CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX:
QUESTION OF SAFETY

FOR THE PAST WEEK, SALEM and Wanda had Stayed in Wanda's room, doing nothing but watching Sitcoms. They were both trying to distract themselves from the Sokovia Accords and sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn't. Vision came to visit them multiple times during the week, almost as if he were checking up on them. The two girl's were completely and utterly oblivious to what had happened.

The bombing that killed the king of Wakanda had taken place, Steve had managed to track down Bucky and was trying to save the man only for T'Challa to go after him―︎seeing as the prince (now king) thought Bucky had been the one to cause the explosion. And once Salem found out all of this happened without her knowledge, the girl was going to be pissed. Salem loved to know everything that was happening, and knowing she missed an on foot highway chase was going to make her upset.

Wanda was surprised to find Salem and Vision standing in the room, cooking, trying to figure out the recipe to Wanda's favorite dish―︎more like Salem was too amused to help Vision as he took everything way too seriously. Wanda took a moment to take in Salem's smile and laugh as she and Vision joked with one another, something that was very new to the android.

     "'A pinch of paprika.' A pinch." Vision took a literal pinch and Salem let out a snort.

     "Vis, you don't actually have to pinch your fingers together when you―︎" The girl let out a laugh.

     "It says a pinch." Vision pointed to the directions.

     "You just have to eye it." Salem told the android.

     "It's that paprikash?" Wanda grabbed the duo's attention and Salem offered her girlfriend a smile before hopping down from the counter and walking over to her.

     "It's supposed to be." Salem answered before giving the woman a peck on the lips and then interlacing their fingers.

     "I thought it might lift your spirits." Vision answered, glancing between the two. It was true, the dish had indeed become one of her favorites when Wanda had fixed it for her. The girl had immediately fallen in love.

     "Vision did this all by himself."

     "Because you wouldn't help. You were too busy laughing at me." Vision pointed towards the girl. Wanda lightly hit the girl with a smile on her face.

     "What have I told you about being mean?"

     "It wasn't mean!" Salem defended.

     "Not everyone finds your constantly sarcastic attitude nice." Wanda told the girl, looking at her with a small smile.

     "You love it though."

     Wanda sighed, nodding her head. "I do."

     "Just sound a little more solemn why don't you?" Salem scoffed.

Wanda chuckled before giving her a kiss on the cheek before turning towards the food and taking the spoon, stirring it a few times before picking it up and taste testing the food. She hummed in delight before looking towards Vision with a kind smile. "Spirits lifted."

     "In my defense, I haven't actually ever . . . eaten anything before, so . . ." Vision trailed off, which immediately made Salem earn a look from Wanda. The girl only smiled innocently.

     "May I?" Wanda requested, pointing towards the food.

     "Please." Vision nodded before moving to the other side of the bar.

     "I could always fix it."

     "You'll be lucky if you even get some." Wanda told the girl, making Salem let out a scoff of feigned offence.

     "Wanda?" Vision questioned, making both women look towards the android. Wanda hummed in response. "No one dislikes you, Wanda."

     "I definitely don't." Salem smiled, sending the girl a wink.

     Wanda lightly rolled her eyes, shaking her head with a small smile before looking back towards Vision. "Thanks."

     "Oh, you're welcome. No, it's a . . . involuntary response in their amygdala. They can't help but be afraid of you."

     "This conversation definitely took a different turn than I thought would." Salem mumbled with slightly widened eyes as she hopped back up on the counter, swinging her legs back and forth.

     "Are you?" Wanda asked in curiosity. Salem was curious of the answer as well.

     "My amygdala is synthetic, so . . ." Wanda chuckled and Salem smiled at this.

     "I used to think of myself one way." Wanda started. "But after this." She stopped stirring, and instead played with the chaos magic between her fingers. "I am something else. I'm still me, I think, but . . . that's not what everyone else sees."

Salem frowned, getting down from the counter and kissing her on the cheek whilst hugging her from behind and placing her head on Wanda's shoulder and burying her nose into her neck. Wanda leaned into Salem, placing one hand on the woman's arms that were wrapped around her waist.

     Vision smiled briefly at the couples interaction before frowning once again and touching the stone placed in the middle of his forehead. "Do you know, I don't know what this is? Not really. I know it's not of this world, that it powered Loki's staff, gave you your abilities, but . . . its true nature is a mystery. And yet, it is part of me."

     "Are you afraid of it?" Salem questioned the android with a small frown.

     "I wish to understand it. The more I do, the less it controls me. One day . . . who knows? I may even control it." Vision answers, and Salem smiled at his optimism.

     Wanda lets out a sigh before scrunching her nose up and pointing to the food. "I don't know what's in this but it is not paprika. I'm gonna go to the store. I'll be back in 20 minutes." She looked towards Salem before asking, "Do you want to come with me?"

     "Of course." Salem nodded before removing her arms from Wanda's waist only to grab her hand and interlace their fingers. The duo started forward only for Vision to stand in their way.

     "Alternatively, we could order a pizza?" Vision tried.

     Wanda frowned, cocking her head slightly. "Vision, are you not letting Sal and I leave?

     Vision looked down to the floor, almost as if he wished he didn't have to do this. It was true that the two women had become really close with the android, and quite frankly he enjoyed their company a lot. But he had to do what he had to do. "It is a question of safety."

     "I can protect myself." Wanda told him.

     "Not that you'll have to. Vision, you know I won't hesitate to kill someone if they even so much as look at Wanda wrong." Salem added.

     "Not yours." Vision shook his head. "Mr. Stark would like to avoid the possibility of another public incident. Until the Accords are on a . . . more secured foundation."

     "You're bullshitting me, right?" Salem scoffed. "I can quite literally teleport out of here."

     "Sal. . ." Wanda softly spoke, squeezing her hand. Salem clenched her jaw before turning her head to look back towards Vision.

     "So, tell me Vision, what is it that you want?" Salem asked, cocking her head.

     "For people to see you both as I do."

Salem stood there for a moment before scoffing and shaking her head, letting go of Wanda's hand and walking away from the two, sitting on the bed, and crossing her arms over her chest as she silently sat there watching the sitcom that was on, hoping that it would take her mind off of the words Vision had just stated.