Within the Ashes (6/??)
Summary: You’ve spent your life working for someone else. You watch their back, you protect them, but you’re left feeling empty and unfulfilled at the end of the day. What happens when a freak accident transports you to a different dimension, very nearly identical to your own?
A/N: We're starting off this chapter wtih Doctor Strange and more of his terrible bedside manner and even more of Steve and Reader bantering. Sounds like fun to me tbh. Anyway, please enjoy!
Page dividers by @carryonmyswansong
Pairing: StevexReader, background Spideytorch
Word Count: 1.7k
Warnings: Feelings talks
Part 5
“Okay, so I’m unique in this reality?”
“Correct.”
“And clearly being here isn’t a threat to the space time continuum or whatever.”
Strange pinches the bridge of his nose. “That’s not how it works.”
“You really just don’t have any sense of humor.”
“Not in this instance, no.”
(Y/N) sighs and scrubs her hands over her face. “Okay, so where do we go from here? Are you able to send me back?”
“No, that’s not within my power.”
“Alright.” She sighs once more and nods to herself. “Okay.”
Steve places one hand on (Y/N)’s elbow. He softly asks, “Are you okay?”
“Yeah, I’ll be fine.”
“You sure?”
She chuckles. “Yeah, not much I can do about it, right?”
“Well, no…”
(Y/N) pastes on her best smile and looks around at the gathered Avengers. “Looks like you’re stuck with me for a little while longer.”
“Ah, don’t say that,” Tony waves her off. “It’s a pleasure to have you.”
“Besides,” Natasha says. “You’ve just barely started training. It’d be a shame if you left now.”
“Ah, well, clearly I can’t leave now. I’d lose all my progress.”
Strange clears his throat and, when all eyes are once again on him, says, “Seeing as I am no longer needed, I’ll be leaving.”
As Tony opens his mouth to offer to show him out, Strange opens a portal and disappears through it as soon as he steps through.
(Y/N) frowns and shakes her head. “What a weirdo.”
Steve nods. “Agreed.”
“Do you guys have to work with him often?”
“No we do not,” Stark says.
“Hmm. Well I think I’m going to go lay down and process this information for a bit.” She presses her lips together for a moment. “Yeah, I think that sounds like a good idea.”
(Y/N) nods to everyone and excuses herself. She walks through the hallways, more than a little numb and confused because she already knew the chances of Strange being able to magically send her home were slim to begin with. Still, she can’t help the disappointment that slowly settles over her.
She sighs and steps into the elevator, absentmindedly scrubbing her hands first over her stubby hair and then her face. She leans against the back wall and, just before the doors close, someone sticks their hand in the small gap, forcing them to slowly reopen. Steve steps into the elevator as soon as the gap is large enough and leans against the wall beside (Y/N).
“You sure you’re okay?” he asks.
(Y/N) nods. “I’ll be fine.”
“That’s not what I asked.”
“It’s an answer, isn’t it?”
“It’s part of one.”
“Man, you’re persistent, aren’t you?”
“I think most people would call it stubborn. Or annoying.” She huffs out a laugh and Steve smiles. “I’m serious. Are you okay?”
She nods. “Yeah. I’m alright.”
“You’re disappointed.”
“Is it that obvious?”
“No. You’re usually more talkative though.”
“Mm. Yeah. Sorry about that.”
“Nothing to be sorry for. You just got some pretty heavy news. All things considered, you’re handling things pretty well.”
“Dissociating in the elevator is handling it well?”
“Well you’re not rocking back and forth in a dark corner. I’d say you’re handling it better than most would.”
“Ah yes, the full mental breakdown. A classic.” She spares him a glance and sees him crack a smile. “Yeah, no, I don’t think I’m really the mental breakdown kind. Spent too much time compartmentalizing shit over the last fifteen years. Too many walls, too much barbed wire. Nothing leaks out of these ears.”
“God, that sounds terrible.”
“Have you ever seen something leak from someone’s ears?”
“No, should I have?”
“No. Be glad you haven’t, it’s horrific.”
“Wait, have you seen something leak from someone’s ears?”
“How do you think I know it’s horrific?”
“I don’t think I want to know more.”
“A wise decision. All I’ll say on the subject is that aliens were involved and they weren’t the peaceful E.T. kind.”
“That makes sense.” The elevator stops and Steve holds his hand out as the door opens. “I guess this is you.”
“It sure is.”
As (Y/N) steps out into the hall he asks, “You sure you’re good on your own?”
“Yeah, I think I just need some time to myself. I process better when it’s quiet.”
“Alright.”
“Plus a nap couldn’t hurt. I’m still a little sore from that last training session with Natasha.” (Y/N) massages the back of her neck. “She really doesn’t pull any punches.”
“I think she believes we learn through pain.” Steve shakes his head. “I’d argue with her, but her methods seem to work.”
“You’d argue with her, but she could totally kick your ass.”
Steve chuckles. “That too.”
(Y/N) smiles. “Thank you, Steve.”
“For what?”
“Just existing.”
Steve’s eyebrows draw together in confusion, but his smile doesn’t waver. “That’s it?”
She nods. “Mhm, that’s it.”
“Oh. Well that’s not much, is it?”
“It’s everything. Honest.”
Steve attempts to respond, but his mouth just moves soundlessly. (Y/N) smiles and heads to her room.
“I thought you weren’t going to flirt.”
Steve sighs and closes the fridge. “I’m not flirting.”
“You’re absolutely flirting.”
“How is any of that flirting?”
Natasha folds her arms and leans back against the counter. “The little smiles, the jokes? That’s flirting, Steve.”
“It’s banter, Nat. Conversation.” Natasha raises her eyebrows. “It’s not flirting!”
“Okay. then explain what it is, then.”
“It’s friendly conversation. Banter, at most.”
“That sounds like flirting, Steve.” He scowls. “I’m only saying this so you’re not heartbroken when she leaves.”
“You think I’m not thinking about that? Of course it’ll suck when she goes back, but I won’t be sad because I’m losing a potential lover. I’d be sad because I’m losing a friend who I genuinely care about.”
Natasha sighs. “God, that’s sappy.”
“I’m allowed.”
“Never said you weren’t.” Steve rolls his eyes and Natasha smiles. “You really like her.”
“Nat-”
“No, you actually like her.” He scowls. “This is serious.”
“Maybe it is.”
“Well shit.”
“No, not shit. (Y/N) is great.”
“Never said she wasn’t. Teaching her has actually been fun.”
“Really?”
She nods. “She’s picking things up much faster than I thought she would. She’d honestly make a formidable member of the team.”
“(Y/N) doesn’t want that.”
“Sometimes what we want doesn’t matter.”
“What she wants matters. She doesn’t want to be a hero. Based on what she’s told me, I don’t blame her. Hell, looking at what we’ve been through, I wouldn’t want her to be like us.”
“Commendable.”
“Nat-”
“No, really. She’s lucky to have someone looking after her. Especially you.” Natasha shakes her head. “This isn’t her reality. This is only a mirror of her home. She’s friendly with the rest of us, but she’s close with you. And you’re not really close with anyone.”
“Hey! I’m close with you, aren’t I?”
“I’m a spy, I don’t count.”
“I think you do.”
“Fine. But I’m still right. About all of it. And I’m glad you have her.”
“For now.”
“It’s not like you’ll lose the ways she changed you when she leaves.” Natasha pats Steve on the arm before she leaves the kitchen. “And if losing her is too much to bear, you could always ask Wanda to put all your memories of her in a box and hide it somewhere in your mind where you’ll never find it.”
“Very reassuring, thanks.”
She waves as she disappears around the corner and calls out, “It’s what I’m here for Steve.”
“Okay, what am I looking at here?”
“We’re trying to recreate whatever it is Richards threw together to get you here,” Tony says. “Not that I know for sure what he did. Your descriptions weren’t all that helpful.”
(Y/N) grimaces. “Sorry. Can’t really say I’m any more helpful back home. I mostly just make sure Reed doesn’t blow himself up.”
“No, I understand. This is new territory for us. It’s not every day we need to travel between dimensions.”
“I know. I appreciate the fact that you’re willing to help at all.”
Tony leans against his work table, arms folded. “Why wouldn’t we be?”
(Y/N) shrugs. “I fell into your lap. There’s nothing saying you needed to take me in and make sure I get back home.”’
“It’s what any decent human being would do. Or should do, at least.”
“Regardless, I appreciate it. Thank you.”
“You’re very welcome. Now-” Tony rubs his hands together- "what can you tell us about Richards' monstrosity?"
"Not much. As long as you avoid overheating and loose wiring, I'm sure you'll be fine."
"That's your criteria for a good machine?"
"Well, the last one kind of fell apart and blew me up, so yeah. If anyone can circumnavigate that, you probably can."
"We really need to put you in therapy."
"Eh, I think I'm doing fine, all things considered."
“Those things you’re considering are being blown up by your employer and getting sucked into a different reality. Sure, you’re handling it great. But, speaking from experience, you could always be handling it better.”
“Ah, an idealist in every reality, I see.”
“Not sure I like the sound of that.”
“You’ll get used to it. Maybe.”
Tony sighs, and shakes his head. “Do you have much going on these days?”
“Steve and I have lunch most days. Natasha and I just started training too. So not really, I guess.”
“Training with Natasha is impressive. How’s that going?”
“Well enough. I have these powers, but I don’t really know how to use them outside of my regular day to day activities.”
“You want something more to do?”
“Why, you have something you need?”
“Well, I know you’re traumatized from your time with Richards, but I was wondering if you’d be willing to muscle around some equipment for Banner and me.”
“Really? That’s it?”
“Well we have a few things that need moving, but we don’t trust the big guy to help and Steve is usually otherwise occupied. You’re our last resort.”
“What about your suits?”
Tony grimaces. “They’re in the shop for repairs, at the moment.”
“No shit?”
“Not joking. It’s incredibly embarrassing.”
(Y/N) laughs. “Yeah, I’ll bet.”
“So you’ll help?”
She shrugs. “Sure, why not? It’s not like I’m doing much else.”
Tony’s shoulders sag with the release of tension. “Thank you.”
“If I tell you I think something’s gonna blow up, you listen to me though. I’m not getting burned again.”
“Agreed. None of us are desperate for a repeat.”
(Y/N) holds her hand out to Tony and he shakes it. “Then I do believe we have a deal.”
-----
Part 7
At last, we have our answers about the Reader character's place in this reality with a side of existential crisis. I'm excited to get deeper into the story and have them settle in a little more in the tower.
But! As always, I hope y'all enjoyed this chapter! Do you think they'll be able to get the Reader home? Is working with Tony and Bruce a good idea? Is Natasha a little too invested in Steve's relationship wtih the Reader? Be sure to reblog, comment, and/or shoot me an ask and tell me all about it!
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