not how it's supposed to go

my words shoot to kill when i'm mad

"Why exactly can't you just... wiggly-woo your groceries?" Kate asks, confused. From everything she read online, Wanda's powers are limitless. Maybe this is her sign to stop believing everything on the internet.

Wanda shrugs, "I could when I was in... the hex ... I was capable of a lot more in that realm. But here? It seems to have reduced in a way to what I was capable of before all of that, just more intense. And my hearing is dialed to like, eleven, kind of what Peter experiences with his tingle, but just... more invasive, I guess, because it's not louder, I just hear people's thoughts all the time."

Wanda had heard all about the tingle when Peter met her, and Kate had never been more confused while watching two people conversate. It was like they were speaking a different language.

"Didn't you say that you were working on filtering them?" Laura chimes in, and Wanda nods slowly.

"Yeah," she starts stirring the pancake batter with her magic and it's almost mindblowing how easy it seems to be for her. "I can't hear your guys' thoughts, for example, but... yesterday when Yelena and Nat were arguing, I could hear all of that and their thoughts and it gave me a migraine."

"That's so cool!" Kate blurts out, and she quickly closes her mouth, "I'm sorry. I... sometimes my mouth runs a little faster than my brain. I more meant... it's fascinating, you know? I can't imagine, all I got is like normal-people stuff, so... yeah..." she trails off, not knowing how to save herself from this one.

She should really learn how to shut up.

"It's okay, Kate," Wanda assures her, and Kate nods, a little speechless.

"Kate, come sit over here," Laura coaxes, "watching Wanda's a lot of fun, promise."

"Or helping," Wanda points out, checking the pancake batter before finally stirring in the blueberries, "I know you said you're bad at cooking, but I think with a little bit of supervision you can't screw too much up."

"That too," Laura agrees, getting up from her seat to pour some more coffee in her mug, "Wanda, pass me the milk, please?"

Wanda brings the milk over, confusing Kate again, because why walk when you can move stuff with your mind, but she avoids letting any words escape her mouth this time. She's already embarrassed herself enough this morning.

"I don't think I can... I'm really not good with cooking," she finally answers, "I'm good with kids, though! Learned that from being here."

"Might as well learn this, too," Wanda says, "I'll be here if anything happens, promise."

Kate finally agrees, "Fine. But if I burn down this house, Clint better not find out. I really like learning from him."

"Believe me, Kate, I think he's convinced that you're his second daughter. You're not going anywhere," Laura replies lightly, a little smile on her lips.

Kate swallows, not wanting to lose her chill at all, but she can barely help it. She would never believe it six months ago if she was told Clint would think of her as a daughter. What is she supposed to do with that?

"Um... cooking," Kate blows past it instead, "pancakes. Where do we start?"

-

Yelena goes for a run by herself that morning.

She tells herself it's because she wants Kate to have her beauty sleep and not whine about being tired at two in the afternoon, but selfishly, she thinks it's because she needs to have some time by herself.

Yelena was alone for most of her life even though she was surrounded by people, but being completely alone is something she learned to take comfort in. It gives her time to think and work things out in ways without anyone's input.