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Chapter Text

I’d felt like I'd been there my entire life. Wrapped in yellow blankets, like a baby, swaddled too tight. I was sinking further and further. And just when I was about to run out of breath, something pulled me out. 

Something in the trees. a light. A glow. 

Chapter Text

The world was moving outside, and yet inside, under a wooden table, sat a young Wanda, her bottom lip trembling as tears fell down her cheeks. The girl rocked herself in hopes of calming down, but nothing could stop the inaudible whimpers slipping past her mouth. 

Misha quickly purred her way towards Wanda, and jumped into her embrace. Wanda dug her face deeper into the cat's fur, who responded by nuzzling herself back into Wanda's shoulder. 

Pulling herself together, Wanda distracts herself from the pain, choosing to feed Misha food instead. Then slowly after, she heads to the nearby sink to clean up. But upon turning the tap, the gurgling of the water sends her back to a night she prays to forget. The water collects within the basin of the sink and the yellow sponge swims across the surface. Reminding Wanda of a familiar pale yellow dress, dancing in the depths of water, bubbles surrounding the fabric before fading into darkness. 

Deeper in the forest, a tender girl, Natasha, is seen walking beside her bicycle towards a lake that was once taped off. Now the blue tape waves in the wind like a flag around a tree. The girl stares out into the lakes, a look of worry found on her face. She inches closer towards the bank before cycling out and down a long rocky path, stopping at the sight of a rusting gate, blocking off a foreign pathway, a road not taken by many. With curiosity, she finds herself walking down the path, glancing at everything around her.

Natasha stumbles upon an old house, hidden out of sight. It's mostly yellow, with a door painted sky blue. A porch that doesn't stretch out far, but still there. A makeshift swing out of extra rope and a piece of wooden plank, tied to the large tree that overlooks the house. She peers through the window for any form of life, calling out for anybody, she knocks lightly on the door. When suddenly she hears the meows of a cat, she quickly turns in the direction of the sounds.

Coming from around the house, said cat cautiously struts towards Natasha, and allows Natasha to pet her. 

"Hello, what's your name?" Natasha speaks softly whilst looking for a name tag,

"Misha." She whispers to no one.

The cat begins to stroll off from where she came from, within the trenches of bushes and flowers.

"Where are you off to?" Natasha mustered out with a hint of unease, but equally interested she followed behind the cat, coming across another iron gate. As she walks in even further, her eyes search through the beautiful garden she found herself wandering into. Glass panes curve into a greenhouse, and a colourful umbrella hovers just underneath. Flowers rooted into the ground, the soil crumbles at the touch of her feet.

Hidden behind a fragile shed, Natasha gawks in shock at the mysterious yet so familiar girl quivering in her own body, holding onto Misha as tight as she can. Wanda, in defence, juts out her garden shears before her, completely alerted by the presence of the stranger. 

Natasha, without a look of fear but rather sympathy, speaks out, 

"Hey, it's okay." before kindly adding, "Your cat is really cute."

Blinded by the fear of losing the one last thing Wanda lives for, she quickly spits out. 

"Don't take her!"

Unmoved by Wanda's reaction, Natasha holds her hands up in surrender before carefully responding, 

"Just wanted to make sure you're okay. Are you?"

"How did you know I was here?" Wanda asks wearily.

"Well I was there last night, at the reservoir."

Wanda is immediately drawn back into a memory, a painful one, at the mention of the lake. Over and over again. The same nightmare, a pale yellow dress waltzing through the water surrounded by harsh bubbles of desperate needs of air. And by the lake bank stood a small figure, frozen but glowing like a light in white.

Grief-stricken, Wanda looks down at her feet, unable to keep eye contact with the stranger anymore. Natasha noticed the desolate nature of Wanda's, upon the mention, and yet she promises to her,

"I saw what happened, but I won't tell anyone. I promise. I pinky promise."

Natasha holds out her little finger with sincerity, only to have it hanging in the air as Wanda stares at the gesture with confusion. 

"What are you doing with your finger?" 

Also confused, Natasha ponders, "Haven't you heard of a pinky promise? Well I guess it means something more than just a normal handshake. Like a special promise, that can never ever be broken. So I pinky promise to you, I won't tell anyone."

Slowly, Wanda brings her pinky up to connect it with Nat's. She inspects their interconnected fingers in awe at such action, wondering how a small thing can hold great value. 

Wanda follows Natasha back to the front of her house. Natasha rocks on the makeshift swing, whilst Wanda lingers by the side, still examining the stranger before her. 

"What's your name?" asks Natasha.

"Wanda." she meekly whispers carefully.

"I'm Natasha, but the people I know call me Nat. You can call me Nat if you'd like."

"Nat." Wanda tests out, as the nickname rolls off her tongue.

"So what colour are the other fingers? If this one is pink, what are the others?" Wanda asks innocently.

"Well it's not that it's pink, it's just called your pinky finger. The other ones have different names, you know them right?" 

Holding her hand out as she points to each finger, "Yes. First, second, third-"

Quickly jumping in to correct Wanda, Natasha holds out her hand to also point at each finger. 

"I guess that's one way to put it. But there are much cooler names: pinky, ring, middle though it's sometimes called rude."

Unfamiliar with the expression, she copies Natasha and displays her middle finger towards her.

"What makes the finger rude?"

Chuckling, Natasha takes Wanda's hand into her own to put down the middle finger. 

She softly tells her, "Don't do that. It's like saying something really mean, but with your finger."

Wanda stares out in front of her. Natasha, who looks over at the girl with care, brings back her attention to reality.

"Hey Wanda, do you wanna come and sit with me?" whilst patting on the seat besides her.

Wanda timidly walks the distance between where she stood and the swing. She accepts the offer, but maintains her distance from Natasha, still slightly alert in the presence of someone she's just met. 

Natasha watches Wanda drop her shoulders eventually and loosen her guard, taking this moment to ask,

"Can I come visit you again?"

Immediately remembering her situation, Wanda responds, "No one can know I'm here. If they find out, they'll take Misha away, they'll take me away. Forever." 

With genuine understanding, Natasha reminds her,

"I won't tell anyone, it can be our secret." 

Wanda blushes at the idea of secrecy, she believes then and there that Natasha she can try to trust. Trust her to keep her words. Trust her to tell no one.

Excitedly, she puts out her index finger, "purple promise?"

Natasha grinning but respecting Wanda's intentions, locks her own index finger with hers. 

"Purple Promise."

They both look at each other with admiration, the revelation of a blooming friendship between the two of them is mutually understood as something they're both looking forward to. 

It was her. Natasha. The glow on the bank, the pull from the trees. She's not of this place, and yet she saved me. My friend, Natasha.

Chapter Text

After spending most of her day with Wanda, Natasha goes back home, where she finds everyone waiting out on the porch, watching her cycle in. Everyone included her mom Melina and her mom's boyfriend Alexei, but also two detectives, new ones, not the ones from last night. Different ones, they were there for more, Natasha thought. But she made a promise to someone who now means more to her.

She dismounted and dragged her bike through dust to park it against the side of her house. Her mother stood strong before Natasha, her body weight against the wooden post with her arms crossed. Her jaw clenched tight, her eyes remained intensely targeted on Natasha, eyebrows furrowed and face so flushed red you would think she was about to burst. Natasha prepared to hear the same words again, she let her mother speak.

"Dermo! Do you want me to have a nervous breakdown Natalia, is that it?"

"It's Natasha..." she mumbled under her breath.

"Pardon?" 

"Nothing mama, no mama."

Melina is pissed. It's not unusual to have police at their door, let alone the detectives. A very very small part of her worries about her daughter’s behaviour, but of course her worry lies on how much it would take to fix her daughter's mess.

"Mind explaining why the fuck the detectives are here, at my house?"

"I don't know ma'am."

"Little girl, I am tired of all the trouble you cause me. Grey hairs. I have grey hairs Natalia. Chto ty sdelal seychas?”

"I've not done a fucking thing!" cries out Natasha. 

Alexei, noticing the tension rising between the mother-daughter pair, intervenes and separates the two. 

"Hey, watch your tone young lady, that is your mother you are speaking to." reprimands Alexei. Though this goes through one ear of Natasha's and out the other, as she roughly barges past Melina to walk inside, not waiting for anyone to follow behind. The detectives, wishing to cause no more commotion, reassures Melina all they want is to ask a couple more questions. They then walk inside to catch up to Natasha, leaving Alexei and Melina stressed outside.

Inside, Natasha guides the detectives into their average sized kitchen. She reclines against the cabinets as the detectives take their stance opposite her. The three of them look at each other before one of the detectives introduces himself.

"I'm Detective Nick Fury, this is my partner Detective Maria Hill." Fury glances at Maria, an unspoken message runs across both of them: she's not listening. "Listen, we just want to clarify what you saw at the reservoir last night, that's all. Is that alright?" Natasha nods in response.

"So you saw some thrashing in the water and then you said you saw a girl running away from the reservoir, and we are not sure who that is. Could you help us?" explains Maria. 

Natasha then realises what they're really here for. Remembering the promise she made to Wanda earlier in the day, she begins to conjure up half-truths in her head. But fidgeting uncomfortably, she distracts herself by making space on the counter behind her to jump up onto a seat. 

"See the deceased had no kids nor family. We think it may have been a visitor, or perhaps someone from out of town. Now is there anything at all that you can tell us about?" unsatisfied with Natasha's lack of attention, Fury presses on. Natasha on the other hand tries to make herself comfortable, spotting a lollipop discarded, she takes it and begins to unravel the packet.

"Look!" interjects Natasha, whilst holding the lollipop out in front of her.

"Listen kid, we really need you to focus and think right now." urges Maria.

"It's a scorpion in a lollipop, so strange... See!" says Natasha as she turns it towards Maria to see, then casually places it into her mouth. 

"So what did she look like? Light hair? Dark?" asks Maria.

"Yeah right, I don't really think I saw a girl." reveals Natasha, though not entirely the truth.

"No girl." Maria tries to confirm.

"No it was dark, pitch black honestly. Besides, I was on my own, so I probably just freaked out and my mind thought of things that weren't actually there. I've got a really overactive imagination. Mom reminds me all the time." rambles Natasha. 

"Hold up, let me get this straight. There was no girl? At all? But you told us-" Fury exclaims, quite staggered by the new information. 

"Yes. I know, I know. I'm saying I got carried away when I was speaking to the officer last night. There was no girl. But I definitely saw a woman, an older lady... she was walking into the water and then..the thrashing..." interrupts Natasha. Fury for a moment just stares at Natasha, who's not looking at either of them currently, and looks over at Maria to confirm they both heard the same thing.

"Okay, so you saw an older woman, walking into the water."

"Yeah, that author lady who lives by the reservoir. I recognised her from the back of one of her books."

"Natalya Maximoff." confirms Maria.

"Yeah, that's her... She just walked into the water without looking back, and didn't come out. It was so fucked." Despite the language, her childish innocence shows when she goes back to having her lollipop. The two detectives, on the other hand, make eye contact once again, consuming the change in story they received, sighing they accept what they've got. 

"Okay, sounds about right." says Fury.

"Well yeah, I assure you I know what I'm saying is correct this time, I'm certain. I'm not lying if that's what you're thinking."

"No no we trust you." reassures Maria, though she's not so confident in that.

"Cool... so, I'm good? Like I'm not in trouble?" questions Natasha.

"No you're not in trouble, you're a good kid." Fury chuckles. "Like I said we just wanted to clarify a couple of things." Natasha simply nods. "You've been a big help, thank you Natalia." claims Fury, with a genuine smile.

"Natasha, Natasha will do..." she hesitantly corrects.

"Okay. Thank you, Natasha." And with that Fury makes his way out of the kitchen to the porch, where they left Melina and Alexei. Maria stays with Natasha for a moment, she sympathises with a kid like her, having seen the things she has during her time as a detective. She knows this isn't something that's easily processed. 

"Hey kid, what you saw must have been really scary. You have anyone you could talk to if you need to?"

Natasha beams at Maria's concern and worry, "Yeah, I've got someone to speak to. Thank you." 

With that, Maria leaves the kitchen as well, walking out to her partner. Natasha is left to her own thoughts, considering how to keep Wanda safe. She's not completely certain the detectives actually believe her, especially when she's suddenly changed her testimony. 

Even then, she pledges to protect Wanda. 

Whatever it takes.

Chapter Text

Back at the cabin, Wanda is caught in a daze. Sitting on the floor beside her bed, her hand is mindlessly fiddling with the thin sheet draped across her bed. Lost in her thoughts of a house that was once a home of life and sound.

She looks at the bed that sits opposite hers. The bed is made, as if untouched for months. The blankets are tucked neatly and the pillows sat on top upright. The sun ray splashes across the entire room, brightening the yellow walls, and yet the bed stands empty, cold and lifeless. Wanda, deep in her memories, unknowingly directs herself closer to the bed. Her hand reaches for the bedsheet before retracting it, she struggles to get herself to touch the bed, or even just look at it for any longer.

Something takes her out of her muse. Not something. Someone.

"Lessons my darling." speaks the voice softly.

Wanda takes calculated steps in the direction of where the voice was coming from. She recognises the tenderness to the voice. The lightness to the tone, and the way the words flow out evenly. 

In the living room, by the window which overlooks the woods, stands a tall figure. Her mother. She's holding a book, a lesson book. But she's wearing the same pale yellow dress, the one from that night, the night that haunts Wanda, and may just be haunting her right now, she thinks.

Natalya, Wanda's mother, looks over her shoulder watching as her daughter stands and stares at her back. With a face full of concern, Natalya hastily walks to Wanda. 

"Moya devushka, what's the matter?" Natalya questions with worry in her tone.

"I don't know..." Wanda whispers back so quietly, it would have usually been so hard to hear, except the two of them reside alone in a deafening silence. Wanda's face is contorted with shock, her mouth agape, eyes wide open with tears threatening to spill. Natalya places one hand on her right cheek delicately, whilst the other caresses her hair with love.

"Oh my sweet child, are you having bad thoughts again?" She breathes out lightly, giving Wanda a sympathetic smile, to which Wanda responds with an apprehensive slow nod as tears shortly course down her cheeks.

"Oh my darling," Natalya brushes Wanda's hair back, both hands are now holding Wanda's face, as she wipes away the tears with her thumbs, "It's okay, it's okay my darling, it's all going to be okay."

Wanda struggles to believe her mother is actually in her presence. Her eyes are still wide, absorbing every little feature of her mother's face. From the discreet small scar beside her eyebrow, to the freckles that filter across the bridge of her nose, to the beauty spot that sits between her nose and upper lip on the right side of her face. Her mother brings her face closer to her own, touching their foreheads as Natalya feels Wanda's distress radiating off of her. She begins to hush Wanda to calm down her emotions, giving her a gentle kiss on her forehead, her lips lingering there for a second or two.

"Dorogoy, breathe in... and out..."

Wanda slowly accepts her mother's comfort, grasping onto the older pair of hands that hold her, she closes her eyes and follows her mother's breathing patterns.

"Sweet love, you are doing so well, just take a long breath..."

Wanda makes the mistake of opening her eyes. Before her, the yellow dress pressed against her mother's skin, her hair stiff and drenched, water dripping from the ends of strands. Her face soaked with salty water droplets, the hands that hold Wanda's face no longer cast the same heat, but rather a coldness. Wanda's eyes darted across Natalya's entire figure, now avoiding her mother's eyes, her hands trying to pull off Natalya's ones from her face. Her lips part and quiver as quick breaths escape them. She no longer feels the same serenity everytime she closes her eyes, the same dream. And the moment she opens them, the same nightmare, a reality she doesn't want to accept nor relive. 

Natalya, still murmuring calming words, "Stay with me milyy, it's all okay..."

Wanda finally finds the courage to look up to her mother's eyes once again. They no longer hold the same tranquillity as it once did, she only imagines how her mother felt that night. In the lake.

"Shh.. my sweet love."

Natalya's face filled with fear, before finding peace as she takes her last breath, under water. Her face became purple, losing colour.

"Take a deep breath."

No longer struggling or fighting against the force of nature, she gives in, fading into the darkness of the lake. She is free. And yet she is selfish, Wanda thinks. For leaving her all alone, left to fend herself against the unknown enemies in the world. 

"My darling girl, stay with me." Ironic.

But in desperate need of seeing her mother (as she wants) again. She squeezes her eyes shut, her frantic breath slows down. Her mother is here. 

"We're nearly there my sweet girl. We are nearly there."

Wanda, trying to forget about the horror she had seen of her mother moments before, finally smiles. She closes the distance between her forehead and her mother's, keeping her face even closer to her mother's than earlier. Hands gripping onto her mother's hands, which hold Wanda's face even tighter. 

"Breathe in moya lyubov... breathe out... breathe in... and breathe..."

Chapter Text

“...out. Good, breathe in… and breathe out…”

Wanda hesitantly opens her eyes feeling the energy shift around her, as though her mind is playing tricks on her, her eyebrows furrow in discontent but also confusion when she no longer sees the pale yellow dress, nor the wrinkles along the face of her mother. But instead she sees the youthful glow of smooth skin. Natasha’s face. What is Natasha doing here? she thinks. Disorientated and puzzled, Wanda instantly takes her head away from Natasha’s, turning her head in all directions in search of her mothers.

“Where… Where’s my mama?” her breath is shaky and her words come out in stutters.

“Wanda? Hey, focus.”

“Where’s my mom?” she asks once again.

“What?”

“Where did my mom go? What did I do to her?”

Natasha, quick on her toes to quell Wanda’s thoughts, “Nothing.. Hey Wands, it’s me Nat, remember?”

Agitated, Natasha’s words go unheard of by Wanda, “No no no where did mama go? Mama, where are you? Come back to me please.” Wanda briskly sprints out the door, through her garden and into the forest of trees. 

Natasha dashes behind Wanda, frenzied; she yells out for Wanda to come back, but caught off guard from the moment Wanda ran off, she fell far behind her and lost track of the direction she headed in, only relying on her gut instincts to take her where Wanda may be. Natasha scampered to the first place she thought Wanda may be, the lake. 

And there Wanda is situated, much more pacified than she was before, the blue tape rests in the palm of her hands. Her eyes fixated ahead of her, observing the ripples of the lake dance in synchrony as the arctic blue sky beams off of it.

Natasha surveys as Wanda stands ever so still at the bank of the lake, before deciding to trudge up to her. 

“Hey…Wanda.”

“I should be with her, I should be with her…” murmurs Wanda.

Natasha pleads to take Wanda back to the safety of her house, “You can’t be seen here, you don’t want to be found do you?…” Gingerly she takes Wanda’s hand, tugging her in the direction of home, “Hey let’s go home yeah? Let me take you home where it’s safe.”

Wanda gives in and lets herself be guided by Natasha.

On the way home, Natasha concerns Wanda's well-being, reassuring her: she’ll stay with her no matter how she is feeling.

At the cabin, Natasha prepares a relaxing bath for Wanda, lighting candles and placing vases of flowers around the bathroom. The water is warm enough, with bubbles accumulating on the surface of the water, faint music is playing in the background.

Wanda settles herself in the tub, as Natasha sits on the edge and fondly scrubs a towel across the stretch of her back. She’s humming a foreign lullaby, one that Wanda seems to recognise as a russian lullaby. Maybe she learnt that from her mom, Wanda thought, unlike what she has ever learnt. Mindfully, Natasha sweeps her fingers through Wanda’s hair, massaging her scalp tenderly. Wanda groans in satisfaction, the massage stimulating shivers and goosebumps through her entire body. Natasha giggles at Wanda’s reaction. She then squeezes shampoo into her hands to rub through her hair, mischievously sculpting Wanda’s hair on top of her head with the bubbles. Her hands choose to mould her hair into a mohawk thinking she’s funny (she is). 

Proud of her work, she smirks, “Oh you have got to look in the mirror.” Confused, Wanda asks why, to which Natasha responds, telling her to just do it.

Wanda naively stands up from the tub and walks to the mirror. Natasha, who was chuckling at first, flushes at the sight of Wanda’s bare figure. She couldn’t help but look away, blushing as red as her own hair, needing something to distract herself from the feelings stirring inside her, her hands moving into fiddle with the ends of her hair.

Wanda, on the other hand not noticing Natasha’s reaction, sets herself in front of the mirror, looking at the work of her hair. Amused by it, she shifts her head in all angles to see the work even better, smiling happily, she loves it. Natasha, who has conjured up the confidence, observes Wanda for a moment, grinning smugly knowing she’s the reason Wanda may be feeling again.  

A timid “Can I do your hair?” takes Natasha out of her thoughts. 

Faltered by the proposal, she tries to work her way out of it, “I’ve got too much hair, it won’t work.”

Unknowing of the feelings her words enticed in Natasha, she innocently commands, “Get in.” Then makes her own way back inside the tub, trailing behind her puddles of soapy water. 

Natasha, unable to get away from the idea, avoids Wanda’s stare and drags her shorts down her legs revealing white panties underneath. She takes off her shirt hesitantly, completely aware of the lack of undergarment shielding her chest. Wanda, at the sight of Natasha’s naked figure this time, reddens at the cheeks and looks away before Natasha could notice she’s staring, (she noticed).

Without wanting to prolong the awkward glances, Natasha hops into the tub in front of Wanda, who gapes at her almost lovingly, but especially with appreciation. She begins to meddle with Natasha’s hair, gliding shampoo through it.

Natasha takes this moment to know more about Wanda.

“Do you like it here?” she asks tentatively.

Humorously Wanda replies, “in the tub?”, as she continues to attend Natasha’s hair with her delicate hands.

“No silly, I mean in this house.”  Natasha chuckles out.

Wanda recognises the seriousness in the query, and begins to consider it. “I guess.”

Genuinely curious, Natasha ponders, “Why don’t you want to leave? I mean would you ever leave?”

Wanda begins to say, “I have left before.” as she’s cut off by Natasha, “Yeah I don’t think the res even counts.”

“Well it is on the outside.” Wanda sarcastically comments.

Maintaining her inquiries, “Yeah but I mean the real outside, like outside the trees, out there. Why are you so against exploring?”

Wanda responds with honesty, “My whole life I have been told there is nothing worth my time out there, the real outside is full of pain and hurt and misery. There’s nothing good left, or there never was.”

This time, Natasha reflects on what Wanda said, why would her mother tell her such things about the world, there is good out there, it takes strength to find it. Has Wanda really been sheltered her whole life, that the furthest she’s been is the reservoir?

“She said that? Your mom I mean, your mom told you that?”

Wanda nods, “She came from there, surely she knows more than I do so she’s right. She said it is full of selfish and brutal people who did not treat one another very good. I mean can you deny that?”

Natasha concernedly replies, “I can’t deny that there are selfish people, but I can tell you about the good people. The many more good people who make up for all the bad in the world, out there… so you have never ever been past the res?”

Wanda lightly questions, “But why would I?”

“I don’t know, to go to school maybe? See a doctor, go see your babushka and dedushka, listen to the same story about 10 times over, and you know have a cup of vodka or two with them,” she added the last one cheekily, winking at Wanda, “I mean I just can’t believe it.” 

Wanda, on the other hand, doesn’t reciprocate the humour, for the first time she thinks about all the things she’s been missing out on, maybe she’s a little jealous. 

“Why are you laughing…” 

Natasha senses Wanda’s seriousness, stops laughing and looks down at her fingers playing with the soap on the surface of the water, which has gone cold by now. Wanda calmly goes back to playing with Natasha’s hair.

Breaking the silence, Natasha asks, “So no one knows you exist. At all.”

“You do, don’t you?” Wanda takes a clump of bubbles and settles it on top of Natasha’s hair like icing on a cupcake, “You can look in the mirror now.”, Wanda smirks proudly.

Natasha eagerly but carefully rushes out the tub, trying to avoid spilling too much water over the floor, she heads to the mirror. Wanda, similarly to Natasha’s previous reaction to seeing Wanda bare, she senses unfamiliar feelings all over her body, her skin sensitive and tingling, her cheeks warm and crimson. Wanda doesn’t look at Natasha this time until she is spoken to.

“Hmm, you are quite good at this, detka. I love it.”

“Yes?”

“Yes.”

Natasha gazes into Wanda’s eyes through the mirror, gently smiling, they fall into a peaceful silence. 

Refreshed and comfortable in the living room, Wanda and Natasha revel in the deep quietness under the warm radiance of the yellow lamp. A cue of warmth and relaxation. As Wanda sat on the couch, the clusters of books in shelves caught Natasha’s interests. She walks around, taking a look at the collection of books Wanda and her mother held onto, dragging her pointer finger across the spine of the books, whispering the titles of each one to herself.

One book in particular gains her attention, so she takes it out before realising the book was by none other than Natalya Maximoff. Turning towards Wanda, she admits, “I’ve never actually read one of your mom’s books, we just happened to share the same name except mine’s Natalia with an ‘I’, not that it matters because I don't go by that name anymore…” she rambles off as she puts the book back in its place, “I’ve heard they’re pretty sad thoughts, deep and… depressing even.”

Wanda reveals frankly, “Mom said I'm not allowed to read them until I turn 18.”

Natasha asks curiously, “How old are you then?”

“Sixteen.”

“Huh, same.” They both smile.

Natasha finds another book to look at and flicks through the pages, before picking a random page to read outloud. 

“Lord, how unutterably disgusting life is.” She puts on another voice in imitation of Wanda’s mom, “What dirty tricks it plays on us.” Natasha curls up on the arm of the couch as she reads on, “Here we are among the breadcrumbs and the stained napkins again. The knife is already con-..” stumbling on the last word, only to be corrected by Wanda. 

“Congealing.”

Natasha continues, “Congealing with grease, disorder, sor..” she looks to Wanda for help this time.

“Sordidity.” 

“Sordidity and corruption surrounds us. Call the waiter, pay the bill, we must pull ourselves up out of our chairs. We must find our coats. We must go.”

“Must, must, must,,, detestable word.” As Natasha reads this aloud, Wanda recites the line under her breath.

“I who had thought myself immune find that the wave has tumbled me over head over heels, leaving me to summon my forces, rise and…” Natasha proceeds.

“Confront the enemies.” Wanda finishes off.

Wanda unconsciously reciting the words with Natasha didn’t go unnoticed by her. She finds herself worrying over not only Natalya’s mental state, but also Wanda, who had to live and grow with her. She closes the book no longer wanting to read anymore, but yet so curious.

“Why was that page marked?” She tosses the book on the coffee table and turns to Wanda as she sits on the actual couch rather than the arm of it.

Wanda leans on her palm, with her elbow resting on the back of the couch, nonchalantly she says, “Mama was showing it to me in class.”

Natasha was surprised, “Wow, no wonder you knew what came next.”

“What?”

“Nothing, I just thought my mum was fucked.” Not realising how her words were being taken by the other girl at first. Wanda gets lost in her thoughts of not even having a mother anymore for a moment, and Natasha, who notices eventually how her words may have hurt, apologises, “Sorry… I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said that.”

“Mama just felt everybody’s pain, but she’s free now, so what does it matter…” She then brings the attention to Natasha’s original comment, “What is your mom like?”

Natasha plays with her nails, struggling to respond, “She kinda sucks.”

“Why?”

“She just- she has a lot of problems, and don’t even get me started on her dick of a boyfriend.”

Wanda giggles at her profanity but honesty against the man. Natasha leans her head back against the couch and focuses up at the ceiling, analysing every detail. Shortly afterwards, she peers at Wanda, “I like spending time with you here.”

Wanda perks up at the declaration, she’s happy, the corners of her lips curl up into a small smile, Natasha grins back before going back to looking at the ceiling. Wanda puts herself in a similar position as Natasha’s, now resting her head beside Natasha’s, their feet reside on the table in front of them, both edging closer to one another. Wanda takes a glimpse at Natasha’s relaxed figure, she inches her feet closer to Natasha’s, taking in the warmth she radiates. 

They sit in the tranquillity of the stillness within the house, before Natasha announces her departure. Though reluctant, Wanda lets her new friend go home, so long as she promises to come back.

Natasha promises, she purple promises.

Chapter Text

After Natasha left, Wanda lay on her side in bed. Her smile after the day they had, hadn’t left for a second. Unconsciously, she’s been rehearsing the unofficial official names for each finger.

“Purple, rude, ring, pinky.” She shuts her eyes for a moment, remembering how Natasha was there for her, helping her feel again what she hadn’t for a long while. That to her was her most memorable day.

She carefully shifts her body onto her back, holding the book, Natasha read from, closely to her chest, drifting to sleep. 

Natasha cycles up to her porch, where she meets Alexei leaning against the porch fence, most likely waiting for her or drinking and smoking, the latter is very likely, but given Natasha came home late, it’s definitely the former this time.

Alexei notices her, moving to a standing position without trying to intimidate her, after all this is his girlfriend’s daughter.

“It’s a bit late… have a seat.” asked Alexei with concern, “Want a beer?”

Natasha looks at him with suspicion, nonetheless she takes the can of beer he offers as she sits on the fence, beside him.

“So where have you been?” Natasha puts the drink down, not wanting to get too comfortable, just wanting to get into bed. 

“You got a boyfriend?” Alexei chuckles out before winking at her teasingly, “Look at you, my little girl is all grown up.”

Natasha still hasn’t let down her guard, “I’m not your little girl, Alexei.” An awkward tension rises as Alexei begins to realise his jokes aren’t being taken with the same humour as his, and turns to be a little more serious.

With more paternal protectiveness he asks, “Okay so do you have a boyfriend? Because it’s okay if you do, I mean as long as you are using protection-”

“Okay stop.” Natasha cuts him, done with the conversation, she heads to the door, sniggering at his insane laughter in response to her embarrassment. He might be a little drunk. 

“Goodnight Alexei.” chuckles out Natasha.

“I’m just playing, Natalia.”

“It’s Natasha. Goodnight.”

The next morning, Natasha left early to go back to Wanda’s house, a large stuffed bag in her clutch. 

Inside the cabin, she sits on the counter as she tilts the bag filled with savoury snacks, dumping all the content onto the surface. Displayed on the table was snacks from cereal and biscuits, to sweets like lollipops, ring pops and bubblegum. Wanda watches with curiosity, having little to no exposure to the unhealthy delights, Natasha introduces her favourites to her. 

“I got whatever I could before mom could wake up. There’s a lot. Lollies and gummies,” She states with a smirk.

Misha, who is equally as interested as Wanda, struts her way towards the counter to try and perk herself on it, until Wanda prevents her from doing so,

“No Mish, not for you.”

Natasha, on the other hand, is distracted by the food in front of her. She scavengers her hands through the pile, finding the best ones for Wanda to try.

“These are really good!” she picked up the fizzy blue raspberry laces, “They scratch the roof of your mouth sometimes, but either way good.” Wanda questions in her mind if she wants to risk herself to that.

“Oh and lollies with creepy bugs in them.” She teasingly holds it up to Wanda’s face to scare her. Wanda is shocked for a second at the sudden intrusion, but then ends up in a giggling fit.

Once recovered from the fit, she spots a carton on the table, “Wait, what’s that?”

“Strawberry milk.” Natasha declares as she opens up the carton, “Do you want some?”

“Strawberry milk?”

“It’s really good.” She picks up the carton with both hands, lipsing the opening to drink straight from it, then she offers it to Wanda, “You’ll like it, purple promise.” Natasha sticks out her pointer finger in the air.

Wanda is quite hesitant at first, nevertheless, she sticks out her own pointer finger and eyes the carton before taking big gulps of the content inside. 

Natasha, wide eyed, laughs at Wanda’s interest in the strawberry milk, “Okay, no, don’t choke just yet, we still have a lot to go through.” She then takes the milk away from Wanda’s hands and sets it aside.

“Okay next! Guess what else I brought with me.” She imitates fanfare sounds, building up the suspense whilst bringing out a purple box in front of her, both of them knowing well what’s inside. 

My mother said the fences were the walls of her womb. 

Said she could only protect me if I stayed inside, away from everyone, from everything. 

But she couldn’t have kept me in for so long.

How would I have met Natasha then?

Natasha and Wanda found a spot outside beside a great oak tree. Natasha, ahead of Wanda, threw out her amber yellow picnic blanket in the air to let it spread out across the grass. The yellowness doesn’t go unnoticed by Wanda, caught in another flashback of the night her mother died, she feels unsettled by the presence of the yellow fabric. The colour rudely reminds her of the dress that floated about underwater, her mother’s face as she screamed but no one was around to hear her, to help her. Wanda was, but she was helpless.

It was Natasha’s voice that brought her out of her trance, 

“I made these.” She sees Natasha already laying down on her stomach, as she opens her purple box to take out the bracelets she made, her bracelet kit and a ring pop she kept there as snacks for later. 

Wanda slowly crouches on her knees beside Natasha, following Natasha’s movements, who’s showing her the different bracelets she made.

“These are my favourites. Brave. Badass.” She twists round the bracelets on her wrist for Wanda to read the beads that spelt out the words. “I’m going to sell them at the market or something. Make money somehow… They’re my ticket out of this shithole.”

“Where do you want to go?”

“Somewhere, anywhere…everywhere but here.” Natasha replies truthfully.

Wanda looks a little disheartened, will Natasha leave her here alone, she wonders.

“Do you like them?” she asks giddily, Wanda peers over Natasha’s shoulder to survey the bracelets.

“They are very colourful, no?”

“Yes, I guess so. That’s why I like them so much,” she states frankly. “Hey tell me one thing that you like about yourself.” Natasha begins to filter through the assortment of beads she has, looking for different letters, waiting for Wanda to reply.

Wanda’s mouth is agape, about to speak, only to quickly shut it after realising she can’t think of anything. Natasha, though, looks at her without judgement, and turns back to the beads to put a word together for Wanda.

“Okay, I’ll tell you what I think.” Occasionally sucking the ring pop as she looks for letters.

“But you hardly even know me…”

“I know enough, Detka.” Wanda’s cheeks tint red and Natasha is still focused on making the word. Eventually she takes out the letters ‘SMART’, and arranges them in front of Wanda.

“Smart?” 

“Aren’t you?”

Wanda finally shows interest, so wanting to know more she lays in the same position as Natasha, “What else?”

Natasha starts to create another word as Wanda patiently waits.

Almost in disbelief, “You think I am pretty?”

Natasha gazes into her eyes with admiration, as if they’re full of stars, and nods honestly. Wanda lights up at the confession, and having just recovered from her first flushed state, blushes even more as her smile grows larger. 

“Now choose your favourite colour from here.” Natasha points at the beads and charms.

Wanda reaches her arm towards the many colours Natasha has, “I think I like this one,” as she digs her fingers in the container to pick out the bead.

“Scarlet. Suits you.

Wanda repeats it back, “Scarlet. Yes, I like scarlet. Reminds me of your hair.”

Now it’s Natasha’s turn to redden, but turns away in embarrassment at how quick Wanda can make her insides flutter. 

“Now what you do is, here take the thread, hold it.” Wanda takes the red string between her pointer and thumb, holding it like a prized possession, as Natasha passes her the first scarlet red bead to slip onto the string. Wanda becomes attentive to the task she’s doing, carefully threading the string through the beads, on occasion choosing to slip one of the letters on the string before going back to the red beads. 

Natasha marvels at Wanda, “You’re a natural,” She hands her the next bead, “You’ll have to help me some time.” Wanda grins at the notion, the both of them look at one another, when the other isn't looking, enjoying the moment. Hoping it lasts for the while. 

When they decided their bracelet making session was over, Natasha, out of nowhere, raises the idea of taking a swim in the lake.

Eagerly, she runs towards the lake ahead of Wanda, “Come on! It’s 200,000 degrees!” Natasha strips her outer layer off, throwing them across the dirt, revealing her bikini underneath. Wanda observes Natasha as she rips her shoes off before walking into the water. Natasha looks relaxed, enjoying the feeling. Wanda, on the other hand, is unsure of the act, her memory of water hasn’t been very happy to her recently, preventing her from feeling the water as Natasha does. Though under that fear lies a little curiosity.

“What’s wrong? Hey, the best way to overcome a fear is to confront it! I am being completely serious.”

“Yes? Where did you hear that?”

“On the tv or something… But come on! Get in!”

Wanda remains stagnant on the low cliffside bank by the water. Natasha, however, mischievously slithers closer to Wanda, before scooping water in her palms and throwing it at Wanda.

“Hey hey don’t!” Wanda chuckles as she steps back.

“But you can’t tell me that didn’t feel good.” She says as she swims away.

Wanda dwells on what Natasha said about confronting her fears, “How deep is it?”

“It’s not deep, see?” Natasha demonstrates how the water just barely reaches above her waist. Wanda slowly peels off her dress, letting it sway to the ground. She’s left in her briefs and shirt. Wanda tiptoes closer to where the water reaches the bank, holding out her hands for Natasha to take for help. Natasha takes it without judgement. 

“You’re okay, come on I’ll help you through it, you ready?” Natasha takes both of Wanda’s hands, encouraging her to walk deeper in the water. 

Wanda’s chest heaves slowly with heavy panting as Natasha prepares her to dip under water for a moment. She counts down from three, and the both of them crouch under. But in shock, Wanda frantically stands back up and tries to swim back to the shore, her movements are jagged and rough, but eventually she falls into the dirt. Her breath gets cut short, as her breaths are now shallow when she spirals into panic and fear. Natasha, with intense worry, swims behind Wanda, holding her tightly to her chest, putting pressure on her body. 

“Wanda, hey it’s okay wanda, you are going to be okay. Take deep breaths with me. Breathe in.. and breathe out..” She gently brushes her fingers through Wanda’s hair, delicately rubbing her back. “Breathe in.. and out, in… out, breathe in,... and out…”

Wanda looks around at the water, her fears still overwhelming and clouding her mind. Natasha, still consoling her, scoops water in her palms and lightly trails it across Wanda’s skin, letting her take her time before she wants to try again, if she wishes. 

Wanda, after a while, lets Natasha guide her into the water again, still nervous but confident enough to try again. 

“Keep looking at me, Detka...”

“Okay. okay..”

As Wanda becomes more familiar with the body of water, they then try submerging again under water. 

“Three… two… one…” Natasha whispers. They both take a deep breath and lower their heads, Natasha is still holding Wanda’s hands, this time they can stay under for longer than a second, before coming back up for air. Natasha holds her face in her hands, praising her for her bravery and for overcoming a fear. 

“Hey you did it, did you see that!”

Wanda sighs in relief, having felt proud of her courage despite her worries. She looks at Natasha with a sly grin and splashes water into her face. Natasha retaliates back, laughing loudly, and pushes water back at Wanda. They play around for a while, before making their way home as the sun begins to set. 

At the house, both of them are sitting, facing each other, on the makeshift swing. Natasha is throwing lucky charm cereal at Wanda’s mouth, who has it open wide, ready to catch it. 

“Go ahh.”

Wanda aims her head back to catch it in her mouth, but misses terribly and falls into a fit of laughter. They are both so happy.

Natasha plucks out a lucky charm from the bowl of cereal, “Oh look, a lucky charm. You can have it.” She passes the lucky charm to Wanda, who takes it and inspects it between her fingers. 

“Can I still eat it?” Wanda eats it before Natasha could reply.

Natasha wiggles her eyebrows, “Feel lucky?” 

To which Wanda, with the same humour, replies, “Yes.” 

They rest in the silence, watching each other with a soft gaze. 

“I don’t really know how I am supposed to be feeling. It made me think that the stuff my mama taught me in class: the world being cruel, people being monsters, are all a lie.” Wanda admits.

“How do you know I am not a monster?” Natasha questions.

“Do you think you are?”

“Not many people like me though.”

Wanda leans closer to Natasha, “Because monsters are only like other monsters,” she lightly taps Natasha’s nose, “You’re not a monster, Tasha. I know so.”

“But how do you know?”

“A monster would not do everything that you have been doing for me, for me to see the real world, the real outside.” Wanda smiles with honesty.

Once again, they settle back into the silence, but this time Natasha breaks it, “Tasha.”

“What?”

“You called me Tasha.” she grins.

“Oh I’m sorry, if you don’t like that I can stop.” Wanda apologises profusely. 

“No. I love it. No one’s called me that before. I don’t think I want anyone else to call me Tasha.”

“Okay Tasha.”

“Okay Wands.” 

Wanda beams at the nickname.

Wanda escorts Natasha into her bedroom where the curtains are already drawn closed. 

“Welcome to my humble abode, or whatever the saying is.” She turns on her bedside lamp to light up the room.

Natasha drops the towel, she bundled herself up after their adventure at the lake, and looks around the room. 

“I have got a poem here somewhere.” She says, browsing through her drawers.

Natasha jumps into Wanda’s bed and makes herself comfortably cross legged. Wanda finds the book filled with poems and sits on her knees on the floor as she riffles to her favourite page. Natasha, by now, has laid her body across the bed. 

“Okay, this is ‘Your Hand’ by Sophia Parnok-”

“The lesbian poet from Russia? You have taste huh.”

“Natasha.”

“Okay sorry, continue.” Both of them chuckle, blushing at Natasha’s former statement.

“Pain’s sweet relief - your hand,

          The white colour of magnolia - your hand.

One wintry afternoon, love knocked on my door,

          And there holding a sable fur - your hand.

Ah, like a butterfly, on the shoot of my hand

          Brushed for a second - no more - your hand!

But it set on fire what my enemies and I

          Had extinguished, and what we had not, your hand:

Now every wild tenderness in me is ignited,

          By, O queen of wilfulness, your hand!

Laid down directly on my heart (I don’t complain:

          Isn’t this your heart?) - your hand.”

Wanda finishes the poem and softly looks up at Natasha, she stands up to sit on the bed in front of her. 

“I like that one; ‘Laid down directly on my heart - your hand’… Wands, can I feel yours?”

“Feel my what?”

“Your heart.”

Wanda looks down at Natasha and nods, shifting into her bed beside her. Natasha moves a little to give her space before laying her head on Wanda’s chest, the humming of her heartbeat soothes Natasha.

“Can you hear it?” Wanda asks.

“Yes, I can.”

“Is it okay?”

“Yeah.”

Wanda shuts her eyes for a second and turns away from Natasha, “It should be broken though, shouldn’t it?”

Natasha leans up on her elbow, hovering over Wanda, “Shock can do a lot of things, it can make you feel numb and..”

“But I don’t feel numb, Tasha.” She looks back at Natasha with a grin, “I feel more alive than I have ever felt.” For a moment, Wanda sets her guards down, poised in her body. But then she appears distanced, engrossed in her thoughts once again, feeling guilty for feeling alive whilst her mother’s body shrivels at the bottom of the lake.

“I am sorry, I shouldn’t have said that.” It seems as if the more Wanda feels, feels more alive, the more her mother fades away, as one with the ashy grey water.

“Hey, your mama would have wanted you to be happy.” Natasha comforts Wanda. 

But she gets cut off, “Maybe you should go.”

“What? No don’t push me away-”

“I need you to go, Natasha. I need you to go.”

The both of them are standing between the two beds, facing each other. Their silhouettes blend into the curtains. 

“Wands-”

“I said go. Go!”

With that, Natasha runs out the room, the door can be heard slammed shut, leaving Wanda to break into a fit of frustration. The bedroom quickly becomes a victim of violent rage, like a tornado hitting the field.

Wanda trudges to her mother’s desolate bed and curls into the sheets.

My mother said, there would come a time when we would have to leave. We talked about it for months. About how we would be light again, without pain.

But when the time came, I couldn’t do it.

I left her sinking further and further and further.

Wanda appears more collected, yet within she feels empty, alone, like a void that can’t feel full again. She’s lost everyone, and the one person who tried to make her feel alive again, Wanda pushed away.

“Mish?” She calls out as her cat purrs towards Wanda. She caresses Misha’s fur, petting her and cradling her closely, “You and me. Always.” She whispers.

Natasha, in contrast, is feeling so much more. Her eyes completely shed tears down her rosy cheeks. Her sniffling edges closer to hyperventilating. She wants to feel mad, but she can’t because it’s Wanda. She feels embarrassed. Though a part of her wants to turn back – she knows she can’t, and she doesn’t, only continuing to cycle home as the sun sets behind her. 

Chapter Text

The next morning, Natasha woke up to a loud commotion outside her room, her mother and her boyfriend were arguing over another stupid thing again. Either way, it pissed Natasha off, and in frustration she stuffed her face into a nearby pillow. The shouting never droned out, still as loud. Natasha groans in annoyance and stares at her ceiling, trying to wake herself up. She's thinking about the night before, how Wanda told her to leave and so she left Wanda. But as hotheaded and stubborn Natasha is, she wasn’t going to let it all end there.

Her eyes sweep over the wall behind her, a wall with an abundance of ripped out pictures from magazines of just female icons. She quickly gets up to haul off as many as she could to stuff into her bag, along with other magazines lined up on her bedside table. She pauses for a moment and flips off the direction of her mother and her boyfriend, then rushes out the far back door without anyone noticing.

At Wanda’s house, a rustling of noise wakes up Misha, who scurries to investigate the sound. The movement wakes up Wanda, who wants to call out for Misha, but also hears the same noise, but even louder and closer. Footsteps coming closer to the house, inside almost.

“Tasha?” Wanda whispers out.

“Hey we’ve got a cat in here.” Downstairs Fury notifies Maria.

But upstairs, at the mention of the cat, Wanda’s head perks up, her eyes wide with panic as she tiptoes to the doorway.

“Hey buddy, what’s your name?” Hill coos at the cat, looking for a name tag, “Misha.”

At the front door, Hill coddles the cat, rubbing her fur carefully. Fury on the other hand is questioning the presence of a very healthy looking cat.

“Aren’t you a beautiful girl? See Fury, I told you it was worth the look.” Hill teases smugly.

“Okay yeah, just take her to the car.”

Wanda is trembling in fear, the strangers are taking her cat away, the one thing she had left, was being taken away.

“I’ll give the place a look over, just to make sure we ain’t missing out on anything.” Fury calls out to Hill, who is already leading Misha out to their car.

Fury treads into the living room, where he investigates the many books that line the bookshelves. All of them being Natalya Maximoff’s doesn’t raise any concerns to him. He walks into the kitchen, where the table is made neat, chairs tucked in as a yellow beam of sun streams in. 

He then walks down a hallway, where he almost missed the only bedroom in the house; having seen the one unmade bed out of the two, from the corner of his eye, he struts into the room looking around. Eyeing the discarded book on the dresser, Fury picks it up and flicks through the pages before stopping on a page, marked by an individual paper with a handwritten message. Confused, only knowing Natalya Maximoff as a lonely person, he wondered why she would address a book to somebody else. 

He takes the paper in his hands, carelessly dropping the book back onto the dresser, and looks around the room once more, pausing right next to Wanda’s bed. Unknowing of Wanda’s existence, he just about misses the small whimper that escapes Wanda’s lips, from under the bed, before she clasps her hands tightly to her mouth. Fury then leaves the bedroom and out the house door towards the car. Wanda rests her head on the hardwood floor, and shrills out a cry in fear of herself and her cat.

Outside, she could still hear their conversation.

“What’d you find?”

“A paper. A slip of paper that’s signed and was hidden in a book.”

“That’s strange. Who’s it addressed to?”

Fury reads out, “My dear Wanda, I love you more than anything, you are my world.”

“Who’s Wanda? That could be a lead.” questions Hill.

“So this a murder investigation now?”

“Can’t be so sure of that just yet, but it's a possibility.”

Natasha quickly cycles back towards Wanda’s home, though she wasn’t expecting to see an ever so familiar car driving towards her and eventually slowing down. 

As Fury rolls the window down he questions, “Where you headed, kid?”

“I was just out for a ride,” Natasha peers at the fluffy black cat that pops out behind him, “Misha? What are you doing Mish?”

She frantically drops her bike and tugs at the back door, letting Misha out. The cat, in recognition of a familiar person, weaves in and through Natasha’s legs. 

“You know the cat?” Fury ponders.

“Yeah! I mean yes, I was looking for her all morning, where’d you find her?”

“Up at Maximoff’s place, any idea what she was doing out there?” He asks back, suspiciously.

Distracted by petting Misha, she stiffly responds, “No sir, we’re always finding her in weird places.”

This time Hill interjects, “I have never seen a cat up at your place.”

“Well she’s an inside cat.. And she’s shy.” Natasha hesitantly lies.

Fury and Hill, though, are able to tell Natasha is lying through her teeth, yet say nothing of it. They just look at each other in disbelief.

“You should put an address on that collar, alright? Next time she wanders off again, someone can bring her right to her.” advises Hill.

“I will, thank you for finding her.”

“No problem kid, stay safe on the road.”

At that, Fury and Hill drive off with no other concerns, though making note to keep an eye on her.

“Let’s get you back to your mama, she must be scared shitless.” Natasha coos at the cat.

She picks her bike and carefully places Misha into the basket up front, and heads to Wanda’s house even quicker than earlier.

At the house, Wanda hasn’t stopped crying, she curls herself into bed and picks at the bracelet she made with Natasha. Her mind was caught up in wondering why she pushed her away in the first place.

Though bringing her out of her thoughts was the sound of the door opening, which resurrects the fear back in her.

“Wanda? It’s just me.” 

Natasha.

Wanda immediately jolts out of her bed, sort of in relief, she runs to see Misha settled beside Natasha’s feet.

“Oh Misha,” she whispers as she pulls Misha into her clutch, “I thought I was going to lose you, thank you.” The last part she aimed at Natasha.

Natasha watches her find solace in Misha’s presence again from a distance, too scared to make a movement, but still so happy to see her again.

“I saw the cops, they’re not coming-” Wanda cuts her off with a much needed hug, “-back.” 

Wanda’s arm wraps tightly around Natasha, eyes clenched closed as she buries her head deep into the crook of Natasha’s embrace. Her sniffling becomes heavier as Natasha reciprocates the hug, and holds her hands around Wanda’s waist. 

“Please don’t leave again.” Wanda’s face is wet with salty tears, her eyes puffy red having cried for most of the day.

“I won't detka, I won't.” Natasha reassures.

Neither one of them wants to let go any time soon, taking in every feeling of the closeness before they have to part.

Outside in the garden, a yellow cloth is seen draped across a circular table. Wanda is sitting at one end of the table, twiddling with a thread between her fingers. Natasha walks out the house with a coffee pot and a plate of her favourite breakfast.

“Coffee. And my best, syrniki.” Natasha says in her most finest waitress voice, as she serves the dish and drink.

“I never tried it.” Wanda admits.

“What synriki?”

“I think I may have, but coffee no.”

“Well me neither, but I have always wanted to have black coffee every morning. You know one day I will be one of those women, who sits on her back porch, and reads her magazines, and has her coffee, and just sighs at everything with total satisfaction. Or dissatisfaction, guess it depends.” Natasha indulges in her fantasies.

“I can see you with a long dress and many many jewels.”

“Yeah? Okay.”

Natasha teasingly smirks at Wanda, then she holds her cup out with her pinky up towards Wanda.

“Cheers, darling.” Natasha exclaims in her exaggerated posh english accent.

“Hey you are quite good at accents, no?”

“Well I have been practising. All the media Americans consume, whilst it is overly disturbing, it is quite useful. I’ll need it one day, when I go live out of here. You’ll need to learn as well if we want to survive out there.”

“You would want me there with you?” Wanda sincerely asks.

“Well of course Wands, who else would I go with if not you?” Her voice rasps as she tends to Wanda’s concerns, easing her insecurities.

“Now come on chin chin.” putting on a posh english accent once again.

Wanda hums in satisfaction and reciprocates the gesture, she holds out her own cup and clinks it with Natasha’s. They both take a sip of the beverage together only to spit out the liquid in disgust, before laughing at each other. Natasha suddenly rushes herself out of her seat and into the house.

“Wait, just wait, I know how to fix this, wait there.”

“I’m not going anywhere.” Wanda chuckles at Natasha’s silliness.

The latter walks out the house with a jar of marshmallows.

“What are those?” Wanda questions innocently.

“Well, we don’t have any sugar cubes or anything, so we can use these.”

Wanda takes one in her hands with uncertainty, inspecting it before she puts it in her mouth, “Oh my what are these, they taste so good,” She takes another marshmallow and stuffs her mouth, “Yum!”

“Yes I know I know.”

“They are so fluffy like…”

“Clouds.” Natasha finishes for her.

“Yes. Clouds. So good.”

“Like clouds I know.”

Natasha grabs a bunch of the marshmallows and drops them in both of their cups. She then picks up a syrniki and plopped one on each of their plates. Natasha grabs a spoon and takes a dollop of jam to serve with the cheesy pancakes. To finish off, she sprinkles a couple of berries around the dish. The both of them start feasting on their breakfast, enjoying every part of it.

“Thank you.” says Wanda.

After a moment of silence, Natasha hesitantly speaks up, “Hey I’ve been thinking that maybe we could redecorate your room?...”

“Why?”

“Perhaps for a splash of colour.” She suggests with a shrug.

“I don’t know, it feels weird… changing our room so soon.”

Natasha was fixated on her choice of word, “Our room?”

“Yes, mine and mama’s.”

“Oh right.” She whispers to herself.

“I also wouldn’t know how to do it.”

“Do what?”

“Decorate.”

“Well lucky for you, I’m here. And I’m quite the expert at it.”

Wanda and Natasha settle on the bedroom floor where the latter spreads out her magazines and pictures across the floor, putting them all on display for Wanda to choose from.

“Okay we should start with the walls.”

“Are we going to paint them?”

“Oh even better.” Natasha says with a smirk.

Wanda looks through the items and pictures on the floor, “Did you know all of these people?”

“Hah I wish.” Natasha exclaims. She takes out the bluetack and halves it, giving one part to Wanda.

“What are we doing with them?” Wanda questions.

“We are going to stick these on your walls, think of it as: these are your new guardian angels. The trick with collaging is to not overthink it. Put them up wherever it just feels right and it can be messy.” Natasha rambles. She has a picture in her hand that she begins to stick up on the wall, whilst Wanda collects more pictures to join her.

“That’s Scarlett Johansson.” Natasha beams at the female icon in front of her.

“She looks like you, but if you had blonde hair.”

“Yeah? I seem to get that often, we have the same face.”

“What is she like?”

“Who, Scarlett? She’s smart, very smart. Everyone overlooks her most of the time, but she just keeps on going… I think I can find someone for you.”

“Really?”

“Yes, let’s see.” Natasha shuffles through her collection of pictures, pausing on one particular image. A woman adorned in a burgundy blazer and matching pants, a silver watch sparkling around her right wrist. Her hair tucked into her suit, bangs falling effortlessly above her eyes. Her lips are rich with rosewood pink lipstick. Above the woman, in bold is the word ‘EMMY’.

“Here. This is Elizabeth Olsen. I’d say you look like a younger version of her, you could be her kid.” She says as she hands over the picture to Wanda.

“Elizabeth Olsen,” Wanda whispers to herself, whilst brushing her thumb over Elizabeth's face in the image, “I’d like to meet her.”

“Don’t we all, you will meet her, one day we will get out of here and see her.”

They take turns to stick up more pictures on Wanda’s wall, filling up the gaps with different images of female icons. 

“Now this, this is Taylor Swift.” Natasha states with pride.

“What does she do?”

Natasha, as seriously as possible, looks at Wanda dead in the eye, “Dominate my heart.”

“What?” fears Wanda.

“Yeah, whilst singing her songs occasionally, she’s gonna take on the world.” Natasha nonchalantly reveals.

“Can we listen to her songs?”

“Of course, remind me next time to bring my CDs,” Natasha loves being able to help Wanda know more about things she may not have been exposed to, “So what do you think?”

“I love it.”

“Great! Now the bed.”

Natasha goes to the opposite bed from Wanda’s and begins to strip the cases off the pillows.

Wanda, in confusion and a hint of fear, “What are you doing now?”

Acknowledging her distress, “Hey it’ll be okay, you’ll see what we will do. Go on, take those covers off.”

Wanda trusts Natasha and turns to her own bed, she pauses for a moment then starts to take off the bed sheets.

Natasha and Wanda head back into the garden, this time with a basket full of white sheets. They grab a bucket and begin to fill it with plums ripped from the bushes.

“How many do we need?” Wanda questions again.

“I am not so sure yet, it depends on how dark we want it to be.”

“Not too dark.” Wanda immediately adds to Natasha’s response.

“I hope for it to turn out purple rather than blue,” Natasha says as she investigates the plums on the bush, “well whatever it is, it is better than plain old boring white huh?”

Wanda doesn’t respond, but she does smile at Natasha.

“Hey look, it’s like a cubby house, come join me.” Natasha excitedly enthuses, crawling under some leaves into the space. Wanda follows behind and sits beside Natasha, as they pluck out more plums. But very quickly, Natasha finds herself holding her finger in her mouth, sucking at the blood that was drawn from a prick.

“Ah dermo!”

“Are you okay?” Wanda concerns.

“Yeah it’s just a prick, don’t worry about it.”

“No, let me see it.” Wanda gently takes Natasha’s hand in her own and inspects the injury. Natasha watches Wanda, in awe of her immediate concern.

“I can make it better.” She holds her finger closer to her mouth and gives her finger a soft peck. Natasha is now gawking at her because of the sudden gesture. Wanda catches her staring and wonders if she’s okay. Natasha, who could read Wanda’s face, shook her head no. Wanda smirks back and takes Natasha’s hand closer to her to kiss her palm, she then gazes at Natasha again. The latter, though, shakes her head again, so Wanda leans in to kiss her forehead.

“Better?” To which Natasha shakes her head.

“How about now?” Natasha’s smirk grows larger and she shakes her head once again. Wanda’s eyes drift down to her pale pink lips, licking her own wet, she slowly leans closer. Natasha drops her wide grin in surprise. Unprepared for what’s about to happen, she follows Wanda’s lead and also leans forward. Their lips are held steadily close to one another, warm brushes of breath dance across each other’s lips, and as the two of them push their heads closer, Wanda turns to touch her lips to Natasha’s cheek, yet centimetres away from her the corner of her lip. Though despondent, the older of the two amuses at Wanda’s gesture. 

The rest of the collected plums are thrown into the bucket. At first they find a stick to squash the juice out of the fruits, but Natasha suggests the alternative.

“It might be easier to just step on them.” She shrugs.

“That will be very messy.”

“What did I say about being messy?” Natasha jokingly sniggers, “Let me help you in.”

“And you?”

“Not me. Nuh uh.” Natasha retorts sassily.

Wanda bites back, “And what did you say about being messy?”

Natasha lets out the loudest gasp, “Ty malen’kaya krysa, don’t use my words against me.”

She holds Wanda’s hand and helps her in the bucket whilst she finds space for herself. The two of them humorously try to waltz dramatically inside the bucket, only to slip and jump out at the first feeling of the bucket tipping over. They then grab the bedsheets and pillow cases, and dunk them in the thick substance of sticky plums, the sweet aroma fluttering in the air around them. Both girls use their hands to cover all the spots of the white fabric with purple dye of the plums, occasionally holding it out in front of them, to see how it’s looking. Then they drape it on a clothing line, spreading it out to take the hose and spray water all over to get rid of fruit pieces that stuck to the fabric. Of course, neither of the girls are efficient with the job, as ever so often would they spray one another.

“Wanda! That’s so cold.” She shrieks out. 

“You looked like you needed to cool down, Tasha.”

“Oh I’ll show you ‘cool down’.”

Natasha chases Wanda across the grass, reaching her hand out to grab the hose and drench Wanda back with the water. They take turns to spray the sheets down, and each other. Mostly the latter.

Natasha arranged her makeup and nail polish across the floor in front of Wanda. The latter drags her pointer finger on the casing that protects the makeup whilst sucking on her lollipop, she looks up for a second to see Natasha chewing her necklace.

“Are you eating your necklace?”

“I am. Try it, it’s good. I’ve got bracelets too.” Natasha grins.

Wanda, with curiosity, nibbles on her necklace as the rush of sweet and sour flavours swirl around her mouth. 

Natasha picks up her eyeshadow palette and slides her ring finger in the purple, then smears it gently on Wanda’s eyelids. 

“Does it look good?”

“Beautiful. Here, let's take a picture.” Natasha takes out her polaroid camera from her bag and sits next to Wanda, tilting her head near Wanda’s. She takes the picture with the flash, to which Wanda yelps in shock, not expecting the sudden flash.

“What did that do?”

“Well all will be revealed in a couple of minutes. Let’s try these now.” Referring to the tin filled with different coloured chapsticks.

Natasha takes out an orange chapstick and applies it generously on her lips, “Guess the flavour.” 

Wanda, uncertain of what to do, leans in and smells the lingering scent of the chapstick.

“Orange.”

“Huh, beginner's luck I’d say.”

“Oh yeah? Do another one then.”Wanda challenges.

Natasha wipes off the previous chapstick with a napkin and applies the next one. Once again, Wanda leans in to smell the scent.

“Oh I love this one.”

“Yeah what is it?”

“Watermelon? Yeah watermelon for sure.”

“You’re peeking.”

“I cannot see the labels from here Tasha, just admit it, I’m a winner and you lost.”

“No, we will do another one, a third one. I’ll catch you out this time.”

Natasha repeats the process of wiping the previous chapstick off and spreads the next one on her lips.

“This one is really hard, it’s sure to catch you out.”

She leans forward as does Wanda, who takes in the unfamiliar scent, but remains stumped at the foreign flavour.

“Do you give up?” To which Wanda rapidly shakes her head, not wanting to ‘lose’.

“Do you want a hint?” 

“Yes.”

Natasha slowly opens her eyes to see Wanda with hers still closed, a smile curls at her mouth as she leans even closer. A little hesitant at first, Natasha parts her lips, letting her hot breath graze Wanda’s lips. The younger girl flinches a little at the close proximity, her own lips part and releases a short breath, but she welcomes Natasha into her space. The older girl’s eyes droop to Wanda’s soft pout, then they look back up to Wanda’s shut eyes. Her head tilts slightly to let her nose sit beside Wanda’s perfectly, her delicate lips feather above Wanda’s. Finding the courage, she tenderly pushes her lips to Wanda’s top lip. 

At first, Wanda doesn’t reciprocate, but beginning to familiarise with Natasha’s taste and gesture, she closes her bottom lip over. Eventually they part slowly, prolonging the moment. Wanda licks her lips, desperate for more.

She whispers, “I have never tasted this before, what is it?”

Natasha whispers back, still recovering from the kiss, “Cola, do you want another one?”

“Yes.”

She applies another flavour and moves her head back in front of Wanda’s face. This time, without waiting for long, she softly touches Wanda’s lips with her own, allowing Wanda to gather the flavours flushed across their lips now. 

Their lips remain close to one another, “Strawberry?” Natasha nods with her forehead against the other girl’s. Wanda takes the lead and rubs her nose briskly on Natasha’s, “It reminds me of strawberry milk.”

Wanda takes Natasha’s jaw in her hand, tugging her closer as the latter holds her fingers under Wanda’s chin, equally pulling her closer. Their lips meet in a desperate kiss, aching for the intimate touch. Natasha’s hands slither into Wanda’s hair, tightly clutching onto the brown locks for control. Their mouths fight for dominance, moulding into one another’s, connecting perfectly like a puzzle piece. Neither of them need anything further than what they have right now. A mutual kiss, that they both feel flutters from inside their body, goosebumps trail across the lengths of their arms, both their faces radiating a summer’s heat from their shared kiss. 

Later in the day, Natasha and Wanda lay in the wading grass under the bedsheets, waiting for them to dry. 

“Do you think that someone will come looking for you?”

“No one really cares enough to do that sort of thing for me, which is completely fine.” Natasha confesses honestly. 

“Not even if you have been out for so long?”

“Probably not.”

“Not even if you stay overnight?”

“Why do you ask?” Natasha questions this time.

“Just wondering.”

That night, Wanda and Natasha push the beds together into the centre of the bedroom. They arrange the newly dyed blankets across both beds for the two of them, and they fluff up the pillows with the new cases at the head of the bed.

“Do you like it?”

“I love it.”

Both of them look at each other shyly, a silence grows between the two.

“Wands,”

“Yes?”

“I think I really like you.” Natasha whispers loudly.

“I think I really like you too.” Wanda whispers back and smiles.

They both stand smiling for a moment before crawling under the blanket, lying on their side facing each other.

“I don’t know what to do now, Tasha.”

“I don’t either, Wands.” Natasha’s nail trails lightly across Wanda’s arm.

“Maybe we could start by breathing together.” Wanda suggests.

“Yeah? Okay.” Natasha shifts her head closer to Wanda’s on the pillow, foreheads touching, “In… and out… in… and out…”

Wanda takes Natasha’s palm into hers and interlocks their fingers. Natasha glances at their hands before gazing with loving eyes at Wanda. Those eyes occasionally drift to Wanda's wet lips, but she leans in to take the younger girl’s sweet necklace between her fingers, coming intimately closer to Wanda's neck, her lips leaving a feather touch against the girl’s sensitive skin as Natasha’s teeth bite into the necklace. 

Wanda finds her hand lingering on Natasha's necklace, her fingers incite chills across her neck. Wanda looks into the older girl’s eyes before leaning in to also bite into the necklace. Natasha’s lips separate to breathe out a soft groan as her head tilts back, she turns back to Wanda and trails kisses on Wanda’s cheeks, eventually finding her lips. 

Wanda’s hands close around the back of Natasha's neck, pulling her closer as Natasha's hands wander in her hair, tugging gently at the locks she grips onto, causing Wanda to let out a faint moan into Natasha's mouth. Their lips eagerly interlock and merge with more urgency this time, feeling every part of the other’s body and mouth. Wanda latches onto Natasha’s bottom lip, sucking it hard, then sweeping her tongue over to soothe the pain. Natasha’s body rolls into Wanda’s, heat pooling at the bottom of their bodies, a foreign feeling to the both of them. The sensations rushes at every inch of their skin, sensitive with tingles, but throbbing for more. Wanda peppers hard kisses down Natasha’s cheek to the nape of her neck, as Natasha tilts her head away, providing more space. She finds Natasha’s pulse point, a vulnerable spot of immense pleasure, and nips away at bringing that pleasure for Natasha. 

Unbeknownst to them, Misha strolls into the bedroom and purrs at them.

“Shit, Misha, go away.” Wanda rushes out of the comfort of their bed to guide Misha out of the room. 

“I'm so sorry that is so embarrassing.” Wanda turns back to Natasha, melting at the sight of her. Wanda is falling for her.

“Don’t look at me from over there.”

“You are so beautiful.” Wanda lustfully declares. She crawls into bed and hovers over Natasha, “I do not understand why I’m feeling this way, but I’m glad it’s with you Tasha.”

“Me too Wands, me too.” speechless.

Wanda makes herself comfortable with her head on nat’s chest, listening to her heart beating, falling asleep to the unchanging rhythm. Natasha follows after, closing her eyes as she lets out a sigh in relief at the change in their dynamics. The two of them fall asleep, closer than before metaphorically and physically, with matching smiles on their faces. 

Chapter Text

For the first time in so long, Wanda wakes up the next morning without the weight of loss and grievance, much happier as Natasha slowly fills the gap left in her heart, from the loss of her mother. 

Her bracelets pile on her fraile wrist, colourful and heavy with love. One by one, she twists the bracelets, reading the words they spell out. Remembering how Natasha called her smart and pretty, yesterday afternoon. Wanda turns over to the other side, reaching out an arm to where the other girl slept, except it’s cold and unoccupied.

“Tasha?” she calls out, rushing out of her bed and into the corridors to the kitchen, “Tasha, where are you?”

With fear rising inside of her, she nervously shifts her eyes from room to her, before walking into the kitchen, where on the countertop resides the polaroid they had taken together, and a photocard, demonstrating love between two women. Wanda rubs her finger lovingly across the image, then turns it around to see a note: 

We ran out of strawberry milk, Tasha ♡’

She chuckles and holds the card to her chest with both hands, smiling to herself - feeling more relieved to know where Natasha is. Besides the photo card was a bracelet with the word ‘LOVE’, she glances over the letters, grinning harder as she adds the bracelet to her collection on her wrist.

Natasha carefully sneaks into her house, hoping to get into her room without being caught by anyone in her house. Unknowing of the four people sat at the table, waiting for her to realise that they’ve seen her, she reaches a hand out to her handle. Only to jump in fright when she hears her mother behind her, in the living room. 

“Get in here.” Melina calls out with fury lingering in her tone.

At the table, she sees both Detective Fury and Hil, sitting together on one side, with her mother and her boyfriend, sitting on each shorter edge of the table. 

“What’s this about a fucking cat?” her mother spits out.

Natasha hesitates, she stares at each face gawking at her for a couple of seconds, sensing the disappointment on Alexei’s face, and the anger radiating from her mother. Her mouth suddenly dried, void of any saliva. She just stares at each figure, taking a gulp of whatever she can. Fearing that she has no other choice, as she knows no one will believe the lies she’s been feeding them anymore. 

Wanda takes her notebook, gifted by Natasha, in her grasp, brushing her finger across the many stickers plastered all over the cover, and her name in red rhinestones at the top of the book. 

She opens it to the first page, where she finds another note Natasha had left for her to read.

‘Beautiful Wands, 

Now is the time to explore who you really are. Play, experiment, be colourful and messy and free. I’ll be right here by your side, I purple promise.

                                                                 Love, Tasha♡’

Wanda traces Natasha’s sign off delicately, before placing the book down on her bedside table, and dances with profound joy around the room. She swirls and twirls in her new dress, as she chews on the sweet necklaces. Picking up a chapstick she found in the tin of makeup, she smears it over her lips, looking over her newly decorated wall, now plastered with faces of icons, as she presses her index finger into the silver glitter eyeshadow, and swipes it across her eyelid. 

Dropping everything, she quickly picks up the photocard and polaroid from earlier, and uses remaining blu-tack to stick them up wherever she can find the space. Remembering what Natasha told her about the art of messiness in collages, she randomly chooses the location for her card and polaroid, taking extra care to find a centre space for the latter. Wanting to encompass her deep care for the girl she only met recently, and yet has wormed her way into Wanda’s heart. A genuine smile is carried across Wanda’s face, it’s been so long since she’s felt that way. 

Contrastingly, chaos erupts at Natasha’s place. After squeezing out information from Natasha, the detectives hastily start leaving the premise to head to Wanda’s house. Natasha, anxiously, trails behind them out of the house, following them knowing exactly where they’re heading.

“She’s sixteen, Natasha.” Hill tries to sympathise.

“What’s your point? What’s your point huh!” Natasha bites back, attempting to stop them from getting to Wanda, “Hey!”

“It’s the law, Natasha. And by law, if you are under the age of seventeen, then you’re a kid.” Fury reminds Natasha.

“Yeah but I’m taking care of her!” Natasha exclaims, her face is flushed red, as her voice breaks in fear for Wanda. Her hands tightly grasp the hairs on the top of her head, tugging on the strands. 

“Natasha, listen to me. You cannot be her guardian.” Hill enunciates the last words.

“Please, don’t! I’m trying- I’m helping her.” Natasha pleads and begs, her voice begins to rise in volume.

“It’s only for a year or so. Okay? She’ll be fine.” Hill tries to reason, but this is ignored by Natasha.

“This is bullshit! Yebat’! It’s not fair!” Natasha growls, aggravated and furious at the lack of understanding from the adults.

At the sounds of chaos and commotion, her mother stomps out of the house to grab Natasha back into the house, “Get back in the house! Right now.” But Natasha shows resistance, making it harder for Melina to drag her by the forearm into the house. 

Unbeknownst to the chaos in Natasha’s house, Wanda is sitting at her doorstep with Misha in her lap, cradling her beloved cat and grazing her fingers through her fur. Wanda’s distress doesn’t go unnoticed by her own cat, who purrs and rubs her nose against her chin to offer some comfort. Natasha is taking too long, Wanda thinks. She only went back to get more strawberry milk, so what’s taking so long?

On that thought, she suddenly hears the creak of a gate opening, is it Tasha finally?

“She’s here, Mish. I knew she’d come back.” She softly kisses Misha between her ears, “I’ll go get her.”

Wanda runs towards the old rusting gate, slowing down as she approaches the entrance. Only to completely freeze in her tracks, something foreign, something that was not supposed to be here, is here at her gate. A car, someone’s car; a man and a woman - strangers. But Natasha is in the back. Does she know them? Did she tell them? How could she?

Wanda doesn’t take any glances back, she runs in the opposite direction, away from the car, into the forest. Natasha is struggling in the back of the car, trying to get out and stop Wanda.

“No no, let me out, let me out!” Natasha shouts as she tugs on the car handle.

Deep within the trees, Wanda is running and running and running, with no looking back, no stopping, no waiting, she just keeps on running, faster than she ever has before. With only one destination in mind, one goal.

“My mother said to hold on tight and not let go.”

She treads closer to the reservoir, staring out into the water.

”No matter what. Never let go.”

Her mouth is dry, breathing heavy and tight puffs of air, feet bare and aching. 

When Natasha forced herself out the car, she took flight into the trees and sprinted towards the only place she had in mind. Her tears paint the cold skin of her cheeks as she sloppily wipes them away with her sleeves, dashing behind Wanda towards the reservoir.

“Wanda! Wanda, no! Don’t!”

Wanda, however, has a look of content and pure ease. She kneels before the waters, taking a large stone from the edge of the lake into her hands. Her mind drifts as she sees a familiar yellow from the corner of her eye. The figure slowly and carefully kneels besides Wanda, gesturing at the stone to take it into her hands.

“That’s a good one, dorogoy.” Wanda hears her mothers voice say in her head.

Natalya turns the stone over in her hand, feeling its weight before pocketing it into her yellow dress. She finds another stone, performing the same actions with it. Wanda watches as her mother does this once more, then sees her draw her hands towards Wanda, to walk her into the lake.

“Stay with me. Everything that’s been hard and dark and heavy, will go away my darling girl. Just stay with me now.” Natalya whispers into the air around them. Her yellow dress dances around her body, surrounding the true blue of her skin. 

As if Wanda has not a single regret anymore, she makes up her mind, as the figment of her imagination, shaped as her mother pulls her deeper into the depths of the water, she follows the figure. Accepting her final fate.

“Will you stay with me, mama?”

“Yes moya devochka, just hold on a little longer.” 

Steadily, Wanda is deep into the water with her hands out ahead of her. The water reaches her shoulders, then her neck, then finally with a last intake of air, she submerges herself into the water, the water ripples around her from the initial thrashing. Until eventually the bubbles, that float on the surface above where her body was swamped, evens out. And eventually, the world stops moving, as Wanda’s world stops. Her heartbeat slows from the lack of air, as water swarms her lungs, filling her with its weight, dragging her down.

“Be with me.” She hears her mothers final whisper.

Too late, Natasha screams at herself, too late. She rushes towards the lake, feeling unsettled by the lack of Wanda in sight.

“Wanda! No! Wanda please no!”

With no hesitation this time, she plunges into the water in an attempt to find Wanda's body. 

Resurfacing once in a while, for air, “Wanda!” She looks around the lake frantically, searching for any movement in the water, to find nothing, only a stillness. She dives down into the water again. No sign of Wanda, the salty lake water mixes with the tears freefalling, “Wanda please!”

She plunges her head back underwater, eyes wide open looking for any slightest sign of Wanda. As she edges closer and deeper into the lake, her eyes catch sight of a white ghostly fabric, glowing in the murky depths of the lake. Wanda. As swiftly as she could, she swims towards the figure, grabbing a limp Wanda back to the surface. Natasha brushes her wet hair out of her face, and pushes into Wanda’s chest to a steady rhythm, like she once saw on television. She encompasses her lips around Wanda’s open mouth, and pushes breaths of air in. For a moment, nothing seems to work, until Wanda begins to gasp at the feel of a breath of air entering her lungs. And from then, the air fights against the overwhelming volume of water in her body. She coughs and chokes and spits, the water rushes out of her mouth.

“Mama, no mama! Come back please…” Wanda chokes out, yelling for her mother.

“Wanda please, stay with me.” Natasha soothes.

“Mama was right there, Tasha, she was right there with me.” Wanda cries out in pain, “Let go of me, she was right there, I need her!”

Natasha drags both their drenched bodies towards the rocks, where she holds a disturbed Wanda tightly in her arms, rocking Wanda, whose palms cover her face as she bawls into them.

“No please Wanda, don’t. Ty mne nuzhen, ostan’sya so mnoy, please.”

Wanda thrashes against Natasha’s arms, “Mama please, mama come back.. I need you, don’t let them take me, please!”

“I won’t let them take you, detka. Wanda please listen to me, I need you, stay with me.” Natasha pleads quietly into Wanda’s ears, holding her even tighter.

Wanda slowly turns into Natasha’s chest, wrapping her thin arms around Natasha’s neck, burrowing her face into the space under her chin, for comfort.

“Tasha?”

“I’m right here, detka, I am right here, with you.”

Natasha wipes the hairs stuck to her face, back. Caressing the top of her head whilst peppering lingering kisses into her hair. Natasha closes her eyes and whispers to Wanda, letting her know she’s right there.

“What am I gonna do?” Wanda mumbles into the air.

“Hey, hey Wanda, Wanda look at me.” Natasha lifts her face from under her chin to directly face each other, “Hey look at me, we are going to be okay.” Natasha holds Wanda’s face in the palm of her soft wet hands, “Okay? I promise you.”

Wanda looks at Natasha through her blurry vision, tears clouding the edges of her eyes, she desperately nods.

“We’re gonna be okay. You have to believe me, okay?”

Wanda lifts her pruned index finger up to Natasha, “Do you purple promise?”

Natasha looks at her finger, breathes heavily and looks at Wanda again. Taking one hand off of Wanda’s face, she interlocks her index finger to Wanda’s.

“I purple promise.”

Natasha intertwines all their fingers together, and holds their hands to her chest. Resting her forehead on Wanda’s, they both close their eyes. 

“Breathe with me, breathe in…and out… breathe in.. and out.. In..and out…”