
Do you think you could look past my fears
Tell me now my love
Because I will lose it in your eyes, I see firelight in your eyes
I know that things will be better when you are by my side
By my side...
Evans Blue - Stop and say you love me




[Taking place after this]

Stephen knew he had fucked up, even before Wanda had chosen to walk away from the Sanctum. He couldn't really blame her either; he'd been a complete ass to Steve. He had let his pride override his more rational side and now Wanda was mad. Or maybe even worse, hurt by his actions. Even if anger was still boiling in his chest, he found himself roaming in circles in his study, unable to focus on any of the books he tried to read. With a groan, he had thrown the latest tome in his hands before walking out of his study, and before he knew it, he was in front of what had been Wanda's room before she had 'officially' moved in with him in the master bedroom. Anger slowly melted into guilt, and he leaned his head against the wooden door, wondering what he could do to make amends to Wanda when she would get back. If she would get back, part of him feared.

He was just about to leave to his room when the Cloak chose his path for him. Tugging him back, it pulled Stephen until he was facing the Captain's door. He gave the Cloak a long glare, knowing well what it was trying to convey:

"Oh come on, you've gotta be kidding me!" The only response the Cloak gave was to curl a part of itself in a fist and knock on the door, the sound muffled but loud enough that moments later, Steve was opening the door. Annoyed, but knowing this was probably for the best, Stephen exhaled sharply:

"Look Rogers, I'm sorry for earlier. I know you're trying to protect Wanda, I commend you for that, but that talk? It was overstepping your boundaries. What happens between her and me is private to us alone."

He watched as Steve simply raised an eyebrow and crossed his arms over his chest, though he could sense that he had the captain's attention:

"I know you think I'm not the best choice for Wanda. I'm not an idiot, I know I have had my failings in the past with women," he raised a hand to silence Steve as he noticed the other man opening his mouth to say something.

"But I do care deeply about her. I love Wanda, and whatever you may think of me, I am the best choice for her. She'll never be safer than here in the Sanctum, or with me, because I'm probably the only one that understands her powers and what drives them, and more importantly, what drives her. I know she's been through a lot and I don't plan to add more heartache than she's had already."

Well, beside the occasional moment where he'd be a total ass, like hours before. But Steve didn't need to know that, if he didn't already.

"What I'm trying to say is, please back off the protective act. I have enough with watching for stray arrows aimed at my ass." He watched as the captain tried not to let his lips curl into an amused smile at that. Steve uncrossed his arms from his chest and opened his mouth, but before he could say anything, a loud bell rang and resonated across the Sanctum, and Stephen's face changed into a more serious look:

"Hold that thought, would you?" He said as he ran out of the hallway adding barely before turning the corners to the stairs: "And lock up before you leave!"


***********************

Stephen walked back into the Sanctum long hours after having left it in a hurry, tired and more frazzled than he wanted to admit it. He had gone directly to the study, grabbing books by the stacks as he passed the book room before setting them on the desk. He wasn't through the second grimoire before he rested his head on his arm and fell asleep, too exhausted to push his astral body out of his physical one.

It might be how Wanda would find him, late at night or early into the morning: still asleep on the desk, the Cloak wrapped around him more like a blanket than a cloak. His left hand was sporting a hurriedly wrapped bandage, the clear line of dried blood a telltale sign of a clean cut, the books on the desk another hint that blood magic might have been used. His hair was sticking out in all direction and was mated with some sort of sticky green fluid. Despite his exhaustion, he didn't look like he was having a very pleasant sleep either.

Comments

[seeingscarlet]

Going home is surreal, and not only because Pietro isn't with her anymore. The incident in Lagos and the Accords and had been reported very differently in Sokovia: here are the original Avengers messing up again, and instead of being grateful that Wanda was there to save them, America's blamed her for being put in that position in the first place. She's like their Captain America, and no Sokovia would ever turn her in if they recognized her.

Thankfully, this is one of the times that going home recharges her instead of sending her back into a depressive slump. She feels better able to go in search of Stephen now rather than wait until the morning, but he's not in their room like she'd expected.

Of course not.

No, there are only two places that make sense, and after a quick psychic sweep Wanda heads to the study. It's a little later than she'd intended to stay out, but she's sure bringing him dinner was still the right choice. If he's been holed up the whole time, she wouldn't be surprised, although the psychic atmosphere in the Sanctum feels much better. The storm has passed and it's no longer so stifling, although...there's something odd she can't quite place, like someone's come in while she was out and moved things around.

Weird.

She thinks briefly about going to investigate, but by then she's reached the study and the adorable sight of the Cloak draped over her lover like a blanket is too distracting. Wanda sets the takeout box on his desk and frowns as she notices his bandaged hand and the goo in his hair. "Oh Stephen..." she whispers, resting a hand on his shoulder and leaning down to softly kiss his cheek. "Wake up, love."

[nomadeupname]

Stephen has sense the change in the Sanctum as well when he's gotten back from Hong Kong, but the events that had unfolded there had pulled his attention far more than the feeling of displaced objects in the Sanctum. But the foreign touch might explain why his sleep is fistful and when Wanda reaches for him, he wakes up with a start, one hand shooting up to grab the one she's put on his shoulder almost defensively. He gives her an half confused look before sleep clears up from the blue of his eyes and he shakes his head slightly:

"Wanda?"

He gives his study a look over as consciousness floods his mind, and he runs a hand in his hair, streaking some of the green goo on his hand, a reminder of what had happened earlier that night. He gives the brunette a look filled with barely concealed relief:

"How long have you been back?" He's not very presentable, but Stephen doesn't really care: he longs to pull her in his arms, but doesn't. Wanda is back, and safe, but he knows things are still in need of mending between the two of them.

"I'm sorry. For this morning. I spoke to Steve about it too. I mean. On a more rational level."

It's a start, yes?

[seeingscarlet]

Well, his reaction wasn't exactly unexpected. Wanda could feel how restless his sleep was from the moment she set foot in the study. "I'm here. You're safe," she murmurs, gently rubbing her thumb back and forth in soothing arcs on his shoulder.

A wave of guilt washes over her as she fully takes him in. She had left, something had happened, and she wasn't here when he'd needed her. And thanks to their almost-argument from earlier, of course Stephen wouldn't have tried to call her back.

"I'm sorry, too. I shouldn't have left you alone." Nevermind that the other former Avengers are here - it's not at all the same as personally being there to keep an eye on him and watch his back. This hurts the most, Natasha had warned her, knowing your lover had walked into danger without you by their side.

"I brought you dinner?" It seems like such an inadequate peace offering, but she knows Stephen's tendencies to get lost in his work and forget his body's more mundane needs. He hasn't even taken a shower although he badly needs one after whatever had happened in her absence.

Fortunately for Stephen, Wanda's feeling contrite enough to feed it to him without any teasing at all. She'd badly like to hold him, but after the events of the day she's not quite sure where they stand. "What happened?"

[nomadeupname]

"It's fine, you needed space, I get it..." he starts defensively, but there's no real bite behind his words. Stephen is just relieved that Wanda is safe and home, and despite his words, his body radiates with that feeling, his shoulders slowly relaxing even if the air is not exactly cleared between them.

"Mm, thank you, you're a life saver," he says as he reaches for the take out box, grabbing the chopsticks that came with it, snapping them into before attacking the food she's brought in. Wanda is right, his last meal was that morning, and no matter how exhausted or in need of a shower he is, it's his growling stomach that wins over. Table manners fly out the door as he stuffs his mouth, chewing for a long moment before he can answer her question:

"Demons. In London. Did you know Hell is dimension but that's not where demons come from?" he jokes before shoving more food in his mouth. "Whoever summoned them is powerful enough that I had to use blood magic to close the portal created."

And yet, the fight had been rather easy. No injuries beside the cut he's inflicted himself on his hand to close the gateway. It only had been once he came to Kamar-Taj that they figured out it had been a distraction: back in Hong Kong, two of the retired masters had had their magic 'stolen' by Mordo. Stephen hadn't wanted to believe it at first, but more and more incidents are making it clear that his old friend is collecting the 'due bill'. It's only a matter of time before New York is pulled in the fray, but Stephen can't bring himself to send Wanda away until the issue is resolved. None of the Sanctum have been attacked like with Kaecilius, perhaps as long as she stays in, she'll be safe. Which reminds him:

"Where did you go?"

He doesn't know how to probe the problem, or what else to say beside that he's sorry and made up with the captain as well.

[seeingscarlet]

"Now you're going to tell me Hell is full of fluffy animals," Wanda laughs, leaving him to eat while she rearranges his desk to make room to hoist herself onto it. "But you didn't find the summoner?"

That's troubling, but it really needs to be Future Stephen's problem. He's not going to get anywhere pushing himself past the brink of exhaustion, as much as he loves being a workaholic. Wanda can't help but wonder if this is just how it is when she's not here.

"We went home to Sokovia." A beat; she's not sure how to approach this or even bring up his earlier argument with Steve. She's glad they worked it out, to whatever degree that's possible for two extremely stubborn people, but now things between them feel oddly brittle.

Had he thought she wouldn't come if he'd asked?

Wanda sighs, reaching out for his injured hand. "Let me see? I have been practicing something."

[nomadeupname]

"I wish," he replies, his lips curling into an amused smile, "but it's full of what you expect: fire, brimstone and restless souls."

Her next question, however, manages to darken his expression, and he looks down at the food at the bottom of the take out carton with a frown. "No. They were long gone when we arrived. But I know who they might be working with."

It's hurting him more than he wants to admit that Mordo has started to 'hunt' other sorcerers. That he would turn to such cruelty as leaving Pangborn crippled again. 'Within the natural laws my ass,' he thinks bitterly before dropping the empty carton on his desk.

Was Mordo really the monster he's created when transgressing the laws of time to save the world from Dormammu? Was this really the price he'll have to pay, having to fight his old mentor and friend? The thought of it is unsettling enough that Stephen momentarily forgets how fragile things are between him and Wanda, and reaches to wrap his arms around her legs before resting his head on her thigh despite the state of caked goo in his hair.

"Do you believe that Newton's second law applies to karma? That for every action you take, there's a subsequent reaction within the multiverse to counterbalance it?"

Has he really caused the evil that Mordo is doing?

It's only when she mentions her home that Stephen remembers their fight, but he doesn't move away from her. On the contrary, the hold around her waist tightens lightly:

"That's good," it means that she had been safe, away from the chaos caused by his transgressions. "How is Sokovia these days?" His tone is maybe light, but he does mean his questions: the Sokovians have suffered through a lot at the hands of Ultron, he truly hopes they have started rebuilding their city, and their pride.

He finally detangles himself from Wanda when she reaches to check his injured hand, giving her space to work:

"Have you, now? Are you expecting me to come back home with another broken rib again?" he teases, though there's a slight sense of pride in the fact that she's been practicing spells without his aid.

[seeingscarlet]

Wanda would never deny him comfort, even when he has demon goo in his hair. It warms her heart to know that things are not so fragile between them that he doesn't want to touch her, and gentle wisps of scarlet thread through his hair.

"I don't know," she murmurs. "But if you think like that, you will never be able to do anything." She knows from experience. Lingering survivor's guilt from the experiments drives her, but guilt over Ultron and the accident in Lagos still hold her back, even under Stephen's patient tutelage.

"Home is...better, since the Wakandans sent their engineers. I hear they hope to reconnect the river by the end of the month." It was a very large crater, though, and it remains to be seen how much of it can be reclaimed. Like them, Novi Grad will need to change and adapt, but now that they're actually getting competent help, it's looking less like the old capital will have to be abandoned entirely. If the Avengers ever return to Wakanda, she'll have to make a point to find Shuri and thank her.

Carefully Wanda unwraps his bandaged hand and cradles it palm-up in hers. "I am going to worry every time I'm not with you, you know." She holds her other hand scant inches above the cut, takes a deep breath, and lets a small tendril of power flow into the wound. This is simple enough in theory - command the body to heal itself now and provide it with an energy source to draw from. It's a little less taxing on the body than the spell she'd based it on; Wanda's power is a living energy that can be converted much more easily than what the Master of the Mystic Arts typically use.

Which also means this is a much more intimate energy exchange, something she would only offer to Stephen or the other Avengers unless a life was at stake. For a moment, Wanda's acutely aware of his heartbeat, his breath, the tremor in his hands, and everywhere that's stiff from sleeping in the chair.

In the span of no more than 10 seconds, the wound disappears. Dazed, Wanda blinks and sits back, but she doesn't release his hand. "How does that feel?"