All the Colors of Earth (Natasha Romanoff)

3.5

November 28th, 2014

"Wanda this is way too much," I say in awe as I look around the kitchen. Every surface is covered in food. "It's just going to be us, we can't possibly eat all of this."

She shakes her head as she stirs a pot, "you've never seen Pietro on a food holiday. All of this will be gone by tomorrow."

"There's no way," I tell her.

She turns to me with all seriousness, "he's already eaten half a ham and two pies. Trust me, this will not last."

"How?" I ask, still completely confused.

She goes back to her pot of deliciousness, "his metabolism is supercharged like his speed. The more he uses it the faster it goes. And since he's been running laps around the house all morning it's going especially quick."

"Why is he running laps?"

"To eat more," the boy in question answers as he rushes into the kitchen and grabs a plate of cookies. "Wanda only cooks like this on certain holidays and her food is the best."

I had to agree with him. Since they've moved in, I've eaten more home cooked meals than I ever have. I usually have no idea what it is, but it's so good that I don't care. "Huh maybe I should run some laps," I joke.

There's a clattering sound as Wanda throws down her spoon, "absolutely not!" She yells as she rounds on us. "No more eating until it's time to eat! Put down the cookies and get out! Both of you!" Her accent comes out full force and Pietro and I exchange a worried look. "Out!" She repeats as she snatches the cookies from him and puts them back on the counter.

We rush from the kitchen and hide in the living room, away from Wanda's wrath. She rarely got angry enough to yell, but when she did it was absolutely terrifying. Never mind the fact that she could use magic, it was the fact that she was so small and could throw a wooden spoon with deadly accuracy.

We sit in the living room in silence for a few minutes before she walks in with the plate of cookies, her accent all but gone as she tells us, "I'm sorry I yelled." She puts the plate down and moves to head back to the kitchen but Pietro grabs her and pulls her into his lap. "Not now," she grumbles half heartedly but makes no move to get up.

He holds her tightly as he tells her, "thank you for cooking and for everything that you do."

"Yes, thank you Wanda," I tell her. "We'd be hopeless without you."

"Oh I know," she laughs. "I don't mind cooking, but when someone decides to eat it all before it's time, I can get a tad annoyed."

"It's ok," he jokes. "I love you anyway."

"So do I," I add. "And so does Olympia."

She swats at Pietro and gets up, "I love you guys too, but if you step foot into my kitchen again I will stop cooking and make you guys do it yourselves."

"You wouldn't dare," Pietro challenges.

"Oh wouldnt I?" She throws back. "Also Natasha I need you to run to the store. I'm out of several things."

I hop up from the couch and give her a mock salute, "yes ma'am."

She laughs and pulls a list from her pocket and hands it to me, "good luck. The stores will be packed."

"I've survived worse than the store," I tell her.

I don't understand the look she gives me until I'm standing outside the grocery store and watching the absolute chaos. Shopping carts were everywhere in the parking lot, people were arguing beside their cars, one lady tried to grab a turkey from an old man while his wife tries to defend him with her purse.

I send a silent prayer to whoever is listening before shoving my way into the building and hunting down Wanda's shopping list. Everything was going smoothly until the last item- cinnamon.

Shoving my way to the spice isle, my heart sinks at how empty it is. Heading down the isle, I spot it. The last jar of cinnamon. Just as I reach for it, another hand sneaks in from nowhere and grabs it. "Hey!" I yell as I round on the woman, fully intending to fight her for it. But I stop when I see the familiar face, "Maria?"

"Natasha?" She asks, equally surprised. "What are you doing here?"

I motion to the spice in her hand, "Wanda sent me to get a few things and that's the last one, so can I please have it?"

Maria looks down at the jar in her hand and back to me, "sorry Nat, no can do. I'm making cinnamon candy and ran out."

"You cook?"

She snorts, "don't look so surprised. I can do a lot of things you wouldn't expect."

I ignore her attempt at flirting and say, "what if we split it?"

"And how would we do that?" She asks bemused.

"Well, you could come over and finish your candy at my house and you and Wanda can share," I offer, praying that Wanda would indeed share the kitchen. "If you don't have plans already," I add.

Maria gives me a look before sighing, "I don't have plans. Fury likes cinnamon candy so I make him some every thanksgiving."

"Really?" I ask surprised. "He does not seem like a candy guy."

Maria chuckles slightly, "he says it's as close to eating glass as he can get."

My phone dings and I pull it out, glancing at the text from Wanda asking me to hurry up. "Duty calls," I tell Maria as I hold up my phone. "I'll text you my address and you can come over when you're ready."

She nods, "sure. I've gotta run home and grab my stuff and then I'll head over."

"Don't forget the cinnamon," I half joke as I walk away and towards the registers.

After an all too long wait in line and drive home, I'm finally hauling the bags into the kitchen when Wanda snatches them from me and starts pulling things out. "Where's the cinnamon?" She demands, rummaging through the last bag.

"Maria is bringing it later," I tell her.

Wanda stops and stares at me, "you invited someone?"

I nod, "is that alright?"

She gives me an odd look before saying, "yeah that's fine. There's plenty of food, I just didn't expect you to want someone over."

"Well, she needs to use the kitchen," I explain sheepishly.

"What?" Wanda deadpans.

"It was the only way to get your cinnamon!" I say quickly. "It was the last one and we grabbed it so you have to share it. And the kitchen." 

Wanda's eyes glow red slightly as she breaths deeply, her jaw clenched for a moment and then she relaxed, the glowing fading away. "I will.. make room," she says, suddenly chipper. "Please show her in when she gets here."

"Uh huh," I say as I make a quick exit, half expecting a spoon to come flying at me. Fake happy Wanda was incredibly more terrifying than angry Wanda.