Several Nightcaps Later // WandaNat Bartender AU

15

Danger. Excitement. The fast life. Before all this, before Natasha, before her own brother shot her in the gut, that's what Wanda craved. A way out of her everyday routine; a chance to be something, to be somebody, anybody. Before all this, she had nothing. Parents dead, brother as good as dead, one friend who happened to be a teenager. She had a lowly gig as an underpaid bartender, overworked and exhausted. At least, that's how she used to see things.

Then Natasha landed like a meteorite in Wanda's life, shaking her world to its core. The spy offered exactly what she yearned for. Escape, release, chaos. A gateway to a world Wanda never thought she'd reach. She also brought peril, adrenaline, and somehow, tantalizing romance. Wanda was intoxicated by the other woman, dazed by her mere existence; she thought maybe dreams really did come true.

Now, though, Wanda wasn't quite sure what she longed for anymore. The exciting, breakneck paced life she thought she dreamed of had come to fruition, and had only resulted in her kidnapping and eventual injury. On the other hand, a very small, sort of twisted part of Wanda enjoyed this. Sure, she was stuck in a hospital bed, but at least it wasn't the bar. She was halfway to becoming a spy, hell, she was dating a spy, and had just participated in a sting operation, and it felt amazing.

In a weird way, if she somehow never saw the bar again, she knew she'd miss it. The bar was homey, it was warm, with its dim yellow lights and ancient brown hardwood. Wanda had that damned squeaky floor memorized, knowing it like the back of her hand. The bar was basically a part of her at this point, and despite how much she complained about it, the routine was soothing. After the continuous trauma that plagued her early life, a steady gig at a cozy bar was just what she needed. But what did she need now?

"A blanket..." Wanda answered her racing  thoughts, eyes fluttering open.

"Good morning, beautiful," Natasha greeted with a nervous smile. "How you feeling?"

"I'm so cold," she managed, mouth dry and body aching. "I thought- I thought you were in bed with me? Was that a dream?"

Natasha frantically searched the room for another blanket, offering her jacket when she found none. "Your nurses nearly banned me from the hospital when they found me in bed with you."

"Didn't peg you for a rule follower, Romanoff," Wanda quipped, wrapping up gratefully in Natasha's jacket, relishing the familiar scent and feel.

"Maybe I should get on the straight and narrow. We've seen where rule breaking gets people."

Wanda closed her eyes, laying back. "Natasha, you're a better person than you give yourself credit for."

"No, you just see more good in me than there is."

"But, um, what do you mean by straight and narrow?"

"A career change?"

Grimacing, Wanda sat up to face Natasha, who was posted up in the wide windowsill, eyes watching the city below. "What are you saying, Nat? Get out of SHIELD? And do what?"

"I don't know. I have no clue, Wanda. I have no idea what to do next. Not in my mission, with my life, with you..."

"But what do you want?"

"Wish I knew."

"Talk to me, Nat," Wanda pleaded. "Not like we have anything better to do."

With a shake of her head, Natasha moved from the windowsill to Wanda's bed, taking the bartender's hands. "Wanda, I've been in this business, this way of life, for literally as long as I can remember. I was raised in it, sometimes I feel like I was born for it. I've told you this before, sometimes it feels like I'll never get out."

"I know it's tough to imagine, and I'm not asking you to choose right this second how your life will unfold. I just want to know, in your heart, what do you want?"

"You," Natasha responded without hesitation.

"God, I love it when you're blunt," Wanda whispered, kissing Natasha sweetly.

"What about you?" Natasha asked after she broke the kiss off, keeping her forehead pressed to the other woman's.

"I guess I don't know either."

Natasha cupped Wanda's cheek, eyes closing. "Look into the future for a second. Where do you see yourself? What do you see yourself doing?"

"Natasha, when I look into my future, I see two versions of myself. There's the version that chose what I know. I go back to the bar, I keep my head down, and maybe if I save up enough, I go back to school. That version of me chose with her head. And the other version chose with her heart, she chose passion. Maybe I'm a spy, maybe I'm working for SHIELD. Kicking ass and taking names."

"And which version am I in?"

"That's the problem, or the good thing, I guess," Wanda replied, tears forming, though Natasha couldn't tell if they were from emotion or pain. "You're in both. This may just be all the drugs talking, but I can't imagine a life without you. Whether we're living a calm domestic life with a white picket fence or if we're on missions across oceans, I'm with you for life, Natasha. I mean, I literally took a bullet for you, so I thought that was clear already."

"You know, Wanda, we're both sitting here thinking we have no idea what we want, that our lives could sprawl in a thousand different directions. But I want you... and you want me." That last realization made Natasha choke up. "I'd say we're in pretty good shape."

Wanda wiped Natasha's eyes and kissed her once more before laying back with a wince. "You're right. We can choose whatever we want now. We can do anything, Natasha. As long as we have each other, we're set."

"Ever the optimist."

"I have to be, you cynic."

The women broke into relieved laughter, though Wanda's didn't last long before she began coughing and grasping at her side.

"I'm sorry, love," Natasha soothed, "but at least you won't have that problem often. I'm no comedian."

Wanda fought back a smile, settling back down. "I do have a question, though."

"What is it?"

"What happened to my brother? Is he like, in jail?"

Natasha shook her head. "I'm afraid he's in a little more trouble than jail."

"Can you help him? I know Pietro, he's a good guy deep down. Maybe really deep down..."

"Wanda, he shot you..." Natasha whispered gently. "He kidnapped and drugged you. He was involved in drug running. I can see if I can call in a few favors, but... there's only so much I can do."

"Thanks for trying, Nat."

"I'm sorry about it all. I know it's hard to lose a family member again. But some good news, Clint texted me that he has cooperated with the investigation, so he could get a light sentence."

"Sentence..." Wanda trailed off, massaging her temples. A nasty headache had formed and her gunshot wound pulsated. "So what about the rest of the gang? Are- are they still out there?"

Natasha checked her phone. "Well, thanks to Pietro's help, and yours too, really, Senator Jacobs was arrested about twenty minutes ago."

"Will you have to leave?"

"I think Clint and everyone else at HQ have it under control."

"It's over?"

"It's over."

It took a moment for that statement to really sink in for Natasha. It was over... in more ways than one. This mission that had lasted over three months- by far Natasha's longest stint continually in the field, Clint was as good as retired, and Natasha was unsure of her own career. But for all the endings, there were just as many beginnings. With a glance at Wanda, wrapped up in her jacket, eyes fluttering open and closed, Natasha grinned. She really could do anything now. For the first time in her life, Natasha felt truly free.

"I love you." Natasha blurted, inhibitions falling. "You know that?"

Wanda sat up with a lopsided grin. "I love you too."