#marvelousmarch

It’s going to be a MARVELous March! 

Okay, it’s a horrible title, but don’t let that scare you away. We (@Vamporchid and I) want to invite creators of all types to get involved and share their work with the fandom. Write, draw, paint, build…. However you express yourself, this month-long challenge is for you. We have a list of 31 prompts, one for each day in March. The best part? You don’t have to approach each prompt in the same way. Write some, paint some, create a poem, or doodle something out on a napkin. Explore, have fun, and try new things!

This challenge is for ALL things Marvel, so you are by no means limited to just the big names or movie-verse. (Although, the movies are great, too!). This challenge is all about you, so don’t let anything limit your imagination.

You don’t have to be a fantastic artist. The important part is to have fun. When you’re ready to share, post your work and tag it with #MARVELousMarch so we can all enjoy it!

Open

Brothers

Heart

Aliens

Family

Earth

Tradition

Tea

Panic

Birthday

Photograph

Insects

Air

Pi

Captive

Blanket

Green

Target

Telekinesis

Spring

Hero

Combat

Ice

Eavesdrop

Sweater

Injury

Nest

Fire

Old

Shadow

7-Black Widow

It’s Day One of #MARVELousMarch, the all-month MARVEL prompt challenge. Draw, paint, write, craft sock-puppets.... However you create, this challenge is for you. Get the details (and play along!) here. Today’s prompt is OPEN.  A closed door conceals a lot of things. For Tony, opening that door means taking the first step to letting go.

*** Tony adjusts his collar, and shuffles his feet. Clears his throat, and straightens his shoulders.

He told Steve he was okay with this. That he was ready.

Well, no. That’s not quite right. He told T’Challa, who was behind this whole thing, who told Steve. And Tony agreed because, after everything they’d been through in the last week, after everything they almost lost (the thought of their close call, almost losing Steve, sends a too-familiae ache through his chest), he wanted to believe that he was ready to leave everything behind him and move on. Move forward.

Heal. The hallway door opens, and T’Challa is standing there, somehow still regal in a t-shirt and jeans.

“Are you ready? They are awaiting you downstairs.”

And so Tony nods, pastes on his best smile, and steps forward. “Let’s do this.”

They ride an elevator down, and he follows the king of Wakanda through another hallway until they stop before a closed steel door. The other man takes one last look back at him, gaze questioning.

Tony nods sharply, his eyes unwavering from the door.

T’Challa knocks, and he hears a scuffle from the other side. Whispered voices. And then the door opens and Steve is standing there, still bandaged up with his arm in a sling, but okay, and he sees Tony and he smiles, just a little unsure, but still friendly.

“Tony. It’s good to see you.”

This is their first time like this, facing each other, after Siberia.

“Cap. Glad you’re still with us.” And it’s not what he wanted to say. But he can’t think of anything else. The man of a million words, and they’ve left him.

Steve huffs a little laugh. “It was close. I have to wear the sling for the next week, but at least I talked the doctors out of a cast.” He glances away, and then looks back. “Did you want to come in?”

And, no, he doesn’t. Not really. But it’s Steve. And T’Challa is looking at him expectantly. And damn if he can’t just say no.

“Yeah. Let’s get this over with.”

Steve looks pensive, and T’Challa gives him a seeking look, but Tony tries to ignore them and moves towards the door. Steve steps aside, and holds it open.

Tony looks across the room and there.There he is. Arms at his side, but shoulders tense. Looking just as uneasy as Tony felt.

“Barnes.”

“Tony,” the man responds with a sharp nod.

“So, what’s the story, Pollyanna? You have your head sorted out now?”

“Tony…”

Tony ignores the young king’s warning, his gaze never leaving Barnes. (And seriously, did Wakanda not have hair stylists? Or someone who could tame to mop on his head?)

“I have my memories back. I remember everything that I did. Everyone I hurt. But Hydra’s programming is gone. I’m my own person now. And I’m sorry for the pain my actions caused.” It sounds like he’s been rehearsing it for a while. But the look on his face--pained and apologetic--is sincere.

Tony stands still. He wants to hate the guy, and maybe a part of him still does. But the machine who killed his parents isn’t the man who fought to save the planet. He’s not the man who nearly died himself while trying to rescue Steve, and who worked with the rest of the team, despite their past differences.

And lord knows, Tony know what it feels like to have regrets that are eating you up inside. And he knows what it’s like to have his mind under someone else’s control, even briefly.

“I don’t know if I’m ever going to like you.”

Steve tenses, but Bucky just nods in understanding.

Tony continues. “But after the last few days, I trust you with the lives of the people I care about. Are you coming back to New York?”

Barnes shakes his head. “Not yet. I think I might stay in Wakanda for while longer. But if you need me,” he pauses and looks at Steve, “If you need us…”

“We’ll still be there, Tony,” Steve finishes. “You know that. I just think we need a break for a while. A lot has happened in the last seventy-five years. We’re taking a break, just for a little while.”

And fair enough. He can respect that.

He walks across the room to Bucky. Steve tenses, but T’Challa quiets him with a whispered word. Finally he stops and holds out his hand. Bucky takes it, eyes meeting his.

I can’t believe we’re already on to day four! Today’s prompt is Aliens.  (This one is short. And not overly emotional. I figured we could all use a break after yesterday’s entry.)

Doctor Strange is having a really bad day. ***

Doctor Stephen Strange had witnessed a lot of, well, strange things in the last year or two. And because he was aware of the threats that were out there, he monitored Earth to make sure no one...unpleasant...arrived unannounced. That was why he was able to deal with Loki and his lack-witted brother so quickly. He was prepared, and was able to act with precision.

Years as a surgeon had taught him a few things, after all.

But this… Doctor Strange looked up at the army of creatures coming through the sky, the dark horde, the minions of an alien overlord called Thanos...this, he was not prepared for.

And there. A tiny echo in the back of his senses. Loki and Thor back on Earth, too, along with several other off-world visitors. And there were more still arriving.

Aliens arriving on Earth, and no doubt more were on the way. Intergalactic drama, right in his backyard.

Damn.

He hadn’t been entirely unaware during the Battle of New York. He knew that aliens were invading the city, and that things were bad. He’d been working already, and had several of his scheduled surgeries cancelled to make room for those injured by aliens, falling debris, and the antics of the Avengers.

He’d kept up on them, too. The loss of favor with the public after one of Stark’s inventions went rogue, and their subsequent very public falling out (footage from the airport was all over the news for weeks).

They were a disaster, but, unfortunately, he couldn’t handle this problem as easily as he’d dealt with Loki. Not alone. So, he did the one thing that he’d sworn he’d never do, picking up his phone and dialing the number on a business card that had arrived in the mail nearly a year ago.

The phone rang twice, and then a voice he’d only ever heard on the television answered.

4-Wolverine

Wolverine-Enemy of the State  and Whedon’s Astonishing X-men are prime Logan for me.  

It’s a shame we never got to see the suit in the films.