lefthandfree | [meme] open post / picture prompt catch-all

[ The joke, locked, loaded, and deployed, hits home. Wanda chuckles. It comes from a place of fondness she knows not many people have for Steve — he is over six feet and somehow eyes glide over him and down to the star or the shield. He trusted her even after what she did, and he, like Natasha and Clint, offered no empty platitudes for Pietro. Knowledge of the same loss does not make it easier, and she would never feel jealousy for him getting his brother back. ]

Just a bowl. Here, this size.

[ She takes it out. ]

A plate for you?

[He smiles (surprisingly) easily when she laughs, people finding good humor about Steve always something that pleases him. The bowl’s a good reference size though.

And then he has to laugh himself because even though he just made fun of Steve, his portioning isn't much different from Steve's.]

Yeah. A plate for me, please.

[He pops open the container’s lid and sets it top down onto the counter. Smells great even when cold. Food has come a long way. He digs out a fork and starts dishing out the goods.]

[ It's a good smile. It crinkles the skin around his eyes. Wanda sets the bowl and plate next to the box, but he already has a fork. She rests the spoon on her bowl instead. ]

I think there is some sauce in the cupboard, but I do not much like condiments.

Edited 2016-08-16 14:56 (UTC)

[Huh.]

You like it plain?

[He starts moving over lumpy, cold noodles into the bowl first. Ladies first, all that jazz.]

What about meatballs?

[That’s in another storage container in the fridge.]

I will take meatballs.

[ The box just floats out of the fridge, wrapped in a nest of red, because Wanda is busy getting a fork. It thunks on the table. ]

You?

[He can't help his eyes from following the floating box. He isn't used to being around people who use their powers for menial things like making a midnight (3am) snack.

Bucky starts a bit in surprise from the sound of the box landing on the table because he hadn’t expect her to drop it when she’d pulled it out so gracefully from the fridge. Guess there are trade-offs even with powers like hers.]

Yeah, definitely.

[Meatballs were always a luxury compared to just tomato sauce, so maybe it’s old habit, but real spaghetti isn’t complete without meatballs to him.]

[ Part of it is because she wants to normalise it being around for him, if they're going to continue to be in close proximity. Wanda sometimes locks and opens the door with it, and is especially popular when it comes to missing remotes in the New Avengers compound. Make something familiar, and it stops being terrifying. Vision wasn't wrong when he said he kept trying to understand what he lived with. Wanda's not sure she can achieve that, but she knows she needs conquer her fear. ]

[ The kettle whistles, and she brings it to the table with the two tea bags. ]

You first.

[ He is a gentleman and will probably pour hers first or refuse, but she can't not ask. ]

[Gentleman that he is, he definitely goes to serve her cup for her first, throwing her a brief smile as he does because it’s polite when he just went and did the opposite of what she said. Then he’s on to his cup. Before he lowers the kettle, he can already smell something amazing wafting in the air.]

Is...that the tea?

[Because he thinks he’s in love. His heart even fluttering a little, and he wonders how Steve will react if he confesses to falling in love with tea of all things. Tea.]

[ Oh, that's endearing. She flashes him a bright smile. ]

Yes.

[He licks his lips anxiously, now eager to try it.]

It smells amazing. Tea’s never smelled this good to me before.

[And he turns to place the kettle back on the stove, a cool burner so it won’t keep boiling away and making a ruckus. While he’s there, he brings the bowl and plate over for the meatballs on the table.]

This is turning into quite the feast though.

[The words come out somewhat dry, but Bucky obviously finds amusement in the fact.]

I have a box of different types, if you would like to try.

[ Clint had given the list, when she first was alone in the Avengers pantry at night with no one to speak to and even less who'd listen. ]

Should we call the others?

[ She won't — his thoughts are all jagged but when they are calm, they are startlingly clear. It is soothing to be around when her own mind is agitated or overwhelmed from the feedback. ]

Nah. I think I’ve already found my One and Only.

[The jokes come easier now that they’ve shared a moment. He’s grateful because he doesn’t quite know what to do when he thinks of a good line and can’t use it.]

And no need. Some things are better experienced without a crowd. Don’t you think?

[He smiles at her briefly and picks up the spoon before popping off the lid for the meatballs and starting to serve it out onto her bowl of noodles.]

[ Or misery likes company. He's more relaxed than he was when he came in, so she keeps that thought away. ]

I will give you chrysanthemum next.

[ Just to make life interesting. ]

[Chrysanthemum...?]

...what, like the flower?

[Right? It’s a flower, right? Or is it a tea?

???]

[ Her mouth curves into a smile. Deadpan, ]

Yes, the flower.

[ trollface.jpg ]

[Huh.]

If you want.

[He’s obviously not so sure himself, but Wanda seems like she knows enough about tea from the way she’s been talking about it so...why not?

He moves on to adding meatballs to his own plate after nudging her bowl toward her.]

Your bowl’s ready if you wanna heat it up in the...microwave.

[That's the name of it, right? Or was it macrowave? Whatever. The heating box. She knows what he means.]

[ She sets the cutlery down by the side and sets it for about half a minute in the microwave. By the fifteenth second, the strong aroma is already permeating the kitchen. Wanda blows on her food lightly as she takes it out, not closing the microwave door yet. ]

Would you like to heat yours?

Uh. [He gets distracted watching her that he forgets what he's doing for a moment. She's so...different. But in a way that Bucky feels like he understands even though he has no idea what he's even understanding.

He dollops another meatball on top of his plate and nods.]

Yes, please.

[He holds it out for her to take.]

[ Kindred will know kindred — Wanda sees something with teeth, louder than he likes it to be. There is no proof of her inhumanness wired to her body that can be excised like that arm of his; it's invisible. Wanda is outside only because she consciously chooses to keep employing it. ]

[ It is not monstrous to her, but then, she isn't afraid of him. ]

Here you go.

[ Thirty seconds later, a hot meal and some equally hot tea. ]

[He busies himself with cleaning up the storage containers, not wanting to get be caught watching her again. While he knows there’s no harm in it, it feels impolite and disrespectful given how calmly she acts around him otherwise. She has a grace that he appreciates, but that isn’t something to just ogle someone for.

Lids on, containers back in the fridge, spoon in the sink. He takes the fork he used to dish out the noodles to use with his meal.]

Thanks.

[He repositions things on the table so that they can face each other and takes a seat.]

[ It's all right, because Wanda always listens, even when she feels she's not supposed to. Survival instincts don't change so easily, even when she's had a year to settle into some kind of new life. He waits for her to sit before he does, and it is, again, endearing. ]

[ It is very clear why Steve likes him. ]

You're welcome.

[ She ventures, gently, ]

Is it often that you can't sleep?

[He wants to laugh hollowly at that. But that would be damn rude since she's genuinely curious and not just being shallow.]

Rather I just keep waking up, honestly.

[If that was less of a problem, sleep would happen more. But often it happens too much. and it culminates in a sense of unease that makes him loath the idea of waking again. Instead he stays up to prevent that, if not to write a new memory down.]

I don’t like being woken up early.

[Never did. Sure, he would wake up himself if he needed to, but on days when he wanted to sleep in and could, he wouldn’t budge, no matter how much Steve nudged him to get his ass out of bed.]

[ It is a lead-in, like a testing blow. Natasha teaches her hand to hand and here the Dora Milaje have taken over that role and are similarly merciless. ]

If you want — [ she hesitates, picking at her food ] I could... help.

Help.

[It comes out flatly as he’s clearly pondering the suggestion.]

In which way?

[Because he knows everyone wants to help. But everyone’s idea of helping is different.]

[ Her fork traces an o in the bowl, scraping the bottom. Everyone's idea of helping is different. Stark throws gifts and expects there to be no hard feelings; Wanda thinks he is so, so soft, and so easy to hurt. There is no one who can properly be a crutch until you stand — you either do it or you never do, but she had Steve and Natasha and Clint who let her stand and built the home around her so she could wake up to it. Her fingers flex. ]

With my power. It will put you to sleep.

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject