Chapter Text
2024
Five years.
Five years had passed since Thanos had snapped his fingers, using the stones that allowed him to leave humanity half broken and helpless.
Y/N's gaze was fixed on the ceiling of her dark room, which was barely illuminated by the moon. She loved having the lights off as soon as she got home, sometimes she just lit a few scented candles and flopped into bed. Anyway, she lived at her work.
Five years were the ones Y/N had spent without being able to see her best friends, and five in which she had listened to Natasha mourn the disappearance of her sister. But Yelena wasn’t the only one who had disappeared.
Kate was also missing, Kate Bishop.
Her best friend, whom she had met at College where Y/N was studying to get her Medicine degree. Of course, Kate was studying another career but fate brought them together when they had to share the place, being roomies.
Kate was one of the Bishop's daughters, some important people in the Security business but that had never mattered to Y/N. She loved Kate considering her a sister.
Kate was dating Yelena, who was Natasha's sister and thanks to Nat, Y/N met…her.
Her… who had also disappeared after the snap. That redhead with the most beautiful big green eyes that managed to make her sigh. She, who stole her sighs since she met her, she who with her lovely smile had melted all the barriers that Y/N put in her life after so much pain. Wanda Maximoff.
That woman who, despite having made her heart beat so hard, had ripped it out of her and had left a hole that would never be filled again. And not because of her death.
‘what are u doing? Today is your night off!’ – Nat.
Received.
Y/N sighed.
Possibly Nat would like to get together so they could have a beer with Bucky. Ever since Thanos' snap the three of them had formed a very beautiful friendship.
Y/N and Natasha had bonded over the loss of Yelena, Kate and Wanda, and Bucky was Natasha's partner.
The tall brunette hesitated whether to answer. She didn't really want to go out but she couldn't stay to be a victim of melancholy either. Natasha tried to introduce her to other women but sadly, Y/N couldn't stop thinking about Wanda. She could no longer continue to suffer from a rejection from a person who would never love her, much less after having disappeared five years ago.
Her fingers played against the screen, as if trying to think of what to write until she did it.
‘At home. Where u at now?’
Send.
Sighing and dropping her phone on the bed, Y/N ended up getting up and walking to the bathroom so she could take a shower and go out to see her friends. After all, it was her free shift away from that damn hospital.
2019
Wanda's life hadn't really been easy since she'd divorced Vis. Well, to be honest, she hadn't been for a while before that.
The redhead noticed the distance that man was putting with her. Almost for two years where he was barely by her side, and after a long talk between the two, they realized that neither was happy with the other anymore.
Wanda and Vis got married when they were 20 years old, they were young people in love fighting against the world that told them they should wait. They were together for almost ten years.
Two years later, when they were 22 years old, Wanda got pregnant with twins. Vision had just finished his first year in the tec company of the Starks.
From there, their lives had become monotonous and although they had been beautiful years of happiness and a united lovely family, things between them became cold and lonely. Especially for Wanda, she was waiting for a husband who always was traveling and when he came home, he just wanted to rest and see his boys.
“So… how are the boys?” Natasha asked before drinking some of her coffee, watching as her best friend just smiled tenderly and shrugged.
“Growing up. Those two never stop fighting but… they’re very close.” Wanda said with a proud smile. “Billy is very sensitive and empathetic and kind, and Tommy is more… you know, teasing, at times some times he wants to look strong and independent, but also very loving and kind too.”
“Like you and Pietro.” Natasha smiled, arching an eyebrow.
“Hey!” Wanda made a pout but then she giggled.
They were both sitting on the sofa, sharing a nice chat once the twins finally was with their dad and allowed the redhead a bit of peace.
“Have you been dating? Is there someone special that makes you smile lately?” Natasha asked somewhat curiously, with a tiny mischievous side smile.
“Oh no, of course not.”
“Oh come on, Wands! Why not? You haven't been out with anyone in a long time. Since Vision you’ve been... alone.” Natasha snorted. “I told you I could introduce you to a nice friend. I know someone who wanted to meet you…”
“Don't even talk to me about your blind dates, okay? I don't feel ready yet to have more problems than I already have.” Wanda shook her head, bringing the cup of coffee to her lips.
“Come on.” Natasha flopped down against the back of the couch and was tempted to throw a pillow at her, if only her friend wasn't still holding her cup. “How about MATCHER?”
“The dating-app?” Wanda wrinkled her nose at her, completely in denial. “No, thanks.”
“It's full of polyamorous couples and threesome-seekers anyway.”
“And how do you know that?" Wanda cocked her head curiously, trying not to smile amused but she couldn't help it, they both burst out laughing.
“Is there anything more depressing than dating in your 30s?”
Both redheads talked pleasantly about everything that had happened in their lives these last few weeks until the door opened.
A petite blonde and a almost six-foot brunette came through the doorway, carrying some boxes. She didn't seem to surprise Natasha at all, she knew that her sister would come today to drop off some boxes that she had to bring from her old apartment.
Natasha had made a bet with Yelena and the blonde had lost, therefore, she had to take care of bringing them.
“Leave them here, I'll take care of it.” Yelena pointed to the spot to the side of the stairs. The sisters lived together after moving from Ohio.
“Kate should be here with us, helping us.” Y/N growled, leaving one of her boxes down next to Yelena. She got up and ran a hand over her forehead, they weren't light at all.
“Neither of the two, in fact. Yelena was the one to bring you, not to use you, y/n/n.” Natasha shook her head and got up from the couch to give her sister a little poke, who just complained and then hugged Y/N as thanks. “Thank you, Y/N, you are a sweetheart.”
But Y/N hadn't paid much attention to that talk since since her eyes were lost on the redhead who was still sitting on the sofa. Not Natasha, of course. The white skin that contrasted with her hair, green eyes and some birthmarks on her beautiful face that seemed carved by some goddess.
Y/N was about to babble, until she found the strength to do it right.
“No problem, happy to help.”
“No hug for me?” Yelena complained. She turned to see Wanda and just waved at her before walking towards the kitchen. “Hello Wanda!”
The redhead named Wanda answered that greeting with an adorable smile. Y/N's heart melted.
“No, for cheating and using your best friend card.” Nat groaned and then noticed how the girl was looking at Wanda. “Oh yeah. I'm sorry, Wanda, she's Y/N Y/L/N. Y/N, Wanda.” She pointed at them, causing the sokovian woman to giggle.
“Nice to meet you, Y/N.” Wanda smiled and for a moment, Y/N knew her heart had left her place to run to Wanda to never return.
In her twenty-four years she had fallen in love once, the only relationship Y/N had and it was really bad. It was a disastrous and painful relationship where Y/N was cheated.
“Totally the same.” The brunette managed to mutter, until she came out of that spell in which she was.
The tallest woman kept her hands in her pockets so that neither of them would notice the nerves she felt seeing such a beautiful woman.
“How’s everything at College, Y/N?” Nat asked her as she took a seat next to Wanda, who seemed curious to know your answer.
Since Y/N step through the door, Wanda took the opportunity to look at her from top to bottom and without a doubt, realize that you were a very beautiful woman. Brown hair, taller than her, brown eyes and a charming smile. Wearing that leather jacket that fit Y/N quite well.
“Everything’s really good, I have a little less than two years left.…” Y/N opened her eyes and sighed. “I'm trying to prepare for my final exam in Microbiology and... I don't know if I can do it, but at least I try."
“Of course you can, I know you can. You’re a very capable girl and Yelena always tells me that you help her with her stuff in the classes you both share. Psych 104?” Natasha seemed more confident than Y/N, which made her smile.
“What are you studying, Y/N?” Wanda asked curiously. That accent, Wanda had an accent.
If that woman lacked something to be even more beautiful and sexy, it was to know that she had a slight accent.
“Medicine.” Y/N grimaced, noticing how the redhead also seemed surprised. It wasn’t an easy career but it was a nice career if you knew how to cope with it. “It's not easy, but... it's what I want.”
“Remember when you were at college and I was supposed to visit you?” Natasha asked Wanda, making her laugh at one of the most hilarious memories they both had.
The three of them had a small conversation telling that story to Y/N, who also ended up laughing too.
Yelena took about five minutes and came back again, carrying a bag. “Okay, teddybear, let’s go. I already have everything I need.”
“Teddybear?” Wanda asked, not knowing whether to laugh or keep her face serious at that nickname. Different from the one that Nat had called you minutes before.
Natasha knew that story about ‘teddybear’ so she preferred to drink her coffee to hide her smile.
“That's what we call Y/N, with Kate.” Yelena explained, though her friend shook her head begging her not to.
“Why?”
“It's a long long story.” Y/N narrowed her eyes and took the bag Yelena was carrying before pushing her away. “Let's go. Move.”
"Not very long, you'll see when…” Yelena was about to tell Wanda everything when the brunette ended up taking her away, dragging her.
“It will be another day, Wanda. Nice to meet you!” Y/N groaned as they walked towards the exit.
The two redheads kept looking at them with an amused smile, but the look of Wanda was different. She felt an interest that she had not felt before.
Y/N was on her own bed playing with her phone, trying to pass the time that Friday night.
Kate and Yelena were at a party that Y/N wasn’t interested in hearing about, didn't feel like going out that night.
Her plan was to eat some pizza, watch a movie ot a tv show, and snoop through some Instagram stories.
Y/N smiled at Yelena's stories, where Kate was seen trying to do a cartwheel in the campus, saying what she could do sober or after some beers too.
Y/N swiped across the screen again and came to Natasha's stories, who had uploaded a flashback photo of her and Wanda, sitting on a wall and holding out their hands as if to grab the camera. They looked a few years younger but beautiful, having fun together.
But aside from how adorable Wanda looked, Y/N's attention was drawn to the tag in that photo. It was tagged, Wanda's Instagram profile.
The brunette hesitated for a moment whether to peek a little, perhaps it was better to keep her distance because:
- Wanda was seven years older than her, and she was a beautiful woman, she would NEVER notice Y/N.
- Apparently she’s divorced and had two children.
- She was Natasha's best friend.
Y/N dropped the phone and sighed, trying to resist and she did for a long time but ended up unlocking the phone and going to Wanda's profile, praying it wasn't a private account.
And as if some goddess gave her her blessing, the profile was free and there were many interesting things in it.
Pictures of Wanda with her children, most of these photos were adorable. Apparently the little ones were twins and cute as fuck, maybe eight years old.
Then pictures with Natasha and some other people that she couldn't recognize, but in all of them she looked so beautiful as she remembered. Even looked sexy in one of these.
“She’s a milf.” Y/N said as she looked at one of the last photos that Wanda uploaded until by mistake, a very very stupid mistake, Y/N ended up liking one and exposing herself.
Horror.
Cold sweat.
What to do now? Should she remove it? Maybe Wanda hadn't seen it, she still had time, but surely she had already received a notification. What if she removed it, she would know that she had removed it and she would have to explain twice. TWICE.
The girl brought one of her hands to her face to keep from screaming in frustration as her phone vibrated.
@wmaximoff sent you a message: Hello there!
Oh, no.
Oh, fuck no.
Y/N gulped and stared at the screen for a moment not knowing what to do or say.
@wmaximoff is following you now.
“Shit, Y/N, come on.” She said to herself and sat on her bed, trying to think of what to write to the redhead.
@bearisland
“Hey, Wanda. How are you?”
@wmaximoff is writing…
“Everything is fine, I was surprised to see you here.”
“Yeah, because i’m an idiot.” Y/N said, she hadn't even thought of a good excuse. She bit her upper lip trying to think of something convincing to say but nothing seemed good, nothing that didn't make her look like an obsessive psychopath or a stupid college gossip girl with a crush.
@bearisland
“Yeah… I was looking at Nat's stories and you came out and I decided to follow you.”
She decided to tell the truth. Kinda.
@wmaximoff:
“But you still don't follow me... Feel free to do so.”
“I saw that Yelena is partying, don't tell me that you are too and you're there with your phone!”
Y/N smiled and ended up answering her, following a long talk between the two. The brunette one explained that she had decided to stay and be able to spend some time alone, quietly in her bedroom.
She spent her Friday night chatting with Wanda, who told her that she finally ended the week exhausted from her work but happy that she had the weekend to herself. No kiddos.
Y/N took the opportunity to tell her some stuff too and find out more about that beautiful woman.
It was two in the morning and both were still sending each other messages, chatting about one of the tv shows that Y/N was watching and that apparently was one of Wanda's favorites.
@wmaximoff:
“Hey, Y/N…it's kinda late and I woke up early today. I'll go to sleep, if you want we can talk tomorrow, I'll send you my pone numer. It’s…”
With a huge smile on her lips and some tiredness in her eyes, she added Wanda's phone and sent her a short message to make sure the redhead had hers.
“I'm Y/N, this is my number.
I wanted to see if it was right.”
Sent.
She waited a few minutes before Wanda’s picture appeared in her contacts, she was already replying to Y/N.
“You’re already added. I hope you have a nice night, Y/N. And try to party more, don't lock yourself up like this old lady.”
Received.
“You’re not old, Wanda, you are thirty-two and you’re so beautiful.”
Sent.
She hesitated a moment, realizing that perhaps that had been more flirtatious than she expected. Y/N heart pounded so hard she thought it would burst out of her chest. Perhaps it had been a big mistake but when Wanda answered her again, her heart continued to beat but this time, in a different way.
“You make me blush. You're also beautiful.
We talk tomorrow, if you want… have a nice night.”
Received.
She fell on the bed with a huge smile, settling between the covers ready to dream of that beautiful woman.
2024 – PRESENT
“I’m so tired.” The Russian groaned as she clung to her beer, leaning her back against her seat.
“Come on, the case wasn't that bad...” Bucky gave her a little playful nudge. “At least we arrest that asshole and will soon rot in prison soon.”
“And I got shot for it!” Natasha winced.
“Well, it's a good thing they didn't hurt you because I won't heal you again. I’m done patching you two…” Y/N pointed at them before taking a sip of her beer. The three stayed a while in that bar they usually visited after work.
Natasha and Bucky Barnes were detectives while the brunette was in her second year at Metro-General Hospital. Things were pretty good for the three of them even though they had such a lonely life sometimes.
Bucky was closed to meeting someone since his traumas and loneliness used to drive people away and he believed that he was not capable of giving love to anyone. Natasha teased him by calling him 'Winter Soldier'.
Natasha only focused on her work after Bruce Banner broke her heart because the idiot said ‘she deserved better’. Y/N hated that excuse, she knew that if someone loved a person and especially a person like Natasha, he would do anything to be with her.
And Y/N had never stopped thinking about Wanda.
“Well, what are we going to do tomorrow then-” Natasha was about to continue when a scream made her turn quickly. The three watched as some people began to scream in fear.
Some sounds like car wheels screeching made the three of them get up from their seats.
“What the hell is going on?” Bucky said ready to take the gun, fearing that it was another attack like the one they experienced in 2012.
Nat just kept silent and moved between the tables of that bar when Y/N looked at the huge tv screen where moments ago the game between Celtics-Heat was showing, now they showed the chaos not only in New York but in the world.
“Guys...” Y/N said pointing to the television.
WORLD NEWS - THEY ARE COMING BACK!
“…As I was telling you, we are live from New York City, where people who had disappeared after the SNAP appear to be showing up again. Is that correct, Jenna?... They’re coming back! Oh, my god.”
That woman in the news asked one of the journalists who ran in the city, demonstrating how, unlike the snap, people regenerated again in the same place that had disappeared.
The ambulances were immediate, as were the phone calls. Desperate people ran to their homes or places of work to reunite with their loved ones. Others furious to see people they didn't know in their own homes.
And those three lonely sons of bitches watched the news with their lips open in surprise without being able to believe it.
They were coming back.
After almost six years they were all coming back.