Universal Obligations
Chapter l
May 28,1974 11:59:29
Maria stark had been rushed to the hospital when her water had broken. It shouldn’t have been cause for alarm if not for the blood that followed after. Days later they would find that a tear in the placenta was inevitable for a woman as petite as Maria carrying twins. As a matter a fact when Antonella came into the world the doctors had thought that was it. Until her brother Anthony followed clinging into her umbilical cord. And so Antonella Maria Stark came into the world on May 28, 1974 followed seconds after by her twin brother Anthony Edward Stark born on May 29, 1974.
One might wonder where the father of the children was hiding. The answer was simple, he was half a world away searching for his beloved Captain America in the Indian Ocean. Nothing could compare to the elation that her beloved child turned children gave her. Maria could finally go into the world and show off her picture perfect life. Women would turn green with envy for she had not only given Howard an heir, but a mare to be married off for political advancement. It didn’t matter that Antonella was the first born, Anthony was the male. Maria could only hope that the great Captain America would be found after Antonella became of age. After years of being looked down upon by the other wives it was her time to shine.
August 10, 1974
Sebastian didn’t know where he was. Everything was blurry, and everyone was so big. Why was everyone BIG?! Where was he? Did Vesilia know where he was?
Vesilia had been 19 years old when mother passed; he had been 15. He still remembers how she looked entering with a step so intimidating those around her just parted life the sea. Child services was trying to get him to move when she demanded to know where they were taking him.
“Excuse me, you have no right to take him. Sebastian is my brother, and he’s coming home with me.”
“I’m sorry to inform you miss that your mother has passes away, and he’s now a ward of the state. You could possibly care for a minor.”
Vesilia whole stance changed in a single moment. If she had been intimidating when walking in now she looked otherworldly. Like a predator whose already killed you, you just didn’t know it.
“And pray tell me. What gave you that idea mister…?”
“Mister Johnson. Erik Johnson. You look barely old enough to be out of high school. If anything you going to be going into the foster system as well.”
On one had he wasn’t wrong. Vesilia was 5”4; no matter how much she argued she was 5”5. Looking 17 when her 21st birthday was 2 months away.
Where was he? He was on the verge of a panic attack when he felt it. A small hand? No this had was the same sized a his, who was with person? Turning had turned out harder than he thought when said hand wouldn’t let go. Well look at that, guess he really did end up having that panic attack. That hand; whose size was the same as his, was a baby hand. The last thing he heard as the world turned black was giggling gurgles.
Vesilia had torn Mr Johnsons a new one. In fact because he had been such a misogynistic asshole Vesilia had filed a law suit. Last thing he had heard of Mr. asshole was that he had bankrupted his house.
After providing that she could in fact take care of a minor she pulled him aside. Looked him straight in the eyes.
“Nothing is changing, okay? Mom’s just out of reach right now. We’ll see her again, and we’ll have made her proud.”
And just like that, he let go. Since receiving that phone call at 7:41 that morning.Refusing to believe that mom had been killed. She, Vesilia 5’4 wrapped him up in all his 5’9 glory in a hug as if shielding him from the world. It started of as tremors starting at his chest. Then it turned to whimpers where they choked to come out. Finally releasing themselves into heart wrenching sobs; where she just hugged him. All of while she gave and gave asking for nothing in return. Because if its one thing she did was make sure he was taken care of, whether she was up for it or not. Why? Because she was the older one. It was her duty, her right to protect him from everything even from herself. She had explained it to him once. years after the fact. That the universe had chosen her to be born first, to be the older sibling because that was the role chosen for her.
<>.<>
August 13,1974
Thinking it over the last couple days, Sebastian figured it out: reincarnation. After all it had been speculated that children would sometimes remember their past life. The child would always be younger than 5 because for some reason they eventually just lost the memories. It wasn’t widely known. Mostly stuff he saw on youtube. Was youtube still around? What year was it? Now that he thought about it, where were their parents? So far Sebastian had only seen the maids and butler(s). At least he had his… sister? The maids would address them as young mistress and master. He didn’t know how to feel about having another sister. Didn’t want to compare her to Vesilia because no one would ever take her place.
If Sebastian had more aware of his surrounding he would have noticed when the maids; Jamie and Katie, came for him and his twin.
“Come young miss. It’s time for your bath alongside young master.”
Jamie carried Anthony, while Katie carried Sebastian. They were then taken to the washroom where they bathed together. It was actually relaxing, sort of floating in the water. being manhandled would take some getting use to. But at least Jaime and Katie were gentle about it. As bath time came to a close Anthony and Sebastian where each taken to a different side of the room. A changing station.
“Now young miss just because your 3 month old doesn’t mean you can’t be dressed in style. Lets see what we have for today.” Katie expressed as she lifted two outfits in the air.
Miss? Why is she calling me miss? I am not a girl, and I most defiantly won’t be wearing a dr-
“Lets try this yellow. We wouldn’t want to keep your mother waiting. Now would we Miss Antonella?”
Time seemed to stand still. In what world was it okay to be born in a female body. Not that he was being prejudice. Kami knew his sister had put the fear of the female species in him. She would just have to look at him when he was younger, and he would just bust out into tears thinking he had done something wrong. Even when he no longer cried over being stared at, it just mentally fucked with him. It wasn’t until years later she revealed she had only done it to pass the time because it was funny, and that she had grown bored… BORED! Okay so maybe he could give that a shot. It wasn’t the end of the world. He could try out the stare on hi.. er her.. brother? After all there were more women in power than men last time he checked. She’d get a leg up this time around. What year was it anyways?
“Come young miss. Your mother has the photographer here, its your first family picture after all.” Katie quickly went about the room switching dresses.
It wasn’t long before Anthony and Antonella were dressed. Anthony in his little boy suit squirming, left hand clenching the air as if searching for something. Antonella in a pastel yellow dress, eyes glassed over. If it continued any longer her mother would rage that something was wrong with her baby. If that happened the Mistress’s dream of the perfect family image would be ruined.
All the servants knew how Mrs. Maria Stark had been trying to come with child these last couple years. Maria wanted the world to admire and envy her for bring the Stark heir into the world. So far her dreams where coming true, especially when it was revealed she had twins. Not only had she given Howard an heir, but a daughter to marry off for a political advantage.
Howard and Maria were waiting for the photographer to finish setting up in their living room. In the three months that the twins had been brought home Howard had only really spent a few minutes every couple days in their presence. He could better spend his time searching for Steve or building weapons to further his company. So when Katie went to hand Antonella to his, he was at a lost on how to hold her. Maria quickly took Anthony from Jamie sending her to fetch her a glass of wine.
A mister Michelle Neil was fortunate enough to be commissioned with taking the Starks first family portrait. Mrs. Stark wanted him to take multiple pictures, ones to send to The New York Times, another to put on their wall, and finally pictures to send out to their “family and friends”. Unfortunately Anthony didn’t like spending time away from his twin, and promptly started crying. Jamie quickly came over to take him from Maria. Jamie then moved over to Howard to bring him closer to Antonella. In the end Michelle wanted Howard to carry both of the twins, with Maria sitting in front.
<>.<>
April 14,1975
Adjusting to being stuck in a small female body was easier then coming to terms with the fact that he wasn’t just reincarnated. No he was in the past as the twin sister of one Anthony Edward Stark, the future Iron Man. Iron Man who wasn’t even real, he was just a character in a Marvel franchise. Not saying he didn’t like Marvel, he just wasn’t a fanatic like his sister. Now she would have killed to be in his position. Thinking about her was getting harder and harder as time went on. Was she okay? How was she handling burying her baby brother?
Other than this new revelation, she kept her cool. After all, once she became five years old, she would disappear. She just had to keep from becoming attached to Tony, which if she’s being honest shouldn’t be too hard. His sister was out there, or maybe she died with him, but either way he needed to find her. Blacks protected their own, even in the face of death because there was no other way with their family.
“Sebastian look at me.” Vesilia had been kicked out of his wrestling match, she had picked a fight with the opposing teammate’s brother. “I don’t care what other people think about me, but the moment someone start saying shit about my family, game over. And you know what, I don’t care. People think they can say what they want about someone, well they can but they better be prepared for someone to call them out on their shit.”
Sebastian just rolled his eyes, “Oh ya well, what did he say because he’s threatening to sue you.”
“I was provoked, and I have witnesses willing to testify on my behalf. Everyone just wishes that they had the balls to do what I did. Now get in the care so we can go get wings and pizza.” She got in her car, blasting her K-pop without so much as blinking.
“Can’t you at least try to be ladylike? It wouldn’t kill you, Kami your embarrassing me sometimes…. Oh shit NO! I was joking!!” Sebastian quickly tried rolling up his window before Ves locked it.
“ToO LaTe!” She then switched to her parody album, which included songs from Harry Potter, Stark Trek, Disney movies, and many others.
Everyone going to their cars from the wrestling tournament stopped and stared while we drove out from the parking lot.
“You know people are scared of me because of you. They come up to me in between classes, ‘Your sister’s crazy, bro.’ or the ‘Man I don’t know how you do it. Living with her.’ Why can’t you blend into the crowd every now and then?” Sebastian quickly pulled out his phone to put in the order for wings and pizza. He wasn’t about to wait for the cafe to cook their order, when they could just pick it up.
“Well for one, you asked for it this time. Mom puts up with your smart mouth, but that doesn’t mean I have to. When I was growing up I was taught to respect my elders. If I can’t beat it into you, I’ll embarrass it into you…” She lowered the music as they stopped at a red light. Turning she looked at him waiting for him to apologize for “hurting” her feelings.
“Okay your right, Im SoRry.. Now can you answer the question. What did that asshole say?” He quickly flashed a look at the lights to make sure they were still red. Vesilia was terrible with light so it fell onto whoever was with her, to let her know when to go.”
“ Honestly I don’t even hear what he said about you.” She shrugged like it was nothing. My sister beat up a 27 year old man without thinking that shit through. Why was he even surprised. “He had been trashing all of the other players, and everyone was getting upset. So I stepped up and defended the players. If your willing to talk shit on someone do it to their face, where they can defend themselves, because if not someone will do it for them. They’re your friends, and so I took care of the problem before you did something stupid.” Of course she would say something like that. After all its the Black family motto.
How many times had their grandparents, uncles, aunts, and even their own mother beat it into them. Once a Black always a Black. “Okay your right, I probably would have done something similar.” Sebastian looked out the window, watching the cares fall behind.
“You’ll understand when you have kids. You’ll be teaching them the same things mom’s told you, what I’ve taught you, and you’ll be thankful you were a Black. Because in the end Blacks are ruthless when it comes to protecting what’s theirs.” Sebastian just mouthed along with her. She said this every time, and if he was being honest with himself, sometimes he did too.
Tony’s first words had been towards her… Her! “Alla!” He clapped his hands. Reaching for her. “Alla, All!” when she didn’t respond his eyes got watery. The look on his face crumbled. It saddened her. It wasn’t his fault she was in another universe, but she could make him happy even if for a moment. With her mind make up she got herself ready.
“Anany!” she tried getting up and walked over to him. “Anany” It was harder when she didn’t have anything to help pull herself up. After the fourth time she stood, and slowly made her way to him.
“Alla, Alla!” Tony tried getting up, but couldn’t get his baby legs working, so he started crawling towards her. His amber eyes sparkling with unshed tears. That smile he gave her, with no hesitation, softened something in her. Something that would change everything because ya… Vesilia was right. Again. Only she wouldn’t know it until everything seemed lost.
They met in the middle where Tony pulled Antonella down, and he crawled on top of her. “Alla!” he yelled at her. So she did the only thing she could think of.
“Anany!”
<>.<>
Since the staff had found the twins screaming each others names at each other, they had taken to leaving cameras in all the rooms. Jamie and Katie had a bet to see who could take most of their firsts. Jarvis was in fact winning, unknowingly as he photographed the twins everyday.
After the twins found themselves walking they would escape from Jamie and Katie. They always seemed to join Jarvis in their exploration of their home, as he was in charge of cleaning. He would tell them stories of how he came to work for the Starks, being a soldier in the second world war, and how he learned to make the best of deserts.
On their second birthday their mother had decided it was time for the twins to learn about their Italian heritage. She got the twins an Italian tutor, who came three times a week. Maria was determined to make Antonella (who refused to answer to anything but Tina, now) the perfect house wife. Jarvis was to start teaching her the basics of cooking. Tony not one to be left behind, demanded to be aloud to learn as well. Maria had strongly objected until Tina demanded Tony join her.
By the time the twins had turned three, Tony had taken to pulling toys apart. He would make them bigger and faster. Tina being the older twin had taken to going to Howards lab to get Tony screwdrivers and pliers. Small ones, that fit in his baby hands, making sure he didn’t injure himself.
Maria being the perfect mother had gotten a dance tutor, no child of hers was going to embarrass her by not knowing how to dance. The tutor had started them off by testing their flexibility. Tina had in fact started stretching her limbs every night on her second birthday. She had gotten Tony to join her most nights. Disguising it as simple games. After all she wasn’t going to leave Tony, without as many advantages as she could. She wasn’t heartless.
Before Tina and Tony turned four she asked their mother for horseback riding lessons. What she didn’t know was that said place for horseback riding lessons, also taught gun hunting, knife throwing, and finally archery. Which her mother unknowingly also paid for.
Tony took to knife throwing and archery. He surprisingly stayed away from toy hunting guns. After some resistance from the coaches Tina took to practicing everything. Knife throwing was harder for her as she didn’t have Tony’s body time. She didn’t mind however, he was a boy after all. He was going to be able to do things she could and vis versa.
Jamie had taken to teaching the children German, and Katie talked to them in French. Over all the children were always doing something or other. It helped with their over active imaginations, and it silenced all the numbers and sequences running in Tony’s mind.
Howard wasn’t really a father to the twins. They only ever saw him at dinner, where the children never talked unless addressed. He usually talked about how his search for the great Captain America was going. The newest weapon he was thinking about making for his military contract. Talking about how Starks were made of iron.
Unfortunately when your mother and father are the most respected, they are also the most hated. Something the twins were going to learn most dearly. For on May 20th of 1979, Maria Stark’s affair had reached its breaking point, and he was done waiting for her to leave Howard stark.