Red Daughter

Nine

The next morning Elodie finds the girls in the kitchen talking softly. They stop when she walks in and she jokes, "that's totally not suspicious." She goes to the cabinets and starts opening them, "got anything to eat around here?"

"Top cabinet," Natasha tells her cautiously.

Elodie opens the cabinet and pulls out a bright blue box of pop tarts, "seriously? Cinnamon?" She puts the box back and rummages some more, "do you have anything good?" She asks as she turns back to them. The girls stare at her and Elodie finally asks, "what?"

Wanda moves slightly and Elodie's eyes snap to her as she asks, "are you alright?"

Elodie nods, "why wouldn't I be?"

The girls exchange a look before Natasha says, "yesterday was a lot."

Elodie shrugs, "I've had worse." She leans back against the counter, "can we get out of here today? You offered to take me shopping."

"I- yeah, we can," Natasha tells her.

"I'd love a girls days," Yelena adds. "Wanda?"

Wanda nods, "yeah I'm down. I need more eyeliner."

Yelena snorts, "only because you use half the stick for each eye."

"I do not!" Wanda argues.

"You so do!" Yelena yells. "Natasha tell her!"

"I think we should let Elodie pick where we go," Natasha tells them.

She shrugs slightly, "I've never been to a mall."

"Yes!" Wanda says excitedly. "Excellent pick I can't wait to show you my favorite stores."

"Your stores are weird," Yelena grumbles. "Full of ripped pants with chains and flimsy fishnets and weird gloves."

"According to half your conquest pictures you love fishnets," Wanda retorts.

Yelena gasps, "they are of age! You are a small child. Itty bitty baby."

Natasha watches Elodie as the girls bicker, watching how her eyes follow them but her face shows nothing. Finally she pushes away from the counter, "I'm gonna get dressed," she tells them. "And by dressed I mean steal more of your clothes."

"Meet us at the garage in twenty," Natasha calls after her. Elodie waves without looking back at them and when she's gone the girls stop arguing.

"Do you think she knew we were talking about her?" Yelena asks seriously.

Wanda rolls her eyes, "yeah I think she knew."

"Oh," Yelena humphs. "I thought we hid it very well."

"Right," Natasha interrupts. "Go get ready. Wanda, dampener."

Wanda holds up her arm, showing Natasha the silver bracelet on her wrist, "got it."

"You wear it inside now?" Natasha asks her.

Wanda nods, "I only take it off to train."

"You don't have to do that," Natasha reminds her. "You only have to wear it outside the tower."

"I know," Wanda tells her. "I like wearing it. It helps to keep everything.. quiet. It's only on a low setting, not like when I go out, but it's nice not having to struggle to block out everyone's thoughts." She frowns slightly, "yours are still loud though."

"What about me?" Yelena asks excitedly. "What am I thinking?"

Natasha looks at her sister who is staring at Wanda with an exaggerated expression. Wanda is trying not to laugh as she says, "a cartoon macaroni with a mustache."