finding wanda: a tale of discovery and trust

"closer to the unknow"

People were talking, Their voices not much louder than a whisper. The smell in the air just like the ones in old office buildings.

The train rode smoothly over the rails. After I nearly had a panic attack on the buss, I was now quiet and calm like an angel. My head was on Natasha's shoulder as I  finally managed to get sleep after some restless nights. Even thought I was nothing but worried and anxious about the trip ahead of us, my eyes stayed shut almost the whole train ride.

Mumbling a little in my sleep, Natasha chuckled. She looked over at the boys, who were sitting across of us. She smiled while looking at me. A smirk on her face, as if she was going to tease me with this later.

"Good morning, sleepyhead," Natasha quipped as I woke up, stretching. I gave her a grumpy, drowsy look, not appreciating her morning cheer. "Not everyone's a morning person, Natasha," I said, rolling my eyes. Natasha grinned at my crabby demeanor. "I guess not," she said, amused. "But maybe a cup of coffee will help lift that grumpiness from your face."

After the train came to a halt at our destination, we all headed off. Steve informed us that our final destination was only a short walk from there. I sighed, still trying to wake up as I struggled with the lack of sleep.

Suddenly, Peter, full of energy, sprang off the train behind me, causing me to stumble over a low board. He burst out in laughter, clearly finding amusement in my mishap. But I was not amused. Feeling irritated, I glared at him, ready to attack him.

Steve noticed and placed a hand on my shoulder. "How about we stay out of trouble today?" he started. His face quite serious. Yet, there was a slight hint of amusement in his eyes." Which means watching where you put your steps," he continued.

I shot peter a playful look. "Ha!" I proudly said.

However, my confidence didn’t last long, as cap spoke again. "And no more fights," steve then said and looked at me.

Peter smirked. "Ha for you!" The clumsy boy then said. I looked at him as if I could punch the shit out of him.

Natasha noticed the anger on my face and knew I wanted to lash out. She gestured for me to come over and whispered, "Behave yourself". Initially, I thought she was joking, but her serious expression quickly made me realize she meant business. I stopped laughing and rolled my eyes, then followed her towards a house.

The man opened the door, and Steve thanked him sincerely. "Thank you for having us on such short notice, Sam." Steve said as he gave him a small embrace. Natasha explained to me how Sam had helped them before, and she assured me that even though he could be a bit of an ass sometimes, deep down he was a nice guy. I chuckled at her words.

Natasha then playfully faked confusion and gasped dramatically. "Did you just laugh at my joke, Yn yln?she joked, clearly enjoying the opportunity to tease me.

As we sat down to eat and regain our strength, we discussed our plans. Suddenly, I suddenly felt a sharp pain in my chest. I tried to hide it, but the pain returned moments later, sharper than before. Peter, who was sitting next to me, noticed and looked at me with a look of concern. He didn't say anything at first, but eventually managed to get my attention.

"I'm fine," I quickly said, trying to brush it off. But Peter wasn't fooled. "You don't have to pretend you're fine" he said

Smiling weakly at Peter, I tried to concentrate on the news report playing on the TV in the guest room. Despite my efforts, thoughts of Wanda consumed me. Her emerald green eyes haunted me, reminding me of her gentle gaze, the compassion she held for me, the love that was once there. Thinking about the vision, I could almost feel her pleading through her gaze, begging for my help.

As my mind was focused on Wanda, I stared at the black screen. I hadn't even realized Peter had turned it off. Trying to distract me, Peter signed me to follow him.

As I knew, the night was near, we wouldn't be going anywhere anytime soon. So I decide to follow him.

The small brown hallway we walked through led us outdoors to a beautiful view behind an abandoned building. The sight was stunning, with a wide expanse of the open field and the village visible through the trees. Peter wore a proud smile, no doubt having discovered this hidden treasure before. Although that made me slightly jealous, as I had never been further than my country. My mother was never one for traveling, and my father was against to let me go too far. Not like it would have mattered; he probably wouldn't have noticed anyway.

Nonetheless, being here with someone like Peter felt comforting somehow. He appeared to be a gentleman under all those layers of clumsiness and being a dickhead. The top of the building offered a beautiful view of the nearby village beyond the trees.

I sat with my legs over the roof, letting it swing carefree. The lights of the village twinkled below us, and above us, the stars shimmered like a blanket of tiny diamonds in the sky. I couldn't help admiring the beauty of it all, imagining how wonderful it would be to share this moment with Wanda.

Peter appeared beside me, holding a sweater out to me. He must have noticed the goosebumps on my arms, and I silently thanked him for his thoughtfulness. I took the sweater from him and pulled it on, enjoying the warmth it provided.

Back at Sam House, I sat on my bed, Natasha behind me. We shared a large room. While she brushed my hair, her eyes traveled over the length of my body, taking in my unusual attire. "Interesting choice of clothing, darling," she teased, fully aware that it didn't match my usual style.

My cheeks flushed with embarrassment as I realized that I was still wearing the sweater Peter had given me. I couldn't help but notice how comfortable I felt in it. Shut up," I mumbled as my cheeks heated a bit more.

Natasha laughed in respond. Clearly amused by what was happening. Natasha looked at me with an intruding look. She leaned in really close, her smirk remaining on her lips. "Oh and how are you planning on doing that darling?," her voice was deep and cold, sending a shiver down my spine.

I tried to catch my breath as I noticed how I stopped breathing. "Relax, babes," she said as she continued to tease.

We shared a brief smile, but mine quickly faded as my thoughts returned to Wanda. "Are we going to find her?," I asked, my voice nearly taking on a sad tone.

Turning my gaze away, I realized that my attachment to Wanda had grown stronger than I had allowed myself to realize. I found myself seeking her comfort, a sense of reassurance that only she could provide.

Natasha nodded, sensing my anxiousness. Reassurance filled her voice as she spoke. "We just have to walk through the forest to reach the mountain," she reassured me.

I laid on the bed, my eyes slowly closed. Natasha turned off the lights, leaving the room in darkness. She stepped outside onto the balcony, seeking some fresh air. After a moment, I heard my name being called out by her voice.

"Yn, come here," Natasha commanded.

I got up from the bed and made my way towards the balcony, where Natasha was standing.

Feeling a bit confused, I stood next to her. "What's up? Why-" I stopped mid-sentence as I laid eyes on something glowing in the distance.

My mouth dropped open. There it was...the unmistakable blue magical light.

Natasha's gaze turned to me, and she hesitated before asking the question that was weighing on her mind. "Is it...?" Her face was serious, filled with worry.

I nodded slowly, my voice steady as I confirmed her suspicion. "It is,"

The sight of the light once again sent my anxiety skyrocketing. The confirmation that it was indeed Aurora's magic.

Which meant that we were closer to finding Wanda than we realized. The thought both reassured and terrified me