Chapter 1
The compound is quiet as I lean against the kitchen countertop. A late night bowl of cereal in hand as I take in the tranquility. Since joining the Avengers, everything has been so fast paced and busy. Hardly much time to be alone unless I’m in my room or doing training modules. The team has been welcoming, it’s not everyday a top SHEILD agent gets powers, and it’s even more crazy that I am now immune to fire. Thor calls me the human torch but I think that’s a silly name.
I continue to munch on my bowl of Cinnamon Toast Crunch when I hear the faint sound of a door opening. Light footsteps slowly make their way towards me. The smell of her shampoo wafts into the room before she appears, her bright red hair pulling me into her green eyes when she finally steps in. “It’s late, what’s got you still up?” She asks, pulling out a mug from the cabinet as she prepares to make tea.
“I like the silence, it feels like everything slows down at night. I can focus better. Besides,” I grab the tea that was hiding behind me and hand it to her, “I can ask the same of you.”
She frowns, “I uh…couldn’t sleep.” She looks away from me, her eyes focused on the water as she waits for it to boil. Her fingers tapping on the rim of the mug with impatience.
“Are you…okay, Wanda? Do you need to talk about i-“
“I’m fine.” She cuts me off quickly, eyes never leaving the still water. Her tense shoulders rising even higher. I don’t respond to her right way, instead letting her words linger in the silence of the room.
“Well, when you’re not fine…I’m all ears.” I drink the last of the milk in my bowl and quickly wash it out. I feel her eyes watching me as I move around the kitchen. Every movement is meticulously surveillanced. I finally pause in front of her, our eyes locking as I take in the state of her exhaustion. Her eyes are red, her hair sticks to her forehead, evident with sweat. I know she’s not fine but I don’t push it, instead I wrap my hand around the water pot and use my powers to bring it to a boil. “Good night Wanda,” I state as I leave her alone in the kitchen.
A week goes by before I catch Wanda in the kitchen again. I get up in the middle of the night for my midnight cereal. As I step into the kitchen, I’m stunned to see Wanda standing with her hands firmly wrapped around a steaming cup of tea. Hair tied up in a messy bun as she stands with her oversized band shirt on, Led Zeppelin. Our eyes lock together, surprise evident on my face, “for once you beat me here, I didn’t expect that.”
“I hope I’m not in your way,” she says sheepishly, “I know you like your quiet.”
“You’re fine, certainly not in my way,” I pour the cereal into my bowl before pouring the milk in, “besides…I’ll make an exception for you anyway.” She sends me a smile over her mug, “still couldn’t sleep huh?”
“Nope,” she says bluntly.
“Are you ever going to tell me why?”
“Nope.” She pops.
“Figured.” She sips on her tea as I eat my bowl in conjoined silence, the faint buzzing of the kitchen light the only sound that fills the room. “How come you don’t conjure up a cup of tea with your magic, why do you always make it by hand?”
“The tea doesn’t taste the same, it tastes like residual magic.” She says.
“What does magic taste like?” I chuckle, sipping on my remaining milk.
“You know what pop rocks are?” I nod, “it tastes like pop rocks and dirt.”
I laugh at her description, “oh come on it can’t be that bad. I remember pop rocks being pretty good when I had them.” I clean my bowl and lean against the counter next to her.
“Probably cause they were filled with sugar and artificial flavors,” she elbows my side, the corners of her eye crinkling with her smile, “you’ll just have to experience it yourself.”
“Well then, I look forward to our next midnight rendezvous,” I give her a light tap on the shoulder, “goodnight Wanda.”
“Goodnight Y/N.”
A few more days go by before I make my midnight walk from my room to the kitchen. The kitchen light is already on by time I make it to the hallway, indicating that Wanda beat me again. I walk into the kitchen to find Wanda leaning against the counter with her tea, a bowl and a box of cereal sitting next to her.
“Took you long enough, I was beginning to think I would spend tonight alone.” She quips.
“No way, you promised me magic cereal and I’ve been dying to taste it.” I sit on top of the counter top across from her, my legs swinging in the open space.
“Alright fine,” with a wave of her hand a pristine bowl of cereal appears, looking like it was plucked out of a commercial. She hands it to me across the empty space and I eagerly take it, using the spoon to push some of the cereal under the milk before taking my first bite. She watches my face expectantly, waiting for my reaction.
“Oh…oh no…” my face contorts in disgust as I slowly chew, “the tingling is certainly like pop rocks.” I jump off the counter and spit out the remnants in the trash, Wanda laughs as she watches me.
“I tried to tell you, maybe next time you should put your listening ears on,” she mocks as she makes the bowl of magic cereal disappear.
“Listen witchy,” she raises her eyebrow at the nickname, “I wasn’t not listening, I just had a hypothesis that I wanted to check out.” I grab the normal cereal and milk and quickly make myself a bowl.
“So your defense is that you chose to ignore me?” She questions as she tilts her head.
“Nooo, how could I ever ignore you,” I pointed my spoon at her before taking a bite of my new cereal, “more like… selective hearing.”
She chuckles, “whatever you say weirdo,” she finishes her tea, staring at the empty mug as she runs her fingers through her hair. She taps the rim with her finger as she contemplates her next move. “I better get off to bed now.”
“Leaving so soon, and here I thought we were bonding, witchy.” She shoots me a glare before rolling her eyes, shaking her head as a small smile creeps on her face.
“Don’t push it there pyro, goodnight Y/N.” She turns and starts walking out of the kitchen.
“Goodnight Wanda, get some rest.”
“I’ll certainly try.”