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[ It's both strange to hear someone he knows is dead mentioned like that, lightly, but he thinks it also must be a good thing. He knows that the loss of her brother is still painful to Wanda--there's no way it couldn't be--but maybe reaching for the small memories that are happy is better. Maybe it's painful to speak at first, but it becomes easier with time.

It's a method he's never tried, not because he thinks it's wrong, but because he's never been in a position to casually speak about who he's lost, and now it's become a habit.

It's another thing to think about, perhaps. ] Maybe I'll have to try it like that next time. In case he was right.

[ He rests his hand on her hip for a lingering moment, then heads to sit down. He's never been concerned with manners, as such, and he has no idea how traditions work for Wanda's people, so he simply assumes that this is how it's supposed to be. He sits at the table like he owns it, because that's how he sits anywhere. ]

[Some days are better than others. It's easier to think of Pietro in lighter moments, in memories where they were happy. And it's far easier to think of him with a lesser amount of pain when she's not alone. She is always aware of the blank space where her twin should be, but it is so much more obvious in a vacuum.

She sends him a psychic thread of appreciation for that last touch before she turns to prepare their bowls. She gives Shaxx a little extra food, because she's sure he's worked up an appetite overseeing training, and a little less sour cream than she puts on her own paprikash. He can always add more if he changes his mind. And once it's all ready, she levitates the bowls to the table. It's just safer that way, with no chance of her accidentally sloshing the sauce somewhere.

Wanda's apartment is certainly not grand like his castle but Shaxx could do a lot worse for service. She takes a seat opposite him and settles in like this is a proper dinner and as if she isn't sitting here in lingerie.]

Go ahead. Start with anything you like. I don't know how it's done where you're from so this is everything but the dessert.

[ It probably says a lot about Shaxx and his previous experience (or strange lack thereof) with fairly normal relationships that there's so much in this scenario he simply doesn't get. While he's definitely grasped that Wanda's looking nice and has made a special effort to dress up for him, he hasn't understood the nuance of the lingerie itself--and while charmed, is a bit confused as to why the special effort was necessary.

The concept of a "proper" dinner is also rather mysterious to him, but he's coasting along at the moment on taking his cues from Wanda, because in his estimation this is a Wanda Thing in the same way throwing grenades and getting catapulted into walls is a Shaxx Thing. You don't have to fully understand your friend's hobbies in order to try to participate. It's a thing friends do for each other. ]

I wouldn't know how it's done, either. [ It's a cheerful enough admission; there's no shame in ignorance.] I've never been one for formal meals. But you've got me sitting in one place and eating.

[And for that reason, he's reasonably aware that his table manners aren't great because he's never needed to practice them. The dynamic of eating changes quite a bit when you're face-out to the world. But if she wants him to start, that might well be another manner thing; he is the guest here, after all. He retrieves one of the little cheese biscuits and starts on that, breaking it apart with his hands into something bite-sized. Since bread is presumably at least somewhat universal. ]

It's very good. Is this your favorite kind of bread? It's impressive that you made them.

[ He may normally eat cheap food, but he can still tell when something tastes good. And making food is like it's own kind of magic.

He keeps an eye on what Wanda does, not copying her actions as such, but absorbing that this is what polite dining should probably look like. ]

Edited (I wanted to put in more dialog!) 2021-04-30 04:42 (UTC)

[Wanda grins, using her powers to uncork one of the bottles and pour it for him.] I'm not sure it's a 'formal' meal with me dressed like this.

[Oh noooooooo, Wanda might just need to acquire a larger collection of linegerie to help Shaxx gain a better understanding of it. Experience is a great teacher, right?

The candles could definitely go either way towards a formal or sexy vibe and Wanda's deliberately not put on any music and kept the TV off for Shaxx's comfort. She's doing the best she can to make this good for him.]

You can't ask me to choose a favorite. We had so many good breads I haven't been able to find here or in America. But I think this might be my favorite savory bread.

[It's the sweet breads that she wouldn't be able to choose between.

Wanda also starts with a little bit of the bread and then moves on to take some bites of the paprikash. She doesn't touch the salad at all yet.]

[ Shaxx grins. ] It means I'm sitting at an actual table, with another person, and we're not arm wrestling. [ Just imagine, a world where he's not always doing something else while he's eating, even if it's just walking away from the shop where he got the food.

Experience is definitely the best way to learn. And he tries to be a good student.

Though hilariously, what the candles mostly do in Shaxx's understanding is give off a this house belongs to a Warlock vibe. He has never understood what it is with Warlocks and candles, but it's a thing, and it makes them happy, so he's not going to complain. And the warm light they give off is certainly nice. ]

Every place and every people seem to have their own kind of bread. I tried as many as I could in the City. I'm working my way through all I can find, there. But this... is just yours. [ So he's glad she shared it with him, otherwise he never would have gotten to have it.

After a minute, the bowl of fresh vegetables is too much temptation for Shaxx to ignore. While they don't have too many problems with food in the City, fresh vegetables are actually a real treat. He heaps his bowl full. ]

They have so much here I've never seen, or only heard about.

[She may not be from their world, but she really is a Warlock in a lot of ways. Right down to having her own particular brand of Titan-bothering.]

I'll have to show you some of the others, if I can find recipes to adapt. Paprikash is easy but I don't have the rest memorized. Have you ever had...I think you would call it a nut roll? It's sweet.

[Wanda's glad she brought the salad out with everything. For her, it's an after-dinner, pre-dessert food but that's not the case everywhere.]

Is there something you haven't had a chance to try yet but want to?

I haven't had many sweet breads at all. Mostly just... biscuits and cobs and the like. Though the Guardians have lately been giving me cookies every year, which I enjoy. [ He shakes his head, smiling. ] Cooking is an impressive skill to have. And useful.

[ He'll happily plow his way through half the salad, since he figures that's his share. ]

I've had the pineapple grilled now, which was what I very much what I dreamed of. Though that wasn't really my dream, it was Eris's. Some of it... I've never even heard of. So when I come across something with a name I don't know, I eat it.

[She honestly hadn't expected him to like the salad that much. Note to self: if they do this again (which hopefully they will, she should always make sure to have salad available.]

Pineapple? Cookies I can do, but I don't know any recipes with that...

[But for him, Wanda would make the effort to learn, if he wants her to. She knows there's such a thing as 'pineapple upside-down cake' but she has no idea what it is or why it's called that or why in the world anyone would make a cake that's 'upside-down' in the first place.]

That could get you into trouble, you know. You could eat something much spicier than you were expecting. Like a ghost pepper.

[this is not a challenge Shaxx please don't--]

You should make me some of whatever your favorite cookies are. [ He likes this idea. ] Just so I know what you like. [ Definitely not just because he will eat every available cookie at all times. ]

Then I would learn something very valuable. [ Oh it is definitely a challenge, and he's taking it. ]

[It doesn't take a psychic to know what he's getting at.]

I would have a hard time choosing. You can't compare cookies with chocolate and cookies without chocolate. [She shrugs and takes an innocent sip of wine.] So I might have to make several for you.

[...]

That wasn't a challenge.

That does sound like a problem. I suppose I'll just have to eat all of them so I'll know. [ He shakes his head with mock seriousness. ] Necessary sacrifices and all that.

[ Grin. ]

Why not?

[And there's the Look.]

It isn't the cute kind of ghost. The internet is full of videos of people eating one and regretting it.

[...]

Is this Warlock-bothering?

[ He is immune to such Looks. He's a wall, remember? ]

I'll have to look for this on the network and see for myself.

[ His grin gets even bigger. ]

I'm insulted you would accuse me of the very thing I'm doing.

[And she's an unstoppable force, what of it?]

I don't know about here, but there were many videos at home of people eating that and worse.

[She can see it now: Shaxx's YouTube channel where he does every internet challenge ever.

And the Look is not going anywhere, but there's enough of a gleam in her eye to make it apparent that this is still a game.]

All of this after I made you this dinner...you shouldn't bother the person who knows where the cake is, you know.

The next time I'm bored, I'll see what I find. Most of the random nonsense that ends up on our networks are people blowing things up impressively.

[ Which he enjoys, really. ]

...or nice sunsets.

[ He likes those, too, actually.

He leans forward a little. ]

You think I don't have ways of making you talk?

No. You're too good.

[And then she blushes, because her mind has absolutely gone straight to the gutter. He must be joking - there's no way she could be coherent enough to talk while he works her over. But scream for him? Oh yes.]

How can I talk about anything when I can only think of you? When I am lost in you?

I'm very good. [ That was certainly the implication he was going for.

Though she certainly takes it a step further. And he likes the sound of what she says, that he can make her think only of him. It shows in the way his throat works for a moment, his gaze drifting down along the curve of her shoulder, to her chest. Then he looks back up to her face, his grin shifting to something a bit more heated. ]

There are things to enjoy other than cake.

[Wanda grins and reaches for his mind, letting him feel both soft affection and heated desire. She feels strangely powerful under his gaze and yet...she doesn't even make a move to undo the front of her robe.

Patience.]

After the cake. Trust me. I promise it will all be worth the wait.

We save the best for last.

[ She's certainly got the power to hold his attention. And make him want. It's no small thing.

He has half a mind to pluck her out of her chair, and he doesn't mind letting her know that, too. But in this case, more than half the fun is playing by her rules on this one. ]

Though if you feed me too much, I just might go to sleep.

[ He'll do nothing of the sort. He's capacity for food is... large. ]

[Wanda's grin widens. She has her own yearning to go sit on his lap again and peel the robe off so that he can touch her skin-to-skin, and she shares this with him so that he knows that she is not unaffected. She wants him quite badly, in a way that is becoming a slow-burning need. But she worked too hard on this dinner and the, ahem, presentation to let her work go to waste.

Really, she just wants this to be as good as possible for them both.]

Poor Shaxx, defeated by a piece of chocolate cake and leaving the cook to freeze. Maybe I should have worn something warmer.

[Now it's a challenge, not that he needs one. She knows that. But it's part of the game.]

Hah. Let the cake do its worst. [ Scoff. ] I'd eat three without blinking.

[ The temptation to rush through dinner is pretty fierce, to be honest, but he know that would also be incredibly unappreciative. He's not a total barbarian.

Even if he doesn't totally get why delayed gratification on this one is a thing. But it's definitely Wanda's turn, in a sense, so he'll play by her rules. Warlocks do things their own way.

He plows through a bit more of his salad. ]

Oh, I've finally learned how to make plants grow.

I'm sure you'll try once you taste it. Just make sure you leave room for second dessert.

[This cake may very well be the definition of death by chocolate. And if it was good enough to encourage a princess to abandon her husband and run away with a violinist, she's sure it will satisfy Shaxx.

And if it somehow doesn't, she will.]

How did it feel?

I contain multitudes of appetites.

[ Cake for one... other things for another.

He huffs. ]

Like a lot of effort for a few flowers. It'll certainly come easier with practice, but I need to develop some practical applications for it to be worth it. [ Hmmph. ] I shout encouragement at them until they grow. Not very stealthy.

And I'm sure I can help you with them.

[She grins wickedly. ]

Have you tried shouting with your mind? Like when you show me something, but...sharper.

That's why I brought them all with me.

[ He might not know how they're going to get there, but he has a pretty good idea where they're going to end up. ]

I... haven't. [ Just shouting at them has been a weird enough experience, though he's rolling with it.

But hm. He leans back in his chair, food momentarily forgotten as he thinks about it. ] Not yet.

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