When two worlds collide

Chapter 19

The morning sun filtered through the trees, casting a soft golden glow over the safe house. For the first time in what felt like ages, the world outside seemed almost peaceful. Birds chirped lazily, a gentle breeze rustled the leaves, and the distant hum of the city felt like a memory instead of a looming threat.

Y/N sat on the porch steps, a steaming mug of coffee in hand, watching the light dance across the horizon. It was quiet—so quiet that for a moment, they could almost forget the chaos that had brought them here. Almost.

Inside the house, Wanda moved around the kitchen, the clink of dishes the only sign of life. She hadn't said much that morning, but her presence was reassuring. They had both been through so much already, and the hardest part was still ahead. Yet, here they were—taking a moment of stillness before the storm hit.

Y/N took a deep breath, letting the crisp morning air fill their lungs. There was something grounding about it, something that reminded them they were still human, still capable of finding peace, even if only for a little while.

"Coffee?" Wanda's voice called from behind them, and Y/N turned to see her standing in the doorway, holding a second mug.

Y/N smiled and nodded, patting the step next to them. Wanda joined them, sitting down and handing over the mug. They sipped their coffee in comfortable silence, watching the world wake up around them.

"Feels strange, doesn't it?" Y/N finally said, breaking the silence. "Like we're in the eye of the hurricane. Everything's calm now, but we both know what's coming."

Wanda nodded, her eyes fixed on the horizon. "Yeah," she said quietly. "It's the calm before the storm."

Y/N glanced at her, noticing the subtle tension in her posture, the way her fingers gripped the mug just a little too tightly. "You okay?"

Wanda smiled, though it didn't quite reach her eyes. "I'm fine," she said. "Just... thinking."

"About?"

She shrugged, leaning back slightly against the railing. "About everything. About how we got here. How much has changed in such a short time."

Y/N nodded slowly, understanding the weight of her words. "It's been a lot," they agreed. "I mean, a couple of weeks ago, I was just some stunt double doing fight scenes on a movie set. Now, I'm apparently the key to saving the multiverse." They let out a soft laugh. "It's all a little surreal."

Wanda looked at them, her expression softening. "You've handled it better than most people would," she said. "You've been thrown into this, no training, no powers, and yet you've kept going. That's impressive."

Y/N shrugged, feeling a bit bashful under Wanda's praise. "Guess I'm just stubborn," they said with a grin. "Or too dumb to realize how crazy this all is."

Wanda chuckled, the sound light and genuine. "Maybe," she said. "But I think there's more to it than that."

Y/N turned to look at her, curiosity piqued. "What do you mean?"

Wanda's gaze drifted back to the horizon, her eyes thoughtful. "I think it's because you care," she said softly. "About people. About doing the right thing. That's why you're still standing. You care too much to back down."

Y/N was quiet for a moment, letting her words sink in. "Maybe," they said finally. "Or maybe I'm just scared of what happens if I don't fight."

Wanda looked at them again, her expression serious. "It's okay to be scared, Y/N. We're all scared. But that's what makes us strong. We keep fighting even when we're afraid."

Y/N smiled faintly, appreciating her words more than they could express. They looked out at the trees, the gentle sway of the branches almost hypnotic. "I've never really had to be this kind of strong before," they admitted. "I mean, yeah, I've done some crazy stunts in the past, but this... this is different."

Wanda nodded. "It is. But you're not alone. We're in this together."

The weight of those words settled between them, offering a kind of comfort that Y/N hadn't realized they needed. The world around them might be teetering on the brink of destruction, but at that moment, sitting on the porch with Wanda, they felt like they could face anything.

"So," Y/N said after a while, their voice lighter now, "what's the first thing you're going to do after we save the world?"

Wanda raised an eyebrow, a small smile playing on her lips. "After we save the world?"

"Yeah," Y/N said, leaning back on their elbows and stretching out their legs. "You know, after all the doppelgängers and magic and multiverse craziness is done, what's next for the great Wanda Maximoff?"

Wanda chuckled softly, considering the question. "I don't know," she admitted. "Maybe take a long vacation. Somewhere quiet."

Y/N grinned. "Yeah? Somewhere warm, with beaches and cocktails?"

Wanda smiled, a dreamy look crossing her face for a brief moment. "That does sound nice."

Y/N nodded enthusiastically. "Totally. We deserve it. We can pick some tropical island, sit in the sun, and pretend like we don't have the weight of the universe on our shoulders."

Wanda laughed, the sound soft and genuine. "I like the sound of that."

They fell into an easy silence again, sipping their coffee and letting the peacefulness of the morning wash over them. For a moment, it was almost possible to believe that everything was normal—that they weren't on the verge of a battle that could determine the fate of countless worlds.

But Y/N knew better than to get too comfortable. The calm wouldn't last forever. The storm was coming. And when it hit, they needed to be ready.

Still, for now, they let themselves enjoy the moment. They let themselves be two people sitting on a porch, sharing coffee and quiet conversation. Because those moments—those rare, peaceful moments—were what made everything else worth it.

"You know," Y/N said after a while, their tone playful, "I think we're going to have one hell of a story to tell when this is all over."

Wanda smiled, her eyes twinkling with amusement. "Yeah," she agreed. "And I think it's going to have a happy ending."

Y/N looked at her, feeling a surge of warmth in their chest. "I hope so," they said softly.

Wanda turned to them, her gaze steady and full of quiet confidence. "It will," she said firmly. "We'll make sure of it."

Y/N nodded, their heart lighter than it had been in days. "Yeah," they said, smiling. "We will."

For a while longer, they sat there together, letting the calm settle around them like a warm blanket. They didn't need to speak, didn't need to plan or strategize. All they needed to do was be there, in that moment, taking in the quiet before everything changed.