When two worlds collide

Chapter 11

The fire crackled softly, its warm glow filling the cabin as night fully descended outside. Y/N leaned back on the worn couch, eyes half-closed, savoring the peace of the moment. Wanda was seated on the opposite end, curled up with a blanket she'd found in a nearby closet. The air in the cabin was calm, the kind of silence that felt comfortable—like a deep exhale after holding your breath for far too long.

Y/N broke the silence with a playful grin. "So, Wanda Maximoff—Avenger, sorceress, master of chaos magic, and lover of sitcoms. What's your favorite show? If we're stuck here for a while, I need to know what we're binging."

Wanda raised an eyebrow at the question, but her lips quirked into a smile. "Are you sure you can handle it?"

"Try me," Y/N shot back, leaning forward with mock seriousness. "I've got strong opinions on the classics, just saying."

Wanda laughed, a soft, genuine sound that made Y/N feel like they'd just won a small victory. "Alright," she said, tilting her head as she thought about it. "If I had to pick one... *The Dick Van Dyke Show*. It's comforting. Something about the old black-and-white aesthetic, the humor—it's timeless."

Y/N nodded sagely. "A solid choice. Strong lead, classic comedy, and the whole 'tripping over the ottoman' bit? Iconic."

Wanda's eyes lit up with amusement. "Exactly! I love how every episode feels like it's in its own little bubble. No matter what happens, everything is okay in the end."

"See, I knew you had good taste," Y/N teased. "Me? I'm more of a *Bewitched* person. The magic, the comedy—classic stuff. Plus, Samantha was kind of a badass."

Wanda smirked. "You just like it because of the magic."

Y/N laughed. "Hey, who wouldn't want to wiggle their nose and have all their problems disappear?"

Wanda's smile softened, and she wiggled her fingers in a mock magical gesture. "Well, I can tell you from experience—it's not always that simple."

Y/N raised an eyebrow, smirking. "Sure, but it would make getting pizza a lot easier. One wave of your hand, and boom—pepperoni paradise."

Wanda shook her head, her smile widening. "I think we'd have more fun driving into town for pizza like normal people."

"Normal people?" Y/N teased. "Is that what we're doing now? You're talking to the wrong person for that."

Wanda chuckled, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "Maybe 'normal' is overrated."

Y/N stretched out, resting their feet on the coffee table and glancing over at her. "So, besides magical sitcom marathons, what else do you do for fun? I mean, when you're not, you know, saving the world or trying to keep the universe from collapsing."

Wanda leaned back, pulling the blanket tighter around herself as she thought about it. "I haven't really had the chance to do a lot of... regular things in a while," she admitted. "But when I was younger, I loved exploring. My brother and I would sneak out of the house, find abandoned buildings or forests, and just... roam. We'd make up stories about the places we found, pretend we were on some big adventure."

Y/N smiled, picturing a younger Wanda with her brother, full of energy and imagination. "That sounds awesome. I used to do something similar, actually. My friends and I would dare each other to sneak into old buildings around town. One time, we found this abandoned factory, and we swore it was haunted. Turned out it was just an old furnace making noises, but we scared ourselves so bad that we ran out of there screaming."

Wanda laughed, the sound light and carefree. "I can't imagine you being scared of anything."

Y/N grinned. "Hey, I'm human. I get freaked out just like anyone else. I just know how to hide it better now."

Wanda raised an eyebrow. "I'll have to remember that. So, what would it take to scare you now?"

Y/N's grin widened. "Oh, please, nothing scares me anymore. I'm a hardened stunt pro."

Wanda's eyes gleamed with mischief. "Is that so?"

Without warning, the lights in the cabin flickered and dimmed, plunging them into near darkness. A chill ran down Y/N's spine as they glanced around, momentarily disoriented.

"Uh... Wanda?" Y/N said slowly, feeling an odd sense of dread creeping in.

Wanda didn't say anything at first, but Y/N could hear a faint sound—like something moving just beyond the reach of the firelight. They froze, their heart suddenly racing.

"Okay, this is where I draw the line," Y/N muttered, glancing around the room with wide eyes. "I'm not in the mood for ghost stories right now."

The sound grew louder—a soft, eerie whisper that seemed to echo through the cabin. Y/N's breath caught in their throat. "Wanda?"

And then, out of nowhere, the lights snapped back on, and Y/N jumped nearly a foot in the air, heart pounding in their chest.

Wanda burst out laughing, clutching her sides as she doubled over. "You should've seen your face!"

Y/N blinked, realizing what had just happened. "You little—" They cut themselves off with a laugh, shaking their head. "You did that, didn't you?"

Wanda's laughter was infectious, and Y/N couldn't help but laugh along, the tension of the moment melting away. "Maybe I just wanted to see if anything *could* scare you," Wanda teased, her eyes sparkling with amusement.

Y/N rolled their eyes, grinning. "Alright, alright, you got me. I'll admit it—spooky noises still freak me out."

Wanda leaned back on the couch, a satisfied smirk on her face. "Good to know."

Y/N couldn't stop smiling. It felt good to just... laugh. The weight of everything that had happened recently—the doppelgänger, the looming threat of the multiverse—it all seemed a little less heavy now.

After a few moments, Y/N caught their breath and glanced over at Wanda. "You know, you've got a wicked sense of humor. I wouldn't have pegged you for a prankster."

Wanda shrugged, her smile softening. "I guess it's easy to forget about the little things when you're always dealing with the big stuff. But sometimes, you need a good laugh to remind you that not everything has to be serious all the time."

Y/N nodded, feeling a deep sense of appreciation for her in that moment. "I'm really glad you're here," Y/N said sincerely. "I don't know how I'd be dealing with all this without you."

Wanda's eyes softened, and she looked at Y/N with a warmth that made the cabin feel even cozier. "You don't have to do it alone. Whatever comes next, we'll figure it out together."

Y/N smiled at her, feeling a quiet sense of comfort settle in. They might not have all the answers, but right now, they had this—this little moment of peace, of laughter, of connection.