25 August 2017 - Cooking With Willow
Title: Cooking With Willow
Author: Beriaearwen
Crossover: Buffy the Vampire Slayer / Avengers movieverse
Characters: Wanda, mini!Willow
Rating: Suitable for all ages
Word count: 714
Notes: References events in Peas and Tanks Related to (in reverse order): Meeting Buffy's Boyfriends, The Power Of Love, The First Mision, Mother Son Time, Snippets, Hammer Time, Meeting Uncle Bucky, Meeting Miss Darcy, Scenes From Down On The Farm, Logistics, A New Start
Disclaimer: The characters of Buffy the Vampire Slayer belong to Mutant Enemy, etc. The characters of the Avengers belong to Marvel, etc. All are used here without permission. No copyright infringement is intended.
Though it didn't happen often, it wasn't unusual that one or more of the Avengers would choose to cook rather than go to the cafeteria. Wanda had been telling Willow stories about her brother and the good memories from when they were little and living at home with their parents.
One of Wanda's favorite memories was cooking with her mother, especially the secret family recipes. Since joining the Avengers, she hadn't taken much time to fix any of them or even record them. First with Pietro's death, she was in mourning. When she was able to begin to function, she had thrown herself into training with an obsessiveness that all the Avengers seemed to possess and control with varying levels of success.
When Willow and the others arrived, she had finally started looking outside the small world she had created for herself and started living in a way she hadn't since she'd been Willow's age, or a little older.
Sharing her past, her traditions had been rewarding.
Today, she decided they would make her mother's favorite stew.
Willow, as always, had been peppering her with questions. Honestly, Wanda didn't mind at all. Not only did it allow them time together, but it also forced Wanda to learn more than what she'd been taught in her few years of school and her captivity. Whatever she didn't know the two of them would look up or ask Friday depending on where they were and what they were doing.
“Do we have to put peas in it, Mama?” Willow asked, looking at the offending green vegetables.
“These are fresh peas, Willow,” she assured. “They taste very good. Besides, what did we learn about peas from last time?”
“Peas are sweet treats to eat, not ammo for tanks,” the small redhead recited.
“Very good.”
“But do we have to?”
Wanda suppressed a laugh at her daughter's whine-filled voice. “Yes, we have to. The dish won't taste the same without them. You won't even notice them in there with all the other ingredients.”
“You're sure?” Willow asked, wanting confirmation.
“Positive.”
They continued to chat while the last ingredients went in and then Wanda turned the heat down to the mixture could simmer for the three to four hours it normally did.
“Why do we have to wait so long?” Willow asked, a small pout on her face. “It smells yummy now.”
“And it will be yummier in a few hours when all the flavors blend together to make a new flavor.”
“A stew flavor!” Willow chimed in, giggling.
“Yes, a stew flavor,” Wanda confirmed. “Besides, it also gives it time to thicken a bit.”
Willow perked up at this. “Oh! I can do that!” she exclaimed holding up her hands toward the stew pot squinting her eyes in concentration and saying, “Thicken!”
Wanda, who had been reaching for the spoon to give the pot one more stir felt the air around her hand and the pot suddenly become very heavy and dense. She tried lifting her hand and the spoon and couldn't do it.
She had just prepared to do something when the weight suddenly lifted and she realized the spell broke. Mentally she sent thanks that Willow was only three. The power of that small spell was remarkable, but fortunately could only be held a short time.
Turning toward her daughter, she noticed Willow's eyes were beginning to droop. Apparently it took a lot out of Willow as well. Stepping next to the little girl, Wanda picked her up and hugged her close.
“Wow. Cooking sure is tiring,” Willow mumbled, already almost asleep.
“Cooking without magic is less tiring,” Wanda gently scolded. “And also the appropriate way to do do so.”
“Hmm.”
“I think you need to take a nap while we wait for the stew,” she informed her daughter as they headed toward their rooms. She didn't receive a response and, when she placed Willow on her bed, realized it was because the little girl was out cold. Slipping off the tiny shoes, Wanda settled the blanket from the chair next to the bed over Willow and kissed her forehead. “Sleep well, little one. We will have much to teach and learn.”
End
Author: Beriaearwen
Crossover: Buffy the Vampire Slayer / Avengers movieverse
Characters: Wanda, mini!Willow
Rating: Suitable for all ages
Word count: 714
Notes: References events in Peas and Tanks Related to (in reverse order): Meeting Buffy's Boyfriends, The Power Of Love, The First Mision, Mother Son Time, Snippets, Hammer Time, Meeting Uncle Bucky, Meeting Miss Darcy, Scenes From Down On The Farm, Logistics, A New Start
Disclaimer: The characters of Buffy the Vampire Slayer belong to Mutant Enemy, etc. The characters of the Avengers belong to Marvel, etc. All are used here without permission. No copyright infringement is intended.
Though it didn't happen often, it wasn't unusual that one or more of the Avengers would choose to cook rather than go to the cafeteria. Wanda had been telling Willow stories about her brother and the good memories from when they were little and living at home with their parents.
One of Wanda's favorite memories was cooking with her mother, especially the secret family recipes. Since joining the Avengers, she hadn't taken much time to fix any of them or even record them. First with Pietro's death, she was in mourning. When she was able to begin to function, she had thrown herself into training with an obsessiveness that all the Avengers seemed to possess and control with varying levels of success.
When Willow and the others arrived, she had finally started looking outside the small world she had created for herself and started living in a way she hadn't since she'd been Willow's age, or a little older.
Sharing her past, her traditions had been rewarding.
Today, she decided they would make her mother's favorite stew.
Willow, as always, had been peppering her with questions. Honestly, Wanda didn't mind at all. Not only did it allow them time together, but it also forced Wanda to learn more than what she'd been taught in her few years of school and her captivity. Whatever she didn't know the two of them would look up or ask Friday depending on where they were and what they were doing.
“Do we have to put peas in it, Mama?” Willow asked, looking at the offending green vegetables.
“These are fresh peas, Willow,” she assured. “They taste very good. Besides, what did we learn about peas from last time?”
“Peas are sweet treats to eat, not ammo for tanks,” the small redhead recited.
“Very good.”
“But do we have to?”
Wanda suppressed a laugh at her daughter's whine-filled voice. “Yes, we have to. The dish won't taste the same without them. You won't even notice them in there with all the other ingredients.”
“You're sure?” Willow asked, wanting confirmation.
“Positive.”
They continued to chat while the last ingredients went in and then Wanda turned the heat down to the mixture could simmer for the three to four hours it normally did.
“Why do we have to wait so long?” Willow asked, a small pout on her face. “It smells yummy now.”
“And it will be yummier in a few hours when all the flavors blend together to make a new flavor.”
“A stew flavor!” Willow chimed in, giggling.
“Yes, a stew flavor,” Wanda confirmed. “Besides, it also gives it time to thicken a bit.”
Willow perked up at this. “Oh! I can do that!” she exclaimed holding up her hands toward the stew pot squinting her eyes in concentration and saying, “Thicken!”
Wanda, who had been reaching for the spoon to give the pot one more stir felt the air around her hand and the pot suddenly become very heavy and dense. She tried lifting her hand and the spoon and couldn't do it.
She had just prepared to do something when the weight suddenly lifted and she realized the spell broke. Mentally she sent thanks that Willow was only three. The power of that small spell was remarkable, but fortunately could only be held a short time.
Turning toward her daughter, she noticed Willow's eyes were beginning to droop. Apparently it took a lot out of Willow as well. Stepping next to the little girl, Wanda picked her up and hugged her close.
“Wow. Cooking sure is tiring,” Willow mumbled, already almost asleep.
“Cooking without magic is less tiring,” Wanda gently scolded. “And also the appropriate way to do do so.”
“Hmm.”
“I think you need to take a nap while we wait for the stew,” she informed her daughter as they headed toward their rooms. She didn't receive a response and, when she placed Willow on her bed, realized it was because the little girl was out cold. Slipping off the tiny shoes, Wanda settled the blanket from the chair next to the bed over Willow and kissed her forehead. “Sleep well, little one. We will have much to teach and learn.”
End