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It was late at night, and there was nary a sound around the newly built Avengers Compound. In his office, Tony Stark finished the last of his coffee and set the mug aside. JARVIS FRIDAY pored through the directory of files. “1999. Before I ran into Killian.”
FRIDAY found it. “March 30, 1999.” A grim tone made itself known even through her synthetic voice. “An air raid conducted on Sokovia by the U.S. Air Force, resulting in numerous civilian casualties. Notably, both Oleg and Iryna Maximoff were among the casualties.”
“Holy fuck,” he breathed out, leaning back in his chair. God, no wonder Wanda had despised him. “Justification?”
“It says it was in an effort to end the country's political turmoil.”
“By bombing them?!” He shouted. How the hell had he missed this then? All he wanted to do was go back in time and knock some sense into past-Tony, preferably with the Mark 46 on. “I never gave them those weapons. No way! I know I was stupid and drunk and high and all that shit, but I’d remember signing off on that.”
FRIDAY pulled up an assortment of documents, all signed with one signature Tony could never forget. “The shipment was signed off on by Obadiah Stane, Boss.”
Of course.
Of fucking course.
Even six years later and that old bastard was still fucking things up.
Tony slammed his desk and stood up fast enough to send his chair rolling backward. “For fuck’s sake!” He stormed out of the office, slamming the door shut behind him. He would be setting things straight with this new revelation.
The next day, he watched as Wanda practiced using her magic. Steve sparred with her, forgoing his shield for this round. He ducked and weaved and lunged toward her but she used her magic to push him back. “You’re doing good, Wanda!” Steve stretched his arms. “Remember, nonlethal unless absolutely necessary. You’re getting better by the day.”
“T-Thank you,” she replied. And… was that a blush appearing on her face? Tony could’ve sworn he’d seen her cheeks turn pink at the praise. Though that could’ve been from the physical exertion.
“She’s doing excellently, isn’t she?”
Tony was startled as the Vision floated down next to him. “Don’t scare me like that.”
“I apologize, sir.”
“You don’t… have to call me ‘sir,’ anymore, Jar-Vision. Vis.”
“Very well… Anthony.”
Tony blanched. “Y’know what, let’s just go back to ‘sir’,” he quipped.
Vision laughed (He can laugh?). “Whatever you say, Tony.” He floated up and flew back inside the Compound to do what androids do in their free time. Answer: Wanda.
Tony watched Steve step away toward where he left his water bottle, deciding this was his chance. Wanda was looking up at the clouds with her back to him when Tony approached. “Hey,” he called out as he approached Wanda. Immediately, her back stiffened before she slowly turned to look at him.
“Stark,” she answered. “No practice for you today?”
“Uh, yeah, no, my shoulders called this morning and they want my 20s back.”
She giggled. “Stiff old man.”
“That’s what building bombs since you’re 21 does to you,” he snarked. It only took a moment for his brain to catch up with his mouth, but he’d never forget how quickly the smile on Wanda’s face dropped faster than the Mark 2 after icing up. “I-I’m sorry, I didn’t-”
Wanda held up a hand. “It’s alright,” her voice cracked as she interrupted his apology. But judging by her avoidance of eye contact and the hitch in her breathing marked by the abnormally-paced rise and fall of her chest And the sniffle that she suppressed, but not silenced, was also a telling clue.
She really was just a kid, huh? Tony knew that she was born sometime in 1989 based on whatever documentation was left after the Novi Grad bombing, but between becoming an orphan at 10 and being taken in by HYDRA, of all entities out there, she hadn’t had the chance to live a proper childhood.
Well, this was awkward. Tony shuffled his feet before remembering why he came over. Out of the corner of his eye, he could make out Steve looking over at the two. He definitely should’ve been back by now, unless- I’ll buy you all of the old man clothes you want after this, thanks Capsicle. “Say, uh, Wanda? Can you come back inside for a bit?”
She perked up, suspicion poorly hidden on her face. Hasn’t had enough time with Nat, has she? “What for?” Her accent was particularly strong in some words, but he’d overheard some of the voice training sessions (Is that what they’re called?) she had with Natasha where Wanda struggled to pronounce certain letters or syllables.
“I’ll tell you when we get there. But it’s important. For you.” After a thought, he amended his sentence. “And me. Yeah, both of us.”
“... Alright,” she agreed before they both headed back inside.
Tony shut the door to his office before calling out for FRIDAY. “You there, hon?”
“I’m always here, Boss.”
A ghost of a smile appeared on Wanda’s face before fading. “What was it you wanted to show me?”
Tony took a breath. “It’s about… your parents, actually.” At Wanda’s shocked expression, he continued. “I did some digging last night. Into the Novi Grad bombings. FRIDAY? Pull everything from last night up.” Without a word, FRIDAY projected all of the documents via hologram. “Thanks, dear.” He turned his attention to Wanda, who was reading one of the documents. On it was listed which weapons, the ‘masterpieces of death’ as they were called, the Air Force requested.
“This is…” Wanda muttered as she analyzed the list.
“The list of weapons that were used in the bombing,” Tony completed. “All of this,” he gestured around to the virtual paper trail, “was buried deep in the S.I. servers on ghost drives. Took a whole day or so to dig it all out.”
“It says the one who signed these papers was,” she paused to read the messy signature, “‘Obadiah Stane’.” Wanda venomously spat the name and her eyes briefly glowed red. He didn’t miss the wisps of her magic forming in her hands.
If Stane weren’t already dead, Tony would’ve pitied him. Wanda wouldn’t have given him as clean of an out as the Duel of Los Angeles did.
“So it wasn’t you?” Wanda asked, startling Tony.
Tony shook his head. “No.”
She maintained eye contact with him. But her eyes drilled much deeper, into the depths of his soul. “And you had no knowledge or involvement with the sale?”
“Not until last night.”
“I see.” She paused. “What were you trying to accomplish by doing this?”
“What do you mean?”
Wanda pressed further. “Why did you go out of your way to procure all of this? For my forgiveness?”
“No, Wanda.” Tony shook his head and squared his shoulders. “I did it for the truth.” He braced a hand against an adjacent table. “I wanted to set things straight with you. I know after Ultron, taking you under the Avengers’ wing, and… your brother, it’s been a rough transition.” Wanda poorly hid her flinch at his mention of Pietro. “Even after fighting that metal son of a bitch together, there’s still been that rift between us. Naturally, considering it’s not easy to ‘let go’ of your parents’ deaths, especially if the guy who you have to work with daily was the one who-”
She held a hand up. “Stop talking.” Tony, completely out of character, obliged and shut his mouth. “I understand what you’re trying to say. Thank you for,” she gestured to the evidence of Obadiah Stane’s sins, “all of this.”
“It’s the least I could do.”
“I still can’t quite forgive you, considering your own negligence in the matter.”
Tony sighed. “I don’t blame you, and I understand. Again, I’m sorry that I didn’t catch onto Stane earlier.”
Her eyes flitted off to the side. “Then I’m sorry for using my powers on you in Sokovia.”
He perked up at that. “Oh… uh, thanks. Just don’t do that again, alright? Don’t want another genocidal AI getting loose.”
Wanda didn’t honor that with a response and simply nodded. She turned to leave, walking toward the door. As she put her hand on the handle, however, she paused. Looking back at him, she tilted her head and said, “You’re a strange man.”
“It’s Iron Man silly.”
She chuckled before continuing, “You’re not how I thought you would be.”
“And what was that?”
She shyly smiled and looked away from him, choosing to focus on the floor pattern. “I don’t think Steve would approve of some of my word choices.”
Tony laughed. “Tell Pepper that sometime. She’d immediately hand you a glass of champagne and say something like, ‘Couldn’t have said it better myself, sister.’”
Wanda snickered. Outside, Vision approached Steve. From the looks of it, they were gearing up for another round of sparring. “I think they need me back out there.”
“I’ll leave you to it then.”
“This conversation has been, uh, what’s the phrase…?” After a moment, it hit her. “Long overdue.”
“It has.”
She smiled at him, genuinely this time. “Maybe you’re not so bad after all, Tony Stark.”
“Right back at you, Wanda Maximoff.”