8455/Saved: Walk in the Park

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Saved: Walk in the Park
Date of Scene: 23 July 2019
Location: Apple Park, New York City
Synopsis: Scarlet Witch and Elixir go far a walk in the park. They are both recognized. It goes better for Scarlet Witch than Elixir. Elixir realizes he cannot help everyone.
Thanks to: Scarlet Witch
Cast of Characters: Elixir, Scarlet Witch
Tinyplot: Saved


Elixir has posed:
After the day he had, Josh did not feel like hanging around inside. He wanted to be out and moving. And he wanted Wanda nearby. He called her after getting back to Xavier's mansion. As luck would have it, she was busy then, but they met up later in the day after dinner. Josh suggested going for a walk and they did, hand in hand. They just walked aimlessly, the way Wanda had done so many times on her own.

Josh had been unusually quiet. He was not prone to ruminating or thinking overly long on things, but Wanda could feel how preoccupied he was. When they found themselves at Apple Park though, Josh smiled. The park was one of the many places in New York with small bronze statutes of oomycetans. Josh guided them toward the one in this park. It was in the middle of a grassy patch.

"So weird. I haven't been here since the mushrooms. First place I fought one. Well, I didn't fight it, the others fought, I helped the kid it tried to grab," he says and smiles a bit at the memory. "That was like my first... Okay this sounds stupid... But like my first hero moment. Before I joined the team or anything."

Scarlet Witch has posed:
There is a certain enjoyable sound to listening to your own footfalls on pavement. Especially in a pair of boots like Wanda is wearing. The click of her steps is just soft enough to not distract from one's thoughts if they don't wish it, yet loud enough that pleasant little staccato rhythm accompanies the pair as they wander through the park.

Wanda hasn't asked him too much. She sensed something from earlier through the bond, and asked how he was, but let Josh speak about it in his own time. Wanda smiles over to him though as he reminisces about the park. "You've had many hero moments since, I think," she tells him softly. "And more to come."

Wanda laces her fingers with his as they hold hands. "There is a wonderful feeling when you help someone," Wanda says, her face gaining a radiant smile at her memories of how that feels. "It's far better than any drug. And it's so easy to come by, too," she says. Wanda lets out a soft laugh. "I sound like a public service announcement, don't I?"

Elixir has posed:
"You would if I didn't get it," Josh laughs. "That'd be pretty cheesy. It's true though! It's like, you do it and then you want to do it again and again."

He shoots Wanda a sly look. "Sounds like something else, too," he jokes.

"You know something I like you about? I mean, there's a ton of things. But I can just be quiet with you, you know? Some people, I'd never get all the way here just being quiet. It'd be a million questions and on and on. But, you're just really... Patient. It's cool," Josh says smiles brightly at Wanda. He squeezes her hand.

"So, did Lorna get a hold of you about this morning?" Josh asks. "Tell you what happened?"

Scarlet Witch has posed:
Wanda Maximoff's head tilts back and she lets out a warm, loud laugh. "Like something else?" she asks him. "I can't imagine what. Perhaps when we get back later, you might illuminate me on the subject," she tells him. Wanda grins and squeezes his hand back, but then lets it go so she can slip her arm about his lower back and lean against him gently as they walk.

"She did not, actually," Wanda says of her sister. "I had a few minor matters that were occupying me. Nothing too dangerous," she tells him. The next day there will be a blurb in the paper about about a bank robbery foiled by the Scarlet Witch. The robbers disarmed and lifted into the air before they knew she was there.

Wanda looks around at the beautiful park, smiling as a warm breeze stirs, blowing through her hair which she's left to hang loose about her shoulders and down her back. "Something happened then?" she asks him quietly, her hand that is on his far hip rubbing gently.

Elixir has posed:
"Yeah," he says. "Everyone's okay now, though. I went on a field trip to a museum to help supervise some kids from the school. Some fucking cyborgs came out of nowhere and attacked the bus. They flipped it over and everything, you know? Then tried to get at the students. A bunch of people got hurt. I think Lorna got knocked out when the bus flipped? She had a really bad concussion and was doing weird things to everyone's phones lights. But she's okay now. Hank, Mason, Jubilee and Lorna, even when she couldn't see straight, took out the cyborgs."

Josh stops and Wanda can feel the shudder pass through his body and being. "Yeah. They took them out. We fixed everyone up, the paramedics were awesome. They helped me out. We skipped bumps and bruises and stuff, you know? I was wiped. But all the serious stuff we got."

He looks over to make sure Wanda is assured. "Lorna's fine though. Totally good. I took care of her."

Scarlet Witch has posed:
The sound of their steps on the gravel of the path they are crunches softly with each step. Wanda's brow slowly furrows with concern as the tale of the attack plays out. She doesn't ask him to jump ahead, but lets Josh tell the tail fully as he will. "Thank you for taking care of her," Wanda says, her expression grateful. "And what about you?" she asks. "Did you take any hurts?" she asks him.

Wanda stops and looks over to Josh, her fingers glowing a gentle crimson as she reaches over to rest her hand along his head, trying to probe and make sure he doesn't have any hurts that he wasn't aware of.

"So they were Sentinels, you believe? Or, the spider robots I heard about. Do you think they might be associated with them?" she asks as her touch gives him a warm sensation. And through the bond he can even feel a little of what she is feeling, her sensitivity far less than his own for this.

Elixir has posed:
"Not really. I got tossed around but it doesn't hurt long," he says with a wry smile. "Healing me is easy!"

"Maybe? I don't know. Or maybe Reavers? Reavers sent cyborgs after us last year, but these ones were different. They didn't have blades coming out of their arms," Josh says gesturing to wear they would be on him if he were a Reaver cyborg.

But he stops and lets Wanda check him over, acquiescing to her concern. Thankfully, there is nothing wrong with him. He is preternaturally healthy as always. Tired, but healthy.

"Holy crow, look at that! It's the Scarlet Witch!" a young man's voice calls out from a short distance away. A few people stop and look and see the famed Avenger, picking her out perhaps more because of her trademark magic than noticing her in this unexpected place. Talk ripples outward through the park. Soon a dozen people are coming up to them, with more looking on curiously.

"Are you more powerful than Superman?"

"Can the Hulk lift two buses at once?"

"I gotta get a picture with you, my wife won't believe it."

"Oh my god man, she's so fucking hot."

"You're like, my idol."

"Why were you holding that man's hand? Does he have a crush on you?"

Josh laughs as they get croweded by people eager to meet and talk to the Scarlet Witch. He shoots Wanda a grin and stuffs his hands in his pockets.

Scarlet Witch has posed:
Wanda lets the magic fade from her hand after she confirms Josh's hale health. "I think you are good enough to go a few miles," she tells him. "Or, well, we can discuss other types of physical fitness activities," she says, trying her best to come off as all coy and sultry. Possibly succeeding some, though Natasha Romanov she is not.

The voices of the people in the park draw Wanda's gaze over, before she looks back to Josh. "Uh oh," she says, eyes darting about guiltily. "Busted." If he doesn't pull away though, she'll stay there with him.

"I would put my money on Superman," Wanda answers with a nodding smile. "Hulk could probably lift more than two. And yes, of course," Wanda says, posing for the picture. There's a little color in her cheeks at one of the comments, her eyes going back to Josh as she smiles to him. "This is my boyfriend," Wanda says at the final question. "I can't speak for anyone else...but I definitely have a crush on him," she says, flashing a smile over to the blond-haired man and returning her arm back around his lower back. "It's a beautiful day out, I hope you all have a chance to enjoy it as much as we are," Wanda will say, lifting a hand to wave to them and starting to walk forward if Josh is ready, and no one is pressing the issue of them staying.

Elixir has posed:
"Whoa, what?!"

"Scarlet Witch has a boyfriend?"

Josh just smiles and shakes his head good-naturedly. He does colour a bit himself though. He turns to leave with Wanda, and most people are respectful enough to let them go. Even if they sneak in a photo or two.

"Whoa, hey, hold up... I know you!" says a man in his early 30's. The man obviously had a cleft palette repair. "You're that guy from the bus thing. It was in the papers. You healed all those kids!" the man says and pantomimes laying on a hand.

That gets renewed murmur.

"Hey... He totally is...."

"He just healed them?"

"Yeah! You gotta see the video, it was sick. This kid's leg was all screwed up and then boom. Fixed."

The first man puts a hand on Josh's arm. "You could fix this, right?" he asks and points to the scar on his upper lip. "Please man, you don't know how much it would help me out.

"My brother's kid has a broken leg, he's over here, can you help him?"

"My mothers..."

".... I've got...."

Josh looks bewildered and taken aback by the attention and the people closing in focused on him. "Uh, I mean, I could, it's just..."

"Do it! Please you, gotta," the man with the cleft pallette pleads. He is pulled aside suddenly by an angry looking woman in her mid-twenties.

"No way, my baby's got pneumonia and I can't afford anti-biotics. Your face can wait!"

"My mother could die /any day/, she needs him way more than your baby!"

"Are you crazy?!"

More people are drawn by the commotion brewing around Josh and Wanda. Josh is wide-eyed and looks to Wanda.

Scarlet Witch has posed:
Wanda glances to Josh, smiling softly as they start making mention of his healing. Though as matters quickly devolve, Wanda raises her voice to try to cut through it all. "Everyone! Please," she says loudly. "Healing doesn't just happen. It comes at a cost, it isn't something that can be done endlessly," she says, "And there were a lot of people as you mentioned," she says.

Wanda tries to create space for him. If it seems to have succeeded, she glances over to him to gauge what he wishes to do. She looks from his eyes and over, down at her hand where it hangs by her side now. Little flickers of her power glow briefly at the end of her fingers, and Wanda looks back up, expression offering. Letting him use her power if needed, for she isn't sure if she may not have spoken the truth of his exertion already. But there is also the sense she'll support him if he wishes to leave instead.

Elixir has posed:
Josh puts on a smile but Wanda can feel how weirded out he is right now. Some hear the word cost from Wanda and little else. A few start shouting they can pay. Josh just shakes his head.

"Shit, Wanda, we gotta, we gotta go," Josh says, starting to back off. The people around the follow and there is more shoving and yelling. Faces have gone from surprised and delighted, to angry, outraged and even desperate.

"We really gotta go," Josh says, starting to sound agitated. He grips Wanda's hand. "Please."

Scarlet Witch has posed:
Wanda hears the voice rise and she shakes her head, saying loudly, "It isn't a matter of money," She moves to Josh and slips her arms around him. Not looking at the people. Just looking into his eyes, trying to hold his gaze as the red glow gathers about them. It blocks out the people and the park, and then it fades away.

They aren't back home, neither at the school nor at Avenger's Mansion. Instead they are standing on a grassy stretch along the edge of a lake. Rugged rocky hills rise up around them, with pine trees and grass growing here and there wherever there is enough soil. The lake is placid, reflecting the stars in the sky and the moon overhead, as they have gone from afternoon to evening, wherever she has taken them.

But above all there is quiet. Peace and quiet. Nothing but the sound of crickets softly chirping as Wanda reaches up a hand to stroke along Josh's cheek. Not saying anything. Just being there for him.

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Elixir has posed:
Josh looks around, momentarily disoriented. His breath slows and his shoulders settle back down. He looks at Wanda, bothered and pained and sad. He pulls Wanda into him and his eyes glisten in the dark.

"I'm not gonna be able to help them all," he younger man says, as if this is a revelation to him. An unwelcome one.

Scarlet Witch has posed:
Wanda is several inches shorter and her torso is decidedly lacking the thick, muscular build of Josh. Yet her arms seem almost magic as they are just able to fold about him and hold him like they can shut away the rest of the world.

"You're not," she agrees softly. "But you'll do the ones that you can. And you'll find a balance in your life. It's tough to see what it will be now. But you'll find it. We all do in the end," she tells him, her cheek resting alongside his. Until once she's done speaking, she pulls her head back so she can look into his eyes. "I could find somewhere that could use my help. Every moment of the day. But no one can live a life like that. To try would be worse," she tells him softly.

Elixir has posed:
Josh wants to resist the comfort Wanda offers but he needs it and relents to her embrace and her steadying warmth.

"Yeah, I guess," Josh says. He lets out a ragged breath and looks his 21 years. He blinks away the dampness in his eyes. ".... thanks. I'm really glad you were there."

Scarlet Witch has posed:
"Always," she tells him quietly, brushing stray wisps of hair from his forehead as the wind blows gently, ruffling the water of the lake to cause the smallest of waves across its surface.

The pair settle into the grass, lying together with their arms around one another. They don't need more words. Only to be together. To lie beneath that field of stars, undimmed by any nearby city lights. The Milky Way stretches across the sky like a light show for just the pair of them.

Eventually their eyelids droop and close, and they nestle together. Their bodies pressing against each other is all the warmth they need on this summer night in the Swiss Alps. Leaving the rest of the world behind. Basking for a night in togetherness.