summary: they always say to never fall for a coworker, but what if it’s mutual?
pairing: teacher!r x teacher!wanda maximoff
a/n: i actually haven’t written in a while guys so…
the hallway seemed bigger the day you first arrived. the walls were bleak and wet with a new coat of white paint, but today’s hallways are filled with back to school bulletin boards and club flyers.
a small sigh escapes your lips as you unlock the classroom door, A414. a small shiver creeps up your spine as you look over your classroom— the string lights hung from the ceiling and the red bean bags in the far corner of the room remind you of how new you are to the teaching profession.
“overthinking again?” a voice teases from behind you.
you’re met with a teasing smile and a fresh cup of coffee— wanda.
you roll your eyes playfully and open the door wider for her to enter. she slides past you and you note how she scans over your room with a hint of a smile.
“this year will be better than last year,” she turns to face you, her hair moving softly as she does a 180, “i promise.”
the previous school year was your first year teaching, and by no means was it easy. you had grown close to wanda in the few months she taught next door to you.
she offered words of wisdom and the occasional breakfast sandwich she made for you prior to arriving on campus.
you let out an exasperated sigh, “i just don’t want to get pink slipped, you know?”
you sit at your chair and lay your head in your hands, “i was on the verge of getting pink slipped last year, im sure.”
wanda watches your defeated form with a small pout on your face, “your first year is always the roughest.”
she walks over to where you’re sitting and places a comforting hand on your shoulder, “i’ll be right next door to you, okay? i won’t let anything happen.”
and there it is— the part of you’d been dreading but also anticipating for the past three months. wanda’s affection.
you smile as you lift your head from your hands, a pink hue on your cheeks as you look up at her.
“thank you, ms. maximoff,” you tease.
she scrunches her nose, a grin on her lips as you call her that, “dummy.”
wanda leaves shortly after that and you’re left to review your upcoming lesson for the start of school next week. you can still feel the warmth of her hand on your right shoulder, and you can still smell the faint scent of her perfume left behind.
hours pass and before you know it, it’s lunch time. rolling away from your desk, you grab your bag and prepare to head to your car.
“leaving me already?” you can hear from your door way.
wanda is leaned against the door frame, arms crossed and a playful pout on her lips, “thought you knew better than to leave without saying goodbye.”
your stomach does flips at the flirty remark, and your face does nothing to hide the blush on creeping up your face.
clearing your throat, “i’m just off to lunch, maximoff. join me?” you smile sweetly at her, tilting your head to the side the slightest bit.
she takes in your appearance and lets out a soft chuckle, “i’ll drive.”
the drive to grab a quick bite was comfortingly quiet. wanda’s music played in the background while she hummed along.
you two end up at a drive thru, the same one you two had been to on frequent occasion during the school year.
you face wanda to let her know your order, but are interrupted by her already ordering for you. you stare at her side profile for the briefest of moments, admiring how beautiful she looks doing such a mundane task.
you internally groan, hating yourself for falling for a co-worker. your co worker who you’re sure wants nothing to do with you outside of work.
you let out a soft laugh as wanda parks into that parking spot— the same one you two always parked in during last school year.
wanda smiles and turns the ignition off, “you love this spot.”
“no, you love this spot,” you respond, inserting the straws in the to go cups.
she laughs, shaking her head, “it has the best view of the field.”
you scoff, looking at her with an unamused look, “this is a dry patch of grass.”
“but it’s our patchy grass field.”
you glance at her— she’s not even looking at you. she’s sat there just sipping her drink as if she didn’t just say something that made your heart hurt in the nicest way.
you sit in the passenger seat of her suv, legs crossed over the other as you eat your fries.
she peels the wrapper off her sandwich and glances over at you, “so, what are your goals for this year?”
you sit and think for a second, shrugging your shoulders, “not cry in the storage closet.”
she snorts, “low bar.”
“fine, i guess not cry in front of you again.”
that day had to have been one of the lowest in your life. the semester was close to ending and your students hadn’t been getting the best grades on their tests. part of you wondered if it had anything to do with your teaching.
wanda consoled you with ease and offered words of advice that day— and things shifted after that.
she raises her cup to that, “that sounds like a real goal to me.”
there’s a brief pause, just the sounds of the wrappers crinkling and the beat of the music wanda had queued.
“you know,” she begins, “you’re way too hard on yourself.”
you glance at her, eyes narrowed as you watch her, “says the girl who rewrote her syllabus three times.”
“that’s different,” she wipes her hands on a napkin and cleans her area, “i know im good at this. you’re still trying to convince yourself you’re not terrible.”
you momentarily freeze. you know she’s right, but you can’t help but try to find some lie in her truth.
wanda smiles at you with a fond expression, “your students love you— i can see it in how they treat you.”
you blink, caught off guard, “stalking me now?”
she rolls her eyes, “you were the teacher with the most gifts during teacher appreciation week. not even i have received that many in the eight years i’ve been teaching.”
you laugh and something in your chest flutters. you don’t realize you’re staring at her until your eyes meet. her nose scrunches and she tilts her head to the side. her mouth opens to say something— she doesn’t.
instead, she brushes a crumb off the sleeve of your top.
“messy eater.”
she sits back and fixes her hair, as if nothing happened in those few seconds.
you try not to freeze— to overthink the way her fingers lingered for just a moment too long.
the lunch break ends and just before you two go into your respective classrooms, she turns to you, “if you do end up crying again..”
“yeah?” you say softly.
“i placed a box of tissues in your bottom drawer. use as needed.”
you smile at the thought, then furrow your brows, “wait, that’s your supportive gesture?”
she smiles teasingly at you just before she walks back into her classroom, “you’ll do great this year, kid.”
when I wrote “It was an unforgiving summer, news reports went wild, declaring it the hottest summer of all time. And I believed it.” and “The heatwave ended, much like our relationship, with a disastrous thunderstorm. It only lasted for a night, but the damage done was irreparable.” and “All summer long, the weather had been wavering, going from warm weeks to one hot day and then back, but for that one week the weather had been constant. 36 degrees and only blue skies and long evenings.” but I never actually talked about the weather
Can I request soft Chris fluff...”Have you always been this beautiful?”
You rubbed your swollen belly that was expanding with each day, growing like the baby inside. You were excited to be a mother, to hold the baby that is half you and half Chris. But pregnancy was hard on you and your mental health.
Your feet were swollen, your back constantly ached, your thighs had gotten bigger and you had stretch marks over your belly and breasts. You knew it was normal during pregnancy but it was hard.
Chris had just gotten home from recording at the studio with the boys. He wanted nothing more than to wrap his arms around you and kiss your belly. He walked towards your bedroom, seeing it empty but the bathroom light on.
He opened the door to see you in the bathtub, staring up at him with tired eyes. He stepped in and leaned down to place a kiss on your forehead. His eyes ran down your body, a new appreciation for you and your body ran through him. You were even more beautiful to him sitting in the bathtub, rubbing your belly with stretch marks. You looked stunning to him.
"Have you always been this beautiful?" He asks as his eyes meet yours. You feel the heat rush to your face as you blush and he sits on the closed toilet seat.
"Chris stop. I have swollen feet and stretch marks everywhere," You respond and cross your arms across your bare chest to hide from him. He reaches out and pulls your arms away.
"Mami, you're beautiful. Even more with your swollen feet and stretch marks," He whispers and places a kiss against your lips. You knew he wasn't lying by the look in his eyes. He really did look at you like you held the stars in you. And your heart melted because even if you were a bit insecure, Chris still loved you and showed how beautiful you were.
"I love you Chris. We love you." You tell him and he smiles brightly at you. He places another kiss on your lips and pulls away.
"I love the both of you too. Now how about you relax and finish here while I go order us some food?"
And he did, he ordered your favorite food from your favorite restuarant and grabbed all the fluffy blankets he could find before setting up a movie for you to watch.
He spent the night rubbing your feet and your back and kissing your belly. You knew how loved and beautiful you were by his actions and you were glad that you were engaged to him and having his child, he would be the best husband and father.
"I've got a can of spray paint" Nygmobblepot (Because I'm curious to see how you make that work)
I made is high school and Genderqueer Ed becuase I can
It had been a year of knowing Ed Nygma. The lanky dork who had been trying the punk look for months but still needed a lot of guidance. Now, Oswald sat in the fire escape, throwing ripped up paper into the alley below. Ed climbed up to him, using their unnecessarily long limbs to skip steps and cut around corners. Ed was wearing a grey Dead Kennedys shirt, black skinny jeans, and –much to Oswald’s dismay– a bedazzled, glittery leather vest. They looked like they had killed a disco ball and sewn the remains onto their clothing. It was utterly ridiculous, but so, painfully Ed.
“I’ve got a can of spray paint,” Ed’s face was split into a too wide mischievous grin, Ed’s smile was always too wide. It was just another thing that made Ed, Ed. Another one of those things was their refusal to let Oswald to throw out their bedazzler–honestly, Ed if you’re going for a dangerous punk look stop putting glitter everywhere– and their insistence that they did in fact need 17 pairs of suspenders.
“And?”
“You’re not in the mood for petty vandalism?” Ed pushed the can back into the backpack, and slid the bag to the side. Sitting next to Oswald.
“Not if you’re only going to leave green question marks everywhere,” Oswald quipped,
“Well, you told me my insults suck,” Ed huffed, a little defensive.
“That’s because you are the only person in Gotham who uses the word ‘ignoramus,’ you would make it too easy to figure out who it was, especially if you keep wearing a disco ball’s carcass as a vest.”
“I thought you liked my vest?” Ed said a little self-consciously, fidgeting their hands the way they did when they were unsure of themself. Right, Ed needed help in understanding the difference between light-hearted teasing and-…
“I love your stupid vest Ed, and I love my stupid lover, and their stupid sense of fashion too, but we can hardly go on a vandalism spree if you are wearing the flashiest thing you own,” Oswald softened his voice, and peppered kissed on Ed’s face as they giggled. Ed laid down, their head in Oswald’s lap, looking up at him.The two enjoyed a long moment of peace, Ed might’ve even dozed off a little. “You want to do something rebellious?”
“Yea?” Ed asked, without opening their eyes.
“Let’s get tattoos,” Ed sat bolt upright and whirled around, grabbing Oswald’s shoulders.
“Are you kidding me! Tattoos!? Do you have any idea how irresponsible it is to alter your body like that, especially as such a young age!” their eyes were wide and their voice was almost shrill, it was adorable.
“Says the one who came here to suggest vandalism,” Oswald smirked back. Ed’s mouth hung open like a fish, they shut it.
“Touche.” Ed muttered before settling back into their boyfriend’s lap. “What about hair dye?”
“What about it?”
“Do you want to…?”
“How, don’t you have to book an appointment like a month in advance?”
“Well, we could use the spray paint…” oh you resourceful little brainiac…
“That is a truly horrible idea.”
“So, we’re not gonna-?” Ed sat up, turning back towards him with questioning eyes.
“No. We are without a doubt doing it.” Ed’s responding grin was almost manic. You snarky thing you. His mom was going to kill them when the two came home with technicolour hair. “Now, give it,” Ed handed over the backpack, excitedly biting their bottom lip as they grinned. They were abuzz with energy, Ed was always a jittery ball of smiles when they got excited. Like a damn puppy. “There are two cans of spray paint in here, Ed.”
“The second one was supposed to be a surprise.”
“Is that why it’s purple?”
“Purple suits you,” Ed shrugged.
“You first, green-bean,” Oswald shook the can of green and sprayed a patch of Ed’s brown hair. It flattened under the pressure and Ed yelped.
“Too close! Too close! Ah, it’s cold!” Oswald laughed then tried again, holding the can farther away and being careful not to get Ed’s skin. When the green was finished Ed stood, bent over the railing with their head upside down and the bright green paint dripping from their curls. It took ten minutes of drip/air drying. The green paint had stiffened Ed’s curls and they stuck up in such silly ways. Oswald may have snorted. “It’s your turn, now Ozzie!” It was cold.
Surely enough when they showed up at home (Oswald’s and his mother’s apartment was always open to Ed) the two of them received a preliminary scolding. Why do you sweet children do such things without warning me?! But she had ultimately not disproved of it, so a month later Ed had green tipped hair and Oswald had a few purple streaks. The two may or may not have left a few green and purple spray paint works to celebrate and commemorate the occasion…
a/n: first part of dirty cash!! i finished this early december but i was so nervous to post it but i don’t want to keep yall waiting any longer. i hope yall like it!
dirty cash masterlist
next part
minors do not interact
looking over at your friend, you give her a glare as you watch her mingle with some potential business partners. being dragged to a fundraising banquet as your friend’s plus one was a way you did not want to spend your saturday evening. especially a night that is full of rich privileged people— a place that you surely don’t feel you belong.
“but you owe me from when you needed me to bail you out of that date a few weeks ago, remember?” was what she told you— and it was true.
the said date went downhill in record time, not even lasting a full thirty minutes before you had your friend call with a fake emergency. your date continuously went on and on about the state of the economy and how people should be investing in stocks to grow wealth rather than focusing on a day job.
needless to say, your friend pulled through and gave an overly convincing act to get you out of there quickly.
your friend is now immersed in a discussion with a man in a suit, probably trying to win him over in hopes to find an investor for her small business. you slip away quietly and let her work her charm.
walking around the banquet hall, you admire the decorations and the ambiance, something you’re not used to being around. you watch as women walk around in either suits or beautiful dresses, you can’t help but admire and feel a little out of place. you’re not used to the flashy life that the people here live— you’ve never had the ample opportunities that the people in this room have had. feeling a sense of jealousy and insecurity run through your veins, you try to snap out of it. it’s not healthy and you know it, but you can’t help but wish you’d be in their shoes.
sighing softly to yourself, you you find a vacant seat at the open bar and order a drink while you people watch. you can hear the live music playing, the chatter of everyone’s conversations, clinking of champagne glasses, the expensive laughter.
imagining your life in their shoes while you nurse your cocktail is how you spend the next few minutes occupying your time.
“is it any good?” you hear a smooth, confident voice ask beside you.
glancing over, you’re met with a dark haired woman with captivating green eyes smiling at you— the kind that disarms you before you even realize it. you smile back and shrug a bit, “it’s a drink. i needed one.”
you joke, now looking over at her well tailored suit and dark makeup. she’s beautiful.
chuckling subtly, “i’d ask you how your night is going, but based off of that sentence— i think i know how it’s going so far. i’m wanda, it’s nice to meet you.” she puts her hand out for a handshake, the glint in her eyes showing her amusement in the introduction.
her hand is warm when you shake it and you can smell a hint of expensive perfume as she gets closer to you to sit in the seat next to you. she speaks with confidence and an alluring charm.
you introduce yourself and laugh, “i didn’t mean any bad by it, it’s just not my.. environment,” you gesture to the crowd around you, “the rich pretentious crowd, it all seems fake to me. dressing up in your finest jewels just to fake altruistic behavior.. it’s not real to me.”
perhaps the drink was already getting to you. maybe that’s the reason you’re letting out a word spill to the beautiful woman who just wanted to know if your paloma was good.
or maybe it’s the way she giggled along with a small nod of her head as you spoke your mind. either way, she wasn’t put off by your tangent. in fact, she continued to sit with you and entertained your preferred topic of discussion for the next few minutes.
wanda watches you with an amused smile on her face. her eyes linger a bit longer on your lips longer than they should.
“fake altruism, huh? what would make it real?” she asks, with a small tilt of her head. her eyes squint the tiniest bit, her grin showing genuine interest. her voice is inquisitive, almost like she’s trying to probe you for something.
had you gone too far? you hesitate to respond, realizing you’ve possibly offended her— wondering if you’ve crossed a line. instead, wanda’s smiling and leaning into you as she wants to hear more.
noticing your slight hesitation, “you know, not a lot of people have the guts to say that. i really like it,” she chuckles softly. wanda looks over your features with a small smile as you move on to talk animatedly about your line of work. she’s enamored by how you’re wearing your emotions on your sleeve— something she struggles with.
you catch yourself, “i’m so sorry, wanda. i’ve been talking at you this whole time.” you inwardly cringe at how you’ve been holding her up with your rambling.
she shakes her head and puts her whiskey down on the bar gently, “no, please, i’m enjoying you. this is quite possibly the most entertainment i’ve had all night so far.” she puts a comforting hand on your forearm that’s resting on the bar in a comforting approach, she’s giving you a genuine smile. her gesture lasts a second too long, her gaze feeling a bit more personal than it needs to be.
“what are you here for?” you shake your head and change the subject to her, wanting to know more about her and why she’s still here wanting to be with you.
her eyes flicker towards the crowd and she hesitates for a moment, almost debating whether or not to be honest with you, “i’m just here for work, requirement by the job.” she shrugs and avoids eye contact, switching the subject back to you. she plays with the rim of her cup, not quite giving you her undivided attention like she just was.
weird.
you don’t spend too much time on it, not wanting to push her away. “i’m here for my friend. she recently started a new business and is hoping to find an investor here, make a good connection.”
you tell her as you gesture to your friend who’s now moved onto her next target of the night. she’s speaking with a woman this time, half interested in what she’s talking about.
wanda nods and follows to where your gesturing, “hm, i’ll have to check her out later.”
you two laugh and talk about different topics over the next ten minutes— ambitions you two have, where you two went to school, where you want to travel. the conversation is lighthearted but the both of you are enjoying the other’s presence.
shaking her head with a laugh, “paris is overrated. you’ll spend more time in traffic than seeing the eiffel tower.”
she watches your expression with a teasing smirk as she says this. she can tell paris is the one place you have always wanted to go to, but she wants to rile you up a bit. pure enjoyment is written on her face as she watched your face contort in mock and offense.
scoffing and looking at her with an incredulous glance, “so tell me where you’d recommend since you’re so well travelled.”
you place your chin in your hand as you await her response. your eyes are slightly glazed over and wanda can’t help but melt at the way the lights are reflecting in your eyes.
wanda grins at your tease, “vienna. no contest. it’s beautiful, and the pastries there will ruin everywhere else for you. you need to go if you ever find the opportunity.” she’s gazing at you intently as you take in her words, the way you’re nodding along to what’s she’s saying with genuine intrigue.
you are just about to respond right as a man taps her on the shoulder and says something under his breath that you can’t quite catch. he leans in with a hint of impatience and you can see how wanda’s posture goes rigid and her jaw tightens.
wanda grimaces and lets out an exasperated sigh, “i’m sorry. they’re calling me for work. i’ll try to find you after, okay? please don’t leave until i see you again. i’d hate to lose my best conversation of the night.”
she gets up from her chair and gives your shoulder a squeeze, lingering a bit longer than needed, her thumb brushes against your skin. she smiles at you warmly just before she takes off in the direction of the man.
you watch as she leaves, noticing how people look in her direction with a hint of awe as she walks past. it makes sense since she had you wrapped around her finger in such a short amount of time.
you leave the bar to find your friend, glancing in the direction wanda left with a love struck smile on your face.
you find her and ask how the networking went. she lets out a sigh of content, “i can’t believe i got to talk to so many people! i gave them all my buriness card and i hope they’ll get in contact with me sometime this week.”
you nod along as she speaks, but subtly looking around the room for any glimpse of the well dressed brunette who had you captivated as soon as she spoke to you.
“did you meet anyone? you’ve been cooped up at the bar all night,” your friend asks as she nudges your shoulder playful with a grin.
rolling your eyes, “actually, yeah. i was talking to a woman, she seems sweet.”
your friends eyes lighten up and she grabs your arm with a small squeal. you laugh at her excitement about your (potentially) blossoming love life. she has continuously tried to set you up on dates in the past, but it never works out.
you groan and cringe, “i know, i know, but remember that i just met her and we don’t even know if-“
your friend shushes you with a stern look, “stop, look! that’s the ceo, the one i told you about earlier i hope i can get in with. she sponsors and invests in a lot of companies and schools. if i can get in with her, it’s like winning the lottery.”
you furrow your eyebrows and turn around to face the stage she’s pointing you to. it takes you a second to find a gap to look in between the bodies in front of you.
and there she is— wanda. your wanda. only now, there she is smiling in all her glory, waving at the crowd that is now forming in front of the stage. the faintest smile on her lips as she gently waves to the crowd.
“oh my god,” your blood runs cold and you freeze in place. you look over at your friend with a terrified look, eyebrows pulling together and eyes wide.
heat rushes to your face and you begin to replay every word you’d said to her at the bar. did she think you were mocking her? your hands begins to clench in nervousness and you want the ground to swallow you whole.
you messed up.
your friend looks at you with a confused look, then pieces it together slowly as she gauges your facial expressions. “oh my god,” she grabs your arm, “oh my god!”
people around look at you two, some shushing you with judgemental looks on their faces. she giggles and mouths, ‘no way.’
she’s filled with excitement at the potential in, you’re filled with dread and embarrassment as you mule over the fact that you complained about this event to wanda. wanda maximoff, the ceo of maximoff industries— founder and organizer of the charity event you’re attending.
your face heats up in embarrassment and you try to hide behind your friend as wanda speaks.
“good evening, everyone,” she stands tall and poised, her voice steady and confident, “thank you all for being here tonight. together, we all share a common goal: to invest in the future by supporting the education of our children.”
you muffle out wanda’s words as you try your best to stand still and not make any sudden movement. maybe if you’ll suddenly become invisible if you stand still enough.
unbeknownst to you, wanda was trying her hardest to spot you in the crowd. unfortunately, the stage lights kept her from being able to clearly see beyond the podium.
you feel queasy and lightheaded as you quickly walk to the restroom. you lean against the sink and try to steady your breathing as much as you can. of course you would somehow offend a ceo at their own event.
you groan as you force yourself to suck up your ego and walk back out into the now booming crowd.
you try to keep a low profile as you walk parallel to the wall— the last thing you want is to offend someone else here.
“there you are,” wanda walks up to you with a two glasses of champagne in her hand. she hands one to you with a smile, “i thought you left me.”
you take the glass with a polite smile, then cringing inwardly as you remember your word vomit at the bar. “listen, wanda, i’m so sorry about what i said. the event is beautiful and i love what you’re doing for the community. it’s amazing, really.”
the words come out rushed and wanda can see a flush on your cheeks. she chuckles softly and shakes her head, “hey, you’re okay. it’s okay. i didn’t take any offense, in fact, i really admire your honesty. it’s rare that i get that nowadays. you really.. stood out tonight.”
you groan and avert your eyes from her. she looks you over and admires you silently. she wants to laugh at your now embarrassed demeanor, a stark contrast to your extroverted energy at the bar.
she realizes she’s been looking at you for too long , clearing her throat and bringing the champagne up to her lips. she looks over the rim at you, trying to be as subtle as possible. your side profile is illuminated by the string lights on the ceiling, your eyes twinkling a bit more than before. perhaps the alcohol now settling in your blood stream? or maybe the fact that wanda actively sought you out after her speech.
you turn to wanda with a small sigh, “are you sure you’re not offended?” you play with the bracelet on your left wrist to try and ground yourself. you feel horrible and uncomfortable in her presence now.
wanda placed a warm hand on your forearm with a gentle look, “i promise. i mean, maybe don’t write off an event before you know what it’s about. people can surprise you, you know?”
wanda’s voice is teasing but soft and comforting. her eyes show no sign of telling a lie and you let out a small laugh at the situation. wanda nudges you with her shoulder softly as she goes to stand next to you.
for a split second, you want to throw caution to the wind and get to know her. you want to ask personal questions— hope there’s something more there.
but you don’t get the chance to. the same man who pulled her away earlier is now speaking into her ear and you can see how irritated she quickly gets with what he’s saying. nodding at what he says, she turns to you with an apologetic look on her face.
“it was refreshing talking to you,” she wants to say more, wants to offer to get you another drink— but she can’t, “take care of yourself, okay?”
and just like that, she’s gone into the crowd. maybe this wasn’t meant to continue on past tonight. maybe meeting wanda was just meant to be a chance encounter.
your friend walks up to you with a furrowed brow, “you’re seriously going to just let her leave?”
you can see the subtle hint of frustration on her face, the wild gesturing in wanda’s direction making it evident she wasn’t happy that you let her leave.
shrugging softly, “i’m sure she’s got better things to do.”
your voice is soft as you stare at wanda speaking with a group of people. she’s got an effortless grace and charm to her, something you don’t have.
following your friend to the exit, you try to push back the thought of wanda and the ‘what if.’
but the memories of her lingering touches, the laughs at your jokes, her soft smiles are now engraved into your mind. you don’t expect to see her again, but a part of you so desperately wishes you could.
summary: who knew a four year old could be your wingman
pairing: rich!wanda x r
a/n: hi beautiful ppl! second part of dc is here! i have nothing to say except we love valerie
dirty cash masterlist
next part
minors do not interact
it’s been two weeks since the word spill incident— as your friend likes to call it. two weeks since wanda maximoff has occupied your mind like an uninvited guest you can’t get rid of. two weeks of face-palming yourself after replaying the conversation you two had at the bar.
your friend definitely hasn’t let you live it down either. you two were on a call a few days ago where she decided it was the perfect time to remind you that you were an idiot and how you practically told wanda that her organization was terrible and didn’t serve a true purpose— and she was right.
part of you wishes you could find a way to reach out to her to apologize and make amends, but the other part of you feels she’s already forgotten about you and your foolish remarks. maybe that was the truth— maybe wanda had already forgotten about you.
you shake off the overwhelming thoughts and take in a deep breath before you exit your car with the bouquet of pink flowers from the passenger seat. tonight wasn’t about you or your overthinking— it was about your niece. valerie had been begging you to come to her ballet recital for weeks, and how could you say no to the curly haired girl with big brown eyes and an overly convincing pout?
so, here you were for the little girl with a bouquet just about the same size as her.
you weren’t much of a ballet or theater kid growing up, but your niece had a true love for the stage— the dramatics of it all and who were you to not support her? her enthusiasm for the art had been unexpected, but you couldn’t help but admire her for it.
your niece is the light of your life and you often find yourself always agreeing to whatever she asks. she has you wrapped around her tiny finger, not that you mind.
the auditorium is buzzing with chatter and excitement as you get in line alongside parents to enter the theater. you glance around and smile softly while holding the flowers close— this isn’t your crowd, but the reminder that it’s for your niece is what pushes you through.
while the line inches forward, you put your phone on do not disturb. heels click behind you as you replay the last time you came to her performance. you don’t pay mind to the sound that’s getting closer until you feel a soft tap on your left shoulder.
you turn around and low and behold is the woman who’s lived in your mind for the past two weeks, wanda.
your eyes widen just the slightest bit and wanda grins at your surprised expression. “and here i was thinking i’d never see you again,” she says, light laughter filling the air between you two.
you blush almost instantly and smile widely at her, “wanda! hi, how are you? what are you doing here?”
wanda subtly looks you over, admiring your casually put together outfit, “i’m better now that i’m seeing you,” you try to hide an even deeper blush, “this is one of the schools that my company sponsors— we help out with the after school programs. i wanted to come out and see the recital.”
wanda speaks with pride, something you’ve grown to admire about her—her genuine love for what she does. maybe you were wrong in doubting her and her company.
wanda looks down to the flowers in your hands and tilts her head in curiosity, “do you always carry around bouquets this big or is there someone special here tonight?”
“my niece is performing, i promised her i’d be here. she’s the only one who can boss me around and get away with it.” you gesture to the pink flowers in your hand and laugh a bit.
nodding along with a warm grin, she admires the flowers, “that’s really sweet. not everyone gets an adult like that in their lives.”
nodding to her statement as the line moves forward into the seating area and you turn to wanda, “you could sit with me if you’d like.”
you try to extend an olive branch to the businesswoman, the soft look in your eyes is making it impossible for wanda to say no.
“if that’s alright with you,” she follows alongside you to a seat in the middle of the auditorium.
what wanda didn’t tell you is that she normally has a specific reserved spot during these events in case she has to leave earlier than expected.
but sitting with you seems much nicer.
as the house lights begin to dim, wanda leans over and gestures to the flowers. “here, let me hold them and i’ll hand them back when you need them.”
you smile gratefully and hand them over to wanda with a soft thank you.
the classical track plays on the speakers and you can see the small children with their tutus filing in stage. your niece isn’t hard to spot, fourth from the right. you beam with pride as she spots you in the audience after scanning up and down for her aunt. wanda gazes at you with a flicker of admiration as you clap and cheer for the little girl who is dancing.
“there she is. that one’s mine, valerie,” you point to the small brunette with the slightly crooked bun and impossibly large grin plastered on her face.
she follows your direction, then turning back to you. wanda’s gaze lingers— not on your niece, but on you. there’s something in the way you light up when you watch the little girl that catches wanda off guard.
“beautiful.” she murmurs, so low you barely catch what she says.
perhaps wanda was foolish to think that of you already. maybe this is the reason she always finds herself in relationships with people who never truly see her for who she is— just what she can bring to the table.
or maybe it’s the way you treat wanda like a person worth getting to know that has her gravitating towards you. the way you lit up for your niece caught wanda off guard. she couldn’t remember the last time her heart rate sped up that fast at the sight of someone’s smile.
as the show comes to a close, the small children bow and wave to their respective adults. you turn to wanda with a laugh, “those kids are so much more entertaining than an actual professional dancers.”
wanda nods along with a chuckle, standing up with the bouquet, “oh, i absolutely agree. should we go find her?”
you nod and stand up after wanda, “yes please,” you tilt your head with a subtle teasing grin at wanda, “would you like to meet her?”
wanda’s heart beats a bit faster and she finds herself agreeing before she can even consider saying no. the softness in your voice and the way you tilt your head makes it hard to decline. so you two stand in the foyer as she holds the flowers while you scan for your niece.
the little girl comes out with a grin that almost covers her whole face, “auntie!” the little girl jumps into your arms and hugs you.
wanda observes the scene in front of her with loving eyes, the scene rich. she’s holding the flowers with a firm grip, like someone would come by and snatch them from her. why is she nervous to meet a four year old?
she has no idea, but she does know that her heart is racing.
maybe she’s already found herself in too deep way too early.
the little girl turns to wanda with a shy expression, giving a nervous wave as you introduce wanda to her.
“this is wanda,” you gesture to the taller woman next to you, “she’s our friend.”
wanda crouches down to your niece’s height with a friendly smile, “hi miss valerie,” she says softly, “you did amazing! you were the true star of the show.”
that won your niece over. she giggles and begins blabbering to wanda about how much she practiced and enjoyed getting ready. wanda is actively listening and conversing with the small girl, giving her complete attention to the tiny ballerina. it surprises you how easily the two have fallen into a comfortable conversation.
wanda’s eyes meet yours for the briefest of moments and you two smile warmly. there’s something unspoken there— something warm and genuine that lingers between the two of you.
your niece grabs wanda’s hand, “are you coming with us to dinner?” her big brown eyes looking up at wanda with a small pleading expression.
wanda hesitates for a second and looks over to you with a nervous look, while you laugh at the scene in front of you. “i told you she’s hard to say no to.”
the three of you arrive to a italian restaurant and wanda holds the door open for you two, her hand on the small of your back as she ushers you two inside while you hold the tiny girl’s hand. you’re sat in a booth, wanda across from the two of you who is enjoying talking to your niece about her favorite class and four year old drama.
“she’s normally a super shy kid,” you whisper to wanda in awe as the little girl is momentarily distracted with a breadstick.
wanda watches the little girl with a warm look in her eye then turns to you, “she’s like her aunt, hard to resist.”
you chuckle and playfully roll your eyes, turning back to the little girl to fix the small curls that have popped out of her bun. the warmth in wanda’s words make your heart flutter.
you three eat over a family style italian meal and when the waitress comes back to ask if you’d like dessert, you go to say no— but wanda turns to valerie with a sneaky grin.
“val, you want some cake?” wanda has a playful smirk. valerie’s eyes light up and she nods enthusiastically, the fallen out curls moving with her.
you turn to wanda with mock seriousness, “wanda, you’re spoiling her.”
immediately and with an almost flirtatious tone, wanda quips, “only fair if i spoil you too, don’t you think?”
that stumps you. you blush slightly and try to play it off by looking elsewhere, but the teasing smirk on wanda’s face tells you that she noticed the flush.
after dessert, your niece falls asleep on your lap while you converse with wanda.
“she really likes you,” you say to wanda quietly as you look down to the brown haired girl in your lap, “i’m surprised she warmed up to you so quickly.”
a blush forms on wanda’s face, ever so faint that you almost miss it— almost.
“and her aunt? what about her?”
wanda’s low questioning tone brings a heat up to your cheeks that you so desperately wish wanda can’t see. the question catches you off guard, but you force yourself to meet wanda’s gaze, “maybe,” you say with a smirk, but your voice came out much softer thank intended.
there’s something in the way the two of you look at each other— something beyond whatever it is you two thought you had.
the waitress comes back with the check and you reach to your purse for your wallet, but wanda beats you to it and hands the check back to the waitress before you can even protest.
you look at wanda and speak with an exasperated sigh, “why did you pay? i was going to.” you partly feel guilty that wanda paid when it felt that you were the one who dragged her along.
wanda shrugs with nonchalance as she starts cleaning the table, “why not? you deserve a night out and so does the baby.”
wanda’s nonchalance and the way she’s taking charge surprises you, but you’re not hating it. there’s something comforting in the way she’s taking care of the two of you.
you still feel partly guilty and begin to help wanda pick up the table, “is there anything i can do to pay you back? i feel bad that we dragged you out with us, i’m sure you had other plans.”
wanda laughs and waves her hand dismissively, “you didn’t drag me, i chose to come with. and as for paying me back..”
wanda has a look in her eyes that only spells trouble and it makes you nervous, “my company is having a dinner next month. would you like to be my plus one?”
you’re caught off guard but just as you go to respond, the waitress comes back with the receipt.
“your daughter is the cutest thing, you two must be so proud. have a great night!” the waitress picks up the plates and moves on before you can ever correct her.
you look over at wanda and laugh a little bit, “sorry.” you pick up the sleeping girl in your arms and the two of you walk out to your respective cars.
wanda walks you to your car with a light hand behind your back, making sure you carry valerie safely as she checks the road for cars. the streetlights cast a soft glow over the parking lot, wanda’s protective instincts surprising you in the best way.
just as you two stop in front of your car, your niece wakes up and realizes it’s time to go.
“is auntie wanda leaving us now?” her tiny voice laced with tiredness as she reaches for wanda.
wanda is caught off guard with valerie’s words but works quickly to grab the little girl whose tiny hands are grabbing for her, “yeah, honey, i’m taking off. maybe if your auntie is sweet enough, we can go out to eat again.”
wanda takes a peek at you from behind valerie’s head with a playful pout. you nod softly to her silent request to see each other again. you admire the scene in front of you, the way wanda’s rocking the little girl in her arms and gazing at the four year old with pure joy.
wanda works quickly to get valerie in her car seat that is in the backseat of your car before she wakes up again.
she turns to you with a new look in her eyes, something comforting and touching. “she’s the sweetest thing, you know that? a lot like you.”
you giggle and roll your eyes, “whatever you say, wanda.”
you lean on your car and eye wanda as she pulls out her phone from her back pocket, “i meant what i said in there,” she gestures back to the restaurant, “i want you to come to the dinner with me. i promise it won’t be like the last time.”
at the mention of the past event, you groan as you put your phone number into her phone, “stop bringing it up.”
wanda laughs, a sound you are growing to love. “seriously though. i want you there with me.”
the way she says it, the way she looks at you with soft eyes, it all makes you giddy inside.
“i’ll see you,” wanda says as she puts her phone back into her pocket, giving you a warm smile before she turns back to begin walking to her car.
you watch wanda leave to her car from inside your own with a grin. just before you take off, you can hear your little girl from the back, “auntie, your girlfriend is really nice. i like her.”
you roll your eyes but can’t hide your smile. you mentally thank valerie for convincing wanda to come to dinner with you two.
“she’s not my girlfriend, val,” you laugh at your niece’s assumption that you and wanda were dating.
she lets out a soft yawn and holds one of her stuffed animals close to her chest as she sits in your backseat, “but she could be.”
looking in your rear view mirror at your niece, you can’t help but be surprised at her words. how could a four year old possibly know about this stuff? you fight the urge to press your niece further about her knowledge, but decide against it.
arriving home, you carefully pull your niece out of her car seat and take her to your bed to sleep until her parents pick her up later. you press a small kiss to her forehead and let out a soft sigh at the memory of the conversation in the car.
staring at wanda’s contact as you sit on the couch, you can’t help but replay the day’s events over and over. the way she was gentle with valerie, the way she looked at you and took care of the both of you, and the small bashful smile she had when she asked you to be her plus one.
you type and erase several different messages until you decide on a fairly simple one to send to wanda.
thank you for tonight. valerie really likes you
you hit send and place your phone down before you choose to not send anything at all.
not even a whole minute passes before your phone buzzes with a new message.
she’s adorable.. just like her aunt
you bite your lip to keep from smiling like a fool at her text. her reply is short, but you can already hear her voice as if she was saying it out loud. she sends another text before you get the chance to type something out.
seriously, though. thank you for allowing me to tag along. i loved it. i really hope you’ll think about being my plus one next month
you mentally envision yourself with wanda, your stomach doing flips at the thought of you being by her all night. her gentle demeanor and hand guiding you through the night makes you smile foolishly.
i’ll think about it, i promise. goodnight, wanda
you type out the response and hit send quickly before you get the chance to talk yourself out of it.
a/n: hi all! i hope yall are good! i wrote this a little bit after the first part came out. i love angst! unsure if i want a third part. also, if you don’t like this literally don’t tell me because im sensitive and cry easily
minors do not interact
“i assumed you would’ve confessed to wanda by now” natasha says as she fixes a pile of papers on your desk, “you know, since you’re head over heels for her”
nat smirks as you give her the side eye and roll your eyes, you swivel your chair towards her.
“i’m not head over heels for her. i’m ju-“
“stupid?”
narrowing your eyes and tilting your head to the side, “okay, no”
meeting natasha was by far one of the greatest strokes of luck in your life. sure, she could be blunt at times— but when it comes down to it, she tells you what you need to hear.
unfortunately, this was also one of those times.
she has constantly insisted on the idea that you need to muster up the courage to tell wanda about your feelings for her. she always says that she believes wanda feels the same towards you, but your insecurities and doubt always get in the way.
except this would actually be the second time you confess, not the first. not that you even are aware of that fact.
you don’t really recall the first time you told wanda how you felt about her. you were drunk at a party, and only wanda has a clear memory of it. however, out of respect for you and your ability to get embarrassed quickly, wanda never brought it up again.
“i just feel like it’s a losing game, you know?” you say softly, rubbing your temples, “i always thought that if one of us were to tell the other if we caught feelings, it would be her. she’s always been more upfront with her emotions than i have. i think she really only sees me as what we’d agreed upon, nat. what if im just a way for her to pass time?
you pout softly, your emotions now coming forth in front of your long time friend and colleague.
“i just feel like she treats me like a girlfriend some days, and other days it’s just,” you take in a deep breath and groan out of frustration, “other days she tells me about a girl she saw, or someone she matched with on a dating app. do you know what i mean? i get mixed signals sometimes”
nat looks at you with a sympathetic look on her face, biting her lip slightly to keep from saying anything she really shouldn’t.
truth is, nat always had an feeling that you two would end up together one way or another, she’s always rooted for you two. the only way that could happen is if the two of you get your head out of your asses. in fact, she’d tried to get wanda to come forth about her own feelings.
however, wanda was dating someone at the time of said conversation— and out of respect for her then partner, wanda kept her quiet and buried her feelings deep inside. timing has never been on your side, will it ever?
“i don’t know if there’s anything i can say to get you to tell her, but,” she raises her eyebrows and makes her voice firm to try to emphasize her point, “all i can say is that wanda is a beautiful girl who’s got brains and a personality on her. she won’t be around forever. you know you won’t forgive yourself if you don’t at least try with her”
there it is, the brutal truth you knew that natasha was going to throw at you— and what sucks the most is the fact that it’s exactly what you needed to hear.
wanda has had to call off your agreement on a few occasions because she’d gotten serious with two girls; and each time it’d left you sobbing in natasha’s arms in her apartment because you couldn’t fathom the thought of wanda with another girl.
with a soft nod, “how should i even do that? or when?”
natasha begins another one of her long speeches about how you could be losing the person who could be the one, emphasizing how you’d be the one at fault if you let her get away.
on the drive home, you can’t help but replay natasha’s words in your mind, you aren’t sure why they they’re resonating this specific time.
“don’t wait too long, you know. you never know who could come along and sweep her off her feet. that’ll be the last time you have wanda like how you have her now”
those specific words echo in your head as you get home, unsure why they’re weighing heavy on your chest this time.
sighing softly, “come on, baby, i need to get you home,” wanda says as she guides you to her car with her hand guiding you by the lower back. she had your purse and coat in her other hand, ensuring she’d grabbed everything you’d brought with you.
you two were finally at the end of the road, officially a month from graduating college and decided to attend one last party together before you were thrown into the deep end of adulthood.
you had a few too many to drink that night and wanda knew by the fourth drink and the way you couldn’t keep your hands off of her, she had to get you home safely before you ran off somewhere as soon as she took her eyes off of you.
you reached for the handle of the car door before having your hand gently smacked away.
“you know better than that,” she started softly before opening the door for you and allowing you to get comfortable in her passenger seat. wanda knew you hated having your heels on in the car, so she crouched down to remove them before giving you a quick kiss to the cheek.
wanda pulls back gently to look at your face, your glazed eyes looking back at her with a look of.. adoration?
she smiles softly and places a gentle hand on the side of your face, “you’re beautiful”
rolling your eyes and trying to hide your blush, you giggle and nudge her shoulder in a playful manner.
wanda chuckles at how you’re easy to fluster with just two words. placing another small kiss to your cheek, she closes the passenger door.
you watched as she rounded the car and get into the drivers seat with low lidded glazed eyes, a small crooked smile on your face as you watch her. the maroon mid length dress she wore was nothing short of elegant. her curled dark hair and light makeup enhanced her features so beautifully that you feared you’d somehow spill your guts to her if she made one more right move.
but you couldn’t. wanda was seeing someone— granted, it wasn’t serious nor do you think they’d even slept together, but you were terrified of being that girl.
in fact, you were too. you had been seeing maria from your public policy course for the past two months but you could never bring yourself to feel for her what you so deeply felt for wanda. you two had a mutual break up a few days later.
wanda enters the car and shrugs off her coat, her arm muscles now showing even more with the street light illuminating the inside of the car in a specific way. she fixes her hair and puts on her seat belt before she looks over at you with concern.
“you okay, bub? what’s wrong?” wanda asks softly, placing a gentle hand on your thigh as she furrows her eyebrows at your distant far off look.
wanda had no idea what was going through your head, not a single clue as to what was about to come out of your lips.
“do you ever think meant to be together? or are we just destined to be some sort of parallel line that run close but never touch”
a flicker of panic come over wanda’s face and her gentle caress on your thigh stops abruptly.
the air in the car now feels heavier, as if the spoken words have broken the ‘casual-ness’ of your spoken agreement.
wanda always hoped you two would speak about this, but when you were sober and coherent.
it came out of your lips so naturally, as if you’d said it before.
like this has been weighing heavily on your mind for a while.
wanda’s heart clenched, especially at the fact that she had finally realized that you’d been wondering about the same thing she had for years.
“i-“
wanda was completely and utterly dumbfounded for the first time when it came to you. she often, no— not often, always had an idea of what would come out of your mouth.
she often found herself staring at you when you’d speak to your friends from across the room. she’d smile at how animatedly you’d react to people words and how you’d cover your mouth as you’d giggle at a joke someone said. she could easily pride herself in the fact that she knew you.
but this, what you’d just said, had her tongue tied.
she wished you were sober. she wished you were sober so she could confess that she’d been in love with you for so long, before you two even agreed to get into bed with each other. that ever since you two were nineteen during your first year of college, she couldn’t stop thinking of you in a way that friends shouldn’t think of each other in.
but you were drunk.
you were seeing someone and so was she.
so she made the hard decision to keep her silence and take you home safely, without any casualties.
“you’re drunk,” she says sadly, her eyes showing every ounce of emotion going in through her head, “let’s save this for another day”
that day never came.
walking through the door of wanda’s apartment to get into the party wanda said she’d throw you, you’re instantly greeted with a bunch of your closest friends and a few extra guests who happened to be their plus ones.
immediately, you found yourself scanning the room and smiling at the people who were in the space. you could hear chatter and laughter, warming your heart knowing that it all came from the people you knew and loved.
with soft music in the background and the smell of wanda’s cooking, you feel immediately at ease with the atmosphere of the party.
you walk in and are greeted by your friends wishing you a happy birthday. after thanking them and giving them hugs, you find yourself by the drink table to try and loosen up.
wanda was considerate enough, as always, to ensure that the people who were invited to the party were people you could actually stand to hold a conversation with unlike other parties where you had to endure endless small chat that rotted at your brain.
speaking of wanda, you’d yet to see her even though this is her apartment. you try your best to subtly look around the room for any sight of the girl who takes up space in your mind every day.
scanning the room, you look for the dark haired girl but come up short. pouring softly, you take another sip of your drink and go to find natasha who has a look of amusement on her face as she watches you search for wanda.
“how nice of you to finally make it to your own birthday party,” she teases, “you look nice. is this the dress wanda bought you?”
it was. in fact, you’d never been a fan of dressing too girly until wanda coaxed you into letting her buy you a dress, and this one happened to be the most recent one she’s bought you.
she was always a fan of how baby blue looked on you. she liked it so much on you that she took it upon herself to buy you another two dresses, each could be used for different events.
this specific dress fell just below mid thigh and you paired it with a simple pair of white heels. you kept your makeup natural and did your hair, subconsciously styling yourself the way you know wanda would compliment. i mean, she is the one who bought you this dress and threw you this party.
what are friends with benefits for if not that?
trying to hide a small blush at natasha’s words, you nod softly and try to look away to avoid her incessant teasing.
she laughs softly and nudges your shoulder, “i haven’t seen her”
you turn back to her with a furrow of your brows and try to act like you don’t know what she’s talking about.
“your girlfriend,” she says in a monotone voice, as if it’s obvious who she’s talking about.
a small pout forms on your lips as you realize that no one’s seen wanda. everything seemed to be flowing smoothly and it didn’t seem like she needed to go out to get anything for the party, so where could she be?
turning back to natasha and excusing yourself to go grab a quick snack from the kitchen, you turn on your heel to grab a quick breather before having to go back out and socialize all night.
while at the table, you feel a presence right next to you, staring. agatha.
“well, well,” she begins in that tone of hers, “it seems like your girlfriend isn’t yours anymore, huh? is that why you’re all alone?”
you quickly whip your head towards her. not yours anymore? your body feels like it’s gone cold and you can’t pry your eyes away from agatha, almost trying to urge her to say something else, to continue on with what she just started.
“what do you mean?”
agathas’s smirk widens as she realizes shes hit a nerve.
“well, she’s not glued to you like usual. no cozying up, no fetching you whatever you need, having you on her lap. i mean, what do you mean what do i mean?”
patience wearing thin and not wanting to deal with agatha beating around the bush, you step closer to her with a firm look on your face, “where is wanda? who’s she with?”
agatha is caught off guard by your sudden jealous and angry demeanor, she drops the act.
tilting her head towards the crowd, and giving you a look of pity, “sorry, babe. last i saw her she was cozying up with a girl with a green dress. you took to long to get your girl.”
your blood runs cold for the umpteenth time in just the past twenty minutes. it’s almost like your body knew this was coming but your brain didn’t. had you just lost wanda? was it for good this time?
you turn your head to look for natasha in the living room, she’s already looking at you with a look of pity. she nods her head to the opposite side of the living room, gesturing towhere wanda is with a dark haired girl.
a knot twists inside of your chest and it feels like the air has been knocked out of you. it’s like a movie you hate but can’t tear your eyes away from. wanda looks beautiful, happy.
and you hate it.
the two look comfortable together, sitting too close for your liking. wanda’s left leg is over her right and the girl has her hand placed on her thigh.
wanda’s looking at her with a look you believed was only meant for you. the softly smile on her face and the way her eyes drift down to the girls lips makes you sick.
they’re well into a conversation and you can see how wanda is laughing at her jokes, placing her hand on the girl’s forearm as she throws her head back in a fit of laughter.
it seems all too natural and intimate.
every interaction you watch them share feels like a blow to the stomach, the air feeling like it’s being knocked out of you again.
in this moment, you slowly begin to realize that wanda was never yours. every shared moment that you two shared together, every kiss and caress, was just a way to pass the time.
you feel nauseous.
you excuse yourself from agatha and quickly find a way to wanda’s patio, where it’s vacant and you can hide for a while out here.
wanda’s apartment had a beautiful view of the city. you two often sat outside together and cuddled with a blanket and a cup of coffee after work often. you found comfort in wanda, even if you were unsure of what you two were.
she worked hard for everything she had in life and it was something you truly admired about her. she didn’t have the easiest upbringing and the fact that she still remains soft after it all and continued to be a beautiful is something you love about her.
replaying the conversation with both natasha and agatha, you can’t help but feel like a complete idiot as you realize how everything almost felt as if it was foreshadowing to this very moment.
you hear the door to the patio open but don’t turn back, you already know who it is.
familiar soft footsteps stop right next to you and you immediately smell her perfume. it’s the same one you gave her a few years ago and for the first time, it makes you sick.
“you’re wearing the dress,” amusement in her voice as she looks at the city with you, “and you look beautiful”
you smile softly but don’t engage in conversation, just acknowledging her compliment. wanda frowns softly at your lack of attention, not used to you immediately turning around and throwing back a flirt remark at her.
watching you from the side of her eye, she can tell just by your body language that something is bothering you.
you two stand at the patio railing for another few minutes, just in each others presence, until she decides to point out the elephant in the room.
“are you okay?” she asks, placing a gentle hand on your shoulder.
wanda’s concern warms your heart, but you know it’s just meant to be in a friendly way. the way she always looks out for you always tugs on your heart strings.
you want to get angry with her. you want to yell and scream at her to get the hell away from you. ask her why she would string you along with pretty words and gentle gestures that screamed ‘i love you.’
but you can’t.
because at the end of the day, somehow you always find yourself back in wanda’s arms and you could never tell her you hate her. it just isn’t true. it couldn’t ever be true.
forcing the emotion down your throat, you force yourself to tell her you’re okay. forcing a smile as you look at her, you try to fake it.
but wanda knows you.
“bub,” with a soft voice, “what’s wrong?”
there it is. she knows exactly what to say, how to say it, and how to get her way.
“i just,” a deep breath, “i didn’t know you’d be bringing a date to the party.”
wanda’s face falters and she doesn’t know what to say. the girl back there was not at all her date, nor could she even fathom the idea of bringing another girl when today was supposed to be about you.
she dismissively waves a hand in front of her as she looks away, almost trying to deflect and avoid the topic, but she sees the way you’re trying to hide your hurt at the whole situation.
she begins picking at her finger nails, a nervous habit you’ve tried to help her stop. trying to figure out what to say, she stares at the ground. the last thing she’d ever want to do it hurt you, and yet here she was.
“she’s,” a slight moment of hesitation “she’s not my date. she just..”
her voice falters and she doesn’t know how to carry on so she just sighs and looks at you with an apologetic look.
wanda looks beautiful. i mean, how could she not? she’s wearing the outfit you love so much. the black pants and white top that you’ve always said makes her look sophisticated. you two always laugh at that, especially since the thought of you two now looking and acting like fully fledged adults is something that neither of you could never wrap your heads around.
“she’s just someone i’m talking to for the night, i swear” wanda fidgets uncomfortably, unsure of how to navigate this conversation. she’s never seen this side of you, the way your hidden jealousy wants to boil over.
you give her a sad smile and just shake your head, silently telling her she doesn’t have to continue. placing your hands over hers, you hold onto them tightly and bring them up to your lips to place a soft kiss against her knuckles.
“thank you for the party, wands”
wanda panics immediately, the way you said that felt like it had some sense of finality to it. anxiety fills her chest and she feels like her legs could give out at any minute. she tries to say something, anything, to get you to stay with her.
but she’s caught off guard and she doesn’t have anything on the tip of her tongue, except for the three words she’s wanted to say for so long.
giving her a hug, you hold her tightly and allow yourself to feel her touch one last time. you want to tell her you love her, tell her everything that you’ve been meaning to say.
but you fall short, like on every occasion you’ve wanted to confess.
you give her a kiss on the cheek and hold her waist as you pull back, smiling softly at her.
in this moment, you fully understand what natasha meant by telling you, “if you’re not going to tell her how much she means to you and you love her, you need to let her go. you know she deserves that much.”
wanda tries to hold onto you tightly, as if you’ll float away if she even let go for a fraction of a second. her heart was racing and she was on the verge of tears.
you release wanda as you take a step back, looking at her face and trying to take in as much of her as possible knowing this very well may be the last time you see her.
