capitalh | [closed] /)__

Entry tags:

[closed] /)___(\

Who: Tommy and Wanda
Where: Tommy & co's shitty warehouse
When: April 21st
What: SURPRISE FAMILY
Warnings: Tommy, the Maximoff family

Wanda did head over to the warehouse immediately after her meeting with Jack, but she just couldn't bring herself to go in and talk to him. Her... her son. It had taken her a week to collect herself and prepare - she'd even made notecards, although Cint had finally persuaded her that no teenager had ever taken an adult using notecards seriously, and she'd left them at home.

Now, as prepared as she's ever going to be, Wanda is standing outside the warehouse in what she hopes is her less intimidating but more professional uniform. She knows Tommy is in there - she's been watching him all week with strategically commandeered security cameras, courtesy of CONDOR software. It's no good waiting any more. She's faced evil scientist dictators, thirty story tall radioactive beasts, robot overlords, saved the planet a half a dozen times, fended off alien invasions. Why does a teenage boy have her so nervous? Taking a deep breath, Wanda steps up to the dented metal door and knocks politely.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

He'd like to think the yelp he lets out is manly, but it really isn't. He jumps away from the now open door and stares incredulously at the woman in front of him. She looks like the woman who bought breakfast for him after making a hole for him to fall into but she was definitely dressed as the witch from Alpha Force. Tommy isn't stupid. He watches the news.

"Wanda?" He asks, regaining a little composure, still obviously wary. That was her name, right? "How'd you--," Dumb question, she's the fucking Scarlet Witch. Of course she can get through a padlock. He scowls a little, getting ready to fight or run.

"What d'you want?"

She takes off her pointy headband, though he seems to have had no problem recognizing her. Good. Not off to a terrible start, then.

"I really do just want to talk. Could I come in, please?" She doesn't actually trust Tommy to invite her in, so she just walks past him anyway. It takes her approximately two seconds to decide that nobody is allowed to live in this safety hazard of a warehouse anymore, but it's definitely a better idea to spring that one on Tommy later. "Nice place." At least she manages to sound sincere.

Right. Cut to the chase before he bolts. "I... do you remember how I was telling you about my brother, Pietro?"

It's not so bad. Most of the windows have been boarded up except for one or two and the skylight. There's a lot of bits and bobs arranged in makeshift bedding areas and a lot of it looks like it's been stolen off the back of a truck or found in a dump. There's a tiny fridge and a set of porch furniture, a radio, a massive pile of books with a little pile of blankets and another mattress separated by a little divider he'd found left on the street. It's obvious the other mattress is for another girl though, which leaves the only place for Tommy to sleep on the couch, which he's been doing like a champ for the past couple of months. He hadn't want to lug another mattress here. All the glass and graffiti had been painted over, and there's actually some drawings across one of the walls that look like they were done in chalk to help brighten the place up.

He goes to quickly shut the door when she ushers herself in and leans against it, almost like he's worried more will come in after her. When they don't look like they will, he glances back up at her, frowning as she speaks. His whole attitude changes when she mentions the other speedster, and he peers up at her curiously.

"What, is he back in town or something?"

It's obvious they've tried to make it homey, but it's still an abandoned warehouse and not a suitable home for teenagers.

Wanda stops looking around and refocuses back on Tommy when he asks about Pietro. "Not exactly. Has anybody ever told you you're a lot like him? Quicksilver?" She pauses for a few seconds, giving him time to make the Wanda-Scarlet Witch-Pietro-Quicksilver connection, and barrels on. "Because you are. Not just the hair and the superspeed, either. It's the attitude, too. You're not too different from him when we were your age."

As she speaks, he frowns. That guy Clint had said he looked familiar but Tommy had always figured it was coincidence. Or a speedster thug. He's not met any other speedsters after all, and he figures anyone who experiences time like he does would be like him. He doesn't seem to phased by what she's saying and just gives her a shrug.

"Yeah, and? Isn't that just a speedster thing? I mean if you had to wait for time to move this slowly you'd be like me too."

Geez, it wasn't like he was related to him or anything.

Edited 2014-07-15 06:51 (UTC)

"Well, not exactly. You're not anything like Zoom is." The way she says 'is' is almost insistent - Zoom has been missing for quite a while now, but Wanda hasn't given up. "I think Pietro is your uncle."

There. She's said it. Wanda isn't even sure if going the less direct route is better, instead of just coming straight out with 'Tommy, I am your mother,' but maybe he'll take it a little better if it comes out slowly? She hopes, anyway.

"When I first met you I was convinced you were his illegitimate son, actually. You look so much like him."

Oh yeah. Zoom. He forgot about that. He opens his mouth to add that it doesn't make a difference when she continues and he just. Gawks at her. Incredulously.

"What?" he demands, looking a whole myriad of emotions. "I'm pretty sure I'm not related to him."

But. His parents had divorced over the fact that... His father had accused his mother of cheating on him and their relationship never recovered thanks to Tommy's hair and attitude. Everything had gone downhill since the divorce. She had blamed him for everything. For ruining her picture perfect romance. For ruining her career. For ruining her sobriety. For everything. And now Wanda was telling him that she might've been right?

"I'm not his son!"

Edited 2014-07-15 20:52 (UTC)

Oh god, no. Okay, get back in control of the situation, Wanda.

"No, you're not his son. You're his nephew. You're my son. Your parents in New Jersey were your host parents, but your DNA comes from me."

She braces herself, waiting for him to run, or yell, or maybe even hit her.

His stomach drops when she speaks--mostly because part of him buried deep under all his shit, there's a little boy who wishes his parents were wrong and he'd gotten mixed up at the hospital--but mostly because what is his fucking life right now. And then she starts talking about host parents and DNA and his heartrate spikes, his image flickering just slightly.

"What?! Howisthateven--whywouldyou--youhavemyDNA?!"

Wanda's voice is as soothing as she can make it, and her hands are raised in a sort of placating/'don't shoot' position.

"It's complicated. I haven't really figured out how or why, but you are my son. You were born out of magic, and your host mother carried you and raised you. I'm so sorry I didn't find you sooner, and that I wasn't there for you. I know it hasn't been easy for you, and I wish I could have helped with that."

She wants to add 'but I'm here now,' but even to Wanda it sounds cheesy.

It helps some but the exposition helps more, and Tommy stares at her as he bites back everything his mouth is trying to spill out. He needs
To think rationally about this, and his brain currently isn't moving slow enough for rational thoughts. He draws in a breath through his nose and holds it, fists clenching as he breathes out, all done in almost a blink of a normal eye. He looks a little more relaxed tough. Or as relaxed as he can be.

Geez. It's fucking crazy but it makes so much sense. He's the ugly duckling or something and has been waiting for his stupid swan parents to remember about him. Everything lines up and clicks into place and he hates it. He hates that his mother--Mary--had been right. He was a mistake. He ruined her life. Everything she said to him, everything he'd told himself wasn't true,was. and then Wanda keeps talking, and Tommy narrows in on one thing she says. And he runs with it.

"How the hell d'you know what my life has been like? Huh? I just found out that hey, guess what! Everything your mom told you about being a mistake and ruining her life is true. But it's not actually the worst thing that happened to me this year. You don't know anything about me. And didn't even know I existed. I guess that makes two crappy moms, go me."

Edited 2014-07-15 22:21 (UTC)

That hits her like a punch to the gut, and Wanda clenches her jaw, an intense look of sorrow and anger flashing across her face. He has a right to be angry, she knows. She's seen the records on his parents, his school reports, his CONDOR file. It's awful, that the random rolls of chaos magic left him to be raised by such a dismal family, but it had nothing to do with Wanda. And now Tommy is lashing out, saying things to hurt her because he can, and that's certainly not allowed.

"Thomas Shepherd Maximoff." The placating tone is gone from Wanda's voice, replaced by a razor sharp edge. "I didn't know you existed until I ran into you in that park. I thought that when I became a parent I would have a little advance warning, and I am doing my best here. Magic is complex, and I'm sorry that you grew up in a bad situation. But that was not my doing, and I'm not going to defend myself or keep apologizing for it just because you are angry."

Maybe she can handle this mom thing after all.

He raises an eyebrow at the name she uses, visibly flinching.

"It's Tommy," he scowls. What does he care if she's hurt? She's not his mother. Frankly, he wasn't raised by one, period. And her turning up and expecting everything to be alright isn't going to change the fact that he's been on his own for longer than her can remember. No matter how much scolding she tries.

"Maybe I don't want you to be my parent. You think of that?"

"Then that's too bad. We don't get to pick our family." Someday she'll tell him about her father, the years she and Pietro spent running with his criminal Brotherhood, how they left, and how she still hasn't been able to cut him out of her life completely.

"I can't force you to spend time with me or like me. But I'm not going to just go away and leave you alone. I can help you, Tommy. You don't have to squat in an abandoned warehouse, for one thing. And I can get you and your friends enough food." She wants to lecture him about not eating so much junk food because she can see that pile of wrappers, but that's another one for later.

He looks completely affronted when she--was she threatening him with family?--and actually takes a step back. He looks like he's completely confused and unsure what to do. And Wanda's spent enough time around speedsters to be able to read their expressions, no matter how fast they change.

He looks at the floor, trying to think, when she starts talking again and he frowns. It occurs to him that Aña and Matilda will become involved in this mess. And getting involved with Alpha Force wasn't something either of them wanted, and no doubt Matilda would get taken and put into child services.

Tommy's jaw clenches. "We don't need help. We're fine," he frowns. "And they aren't part of this."

"That's a lie and we both know it. You don't have to do everything by yourself, you know. Pietro and I did when were young, younger than you. Living on the run, stealing to eat, sleeping in barns or empty houses. Life is much better when you can accept help. I know you've had some trouble with CONDOR, maybe your friends have too? I can help with that too, maybe even make it go away for good. I'm not here to bring the government down on you."

It's a bribe, but maybe one that will work out into a good deal for both of them. He doesn't need to be tossed back in superpowered juvenile detention, and Wanda is willing to bet his friends aren't exactly hardened criminals either. Especially not the one with the Exploring Era bedspread.

Edited 2014-07-21 23:03 (UTC)

What she says has him hesitate. He doesn't know if she's just saying things to get him to be more agreeable or if she's telling the truth. To be honest, all he knows about the Scarlet Witch is that she's on Alpha Force, who are affiliated with CONDOR. And CONDOR put him in juvie once. They can do it again.

He's easing up, but he's still cautious, looking at her carefully before she finishes, chewing on the inside of his lip.

"Yeah, 'cause I'm sure CONDOR would be all about you talking to a 'terrorist'," he frowns. He doesn't believe he's a terrorist. What had happened was an accident. But he's so sick of trying to prove that to people that somewhere along the line he just decided that being thought to be a sociopath was easier than having to explain himself.

Wanda can barely keep from laughing at the terrorist comment, and she does roll her eyes just a little. "Tommy. One vaporized school does not a terrorist make. Trust me, my father's been called a real terrorist. Besides, it's really none of CONDOR's business what I do with my personal life. I'd like to see them try and tell me who I can speak to." She grins and holds up her hand, which flares pink with magic for just a second.

"Look, just give me a chance. If I was going to turn you into the police I would have done that weeks ago. But if you get to know me you'll see I don't make a habit of getting kids arrested for no good reason."

Okay, well out of all the reactions he was expecting her to have, laughing wasn't high up on his list. He just looks at her incredibly confused for a second. So he knows that a) she was on the run as a kid, like him, and b) she was already associated with terrorists. And, yeah. She's got a point. If she wanted him arrested, she could've done it ages ago. She hadn't exactly stumbled upon his hideout. If you could call it that.

"Captain Victory did," he frowned. But it does look like he's coming around. "How do I know you're just not gonna turn me over to CONDOR the first chance you get? I'm sort of on the run."

Edited 2014-07-23 09:36 (UTC)

Wanda wants to point out that to be on the run you have to actually a) move around and b) conceal your identity, and Tommy has done neither of those things, which means he's technically just a squatter. But she keeps her mouth shut, because God knows it took her and Pietro a few months to figure out what they were doing.

"Captain Victory was a dear friend, but he could be a bit... black and white. Personally, for blowing up your school I would have taken you somewhere you could have gotten your powers a bit more under control. If CONDOR really wanted you in custody right now, they'd have you. You have a distinctive appearance, you haven't changed your name, and you've been seen in the city by Alpha Force members, Trailblazers, and CONDOR agents. But you aren't a real criminal and you aren't causing trouble. Even if I hadn't instructed them not to touch you without a very good reason they wouldn't be too worried."

Hey, he's totally come up with a codename, that counts as concealing your identity right? But what she says actually has him go quiet for a few seconds, which is sort of a big deal when you're dealing with someone who's brain runs a mile a minute.

"--You did that?" He asks, frowning up at her, in response to the last thing she had said. His shoulders have lost all their tension, and at the moment he just looks confused as to why she would. He looks down at his hands and flexes his fingers, thinking, his stomach doing backflips thanks to a sudden wave of nerves. He should've been more careful about concealing himself. He should've dyed his hair or changed his name or done something to make himself look less obvious. It didn't matter if he gave a fake name to the people he was running delivery for, he was still a 'white haired speedster'. If CONDOR knew, if Alpha Force knew, what was stopping TRIDENT from knowing? He pales rather suddenly at this revelation.

"--Shit. I should've been more careful," he says, burying his face in one of his hands, angry at himself. He was putting Aña and Matilda in danger just by being around them. He'd gotten so attached to actually being happy that he hadn't even considered...

"Do TRIDENT know? Do they know where I am?"

Wait, hang on. Hiding from CONDOR is no big deal, but hiding from TRIDENT is a whole other ballpark. "Why would you be hiding from TRIDENT? Were you involved with them?" Wanda's tone is completely serious now - you don't mess around with those guys. If they harm one hair on his head she'll make them wish they'd never been born.

"I don't know if they know you're here, but Alpha Force can protect you, and your friends."

He flinches when she asks him. So she didn't know about that. He's not sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing.

"Sort of. Or, they were involved with me," he starts, before swallowing a littler nervously. It's still very much a raw wound. They'd tried to make him into a weapon. They'd tortured him and ripped him apart trying to unlock his secrets because of what happened at the school. He could barely walk when he got out of there, and Aña is probably the only reason he's alive. And now, he's trying to prove them wrong. It's not really been going well.

Wanda can probably tell just by how pale and sick he looks that he isn't exactly TRIDENT super-villain material.

"God, I'm so stupid."

This is bad. At least in her surveillance Wanda hadn't picked up any traces of TRIDENT ops, but that didn't mean they wouldn't show up eventually. Still, they probably weren't going to drop through the ceiling in the next five minutes.

"No. You're inexperienced and out here by yourself, doing the best you can. Not stupid, never stupid. But you and your friends should not keep living here much longer. You can all stay with me, until we figure things out. Because TRIDENT is involved I can't promise not to keep CONDOR out of this, but none of you will be in trouble."

Wanda knows she's making a lot of promises - including some she doesn't technically have the authority or the security clearance to keep. But anyone who tries to get to Tommy (and by extension his friends) is going to have to go through her first.

"I won't let them hurt you."

He looks up at her as she speaks, looking concerned. He really doesn't want to get Aña and Matilda messed up in his shit. Aña already sort of was--but that was her choice. It wasn't fair to bring a six year old into this mess.

"You don't get it. We're not exactly trusting of adults. And I'm not just talking about me," he starts, feeling sick. He needs to text Aña. He needs to find Matilda and he needs to move them. They lingered too long. He sees that now. God, he's only just realising that getting an apartment is a really bad idea. Maybe Alpha Force was the best place for him. But not for them. They weren't involved.

When she finishes, he laughs wryly, giving her a shrug. "It's kinda late for that."

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject