Eye of the Storm (ScarletVision fanfic)

Chapter Four

"How strange to dream of you even when I am wide awake."

(Vis POV)

I flew back late that night, with a head full of thoughts and new memories that I'd never forget. All of them of her. The way she knew which line was coming next in the movie and quoted it in sync the character (sometimes a little too soon). The way she laughed when I said something funny, even if I did not realize that I was. The way she spoke in my mind with her beautiful accent without saying any words at all.

I wish I could have stayed there forever, with her head over my heart (could she hear it beating so quickly?) and my arm around her shoulders. Because it felt like home for me - but also because I hope that it was the same for her. I hope that she felt safe from all the pain and worries that she had once endured. I hope that she, too, wished she could have stayed.

When I fly through the wall of the tower and land on my feet, as if I never left at all, I also hope that Mr. Stark did not notice my absence.

But alas, we can't have everything. The moment I land, I hear his voice from the couch.

"Welcome back, Vision," he says, without turning around. He takes a drink from the glass in his hand.

I turn. For once I am at a loss, no words to say. "Stark," is all that will come from my mouth.

"Yes, it's me, the great and terrible Tony Stark." He turns, one arm on the back of the couch, and looks at me. "How long have you been visiting them?"

"I, ah, I do not - "

"Don't play dumb. Just tell me."

I let out a breath. "This was the first time."

"Really?" He sounds genuinely surprised.

"Yes. The Captain called me over this morning because Wanda had been... feeling homesick. And having trouble with the effects of her powers. He thought I might help her."

"So you stayed all day until just now, and flew straight back to the tower?" He sets down his glass and looks at me.

"Yes, I can fly quite quickly." I am not looking him in the face. I do not see his smile start to appear.

"What could you have done all those hours in that big ol' mansion - palace thing?" He waves his hand.

"Well, I spoke to the team, and then I went to say hello to Wanda. She walked with me around the building for a tour with King T'challa. Then she wished to show me one of her favorite movies. So the two of us watched the movie together. That was all. I made no plans to help them, Stark."

He laughs. I look up in surprise. "Yeah no, I wasn't worried about that. No, no, no." He laughs again. "You two are cute." He stands and walks around the couch, clapping me on the shoulder before walking to the other side of the room.

"I am afraid I do not understand." I look at him confusedly, still unsure whether he is angry about my visiting the Captain's team.

He reaches the counter and turns, leaning on it and looking back at me. "You and Wanda! You guys are so cute together!" He ducks under the counter and starts fiddling with some sort of mechanics inside. "Ask her out!" he calls.

"You... you would like me to ask her on a date? Stark-"

"Come on, man! I don't hate Cap, or any of 'em. Invite them back to the tower, I'll keep them from getting arrested, then you can ask her out to dinner or something."

I am unsure what to say. This is a very unprecedented and unforeseen situation. Although I can't deny that it is a fairly good idea.

"Go on. Call them." He lets out a breath and stands back up, brushing off his shirt.

I take out the cell phone that the Captain gave me to keep in touch. And I dial his number. It rings, and rings again. Then he picks up.

"Hey, Vision, I didn't expect to hear from you so soon. Is something up?" I can hear Natasha and Sam in the background, talking about firearms and combat and the Captain himself.

"Sort of, sir," I start awkwardly. I begin to pace across the room.

"What is it?"

"Ah, well - Mr Stark would like to formally invite you back to the Avengers Tower." I brace myself for his response.

"You told him?!" Steve sounds quite angry.

"No! He was waiting when I returned. He says that if you come, then he will make sure that you do not get arrested."

"Why... why would he do that?" He does not trust the offer. I understand.

"Well...." I look over at Stark and he nods. I let out a breath. "He says that it is because he would like me to ask Wanda to dinner," I say finally.

There is a pause. Then all I can hear on the other side is laughter. The Captain relays my response to the others who are in the room with him and they all cheer and laugh as well. I am confused. 

Finally, the Captain answers. "Yeah, sure. We'll come."

He has changed his mind quite quickly. Humans are strange.

"I look forward to it," I reply.

"Okay." He hangs up, but not before I hear him start to burst into laughter yet again.

"They're coming?" Stark asks.

"Yes," I reply, still thoroughly confused over this whole affair.

"Great," he says. "You'd better start planning."

*

I go back to Wakanda the next morning, to fly with everyone back to the tower. We take a small black plane. Clint is the pilot.

I sit with Wanda on one side and Sam on the other. Natasha, Scott, and the Captain sit across from us. They have decided to leave the Captain's friend James in his cryogenic state in the care of King T'challa.

There is not much speaking on the flight, besides that of friendly banter between Natasha and Clint. The weather is good for flying, but clouds seem to be coming in behind us.

All right, I will admit that I am not really paying much attention to anything related to our flight, or to the others in the plane, besides Wanda. I am working out in my mind what exactly was the best way to ask her what Stark wants me to ask. What I want to ask.

I can tell she knows that I am trying to hide my thoughts, but she does not try to read them. I feel a vague sense of trust and understanding from her that what I am hiding is worth hiding for now.

Is it? Can I even say the words? I am not human. I do not understand humans. I do not understand this feeling that seems to be pushing me towards her. That all my thoughts are of her. That I care about her happiness more than my own life.

I do want to spend time with her.

Suddenly Wanda stands up, taking my hand. "Let's fly in the open the rest of the way," she says.

"All right," I say, a smile returning to my face. It is hard not to smile when I am with her. 

She pulls off her boots and presses the button to release the lock on the plane door. Then she steps out, without a parachute of course. I follow. The moment her bare feet leave the plane she thrusts down from her hands and propels herself up against gravity.

I can't move my eyes away from Wanda. She seems tense when she flies, her full concentration on her powers. Her eyes are slightly narrowed and she keeps her eyes fixed in front of her. She can't fly perfectly straight, because she is propelling herself by her hands. Instead she flies in short red bursts up, and then falls. She moves up and down, like a finch does, the hem of her gray skirt fluttering behind her. Her flight is rather beautiful to watch.

By contrast, I fly in a perfectly straight line, hovering more than propelling really. We fly a distance from the plane and a little behind it, up near the clouds. 

And today, there are no real worries to weigh us down. We are free as birds, as the saying goes, and flying even higher, the Scarlet Witch and I.