[ To be fair, the lodge Natasha had ended up recreating had taken its inspiration from a real place she'd broken into at one time or another. She doesn't even remember which corrupt bigwig had owned it at the time, but she'd loved the place. Remembered thinking how wasted it was on the lowlife she'd been there to ruin. Which she'd done with a clear conscience. Although she'd always wondered what had happened to this place.
She guesses, in a way, she's made it hers now. She's made some of her own changes, a few tweaks modeled after her own idea of comfort. The natural light and openness had been a must, but the entire place, despite its size, has somehow retained a rustic, cozy atmosphere. And inviting air just waiting to be indulged in and enjoyed by whoever wandered inside.
Natasha smiles when she spots Wanda lounging on one of the couches, crossing over to perch on the arm and grin down at her friend. She's dressed in a comfy pair of jeans and a loose black-and-tan flannel draped over a dark tanktop - the sort of clothes she has definitely missed, being stuck in Thorne as she is.
Leaning over the other woman, she reaches out to tug a lock of vibrant hair. ]
[wanda looks up at natasha as she reaches for some of her hair, and offers a nonchalant shrug.]
You missed the big fight I had to put up. You had some big roaches making a home of the place, really muscular and beefy—
[she is obviously making it up. sitting up a little straighter so she isn't just lounging here, wanda waves a hand to dispel the very fictitious scenario she's just come up with.]
Don't know why I said roaches. [a scrunch of her nose.] Kinda gross.
We're surrounded by way too many boys. [ Natasha's grin is playful and full of mischief as she slides over the back of the plush couch to land with a bounce on the cushions beside Wanda. ] I feel like 'gross' is a given at least 60% of the time. And that's even when there aren't blood and guts involved.
[ Why were aliens so messy? Did everything from space have to explode? Was this some terrible unwritten rule of the universe? ]
So. [ She props her chin in her hands as she grins up at the other woman. ] How are we celebrating?
[ Because yes, she knows exactly what today is. Or would be, if the calendars worked the same here. And the way that's phrased makes it clear the option isn't at all optional. ]
[it's a little bittersweet, knowing that that's one of the last memories she holds of natasha back home; the way she and the others came to save her and vision from thanos' generals, and then her repaying the favor by lending her a hand in wakanda.
gross was right.
thankfully, those thoughts are quickly pushed to the side as natasha gets to sit on the couch beside her.]
Did you know, there are only two other women who have been summoned in Solvunn? Everyone else is some smug guy or a sweet one—no in between. Except Billy — and I'm biased when I say that he's perfect.
[there's a smile here, repeating softly,]
Too many boys, honestly.
[and yet—]
I don't know. Getting drunk here doesn't work, but — I thought it'd be nice to hang, just us girls.
There's only two or three of us in Thorne, too. We're vastly outnumbered, it seems. Why are they letting sexist idiots do all these summonings? [ She scoffs quietly with a roll of her eyes. ] Although you're not wrong about the types of guys, either.
[ It's a pity about the Horizon and alcohol, but... ] Is it cheating if I just imagine us something to eat or would you rather make it the Sam way?
He'll hate it to know we're calling it 'the Sam way'.
[though it certainly is the easiest way to understand it, at this point. wanda sits up, pulling her legs up and crossing them to sit atop them. like an excited child, her smile raises the apples of her cheeks as she tries containing it.]
Just imagine it, it's whatever we want.
[and while natasha knows about wanda's tastes, she also has a more sophisticated palate.]
[ She's grinning as she stretches out on her stomach and kicks a foot in the air behind her.
Sophisticated palate, aside, she also knows her audience. And knows exactly when comfort food might be just the thing. And while she might not know a lot of Sokovian dishes still, she knows some that are close.
Which is why there's a sampling platter that appears on top of the ottoman before them with a bunch of food on it, plates of pelmeni, vareniki, and pirozhki. A large bowl of Olivier Salad. A handful of other fingerfoods or appetizers she can think of off the top of her head. There's still room leftover, too, if Wanda wants to add some of her own favorites to the collection. ]
[for now, this is the perfect start. wanda can't help but laugh a little, a hand to her mouth, as she leans forward on the couch towards the ottoman, bare feet on the cold flooring as she considers the options.]
You know, it might say a lot the fact that a quarter of these dishes are just dumplings.
[eastern european cuisine genuinely had the most comforting kind of food in the shape of dumplings. they remind her so much of home, so wanda's reaching for one of the vareniki immediately, chewing slowly despite knowing better of how hot the contents inside might be. her face lights up, eyebrows shooting up.]
Potato. [the best kind of filling for dumpling.
and just because they aren't boys doesn't mean that they won't be able to finish all of it. what does it matter? gaining weight in the horizon is an imaginary, unimportant factor to worry about.] Also, whoever invented cocktail sausages was onto something.
[she's grabbing at a few of these now. ignore the elephant in the room, just eat—right?]
[ She's grinning a little impishly as she states this. Even if she completely believes that. Sophisticated palate indeed. She munches on a pirozhki, enjoying the nostalgic flavor. ]
Clint, the heathen, always insisted that was pizza. Which I might have given him the benefit of the doubt on, except he insisted Chicago deep dish was the superior kind and I'm pretty sure he deserved to get banned from New York for that.
[ Elephants aren't edible, they can wait their turn. ]
—I was always given the impression that Americans just don't know what good food is.
[not that there isn't good food in america, but nothing beats the taste of home. maybe the two of them are just biased. pizza is delicious, though, under the right circumstances.
it's a small smile on her face as natasha reminisces so easily about clint, that friend that was like family to her. the man who took her and pietro under his wing for a short time.]
Matt says hot dogs are better. Steve probably has a soft spot for pretzels or something.
[—these americans in their midst, huh.]
I've been meaning to ask if you've gotten around to dyeing your hair yet?
[natasha did it so often, it's strange to not see her wearing a different cut or color, even if the horizon allows for so much freedom in regard to that.]
[ Natasha chokes on a sudden laugh, reaching for another bite of food. ] I'm telling Sam you said that. [ She can practically hear his offended noises from here. ] I think Steve would agree with Matt, actually. Even if I'm pretty sure he could empty a hot dog stand in the span of an afternoon all on his own.
[ Although she pauses to blink at the question, a little caught off-guard as her fingers go to the blond ends of her hair. She'd kept it blond, for a while, but had ended up growing it out, eventually. Not that she'd changed the color again. It hadn't seemed all that important at the time. ]
No. I'm sure they've got magic or something for that somewhere. But it hadn't really seemed like a priority just yet. And I don't have a lot of currency to my name just yet. Thorne seems to prefer it that way.
Do you think Steve knew that we knew when he went for seconds and thirds after meals?
[not that he can be faulted for it, but steve always had this innate sense of politeness about him, like he didn't want to stand out. honestly, wanda would never have minded if he served himself a much larger plate of food every time. at the compound, one would know not to expect to find leftovers in the fridge.
it was the rare occasion—
as wanda goes for another dumpling, she listens to natasha's answer regarding getting her hair dyed.]
What if I got you some hair dye? We got enough in Solvunn to do that. [her own red hair? the upkeep was all magic.] Or I could just magic it into existence. Whatever color you wanted.
[—that being said,]
I've been thinking of letting my hair grow back.
[back to its natural color, that is. the orange tone was good for when she was on the run, sneaking around with vision. it's stuck, since, but it does feel kind of unnecessary at this point.]
[ She glances over at the question, head cocked thoughtfully to the side as she considers Wanda a moment. ]
Are you just in the mood for something different? [ Or is there something else prompting that urge? A moment later she shrugs, however. ]I think you'll still be gorgeous either way. But I'm not opposed to an impromptu spa day in Nocwich, either. Sounds kinda fun, actually.
[ She plucks a lock of her own hair to tug it out in front of her and eye the red that changes into reddish-blond at the ends. ] I gave up trying to keep it blond after a while. And I did miss the red. I have no idea what I'd do if I made it different now, though.
—it doesn't matter here, does it? It's not like anyone recognizes us.
[summoned, but no longer fugitives. natasha's longer answer makes wanda smile, though she hides that away by stuffing her mouth with another food from the spread before her.]
I've never been to the spa there, or the hot springs. It's all — open.
[not her thing, basically. in many ways, wanda's the introverted kind like steve is; good thing natasha and sam were there to push them around a little.]
...so, you'll keep it red a while?
[going back to her roots, much like wanda, herself.]
The hot springs are nice though. Pretty secluded despite the fact that they're not private. And definitely worth trying at least once. I can scare everyone else away if you wanna try it out.
[ Natasha offers that with a playful wink, also reaching for another bite to munch on. She gives her hair another moment of consideration before inclining her head mildly. ]
Yeah, probably. It always felt weird, being a blond. Not very me, I guess. Definitely can't pull off black well. Brown... [ Her nose scrunches up, because she thinks she's no more a convincing brunette than she is a blond. ] I suppose the harder question is if I should keep it long or take it back to being short again.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
She guesses, in a way, she's made it hers now. She's made some of her own changes, a few tweaks modeled after her own idea of comfort. The natural light and openness had been a must, but the entire place, despite its size, has somehow retained a rustic, cozy atmosphere. And inviting air just waiting to be indulged in and enjoyed by whoever wandered inside.
Natasha smiles when she spots Wanda lounging on one of the couches, crossing over to perch on the arm and grin down at her friend. She's dressed in a comfy pair of jeans and a loose black-and-tan flannel draped over a dark tanktop - the sort of clothes she has definitely missed, being stuck in Thorne as she is.
Leaning over the other woman, she reaches out to tug a lock of vibrant hair. ]
Looks like your eviction evasion was successful.
no subject
You missed the big fight I had to put up. You had some big roaches making a home of the place, really muscular and beefy—
[she is obviously making it up. sitting up a little straighter so she isn't just lounging here, wanda waves a hand to dispel the very fictitious scenario she's just come up with.]
Don't know why I said roaches. [a scrunch of her nose.] Kinda gross.
no subject
[ Why were aliens so messy? Did everything from space have to explode? Was this some terrible unwritten rule of the universe? ]
So. [ She props her chin in her hands as she grins up at the other woman. ] How are we celebrating?
[ Because yes, she knows exactly what today is. Or would be, if the calendars worked the same here. And the way that's phrased makes it clear the option isn't at all optional. ]
no subject
gross was right.
thankfully, those thoughts are quickly pushed to the side as natasha gets to sit on the couch beside her.]
Did you know, there are only two other women who have been summoned in Solvunn? Everyone else is some smug guy or a sweet one—no in between. Except Billy — and I'm biased when I say that he's perfect.
[there's a smile here, repeating softly,]
Too many boys, honestly.
[and yet—]
I don't know. Getting drunk here doesn't work, but — I thought it'd be nice to hang, just us girls.
no subject
[ It's a pity about the Horizon and alcohol, but... ] Is it cheating if I just imagine us something to eat or would you rather make it the Sam way?
no subject
[though it certainly is the easiest way to understand it, at this point. wanda sits up, pulling her legs up and crossing them to sit atop them. like an excited child, her smile raises the apples of her cheeks as she tries containing it.]
Just imagine it, it's whatever we want.
[and while natasha knows about wanda's tastes, she also has a more sophisticated palate.]
no subject
[ She's grinning as she stretches out on her stomach and kicks a foot in the air behind her.
Sophisticated palate, aside, she also knows her audience. And knows exactly when comfort food might be just the thing. And while she might not know a lot of Sokovian dishes still, she knows some that are close.
Which is why there's a sampling platter that appears on top of the ottoman before them with a bunch of food on it, plates of pelmeni, vareniki, and pirozhki. A large bowl of Olivier Salad. A handful of other fingerfoods or appetizers she can think of off the top of her head. There's still room leftover, too, if Wanda wants to add some of her own favorites to the collection. ]
That should do for a start, right?
[ ...Okay she might have overdone it a little. ]
no subject
You know, it might say a lot the fact that a quarter of these dishes are just dumplings.
[eastern european cuisine genuinely had the most comforting kind of food in the shape of dumplings. they remind her so much of home, so wanda's reaching for one of the vareniki immediately, chewing slowly despite knowing better of how hot the contents inside might be. her face lights up, eyebrows shooting up.]
Potato. [the best kind of filling for dumpling.
and just because they aren't boys doesn't mean that they won't be able to finish all of it. what does it matter? gaining weight in the horizon is an imaginary, unimportant factor to worry about.] Also, whoever invented cocktail sausages was onto something.
[she's grabbing at a few of these now. ignore the elephant in the room, just eat—right?]
no subject
[ She's grinning a little impishly as she states this. Even if she completely believes that. Sophisticated palate indeed. She munches on a pirozhki, enjoying the nostalgic flavor. ]
Clint, the heathen, always insisted that was pizza. Which I might have given him the benefit of the doubt on, except he insisted Chicago deep dish was the superior kind and I'm pretty sure he deserved to get banned from New York for that.
[ Elephants aren't edible, they can wait their turn. ]
no subject
[not that there isn't good food in america, but nothing beats the taste of home. maybe the two of them are just biased. pizza is delicious, though, under the right circumstances.
it's a small smile on her face as natasha reminisces so easily about clint, that friend that was like family to her. the man who took her and pietro under his wing for a short time.]
Matt says hot dogs are better. Steve probably has a soft spot for pretzels or something.
[—these americans in their midst, huh.]
I've been meaning to ask if you've gotten around to dyeing your hair yet?
[natasha did it so often, it's strange to not see her wearing a different cut or color, even if the horizon allows for so much freedom in regard to that.]
no subject
[ Although she pauses to blink at the question, a little caught off-guard as her fingers go to the blond ends of her hair. She'd kept it blond, for a while, but had ended up growing it out, eventually. Not that she'd changed the color again. It hadn't seemed all that important at the time. ]
No. I'm sure they've got magic or something for that somewhere. But it hadn't really seemed like a priority just yet. And I don't have a lot of currency to my name just yet. Thorne seems to prefer it that way.
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[not that he can be faulted for it, but steve always had this innate sense of politeness about him, like he didn't want to stand out. honestly, wanda would never have minded if he served himself a much larger plate of food every time. at the compound, one would know not to expect to find leftovers in the fridge.
it was the rare occasion—
as wanda goes for another dumpling, she listens to natasha's answer regarding getting her hair dyed.]
What if I got you some hair dye? We got enough in Solvunn to do that. [her own red hair? the upkeep was all magic.] Or I could just magic it into existence. Whatever color you wanted.
[—that being said,]
I've been thinking of letting my hair grow back.
[back to its natural color, that is. the orange tone was good for when she was on the run, sneaking around with vision. it's stuck, since, but it does feel kind of unnecessary at this point.]
Thoughts?
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Are you just in the mood for something different? [ Or is there something else prompting that urge? A moment later she shrugs, however. ]I think you'll still be gorgeous either way. But I'm not opposed to an impromptu spa day in Nocwich, either. Sounds kinda fun, actually.
[ She plucks a lock of her own hair to tug it out in front of her and eye the red that changes into reddish-blond at the ends. ] I gave up trying to keep it blond after a while. And I did miss the red. I have no idea what I'd do if I made it different now, though.
no subject
[summoned, but no longer fugitives. natasha's longer answer makes wanda smile, though she hides that away by stuffing her mouth with another food from the spread before her.]
I've never been to the spa there, or the hot springs. It's all — open.
[not her thing, basically. in many ways, wanda's the introverted kind like steve is; good thing natasha and sam were there to push them around a little.]
...so, you'll keep it red a while?
[going back to her roots, much like wanda, herself.]
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[ Natasha offers that with a playful wink, also reaching for another bite to munch on. She gives her hair another moment of consideration before inclining her head mildly. ]
Yeah, probably. It always felt weird, being a blond. Not very me, I guess. Definitely can't pull off black well. Brown... [ Her nose scrunches up, because she thinks she's no more a convincing brunette than she is a blond. ] I suppose the harder question is if I should keep it long or take it back to being short again.