#but still it’s not as though Tony’s been hesitant to be Iron Man in his own stories

[daydreamerdrew]

Tales of Suspense (1959) #69

#I’m not reading Tony’s Avengers appearances so I hadn’t know that he’d quit the team at all #that it was because of his worsening heart issues is interesting #of course in his own book he’s not taking a step back from superheroing #though it’s notable that here his decision to participate in this fight is largely influenced by the public pressure #but still it’s not as though Tony’s been hesitant to be Iron Man in his own stories #it’s just that he nearly dies all the time and then continues on #also noting the politics of this story #like earlier Iron Man was referred to as ‘communism’s greatest enemy’ #and now this fight is like symbolically capitalism vs communism #marvel #tony stark #pepper potts #happy hogan #my posts #comic panels

[infiniteeight8]

Ironstrange identity reveal? I was reading Spy x Family when I thought of this, so that's the background/setting I was thinking of initially, but it can definitely be a superhero thing too. Or whatever other idea pops into your head. I'm always excited to see what you come up with!

I read the top of the wikipedia entry for Spy x Family, but that setup is not working for me here, so instead we’re going with some classic “Iron Man is Tony Stark’s bodyguard” shenanigans. 😀

Uh, this got… more than a little out of hand. This has many themes in common with other drabbles, but now it’s 1360 words long. Enjoy?

Under the read more for length.

-

Tony stares stubbornly at Steve, who is rubbing his eyes with the kind of exhausted exasperation that has become his hallmark around Iron Man.

“Iron Man, you were unconscious,” Steve says. “After being electrocuted. You need a real medical check.”

“The armor has medical sensors,” Tony insists. “It says I’m fine. I can answer questions for a neurological exam. That’ll have to be good enough.”

Steve gets that stubborn look on his face. The one that no one wins against. Fuck. “You’re benched until you get a real medical check.”

“How about if I get checked out in my civilian identity?” Tony suggests.

“We have no way of verifying that you’ve done that,” Steve says. “And while I hate to say you’d lie, I can’t dismiss the possibility after this conversation. I understand your hesitation about revealing your identity, but your life is at stake.”

“It’s really not,” Tony mutters. He’s fine. But he can tell that Steve isn’t going to budge on this, and he wants to be off the bench sooner rather than later. “Fine. Call Strange, then.”

Steve’s eyebrows go up. “Doctor Strange? He’s not a practicing physician.”

“He’s kept his certifications, though.”

“And he hates you.”

Stephen hates Iron Man. He’s quite fond of Tony Stark, though. They’re… friends. He’s asked Tony on half a dozen dates, which Tony has been forced to turn down because he refuses to lie about something as important as Iron Man to someone he’s dating. It’s made for a lonely couple of years. At least if he has to reveal his identity to someone, he might get a date out of it. If Stephen forgives him for lying. If he can get past Tony Stark being an Avenger in general (apparently they make a lot of work for the sorcerers; something about the barriers between dimensions) and Iron Man in specific, who he’s always hated the most. 

“Then you’ll know he’s being honest when he clears me,” is all Tony says aloud.

Steve still looks baffled, but he makes the call.

Tony’s expecting Stephen to be angry when he arrives. He may keep his medical certifications up to date, but he doesn’t work as a doctor and he’s sure as hell not on call for the Avengers. But when he arrives he’s crisply professional, if frosty. He’s even wearing a lab coat over street clothes. He locks the exam room door behind him, which would be odd except that he follows it up with, “Armor off.” Tony hesitates. Stephen’s expression tightens. “Captain Rogers indicated you were willing to be examined,” he says sharply.

“This is kind of a big deal,” Tony snaps. “There is literally no one living that knows who I am.”

Stephen blinks. “Surely Tony knows.”

Tony sighs. “Yeah. About that.” He issues the command, and the helmet retracts. 

Stephen stares. And stares. And there it is. There’s the anger. “You utter fucking idiot!” He shouts. “What the hell are you doing risking your life in that goddamned tin can?! Don’t you know what a catastrophic loss it would be if you died out there?”

Okay, Stephen is yelling, but it seems like… good yelling? “I’m saving people,” Tony argues.

“You save plenty of people as Tony Stark!” Thank God the soundproofing in this place is spectacular; Stephen doesn’t lower his voice one bit. “So why do you insist on ruining your own life with this, this,” he waves his hand inarticulately at the armor still covering Tony to the neck, “bullshit.”

Okay, that’s enough. “Iron Man is not ruining my life! It’s the best thing I’ve ever done!”

Stephen's expression shifts from furious to incredulous. “The best thing?” he demands. “The best thing? What about the 100 million dollar donation to spinal cord research? The Foundation that helps people rebuild after things like alien invasions when their insurance won’t? What about the shield you invented that makes it possible for people with sensitive implants to get an MRI safely, or the modular smartphone that doesn’t need to be replaced every two years? What about the scholarships you’ve endowed?”

“Stephen—”

“Are those not big enough in scale?” Stephen demands. “How about the clean energy technology that looks like it might stop global warming in its tracks? Is that enough? Is one planet not enough? Do we need to talk about the international collaboration that you started to combine Earth’s resources with alien technology to turn us into an interstellar civilization before another interstellar civilization can dismiss us as barbarians—”

“I’m not the one who decided none of that counted!” Tony shouted over Stephen. It stops the tirade, at least. Tony blows out a hard breath. “The guy who donates the 100 million dollars isn’t the hero,” he goes on. “That’s the guy who makes the discovery. The Foundation isn’t celebrated for the people it helps, it’s critiqued for the ones it doesn’t. The MRI shield, the smartphone… people like them, but they’re advances that ‘were always coming’. Or maybe ‘were overdue’. That doesn’t mean they aren’t worth doing. Of course they’re worth doing.” Tony retracts a gauntlet and rubs a hand over his face. God, he’s tired. “I just… I wanted to be the hero for once,” he admits. It sounds so fucking selfish. “Tony Stark could never do enough. It always had to be about the money for them, even when it really wasn’t about the money for me. But Iron Man… No one wonders what his ulterior motive is when he does something good. They just cheer.”

Stephen sighs and hitches himself up onto the medical bed next to Tony. “Do you know why I hated Iron Man so much?”

Tony grimaces. “I always figured he was just too… blunt instrument for you.”

Stephen snorts. “Hulk and Cap are far more blunt,” he says. “Iron Man at least has precision weapons to go with the punches. No. I hated Iron Man because when the suit failed somehow Tony got the blame, but when it worked, Iron Man got the credit. Iron Man made everything you just explained worse, not better.”

There’s not really a counter argument for that. It’s true. Except, “Nothing was going to make that better,” Tony says. “Nothing could. Not until I’m dead, anyway.” He half expects Stephen to go right back to haranguing him for risking his life. 

“Speaking of which, I’m meant to be making sure you’re not dying now,” Stephen says. He stands and moves to face Tony. “Come on. Get the rest of the armor off.”

Tony obliges, and they proceed with the rest of the exam in silence. 

Near the end, Tony looks over Stephen’s shoulder rather than meet his eyes and says, quietly, “I’m not going to stop.”

“My initial reaction aside,” Stephen answers, just as soft, “I never thought you would. I know as well as anyone how this life becomes a part of you.” When he finishes the exam, he steps back. “You’re fine.” 

Tony nods and puts the armor back on. It’s never been so quiet between them before. His chest aches.

When he’s got everything but the helmet back on, Stephen stops him. “Is this why you always said no when I asked you out?”

“Yeah,” Tony says. “Didn’t seem right to lie like that to my partner.”

“Right.” Stephen nods firmly. “So will you go out with me now?”

Tony perks up. “You still want to?”

Stephen gives him a look. “You have not had a personality transplant,” he says dryly. “So yes, I still want to.”

Do not push your luck, Tony tells himself. He says it anyway, “Thought the lying might be a bigger deal.”

“Everyone keeps secrets,” Stephen says. “But the secrets that a friend will accept are different from the secrets that a partner will accept. You’ve already demonstrated that you understand that.” Tony grins and Stephen shoots him a look. “We will, however, be having words about you assuming I’d react like anyone else in your life.”

Tony swallows a laugh. “Of course,” he says. “I should have known you’d be exceptional.” 

“And don’t forget it,” Stephen says, a smirk tugging at the edge of his mouth.

#IronStrange #ficlet #although maybe #this one is long enough #to just be a fic

[irondad-defensesquad]

We Didn't Start the Fire - Chapter 1

Also posted on AO3!

This is a crossover between the MCU and Spider-Verse.

HATE WILL BE BLOCKED.

--

“Stay right where you are.”

Tony was albeit surprised when F.R.I.D.A.Y informed him someone broke into the house. Five years and no robbery. Regardless, he guesses the life of a superhero will never end. He wonders if whoever is there even knows who they’re messing with.

After peacefully drinking the rest of the hot chocolate he made for Morgan, he has stepped in the dark living room, his repulsor illuminating the little punk on the window, who was about to escape. They’re… wearing red and blue pajamas, and their face is hidden behind a mask. Why on earth would a person in a onesie invade Tony’s house, especially if they’re not even carrying anything with them?

“Who are you? Why are you here?” He demands.

Their white eyes are somewhat wide, until they’re their normal shape. Otherwise, Tony can’t tell their emotions. The stranger soon looks away, not saying a word.

“I’m talking to you,” Tony raises his voice. “Say something!”

They still don’t obey.

He knows he can overpower this weirdo, but… something about their silence, the avoidance… It’s odd. They don’t seem clueless about breaking into Iron Man’s house. It’s like they knew why they came. They knew that Tony lives here. And… they don’t have any intention of taking anything or hurting anyone.

Realizing this, Tony is not ready to attack. He’s confused and nothing really seems dangerous. They aren’t dangerous.

He approaches slowly, lowering his weapon. He just wants to take a closer look.

They seem… young. Possibly a teenager.

Tony asks again, “Who are you?” This time, less threateningly.

The stranger doesn’t say a thing. Their body language, though, speaks a thousand words. They appear to want to disappear in the darkness and never be remembered. But they want to stay. They hold onto the window with hesitance. Like they’re running away from home.

Tony takes a few more steps. He’s not close yet.

There’s so much conflict in their mere movements.

He’s approaching them…

…

They’re taking off the mask.

Indeed, his guesses were correct. It is in fact a teenager, white-skinned, with brown puppy eyes and messy brown curls. Despite looking so young, he looks completely deprived – of sleep, of a home, of friends and family… He must have lost everything.

Regardless, he smiles at Tony.

“I miss you, Mr. Stark.”

His eyes are glowing. The dams might burst at any minute, but the teen is trying hard not to let that happen. His words sound so emotional and truthful. This kid doesn’t seem to be a random fanboy (and he doubts one would ever be able to break into his house so easily). He knows Tony. Like, actually knows Tony.

And the older man doesn’t understand.

Tony lowers his arm entirely.

“What…?”

His question is never completed.

Noises come from the couch. Painful noises, yet like it’s… a computer going haywire.

That’s when he realizes someone is lying on the couch.

And…

… they’re GLITCHING?!

Tony rushes to their aid despite the very absurdity of the situation, recognizing a black teenage boy wearing a black and red suit, which has been clawed furiously as if that kid was attacked by a wolf, a big one at that. Obviously, the glitching is far beyond his league. It’s like the teen is quite literally breaking apart, even distorting the couch.

When Tony is about to seek answers from the person who brought him here…

There’s no one in the window.

That kid is gone.

Tony can’t just leave this be. What’s going on? Who are these kids? Why are they wearing suits? Are they superheroes? Then why is one of them literally glitching on his couch?!

He hears rushed steps coming their way.

“Tony, what’s going on?” Pepper questions. She gasps at the boy yelling out in pain and distorting in different shapes and colors.

Morgan is behind her, jaw dropped.

Suddenly, the glitching stops. Then, the black teen starts whimpering. It must be awful.

“Who is he?” Morgan asks.

“I…” Tony gazes at the boy, heart aching for him. “I don’t know.”

“What do you mean you don’t know?” Pepper insists.

“Someone… a kid… left him here. Like he trusted me with his life.”

“And you don’t know who that kid is?”

Tony obviously doesn’t. He has never seen his face.

“... I don’t know,” he replies instead.

Morgan has tiptoed all the way to the couch, analyzing the kid lying on it. She doesn’t seem scared of him nor distrustful. Meanwhile, the teen hugs himself as a form of protection. Who the hell did this much damage to a kid?

Tony sighs. “Alright, I’ll take it from here. You two can go back to bed.”

“Are you sure?” His wife inquires.

“Yeah. I’ll figure it out.”

Thus, he takes the abandoned blanket and covers the boy with it. He quiets down almost instantly. Of course, he doesn’t look entirely at peace, but at least he’s not fearing for his life.

Morgan then places her little stuffed rabbit to make him company. She smiles.

Tony kisses her head. “Get back to bed, will you?”

She nods, even though she might disobey later. Especially with how curious she is about a random glitching boy (which, well, he doesn’t blame her for). Pepper takes her hand and guides her back upstairs.

With them gone, Tony feels like a truck ran over him. He sits on the armchair next to the couch, wanting to scream to the skies what in the actual fuck is going on. There are so many questions to be answered.

First, though, he has to figure out why the kid is glitching in the first place. Second, where he’s from. Something tells him these two things are related. And lastly, since he cannot take his eyes off a kid that must have been through hell…

Who was that other boy that has also seen the worst of things he could never know?

How did he know Tony?

And how can’t Tony remember him?

He would remember someone like that. Someone young, wearing that vibrant costume, and with such haunting puppy eyes.

Tony almost wishes he made him stay, too. He must have nowhere else to go. And he must feel like he doesn’t deserve to be here, as much as he wanted to stay. Tony wants to look for him and wrap him in a burrito blanket and give him all the hot chocolate he could ever want. But he can’t do that. And something tells him that kid is far gone.

It’s so much. So much.

Tony is lost.

…

The kid on the couch is sleeping more calmly now.

Tony sighs in relief.

He wonders if that kid in red and blue did this. But something tells him he didn’t. And he can only find out once this boy wakes up.

By the way, the latter is actually hugging the rabbit close.

Tony can’t help smiling.

It then drops.

This is such a cruel world, isn’t it? For kids to be suffering this much?

He wonders what he has been missing out.

#irondad #ironfam #fics #my fics #(sorry. i'm not tagging miles or any s/piderverse tags) #(i don't want to get hate)

[joyful-soul-collector]

How I think the Moon Boys would react to meeting Other Heroes

I want to eventually turn these into fanfics relaying the events in detail (and if you want to as well, please do and tag me in it, I'd love to see what you make!) but for now we just do meta :] I'm gonna do the OG 6 avengers first, but I'll likely reblog later with other heroes if people seem interested, so lemme know if you wanna see more!

Tony Stark

Marc: Definitely assumes this guy is an asshole before ever meeting him. He's a billionaire, he's cocky, he built a giant tower with his name on it--he's got all the makings of a real asshole. Upon meeting him? Well, yeah, he has to admit the guy is smart and fights well. They can work as a team when in battle for sure. Still cannot stand his personality though, and it's in part because Marc can see some parts of himself in Tony. He really doesn't like the idea that he might relate to guy who used to be fine with building weapons for awful people.

Steven: Definitely hesitant about him, in part because Marc is so adamant about his assumptions. However upon meeting him, I think Steven could grow to like him in some ways. Sure he's cocky, and has a hard exterior, but it's not like he doesn't know how to deal with that, sharing a body with Marc and Jake. He likes to hear Tony explain science and machines to him, and I could see them talking about their weapons and armor, exchanging ideas. He too is fine to fight alongside Iron Man

Jake: He's also hesitant about Stark, both because of Marc and because of his role as the protector, but he can't help but admit... the guy has fuckin style. He particularly likes Tony's cars, and when he sees magazines in the store detailing all of Tony's cars, he can't help but snag one. And when he MEETS Tony? Well it takes help from Steven outright telling Tony that he'd love to see them, but Tony does show Jake his garage full of cars, and they chat about it for so long that Marc and Steven have to practically drag the body back home before midnight. Fighting enemies with him is an entire different playing field however. Jake really hates being told what to do, so generally he'll let Marc or Steven handle battles alongside Iron Man

Steve Rogers

Marc: Mixed feelings about Cap before meeting him for sure. He was a soldier like Marc was, and for that Marc feels a sense of loyalty or comradery with him. Cap also fought in WWII and helped save a lot of Jewish people, which obviously puts him in a good light. But at the same time, he's named Captain America, the same nation that spit him out of the marines with no support, no option but to become a mercenary to survive. After meeting him though, he finds that he quite likes Cap. They bond over their pasts as soldiers, and exchange stories of punching fascists right in the kisser. He considers it quite an honor to fight alongside Cap in any battles

Steven: He liked Cap from the very beginning, since he was a kid. Not obsessed, he never collected cards like Coulson, but he always regarded him as a hero for what he did in WWII. He's never liked to be called Steve, always the full name Steven, but it still made him just a little bit proud to share the same name as Captain America. After meeting Cap, he found he appreciated him as a person as well, not just as a hero. He enjoyed hearing Cap's stories about what life was like in his time, and they exchanged song recommendations together often. He too finds it an honor to fight alongside Cap

Jake: Jake didn't think much about Cap before meeting him. Sure, he was glad for what he did in WWII, saving Jewish people and punching Hitler, but he kind of thought that should've been the standard anyways. He didn't feel the need to praise the guy just for standing up for Jewish people, if anything he preferred to praise the Jewish doctor that MADE the super soldier serum, he was the one that gave them this great hero after all. After meeting Cap he did find he warmed up to him though. He was a good man, even if a bit robotic at times. Again though, he cannot stand people telling him what to do, especially in the commanding, soldier-like way Cap does it. At least Tony makes a funny comment when he tells people what to do, Cap just orders you, and Jake does NOT like that

Thor Odinson

Marc: VERY hesitant about this guy, as past experience with gods has not exactly gone well for him. Upon meeting him he realizes quickly that Thor isn't much of a threat (to him at least), and he gets less cagey. He doesn't exactly become friends with Thor, but they're nice enough to each other, and can fight as a team well. Secretly tho? He thinks Thor's whole lightning and thunder thing is pretty cool

Steven: Also again hesitant due to Thor's whole God-ness, but also realizes he wouldn't harm them. He is INTENSELY interested in Asgardian/Norse mythology though, and spends several evenings asking Thor a million questions about the different realms, the culture of Asgard and all the magic that exists there. Thor promises to one day show him the Bifrost and Asgardian palace library, as well as introduce him to Heimdall, who could tell Steven more about the realms than Thor ever could

Jake: AGAIN, not exactly excited about meeting another God, and even after meeting him, Jake is still unsure for a long time. He's always quick to remind Steven that Thor is a god and things could go bad with him at any time. With time he learns to trust Thor, and have a tentative relationship with him, at least enough that he's willing to fight alongside the god in battle

Clint Barton

Marc: He'd heard of someone called Hawkeye fighting in the Battle of New York, and mostly thought he must've been insane (or stupid) for fighting aliens with a bow and arrow. However after meeting him he did find a new respect for him. I think of all the people to spar with, he'd often choose Hawkeye, both because they're similar in strength (without the suit at least), and because Clint has a similar fighting style to him. They both utilize rooftops, darts/arrows/grappling hooks, and hand-to-hand combat, so he's a great person to practice with. They work well in battle together.

Steven: He was impressed hearing about a guy fighting aliens with a bow and arrow for sure. After meeting him I think he does like Clint, but might feel intimidated by him. He doesn't seem to be the most open of people, and he can see why Marc enjoys his company because of that, but Steven himself just finds Clint a bit difficult to talk to. They work fine in battle, but not as well as Jake and Marc do.

Jake: I think of anyone in MK system Jake probably is the one that can talk to Clint the most easily. He's relaxed enough that he doesn't worry about Clint being cagey at times, and good enough at bantering and talking with people to get Clint to relax and open up more. If anyone is able to start a good friendship with Clint, it's Jake. This also makes it so they work well fighting together

Natasha Romanoff

Marc: Absolutely just cannot vibe with this woman, at least at first. He could tell immediately that she was analyzing him and trying to get information about himself and his past out of him when they first met, and it just threw him off instantly. Something about the spy, manipulation tactics stuff, and honestly her being a woman, just reminded him too much of his mom. Over time he would learn to be less nervous around her, especially as he realized her analytical first impression was part of a mask she put on, but he couldn't say he ever truly relaxed around her. He doesn't enjoy fighting alongside her much, but he's willing to do it

Steven: He honestly thought she was fine upon meeting her, and that Marc was freaking out over someone just being friendly to him. It's not that he didn't realize she was analyzing them, but more that he understood quickly that it was a mask. She reminded him of Marc and Jake really, and similar to them, it was just a matter of being open enough that the other person felt comfortable taking of their mask too. I think they'd get along pretty well honestly, almost a grumpy+sunshine dynamic similar to him and his alters. They don't fight very similarly though, so while they get along, there's a lot more communication happening between them to try and fight better together.

Jake: Would also tell immediately that she was trying to analyze them upon first meeting, and I think that might actually trigger him to front when they first meet. She also reminded him of their mother, and Jake would immediately start handing that same energy back to her. I could honestly see a scene where she's asking them questions, and Jake starts to front and responds to her questions with his own questions. However, I think this would result in a friendship to be honest haha! I think through analyzing each other they would figure out they're similar in a lot of ways, and Jake would end up trusting her a lot. He would know that she understood what it was to have secrets and to be constantly striving to be better than the person you were in the past, and he would understand her for the same reasons. I also think they would bond a bit over their protective natures, with how she's protective over Clint and Yelena, and how he protects Marc and Steven. Oh and they would 100000000% dance together. It's basically their version of sparring haha, and in battle in makes it so they barely have to talk in order to coordinate seamlessly together, which works perfectly for him because he doesn't have to be told what to do but he can still work well with her

Bruce Banner/The Hulk

Marc: He'd heard of the Hulk before, and wasn't really sure what to think of it. Some people said he was a good guy, some people said he was bad, overall Marc just kinda hoped he'd never be on his bad side. After meeting Bruce he found that he wasn't afraid of the Hulk at all when he transformed. Cautious of course, but not afraid. He liked Bruce, he kind of reminded him of Steven in his awkwardness and nerdy ramblings. He wasn't exactly close with either Bruce or the Hulk, but they gained a mutual trust

Steven: Steven was very interested in Bruce and the Hulk ever since he'd first heard about them, and at first thought it might've been a weird, magical, or mutated version of DID. Obviously he quickly found out that wasn't the case at all, but he was still very interested in the duality of Bruce and The Other Guy and he ended up having long talks with Bruce about it when they met. I think if they'd met back then, Steven might've been able to help Bruce a lot when he was trying to figure out how to find a balance between himself and the hulk, help him figure out how to merge the best of both worlds. Steven's interactions with Hulk weren't as amicable in the beginning though, because Hulk viewed him mainly as "Banner's Friend", but Steven was still kind to him, so eventually The Hulk grew to like him too

Jake: Jake thought the Hulk was really cool honestly, but he could understand why Bruce didn't like it, because he understood the frustrating feeling of switching when you didn't want to, losing control when things got too emotional. However he didn't really voice how he related to Bruce until much further into their friendship. He still liked Bruce a lot though, for the same reason Marc did, he reminded him of Steven. He likely gets along with The Hulk a bit more though, because of he enthusiastically encouraging he is of the Hulk. He's considered the Hulk's friend, and he fights well alongside him. Overall I also think the Hulk likes the MK system because he understands that they switch similarly to how he and Bruce do, and may actually think about them working together so well when Bruce proposes the idea of them merging and working together better.

BONUS

Loki Laufeyson

(this one I actually already have a fanfic for, which is why there's a link, though it's set in a sort of AU where the Mind Stone hypnotized Loki and made him more violent and evil than he actually is. Here I'll talk about a more canon-ish reaction)

Marc: Obviously, none of the MK boys are gonna like this guy initially. The man sent an alien army to earth, he's not made a good first impression. Getting to know him over time is where things begin to change. When Marc starts to figure out that his swagger and menacing personality is more of a persona than how he actually is, he starts to kind of connect the dots and figure out that this guy may have been manipulated in some way, and may be going through things similar to what Marc went through when he was a mercenary. However he doesn't dig much into it, because he really doesn't love the idea that he might relate to a guy who tried to take over the entire earth (similar to how he doesn't want to relate to Tony either).

Steven: Steven would again, not be a fan of Loki, but unlike the other two, he would be the one actively looking for any sort of redeeming quality in him. Steven would be the one to find out about Loki's father, and how poorly he was treated, and would be able to communicate that to Jake and Marc. He would be the gentlest with Loki, and would likely be able to see through Loki's mask much easier than Marc or Jake would. Whether this would result in a friendship is harder to say though. He would be happy to talk to Loki about his problems, but I can't see him easily finding something to connect with him about. Maybe through magic, and Loki talking about spells and things he knows, similar to how Steven bonds with Thor.

Jake: Again, not a fan at first, but that changes over time. Unlike Marc, Jake would likely trust Steven's ideas about Loki, and how he may not be as horrible as he seems, or at least, he may have been manipulated into being what he is now. Jake I think would be able to talk to Loki and create a stronger friendship with him than the other two, being the people person he is. He wouldn't be able to easily talk about the trauma-related stuff, that's more Steven's expertise, but he would be able to see what Steven does eventually, and realize Loki isn't so different. He'd be able to analyze him similarly to how he did with Natasha, and while he won't talk to Loki about what he realizes, his opinions will still change, and he'll see him in a different light.

If you made it this far, thank you for reading! Lemme know if you want to hear about the MK boys (or Layla???) reacting to more heroes! Again, if you make anything based of of these ideas, definitely tag me, I wanna see what you made!!

#moon knight #marvel #marc spector #steven grant #jake lockley #MCU #oscar isaac #moon knight meta #mk meta #marvel meta #mcu meta #tony stark #steve rogers #thor #clint barton #natasha romanoff #bruce banner #hulk #loki laufeyson #the avengers #og avengers #mcu #headcanons

[amarriageoftrueminds]

Do you see Tony stark as a male version of Peggy Carter? A rich high class brat that won't hesitate to do anything and side with anyone to shine and then act like everyones protective god mother? Or do you think he is at least a bit redeemable because he might have learned bit from his mistakes.

There are certain similarities. Peggy definitely has more in common with the Starks than anyone.

In her show, all her 'friends' are not from the same SEC as her, as with the Starks. In fact, her friends are... employees. Butlers, waitresses, housekeepers... they're almost literally being paid to be friends with her. You see that with Tony, too. His 'friends' are: an air force colonel (when Tony has extremely lucrative military contacts with the air force), his PA (who gets made his CEO and... immediately dumps him), his bodyguard, his robot butler, his other robot servants... and women who benefit financially from sex with him (Christine Everhart and Maya Hansen). In Peggy's case, she's that woman to Howard Stark. 😬 (And Steve).

In AC, the only time you see a person from the same socioeconomic class as Peggy, they're a villain. Similar thing with Tony's villains in IM (Obadiah Stane, Anton Vanko, Justin Hammer, Aldrich Killian...) they're just Other Tonys.

(So you can tell that TPTB have some kind of... English fetish going on and think upper classness is definitely part of her Specialness?)

While Tony has the same 'avoidance of all consequences for his actions' wealthy white privilege that Peggy has, there are certain important differences.

Generally speaking, they share one over-arching trait, which is: if you consider whether or not the world / people around them would be better off if they didn't exist, the answer is yes.

Without Tony, there'd be no Anton Vanko, no Aldrich Killian, no Quentin Beck (which means no Spider-Mans dimensional incursion), no Ultron (which, in another universe, endangered the entire multiverse), no dead Pietro, no dead Sokovians generally (meaning probably no Scarlet Witch, no Vision, no Westview Hex, all the knock-on effects of that?), no Snap. And Hulk or Thor could have put the nuke through the wormhole in A1 (except he wouldn't because it wouldn't have been written into the story at all since Hemsworth doesn't have short man syndrome.)

With no Peggy, Steve's story in CATFA isn't altered (because she didn't matter to the plot or his life at all). But there would be no Winter Soldier programme (since she wouldn't be around to give the man who started it a job at SHIELDra), ergo no Black Widows being mind-controlled either (since that was based on Winter Soldier tech), no continued Hydra (WhatIf confirms all this by showing that a SHIELD founded by everyone else who was there originally, except her, has no Nazis in it.) Ergo no Project Insight. No Winter Soldier means no assassination of Howard Stark, so no Civil War bust up of the Avengers, if Tony still exists (unless Zemo found some other way to effect it). C.1940s her male colleagues in SSR would have handled everything she interfered with in AC, Edwin Jarvis's wife wouldn't have been sterilised by gsw in the uterus, and Daniel Sousa would have settled down with a nice girl (nurse Violet, possibly Skye) and wouldn't have been assassinated by Hydra for whistleblowing in 1955, because there wouldn't be any Hydra.

.

Now the differences:

First, Tony is actually above-average at some of the things he thinks he's good at, so his arrogance based on that is at least partially warranted (which Peggy's conviction of her own competence, moral integrity, etc. isn't).

His estimate of his own ability is debatable, though, since his genius (in the MCU) stems from the Grand American Capitalist Tradition of stealing other peoples' work, doing a minimal amount to hone it, and then claiming all the credit / reaping all the financial reward.

(See: Iron Man suits, AI, E.D.I.T.H., B.A.R.F., Extremis serum, time-travel, etc. Tony's only original creations I can think of in the MCU are his robot-servants and the improvised booby-traps from Iron Man 3. And for all we know these could be rip-offs, too, it's just not mentioned.)

Second, Tony may have got into MIT as a legacy admission (nepotism), but he does actually have at least some of the expertise in a STEM field to warrant a place, which Peggy lacks. (She gets an honorary degree from IIRC Oxford: ie. rewarded for doing no work. And while she claims competence in mathematics (as part of the AC retcon of her non-existent war record), outside of one code-breaking scene, her alleged mathematical ability is never shown. (And in fact Bletchley Park's concession to her leaving it mid-war suggests she wasn't a crucial employee.)

Third, while Tony may have inherited his company without earning it, he does have the necessary brains and thieving habits to create and maintain such a company if he wanted to. He has the appropriate skills; which cannot be said of Peggy in any of her unearned spying jobs.

Peggy is a nepotism baby who couldn't stomach any of the jobs she was handed, one after another, that she kept idiotically choosing to ask for despite her unsuitability for them (which she cannot recognise).

And then she flaked out on these jobs from 'boredom,' even in the middle of a crisis like a world war (failure is never her fault, always the job's, always the mens').

She is a woman who thinks she's a maths whizz and yet has to have the number of sides of a cube explained to her (and as said, Bletchley Park were apparently fine with her quitting mid-war. It's like the opposite of all those 'screenshots of my boss begging me to come back after I quit' sm stories about crucial workers).

She believes she is a brilliant, underappreciated spy, surrounded by inferiors, but cannot spot a single spy when they infiltrate her organisation or home (any one of many, many, many, many occasions: during the war and after).

She's a spy who craves attention.

Whose disguises fail in seconds, and are so inept that she cannot avoid detection by someone who barely knows her, even when photographed from the back.

(Contrast that with actual-spy Natasha, whose disguises are so good not even we realise it's her until she reveals herself!)

Peggy is a woman who thinks she is a sort of hero to other women... but is fine shunting the work which she considers beneath her off onto them... (when she reacts with outrage when men do that exact same thing to her)... or fine with letting her rich male friends get away with chauvinism.

Who interferes to prevent male feminist colleagues from taking steps that would make life better for the Other Girls whom she is Not Like and who Cannot Therefore be allowed to Become Like her.

(Because as long as White Feminist knows Her value, she's the only person that matters!)

It takes a certain level of competence to correctly gage the extent of your own competence, or relative incompetence.

It's the basis of true self-awareness. She lacks that. (Whether Tony also lacks it is... not clear. Maybe he does, too).

Peggy's continued bloody-minded belief that she is, eg. a competent spy and a feminist, directly contrary to the evidence... (because the writers aren't capable of recognising when they've written the exact opposite of what they vaguely intended) ...is the proof that she lacks the qualities necessary to actually be either of those things. And to realise that she is just not physically or temperamentally suited to spying or heroism, at all.

She does share Tony's habit of blaming anything but herself for her problems, though. 🤔

When Peggy shows up hours late for work, eats like a slob at her desk while all the men are doing their paperwork, refuses to do said paperwork (even though that's the job she's been hired for and accepted) as if it's an insult to even ask her, shunts it off onto female underlings, and then does nothing except sabotage her colleagues' work for months, then unilaterally hiring someone who cannot be trusted and who kills 40+ people... (Johann Fennhoff)

She acts as if her male colleagues' lack of enthusiasm about her ability is due to... sexism, only... and not to her being, for example, a lazy, entitled, violently bad-tempered, disastrously-incompetent dickhead and self-outing nepotism hire.

When Tony calls himself a "genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist..." He is at least getting 1/4 of those right... ish.

(Is it genius to commit industrial espionage and rip off the designs of other men including employees, do 12% of the work and then patent them as your own? When it's JARVIS and FRIDAY who do everything for him, actually? Is inheriting generational wealth a flex? Does exchanging sex for favours make you a womaniser or a creepy Weinstein-esque loser? Does making money off cleaning up the very mess you caused, for Rich-White-Guy tax write-offs, count as actual philanthropy? Would an actual philanthropist list philanthropy last, of all those things on the list?)

He does appear to learn from his mistakes for a brief period...

(His Act 1 Fuck Up is usually revealed as a Plot!Coupon necessary for his Act 3 Success; the icing over of the Iron Man suit, the double-reverb attack gained from firing at Rhodey, etc.)

...But that is over-ruled at the beginning of each new Iron Man movie, when the lessons of the last one are ignored to set his personality back at 0. 🙄

In the case of the Avengers movies, though, he doesn't learn at all. Ultron tries to murder everyone, (WhatIf reveals he would have eventually destroyed the entire multiverse.) Hydra tries to enact Project Insight A.I. to kill millions...

And yet years later Tony is still claiming those two as morally correct successes, flawed only because they were made to fail (not because they were horrible fascist ideas to begin with), and redoing Insight as EDITH only giving it to a disastrous teenage boy. 🤦‍♀️

Peggy, however, is pathologically incapable of learning from mistakes, because that first requires you to acknowledge that you are capable of making mistakes, which is inconceivable to her.

She has herself up on a high pedestal, as the pinnacle of womanhood around which the world and all other women (surely?!) revolve, and cannot be knocked off its axis.

The closest she has ever come to an accurate self-assessment was when Edwin Jarvis called her arrogant and ignorant and she flippantly pretended to agree. (Inadvertently proving him right).

Tony is possibly redeemable because he at least has sensible people around him, telling him he's a fucking idiot.

He does occasionally make the obeisance of saying 'my bad,' even if he doesn't fully comprehend it.

Peggy on the other hand isn't redeemable because she doesn't think she's ever done anything wrong in her life, ever. She thinks she is practically perfect in any way. Atwell thinks she's a good enough sort of woman to fix any man! Like a lot of TERFs and white feminists, she would see the mere suggestion of any wrongdoing on her part as preposterous.

#long post #antitony #antipeggy #antisteggy #cynthia glass #p*ggy meta #mcu critical #steggy is hydra trash party #meta #mcu meta #antitony...ish? #shieldra founders #toAyourQ #dat's me #hey nonny #to quote mcu-peggy in the comics -- implying she is either corrupt or incompetent is 'insane' and will get you IMMEDIATELY attacked by her #unrelated factor: both RDJ and atwell are essentially playing themselves which is why their characters read as fresh and charismatic #but while RDJ has great acting talent on top of that to lend tony's less-RDJ-ish emotional scenes heft and verisimilitude... #atwell is not so talented (reminding me of Jennifer Saunders parodying bad actresses in French & Saunders comedy show) #and so isn't as natural in those moments as she is when peggy is being eg. violent/bossy/white-feminist/condescending etc. #my meta

[starksvinyls]

Title: Daddy's Big Boy Rating: Mature Pairing: Peter Parker/Tony Stark Tags/Warnings: Parent/Child Incest, Age Play, Sexual Age Play, Established Relationship Summary: Tony finds his son playing with action figures. Notes: for @ageplay-may and the Spice prompt for day 11: "incest". also thank you to @starkly for the prompt idea ♡ AO3 Link

“Hey, Pete-” 

Tony stopped in his tracks in his son’s doorway. Peter was sitting on the floor, legs crossed and several multicolored Lego buildings set up and action figures of all the Avengers stationed around the “buildings”. Peter was holding an Iron Man action figure, arm raised, like Iron Man was mid-flight. What really gave Tony pause, though, was the pacifier in Peter’s mouth. 

Peter was frozen, staring at his dad with wide eyes. He finally lept in to action, spiting the pacifier out and scrambling to stand. He rushed over to his dad and began trying to block the view into his room. 

“Dad, hey. What, uhm, what are you doing here?” 

“I live here.” 

“Right. Uhm. Wh-what did you need?” 

“I came to see what you wanted for dinner, but…was that a pacifier?” Tony questioned, not able to just let it go. That had never been one of his stronger abilities. 

“I. No. What?” Peter looked panicked. 

Tony took pity. “Kid, I know what I saw. What’s up, huh?” 

Peter’s shoulders sagged has he sighed. He stepped over to his bed and sat down on the edge. “Yeah, it was a pacifier.” 

Tony could see it still laying on the floor, half hidden by one of the Lego buildings, as he walked over to sit next to his son. “And action figures.” 

“And action figures,” Peter looked down at his hands. “I, uhm, sometimes I like to act little.” 

Tony could hear it in his son’s voice, how hard that had been for him to admit. He waited a second more, in case Peter wanted to say anything else, but it seemed like that was all he was going to contribute. 

“You mean like age regression?” Tony asked. “I have the internet, Pete, I know what stuff is.” He added, laughing, as Peter’s head came up to stare at him, eyebrows furrowed. 

Finally, Peter nodded. 

“Okay, and why did you think you had to hide that, bud?” 

Peter sighed again. “I felt like it took so long for you to notice me, to touch me, and I know now why you had wanted to wait until I was older and more sure, but I was scared that if you knew about this you would take it back.” He admitted. “I was scared that maybe you would think I wasn’t mature enough to do the stuff we do.” 

Reaching for his son, Tony gently pulled until Peter got the idea and climbed into his dad’s lap, straddling his thighs so they were face to face. There was a light pink hue over Peter’s cheeks and Tony leaned forward to press a soft kiss to Peter’s lips. 

“Honey, I know age regressing doesn’t have anything to do with your maturity level as a big boy.” That made Peter blush harder and Tony chuckled. “Do you like it when I call you a big boy?” 

Peter hesitated and then nodded. 

“Daddy had always taken care of you, right?” A nod. “Daddy loves taking care of you, and I have no problem doing it again if you want that, okay?” Another nod. “Use your words, please.” 

“Okay,” Peter whispered. “Uhm, Daddy? Can we have grown up fun even when I’m not a big boy?” He was nervously playing with the hem of Tony’s t-shirt. 

That was almost enough to make Tony instantly hard in his jeans. Fuck. His boy certainly knew just the right buttons to push. “You wanna be Daddy’s good boy?” He husked. 

Peter bit his lip and nodded, looking at his dad through his long lashes. Tony growled and turned to throw Peter down across his bed. The boy made an oof sound, and then giggled as he bounced on the mattress. 

#agepl4y may 2023 #starker #starker fic #*ageplay #starksvinyls fic

[xx-narcissa]

Friend of a Friend II

warnings: horrible aunt, mental breakdowns

a/n: i’ll most likely make a part 3 if y’all are still interested in this series <3 let me know how you like this part

Tony Stark x mixed!daughter!reader, Peter Parker x mixed!reader

summary: Years after the death of your mother, you finally come face to face with the truth.

masterlist

part 1 part 3

(not my gif)

“Are you sure? Like really really sure?” Peter asked, not understanding what he was hearing. “You mean Tony…our boss…Iron Man? Is your dad?”

“I’m sure but I’m not really really sure. Talia’s defensiveness basically confirmed it for me.”

“Well whatever happens, you can stay here as long as you need to. May won’t mind, she’s basically already unofficially adopted you. Just not in a weird adopted cousins dating each other kind of way. Well would that be weird because technically-”

You cut his sentence off with a kiss, “I really appreciate it, but shut up. I don’t want to hear about your adoptcest theories. But what about Talia? She’s gonna probably start freaking out soon.” After a second you burst out into angry laughter. “Who am I kidding? She’s probably ecstatic that I’m finally gone!”

The laughter soon turned into sobbing. “It’s okay. Let it all out.” Peter consoled as he pulled you in closer to him. “Trust me, as shitty as she is, I know she’s worried sick. She still loves you even if she’s really bad at showing it. How could anyone not love you?”

“Do you?”

You and Peter hadn’t gotten to that point yet despite being together for a little under a year. As soon as the question came out of your mouth you regretted it and expected him to hesitate or change the subject, but he said his answer more confidently than he’d ever spoken before.

“Of course I do. I always have and I always will love you. So I’m going to help you with this and stand by whatever decision you make. If you want to tell him I’ll support you and if you want to beat the crap out of Talia for what she said then I’ll support you with that too. But I won’t help because it’d be an unfair fight. I mean, I’m Spider-man…soooo.”

As always, he never failed to make you laugh, even in the most horrible situations. “Shut up, you’re dumb.”

It was quiet for a minute, you two just enjoying each other’s company. Until Peter ruined the comfortable silence. “I don’t think May’s gonna let us sleep on the same bed, so I call top bunk.”

-=-

Despite the situation, you still had to go back to work if you wanted to keep the internship. Although it’d be awkward considering you ran out yesterday. But you’d simply avoid questions and avoid Tony. Which will be a little more than difficult considering he’s your whole boss.

“There you are, kid. What happened yesterday? Your little boyfriend here was worrying me to death about you.”

Of course. It hasn’t even been five minutes and Tony has already spotted you. Good thing Peter was still with you but he’d be no help. Not only was he nervous around Tony anyways, but he always became a blushing mess when anyone referred to him as your boyfriend.

You came up with a quick excuse hoping Tony would get off your case. “I’m on my period. It’s just I get these horrible excruciatingly painful cramps that come out of nowhere and so I had to run home to get medicine. So…yeah.”

“Why didn’t you say something? If you want, I can keep you some medicine in my office so you won’t have to go all the way home next time.”

The one time a man isn’t grossed out with periods is the one time you actually wanted him to be. Damn it. “No, no, it’s fine. The cramps are usually just on the first day so I’m fine now!”

But that didn’t stop him from bothering you about it all day. And the worst part was it felt like more than just a boss caring for their employee, it felt like a dad caring for his daughter.

That’s obviously nonsense, though. Because you haven’t told him about your suspicions. And sure he’s a millionaire or billionaire or whatever but he’s not a mind reader. Maybe it was dad intuition, if that’s a thing.

He even hugged you! What boss hugs their employees? Well, maybe nice bosses. But still. There has to be another motivation behind his kind actions. From what you know, Tony, like all other middle aged rich white guys, is an asshole to everyone. Especially employees. Why are you different?

Unless…no. That’s just gross.

-=-

For the past week you had been staying with Peter and May. And Talia hasn’t even called or texted you not once. You’re starting to get worried but you know it’s all part of her mind games. She’s trying to get you to worry enough that you go home to check on her where she’ll be waiting to ground you for eternity.

So you stayed put. The only time you left the apartment was for work, afraid that somehow Talia would find you and make you go back home if you left the apartment. That was the main reason you never gave her Peters address, so that you’d always have a Talia-free space to be in.

Yet they always warn and say that life is ‘unfair’. That people who deserve the best still have to suffer the worst at some point. Even the good people living their oblivious lives need to get hit with the truth sometimes.

Today you were getting your dose of truth.

You were at work, following Tony around and writing down things he had to get done so that he’d have a list. Then you were going to go sort files just for fun. His phone started ringing, which wasn’t unusual. Him being Tony Stark and Iron Man and all those other important titles.

But then he turned to you and motioned for you to follow him, which you did. Maybe it was so important he was going to take you to a top secret room where you’d finally be able to see all the Avenger stuff that Peter gets to see.

Alas, he was only taking you downstairs to security. Where your insane aunt was cussing at and threatening the officers. “You better bring me to her right now! That sick man has kidnapped my niece and none of you give a fuck! You’re all disgusting pieces of shit and it’s a damn shame that you’re supposed to be protecting people. If you value your life and your job you’d tell me where the hell she is!”

Tony went over to her to try and stop the commotion so she wouldn’t disturb people trying to work. You of course followed since it was your fault she was here anyways.

“You!” Her tone was so angry and her eyes were so shifty that you couldn’t tell which one of you she was directing said anger and shiftiness towards. “First you try to take away my Isabella, then you try to take away my (Y/N)?! You’re sick. She’s been missing for a week probably because you have some sick and twisted fantasy of trying to get Isabella back. Well you can’t. Come on, (Y/N), we’re leaving and you’re grounded for at least a year.”

Talia tried to grab you and take you with her but Tony didn’t let her, instead stepping between the two of you and shielding you. “I don’t think so. You come in here and interrupt my day, which I should add is a very busy one, to yell at me like it’s my fault she’s been missing. She’s obviously safe, probably safer where she is now than she was with you. I remember you Talia, you were just as bitter back then.

You hated me for loving Isabella because you loved her too but were too much of a coward to say anything. It’s not my fault I was there for her whenever you were off with some fling to take your mind off of her. And let me guess, you still didn’t get the girl because otherwise this would be your daughter, not your niece, that you’d treat with dignity and respect like a mother should. Please, you’re pathetic.”

From the look on Talia’s face you could tell she was ready to pounce and tackle him to the floor, then beat him bloody until the entire security department would have to come down to rip her off of him. But for once, she used her words.

“Anthony Stark, I’ll have you know that I’m not a coward. After your dumbass knocked her up I told her I’d runaway with her and help her put the baby up for adoption so we could finally live the life we always wanted. But apparently the life she always wanted consisted of a child and a husband, not just a wife who would’ve done anything for her. Yet I stayed and took care of the little devil. And this is how I get repaid? For her to runaway to her no good, deadbeat father? You can keep her for all I care, I’m done.”

She began walking away, and Tony chased after her. Meanwhile, you were frozen in place. Your brain and your feet were not in agreement. Your brain wanted to beat the shit out of Talia while your feet still needed time to process it all before going anywhere.

Tony and Talia got into another small screaming match, until Talia finally left. Not before slapping him across the face though.

After a minute had gone by since she stormed out, the gravity of her words finally hit you and sent you to your knees. Tony, who had been standing still and also trying to process this, immediately ran to your aid.

You flinched as soon as he touched you and ran out the same door that Talia did. Only you went the opposite way, heading for May’s apartment instead.

As soon as you were outside the door and about to knock, you felt as though you had exhausted her enough for the past week, and decided against bothering her anymore.

-=-

“What do you mean she’s not here? I already checked Talia’s house and she’s not there. And I know she didn’t go back to work because Tony would’ve called me!”

“I’m sorry, Peter. The last time I saw her was when you two left for work this morning.” May said quietly.

Peter began pacing back and forth and talking to himself. He had no idea what he was going to do. At this point you had been gone for an hour and could just about anywhere in New York.

He had to come up with a plan. There were a bunch of places you could be hiding, and knowing you, you’d pick the most complicated.

“She’s not with you, is she? I don’t even think she has your address but she could find a way if she wanted to.” He asked Ned over the phone while roaming the streets searching for any sign of you.

“No, I haven’t seen her. I’d come help you look if I wasn’t being basically forced to do the dishes right now. I’m probably not supposed to be on the phone right now.”

Before Peter could respond, he heard a door being thrown open and yelling coming from the phone, then Ned quickly hanging up. So he was going to be no help.

Peter was quickly exhausting his options. It’s not like he could think of any special place you two had that you could access without him bringing you up there. All those places were too high up.

The only place on the ground that Peter could think of…would be that overgrown playground in the park. He remembers when you first encountered it you were obsessed with watching the bugs and small animals interacting with it as if it had returned itself to nature.

As suspected, there you were, watching a lizard running up and down the moss and weed covered slide.

“I named it Georgie. I love Georgie.”

You said quietly when he sat down next to you. Peter wrapped his arms around you and pulled you in close to his chest, allowing you to hear his steady heart rate. He had calmed down now that he knew you were safe and alive.

He heard you sniffle a little and assumed you’d been crying this whole time, which was true. “She called Tony my deadbeat dad and said she was done with me. Now what? I can’t stay with you and May forever. You guys would get tired of me eventually. So am I just supposed to accept the fact he’s my dad? I’ve only known him for a few weeks and even then I’ve only known him as my boss. What if he wants nothing to do with me either?”

“For one, that’s not true. We could never get tired of you. Sure you kick in your sleep and you always eat all my apples but you’re like family to us. Family is bound to get on each other’s nerves sometimes.” Peter explained before continuing, “And I promise you, Mr. Stark wouldn’t just throw you out like that. I think he’ll take you in and let you stay with him. If not you’re always welcome with us. I promise.”

-=-

The next day you returned to work to speak with Tony. You had planned on avoiding this conversation for as long as possible but the truth got out and now it’s time to face it.

When you got to his office you contemplated just turning around and going back to May’s apartment to sleep your problems away. Just as you were about to put your plan into motion, someone came out of his office and greeted you, alerting Tony that you were there.

“(Y/N), let’s talk.”

tags:

@alohastitch0626 @breadglasses

#marvel #tony stark x daughter!reader #tony stark x reader #peter parker x reader #tom!peter parker #avengers x reader #xxnarcissa

[quietlyimplode]

leave everything but your bones behind

Whumptober 2022: day 24 - blood covered hands

Warnings: blood ig

Word Count: 1k (gif not mine)

Summary: Natasha becomes unwell and only the Red Room can fix her. The choice is die or go back to the very place that made her.

A/N: I always forget how hard whumptober is. But for everyone that supports this and comments you make it that much easier, so thank you. Almost there.

Main Masterlist

Whumptober Masterlist

——-

She doesn’t move.

He’s reminded of the time in the vent when they thought they had killed Dreykov the first time, when they killed his daughter.

This is not like that.

His body is still and face down as she moves to it, kicking it viciously.

Blood trickles to where Clint stands as she starts to punch him, anger, grief and pain in all her actions as animalistic sounds come from her body.

He’s torn between letting her go and getting help, and in the end, she stops herself turning to look for Jace who is still unconscious.

She’s covered in blood.

Her arm hangs loosely by her body, and he knows it’s broken.

Blood on her face.

She looks feral.

“She’s coming with us.”

Clint nods, picking up Jace as the other three widows, one dead; two alive lie nearby.

“And them?”

Natasha shrugs.

“I don’t know.”

Glassy eyes stare at Dreykov’s body as she starts in on him again, kicking him in the head.

This time, he does pull her away, standing between her and the body.

“We need to go now,” he tells her, Jace still in his arms.

There’s an initial hesitance, but then a nod as she looks around, picking up the guns and widow bites.

“Tell Tony to send Shield?” she suggests.

It tells him she does not want the others involvement, keep it in the family.

She looks to Jace.

“I want her to have the option. She can stay, be debriefed, but she can leave too. I want her to be free,” she swallows looking to Clint.

“I want her to have the choice.”

Clint understands the decision. Being on the side of the American government is not for everyone.

It’s likely the two girls will be debriefed and kept in holding for years, until they can figure out what to do with them.

It’s also likely, given Jace’s history that they would never let her go.

They walk to the car Clint arrived in, covered by darkness, even though he can see the peak of sunrise on the horizon.

He feels light headed but pushes it back, pushing through the intensity of a headache.

She sits in the back with her friend, head positioned gently in her lap.

Clint puts his hands on the steering wheel, knuckles bruised, hands bloody.

In the safety of the car, he feels he can finally breathe.

They’ve been gone less than twenty four hours but it feels like a lifetime.

“Do you want to go back to the tower?” he asks her, licking his split lip.

Natasha nods, eyes still glazed.

“I think,” she pauses, “I think we might need some help.”

.

Jarvis alerts Tony as soon as Clint leaves, Tony hopes he’s doing the right thing in leaving them to deal with it.

He heads down to the workshop and sighs.

He should be helping them, but Iron Man would just draw more attention.

If Ross is involved, then he doesn’t want to be drawn into the political drama.

If Clint and Natasha can handle it, then it’s Shield’s problem, and likely that would work out better for all of them.

He loses time fixing his armor, Natasha’s nanobites giving him an idea around how to make his armor appear and swarm rather than for it to be metal, but the components proving too complex to manipulate until he understands them better.

Jarvis tells him that Natasha and Clint have returned, and he glances at the time, 5am is ridiculous.

He should have gone to bed.

“They have another person with them, and they should all go to medical,” Jarvis continues to inform him.

Tony sighs, picks up his tablet and heads for Medical which is where he is sure Clint would be dragging Natasha.

The reality is a bit different.

The woman Clint carries is dressed in the widow’s outfit, she doesn’t look injured, just unconscious, but they treat her as fragile.

Clint’s face is bruised, swollen and cut. His clothing looks slightly damp.

Tony wants to ask what happened.

“Do we have a space where she’ll be secure, but doesn’t have to be handcuffed?” Natasha asks from the corner.

She holds a washcloth, wiping her face smudging blood away from a still weeping wound. Tony notices she favours one arm.

“Uhh,” Tony nods and frowns, “- she can go into the basement holding cells? They’re decked out for um, I’m sorry, who is she? What happened?”

Clint washes his hands and then sits heavily on the bed. He has gauze in his hands and starts to wrap his hands neatly, focusing on splinting two fingers.

“She’s someone we need to protect,” Natasha says curtly. “For now at least.”

She spits into the sink, and Tony notices how bruised her face is too.

Tony sighs.

“I’ll take her down, whilst you… clean yourselves up,” he offers.

Waiting until Natasha nods, he picks up the girl and leaves them to it, watching as Clint approaches Natasha tucking stray hairs away from her face.

.

Jace awakens in a clear glass room, the bed neatly made, a bathroom and sink to her left.

Fear encompasses her. She remembers being choked, passing out. She remembers Dreykov dead.

Happiness bubbles inside her at the thought.

She’s free.

Her reflection stares back at her as she touches the glass.

Dread settling in.

She’s free.

#whumptober2022 #no.24 #blood covered hands #blood #marvel fic #natasha romanoff #clintasha #black widow #clint barton #my fic #hawkeye #natasha romanoff fic #tony stark #clintasha fanfiction #avengers fanfic #drekyov is dead #whump fic

[chokemewanda]

All Too Well

Bucky Barnes x f!reader

Masterlist

Part One / Part Three

Warnings: Spider-Man nwh spoilers, slight Dr Strange MoM spoilers, angst, pining

Peter paused in the doorway of his small apartment, backpack swinging off one shoulder. He knew it was you, knew from the back of your head. He didn’t need to see anything else to know.

What he didn’t know was how you found him, how you even knew to find him. You shouldn’t remember. You should have forgotten just like everyone else. He hesitated before shutting the door. You turned to look at him with a gentle smile. That same smile you always gave him. You had worried about him constantly, always afraid he’d been too young for the world he had been thrust into.

“Hey Spidey.” He dropped his backpack when you stood, making your way around the sofa to stand a few steps away. He was still afraid this was a trick, a delusion caused by his loneliness. “Pretty hard to track down.”

“Is that so?” He asked, his voice cracking with emotion. You opened your arms and he rocketed into them, hugging you tight enough that it would’ve hurt a normal person. You just held him. “How?”

“I’m not sure.” You told him honestly, rubbing his back soothingly. “I’m so sorry about May.”

It was all it took for Peter to let go. He sobbed against you and you held him through it all. You only moved to the sofa, urging him to sit and then holding him again. When he finally composed himself he pulled away, wiping under his eyes. “Everyone else forgot.”

“I know. I was so worried. I asked James to look after you. Check in and make sure you were doing okay. When I finally met up with him he didn’t know you.” You explained, pushing Peter’s hair back off his forehead. “I thought he was forgetting again.”

“Everyone had to forget. It was the only way.” Peter explained and your eyes narrowed. You wiped his tears, cupping his face in a way that reminded him of May.

“Sounds like Dr. Strange got involved there.” You spoke and Peter laughed because even without knowing you always knew. “You’ve been alone all this time?”

“There was no other way.” He explained and you nodded, hugging him tightly again. You rocked slowly from side to side and sighed against his hair.

“Has this got something to do with the Multi-verse?” You asked and he pulled away before laughing quietly again. You always knew.

“Yeah. Everything really.” He shrugged. “We made a mistake and the only way to fix it was for people to forget me. How did you know?”

“I met a guy. He was you except not really.” You explained and Peter nodded, wiping his eyes as he took deep breaths.

“Youth pastor or himbo?” Peter asked and you laughed at his very appropriate description.

“Youth pastor I imagine. He didn’t need the shooters. Made the webs himself.” You told him and Peter longed for his brothers. His smile fell again.

“Yeah, he was here for a little while. So was another Spiderman. Brought their villains too.” Peter explained. “One of them killed May.”

“I’m so sorry Peter.” You sighed heavily, taking his hand in yours. “You’ve been through so much and you did it all alone.”

“It’s been so hard.” He whispered quietly and you could feel your heart shatter. He pulled himself together, you could see him doing it. “How did you meet the other Peter?”

“I was exploring. I met the Illumanti too.” His shock made you smile. “Not as fun as I imagined.”

“Was Beyoncé there? Or Elon Musk?” He asked and you laughed, shaking your head. “Kanye West was though, right?”

“It wasn’t like our world’s conspiracies. It was a gathering of Superheroes.” You explained. “Dr. Strange founded them although he gave his life to defeat Thanos.”

“Not Tony?” Peter asked and you shook your head sadly. In that universe Tony had never been abducted and so had never moved on from making weapons or becoming Iron Man. He had been frighteningly like his father. “Who was there?”

“Captain Carter. Peggy took Steve’s mantle in that universe. Captain Marvel although it wasn’t Carol but her friend Maria. Professor X, Mr Fantastic and Black Bolt.” You explained each of them in turn, filling Peter’s need for knowledge. The book for his GED hadn’t escaped you and you imagined it was hard to get a degree when your school forgot you existed.

“You told Sergeant Barnes and Sam about me?” Peter asked and you shrugged. You hadn’t explained per say but you had definitely brought him up.

“I didn’t tell them anything about you. I just wanted to know if you were okay and they didn’t know what I was talking about.” You shrugged and Peter nodded. “You don’t want them to know?”

“I don’t think it’s a good idea. Because of what happened last time.” He explained and you pursed your lips. “I don’t want you to have to keep secrets from Sergeant Barnes.”

“You can call him Bucky, you know.” You told him with a laugh. You stood for the sofa and moved to his kitchen area, frowning at the poor choice of food on offer. “You should eat better.”

“You don’t call him Bucky.” Peter evaded your berating. “You never have.”

“We have a long history. I knew him before he was in the army.” You told Peter who didn’t even look surprised. He knew you had been around for quite some time now. “We should go out and eat.”

///

Finding you again in another hole in the wall didn’t surprise Bucky. Finding you sitting with some kid, his hand held in yours did. He was eating with one hand like he’d never see food again while you talked to him quietly, asking him questions about how he’d been.

Bucky stopped in the doorway, watching you both carefully as you pushed his hair back before returning to holding his hand. Bucky couldn’t be sure but the kid looked barely eighteen.

When you looked up you caught his eye and smiled before saying something to the kid making him look up too. He finished his food in a rush, brushing a kiss across your cheek as he left.

He squeezed by Bucky in the door as you tidied his plates into a neat little stack and pushed them away to make room for Bucky. He took the space.

“That Peter?” He asked and you shrugged, shaking your head. “You find him?”

“Not yet.” You told him. Bucky looked you over again, watching the lies weigh you down. He let them go. Just as he always had. You never told him the truth, not really.

“Sam’s sister had been sorry to miss you.” Bucky told you instead and you smiled softly. You had been looking forward to meeting Sarah but Peter had needed you more.

“I guess I’ll have to go back and see her then.” You shrugged. Bucky sat back when a waitress approached, placing a coffee and a sandwich in front of Bucky. He didn’t ask, just sipped the coffee carefully. “How was the rest of your trip?”

“Quiet.” He offered before lifting the sandwich. “My favorite way to have things.”

“It’s rare. The quiet.” Bucky looked you over as he ate, answering your questions mindlessly. You were tired, he could tell. You didn’t get tired often.

“You staying with me?” He asked and you shrugged. “You got anywhere else?”

“My friend from earlier has a lumpy couch.” You told him and he shrugged again. “Yours is much more comfortable.”

“Like I’d let you sleep on the couch.” Bucky grunted. He finished his sandwich and sat back, sipping his coffee. He didn’t mention that he had never invited you to his apartment before. He knew you had found it in your search for him when you got back.

“Always the gentleman, James.” You cooed and he rolled his eyes. You had uttered the same words more times than he had count over the decades. You had always shown up in places you shouldn’t have been.

///

“Sleeping on the floor?” You asked and he shrugged. You observed the small nest with interested eyes. “Every night?”

“No.” He didn’t elaborate but you didn’t need him to. The nightmares were better but never gone. You knew that all too well. He led you to his bedroom and searched through his chest of drawers until he found a red Henley and a pair of sleep pants for you. “I’ll be in the kitchen.”

You changed and found him again, he had gotten changed too. His nest had moved to the sofa and you almost laughed. “You not gonna share with me soldier?”

“We still conserving body heat?” He asked, a wry smile on his lips. You shrugged and he only rolled his eyes. “Been a long time.”

“Not that long.” Bucky supposed that for you it hadn’t been. You had been busy since the night before you left. Bucky had too much time to think about it.

He found himself back in that same position of holding you close while his heart tried to put some distance between you both. It was unfair of you to show up and demand things stay the same no matter how much time passed between you both.

It didn’t mean he would refuse you. No, he thought as his arms tightened around you in your sleep, it wouldn’t change a damn thing.

#bucky barnes #mcu #marvel #marvel cinematic universe #bucky barnes imagine #bucky barnes blurb #peter parker #bucky barnes fic #Bucky Barnes x you #bucky barnes x f!reader #bucky barnes x fem!reader #Bucky Barnes x reader #bucky barnes x y/n #spiderman no way home spoilers #spiderman no way home #spiderman nwh #nwh spoilers #dr strange mom #dr strange mom spoilers #multiverse of madness spoilers

[blushstories]

the new york mistake - steve rogers (2.)

summary: tony is intelligent, bucky's argument is a mystery, steve might be your only option

You wanted to be friendly and familiar, but the probability of acting out of character was too high, and you couldn’t risk being discovered before you knew what happened yourself. Acting too familiar was far more dangerous than acting more reserved.

warnings: anxiety attack/panic attack description, why is tony always an ass in my fics next time he’ll be nice i promise, hurt/comfort due to a bit of angst, reverse french mistake so not actually rpf! a lot of y/n, sorry!! f!reader, kinda deus ex machina but hey i like it sometimes, minimal swearing, because I didn't think the first part through (see: crack fic) im making this plot up as I go so please be kind <3

word count: 3.2k

the hub | steve rogers masterlist | part 1

Steve left the bedroom before you. Steve Rogers. Steven Grant Rogers. Your boyfriend, Captain America. You had to assume you were in a relationship, given the way the atmosphere of the room transformed completely upon Steve’s departure. As if he was taking the sunshine with him, the room seemed to darken and grow colder, the silence seeped into every crack in the floor and every fibre of your clothes. It was a familiar outfit to you, something you had been relieved to see hanging from the rail in the wardrobe, suggesting that maybe alternative you wasn’t so different after all. Maybe you weren’t such a stranger to the man with love in his eyes and a voice drenched in honey. 

 A chill swept through your bones, and you swallowed around the knot of anxiety tangled in your throat. Breakfast. With everyone. The doorknob was icy under your touch, the creak of the hinges deafening as you emerged from the bedroom to face an unexpected challenge: navigation. It wasn’t like there were signs hanging from the ceiling that directed you through the colossal maze of hallways that you found yourself in. You figured that this must be the Avengers Compound, as one of the floor-length windows framed a well-kept lawn that pushed on for a few miles; there was no room in New York City for a place like this.

Your nerves were soothed by the cheerful voices echoing from somewhere straight ahead of you, urging you to follow the sound like a sailor to a siren. As the voices grew louder, so did the hammering of your heart. You could differentiate the laughter now, two women, a few more men. You weren’t sure what you were going to face when you arrived, though - what was it Steve said? Bucky had upset you. Was it a fight, or a disagreement? Should you act as if nothing happened or as if you were still chewing on it? You wished you had figured something out before you turned the corner.

The moment you stepped into the kitchen, the upbeat voices died down. Their clothing made it easier for you to separate them from the actors you knew in the real world; Scarlett Johannson would never walk around in skin-tight tactical gear, hadn’t Elizabeth Olsen just cut her hair? And Sebastian Stan does not actually have a vibranium arm; Steve had just stepped away from him, moving to stand around the island closer to you, opposite…Tony.

The man in question, Bucky, seemed hesitant to even look at you. Whether guilt or a grudge, it was hard to say, as he leaned over the kitchen island with crossed arms resting on the surface. It was as if he was afraid to poke the proverbial bear.

It didn’t bother you much, though. Confrontation was the last type of communication that you sought out, so if you could avoid the uncomfortable conversation - that you had no context for - you would. You just hoped that it was the right decision, and the argument wasn’t detrimental to whatever relationship the both of you had.

You joined Steve at the island and diverted your gaze from Bucky, suddenly aware that it could make him uncomfortable. In return, you met Iron Man’s unforgiving countenance.

Tony’s stare was sharp, piercing through your stomach, even when you smiled politely at him. His eyes scanned your face, your clothes, and rested on the way you were holding the mug that Steve had just passed you. It was full of contempt, eyes narrowing when they finally met yours. You swallowed, heart picking up its pace.

Nearby conversations floated past your ears, and you looked down to your mug, a coffee-tinted reflection staring back at you while you tried to put any pieces together of why you were here. Then, you could look for a way out. But so far all you had found were fragments, splintered carelessly from whatever story was unfolding.

If your counterpart in this universe was witty and sarcastic, paired with your heart palpitations, the others would know you’re a fraud immediately. It didn’t help that you hadn’t even greeted anyone since you entered, too wrapped up in your own thoughts.

“Y/N?” Your heart skipped a beat when Tony’s voice sliced through the mist that clouded your mind. He was looking at you strangely; it was intimidating, leaving you to wonder whether you had upset him, too. Your palms were clammy around your mug. 

“What, sorry?” You said as sweetly as you could. 

“The mission today. Did you get the files for it?”

Obviously not. But maybe alternate you did. You hoped she did. 

“Of course, yeah.”

“Great. Bring ‘em by my office when you finish up here.” With that, Tony gently slapped the counter in front of him, turned, dropped his mug in the sink and left, his footsteps echoing down the hall. 

You made a mental note of the direction of his office. 

Lips brushed against the shell of your ear. “You okay?” Steve asked. His shoulder against yours. You took a sip of the bitter beverage and nodded with a hum. “Is he alright?” You said, referring to Tony. Steve’s shoulder rose and fell just as quickly. “Hard to say. Today’s mission has high stakes, I don’t blame him for worrying.” You nodded. Another sip. Look away to exit the conversation. Lock eyes with Nat. She smiled warmly, sliding off her stool to avoid a raised voice inside. When she asked you about your knee injury, you almost bluescreened. It’s great actually, you said, impressed with ‘how fast it healed.’ For half a second her eyes narrowed in suspicion, but with your bright expression and clearly no trouble leaning on it, she resigned to labelling it as a lucky injury that seemed worse than it was. She left promptly after, wishing you both well and leaving a final remark:

“Don’t forget Stark’s files.”

Shit. Right. Where would those files be? Did you have an office? Maybe it’s in your bedroom? It wouldn’t be long before Tony set out to find you instead of the other way around, and your blood was already thick with panic. With a swift goodbye and a kiss on Steve’s cheek that you hoped didn’t look as awkward as it felt, you retraced your steps back to your bedroom. Standing in the middle of the room, you scanned every possible place to put something and asked yourself, ‘where would I put a classified file overnight?’

It wasn’t in your bedside table. It wasn’t under your bed either.

Where would you hide something that might need to be grabbed quickly? 

You pulled your pillows aside and almost fell to the floor in relief. There, in mint condition, was a light brown file with the Avengers logo stamped on it. 

With the file in hand, you approached Tony’s office cautiously. The sharpness in his gaze this morning hadn’t left your mind, leaving you to grapple with fifty different scenarios of how to enter the room. You took two steps forward, but quickly retreated to a safe distance, heart pounding. This is stupid. You must have had some relationship with Tony, knocking on the door isn’t hard. Another step forward, fingertips brushed the handle but pulled away with a sharp thump in your chest. Come on. It’ll be fine. You’ve knocked on a door before. You wrote a script in your head, stood in front of the sleek black door, and knocked lightly three times. 

“Come in!” 

Tony wheeled his chair slightly away from the computer to his left, allowing him to centre himself in the middle of his desk, hands clasped together in front of him. 

“Shut the door.”

It clicked behind you. You swallowed thickly, consciously preventing your breaths from becoming shallow. His voice was steely, slicing away any calmness that you wrapped around yourself. He beckoned you forwards with one hand, and transitioned to reaching out for the documents in your hand as you closed the distance between you. You wanted to ask him how he was. You wanted to be friendly and familiar, but the probability of acting out of character was too high, and you couldn’t risk being discovered before you knew what happened yourself. Acting too familiar was far more dangerous than acting more reserved.

Tony flicked through each page, eyes scanning the information rapidly. Laying flat on his desk, the documents spilled out over the space. The silence was suffocating, and with every second that passed, you wished to disappear. Instead, you averted your eyes and began looking around the room. He had a strange looking decoration on his desk, engineered with perfect physics to continue rotating forever. The view beyond his window made your knees weak with vertigo despite being a healthy six metres away from it. The grey/black colour scheme worked well in his office, which was surrounded by glass panels in place of some walls.

“Y/N? Did you hear me?” Shit. Your eyes flew to his. “Sorry, what was that?” His lips pressed into a thin line for a second. “I said, are you ready for the mission today?” “Yeah. I have a feeling it’s gonna go well,” You said, squeezing your hands together behind your back. “Are you sure? You seem nervous.” He leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms in front of his chest. His head tilted to the side, as if he was curious to hear your response but at the same time was challenging you to lie. “I’m sure. I just didn’t sleep well last night,” You tried. The tension in your shoulders stung – you could feel the bubbles of stress growing between the muscles by the second. “Is the file okay?” In other words, Can I leave now? “The file’s perfect. I have just one question before you go…” You nodded, holding your breath.

“...who the hell are you?” His voice was drenched with malice, as if you had broken into the compound and killed his dog. 

“What? You know who I am.” You took a step back, injected with a sudden dose of adrenaline.

“I thought I did. But I knew from the second you walked in this morning that you are not the same woman as her,” he pointed to a picture frame on his desk which was angled towards him. In it, you had your arms around his and Steve’s waists, with Bucky on Steve’s side and Natasha on Tony’s. Your smiles were blinding as you stood underneath an orange tree, presumably on holiday. The lack of familiarity with him, then, is what sold you out. Your silence only added to Tony’s suspicion. 

“I’m only going to ask one more time: who the hell are you?” Tony was standing up now, and you were sure the stern set of his brow, tense of his jaw and crease between his eyes was the last image of him that his enemies ever saw.

“I’m Y/N! You know me.”

“You look like her. You sound like her. But I am sure as shit that you’re not. What is it, fake skin? Shapeshifter-alien? Lucky dip? You’re gonna tell me who you are and what you’ve done with her. I’m gonna give you five seconds. Five.”

“I don’t know what you want me to say!”

“Four.” He stretched his arm to the side, and in the same moment the lower doors of the cabinet opened to eject red metallic pieces that fused to his arm, sliding into place with satisfying clinks. 

“Tony, I’m serious. I don’t know how-“

“Three.” The same hand reached to face you, the burning circle within the palm aimed at your chest. Your heart plummeted through the thirty odd floors beneath you, and you took another shaky step back. 

“Look, please. If I had anything to tell you, I would. I’m not going to-“ Your hands flew up as you negotiated, palms up to show you meant no harm, as if you were approaching a wild animal. 

“Two.” His palm burned impossibly brighter, and the sound of it powering up grated against your ears. Tears hit the back of your eyes, blurring your vision. 

“I’m not gonna hurt anyone! I haven’t done anything, please, wait!”

“One.”

With the sound of his suit preparing to fire came the heavy clunk of the door opening to your right, a man yelling “Tony!” and someone crashing into you. You fell to the floor, hearing an explosive whoosh followed by the shattering of glass behind you. You covered your face with your hands as a heavy arm wrapped around you, pulling you close to a large body. Holding your breath, you tried to make yourself as small as possible, only barely registering what was happening around you. The glass fell quiet within a second, as did Tony’s suit, and you looked around. One of Steve’s arms was tightly around you, and one was woven through the handles of his shield which was held securely in front of you both. 

Bucky stormed in at that second, deflecting Tony’s reactive shot with his vibranium arm: it narrowly missed Tony’s head, which was one reason why he stopped shooting. The other was Bucky shoving him back against his desk, his vibranium arm locking Tony’s wrist against the table while the other firmly pushed his chest back. Your chest heaved. Steve helped you up. 

“What the hell was that, Tony?” He yelled, grip tightening around you. You wrapped your arms around yourself and gripped tightly to your sleeves. 

“Cap, you don’t understand. She’s-“ 

“Shut it. Drop the suit.” Tony only stared at him in response. Bucky shook him by the shoulder, his expression threatening. Following an indignant sigh, Tony’s metallic forearm whirred and clicked, falling to the floor in pieces until he was completely unarmed. Only then did Bucky let him up. There was a lump sitting in your throat; you couldn’t be in the wrong, could you? Tony groaned softly as he sat up, pressing a hand to the area of his back that had been shoved against the desk. 

“What the fuck were you thinking?” Bucky seethed, his stare hard and vicious. It was then when you realised that your lungs were feeling tighter, stomach twisting over and under itself. It was difficult to catch a proper breath, and you felt the tears threatening to return. 

“First, watch your mouth. Second, that is not who you think it is.” Tony said, pointing to you. 

Both Bucky and Steve looked at you incredulously, but as soon as Steve saw the discolouration in your face, the hundred yard stare in your eyes, and the shivering in your shoulders, he softened. 

“You’re crazy, Tony. Don’t ever threaten my girlfriend again. Understand?” Steve’s tone was sharp, leaving no room for an argument. His authoritative presence filled the entire space, challenging Tony silently as they stared at each other. The tension in the room was sickening; you took a step back, sliding out of his grip before rushing out of the room. 

The bathroom, where’s the bathroom? A sign miraculously came to your rescue as you sped through the halls, furiously scrubbing the tears away from your cheeks. You didn’t care who you passed; the bubble of panic that began to inflate around you was all-consuming. Luckily, the bathroom was a single room, no stalls, so there was no risk of someone walking in on you. 

The moment the lock clicked, you collapsed against the door, releasing all the panic and anxiety that had built up during the day. Your nerves were fried, but you couldn’t stop the shakes that gripped your legs. The amount of air you were breathing decreased with every inhale, and you choked on your sobs. 

Soft knocks above your head made you bite one of the knuckles on your fingers to stifle your sounds, hoping they would go away. 

They knocked again. So softly, almost caressing the door. 

“Y/N? Sweetheart, it’s me. I need to see that you’re alright. Can you let me in?” You held your breath, stilling entirely. “If you’re injured, I need to know. I have to– please unlock the door.”

You hesitated for a few seconds, wondering if he would give up to no response. But you sensed his weight against the door. You bit your lip to release some nerves as you stood up, the tendons in the backs of your knees aching in protest. On shaky legs you reached out to the lock, turning it softly and then hugging yourself tightly. 

The door opened immediately, with a powerful force. Steve stood in the doorway, hair dishevelled and gripping the door handle until his knuckles turned white. His eyes travelled up and down your visibly shaken figure, checking for any visible injuries. When he found none, he pulled you into his arms tightly, pushing the door shut with his foot behind him, and planted a hand behind your head to erase any distance between you. He held you securely, as if you would crumble should he let up for even half a second.

His arms were warm, holding you tightly while the thump thump thump of his heartbeat consumed your hearing. The bathroom seemed to dissolve around you, peeling away from your vision as all your senses were overwhelmed by him. His woody aftershave, steady breathing, and tight grip grounded you to one place and one place only. He continued to hold you there, shifting your weights slightly from foot to foot, until he felt your shoulders sag and a deep exhale. Though still on edge, you could breathe again.

He pulled back, securing a hand around your cheek and the hinge of your jaw. His eyes searched yours intensely, flitting between them as if he were trying to recognise you.

“Did he hurt you?” He asked. You shook your head, dropping your gaze. He redirected your eyes back to his with a soft tug of his hand. “What happened?” Tears began to brew at the back of your eyes, and you fiddled with your lip. “I…” You sighed in frustration. What could you say? Do you tell him that Tony was right? Were you ready for the inevitable recoil when he figures out he’s comforting a stranger?  “He…He asked me if I was an alien,” you said. Steve scoffed.

“Why would he think that?” You shook your head. “I don’t know. I didn’t do anything, Steve. I–” You inhaled sharply. His thumb stroked against your cheek. “Did he say anything to you?” He rolled his jaw almost imperceptibly. “No. I left him with Bucky. I’m more worried about you.” His hand on your hip squeezed reassuringly. You hummed, acknowledging his concern but equally unsure. “Do you think…” You paused, looking down. He gently pushed your chin back up. “Do I think…?” He encouraged you. “Would you– Can I–” The end of your sentences dissolved on your tongue; in your mind they transformed into clouds of dust, disintegrating the moment you tried to speak them aloud. But he was patient, eyes slowly flitting from each eye, to your lips, back up again as you figured out your next words. “Do you trust me?” You said finally. His brows furrowed in concern. “Of course I do.” “I can tell you anything, right?” “Always.” “Then, I think I need you to help me.”

#steve rogers x reader #steve rogers x y/n #steve rogers x you #steve rogers imagine #steve rogers #steve rogers one shot #steve rodgers x reader #steve rodgers imagine #marvel imagine #steve rogers fanfiction #steve rodgers fluff #steve rogers x female reader

[ronearoundblindly]

The Dignity of His Choice (7)

Emblem, Part Three (see previous or series)

Summary: Lots of misunderstandings lead to a bizarre move. (Warnings for blood/blades, fear, and angst. Minors DNI.)

You floated the idea of looking for a new apartment somewhere off AvIn’s campus to your family a while ago, but now every time Ro finds a place they think you’ll like, you stall. Eventually, you tell your sibling that it’s too cold, and it’s the holidays, and you’ll wait until spring to move out. Even though you hesitate to leave, the last few weeks have proved your super-secret, deep hopes are wrong.

Steve isn’t alive. No one is playing a cruel joke on you. If Steve were alive, Tony wouldn’t have bothered to give you protection. If Steve were alive, someone would be stopping you from tarnishing his memory. Someone would have gotten upset at even the implication that you’d look at another man. No one would be letting you move on, but that’s all anyone does.

They give you space. They give you the means to leave. They give you encouraging words. They let Steve die in earnest. They don’t hold onto tragic desperation like you do—like you did.

You finished his cologne bottle while visiting your parents and felt too weird about buying another. You’re on the last drops of his aftershave now, and to conserve it, you gently rub it on your pulse points at night. You aren’t sure how you’ll sleep without either of them. By the time you do move, the cabinet will be bare of anything that reminds you of Steve Rogers’ smell, faintly, occasionally, or just in passing.

It’s been three months, and you are about to enter a calendar year where Steve will never have been alive for any part of it. That’s such a strange hurt. You wonder how many more makeshift milestones you’ll be haunted with until it all feels normal.

You stopped receiving Pepper’s food deliveries before leaving on vacation, but you did not return to regularly feeding yourself. Tonight, you have waited until a reasonable hour for everyone to be asleep to go rummage in the resident’s dinette area. There is cake left from…something. The lettering on the round has been carved up and is now indecipherable.

“Happy merry whatever,” you mutter to yourself while bringing a plate down from the cabinet.

 Just as you slide a clean knife from the block, your stomach growls, and clear as day you can hear him: I think it’s trying to tell you something.

He’s not here, but he is everywhere. Steve’s birthday in particular was its own milestone for you. Year one was cake and your first casual conversation (after your stomach refused to let you leave without an announcement of despair). Year two was his proposal, a different kind of delicious memory now. 

Absently, your thumb twiddles the ring on your finger. Will you ever take it off? It’s hardly a question because every fiber of your being says ‘no,’ but not just ‘no.’ Your mind says ‘fuck no.’ Your body says ‘you go fuck yourself, no.’ Your soul says ‘I will fuck up anyone who tries it, no.’ That makes you smile.

Steve would hate the language, but somehow you still think he’d approve of the sentiment, maybe even give your side a squeeze and your temple a kiss. He’s gentle with you even as his presence fades from your day-to-day life.

The band feels warm, but the raised stone is cool. You bring your hand up from your side, fingers lean, probably from under-eating and dehydration. You’ll need to take care of yourself better, but it’s been so hard. Your hand has aged a decade in weeks, or so it feels, and as you twist it back and forth to look, you’d swear the garnet sparkles a little less.

The door to the common area explodes open. You jump, slamming your hands over your ears. Caught on the overhang of countertop, the knife is knocked from your grasp and falls straight onto your foot. The barest of cuts grows red with a few drops of blood, and Tony Stark stands before you in the Iron Man suit, heavy metal boots clattering to the ground.

He flew here.

“What’s happened?” You yell it because your ears are still covered. “Do you need me down in the lab?”

Tony strides over and grabs your wrist without saying anything. It’s maybe one heartbeat before his helmet pops open and he gives you a casual, “nothing.”

You rip your hand away from his. You think he was examining the watch he gave you, and you’re furious if all that was his way of checking you were still wearing it.  You promised you would so you are, that’s all he should need. Now you’re suddenly concerned there’s a tracking device inside and kinda want to throw it in his face.

Tony opens the fridge and takes a green smoothie out. “False alarm,” he says with a shrug. He’s not convincing.

“Bit dramatic for a late-night snack,” you grumble, picking the knife off the floor and starting to wash it in the sink.

He rushes forward. “Allow me.”

Tony cuts you a too-small piece of cake, but you dismiss yourself to eat it in your room. You hoped to not see anyone at this late hour. You are certainly not prepared to talk to Stark. You aren’t prepared to admit you haven’t made progress with grieving.

Still hungry, you fall into a restless, dreamless sleep.

The hand clamping over your mouth is a shock to say the least. The harsh voice shushing you accompanies the cold, metal gesture.

Bucky is in your room, your bedroom, and he’s quietly demanding you get up and follow him. As terrified as you are—since you have not said more than two words to him since Steve’s funeral—you shuffle groggily behind him in the dark. He doesn’t say what’s going on. He just turns at the apartment’s front door.

“You’ll need pants.”

Right. You’re just in Steve’s shirt and underwear.

“Warm pants,” he clarifies when you make for the closet. Alpine doesn’t even lift her head off of Steve’s pillow, and since Natasha never came back to collect the cat, you wonder for a moment if Bucky is even really here. They’ve been gone so long; maybe you’re having a nightmare? You pull on pants anyway. It’s not as if pants will hurt you

When you’re back to the threshold, he hands you your coat, and repeats, “not a sound. Got it?”

So you nod, too tired to argue or fight or quip or do anything. He seems real.

Bucky traverses the most roundabout way to the jet bay you’ve ever taken. The route is ten times as long as the one elevator and two hallways it normally would. If you weren’t becoming deeply concerned as to how much danger you (or he) might be in, you would complain about how exhausted you are. He said to be quiet though, and if ever Steve drilled something into you, it’s ‘listen to Buck.’

Even though you technically didn’t listen when Bucky said he was sorry or even really listen when he said Steve was dead. Well, you can do as Bucky says, but you don’t have to believe him. That works. That fulfills your promise to Steve. You are still angry, but you can continue to hate Bucky after whatever crisis this is ends.

For fifteen minutes he has you stand in the corner of a stairwell waiting for a guard’s shift change, and then you are bolting to an open cargo door. Bucky holds his ear for another moment before pressing the button to seal the hatch. You realize only when he’s in the cockpit with a woman’s voice saying just two words of ‘you’re clear’ that he was timing the noise and takeoff.

That was Natasha’s voice. This is unauthorized, all of it, and now you’re fucking scared. You don’t know where to start your questions. Before you can, however, Bucky swivels the pilot chair around and tells you to sit down. It will be a while.

The most you can muster is asking if you need to prepare equipment or lab gear for when you land. You think it’s possible you are needed for some top-secret mission, and Dr. Banner wasn’t available. If for some reason you were requested instead of the appropriate scientist, simply for your relationship with the team, that would warrant a stealthy exit, forgoing permission, and asking forgiveness later. Your thoughts default to work, and work alone, so easily these days because work is all you have, all the structure you have left in life.

Bucky says no. There’s no need for you to do anything. He tosses you a second coat, a huge downy thing, so you tuck it beneath your head as a pillow and fall asleep.

He did not give you the coat for resting. It’s freezing in the jet when you wake up as the vessel decelerates. It’s still pitch black outside.

You check your “Sketch and Keeper” watch but realize that you never looked to see what time it was when you were woken the first time. That’s plain unhelpful. You fight the urge to whine again.

The watch says 3:10am.

You should have eaten more cake. There better be a fucking bed wherever he’s taking you. There are all sorts of stories of hidden S.H.I.E.L.D bunkers or converted Hydra facilities kept out of official records. Whatever reason Bucky would have for relocating you (and himself) can wait for an explanation, even though you are less tired and more curious than before.

When the jet lands, it’s still too dark to see the terrain. Bucky has his finger on the door release again before he looks down at your slip-on shoes and curses.

“What the hell,” he mutters, rummaging through several lockers before dropping a pair of boots onto the grating in front of you. He tosses socks over, too. Bucky, adjusting his own thick but less bulky jacket, makes it very clear that your silence should continue once he opens the door.

Forest. Sad forest, not very dense. And snow. Thick, hard snow. It’s difficult to walk on because your feet puncture a crust which you must then vertically maneuver out of before stepping forward again. You’re not sure what the point of not speaking is; the crunching beneath your feet is so loud.

It’s slow going, but after clearing the landing site, Bucky takes pity and offers you his arm to balance with. The slope of the earth increases dramatically within the skinny trees. You blink a lot, searching for a facility or something to show you the remaining distance you have to travel. You blink more because the cold air is so dry and stings your eyes. Everything is uncomfortable and you feel less than useless. 

Why the hell would Bucky bother with you right now? You can’t be of any help out here? You have no supplies. You didn’t even have proper clothing. He’s patient but not pleased, and even with your lingering anger, you don’t want to make life harder for Bucky.

You are trying, you really are, but it is difficult to coordinate your movements without talking to him. The second coat is long and makes bending your knees and spreading your legs difficult. The socks are too loose to help much. You stare down at your feet in floppy, large boots, and—

How did you miss it?

Tan boots with dark brown laces.

You freeze. Your hand drops from Bucky’s arm. You can’t stop yourself.

“Did you give me his boots?” It’s not loud, but it is harsh and biting in the silence.

Bucky moves to cover your mouth, and the force of his gloved hand suctioning to your lips lifts your eye line. That’s when you see it: a tiny (and you mean tiny) cabin, barely visible in the moonlight. 

Bucky’s face is too dark for you to see any specific expression, but he suddenly uncovers your mouth and pulls your head down. He moves so fast. He jumps to the other side of you. You hiss at the twinge in your neck.

What the hell is going on? Why are you here? Too many questions flood you to form real words. You don’t know what you’re supposed to be doing.

It’s like your brain plays tricks on you because you actually hear the question, too.

“Why are you here? Why did you bring her?”

A man’s voice.

It’s not in your head.

It’s not a memory. It’s…it can’t be. That’s not possible.

And then, like he’s simply ripping thoughts straight out of your brain, Steve says, “is it over?”

(Next Part)

\o/ Thanks to everyone who hung in there. It's about to get interesting... And let me know if you'd like to be added to or removed from the taglist.

@im-a-slut-for-fluff @whiskeytangofoxtrot555 @fangirl-swagg @georgeweaslysgirl

dividers by @firefly-graphics

#fools rush in #steve rogers #steve x reader #fanfic #steve rogers fic #steve x you #series #steve rogers fanfiction #captain america fanfiction #captain america x you #captain america #captain america x reader #mcu fic #mcu fanfiction #angst with a happy ending #steve rogers angst #angst

[no-gorms]

This a real question, not a complaint: how do you still ship Steve and Tony after Civil War? I used to love it, but now I cant forget that CW made it clear Steve doesn’t care about Tony or even the Avengers very much. I always wonder if The Letter TM was supposed to be a real apology and the screenwriter was just a sociopath, or if they were making him a dick on purpose. Anyway, I’d love to know how you reconcile all of that because your characterizations of them are so beautiful. I want to enjoy the ship again, so I’d love to hear your take on it.

----

The funny thing is, Civil War is what made me ship Steve and Tony again, and I feel like how people engage with CW's take on them depends on where their feelings already were when that movie came out. I'm speaking broad strokes but not to universal experiences, plus shipping is subjective. Thoughts behind the cut.

I got into Steve/Tony as a ship around the time the first Iron Man movie came out (thanks, zen-ish!) and most of the fic back then was comics-based and focused on a deep, years-spanning friendship with bumps between them. Understandably, a lot of these feelings got projected forward into the fresh potential of the MCU's new versions of the characters, and in my memory, a lot of fic post-The Avengers predicated a future friendship dynamic not too far from from what the comics had established.

Now, a lot of people thrived then and still thrive now in that post-2012 The Avengers time of rich possibility. I know I had joined that high with tremendous excitement. But my investment in them as a ship took a sharp blow when Age of Ultron came out, because (not knocking those who get stuff out of it) the team dynamic was not working for me. Workmates instead of teammates, Steve wasn't even living in the tower (WHY?) and though there were some nice moments, Steve and Tony's main interactions were plot-driven instead of character-driven, and coolly semi-antagonistic. And by 'cool' I mean impersonal, which comes back to the workmates vibe.

The Avengers didn't need to show them as a tight team, but it teased the possibility. AOU, in my opinion, didn't follow up on possibility, and as a result I lost interest. I know a lot of people filled in the blanks and used the 2012-team-as-family momentum to keep going, but I couldn't get into that.

Now Civil War. Oh boy. I understand why people like yourself have strong negative feelings about it, but when Steve and Tony fight in this movie, it's personal. It's also plot-driven, but in my opinion the character beats are stronger in how the conflict is depicted. It fills in the negative space in AOU of two people who should know each other well by now -- Tony knows how Steve's going to react to the Accords, and Steve knows that Tony's already made a decision. Tony gentles himself, and uses a personal touch to try to convince Steve to change his stance. Steve outright yells at one point, which he rarely does. When Tony learns about Zemo, he goes to help Steve without hesitating -- that's a ride-or-die that's too late, and gets turned on its head at the last moment. When Tony learns about his parents, Steve stops trying to justify his actions, because he knows Tony's pain is too great and in this, without question, Steve was wrong and he can't defend himself in any way, it's done, it's over, all he can do is stand his ground and not let Tony hurt anyone.

It hurts because they care. As opposed to AOU, where when they fought the dialogue could've come from anyone and the movie refused to address the fallout afterward, or in The Avengers they barely knew each other and (you guessed it!) the movie refused to address the fallout afterward.

Would it have been nice for them to show Steve and Tony as good friends? Definitely, I'm upset about AOU to this very day. Is Steve's letter at the end of CW weird? Yes, and I won't bother justifying it.

But to me, CW built up a storm of emotion between them where previously there was (again, in my personal opinion) barely anything at all, and as long as there's something, that's something I can work with. (And I thought it was delicious.) A lot of how I write Steve and Tony is influenced by CW and its fallout, especially in how I'd build their friendship backwards in their timeline (through the post-2012 Avengers and AOU era) knowing what we know about them and how they strongly affected each other in CW and after.

#scaramouche answers asks #anonymous #superhusbands for ts #if none of this resonates with you that's all fine! #the mcu's steve & tony is a certain kind of beast #for good or ill

[ctrsara]

Blazing Regret

Read on AO3

@comfortember #10 - Breakdown

Warnings for an apartment fire that leads to a death (not a known character)

It had been a rough night. One stove left unattended had eventually led to the whole apartment building going up. The fire had been slow-moving, thankfully, so they had had time to evacuate almost everyone. But the condition of the older building combined with the steady breeze that night had meant it had spread faster than they could fight it, and the building was pretty much a total loss. There had been many injuries and lots of smoke inhalation, but thankfully only one death from such a giant blaze.

Of course, that number would have been a lot higher without the help of Spiderman. He had shown up early on, and been able to reach and rescue many people the firefighters couldn’t reach, which had brought their death toll down to almost zero. It was a shame that one teenage girl (who’d apparently been asleep, and somehow hadn’t heard any alarms) didn’t make it. Spiderman had found and dragged her out, finally, but it was too late. The hero had seemed pretty broken up about it. Chief Harris had mourned her, too, but in his years of experience, he knew that these things sometimes happened, no matter how much they could do.

The chief was sitting on the far side of one of the depleted engines, filling out some preliminary paperwork as the lingering smoke continued to clear. It was late, nearly 11 PM. His firefighters were still clearing the area and making sure no flames would re-ignite, which would take some time. His captains were overseeing that effort, but he wished he could trade places with one of them. Paperwork wasn’t anyone’s favorite, even if most of it was digital now. He was startled from his task by something all New Yorkers recognized: the unmistakable sound of Iron Man’s repulsors landing nearby.

A fanboy at heart, even though it had been over ten years since Tony Stark had created Iron Man, Chief Harris stood up and followed the sound to a nearby alley. Quite a ways away, and only visible because of a light that was glinting off the area, he saw Iron Man walk forward a few steps, then crouch near a huddled figure. Seeing the flash of red and blue in the street light’s gleam as the figure moved, the chief had a realization. That’s where Spiderman had disappeared to. Oh, he looked miserable. Was he hurt?

What happened next was unique, and not something most New Yorkers had experienced. Iron Man stood up and stepped back, then the suit disengaged, and Tony Stark stepped out of it. He leaned down and drew Spiderman to his feet, and then pulled him into a tight embrace. The wind was still blowing a little, but the chief was sure he could hear broken sobs. His heart melted for the apparently younger-than-he’d-realized superhero. Chief Harris knew all too well what he must be dealing with, having held several young firefighters as they went through the same thing the first time they failed to save someone. This business was an exercise in heartbreak. 

He felt like he was intruding, watching as Stark soothed the other hero, holding him close and rubbing his back, but couldn’t look away, having too much empathy for the situation. He imagined calming words were also being spoken.  After just a minute, Stark asked something, and Spiderman hesitated, then nodded.  Stark returned to the Iron Man suit, then scooped the other hero up in his arms and blasted off. He hadn’t realized Iron Man and the Queens vigilante were so close, but he was glad.

Chief Harris found himself wiping his unexpectedly wet eyes before he sniffed and turned to go back to his seat on the engine. Paperwork wouldn’t do itself, after all. He took an extra moment to make a note in his phone. It couldn’t remove the pain of not being fast enough, or strong enough, but a nice card, signed by the department, to thank the young hero might be in order. He needed to know he was appreciated, and that his efforts had saved many, many lives tonight. Everyone fell short sometimes, but that didn’t mean they weren’t doing good work, or weren’t making a difference. He’d make sure that happened as soon as he got back to the station.

#comfortember 2022 #breakdown #marvel mcu #irondad and spiderson #hurt and comfort #house fire #apartment fire #fanfiction #tony stark and peter parker #outside perspective

[moonlit-imagines]

It Was Never What I Wanted

Tony Stark x teen!reader

warnings: death

a/n: i mean. i might as well just write it real quick. its just a baby fic

prompt:

Is That What You Wanted? (Prequel)

“You can all be horrible people, you know?” You told them as you laid helplessly on the ground. The youngest and most hated Avenger. Leaving the world due to the carelessness of their team. “I hope you remember this. Forever.” You continued, warning them gravely. They stood over you, completely shocked, but wanting you to hang in their for their own selfish reasons. “W-What—does that say…about you?” You took your final breath, securing your sacrifice for your team. One that didn’t even seem to be worth it.

Tony tried remembering that day the best that he could. Your words would always linger in the back of his mind, haunting him until it’s his time. And that time had just come.

“And I…am Iron Man.” He said to the monster before him just before he snapped. And then he opened his eyes to a peaceful orange plane where you were patiently waiting for him. You looked a little older and a little happier, too. Maybe he’d just never seen you happy because he was always bringing you down.

“Took a page from my book, huh?” You meandered up to him with arms crossed, still a bit on-guard with him.

“If it wasn’t for you, that other half of humanity would still be in the dirt.” Tony let you know and you turned away from him to look into the infinite distance.

“Still not ideal, though.” You sighed, thinking about where you could have been if it weren’t for him and the team you’d been foolish enough to want to impress.

“I know. And I’m sorry.” You felt his hand on your shoulder and let him look out across the still waters of the Waystation with you. “But I never forgot what you told us. What you told me.”

“That you’re horrible and I hope you remember my death?” You looked over at him and he gave you and awkward smirk.

“Yeah. Pretty inspirational.” Tony walked out in front of you and faced you, now with a hand on either of your shoulders. And he was leaning his face toward you. “Listen to me, y/n. I really—and I mean really fucked up.”

“Go on.” You glared at him and waited for him to keep on.

“You were just a kid. And a damn good one. Didn’t even hesitate to save all of our asses when we needed it.” Tony recalled those terrible events leading up to your painful and hopeless death. “You were a child. And we didn’t care. We should have been protecting you, teaching you, mentoring you.”

“I noticed that you took on a little super-protégé.” You averted your eye contact and Tony straightened out his lips.

“I did. I wanted to do better. Everything I did for him, Peter, was in your honor.” He explained, but it didn’t lessen the sting of your premature burial.

“And you had a kid.” You said without looking at him, just tearing up.

“And she’s going to grow up and do good in your honor. I told her all the good stuff about you.” Tony shook you by the shoulders and your gaze turned back to him with tears running down your cheeks.

“I thought there was no good stuff.” You mumbled.

“Y/N, you were strong. You did everything you could, even when everyone told you ‘no.’ You never let anyone stand in the way. You never let anyone get to you. You were brave and stubborn and unstoppable.” He smiled at you for the first time. “Everything that I failed at.”

“What’s going to happen when she learns the truth about how I died and how it was your fault? And the rest of her makeshift family?” You quizzed him and he gulped, still feeling all this guilt after death.

“Hopefully she’ll do better than me. And she’ll want to make things right.” Tony answered.

“This isn’t her burden. It never was.” You answered him.

“But the world should still remember you.” He told you without any hesitation and you broke down. Your eyes flooded with the rest of your tears and Tony pulled you in for a strong hug.

“I’m still mad at you, Tony.” Your voice muffled and you felt him nod.

“You should be.” He quietly told you. “You should be.”

“I just wanted to live my life. I never got to live my life.” You sobbed and Tony even started to tear up.

“I know. I know.” He whispered and looked over your shoulder, thinking about how he could make this up to you in the afterlife, but he didn’t even know how it worked.

“I saw Nat.” You sniffled and pulled away from him.

“You did?” He gasped. “How is she? Is she okay?”

“She’s…she’s fine.” You sighed and rubbed your eyes with your palms. “You should go see her. I need some time…”

taglist: @alwaysananglophile // @rorybutnotgilmore // @locke-writes // @sweetheartliz07 // @queen-destenie // @natasha-danvers // @frostedficrecs // @johnmurphyisqueer // @teenwaywardasgardian // @pappydaddy // @captainshazamerica // @freya-xo // @ravenmoore14 // @yukh3ic0re // @ofthedewthesunlight // @canarypoint // @zoeyserpentluck // @randomawesomeperson102 // @brutal-out-here // @wonderful-writer // @of-a-chaotic-mind // @groovygirlie // @procrastinatingsapphictrash // @lxncelot // @swanimagines // @randomfandomimagine // @petersgroupie // @dindjarinsspouse // @werewolf-himbo // @lost-fantasy // @moobrvoobl-moobmoob-oobmpoobroom // @summersimmerus // @cipheress-to-k-pop // @viridiiann // @augustvandyne //

#tony stark #tony stark imagine #tony stark x reader #marvel #marvel imagine #marvel x reader #avengers #avengers x reader #avengers imagine #teen!avenger

[wandaromanova]

Should’ve Said it

Pairings: Wanda Maximoff x Reader, Natasha Romanoff x Reader

Warnings: cussing, cheating, angst, mentions of murder, mentions of death

A/N: hello! this is my longest one shot as of right now haha. this isn’t proofread so sorry for any mistakes! hope you all enjoy. feedback is always appreciated! join my taglist <3

Summary: From enemies to lovers, Wanda Maximoff and Y/N L/N are seemingly destined to be together. Will this remain true after a major betrayal?

Word Count: 8.3K

(gif is not mine)

When Fury approached you and asked you to join the Avengers Initiative, you were suspicious. Don’t get it twisted, you thought the idea of creating a group of remarkable people to be defenders of the earth was a fantastic idea. However, there was nothing remarkable about you. You were just an assassin from the Red Room turned S.H.I.E.L.D agent. You were in the same program Natasha Romanoff was. She is your best friend. You had the same skills she did considering you guys were trained in the same place. You were trained in hand-to-hand combat, you could hack encrypted computer systems, and you were just a pretty damn good spy. But you were no Natasha Romanoff. She was the best of the best, which is why you weren’t surprised when you saw her on the list of pending members of the initiative. She’s the fucking blueprint, the Black Widow, her nickname says all you need to know about her.

As you continued reading the other names, you were dumbfounded. Why on earth would Fury want you to be apart of this group? Bruce Banner could turn into a huge, green indestructible monster. Tony Stark is an extremely smart man who has created advanced technology, he’s literally Iron Man. Captain America is a super soldier that has increased strength and can survive under circumstances that normal humans can. Hawkeye is a beast with a bow and arrow, he never misses. And Thor... he’s a literal fucking God that can control lightening. It made no sense why anyone would want you to be apart of this lineup.

Although you didn’t believe you belonged in the Avengers, you still agreed. It’s a huge promotion! You were already at the highest rank a S.H.I.E.L.D agent could achieve. You didn’t think that a promotion was in the cards for you anymore, but here you were. Fury was ecstatic when you decided to join the Avengers Initiative. He noticed your hesitance and he figured you were doubting yourself when you really shouldn’t. You’re one of the best agents S.H.I.E.L.D has ever had, right next to Natasha. Your success rate on missions was 99% (the 1% was when you were paired with less skilled agents though). He knew you were right for the job. As always, Fury was right.

You fought side by side with the rest of the Avengers in the battle of New York. You wouldn’t admit it out loud, but you really didn’t think you guys stood a chance in that battle. You guys were up against Loki, the God of Mischief, and had to take on the Chautari. A god and aliens? Your training with the Red Room and S.H.I.E.L.D didn’t prepare you for a fight like that. However, by some sort of godforsaken miracle, you guys won. Tony almost died in the process and you couldn’t help but felt immense guilt as you watched his body fall at high speed from the sky. You had been the one to close the portal. Even though Stark told you to do it, you still felt very bad about it. But you guys had won, sure New York would have to do some heavy construction to get back to its normal condition, but at least you guys had saved millions of lives that day. That’s what truly mattered.

Then, the Ultron situation happened. You guys had infiltrated a Hydra base in order to get Loki’s scepter back. You all had found out previously that S.H.I.E.L.D had undercover Hydra agents since its founding. So now, you all had fought to retrieve the scepter. The team had not only gotten the scepter back, but you also learned that Hydra had created two enhanced individuals. Clint explained that the silver-haired male individual had super speed while Steve told the team that he’s unsure of the dark-haired woman’s powers. All he knew was that her powers were red and she could use them to push people and possibly move objects with her mind. “Huh, so he’s fast and shes weird.” You say jokingly to the team and if it weren’t for the fact that these people were obviously against you all, they would’ve laughed too.

However, Stark and Banner went behind the teams back and tried to create some robot with the scepter as a power source. Surprise, surprise, the robot turned against the Avengers and now you guys had to destroy it. Who would’ve saw that coming when Stark and Banner tried to mess with power no one could comprehend? You guys had located Ultron at a weapons dealer’s warehouse and fought against Ultron and his new robot friends. However, the enhanced individuals were on his side as well. As you fought off robot after robot, you were sent flying into a wall by a powerful blast of red. As you tried to regain your senses, the enhanced woman brought her hands to your temple as her magic pushed its way into your mind.

——————————————————————————

Suddenly, you were back to the place you never thought you would have to see again; the Red Room. You watched as a younger version of yourself shot and killed an innocent man. You felt sick as you saw his pleading, scared eyes go dim as the life left his body. The sight of his blood splattered against the wall made you cringe. The worst part of whatever the hell this was, was the emotionless stare you had as you took his life. You were aware that the Sokovian woman had done something to mess with your mind, but you knew she didn’t place this scene in your head. This was a memory, this actually happened. This was one of the many moments in your life that plagued your mind whenever you closed your eyes. You used to take peoples lives with no hesitation, not a second thought. You were nothing but a pawn in the Red Room’s game and you were ashamed.

You don’t know how long you were in that state. You were stuck in this seemingly never-ending stream of all the terrible moments in your life. The moments that made you feel like you didn’t deserve the amazing life and family you have now. The moments that motivate you to save lives now. You feel as though you have to clear the red out of your ledger.

When you finally came to, it took you a minute to realize where you were. You were on the quinjet with the rest of the Avengers and you were completely out of it. You noticed that Natasha was next to you and seemingly in the same state as you. You reached over, regardless of the fact that you felt light and honestly a bit dizzy, and you took her hand in yours as tightly as you could. Nat looked up from the ground that she had zoned out on up to your eyes. She gave you a gentle smile, glad that you were okay, because she knew that she wasn’t.

——————————————————————————

After the battle of Sokovia, you were very cautious of the new member of the team. The new member happened to be the enhanced female who you learned was Wanda Maximoff. You felt extremely sad when you heard that her brother, Pietro, was killed during the battle. Although you felt sympathetic towards Wanda for her loss, you kind of hated her. She had went into your mind and sent you spiraling. Yes, you guys were on opposing sides at the time and she was just doing what she thought was right, but still. She brought back memories that you try so desperately to push to the back of your mind. She pushed those dark events of your past to the front of your mind and you hated her for it.

You honestly treated Wanda like shit. From refusing to train her to giving her hard glares whenever she would enter a room. Wanda had tried to be friendly with you at first, but there was only so much you could take. You guys would then engage in verbal battles to see who could piss the other one off first. You would give a snarky remark that would fuel the anger and irritation within the Sokovian.

One morning, Wanda had walked into the kitchen after training with Steve to find you sitting at the counter. “Hey, what’s going on in that head of yours?” Wanda asked, not really in the mood to start a fight, but you always were.

“Why don’t you just go into my mind and find out? You obviously have no sense of boundaries.” You reply harshly as you sent her a cold look. “Do you always have to be a bitch?” Wanda asked angrily, glaring right back at you.

“Do you always have to go into people’s minds without permission?” You shot back as you stood up from your chair and walked out of the room. Wanda knew that you were very much not over what she had done to you during the whole Ultron thing. However, she still didn’t believe it was an excuse to treat her like shit. She was on the Avengers’ side now. She didn’t know what she made you see. She guessed it was something really bad if Natasha, Steve, and Thor had managed to get over it and not you.

The not so playful banter and bitterness between you and Wanda had remained the same until the Lagos incident. You were there when it happened. As much as you disliked Wanda, you knew damn well that what happened wasn’t her fault. She had tried to save the people in the marketplace, but since she’s still trying to control her powers more, she wasn’t able to hold Rumlow long enough. Steve had been distracted when Rumlow mentioned Bucky. Wanda just tried to fix Steve’s mistake. However, the whole team was at fault. You all could’ve been a little more careful.

——————————————————————————

It was the day after the Lagos incident when you had your first real conversation with Wanda. One that wasn’t filled with malice and when one of you wasn’t trying to fight the other. You had passed by Wanda’s room and heard the tv on. You could tell it was some sort of news coverage about what had happened in Lagos. You opened Wanda’s door slowly and leaned against the doorframe as you watched the television. “What legal authority does an enhanced individual like Wanda Maximoff have to operate in Nigeria?”

You had heard enough, so you grabbed the tv remote from the dresser beside you and shut the news off. Wanda, who sat on her bed with her head resting on her hand looked up at you. “I’m really not in the mood to start anything with you right now. I already have enough negative feelings drowning me right now. So, if you’re here to fight me. Leave.” Wanda simply says as she stares at you, expecting your usual sarcasm and annoyed look. However, none of those things happened.

“I come in peace.” You say as you slowly make your way towards Wanda. Wanda hesitantly pats the bed beside her and you take a seat. “You know, none of it’s your fault.” You tell her as you look to her.

“Turn the tv back on. They’re being very specific.” Wanda said defeatedly as she looked down at her hands. “Wanda, you did what you thought was best. As fucked up as it is, this is part of being an Avenger.” You say as you continue to stare at her side profile. Wanda looks at you, waiting for you to get to the point.

“As Avengers, we try our best to save everyone. Sometimes, that isn’t always the case. Sometimes there will be casualties, as fucked up as it is. It’s the truth.” You say as you stare into Wanda’s eyes. Wanda traces your face for any signs of a lie, but finds none.

“Why are you suddenly being nice to me. Don’t you hate me?” Wanda asks you suspiciously. She genuinely doesn’t understand why you had a sudden change in attitude towards her. “First of all, I don’t hate you. I was just really effected by what happened in Sokovia.” You said seriously as you looked down at your own hands as she did previously.

“Second of all, I know what it’s like to unintentionally hurt others. It’s happened on occasion in my time being an Avenger, but it occurred more during my time in the Red Room.” You express honestly as you fiddle with your fingers.

Wanda is surprised by you opening up to her, but she isn’t against it by any means. “I’ve been in your place. I know how it feels, so I feel as though I should let you know that if you need to talk about it, I’m here. No arguments. I promise I won’t act like a bitch.” You let out with a little laugh. You look up, afraid of Wanda’s reaction. She just stares at you, seemingly processing your words.

“Thank you.” Wanda says simply. “You’re welcome.” You say as you stand up from her bed and make your way out of your room. As you close the door behind you, you let out a deep breath. You knew you shouldn’t hold a grudge against Wanda anymore. You knew she wasn’t bad at all. You were just stubborn and if you hadn’t noticed, you had trouble moving on from the past. This was a good first step at being civil with the Sokovian as you both had managed to stop the bickering and rude comments that used to occur all the time.

——————————————————————————

The asshole Secretary of State had just finished proposing the Sokovia Accords to the team. You all now sat in the living room, everyone deciding whether or not they think it’s a good idea to sign them. If you guys sign it, the team can only go on missions that the government assigns you all. You guys would become government puppets. You wouldn’t stand for it.

“I think it’s a good idea to sign the Accords. We’ve damaged so many cities, there’s been so many civilian casualties. We need more order around here.” Stark says, shocking you.

“Wait, are you seriously considering signing those damn Accords?” You ask incredulously, you can’t believe Mr. Genius, Billionaire, Playboy, Philanthropist actually thought this was a good idea. You abruptly stand up from your spot on the couch beside Natasha.

“Need I remind you of the battle of New York that occurred just a few feet below us? The government had ordered a missile be sent here, regardless of how many lives would’ve been lost.” You say, anger present not only in your tone, but your body language. You get in Tony’s face as he stood against a counter.

“They didn’t care about civilian lives then, so why would they now? You’re an idiot if you believe that this is about anything other than taking control of us.” You finish off staring Tony dead in the eyes.

“Y/N/N. He’s got a point.” At the sound of Natasha’s voice, you turn your head around so fast you should’ve gotten whiplash. “What?” You ask her in disbelief as she stands up and makes her way in front of you.

“You know we cause as much damage as we do good. I think signing the Accords would be a good thing for us and it would keep the team together. I don’t want to lose anyone, I don’t want to lose you.” Natasha finishes off as she gently takes your hand in hers. However, you abruptly rip your hands from hers.

“Out of all people, I would’ve never thought you would want to sign those damn accords. If you sign those accords, you’ll still lose me. You’ll lose some of the team as well.” You say, hurt by Nat’s decision. You guys had been inseparable in the Red Room and when she saved you, you guys went back to your usual selves. As if you guys were never apart in the first place.

“I agree with Y/N.” Steve intervenes. You honestly were shocked that Rogers was agreeing with you, considering he became Captain America because he wanted to be a symbol of the government. “I do too.” Sam stands up, standing beside Steve. Clint and Wanda say nothing as they stand up and stand beside the other two standing Avengers.

“You guys will become fugitives if you don’t sign those accords. You all will have to live on the run. You will have no freedom.” Tony says in an attempt to sway the decisions you guys had made.

“We lose our freedom either way.” You finish off before walking away from the rest of the team. You couldn’t believe that this was even a debate. You knew that this would all go to shit. You knew that this was quite possibly the end of the Avengers. The once united front of the Avengers was now at a divide.

——————————————————————————-

As you predicted, everything went to shit. You all had fought against each other in a Germany airport. The team consisted of; you, Steve, Ant-Man, Wanda, Clint, and Bucky. And the remaining avengers were on the other side. Everything turned into a shit show. Steve and Bucky managed to escape in a quinjet, but the same could not be said for the rest of “Team Captain America,” as you guys had been dubbed.

Here you all were, walking to the Raft Prison which was in the middle of the god damn ocean. A little dramatic, but it’s not like you have a say in the matter. As the guards had patted you down, you noticed some other guards placing Wanda into a straitjacket and a shock collar.

“What the fuck! What’re you guys doing to her?” You ask absolutely fuming. “She’s a high security risk. It’s simply protocol for dangerous individuals like her.” A guard responds to you as he lets the other two guards know you were clean.

“Oh yeah? You want to see a high security risk? I’ll show you a high security risk you assholes.” You say this as you suddenly throw a quick punch at the guard in front of you. As the other guards rush towards you, you take all of them down with ease. However, they eventually managed to get a hold on you. They ended up placing you into a straitjacket and shock collar of your own and throwing you into your cell that was directly across from Wanda’s.

“Why on earth would you do that Y/N?” Wanda asked you as she shuffled uncomfortably. “I didn’t want you to go through it alone.” You say as if it was obvious. You were willing to suffer so she wouldn’t suffer alone.

——————————————————————————

A few days later, Steve had finally broken you guys out of the hellhole. You let out a sigh of relief when you caught sight of Cap, but you internally groaned as you realized you all were now wanted. You guys would have to live on the run, but you still believed this was the right thing to do.

You guys were on the run for 2 years. In that time, you and Wanda had grown close. You guys went from hating each other, to tolerating each other, to falling in love. Being on the run wasn’t all that bad you guess. You had fallen in love with Wanda and she with you. You got to see so many different parts of the world with her right by your side. Sometimes you would forget that you both were sought after fugitives. To you and Wanda, it just felt like you were going on sightseeing trips with the one you loved. You had lost track of the amount of motel rooms that you guys had shared passionate kisses and warm cuddles in. Everything with Wanda felt right and you couldn’t believe you had treated her wrongly for so long, but you wouldn’t mind spending your life making it up to her.

One day, Tony and Vision had appeared in Edinburgh, where you and the rest of the team were hiding out at the time. He had announced that we were right about the Accords (which we already knew, but whatever). Stark managed to get the Secretary of State to convince the rest of the world leaders to waive the Accords. The threat of there being no Avengers at all was a seemingly effective threat. So, after 2 long years, you all were finally able to return home to the compound. Although you were happy to go back home, you were also hesitant. You’d have to face Nat again. You missed her. She was your best friend after all. But you felt like you didn’t really know her when she chose to sign the Accords. You both were usually always on the same page, but not when it mattered most.

——————————————————————————

3 months later

It had been 3 months since Team Captain America was given the okay to return home. At first, it was kind of awkward. You all had gotten so used to moving from place to place, that being able to stay in one city felt odd. When you first returned, you thought you would be angry and upset with Natasha and she with you, but as soon as you laid eyes on one another tears began to fall. You pulled your hand out of Wanda’s and gave Nat a bone crushing hug. Everyone smiled at the interaction, knowing how close you and Natasha were and how hard the whole thing most likely was on you both.

But eventually, you all had fallen back into your usual routines. Everything felt right in the world, well almost. Lately, you had noticed that Wanda had been different. She was being so weird around you lately. She wouldn’t hug you from behind while you made breakfast anymore. Her smiles wouldn’t quite reach her eyes, seeming kind of forced. Whenever you tried to make any sort of physical contact, she would go stiff and brush you off. And god, did she give you attitude whenever you’d try to get her to spend some time with you.

One day, you and Wanda had both finally gotten a day off from missions. You had planned a day for you both. It was simple, but that’s all you felt you guys needed at that moment. You had gathered a shit ton of Wanda’s favorite snacks and had a sitcom marathon planned. However, when you approached Wanda about the idea. She completely shut you down.

“I don’t want to waste my time watching anything right now Y/N. I just want to train today.” Wanda said irritably as she tried to pass the door of you guys’ bedroom that you had blocked to prevent her exit.

“Wanda, all you do is train and go on missions 6/7 days of the week. You really can’t take a day off to spend time with me? I can’t even remember the last time we truly spent time together.” You say sadly and softly, not trying to rile her up. However, your attempt at keeping the conversation calm was a fail.

“We sleep in the same bed together every single night Y/N. You’re so fucking clingy sometimes, you’re suffocating me. I’m going to train with Vision whether you like it or not.” Wanda snapped at you and harshly pushed you out of the way. She stormed out of the room as you stood there, hurt and dumbstruck. Wanda had never blown up at you before, at least since you guys became civil and started dating. You had no idea why she was acting the way she was. Was it something you did? Did you do something to upset her somehow? You had no fucking clue.

——————————————————————————

6 months later

Since that day, Wanda had began spending more and more time with Vision. Whenever the Android would enter the room, there would be a huge, shit-eating grin that would spread across her face. She no longer sat next to you during your weekly team movie nights. She opted to sit next to Vision while you sat next to Natasha. You were worried. She was spending all of her time with Vision instead of you, and it hurt like a bitch. But you trusted Wanda. She would never betray your trust... right? You guys have been through so much together. When the world was against you both, you held each other close. No, you’re thinking crazy. She would never do that to you. You feel guilty for even thinking about her cheating in the first place.

You decided that you’re going to make a little romantic dinner for Wanda. You had begged her (yes literally begged her) to meet you on the roof at 7PM. She reluctantly agreed just to get you to leave her alone. You didn’t know that was the reason she agreed though. So, you spent the next few hours of the day arranging what food you wanted on the table, you hung up fairy lights, and even took the time to light a few candles. By the time you finished, it was 6:55PM. You stood by the table, knowing Wanda would be there any minute and you would finally be able to get some quality time with her.

——————————————————————————

It’s now 9PM. You waited for two hours like an idiot while the pasta you had ordered and plated carefully went cold. She wasn’t coming. You got stood up by your own girlfriend. You were furious, but more upset than anything else. You blew out the candles, took down the lights, and grabbed the food to place in the refrigerator for whoever wanted to eat it. When you finally finished putting everything away, you went to your shared room with Wanda. You hoped to god she was in there so you could ask her why the hell she didn’t show up. However, after opening the door quietly and seeing two figures moving beneath the sheets, you prayed to the same god that it wasn’t Wanda.

Luck wasn’t on your side as you heard a moan that you would know better than anyone; or so you thought. It was most definitely Wanda. You thought about who would possibly be under the sheets with her, but you already knew; Vision. You stood there for a few minutes in shock with tears threatening to fall from your before you finally decided to speak up.

“I can come back later and wait for you guys to finish if you’d like.” You say with no emotion, feeling completely numb as Wanda’s head pops up out of the sheets, Vision’s following right after. You had a feeling Wanda had some sort of harbored feelings for Vision, but that didn’t make the confirmation of your suspicions hurt any less. As guilt began to flood through Wanda like a tidal wave, Vision stands up and picks up his clothes from the floor. As he puts them on, he speaks to you.

“You must’ve been doing something wrong if she ended up coming to me. You’re a joke. She’s mine now.” He says cockily as he walks right past you and phases through the wall. You wanted to punch him in his red face so fucking bad, but he’s made of Vibranium. You’d just end up with a broken hand and be in utter embarrassment if you tried. Wanda remained silent during this interaction.

You decided to look back at the Sokovian who was sat in the bed, her hair a mess and lips swollen. On any other day, the sight would’ve made you melt, but today it broke every bit of your soul because you weren’t the cause of her current state. As you stare at her blankly, Wanda lets her tears fall rapidly down her face. She didn’t want you to find out about it, but of course you would’ve eventually.

The tense silence is broken after a few minutes. “How long?” You ask calmly. “Not long.” Wanda whispers as she looks down at the messy bedsheets. “Don’t lie to me.” You say as you never make a move from your spot against the door. “3 months.” Wanda whispers in shame.

The realization that she’s been going behind your back for so long didn’t even surprise you at this point. This was your fault. You ignored the red flags and still stayed with her. You thought you were being delusional and you trusted her. Oh, how you wish you would’ve listened to your guy in the moment.

“We’re done. If that wasn’t obvious.” You make your way towards the door, but Wanda jumps from her place on the bed as she hastily wraps the sheets around her naked body. She grabs your wrist tightly, a little too tightly.

“Wanda, let me go. You’re hurting me.” You don’t even bother looking back at her. You stay facing the door. Wanda’s hold never loosens, if anything it got even tighter. “Please Y/N. Please don’t leave me. It was a horrible mistake. It’ll never happen again.” Wanda pleads for you to stay, but you’ve had enough of all the coldness and deception.

“Wanda, you went behind my back for 3 months. A mistake doesn’t last that long. You don’t jump into bed with someone else and say it’s a mistake if you do it over and over again.” You are still calm somehow. It’s kind of alarming how unaffected you’re acting right now, but it doesn’t last long. You finally snap and let out everything out as the image of Wanda and Vision in the bed you used to share with Wanda is burned into your mind.

“Did you even think about me, about our relationship, while you were having sex with that walking Nintendo DS?” You suddenly turn around to face her. “He’s a GOD DAMN ROBOT WANDA! How the fuck does sex with him even work anyway? Does he whip out a USB stick and fuck you with it?!” You can’t hold back anymore, you deserved to finally free yourself of everything that’s been eating you alive the past few months.

“What was I to you Wanda? Did you ever even love me?” You finally begin to calm down, the sadness settling in. Wanda was furious that you had insulted Vision. She grips your wrist tighter than before. She was no doubt going to leave a bruise on you.

“You want to know what you were to me? A fucking mistake. A waste of time. Vision and I belong together.” Wanda speaks to you with so much venom in her voice as her Sokovian accent slips out. “We have a connection through the mind stone that you’ll never compare to. You aren’t enough, you never were.” Wanda spits out. She’s very much pissed off with you, when it should be the other way around.

“You’re damaged and a murderer, Vision isn’t. You have so much baggage that I can’t carry along with my own.” Wanda spits out her words and crushes your soul.

That was the moment you knew that you could never be with Wanda again. You didn’t want to be with her after this. You had more respect for yourself than to go back to her.

“Of course Vision doesn’t have baggage. He’s a fucking glorified microwave!” You scream in Wanda’s face as you tear your arm out of her grip. “God! I bet you wanted me to find out so you could get rid of me once and for all.” You let out a dark chuckle at the thought.

“So I’m going to give you what you want, like I always fucking do. I always put your happiness before my own, but I’m fucking done.” You say as you close the gap between you and Wanda.

“Go fuck yourself Wanda. I hope you and Easy Bake Oven are happy together. Don’t come crawling back to me when you realize that I make you happier than he ever could.” You stare deep into Wanda’s eyes before you fling the door open and walk out. You guys were over. You can’t believe it ended like this, hell you couldn’t believe it ended at all. You thought Wanda would be your forever, but she had other plans. You guys went from enemies, to lovers, to strangers and it hurt like hell.

You stumble into your old bedroom and fall face first onto the bed. You let out heart wrenching sobs as you finally let every single emotion you were feeling run wild. You were angry, hurt, sad, confused, and just flat out heartbroken. You felt absolutely ridiculous too. You were an assassin turned Avenger, yet here you were crying over a broken heart like a puppy that got kicked. But, you couldn’t stop yourself even if you tried. You put your all into your relationship with Wanda. You tried so hard to keep you both together. You kept quiet about how you felt about Vision so you could keep her. But now all you have left is a broken heart, bloodshot red eyes, and the memories of a once happy relationship.

——————————————————————————

2 months later

To say you were a train wreck after that night was the understatement of the century. You barely left your room because you knew you’d see Wanda and Vision together. You wouldn’t be able to handle it if you caught sight of either of them. You never attended any of the team bonding things the team would do. You didn’t go on missions anymore, you decided to take a break. You rarely went to training sessions anymore. You essentially became a shell of the person you used to be.

Honestly, you would’ve been weak and frail if Natasha hadn’t been by your side throughout the past two months. She didn’t care about your protests whenever she brought you food. She told you she would literally spoon feed you herself if you didn’t eat. You thought she was bluffing, but of course she wasn’t. As she moved the spoon towards your mouth, you immediately snatched it out of her hand and fed yourself. Her persistence was irritating at the time, but you knew she was just looking out for you like she always did.

Natasha would spend every night in your room when she didn’t have any missions or meetings to attend. She knew that you had trouble sleeping, if the dark eye bags under your eyes were any indication. So she would just quietly enter your room, lay beside you and pull you into her arms. Most of the time, if not all of the time, you were too exhausted and emotionally drained to try and resist, so you would simply bury yourself further in her embrace and let sleep overcome you. However, you hadn’t been able to sleep peacefully since that god awful night.

You would jump up from your sleep, heart racing, tears in your eyes as your eyes darted across the dark room. Natasha would immediately turn the light on and pull you into a tight hug as you sobbed into her chest. Every single night it was the same nightmare, well it wasn’t a nightmare per se, but it was you reliving that night over and over again. Wanda and Vision under the covers, Vision’s cocky smirk, Wanda’s hurtful words. You couldn’t escape what happened even in your sleep. Natasha consoled you every single night it happened, with the stroke of your hair and the whispered words of reassurance, you’d calm down and fall asleep against the red-headed assassin.

When you’d wake up every morning, Natasha was still by your side. She got up earlier than you as usual, but she’d make sure to bring you breakfast in bed and coffee just the way you liked it. You were so grateful that Natasha knew you so well. She didn’t force you to speak about anything. She just continued to wait by your side until you were ready to speak. Yeah, no one in the compound knew what exactly happened between you and Wanda. They knew it had something to do with Vision, but they had no clue Wanda had cheated on you. Let alone for 3 months.

The only person you ended up telling was Natasha. You both had been in your room, cuddling as you guys watched Mean Girls. When you felt like you finally needed to tell someone about what happened. You couldn’t keep it in any longer. And who better to tell than the person who’s been helping you? She’s been by your side the whole time and so so patient. She deserved to know why you were in the state you’ve been.

“Natty?” You whisper quietly, your voice hoarse from not using it all day. Nonetheless, she heard you and looked down at you in concern. “Yeah?” She asked you softly. It was always so amazing to you that Natasha Romanoff, the Black Widow, was only delicate when it came to you. It made you feel special.

“Wanda cheated on me with Vision. I caught them together in bed and they had been going behind my back for three months.” You blurted out in a hurry. Your words were scrambled together, but Natasha understood what you said. She always understood you.

“What?” Natasha asked as anger started to rise within her. She had cheated on you? She thought that Wanda simply broke up with you to be with Vision, but turns out she didn’t have that courtesy. “Yeah... I said some not so nice things about Vision and she blew up at me. She got so angry and called me a mistake, a waste of time, a murderer.” You couldn’t stop the tears that escaped your eyes at the last part. Wanda knew that your past life was your biggest insecurity, and she had the nerve to mention it after she cheated on you with a fucking Nokia.

Natasha related to how you felt. You guys had similar pasts. After you finished your explanation, Natasha was furious. She gently, but quickly got out of your hold and strutted to your bedroom door. She wanted to give Wanda Maximoff a piece of her mind, but your voice stopped her in your tracks.

“No! Nat please don’t. Yelling at her isn’t gonna make me feel better. Please just stay and hold me.” You plead Natasha as she turns around to face you. Your desperation for her to stay was evident in your voice and the way your forehead was scrunched up, eyebrows furrowing slightly.

Natasha sighs as she makes her way towards you, takes her place beside you once more, and holds you in her arms. She would do anything to make you happy, even if she wanted more than anything to cuss out and curse Wanda. You came first in Nat’s eyes, always. She would never fail to put your happiness before her own. It was such a drastic contrast to how Wanda treated and viewed you. Unbeknownst to you, Natasha had always had some not so platonic feelings for you. Ever since the Red Room, she knew you were her soft spot. She felt guilty for mentally cheering when you and Wanda had broken up, but now she had the chance to treat you better. She would treat you the way you deserved to be treated and that was a promise.

——————————————————————————

2 years later

Natasha never left your side since the day you told her about what truly happened. Well okay, saying she never left your side is an over exaggeration since she still had to work. But anytime she wasn’t working, she was right next to you. You went back to work 6 months after the breakup. It was such a relief to be back in the field. You didn’t realize how much you loved your job until you took a break from it.

A year after your breakup, you and Natasha had actually gotten together. Natasha initially had her reservations. She feared that she was just a rebound and that maybe you thought you had feelings for her because she was there for you. But you knew that wasn’t the case. Honestly, you had always had a thing for Natasha. You were just too scared to cross that line with her. Then Wanda came along and you know what happened after that.

Speaking of Wanda, you were finally able to face her and Vision without feeling like you were being stabbed in the chest. You were civil with the pair, you guys were teammates after all. But you never dared to try and be friends with Wanda again. You honestly don’t think you ever could be friends again. She broke your trust completely, you don’t want to be friendly with someone you can’t trust.

You and Natasha have been together for a year, but you guys never told the team about it. No one suspected a thing since you and Natasha were always close for comfort since you guys had joined the team. You guys didn’t tell the team because you didn’t want to, no. You and Natasha just agreed to keep the relationship to yourselves for the sake of not having any other factors (*cough* Wanda) interfere with your growing relationship.

However now, here you all were. The entire team was spread across the living room as you all played a game of monopoly. As always, Tony was winning. He’s a billionaire after all. Of course he knows how to make money, it’s what he does best. Thor and Clint were being bad sports, cursing the game and wanting a rematch. Steve just congratulated Tony for winning yet again. Vision and Wanda sat beside each other as they took in the different scenes unfolding in front of them. While all this was going on, all you could focus on was Natasha.

She was smirking as Clint threw his money at Tony so he could distribute the money and reset the game. “That god damn smirk. Her lips are so red. God I want to kiss her right now.” You think in your head when suddenly Natasha turns her head to the side to look at you. You blush under her gaze as your eyes fall to her lips. After being together for a little over a year, she still had that effect on you.

Natasha seemed to get the message and gave you a little nod. You both suddenly move in and kiss. You both didn’t even care to acknowledge the shocked stares of the team as the room went silent. If you weren’t so entranced in Natasha, you would’ve laughed at how quickly the noisy room fell into silence. After a few seconds of kissing, Natasha pulls away and you can’t help but let out a little groan of disapproval. This only causes Natasha to laugh at your antics before she looks at everyone in the room.

Tony is the first to come back from his shock. “Uh... what just happened?” He asked as his eyes darted between you and Natasha. “I just kissed my girlfriend, Tony.” Natasha replied nonchalantly as she officially told the team of your relationship. You couldn’t help but let out a laugh as the team was even more shocked, if possible. Seriously, their jaws were basically on the floor.

“How- when-“ Clint stuttered out, still trying to comprehend the new information. He and Natasha were close, how on earth did he not notice? “We’ve been together for a little over a year.” You smile as you glance at Natasha who returns your gaze with love in her eyes. As soon as the surprise wore off from the team, they all happily congratulated you both. Well, everyone except a certain Sokovian. If looks could kill, Natasha would be six feet under by now.

“Y/N. Can we talk in private?” Wanda asks as the room falls quiet once more. You hesitate for a second as you look at Natasha for confirmation. You knew how she felt about Wanda being near you, you couldn’t blame her. You wouldn’t do something if she wasn’t comfortable with it. Natasha just gives you a small smile and that’s all the reassurance you need. You say nothing to Wanda as you simply squeeze Nat’s hand gently, get up, and walk out of the room. You knew she’ll end up following you (which she did). Natasha watched nervously as Wanda exited the room. She knew you loved her, but she knew you would never do to her what Wanda had done to you.

You walk down the hallway until you reach a conference room. You walk through the door as Wanda shuts it behind her. You lean against the conference table and look up at Wanda expectedly.

“What’s up?” You asked casually, but deep down inside you were freaking the fuck out. What could she possibly want to talk about? Wanda had a look of determination in her eyes as she stared at you. “Y/N, I still love you. I never stopped loved you if I’m being honest. I’m sorry for the pain I caused you.”

Well.... you didn’t expect that at fucking all. You literally can’t even form a reply to what she just said. You open and close your mouth like an idiot. Your hands grip onto the table behind you as you finally form a coherent sentence.

“You’re with Vision and I’m with Natasha.” You get straight to the point. “I’ll leave Vision for you. Say the word and I’ll walk back into that room and break it off with him. It’s you, it’s always been you.” Wanda says, she feels hopeful about the situation as you didn’t flat out tell her to fuck off.

You very much wanted to tell her to fuck off. How dare she try and pull this stunt as soon as you finally tell everyone you’re with Natasha? The fucking nerve of this woman. Somehow, you refrain from blowing up at Wanda as you release your iron grip on the table and fold your arms across your chest.

“Wanda, you only want me because you’re not the one who gets to hold me anymore. You’re not the source of my happiness... your not my world anymore.” You start off shakily, but slowly gain power and conviction over your voice. Wanda stares at you wide eyed as you behind your rant.

“I wouldn’t done anything for you, and you broke me. I won’t ever give you that power over me again.” With every word you spoke, Wanda’s heart shattered. Although she really didn’t have the right to feel that way. Wanda began to pull on the sleeves of her sweater.

“I love Natasha. She would never ever hurt me the way you did. She loves me, respects me, and doesn’t think I’m a mistake or a waste of time.” You feel your heart swell at the thought of Natasha. She was perfect for you. You would be damned if Wanda tried to fuck up what you two had.

“I knew it was you from the day we talked after the Lagos incident, but it took you two fucking years to make up your mind!” You exclaim as you throw your hands up frustratedly. Wanda slightly flinches at your tone.

“You can’t just come back around and expect me to drop everyone and everything for you. Would that have been the case a few years ago? As sad as it is... yes.” You shove your hands into your jeans pockets as Wanda shifts uncomfortably.

“But this is now, I’m not the same person I was before. If you wanted me so desperately, you should’ve said it when it still meant something to me.” You take a glance outside the nearby window. The night lights bringing the city below you to life.

“I’m not yours to love anymore, I belong to Natasha. You didn’t give a flying fuck about me back then!” You whip your head away from the window and back to a teary-eyed Wanda.

“So no, Wanda, you don’t still love me. You can’t still be in love with someone you never loved in the first place.” You finish off your thoughts as you tear your eyes away from Wanda and look down at the floor.

“This isn’t you Y/N. You’ve never spoken to me this way before everything happened.” Wanda said as she took a chance and moved closer to you. She reached out to grab your hand but you quickly pull it out of her reach.

“Thats just the thing Wanda. This is me. You just don’t know what I’m like when I’m not in love with you.” With that, you walk past Wanda and out the door. As you make your way back towards the room that held your lover, you couldn’t help but feel relieved. You had finally gotten the closure you needed. Everything that you needed to say had been said and you were so happy about it. When you entered the room, you couldn’t help but smile as your Y/E/C eyes met your favorite forest green ones. You felt like an idiot for not realizing the person you truly loved was right in front of you all along. You didn’t have to compete with anyone else for her love because the only person Nat saw was you. Wanda was just a bump in the road, a push in the right direction; to Natasha. She was definitely who you were meant to be with. You would bet your life on it.

As you walked out, Wanda froze. She really lost you. She lost you to Natasha. Wanda let a sob escape her lips as she slowly slid her back against the door you just walked out of. She knew this was her doing. She knew that her true mistake was letting you go. It’s so wrong that she made her feelings known the second you came out with Natasha about your relationship. But she couldn’t help it. Now, Wanda had no other choice but to accept the truth; no matter how much it killed her inside. She was now nothing but a chapter in your life story that has come to an abrupt end. Now, you were starting a new chapter with Natasha. The person who was there for you through it all, from the Red Room to now. The person who stood by your side through every traumatizing experience you lived through, every failure, and every success; Natasha Romanoff.

#wanda maximoff x reader #natasha romanoff x reader #wanda maximoff angst #black widow #scarlet witch #avengers #wandaromanova

[1-800-gaygentsofshield]

you + me = ? | n.r.

summary: after the war you and Natasha settle down, deciding to start a family in your cozy little home. The problem is though, how many times can hope be ignited before it fully burns out?

warnings: (trying to get pregnant) reader, canon/sterile Nat, swearing, Nat and you cry, post-endgame, sprinkle of angst with a very fluffy ending

word count: 4,016

im having baby fever rn im so sorry

-flashback, pre-endgame-

"I wanna have a family." Your voice is barely above a whisper as you both look up at the night sky, laying in the garden atop the Avengers compound. "What?" Nat asks softly, breaking out of her trance as she looks at you. You're laying on her chest and her arm is wrapped your back, Nat's other arm folded up behind her head.

"I wanna have a family, with you." You repeat yourself, making eye contact with your girlfriend as her brows furrow. "Y/n.." Nat's voice is hesitant and panic floods your chest, your eyes widening as you move to sit up. "Oh my god I'm so sorry, that was so quick-" You apologize quickly as you avoid Natasha's gaze, the redhead sitting up with you.

You've dated Natasha for two years but everything has been slow, knowing how the assassin will close herself off if you try and move too fast (emotion wise).

"Hey Y/n no." Nat says softly as she looks at your side profile, a soft frown forming on her face as she sees you. "That's not the reason why." She says as she gently turns your head to face her, fingertips delicately grabbing your chin. "I do want to have a family with you, moya lyubov'..it's just that I can't." Nat whispers and you finally lock eyes with her, seeing the pain and sadness on her face. "What do you mean?' You ask carefully and she sighs, waiting a beat before deciding to tell you. "In the Red Room me and all of my other group mates were sterilized..it was like a sick graduation ceremony that prevented us from having a family of our own." She tells you and hurt immediately grips at your heart, seeing Nat avert her gaze for a moment.

"Why?" You question and she purses her lips together, one of your hands rubbing her knee gently. "So we would never have any distraction from our mission..so that our only purpose in life was to kill and be used as a weapon." Disgust drips from Nat's voice at the last part, your soft hands on her wrist bringing her back to reality. "Im so sorry Nat, I shouldn't have anything I didn't know-" You start to apologize again but Nat stops you with a soft shake of her head, a bittersweet smile on her face. "Don't apologize, Y/n. I'm the one who should be sorry for not being able to give you the family that you deserve." She says and now it's your turn to shake your head, grabbing Nat's hands and caressing them gently. "Its alright baby." You smile gently before an idea pops into your head, your eyes lighting up and Nat gives you a look of curiosity.

"Besides.." You start, gently tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "If you really..truly..wanted a family with me, there could still be other options. Like adopting or getting a surrogate..or I could get pregnant instead." You suggest and Natasha's eyes light up like the stars in the night sky, a small laugh escaping your lips as you see the excitement on her face.

"Really?! You'd do that?" She asks and you nod your head, giving your girlfriend a soft kiss before laughing. "Mmhm, but you'd have to put a ring on it first, Miss Romanoff." You giggle and Nat wraps her arms around you again, both of you laying back down on the blanket. "Im planning to, future Mrs.Romanoff."

-present day, post-endgame-

You nervously pace around the bathroom as you wait for the three minutes to be up, Natasha sitting on the edge of the bathtub and observing you walk back and forth. The pregnancy test is laying by the sink and you can’t help but glance at it every few seconds, not having felt this nervous since battling Thanos and his army. You’ve faced gods, powerful Titans, super soldiers, but you’re sure this the most nerve wracking thing you’ve ever had to do. Once the timer on Natasha’s phone goes off, you practically jump towards the sink, Natasha leaning forward a bit more on the bathtub. Picking up the white and pink pregnancy test, you nervously turn it over in your hands, eyes scanning the small window for the results.

Natasha doesn’t even have to ask for the results when she sees your shoulders slump and your face drop, quickly getting up from the bathtub to wrap you up in her arms. Hugging you from behind, she can see the negative test in your hands, gently kissing your cheek when you don’t say anything. “It’s okay baby, we can try again.” She says softly and you shake your head, slowly placing the test down and closing your eyes.

“Nat, what if somethings wrong with me?” You whisper and her arms hug you closer, tears pooling under your eyelids in frustration. “Nothing is wrong with you malysh.” Natasha reassures you and you turn in her arms, releasing a shaky breath as you press your face into her neck. “Three times Nat..three fucking times..” You sigh and she only holds you closer, knowing how much hope the both of you had for this one. “I know, I know.” Nat hums softly as she rocks the two of you back and forth gently, feeling the hope starting to dwindle from you. “What if we just weren’t meant to have a biological children? What if we weren’t meant to have lives after the war?” You question out loud and Natasha pulls back, gently tilting your chin up so you can look her in the eyes. “Hey no, don’t say that. We were meant to have a family Y/n, biological or not.” Nat takes a pause to brush some hair out of your face.

“Let’s try one more time, okay? And if that doesn’t work then we can look into other options.” She continues and you think for a moment, not knowing if you could go through the hope and pain again. “Okay.” You whisper softly and Nat nods her head. “Okay.” She echos you before placing a gentle kiss on your forehead, pulling you back in for a hug.

————

Nat’s leg is bouncing up and down as she watches the timer tick down, only ten more seconds before you can check. This is the last try, all or nothing. You’re too anxious to pace this time, instead opting to sit next to Natasha and leaning into her as you watch her leg bounce. “You know..whatever happens, I love you.” Nat says softly when she sees you blankly stare at her knee, lost in thought about what’s going to happen. “I love you too.” You reply equally as soft as you look up at your wife, grabbing her hand and intertwining them slowly.

Leaning into each other, you both share a soft kiss, love shining through the small interaction. You both only pull away when the timer dings, Natasha rubbing your back as you sigh and get up. It feels like time slows down as you walk towards the sink, heart pounding in your chest as you reach out to grab the test. The bathroom is silent as you pick it up and flip it over, looking at the little window for the results. You’re silent as you look at the results, body frozen in place as you stare at the test. Natasha’s brows furrow and she gets up, sighing as she rubs her temples.

“Baby I’m so sorry-” “It’s positive.” You interrupt Nat midway through her sentence, your voice in disbelief as you see those two pink lines. “What?” Natasha asks, unsure if she heard you right. “It’s positive.” You repeat as you turn to face her, pregnancy test in hand as you smile from ear to ear. “You’re pregnant?” Natasha asks, almost in disbelief as she stares at you. “I’m pregnant.” You nod your head and Natasha immediately sweeps you up in her arms, hugging you right and picking you up from the ground. “Holy shit! We’re gonna have a baby!” Nat laughs as she spins you around, joyful giggles falling from your lips as you cling onto your wife.

“Oh my god we’re gonna have a baby.” Nat breathes out as she comes to a stop, quickly putting you down once the realization hits her brain. “Shit, you’re pregnant we need to be careful.” She says and you only laugh, pulling her down a bit to kiss her. “You don’t need to be that a careful dummy, but yes..I’m pregnant.”

————

“Tony gave us an iron man onesie.” You laugh as you hold up the tiny piece of clothing, Natasha grinning as she watches you. Even though the announcement was made a week ago, the gifts have been steadily pouring in, Tony insisting that he pays for the majority of the things that are needed for the new arrival.

He paid for the crib, the high chair, the car seat, most of the nursery, and all the bottles and toys a newborn could ask for. Pepper had a huge part in it too, having experience since bringing Morgan into the world. “That man is self centered.” Natasha laughs as she walks over to where you’re sitting, her heart full of love as she kneels down next to you.

“Mmhm.” You hum in agreement as you fold the article of clothing away, Natasha handing you the next gift. You’re about sixteen weeks along and you’re already showing, a small baby bump forming from your midsection. You both decided to wait until the second trimester to tell the rest of the team, wanting to enjoy the first few months in peace.

Natasha watches you wordlessly as you open a gift from Steve, a smile tugging on her lips as she sees the captain america pacifier. “I love you so much.” She blurts out randomly and your head turns to face her, a smile on your face as you gently kiss her.

“You’ve gone soft Romanoff.” You tease and she only laughs, gently kissing you again. “I blame you, you’ve made me domestic.” She grins and you roll your eyes, placing the gift to the side.

————

As the pregnancy goes along, you start to notice Natasha’s lack of touch, the redhead only going as far as running her hands through your hair or holding your shoulders. You have no idea what has gotten into her and you're determined to investigate, missing the way Natasha used to spoon and cuddle you all day.

Your questions were finally answered when one day you and Natasha were watching TV in bed, the redhead's arm slung around your shoulder as you lean into her. When the commercial break finally came on, you turned your head to look at your wife, curiosity written all over your face. "Why don't you cuddle me anymore, Nat?" You ask softly and she looks at you with confusion, lowering down the volume on the TV. "What do you mean? I cuddle you all the time baby." She says and you shake your head, reaching up and gently toying with her hair.

"Ever since I've gotten pregnant you've treated me like I could break at any moment, what are you so afraid of?" You question and Natasha sighs, glancing at her lap for a moment before answering. "With these hands I've done some awful things Y/n..things too horrific to say out loud. I feel like if I touch you or the baby I'll just ruin it, or hurt you..like everything else in my life." Nat confesses softly and your heart melts at how scared your wife is, knowing how much she's struggled with her past and with the red in her ledger. "Natasha Romanoff." You whisper, gently grabbing her hands to put them in between the two of you. "You are the kindest," You start, gently kissing her knuckle. "Most caring." another kiss, "Most selfless" another kiss, "Person I've ever met" another kiss. "And I know, with my whole heart and soul, you would never do anything to hurt me or the baby." You look up at her and gently rub your knuckles over the back of her hands. "So please stop acting like you will. These are the hands that I love, the hands that will raise our child, they're strong and secure, so stop thinking otherwise." You finish as you wordlessly move both your hands towards your belly, gently placing Natasha's hands over the bump.

The redhead is stunned as your hands rest over hers, the baby suddenly kicking. A wide smile spreads across your face as you both look down at your belly, the baby never having kicked before. "That was the first time they've ever kicked." You inform Natasha and you could see her still processing that fact. "That's our baby?" She asks softly and you laugh, nodding your head. "Mmhm, that's our baby. They recognized their mama." You say fondly as the baby kicks again, Natasha's heart bursting with warmth as she looks at you.

Slowly, Natasha moves to lay down on the bed, resting her head right beside your bump and holding it gently. "Hi malen'kiy golub'." She whispers softly, your hand coming down to gently play with her hair. You smile as you watch Natasha gently cuddle with your bump, knowing without a doubt that she's going to be a great mother.

-----

Placing the stuffed animals down on the table, you turn to look at Natasha, a giggle coming from your lips as you walk over to her. "What?" Nat grins as she turns to face you, putting the paintbrush down to the side.

"You're a mess." You laugh as you rub some pastel green paint from her cheek, both of you deciding that the nursery would be painted a light grey with a pastel green accent wall. "I'm still hot though." She teases and you only roll your eyes, cupping her face as you gently kiss her.

"Yeah yeah you're always hot." You laugh and Natasha looks around the room, grinning at the stack of Avenger's themed stuffed animals your team gave you. "They're all trying to be known as the cool uncle aren't they?" She asks softly and you nod your head, knowing that whatever Avenger your child takes after will forever have that bragging right.

"Let them have their fun, they're happy for us." You smile and Nat only sighs, shaking her head with a small smile on her face.

-----

You feel like Natasha was more anxious than you when you went into labour, your water breaking in the middle of the night. There wasn't any dramatic screaming or freaking out, you just calmly pushed the sheet back and let out a soft "huh" as you saw the damp bedsheets.

"Oh, okay we're doing this." You say before turning on the light, acting like it was any other day as you gently shake Natasha awake. "Nat, baby wake up." You whisper softly as Natasha stirs, squinting at the light once her eyes opened. "Y/n? What's wrong?" Nat mumbles sleepily as she rubs the sleep from her eyes, seeing you in a sitting up position.

"My water broke." You say and it takes a second for the words to process in Natasha's brain, the redhead suddenly sitting up and fully awake. "What? Okay okay it's happening. It's happening." Nat says as she pushes the sheets off herself, her mind immediately going to all the books she's read over the past nine months. You've already packed your hospital bags a few weeks in advance so you aren't too stressed about it, only needing to change and grab a few extra things. Natasha, on the other hand, is working on full overdrive, pulling on sweatpants and making sure everything is in order.

"Natasha, baby." You say as you gently grab her arm, needing your wife to slow down if you're going to survive the next few days. "You need to calm down my love." You say softly as you hold onto her shoulders, making the redhead look at you and take a few deep breaths. "Okay..okay. I'm sorry. I'm just nervous." Natasha admits and you nod your head, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

"It's okay to be nervous Nat, you just need so slow down. We haven't even gotten to the hospital yet." You laugh softly and she nods her head, waiting a few more moments before stepping back slowly. "Okay, let's have a baby."

---

Your head is resting back against Natasha's shoulder as she acts like a backrest to you, allowing you to grip onto her hand when your contractions hit. Nat has been nothing but supportive the entire time, humming reassuring words into your ear as the pain washes over your body.

"Fuck." You whimper once another round of contractions end, Natasha's hand coming up to gently push back the sweaty hairs sticking to your forehead. "You're doing amazing baby, I'm so proud of you." She hums and you sigh, closing your eyes as you feel your wife rub your back. It's quiet as you feel Natasha's hands move down to your bump, rubbing your stomach softly as she sighs.

"Come on malen'kiy golub, your mommies are so excited to meet you." Nat coos and you smile into her neck, warmth flooding your chest as you listen to her. "And I know all of your aunties and uncles are excited to meet you too. We're so excited to hug you, and kiss you, and watch you grow." She hums as she rubs small circles on your belly.

"So please come out before your mommy kills me." Both of you laugh and you snuggle more into Natasha's embrace. "You're going to be an amazing mom." You whisper and Nat grins, looking at you with a quirked eyebrow. "Yeah?" She asks and you nod your head. "Yeah..I couldn't have asked for a more amazing wife, best friend, and now..a mother to our daughter." You hum and Nat blushes, kissing you gently.

----

Your eyebrows furrow as you grip onto Natasha’s hand, pain coursing through your body as you deliver the baby. “You’re doing amazing y/n, almost there.” Nat says as you practically crush her hand, hiding the pain in her face as she watches you. "Congratulations, it's a healthy baby girl." The doctor announces as the baby's cries fill the room, your chest heaving as you lay back. Nat cuts the umbilical cord ("I've seen worst in Budapest") and they place the baby on your chest, draping a blanket over the two of you to keep you warm.

"Hi baby." You coo as you hold your child close to your chest, Natasha standing next to you with unshed tears in her eyes. You look up at her and sniffle (you're crying so hard at this point) as you see the look of awe on her face, smiling as you gently reach out to grab her hand. Softly placing her hand atop of the baby's blanketed back, she slowly moves her thumb, the child's cries quieting at both of her mother's touch. Nat is speechless as she watches the tiny newborn cling onto your chest, loving the warmth radiating off of your body.

"She's a boob man, just like her mama." Nat whispers and you laugh, that being the first thing that comes to her mind. Your child's hand slowly comes up and wraps her fingers around Natasha's thumb, that being the breaking point for the tears as they finally fall down her cheek.

----

"Are you gonna hold her or are you just going to stare at me?" You ask as Natasha watches you and Mila sit on the bed, the two of you now alone with your child. Natasha looks hesitant as she walks over to you, never feeling so nervous as you look up at her.

"You aren't going to break her Nat." You say and Nat's eyebrows furrow, seeing the tiny infant look up at her with Y/c/e. The baby took from both you and Natasha, having scarlet red hair from her and beautiful y/c/e from you. "I just don't know..I mean what if I drop her? What if I do something wrong?" Nat worries her bottom lip between her teeth and you only beckon her to come closer, scooting over so she can sit on the hospital bed.

"You won't Nat, I promise." You reassure her and she slowly sits down on the bed, following your instructions as she places her hands out. Gently transferring the baby into her arms, you smile as Mila looks up at her mama, letting out a soft "gah". "See? She loves you already." You hum as you rub Mila's hair gently, seeing the love on Natasha's face. "Hi Mila." Nat breathes out as you rest your head on her shoulder, watching your wife interact with the baby. The tears return to Natasha's eyes as the newborn looks up at her, her emotions going everywhere as she processes that this is her child, her little bundle of joy that she gets the privilege of sharing with you. "Thank you." Nat whispers out as she looks at you, a smile on her face as she sniffles.

"For what?" You question and she only kisses you softly, smile still on her face as she pulls away. "For giving me another reason to live for." She whispers and her statement covers a wide range, thank you for being her wife, thank you for giving her a chance, thank you for her daughter, thank you for giving her the family she's always wanted, just thank you.

----

Mila's cries ring out through your room and pierce your eardrums, rousing you and Nat from your slumber.

"Mm, I've got it." You sleepily mumble out of instinct as you start to get up, now used to getting woken up in the dead of night.

Mila still doesn't have a sleep schedule since she's a newborn so sometime's she'll sleep for a few hours and other times only for ten minutes.

This time around though, you get gently pushed back onto the bed by Natasha, feeling a comforting kiss placed on your temple as your wife gets up. "I've got it, moya lyubov'." She whispers and you don't have enough energy to resist, watching as Nat walks over to the bassinet. "Hi malen'kiy golub, you have a healthy set of lungs don't you?" Nat mumbles sleepily as she pulls the newborn from the crib, cradling the baby to her chest and gently rocking her back and forth. "Yeah I know, it's okay baby. It's okay, mama's got you." She hums as the baby's cries slowly die down, you still sitting on the bed as you watch your wife in awe. "Your mommies need their sleep huh little one, that sounds nice doesn't it." Nat yawns and you cant help but smile.

"But don't worry, every time you wake up we'll be here okay? We'll love you and hug you each time you cry. And I'm gonna protect you, malen'kiy golub. I won't let anything happen to you or your mommy, I promise." Natasha coos as she continues to rock Mila, not noticing how you're wide awake now. It's a soft, quiet vow, spoken in the dead of night, that Natasha will protect her family with everything she has in her..and it makes you fall more in love with her, if that's even possible.

Getting up, you make your way over to your wife, gently placing your hands on her shoulders to notify her of your presence. She knew you were coming as soon as she heard the bedsheets rustle, even in her tired state she was looking out for the two of you. "Hi." Nat greets you softly and you only hum, a tired smile on your face as you rest your head on her shoulder. Your hand comes up and is gently placed on Mila's back, rubbing soft circles on her onesie. Natasha's heart swells as she looks at her small family, smiling when you kiss her cheek. "I love you." You whisper before looking down at your daughter. "And I love you too." You hum, gently kissing her fiery red hair. Nat kisses your temple gently and closes her eyes, finally at peace with her daughter in her arms and you at her side.

#natasha romanoff x reader #natasha romanoff x y/n #natasha romanoff x you #natasha romanoff #marvel #black widow #mcu #black widow x reader