WinterWitch: Control

Chapter 24

James POV

"But why do I even need to be there?" I asked, sliding different types of shirts along a railing in a fancy shop that Wanda had taken me to...only it wasn't Wanda. I had a completely different face, but the photostatic veil had only slightly shifted Wanda's features. Her hair was now blonde. It didn't really suit her. I preferred her with her natural hair colour. Red almost felt like a weakness at this point. First Nat, then Wanda. Maybe it was a running theme.

"Because you're part of the team now, which means you have to come to the functions that we have." She was looking on the rack opposite mine at suit jackets. She picked out a dark green one that made me frown.

I sighed and turned back to the rail, picking out shirts that might fit me. "I'd rather just stay with you and watch movies," I muttered quietly, but she heard me.

"But if we just stayed in bed all day we wouldn't get anything done," she replied, talking to me like a baby. She tugged playfully on my sleeve and I rolled my eyes, turning to her. She looked so cute. I just wanted to grab her face and squish it.

I slipped my arm around her waist and pulled her towards me with a grin. She yelped quietly and laughed as I lifted up the group of shirts I had in my hand.

"Can I try these on now? They all look the same to me."

She laughed and placed her palm on my chest. I tried to keep calm and hoped that she didn't feel my heart rate. I resisted shutting my eyes at the feeling of her fingers on me.

"You're so oblivious to fashion," she told me and slipped her hand away. My clouded mind became clear again as we walked towards the changing rooms. I silently took a deep breath and calmed down.

Once I bought the suit I needed, not wanted, to wear, we left for a women's clothing shop. Wanda quickly chose out a few items she liked and then went to change, leaving me uncomfortably sitting in a chair outside the changing room.

"I think Pepper will talk to him about it though. He can't just keep drinking away his problems," she said through the curtain of the changing room. I understood where Tony was coming from. I remember the endless bottles that I used to drink a few years ago. My head was so fucked, I thought there were no problems with drinking to forget everything that had happened to me.

"I'm sure they'll be able to get through it," I replied, my eyes flickering over the other dresses in the shop. There was a huge puffy one that looked like it should've been in a wedding dress shop.

There were two women at the desk that were staring at me. As soon as my eyes met theirs, they giggled and went back writing things down on the desk. Am I more attractive in this mask than my actual face?

I wasn't keen on the first dress that Wanda walked out in as it looked too summery. The yellow colour was beautiful, but just not the right style for the party.

"Okay, I think I've found the dress," she said from inside the changing room.

"Show me?" I replied, leaning back in the chair.

"No," she answered from behind the curtain. "I'll surprise you with it later."

Surprise me? "Alright," I replied, trying not to sound too disappointed that I wasn't allowed to see the dress yet. Wanda looked good in anything by my book. Someone she just seemed to rock sweatpants.

Later that day

I was sitting at the window, staring out at the small groups of people training after eating lunch with the team. I think I was getting more and more familiar with them now. Perhaps not Sam.