st_arkravinghazelnut: (ultron)
[personal profile] st_arkravinghazelnut
Madonna Inn or no, Tony was making good on his commitment to seek therapy. Or, in this case, facilitate it.

Every part of him was anxious, but he had some chamomile tea beforehand and prayed that the beta blockers were working their magic. And, of course, none of that showed on his face. To the world, he was the picture of cool. But all the adrenergic response inhibitors couldn't scrub the deep seated unsettled feeling that plagued him. It was almost existential. What caring god would decide that Tony Stark was the only adult around both informed and caring enough to round up some teenagers and a child for a mediated counseling session? Who was allowing this?

Alright. Deep breath. The young trio were seated around in his room. It was the most neutral, private setting he could think of. All of his clutter was pushed back into the bed area and arranged somewhat professionally. The drawing boards were covered with his spare sheets to reduce the amount of distraction and preserve the privacy of his work. Liz and Annie were seated on either side of Peter on the red sofa, and Tony was seated himself on the beige plush bench across from them, pulled in closer to provide some sense of intimacy. The candles already there provided some soft, warm lighting though Tony really was at a loss with the rocky interior. He'd grown desensitized to them but once he had to meditate over how it'd lend itself to a collective emotional breakthrough the damn walls just taunted him all over again. Tony told himself that if he ignored them, so would everyone else. Hopefully.

Alright. Go time. Tony pitied the universe where he was a social worker but many of the concepts and skills involved were translatable from his past life as a business man. Set goals and expectations. Identify and meet the needs. Strategize.

"Alright." Tony leaned back on the bench. "Before we all start talking, I think it'd be helpful if we all went around in a circle and expressed what we're hoping to get out of today. What we want to understand, what we want to change, what we want others to know."

Date: 2018-11-22 03:22 am (UTC)
st_arkintern: (Surprised.)
From: [personal profile] st_arkintern
When Tony is done speaking, Peter turns and just stares in disbelief. It takes all of his willpower not to let his jaw just drop right then and there, but a half-minute of silence snaps him out of it when he realizes that he should probably say something.

Peter clears his throat and looks at the others in the circle.

"I just really want everyone to get along. I'm not not sure what we can do to make that happen, but I'm willing to do just about anything that I can to make that happen."

Date: 2018-11-22 03:27 am (UTC)
st_hotflashes: (look over)
From: [personal profile] st_hotflashes
This was extremely uncomfortable. Liz tried to look relaxed, but she was sure that Peter could feel she was tense beside him. The truth was, if she thought about it long enough, she was the odd one out. Three super-powered people all from the same sort of universe and Liz Parker, a girl from Roswell.

She pressed her lips together and paused as she chose her words carefully. "I just... want everyone to be happy." Liz was not necessarily under the same impression that they could get along.

Date: 2018-11-22 03:44 am (UTC)
st_ayedhidden: (Default)
From: [personal profile] st_ayedhidden
Annie sat back on the sofa, but she listened. She wanted to sound as mature as her dad. She wanted to impress Mr. Stark.

She went to say she felt the same way, but growing up she had been told that lying was bad. Annie wanted everyone to be happy, but she wanted stipulations.

As she sat there, she started to look like she was straining in holding back her answer. Her lip trembled.

"I don't want them to have sex," she suddenly blurted out. "I don't want them together at all, but I know she makes my dad happy so...so I guess that's okay, but they don't need to touch."

Date: 2018-11-22 05:22 am (UTC)
st_arkintern: (Embarrassed.)
From: [personal profile] st_arkintern
It took every cell in Peter Parker's body not to die of mortification right then and there after Annie's last remarks. He looks down at his hands, face flushing red. He probably has to be the one to say this because if Liz says it, she's going to look like the bad guy.

And he doesn't want Annie disliking Liz any more than she does already.

"I want," Peter begins and he struggles to press the words forward. He attempts again: "I want to be able to touch Liz, but I don't want anyone to be unhappy."

Was that even possible at this point? Peter's not even sure.

He's not sure he's going to survive this conversation, either.

Date: 2018-11-22 05:30 am (UTC)
st_hotflashes: (worried)
From: [personal profile] st_hotflashes
Liz was probably going to die right along Peter, though she was very aware what he just did and she had to resist the urge to reach out and silently thank him with a simple touch. Instead, she kept her hands in her lap and tried to keep looking up despite desperately wanting to do the same thing Peter was doing right now.

She wet her lips and took in a breath. What could she say? She had no idea. She knew she was working against a lot of things.

"I don't want to be..." She paused. She was going to say Annie like Annie wasn't there, but the girl was. Liz forced herself to look at the girl. "I don't want to be your mom, Annie. She... she's not someone who can be replaced. She's special. I just..."

She just what? It would be a lie to say that sometimes she didn't picture a future with Peter that yes, involved kids.

"I want to try to get along."

Date: 2018-11-22 05:51 am (UTC)
st_ayedhidden: (costume)
From: [personal profile] st_ayedhidden
Annie's expression was stubborn. She always found it hard to be mad when Liz was being nice. She knew her mom would be disappointed in her for acting this way and she was aware her dad was not happy with it either.

She crossed her arms. She didn't want to answer. She didn't want to admit sometimes she didn't hate Liz at all.

"I know that," she said pectulantly. "But... But if you take all of my dad's love away he won't have any for my mom. And if you have a baby then I'm just going to be replaced."

The worries spewed out of the little red-head.

"What if he never meets her because he's with you?" She asked in a harsh tone. "What if... What if... What if he likes you more than me?"

Tears stung the little girl's face suddenly and she looked away and to the wall.

Date: 2018-11-22 07:05 am (UTC)
st_arkintern: (After everything she's been through...)
From: [personal profile] st_arkintern
Peter wants to say something, but he waits for Tony to finish speaking before he says anything.

He looks over at Annie.

"We're not going to have a baby," Peter says to Annie. "I'm sixteen. I'm not ready for kids. Even if we did have kids, they wouldn't replace you. I love you a lot. If you're worried about that, you don't need to be. But if you are, that's okay too."

Date: 2018-11-22 12:31 pm (UTC)
st_hotflashes: (look down)
From: [personal profile] st_hotflashes
Liz didn't know what to say. Most of the stuff Annie was expressing, the girl had expressed to her already in one form or another and the truth was, she didn't blame Annie for all those thoughts.

To her credit, Liz didn't give up either. Had it been a year ago, her natural response would have been to bow out of the picture but she had tried that and it wasn't successful.

This time she brought her gaze to her hands. Despite not giving in, she still felt guilty.

Date: 2018-11-22 06:11 pm (UTC)
st_ayedhidden: (Default)
From: [personal profile] st_ayedhidden
Her lip quivered as Annie tried to stay as 'grown up' as everyone else. She was well aware of her age in the group and everyone else were practically grown-ups to her.

She wanted to ask a bunch more questions like what if her mom showed up or what if they never went home, but Tony had said to focus on feelings so Annie was going to try to stay on task.

"Feelings," She said, trying to center herself. "I feel... I feel sad and betrayed and lonely and... scared."

Date: 2018-11-22 08:15 pm (UTC)
st_ayedhidden: (Default)
From: [personal profile] st_ayedhidden
"Because..." She started and trailed off.

Annie searched for a way to explain. For a small frame, she had a lot of big feelings.

"Because it's supposed to be me and my mom and my dad." She said. "Because my dad and mom love each other very much and.. and it's like he's cheating on her. Because... Because he spends times with Liz instead of me even though -- even though--"

Annie felt the tears. She was struggling with keeping her emotions in check and the words were spilling out.

"Even though back home I might not even see him again," she half-sobbed. "And my mom and I were going to save him. My mom. Not Liz. And now I'm here and daddy's back home without me to help rescue him and I have to watch my dad love someone else here and not know my mom like she's not even important."

Date: 2018-11-22 09:05 pm (UTC)
st_arkintern: (Heartbroken.)
From: [personal profile] st_arkintern
Peter gets up and sits next to Annie, then pulls her close. He's not sure if he should say anything, so he doesn't. Instead, he gives her a kiss on the top of her head.

Date: 2018-11-22 10:57 pm (UTC)
st_ayedhidden: (Default)
From: [personal profile] st_ayedhidden
Annie didn't look at anyone. She looked at her knees as she tried to save face.

Annie nodded to Tony with his suggestion. She didn't like crying and she didn't like crying in front of so many people.

Date: 2018-11-22 11:16 pm (UTC)
st_hotflashes: (listening to lecture)
From: [personal profile] st_hotflashes
Perhaps ironically, Liz was doing that similar stare off in the distance to keep herself from crying. She felt terrible for Annie and had no idea how to fix it except, again, for her to just not be around. Her minds stilled wandered to that solution, but she knew it wasn't the best solution.

She took a deep breath and stood, trying to offer a reassuring smile but it didn't reach her eyes and she basically moved like a robot to the door and went outside.

Date: 2018-11-22 11:19 pm (UTC)
st_arkintern: (Heartbroken.)
From: [personal profile] st_arkintern
Peter nods at Tony and then gives Annie one last hug before following Liz out.

Date: 2018-11-22 11:40 pm (UTC)
st_ayedhidden: (Default)
From: [personal profile] st_ayedhidden
Annie did cry.


"He's going to hate me," she said. "I making things hard just like I did back home. He's going to hate me."

Date: 2018-11-22 11:55 pm (UTC)
st_ayedhidden: (Default)
From: [personal profile] st_ayedhidden
"Because... Because he likes Liz and it makes me upset so it makes things hard because he likes to make everyone happy." She replied. "Just like... Just like home."

She closed her eyes.

"If I didn't break my bracelet or help my friends, he wouldn't have had to fight," she said quietly. "And he wouldn't have been taken. The man who saved us said he was probably..."

Annie stopped herself from saying dead and just shut her eyes tighter.

"I just... I want my mom and dad and for things to be the way it used to be" Annie continued. "Liz is ruining everything."

Date: 2018-11-23 12:50 am (UTC)
st_ayedhidden: (Default)
From: [personal profile] st_ayedhidden
She took the juice box and held it in her hands. Annie looked to Tony and nodded. She knew he was a grown up and would have some answers.

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