A daughter of Thanos and an Avenger, Zaiya was a powerful being plagued by the connections she grew. Her heart hardened, she finds herself amongst the Masters of the Mystic Arts, the fate of the universe thrown onto her shoulders.
What she didn't e...
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" A child's life is like a piece of paper on which every person leaves a mark. " - Robert A. Heinlein
•◇•
WONG WAS extremely concerned. Zaiya was so preoccupied with the numerous challenges they were currently facing that he was certain she wasn't sleeping. Her eye bags were heavy and deep, and she rarely brushed her hair. He had a feeling she hadn't bothered to change her clothes. She ran around like a headless chicken, too preoccupied with her own business to see him when he tried to converse.
The Masters of the Mystics Arts were severely afflicted, with both masters and students perishing. They were critically understaffed, with the Sanctum of London barely managing to sustain a continuous cycle of personnel to replace the Master they had lost. Zaiya received assistance from a few students in New York, as well as Wong on occasion. Despite Wong's best efforts to persuade her to take a break and sip a cup of tea, she would refuse and return to work.
She also spent some time in the Avengers Facility, sparing students where she could to aid the planet that was collapsing around her. Steve could tell she was overworking herself because her sentences came out so quickly that he had to take a moment to comprehend them or ask her to repeat herself. She didn't always do so. He trusted her, though, since he knew she was only trying to help...even if she wasn't exactly helping herself.
When she showed up one day with her hair coloured black and no trace of silver, it threw Steve and Nat for a loop. Her pale complexion was more visible now, and she looked utterly different. Steve, Nat, Bruce, and even Rhodey tried to persuade her to slow down. She was overworking herself to keep her mind from straying off into the bleak realities of her and everyone else's life. The sense of bereavement was far too powerful, far too poisonous.
Zaiya couldn't stop, she couldn't let herself breathe. She was adamant about not doing it. She had failed not only herself, but the entire galaxy, and now she desired to make amends. As well as herself. However, as the days passed, her thoughts began to wonder if fighting so hard was indeed worth the effort. She was exhausted. Every single part of it was messed up. It was like climbing a rope towards the sun; it was the only way to get there, but the sweltering heat just got worse with each step ahead. It was getting to be too much to bear.
She used to spend a lot of time in the bathroom, starring at her own mirror. She grew to despise it, so she altered the one feature of herself to which she had always clung. It felt good to be different, and she welcomed the change. Because she was, after all. She used every opportunity to divert her attention away from her anguish; she heard everyone's cries and concerns, but she disregarded them. She couldn't let herself fall because she didn't know if she'd be able to get up again.
In order to keep going, she decided to call on her abilities. She began to spend more and more time in the Dark Dimension. She was well aware that it was risky, but she simply required more of...something. Anything. Dormammu just stood there, not daring to disturb her again. Each time she passed through a portal, though, his wicked grin grew larger. If she kept going like this, she'd be her own worst enemy. Her body would suffocate in the darkness, and she would fade away into oblivion. It was only a matter of time before she was his.
•◇•
Time passed, and Zaiya took one of the rare breaks she allowed herself to meet Tony and Pepper, as well as their young daughter, Morgan. Zaiya was ecstatic for two reasons: one, that she had heard from Tony and Pepper at all, and two, that they had finally gotten the future they desired. Morgan was adorable, a tiny ball of joy who Zaiya couldn't take her gaze away from.
"Did you wanna hold her?" Pepper asked, holding Morgan in her arms, a bright smile on her face.
"Careful, she'll make her goth." Tony jested, standing beside Pepper as he whispered in her ear.
"Oh, ha. Ha. I like her hair." Pepper defended, gazing at Zaiya's blackened locks.
As Pepper drew closer to Zaiya, she could only smile at Morgan. Zaiya had Morgan in her arms before she realised it, and she was much heavier than she had anticipated. With a deep sigh, Zaiya's smile grew even bigger.
"It's too late, now. We're going to go broke buying eyeliner." Tony joked, a smile on his face.
"I'm honoured you think she'll take so much from my image. Perhaps it's a good thing." Zaiya joked, making eye contact with Tony for a brief time.
"Stay for dinner. We have some catching up to do." Pepper said, catching Zaiya by surprise.
Zaiya paused for a while, aware that she had plenty of work to do back at the Sanctum, but reasoned that staying with Morgan wouldn't hurt.
•◇•
"So. How have you...been?" Pepper asked Zaiya, both of them talking over a cup of tea as Tony put Morgan to bed.
"Fine." Zaiya smiled, taking a sip of her tea.
"Zaiya. You don't have to lie."
"I'm not lying. Why would I?"
"There's plenty of reasons. Steve came over concerned about you...we're worried about you, Zaiya."
Zaiya's gaze fell to the floor, her thumb playing with the teacup's rim. She should have expected Steve, of all people, to go to Tony with a problem like this. Despite being at odds with one another, they could always count on one another.
"There's nothing to worry about. I'm...handling it." Zaiya confirmed, lying.
"Are you? Zaiya, you look exhausted. We just want you to be okay, Zai." Pepper pleaded, reaching across the table to put a hand on her forearm.
It was as though a ghost had returned to haunt her. Stephen's deep, yet calming voice was all she could hear. Her eyes glazed over in a stupor, tears streaming down her cheeks without her even noticing it. Pepper knew she'd touched a sensitive point right away, but she didn't know how.
"Please, don't call me that." Zaiya pleaded, her emotions on over drive.
Pepper clutched her arm tightly, watching as the girl in front of her began to cry. Zaiya was tired, and it's possible that her delight heightened her pain. Morgan was a joy to be around, a living example of the future. But suddenly, instead of happiness, she was overcome with grief, which made her realise that the future was no longer in her grasp. It was something she didn't want to happen. Now she realises what she had before it was taken away.
He was gone. He was not going to return. This was reality, and it was the reality he guarded. And Zaiya didn't have a choice but to live there.
Even thinking about children made a part of her think she was dumb. Yet it was so easy for her to see herself in Pepper's shoes, cradling a baby she would adore above all else, with Stephen by her side. It was ridiculously absurd, but it was so much fun to pretend.
"Zaiya. I'm so sorry. I'm sorry about it all." Pepper said, her body now next to Zaiya, hugging her close.
Zaiya sobbed, tears streaming down her face and her breath catching in her throat. Zaiya's fingers clasped to Pepper's back as she leant against Pepper's chest.
Tony came back down the steps, pity in his eyes. It's possible that inviting her wasn't the best decision. As soon as Pepper observed Tony lingering on the stairwell, she made urgent eye contact with him. Tony gave a nod before joining the two. As Tony embraced Zaiya, she sobbed even harder.
