[Relationship] Some Princes Don't Become Kings

[Wanda Johansson]

Wanda leans back in her booth in the Rose & Crown while she waits on Isolde. She passes the time by slowly flipping through the small book that Erica had given her, puzzling over the diagrams and the uncommon verbiage.

[Isolde Schwarz]

"Out of your usual," Isolde says as she sets a drink in front of Wanda.

"I guessed," she remarks as she slides into her seat.

[Wanda Johansson]

"I trust your guesses," Wanda says before she picks up the drink and gives it a brief sniff before giving it a taste. She glances at the book one last time before setting it aside.

[Isolde Schwarz]

"A little light reading, eh?"

[Wanda Johansson]

"A peace offering from Erica," Wanda says with a shrug, "I *think* it's about wards of some sort, but I've not been able to decipher enough to tell what it's wards *against*."

[Isolde Schwarz]

"She's the queen of contingencies, so a fair number of things she might want to ward against you might not have thought of."

[Wanda Johansson]

She takes another drink, "She's also not very forthcoming, but I can hardly be surprised by that. She gave me this when I went to consult her about some things I've been finding around campus and sensing in Maldon. Either she knows and doesn't care or doesn't know and doesn't want to show that she doesn't. Odds are pretty even on that, I would guess."

[Isolde Schwarz]

"I'd offer to look at it, but I mostly just know enough that I understand what not to step on."

[Wanda Johansson]

"I appreciate it, but I have a feeling learning and figuring it out is part of the process here. Maybe there's even a clue buried in it somewhere. That seems like it might be her style."

[Isolde Schwarz]

"Knowing her, it will probably be an awful pun she will deny having done on purpose."

[Wanda Johansson]

"Deny everything, yes," Wanda says, "What about you? Staying busy?"

[Isolde Schwarz]

"As well as I can. I was under the impression that mutants do things other than sulk dramatically, but I haven't seen it."

[Wanda Johansson]

"Well, there's the Festival of the Atom in London if you want to see other things," she says, raising an eyebrow, "Problems in the Pack?"

[Isolde Schwarz]

"I mean you can't really go anywhere in this damned school without tripping over someone sulking and imagining nobody has ever gone through what they're going through."

[Wanda Johansson]

"The perils of having lived through it all," she teases, "Speaking of perils though, I want to go do some shopping, something wedding suitable."

[Isolde Schwarz]

Isolde blanches for a moment.

"Someone... in your family getting married?"

[Wanda Johansson]

"A friend of mine. You remember Kara? I crashed with her for a bit. They're getting a civil marriage, but she's asked me to officiate a celebration ceremony. What did you think I meant?" She *looks* completely innocent, even as she raises an eyebrow.

[Isolde Schwarz]

"Well ah... our arrangement certainly fits some people's definition of... lasting."

[Wanda Johansson]

She sips at her drink, pondering, "True. But neither of us has proposed. Given the hypothetical though, would you prefer to propose or would you rather I do it?" She grins behind her glass.

[Isolde Schwarz]

"...you may have to hold my hand a bit. I generally haven't done long-term commitment."

[Wanda Johansson]

"You seem to be holding up well in the short-term of the long term," Wanda says, extending her hand across the table to rest it on Isolde's.

[Isolde Schwarz]

"I can certainly let myself get... comfortable, sometimes."

[Wanda Johansson]

"That's not a bad thing. And if there's ways that I can help, I'm more than willing to. Like I said, I want a partner here."

[Isolde Schwarz]

"The trouble with getting comfortable is I'm also the one who has to look out for danger."

[Wanda Johansson]

"That's fair," Wanda allowed, "But nobody can keep watch alone all the time and I can share some of that burden. So can the university." She sets her drink aside and leans forward, "I want to open up space for you to find your place too and hopefully find our place together."

[Isolde Schwarz]

"So no pressure as to what we'd wear to our wedding, eh?"

[Wanda Johansson]

"If... hopefully when... that time comes we'll figure out what suits 'us'," she smiles, "Will you be my plus one for this wedding?"

[Isolde Schwarz]

"I wasn't about to let you go alone."

[Wanda Johansson]

"Would you like to go shopping together or should it be a surprise?"

[Isolde Schwarz]

"I'll... do my best to make whatever you pick look good."

[Wanda Johansson]

"I'm sure of that," Wanda says, picking up her glass again.

[Isolde Schwarz]

"Getting to the point where I almost don't mind you dressing me up," she admits.

[Wanda Johansson]

"Oh really? I can think of some things I'd like to see you in," she comments, "Though I do try to keep your general style in mind."

[Isolde Schwarz]

"...and what is 'my style,' here?" She asks, quirking a brow.

[Wanda Johansson]

"Well, I certainly don't see you in my more Bohemian style. You seem to prefer darker colors. No frills or anything delicate, at least not on the outside," she smirks.