WHO: Kate with most of the WandaVision fam WHAT: Kate comes to visit Billy and Tommy! And Vision's there too~ WHERE: Tower Apartment WHEN: Recently! STATUS: Complete
Having a guest over was sort of exciting - alright, it was quite exciting, especially considering this was someone who knew Billy and Tommy in another...universe, was it? Vision wasn’t certain of the details but once he shared that little fact with the boys, they got even more anxious to meet a friend. Someone who was already their friend - it took some of the pressure off, anyway, even if Vision already told Kate that Billy and Tommy were a lot younger than she was likely used to.
Tommy was eating, constantly, and Billy wasn’t far behind in terms of appetite - so while Vision wasn’t much of a cook, he at least was adept at picking up pizza. There was a shipping container truck enclosed in glass that served up the best pizza - but rather than go on a treasure hunt for the truck itself, the brick and mortar shop with its wood-fired oven would do. Vision donned his ‘human’ visage and procured enough pizza to feed a small army and Tommy - some with meat, some with cheese only, some with veggies; it was a whole variety and he was assured that everyone liked pizza, and it’d be a good choice for being a good host when one was tasked with making sure a guest was comfortable and fed.
Vision was just setting up the open cardboard boxes on the kitchen island, while Billy dutifully found plates and napkins - when Tommy heard the knock at the door he called out, “Dad, she’s here!” and zoomed to go answer, a grin bright as a supernova already in place.
Kate was nervous. It was ridiculous that she was nervous, because these kids were her friends. At least, they had been in her world, and now she was planning on dinner with miniature versions of her best friend and former fling, and this was really, really weird. Vision had made it sound like the boys were interested in meeting her, so that was a plus? At least no one was going into this blind.
She went through different outfits like she might when she was going out on a date. Again, ridiculous. Ridiculous was probably the word for the evening. Spoiler alert: It would probably be coming up a lot. After settling on a purple sweater and jeans (super cute, but totally casual), she headed to Vision's door. After deep breaths, she knocked and waited.
And then the door opened. Kate was faced with a miniature version of Tommy--she'd know that grin anywhere. "Oh... Oh my God," she laughed as she studied him. Shock and wonder and awe and happiness all mixed within her. "Tommy. You have no idea how good it is to see you."
“Hi! You’re Kate, right?” Tommy was practically vibrating with how thrilled he was - and Vision was glad for it, truly, since he knew the boys didn’t have the best start to life. Westview had been something of a tricky situation, and then finding them with Mephisto? It was a lot for anyone to have to deal with, let alone two children. He was just relieved they were back with him and Wanda - she didn’t have the right to cause such emotional and mental distress to thousands of people just to keep their family unit intact, but when the boys needed help and had called to her, she answered. Vision did too. They finally were getting a chance to be a family without the debates over what was right and wrong.
This was right. It had to be. He looked at Billy and Tommy and experienced nothing but joy.
“Hello Kate,” Vision greeted, coming into the living room. Now that he was back home there was no need to look human so he didn’t - he wore a cardigan and pressed slacks, but his skin was red and his eyes were a clear blue. “We’re so glad you could come over. I see you’ve met Tommy - and this is Billy,” he introduced the other boy, hands on his shoulders. Billy was a little less bombastic than his brother, but he waved happily anyway.
Oh man, this was the weirdest and most awesome thing ever! At least the weirdest and most awesome thing since Kate arrive to that weird tower in San Francisco, anyway. She was face to face with like, a ten-year-old version of her friend, teammate, and former fling. And there was a ten-year-old version of her best friend and teammate. And Vision, who was an alternate version of--Jesus, this was getting complicated.
But Kate's grin never faltered. As weird and awesome as this place was, Kate was in it 100%. Possibly 110%. She was more than willing to come here, meet the boys, hang out, watch a movie, play video games, eat pizza... whatever. She was just happy to get to meet them. See them in this world. It made her feel... less alone.
"I'm Kate!" She grinned at Tommy. Then she looked over his head to Vision behind him. "Hello, Vision. And... Billy. Wow. This is so cool." She came into the place and felt awkward that she didn't bring anything. Like, nothing. No wine for Wanda, no popcorn for the boys, nothing. What a rude houseguest.
The boys definitely didn’t mind that Kate didn’t bring anything - Vision didn’t either, really. She was their guest and all of them wanted to be good hosts. Besides, friendship wasn’t based on things regardless - it was based on actions, and how the other person made you feel. And right now, Billy and Tommy seemed to be feeling pretty good.
“You like pizza?” Billy asked, which, duh. Pretty much everybody liked pizza but he was just making sure. “We got so many different kinds.”
“Yes, I made sure to pick up a variety,” Vision added. “Please, make yourself comfortable. What can I get you to drink? We have pretty much everything. Soda, tea, water, juice...” Milk also, but he didn’t know any human who consumed milk with pizza. Seemed like a crime.
“I can get it!” Tommy was one boisterous volunteer.
"Duh, of course I like pizza. I'm human, afterall." Kate grinned as she closed the door behind herself and stepped further into the room. She smiled at Vision, noting how happy and comfortable he looked in his role as dad. It was a good look for him. He should definitely keep it in the act. Then she turned her attention to the kids.
"Uh... Soda? Soda and two--no, three--slices of pizza, please. Any kind will do." She moved into the living room area and settled on the sofa. It was a nice place. Kinda like hers, only more lived in, more comfortable, more settled. Kate was still working on that in her own apartment.
"So," she added, calling to them in the kitchen. "Am I gonna get the whole story?"
Three slices of pizza, awesome. Tommy could easily eat that many but he liked that he was going to have someone to scarf down food with. It got boring when it was only just his brother. In about two seconds, he brought Kate her pizza (pepperoni and sausage) and the soda - which Vision had poured into a glass - and he also was on the sofa next to her balancing three slices of pizza on a plate in his lap. These would be gone in short order.
Billy had pizza too - slices with vegetables, since he was a weirdo like that. He didn’t mind eating vegetables. Vision couldn’t exactly partake in this activity, not even with drinks, but he joined everyone in the living room anyway and made himself comfortable. “Ah, yes, the story - “ he nodded.
“Mom and dad rescued us from Hell,” Tommy spoke up, in between bites. “I don’t know how we ended up there. But first we were in Westview and then we weren’t.”
“We were a family, in Westview. A small town in New Jersey - “ Vision explained, hands folded in his lap. “Hex Vision was with them, at least - another version of myself. But it was...complicated. Being together within what was basically a giant field of energy, as a family, meant that the other people who were there originally were hurting and eventually Wanda had to let everyone go. But we found the boys again after that.”
Kate beamed as the plate of pizza and glass of soda were handed over. She set the drink down on the coffee table, then started in on her pizza with almost disgusting enthusiasm. Though, the boys seemed to have their own enthusiasm for pizza, so Vision was probably used to that level of speed-eating. She only paused every few bites to sip from her soda or ask questions so she could hear the entire tale.
“Hell?” Kate asked, turning to Tommy with both eyebrows raised. Then she turned to Vision, curious about Westview--and he answered that question without her having to ask it. Almost like he knew what she was going to ask. “Hex Vision,” she repeated. That sounded… a little scary. But the idea of Wanda taking over a whole town? She knew how powerful Wanda was in her world… was this Wanda the same?
“That’s so cool!” was her response. She covered up any concerns she might have had with smiles and excitement, mostly for the boys’ sake. “I’m glad your mom and dad were able to bring you back here. Otherwise, who would eat all this pizza with me?” Kate tossed a wink at Billy.
Vision wouldn’t make excuses for Wanda - she knew what she did was wrong - but he also didn’t feel the need to go into detail about it either. Not without her here, and not with the boys present. Maybe if they weren’t around he would talk about it more, explaining from his perspective. But he just wanted them to have a chance for normalcy, for a ‘normal’ time with a friend - they had been so excited that someone knew them. It wasn’t like there were many kids their age in the Tower or anything.
Also now that they all seemed somewhat settled (as in, they weren’t going to suddenly move locations again), it may be time to think about schooling for them too. Vision thought that being surrounded by peers their own age would be beneficial - it was a little tricky, given their respective abilities, but they were good kids and deserved to live their lives.
“Yes, I’m sure Tommy would have eaten it all - or tried to,” Vision chuckled. “But then he’d have certainly gotten a stomachache.”
“No, I wouldn’t have!” Tommy insisted. “I can eat so much pizza. So much.” To prove it, he stuffed like half a slice into his mouth and chewed vigorously.
Billy made a face. “Gross,” he said about his very rude brother. Then he glanced toward Kate again (because the visual of Tommy cramming food into his gaping maw wasn’t as pleasant). “So what’s your universe like?”
It wasn't really any of Kate's business, anyway. It sounded like an interesting story, but Kate wouldn't pry. This world's Wanda seemed a bit different from the one she knew--not that she knew Billy and Tommy's mom all that well in her own world--so Kate was more than willing to support her in all things. Kate was a good person like that.
She probably ate too much too quickly, and leaned back on the sofa. While she slowed down the pizza consumption (not something that Tommy ever had to worry about, eh?) she focused on the conversation at hand. A laugh escaped her. "I mean, I have no doubt that you'd be fine with like, all the pizza," she offered up a fist to Tommy for a fist bump, then turned her attention to Billy.
"Well, let's see. It's a lot like this one, I think. Only... you two are older. And we're friends." She smiled warmly (but also sadly) at the thought. "Along with Teddy--he's another good friend--we all hung out a lot. Together. And had adventures." She wasn't sure how much she should say when it came to the superhero-ing.
It was so weird (and totally cool) to think about how there was a whole other universe out there - and one where Billy existed with Tommy and they were older. Like not as old as their parents, who were super old, but like - old enough to do fun things. They both seemed pretty fascinated with this idea (and by now Tommy had definitely crammed an infinite number of pizza slices into his mouth - a growing boy needed those calories; Vision tried not to be all agape at how much the child truly could eat but sometimes the expression came across on his face).
“We can still have adventures, right?” Tommy asked hopefully. “Mom and dad will let us?”
Kate was nursing the soda now. The thought of how much she missed her world’s Billy, Tommy, Teddy, America… and even Clint? It made her wish there was a spot of something a little stronger in her Coke.
“Oh, totally!” Kate replied, regarding adventures. “I’ve seen billboards for this place in San Jose… that’s about forty minutes from here. It’s called the Winchester Mystery House... and it’s supposed to be haunted.” Kate wasn’t sure what the place was actually like--when she went to the website it looked like some kind of a historical site. But they did midnight flashlight tours, and that seemed like fun. “You think you might want to go?”
Billy and Tommy lit up, like they were little miniature Christmas trees. Of course they wanted to visit a (haunted) mystery house and of course they wanted to do it with new friend Kate. “Can we go, dad?” they asked at the same time - just a jumble of words and excitement and hopeful expressions. “Please?”
Midnight was admittedly past their bedtime, but Vision didn’t really mind - he wanted the boys to experience all sorts of things, and that included recreation. It was important for them to socialize with their peers. “Yes, I think that’d be alright,” he agreed. “I’ll talk to your mother about it? But I doubt she’d take issue.”
“Cool!” the boys exclaimed - well, clearly this made their entire week. Thank you, Kate. “We’ll be safe too. And we’ll make sure the ghosts don’t get you,” Tommy told her.
Kate almost burst into laughter at the sight/sound of the boys turning and begging their father to let them go. She lifted the soda glass to her lips to hide her grin. Of course, the place had daylight tours, but that was in the daylight. Not Midnight. The Midnight tours were the best. But Kate would take whatever she could get, really.
“Cool!” Kate exclaimed, almost in sink with Billy and Tommy. She beamed over at Tommy. “My hero,” she said, before feigning a swoon.
Tommy’s smile was infectious, he was just absolutely beaming - a wonder he didn’t crack his face open with the sheer joy of it all. Maybe he was blushing a little too, but wouldn’t point that out - Billy would just be sure to tease him about it later.
“Oh, so what’s your favorite snack food? We can make sure to have it on the way to the place,” Billy wanted to know, and then that launched them into talking about their favorites and so on and so on and so on.
They didn’t have a lot of memories of ‘growing up’ considering it had literally happened overnight, which was why they were so eager to discuss the present - and build new memories. Vision wanted that for them too. He was content to let them visit, watching with a small, fond smile on his face. Family. It was indeed a beautiful concept.