Bleep Bloop

Well, except for Conrad Hillsby. He tried to fuck me at a party sophomore year, and Natasha completely lost her shit. Turned into a little arsonist and everything, threatened to burn the house down if he didn't open the door he'd locked and let me out. He did so quickly when he saw the flame of her lighter through the cracks in the door. Natasha stormed in, walked straight to me and checked to make sure I was okay. I was half naked, clutching my ripped top to my breast and shivering as she caressed my skin, looking for injuries. When she knew I was alright, except for my top, she turned around and socked Conrad in the face. Then she scooped me up in her arms and carried me out of his bedroom door, throwing her lit lighter onto his bed over her shoulder. She was smug as we heard Conrad swearing and stomping all the way out his front door.

He never pressed charges. Conrad's rich parents would have cut him off if they found out he threw a party after they worked so hard to get him out of jail time for his third underage DUI, so when his parents assumed that he'd been smoking in bed, he took their grounding instead of telling them the truth.

Natasha and I broke up right after sophomore year ended. She said that she didn't have feelings for me anymore, and the incident with Conrad was a big part of it. Not going to lie, that hurt. Everyone in school knew I only liked women. That was part of the fun for Conrad, trying to 'turn' me. But Natasha said she couldn't un-see me sitting there, half naked and crying, huddled against the headboard at the far end of Conrad's bed. She said she looked at me different after that day, and she couldn't live with looking at me that way for the rest of her life.

I was angry at first. Sad, definitely. I spent the first week of summer at home, with Shuri and Kate coming by to keep me company. They said it was only to use my pool in the summer heat, but I could see their eyes on me as I wallowed away in my sadness for the first part of summer.

Then my parents sent me to a summer camp for smarty-smart kids or something, and that's where I met Wanda. She was transferring to my school from a different school in the district that year, and we were both going to be juniors. We were stuck together like glue for the entire month we were at camp. Then we continued to see each other throughout the summer, and by the time junior year came around, we were dating.

One could say that I have a penchant for redheads. But the color of their hair is the only thing that Natasha and Wanda had in common. Unlike Natasha, Wanda is bubbly, energetic, and sweet. I mean, Natasha was sweet too, but Wanda is gentler. Like being wrapped in a warm, fuzzy blanket instead of being guarded by a large dog with razor sharp teeth.

Wanda always brought me lunch that she made at home. Not because I asked her to or because I wasn't eating, but because she liked to cook. She told me that she always had leftovers, and couldn't think of anyone better to eat them. And I gladly ate her lunches. She's a great cook, and I would have been stupid to turn any of that down. And when I had to get my appendix out right after Christmas break, Wanda was with me every day after school, reading to me, feeding me soup, and helping me stay on top of my schoolwork.

I went with her to junior prom, and it was amazing. Wanda looked beautiful in her dress, and we just danced and danced, all night. The only awkward part was that Natasha kept staring at us the entire night, but I tried to ignore her.

The Monday after prom weekend sucked, though. Wanda broke up with me. No explanation, no hesitation, just 'I'm breaking up with you' and that was it. Once again, Shuri and Kate were there to comfort me, but I was still sad.

The situation was not made better by the fact that a week after Wanda broke up with me, she and Natasha were walking the halls hand-in-hand. Wanda would shoot daggers at me every time I passed them, but Natasha would avoid eye contact all together. So I stayed clear of them for the rest of junior year.

Senior year they were still together, so I had Kate get me their class schedules so I could avoid them as much as I could. I had one class with Natasha and one class with both of them, but they were easy enough classes for me to avoid them.

I graduated a loner, with only Shuri and Kate to keep me company. My graduation party was the three of us going to a small diner called Murry's in the Upper East Side. We exchanged gifts, and I even allowed them to reminisce on some memories. Admittedly, they were pretty good ones. But I told them that now that we've graduated, I wasn't looking back.

So color me surprised when they were surprised when I said no to our ten year reunion.

"So much time has passed!" Kate argued as she dug through her closet for a dress to wear. "No one but you remembers how you fumbled the Quizbowl State Championships."

"Or how you fumbled the last Lacrosse game of our freshman year," Shuri added with a smile.

"Except for the fact that the two of you just threw those instances in my face." My eyes had rolled so far to the back of my head, I thought they'd get stuck.

The truth is, I wouldn't have minded going to the reunion, if only as another excuse to hang out with Shuri and Kate. We continued to be friends after high school and we're still as close as ever, but we have our own lives as adults, so we don't hang out as often.

The problem is that I know for a fact Natasha and Wanda will be there, and I know for a fact that they're still together. Natasha became a police officer, and very quickly made her way to detective. Now she works with the Special Victims Unit and has the highest closing percentage in the state. Wanda started her own Eco-friendly energy company, some sort of new technology that transforms the sun into energy, but her stuff is smaller, cheaper, and better to look at than solar panels. And when she participated in a press conference to talk about her new water filtration system, who was by her side but her devoted girlfriend of ten years, smiling and proud of her partner.

I don't like to hold grudges. In fact, I think the only people I hold grudges against are Natasha and Wanda, and I don't really even have a reason to hold anything against them. Wanda maybe, as she didn't give me any closure, but at least Natasha told me there weren't feelings there anymore. So why am I so afraid to see them in person again after all this time?

I've been contemplating that question for weeks, ever since Kate and Shuri started their little campaign to get me to go to the reunion with them. But even now, as I'm standing to the entrance to my old high school gym with my hands nervously shoved into the pockets of the same teal pantsuit I wore underneath my robes at my PhD graduation last year, I still don't have an answer.

Kate and Shuri have gone ahead, mingling with people we haven't seen in a decade, while I'm stuck frozen at the entrance. My eyes scan the gym, searching for the two women I don't want to see so I can be sure to avoid them. I spot them by the drink table, making small talk with Danny Corniglio and Trisha Duncan. My nose wrinkles as if I smell a bad shit. As if she can feel me staring, Wanda looks up and makes eye contact with me before I can make my face normal again. She smiles and waves at me. I turn and make a beeline for Shuri as fast as I can.

"Abort," I whisper as I approach her. "Abort, abort!"

"Abort what?" Shuri responds, using only the corner of her mouth to speak to me. "You're acting like a weirdo right now."

"Wanda saw me," I say, the back of my head itching as if she's looking at me still. "I will not be able to handle myself if either of them try to come and talk to me."

"Don't worry about it," Shuri shrugs, looking up and motioning to someone. "If they do, you know Kate and I have your back."

"Of course we do," Kate says, walking up. "But what do we have your back on?"

"She made eye contact with Sweet Red." Shuri says, gesturing to me. Senior year, people had taken to calling Wanda and Natasha Sweet Red and Sour Red, respectfully. The nicknames have obviously stuck, but them having cute nicknames makes me feel even worse.

"Oh, sweetie," Kate pouts and rubs my back. Her eyes flicker to something behind me and her face drops to stone, her eyebrows furrowed seriously. The itching at the back of my head stops, and I know Wanda is no longer looking at me. "We've got you taken care of, don't worry."

"I'm sure Wanda's still worried you're going to shoot her down from across the gym," Shuri chuckles, referring to gym class our junior year when Kate misjudged a target and almost hit Wanda with an arrow during our archery unit. Kate had the worst scores in that unit out of everyone, which is ironic because she got involved with the archery team at NYU and is now ranked one of the best archers in the country.

"I don't even have my bow in here." Kate shrugs, but the look on her face says she would probably take a shot at the Reds if she did have her bow here. Shuri snickers and bows her head. When she looks back up, her face is serious.

"Red alert," she mumbles, stepping in front of me. "Literally." Kate steps beside Shuri so they're both in front of me, and I peak around them to see Natasha and Wanda walking towards us. I turn my back to them and back up against my friends, silently feeling their reassuring presence on my back.

"Shuri, Kate," Wanda greets them, her voice sickeningly sweet. After a moment of silence, she says my name. "Y/N."

"How can we help you ladies tonight?" Shuri asks.

"We just wanted to come over and say hi. It's been a long time, afterall." Wanda responds.

"Well, you said it." Kate says bluntly. "Now goodbye."

"That's a lot of hostility, Bishop." Natasha says, her voice smooth and monotone.

"Yeah, well, both of you fucked with our best friend, so forgive us if we're not all sunshine and rainbows when we talk to you." Kate spits out. I struggle to hold in a laugh.

"We know," Natasha says, her voice turning regretful. "We were hoping that Y/N would show up tonight, even if we were almost certain she wouldn't. We… we wanted to apologize."

"Your apology is about ten years too late, and would be more for your sake than for hers," Shuri says.

"So walk your happy little asses away from us and forget you know Y/N before I make you forget." Kate growls.

"Woah, Kate, slow your role," I say, turning slightly to place my hand on her back. "That was a little much."

"Sorry," Kate mumbles, more to me then to the Reds. "I'm just super hyped."

"I appreciate it, but please. Ex-nay on the eat up-bay. I'm not trynna have you get arrested and have me stuck with them."

"Excuse me?" Wanda chuckles, leaning back slightly. My eyes flicker up to hers and she shakes her had at me. "You're really that uninterested in speaking with us?"

"There's a reason I've been avoiding every return to school function since graduation," I say quietly. "And it's not because Jimmy Cordova 'spikes' the punch bowl at every function he can go to."

"Please just talk to us," Natasha whispers. My eyes dart to hers, and I see something in her eyes that makes my insides jump.

Natasha Romanoff, the woman with no regrets, has the most regretful look in her eye I've ever seen.

"The word 'talk' implies a two-way conversation," I say, turning back around. "And I have nothing to say to the two of you."

Silence follows my words, and I imagine my friends having an intense stare-off with the Reds. After a few moments I hear the sound of footsteps walking away, and I feel my friends turn back towards me, so I turn to face them.

"Thanks for having my back," I say, offering them a smile. Kate smiles back while Shuri grips my shoulder comfortingly.

"Always, Y/N." Shuri says. "You're our friend. We look out for each other."

"I'm glad I have you guys." I sigh. "But all this excitement has made me need to pee. I'll be right back."

"Wait, one of us should go with you," Shuri says, stepping forward.

"I think I can handle the bathroom on my own, guys, thanks. Just keep an eye on the Reds for me." I look over at my exes. Wanda is halfheartedly taking to someone I don't remember. Natasha is by her side, but she's looking at me. "They might try something when they see me separated from the pack."

"We've got you." Kate nods. "Go ahead." I nod a thank you and make my way out of the gym and down the hall to the bathrooms.

Admittedly I lose track of time, sitting on my phone watching TikToks of someone's shop cat wearing custom safety goggles. The door to the bathroom opens and two pairs of footsteps walk in. I watch as a pair of stilettos walks past my stall door and stands on the other side, while a pair of nice loafers stands on the other.

"Hurry up and finish shitting so we can talk to you." Wanda says from where the stilettos stand, a sound much harsher than how she usually speaks coming out of her mouth. I roll my eyes and stuff my phone in my bra, wiping myself and pulling my clothes back on before I walk out of the stall to the sink to wash my hands.

"I wasn't shitting," I say. When my hands are nice and clean I shake them in the air and head to the door. "Like I said, I don't have anything to say to you." I reach for the door and pull, but Natasha's strong hand slams on the door, pushing it closed.

"Please," she says quietly, pressing her body close to mine so she can whisper in my ear. "Let us explain."

"There is nothing to explain," I respond. "Why can't you guys just leave me alone? You're happy and in love with each other, I get it. I really don't want it shoved in my face."

"It's part of my twelve step program," Natasha sighs, her breath causing the loose hairs by my ear to sway. "After high school some… things were gnawing at me. I started drinking. It got bad. Wanda threatened to leave me over it a few times. And then she finally did, and I had to get sober. Part of that is making amends, and I need to make amends with you."

I stand at the door, my body completely still as I contemplate Natasha's words. I doubt anything she says will change how I feel, and I really don't want to hear her out, but I know I'm the better person. So I sigh and let my head hang.

"Okay." I say, but I don't turn around. "Make your amends."

"Please," she begs me, almost silent. "Look at me." I hesitate for another moment, trapping my bottom lip between my teeth. Then I turn around, my eyes looking down. Natasha's loafers are straddling my flats, trapping me in a way I haven't been trapped since Natasha and I were dating. Slowly I move my eyes upwards, getting a close up and personal look at how Natasha's body has changed over the past decade.

She's stronger, firmer in all the areas where it matters. Her arms are thick with muscle, and I'm sure her abs are rock hard under her dress shirt. Her shoulders are more defined, and her jaw is set but soft. When my gaze reaches her eyes I see sorrow and more regret.

"Tell me what you have to say, Natasha," I whisper. "I'm losing my patience."

"I lied to you." She says the words easily, but the tone in her voice tells me something else. Like she's been practicing the words, but it's still difficult for her to say. "When I broke up with you sophomore year."

"Natasha, that was a decade ago, I'm over it." I lie. But she shakes her head and presses her body closer to mine.

"There wasn't anything wrong with what happened at that party, not on your end. Conrad fucked up, obviously, but not you.

"The truth is that I felt unworthy of you after that night. Conrad's on again off again girlfriend Delia, you remember her? She cornered me in the kitchen when I left to get us drinks. She had me up against the counter, her hand on either side of me and her pelvis pressed up against mine. I admit, I was turned on and a little distracted, so I didn't fight as hard to get away. But I told her I needed to go, that I needed to find you, and at one point she got distracted and turned her head, her hand raising from the counter. I made a run for it. When I couldn't find you were I left you, I knew exactly where you would be."

"Natasha, I don't need-" I try to say, but she interrupts me.

"I ran up to Conrad's room, and all I could see was red." Natasha continues. "The lighter was in my hand before I even knew it. The threats of arson were out of my mouth before my brain could process them. And when I saw you on that bed, half naked and scared out of your mind, this uncontrollable fury came over me. My first priority was to check on you, obviously, but my next one was to beat the absolute shit out of Conrad.

"When I punched him, I knew I had to stop with one. If I kept going, I wouldn't have stopped until he was dead. Y/N, you were everything to me. And the way that you clung to me as I carried you out of his house… I knew I would do anything and everything to protect you.

"But over the next few weeks, all I could think about was how I let you down. If I had dragged you to the kitchen with me, if I hadn't gotten hot and bothered by Delia, Conrad would never have had the opportunity to torment you like he had. He wouldn't have left you with nightmares every time you closed your eyes, and he wouldn't have made it so I looked at myself differently in the mirror.

"I started to hate myself. I hated that I wasn't there to protect you. I hated that I wasn't strong enough to be the bigger person when I punched Conrad. I hated that I risked a life with you just so I could set his bed on fire as one more 'fuck you' to the guy. And I hated how tormented I was, when you were the one that had been through something tormenting and you needed me. I knew I wasn't there for you like I should have been, and that started to eat at me, too.

"So I broke up with you and told you it was because I couldn't look at you the same. But the truth is, that I couldn't look at myself in the same way. I had let you down, and I'd let myself down. And I was too much of a coward to tell you the truth, because I knew you would have wanted to stay with me anyway, and I couldn't let you do that. Not when you deserved someone better than me, someone who could actually protect you."

Natasha hangs her head and finally takes a breath. For the first time since I've known her, Natasha starts to cry. Against my better judgment, I place a hand on her chest, right between her breasts on her sternum. That always used to calm her down when she would get upset while we were together. Natasha's eyes snap up to meet mine, and I see a small flicker of hope dash through her pupils, like she's hopeful I'll forgive her.

"You're right," I say, curling my fingers over her sternum. "I would have stayed with you. It's something we could have… no, should have worked through together. And you're a cunt for not giving me the opportunity to decide for myself what I wanted for us." The hope in Natasha's eyes falls away, and I know she's feeling some distress. I decide to take the highroad, but take my time with it. I let her stew for a minute before I continue. "But I forgive you. You did what you thought was best. I guess I can't hold that against you." Natasha's eyes fill with relief and she lets out a breath.

"Wait on your forgiveness until you hear the next part." Wanda says. I look past Natasha's shoulder to Sweet Red. Her hip is cocked and her arms are crossed. Her face reads as upset yet uneasy, and I don't know why. But it sounds like I'm about to find out.

"Next part?" I ask Wanda, my eyebrow raised. Wanda looks at Natasha and nods, signaling that she wants Natasha to tell the story. Natasha opens her mouth to continue, but I raise my hand to her lips to stop her. "Does the next part have to do with our breakup, Wanda?" I ask. It takes her a moment, but she eventually nods. "Then you need to tell me."

"But-" Wanda starts, gesturing towards Natasha, but I shake my head, walking past Natasha and straight up to Wanda. Her arms fall to her sides as she backs up, and I keep going until Wanda's back is against the far wall and I'm invading her space.

"When you broke up with me Wanda, you just said that we were through, and that was it. I got no explanation, no warning, just a breakup with the most venomous tone I've ever heard come out of someone's mouth. So no, Natasha is not going to be the one to tell me why you broke up with me. That responsibility falls on your shoulders, Wanda. And you were the one who wanted to talk, so start talking." Wanda nods and takes a breath.

"I had the most magical night at prom, you have to know that." She starts. "Being there with you, dancing, letting Jimmy Cordova get us drunk and pretending we didn't know about it. Prom night was easily the best night of my life.

"That weekend, though? While you were with your grandparents? Natasha came over to my house. She told me that you had come to her a month prior, begging her to go to prom with you. Then you begged her to sleep with you because you missed her so much. I don't know why I believed her over you, I really don't have an excuse, but I did. I was so mad to hear you were trying t cheat on me, I didn't stop to think that I knew you would never do it. And then Nat was there to comfort me, and one thing led to another and we were together."

"I told her those lies to get back at you," Natasha says from behind me. "I saw how happy you were at Prom, how much fun you were having, and I hated that you were there having fun with someone that wasn't me. I wanted to ruin that happiness because I felt that if I was miserable, you should be, too." Natasha walks up behind me and places her hands on my shoulders, leaning down to smell my hair. "Dating Wanda after, that was just to hurt you more at first, and I'm sorry for that, too."

"Well neither of you are forgiven for that." I say, anger rising inside me. I shake Natasha's hands from my shoulders and twist my body so I'm behind Natasha and facing both of them now. Natasha turns so they're both looking at me. I point at Wanda. "You for believing someone you didn't know over me, and you," I point at Natasha, "for ruining my happiness a second time after you're the reason it was ruined the first time." I back up to the door and place my hand on the handle. Neither women move. "Maybe one day I can forgive you. But I lied earlier. I am still mad. And I'll forgive you when it serves me, not when it's convenient for your absolution." I push down the handle of the door, open it, and slip out, making my way quickly back to my friends.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Over the next few weeks I go on with my life, going to work at the lab and hanging out with Shuri and Kate when they're available. We went to brunch the day after the reunion and I told them everything that happened in the bathroom. Kate was pissed beyond belief, but Shuri was a lot more level-headed than Kate. They care about me in different ways, and I'm glad I have friends who have my back.

But I'd be lying if I said I hadn't thought about Natasha or Wanda since the reunion. They were both the loves of my life at one point, I know that for sure. And I could have lived with the anger over what happened having never spoken to them about it over the knowledge that they bestowed upon me at the reunion. It makes it harder to concentrate at work, harder to sleep at night, and harder to be honest with my friends bout my feelings.

Then, about a month and a half after the reunion, an intern at my work comes into my lab with an envelope addressed to me. I ask him who dropped it off.

"A spicy red head with a real attitude when I told her that she couldn't talk to you." He says, the corners of his mouth turning up. I have him set the envelope on my desk, knowing it's Wanda who dropped it off. I try to finish what I'm doing, but I can't focus. I sigh and rip my gloves from my hands, tossing them in the trash. I take the envelope and lean back in my chair.

The envelope itself is drenched in some sort of lavender scent, and I mean drenched. My name is written in Wanda's perfect hand writing on the front of the envelope, and there's a nice, sophisticated wax seal on the back. I break the seal and slip the note out from the envelope.

Y/N, the note says. It took me a long time to find out where you work to deliver this letter, so the least you could do is read it. Listen, Natasha and I are truly sorry for how our respective relationships with you ended and how ours began. We haven't been able to stop thinking about it. We talk about it constantly, and it has affected out sex life greatly, to my dismay. Anyway, the point is that we would like for you to come to dinner with us tonight. The same night this letter is delivered to you. Meet us at Corbella's tonight 8 p.m. We will talk about everything and discuss a way to make it up to you. Wanda.

I stare at the letter for a long time. Do I want to meet them? I'm not sure. A part of me feels like I don't need it, but another part of me knows that if I don't go, I'll be thinking about it, just like I've been thinking about it for the past six weeks. So I decide to go and let whatever is going to happen just happen.

I leave work at around 7:30 p.m with no time to go home and change. I'm wearing a nice pair of slacks, a dress shirt, and a blazer, so probably too fancy for Corbella's, but it's what I've got. I make it to the restaurant right before 8 and greet the hostess, opening my mouth to tell her who I'm there to see.

"Y/N!" Wanda says from a few tables away. Natasha's back is to me, but she turns when Wanda says my name. I thank the hostess and make my way slowly to the table. Natasha stands and pulls out a seat for me, and I thank her awkwardly. When Natasha sits back down, there's silence.

"Thank you for meeting us," Natasha says, breaking that silence. "It can't have been easy for you to come here."

"It's not," I admit. "I'm not really sure that you two deserve the time of day."

"And that's completely valid," Wanda nods. "But I'm glad you came anyway."

"See, we haven't been able to stop thinking about reunion weekend." Natasha says, adjusting her position in her chair. "I know that I feel absolutely terrible about everything I did to you, and I want to make it up to you."

"We both feel terrible, and we both want to make it up to you." Wanda says. "So we have a proposition for you."

"A proposition?" I ask, raising an eyebrow. Wanda nods.

"During our… discussion on the reunion and what happened in high school, Wanda and I have come to realize that we still have very deep feelings for you." Natasha says. "So we would like to invite you back to our place for a night together, the three of us."

"And if you like it," Wanda says, "being with both of us, I mean, then we discuss what happens from there."

I stare down at my hands, unsure of what to say. The logical answer is no, don't get involved in their shenanigans. But I am largely not a logical person. I mean yes, for my job I am, but in my personal life I typically lean more on my emotions. And right now, my emotions are telling me to fuck dinner, fuck a conversation, and literally fuck the two people sitting with me at this table right now. So I quietly agree.

"What was that?" Wanda asks, almost surprised.

"I said yes," I say, just a little louder. I look up and make eye contact with Wanda, then with Natasha. "I don't know if anything will come out of it, but I think it would be a mistake to say no."

"Oh," Natasha says, sitting back in her seat.

"'Oh'?" I say, repeating her word back to her. "Is that all you have to say? Was it just an empty offer, something to make the two of you feel better about yourselves and laugh about later after I leave here?"

"Oh, no, not at all!" Natasha sits upright again, waving her hands in an x-like motion. "Honestly, I thought it'd be a lot harder to get you to agree, that's all."

"Oh," I say again, settling back into my seat and let my hackles lower themselves again. "Sorry."

"No, don't apologize," Wanda says, reaching out for me. I instinctively pull away, and when she pauses, so do I. After a moment I reach out and take her hand gently. Wanda squeezes my hand and smiles at me, and Natasha places her hand on my knee. I look over at her, slowly sliding my other hand on top of hers.

"Why don't we get out of here?" Natasha whispers, and it isn't a question.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

It starts slowly. When the door to the Reds' very impressive penthouse apartment closes, Wanda offers to take my blazer. I shrug it off and let her take it. I watch her walk it over to the coat closet, but get distracted by Natasha walking up to me. I turn to face Natasha as she places her hands on my face, and I lift my hands to grab her waist. When Natasha looks at me, I can see the tension that's built up over a decade. All I want to do is release it.

When Natasha lowers her lips toward mine, I don't pull away. I close my eyes and tighten my grip on her shirt, lifting my chin slightly so my lips can meet hers.

Natasha is calm and soft, a stark difference to how she used to be. But when our lips touch, it's magical, a release that's been built up for a long time, maybe since before we broke up. Her tongue plays with my lip, not looking for permission to enter just yet, but gearing up for when she wants to make a move. I don't beg her for it, not yet. I just relish in the slow pace of catching up with an old lover.

Wanda comes up behind me and slides her hands around my waist, pulling herself close to me. I feel her pelvis press against my ass as one of her hands rides up my side and over my shoulder toward my neck. Wanda gently pushes my hair away from my neck and places her lips against my skin. Her hand moves back down to my waist as she takes another step forward, pushing me flush against Natasha's body and trapping me between them. My chest tightens as I feel their combined body weight against mine, and I moan against Natasha's lips when Wanda nips at the skin of my carotid.

Breaking the kiss with Natasha I turn my head and look at Wanda. She lifts her head to meet my gaze, and in that moment I realize something. Natasha is the love of my life, but Wanda is my soulmate. Both have enormous feelings attached to them, but the love is different, and they're meant to love me in different ways. But I don't want to lose either of them.

I remove my hand from Natasha's waist and slowly raise it to rest on Wanda's face. She leans into my hand, her lips puckering against my palm as she closes her eyes. I slide my hand toward the back of her neck as I lean in and take her lips with mine. Wanda welcomes me, sliding a hand up the front of my body and over my breasts. Her hand comes to rest on my neck, her fingers curling slightly so her fingernails just barely graze my skin.

Natasha runs her fingers through my hair and kisses my temple. She slides her fingers under the waistband of my pants and presses her fingers into the divots on my hipbones, making me squirm. I can hear the amusement in her voice as she lets out a chuckle.

"Still gets you hot, I see," Natasha mumbles against my hair. "Should we see what else gets you going?" I grunt quietly against Wanda's lips, my one hand tightening in her hair and the other sliding up Natasha's body, grabbing tightly to her shirt collar. Natasha accurately takes that as a yes and bends slightly, cupping her hands under my ass and lifting me into the air. My kiss with Wanda breaks as Natasha lifts me, and I cling to her as Natasha kisses Wanda. I watch the passionate exchange, a little surprised that I'm not jealous. I place a hand on the back of Wanda's head, but she doesn't need any encouragement to kiss her girlfriend.

Natasha breaks away from Wanda and starts walking deeper into the apartment. Wanda rushes forward and opens a door for Natasha that leads into a large room with a California King bed and a beautiful view of New York City. Natasha lays me down on the bed and crawls on top of me. Her lips connect with the pulse point on my neck and I instinctively buck my hips as I slide my legs up to rest on either side of her hips.

Wanda sits down a foot or so away from me, bending down to kiss me. My left hand snakes into Natasha's hair as my right grips tightly to their comforter as Wanda places a hand on my arm to steady me. Wanda isn't as patient as Natasha and slides her tongue across the part in my lips, begging for entry. I part my lips for her and let her inside, which awakens something else entirely in Sweet Red. She becomes aggressive, almost feral as she kisses me, her tongue with a mind of its own.

My focus keeps slipping between Wanda's lips and Natasha's, especially when the latter has started kissing down my neck toward my collar bone. When she reaches my shirt she removes her lips from my skin. I turn my head and look at Natasha as she sits up on her knees, Wanda moving to lay down completely on the bed now that our lips aren't in contact. Wanda plays with my hair as I watch Natasha's face, her hands sliding down my chest. Sour Red grips my shirt at the neckline then forcibly rips my shirt apart, buttons flying everywhere as she exposes my body. Natasha's eyes light up as she looks at me, her hands flying to cup my breasts through my bra.

"God I missed these," Natasha sighs, squeezing my breasts with enthusiasm. Her eyes dart up to mine, a smirk on her face. "And how you moan when your nipples are pinched."

"Oh, I love the sounds she makes." Wanda agrees, leaning in to nip at my earlobe.

Watching Natasha admire me makes my stomach flutter. I bolt upright in the bed and grab her face in my hands, kissing her fiercely. Natasha laughs through the kiss, but kisses me back. I shrug off what's left of my shirt and focus my attention back on Natasha, completely desperate for her. I feel Wanda's hands on my back as she unhooks my bra and I shrug that off, too, now half naked in front of the two of them.

Wanda starts rubbing her hands up and down my back, sitting behind me with her legs on either side. She starts placing kisses down my spine, and I let one of my hands fall to her leg. Wanda tightens her grip on my shoulders as Natasha's tongue slips between my lips. I practically swallow her tongue as she shoves it inside my mouth, begging her for more.

Natasha pushes me against Wanda, wanting me to lay back. I fall against Wanda's chest as she scoots back a little, giving me room. When I'm laying fully against Wanda's chest, Natasha reaches out and takes one of my nipples between her fingers. I let out a small moan, just like Natasha said I would. She smirks and leans down, taking my other nipple in her mouth. My moan grows louder, and Wanda leans down to quiet me.

My noises muffle against Wanda's lips, but the don't stop. Leaning against her at an angle I arch my back, shoving my nipple deeper into Natasha's mouth. She nips at my bud, at the sane time pinching my other one. I gasp into Wanda's mouth, and she sticks her tongue inside my mouth. I close my lips around Wanda's tongue and suck. Wanda reaches up and places a hand on my face, sighing over her tongue.

Natasha moves lower on my body, trailing kisses from my breast down my stomach, stopping every once in a while to nip at my skin. My body jerks every time her teeth prick my flesh, which just eggs her on even more. As Natasha kisses my lower stomach her hands fiddle with my slacks, unbuttoning them and pulling them down my legs. I lift my hips so she can easily slide my pants off, and I know that I'm already soaking for her.

As soon as Natasha discards my pants she untucks her shirt, calmly undoing the buttons and shrugging off the fabric to reveal more skin. I break my kiss with Wanda and glare at Natasha.

"I think you should let me rip your shirt off, Sour Red." I say, boosting myself up on my elbows. "You ruined my favorite shirt, I think it's only fair."

"Fuck your shirt," Natasha chuckles as she leans in, kissing me to shut me up. I moan into her lips, bringing my hand and tangling my fingers in her hair. After a minute I place my hand on her bare stomach and push her back, sitting up.

"Fuck your shirt." I growl playfully, turning around the face Wanda. Natasha scoffs, but I ignore her. I go for Wanda's neck, cupping one side with my left hand and sucking the other side of her neck. Wanda moans right in my ear and my stomach clenches. I raise my right hand to Wanda's back and slowly unzip her dress before sliding my hand back up the skin over her spine. She's not wearing a bra, and I sigh against her neck.

Natasha reaches out and places a hand on my waist, and I reach back and slap it away. She chuckles and moves closer to me, pressing the front of her body against my backside. She wraps her arms around my waist and pulls me to her, effectively pulling Wanda closer to me. Natasha kisses my neck from behind as I suck on Wanda's.

Wanda shrugs her shoulders, allowing her dress to fall from her frame and bundle at her hips. I press my breast against hers, and Wanda breathes heavily at the contact. My right hand trails around the front side of Wanda's body and trails up the inside of her leg toward her core.

"I don't wear panties, either." Wanda whispers into my ear, and I can hear the smirk in her voice. "Didn't want you to be surprised when you got there." I bite down hard on her neck and Wanda gasps, her hand flying up to rest on my left arm.

As my fingers skim the soft skin of Wanda's inner thigh, Natasha dips her hand below my panties and teases my clit, using her finger to place pressure right above my slit. I inhale against Wanda's neck, the sudden pressure sending more shivers through my stomach.

My fingers finally reach the apex between Wanda's legs, slick with heat. I refrain from diving straight in and tease her a little first, sliding the tip of my finger up her slit, barely parting her lips. Wanda exhales and grips my arm tighter. Natasha takes the hint and drops her finger lower, dragging it through my folds and gathering up my wetness on her fingers.

My lips pop off of Wanda's neck as I breathe deeply, Natasha's fingers placing heavy pressure on my clit. I press my face into Wanda's neck, trying to focus my brain just enough so I don't leave Wanda hanging while Natasha pleasures me. I breathe deeply into the crook of Sweet Red's neck as I let my fingers explore the area between her folds, finding exactly which spots are the most sensitive as Natasha does something similar to me.

Natasha's fingers find their way inside me, two at a time, and I let out a moan as I let my fingers find a home inside Wanda. Sweet Red moans with me, turning her head to press her lips against my temple. She breathes into my ear, and we start to breathe together.

Natasha doesn't start easy with me, pumping her fingers in and out of me and a harsh, steady pace right from the get-go. Her free hand moves my hair so it falls over my left shoulder before gripping my waist again, holding me in place. Then she starts sucking on my neck, biting hard and leaving marks along my neck. Her fingers curl inside me, finding the spot inside me that makes me moan the loudest. She pushes her fingers deep inside me, so deep I'm afraid she's going to tear me apart, aiming to hit that spot every single time.

I take a different approach with Wanda. With her I'm slow, methodical. I gently push my fingers inside her, curling them at the end and scraping my short nails against the inside of her walls. She seems to love it, thrusting her hips into my hand as multiple high whines escape her throat. Wanda maneuvers her head to take my lips in hers, moaning into my lips as I finger fuck her. At one point she pulls back, breathing heavily onto my lips, which I find extremely attractive.

Natasha moves closer to me, pressing her breasts into my back to get a better angle to fuck my pussy with. I place a quick peck on on Wanda's lips before I turn my head slightly to address Natasha.

"If you're going to press up against me, Sour Red, I'm going to need that bra to come off." I give her a smirk, though I don't know if she can see it. I hear her chuckle and I instantly regret saying anything. Natasha removes her fingers inside of me. I grown in frustration as I feel the empty space she's left with the removal of her fingers, but Wanda quiets me by taking my lips in hers again.

Without being able to feel Natasha, I can focus solely on Wanda. I start moving my fingers again, feeling the large bundle of nerves inside of her with my fingers. Wanda's noises start getting louder and more frequent, and I know that she's getting close. I start to pick up the pace to match her breathing, and now Wanda's hand is clutching my face, sitting directly over my ear with her fingers gripping my hair.

Natasha comes back into the picture as Wanda approaches her climax, her bare breasts pressing against my back. I sigh into Wanda's lips as Natasha's hand slips around my waist and her fingers find their way back under the waistband of my panties and inside of me. She starts thrusting roughly into me, pressing her thumb against my clit for a little extra pressure.

"Is this more to your liking, Princess?" Natasha asks, her tone teasing. I buck my hips in response and Natasha chuckles. "Good. Now I want you to cum with Wanda. We both know she's close. I want you to finish at the same time." I glance up at Wanda who is looking past me, presumably at Natasha. Her mouth hangs open, but the corners of her lips are tilted upward in a smile.

"Then do your job," I tease back, pumping faster into Wanda to help her get over the edge. Natasha chuckles into my ear as she works my pussy hard, and now I'm as close to the edge as Wanda is. Now I'm looking at Wanda as she's looking at Natasha who paying attention to me with her lips on my earlobe. The three of us are completely connected as Wanda and I cum together, our screams so loud I'm afraid we'll shatter the windows.

Natasha pulls her fingers out of me as I pull my fingers out of Wanda, bringing my fingers to my lips to taste them.

"Just as sweet as a decade ago," I say quietly, and Wanda's eye flash to me. "I see now why they call you Sweet Red."

"I always hated that nickname." Wanda growls as she grabs me by the neck, not hard enough to suffocate but just enough to get a grip. She flips me onto my back on the bed and straddles me, leaving me to look up at her with an incredible view of her beautiful, bouncing breasts. Wanda grabs her wrinkled dress still bunched at her waist and lifts it over her head, leaving me looking at the entirety of her naked body. She holds out her hand to her side. "The strap, baby. I want it."

"Which one, baby?" Natasha asks without missing a beat. She walks over to a cabinet a few feet away from the bed and tosses the doors open, looking through it. "What size are you feeling tonight? The pink one, the blue one," Natasha gasps and reaches into the cabinet, pulling out a large, green dildo. It's bigger than I've ever seen before, and I wonder if that thing even fits inside Wanda. And if it does, how the hell does she stay so tight? "How about the green one?"

"No, I don't think Y/N is ready for the green one," Wanda says, sliding the palm of her hand down my breast and to my stomach. "We'll have to go with something smaller."

"Yeah, that thing isn't fitting inside of me," I chuckle nervously. Wanda lets out a short laugh.

"Oh no, honey, that one isn't going inside of you." Wanda leans down and kisses me, soft and sweet. "You're going to fuck me. You're going to watch as I ride you, as you draw out another orgasm from me, as you make me feel like you used to." Wanda kisses me again, cupping my face this time. I kiss her back, resting my hands on her hips. When Wanda pulls back she speaks to Natasha again without looking away from me. "I want the orange one, Natty. The one you were saving for our anniversary?"

At the word 'anniversary' I flinch, unsure if Natasha would be irritated that I was going to be the one using her special anniversary dildo for the first time. But she doesn't. She places the green one back in the cabinet and removes an orange one, about half the size of the green one but still pretty large, as well as a harness to attach it to. She walks over to us as she attaches the dildo to the harness and holds it out for Wanda. Sweet Red takes it and slides off of me before placing the strap on my chest.

I take the harness and get up from the bed, holding the harness in my left hand as I use my right to shimmy out of my panties. I toss them at Natasha who grabs them out of the air and tightens her fist around them with a smile. I smile back as I pull the harness up my legs and around my waist, tightening the waist to fit me just right.

I don't even have time to think before Wanda's mouth is on mine and she's pushing me onto the bed again. I don't fight her, just fall back onto the comfy surface and get myself settled into a good place. Wanda doesn't waste time, taking the dildo in her hand and swiping it between her folds to wet the tip before inserting it inside herself. She sits down slowly, her mouth open wide as she fills herself with the orange appendage. When it's fully inside her she starts to move, grinding on my pelvis like her life depends on it. I place my hands on her hips, helping her move comfortably on top of me.

Wanda places her hands on my stomach as she moves, tracing her fingers up and down my skin. Then she starts to bounce on the dildo, her breasts seeming to defy gravity. I grip her hips tighter, my clit gaining stimulation every time Wanda comes down. I can't stop staring at her face; how her mouth hangs open, how her nose and mouth look so relaxed, how her hair falls around her face and sticks to her temples from the sweat.

Then my view of Wanda is blocked by a completely naked Natasha as she straddles my face, adjusting to make herself comfortable. I pout and playfully smack the outside of her thigh.

"You're blocking my view," I say quietly, looking up at her.

"Yeah, Natty, I want her to look at me as I cum," Wanda says, her breath heavy as she continues griding on me. "That was the plan."

"Then you're going to have to hold it, Wands." Natasha says as she lowers herself onto my face. "I need a little taste of Y/N, too." Then Natasha completely sits, her pussy matching up perfectly with my lips.

As soon as I get a taste of Natasha, I melt. My hands grip Natasha's hips as I pull her closer to me, my tongue diving between her folds with vigor. Natasha starts to ride my face, gripping the bed frame to steady herself. She hangs her head, eyes closed and mouth open in pleasure as her clit scrapes against my tongue.

On my bottom half Wanda slows down, presumably to keep her orgasm at bay while Natasha has her fun. That doesn't stop her from running her hands up and down my stomach and trying to moan louder that Natasha. Wanda's hands travel up my stomach and over my breasts, her fingertips dancing on my nipples. I moan into Natasha's pussy as Wanda's fingers twist around my buds, my tongue flicking between Sour Red's folds.

Natasha opens her eyes and looks at me, a smile spreading across her lips as her hips gyrate on my face. I find her hole and push my tongue quickly inside, causing her to gasp and let out a little chuckle. My nose twitches as my mouth tries to smile, but I ignore it and flick my tongue inside her.

"How close are you, baby?" Wanda asks as she places one of her hands halfway over mine on Natasha's hip. "I'm close, and I don't want Y/N to miss this."

"Give me a little time, sweetheart," Natasha says, her voice gravely in her throat. "You've already gotten to cum once today and I haven't. It's been twelve years since I've had Y/N's tongue on me, I want to savor it."

"Natty," Wanda whines, and Natasha whips her head to look back at her girlfriend.

"Don't be greedy, Wanda." Natasha growls. "This doesn't work if you're greedy." I can't see Wanda's face but I can hear her panting as her hand slides from mine on Natasha's hip. I start to work my tongue faster, focusing more on Natasha's clit to help her get to her orgasm faster. I don't want to disappoint either of them, and that means making Natasha cum before Wanda does.

Natasha grunts and moans as she gets closer to her release, one of her hands coming down from the headboard and twisting into my hair. She grasps my hair tightly and pulls my head deeper towards her pussy. I don't fight her and just focus on working my magic.

Natasha's orgasm is magical. She starts moaning first, and I know that's my warning sign to take a deep breath. So I inhale through my nose and dig my nails into Natasha's hips. I'm glad I followed my instincts as Natasha's release starts to spill out of her and her legs tighten around my head. There's no way I would have been able to stay under her for very long if I hadn't taken that breath. But I let Natasha jerk and moan as her juices seep onto my tongue and face, not wanting to rush the best part.

When Natasha is spent she lifts a leg and moves off of me. I can hear Wanda panting with excitement as Natasha moves her body, but before I can fully see Wanda, Natasha leans down and kisses me, swiping her tongue across my bottom lip to gather up some of her juices. Our kiss is wet and sloppy, and I can't tell if it's from all the saliva or if it's from Natasha's cum. In the end it doesn't matter, of course. All that matters is that Natasha is kissing me again.

Finally.

When she moves out of the way so I can see Wanda again, Sweet Red collapses on top of me, holding my face in her hands as she kisses me too. I slide my hands up her naked back and let my fingers tangle in her hair. Wanda kisses me like it's her job, like she's got nothing else to do in this world but kiss me as she moves her hips on the orange dildo inside of her.

"I thought you wanted me to watch," I say breathlessly during a quick break for air.

"Fuck watching me cum," Wanda growls as she goes for my lips again. "There will be time for that again. But I want you too damn bad right now to not kiss you."

So I shut up and kiss her. Wanda whines into my mouth as she teeters the edge of ecstasy, her body hot with need. I keep one of my hands in her hair and bring the other one down to her ass, grabbing a handful of her backside and squeezing tightly. Wanda jiggles her ass for me a few times before she takes one of her hands and brings it down to her clit, giving herself some extra stimulation.

It's not too long after that Wanda lets go. She practically screams into my lips, the hand that's on her clit coming back up to grab tightly onto my hip for support. I wrap my arms around Wanda's back and hold her close to me, not wanting to let her get away. Wanda doesn't stop kissing me as she jerks on top of me, desperate to stay connected. I, too, want to stay connected to her and let her be the first one to break away.

When she finally does, she doesn't go very far. She slides off the dildo onto the bed next to me, panting hard. I place my hand on her upper thigh and give it a squeeze, telling her that I'm right there with her.

Natasha comes crawling on the bed, grabbing the harness for the strap and loosening it so it falls more easily from my waist. When she has it off of me she puts it on herself, tightening it to fit her. Then she crawls between my legs and leans over me.

"I always wanted to do this with you," Natasha says, stretching her neck to kiss my cheek. "But my foster mom would never have agreed to take me to get a strap to use on you. So we're just going to have to use it now."

"Natasha…" I start, but she's inside me before I can finish. The dildo slips easily inside of me, my wetness mixing with Wanda's last release. I lean my head back and moan as Natasha pushes inside of me, my hand tightening so hard around Wanda's thigh that my nails start to draw blood. Wanda moans next to me and starts running her hand up and down my arm.

"How does that feel?" Natasha asks, tilting her head to try and catch my gaze. "You like me inside of you, huh?" Sour Red bottoms out in me and I groan, nodding my head. "You like how I can fill you up and make everything else go away?"

"Yes," I moan, allowing my free hand to drift up and clutch her shoulder. Natasha pulls out of me slowly and adjusts herself, ready to dive back in. "Yes, Natasha, you feel so good inside me!"

"God, you were always a good fuck," Natasha groans as she slams the dildo back inside of me. "I'm glad to see that hasn't changed."

"Just shut the fuck up and kiss me," I growl, lifting my head off the pillow to offer my lips to her. Natasha doesn't need to be told twice, taking my lips in hers as she starts to move inside me. Each time she pulls out to the tip, and each time she pushes all the way inside me until our hips touch. I let her fuck me as we kiss, enjoying the feel of her filling me up to the fullest.

At one point Wanda stirs, twisting her body to press against my side so she can be closer to us. She starts to kiss my cheek, slow and sensually, rubbing her hand over my breast as her girlfriend fucks me from above. I turn my head away from my kiss with Natasha and capture Wanda's lips with mine, reaching my hand up to caress her face. Wanda moans into my lips as Natasha starts to kiss my neck, and a whole new feeling starts to well up inside me.

I break away from Wanda and push Natasha into a kneeling position, following her so she never falls out of me. I straddle her lap and give her a quick kiss before I looks back at Wanda. I hold out my hand to Sweet Red, who gladly takes it, and I pull her flush against me. Wanda wraps one of her arms around Natasha's back and sets the other on my hip as I lean my head back and kiss her. Wanda swipes her tongue against my top lip and I reach my hand back to grasp onto her neck.

Natasha leans down and starts kissing my clavicle as I slowly move my hips on her. Natasha starts leaving bite marks on my neck and across my chest as Wanda and I kiss. Noises start to involuntarily leave my throat as an orgasm starts to build deep within my gut.

I turn back to face Natasha. She glances up at me before slowly raising her head up to look at me head on. I wrap my arms around her neck and start to bounce on her. Wanda starts to kiss my spine as Natasha leans in, placing her lips on mine again. I let out a whine as Natasha grips my ass cheeks, slamming me hard on her strap every time I lift myself up.

"Fuck, Natasha, I'm close," I whisper, pulling away from Natasha's lips to lean into the crook of her neck. I rest my lips against her skin and close my eyes as the tension builds inside me. I feel Wanda take her lips off my back and lean in closer to me, then I hear the sound of Wanda and Natasha kissing. I can barely move my body between the two of them with how sticky I am with sweat, but I make it work.

One more final movement from Natasha ramming the dildo hard inside me as I come down on it and I let go. I scream into Natasha's neck as I cum, listening to the sound of Sweet and Sour Red moaning against each other's lips. I shake on top of Natasha, and Wanda moves her hands to wrap around my waist to steady me. When I'm completely spent I fall back against Wanda's chest, and she catches me gracefully. I close my eyes and breathe as Natasha moves out from under me, taking the dildo with her. I can feel my juices leaking out of me as Wanda leans down and kisses my temples.

"How are you feeling, Y/N?" Wanda asks quietly. "Did we make you feel just as good as you made us feel?"

"Absolutely," I nod without opening my eyes. "I missed this." I open my eyes then and look at her. "I missed you." I look over at Natasha. She's looking at me as she dries off the dildo by the cabinet. "I missed you, too."

"I think I speak for both of us when I say we missed you as well, Y/N." Wanda says. I look back at her as she smiles down at me. "Even when I thought you cheated on me, I loved you. Even with Natasha, I've still held onto love for you."

"I second that." Natasha says. When I look at her, she looks away sheepishly. "I love you both." She continues, fiddling with the strap. "Just in different ways. Not one more than the other, just… different."

"So what does this mean?" I ask, sitting up so I don't feel like I'm imposing on Wanda, but she just scoots right back up against me, her legs on either side of me and with arm around my waist and the other across my chest. I can feel her still dripping wet pussy against my lower back. I reach up and grab onto her arm near my chest and let my arm dangle. "Honestly, leaving here tonight is going to have me all sorts of fucked up."

"Then don't leave." Wanda says, kissing my neck. "Stay with us. Be a part of us. We can make it work."

"You really think that?" I ask, looking over at Natasha. She closes the cabinet doors and walks back over to the bed, hoping up on it and kneeling in front of me. She reaches out with one hand and cups my face.

"Absolutely we can." She nods. "You, me, Wands. It'll be how it was always meant to be." Natasha leans in and kisses me, and I realize she's right.

The three of us?

“Yeah, thanks,” I say, shrugging my duffle bag further over my shoulder as I walk inside. He closes the door behind me before walking back around the counter. I walk up to the other side and place my hands on the counter.

“Who are you here to see?” The attendant asks. I lean forward slightly to read his nametag. ‘Conner’. I stuff that in the back of my brain for later.

“Um, I’m here to see Elizabeth Olsen.”

“Ah, the good Professor,” Conner smiles as he looks at his computer. “A mystery, that one. Always confident, always dressed well, and always on a mission.”

“Yeah, she’s pretty great,” I let out a nervous chuckle.

“ID please?” He asks, looking up at me. Right. Elizabeth said that he’d ask for that. She said her apartment is very strict on security. Probably for the best. I take my wallet out from my back pocket and dig out my ID, handing it to him. He looks at it, nods, and runs it through a little scanner before he hands it back to me. Then he picks up his phone. He dials a four digit number and waits a few seconds while I place my ID back in my wallet and slide it back into my pocket. “Yes, Ms. Olsen? I have a visitor here for you. Yes, it is Ms. Y/L/N. Perfect. I’ll have her sign in and then I’ll send her up. You as well, Ms. Olsen.” Conner hangs up the phone and places a clipboard with a sign-in sheet and a pen in front of me. “Please sign in and I will unlock the elevator for you.” I pick up the pen and print my name and date. Conner takes the clipboard back and presses a button next to him. “The elevator is open for you, Ms. Y/L/N.”

“Thank you, Conner.” I shoot him a smile before I turn towards the elevator. It dings and opens as I approach, making it easy to step inside. I turn and press the button for her floor.

The ride up in the elevator is excruciating, and I can feel beads of sweat start to trickle down my forehead and onto my neck. When the elevator doors open on her floor, the hallway seems to stretch on forever. I step out of the elevator and pause, listening to the doors close behind me. I can hear the blood flowing in my ears, as my feet start to slowly make their way to her door.

Coming here, spending the weekend with her, it’s making everything more real. We’ve crossed so many lines already, but this feels like one that, once crossed, I can’t go back.

I stop in the middle of the hallway without having looked at any of the unit numbers, somehow remembering exactly which one is hers. I turn my whole body towards her door and step up to it, taking a deep breath in and letting it go before my hand slowly rises to knock. A few moments later I hear the lock click and the door swings open.

Elizabeth stands tall, her demeanor calm. Even though she’s wearing jeans and a low cut tee shirt, she still looks professional. Her lips curl into a soft smile, and her face drops into a comfortable position as soon as she lays eyes on me.

“Y/N,” she lets out a breath. “You made it.” She steps aside, one hand still on the door, to let me in. I enter, allowing my fingers to graze against her arm as I do so. Walking deeper into her place, I drop my duffle beside her kitchen island and shrug off my backpack, placing it on top of the duffle as Elizabeth closes the door. She comes up behind me and wraps her arms around my waist, nuzzling her lips against my neck. “You took so long to come up from the lobby that I was sure you turned around and went home.”

“Of course not,” I whisper, tilting my head into her. “I wouldn’t bail on you, Elizabeth.”

“Good.” Elizabeth hums into my neck, the vibration making my skin tingle. “Let’s get you set up, shall we?” Elizabeth pulls back from me and leans down to grab my bags. She places my backpack on one of the bar stools at the island before walking through another door and out of sight with my duffel. Slowly, I follow her.

She brings my bag to her room and I stand in the doorway, leaning against the frame, watching her unpack my bag. She pulls out a drawer in her dresser and starts putting my clothes away.

“What are you doing, Elizabeth?” I ask her quietly.

“I want this to feel like your home too, baby.” She says, placing one of my tee shirts into the drawer. “Wake up, shower, grab your clothes from our dresser.” She glances at me out of the corner of her eye, a grin spreading across her face. “Or is that too domestic for you?”

“No,” I murmur, shaking my head. “I like it.”

“Good.” Elizabeth finishes putting my clothes away and sets my bag on the floor by the dresser before she turns to me. She leans against the dresser and crosses her arms. I must have been too distracted by her fingers during sex to notice how absolutely toned her arms are.

“Okay, sometime this weekend I’m going to need you to pick me up with those absolute guns of yours.” I say, cracking a smile. Elizabeth’s eyes gleam with excitement at my words. She shoves herself off the dresser and stalks towards me, purposefully flexing her arms as she comes close. When she’s standing right next to me she leans down, her hands supporting my ass and thighs, and picks me up.

It’s easy, like I’m some sort of ragdoll. I wrap my legs around her waist and lean back slightly, looking at her arms as I run my hands up and down them. Elizabeth glances to her right and watches as my fingers dance over her skin. I slide my hands slowly up her arms, over her shoulders, and to her face. That’s when she looks at me again.

“Right where I’m supposed to be.” I whisper.

“I’m glad you think so.” Elizabeth smiles. I lean forward and gently place my lips on hers, tensing my shoulders as I pull her face closer to me. Elizabeth squeezes my ass in response, tugging me closer. “Do you want to speak about what I suggested on Wednesday?” She asks, breaking our kiss.

“Not yet,” I mumble, letting my arms fall from her cheeks, down her neck, and over her collar bones to her chest. I cup her breasts as best as I can from my position, gently squeezing her hardened nipples between my fingers. “I don’t know how you can have any sort of conversation with me if this happens all the time.” I tease.

“It’s difficult,” she admits, her eyes flicking down to my lips. “You’re certainly very sexy, and more than a little distracting.”

“So let me distract you,” I say quietly as I lean back in, capturing Elizabeth’s lips with mine again. Elizabeth moans, turning around and walking over to her bed. She sets my head gently down on her pillows and holds herself above me.

“You sure you want to start the weekend off like this, babygirl?” She asks, brushing her fingers over my shoulder. “We’ve got a lot to talk about.”

“Haven’t you ever heard of post nut clarity?” I grin, raising my hand to trace my fingers across her ribs. “Besides, I know you’ve been thinking about me for days.”

“You’d be right,” Elizabeth purrs, dipping her head to kiss my neck. “But I don’t want to brush off our conversation from Wednesday. Or your concern about Tyler.”

I appreciate her thinking about me like that. But all the reservations and questions I might have were forgotten the moment she opened the door. My stomach is already in knots, and I know there’s only going to be one way to untangle them.

I bite my bottom lip, staring up at her with large eyes. Elizabeth chuckles, licking her lips as she nods.

“Alright, sweetheart,” she leans down and places a ghost kiss on my lips. “We’lll do it your way.”

Elizabeth immediately takes off my shirt and bra before she presses her lips fully against mine. spreading my legs apart with her knees, lowering herself onto me, and rubbing her clothed pussy against mine. As soon as she’s fully on top of me, something breaks. I grab the hem of her shirt and start to tug, the layers of clothing too much for me to bear. Wanda gets the message and kneels on the bed, crisscrossing her arms over herself to grab the hem of her shirt and pull it off her.

As her shirt lifts, I pay more attention to her stomach. She’s toned, beautifully so, with clear abs and a tan that I can tell comes from the sun and not from a tanning bed. She must spend a lot of time on the beach when she’s not in New York.

I look into Elizabeth's eyes again as she unclips her bra, and I see an idea forming in them. She holds her finger in front of my face and sets her face in a stern look.

“Don’t go anywhere.” She says quietly, and I let out a whine as she gets off the bed. I boost myself onto my elbows to watch as she disappears into the closet. A few minutes later, Elizabeth comes out of her closet, completely naked except for her panties, carrying things in her hands. She walks over to the bed and places the things in her hands on the bed. Elizabeth takes one of the things from the bed, a long piece of red silk, and ties it around my wrist. Then she ties the other end to her bed.

I get where she’s going with this.

After she takes off the rest of my clothes, she ties my other wrist and both my ankles to the bed in a similar fashion. Elizabeth stands by the bed as I’m spread open for her, my skin tingling as her eyes rake over my body. Slowly, she slides her panties off of her, crawling onto the bed with her panties in her fist. She straddles me, purposefully rubbing her bare, shaven pussy on my pelvis. She leans over me, grinning as she uses one hand to open my mouth by my chin while she pushes her panties into my mouth with the other. She closes my mouth and starts to place kisses along my cheek.

“Mhhmhmhmm,” I try to say around Elizabeth’s panties, and the attempt just makes her laugh. She kisses across my jaw before dipping her head to drag her tongue up my neck, biting down on my pulse point. She shows my neck a lot of attention, biting and licking at a singular spot.

“First of many marks,” she murmurs, kissing the fresh mark as her hand travels down my body to my breast, squeezing my flesh and eliciting another muffled moan from my lips. Her lips follow the path of her fingers as she kisses down my collarbone and takes my other nipple between her lips. She runs her tongue over the hard nub as her fingers travel further down over my belly button to place some pressure on my hip.

My hips shiver under her touch, the anticipation of what comes next causing my body to heat up. Her hand dips between my legs, cupping my heat as if we were freezing in the arctic. I let out a breath into her panties, leaning my head back as I feel her fingers brush against me. I know I’m already soaking; the small contractions in my stomach tell me as much. And if that didn’t tell me, the ease with which Elizabeth’s fingers glide through me is proof enough.

A rumble comes from deep within my throat, a direct response to Elizabeth’s fingers at my core. Her tongue flicks over my nub again before her teeth close on my skin, taking my whole nipple and a good chunk of my breast in her mouth. I pull at the silk wraps around my wrists, not used to being tied up. Elizabeth sucks hard around my nipple as she brings her free hand up to rest along my outstretched arm, calming my nerves as she lays the full weight of herself on me.

Her fingers twitch between my legs, clearly anxious to dive deep inside me. So why is she holding back? I buck my hips to egg her on, but she presses her hand against my thigh to hold me down.

“Patience now, pet,” Elizabeth purrs, letting go of my breast with a final lick of my nub. “You know I’ll take good care of you, right?” I nod, unable to say anything through Elizabeth’s panties. “Exactly. So try to be a little less impatient and just enjoy the ride.” She once again bites down on my neck as her fingers finally make contact with my nerves. I let out a moan and lift my hips, desperate for her touch.

At my sounds, Elizabeth allows her fingers to slip down my folds and inside of me, two fingers stretching me open for her. I moan louder, the sounds still muffled around the cloth in my mouth. Elizabeth switches sides to nip and kiss at the other side of my neck as she slowly pumps her fingers in and out of me. Her other hand slides down my arm and then my body, her fingers splaying across my stomach.

Elizabeth’s thumb stretches out and rubs my clit, making the heat just below her fingertips on my stomach start to boil. As if Elizabeth can feel it, she curls her fingers and presses her nails into my skin. She grabs at my belly button, and I can’t tell if she’s trying to ground me or herself.

“I need you on me,” Elizabeth whispers in my ear, nipping at my earlobe. “I need you to come all over my fingers, Y/N, and I need it now. So come for me, sweetheart. Get my fingers wet and dirty so I can taste you on me.”

“Mhmmmhmhhm!” I mumble, bucking my hips into her fingers for extra friction. Elizabeth can make me come with a single touch, but she’s well-versed in making me ride it out a little for her.

It’s totally so she can watch my face as I beg her for it.

She gently presses her thumb harder onto my clit, causing me to cry out through her panties. My body starts to shake as my walls begin to convulse around Elizabeth’s fingers. She curls her fingers inside me, scraping against my walls as I close around her.

My hips shake involuntarily as I reach my peak and I close my eyes as I take as deep a breath as I can through Elizabeth’s panties. I start to writhe against the ties and move my tongue against the cloth as my juices drip past Elizabeth’s fingers and down my folds. She brings her free hand up to my mouth and slowly pulls her panties from between my lips.

“What is it that you need, sweetheart?” She asks quietly, smirking as she bends down to place a kiss on my collarbone.

“Kiss me,” I beg, heaving as I take large gasps of air. “I need you to kiss me. Please!”

“God, I get so wet for the sound of you begging,” Elizabeth growls as she leans down and kisses me, her lips full as they connect with mine. The kiss is passionate and careful, like she wants to show me how much she feels for me while at the same time doesn’t want to reveal too much. She slides her fingers out of me and brings them between us. She breaks the kiss and dangles her fingers over my mouth. “Do you want a taste? Or are you willing to let me have it all to myself?” She drags a tongue up one of her fingers. The air catches in my throat as I watch her.

“It’s all yours,” I say, my voice barely above a whisper. To be honest, just watching her relish the taste of me on her fingers makes me want to come all over again. Elizabeth inserts her index finger into her mouth and sucks me off her, smiling as she does so.

“You’re so sweet.” Elizabeth reaches up and undoes the ties around my wrists before she slides off me, laying on her side and pulling my back flush against her chest. “Have you achieved much clarity, Y/N?”

“I think I’ve gotten some,” I nod, snuggling into her. “But now I’ve got the munchies.” I turn my head to look at her. “Dinner and talk?”

“If that’s what you would like, babygirl.” Elizabeth kisses my cheek and gets out of bed, walking into her closet and leaving me to untie my ankles myself. I’ve only freed one ankle before she comes back out, a black robe made of silk wrapped around her body. She rushes over to me on the bed, throwing something else down on the bed. “Honey, no, let me do that for you.” She places her hands on my leg and quickly unties the silk. Then she picks up what she’s brought with her and offers a white silk robe for me. I get off the bed and turn, allowing her to put the robe on me. I tie it closed and turn to look at her.

“Cute.” I give her a small smile as I grab onto her waist. “Did you get this matching robe specifically for me, or is this just a hand me down from one of your previous fucktoys?” I tease.

“What?” Elizabeth crinkles her eyebrows and leans away from me. “Of course I bought it for you, why would you ask that?”

“Hey, Elizabeth, I was just teasing you, I’m sorry,” I chuckle nervously, my hands tightening on the robe around her waist. “I don’t actually think you’d give me any hand my downs.”

“Of course I wouldn’t,” Elizabeth raises her hand and brushes some hair behind my ear. “I haven’t dated seriously in years, Y/N. No one’s been special enough.” Her eyes shimmer with some sort of knowing. “Until you.”

“Now you’re just dribbling honey into my ear,” I purr. Elizabeth smirks and grabs me by the waist now, pulling me into her.

“I would never do that, baby,” she whispers. Elizabeth lets out a little chuckle and looks down at the robes. “I canceled my classes yesterday. Then I went to four different stores looking for the perfect robes for us. As well as a few other things.” She winks. I tilt my head, thinking.

“Can I ask you a question?” I say. “One that’s not necessarily appropriate, but your tastes have me questioning.”

“Anything.” She says, leaning down to kiss my cheek. “As long as you can ask it in the kitchen. Because once you said food, I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it.”

“Yeah, alright,” I laugh and turn into her. Elizabeth drapes her arm around my shoulders as we walk to the kitchen. “How do you have such expensive tastes on a professor’s salary? NYC can’t really pay you that much, can it?”

“Man, you go right for the jugular, don’t you?” Elizabeth lets out a chuckle. “I don’t normally discuss this so early in a relationship, but I come from money.”

“Oh, you come from money,” I wave my hands in the air mockingly. “Yeah, okay.”

“I do.” She says nonchalantly. “My father is a real estate mogul from out west. He met my mother on a trip to Europe, and they fell in love. So you combine my father’s empire with my mother’s riches from not-so-distant relations to the Swedish throne, and you get a bunch of kids with large trust funds.”

“And so you, what, teach for fun?” I give her a look.

“Yeah, pretty much.” She shrugs. “What can I say? I enjoy it. When my siblings and I would play growing up, I always wanted to be the adult, I wanted to be the one teaching them the alphabet and math and everything else. I enjoy it.”

“Glad to know you enjoy it.” I say as we walk into the kitchen, still a little shocked by Elizabeth’s admission.

“And if you decide you want to be with me, that trust fund is yours, too.” She says, placing me on a stool at the counter next to my backpack. “So to speak, I mean. I’ll use it as I’m using it now; to help fund our life, take you on trips, get you the most glamorous gifts.” Her eyes twinkle slightly when she says that.

“I don’t want your money, Elizabeth,” I roll my eyes. Elizabeth snorts as she opens her fridge.

“And I know that. Which is why I didn’t hesitate to tell you about my situation when the topic came up.”

For the first time since we’ve started this dalliance, I feel it. The sincerity and genuineness in Elizabeth’s tone, her words, the way she looks at me. She feels utterly calm with me, like she feels like she can really be herself around me. I can sense the feelings that are growing inside her.

They mirror my own.

“So this relationship,” I say, choosing my words carefully. “The one you have rules for.”

“I wouldn’t say rules,” Elizabeth purses her lips as she pulls down a glass from the cupboard to fill with apple juice for me. “To me, rules are a hardline. You don’t break them. I would call these… guidelines.”

“What’s the difference between rules and your guidelines?” I ask. “They feel pretty similar to me.”

“Guidelines are not as set in stone as rules.” Elizabeth pushes the glass towards me as she moves to make the rest of breakfast. “For example, one might have a rule that their partner can’t work. That they want to provide so wholeheartedly for their partner that any work is a threat to the lifestyle they want.” She shoots me a look over her shoulder. “For me, work is a guideline. I’m not going to tell you that you can’t work. Especially with you; I know you’ll always want to. But I still want to take care of you. So it would be easy for you to sit here, or more likely a new place that I buy for the both of us, and work on your novels.

“Friends is another good example. I don’t want you to be with me and only me all the time. However much I might love having you all to myself, it wouldn’t be healthy. So I want you to have friends that you can go out with or have over, go on girls nights, the like. I’ll even pay for girls' trips for you guys. Like Sarah. I like Sarah.”

“So a lot of these so called ‘rules’ would be guidelines because you aren’t as strict about them?”

“Exactly.” Elizabeth takes some plates from another cupboard and places them next to her. “I don’t need to be. Because while I might be inviting you into my life and my feelings might be growing for you, I recognize that you’re an individual. And I don’t want to take that individuality away from you.”

“I appreciate that,” I say, giving her a small nod. “There are things about myself that I would never be able to give up.”

“And I would never want you to give them up.” Elizabeth assures me. “Which is why I would suggest guidelines and not give rules.”

“May I have a list of the guidelines?”

“Of course,” Elizabeth smiles as she slides a plate with toast and runny eggs across the island to me. “We’ll make the first two guidelines the ones we’ve already talked about: working only because you want to work, not because you have to, and maintain your relationships with your friends.”

“Loving it so far,” I say, picking up a piece of toast and bringing it to my lips.

“With that being said, though, I still need to be your first priority.” Elizabeth picks up her plate and walks around the counter to sit next to me. “Planned dinners, trips, and events with me will always take priority.”

“Of course,” I say around the food in my mouth.

“Good,” she nods, taking a sip of coffee. “Moving on to the fourth item.”

“Third,” I interrupt her. Elizabeth looks over at me, an eyebrow raised. “Making you a priority isn’t a guideline, it’s common sense.” I reach my hand out and rest it on her arm. “So I wouldn’t add that to the list. Just expect it to be done.” The corner of Elizabeth’s mouth twitches towards a smile.

“Alright,” she nods. “Third item. I pay for everything. Everything. Our home, our groceries, our clothes. When we go out for date night, when we take trips, when you want anything. I pay for it. If you’re out and about alone or with friends and you see something you want, go ahead and buy it for yourself. But you will bring home a receipt and I will transfer the money back into your account as soon as I can.”

“That might be hard,” I admit. “I would feel bad having you pay for everything. That isn’t really a relationship, is it?”

“It is to me. You don’t have to provide anything financially to be my equal. You have more value to me than that.”

I pause, taking an extra moment to chew another bite of breakfast.

“It would take some time to get used to that,” I say slowly. “If you’re okay with a learning curve, I could work on being okay with that.”

“Of course.” Elizabeth nods.

“And one other thing on that topic,” I turn my body to face her more head on. “I need there to be an exception to the rule where you pay for everything.”

“An exception?” She asks.

“Yeah.” I nod. “If I buy you flowers or a gift for your birthday or for Christmas, or even just because I saw it and thought of you, then I do not want you to pay me back. It’s a gift, and I don’t want you paying for your own gift.” Elizabeth thinks about it for a moment, then she offers me a small smile.

“And this is why I call them guidelines.” She laughs, leaning over to give me a soft, sweet kiss. “I can concede to your terms on item number three.”

“Good,” I smile as she pulls away from me. “So work because I want to work, maintain friendships because that’s important, and let you pay for everything, bringing you any receipt of things I pay for myself except if they’re a gift for you.” I nod. “Anything else?”

“The last one isn’t a super happy one,” she admits. “If we argue, you’re free to leave the conversation to get some air or take some time, but you will never leave our home in an argument. You will never spend the night at someone else’s house if you are angry with me. That will be a dealbreaker for me. If you’re out with Sarah or other friends and it’s late and you’ve been drinking and it is too dangerous to make your way home, then please stay with Sarah. That’s not what I’m talking about.”

“No, you’re saying that if you and I argue over the shampoo, then I can’t just storm off and leave you high and dry.” I run my thumb over her hand. “I get it.”

“We will not be fighting over shampoo,” Elizabeth laughs. “More like what the name of our first kid will be.”

“Oh, that’s a little presumptuous now,” I laugh.

“What, that we’ll have kids?”

“No, it’s presumptuous of you to think that by the time we’re talking about kids that you won’t be so deeply in love with me that you would even consider arguing about names with me.” I tease. “I predict that you’d let me name out kid Purple Finkledink if it pleased me.”

“You’re probably right.” Elizabeth laughs. “But don’t say anything. I don’t want you getting a big head.” She smirks at me.

“Too late!” I laugh as I lean into her a bit. “Now I know a secret about you.”

“Oh?” She raises an eyebrow. “And what is that?”

“A secret that I’m going to keep to myself for a bit.” I purse my lips at her. “Just for a while, I promise!” I say quickly as I see her start to protest. “I’m testing a theory.” I lean in to place a few kisses on her neck. “Just… humor me baby. Pretty please.”

“Of course, sweet girl.” Elizabeth sighs. “But tell me soon. You shouldn’t be keeping secrets from me, either.”

“Unless they’re surprises.” I give her neck one last kiss before I pull back. “Is there anything else before we move onto our less desirable topic?”

Elizabeth sighs, standing up to walk over to the balcony, placing one hand on the glass and the other on her hip.

“Tyler,” she growls. “He could be a real issue.”

“Yeah,” I sigh, turning my body towards her. “I like what we’ve got going on here, Elizabeth, but I don’t want to jeopardize your career. What did he say?”

“He accused me of manipulating you and giving you better grades for access to your body.” She lets out a cold breath, hanging her head slightly. “He’s threatening to go to the Dean, to tell him that I’m coercing you into having sex with me by threatening your grades.”

“Then why don’t we go to the Dean first?” I say, an idea popping into my head. But Elizabeth scoffs, unaware of the idea forming.

“Yeah, and tell him what? ‘Hey Dean Arsbrough, I’m fucking one of my students, but I think I’m falling in love with her, so please don’t fire me!’ Like he’s going to take that well.”

“No, not that,” I laugh, popping off the chair and walking over to her. I wrap my arms around her waist and place a kiss on her back before I rest my cheek against her. “We go to the Dean and tell him that you want to mentor me, like a TA position. Maybe that I asked to shadow you for my next book or something. Make something up that gives us an excuse to be close. Just until I graduate. After that, who cares? Then no one can say jack shit.”

I can feel Elizabeth’s breath stop underneath my cheek, as if she were realizing what a good idea I had. She slowly spins around to face me, taking my face gingerly in her hands.

“You are more of a genius than I thought.” She whispers, leaning down to kiss me. “We should do that first thing Monday morning. We might actually be able to get away with it then.”

“Nine o’clock at the Dean's office?” I say, tightening my grip on her waist.

“Sounds perfect, babygirl.”

“Good,” I sigh, leaning into her, my head resting right underneath hers. “So now I have just one more question.”

“Yeah?” Elizabeth says, passively petting my hair. “What’s that?”

“Did I hear you say that you’re falling in love with me?”

Elizabeth stiffens, and I can feel her heartbeat quicken under her robe. I smile as I listen to the heightened pace of her pulse, and if I hadn’t heard her loud and clear earlier, I’d be certain now. But when she doesn’t say anything, I start to get worried. I pull back and look at the complete fear on her face that’s frozen her in place. I move one of my hands up to her cheek and cup her face.

“Hey, sweetheart, it’s okay,” I say quietly. “If you didn’t mean to say it, if it just slipped out, I’ll forget about it. I don’t want to pressure you into saying something that you aren’t ready to say yet.”

“No, no, it’s not that,” she says quietly. “It’s just… I haven’t felt this way about someone in a long time, and the last time I did…” Elizabeth lets out a sigh and bows her head to rest her forehead on mine. “Let’s just say it didn’t end well.”

“I’m sorry, Elizabeth,” I whisper as I gently rub my forehead against hers. “I’m sorry it didn’t end well for you. But I hope that one day you can risk your heart again for me.”

“I will,” she says with a nod. Then she picks her head up and looks at me. “I am. Risking my heart, I mean.”

“Yeah?” I ask.

“Doctor Y/L/N!” Someone calls from the front of the ER. I look to see the head nurse, Cara, waving at me from the desk. I sigh as I walk over.

“Yes, Cara?” I say, walking over to her. “Is it something that can wait, or can I grab something to eat super fast before another ambulance comes in?”

“Sorry, there’s another ambulance on its way already. I don’t know much, but it seems as though this person was close to the blast when it went off. Sounds pretty ugly.”

“Ugh,” I moan, tilting my head up. “Another long ass surgery. This one better be my last one of the day, then. I’m going on fourteen hours of work, I’m starting to fade.”

“I’ll talk to the chief about rotating you out.” Cara promises. “I’m sure he’ll have no problem after this surgery.”

“Alright, get an OR ready.” I sigh. “I’ll go out and wait for the ambulance." I turn from the counter and head toward the ambulance bay.

I wait impatiently outside as the sirens from the ambulance grow louder and louder, fighting to keep my eyes open. I take a big breath and slap myself on the cheek to wake myself up as the ambulance pulls up next to the hospital. I walk forward as the driver gets out of the vehicle.

“Female, mid twenties, pulse is thready and weak. Clear debris throughout her entire body.”

“Alright, open the back!” I yell as they’re already moving to do so. The paramedic who was driving opens the back and jumps in to help the other paramedic bring the gurney down. I rush over to shine a light in the patient’s eyes and get any sign of life. When I reach the gurney, I gasp. “No,”

“Come on, Doctor, we’ve got to get her into surgery!” The paramedics call as they wheel her into the hospital. Slowly, almost like I’m treading through mud, I follow.

“Cara,” I call as I enter the hospital. She looks at me from the desk. “You’re going to have to find someone else to work on this patient.”

“We don’t have anyone else.” Cara shakes her head. “You’re going to have to pull it together.”

“No, I know her,” I say. “I… I can’t.” Cara looks up with a raised eyebrow.

“How do you know her?”

“We, uh… we went to school together.” I say, clearing my throat. “High school.”

“Well then you’re many times removed.” Cara waves her hand. “You can operate. Go on, save her life, Doctor Y/L/N.” I groan as I follow a bunch of nurses to OR 3. I scrub, put on my protective gear, and head inside the operating room.

“Alright, Wanda,” I whisper, crouching next to her head as she breathes in the anesthesia. “I don’t know if you can hear me, but I will save you. Because you’ve got a lot of ‘splainin’ to do, and I’m not going to let you get away with it that easily, okay? So just… bear with me. Do not die while I’m working on you, understand?”

I stand up straight and sigh, taking my place at her side as the nurses finish getting everything ready. When everything is ready, I stand there silently, just looking at her for a moment. The room around me stills, unsure what to do. Normally I listen to music while I work, but today is not going to be one of those days.

“Alright,” I say, and for the first time in my career I am uncertain of my next move. “Let’s do this.”

The surgery takes nine hours. If I wasn’t tired before, I damn well am now. But I manage to get every scrap of debris out of her body, cauterize every bleeding wound, and keep her alive in the process. And when the Chief tells me to take the next few days off, I head straight to Wanda’s room.

I sit with her while she sleeps, getting some much needed rest myself on a chair next to her bed. I eat her shitty hospital jello when she doesn’t wake up for breakfast or lunch, and do nothing but wait as she sleeps.

Finally, late into the night on that next day, there’s some rustling that comes from her bed. I sit up in the chair, straight as an arrow, and clutch her hand in mine. She makes a tiny noise as she scrunches her face up, then she slowly opens her eyes.

“Watson?” She says weakly. “Watson, is that you?”

“I’m here,” I say, practically sliding off the chair to kneel next to her. “Wanda, I’m here.”

“How are you… how are you here?”

“I was your doctor,” I laugh quietly. “I stitched you back together.”

“I always knew you were my life,” she chuckles weakly. “So… you’re a doctor now?”

“Yes, I am.” I nod. “And that’s something we can talk about later when you’ve had more rest.” I bring one of my hands up to brush her hair out of her face. “I’ll be here when you wake up.”

“You don’t have to go home and see Peter?” Wanda teases. My face falls slightly.

“He’s… uh, at NASA. On a two-year job. And I couldn’t transfer to a hospital out there, so I stayed behind. We’re doing long distance until he comes back.”

“So what I’m hearing is that you’ll stay with me as long as I need.”

“Exactly,” I say, letting out a low breath. “I’m not leaving you until I get some answers.”

“Yeah, I bet you’re looking for those.” Wanda chuckles. “And I’ll give them to you. Once I’m out of here.”

“You better,” I playfully jab her in the shoulder. Then my face turns serious. “You left me. High and dry back in school. And then a few months ago, you kissed me. Or at least I think you kissed me. And you disappeared again. Just to show up in my life like this? Not cool, Wanda.”

“I know,” she nods. “I hated leaving you behind. But I didn’t have a choice.”

“Why not?” I ask, scooting closer to her.

“Later,” she reassures me, squeezing my hand as she closes her eyes. “For now, rest.”

“You got it,” I say quietly. I stay with her for the next few days, taking some time off from work so that Wanda has someone with her, but also because I don’t want her disappearing on me again.

When the time comes for Wanda to be discharged, I ask where she needs to go and I’ll make sure she gets there. Her eyes sparkle mischievously as she asks if I can take her back to my place. My heart leaps as she asks that, and I don’t hesitate in saying yes.

I don’t own a car, (who needs one in New York City?) so I call a taxi while Wanda is signing her discharge papers. I help her still stiff body into the vehicle and gently hold her hand as the taxi takes us back to my apartment. Wanda holds even tighter to my hand as we ride the elevator up and walk to my apartment.

“You have a beautiful place,” Wanda says as I open my door for her. She walks in and looks around at my one bedroom open floor plan. It’s pretty plain, since that’s how Peter liked it, and I haven’t had the time to decorate since he’s been gone. But I’m glad that Wanda likes it. Or at least has the decency to lie to me.

“Thank you,” I say quietly. “Um, please help yourself to anything in the fridge. My bed is in there if you want to get some more sleep. I’m going to take a shower. I feel like I haven’t had a real one in days.”

“Okay,” Wanda nods as she walks into my kitchen, sliding her hand across my counter as she looks at my fridge. “Thank you. Maybe I’ll make us some dinner.”

“Don’t overexert yourself,” I warn her. “I don’t want to have to bring you back to the hospital, I just escaped that place.”

“No promises,” Wanda chuckles as I walk into my room. I grab a new towel from my closet and walk into the adjoining bathroom. I start the shower to let it warm up as I undress and fold my clothes, placing them neatly on the sink counter.

Stepping into the shower I feel the water rush down my body, and I take a few extra minutes to level my breathing under the pounding sound of the water. I close my eyes as the water runs down my eyes and I blow the water away from my lips as it hits them.

I hear the shower door open behind me, and I turn to see Wanda, naked and sporting her new scars, standing there with the door open. She locks eyes with me and steps into the shower, closing the door behind her.

Wanda doesn’t waste any time as she steps up to me, placing her hands on my waist to push me back against the tile. My ass touches the tile as she bends down and kisses my neck, eliciting a small moan from my lips. I throw my arms around her neck and hold her close, standing on my tip toes to get me closer to her.

“Just like old times,” Wanda mutters against my neck. “Being with Peter while thinking of me, having no qualms over sleeping with me,” Wanda’s hand slips past my hip and toward my core, teasing me by placing her hand just above my pelvis. “I miss this,” she sighs.

“Then why did you wait so long to come back?” I ask, my voice low as most of my attention is focused on where her hand is.

“I had to,” Wanda kisses my cheek.

“But-” I say, but Wanda interrupts me by kissing my lips. I moan into the kiss and melt into her, making her catch me as I fall against the tiles.

“Later,” Wanda says into my lips. “I’ll tell you all about it later. But first, I just want you.”

I silently agree with her, clutching her neck so I can pull her into me, bucking my hips into hers as her breasts press against mine. Wanda lets her hand trail up my body and over my firm stomach, putting pressure right where my heat is starting to grow. As a reaction I bite Wanda’s lower lip, pulling away slightly to watch it stretch in front of me. Wanda groans as I let go of her lip, her eyes looking down at me with a hunger I haven’t seen in years.

Wanda’s hand slides back down my body, the heat inside of me following her hand as her fingers dip between my pussy to play with my clit. I take a deep breath in, pressing my forehead to Wanda’s as she places more pressure on my clit. I slide one hand down her body, over her breast, over her stomach, and on top of her hand at my pussy. I force her hand on me, even though I really don’t need to force her, and start to grind my hips against her hand.

“I’ve been dreaming of this for seven years,” I say between kisses. “Dreaming of you.”

“I still remember how you taste,” Wanda sighs, kissing my lips, then cheeks, then lips again. “I’ve missed it.”

In response, I maneuver her hand lower, placing her fingers right at my opening. I let out a sound similar to the mewl of a kitten as her fingers tease me, my heart beating desperately in my chest. My stomach twists inside me as Wanda does exactly as I want, pushing two fingers inside me all the way to her lowest knuckles. I gasp as she fills me, barely able to stay on my toes from the anticipation of seven years.

Wanda doesn’t need my help to move inside me, so I keep one hand pressed firmly against the back of her neck and I move my other hand to her waist, tightening my grip on her hip bone as she pumps her fingers in and out of me. I gasp as a rush of pleasure races to my core, resting my forehead against Wanda’s as my breath settles at the same pace as her fingers.

I lean my head against the tile of the shower as Wanda connects her lips to the skin of my neck, sucking hard on my skin as she increases the force with which she pumps inside of me. And it doesn’t take long for the heat at my core to explode, and I cry out as my release starts dribbling down her fingers and onto the shower floor.

“God, I missed that,” Wanda sighs against my skin, holding her fingers inside me.

“Not more than I missed it,” I gasp, my pussy clenching hard around Wanda’s fingers, unwilling to let them go. “Wanda,” I whisper, kissing her cheeks and down her jawline. “I don’t want you to leave me again.”

“I know, Y/N,” Wanda whispers back, gently pulling her fingers out of me. She brings them up to her lips and sucks on her fingers. “You’re my person. I’ve known it since we met in high school.”

“So you’ll stay?” I ask her, holding her face in my hands and looking into her eyes, my gaze full of hope.

“Let’s discuss it tomorrow, okay?” She sighs. “Right now, I’m really tired.”

“Of course.” I nod, reaching back to shut the water off in the shower. “As long as you promise to hold me tonight.”

“Of course, babygirl,” Wanda whispers, leaning down to kiss me. She grasps my ass in her palms and lifts me up, carrying me from the shower to the bed. She lays me on top of my comforter and then climbs over me to lay behind me, wrapping her arms around my waist and pulling me flush against her. I fall asleep with her legs tangled in mine, her breasts pressed against my back, and her lips placing soft kisses on my shoulder.

The next morning I wake up alone in bed, a blanket covering my naked body. I stretch, loosening up my body from the night before. After a yawn and a final kick of my legs, I get up. Something smells good in the kitchen, so I grab my robe from my closet, tie it around my waist, and walk out of my bedroom.

To my dismay, there’s no Wanda. A plate of eggs and toast sits on the counter, still hot enough to tell me that she hasn’t been gone long. Next to the plate is an empty frame, and I recognize it as the frame that had held my college graduation picture. She’s taken my picture. Beside that is a small sheet of paper with two simple words on it.

I’m sorry.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Two Years Later

It’s hot as shit in the Congo, but that’s what I signed up for when I decided to join Doctors Without Borders. Peter has been consistently getting offers to travel for work, so we’ve decided to take the next few years to travel and bolster our careers before coming back together in New York to get married and start a family. I’ll open my own practice, and Peter and Ned are going to start their own security firm. MJ is going to join them, if she ever stops working for the Peace Corps.

So I’m in the Congo for the next ten months, then I’ll be moving somewhere else that needs a ton of doctors.

It’s the hardest job I’ve ever had. Every day I see women and children, people with their legs shot off, faces massacred, and bodies mangled. It’s a horrible sight, and I find myself wishing I could just go home on more than one occasion. But I’m desperate to do some good, so that’s what I’m going to do.

Then I’m told that I’m going to be traveling to Kinshasa. A lot of refugees have made their way to the capital city of the DRC. So many, in fact, that their hospitals can’t keep up. A few of us are going in order to help ease the workload.

I spend three months in Kinshasa before I’m put in an arguably dangerous situation.

“Hey, Y/N,” I look up from stitching up a laceration on a little girl’s leg to see my supervisor, Mark. “I need you to go out to a neighboring village. They’ve been keeping a bunch of refugees that the city can’t handle, and they need medical attention as well.”

“Yeah, okay,” I say, looking back down at the laceration to continue my stitching. “Who else is going with?”

“I can’t afford to send anybody else,” I look up again to see Mark shaking his head. “Not right away, anyway. We get a new shipment of doctors next week, and I’ll be sending a few out to you once they arrive.”

“I don’t think it’s safe for me to go alone,” I say, gesturing for a nearby doctor to take over the stitching so I can talk to Mark. “It’s still really dangerous out there.”

“Which is why you’re going to have a protective detail.” He assures me. “You’ll be just fine. There hasn’t been any fighting this close to the city in a few years. And it’s only for a few days until we get more doctors in here.”

“I really don’t like this,” I say, crossing my arms. “But if there will be more doctors next week, then I guess I can rough it by myself for a few days.”

“Thanks,” Mark says, reaching out to squeeze my shoulder. “Get some rest tonight. You move out in the morning.”

The next morning I wake up with the sun to make my way to my designated village with the protection detail. It’s not all that far from the main city, only an hour’s drive, but it feels like a different place. It’s a smaller village with many more people, most of them injured with enough people who are actually dead to cause concern.

They have me set up on the first floor of a small, three story building that’s become their makeshift hospital. I set my things down and get to work. Just after midday, I notice the escort starting to get a little antsy. Two of the men are stationed inside with me, while two are standing just outside the door to the building, and another is guarding our vehicle.

All of a sudden I can hear screaming coming from outside. I look up from wrapping the leg in front of me as the two guards inside rush out.

“Stay here!” One of them yells, and I nod. The woman whose leg I’d been wrapping stands up and starts to hobble out the door.

“Wait!” I call after her. “It’s probably safest to stay inside!” The woman doesn’t stop and is joined by the other patients in the building. “Wait, hold on! It might not be safe out there!” But no one listens, and soon I’m alone in the building.

I pace the length of the building, worried about not knowing what’s going on. Then I hear a loud boom somewhere close by. Outside I hear screams as people run past the building, and my body freezes, not knowing what to do.

Then I see a familiar face that runs into the building.

“Wanda!” I shout, running to her. She looks over at me, surprised at first, then anger flickers across her face. Concern overtakes her demeanor very quickly after, and she takes my hands and clings to me.

“Watson, what are you doing here?” She asks, her voice dripping with worry. Her eyes look over my body as if she’s looking for any place where I might be hurt.

“I should be asking you the same thing!” I yell. “You fucking disappear on me again, stealing a picture of me in the process, and show up all the way across the world two years later? What the fuck is this?”

“Just… Come on!” She grips my hand and pulls me toward the back of the building, shoving me into a crouch in the corner. “Y/N, what are you doing here?”

“I’m working with Doctors Without Borders. I’m trying to heal people that don’t have good access to healthcare. Your turn. What are you doing here?”

“Don’t worry about me,” she hisses. “This is such a dangerous place! You have to get out of here.”

“No!” I cry as she stands and tries to run again. “Not without you! Wanda, seriously! I can’t do this without you!”

Wanda hesitates, looking at me with worry, hurt, and maybe a little love beneath her eyes. That hesitation hurts her, and a bomb goes off right next to us. Before I can wrap my mind around what is happening, the building comes crumbling down around us. Wanda dives on top of me, shielding my head from falling debris.

The consequences of the bomb come together all at once and very slowly at the same time. Once the debris has settled, though, Wanda lifts her head to look around. I watch her face as she thinks about what to do next, the smell of pulverized stone, old tropical wood, and damp earth seeping into my nose. I can feel a slight breeze from somewhere above us, but that’s about it.

“We’re trapped.” She sighs. I look past her and notice that she’s right. The building has come down around us, and we’re lucky enough that a beam caught the falling rubble above us.

“I’m sorry,” I say quietly. “For trapping you here.”

“No, Y/N, don’t apologize,” Wanda whips her head around and holds my face in her hands. “You didn’t trap me in here. In fact, I’m glad I'm here with you. Now I can keep you calm and steady while we’re waiting for people to come rescue us.”

“Will they?” I ask, worried about the lack of rescue support in this area of the world.

“With you missing? Of course they will.” Wanda tilts my head and kisses the top of my head. “They will come for us, I know it.”

“I’m just one person,” I shake my head. “I’m sure that whatever reason brought you here makes you far more important than me.”

“No, baby, no,” Wanda sits down next to me and pulls me into her lap, shushing me. “That isn’t true at all. You’re the most important person in the world.”

“To you, maybe, but I wouldn’t even believe you if you said that was the case,” I sniffle, nuzzling into her neck. “You leave me every time. How can I be important to you if you always leave me?”

“I do it to protect you, babygirl.” Wanda says, kissing my head again. “I promise, I never want to leave you.” She shuffles around to reach into her pocket. I watch as she pulls my college graduation picture out and unfolds it. “I keep this picture with me everywhere I go. So that I always know why I’m doing what I’m doing.”

“What is it that you’re doing, Wanda?” I ask, looking up at her. “Please, I need to know.”

“I…” Wanda looks down at me, clutching my picture tightly in her fist. Her eyes are filled with pain, the source of which I can’t read. “I can’t,” she says quietly, and I can tell it hurts her to say it. “I really, really wish I could, Y/N, I swear to you.”

“Wanda,” I’m practically begging her at this point as I clutch to her collar. “Please. These chance meetings… they can’t just be chances. They have to be some form of fate. Don’t you think so?”

“Y/N,” Wanda sighs, but I can tell by the look on her face that she’s denying herself the exact thing that she wants. I cup her face with my hand and kiss her. Wanda clearly wants to kiss me back, melting into my lips as soon as they connect with hers. She shoves my picture back into her pocket before she grips my hips tightly, wrinkling my white coat with the force of her grip.

“We’ve got time,” I whisper against her lips. “Please, I need you, Wanda.”

“Y/N, this is a really bad idea,” she growls against my lips, and I know she’s trying to muster the words to refuse me. In the end she’s unable to, and she gives in to what we’re both feeling.

Wanda cups my pussy over my pants, forcing her palm into my sensitive nerves at the tip of my pussy. I inhale as her lips crash back into mine, our tongues dancing to the music of our increased breathing. Her hand moves to unbutton my pants, and the zipper falls on its own as she shoves her hands inside my pants and panties, wasting no time as she shoves two fingers inside me.

I moan into her lips, grasping her collar even tighter as I feel her inside me. Her fingers fill me in a way that only she can, reminding me of the emptiness I feel when fucking Peter. I shift in Wanda’s lap so I’m straddling her, making sure to keep her fingers trapped inside me. I breathe heavily into her mouth as I ride her fingers, my hands firmly cupping her face to keep her close to me.

“Ugh, Y/N,” Wanda groans, placing ghost kisses to my lips as my pussy clenches around her fingers. “Why do you always feel so good?”

“Because you fit perfectly inside me,” I whisper, flicking my tongue out to catch her teeth and upper lip. “I know you feel it, too.”

“Yeah,” she nods, rubbing her forehead against mine. “I… I know…”

I grind my hips against her, Wanda knowing exactly when to curl her fingers to make me squeal. Our lips stay so close together that they almost touch, but they never do. Being close to her like this, having her inside me, makes me want to be around her even more. And I start to hate myself for always falling into this pattern, because it makes it impossible for me to forget her when she leaves.

I push that thought out of my head as I come, my breath heavy as I graze my lips over hers. I feel myself dripping down her fingers and onto her black leggings. Wanda curls her fingers inside me again, making my pussy work to close around her.

“I love how you feel around me,” Wanda whispers.

“I love how you feel inside me,” I whisper back. “But now I want some.”

“Want some of what?”

“Some of you.” I say as I slowly climb off of her lap. “Stand up and take your pants off.”

“Y/N, we’ve already wasted a lot of air,” she shakes her head. “We can’t.”

“Chances are we die in here anyway,” I whisper. “And I haven’t once tasted you. I need to taste you Wanda. Just once. To know what it’s like.”

“We’re going to make it out of here, Watson.” She sighs, and instead of standing up she pulls me back into her lap, pressing my head against her chest. “And I promise, one day you can have as much of me as you want.”

“Don’t make promises you can’t keep,” I sigh as I close my eyes and try not to panic.

Three days we’re down there, not talking and with Wanda holding me most of the time. And even though the air has been steadily getting thinner as the concrete loses its ability to absorb our carbon dioxide emissions, Wanda still whispers to me when she thinks I’m asleep. She talks about how she’s never forgotten about me, how she thinks of me on her loneliest nights, how she will never meet another person like me.

And it makes my heart beat faster every time she opens her mouth.

“Wanda,” I say quietly when I feel my lids getting too heavy to stay open. “I’ve loved you for seven years. I’m glad my last moments get to be spent with you.”

“We’re not dying in here, do you understand me?” Wanda whispers, but I can hear how tired she is in her voice. She leans down and places a very soft, very tired kiss on my forehead. “We’re getting out of here.”

“Believe it when I see it,” I breathe before the world goes dark.

I wake up in a cot with a pounding headache. Groaning, I raise myself on my elbows and look around. I’m in one of the overflow hospitals we set up in Kinshasa, and all of the beds are full. Despite the headache, I can’t stand taking a bed from someone, so I slowly get out of bed.

“Hey, hey, woah, what are you doing?” Mark comes rushing over to me, throwing his clipboard down at the foot of my bed. “You have to rest.”

“I feel fine,” I lie, pushing the blanket off me.

“Absolutely not. You’ve gotta rest, you were deprived of a lot of oxygen while you were trapped.” He insists, pushing me back into bed. “You’re going to rest for a few more days until we can get you a ride back stateside.”

“Stateside?” I shake my head. “I’ve got a job to do here.”

“Uh-uh,” he says, pulling the blanket back over me. “You’re going home. In six months you can apply for a new position, if that’s really what you want to do.”

“And the woman?” I ask, looking around and not seeing Wanda. “The other woman I was trapped with? Where is she?”

“She was doing much better than you were,” he admits. “She slept for maybe twenty-four hours before she got out of here.”

“And how long ago was that?”

“About four days ago.”

I sigh and flop back into bed.

I’ve lost her again.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

FOUR YEARS LATER

Some people might think that because New York City is so big, it could never feel like home. I’ve never felt that way, though. Everywhere you go there’s a small community that cares for each other, supports each other, and makes sure that everyone is being looked out for.

And that’s why I like the life I’m living.

Peter came back to the city when he heard what happened to me, and we decided to push up our timeline. He didn’t want to be away from me anymore. So he and Ned started their security firm, gaining some pretty big ticket clients, which allowed them to set up accounts for local stores and businesses at way below cost. I set up my clinic, too, catering mostly to the lower class by offering medical care for low income or undocumented families. My business partner, a friend from medical school, is a plastic surgeon. So that’s how we make most of our money.

Peter proposed to me a year ago. We decided to have a long engagement so we could afford the wedding, a decent honeymoon, and put a down payment on a place. He wanted to get married a lot earlier, but I just couldn’t.

Stupidly, I’ve still been holding out hope for Wanda.

But four more years and nothing from her. Eventually it’s time to put things in the past.

Spring is my favorite time of year in the city. The trees are blooming, more people are walking instead of driving their cars, and the city, though it never really dies, seems to come alive again. I walk to work one early morning with a smile on my face and a hot coffee in my hand.

Waiting to cross a crosswalk, a car pulls up in front of me. It’s a big suburban with tinted out windows and blinged out rims. The back door is thrown open, a bag is over my head, and in a matter of seconds we’re racing down Broadway, my coffee forgotten on the sidewalk.

“Hey!” I yell, my voice muffled by the burlap. “What the fuck? Let me go!”

“Can’t do that, sweet cheeks.” A deep voice sounds next to me. “This only ends one of two ways, and letting you go isn’t one of those.”

“Please?” I beg. “What is going on?” But the big guy doesn’t speak again. He just ties my hands in front of me before turning ahead again.

I don’t know where we end up, but I’m pushed out of the car very forcefully when we reach it. I stumble to the ground, and someone picks me up by the back of my shirt to put my back on my feet. That same hand pushes me forward, and I can’t do anything else but obey.

I stumble forward, being guided by nothing except where I think I’m supposed to be going. After a few turns and an overly aggressive shove that has me on my knees, the sack finally comes off of my head.

In front of me sits a very tall, very fat man, dressed impeccably and sitting on an even more beautiful throne-looking chair. He’s chowing down on a drumstick, taking his time to finish getting the meat off the bone before he tosses it behind him where two dogs start fighting over the small bone. He sucks the grease off of all his fingers before he starts speaking.

“Ms. Y/L/N, I presume?” He says.

“How do you know who I am?” I ask him.

“That’s confirmation enough,” he huffs, looking at the guy behind me. “Take her back. We’ll see if the red-headed witch will heed our call now.”

“Yes, boss.” The guy behind me grunts as he takes a fistful of my hair and yanks me to my feet. I yowl and take a few steps forward but stop when the big man grabs my wrist.

“If she doesn’t come, then you’ll be mine.” He purrs, looking me up and down as if I were a piece of chicken. “Oh, I do hope she doesn’t come.”

I shiver with disgust as he lets go of my hand and the man behind me pushes me again. I stumble through a few more hallways before he shoves me one last time into a closet of a room with just a bucket on the floor. I look at it and back at the man.

“That can’t be my bathroom!” I exclaim, pleading with my eyes.

“Good luck.” The brute mutters, shutting and locking the door behind me.

“Hey!” I cry, banging my hands against the door. “Get these zip ties off of me!” But no one answers. I turn my back to the door and slide down it onto the floor, hanging my head as I start to cry.

Four days without food or a proper bathroom later, and the brute comes back to unlock my door. I look at him from my curled position on the floor, all the venom I can muster in my eyes. He just grunts and reaches down, picking me up by my hair again and throwing me out the door.

I slam against the wall on the other side and start walking before he can rip any more of my hair out. I stumble down the hallway, my tied hands sliding against the wall. At the door to the main room, the brute shoves me through the opening and I fall to the ground. He kicks me in the stomach before picking me up by my shirt and throwing me at the base of the boss-man’s chair. The boss grips my hair in his fist and yanks me to my knees as I scratch at his hands.

“So what’ll it be, Red?” The boss says above me. “Your life? Or hers?” He tilts my head up and I see Wanda standing before us. As her eyes look down at me and she realizes who is trapped in this man’s clutches, her eyes burn with a rage I’ve never seen in another human being before. Her fists tighten at her side and her jaw sets profoundly that I’m sure she’s cracked a tooth.

“I’ll have your head, Zukov.” The steadiness in Wanda’s voice frightens me. I’ve never seen her so… locked in before. “Let her go, and I’ll have a small amount of mercy.”

The man just laughs, throwing me down to the floor where his dogs stand guard above me, growling.

I don’t know how much time passes. All I know is the sound of fighting, guns, and dying. At one point I hear the man shouting something in another language and look up just in time to see Wanda leaning over him, her fist gripping tightly to his greasy hair.

“I warned you, Zukov,” Wanda growls, her grip tightening as spittle flies in his face. “Maybe next time you’ll think twice before you fuck with me.” A second later, Wanda drags a dagger across his neck, and bright red blood spills down his chest. Without a second thought Wanda walks towards me, but the dogs stand over me and growl at her. She takes one look at each of them, crouches, and lets out a low, threatening growling before barking at them. As weird as it sounds, the dogs tuck their tails and run, Wanda scrambling for me.

“Wanda,” I say, my voice hoarse from lack of water.

“Shh, Y/N, don’t speak,” she says, picking me up in her arms. “We’ve got to get you to a hospital.”

“You should have let me die,” I whisper as she carries me out of the building. “Because seeing you now only to have you leave me again is going to kill me anyway.”

Wanda says something else, but I can’t hear her as I fall into unconsciousness against her chest.

I wake up in another hospital bed, this time with Peter beside me. He hears me shuffling and looks up, immediately reaching for my hand.

“Y/N!” He cries. “Jesus, I was so worried about you, baby!”

“What happened?” I ask him, my voice still hoarse and weak.

“I’m not sure,” he shakes his head. “The police said something about a mafia war or something, spanning multiple continents, and you were just unlucky enough to be caught in the middle of it.” He sighs, dragging his fingers through his hair. “And that’s it for me, Y/N. We’re moving.”

“What?” I exclaim, struggling to sit up. “We can’t leave! New York is our home!”

“But it isn’t safe for you,” Peter says.

“Neither was the Congo.” I argue. “Nowhere is going to be completely safe, Pete. But I can’t just leave. I don’t want to. My practice is here, my friends are here, my parents are here.”

“I don’t want to argue with you about this, Y/N, but my decision is final-” Peter stops talking as he sees someone at the door. I turn my head and my mouth opens in shock.

“Hey, Watson.” Wanda offers me a lopsided smile as she stands against the doorway, arms crossed and carrying flowers. “Glad to see you’re alright.”

“Wanda,” I breathe, shocked I’m even seeing her.

“Wanda?” Peter says, sounding shocked next to me. “Like, from high school?”

“The very same.” Wanda says as she walks into the room, taking the chair closest to her and scooting it next to my bed. She lays the flowers on top of me and takes my other hand. “I’m sorry,” she whispers, addressing only me. “You got dragged into my mess, Watson, and for that I’m truly sorry. But no more. I’m done. I’m out.”

“You’re out?” I say, just as quietly. “Out of what?”

“The life.” She responds simply. “I’m not letting you out of my sight again.”

“I’ve got that covered,” Peter starts, but I interrupt him as if he isn’t even there.

“You won’t leave me this time?” I ask her.

“Never,” Wanda tightens her grip around my hand, bringing her head down to kiss my fingers. I stare into her eyes and see that she’s serious.

She’s never going to leave me again.

I gently take my hand out of hers, then my other out of Peter’s. I take his engagement ring off my finger and place it in his hand. Looking up at him I offer the kindest smile that I can.

“I’m sorry, Pete,” I say quietly. “I love you. But she’s always had my heart.” Peter looks at me, then down at the ring in his hand. He gives a simple nod before he gets up and walks toward the door. He pauses at the opening, a hand on the door frame.

“I’ll pack your stuff,” he says quietly. “If you can’t find a place before they let you out of the hospital, let me know. I’ll put your things in a storage unit until you can find a place.” He’s gone before I can say thank you. I watch the door for a few seconds before I turn my attention back to Wanda.

“I just blew up my whole life,” I whisper, taking her hands back in mine. “You better be fucking serious about staying with me.”

“More than serious.” Wanda promises, kissing my fingers again. “I’ve already got us a place.”

Wanda does, in fact, already have a place for us. A week later when I’m released from the hospital, she brings me to a highrise in Manhattan, my stuff already delivered and unpacked. Wanda carries me through the threshold, even though I tell her I’m fine to walk, and sets me on a chair at the counter before holding out a set of keys for me.

“These are for you,” she says, her smile wide. “Your very own set of keys to your very own apartment with your very own girlfriend.”

“Girlfriend,” I purr, taking the keys from her. “I like the sound of that.”

“I like the sound of it, too.” Wanda smiles, and I can see her visibly relax. She takes the keys out of my hand and places them on the counter, grabbing my hand to pull me off the chair. She leads me to the couch a few feet away and falls down on it, pulling me with her. I fall next to her and lean against her. “Now I know you probably have a lot of questions,” she says.

“Yes.” I nod, snuggling against her and wrapping my arms around her. “Start from the beginning, and I’ll ask questions at the end.”

“Okay,” Wanda sighs. “I’m a child assassin. I was raised to kill powerful people, like world leaders and heads of state with no trace. That’s what brought me to New York.”

“When you were at Midtown?” I ask her.

“I thought you said no questions until the end.” Wanda teases, kissing my temple.

“I know, I know, I’m sorry,” I laugh, leaning into her kiss. “I just wanted to confirm.”

“Yes, when I was at Midtown.” Wanda nods. “I was sent there because a Russian diplomat was secretly in the city, and I needed to take him out.”

“And you did, right after the altercation in the locker room.”

“Yes,” she says, leaning down to kiss my cheek. “Now stop interrupting me, or I won’t tell you my story.”

“I’m sorry,” I whisper, squeezing her arm.

“Yeah, you better be.” Wanda chuckles. “Anyway, once that target was taken care of, I was… reacquired. With my skills and IQ level, I took the GED and was immediately recruited into the CIA. That’s where I’ve been working since. When I was back in New York six years ago, when I saw you in the Congo. And the consequences of my first time in New York finally caught up with me and, unfortunately, you got caught in the crossfire.” Wanda gets up from the couch just to come around me and sit in front of me, crossing her legs under her. She takes my hands in hers and looks me directly in the eyes. “I am so sorry, Y/N. I never meant for you to get caught up in this. Any of it.”

“It’s okay, Wanda,” I reach one of my hands up and caress her face. “It might have been scary in the moment, but you came for me. You saved me, Wanda. And that’s all that matters.” I lean in and kiss her, an action which Wanda greatly accepts. I move my hands to the hem of her shirt and start to lift it.

“Wait, Y/N, wait,” Wanda breathes, pulling away from me and sliding her hands up my legs. “You need rest.”

“Rest?” I laugh, leaning in for another kiss. “I don’t need rest. I’ve got thirteen years to make up for.”

“Y/N,” Wanda chuckles, but she doesn’t resist anymore. She pulls her shirt over her head before kissing me again, gathering me up in her arms and pulling me close enough for her to be in a good position to pick me up. I wrap my legs around her as she carries us to our new bedroom, taking her time with her tongue to explore me now that she’s got all the time in the world.

She sets me down gently on the bed, hovering above me as she kisses over my jaw. My hands find the clasp of her bra as Wanda starts to nibble on my earlobe, undoing it in one swift motion. I toss it aside and immediately place my hands on her breasts.

“Wanda,” I moan as she moves a knee between my legs. “Last time we did this, I said I wanted to taste you.”

“And do you still?” She whispers into my ear.

“Very much so,” I nod. “Please, Wanda, I’ve spent the last thirteen years sucking a salty dick, I know you taste much better than that.” I hear Wanda snort against me before she sits up, straddling me, and slowly brings her hands down to the button on her jeans. As if in slow motion I watch her unzip her pants, stand up, and pull her pants off. She kicks them to the side, leaving her in just her panties.

“I’m so glad I can save you from a lifetime of that,” Wanda smiles as she lowers herself back onto her knees and shuffles up my body until she’s hovering above my lips. “And I can’t wait to find out how good you are.”

Wanda uses a finger to move her panties out of the way before she grips the headboard in anticipation and lowers herself onto me. Once again she’s moving slowly, so I grip her hips, digging my fingernails into her skin, and bring her down on my waiting lips.

Exactly as I suspected, Wanda tastes sweet. She’s heaven on earth, and I can’t resist exploring her with my tongue as soon as she’s seated on me fully. I start with her clit, dragging my tongue over the bundle of nerves as fully as I can with the flat side of my tongue. I unhook one of my hands and smack her ass as the tip of my tongue flicks her clit, and Wanda lets out a gasp I’m not sure even she knew she was capable of.

“Fuck, Y/N, if I had known you could eat pussy like this I would have gladly died in the Congo with you eating me out,” she groans.

“No,” I say, muffled around her pussy. “Because then we wouldn’t have a lifetime of this.” As I finish my sentence I slide my tongue inside her, flicking my tongue back and forth feverishly. Wanda groans again, riding my face like it’s the only thing that will save her.

Who knows? Maybe I am the only thing that will save her.

I pull my tongue out and swipe my tongue between her folds as her juices start to drip down my face. I maneuver my lips to work in tandem with my tongue, getting in and around her pussy lips to open her up enough for me to feel every inch of her. I focus my tongue inside of her as she rides me, her movements causing her clit to rub against my lips.

I feel Wanda shake before she does, and I bring my hand down for another smack against her ass before I grip her hip again, holding her against me as her release crashes over her. Wanda falls against the wall as she rides her orgasm, her forehead resting against the hard surface. One of her hands falls to my head as her fingers slide through my hair, grounding herself in me.

When she tries to get off I hang on to her, working my tongue through her folds to make sure that she’s clean and properly satisfied. Her hips jerk as my tongue passes over her extremely sensitive clit and I watch her mouth hang open as my lips close around her nerves.

“Y/N…!” She gasps as her legs squeeze around my head. I pull her down harder on my face, unwilling to give her up. “You… you have to stop it… it’s too much!” I growl in response, my nails digging deeper into her skin. I flick my tongue over her clit as my lips squeeze around it, and in no time she’s coming again, her back arching at such an angle I’m afraid she’s going to bend completely in half. “Okay… okay! I… I’m spent,” she says, her breath airy and quiet. I don’t cling to her this time as she slides off of me, curling into me as she lays her hand on my chest.

“Thirteen years was too long to wait for that,” I sigh, placing my hand over hers. “I am never waiting thirteen years for that again.”

“Any longer than a few days and I’ll assume this relationship is over.” Wanda jokes, nuzzling into my neck. I turn my body and collect her in my arms, kissing her head.

“Never. I won’t want to go long without it either, Wanda, I promise.”

“Alright,” she sighs. “Just give me a few minutes to get the feeling back in my body. Then I want my turn with you.”

We lay on the bed as I hold her, placing kisses on her forehead as we talk about New York, what it’s going to be like for her to live here full time, what sort of job she’s going to get or if she should go to college. She’s got a good idea of what she wants to do, and after a few minutes she reaches behind her into the nightstand at the side of the bed and pulls out a large strap.

“Surprise,” she purrs, running the dildo down my chest. “Now let’s get these clothes off you so I can ruin you like you did me.”

“Wanda,” I let out a laugh, eyeing the toy she has on my chest. “That looks a little too big for me.”

“Well that tells me a lot about how big Peter is.” Wanda laughs, placing a kiss on my shoulder. “Or should I say how small.”

“Wanda!” I chuckle. “We shouldn’t speak ill of recently deceased relationships.”

“Okay, okay, fine, I won’t.” Wanda smiles as she rolls on top of me, crossing her hands over my chest and resting her chin on her hands as she looks at me. “What do you say, Y/N? Care to give it a shot?”

I look at Wanda, then at the strap she’s holding loosely in her fingers. I bite my lip as I contemplate the choice. But when I look back at Wanda, I know that I can’t say no to her. Silently I start by taking my shirt off as Wanda scrambles up and starts undoing my jeans.

Before I know it I’m lying completely naked in front of her as Wanda kneels between my legs, the large, red dildo sticking straight out. I swallow hard at the sight of it, scared that it won’t fit. Wanda notices my worry and leans down to kiss me.

“Don’t worry, baby,” she whispers against my lips. “I’ll be gentle, I promise.” The grin her lips form after concerns me. “At first.” She straightens back up and runs a finger through my folds, causing me to shiver. “And you’re already so wet for me, Watson. That brings back memories.”

“Don’t call me Watson,” I groan, weakly shoving her away from me. “It’s not sexy.”

“I’ll make it sexy.” Wanda smirks as she grabs the base of her cock and starts to run it the length of my pussy, getting the strap nice and wet. She slaps my pussy a few times with it, the tip brushing against my clit in the perfect way, making me moan. “I’m gunna go in, baby, okay?” Wanda says quietly, pressing her cock just barely on my entrance. “We’re going to go slow until you can take all of me, okay?”

“Okay,” I nod, swallowing hard. With my confirmation Wanda pushes in, keeping her word to go slowly. The tip is barely inside before my body starts to tense up, the girth already spreading me pretty wide.

“Relax, baby,” Wanda urges, using her hands to push my legs up and hold them under her arms. “Your body will adjust much easier and much quicker if you just relax.”

“You telling me to relax isn’t helping me relax,” I say, my hands balling the sheets into my fists as my mind can’t get off how… big her toy is. Wanda realizes where my mind is and lets my legs drop, bending over me and resting on her elbows on the bed. Her hair falls in a cascade around us, shutting out the outside world so it’s just the two of us.

“Then pay attention to me,” she says quietly, her eyes flicking to my lips. “Pay attention to me and only me, Y/N. My eyes, my lips, my kiss. That’s all you need to worry about.” Wanda leans down and kisses me, and her lips make me forget everything else that’s going on. My fists loosen and the sheets sink down as I slide my hands up and over Wanda’s ass to her back, using my fingerpads to trace up and down her back. I feel the pressure as Wanda pushes back inside me, but it doesn’t hurt anymore. Not while I’m paying attention to Wanda’s lips, just as she instructed.

Her cock enters me slowly. With each new kiss we share, she pushes deeper and deeper inside of me. The grunts of pain quickly turn into moans of pleasure as Wanda gets closer and closer to bottoming out, my pussy getting used to the feeling of being stretched so wide. Wanda keeps going, her kisses getting deeper and more intense as she buries herself deeper inside me.

“See?” Wanda breathes against my lips as she bottoms out, forcing herself just a little bit deeper as I exhale against her. “All you needed to do was pay attention to me.”

“Wanda,” I tilt my chin up, looking for her lips again. She chuckles, giving me what I ask for as she slowly pulls out of me. She takes her time, pumping in and out of me at a slow pace so I can get used to her thickness. “Okay,” I say, rubbing my forehead gently against hers. “You can pick up the pace.”

“Are you sure?” Wanda places kisses along my jaw, her hair draping over my face and I smell her strawberry shampoo. I take a deep breath as Wanda increases her pace. I let out a little moan right in Wanda’s ear, and I feel her shiver with excitement. My fingers curl on her back as she starts hitting deep inside me, a spot that’s never been reached before.

Wanda sits up on her knees again, sliding her hands down my body to my legs and pushes them up and drapes my legs over her shoulders. Her hands wrap around my hips and pull me closer to her body, her cock filling me. She thrusts her hips forcefully, her nails digging into my hips. My hands fly back to the sheets, my fists clenching in pleasure instead of pain.

“Wanda!” I cry, my head flopping back against the pillows. “I’m close! Ple- oh, fucking God!”

“Come all over my cock, baby,” Wanda grunts, pushing harder into me with each thrust as she reaches her hand further around my leg and presses her finger against my clit. The new pressure urges the heat inside me to press lower in my abdomen, threatening to break the seal of my ecstasy.

I can feel myself leaking, my slick dripping down my thighs, my body begging to fall apart. So I do what Wanda suggested I do; I relax. I unclamp my hands from the sheets, I straighten my back instead of arching it, and I go almost limp. I focus on Wanda’s finger on my clit, her cock inside of me, and the memory of her lips on mine.

I cry out Wanda’s name as the dam breaks and my orgasm rushes through my body. Wanda removes her cock from inside me and relishes in the look of me coming completely apart for her, my body squirting my juices all over her chest and stomach.

Before I can completely come down, Wanda grabs my hips and flips me onto my stomach. She shoves her cock inside me again and starts moving, faster and harder than before.

“Wanda,” I mumble against the bedsheets. “Wanda, I can’t take any more. Please, I need a break.”

“Give me one more, Watson.” Wanda pleads, placing a hand between my shoulder blades to push me further into the bed. “You can do it, just one more.” Wanda’s hand slides up my neck and into my hair, grabbing a fistful of it and tugging. She pulls my body up to be flush against hers, wrapping one arm around my stomach and the other across my chest. I turn my head towards her, and she kisses my cheek where she can reach me.

“I…” My breath hitches as Wanda’s finger finds my clit again, rubbing circles around my nerves and I can feel the pressure building again. My hands move backwards and grab onto her ass and thighs, pulling her into me as she continues to thrust in me.

It doesn’t take much. As her pelvis rams into my ass and her fingers squeeze my clit I come again, the feeling more powerful than the first time. Instead of pulling out of me, Wanda holds me tighter against her. She latches onto my neck with her mouth, sucking on my pulse point for the entire duration of my release. From the twitches I feel in her thighs, Wanda has also found a second release.

When I’m fully spent I fall to the bed, Wanda falling on top of me. We lay there for a minute, her breath collecting in my ear as her cock is stuck inside my pulsing pussy. Wanda lazily runs her lips over the skin of my neck and her fingers over my arms.

“You’re so beautiful when you fall apart for me,” Wanda sighs.

“And you’re so beautiful when you’re not running away from me after sex,” I tease with a smile. I feel Wanda’s lips curl into a smile against me as she shakes her head, falling off me onto the bed next to me. She quickly unhooks her strap and throws it to the side before pulling me into her.

“You’re never going to let that go, are you?” She asks.

“Nope.” I shake my head. “Never.” I snuggle into her and let out a long breath. “You’ve exhausted me on the day I’ve gotten out of the hospital. I need to rest.” I turn to look at her, my face serious. “You better fucking be here when I wake up.”

“Don’t worry,” Wanda chuckles. “This time, I’m not going anywhere.”

“Good.” I turn back around and close my eyes. “Because if you’re gone when I wake up, you will not be safe anywhere in this world.”

But when I wake, the bed is empty.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

FIVE YEARS LATER

“Goddamn it!” I growl, tossing the burned cookies into the sink. I rub my forehead with my open palm, frustrated.

“Please don’t take your anger out on the sink.” I turn to see Wanda walking through the door, shutting it calmly behind her. She leans down to set her briefcase on the floor and stands up again, her suit completely pressed and perfect. “We just remodeled in here.”

“I just… ugh, I can’t get these cookies right for Ana’s class party tomorrow.”

“Oh, baby,” Wanda purrs, walking over to me and taking me in her arms, kissing me. “You are such a good mom.” Her smile is bright and her eyes are filled with love. “But you know they don’t want homebaked goods. Allergies.”

“But that’s why I can’t get these right!” I sigh, laying my head against her shoulder. “I changed my old nanny’s recipe to account for dairy, gluten, and peanuts, but they just won’t turn out right.”

“Maybe because these aren’t meant to be dairy, gluten, and peanut free.” Wanda says as she rubs my back. “They’re good as they are, and I’m pretty sure there’s something out there that says you shouldn’t mess with perfection.” She pulls back from me, keeping her hands on my shoulders. “Now what do you say we go pick up Ana from basketball, go to the store to pick up some cookies for tomorrow, and then pick up dinner, hmm?”

“Yeah,” I smile. “That sounds great.”

“Alright,” Wanda breathes, kneeling in front of me and placing a hand on my protruding belly. “What does the little baby want for dinner tonight, huh?”

“Oh, good question,” I smile. “I think she’s feeling… Thai.”

“Oh, she is, now is she?” Wanda smiles up at me before kissing my belly. “We still don’t know if the baby is a boy or a girl, Y/N. Stop trying to persuade them one way or another.”

“I’m sorry if I want another girl.” I shrug. “But I won’t be disappointed if the baby is a boy.” Wanda stands up and takes my hand. “As long as the baby is healthy, I’ll be happy.”

“Good.” Wanda leans in and kisses me. “Now let’s go pick up our daughter. There’s some Thai with your name on it.”

“Thank God,” I chuckle as she leads me to our front door.

“I’ll always get you what you need, baby, you know that.” Wanda says as she holds the door open for me. I step through and watch Wanda shut and lock our door. She throws her arm around my shoulders as we start walking toward the elevator.

“I’ve been thinking,” I say as I hit the ‘down’ button on the elevator. The doors open immediately.

“What have you been thinking about?” Wanda asks as we step through the doors. We turn around and she presses the button for the lobby.

“No matter if this baby is a boy or a girl,” I say, looking up at her. “We should name the baby Watson.”

Peter is a smart kid. He’s the co-captain with me on the Decathlon team, and he participates in debate and Model UN with me. But his aunt wants him to get exercise, so he’s also on the baseball team. A little bit of jock sprinkled in his nerd. And he’s popular. People like him. He’s not mean to the other nerds, because he sees himself as one of us, but he isn’t picked on by the jocks, because they see him as one of them.

And I don’t know why he picked me. Peter is a handsome guy. He’s smart, fit, and insanely funny. Almost every girl at school has a crush on him, but after the debate championships last year, he asked me out. I don’t know what possessed him to do that, but I’m even more confused by what possessed me to say yes.

“C’mon.” Peter says, walking forward and pulling me with him. “You’ve never been late a day in your life, I’m sure you don’t want to be late today.”

“No, I do not.” I sigh, following him. Ned falls into step on Peter’s other side.

“Are you alright, Y/N?” Ned asks, looking past Peter to me.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” I shoot him a friendly smile. “Thanks, Ned.” He smiles back before looking ahead at the school steps. I keep my eyes to the ground as we climb the steps, dreading the moment Peter leaves me in my homeroom class.

“Ms. Y/L/N.” I look up and see Principle Stark standing by the doors to the school. He’s wearing his signature sunglasses, even though it’s 7AM, his facial hair is expertly trimmed, and the hair on his head is perfectly whisked back. His suit is clean and his shoes fancy. He stands tall at the doorway, his game face on.

“Good morning, sir.” I say.

“Nice job at the tournament this weekend, Ms. Y/L/N. Impressive, as usual.”

“Thank you, sir, but it was a team effort.” I look down to hide the red in my cheeks. It’s embarrassing how red my face gets with even the slightest bit of praise.

“Oh come on, Y/N, everyone knows we wouldn’t have won without you!” Peter smiles, wrapping his arm around me.

“Yeah, that was the hardest tournament yet.” Ned agrees. “I’m surprised that you even knew any of the answers.”

“Right, well, I have an assignment for Ms. Y/L/N.” Principle Stark says, clearing his throat. “If you would follow me to the office, please, I’ve already alerted your homeroom teacher that you’ll be late to class.”

“Yes sir,” I nod, slipping out from under Peter’s arm.

“Good. Mr. Parker, Mr. Leeds, I expect that the two of you won’t be late to class?” Principle Stark asks, raising his eyebrow.

“Of course not, sir.” Peter says as Ned shakes his head. Peter leans over and kisses my cheek. “I’ll see you in Calc?”

“Yeah,” I nod. “I’ll see you later, Peter.”

“Bye, babe.” He waves at me as he enters the school with Peter.

“Nice young man.” Principle Stark says as he watches Peter and Ned go. Then he turns toward the office area of the school and starts walking. “Let’s go, Ms. Y/L/N. I don’t want to make you any more late to class than necessary.”

“Yes, sir.” I say, quickening my pace to walk just a step behind him. We walk in silence to the offices and then all the way to his personal office. Once inside, he walks around to sit at his desk.

“Ms. Y/L/N, meet Ms. Wanda Maximoff.” I look up to see another student standing in Principal Stark’s office. She turns her head to look at me and offers me the tiniest of smiles. My mouth falls open slightly when I see her.

Wanda Maximoff is stunning. She’s got long, red hair that falls perfectly around her face. Her eyes are so green it feels like I’m walking into a forest. Her lips are plump, but they don’t look fake at all. Her body is slim with perfectly proportionate breasts. Her ass fits amazingly well in the school’s uniform skirt, and her legs are long and perfectly smooth.

“Hey,” she says, taking a step towards me. Her heels clack on the floor, and she’s got an accent that I can’t place. She holds out her hand. “My name is Wanda Maximoff.”

“Uh, I’m Y/N Y/L/N.” I respond, taking her hand. I’m surprised I don’t stutter. She holds my hand for a second longer than necessary before letting it drop.

“Ms. Y/L/N, I’d like for you to show Ms. Maximoff around the school today.” Principle Stark starts writing on one of his green passes, the ones he only uses for the students he deems ‘good’ and ‘not a flight risk’. The green passes allow you to go anywhere in the school at any time, and no one questions them because of how sparingly Principle Stark hands them out.

For reference, I’ve been a Straight A student since I was a Freshman, never gotten a detention a day in my life, and have won all these tournaments for the school, and this is the first time ever that I’ve received one of these passes.

Ergo, extremely rare.

“She has been assigned to your homeroom. I want you to sit with her, talk with her about the school, and take her to her classes for the next few days, just until she gets the hang of this place.” He rips the pass out of his passbook and hands it to me, along with a single sheet of printed paper. I take them and look at the sheet of paper. The paper has Wanda’s school schedule on it.

“Yes, sir.” I say.

“Good.” Principle Stark nods, content. “A week should be fine. After that, Ms. Maximoff, hopefully you’re smart enough to find your way around on your own.”

“I am, sir.” She nods, reaching down to grab her Hermès purse. Her purse? No backpack? That only means one thing; this Maximoff girl fancies herself a cool girl. And it’s beyond me why Principle Stark would have me show her around.

“Fantastic. Now get out of my office, you two. You’ve got school to attend.”

“Yes, sir.” Wanda and I say at the same time. She turns her head to me and smiles.

“Jinx.” She says, one corner of her mouth ticking up higher than the other. “Come on, Watson. Better get to class.”

“Sure.” I say quietly, following her out of Principle Stark’s office. She starts walking down the hallway and I follow her, keeping my head down to look at her heels to keep my eyes away from her calves… or anything higher.

“Aren’t you supposed to be leading me?” She teases, tossing her hair over her shoulder as she looks back at me. “Come on, Y/N!” She slows down until she’s walking next to me and throws her arm around my shoulders. “At least look happy to meet a new student.”

“Sorry,” I mutter. “I’m just not very… talkative. Or good with people.”

“I could have guessed that.” Wanda laughs. “You’re certainly the nerdy type, Watson. You probably stick to the geeks and nerds that don’t know how to talk to a woman.”

“Please don’t call me that,” I ask her quietly.

“What, Watson?” Wanda clarifies, letting out a little chuckle. “It’s perfect! You’ll be the Watson to my Sherlock. A match made in nerd heaven. Isn’t that what you guys like?”

“I have a strong feeling that I’m not the type of person you’re used to hanging out with.” I tell her. “And when you meet the people that you are used to hanging out with, you’ll forget about me. Which is fine,” I add quickly, nervous she’ll take what I say the wrong way. “That’s just how high school is. I’m not hurt by it, just realistic.”

“You wound me, Y/N.” Wanda laughs, placing a hand over her heart. “To think I’d throw away a smart, pretty little thing like you? I don’t think so.”

I look at the floor as heat rises into my cheeks. To have the new girl call me smart and pretty are two things I never would have suspected. But I have to keep myself separated. Because eventually she will make cool, new friends, and I’ll just be a speck in her memory.

We round a corner and I point to a door just to our left. It’s propped open, and we can hear a little bit of chatter coming from inside.

“That’s our homeroom. Ms. Corlino is our teacher. She’s nice, pretty chill. She lets us do pretty much whatever.”

“Ever think she’d let us sneak out?” Wanda raises an eyebrow at me. “You and I could have so much fun if we weren’t being watched.”

“I… uh, I-I don’t think she’d be okay with that.” I stutter, trying not to think of the implications of her words. Wanda looks closely at me, then brings her face close to mine.

“You’re pretty red there, Watson.” She says quietly. “Any particular reason for that?”

“N-Nope,” I say, pushing past her toward our homeroom door. “Come on, we’re already late.”

I open the door and hold it open for Wanda. She tilts her head to me as she passes, miming tipping a top hat to me. Then I follow her inside, walking over to Ms. Corlino’s desk to show her the pass. She nods without even looking at the pass. I turn and spot Wanda sitting at a desk in the corner, the desk next to her open. A bunch of the guys in homeroom have turned to stare at Wanda, but she isn’t paying any attention to them. She’s staring right at me. She tilts her head to the seat next to me, and I make my way over to her.

“So, give me a little juice on this school.” She says as I sit down.

“Um, I mean, it’s sort of a regular high school.” I say, adjusting in my seat to look at her better. “We’re an academic school, so that might be a little different.”

“Isn’t every school and academic school?” Wanda cracks a smile. “Isn’t that the point of every school?”

“Yeah, I’m sorry, that wasn’t the right way to explain that.” I chuckle. “Um, we don’t have a huge sporting presence, though we do have sports at the school. Football, baseball, basketball. But most of the kids come to this school because they’re academically inclined. We have great teachers, and great pathways to the top colleges.”

“So what you’re saying is that you’re all nerds here.” Wanda nods her head. “Cool.”

“In a lot of ways, yes.” I say. “Some of us are nerdier than others. But you can still find your usual clicks; jocks, theater kids, cool girls, geeks, nerds, that sort of thing. You’ll find your click shortly, I’m sure. They’ll probably approach you by lunch.”

“And what if I want to be with your click?” Wanda raises an eyebrow at me.

“I… I don’t know,” I sigh, looking down at my fingers, absentmindedly picking at my cuticles. “I don’t think you’d like it very much.”

“I don’t know about that,” Wanda says, crossing one leg over another and leaning towards me. “I think I’d like it. If you were there, that is.”

I glance up at her, my face getting even redder. Seeing that makes her smirk.

“Oh, you’re going to be fun, Watson.” She says, leaning back in her chair. “You and I are going to have so much fun.”

After homeroom, I take Wanda to her first period, Algebra. I make it to my English class on time, and there’s no trouble leaving a few minutes early to be waiting for her when the bell rings. We have choir together second period. She gets put with the sopranos while I’m an alto, so we’re standing on opposite sides of the room from each other, but that doesn’t stop her from staring at me for our entire class period. For third period I drop her off in her English class before heading to Calc. I take my usual seat and wait for Peter and Ned. They’re laughing when they come into class, but when Peter spots me, he makes a beeline for me.

“Hey babe, how’s your morning been?” He asks, kissing my cheek.

“What did Principle Stark want from you this morning?” Ned asks, taking his seat in front of Peter.

“There’s a new student at the school, and he wanted me to show her around.” I tell them. “I’m not sure why he picked me. But I’ve got to be taking her to and from classes for her first week.”

“So we’re not walking to lunch together, I take it?” Peter asks.

“No, I’m sorry.” I shake my head. “I’ll meet you there, after I pick her up from her third period.”

“Sounds like a plan.” Peter nods. “It’s just for a week. Then I can walk the halls to lunch holding my beautiful girlfriend’s hand again.” He smiles as he leans over, kissing my cheek again. I hold my cheek out for him and close my eyes with a smile.

“Yeah,” I sigh.

“What’s she like?” Ned asks. “The new girl?”

“She’s alright, I guess.” I shrug. “Popular girl, definitely wants you to know it. Very flirtatious. Not the type of girl I usually hang out with.”

“Yeah, because you’re always hanging out with us.” Ned laughs. I roll my eyes at him.

“Alright, Smartypants, okay. Maybe, but I hang out with MJ, too.”

“She’s not what I would consider a popular girl,” Peter says.

“My point exactly.” I shoot him a smile. “MJ’s like us. Nerdy in the nerdiest way at this school. Wanda is… well, she seems like she belongs in a group of Regina Georges.”

“Bitchy?” Peter asks.

“I guess I wouldn’t really say bitchy, just… cool. She’s got an accent, not American. Sounds sort of Eastern European? But nothing I think I’ve heard before. She’s clearly from a well-off family. She brought a purse to school, not a backpack.”

“Ooh, a puuuuurse!” Ned wiggles his fingers and elongates the last word, like he’s mocking a ghost. “Such a terrible thing.”

“This is a school, Ned.” I roll my eyes at him again. “You can barely fit a pencil in her purse, let alone notebooks and a textbook or two. And I hate people who ask to borrow my things because they aren’t prepared.”

“Then let’s hope she doesn’t ask you for anything.” Peter laughs.

“Well she can ask me for anything.” Ned wiggles his eyebrows.

“Yeah, good luck with that, Ned.” I scoff. “I get the vibe you’re not her type.”

“How is that possible?” Ned sits back in his chair, showing a mock look of shock. “I am the epitome of Hercules himself!” I raise an eyebrow at him before glancing downwards. Ned follows my gaze, his eyes widening in realization. “Ooooh. I gotcha. Yeah, okay, maybe no amount of Hercules will entice her, then.”

“I don’t think so,” I say quietly, scrunching my nose up as I smile.

“Wait, was she hitting on you?” Peter asks, leaning in.

“I guess I’m not really sure.” I shrug. “She was certainly flirtatious. But that might have just been her personality.”

“Like Y/N would leave you for a random chick, Peter.” Ned laughs as our teacher introduces the subject matter for the day. “You’re a total catch.”

“Yeah, I am.” Peter says smugly as she reaches for my hand, giving it a squeeze. I offer him a small smile before I take my hand back and start writing notes.

I leave class five minutes early to get to the other side of the school, where Wanda’s English class is. I wait across the hall from her classroom, reading an Owl House fanfiction on my phone until the bell rings. I put my phone back in my pocket and wait for Wanda to come out.

Wanda comes out of her class and spots me easily, walking over toward me immediately. My eyes travel down to her waist that sways dangerously, and her legs that look perfectly sculpted. I swallow hard and lift my eyes as she approaches.

“Alrighty, let’s get something to eat, shall we?” She asks, her eyes twinkling.

“Yeah.” I nod. I push off the wall and start walking to the cafeteria. “Monday is sandwich day. You’ve got your pick of ham and Swiss or turkey and cheddar, and a few different options for sides. That’s included with your tuition, so you just grab and go. But there’s also an à la carte option for hot and ready food, sort of like a food court. That’s extra, though, you have to bring money to school to pay for it.”

“Won’t be a problem,” Wanda waves me off. “I’ve got a good amount of cash flow.”

“Okay, well then, do you want to grab from the à la carte and I’ll meet you after getting my own lunch?” I ask.

“What?” Wanda laughs, giving me a look. “No, you’re coming to the à la carte with me.”

“I don’t bring extra money to school,” I say, shaking my head.

“Don’t worry about it,” Wanda places a hand on my shoulder, and a tingle shoots down my arm. “I’ve got you.” She smiles sweetly at me. “A thank you for being diligent and taking such good care of me today.”

“Wanda, that isn’t necessary,” I shake my head.

“Nonsense! I want to. You’ve been absolutely incredible today, Y/N. Please let me say thank you.”

I stay quiet for a minute as we walk down the hallway. But when Wanda slides her hand up my shoulder to rest on the back of my neck, I nod.

“Okay.” I say. “Just this once.”

“Good.” Wanda smiles, removing her hand from the back of my neck. I suddenly feel cold, alone. “What sort of stuff do they have at this à la carte?”

“Uhh…” It takes a second for me to think, my mind still focusing on the feeling of her hand on my neck. “Hot dogs, hamburgers, pizza, soft pretzels. They also have snack foods for later. Pop, Gatorade, Powerade, bottled water. Like I said, it’s like a food court.”

“Sounds yummy.” Wanda smiles. “C’mon. I’m starving.”

We wait in line at the à la carte, Wanda talking my ears off. She grabs a hamburger with some potato chips and a water. I just grab a pack of goldfish and hand them to her.

“You can’t be serious.” Wanda says as I place the goldfish in her arms. I smile nervously.

“I don’t like people spending money on me,” I say. “I have enough of my own.”

“Then it’s not a thank you gift,” Wanda shrugs. “Pay me back tomorrow or something. I just can’t in good conscience allow you to not eat lunch.”

“Wanda, it’s fine, I’m not really that hungry.”

“Bullshit,” Wanda scoffs. “Come on, I’m not going to let this go. You might as well grab something.” I hold eye contact with her for a few seconds before I sigh. I turn back and grab a soft pretzel with cheese and some Gatorade, then I bring it back to her. Wanda smiles. “Good choice, pretty girl.” She purrs. We walk up to the cashier and Wanda pays for our things. We walk away from the à la carte area and look out into the cafeteria. “Now, where should we-“

“Y/N!” I look up and see Peter, Ned, and MJ sitting halfway across the cafeteria. Peter is half-standing at the table, his hand raised.

“Ooh, who's the cutie?” Wanda asks.

“My boyfriend,” I respond quietly. Wanda snaps her head to look at me, completely shocked.

“Your… Your boyfriend?” She asks, sounding almost disappointed.

“Yeah,” I say, moving in his direction. “Come on. Let’s go sit down.” Wanda follows me, but I feel as though something has shifted. At the table, I sit next to Peter, who once again kisses my cheek, and Wanda sits between myself and MJ. “Hey guys, this is Wanda. She’s a new student. Wanda, this is Peter, Ned, and MJ.” They all greet Wanda and she nods, but doesn’t verbally respond.

My friends try to engage Wanda in conversation throughout lunch, but her mood has completely shifted. She’s cold, quiet, and standoffish. At the end of lunch, Wanda stands up and starts walking quickly away from the table, not even waiting for me. I give all my friends an apologetic look before I chase Wanda out of the cafeteria.

“Wanda,” I say as I catch up to her. “Hey, Wanda, are you alright?” She doesn’t answer, just keeps walking. “Look, I know being in a new school can be hard, but my friends are just trying to be, well, friendly.” I chuckle lightheartedly.

“Whatever,” she mumbles. The word is final and harsh, and my mouth clamps shut. I follow her silently to her next class.

Once there, Wanda whirls on me before she heads inside.

“Thank you so much for showing me around this morning.” Wanda says, showing no emotion. “But I can take it from here. No need to come and get me after class.” She whirls on her heels and walks into her class before I can say anything. I stand in the middle of the hallway, stunned. It’s not until the bell rings and the hallways start to empty that I turn and walk to my class.

Even though Wanda doesn’t want me to walk her to class, I show up for her last three classes anyway. She ignores me every time, finding her own way to her classes without my help. I trail her, though, just in case she needs me.

She never does.

Wanda exits her classes without ever looking at me, walks to her next class without glancing back at me, and enters her classrooms without acknowledging me. As the last bell rings, I wait for her outside her last class. But the same thing happens: she walks right past me with those perfect hips and incredible legs and into the sunlight of the early afternoon.

I watch her walk down the front steps and away from the school before I turn back around and head inside for debate team practice. When I get there, Peter, Ned, and MJ are waiting for me.

“How was the rest of the day with the new girl?” Ned asks.

“Was she as cold as she was at lunch?” MJ interrupts.

“I don’t know what happened,” I tell them, sitting next to Peter. “She was super friendly and chatty this morning. But at lunch she was so quiet, and after lunch, she told me she didn’t need me to walk her to class anymore. I still went, so Principle Stark would have a reason to be angry with me, but she didn’t look at me again. Didn’t speak to me.”

“Jesus, you really must have pissed her off.” MJ chuckles. “No one turns on a dime like that.”

“Apparently she does.” I sigh.

Debate practice goes smoothly, with Ned and another student on the team practicing their pitches. When practice is over, MJ rushes away to get home so she can study. Ned and Peter are going to Peter’s place to put together a Lego set, so I say goodbye to them and head towards the back of the school.

It’s easier to get home if I cut through the back of the school, through the baseball field. I walk towards the field and notice Wanda leaning against the equipment shed, one leg braced against the wall. She’s got a sucker in her mouth, slowly pulling it towards the front of her mouth as I approach. Her lips contort around the circular shape in her mouth stretches them apart as she removes the sucker with a pop. She looks directly at me as she does this over a pair of very expensive Dior sunglasses. I look away from her and tighten the grip on my backpack straps as I walk past.

“Oh, so you’re just going to ignore me now?” She asks, stepping in front of me.

“Oh, so you’re mad about me doing the same thing to you as you’ve done to me half the day?” I say back, surprising myself with how confrontational I am. I try to walk past, but she steps in front of me again and stops me.

“Look, about that, I’m sorry. I got a little… upset at lunch.”

“Yeah, why is that?” I glare at her. “You were mean to my friends, you didn’t speak with me, what did we do that was so bad that you’d ignore me like that?”

“You have a boyfriend.” She says plainly. Her words surprise me. She cares that I have a boyfriend?

“Y-Yeah,” I say. “Why, does that bother you?”

“Yes.” I’m even more surprised that she’s quick and confident with that answer. “When you walked into Principle Stark’s office today, I was immediately interested.” Wanda steps closer to me. She’s a few inches taller than me, especially in those heels, and the way that she looks at me makes my breath stop in my throat. “But when you said you had a boyfriend, I knew I had no chance.” She brings her hand up to wrap a strand of my hair between her fingers. “A pretty little nerd like you would never cheat on her boyfriend.”

“Peter’s a nice guy,” I say, because I don’t really have anything else to say. Wanda smirks.

“And I’m a nice girl. Come on. Let me show you.” Wanda grabs my hand and leads me into the equipment shed, shutting the door behind us. Instantly she has me pinned up against the wall, her lips on mine. Wanda places her hands on my shoulders and runs them down my arms, freeing my backpack from my back. It falls to the ground, forgotten.

Wanda slides her hands back up my arms until she rests them on my neck, cradling my head in her hands. She kisses me feverishly, pressing her body flush against mine. She parts my legs with her knee before bringing it up, gently rubbing her knee against my clit. I moan, opening my mouth to let the sound out. Wanda takes the opportunity to stick her tongue in my mouth, running it along the inside of my lower lip.

Wanda rocks her knee back and forth against my clit, presumably to coax more noises out of me. I can feel her chest rising and falling against me, her need palpable through her actions and body language. One of her hands grazes down my body to my breast, cupping my breast and kneading my mound. I moan again and my hands unfreeze, rising to grip onto her waist.

Wanda releases my lips and places hard, desperate kisses along my jaw and onto my neck before kissing back to my mouth, biting my lip as she brings us back together. She presses her knee harder against me, eliciting another sound from my throat.

I whine a little as Wanda releases my breast. Her hand trails down my body, pausing for just a moment at the waistband of my slacks. She slips her hand under my waistband, pushing straight past my panties to slip her fingers between my folds.

“My, my, Watson, you’re so wet for me,” Wanda purrs against my lips.

“D-Don’t call me that,” I gasp as her finger finds my clit.

“Do you get this wet for Peter?” Wanda continues, ignoring my words as she places kisses along my jaw. “Does he make you gush like this? Or is it only me?”

I don’t answer her. Wanda finds my hole in my folds and pushes two fingers in. My right hand flies from her waist to cup her hand close to me, silently begging her for more. Wanda smiles against my cheek as her fingers start to slowly pump in and out of me. My left hand rises and clings to her neck, my fingers sliding through the baby hairs at the base of her skull. I push our heads together, our foreheads connecting as we breathe the same air.

“C’mon, Watson,” Wanda breathes. “I want to feel you squirm.”

“I said…” I say, my breath getting heavier as heat builds in my stomach. “Don’t… Call me that.”

“What’s got your panties in a bunch?” Wanda chuckles, her fingers increasing their pace.

“It’s not… my name…” I say, my fingers tightening around Wanda’s neck. My pussy starts to clench as I get closer to my release.

“Seems like it’s a name Peter’s going to have to start using.” Wanda chuckles. “It’s getting you so wet for me.” Wanda doesn’t slow down her pace, curling her fingers inside of me to hit my G-spot. I let out a small cry as her fingers hit inside me, pulling Wanda so close to my body that there’s absolutely no space between us. “Scream for me, Watson. I want you all over my fingers.”

My grip on both her neck and hand tighten as I come undone, releasing onto Wanda’s fingers. Wanda uses her free hand and her body to hold me steady as my body shakes and my knees grow weak. She keeps her fingers inside me until I come down completely, only then removing her fingers from inside me, flicking her finger against my clit as she removes her hand from my pants. Wanda pulls back from me, bringing her fingers up to her lips and placing them in her mouth.

“I’ll see you tomorrow, Watson.” Wanda says, raising her hand to pop her sucker into my mouth. I had completely forgotten about the candy until now. She moves me from against the shed door and opens it. “You better be dreaming about me tonight.” She winks at me as she slips out, leaving me to recover on my own, her half-finished sucker hanging out of my mouth.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Wanda does see me the next day. But she doesn’t speak to me. She sits in a new spot in our homeroom, she ignores me like she had yesterday afternoon when I came to get her, and she’s found a whole new table to sit at during lunch.

She’s like this the rest of the week. She ignores me, doesn’t look at me, and doesn’t dare speak to me about what happened in the baseball equipment shed.

But I can’t stop thinking about it.

Her lips on mine, her hand on my breast, her fingers inside of me. Just getting a whiff of her makes my mouth water. When I dream at night, I dream about her.

Peter notices. He asks me what’s wrong during class, or what’s got me distracted during our clubs. I always brush him off, saying I’m tired from studying for our debate competition this weekend. He never questions it, which is a relief, but it makes me feel guilty at the same time.

The debate competition is at Midtown, with the first rounds taking place on Saturday, and the finals taking place on Sunday. I watch Ned and MJ do their debates from the stands, then I watch Peter from the wings of the stage, as he’s on right before me. He wins his debate and comes into the wings happy and smiling. He picks me up, twirls me, and kisses me on the lips. I offer him a smile when he sets me down.

“Good job, Peter, you were incredible out there!” I tell him.

“Thanks,” he smiles. “I wanted a chance to debate against you, even if I know I’m going to lose.”

“Oh, come on, you could win against me,” I laugh.

“No, babe, no one could win against you. You’re too good at this.” He bends down and kisses my cheek. The announcer calls my name, and Peter looks out at the stage. “Alright, babe, go get ‘em.” He slaps my ass as I walk by him, and I playfully glare at him as I walk onto the stage.

I get myself settled at the podium, going through my notecards one more time as the announcer introduces myself and my opponent. When I look up to smile at the judges, my face falters.

Just behind the judges I see Wanda. She’s wearing a low cut white tank top, a very, very short blue skirt, and high-heeled boots that go halfway up her thighs. Her hair is up in an impossibly tight ponytail, and her makeup is flawless. When she sees that I’ve noticed her she grins, uncrossing her legs and spreading them in just a way that I can see up her skirt before she quickly crosses her legs in the opposite direction.

My mouth goes dry and it becomes difficult to swallow. My eyes are glued to her legs, at the skin between where her boots end and her skirt begins. Her legs slip easily over each other, her thighs pressing tightly together.

“Ms. Y/L/N?” I jump at the acknowledgment and look over at the announcer. He and my opponent are both looking at me. I bring my elbow to my mouth and cough quickly.

“I apologize,” I say as I cough. “Would you repeat, please?”

The announcer repeats what he said, my opponent looking smug, as if he thinks he’s finally going to take me down. I know the other schools all have bets as to who is going to be the first school to do so. He’ll have to wait for another day, however, as even though a lot of my focus stayed tuned into Wanda through the whole debate, especially as she continuously opens her legs for me to catch a glimpse up her skirt, I crush him with ease to move on to the finals.

On Sunday, I enter Midtown with the determination to win. I’m holding Peter’s hand, with MJ on my other side and Ned on Peter’s. I take a deep breath and practically pull Peter and my friends into the school with me.

Before I can start to make it to the auditorium, however, I spot Wanda across the hall, leaning against some lockers. Today she’s wearing light colored skinny jeans, a tight, white tee shirt, and high tops. Her hair is slightly curled and pulled into another ponytail, but it isn’t nearly as tight as yesterday’s hairdo. When she sees me, she pushes herself off of the locker and strides confidently towards me.

“Y/N!” She says excitedly, pulling me into a tight hug. When she lets go, she runs her hands down my arms to my hands, grasping my hands tightly and forcing me to let go of Peter’s hand in the process. “You’re going to kick some ass today, aren’t you, Watson? I’m excited to watch.” She winks and squeezes my hand. I feel her let go of a piece of paper in my hand as I pull back from her. Wanda twirls around and saunters away toward the auditorium.

“Boy, that was weird,” MJ says next to me.

“Yeah,” I agree. “It’s been silent treatment all week, I don’t know what’s gotten into her now.”

“I wouldn’t pay her any mind,” Peter says, taking my hand again. “She must like the attention, just on her own terms.”

“Right,” I say, knowing he’s probably right, but it has nothing to do with attention. “Let’s just get backstage. I don’t want to think about it.”

I pace backstage throughout all the debates leading up to mine, fingering the paper that Wanda shoved into my palm. Peter watches me, and I can tell he’s worried. I’m never this anxious before a debate. But I can’t very well tell him why I’m anxious.

“I’m going to go to the bathroom,” I say when the curiosity becomes too much. I dash from the auditorium, making my way to the bathroom with my head down. When I’ve locked myself in a stall, I unwrap the paper.

Meet me under the bleachers after the debate. I want to congratulate you for doing such a good job… ;)

I start to hyperventilate. She wants to meet with me alone? Are we going to do the same thing we did in the shed? We can’t do that again. Not when I’m going out with Peter. He doesn’t deserve that.

I shove the note into my pocket and exit the stall, walking over to the sink to splash some water on my face. The door peels open, and I hear MJ calling for me.

“Y/N, come on! They’re looking for you, you need to get on stage!”

“Coming!” I shout, taking one last look at myself in the mirror before I turn and leave the bathroom, knowing full well that I am indeed going to meet with Wanda later.

After I win the tournament, Peter, Ned, and MJ want to go out to celebrate. I agree to go out with them, but tell them that I want to go home and change. They agree, and we come up with a time and place to meet later. Peter kisses me on the cheek and we go our separate ways.

When I know that nobody is following me, I make my way to the bleachers on the football field. How they’re set up is there’s a walkway underneath the bleachers with reinforced wooden panels on either side of the walkway to keep the bleachers standing upright and supported. I walk down the walkway, looking for Wanda, when she grabs me and drags me through a small opening in the panel to the other side, where no one would be able to see us if they were to walk by. She holds me against the panels, her hands holding my wrists and her hips pressing against mine.

“You were very good today,” she mumbles, her eyes on my lips. “Now I get why people join the debate team.”

“What is going on, Wanda?” I ask her. I lower my voice a bit, worried that someone might hear. “You pull me into a shed, finger me, and then ignore me for a week? And now you’re pulling me behind the bleachers after my debate tournament to what, get your rocks off again?”

“Oh, baby, I’m pretty sure you’re the one who got your rocks off last time,” Wanda purrs. “Am I not allowed to find you attractive? To want to fuck you?”

“We can’t,” I say, shaking my head. “I’m dating Peter. This is right, Wanda.”

“Then why are you here meeting me?” She raises an eyebrow. “You could have just blown me off. Gone to dinner with your friends and boyfriend, and I never would have bothered you again.” She smirks as she leans in close to me. “Instead you’re here, under the bleachers, with me. So what is that supposed to tell me?”

“Honestly, I just wanted to know why you’ve ignored me all week to just show up this weekend.” I say quietly, my eyes drifting down her body.

“Because I know that we need to be kept a secret.” She whispers, her lips brushing against the skin of my cheek to get to my ear. “And I also know that if I were to treat you as my friend, my leg would be finding its way here,” she says as she slides her leg along the inside of mine. “My hand would be finding its way here,” she moves her hand over to run her fingers lightly over my pussy. “And my mouth would find its way here.” She barely stops speaking before her lips are on my neck, sucking on my skin. My eyes roll back when her lips connect, and I can’t deny that she feels very good on me.

“Wanda,” I whisper, barely able to get her name out.

“Shush, Watson,” Wanda titters, trailing kisses down my neck. “Forget about all that. You’re here with me, now. Be here with me.” I don’t respond as her kisses go lower, her hand moving the collar of my shirt so she can place a kiss on my collarbone. Her hands grip my breasts and push them up, her mouth placing kisses on each of my breasts through my clothes. “You wear such frumpy clothes, Y/N. Don’t you want people to see your body? I’m sure it’s incredible.”

“These are the school uniforms,” I murmur. “There aren’t a lot of ways to, um, unfrump this.”

“You could start by wearing the skirt,” Wanda growls, undoing the belt that holds up my slacks and tugging them down. “That would make this a lot easier for me.”

“I don’t… mmm… want to make this easier for you…” I say as she lifts up my shirt to place kisses on my bare stomach. Then she falls to the ground, her hands bracing against my pelvis.

“That’s not very sportsmanlike, Watson,” Wanda says, looking up at me as she plays with the waistband of my panties, pulling them down around my thighs. She leans in and breathes in my scent, kissing just shy of where my wetness grows.

“How many times… do I have to tell you… ugh… not to call me… Watson!” I gasp as her lips finally make contact with my pussy, sticking her tongue between my folds. My hand flies to her head, gripping her hair in my fist. “Oh, fuck!”

“Peter doesn’t do this to you, does he?” Wanda smiles, dragging her tongue slowly through my folds, lapping at the wetness that’s pooling there. “Does he even know where to find this?” She asks as she flickers her tongue over my clit. I moan, my legs losing their ability to stand for a moment. Wanda’s hands fly to my hips to help hold me up, laughing as if my reaction confirms what she said.

Wanda works her tongue on me as if she were an expert, like the only thing she ever eats in life is pussy. She flicks her tongue around like she’s trying to spell something out, but all I can feel is how good her tongue feels on me. My hand grips her hair tighter as I pull her into me. Wanda shifts her hands to hold the sides of my hips, her hands pushing my shirt up just slightly to let her nails dig into my skin.

I start to grind on her mouth, my stomach tingling. Wanda slides a hand down my leg to my calf, lifting my leg up and resting it on her shoulder. Then she slips her hand higher on my leg, scratching my thigh so hard I’m sure there are going to be marks. Then she brings her hand back up to cup my ass cheek, her nails digging into my flesh there.

“My…” I groan as my head hits the back of the wooden barrier. “Wanda, how did you get so… so good at this?” I buck my hips into her mouth, my clit pulsing with need for her attention. She wraps her lips around my clit, sucking on my nerves with a need I’ve never seen or felt before.

Wanda slips her tongue inside me, flicking the end of it against my walls as her nails dig deeper into me. Her lips close around my pussy as her tongue explores inside me, passing over my clit just enough to send an intense shock through my body. My legs tremble as they grow weak again, my knees bending. Wanda pushes up on my ass to keep my standing.

“Steady, Watson,” she says, removing her tongue from my pussy. I let out a little whine. “I want you standing when you break apart for me.” She smirks and looks up at me as she dives back in, the flat end of her tongue pressing forcefully against my clit. I gasp, squeezing my eyes shut as my fingers tangle further in her hair. “Look at me.” Wanda demands, nipping at one of my pussy lips to get my attention. I groan as I crack open my eyes, staring down at her. “Good. I want you to keep looking at me as I  worship you, all the way ‘till you come.”

“D-Don’t think… That’s going to take long,” I breathe, keeping my eyes trained on her as she flicks her tongue out again, brushing my nerves with such precision I almost burst then. Wanda can feel my muscles tense up so she quickens her pace, practically begging for me to come. The muscles in my stomach tighten as my release comes, spraying all over Wanda’s face. I hold her close to me by her hair, but Wanda doesn’t seem to be eager to go anywhere. She tightens her grip on my body, using her tongue to drink up everything within me.

Wanda never breaks eye contact, not once. The entirety of my climax she stares straight at me. And not through me, either, like most people. She looks inside me, and it’s almost as if she can read my every thought, dream, and passion. My mouth is open as I gasp through the whole thing, my chest heaving as I try to catch my breath.

When I’ve completely emptied myself, Wanda pulls up my panties and my pants before she helps me to the ground, allowing my weak legs to rest. She guides my legs to lay out in front of me before she straddles my lap, pressing herself close and taking my head gently in her hands. She leans in to kiss me, and I taste myself on her.

“You taste delicious, you know that?” Wanda whispers against my lips. “The type of taste I’d want as my last meal.”

“That’s morbid,” I chuckle nervously, my hands in fists at my side, as I’m not sure what to do with them. Wanda seems to notice and slides her hands down my neck then my arms, grabbing my wrists. She brings my hands up to rest on her hips and holds them there until my hands relax from fists and grab onto her hips. Then she places her hands back on my face and neck.

“You should take it as a compliment.” Wanda insists, her tongue darting out to brush my lip. “I’m going to be dreaming about you, now. Dreaming about how you taste, how you sound.” She sighs, kissing the corner of my mouth. “I’m going to ruin my sheets thinking about you.”

“Stop,” I murmur, my hands grasping desperately to her body. “You can’t be talking like that.”

“Why not?” Wanda asks, her lips traveling along my neck. “I know you like how I make you feel. I know I make you feel better than Peter does. You don’t want me talking to you like that? Am I bringing up different feelings for you?”

“Wanda,” I moan, and I feel myself getting wet again.

But I panic.

I push Wanda off of me and scramble off the ground. I quickly tighten my belt and buckle it. I move backwards toward the opening in the paneling and watch as Wanda stands slowly.

“We can’t keep doing this,” I whisper, unable to look at her. “It’s wrong.”

“What about this is wrong?” Wanda asks, walking close enough to me to push me against the paneling. “Are you upset that you’re feeling this way about a girl?”

“N-No,” I mutter.

“Is it that I’ve been mean to you?” She asks, a little more forcefully.

“No,” my voice is quieter.

“How about Peter? Is this about Peter?” Wanda presses herself even closer, and I can feel every inch of her body against mine. I nod, unable to speak. “Forget about Peter. At least while you’re with me.” She grabs my chin and makes me look at her, her face stern and intense. “I’m not letting you go. So either you break up with Peter and be with me, or let me be your dirty little secret. Because either way, you’re mine.”

“Wanda,” I mumble, shaking my head. I tear out of her grip and slip back through the gap in the paneling, taking off down the pathway towards home.

Away from Wanda.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The next morning, I try to hide completely on the way to school. I asked my mom to stay home, but she pretty much laughed in my face.

“Why would you stay home after such an incredible performance this weekend?” She asked. She didn’t understand that being a debate champion isn’t the popularity contest that she thinks it is.

And of course she doesn’t understand that I’m scared of potentially facing Wanda.

Peter finds me outside of the school gates, a frightened look on my face as I watch the kids file into the school. He gives me a worried look, but he doesn’t push as to why I’m frightened.

I hang onto his arm tightly as we walk through the halls, my eyes on the ground the whole way to my homeroom. When he drops me off he kisses my cheek, but I call him back as he walks away and kiss him on the lips when he returns. I know he’s shocked by the action; I’ve never been into a ton of PDA at school, but he melts into the kiss as I hold it for a few seconds.

“I’ll see you in Calc,” he whispers when we pull apart, his thumb stroking my cheek. “Have a good morning, Y/N.” He smiles before he turns and walks away to his homeroom.

I take a few steps into the classroom and look up. Wanda is sitting in her normal spot, watching me intently. I avert my gaze quickly and speedwalk over to our teacher.

“Can I spend homeroom in the library?” I ask quietly. “There’s a project I need to finish.”

“Of course,” the teacher says, taking out her passbook to write a pass for me. When she holds up the pass I snatch it up quickly, turning on my heels to hurry out of the room. I hand the pass to the librarian when I get to my destination, then find the most isolated spot in the library to sit down. I then spend the next hour of my life contemplating why kissing Peter didn’t feel as good as kissing Wanda.

It’s hard to focus in first period. In a subject where I usually do alright, I can’t follow what my teacher is saying. My mind wanders, and I find it difficult to pull it back.

Second period is much worse. I sit across from her in choir and do my best to not look up at her at all. Even so, I can feel her staring at me. As soon as the bell rings I’m out of that room, rushing to Calc.

I sit in my seat, earlier than I normally am, and take a few deep breaths. Peter and Ned come in shortly after, their heads close together. When they approach, I can hear them talking about Star Wars. It puts a smile on my face for the first time today.

“Hey, baby,” Peter smiles, speaking quietly to me. He leans down to kiss me, and I offer him my cheek. I see his face fall when I do, but he accepts the offer without question. Then he sits in his seat.

I feel him looking at me throughout class when I’m trying to pay attention. I know that he sees that I’m messing up equations. I know he sees my hand shaking. I know he hears the heaviness in each breath I take. But I can’t confide in him like I should be able to.

When class is over, I cling to him like he’s my lifeline. I wrap my arms around his left one, keep my cheek pressed to his arm and my eyes to the floor. He leads me through the lunch line, holds both of our lunch trays, and guides me to our usual table. I eat lunch without speaking, huddle very close to Peter and just listen to my friends talk. Every once in a while I feel them communicate with their eyes, asking each other about me. But none of them ask me flat out what’s going on.

After lunch, Peter walks me to the locker room. I have gym class. This class is easily the worst class of my day. I don’t have Peter, Ned, or MJ in the class, so I’m an easy target for bullies.

Today is no different.

I’ve taken my pants off and replaced them with Midtown’s required gym shorts. Now I’m in those shorts and my sports bra as I rummage in my locker for the required shirt. Suddenly I’m roughly slammed against my locker, and a few pairs of hands force me to turn around.

“What a fucking loser,” Tara Bridgeport stands in front of me, a wild smirk on her face. “She’s just a nerd. Not a cheerleader, like me.”

“She’s not even pretty!” Her friend, Bethany Clarkson sneers, looking my body up and down. “I don’t understand what Peter sees in her!”

“Maybe if we smack her around a little bit, he’ll realise that she’s just a piece of white trash with even trasher parents and leave her for you, Tara.” The third girl, Denise Stronghold, pokes me hard in the shoulder.

“You’re a little genius, Denny!” Tara laughs. “And since Y/N doesn’t own makeup, let alone wear any, we know that she won’t cover it up.” Tara leans into me, her face dangerously close to mine. “Tell me, Y/N. Which side of your face do you prefer more? I’ll be nice and hit the side you don’t like.”

“Go to hell, Tara,” I mutter.

“What was that?” Tara asks, looking back at her friends and laughing. When she turns back to me, her face is angry. She grabs my face in her hands, smushing my cheeks into my face. “I said. What did you say to me, you little bitch?”

With what little control of my face I have, I spit on her. I’m either really good, or I’m lucky. The spit lands right on her cheek, next to her nose. She shakes her head and lets go of my face.

“Ah, Jesus!” Tara shouts. She takes a step back and wipes her face with her sleeve. “Fucking hold her down!” Tara yells. Her friends pounce immediately, each of them taking an arm and pushing me back into the lockers. Tara looks up at me, hatred in her eyes. “It’s insane to think that Peter would actually date a girl like you! You’re a wild animal!”

“Says the girl who’s about to hit me!” I hiss at her.

“Yeah, and when you see how I’ve fixed you, you’ll take me.” She sneers as she pulls back her fist and lands a punch right on the left side of my face. My head slams back into the locker, and I growl in pain as a line of fire shoots through the back of my skull. I look up to see Tara pulling her arm back again, her jaw set on hitting me again.

Before she can bring her fist down on me, she’s tackled from the side. Tara’s friends jump, letting go of my arms. We all turn to see Wanda on top of Tara, her arm pulled back. She brings it down to hit her once in the face, right where she hits me. Tara screams and covers her face with her arms as Wanda pulls her fist back again.

“Stop being a fucking baby,” Wanda growls. “I’m not going to hit you again.” She lowers her arm and gets off of Tara. The bitchy blonde scrambles up off the floor and stares at Wanda with wide eyes. Wanda takes a few steps forward and grabs Tara by the shirt. “But if I ever catch a whiff of you bullying Y/N again, I’m going to come find you. And I won’t have any self control then. Is that understood?”

Tara nods her head, her breathing growing rapid. Wanda whirls them around and shoves Tara away from her. Tara stumbles past me and into her friends. The three of them scramble to untangle themselves from each other and run out of the locker room. I turn back to look at Wanda, but she’s already standing in front of me.

“You’re hurt,” she says, her hand coming up to cup my face. She swipes her thumb across my cheekbone, wiping away the blood that had begun to pool. I push her hand away from me and walk past her to the sinks. I grip onto the sinks and lean in to look into a mirror.

“You didn’t have to step in.” I say. “I had it handled.”

“Yeah, sure looked like it.” She chuckles. I watch her walk up behind me, her hands coming up to grip my waist.

“I had it handled.” I repeat through gritted teeth. I bring my hand up to my cheek and wipe away more blood from the cut, but it just continues to bleed. Wanda rolls her eyes.

“I think the words you’re looking for are ‘thank you’, babygirl.” She huffs. “To which I would say ‘you’re welcome’, and then we make out for a little bit and you let me finger you.”

“That is not what this is.” I say, turning on the sink. I let it heat up a little before I place both of my hands under the running water and splash it on my face. I look at her through the mirror, water dripping from my face. “This shit happens all the time. It’s nothing new. Besides, you’re messing with your chances to be accepted into the cool group if you mess with Tara Bridgewater.”

“Maybe, but no one messes with my girl.”

“I am not your girl!” I say, turning around to face her. As soon as I do, Wanda has her body pressed up against mine, practically forcing me up and onto the sink.

“Not my girl?” She says, a smirk playing on her face. “Then how do you explain this?” Wanda’s hand cups my pussy through my shorts, her index finger pressing the fabric of my panties between my folds. “I know you’re wet under there.” She leans in, her lips centimeters from mine. “You can’t fool me, Y/N. I know you’ve been thinking of me all day.”

“Doesn’t matter.” I whisper, my eyes fixated on her lips. “I already told you.”

“I saw you kiss Peter today,” she continues, “before homeroom. You didn’t look very… satisfied.”

“That is none of your business.” I mutter. The edge of Wanda’s lip curls up.

“I think it’s every bit my business.” She whispers. She brushes her lips lightly against mine before she pulls back slightly, and I follow her, looking for more contact with her lips. Wanda snickers. “That’s what I thought,” she whispers agin as she leans back in, her lips finding mine completely. The kiss is needy and desperate, as if she’s been thinking about me just as much as I’ve been thinking about her in the last day. As she kisses me, my hands clasp around her neck, while Wanda’s hands grip my hips to steady me on the sink. My legs wrap around her hips, hooking onto the back of her legs as she pushes herself against me.

“I need to change your nickname to Ambrosia,” she mutters against my lips. “Because you, Watson, are absolutely divine.”

“Just shut up and kiss me.” I growl, grasping tightly to her neck and pulling her closer to me. Wanda smiles against my lips. Her actions get much more aggressive and possessive after I speak, her hands fiercely gripping the waistband of my shorts and the skin on my hips. Her tongue forces its way past my lips, even though she didn’t need to be forceful about it at all.

I would have let her in if she had just asked nicely.

Our tongues dance with each other, completely in sync as our lips find each and every way to fit together. Wanda pushes me backward with force, my back jamming into the water spigot and getting my gym shorts wet.

Wanda moves her hands backward on my waist and, feeling my shorts, pulls me close enough to her that she can lift me off the sink, her hands under my ass to support me. My grip tightens around her neck and my legs adjust to wrap around her waist instead of hooking onto the back of her legs. She walks over to the little alcove by the showers, changing rooms with curtains so girls can change into swimsuits for the swimming unit or swim team practice. She removes a hand from under me and tugs the curtain aside before stepping in. She closes the curtain behind her.

My feet hit the ground as my back hits the wall, Wanda now attacking my neck with her lips and teeth. I get brave, my hands traveling down her body until they reach her breasts, tentatively cupping her mounds with my hands. Wanda moans against my neck and presses herself closer to me. Her hand slips below the waistband of my pants, two of her fingers spreading my folds apart while her third slides up and down my dripping pussy. I groan as my body shivers at her touch, tilting my head to catch her lips on mine again.

Our lips clash together in a flurry of tongues and hot breath, a similarly ferocious need emanating from the both of us. Wanda is a complete paradox, kissing me with a desire so hot that it feels like her lips are the only thing holding me together, while using her fingers to play with me so slowly my body threatens to fall apart.

I squeeze her breasts as her finger passes over my clit, a feeling like lightning shooting through my body. I gasp, Wanda allowing me to break our kiss to lean my head against the wall. She gently nips at my chin before she kisses straight down my neck. My grip tightens again around her breasts, my nails digging into the light fabric of her shirt before I drag my hands downward, clenching the hem of her shirt in my fists.

Wanda sucks at the skin right here my neck meets my chin as she slowly, thoughtfully, pushes two fingers inside of me. I gasp again, my eyes squeezing shut. One of my hands flies to her shoulder as the other grabs her wrist, not to stop her, but to encourage her. Wanda scrapes her teeth across my skin as she pushes her fingers all the way inside me, stretching me wide. She starts to pump her fingers inside me and I grow louder, my grip tightening on her shoulder.

Suddenly a door swings open and we hear laughter. A group of girls has walked into the locker room. Wanda pauses her movements inside of me and we look at each other. Wanda’s eyes are filled with mischievous intent. She leans in and places a quick kiss on my lips.

“You’ve gotta be very quiet for me baby,” she whispers as her fingers start to move in me again. I gasp, a noise which Wanda covers up with her lips. After the moan leaves my throat she releases my lips. “Naughty naughty, Watson.” She murmurs. “You don’t want our classmates to know about us, do you?”

“Mm-mm,” I shake my head, pressing my lips together.

“Then don’t make a single sound.” She leans forward and swipes her tongue on my neck under my jaw. “And if you can handle that, I’ll really make you come.”

It takes everything in me not to groan in pleasure. Instead, my eyes roll towards the back of my head as her fingers pump inside me.

“Did you hear what that new girl did to Tara?” One of the girls was saying.

Wanda pumps her fingers in and out of me again, her teeth nibbling at my earlobe.

“Yeah.” Responds another. “Tara says she attacked her for no reason, but I doubt that.”

Wanda brushes her thumb against my clit, another whine tickling my throat.

“Y/N has gym this period. I bet Tara and her goon squad were harassing her. The new girl probably saw it and wanted to put a stop to it.”

Wanda spreads her fingers slightly inside me, giving her just enough room to insert a third finger inside me.

“Tara’s always been a bitch.” A third girl pipes up. “I know people will tell Tara they’ll believe her to her face, but nobody is really buying that crap.”

Wanda curls her fingers inside me, her fingertips tickling the sensitive spot inside me. She moves her lips down and bites down on my shoulder. I let out a yelp and immediately clamp my mouth shut as my heart starts to race.

“Did you guys hear that?” The first girl asks.

Wanda picks up her pace, thrusting her fingers inside me deeper and faster. I bite down hard on my lip, leaning forward to rest my head against hers as my grip on her shoulder tightens.

“It’s just the water over here, guys.” The third girl sighs. “Someone left a sink on.”

The heat near my core builds as my hand on her wrist comes up to hold onto her other shoulder. Wanda’s free hand comes up to cup my face, running her thumb over my cut as she whispers sweet nothings into my ear.

“Come on, guys, we’re already late.” The second girl says. “Coach Taycko is going to make us run so many laps.”

We hear the girls shuffle to the door, then the swinging of the door as it opens and closes. Wanda captures my lips in hers as soon as the girls are gone, moaning into my lips as she practically jackhammers her fingers into me.

“That was good,” she purrs. “A little slip up, but nothing major enough to get us caught.” Without warning, Wanda slips her fingers out of me and shoves them into my mouth, making me taste myself. My pussy pulses, searching for her to fill me up, but she’s gone.

“Mmm,” I whine around her fingers, my tongue wrapping around each one individually. She watches me suck myself from her digits, her eyes hungry as they follow every little movement. At one point she flicks out her tongue, licking her lips just enough to wet them again.

“I can’t take it anymore.” She growls as she tears her fingers from my mouth. Wanda drops to her knees in front of me and rips my shorts off of my body, immediately placing a kiss on my pussy over my panties. She grips my thighs and takes the waistband of my panties in her mouth, bringing them down until they reach her hands. Wanda uses her hands to bring my panties all the way down. “Step out of your pants for me, baby,” she says, tapping my left leg. I do as she asks, and she immediately hoists my leg over her shoulder.

Then she dives in.

She uses the flat side of her tongue to reach into my folds, massaging my clit when she reaches the top. I moan and arch my back, placing my hands in her hair. My hips jerk into her as she flicks her tongue over my clit again, and I pull her into me by her hair.

Wanda moans against my clit, the vibrations from her sounds sending shock waves through my core. My legs tremble as she uses her tongue to write me a message on my clit, and she grips my thigh tightly as she continues to work on me.

“Wanda,” I moan as I run my fingers through her hair.

“Do I make you feel good, baby?” She whispers, kissing my clit lightly.

“Yes,” I gasp as her tongue moves through my folds again. “God, yes!”

Wanda chuckles into my pussy, licking more intensely now. She starts to write something new over my clit, and something about the new strokes starts to undo me. My core heats up and my clit pulses against Wanda’s tongue. Her grip tightens on my thigh as her actions get more forceful, her tongue giving a little more pressure. My grip tightens on Wanda’s hair, pulling her into me as my body threatens to break.

My body slips down the wall a bit as my core overheats and releases my climax on her tongue. Wanda groans into my pussy as she tastes me on her tongue, her noises mixing with the one that escapes my throat. My back sinks lower on the wall until I hit the ground, Wanda following me the whole way down to chase my high. When my body is thoroughly spent, Wanda surfaces, licking her lips to clean myself off of her.

“Damn it, I can’t get enough of you,” she sighs, climbing on top of me so she’s straddling me like she was under the bleachers. She cradles my face in her hands, leaning down to place some light kisses on my cheek right on my cut. “You’re not going to run away from me this time, are you?”

“I’m sorry,” I whisper, not afraid to grab her hips this time. “This whole thing is just…” I sigh and shake my head. Wanda looks at me curiously, nudging my chin with her finger so I look up at her again. When our eyes connect I see a lot swirling around in there. Mostly there’s a want, something deeper than the desperation I’ve seen before. A longing that offers a vulnerability I wasn’t sure she was capable of.

“Be with me.” She whispers. “Break up with Peter. Be with me instead.” She places a kiss lightly on the corner of my mouth. “You’re not happy. I want to make you happy.”

“I can’t,” I whisper, tears welling in my eyes. “My parents…”

“I get it,” Wanda nods, sniffling away her own tears. “But I don’t think I can let you go.”

“Wanda,” I sigh, my hands sliding up her body to hold her face. “I wish things were different-”

“I know.” Wanda chokes on her words, kissing me with a sweet desperation. “Me too.”

I cry as I kiss her, and Wanda is crying, too. Our tears mix together on our cheeks, neither of us wanting to tear apart from each other. Eventually Wanda pulls back, tucking a strand of my hair behind my ear.

“You’ll always be mine.” She whispers. “My smart Watson, my irresistible Ambrosia.” She sniffles again. Wanda stands up and turns toward the curtain, but I reach up and grab her hand. She looks down at me, at my hand grabbing her wrist tightly, and smiles sadly. She bends down and places a kiss on the top of my head. “Please don’t ever change, Y/N.” She whispers into my hair. Then she stands back up and gently takes her hand from mine, disappearing behind the curtain. I hear her footsteps walk away, and the door opening and closing as she leaves the locker room.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The next week, Wanda is gone. She’s not in homeroom on Monday, not in choir, not at lunch. I went to Principle Stark’s office to ask him, but he didn’t have much for answers.

“She was pulled out by her guardian.” Was all he said. “She will not be coming back.”

Even with what Principle Stark said, I look for her. Every day, I look for her. After school I go online and look for her on social media with no luck. At competitions I look for her, but she never comes to another competition again.

Graduation rolls around. Peter, Ned, MJ, and myself all graduate with honors. Peter makes the valedictorian speech. We take pictures with each other in our robes. At one point I think I see her and I start to push through the crowd, but then she disappears. I stop and look around, but I don’t see her again.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

SEVEN YEARS LATER

“No, Kyle, how many times have I told you that your suggestion will not work?” I sigh, rubbing my forehead in frustration.

“Y/N, come on. You know I’ve got experience in this area. I know what I’m talking about.”

“And I’m telling you that your plan could easily kill the patient.” I say, taking a step forward in line. “She can’t withstand the anesthesia for long, cutting her open will jeopardize her life. Going in laparoscopically is the way to go.”

“Unfortunately for you, it isn’t really your call, is it?” I physically bite my lip to metaphorically bite my tongue. I take a deep breath to try to calm myself down.

“Your regular, Doctor?” The barista in front of me asks as I reach the counter. I nod and hand her some cash, mouthing a thank you to her. I move over to the pickup area and continue my conversation.

“Doctor Moore, I really don’t think you want to play that game.” I say, trying to keep my tone even. “The hospital has been under scrutiny for unnecessary patient deaths in the last few years. The Chief of Surgery sniped me from my previous residency specifically because of my ability to perform these types of surgeries. He knows the death toll will only go up if he does nothing. If I tell him that you’re bulldozering me because of your ego, he’ll have some words for you. So either you drop this and prep the patient for my surgery, or I’ll go to the Chief.”

I wait for Doctor Moore on the other end of the line. The barista brings me my coffee and I thank her, placing some money in the tip jar before grabbing my coffee. I turn around and head out the door.

“Fine.” Doctor Moore growls. “You know, this is why no one likes you.”

“I don’t do this to be liked by other doctors.” I tell him. “I do this to save people’s lives. I’ll see you in a few.” I hang up the phone and shove it in my pocket as I step out of the coffee shop.

The cool autumn breeze hits my face as I walk outside. I close my eyes and take a deep breath, the fresh air soothing me. I open my eyes and turn right to head to the hospital, bringing the coffee cup up to my lips.

My hand freezes as I see her. Standing at the end of the street, hair in two braids down her shoulders and covered by a stylish beanie, hands shoved into the pockets of a long trench coat. I blink quickly, worried that she’s going to disappear again. But when I open my eyes, she’s still standing there.

“Wanda,” I whisper. She sees my mouth moving and she smiles.

Natasha is sitting in one of the chairs in her sitting area, one leg resting on the other, a book in her hand. The fireplace is going, and I silently scoff, remembering the argument she’d had with Tony months ago to get a chimney added to the roof so she could have this fireplace. The brick chimney looked out of place poking through the roof of the otherwise modern building, and I know Tony hates it. But he knows better than to argue with Natasha when she sets her mind to something.

I walk over to Natasha’s large oak desk and set my purse down on it, take the decanter from its tray, and fill two glasses with its contents. I place the plug back into the glass container and bring the two glasses over to Natasha, handing one to her as I sit in the chair next to her. I kick my feet up on the ottoman and lean back, taking a sip from the glass as Natasha swirls the liquid in her.

“How was your date?” She asks, her tone dry.

“Fine.” I say, gripping the glass tightly in my hands.

“Must have been better than fine if you're coming back just short of dawn.” Natasha takes a small sip from her glass, her eyes glued to the flickering flames of the fire as her book rests on her lap.

“Why do you insist on torturing yourself like this, Nat?” I sigh, glancing over at her. “You’re so confusing. Telling me you love me, then telling me that you’re not enough for me, then telling me you need more and opening the relationship. You refuse to talk about the women you hook up with, but demand that I tell you everything about the women I see. You’re an enigma that I just can’t figure out. It’s unsettling.”

Natasha’s grip tightens on her glass, her knuckles turning white as her jaw sets. Something flashes in her eyes, but I can’t see what from my angle.

“Tell me.” Natasha growls, resting her glass against her foot. “I need to know.”

I sigh and take another sip from my glass.

“We met at a bar. She bought me a drink and we talked for a while as we waited for a table,” I start, going through the date from the beginning.

“What was she wearing?” Natasha asks, her eyes darkening.

“Really?” I ask, tilting my head. Natasha’s head twitches to the side as she glares at me. I sigh again. “I don’t know, a nice pair of jeans, a plain, form fitting tee shirt, a backwards cap.”

“And what did she look like?”

“You know what she looked like, Nat.”

“I want to hear it anyway.”

I only ever go out on dates with women that remind me of Natasha, and she knows that. They’ve all got long hair, usually red. Green eyes. A swagger about them that Natasha also carries. I tell her what she wants to know.

“And then what?” Natasha asks.

“You know what, Natasha,” I growl, standing up from the chair and walking over to the fireplace. I stand in front of it, letting the heat wrap around my legs as the flames lick the air a few inches away from my skin. Natasha clears her throat and I turn to look at her.

Both of her feet sit flat on the floor, and she rests her elbows on her knees. She’s holding her glass out in front of her, staring at me with an intensity that’s usually reserved for people she’s interrogating. And at this moment, that’s me.

“She fucked me, okay?” I sigh. “We went back to her apartment, and she fucked me.”

“What did she use?” Natasha’s eyes swirl with anger that she’s clearly holding back. I can see the muscles in her jaw twitch, the pronounced beat of her heart in her jugular, the way her fingers grip the cup in her hands.

“Mostly her fingers,” I shake my head, throwing one of my hands into the air.

“Did she feel as good as me?”

“Nat,” I shake my head, bringing the glass up to my lips and tipping it back, finishing its contents. I walk back over to her desk and refill my glass.

“I want to know. Did she feel as good as me?” I grip the edge of the desk tight enough to turn my knuckles white.

“No,” I mutter, a tear falling down my cheek. “Of course she didn’t.” I wait a moment, then decide to add a little more alcohol to my glass. Then I turn and walk back to the chair next to Natasha. “You have to stop doing this, Nat.” I say quietly as I settle into the chair. “It isn’t healthy.”

“What you’re doing isn’t healthy.” Nat growls, leaning back in her chair and drinking from her glass. I watch as a little condensation catches her finger and rolls down her pinky. Her throat bulges slightly as she swallows before bringing the glass down to rest on the arm of the chair.

“You’re the one that wanted this.” I remind her. “An open relationship. You don’t have a right to say anything when you were the one who suggested this, when you’ve refused to touch me for a year, no matter how much I beg you.” I glance over at Natasha, but she won’t look at me. I bring the glass to my lips and down the entire glass, desperately in need of the liquid courage. “I think we should break up, Nat.”

The glass in her hand shatters, spilling alcohol and glass shards all around her feet. I jump slightly in my chair and watch as blood drips from her palm. I sigh, setting my glass on the ottoman and getting up from the chair. I walk into the bathroom and open the cabinet beneath the sink, removing the first aid kit from underneath. I zip it open as I walk back into the study, kneeling in front of Natasha as I open the kit up.

“You had to have seen this coming, Nat,” I whisper to her as I pull some balls of cotton from the kit as well as some hydrogen peroxide. I put some of the liquid on the cotton and pick her hand up, gently dabbing at the cut on her palm. Natasha doesn’t flinch. She wouldn’t for something like this. But when I flick my eyes up to hers for a second, there’s pain in them. I look back down at her hand and continue cleaning it. “I hate this. I hate being in an open relationship. I want you, Nat, and I still don’t understand why you suggested an open relationship in the first place.” I reach into the first aid kit and take out a big pad of gauze and some medical tape.

Natasha watches my movements carefully, her body stiff as my hands move on her body.

“I love you,” Natasha whispers, three words I haven’t heard in a very long time. I pause, my fingers lightly hovering over the gauze I’ve placed on her palm. “I love you, Y/N. So damn much that it terrifies me.”

“If it terrifies you, then we should work through that, Nat. Together. Not keep silent for years making me wonder.”

Natasha lets out a sharp exhale, the air in her lungs fleeing from her body like it just broke out of prison. Her fingers wrap carefully around my wrist, holding me in place.

“I’m scared,” she says as she takes a deep breath, her voice cracking slightly. “Because I’ve never… I’ve never felt like this about anyone before. And having such big feelings for someone… that frightened me. The thought of losing you, Y/N, of you realizing that I’m not enough… it makes me sick.” She swallows around a lump in her throat. “And I’m scared because I know that I’ve already hurt you.”

“You’re more than enough, Nat,” I whisper, sliding my free hand over her knee. “And in a real relationship, you work through the hurt.

Natasha squeezes her eyes closed as my fingers trail her knee, fighting against her already frayed emotions. She exhales again, opens her eyes, and speaks with a trembling breath.

“You’re right.” She says quietly. “I haven’t been fair to you. I’ve been… I’ve been a fool.”

“I wouldn’t say fool,” I chuckle, leaning down to kiss her fingers as I wrap medical tape around her hand. “But there’s work to do, if you really want us to be together.” I look up into her eyes. “This arrangement can’t work forever. It just won’t work for me. I need to be your one and only, and I need you to be mine. If you can’t accept that, then you have to let me go so I can find someone who can give me what I need.” I stretch my body upwards and place a light kiss on her lips. “I don’t say that to hurt you, Nat, I promise. I just need to be honest about where my head is at.”

Natasha raises her now bandaged hand and cups my cheek, pressing her forehead against mine.

“You’re not hurting me.” She whispers, her fingers tracing a line on my jaw. “You're being honest. And I appreciate it. That’s what I need in order to make sure I don’t lose you.”

“I love you, Nat.” I whisper. “I just need to know that you love me, too. That I’m the only one for you.”

“I love you, too.” She responds, and I can hear the desperation in her voice. “Come here,” she says, pulling me by my wrist onto her lap. I let her pull me up, eager and hopeful that this is the start of something better for us. She wraps her cut arm around my waist, digging her fingers into my side while I wrap my arms loosely around her neck, burying my face in her neck and allowing her scent to wash over me as I nuzzle her skin.

“You don’t have to be scared with me, baby,” I whisper. “I want to be here, to be with you, to love you and give you everything I have.” Natasha immediately relaxes at my words, turning her head so she can rest her cheek on my head. I place a few kisses on her neck to try to comfort and calm her. Natasha takes her free hand and lifts my head by my chin, placing her lips on my pulse point and biting down. I let out a little groan, pulling myself closer to her. Natasha lets her hand fall from my chin. She places it instead high on my thigh, gripping me tightly. “Oh, Natasha,” I moan, one of my hands coming to rest on the back of her head. “God, the way you… ugh, fuck… the way you touch me-!”

“I don’t know why I ever wanted to share this,” she murmurs against my neck, licking the mark she’s making on my neck before she bites me again.

I let out a low moan as she bites down again, feeling her fingers grip my thigh possessively. My head is spinning, my entire body trembling with need at her words, her touch that I’ve missed for over a year. She drives me wild. I can feel myself already starting to unravel at her words, every inch of my body crying out for more of her. I shudder against her, my voice raw and ragged when I respond.

“I don’t know either,” my voice vibrates with want. “God, I don’t want to share.”

The corner of Natasha’s mouth jerks up at my words and she bites down harder on my neck. My nails curl into Natasha’s hair as I feel her teeth break my skin, placing a clear mark on my neck. I gasp at the feeling, my back arching as her nails dig into my side and my thigh. I can feel the possessive intent in every touch, every kiss, and it sends fire through my veins.

“Fuck,” my voice is wrecked and breathless, my hands gripping to her desperately, afraid she’s going to disappear. “Baby, please,” I beg her. “Please tell me this means what I think it means.”

I beg her to tell me that our arrangement is over. That she’s ready to close our relationship. That it’s just us, and that it’ll always be just us from here on out.

“Yes,” Natasha growls against my neck. “I want you. Only you. And I want to be the only one to do this to you. From here on out, consider our relationship is closed.”

I let out a trembling breath, a mixture of relief and anticipation washing over me as she confirms my desire. Hearing those words from her, hearing that she wants me over anyone else, it’s the only thing I’ve wanted to hear for a long time. Natasha lets go of my neck and turns her head, taking my lips in hers for the most passionate kiss we’ve had in a long time. Natasha slides her hand across my body to cup my ass, pulling me closer to her. I moan softly into her lips, loving how perfectly we fit together. I love the possessive way she grips me, the way it makes me feel needed, wanted, and claimed. I bury my fingers in her hair, my lips parting hungrily as I deepen the kiss, my body arching into hers, as I feel like I can’t get close enough.

Natasha pulls her hand back to my thigh, her fingers crossing my left leg to settle on my right. She gently puts pressure on my thigh, silently asking for permission as her fingers tickle the inside of my thigh.

My breath hitches as her fingers tease along my inner thigh, my body shuddering slightly at the intimate touch. I’m already growing heated, needy for more, my hips shifting slightly with impatience as I nod.

“Natasha,” I murmur against her lips, my voice ragged with desire as I press myself closer to her, my arms tightening around her shoulders. “Please.”

Natasha smiles into my lips as she slides her fingers closer to my clit, toying with me slightly. Before the disconnect between us, she loved to tease me, to see me squirm. It looks like she’s falling back into old patterns.

“I’m sorry for denying you for so long,” she whispers. “I promise you, that will never happen again.”

I gasp at Natasha’s teasing, my head falling to Natasha’s shoulder as her fingers graze against me, sending a shiver up my spine. I’m already so fucking sensitive, so fucking desperate for her, and feeling Natasha’s teasing touch is driving me wild. I clutch at Natasha’s back, my breath coming out in broken gasps as I let out a low moan.

“Natasha,” I pant, my hips shifting relentlessly against her hand. “Please, don’t tease me. It’s been too long. I need you…” I’m practically begging now, desperate for more contact, for a release given by her for the first time in what feels like forever.

“I love it when you beg for me,” Natasha growls, her fingers grazing lightly over my core, not yet giving me the pressure that I so desperately need for my release. “It’s so sexy, Detka.” I let out another low moan, my body arching against her hand as she teases me, the lack of pressure driving me crazy. I can feel the heat between my legs growing, my clit throbbing with need. I want more, I need more, but her words are just as arousing, only heightening my desire for release.

“Please,” I gasp, my voice begging for Nat. “I’ll do anything. Please, just… I need-” My voice catches in my throat as her fingers push the barriers of my heat.

“Anything?” Natasha smirks, placing a kiss to my head as I lean against her shoulder. “Are you sure about that, Detka?” She grazes her finger across me, narrowly missing my pulsing clit between my legs. I whine against her, my nails digging roughly into her back as her fingers skirt dangerously close to where I ache the most. I’m panting hard now, my entire body trembling, my hips fighting the urge to grind against her hand.

“Yes,” I gasp, my voice desperate, my cheeks flushed with heat. “God, yes, anything Natasha, just please!” My nails drag down her back, my face scrunching up with the lust that’s twirling in my stomach. Natasha’s hand grips tightly to my waist, keeping me locked into her lap. Her fingers dip low and barely, just barely, dip low enough to feel my slick.

“Tell me what you’ll give me, baby.” She growls into my ear, nipping at my earlobe, her fingers digging into my side. “Let me hear you say it.”

“Anything!” I gasp, my back arching as her fingers finally graze against my core, sending fire shooting through my body. I’m beyond words at this point, unable to think of anything other than that one word, my body’s need for release almost overwhelming. I gulp down a large breath of air, clearing my mind slightly. “Anything, Natasha, I’ll give you anything you want, anything at all. Just please, Natasha.” I’m teetering on the edge, my body shaking against her.

“What if I made you come with just the sound of my voice?” She asks, her fingers coming back out of me and dragging across my skin, leaving a thin line of my slick across my skin. “Am I that good for you? I want to see how swollen you get just from my words.”

I whimper as she pulls her fingers away, leaving me throbbing in cold, thin air. I’m so worked up already, and the thought of coming apart at just her words without even needing to be touched is sending me closer to the edge. I moan, my thighs trembling as I cling to Natasha, my breath coming out in short, uneven bursts.

“I… I think I could…” I manage to say, my body aching as I teeter on the precipice, so close to falling apart for Natasha. Her hand flies to my thigh, spreading me open even more for her.

“Keep your legs open, Y/N,” she growls. “I want to see you cum when my words make you fall apart.”

My body seizes as she speaks, the power and authority in her voice sending a wave of heat through my core and up my body. I obey without hesitation, spreading my thighs wide, the movement leaving me feeling exposed and vulnerable. But I’m also incredibly aroused, my slick dripping from my cunt onto her pant leg. Her grip on my thigh sends me spiraling even closer to the edge.

“Natasha,” I moan, my voice broken as I rub my face against her hair. She keeps her fingers gripping my thigh, her thumb passing over my clit just barely enough to feel the heat radiating from my pussy.

“Are you going to be a good girl and come apart on my lap, Detka?” She whispers before clamping her teeth around my neck again. I let out a desperate cry, my body trembling uncontrollably as her fingers and teeth tease me mercilessly. I’m completely at her mercy, coming completely undone with just her words. Every time she speaks I come closer to the brink, my body blazing in a roaring fire.

“Yes,” I breathe, my voice almost inaudible. “Yes, Natasha, I’ll… I’ll be a good girl, I promise. I’ll be so good for you!”

“If you’re a good girl, then let go.” She mumbles, kissing the second mark she’s made on me. Her hand creeps higher to tease me more, letting me feel her right on the edge of where I need her most but not willing to touch me until I come apart from her voice.

I’m so close, closer than I ever thought I could get with just words. I didn’t know how badly I needed Natasha until she was here, finally right here, giving me what I’ve wanted for over a year. I must have forgotten how good she is to me, how fantastic she makes me feel.

“Please, Nat,” I beg, my hips jerking involuntarily. She slaps my thigh hard, leaving a red mark on my skin. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to move, I just… ugh, I need you, Nat! Please!”

“Tell me how badly you want it, Detka.” Natasha growls, dragging her tongue up my neck. “How badly do you want me?”

“So bad, Natasha,” I groan, bowing my head over her shoulder, my fingers grasping onto the back of her shirt. My thigh twitches as she runs her thumb across my skin, soothing the red mark on my leg.

“Then come for me, Y/N.” Natasha says, her thumb placing a slight bit of pressure just outside my heat area. “Let me see you fall apart completely.”

I let out a ragged cry as she gives me permission to let go, the small amount of pressure from her thumb enough to send me flying off the cliff into oblivion. A wave of pleasure washes over me as I come apart for her completely, undone by her words and a minimal amount of touch. My release shoots away from my body, my pussy squirting my cum away from my body. Natasha lets out a growl of satisfaction as I come down, shaking and boneless as I cling to her, panting and shivering from the aftershocks.

“Natasha,” I moan, rubbing my face into her cheek, completely wrecked. “That… that was…” I can’t find the words to describe the intensity of my release, my mind foggy with pleasure.

“Heaven?” Natasha says, finishing my sentence with a smug smile on her face as she kisses my cheek. I let out a breathless laugh, the smirk on her face against my cheek sending a wave of affection through me. I’ve never experienced anything like that before, not with anyone.

“Yeah,” I breathe, my body still shaking against her, my cheeks flushed with color as I pull back to look at her. “Heaven sounds about right.” Natasha captures my lips in hers, kissing me fiercely and holding me flush against her.

“I don’t want to be done with you yet,” Natasha growls as she stands, lifting me in her arms along with her. I gasp as she lifts me into the air, holding even more tightly to her shoulders. Natasha walks to our bedroom, thrusting the door open and storming inside. She lays me down on the bed and looks at me for a minute, breathing in through her teeth.

“God, you’re perfect,” Natasha mutters, licking her lips. She leans down to kiss me, her hands feather-light on my thighs. I reach up and grasp her face in my hands, pulling her lips to mine.

“Are you going to touch me this time?” I ask quietly, teetering on begging.

“You were such a good girl for me, how can I deny you?” Natasha smirks, kneeling on the ground in front of me between my legs. She places a few kisses along my inner thigh, looking up at me as she gets closer to my thumping core. Natasha’s hands grip the hem of my skirt and lifts it up, placing it under my shirt to hold it into place.

I hadn’t worn panties on my date. Or maybe I had and just forgotten them at my date’s house. Either way I wasn’t wearing any. Natasha growls, watching my swollen pussy closely as it pulses between my legs. She doesn’t waste time before diving into me, her lips closing around my clit with excessive force.

I gasp desperately as her lips touch me, massaging my clit as her fingers come from underneath. She inserts two fingers inside of me, stretching me open for her. My head falls back on the bed, the heat already rising in my stomach once again.

The way Natasha can make me feel is incredible. She makes me forget the entire world, pulling the wool over my eyes so I see only her.

That’s what she’s doing right now.

I slide my hands into her hair as her tongue works expertly on my clit, flicking and tracing the dips and curves of my nerves as her fingers curl deep inside me, coaxing me to the edge. My fingers weed through her hair as I grip her scalp, pulling her closer into me.

“My God, Natasha,” I groan, writhing on the bed, her lips pushing me towards overstimulation. “You’ve found your way back to me. And you feel… oh, fuck… mmm, so good!”

Natasha’s lips curl into a smile and she puts more pressure on my clit, swirling her tongue over my nerves like it’s her favorite flavor of ice cream. Natasha curls her fingers more, scraping the inside of my walls. I tug on her hair as her other hand holds my leg open, gripping my skin so tightly her nails break skin.

And I’m already so worked up that it doesn’t take long for Natasha to get what she wants. My second release is directly on her tongue, my walls clenching around her fingers and pushing my juices onto her tongue. She continues flexing her fingers inside of me until I’ve finished, lifting her head up to look at me. I see my slick drip from her mouth as she crawls her way up my body to kiss my waiting lips. I hold her close to me as she gives me a taste of myself, swiping her tongue over my lip before letting me suck on her tongue.

“I’m sorry it took me so long,” Natasha murmurs, kissing my neck on one of the spots where she bit me earlier. “To get back to you, I mean. I just don’t want to be a disappointment.”

“You could never, baby,” I grab onto her face and force her to look at me. “You could never be a disappointment to me. Ever.”

“I promise that I’m going to be the woman you deserve.” She hums, leaning down to kiss my nose. “I’ll never let you down again.”

I walk to the back of my store and look through the shelves. The group of kids that are asking for my help are ninth graders, a group of previously rowdy boys who have grown pretty docile ever since they started coming here, according to their parents. I tap a few books that might be good for them until I run across one that I know will be good. I take out a copy and hand it to the first boy.

“This is a story about a young boy who has to figure out how to survive in the wilderness on his own. He’s about your age, so it could very well be relatable to you guys.” The Brian grabs the book and the other two huddle around him, reading the back. I smile again as I walk back up to the counter as the kids are discussing amongst themselves. I pick my pencil back up and make a few marks on my paper.

“We’ll take these ones, Ms. Y/L/N,” the boys say a few minutes later, walking up to the counter and placing their books in front of me. They’re going with my recommendation.

“Good choice, boys.” I nod at them as I ring them up individually.

“Did you see the store across the street?” Carlos pipes up.

“Yeah, I did,” I sigh.

My store is on the corner at an intersection in the heart of town. People in the surrounding areas come here when they want to shop small and shop local. You’re not going to find very many fast food or big box stores here. Not that they haven’t tried; we’ve had many a-Taco Bell or Staples try to open their doors here. People just prefer to shop small here. It’s been a Godsend for my business.

But a new bookstore has opened kitty-corner to me. It’s not Barnes and Nobles big, but it’s still a pretty big box store. I haven’t gone over there yet. I’m too scared to. I hope that people keep coming here, but books aren’t very popular as it is, and a store like that surely has lower prices than I do.

“Don’t worry, Ms. Y/L/N,” Rowan says. “We’re still going to come here.”

“My mom says the other store has comic books,” Brian says as he shoves the book he just bought into his backpack. “I might want to check it out.” Carlos nudges Brian while Rowan glares at him. Brian looks up at his friends, then he looks up at me, his eyes wide. “I’m sorry, Ms. Y/L/N, I didn’t mean-”

“It’s okay.” I say quickly, shaking my head. “I know I’m… more than a little lacking in the comic book department.” I eye them as they finish putting their books away. “Maybe you can have your parents bring you here this weekend and you can help me pick out some cool comic books to carry in the store. How does that sound?”

“Yeah!” The boys perk up.

“Great. And you can tell me how you like that book when you come in!” I call after them as they scamper out the door. They almost barrel into another customer as they run out. “Careful! Please don’t try to give concussions to people as they come into my store!” I chuckle as they run off, the third boy turning around and waving to me before he dashes after his friends.

“Cute kids,” the newcomer says, looking after them. When she turns around, my breath catches in my throat. This woman is absolutely gorgeous, with dark red hair and forest green eyes. Her walk is confident as she strides up to my counter, leaning over it. “Hey there. My name’s Wanda Maximoff. I’m new in town.”

“Hey,” I say. “Nice to meet you.” I clear my throat to mentally shake myself free of my nerves. “My name is Y/N. This is, um,” I wave my arms around. “My store.”

“It’s very nice in here,” Wanda nods as she looks around. “Cozy.” She looks back at me, smiling. “I really like it.”

“Thank you.” I smile, looking down. “I’m very proud of it.”

“You should be.” Wanda pushes herself off of the counter and walks deeper inside. “I haven’t read anything in, like, a really long time. Do you have any recommendations?”

“Well, what kinds of books do you normally read?” I ask, stepping out from behind the counter.

“I like Westerns, which most people find weird. Or science fiction. Something that’s totally out of this world to let me, you know, escape a little.”

“Hmm,” I say, thinking for a moment. Then I get an idea, and my face brightens. “I have just the thing.” I speed past her towards the science fiction part of my store. I run my fingers along the spines of my books as I pass by. When I reach the shelf I’m looking for I pull out a book, turn, and hand it to her. “Sea of Rust by C. Robert Cargill. It’s a sci-fi Western that takes place after humans are extinct and androids are the prevailing race. It’s really good.”

“Really good, hmm?” She mutters, taking the book from my hand and turning it over. She looks up at me and smiles. “I’ll give it a shot.”

“Alright,” I smile back at her. “Let me ring you up.” I lead her back to the counter and press some numbers on my POS system. “That’ll be twenty-four-ninety-nine.” I tell her. Wanda pulls out her wallet and hands me a twenty and a ten.

“Keep the change.” She winks as she grabs her book and heads out the door. I watch her walk down out the door and down the sidewalk until I can’t see her anymore, unable to tear my eyes away.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The next day, Saturday, is one of my busiest days during the summer. I have an old ice cream machine I found at a garage sale three years ago, and I give out a free cone to any kid who comes in and buys a book. Other people can come in and buy ice cream if they want, so I’ve got tons of families exploring my shop.

At ten-thirty, just after I’ve finished setting up for the day, the bell above my door rings. I look up from between the shelves and see Wanda walking into my store, book in hand. She walks over to the seating area I have set up just inside the store and sits down, opening her book. I set down the box of books that I’m carrying and head over to her.

“Good morning,” I say, wiping my hands together. “Can I help you with anything?”

“Good morning,” Wanda looks up at me and smiles. “No, I’m all good here. Just wanted somewhere to read. Thank you, though!”

“Of course.” I nod. “Let me know if you need anything.” I watch her for another moment before I turn around and go back to my stocking.

Another hour goes by before I have another customer. A family of four who regularly visits my shop comes strolling in.

“Miss Y/N!” The little girl cries out, running up and down the stacks looking for me. I poke my head out and give her a smile.

“Good morning, Lucy, how are you doing today?” I ask. She whirls around and giggles as she comes running at me. I scoop her up in my arms with a huff. “You come by to get a book?”

“And some ice cream!” She giggles.

“Well, let’s pick out your book first, then you can get some ice cream, how does that sound?”

“Yeah!” She screams, throwing her hands up in the air.

“Okay,” I laugh as I walk around the store carrying Lucy. We talk for a little bit about what she’s interested in, the last book she read. Eventually we settle on one with unicorns and I carry her up to the register.

“Lucy, come on, you’re a big girl,” Mrs. Roberts chides from the counter. “You don’t need Miss Y/N to carry you.”

“I don’t mind, really,” I wave her off. I set Lucy down so she’s sitting on the counter and add her book and free cone to her parents’ tab. I talk with Mrs. Roberts for a little while at the counter while her husband and son continue looking. People come into the store as we chat, and every once in a while I look up to Wanda to see how she’s doing. She never looks up at me, but sometimes I feel as if she’s reading the same page over and over when my eyes are on her.

Luke Roberts comes waddling up to the counter with five books in his arms. His father walks behind him, a few books in his hands as well.

“Luke, how many books are you getting?” I laugh as he struggles to place his books on the counter. His dad rushes to help him as the books start to slide from his arms.

“You know you only get one ice cream, even if you’re getting five books, right?” His mother raises an eyebrow at him. Luke looks over at her, a huge smile on his face.

“I know. But I couldn’t decide which book I wanted, so Daddy said I could get them all!”

“Well isn’t that nice of him,” Mrs. Roberts looks up at her husband, a smile ticking at the edges of her mouth. He shrugs as he adds his books to the pile.

“Who am I to discourage our son from reading?” He says. “Besides,” he leans over and kisses his wife on the cheek. “I can’t be held responsible when I’m also looking for a book for my beautiful wife.”

“You didn’t!” Mrs. Roberts gasps, looking from me to her husband and back again. I shrug.

“I’m always down to help with a request.” I smile. I ring up the rest of the books, as well as Luke’s free cone, and ice cream for Mr. and Mrs. Roberts, as well. After they pay, I turn around to get their ice cream for them.

Once they have their dairy treat in hand they wave goodbye, and I watch Luke struggle to walk out of the store with his books and ice cream in hand.

A few more hours go by and my store is pretty busy. I can’t even leave the counter until 3 o’clock, but that’s good for business. When I finally have a moment, I see that Wanda is still in the same spot, having gotten a little further into her book. I walk over and take a seat on the couch next to the chair she’s in.

“Not really your taste, huh?” I ask, nodding to the book. “I apologize for the bad recommendation, I’m usually much better with those.”

“No, no, it’s fine,” she says, closing the book around her thumb. “I’m actually enjoying it quite a bit. I’m just a slow reader.” She chuckles nervously.

“Ah, okay.” I nod. “I’m happy to hear that my streak is still on.”

“You’ve got a nice little set up here.” She says.

“I think you said that yesterday,” I laugh.

“Maybe, but I didn’t know about your little ice cream debacle yesterday.” She smiles. “Free ice cream to kids?”

“With the purchase of a book,” I say, holding up a finger. “It encourages kids to read, and their parents usually feel better about ‘bribing’ their kids if the bribe doesn’t come from inside the house.”

“Smart,” she nods. “It certainly brings in business for you.”

“Yes, it does.” I nod. “I’ve debated adding a few options, but the profit from the parents buying ice cream to share with their kids is better than anything else I could offer.”

“And you’re not worried about that monstrosity across the street?” She asks, gesturing behind her to the box store across the street. I let out a sigh.

“Of course I’m nervous.” I look back at her and fix my face so there isn’t as much worry on it. “But no other big store like that has survived very long here, so I’m sure if I just give it time the store will close down.”

“You’re that positive?” Wanda raises an eyebrow.

“I’m never positive,” I laugh nervously. “I could lose my store next week. But the trend of our town tells me that I’ll have a few really hard months where the town will rally around me, and then the other store will go out of business and I’ll be fine.”

“Hmm,” Wanda muses, running her finger down the spine of her book. “It seems to be pretty busy over there.”

“You’ve been?” I ask her.

“Once or twice.” She nods. “They’ve got a lot of books. A bigger selection than yours, for sure. And I could have gotten this book cheaper.” She raises the book in her hands. “Plus it’s got a little café. Coffee, scones, Starbucks-like stuff.”

“You’re rubbing a lot of salt in my wound for a stranger,” I eye her. She raises her hands in surrender.

“My apologies, I don’t mean to offend. I’m just worried you’re not looking at the long run, the bigger picture.”

“Well forgive me for not appreciating the harsh words of a stranger.” I huff and stand up, walking away to go through my shelves.

We don’t speak again for the rest of the day, but Wanda stays in my store until it’s time for me to close. She slips out as I’m closing the register without even a goodbye.

The next time I see her is the next Friday. She comes in around the same time, about 2 o’clock. I watch her as she walks slowly through the stacks, running her hands over the spines of my books. I keep my eye on her as I check out the people at my counter. Once they’re all checked out and gone, she approaches me.

“Which one of these would you recommend?” She asks, sliding two books across the counter towards me. I take a look at them. This Is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone and Neuromancer by William Gibson are sitting on my counter. I tilt my head at her, taking the time to seriously consider her.

“I don’t know. Do you prefer romance or thrillers? This first book is a romance, where two spies from competing nations travel through time and leave love letters for each other. The second is about a young man who agrees to work for a crime syndicate in exchange for having his uplink restored.”

Wanda thinks for a moment before she picks up Neuromancer and places it on the corner of my counter. She then slides This Is How You Lose the Time War closer to me.

“Good book,” I say, ringing it up. “Either would have been good, but you go for what you like.”

“You don’t like romance?” She asks.

“Not particularly.” I respond.

“And why is that?” She asks, handing me some cash as she takes her book.

“Romance is dead.” I shrug. “Will that be all?”

“A bookstore owner who isn’t a romantic.” Wanda whistles. “That’s a new one.”

“I am a romantic.” I counter, picking up the book she didn’t choose and walking from behind the counter. “It’s just pretty impossible to be one when there’s no one to be romantic with.” I disappear in my shelves and wait until I hear the bell on my door, signaling her exit.

The next day, Saturday, she walks in at ten-thirty, right on the dot. She plops into the same chair she did the week before, kicking up her feet on my coffee table and opening her book.

I ignore her today, still a little put off by her words last week. I help my customers, give out ice cream, and prepare for the first week of the summer sale that I have going on next week.

When it’s time for me to close, Wanda walks up to my counter instead of walking out the door. I don’t engage and instead continue with my work. She stands there, silent, watching me for a few minutes.

“I’m pretty sure that the silent treatment isn’t considered good business.” She says after a while.

“There’s a perfectly good box store across the street that is apparently cheaper with a bigger selection.” I say quietly. “And I’ve heard they sell coffee. You might be happier over there.”

“I’m beginning to think that I won’t be.” Wanda says. She watches me for another moment before she clears her throat. “Y/N, would you join me for dinner tonight?”

“Yeah, I don’t think so.” I scoff.

“Come on, you said there was no one here to be romantic with.” She holds up the book she spent the day reading. “I just read a whole book about two lovers fighting to be with each other. Let me take you out to dinner and see if I want to be fighting for you.”

“Wow, what a way to sweep a lady off her feet,” I scoff.

“I’m sorry, do you not swing my way?” Wanda laughs. “Coulda fooled me with the Pride flag hanging in your front window.”

“No, I do swing that way,” I laugh nervously. “I only swing that way. But shouldn’t you already know if you want to fight for me before asking me out on a date?”

“The only thing that I know about you is that you own a bookstore and that you hate big box stores.” Wanda smiles. “I need to know a little more about you.”

“You know that I’m a romantic at heart,” I correct her. Wanda nods, blowing a breath out through her nose as she hangs her head.

“You’re absolutely right.” She says before she looks up at me. “So? Dinner tonight?” I stare at her for a while, weighing my feelings against each other. In the end, I can’t resist.

“Sure.” I say. “Dinner sounds lovely.”

“And we’ll go to a nice, family owned restaurant that has a nice, homey feel.” Her smile is wide as she speaks.

“That sounds lovely.” I nod. “Do you want me to change?” I ask, looking down at my simple outfit of jeans and a ‘Grateful Dead’ tee shirt.

“No, I think it’s perfect.” Wanda lets out a small laugh. “Shall we go?”

“Yeah,” I say, walking out from behind the counter. I open the front door for her. “After you.”

“Thank you,” Wanda bows her head as she exits my store. I exit after her and lock the door behind us. “So, what’s your favorite place to eat in this town?”

“So many places are good here.” I tell her, starting to walk down the street. “But my favorite place is Cronckie’s Diner, down the street.”

“Some delicious, greasy, breakfast food for dinner?” Wanda asks, eyeing me. “I like your style, Y/N.”

“I like my style too.” I shoot her a smile. We walk down the street talking about the books I’m putting up in my store next, the ones that are most popular. We make it to the diner and she holds the door open for me.

“Good evening, Y/N!” Martha, the hostess, smiles as I walk in. “Taking yourself out to dinner tonight, are we?”

“I’m actually here with someone,” I say, stepping aside to show Wanda walking in behind me. Martha’s face drops a little, and her eyes wrinkle in confusion.

“Oh.” She says. “Uh, okay. Let’s get you guys a table.” Martha waddles toward a table in the back and places some menus on the table. “Christy will be by in a minute.”

“Thanks, Martha.” I say. She keeps her eyes on me for a moment before turning and walking away. Wanda watches her curiously before picking up the menu to look it over. A few moments later, she looks up at me.

“Not gonna look?” She asks. I look down at my folded hands over the menu, my thumbs rotating around each other.

“Don’t need it.” I shrug. “I’ve tried everything on this menu. I get what I like the most now. I only deviate when Shawn adds something new.”

“Got it,” Wanda nods. “I’m still going to need a moment.” She smiles as she looks down at her menu again.

“Take your time,” I say quietly. I turn my head and look at Martha, Christy, and Shawn chatting by the service window. After a few moments they all look at me. I raise my hand to wave, but the moment they notice me watching them, they quickly turn their heads. I lower my hand, a little hurt, and look down at the menu in front of me.

“I like the idea of the eggs benedict,” Wanda mulls, chewing the words in her mouth. “But I’m stuck if I want something sweet or savory.”

“I always tend to go with your first instinct.” I say. “Rarely have I ever been disappointed in my gut instinct.”

“Okay.” Wanda nods, setting the menu down. “You’re right. Gut instincts are the way to go.”

“Besides,” I wink at her. “I always get something sweet. You can have a little bit of mine.”

“How sweet of you.” Wanda smiles. At that moment, Christy walks over.

“Hey, Christy!” I smile up at her. “Hows work tonight.”

“Fine.” Christy says coldly, looking pointedly at Wanda. “Your regular, Y/N?”

“Yes please,” I say, tilting my head to look at Christy. “Hey, are you alright?”

“Yeup.” Her tone is flat, not at all like her normal, friendly voice. “What about you?” She gestures to Wanda. “What am I getting you?”

“Uh, I’ll do the eggs benedict, please.” Wanda says, clearly noticing the ice in Christy’s voice. Christy doesn’t even write it down. She chews her gum in Wanda’s direction once before turning and walking away. Wanda turns her head to look at me, questioning.

“I swear, she’s normally not like this,” I say.

“I believe you,” Wanda sits back in her seat. “This is a small town. She’s probably very protective of you.”

“Not in a romantic way, if that’s what you’re worried about,” I say quickly.

“No, no, I’m not worried about it like that,” Wanda laughs. “You said it yourself, this is a small town. Everyone is protective of everyone.”

“That they are,” I let out a sigh of relief.

“How long did it take for them to accept you?” Wanda asks. “You said you’re not from here, right?”

“Yeah.” I nod. “It took a little while. When they realized that I just wanted to run a bookstore and lift up the community, it was pretty quick.”

“When was that?”

“Almost a year after I got here,” I laugh. “I asked the owner of the vacant lot behind my store if I could put on a little carnival there. He happily agreed, and the first week that the kids were out of school I threw a carnival that centered around books and getting kids excited to read. It was so popular that I put it on every year now.”

“That’s incredible,” Wanda smiles. “That’s why you have such a good relationship with the kids that come into your store, huh?”

“My nieces and nephews hate reading,” I roll my eyes. “It’s a fucking shame. My oldest nephew brags about having never read simple books they assign in school, like Romeo and Juliet. I want to be able to encourage the kids who live here to, at the very least, not think reading is lame.”

“That’s very admirable.” Wanda nods. She looks at the table, her face growing red. “My kids loved to read.”

“You have kids?” I ask, tilting my head.

“Not anymore.” She shakes her head. “My kids and their father died in a car accident five years ago. They were hit by a drunk driver.”

“Oh, Wanda, I’m so sorry,” I whisper, reaching out to hold her hand. Wanda lets me, grasping tightly to my fingers. Christy then appears with our food, placing my dinner nicely in front of me while practically throwing Wanda’s food down in front of her. A little bit of hollandaise gets on her shirt. “Hey, Christy, watch it!” I look up at her. “What’s wrong with you today?”

“Nothing.” Christy spits, but once again it isn’t directed at me. “Be careful with this one, Y/N. She’s no good.” Before I can ask what she means by that she turns on her heels and walks away. I look back at Wanda.

“I am so sorry,” I say. “I hate that your first experience here is so shitty.”

“It’s alright,” Wanda says, wiping her shirt, but I shake my head.

“No, it’s not.” I look over at Christy, leaning on the counter and watching us closely. “Even to outsiders, we’re not usually this rude.”

“Y/N, it’s fine.” Wanda looks up at me, her stare serious. I nod, deciding to let it go.

We eat without any more interruptions from Christy or Martha. Wanda and I fall into a very easy conversation, talking about where we’re from, what we like to do in our free time, and our families. Wanda opens up about her marriage and her children, and I’m very touched that she would trust me with this information.

When it’s time for us to go, Wanda wants to pay. I notice that, even though Christy was rude to her, she leaves a pretty hefty cash tip. Then she walks me home.

“I had a great time with you tonight, Y/N.” Wanda says when we reach my door. “I’d like to see you again. You know, in a not-so-bookish setting.”

“So you’ve decided you want to fight for my affection, then?” I tease her, gently nudging her arm. Wanda lets out a small laugh as she lets me push her.

“Yes, I have.” She confirms. “If that pleases you, madam.” She smirks.

“Of course it does.” I lean in and give her a kiss on the cheek. “Thank you for the wonderful time tonight, Wanda. And again, I’m so sorry for how Christy treated you.”

“Y/N, stop apologizing,” Wanda places her hands on my shoulders and slides her hands down my arms. “It’s okay, seriously.” Her hands fall to grasp mine and she squeezes my fingers. “I’ll see you on Friday. Maybe we can discuss our next date when I come to pick up my next book.”

“Sounds like a plan.” I nod. “But… just wait here.” I hurry inside and find a piece of paper and a pen. I write my phone number on it and rush back out. “Take this.” I hand Wanda the paper. “In case you get the urge to talk to me before Friday.”

“I’ll definitely need it,” Wanda chuckles, taking the paper gingerly in her fingers. She keeps her eyes on the paper as she backs away from my house. When she reaches the sidewalk, she looks up at me. “I will speak to you soon, Y/N.” She smiles.

“I’m looking forward to it,” I smile back, biting my bottom lip. I watch her as she heads back down the road, keeping my eyes on her until I can’t see her anymore. Then I head inside.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Over the course of the summer, Wanda and I hang out practically all the time. She comes to my store every Friday afternoon and spends all of Saturday in my store, reading the book she bought the day before. My store is closed on Sunday, so we typically spend those together, too. Sometimes we’re lazily reading at my place in the hammock in my backyard, or we’re taking strolls through the parks around town. Sometimes we go on a day trip to Chicago. Whatever it is that we’re doing, I enjoy my time with her.

She doesn’t mind that I want to take things slow. That I want cute dates and a long courtship before we have sex or spend the night with each other. She doesn’t mind that I vent about my business, or the fact that I’m more worried than I thought I would be about the box store on the corner.

The one thing that bothers me is toward the end of the summer when I want to talk about the block party. Everyone gets together on the main street in town. Most of the restaurants have pop-ups where we can buy food from, the city pays for carnival games like the one where you can dunk someone, and they even have a few rides. All the proceeds go to the city food shelf or to provide school items for underprivileged kids. It’s the largest event in town, and everyone comes out for it.

But Wanda doesn’t want to go with me.

Every time I ask her, she says she isn’t interested in block parties. Every time I try to talk to her about it, she changes the subject.

It makes me a little nervous.

So when the night of the block party comes, I go alone. I grab some tamales from the Garcia family’s stand and munch on them as I walk through the party until someone grabs my arm.

“Hey, Y/N,” I turn and see Martha standing next to me. “We’ve missed you at the diner recently.”

“Yeah, sorry about that,” I say, rubbing the back of my neck nervously. “I’ve just been a little busy.”

“With that Maximoff lady?” Martha raises an eyebrow.

“How Christy treated her when we came to eat at the diner wasn’t okay,” I say, shaking my head. “It made me sort of uneasy.”

“You do know why Christy was acting like that, don’t you?” Martha asks. I shake my head. “Miss Maximoff is the person sent by corporate to see the big box bookstore up and running. That’s why we were watching you at the diner and why Christy was being an ass. We’re trying to look out for you.”

“No,” I shake my head. “That’s not possible.”

“They tried to fund the block party this year.” Martha continues. “The city wouldn’t let them. So they’re paying for a bunch of things on their own. The games and stuff down by your shop? That’s all Wanda.”

“You’re wrong,” I whisper. “That can’t be right.” I look down at the ground, my head spinning. I drop my half-eaten tamale and hold my head. “You’ve got to be joking,” I say more to myself than to Martha.

“Y/N,” Martha says, holding her hand out to me. “Come on, dear, let’s have a seat-”

“No!” I say, but the word comes out as almost a growl. “I… I have to go…” I say, my voice calmer. I back away from Martha before I turn and start running toward my shop. Once there I pull out my keys, but I fumble and drop them. When I bend down to pick them up, I hear it. Wanda’s voice. I look up and notice her across the street, right in front of my competitor’s doors. She glances in my direction for a moment, but makes a double take. Her face falls as she realizes I see her. She says something to the person she’s talking with and makes a beeline toward me. I pick up my keys, my hands shaking as I unlock the door to my store. I slip inside and lock the door behind me, darting behind my counter to calm down and breathe.

“Y/N!” Wanda calls, banging on my door. “Come on, Y/N, please open up!”

It takes everything in me not to pop up and whip the door open for her. My feelings for Wanda have grown so much in the last few months that it’s hard to imagine she’s been my enemy this whole time.

Wanda stays by my door for a while, knocking and pleading for me to let her in. I shrink even smaller behind the counter and cover my ears, tears streaming down my face.

When she finally stops knocking, I wait for a while before I peak out from behind my counter. Wanda’s gone, thankfully. I sneak around to the back of my store and exit from the back into the empty lot. Then I make my way back to my house, away from the main drag of the block party.

I cry on the way home, my tears staining the pavement behind me. When I reach home I place one foot on the steps up to my porch before I look up, and my tears turn hot with anger.

“What are you doing here?” I growl at Wanda. She’s leaning against the bannister on my porch, her arms crossed and her eyes down. She looks up when I speak, her green eyes full of concern and worry. She takes a few steps toward me but I step back and hold out my hand, causing her to stop. “Don’t come near me, Wanda.”

“Y/N, I-” she starts, but I don’t let her continue.

“No, Wanda, you lied to me. Maybe not flat out, but you lied by omission when you neglected to tell me about the fact you work for the company that came in as direct competition to me and is threatening to shut me down!”

“Didn’t you say you weren’t worried?” Wanda asks. “That after a few months, they’d notice that they didn’t have the profits they wanted and they’d back out?”

“Maybe, but you were here, getting all of my insider knowledge of how I help kids to read, taking my ideas back to your company.”

“No!” She cries, shaking her head and taking another step towards me. “That’s what I wanted to tell you today, Y/N. I told Corporate that this wasn’t a viable place for our store. That the people just weren’t coming. They’ve decided to pull out.”

“What?” I say, shaking my head. “What are you talking about?"

“I started to fall for you, Y/N, really.” Wanda takes another step, and I don’t back away this time. “I didn’t want to hurt you. So I made sure that Corporate pulled out of the town.” She reaches behind herself and pulls something from behind her back. She holds out a stack of papers to me. “And I got these for you.”

“What are those?” I whisper, too scared to take them from her. Wanda moves in completely, standing just inches from me.

“Look at them.” She says quietly. I lift my hand slowly, taking the papers from her. I flip through them, my brow furrowing in confusion.

“I don’t understand,” I say.

“I bought the building,” Wanda says, looking down at the papers. “The one across from you? And I put it in your name. I was thinking you could move your store there. Maybe the first floor could be your book store, and the second could be a cute little café or something? I don’t know what you’d want to do with it, but you deserve so much, Y/N. And now the company I worked for is removing their business from the town, and you’ve got a bigger store.”

“‘Worked’?” I say quietly, looking up at her. Wanda looks up and catches my gaze, sporting a little smile.

“I quit.” She whispers. “I got them to move the franchise, I bought the building, and I quit. I want to stay here. With you.” Wanda lifts her hand and caresses my cheek. “If you’ll have me, that is.”

She bought me a building. This woman who I’ve known all of three months, who has secretly been my enemy the entire time, bought me a building, wants to leave her job in the big city, and stay with me.

I lean in and kiss Wanda. She’s clearly surprised and unsure what to do at first, but then she wraps her arms around my waist and picks me up, twirling me in excitement. She puts me down and pulls back slightly, resting her forehead against mine.

“Come on,” I say, sliding my free hand down her arm to interlock our fingers. Then I lead her up the steps of my porch and inside my house. I place the paperwork Wanda gave me on the small table next to the door and turn to look at her.

Wanda’s standing anxiously by the door as it closes softly behind her. She watches me closely as I walk back over to her and take her hand again.

“Do you want to come upstairs with me?” I ask her.

“More than anything,” she murmurs. I pull her towards me by her hand, placing it on my waist. I slide my hand up her arm to her neck and lean in to kiss her again. Wanda’s lips feel eager, but like she’s holding back. She wraps her other arm around my waist and pulls me flush against her. I let out a little moan as Wanda swipes her tongue against my lower lip.

I rotate us so Wanda is walking backward in my house and push her up the stairs and into my bedroom. As we walk, our clothes come off in a flurry, leaving a trail of shirts, pants, and underwear behind us. At the top of the stairs we’re both naked, and Wanda slides her hands down to my ass and lifts me off my feet. I wrap my legs around her waist as she carries me, somehow knowing exactly where my bedroom is. She opens the door gently and doesn’t bother to close it as she walks in.

My hands have found Wanda’s breasts, and I take the time to squeeze them and rub her nipples as she carries me to my bedroom. I feel her nipples get hard in my palms and I start to rub my fingers around them, getting wet as I feel her poking into my palms.

Wanda falls to her knees on my bed, laying me gently onto my covers as she hovers above me. Her lips connect to my neck as her hand caresses my skin, drifting down my body, her touch light and feathery. I can barely feel her as she passes over my breast and hardened nipple, my rapidly rising and falling stomach, and toward my somehow frozen hip. Her fingers graze my pussy lips before sliding through my slick folds, eliciting a loud moan from my lips.

“God, that sound is heaven,” Wanda sighs against my throat, her finger placing a little pressure against my clit. I let out a gasp and buck my hips into Wanda’s fingers. She makes a ‘tsk’ noise against my neck, nipping at my skin.

“Wanda,” I mutter, my hands gliding across her back as I beg for more.

“As soon as I met you I wanted more,” Wanda mutters, kissing my neck right under my jaw. “But I knew you wouldn’t want me if you knew who I was.” Her fingers find my hole and she teases me there, poking me just enough for the tip of her finger to enter me before she pulls back out. “But I’m not that person anymore. Not since I met you.”

“You’re going to stay with me,” I ask, my voice breathy and clear, but it doesn’t come out as a question. In response, Wanda inserts a finger inside of me. I curl my fingers on her back, scraping against her skin, and moan into her ear. Wanda pumps her finger inside me, gripping hard to my skin with her teeth.

Wanda straddles my leg, lowering her pussy onto my thigh. I feel how wet she is, dripping onto me like she’s been holding it in for months. Hell, she probably had been holding it in for months. She starts to grind on my thigh at the same speed that she’s pumping her fingers, and I start to lose my mind at the feeling of her slick on me.

“Fuck, Wanda, you’re getting all over me,” I moan, tilting my head to nuzzle into her neck. “You’re going to need to stay for a shower after we’re done.”

“Don’t have to tell me twice,” Wanda chuckles, pressing her pussy harder onto my thigh as the force of her thrusts increase. “Are you ready for another?”

I know exactly what she’s talking about. In response I buck my hips, indicating I need more of her inside of me. Wanda places more pressure into her kisses as she kisses up my jaw to my lips. Her lips crash into mine in a flurry of tongues and desperation as she thrusts back inside me with two fingers instead of one, and I grip tightly onto her back as I cry out in her ear.

On a whim, I start to move my leg, matching the rhythm of Wanda’s own movements above me. She moans into my lips at my added friction and, without warning, adds a third finger inside of me. I break our kiss as she stretches me and tilt my head back, letting out an animalistic, guttural moan. I can feel Wanda laughing above me, clearly enjoying herself.

“Wanda,” I groan, barely able to get her name past my lips. “I… I’m close…!”

“That’s right, baby,” Wanda mutters as she kisses my chin. “Right on my fingers for me, babygirl.”

Wanda pumps her fingers in and out of me, adjusting herself on my leg so her pussy lips spread even further, her clit rubbing hard against my thigh. One of my hands digs into the skin on Wanda’s side while my other hand tangles in her hair, gripping tight and pulling. Wanda lets out a laugh as I tug, curling her fingers inside of me to reach a place I’ve never been touched before.

I come apart completely for her, my voice carrying all throughout the house as I release onto her fingers. Wanda moans into my neck as my walls clench around her fingers, struggling to close as much as they want to with three of her fingers inside me.

Wanda slowly, so slowly, pulls her fingers out of me and I watch her raise them to her lips, sucking my juices from two of her fingers as she stares at me. The third finger, her index finger, pushes past my lips and makes me suck on. I don’t fight her, and lick my slick clean off her finger.

She watches me carefully as I work my tongue around her digit, moving up my body until she’s pushing my legs apart further. She uses her free hand to position my legs so one of hers is overlapping mine and my other one is overlapping hers. She hooks her finger in my mouth, catching the inside of my cheek like a fish hook and pulls me flush against her.

I wrap my arms around Wanda’s neck as she removes her finger from my mouth and wraps her arms around my waist, and we moan into each other as Wanda lifts me slightly to get a better angle and our clits connect.

I can feel how swollen her clit is on mine, but I can’t notice anything else before a feeling of pleasure shoots though my body, making me shiver. Wanda leans in just enough to connect our lips, her tongue pushing into my mouth. I let her in easily, my tongue becoming a submissive participant as our hips grind against each other.

My slick doesn’t take anything away from the friction of us against each other as Wanda easily slides her clit up and down my folds. The urgency in her movements tells me that she’s close to what she’s chasing, and it just makes me want her more.

“You’re so beautiful,” I moan against her lips, clinging desperately to the back of her neck. “You feel so good against me, Wanda.”

“God, Y/N, you can’t imagine what my dreams have been like thinking of you like this,” Wanda breathes. “I wake up in the morning, soaked and frustrated, wishing you were next to me.” Wanda thrusts her hips into me with a tiny gasp. “Your hair messy and your thighs still sticky from the night before,” she thrusts again, and her noise comes out a little more desperate. “Just waiting for me to ravage you like you deserve!”

We cry out together as I’m awarded my second orgasm alongside Wanda’s first, our clits pulsing against each other as Wanda swallows my release with another kiss. I accept her kiss desperately and hold her as close to me as I can, wanting to feel every inch of her.

We sit there, sweaty and breathless, long after our orgasms have ceased. I peel my arms from her shoulders so I can hold her head in my hands and place tiny kisses on her cheeks, nose, and lips.

“How about that shower?” Wanda smiles as she speaks, giggling at my kisses.

“Only if you’re ready for round two.” I respond, leaning down to nibble on her earlobe playfully. “I’m personally interested to see if your tongue is as good as your fingers.”

“Say no more,” Wanda laughs as she lifts me up. I join in her laughter as she carries me to my bathroom for the longest shower of my life.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

TEN YEARS LATER

“Hey, Mrs. Maximoff!”

I look up from the spreadsheet on the counter to see two kids running past me towards the back of the store where the young adult section is. I glance over at the door to see their parents walking in, a familiar kid walking with his arm around a woman about his age.

“Still old school, are we?” The chuckles affectionately.

“Brian Nasher,” I smile. “It’s been a while. Usually I just see your wife with the kids. What brings you in today?”

“Got a new job,” he shrugs, taking his arm from around his wife’s shoulders. She follows the kids as he comes to stand by the counter. “One where I get to stay home, see my kids grow up. My wife told me a few months ago about how you still do free ice cream with the purchase of a book for kids on Saturday, and I couldn’t stop thinking about it. How I missed this town, the closeness, how everyone looks out for each other. But no one looked out for us like you, Ms. Maximoff.”

“Please, Brian, you’re an adult now. Call me Y/N,” I smile at him.

“I’m a creature of habit, Mrs. Maximoff.” Brian shrugs. “It was hard enough when you got married, I’d been so used to calling you Miss Y/L/N.”

“Getting married was the best thing that ever happened to me,” I laugh. The bell on the door goes off and I look over. “Speak of the devil,” I murmur, a large smile forming on my face.

“Mama!” My daughter, Chloe, screams for me as she comes running. I round the corner of my counter and crouch, my arms open. Chloe comes flying into my arms, wrapping her tiny arms around my neck. I groan as I stand up, taking her in my arms.

“Hello, sweetie,” I say, kissing her cheek. “Where’s Mommy? Is she with you?”

“See you in a bit, Mrs. Maximoff,” Brian’s eyes glint as he moves from the counter toward his family. I give him a little wave as Chloe points to the door. I follow where she’s pointing and a moment later, Wanda walks through the door. She strides over to me confidently, wrapping her arms around both Chloe and myself.

“Good afternoon, baby,” Wanda leans in and kisses me. “It’s been so long.”

“You went to pick up Chloe from school forty-five minutes ago,” I laugh into her lips.

“That’s too long without you.” Wanda kisses my cheek as she rubs Chloe’s back. “Hey, sweetie,” she says quietly to our daughter. “Why don’t you go see Emma upstairs, ask her for a cookie for your after school snack, okay? Mommy will be up in a few minutes.” Chloe kicks her feet, her sign that she wants to get down. I crouch again and set her on the floor, then watch as she races up the stairs to the café, her Bluey backpack bouncing against her back.

As I watch our daughter struggle to climb the stairs to the second floor, Wanda presses her body against my back, wraps her arm around my waist, and kisses my neck.

“Quitting that job was the best thing I ever did,” she sighs. I lean back, tilting my head to rest against hers.

“Hey, Wands. You’re doing so well here, I’m very happy for you.”

“Thanks,” she says, smiling down at the ground. “Are you wanting to help with my training today?”

“Actually, I’m looking for Strange.” I lift my head and look at Stephen. “I need to speak with you for a moment.”

“Something serious?” He asks, raising an eyebrow.

“Not necessarily, I just need a little help.”

“Alright,” he nods, turning to Wanda. “Try again, Wanda. Try pulling your energy from a different place, from a different emotion. I’ll be right back, okay?”

“Okay,” Wanda nods, looking back at me. “You’re coming back, right? Whatever it is you’re going to do?”

“Of course my love,” I whisper, pressing my forehead against hers. “I’m just helping Bruce out with some things.”

“Alright,” she sighs. “I’d really like you home for dinner tonight, though. I wanna make you something. You know, as a thank you for being so incredible."

“You don’t have to thank me, Wands.” I chuckle. “You’re carrying my baby. I’m going to marry you one of these days. Anything I do for you is literally the least I can do. I don’t need special treatment or thanks for doing anything.”

“I want to do it anyway.” Wanda shrugs. “Just to show you how much I love you.”

“Thank you, baby.” I lean down and kiss her forehead. “Now get to practicing. I promise I’ll be back for dinner.” She nods and lets me go, taking a few steps back. Then I follow Strange out of the training area. “I need a portal to Bruce’s lab.” I say once we’re out of earshot of the training room. “And I also need you to look after Wanda again, in case something happens.”

“What would happen?” Strange asks.

“I’m not sure,” I admit. “But I need to travel the multiverse again, and I’m not sure how well the bracelet thing is going to hold up.”

“You think you might not make it back?” Strange lowers his voice.

“I don’t know,” I admit. “The bracelet broke after I used it to get Wanda back. We may have fixed it, but there’s always a chance it’ll break again.”

“And you’ll be stuck in another world.” Strange nods. “Which will eventually destroy that world and ours. Listen, take the interdimensional phone with you. You call me if anything like that happens. I’ll send America to come get you.”

“Of course I will, Stephen.” I nod. “I’ve got the phone. I’ll call you if things go south.”

“Good.” He nods before turning to the side, waving his arm around to create a portal into Bruce’s office. I clap Stephen on the shoulder before I step through.

Burce stares at me as I enter, not even phased. He raises an eyebrow and jerks his head toward his computer.

“I’ve got no suspicious readings of Chaos magic since you left here.” He says. “Did you fix it?”

“Yeah,” I sigh. “And I need to talk to someone about it. How confident are we that this bracelet will get me to another timeline and back?”

“Confident?” Bruce inhales through his teeth. “No. Pretty sure? Eh. I’m about fifty-fifty.”

“Okay,” I sigh. “Maybe call Strange and see if he’s willing to do some enchanting on this equipment of yours. Get in touch with Strange 1176, he seems to be very versed in the workings of the multiverse. I’m going to need to traverse through the multiverse on a more frequent basis now, and I would really like a reliable mode of transportation.”

“Look at you, coming into my lab and telling me what to do.” Bruce chuckles. “Alright. I’ll see what he can do.” He looks down at my wrist, where the bracelet currently sits. “Are you using it now?”

“Yeah, I have to.” I sigh. “If it breaks again and I get stuck, I’ve got an interdimensional phone to call Strange with. He’ll send America to come get me. But I don’t want to be relying on her every time I have to do this. Like I said, it’s going to be often, so you really need to connect with the other Strange and figure out a better alternative.”

“Yeah, yeah, I said I’ll work on it,” Bruce waves me off. “Go do what you need to do. I’ll call Strange here in a bit.”

“Thanks, Bruce.” I offer my fist for him to bump and, after a second of looking at me funny, he smiles and returns my bump. As head towards the door to Bruce’s lab, I turn back. “And Bruce?” He looks up at me. “If Wanda ever asks… I’m helping you out with something here in the lab.”

“But you’re not…?” He tilts his head.

“I know. But…” I sigh, rubbing the back of my neck. “What I’m really doing is probably best kept from her. At least for now. While she’s pregnant and fragile.”

“Alright.” He nods. “If it’s better for her, then I can keep it a secret.”

“Thanks,” I nod, and he offers me a smile. I leave Bruce’s lab and scamper down to the back lawn of the compound.

“Hey!” I turn and see Cassie walking down the grass. “What’re you doing here?”

“I needed to talk to Bruce.” I shrug. “I’m going to be doing quite a bit of multiverse travel, and I need a more reliable conduit than this bracelet.” I hold up my arm. “But don’t say that to Wanda.” I say, pointing at her. “She’s got a lot to worry about right now, and I really don’t need her worrying about me getting stuck in another universe right now.”

“Don’t worry.” Cassie nods, a worried look on her face. “I won’t tell her. But what are you doing in the multiverse, Y/N? It’s dangerous, and if you get stuck? What then?”

“Well, for right now, I’ve got this special phone that Strange enchanted for me. If the bracelet breaks, I’m going to call him and he’s going to send America to come get me. But I’ve asked Bruce to have Strange enchant a computer or something for him. One of the other Stranges has done a lot of work with the multiverse, he might be able to help come up with something more reliable.”

“I’ll see if I can help him,” Cassie says. “I’m a little smarter than you and might be able to help.” She smiles. I return the smile and shake my head.

“Whatever, loser.” I chuckle. “Anyway, I’ve gotta get going. If I leave before noon I should be able to make it back before tonight.” I smile at the ground, my cheeks growing red. “Wanda wants to make me dinner.”

“That’s sweet.” I glance up at Cassie, expecting to see her smiling. Instead, she’s fake vomiting.

“Cassie!” I laugh, reaching over to playfully hit her arm. “Come on, we love each other. That’s something that people in love do!”

“Gross,” she laughs, but her smile is genuine. “Maybe one day I’ll change my mind but for now, gross.”

“Then don’t yuck my yum, Cass. I’m going to be a mom soon, and I can’t have my kid’s Auntie Cassie thinking their parent’s love is gross.”

“I promise I won’t tell your kid that their parent’s love is gross.” She rolls her eyes. “Not until they’re old enough to start pranking you, anyway.”

“If you get my kid to start pranking me, I’ll have your ass.” I glare at her. “Whatever. I’ve got a few months before I really need to start worrying about that. I’ve gotta get going. If I don’t come back… check on Wanda for me? Keep her company during dinner? Try to put in a good word for me if I miss it?”

“Of course.” Cassie nods. “But you won’t. Miss dinner, I mean. I know you’ll do whatever it takes to get back to her. I mean, you did whatever you could to get her back.”

“Yeah,” I sigh. “And I’ll do anything I can to keep her.” Cassie tilts her head in question, but I don’t elaborate. I bring my hands together to set the bracelet to the dimension I wish to go to. I give Cassie one last smile before I hit the button.

I’m standing on a quiet suburban street, the breeze flowing easily through my hair. Something on my wrist hisses, and I look down at the bracelet. A small trail of smoke is coming from the bracelet. I open the pocket that holds the energized vibranium that Bruce has used to power it, and a small puff of smoke bursts from the pocket. The vibranium card is black and charred, completely depleted of energy.

“Fuck,” I mumble. I pull out the phone that Stephen gave me. I dial his name and our dimension and put the phone up to the ear. It rings a few times, but he doesn’t answer. Unlike when I tried to call myself, I’m able to leave a message. “Hey, Strange. Looks like I’m going to need some help getting out of here. Please grab America from Kamar-Taj so she’s ready to grab me when I call you later. Thanks.” I bring the phone down from my ear, hang it up, and shove it back in my pocket.

I look at the house in front of me. The place is immaculate, the lawn beautiful and the porch furniture stunning. Wanda 1856 really knows how to decorate.

I walk slowly up to the front of the house. I’m not sure how happy the couple of 1856 will be to see me, and I’m not sure how disappointed they’ll be in the situation I’ve found myself in.

I climb the porch and raise my hand to knock. Before I can, the door swings open.

“Other Mommy is here!” Ariel calls as I look down at her in the doorway. Her smile spreads wide across her face. “Hey, Other Mommy! How are you doing?”

“I’m doing well, Ariel, how are you?” I ask, kneeling so I’m down on her level.

“I’m okay. Mama doesn’t want to play catch with me anymore, and Mommy doesn’t have a ton of time to play with me, but Mama and I find other fun things to do.”

“That’s good.” I smile at her. Right then, Wanda 1856 comes to the door.

“Y/N!” She says as I stand up. “What a surprise to see you here, what can I do for you?”

“I, uh,” I tap my fingers against the notebook that the Scarlet Witch gave me. “I just need someone to talk to.”

“And you can’t find that in your universe?” She chuckles. When I don’t crack a smile, Wanda’s face turns concerned. “Ariel, baby, can you stay here with Other Mommy for a minute? I’m going to go ask Caroline if she can watch you for a little while.”

“Sure!” Ariel shrugs. “Will you play catch with me?” She asks me as Wanda leans down and kisses Ariel’s head. Then she walks off the porch and away from the house.

“Absolutely I will.” I nod. “Where’s your ball?”

“Over here!” Ariel runs off the porch and goes to a box next to the porch, digging in it for a softball. She pulls it out and tosses it to me.

“How well can you catch?” I ask as she takes a few steps back.

“Mama says I catch like a pro!” Ariel laughs. I toss the ball to her softly and she does, in fact, catch it like a pro. She’s got to put her foot back to steady herself, but she catches it and almost instantly tosses it back.

“You do catch like a pro!” I laugh, catching the ball. “And you throw like one, too! Ariel, you might wanna look into playing softball when you’re older.”

“Mama played softball, so I wanna play softball.” Ariel says proudly, puffing out his chest. I smile as I toss the ball back to her.

“You love your Mama, huh?” I ask. Since she calls me Other Mommy, I think Wanda is Mama. Ariel nods, tossing the ball back to me.

“Yeah, I love Mama. And Mommy. I just wish I saw Mommy more.”

“I’m sure she wishes the same thing, Ariel.” I smile at her as she tosses the ball back to me. I don’t throw it back right away. Ariel is looking at the ground, not at me.

“Maybe,” she says, her tone sad.

“No, not maybe,” I shake my head. “Why would you say maybe?” Ariel shrugs, kicking her foot in the grass. I walk over to her and kneel in front of her. “Ariel, why do you say that your Mommy might wish the same thing?”

“She’s never here,” Ariel shrugs again. “If she wanted to spend more time with me, wouldn’t she? Does she not love me and Mama anymore?”

“Oh, sweetheart,” I say, sitting on the ground in front of her. My heart hurts for her, at the thought that she doesn’t think her mother loves her. “I promise you that isn’t the case.”

“How do you know?” Ariel sniffs back snot. She looks up at me, tears in her eyes. I place my hands on her shoulders and slide them down her arms.

“Ariel, sweetheart, why do you call me Other Mommy?” I ask her.

“Because you look like my Mommy but you aren’t her.” She says.

“Right. I’m your Mommy, just from a different world.” Ariel nods like that’s the most sane thing she’s ever heard. “Basically, I know exactly how your Mommy thinks and feels. So I can tell you with absolute certainty that your Mommy not only loves your Mama, but she loves you, too. More than anything in the entire world.”

“But you’re not my Mommy,” she says. “How could you know what she’s thinking?”

“Because in my world, I’m in love with my world’s version of your Mama.” I tell her. “And she’s pregnant with our you.” I poke her in the tummy, which makes her giggle. I smile at the sound. “And I know that there is nothing in the world that I love more than the two of you. Nothing I wouldn’t do to keep you safe and happy. So I know for a fact that your Mommy loves you just as much.”

“Okay,” Ariel says, wiping the snot from her nose with her sleeve. “I believe you.”

“Good.” I smile. “Can you do me a favor?”

“Mhm!” She nods enthusiastically.

“Next time you see your Mommy, give her a biiiiiig hug, and a kiss right on the cheek.” I bring my hand up and swipe her cheek with my finger. “And tell her how much you love her. I know it’ll mean a lot to her. Can you do that for me?”

“Okay,” Ariel nods.

“Ariel, baby,” I turn and see Wanda standing a few feet away. “Come on, sweetheart, Caroline’s going to watch you for a bit.”

“Okay!” Ariel skips past me toward Wanda. When she’s right in front of her Mama, she stops. Ariel turns around, looks at me, then runs back to me. “Hey, Other Mommy?” She asks.

“Yes, Ariel?” I respond.

“Would it be okay if I gave you a hug?”

“Sure, sweetie,” I smile at her, tears in my eyes. She leans in and hugs me, her arms squeezing me tightly. She turns her head and gives me a kiss on the cheek.

“That’s from your me to you.” She smiles as she lets go. “She wants me to tell you that she loves you. And that she understands why you’re doing what you’re doing. It doesn’t stop her from loving you, and it won’t stop Mama from loving you, either.” She turns and skips away toward Wanda, leaving me with my mouth hanging open in shock. Wanda gives me a curious look as Ariel skips past her.

“I’ll be right back,” she tells me as she follows Ariel. I just sit on her front lawn, watching as Ariel skips down the road. A minute later, Wanda returns. “Would you like to join me on the porch?”

“Would you like to explain to me how your daughter is clairvoyant?” I ask, standing up.

“Her powers are manifesting.” Wanda shrugs. She leads me up to the porch and takes a seat on one of the chairs. I sit in another one. “From what I’ve heard, all of our kids have different types of powers, depending on the universe they belong to. But no matter what, their powers are always strong. Ariel can speak to souls.”

“Speaking to the dead is pretty cool,” I nod.

“No,” Wanda shakes her head. “Not the dead. Souls. Alive, dead, not yet born. She can speak to them as clearly as you and I can speak to each other.”

“Shit,” I mutter. “Yeah, that’s crazy.”

“Totally.” Wanda chuckles. “So, what’s so secretive that you can’t confide in your own Wanda and you have to seek me out?”

“Actually, I wasn’t sure if I should talk to you or to 1856 me,” I chuckle nervously. “But Ariel said that my kid knows what I’m doing. That she, Ariel called my kid a ‘she’, still loves me, and that Mama will, too.” I point at Wanda. “I’ve pieced together that you are Mama. So I think you’re safe to talk about this with.”

“And ‘this’ would be…?” Wanda leans forward, urging me to continue. I look at her, my heart rate increasing with the intense feeling of anxiety that’s crept inside my body. Then I take a deep breath.

“I told you that you would no longer have to worry about the excess Chaos magic,” I start. Wanda nods.

“Yeah. It hasn’t been long enough to see if you’re right, but that’s what you said.”

“Well I had a theory.” I continue, placing the notebook on my lap so I can pick at my cuticles. “That maybe there was a lot of concentrated Chaos magic where I found my Wanda, the Scarlet Witch. I thought if I went back there, that I’d be able to find something.”

“And did you?” Wanda raises an eyebrow. I nod.

“There was a ton of excess Chaos magic left behind, like Wanda wanted to leave behind the part of her that becomes the Scarlet Witch. A version of her, the Scarlet Witch, is trapped in this little pocket dimension that she created for herself, back when she never wanted to come back to me. The part of her that was left behind is almost solid, almost real, but is still mostly just Chaos magic. But she resents being left behind.”

“And she was finding tears in the multiverse to send Chaos magic through because she was angry,” Wanda says, starting to get it.

“Right.” I nod. “Throughout our whole conversation, I couldn’t tell if she was more resentful of me, or of Wanda. But in the end, she wanted to make a deal.”

“What kind of deal?” Wanda tilts her head.

“One that puts me in a very difficult position.” I sigh. “She wants me to visit her. Every month. And each visit, she wants to fuck.”

“Oh,” Wanda looks at me in surprise.

“Yeah. And in return, she won’t release any excess energy. She’ll use it all to expand her little pocket of the multiverse. Make it nice for when I… visit.”

“Oh,” she repeats.

“And I’m really struggling. On the one hand, screwing the just-shy-of-corporeal Scarlet Witch makes me feel like I’m cheating on Wanda.”

“Sure, I could see that.” Wanda nods.

“But on the other hand, I don’t think I could forgive myself if I said no, and she continues to send her magic through the tears in the multiverse, and then you, or Ariel, or anyone else in the multiverse gets hurt.”

“Right.” Wanda nods. “I can see the dilemma.” Wanda takes a deep breath in and sits on it for a minute. “Well, I can say that I wouldn’t be thrilled if my wife came and told me that once a month she’d have to fuck some weird, other version of me. But at the same time, we’re clearly not in your situation. I didn’t become the Scarlet Witch, your Wanda did. And I know she’s very fragile right now. So maybe not the best idea to tell her.”

“Yeah, not shit,” I chuckle, trying to release the nerves in my system. “Listen, Wanda, I know that you’ve got a horse in this race. But I need you to try and be unbiased for a second.” I shift in my chair and lean forward, clasping my hands together as I look at her. “What do I do? I wouldn’t have any problem at all sleeping with the Scarlet Witch if I didn’t feel like I was cheating on Wanda while doing it. And keeping the secret inside… I’m afraid it’s going to end up killing me.”

Wanda leans back in her chair and brings her hands up to her lips, thinking.

“Would you be willing,” she speaks slowly, thinking through her words. “To try an experiment with me?”

“Depends on what it is.” I respond.

“Here’s the deal,” Wanda clears her throat, leaning forward in her chair to meet me. “I do have a horse in this race. A very big horse. Secretariat sized. I love my wife, I love my daughter, and I don’t want to lose them.”

“I know, I know,” I say, shaking my head, but Wanda grabs my hands and shushes me.

“Y/N, listen to me,” she says. “Selfishly, I want you to sleep with the Scarlet Witch.” I nod. I don’t blame her. “And if you’re worried about telling your Wanda, maybe instead of doing that, you come here to visit me.”

“What?” I ask. “What do you mean?”

“I mean, on the days after you visit the Scarlet Witch, you can come here. I’ll have Caroline watch Ariel, and you and I can spend some time together. You can pretend that I’m your Wanda, and you can tell me about your visit.”

“Do you really think that’ll help?” I ask.

“Look at me,” she laughs, leaning back in her chair and holding her arms out. “I’m an exact replica of your Wanda. Why wouldn’t it work?”

“Maybe because you aren’t five months pregnant,” I smile.

“Oh, shit, you’re right,” Wanda laughs again. “I’m an exact copy except for that.”

“Alright, if you think it’ll work, it can’t hurt to try.”

“That’s the spirit.” She smiles, patting my hands.

“Are you going to tell 1856 me?” I ask.

“Oh, for sure.” Wanda nods. “I have to. I mean, it would be weird if I saw you without telling her, but once she knows, she’ll understand and be on board.” I nod. I watch Wanda’s eyes glaze over the notebook. “What’s that?” She asks.

“It’s our way of communicating.” I say, holding out the notebook for her. “I wanted to have a way of communicating to make it easier to make plans or change them if necessary.” Wanda takes it and flips it open. “You might not be able to read it, though. I asked her to keep the contents hidden from Wanda in case she found it. The spell might work on you, too.”

“Yeah, I can’t see anything.” Wanda shakes her head. “I believe you, though. Probably smart to be able to communicate.”

“We could have made plans for the next month, but I didn’t want to risk Sam needing me on a mission or something and missing our weekly appointment. I wanted to be able to reschedule without putting you guys in danger.”

“That’s sweet of you.” Wanda leans forward and hands the notebook back to me. “Do you have a date set for your next meeting?”

“No,” I shake my head. “She’s written in a few notes to me, but I haven’t responded.”

“What has she said?”

“Last night she said that she can’t wait for our next meeting. Then this morning she asked how I slept. Said she slept brilliantly, and that she can’t wait to see me again.”

“Maybe you should write her back. Tell her you can’t wait either or something. Just so she knows that you aren’t trying to blow her off.”

“Smart,” I nod. “Do you have a pen?”

“Yeah, give me a sec,” Wanda gets up and goes inside. She comes back a moment later, handing me a pen as she sits down.

“Thanks,” I say, opening the notebook to the second page, where the Scarlet Witch’s messages stare at me like my guilty conscience come to life. I place the pen on the paper and pause. “What do I say?”

“Maybe it would be easier if you imagined the notebook as something you were using to win Wanda over. Like when she first came to the tower. Like, if you were to pass notes to her to learn about her, help her gain your trust.”

“That… is a really good idea, Wanda, thanks.” I smile as I readjust, getting comfortable again before I put my pen on the page again.

Ana, I start, tapping my pen on the page, reading the words out to Wanda as I write. I slept alright. Glad to hear that you did as well. I would ask you when you'd like to schedule our next meeting, but I know that you’d like to do that as soon as possible.

I close the notebook and set the pen down on top of it.

“How long for a reply?” Wanda asks.

“She gets my message instantly, but the response will depend on if she sees it right away.” As if I summoned her, the notebook glows. I look down at it, watching it dim as she finishes writing.

“What?” Wanda asks.

“She responded.”

“And she said?” I look up to see Wanda looking at me expectantly. “What? I’m curious.” Then she brightens up. “Hey! What if that’s part of our experiment? When you come to visit me, you read the messages between you two. I’m interested, and then it can feel even more like you’re being completely truthful with your Wanda.”

“Alright. We can do that.” I nod, looking at Wanda. She looks back at me. I squint my eyes and tilt my head. “What?”

“Read it!” She smiles, gesturing to the notebook.

“Oh, right. Sorry.” I open the notebook and clear my throat, reading the words out to her.

Of course I want to see you sooner rather than later, babygirl. You know that. Are you sure you don’t want to see me more than once a month?

“Yikes,” Wanda inhales through her teeth.

“I’m such a whore that I’d say yes in a heartbeat if Wanda and I weren’t together,” I sigh, rubbing my forehead. I look up at Wanda. “Does that make me a bad person?”

“No, Y/N, absolutely not,” Wanda shakes her head, reaching out for my hand. I let her take it. “You said you guys are going to see each other once a month. Why don’t you see her in the first week of next month. That gives you a little time to adjust to the idea, and it keeps her happy by seeing her in the first week instead of waiting until the end of the month?”

“I can see how there’s logic in that,” I sigh. “I just hate that I have to do this.” I bow my head, hanging my head in my hands.

“I know, Y/N,” Wanda places her hand on my knee comfortingly. “It’s a really shitty situation. But just think of all the people you’re saving by doing this.”

“I know, I know!” I groan, letting my hands drop onto the notebook. “I just feel so… skeevy.”

“I know you do,” Wanda nods, her hand squeezing my knee. “And I don’t really know what to say to make you feel better. You’ve got to come to peace with this on your own. But know that I am here for you. And once my Y/N knows as well, she’ll be there, too.”

“Okay,” I nod. I look back down at the notebook and run a hand through my hair. Then I pick up the pen, reading aloud as I write.

How about the third of next month? Do you think you can do a little renovation of your pocket dimension by then?

It takes almost no time for the Scarlet Witch to write back, and I read out her response for Wanda as I read it.

Of course, darling. I’ll build something just for us. I know you’ll love it.

And then my response.

Can’t wait for the tour.

I close the notebook and squeeze it shut, placing the pen on the table between Wanda and me.

“Think you can see me on the fourth, doctor?” I ask, the corners of my lips tugging at a smile.

“I can make time.” Wanda chuckles.

“Alright then,” I sigh, standing up. “Thank you for listening to me, Wanda. And talking to me. I really don’t think I’d be able to talk to my Wanda about this.”

“I understand, Y/N, don’t worry.” Wanda nods, standing up. She holds out her arms. “At least let me give you a hug. It feels like you might need one.” I smile and nod, walk into her arms and practically melt into them. “There we go,” she says quietly, rubbing my back gently. “Listen, you get back to your Wanda. You grab her, squeeze her, and don’t let go for at least a few hours. Okay?”

“Great idea.” I sigh. “That is truly a great idea.”

“I know,” Wanda smirks as she pulls away from me. “Now how are you getting out of here?”

“One sec.” I pull out my phone and dial my Strange. He picks up on the second ring.

“You ready to come home?” He asks.

“Yeah. Did you get America?”

“Indeed I did. She’s ready to come get you. What universe are you in?”

“1856. Hold on,” I turn to Wanda. “What exactly is your address here?”

“8930 Birch Creek Drive.” She responds.

“Did you get that, Strange?” I ask into the phone.

“Yeah, I got it. I’ll send America now.”

“Thanks, Strange. See you in a bit.” I hang up the phone and turn to Wanda. “Would you say goodbye to Ariel for me?”

“Of course.” Wanda nods. “You might have to spend some time with Ariel when you come visit me. I think you’re growing on her.”

“We might have to give me a name that isn’t ’Other Mommy’,” I joke. “I don’t want to give her any ideas.”

“We’ll just have you call her Auntie.” Wanda says. “That way if anyone sees you here, we can just tell them that you’re my Y/N’s twin sister.”

“Every time I talk to one of you Wandas you remind me why I fell in love with mine.” I smirk, shaking my head. “You’re a fucking genius.”

“Thank you,” Wanda chuckles. At that moment, a star-shaped portal appears on the street. America walks out of it and looks around. I wave at her, and she very enthusiastically waves back at me. “Who’s that?” Wanda asks. “I don’t recognize her.”

“You wouldn’t,” I say, taking a few steps off the porch. “There’s only one of her in the multiverse.”

“And you’ve got her?” Wanda chuckles. “Jesus, you guys really are the chosen timeline.”

“Oh, she’s not ours.” I shake my head. “Not originally, anyway. But she is now.” I finish walking off the porch and wave to her. “I’ll explain to you next month!”

“Be safe!” Wanda calls after me. I turn all the way to America and wrap my arm around her shoulders.

“Hey, kid, thanks for coming to get me.” I squeeze her tight, and she wraps her arms around my waist.

“Not a problem, Y/N. Anything to get me out of the temple for a while. What are you doing here, anyway?”

“I’ll tell you some of it, but you have to promise me something.” I say.

“Anything!” She exclaims, her eyes shining.

“Don’t tell Wanda.” I say as we step through the portal.

I’m back in my own dimension long before dinner. Wanda is excited to see me back, and she allows me to help her cook so we can spend a little time together. We make dinner, eat together with just candles for lighting, then watch a movie in bed. As the credits are rolling, Wanda lays on my chest, her hand resting on mine as I rub her swollen belly.

“She’s going to be an amazing kid, you know.” I whisper.

“‘She’?” Wanda chuckles, looking up at me. “Do you have something you want to tell me, Y/N?”

“No,” I shrug casually. “I just have a feeling. That’s all.”

“Well, I hope your feeling is right.” She sighs, settling deeper into me. “I’d love to raise a little girl with you.” She pauses, growing quiet for a minute. Then, “If it is a girl, what do you think of the name Ana?”

“No!” I say quickly, making Wanda jump. “I’m sorry, sweetheart, I didn’t mean to scare you.”

“It’s okay,” she says, looking up at me with worry. “Why don’t you like Ana?”

“I just don’t think it’s a good idea for us to be naming our baby the same name as an ex-girlfriend,” I say, giving her an uncomfortable smile. Hopefully she bought that.

“I definitely do not want to name our baby after an ex-girlfriend.” Wanda laughs. I let out my breath. Thank God. “Okay. How about you? Do you have any suggestions?”

“Let me think about it.” I say, kissing her head. “I want to give good suggestions. I’ll put some good thought into it.”

“Request granted.” Wanda purrs. “I’m expecting some good suggestions out of you.”

“You’ll get them.” I say, kissing her again. “Anything you wish.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

About a month goes by. I spend a lot of time with Wanda. Strange enchanted one of Bruce’s old laptops, and he and another Strange have been working on something for me to use to more easily travel between dimensions, but I’ve been letting Cassie help Bruce with that. I spend most of my days sitting in the training area, watching Wanda get used to her powers again and writing back and forth with the Scarlet Witch in the notebook.

When the third comes around, I go out to get Thai from Wanda’s favorite place and bring it back for her for dinner. She gets excited, and we eat our meal on the roof overlooking New York City. We just sit and connect with each other, something that we haven’t really done since… before. Since we were just friends.

I sit on our bed and watch her get ready for bed. She walks around our room naked as she does her nightly routine, her eyes glancing over to me every few seconds. I smile at her every time she looks, making sure to eye the places on her body where I know she’s the most self conscious. When she’s done, she walks over to me, standing in front of me. I place my hand on her belly before leaning forward and placing kisses across the stretched skin.

“I’m thinking of sleeping naked tonight.” She says, reaching out to cup my face with a hand. “How does that sound to you?’

“Like a dream.” I say, kissing her stomach again while looking up at her. “But I’ve got to run out for a bit.”

“What do you mean?” Wanda whispers. “This late?”

“I’m sorry,” I whisper back. “I will hurry back as quickly as I can.”

“Y/N, I don’t like this,” Wanda shakes her head. I rest my head on her stomach, holding her hips firmly in my hands.

“I’m sorry,” I repeat quietly. “I really wish I didn’t have to leave. I’d much rather be spending this time with you.” I nuzzle her belly, meaning every word.

“Then don’t,” Wanda begs. “Don’t leave. Stay with me.”

“I can’t,” my chest tightens as I speak, tears forming in my eyes. “But I will come back to you as quickly as I possibly can.” I rest my chin on her stomach, looking up at you. “When have I ever lied to you, Wanda?” I ask her.

“Never,” she whispers. “But I don’t like how you said that.”

“Wanda I promise that nothing nefarious is going on.” I stand from the bed and hold her face gingerly in my hands. “Use your powers. Know that I’m not lying to you.”

It’s a risk. I’m not sure if I can hide my thoughts from Wanda. If she digs, she’ll see that I’m telling the truth; that I’m not doing anything bad. Because I truly believe that I’m doing this for the greater good. But if she digs deeper… she might see the reason behind my disappearances.

Wanda watches my face, her eyes darting between mine to try and tell if I’m lying. Then she raises her hand up and touches my temple. I take a breath in, and Wanda’s face scrunches a bit. But I bring my hand up to rest on hers, pressing her fingers to my skin. I feel Wanda working her magic, digging through my subconscious like a little detective. I try to think safe thoughts, happy thoughts, ones that won’t leave Wanda to the Scarlet Witch.

After a moment she lowers her hand, and her face grows softer. Wanda offers me a small smile and leans in, placing a kiss on my lips.

“I’m sorry for doubting you.” She whispers.

“What did you see?” I ask her.

“Bruce,” she says, and I can see in her eyes that she isn’t lying. “The two of you working in his lab. Something about the multiverse.”

“Right.” I say, nodding. “We’re trying to figure out a way to traverse it.”

“Why?” She asks.

“Honestly, because I met some pretty amazing people while I was chasing you through the universe,” I grin. “I’d like to visit them again. Pick their brains about how to make our world better.”

“That seems nice.” Wanda smiles.

“Yeah, it is.” I lean forward and kiss her on the forehead. “I promise I’ll hurry back, okay? Before you even wake up.”

“I’d appreciate that.” Wanda sighs, resting her head against me. “I hate not waking up next to you.”

“I know, my love.” I sigh, hating that I might have to do this for the rest of her life. “Come on, get into bed.” Wanda breaks free of me and climbs under the covers, pulling them up to her chin to get comfortable. I lean down and place a light kiss on her lips. “I’ll see you soon, baby.” I whisper. Wanda hums in response, already falling asleep. I grab the notebook from my bedside table and sneak out of our room.

I quietly close the door and turn around. I jump, scared, as Strange stands behind me.

“Jesus, Stephen, what the fuck,” I gasp, clutching at my chest.

“Sorry,” he mutters. “Didn’t mean to scare you.”

“Try harder next time.” I say, moving to walk past him. He stops me. “Strange, I’ve gotta get going.”

“Where is it that you’re going?” He asks.

“I really don’t want to speak about it with you,” I say, trying again to move past him. Again, he gets in my way. “Jesus, Strange, get the hell out of my way!”

“I’ll give you a room.” He says. “One where you can do… whatever it is you’re going to do. I’ll give you the only key. I just…” he sighs, running his hand through his hair. “I want you to be safe.” I stare at him for a few moments, not sure what to make of his words. I nod slowly.

“Okay.” I say. “Show me this room.”

Stephen leads me down the stairs and past the training room to an area that I don’t normally go to. He stops at a door with a fancy eye engraved on it. He produces a key from thin air and unlocks the room. Then he hands me the key.

“This is the only copy.” He says, pulling his hand away. “Please,” he whispers. “Just be careful.”

“Awe, Strange, be careful. Or you might actually start to care about me.” I tease.

“Shut up,” he mutters, but I can see the corners of his lips turn up. I flash him a smile and slide into the room, closing it behind me and locking it quickly.

The room is plain with a few boxes and books laying around. In one of the crates I find candles and some matches. I open the notebook and set up the candles how the instructions say. Then I grab a last candle and steps into the middle of the circle, making sure to leave the room key just outside the circle. I kneel on the ground, the notebook open in front of me, and I light the candle in my hands using one of the candles in the circle. I settle into my spot and clear my throat before reading the words on the page in my bad Sokovian accent.

The world starts to spin around me, getting quicker and quicker until the room is blurry. Then the spinning starts to slow down, and when I can see again, the room is completely different. Not just different from the room in the Santorum, but different from the room I’ve visited before.

It’s no longer just a one room hideaway in the multiverse. I’ve landed in what looks like a regular living room with couches, chairs, a coffee table. It’s an open area with a kitchen to my right and a hallway to my left. I hear footsteps behind me and I turn to find the Scarlet Witch walking towards me.

She’s got more of a solid body than she did last time, the sparkles that adorned the air around her last time diminished. She looks comfy in a pair of boot cut jeans and a white sweater that’s just slightly on this side too big for her so it falls off one shoulder. Her red hair falls a little too perfectly over her shoulders, as if she worked to make it look like it took no work. She smiles as she walks toward me, sweet and excited, but there’s something more underneath, something I can’t put my finger on. And, as always, her eyes are a dull red that she keeps trained on me.

“Ana,” I say, turning toward her.

“Y/N,” she purrs, stopping right in front of me. “It’s good to see you again.” She twists her body, showing me more of her outfit. “Do you like it? I wore it just for you.”

“You look nice.” I nod. I gaze around the new area. “And you’ve been busy working with your magic, I see.”

“I have.” Ana nods her head. “I haven’t been able to expand outside yet, but I’m sure you’ll forgive me, since I’ve kept my half of the bargain this month.” Ana’s eyes shimmer as she reaches out to brush her fingers against the skin of my neck. “Are you ready to keep yours?”

“Ready?” I repeat. Then I shrug. “Sure. Do you not want to show me around the house?”

“Not this time,” Ana shakes her head, stepping even closer to close the distance between us. “I’ll wait until I’ve started on the outside. Then you can see what I can really do with my magic.”

“Alright,” I say, my voice low and quiet. “Then let’s get started.”

“That anxious to get back, hmm?” Ana raises an eyebrow accusingly. “My, Wanda must have a-”

“No speaking about Wanda.” I interrupt her. “Your rule, remember? Let’s not start breaking rules already.” Ana huffs, her fingers twitching on my neck.

“Fine. Then I’m tired of waiting. I want what’s mine.” Ana closes the final amount of distance between us, bringing her lips to mine. I kiss her back because that’s what I have to do, but my brain is screaming for me to stop, to not be a horrible girlfriend to Wanda. I push the thought to the back of my head, knowing I won’t be able to get through this if it persists.

Ana grabs the front of my shirt and whirls me around, pushing me down the hallway she’d come from. She slams me against a door, sliding her hand down my body to grab the door handle. She turns it and pushes the door open.

I fall into the room, breaking apart from Ana as I stumble backwards. Ana races after me, our lips crashing together again as she pushes me onto the bed. I fall across it as Ana climbs up and straddles me. She grabs the front of my tee shirt and rips it open, revealing my sports bra. Ana places her hands on my shoulders and drags them down, just to feel my skin. Her action sends a shiver through my body, and Ana grins.

“You’ve been itching for me, too, haven’t you?” She whispers, drinking in every bit of my body with her eyes. “I doubt Wanda gives you anything like this right now.”

“Break our rules one more time, and our meeting for tonight is done.” I hiss, lifting my head slightly from the bed. Ana’s eyes glow a brighter red than usual as she grabs my throat and forces my head back onto the bed. She bends down and kisses me, her hips already grinding on my pelvis. I slip my hands under her sweater and rest on them on her waist, my thumbs putting slight pressure on her stomach.

Ana aggressively leaves a trail of kisses along my jaw and down my neck, sucking at the skin right above my bra. She grabs the hem of my bra and hikes it up, letting it rest near the base of my neck. Ana takes one of my nipples in her mouth while she grabs my other breast in her hand, showing attention to both nipples. With her fingers she pinches and twists my nipple, digging her nails into the skin around my nipple every time she lets it go for a minute. With her mouth she bites and licks at my nipple, clearly trying to stake some sort of claim on me.

“Hmm,” I moan, my hands sliding up Ana’s back as she makes her way down my body. Her sweater rides up her body with my hands, and I feel her breasts start to peek out from her sweater and connect with the skin of my stomach. She’s got no bra underneath.

Ana nips at my skin as she moves her lips downward, aggressively undoing the button on my jeans and ripping them down my legs, followed by my panties. Ana slides the palm of her hand over my pussy, chanting words in Sokovian that I don’t understand. After a few words, red Chaos magic starts to swirl around my pelvis. After a few more, something starts to form. I’ve seen this before. Ana finishes her chant and moves her hand around my new magical penis, her right hand grasping it intently.

“Memories,” Ana mutters, leaning in to kiss the tip of the member. “Back when you got Wanda pregnant…” She looks up at me, sticking her tongue out to lick up the length of the member. “Wish you could get me pregnant.”

“Oh,” I murmur as her tongue on my new appendage makes me feel things I don’t think I’ve felt before. I don’t really hear what she’s saying, too engrossed in her hand on me. Ana moves her lips around, gathering up some saliva and spits on this magical cock. She starts to slowly move her hand up and down, covering the cock in her saliva. “H-how does this feel so… different from the last time?”

“I’m not hate fucking you,” Ana purrs before she wraps her tongue around the member. She starts to pump fast with her hand, focusing mostly on the base of the cock as her tongue works closer to the tip. Ana then places her lips around my tip, sliding her mouth down around the member.

“Oh, fuck-!” I moan, my hands gripping tightly to the sheets. “A-Ana!”

Ana starts a steady rhythm, closing her eyes as she sucks my magic cock. She moans and slurps as she bobs her head, and I feel something similar to what I feel when I’m about to climax. This, however, feels more like a build-up in my pelvis than in my stomach. And when I’m ready to burst, I can’t hold it. I thrust my hips upward, the cock falling deeper down Ana’s throat as I come. She can’t, or doesn’t want to, keep it in her mouth, so it comes spilling from her mouth as my hips shake. When I’m finished she leans back, wiping myself from her mouth as I inhale deeply.

“I-I’m sorry,” I pant. “That feeling… it was so strong…”

“It’s alright, sweetheart,” Ana stands and pulls her pants down, revealing herself to me. She kicks off her pants before climbing back onto the bed, throwing a leg over my body. She lowers herself down until she’s hovering right above the cock. She doesn’t give me much of a reprieve as she lowers herself completely, sitting down on me.

“Ana,” I groan, my hands flying to her hips. “God, you feel so good!”

“I know.” She says. She starts to move, grinding her hips against me as she leans down and kisses me. My grip tightens on her hips as we kiss, her tongue swiping across my lip and pushing past my lips into my mouth.

I can feel Ana’s walls clench around this magical cock on me, practically begging for me to finish in her. My hands slide back down Ana’s body to her ass. I dig my nails into her skin before pulling my right hand back and slapping her ass. Ana moans again and she starts to bounce on my cock, biting my lower lip pretty hard before she sits up, taking the hem of her shirt in her fists and lifting it over her head. My mouth hangs open as I watch her remove her top, her hair falling gracefully around her shoulders as she pulls the top over her head. She tosses the top to the side and rests her hands on my stomach, her hands splayed wide.

“Fuck, Y/N, you’re so big inside me,” Ana gasps, her ass smacking against my pelvis every time she comes down on my cock, swallowing me inside her pussy. I slide my hands up her body, palming her breasts when my hands are high enough. Ana moans, her fingers curling on my stomach. My hands tighten around her breasts, her nubs sitting perfectly at the center of my palms, massaging her mounds.

Ana slides one of her hands down my stomach and places her finger on her clit, rubbing herself. I watch as her pussy glistens, dripping onto me and pooling at the base of my magical cock. I let a hand fall from her breast and move to swipe a finger across my pelvis, desperately wanting to taste her. Ana swipes my hand away.

“No,” she shakes her head, grabbing the hand that she just swatted away and gripping it tightly. “This time is all about me.”

“Okay,” I groan, my face falling to pout a little. Ana arches her back and lets her head roll, her hair falling off of her shoulders.

“Just a little more,” Ana moans. She allows herself to fall harder on my cock. The noises from her mouth grow more and more desperate, chasing the heat that’s pooling in her stomach. Red magic flows around her, pulsing and thickening the air between us. A line of red magic separates from the others and shoots through the air, piercing Ana through the stomach. She moans louder, and I can see her body stiffen as her climax approaches.

Another piece of Chaos magic separates from the group, whips around the room, and flies straight towards me. I watch, eyes wide, as the magic flies straight into my stomach. Once it hits, it breaks apart on my stomach, imbuing my body with an intense amount of Chaos magic. I feel strong, I feel energized, and I feel ready to burst.

I grip onto Ana’s hips, my nails digging into her skin. I look into Ana’s eyes and she grins at me as the Chaos magic in our bodies explodes, and we release at the same time. I shoot into her with such force that I push her release back inside of her, filling her so completely that her skin tingles and puffs out a little bit. The Chaos magic around us settles into our skin and soothes us as we come down, Ana flopping forward onto my body.

“I feel you pouring out of me,” Ana moans, her walls twitching around my cock. Instinctively, I wrap my arms around her and hold her close to me. Her breasts press against mine, her sweat mixing with mine on our sticky stomachs, and as Ana loses energy, the magic cock she’s created for me disappears and her hips fall a little and her pussy hits mine gently. Our orgasms mix together on the sheets as we take a minute to catch our breaths.

“Looks like I need to practice with a strap,” I say, attempting a joke. Ana lets out a little huff, too tired to really laugh.

“And I learned that fucking you dispells all the Chaos magic I’ve been storing,” she sighs. “It’ll take me all month to just gain that energy back.”

“Maybe I can come at the end of next month,” I suggest. “That gives you about two months to build up Chaos magic. One month to continue working on your space here, and another month to build up to our next meeting?”

“That… sounds acceptable.” She nods. “Maybe practice your skills with Wanda in the meantime. I need a little something more.”

“What ‘little more’ are you looking for?” I ask, absentmindedly running my fingers lightly across her back.

“I don’t know,” she sighs. “Let me think about it. I can let you know through the notebook if I think of anything.”

“Alright,” I nod. “Just give me enough time to gather what I might need, if you need me to bring anything.”

“Will you bring me some seeds?” She asks, lifting her head to look at me. “Any kind of seeds, but I want to garden.”

“Sure,” I say, tilting my head to look at her. “You like to garden?”

“Ask Wanda.” She says quietly, as if she doesn’t want to give me advice on this. “Better yet, why don’t you just get her some seeds? Like a nice little surprise.” I look at Ana for a moment, studying her face.

“Thanks, Ana,” my soft tone surprising me. “I’ll get her some seeds. And I’ll get some for you, too.” Ana’s eyes brighten. And by brighten I mean they become duller, like she becomes more human the more dull her eyes are.

“No, thank you, Y/N,” she whispers. We look at each other for a moment before I clear my throat and I gently shift out from under her.

“I need to get going.” I say, standing from the bed. I shift my bra back into place and walk over to pick up my pants and panties. “So, um, the end of next month?”

“Yeah,” Ana mumbles behind me. “See you then, I guess.”

I tug my clothes back on and pick up the notebook, opening it to the first page. I take one more look at Ana. She’s purposefully avoiding my gaze. I turn back to the notebook and say her spell backwards. The room blurs for a moment, and then I’m standing back in the room that Strange has given me. I shrug off the shirt that Ana has ripped, grab the key, and hurry out of the room and up the stairs to the room I share with Wanda.

Natasha only joined my team recently. After a run-in with an overly aggressive stalker, my team fired my last bodyguard and hired Natasha. I was instantly smitten. Not only do I find women of authority attractive, but Natasha is actually attractive. Not conventionally attractive, but, like, an actual smokeshow. She’s got long hair that was clearly dyed blonde at one point, but her red roots are growing out. Her dark green eyes stare into your soul as if she only needs to look for a few seconds to know everything she needs to about you. She walks with the confidence of a hundred men. Not to mention she could take down a hundred men by herself without breaking a sweat.

She’s the hottest woman I’ve ever known.

“N-Natasha,” I say, my nerves flushing the alcohol from my system. “H-How’d ya find me?”

“Your manager had a chip implanted in you. I only followed the information it gave me.” Natasha speaks with a straight face, making it hard to determine for anyone that hasn’t spent a good amount of time with her to tell that she’s being sarcastic. “I’m an assassin-turned-bodyguard. Did you really think I wouldn’t be able to find you?”

“I was actually hoping you’d just let me be for a few hours.” I admit.

“I did.” She tilts her head, as if I should’ve known that she’d been on me from the beginning. “I’ve been on you since you left the hotel. Now that you’ve had a few hours of fun, it’s time to get you back.”

“Awe, come on, Natasha,” I take her hands and try to pull her further onto the dance floor. She doesn’t budge. “If you’ve been watching me this whole time, it means you’ve been working. Why don’t you have a little bit of fun with me, huh?”

“I wasn’t working. And then you decided to ‘sneak out’, which put me back on the clock.”

“Then get off the clock and have a drink with me, Nat.” I put my palms together in front of me and mimic a praying stance. “Come on, please! Look, I’ll buy. Just one drink.” Natasha stares at me, and for the first time I feel like I can see what’s going on in her head. She’s thinking about whether or not to accept.

“Fine,” she says after a minute. “One drink. And then it’s time to get back.”

“Yes!” I pump my fist into the air and then grab her hand again. This time she lets me pull her to the bar. “Bartender! Another Vodka Red Bull for me, and a…” I look over at Natasha, trying to piece together what she might drink. “An Old Fashioned for my friend here.”

“Old Fashioned?” Natasha asks as the bartender walks away to grab out drinks. “What makes you think I’d like that?”

“You just seem like someone who appreciates a classy drink.” I shrug. “If you want, get something else when he comes back over. I won’t be offended.”

“No, no, an Old Fashioned is good.” Natasha shakes her head. “I’m just surprised, that's all.”

“Why?” I ask her. “You think I don’t care? That I’m too air headed to pay attention and be observant?” I look at Nat, waiting for an answer. She doesn’t give one verbally, but the look on her face says I’ve hit the nail straight on the head. I scoff and turn away from her. “Whatever. People like you always think that. It doesn’t matter.” Natasha doesn’t speak, but I can feel her gaze on me while I look down the bar for the bartender. He’s making Natasha’s drink, my Vodka Red Bull sitting next to him. I watch as he finishes the drink and brings them over.

“Thank you. Would you please bring me my bill and card, with these drinks added?” I ask him. He nods, and leaves to get what I asked. I twirl my drink in my hand, suddenly uninterested in drinking anymore. I watch Natasha out of the corner of my eye, drinking her Old Fashioned, her eyes set on me. The bartender brings back my card and receipt. I thank him, sign the receipt, place it behind the bar, and shove a couple hundred more dollars into the tip jar.

Natasha and I sit in an uncomfortable silence, a strange feat for such a loud club. Neither of us try to make conversation, and I tap my finger on the side of my glass to dispel some of the extra energy I’m feeling.

After about half an hour, I look over at Natasha to see her finishing her drink.

“You done?” I say, standing up. I take my shoes back from the bartender and turn away. “Let’s go.” I walk away from the bar, leaving an untouched Vodka Red Bull at my seat.

I step outside the club into the cool, night air. A few cars drive by, and small crowds of people walk the streets, but the city is pretty much dead. I start walking down the road back to the hotel. A few steps down, and I hear Natasha’s light footsteps behind me.

“We should get a taxi.” She states.

“I want to walk.” I reply. “It’s a beautiful night. Good for my lungs.”

Natasha doesn’t say anything. We walk in silence for a few minutes, with her always two steps behind me. Even when waiting for the crosswalk, she stays behind me. A few blocks away from the club, Natasha clears her throat.

“For someone who wanted so badly to drink with me, you didn’t touch yours.” She says.

“Wasn’t thirsty.” I shrug.

“Not likely, the way you were chugging down drinks before I made myself known.” Her voice flows from behind me like honey. But beneath that is the muddied waters of a complicated past, and even more complicated feelings. And even honey can’t cover the taste of mud. “Why the change in attitude?” She asks. “You’re usually so… bubbly.” She chews the last word, as if she doesn’t know how she feels about the descriptor.

“Maybe something changed in my night to change my demeanor." I say. “Something added, something… subtracted. Doesn’t matter.”

“I didn’t say anything about your intelligence.” Damn this spy is good. “You said something, and I stayed silent.”

“You’re not as good at keeping your face steady as you think, spy.” I spit at her over my shoulder. “I saw the look. The look that tells me yes, I’m just a fucking airhead to you. That I’m nothing but a stupid hick who had the tiniest lick of talent and the biggest amount of luck, without which I’d be working at some sketchy, back alley tanning salon with leathery skin and bee hive hair.” I stop in my tracks and whirl on her, my finger in her face. “For your information, I graduated high school at sixteen. Not because I got my GED in order to make music, but because I’m smart. My mom wouldn’t let me leave school to pursue this, so I worked my ass off.”

“I know that.” Natasha nods. Of course she does. It’s common knowledge.

“What you don’t know is that I made sure that I have an insurance policy.” I growl, taking a step towards her. “I know that anything could happen. My vocal chords could get fried, my popularity could plummet. Hell, I could get cancelled for eating a hamburger. So in all this craziness,” I wave my arms around, gesturing not to the city, but my entire life. “I went to college. I got a degree in computer science. I graduated at the top of my class and celebrated with no one. I learned three languages. Three! All so I can move to a small town in some European country if all this goes south.” I get up in Natasha’s face, my face red with frustration. “I am not an airhead. I care about people. I pay attention. I’m observant. And I’m insulted that you’ve spent all this time with me, yet still have such little regard for me. Ridiculous.”

I turn on my heels to walk away, but I trip over an uneven patch in the pavement. I fall to the ground with a serious pain in my ankle, scraping my knees up in the process.

“Oh, shit,” I inhale through my teeth. Natasha is right there, one hand on my back as I sit on the pavement, my hands flying to my ankle.

“Your ankle?” She says, reaching for it.

“No shit, Sherlock.” I snap at her, jerking away from her hand.

“I don’t think you should be putting any pressure on it. I’ll get a cab.” Natasha turns toward the road to see if she can hail one, but I growl at her and stand on my own, struggling to put weight on my foot.

“I’m fine.” I say, hobbling a few steps down the street, wincing in pain every time I bring my foot down.

“You’re clearly not fine, Y/N,” Natasha says, coming up behind me, one arm on my back and the other on my arm. “Come on, let’s get you to the curb. I’ll get a cab, even if I have to call one.”

“No!” I rip away from her and take a few more pained steps down the street. “I want to walk.” I continue to hobble down the street, Natasha’s hand falling from my back. As I reach the end of the street, I hear Natasha’s footsteps behind me, quicker than before and determined. Once she’s behind me, she takes my shoes from me, places a hand on my back, and slides an arm across my knees, scooping me into her arms. “Hey!” I yell as I kick my feet. “Put me down!”

“If you insist on walking, I insist on carrying you so that you don’t hurt your ankle anymore.” Her tone is as cold as stone, her grip tight on my body.

“Natasha, if you don’t put me down this instant, I’m going to scream ‘kidnap’.” I snap, pushing on her shoulder.

“And if you don’t stop fighting me, I’ll tell Gretchen where you’ve been all night and how you got the sprain.” Her words make me pause. Gretchen is my manager, she takes care of pretty much everything for me. And when I act out, she makes sure that there is an appropriate punishment waiting for me.

“Fine.” I huff, settling into her embrace. I wrap my arms around her neck for extra stability.

She walks a few blocks holding me, her arms never twitching from exhaustion. We don’t talk at first, just look at the city ahead of us. When she breaks the silence, it’s sudden.

“I don’t think you’re an airhead.” Her voice is quiet, softer than she’s ever spoken to anyone, let alone me. “I see the books you read, and the fact that you’d rather watch a documentary about the reproductive habits of salmon than the latest romance hit, and how you usually like to spend your days off going on walks through the cities we’re in, visiting parks and museums. To me, this club is just you blowing off some steam, which everyone needs to do. But I don’t think you’re just a dumb popstar in the slightest, Y/N. On the contrary.” She looks down at me, her eyes glistening with recognition and… something more that I can’t name. “I think you’re the smartest person I know.”

“Big praise coming from you,” I murmur, looking away from her eyes. Those gorgeous, beautiful eyes. We walk a little further in the quiet before Natasha speaks up again.

“What languages did you learn?” She asks. I’m a little taken aback by the sudden interest in my life. I clear my throat before answering.

“Uh, Spanish, Polish, and Greek. I’m working on French right now, and then the plan is Sokovian.” I hear Natasha chuckle slightly, so I look up at her. “What? Is that funny?”

“No, it’s impressive.” She says quickly. “I guess I’m just trying to figure out your reasoning behind the languages you’ve chosen.”

“Well, since I already know English, the two most popular languages are Spanish and Chinese," I explain. “Spanish was easier. Then Polish, because I wanted an option in Eastern Europe. And Greek, because the Mediterranean is beautiful. No other good reasons, really.”

“Those reasons are good enough.” Natasha says quietly. I stay quiet as I feel her arms flex underneath me, her muscles pressing into my back. I shift in her grasp, my arms tightening around her neck. “You’re safe, Y/N, it’s okay.” Natasha says, feeling my unease.

“I know.” I tell her. “You know, I think I can walk now,” I say, trying to unhook my leg from her arm.

“I don’t think so.” Natasha lets out a loud laugh. “Stay put. We’re almost back.”

She’s right. Natasha only carries me another block before we’re at our hotel. She enters the building and goes straight to the elevator. Natasha doesn’t even put me down in the elevator, just grips tighter to me as I try to wiggle out of her grasp. Only when she reaches my door does she put me down, gently and with great care. From behind me, she holds out her hand.

“Key.” She says. I sigh and reach into my bra, taking my room key from its hiding spot and placing it in her palm. She presses up against me to unlock the door, and I stop breathing as I feel her member press against my leg through her slacks. It’s hard, and clearly very large. My eyes flick over to her arm as she swipes the key, the muscles in her forearm flexing slightly. When the door unlocks she opens in, swinging it open wide. Then she picks me up again and carries me inside.

It’s a large suite, with a living room as well as a bedroom. She takes me over to one of the chairs in the living room and sits me down in it.

“Stay.” She commands, pointing a finger at me. I lean back in the chair and cross my arms over her chest. A small smirk appears on her lips before she walks away. I hear her fidgeting with some things, then the door opening and closing. A minute later, the door opens again, closing behind Natasha’s soft footsteps. She comes back over to me and kneels down, taking my injured ankle gingerly in one hand before she puts a bag of ice on it.

“We’re going to sit here for twenty minutes and ice this.” She says, no wiggle room in her voice.

“Come on, Nat, I can do that.” I insist, reaching down. “Now that I’m back safe, you can knock off. Get some sleep, you know?”

“Nice try.” Natasha smirks, playfully slapping my hand away as it reaches for the bag of ice. “I’m not letting you out of my sight for the rest of the night.”

“Nat!” I whine, dropping back into my seat. Natasha just chuckles. She reaches over for the coffee table and pulls it closer, taking a seat on it. She rests my leg on hers, and my foot brushes against her member again. I lift my head slightly to look at her, my eyes drawn to her crotch. I stare for a moment before Natasha clears her throat. I look up to see her staring at me, a smile tugging at the corner of her mouth. “Sorry,” I say quickly, looking anywhere but at her.

“It’s alright,” Natasha says, adjusting herself and my leg so my foot is no longer touching her member. The cold ice is doing a good job from the heat of my embarrassment running through my entire body. “I’m sure you mean nothing by it.”

“Yeah,” I mumble, resting my head on my hand so I can look out the window of the balcony. “Nothing by it.” I can feel Natasha’s eyes staring at me, trying to find their way into my soul. I shift my body to keep her from doing that, but it just makes her look harder.

“Hey, Y/N,” she says, leaning over my foot. I tilt my head further away as I feel her breast brush against my foot. “Y/N, look at me.” I close my eyes to keep from the temptation. Natasha moves my foot, placing it on the coffee table next to her, the ice pack resting on top. I hear her move off the coffee table and feel her kneeling against me, her body pressing against my good leg. One hand rests on my thigh as the other reaches up to my face. She gently grabs my chin and directs my face in her direction. “Y/N, open your eyes and look at me.”

I let out a deep sigh, then I do as she asks. I look into her eyes, and what I see staring back at me surprises me. At just a glance, someone could see restraint in her eyes, like she’s holding something back. But beneath that, looking deeper, there’s a longing there, and it seems to have been present for a long time.

“The most important job is to keep you protected.” She says, her thumb brushing over my chin. “I can’t act on feelings. Then it wouldn’t be professional, and I wouldn’t be able to protect you anymore.”

“Yes you could,” I insist quietly. “In a different capacity maybe, but you could still protect me. Maybe even better. You’d be closer, more consistent.” I reach up to grab her hand that’s on my chin, holding gently to her. Natasha shakes her head.

“No,” she whispers. “It doesn’t matter how I feel.” Tears start burning in my eyes, threatening to spill onto my cheeks. I shove her hand away from my face and stand up, the ice pack dropping to the floor. I limp over to the balcony, Natasha following behind me. “Y/N,” Natasha sighs. I open the balcony door and slam it shut behind me, almost taking off Natasha’s nose. “Y/N,” she says again, though her voice is muffled through the glass.

“Leave me alone, Nat.” I say over my shoulder, plopping into one of the chairs on the balcony and bringing my bad leg up to rest on the grate in front of me. She doesn’t listen of course, opening the door and shutting it gently behind her. “I’m serious, Nat.” I try to sound forceful, but the first tear has already fallen, making that impossible.

“No, I’m not going to leave you alone.” She says quietly, walking over to sit in front of me on the balcony, her back against the grate. She pulls her legs up and rests her arms on her knees. “Y/N, I’m just worried,” she continues quietly. “I’m not sure how much longer I can deny these… feelings for you, these emotions. But I was hired to do a job, and protecting you is the most important thing. I can’t risk anything that’ll cloud my judgment.”

“But what about me?” I snap as another tear falls on my face. “My entire life revolves around other people. I have to go out on tour to please my fans and make money for my management. Then I have to make more albums for my fans, just so I can go out on tour again. My whole life is go, go, go. It’s for my fans, my team, but not for me.” I sniffle,  rub my sleeve along my nose, and let out an exasperated laugh. “You know, I haven’t been out on a date in four years? And despite what the tabloids say, it’s been longer than that since I’ve had sex.” I bring my foot down on the grate and lean forward. “I want a life, Nat. Not just a public one. A personal one, an intimate one. And I don’t catch feelings easily. So for me to catch feelings for you?” I let out another laugh and lean back in the chair, bringing my hand up to cover my lips. I look out at the city as another tear falls. “I was hoping to get what I’ve been wishing for for years.”

I hear Natasha sigh. Out of the corner of my eye, I see her hang her head. I shift in my seat and look further out into the city, in the opposite direction from where Nat is sitting.

“It’s been a little longer for me,” Nat says after a few minutes. I glance down at her, the rest of my body staying imobile. She lifts her head up to look at me. “About five years since my last relationship.” A small smile tugs on Natasha’s lips. “Her name is Maria. And I was in love with her.”

“You’re not with her anymore.” I say, taking the hint from how she said it’s been five years ‘since’ her last relationship. Natasha’s eyes reveal a moment of pain before they glaze over again.

“No,” she says quietly. “She works for a government agency. I didn’t mind the late nights or the unknown travel destinations by herself, because I knew what that was like. Coming from my spy background and everything. Especially since when we were together?” Nat lets out a little chuckle. “Oh, it was so good. We smiled, laughed, and had fun. And the sex? I mean, the sex was incredible."

I swallow around a lump in my throat. I don’t really want to hear about the sex that Natasha had with her ex.

“Anyway,” she says, clearing her throat. “I loved her with every fiber of my being. Everything I had in me belonged to her. And after one particularly grueling mission, I was excited for her to be back in town so we could spend time together.” Tears start filling Natasha’s eyes now as she recounts her memories. “I bought a ring. I had it all planned out: a picnic at our favorite park, a cheesy little trip around the pond in one of those stupid ass swan-looking paddle boats. Then ice cream from our favorite place, just outside the park. There, she’d find the ring garnishing her ice cream. I had imagined her jumping up and down with joy, screaming with excitement.”

“But that didn’t happen, I take it?” I say, my voice quiet. Natasha shakes her head.

“As soon as she got home, she was different. Quiet, more withdrawn. I never thought she was cheating on me. She would never do that. But something happened on that mission that just… changed her. And she wouldn’t talk to me about it. She would say that she’s fine, that nothing was wrong. But she stopped wanting to go out on dates, stopped wanting to have sex, stopped wanting to even get out of bed. I spent weeks doing everything I could for her. Making sure the sheets were fresh, that she always had clean pairs of sweatpants, that she ate at appropriate times. But eventually, she just stopped talking to me completely. And then I had to go away for work for a few days. When I got back, our apartment was empty of all of her things. She blocked me everywhere so I couldn’t get a hold of her. Just a letter she wrote telling me that it was too hard. That the weight of the world was falling on her shoulders and she loved me too much to take me down with her.” Nat sniffles and wipes her eyes. “I saw her three years later. Just by chance. She was happy, holding hands with another woman that I’ve never seen before. There was a six-year-old girl running ahead of them. I knew the girl wasn’t hers, but it was clear that the girl saw Maria as another mom. I slipped away before she could notice me. And since then, I told myself I would never allow myself to be in that situation again. A situation where someone else can hurt me that badly.”

“And you think that I’ll hurt you.” I nod, sniffing again. “Got it,” I finish, my voice breaking. I look away from her back to the city.

“I just can’t take the risk.” Natasha whispers.

“Then you’re not living, Nat.” I shake my head, frustrated. “You’re just floating, waiting until you die, That’s not a life.”

“Can you guarantee that you won’t hurt me?” She asks.

“Of course not!” I cry, throwing my hands in the air. “But I’m going to try my damndest to not hurt you. To guard your feelings with my life. Because when I’m down with someone, Nat, I’m down bad. And I’m not going to just get over you. So if you don’t want to try living? Then you might as well give Gretchen your notice.” I watch Natasha tap her fingers against her leg, the muscles in her arms flexing. Her jaw is tight, and her eyes are hard, guarded.

In a second so fast that I can’t even register what’s happening, Natasha is leaning over me, her hands gripping the arms of the patio chair as she crashes her lips to mine. I lean back from the surprise, a small noise escaping my mouth, but I immediately wrap my arms around her neck and moan into her lips, lifting myself up so my breasts rub against hers.

“You’re dangerous,” Natasha mutters against my lips.

“I just want to teach you,” I mutter back. “Teach you how to live life again.”

“And it’s going to be such a sweet lesson,” Natasha captures my lips again, her right hand coming up to grasp my neck. She squeezes gently, cutting off just enough of my airflow to make it difficult to breathe. After a few seconds she releases me, and I break our kiss to take in some air. She doesn’t let me go very far, grabbing my jaw to keep me looking at her.

“I see you like things a little rough,” I choke out a laugh. “Seems like you might be the one teaching me a lesson tonight.”

“Someone’s gotta teach you some manners, you little brat.” Natasha smirks. Her right hand goes back around my throat, holding me gently as her left hand falls from the chair arm. Her eyes drift downward as her finger traces a path up my thigh to the edge of my skirt. “Maybe then you’ll start listening for once.”

“I’d like to see you try,” I chuckle. “People with more power than you have tried.”

“But have any of them tried fucking you into obedience?” Natasha smirks, her hand slipping underneath my skirt.

“I wouldn’t let them get close enough to try,” I bite my lower lip, glancing down at her hand on my leg. “You, however…” I lift my eyes to her face and find her looking at me again. My voice drops to a hoarse whisper, flighting its way up my throat. “You can do whatever you want to me, Nat.” Natasha smirks as her hand tightens around my throat and her fingers travel even further up my leg. I open my mouth in an attempt to get some oxygen in my lungs.

“You may regret saying that.” Natasha growls, the sound as inhuman as my lust for her. I shake my head, telling her no. Never. I would never regret giving her the permission. Natasha smirks and uses her grip on my throat to tilt my head up slightly. “Stick out your tongue for me, baby.” She whispers. I do as she asks, my tongue resting on my lower lip. She leans down and puts her lips on mine, sucking on my tongue. Her grip tightens even more on my throat, causing me to inhale desperately. Her fingers creep higher and higher on my thigh until they hit the waistband of my panties, plain and simple cotton ones. She flicks her finger over the piece of cloth hiding my pussy. “Oh, fuck, baby, you’re already drenched for me.”

She’s right. Every time I see Natasha, heat starts building near my core and I can feel myself on my panties. It’s the reason I’ve got a rule against Natasha being anywhere near me or in my sight before a concert. If she’s near, I get wet. When I’m wet, I can feel it. And when I can feel it… I’m distracted. And it’s bad to be distracted when I’m trying to sing in front of thousands of people.

Natasha’s finger swipes across my clit over my panties. The already sensitive spot pulses at her touch, and the beginnings of a moan crack through my impeded airway. Natasha smirks as she places a kiss on the corner of my mouth.

“You like that, don’t you?” She asks. “Tell me you like it.” Her grip loosens around my neck, and I immediately gasp for breath. Natasha lets me take a few moments to catch my breath before she kisses my cheek, swiping her finger once again across my clit. “I said, tell me you like it.”

“I like it,” I moan, still trying to gulp down air. “I really, really like it.”

“Good girl,” Natasha purrs, her finger putting a little bit of pressure on my clit. I gasp, my hands falling to Natasha’s shoulders. Natasha keeps eye contact with me as she smirks, her eyes shining brightly with need. A little more pressure, and my hips jerk upward. Her smirk grows wider, and she lets out a chuckle. “My, my, you’re a little slut, aren’t you?” I look into her eyes and I see nothing but admiration. She grips my chin again, tightly. “Aren’t you?” She growls.

“Yes,” I nod, unable to look away from her gaze.

“Say it.” She says. “Say the words. Tell me what you are.”

“I’m a slut,” I say, my lips curling up as I realize how much I’m liking this.

“And whose slut are you?” Natasha whispers.

“Yours.” I whisper. “I’m your slut.”

“That’s right, baby.” Natasha whispers, trailing kisses up my jaw. “You’re mine.” She kisses my neck right below my ear before dragging her lips up to whisper into my ear. “And for knowing that, you deserve a reward.”

Before I can ask what the reward is, Natasha slips her fingers under the waistband of my panties, showing me exactly what my reward is. Her fingers dip low, dragging through my folds at a dangerously slow speed. I let out a whine at her pace, but Natasha swallows my noise with a kiss, the action hungry. Her fingers work diligently, if very slowly, to spread my arousal from deep within me to help her stimulate my clit.

I tremble at her touch, my clit throbbing for her. It pulses with every pass, every flick, every touch, desperate to feel her. My hips jerk into her, my body involuntarily begging for more of her.

“Do you want something?” Natasha smirks against my skin, her lips dragging across the skin of my neck. “You’re going to have to ask nicely, Detka.”

“P-Please,” I whine, my nails digging into the skin of her neck. “I w-want you inside of me.” My voice is breathy and low, my brain clouded by the shocks of pleasure her fingers are bringing me. I glance down at her crotch so she knows exactly what part of her I want inside me. Natasha pulls back just enough to follow my gaze and smirks.

“No, Detka,” Natasha says, removing her fingers from my panties and bringing out another moan from deep in my gut. Natasha stands and walks around the chair to stand behind me. She leans back down to whisper in my ear. “Not yet. I need to see how truly wet you get for me first.” Natasha brings a hand around one side of the chair, grasping my neck again. Her other hand flows down my body, starting at my shoulder. Natasha’s hand passes over my breast, stopping for just enough time to pinch my nipple before continuing to travel down my body.

When her hand reaches my waist she grabs the material of my skirt, bunching it up in her fist. The action reveals my panties, even more soaked than they had been. Natasha inhales deeply beside my ear, relishing the sight.

“My God, Y/N. You’re going to destroy me with this pussy of yours.” She moves my panties to the side, bringing my pussy to full view of not only her, but the city. Her fingers slide through my slit, wet and noisy.

“Please,” I beg again, bucking my hips. “I want to feel you inside me, Nat.”

“You’ve asked so nicely, Detka, the least I can do is reward you.” Natasha places a kiss on my cheek and closes her fingers around my throat as she inserts a finger inside me. I gasp, my body arching at the contact.

“More,” I choke out around her fingers. “Please, Natasha, more.”

“Oh, you’re a greedy little slut, huh?” Natasha’s voice flows over me, the water underneath the honey not as muddy as it once was. “You want more? Can you handle more?”

“Yes,” I gasp, grinding against her finger. “I c-can take it.” I crane my neck upward to look at Natasha, but the action causes Natasha to tighten her grip on my neck. I struggle to get out my words now.

“What was that?” Natasha asks, the smirk on her face wide. “I couldn’t hear you, baby.”

“P-Please,” I manage, my chest heaving with the attempt to pull in air. “M-More.”

Natasha’s smirk is just as greedy as I feel as she slips another finger inside of me. My mouth opens wider as my pussy sucks her in, trapping her fingers between my walls. My throat convulses as I can’t get air, and I feel my brain fogging in a bad way. I bring my hand up to tap on her hand, and she immediately loosens her grip.

“I’m sorry, baby, I didn’t mean to suffocate you.” Natasha bends down to place small kisses on my cheeks as I take in air, her fingers pumping in and out of me. “Fuck, Detka, you’re so fucking tight. I can barely move my fingers in you.” She brushes her lips against my ear. “If you’re so tight for my fingers, you’re going to have a lot of trouble taking Daddy’s cock.”

I moan loudly, the thought of her fucking me with her cock making me wetter. And judging by the sounds that Natasha is making into my ear, the sounds coming from my pussy as Natasha finger-fucks me are making her excited.

“I want you to come for me, Detka.” Natasha whispers. “Fuck my fingers until you’re empty.”

“Mhmm…” I nod, pressing my lips together, the heat in my stomach getting hotter.

“Say it,” Natasha commands, slightly tightening her grip on my throat. “Say it for me, baby.”

“I’m going to ride Daddy’s fingers until I come,” I breathe, my hips moving in rhythm with her fingers. “Leave my pussy so wet for Daddy’s cock!”

“That’s right, Detka.” Natasha growls, the pace of her fingers picking up. “Let’s see how far I can stretch you, hmm?” Without warning, Natasha pushes a third finger inside of me, spreading me impossibly wide. I let out a loud gasp, one that echos off the balcony as I lift my hips off the chair.

“Natasha-!” I cry as I close my eyes. Natasha moves her fingers quickly inside of me, finding just the right rhythm for all three of her fingers. She curves them at just the right angle, hitting my G-spot with each thrust. And with each thrust, a new moan escapes my throat, even with Natasha massaging my throat with her fingers.

“Stop playing around, Detka.” Natasha growls again, thrusting her fingers deep inside me. “I want.” She shoves her fingers in me. “Your come.” Again, harder this time. “On my fingers!” A third time, hitting my G-spot hard enough that I finally start my release.

I cry out again, my hand flying to hold her fingers inside of me as I hit my climax. My hips jerk harshly as my legs shake, and I struggle to hold them open for her. Natasha notices and releases her grip on my neck, moving her hand down my body to shove my leg to the side.

“You have incredible instincts, babygirl,” Natasha purrs. “Wanting to stay open for me.” I don’t answer her. I can’t. I pant, hard, as I come down from my orgasm. Natasha pulls her fingers out of me, and I instantly feel the cold loneliness of her absence, how empty she’s left me. She stands and walks around to the front of the chair, looking down at me as she sucks on her fingers. “Mmmm.” She moans. “You taste delicious, Detka.” She leans against the railing, her free hand gripping to the cold metal behind her. “Makes me anxious for the rest.”

I sit slumped in the chair, gazing up at Natasha through my eyelashes. She’s got her ring finger in her mouth, sucking on her finger. She pulls it out of her mouth with a sharp pop and looks down at me.

And her gaze kills me.

I slide off the chair and land on my knees in front of Natasha, my hands rising to her waistband. Natasha raises an eyebrow as she sticks her index finger in her mouth. I see her tongue sliding along the length of her finger, licking up all of my arousal. My fingers are steady and deliberate as I unbutton her black combat pants. I slowly pull them down to her ankles. She immediately steps out of them, kicking them to the side.

I look at Natasha’s member through her boxers. From just her outline I can see that she’s large. My mouth waters and I swallow hard. My hands rise back up to the waistline of her boxers and pull them down slowly. Once her member is free, I let the boxers fall with the help of gravity, too focused on the scene in front of me to care about her boxers anymore.

My heart races at the sight in front of me. Natasha is fully hard, her dick sticking straight up like a pole. It’s easily 8 inches and thicker than any dick I’ve ever seen, a literal God of a penis. I slowly wrap my right hand around her member, my mouth hanging slightly open.

“So?” Natasha asks around her finger, still in her mouth to suck me off of her. “What’d’ya think?” I look up at her, shocked.

“You walk around with this every day?” I whisper. Natasha smirks. She leans down, holding onto my chin.

“It’s even worse when I’m around you. Around you, I’m always hard.” Natasha lets go of my face and stands back up, grabbing back onto the railing. She starts sucking on her middle finger, still smirking. “You better hurry up. When I get all of you off of my fingers, I’m going to need to go looking for more.”

I nod and look back down at her. I pump my hand once across her length, surprised to already see precum forming at her tip. I swipe my tongue against her tip, catching the liquid in my mouth as it comes from her, pulling my tongue back into my mouth to swallow her down. It’s salty in my mouth, and as I swallow, I look back up at Natasha, at that cocky smirk, and wrap my mouth completely around her cock.

I push, more and more of her cock entering my mouth. At about six inches, I feel her ticking the back of my throat. By the full eight I’m choking, tears threatening the corners of my eyes. I pull off of her, choking as she falls from my mouth.

“Oh come on, babygirl, I know you can do better than that.” Natasha leans down, cupping my pussy with her hand and shoving two fingers back inside me. I gasp, placing my hand on her pelvis to steady myself. “Do something to please Daddy. If you do, I’ve got something else in store for you.” She winks as she pulls her fingers out of me, straightening back up and placing her index finger in her mouth. I lower my gaze back to Natasha’s dick and quickly dive back in.

I take Natasha in my mouth, not all at once, but just enough to get her wet. I place my hand at the base of her member, stroking the second half of her member while my mouth works on the first. I bob my head, trying to coax out everything I can from her.

It’s working. Natasha’s hand falls from her mouth in favor of grasping onto the railing on her other side, all of her knuckles now white as she grips the railing. Moans fly from her mouth as her head rolls back, her voice full of ecstasy.

“Goodness, Detka,” Natasha moans. “You’re very good at this.” I don’t answer her. I keep sucking her, twisting my tongue around her head as my lips reach her tip. My hand reaches down to grasp onto her thigh, my nails digging into her skin. “I’m filling up already, baby. Keep going.”

I do as she asks, worshiping her cock with every inch of my tongue. In this moment, my sole purpose is to pleasure her like she’s never been pleasured before. My mind begins to race with all the ways my tongue can bring her pleasure to the surface. I make sure to make noises as I suck her down, letting her know how good she tastes.

Natasha brings her hands down, using her hands to gather up my hair into a makeshift ponytail. She grips it tightly in her right hand, leaning back again to grip the railing with her left. She twists her hand, wrapping my hair around her wrist as she holds my hair close to my skull.

I pull my mouth off of her, taking a few deep breaths as my hand continues to rub her cock, thick with my saliva. After a short break I lean back in, my tongue licking her tip as my hand coaxes Natasha’s orgasm out of her.

“Fuck, baby, I’m close,” she gasps, using her strength to push my head back around her cock. She thrusts her hips, fucking my mouth with ferocious force. With her doing a lot of the work, I place my other hand on her other thigh, steadying myself as she pounds into me. Her cock falls deeper and deeper down my throat, her tip scratching the back of it every time. “Ah, baby, fuck-!” She groans, grabbing my hair with her left hand now, too. With both hands she shoves her cock deep inside me, and with a loud exclamation she comes, shooting ropes of her come into my mouth. She keeps my lips against her pelvis, thrusting hard every few seconds to shove her come deeper down my throat. When she tries to pull out I dig my hails into her skin, holding her against me. It’s difficult, but I swallow around her dick, making sure that every last drop of her disappears.

“Jesus, Detka,” Natasha sighs when I finally let her go, falling on my ass and panting like a dog. She takes her hand and rubs herself, slow and deliberate. She’s also panting, but it’s more controlled, not as desperate. “You really are a slut, sucking me down like that.” She kneels down in front of me, taking my chin in her hand. I look up at her, still panting, and wipe the last drops of her from my lips. Then I suck on my hand, making sure those drops join their brothers and sisters inside me. Natasha smirks. “You’ve got one hell of a magic mouth.”

“It’s not nearly as magic as my pussy,” I pant, my chest rising and falling steadily now. The smirk grows on Natasha’s face, and in an instant she’s pulling me to my feet then sweeping me off of them, placing one arm under my ass and the other one on the back of my head, pulling me in to kiss her. I wrap my legs around her waist, opening my mouth when she pokes at my lips with her tongue to let her taste herself on me.

Natasha’s dick points straight out underneath me, rubbing against my pussy like it’s itching to be inside me. Hell, I’m itching for her to be inside me. Natasha walks to the balcony door, opening it before stepping inside. She doesn’t close it behind her. Instead she walks to the bedroom, tossing me down on the bed. I scramble up towards the headboard, sitting with my back against it, legs cocked at the knee and spread for her. Natasha smirks, taking off her jacket and tossing it to the side. She climbs onto the bed after me, settling between my legs as she kisses me again. I grab onto her shoulders as Natasha fumbles with the hem of my shirt, lifting it up over my head and tossing it aside, forgotten just like her jacket.

My heart races as Natasha looks eagerly at my breasts, now only covered by my bra. She looks into my eyes and lifts her hand, curling her index finger into herself, silently asking me to lean forward. I do, and she reaches behind me to unhook my bra. That, too, is discarded.

“Damn, Detka.” Natasha whispers as I feel her eyes hungrily taking me in, her gaze landing on my breasts. “They’re absolutely perfect.” She glances up at me, smiling. “You’re perfect.” Her hand falls gently on my mound, caressing the skin and passing gently over my nub. “They’re absolutely perfect.” She bends down and licks my hardened nub. “Daddy’s gunna take good care of you.”

”Hmm,” I whimper, my lip back between my teeth. Natasha looks up at me as she lowers her mouth onto my nipple, her eyes sparkling with control. Her lips brush against my hardened nub and then stops, hovering over me. I whimper again, bucking my hips.

“Nuh-uh,” Natasha shakes her head. “What is it that you want, Detka? Tell Daddy what you want.”

“Your lips on me,” I gasp, arching my back to push my breasts closer to her mouth, but Natasha moves her lips away from me. I whine again, pouting. “Please, Daddy.” I whisper.

“There’s my good girl,” Natasha purrs, lowering her lips to finally capture my nipple between her lips. She massages my nipple with her mouth, pulling her hand up to cup my other breast. She pinches my nipple between her fingers, twisting my nub until I yelp, my back arching into her touch. “So sensitive, baby. My sensitive little slut.” Natasha chuckles around my nipple.

“It’s not enough,” I moan, writhing underneath her. “I n-need you inside me, Nat.”

Natasha ignores me, licking my nub before grasping it between her teeth. She pulls, earning another yowl from me.

“Daddy!” I scream. “I’m sorry Daddy, please, I need you inside of me!”

“There you go, baby.” Natasha smiles, letting go of my nipple and swiping her tongue over it to soothe the burn. She starts kissing her way down my body, her hands gripping tightly to my hips. My hands go with her, staying glued to her shoulders.

Natasha takes the waistband of my skirt and panties and takes them both off in one swift motion. Tossing them off the bed she dips her head, her lips leaving traces of her saliva on my pelvis. She kisses down lower, her lips gracing the skin just above my clit.

“Daddy,” I whine. “Please, stop teasing me, Daddy. I need you bad!”

“Patience, sweetheart, and I’ll give you everything you want and more.” Nat kisses my clit, taking the engorged bundle into her mouth and sucking. My hands travel up her arms, my fingers slipping into her hair as I exhale in a moan. Natasha then slides her tongue through my folds, flicking her tongue over my clit at the top. “Fuck, Detka, I can’t get enough of your taste. Seriously, you’ve got me addicted.”

“Oh, Daddy,” I cry, my body already shaking with anticipation. “I want you, Daddy.”

“You crave me, baby, don’t you?” Natasha hums against my pussy, her tongue drawing lazy circles through my folds and around my clit. “Your body begs for me as your mouth does. As your pussy does.”

“Yes, Daddy!” I moan, grinding my hips against her mouth. “Fuck, I crave you so much.”

“I’m going to spread you open like the slut you are.” Natasha moans, kissing the outside of my pussy lips. “Spread your pussy open and fuck you like a corner store whore.”

I don’t answer her as my pussy starts to leak, my fingers twitching in her hair. I grind on her face harder, chasing a high that I’m so close to catching. But then Natasha pulls away, licking my slick off her lips as she falls back on her haunches, tasting me. I scramble back up and crawl over to her, placing my arms around her neck and straddling her dick so it pokes out behind me between her ass cheeks.

“Please, Daddy,” I beg, placing kisses all over her face and neck. “Please, Daddy, I need you inside me. I’m desperate, soaking for you. I can’t wait much longer.” Natasha bows her head and kisses my neck, wrapping one strong arm around my back. She lifts me up slightly, using her other hand to direct her cock toward my entrance.

“Tell me again.” Natasha commands. “Tell me again what you want Daddy to do to you.”

“I want you inside me, Daddy. I want you to fuck me, to pound yourself inside of me so I never forget who’s dirty little slut I am.”

“That’s a good girl,” Natasha kisses my neck again, sucking at my skin. Her hand guides her cock underneath me. Then she slowly sets me down on top of her, wrapping her other arm around me once the tip of her cock is inside me. She takes her lips off my neck to look at me as she slowly lowers me on top of her. As her cock sinks deeper and deeper inside of me, spreading me wide, I squeeze my eyes shut and bow my head, my mouth hanging open. She goes in easily, thanks to my still dripping cunt, but her size still takes some getting used to. My hands cling to the back of Natasha’s neck, my grip getting tighter with each inch.

Natasha doesn’t stop until I bottom out, feeling the entire length of her twitching inside me. She pushes my hips down further, keeping herself inside me as I get comfortable with the size of her. I move my hips back and forth, trying to use the movement to adjust to her.

“Daddy, you’re so big,” I whisper, my voice breathy and heavy. I open my eyes and look at her. “Fuck, you feel so good inside me.”

“Take it slow at first, babygirl.” Natasha urges. I nod, keeping my hip movements slow and precise. Natasha bites her lip as she watches me, her eyes staring straight at where we’re connected together. Her breathing quickens as I move on her, her fingers digging into my hips.

I place my hands on her shoulders and use the leverage to lift myself up, exposing about three inches of her to the cool air before I sit back down. Natasha lets out a moan, her right hand slipping forward to run circles around my clit. I lift my body up again, exposing even more of her cock before I bring myself back down.

I speed up my movements, her cock twitching every time I sit back down on her. My noises get louder and louder as I ride her, my nails digging into her shoulders. Natasha’s finger continues to circle my clit, and the sensation grows in me again. I rest my forehead against Natasha’s, my breathing quickening as I breathe the same air as her.

“Fuck, Detka, you feel so tight around Daddy’s cock,” Natasha groans, tilting her head to place little ghost kisses against my lips and nose. “You’re such a desperate little slut, clenching around Daddy’s cock like that. How long have you been aching for my cock to be buried inside you?”

“Since the… day I met you,” I mutter, my heart racing as her cock pulses against my walls, threatening to tear me apart. “Fuck, I’ve needed your cock so bad, Daddy. I feel your cock so deep inside me.”

“You’re being such a good girl, taking Daddy’s cock like this,” Natasha hisses, her finger putting more and more pressure against my clit. “Fucking come on my cock, you little slut. Get Daddy’s cock all wet with your juices.”

I pick up my pace, lifting high enough that Natasha’s cock comes almost all the way out of me before I come back down, feeling the entire length of her cock cracking my cervix every time. Natasha passes over my clit in perfect rhythm with when I fall back down on her, helping me to my climax.

“Natasha!” I scream as I come again, my walls completely closing around her cock. Natasha removes her finger from my clit and grips my hips tightly, slamming me down completely on her cock as I come. My body shakes and trembles, my pussy throbbing as I suck her cock into me. Natasha leans in and kisses my neck as I ride out my orgasm, sucking on the most sensitive parts of my neck. This only strengthens my orgasm, causing it to last longer. My hips jerk on her cock from the aftershocks, her cock twitching with need at every movement.

“There’s my good girl.” Natasha whispers against my neck. “You’re so beautiful when you fall apart for Daddy.” Natasha wraps her arms around my waist and, without removing herself from inside me, moves us both up the bed, laying me down on my back as she settles above me.

Natasha leans down and kisses me, gentle and sweet. She adjusts her hips to settle between my legs but she doesn’t move, allowing me to get used to her in this new position. As she does that, I bring my hands down to the hem of her shirt and pull it up. Natasha breaks our kiss so I can pull the shirt off of her body, tossing it aside. My hands immediately slide down her back, gripping the hem of her sports bra. I peel that off, too, and forget about it immediately after it’s away from her body.

Natasha leans back down, her breasts brushing against my mounds as she trails her lips along the skin of my neck. She still doesn’t move, her cock sitting in the same position inside of me. I move my hips, but that doesn’t egg her on. Nat just continues to kiss my neck, sucking at one particular spot before swiping her tongue over it and moving to another spot for a moment. But she always comes back to that one spot.

“Please, Daddy,” I whisper, my voice low. “I need you. Fill me with your cock, Daddy!”

“My, my, so needy.” Natasha smiles against my neck. But that gets her going, moving her hips to push herself inside me. She pulls back as she starts to fuck me, placing one hand on my neck as she looks at me. Her grip tightens around my neck as her pace quickens, and my airway is cut off again. “Still needy for my cock, Detka? After all I’ve given you, are you still needy for me?”

“Yes, Daddy,” I choke out, my eyes rolling back in my head as her cock starts to hit that perfect place inside me. My tongue hangs out of my mouth, chasing the high that Natasha is trying to give me.

“What a pretty little slut you are,” Natasha smiles. “Are you going to be Daddy’s good little whore?” She slams her cock inside of me, bottoming out hard. “Be a good little whore and take Daddy’s cock for me, huh baby?” She loosens her grip on my throat for me to breathe.

“Yes Daddy,” I tell her, nodding. “I’m going to take your cock like a good little whore.”

“That’s right,” Natasha says through gritted teeth, slamming her cock hard in and out of me. Her hand balls into a fist on the bed, the bedsheets getting caught in her fingers. “Take Daddy’s cock, babygirl.”

“Fuck, Daddy, you’re soo big inside me,” I whine. “It’s so much, Daddy.”

“You asked for this,” Natasha grunts, continuously pounding into me. “You remember that when you cry about it, slut. You asked for this.”

“Yes, Daddy,” I whisper. “I asked for this!”

Natasha’s hand darts from my neck to the other side of my body, fisting the sheets on that side as well. I can feel her cock twitch more aggressively inside me as my walls threaten to clench again. Natasha pounds mercilessly into me, and she crashes her lips into mine as I start to scream again at my next orgasm, so quick after the last one. She swallows my screams as she fucks my release back inside of me, refusing to let up even as my clenching walls make it harder to move inside me.

I clutch at her bare back, my nails digging into her skin as I scratch at her back. This makes Natasha fuck me harder, and she falls onto her forearms. Her breasts and stomach touching mine as her cock penetrates deep inside me. Her head hangs close to my neck and I listen to her pant like a dog on top of me.

“Fuck, Detka, I’m close,” Natasha breaths onto my neck. “Where do you want it?”

“Want it?” I ask, my nails dragging up Natasha’s back.

“Where do you want Daddy to come, baby?” Natasha kisses my neck. “Should I paint your stomach? Your face? Do you want me to flip you and paint your back? Where do you want me to come?”

I bring my hands up and grab onto Natasha’s head, dragging her down so my lips brush against her ear.

“I want you to come inside me, Daddy.” I whisper, bringing my legs up to squeeze Natasha’s hips between me.

“Baby, I can’t,” she shakes her head.

“You’re fucking me raw, Daddy,” I moan into her ear. “Come inside me, get me pregnant. Then you’ll know I’ll never leave you.”

The idea of being pregnant with Nat’s baby thrills me, just as much as the idea of her coming inside me. I slide my hands down her body, tracing the muscles along her back as my hands make their way to her ass, gripping her tightly and pulling her into me.

“Jesus Christ, baby, you really are going to be the death of me,” Natasha groans, but she doesn’t try to pull out. In fact, she quickens her pace more, barely spending any time outside of my pussy before slamming back in. Her fists grip the sheets so hard that they pop off the corners as her mouth finds a spot on my collarbone. “Daddy’s going to fill you up so good, babygirl.” Natasha growls against my skin. Her hips slam into me one more time before her cock pulses hard, spilling come inside me.

Natasha bites down hard on my collarbone, her hips stuck in an upward position as her cock empties inside of me. It’s never ending as her seed shoots deep inside of me. I can feel her dripping inside of me, her cock pulsing as more come exits her and enters me. She jerks against me, muffled moans leaving her mouth as she empties herself into me, my clenched walls coaxing every last drop from her.

When she’s fully drained, Natasha rolls off me and onto the bed. She reaches for me, wrapping her powerful arms around me. I snuggle into her embrace, my hand finding a nice resting spot on her hip. She’s got one hand splayed across my back and the other tracing little circles on my ass. She places a few long, soft, intentional kisses on my head before she rests her lips in my hair.

“I’ve been fighting this for so long, I’m not sure how to feel right now.” She whispers, her admission lifting some sort of imaginary weight off of her shoulders.

“You don’t have to know how to feel yet.” I whisper back, placing a kiss on her chest. “Just lay here with me.” I look up at her, relishing how pretty she looks as she looks down at me from this angle. “But I hope that you’ll think about taking me up on my offer.”

“Your offer?” Natasha asks.

“To stay close to me.” I whisper, my fingers running over the skin of her hip. “Protect me from your spot next to me instead of behind me. And let me teach you how to love again.”

“You drive a really hard bargain, Detka.” Natasha sighs, the corners of her lips curling up into a smile. “But I might be able to swing something like that.”

“Really?” I perk up, smiling. “Natasha-”

“We don’t have to talk about it right now, baby.” Natasha whispers, kissing my head again. “Just know that I’m saying yes. That I’ll be yours.”

“Natasha,” I murmur, my smile growing bigger. She leans down and takes my lips in hers, kissing me like we’ve been in love for years. “All mine.”

“What’s his name?”

“I’m not giving out any personal details yet.” I giggle. “I don’t know how serious it is yet.”

“Fair enough,” Sarah holds up her hands in friendly surrender. “Do you at least think he’ll treat you well?”

“I will be treated very nicely.” I assure her, careful about the words I use.

“When will you tell me any more information about him?” Sarah raises her eyebrows teasingly.

“If, and only if, things get serious.” I roll my eyes, digging my fork into my pasta. Sarah smiles wide, her eyes full of mischief.

“Ms. Y/L/N,” I look up and jump slightly. Professor Olsen is standing at the edge of our table, a cafeteria tray in hand.

“Professor Olsen,” I say, holding my hand in front of my mouth to hide the food I’m chewing. “What a surprise to see you in the cafeteria. I didn’t know professors ate here.”

“We do if we have meetings with students.” The  glint in her eye tells me that she might have hoped to see me here as well. She looks down at my plate. “Pasta. Hm. I figured after seeing you at the Italian place on Fifth on Friday, you’d know what real Italian food tastes like.”

“Fancy Italian place, hmm?” Sarah looks at me knowingly. “This guy you went out with on Friday really knows how to treat a lady, hmm?”

“Someone certainly knows how to treat a lady.” Professor Olsen smirks.

“Do you have a guy that treats you that nicely, Professor?” Sarah asks, finally turning to look at Professor Olsen. She leans back in surprise and looks Professor Olsen up and down. “Jesus, forget I asked. Of course you’ve got a man that treats you well. You are smoking.”

“Thank you.” Professor Olsen smiles at Sarah. “I don’t believe we’ve met. I’m Professor Olsen. English.” Professor Olsen sets down her tray at our table and reaches her hand out for Sarah to shake.

“Yeah, I’m an engineering major, you couldn’t catch me in the English building if I had my legs chopped off,” Sarah laughs, reaching out to shake Professor Olsen’s hand. “It’s nice to meet you, though. Y/N has been talking about being able to take your senior level classes since we saw you give a seminar in our freshman year.”

“Oh, has she, now?” Professor Olsen smirks at me as she pulls her hand away from Sarah, standing back up. After a moment, she turns to look toward the cafeteria entrance. “It seems as if my student may have blown off our meeting.”

“Well, you’re free to sit with us,” Sarah offers, patting the seat next to her. Professor Olsen glances at me before sliding her tray next to Sarah, coming around the table to sit next to her. “Nice,” Sarah nods. “You can join me in my attempt to jiggle information out of Y/N about her new guy.”

“Oh, I doubt Professor Olsen would be interested in that,” I wave her off, stabbing at my pasta.

“Actually, I might be very interested in that.” She smirks at me, taking a package of crackers and opening them, taking a cracker out to break into her soup.

“I like this professor,” Sarah smiles, wiggling in her seat. “Okay, please, Y/N. Give me a little something. What’s his major? What’s his style like? His hair color? Anything!”

“Are you trying to get Y/N to describe me from memory?” My heart sinks as I hear the voice behind me. I bow my head and sigh. I feel a body sit in the seat next to me and an arm come around my shoulders, pulling me close. I quickly shove the arm off my shoulders and scoot away.

“Get the fuck off me, Tyler.” I groan. When I look up, Professor Olsen is looking at Tyler’s arm, the one that had just been around my shoulders. There’s a storm in her eyes, raging and angry. I want to reach out and take her hand, but that would be a stupid idea in front of Sarah and Tyler. “Who said you could come sit with us?”

“Oh, come on, Y/N,” Tyler smirks at me. “This way you don’t have to describe me by memory.” He looks across from him and gives Professor Olsen the once over. “Professor. What are you doing eating in the student cafeteria?”

“I was supposed to meet a student here for a meeting.” She says through gritted teeth. “They never showed up. Sarah was kind enough to offer me a spot with them.”

“Which we didn’t offer to you, so you should get going now.” Sarah says, a mocking smirk on her face.

“Come on, I’m not harming anyone.” Tyler takes a large bite of his pizza. “And I don’t want Y/N to have problems describing me.”

“Yeah, I have a very hard time believing that you were the one that Y/N went on a date with Friday, since I saw you getting drunk and jerking it in the courtyard.” Sarah scrunches up her face in disgust. Tyler looks at me, seemingly more upset about the date than the zinger that Sarah hit him with.

“You went out on a date?” He asks, his tone sounding hurt.

“I’ve got a social life.” I shrug,

“Yeah, but I’ve asked you out on a date a few times, and every time you’ve said you’re too busy studying.”

“Maybe I just didn’t want to date you.” I shrug. I look over at him. “Actually, it’s definitely because I didn’t, and still don’t, want to date you.”

“Come on, Y/N, I would be such a good boyfriend.”

“I’m not looking for a boyfriend,” I say, looking at him as if he were crazy. “Certainly not one with your attitude.”

“My attitude?” He asks, seemingly genuinely shocked at my words.

“You’re ‘I’m better than you’ attitude, your 'Let me flaunt all of Daddy’s money’ attitude, you’re ‘The world owes me everything because I’m a ‘basketball star’ in college’ attitude.” I put quotation marks around ‘basketball star’, as he isn’t actually as good as he thinks he is. “Let me be clear with you, Tyler.” I lean in to get into his face. “I’m not interested in you. I’ve never been interested in you, and I’ll never be interested in you. You’d have more luck asking out a sea slug than to try asking me out again. Now please. I paid for my meal, and I’d like to be able to choke it down without vomiting. Go find your basketball buddies and cry about your periods.” Rage flares in Tyler’s eyes, but he suppresses it quickly. In an instant, he closes the gap between us and kisses me on the lips. I pull back and start wiping my mouth, grabbing my napkin and spitting into it.

“I’ll change your mind, Y/N.” He says, grabbing his tray and standing up. “I always get my way.” I watch him walk away as I try to wipe him off of my lips. I look across the table and see Sarah shocked and Elizabeth angry.

“I’m sorry for escalating that,” I whisper, spitting into my napkin again. “Excuse me. I’m going to go cut my lips off.” I stand from the table and walk quickly to the opposite side of the large cafeteria, making a beeline for the bathroom. Once inside, I start the water at one of the sinks and bend down, taking water into my mouth before swishing it around and spitting it out into the sink. I let the water run as I lay my arms across the edge of the sink and rest my head on it.

The bathroom door opens and a pair of heels click on the tile floor as someone enters. The person stops directly behind me, placing their hands first on my hips then rolls them up to my back. Sarah wouldn’t touch me like that, so there’s only one option.

“I’m sorry I blew up on Tyler,” I say. “It was unprofessional and childish. I should have thought more before I spoke.”

“Don’t apologize,” Elizabeth whispers, putting pressure on the small of my back. “If you didn’t tear him a new one, I was going to, and that probably would have looked worse.”

I stand up straight and turn around, leaning against the sink as I gaze down at the floor. I look intently at her heels, looking closely at how they plump up her calves. Elizabeth brings her arm up and grabs my chin gently, guiding my gaze to look at her.

“Y/N, forget him.” She whispers to me. “He’s a boy. Right now, he’s being stupid. Yeah, kissing you like that was not cool and pretty inappropriate. But you’re with me. If you need to tell him that I’m some other college guy, or maybe some random guy you met on the street, that’s okay. Because I know you’re with me. And we don’t need to worry about him.”

“Okay,” I nod, speaking quietly. I look at Elizabeth, her eyes gentle and kind. “How did you convince Sarah to let you come in here instead of her?” I ask. Elizabeth smiles.

“I told her that him kissing you could be seen as sexual harassment. And since he did it in front of a teacher, it’s my job to one, make sure that you’re okay, and two, ask if you'd like to report it.”

“Smart,” I nod, chuckling. “Well, I don’t think I want to report him yet. That would be shaking the bee hive. But…” I bite my lip as I look up at her through my eyelashes. “There is something you can do for me.”

“What is it?” She asks quietly, her eyes shimmering.

“Kiss me,” I ask her. “I can’t have the only kiss of my Sunday be freaking Tyler.”

“With pleasure.” Elizabeth smiles as she leans down, her hand still on my chin and tilting my head back more. She places her lips on mine, kissing me sweetly. I melt into the kiss, my eyes half-closed as I cherish this moment. Elizabeth pulls away too quickly for my liking, but her fingers stay on my face for a moment longer. “Better?”

“A lot,” I nod.

“Good.” Elizabeth leans forward and places another kiss on my forehead. “Let’s get out of here. Your ‘F’ rank pasta is getting cold.”

“Whatever,” I laugh, walking ahead of her out the door. We head back to Sarah, an appropriate amount of space between us as we walk. We sit back down at the table where Sarah’s literally twiddling her thumbs.

“Y/N, are you okay?” She asks, reaching for my hand. I let her grab it as I sit, nodding.

“I’m okay.” I assure her. “Just a little grossed out that I had that slug anywhere near me.”

“Are you going to report him?” She asks, referring to the reason why Elizabeth came to check on me instead of her. I shake my head.

“No. I don’t want to escalate it any more right now.”

“He threatened you.” Sarah says, her face contorting with confusion. “All that talk about changing your mind? That’s dirty.”

“Yeah, but I can handle him for now.” I shrug.

“If it escalates any more, come talk to me.” Elizabeth looks at me over her soup spoon. “I will go with you to the Dean, be your witness for tonight.”

“Thank you,” I say genuinely. “I promise I will come to you if he does anything else.”

“Good.” She nods. Lifting the spoon to her mouth. I watch as she closes her lips around the spoon, a small amount of soup dripping to her chin. I watch the way her lips contort as she pulls the spoon away, and how neatly she rubs her napkin against her chin.

“Do you even have an appetite anymore?” Sarah asks, pulling my gaze from Elizabeth’s lips. I look down at my pasta, untouched since before I left for the bathroom. I shake my head and push the tray away from me.

“Not really,” I say.

“Then let’s get going.” Sarah says, standing up. “I’ve got some cramming to do before my classes this week.”

“It would be rude to leave Professor Olsen here by herself when we invited her to sit with us,” I say, leaning back in my seat.

“It’s alright,” Elizabeth waves me off. “You two go. I’m almost done here.”

“Alright,” I say, standing up. “If you’re sure?”

“I’m completely sure,” Elizabeth nods. “I’ll see you in class tomorrow, Ms. Y/L/N.”

“See you in class, Professor Olsen.” I grab my tray and start to walk away with Sarah.

“Ms. Y/L/N?” Professor Olsen calls from behind us. I turn to look back at her. “I believe the AC went out in the English building over the weekend. You might want to keep that in mind when dressing in the morning.”

“Thank you, Professor.” I shoot her a small smile. “I will keep that in mind.” Elizabeth smiles back at me as I turn back to Sarah. We put our trays away and head back to our dorm.

When we get back, Sarah sits down at her desk and puts her earbuds in, ready to do some last minute cramming. I change into my pajamas and plop onto my bed with my laptop and start the new season of Criminal Minds: Evolution. A minute later, my phone dings. I take it out half-heartedly, paying attention to the show. When I look at my phone, I see a text from Elizabeth.

I’m very curious what you’re going to wear tomorrow. She writes. A smile tugs at the corners of my lips.

You could have found a different way to tell me to wear something scandalous, I text back. It’s the middle of winter in New York City, the AC won’t be on anyway.

I know… she responds. It was the first thing that came to mind as you were walking away. It’s a stupid excuse, but I wanted to say something that would maybe get you to wear something special for me.

Don’t worry, Professor… I’ll think of something. Even if I have to freeze my ass off walking across campus.

I don’t want you to do that! She sends the first text and I wait as the bubbles appear again, indicating a second text is incoming. I like your ass. It would not be beneficial for me if you were to freeze that off.

I promise I won’t wear anything that will compromise my… assets. I chuckle as I send the text, appreciating her concern for my ass.

Good. Because it would be no fun if you had nothing back there for me to grab on to. My breath catches as I read her words. I bite my lip, thinking of a reply. Something she won’t be disappointed in. Before I can, however, she sends another text. So what are you doing on this chilly Sunday night to wind down and prepare for the week?

Nothing much, I say, taking a deep breath, relieved I don’t have to think of an answer just as smooth as she’d sent me. Right now I’m watching the new season of Criminal Minds, texting someone I’ve got a crush on. I send the text before I can think about it. My heart stops when I realize what I sent, nervous that Elizabeth might be weirded out by that sort of humor. But she puts me at ease quickly with a quick text back.

I’ve been meaning to watch the new season. Your night sounds like heaven. Except in my version of it, you’d be sitting on the couch next to me instead of blocks away on your phone.

Thank God. She’s hoping for the same thing that I am. I let out a breath to release my anxiety. Then I ready my fingers to text her back, but stop when I see she’s already typing.

Maybe you’d be willing to stop watching tonight? You could… spend the weekend with me this weekend and we could watch the season together. Meals on me. What do you say?

I kick my feet on the bed and have to stop myself from texting back too fast. I clear my throat and sniff as I settle back into my bed.

There’s some shitty reality TV I can rot my brain with. Criminal Minds can wait until I’m sitting next to a pretty woman.

Elizabeth texts back almost immediately.

Hopefully that’s a pretty woman you want to snuggle with. I smile and rest my phone against my head for a second.

I would be more than happy to snuggle with you, Elizabeth.

Good. Because I make a pretty good pillow. My brain flares. Imagine laying my head on Elizabeth’s breasts, snuggling into her under a blanket, her fingers running through my hair. A whole weekend with her and nothing to worry about.

You’ll be the best pillow I’ve ever had. I tell her. For now, get some rest on your real pillow. I’ll see you tomorrow, Y/N. Elizabeth says.

Yes you will. Sleep well, Elizabeth.

I put my phone away and turn back to my computer, doing as Elizabeth asked by clicking away from Criminal Minds. I turn on a dumb reality TV show instead and fall asleep to it.

The next morning I wake up to Sarah asleep at her desk, her books still open. I’m quiet throughout the room as I get ready for my shower, when I come back from my shower, and as I get dressed. I decide on light blue, bleach-washed skinny jeans that are ripped at the knees, a white tee shirt with the word ‘weirdo’ written upside down in the middle, and my simple white Adidas with black accents. I brush my hair and tie it back in a tight ponytail on the top of my head and opt for simple makeup again, my foundation and mascara. When I’m ready to leave for class, I shake Sarah awake.

“Sarah,” I say quietly. “You fell asleep at your desk again.”

“Huh?” She mumbles, stirring enough to lift her head.

“If you don’t go to class, you should at least crawl into bed for more sleep.” I urge her quietly. “Sleeping on your chair can’t be good for you.”

“Mmm,” she mumbles and starts to move as if she’s going to get up, so I grab my jacket, throw it on, grab my bag, and head out the door.

I hold tightly to my backpack straps, holding my arms tightly to my body to keep insulated from the cold. I walk swiftly to the English building, shaking the cold off my body as soon as I enter. Then I make my way to Professor Olsen’s class.

Only a few students are in the class so far. I wave hello to them as I walk across the front of the class to my seat in the front row. I shrug my backpack off, placing it on the seat next to me so Tyler isn’t tempted to sit next to me, and shrug off my coat. That goes behind my chair. I sit down and dig out my notebook and a pencil, opening the notebook and placing the pencil on the paper. Then I reach back into my backpack and pull out a book that I’m reading, one that takes you through the structure of the Hero’s Journey.

A few minutes and a dozen students later, Professor Olsen enters the classroom. She walks methodically to the desk at the front of the room, placing her briefcase on it. She opens the briefcase and takes out a few papers. Over the top of my book I see her look at me and I smirk.

“Ms. Y/L/N,” she calls to me. I put my book down and look at her curiously, like I don’t know why she would possibly be calling on me right now.

“Yes, Professor?” I ask innocently.

“Is that a book for another project?” She asks innocently. I close the book, making sure to make a show of placing my bookmark into the book instead of dog-earing it.

“It is. A large one, in fact. One you might find very interesting.”

“Maybe we can meet to speak about it sometime.” She suggests. “I do think I would be very interested to hear about what you’re working on.”

“I’ll book in with your office hours, then.” I smile, flicking my eyes down to the floor for a second before I look back up at her. She nods slightly, approving of the plan. She continues to look at me until another student walks up to her. She moves closer to the student to look at what they’re showing her, but she keeps her eyes on me for a moment longer. When she looks at the student’s paper, I go to grab my book and read a few more paragraphs before we begin.

Tyler walks in front of me then, glaring at me. I match his glare as he passes, and the last second before he passes out of my eyeline, I snap at him like a piranha. His eyes narrow as he climbs the steps to a few rows up. I turn my attention back to the front of the classroom and see Elizabeth glaring daggers at Tyler. His eyes flick to her, the look on his face growing confused as he understands what is happening. Elizabeth looks away quickly, but I can see gears turning in Elizabeth’s head, and I get concerned.

Elizabeth clears her throat and starts her lecture. I take notes diligently, as always, and listen closely when Elizabeth speaks. A few times during the lecture I catch her staring intently at me for prolonged periods of time. I wouldn’t mind, but I’m worried about the look that Tyler had, as if he thinks that our relationship might be a little too close. I smile at her every time, though, shifting in my seat every time her eyes land on me.

Class is two hours and one hour and fifteen minutes long, as it’s a Monday/Wednesday/Friday class. When class is over, everyone starts to gather their things. I’m no different, packing my bag and risking glances at Elizabeth. When I’m ready to go, I sling my bag over my shoulder and carry my jacket on my arm before I walk over to Elizabeth at her desk.

“So that conversation about my project,” I say, placing my hands on her desk and leaning into her slightly. “I’m thinking, if it’s open, maybe your last appointment slot on Wednesday? It might give us a little extra time to… converse.” Elizabeth smirks at my words as she looks up at me. Her smirk immediately disappears when she looks up, her eyes fixating on something behind me. I turn and see Tyler still sitting in his spot, watching us. “What do you want, you washed out frat boy?”

“Just wondering why a Professor expects alone time with a student to be a privilege.” He shrugs.

“But this student has an expectation of privacy for her conversation with said professor.” I shoot back at him. “This is not a conversation that I want to be discussing with you in earshot.”

“Then don’t talk about it after class.” He shrugs, refusing to move. I roll my eyes and look back at Elizabeth.

“I’ll see you on Wednesday.” I whisper to her.

“Text me before then?” She whispers back.

“Of course.” I respond with a smile. I push myself off her desk and walk out of the classroom.

I go through the rest of Monday and all of Tuesday watching out for Tyler, making sure that if I see him, I turn my nose up at him and ignore him. On Wednesday, I walk into Professor Olsen’s classroom in a pair of black skinny jeans, a pair of black converse, and because it’s a warmer winter day, a black Nike sweatshirt with no jacket.

When I enter the classroom, I’m the first person inside… except for Elizabeth. She’s standing near her desk, looking at some papers. She’s wearing a delicious black pantsuit, a plain white blouse underneath. Her outfit is completed with simple black heels, and her hair flows softly around her shoulders. I walk quickly up to her, wanting desperately to speak with her before the other students get to class.

“I’ve missed you,” I whisper as I approach her. “Texting just isn't enough sometimes.”

“I agree.” She smiles, not looking up from her papers. “I’m very excited for you to spend the weekend with me, I should ask you if you have any allergies?”

“Seafood and shellfish,” I whisper. “No fancy lobster dinners for us.”

“Shame,” she sighs. “I know a fantastic place up in Maine. Makes the most amazing lobsters. I would have loved to take a weekend trip there with you.”

“We can still go,” I shrug. “I just can’t eat the lobster.”

“No,” Elizabeth shakes her head. “I have a long list of places with amazing food. I would be happy to take you to any of those places with incredible food that you can eat.”

“You’re so sweet,” I purr. “Now, about you office hours today,”

“I will not speak about that with you here.” Elizabeth glances up at me, her look mischievous. “I’m not risking anyone walking in to hear all the things I want to do to you across my desk.”

“Oh,” I say, my cheeks turning pink. I turn to walk to my seat before anyone can come in. I take a few steps before I turn back around and walk quickly back to stand directly next to Elizabeth. “I can’t wait.” I turn and walk swiftly to my desk, setting my things up before someone else can walk in.

Students trickle in over the next few minutes, and when Tyler comes in, I immediately feel his gaze on me, probably checking if I’m looking at Elizabeth. I don’t look up at him as he passes, going with my previous strategy of completely ignoring him. I tap my pencil on my notebook as I wait for class.

During her lecture, Elizabeth barely looks at me, and that’s how I know we’re on the same page. I feel Tyler’s eyes on me practically the whole time, however, and it makes me nervous. I don’t stop to speak with Elizabeth after class, just make my way out. My plan is to study in the common area with multiple hot chocolates while waiting for my ‘meeting’ with Elizabeth at four.

Someone holds their arm against the wall in front of me, and when I almost bump into it, the body it’s attached to traps me against the wall. I look up and see Tyler, looking very smugly at me.

“I’ve been thinking,” he says, closing in closer on me. “I’ve been asking you out for months. Every single time, you’ve said no. I’ve been struggling to figure out the vitriol you seem to have for me for the last week, and I’ve struggled to think of one reason why you might feel that way towards me.”

“I’ve literally given you multiple reasons.” I roll my eyes at him. “Least of which being that I simply do. NOT. Like you.”

“But I know that isn’t possible.” He shrugs. “Everyone likes me. No girl has ever said no to me. So I have to think about what’s changed.”

“Tyler,” I sigh as I try to push past him. He stops me, closing his arms tighter around me.

“No, no, you’re going to listen to me. Because I’m going to tell you why you’re saying no, and then I’m going to tell you why you’re being a fucking idiot.”

“You’re not off to a great start, Tyler.” I sigh, shaking my head.

“Well then shut the fuck up and listen to me.” Tyler shifts on his feet and clears his throat. “The changing factor here is Professor Olsen.”

“I will remind you that I was saying no to you last semester, too.” I say.

“Exactly!” He bends his knees slightly. “We were in Professor Olsen’s class last semester, too.” He sighs, hanging his head and smiling. “You’ve got a thing for our professor. And while I can’t fathom why a beautiful girl like yourself would be a muff muncher, I can’t fathom even more why you would go for a woman twice our age.”

“She’s thirty-six…” I say. His eyebrows furrow together, as if he can’t understand my point. “Thirty-six is not double twenty-two.”

“Whatever,” he shakes his head. “It’s still a wild age gap. Anyway, to think you’re throwing away an incredible future with a high-value man like me for a woman who won’t even look twice at you is insane.”

“High-value man,” I chuckle. “The words you’re saying right now is what’s insane.”

“Listen, Y/N.” Tyler clears his throat. “You’re beautiful, I’m handsome. You’re smart, I’m athletic. You’re quiet, I’m confident. We go together like chocolate and vanilla.”

“Are you vanilla in this metaphor?” I ask. “Because I don’t like vanilla.”

“I’m not just some loser.” Tyler continues, ignoring my comment. “And you can’t ignore me. Not even for a professor who you think you can sleep with to get to the top of the grade pile.”

“I am not doing that!” I hiss at him. “First of all, disgusting. Second of all, I would never sell myself like that. For grades? I’m good enough to be at the top of my class without sleeping my way there.”

“Disgusting, hmm?” He tilts his head, fixating on that part of my comment. “So you’re not a dirty little carpet muncher? It’s okay if you are, I can fix you if that’s the case. But I need to know if you’re doing it with the professor, so I can report her to the necessary authorities.”

“‘Necessary authorities’?” I let out a laugh. “I’m not a child, Tyler. Even if I were sleeping with Professor Olsen, which I’m not, she wouldn’t be in any legal trouble. I am far older than the age of consent, and we didn’t meet until after I was an adult.”

“So you’re not sleeping with Professor Olsen?” He asks, raising his eyebrow.

“No!” I shake my head. “I would never even dream of it! But that doesn’t mean that I will automatically sleep with you.”

Tyler slams his fist against the wall, obviously angry at my answer. He opens his mouth to respond, but is interrupted.

“Mr. Garrison.” I look past Tyler and he turns his head. Professor Olsen is standing directly behind him, her briefcase dangling at her side. She glares at Tyler for a moment before flicking her eyes to me. “Ms. Y/L/N, you’re dismissed.”

“I’m not done here,” Tyler starts, tightening his arms around me even more.

“Yes, you are.” Elizabeth’s voice is firm. “You and I are going to speak about the accusations you’ve thrown at me. Ms. Y/L/N does not need to be a part of our discussion.”

I mouth ‘thank you’ to Elizabeth before I duck under Tyler’s arm and scurry away. I turn the corner a little ways down the hall and pause, peeking just around the corner to see if I can hear the two of them. No luck, however. Elizabeth leads him down the hallway in the opposite direction. I watch them until they’re out of sight. I turn, pressing my back against the wall, and exhale.

“What a fucking joke,” I whisper. I take another moment to breathe before I push myself off the wall and head for the common area.

I grab a hot chocolate from the café before I find a spot to sit down, pulling out some things to study for a few hours. The hours drag on, and I find myself checking my phone constantly, either to check the time or to see if I’ve gotten a text from Elizabeth. I’m disappointed every time and have to turn back to my materials.

Finally my phone says it’s three-forty-five. I pack up my things and take the short walk to Elizabeth’s office. I get there a little before four and pace, not wanting to interrupt if there’s someone inside. A few minutes of pacing later, and a young woman comes out of her office, clearly frazzled.

“Are you going in there?” She asks as she passes me.

“Yeah,” I respond.

“Watch out. She’s in a mood.” The student walks down the empty hallway back toward the main building. I furrow my eyebrows in worry. I open the door to Elizabeth’s office, slip inside, and shut it softly, locking it behind me. Elizabeth is leaning against her desk facing away from me, one arm crossed over her chest while her other elbow rests on her arm. She’s holding her head in her fingertips.

I walk slowly over to her sitting area and place my bag by the chairs. Then I walk over to the desk, just as slowly. When she doesn’t look up at me, I continue to creep around the desk until I’m in front of her. When she still doesn’t look up, I force myself between her legs and place my hands gently on her arms.

“Elizabeth, talk to me.” I whisper. “What’s the matter? The student that just left your office says you’re out of sorts. Is it Tyler? What did he say?”

Elizabeth sighs and lets her hand fall, lightly grabbing my upper arm.

“Yeah, among other things.” She inhales deeply. She looks up at me and offers me a lopsided smile. “We can talk about what happened with Tyler. First I should tell you that I don’t have as much time with you as I’d like.”

“What do you mean?”

“My sister called me. Ashley, she’s in town. She insists on getting dinner. So I’ve only got until about six-thirty.”

“That’s okay, Elizabeth,” I reassure her, rubbing her shoulders. “Any time with you is good time.” Elizabeth smiles and lets out a small chuckle.

“I feel the same way.” She sighs. “Just having you in class calms me. It’s kind of insane actually.”

“Yeah?” A smile tugs on my lips as well. “I really bring something out of you, don’t I?”

“You really do.” Elizabeth nods. Her hands slide down my arms and settle on my hips, pulling me closer to her. Then she takes my left hand and places it over chest, under both her blouse and blazer. I feel her heart racing beneath her skin. After a few moments, her heart rate starts to slow down. “See? I’m already settling.”

“Yeah, I can feel that.” I whisper, my fingers curling over her skin. I don’t speak again until her heart rate is back to normal. “Is your heart rate going to increase again if I ask you about what happened with Tyler?” I look into her eyes. Elizabeth smiles.

“We can find out.” She shrugs. “It won’t raise it any more than the other activity I had planned for us.” Her smug look makes my heart jump. I press myself even closer to Elizabeth and slide my hands up her body to clasp behind her neck.

“Might make for some good aftercare talk,” I tease. Elizabeth leans in and places a kiss on my neck, sucking lightly at my skin. She reaches her hand up to rest on the other side of my neck, rubbing her thumb across my jaw.

“I’d rather not talk about Tyler when I’m pleasuring you.” She murmurs against my skin. “Let’s talk about him at a later date.” She nips the skin of my neck, eliciting a moan from me. “Or not at all.”

“Whatever you want,” I groan, arching into her. “Who were we talking about again?”

Elizabeth smirks against my skin before removing her lips from me to make eye contact.

“Good question.” Elizabeth leans up and takes my lips in hers. She kisses sweetly, intentionally, like I’m someone that she wants to take care of. Her hands slide down my body to my pants, her fingers expertly unbuttoning my jeans. Once unbuttoned and unzipped, Elizabeth slips her hand under my pants and panties, cupping my clean-shaven pussy. I let out a heavy exhale, bowing my head as I grasp tightly to her shoulders. “Fuck, Y/N, you’re so wet for me already,” Elizabeth chuckles, her lips brushing my cheek. “Is this how wet you get for me in class?”

“Uh-huh,” I nod.

“Oh, ho, you poor baby.” Elizabeth kisses my cheek. She slides her finger through my slick folds, teasing my clit at the top. “That must be torturous for you.”

“Very much so.” I nod again.

“Tell me, Y/N,” Elizabeth whispers, sliding her finger through my folds again. “Do you ever go back to your dorm after class and… touch yourself thinking of me?”

“N-No,” I whimper. “I hoped that… we’d do this again. That you would… take care of me again.”

“I’ll always take care of you, Y/N.” Elizabeth purrs, finding my hole and sticking a finger inside of me. I gasp and stand on my tip toes, reacting to her movements. She widens her mouth against my cheek. “There’s a good girl. That feels good, doesn’t it?”

“Mhmm,” I nod, pressing my lips tightly together. “You feel so good inside me.” Elizabeth starts pumping her finger in me. Not enough to pull her finger all the way out, but enough so I can very clearly feel the movement. I let out a whimper as the heel of her palm rubs gently against my clit. My hands grasp desperately onto her shoulders as my nerves grow more and more sensitive.

“I’m going to taste you,” Elizabeth whispers into my ear. “But you’re going to come in my hand first.” I nod again, my lips pressing so hard together that they’re turning white. “Good. Let me walk you through it, okay?” Another nod. “We’re starting off easy, baby, just one little finger. But I want you to try your best to talk with me, okay? I want to hear you.”

“Okay,” I whisper, barely able to open my lips.

“What was that?” Elizabeth asks, curling her finger inside of me at a ruthless angle. “I couldn’t hear you.”

“Okay!” I whine a little louder, inhaling deeply at the curve of her finger.

“Good girl.” Elizabeth purrs, pushing my folds aside with the heel of her palm and pressing down on my clit.

“Oh! My God,” I breathe, my stomach flipping at her touch. Her finger slowly pumps inside of me, curling when she hits her hilt to poke at my G-spot. My hands grip her neck, my nails digging into the skin at the back of it, pulling at her baby hairs.

“Oh, I see that felt good.” Elizabeth smiles, pulling her body back just enough to look at my face. Her face is soft and caring, her eyes searching for something, but I can’t tell what it is. “You look so pretty falling apart for me.” She whispers, moving her finger so she has room to rub my clit gently. “I want you completely undone, Y/N. Come for me.” She slips her finger out of me and starts to rub circles around my clit, passing over the nerves every few cycles. The heat in my stomach builds, and I know that she’ll get what she wants soon.

“Just a little more,” I beg, pressing my body closer to her. “Please, just a little more.”

“You’re cute when you beg,” Elizabeth chuckles, her eyes sparkling with want. She picks up the pace slightly, her finger now much more intentional about when, where, and with how much force she passes over my clit. The pressure becomes just a little too much for me to handle and I let out a moan as I hit my climax, spreading myself all over her fingers. Elizabeth’s mouth hangs open as she watches me convulse on her palm. I bite down hard on my lower lip as I shake, my legs growing weaker by the second. As if Elizabeth can tell, she places her other hand on the small of my back to help hold me up. “Good girl,” Elizabeth whispers.

She pulls her hand from out of my pants, slowly bringing her hand up to her mouth. She inserts her soaked finger into her mouth, sucking my juices off of her finger. She starts to pull her finger out of her mouth slowly, smiling as she bites down on her nail seductively.

“You taste delicious,” she murmurs. “I think I’d like to taste you for real now.”

“It won’t ruin your appetite for dinner?” I tease, my breath still heavy from previous activities.

“Absolutely not,” Elizabeth smirks as she stands from her desk. She places her hands on my waist and rotates us so we switch places. She loops her fingers in the belt loops of my pants and pulls them down my thighs. Then she grips my hips tightly and lifts me onto her desk, placing me just at the edge of the wooden frame. Her hands slide slowly down my bare thighs until she reaches my jeans.

Elizabeth kneels in front of me, gently taking my shoes off my feet. Then she takes off both of my socks, placing one in each shoe. Then she grips my jeans at the ankles and slowly pulls them off my legs. Elizabeth folds my jeans and places them neatly behind her on her chair. She places my shoes on top of my jeans. When she turns back to me, she’s looking at my pussy.

“I can see how wet you are,” she smirks. Her tone is hungry. I look down and see a large wet spot on my panties. Instinctively I close my legs, a little embarrassed. Elizabeth raises her hands immediately to stop me, her hands on the inside of my knees. “No.” She says. It’s forceful, but gentle. “Keep them open. I want to see what I do to you.” She leans over and kisses the inside of my left knee, glancing up at me. She slides her left hand up my right leg and grasps my hip, her thumb pressing into the space between my leg and my pelvis.

I inhale slightly; the spot where she’s pressing is a sensitive spot for me. Very sensitive. Elizabeth starts kissing up my left leg, swiping her tongue across different parts of my skin, licking at the arousal sticking to my skin. When she reaches the crook between my leg and my pelvis on my left leg she nips at my skin briefly before she clasps fully onto the skin with her teeth, wrapping her lips around the mark she’s creating. My right hand comes flying into her hair, my fingers disappearing between the long, soft strands. She bites down hard, eliciting an intense gasp from my chest. My grasp tightens in her hair and she smirks, clearly enjoying this.

“E…Elizabeth…!” I take a few deep breaths, my chest rising and falling in big movements.

“Does it hurt?” She asks, worriedly swiping her tongue across her teeth marks. Her eyes have grown ever softer at the worry of hurting me.

“Yes,” I admit quietly. “But it feels good.” My fingers loosen in her hair as my hand comes down to caress her face. She turns her head to kiss her bite marks. “I like that you want to mark me.”

“Everywhere,” she whispers, grinning against my skin. She closes her mouth to kiss her mark again, and I see the marks clearly on my skin. They make my heart jump.

Elizabeth moves her mouth closer to my core, placing kisses the whole way. Once she gets to my panties, she drags her tongue over my panties from bottom to top. She wraps her mouth around my clit over my panties, a soft massage that I can barely feel. My hand goes back into her hair, pulling her closer to me. Elizabeth nips one of my pussy lips and pulls back slightly.

“Patience, Y/N,” she instructs. “I will get there, I promise. But I like to take my time.” She licks up the side of my panties, half of her tongue hitting skin. “I can’t treat you right if I can’t take my time.”

“O-Okay,” I nod, my breath shaking. “I’ll try to be patient.”

“That’s my good girl,” Elizabeth kisses the inside of my thigh. She slips a finger sideways through my panties and pulls them away from my body. Then she pulls her finger from under my panties. They snap back into place, hitting my clit with a slight force. My body jerks at the impact. Not from the force, but from the sudden stimulation on my clit. “Don’t worry, baby,” she says quietly. “I won’t make you wait long.”

Elizabeth does not, in fact, make me wait very long. She hooks her fingers around the waistband of my panties and pulls them down slowly. They slide off my legs easily, leaving me completely exposed. When she’s pulled them from around my ankles, she places them on top of my jeans. She kisses up my thigh again, licking the spot where she marked me, then she kisses the skin right next to my pussy.

She tilts her head and kisses my pussy as if she’s kissing my lips, running her tongue along my slit. I tremble at her touch, my fingers curling in her hair. Elizabeth grabs my right leg and hoists it over her shoulder. Her left hand grasps my right hip as her other hand holds onto my other thigh. She rights her head to slide her tongue through my slit, her tongue hovering over my clit. The second she places the flat part of her tongue against my clit, electricity shoots through my core and out to the rest of my body. I let out a gasp as her tongue flicks my clit, then again as her mouth closes around it.

The feeling in my body heats up as I grip the desk tightly, my knuckles turning white. Breathy sounds leave my lips, encouraging Elizabeth to keep going. Her licks are firm, deliberate, spreading my pussy lips apart to dive deeper into my folds. Even though this is only our second sexual interaction, it seems like Elizabeth knows all the right spots to hit in order to lure out my noises of pleasure.

Elizabeth moans into my pussy, the noise sending vibrations through my core that are so intense it causes me to moan as I  grind into her mouth. That causes Elizabeth to make another noise against my pussy, and we fall into a cycle of moaning, vibration, and grinding. Elizabeth runs her tongue through my folds again, this time stopping when she finds my hole. She pushes her tongue inside of me, her nose hitting my clit as she pushes deep. I grip her hair and pull her deeper into me as I ride her, grinding my hips to ride her tongue.

The heat in my stomach grows again as Elizabeth coaxes out every bit of arousal I have in me. She lets me ride her, flicking her tongue in me every time my hips cause my clit to hit her nose. As my legs start to tremble and close around her, Elizabeth pulls her tongue from inside me. I whine at the sudden emptiness, but the sound is silenced by Elizabeth’s mouth around my clit again. She removes her right arm from around my left leg and reaches between us, pushing two fingers inside me and immediately curling them.

My breathing gets heavier and more ragged as her fingers enter me, my pussy walls fluttering around her encouraging fingers with each devastatingly intentional thrust. Her fingers curl and brush my walls, scraping the slick from inside and sending pleasurable signals to all of my nerve endings. Elizabeth twists her fingers inside of me, finding new places that I didn’t even know existed within myself.

While her fingers are working inside me, her tongue is working outside. She places soft kisses over my clit and twirls her tongue around me. As she closes her mouth around the bundle of nerves, she presses the flat side of her tongue against me. Elizabeth expertly rotates the muscles in the back of her tongue to move the wet flesh on top of the nerves.

“Elizabeth,” I breathe, my fingers tightening in her hair. “Fuck, I’m close,”

“Hold out for me,” she murmurs against my clit. “Just a little bit longer, baby, I want just a little more of your taste.” She returns her attention back to my clit, but my attention is now on clinging into my orgasm for as long as I can. Elizabeth flicks her tongue quickly over my clit, her flicks matching in time with her fingers pumping in and out of me. Every time her fingers push deeper inside of me, the heat in my stomach grows. It gets harder and harder for me to hold back my orgasm.

“Elizabeth, please.” I beg, barely able to get the words out. “I can’t hold it anymore!”

“Okay, baby.” Elizabeth licks my clit. “You can let go. It’s okay.”

Elizabeth places her lips back around my clit and sucks hard. As she sucks, the pace of her fingers increases. The heat grows even larger in my stomach until the dam bursts. My walls clench tightly around Elizabeth’s fingers and my thighs come crashing together against her head. I cry out and fall back on the desk, my elbow catching me. I don’t let go of her hair, causing me to tug on it as I fall back onto the desk. Elizabeth stays in place, looking up at me as my body shakes and trembles through my release.

Once I’ve settled through my orgasm, Elizabeth rises from her spot in front of me. She leans into me, taking my hands and wrapping my arms around her neck. Then she bows her head and kisses me, allowing me to taste myself on her lips. I kiss her hungrily, trapping her against me with my legs. Elizabeth sticks her tongue inside my mouth and I suck on it, getting every last bit of myself off of her.

“The taste of you is extraordinary.” Elizabeth breathes, placing her forehead gently against mine.

“And you know how to use that tongue of yours,” I sigh. “As well as those fingers. And did I sense a few little kinks in there?”

“I would have brought them up eventually,” Elizabeth chuckles uneasily.

I slide my hands up her arms until I reach her cheeks, tilting her head up just enough for me to look into her eyes.

“I like my women a little dominant.” I whisper.

“Your women?” Elizabeth raises an eyebrow. “Am I your woman now, Y/N?” The words are tense, a little forceful, but I see the curve of a smile at the edges of her lips.

“Do you wanna be?” I lower my voice even more and bat my eyelashes at her. Then my voice gets quieter, almost inaudible. “Mommy?”

Elizabeth’s eyes twitch and I can feel her heart rate increase through her carotid. But just through that, I can’t tell if she’s excited or disgusted by the idea. I search her eyes for any hint of emotion, but I can’t find anything. Elizabeth licks her lips and swallows hard.

“That’s not something I usually bring up on a second date.” She says, her voice hoarse. A smile tugs at my lips.

“So you do like to be called that?” I say, phrasing it as a question. But I already know the answer. I trace my fingers down her arms, looking at how strong her hands are on my waist as I capture my lip between my teeth. “Mommy,” I whisper, looking back up at her. “It suits you, I think.”

“You’d be into that?” Elizabeth asks, almost holding her breath to see what I’ll say.

“I’d be into it.” I confirm. “I’d be into trying anything with you. But this is something I can see sticking.” Her lips curl into a devilish smile. Elizabeth grabs my chin in her hand and brings her lips down to mine, kissing me fiercely. She bites my bottom lip then kisses me again, soothing the pain from the bite.

“You are one interesting young woman,” Elizabeth whispers against my lips. “You are intoxicating, Y/N. Exciting, thrilling, wonderful in so many ways.”

“Thank you,” I say quietly. “You’re lying, but I appreciate the words.”

“I’m not lying!” Elizabeth chuckles. “I truly believe all those things about you.”

“Whatever,” I smile, hitting her gently and unseriously on her arm. “I’m not good at complements like that.”

“You’re going to have to get good at them if you’re going to play into some of my kinks.” Elizabeth purrs. “Now be a good girl and show me that ass.” Elizabeth laughs as I hit her again, pushing her away from me this time.

“Stop!”I laugh too, hopping off the desk. I take a few steps to get to her chair and pick up my panties. As I pass, Elizabeth slaps my ass pretty hard.

“That’s my good girl,” Elizabeth growls, a playful smile on her face when I turn around. I whip my panties at her. She catches them with ease, her smile growing bigger. She walks towards me, holding my panties in the air. She stops right in front of me, my panties hanging between us. I reach up to grab them, but she tugs them away.

“Give those back,” I whine, grabbing onto the bottom of her blouse.

“Oh, you want these?” Elizabeth tilts her head in mock curiosity. “I’m sorry. You could have fooled me by the way you threw them at me.”

“Come on Elizabeth, you’re going to make yourself late.”

“Ashley will understand.” She shrugs.

“So you’re going to tell her about me?” I cross my arms and raise an eyebrow.

“I’ll probably just tell her about this slutty little co-ed I met in a bar last weekend.” She smirks. “She’ll laugh, and move onto the next topic.”

“Elizabeth,” I sigh, giving her a look. “Come on. Don’t make yourself late just to tease me.”

“Teasing you is what I do now.” Elizabeth says, lowering herself to the ground in front of me. She taps on my left leg. “Lift.” I lift my leg and she maneuvers my panties around my ankle. She taps my right leg, so I lift that one. She does the same thing with that leg. Then she lifts my panties up my body, settling them snugly around my waist. She runs her hand over the very deep teeth marks that reside on my skin.

“If I were a freak, I’d get these tattooed on me.” I joke, giving her a little laugh. Elizabeth looks up at me, a serious look in her eyes.

“Don’t play about things like that, Y/N. I might actually make you do that, to mark you permanently as mine.” My heart races at the thought. Marked permanently as hers? I’m a little embarrassed to admit how hot that sounds.

“I would want it right here,” I say, placing my hand over hers on the teeth marks. “Close. Intimate. In one of my most sensitive spots.”

“Guess I know one of your birthday gifts.” Elizabeth smirks, standing back up. “We’ll get it for you in Paris.”

“Paris,” I scoff, turning around to grab my pants. “Now that’s just crazy talk.”

“Why do you say that?” Elizabeth asks. As I turn back to her she leans back against her desk, bracing herself with her arms.

“This is New York.” I shoot her a glance. “The money from my books isn’t that good. Not for affording school and a trip to Paris.”

“That’s why it’s a birthday gift, baby.” Elizabeth says as if I’m silly for not even thinking about it. “Besides,” she pushes herself off the desk to get closer to me, her arm wrapping around my waist and pulling me close. My pelvis hits hers with a harsh impact as she leans down to whisper in my ear. “Mommy takes care of her babygirl.”

My stomach flips. I’m getting heated all over again, and it takes everything in me not to beg her to cancel dinner with her sister. My hands are resting on her collarbone and my breath lands heavy against her neck.

“That’s what this entails,” she continues, her lips brushing against my ear. “When you’re with me, at home, you’re mine. You can go to school, work if you like. But you’ll never have to if you want to quit. I want you to have friends, but I’m your top priority. I’ll take care of you, Y/N. Cook you dinner, take you out on dates, bring you to all sorts of exotic locations. Because when you’re my baby, I want you to have a fulfilling life. And part of that is that I’m going to take care of you.” She cups her free hand around my pussy. “I’m going to take care of you in every way.”

“Elizabeth,” I breathe, my mind racing with the idea. Elizabeth turns her head and kisses my cheek.

“Don’t answer me now.” She says. “Think about it. We can talk more about it this weekend. If you have any questions before you give me an answer, you can ask them then. Is that okay?” I nod my head, my forehead resting on her chest. “Alright.” She straightens and kisses the top of my head. “Finish getting dressed. I have to get going.”

“Yes, ma’am,” I whisper. Elizabeth walks away from me to straighten things on her desk as I pull my pants back on. Then my socks and shoes. When I’m finished, Elizabeth is standing by, clutching her briefcase. “Hey, we still haven’t talked about your conversation with Tyler.”

“That can wait until this weekend, too.” She assures me. “Come on. We shouldn’t leave together.”

“Right,” I nod. “Seperetly.” I walk over to her sitting area and grab my jacket and bag. I sling my backpack over my shoulder and head for Elizabeth’s office door. I turn the knob and open the door, but Elizabeth closes it from behind me.

“Hey,” she says, pressing herself into my back. “Y/N, look at me.” I turn around and look up at her. “Are we okay?”

“Yeah,” I nod, offering a small smile. “You’ve just given me a lot to think about.”

“Of course,” she nods. Elizabeth reaches up and tucks a strand of hair behind my ear. “Just write down any questions you have. And we can talk about it this weekend. Does that sound okay?”

“Absolutely.” My smile grows bigger. Elizabeth matches my emotion and bends down, kissing me sweetly. When she pulls back, she runs her thumb affectionately down my cheek.

“See you Friday?” Elizabeth asks.

“Bright and early.” I nod. “But I’ll text you before then.”

“Good.” Elizabeth grins. “I couldn’t go without talking to you for two days.” She reaches down and opens the door. “You first. I’ll follow.”

“Goodnight, Professor Olsen.” I murmur as I exit her office. “Have fun tonight.” I turn away and walk down the hallway away from her office.

The building is almost empty, as only a few classrooms are going to have night classes in them. I make my way down to the first floor and head out the door. Once outside, I stop dead in my tracks.

My nostrils flare as a familiar smell enters them. It’s Tyler’s cologne. Disgusting, and smells like old mildew. My eyes dart around, but I can’t see him anywhere. I start walking slowly away from the building, keeping my eyes peeled for him.

In the cabin, Cassie and Bucky realize it’s more than just a one room cabin. There’s a small kitchen and living room, an open door that Bucky and Cassie can see is a bathroom, and a closed door. Cassie points it out to Bucky, who nods. They make their way slowly to the door. Bucky places his hand on the knob and slowly turns it.

When the door swings open, Cassie gasps. She rushes into the room, falling beside the only thing in the room: the bed.

Y/N lays on the bed flat on her back. Her arms are at her sides, and her eyes are closed. Red wisps swirl around her body, darting at Cassie as she gets close. Cassie swats them away before she takes Y/N’s hand in hers.

“Y/N?” Cassie says quietly, tugging gently on her hand. “Y/N, can you hear me?”

“This is certainly the work of the Scarlet Witch.” Bucky huffs. “Strange needs to see this. I’m going to go back outside and give him a call.” Bucky backs out of the room, leaving Cassie alone with Y/N. Cassie scoots forward and uses her free hand to push some hair out of Y/N’s face.

“Y/N,” Cassie whispers, looking at Y/N’s eyes moving under her eyelids. “Don’t do this, Y/N. If you’re in there, please, don’t marry her. You have to come back. You have to.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

All weekend long, the only thing we do is fuck. After we wake up? Wanda wants to fuck. After breakfast? Wanda wants me to take her on the counter. We do a little bit of yardwork? Wanda wants us to kill all the freshly killed flowers with a romp in the dirt. Making dinner? Wanda wants me to eat off her naked body. After dinner? Let’s go skinny dipping and fuck in the pool. Three more rounds before bed.

Saturday night, Wanda woke me up at 3AM with her mouth on my clit.

By Monday morning, Wanda is perky and excited. She’s in our closet as I open my eyes, humming as she flips through our shared clothes. She takes something away from where it’s hanging, looks at it for a second, then puts it back. She does that a few more times before she walks out of the closet holding a short, white dress with flowers on the hem.

“How ‘bout this one, baby?” She asks, her voice extremely chipper.

“What about that one?” I ask, yawning as I rub my eyes.

“For today.” She responds as if I should know exactly what she means. She looks at me and sees my confused face. “For our wedding, babe. We’re going to the courthouse today, remember?”

“The courthouse…” I say, scrunching up my face. “Wanda, we aren’t supposed to get married until next year.”

“C’mon babe, we talked about this.” Wanda sighs, coming over to sit on the edge of the bed next to me. “Friday, we agreed we would go to the courthouse today, do a reception next year.” She smirks as she leans closer to me. “And then you gave me the best fuck of my life.”

“Mmm, baby,” I moan, my hand moving to rest on her thigh. “That’s sweet. But I still think we should wait until next year.” I look up at Wanda and see the red swirls behind her pupils again. She reaches out with her hand and brushes hair away from my temple.

“We’re getting married today, baby. We are not waiting.”

“Anything for you, baby,” I say before I can stop myself. Something in the back of my mind questions why I’m still going forward with the wedding today, but the thought is quickly pushed away by something else. Wanda’s finger traces down my jawline to rest on my collarbone before she leans down and kisses me. “Wanda!” I laugh, turning my head away. “Morning breath, baby, I haven’t brushed my teeth yet!”

“I don’t care!” Wanda giggles, chasing my lips until she connects hers again. She swipes her tongue over my bottom lip before she pushes through my closed lips, her tongue swiping across mine. She pulls away and cups my cheek, swiping her thumb across my cheekbone. “You’re going to look so pretty in your dress, baby.”

“What are you going to wear?” I smirk, looking down at her pajama bottoms. “I could help you look… after I take these off.”

“We’ve got to get going, my love.” Wanda smiles as she stands from the bed, walking towards our ensuite bathroom and hanging the dress on the door. “Take a shower. Get ready.”

“Join me in the shower?” I ask, propping myself up on my elbows.

“Tonight, after we get married.” Wanda walks back toward the closet, her tone changing to something a little harsher. “Come on, Y/N, get up and get ready.”

I don’t argue anymore, don’t try to have fun. I throw the covers off of myself and walk into the bathroom, taking the dress with me as I close the door. I shower quickly , scrubbing everywhere on my body twice. Once I’m done I dry my body, brush my hair, and put the dress on. I run some deodorant under my arms and spritz a little bit of perfume on my body, Wanda’s favorite perfume. I step outside of the bathroom, smoothing my dress out. Wanda pokes her head out from the closet. When she sees me, she smirks.

“Fuck, baby, you’re the hottest thing I’ve ever seen.” Wanda whistles, shaking her head. “Too bad that dress will be no more after today. Once we’re wife and wife, that dress is getting ripped off your body and completely destroyed.”

“Whatever you say, Wanda.” I chuckle as I head to the bedroom door. “I’m going to go feed Pancake and let her out.”

“I’ll be right there, my love.” Wanda calls after me. I open the door and step out, making my way to the living room. Pancake is laying on her back by the back door, her feet in the air and her tongue hanging out of her mouth. When I approach she looks at me, then wiggles her body upright and barks at me.

“Yeah, yeah, we’re going outside.” I smile at her as I open the sliding back door. Pancake darts out the door immediately, making her way to the patch of grass at the back that’s her favorite pee spot. I walk into the backyard with her to the end of the patio before leaning against one of the pillars that holds up our sun protector. I cross my arms and let out an exhale.

“Y/N…”

I turn around to look at Wanda, but she isn’t there. I wrinkle my brows, confused. I swear I heard my name. I turn my attention back to Pancake and watch her roll around in the grass.

“Y/N!”

I whip around, but again, Wanda isn’t there. I walk back to the door into the house and poke my head inside.

“Wanda?” I call out. Footsteps, then Wanda’s head coming from our bedroom.

“Yes, baby?”

“Did you call for me?” I ask her.

“No?” She responds, sounding just as confused as me.

“Okay,” I nod. “Um, Pancake’s almost done out here. I’m going to feed her and I’ll be ready.”

“I’m almost ready.” Wanda says as she disappears back into our room. I turn back to the yard and call for Pancake. She comes rushing over, barreling into the living room. I smile at her excitement and turn to go back inside.

“Don’t!”

I whip back around and look outside. Still, there’s no one out there. My eyes dart around the backyard, nervous. I walk backwards into the house and close the door. Pancake barks at me, hungry, and I walk into the kitchen to feed her.

Wanda comes into the kitchen as I’m putting the scoop for Pancake’s food away, coming up behind me. She wraps her arms around my waist as I stand up, placing her chin on my shoulder and nuzzling into my neck.

“Thank you for doing this today, baby.” She whispers. “I just don’t want to be without you for another year.”

“You’re not without me, Wanda,” I say, tilting my head towards her. “I’d still be here, with you. Just… planning the wedding we actually deserve.”

“I want to get started on our family, Y/N,” Wanda whispers into my ear. “And I know you don’t want to do that until we’re married.”

“So you’re pushing up our wedding to manipulate me into starting a family?” I ask, turning to face her. I cross my arms over my chest and lean back against the cupboard. “That’s not really a good way to start a family, Wands.”

“Come on, baby, I didn’t mean it like that,” Wanda chuckles, raising her hands to grasp my shoulders. “I just can’t wait to have you pregnant. Getting all big and round, carrying my child. Bringing life into the world, babygirl.” She leans in and kisses my cheek. “I’m going to take such good care of you when you’re pregnant.”

“You better take good care of me all the time.” I roll my eyes, shoving her away from me and heading toward the door.

“Of course I’m going to take care of you all the time, baby,” Wanda chases after me, grabbing onto my arm and spinning me around, wrapping her arm around my waist. She kisses me, but it’s different than usual. It’s possessive and harsh, like she’s trying to claim me. My body shudders, the thought sending a bout of nerves through my body. Wanda smiles in the kiss, probably assuming I’m shuddering for her. When she pulls back, she’s got the same sort of look in her eye, possessive and harsh.

“Come on.” I say, pulling away from her. “We’re going to be late.” I turn around my purse before I head into the garage, pulling the passenger door open to Wanda’s car.

“What do you think you’re doing?” Wanda asks, her palm slamming against the door and shutting it. I look up at her, a little shocked by this switch that’s flipped. “My baby doesn’t open car doors for herself.” Wanda gently brushes my hand away from the door handle, grabbing the handle herself and opening the door. She steps back and holds the door open. “Hop on in, babygirl.”

I climb into the car, watching Wanda as she shuts my door, walks around the front of the car, and gets into the driver’s seat. She starts the car and opens the garage door, backing expertly out of the garage and down the driveway. She puts the car into drive, and she places her hand on the skin of my thigh as we drive away.

I keep my hands clasped in my lap and stare at the road ahead, intensely aware of Wanda’s fingers tracing circles on my thigh. Something about this isn’t right. Something about her isn’t right.

She isn’t the same Wanda I fell in love with.

I feel Wanda looking at me every few minutes as we drive. I don’t dare look over at her. She’s always had this weird way of being able to tell what I’m thinking, and I don’t want her knowing that I’m worried. Worried that she isn’t the same person I fell in love with, worried that we’re making a mistake, worried that I don’t love her anymore.

We come to a stop at a red light, and I look out the passenger window at a bus stop. There’s a young blonde woman sitting at the bus stop, reading a book about… ants? I tilt my head as I try to get a better look. Suddenly she looks up at me, as if she can feel me staring. I make eye contact with her.

Don’t do this.

“What?” I whisper, squinting my eyes. But I know the woman at the bus stop didn’t say anything. I was watching her mouth. I keep my eyes on her as the light turns green and Wanda presses her foot on the pedal and we roll away from the light.

Don’t.

I turn my head to face forward again and lean my head back, closing my eyes. I let out a long breath.

“Is everything okay, Y/N?” Wanda asks me. I nod, my eyes still closed.

“Yeah,” I say quietly. “My brain just hurts.”

“I’ll take care of it for you when we get home, baby.” Wanda’s hand squeezes my thigh. “You’ll have the rest of your life for me to take care of you.”

I don’t say anything. I try to keep my breathing steady, but all I can think about is the voice. The voice of a woman that keeps appearing in my head, calling my name and telling me to not do something. But what? What could this voice be telling me not to do? Does it have anything to do with that weird dream that I had?

Wanda pulls up to the courthouse building and parks the car. Before she gets out she turns to me.

“Don’t open that door, baby.” She says, kissing my head. Then she exits the car and walks around to the passenger side, opening my door. I step out, pulling my purse over my shoulder, and Wanda closes the door. She takes my hand in hers, lacing her fingers in mine. “C’mon.” She smiles at me and pulls me close to her so she can kiss my head again. “Time to start the rest of our lives.”

Wanda leads me into the building and takes care of everything. She speaks to the person at the front desk, gets the necessary forms, fills them out (except for the things I need to fill out), and walks me to the floor we need to be.

We sit outside a judge’s chambers for a few hours, waiting in line as others get married before us. When it’s our turn, Wanda leads me inside the chambers. There are two other people in there besides the judge, probably the witnesses. Wanda hands the judge our forms and speaks with him for a few minutes. I look down at my hands as they fiddle with my dress.

“Y/N?” Wanda pulls me out of my thoughts with a hand on my arm. I jump at her touch and look at her, then I look at the judge.

“I-I’m sorry, what was that?”

“Do you want to be here, ma’am?” The judge asks. I glance over at Wanda. The same red floats in her eyes, and that sparks a bit of fear in me. I look back to the judge and nod.

“Y-Yes, sir. I want to be here.”

“Alright, then I’ll need your ID before we can get started.”

“Of course,” I nod, stepping forward as I reach into my purse. I take out my wallet and hand him my ID. He takes it and looks at it, then places it on his desk.

“Okay.” He claps his hands together and looks from Wanda to me. “Let’s get you hitched.”

Wanda stands at his desk and faces me. I turn to face her as well. She takes my hands in hers and smiles at me.

“We are gathered here today to bring Wanda Maximoff and Y/N Y/L/N in holy matrimony.” The judge says. After that, I stop listening. I can’t get that voice out of my head. I think back to my dream and try to remember what that Strange guy said. How Wanda brought down something called Wundagore, how I was there to investigate. Something about Wanda having me trapped in a dream, a world that isn’t mine? I look down at my arm, at the burn mark left by that guy in my dream.

“Ms. Y/L/N?” My head snaps up. Wanda is looking at me, concerned. I look over at the judge, who’s also looking at me with concern. His head is tilted, and I see him glance down at the mark on my arm as well.

“I’m sorry.” I say again, but it isn’t a question this time. The judge carries on anyway.

“Do you take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife, Ms. Y/L/N?” The judge asks, probably for the second time. I look at him for an extended period of time, then I look at Wanda. Her forward looking gaze is concern, but the red swirls beneath that, revealing frustration and anger.

Don’t marry her.

The voice appears in my head again. And it clicks for me. Even if I’m unsure about this actually being a dream, I don’t want to be stuck here forever if I am. Strange said not to marry Wanda. I have to listen to the instinct that’s gnawing at me.

“No,” I whisper. Wanda looks shocked when I speak.

“Excuse me?” The judge asks, leaning forward. I look over at him and down at his desk. My license is still sitting there.

“No,” I repeat myself, louder this time. I look back at Wanda, begging her with my eyes to understand. “I’m sorry, Wanda, but this isn’t how I want to do it. I want a nice wedding, I want our friends and family with us. This is not a good way to start a marriage.” I take my hands from Wanda’s and reach over, snatching my license from the judge’s desk. Then I walk quickly out of the room, my head down. I make my way out of the courthouse on my own, but I stop outside the building. I probably just made Wanda very angry, am I to assume she’ll drive me home? Is that even the best idea?

“Y/N!” I spin around, Wanda flying down the courthouse steps. She’s wearing the same suit she was wearing when she proposed. Usually, that would make my heart race for her. Right now, my heart races in fear. She walks toward me with purpose, her hair flying wildly behind her. “What was that?” She asks as she storms over to me. She towers over me, and for the first time in our relationship, I feel small.

“I’m sorry, Wanda, but I really don’t want to get married in a fucking courthouse,” I murmur.

“Why not?” She demands, throwing her hands up. “Do you really not want to marry me? Am I really that shitty of a partner?”

“No, Wanda, of course not.” I sigh, shaking my head. I look up at her, and that scares me even more. The red is growing in her eyes. “When I was younger, I never dared dream of a wedding. Coming from a small, midwestern town, the idea of actually being able to marry who I wanted was just that. An idea. A hope. I was stuck thinking about standing across from a man, and that sucked so much that I stopped thinking about my wedding, because I knew it would never be what I wanted it to be. Then I moved here, met you, and I started to dream again. Of the big, white wedding, with the florals and the dresses and the dancing. I thought of all the people standing with me, my friends and found family. Your family that’s accepted me as their own.” I sigh again, rubbing my hand against my forehead. “I’m not willing to give that up. And if you’re not willing to wait for me, to give me that white wedding, then maybe we shouldn’t be together at all.”

The red in Wanda’s eyes starts to dissipate. She calms down, and her body relaxes. She reaches out her hand, silently giving me an olive branch. I hesitate, but in the end I decide to take it. She pulls me into her and gently wraps her arms around me. She kisses the top of my head, her hand sliding up and down my back.

“I’m sorry, baby, I didn’t realize how much a wedding meant to you.” She whispers. “We can wait, okay? Plan a real wedding. As long as I know you’re going to stay with me.”

“Of course, Wanda.” I whisper against her chest. “I love you, I want to be with you. I just don’t want to give up everything I am for you.”

“I understand, Y/N, I promise I do.” She says against my hair. “I don’t see you as my property, I don’t see you as someone I can control, I don’t see you as just a breeder for my children. I just got so excited that you wanted to marry me that I wanted to be married to you as soon as I could.”

“Baby,” I choke on the word as it comes out, angry at myself for ever doubting her.

“Shh, it’s okay.” Wanda comforts me, her arms squeezing tighter around me. “Let’s go home. And I can show you how much I love you. How does that sound?” I just nod against her chest, tears stinging my eyes. Wanda holds me close as we walk back to the car, and I don’t think it’s weird this time when she opens the door for me. She helps me into the passenger seat, then she buckles the seatbelt for me. When she pulls back, she notices the tears. She doesn’t comment on them, but she does lean in to kiss the tears from my cheek. She smiles as she backs away from me and shuts the door.

When she climbs into the driver’s seat, she starts the car and rolls the windows down slightly. She knows I like to feel the wind when we’re driving. Then she turns on the media console between us and starts playing music from a playlist titled ‘Y/N’s Favorites’. I smile when I see it. I didn’t even know she had this playlist. When we’re pulling out of the parking lot, her hand falls back on my thigh. This time, I rest my hand on top of hers, intertwining our fingers. She glances over at me, and I offer her a small smile.

We ride back in silence, and I’m grateful for it. It gives me time to think, to calm down. To stop the tears from flowing. I lean my head back and look out the window, just wanting this day to be over.

When we get back home, Wanda doesn’t get mad when I open the door for myself. She waits for me at the front of the car, holding her hand out for me. I reach out and take it, and she gently leads me into the house. Pancake runs up on us immediately, but Wanda shoos her away to the couch. Pancake listens obediently, strutting back over to the couch and jumping on, laying down in her favorite sun spot. Wanda leads me to our bedroom and sits me down on the bed. She kneels down between my legs, her hands resting on my thighs.

“We can just lay down if you want, baby.” She says, her thumbs rubbing the inside of my thighs. “I’ll put your pajamas and favorite blanket in the dryer to warm them up, we can turn on your favorite movie. We’ll get your favorite takeout for lunch and pizza for dinner.”

“Yeah,” I nod. “Our clothes and blanket in the dryer.” I smile up at her, sniffling. “Then we can blow off some steam from today while we’re waiting for the dryer.” A smile tugs at the corner of Wanda’s mouth.

“As you wish, my love.” Wanda stands up and places a kiss on the top of my head. “Stay there. I’ll be right back.” I watch Wanda go into our closet. She comes back out after a moment with both of our pajamas. Then she leaves the room.

I sniffle and stand up, taking off my dress and going into the closet to hang it up. Then I walk over to the hamper to take off my panties and throw them inside before walking back to the bed and sitting down. About thirty seconds later, Wanda walks back into the room. She stops near the doorway as she sees me and smiles.

“Baby, you didn’t have to take your clothes off.” She purrs. “I could have done that for you.”

“I know,” I say quietly. Wanda’s smirk grows wider as she walks over to me, taking my chin in her hand and tilting my head up.

“You’re sweet, baby.” Wanda says to me. “Let me get ready for you.” Wanda turns away from me and walks to our closet. I hear her walking around, putting her clothes away. When she walks back out she’s got just her panties on, my strap bouncing from her hips.

I feel my pussy throb as my mouth waters. Wanda walks slowly over to me, taking her time to get to me. When she’s finally standing in front of me, I bring my hands up to rest on her thighs, running my hands along her skin. I lean forward, but Wanda stops me, kneeling down in front of me again.

“It’s all about you tonight, baby. Let me pleasure you tonight.”

“Okay,” I whisper, nodding my head. “If that’s what you want.” It’s still a little strange when Wanda wants to please me. Our usual dynamic is that I take control, but she’s obviously feeling it tonight. Wanda settles in between my legs, kissing up my inner thigh as she looks up at me. I settle down on my elbows and look down at Wanda. She kisses higher and higher, her lip placement purposeful on my body. Once she’s about halfway up my thigh she sticks out her tongue, dragging her tongue up my thigh towards my core. She slides her tongue in the space that connects my pelvis and leg before she moves to where my legs meet.

Wanda connects her lips to my core, her tongue exploring every inch hidden beneath my folds. She sticks her tongue inside my hole for a split second before removing it and moving on, making her way to the top of my pussy to my clit. Wanda places her lips over my clit and starts massaging my nerves with her lips. I fall onto my back on the bed, one hand moving upwards to rub my forehead and push my hair back.

“Wanda,” I moan, her name escaping my lips with little resistance. “Your t-tongue, Wanda,”

“I know, baby,” Wanda murmurs against my clit. “Let me take care of you, my love. Just lay back and relax, okay?”

“Okay,” I whine, my hips jerking towards her mouth. Wanda brings a hand up and lays it across my stomach to hold me down. Her lips move in conjunction with her tongue, offering my clit slow and pleasurable attention with the flat side. I can feel my clit pulse against her tongue as she holds steady, really feeling every part of me.

My free hand glides down, pressing hard against her hand on my stomach. All I can think about is soon I’ll be able to feel her cock poking through my belly.

I feel my arousal leaking from my pussy around Wanda’s lips, and I’m suddenly very self conscious about how wet I get, about how much leak. Wanda swipes her tongue aggressively through my folds before she raises her head.

“Look at me.” I lift my head to do as she asks and make eye contact with her. “I love how wet you get, baby.” She says, once again making it feel like she can read my mind. “I know you get this wet for me, and only me. And that excites me.” She smiles as she lowers her head again, her eyes never leaving mine. She drags her tongue through my folds until she reaches my hole, pushing her tongue inside me with very little effort. My mouth hangs open as I gasp, Wanda’s nose twitching with pleasure.

Wanda takes her time exploring the crevices in my walls with her tongue. She moves slowly, giving every little nook and cranny attention. My head falls back on the bed, my hand sliding down my face to rub my eyes to try and release some excess stimulation. My hips jerk but Wanda holds me down, her fingers curling on my stomach as if she’s trying to grasp at the heat building under my skin.

Wanda’s nails dig into the skin of my stomach and my thigh as I climax, holding me against her as my body jerks with the release. My arousal gushes out of me, coating the entirety of Wanda’s tongue and half her chin. She laps it up, genuinely eating it up.

My body still lets out a few shakes as Wanda sits up, places her hands on the bed on either side of me, and crawls up my body. She takes my hand covering my eyes and slides it from my face. She leans down and places a kiss on my mouth, then up and down my jaw.

“I love how you gush for me, baby.” Wanda whispers against my lips. “Now I wanna make you squirt.”

“All over your cock, baby,” I whisper back, my lips running across her chin to taste myself on her. Wanda licks my lips, deposing a large amount of myself on my lips. My tongue darts out, catching her tongue just in time to save a drop of my arousal from falling too far from my mouth.

Wanda reaches down and swipes three fingers through my folds, covering her fingers with me. Then she uses it to wet her cock before toying my entrance. She leans back down and kisses me again as she runs her cock through my folds, slapping her cock gently against my clit a few times.

She enters me with a gasp, her hands sliding down my body to my legs, grabbing my shins and pushing my legs up so they aren’t hanging off the bed. I wrap my legs around her waist, my ankles clasping together to pull her into me.

Wanda pushes all the way inside me, going slowly until she bottoms out. I let out a small cry and she stops, placing a few soft kisses on my neck.

“Does it hurt, baby?” She whispers, dragging her tongue across my skin.

“Just a little,” I mumble.

“Take your time, Y/N, I’m in no rush to please you.”

Wanda stays inside me, her hands gliding up and down my thighs to soothe the gentle burn she’s giving me. Our lips connect again and Wanda pushes her tongue past my lips. She moans into my lips as she kisses me with a feverish need. My hands sit splayed across her back ready to feel every twinge of her muscles as she fucks me.

“Okay,” I say, biting at her lip. “I’m ready.”

“Are you sure?” Wanda asks, nuzzling my neck. “We can take our time.”

“We will,” I nod my head, turning my head slightly into her cheek. “You’ll take your time.” I place a gentle kiss on her cheek. “You’ll take care of me.”

“Of course I will, my love.” Wanda agrees as she starts to move her hips slowly, pulling out and pushing into me with little resistance. I let out a low moan, my head falling back again, leaving room for Wanda to suck on my neck.

Her cock moves slowly, filling me up and spreading me wide every time Wanda pushes inside of me. My heart rate increases with every thrust, itching to feel her deeper and deeper inside me.

The same problem arises as the last time Wanda strapped me. The cock isn’t long enough to hit the area I need it most. I’m chasing a high that’s getting more and more impossible to achieve, even with the heat in my stomach and core refusing to die.

It’s unmistakable. Right as I’m thinking about the length of her cock and thinking about getting a bigger strap, the cock grows. It hits my spot and fireworks explode in me, relaxing the muscles in my throat and mouth as I let out a cry of pleasure. My fingers curl on Wanda’s back as she picks up the pace slightly, starting an even rhythm.

My pussy throbs as Wanda’s cock finds a home each time, cracking me open like it was the easiest thing in the world. I swear I can feel the cock twitch inside me, but I push the crazy thought out of my head. My walls clench as I come close to another orgasm, pulling Wanda’s cock deeper and with earnest. Again I swear that I feel the cock pulse inside me, and my pussy gets involuntary wetter.

“You’ve got another in you, don’t you baby?” Wanda asks me sweetly, as if she’s trying to coax my orgasm with just her words. I bite my lip and nod, knowing that one is close. “Good. I want to make sure you’re all tuckered out so you can rest.” Wanda kisses my temple and moves her hips more. She angles herself in such a way that the base of her shaft in the strap knocks against my clit. With one more expertly placed kiss right under my jaw I’m coming again, my nails scratching at Wanda’s back as I cry out her name.

Wanda cries out, too, our voices lifting our names into the sky. What’s odd about this, however, is that it's almost as if I can feel Wanda’s orgasm inside me. Like it’s coming out of her by shooting out of the cock. I feel it deep inside my womb, her orgasm painting my walls like a Pollock.

She stays steady inside me, holding out until she’s done with her orgasm. When the aftershocks subside and she’s breathing normally again, she rolls off of me onto her side, draping her arm over my stomach. She splays her fingers across my stomach and caresses my skin, as if she’s looking for something. After a few minutes, she leans over and kisses me.

“I love you so much, Y/N.” She whispers. “I’m going to go get our clothes out of the dryer.” I nod as she sits up, leaning over to kiss me on the stomach before looking at me. She pauses and smirks at me for a moment before she gets off the bed and heads to the bathroom. A moment later she comes out, no strap on, and walks out of our bedroom. I roll out of bed and go into the bathroom.

I sit on the toilet, looking at the strap on our bathroom counter. It’s wet with my juices, dripping onto the counter. As I wash my hands something shifts, and for a moment the hard, silicone cock looks fleshy and flimsy. I blink, and it’s back to its rubbery, hot pink self. I shake my head and walk back into the bedroom.

Wanda’s coming back into the bedroom at the same time, her arms full of clothes. She dumps her load on the bed and walks over to me.

“Fresh and warm, straight from the dryer.” She smiles, taking me by the shoulders and kissing me on the head. “Come on. Let’s get these on you before they get cold.

Once we’re both in warm pajamas, snuggled up under our sheets with a few more warm blankets, I stop worrying about the inconsistencies I noticed during sex. I lay with Wanda in the bed, snuggling close and with Pancake at the end of our bed, as we make our way through a Hobbit and Lord of the Rings watch party.

About halfway through the second Hobbit movie, I feel Wanda tense. I look up at her, but she’s staring off into space. Her eyes are glowing red again. I twist my body so I’m looking more directly at her.

“Wanda,” I say, shaking her. She jumps and looks down at me, but the red in her eyes doesn’t go away.

“Sorry, baby.” She murmurs, throwing the covers off of her and getting up. “I’ll be right back.”

“Are you okay?” I ask, sitting up. “Do you want me to pause the movie?”

“Don’t worry about it, baby.” Wanda shakes her head. “I’ll be right back.”

Wanda walks out of our room. I’m left to wonder what’s going on, with all the worrying thoughts coming back to me from before.

Wanda is gone for about thirty minutes. When she comes back, the red in her eyes is gone, but her body language is still tense. She gets back into bed and forcefully pulls me into her, wrapping her arms around me in almost a protective manner.

“Is everything okay, Wanda?” I ask, trying to look up at her. She doesn’t meet my eyes.

“Everything is fine.” Her voice is short, curt. I swallow hard and turn my attention back to the movie.

Wanda is like that for the rest of the day. She can’t settle down while we watch, she eats dinner lazily and thoughtlessly, and she watches silently when we let Pancake out for her nightly potty time. When we climb into bed she wraps her arms around me, but they’re rigid. It’s like she’s distracted. When I turn to kiss her goodnight, it’s like she’s kissing me back out of routine, not because she wants to. I roll back over and settle into the bed and fall asleep.

I’m back in the dream world again, the one where I spoke to the people who claim to be from my world. I wait and listen, closing my eyes to try and be more focused. After a few moments, I hear it. Muffled voices in the distance. I start to walk toward the voices, then I run. I run through and endless room until I finally see the shapes of four people in front of me, three standing and one sitting.

“Hello?” I call out as I get close. “Mr. Strange?”

“Y/N?” The familiar voice of Stephan calls back, one of the figures perking up. I come to a stop next to the figures. Only then do I see that there’s a fifth figure with them. It’s laying down, and I can see the same wisps of red around that figure that I see in Wanda’s eyes.

“I’m here.” I say. “I didn’t marry her.”

“What?” Stephen cries, and the figure that’s sitting down stands up. “You convinced her to wait?”

“It wasn’t easy,” I mutter, bringing my hand up to the back of my head to rub my neck nervously. “We were at the courthouse today. But I’d been hearing strange voices all morning. Then at the courthouse, right when the judge asked me if I take Wanda as my wife, I heard a voice tell me not to get married.”

“That was me!” The woman says excitedly. “I’ve been sitting with you since we found you. I begged you to remember, asked you to not get married.

“Well, it worked.” I chuckle. “I ran out of there, and ended up convincing her to wait a year.” I sigh, bringing down my hand. “So I’ve bought some time.” I look down at the fifth figure, my eyes following the wisps around her body. “Who’s that?” I ask.

“That?” Stephen turns to the body. “That’s you.” He says, turning back to me. “We found your body. In a cabin in the woods that surround Wundagore. It looks like Wanda’s put you into a magical sleep.”

“That’s insane,” I laugh. “Even if she could, Wanda would never do that. Magic isn’t real, and Wanda loves me.”

“We think she does, too.” Another voice speaks up. “Y/N, it’s Bucky. I know you don’t know who I am, but you have to listen to me. Wanda is sick, okay? She’s not herself. We just need to find a way to help you, both of you, and bring you both home.”

“How do we do that?” I ask. “I mean, I have no idea what to do. If what you’re saying is true, then I have no memories of you guys, or magic, or anything from that world. And that world I’m in now, there’s no magic here.”

“I think the answer lies with Wanda.” Strange says. “This is more than just her Chaos magic surviving the mountain. If she died under the mountain, her Chaos magic would have survived, but Wanda’s underlying feelings for you would not have. The Chaos magic would have been reborn into someone else, and you would have been forgotten.”

“Thanks,” I scoff.

“Not like that,” Strange takes a step forward. “I just mean… Agh, this probably means that my original theory is right. Wanda is in some sort of stasis under Wundagore. How far deep, I don’t know. And I’m going to need Wong’s help to try and wake her up.”

“And you’ll wake me up too, right?” I ask, starting to get a little worried that I’ll be left behind.

“Of course we’re going to!” The one female in the group insists. “Y/N, we’re bringing you back no matter what.”

“Not if I have anything to say about it.” I whip around and see a red, glowing outline of a woman. There’s no distinct facial features, but the voice sounds like Wanda’s. The outline shifts to me and points. “You are never leaving me.”

I’m no longer in the hazy dream. I’m in a dark, cold, and damp place. I start walking, looking for any sign of… well, anything. Suddenly I slam into an invisible wall, stumbling back while holding my face. I hold out my hand and see blood covering my palm.

“Wanda!?” I scream. “Wanda, where are you? Where am I? Please, let me out!”

The only thing that answers me is silence.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“Wanda.” Stephen says, straightening his back.

Wanda Maximoff in all of her Scarlet Witch regalia is standing before them, the same glittery wisps of red surrounding her that surround Y/N. She’s floating a few inches off the ground, and she doesn’t seem to be completely corporeal.

“Why can’t you leave us alone, Stephen?” Wanda asks, her voice even and void of any emotion. “Y/N and I are happy. We’re going to get married. We’re going to have a baby.” Wanda’s eyes glance down to the stomach of the sleeping Y/N, a knowing glint in her eye.

“You can be together in this world, Wanda. Why does it have to be this dream world you’ve created?” Stephen asks.

“Because there, she can never be taken from me. Not like Vision. Not like Billy and Tommy. In there, she’ll always be mine.”

“Maybe, but what happens when her body wastes away out here?” Bruce asks. “She can’t stay like this forever without nutrients or hydration. Eventually, her body is going to break down. And then even if you can come back to this world, Y/N won’t be here until you get back.”

”My magic is taking care of that.” Wanda points at the wisps flying above me. “They bring her everything she needs.”

“This isn’t a life, Wanda.” Bucky argues, taking a few steps toward her. “I know that Y/N wants more than this. And if you’re afraid of America, she’s forgiven you. She understands why you did what you did. There won’t be any resistance to you coming back.”

“Y/N is happy.” Wanda insists. “She’s a teacher. She loves her students. I’m a doctor. I’m taking care of her. We have a dog. Our life is perfect.”

“It can still be perfect out here!” Cassie yells. “Jesus fucking Christ, Wanda, I want my best friend back. Now I honestly don’t care whether or not you come with her, but I will find a way to bring her back, you mark my fucking words.”

For the first time in the conversation, Wanda shows some emotion. She sets her jaw and stares directly at Cassie, like she’s trying to bore some sort of hatred into her head. Wanda takes a deep, calculating breath.

“Respectfully, I don’t give a damn what you want, girl. I only care what’s good for Y/N. And what’s good for her is in here, with me.” Wanda gestures to her brain. She looks back at Strange, her eyes set hard with determination. “Stay away, Strange. You’re only going to get yourself hurt. The answers you’re looking for are somewhere that you’ll never go. Leave us be, and go back to your life.”

Wanda starts to disappear. The group watches as she turns into nothing until it’s like she wasn’t there at all. Stephen turns to the rest of the group, his face concerned.

“What does she mean, ‘somewhere you don’t want to go’?” Bucky asks.

“As Sorcerers, we reject any sort of dark magic. Necromancy, alchemy, the like.” Stephen says. “It’s one of the reasons we reject the Darkhold, a book full of dark magic.”

“Yeah, but didn’t Wanda destroy the Darkhold and any copies of it throughout the multiverse when she brought down Wundagore?” Bruce asks.

“She did,” Stephen nods. “The problem is, there’s always a source.”

“A source?” Cassie scrunches up her face. “I always wondered why someone would write something so terrible.”

“The source of the Darkhold is on another planet.” Stephen continues. “It’s still there, alive and breathing.”

“Do you know what this ‘source’ is?” Bucky asks.

“No,” Stephen shakes his head. “I just know where to look.”

“Well, it seems like we’re going to need to go looking, aren’t we?” Bucky says. No one responds, but everyone’s thinking the same thing.

“Yeah, but she likes to cook.” I shrug, pulling her into my arms. “I’d rather you have Cassie’s cooking than suffer through mine.”

“You’re a fine cook, baby, you’re just anxious about feeding good things to the baby.” Wanda raises her lips to kiss me. I pull my lips away, squeezing her hand.

“Ew, baby, I’ve got morning breath, I don’t want you tasting that!” I shake my head. Wanda laughs again, stepping into me. I wrap my arms around her and hold her close. “Kiss me after breakfast, after I’ve brushed my teeth, after I’ve gotten ready for the day. Don’t gross yourself out before you’ve eaten something.”

“You’ll owe me a big kiss later, then.”

“Of course, my love, all the kisses once I’m ready for the day.” I step back from our hug and take Wanda’s hand, leading her out of our room. We’ve been staying at the Sanctum Sanctorum in Manhattan so that Strange can help Wanda control the darkness in her. Cassie also spends a lot of time here to help, even with Sam constantly wanting her back at the compound. But I want to be near Wanda, so Cassie stays here so that I can have a training partner when Wanda is doing her own thing with Strange.

An amazing smell fills my nostrils as Wanda and I descend the stairs to the main level. I look back at Wanda with an evil grin. Wanda smiles and shakes her head, stepping a little closer to me and squeezing my hand. We walk into the kitchen where Cassie’s flipping a pancake. She smiles without looking up.

“Good morning, you two. Eat up quickly. Y/N and I have to get going pretty quickly here.” Cassie reaches out, offering a plate to Wanda. She’s already placed two pancakes, a few slices of bacon, and a handful of cut up strawberries on the plate. Wanda’s eyes light up and she takes it, thanking Cassie, and walks over to the table.

“Where are we going?” I ask Cassie as she hands me a plate of my own.

“Banner’s got something he needs to talk to you about, apparently.” Cassie’s eyes dart over to Wanda as she digs into her breakfast. Then Cassie leans closer to me and lowers her voice. “He says he has some weird ratings coming from the Multi-Reader.”

The Multi-Reader is a machine that Bruce and Strange created together. It’s supposed to pick up readings from other universes, tied specifically to chaos magic. There haven’t been any readings out of the norm since it was built, as far as I know. But maybe they just haven’t been telling me when the readings spike.

“Is something going on?” I ask, concern dripping from my voice. Cassie shrugs, and I’m not sure what she means by that. I don’t get to ask her before Strange walks into the kitchen.

“Good morning, ladies.” He says in his deep tone. “How’s the morning?”

“Just starting.” I say, taking a bite from a slice of bacon. “Hey, Strange, can I speak with you for a minute?” He looks at me curiously before nodding. He leads me out of the kitchen and down the hallway toward his practice room. He stops in the hallway, turns to me, and crosses his arms. “I wanted to ask you about Wanda’s training. Cassie and I are going to the compound in a bit. Apparently, Bruce has gotten some irregular readings on the Multi-Reader. I’m wondering if Wanda’s excess magic is seeping through the cracks in the multiverse.”

“It’s possible,” Strange rubs his fingers on his chin. “I admit I hadn’t thought of the possibility. But maybe since she’s been in all of these other realities, she’s connected to them.”

“I don’t want the Scarlet Witch showing up in all of these realities, messing things up for people whose lives she’s already fucked up.” I sigh. “Jumping realities took a lot out of me, Strange, I don’t want to do it again if I don’t have to.”

“In the grand scheme of things, Earth-616 is considerably far behind in the whole Multiverse theory.” Strange says. “But I’ve been in contact with some of the other Stranges, and I’ve got an idea. Let me confer with a few of them and get back to you tonight when you come back, is that alright?”

“Yeah, and I should have more information after I figure out what Banner’s got going on.” I look behind me toward the kitchen, thinking about Wanda. “I just want her safe, you know? Her and the baby. And I’d be lying if I said that I wasn’t worried about the other Stranges coming here and taking Wanda away.”

“That won’t happen,” Strange steps forward and places a hand on my shoulder, which may be the most affectionate he’s ever been with someone. “I won’t let it. Wanda is getting better. She’s coming to terms with Vision being gone and the fact that her kids were made up in a hex, all of it. And you are a huge help in that. If it comes down to it, I will make the others see that.”

“Thanks, Strange. I appreciate it. The Scarlet Witch isn’t her, it isn’t Wanda.”

“I know it isn’t.” He assures me. “And hey, there’s no use worrying about it right now, because we don’t have a lot of information. Let’s decide whether or not to worry after we’ve got all the facts, okay, Y/N?”

“Yeah,” I breathe, nodding. “Okay, I’ll try not to worry about it.”

“Lean on Cassie if you have to today. And believe it or not, Wanda is strong enough to handle it. Lean on her, too.”

“I’ll think about it.” Strange squeezes my shoulder and moves past me back to the kitchen. Despite Strange making a really good argument as to us not having all the facts, I’m still anxious. My hunger now gone, I head back up to Wanda and I’s room to get changed and ready for the day. I pull some leggings on, cover my upper half with a tank top, then throw one of Wanda’s sweatshirts over my head. I brush my teeth and then my hair, pulling my hair into a ponytail. I tug on my favorite pair of Adidas and jump down the steps two at a time.

“You look so good, baby,” Wanda smiles as I come back into the kitchen. I smile as I walk over, leaning down to place my lips on hers. Wanda immediately accepts, grabbing my arm to keep me next to her for a few seconds longer. I smile into the kiss, cupping her cheek gently. When I pull away, I place a kiss on her nose.

“I’m ready to go when you are, Cass.” I say, standing next to Wanda with my arm around her.

“You’re not going to eat?” She asks, using her fork to point back to the food she made. I shake my head.

“I’m sorry, I know you made breakfast, but I’m just not hungry anymore.”

“That’s okay.” Cassie shoves a large forkful of pancake in her mouth, chews a little, and then tries to speak again, but her words are incredibly muffled.

“Chew, swallow, then try again Cassie, I can’t speak food.” I shake my head, smiling. Cassie does what I ask, taking a sip or orange juice before she speaks again.

“Give me a few minutes to shove a little more food into my mouth, then we can go.”

“Take your time, girl, don’t worry.” I shift to stand behind Wanda, placing both of my hands on her shoulders as I start to massage her a little bit. She turns her head and kisses my forearm, leaving a maple syrup kiss mark. I chuckle and bring my arm up to my mouth, sucking the maple syrup off my arm. “Tastes sweet.”

“Just like you.” Wanda looks up at me and smiles. I look into her eyes, and all of a sudden I’m scared. I think back to the last few months, since I brought Wanda back from being the Scarlet Witch, and see the woman I’ve loved from afar for so long. How sweet she is, how kind she is, how introspective she is, how protective she is. I think about everything she’s been through since she joined the team and what that pushed her to become. In this moment, she looks innocent. Like she and the Scarlet Witch can’t be the same person. And I just want to help her.

Wanda’s eyes squint slightly when I don’t answer right away. I mentally snap myself back into the moment and squeeze her shoulder, leaning down to kiss her again. She kisses me back, but it isn’t filled with much excitement. When I pull away she questions me with her eyes, but I just smile at her. I don’t want to burden Wanda with my thoughts right now.

“Alright, let’s get going.” Cassie gets up from the table and takes her dishes to the dishwasher. Wanda grabs her plates and pushes her chair back, but I take her plate from her and take it to the dishwasher. Cassie takes the plate from me and places it with hers. I turn back to see Wanda standing at the table, holding her belly. I walk over to her and pull her in for a hug, kissing the side of her head a few times.

“I love you, Wands,” I whisper. “I’ll see you tonight, okay?”

“Please be safe when you’re out,” she responds, wrapping her arms tightly around me.

“I’m coming home to you, baby, don’t you worry.” I kiss her again before pulling away. She holds tightly onto me and looks up at me.

“Are we okay?” She asks. “You looked at me weird at the table.”

“Of course, Wanda,” I say, squeezing her waist. “I was just thinking.”

“About what?”

“About everything you’ve been through since coming here from Sokovia. About how sweet and caring you are. About how protective you’ve always been and how I just want to protect you and our baby now. I promise.” Wanda’s shoulders relax and she nods, finding solace in my answer. I place one more kiss on her forehead before following Cassie out of the kitchen and through the front doors of the Sanctorum. We step onto the mean streets of Manhattan and I sigh. “Now what, we suffer through New York traffic or the subways? You didn’t drive here, did you?”

“No,” Cassie laughs. “I flew. I always wear my suit under my clothes, just in case. The ants are fast, man.”

“Well, we can’t do that now. Unless you wanna be a dick of a friend and leave me behind.”

“Why don’t you run on your plasma things?”

“You’d still be faster on an ant!” I argue. “I can only go as fast as I can run, and I can’t run very fast. And all the way to the compound? I might shoot myself.”

“Well let’s not do that,” Cassie sighs. She looks over at me, flicking her eyes up and down. “How much do you weigh?”

“Um, why?” I ask, a little taken aback.

“Maybe you can make a little plasma thing to sit on and my ants can carry you. They’re super strong, you know.”

“Yeah, but you’d need millions of ants. That isn’t a plausible solution.” At that moment, a loud thud sounds behind us. We turn and see Sam standing there, his full suit on.

“Banner got tired of waiting for the two of you. So I came to see what’s taking so long.” He says with a smile.

“We’re trying to figure out how to get Y/N to the compound, since she can’t fly.” Cassie tells him.

“Good thing I’m here. I’ll carry her.” Sam holds out his arms and I take a step forward.

“No hankey pankey now, Sam, I’m a woman who’s spoken for.” I joke.

“You’ve got nothing to worry about there, you loser bitch.” Sam chuckles and shakes his head. Sam has been more of a brother to me the last few years, and I definitely miss being around him while Wanda and I are at the Sanctorum. I saddle up next to him and wrap my arms around his neck. He wraps an arm around my back and the other one lifts my legs into the air. “Race you back, Cassie. Tell your ants to fly hard.” She smirks before he shoots into the air, leaving Cassie on the sidewalk. The boosters power up and we move fast through the sky in the direction of the compound.

The flight is super quick since we don’t have to worry about traffic or lights or anything else. Sam lands in front of the compound and sets me on the ground, his hands going to his hips as his wings fold in.

“Cassie, that slow poke.” He chuckles.

“What was that now?” Sam and I turn around to see Cassie leaning on one of the pillars behind us. I burst out laughing as Sam stares at her, his mouth open in shock. I pat Sam on the arm and walk over to Cassie.

“Come on,” I say, still laughing, as I push Cassie towards the front doors. Her smile doesn’t leave her face as we walk through the compound to Bruce’s lab.

“There you guys are.” He says without looking up. “Jesus, I’ve been waiting for you all morning.”

“It’s not even noon, Bruce, calm down.” I say, walking over to stand across from him at the table. “Cassie says there’s some weird readings with this Multi-Reading thing?”

“Yeah, I was hoping you’d see some pattern that I can’t.” Bruce walks over to a different computer, and I follow him. He pulls up a few things and then stands back so I can take a look. There are definitely spikes in a few different places, so I look at a few other things that are queued on the computer.

“What I see is that these spikes are happening in all of the universes that I followed the Scarlet Witch to.” I say.

“But they aren’t happening in every universe you visited,” Banner says, coming up behind me to point at a few universes that didn’t spike. I take a look through them and think back to everything that happened in those realms.

The realization hits me like a train. I take a few steps back and lean against a table, my hands clutching the edge of the table. Cassie rushes over to me and puts her arm around me, whispering to me, asking me what’s wrong. I can’t tear my eyes away from the screen, but what I see makes my heart hurt. And I know that I won’t be able to tell Wanda what I see here.

“The universes where the spikes aren’t happening are the universes where the Scarlet Witch killed that universe’s Wanda.” I look over at Bruce, my heart falling. “Wanda can never know.”

“Which is why she’s with Strange back in the city.” He nods. “I was worried that this was the case, but I didn’t know. I wanted you to confirm.”

“I have to go,” I say immediately. “I’m sure that I can get help from Wanda 1856. She’s super smart. Or maybe Y/N 1174. She works for Strange in her universe, and he leads the Avengers. They might have a bunch of information on the Scarlet Witch.”

“We can’t,” Bruce shakes his head. “When you and Wanda came back, the jumper that I made broke. I haven’t been able to fix it, and trust me, I’ve tried.”

“Well, I need to speak to one of them. Let me take a look at it.” Bruce looks at me like I’m crazy. I’m not as technically inclined as Bruce, but I like to tinker. I like to take things apart and put them back together. And even Bruce has admitted that sometimes I see things that he doesn’t. I might not be able to fix it, but I can’t just stand around and do nothing. I think he realizes that pretty quickly and leads me to the device. It’s pretty much taken apart, pieces laying all over the table. I immediately start tinkering, and Bruce leaves me to my devices.

A few hours later, I put the device halfway together. I’m concentrating hard, trying to figure out how Bruce made this work the first time.

“Y/N,” I jump, startled, and turn to see Strange in the room next to me, his portal already closing behind him. I turn to face him, my face full of worry.

“Strange, is everything okay?” I ask. “Wanda?”

“Wanda is fine, Y/N, you don’t need to worry about her.” He holds up something in his hand. “I brought this for you.”

“What is it?” I ask, reaching for it. Strange gives me a plain flip phone. When I open it, the screen sparkles a little.

“I enchanted it. Enter the name of the person you want to speak to, followed by their universe designation. You should be able to call them.”

“Seriously?” I ask, raising an eyebrow. “I was talking to Bruce a few hours ago about how I wanted to see Y/N 1174 or Wanda 1856. That they might know a little more about what’s going on.”

“I can’t get you to them, but I can get you to talk to them. Go ahead, try it.”

I look down at the phone and do just that. I type in Wanda 1856’s information first and click call. I bring the phone up to my ear and wait, the ringing causing my heart rate to increase. On the fourth ring, she picks up.

“Hello?” I hear on the other end of the phone, and emotions just release from my body. I almost start crying.

“Wanda,” I let out a heavy breath. “My God, it’s good to hear your voice.”

“Y/N?” She sounds very confused, and I don’t blame her. “616 Y/N? Is that seriously you? How?”

“My Strange enchanted a phone. It allows me to call across universes.”

“Well that’s cool,” she says, a little dumbfounded. “Are you calling about my outbursts?”

“Your… outbursts?” I ask.

“Yeah. There have been… instances, for lack of a better term. Chaos magic is pouring out of me at alarming rates. And I mean alarming. I accidentally broke our fence, throwing a softball around with Ariel. My magic propelled it straight past her and through the fence.”

“Oh, Jesus, Wanda, is Ariel okay?”

“Yeah, she’s okay. She wasn’t harmed. Just scared. You don’t know about this?”

“I thought something might be happening, because Bruce measured some spikes in some of the universes that the Scarlet Witch and I visited. But I didn’t know what it was.”

“You’re seeing it in other universes? All of them?”

“No,” I say hesitantly. “We aren’t seeing the spikes in the universes where…” I trail off. I can’t bring myself to say it.

“Where the Scarlet Witch killed the Wandas?” 1856 says. I nod without thinking, as if she can see me.

“Yeah,” I say quietly. “And my heart breaks every time I think about it.”

“Don’t beat yourself up about it, Y/N. You’re not responsible for the Witch’s actions, and you’re doing what you can do to prevent her from coming back. But I really would like to not accidently kill my kid.”

“I know, I want Ariel safe, too. My next call is to 1174 me. She apparently works for 1174 Strange, and they do a lot of research into the mystical.”

“Yeah, that would be good. Keep me updated, okay? I hate walking on eggshells around my kid.”

“I don’t want you to have to do that, Wanda. I promise, every time I know something new, you’ll be the next to know. I feel protective of you and Ariel and 1856 me, I don’t want anything to hurt you guys.”

“I appreciate it, Y/N. Stay safe, and keep Wanda safe, okay?”

“You got it, Wanda. You do the same.” I remove the phone from my ear and end the call. I look up at Strange. “1856 Wanda says that Chaos magic has been coursing through her like never before. She accidentally almost hit her kid with it while they were playing.”

“That’s not good,” Strange says, rubbing his chin. “Alright, call 1174 you. I’m going to go back to the Sanctorum and check on Wanda. Give me a call when you’re ready to come home and I’ll open a portal for you.”

“Sounds good. Thanks, Strange.” I nod, already dialing my own name. I hear the sound of his portal forming and then disappearing a moment later. Putting the phone up to my ear I hear the sound of the call going through, but no one picks up. I hear the voicemail introduction, but instead of a beep to leave a message, the phone hangs up. I try to dial again, and the same thing happens. I sigh and tuck the phone away for now, going back to tinkering with the band.

A few more hours of tinkering and trying to call 1174 me, and I’m tired. Maybe not physically, but mentally. My mind is running with worry and fear. For myself, for the other universes, and most importantly, for my Wanda and our baby.

The enchanted phone rings. I look at it for a moment before picking it up.

“Hello?” I say into the receiver.

“Who is this?” The voice on the other end says, sounding a little dangerous.

“Uh, you called me,” I say, confused.

“I got two calls from this number earlier, both say unlisted. How the fuck am I supposed to know who this is?”

A lightbulb goes off in my head and I sigh with relief.

“Y/N, it’s 616 Y/N.” I can practically feel the tension leaving the conversation at the revelation.

“Y/N, Jesus, you scared the shit out of me,” other me says. “How can you call me? Do you know about all this Chaos magic?”

“We aren’t seeing any of it here on 616, but I just spoke to Wanda 1856 and weird shit is going on with her magic.”

“Yeah, with my Wanda, too.” She sighs. “Strange and I are working on it, but it’s difficult. We’ve been able to figure out that the extra chaos magic is coming from somewhere with an abundance of it, like it’s active, but unused. But we haven’t been able to pinpoint where it’s coming from. It’s like it doesn’t exist in any known universe.”

My brain starts thinking. And when my brain starts thinking, I get an idea. And when I get an idea, I desperately want the evidence to disprove my hypothesis.

“I think I might know what’s happening,” I tell her. “But I might need you and your Strange’s help to fix my travel bracelet thingy.”

“What’s going on?” 1174 me asks. “What do you know?”

“Nothing!” I say quickly. Then I sigh. “Nothing definitive. I have a hypothesis. One I hope the evidence will disprove, but I’m not confident it will.”

“Care to share?”

“Not until I’ve looked into it a little more. Listen, can you help with this bracelet or not?” 1174 me sighs over the phone and goes silent for a minute.

“Yeah, I can help. What’ve you got?”

She and I spend the better part of two hours fixing the bracelet. Once it’s done I thank 1174 and tell her that I will call her as soon as I know anything more about my hypothesis. I hang up the enchanted phone, take out my actual phone, and call my Strange. He doesn’t pick up, but a moment later a portal appears. I grab the bracelet and step through the portal back into the Sanctorum. Strange is there to greet me, reading a book in the foyer. When the portal closes he snaps the book shut and walks over to me.

“Did you get any more information?” He asks.

“Yeah,” I nod. “An abundance of Chaos magic coming form somewhere in the universe, but 1174 Strange can’t pinpoint where it’s coming from. He doesn’t know if it even originates in a universe.”

“And you think you know where it originates from?” Strange asks, raising an eyebrow. I nod and open my mouth to tell him, but I’m interrupted by my Wanda coming around the corner.

“Y/N!” She sighs, picking up her pace to get to me. She wraps her arms around me and kisses me.

“Hey, baby,” I purr. “See? Made it back in one piece. Nothing to worry about.” I look up at Strange, a nervous expression on my face. “But I’m not back for long. There’s still something I have to take care of.”

“Can it wait?” Wanda asks, her gaze pleading. “There’s something that I… need you to take care of.” I look over at Strange again, and he shrugs.

“Um, how long is this project you need me to do, Wanda?” I ask.

“Not long,” she shakes her head. “An hour, maybe less. Depending.”

“Depending?” I ask, raising an eyebrow. She waves me off and starts pulling me away from the foyer.

“Okay, baby,” I say, allowing her to pull me away. “An hour.” I follow her down the hallway and up the stairs, straight into our room. When we enter, she closes the door. “What do you need done in here, baby?” I ask her, looking around. “There doesn't seem to be anything wrong.”

“There’s not.” She says, walking over to me and pressing her body against me. She leans in to whisper into my ear. “These hormones are making me horny as fuck, and I need you to take care of that for me.” All of worries about the Chaos readings and whatnot fall away at her words.

Wanda has been… insecure since we found out she’s pregnant. In the way where she doesn’t feel pretty enough, doesn’t feel important enough, that I don’t find her attractive anymore. But the truth is, pregnant or not, Wanda is the most attractive person I’ve ever seen. My pussy drips as her breath reaches my ear. I bite my lip as I turn to face her, my expression full of need and desperation. I take her by her hips and hoist her onto a sitting position on our bed, sinking to my knees on the ground. I slide my hands up her thighs as I look into her eyes, my lip still between my teeth.

“God, baby, you’re beautiful,” I breathe. My fingers work slowly as I pull down her sweatpants and underwear. Wanda’s clit has gotten bigger since she got pregnant, which she’s also insecure about, but I love it. Her clit still fits so nicely in my mouth, and I prove to her that I love it by taking her clit between my lips and sucking, flicking my tongue over the engorged nervesack. Wanda moans loudly as I suck, her hand grasping my hair. I watch as her eyes roll back in pleasure, and I know she doesn’t have long. My tongue travels through her folds until it pokes inside her, my upper lip closing around her clit.

My fingers dig into Wanda’s thigh as she grinds against my mouth, her gasps making me as wet as my mouth is making her. My tongue exits her and starts a flood of messy, desperate licks along her folds and over her clit. Wanda cries out as she comes, her slick spraying all over my lips, tongue, and chin. My tongue goes crazy as I lap up every last drop of her as she comes down from her orgasm with slow and steady breaths. I kiss her thigh a few times before leaning back on my haunches.

“Did that satisfy you for now, baby?” I ask. Wanda bites her lip and silently nods. “Good. When I come back, I can do a much better job for you, okay?”

“Okay,” she says breathlessly. After a pause, her face scrunches up a little. “Do you really have to go? I thought Sam was giving you time off from missions and stuff to support me through relearning my powers and my pregnancy."

“I do,” I nod. “This is something that only I can handle.” I place my hands on our bed on either side of her and pull myself up and place a sweet kiss on her lips. “I promise to come back to you, Wanda.”

“I know you will,” she sighs against my lips. “I just don’t like being without you.”

“I know.” I whisper. “I won’t be gone any longer than I have to.” I place another small kiss on her lips before I stand. “Please don’t wait up for me, Wanda. You need rest.”

“Alright,” Wanda pouts, but I know she’ll do as I ask. I wave goodbye and walk out of our room.

I walk downstairs to find Strange. He’s in the artifact room, studying some sort of chainmail thing that’s glowing. I watch him for a minute, tinkering with the light emitting from the object. He looks up to check something and notices me. He clears his throat and puts the artifact down.

“You on your way?” He asks. I nod.

“Yeah, listen, I need you to do me a favor.” I say, taking a few steps forward. “I’m not sure what I’m going to find there. I… I don’t know how long it’ll take, or even if I’ll come back.” Strange nods in understanding.

“I’ll look after Wanda.” He promises. I pull the enchanted phone out of my pocket and hand it to him.

“If I don’t come back and Wanda starts to… unravel, ask 1174 Strange for help. They’ve spent a lot of time researching the multiverse and the Scarlet Witch. He might be able to help.”

“Okay,” he says, turning the phone in his hand. I can tell he isn’t very excited about the prospect of talking to another version of himself. He looks up at me. “But you’re going to come back.”

“I’m going to try-”

“No.” He forcefully interrupts. “You’re coming back. Not only will you do anything to get back to Wanda, but I have to believe you’re going to come back. I don’t want to have to deal with the fallout.”

“I don’t want you to deal with the fallout, either,” I sigh. “Besides, I went through so much to get to Wanda, I’m not giving that up for anything.”

“Then good luck.” Strange takes a step forward and sticks out his hand. I take it.

“Thanks.” I say. I let go of his hand and look at the bracelet, typing in the multiverse coordinates that I need. A portal opens up beside me, and I take no time stepping through it.

I’m back in the candle-lit room, the books moved to different spots than they’d been previously, and magic still pulses in the air around me. My breath shakes as I look around the small room, memories of the last time I was here playing in my head.

“Alright,” I say quietly, taking a few steps into the room. “Is anyone here?”

“You already know I am.” I turn around and come face-to-face with the Scarlet Witch. Or a version of her, anyway. She looks just as she did some months ago: beautiful, powerful, glowing. Her long, red hair flowing behind her, her red eyes glowing with power. This time, however, her body sparkles slightly, and her stomach is as large as Wanda’s.

“I had a hunch,” I say, backing up slightly. “You’re the reason behind the excess Chaos magic, aren’t you?”

“I am the excess Chaos magic, darling.” The Scarlet Witch laughs. “Wanda still has chaos inside her, she can still call on me if she ever wants to, but I’ve been banished to this nonexistent corner of the multiverse.” The witch struts toward me. “Why do you think that is?”

“Because Wanda wanted to come home.” I tell her. “She was still inside you, and she wanted to come home. She wanted me.”

“More than she wanted me? More than she wanted power?” The witch lets out a short, sharp cackle. “Right. Because that makes sense.” She starts to circle me, and I can feel her eyes gazing over my body intently.

“You just want to control her,” I shake my head. “I want to love her.”

“She doesn’t know what love is,” the Scarlet Witch hisses in my ear.

“She does now!” I insist. “With me, she knows love. She knows kindness. She’s cherished and cared for.”

“But she’s left me here to rot!” The Scarlet Witch gnashes her teeth in my face as she comes around to my front again. “So what am I supposed to do? Just sit here and twiddle my thumbs while Wanda gets a good life?” The Scarlet Witch starts walking around me again, her eyes staring into mine until she can’t anymore. “I don’t think so.”

“So you’re releasing Chaos magic into the multiverse for what, kicks?”

“Exactly.” I can hear the smugness in her voice. “What else would you have me do?”

“Uh, I don’t know, not that?” I raise an eyebrow, as if the answer is obvious. I mean, in my opinion, it is. The Scarlet Witch stays silent for a moment, walking around my body slowly, the patter of her feet soft on the wood floor. When she comes back into view, she’s rubbing her chin as if deep in thought.

“I may have a solution,” she says slowly, continuing to circle me. My heart drops at her words, worried about what she’s going to say. “Something that I don’t think you know is that I felt everything Wanda felt.”

“Give me a hundred guesses and I never would have guessed that.” I say dryly.

“Exactly.” The Witch says from my side. “But you can probably infer from what I’ve said that what Wanda felt, or I guess feels for you, I also feel for you.” My head twitches slightly. I may have been able to guess that based on our last encounter, and I might be stupid for not thinking that, but that idea never crossed my mind. I hear the Scarlet Witch scoff behind me. “Yeah. Pretty crazy, isn’t it? Anyway, over the last few months, I’ve realised something.”

“What’s that?” I ask, trying to swallow around a lump in my throat. The Scarlet Witch stops behind me, her hands sliding up my hands to my waist.

“I actually missed you.” She leans in and breathes deeply right next to my ear. “And I hate that Wanda gets all of your time.”

“I don’t know how to help you with that,” I say quietly, the lump in my throat growing bigger.

“I do,” the Witch purrs, her hands riding up my body slowly. She brushes her lips right against my ear as she continues. “Once a month. You spend a night with me once a month. And I’ll use all the extra Chaos magic at my disposal to build myself a space here, in this forgotten corner of the multiverse, instead of forcing it out through the other Wandas.”

“And if I say no?” I squeak, barely able to get the words out. I can feel her lips curl into a freaky smile without having to look at her. The Witch’s fingers dig into my side, right at my breasts, causing a slight bit of pain.

“If you say no, then the Chaos magic keeps escaping through the other Wandas until they, and everyone they love, is dead.” Her words stop me in my tracks.

On the one hand, sleeping with the Scarlet Witch basically means cheating on Wanda. Some people may not see it that way, but I do. Wanda and the Scarlet Witch are two different people with two different motivations and personalities. And I don’t want to cheat on Wanda.

“She never has to know,” the Scarlet Witch whispers in my ear.

“Shut up,” I growl. “I’m trying to think. Please try not to read my mind while I do so.” The Scarlet Witch chuckles, but doesn’t say anything more.

On the other hand, if I do this, I’m ensuring peace not only for my Wanda, but for all the other Wandas in the multiverse. And once that fact has entered into my brain, I don’t think I can give up the certainty of peace.

“Okay,” I say quietly. “But there have to be some ground rules.”

“What sort of ground rules?” The Scarlet Witch asks me, walking around my front to look me in my eyes. Her arms are crossed over her stomach and she wears a slight pout.

“First thing’s first, this is something that happens once every calendar month. So say I come here on the first of June but then don’t come back until the thirty-first of July, it counts. Sometimes my schedule with Wanda and the Avengers is unpredictable, and I need you to be accommodating of that.”

“That is acceptable,” the Witch nods.

“Second, I need a way to contact you. A phone, a notebook, something. So we can plan these days after I leave here. Because if we plan for the fifth or something and Sam has me going on a mission that interferes with our plans, I don’t want you going all witchy because I can’t tell you that I won’t be able to make it. You need to be able to write back to me, too.” The Scarlet Witch twists her wrist and a plain red Composition notebook appears in her hands. She holds it out for me and I reach for it. Just as I’m about to grab it, I pause. “I also need to be the only one who can read this.” I say, raising an eyebrow. “I don’t want Wanda opening this, seeing our correspondence, and having her heart broken.” The Scarlet Witch rolls her eyes, as if she wanted Wanda to know about everything going on here,  and waves her hand over the notebook.

“There. Now if she opens it, she’ll see a blank notebook.”

“Thank you,” I say, taking the book. I think for a moment before looking back up at her. “Speaking of Wanda-”

“I don’t want to speak about her,” the Witch growls. “A rule of my own: when you’re here, you don’t speak about her.”

“I can accept that,” I nod, not wanting to speak about Wanda while I’m here, either. “However, I need to call you something. I’m not calling you Wanda, but I don’t want to be calling you Scarlet Witch the whole time, either.” The Scarlet Witch looks at me, as if she hadn’t thought about this. I can see the gears in her head turning as she thinks.

“Ana,” she says after a moment. “You should call me Ana. It’s my… Wanda’s… adoptive mother’s name. She used to use it sometimes when she and Pietro were trying to survive in Sokovia.”

“Okay,” I nod slowly. Then I take a step forward and hold out my hand. “It’s nice to meet you, Ana.”

The Scarlet Witch– Ana– takes half a step back, looking at my hand in surprise. After a moment of silent contemplation, she takes my hand gently.

“You as well, Y/N,” she says quietly.

“Great. Now, I don’t know if you can get into Wanda’s mind from here, but if you can, I do not want you saying anything to her about our arrangement.”

“Fine,” Ana grumbles. “No fun for me, I guess.”

“Not at all,” I shake my head. “Last thing I would like to hammer out, I’d like an easy way to get here. A spell card like you gave me the first time that I can keep in the journal or something. Trying to find the exact coordinates with this,” I say, holding up my arm to look at the bracelet, “was difficult. Plus I’m not sure it’ll work after this, since it broke last time.”

“I can do that.” Ana waves her hand again, and I feel the notebook in my hand shake. I open it to the first page, and glittering words are revealed on the page. “Sit in a dark room and place eight candles in a circle at north, south, west, east, northwest, northeast, southwest, and southeast. Light them. Then hold another lit candle as you say the words. It’ll take you right here. In order to get back, just say the spell backwards.”

“Okay.” I nod. I close the book again and look at her.

“Are you ready?” Ana looks at me, hungrily.

“Actually, one more thing.” I say, clearing my throat. “I would say that I’m okay with anything we do here. But you can’t disfigure me. Nothing that will leave scars, burns, or anything like that.”

“I like you the way you are,” Ana shrugs. “I wouldn’t have even considered it.”

“Alright.” I nod. “Good.” I turn toward the bed and toss the notebook onto the nightstand. Then I turn back to Ana. I reach out to her and take her hand, running my thumb across the back of her hand. “Come here, Ana,” I whisper. She walks toward me immediately, and I know instantly that this time around will be different than last time. Ana’s putting me in charge.

When she’s next to me, I wrap my arms around her butt, lift her into the air and walk her over to the bed. I lay her down on it and crawl on top of her, my lips moving to kiss Ana’s neck. The good thing about the Scarlet Witch and Wanda being two versions of the same people is that their sensitive spots are all the same.

As I’m kissing Ana’s neck, her arms come up to grasp at my back and I get an idea. Last time, Ana had me trapped the whole time, using me as she wanted. Since she’s giving me control this time around, I’m going to do the same thing to her.

I take her arms and pin them above her head on the bed and place my hand over her wrists. Then I use my powers and trap her wrists in solid plasma and attach them to the bed. Her eyes open in shock and she starts to protest, but I stop her by placing a kiss on her lips.

“You submitted to me this time,” I murmur against them, kissing the corners of her mouth. “There will be no protests out of you.”

“Mhmm,” she nods, staying silent as I kiss along her jaw. I kiss all the spots I know Wanda likes along her neck, stopping to suck at her most sensitive spot right on her carotid. Ana lets out a moan as I suck, her chest catching at the peak of her breath.

I start to kiss further down her body and get stopped by Ana’s clothes. As I pull back slightly to figure out how I’m going to get these clothes off of her, they disappear. I look up at Ana and scowl.

“You just took all the fun out of that,” I scold her. Ana grows a smirk on her face and shrugs.

“Guess you’ll have to punish me then.” She says. I don’t waste any time and smack her breast, eliciting a squeal from Ana.

“Oh, you like that, then?” I smirk and slap her breast again. This is something that’s new, something that Wanda doesn’t like. It’s something I can explore with Ana. I bring my head down and lick her left nipple to make the area wet before I move my mouth to her right breast and take her nipple into my mouth. With my right hand I reach up and grasp her left nipple between my fingers, pinching it until it gets hard and rises from her breast. Once it’s nice and high, I take my hand and slap her breast again, making sure to get a large chunk of her nipple.

“Uh,” Ana moans, arching her back at my touch. “Mmm, yeah, I like that. I love that.”

“Good to know,” I growl against her breast, taking her now hardened nipple between my teeth and biting down slightly. Ana groans again, writhing underneath me in pleasure. I let go of her nipple and open my mouth wider, this time closing my teeth around her entire nipple and part of the fat on her breast. I slap her breast one more time, as hard as I can, before I pull my mouth off her nipple with a pop. I sit on my haunches and run my hands down her stomach, then down her legs. When I reach her ankles, I spread her legs apart, wide enough to settle in between her legs comfortably, and trap her legs to the bed with my plasma as I did with her hands.

“I can’t move,” Ana whines, wiggling against her restraints.

“Like I couldn’t move last time?” I raise an eyebrow at her accusingly. “You’re much more powerful than me, Ana. You could free yourself at any time.” I cross my arms over my chest, stopping my advancement. “Do you want to take over? You can. You can be in charge, just like you were last time. Or you can let me be in charge this time. And you can take back control next month.”

Ana looks up at me, clearly fighting between having me take care of her, and going back to something easy and taking control. But she nods and settles into the bed, telling me to keep going. I smile and place my hands back on her legs, leaning in and moving my hands up her legs.

“Good choice,” I purr, dipping my head to place kisses along her left leg up toward her core. When I reach her inner thigh I bring up my hand and glide my fingers up her slit. My thumb teases her clit as my fingers find her hole. I shove two of my fingers inside of Ana, causing her to gasp and shift her body upward from the force. She bangs her head against the pillows and closes her eyes, inhaling deeply. “Eyes on me, baby, eyes on me.” I say, my voice stern. Ana listens to me, opening her eyes to look at me. She opens her mouth in another gasp, and I smile at how wide her mouth can go. “That’s it, baby, stay with me, now.”

I curl my fingers inside of her, and Ana’s mouth drops even wider than I expected. I tickle Ana’s insides with my fingertips, finding the spot inside her that really makes her cry out. When her legs are pulling at her restraints and I know she’s close, I bend down and place my lips on her clit, sucking hard on her bundle of nerves. I move my lips around her clit, messaging it with my lips.

With one last flick of my tongue, Ana clenches around my fingers and screams. Her scream pierces my eardrums louder than anything I’ve ever heard, but I don’t try to cover my ears. I want to feel her around me, her cum on my fingers, her thighs shaking around me. As she comes down I bring my fingers out of her, bringing them up to my lips to suck on them.

“Mmm,” I moan, her juices dripping onto my tongue. “You taste incredible.” I shoot her a glance over my hand. “Do you want a taste?” Ana nods her head excitedly, opening her mouth slightly. I bring my fingers back down to her pussy and slide both fingers through her folds. Then I slide my body up the bed and hold my fingers above her lips. “Wider, Ana. Open wider.” She does as I ask, but it isn’t as wide as she’d been earlier. “Come on, Ana, wider. I know you can open wider.” A glint shines in her eye as she opens her mouth as wide as it had been when I curled my fingers inside her. “There’s a good girl.” I smirk as I lower my fingers into her mouth. I wipe my fingers on her tongue, using it as if it were a paper towel. After a moment I take my other hand and place it under her chin, pushing up lightly. She gets the hint and closes her mouth around my fingers, her tongue swiping over my fingers as she works to get all of herself off of me.

When she’s cleaned my fingers completely, I reach back to touch the plasma around both of her ankles, causing the stuff to disappear. Then I touch the plasma around her wrists, transforming it into a liquid. Quickly, I flip Ana onto her stomach and harden the plasma around her wrists once again.

“I’m going to trust you to do what you’re told with your legs,” I tell her, bringing my hand down on her ass. She bucks her hips, groaning at my touch. I reach my hand underneath her, once again wetting my hands with her slick, and move it through her crack. I wave my hand in front of me, creating my own dildo out of plasma. I pull on her hips to bring her ass into the air, but I don’t take any time before I open her ass cheeks and ease my dildo into her ass.

Ana groans as I enter her as she allows me to push her forward into the bed. She relaxes her muscles, making room for my cock.

“Do you like that?” I ask her through my teeth, bringing my hand up and back down on her ass once more. “Do you like my cock in your ass?”

“Yes!” She cries, her hands desperately grasping onto the sheets. “Fuck, I love your cock in my ass!”

“That’s fucking right,” I growl, taking my other hand and smacking her other ass cheek. “Take my fucking cock up your ass, Witch.” I lean down and grasp her hair in my fist, pushing her face into the bed. “How does it feel to have no control, hmm? Does it feel good? Having me ruin you like you ruined me.”

“Fuck, tear me apart!” I watch as her mouth opens, drool starting to pool around her lips and on the sheets. I can see her eyes rolling back in her skull as she loses her senses.

I pick up speed, slamming into Ana, connecting our hips at a higher speed than I think either of us were expecting. I tighten my grip in her hair and push her deeper into the bed, a new side of me emerging. I listen as Ana’s gasps and moans become shorter and closer together, and her legs start to lose their strength. I bring my free hand around Ana’s hip and start to slap her clit. Ana lets out a loud moan.

“I’m close,” she whines, pushing deeper into me. I grin and switch it up, placing two fingers back inside of her and flick her clit with my thumb, placing a lot of pressure on her nerves. Moments later she gushes on me, more liquid than I’ve ever coaxed out of anyone. I pull my fingers out of her so she sprays all over the sheets and let go of her hair, using both of my hands to grip her hips tightly as I slam her deeper and harder onto my dick a few more times. She cries out with every pull, more and more cum falling onto the sheets.

When she’s finally done I rip my cock out of her and get off the bed, moving to stand right in front of her. I wave my hand in front of me, causing the plasma attached to me to disappear. Then I sink to the floor, kneeling beside Ana.

“Was that satisfactory for you, Witch?” I ask her quietly. She nods as if it’s difficult for her to speak.

“Next time,” she says, her breath heavy. “I’m taking control again.”

“As you wish.” I mutter, standing back up. I straighten myself up and go to grab the notebook. I open it to the front page and say the spell backward, opening a portal. With one more look at Ana, still in the same position, watches me, her eyes lazy. I wave my hand and remove the plasma from her wrists. She immediately falls onto the bed, attempting to catch her breath. Then I step through the portal.

It’s night in New York when I get back. Pretty late, by the looks of it. There are no candles lit in the artifact room, and Strange is usually up past midnight in there. I stop at the foot of the stairs and take a breath. Then I pull out my enchanted phone and dial Wanda 1856. It rings a few times before she picks up.

“Y/N?” She says in a groggy voice. “Do you know what time it is?”

“I’m sorry,” I say quietly. “I just wanted you to know that the Chaos magic situation has been dealt with.”

“Really?” She asks, sounding a little more awake now. “How?”

“I don’t really want to discuss that right now,” I say, looking up the stairs. “But I promise to visit soon and discuss it with you.”

“Okay,” she says, going back to her groggy voice. “As long as I don’t have to worry about hurting Ariel again, we’re good.”

“You don’t have to worry about that,” I promise her. “Get back to sleep. We’ll speak soon.” I remove the phone from my ear and hang up the call. I grip the phone and notebook tightly in my hands and climb the stairs.

I enter the room I share with Wanda quietly, not wanting to wake her. I strip down until I’m naked, tossing my clothes into our hamper. Then I place the notebook and phone on my bedside table and crawl into bed next to Wanda. She’s facing away from me, breathing evenly. I scoot close to her and wrap my arm around her middle, placing my hand softly on her belly. She wiggles in bed, turning her head toward me.

“Y/N?” She mumbles. “You’re back.”

“I told you I’d be back, baby.” I whisper to her, kissing her ear.

“I know.” She says, pushing herself into me. “Did you deal with what you needed to deal with?”

“I did.”

“Good.” She sighs as she turns back, easily falling back into sleep. I let out a deep sigh and try to settle in. Then I see a light out of the corner of my eye. I turn away from Wanda and see the notebook glowing. When it dies down, I turn fully away from Wanda and grab the notebook. Opening it to the page after the spell, I see a message written on the page.

“Couldn’t you have found somewhere else to sit, Tyler?” I grumble. “This section of the class is for learning. I’m pretty sure the back is where people go to fuck around.”

“Awe, come on, don’t be like that, sweetheart,” he grins and leans in, his nose brushing against the skin of my cheek. I lean away from him, my face wrinkled in disgust.

“Get away from me, Tyler,” I growl. There’s a loud thump at the front of the room, and our attention is drawn to Professor Olsen. She’s slammed her briefcase down on her desk and is staring right at us.

“Mister Garrison.” She says, her voice even and her tone even. “I remember you from last semester.” Her gaze flickers over to me. “As well as Miss Y/L/N.” She takes a few steps forward and places a hand on her hip, cocking her body. “You didn’t do very well in my class, Mister Garrison.”

“Yeah, because you’ve got it out for hot dudes, since you don’t have one.” Tyler smirks and looks at me for validation. Instead, I give him the most disgusted look I can muster.

“Don’t look at me,” I say. “You’re an idiot. I’m not defending you.”

Tyler’s eyes darken slightly as he looks back at Professor Olsen. He opens his mouth to speak, but she holds up a finger.

“You can do whatever you want with your education, Mister Garrison.” Professor Olsen tells him. “But I don’t want you affecting the education of my other students. Miss Y/L/N is a promising young woman, and I would hate to see her dragged down by…” she drags her eyes disapprovingly up and down Tyler’s face as she trails off. Then she points toward the back of the room. “Please find another seat. Preferably in the back.”

Tyler glares at Professor Olsen for a few moments. She doesn’t back down, which may have been the hottest thing I’ve ever seen her do. He grumbles and picks up his things, moving a few rows back. Professor Olsen looks over at me, the corner of her mouth tilting up slightly before she heads back to her desk.

“I hope everyone did the assignment I assigned over break.” She calls over her shoulder. “It is due today before noon on the online portal. A few of you have already turned it in, but not enough for what I expect of this class.” She picks up one of the dry erase markers and starts writing on the white board. “Today we will be discussing the symbolic imagery that we can find throughout this novel.”

She paces the front of the class, speaking about imagery and how we can decipher why an author may have decided to describe things in their novel the way they did.

“Can anyone tell me how Hawthorne uses color symbolism in Hester’s scarlet letter?” She asks, stopping in the middle of the classroom. A bunch of hands shoot into the air, including mine. Professor Olsen scans the room, her eyes falling to me. “Miss Y/L/N.”

“Um,” I clear my throat and sit up in my seat. I hold eye contact with Professor Olsen as I speak. “Hawthorne uses a vibrant color system to illustrate themes of sin, passion, shame, and social judgement. He uses mostly red, black and gray to portray this. There are times that he uses gold to show hope, truth, and beauty, but gold is mostly found in the embroidery of the scarlet letter itself to show its transformation into a symbol of worthiness. Although he uses the gold pretty sparingly.”

Professor Olsen’s eyebrows lift slightly in surprise. She doesn’t immediately respond when I’m finished, just stands there and stares at me. Then she clears her throat.

“That… is actually one of the better observations I’ve heard on this topic.” She says, keeping eye contact with me. I swallow around the lump in my throat as I feel myself blush. I quickly look away to try to keep her from noticing the heat riding in my cheeks. She clears her throat again before she turns her attention back to the class. “Now let’s examine the significance of the forest scenes…”

As Professor Olsen continues her lecture, I write in my notebook about the symbolism of the forest; freedom, raw truth, temptation. I don’t look up for the rest of the lecture, nor do I raise my hand. My foot taps nervously on the ground, and my mind keeps wondering to the end of the lecture when I can run away and try to forget about this.

Toward the end of lecture, Professor Olsen assigns us our next assignment, and I write down the information in my planner diligently. Then I pack everything away, watching to make sure Tyler leaves the classroom without waiting for me. When he’s disappeared through the door, I finish packing up my things and slip my backpack on my back, crushing my notebook to my chest. I take a few quick steps to the door.

“Excuse me.”

I stop cold, the weight of my backpack on my back and the notebook against my chest heavy. I take a few quick, nervous breaths before I slowly turn around.

“Yes?” I respond, my heart racing. Professor Olsen stands at her desk, her tailored blazer fitting perfectly around her shoulders. Her usual stern expression is slightly softer than when she’s lecturing. The empty classroom makes the moment feel uncomfortably intimate.

“Your analysis today…” She hesitates for half a second before continuing. “It reminded me of my own undergraduate thesis on symbolism.” She shifts slightly, and I wonder why she’s the one acting nervous. “I’d like to discuss your thoughts further. Over coffee sometime.”

My brain races at her words, the possibility of such closeness with Professor Olsen. But my mouth works faster than my brain.

“Of course, Professor Olsen, that would be lovely. You’re an incredible professor, and the things you teach are things I feel I can use in my own writing. I would be thrilled to speak about this further with you.”

Mentally, I slap myself. The words feel robotic and stupid as they come out of my mouth, the tone not conveying at all how excited I am for this opportunity. But the words are true, and those I don’t want to take back. Professor Olsen’s face breaks into a small smile. It makes her look  more… approachable.

“Good.” She says softly, her hand coming up to rest on my arm. “How about this Friday, after my office hours? Around four-thirty?” She pulls a business card from her briefcase and hands it to me. The raised gold lettering reads:

Professor Elizabeth Olsen

English Department

NYU - Oceania Building 728

There’s an email address and a phone extension printed underneath. I turn the card over curiously, and I squint at the card. On the back, written in pen after the card was printed, is another phone number. The words ‘My personal number. In case you have any questions… outside of class’ are written beneath the number. I clear my throat and put the card in my pocket.

“Friday. Four-thirty. Oceania building. I’ll be there.” I whisper, unable to look up at her again. I turn quickly on my heels and rush out of the classroom. My arm where Professor Olsen touched me tingles, and I start to really process what she said. It’s only after I leave that I realize coffee is no good: I’m allergic to coffee. I start to get anxious about how stupid and disrespectful I’ll look when sitting across from Professor Olsen, toying with a cup full of liquid that I can’t drink.

Friday comes quickly. I spend most of the day going over things that I’ve learned about symbolism. I’ve changed outfits a few times, wanting to look good but not too good, wanting to be comfy but not wanting to look unprofessional. And the coffee allergy. I hope she won’t notice when I don’t drink anything.

At 4:30 I stand outside her office, taking deep breaths to calm myself down. I shake out my hands to dispel some extra jitters before knocking on the door. A few seconds go by before the door opens. Professor Olsen stands there, her signature blazer nowhere in sight, but a professional white blouse does things for her body that make my mind whirl. Her hair is loose around her shoulders, framing her face in a way that makes her look brighter, a huge contrast to the way her hair is usually up in a bun.

“Miss Y/L/N.” She says with a smile, standing off to the side of the doorway. “Please, come in.” I take a few steps inside the room and look around. There’s a large wooden desk by an even larger window, papers thrown about the surface almost lazily. The opposite wall from the door is just one big bookshelf, filled to the brim with different kinds of books. There’s a small sitting area in front of the desk, room enough for two, with a coffee table in between the chairs. A platter with steaming hot coffee is already sitting on the table. Professor Olsen shuts the door and slips by me, walking over to the coffee table where she picks up one of the cups and holds it out for me.

“I can’t drink coffee,” I blurt out without thinking. Professor Olsen’s face tilts in confusion, and I cringe at my words. My face contorts to match how I’m feeling. I take a breath and try again. “I’m sorry. I didn’t think about it when you asked me after class, Professor, but I’m allergic to coffee, so I can’t drink it. But I was very excited at the prospect of speaking with you, and I didn’t want to turn you down.”

Without hesitation, Professor Olsen sets the cup down and turns away from me, walking around to the opposite side of her desk. She bends down and rummages around for a moment before standing up, holding two different bottles of the same drink.

“What flavor would you like?” She asks, a small, lopsided smile forming on her lips. “I’ve always got a stash of flavored water for myself in case I don’t need the caffeine. I’ve got blackberry and pomegranate. Do you have a preference?”

I let out a small huff, relieved. I take a few steps forward so I’m standing on the opposite side of her desk from her so I can see the options better. Then I point to the blackberry one.

“This one, please. Thank you.” I look at her as she hands me the drink, and I become acutely aware of how close we are. I take a step back and sit in one of the chairs, opening the bottle and taking a small sip. I cross one leg over the other to try and calm my nerves. “I apologize for not saying anything earlier. I didn’t think about it until I walked away, and emailing you about that just seemed so… dumb.”

Professor Olsen chuckles and walks back around the desk to the seat across from me, sitting in it and crossing her legs like mine. She picks up her coffee cup and takes a sip, waving me off.

“No need to apologize, Miss Y/L/N.” She says, watching me sip my drink. She tracks the movement of my hand raising the bottle, how my lips curve around the top. Heat rises in my cheeks and I look away from her, my heart racing. She clears her throat. “So, you said my teaching inspires your writing? What are you working on?” I place the bottle on the coffee table and lean back in the chair. I start picking at my nails, nervous.

“I’m… trying to work on a new novel. I’ve been struggling for the past year since the last book in my trilogy was published, and my publisher has been begging me for something new since. When I started your class last semester and you spoke about themes and emotions in writing, I started looking at myself, trying to find something deep and emotional that I could turn into a new bestseller. And your lecture on Wednesday about symbolism has really helped me shape the picture of the world I’ve created and how it interacts with my protagonist.”

“Wait,” Professor Olsen gets out of her chair and walks over to her bookshelf, looking for something. When she finds it, she pulls the book off the shelf and turns to me. “This is you.” She frames her words as a statement, not a question. She’s holding the first book in my trilogy, ‘Crown of Hollow’. My name is printed on the cover in large letters. Not my decision, but I didn’t get a say in that. I nod nervously, my fingers picking at the frayed denim on my jeans. Professor Olsen smiles as she looks down at the book. “I’ve read your series. Twice.” She looks back up at me and her smile falters, as if she’s hesitating. I raise an eyebrow at her, questioning what she’s thinking. “The symbolism in ‘Crown of Hollow’ was… devastatingly beautiful. I’ve taught your novel to my grad students ever since it was published.”

“Please don’t ask me to speak to your class,” I joke quietly to try and release the growing tension in the room. “I’m not good at public speaking.”

“God, no,” Professor Olsen laughs, a sound that is, as she put it, devastatingly beautiful. My breath hitches in my throat at the sound, and my cheeks get pink again. “I would never put you on the spot like that.” She bites her lip, a gesture that makes my heart flutter. She glances up at me through her eyelashes and holds up my book. “I was actually going to ask if I could get your autograph… but now I feel weird about that.”

I let out a sigh of relief and stand up and walk over to her. I stand closely to her and gently take the copy of my book from her hands, my fingers brushing against hers. It’s an advanced reader’s copy, which surprises me. My books don’t feel like the kind of books that an academic like Professor Olsen would enjoy, let alone seek out an advanced copy for. Once it’s in my hands I flip through it.

“I would gladly give an autograph to my favorite professor.” I stop at one of the pages. It, like a lot of the other ones, are dog-eared in the corner. I smirk. “Even if I’m judging you a little for doing this to your books.” I flip all the way to the front of the book before looking up at her and making eye contact. “Do you have a pen for me, Professor?”

Professor Olsen’s cheeks turn slightly pink as she walks past me and rumages through her desk. After a moment she comes to stand in front of me again, holding out a pen for me. I take it, the same type of pen she uses for grading, except this one is blue, not red. I turn slowly and walk over to her desk, placing the book down and bending slightly to write in it. When I’m finished I stand up, close the book, and walk back over to her. I hand her the closed book and watch as she takes it from me, her hand lingering over the book for a second before she does. Then she opens it and reads the message.

To my favorite professor: You’re an absolute inspiration, and I’m lucky to be able to learn from you. Thank you for allowing me to soak up your knowledge, as it has made me a better writer. Your most inspired student, Y/N Y/L/N.

Professor Olsen gasps slightly as she reads what I’ve written to her. Her eyes start to swell slightly with tears as she looks up at me.

“That,” she starts, her voice thick. “That might be the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me.”

Without thinking, I reach up to wipe the tears from her eyes. Even if they might be happy tears, it hurts me to see her cry. My touch is gentle on her skin, and I don’t put too much pressure on her cheeks as I swipe my thumbs across her skin.

“That’s sad that this might be the nicest thing that anyone has ever said to you,” I say quietly, ignoring the large, red, loud warnings going off in my mind that I might be crossing a line. That I’m absolutely crossing a line. “You deserve nice things said to you all the time. You’re more than worthy of it.”

I can feel Professor Olsen’s breathing stop as my fingers graze her skin. I can feel a jolt of electricity shoot through her skin at my touch. For a moment she just stares at me, her usually sharp eyes are now soft and vulnerable. Then, almost instinctively, she leans in slowly. I freeze, my breath catching in my throat. She presses her lips against mine, sweet and gentle but uncertain. After a moment she pulls away, fear now filling her eyes. She turns and takes a few steps away from me.

“I’m sorry,” she says, shaking her head. “That was extremely unprofessional, I should have more control over myself than that. This is… That was…”

My body moves on its own, stepping up right behind her. I raise my arm and place a hand on her shoulder. Professor Olsen takes a deep inhale before she turns around slowly to face me. Her head is bowed and she’s still shaking it, as if she’s trying to get rid of some thoughts floating around in there. I raise my arms and interlock my fingers around her neck. She’s a few inches taller than me, and I have to stand on my tiptoes to reach her lips, but I do. She doesn’t pull away as our lips connect again, instead placing her hands on my waist gingerly, as if she thinks I’m going to break. She pulls me closer to her as the kiss deepens, her mouth opening slightly.

When we finally break for air she keeps her eyes on mine, her breath unsteady. Her loose hair is now tousled and her blouse is wrinkled.

“Y/N,” she whispers. “I… We… I shouldn’t be doing this.” The way she says it, however, tells me she’s wrestling with the idea. Like she doesn’t want to cross her ethical boundaries, but she also wants to keep kissing me.

“I… I know…” I whisper back. My heart drops in my stomach, worried that I’ve just opened this can of worms and she’s going to close it on me right away again. My fingers tighten around each other, still around the back of her neck, clutching possessively to what we’ve just done. “But I don’t want to stop.” My eyes dart between hers, hoping they’ll tell me that she wants the same.

Professor Olsen exhales shakily, her eyes matching mine as they dart from eye to eye. There’s a storm in them, a heavy conflict, as if screaming at her about how inappropriate this is. My hands slip from behind her neck to rest on her front, half on her neck and half on her collarbone. Her eyes flicker down to my lips for a moment. After that, everything changes.

She leans down and captures my lips again, more furiously, more confidently than before. Her hands slide up my body to cradle my face. I stand on my tip toes to try and be more equal to her height, gripping the fabric of her blouse tightly in my fists to steady myself. I can feel Professor Olsen shiver as she parts her lips, swiping her tongue across my bottom lip. I open my lips and let her tongue inside. Her tongue dances with mine as one hand tangles into my hair while the other travels down my body to press against my back, holding me to her. A soft moan escapes her throat that makes my brain melt.

I take a few steps backward, using my grip on her blouse to pull her backwards with me as I press my back against her bookshelf. Professor Olsen moans again against my lips as she pushes her hips into mine. Her hand that had been resting on my back comes around to hold my hip, her grip tighter than before, hopefully no longer afraid of breaking me.

“God,” she murmurs as she breaks the kiss, leaning her forehead against mine. “That was amazing.”

“I was going to say the same thing about you,” I whisper, my eyes staring down at our feet.

“This is not good,” she says quietly. “What I’m feeling right now, I shouldn’t be feeling.”

“I know,” I admit, matching her tone. My hands slide down her chest to her waist where I grip the hem of her blouse. “I don’t want to get you in trouble, Professor, but I’d be lying if I said I haven’t thought about you since my first class with you last semester.” I lean back into the bookshelf and look up at Professor Olsen. “I don’t want to give this up.”

Professor Olsen’s eyes shimmer with emotion: excitement, fear, worry. My chest aches, wanting to take all of that away from her. She brings her hand up to touch my cheek. The pads of her fingertips feel cold as they tremble on my skin.

“Y/N,” she starts softly, and I’m worried she’s going to say exactly what I don’t want her to say. “I don’t want to give this up either.”

My stomach flips at her words, and I replay them back in my mind over and over, making sure I didn’t mishear her. When I’m satisfied with myself that I did, in fact, hear those words, I give her a small smile.

“Okay,” I say quietly. “Then maybe we should do this properly.”

“How do you mean?” Professor Olsen asks.

“No kissing, touching, or anything inappropriate at school. I’m not willing to risk your job.”

“I appreciate that,” she chuckles lightly.

“We try to keep things professional in class. We meet outside of school for dates and intimate moments. Is that okay?” Professor Olsen nods slowly, clearly thinking through the logistics of what I’m suggesting.

“That’s… very reasonable,” she says softly. “I can respect that.” She takes a step back, our hands falling from each other. She straightens her blouse and smooths her hair. “But… I don’t want to be done with this. Not right now.” She meets my eyes. “Can I take you on a date? Tonight? Like, go-and-get-changed-and-meet-me-at-a-nice-restaurant-in-an-hour date?” My heart skips a beat and I nod enthusiastically. Professor Olsen lets out a sigh and smiles. “Good.” She looks around her for something, but can’t find what she’s looking for. “I need your number…ah, where’s my phone?”

“I’ve got you,” I say, pulling her business card from my pocket. From my other pocket I pull out my phone. I enter the phone number from the back of the card and send the number a text. A second later, we hear a ding coming from near the door. Professor Olsen looks over and walks to her coat, hanging right by it. She reaches into a pocket and pulls out her phone. She smiles when she sees my text.

“Perfect,” she looks up at me. She bites her lip again, and it takes everything in me not to jump her bones right here. “Um, I’ll text you in an hour? Tell you where to meet?”

“Yeah, that works.” I say, stepping over to the door. She opens it for me and we stand there, just looking at each other for a minute. “So, um, I’ll see you in a bit?”

“Absolutely,” she nods. I nod back before I twist my body and walk out of her office. I hear the door click shut behind me, and I pull my hand up to my lips, remembering the feel of hers on mine. I smile through my fingers and make a beeline for my dorm.

When I arrive, my roommate is laying on her bed playing on her Switch.

“Hey,” she says without looking up.

“Hey back,” I respond as I toss my phone on my bed and go straight to my closet. I rummage around in it for a few minutes, trying to find something date-like.

“What are you doing?” My roommate asks, peeking at me around her Switch.

“I’ve got a date.” I say without looking back. I hear the Switch hit the wall and then her feet thumping on the floor.

“What did you say?” She asks, coming up behind me. “Did you say you have a date?”

“Yes, Sarah,” I chuckle, picking a shirt up off the floor and sniffing it. Clean, but not nice enough. “Too bad it’s winter in New York. My flower sundress would be great for tonight.”

“Yeah, I wouldn’t recommend it.” Sarah scoffs, pushing me out of the way. “Go sit down. I’ve got this.” I shake my head, a smile on my face. I go over to my bed and take a seat. I tap my foot impatiently as Sarah digs around in my closet, throwing clothes around. “What about this?” She says, holding up a sweater. “Nice with those jeans.”

“No,” I shake my head. “Not fancy enough.”

“Not fancy-” Sarah stops midsentence and I see her shaking her head. “What in the hell has gotten into you, Y/N Y/L/N? You’re never this into a date. In fact, I’m not sure I’ve ever seen you go on a date!”

“Dates are dumb.” I shrug.

“But you’re going on a date!” Sarah scoffs, sitting on her heels and looking over her shoulder at me. “What makes this one so special?”

“I don’t know yet,” I shrug again. “Right now, it’s just a feeling.”

“Jesus,” Sarah mutters, looking into my closet again. “Okay, then this outfit needs to be snatched.

Sarah spends the next half hour going through my closet, suggesting things and throwing things to the side. She even looks through her half of the closet to see if there’s anything there that I might like. But nothing jumps out at us. At one point, she turns to me.

“How do you feel about being a little chilly?” She asks. I tilt my head, questioning her. She doesn’t say anything more to me, just pulls her phone from her pocket and sends a text. She watches her phone until she gets a text back, and she smiles.

“Alright. My friend upstairs is going to loan you a shirt of hers. It’s going to look great.” She sticks her head back in my closet and pulls out a few things. As she’s walking over to me, my phone dings. “Oh, is that him?” She asks eagerly, dropping the clothes in her hand and rushing over. I snatch my phone off the bed before she can reach it and hold it close to my chest.

“No,” I say, a chuckle creeping into my voice. “Bad Sarah.”

“Awe, come on, just one little peak?” She asks, her face going pouty. I shake my head, not giving in. There’s a knock at our door and Sarah sighs, standing up to answer it. I peek at my phone and smile at the text I got.

Dinner in an hour? The Italian place on 5th and Westboro?

I think about the place she suggested. I know where it is. It’s pretty close to campus. Fifteen minutes to walk there gives me forty-five minutes to get ready. I don’t do special makeup, and a brush through my hair leaves me with plenty of time. I text her back.

Sounds perfect. I’ll see you then.

I put my phone down as Sarah comes back in with her friend. Her friend is a cute, short woman with dark brown hair and even darker eyes. She looks at me, lazily chewing on a piece of gum. She blows a bubble and pops it before going back to chewing.

“So.” She says, her tone just as lazily as her gum chewing. “I hear you’ve got a date.”

“Mmhmm.” I nod, a little of this girl.

“Cool.” She says, tossing something to me. “Put that on. Best not to wear a bra.” I look at what she’s tossed me. It’s a long-sleeved, white, cashmere crop top, vertically pleated for texture. I look up at them.

“It’s, like, twenty degrees outside,” I say.

“I’ve got a plan for that.” Sarah says. “Come on, just trust me. It’ll look great when it comes together, I promise.” I sigh and get up from the bed and pick up the sweater. I look over at them.

“Alright, turn around,” I say, twirling my finger. Sarah rolls her eyes and turns. Her friend does so as well, just as lazily as she’s done everything else since coming here. When they’ve turned, I take off my tee shirt and my bra before pulling the sweater on over my head. The material feels nice on my arms, but I run my hand over my stomach, worried about the weather. “I’m going to be freezing in this,” I say, and the two girls turn around. “Plus, without a bra, everyone will be able to see my nipples so clearly.”

“Yeah, but you’ve got that tattoo on your right side that’s visible.” Sarah says. “Guys love tattoos.” Guys may like tattoos. But I don’t know if Professor Olsen likes tattoos. Maybe she thinks tattoos are gross. Or slutty. Or… just… maybe she won’t like them. I shake my head, removing the thought from my mind.

“Okay, what else have you got?” I sigh. Sarah leans down to pick up some clothes from the floor and tosses them to me. It’s a red, lacey thong that an ex boyfriend got me when all he wanted to do was fuck, and my favorite pair of black skinny jeans that are ripped at the knee. “Turn around again,” I say, unbuttoning my jeans. They do, and I pull my jeans and current panties off, tossing them into my hamper. I slip on the thong and then the jeans. After that, Sarah hands me a pair of ankle socks and her pair of black short-heeled boots. They only go up to my ankle and my jeans stop a few inches short of the top of the shoes, showing off another one of my tattoos, but I can see the vision coming together. Once everything is on, Sarah hands me a long, gray coat. I shrug it on and stand in front of them, a little nervous. Sarah’s jaw drops and her friend pops another bubble.

“Hot.” The friend says, still sounding completely uninterested and pissed off.

“Thanks?” I chuckle.

“What are you going to do about your face and hair?” Sarah asks.

“Uh, brush through my hair, and just some foundation and mascara for my face.”

“No,” Sarah shakes her head. She points to the edge of my bed. “Sit. Caroline?” Her friend looks over at her, and I finally learn her name. “Grab the curling iron. We’ve got bitch to make pretty.”

I sit on the bed as Caroline curls my hair and Sarah does my makeup. I’m not exactly following what they’re doing, but I roll with it. When they’re done, I look into the full length mirror to get a good look at myself. The outfit really does look nice. Caroline has made my hair wavy, and Sarah has put a natural makeup look on my face. I look… nice. Different from how I normally look. I think I’m pretty without makeup, but Sarah’s work has accentuated my features a lot. I let out a breath and turn to them.

“Alright,” I say, grabbing my phone. “Wish me luck, I guess.”

“Good luck!” Sarah calls as I open the door.

“Don’t get raped.” Caroline says in her scary, monotone voice. I give her a weird look before I head out the door.

I look at my phone. I’m supposed to meet Professor Olsen in fifteen minutes. Perfect timing. Even so, I rush a little to make sure that I’m not late. The lights in the city can be crazy, so I don’t want to risk anything.

“Once at the restaurant I stand at the hostess’ table, looking in the crowd to see if I can see Professor Olsen. The hostess walks to the front and asks if she can help me. I tell her I’m meeting someone and she nods, as if she knows exactly who I’m meeting. She leads me towards the back of the restaurant. I can see the back of Professor Olsen’s head as we approach, and my heart skips a beat. The hostess stands next to the table and holds out her hand. I quietly thank the hostess and slide into the seat across from Professor Olsen.

“Hey there,” I say quietly, pushing a strand of hair from my face. Professor Olsen glances up at me, and I can see her eyes widen and her breath catch at the sight of me. She looks me up and down, her lips pursed.

“You look… stunning,” she says quietly, a twinkle in her eye.

“Thanks,” I smile, glancing down at my hands. “I certainly feel a little underdressed.” Professor Olsen is wearing a tight fitting black dress and a simple necklace with a diamond pendant, but she looks magnificent. “You look absolutely amazing.”

“Oh, please,” she waves her hand dismissively at me. “You’re nowhere close to underdressed.” She looks around the restaurant. “I hope this place is okay. It’s my favorite place here in the city. I wanted to go somewhere I felt… comfortable. So I can pay better attention to you.”

“You’re staking a lot on your favorite restaurant,” I chuckle. “This date could go horribly. Then your favorite place will be ruined for you.”

“How highly you think of yourself.” I flick my eyes up to meet hers. The words sting a little bit, but I can see in her eyes that there’s no malice there. So I laugh it off, bringing my fingers up to the table to tap them on the hard surface. It looks as if Professor Olsen is going to say something more, but the waiter comes by to take our orders. I look in front of me and realize I haven’t even been offered a menu. I look back up at Professor Olsen who is waiting for me to order. I offer a flirtatious smile.

“This is her favorite place,” I say with a shrug. “I’ll let her order for me.” Professor Olsen raises an eyebrow, a little shocked. But she turns to the waiter and does as you say.

“She’ll have the risotto.” She says, shooting me another look. “I’ll have the pappardelle al tartufo. And a bottle of Domaine Huet Vouvray, please.”

“Very good.” The waiter says, walking away. Professor Olsen turns back to me.

“So,” she says casually, “how did you start writing? You’ve had to have been doing it from an early age judging by how accomplished you are.”

“It’s not a great story,” I say, pausing for a moment before I continue. “My father is an author. David Leboux. He was never proud of me for anything, often too consumed in his work to notice anything I did. When I won my first karate tournament, he was in Los Angeles doing a talk show. When I led my high school to the National Model UN championship, he was struggling to come up with his next book. When I tried out for the Olympics as an ice skater and just missed the cut, all I wanted was a hug from my dad. But he was in Romania, doing research for his next book.” I pause as the waiter comes back with the wine, pouring a bit for Professor Olsen to taste. When she nods, he fills her glass and mine. He sets the bottle in an ice bucket beside the table, and I take a sip as he walks away. “So when my high school creative writing teacher pulled me aside and said that my short story had a lot of potential, I thought that might be the way I could finally get his attention. Next thing I know, the first book in the ‘Crown of Hollow’ series is published.” I let out a heavy sigh, twirling the wine in my glass. “And he was still nowhere to be found.” I take another sip of wine. I set the glass down and let out a voluntary shake to let the jitters out.

“David Leboux…” she mutters, twirling her finger around the rim of her glass. “I’ve read some of his work. Performative as fuck.” She chuckles. “You write so much better than him.” My face reddens at her compliment. I take another sip of wine to try and hide it.

“What about you?” I ask through the wine glass, trying to change the subject. “What drew you to English? Have you ever thought about publishing? I can imagine anything you write would be fantastic.”

“God, no,” she laughs, sipping her wine. “I can analyze writing until the cows come home. But writing my own things? Terrible.” She shrugs one shoulder playfully. “My thesis advisor said I had ‘the analytical mind of a scholar but zero creative spark’. It stung at the time, but age has made me realize that he was right.”

I laugh a little when she speaks about her advisor, but I quickly cover my mouth to try and hide it.

“I’m sorry, it’s not funny.” I say through my fingers, but my eyes sparkle as I look up at her. “I think I’d still like to read something of yours. Even just to get into your mind a little.”

Professor Olsen’s cheeks turn pink at my request. She fiddles with her wine glass, suddenly looking a bit shy. She takes another sip of wine.

“I… I actually wrote poetry as a teenager,” she admits. “Not very good poetry, mind you. Mostly angsty love poems about boys who never noticed me.” A nostalgic smile crosses her face at the memory. “One time I tried writing short stories for a creative writing class in undergrad. They were shit, too.” The smile drops from her face and she clears her throat, taking another sip of wine to hide her clear embarrassment.

“I would love to read your poetry.” I say quietly. “And your short stories. Even if you think they’re bad.” I shrug, trying to brush off the nerves I’m feeling by being so bold. “I just want to feel close to you.”

Professor Olsen’s eyes widen at my words, her cheeks turning even more red. She scrambles to get her phone. She unlocks it and taps a few things. When she’s done she looks up at me, clearly trying to decide if this is a good idea. Then she sighs.

“Okay,” she says softly. “Here’s a poem I wrote at sixteen about my first crush.” She turns her phone to me and I see a Note titled ‘First Love (Draft 1)’. It’s short, only three lines, but I look at the screen excitedly.

Your laugh sounds like wind chimes

I memorize your schedule

Just to ‘accidentally’ meet you…

A smile spreads on my face as I read. When I’m finished, I look up at her.

“Okay, it could use a little work,” I admit. “But the last line? About ‘accidentally’ meeting someone? That’s a great line, Professor.”

Professor Olsen cringes as she pulls her phone back, switching it off and placing it in a purse next to her.

“New rule,” she says. “No calling me ‘Professor’, ‘Professor Olsen’, or ‘Miss’ outside of class. That isn’t something a date would call somebody.”

“Okay,” I nod slowly. “It’s going to take some getting used to, but Elizabeth does sound nice to say.”

“I’m glad you think so.” Elizabeth says, taking another sip of wine as the waiter comes back with our food. The look she gives me over her wine glass is no longer nervous. It’s intense, greedy, and hungry. I smile shyly and look down at my plate, picking up my fork to toy with my food. Elizabeth picks up her fork and starts eating as well.

We eat in silence for a few minutes. Well, she eats. I push my food around with my fork, my stomach too full with butterflies to eat anything. Elizabeth seems to notice. She puts her fork down and leans in, placing her elbows on the table and resting her chin on her hands.

“You don’t seem very hungry,” she says. “Is there a reason for that?”

“Maybe,” I say nervously as I glance up at her. She smirks.

“Maybe you’re hungry for something else, hmm?” She teases. “Care to get this to go?” I nod enthusiastically, biting my lip excitedly. Elizabeth smiles back and raises her hand, signaling to the waiter to ask for a few boxes and the check. He’s very quick about it, and Elizabeth is just as quick to pull out her wallet. I pack up my food, she packs up hers, and then she leaves a decent stack of bills on the table to cover the bill. When we stand from the table, Elizabeth does a double take. “Jesus, Y/N,” she breathes.

“What?” I ask nervously, looking down at myself. “Is something the matter?”

“Certainly not,” Elizabeth approaches me and places a hand on my stomach, right on my tattoo. “I didn’t know you have a tattoo.”

“I have more than one,” I say quietly. Elizabeth’s eyes sparkle with hunger. She leans down and whispers into my ear.

“I’m going to find every one of your tattoos.” Her hand snakes down my arm until she reaches my hand, intertwining her fingers with mine. Then she pulls me along with her out of the restaurant and into the cold, New York night.

She leads me down 5th Avenue, her hand holding mine tightly. She reaches over and puts her takeout container on top of mine before she takes both back into her hand. Now that my other hand is free, I grab onto her arm and stick close to her. I look up at Elizabeth and see her looking down at me, smiling. She squeezes my hand tighter and keeps walking.

Her apartment is about ten blocks from the restaurant, a sleek high-rise with a doorman and everything. We get into the elevator and stand close together, the silence helping the tension along. Her unit is on the 14th floor, so it’s a pretty long ride. When the elevator reaches her floor, she leads me halfway down the hallway. At her front door she lets go of my hand to reach into her purse and pull out her keys. She unlocks the door and holds it open for me. I cautiously enter the apartment and look around.

Her unit is spacious but cozy, a two-bedroom filled with bookshelves and fine art. The door closes behind Elizabeth and I turn to see her putting our leftovers in the fridge. She turns to me, setting her purse on the counter, and holds out her hand.

“Can I take your jacket?” She asks. Silently, I slip it off of my shoulders and hand it to her. She hangs it on the back of one of the chairs at the counter before turning back to me, resting her hands on the counter. “So,” she smirks at me, looking me up and down. “How many tattoos do I need to find?”

“Um,” I say, my eyes rolling to the ceiling to think. “A lot,” I chuckle. “But they’re easy. Big. Clumped together.”

“Hmm,” she says, nodding. “Good to know. And,” Elizabeth pushes herself off the counter and walks towards me, wrapping an arm around my waist and pulling me close to her, her fingers gracing the skin of my lower back. Her other hand comes up to circle my very hard, very noticeable nipples through my borrowed shirt. “Good to know you’re already excited about me.” She leans in, her lips dangerously close to mine. “I wonder if your pussy is as wet as your nipples are hard.”

I inhale deeply, my skin tingling with her touch. Elizabeth chuckles lightly and closes the distance, finally putting her lips on mine. My arms raise up to wrap around Elizabeth’s neck as she pushes me backward until I hit a wall, hard enough that my head bangs against it. But I don’t care. I keep kissing her, deep and intense, the feeling of her lips on mine like nothing I’ve ever experienced before.

The kiss is feverish, desperate, and intense on both ends. Elizabeth grips my waist as if I’m the only thing that can keep her grounded, and I pull her close to me by her neck as if I haven’t survived without her. Elizabeth’s other hand cups my breast through my top, her thumb flicking my hard nipple with every pass.

“Bedroom,” she mumbles against my lips. “Now.” She doesn’t have to tell me twice. Elizabeth breaks our kiss and grabs my hand again, dragging me to her bedroom. Once there she pulls me in front of her and pushes me onto the bed. I fall on my back and look up at her, my bottom lip between my teeth. Elizabeth inhales deeply as she takes me in, lying here on her bed. The bedroom lamp is on, casting a soft light onto my face. For a moment she just stares, and my skin starts to crawl with anxiety. But it disappears as soon as she crawls onto the bed on top of me, leaning down to kiss me again.

Her hands roam my sides, her nails gently grazing the exposed skin of my stomach. Elizabeth bites my bottom lip, pulling at it hungrily. She lets go and lets my lip snap back into place, following that up with another intense kiss. She pushes her hands up my body and underneath my shirt, her hand cupping my bare breast. She swipes her fingers over my nipple, finally feeling how hard they are with no clothing to distract her.

Elizabeth breaks our kiss again, grabbing the hem of my shirt and pulling it over my head. I let her take the shirt off and watch as she tosses it aside. As her eyes make their way back to me, she drinks in every new piece of exposed skin. She bends down and kisses my right shoulder, right on the start of my first tattoo.

“One,” she says quietly, looking at me with a smirk. She kisses her way down my arm, all the way to my wrist. My entire arm is covered in ink, so she’s got a lot of kissing to do. Once she’s  done, she moves over to my stomach and kisses the tattoo on my stomach. “Two.” She kisses her way up my body until she reaches my breasts. I’ve got another tattoo, an underboob tattoo, there. She kisses right on my sternum. “Three.”

Then she takes my right nipple in her mouth, gently flicking my nub with her tongue. I let out a little gasp and my hand grips her comforter tightly. Her hand slides up to cup my left breast with her hand, her thumb brushing over the sensitive peak.

“God, you’re perfect,” Elizabeth murmurs into my breast, her tongue flicking my hardened nipple. I arch my back, the pleasure growing inside me. Elizabeth kisses my nipple before flicking the nub again with her tongue. Then she brings her hand up to cup my right breast so she can switch her mouth to my left one, capturing the nipple in her mouth the second she gets over there. The confidence she exudes as a professor shows through her actions, and I reach over to grab her arm to steady myself. A soft whimper escapes her lips as my fingers touch her skin.

Elizabeth licks a slow circle around my areola before she takes my peak in her mouth again. She scrapes her teeth lightly against my nub, causing a shiver to run through my body. My grip tightens on her arm as a quiet, needy sound vibrates from my throat. The hand she had been using to cup my breast comes up to rest on my throat, squeezing slightly. I gasp, not expecting the pleasure the action gives me.

Elizabeth picks her head up and smiles, crawling up the bed again so she can kiss me again, deep and tortuous. My hands fly to the back of her neck to find the zipper for her dress. Once the zipper is between my fingers I tug it downward to remove her dress. Elizabeth smiles against my lips as my hands find her shoulders and push the straps of her dress down her arms. When the straps reach her wrists she lets go of my neck so she can take her arms out of the dress. I gasp at the sight of her breasts in my face, my heart racing. I reach up slowly to cup her breasts, dragging my thumbs lazily over her nipples.

“Your breasts,” I breathe.

“You like them?” She whispers back.

“Yeah,” I say, staring intently at them. “They’re… perfect.” Elizabeth smiles and leans back down to kiss me, actively dragging her breasts against mine. I moan against her lips, my hips bucking instinctively. My hands slide down her body to the dress that’s bundled at her hips and push, desperate to get Elizabeth’s clothes off of her. Elizabeth kicks her legs, tossing her dress to the floor and leaving her in a plain black thong.

Elizabeth pulls back again and scrambles down my body, her hands quickly finding the button for my pants. Her fingers are nimble and precise as she unbuttons it, pulling off my pants in one, quick, decisive movement. I can feel the urgency seeping from her pores as she looks at me, naked except for my thong.

Elizabeth lays over me, her mouth finding a very sensitive spot on my neck, and she begins sucking and kissing my skin. Her fingers trail up my thigh, light and gentle, flicking at the corner of my vagina. I gasp, biting my lip as my hand flies to Elizabeth’s head, my fingers grabbing onto her hair.

She runs a finger up me over my thong, putting just the slightest bit of pressure on my clit. I gasp again, my grip tightening slightly in her hair. I can feel the smile on Elizabeth’s lips against my neck as she slowly moves my thong to the side, a finger running through my slit.

“Jesus, Y/N,” she murmurs. “You’re so wet for me right now. Are you this wet in my lectures?”

“Yes,” I breathe, my pussy tightening at the thought of her in the lecture hall. “You don’t know… how many pairs of underwear I’ve gone through… soaked through just from watching you speak.”

“That’s so hot,” she groans, slipping her finger between my folds. Her mouth trails kisses up my jaw until she reaches my mouth. She kisses the corner of my mouth before holding her lips just above mine. “And now I’m going to think of how wet you are, right at this moment, every time I see you in class.”

“Fuck,” I gasp as Elizabeth pushes her finger inside of me right then, arching my back into her, my breath mixing with hers. Elizabeth smiles as her lips brush against mine before bringing them together. She pushes her tongue into my mouth and swipes it against mine, curling her finger inside me at the same time. Then she adds a second finger and gently pumps in and out of me. We kiss, passionate and needy, and I desperately try to cling to this moment. But the heat is building fast in my stomach after a semester of pent up feelings for this woman, and I know I don’t have a lot of time. “Elizabeth,” I say into our kiss, my mind consumed with how her fingers are curling inside me.

“I know,” she says quietly, licking my bottom lip and kissing my chin. “I feel it. It’s alright, Y/N, let go. I’ll catch you.” She curls her fingers again, this time hitting a spot in me that’s never been hit before. I cry out, my back arching again, as I release onto her fingers. My legs tighten slightly around her body as I convulse, riding her fingers through it. Elizabeth lets out a long breath as she slides down my body, using her free hand to open up my legs to make room for herself. She removes her fingers from inside me and hooks her fingers around my thong. She glances up at me as she places a kiss on my inner thigh, and I shake at the implication. “I’m going to take these off of you now,” she whispers. “Is that okay?”

I nod enthusiastically, not wanting to slow down. Slowly, ever so slowly, Elizabeth tugs on my thong, pulling down my legs and over my feet. She lets them drop to the floor and then bows her head into me. She kisses my inner thigh again, staring up at me. Her eyes show a need in them that has never been seen in class before, and it makes my heart skip. Elizabeth kisses closer and closer to my pussy, and I bite my lip in anticipation. Once she reaches my center she takes a long, slow lick through my folds. I sigh and lean back into her pillow, my hands gripping her sheets.

Elizabeth flicks her tongue on my clit, and my hand flies to her hair, grasping strands in my fingers and tugging. Elizabeth moans into my pussy, the vibration of her moan sending shivers up my spine. She twirls her tongue through my folds expertly, like she does this every day of her life. She presses the flat part of her tongue on either side of my folds before sticking the tip inside of me. She curls her tongue inside me as her thumb comes up and around to rub my clit. I grip her hair tighter, my hips involuntarily shaking and bucking as gasps and moans continuously exit my mouth.

“Ah, fuck,” I gasp as I roll my hips into her mouth. “How are you…” I grunt and bite my lip as she pulls her tongue out of my and starts sucking on my clit. “So good at this?”

“Years of practice,” she laughs into my clit, kissing my sensitive nerves. “And I’ll use all of my skills on you.”

And use them she does. She paints pictures on my clit with her tongue, and it doesn’t take long until another orgasm wracks my body. I come in her mouth, using my grip on her hair to pull her into me as far as she’ll go. Elizabeth doesn’t fight it, accepting her fate with giddy eyes and an open mouth. As my orgasm starts to subside she drags her tongue through my folds once… twice… three more times before she crawls up my body and lays down next to me, pulling me into her. She lays one arm across my stomach and the other comes up from beneath my body to cup my breast, her fingers playing lazily with my nipple. I let out a long exhale and melt into her body, relishing her breasts pushing into my back.

“How was that?” She whispers, placing kisses on my neck.

“Amazing,” I sigh, scooting back even further into her.

“Stay with me tonight,” she whispers. “Tomorrow’s Saturday. No school to get up for. Stay with me.”

“Okay,” I whisper back immediately. There’s a minute of silence before I shift in the bed, rolling over to look at her. I bring my hand up to caress her face as I search her eyes for the slightest bit of information. “What does this mean?” I ask her. Elizabeth reaches up and holds onto my arm, her thumb caressing my skin.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, what is this? What are we? Is this just a weekend of fun for you? Rebelling against the man and all that by fucking a student?”

“To be completely honest, I’m not sure yet.” She sighs. “But I can tell you that, at the very least, this isn’t just for a weekend.” Elizabeth settles deeper into the bed and nuzzles her cheek into my palm. “I’ve been watching you since your very first paper last semester. The Historical Implications of Paradise Lost.” She smiles at me. “It was magnificent. I couldn’t stop thinking about it for weeks. I watched you in every class. I saw how you take notes, how attentive you are to lectures.”

“To be fair, a lot of that was because I didn’t want to stop looking at the professor,” I let out a chuckle as my eyes flicker downward, lingering on her lips. They curl into a small smile, which makes me smile.

“Well, whatever the reason, you caught my attention.” She whispers quietly. “And then I started to watch you outside of class. I’d watch you walk to your classes if I saw you out on campus, I’d stand close to you and your friends at the coffee cart, hoping to get to know something, anything, about you. And because of that, this isn’t just a weekend thing.” She leans forward and places a soft kiss on my forehead. “I want to take you on dates. I want to get to know you. I want to fuck you a few more times,” she chuckles slightly at this, biting her lip. “And maybe all that leads to more.”

“But it has to be a secret,” I say quietly. “If this comes out, it could ruin your career. And I don’t want to do that.”

“Yeah,” she sighs. “It’ll have to be a secret. But I can do secret, if you can.” I look back up at her eyes, and I see no malicious intent in them. They’re curious, kind, and hopeful. So I nod.

“I can do secret,” I whisper. “For you, I’ll do secret.”

“I come not to pillage,” she says, her voice deep and rich, her voice laced with a foreign Spartan accent. “I come to offer a pact.”

My father steps forward, cautious.

“You arrive with warships, enough men to destroy the peace on this island. Is this how you offer peace?”

“Peace is always better when it’s backed by strength.” The woman chuckles, low and dangerous. “And I have plenty of that.” She glances at me again, her smirk growing wider. “My name is Kassandra, mercenary of Kepholonia and Warrior of Greece. I seek an alliance. Your kingdom’s lands are rich, your people strong. But you are exposed. You need protection. Protection from pirates, from warlords, from Athens and Sparta alike. My fleet will guard your shores, my warriors will fight your enemies. In return, I ask for one thing.”

My father tenses, his shoulders stiffen enough for his muscles to show through his skin, an almost impossible feat from years of not being used.

“And what is that?”

Kassandra, the mercenary of Kepholonia and Warrior of Greece, looks directly at me, her voice never wavering.

“Her. Your daughter. I propose marriage.”

A collective gasp sweeps across the dock through all of the people who have gathered there. My father’s hands fold into fists, creeping closer to the sword at his side. I bounce the little girl on my hip to get a better grip in an attempt to hide the hitch in my breath.

“We are not barbarians,” Kassandra adds, sensing the rising panic. “You have my word as a misthios of great renown. No harm will come to you or your people. If you agree. I will remain just outside your castle with a small contingent while you decide. But understand this,” Kassandra steps forward, her gaze locked on me. “I always get what I want.”

I nervously take a step back, setting the little girl down and urging her to go back to her mother.

“Why?” I ask. “If you’re of such renown, why come here? Why ask for me? We are a small nation. Unprotected yes, but peaceful and unimportant. What’s in it for you?”

Kassandra’s lips curl into a knowing smile, her eyes never leaving mine. She folds her arms across her chest, her muscles flexing beneath her skin.

“You think small kingdoms have nothing to offer?” She asks with a quiet amusement. “Your land produces fine grain and rich olives, things shipped all around Greece. Your harbors could be vital trading posts for my fleet, or simply a place for my men to lay their head during long voyages.” She takes one slow step forward, lowering her voice. “But truthfully? I saw your face when I deboarded my ship. You didn’t cower like your people, or others I’ve met in your position. Curious. Watchful.” She pauses, taking me in. “You remind me of myself.” Her expression softens, just barely, and clears her throat. “I don’t just want an alliance. I want someone who might understand what it means to rule through strength and kindness rather than blood and birthright.”

I watch Kassandra curiously. She’s right, in a way. Women don’t typically rule. But of all my father’s children, I am the only one to remain. Woman or not, I will inherit his kingdom, and there is a strength in surviving where my siblings didn’t that means more than a birthright.

“You may find that in me, as this island is not my birthright.” I tell her, stepping up to the mercenary with a new wave of confidence. “But know this: I do not bow. I do not cower. And I do not follow behind anyone. Wife,” I look Kassandra up and down, taking her in. “Or mercenary.”

Kassandra’s eyes light up with amusement, cutting through her full-bodied intensity. She places a hand over her heart and gives a tiny bow in an unexpected show of respect.

“Good.” She says firmly. “I wouldn’t want you to be anything less than strong. A woman who bows isn’t worth my time.” She gestures to her warriors behind her in her ship. “My men follow me because I’ve earned their loyalty through blood and victory, not by demanding submission. That is how true power works.” A playful smirk spreads across her face. “If you think I want some obedient doll for a wife, you are sorely mistaken. What intrigues me is that fire in your gaze when you speak your mind. You’re not a meek little noblewoman. You’re someone who can stand as my equal one day.”

“As soon as you chose me, I was your equal, mercenary.” I scoff, rolling my eyes and crossing my arms over my chest. “I will never be less than anyone standing across from me at the altar. That must be understood.”

Kassandra throws her head back and laughs. It’s a rich, unrestrained sound that surprises even her guards. When she looks back at me, there’s pure delight in her eyes.

“By the gods, Princess. Most would be flattered to be chosen by me. But not you. You call me mercenary to my face like I’m some common sword for hire.” She closes the distance between us in three strides. “I like that about you already. Very well then, Princess. No one would ever mistake our marriage as anything less than an equal partnership.” She extends her hand, rough and calloused from her line of work. “Should we shake on this alliance? Or do queens-in-waiting prefer more formal agreements?”

I stick my chin out and look up at her. Kassandra easily stands half a foot taller than me, so I’m forced to look up at her.

“I may be a princess, but I’m still a lady, Mercenary. You still need to prove to me that this is an advantageous match for me. I will eventually need a formal agreement, but you must court me first. It’s only proper.”

Kassandra’s eyebrows raise in surprise, then she gives me a deep, mocking bow.

“So the princess wants to be courted? Very well. I may have spent more time on battlefields than in throne rooms, but even a warrior can appreciate romance.” She straightens back up, a smirk on her face. “I’ll have fresh peaches brought from my ships tomorrow. We can walk through your gardens, and you can show me all your favorite flowers. And I guess I can wear something a little fancier than my armor for our outing if it would please you.”

I sniff at her, trying not to show whether or not her proposition pleases me.

“Agreed. But please note that, in the future, courted outings are best kept as a surprise.” I lean in a little and lower my voice. “And I’m also not as much of a princess as you might think, Mercenary. Fresh peaches and walks in my garden aren’t going to excite me very much.”

“Ah, so you’re the adventurous type.” Kassandra’s eyes narrow thoughtfully, clearly trying to understand me. “I can work with that.” She leans in close enough that I catch the scent of leather and sea salt seeping from her skin. “How about this: tomorrow afternoon, meet me by the stables. Wear something sturdy.” A mischievous glint shines in her eyes.

I shrug my shoulders and turn away from Kassandra, walking back towards the palace.

“I shall see you after lunch then, Mercenary.” I call over my shoulder. “Hopefully you can excite me.”

“Rest well, my future queen.” Kassandra calls after me. “I’ll make sure your surprise is worth getting up before the sun for.”

I walk through the crowd without responding. I head straight to my father’s throne room, and I pace the length for a few minutes before he walks in. I storm straight up to him and get in his face.

“Did it ever occur to you to jump in, Father?” I demand, angry. “Me, married to a mercenary? Inconceivable.”

My father sighs heavily, placing gentle hands on my shoulders.

“My dear daughter, what would you have had me do? Charge at a woman with an army of hardened warriors? That would have been suicide for the kingdom.” I look at him, fire still in my eyes. My father sighs again and guides me to the edge of the throne room, even though we’re the only people in the room. “Listen to me, Y/N. This Kassandra is no common mercenary. Our sailors and fishermen have brought back stories of her from the mainland. She’s won battles against Spartan phalanx and Athenian triremes. Marrying her gives us protection from all who might threaten us. And I saw the way she looked at you. Not as property, but as someone worthy of respect. That’s all I could ask for as a father.”

“If she is such an important person, Father, why me? We have little reach outside of our tiny island. So why me specifically? It doesn’t make any sense.”

“That woman has conquered kingdoms without batting an eye,” my father says, stroking his beard thoughtfully. “She could have taken any noblewoman in Athens or Sparta as a bride. But she chose you after seeing you stand tall among the others.” He looks down at me with a gentle smile. “Remember two summers ago when I took you to the mainland for the harvest festival? When those bandits attacked the festival, you grabbed a pitchfork and defended the village children, even when so many men were running for their lives. That’s when I knew my daughter possessed true courage, born of compassion.” My father smiles, tucking a piece of hair behind my ear affectionately. “I believe Kassandra has recognized the same spirit in you. Most likely because it mirrors her own.”

“She offers me a life of travel and excitement, something I’ve longed for for a while. If she believes that I will just sit on my ass and wait for her to come home as I twiddle my thumbs, she’s sorely mistaken.”

My father chuckles warmly, bending down to place a kiss on the top of my head.

“That’s my girl. Always been too spirited for court life, haven’t you? Kassandra will either adore that fire in you, or be thoroughly frustrated by it. Either way, this marriage promises never a dull moment. Between us, I think she’d respect nothing more than seeing her wife stand on deck during a storm, shouting orders right alongside her instead of hiding below deck like some delicate flower.”

“She better respect someone who doesn’t listen to her orders, either.” I growl. “Because if she dares to once tell me to get below deck, she will find my foot a fair way up her ass.”

“Just remember, you don’t have to wed her,” my father says, chuckling. “You can decline. We can figure it out if you do not wish to marry her. Now go get some rest. You’ll need it.”

“Yes, Father.” I give him a small bow to show respect and head off toward my chambers for the night.

“Princess!” I turn and see one of the servants running down the hall toward me. I stop and wait for her. When she reaches me, she holds out a small, wooden box. “The foreign lady sent this for you. She said it’s to help you sleep better before your outing tomorrow.”

I thank the servant and take the box, opening it gently. Inside rests an exquisite silver necklace with an eagle etched into the silver. On a small slip of paper, the mercenary has written a message.

To my future queen: may we have many adventures together.

“She also asks that I tell you she hopes this doesn’t feel too presumptuous, but wants something tangible for you to keep close tonight.”

“Thank you,” I nod to the servant, holding the box in front of me all the way back to my chambers. Once inside I place the box on a small table in the corner of the room and change into my nightgown. Then I go back to the box and remove the necklace. I bring it to bed with me. “Maláka, Mercenary.” I sigh, falling asleep looking at the pendant and wondering if I’m really considering becoming the Mercenary Queen.

The next morning before dawn I wake and dress in trousers and a loose shirt, pulling my hair into a loose bun at the base of my neck and head. I spend the morning in my room, pacing or reading before I head out to the stable where Kassandra has asked me to meet her. As I approach, Kassandra is already there, patting the neck of one of the two horses saddled outside of the stable. She’s dressed in a similar fashion as myself, no armor in sight. In contrast to yesterday, her hair flows freely in the wind. When she spots me, her lips curl into a smile.

“Right on time.” She purrs. “And dressed practically, too. I was worried I’d have to drag some silk-clad princess from her bed sometime after midday.” She tosses me a small dagger. I catch the dagger and expertly twist it through my fingers before placing it in my waistband. Kassandra raises her eyebrow, but doesn’t comment on it. “Just in case we run into some sort of trouble during our ride.” She offers me a hand to help get onto the horse. I ignore her offer, placing a foot in the stirrup and hoisting myself onto the beast in one swift movement.

“I’m not a mewling kit that needs to be pampered.” I say, looking down at her. Kassandra’s smirk grows larger as she moves from the side of my horse to the second one, mounting up easily.

“No, you are not,” she says in a voice so low I almost don’t hear her, but her tone is endearing, not judgmental. She kicks her horse into gear and heads onto the road. I kick my horse as well and follow her.

“So tell me, Mercenary,” I say, expertly riding my horse beside her. “Why is it now that you are looking for a wife? What has changed to make you feel as if you need one now?”

“Truthfully? My life has been constant battles, conquests, and strategy. But as I’ve grown older, I’ve realized even warriors get lonely in their tents at night.” She shrugs as she looks out to the sunrise of the horizon. “I suppose after decades of fighting for kingdoms that weren’t mine by blood or by birthright, I wanted to build something that truly belonged to me.”

“So you decided to come looking for a wife in another kingdom?” I ask, raising an eyebrow. “Is that not still conquering ‘by blood or by birthright’?”

“Not at all,” Kassandra says, shaking her head vigorously. “This is different from taking land by force. When I conquer kingdoms, I rule as a foreigner. The people resent me, plot against me, riot in the streets. But something like this?” She gestures between us. “Marrying into your family means becoming part of your kingdom permanently. It means respect, love, admiration.” She glances over at me, sizing me up. “Yesterday, you looked at me as if I were an equal challenge to you rather than a terrifying conqueror. That fascinated me more than any crown ever could, and I needed to learn more.”

“In truth, I didn’t look at you as an equal challenge, Mercenary.” I admit it easily to her. “I looked at you as someone with an obvious ulterior motive, and to protect myself and my kingdom from anything nefarious, I needed to weed it out.” I glance over at her with a smirk. “It won’t be my fault when you fall for my beauty and charm. It’ll be yours for losing sight of whatever goal you came here with.”

“Oh, darling, I won’t lose sight of anything.” Kassandra flashes me a wolfish grin, reaching out to grab my chin. “You’re just a strategy. Nothing more.”

I yank my head away from her and return a glare. But underneath the uncertainty in my gaze lies intrigue, curiosity, and… warmth. Feeling that warmth bubble to the surface I huff and kick my horse, urging my horse ahead of Kassandra. The mercenary laughs and comes up from behind me to match my pace.

“Ah, yes, the classic ‘I’m annoyed but secretly pleased’ retreat. I’ve seen warriors do that when they’re flustered after battle.” She leans toward me in her saddle. “Are you flustered, princess?”

“What?” I say, trying to play it off. “Absolutely not. You’re too much of a suspicious character to be flustered by.”

“You know, for someone who claims to be suspicious of me, it sure seems strange that you would ride alongside me into unknown territory. Most would at the very least demand bodyguards.The fact that you haven’t tells me that you’re at the very least intrigued, despite yourself.” Kassandra shoots me a smirk as I look at her, and I can’t deny that she looks sexy. “That thought is promising, since I plan on spending the next few days making sure that intrigue grows.”

“Maybe I’m just confident enough in my skills to know that I can take you in a fight if it comes to it.” I say, turning away to hide the red rising in my cheeks. “Not to mention that my kingdom loves me. If you were to kill me, they wouldn’t let you leave alive.”

“That solidifies my choice, Princess.” Kassandra hums. “Anyone who thinks they can take me in a fight deserves at least a little respect. And someone loved by their people is more valuable than a chestful of gold.” Kassandra leans back in her saddle, clearly feeling full of herself. “And for the record? If anyone threatened you, your kingdom would have to get in line behind me. No one touches what’s mine.”

“Oh, I’m yours already, am I?” I chuckle at her bold declaration. “I think you may be getting ahead of yourself there, Mercenary.”

“Darling, you’re riding somewhere mysterious with a woman who wants to marry you. That makes you mine in spirit at the very least, even if the arrangement hasn’t been signed yet.”

“Whatever,” I snort, shaking my head. I notice Kassandra watching me out of the corner of my eye.

“Let’s make a little wager, Princess.” She suggests. “A little fun if you will.”

“What are you thinking?” I ask her.

“First one to spot something interesting on our ride wins a little something.”

“What is the prize?”

“If I win, tonight will be a romantic dinner in the gardens. If you win, I’ll let you join my warriors for archer training in the morning.”

“Alright, you’re on.” I smirk and let my gaze roam the landscape in front of me. Not even a few moments later, Kassandra points something out on the horizon.

“Those birds,” she says, a smug look on her face. “See their unusual flight pattern? They’re sea birds and don’t come this far inland unless they’re migrating.” She looks over at me. “I win.”

“Not so fast, Mercenary.” I point to the birds, showing her how they don’t keep flying, but they land at the edge of the island. “They don’t come this far inland unless they’re migrating, or if they’re coming to lay their eggs. That unusual flight pattern? It’s the males protecting the females as they land to fill their nests.” I return Kassandra’s smug look. “Looks like you don’t know the island as much as you think you do.”

“That’s why I have you.” She shrugs, unbothered by the revelation. “To teach me these things.” Kassandra points out a few more things, all of which are pretty normal for the island. “Are you so determined to have dinner with me that you won’t even participate in our wager?” Kassandra asks as I haven’t tried to point anything out.

“Don’t think so highly of yourself. I just know what’s unusual and what isn’t on this island.” I tell her. “Besides, I’m looking for something specific.” I keep my eyes low on the rockface in front of us. After another few minutes, I spot what I’m looking for. A smile creeps onto my lips. “There.”

Kassandra looks where I’m looking, squinting to see what I do. She shakes her head, unable to see it. I dismount my horse and take a few steps forward before kneeling down. I hear a soft thump as Kassandra dismounts behind me. I hear her soft footsteps as she approaches me, then her soft breath on my ear as she crouches directly behind me.

“What are you looking at?” She whispers. I glance down next to me, reaching out to take Kassandra’s arm. I keep my hand over hers and stretch out our arms, pointing to what I’m looking at. Kassandra’s breath catches next to me as she sees it.

“Beautiful, isn’t she?” I whisper. I feel Kassandra nod behind me. I’m pointing to a snow-white lynx, an albino cat that’s been prowling the island for a few years now. “We’re not sure how she got here. She was first seen as an adult, so she wasn’t born here.” I sigh, completely enthralled. “She’s beautiful.”

“She is,” Kassandra whispers back, but the trajectory of her breath makes me think she’s walking about something other than the lynx. After a moment, Kassandra slowly gets up and rustles around for something on her horse before coming back. She tosses something to the lynx. “Dried venison. Maybe if we feed her, she’ll approach.” We watch as the lynx steps tentatively from the rocks to check out the meat. After sniffing the meat, the lynx greedily devours it. She looks at us as if to ask for more.

I reach in front of Kassandra and take another piece of meat, tossing it in front of us. The piece lands about ten feet in front of us. Slowly, the lynx creeps forward, her light blue eyes staring pointedly at me. She doesn’t lose eye contact as she starts chewing on the newly thrown venison.

“It looks as though she’s beginning to trust you,” Kassandra smirks. “A lynx like that would make for a fine pet.”

“That’s the goal,” I murmur, reaching for another piece of meat. Kassandra hands it to me this time. I throw the meat about five feet in front of us and watch as the lynx creeps nearer. She gulps that down in one bite. The next piece of meat I take from Kassandra I keep in my hand, offering it to the lynx. She puts one large paw in front of another and sits down in front of me. Her eyes stare into mine, and I feel an immediate connection with her. She gently takes the meat from my hand, downing it in a single bite. Then she rubs her head on my hand and starts to purr.

“Look at that,” Kassandra whispers in awe. “I think she’s yours.” Her hand comes to rest gently on my lower back. “A fine pet for a fine princess indeed.” I scratch the big cat’s ears as she rubs on me. “What are you going to call her?”

“Pēgē (pay-GAY).” I respond quietly. “Sacred spring, like her eyes.”

“What a fantastic name.” Kassandra whispers. “Maybe she’ll join us on our adventure today.”

“Only if she wants to.” I murmur back. I scratch her one more time before standing up. “Shall we get going?” I ask. Kassandra nods, standing up as well. She walks over to my horse and once again offers me assistance in getting into the saddle. Once again, I ignore her, opting to get into the saddle on my own. Kassandra looks at me for a moment before chuckling and getting back on her own horse. She leads us up to the rocky outcropping and around to the edge of the island.

“So what time shall I be meeting you and your warriors for archer practice in the morning?” I ask her, watching Pēgē roam in front of us. Kassandra sighs in defeat.

“Just after sunrise. And they won’t take it easy on you.”

“I wouldn’t want them to.” I assure her. “I’m nothing special.”

“A princess who wants to go on adventures and get down and dirty with some warriors? I think that’s pretty special.” Kassandra shrugs. “Certainly someone worth protecting.”

“You wouldn’t know special if it mauled you in the face.” I chuckle. “But I expect you to learn. I’m not looking to be special, but I do expect to be cherished.”

“Do you think that just because I command an army and have fought in many battles that I don’t know how to cherish someone special?” Kassandra shoots me a sideways glance. “Darling, the greatest warriors also understand what is truly worth protecting.” She smirks at me. “And nothing is worth protecting more than a woman who tames wildcats before breakfast.”

“You’re a little bit of a sweet talker, aren’t you, Mercenary?” I say quietly. “Too sweet for your own good. Maybe even too sweet for me.”

“Sweet talk is just one of my weapons, sweetheart. Who better to use it on than the most remarkable woman on the island?”

“I’m a princess.” I say casually. “I must be remarkable, or I am nothing.”

“Princesses are born into their titles.” Kassandra points out. “Remarkable women choose to be extraordinary. You were sitting in dirt with a wild animal not minutes ago instead of lounging on silk cushions. That’s not something any princess I know would do. That’s the behavior of someone truly remarkable.” Kassandra looks behind her as if she’s looking for something. “My warriors would follow you anywhere the instant they saw how remarkable you are. You’d have their loyalty before they'd properly met you.”

“No, they have yours.” I correct her. “They would follow me because you commanded it. I’m just a soft hearted princess who’s never seen battle. If I am to be your wife, I have a long way to go before I command their loyalty and respect.”

“You’re wrong.” Kassandra shakes her head. “My men respect strength, loyalty, and compassion, all things you’ve shown today. The lynx? They’d see that as proof of your patience and bravery.” She chuckles a little to herself. “Not to mention the way you handled yourself when we met yesterday. Standing up to a conqueror without fear? That fierceness is not something that is found often.” Kassandra brings her horse to a halt and dismounts. I follow suit. She takes my hand and leads me to the rock’s edge. “I’m wondering if you want to prove your bravery again.”

“How would you like me to do that, Mercenary?” I ask, my eyebrows raised. Kassandra looks behind her and down the ledge to the ocean below.

“What would you say to a little swim?” She asks, a glint in her eyes. I take a step forward and peer down the side of the cliff. It’s not too far, maybe a fifty foot drop, and there don’t seem to be any rocks below. I take a few steps back, pulling my hands from Kassandra’s. She laughs. “Yeah, alright. I should have known.” She sighs in mock disappointment. “The bravery has to stop somewhere.”

I scoff and shake my head before I take off running, jumping off the edge of the cliff with a loud whoop, and plummeting into the water. I hit the water and continue descending, though it’s slower in the liquid. The water is cold but comforting, and I enjoy the feeling of bubbles rising around me. I float in limbo for a moment, closing my eyes to simply feel the water around me. Then I kick my feet and rise to the top. I take a huge breath as I breach the surface, looking up to the cliff’s edge. Kassandra is falling now, her arms and legs tucked close to her body. She lands in the water a few feet away from me, rising to the surface almost immediately.

“Fuckin’ hell, Princess, you really showed me!” Kassandra laughs, swimming towards me. “I have to say, I really didn’t think you were going to jump!”

“You’ve got a lot to learn about me, Mercenary.” I laugh, splashing her with the water. “I don’t balk in the face of fear or a challenge.”

“I like the sound of that.” Kassandra purrs, slinking over to me. She grabs my waist in the water and pulls me close to her, our legs tangling together as we tread water. I brace myself against her, my hands flying to her shoulders to keep us slightly apart.

“Mercenary,” I say, my voice barely a whisper. “This is very presumptuous of you.”

“Excuse me for wanting to get close to my future wife.” She smirks, but she doesn’t fight when I push away from her. I look back up at the cliff and watch Pēgē pace the edge.

“I didn’t think about how we would get back up there,” I admit. Kassandra swims up next to me.

“I just figured that we would climb.” She says, looking at the cliff face. I look over at her and shake my head.

“I might be brave enough to climb it, in theory, but I’m not strong enough to make it up there.” I admit.

“Good news for me, then.” Kassandra’s smirk is merciless. “I’m strong enough for the both of us. Come on.” Kassandra makes her way over to the cliff, her powerful legs propelling her forward. I follow her, my movements not as sure. When I get to the cliff next to her, she turns and faces the cliff. “Wrap your arms around my shoulders and your legs around my waist. I’ll pull us up.”

“You’ll pull us up fifty feet?” I ask, astonished. She looks back at me, her gaze softening for me.

“There’s no need to worry, Princess.” She says, reaching out to take my hand and pulling me into her. “You’re safe. I’ve got you. I’ll get us up there.” I search her eyes for a moment, and everything in them says she’s being genuine. So I nod and wrap my arms gently around her neck, my legs wrapping around her waist. She looks back at me. “Ready?”

“I’m ready.” I nod.

Kassandra starts to climb, expertly placing her hands exactly where they need to be. She keeps her breathing even and her pace steady as she climbs. A few times a rock falls suddenly and my heart jumps, but Kassadra is on top of it every time, reaching her hand back to support my thigh in comfort and whispering sweet things to me.

She makes it to the top pretty quickly, pulling me over the edge before she climbs up herself. Pēgē rubs up against my face as I sit at the cliff’s edge, purring as she puts a paw in my lap. Kassandra plops down next to me, her breathing heavy but still even. I glance at her out of the corner of my eye before quickly turning my head and placing a fast kiss on her cheek.

“Thank you, Mercenary.” I say, turning my attention back to Pēgē, my hands running through her fur. “The jump was fun. Exhilarating. But I’m glad you got us back up the cliff. I like life.”

“It was my pleasure, Princess.” I glance over at Kassandra who is looking at me, a small smile on her lips, her cheeks a little flush. “It would be even more my pleasure if you’d come back to my camp with me for some honeyed treats.” Kassandra tilts her head to catch my eye. “Would you accompany me?”

“I might be able to make an opening in my schedule,” I say quietly, very intently staring at Pēgē’s ears.

“Alright,” Kassandra slaps her legs and stands up, offering her hand. I look up at her for a moment before taking it. She helps me up and then leads me over to the horses. Kassandra backs me up against my horse and places her hands gently on my sides. “May I?” She whispers. I bite my lip, my eyes darting everywhere. Finally, they land on Kassandra’s. I give a slight nod, and Kassandra lifts me by my hips onto my horse’s saddle. I swing my leg over her back and wait for Kassandra to mount her horse. The Mercenary leads us back down the mountain toward her camp. Once at the bottom of the hill, Kassandra turns to me.

“How about a race?” She suggests, a  mischievous glint in her eye. I smile wide, kicking my mount. She lurches forward, Pēgē following close behind. Kassandra whoops with joy behind me, her horse’s hooves pounding hard to catch up. “You ride like a true warrior!” She calls as she pulls her horse up next to me. “Fast and fearless!”

“Faster than you, I hope!” I call, a huge smile spreading across my face.

“Hey!” Kassandra howls. “Let’s make it more interesting! If you win, you can have all of my honeyed cakes. If I win, you’ll let me braid flowers into your hair!”

“Strange bet,” I laugh. “But you’re on!” I spur my horse on, determined to win.

“That’s the spirit!” Kassandra yowls as her horse matches pace with mine once again. The two horses’ hooves pound in perfect rhythm as we approach the camp. At the very last second, Kassandra pulls ahead, winning the race. She pulls her horse to a dramatic stop and turns her horse to face me. “Victory is mine!” She laughs as she jumps from her horse and walks over to me. “Just barely. And I do have to admit I think I’ve finally found someone who can give me a run for my money.” She grabs my waist and lowers me to the ground, not bothering to ask this time. “Now, about those flowers…”

“You’re insanely lucky that I am a woman of my word,” I say, poking her in the shoulder and taking a step back. “I may be a princess, but I’ve never been particularly feminine, let alone had flowers braided into my hair.” I notice that a lot of Kassandra’s warriors had gathered around us, so I turn my attention towards them and start to introduce myself to them. Hopefully that can start to break the ice with them a little. After I’ve said hello to everyone, Kassandra asks for one of the warriors to bring tea, cakes, and jasmine to her private pavilion. As he steps away to do as she asks, another warrior takes his place.

“Ah, my lieutenant, Orion.” Kassandra smiles at him. He bows his head slightly to Kassandra.

“General.” He says as he bows before turning to me. He bows a little deeper to me, which shocks me a little. “Princess, if I may… your skill with animals,” he glances at Pēgē who sits at my side. “And horses are impressive. The lads were placing bets on whether you’d ride as well as our general here.” I bow to Orion to show him the same respect he showed me.

“I apologize for my inability to beat her. Please inform any of your warriors that bet on me that one day, they will win that bet.: I offer him a kind smile. “I do not wish to let them down.”

“Your kindness is noted, Princess.” Orion chuckles warmly. He lowers his voice slightly. “Though frankly, we’d all be thrilled if you joined our riding competitions some day. A challenge from royalty would make things interesting.”

“He’s right,” Kassandra adds. “We have tournaments every time we’re on land. Archery, swordplay, even cooking contests.” Kassandra watches as a warrior walks towards a pavilion a little ways off with a tray of things. “There go our treats, Princess. Shall we?” Kassandra tasks my hand and starts leading me away.

“But… wait, I want to hear more about these competitions!” I say, looking back at Orion. Kassandra looks back at Orion for a moment before beckoning him with her head. He nods and falls into step next to me.

“Well, every time we’re on land, we pick a day toward the end of our stay.” Orion starts, walking with us to the pavilion. “At midday, the competitions start. Archery competition, sword forms. Our last cooking competition was making the best honeyed cake.” A grin spreads across his face. “Barnabas enters the cooking competition every time, despite burning everything he touches.”

“You could join as either a competitor or a judge.” Kassandra says as we reach the pavilion. Kassandra holds out a hand, helping me down. I sit on the ground, leaning against a bunch of pillows. Pēgē lays down to my right, her head on my lap. Kassandra lowers herself on my left, her right leg stretching out and her left leg cocked at a forty-five degree angle. Her left arm reaches out to rest on her knee. Orion sits across from us. “No pressure either way. It’s all for camaraderie.”

“I believe I’d like the opportunity to compete, Mercenary.” I say, my hand absentmindedly running through Pēgē’s fur. “If I’m to earn the respect of your warriors, I believe the best move is to train with them, fight with them, before I judge them.”

“What a fantastic opinion to have, Princess.” Kassandra nods approvingly.

“You’ll have the whole camp cheering for you!” Orion agrees. “Fair warning, our sparring matches get rough. I wouldn’t want you to get your pretty royal dress getting torn.”

“I’ve never been afraid of a little dirt,” I scoff, taking a sip of tea as Kassandra hands me a cup. “Neither have I ever been afraid of tearing a dress, as I don’t wear dresses while doing dirty things.” I lean toward Orion, smirking. “Watch me spar like a champion, and you’ll soon forget about the dresses.” Orion takes another look at me and bursts out laughing.

“By Zeus, I like this princess! You’re going to fit right in with us.” He winks at Kassandra and then stands. “I’ll leave you to it.” He bows slightly to me. “It was a pleasure to speak with you, Princess Y/N. We’re looking forward to having you with us.” He walks away, leaving Kassandra and I alone. She leans forward, presenting me with a honey cake.

“Would you like one of these?” She asks, looking up at me. “I can feed it to you. Get my warriors talking.” I take the cake from Kassandra’s hand and look at it. Then I start slowly moving as if I’m going to feed it to Kassandra. She smirks, closing her eyes and opening her mouth slightly. Then I smash it in her face, getting her lips, chin, and one of her cheeks messy with crumbs and sticky with honey.

“They’ll talk about that, that’s for sure!” I laugh deeply. Kassandra gasps dramatically before dissolving into laughter.

“Oh you vile, vile princess!” She jokes, grabbing another cake and returning the favor, smearing honey on my nose. I giggle as I pull away, honey dripping onto my lip. Kassandra licks her lips. “Worth it.” She says confidently. “Though I might need to kiss that honey off your nose, just to make sure you’re all clean.”

“Fine,” I say, shaking my head.”But just the nose. You have to work your way up to anything else.” I look her up and down, trying to read her. “I hope you’re not afraid of hard work, Mercenary, because winning my affection is going to be just that.” Kassandra props herself up even more, just enough to kiss the honey off my nose.

“I’m always down for a challenge.” Kassandra’s eyes sparkle as she pulls back just enough to look into my eyes.

“Good,” I whisper, looking down at the honey on her lips. “Because I’m stubborn. I’m independent. I will challenge you at every step.” My eyes flick back up to hers. “I’m a challenger. It’s who I am.” Kassandra doesn’t break my gaze.

“That’s why I chose you.” She matches my tone. “Anyone can submit to authority. But a true partner would keep me sharp, make me think, hold me accountable.”

“I don’t think you understand how truly stubborn I am.” I say, grabbing a cloth to wipe the rest of the honey from my nose and lip. Then I reach over Kassandra and dig in her pack, grabbing some more venison from her pack and offering it to Pēgē. She takes it gratefully. I lay back down against the pillows and go back to petting my lynx. “I will not be sitting idly by at your camp, waiting for you to come home. I will not be sewing your clothes when a sword pierces through your armor into your gut. I will not be-” I gesture to the honey cakes in front of us. “Baking you cakes to feed you when you come home.” I lean in and look Kassandra in the eye. “I will not be your pillow princess, Mercenary. I will be with you on your ship. I will be with you in all battles, defeats and victories alike. I will be with you when you drink, when you eat, when you roam. I am not someone to be set to the side. You will not sail away without me to not even look back. Is that understood?” Kassandra’s eyes blaze with admiration as she looks at me.

“Every word you just said is exactly why I want you as my equal.” Kassandra says, leaning in even closer, our lips almost touching. “I don’t want an ornament, Y/N. You think I’d waste the opportunity to have my other half fight beside me? You’ll be on my ship, in every council meeting, at my side when I negotiate treaties. Hell, if pirates attack our port tomorrow, you’ll be throwing javelins right alongside me.” Kassandra reaches up and cups my cheek. “I don’t want a pillow princess. I want a queen who rules half of my empire with me.” Her finger gently swipes along my cheek. “And gods help anyone who tries to put you on a shelf.”

I look Kassandra in the eyes, wondering how genuine her words are. My heart swells a little as my breath catches in my chest. I can’t focus with her breath warming my lips.

“If you can promise I won’t be an ornament to just sit on a shelf and look pretty, I won’t be as stubborn as you court me, Mercenary.”

“No shelves,” she promises. “We’ll share command, protect each other in battle, build a life where neither of us is ever second to anyone.”

“I believe you.” I say before I even know what I’m saying. I reach out and place a hand on her arm, tracing her muscles. My mind goes places it hasn’t gone before. I get distracted by how strong she is, how very, very sexy she looks.

“Good.” She says quietly. “Maybe I should start by getting my wife-to-be a mentor. Maybe Orion? He’s my best warrior.”

“I don’t know,” I sigh and lean back a little bit. “If you want me to have some training, maybe my wife-to-be should be the one to train me.” I tease her. Kassandra gets an excited twinkle in her eye.

“Oh, I would gladly do that for you,” She hums. “I should warn you, however, that my training involves a lot of close contact.” Kassandra places a hand on my thigh. “Sparring where our bodies press together, learning sword forms with hands guiding yours.” Her hand rides up my leg. “We’ll start slow. Basic footwork, blocking, those sorts of things. Then we’ll build to more advanced combat skills. By summer you’ll be wielding a blade like one of my lieutenants.” Her hand stops on my hip. “And if we happen to get distracted by our growing passion between drills? Well, that’s just an added benefit of our private lessons.”

“You’d have to actually teach me something for that to happen, Mercenary.” I say quietly, my eyes glued to her hand on my hip.

“I can teach you a lot of things, Princess.” She whispers back, leaning in close. “Just as long as you put up a good fight during lessons.”

“You want a fight, do you?” I look back at Kassandra’s face. “What kind of fight are you hoping for, Mercenary? Because one wouldn’t want to dishonor a princess with the wrong kind of fight, would they?”

“The kind where we both win,” she replies, her eyes flicking down to my breasts. “Though if you’re worried about dishonor, there are ways around that. A soundproof tent, perhaps?” She raises an eyebrow.

“You may have to do just that.” I murmur, my eyes glued to her lips. “I have a feeling you’re going to make me scream.” Kassandra inhales sharply, her eyes coming back up to meet mine.

“Gods, you’re going to be the death of me, aren’t you?” She leans in as if to kiss me, but I put a finger between our lips.

“I’m going to make you work for it, Mercenary. No part of me comes for free. Understood?”

“Perfectly.” Kassandra nods, kissing my finger gently. “I’ll woo you in time, Princess. I’ll show you my devotion, my loyalty, my love. Just don’t shut me out while I court you.”

“I won’t,” I promise. “You’ve got a fair chance, I promise.”

“Good.” Kassandra grins, sitting up. “It’s getting late, and I just promised I’d do right by you. Weaving jasmin into your hair will have to wait for another day.” Kassandra stands up and holds a hand out to me. “Let me get you back to your palace.”

I look at her hand for a moment before I take it and let her pull me to my feet. Once standing she pulls me close, her other hand wrapping around my waist.