Location: Avengers HQ – Cafeteria
Time: Next Morning
The usual morning hum filled the Avengers cafeteria—steam rising from fresh coffee, the soft clatter of cutlery, and occasional murmur of conversation. A long central table held the team's breakfast: Steve Rogers pouring eggs, Tony tinkering with a gadget between bites, Sam Wilson stirring his cereal, Natasha watching everyone with her usual cool composure, and Vision scanning data on a nearby tablet.
Wanda slipped in through the entrance, tray in hand, and froze when her eyes landed on Riven, walking toward the group from the opposite side. Her steps halted mid-stride. At the same time, Riven stopped three feet away, his gaze locked on hers. Their eyes held—surprise, warmth, unspoken words—until the rest of the Avengers turned to look.
Sam tapped his spoon against the table and squinted at the pair. "Uh… did I miss something? You two okay?"
Steve glanced over, a knowing smile lifting the corner of his mouth. "Morning, Riven. Morning, Wanda."
Tony paused mid-bite, eyebrows raised. "Something brewing over coffee, or…? I can make pancakes if it helps ease the tension."
Vision didn't look up, fingers still gliding over his tablet. "They appear to be engaged in a semiotic pause."
Natasha lifted an eyebrow. A fleeting flicker passed across her expression—something warm, perhaps the hint of a smile—before she resumed sipping her espresso. There was no comment, but her gaze lingered on the pair long enough to suggest she noticed where their thoughts were drifting.
Riven cleared his throat. Wordlessly, he sat across from Steve. Wanda closed the small gap, placing her tray down beside Natasha's.
Steve leaned forward, gently teasing: "Everything alright, you two?"
Wanda glanced at him, then at Riven. She managed a small, contained smile. "Yeah… just morning thoughts."
Tony slid an extra pancake onto her plate, grinning. "Breakfast of reconciliation?"
Sam chuckled. "Looks like the beginning of something," he teased.
Vision offered a serene nod. "Journeys often begin in shared silence."
Natasha watched the exchange, expression neutral—though the faintest warmth flickered in her eyes before it retracted.
Riven finally broke the tension. "I… missed my morning routine."
Wanda's lips curved upward, soft and genuine. "Me too."
Steve smiled brightly. "Then dinner's on me tonight. Family-style."
Tony quipped: "As long as nobody tries to lift a truck again at the table."
Laughter rippled around the table. The earlier tension dissolved. Wanda glanced at Riven—his gaze warm—and finally took a bite of her pancake.
The day had begun.