Wanda and Strange

[x-scarletwitch.livejournal.com]

Backdated just a bit. ;) Wanda and Stephen go on a not date date--dinner, concert, all that. And it's decided at the end of the evening that yes it IS a date and there must be a second one. Soon.



Stephen Strange was nervous. It was very unsettling. It was simply dinner and a concert, and there was no need for him to be this nervous. It wasn't as if they hadn't eaten meals together before, or had many conversations about music and books and anthropology. But still, his stomach was roiling with butterflies as he heard Wanda's unmistakable knock on the door of his office.

After a pause, Wanda smiled at the hasty "Enter!" and it certainly sounded, even from this distance, that he was nervous. Well, he wouldn't be the only one, she had to admit to herself, starting to open the door. She hadn't been nervous about anything like this in years. And it wasn't as if she had any reason to be nervous. Still, it had taken her forever to settle on what to wear--never enough clothes when you needed it--and she was still wondering if the black, v-neck dress was alright. "Hello, Stephen," she said, smiling at him as she came in.

"Oh my." Stephen blinked, taken aback by the vision Wanda was. Not that she wasn't attractive ordinarily, but the dress, and what she'd done with her hair, and... everything. Swallowing hard, he mustered a rather stunned-looking smile. "Wanda. You look..." He groped for suitable adjectives, his vocabulary deserting him. "Wonderful," he managed at last."

The smile on her face grew and a part of her brain gave her a smug "I told you so" kind of feel. "Why thank you," she said, and then laughed. "I either have too many clothes or not enough because you really would not believe how long it took me to decide on what to wear." Stopping inside his office, she took a second to take him in and grinned. "You're looking rather handsome yourself tonight."

Despite himself, he blushed. "I, ah, thank you," he said, looking pleased. "A slight advantage to being male - a tuxedo is a pretty simple affair. But the time you took was certainly worth it, for the result." He realised he was babbling at her like a school boy, and picked up his coat. "Shall we? I don't know about you, but I'm feeling rather hungry."

Simple? Hardly, the tuxedo was incredibly flattering. Internally, she grinned at herself. But she didn't want to keep embarrassing the poor man. "I am glad I'm not the only one--lunch was rather early today thanks to training session. Where to?"

Offering her his arm as they left the offce and he locked the door behind them, he replied: "There's a rather pleasant Spanish place down in the Village I thought we would try, if that's all right with you?"

"I have not had a lot of Spanish food but I have liked what I've had," Wanda said, slipping her arm through his easily. "And I trust your judgement, of course."

"Why, thank you." With no small amount of daring, he placed his hand over hers where it rested on his arm. "I shall endeavour to be worthy of that trust. Although, in this case, I think that shouldn't be too hard."

"A favorite restaurant?" she guessed, enjoying the warmth of his hand. There was a reason she only brought a wrap with her and not a full jacket.

"I'm something of a regular there, yes," he said with a chuckle, relaxing slightly. This wasn't so bad, even if one of his students had used the d-word when he'd mentioned his plans for the evening.

"Even better. I trust your tastes, as well." The evening was starting to shape up rather well. Even if Wanda couldn't help but wonder what the gossip mill at the school was saying about her evening out. Well, right now she couldn't care in the slightest. There was a great deal of fun to be hand.

***

"So, there I was, stranded in the middle of Calcutta, with no luggage or cash, and no contacts," Stephen said, gesturing with his fork as he told his story. "So I did what any self-respecting fledgling magician would do in that situation."

Laughing, Wanda leaned her chin on her hands, fascinated with the story he'd been telling. "Oh, do tell?" she asked, grinning a bit. "This should be good."

"I busked, of course," Stephen said with a disarming grin. "At that stage I wasn't very skilled - part of the reason I'd gone to India in the first place was to study - but I could snake charm with the best of them. Or at least I could fake it, with a stuffed cobra and a levitation spell. By the end of the week, I had quite the following, being a foreigner, and I had enough money to call a colleague back here and have him arrange a return airfare." He chuckled at the memory. "Quite the adventure."

She was starting to near that realm of helpless giggles, especially at the mental image of Stephen and a stuffed cobra. "Oh my," she said, covering her mouth as she tried to control herself. "You certainly _have_ led an interesting life."

"Don't say that too loudly - you'll ruin my whole reputation as a fuddy-duddy," he warned her, enjoying her laughter. Wanda was a woman who enjoyed life, and it showed, he decided with a slightly foolish smile.

"If they only knew the story of the snake," Wanda warned him, reaching out to pick up her drink. She was more relaxed than she had been in about a week, she realized, and rather enjoyed the feeling. Stephen had quickly overcome whatever nerves he had had earlier and had been a complete delight to be around.

"Ah, but if people think you're boring and dull and conservative, it'd wouldn't be so much fun to watch their expressions when you tell stories like that one," he said, almost mischievously. "So, does my little local restaurant meet with your approval? Is your faith in my taste justified?"

"So there's a plan!" she teased and then nodded happily. "Very much justified. Like I said, I have not had a lot of this kind of food and this is probably the best I have had. I can see why you're a regular here. Food is wonderful and so's the service."

"I prefer the small family-owned places - they actually care about what their customers eat, instead of how much money they make. And they do like to look after me - the owner's wife insists on giving me extra helpings because she thinks I spend too much time studying and not enough time eating." Said owner's wife's reaction when he had come in with Wanda had been... entertaining. And a little embarrassing, but in an amusing way. "And there's always a plan. But enough of me... surely you've got stories of travel in strange parts?" he asked, a twinkle in his eyes. "With or without stuffed snakes?"

"I tend to think the same way. I gravitate towards them even in places that I am not all that familiar with. They tend to be pretty easy to pick out, once you know what you're looking for." Wanda looked amused at the last bit. "No snake stories, though. Unfortunately. I do have a few interesting tales." She paused and thought for a few seconds. "My first time in Russia was...interesting. I had been in the outskirts a few times but never actually in the country itself. And I was young, just starting out and I thought I knew everything. I ended up in some little town, quite lost and tried to ask for directions. Instead, apparently, I asked the farmer where I could sell his younger daughter and how much would he give me." She snickered slightly. "I spent the rest of the night walking to the next town."

"So, no snakes, but slave trading instead?" Stephen teased, laughing out loud at the story. He didn't do it very often, and it felt good. "You know, we could write the most entertaining travel book together. Although I think people might have trouble believing the truth of our tales."

"I think at this point it would have to be several volumes worth," she said. "The cultures and the places we travel, most people have never even heard of. Makes me realize how much I love my life."

"We could include maps. With arrows," he suggested, sipping from his wine glass. "And I have to admit, yes, I wouldn't trade my life for that of anyone else. Especially right at this moment." The last part slipped out without him realising he was going to actually say that.

It was not often that Wanda was caught by surprise but this was certainly one of those moments. She stared at him for a second, watching as he turned as red as his drink, and then smiled. "Then the feeling is mutual," she said warmly, her smile widening.

"It is? That's... good. Very good, in fact. Excellent, even. At least you're not throwing things at me, although I really doubted that was going to be a problem, given you haven't do that to me so far..." he caught himself in mid-babble. "And there I go again. I'm not very good, at this sort of thing. Talking to attractive women, asking them out..."

"I don't throw things--much," she said, quite cheerfully. "And, well, those times are rare. So consider yourself safe." Reaching over, she patted his hand, giggling a little. "And I think you're doing a very good job, with this whole talking to me and asking me out thing." They were still skirting around _that_ term and probably would be all night, but that was just fine.

"Well, should you be compelled to throw things at me, I have a shielding spell," he told her, enjoying the touch of her hand to the point he actually caught at her fingers with his own as she went to pull away, holding her hand gently. "So there, I believe the correct response is?"

Laughter bubbled out at that one since it was so very unexpected. "Duely noted," she teased, not minding the fact that he hadn't let her hand go. "Ah, shielding spells. I remember those. The witch in my caravan was very fond of them when my brother was racing about like a mad animal. He hit one so hard he bounced into the lake once."

"Ouch. The witch of your caravan sounds like someone not to be trifled with." He hadn't missed the touch of sadness in her eyes (and her aura) at the mention of her brother. "You miss him, don't you?" he asked gently, knowing she'd tell him if he was overstepping the mark.

Wanda shook her head at that. "Easy to read?" she asked and then sighed. "I do, more than I care to admit. It's been some time since I've seen him, though I hear from him occasionally. We were very close growing up and that's one of the things I miss the most right now."

"Unfair advantage, remember?" he said, squeezing her hand slightly. "And I like to think I'm getting to know you well enough that I can pick up these things without needing to use it. There's a certain tone in your voice, a look you get... Is there a chance you could speak with him one day perhaps?"

"True--you were keeping me sane through that week of subbing for that professor. And I hope so. I'm not sure when I'll be able to but I hope it's soon. I think it's harder on twins to be separated than regular siblings. Especially growing up so close in the caravan. Never thought it would be so hard."

"Anything I can do to help, you just have to ask," he told her, meaning every word. "And the day will come - like you said, you're twins. I daresay he misses you as much as you miss him."

Suddenly very touched by the offer, Wanda reached over with her free hand and laid it on top of his. "Thank you, Stephen, that means a great deal to me," she said, quietly.

"Anything for..." He was going to say 'you', but that was venturing into places he wasn't prepared to deal with. "For a friend," he said instead.

Wisely deciding not to question the slight pause, she nodded, still smiling. "And the same goes for you, I hope you know," Wanda said and then glanced at her watch. "What time is our concert?"

"Forty-five minutes," he replied. "Just enough time for dessert, don't you think?"

"I never turn down desert," was the reply and she grinned at him, just a little bit.

***

It was cold, a light dusting of snow falling around them as they left the concert hall and wandered back towards the college, where Stephen's car was parked, but Stephen himself wasn't really aware of temperature beyond a warm fuzzy feeling that was threatening to remove logical thought entirely. It could have been the amount of blushing he'd been doing - Wanda seemed to like teasing him into that - but he rather suspected it was because he was feeling rather content with how the night had gone. Humming snatches of Pachobel's "Canon in D" despite himself as they walked through the deserted campus, he glanced across at Wanda and found himself smiling that same silly little smile. "Did you enjoy yourself?" he asked.

Laughing softly, Wanda spun on one heel gracefully, grinning at Stephen when she stopped. "I loved every minute," she breathed, watching the white fog drift away from her mouth. "I've _missed_ music like that. Music around here is hard to come by that's not out of a stereo. I have to sneak down and listen to the music class to get my 'fix'." It had been a splendid evening all around and she found herself rather liking Stephen's company more and more. And now it was snowing again--she couldn't have been happier.

"You mean I've been aiding an addict? Shame on me," Stephen replied, openly admiring her as she spun. "It seems I am becoming something of a cultural hub for you - books, music, amusing tales of overseas travel..."

Chuckling, she grinned at him, pushing bangs out of her eyes from the sudden movement. "Mmm, probably the best kind of addiction to have, wouldn't you say?" she asked, tilting her head slightly at him.

"Certainly better than the conventional sort, yes," he agreed. "And now I know your weakness, I shall have to exploit it to my advantage..."

Laughing outloud, Wanda pressed her hands to her heart and sighed. "Oh no, how should I _ever_ survive?" she said, dramatically.

Caught in the moment, and perhaps a little reckless because of it, Stephen couldn't help himself. She looked so... enticing like that. Stepping forward, he took her by the shoulders and leaned in, brushing a tentative kiss across her lips. "With such benefits as that?" he suggested, heart in his throat even as very interesting things were happening in his brain right now.

Blinking, having been taken by complete surprise, she nevertheless grinned at him. Unexpected but certainly not unwanted, she thought. "Those are sometimes the _best_ benefits," she agreed, moving in just a little.

She hadn't run screaming and she hadn't smacked him across the face, both things possibilities from his watching of various movies over the years. This was probably a good sign. Drawing on the instinct that had prompted him to kiss her in the first place, he reached out and brushed a lock of her wayward hair out of her face. "Perhaps we should explore this whole benefits scheme?" he suggested with a brief hint of a hopeful smile, all the while wondering what on earth he was doing, since he really didn't know. Perhaps he was bewitched - certainly Wanda looked the part right now, with her hair tumbling all directions and the dress looking so... like the dress that had broken his brain at the start of the evening. Cupping the side of her face with his hand, he marvelled at the soft touch of her skin, even as he leaned in again.

Sensing his nerves--and thinking that it was _awfully_ cute—Wanda decided to let him do the leading. It would be easy enough to take over but that, more than anything, would probably scare him off. "I believe we should," she agreed softly, closing the gap between them just a little, hands laying gently against his chest. The kiss was soft and very tentative--but sweet at the same time.

His hand was trembling slightly against her face as the kiss ended, and he stroked her cheek with his thumb to hide it. "Well," he said, a little breathlessly. "I think we've just crossed over into 'date' territory." There was an unspoken question in his words, a wanting to know if that was all right with her. He _thought_ it was, but he wanted her to tell him.

"I think you're right," Wanda agreed, smiling at him, as she answered the question that had been rather obvious. Her own heart was beating just a little bit faster than it had been a few minutes before and she enjoyed it, it had been too long since she'd felt something like this. Lust, yes, but this was...different. "I'm certainly not going to complain that we've slipped into that territory."

"So, this would be the part where I ask for a second date?" he asked, still nervous but a sudden giddy rush of relief overwhelming all that. "Soon?"

"Wild horses could not keep me away," was the laughed answered. She reached for his hand and tucked hers within it, still smiling. "And sooner is better, I think, wouldn't you?"

She wanted to see him again. And soon. Stephen beamed and leaned again, the kiss time far less tentative, his free hand plunging into the wild man of her hair as he'd been wanting to do pretty much from that first afternoon of meeting her. "I think that would be wise, yes," he murmured as the kiss ended, a new note of confidence entering his voice. "As anthropologists, we ought to investigate the local customs..."

Chuckling, Wanda took the opportunity to snuggle up closer, nearly purring in contentment. "We'll have to do a good number of surveys," she said, trying to be serious. "We do want to be thorough, don't we?"

"And take notes," Stephen agreed, wrapping his arm around her and brushing her hair back with his other hand. She fit against him nicely, he decided a little muzzily. No having to stoop down to kiss her, just a little lean in... "Immerse ourselves in the culture, it's the only way to truly understand it..." He couldn't stop grinning, either.

"I think we're up to the task, don't you?" Wanda teased, enjoying the closeness. "We, after all, are _very_ good at what we do." And she was enjoying this side to him, she realized. It was all cute but she'd figured there had to be another side to him, something like this.

As wonderful as all this was, he was beginning to realise he couldn't feel his feet. And Wanda had to be freezing to death in that rather fetching, clingy, sexy... no, concentrate, man! She had to be cold too. Almost regretfully he nudged her back into a walking movement, arm still wrapped around her. Had to share the heat, after all. "I think we're equal to the task," he replied, although there was part of him gibbering about not knowing what he was doing at all. "And feedback. Feedback is important. Comparing findings, collaborating..."

There was a good reason they were leaving, Wanda knew, but part of her protested all the same. Still, this was nice on a different level. Leaning in slightly--now that she thought about it, she was getting rather cold--her smile grew. "Means spending a great deal of time on this," she teased. "Comparison and cross-comparison--could take quite a while, you know."

"You'll find I'm rather persistent in my research," Stephen replied, smiling at the tone and the way she was moving closer to him and tightening his arm around her shoulders. "Dogged, even. As long as it takes, as much time as I need to devote to the cause, I'm willing to do that."

"Looks like we have more in common than before."