Fire and Smoke - Wanda Maximoff x Reader

Chapter 38

I happily let my body sink deeper into the old, familiar couch with a content hum. I'm completely stuffed, having probably overeaten, my body being used to too little fuel since late, but I don't even care about the slightly uncomfortable, stuffed feeling. Nothing can make me feel anything but perfectly at ease, being back on the same couch I spent so many hours on, now with Wanda lying down on it with me, her head at the opposite side of the couch, and her feet resting over my thighs. Her eyes flutter open slightly at the sound of my hum, and she smiles at me with hooded eyes, still half asleep.

"Good nap?" I ask her and she nods and snuggles in more towards the backrest.

"Every nap is a good nap." Her voice is thick with sleep, muffled against the pillows.

"Very true." I muse and she turns her head slightly to look at me, her face completely relaxed and a slight blush to her cheeks.

"Did you sleep?" She mumbles sleepily.

"A little." I say and her sleepy expression shifts slightly with something akin to reticence or maybe worry, making her eyebrows jut down slightly. I don't comment on it, having found that she does better with space rather than direct questions. She takes her time, obviously debating whether or not to delve into whatever is on her mind. But after a few moments, she caves just as expected.

"When you were here last... you had these dreams..." She begins, looking guilty with a curious twinkle in her eye.

My stuffed stomach suddenly feels like it's turned to ice. I do trust Wanda, I think, kind of, but I don't know if I'm ready to tell her about... I don't even think I'm ready to think about it. Wanda must've sensed the shift in my thoughts as she pulls her legs away from me and uses the cushions behind her to prop herself up to a seated position. I shift slightly to give her more room, and she mistakes my shift for wanting more space. She hesitates, biting her lip but then decides to scoot slightly closer nonetheless and even places a light hand on my thigh, making me tense up slightly.

"I know you probably don't want to talk about it..." She begins.

"You're right." I try, but she glosses over my comment bravely.

"But you also told me that things are slightly easier if you have someone to share them with." She pauses, her green eyes scanning me and it feels like she's seeing right through me and into my innermost feelings, but I know she's not actually looking in my head; I trust her that much to know she wouldn't breach my privacy like that.

"I know I have my fair share of... um, issues-" She shrugs slightly, flashing a quick minute smile that doesn't quite reach her eyes. "But I feel like I... like I can share with you, like you understand."

She pauses again, clearly not knowing what to say next so she breaks eye contact and looks down at her hand which is resting on my leg. I wait, hoping she might inadvertently lose track of her thoughts and forget what she's asked me because I really do not want to burden her with any of my baggage when she already has so much to carry herself. Yet, I have a feeling that would she push me enough, I might actually open up, and that feeling terrifies me because then, I would have nothing to hide behind.

"You know, I don't really sleep." Wanda pulls my attention back to her and I find her looking at me again, her expression unreadable even to me. "Well take away that nap and last night, and I haven't slept properly in months. Last night was the first time I slept through the night."

She lets out a little exhale which sounds like a small laugh and I actually let some of the tension go from my body, genuinely surprised at her admission. The exact same is true of my recent sleep, or lack thereof.

"Every time I close my eyes, all I see is..." Her face twitches painfully as she searches for the right words.

"You see people you've lost." I offer up.