Wanda/Elizabeth One-Shots

Not so Friendly (W.M)

"Absolutely not! Ethan is not testing out another one of your crazy experimental suits," Wanda objected, hands on her hips as she faced down Tony in his lab.

Ever since she and Ethan had gotten engaged, Tony had been pestering Ethan nonstop to try out new Iron Man tech designs and join him on dangerous missions. But Wanda was putting her foot down.

"Oh come on, it's just a little rocket propulsion field test," Tony cajoled, tapping the sleek metallic boots he was holding. "Ethan loves this stuff!"

"The last 'test' ended with him crashing into a mountainside," Wanda retorted, recalling having to peel a dazed Ethan out of the Ethan-shaped crater he'd created.

Tony waved a hand dismissively. "He bounced back good as new. Plus this version has additional stabilizers."

At Wanda's unrelenting glare, he threw up his hands. "Alright, alright, guess I'll find another guinea pig," Tony conceded.

Wanda knew Tony meant well trying to bond with his son through technology tinkering. But she also knew Ethan's limitations. His coordination and reasoning skills definitely weren't on par with his eagerness to jump into the action, powers or not.

Tony liked to boast Ethan had inherited the Stark genius genes. But Wanda saw the truth—Ethan was clueless and impulsive, requiring near constant supervision for his own safety. Not that she minded. She loved him fiercely, quirks and all.

Still, Tony's insistence on dragging Ethan along on dangerous missions and sticking him in untested gear exasperated Wanda. Ethan would blindly go along with anything his dad suggested, eager to help. Someone had to be the voice of reason.

So Wanda took on that protective role. She was the one who made sure Ethan avoided experimental tech explosions in the lab. The one who pulled him back from carelessly taunting supervillains three times his size during battles. The one guiding and nurturing his big heart under that reckless bravado.

But Tony clearly wasn't ready to relinquish his paternal grasp on Ethan. He continued tossing out new schemes, from upgrades to Ethan's suit to combat training regimes. Each was designed to turn Ethan into a true Stark heir under the Iron Man mantle.

"He just needs more flight hours to get a feel for the boot thrusters," Tony insisted after Ethan had crashed through yet another wall trying out new gear.

"This is exactly why he shouldn't be your guinea pig," Wanda fumed, helping a dazed Ethan to his feet.

Tony threw his hands up. "Then what do you suggest? The kid's got potential, he just needs guidance!"

Wanda fixed Tony with a stern look. "Guidance, yes. Not to be thrown headfirst into danger!" She understood Tony's desire to toughen Ethan up, but coddling was sometimes required too.

Their back-and-forth bickering over Ethan's training and role on the team continued escalating. Tony claimed Wanda was too overprotective. Wanda accused Tony of reckless endangerment.

"You're stunting his growth!" Tony argued. "He'll never become battle-ready at this rate."

"Because you think allowing him to be target practice is a good learning method?" Wanda shot back.

Ethan just looked between them like a confused puppy, unsure whose side to take. In truth, he trusted Wanda's judgment more than his own. Her protectiveness was a comfort, reminding him someone always had his back.

Yet Tony's faith in Ethan's potential also meant the world, even if the expectations were sometimes crushing. Ethan wanted so badly to prove himself a hero worthy of the Stark name. He ended up trying to please them both, with mixed results.

The clashing dynamics finally came to a head during a tense standoff with Doctor Doom. As Tony barking battle orders over comms, a massive blast sent Ethan hurtling through the air. Wanda reacted instantly, casting a shield around his body before he could slam into the ground.

"I had that handled!" Ethan protested as Wanda helped him up, checking anxiously for injuries.

"He was about to pancake you!" Wanda argued.

Tony swooped down in a rage. "You've got to stop coddling him! Ethan will never learn like that." He whirled furiously to Ethan. "And you! Use your damn powers and get back in there."

"Don't order my fiancé into harm's way," Wanda hissed, magic swirling dangerously.

Ethan looked between them wide-eyed. "Guys..." he started anxiously.

"Stay out of this!" Tony and Wanda yelled in unison, not breaking their stare-down.

Ethan instantly scurried away, not eager to get between the two powerful forces of nature currently locked in a battle of wills over his wellbeing. He decided to let them work it out and focus on smashing some more robots. That he could handle.

In the end, it took Steve physically wedging himself between the arguing pair and berating them for fighting among teammates mid-battle before they begrudgingly backed down.

But the tension remained thick back at headquarters. Fed up with the constant undermining, Tony finally snapped at Wanda.

"That's it! Since you clearly wear the pants around here, get Ethan to comply with the new team drills at tomorrow's practice," he challenged smugly.

Wanda's eyes flashed, but she kept her voice cool. "Very well, I'll make sure he's ready bright and early. We'll see who Ethan truly listens to."

As she sashayed away victorious, Tony had the sinking feeling he may have made a mistake letting Wanda call his bluff. But it was too late to back down now.

The next morning, Tony paced impatiently, waiting for Ethan to arrive so they could start. The rest of the team stood around awkwardly trying to avoid eye contact.

But Ethan never showed. "Where the hell is he?" Tony fumed after 30 wasted minutes.

Wanda strolled in calmly at that moment. "Oh Ethan won't be joining. We decided to sleep in this morning," she informed Tony breezily.

Tony's eye twitched. "Is that so?" he asked through clenched teeth. Wanda just smiled smugly in response.

It was then Tony realized Wanda held all the power. As Ethan's doting fiancée, her wishes would always come first. Tony could order Ethan to jump, but Wanda could whisper "don't" and he would stay firmly rooted.

"Fine, you've made your point," Tony grumbled bitterly. "I'll back off on the combat readiness. But this isn't over," he added threateningly.

Wanda just laughed. "Good luck with that," she called over her shoulder, sauntering away victoriously to enjoy a relaxing morning with her darling clueless Ethan.

Though galled to concede defeat, Tony had to admit Wanda was probably better suited to guiding Ethan. His methods clearly overwhelmed the poor kid. Maybe he really did need a gentler hand.

With Wanda taking the lead on Ethan's training and duties, they finally struck a good balance that kept him progressing steadily as a hero while also feeling supported. Tony settled for being the fun gadget guy instead of militant commander.

And Ethan blossomed under the dual nurturing of his father's encouragement and fiancée's fierce devotion. He would never be the strategic genius Tony envisioned, but he continued growing into a formidable fighter who's heart and loyalty were unparalleled.

Tony graciously passed the mantle of guiding Ethan into adulthood to Wanda, content now to watch their relationship blossom. In how they gazed at each other, he saw himself and Pepper reflected.

In the end, Tony accepted that his greatest legacy lived on in these two headstrong souls fighting to protect their clumsy, lovable Ethan - the best of him and Pepper combined. Not a bad fate for Iron Man's progeny.