abraxaslogs | • CLOSED •

( it's been almost two years since she's been in abraxas, so it makes perfect sense to her that she would keep track of the passage of time. calendars she jots down on paper, sets aside in the drawer of her bureau back in her room, counting the days and seeing if they match up with the lunar cycles of back home. it's not like she's exceptionally busy, anyway. with the dimming comes the understanding that it's winter, the end of the year, thus december—so it's only a matter of counting the days—

and landing on january.

wanda makes little fuss about her birthday, if she can help it, for it reminds her of the person who should be here to celebrate getting one year older: her brother. ah, pietro would tell her she wasn't allowed to get any congratulations until twelve minutes had passed past midnight. for twelve whole minutes, he'd get to be one year older than her (even if that's not how things work, logically). it's easy for her to miss him, for she does every day, but especially on a day like today. there are things she can do to avoid those thoughts, when she volunteers to show erik around the horizon of her own making, albeit shared with matt. fully aware that it is after midnight, and what could be considered her birthday, it's quite the welcome distraction.

she motions out the window that looks out into new york city, taking a seat on the couch. )

It's supposed to be Hell's Kitchen. I wouldn't know, because I've never been, but I have it on good authority that it is correct.

( there is still snow outside, as the weather seeks to imitate the four seasons as best as possible. lights flicker on and off in the different apartment buildings, and it's easy to feel like one really is in new york. )

Not sure if it'll inspire how you build your own, but if it helps, this is about the third time I've reconfigured mine.

Edited 2024-01-03 02:08 (UTC)

[ After his first visit, Erik has delayed going back to the Horizon. It's not a difficult thing to manage, the distractions of the day-to-day enough to keep him occupied, though the thought creeps up every so often. Of what he left behind, whether other could get to it, what he could create in its stead. He doesn't want to feel like he's erasing memories, even if when it comes down to it, that is all they are: memories.

He's talked to Julia about coming back, and it's but a matter of time before he does. This seems like a safe way of doing so: coming here, yet not visiting his own domain. It seems like a good first step, and he's genuinely curious to see what Wanda's created in her own corner of the Horizon.

He walks across the flat slowly, looking out the window. A small smile settles on his lips as he glances back to her. ]

It is, with some minor differences. [ But then, he is from the 80's. So surely some things have changed since.

He looks over the city again, arms crossed over his chest. There's a thoughtful silence that follows, until Erik speaks again, quietly. ] I think I've decided on what to do with my domain.

Really? Let me guess—

( wanda and her guessing games with erik. she smiles right back at him despite herself, shrugging her shoulders to signify that, ultimately, she was joking. she won't try to guess something that seems a lot more particular and more personal than some random mutant's power.

her words are cut off, anyway, by a dog bumping a door open and trudging into the main area of the flat, tail wagging, excitedly going up to wanda and sniffing her hands before trotting over to erik. new person! new friend!

hopefully erik doesn't mind dogs. )

Sorry, that's Mary. She gets excited to see new people.

[ He shoots her a flat look, but mostly amused, when she starts with another of her guessing games. Maybe she would guess some of it, or maybe not; before she can try, though, she's interrupted by the enthusiastic arrival of a dog.

Erik's eyebrows go up, surprised. Not just that there is an animal here, but that it looks just as real as an animal would. He doesn't think he will ever cease to be amazed by that. ]

Hello, Mary. [ He leans down to let her sniff his hand before petting her head. ] Was she your dog, back in your world?

Never had a pet.

( it's easy to imagine that maybe wanda created mary because she misses her pet from home, but mary is just a figment of her imagination brought to life in the horizon. much like the ravens up on the roof, doing as they please, mary has her own little life here, and she comes to miss wanda (and matt) when they are away for a long time.

wanda leans into the couch, resting against it as she watches erik interact with the dog, pulling her feet up onto the couch and hugging her legs. )

She's a bit of an inside joke. The guy I had boy problems with— he's blind, and he refuses to get a dog, but apparently it's fine if it's here. He's Catholic, too.

( thus, 'mary'. )

[ It's only a guess, really. It could be that she just always wanted a dog as a little girl, or that she saw this dog in one of her television shows.

The real reason is perhaps a little surprising, but no less plausible. He glances up at her, still petting the dog. ]

I see.

[ There's a trace of hesitance in the tone, or it could be that he's just processing the information and reaching the only conclusion that makes sense to him. ]

You share this place with him.

It was something of a necessity.

( putting this place together as a shared space between her and matt. it is still hers, for all intents and purposes. but wanda isn't sure why she feels somewhat worried about his reaction to that. )

I promise you we resolved our problems. ( is that it, maybe? ) What is it you want yours to be?

( she returns to that, not wanting to focus too much on the subject of matt should it create some kind of uncertainty. mary, tail wagging, returns to wanda, climbing up the couch with her, a practiced thing, as she moves a hand to pet at the dog's head. )

[ He smiles a little at her promise, walking closer to her and taking up a free seat. ]

You don't need to assure me of that, Wanda. You're a grown woman.

[ She can do as she pleases, and she certainly owes him nothing whatsoever. He doesn't even have a right to feel reluctant toward the man, or protective of her in any way. There's just a part of him that doesn't want to see her suffer. He can't explain why, even to himself. ]

Charles's school. [ He doesn't particularly mind moving on from the subject either, so he's prompt with his answer. ] I was never there for long, but... it's a home for mutants. It's a safe place in many ways, and more importantly, it's one I don't mind sharing with others.

( a little more comfortable with the change in topic, wanda feels more reassured to continue the conversation—even more so with erik taking a seat, which prompts a smile to grace her lips.

especially at the mention of what he's thought of what to make of the place. )

Charles's school. ( she repeats ) Is it a very big place? It might get a little lonely on your own, but you're going to have to give me a tour of the place.

( whether it is empty or not, whether there are any classes to be given or not.

wanda grins, raising a hand as if visualizing a title: )

Professor Erik. Expert lecturer on — Mutant History.

Edited 2024-01-03 20:06 (UTC)

[ He smiles knowingly. He knows, it's a strange choice. But Erik doesn't have many places with happy memories, not ones that linger anyway. The school offers at least that much, despite everything that's happened there, and between them. ]

I'm familiar with being on my own. [ And it will be no less lonely than any other place he could think of. ]

It is big, yes. I'll show you around, when it's done. [ An eyebrow shoots up. ] I don't think I have the temperament to be a teacher. Least of all, a subject like that.

I imagine it's too controversial, then. Where is it located? Also in New York?

( wanda won't linger on what ifs, but she is curious nonetheless to continue talking about the school and erik's history with the place. her thoughts are interrupted, however, when mary jumps off the couch (—she was so warm—) and barks, once, to rush towards the front door of the flat.

turning to look, feet on the floor, as the door opens, the excitement in the dog barely contained. )

Oh.

( right )

Matt, is that you?

Uh, yeah.

( he opens the door, feeling mary jump onto his knees and nudge at his hands to try and get pets. matt does reach down and scritches underneath her chin and behind her ears.

he can sense there's someone else here with wanda, someone he hasn't met if the heartbeat's any indication. )

Bad time? I can come back.

[ Before Erik gets to answer, Mary announces the new arrival, and his attention turns to the door instead.

He sits more upright but doesn't get to his feet yet, watching Matt curiously. He had to wonder how Matt managed to tell Wanda wasn't alone— an inane gift or an ability gained in this place, perhaps. Not the kind of thing to ask on a first meeting, so he files it away for later. ]

It's alright. I was only visiting. I'm Erik, [ He stands up then, walking closer. ] Lehnsherr. I'm a friend of Wanda's.

( it seems as if lately matt is meeting a lot of the people she knows from solvunn, and she won't be able to ever deny the allegations of knowing just about 'everyone' in matt's mind. she steps up after erik, following the two men by the front door. )

He wanted to see what I had done with my Horizon. ( or she wanted to show him; both are fact ) This is Matthew — Matt Murdock. He's the one who lives in Hell's Kitchen.

( in case there was a question as to why she had picked that specific neighborhood for her—or their joint—domain. )

It's past midnight. You can't sleep?

( pot, kettle )

Uh, no but that's not why I'm here.

( he's never met this erik person before so he's a little cautious. but if wanda's allowed him in, she must know him and trust him enough.

so, he takes a few slow steps closer, careful to not bump into anything and extends his hand. )

Nice to meet you.

( to wanda, he adds: )

It's your birthday.

[ There's a moment's consideration, then he takes the hand, the hold a hint firmer than it really needs to be— that is, until Matt addresses Wanda next, and he lets the hand go, turning to her. ]

You didn't tell me.

[ Not that she had to, of course. But now he wonders if that's the whole reason why she invited him here, today of all days. ]

( ah, so this is what this is about. wanda shoots matt a look that he can't—unfortunately—see, but does move closer to him once erik has let go of his hand to grab onto matt's arm and close the door behind him. the hold is a reassurance that's she's not entirely upset or otherwise truly annoyed at him. )

The reminder of getting older isn't particularly fun for me.

( for reasons that go beyond just 'getting older'.

but matt is on to something, perhaps, in not wanting to let wanda be on her own during this day because of the reminders of her brother. )

It's my brother's birthday, too.

( and that should be explanation enough. )

I know. I didn't want you to be alone.

( since he knows her thoughts would inevitably go to her brother and he wanted to be there to help her if she needed it.

apparently, erik hadn't known that and matt thinks he sounds...well, surprised about that. )

I just thought you could use the company since I know it can be...hard to handle. Feeling that loss.

[ Erik doesn't need her telling him why she wouldn't like to celebrate this day. He remembers her twin brother, and simply tips his head when she brings it up.

And, well, she wasn't alone. Not that Erik is here because of that same reason, because he didn't know. But now he feels a little like his presence is surplus. ]

I should— leave you two be, I think. [ He offers Wanda a smile, so she knows he's not actually upset. ] I should start working on my own domain, in any case.

( appreciative as she is of matt's thoughtfulness towards her and erik wanting to give them space, she would ultimately be loathe to 1) run erik out of the shared domain and 2) have to sit with matt and those feelings she doesn't quite want to sit with right now. )

You should stay. ( that, she says to erik. ) I invited you here, and this flat is not all there is to this domain anyway.

( wanda doesn't want to be treated as a fragile doll. birthday girl wishes! )

Did you know that Matt boxes? He's got a boxing gym here, too.

Uh, yeah, it's...somewhere. This doman's so big that I sometimes get lost.

( he was still getting used to it and all. )

But yeah, there's a boxing gym here that I use sometimes. Can't find one in Cadens.

[ No, he did not know that Matt boxed. He certainly wouldn't have guessed it, from what he has learned of the man. Precious little information so far, but that is interesting, at least. Enough that Erik doesn't insist again on leaving now. ]

You could probably find some willing partners, if you looked.

[ Perhaps cautious partners, seen as Matt's blind, but that's their issue if they underestimate an opponent. ]

I don't know much about it, I'm afraid. Not my sort of fighting.

It’s not that big.

( wanda mutters as much, towards matt, as he says that it is and that he sometimes gets lost in it, tilting her head down. she’d like to argue that he just hasn’t allowed himself to go explore. after giving matt’s arm a squeeze, she lets go and turns her attention to erik.

she wonders what, exactly, is erik’s sort of fighting. there’s an idea, but not quite. )

Would you like to see it? ( she glances at matt— ) It’s alright if we show him, isn’t it?

( mostly because of the sentimental value fogwell’s has for matt. she also hope that it’s distinct in her words, in her voice, that she’d like for erik to stay, and matt’s allowance for the current point of interest would allow the opportunity to have him stay. )

It's all right, yeah.

( fogwells is special but it's not sacred and he thinks that he can be okay with someone else seeing it. it means a lot to him and wanda knows that so if she's asking to show someone, he thinks she must trust him.

so, he nods. )

I don't mind if he wants to see it. It's nothing special.

[ Erik's kind of fighting isn't exactly easy to demonstrate, even while in the Horizon. Maybe one day she'll see it to the full extent of his capabilities— or maybe not, hopefully. It would take a lot of bad happening to push him that far.

He shoots her a look like he's fully aware of what she's doing here, but gives her nothing more than a knowing smile. Matt can't see it, thankfully, so whatever's transmitted in that gaze is kept between him and Wanda. ]

It must be, if you chose to recreate it here. [ It seems worthy to point out. The Horizon may mean different things to different people, but there's always something special about it. ] I'd like to see it, yes.

( they wouldn't want for the birthday girl to be alone on her birthday, would they? it's only polite to do as she wants, and wanda all but offers erik a half shrug at his knowing smile. can't prove what you're unwilling to voice out. )

His dad was a boxer.

( that's why it's special, and wanda hopes matt doesn't mind that she's shared as much with a relative stranger to him.

and so, she starts making the way out the door and into the hallway of the apartment, where many other apartment doors are at, all offering the possibility for a new place to explore. they have to walk a bit to get to the gym, though.

she walks besides matt, a hand on his arm, guiding him, but she turns her head back towards erik. )

But Matt's not terrible for being blind. I've tried to spar with him before, and I can never really land a punch.

Edited 2024-01-21 14:46 (UTC)

It's about the only spot where I can beat her.

( he keeps looking forward, glasses still on his face, while he listens to erik and wanda talk. he knows where they're going, diluted sense not being so askew that he's forgotten that. )

She's tried to teach me some magic and I'm pretty sure that she's going easy on me.

( from what he knows, she was the most powerful person magic wise in abraxas. if there's someone more powerful, he hasn't heard of them. )

[ Now, that draws an amused chuckle out of Erik, a look tossed at Wanda as she leads the way out of the building. ]

Oh, she's going easy on all of us, believe me.

[ He doesn't need to see her powers in full force to know that they are there, and how easily she could surpass any of them. It says a lot, knowing the full scope of his own abilities. ]

• CLOSED •

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