Plagued Memories

𝐓 𝐢𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐮𝐦𝐚

"Truce?" Natasha held out her hand.

I'll be here for God knows how long, might as well...

I caught her hand and shook it once " Truce."

--

TW: Indirect mention of Rape

--

June 18, 2015

Natasha

It's been two weeks since I offered a truce to Wanda. Things have been going smoothly. I asked her about all the things I wanted to ask before and she answered... most of them. I noticed how she avoided talking about her brother.

"How did you get involved with HYDRA?" I asked, settling down on the window sill of her bedroom. "We were ten. Our home had just blown up and our parents died. We didn't have any other family or friends. We had nowhere to go. After 3 days under the bed of our apartment, they found us. They found us and they took us in. We didn't ask any questions, we just followed. Our only goal was to protect each other and not get killed." she sighed lost in memory.

"How did you get involved with The Red Room?" she returned. "How....how do you know about The Red Room?" I asked, clearly stunned.

"I can read your mind, Natasha" she shrugged.

"Call me Nat and...What? You can really read my mind?" I implored. " Of course not." she answered.

"Oh, good."

"Why, are you hiding something from me?" she beseeched.

"No."

"I can read your mind. If I want to." she said after some time. "Are you reading my mind right now?" I asked, suddenly uncomfortable with the conversation.
"Not really, I have better things to do other than invade someone's personal thoughts."

Wanda was tolerable when she wasn't busy insulting me.

~*~

July 4, 2015

Wanda

Steve turned about a hundred years old today. Seeing how it's Independence day too, there was a lot of celebration.

They planned a party for him and I was invited. I didn't think they'd invite me. I'm barely their friend. The party is in one hour and I just realized I have nothing to wear. The clothes that I had brought with me are all casual. And seeing how Stark is the one who planned the party, there was no way he'd let me wear casuals.

I sat on my bed with the only few clothes I have, sprawled around me when someone knocked on my door. 
"Hey, Wanda. Can I come in?" it was Natasha. 
"Yes." 
Natasha opened the door and stepped in. She was wearing a navy blue velvet, sleeveless gown that amplified her cleavage. She looked..... stunning. She had something in her hand. " Why are you all dressed up?" I asked. 
" For Steve's party." she answered. 
I lifted my eyebrow, " That's not until another hour."
"I know, I came here to help you. I figured you probably didn't have a Tony-approved, party-appropriate dress, so I came bearing with some." she said showing off the hanger clothed in her hands. 

"Oh... Uhm, thank you." I blushed. "I actually am not sure if I want to attend."
"What? Why not? Come on it'll be fun. You deserve fun." she said setting down the hangers on my bed. 

I sighed. 

"What will I even do there? You know how awkward I feel around them." 
"I know, but it's not every day that Steve turns hundred." she poked at my shoulder with her index finger. "I promise I'll be by your side the entire time. Clint will be there too, and as far as I know, you're comfortable with Steve. So, I don't see the problem here..."

"They are fine, but I imagine there will be a lot of other people I don't know." I said removing her finger from my shoulder. "I just... don't like parties." I groaned. 

"Why not?" Natasha probed.

Good Lord. I just want to sleep in my room and forget about everything else.
"No reason." I lied.
"You're lying. Why don't you like parties?" she asked, looking curious.
"I..." should I tell her or should I not?

Fuck it.

"I've only ever been to one other party before." I started. 

She started at me, silently asking me to continue. 

"It was in the HYDRA, a few years ago. There was a party which was very rare. HYDRA never held parties, especially not including their 'volunteers'. We were all supposed to attend this party. They didn't even tell us what the party was for. We attended, not really having a choice. There were drinks and... Pietro was pulled away from me by one of the faculty members. I just stood there and I didn't know what to do when the Cell Head walked up to me. He handed me a drink and sipped his own. He told me to drink it. He was a senior and I wasn't allowed to disobey him, so I drank it. A few minutes passed by and I felt dizzy. I excused myself and went towards the restroom when suddenly I was pulled into the passageway. My head was spinning like crazy and this man gripped my wrist so tight, it bruised. He pulled me to the side room and he began to....." I trailed off. "Well, you get the idea. I was 17. That was 8 years ago." I sighed.

Natasha was clearly not expecting me to say something like that. God, I shouldn't have said that. What is wrong with me? We just stared at each other. She has really green eyes. "I'm sorry... I'm so sorry you had to experience something so vile." she said sympathizing me.

"It's okay. It was years ago, and it's my fault. I shouldn't have drunk what he gave me. And I should've stuck with Pietro." I shrugged.

Natasha turned to me, "No. It's not okay. Nothing about that is okay and don't you ever blame yourself for it. It is NOT your fault." 

".....Thank You. I've never really talked about that to anyone before. Not even Pietro." I responded. She was sitting really close to me. I could smell her perfume. She smelled like... Rose water and Ivy. It was addictive. 

Knock Knock.

I broke out of my trance and got up to open the door. " Steve, hey... Happy Birthday." I gave him a side hug. 
" Hey, Wanda. Thank You. I was just here to get Nat. She's needed at the lounge. There's a problem with Bruce." Steve replied with a smile. 

Natasha came up beside me and smirked at Steve. "Hey there, Birthday Boy. How does it feel to be a hundred years old?"  

"I am NOT a hundred years old. I'm 97..." Steve replied. "Though I'm technically 32  if you don't count the years I was frozen." 

"Whatever you say." Natasha stepped out of my bedroom. "We'll see you out there Wanda. Wear what I brought you." she winked at me and turned her back on me and walked down the hallway with Steve. 

"Yes ma'am" I mumbled.