· OPEN ·

[carmesi]

Who: wanda maximoff and YOU
When: days prior to event
Where: around town, flophouse
Summary: doing a little exploring, some housekeeping, meeting people
Warnings: none atm!

A. GOOD HARBOR BEACH

[so they can't use magic.

ever since she came to learn to use her powers, magic was like second nature to her—it just didn't feel right to not be able to have the swathes of red fulfill whatever she commanded it to do.

now, she's been here for a few hours in quiet contemplation, until she got the urge to hop her way towards salt island, using the land bridge formed because of the low tide. this, however, she did not realize was because of the tides. now, annoyance has her squatting on the edge of salt island, hugging her arms around her knees, waiting for the tide to lower again. if only she could do magic without restriction, she would fly back to the beach, or even will down the tide.

hopefully no one shows up to witness her current problem. and yes, she would rather wait for the tide to lower than to swim, thanks.]

B. BONNIE'S FLOPHOUSE

[what bonnie wants in exchange of not having to pay rent is, actually, pretty sensible. wanda has no problems with that, and although she would rather just have a place of her own—she can't exactly twirl her fingers and have it happen—the flophouse is growing on her. even with all the little flaws it has.

not really wanting to worry about the cleaning or repairing, she sets about in helping with the cooking. it's a little bit of a relaxing, mindless activity, and although she has little to work with, wanda can think of a couple of dishes from her home that could feed plenty.

soon, the smell of food wafts throughout the floors of the building. as wanda's finishing up and setting plates down for anyone who would like to come down into communal area to get themselves some early supper. it's not much, really, but she's managed a pot of beef and onion stew and several stuffed cabbages filled with minced meat and rice. she reclines against the counter with a bowl of soup in her hand, and keeping an eye out for anyone who ventures in.

easy way to meet the neighbors, right?]

C. MIDNIGHT CINEMA

[the cinema does catch her attention almost immediately. the architecture of the place is rather difficult to ignore, and there is some kind of allure to it. and though it seems inviting and wanda has seen people go inside, she doesn't know if she wants to go in.

when is the last time she even saw a movie?

as if changing her mind halfway through her walking up the path to the entrance, wanda abruptly turns around to head back into the street—]

Sorry.

[—and walks right into someone.]

I didn't see you.

Comments

Bonnie's Flophouse

[iwanttotrustyou]

[William was glad to be living in the flophouse, instead of ADI. A little grime and some chores didn't bother him, and he needed the (relative) privacy. Besides, the rules at ADI's reminded him too much of the police academy dorms, and he was done with dormitory life, thank-you-very-much.

He heads towards the kitchen to make himself some instant coffee when he smells the scent of onions and cooked meat wafting through the hall. When he turns into the communal area, he clocks the heavy pot of stew, as well as the woman watching over it to one side.]

You make that? It smells great.

[carmesi]

Mhmm.

[she hums around the spoonful of soup in her mouth.]

It's pörkölt. [there's a distinct accent when she says that, like she's clearly comfortable with whatever language it comes from.] It was popular in my home.

Sarmale. [with the spoon, she points to the large dish that carries the wrapped cabbages.] Rice and minced meat wrapped in cabbage.

You can take some.

midnight cinema

[120vision]

[ Gojou had been restless the past while and wanted to do something to take his mind off of it. The cinema seemed like as good an idea as any, some mindless way to occupy his time. Ever since developing his powers, movies weren't something he could indulge in often, considering how his eyes functioned back home. But now that they're working like regular eyes, well. It's a lot less difficult, possibly the only good thing about not being able to use his Six Eyes anymore.

So he's excited and eager to get here. He's not paying much attention to where he's going, which is how Wanda manages to walk into him. He puts his hands out in front of him, as if he's trying to ward off any further 'attacks'. ]

Be careful, there. With a tackle like that, you could take out the worst of enemies.

good harbor beach

[sorser]

[She isn’t the only one who’s taken to exploring. Stephen has, too, in an attempt to quell the restlessness snaking through his bones, keeping his body as active as his mind. And though the distractions are many in his new world, seemingly mundane as it appears on the surface, there is never quite enough to upend that sinking feeling of unease, of well and truly being tossed into yet another scenario in which the apocalypse hangs over their heads — or maybe that’s just another day ending in Y, he tells himself.

Regardless, he’s found himself stranded on this singular little isle the same as her, drawn in by the briny murmuring of the shoreline. Having walked the perimeter, it’s only until he comes round a minute or two later that he spots her — or at least he thinks she cuts a familiar figure, huddled at the water as though her defiance might send her across the waves and bring her back to shore.

Stephen approaches, letting the breeze carry his voice—]

You’re not exactly who I expected to see here.

[He calls out, testing for a reaction, walking closer. Stephen is missing the bright red swath of his cloak for now, but the rest should be familiar: the dark hues of his sorcerer’s garb, the golden glint of a sling ring snug against scarred fingers. Guess clothes shopping wasn’t on the list today.]

Not that I’m sure what to expect at this point. Hello, Wanda.

[his foot goes straight into his mouth if he’s wrong]

[iwanttotrustyou]

[He's never had sarmale or pörkölt before, but he notes the names and the accent as he glances over the stew. The smell is headier when he gets closer, rich and seasoned.]

Sure, if you're not saving it for anybody. Would hate for good food to go uneaten otherwise.

flophouse

[horrifictie]

[ he isn't thinking of food as he barrels down the stairwell, the third floor a pain in the ass on the way up but a joy on the way down, but then the smell hits his senses.

PERCEPTION (Smelling) - Beef and onion are combining together into a hearty aroma, your mouth watering as it brings you back to the feeling of the past. Not the memory, no, but the sensation that came when meat was cooked once a month in your youth. It was expensive back then. Still is, on your paycheck anyway.

his nose leads the way, steps pronounced without fear as he walks through the halls and finally into the communal area. he grins at the plates on the table and then at the woman with her bowl. ]

You can feed a small army with a spread like this. Are you expecting guests?

[carmesi]

It's for everyone.

[it's easy to say that, and it feels nice, too, after her own forced solitude. setting down the bowl on the counter, she moves on over towards the stove, picking up one of the bowls she had set out and a large spoon.]

A bit of both?

[carmesi]

[a little taken aback by the defensive motion, it takes wanda a moment to realize that it's humor and not exactly a forthright statement (she hardly tackled him). with his height he could come off as imposing—except wanda has been around imposing—and she can't help but notice that the guy is a little too pretty.

must be really good genes.]

Not really one for tackling, but my enemies do tend to crumple to their knees.

[playful with playful? how does she interact with people again? she points over her shoulder, at the house slash theater.]

What kind of movies have they got?

[carmesi]

[she does react to the voice, for she did not expect to ultimately have any company on this small island considering, well, how she's managed to strand herself on it. not to mention, the voice sounds genuinely familiar despite the sight of so many unfamiliar things of late. wanda is greeted by name in the moment that she stands up to her full height, turning to look at the man.

there's something missing in this picture, perhaps a little red, but everything else is definitely a person she recognizes.]

You know my name. [a statement of surprise, her arms crossing in front of her as the salty breeze picks up.] You're the magician. With the portals.

[alright, so she never stopped to ask for his name. so many other things took precedence when they had briefly met. generously, and a little delayed, she offers with a slight bow of her head and a awkwardly raised hand in some form of waving.]

Hello.

[carmesi]

[wanda heard him as he came down the stairs before he even arrived; a large muscular man with the kind of facial hair she'd expect to go in accordance with his voice. she considers another spoonful of soup, but decides against it as the question is asked.

looks like her bait to meet the neighbors is working.]

Not really. Just the neighbors.

[she motions with her chin at the food.]

Beef and onion stew, pörkölt, and also sarmale, cabbage with rice and meat. If you are hungry.

[sorser]

[He was right, then, and everything about her features and stance confirms it when she stands to face him fully. His brow lifts noticeably at the greeting, and the correction comes swiftly.]

A sorcerer. Not a magician. [Or a WIZARD] A magician stands on stage and pulls rabbits out of hats — I’m fresh out of both.

[He considers her for a moment, dubious. This meeting between them could be painted as awkward in its unexpectedness, but Stephen bulldozes through it without much hesitation.]

Shouldn’t I know your name? Being an Avenger makes you a celebrity, and that’s not accounting for trying not to get killed on the battlefield together.

Doctor Stephen Strange, if you’ve forgotten mine. [(she never knew it)]

[carmesi]

[she tilts her head at the explanation, and wonders how many times stephen has had to explain it time and time again at people who get it wrong. she hadn't even thought of the differences until now, and supposes there is a point to it.

she also supposes she feels a little bit bad about calling him a magician (better than magic-man though, right?).]

Sorry, I was preoccupied by other things at the time.

[like destroying the ever living shit out of thanos, and what the aftermath meant to the avengers.]

I'm not an Avenger anymore. That all ended with Stark dying and Steve Rogers retiring. [not to mention natasha and vision, thor's departure, banner's injury— she shakes her head and sniffles, looking back towards the shore of the beach.] It looks like we are stuck here, [in this world, on this island; same thing. she turns her head towards him.] Doctor Strange.

[sorser]

Mm, well, a title like that one sticks, regardless of “team” status.

[The fame, or even infamy, clings to them. It’s unavoidable at this point, though it isn’t the point. The quick correction is noted, previously known or otherwise, and Stephen flicks his look over to the glittering water, having long submerged the little tract of land-bridge.]

It’d appear so. Nothing that can’t be solved with a little time, patience, or ingenuity.

[To get back to land. To get back home. All of the above.]

So it’s just you and me? No one else has dropped in that you know of? Stuck in a broom closet back in the ADI offices, maybe?

[carmesi]

[oh, he's a little funny and smart like tony stark (but without that bite of sarcasm, and without wanda forcing herself to remember that the man was an ally, no matter what misdeeds his company had been responsible for in the past). it is definitely a nice breath of familiarity.

enough so that she huffs out a chuckle, shrugging her shoulders.]

From our world? Yes, as far as I know, but if there is someone else, I'm sure that's where they'll be, stuck in a broom closet past their arrival-stupor.

[she raises a brow.]

Any ideas to fix our stranded situation?

[sorser]

[People used to say he was funny — now Wong just looks at him like he’s the driest, most un-funny man in the universe when he tries to be clever. Wanda’s minute appreciation is recognized with a hidden dash of satisfaction, even if the comment was throw-away at best, and Stephen crosses his arms and gives a shrug of his shoulders.]

Currently? There are a few options. One, we wait. I assume that’s what you were doing.

[He motions out to the shore.]

Then there are the options that I’m guessing you’re avoiding: swimming—my vote for that is no, by the way—, or using our abilities to cross with half the effort.

[A beat.]

But with a few more consequences than we’re used to.

[carmesi]

[she stays quiet as he relays their options—considerations she had already minded at some point prior to conversing with him. the man seems to like to hear himself talk, but at least it's not in a way where he says more than what's needed to be heard.

precise and to the point; wanda could do with that. with a tired gesture, she sets her arms down at her sides and turns to stephen.]

Terror and murder aren't exactly prospects I want to test out.

[horrifictie]

[ RHETORIC [Medium: Success] - Neighbor, in this case, are the people who live in this building. Meaning you. Though this is a lot of food and a lot of effort. No one just *does* this strictly out of the goodness of their heart, do they? ]

I can't say no to a good hearty meal.

[ he saunters over to the table and examines all the plates. the stew may be a bit too filling for him, it's the sort of meal that could easily lull him into sleep. right now he wants to stay alert. he grabs a fresh plate and picks up the sarmale, only a couple from the batch. ]

Thanks for this. Very kind of you.

[sorser]

[Frank and to the point. At that, Stephen frowns, unwilling to joke about this particular subject.]

Neither do I. Which is why I don’t make this proposition lightly.

[Do no harm. It’s tenet he’s stretched and bent a few times for the sake of his work, his safety, the safety of so many others — but never out of flippant disregard or utter uncaring. To even say it’s out of practicality is insufficient to Stephen; without urgency, making this sort of decision seems cold and callous. But the line is never clear-cut. It’s all shades of grey instead of the heroic, shining ease of black-and-white idealism.]

You’ve been given the same briefing as me, haven’t you? On paper, we have a vague idea of what we’re dealing with, and to assume that we can work at half our efficacy by stifling our own potential is… naive. At some point, whether I want to or not, I’m going to have to use my magic. That’s just the reality.

[He doesn’t like it one bit. Beyond the idea of terrorizing those who don’t deserve it, being tied in a lopsided not-exactly-symbiotic loop with an entity reeks too much of Dormammu and the functioning his Dark Dimension.]

And if there are any surprises, and any unexpected consequences, I would rather learn about them sooner than later. Using a basic spell with minimal magical output.

[Another glance towards the shore. No murder involved for something so trivial, surely.]

A portal to get us both across.

bonnie's flophouse

[variantl1130]

[Normally a place he would avoid at all costs, seeing as it's shared, Loki is drawn to the flophouse's kitchen based solely on the smell. Cooked food. It's not the high cuisine of his upbringing, but compared to what he's eaten in the past few days, whatever it is smells absolutely divine. It feels quaint, overall, what with the kitchen and dining room being the same room, but his time at the TVA has him feeling used to the self-serve atmosphere by now. He's learned not to complain about free food.]

Finally, something decent to eat. Is this for everyone? [He does not wait for the question to be answered before he picks up a bowl and ladles stew into it. Hardly a glance goes to the chef.]

[carmesi]

[she smiles at her offer being accepted. she is used to people being a little more wary around her and, really, the other tenants of the flophouse have no reason to trust her so easily. maybe perception really is everything, and it's incredibly encouraging.

pleased that he's taking some sarmale from the pile, she brings another spoonful of stew to her mouth.]

Where I'm from, meals were always eaten together. Not just with family, but with the neighbors, too. Even when we didn't have a lot, it was normal to share what little we did have.

[she can only hope that her walking towards the table to sit down with her bowl is plain enough an invitation to share said meal, if only for a bit.]

I'm Wanda. Got here a few days ago.

[carmesi]

[well, it certainly looks like he didn't need to ask.]

It is there for anyone to take.

[but it's all the more amusing, considering the different kinds of people that were brought to this world.]

Should be enough for seconds. [she takes another sip off her own bowl, remaining thoughtful for a moment.] Have you been here a while?

[carmesi]

[she likes that stephen can put into words what she feels about the use of magic that has become so much a part of herself. she could do without her magic, though it would take time and effort to get used to it, but she rather be able to do so without restraint, without being shackled to what she can or cannot do.

wanda had recently come to terms with her own powers, so this much is just a little frustrating. like when agatha used runes to lock her magic away, except there were no chains, only a pendulum with a curved knife in her mind, swinging down towards her neck should she try.

the response she gives to his consideration is simple:]

I do not wish to live in fear of using my powers.

[—so, she agrees.]

And if it'll get us off this island without having to wait for the tide, even better.

B.

[bigporkenergy]

[Galliard has been out of the apartment for awhile, just wandering around and thinking things over. He may have crashed on the beach for a night or two; somehow, sleeping outdoors and on sand makes him feel more at home than the narrow apartment he'd been assigned. But he's in need of a shower and a change of clothes, so he goes back to the flophouse, out of sorts and covered in sand.]

[He definitely wasn't expecting to the smell of food, or to have it coming from his apartment. When he lets himself in and sees a woman in the kitchen, he freezes.]

Uh... hi?

[variantl1130]

[He doesn't mind the chatter as he fixes up his bowl and brings it to the table. He only answers in half-hearted nods and mm-hms. When he's situated, he can finally lift a spoonful to his nose, and, mmm. Dismissive of the chef he may be, but he is appreciative of the beauty within the dish.

And then she asks a question, which finally distracts him from his stomach. He may as well be decent enough to answer it...]

A few days, at this point. I assume you ended up here the same way? Dropped from a different timeline?

[And he can finally take a bite—oh. Mmm. His eyes fall closed, savoring it. ...He's having an experience.]

[horrifictie]

[ EMPATHY [Medium: Success] - The custom is not so different in Revachol, and in many of the other isolas. Your family has been gone for a long time, and the ones you found among the streets are dead. It has been a long time since you shared a meal. ]

[ he takes her invitation without hesitation, a clear signal between both her words and her walk to the table to come over. he does so, taking the seat across from her with a smile past his beard. ]

Harry. And also came here few days ago. [ he takes another smell of the food, stomach aching for it. ] Where are you from Wanda?

[ this food reminds him of something that would be made in revachol, but he knows not everyone comes from the same... world? he's still wrapping his head around that one. ]