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[ it's a good thing wanda can smile and frown for the both of them. this time, she widens her smile as she points to him. ]
You.
[ one may think she's sucking up, but she's just telling the truth. finding people and beings who are light is difficult these days. ]
You.
[ one may think she's sucking up, but she's just telling the truth. finding people and beings who are light is difficult these days. ]
[ he startles into a laugh, reaching up to tuck her hair behind her ear. ]
Aren't you kind of already a princess? I mean, look at Grandfather.. [ let's be honest, here, he and xavier are basically the kings of krakoa, no matter how they try to say otherwise. ]
Aren't you kind of already a princess? I mean, look at Grandfather.. [ let's be honest, here, he and xavier are basically the kings of krakoa, no matter how they try to say otherwise. ]
[Awwwwww. This lady is sweet. Sun likes her.
He presses a hand to his chest, tapping one metal finger against the plating.]
Sun.
He presses a hand to his chest, tapping one metal finger against the plating.]
Sun.
[His creators worked very hard to make an animatronic worthy of the name, just as they did with his partner, Moon.]
Safe.
Safe.
[ she laughs lightly. ah, erik, the king of, well... scowling and pissing everyone off. once upon a time, wanda would've thought pietro took after him more than her. ]
Do you think I should get a tiara?
[ she tilts her head up as if she's posing for a portrait. ]
Or do you think that would be too intimidating for all of your friends? I want to be a cool mom.
Do you think I should get a tiara?
[ she tilts her head up as if she's posing for a portrait. ]
Or do you think that would be too intimidating for all of your friends? I want to be a cool mom.
[ he grins, and in a flash of blue energy, there's an appropriately-dramatic tiara in her hair, which he adjusts to sit at the best angle. ]
You kidding? You're already the coolest mom. [ well, his bio mom is pretty darn cool, too, but she's also definitely not as well-known as wanda is. ]
You kidding? You're already the coolest mom. [ well, his bio mom is pretty darn cool, too, but she's also definitely not as well-known as wanda is. ]
[ wanda laughs, face flushing. after a moment of being overwhelmed with being donned her princess crown, she rests her hands on her hips and smiles. ]
Oh.
[ her face falls as she looks at him. ]
Something's wrong.
[ it's with a very loose flick of her hand that he will find a small crown—not overly jewelled; billy never seemed like the type to be like that—sitting on the top of his head.
sorry if it messes up your hair, sweetie. ]
That's better.
Oh.
[ her face falls as she looks at him. ]
Something's wrong.
[ it's with a very loose flick of her hand that he will find a small crown—not overly jewelled; billy never seemed like the type to be like that—sitting on the top of his head.
sorry if it messes up your hair, sweetie. ]
That's better.
[That's an interesting connection. Sun cocks his face plate, considering what he'd follow with.]
...Witch.
[Yes, that feels right. A witch, like in the fairytales he tells the kids.]
...Witch.
[Yes, that feels right. A witch, like in the fairytales he tells the kids.]
He remembered.
When Natasha had asked her where she wanted to be dropped off for her secret little rendezvous with you-know-who, Wanda had difficulty containing her excitement. Vision had suggested Italy at their last meeting, and Wanda had happily agreed to it. It was one of the few countries she had told Vision she wished to visit someday. Even when it felt like a pipe dream after being trapped inside of the four walls of the Avengers Compound, she still dreamed, and Vision only enabled those dreams into a reality.
Natasha could spare her a handful of days before she needed to pick her up and take her to the opposite side of the world. But Wanda knew the handful of days that awaited her were going to feel like weeks and months.
After reassuring Natasha that she and Vision agreed to meet each other in the city rather than where the Quintet would drop her off, she walks along the side of the road, keeping her mind peeled for a little inkling of him. She tries to keep her mind clear and the tension away from her shoulders, but Wanda can never help but take Natasha's lessons keeping her eyes peeled and her senses alert to heart, especially when she was sneaking within the shadows and the bright light of day.
When she reaches the end of the street, she turns the corner and stops. She can't help but smile. Wanda could recognise him in the dark. Standing tall with his back to her, she eyes him curiously to confirm that the lines of his shoulder are, in fact, Vision's before she lets herself feel the excitement that she always feels when she sees him now.
On the softest of feet, she quickly approaches him before tapping him on the shoulder.
"Vis," she says quietly as though the city itself will alert Stark and S.H.I.E.L.D. of their whereabouts. Wanda wishes she could stop smiling, but she peers up at him eagerly, dressed much like the people bustling around them.
When Natasha had asked her where she wanted to be dropped off for her secret little rendezvous with you-know-who, Wanda had difficulty containing her excitement. Vision had suggested Italy at their last meeting, and Wanda had happily agreed to it. It was one of the few countries she had told Vision she wished to visit someday. Even when it felt like a pipe dream after being trapped inside of the four walls of the Avengers Compound, she still dreamed, and Vision only enabled those dreams into a reality.
Natasha could spare her a handful of days before she needed to pick her up and take her to the opposite side of the world. But Wanda knew the handful of days that awaited her were going to feel like weeks and months.
After reassuring Natasha that she and Vision agreed to meet each other in the city rather than where the Quintet would drop her off, she walks along the side of the road, keeping her mind peeled for a little inkling of him. She tries to keep her mind clear and the tension away from her shoulders, but Wanda can never help but take Natasha's lessons keeping her eyes peeled and her senses alert to heart, especially when she was sneaking within the shadows and the bright light of day.
When she reaches the end of the street, she turns the corner and stops. She can't help but smile. Wanda could recognise him in the dark. Standing tall with his back to her, she eyes him curiously to confirm that the lines of his shoulder are, in fact, Vision's before she lets herself feel the excitement that she always feels when she sees him now.
On the softest of feet, she quickly approaches him before tapping him on the shoulder.
"Vis," she says quietly as though the city itself will alert Stark and S.H.I.E.L.D. of their whereabouts. Wanda wishes she could stop smiling, but she peers up at him eagerly, dressed much like the people bustling around them.
The only thing that currently separates Vision from the slew of people around them is the simple fact that he's considerably taller. Aside from that he looked perfectly average, admittedly. Fair skin, blonde hair. Average features with light eyes that if you looked too closely at you may see odd variations. For whatever reason he hadn't found a way he could hide his eyes entirely, but the good thing about being tall was that he met gazes of others a lot less frequently.
He'd been playing with ability of direct projection somewhat as of late. Previously to being out in the world there hadn't been much need for it. Who was he trying to hide when he was at the compound? Not a single person didn't know more about his own life than he did. And there hadn't been much desire to leave prior to Wanda being there. But now? Things were different. They were so very different. And now out in the open, in another country, the last thing he was very interested in was sticking out like a big, red, sore thumb.
It was already likely odd enough that this tall man was hovering on the edges of a small gathering park in the heart of this small little town, nestled just outside the major city, just watching the way people interacted with one another. Their gentle movements and mundane conversations with a language he understood so vividly as though they were speaking English despite never actually hearing the tones and verbalization of the individual voices that carried these simple conversations to one another.
He was so wrapped in it that the tapping of his shoulder is missed, but thankfully the voice is not and he spins to met its speaker. The corners of his lips curling to make way for a broad smile the second his gaze met hers. There were a lot of things, emotionally, that still needed figuring out. He understood them in their basics, there was no way he couldn't, but he had never felt them. True joy had been one of the first, and that gift had been giving to him by Wanda.
Perhaps some day he'd tell her. Perhaps, she already knew.
"Wanda." His voice is soft, subconsciously matching her own. "I am delighted to see you..."
He'd been playing with ability of direct projection somewhat as of late. Previously to being out in the world there hadn't been much need for it. Who was he trying to hide when he was at the compound? Not a single person didn't know more about his own life than he did. And there hadn't been much desire to leave prior to Wanda being there. But now? Things were different. They were so very different. And now out in the open, in another country, the last thing he was very interested in was sticking out like a big, red, sore thumb.
It was already likely odd enough that this tall man was hovering on the edges of a small gathering park in the heart of this small little town, nestled just outside the major city, just watching the way people interacted with one another. Their gentle movements and mundane conversations with a language he understood so vividly as though they were speaking English despite never actually hearing the tones and verbalization of the individual voices that carried these simple conversations to one another.
He was so wrapped in it that the tapping of his shoulder is missed, but thankfully the voice is not and he spins to met its speaker. The corners of his lips curling to make way for a broad smile the second his gaze met hers. There were a lot of things, emotionally, that still needed figuring out. He understood them in their basics, there was no way he couldn't, but he had never felt them. True joy had been one of the first, and that gift had been giving to him by Wanda.
Perhaps some day he'd tell her. Perhaps, she already knew.
"Wanda." His voice is soft, subconsciously matching her own. "I am delighted to see you..."
"Well, that's good. I would be devastated if you were horrified," she chuckles, scrunching up her nose.
She wrings her hands together nervously, and once she realises what she's doing, she tears them apart. It's easy being around Vision. She laughs and smiles more and frowns even less. She's stopped being quiet and wishing to disappear and take up less space. With him around, she wishes to be loud.
Not literally, of course. While she may have dyed her hair a lighter shade, Wanda knows that any attention can be bad attention. Perhaps Natasha's paranoia is starting to rub off on her.
But there's a new element to being with Vision. She notices more. The way he's started to smile and joke more. He seems less out of place and more comfortable than he'd been in the Compound. Perhaps the others had noticed this, but Wanda likes to think that she's the only one who knows that Vision can crinkle his brow in a cute, human way and that his face lights up when he smiles.
Wanda furrows her brows in concern. "Were you waiting long?"
She wrings her hands together nervously, and once she realises what she's doing, she tears them apart. It's easy being around Vision. She laughs and smiles more and frowns even less. She's stopped being quiet and wishing to disappear and take up less space. With him around, she wishes to be loud.
Not literally, of course. While she may have dyed her hair a lighter shade, Wanda knows that any attention can be bad attention. Perhaps Natasha's paranoia is starting to rub off on her.
But there's a new element to being with Vision. She notices more. The way he's started to smile and joke more. He seems less out of place and more comfortable than he'd been in the Compound. Perhaps the others had noticed this, but Wanda likes to think that she's the only one who knows that Vision can crinkle his brow in a cute, human way and that his face lights up when he smiles.
Wanda furrows her brows in concern. "Were you waiting long?"
"I think it would take a considerable amount for me to be horrified." An understatement if he ever said one. He reaches out to take one of the others hands in his own giving it a firm squeeze with a shake of his head. "I have not been here long." Unable to stop himself he reaches out to brush wisps of gingery hair away from her face. Despite his human appearance his touch is cool and metallic and the pressure is light, keeping his density purposefully low was a general rule when out amongst the public but it felt harder when he was around Wanda. With her, he always felt like he was about to float away.
Finally he seems to break the spell seeing her has put on him and he shifts his hand to take her own, lacing fingers, before starting to walk. He keeps his pace tempered so she can keep up. "I have asked a few of the locals where to find the best coffee, as it is apparently a thing here. Plus they are not opposed to having delicious treats for breakfast." He chuckles, hoping it will be inviting to her. Hell perhaps he'll even partake in something this time around. He has no need to eat, not really, but it is something that he is discovering that he enjoys the exploration of, especially during these stolen moments together. It always gave him one more thing to remember.
'Coffee and cakes for breakfast. Who would have thought.' When he speaks this time around it's in Italian. It's tone is playful, even if she doesn't understand it he hopes he can convey its teasing, playful, nature.
Finally he seems to break the spell seeing her has put on him and he shifts his hand to take her own, lacing fingers, before starting to walk. He keeps his pace tempered so she can keep up. "I have asked a few of the locals where to find the best coffee, as it is apparently a thing here. Plus they are not opposed to having delicious treats for breakfast." He chuckles, hoping it will be inviting to her. Hell perhaps he'll even partake in something this time around. He has no need to eat, not really, but it is something that he is discovering that he enjoys the exploration of, especially during these stolen moments together. It always gave him one more thing to remember.
'Coffee and cakes for breakfast. Who would have thought.' When he speaks this time around it's in Italian. It's tone is playful, even if she doesn't understand it he hopes he can convey its teasing, playful, nature.
The one thing Wanda always realises about Vision is how she's always smiling. She gazes up at him and loves that he's already explored some of the city so that they're not walking around blind together. While she enjoys that very much, sometimes she likes to pretend she knows her lefts from her rights and where the best cafe in the next two blocks is. It makes her feel normal.
She narrows her eyes playfully when he speaks Italian. Although she can often read minds and somehow glean what the thought is when it's in another language when it's spoken, she has a harder time. It makes things feel a little mundane in the best way. Sometimes, Wanda doesn't want to know what she shouldn't.
"You're going to have to teach me Italian," she says with a low chuckle. Vision knows so much without having experienced it; she wonders just how good his Italian is when speaking to a local. "Will you actually have coffee this time? It's not as fun drinking alone."
She narrows her eyes playfully when he speaks Italian. Although she can often read minds and somehow glean what the thought is when it's in another language when it's spoken, she has a harder time. It makes things feel a little mundane in the best way. Sometimes, Wanda doesn't want to know what she shouldn't.
"You're going to have to teach me Italian," she says with a low chuckle. Vision knows so much without having experienced it; she wonders just how good his Italian is when speaking to a local. "Will you actually have coffee this time? It's not as fun drinking alone."
He may have overthought it considerably. He likes to play it off as though he were casual, and some of it was simply inquiring via the locals. But a lot of it was active research. Making sure he knew every street and building in their surrounding area. Half of it was trained habit, the more intel you had the less likely you were to get caught off guard if something were to happen, but another part was a little more selfish.
He wanted to show off.
So much so that he nods at the mention of teaching her a little of the local language. "I can not promise how good a teacher I can be. But we can do common phrases, since we will be here for a bit." More and more as they took these little escapes, it became harder to put a timeframe on them. What started as weekends turned into long weekends, which then became a week, and why not tack on another weekend while you were at it.
If there was no pressing matters or things that came up? All he wanted to do was spend time away, with her. Even if it meant drinking coffee, though it gave him little benefit. "Of course. I mean after all; we did come all this way. And the country is known for it's coffee. Would be a shame to not experience it. Lets partake." The good news is, he was already on his way towards where the person he'd met early this morning had suggested. Somewhere tucked away on a local street which seemed to mostly contain housing and a few staple shops.
"Maybe, if you're a quick learner, we'll make you order for us." A smile and a playful wink. Even if she's not proficient she might be doing better than him. Vision can easily speak it but it's almost mechanical in nature. The tone too phonetic and the phrasing too clinical. Coming from her it might actually sound genuine, even if its wrong.
He wanted to show off.
So much so that he nods at the mention of teaching her a little of the local language. "I can not promise how good a teacher I can be. But we can do common phrases, since we will be here for a bit." More and more as they took these little escapes, it became harder to put a timeframe on them. What started as weekends turned into long weekends, which then became a week, and why not tack on another weekend while you were at it.
If there was no pressing matters or things that came up? All he wanted to do was spend time away, with her. Even if it meant drinking coffee, though it gave him little benefit. "Of course. I mean after all; we did come all this way. And the country is known for it's coffee. Would be a shame to not experience it. Lets partake." The good news is, he was already on his way towards where the person he'd met early this morning had suggested. Somewhere tucked away on a local street which seemed to mostly contain housing and a few staple shops.
"Maybe, if you're a quick learner, we'll make you order for us." A smile and a playful wink. Even if she's not proficient she might be doing better than him. Vision can easily speak it but it's almost mechanical in nature. The tone too phonetic and the phrasing too clinical. Coming from her it might actually sound genuine, even if its wrong.
Still smiling, she widens her eyes a little as if frightened by the prospect of ordering for them in Italian. When it came to languages, she seemed to pick it up a little too quickly. She remembers how learning to speak like an American had been easy for her. Her mother often joked it was due to her obsessive nature when it came to watching American television shows.
She walks beside him, close enough to take his hand if she wanted to. For now, she lets herself merely enjoy his company before she worries about whether or not she's holding his hand in the most comfortable way for him. Whenever she's with Vision, she's alert and present, but still slinks back into her own worrying thoughts. She wants everything to be perfect.
"If I can do it, it's because I had a very good teacher," she says as she winks at him.
She furrows her brows as she looks ahead. "We'll need to make sure we do something that you enjoy, too." Which was harder than it should be, considering Vision seemed to know almost everything and anything. With his lack of hunger and desire to drink, it was hard to wine and dine him, even if he was always such a good sport about it.
But when she looks at him again, Wanda narrows her eyes thoughtfully and smiles conspiratorially. Yes, she thinks she has the perfect idea.
She walks beside him, close enough to take his hand if she wanted to. For now, she lets herself merely enjoy his company before she worries about whether or not she's holding his hand in the most comfortable way for him. Whenever she's with Vision, she's alert and present, but still slinks back into her own worrying thoughts. She wants everything to be perfect.
"If I can do it, it's because I had a very good teacher," she says as she winks at him.
She furrows her brows as she looks ahead. "We'll need to make sure we do something that you enjoy, too." Which was harder than it should be, considering Vision seemed to know almost everything and anything. With his lack of hunger and desire to drink, it was hard to wine and dine him, even if he was always such a good sport about it.
But when she looks at him again, Wanda narrows her eyes thoughtfully and smiles conspiratorially. Yes, she thinks she has the perfect idea.
A Jill of all trades, one of the many reasons why he likes her so much. He has good faith that she'll pick it up quickly. Even if she gets a little wide eyed at the concept of it. She's brilliant, but he might be bias.
It doesn't matter exactly how they hold hands, or walk close, as long as they're together. That's all that truly matters. So long as they have that perfection is already a part of their day to day. Even at its most stressful, even at it's most tempered. They have each other. Things weren't perfect, perhaps they'd never be, but as she stood next to him, hands locked together, it was as prefect as either one of them were going to get in this imperfect life.
"I'm simply the best." He winks back, it's these little nuances he enjoys the most. But her next few words make him pause. It's always so tricky when moments like these come up. Something he enjoys. It's a simple suggestion isn't it? But of course, like so many things about Vision, it's so much more complicated than whats on the surface. He doesn't exactly know what he enjoys. But these moments are making it easier to discover it. There is one simple answer that he can give her right in this moment.
"I am doing something I enjoy." Its a simple, earnest, answer.
It doesn't matter exactly how they hold hands, or walk close, as long as they're together. That's all that truly matters. So long as they have that perfection is already a part of their day to day. Even at its most stressful, even at it's most tempered. They have each other. Things weren't perfect, perhaps they'd never be, but as she stood next to him, hands locked together, it was as prefect as either one of them were going to get in this imperfect life.
"I'm simply the best." He winks back, it's these little nuances he enjoys the most. But her next few words make him pause. It's always so tricky when moments like these come up. Something he enjoys. It's a simple suggestion isn't it? But of course, like so many things about Vision, it's so much more complicated than whats on the surface. He doesn't exactly know what he enjoys. But these moments are making it easier to discover it. There is one simple answer that he can give her right in this moment.
"I am doing something I enjoy." Its a simple, earnest, answer.
She blushes, glancing at him before looking away and shaking her head in amusement. He's unbelievable in many ways, but what Wanda focuses on the most is how he always manages to make her feel light.
Even when she feels utterly trapped beneath the rubble of her grief, Vision is always there, lending a hand and making it bearable. That's something she doesn't understand how he knows to do, but he simply does it. It's something she takes for granted and appreciates at the same time. His presence is always intoxicating for that reason.
"What about bike riding?" she asks, her face still flushed with heat. She looks at him with a smile. "That can be fun. I think they have some great routes we can ride along and see more of the city... and you seem to have great balance." As he has a great everything, really.
Even when she feels utterly trapped beneath the rubble of her grief, Vision is always there, lending a hand and making it bearable. That's something she doesn't understand how he knows to do, but he simply does it. It's something she takes for granted and appreciates at the same time. His presence is always intoxicating for that reason.
"What about bike riding?" she asks, her face still flushed with heat. She looks at him with a smile. "That can be fun. I think they have some great routes we can ride along and see more of the city... and you seem to have great balance." As he has a great everything, really.
"Bike riding?" He blinks, the act is not foreign to him in the sense that he understands the concept. However it's something he's never done, hell it's something he's never even thought about doing. Not on his radar on the slightest.
But right there is why Wanda is good for him.
If he were still locked up tight under the Avengers beck and call there certainly wouldn't be little reflections of self like this. Did he like bike riding? Was coffee something that could be enjoyed? Would he like to see the entirety of the world and all the peoples in it? These were all questions that he didn't know he wanted answers to until he met the woman standing beside him now and every time they were together he found himself asking more and more of them and seeking the answers out together.
What they have may not be perfect but it is needed and as he ponders the deceptively simple question of 'do you want to go on a bike ride and see the city?' he squeezes Wanda's hand subconsciously before settling on his answer;
"I think I should like that. It does sound rather rousing."
But right there is why Wanda is good for him.
If he were still locked up tight under the Avengers beck and call there certainly wouldn't be little reflections of self like this. Did he like bike riding? Was coffee something that could be enjoyed? Would he like to see the entirety of the world and all the peoples in it? These were all questions that he didn't know he wanted answers to until he met the woman standing beside him now and every time they were together he found himself asking more and more of them and seeking the answers out together.
What they have may not be perfect but it is needed and as he ponders the deceptively simple question of 'do you want to go on a bike ride and see the city?' he squeezes Wanda's hand subconsciously before settling on his answer;
"I think I should like that. It does sound rather rousing."
"And if you don't, at least you'll know," she says.
It's important to her that Vision finds what he likes and doesn't like. Maybe he'll like bike riding. Maybe he won't. For her, it's the art of discovering it. Seeing him live normally is wonderful… and she likes the fact that she gets to see the look of awe or distaste on his face. It's special.
"It's okay if you don't like everything," she says, gently elbowing his side. "I don't want you to like everything. I don't like things."
It's important to her that Vision finds what he likes and doesn't like. Maybe he'll like bike riding. Maybe he won't. For her, it's the art of discovering it. Seeing him live normally is wonderful… and she likes the fact that she gets to see the look of awe or distaste on his face. It's special.
"It's okay if you don't like everything," she says, gently elbowing his side. "I don't want you to like everything. I don't like things."
He nods as she goes on. He's not entirely sure how he's going to enjoy biking, it's honestly not a thing that's ever crossed his mind. Not for any particular reason, but that's the thing. There's a lot about life he honestly hasn't ever considered and that's part of it's frustration and it's joy.
And one of the reasons these little trips away with Wanda were so eye opening in the first place. She put these little ideas in his head, like bicycle rides and trying Italian coffees.
He can't promise it's going to go well, but he will certainly give it a try. Though her comment of not liking everything that comes her way is an interesting thought in it's own right and as they find the little coffee shop exactly where it was told to be and they settle in to a spot inside the question burns at the forefront of his mind.
"What are things you don't like."
And one of the reasons these little trips away with Wanda were so eye opening in the first place. She put these little ideas in his head, like bicycle rides and trying Italian coffees.
He can't promise it's going to go well, but he will certainly give it a try. Though her comment of not liking everything that comes her way is an interesting thought in it's own right and as they find the little coffee shop exactly where it was told to be and they settle in to a spot inside the question burns at the forefront of his mind.
"What are things you don't like."
[ When Wanda wakes up, she makes sure to tiptoe around the small apartment as she prepares a little surprise for Pietro. While she suspects that he'll grow justifiably annoying today, incessantly reminding her of how he's twelve minutes older and therefore wiser (amongst many other positive descriptors), all Wanda wants to do is surprise him.
For the last couple of years, he's always been quicker and beaten her to the gift-giving and first-to-say-it punch. She supposes it has something to do with him being so unnaturally impatient and quick. HYDRA separating them during this time hadn't helped, either; Wanda's become insufferably clingy and Pietro has, too, in his own way.
She tiptoes around the kitchen and gently opens and closes cupboard doors. She's bought Pietro a little cupcake from the bakery that remains standing. Maria had been more than happy to bake a special cupcake for Pietro free of charge for his birthday. Sometimes Pietro's outrageous flirting and unnecessary charisma pay off.
She slots a candle in its very centre and smiles at her handiwork. She doesn't light it yet. It's not much, but she suspects that Pietro would be happy even if she gifted him a rock from outside for his birthday. But he deserves more than a rock. She would've gotten him a whole three-tiered expensive cake like she's seen in her television shows if she could've decided on the flavours and had the money.
Wanda tiptoes back to the bed and slowly climbs on top of him. Brushing her fingers in his hair and along the shell of his ear, she whispers, ] Pietro, wake up.
[ When they had still been teenagers, Wanda had enjoyed jumping on Pietro and screaming 'Happy Birthday!' on the birthdays when she managed to get up first. She likes that she's matured to a more Wanda-like approach—it's soft and slow, the two things she knows Pietro finds the most frustrating. ]
For the last couple of years, he's always been quicker and beaten her to the gift-giving and first-to-say-it punch. She supposes it has something to do with him being so unnaturally impatient and quick. HYDRA separating them during this time hadn't helped, either; Wanda's become insufferably clingy and Pietro has, too, in his own way.
She tiptoes around the kitchen and gently opens and closes cupboard doors. She's bought Pietro a little cupcake from the bakery that remains standing. Maria had been more than happy to bake a special cupcake for Pietro free of charge for his birthday. Sometimes Pietro's outrageous flirting and unnecessary charisma pay off.
She slots a candle in its very centre and smiles at her handiwork. She doesn't light it yet. It's not much, but she suspects that Pietro would be happy even if she gifted him a rock from outside for his birthday. But he deserves more than a rock. She would've gotten him a whole three-tiered expensive cake like she's seen in her television shows if she could've decided on the flavours and had the money.
Wanda tiptoes back to the bed and slowly climbs on top of him. Brushing her fingers in his hair and along the shell of his ear, she whispers, ] Pietro, wake up.
[ When they had still been teenagers, Wanda had enjoyed jumping on Pietro and screaming 'Happy Birthday!' on the birthdays when she managed to get up first. She likes that she's matured to a more Wanda-like approach—it's soft and slow, the two things she knows Pietro finds the most frustrating. ]
[It's rare that Pietro sleeps deeply enough to not notice when Wanda moves at all, let alone ventures out to the kitchen and back, trying to be quiet on creaky wooden floorboards. This morning is one of those times, the need to recharge from too much energy output over the last days catching up, and he doesn't so much as twitch the entire time she's gone about sneaking around. Even when she crawls over him, he doesn't move or squirm away. The soft and slow stroke of her fingertips along his ear, in his hair making his scalp tingle - that's what draws him out of it, a low noise of annoyance, snaking one arm out from under the blanket, gently batting away her hand.]
Don't do that.
[Gravelly and low, but a weak protest, because now he's awake and won't be able to sleep again. With an exaggerated sigh, Pietro shifts around in irritated little movements until he's propping himself up on one elbow, looking up at her with a put-upon glare that has more softness than edge.]
Happy Birthday.
[He is absolutely taking the opportunity to say it first, even if it sounds too quick and perfunctory while he wipes a line of drool from his beard with his thumb. He frowns and reaches with that same hand to finger a lock of her hair.]
Is that a grey hair? You're getting old, Wanda.
Don't do that.
[Gravelly and low, but a weak protest, because now he's awake and won't be able to sleep again. With an exaggerated sigh, Pietro shifts around in irritated little movements until he's propping himself up on one elbow, looking up at her with a put-upon glare that has more softness than edge.]
Happy Birthday.
[He is absolutely taking the opportunity to say it first, even if it sounds too quick and perfunctory while he wipes a line of drool from his beard with his thumb. He frowns and reaches with that same hand to finger a lock of her hair.]
Is that a grey hair? You're getting old, Wanda.
[ Staying on top of him is a difficult feat, but Wanda embodies the impossible. She wants her weight to weigh him down so he can never move again. That would be nice, even if he'd grow irritated and annoying.
Perhaps she doesn't want that on her birthday. She does want it on his, though. Decisions, decisions.
She smacks at his hand lightly and scrunches her nose in annoyance at him. She was supposed to say it first! And she doesn't have grey hairs! Or that many, at least! ]
You have many grey hairs. [ She can mistake silver for grey, can't she? She ruffles her fingers through his hair roughly. ] So many.
[ But she drops her hand to press against the bed and makes no move to get off of him. Not yet, at least. There's one thing she wishes to do before he thinks about either stealing it from her or running away.
Wanda kisses his cheek. ]
And if I am old, you are older. I have a surprise for you.
Perhaps she doesn't want that on her birthday. She does want it on his, though. Decisions, decisions.
She smacks at his hand lightly and scrunches her nose in annoyance at him. She was supposed to say it first! And she doesn't have grey hairs! Or that many, at least! ]
You have many grey hairs. [ She can mistake silver for grey, can't she? She ruffles her fingers through his hair roughly. ] So many.
[ But she drops her hand to press against the bed and makes no move to get off of him. Not yet, at least. There's one thing she wishes to do before he thinks about either stealing it from her or running away.
Wanda kisses his cheek. ]
And if I am old, you are older. I have a surprise for you.
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