(no subject)

[lord_wizard]

Who: Starstruck crew and visitors
Broadcast: None
Action: The SS Trainwreck Starstruck
When: August

[It might be accurate to say that the crew of the Starstruck had spent the majority of the month prior avoiding each other, or people in general, but as we leave the hand holding planet perhaps the crew can get back to normal.

Whatever that means...]

Comments

Wanda ; Starstruck kitchen (a.k.a. an excuse to use this icon)

[notmutantbutmiracle]

[When Wanda's not visiting Pietro aboard the Bloodsport -- which is kind of often, she can mostly be found in either her bunkroom or in the kitchen. In fact, if any visitors or fellow crew members were to enter the kitchen at the moment, they would be greeted by the pleasant smell of paprika, salt, pepper, and cooking meat. Yes, Wanda is making Paprikash. And no, Vision is not helping this time. Luckily, for anyone looking to sample some, she appears to be making plenty. In fact, she appears to be making enough for two ships worth of people. While it started as just a meal for her and Pietro, along the way she had decided it would be rude to not make some for both her shipmates and Pietro's aboard the Bloodsport. Her attention is rather fixed on the cooking, but she's still willing to chat a little with anyone that comes by. In fact, if you're nice enough, she might ask you for a little taste test.]

[lord_wizard]

[It always gets his attention when someone other than him is making actual use of the Starstruck's kitchen, but he's lured out of hiding as much by the strong spices in the air as much as he is by curiosity and a vague territorial instinct. He would honestly be quite relieved if the Starstruck earned itself a second cook once again, so he could return to doing as little as possible without guilt.

Felix appears in the kitchen doorway, a book tucked under one arm and one eyebrow raised.]

What's all this?

[notmutantbutmiracle]

[Wanda turns her head, giving Felix a smile over her shoulder.]

It's paprikash. A dish from my home country.

[She pulls a spoon out of the large sauce pot for a taste test. She then pulls out another spoonful, turning around fully and offering it to Felix.]

Can you taste this for me? Let me know if there's too much pepper.

[lord_wizard]

[He drifts closer to the stove, cautiously curious as he stares first at the pot and then at the hovering spoon]

That might be subjective. Is it supposed to be very peppery?

[It looks hot, in more ways than one, and he's unsure.]

[notmutantbutmiracle]

Yes, but not so much that it stings the nose.

[Rather than look offended, she's more tickled by Felix's little dance of trepidation.]

Something the matter?

[mucked]

...Whatever's on the hob, it smells delightful.

[ peggy's opinion is offered up without any accompanying greeting. she strides (slowly) into the kitchen with a pair of mugs in her hand, intending to wash them in the sink. her steps are ginger, but she's clearly better healed now. sprained and tender, but no longer bed-ridden.

she glances sidelong at wanda while she twists the tap and lets the water flow. ]

[notmutantbutmiracle]

[Wanda looks over at Peggy, a bit surprised to see her up and about, but certainly still happy to see her nonetheless.]

Thank you.

It's chicken paprikash. My mother used to make it for Pietro and I when we were little.

[mucked]

Pietro. That's the young man who arrived on the Bloodsport. [ she can piece things together. she's a spy, after all. ] Your brother, isn't he?

[notmutantbutmiracle]

[Wanda nods, turning back to the stove for a moment to put a lid on the pot she had been stirring.]

Yes. I am guessing Steve filled you in?

[mucked]

I deduced the broader strokes. [ ... ] But Steve supplied the details, yes.

[notmutantbutmiracle]

So you know then? About my brother's situation?

[mucked]

I know enough. [ ... ] And I've experienced enough to understand how you might be feeling right now.

This place gives us miraculous gifts, sometimes. Despite its drawbacks.

[notmutantbutmiracle]

["Gifts..." Wanda is not sure that is what she would call it, but she is certainly happy to see her brother again. Still, Wanda looks a little glum as she considers Peggy's words and the situation.]

It is odd. To feel so happy, and yet so scared and sad at the same time. I try to focus on the good, but...

[She shakes her head, as her voice trails off.]

[mucked]

But we live on the point of a needle, here. A particularly wobbly needle. You never know what might come next. Or who.

[notmutantbutmiracle]

[Wanda is silent for a bit. Seemingly distracted by her cooking.]

I do not know if I can handle losing him again.

[She turns to face Peggy. Now clear by her eyes, that she's been trying to hold back tears.]

Back home... it has been nearly a full year since he died. Counting the time I spent here, it is closer to two. I thought I had moved on, but then he just shows up here. Out of the blue. Like no time has passed.

[Her voice starts cracking more and more.]

How- how can I tell him? I- I can't... I...

[She looks on the verge of breaking down.]

whatchu got there, sestra?

[silvercast]

[ It's Pietro, this time, that comes to visit Wanda. He offers no word of warning before showing up, but it seems as though she wasn't intending upon showing up for a while. He smells the paprikash before he sees her in the kitchen, scent carrying down the hall. It's been years since either of them have had any- let alone homemade.

It smells amazing. Just like their mother used to make, and he's excited to get to the kitchen and snoop. Wanda is engrossed with her cooking, that she may not notice him straight away, though their mental link may be his giveaway. That doesn't mean he won't try sneaking up on his little sister, giving her side a playful grab. ]

Care for a taste, bruhda?

[notmutantbutmiracle]

[Their mental link, while certainly having rekindled since Pietro's arrival, was not as strong in the fleet as it had been at home. Whether it was the Atroma's doing or some other form of interference, their link no longer served as an exact kind of pinpoint gps for each other. Instead, Wanda merely felt a warmth, a sensation that signaled her brother's presence nearby. However, she attributed that simply to the fact that they were now in the fleet together, and that it's growing strength was simply due to their being within close proximity of each other again.]

[That is all to say--yes, Pietro totally got the jump on her. She jumps when he grabs her, spinning about wildly to face her sneak-attacker. As she turns, the large stirring spoon she was holding, covered in sauce, flies out of her hand. The paprikash splattering her poor brother in the face. Luckily for him, she'd cut off the heat, allowing the sauce to cool to just slightly above room temperature.]

[When she sees who it is, she is startled, annoyed, and then completely overcome with a fit of laughter all in the span of a few seconds. She gets a good laugh at her brother's sauce covered face before handing him a table cloth to clean himself off with.]

And that, dear brother, is why you do not come up from behind and startle someone working in the kitchen.

[silvercast]

[ His sister being in his head is both comforting and somewhat new. Something's changed, though he isn't sure what; but a link is still a link, and some of it is better than none at all. He will take anything he's given.

It does bring him joy that he still has the ability to sneak up on her, even without his full speed capacity. Perhaps the only downside of not being fast enough is not being fast enough to avoid getting splattered in the face by warm paprikash. His hand comes up to stop the towel for the time being, running a finger along his splattered cheek and licking the wasted sauce. Pietro grins mischievously at her, cleaning off his face. ]

If I didn't know any better, dear sister, I would say you are out of practice.

[ He inspects a strand of his hair with a small tsk, using the towel to try and clean the sauce out. How inconvenient. ]

[notmutantbutmiracle]

[Wanda at first looks as though she's going to give a playfully snide response, but then something seems to make her stop. She looks sad for a second, but then does her best to mask it with a cocked eyebrow and a wry grin.]

Or perhaps I knew you were there the whole time and merely felt your hair could use a little [she flicks a glob of sauce off, just over his ear.] color.

[silvercast]

[ He doesn't miss the small flicker of emotion on her face, but is having a hard time connecting to it like he should. Seeing an emotion and feeling one from his sister are two different things. Perhaps it's the augment interfering with their connection..

He plays it off with a smirk, instead. ]

Oh did you, now? So your reaction was only for my benefit?

[notmutantbutmiracle]

[She can tell that he knows, and that fact makes her want to just open up and tell him everything. But this... this happiness of being with him again, like no time has passed and nothing has changed, it is too nice of a feeling. She does not want to jeopardize it. Not yet. She's not ready.]

Of course. How else can I expect you to learn that you should leave your sister be when she is fixing a surprise meal?

[silvercast]

You expect me not to meddle when I can smell paprikash through the hall? Surprise or no, that is nonsense.

[ Even when he was younger and their mother used to make it, Pietro would wheedle his way into the kitchen while she was cooking. Especially just to sneak a taste. ]

[notmutantbutmiracle]

Yes, through the hall AND the vacuum of space. Your sense of smell is unmatched.

[silvercast]

I am quite talented. I'm so glad you've noticed.

[ He gently tweaks her nose. Still the annoying big brother. ]

[notmutantbutmiracle]

[Wanda lets out a soft snort and a giggle. Ever the playful egotist, her brother. She then turns back around to start spooning out portions into various containers she'd pulled out.]

Remind me, how many are on your ship?