Wanda and Kurt (Backdated)

[x-scarletwitch.livejournal.com]

When Amanda's off on vacation, Kurt decides to come visit Wanda. He may or may not have been avoiding his little sister. At the end, they decide to go dancing again.



Kurt hadn't been hiding from his little sister. That was ridiculous. There were perfectly good reasons why he hadn't been to the brownstone while she was there - not least among them the fact that he couldn't drive and didn't want to know how she'd react to him teleporting before his hand was healed. He hadn't done that today - he'd got the bus into town, heading to the brownstone to visit Wanda, and Amanda's absence on vacation had nothing to do with the timing.

It was pleasant out with a nice breeze that kept the sun's heat from gaining too much hold. Wanda glanced up and fixed her sunglasses. It was taking a great deal of will power not to retreat into her work and lose herself. Part due to the fact that her fellow coworkers would simply not put up with it and the other...she'd put enough strain on herself. Break up or no, life went on and there was lunch to be had.

Kurt smiled as he approached the building, seeing her sitting on the front steps. "Good afternoon, Wanda."

She glanced up, surprised, but grinned. "Kurt, fancy meeting you here." Very quickly, Wanda assessed him. "Well, you are looking better than advertised though I notice you come calling when a certain younger sister of yours is not here. Or even in the country..."

"I am not doing so badly", he acknowledged. The cuts were almost healed, so it was really just the hand. "And that is coincidence, I assure you. I thought it was too long since we had seen each other."

"Coincidence, such a funny thing, don't you think?" Wanda asked, laughing. "But, yes, it has been far too long. I was just about to get lunch, have you eaten?" She stood up and joined him on the sidewalk, her keys disappearing inside her jean pocket.

"Not yet", he said with a smile. "Where did you have in mind?"

"There is a nice little place around the corner," she explained, starting to lead the way. "Bit of a greasy spoon but it is filling and the people are friendly." She glanced up at the building behind them in amusement. "We are something of regulars, I am afraid. Good thing some of us can cook to off-set the grease."

"Only some?" Kurt returned, amused. "And what do the others do to repay the cooking?"

"Drinks," came the grinning reply. "There are some that can cook, some that cannot and...then there's Marie-Ange. We love her dearly, though."

He laughed, as they reached the corner and turned. "Well, I have to say that sounds like a perfectly fair deal. Marie-Ange is really so bad a cook?"

"It is a lovely arrangement, one that my checkbook and liver quite appreciate." Wanda thought for a second before replying to the question. "The microwave is her friend," she said serenly, after a minute. "Her best friend, actually."

"Ah, I see", he said, the laughter still threatening to bubble up in his voice. "Well, better that than the take-away every night, I suppose?"

"She keeps them in business but her strengths lie elsewhere, let us just leave it at that." There was teasing but it was good-natured. Wanda liked all of her coworkers very much and was fond of them in their own way. "So, have you been taking it easy? Now that you have been told to, that is."

"I was taking it easy!" he protested. "Writing up the mission report was hardly strenuous. And the trip to Washington was entirely necessary. It is just that they came too close together."

Wanda smirked. "You teleported yourself into a river," she pointed out gently. "That is a little more than close together, that is not taking care of yourself. You are just lucky there were no fish involved, now that could have gotten messy."

"I do not think there are any fish alive in the Potomac", he said ruefully. "And I almost came to my target. The painkillers were to blame." For the decision as well as the miscalculation.

Leaning over, Wanda playfully pushed his shoulder with hers. "Lesson learned," she sang out, "do not teleport when on painkillers."

He started to laugh again, acknowledging the point. "Yes, yes. I will not do it again. Unless I have to."

"Oh my God...no wonder we are friends."
~~

With a careful aim, Wanda tossed the To Go cup into the garbage can. It nearly bounced off the side but the liquid shifted the weight and it tumbled backwards to land with a soft noise. "That was pleasant," she announced as she lifted her face to enjoy the sun coming down. It was gorgeous outside.

Kurt was soaking up the sun too, smiling. "It was. For the company as much as the meal."

She looked amused. "You always did have a knack for charming the ladies," she teased.

"Especially when I need say nothing that is not true", he retorted with a grin.

"See? You're doing it again. And you will never hear me complain. True compliments are a bit hard to come by sometimes but not from you." Wanda gave him a bit of a cheeky grin. "Rather like myself, very truthful, though what I have to say a lot of the times are things people simply do not want to hear. I never have learned to keep my own council quiet."

"That does have its place too", came the answer. "For all it can be dangerous. Perhaps it comes with the upbringing." Looking at himself, Wanda, and Pietro, he could believe it.

"Probably," she responded wryly. "My mother certainly had her opinions about things, as did my grandparents. And uncles and aunts, not all necessary related by blood. It was an interesting upbringing, that was for sure. And since our Father was notably absent during our formative years, the entire caravan helped my mother to raise us."

"It was the same for us, though my father was there for most of my growing up. He died when I was seventeen. But Margali is... a very powerful woman, and was even before she was the true leader of the clan."

"Oh, I just bet she is." It was muttered under her breath. She had not appreciated what had happened to her friends, though she had understood what had been done. It meant she liked it even less just for that much more understanding.

Kurt glanced at her, not so much curious - he'd heard what she said, and it wasn't as if he didn't understand - more... wondering. "She is what she had to be", he said quietly. "To run the clan alone, as a new widow. And she... thought she was doing what she had to, for the good of the clan." He wasn't excusing her, but he knew as well as Wanda did why it had happened.

"Hrmph." They lapsed into a comfortable silence for a few minutes before Wanda spoke again. "I realized I have never extended the invitation, to you or Amanda, and forgive me for the lateness..." She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. "I know it is not the same, but you are welcome to visit with my family. The mandate does not prevent you from doing that, at least."

That got a glance in return, briefly startled, and then an honestly pleased smile. "I would like that very much. And I am not sure of it - not because of your family, only the circumstances - but I think Amanda would too."

"I will need to extend the invitation to her as well, when she gets back from sun, surf, monkeys and se--sight seeing," Wanda said smoothly, grinning impishly at Kurt. She remembered how much fun it was to torture brothers with certain subjects."

Kurt eyed her, but chose to ignore the near-slip, in the manner of one who knows what his friend is doing and Will Not be Drawn.. "I am sure she will appreciate it."

Wanda sulked for just a second before switching topics again. "We should go dancing," she announced. "The last time was fun but then the whole possession thing happened and we had to stop. Would you care to go the next weekend that we both have free?"

That got a broad grin, all loftiness vanished. "Well, Spring Break is coming up, and there will be no classes... I think perhaps I could manage next weekend, if you can. Or any other when you are free, I can make the time."

"For dancing? And your company? I think I can find some time to spare."