i am the scarlet witch

     While  he  couldn’t  find  his  path,  James  refused  to  stand  still;  Watching  as  new  threats  loomed  silently  on  the  horizon.  Though  weary  of  conflicts,  he  wasn’t  willing  to  yield  to  selfishness  and  allow  others  to  fight  alone  ―  his  past,  whilst  a curse,  could  sometimes  come  as  a  blessing.  The  shadowy  nature  that  was  part  of  the  Winter  Soldier  still  existed  within  him;  And,  just  as  it  kept  his  old  self  as  a  ghost  story,  would  help  him  in  the  present;  Mostly  while  in  the  middle  of  a  mission  that,  for  the  time  being,  demanded  caution.  At  their  destination,  Bucky  jumped  out  of  the  plane  silently,  paying  attention  to  everything  that  didn’t  look  right  ―  and  not  even  Wanda  was  able  to  get  a  smile  from  him  at  that  moment,  as  his  behavior  became  a  bit  more  reticent  than  the  normal.   ❝  We  still  don’t  know  what  we’re  dealing  with,  so  there’s  no  need  to  allow  others  to  be  aware  of  our  presence  just  yet.  ❞   His  voice  wasn’t  more  than  whisper,  following  a  wintry  tone.  His  mind  wasn’t  at  ease,  as  there  were  still  dangers  he  could,  somehow,  prevent;  And  Bucky  was  aware  that  it  wasn’t  part  of  the  road  for  the  redemption  he  was  looking  for.

     He  twisted  his  lips,  thinking  about  the  ways  to  follow  that  mission,  without  putting  innocents  or  Wanda  in  danger;  Regardless  of  the  fact  that  the  woman  standing  next  to  him  was  powerful  enough  to  defend  herself  perfectly.  Fingertips  pressed  against  the  rifle  he  was  carrying,  at  the  same  time  his  metal  fist  clenched  ―  something  there  was  throwing  him  into  a  nervous  baseline.  But  Bucky  wouldn’t  allow  it  to  guide  his  actions.  As  so,  he  turned  his  eyes  to  Wanda  once  more;  Glad  that  she  was  the  one  with  him  at  that  moment,  since  her  presence  worked  as  an  anchor,  keeping  him  in  a  clear  way  of  thinking.   ❝  There’s  nothing  we  can  do  out  here,  so  we  gotta  go  in  as  quietly  as  possible  and…  I  don’t  think  any  of  this  is  good  news,  so  just  be  ready  to  react,  alright?  Don’t  worry  if  I’m  on  your  way  or  not.  ❞

A stealthy approach was far different from what Wanda was used to, though it wasn’t entirely out of her comfort zone. While her powers were flashy, Wanda’s origins were with the Brotherhood. They were terrorists, hellbent on creating fear, but a key element was their elusive nature. Magneto had assigned Wanda to many, many operations, and not all of them were in the public, causing as much destruction as possible. With the Avengers, however, Wanda was primarily on the frontlines. They had much more qualified superheroes to deal with missions such as this, but Wanda was happy to be out regardless. Following Bucky’s lead, she had no doubt that it would be successful, too. He was a capable leader and he understood the stakes. “Understood,” Wanda whispered, allowing the red glow of her hexes to dim. As she studied the compound, Wanda’s brow furrowed. From the outside, it was entirely unsuspecting, but inside, Wanda knew there was doubtlessly some kind of corruption.

Bucky was clearly on edge. It was a rare sight. Even in the face of Thanos’s armies, Bucky had been steady, prepared to act. Wanda didn’t question it, but she did keep a close eye on her friend. She understood how complex emotions were, how some situations seemed to stir unexpected waves of sorrow. “I can scope out if there’s any empty rooms and we can go in through one of the windows,” Wanda suggested. Bucky would have to trust her to use her magic to make him fly, but she doubted that would be a problem. “I’ll make sure you aren’t in my way,” Wanda said firmly. She would never hurt Bucky. “Do you trust me?” She asked after a moment, eyeing up a room that was shrouded in darkness and hopefully their access point.

     Normally,  it  was  easy  for  james  to  put  some  of  the  bad  thoughts  aside,  especially  when  Wanda's  voice  danced  in  his  ears.  Things,  however,  seemed  to  be  slowly  changing  ―  at  leas  for  him.  His  mind  would  linger  more  and  mover  over  things  he  couldn’t  control,  and  curbing  the  thoughts  seemed  to  charge  an  increasing  amount  of  energy,  while  he  was  getting  tired.   ❝  No.  I couldn’t  a  hundred  years  ago  and  I  can’t  right  now.  ❞   Bucky  replied  mid  smile,  glad  that  they  had  something  silly  to  talk  about.  It  didn’t  last  long,  however,  as  soon  enough  Wanda  was  more  than  able  to  grab  his  evasive  words.  James  offered  silence  as  his  answer,  thinking  that  it’d  be  easier  to  let  the  subject  die  than  allow  her  to  search  for  things  he  was  still  trying  to  hide.   ❝  I  wish  I  could  too…  But  sometimes  there’s  nothing  to  do  and  fight  it  is  like  try  to  punch  the  blade  of  a  knife.  So  life  goes  on.  A  bit  unfairly  sometimes,  but  it  goes  on.  ❞  

Bucky had been through more than enough trauma and difficulties as far as Wanda was concerned. She had always been a protective friend, and her bond with Bucky was no different. The thought of Bucky being hurt or still suffering was enough to turn Wanda’s stomach, but in their line of work, she supposed being injured was inevitable. What she had to focus on were these moments instead when they were able to spend time together, mostly unconcerned by the horrible people in the world. “That’s probably for the best. I think we’ve had enough nightmares,” she mused. “I don’t need to add a world without coffee to the list.” It really did sound horrific! Wanda didn’t miss the fact that Bucky avoided answering her question, but she decided not to press for information. Invading his privacy wasn’t fair, especially when he respected hers. “The world does always keep turning,” Wanda agreed with a sigh. “I was thinking that maybe I could volunteer though,” she said quietly. “Help with some of the relief efforts. I could more than a hundred construction workers in half the time.” It would be a very different way of using her powers, but it would be effective. “Would that be okay?” Wanda asked, genuinely wanting Bucky’s opinion. If anyone could understand how intense the public’s fear was, it was the White Wolf.

Pietro could have never have imagined coming back from the dead but when he had suddenly appeared alive and well, he wasn’t about to complain. Instead he had picked up what had happened since he’d been deceased and learnt about Thanos and the five year ordeal. His first thought was Wanda. He had to find her, had to let her know he was back and more alive than ever. But first, he ran, wanting to make sure he had his powers still and he did, much to his relief. He considered using them to make his way to the Avenger compound but he wanted some time to simply process the whole ordeal. After all, it wasn’t everyday you return from the dead. This was his second chance at life. He had only just started to get on the right path before his life had been taken and he was determined to get back on that path if he could.

It took him some time to reach the Avenger compound but when he did find himself stood outside, he wondered if it had always been so big and majestic. He shrugged and headed indoors, searching room by room for his sister. It wasn’t until he reached the living room that he stopped and saw her. He stood for a second and admired her. Here she was, still standing and he couldn’t have been more relieved. Running a ring around her, he stood in the centre of the room, lips quirked up in a smile. “I’m not real, huh? If I were a vision, would I be able to do this?” He asked, quickly snatching the book out of her hand and ending up leaning against the door to the living room. “Come tell me I’m not real now, sis,” He commented, now unable to contain his growing smile. 

For years, Wanda had dreamed of the day that she would see her brother again. In those dreams, he appeared just like this, full of bravado and with colour in his cheeks. He moved at the speed of light, he instantly brought a wave of calm to Wanda with him. If anyone could understand twisting someone’s pain to their advantage, Wanda supposed it would be her. During her years with the Brotherhood, she had made people live through their greatest fears. It hardly seemed as cruel as forcing them to experience what they desired most, but villains were twisted and they were ruthless. Unfortunately, Wanda couldn’t fault them for it — she could see the tactical value. The Scarlet Witch was powerful, what better way to disarm her? But that didn’t change how much she longed to hug Pietro, to cry in relief that he had finally returned to her. Perhaps that was the most tragic part.

Pietro — or the vision of Pietro — didn’t seem fazed that Wanda didn’t believe that he was real. If anything, Pietro became more himself, running a circle around her and stealing the book from her hands. Wanda hadn’t expected that was possible. Most illusions were incapable of making contact with solid matter. Confused and doubtful, Wanda’s eyebrows rose and she studied Pietro for a moment. He was breathing, he looked… happy, but it wasn’t possible. Or was it? The Avengers had just brought billions of people back to life. “I don’t know,” Wanda said quietly, her voice thick with emotion. She made her way over to Pietro and while it was still a risk, she hugged him tightly. He felt real, he was warm, and he was solid. “Tell me something only we know,” Wanda said, not bothering to pull back from their embrace. If she died because of it, another moment with her brother would be worth it, she decided. He would scorn her in the afterlife, but ultimately understand.

“It does but it’s something to do,” He answered. He didn’t necessarily need to do it but he found it was something to do each morning and gave him something to work towards. “I don’t do much, you do the brunt of the work” Wanda rarely ever gave herself enough credit and that almost always lead Steve to do it for her. She deserved recognition for her efforts and everything she had been through. “I never knew you’d even been to the Alps before but one day we’ll head out there.” He liked the idea of travelling. He hadn’t had much of a chance to do it before but if the universe was planning on remaining undisturbed for a little while, he was truly considering finding some time to travel around. “Let’s get a cab, if we go on the subway, I’m pretty sure we’ll be recognised and we’ll never make it there,”.

“Everyone needs goals,” Wanda acknowledged. “I just want you to make sure you’re taking care of yourself, too. It’s easy to forget that you have emotional needs when you’re always working on the physical.” Perhaps it stemmed from the years Wanda spent looking after Pietro (and Pietro after her), but she was always concerned about her friends and whether they were taking care of themselves. Steve was more than capable, but he had also been through so much, like all of the living billions had. “Thanks,” Wanda said sheepishly. She had never been great at accepting compliments, but she appreciated Steve’s praise nonetheless. “Pietro and I traveled a lot growing up,” Wanda replied. “We were… orphans and moving always seemed to be the best option, especially as two mutants in Eastern Europe. It’s very religious.” And very, very anti-mutant, Wanda added silently. “The Alps were one of my favourite places, especially the Swiss side. There was also this one little town in Poland, Zakopane, and I loved it there, too.” When Steve suggested haling a cab, Wanda walked to the street and got them one easily. Once they were inside and headed to the forest, she asked, “Did you travel much?”

There were some grievances you never moved on from. Losing Pietro was exactly one of those. The Avengers, her amazing, strong teammates, may have brought back billions, but Wanda couldn’t help but wish Pietro was among them. Perhaps that was selfish, but thus far, Wanda had lost every important person in her life, starting with her parents. Wishing that only one of them came back… surely it wasn’t entirely vilifying. Somedays, Wanda felt like she was moving on from the guilt and the longing, but others, it was stifling. Today was thankfully the former. She’d woken up and gone through her usual training regime, she had made breakfast for herself and a few teammates, and now she was in the living room of the compound, reading a self help book that she’d swapped the cover out on. There was no need to worry anyone! Wanda was merely curious about how to recover from loss. Clearly, being a superhero was not always filled with thrilling adventures. Sometimes being a superhero meant merely surviving.

When a gust of wind rushed by her, it almost brought a smile to her face. Years ago, it would have been announcing her brother’s arrival, but now it just meant that one of her teammates had opened a window. Sighing, Wanda pushed up off of the couch with her book in hand. Much to her shock and confusion, it seemed to signify the latter. Pietro was in front of her even though that was impossible. It had to be a trick, a villain was behind this with powers not entirely unlike her own. Mysterio came to mind immediately, although Wanda wasn’t sure exactly what he looked like. She had only heard horror stories about the visions he created. “You’re not real,” Wanda said, her tone firm, though there was obviously emotion in her voice. “You are cruel for making me envision my brother.”

“You know me, always trying to push myself,” It was true. Anyone who knew Steve, knew he was always trying to better himself in any way, shape or form. It was just in his nature to do so. “And you do train hard, don’t ever doubt that you don’t,” Wanda was one of the few Steve trained and he knew how hard she worked, how much strength she put into each of their sessions. A lot of people would’ve given up but not her. “You know, I’m a New York guy, through and through and I’ve never been to that forest myself. If you’d let me, I can accompany you. I can finish the remainder of my training later, I doubt you want to wait for me to finish now,” He offered. He and Wanda got on particularly well and he wasn’t about to object to spend a few hours with her. Steve was fond of her, to say the least and if she needed a friend to tag along, Steve was her guy.

“Does that ever get exhausting?” Wanda asked. She was the same way, always trying to be better with her powers, always trying to be more content with the life she was given. The latter was especially difficult, considering how much she had struggled and continued to do so. She was prone to bouts of guilt and self loathing. “I do try my best,” she replied with a smile. “I have a very good trainer, too. You may know him…” Wanda said fondly. Without Steve, Wanda wouldn’t have been nearly as confident on the field as she was now. He couldn’t necessarily help with her magic, but Steve had taught her the basics of hand to hand and how to be much more confident. “I would love that!” She said enthusiastically. “One day I should take you to the Alps. It’s my favourite range in the world,” Wanda said. “Should we hail a cab? Take the subway?”

     The  moments  spent  in  Wanda’s  presence  were  often  enough  to  take  his  mind  from  the  series  of  noxious  thoughts  that  had  become  frequent  since  he  had  returned;  Something  Bucky  wasn’t  proud  of,  nor  something  he’d  actively  vocalize,  while  trying  to  avoid  bothering  other  people  ―  who  had  gone  through  their  own  personal  nightmares.  ❝  And  I’m  thankful  for  that.  ❞   He  said,  once  again  allowing  a  faint  smile.   ❝  And  also  for  the  coffee.  ❞   As  James  spoke,  he  moved  precisely  so  Wanda  could  link  her  arm  through  his  right  one;  The  real  one,   unconsciously  trying  to  bring  a  bit  more  of  normality  to  the  situation,  although  aware  that  it  was  nearly  impossible  for  people  like  them.   ❝  Oh…  You  know.  Getting  used  to  it.  ❞   It  was  an  evasive  answer,  filled  with  only  half  truths  and  Bucky  was  aware  of  it  all.  He  wasn’t,  however,  willing  to  put  his  problems  on  her  shoulders;  Wanda  had  had  enough  misery  to  deal  with  his  own.   ❝  And  you?  ❞   Now  his  words  held  a  genuine  interest,  which  could  almost  mask  his  concern.

It was obvious that Bucky was struggling. In ways, Wanda was worried that they all were, the survivors and those that had fallen. The world may have been put back to the way it was, but that didn’t necessarily mean that they could simply forget that Thanos had won. Rather than vocalizing those thoughts, however, Wanda said, “Can you imagine the world without coffee?” She smiled as James moved so she could link their arms, pleased that he didn’t mind the contact. It had always grounded her, even during the days where she was fighting alongside the Brotherhood, misguided and enraged. “Getting used to it?” Wanda repeated, raising her eyebrows, obviously doubtful. Bucky was obviously purposely evading the question, but Wanda wouldn’t give up that easily. “I’m happy that we won,” she replied, measuring her words carefully. “But winning doesn’t necessarily make everything… better. I wish that I could help to stop people’s suffering.”

Numerous heroes had appeared during the five years Wanda was dead, and numerous had been inspired by the original heroes’ return. Ultimately, it was difficult for Wanda to keep track of everyone who was currently occupying an alias and keeping Earth safe. When she spotted another suit of armour soaring through the sky, one she didn’t recognize as Pepper’s or one of Tony’s many, Wanda immediately pursued them. She didn’t allow her hexes to rise to her fingertips, she doubted they were a threat, but she was curious.

The flight was thankfully short and Wanda landed beside the person on an empty rooftop. Raising her hands in a sign of surrender, Wanda said, “I’m not here to hurt you.” She had no desire to fight someone who similarly wanted to protect the public. “But I would like to know how you got that suit and who you are.” Tony was notoriously protective of the amour he created — and with good reason.

Calls for help were a frequent and predictable occurrence. It was also an occurrence that Wanda lived for. She hadn’t joined the Avengers to be idle, and after her death, she felt like a failure. She was far stronger than she had been when she faced Thanos, attempting to protect Vision in the process. Wanda may have fought him again successfully, but it felt insufficient. No matter how many lives she saved these days, it never felt like enough. She hadn’t voiced that thought, hadn’t voiced how fragile and weak she felt, but she hoped that the more missions Wanda completed successfully, the quicker that feeling would fade. Thankfully, Bucky was her partner to investigate a mysterious energy signal in Nevada. Ultimately, it wouldn’t matter who she fought alongside — Wanda adored the majority of her team — but Bucky calmed her.

When they arrived at the coordinates, Wanda flew down from the plane and landed quietly, concealed behind a wall of the compound. “Shall we go in guns blazing?” Wanda whispered to Bucky, a hex rising to her fingertips, fluorescent red. “Or would you prefer to be more stealthy?” Wanda asked curiously. She and Bucky had different ways of operating and until they knew exactly who they were fighting, Wanda would allow him to take the lead. It was doubtful they would ever be overwhelmed, but after the chaos Thanos’s snap had caused, the Earth and its inhabitants were still fragile. Wanda didn’t want to frighten anyone or rouse the suspicion of civilians.

     And,  then,  Barnes  couldn’t  hold  back  a  slight  smile.  Not  while  in  her  presence,  at  least.  Wanda  was  the  representation  of  one  the  few  real  friendships  he  could  have  in  a  reality  like  theirs  ―  and,  by  far,  one  of  the  healthiest.  After  all  the  pain  and  misery,  it  was  nice  to  have  the  Maximoff  around;  a  gentle  reminder  that  he  wasn’t  as  alone  as  he’d  often  think.   ❝  Something  I  can  relate  to,  finally.  ❞   He  then  said,  allowing  himself  a  soft  smile  once  again,  something  that  ended  up  to  be  a  bit  common  while  around  her.   ❝  I’m  always  in  the  mood  for  this  said  one  person  and  you  know  it…  And  coffee.  Coffee  would  be  particularlry  nice.  Perhaps  alongside  a  walk?  ❞  

Bucky’s smile was rare, but truthfully it was a sight Wanda wished she could see more often. Thankfully, the closer they became, the more it tended to show. Wanda was certainly grateful for that, it was a sign that Bucky was healing and healthier, she hoped. “I do try to be relatable for you,” Wanda replied, offering him another smile. In truth, she wished Bucky wasn’t quite so relatable. It would imply that his life wasn’t so painful, so lonely, but that was not their reality. “I’m happy to hear that,” Wanda said, meaning every word. “As long as you let me buy the coffee,” she replied, linking her arm through Bucky’s. Affection had always been highly important to Wanda, a comforting reminder of friendship. “How have you been?” She asked as they started to walk.

Central Park was one of the more frequent places Steve visited. It was a big park and plenty of space for him to run alone and undisturbed, most of the time. Of course there were the occasional runners that wanted a running partner, but he never mind. He often found it difficult to say no. 

Noticing a pair of much smaller feet approaching him, he glanced up from his stretching to be met with Wanda. “Wasn’t fast enough, didn’t quite make my personal best but there’s always next time,” He quipped, standing straight to converse with her, “You and I both know, you’re definitely not a slacker. You work harder than most,” He told her, knowing for sure how hard she worked when they had trained together, especially seeing as he tended to push her hard whenever they trained together too. But he only ever had her best interests at heart and would never make her do anything he didn’t think she was capable of. “What brings you to Central Park? I know you’re definitely not here to run.” 

“I’m sure your personal best isn’t easy to beat,” Wanda pointed out, a fond note in her tone. Steve was an incredible athlete and an incredible soldier, but Wanda also knew that he had very high expectations of himself. As Steve turned his praise on her, Wanda laughed quietly. She didn’t think of herself as a hard worker necessarily, but she was dedicated to helping the world in whatever way she could. That meant training dutifully. “I do my part,” she said simply. “The world deserves to have people willing to protect it. In order to be my best at that, I need to train hard.” Especially with powers as complicated and unpredictable as hers. “I was hoping to find a quiet place to meditate,” Wanda admitted. “I miss nature and this is the closest I can get. I’ve been meaning to see Raoul Wallenberg Forest, but…” Wanda trailed off before admitting, “No one seems to want to accompany me. I could go myself, but exploring’s never as fun alone.” Wanda paused before asking, “Do you have anymore training left today?”

Steve had more often than not found comfort in the Avenger compound but after Thanos, it brought back a lot of memories from when it had been openly fired at and destroyed. So he found himself spending much less time there unless he had to. It was probably why he found himself out running more often. New York had plenty of routes to go down and Steve was keen to find the best one for him. 

With the wind in his hair, he was quick on his feet, running swiftly down the pathway ahead of him before his timer went off. Thirteen minutes, 14 seconds. His personal best but he hadn’t managed to beat it today. What a surprise. His head recently hadn’t been in the game and perhaps that was his explanation for failing so many times. Either way, he sighed and began to slow down. Coming to a stop, he rested his arm against the bark of a tree, in a bid to regain his energy and breath back. Steve was determined to beat his personal best and was already gearing up to try again as he stretched his legs and arms openly.

Nature was hard to find at the best of times in New York City. Central Park was sufficient, but Wanda couldn’t help but reminisce about the weeks she spent in the mountains, drifting from village to village with her brother. It was unattainable now, she knew that, and with her loved ones here, Wanda knew it was a small price to pay.

As she roamed the park, Wanda sipped on a coffee, looking for a place quiet enough to meditate. The park was filled with crowds of people, as always, and she spotted Steve running in her fruitless search. Immediately, a smile crossed her face and Wanda jogged — much slower than Steve had been running — to the tree he was leaning against. “That was very fast,” she told Steve, sounding impressed. Wanda typically relied on her magic in fights, but Steve had trained her psychically as well. “You make me feel like a slacker,” she said, bemused. “Do you want some water? Training for a personal best?”