Female | 30 | Sneezing out fanfiction one after the other for your entertainment. | The start of the Mama Bear Stephen Strange revolution and reviving and fanning the flames of the AntLord fandom.
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I know I haven't been as active on here as I used to be, but I figured it wouldn't hurt to ask for help anyway.
Last Monday night I slipped and fell on the snow, landed straight onto my back and the back of my head. Hit it hard enough to give myself a concussion (went to the ER as a precautionary measure). Did what my doctor told me to do, rest for the next couple of days. Already missed three days of work because of it. Tried going back in yesterday but during my lunch break I suffered a very bad panic attack (likely triggered from being so sore), and I went home early because of it.
Last time I had a panic attack that felt like that, I was going back on my medication and it was a week of struggling. So I have now filed for a leave of absence from work so I can heal and get back to my regular routine at my own pace without worry.
Only this will be a huge problem on my wallet. And it will be hard to cover rent and my other bills. I know it's Christmas time and people's purses are a little tighter than usual, but if you can spare anything it would be so helpful and mean the world to me.
Goal: $2000
I only have Cash app, PayPal, and Venmo to work with:
Cash app: $ElisaPhoenix
Paypal: @elisaphoenix13
Venmo: @Jamie-Ross-35
Thank you all in advance if you're able to help, of not please reblog so this can reach as many people as possible! I will be sure to keep track of any donations I get (if any) so you know if I reached my goal!
While I am back to work, I did still miss two and a half weeks of work and will struggle to meet this month's rent. My last paycheck was $69 and that will maybe pay for my electric bill. That's it. So any help is still appreciated!
I know I haven't been as active on here as I used to be, but I figured it wouldn't hurt to ask for help anyway.
Last Monday night I slipped and fell on the snow, landed straight onto my back and the back of my head. Hit it hard enough to give myself a concussion (went to the ER as a precautionary measure). Did what my doctor told me to do, rest for the next couple of days. Already missed three days of work because of it. Tried going back in yesterday but during my lunch break I suffered a very bad panic attack (likely triggered from being so sore), and I went home early because of it.
Last time I had a panic attack that felt like that, I was going back on my medication and it was a week of struggling. So I have now filed for a leave of absence from work so I can heal and get back to my regular routine at my own pace without worry.
Only this will be a huge problem on my wallet. And it will be hard to cover rent and my other bills. I know it's Christmas time and people's purses are a little tighter than usual, but if you can spare anything it would be so helpful and mean the world to me.
Goal: $2000
I only have Cash app, PayPal, and Venmo to work with:
Cash app: $ElisaPhoenix
Paypal: @elisaphoenix13
Venmo: @Jamie-Ross-35
Thank you all in advance if you're able to help, of not please reblog so this can reach as many people as possible! I will be sure to keep track of any donations I get (if any) so you know if I reached my goal!
Things were quiet when Stephen woke up. Athena was sleeping next to him since it seemed that Tony and Apollo had gotten up for the day…which wasn't totally uncommon. Stephen was normally the one that was up and about before everyone else unless he was sick, but if Tony was up first, it usually meant a mind numbing meeting he had to attend. Or something of the sort. Anything company related was usually mind numbing to the older man if Pepper had to drag him to it.
Lucy had recently been relocated to her own room so she wasn't there to demand his or Tony's attention, and Valerie was likely still asleep. When Stephen checked his phone for the time though, and 10:21 glared out at him, he came to the conclusion that he desperately needed sleep and Tony fed the girls to keep them away for a little longer.
Also not unusual. His husband did seem to know his limits better than himself at times. It worked both ways. Now that he was rested though, Stephen pulled back the covers to get out of bed and stretched until his joints popped pleasantly, and looked back at Athena. She made no move to join him and he chuckled.
“Come down when you're ready then,” he leaned over to pet her head and when he got a grumble in return, he stood straight again and headed out of the bedroom. He made sure to leave the door open a crack for the wolf and then made his way down the stairs and to the kitchen, noting the near silent floor. With any luck, Tony found activities for the kids so that Stephen could have a rare peaceful breakfast before somebody needed him.
It was certainly pleasant. He had time to make himself a bagel with cream cheese, some bacon and scrambled eggs, and he was even able to enjoy some hot tea. With a crossword. Stephen decided to risk getting a second cup of tea while he continued with his crossword, and was in the middle of stirring some honey into it when an arm slipped around his waist.
“Have a good morning?” Tony rumbles into his ear.
“I don't know how you did it, but I have not been asked where someone's missing shoe is or if they can have cake for breakfast,” Stephen chuckles. “Dare I ask what the kids are up to?”
“I've got Harley, Peter, Diana, and Lucy,” Tony says as Stephen continues to prepare his tea. “I let Wanda take Billy and Tommy.”
Stephen paused his stirring. The hairs on the back of his neck stood up, because something wasn't right about what Tony just said. In fact, there were many things wrong with that sentence.
Tony almost never called Wanda by her actual name as he was known for giving everyone nicknames. Also, Lucy?! Billy and Tommy? Both kids didn’t prefer those nicknames at all. Everyone called them Will and Tommy's full name, Thomas. The way he said their names was… different. Eerie.
A quick glance down to Tony's other arm had him instantly conjuring a shield and turning to shove the man away, but he was seized by the throat and pinned against the counter, sending his mug shattering on the floor.
Electric blue eyes looked down at him.
“None of that, Doc,” Tony practically purred as Stephen gripped the man's wrist. A wrist connected to an arm free of the scars Tony had gotten from the snap. “You know, you're just as beautiful as I remember. I was hoping I could bring you with me.”
Stephen was finally able to shove Tony away with a blast of magic once he was able to focus enough and then conjured some shields as he faced the other man. Nothing about this Tony was his. His eyes glowed blue, the scars were non-existent, and he even looked twenty years younger. America had told him about this Tony. He is different. Callous, evil. Infected with Extremis, which he had chosen to do to himself. It makes him wonder what had happened for this Tony to be here in the first place.
“Where are they?” Stephen snaps. He hasn't failed to note that Extremis Tony hadn't said anything about Valerie or America.
“I just told you.” Tony smiles. “You know, you don't need to protect yourself against me. I'm your–”
“You are not the Tony I know!” Stephen interrupts with a growl. He tasted sulfur in his mouth and he had to push down the dragon. It wouldn't be a good idea to shift into that form in the middle of the tower. “Now tell me where he is! Where did you take the kids?! What about America and Valerie?!”
“That's the real question isn't it?” Tony chuckles. “You took them. Or should I say, the version of you that just couldn't keep his hands off the Darkhold. You and Wanda have that in common. Dark magic too alluring, Duchess?”
“You don't get to call me that,” Stephen growls. Athena lunges at Tony with a snarl, startling the man and distracting him enough to give Stephen time to lash out with his Eldritch whips and bind him. “I don't know what happened with your Stephen, but I won't be your second chance.”
Tony's face fell for just a moment. “He dove too deep into the book,” he says. “For too many reasons.”
To Stephen's surprise, this Tony didn't seem to want to struggle from his binds. It made him wonder if he truly just wanted a second chance with Stephen in his universe. The chokehold was not exactly a convincing argument even if Stephen considered it. Which was never the case. He still had his Tony.
“Where are they?” Stephen asks again calmly, but fire lit up his veins.
“I never got the chance to take them home,” the man answers.
As if on cue, the four children that this Tony claimed to have taken, stumble off the elevator and freeze at the scene. Lucy was safely in Harley's arms and Diana was close to Peter. Even America was with them much to Stephen's relief. Whatever version of him that had her, obviously couldn't keep her long. It would make returning this Tony to his proper universe much easier, but he didn't fail to notice Valerie’s continued absence.
“Valerie?” He immediately asks her and her face falls.
“I…I’m sorry. I couldn't grab her when I managed to get free,” America says, tears forming. “I didn't mean for any of this to happen! I understand my powers better but sometimes I accidentally opens these portals in my sleep–”
“It's okay,” Stephen soothes immediately. “We have time. I don't think the other me will harm her.” America confirmed this by shaking her head and the sorcerer looked to the bound Tony on the floor. “Can you send him home?”
“Yeah…yeah,” she nods and opens a portal to the Extremis Tony's universe.
“Not Daddy!” Lucy yells as Stephen sends the man through and America closes the portal again.
“Where's your father?” Stephen asks the kids and Peter frowns.
“We were hoping you would know. We all woke up on the floor they're renovating for the labs,” he says. “The doors and windows were locked and Friday wasn't responding.”
“That Tony was good at that,” America says. “I found them on accident because that's where I ended up when I got away from the other you.”
Stephen nods and looks at the two oldest. “Do you think you can bring her back online? Your father might still be here too. The other me might have put you all in a deeper sleep so they could take you.”
“Or it was the other Wanda,” America says. “She's…unstable in a way. I don't think she'll hurt Thomas and William though.”
“Tony said he let her take the twins. Which means they all had a similar motive. Something must have happened in their universes that affected your existence,” Stephen surmises, wincing at the thought. He hated to admit it, but he could understand the lengths they were going through to have their children back. He hoped he would never have to go down the same path. He would get his children back without the use of dark magic.
“You can't go after them alone!” Harley says as he puts Lucy down. The little girl runs over to Athena to hug and praise her.
“You are not coming with me,” Stephen says firmly. “I need you here to get Friday back online and to keep the girls safe. “I don't even want to take America but I have to.”
“Let me come with you,” a voice says from the direction of the elevator. When the others look over, Wanda moves closer. “I overheard everything. I might be able to get the other me to give the twins back.”
Stephen nodded. “As long as you're careful. America, you are only going to open the way. Stay back otherwise. If you need to run again, I want you to run. Understand?”
“But…” Stephen gives her a look and she sighs. “Okay.”
As America prepares to open another portal, Diana runs over to hug the sorcerer. Harley and Peter weren't far behind with Lucy. “Be careful, Mommy.”
“I will be,” Stephen promises, hugging them each in return as well as patting Athena's head when she walks over. “You protect them.”
Athena answered with a soft boof, and when the kids moved away, Stephen walked through the portal after Wanda and America.
As the portal closed behind them, they found themselves on an empty neighborhood street in front of a normal suburban home. Wanda stared at it from beside him and laughed softly.
“You know, this is what I dreamed of my home being. With Vis. Then those dreams changed when Tony welcomed us back,” she says. “Now I can't imagine my home being away from the tower. From our team. If you moved, I think we would all follow.”
“I'm glad you feel that way,” Stephen says quietly.
“Let's bring the twins back home,” she says, following Stephen when he steps forward. They peek through the front window and watch the other Wanda inside calmly making lunch, but not finding the twins.
“Upstairs,” Stephen mutters, pointing out the stairs. “They might still be unconscious. America, stay out here and out of sight.”
Reluctantly, America slipped around to the side of the house and Stephen opened a gateway to the inside of the house. Straight to where the twins were currently sleeping. He and Wanda quietly stepped through and the sorcerer immediately checked the boys for injuries before identifying what kind of magic was used on them. The signature was far too familiar.
“This is my work,” he whispers. “or the other me’s work. They should wake up any moment if the others are anything to go by.”
“Let's take them and leave. She won't be able to follow us if–”
“If what?” The other Wanda says from the doorway, red mist swirling around one of her hands. “It's rude to trespass onto someone's property and try to take their children.”
“That's exactly what you did,” Wanda says.
The Scarlet Witch's eyes narrow. “They're mine to begin with. I am their mother. How you could let him care for them instead of you is offensive. You don't deserve them!”
Wanda sighs quietly. “They are not my children there. Tony and Stephen are their parents. They took the boys in with open arms when they had nothing but the streets.”
“You expect me to appreciate that and let them go back?” The witch snaps. “I would do anything for my boys!”
“So would Stephen and Tony,” Wanda answers calmly. “They are loved and protected. That's all that matters.” The other witch flinches at her words. “Isn't Stephen being here proof of that?”
“I can't claim to know your pain,” Stephen says carefully. “But they're as much my children as the rest of them are. They are also old enough to decide what they want.”
The twins had stirred to wakefulness as the two witches talked and both had watched the conversation with confusion. Their predicament must have processed enough because William finally got to his feet and Thomas sat up as the younger twin approached the other Wanda. The two silently regarded each other for what seemed like an hour before the other Wanda's face softened.
“Is this what you want?” She whispers.
“They gave us a real home when no one else would,” William answers softly. “In that universe, he is my mother. I'm sorry for the loss of us you had to endure but I'm sure they loved you just as much as we love him.”
William’s words broke the woman and a single tear fell down her face as she reached out to brush his hair back. “I won't take that from you then.” Thomas gets up to give her a hug that she so desperately needed and she kisses both of their foreheads. “At least in your universe I know you're safe and happy. Perhaps if I get another chance, I'll find you somewhere where you need a home.”
“You'll find us soon,” Thomas says. “You deserve to be happy too.”
The other Wanda smiles and squeezes both their hands before releasing them back to Stephen who immediately pulls them into a tight hug. Without another word, he opens a gateway back outside and only looks back at the witch when the boys follow Wanda through to where America is waiting.
“I know you did this for them, but thank you. I wish you luck.” He says quietly.
The witch simply nods and he steps through the gateway and closes it behind him just as America opens a portal back to their universe. They were barely through it before William was nearly tackled by Harley in a tight hug. Lucy had the same idea with Thomas although she was much smaller.
“We found Dad,” Peter informs them. “The other Tony roughed him up a bit because I guess he fought back.”
“Except the other Tony was stronger in more ways than one,” Stephen sighs.
“Daddy is down in the Medbay giving Uncle Bruce a headache,” Diana supplies helpfully.
“That means he'll be okay,” Stephen partially jokes, but internally he was sighing with relief. His husband and almost all of his children had been safely recovered, but now he had the daunting task of facing himself. He knew how he thought and there were too many possibilities. He would do anything for his children and that meant so would his other self. Even go as far as dark magic like the other Tony's Stephen. How corrupted would this Stephen be?
“Keep an eye on him,” Stephen says.
“Val?” William asks. “Let me–”
“No.” Stephen says sharply and winces when William frowns. “I just got you back safely. I won't risk that.”
William said nothing as America made another portal to where she sensed their Valerie's presence. Stephen stepped through with her and as it closed behind him, his heart dropped at the sight before them.
They entered nothing but gray. It seemed like they should have been floating, or perhaps falling, but their feet seemed solidly placed. The only thing that seemed to exist here was just a singular building in the vast expanse of nothingness. Specifically the Sanctum.
This Stephen had clearly gone too deep in the Darkhold and broke his own universe in his attempts to recover his children. Now it was only a matter of time before this universe ceased to exist.
Deep sorrow filled him. They weren’t his children. But the existence of them simply vanishing, no longer existing anymore; dying somehow? Peter’s sunny smile and Lucy’s mischief, and Harley’s jokes with his father just gone? And now this version of him was going to make them lose Valerie twice.
He couldn’t let this happen.
“Why would he want to bring her here?” America asks.
“I suppose desperation for a small amount of comfort can inhibit one's ability for another's well being,” Stephen responds. “I… you know that I would keep any of you away from this if I could save you from it.”
“We know.”
With a deep breath, Stephen steps inside as America hides like she had done before. The inside of the Sanctum was almost a clear opposite of his. Dark magic was heavy in the air and would have been obvious even if he hadn't known about it. Papers and glass littered the area. Dust and spiderwebs covered bookshelves whether they were intact or not…the remaining artifacts were void of their powers. But the music room…it looked to be kept from what he could see through the cracked door. Candlelight filtered through and beckoned him forward and so he answered its call. Cautiously, he pushed the door open.
And found the other version of him standing at the window.
“I knew it was only a matter of time before you came for her,” he says in greeting and then turns around. He was paler than Stephen thought possible, maybe even a bit gray, and even in the candlelight he could see the darkened tips of his fingers. The work of the Darkhold no doubt.
“Just return her to me and I'll leave you to what remains of your peace,” Stephen says and the other laughs.
“Peace?! That was taken from me when I lost those I cared for most! No, we will be doing this the hard way I'm afraid.” Sinister says as the broken glass littering the floor raises up into the air. “I'll do whatever I have to do to get them back.”
Then the glass was flying towards Stephen. On instinct, he conjures a shield and the glass flies through it and morphs into blue butterflies. As they distract his other self he looks around until he finds music sheets on a nearby piano, and uses his magic to remove the notes written up on them. They swirl and collect in the air before flying at Sinister Strange, but he easily defects them and sends them back at him with a sound more sour than the glass crunching under his boots.
Stephen sent them right back with their beautiful tones and waited until his other self was distracted with conjuring a counter spell before he threw out his Eldritch whips to wrap around Sinister’s neck. Then a thought struck him.
It would be so easy.
The eldritch whips tightened around Sinister’s throat. In the distance, they could hear the nothingness collapsing, sections of deep gray being torn off and sucked into the glowing radiation that was getting bigger. He’d be doing this Stephen a favor, really, ending him before the universe did. And he deserved it. Consumed and horrifying because of the Darkhold, he was a husk of his former self.
The evil version of him began to laugh, coughing as he choked. “You really think you are different?” he wheezed. “You want to kill me. You think I wanted this?! You don’t even know yourself,” he hissed. “But let me tell you all about yourself. You wouldn’t have anything without Tony Stark. You're nothing but a loser without him. I know because I lost. Him. He died. And I tried to get him back. All of…” his horrible eyes filled with grief. “Our years together, our children. They began to disappear. So yes, I used the darkhold to try to stop it and I would do it again! Face it. Neither of us gives a fuck about the universe. You would end it in an instant if it meant having them back.”
Stephen loosened the whip. “So you took mine to die with you instead?” he asked hoarsely.
He was silent.
“I won’t let her die with you,” Stephen said. “You know that I can’t do that. But I swear that I will safeguard her with everything I am. Your family is gone. Go and be with them.”
He prepared the spell that would end this terrible version of him, but then he raised his hand to stop him. His curiosity made him stay his spell.
“Promise me…” Sinister takes another wheezing breath and drops his hand. “Promise you'll save her from this fate I've created for us.”
Stephen sneers. “She wouldn't be here in the first place if you hadn't taken–”
“Not Valerie,” he interrupts. “I'm talking about the daughter you don't have yet.”
Realization dawned on Stephen like icy water and he felt his eyes widen. Every day he was getting closer and closer to giving in to the temptation. The temptation of one last child from the book…and it seemed this version of him had beat him to it.
“Olive,” Stephen whispers.
“If I had known my universe would collapse in on itself I would have never conjured her,” Sinister explains weakly. “Before I took Valerie, she was my desperate attempt to have something of my family back. Something of Tony. You and I both know he doesn't need to be alive for the book to make him the father of your children.”
“Then why take Valerie?” Stephen asks, his voice cracking.
“I was delusional enough to think that bringing back my children would restore things. Restore my universe.” Sinister looks to the stairs. “They're waiting for you.”
Stephen could only nod before he sent the spell down the whips. They glowed bright red before Sinister Strange disintegrated into nothing, with relief in his eyes, and Stephen was left alone in silence. Only after a few moments, did he finally climb the stairs two at a time to barge into the bedroom. Valerie sat curled up in a ball near a crib, but that changed when he threw the door open.
“Mama!” She cries out and scrambles to her feet to throw herself at him. He caught her without a second thought. He held her head to his shoulder as she cried into it and he relished the feeling of soft, dark hair on his fingers. She was, fortunately, unharmed, and Stephen was glad for it.
But the crumbling outside was getting louder. Almost like it was inside.
“We have to go,” Stephen says and gently pulls Valerie away from him. She jumps when the crackling gets louder and Stephen immediately stands and surges forward to collect the infant from her crib. The destruction of the universe had obviously woken her from sleep, and the continued loud noises were only scaring her.
And Stephen if he were being honest. The place was falling apart faster than before and he had to assume it was because his other self was gone. It was very possible that he was only delaying the inevitable with his magic.
The window nearby starts to crack before exploding outwards into thousands of shards. Whatever was happening was like a vortex that was beginning to swallow what was left of the universe. Of the Sanctum. And he was barely fast enough to grab Valerie when she was pulled towards it. The little girl screams just before he grabs her arm and holds on as tightly as possible. It was only a matter of time before the vacuum was strong enough to pull him in too.
“MOM!” Stephen looks over to the door and exhales heavily with relief when he finds America in the doorway. He was afraid that the vortex had taken her. “We have to hurry!” Then America opened her portal and reached out to help.
Just as the vortex got stronger and pulled her from the floor.
“No!” Stephen yells out with dread. His hands were full and Levi would only get sucked in with her–
Then another hand shot out and grabbed America and Stephen's eyes widened before following the arm to his daughter's savior. Steve looked back at him and nodded.
“Looks like it's our turn to help you,” he says and Stephen looks past him to find Bucky holding onto Steve and the doorway. Which looked like it was going to break soon if they weren't fast. He could even feel his feet starting to leave the floor.
“Take the girls!” Stephen shouts over the ever growing sound of cracking and roaring of the vortex.
America, being within grabbing distance, takes Valerie's hand, and Stephen releases her just as Steve pulls. As they're pulled to safety and ushered through the portal by Bucky, Stephen grabs one of the banisters just as he's pulled off the floor and hisses when his side collides with it. They only had moments now, and Stephen had to seriously consider a way to get Olive to safety with the time they had left. He wasn't likely to make it.
So he summoned his Eldritch whips again and carefully willed them to wrap around the infant before Levi reached out and wrapped itself around her. Then, he threw her out. For a moment, he thought the force of the vacuuming vortex was too strong as she was pulled towards the window, but then Levi had enough strength in it to direct them towards Steve and Bucky. The captain quickly collected them and shuffled them to Bucky just as the banister broke.
Stephen tried to reconjure his whip, but then he was turned towards the vortex and he had nothing to grab onto with it.
THWAP.
He grunts when his acceleration to his death is suddenly halted and he looks down around his waist. A rope of webs tugged at him and he watched as the vortex got further and further away, until an arm joined the rope and he was pulled through America's portal. Stephen gasps as he lands safely on the ground of the tower and America's gate closes immediately in front of him, and Peter immediately leans over him.
“I already lost two moms. I won't lose another,” he breathes out.
Stephen lets out a laugh that was somewhat of a mix between relief and maniacal. “I should yell at you.”
But he pulled the younger man into the tightest hug he could muster.
_________________
Stephen came out of his attempted meditation frustrated and in a bit of despair. In the days after he rescued his family, he was deeply disturbed. Every little occurrence had him jumping. Peter got injured on patrol? He spent all night frantically gesturing healing spells because if he lost him it could unravel the universe. His universe.
He made Lucy sit for the better part of a week, and she was miserable but didn’t dare to argue for once, choosing to color or play tea, activities that Stephen deemed safe as long as there was supervision.
Valerie’s nightmares tore him apart. He did his best to soothe her, but he couldn’t help the guilt. Harley randomly hugged him now, and so did the twins. The girls all piled into his bed, and he held back tears while they were asleep.
Maybe that was what was disturbing him. Darkhold Stephen was correct; without his kids… without Tony… would he lose his mind? Would he turn evil like others in the multiverse? Would he lose his sanity, his morals, his magic? How could he let them out of his sight knowing that one mistake could end it all?
He frustratedly wiped tears from his face and looked up only to see Tony sitting in front of him, also cross-legged. He was still a little worse for wear. The black eye was healing. His (thankfully) non-dominant hand had a brace and his eyebrow had a stitch. He had bruises on his knees and back, his arms, and his neck. But he was still here.
“You’re grieving,” he said quietly. Stephen blinked, but he just nodded, extending his non-injured hand. Stephen took it, and both stood up, taking a leisurely walk. “You’re grieving all the versions of us that didn’t make it. You looked into your own eyes and saw the possibility of what it could do to you if we lost it all.”
“There have been so many universes that died because of us… because of me.”
“We don’t control the multiverse, tesoro. We just do what we can for our world.”
They walked for another minute before Stephen said, “I went evil after I lost you.”
“No. You didn’t. In this world you don’t go insane and evil. You just turn into a very ragey amazing dragon—let me tell you, that is incredibly sexually confusing, by the way—”
Stephen broke into a laugh at the unexpected comment. “You’re ridiculous,” he snorted.
“I am your favorite genius. Here. Right now. That’s all that matters, alright? I know you married me because I’m not… like him. I’m not going to experiment with anything that would hurt you or my family. I won’t risk what we’ve built and what we had to give everything to save already. And I married you because I know that you are good. I know that you are teaching our kids to do right and holding yourself to that standard. Don’t take on the failure of all the other versions of us, of Wanda, the Avengers or anyone else. We don’t have to carry it. We just have to do better.”
“I…almost didn't make it back,” Stephen admits softly. “All I knew was that I had to save my girls. America, Valerie…Olive…”
Tony smiles at him and leans forward to press his forehead to Stephen's and the sorcerer relished the touch. “But you did. You did because of this family you've created out of all of us. We're a bunch of misfits that would do anything for each other. Especially save Mom when he can't save himself. You did that.”
Stephen hugged him, relief finally allowing his shoulders to release. “Thank you,” he said into Tony’s shoulder.
Tony hugged him tight, and then pinched his butt, chuckling when Stephen glared. “That’s the spirit,” he said grinning. “Now go fix your sons, they’re assembling a new potato cannon and already broke a desk when they test fired it.”
Not a Mama Bear story. Just a personal experience I unfortunately endured today but had to share. 🤣 Also added is @daisypoisonpen's reaction to story.
Let me tell you a harrowing story:
It all started when I was driving down the highway to stop at the bank. I was eager to deposit some extra cash I had. My window was down because of the heat, my radio was blaring. Then an unpleasant smell gracelessly entered my nostrils. It was gone as quickly as it came and I continued on to run my errands without incident.
I was not so fortunate on the way back.
I noted the body of a skunk on the side of the road and said out loud to myself, "that was what I smelled earlier." That's when the ungodly potent smell of its remaining defense mechanism hit me in full force. My nose scrunched, my eyes welled up, and my poor tongue shriveled dry at the flavor that landed on my tongue for a microsecond.
I immediately went home to revive my mouth but my tongue still tingles from the trauma.
Just another reminder that I have a Marvel RP server! It's active thanks to me and @daisypoisonpen because we always seem to have ideas. We need more participants but there are also quite a few stores to read. 90% just from us 😅. So I invite you to come join if only to read what's available and maybe even find someone to write with to add to the collection! We'll be happy and excited to see you!
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My works on AO3, especially the Mama Bear AU are temporarily available to everyone! This is only for a few days so if you don't have an account, I highly recommend getting one so you can still access them when I restrict them to registered users again!
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Organization for Transformative Works
You don't need anyone's approval for the stories you write and the art you create. But it's also absolutely valid to want some approval from your audience. Kudos and likes don't determine your creation's worth. But it just feels amazing to receive them.
Okay, just as the title says! Need some ideas for role-playing (writing it out) with a friend! Specifically ideas for:
Ironstrange
(My) Mama Bear AU
Antlord (Peter Quill/Scott Lang)
Any ideas welcome! Doesn't even have to do with the Marvel universe! Sometimes we just borrow the characters and their personalities and such. So if you have any ideas, go ahead and comment! If you're interested in reading what we and others have already written, I have a link to the Marvel RP's server pinned on my profile! We're always welcoming new people (especially participants)!
It was a rare, peaceful morning. Something that usually only happened when pigs flew, so Stephen took advantage of it. He brewed himself a cup of tea, grabbed a couple of his grimoires, and took a meditative position in Tony's office. Or rather, Stephen's hideaway for all magical needs since his husband hardly used the room. If he did, it was to write an angry email to an idiot teacher and he absolutely needed to hear the clacking of his keyboard so he knew his anger was coming across.
The kids found it hilarious. Tony always has an intense look on his face as he slammed away at the poor keyboard…and ranted. The man ranted as he typed so it wasn't hard to piece together what the engineer was putting into his email. After an incident where Tony called one of Diana's teachers a few foul names, Stephen had to take it upon himself to look over future emails and edit them. Which was a surprise because the mother in him wanted to be just as illogical as his husband and let the man call whatever teacher any name he could think of, but…
Well someone had to keep a little peace and try to find a compromise for whatever the issue was. Even if the teacher really was a simpering moron ninety percent of the time.
Stephen pushed the thought from his mind though. Meditating was meant to help him empty his mind and relax from the daily chaos he lived through. If he eyeballed a certain book before closing his eyes, no one knew but him.
It was nice. He could feel the long neglected magical energies swirling around him, and even feel the living energy of everyone in the tower. He mostly ignored those below the Avenger floors, and a few moments of focus helped him pick out who was who. People like Quill, Thor, and Carol were easy to identify because of their powers. Others were a bit harder but it only took a bit longer since their energies were mostly in time with their personalities. His children were always easy though. Maybe even more so than the literal god. He was used to them. It was his job to pay attention to them.
He could feel Thomas’s energy practically vibrating at times, usually when he was restless and needed to run. Diana’s was as bubbly as her and William’s…it was strong but calm. Much like Stephen's could be. But something made him cock his head curiously. Their energies were rather close together which only meant they were doing something together. In a small room from what he could–
Then what sounded like bowling pins being knocked over made Stephen open his eyes. With a sigh, he lowered his legs from his floating position and prepared for…well, chaos. Normally he would let things be until someone's eye got poked, but he heard Lucy giggle. Half the time that meant she was doing something she wasn't supposed to and since she wasn't even two yet, he was obligated to check on her.
So he left his tea and books behind, opened the door and walked down the hallway until he ended up in front of Harley's door. Where most of the noise was coming from. The falling bowling pin sounds were more apparent but the rumbling that was supposed to precede it never happened so he had to wonder what they were getting into. At least Diana hasn't found a way to magically extend Harley's room to make him his own personal bowling alley, but that was one thing off a massive list Stephen had in his head.
His kids were capable of anything.
“Harley? What's going on in there?” Stephen calls out as he reaches for the doorknob.
“Crap! Wait! Mom, don't open the–” Harley starts.
But Stephen was already in the process of opening the door and he very quickly discovered what his children had decided to get up to this time. In the form of multicolored balls that broke free from the room and crashed over the top of his head. He barely saw and managed to grab Lucy as she seemed to ride the wave of balls with another hysterical giggle and practically had to swim out of the torrent. He watched as the flood of balls traveled down the hallway and over the railing of the stairs into the living room below, and when they finally trickled down to the occasional bounce, Stephen finally looked into Harley's bedroom to find all of the kids huddled nearby and looking a mix between pleased and morose.
Valerie and William had the mind to at least look more apologetic than their siblings.
“ ‘gain!” Lucy screeches happily.
“I don't think so,” Stephen says immediately and huffs as he looks at the two oldest. “How did you even manage to get all of these into your room without your father and I know–”
Peter, Harley, and Thomas immediately pointed at Diana and Stephen pinched the bridge of his nose.
“Why the bedroom? Why didn't you just empty the pool downstairs and use that?”
Peter blinks. “Uhhhh…because we didn't think of it?”
Stephen raises an eyebrow at Harley. “Aren't you twenty?”
“Being an adult sucks and is a social construct!” Harley snorts. “Besides, you're never too old to play in a ball pit.”
“Fair enough,” Stephen says as he looks around at the balls. “If you move this downstairs after emptying the pool, you can continue with this. Just make sure one of you keeps an eye on Lucy.”
The kids cheer and Thomas takes Lucy from him before dashing away with her, and the rest follow with excited chatter. Stephen was sure Harley and Peter would properly drain the pool so he felt nice enough to use his magic to gather up all of the balls and send them downstairs to the gym. Once the pool was empty, Diana simply had to use her magic to put the balls in it.
Who was he to keep them from having fun? Harley and Peter might be adults but with all they had been through, sometimes it was good to embrace their inner child. Especially since they had many younger siblings. He was also glad to see the twins and America adjusting enough to the point that they felt comfortable enough to include themselves in shenanigans. Stephen and Tony just learned to pick and choose their battles. This one was relatively harmless…as long as Lucy didn't surf the balls out of the room again.
Stephen pinched the bridge of his nose again at the thought before returning to Tony's office to get back to his meditation. Levi was in the room hovering near the bookshelf, and seemed to be flipping through the pages of a book with its lapels. The sorcerer hardly blinked. When he first got the relic he might have found it strange, but he learned that the relic liked to do things that seemed normal. It has tea parties for Vishanti’s sake.
“What are you pretending to read?” Stephen asks as he folds his legs and starts to levitate again. He was a little surprised when his cloak flew over with the book with as much excitement as some fabric can have and nearly shoved the lore in his face. Fortunately he didn't fall to the ground and was easily able to recover before taking the offending object.
It was the book.
“Why are you looking at this?” Stephen watches as Levi eagerly flips through the pages until it stops at– “No. Why would you…no. We have enough.” The sorcerer reprimands, closing the book with his magic and sending it back to the shelf.
“Didn't you tell me it acts out on what you want?” Tony says as he strides in.
“Sometimes,” Stephen admits as his husband walks over to the printer. “For once, I'm not hyper focused on another baby.”
“But it's on your mind,” Tony points out as he presses some buttons. “We should consider it. The kids already said they're fine with it, and you wanted to even things out.”
“America evened things out,” Stephen says as he drinks his tea. “Besides, I think it would be unfair at this point to add another one to this chaotic bunch. I just caught them using Harley's room as a ball pit. Lucy also managed to use the balls as a roller coaster when I was unfortunate enough to open the door.
Tony laughs from behind Stephen, and without looking, the sorcerer sends a lighter time at his head. He heard it fall to the floor with a thunk which only meant his husband dodged the projectile.
“Easy, Duchess. Maybe another one won't even out the numbers, but it might even out the personalities. Maybe it will be another Valerie.”
Stephen sighs and drops his hands. “Or it could be another Lucy. That child is a liability.”
“She's just being a kid. Everyone's different,” Tony shrugs as he walks around to Stephen's line of sight with a folder of whatever he printed out. “I feel like we got one more in us. To make, anyway. We'll keep adopting poor super orphans.”
“Are you sure you're not the one with baby fever?” Stephen raises an eyebrow.
“Maybe. Maybe I'm just hoping this last one will like you and you'll get another baby to raise properly. So I got Dia and Lulu. You'll have Val and the new one.”
Tony's argument wasn't a great one but Stephen understood what he was trying to say. Instead of reasons they shouldn't, Tony was giving reasons they should. Sort of? Stephen was starting to think Tony just wanted one more to even the odds for him. It was thoughtful of Tony to consider Stephen's feelings like that. When he wanted another one, they got Lucy and she immediately attached herself to Tony.
All Stephen knew was that he was still unsure and that was enough reason not to do anything yet.
“I'll think about it,” he tells Tony. “I…need a good reason to bring another one into our family.”
“Okay, honey,” Tony gives him a quick peck. “You go back to your rare Me Time while the hellions play in the ball pit downstairs.”
“Wait, you knew?”
“Friday told me they were down in the gym making a ball pit out of the pool. I didn't know how you found out,” Tony smirks and Stephen glares at him.
“Next time I'll leave their nonsense for you to find and be caught in the crossfire of.”
“I did. Remember the stink bomb?” Tony says and they both shudder.
“It took weeks to get the smell out,” Stephen gags, easily able to recall how bad the smell was.
“Underoos describing the smell as ‘only getting hotter’ because of the candles still makes me laugh though.” Tony smiles. “Never a dull day with these kids. Anyway, gotta get this down to the front desk for Pepper to pick up.”
“Why can't she come up and get it here?” Stephen asks.
“She's still traumatized by the watermelon incident.”
Stephen snorts. “After everything she's witnessed, the watermelon is what bothers her?”
“To be fair, she did walk in the moment it exploded.”
Stephen came back to himself with a small gasp and he looked up to find himself looking at Tony. Just...younger. There was less gray in his hair and they were still standing in the Sanctum and it took a few moments for reality to set in and for the sorcerer to realize what had just happened.
Specifically that nothing happened.
He and Tony weren't married, let alone dating. He still lived at the Sanctum with Wong, the Avengers were still broken up...and there were no kids. The realization that his children either weren't his own or didn't exist yet made Stephen feel empty. The vision had felt so real. He could still feel the warmth Tony gave off against his back when he fell asleep just last night (or did he?), and feeling Athena sleeping at the foot of the bed. He was even waiting for this to be some sick joke and his kids would come barrelling through the door arguing about who got to choose the next movie to watch.
But he knew it wouldn't happen. Not yet. Nothing had come to pass. Not even Peter's aunt dying in the accident. May Parker was still alive and well. Stephen was just...Stephen. Sorcerer Supreme. He wasn't anyone's mom, spouse, or matriarch. He was just one of the sorcerer's residing in Greenwich Village.
He felt his skin get clammy and he had to resist the urge to bring up his lunch because he wanted it back. He didn't want to go through all of it again. He wanted his kids now. He wanted the chaos and the noise that the Sanctum was almost completely devoid of.
But he had to, didn't he? Go through all the pain and suffering, the happy moments, the sad…and if that's what it took to get all of that back, Stephen would do it in an instant. He wanted that happiness back…he yearned for it, and he wasn't the only one who deserved it. So did Tony. The very man he fell in love with and was still looking at him in concern.
“I'm fine,” Stephen finally manages to answer while rubbing the bridge of his nose. At least physically. Mentally was an entirely different ballpark. He still felt a small urge to vomit…to lash out and beg for this to be a dream.
“Sure, Doc. I'll believe that when you're not paler than the moon. Better get you a chair.” Tony was already looking for one before he even finished his sentence, and then Stephen felt himself being led to the couch in the foyer. He sat down without argument and made himself breathe through the nausea as Tony sat next to him. “So what's going on?”
Stephen breathes out a pathetic laugh. “If I told you, you'd think I was insane.”
“Guess we won't know unless you tell me.”
If Stephen didn't have that vision, he would have told Tony off…but he knew better. He knew Tony hid his kindness behind smart remarks, but Stephen knew he wasn't ready to hear about what he just experienced. Then being together, having a family, and with the Avengers back together…it was a lot to chew on.
“Maybe later,” he answers quietly. If he could get that vision to be real again, maybe there would be a later.
“Fair enough. Something too intense to recover from immediately right?” Tony says as he gets back to his feet. “I've had nightmares like that. Anyway, glad to see you don't have any magical mishaps here.”
“You'll just cause them if you keep touching everything,” Stephen snorts and Tony barks out a laugh.
“Felt like touching. The engineer in me I guess.” Tony heads for the front door. “Get better soon, Doc. I don't want to be the one dealing with the magical end of things.”
Then he was gone. And Stephen felt empty again. The Sanctum was silent and he couldn't feel Tony's comforting heat…it all felt wrong. He couldn't live like this. Not after seeing what could be.
But then the doorbell rang about an hour later and when Stephen answered it, he found a bag by the door. It held hot soup and a note that made Stephen think that maybe it could happen after all.
Something told me that you'd be terrible about taking care of yourself since you're a doctor. Took the liberty of ordering you some soup. Get well soon, Doc. -T
As Stephen pocketed the receipt with the note and picked up the bag, he couldn't help but smile to himself. He'd have to send the older man a thank you. Something along the lines of calling the man an asshole.
_____________
It worked of course. Tony took it as a challenge of snark and it brought him to Stephen's door more and more. Then everything began to feel familiar to Stephen. The lunches at the Sanctum, the constant quips that he remembered hearing, and their first kiss in Tony's living room…
Everything was back to the way it was. Stephen had to go through all the pain and suffering again but it was worth it to have his family back. It was worth having Valerie glued to his leg since William was still at school, to have Lucy running around in her diaper because she refused to wear any other clothes, and to hear Diana arguing with Harley and Peter over the TV.
He didn't feel empty anymore.
“You alright, Duchess?” Tony asks from beside him as he cuts up some vegetables. “You look like you saw a ghost.”
Stephen shakes his head and focuses back on the task at hand. Namely cutting the last couple of strawberries for Valerie that would hold her over until dinner. “I'm fine.”
“That's just as believable as when you said it when we first met,” Tony huffs. “You looked the same then and you gave me the same answer. Which you never explained to me by the way.”
Stephen looks at him with surprise. “You remember that?”
“I'm old, not senile.” Tony says and Stephen chuckles.
“I really am fine. What happened then was the complete opposite of now.” He starts. “I…saw this back then.”
Tony blinks and stops cutting to look over at the sorcerer. “Wait…this?”
“The kids…us…I lived it. I looked like a ghost because I was torn away from it. It was all a vision and it made me feel sick.” Stephen tells him as he hands the bowl of strawberries down to Valerie and watches her walk over to the table with them. “It was the happiest I've ever been in my life and it was just a dream.”
“And now?” Tony asks carefully, gently taking Stephen's hand, making him smile.
“It's real. I made sure of it. Even if it wasn't, I would do it all again without hesitation.” Stephen reassures. “The vision was just so intense and realistic that it took a lot out of me at the time. I also don't think you would have believed me at the time.”
“I…maybe.” Tony admits. “I was still a little suspicious of it at the time. Are you sure you're okay now?”
Stephen nods. “I'm just relieved. That's all. If I knew this was possible and wasn't able to get it again…”
“But it was and you do,” Tony says firmly before lifting Stephen's hand to kiss the back of it. “I'd hate to imagine what it would be like without you.”
The doctor’s smile drops a bit. “I've seen that too. It's not good.”
“Guess I should thank those witch doctors of yours that they blessed you with visions,” Tony smirks and Stephen rolls his eyes.
“I can't believe you just referred to the Vishanti as witch doctors.”
“You still love me.”
Stephen’s smile returns and he sighs softly. “I always will.”
Thomas startles awake with a yelp when he rolls out of bed and lands on the floor with a thump. It wasn't the first time and it likely wouldn't be the last. He had a tendency to try and run in his sleep and wiggled himself out of bed, at least according to his brothers. Even Tony had caught him doing it and laughed all the way back down to the kitchen to tell…someone. Thomas was too embarrassed to find out.
He wiggles out of the half of his comforter that fell off his bed with him and shuffles into his bathroom to make an attempt at taming his hair. It never really worked but he always made it look a little less like he rolled out of bed.
When his bathroom door slams open, the teen startles and he looks at Stephen with wide eyes. The man looked extremely angry, but this was completely out of character for the man. The sorcerer would always calmly discuss any issue he had with him and they would work it out, but this…
“What are you doing in here?! I was in the middle of meditating until the noises you were making interrupted me! We put a roof over your head and clothes on your back and this is the thanks we get?! Inconsiderate!” Stephen yells and Thomas gulps.
“S-Sorry. It was an accident. I just fell out of bed–” Thomas starts and the man clicks his tongue in annoyance.
“I don't care about your excuses. Keep it down!”
Then Stephen left as quickly as he arrived, leaving Thomas to blink at the spot the sorcerer vacated. He could only assume that Stephen was in a foul mood from too much stress or maybe even some weird spell that backfired, but even so, it shook the teen. This was what he and William were expecting since day one. For Tony and Stephen to get sick of them or to treat them like every other family did.
Hopefully apologizing later would help.
For now, Thomas would finish quietly getting ready and head down for breakfast before he went to school with his brother and Cassie. When he got to his door to open it though, he heard a yelp and then a crash, and he was throwing his door open in time to look down to the living room and find his twin getting up from the side table that he had…fallen against? But Tony was just a few feet away yelling at him, and William was holding his face as if…
William dropped his hand and even from Thomas's distance, he could see a nasty bruise forming. Had Tony hit him? What was going on? Thomas felt like his world was completely turned upside down and all he could do was panic. He and William weren't safe anymore. They should have known living in the tower with the Avengers was too good to be true. But why did they have to tell and hit them? Why couldn't they just tell them to get out? Maybe if Thomas ran, he could grab his brother and go. Anywhere. Somewhere they would–
“Tommy.”
Thomas gasps, the small voice interrupting the panic attack he wasn't even aware he was having, and he looks down to find his baby sister. Lucy. She was tugging insistently on his pants and looking up at him worriedly.
“Bad dweam, Tommy.” She says.
“Wh-what?”
“Wake up!” She demands.
Thomas gasps and finds himself back in his room, sitting up in his bed and covered in sweat. He looks around as he gathers his bearings, and when he finally calms down enough, he gets out of bed and gingerly walks over to his bedroom door and opens it. Instead of finding Tony yelling at William, he found Stephen reading on the couch and Diana wrestling with Harley. When he finally went downstairs to investigate some more, he actually found Tony and William cooking together. His twin was smiling. There were no bruises. There wasn't a scratch on him.
“Thomas? Are you alright?” Stephen asks and the teen spins around in anewed panic to look at him.
“I…yeah…just had a bad dream.” He mumbles.
“Tommy better?” Lucy sits up from her spot napping on one of the couches and Thomas gapes at her.
Was she actually in his dream? It couldn't be. That was impossible…right? Maybe not. He lives in a tower full of people with different powers, and even Diana was born with magic because she was born from it. Why not Lucy? Even if Valerie was normal, it didn't mean Lucy was too.
“Mom? Is…does Lucy…is it possible for her to have powers?” Thomas stammers out, garnering the sorcerer’s full attention.
“I suppose it is but she hasn't shown any signs. I assumed she was normal like Valerie.” Stephen says slowly after some thought. “Why do you ask?”
“Because the Lucy in my dream helped me wake up. She told me it was a bad dream.” Thomas explains.
“Bad dweam,” Lucy points at him and nods.
Stephen closes his book and gets up to walk over to Lucy and sit on the couch next to her. “Did you visit Thomas in his dreams?”
“Uh-huh. He scawed.” Lucy answers.
“I wonder…” The sorcerer mumbles to himself. “Lucy, I want you to sit very still. Do you understand?”
When the toddler nods, Stephen starts to cast an intricate spell. Thomas watches curiously as the man continues to draw and summon more runes and circles that made no sense to him, and then they eventually glowed. He watched as Stephen looked at them with raised brows and then the spell dissipated shortly after Tony entered with William.
“We came in here to tell you lunch was ready but now I want to know what you were casting a spell for,” Tony says.
Stephen looks over at him and laughs. “I can't believe I didn't think to try it before. But when Thomas asked if Lucy could have powers…”
“Honey, I came in at the end of it so I have no idea what you're talking about,” Tony reminds him.
“Thomas. He had a bad dream and said the Lucy in his dream told him it was a nightmare and helped him wake up. Our Lucy said she did it.” Stephen starts and waves toward the little girl. “So I wondered if I could discover any powers she might have with a spell.”
William straightens, intrigue clear on his face. “Does she?”
“She can dream walk,” Stephen confirms.
“That explains a lot,” Harley says after stopping his wrestling match with Diana when they heard the subject. “I've seen her in my dreams like that a couple times before.”
“I have too,” Tony winces. “They're not dreams I would like her to see but I guess it's not up to me.”
“What about Valerie?” Diana wonders. “Does she have powers?”
Stephen tilts his head in thought. “That's a good question. I could use the same spell on her to find out.”
“Topolina!” Tony looks up at the second floor and smiles when Valerie comes out of her room to look down at them.
“Si, Papà?”
“Come down please. Mommy wants to check you for something.”
“Nothing bad, I promise.” Stephen reassures her when worry crosses her features. When she carefully descends the stairs and joins them, Stephen smiles. “Stay very still please.”
“Okay.”
And once again, Stephen was casting his spell, and again it glowed. When it dissipated, the sorcerer sat staring at Valerie for a good long while.
“Mom?” Thomas says carefully, breaking whatever trance Stephen was in.
“She…does.” He says. “Sort of.”
“Sort of?” Tony asks.
“It's more passive.” Stephen says softly. “She has the power of longevity.”
Everyone stares at Valerie in shock and the little girl looks at her mother curiously. “What's that?”
“It means that unless you get very hurt, you will be around for a very long time.” Stephen tells her.
“Like you and Scott?” Peter asks from his hammock in the corner of the room. Thomas had no idea how long he had been there, but he admittedly wasn't paying attention. Peter had probably been there the entire time and listening intently like the rest of them.
“Yes, exactly.”
“Ughhhh…so much for having normal siblings!” Harley groans dramatically. “You think I'll get my own powers if I swim in some toxic waste or something?” When Stephen gives him the stink eye, he sighs loudly. “I'm only kidding! Sheesh!”
“You've at least got a normal dad,” Tony points out.
“I guess.”
“Besides, who knows what kind of effect Will has on you,” Thomas says and Tony grimaces.
“Not a thought or image I need, thank you. Now let's go eat lunch.” He says and wraps an arm around William to lead him back into the kitchen. Harley and Diana get up to follow while Peter rolls out of his hammock and fwumps on the floor before practically skipping to the kitchen.
“What was the dream about, Thomas?” Stephen asks and the teen sighs.
“It's…I don't want to think about it. I know it wasn't real now and that's all that matters.” When Stephen gives him a skeptical look, Thomas sighs. “If I keep having the dream, I'll talk about it. But what you would tell me is something we already know.”
“And what would that be?”
“You're in it for the long haul.”
Understanding dawns on Stephen and he nods. “As long as you know.” He gently pats Valerie toward the kitchen and helps Lucy down from the couch. “Let's go eat before Peter eats everything.”
“And me!” Thomas grins and rubs to the table, sitting in his chair in less than a second.
“I thought I told you no running inside!” Stephen calls from the living room.
