Can't Ask, Don't Need, Won't Acknowledge

Chapter 24: Masking the Moment

Wanda scrunched her nose up at the older woman’s words. “Well can I watch it in the kitchen then,” she sassed.

Natasha narrowed her eyes at the teenager, “I would watch your attitude.”

Wanda blushed at the remonstration in front of Peter.

……………………………………………………………………..

Wanda cuddled into Steve on the sofa, the four of them were all squashed onto the small sofa. Natasha and Steve in the middle with a teenager on either side. Wanda felt safe her head resting on the man’s shoulder, though she kept looking our of the corner of her eye at the two other occupants of the sofa. It soured her mood seeing Peter snuggling with Natasha.

Natasha was hers, she had always been her, she had never really had to share her before. Steve did not count in her mind. As the circle of life played over the end of the movie Wanda made no effort to move. Steve stretched slightly and stroked her head softly, “come on Wands it’s bed time.”

Wanda shook her head against his shoulder, “I’m not tired.”

“You might not be tired, but you still have an early bedtime.”

Wanda looked over to Peter, “What about him?”

Natasha spoke up, “Him has a name, and Peter is not grounded. So go on Missy up you go.”

Wanda glared at them, “Fine I’ll leave you to it.”

She stomped up the stairs and Natasha sighed. Peter glanced from his seat, “It’s ok I’m pretty tired anyway….”

“Don’t worry about it Peter. Wanda is fine. She is just being a teenager,” replied Natasha.

…………………………………..

Wanda became increasingly cold and isolated from the others. She wasn’t rude or disrespectful just distant. Peter starting at the same school did not seem to help matters. Wanda stopped being tactile entirely she no longer wrapped her arms around either adult for comfort or in jest. Natasha followed the two teenagers into the house, after another tiring day at the school. Teaching kids was exhausting Natasha, thought not as much as her growing concern for her daughter.

Wanda hung her bag up on the hook in the hallway, before walking into the kitchen to grab a a bottle of water from the fridge. Peter hung up his own back and followed her route. Natasha removed her high heels and flung them into the cupboard grateful that it was the end of another week.

“Do you guys have any homework?”

Peter shook his head, “I did mine in the library at school.”

Natasha nodded in acceptance. “Wanda?”

She shrugged, “I have an english assignment, I’ll be in my room.”

Wanda shut the door to the fridge behind her, and went to leave the room.

“Do you need any help?” asked Natasha kindly.

“No thank you.”

Peter looked sheepishly at the older woman as he observed the sad expression on her face.

“I’m sorry Aunty Nat.”

“Don’t be sorry Peter, you haven’t done anything wrong,” stated Natasha forlornly.

“She doesn’t talk to me at school,” explained Peter. “She pretends she doesn’t know me.”

Natasha sighed. “I don’t know what’s wrong with her.”