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xxxdreamscapexxx · 20 days

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Sacrifices series: Chapter 3: Face to face with a monster

Pairing: Wanda Maximoff x Fem!Reader

Word count: 8k

Series Summary: After closing the Darkhold, Wanda struggled to find her place in the word. Until she met you that is. And in you, she found hope. But the past has a way of coming back and she’s faced with an impossible choice once again. A choice that’s going to break her heart. Chapter summary: Finding the layer, doesn't mean she's captured the monster, who was terrorizing the city and Wanda needs to see you at least once, before she has to go back to her hunt, but it seems the sorcerer has plans of his own...

Warning: angst!; emotional trauma; Hurt - No Comfort ; Blood, human sacrifice, gory details of a mutilated body, dark magic... violence, possession, manipulation; That should be it, but in case I missed anything, please let me know. Also, Reader will be making a very small appearance in this chapter, but she has a significant role to play in the future. Chapter 1; Chapter 2; Chapter 3

Wanda dropped the piles of books in her trunk, closing it with a loud thud as she looked at the building in the distance. She could see agents coming in and out, carrying objects, while others were escorting people out. Even from afar, she could see those people were scared, worried where they’ll live next, how they’ll afford it. They held their children close, protective, even in their fear. So brave. She knew what it was like to be displaced, to have your whole life ripped from you, to watch it all crumble down in an instant. She knew how much courage it took, to make the next step, and the one after that… She didn’t know how she’ll interview all these people tomorrow. She didn’t know if she’ll be able to carry the burden of their pain and grief as well. Yet, there was no one else to do it. Only she knew what to look for, what to ask… Only she knew how to get the information that even they didn’t know they could have.

The prospect of invading so many minds, of taking on so many lives filled her with pain. All she wanted was to curl in a ball, her head in your lap. She wanted to feel your hands run through her hair, soothing and soft. She wanted to feel you close once more, to have you fully wrapped around her, until she could forget that this ever happened. She wanted peace. She wanted what was stolen from her. But she couldn’t have any of it back, until she defeats this monster first… Even after being in his apartment, after coming so close to him, she had no idea how to find him. He had left no clues as to his next move, or his plans. None that she could see. But the agents will go more thoroughly through his things and have a report for her by tomorrow morning. Perhaps they’ll find something. Until then, she was free to go home and rest. But the compound, with its grey walls felt nothing like the cozy home she had with you. Her room never felt as welcoming as the shared bedroom she had with you. It was all so empty without you. She found no joy in cooking now, since she had no one to share her meals with. She found no joy in walks, since it always reminded her of the days she’d take you and Bella out to different parks to walk and play… Even her sitcoms brought little comfort. Yes, no one got hurt in them, it wasn’t that kind of show. But the real world was nothing like a sitcom. People got hurt every day, they were hungry and poor and lived on streets with nothing but the mercy of strangers to help them face the next day. There were so many in pain. When she remembered that, it was always so hard to fight back the inner voice that told her that she could fix it all. She was the Scarlet Witch after all. She was born to rule the world. It was her birthright. Her destiny. She could make sure that no one got hurt ever again, that no child was ever orphaned, no one ever had to leave their loved ones, no one had to get hurt. She could do that. Wanda could feel the magic rising within her, the raw power of chaos opening up doors for her that were closed to everyone else. She could do anything. She could win this fight with the snap of her fingers. She could erase evil from this world. And they would all thank her for it. Those poor people that she watched get evacuated. They would all be so grateful. They would worship her, just as they were meant to…

Wanda shook her head, blinking a few times, until her eyes focused once more. Red whisps of magic were swirling around her, her blackened fingers moving through the air. She was casting. Not that she knew what. But she knew she needed to get her emotions under control. Keeping the darkness at bay was much harder, when it promised everything she ever wanted. She could have Pietro back. Her boys. And her parents. She could win you back too. If that didn’t work, she could always make you forget she ever left… “No!” She shook her head in defiance. She knew better than to listen to those thoughts. She crawled her way back from an emotional hell, fighting such thoughts. She knew better than to trust them. With a final glance towards the grey building, that seemed to stand like a hungry giant over the people below, she got into her car and drove away. She was done for today. And now she could finally see you. She could finally drive back to your house, she could see you again, hear your voice… She could feel human again for a few minutes. The redhead drove slowly, her windows rolled down, so she could breathe in the fresh air. She needed to get the stench of that place out of her nose, out of her hair and her clothes. She felt dirty. And she almost felt bad for making her way to you, covered in such filth. Then again, it’s not like she was going to knock on your door. Then again… Why shouldn’t she? Why should she deny herself this one thing, this one kindness, when she has sacrificed so much already? What was to stop her from knocking? From walking in… Who could stand in her path, should she choose to pull you in her embrace. Who had the power to stop her? She could kiss you again. Taste you and feel you, like she’s been dreaming of. She could…

“No!” She almost screamed, hitting the breaks. It was just in time too, a pedestrian was crossing the street, standing frozen in fear of her approaching car. She was seconds away from hitting him. She almost didn’t stop. She had barely even seen him. It took the man a moment to get a hold of himself, before he ran the rest of the way to the other end of the street, looking back at her with fearful, yet angry eyes. Wanda couldn’t blame him. But she also couldn’t quite bring herself to care. She could tell that something was wrong. She wasn’t usually like this. Distracted, careless, cold. She didn’t have such dark thoughts either. Not usually. She was much better at controlling them. She studied calming techniques, meditation, she went through every enlightenment course she could find, looking for a way to keep herself in check, but it was especially hard this time. There was just this voice, in the back of her head, a low murmur that had found its way in and just wouldn’t leave her alone. How long has she been hearing it? This voice. Why was it trying to get her to come to you? Except… That’s not quite what it wanted. You were just a suggestion. A means to an end. A way for her to give in. Yes, that’s what it wanted. It wanted her to give in. Wanted her to unleash her powers. Wanted to set the Scarlet Witch free. It wanted her to use that magic inside. It wanted her to let all that chaos loose and never stop.

The honking of cars behind her startled Wanda out of her thoughts and into motion. She sped away from the spot with a heavy heart and she contemplated if she should even come see you tonight. It was dangerous in her state. It was almost reckless, tempting herself like that. Especially with how off she’d been feeling and acting. It would be a mistake… She was once again pulled from her thoughts, when she saw something strange out of the corner of her eye. She was driving past some neighbourhood, all the houses framing the road. But something was wrong. She could feel eyes on her. She could see old ladies in their kitchens, looking out the windows, mothers with strollers, not even looking at where they were going, too busy staring at her… Men, who openly followed her car, as she drove. And then something else. A man with eyes so black, there was no white left in them and a face so sunken in, it looked stolen from a cadaver. A man, who seemed to smile at her, as if seeing an old friend, before he turned away from the road and walked away. Wanda hit the brakes so hard, she almost hit her head on the steering wheel from the force. She felt shaken, like she had witnessed something important, something she should be better at naming. Like she was walking in the dark, her eyes closed, allowing herself to be led. She realized that this place was not her usual route to your house, that she’s never even been here. Just as she realized that whoever this man was, he knew to expect her. He had felt her presence here, known of her arrival, he was watching her, before his eyes ever fell upon her… But how? She pulled the car over and locked it, using her magic to seal the trunk, just to make sure that the books inside wouldn’t “disappear” while she was chasing whatever this was. She had to walk a little, to reach the spot she first saw him, and she looked around nervously to see where he might have went. The eyes of strangers followed every step she took, not even considering to hide their actions, yet none of them approached her. Wanda could almost smell that same sweet, yet repulsive smell she had first felt when she entered the building she was inspecting. The one where He used to live. It was faint, but unmistakable and a strange sense of longing washed over her. A desire to breathe in deeply. To let herself be intoxicated. The voice in her head salivated at the prospect. Hungry.

She decided to ignore it. Pushing back against the low whisper, that told her to give in. Instead she started to walk in the direction she saw him turn. Beyond the first street, the houses started to look poorer, the yards smaller, the windows covered. She could see dogs sometimes, uneasy and nervous, barking in warning, but never really getting close. They were scared. Just like the people who lived here. But scared of whom? The sorcerer? She couldn’t tell. As she walked, the voice in the back of her head, the one she knew to be the witch within, kept warning her. There was danger here. She could feel it. There was darkness too. And the eyes that followed her on the street, seemed to watch her here too. It made her feel surrounded on all sides.

“It’s a trap.” Her inner voice warned. She could feel herself tensing up, readying for a battle, all her senses on high alert. Her magic was just at the tip of her fingers, making her eyes glow that deep scarlet she knew so well, yet there was no one around. At this point she almost hoped someone would try to make a move. Give her an excuse to release all that pent up energy inside, yet no one did. Eventually the street came to a sudden end, a single entrance to a building signifying her only way forward. The door had a padlock and a rusty chain to keep out intruders, runes covering the links in protection. “Pathetic.” Wanda laughed bitterly, the words loud enough to be heard if someone was nearby. That same energy she felt swirling just beneath the surface suddenly came forth, pouring out of her in a burst and shooting forward. It crashed against the building, taking the whole door and parts of the surrounding wall with it, a loud bang ringing in her ears as it fell to the ground. Dust flew everywhere and she waited for it to settle, not wanting to breathe any of it in, before she finally walked forward. The ridiculous chain was still in takt, the runes glowing a dull grey. She laughed humourlessly once more, stepping inside the building and looking around, her steps echoing off the walls. “One chain?” She called out in a challenge. “I can take down the whole building.”

Her voice rang clearly in the large space, that seemed to have been a factory or a storage hanger once, but no response actually came. There was just silence, mixed with that sweet, yet repulsive smell again. “It’s too easy.” Her inner awareness warned, a low hiss in her ear that she felt an almost compulsive need to swat away, even if it was coming entirely from within. Met with no response, Wanda walked further inside, studying the building wearily. In all honesty, she was getting impatient with this whole charade. She didn’t want to be here, playing hide and seek with a psychopath. She wanted to be at the house with you. She wanted you in her arms again, wanted to have you in a tight embrace and breathe you in. Wanted, no craved your warmth against her stiffened, aching muscles. She explored the floor, impatiently walking around, being met with nothing but decay and ruin. There was nothing but old junk, dust and the unmistakable signs of rats and pigeons taking over the building and claiming it as their own. It looked abandoned. But she wouldn’t be here if it really was abandoned, would she? He wouldn’t try to put protective runes, if there wasn’t something important here.

With that in her mind, Wanda summoned her magic, using it to propel herself in the air. From above, Wanda could see that there was nothing special in this room and she moved quietly into the next, passing through a small hallway, only to find a man hunched over a pot, stirring the content inside. He had his back to her and for some reason she felt the need to sneak closer, even though it was impossible for him not to know she was here, considering all the noise she made. “Welcome, Miss Maximoff.” He said, without turning, “I’ve been expecting you.” The greeting startled Wanda for a moment, making her stop mid-flight, before she moved forward, flying over him and the strange liquid he stirred, murky and filled with bits and pieces of something she couldn’t see clearly enough to name. What she could recognize however was that distinct smell that she felt ever since she left his apartment. That repulsive, yet attractive smell that urged her to breathe it in deeply. That is, until she came closer and Wanda realized that the small objects Wanda was observing, were actually eyes.

“Isn’t it poetic? Stolen eyes, to grant you stolen sight!” He said with a small giggle. “That’s what you used that poor man’s eyes for?” Wanda asked, her voice shaking. She tried not to look at the ugly pot, filled with the murky liquid or to picture the man on the wall, with his empty sockets and a gaping hole in his chest. “Poor man?” The Sorcerer laughed. “He was hardly an innocent.” He hinted. “He liked to watch. In fact it’s all he wanted.” The man continued, words slow, as if explaining to a child. “Do you know how many women they forced, just so he could watch?” The Sorcerer asked, raising his hand, so he could make an obscene gesture, that imitated self-pleasure. It made Wanda sick to her stomach. “So you killed him?” She asked. “How noble.” Her voice was mocking and full of disgust. “I thought it was rather poetic in a way. He liked to watch. And thanks to him, I now see everything.” He said in a smooth voice. “Everything?” Wanda scoffed. “Aren’t you a bit full of yourself?” “I saw you coming.” He retorted in that same calm demeanour. “The all-powerful Scarlet Witch.” He said with a purr. “If you wanted to see me, there are far easier ways.” Wanda replied. She wanted to bait him, wanted to know his plans, while she still had him here. She knew that if it came to a battle, he may not survive. Once she unleashed her powers there was no telling what will happen and she needed to know why he did what he did. Needed to know if there was a greater power behind him. Truly, she needed to know why he did all these terrible acts. Needed to know if he was the monster that he was presenting himself to be. “But this one is rather effective.” He smiled at her. “I saw you look into my apartment. Saw you take things that don’t belong to you.” He accused. “How did you see me there? I was alone.” Wanda narrowed her eyes. “All living things need to eat and drink, Miss Maximoff.” The man explained. “And once they do, they’re mine to use.” “That’s disgusting.” She spat, her hands balling into fists. “Oh, don’t play innocent now. You’ve studied magic. I believe one Agatha Harkness had a very impressive collection on the subject. You’ve read her books. You know there is always a price to be paid.” He spoke patiently, as if he could somehow convince her that he was right. “Well, perhaps not for you…” He trailed off. “With control over pure chaos, you don’t need to pay that price, do you? But the rest of us… We still have to follow the rules.” “Trust me, I’ve paid…” Wanda growled, the control over her emotions fraying. “I’ve lost more than you can imagine.” “Ah, yes, of course.” He nodded slowly. “You and I are kindred spirits in that regard.” “Never compare yourself to me.” Wanda spoke through gritted teeth, the urge to hurt him growing stronger. She could hardly hold herself back, desperate to end all this. She felt so tired.

“But it’s true.” He argued, raising his finger in the air, signalling for her to be patient. “I too lost my parents very young.” He began, taking a step closer to her. “And the world is rarely kind to orphans, Miss Maximoff. Had to go hungry, dressed in the rags others gave away to the orphanage. Had to go to school in them too. Other children are hardly kind to their peers.” He lowered his head for a moment, countless cruelties passing through his memory and flooding Wanda’s thoughts. “But I found an escape.” He continued. “I found that knowledge truly does give you power. I found my first real spell when I was 16. It was just a stupid trick. Turning sugar into salt.” He laughed humourlessly. “It was useless for more than a prank, but it opened my eyes. There was real magic in this world. I knew it now. I had the proof for it. My history teacher was stirring it right into her coffee! So I looked. Researched spells and grimoires, travelled on foot, or hitchhiked to chase down any lead for real magic wielders, looked for amulets and enchanted objects. I built my collection, knowing that one day, I’ll use it to make the world better!” He exclaimed, coming to the culmination of his little speech. “But then I found something better. I found the cult of Salvain. I thought it was nothing more than a cult to a non-existing God, but I went to the forest of perpetual silence, where his followers live. It wasn’t easy, trust me, but I made it there. Have you ever experienced mind-numbing nothingness, Miss Maximoff? Have you ever been in a place so quiet, that every sound is swallowed, to a point you can’t even scream, because nothing actually reaches your ears? It was horrible. I was lost in there for days, walking aimlessly and praying for death to mercifully take me. I was dehydrated, hungry, never met another soul… And just when I thought I would die, I heard him. I heard his voice.” He said with fire in his eyes, his face betraying real emotion for the first time. “He’s been speaking to me ever since. Helping me. Guiding me. I let him inside me and he saved me. He showed me the way to salvation and he’s going to save everyone.” He explained with what appeared to be genuine excitement and appreciation, his words hanging in the air for a long moment. “You’re actually insane…” Wanda finally spoke, her head tilting to the side. “Oh, but I’m not.” The sorcerer said with a grin. “He’s here.” He said, closing his eyes in bliss. “He knows you.” He whispered teasingly, stepping closer still. He was just a few feet away now, giving Wanda a chance to take a closer look.

Underneath the grey skin and sunken eyes, underneath the painfully thin, bony face, he was actually a young man. So young. More a boy, than a sorcerer and a monster. But there was very little of him left. She could see the corruption of dark magic spreading over him like a disease. It was probably what ate away at his mind. “Don’t you want to speak to him, Miss Maximoff?” He asked, his big eyes fixing her in a predatory way. “He’s been waiting to speak to you, you know.” “How about this…” Wanda started. “You surrender yourself quietly, and I’ll talk to him.” She suggested, hoping to be able to contain him without having to hurt him. Despite his seemingly docile appearance, he had managed to kill several people already. She couldn’t be sure what he was actually capable of. “I won’t resist.” He told her gently, hands raising in the air in a gesture of surrender. “You shouldn’t resist either. Can’t you feel him calling you? He’s been talking to you for a while now.” Wanda thought of saying something sassy in return, but the words died down in her throat, before she could utter them. The sorcerer leaped forward, grasping her head on either side, his long, bony fingers digging into her skin. “Just listen!” He hissed, before a blast of red magic pushed him away from her and he fell to the ground. She heard him gasp from the impact, his right hand clutching his side painfully, but when she looked at his face, he looked amused. “He told me you wouldn’t just hear us out.” The sorcerer said bitterly. “But thankfully, Salvain has a solution for everything.” He giggled “What did you do?” Wanda growled, her teeth bared. This was the confession she was waiting for. His next sacrifice, his next victim, his plans. Once he gave those away, she could be done with all this. “You don’t feel it yet?” He asked with a raised brow. “You have a strong mind. Pushing him away all this time. But even you can’t resist him forever.” “What are you talking about?” She asked, feeling a bit dizzy as a wave of that horrible smell hit her nostrils again and she had to put her hand to her mouth and nose just so she wouldn’t gag. Instead of a response, he waited, circling her now, though he kept a safe distance. His watchful eyes seemed to never leave her and she was once again feeling dizzy from the way he circled her. It was almost like vertigo, but it came with the unpleasant return of that nagging voice in her head, that wanted to seduce her. She could stop all this right now. She could just blast him with her magic. He had attacked her once, had he not? She could claim his death on self-defence and leave all of this behind. No one had to know what happened. There were no witnesses, no cameras…

No! She had to shake the thought away. This wasn’t her way. She could easily immobilize him and let S.H.I.E.L.D deal with him. She didn’t need to hurt him. She was not going to become a killer. But the Scarlet Witch is a killer, a thought flashed through Wanda’s mind. And even though it seemed like it came from within, even though it had her voice, she finally realized that it wasn’t. There was a presence in the back of her mind, a voice that whispered in her ear, disrupting her thoughts. “Now you get it.” The sorcerer smiled, smug and self-satisfied. “How are you doing that?” Wanda hissed at him, fighting the urge to slap his smile away. She could easily knock him down. He seemed so weak, so fragile… It would be so easy to just… Wanda shook the thoughts away again, starting to get angry at this stupid game they were playing. “I’m not doing anything.” The man in front of her responded. “I have no power to influence you.” He told her softly. “Ordinary humans are easy, but you…” He shook his head. “You’re strong. I had to find a way to help you hear Him. ” “What did you do?” Wanda asked again, her voice shaking so much it sounded like a growl. She was losing her patience. Each second that passed between them felt like an eternity, fraying her nerves. Why not just be done with him? Whatever he planned would simply be left unfinished if he were to die… No, he could have accomplices, acolytes… She couldn’t afford to leave this unfinished. Not when so much was at stake. “I only helped you open your mind to him. That’s all.” He said with a surprisingly gentle voice. “I’m only helping you see. That’s what he wants as well. For you to see the good he can do in this world.” He said with a look of longing in his eyes. “He can do anything. Give you anything. You just have to let him come through…”

As the sorcerer spoke, Wanda’s vision slowly started to blur. The dizzy feeling she’d been fighting, suddenly overtook her and she felt like she was fainting. Except that wasn’t quite it either. It was more like she was being pulled underwater, supressed so deep within herself that she no longer felt one with her body. She was floating within her subconsciousness, a passenger in her own body. Her clothes were slowly changing, her comfortable pants and soft sweater that she wore suddenly fading and being replaced by her old suit. The boots and tights came first, her magic working its way up, red swirling around her and weaving the tight corset into place, her old cape flowing down her shoulders… Magic weaved itself in the places where the suit had torn, glowing… Then came her crown. It glowed in the same scarlet as her magic, surrounding her in unnatural light that looked both terrifying and regal. She’d never seen herself like that. She always felt like Wanda. But this was the Scarlet Witch. This is the destiny she kept rejecting.

“Why fight it, Wanda? This is who you were meant to be.” A voice creeped up on her, ringing all around her. She turned frantically to look for the source, but there was no one. The sorcerer was still in his spot, staring in awe of her, a deeply unsettling smile on his face. “Show yourself.” She challenged, sounding more scared than she liked, hoping to draw out the voice. “If you want to see me, you’ll have to invite me into your world.” Salvain said in a low voice. “Invite you, huh? So you need someone to let you through.” Wanda retorted, feeling some of her confidence return. Whatever entity this was, he couldn’t move into the world on his own. “Not just anyone, Wanda. I need you. Gorden over there was a good servant. He did as he was told, performed the rituals and cast the spells, but he’s not strong enough. His body is failing. He can’t pierce the veil and let me in.” The voice explained in a monotonous tone, as if talking about the weather and not a life. “But you can.” He said, a trace of a smile in his tone. A trace of urgency. “And what makes you think I will?” Wanda lifted her chin defiantly, her lips trembling in barely-contained anger. “Because I can give you everything you’ve ever wanted, Wanda. I can bring back all your friends. I can bring back Vision… You can have your brother back! Your parents too. Your boys! I can make it so they never, ever died. I can make sure they never do again.” He said seductively, his voice bouncing around her skull with all the weight of his promises.

“I tried that!” Wanda hissed, her fists balling at the memory of Westview. “It doesn’t work. It’s not real.” She shook her head. “As powerful as you are, Scarlet Witch, you’ll always need your magic to sustain them. But I… Once I’m in this world, I can bring them back, make them real… I can make anything you want real… You can have your whole family back. I can give you back Vision. Or Y/N. Or even both?” He chuckled. “Both of them, so willing and loving… You’ll want for nothing, Wanda.” “No!” Wanda growled, but to her surprise, her body moved. Her fingers glowed, whisps of magic swirling around them slowly. “It seems your counterpart disagrees.” Salvain purred. “No! You can’t do that!” Wanda’s eyes widened, filled with panic. “I’m not doing anything.” He chimed in, amused. “You are doing this.” He explained. “It’s ok, Wanda. I understand. Aren’t you tired? Aren’t you so utterly exhausted of having to fight for a modicum of peace? For a place in the world? For even a crumb of love… Aren’t you angry? At all the injustice in this world? At the people who turn a blind eye to suffering, to poverty, to strife? You can make it stop! You’ve always had the power to stop it. You can rule this world… But you don’t want that, do you Wanda? I understand… I can help…” “Stop it!” Wanda screamed, her voice bouncing around in her head. She could see more of her magic seeping out of her, now a hurricane of red that swirled around her, building and waiting to be unleashed. The sorcerer, Gorden, was on his knees, awe-stricken at the feet of the Scarlet Witch. His bony face looked even more sickly in the red glow of her power, yet he seemed so at peace. “It’s too late now, Wanda.” Salvain sounded almost smug. “It has already started. Gorden laid the path, now you will open the door and soon… I will walk in the world…” Wanda listened to his words, the terror inside her building at the prospect of what was coming. She had never heard of this entity, had no idea of his powers and if he could truly influence reality the way that he claimed. She hardly knew if that voice in her head was real or if this was all in her head and she was about to unleash her powers upon the world and destroy it. She only knew that she needed to regain her composure and her control over herself if she wanted to stand a chance against him. She focused her thoughts, ignoring his voice and the endless tirade that served no other purpose than to hurt her further and she tried to gain back some of her control, but every time she did, she felt herself being pushed away, her path blocked by an invisible force.

“It’s useless Wanda. There’s nowhere to go…” He chimed in, making her eyes snap open in annoyance. Her power was building, crackling in the air around her like a storm, the pressure in the room growing. If she unleashed that, she would rupture the veil between worlds, creating a passage for him and God only knows what else and she wouldn’t be able to stop any of it. “You’re not in control anymore.” He reminded gleefully. The words bounced around Wanda’s head, heavy and mocking in their finality. The magic that swirled around her now rose to filling the whole warehouse, thundering and waiting to be unleashed. It was almost time and she wouldn’t be able to stop it. She would once again fail. She would fail to protect you, to protect all the innocent people of this world, she would fail herself and her legacy… She would once again be a monster. With that realization Wanda broke down, falling to her knees and letting the tears that she’d been holding back for days finally fall freely. “I’m sorry…” She sobbed, her head bowing down in defeat. “Don’t be sorry, Wanda. You’re doing exactly what you were meant to.” Salvain said with a surprisingly gentle voice, as if talking to a child. “I wasn’t talking to you!” Wanda shouted suddenly, looking up. The Scarlet Witch was now floating, the magic and particles of dust swirling around her. She was getting ready to unleash it all. “I’m sorry I rejected you. I’m sorry I pushed you down and treated you like a disease to be cured. I’m sorry, that I pretended like you weren’t here all this time…” Her words died down into sobs, as she looked through her own eyes, a prisoner of her body now taken over by another. “I’m sorry I made you feel like this all this time.” She whispered. Wanda shook with sobs, her heart beating wildly in her chest, her thoughts a frantic mess that she could hardly distinguish anymore. She thought this would be the end. And selfishly, she regretted that she’ll spend it away from you, when suddenly a red glow illuminated her face and a gentle hand rested under her chin, urging her to look up.

There she was. The Scarlet Witch, in all her glory, was standing above her, her features unreadable. Salvain’s voice had quieted down, pushed aside by the presence of the witch. “I’m so sorry.” Wanda whispered again, her face wet with tears. She wasn’t sure how this moment was possible, both of them face to face, as her body continued to float into the air, magic crackling and threatening to be unleashed at any second, but as she looked at the face of the Scarlet Witch, she didn’t care. “I should have never neglected you.” She whispered at the witch, her green eyes full of regret. “It’s not just me you were hurting.” The witch said gently, her tone a stark contrast to her stronger, more defined features. “This rift between us, hurts us both. We were never meant to be separate. You and I are one, Wanda. The divide leaves vulnerable.” She explained, her strong hands helping Wanda to her feet. “We can only do this together.” “But…” Wanda looked confused. She was still in the air, or her body was, summoning more magic, the walls of the warehouse groining with the force of it. “We are meant to rule the world, Wanda. It is our destiny.” The witch reminded seriously. “Do you really think I’ll give away our throne?” She tilted her head, a sly smile starting to play on her lips. “So you have a plan.” Wanda questioned, an eyebrow rising. “No… We have a plan.” The witch corrected, her smile growing. She offered Wanda one of her hands, their palms touching. The feeling was electrifying. Wanda felt a surge of power pass through her, making her gasp. Than the Scarlet witch moved closer, their faces so close together, their noses almost touching and a warmth spread over her, a kind of relief that made her muscles relax. She allowed the witch even closer, her counterparts free hand wrapping around her waist in a gentle, confident motion. The softness in the other woman startled Wanda. She always saw the witch as ruthless and merciless… Thought of her rough and unforgiving. She always resented her for it as well. “Those were the traits you needed.” The witch suddenly said, a knowing look in her eyes, when she saw Wanda’s confused expression. “That’s not all that I am.” She said, her eyes softening once more.

She guided Wanda even closer, their bodies making contact and making Wanda shiver. The witch’s presence gave her this inexplicable sense of surety. Then calmness. And with it, a deep sense of belonging. And then a longing for more. Her hands wrapped around the witch’s shoulders, as if they were partners in a dance, strangely close and intimate in the bubble of privacy the Scarlet Witch had made within their mind. Their breathing synched together, their eyes locked and for a moment Wanda had the strangest urge to kiss the other woman, to run her hands through her hair and down her back and she felt that desire reflected in the features so identical to hers. On instinct she closed her eyes, lips parting slowly as she leaned in, their foreheads touching for a brief moment, before she tried leaning in even further, only to find the space empty. Wanda opened her eyes to find herself alone and she blinked a few times, questioning if this wasn’t just a figment of her imagination, before she felt that same sense of surety wash over her, her mind opening up and expanding to accept the witch within herself and allow her to merge, just as they were always meant to. Her mind’s eye suddenly opened to the universe as the knowledge and power of the Scarlet Witch bled into her, connecting them, until they were whole. As they merged, Wanda felt more powerful, more alive, more confident than she ever had been in her life. She could finally sense the real, raw strength of chaos magic and she opened her eyes to find herself back into her body, the center of a hurricane of magic that swirled around her and threatened to tear down the whole building.

Without wasting too much time, she focussed her strength, guiding that magic into a single point in the floor, feeling the vail between our world and the next start to bend under her strength. The ground shook and groaned, but gave way to her will, a portal starting to open, rimmed in scarlet. Beneath her Gorden had recovered from his stupor, stopped staring at her in awe and moved closer to the portal that formed, arms open in welcome to the God he had been serving all this time. Wanda sensed the approach of something powerful, something monstrous, as it neared the portal she was holding open and she braced herself for the moment he would pass. He paused some distance from the portal, the world on the other end black and filled with nothingness, before he surged through it. He passed smoothly, landing on the dirty floor of the warehouse, the portal closing shut behind him. Dazed by the strength the journey had taken, he didn’t seem to notice the trap of the Scarlet Witch and started to stand, feeling carried by weak, almost trembling legs. He looked around, winded, breathless, his eyes landing on Wanda, who used her powers to land on the floor softly, her red eyes staring at him. “You made the right choice, Wanda.” He started to say, his voice coming out rough and distorted. It sounded nothing like him, he realized and with a distrustful gaze, started to look down at himself.

That’s when he saw it. The skinny legs, frail frame, bony fingers connected to dry, vainy hands… And a whisper… Except this time it wasn’t the distant voice of a far-away acolyte, but a voice inside his own head. The voice of Gorden Shaw… Salvain felt himself smothered in Gordon’s body, so weak, so frail… A mortal shell too fragile to contain his strength. He had but a fraction of his abilities here and he wanted to free himself from the uncomfortable confines this body provided, but he seemed unable to leave, rattling inside his cage like a wild animal, before his eyes landed once again on Wanda. “How dare you!?” Salvain roared, realization painting Gorden’s bony face. “Release me, at once!” He demanded, his voice a growl. “I’m not holding you.” Wanda smirked. “You cannot exist in this realm without a body and yours didn’t make the trip… I’m afraid you and Gordon will have to share.” “You tricked me!” He exclaimed, enraged. “I did nothing of the sort.” Wanda retorted calmly. “Creating a passage isn’t easy and the veil has many layers. I lifted enough for your consciousness to pass through, but your body… Alas, that was left behind.” Wanda explained, summoning her magic, so she could show Salvain the image of his abandoned body, a mindless heap on the ground where he had passed through the portal. “If you don’t return back to it soon, I’m afraid it would die…” Wanda said with a mocking pout on her lips, the whisps of her magic fading. “You foolish girl!” Salvain growled, low and dangerous, his hands balling into fists. “You should have done this the easy way.” He snarled at her. Before Wanda could realize what he meant, a ball of energy formed into Gorden’s hand, now Salvain’s, and it shot toward her, barely giving her time to block, before it hit her straight in the chest. Another followed, than another, magic raining down on her as he gave her no time to do much more than protect herself from his attack. He groaned and grunted with the effort of it, breathing shallow. “If you would not welcome me, Scarlet Witch, you will fear me!” He exclaimed, sending more balls of energy her way, before he used his abilities to lift her off her feet and fling her across the room. Wanda tried to cushion her landing against a wall, but still groaned when she fell on the floor, feeling several bruises form on her knees, but she pushed herself to stand upright, summoning her own powers and throwing a few energy blasts his way. He blocked them, teeth bared, grunting from the unfamiliar feeling of being inside another’s body. In retaliation he looked around, lifting pieces of metal, wood and brick into the air and sending them flying toward Wanda, who tried to dodge them, but hissed when a sharp nail flew passed her, tearing the flesh in her forearm.

“Aren’t you tired of this charade, Wanda?” He asked with a note of challenge. “Pretending to care about all those ridiculous mortals out there? Pretending to be moral, when I know what’s inside you. You wanted to kill Gorden. You want to kill him still. Be done with all this, so you can walk away and find your little girlfriend. That’s what you really want, isn’t it? Why not just go do that? Or maybe I’ll go find her, once I’m done with you. Show her some real horrors.” He smiled, crooked and ugly. The mention of you and the clear threat he made had Wanda’s blood boiling. Gordon’s features, if sickly before, had now turned wild and monstrous, his eyes bloodshot, his mouth wet, like a rabid animal, cheeks even more hollow now. Salvain’s presence and the energy it took to sustain him, as well as the magic he used to fight Wanda clearly took their toll and the thought of this thing making its way to you made her sick to her stomach. “I would never let that happen!” She spat, gathering her strength and summoning her magic. She levitated in the air, the scarlet whisps of her magic surrounding her once more as she rose higher and higher, her form almost reaching the ceiling, the ground once again trembling, as she made it all crash down.

She watched the rubble start to fall, the ceiling and walls of the warehouse collapsing, chunks of concrete and metal piling over one another, a cloud of dust and a thundering crash sounding around her as she watched Gorden’s body disappear from view. A part of her regretted the unfortunate end of his life. A part of her recognized his suffering and the inner turmoil he must have felt. Another part of her felt glad. Felt relieved he was gone… Or at least she thought he was. Very few could survive the collapse of a building. But S.H.I.E.L.D would have to confirm that. She saw their black cars from the air even now, saw a few helicopters heading in her direction as well, some government, but some of it was the press. Of course, reporters would want to capture this, even if they weren’t sure what they were filming. It would be golden none the less. Even she knew that. After all, the Scarlet Witch was hovering in the air, a collapsed building on the ground… She’d be on the news and the first page of every newspaper and magazine for weeks! Wanda was about to float down, try to give them less of a show, when a sudden rumble sounded from the rubble and a deep feeling of dread settled over her. An unnerving thought crept its way to her, causing a shiver to pass through her body. The confirmation of her fear came in the form of a chunk of concreate that flew towards her head and narrowly missed her. But it wasn’t what scared her most. What she feared came after. In the center of the ruined warehouse stood Salvain, his arms outstretched as more rubble started to float in the air. He seemed to be taking the whole building, forming a hurricane of dust, bricks, metal and wood, as well as anything left inside. And when that was all gone, he started to tear pieces of earth and rock too. “You should have walked away, little witch.” He shouted over the sound of wind, releasing his hold on the flying objects and hurling them in the air. Some were aimed at Wanda, but some flew astray, passing close to the helicopters that now hovered over the scene as well and it took everything in her to try and stop them all, a magical barrier forming in front of her and the nearby helicopters, but she still saw pieces of rubble falling to the ground, scaring curious onlookers, who had gathered to watch the fight, despite S.H.I.E.L.D’s efforts to keep people away.

In the chaos of it, she felt torn. There were so many innocents around. So many people who would get hurt, should she allow him to get the upper hand. The carnage seemed to amuse him, his lips outstretched into a sickly grin. She couldn’t protect everyone. Not like this. She could hear shouting, the cries of women and children as they ran from the falling debris, helicopters whirring around her… It was all too much. * * * With a flick of Wanda’s wrist, a wave of magic surged through the air and although your TV could hardly do it any justice, you could see that it was a powerful blast. A deafening silence came first, the panicked sounds of people fading into utter stillness. Then came a red glow, seemingly bursting from Wanda’s chest and expanding, dipping the whole world into a scarlet hew. You watched with bated breath, your eyes glued to the screen of your TV, your heart hammering in your chest. This was the first time you’d seen Wanda since she left, and the apparent danger she was in did very little to help your anxiety. You could recognize the old warehouse, not too far from where you lived and the thought that she was so close, yet so far, made it feel hard to breathe. Then came a third wave of magic. This one however was a dull grey. It shot through the air in a cluster, like the pellets of a shotgun and everything you saw, was the way they found their target, right in Wanda’s chest, before everything went dark.

#lesbian #writing #wanda maximoff #wanda maximoff fanfiction #wanda maximoff x reader #wanda maximoff x y/n #wanda maximoff x you #scarlet witch #sacrifices #magic

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nerdycartoongal · 1 year

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What painful sacrifice is The Owl House series finale going to have?

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goldenamaranthe-blog · 9 months

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Baby and the Bees: Catch

Cubby (5): (sitting excitedly in the front seat for the first time)

Yang: (wearing her aviators as she's driving, stops abruptly at a stoplight and holds arm out to catch Cub) You good, Cub?

Cubby: Mmhmm!

Yang: Whew! Thank goodness. Let's...uh.... Let's not mention this to Mama. You're technically not big enough to be in the front seat...

-7 Years Later-

Cubby (12): (sitting in front seat and reading)

Yang: (pulls aviators down to the tip of her nose and glances at Cub) Don't you get car sick from that?

Cubby: Car sickness is for the weak.

Yang: Haha! Don't let Mama hear you say that- Shit! (stops abruptly to avoid hitting a car that pulled out in front of her, and holds out arm to catch Cub) You alright?

Cubby: I'm good, Dagon.

-5 Years Later-

Cubby (17): (pouting and staring out the window)

Yang: (silently staring out the windshield into the night. Aviators glint in the passing streetlights on the dash)

Cubby: ....You used to go to Junior's at my age...

Yang: Yeah, but I was also a much different person back then. What made you think that Junior wouldn't call me as soon as he saw you, a minor, trying to get into his club with a fake ID? You gotta be smart about these things- CUB! (arm shoots out as she slams on the break and catches Cubby)

Vehicle speeds through intersection and slams into the car. Both vehicles are smoking, and the sound of sirens starts to grow in the background.

-3 Years Later-

Cubby (20): (driving)

Blake: (riding shotgun)

Cubby: (stops abruptly and instinctively throws arm out to catch Blake) uhhhhh...

Blake: You are your Dagon's daughter...

Cubby: (tears up)

Blake: Baby girl... (unbuckles and pulls Cub over the center console in a hug)

A pair of broken aviators sit on the dash. One of the lenses is popped out, and replaced with a picture of Yang.

#bumbleby #yang xiao long #blake belladonna #i'm not crying you're crying #baby and the bees #does this count as angst or just heartbreak?#angst #who's cutting onions in here?#I love Yang so much - I swear!#I found it!!!#bumbleby week 2023 #Day 2 #Sacrifices #Your life is more than a sacrifice for others

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geeky-politics-46 · 9 months

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Sacrifices - Part 3

Click here to read Sacrifices - Part 1 & Part 2

Pairing: Doctor Stephen Strange x Reader, Steve Rogers x Reader

Summary: You & Stephen finally get some alone time together, & you all start to settle in your new life together until Steve has something important to tell you.

Warnings: lots of smut (NSFW) - 18+ ONLY - language, mild angst, reference to injuries, complicated feelings about cheating, dirty talk, vaginal sex, unprotected sex, oral sex, fingering

Some slight canon divergence. Based on a request from @magnificentfurybluebird. The next part will cover the events of WandaVision & FATWS.

You could tell Vincent was having second thoughts about the overnight when you got back to where Wong and Stephen were waiting. It had been a long, stressful day for all of you. You were nearly ready to say forget the whole thing until you saw the way Stephen was eyeing you, and you realized just how much you really did need your alone time with him.

"Alright baby, be good for Uncle Wong. You know you can call at any time if you need me. We will see you in the morning after breakfast. Love you, sweetie. Have fun."

You gave him a big hug and a kiss on the cheek. Sending him to go over and get a hug and kiss from Stephen too. Wong took his little hand and seeing the pout on his face whispered loud enough for you and Stephen to hear.

"Trust me it will be more fun at Kamar-Taj. You don't want to be here when they get all mushy. I've seen it. It's gross. Besides, we've got candy."

That made Vincent giggle, and he happily walked through the portal into the courtyard of Kamar-Taj, the moon already sitting high in the dark night sky dotted with stars. Your little boy did not even stop to wave as he headed off.

Stephen walked up behind and wrapped his arms around your waist. His suit jacket and tie had been shed while you were getting Vincent ready to go. He ducked down so his face was nuzzling into your neck. Already leaving kisses on your sensitive skin. His fingertips digging into and kneading the flesh of your hips and belly.

You let your head drop back onto his shoulder and closed your eyes. Focusing on the smell of Stephen's cologne.

"So I'm thinking we share a nice long soak in the tub with a bottle of wine, then we break in those brand new sheets on our bed. We can spend the whole night making that bedroom ours again. If I remember correctly, the couch and the dresser also have some fond memories we can recreate."

A soft sigh falling at the ideas. Honestly, as much as you wanted Stephen, a long hot bath sounded incredible on its own. All it took was a nod and a little moan to communicate how perfect that sounded.

When you opened your eyes, you found yourself already standing in the master bathroom. Staring back into Stephen's mischievous blue eyes through the mirror. Letting him undress you before telling you to run the bath while he went to get the wine.

By the time he got back with the bottle and two glasses, you had already climbed into the warm water. Already starting to feel much more relaxed as you sipped your wine and watched your husband undress.

"Enjoying the show?"

You hadn't looked away for a single second while Stephen removed the rest of his clothes. Studying each new expanse of bare flesh that came into view. Until now, you had only gotten glimpses of him as he changed. So far, your son had been clinging to one or both of you, preventing you from really enjoying having Stephen back romantically. Now you were getting to see every square inch.

"Very much so. Forgot how much of a fine specimen of man you are, Doctor. I'm a very lucky woman to call you mine."

You snuggled back into his chest once he had joined you in the tub and reflected on the day. It had been long and full of sadness, but you also felt weirdly hopeful at the future that lay before you. Pepper and Morgan were holding up okay, and you were looking forward to rekindling your friendship with Pepper. Honestly, Happy seemed to be the one who had the hardest time during the service.

You were also glad that Stephen had a chance to clear the air with Steve. You weren't expecting them to go out for a beer together anytime in the near future, but their conversation could have gone much worse. You knew Steve would be a gentleman, and you knew that he always knew your heart still belonged to your husband, but Stephen didn't like to share his toys. Stephen was the one you had been worried about flying off the handle.

"You know I dreamt of you almost every single night during those 5 years?"

He unwrapped his arms from around you momentarily and grabbed a bottle of body wash. Pouring some in his hand before working to spread it down your arms and chest. After a moment, he responded very matter of factly.

"Those weren't dreams darling, most of them anyway. It was me trying to communicate with you. When Thanos snapped, we didn't just disappear. We were somewhere else. In another dimension, or at least our souls and minds were. Most people don't seem to remember it. For them, it felt like they were gone for mere seconds. Even Wanda and some of the other sorcerers I've spoken to since only have slightly more memory of that place, of how long we were actually there. I could feel time passing. That's when I started trying to reach out to you. In particular, after I realized you would have already had our son. I wanted so badly to be with you. I figured out before long that because of Vincent, our souls were still connected. So I called out to you whenever I could. When you were asleep, you almost always heard me. I wouldn't be surprised if you asked Clint, and he said he had similar dreams about his family. They just probably don't remember calling out to him. So everyone else will write them off as just dreams, but they weren't. They were real. I was one of the few who could manipulate my surroundings, though, so I always tried to make it look like somewhere else. Somewhere, we could talk about happier things. I didn't like seeing you sad."

You weren't even surprised by a good chunk of what you heard anymore. This was one of those times. In reality, you had always hoped that somehow your dreams were Stephen trying to contact you. To find a way to be with you. During the blip, you tried to keep yourself from believing it, even if you knew it might be possible. If you let yourself believe it, then you knew you never would have even tried to move on. Not that you got very far.

"What about the dreams I had where you had a ponytail? Or there were a couple where you had no goatee, and your cloak was the most beautiful shade of blue. It matched your eyes so well. Not that you don't look amazing in the red cloak, and everything really."

He smiled and even giggled, nearly choking on the sip of wine he had taken when you mentioned him with a ponytail. Of all his questionable life and style choices, he was pleased to say that was never one he had ever considered.

"Those were just dreams. If I ever decide to grow a ponytail, I think it's safe to assume I'm having some sort of mid-life crisis. You and Wong are free to set up some sort of intervention."

You took some of the body wash in your hand and pulled one of Stephen's hands into yours. Massaging the joints and tracing over his scars. Leaving a kiss on each knuckle. Sometimes, after a long day, you knew his hands got a little stiff and achy. He also definitely wasn't as used to carting around your son as you were.

"How are your hands feeling? You were holding Vincent a lot today."

He flexed and contracted his fingers into a fist a few times. The warm water of the bath had taken care of most of the discomfort he had been feeling. In all honesty, his hands hurt to at least some extent on most days, but there were some things that always made them feel better. Having his hands on you was one of them.

"Why don't I show you how my hands are feeling?"

Stephen let his fingers fall from your caressing touch and sink under the water. One hand drew small shapes and patterns on the skin of your low belly. The other hand kept moving down to your thigh, his long fingers dipping down to the inside of your leg stroking the skin there. His touch imploring you to spread your legs for him. Which you happily obliged.

He whispered 'good girl' into your ear when he felt your legs move without him prompting. A little high-pitched moan fell from your lips at his praise. You had always loved it when Stephen called you his good girl, and he loved how you always preened at his praise. The smallest compliment from him whispered in your ear, turning you to putty in his hands.

When his fingertips began caressing the crease of your hip but not going any further before moving across your pubic mound to repeat the action on the other side, you were whimpering for him to do more. When he pulled his hand up and let his fingers rest on your pubic bone, a dark chuckle came from deep in his chest when your hips started to roll on their own. Trying to push his hand between your legs.

Your nails dug into his muscular thighs as each second felt like an hour. In all of the time he had been gone, you had never wanted or needed your husband's touch as much as you did right then.

"Stephen, please. Do you have to tease me tonight? I can feel how hard you are and how bad you want me. I want you even more. Please touch me, Stephen. I need you. I've needed you for so long."

His own self-restraint nearly failed at your begging. Especially when you mentioned you could feel him. He had been trying to behave, but clearly, you knew where his brain had been since he got you naked. Before he took you to bed, he wanted to hear you make all the little noises he had missed.

"Did you ever think about this while I was gone? About my hands on you? Pretend your own fingers were mine? I bet you thought about it in the tub, just like we are right now. I know how relaxed the warm water makes you. Did you touch yourself and think of me?"

All you could do was whimper and nod as you relaxed farther into his chest. You had thought about it many, many times while Stephen was gone. The only person you ever fantasized about for nearly the entire five years was your husband. No one else could even turn your head for the longest time.

He was pleased with how quickly you began to nod. Keeping the heel of his hand pressed on your pubic bone, he let his fingers start to move down and tease at your sex. Using his middle and ring fingers to stroke your outer lips up and down. Avoiding touching your clit completely. He could feel your skin was now getting warmer than the water around you. He wanted you nice and wound up as he intended on spending all night working on you.

"Did you tease yourself like I am right now? Or were you so needy you went right for that pretty clit and that tight little hole? You get so wet so fast when you're all horny baby. Bet you are already dripping."

He moved his middle finger to stroke up your slit. Letting it dip into your warm channel to feel just how slick you were for him. He was not disappointed by what he felt. Your warm sticky fluids easily coated his fingertip. Part of him wished you weren't in the tub so he could get a good taste of you without the potential of it being watered down. The thought of your taste on his tongue again made his mouth water. He made a mental note to wake you up in the morning with his tongue.

God, he had missed touching you. Feeling you. Not just like this, but definitely like this. Like only he knew how. Call it being pompous, but he knew that the Captain could never elicit the same responses from you that he did. The super soldier could never know your body the way he did. He hated the thought of another man pleasuring you, but he relished the thought that you still found yourself fantasizing about him when you touched yourself.

Stephen slowly let his middle finger start to draw lazy circles around your clit. Still avoiding direct pressure but massaging you enough that the deeper nerves around it were being stimulated. Making it so when he finally did stroke the engorged bundle of nerves you would be on the verge of shattering from a single touch. Occasionally letting his finger dip back down to probe inside you. Never more than a couple thrusts. Just enough to get you going. Pulling out when he felt you starting to clench around him.

His other hand moved up to paw at your breasts. Gently tugging at one nipple then the other. Feeling them pebble against the cool air in contrast to the warmth of the water and Stephen's touch. At this point, you were trying to turn around in his arms to face him. Patience was never your strong suit, and right now, he could tell you were itching to get him into bed under the covers so you could enjoy him as much as he was enjoying you.

"I'm not letting you out of this tub until you cum for me. Do you understand? I can tell you want to take this to the bedroom, to have me fuck you and make love to you, but I have five years of missed orgasms to make up for. So you are gonna be good and let me play with you just a little bit longer."

Your body went slack against his as you whispered a soft "Yes, sir" into the side of his neck. Surrendering to him completely. You had missed his dominant side in bed. That was one area where Steve had been very much a novice, leaving you in charge more often than not. You craved the feeling of being told what to do.

Yes, you were craving soft, sweet sex with your husband too, but right now, the animal part of your brain was in charge, and that part of you wanted to be manhandled. In order to be good, you braced your hands on the edge of the tub. Your fingers quickly showed just how tight you were gripping the porcelain, and in turn just how close Stephen had you to cumming.

Your moans and whimpers getting louder with each passing second. Music to Stephen's ears. After a few more minutes of toying with you. Feeling your wetness grow until you were dripping even beneath the water of the bathtub. He devoted his attention to your clit.

His thumb stroking the bundle of nerves as he buried his long index and middle finger deep inside you. Curling them upward when he felt your cunt start convulsing and squeezing him tight. He couldn't wait to feel the same thing around his cock again. Smiling at the beautiful sight of your back arched and your breasts breaching up through the water of the tub as you climaxed.

After letting you rest for a moment, your breath finally coming back to you as Stephen nuzzled into your neck and held you in his arms, he reached over to grab one of the large fluffy towels he had set nearby. The water in the tub now tepid, and your skin was starting to get goosebumps from the cool air.

You reached to pull the drain plug and slowly started to stand on somewhat wobbly legs. Stephen stood up with you. Holding onto you as you stepped onto the cold tile bathroom floor and making sure you didn't fall. He started to dry both of you with a large soft towel. Alternating back and forth between your two bodies, making sure to dry your hair as well. Placing kisses on your bare skin and silently holding you as he dried you.

Once you were both mostly dry, he threw the towel to the side and scooped you into his arms. Your bare bodies effectively kept each other warm as he carried you to your shared bed. Just as he had on your wedding night. The bedspread and top sheet were already magically pulled back. Something Stephen no doubt did while you were still in a post-orgasm fog.

He laid you down softly on the gigantic bed and quickly joined you. Pulling the covers up over your waists to keep you warm while you took your time with foreplay, even though both of you were already excited enough, you both wanted to make this an event. You wanted this night to make up for everything you two had missed together, or at the very least, get a good headstart on it, so that meant no rushing whatsoever.

So you let yourselves lay there in each other's arms, kissing and caressing every inch of each other's flesh except where you both craved it most. Holding out until you couldn't stand it any longer.

"Stephen, please, make love to me. I need to feel you inside of me so badly. I can't wait any longer."

Stephen carefully rolled you onto your back and smiled down at you adoringly. His body already slotted perfectly between your legs. The feeling of his hard cock against your dripping cunt making your hips thrust gently against him. Aching for any friction you could get against your throbbing clit.

Your actions pulled a low growl from his throat as he leaned down to nip at your pouting bottom lip. He knew this first round probably wouldn't last terribly long. He was so desperate to finally feel you again after all that time. The fact that you were so desperate for him to guarantee he wouldn't be able to control himself for long.

He let the tip of his cock gently start to prod at your hole. You cunt fluttering in response to his teasing.

"Does that feel good, baby? Do you want more? Do you know how hard it's been these last few days, with your perfect body so close and we couldn't do anything? All I could think about was this perfect little pussy. Not sure my cock has ever been this hard baby. All for my beautiful wife. Even more beautiful now than the last time we were right here in this bed together."

He leaned down to kiss you once more before letting his forehead rest on yours as he finally pushed inside you. Your nails clawing into his back at feeling of finally being filled by him again. The thought of finally having your husband inside you again after losing him for five years bringing tears to your eyes.

Stephen stopped in place, completely sheathed inside of you when he saw the tear trickle down your cheek. He wanted to make sure he wasn't hurting you in any way and that nothing was wrong. He shushed you gently as he wiped the tear away with his thumb. Leaving a kiss on the dampened skin, it left behind.

"Are you okay, sweetheart? We can stop if we need to. We don't have to…"

You cut him off with a firm kiss and a warm, bright smile. Reassuring him that you did want to keep going and that your tears were actually of joy.

"Stephen, of course, I want to keep going. Don't you dare stop. It's just that for the first time in five years, I feel whole again. Right here, right now. I have my missing piece back where it belongs. Now please start moving, baby, and don't be gentle. I want to really feel you."

Your lips crashed together as he obeyed your command. Pulling nearly completely out of you before slamming his hips forward again. The headboard knocked into the wall with the force. Keeping a slow pace but making sure each time he thrust into you was hard and deep. Exactly how you wanted it.

Stephen buried his head in the crook of your neck as he fucked you. One of your hands was buried in his thick dark hair as the other clung to his shoulder. The speed of his thrusts increasing as you whispered all the filthy thoughts you had kept inside for so long. Dreaming of this moment.

"Never stopped thinking of you. Of how good you fuck me, Stephen. Of how perfect your cock feels. Of how it feels when you cum inside me. I craved to be full of your cum again. I swear I'm never going more than a day without your cock again."

You could feel him frantically nod against your skin in between bites and kisses. You knew you might have a hickey or two to hide tomorrow, but you couldn't have cared less. A deep moan pulled from your chest as Stephen found just the right angle inside you. Your legs moved to wrap around him, and you started grinding against him.

"Oh fuck, Stephen, faster please. You're gonna make me cum. Cum with me baby. Fill me up. Please cum in me, Stephen."

Your words sent Stephen careening over the edge into his own climax. Feeling your cunt milk his cock he swore he would hold to your promise. Even after both of you had come down from your orgasms, you stayed exactly as you were. Neither of you wanted to pull apart until you absolutely had to.

Not that there was much point in separating anyway. You both knew that this was just the first round of several that night, and many back in your own bed with the man you loved. The man you waited for and would always want. Your Stephen. Your husband.

--------------------------------

You didn't know how much sleep you and Stephen managed to get in between your amorous romps, but it wasn't much. Neither of you cared, though. You were both plenty happy to spend the next day a bit tired. There was five years of fucking and love making to make up for.

The sing-song of the birds outside the bedroom window was what woke both of you. It was much nicer than your normal wake-up call of a blaring alarm or a hungry hyper child. You let yourself bask in the relaxed environment for a little bit longer. Relishing the feel of waking up in your husband's arms in your shared bed again. A bed you hadn't slept in for so long. Knowing soon that Wong would be bringing Vincent back.

Your husband had a different idea, though. Stephen's hands quickly found your body, and his lips found your neck, like you were connected by magnets. He was no less voracious than he had been the entire night before.

"Stephen, we don't have long before Vincent gets back. Don't you wanna sleep in a little longer?"

You already knew the answer as you could already feel his cock hard against your ass. His hips grinding forward gently, making sure you knew what he wanted.

"I'd much rather spend that time fucking my beautiful wife. Why don't you let me wake you up a little more. You just lay there and enjoy it, darling."

Stephen dove under the covers and began kissing his way down your naked body. Stopping to suckle briefly on both nipples before continuing his trek to end up with his head between your thighs. Just as he laced his arms under your legs and descended onto your inner thighs, you heard your phone buzz. Groaning as you reached over to grab it, having a sneaking suspicion, you knew exactly who it was.

Sure enough, it was a text from Wong:

Is it safe?

Trying not to giggle as you read it out loud to Stephen, who still had not stopped nipping at your hip bones from under the covers. Trying even harder not to fall apart laughing when Stephen yelled from beneath the blankets that he was gonna need somewhere between 30 minutes to an hour. Kissing over your pubic mound and sucking the sensitive skin so close to your pussy.

Before you lost all composure, you quickly typed out a message and hit send. Not bothering to read back what you wrote before throwing the phone back on the nightstand just in time. Your brain turning to goo when you felt Stephen's tongue pressed flat against you licking up over your entire cunt.

Your back arched, and your fingers gripped the sheets, a loud moan pulled from your chest. His mouth closing around your clit and sucking lightly before releasing it. The feeling of his mouth on you was heavenly. The scruff of his goatee making you even more sensitive.

You couldn't help the little whimper that fell from your lips when you felt his mouth leave your skin. Only to start moaning even louder when he started lapping at you with ferocity. His own little growls, sending vibrations all the way up your spine.

Eventually, he began to tease you in the way he knew would have begging for more. Alternating long licks with sucking on your clit. His tongue never stopping. A single finger barely grazing your slit. Stroking over and over as drew little circle with his tongue.

A tingling had started building in your low belly, your orgasm coming faster than you would have expected. Although, you had always been amazed at how good Stephen was with his mouth. Suddenly you were pulled from your impending high when he stopped all his movements completely and pulled his mouth off of your needy cunt.

"Stephen, why did you stop?!"

You couldn't keep the pout out of your voice. He knew how close you were, and he knew he had you right where he wanted you. He kissed his way up between your breasts. A Chesire cat grin on his face when it popped up from beneath the covers. His hair tousled, and his blue eyes dark with lust.

"I said I was going to wake you up. I never said anything about letting you cum. If you ask nicely I bet I can make you cum another way. Do you still want to go back to sleep darling? Or should we use our time differently?"

He had positioned himself perfectly so when he began to softly rock his hips forward his cock was sliding between your wet folds. Coating him in your arousal and riling you up even more. Your legs spread even more trying to get as much stimulation as you possibly could.

Every nerve was alight, and you felt incredible. Completely absorbed in the moment and your husband. Your amazing husband was the only man who could make you feel this way. You were sure of it. You needed more, and you knew he wanted more.

"Fuck me Stephen. Fuck me and make me cum. Please."

He growled when he heard you begging. It had to be one of the most beautiful sounds in the universe. He sat back on his heels and pulled your legs up over his shoulders. Getting you into exactly the position he wanted. Hunger in his gaze as he took in every inch of bare flesh before him.

Reaching between you he positioned his cock right at your opening. A devious smile on his face as he gave you clit a sharp little slap. A loud groan escaping your lips as they sensation shot through you. He grabbed your hips with both hands and you could tell he intended to set a fast rough pace this time.

"That's it, baby. I want you to be nice and loud right now. Let's enjoy our last little bit of alone time to its fullest extent. I want you to be screaming my name by the rune we are done."

It was a very good thing. Wong had seen your text response and decided to give you two hours instead. He knew what your garbled response meant, and he had no intention of walking in on it.

Stephen says another half hour to an hoursdbmpng.

--------------------------------

After his shower, Stephen was surprised to find you downstairs, busy in the Sanctum's kitchen. The smell of eggs and his favorite chocolate chip pancakes practically carrying him down the stairs like a cartoon. His heart practically burst out of his chest when he saw you fully absorbed in your cooking and humming a song to yourself. You looked like a dream come true, a dream he never knew he wanted until you.

"It smells incredible in here. When did you learn to cook so well? I remember you messing up toast."

He came up and wrapped his arms around your waist as you carried the last couple pancakes over the island and added them to the sizable stack you had already made. You were used to having to feed not only a growing child but a super soldier and an assassin. You were gonna have to relearn how to cook for just the three of you, maybe four with Wong.

"You can thank Pepper for most of it. Actually, you can thank Nat and Steve, too. After seeing Nat nearly burn the compound down and tasting most of the recipes Steve learned back in the great depression I didn't have much choice."

Stephen chuckled with his face buried against the skin of your neck in between soft kisses. Just when he thought you were already the perfect wife, you suddenly found a way to get even more incredible. He didn't expect to come back to his very own perfect little housewife.

Truth be told, deep down in his chest, he feared he would come back to no wife at all. That you would have moved on with your life. Happier without him. He wouldn't have blamed you, but he was grateful to the fates that you had held out hope for him. Hope in him.

"You have no idea how sick I got of peanut butter sandwiches in those first few months."

Stephen turned you around in his arms and pressed your low back into the counter. He pressed his body as firm to yours as he could manage without actually pushing you onto the counter. His arms around your waist and yours instinctively looping around his neck. Toying with the still slightly damp tendrils of hair at the base of his skull.

"Well, I will never get sick of anything you make or anything about you. I love you. God, I missed you so much."

His lips were back on yours and once again full of passion and hunger. His tongue quickly sneaking into your mouth. You could still taste the mint from his toothpaste. Instinctively, you pulled even closer and forgot everything, but the man wrapped in your arms, kissing you breathless.

You and Stephen completely missed the sound of a portal opening. Only to be snapped from your make-out session when Wong cleared his throat. Looking over, you found him rolling his eyes and covering your son's eyes with his hand. A light blush dusted your cheeks at the realization you had been caught.

"Excuse me, but there is now a child present, and the Sorcerer Supreme. So tongues in your own mouths, if you please."

Stephen huffed and rolled his eyes at both the mention of Wong now being Sorcerer Supreme and that he had to stop kissing you. He still had so much lost time to make up for. You had to fight the urge to giggle at how he and Wong fell right back into their normal Odd Couple back and forth as if a day hadn't passed. Some things apparently never change.

"Hey sweetie, were you good for Uncle Wong? Didn't cause too much trouble, I hope."

Your son ran over and hugged you tight. Your hand finger combing through his thick dark brown hair. His bright blue eyes that mirrored Stephen's looking up at you as he excitedly started telling you about his evening with Wong.

"No, Mama. I was good. I helped Uncle Wong teach class!"

An exaggerated surprised expression on your face at his news. Stephen's eyebrows genuinely quirked up in interest at the idea that his son was already learning the mystic arts. Vincent loved helping Wong with his duties and classes. Not that he did much other than follow him around, but Wong was very good at making him feel like he was contributing a lot.

"He was a very good assistant. A very good listener, too. He must get that from his mother. I look forward to the day I can really start teaching him."

Your son beamed at Wong's compliment and turned around to give him a little bow, which Wong returned. Very excited at the idea that he could someday learn the mystic arts from his Uncle Wong. He was smart as a whip, and given that he was Stephen's son, you both had no doubt that when that time came, he would pick it up quickly. You were also both pleased that Vincent seemed much less intent on challenging every authority figure the way Stephen did. He took more after you, the teacher's pet, and for that, Wong was thrilled.

Not that Wong didn't respect Stephen as a sorcerer, but Stephen from day one had a tendency to do things before he was ready. Or, according to Wong, before fully reading through a spell all the way to the warnings. He was prideful and still had a tendency to be vain. You had heard Wong tell him over and over to consider all sides before acting and that it wasn't about how fast he could learn something.

In the time you had known him Stephen had worked to humble himself, and made significant strides in earning the responsibility and respect he had gotten, but you couldn't help but notice how much the fact he was no longer Sorcerer Supreme seemed to be bothering him. You would have to talk to him about it tonight. Try to get him to see the upsides. Especially since it meant he could spend more time with you and Vincent. See if you couldn't get him to not pout about Wong having the higher duties now.

Vincent reached out to tug on the bottom of Stephen's shirt to get his attention.

"Daddy, you're supposed to bow for the Sorcerer Supreme. That's Uncle Wong."

Your son tried to helpfully inform Stephen, much to his chagrin. You could see his teeth clench even though he tried to keep his facial expression neutral. Of course, it was whisper-yelled as children tend to do. So both you and Wong heard everything loud and clear.

"I'm aware of the customs… Let's go put your bag down, shall we?"

Stephen quickly tried to change the topic so his son wouldn't make him bow to Wong. Wong was busy grinning proudly when Stephen walked Vincent past him and over to the table to help him with his backpack. You walked over to give Wong a quick hug and a thank you for giving you and Stephen the night to yourselves.

"I am always in your debt, Wong. You are truly a life saver and hands down the best babysitter ever. Do you want to stay for breakfast?"

Wong happily returned the hug and smiled. He had always been softer with you than with Stephen. Partly because he knew it would get under Stephen's skin, but partly because you were always so warm and good-hearted with him. You genuinely tried to help where you could and would go out of your way to make someone's day better. Wong respected you immensely for that. So he always felt happy to return the gesture.

"You know I am always happy to help, my friend. He genuinely is a pleasure to have around. I mean it about teaching him when he's a bit older. I have no doubt he will be gifted. I must head back to Kamar-Taj, however, so I will take a rain check on breakfast."

He bid everyone a quick goodbye and opened the portal back to Kamar-Taj, turning back to wave bye to Vincent one final time before closing it behind him. Vincent is now sitting in his normal spot at the small kitchen table. Stephen standing next to him.

You moved back to the counter to start bringing plates full of food over to the table, you knew that even if your son had eaten at Kamar-Taj he would still want pancakes if you and Stephen were eating.

As Stephen took the plates from you and set them down on the table so you could finish getting the silverware, you heard him try to strike up a conversation with Vincent. You rolled your eyes a little when you heard the topic. Something you were definitely going to have to address later.

"You know, before you were born, I was the Sorcerer Supreme. Your dad was Sorcerer Supreme. Not your Uncle Wong."

Your son was hardly paying attention. Already having spotted the pancakes and stealing several from the stack. Somewhat messily sliding them onto his own plate before starting to frantically search for the syrup you had in your hand.

You leaned down to press a kiss to the top of Stephen's head to console him since it was now apparent Vincent had ignored him. Stephen pulled you down to sit in his lap as you reached over and quickly cut Vincent's pancakes before he could attempt to swallow them whole.

"Hey, how come he didn't tell you to bow to Wong?"

Stephen assumed Vincent still wasn't listening, but like any five year old, he chose the perfect opportune moment to check back into the conversation. Before you could say anything to distract Stephen and get him to a more upbeat topic, your son answered.

"She's mom. Uncle Wong says moms are even more powerful than the Sorcerer Supreme."

You giggled to yourself before looking over your shoulder at Stephen. Winking at him.

"And don't you forget it, Strange."

--------------------------------

You had put Vincent to bed several hours ago and you had retired to your bedroom. Already changed into an oversized night shirt and washed your face. Busy working on your to-do list for the next day and double-checking your calendar. The reading glasses you had started needing only a year prior perched on your face, and your hair pulled into a messy bun.

You were in full mom mode by the time Stephen came in to join you. Making notes about groceries, meal planning, and laundry. As well as other things you wouldn't have put too much thought in before you had a child. You hardly registered Stephen's presence until he commented on how he still wasn't used to your glasses.

"Is it weird that I find you even sexier in those reading glasses? I think they may be my favorite new thing about you since I got back. They are just so hot."

You snorted in amusement at his statement. Truthfully, you kind of liked them too, but the fact that they seemed to have such an effect on Stephen certainly pleased you. At his core, despite his hot shot reputation as a surgeon and then sorcerer, you knew deep down Stephen was a total nerd. Although, Steve had a similar reaction to your glasses, too. Maybe it was just something about the mom/librarian look.

Either way, you were happy about it. Of course, now that Stephen was done with his duties for the day, you wanted to talk to him about Wong before he distracted you with sex. Now was the perfect time.

"Stephen, can we talk about something, please? I know you are upset you aren't Sorcerer Supreme anymore. I know you are having a hard time with that, with Wong being Sorcerer Supreme now."

You watched as his gaze dropped, seeming to try and figure out how he wanted to respond. Whether he wanted to try and deny your claims or just go ahead and admit what you already knew.

You let him continue changing out of his robes and into his sweats in silence. Giving him time to answer on his own. When he was ready. You could see the gears turning behind his beautiful blue eyes.

"I'm not upset, I'm just… okay, I'm a little upset. I worked hard for that. I finally had a purpose again."

He sat down on the bed opposite you, now completely changed, and let his head fall. Studying his hands carefully. No doubt replaying the events that led him to becoming Sorcerer Supreme in the first place. All the feelings of inadequacy he had before finding his place in the world again. Before becoming a sorcerer. Before finding you.

"Baby, you still have purpose even if you aren't Sorcerer Supreme. You are still a hero. You are still the master of this Sanctum. You are still a husband and a father. I hope Vincent and I give you purpose anyway. Maybe this is a chance for you to make up for the time you missed. You said the other night you can't believe how much you missed with Vincent. Maybe the universe wanted to make it up to you by giving you more time with him now."

The speed of his response told you he wanted to avoid even an inkling of the possibility that you and Vincent weren't enough. He gave everything up to save you once before, and he would gladly do it again without hesitation. He was just having trouble with the fact that he couldn't pick everything up right where it left off. He felt behind, and he hated to admit that he felt that way both as a sorcerer and as a father.

"Of course you and Vincent give me purpose. I didn't mean it like that. I just meant that for the first time since the accident, I was in control of something. I was good at it. You're right, though. I am happy it means I can spend more time with you and Vincent. I just hate answering to people and following instructions."

You knew that deep down, this wasn't about Wong at all. It was about Stephen feeling out of control. That was the root of a lot of his issues, actually. That didn't mean that it wasn't manifesting in a way that made it seem like it was about Wong, and that is the last thing you wanted. You wanted your son to see his father and his uncle, who helped raise him get along. Their playful jabs at each other were fine. In fact, it would be weird if they weren't making smartass comments to each other, but the line needed to be firmly drawn at anything that might seem like real resentment or anger.

"You know who the first person was to start telling Vincent about his dad? Wong. Months before I could even say your name without crying. Before he was old enough to even really understand anything. Wong would come to the compound and tell him all sorts of stories about his dad. The great sorcerer Doctor Stephen Strange. How you fought side by side. He even offered to let us stay at Kamar-Taj when I told him it was too painful for me to stay here without you. You and I both owe him a lot. That includes respecting him as the Sorcerer Supreme and following the customs at the very least when Vincent is around."

He seemed to pause and think for a moment. He knew Wong was well prepared to be Sorcerer Supreme and was undoubtedly the right choice for it after he had blipped. He also knew that Wong would take care of you and Vincent in his absence. At least that had been his hope. He was pleasantly surprised at the idea of Wong lovingly telling your teeny little baby all about the man who drove him up the wall from the moment he first stepped into the library at Kamar-Taj. He would cut Wong some extra slack for that.

"Yeah. You're right. I'll do better when Vincent is around. I'm not bowing when he isn't there, though."

There was a hint of teasing humor in his eyes, but at the same time, you knew he meant the last part. It seemed like a reasonable deal, though. Being a good role model for Vincent was one thing, but getting Stephen to let go of his stubborn streak would be a whole other can of worms.

"Stephen, the thing about a relationship with you that has most prepared me for being a mom is that it taught me that sometimes I have to pick my battles. I can work with that. Thank you."

Stephen crawled onto the bed and promptly started crawling all over you. Nuzzling into your neck and tickling your sides. Generally trying to be a little obnoxious and make you stop working on your to-do list and give him your undivided attention.

"You love me."

He said it in a light teasing voice that when paired with his other actions was stupidly adorable. You couldn't help but laugh at his antics. Throwing your to-do list to the side and setting your reading glasses on the nightstand to give Stephen the attention he wanted.

"Yes. I do love you very much, Stephen."

His lips quickly captured yours and his arms wrapped around you tightly, pulling you down on the bed with him. Silly pecks slowly deepening into something more sensual. Your body naturally migrated to lay on top of Stephen's. His hands slowly moving down your back to grip the cheeks of your ass.

Your legs straddled him and your hips rolling against him gently as he kneaded the soft flesh. Both of you starting to get lost in each other just like the night before.

"Guess someone didn't get enough last night. Hmm?"

You purred to him in between kisses. You could feel him smile back at you. Gripping your flesh a little tighter.

"Never gonna get enough of you. Besides, we didn't have a chance last night for you to ride me like you know I love."

Your hips wiggled almost on their own at Stephen's declaration. Oh yes, of course you knew he loved it when you were on top. It was the reason three out of four of your bedroom walls had at least one mirror on them. So Stephen could watch you from multiple angles as you used him for your pleasure.

Just as you were starting to fully lose yourself in his kiss, looking forward to another busy night between the sheets from the sounds of things, your cellphone started to ring. Normally, under the current circumstances, you would have chosen to ignore it, but something deep in your gut told you that this call was important.

A look at the caller ID seemed to only intensify that feeling. It was Steve Rogers calling. Captain America never really did get the hang of texting, but if he was calling this late, you knew it was important.

--------------------------------

As you and Vincent entered the park, you immediately caught sight of Steve. What you didn't expect was for Bucky to be standing there talking with him.

You had only met Bucky twice before. The first time was in Wakanda right before the first battle with Thanos. The second time was at Tony's funeral. He looked much more put together now as he stood smiling with his best friend for decades than he did either of those times. Although, you probably did too.

"Uncle Steve!!!"

Nearly as soon as he saw him, Vincent let go of your hand and bolted towards Steve. Steve looked almost as excited to see him. A bright million watt smile on his face and his arms held wide, ready to scoop him up in a bear hug. Spinning around in circles as soon as Vincent launched himself into the Captain's arms.

Even Bucky was smiling and laughing softly watching Steve and Vincent interact. No doubt it was a side of Steve he didn't think he would ever get to see. Steve had told you that back before the war, he and Bucky had talked about wanting families. How they wanted their kids to grow up together, hopefully be best friends just like them. Neither of them ever got the chance, though. At least with Vincent, Steve got to experience some of what he missed out on. Bucky wasn't sure he would ever get even that much.

Once you finally got to where they were standing, Steve gave you a quick hug and a soft kiss on the cheek. Both of you fighting the urge to linger just a little longer in the familiar embrace. You loved Stephen more than words could say, but Steve would always hold a little piece of your heart for bringing you back to life when you felt like a ghost simply going through the motions of living. You would always hold a little piece of his, too.

Steve dutifully introduced you and Vincent to Bucky. He was still quiet and clearly nervous. You made the very conscious decision to hold out and offer your hand to him. To show him that you were not afraid of him, that you saw him as the person he was now. Not as the weapon Hydra had made him to be. Vincent, with the classic innocence of a child, had no need to make an effort. He was a friend of Uncle Steve's, and that's all he needed to know. One he had heard lots of stories about, too.

"You grew up with Uncle Steve, right? Are you that Bucky? You're his bestest friend."

Steve smiled brightly at Vincent's recollection of all the stories he had told him. Bucky seemed genuinely surprised that your son knew who he was and that he knew him as just Bucky, Steve's best friend. No shadow of the Winter Soldier taunting him.

"That's right. We've heard lots about Bucky Barnes. All the trouble you had to get Steve out of."

You chimed in to add a little context to what stories Vincent was talking about. Sure you heard about the trouble they caused together, and about the charms of the handsome young Bucky, but still a good amount of the stories all seemed to coalesce around Bucky saving Steve's behind in one way or another. You knew that was part of what had made Steve so determined to save his best friend from Hydra.

That and the fact that Steve felt Bucky wouldn't have ended up in the military if it hadn't been his big dream all along. Especially after learning that it appeared Bucky might have lied to him and even to his own family about enlisting, and that his Army ID number actually showed he may have been drafted instead. Steve had always wanted to fight, Bucky only wanted to fight to protect Steve. Steve wanted to go to war. Bucky merely got caught in the crosshairs.

"Mom, can I go play on the swings?"

Your son was already practically off and running even before you could give him permission. Steve quickly volunteered Bucky to go push him, somewhat to Bucky’s dismay. Before he could decline, Vincent had grabbed ahold of the bottom of his leather jacket and was leading him towards the playground. A slightly terrified look in his eye, but a shy smile on his lips at your son's exuberance. A trait Steve may have helped encourage.

Once they were a few steps away, Steve started to speak. His voice was soft and sweet, the way he always spoke to you.

"I'm glad you came. I imagine your husband wasn't thrilled about my invitation to meet alone."

"Yeah. Stephen isn't great at sharing. The fact that it's a public park made him feel better, I think. He still wanted to tag along, though. Luckily, Wong called him to Kamar-Taj for something."

Steve chuckled under his breath at the idea of Stephen following you to the park and pouting when he couldn't. He wouldn't have minded Stephen being there, really. He knew that the sorcerer would be able to keep his secret, but it was more personal this way. You knew secrets that even Bucky didn't know. It only made sense that you were one of the only people who knew about his plan. About his intention to go back to Peggy.

"Bruce fixed the return pad, and tomorrow I'm going to put all the infinity stones back from exactly when and where we got them. He said that someone called The Ancient One stressed how important this was."

The mention of The Ancient One snapped your attention away from Bucky and Vincent. You had wondered if she would be the keeper of the time stone. You knew when they were staging the time heist that Stephen wasn't yet a sorcerer during the battle of New York. He was still a practicing surgeon then. You couldn't help but wonder what she was like. Both Stephen and Wong spoke so highly of her. You were suddenly a bit jealous that Steve was going to meet her too.

"And, anyway, I just wanted to see you and Vincent again before I do. I also wanted to officially introduce Bucky to you. So he has another friend. Just in case, you know."

You watched him curiously. You could tell there was something he wasn't telling you. Steve Rogers was shit at lying, and he wasn't very good at not telling the whole truth either. He wouldn't have said that unless he really thought something might go wrong. A glint in his sky blue eyes told you exactly what you needed to know. In fact, he was intending for something to go wrong.

"This almost sounds like a goodbye, Rogers."

"Not goodbye, just see you in a few decades. I told Sam to keep an eye out for Buck, I didn't tell him my plan, but I told you how well they get along. Sam is also talking about moving back to Louisiana for a while to be with his sister and her two boys. So I thought that maybe since you and Vincent were here in New York that maybe you could keep an eye out for him too? He needs a friend or two, and I can't think of anyone better suited. You and Vincent helped me figure out what I really want from life. Maybe you guys will help him figure that out, too."

You both watched silently for a moment as Bucky pushed Vincent on the swings. A soft smile on his lips and a sad expression hidden behind his blue eyes, but you couldn't help noticing he was only using his right arm to push your son. With both hands covered by his black leather gloves, it took you a second to realize why. A pang in your heart at the way he kept his left arm, the vibranium arm, held behind his back. Almost like he was trying to pretend it was restrained. Like he was afraid it had a mind of its own.

"Vincent seems to be taking to him well, and he seems like a good guy. You know Vincent is gonna miss you something terrible, though."

"Bucky is a good guy. Don't let him forget that. Vincent's got his dad now. He doesn't need me anymore."

You turned to Steve and looked directly into his eyes. You needed him to know how much his presence meant to you and Vincent. How having Stephen back could never erase his place in your lives.

"Sure, he's got Stephen back, but that doesn't mean he's going to forget about everything you did for him. For both of us. For five years, you were the closest thing to a dad that he had, and the best person I could have asked to have there for him."

A genuine soft smile formed on his face. The kind of smile that's reserved for people you trust completely. A smile that holds both happy and sad memories just the same.

"Tell Bucky we are there when or if he needs us, and maybe even if he thinks he doesn't need us. The same goes for your geriatric ass too. However this whole thing shakes out. I'll bring you jell-o at 'the home' and you can tell me all about your life with Peggy."

Steve buried his face in his hands as you fell apart, laughing. You had hit the nail on the head without even really trying. Steve knew he wasn't a very good liar, but clearly, he couldn't even slip a missing detail by you.

"God, am I that easy to read? How did you know this was all about her?"

"I know that look, Steve. You have the same expression I walked around with after Scott showed up. The love of your life feels so close again, like you can almost reach out and touch them. You're still here, and yet you're already gone."

Just like that, you had managed to verbalize how he had been feeling since that day on the battlefield. Knowing that they had won and that Thanos had been defeated. You and Vincent had Stephen back. A part of his soul packed up and headed back in time right then and there. He just hadn't known how to describe it until he heard you say it.

"Just do me a favor and don't tell anyone. You and Bucky are the only ones who know about this. Like I said, I didn't tell Sam."

You held up your hand in a Scout's honor sign as you looked at him with your best serious face. This elicited another chuckle from Steve. He had to admit he was going to miss you something terrible. That was part of why he made the decision he did. You deserved to live without the nagging fear of having Steve pinning after you. A part of him always would be if he stayed.

"You're gonna give Sam the shield, aren't you?"

You waited and watched from the corner of your eye. Steve seemed to hem and haw back and forth for a minute. Trying to pick his words carefully. In an ideal world, he would have loved to pass the shield to Bucky, but he knew that Bucky needed to focus on healing and was in no position to have that kind of pressure levied on him. He was also fresh off a presidential pardon with court mandated therapy to keep him busy. Besides, you already knew that in his heart, he knew Sam was the right choice.

"I want to, yeah. I'm not the symbol this world needs now. I'm a symbol of a bygone era. A fossil, as Nat used to say. The world may need Captain America, but they don't need me. They need someone who can stand for who we could be, not just who we were. That's Sam. I don't know if he'll take it, but he deserves it. He's a good man."

"I don't know if he'll agree, and I don't know him that well, but I think from what you've told me, Sam is the perfect choice."

By now, Vincent and Bucky had started walking back towards the two of you. Coming to get Steve to come play, too. You happily found a bench and watched the three of them run around together for another hour or so. The energy level of a five year old can apparently only be matched by that of two super soldiers.

At some point, Stephen showed up and joined you on the bench. Putting his arm around you when the sun started to set and the breeze started to blow. Laughing as he watched Vincent play and sitting in content silence for the longest time. Eventually, you let your head lean on his shoulder. Just watching the three of them was making you tired.

"What did he want to talk to you about?"

"I can't tell you, but you'll know very soon. It'll make sense. Just gotta trust me in the meantime."

You waited to see what he would say. Listening for any subtle form of protest. He took one of your hands in his and brought it to his lips. Leaving a soft kiss there before letting your interlocked hands drop into his lap. A slightly mischievous but genuine smile on his lips as he responded.

"I will always trust you, my love. With everything."

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sg1-dannysworld · 10 months

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Daniel Jackson | Sacrifices

#Stargate SG-1 #Sacrifices #Daniel Jackson #Michael Shanks #zsu-gifs

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roguecanoe · 5 months

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Scout post 2 (no i don't regret drawing a bunch of characters why do ya ask?)

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wiirocku · 1 month

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John 10:11 (NLT) - “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices His life for the sheep.

#John 10:11 #I am #good #shepherd #sacrifices #His life #sheep

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citadelofmythoughts · 8 months

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My first fic for @bumblebyweek-blog - Prompt "Sacrifice/Your life is more than a sacrifice for others"

Blake confronts Yang over her self-sacrificial tendencies.

#Bumbleby #bumbleby week 2023 #Bumblebyweek #Sacrifices

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downfalldestiny · 7 months

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Remember ;

Your selfless sacrifices may one day be forgotten, and the people you've dedicated your life to may not always express their gratitude 🌕 !.

#Reality #Life #Mood #Alone #Cold #Waves #Tired #Moon #Clouds #Lonely #downfalldestiny #downfall #life #Forget #Gratitude #Away #sacrifices

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thelordismylightandmysalvation · 1 month

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And don’t forget to do good and to share with those in need. These are the sacrifices that please God.

Graphic via Verse of the Day - Hebrews 13:16 (NLT)

#do good #please #God #Bible verses #scripture #Hebrews #forget #share #sacrifices

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idoodlemen · 1 month

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more sacrifices content but with emelineeee <3

#chonny jash #chonnys charming chaos compendium #cccc #cccc fanart #cj mind #cccc mind #sacrifices au #sacrifices

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xxxdreamscapexxx · 7 months

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Series masterlist: Sacrifices

Series Summary: After closing the Darkhold, Wanda struggled to find her place in the word. Until she met you that is. And in you, she found hope. But the past has a way of coming back and she’s faced with an impossible choice once again. A choice that’s going to break her heart. Chapter 1: Sacrifices Chapter 2: The hunt Chapter 3: Face to face with a monster Chapter 4: Coming up

#writing #lesbian #wanda maximoff #wanda maximoff fanfiction #wanda maximoff x reader #wanda maximoff x you #wanda maximoff x y/n #scarlet witch #Sacrifices #Magic

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nerdycartoongal · 1 year

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Ultimate Disney TVA finale sacrifices

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geeky-politics-46 · 11 months

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Sacrifices - Part 2

Click here to read Sacrifices - Part 1

Pairing: Doctor Stephen Strange x Reader, Steve Rogers x Reader

Summary: The time heist has worked & brought Stephen back to you, but at what cost?

Warnings: Heavy angst & some mild references to smut - language, reference to injuries, death, mental illness, complicated feelings about cheating, general sadness, references to sex.

Stephen smut coming in Part 3! Some slight canon divergence. Based on a request from @magnificentfurybluebird.

All you could do was wait and hope.

Wait to see if your best friends and your lover would come back. Hope that your husband would come back.

Wait to see if a broken world could be fixed. Hope that the Avengers, full fledged and honorary alike, could beat Thanos at his own game.

While you waited, at least you could try to work out a way to explain to Stephen what had gone on between you and Steve. You hoped he would forgive you. Just the thought made you sick to your stomach.

No matter what, you were still stuck waiting and hoping.

You made dinner for Vincent, and both of you settled into the bedroom he had picked out as his. Your plan once the battle kicked off was to keep him occupied so he hopefully wouldn't notice any of the chaos outside. So you two played his favorite games and watched his favorite shows. If it weren't for the worry picking at the back of your mind, it would have been a very fun night with your little man.

Somewhere between playing Avengers with his action figures and watching the end of 101 Dalmatians, you began hearing what sounded like thunder far off in the distance. Opting to tell your son that's what it was, when you knew it was a sign the battle had begun. Luckily, he was distracted pretty quickly when he started asking once again if you could get a dog.

Once Vincent had fallen asleep, you snuck out of his room and over to the large round window decorated in the Seal Of Vishanti. You could just see a glimpse of the battle, you assumed it was where the Avengers Compound had been. The dust flying, the laser fire from weaponry, and the large ships of Thanos' army. You couldn't see enough to know what was happening, just enough to keep your nerves on edge. This was your equivalent to standing on a Widow's walk, staring out at the ocean waiting for your lover to return from sea.

You suddenly thought about the letters you had seen Nat slip into Vincent's Captain America backpack. You quickly went to retrieve them. Stealthily grabbing the red, white, and blue bag from Vincent's room without making a peep. Sitting on the floor outside the room as you looked for them. Finding them both easily amongst the books and toys.

One envelope was addressed to you, and the other was addressed to Stephen. You carefully set the one addressed to Stephen to the side, face down. Almost not wanting to even touch it at all for fear that it could jinx the possibility of him coming back. Even though you knew that it wouldn't really alter anything that had already been set into motion.

You gingerly unsealed the envelope. Trying your hardest not to disturb where Nat had left a lipstick print from clearly kissing the envelope after sealing it herself. Inside, you found several handwritten pages and a photo.

The photo had been from Vincent's last birthday party at the Compound. The giggling little boy sat in the center of the photo behind a homemade cake you and Nat had fumbled through making. Luckily, it tasted better than it looked. Nat was on Vincent's right, and you were on his left. Wong and Steve stood behind the three of you. Tony, Pepper, and Morgan were all to your left. A holographic Rhodey on the far right. Tony made him attend even if he couldn't be there in person. Mainly, so he would have to talk to Steve less.

You smiled as you stared at the picture. It was easy to focus on the bad times since the snap, but there had been plenty of good times too. You were glad to have had the people around that you did. To have a support system. Even if you missed Stephen, you had still had some happy times. You would have to frame this photo for sure.

Moving on, you eventually unfolded the letter. Nat's elegant handwriting already making it look perfect, like a letter written for a scene in a movie. You took a moment to admire it before you began reading it.

You could never have expected to find what you read. Your heart dropped more with every word you read:

My dear friend,

I imagine as you are reading this, you don't know the outcome of our mission. Hopefully, you have Vincent tucked into bed, safe and sound. You can stop hovering outside the door, you know. He could never be safer than he is with you. Never forget how strong you are. Even when you don't feel like it. You are an incredible woman and an incredible mom.

Now comes the hard part of this letter…

If all goes according to the plan, you won't see me again. At least, hopefully not for a very long while.

Clint and I were sent to retrieve the soul stone from the planet of Vormir. According to Nebula, Thanos took her sister, his daughter, Gamora there and only Thanos returned. In order to get the soul stone, a soul must be given in return. So I plan to give myself so that Stephen, Clint's family, and everyone else we lost can return.

I chose not to tell you or Steve or even Clint about my choice before the mission. As you all would turn around and offer yourselves without a second thought, and if it means your happiness, I would sacrifice myself a thousand times over. You know how long I've spent trying to erase all the things I did before joining S.H.I.E.L.D., this is just one more wrong for me to right in the end.

I don't want you to cry for me. I don't want you to mourn. Instead, I want you to remember the good things. Remember the nights we spent talking. Remember the jokes and the chaos that ensued whenever either of us tried to cook more than macaroni & cheese. Remember the cake in that photo. How Tony thought for sure he would get food poisoning as soon as he saw it. How Steve was ready to defend our terrible cooking at every turn.

When Stephen comes back, because it is when not if so get that look off your face, give him my letter. It basically says if he breaks your heart or hurts you in any way, I'm coming back to kill him myself.

I love you like a sister, and I always will. No matter what. Make sure Vincent knows how much I love him, too.

Nat

Ps. If you ever meet a girl named Yelena, she would make an excellent surrogate big sister for Vinny. Just saying.

Your tears were falling hard and fast by the time you finished reading. Nat had given her life in the hope that you would get Stephen back. You had thought your heart had never healed, but it must have because you felt it breaking all over again.

For at least an hour you sat there and cried as you listened to the sounds of fighting in the distance. Suddenly not sure if this would all be worth it. Now if the Avengers lost you had not only lost your husband, but your best friend too. Would you lose Wong? What about Steve? How much more could you lose before your heart literally stopped beating?

You were not religious by any means, and the last time you even thought to try and pray was five years earlier when you had the horrible feeling that Stephen wasn't coming home. As you stared at the Seal Of Vishanti adorning the large window with tears still running down your face you clasped your hands and brought them up to your chest, and prayed.

You prayed to Vishanti, to Agamotto, to the Ancient One herself and anyone else who would listen. You prayed for everyone fighting out on that battlefield, for the Avengers and the rest of the universe to get home safe. That no one else had to lose in order for you to win.

Repeating the words over and over. Willing them to come true. Only stopping when you suddenly started hearing the telltale sizzle of a portal being opened using Eldritch magic. You jumped to your feet but didn't rush to grab a weapon, if it was Thanos or his army they wouldn't be portaling in. It had to be a sorcerer or one of the other masters.

The portal opened to reveal a very weary looking Wong. When he stepped through he looked even worse for wear than first glance. Your eyes focusing first on the black soot and dirt on his robes. Small slashes on the fabric over his arms, clearly having fought something with claws. Scrapes and injuries were to be expected though, even in small fights, but if he was even here in the first place it had to be a good sign.

What you hadn't quite expected was the large,wide, almost giddy smile on his face and the brightness shining in his eyes. Your stomach leapt up into your throat. There was only one reason why Wong would look that excited. They had to have won. You had to have won.

Before you could say a single word Wong stepped to the side and you were greeted with a sight you had not seen in real life in five years. Stepping through the portal into the Sanctum was your husband. Doctor Stephen Strange.

Dressed exactly as he had been when you last saw him. In his dark blue sorcerer's robes, the crimson Cloak of Levitation hanging from his broad shoulders, and the Eye of Agamotto still hanging around his neck. He hadn't aged a single day.

He did not look nearly as surprised to see you as you did to see him. Wong clearly must have told him you were at the Sanctum waiting. He looked just as battle worn, but to you he looked perfect. He was there.

You wanted to pinch yourself to make sure you weren't dreaming. That he was really right in front of you. Instead you simply ran into his arms and started sobbing. Your fingers gripping in his hair and in his robes making sure he wasn't some sort of hologram or illusion.

Your lips slammed into his and you swore time stood still. It seemed like only a second passed before you were forced to pull away to breathe. You both repeated this pattern of kiss then breathe, kiss then breathe several times over. Eventually you finally had enough proof he was really there that you could speak again.

"Stephen, it's you. It's really you. You came back. You came back to me. I missed you so much. I can't believe you really came back to me after five years. I love you so much."

Stephen tried to simultaneously laugh and hush you. Urging your tears and your breathing to slow down, even though he wasn't far from just as excited as you were. He hadn't heard everything yet, but he knew the gravity of what had just transpired. Seeing you again on top of everything was almost too much, even for a Sorcerer Supreme to handle.

"I love you too, sweetheart. Of course I'm back. You didn't think you could get rid of me that easily, did you?"

He pulled back to smile at you and wink before descending in to kiss you again. You were so overwhelmed you nearly missed the tugging at your pant leg and the feeling of a tiny body huddling close behind you.

Stephen's eyes suddenly fell to the small figure peeking out from behind your leg. In the commotion you hadn't realized that Vincent had woken up. Of course he came out to see what all the noise was, hearing your laughter and excited cries.

As soon as Stephen's blue eyes met the matching set peering up at him hesitantly, he fell to his knees on the hard marble floor of the Sanctum. He immediately knew those blue eyes that matched his had to belong to his son. Even if he hadn't met him yet, he would know him anywhere.

Where you saw Stephen when you looked at Vincent, Stephen saw you. He saw the way the little boy chewed at his lip, just like you. He saw the beautiful flush your cheeks always had. He saw a perfect little boy who had been raised by the most perfect woman alive.

A small quiet "hi there" slipped from his lips with a soft smile as he kneeled down to get at eye level and brought one hand up to wave at the little boy. Trying to not fall apart and let his son approach him first. Although he wanted to grab both you and him tight and never let go ever again.

"Don't be scared Vincent. It's okay. This is your daddy. Do you wanna say hi?"

A small voice squeaky with hesitation and trepidation coming from the little boy. Understandably, still trying to process exactly what was happening.

"Daddy?... Daddy!!!"

The small boy suddenly ran into the arms of the sorcerer, of his father. Nearly knocking Stephen over with the force that he threw himself at him. Locking his little fingers tight in Stephen's blue robes and clinging to him like a koala bear. Stephen immediately wrapped the boy up and buried his face in Vincent's dark brown hair.

You quickly sat yourself down snuggling yourself close to your two boys. Vincent safely cocooned better the two of you, for the first time ever. At least the first time since you had been pregnant with him.

You leaned forward and pressed a couple of kisses in Vincent's hair, then a couple more on Stephen's cheek. Copying your son's motions when he snuggled tighter into Stephen's arms. Soon, finding the three of you wrapped as close as you could possibly be. Your legs tangled with Stephen's, but neither of you were about to untangle yourselves. None of you wanted to move from your spot in the middle of the Sanctum floor.

You glanced back towards Wong as he tried to stealthily open a portal to Kamar-Taj. To let the three of you have your first ever real bit of family time. A soft content smile on his face as he watched the three of you, and the glassy look in his eyes giving away just how close he was to tears of his own.

You mouthed a "thank you" to him and blew him a little kiss too. Wong was at the very top of the list of people you would never be able to fully repay for everything they had done for you and Vincent. You would happily try though.

He gave a single silent nod and placed his hand over his heart before he backed through the portal, quickly closing it in his wake. Leaving you alone in a suddenly more homey feeling Sanctum with your son, and now back with your husband.

--------------------------------

You have no idea how long the three of you sat there together on the hard marble floor before you finally made the suggestion of finding somewhere more comfy. Inevitably ending up in your current bedroom. The bed was smaller than the one in the master bedroom, so you were all packed in a little tight, but it seemed right to wait and re-christen that room with Stephen once the two of you could be alone.

Vincent snuggled in between the two of you with his Captain America bear in his arms wearing his Incredible Hulk pjs while you ordered pizza. There was no way you were cooking and Vincent didn't want either of you to leave for longer than it took to go to the bathroom. You were the one to run down and get the boxes when they arrived, both you and Vincent a little scared if you let Stephen out of your sight he would disappear again.

When you got back Vincent was busy telling Stephen all his favorite movies and TV shows as they tried to figure out what to put on. Vincent got all excited when Beauty & The Beast came up on the screen.

"Stop, stop! Dis is one of mommy's favorites. We should watch dis!"

"Why don't we let daddy take a shower and get changed okay? Then we can all eat and watch whatever you want, bud."

Vincent immediately started to protest, scrambling to grab onto Stephen. Not wanting his dad to go anywhere without him ever again. You could see the tears and lovestruck smile on Stephen's face, he hadn't said it yet but you knew he was already just as obsessed with the little boy.

"It's okay pal, I can shower right here in this bathroom. I'll even leave the door cracked so you can hear I'm still in there. You or your mom call for me and I'll be right back out. I promise. Sweetheart, do you think you could go grab me some clean clothes?"

Your son grudgingly nodded and gave Stephen permission to shower. Untangling himself and snuggling his Cap bear with one arm and his Black Widow bear with the other. You kissed the top of his head and tucked all the blankets up around him so he was nice and cozy. Stephen made sure to call out from the bathroom to make sure Vincent was okay with the distance and amount the door was cracked.

You waited until the water started running before distracting Vincent with an episode of Paw Patrol so you could go get Stephen clean clothes. Moving quickly and trying not to focus on anything other than the task you had once you entered the master bedroom. Grabbing Stephen's light blue Columbia sweatshirt, some boxers, and some pajama pants before jogging back down the hall where your boys were waiting.

When you snuck into the bathroom to leave Stephen's clothes, you found him partly undressed and assessing a series of scrapes and bruises from the battle. All in all he didn't seem phased by them, but you couldn't help the worried look on your face as you reached out to touch one over his ribs. You nearly fell apart in tears again at the feeling of his bare skin warm under your fingers.

He pulled you closer, and you let your left hand drag up his muscular chest to rest over his heart. He smiled, noticing you were still wearing your engagement ring and wedding band. Letting his left hand come to rest on top of yours, your wedding bands clinking softly, as he pulled you all the way into his arms and captured your lips in a deep, passion filled kiss.

Your other arm wrapping around the back of his neck as he backed you up against the bathroom counter. You both knew you couldn't go any farther at the moment. Not with your son just outside the cracked open door. Paw Patrol wouldn't keep him occupied long enough to do what you both really wanted to do.

So before you could both become too wound up to stop, you slowly let your lips separate. Leaving your foreheads pressed together a moment longer, nuzzling noses and enjoying the feel of being back in each other's arms.

"I missed you so much Stephen. I love you so, so much. I think you are even more handsome than I remembered."

"I missed you too, and I don't think I could possibly love you any more. I want you so much, my beautiful, darling wife."

You hummed in delight at the suggestion. You wanted him just as badly, but alas being mom and dad had to come before being husband and wife for the moment. You left one last soft kiss on his lips before starting to pull away. Knowing before long Vincent would be calling for you.

"Well hurry up and get showered, Doctor. Maybe we can sneak back in here after he falls asleep later, but first we get to spend time with our son. I'm so glad to have our family back."

You started trying to walk back towards the door only for Stephen to pull you back for one more kiss.

"Me too. I can't believe how big he is. How much I missed. Go on mama, but I'm gonna hold you to that bit about sneaking back in here later."

He finally let you go with a suggestive wink. Turning back to check the temperature of the shower before starting to undress his lower half. You made yourself leave the bathroom before you could start watching again. Stopping only to give the Cloak of Levitation a little scratch on the collar from where it hung on the back of the door.

Your cheeks feeling hot and flushed as you rejoined your son on the bed. Helping him plate his pizza before moving the box back over to the dresser. Letting him get settled back into the middle of the bed, making sure to leave space on both sides for you and Stephen.

You would eat once Stephen rejoined you. Although right now you really weren't hungry for pizza, but for your husband. Shaking your head to clear the inappropriate thoughts as you queued up another episode of Paw Patrol to play until Stephen came out.

You couldn't wipe the grin off of your face at the butterflies in your stomach. Especially when your handsome husband emerged from the bathroom. His gray streaked hair damp and tousled perfectly. If it was possible you wanted him even more now, and you knew he could tell from the way he flirtatiously smiled at you.

He stopped to grab one of the pizza boxes, carrying it back over to the nightstand before crawling into the bed on the other side of your son. Leaning over to give you a kiss on the lips.

"Alright, mommy's turn to get changed for bed. I'll be right back. Then it's all night with my baby boy and my wonderful husband. My two favorite guys in the universe."

That made both Stephen & Vincent smile, making them look even more alike. As you turned and grabbed a large t-shirt to sleep in from one of your drawers, you made a mental note to take a lot of photos over the next few days. Not paying attention to anything but the sound of joy coming from the bedroom. You quickly splashed your face with water and headed back into them.

You knew that later you would have to have some difficult conversations with Stephen. He would have to tell you everything that happened in the fight. Who all was hurt, and who was lost. You would also have to tell him about what you had done with Steve. Whether or not it really counted as an affair you weren't sure, but you knew that now that you had Stephen back you never wanted anyone else ever again.

You wanted to tell Stephen that he was your endgame, that as far as you were concerned, there was no you without him. As great as Steve was as a friend, and as much as you did care about him, that was all he would ever be for you again. If Stephen doubted it, you would devote your entire being to proving it. To proving that he was the one true love of your life, not including your son of course.

When you entered the room, you were trying to figure out why Stephen was looking at you with one eyebrow quirked up. You could feel yourself blushing under his gaze as you walked over to grab a slice of pizza from the box he had set on the nightstand. Taking a bite and pulling at the bottom of the shirt you wore, trying to make it longer even though it already came to your mid thigh and covered everything.

Looking down, you suddenly realized why he was looking at you weird. In the middle of the light gray t-shirt was Captain America's shield. The shirt had been a joke gift from Tony once he found out about you and Steve. You didn't realize you had grabbed that particular shirt.

"Wow, there seems to be a lot of Captain America stuff here. Should I be worried?"

He said it with a chuckle at the end, clearly meaning it as a joke. Having no idea he had unintentionally hit a nerve. You immediately wanted to go change. You didn't want to ruin the first night you had Stephen back.

Of course, it was at that moment Vincent chimed in. Not knowing the gravity of what he was revealing to his father. Not even looking away from the TV screen as he spoke.

"Uncle Steve is mommy's special friend. He spends the night with us sometimes. He's really nice, daddy, and he's really strong! You'd like him. He taked good care of Mommy and me while you were gone."

You saw Stephen swallow hard at the revelation. Knowing exactly what his son had meant with the words 'special friend', even if his son didn't really know. His eyes darted away from you and to the blank wall. His lips pursed and his eyes started to water a bit. You were on the verge of hyperventilating. Trying to keep yourself from having a panic attack.

The tears were already starting to fall from your eyes as you grabbed one of Stephen's hands and pressed his knuckles to your forehead before bringing them down to your lips. Silently begging him to understand.

Stephen took a deep breath to steady his voice before he spoke. Keeping a light tone in his voice to keep from alerting Vincent that anything was wrong. Trying to keep Vincent distracted by the TV.

"Okay. Well, Mommy will have to tell me about that later. Right now, I think we were gonna watch a movie, right? You get to pick. I'm glad he was there to take care of you for me"

You were about to go change when Stephen wouldn't let go of your hand. Blinking back tears as he tilted his head, gesturing for you to get into the bed as is. Your pizza long forgotten as you were practically already trying to crawl in Stephen's lap as Vincent started to scroll through the movie options.

"Hey kiddo, scoot over a little. I want to snuggle with Daddy, too."

Hiding a little sniffle as your son somewhat grudgingly inched over to give you just a hint more space. Stephen welcomed you into his lap and held you tight. Hating the feeling of your tears falling softly into his neck.

Once Vincent had circled back around to Beauty and The Beast and Belle's first song was underway, you tilted your head up to whisper in Stephen's ear.

"I'm so sorry, Stephen. I love you so much. I can't… there's no excuse. I missed you so much, and I thought you were never coming back, and it just happened. I'm so, so sorry. Please, please, please don't hate me. Please, please don't leave me again."

He shushed you softly as he felt you starting to shake. Kissing your forehead and brushing his hand through your hair. You knew that he wasn't exactly happy to hear about your tryst with Steve. You knew he hated the idea of you being with someone else, but he also understood that you had been through far more than he could know. He also knew from the moment you kissed him after he returned that you were still his, totally and completely. Your panicked response to Vincent's statement was not lost on him.

"I know, I know. It's okay. I could never hate you. It will be okay. Okay? We will talk it all out later. I love you, and I'm not going anywhere. Never again. I'm here to take care of both of you now."

He pulled his other arm back from where it had been draped behind Vincent. Reaching into the front pocket of his sweatshirt and slipping on his sling ring. Already starting a spell before he spoke.

"This shirt, however, does need to go..."

In a shimmer of gold, Cap's shield on your shirt slowly started morphing into the seal of Vishanti that adorned the large central window of the Sanctum. You felt a cocky lopsided smile curl up on his handsome face once his magic had finished.

"That's much better."

You smiled and nuzzled further into his neck as he moved to put his sling ring back into his pocket. Still staying nice and quiet as you responded, a double meaning hidden in your words. Placing a long kiss under his ear afterwards.

"I agree. Much better."

Shortly after, Vincent asked for everyone to get under the covers. Trying to hide the sleepiness quickly overtaking him again. Protesting when you asked if he wanted to go to bed. Saying he just wanted to make sure Mommy was warm and comfortable. He may not have spent much time with his father yet, but his stubbornness was most definitely inherited from Stephen.

He managed to stay awake a little while longer. At some point, he grabbed ahold of Stephen's hand that wasn't resting on your hip and started mindlessly tracing his scars. That action alone brought Stephen back near tears. It was something you had always done when you two laid in bed together talking or watching something. It also warmed his heart that his son wasn't scared by the raised, somewhat jagged scars all over his hands or the way they trembled lightly.

"Let me know if you have any questions about my hands, okay kiddo? I know they can look a bit ugly or scary, and I can't always do everything with them, but I never want you to be worried about it."

You were listening and smiling. Over the moon that Stephen seemed to fall right into the role of a good dad as soon as he met Vincent. You remembered him spending countless nights, pacing the floor and unable to sleep. Terrified he would be a horrible father. Wondering if the apple didn't fall far from the tree. You always knew he was underestimating himself.

"They aren't scary, daddy. You got them because you got hurt bad. That's how you met Uncle Wong and learned magic. Mommy told me all about you. Uncle Wong said he thought you were 'nnoying when he met you, but that he missed you too when you were gone. He told me not to tell you that part though. Oops."

You couldn't help but snort at that admission. Even Stephen giggled before grinning deviously. Oh Wong was so going to pay for that remark later, for both of them actually.

After you finished laughing, Stephen leaned down to nuzzle his nose against your forehead. Pressing a kiss there before whispering against your skin how thankful he was that you told Vincent about him. He knew it must have been incredibly painful at times, but he was so glad that you had done it. So Stephen didn't lose even more time with his son now that he was back. So that his son didn't look at him like a stranger, or even worse, think Rogers was his dad. That might have just killed him.

Before long, Vincent was fast asleep with a death grip on Stephen's arm. Even though it meant the two of you might not get to sneak off for your adult time, you were both plenty content with you snuggled into his chest and a leg thrown over his hip. Especially with the cloud of the battle and all that had happened hanging over you.

Once it was clear Vincent was completely out and not going to wake up easily, Stephen broke the silence by telling you what happened. About the biggest loss and the thing that had ultimately allowed them to win against Thanos. Their checkmate, Iron Man.

"Tony is gone."

Your head snapped up from Stephen's shoulder. Genuine shock from what you had just heard. You kept your voice low to not wake up your son, but you needed to know what had happened.

"What?!"

Stephen instinctively started rubbing your lower back to soothe you. Already seeing the tears welling in your eyes.

"He sacrificed himself and used the stones to snap away Thanos and his army. I knew it was going to happen, it had to if we were going to win, and I couldn't do anything to save him. I couldn't even tell him or it wouldn't have happened. I think he was the only one we lost. Pepper was there with him at least. Lots of other injuries, but… "

Your tears flowed freely as you thought about Pepper and Morgan. How they were now in the positions you and Vincent had been in before. You hated how part of you was so glad it wasn't you. That you had your husband back, even though it meant you lost a friend, Pepper lost her husband, and Morgan lost her father. You buried your face back into his sweatshirt and let yourself cry for them.

That made you think about Nat, too. She may not have had a husband or biological children, but you considered her family. You knew Clint, Steve, and Bruce did, too. Stephen didn't know she was dead. So many of them, everyone who blipped, must not know yet. Did he even know who she was?

"No, he isn't. Nat is gone, too. She sacrificed herself so Clint could bring back the soul stone from Vormir. So Bruce could get everyone back in the first place. She knew before they even left that she wasn't coming back. She actually wrote a letter, one for me and one for you, explaining it. I don't know what she wrote in yours, but she basically said that she did it so Clint could have his family back, and so Vincent and I could have you back. She said she didn't want us to mourn her. I don't know how not to though. She became my best friend."

You could hear Stephen sniffling and you knew he was crying too. You knew how overwhelmed he must be to be openly displaying his emotions, even just in front of you. The only other time you had seen him cry was when you were pregnant with Vincent, the night after you had gotten your first ultrasound. You held him tighter in response. Letting him know it was okay.

"Then we honor her by being happy together. By raising him happy, and we make sure he remembers her. That he remembers them both. I'll ask Wong to put together something at Kamar-Taj to honor Tony and something for Natasha. We can make something in the little rooftop garden here too. Although it's probably pretty much all dead weeds right now."

You hummed in agreement and the two of you snuggled in tighter. Pressing endless kisses to each other wherever you could reach to comfort each other. Slowly lulling both of you into a deep sleep alongside Vincent. For the first time ever, there was a part of your soul that felt full. Even though you had lost so much that day, you had gained even more back, and you never wanted to let go again.

--------------------------------

The day of Tony's funeral came quickly. Wong met the three of you at the Sanctum before opening a portal out to the remote cabin where the private memorial would be held. It was the first time you had seen everyone since the day of the time heist. It was the first time you had seen Pepper and Morgan in probably at least a year.

Even if Steve and Tony still hadn't been on speaking terms, Pepper and Tony helped you a lot with Vincent early on. Especially after they had Morgan.

Vincent and Morgan became fast friends as they started to grow. You and Pepper even liked to joke that maybe someday in the future, you might get lucky enough to be in-laws. Watching a childhood puppy love form between your kids. A Stark and a Strange finding love together, you all weren't sure the world would ever be able to handle that.

Once you got involved with Steve, things got a little more complicated. Tony didn't really want anything to do with him. Not after everything that had happened even before the snap. After, he didn't want anything to do with the crime fighting life he had left for the much simpler one he had currently enjoyed. You still spoke often with Pepper on the phone, but play dates became fewer and farther between. You all only got together for birthdays and holidays. That was when you forced the boys to play nicely together.

After the memorial, Wong had agreed to have Vincent spend the night at Kamar-Taj with him, giving you and Stephen some alone time. The two of you still hadn't managed to get much of it in the few days that he had been back. Vincent clinging to the both of you. You still hadn't gone back to sleeping in the master bedroom. Instead Stephen had been sleeping in the new bedroom you had picked.

You also still hadn't had sex yet. You had fooled around a bit for sure. There had been plenty of touching and kissing, even some dry humping but you hadn't managed to get all the way to the main event without getting interrupted. Tonight that was going to be remedied. First, though, you had to get through the day. That included coming face to face with Steve again, and so did Stephen.

Happy greeted everyone at the door and led you into the house, telling Vincent where he could find Morgan. You made a beeline for Pepper to see if there was anything you could do for her. Stephen and Wong headed out into the large backyard to find the others.

Stephen, of course, found Steve first. Walking out the back door and nearly bumping right into him standing with Sam, Bucky, and Wanda. The three of them promptly excused themselves as did Wong, heading over to stand in a clump with Bruce right at the edge of hearing distance. No one ever accused the Avengers of not being nosy gossips.

"Oh good, so I guess they all know. About you and my wife… while I was blipped. She told me about it, obviously. I guess I should get your take on it before I tell you that it definitely won't be happening anymore."

Steve clenched his jaw and rolled his eyes at Stephen, still knowing well enough to hide the eye roll from the sorcerer. He knew that if your husband came back, of course, the two of you were done. It didn't mean that you didn't have feelings and care for each other. He wanted Stephen to know that, that he did care for you.

Although he didn't know if Stephen needed to know about the night you two discussed what would happen if the time heist didn't work. What you had decided if Stephen didn't come back. That Steve had promised to take care of you and Vincent. To marry you if you wanted. He knew you would still have feelings for Stephen, just as you knew he would never really get over Peggy, but you could be happy together. Happy enough anyway.

He also didn't want to give Stephen more information than he needed about your sex life together. About how those first few nights you spent together, you had been almost too insatiable even for a super soldier. That until Steve you had kept any semblance of being a sexual being shoved down deep, dormant. How he did things with you he had never done with anyone else. Not that his body count was more than three or four women anyway. How even if he knew he could never have you completely, he would still be happy to be the man who got to pull those beautiful noises from you.

Steve was honorable enough to play nice though. He would keep all that to himself if it made everything easier for you. He understood Stephen's frustration with him. You were his wife.

"We agreed as much before the time heist. I was only ever a placeholder anyway. I just happened to be there and someone she trusted. You are the one she loved. That she loves. You know she never took off her wedding rings the entire time you were gone? She was always Mrs. Stephen Strange, I just provided comfort sometimes. A shoulder to cry on of sorts."

He could see Stephen flinch from the corner of his eyes at the suggestion that Steve 'comforted' you. Knowing that a hug and a pat on the back weren't what Stephen was imagining.

"As much as I would prefer to pretend that it never happened, I do want to say thank you. For helping take care of Vincent and for keeping her safe. So, thank you for that. I owe you for that."

Steve turned to face the doctor. Seeing just how hard it was for him to admit he was thankful for Steve helping to take care of you and Vincent. Clearly saying thank you was something Strange was unaccustomed to doing. He could definitely see why the sorcerer didn't get along great with Tony. He could also see you approaching with a panicked look at finding your husband and your lover talking.

Both of them looking as handsome as ever. Steve in a simple classic cut suit. Stephen, in a clearly tailor-fit, more stylish cut. You couldn't have picked two more different, albeit both incredibly sexy, men if you tried.

"I had plenty of help. Vincent is a great kid, and she is something special. You're very lucky. Speak of the devil…"

Stephen's brow furrowed in confusion until he felt your hand slip into his and your other hand holding onto his arm. He leaned down to kiss you, to stake his claim in front of the Captain. Even though it had just been established between the two men anyway.

Steve excused himself after saying hi and how happy he was to see your family back together. Leaving you and Stephen in private until the service was about to begin. Little clumps of heroes stood around the edge of the lake listening as Happy and Rhodey each told a couple stories about Tony.

When Pepper and Morgan stepped forward, you felt Vincent cling onto his father's leg a little tighter. All of you watched in silence as they released a flower wreath with Tony's arc reactor set in the middle. One by one, each of you then stepped forward to pay your respects for the fallen hero. Wong moving forward with Stephen and your family. He was part of your family, after all.

After a couple more hours of talking and reminiscing, everyone started to disperse. Each of you saying your goodbyes to Happy, Morgan, and Pepper. You made a point of telling Pepper that her and Morgan were welcome at the Sanctum whenever and that you would be happy to watch Morgan whenever she wanted. Vincent gave Morgan a big hug before leaving, telling her it will be okay.

Wong bid them his own goodbye and opened a portal back to the Sanctum. You, Vincent, and Stephen followed him through. Back to your own home. You took Vincent upstairs to get him changed and get his overnight bag for him to spend the night at Kamar-Taj with Wong.

You could tell Vincent was having second thoughts about the overnight by the time you got back to where Wong and Stephen were waiting. It had been a long, stressful day for all of you. You were nearly ready to say forget the whole thing until you saw the way Stephen was eyeing you, and you realized just how much you really did need your alone time with him.

"Alright baby, be good for Uncle Wong. You know you can call at any time if you need me. We will see you in the morning after breakfast. Love you, sweetie. Have fun."

"Trust me, it will be more fun at Kamar-Taj. You don't want to be here when they get all mushy. I've seen it. It's gross. Besides, we've got candy there right now."

That made Vincent giggle and he happily walked through the portal into the courtyard of Kamar-Taj, the moon already sitting high in the dark night sky dotted with stars. Your little boy not even stopping to wave as he headed off.

Stephen walked up behind and wrapped his arms around your waist, his suit jacket and tie had been shed while you were getting Vincent ready to go. He ducked down so his face was nuzzling into your neck. Already leaving kisses on your sensitive skin. His fingertips digging into and kneading the flesh of your hips and belly.

You let your head drop back onto his shoulder and closed your eyes. Focusing on the smell of Stephen's cologne.

When you opened your eyes, you found yourself already standing in the master bathroom.

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