fingerstripes | IC Inbox + Friendr

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.]

[ He follows her silently, careful to keep a light step on the stairs. Wishing belatedly that he'd thought to bring flowers. It's been two weeks, flowers are definitely warranted.

But he's off his game tonight. Scattered and unsettled. He's grateful Wanda seems to be willing to accept that. ]

[Wanda is just happy to have Dick there at all. Flowers might seem too much like an apology for something out of his control, and she'd gladly take them at a later date.

For now, she leads Dick up the stairs to her bedroom where they find five mice standing to the side of her bed near the door. Dressed in scraps of fabric, feathers, and dried flowers, the mice exclaim in chorus.]

Hail to the visitation of the Acrobatic Priest!

[Wanda bites back a small smile, murmuring to Dick as she hands him her hot chocolate.] They haven't settled on a title for you yet.

[Carefully, she lowers herself to the carpet to address the mice directly.]

I request a bargain.

[A mouse from the group steps forward to speak for them all.]

What do you require, your Holiness?

Privacy in this room, the upstairs bathroom, and the balcony until the...Acrobatic Priest leaves. [Whenever that may be. Wanda isn't making assumptions but she'd be glad to curl up with Dick to sleep that evening. The last time had been the best she'd slept in months.] In return, I offer you and the colony these marshmallows, and the promise of cinnamon toast when I make breakfast tomorrow morning.

[The mouse turns back to the group, to confer privately with the others. After some discussion, the mouse turns back to Wanda and replies gravely:] Your bargain is accepted.

[Wanda hands the mice the half-empty bag of marshmallows which they take past both Wanda and Dick out the door to the guest room where the rest of the colony resides. At least when they're not making holes in the walls and scurrying up and down between floors out of sight. She takes the opportunity to close her bedroom door, and only then looks up to Dick with a wry smile.]

Balcony then? [She makes it a question, in case those circles under his eyes get to him enough to make him want to lay down somewhere more comfortable instead.]

[ Dick hangs back a bit, giving her the space to work her magic, covering his mouth with a hand to hide a smile. He hasn't seen much of them firsthand just yet, and it's endearing, how gentle she is with them. Gentle, without disrespect.

He offers the mice a little wave as they disperse, along with a "catch you later?" ]

Glad you've got considerate roommates.

[ He says when they're alone, offering her her cocoa back as he prepares to follow her out onto the balcony. They're not scandalized by the fact that she has a boy in her room, at the very least. ]

[The mice, if anything, are no doubt taking into account the fact that Dick is in her bedroom for a second time. Wanda expects she'll hear about it in the morning when they create a festival of The Visitation of Her Holiness' Consort or something like that.

Suffice to say she's glad they're easily bribed.]

They seem as aware of the need for harmony in a household as anyone else. They eat less than another roommate would too which certainly helps.

[Wanda leads Dick out to the sliding glass door, still partially open from when she was out there earlier. She sits closest to the railing on the padded bench and opens up the blanket to allow Dick to sit next to her under it as well. It's all very cozy and Wanda's pleased to have him there with her, rather than be forced to enjoy it alone as she had been.]

I think it helps that I've impressed upon them the difference between public and private areas of the house, and that different rules apply to the different areas.

So no all-night dress-making sessions in the drawing room? [ The Cinderella joke was definitely coming.

He slips easily under the blanket beside her, and if she lets him he'll slide his arm around her shoulders and gently draw her in against him. It's snuggle time. ]

[She cracks a smile at the Cinderella joke, and resists the urge to say that she doesn't have enough family left for that. The thought is morbid and...unexpectedly it hits a little closer to home in other ways. After all, hadn't she been locked up in the Avengers compound not so long ago? Put under house-arrest? Not that there had been a ball to go to but the people who had done so were the family of her heart rather than blood. Just like Cinderella.]

I'm afraid not. Instead there are hours long conga line celebrations to the days when Sam bakes his special cookies, and the mice getting a collective vote on movie nights.

[Wanda cuddles into his half-embrace at once, a smile still playing on her lips.]

You'd be welcome to join the movie nights if you'd like sometime. You could meet some of the others. Sam's friends and mine.

[If it's not weird. If he's interested at all in expanding on their types of social engagements this way.]

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