WandaWidow - Book 2

Chapter 30 - Photograph

By the time Natasha pulled up into their drive, the sun was beginning to leave the sky. She knew that the air outside the warm truck would be crisp, as Winter had began to creep upon them, though she was thankful that the rain had took a break. Before she exited the vehicle, Natasha stared for a moment through the windows, and the angle allowed her a clear view of Wanda in the kitchen.

Natasha cocked her head as the warm kitchen light clearly illuminated the face of her love, brow furrowed, nose close to a cookbook while her hands continued to mix an unknown substance in a bowl. Whatever she read she clearly didn't agree with, as she took a pause from mixing to close the book and returned to what she had previously been doing.

She moved around the room in almost a dance. Her hair was in an attempt at a bun, but strands had escaped the confines of the tie, and instead framed her face. The red tint Natasha had previously remarked on had faded over the past few months, and Wanda's hair had returned to it's normal dark brown. Even at this distance, Natasha could see the green eyes of her lover sparkling, still standing out despite her being stood in a fully illuminated room.

Slightly nervous, but equally excited, Natasha took a deep breath before opening the door and stepping out into the cold. She turned back and grabbed the items she had set in the passenger seat for the drive back, and slipped the junk mail over the photograph so that Wanda wouldn't be able to see it right away.

She took a slight pause as she passed the windows, pleased to see that Wanda hadn't heard the door close, and was oblivious to Natasha's return. The front door was unlocked, which left for no one handed fumbling of keys, and Natasha quickly stepped inside to the heat.

"Love," Wanda greeted, barely audible over the noise of the kitchen fan and the sound of something bubbling.

"Hi," Natasha replied, slipping her jacket off and hanging it on a hook by the door.

"Boots," Wanda reminded.

While it hadn't started snowing just yet, Wanda was eager to get them both in the habit of removing their shoes at the door. Natasha couldn't understand why she cared so much, but it cost her nothing to comply. She carefully set the items she was holding on the table by the door, and awkwardly removed her boots without stepping any further into the house.

As she had the first one off, Wanda popped out from the kitchen to greet Natasha properly.

"Something smells good," Natasha smiled, slightly bent over from reaching down to untie her other remaining boot.

"Thank you," Wanda smiled happily, before leaning down to kiss Natasha sweetly.

As Natasha fumbled to remove the boot, she placed a hand on the table to balance herself, which drew Wanda's eyes to the items she had brought with her.

"Oh," she remarked, "Was there a lot of mail?"

Wanda reached over to lift the letters, and unknowingly the frame, but before she could make contact Natasha quickly stood up properly and intercepted her hand with her own. Wanda tilted her head in surprise at the sudden movement, and looked at Natasha carefully.

"What?" she asked.

"What?" Natasha replied, as though nothing strange had just happened. Before Wanda could answer she spoke again, "Is something burning?"

Wanda quickly turned, a slight panic in her eye and rushed into the kitchen. A second later she sighed in relief, and called out, "All good."

Natasha, also relieved, picked up the frame and quickly slipped it into a drawer in their nearby sideboard, careful not to damage it despite wanting it out of sight. Something like that needed some explaining, and she didn't quite know how to bring up Tony just yet. She then took the bundle of mostly junk mail to the kitchen and leaned up against the doorframe, as Wanda again was fully focused on cooking.