𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐖𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐘-𝐅𝐎𝐔𝐑 — made-up names

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 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐕𝐄𝐋𝐎𝐂𝐈𝐓𝐘 𝐎𝐅 Stephen Strange's yells increased as the seconds ticked on. It felt like hours to the man who remained hovering in the air, stone around his neck as Ebony Maw continued to writhe his fingers grotesquely; summoning the needles that rippled around his target to penetrate Stephen's skin. 

 His throat was raw as yells and screams continued to tear through and reverberate through the tense air, and yet he never relented. Stephen hadn't spoken a word, no teasing comment, no smug quip, nothing. He stayed silent bar the yells that tore at his mouth.

 The weight of the stone that dangled around his neck felt heavier than ever, like a tonne of bricks had suddenly come to rest upon his broad shoulders. He wouldn't give in, he couldn't. His teeth were clenched against one another painfully, but even he knew that he couldn't last forever.

 The sensation of Emilia's abilities had weaved into his senses. He knew when she used them, he knew every single time. The air would feel like static, making the hairs at the back of his neck, the ones on his arm stand on end, all at attention as though a shockwave had caressed his flesh. Perhaps it was the stones influence or his skill with the Mystic Arts... Or maybe they were just that well intuned with one another. Either way, Stephen Strange knew that Emilia Clemente was nearby, and nothing could have brought him more solace than that.

 Emilia felt her breath lodge in her throat as yet another scream echoed around the metal ship. The sound rattled her bones and clawed at her thudding heart but their plan was set; Emilia, Tony, and Peter all knew the parts they would play.

 "Alrighty..." Tony murmured with a sniff, "Ready to save the Doc?"

 "Ready!" Peter chimed as he bounced on his feet, reminding Emilia once more that Peter was just a child. A boy no older than seventeen, who was now stranded on a spaceship and risking his short life for her other half... Risking his life for the universe.

 Emilia settled for a firm nod, no longer trusting her voice to stay strong and steady as the sound of screams clutched at her body.

 Ebony Maw was a gruesome sight; sickly grey skin stretched over a long, narrow skull. Beaded eyes that flickered with malice as he impaled Stephen with the needles once more, relishing in the sounds of pain the Doctor continued to spout.

 "Painful, aren't they?" Maw questioned the man whose throat was clogged with a cry. Amusement pulled his lip higher, "They were originally designed for microsurgery. And any one of them..."

 Maw rolled his eyes as he turned on his feet. The clanging of metal against metal sounded out as Tony, flanked by Emilia landed behind him.

 "... Could end your friend's life in an instant." Maw continued on, eyes settled not on Tony, but Emilia.

 The child of Thanos had been witness to the young woman's ability, something that wasn't entirely unlike his own. He had watched with mild intrigue as she'd heaved items into her grasp back on the measly planet she, and the man she stood beside, hailed from.

 Emilia scowled at the creature's words, eyes snapping to collide with Maw's as he stared her down, head held high as he looked down his nose at her.

 Emilia was relieved to find that the usual trembling that rattled her bones was nowhere to be found. The feeling that made her stomach flip was far from her, and she stood taller, straightening her back as she cast Tony a side-wards glance.

 "I gotta tell you," Tony started, his helmet free from his face as he clicked his tongue, "He's not really my friend. Saving his life is more of a professional courtesy... And I'd like to avoid getting on this one's bad side." His head cocked towards Emilia, the last sentence free of any lie or exaggeration, though his words had taken the tone of a joke.

 Maw took a step forth, tired of the prattling man, "You've saved nothing." Maw lifted a single finger, and without a hint of hesitance, a block of metal drifted into the air, obeying his silent commands, "Your powers are inconsequential to mine."

 "Eh." Tony shrugged as he tapped a metal-clad foot on the ground, appearing impatient, though Emilia knew better. "Maybe, but what about hers?"

 Emilia then threw both hands forth. Shuddering blue surrounded the block within Maw's grasp and the two played a small game of tug-of-war whilst Tony pointed a single finger at Stephen, whose skin was still being permeated by the microneedles.

 The suit that covered the billionaire's body shuddered. It rippled here and there, jostling over him before the nano-tech snapped into action. The particles began to flee from Tony, each piece of metal that formed to make the suit, clambered from their place and separated from his form.

 Piece by piece the nano-tech shot from Tony's fingertips and flew forth, landing upon Stephen. The billionaire blinked, watching as the Doctor was steadily covered in a layer of protection before he finally threw his gaze to Emilia who'd broken into a sweat as she willed her abilities to tear the metal from Maw's grasp.

 Ebony Maw snarled as he jostled a finger. Rage was alighting his form; he could easily beat her, or at least he thought so... But their back and forth was irritating him relentlessly. Every time her grip loosened, his own tightened and forced the block closer to her. She always pushed back. They were on even grounds, and the mere thought of being no better than the annoyance before him willed Ebony Maw to slip into the distraction; unaware of his surroundings.

 Stephen couldn't help but let out a deep sigh of relief as Tony's suit found him and covered his skin and robes. The attack on his body from the needles was finally cut short, and he relished in the moment of peace, the moment without rippling pain shooting throughout his skin.

 The suit was cold, not entirely unexpected yet it still sent a shiver through Stephen's searing skin. It had coated his body without faltering, even despite his taller, broader stature. There were engravings at his wrists, ones that resemble the symbols present upon the Tao Mandalas he'd often conjure. The stone that proudly rested upon his chest had been surrounded by Stark's signature hot-rod red. Again, symbols present within Stephen's spells were marred into the suit around the Eye of Agamotto making it more pronounced; just as flashy as to be expected from a man like Stark.

 The suit closed around his face and his sights were replaced with a screen that showed his surroundings. Multiple sections lit the screen, lists of weapons built into the suit, statistics and a bundle of other things that Stephen couldn't bring himself to presently care about.

 The metal felt clunky around him as he turned his body, promptly ignoring the expectant stare of Stark who was, no doubt, waiting smugly for a thank you.

 Stephen didn't know how the damn suit worked, but he risked his chances and raised his hands, glowing repulsors pointing towards an unsuspecting Maw. The whirring sound that spouted upon the suit powering up echoed through the ship, and without hesitation, Emilia dropped her hold on the metal slab and dove to the side.

 She sprung to her feet beside Tony, swiftly allowing yet another blue bubble to encase them, to protect them from whatever attacks were to follow; just one hand kept it steady. Her eyes glossed over Stephen, who briefly allowed himself to check on her before he threw himself back into their fight.

 "Tear it up." Tony muttered, nodding to a particular part of the ship that, to Tony's eyes, looked like rather shoddy handiwork. The metal was almost peeling, rusted in multiple places; far, far easier for Emilia to take hold of.

 Emilia did as she was instructed. A single hand was above her head, fingers twitching as they kept a steady hold on the blue bubble that surrounded herself and Stark whilst the other was in front of her, obscuring her face as loose fingers slowly tightened like an animal's claws. She tugged lightly, the sound of scraping metal grated against her ears; a good sign.

 Then, to make her job that much easier, Peter from high above on the platform Emilia and Tony had departed from, shot his webs to join the rippling wave of blue. He grunted beneath his mask, tugging on the vines made of webbing.

 The sound of firing repulsors never ceased, Stephen and Maw continued on despite knowing that even with the suit, even with the mystic arts, it'd take a miracle for Stephen to gain the upper hand without endangering everyone around him.

 Emilia wrenched her hand closer to her chest, and with a deep breath, the slow and tentative movement was forced to become a single pull. Her enclosed fist slammed into her chest with ferocity, as skin collided with the fabric of her robes, the metal she and Peter had been focused upon was plied from the side of the ship.

 It flew past them, scraping against the ground, sending sparks into the air that simply bounced from her sturdy bubble.

 Maw's eyes had widened comically as his body was pulled from the ground. Arms flailed wildly as the grim creature was plucked into the air and easily pried from the ship. Ebony Maw, the moment he was ripped from the safety of the ship, felt his skin grow cold, and in mere seconds he was entirely numb. It didn't take long for all air to be pried from his lungs, leaving the creature floating in the blackened expanse of space, utterly dead.

 A splat had rung out the moment Maw was flung from their presence. The odd, yet now familiar sight of Peter's webs came into Emilia's view as the boy, thrust his arms forth, a relentless stream of webbing being blasted towards the hole as the teenager screamed. The boy, much like Maw, was being pulled closer and closer to the hole in the ship, yet thanks to his swift moments, he was caught by his own nest of sticky webs.

 Stephen was standing upon firm footing, the suit around him keeping him entirely grounded.

 Emilia and Tony were easily protected by the bubble that rippled around them. Though their safety was confirmed, Tony picked up his head, wrenching his stare from Peter only to settle it on Stephen, "Hey! Seal the ship!"

 The helmet of the iron suit nodded, and though he took off somewhat clumsily, Stephen adjusted quickly and blasted through the air, closer to Peter. The boy looked at him with wide, fear-stricken eyes that were hidden behind his mask before he grabbed ahold of the outstretched hand Stephen offered him.

 The boy gripped tight, eyes slamming shut as he allowed Stephen to pry him away from the webs. Using his free hand, Stephen fired up the zero cannons of Tony's extravagant suit, though the suit did most of the thinking for him, and sealed the hole, allowing everyone to let out a collective breath. Emilia finally allowed her arms to fall to her sides with a huff.

 The muscles in her shoulders and around her neck, were aching from the pressure she'd forced them through; fighting Maw and keeping him distracted, holding up the shield that kept herself and Tony from being pulled into the endless expanse of space... She rolled her shoulders to and fro, back and forth as a short hiss slid from pursed lips.

 Her movements came to a pause upon hearing Stephen — still clad in Tony's suit — land before her. His heavy, metal-coated steps clanged loudly as he came to a stop, ceasing his hold on the teenager dressed in metallic red and blue.

 Peter almost melted into a puddle upon feeling his feet land upon solid ground. A short, high-pitched 'whew' was breathed as the teenager nodded to himself and settled into a cross-legged lump on the ground.

 "Emilia." Stephen's rasp filled voice whispered as he drew nearer. An arm was outstretched, glistening red metal glinting before their eyes as he paused in his actions, almost glaring at the suit and the barrier it created.

 "Oh... Right." Tony muttered to himself, snapping his fingers as he pointed once more at the Doctor. A crooked grin was settled on Tony's lips, a victorious smile for a job well done. The snap of his dust-enveloped fingers was enough to magnetise the suit towards him once more.

 The nano-particles drifted from Stephen in waves and he was more than glad to see them leave, though Emilia had to hold back her frown at the sight. What could she say? It was certainly suited him.

 "Are you alright?" Emilia shook her head of her previous thoughts, fingers inching towards Stephens cheek; where the microneedle had settled into his skin. Her thumb smoothed across his cheekbone, leaving a trail of fire in its wake, just as she always did.

 His eyes closed, fluttering like a butterfly's wings on mere impulse; it was something he could never bring himself to fight. His throat bobbed with a swallow as he tore them open once more, meeting the soft, caring gaze of the woman before him, "I am now."

 His own fingers tangled with her free hand, a delicate squeeze greeting her as he narrowed his eyes, showing off the wrinkles at the side, and his lips curling upwards ever so slightly. She surveyed his face, drinking it in, just as she would with every starlit evening. His hair was a mess, strands had fallen to his forehead, dusting his skin. His lip was split, only slightly, but a small crimson droplet had tried to escape the skin only to freeze in its path, drying into a deep maroon.

 The cloak that had been comfortably settled on Emilia's shoulders parted from her. The sentient material fluttered through the air before dropping to cling like a child to Stephen once more; finally reunited with its master.

 "Hey." A voice squeaked, drawing their stares from one another. Peter.

 The teenager had somehow pulled himself to his feet and launched himself towards them, standing by their sides with fingers wringing together before him; looking like nothing more than a child ready to worm his way into the good graces of his parents. His face was bare of his mask once again, showing off his dishevelled hair and uncertain smile and boyish features.

 Before Peter could utter his sentence, however, Stephen furrowed his brows. His fingers hesitantly parted from Emilia's as his gaze connected with the view from the ship's elongated window. They were drifting further and further into space, further from earth. The weight of the stone suddenly increased ten-fold and he felt as though it'd cave into his chest.

 Emilia watched Stephen tense. She knew him all too well. His words would come out in a single breath, sounding as though they were filled with rage and authority; yet fear and uncertainty would be their motivator. Stephen hated nothing more than being unable to fix a situation.

 "We have to turn this ship around." His voice was all grit, a rocksalt rasp as he rounded on Tony; the only man who would have any capability of understanding the technology that surrounded them.

 Tony, in turn, scoffed. The billionaire was devoid of his suit; the nano-tech had fled back to him after parting from Stephen, it had crawled back from where it'd come from, the arc reactor. Now, Tony stood in his workout gear pacing the ship, eyes curiously scanning the metal... Though his eyes were unseeing. His brain was working far too fast for him to pay attention to his sights. He wasn't completely unlike Stephen.

 He had to fix things too.

 "So now you wanna run? Great." Tony bit back, though unlike the Doctor clad in robes and a cloak, his bite wasn't filled with rage, but always held a teasing edge that drove people to the edge of insanity.

 "I want to protect the Stone."

 "And I want a thank you, now." Tony crossed his arms over his chest, leaning most of his weight on one leg, "Go ahead, I'm listening."

 "For what, exactly?"

 "For saving your magical ass!"

 Stephens brows climbed his forehead at the shout, and a mirthless laugh tumbled from his chapped lips. He knew, with utter certainty, that Emilia was the one behind the plan; there was no confirmation, but his ego was enough to satisfy him, "I seriously don't know how you fit your head into that helmet."

 "Admit it, you should've ducked out when I told you to. I tried to bench you —You refused."

 "Unlike everyone else in your life, I don't work for you —"

 "— Alright, that's enough." Emilia interrupted, her hand coming to rest on Stephen's bicep; a tighter grip than what she'd usually grace him with. Her head was beginning to pound at this point. Be it from seeing space, stars and whatever else that was lying outside the window pass them by, be it the thought of a giant coming after them for the sake of a Stone, or be it the arguing between the two egotistical idiots in front of her. "You sound like an old married couple, and quite frankly, it's beginning to irritate me endlessly."

 "Rude." Was all Tony offered. Though he swiftly settled into silence, just as Stephen had. The billionaire couldn't help but see the familiarity between them... Between himself and Pepper, and Emilia and Stephen. Two men that held themselves on pedestals whilst their better halves scowled on the sidelines.

 Though it seemed as though Emilia was far more forgiving than Pepper was.

 Emilia brought her hands to her face, cold fingers cooling the hot skin of her cheeks. She blew out a breath as she dragged them down, stopping when the tips of her fingers laid still on her downturned lips.

 "Listen..." Tony spoke once more, his tone quieter, softer, as though to appease Emilia, "We are in a flying doughnut, billions of miles from earth, without any backup."

 "I'm back up." Peter's hand shot into the air, as though raising his hand to answer a question in his science class. A toothy grin rested on his youthful face, devoid of any ageing as he gazed around at the people he was stranded with.

 Tony's eyes narrowed once more. The sight alone was enough for Emilia to see flashes of her father from her youth. She inwardly shook her head as Tony regarded the boy, "No. You're a stowaway. The adults are talking."

 Peter pouted, his arms crossing over his chest as he took a step back and out of the limelight Tony had shone upon him. He slumped like a wounded puppy.

 Stephen fell silent for a short moment as his head comically whipped between the teenager and the man who deemed himself Iron Man, "I'm confused as to the relationship here." Stephen announced as Emilia groaned, "What is he? Your ward?"

 "No," Peter answered for Tony as he stared up at Stephen. His voice, as ever, was rather meek when regarding the newcomers, and a high-pitched, crackling sound seemed to encase his words. He recoiled at his own voice, wincing slightly before he shook his body and straightened up. Peter offered his hand, throwing it out, "I'm Peter, by the way."

 Stephen glanced at Emilia whose gaze had turned stern. He could picture what she was trying to convey to him. Be nice. Emilia seemed to already have a soft spot for the kid.

 Stephen sighed to himself as he clutched Peter's hand with his own, shaking it once, not daring to linger long enough for the boy to feel the tremors that rattled his fingers, "Doctor Strange."

 "Oh... We're using our made-up names. I'm spider-man then."

 Stephen blinked once, his mouth slowly opening to correct the young boy before he decided against it. He shook his head, pesky hairs tickling his forehead as he made his way to Stark, blocking out the quiet, muffled chuckles that drifted from Emilia.

 She approached the boy whose hand was still afloat, mid-air. She looked at him, eyes catching his own as she quelled her laughter. Emerald coloured eyes were soft as she raised a brow at the teenager, "His name is Stephen Strange..."

 "So he — So he really is called Doctor Strange?" Peter whispered, a hand slapping against his forehead. "I'm an idiot."

 "It's a silly name." Emilia mumbled, eyes catching Stephens with a wink. He had narrowed his gaze on the two, before settling on a crooked smile that wouldn't last all too long within Stark's presence.

 "You — you're Emilia Clemente." Peter's eyes widened, "I mean ​​— Doctor Emilia Clemente!" He scratched the hair at the back of his neck, hand resting there for a moment as he clamped his eyes shut, unwilling to see the ration to his inevitable gushing, "I watched all of your presentations on Youtube. I have all of your books... They're amazing! Ned and I, we think that you and Doctor Banner are just — I — Well..."

 Emilia's heart warmed, "Thank you, Peter."

 His eyes darted open upon receiving a light pat on the shoulder, and he watched with flushed cheeks as Emilia left him to join Stephen and Tony, likely awaiting whichever argument was to erupt between the two once more.

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14-03-2022

i hope you all enjoyed this chapter! please remember to vote and comment, let me know what you think as i do require a certain amount of comments before i post another chapter!!

and YES this chapter is very much based on the picture below. we were ROBBED of this in infinity war and i HAD to bring it back. he looks so damn good in tony's suit. having a scene with stephen in the suit is entirely to appease my own fantasy, let me live, okay :)