When the orange afternoon sun slanted through the floor-to-ceiling windows of Wanda's high-rise apartment in Manhattan, the Maximoff siblings were reunited once more. To Pietro, the distance from Avengers HQ to Manhattan was hardly significant—after all his training, it was just a short dash. Claiming he needed to buy candy, he slipped out from under Agent Hill's watchful eye—unaware that the base's vending machines were stocked with all kinds of sweets and that he had unlimited access with his clearance.
Stark always tried to use money to make sure his allies lived comfortably.
This visit didn't carry the same tension as the last. Instead, it finally felt like a real family gathering again, with all matters of the Eternal City and the Avengers set aside.
Wanda suggested cooking a meal without using any magic, wanting to show her brother the progress she'd made outside of sorcery. Pietro was, understandably, concerned. As far as he knew, Wanda's only food-service experience was working at a fast-food place owned by foreign expats. She'd had to double as cashier and fry cook, and the only things she truly learned were how to sneak small change from the till without getting caught and how long to keep fries in the oil. Every attempt at cooking since leaving the castle had been a challenge—and now that she was studying alchemy under Solomon, Pietro feared she might throw magical herbs into the pot. He'd heard Solomon teaching her which herbs were "culinarily compatible" with spells.
He'd even laughed about it at the time, not realizing that moment would lead to this inevitable conclusion. He glanced at the earring swaying on Wanda's ear—a delicate piece of gold and ruby craftsmanship. He didn't need anyone to tell him where it came from. Just like this apartment, this furniture, even the clothes she wore—he knew their origin.
After glancing around and confirming there were no other traces of someone else living here, Pietro finally relaxed. He didn't mind that Solomon and Wanda were close—but according to what he'd read, Solomon already had a partner. His sister's one-sided affection might only end in heartbreak. He planned to talk to her about it one day—but not today. Just a few days ago, during a mission, he'd said the wrong thing and her expression had turned dark. No need to ruin today's family reunion.
"This is scutellaria, a medicinal herb. Don't interrupt me while I'm simmering the soup, Pietro. This is a dish I learned from the Kamar-Taj archmages. I've tasted it—it's good. And this is fig—I'm making you a salad. Fig is also a magical ingredient, so don't touch it," Wanda warned.
Pietro began to panic, especially when he saw the loaf of bread Wanda had baked—with intricate landscape and portrait art painted onto it. Childhood fairy tales surged back into his mind. His sister was no longer an ordinary girl—she was a storybook witch now, like Baba Yaga! With so many magical herbs mixed together, who knew what would happen if he ate this? He might turn into a teapot or a candlestick! Pietro's superstition transcended borders and copyrights, leaping from Slavic folklore to Western fairy tales, and from folk myths straight into Disney territory. He rolled his eyes, trying to find a topic that could distract his sister long enough for him to use his speed to toss some of the ingredients off the balcony.
"Maybe we shouldn't eat barracuda…"
"I'm not going to resurrect a supermarket barracuda and send it back swimming, I promise. Barracuda won't grant wishes. Don't be so superstitious, Pietro." [Note 1]
"Alright, new topic. Don't you feel proud, Wanda? You uncovered a centuries-old mystery! You solved the Borley Rectory haunting! All you did was take a walk along the riverbank, and you still figured it out!"
"We still called the police," Wanda replied, not even looking up as she carefully removed the blanched meat from the pot and set it aside. There was none of the pride Pietro had expected in her tone. "We didn't solve it. We just did a small part."
"But I dug up the skeleton you wanted! Remember? My shoes were soaking wet!" Pietro complained, casually edging closer to the pot. He leaned against the counter with his arms crossed, trying to look unimpressed. He subtly tested his powers, confirming that the pot wouldn't burn him—his superspeed slowed the heat transfer to his fingertips.
The physics books Solomon had brought to the castle had explained the theory, but Pietro wanted to see if it actually worked. It wasn't that he had a rebellious, anti-authority spirit—he simply didn't trust knowledge that came from books rather than lived experience. Before Solomon, Pietro had only received the barest education. Everything else he knew came from life. Without Wanda's urging and the kindness of a few strangers, he might have never opened a book—and would have become just another war-zone illiterate.
"My powers weren't meant for that kind of thing. Without you, the whole thing would've gone unresolved."
"Your power helped dig up the bones and get to town fast to call the police—and to drag that priest over and mess with his memory so he'd forget we were there," Wanda said with a smirk. She began chopping vegetables. The sound of the sharp knife against the cutting board made Pietro shiver, the same way he had shivered when he stood in the river, slowly uncovering those nearly crumbling remains with his own hands. He had seen death before—during the Sokovia incident, he'd done all he could, but still couldn't save everyone. Yet seeing the dead wasn't the same as touching them—especially ones from seven centuries ago.
The thought made Pietro shudder again.
The witch's lips curled into a satisfied grin. She puffed gently at her fringe to flick it aside—a gesture that broadcast her good mood. "That priest's expression when you dragged him out of the chapel was priceless! He prayed so many times—who knew someone could talk that fast?"
"I just hope your magic didn't scramble his brain permanently."
"I gave him plenty of compensation. Soon, every paranormal fan in London will flock to his little chapel to buy his trashy book. Before us, maybe only we ever bought a copy, Pietro."
"Speaking of… what happened to the skeleton?"
"It's been incinerated under observation. Don't worry—no evil spirits are going to haunt your dreams."
"Ghosts? You think I'm scared of ghosts? Shouldn't you be the one worried? Oh… right. You're a witch!"
"I am a witch. And we're siblings. Of course I know what you're thinking." Wanda snorted. "Now take your hand off the snake meat and stop bothering me while I'm cooking. I promise it won't kill you. But if you touch my pot again, I'll turn you into a rat. Then the world will have a superspeed rodent to deal with."
Pietro stared into the future with despair.
[Note 1] Reference to "Yemelya the Simpleton," a Russian folktale.
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I Am Zeus, KING OF GODS (Chapter 79)
Fairy Tail: Igneel's Eldest Son (Chapter 391)
I Am Thalos, Odin's Older Brother (Chapter 471)
Reborn in America's Anti-Terror Unit (Chapter 677)
Solomon in Marvel (Chapter 1059)
Becoming the Wealthiest Tycoon on the Planet (Chapter 1418)
Surgical Fruit in the American Comics Universe (Chapter 1422)
American Detective: From TV Rookie to Seasoned Cop (Chapter 1452)
American TV Writer (Chapter 1504)
I Am Hades, The Supreme GOD of the Underworld!(Chapter 570)
Reborn as Humanity's Emperor Across the Multiverse (Chapter 703)
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