New Asgard | Thursday

[scarlet_chaos]

Over the last couple of weeks Wanda had been doing her best to fit into New Asgard, and helping where she could without using magic. It had been long enough that she felt comfortable here now, and had taken to dressing a little more like the Asgardians and occasionally letting someone do some truly cool braiding with her hair that Wanda would never be able to pull off on her own.

One thing she had been bad at was keeping in touch with people outside of New Asgard. Which was mostly on purpose, though she occasionally felt guilt about it. It was a dick move dropping everyone that fast, but in her mind it was for the best.

It did get lonely at times, like now when she had nothing to do but sit in her little home and try to get lost in a book. But that was the point. She had to learn to accept the loneliness, and not destroy the world in an attempt to remedy herself of it.

[Open for calls/texts/visits/what have you]

Comments

[hasaknightjob]

One could make the joke that, like a shark and swimming, if Marc stopped protecting Steven he would die. Except death had happened twice and Marc managed to protect Steven both times. So... yeah.

Yes, yesterday! She's well.

Steven wondered if Wanda knew that Annie had been hurt in the first place. Maybe it wasn't for him to say if Annie didn't want Wanda knowing when she already had so many of her own troubles on her mind. Fortunately "well" was general enough not to be too much information, he hoped.

She mentioned the two of you went on holiday. Told me about the world like ours with the stop lights all turned about. Wild how different things can be but still have the same people.

Steven had taken the same number of clues that Marc had and had come to what might generously be called a slightly different conclusion about events.

[scarlet_chaos]

So Annie hadn't told the entire island what had happened, even if she had every right to do so. Wanda didn't know what to make of that. There was a spark of hope there, but it was quickly muffled by the guilt of what Annie had to hide in the first place.

Good. I'm glad she's doing well. Just haven't checked in with her recently. Or anyone else, really.

[hasaknightjob]

Something in Steven, maybe his time observing Marc and Layla, made him feel like it would be right to say,

She said she was glad I texted you. I told her about sending you the picture. On Christmas.

Then, since Steven worried,

Hope that was all right. Sent one to Layla as well. Keeping absent friends in mind and all that.

[scarlet_chaos]

I really appreciated it. She had, even if she didn't know how to respond in kind at the time. I'm sorry if it felt like I was ignoring you.

[hasaknightjob]

No, no, you're fine, I promise!

If they'd been in person Steven would've tried to put a hand on her arm or something, just to reassure her. All he had was text, though, so,

You'd have to be quiet a great deal longer for me to ever be cross about it. I have lived with Marc all this time.

And that was like 24-36 years of quiet, depending on how you counted it.

[scarlet_chaos]

Yeah, I don't think I've come anywhere near Marc's record. She'd have to be an entirely different person to pull that off.

[hasaknightjob]

Arguably, so had Marc.

Just don't confuse wanting to be alone with thinking you have to be, all right? He does that all the time and he's wrong. You've people who care about you, I promise.

Him and Marc, for instance.

[scarlet_chaos]

I know. That was the thing that made her and Marc different. Wanda never wanted to be alone. She never did well when it was just her and her thoughts. She had to learn to be better, so she never got as desperate as she had been last month.

I appreciate you checking in. I'll try to be better about doing the same.

[hasaknightjob]

Always here, day or night.

Luckily Wanda didn't know Marc's title to realize that was actually multiple levels of pun, not just the one about how they worked for the god of the moon and night sky.

Would you like to hear from Marc? He won't be about until later, but he's only being himself about not reaching out to you.

Which was to say Steven thought Marc was being stupid. But of course it was up to Wanda if she felt up for more text based company.

[scarlet_chaos]

I'd be happy to talk to him at any time. Though, admittedly, a lot of conversation with Marc had to happen in person so you could hear his tone and look at his facial expressions.

He didn't say much, but you could usually tell if he was kidding or not by his face.

But if he doesn't want to, that's also fine. She didn't want him to be guilted into anything.

[hasaknightjob]

Perhaps Wanda could be one of the few people who could convince Marc to do Facetime? Stranger things had happened.

When's Marc chat with someone when he doesn't want to? Steven replied. Except when Steven guilted him. Or nagged him. Or straight up tricked him. But in this case none of those would apply, so that worked out nicely.

Glad to hear from you. Promise you're taking care of yourself? Living in a proper home and everything?

[scarlet_chaos]

Yep. Have an actual house to myself and everything. Sure, the neighbors were rowdy, but Wanda had grown fond of them.

I'm fine, I promise.

[hasaknightjob]

Well she was doing better than Marc did on his own then. Points to Wanda there.

All right. Make sure you're eating as well. Laters gators!

Maybe next time they chatted he'd be even better at Sokovian. More than all of ten minutes worth of trying, perhaps.