fingerstripes | IC Inbox + Friendr

[They are definitely cool.]

Of course I am. What kind of Avenger would I be if I didn't keep an innocent civilian out of harm's way?

[Nevermind about Lagos. No, she's definitely not thinking about Lagos right now, or the news reports, or the Sokovia Accords, or anything else that spiraled out of control.

Wanda tries to push all of it out of her mind, including the fact that she's not even certain she can call herself an Avenger at this point.]

[ A little light flirting sure is nicer than sitting here alone in a rooftop trying to drown out humiliation in purpose.

And by happenstance it's something the prepubescent Dick Grayson had yet to discover. Her words are grounding him, whether she knows it or not. ]

now that almost sounds like an incentive.

Maybe I need to find myself in danger a little more often. :)

I'll play hero to your damsel if it means I get a hero's reward ;)

[Traditionally, a kiss. Isn't that the way the stories go?]

As if I'd ever shortchange you on the payoff. ;)

Edited (i hit reply too soon whoops) 2017-06-24 03:29 (UTC)

And what exactly is this damsel doing up so late at night? I didn't expect a reply to my ping until the morning.

[ ...Welp it figures she'd wonder about that by now. There's a noticeable pause before he replies. ]

Night's too nice not to catch some air. Thought it was worth a few hours of beauty sleep.

[ This is totally a normal thing people do, right ]

That does sound nice, though the furthest I've managed outside is to my balcony.

[If his rooftop travels take him in her direction, he may very well find her in her pajamas, bundled up in a blanket on the cushioned bench just outside her bedroom.]

If you decide to do that again some night and wanted some company, you could call me.

I could stand some now, if I'm not keeping you up.

[ He kind of wants to see her a lot, actually, but probably he should play it cool. Cooler than this. It's a crazy time of night for an impromptu stargazing date. ]

You're not keeping me up. Would you like to come over? Or I can meet you somewhere...

[The mice wouldn't be any trouble, she thinks. Most are asleep, and those that aren't are easily handled, no doubt. Heading out this late wouldn't be any trouble, however, not if she gets to see him.]

[ Maybe he knows Wanda enough by now to guess what the answer would be. But it warms some cold place in his heart anyway, and somehow he can't quite wipe the stupid smile off his face.

Damn it. ]

I'm not too far away. Be there in ten?

[ He needs time to swap out Nightwing, after all. ]

[For what it's worth, he's not the only one smiling. Wanda's just glad that no one else is around to see the dopey look on her face.

In the back of her mind she knows that she shouldn't be getting her hopes up, shouldn't be getting close to someone knowing that it will probably all end in heartbreak, but she can't seem to help herself. She's completely and utterly smitten.]

Perfect. Just knock at the door and I'll let you in.

[Ten minutes gives her time to prepare for his visit. There are clothes on the floor to tuck into the hamper, the bed covers to pull up, and, well, she spares a few minutes to run a comb through her hair and to brush her teeth. She's downstairs waiting for a knock at the door in nine minutes.]

[ His clothes are a little rumpled (being shoved in a bag all night will do that) but he's otherwise looking only a little worse for wear, with dark circles the only real mark of how many nighttime hours he's been spending not asleep, since returning to his adult form. He knocks with a light hand, not wanting to wake Sam. ]

[Wanda's dressed for bed. An over-sized tee, a pair of pajama bottoms and the blanket wrapped around her shoulders leaves her looking comfortable. The smile on her face as she opens the door only adds to it, taking comfortable to warm-and-welcoming instead.

She steps aside at once to let Dick in, closing the door quietly behind him.]

Hello.

[ Her smile lights him up as he steps inside, all traces of overtiredness melting out of his expression. He would have missed her if he could have remembered, which probably is the thing that should worry him. If everything, nearly everything, hadn't been taken away.

He's careful to tread quietly as he moves inside. He waits patiently as she shuts the door.

Then almost on instinct he's moving forward, a half-step he almost can't help as he reaches out for a tight hug. ]

Hey, gorgeous.

[Not about to let go of her blanket, she merely opens it up to welcome him into her arms. They wrap him up in the blanket with her as she returns the hug just as tightly.

She doesn't like to depend on people, and finds it hard to get attached sometimes considering how easily someone could be killed back in Novi Grad. It's become habit. But he's gotten under her skin as surely as this city has. Wanda lingers in the hug, pulling back only when it seems that he is. She looks up at him, smile still easy on her face.]

You're a sight for sore eyes.

Bet you say that to all the girls. [ But his cheeks are warming, if only because that’s stupidly nice to hear from a girl he likes a lot on a night when he kind of knows he isn’t looking his best. When he hasn’t slept in two days.

He presses a soft kiss to her cheek, mostly in the hopes of covering a little of that up. An excuse not to step out of the encircling warmth of her arms yet. ]

...It’s really good to see you.

[ More than he wants to say. ]

[Sorry Dick, she may not have noticed how rumpled and sleep deprived you are at first, but there's something she senses, maybe it's his tone of voice or his body language that makes her give him a once-over again. And then she catches sight of the dark rings under his eyes.

Of course, the kiss to her cheek is nearly as distracting as he'd hoped it would be. Her face flushes a little and it's all she can do not to rest against his chest there in the entryway.]

Same. You need to stop disappearing for weeks on me, okay? [The criticism is given lightly. She knows that it wasn't his fault this time. Carefully, Wanda reaches up enough to catch one of his hands in her own. Reluctantly she pulls away, but only to lead him further into the house.] Do you want anything to eat? Or drink?

I'll do my best. [ And he feels a little pang there, for all that he's still basking in the glow of being with her again. There's a lot that comes with wearing a costume that's out of his control, and being pulled in a dozen different directions at once at all times is part of that. She deserves better.

But this is fun. They're having fun, that's all, in a situation that isn't ideal for anyone here. He'll wreck this before it starts if he overthinks it now. ]

No, no I'm alright. Just wanted to see you. [ He's content to trail after her, squeezing her fingers in his. ]

Catch up without a screen between us.

[There aren't words for how happy it makes her to hear that he just wanted to see her. The team relies on her. The world is kept safe with her abilities. But Dick just...wants her around. Even when he's worn down and he's been through a lot, he wants to be with her.]

That sounds good. Come on.

[Wanda leads him into the kitchen.]

I know you said you didn't need anything but I'm making hot chocolate and I'm going to make a second cup for you. Just in case.

[Deal with it, Dick. There are marshmallows in your future. The only question is if he'll keep holding her hand as she moves around the kitchen, preparing their drinks.]

Well, who am I to argue with that?

[ He hadn't wanted to impose on her more than he already had. When just company this late at night seems almost too much to ask. But he's touched, honestly, that she cares enough to make the decision for him. In truth he'd barely touched dinner. Breakfast. Anything.

And he'll graciously give her her hand back when she needs it for drink-preparation activities. ]

So, anything in particular keeping you up tonight? [ Since for once that's probably obvious in his case. ]

[Wanda doesn't do anything fancy for the hot chocolate. She pours the milk into mugs to heat in the microwave and pulls out a couple packets of instant mix. The marshmallows she tugs out after and immediately fishes a hand in to pop one into her mouth.

Then she pulls out another and lifts it up for him.]

Everything that is heavy and not easily resolved. It's beautiful tonight and still enough that it's a little easier to bear thinking about such things.

[Her shoulders lift in a small shrug.]

When I needed a break I decided to find you on friendr. [She'd wanted to see his face.]

[ The marshmallow he accepts graciously, popping it into his mouth as he leans a little beside her on her counter. That's a feeling he gets all too well. Her ease with it he gets too, and it twists his heart and makes him admire her just a little more.

Which is why he says, with a light and casual air: ]

You know I don't really, uh- sleep much. If you ever feel like chatting when you're up.

[ About anything. ]

[The sad truth of the matter is that Wanda's used to shouldering the heaviness of her life. The trauma of losing her parents and the effects of it she's felt for years. The daily stress of never knowing if she would die as quickly and unexpectedly as they did, or if Pietro might. Losing Pietro, losing the city after everything they'd dreamed of and hoped for...in some ways it had been the hardest blow. It hadn't made her stronger but it had cut free the last of what she'd been clinging to that mattered to her.

If she shows ease with such things...it's only because that's the only life she's ever known. To endure it. To expect it all eventually.]

Maybe I will, if you're sure you wouldn't mind.

[Not that it's what she wants tonight. Not right away, not when he looks like he needs some care first. The mugs come out of the microwave steaming, and Wanda immediately begins mixing in the powder. She stirs it in swiftly with the first mug, and rather than hand it off to Dick right away, she tosses the marshmallows in and then offers it up.]

But the same goes for you. Whenever you want or need.

[That said, she prepares her own cup of cocoa, watching him all the while to see if he likes his.]

[ It could easily be an offer made lightly. Polite and thoughtful, but ultimately insincere. Something in the way she says it makes him feel like it isn't, and stupidly, that touches him. ]

I'll keep that in mind.

[ He accepts the cocoa and takes a sip. It's warm and sweet, and also she made it for him. He can't not smile at that. ]

Add cocoa mixing to your list of many talents.

[It pleases her to see him drink it, pleases her more to discover he likes it. There's something comforting, something that warms the soul in a cup of hot chocolate. The marshmallows only add to it.

Taking a sip of her own, she gives him a small smile, heading out of the kitchen.]

It still counts under cooking, I think. [Expecting he'll follow her, Wanda silently pads to the stairs and leads Dick up to her bedroom. In her hand, she carries the bag of marshmallows for bargaining with the mice.]

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