InsaneJournal

WHO: Wanda Maximoff & Peter Quill
WHERE: Nine's Pool
WHEN: backdated to Xmas time
WHAT: Peter & Wanda at a party getting closer and closer to a definition.
WARNINGS: PG-13
STATUS: Complete

Christmas wasn’t that big a deal for Wanda, she didn’t celebrate the holiday, but she did enjoy the festive season in California for what it was. She had people she enjoyed spending time with this year. Being invited to Nine’s parents party, and the party afterwards at Nine’s own place was something new and she had been looking forward to it.

Shopping with Peter had been entertaining enough, given his commentary on her outfits. But ultimately, the crimson dress with the spaghetti strap back and a very small heeled shoe won out. Wanda had opted to braid her hair, rather than worry about some intricate design, and it meant when it came to Nine's party she could just pin it up rather than let her hair get wet. She'd been a little bit apprehensive about the bathing suit situation and who all else would be at Nine's afterwards, but by the time they got through the main party, she was a little looser from the alcohol and Peter, who had a way about setting Wanda at ease.

Although it wasn't too chilly, even with the threat of snow ever constant due largely to Orange County being weird, Wanda was comfortable with a thin mesh shawl over her bikini to keep warmish, although she was finding that Peter was taking his role of keeping her warm seriously, Wanda tending to just keep herself close against his side. "I've had a really nice time tonight." Not that she'd thought she wouldn't.

---

“Yeah?” Peter looked over at Wanda, his arm draped over her shoulder and leaned down to nuzzle her head. “Even with Nine’s...intro?” Thankfully Peter knew a joke when he heard one, and so he wasn’t too annoyed with it, but he’d been very aware that it was still not something he wanted announced to the world.

Next time, Peter would write his own introduction, something like “Peter, saviour of the galaxy, and his amazing woman friend’ instead of ‘Peter Quill and the woman most deserving of girlfriend status, Wanda Maximoff’.

Even if it was true.

So Peter being Peter had completely overcompensated. He hadn’t let go of Wanda for a second, either holding her hand, or touching her in some way to ensure that if she was annoyed by the statement, she would either react one way or another. But Wanda, the saint she was, hadn’t really commented so Peter continued to just shower her with affection. What the fuck was wrong with him, anyways? Since Vegas, their non-relationship had somewhat escalated, and every day he felt more and more for her.

Peter lifted his hand and cupped her cheek, brushing his lips across hers lightly. “Because… I mean, I wouldn’t blame you for being annoyed..or mad...or whatever…”

---

It had been a little embarrassing, sure. Wanda hadn’t really known how to take that, other than Peter’s friend thinking he needed to settle down and that Wanda was a possible candidate to do that with. “It’s okay,” she’d managed to mostly brush it off, “I know he was just messing with you.” Wanda wasn’t exactly looking to rush Peter into labelling them, she was enjoying the intimacy they’d escalated too, and she figured they’d just get to the next level together when they were ready.

The fact that Peter had hardly stopped touching her all night helped to put it out of her mind. Wanda gave a soft smile, leaning into Peter’s hand and raising a little on her tiptoes to press another kiss to his mouth, “Not mad or annoyed or whatever.” She smirked slightly, her hand brushing against Peter’s side.

“A tiny bit embarrassed at the time, maybe, but it’s not like we’ll be seeing those people very often.” And it wasn’t like they knew any of them, aside from Nine, personally.

---

“You did turn a super sexy shade of red,” Peter commented against her mouth before pulling back a little.. “And you’re right: Nine is the only one I’ll see again, unless he invites me to another shindig...which hey, I didn’t actually do anything overly stupid so maybe I will get another invite.”

Even at the after-party, Peter barely recognized anyone. And that was completely fine with him. He knew that he wasn’t really a typical friend for Nine. In fact, sometimes, he had no idea how the two of them had become such good friends since they were completely opposites. All Peter knew was it worked.

Like this.

“I really really like you, Wanda.” His eyes caressed her face, a small smile tugging on his lips. “A lot. You’re ...beyond amazing. Everything about you is amazing. I just don’t understand why you want to stick around an old loser like me.”

---

She wasn’t sure that abject embarrassment was ‘sexy’, but she’d stopped arguing with Peter when he said these things. “You’ve been very well behaved, I’m sure you’ll get plenty of invites. You’re far too charming not to.” No one could dispute that about Peter at all. And really, Wanda could see why Nine was friends with Peter outside their working out, Peter could clean up really well and charm anyone.

Peter’s building feelings for her wasn’t a surprise. She knew there was something, considering how things had just carried on between them since Vegas, and Peter hadn’t stopped being affectionate, physically or otherwise.

“You’re not a loser,” but when Peter put himself down like that, she did get a little mad at him. “You’re funny and charming and hardworking and sweet and a lot of other things. So stop talking bad about someone I really really like.” She squeezed at Peter’s side, trying to emphasize her point.

---

“But like… I REALLY like you.” Peter was getting frustrated. He had this kind of planned out, the things he wanted to say to her, but found that at the moment of truth, he couldn’t do it. The words were getting stuck in his throat and he simply shook his head.

“You look tired. I hope you had fun though. I mean, I know you don’t really like the whole ...party..thing. Do you want to go to bed?” They had a really nice room, Nine had been amazing about everything like usual, and Peter was looking forward to it. It was such a stark difference between where he lived and where his buddy lived.

Reaching down to grab her hand, he tugged at her. “You can sleep in that if you want. You look pretty fucking hot, y’know.” It was hard to keep his hands off.

---

Wanda wasn’t really sure what the difference between really like and really like was, if there even was a difference. And the way Peter was getting frustrated was making her eyebrows furrow in confusion.

“It’s okay,” she was tired, and she didn’t really like crowds too much. But she’d been careful of her alcohol consumption and rarely been in a situation that left her feeling overwhelmed. Mostly, she’d enjoyed the time she’d spent with Peter, and maybe she’d enjoyed the attention a little too. “I’m a little tired, but I did have a good time.”

His approval of her bathing costume just made Wanda smirk at him, leaning in a little closer to Peter’s body, “What if I had something different to sleep in?” And she did, although she’d had two things, a loose and less attractive night shirt or something a little more … seductive. Although she’d felt odd packing it, given everything. She’d felt like it was worth taking the risk.

---

“If you have something different,” he drawled, lacing his fingers in hers, “then I wanna see it and approve of it which I don’t need to do because you’re a strong, independent woman.”

He leaned down and brushed a kiss to the side of her head. “A strong independent woman who don’t need no man,” he teased. “But wants one, and maybe that’s me, because it should be.” The alcohol was definitely loosening his tongue.

This was as close as he could get to maybe possibly kind of potentially mentioning how he would like to one day at some point not now but soon be actually dating her.

Oh his brain hurt.

“Let’s go to bed. I wanna see your pjs. I bet they have hearts on them.

---

“Sometimes I might need a man,” and yes, she was independent and she was strong, she had to be, but that didn’t mean that sometimes she didn’t want to be independent and strong, and she rather liked that she had someone, man or not, who could help her and be there for her. She liked all the more that it was Peter. “And you do have a very good track record.”

At the moment, she wasn’t putting stock in too much said -there had been too much alcohol, they were both a little buzzed and Wanda was dealing with the apprehension in her body about the fact that she’d packed sexy night clothes, knowing that she was going to share a bed with Peter.

She just took his hand in hers, remembering the way back to the room and leading him through the crowds of people. It was winding down, so the noise was less and the people were thinning, Wanda wasn’t worried about noise. She’d gotten used to the temperature outside, so as they reached the room they were staying in, Wanda was pretty sure it wasn’t the heat or coldness that was causing the goosebumps.

“Let me just,” she nodded her head towards the ensuite bathroom they had, grabbing her bag and quickly placing a kiss on Peter’s cheek before slipping into the bathroom to get changed.

---

Peter smiled at Wanda’s retreating back before realizing suddenly that she was very much more prepared for this night. Had he even bothered to bring pajamas? Not that he even slept in any but still. Bolting to his overnight bag, he looked through it and sighed, shaking his head when he pulled out his favourite pair of sweat pants. Really, Peter? Really? Sweats? And a ...muscle shirt?

He hung his head and cursed to himself. Not that he really had any idea what he should have packed. It wasn’t like he had some Hugh Hefner wardrobe hidden away at his place but still …

Well. At least he had pants. And he wouldn’t bother with a shirt. Show off the abs that he’d been parading all night.

Oh god, he really was a douche. Frick.

Still. When Wanda came out, he was dressed, no shirt, guzzling down a bottle of water. It was like everything had hit him all at once and while he wanted to keep drinking, he probably needed to hydrate. Turning towards her, he lost all thoughts and words.

“Um. Wow. Holy. Just … goddamn, Wanda.”

---

She’d felt a tiny bit self-conscious in the mirror, getting changed had been quick, she was practically undressed as it was. She’d spent more time fluffy her hair and trying to see if there was a slip of nipple through the blush lace babydoll she’d brought. It had a little bit of support, so her boobs were at least perky, and the underpants weren’t much less covering than her bikini bottoms, the hem of the babydoll coming to just past her butt.

All of the apprehension definitely melted away at Peter’s reaction though, Wanda trying to look confident in the bathroom doorway, pinning some of her hair behind her ears and giving a small grin, “Yeah?’

It was the first time she’d really done the ‘negligee’ thing, and it wasn’t like she couldn’t sleep in it, it wasn’t uncomfortable. But she got the impression that it wasn’t really meant to be slept in either.

“I thought this might be prettier than my bathing suit.” She definitely felt a lot more sexier than she had in the bathroom, stepping out to cross the space closer to Peter.

---

“Uhhh…..” Peter kept telling himself to say something, to breathe, to do anything but stand there looking like an idiot, so what did he do? Accidentally spill water on his chest. Cursing, he stepped back and put the bottle back on the dresser, reaching for his shirt to dry off the liquid.

It was good though, the jolt of cold water. Reminded him that staring at her was creepy.

“You’re pretty wearing nothing,” he said without thinking before suddenly stammering. “I mean, you’re pretty in clothes, your bathing suit, that thing...wow.” Without noticing, he was walking towards her and he stretched out a tentative hand, tracing the lines of her hip and waist with a finger. “It’s soft. And …..”

Enough words. He couldn’t find them anyways. Leaning down, he captured her mouth with an intensity that surprised him. He normally liked giving her soft kisses, nibbling on her bottom lip, allowing moments to stretch but right now? Now, he couldn’t stop himself from pressing intently against her mouth, trying to communicate something since words were failing him.

---

Reducing Peter to rambling was something on an accomplishment, although she’d been near naked most of the night, he still seemed rather appreciative of her change in outfit.

She’d gotten a little used to his teasing kisses, but it didn’t mean she didn’t like the possessive passionate ones. She just sighed against Peter, counting the outfit a success and sinking into the embrace, her arms wrapping around Peter’s neck while she stretched up on her tiptoes, her chest pressing to his.

It was possibly a lot more than she’d anticipated, but as all the sparks shot through her body, the lace rubbing against her skin, Peter’s skin hot under her hands, Wanda didn’t rightly care at the moment. She was fully prepared to just lose herself in Peter’s arms.

---

And Peter was more than happy to lose himself in her as well.

Which was why he felt he needed to stop.

“Wanda,” he groaned, managing to tear himself away slightly. “We have to stop….” His words belied his actions though, as his hands continued to caress her. “I’m drunk...you’ve been drinking...and you taste amazing...and god I want you so much…” He let his hands linger on her absolutely perfect backside before clearing his throat.

“What I’m trying to say is. I really respect you.”

---

It was rather sweet how often Peter pulled himself back, being respectful of her boundaries and aware of his own behaviour, Wanda leaned up with a smirk, pressing a soft kiss to the side of Peter’s mouth, her hands stroking over Peter’s impressive shoulders.

“Let’s go to bed,” her confidence was boosted just a little, from his reaction alone, the way his hands lingered, it certainly made her feel wanted and desired. “We can mess around in the morning.”

Wanda did have her boundaries, she wasn’t entirely prepared to go too far with Peter while there was still this question mark over their relationship. She knew he liked her, she was very aware of her own feelings. But she wanted to be sure it wasn’t a short term thing if she was going to get completely physical with Peter. It didn’t mean they couldn’t have some fun.

---