"Interlude"

By darthelwig

*** I own nothing. I'm just having fun. ***

Wanda has trouble sleeping sometimes.

It's always been this way, ever since she was a little girl. It only got worse after their parents died, after she and Pietro spent two days waiting for death to arrive for them as well. Sleep led to nightmares, and sometimes her mind just wouldn't let her rest.

There were so many things to have nightmares about now, so much to choose from. Her parents, trying to survive growing up in Sokovia, then Hydra, Ultron, Pietro...

So yeah. Sometimes sleep was hard.

Being in Pepper's bed made it easier, mostly. She no longer had to sleep alone, to roll over and realize there was no one there for her to hold. Now there was someone to wrap their arms around her when the nightmares came and she woke in a cold sweat, trying to shake off images of death and violence. Pepper's presence made everything more bearable.

Still, sometimes there were nights like this one, where not even the soft warmth of Pepper's body was enough to comfort her, and she would slip quietly from their bed to go to the living room and gaze out over the city.

She loved this view, which was why Pepper had chosen this apartment when she decided to get a permanent place in New York. Wanda found the lights peaceful and calming from this removed a distance, and Pepper wanted that for her, wanted this place to be Wanda's haven.

And it was. Wanda never felt safer than when she was here. This place had become her home, not the Avengers compound, and it was Pepper being here that made it so.

She felt Pepper enter the room, felt her come closer. She walked on bare, silent feet, but Wanda would've known she was there even without her powers, as attuned to Pepper's presence as she was.

Long arms slid around her waist, holding her loosely. A soft kiss pressed to her shoulder made her shudder, but she leaned back into Pepper, accepting her touch. Her eyes closed as she allowed herself to sink into the feel of Pepper's embrace, the warmth and security of her.

This was everything she needed right now, and this woman was everything she could've ever asked for, patient, kind and loving. She offered it all to Wanda freely and without limitation. She never needed to question if Pepper cared. It was in every little thing she did.

"I love you," she told Pepper softly. They'd never said those words to each other before, but she knew it was true. She felt Pepper stiffen and then relax into her, and could sense the smile on her face.

"I love you too," Pepper said, and it sounded natural to Wanda's ears, as if this wasn't the first, the second, or even the hundredth time she'd heard it. Like they'd been saying it all their lives.

"Stay with me? Hold me a while?" Wanda asked quietly. Pepper's arms tightened around her.

"Always."

Wanda leaned back even further into Pepper's embrace and let the peace between them slowly quiet her mind.