LOST SOUL ➸ hawkeye ✔️

vi.

06 | FAIRY DUST

After what seemed like forever of stirring, with Nathaniel watching curiously in his arms, Pietro poured in the cheese in the pot.

God, I miss my powers, the speedster thought bitterly as he walked over to the refrigerator and pulled out some butter and milk.

Since the Ultron fiasco, he had temporarily lost his powers due to his injuries, but they were healing better day by day. Pietro walked back over to the pot and slipped in a little butter and then some, whoops ... All of the milk.

Dumping the carton into the recycling, he finished up the mac n cheese and half-heartedly microwaved half a box of leftover pizza from the other night for Wanda and Lana. He set Nathaniel in his booster seat before nodding triumphantly, offering a high five to the little Barton who happily did.

The speedster grinned before cupping his hands around his mouth and called out. "I'm going to eat everything if you're not here in five seconds!"

Nathaniel garbled in agreement with a wide smile, clapping his hands which earned a pat on the head from Pietro who smiled. Scrambling could be heard upstairs, along with another laugh from Wanda.

Lana flew over in a blink of an eye with Cooper clutching onto her with a wide grin. Seconds later, Lila came running down the stairs, still firmly tugging Wanda with her by the sweater sleeve.

They all took their seats and Pietro nodded approvingly, the five collectively agreeing to feed Nathaniel after dinner, seeing as he'd been fed only an hour ago. Pietro then went around the table serving pizza and Mac n Cheese.

"Nice apron," Lana chimed playfully as Pietro passed by her, eyeing Clint's 'Hot Stuff : Coming Through!' apron, which Pietro donned proudly.

Humorously, Pietro batted her over the head with the spoon while Lana just flashed him a grin.

"Why is my mac n cheese so soupy?" Lila asked, not in complaint but more out of genuine curiosity as she poked and scooped it with her spoon, watching it slide off of her spoon and back into the bowl with a splish.

"Pietro hasn't had the most exp-" Wanda answered quickly but the speedster interrupted her.

"It's probably the fairy dust," Pietro said casually. "It tends to make food more soupy so that the unicorns can eat it easier."

The young girl's eyes widened and Wanda's face grew a smile of disbelief, as if she was asking 'Did you really just go there?'

Cooper laughed, understanding that it was a joke, and grinned at Lana instead.

"That's so nice of them!" Lila's eyes brightened suddenly as she bounced in her chair excitedly. "A fairy sprinkled her dust in my mac n cheese?! Dad's never gotten a fairy to do magic on our mac n cheese!"

Her eyes were widened in pure childish delight, and it made Pietro's heart lift.

"Yes, well," the white haired speedster sat elegantly at the end of the table, tossing his oven mittens aside. "I guess this means I'm a better cook than him, huh?"

Lila nodded, smiling widely. Wanda breathed a laugh and rolled her eyes, although she smiled nonetheless while Lana smirked around her fork which was firmly between her lips. Cooper poked at his mac n cheese with wide eyes, as if contemplating the fairy dust theory while Nathaniel waved his hands around happily.

Pietro took a first bite of his glorious dish. The texture was very strange. Gooey from the pauses between stirring and soupy from the extra milk, but with small clumps of cheese gathered around and over the top. It didn't taste too bad once you were past that.

"I did great," he said proudly, cocky as ever.

Mutters of 'eh' mixed in with Lila's "Yeah! You're the best!" were said in response.

"I wouldn't go that far," Wanda said, sending a look at her brother, the type of look a competitor sent their enemy, but with kindness in her eyes.

"Like you could do any better," he retorted goodheartedly.

"Same goes for you." Pietro tossed at Lana.

"I could so do better!" Lana argued defensively. "I've never screwed up a dish."

"Yes you have, Lana!" Lila chirped brightly, face scrunching in confusion.

Lana quickly waved her hands, as if trying to shush her.

"Remember? When you tried to make me cereal once!" Lila recalled.

Lana sank a bit in her chair, hand over her face and a long sigh escaping.

Wanda raised a curious eyebrow. "How do you mess up-?"

"Don't ask. Just don't," Lana interrupted with another sigh while Cooper laughed at the memory.

But Lila wasn't finished. She continued to count on her fingers. "And then there were the pancakes, those cupcakes for dad, the-"

Pietro snickered, having mercy on the embarrassed kryptonian as he gently interrupted the little girl. "Maybe I'll have to give you cooking lessons with my great culinary abilities."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever, wannabe sonic," Lana grumbled. "As great as they are, I think I'll stick with the pizza."

This time it was Lila to smack her sister over the head. "Shh! Don't say that, Lana! The fairies will get mad!"