ᴡᴀɴᴅᴀ (scarletwitch) wrote in avengers_logs, @ 2019-04-18 16:16:00 |
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Entry tags: | -backdated, -complete, peter quill, wanda maximoff |
Who: Star-Lord & Wanda
What: Real food and pictures of her travels, plus an ice cream pact
When: The day after Wanda returned from Nepal
Where: Guardians Townhouse
Rating: Green
Status: Complete
Wanda always knew how to hide her pain - or, well, not really hide it, but push it back, off to the side, fling it into the stratosphere, anywhere it needed to go besides front and center. Her life was defined by loss, one after the other - but that still didn't mean she felt nothing when, after regularly corresponding with Bucky while in Nepal, she learned he simply...disappeared. No, she felt something. It felt like her heart had been ground to dust, vulnerable to wind gusts and then she'd be scattered. But she just had to hope that he was well, wherever he was. She'd miss him, just like she missed all the others who had gone from her orbit. Cooking was a good distraction, however. She was awake anyway, everything all wonky from the time change, so she got busy in the Sanctum's kitchen. It was probably the perfect time for comfort foods, things like fried chicken and cornbread, meatloaf and mashed potatoes - she made all of that, plus a couple dishes using recipes from Nepal. Thukpa, a hearty chicken soup and plenty of momo, which were dumplings. She packed everything into Tupperware containers and stuck them into a grocery bag, heading to Peter's place. There, she knocked on the door and waited for him to answer. Peter hopped over a mess of shoes, jackets and other things to open the door. Looking haphazard as usual, he grinned at Wanda and made gimme hands at the food. "Oh man, Wanda! I really did miss you, you know but damn ...is that real food?" He gave her a puppy dog look, followed by a grin. "Come in! You remember where the dining room is right?" Not worrying about her following him, he walked into the house. It was only slightly messy this time, more clutter than dirty, and David Bowie was playing on the sound system. Since Gamora left (the second time) he had really tried not to fall into a depressive wallow state. Sometimes, he thought having Darcy around was a bad idea the last time, she definitely helped enable him to be as disgusting as possible and not care. Now, he wanted to at least keep the garbage out of the house, even if it was still dirty. Moving a basket of laundry off of the dining room table, he put the bag down and started unpacking. "How was your trip? I know we kinda talked about it, but tell me things. Show me pictures. I've never been anywhere on Terra." "It is real food," Wanda confirmed with a laugh, following him inside. "Yes, I remember. It's good to see you again." The townhouse did look better - she knew all too well now what it was like to have a loved one disappear, and she wouldn't wish it on anyone. But it was easy to spiral into a depression when happiness was yanked away from you. Unfortunately, she was so used to it by now, in a sense - it always felt like telekinetically ripping a heart out, but she had come to expect it. Nothing good ever lasted for her. She had containers of food, fresh and hot, but also a gift for Peter - that liquor jar she promised, handmade in one of the markets found in the capital city. "It was fantastic - a really good place to work on my abilities and meditate," she said. "I did a lot of shopping and tried new foods - my favorites were the vendors selling yak tails," she grinned. "But I also visited more peaceful places. I went to the Garden of Dreams for reflection - they have lawn mats there, and you can bring a picnic. I have pictures." Her phone was retrieved so she could scroll through the album. "All these fountains and ponds, and marble inscriptions." Peter reached for one of the pieces of fried chicken. Even cold, it was delicious, and he munched away while looking at her pictures. It looked beautiful and calm and he wanted to touch everything which was probably not a good thing when you were talking about priceless old stuff. Plus, monks tended to frown on fingerprints on their artifacts. The liquor jar was really fucking cool, and Peter couldn't help but stare at it in awe. "It's like something from a comic book," he said, grinning. "Super cool. And super practical for me, since I'm a borderline alcoholic." He laughed but it was kind of true. It was starting to get to the point where he was drinking every day, and even though he knew he had to stop (his six pack was slowly becoming a five pack) he didn't know if he was ready to cope with feelings yet. Food would help though. Lots of food. "What was your favourite part?" “Kirtipur, I think - it was just...incredible.” Wanda sounded wistful at the memory. “It is a district of Kathmandu, dotted with these medieval temples and beautiful views of the mountains. The story goes that in the 1700s, it was conquered by a King who wanted to cut the nose and lips off all other males in the town - only those who played wind instruments got to keep everything intact.” Some men she knew really needed their lips cut off - maybe then they would not say such stupid things. But anyway. She settled at the dining room table, and seeing people enjoy the food she cooked was always a joy for her in turn. “How are you doing, really?” she asked, out of concern. “I do not want your health to suffer, even if things are difficult now.” Peter slowed down on the food devouring trail, but only slightly. It was easier not to answer Wanda's questions when he had a mouthful of food...even if he knew at some point he'd have to swallow and deal. "Man...that's a buzzkill story," he said finally, ignoring her question. "I need my lips for chewing and stuff." He tried to give her one of his patented smirks but he knew she wouldn't let him get away with it. "Things are difficult," he finally answered. "I'll give you that.... I mean, I miss ...her.... and you know how that goes. When someone's there and then they're gone and then ..well they're there again ...only in my case, she left again. So." He shrugged. He didn't even have Darcy to help him get through this. "I'm here though. Always here. And Drax too." Peter rolled his eyes. "Why can't he be one of the disappearing ones? I caught him with my underwear on his head the other day. I don't even know why, and I didn't even ask. Just slowly walked out of the room going 'what is my life...'" He gave her a look of understanding. "You holding up?" Wanda nodded - a lot of what Peter said was familiar to her. “Of course you miss her, you probably always will until you are reunited again - here or elsewhere.” She didn’t believe that Gamora was dead, even in the other timeline. There would be a way to bring her back, after she suffered such a cruel fate at the hands of her adoptive father - who really wasn’t much of a father at all, just a genocidal maniac. “I often think about disappearing too - that I wish I could,” she admitted. “When I was turned to dust, I was at peace. It meant there was no more pain, no more loss. I am tired of both.” But otherwise, how was she holding up? It was difficult, she wouldn’t lie about that. “Tired of both, but...used to it. In a way. I just find a way to live with it. That’s all you can do.” That was all he could do too. "Yeah....so I cope with alcohol and food, and now you're back to provide me with that, so life is good?" He gave a grin and reached for a napkin, wiping his greasy hands off. "And who knows...this world is a crazy place." And it was proving crazier and crazier. It seemed that lately, everyone was coming back. He'd had to stop himself from hoping Gamora would be one of them. Even if she was, he knew that this time? He'd be going a lot slower. Didn't matter how much he loved her, it was too hard to have her and watch her leave again. And hey -- it'd be fun to get to know her all over again. "Plus, I mean, even if she came back? She wouldn't be the same one, and that's okay. I'm learning to be okay with things. I think. Maybe." He grinned. "Hey look at me! Number one adult over here. I got this. You're a good friend, Wanda." “Maybe less with the alcohol coping?” she suggested, but she knew she couldn’t tell Peter what to do - it was just her, speaking from a place of concern as someone who cared about him. “You are a good friend too, and I want you to stick around - we don’t have control about disappearing from this universe, but we do have control over our health.” Yes, and she just got him a liquor jar, but still. Moderation? They could do it together. She knew how easy it was to jump back into vices that comforted you during difficult times. “I admire you, because I don’t think I’d be okay if a new Bucky returned,” she confessed. Their history would just be erased - he wouldn’t have any idea who she was beyond the Scarlet Witch, that weird girl who happened to save his life two seconds before T’Challa clawed his throat out over crimes he didn’t commit. That hurt, and she wouldn’t pretend it didn’t. “But if it happens, I’ll find you and we can go out for ice cream.” At least it was a better option than alcohol. The idea of anyone admiring him was a foreign thought. Even though Peter liked to talk a big talk, he knew that he was no one's shining example of how to live one's life. In fact, he was pretty sure it was the complete opposite: he was the cautionary tale, the one that somehow worked things out but no child should look up to. Whatever. "Ice cream solves everything, and I always have some in the freezer." He paused. "Unless Drax got into it, and then he was probably dipping celery or Doritos or something weird into it." He gave a laugh and shook his head. "I mean, you got a roommate too, but somehow I don't think Strange wears your clothes, or scratches your CDs or sleeps on top of the couch. Like...literally on top of the couch." Peter tried to motion with his hands, explaining that Drax seemed to enjoy being perched like a bird. "He's so fucking weird, and I can't get rid of him. Not that I want to," he confessed. A bit of a giggle escaped Wanda. “I figured you didn’t,” she said - and she didn’t need to read any minds to know that Drax and Peter were like family. An odd, dysfunctional family - like two brothers who couldn’t be more different - but family all the same. “Stephen does not do any of that. He’s very respectful of space - thinks that take-out is the only way to survive, but a good roommate.” To his credit, the ‘take-out’ was literally fresh from whatever foreign country he could get to in three seconds using portals. But Wanda preferred cooking for them all, Wong included. He wasn’t any better at domestic things either. “Plus, the Sanctum is very large. However, I don’t think we have any ice cream - “ And it wasn’t as if the Master of the Mystic Arts had time for grocery shopping, “...so I will hold you to your word.” Now Peter wanted ice cream. Heading to the kitchen, he dug around for a container (Mint Chocolate Chip), two spoons and came back to the table. Setting it down, Peter grinned back and extended his hand, his pinky finger towards her. "Now we have to pinky promise. That is an unbreakable bond between the two of us that no matter what, ice cream is important. No questions asked. If you want ice cream at 3 am, come over. Let's do this. And I promise that I will always have ice cream, even if Drax does weird things to it." Actually... Peter opened the lid and peeked inside. Nope, nothing looked strange. It was that lovely green it was supposed to be. Oustretching his hand again, he gave her a nod. "Come on. This is like ...super important and like a whole 'nother step to our friendship. I mean, we could spit in our hands and shake on it but that's kinda gross." It was extremely silly, but also heartwarming - and Wanda appreciated the gesture. “Okay, though I do not know...who came up with this?” she was laughing as she hooked her pinky around Peter’s - vaguely, the American custom of sealing promises in such a way registered with her but it was definitely new for this witch. “But alright. I swear that ice cream is important. No matter what, if one of us wants it, we will have it.” Maybe it was better she didn’t know about the weird things Drax did to ice cream. Or else a secret freezer would have to be set up for the stash. |