The X-Project

Wanda makes up for Amanda's missed birthday with an impromptu lunch, and the two catch up on a lot of things.



Where Amanda had burnt under the African sun, Wanda had simply turned browner. Still, it was a tan that made her feel just shy of rough leather and had been her internal excuse for avoiding leaving the office or the apartment all that much. Well, besides the worry about her friends and the dinosaur attacks that had plagued the city. But she wasn't one made to be cooped up in buildings all the time and had finally wandered out into the court yard.

She sprawled as best she could, enjoying the outside without fear or worry, and kept an eye on her watch. If Amanda did not hurry up, the curry would get cold.

It was a slightly flustered Amanda who appeared, looking apologetic as she hurried in and flopped down next to Wanda. "Sorry," she said. "Lost track of the time, and then realised I was s'posed to be here ages ago." She sniffed. "That curry I smell?"

Wanda grinned, peering at her friend over her sunglasses. "Yes, it is," she replied, hooking a finger through the bag next to her and lifting it up. "Thanks to the retelling of Jurassic Park III, I was not able to properly spoil you for your birthday. I'm making it up to you today."

A surprised and pleased smile crossed Amanda's face. "Yeah, nothing like dinosaurs to overshadow the whole birthday thing," she said, wryly. On impulse, she leaned over and gave Wanda a hug. "Ta, Wanda. I really appreciate it. Just got the hang of this birthday thing enough to pout when mine gets interrupted by environmental wackos."

The hug was returned one handed as the bag of food was set down on the ground. Wanda gave Amanda another brief, but firm, squeeze before sitting back slightly. "Thankfully, I fully appreciate a good celebration, even if it is not on the exact day that it should have been," she said with a smile. "So, I suggest food, presents and some good company on this gorgeous day. How's that sound? And I promise, not a dinosaur or reptile in sight."

"Sounds brilliant. I haven't had a decent curry in ag... wait, presents?" Amanda visibly perked. "There's presents?"

Wanda was, barely, able to keep a straight face. "Of course there are presents," she said, looking pleased with herself. "What is a birthday without presents?" Reaching over, she pulled into sight another bag, this one clearly lacking the scent of curry. Digging through, Wanda pulled out three parcels--two fairly box shaped ones and an envelope. "Here you are since now that you know there are presents, I had better hand them over or else suffer through lunch with you making puppy dog eyes at me."

"Marie-Ange's been warning you 'bout that, hasn't she?" Amanda chuckled, taking the first of the boxes. It was smaller, and shaking it gently revealed a slightly muffled rattle. Ripping off the paper uncovered a jeweller's box. Her grin widening, Amanda opened it to find a new watch, one of those outdoors sports models that could take being dropped from a two-storey building, and she laughed out loud. "Noticed me being late for everything, did you?" she asked, immediately taking it out and strapping it on. "I ended up using mine as bribery in Uganda. Thanks tons, Wanda."

Watching someone opening gifts was just as much fun as receiving them, Wanda realized, beaming at Amanda. "That and you kept looking so forlornly at your naked wrist," she teased. "Something practical but tasteful is always my motto. And yes, that saying does cover my shoe shopping habit." She leaned back, keeping an eye as Amanda reached for the next one. It was beyond nice to simply sit back and relax, something they all should be doing after the last few weeks.

"'S weird - never used to use watches much before I started this job, but now? Feels weird not to have one." Giving said watch a pat, she turned her attention to the second parcel. This one was bigger and flatter, and fairly weighty. Knowing Wanda, it had to be a book of some kind, the only question being which... "Ooh, not work!" she exclaimed, turning over a nice heavy collection of German short stories. "If I didn't know better, I'd say you were dropping hints, Boss Lady."

"Would I ever do something like that?" came the innocent question. She'd seen Amanda take notice of the book that Stephen had given her when they had first met and had gone to find something similiar for her. There was the dull pang but Wanda ignored it, focusing on the gleeful birthday girl.

"Be sneaky in the course of making me work less? Says the lady who hid plane tickets in a bunch of reading about lemurs." Amanda cracked the book open, just to have a peek, and beamed. "Strange had something like this. 'Course, back then I couldn't read much more than Old German, so I never tried it..." Making herself close the book again before she started reading it all, she reached for the envelope, her demeanour becoming a little more sober. Envelopes either meant cards - and this one wasn't stiff enough for that - or Meaningful Gestures.

"Yes, yes he did," Wanda said softly, tilting her head as Amanda fingered the envelope. "Go on, it won't bite, I promise." Even so, she watched carefully. There was no real way to know the reaction that would come (or, well there was, but she was not one to bother Marie-Ange over things like this) and she could only hope for the best.

"With our lot, you never can tell," Amanda quipped, but opened the envelope carefully. Pulling out the sheet of paper inside, she read the contents, her face becoming still. "Oh," she said softly, as she reached the end, and when she looked up at Wanda, her expression was a confused mix of emotions: touched by the gesture, yes, but also surprised and perhaps a little cautious. What Margali had done had hit hard, coming on top of so many other losses. "I, um, I don't... do you really mean it, Wanda? Your people wouldn't have a problem with me?"

"No, they would not. They will tell you that you do not eat enough and will probably spend the entire time force feeding you--not to worry, they do it to everyone--but they will welcome you. And Kurt." She shook her head. "You know how I feel about certain situations...let us just say that not everyone who understands the tradition agrees with it. And while they follow my lead and my voice, they can think for themselves and I know their stance on this. So you would be very welcomed."

"Well, Kurt didn't do anything. But me..." With a shake of her head, Amanda put her hesitations aside, tucking the invitation to Wanda's caravan carefully inside the book and giving the older woman a wordless hug that threatened to strangle her.

If the return hug was just shy of being desperate--there had been moments of staring into the African sun and knowing that something so casual, so meaningful as a hug with the people she cared about might never happen again--no one spoke of it. After a few minutes, they untangled from each other and Wanda smiled. "I like it when you do not argue," she teased, tugging the bag of food closer to them.

"Hey, even I learn not to try the impossible sometimes," Amanda replied, using Wanda's distraction with the food to swiped her sleeve across her eyes. Her smile was sunny as Wanda handed her the chicken vindaloo. "Besides, you always remember my favourite - who can argue with that?"

"This is true. I am very good at bribery when I need to be and you lot make it so easy for me with all these favorite dishes and such. Which is good since I will need to bribe Doug in the near future." Her own food in her hand, Wanda dug in with obvious pleasure.

"What for?" Amanda asked, mouth full.

"Driving lessons," Wanda responded dryly. "I hate cars but after the incident on Saturday, it was brought to my attention--several times--that I might want to work on that particular skill."

There was a moment of abrupt coughing as Amanda tried to inhale curry. "If I say 'about bloody time', do I lose my curry?" she asked, reaching for a napkin.

"Possibly." Reaching over, Wanda poked Amanda in the shoulder and then snorted with laughter. "I prefer my motorcycle but I fully appreciate the whole need to not die in a car, either." She sulked, just a little bit. "But no, and I mean no, mini's are to be driven at all. Ever. They need to be burned."

"Aw, it's not the mini's fault you're an Amazon," Amanda pointed out with a grin. "Us normal-sized people don't have any issues."

"It is, sadly, a short person world sometimes," Wanda sighed before taking another bite out of her food. "How've you been since things started to settle down?"

"Good. Busy, but when aren't we? Still, 's good to see Ange without there being angst and trauma or dinosaurs interrupting." The expression on Amanda's face was, to put it franky, smitten.

"Dinosaurs on a date...I have to say, that is one I will never, ever be able to say that I have experienced." This had been something she wanted to talk to Amanda about--part gossip, part concern for everyone around. "I am glad things are working out so well for you, Amanda. I will take a chance on being sappy by saying that I am so pleased that you are happy." The food was set down in front of her as Wanda turned. "I know our friends and I know what normally happens at the start of a 'new' relationship but...don't hurt him."

"He won't..." Amanda had rolled her eyes a little as Wanda had become more serious, expecting yet another 'if he hurts you I'll...' speech. But then the actual words sunk in, and she blinked. "You... huh?"

Reaching over, Wanda took Amanda's hand in hers and squeezed gently, smiling. "Don't hurt him," she repeated, no malice to her words. "From the way you reacted, I know you and he have probably been getting the interrogation for him. But it can easily turn the other way around. Never on purpose but sometimes that can cut more deeply than if it had been. Just...be careful. Be happy, as well."

Amanda nodded, understanding. "Ange... he's been the most important person in my life for years. No-one knows me like he does. I've loved him for years, and what we've got now... it's the best thing that ever happened to me. But..." She bit her lip a little. "I know how much I can hurt him, since I've done it before, just when we were friends. Sometimes for his own good, but that's never a good reason. After the last time..." She shook her head, remembering his face before she'd cast the memory wiping spell on him. "It'd be worse now. And I couldn't do that to him."

"It is good you know because even if you never have to act on it, the knowledge will...well, it will save you from a lot of heartache on both sides. You two are good for each other and, if you will let me say this without hitting me, adorable together." Wanda grinned, amused. "Which of course, will lead to much, much teasing but we love you, just remember that."

Amanda blushed a little at the 'adorable' comment, but took it with good grace. They really were, sometimes. "I know it's not going to be easy, what with schedules and work and all but... it's more than worth it. I've never felt so..." She gestured with her plastic fork, not finding the words. "Y'know?"

Wanda nodded, knowing exactly what Amanda was trying to convey. "Oh yes, I understand perfectly. Hard to put it into words, is it not?" There was a bit of dull pain that echoed after the conversation but it was far better than it had been.

"I figured if anyone would get it, you would." Except, there was something the younger woman had noticed. Hard not to, when she knew both parties. "Wanda... do you mind if I ask you something? 'Bout you and Strange?"

Glancing at the witch out of the corner of her eye, Wanda nodded slightly. "Ask away," she said quietly. "You know you can always ask me anything."

"Are things... is everything all right with you two? He sounds really odd when I mention your name, and I haven't seen him 'round lately. And you get all... tight face whenever I talk about him." Amanda looked anxiously at Wanda. "'Cause as much as he's a stuffed shirt, you two are good together. If there's been a fight, maybe I could help?"

That touched her and made her smile. Reaching over, Wanda squeezed Amanda's foot before sighing. "Unfortunately, it is a little beyond a fight," she said and then explained. "When we met up for dinner, things that had been under the surface bubbled up. Too much time spent apart, each in danger and not knowing--we could ask the other to quit, to leave what we do. And one of us would've. But there would have been resentment. So. We...ended it."

"Oh, fuck, I'm sorry, Wanda." Amanda gave her mentor a striken look. "I didn't... how long ago?"

"About a week before the bunch of us went and drained Harry's pub dry," she said, wincing slightly at the memory of that hangover. "So, not so long ago, now I suppose."

"So while I was off in Madagascar." Amanda bit her lip. "I should've been here, Boss Lady. You needed me, and I wasn't." She reached over and touched the older woman's arm. "You gunna be okay?"

Wanda took Amanda's hand in hers and smiled sadly. "Even if you had known, I still would not have let you come back or stay," she laughed. "You needed that vacation and I was not about to let anything come between it and you. And...I will be. In time."

Amanda squeezed Wanda's hand back. "All right. And I'm here now, so if you need anything, you just yell, yeah?"

"I will and I will yell loudly, I promise." Wanda took a deep, fortifying breath before turning back to Amanda, smiling brightly. "It is a good thing we both enjoy cold curry...let's eat, I am famished."