...but you're making yourself lie about it, instead?

( she mutters the question, rubbing her face against his shoulder. weirdly enough, she likes that matt smells like her shampoo and soap, something familiar, something of hers on him. while it's heroic that he'd want to protect her from 'sinning', should she ever have to lie for his sake, wanda doesn't think it's that much of a big deal.

in the quiet of this moment, she notices him relaxing, his arms tighter around her, almost like she's done something for him that he's needed—though he's denied himself from it all this time. a shared burden, so to speak.

the words mirrored back at her—i love you too. i do.—casual yet meaningful, makes her breathing hitch in her throat. does this mean that matt understands that she'll accept him, flaws and all? darkness and all? she does hope he knows. there's honesty in his words, that much she can feel, tell.

drawing back a touch, though doing her best not to pull him away entirely, wanda worries on searching his face. light touches on his skin, on his features, now that he's taken the glasses off; she traces over his bruises, under his tired eyes, and—

lingers, eyes on his lips, noticing a cut on his bottom lip, healing from some fight he must have had before tonight. )

When you — say that you love me, do you mean...

( it's scary, asking this. even if she feels certain about how he feels.

wanda swallows, arms herself with courage, lets her hand fall onto his shoulder. )

I want to be with you. To help you, to— to be the one you feel like what 'home' feels like.