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Tony Stark: Earth's Best Defender (allaboutego) wrote in snapthread,
@ 2019-06-10 21:39:00

Entry tags:

gwen stacy, tony stark (mcu)

WHO: Gwen Stacy and Tony Stark
WHAT: Coffee, Sadness, Distraction.
WHERE: Poke-Doors
WHEN: Monday
RATING: Low

True to his word, Tony had grabbed them both coffee before hand — in one reusable cup was just some normal plain for him and in the other was one of those frozen blended things that were all the rage these days. Chocolate with whipped cream and everything. Clint Barton was an actual honest to god saint. It seemed worth it though, if any little thing could lift Gwen's mood even a small amount, Tony would be willing to do it. He understood very much what she was going through and wished that feeling upon no one. Especially not her though.

And then he’d gone to collect Gwen — he had plans to take her through the doors, both because it would be a good distraction from the now, but also because he’d gone the day before and frankly, he thought she’d enjoy it, something fun, whimsical and a little magical without being too absurd. She’d like the animals, he thought. Even he liked the animals and he was not an animal person by any means. If someone could be a negative animal person, that was probably Tony Stark. But these ones were alright.

But he wasn’t any kind of fool, those plans would be gotten to eventually. First, they had to deal with something else. He set the drinks down on the porch, because he was going to need his hands free for when she got out the door.

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itsybitsyspidey
2019-06-11 04:47 pm UTC (link)

Having been here as long as she had, Gwen had obviously seen people come and go. Some she didn't know, others she knew of, more others she thought were great but hadn't really gotten to know, but losing Jan had been rough. Back home, Gwen had sworn off friends. She'd shut out just about everyone she cared about, including her own father. It was safer for both herself and those who were important to her. No one got hurt, and no one could be used as leverage against her. And yes, it was safe. But it was lonely as hell. Being here, in this town, Jan had been the first person she'd really opened up to, who made her realized it was okay to have friends again. It meant a lot to her. Losing her, well, it hit hard.

It brought back the thoughts and feelings she had back home about not having friends. But those thoughts were ones she quickly pushed away because this wasn't the same thing. Back home, even when shutting those people out, she could still watch over them from a distance. Here, when people vanished, they were gone for good unless whatever force took them away brought them back and that was never a guarantee. Knowing that, it actually made her want to be closer o people like Tony, Natasha, Alpha Peter, and plenty of others she'd come to care for. That was why she'd said no, she didn't want to be alone when Tony asked. It was why she agreed to stay with Natasha for a few days. Gwen didn't want to do this alone. She didn't want to keep up the same habits that back home had her isolated with no one to turn to when things got so difficult.

Through her window, she saw a man approaching and her heart did warm a bit. There was a certain level of comfort that always accompanied Tony when she was around him, and even though she was very sad, she was still happy to see him. It was only a few seconds after he'd approached the door that she was opening it, and even less time between when he'd set the cups down that she was launching right into hugging him. A couple of tears slid down her cheeks but she hid them in the crook of his neck. "Hi," she said, in a voice that sounded a little smaller, a little more childlike than she would've liked to expose.

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allaboutego
2019-06-13 01:02 am UTC (link)

If Tony noticed that her voice was smaller and more childish, he certainly wasn't going to comment on it -- even if it sort of melted his heart for reasons that he couldn't possibly explain. Same as the way she'd launched herself at him, like he was some kind of life line, like there was no one else around who could possibly be more comforting. It was selfish, he thought, to hope that was true.

But there it was anyway.

And he hugged her back-- it came more naturally than hugging Pete, in some ways. Like it was just easier to squeeze her a little harder, to settle his hand on the back of her head and hold on because it was obvious she needed it. That was fair. Jan was a loss, she'd been his friend too - she'd been, in fact, the first person he'd met here - the person who had offered him water and found him a bed to pass out in all while brimming with enthusiasm and politely not mentioning that he looked like a shitty skeleton who needed to shave. He'd miss her, too.

"Hi," he repeated after her, soft and patient like he had all the time in the world -- he wasn't going to rush her grief. "Alright," he went on, "I'm here." He wouldn't tell her it was going to be okay, because that was a cruel sort of thing to say, but what he would offer was his own presence. He was here, and he wasn't going anywhere.

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itsybitsyspidey
2019-06-13 02:05 pm UTC (link)

There really wasn't anyone else who could comfort her the way Tony could. The closest to come to it would've been Alpha Peter or Natasha, but it was just... different. Not that she wouldn't have been just as appreciative. She loved them, too. But there was a connection there, between her and Tony. Sometimes Gwen felt like maybe she could be to him what he was to her, too. And honestly? It was the best feeling.

Hugging him brought her immense relief. And a lot of that derived from the fact that if he was hugging her, that meant he was there. Tony hadn't vanished. He was still present and he wasn't going away. Gwen didn't like to live her life in fear, and she tried not to, but in times like this it was hard not to be reminded that time was finite. None of them had any idea if they'd still be in Starklandia tomorrow. This, all of this around them, could go away in an instant and what did that mean? Would they be dead? Were they taken back home? Would they remember any of it? It was hard not to get into her head so much that she wasn't overwhelmed by the unknowns.

Thank goodness Tony arrived before that happened, else he would've probably found her in the midst of a full blown anxiety attack and that would've made it a lot harder. Plus, her fancy coffee would've settled and not been nearly as good to drink. "Thank you," she said. "For being here." Slowly, she drew back because she was going to be okay. That hug had grounded her, made her remember that even if they were gone tomorrow, they still had today and she could savor that and have that enjoyment with someone she truly did love.

"Okay. Deep breath." She inhaled, then exhaled and looked at the coffee cups he'd brought. "You brought me basic fancy coffee. Best." She hugged him again, but it was more her usual Gwen-type-hugs and not the desperate thank-god-you're-here-I'm-free-falling sort of cling she had on him before.

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allaboutego
2019-06-13 07:27 pm UTC (link)

There were a lot of questions about this place, about what happened when people disappeared or how they got here at all and most of them -- practically all of them -- were things that Tony did not have answers to. And he hated that because he was meant to be able to figure things out. He was a genius -- he'd effectively created functional time travel, for fucks sake.

But he was working on it. Or trying to. And in the mean time, there were some things that he knew unequivocally.

"I wouldn't leave," he said. "Not without you." And he meant that. Truly. Even if they didn't come from the same place, there wasn't a part of Tony that was willing to give up what he'd found here. And Gwen was a big, big part of that.

The second Gwen hug had him feeling a little more relaxed -- or maybe a little less worried for her. She could be sad, but she'd bounce back. That seemed like her thing. Maybe a Spider thing in general, since they all seemed pretty good at it. But it was good to know that he didn't need to pull out of her own head too much. Tony was trying, he really was, but he wasn't perfect or even really all that good with processing emotions.

"I brought you basic coffee," he repeated with a little smile before he picked up his own cup. Normal coffee, not basic. "Clint groaned the whole time he made it. It was great. C'mon, I got something to show you." He didn't want to dwell too long on the sad, not when they had a really good distraction very close at hand.

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itsybitsyspidey
2019-06-14 04:19 pm UTC (link)

It really went a long way with Gwen to hear him say that. Even though she knew that there were forces out there beyond their control -- after all, that was how they'd all gotten to this place -- it felt really good to know that Tony didn't want to leave her behind. He would fight for her, to stay with her. And even if there was no way to fight it, he wanted too. She mattered. For someone like her who'd spent so much time alone, it really meant the world to her. She only hoped he knew that she felt the same way. She'd work at that, in her own little Spider way, which Tony seemed to totally get, and she appreciated that too.

Gwen might never stop missing her best friend, but she felt like she could compartmentalize well enough to be able to shift gears and focus on other things. That was how she was going to move forward, and she was all for that. Sitting around moping worked for a little while to give herself a minute to grieve, but she didn't want to be caught up in it for too long. That wouldn't help and she didn't think Jan would want her to be sad anyway.

"I bet he did," she said. "But he did a damn good job." It actually was pretty good good; she'd have to thank Clint for making it later, knowing Natasha had sort of worked her magic to make it a Thing. The prospect of them going adventuring was something she was excited about, now that she'd gotten a jolt of caffeine and most of her sads out. "Lead the way," she said. "Well, I mean, I'm gonna walk beside you but you know what I'm saying." She grinned a little and tucked a piece of her hair behind her ear while sipping at her coffee. "You don't even need a coupon for this, Mr. Stark. It's on the House."

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allaboutego
2019-06-15 11:11 pm UTC (link)

On some level he got it: he did. Tony wasn't an expert on kids (or teenagers) by any means, but he was pretty much one hundred percent positive that they didn't just give away their time in coupon format to just anyone. So even if maybe they both weren't saying things in so many words, it was pretty damned clear that they both cared quite a lot.

"I'd better watch out," Tony agreed even as he set off toward the House of Doors (so many capitalizations, there) with Gwen at his side, even if he was leading the way. "My role as coffee shop owner and CEO might very well be taken over by him. Bartonbucks. Doesn't have the same ring to it, does it?"

Gwen was cute and he couldn't help but smile at the offer of something given freely when it'd already been something she'd been doing for free anyway. "Now you're just spoiling me."

But then they were at the doors and Tony picked the one he'd been to previously, because he wasn't really looking for surprises. And, well, because he'd enjoyed it.

The city they stepped into was vaguely french european, but for the fact that it wasn't really that. The people walking around with their little pokemon animals made the difference clear, and there was no possible way at all that Gwen wouldn't be interested in the little critters.

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itsybitsyspidey
2019-06-17 09:36 pm UTC (link)

Having that level of understanding between them was good. It was necessary. It meant that they could both know that they cared but they didn't have to really dwell on it for long. They could rely upon it; they'd both done that a time or two recently, but it didn't have to necessarily be spoken more than a little bit when they needed to.

Gwen made a little face. "Bartonbucks doesn't sound like coffee. It sounds like some kind of fake money you get in a game, or at an arcade that you cash in for a prize." Starkbucks was great but she'd give it up if it meant she could have this Tony in her life forever and they drank Bartonbucks instead.

She'd looped her arm through his as they made their way to the doors. Gwen walked with him through into what looked like some kind of European town and it was really a pretty place to explore. "They're so cute," she marveled over the Pokemon that were walking next to their companions, or hitching rides on their shoulders. "It'd be pretty fun to have one of these little cuties with you all the time. You'd never get lonely." She hadn't really thought about her words, but yes, she did get lonely. She'd especially get lonely now, not having Jan to live with.

"You want to look at some shops, Mr. Stark? Or eat something? Or just, I dunno, go adventuring?"

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allaboutego
2019-06-18 03:19 am UTC (link)

Frankly, that description of what one would use a Bartonbuck for was incredibly on point and Tony couldn't help but smile over it, even if he didn't say so out loud. Inwardly it could be thought about with love, but aloud might have been a little too close to nay-saying.

The animals were cute, and Tony was pleased she thought so even though he'd been sure she would anyway. Still, it was nice being right now and again (always). What he didn't really expect though, was that little pang of sadness he got over Gwen admitting (no matter how offhandedly) that she got lonely sometimes. Of course it'd be on her mind more now that Jan was gone. But even still -- it was something to think about.

"Well," he said after a beat of silence. "I figure we could go on an adventure. Maybe find one of those little guys you like?" He'd learned plenty about catching the things on his last visit. "There's a little walking trail outside the city. You know I've got space right? In my house?" Okay, that last part wasn't one that he'd meant to ask, but now that it was out, he wasn't about to take it back.

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itsybitsyspidey
2019-06-18 06:00 pm UTC (link)

Solitude kind of came hand in hand with being a Spider-person, and Gwen had been doing the whole Spider-Woman thing alone for a while now. It wasn't the worst thing in the world, but it did get to her a little bit from time to time. Not having the luxuries of YouTube or the inconveniences of fighting crime to distract her kind of made it all the more apparent. It'd pushed her into opening up to the idea of making friends though, and while that had sort of backfired with Jan disappearing it'd still given her the chance to befriend others, which she really was happy for.

"I'd love that!" She said as she thought about maybe trying to catch a Pokemon for herself. She'd seen some in town with other people and thought it might be fun to have one for herself, but hadn't really given it a go just yet. Even if they didn't find one for her, she'd love to see more of the Pokemon up close.

When Tony sort of casually inserted in that he had space in his house, Gwen turned her head up to look at him. Was he offering her a room in his house? Gwen wasn't stupid or slow on the uptake; she knew he was, but it just surprised her a little. She didn't want to make it a huge deal, even though to her it was. "Really? Enough for another spider?"

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allaboutego
2019-06-20 12:59 am UTC (link)

Tony got that. It was both easier and safer emotionally, sometimes, to be solitary. To not have to worry about people, because super-heroing was a rough gig that no one got out of without some scars and losses. And more than that, he got it because he'd grown up without people. It'd just been him and his distant parents and a metric shit ton of money that bought plenty of everything beside happiness. He hadn't had friends, he certainly hadn't had peers and the only person he'd been able to call his own until he was in his late teens was his butler and the man who'd eventually tried murdering him.

Branching out had been difficult. Because by the time he'd pal-ed up with Rhodey and then eventually Pepper, he'd become caustic and made himself hard to like (but they had somehow anyway). And when the Avengers had come around, he hadn't been looking to belong to anything other than what he'd already made himself.

Christ, so much had changed in the last decade. Sometimes it was dizzying if Tony really stopped to think about it. But -- well. He liked himself better now, in some ways. Even in this weird place, he had people he cared about it and it made a world of difference.

Since Gwen agreed, they headed toward the trail -- Tony'd purchased an unhealthy amount of pokeballs when he'd been here last with the Doctor, because frankly he was going to crack the science behind them, but it'd help plenty today too.

It might have been a huge deal. Tony focused on his coffee for a second or two too long before glancing back at her. "Really," he said. "Definitely enough for another Spider. So long as it's you." He liked Alpha Peter a lot, but he wasn't inviting him to live with him. Nor the other Peter, who Tony had very little to do with.

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itsybitsyspidey
2019-06-21 11:24 pm UTC (link)

It seemed that both of them had their fair share of difficulties when it came to opening up to people and having real friends. Gwen was glad that Tony had the Avengers, had a real team of people he could rely on. Most of all, she was glad she had him as someone she could look up to, learn from, talk to, and yes -- depend on. Even if it wasn't the easiest thing in the world to admit to or act on, and it'd probably be like pulling teeth for her to actually do it, Gwen knew she could. And that really went further than anything else. Tony wasn't someone she'd ever be willing to give up.

When he confirmed what he said, she found herself smiling a little. Shyly, but still a smile. It'd be really different to live in a house with Tony, Captain Rogers, and Peter, but she thought she'd like it. It was going to be loads better than living alone, too.

"I don't take up a lot of room. You know. Just a web in the corner," she teased. "Look, Mr. Stark!" A flash of pink in the sky caught her eye. Several Hoppips were flying just above them. "They're so cute. It sounds like they're singing."

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allaboutego
2019-06-23 12:36 am UTC (link)

It'd be a good set up, maybe. Probably. Definitely. All the people Tony cared about most under one roof. Not only could he get to worrying less about them, he'd get to see them every day. Which was like -- well, probably one of the most domestic things he'd ever thought, he was pretty sure.

Still. There was something about that All-American Breakfast Spread of Too Much Food Before The Kids Ran Off to School Without Eating feeling that was incredibly endearing. Not that it'd happen like that. And not only because Tony Stark could not and should not be trusted alone in a kitchen for any given reason. It was just -- a passing thought.

"Just so long as you can leave positive web notes about the pig who's also moving in," he joked (terribly) with a smile. But then he was looking up at the little pink Pokemon and honestly just marveling over them in the same manner Gwen was. They were cute, and the song was pretty and how were they flying? That was going to bother him. Maybe forever. "This place almost makes me like nature."

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itsybitsyspidey
2019-06-25 12:33 am UTC (link)

Gwen thought it would be a decent set up, too. Of course she was really happy at the idea of living with Tony. It'd be nice to be able to see him anytime she wanted. It'd definitely improve her own living situation because despite being more of a solitary person back home given the whole Spider-Woman thing, she found herself more and more wanting to be around people now that she'd been in town for a while. It'd also maybe give her a chance to get to know the other Peter better, which she did want despite her own reasons for it being kind of hard. Not to mention, there was that whole Mr. Stark has a boyfriend who also happened to be Captain America which was so weird because her Captain America was a woman and Steve Rogers was an old guy who drew comics about Samantha. Weird Anyway.

Her train of thought kind of took her somewhere else for a few seconds but it'd be hard to tell since she was still staring at the floating pink seed-looking creatures. "Some Pig," she teased back, because Gwen loved a good (terrible) joke. She was a Spider-person. She kind of lived for that sort of thing, especially while she was Spidering. "And yeah, almost." Gwen wasn't exactly a fan of roughing it. They kept walking after the last of the singing seeds flew over them. "I wonder what else we'll find." It'd be pretty evident her mood had lifted miles from where it'd been when he'd first come to her house. "I hope I can find one that likes me. Maybe we can find you one that can help you tinker around like a bot."

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