Wandas POV

"Please, Maria! I'm begging you!"

"I know you are. You are literally on your knees right now."

"Exactly! You're going to still say no when I'm on my knees?!"

She rolls her eyes, "what is this supposed party you just absolutely have to have a date for?"

I feel like this is a win, "it's for a firefighter I volunteer with and her.. girlfriend."

"Okay. I know there's more. Spill," she crosses her arms.

I take the rest of the dignity I have and stand up, knowing I'll need some to explain this situation.

"Well we may have had.. a fling. And it's over but we've become close. As friends! This party is to celebrate her girlfriend moving in and.."

"And you don't want to show up single and like you're still pining after her?"

"Oh, I am not.."

"You are, it's fine. I can see the need for a date. I guess I could accompany you."

I throw my hands up in victory, "yes, thank you!"

"I'll get ready. Pick me up by 6:30?"

"I will!" I jump over to her and hug her, "thank you again you're a life saver!"

She laughs, "yeah, yeah. You're welcome. You better be a good date!"

"Oh, I will be."

She goes to leave. And then I remember the most important part to all of this.

"Oh, wait!"

"Hmm?"

"Uh, the firefighters girlfriend.. it's Yelena."

—————

I am waiting outside Maria's house, nervous as all hell.

I explained the whole situation to her and she completely understood.

She also gets why I had to choose her; she isn't an avenger. So there shouldn't be any suspicion from Alex. We've made our cover story and we'll stick to it. Yelena will have no choice but to go along.

Maria's door opens and my jaw hits the floor, "damn, Maria. You might look too good for me."

"Well, you don't look so bad yourself," she smirks.

I offer her my arm as we go to leave, making quick work of getting to the party.

Which, from the way we could hear the music from outside, it sounding like it had been going for awhile.

Yelena opens the door for us and brings us into tight hugs. She seems to have been drinking a bit as she grabs our hands and pulls us inside.

"I'm so glad you could make it!" She beams.

"Yes, thanks for the invite!" I match her energy.

Soon enough she is handing us drinks and we're out with the small group of people dancing in what I'm assuming is their living room.

"So, you've moved in together! That's exciting!" I say to Yelena over the music.

Her smile slightly drops, "yeah.. she's such a good girlfriend, I couldn't say no." Her smile is completely gone.

"I'm so sorry Yelena, this really has to.."

"Hey! If it isn't two of my favorite ladies!" Alex has an arm around mine and Yelena's shoulders in an instant, forcing Yelena to smile once again. "And it seems you've brought some company! Who might this lovely lady be?"

She's looking at Maria, "this is my date, Maria!" Maria offers Alex her hand.

"Pleasure to meet you! Hope you're taking good care of this one," Alex gestures over to me with a nod while looking at Maria and winking.

Pretty sure both of our faces are red.

"Alex!" Yelena jokes as she lightly slaps her stomach.

"What? I have to make sure my friends are looked out for!" She smiles and looks over to me, instantly deepening my blush.

Yelena rolls her eyes but then Alex is pulling her into a passionate kiss that I have to turn away from. I down the rest of my drink and offer to get Maria another one.

This might be a really long night.

——————

I was right.

It's been fun, don't get me wrong.

But it's one thing to hear Alex talk about Yelena, it's another to have to see them dancing with each other and all of the stolen moments they have.

Maria is doing a great job of keeping me distracted, though.

"Hey, I thought you promised you were going to be a fun date?" Maria cuts off my thoughts.

"Huh? Oh. Sorry, Maria. My head is.."

"Yeah, I know. Clearly you're still hung up on her. This whole situation just sucks."

"Yeah, you aren't kidding."

We both let out a small laugh.

That's when Yelena's movements catch my eye.

She has a solemn look on her face as she's walking out the door, phone being held to her ear.

I can't help myself.

"I'm sorry, Maria, but I'll be right back."

Before she can protest or ask questions, I'm out the door on Yelena's heels.

"But I just moved in! What am I suppose to do now?" Anger and frustration are laced in Yelena's voice so I stop myself from moving any closer.

"I know, but.."

I really want to know who she's talking to.

"I know I have been. But now.."

What's the other person saying?

"Fine. But I'm not doing it right away. And if you expect me to do anything like this again, you'll be dead wrong. Or just dead."

Yelena hangs up, tossing her phone to the ground as she collapses as well, bringing her knees up and burying her head into her hands.

I approach carefully.

"Yelena?"

Her head snaps up to me with wide eyes, but she relaxes once she realizes it's me.

"What are you doing, Wanda?"

"I just.. you looked worried when you left and I wanted to check on you."

She nods her head, then looks out to the street, "yeah, well. I'm fine."

I don't believe her. So I sit my ass down right next to hers.

She looks over to me squinting her eyes. I don't give in. I'll wait as long as it takes.

She groans, then looks around, "ugh, fine. That was Fury. Now that I just moved into Alex's house, he says I can call off the mission." She speaks quietly.

Even with the loud music, this is wise.

"Yelena.. I'm so sorry.. maybe you don't have to break things off?" It hurts to say it, but it's necessary.

She scoffs, "yeah. I don't think I have that option. As great as Alex is, I started everything on a lie and it's only grown. She deserves better." She starts picking at the grass.

"Hey, she would be absolutely lucky to have you as a girlfriend. Any one would. But I get it. And she will too."

"Yeah, right. She just asked me to move in. Now I have to end things. I told Fury I wasn't going to right away. I can't. Even as fucked up as this already is, I can't do that to her."

I inch closer, wrapping an arm around her in a hug.

"Hey, don't beat yourself up, okay? It was a mission from Fury that you handled very well. It sucks that it had to happen, but everyone will be okay."

She looks up at me, right in my eyes. "Why don't I believe that? I just.." she looks back to the house, Alex visible in a window as she dances, "I just have this feeling. You know? I can't place it. I don't want to hurt her, but I think it's inevitable. And I hate it."

"I know, Lena. I wish you didn't have to do this. But you'll both move on. It'll be alright. You've got your sister and all of us behind you."

She half smiles, "thanks, Wanda. I'm going to need it."

"Hey, are you two okay?" We both look over to the front door to see Maria standing there.

"Yeah, we're good." Yelena stands up and offers me a hand which I take. We join Maria back into the house where the music is doing it's best to drown out our thoughts.

With the help of alcohol, it does a fairly good job of it.

But not completely. I know Yelena is guilty. Especially as Alex twirls her around to a slow song, tucks the hair behind her ear and places her forehead on Yelenas.

And I don't need to read minds to know that she mouthed the words 'I love you' to Yelena.

And I don't need the powers to feel the pain Yelena has as she says them back.

I hate that she's hurting. I hate that she's going to hurt Alex. I hate that she's in this position.

And it's all thanks to Fury.

Fury, who randomly put an end to this mission. Which is weird. Yelena seemed very surprised by the phone call, mad even.

So what was it that made Fury see a different light?

It's something that will drive me crazy until I know and there's nothing I can do about it. I know it's best to find out from Yelena, and I'll wait to see if she knows and will tell me.

But I can't help but wonder.

And I can't help that it's an invasive thought.

Even though I'm laughing as I dance with Maria. And even as we sing/shout songs with Yelena and Alex in the middle of the dance floor.

It's all a mask.

Yelena and I look like we're fine.

But inside, we're being torn apart.