Wanda and Scott

[x-scarletwitch.livejournal.com]

Wanda's out and about, making some firewood as a good way to warm up in the morning. On his morning run, Scott wanders by and they stop to chat and wind up talking about X-Men.



The axe made a satisfying noise as it split the firewood in two. Wanda bent over to pick up the two pieces and tossed them onto the pile that was building up beside her. The snow was still there, nearly past her ankles now, but she'd been out for a while so the cold wasn't affecting her much. A simple jog and then she'd decided to chop some firewood. More for the pleasure of the physical activity than of the need for the logs. Placing another piece on the stump, she hefted the axe neatly and swung down again.

Out for a jog himself, Scott was mildly surprised to find Wanda chopping wood. "Morning," he greeted her, coming to a stop. "Rather nice morning, too..."

Grimacing as she felt the axe bite into the wood of the stump, she straightened and then smiled at Scott. "Good morning yourself," she responded, leaning against the handle. "It is gorgeous out here. Some people say it's cold, though..."

"Invigorating," Scott said, then shrugged, smiling. "Of course, I'm also the man who finds pre-dawn runs a pleasant part of one's daily routine, so anything I say is suspect. Keep that in mind."

"Have I complained yet about the runs or the exercise?" Wanda asked. "Well, much anyway. It's good to be doing something this active, this often, again."

"Mm. Good." Scott grimaced a bit, leaning back against a tree and rubbing at his knee. It was still not quite back to what it should be. Thinking of that reminded him, and he grinned. "Been summoned for your physical yet? We're all getting them - active, reserve, and trainee alike."

"Not yet, though I suspect it will be today. When I least expect it, of course. I bet everyone is simply loving those." While not overly fond of doctors, Wanda trusted the ones in Xavier's. She was simply not used to having a regular physician. Or at least, one that stayed the same.

"Well, there is some bitching and complaining, generally from the people who've been overtraining," Scott conceded. "But they're the ones who need it the most, of course."

"Isn't that how it always works?" Reaching down, she knocked off the pieces of wood and yanked on the axe. Oh good, not chipped. Careful to place it down on the wood, and not the snow, she seated herself on the stump. "If they wish to be on the team, they'll go, though."

"True enough." He watched her sit down, a smile still playing on his lips. "I passed mine with semi-flying colors."

"Semi?" Grinning, she took stock. "Your knee, I take it? Did one of the doctors berate you, at least?"

"Well, given that I have been at least a little careful," Scott bantered, "I avoided the mighty wrath of Doctor Bartlett. Of course, it might have just been my charm... I rely on that to get me out of certain situations."

Wanda bit her lip, trying not to laugh at him. Really. "Of course, Scott," she deadpanned and then grinned. "Or did you simply bribe the good doctor? I hear that's how others have dodged that particular fate as well. Seeing that I am completely healthy, there will be no lecture."

"Oh, sure. Rub it in." Scott laughed at the grin he was getting, but then grew more serious. "You will have a training accident at some point," he said. "I'd be terribly surprised if you didn't. I mean, not that I'm expecting you to be ridiculously dramatic about it like Haroun or Nathan..."

"But it will happen," she agreed, leaning her elbows on her knees and dangling her hands down. "I know, I've been thinking the same thing as well. So far, just bruising, nothing serious. But the courses get brutal and I've been lucky." She wiggled her fingers at him. "This helps get out of some of the things that would have injured me in before."

"'Drill is a bloodless battle and battle is a bloody drill'," Scott quoted, then grinned wryly. "I've only had one serious training accident, all the time I've been doing this. Bruises, strains, even sprains are actually normal."

"Not surprising. The human body isn't equipped to deal with this much action tossed at us without some kind of price." Wanda smiled a little. "Worth it, though."

"How are you feeling about the training, in general?" Scott knew he was pressing a little, but these self-evaluation moments were valuable things.

She blinked at the question. He'd obviously been thinking about this for a while. "I think it's going well," she said, going over things in her mind. "I...there are a few things bothering me, more just about my powers than the training itself. I still need to, apparently, learn to drive and fly the Blackbird...but overall, going very well. I think I'm doing well."

Blackbird training. Augh. He was not looking forward to that at all, not for Wanda or any of the others, to be perfectly honest. "What's bothering you about your powers?" he asked.

"To be perfectly honest, I don't know. I think Nathan noticed something during our fight a while back but has been busy so I have not approached him. I see--sometimes I see strings where they weren't before or strings that don't _feel_ like the others." There was a frustrated edge to her words.

Scott looked thoughtful. "Have you talked to the Professor about this?" he asked. "I mean, your gift is more or less technically psionic, no?"

"Yes and no," Wanda said, chewing her lip. "I've never really studied it that way. But that is a good idea, I need to speak to him anyway. I might as well bring that up."

He didn't like the edginess. "Makes you nervous?" he ventured quietly. "The difference in the strings, I mean."

"It's just that they've never been like that before!" she admitted. "Not before here and I dislike the feeling of not knowing what they mean." Wanda stood up and shoved her hands in her pockets. "I spent over fifteen years forcing myself to learn my powers, on my own, so that I would not accidentally kill someone. Because I can, you know. I could probably atrophy someone's muscles, stop their heart--have them suddenly die from cancer for all that I know. I know how my power feels and works and now...new variables are not a good thing, Scott."

"Talk to the Professor," Scott said, more firmly. "Best way to start looking for a solution. And you have hand-to-hand with Nathan... beginning of next week, right?" She nodded. "You could do worse than to talk to him about it, too. He could empathize, at least, given what's been happening with his telekinesis over the last several months."

"True." She gave him a weak grin. "I'm good at what I do--at leading, at my powers...it's the team work part of it that I'm still having to learn."

This, at least, she could talk to him about. "Is it bothering you?" he asked frankly. "The idea of having to take a step back, let someone else give the orders?"

"No, it's not that." There was a moment as she gathered her thoughts. "I have no problem following someone I trust," Wanda said, slowly. "I am simply used to being on my own. When I'm with my caravan, I'm either leading or simply visiting. With the University, I work on my own. I am not used to...this complex a support network, as it were."

"You're sure? No qualms about taking orders from someone younger than you are?" Scott teased, although he gave her an understanding look. "You aren't the only one having some difficulty adapting. We have a number of people with more experience in... independent work, you might say."

She stuck her tongue out at him and grinned. "Do not make me hit you with my cane," she snickered. "Make me feel old at the ripe age of 27. I figured I was not the only one having some difficulties--I'm just doing it with less...noise? And pain?"

"You have a better basis upon which to build," Scott said more seriously. "A firmer foundation, if you want to phrase it like that."

"Really?" A light chuckle escaped at Scott's look. "I can guess where you're going but I like to hear it--gives me a good idea of where people stand on their ideas of me."

"And that's important to you, isn't it?" His lips twitched. "Knowing where you stand with people... critical to you, actually, if I had to guess."

"Good guess," she said, simply and smiled. "As long as I know then no matter what the opinion is, I can handle it. It is the...not knowing, that is the hardest."

"Then it's a good thing I'm instituting these cross-evaluations, isn't it?" Scott said with his best charming grin.

Very calmly, Wanda kicked up snow at his legs. "That's because you're sadistic," she said, cheerfully.

"Oh, I know. But I'm never sadistic without a good reason. You've got to say that for me, at least."

"You have a point. So, you're sadistic with good intentions. It still means you're sadistic."

"Breaking my heart, I tell you," Scott said mock-woefully. "What is it with women and my ego? Why must they crush it beneath their heels?"

"Because you get that puppy dog look on your face?" Wanda suggested, grinning at him. Laughing suddenly, she had an idea. "Mind if I try something? Promise it won't hurt."

"Sure," Scott said, intrigued. "Go ahead.

"I did this before, when the demons attacked. Less messy, and a little prettier this time." Taking a deep breath, Wanda spread her hands as she opened her mind. Lines appeared before her eyes and she quickly found the ones she sought. "There..." Gesturing, she ran mental fingers over them, like playing a guitar.

The trees above them groaned slightly, their branches heavy from the snow that had recently fallen. Too heavy, actually, especially when a stiff wind blew. Suddenly, they cracked and released the snow from the branches, sending it showering down upon Scott and Wanda below.

"Interesting," Scott said, smiling as the snow showered around him. "Did you know precisely what result you were going ot get there?"

Turning her face up to the snow, she smiled. "A little bit. It felt the same as it did when it happened with the leaves before. Same tension and heft to the strings. Light feel, meaning nothing bad and a dull red as well. The heavier a string, the redder, means something bad or very disastrous."

"Shades of red," Scott said almost whimsically. "I'd be good at that..."

Wanda's smile grew. "Yes, I believe you would be. I don't see the strings in any other color. Except one."

"What?"

"Pietro's," she said, voice soft. Oh, how she missed her brother on days like this. "I do not know if it's because we are twins and share that bond or if it is something else entirely. But his strings are a soft silver in my mind."

"I... heard from him recently," Scott said very quietly.

Wanda's head snapped around and she stared at him for a second. Stepping closer, she gripped her hands tightly. "What did he have to say?" she asked, obviously worried.

"It was just a check-in," Scott reassured her softly. "To let me know he was all right. We do that from time to time."

The tension eased slightly. "At least there is that," she said, frowning. "Knowing he's safe is all I can ask for right now."

"He's sure that he's doing the right thing, Wanda," Scott said gently. "And he's being very, very careful."

"He better be or I'll hurt him myself." Giving him a weak smile, Wanda drew herself back together. "So, I need help carrying all this firewood in," she said, batting her eyes at him. "Do you think you and your busted knee could be of service?"

"I think I could manage to give you a hand, yes," Scott said, coming over and getting an armful. "I won't tell you not to worry about him," he said quietly, "but be proud of him, too?"

"I am," she said, picking up the firewood. "More than he knows or will probably ever know."