Chapter 6
“Like this. You gotta… no, you gotta fold it. You’re not mixing, you’re folding,” Wanda says, peering over tony’s shoulder as she watches him trying to turn the batter in the bowl.
It’s been a discovery they made that Wanda can cook and bake now. Natasha figures it makes sense. She hasn’t asked her about it, but she knows that Wanda was one of few women at the ‘farm’ (the term still makes Natasha feel sick. Thinking about it makes her stomach churn) so it seems logical, knowing their patriarchal ideals, that she was tasked with it or something.
She’s currently in the kitchen, coaching Tony through making cupcakes for Peter’s birthday. Natasha wonders whether Wanda’s memories of before omit the fact that she used to have a rocky relationship with Tony, because quite honestly she seems fine with him now. He always loved her, and she slowly got over her hostility towards him, but there was always a little turbulence.
Even so, Natasha’s glad that it seems to be peaceful now, because Wanda needs as much support as she can get.
With the girl’s permission, Natasha disclosed a fair amount of what she told her to Steve, and also the rest of the team. Not quite as much to them, considering she was crying into Steve’s shoulder as she recounted the conversation to him. She gave them all a few pointers on things they should and shouldn’t be doing around her, and… Nat thinks it’s definitely making it a little easier for Wanda already.
“No, look… you’re terrible at this,” Wanda says, and Natasha has to stifle a laugh at the mock offended look Tony shoots Wanda.
“I’ll have you know I was the person who taught you how to use the toaster, Miss Maximoff,” Tony says, turning back to the bowl where he’s folding brown sugar into the mix.
He misses the sudden vacancy that fills Wanda’s eyes as she fixes her gaze on a point in the kitchen. She’s silent for long enough that he eventually turns to look at her, though, and when he does he freezes, shooting Natasha a glance.
Nat’s about to say something when Wanda’s lips suddenly quirk upward, just slightly. “Our second morning at the tower,” she says eventually, shifting her gaze to Tony and giving a slightly bigger smile. “You made us pop tarts for breakfast. I had raspberry and P…” she cuts herself off before her brother’s name can leave her lips, suddenly blinking several times, fast. “He had chocolate.”
Natasha knows Tony is fighting the urge to give her a hug, can see the way he clenches his fist as he gives a smile that tells her he’s holding back the tears. “You remember that, huh?” he asks, the usual defensive sarcasm absent from his voice, and Nat knows this is him being vulnerable for Wanda. “You still like pop tarts? Because I can still make them.”
Wanda chuckles, dropping her gaze to the floor. “I... I think so. Maybe we could try that next.”
Tony smiles back, and a few moments after Wanda has turned back to fixing the mess Tony made of the batter, he meets Natasha’s eye and gives her a smile too.
Progress.
-
It’s unclear how Wanda feels about Peter at first.
He’s seventeen, three years younger than her, but maturity wise they’re pretty much on a par. Tony gave him a little rundown on how he has to be careful around her (his unfaltering enthusiasm and eagerness usually phases most people, even when they’ve not survived four years in an abusive cult) but Natasha still isn’t sure how Wanda will react to being around him.
He introduces himself straight off the bat, holding his hand out for her to shake, and she stands there silently, watching him for a few long moments before giving a quick nod and turning her attention back to the book she had been curled up reading.
(Natasha reintroduced her to books, recently. Wanda used to love reading, and apparently that’s something that she hasn’t lost, even if she hadn’t read in four years. She promised to take Wanda to the library, as soon as she wanted to)
An hour or so later, Tony seems to be hedging to start a conversation between them again. Wanda’s in the kitchen, making herself some coffee, and Tony practically shepherds Peter over to her.
Somehow Peter manages to strike up conversation using coffee as a springboard, and after almost a minute of his rambling, Wanda’s lips quirk upwards. Just a little. But it’s enough.
Natasha’s grateful for Peter’s persistence for once, because she knows that Wanda isn’t rude. She isn’t stand-offish, or cold, she’s just forgotten how she’s meant to meet new people. She doesn’t remember how to make small talk or strike up a friendship. She’s stuck in her head debating over what things are socially acceptable and what are just the twisted, depraved rules of the farm that she can’t unlearn.
Ultimately, Peter manages to get a few words out of Wanda (which Tony seems to think is an achievement, given how he’s grinning from ear to ear behind her) but after about ten minutes of talking, she walks away.
Natasha has an inkling that Peter hadn’t finished speaking because he looks a little bewildered, but it doesn’t matter. It’s a step forward. Wanda having a friend closer to her age could be helpful, anyway. Especially considering he’s only a year or so older than she was when she… was ‘taken’.
Maybe Peter will be able to help fill in some of her gaps.
-
Of course, the bad can only be expected to accompany the good.
Some of the team are in the kitchen, and Clint must make a passing remark with something in there that triggers Wanda, because next thing she’s a trembling wreck, telling him that’s she’s ready to do whatever he wants. Promising to be good and asking not to be hurt.
Given the fact that Natasha is the only one who can touch Wanda without a violent response, they’re quick to get her. Natasha manages to bring her back, gripping her shoulders tightly and talking to her as slowly and firmly as she can, making sure Wanda’s attention is on her. Wanda is still vacant once she snaps out of it, and buries her face into Natasha’s shoulder, practically shutting herself down - a clear sign that she’s overwhelmed.
Steve can barely contain his anger. He’s tearing out of the kitchen and they hear a crash somewhere down the hall, followed by a loud exclamation. Nat knows it’s next to impossible for him to stay calm after witnessing his little girl standing in front of him, trembling, expecting to be raped, abused. Even tony’s turned red, and he gives a nod towards the hall before jogging after Steve.
Nat and Clint are left, with Wanda. The girl is shaking still, but she’s definitely present because she’s tapping a light pattern against Natasha’s back. She knows that’s Wanda’s way of grounding herself.
Nat meets clint’s eyes over the little witch’s head and he gives her a pointed look before his gaze drops to Wanda. She and Clint have both always been the ones who have found it easier to keep their emotions in check. Easier than the others. When everyone else was reaping chaos with their screaming and fist fights, the two of them would be silently feeling it all.
That’s why Natasha’s trusting him to look into the godawful cult that took her. Trusting him to construct the task force that’s going to take the place down. She doesn’t plan on telling Wanda, not yet; doesn’t want to open up that conversation with her until it’s a done thing. But she knows Clint is the only one with the emotional control to do it.
Natasha knows a flash of pain crosses her face when Wanda releases a slight whimper into her neck. Clint evidently catches it, because after a long moment he meets her eye again and gives her a nod.
‘ We’ll catch them ’ he signs to her, and she could never doubt the intensity in his eyes. ‘ I promise ’.
-
They’re sitting in the living room, when it happens. Peter and Tony both persisted until it was agreed that they’d watch Star Wars, and pretty much everyone has joined them.
Wanda’s curled up on the armchair in the corner with her nose buried in a book, but she hasn’t turned the page in about an hour. Natasha’s latched onto the fact that she feels most comfortable when she doesn’t have to socialise and can just observe. She figures that Wanda’s trying to re-learn how to act.
Peter asks someone to pass the popcorn, and within a matter of seconds, the bowl is being lifted from sam’s lap by tendrils of red magic and shifted over to Peter.
Natasha does her best to suppress a reaction, but to no avail, because everyone else’s head is snapping to face Wanda.
The girl looks confused for a moment, and then surprised, and then she looks embarrassed and she’s lifting her book as if in an attempt to disappear.
“Did that- was that…” Peter stammers, only for Tony to nudge him hard and the boy to look to him with wide eyes.
It takes a little while for everyone to return their attention to the screen, but once they have, Natasha slips off the couch with a brief peck to Steve’s cheek, and moves to crouch beside the armchair Wanda’s sitting in.
The girl looks up, cheeks still flushed a little with embarrassment, eyes meeting Nat’s.
“Hey,” Natasha says quietly, checking that Wanda can see where her hand is before placing it on the girl’s leg lightly. “You don’t have to be embarrassed. That was great.”
Wanda hesitates, eyes flickering from Natasha to the tv screen and then back to Nat again. “I didn’t even mean to do it,” she says, swallowing harshly. “It… I didn’t even realise I was using my powers until I’d done it. Like… I mean, I realised, but it was subconscious like I just handed Peter the bowl, or something.”
Nat smiles encouragingly and nods. “Yeah. Things happen like that sometimes,” she says, tipping her head. “Can I ask if that’s the first time you’ve used them since you were sixteen?”
Wanda cheeks redden a little again, only just visible under the low lighting, and she gives a slow shrug. “I think uh… I think I used them a couple of times. But I wasn’t…” she hesitates again, and Natasha is quick to nod, squeezing her leg.
“It’s okay. Got it,” Natasha tells her, reassuringly, not wanting Wanda to feel like she has to spell it out. She wasn’t allowed to use them, on the farm . “Well don’t resist it, okay? And if you want any help with it, you let one of us know.”
Wanda gives another nod, smiling lightly this time. “Um, would it be okay if I head back to my room? I want… I want to…” she stammers a little, and her cheeks get redder. She looks like she’s a mix of frustrated and embarrassed.
“Hey, you don’t have to explain yourself, or ask permission. That’s okay,” Natasha reminds her, giving a nod. “Would you like to go by yourself?” she asks, just to check that Wanda doesn’t want company.
Wanda gives a nod, uncurling her legs and sitting forward in the seat.
“Alright. You let JARVIS know if you need anything, then, okay? I’ll probably be here for another couple of hours, too.”
“Okay. Night Nat,” Wanda gives a soft smile standing up, and then hesitates again. “Love you,” she adds hastily, as though she’s scared to say it, and then she’s rushing out of the room before she can be met with a reply (Natasha decides her fear is probably a lack of one).
Despite being out of earshot, Nat smiles, widely, heart warming as she does. “Love you too, little one.”