thespherelogs | 001 - Helping Hand [OPEN]

Entry tags:

001 - Helping Hand [OPEN]

who: wanda maximoff & you.
what: settling in.
when: end of june.
where: around the spheres.
warnings: not applicable.
note: will match format.

clean up effort

[Red mist curls between long slender fingers as Wanda gathers the dirt smeared across the floor into a ball of floating sediment. She's done this a few times with gases and other small objects and finds the familiar exercise to be comforting.

What would Steve say if he saw her using her powers like this?

She smiles to herself as the whirlwind of magic pulls the sediment and any unfortunate sea creatures into a large pile at the edge of the room. There is a brief moment of intense concentration as she pushes her palms together and then silence as the debris finally subsides. Wanda exhales a heavy tired breath, looking back at the floor to inspect her work. The floor still has to be scrubbed and clean but at least all of the dirt is out of the way.

After a short break she'll start scrubbing the floor with bleach and soap, once again using her powers to ease the monotonous task.]

around dorm 305

[The door to her apartment-esque living space has been propped open with a piece of rubble that Wanda has obtained from the cleaning effort. She hasn't done much to make her apartment her own but she's planning to slowly turn the space into something similar to her old room within the Avenger's Compound.

Subdued echoes of classic rock flow into the hallway along with the most irresistible aroma.

Thick heady scents of roasted meat and warm spices fill her apartment and then spill graciously into the hall.

Wanda hums softly, matching the tune of the playing song, as she cooks. From time to time red mist can be seen from the doorway or the occasional floating object as she uses her abilities to grab things from the other side of the apartment. Wanda isn't thrilled about being stuck in the sphere but she's adaptable and Earth will be fine without her for a little awhile.

Anyone is welcome to join her for lunch or maybe they'd rather tell her to keep it down and stop making the entire dorm smell like food.]

wild card

[ooc: if you want anything else with wanda please let me know or you can just comment with a blank tag or an ooc tag with ideas or use one of the test drive prompts. I am easy.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"Thomas and William." Wanda stared at him, unable to look away. "Twins."

It wasn't difficult to connect the pieces of the puzzle. Perhaps he'd done it unknowingly but it was all there. "Tommy and Billy." Billy's mother being someone different from his. There was more that he wasn't telling her, information that finished the story but Wanda was too stunned to give voice to the questions buzzing like lightening through her head.

"I don't understand." Her accent thickened as the muscles in her shoulders tightened. "How?"

It was the lamest question to ask but Wanda was now struggling with the information. She felt a vice tighten around her heart. "Tommy. Tell me."

How can he reject the command in her voice? Dammit. Tommy sighs and turns fully to lean against he counter. His arms cross defensively over his chest, or maybe he’s unconsciously trying to comfort himself. And his eyes? They’re on the floor.

“No one’s sure. The term Billy uses is ‘retroreincarnated’. The whole thing with the Scarlet Witch’s kids? Relatively recent. But,” here he pauses to fling his arms out as if to say ‘look at me’, “I’m 18. I think. There has been some recent time shit unrelated to that in my life. Either Wanda’s magic, or Billy’s future powers, or something about Mephisto. Threw our souls back or some shit. He was born to the Kaplan’s in one of the nicer parts of New York City. Apparently he even met our Wanda before she went crazy the second time. I was born to the Shepherds in Jersey City. No one knows why for sure. Or how we still look identical except for coloration. Or how we’re mutants inheriting powers from you and Uncle Pietro. But magic.”

A fizzly little gesture with his hands. Tommy doesn’t pretend to understand magic.

“You know that just because I’m her soul-son doesn’t mean you have to put up with my presence, right? I just... you’re so much like her.”

And he couldn’t help himself. Being so close and so impossibly far away.

Wanda listened silently as Tommy explained.

She was tense and unmoving like an animal faced with something that it didn't understand. Fight and flight instincts war inside of her but she silenced them without showing a drop of that emotion on her face. She didn't know what she should be feeling. He was the soul of her son from another universe. One where Pietro hadn't died, where she had gone crazy more than once, where Vision and her had had children, a universe where she lost her children and they were reborn.

Now Tommy was standing in front of her and she finally recognized the look in his eye that she hadn't been able to place before.

Her son. Another her.

Wanda didn't say anything nor did she hesitate. She stepped forward and pulled Tommy into a hug. He could easily get away from her if he wanted too but Wanda had hope. They weren't from the same universe but they were family and after losing so many members of her family, she'd fight to protect him.

Families were always messy.

Yeah, Tommy could tell plenty of stories about messy families. Shepherds, Maximoffs, it’s all the same. Messy beyond belief and he’s hardly one to judge. So heMs silent. He waits. He watches through seconds that are eternities to him.

Moments like this? They make what he is a literal torture. Will she turn away? Will she demand space? Will she...?

After an endless plethora of nanoseconds she starts to move. And the first step forward tells him all he needs to know. He could leave. He could be gone long before she could blink. Instead he stays and lets those arms wrap around him. Different arms, but still so strong. Like she could hold him together. After a moment his own loop around her back and his head settles against her shoulder. It’s rare to even allow himself that much. But now feels like an acceptable indulgence.

“Yeah. You even give hugs just like Mom’s.”

And that single word may say a lot about how he felt about his relationship with his own Wanda. Didn’t matter if she was there or not. Didn’t matter whether or not he had her DNA (and no one had bothered to test it). Wanda Maximoff was his mother. There were very few simple truths in his life. That was one of them.

Wanda leaned her head forward and smiled against his shoulder. She felt her tears return, prickling in the corner of her eyes but she didn't let them fall. The feelings swirling inside of her were complicated but it wasn't sad.

"Glad to know I'm doing it right." Her voice was muffled by his shoulder as she gently loosened her hold on him.

She didn't pull away entirely but she gave him more room to move back or stay. "I might not be the Wanda Maximoff from your Universe but we're still family Tommy and I'd like to get to know you." She wasn't like the Wanda of his Universe but that was okay. They had time to start over and learn about each other.

"If you want." She didn't think any boy wanted to have a mother looking over their shoulder but Wanda wanted to be here for him. They needed each other but more than that, Tommy needed her. She never wanted him to think that he was alone.

Like Tommy has any experience with his mother looking over his shoulder. Closest e ever got was Billy’s mother, and he had been adverse to interacting with the psychologist.

The very suggestion that she might move away was immediately met by his own arms tightening a bit around her. Not too much, he knew he was super strong and didn’t want to hurt her. Enough to make his desire clear.

“Your universe doesn’t even have a Tommy Maximoff. Which is a fucking shame. I’m amazing. Can’t deny you the privilege of knowing me.”

Defensive words to keep from admitting how much he needs this. He hates being alone.

Wanda felt the tug of his arms and stopped. She renewed the strength of her hug before resting her chin comfortably on his shoulder. He really did remind her a lot of Pietro. They were both sarcastic and defensive and they never said what they meant because giving it a voice made it too real.

"It is a shame." She agreed in a soft voice. "I can't wait to get to know you Tommy. You already knew that I wanted children." She felt her smile grow even though no one could see it. This all felt like an impossible dream but if it was, maybe it'd be okay if she never awoke.

"And Billy too. I want to know everything about my son's."

Alternate universe reincarnated son's but it was semantics. He wasn't alone anymore. Wanda wouldn't let him be alone ever again.

Those aren’t tears stinging at his eyes. Fuck, why did he leave his goggles home today? Stupid stupid choice. But he wasn’t leaving this hug to get them. So he’s just have to hope the one rolling down his cheek didn’t hit her.

“Billy’s a damn fucking nerd. And yeah, I can... I can tell you a lot. Like about your future son-in-law too. Billy’s engaged to a future emperor so... Yeah, there is a lot to tell. About the good things first. But, think I could have more stew first?”

Stupid question give me just washed their bowls. But he’ll need energy to tell stories. Or at least the happy ones. Wanda only gets the happy ones.

"That sounds amazing." She wished she could have met Billy and his fiancee but Wanda wouldn't want to bring either of them here. "Maybe when we return to our worlds, you and Billy can come visit mine. I think you'll like it and from what you said, It's something that Billy can do." Their relationship didn't have to only be here in the Sphere's.

"And yes. You can have all the stew." Wanda pulled back just enough to meet his gaze. "My offer from earlier still stands." She was going to buy a lot of food now that she knew about Tommy.

Feeding children was important. More so the speedy ones.

"But you have to tell me more about you too. What do you like?" Wanda felt her throat constrict as she choked up a little. She was trying not to be emotional but she was so happy. "Let's start with favorite food." She'll make it.

Billy could do just about anything, so Tommy just nods. This Wanda could use the comfort and family. She's lost a lot, just like Mom. And he wants to be there for her. AS best he can. Anything else seems like a failing. At last he frees her from his arms.

About him? No one ever wants to know about him. Except David. He's not sure how to approach that.

"I don't have a favorite food. Unless noodles count. It's a food group really. Quick, easy, high carb, easy to work protein in. It's... a practical food for me."

Taking time to like food seems stupid. He has to take what he can get.

"Noodles count." This all felt a little weird but she was happy.

It was hard to stop smiling. "I think I still remember how to make them from scratch." It's been a long time since she's made noodles but potato noodles were a common stable in Sokovia, as they were for most of Russia. It was very easy to grow potatoes.

Wanda cleared her throat and then finally released Tommy to move back towards the couch. She expected the stew to be gone in seconds.

From scratch? That was something you could do? Tommy looks genuinely shocked by the idea. Still, freed as he was he got his bowl back down and took another, small, serving.

"So, uh... I hope you know I didn't mean to spring this on you. I was gonna... I was gonna keep it quiet. So it wouldn't be awkward. That wasn't why I came here. But I'm glad I did."

This time Wanda gestured to the seat next to her on the couch, silently asking Tommy to come sit with her instead sitting on the floor. It didn't feel right to have him sitting below her. She should probably purchase a real table now that she's planning to have guests.

"It's alright." Her expression was soft and open. "I'm glad you told me too." She could tell that it was hard for him.

"I just wish I knew more. You're so much like Pietro." She missed him so much.

Really? That much Pietro? Tommy flushes a little. "I seem to remember him saying Billy was more like him. But I mean, fast and all that."

He does settle down next to her, drawing his legs up under him. Not something he normally does. Not being in a position to run usually puts him on edge. But this is Wanda. She'd never hurt him. She's never do anything but protect him. She was benefiting from someone else's earned trust. And it really is a sign of trust.

Wanda felt herself smile. "Well maybe you're just more like my Pietro." She didn't know if the two silver haired quicksilvers were the same between every iteration of the multiverse but Wanda didn't think so. It seemed so unlikely.

"He was impatient and he tried to hold back but sometimes he needed to hold my hand so that he wouldn't out pace me. He was always there for me. We protected each other after we lost our parents and he always teased me saying that he was the older sibling." She felt herself smiling when she talked about him. "He was rash at times and sarcastic. He hid behind a lot but I could always tell what was on his mind. Sometimes he wanted to help but he didn't know how. Neither of us did. He was strong and stubborn." She paused and then added. "It's a family trait."

They were all impossibly stubborn.

"But he was loyal and selfless and after we made a mistake, he helped us turn it around. He was a truly great man and yes, I see a lot of those qualities in you too."

"If he teased you about it, he was the older sibling," Tommy says. Experience. He knows the difference. Billy's always been the one that said it didn't matter. But yeah, the more she talks, the more it sounds like him. But he refuses to admit that. She'd know too much then. He doesn't want to think he has nothing new for her to learn.

But he dose seem a bit embarrassed by all of those positive comments about him.

"You don't know me. You can't be sure."

Pietro was cockier than Tommy but Wanda was a little glad to see it. Being cocky got you killed and upon meeting Tommy, she knew that she couldn't lose him. He was too important to her as well as the universe that he came from.

"We have time and if I think I'm wrong I'll let you know."

She settled against the couch and smiled as she watched Tommy eat.

“You’ll figure it out sooner or later,” Tommy shrugs. For now he’ll take her willful ignorance of everything. Makes him feel welcomed. “Still, I don’t think it would e too bad to let your figure it out. This place has been boring since Noh-Varr left.”

Basically since he became alone here. And he hated being alone in this ole. He feels watched. It feels too much like juvie for his tastes.

Both versions of it.

Wanda wished that he wasn't so negative but she wasn't in a position to argue with him... yet. She'd learn more in time and maybe she'll be able to help him see the wonderful young man that she see's. Even if he was a little tactless at times.

"Noh-Varr? Someone from your world?"

She watched him eat but her expression was patient and open.

"Well, more like someone who lives in my dimension," Tommy suggests. "He's a Kree from another dimension, but that's a whole other story. He was living for me when he was here."

Sudden in his arrival. Sudden in his departure. And ultimately, left Tommy with more questions than he did answers. Which doesn't matter. What matters is that his bowl is already empty again. Can't help it. The food is good and it's a lot better than the takeout he'll follow up with later.

Wanda listened, her shoulders tensing only briefly at the mention of the Kree.

She didn't know the full expanse of the universe but her exposer to the Mind Stone had shown her visions spanning out to the far reaches of the galaxy. At the time she hadn't understood what it all meant but now... now she realizes that everything she had seen back then wasn't just the product of fears or hallucinations but the wisdom of the Mind Stone and the power that now resided in her. What little she remembered made little sense to her now but the Kree sent a familiar uncertain chill through her and she knew that it was all connected some how.

"You miss him?" She asked, unwilling to let her thoughts be voiced. From what Tommy has explained in their previous conversation, Mutants are born not created in his universe. Her life had been different and she wasn't willing to expose him to the horrors of Hydra's experiments.

Miss him? Hardly. Tommy didn't know him long, or all that well ~~beyond the guy being unfairly hot and seriously did his team have to replace him with a hotter white haired moderately fast and strong guy~~. Some of what he remembered was getting attacked by the guy once, but he'd already forgiven it. But really? It boils down to the fact that Tommy's used to people not being there, so he's not exactly all that surprised that even this place wouldn't let him hold onto something familiar.

In some ways, Wanda's a fucking miracle.

"I mean, his music choices sucked. But he was a good workout partner? I don't know, I didn't know him well."

Wanda smiles. "I could try to work out with you." It'd be like a mother daughter exercise.

She knew what it felt like to be alone and she didn't want Tommy to have to experience that. There wasn't anything she could do about the past but there was a whole future for them here while they were trapped here.

Work out with him? He can lift around eight-hundred points, leg press a ton, and run a few hundred miles per hour. Yet he holds the snark back. Noh-Varr had been stronger, but Tommy had been worlds faster. And he’s worked out with the Young Avengers too, where no one could keep up.

It was more about the company anyway.

“I mean, you look fit and you’ve got magicky-stuff to help with life but... yeah. We could try. Your thoughts on jogging?”

Wanda had to practice lifting with her magic as well as without and there was a significant difference in the amount of weight she could lift between the two. It just took practice for her to lift more, just like it had taken practice for her to contain gas, explosions and other similar materials with her powers.

"I wouldn't mind you leaving me behind. Pietro used to carry me."

It was something she was used too.

001 - Helping Hand [OPEN]

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/fade to black here?

Absolutely!