[A/N: So this chapter is completely Slice of Life and basically no action. For insurrance reasons I also have to inform you that it contains a large dose of sweetness and cringe. So if you have an allergy against either of those, you probably shouldn't read this. Anyway, enjoy the chapter!]
[2010 – December]
A few hours later, while Pietro went to train on his control over his exothermic abilities in an isolated chamber underground, Wanda was upstairs in their apartment and played her guitar.
After playing a few notes, she began to sing, her beautiful voice drifting through the room.
"Darling, you're with me, always around me
Only love, only love
Darling, I feel you, under my body
Only love, only love
Give me shelter, or show me heart
Come on love, come on love
Watch me fall apart, watch me fall apart
And I'll be yours to keep
Wind in the shadows, whale song in the deep
..."
It was one of her favourite songs called Only Love by Ben Howard.
She did this very often, plaing music while Pietro trained.
Making music was a great passion of hers and it was one of the many joys she now had in her life, since they had moved here.
She just played for herself mostly, not seeking to make money as a singer. It was making music itself that she loved and enjoyed, not the fame and riches that came with the profession.
As she finished the song, she could see the TV screen switching on. On the screen appeared the figure of a little girl, whose entire form was made up of lines of code.
It seemed SILVER still hadn't decided on her appearance.
"That was very beautiful, Mrs. Maximoff.", SILVER's childish voice rang out.
Pietro had mentioned that SILVER had access to any electrical device in the apartment or in general. She had been designed to be able to infiltrate into any device or databank there was, so that only made sense. He had also told her that SILVER like every child needed time and care to evolve and mature a bit, even though her capabilities were already incredible to begin with. So it was important to handle her with the right amount of care.
"Thank you, SILVER. Do you want to hear another one?", Wanda asked back, welcoming the audience.
"I have a question, Mrs. Maximoff.", SILVER replied to Wanda's surprise.
"Ask away, SILVER."
"If Pietro Maximoff is my creator and father, what are you to me? According to the knowledge I have, you two are in a romantic relationship and it is common knowledge that a child of the human race is typically born of two parents. Does this make you my mother? Or does the fact that I am an artificial lifeform mean that I only have one parent?", SILVER inquired.
Wanda was totally blindsided by this question, as she hadn't expected SILVER's question be related to something like this. She now understood, what Pietro meant when he said that SILVER wasn't just a program.
A program wouldn't care about its heritage, but this seemed very important to SILVER, so she took her time to think about her answer carefully. A few minutes later, she came to a conclusion.
"I don't know, SILVER. This situation is different from how it works for humans. Normally a human woman gives birth to her child after several months of pregnancy, which isn't what happened here. Pietro created you through his own efforts and hard work, I had very little part in that... Though if there is something I know, then that is that we all have the right to choose who to be with. We can choose for ourselves who is part of our family. Pietro and I chose each other, and when he created you, Pietro chose you to be part of this family too. I have no idea how to be a mother to someone, but all children of Pietro are my children too, no matter their heritage."
"... I understand. Can you play another song for me?"
Smiling gently, Wanda began to play the guitar once again, filling their home with song and warmth.
…
"Tell me again, why did we have to go and buy more beachwear? I remember there being a whole lot of new bathing suits and bikinis in our drawers at home.", Wanda asked, an amused smile gracing her soft lips.
I answered with a straight face, while we walked through Brussels downtown.
"Well, we are sailing to Africa. I thought you might need them."
"Why do I have a feeling that you just wanted to see me change into them?"
"You must be confused, my love. Best we go home and I check you thoroughly for any physical ailments. Be warned though, it might take awhile and I require you to be fully nude, while I do my work.", I replied giving her my most charming smile, while my heated gaze told her exactly what I wanted to do with her.
"Hahaha, maybe I will even let you.", she answered, while rewarding me with her melodious laughter.
Today we had gone out to shop for some clothes and necessities, we might need on our cruise trip.
I had already rented a small luxurious yacht just for the two of us. We didn't need a captain and a crew, as SILVER was more than capable of navigating our vessel. We also enjoyed our privacy, and cooking and cleaning wasn't something we needed other people to do for us.
Speaking of SILVER, she of course was with us on our shopping trip and could communicate with us, whenever she wanted over the earpieces we had put on.
Still, SILVER's personality was based on calm and tranquility, she was an observer. Similiar to Wanda and myself, she enjoyed her peace and quiet.
My reply to Wanda consisted of a short kiss, while embracing her with my free hand. The other one carrying half a dozen bags of clothing articles.
It was a beautiful winter evening in the middle of December with a cold white blanket covering the city.
Approaching a very special cafe, I grabbed Wanda's hand and pulled her inside. It was a cafe where any one of the guests could come forward to a small stage and play a song for the other guests, no reservations required.
Wanda loved to come here from time to time, she had also gone on stage and played a song occasionally.
As we sat down and had placed our orders – a black coffee for me and some hot chocolate for Wanda – I waited for awhile, as we listened to a very talented young woman performing.
After she had finished, I asked Wanda.
"Do you want to play a song? You can borrow a guitar from the store."
"No, today I just feel like listening.", she answered with a relaxed smile.
"Well, then I guess I will have to play something.", saying so, I slowly stood up and walked towards the empty stage.
Wanda took a moment to digest my words, before she replied with a single word and a surprised look on her face: " … What?"
Her surprise was well-founded, as I have never played an instrument or sang more than a few crooked lines when a song I liked played at home.
Still, I had planned this little surprise for a few months now. Cutting short my training time a bit to learn the piano and do some vocal training, a.k.a. singing. Thanks to my growth skill, I learned the piano relatively quickly and my singing improved along with it. Finally, I was confident enough to go on stage.
I knew this would make a great surprise for Wanda, showing her just how much she meant to me.
I sat down before the piano and mic, that stood on the stage and silence descended in the little cafe, with two dozen people watching me.
I turned towards Wanda and said the few lines I had prepared. In French of course, as that's what they spoke in Brussels, along with Dutch.
"Hey guys, you may know me from sitting quietly in the audience, while my gorgeous spouse performed here on stage."
As my first line generated some quiet laughter, my stage fright slowly receded and I continued: "Well, today I came up here to sing a song of my own for her, an early Christmas present if you will. So, Happy Christmas, my love. This is for you." The last part I said in English, as Wanda's French was rather limited.
Still, I could see Wanda already tearing up as our eyes locked for a short moment. Turning around, I began to play a few soft notes and at the right moment started to sing, giving Wanda even more fuel for her happy-tears, as I had chosen Only Love from Ben Howard for my little performance.
"Darling, you′re with me, always around me
Only love, only love
Darling, I feel you, under my body
Only love, only love
Give me shelter, or show me heart
Come on love, come on love
Watch me fall apart, watch me fall apart
..."
…
Pietro always said that she had the most beautiful voice in the word, but as Wanda listened to him singing her favourite song. Line after line with his deep raspy voice, she knew he had been lying to her all along. Because this was the most hauntingly beautiful thing she had ever heard.
Word for word, she could feel him declaring his love for her in front of all these strangers. Their mental bond pulsing with such vibrant devotion and love, Wanda knew that there could never be another person she could love as much as him.
It wasn't just her heart that belonged to him, her everything belonged to him – heart, body, mind and soul.