[closed to Wanda] you can't go wrong if your will is strong

[worldsaway]

[It is with some surprise that Thor accepts the offer to infiltrate the little town that Wanda is holding captive with her incredible magic. He's got some time to burn on Earth, but he'd stay as long as she needed him to.

His surprise is only for the fact that, although they've worked together for some time now they've spent very little one on one time. Not for lack of interest, when they speak they get along well and they have a surprising amount in common. The timing has just been difficult, since they started thinking of those stones and their powers and of problems beyond this realm.

Perhaps this is an opportunity. Perhaps it has come at a good time.

He wonders if she feels as lost as he does, as alone as he does. If he would do the same if he had her power, to exist in a reality without the pain.

With that in mind, he accepts and infiltrates.

In Wanda's mind, she sees that one of her neighbouring homes has a For Sale sign and then, suddenly, there's a SOLD sticker over it. Moving vans and moving men follow and soon there is a large, obnoxiously yellow Jeep with a surfboard strapped to the top on the driveway. It's seen better days, muddy and dusty like the owner must travel often.

One sunny Sunday morning, she'll finally meet her new neighbour. A tall, broad and thick man wearing nothing but a pair of red board shorts, his thongs and his sunglasses. His messy, blond hair pulled back into a ponytail and his scraggly beard desperately in need of a trim. He's washing the muddied jeep with a sponge and a hose with very little regard for how wet he gets in the process.

He gets the sense he's being watched and so he turns with the hose in hand a brilliant smile on his face.]

Oh! Hello there!

Comments

[explosion]

[ when the beekeeper had slipped inside of her hex, she had felt an ever so small shift in the so-called force. every little piece of westview is connected to her, whether she likes it or not. so when someone bigger—and stranger and not quite human—steps foot inside of her hex…

it feels very, very strange.

at first, she doesn't think much of it. monica had entered the hex and had been thrown out of it. a plane had snuck through and had rendered itself powerless. whoever has stepped through is not a threat. she doesn't think they're much of a foe, either. their energy doesn't feel entirely threatening.

she should've known it would only be a matter of time before one of them found her. then again, wanda had her money on clint.

wanda had every intention of leaving her neighbour be, but when she had glimpsed a very muscled back and a shiny car… she'd felt absolutely compelled to step outside and have a gawk.

or, you know… simply watch. observe. for script writing purposes.

staring at thor, she realises stupidly that he's an attractive man. while natasha had mentioned it a few times to the point of eliciting a blush from wanda, she hadn't quite paid attention. after all, her sights were set on someone a little more red and lanky.

but now that he's here—and very, very much in front of her—wanda can't help but stare. she walks down her driveway until she's wandering over towards him, feeling very much like the neighbour wanting to greet her new hot one with a warm smile and long before agnes thinks to even catch a peep of him.

her eyes widen for a moment as she goes off-script before she lifts her hand in a small wave. ]

Hi.

[ and then she paints on a wide smile even though she's not entirely sure where to look. at his neck? nope, not there. thor has a very nice neck… his collarbones? god no. she thinks that they could slice a titan in two. at his abs… she'd rather close her eyes. so, after a long look at his chest that she hopes he doesn't notice, she looks up at his face.

safe… except he has very nice eyes. ]

Do you think you can wash my car after you're done?

[ isn't that what the neighbours always say? she thinks so. she's never had a car and a neighbour at the same time. ]

[worldsaway]

[Thor isn't sure what sort of feelings will come up when he sees Wanda. He knows they'll be complicated and that he'll need to train his expression and his mind to stop himself from betraying too much of his secret and he's braced himself.

But when she speaks and waves and looks at him with an... ease in her expression that he hasn't seen for so long, he feels his heart constrict momentarily. Luckily, he can mask it for friendly confusion at the fact that he can absolutely see her staring at him.

He laughs at the question, lighting up almost immediately as if he thinks she's joking-- Is she joking? He's never had a car or a neighbour.]

Yeah, I think I could manage that.

[He rubs the back of his neck, ignoring the fact that the hose just sprays everywhere as he does.]


I'm Donald, by the way. Do you usually recruit your neighbours for handiwork so quickly?

[explosion]

Yes.

[ she's quick to answer with a smile, not wanting him to think anything of any pause.

donald.

he wants her to think his name is donald. or if this another case of monica becoming geraldine? is this wanda making him say that name? or is it of his own accord? after what transpired with monica… wanda's not entirely sure she can trust her own mind, let alone westview itself.

but if he says he's donald, then thor will be donald. she wonders if that's a name he likes. it occurs to her that she doesn't really know what thor likes.

she throws a hand over her shoulder and gestures behind her. ]

I recruit a neighbour to make lobster. Now I want to recruit you to wash my car.

[ she smiles, looking at said car. ]

You wash it well.

[ thor always liked compliments, didn't he? isn't that what clint always had to say about him? ]

[worldsaway]

[It's not a name he particularly likes, but the name Thor sticks out like a sore thumb. That was the logic, however, now it feels as if the name Donald sticks out somehow. He doesn't like to be dishonest, but he also doesn't want to crash in here as Thor and have her worry he's going to forcibly pull her out of her dream.]

I could wash yours better for dinner. [He says, a ballsy move but one that seems fitting for him. His smile is cheeky.]

Doesn't have to be lobster, I've been eating nothing but dry cereal and pizza waiting for my fridge to arrive.

[explosion]

[ wanda's regretting not spending more time with thor—through facetime or the moments where he swung by—so that she could gauge whether or not he's being serious.

a part of her thinks he's being serious.

her brows lift. ]

You don't have a fridge yet? Then you should make use of my fridge.

[ is that what neighbours say? she's pretty sure the ladies on wisteria lane do. ]

[worldsaway]

[Thor laughs, not because he wasn't being serious but because he's not quite sure he landed his coy request. He rubs his neck sheepishly, casting a wry smile over at her.]

Ah, I was thinking I might join you for dinner. [He points out, seeming to shrug off the sheepishness.]

If not, it's totally cool. I'll just do an awful job with your car. [He smiles, vacantly, then seems to panic and adds:]

Kidding, kidding of course.

[explosion]

[ oh.

this is what she gets for spending all her time romancing a synthezoid, isn't it? she remembers when boys used to flirt with her in sokoiva. pietro would come out of nowhere and intimidate them into looking somewhere else. she half expects him to appear out of nowhere, stare down thor even though thor is taller than her brother, and then… stay.

but pietro doesn't come.

so, wanda rests her hands on her hips and peers up at thor with a challenging arch to her brow. ]

If you do a good job with my car… you can join me for dinner and dessert. But if you do an awful job… [ she tsks. ] I'm afraid I will have to let the entire neighbourhood know.

[worldsaway]

[There is something terribly endearing about the way she seems surprised by this. He wonders if he's been out of practice for so long that his aptitude for romance has waned or if she's not expecting the flattery.

He certainly hopes it's the latter, for a few reasons. It does surprise him. She's beautiful. A goddess in her own right, but her wants.. her needs... He relates to them on a simpler scale. A desire for love. Happiness. A family.

A lesser person would use her powers for more. For evil. What she's done.. he could never really call it cruel. It's cruel that she's felt the need for it.


...But he's been staring incredulously for some time.]

Ah, yes. Wouldn't want people to think I'm anything less than ready and willing to service their cars. [He furrows his brows at her.]

I'd like that. You don't have to, of course, but I'd like it.

[explosion]

How else will I get you to wash my car again?

[ she smiles.

does he really think this is a one-time thing? while wanda has miraculously learned how to drive, she's never really taken care of a car before. thanos snapping half the population, her included, had meant that she lost vital opportunities to learn how to best wash her car.

it'd be better she learn from an expert. ]

I doubt you'd do it again for just a small slice of pie, especially if you're busy servicing other cars.

[ no, she'd have to wine and dine him. and the idea of that does not sound so bad. it's the loneliness talking; she doesn't try to shut it up. ]

[worldsaway]

That depends how good the pie is.

[Thor's response comes quickly, coupled with a cheeky smile as his arms fold over his broad chest.]

I might have to give you special treatment, if it's very good. [He cocks his head to the side, giving her a very subtle-not-subtle once over. So she knows what he's doing but he has the decency to try be sneaky about it.]

Do you reckon I could get a cold drink? Still don't have a fridge.

[explosion]

[ wanda understood the appeal of thor long before he dropped into westview. he had big arms and nice, broad shoulders, and very strong-looking thighs. she's caught herself looking at his ass a few times. but what she likes most about thor is his smile and sincerity. she understands his allure. he makes her feel safe, even though she knows that he's here for a reason she's still figuring out.

but wanda will play along, just like he's playing—and a part of her enjoys it, not being an avenger.

she feigns embarrassment, closing her eyes and planting a hand to her chest. smiling, she shakes her head incredulously. ] Of course. I can get you a cold drink. [ she begins to turn before boldness overtakes her. ] If you want a break from your car, you can come along. See my fridge.

[ this is why she flirts with a synthezoid. ]

[worldsaway]

[Wanda's flirting style is.. well. He's not sure she's flirting, actually. But it's something. It's that sense of warmth that seems to emanate from that charms him. He hopes to leave here with her and her heart intact, though he's beginning to see the appeal of the fantasy.

He follows along after her, very obediently like a proper Golden Retriever. He shakes out a wadded up white T-Shirt and puts it on as he follows, peering around her garden.]

If it's anything like your garden, I'm in for a treat. [He smiles slyly, eyes lowering down her back and up again to the back of her head.]

Have you lived here long?

[explosion]

A few months.

[ decades? days? "months" sounds better. it makes her sound more lived-in, more like someone who knows how to ground herself and grow roots. time doesn't feel like anything anymore. she's certain the calendar has only changed in design, not day.

she glances over her shoulder at him, a touch disappointed he's chosen to wear a shirt. it's a silly thing to be disappointed by.

wanda doesn't lead him to the front door. around the side of the house, she opens the back door leading into the kitchen and holds the door open for him to step through first. ]

Where have you come from?

[ she knows, of course. she does know. thor is from somewhere else, somewhere magical. somewhere that isn't a mere blip in the map like westview. ]

[worldsaway]

Australia, technically. [He smiles warmly, innocently, like he doesn't know she's disappointed by the fact that he's wearing a shirt. He is, too.]

But I travel every couple of months or so, I don't linger anywhere too long-- unless I've got a good feeling about it. [He shrugs, stepping past her and giving her a lingering look.]

And I've got a good feeling about things here.

[explosion]

[ she listens, opening a top cupboard to grab two glasses. she doesn't go to the tap, instead floating to the fridge to pull out a jug of water she's magically manipulated to appear in the fridge at this very moment.

she wonders, briefly, if thor is aware of his story. was he in australia? when she was in the compound, she did enjoy some of the australian shows… and thor has the perfect physique for the typical australian beach body…

either way, she likes this storyline, even if she shouldn't be taking much pleasure in it. ]

Do you?

[ glasses on the kitchen island, she pours the water before taking his glass to him.]

Coming from Australia to here seems like a very big change. You don't miss the beaches?

[worldsaway]

[As Wanda leads him in, Thor takes in his surroundings. His eyes trace over the objects in the house. It seems like a comfortable place, though unfamiliar to him. He doesn't understand any nuance that makes it seem like a perfect, TV home or deliberately trendy for the time.]

I'll miss all of it, it will always be my home. [He says sombrely, maybe he's not thinking of Australia.] I'll miss the ah.. bears. The little ones.

But the heart wants what it wants, I suppose. Somewhere quiet, safe.. It's peaceful, isn't it?

[explosion]

[ the bears. the little ones.

wanda doesn't think to correct him and inform him that they're koalas. (she's enjoyed a few australian shows in her youth.) wandavision is simply not that kind of show… and susan mayer never corrected mike delfino, did she? ]

You didn't have a place like that in Australia? [ no home? no quiet, safe space? she can understand that all too well. it makes her a little sad to think that he didn't have that.

she smiles, teasing, ] Were there too many little bears?

[worldsaway]

I did, but.. [He licks his lips as he considers, unsure if he wants to admit to the vulnerability and make it hit too close to home.

But.. Wanda is hurting. He can feel that, he accepts that. He feels he owes it to admit his own pain, let her feel safe in hers.]

There was a fire, and I lost it. Lost a lot of people, too. [He gives his shoulders a heavy shrug, glancing away and then back as he decides to lean into the teasing.]

With any luck, the place is overrun with little bears. [He nudges her with his elbow, affectionately.]

[explosion]

I'm sorry.

[ sometimes, wanda forgets she's not the only person who has suffered.

loss is something she doesn't want to exist in westview. it's meant to be plentiful of love and people. no one is meant to be in pain. but if she looks deeper beneath the surface of the people she controls, wanda knows that's not true. westview is a gaping wound of it.

maybe he can be different. it's not right to use someone to make her feel better, but wanda has never been a good person to begin with. ]

For the fact that the little bears will most likely enjoy it without you. [ she means it kindly. ] I'm sure they don't miss you at all.

[worldsaway]

[Thor scoffs, following it with a soft, amused laugh. He allows himself to be guided by her prompt and smiles, letting the sadness leave his expression.]

Quite possibly. They were delicious. [He smiles broadly, slyly. He won't immediately give away if he's joking.]

Have you lived here long? It seems like you fit right in.

[explosion]

[ she opens her mouth and quickly considers how long the 1950s to now would constitute. a week? two weeks? several decades? ]

A few months.

[ it sounds more legitimate than "a few decades". now, that would require a lot more explanation, and wanda's trying to stop cutting so much of her footage from the final cut.

she scrunches up her face and shakes her head, attempting to appear humble. ] I don't think so. It's just... people are nice here. Most of them are. [ wanda smiles, ] If you tell them the little bear story, I think they'd like you more than me.

[worldsaway]

You think so? [Thor asks, faintly amused.]

That's good advice. Maybe I'll embellish it a little more next time. [He smiles, then looks down at his empty glass.]

Guess I ought to be out of your hair-- unless there's anything you need help with?

[explosion]

[ it's instinctive of her to want to be left alone. she needs time to think, to tinker… to wonder what thor's doing in westview. ]

Yes!

[ for a very brief moment, wanda's surprised at herself. recovering quickly, she smiles charmingly at him. even though she should let him go so she doesn't show her hand, she doesn't want to be alone. ]

I was going to check a roof tile that seems a little loose, but I… [ she appears sheepish. ] I'm a little afraid of heights.

[ ironic. absolutely ironic. ]

[worldsaway]

[Thor, blissfully unaware of how much Wanda is cognisant of, is pleased that she has a completely legitimate reason for him to stay. Pleased and a little relieved, since he doesn't relish any of the time he'll spend alone here.]

Why don't you show it to me?

[He asks, smoothly. Internally, he realises he's never unloosened a roof tile. He usually smashes them off, he's never been a part of the clean up crew.]

Do you have ah-- [What do people use?] A hammer?

[explosion]

I do. I have many hammers.

[ and yes, she can name them. wanda has spent some time watching home improvement and reality shows about fixing houses during her time at the avengers compound. there wasn't much to do when the only person who'd phase through her walls was vision.

she smiles and, after realising she's simply standing there awkwardly, claps her hands (more awkward?) and twists, cocking her head in the direction in which they'd entered the kitchen. ]

I'll take you to the garage.

[ where she'll quietly magic all the hammers imaginable to be in a shiny toolbox. ]

[worldsaway]

More than one? You might be a better handyman than me.

[Thor teases, politely ignoring the weirdly long stretch of time between her saying she has hammers and actually taking him somewhere.

He peers around curiously at her home as she leads him through, letting his eyes fall over any photos or decorations to try and get a sense as to whether she is sending subliminal messages through the decore. He realises that, even if she was, he probably wouldn't understand it.]

You've got a lovely home.

[explosion]

[ he'll see photographs that may appear like posed photographs, if he's ever watched any muggle television. a lot of them have come from stills of each episode. there are photographs in black and white with wanda sporting shorter hair, then wanda in colour with a different hairstyle altogether. none of the photos seems particularly genuine.

she leads him through the back and to her neat little garage. with a subtle wiggle of her fingers, she ensures that there's a toolbox with hammers and hammers hanging from hooks on the wall for when she does open the door and gesture for him to step inside first.

it's a neat little garage. perfectly styled, perfect for a television scene. there isn't a tool out of place nor even any dust. ]

Thank you. [ she smiles at him genuinely. ] I quite like it. Except for the rose bushes. [ she gestures at them lining the side of her yard. ] They refuse to be round even when I try and trim them. [ she shakes her head and tsks under her breath like that's the worst thing she's ever faced in her life. ]