Broodmare

(This is it… I THINK… this is the chapter in which shit gets real and things happen and PLEASE TO NOT HATE ME IF IT DOESN’T GO EXACTLY THE WAY YOU THOUGHT IT WOULD!! Also the twins are going to Gemini’s so I might have to make Amadeus a Gemini too. DON’T JUDGE ME OR MY FANFIC CHILDREN!!)

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As they prepared to go outside a member of the wait staff appeared with a small stack of clothing in one hand and cooler in the other hand and approached T’Challa. “At the advice of the Dora Milaje I have brought towels and refreshments for the pups, and a first aid kid. As well as young Gwen’s hoody.” Gwen perked up at that.

Shuri took the folded garment from T’Challa and delicately held it out for Gwen to take. Gwen took her hoodie and hugged it close to her chest.

Tony ruffled her hair but warned her. “You might not wanna wear that outside quite yet. It’s hot and tire you out faster than if you weren’t wearing. We’ll hold onto them for you lot so that you don’t have to worry about them.” He promised and the pups all took their hoodies off and gave them to their Boba.

“And do not worry about getting grass stains on your clothing. It is perfectly normal and can be cleaned simply when they are washed.” T’Challa added to allay their fears.

The pups all looked to Tony and he nodded which helped them relax.

They all walked outside and stopped right at the line where the shade met the sunshine.

This was it. They were going outside. It was exhilarating and mildly terrifying… though Tony was mostly the only one feeling the terror, as he didn’t want his kids to get sunstroke on their first outing.

For the kids it was unlike anything they had seen before. Amadeus; though familiar with the sun, felt the same awe and wonder that others felt.

The pups all held hands as they took that one step into the sunshine with their eyes closed and faces tilted up.

“It’s warm.” Peter whispered.

“Really warm.” Gwen agreed.

Peter turned to Tony. “Boba, do we have to wear shoes?”

Tony turned to T’Challa and T’Challa shook his head. “The yard is safe. Just be careful of sharp rocks, and you shall be fine.”

All the kids shed their shoes carefully, putting them on the deck before looking at the yard in wonder.

“I wonder what the grass feels like.” Gwen thought out loud as she and Peter moved closer to the edge.

Their siblings followed and tentatively took a step onto the grass and giggled. “It tingles…” She chortled.

“It tickles.” He added.

“It’s soft.” Miles noted.

“It’s cooler than the pavement.” Riri added.

“It’s squishier than you’d think.” Kamala said.

“God I missed it.” Amadeus said softly.

“What next what next?” Gwen asked excitedly.

Amadeus couldn’t help but chuckle as he looked around the yard. “Well, there are trees to climb, but be careful and make sure someone is there to catch you. There looks like a swingset and a slide and ooh, look over there guys, a jungle gym.”

“What’s that? How you use it?” Peter asked breathlessly.

“TEACH US DEUS!” Gwen exclaimed.

Amadeus couldn’t resist. He herded his patchwork family along and showed them how it all worked.

Tony turned to T’Challa. “How… How much of this is new?” He asked softly.

“None. It’s been here since we were children. We do not have children ourselves, but our staff does and so do our bodyguards; the Dora Milaje you have no doubt seen around.”

He let out a bone deep sigh allowed his body to relax. Winter guided him over to a table and made him sit down. “Relax, sit down, eat some crackers.” He encouraged setting a new sleeve of crackers in front of him, Tony had no idea where they came from and he didn’t care to find out.

“I just ate.” He pointed out weakly.

“And there’s been nothing but excitement since. Eat.” He insisted.

So he did as Winter said and nibbled on the crackers as he watched the kids play. They were loud too. He’d never get tired of their whoops, hollers, and laughter. It was so nice to see that they already understood that they were free now and didn’t have to be quiet and restrained anymore.

He watched, his heart in his throat as Amadeus helped Miles climb a tree and the peculiar way he had of climbing it.

Kamala was content on the swings with Nova as she watched Riri using the jungle gym.

But suddenly it was quiet. Too quiet.

He looked over at the tree and realized that Winter, Shuri, and T’Challa were looking up into its branches. He looked around and his heart sank. He couldn’t find Gwen or Peter anywhere. He tried to not let the panic take his breath away, he tried not to let it make his legs turn into jello as he slowly approached the giant tree.

“Gwennie?” He heard Winter ask softly. “Gwennie, how did you get up so high?”

“I dunno, Poppa Winter.” His stomach dropped as he heard her melodic voice come from above. “I just climbed up the way Deus showed Miles how too.”

“She was not there 10 seconds ago, I swear. I didn’t even see her start climbing.” Amadeus whispered softly.

“Petee?”

His knees almost buckled, but T’Challa caught him around the waist and let him rest against him.

“Petee? Did you follow her?”

“Yeah… Is Boba okay?” His sweet little boy asked.

And then he made the mistake of looking up and saw just how far up his babies had gotten… and that’s when the world went horizontal.

“BOBA!” He heard distantly, followed by three loud gasps, three thumps, followed by hurried footsteps.

“Keep him propped up, don’t let him on his back!”

“I’m okay…” he said weakly. “I’m okay..” as he lamely batted at Winters shoulder. “I.. I .. my pups…” he keened softly.

“Right here Boba,” Miles whispered softly as the three came to his side. They looked grey in the face and their eyes were filled with tears.

“Hey hey… it’s okay… you… you didn’t do anything wrong. I just… I overreacted..” pulled the trio close and covered their faces in kisses.

“We-we’ll never climb a tree again… we-we promise!” Peter vowed softly, with such conviction and his siblings nodded eagerly.

Tony shook his head sharply. “No, no. It’s good to climb. I just… you were so high up. I want… I want you to climb trees and have fun. But, and this is a biggy; you have to promise to not go so far up. That was… we just got here… I can’t … the idea of you lot getting hurt during your first taste of freedom.” He shook his head as he caressed their teary faces.

He looked over their shoulder and Amadeus looked crestfallen while Kamala and Riri looked on with concern.

“I don’t… I don’t want you to get hurt. This is all new to me, to us. We.. babysteps. Okay?”

They nodded their heads adamantly.

“I just want you to be safe, okay? Can you do that for your Boba?”

“Yes Boba.”

“We’re sorry Boba.”

“We’ll be more carefuller, swears.” Peter whispered earnestly.

“Good, good. I’m not upset with you. I’m not upset with any of you.” He whispered ardently, his eyes focusing on Amadeus.

Amadeus gulped and looked away.

“Deus, you were watching them. That’s all I could ask. Kids move fast. It happens. We just gotta be careful. And that goes for all of us.” He looked at each of them. “Things are different now. We don’t have to be so quiet. We don’t have to be so scared. But with greater freedom come greater responsibility. If we get hurt now we don’t have to hide it, it’s not as scary, but a lot more scary at the same time.”

“Can we still climb trees?” Miles asked softly.

Tony couldn’t help but chuckle as he pulled the trio close and peppered their faces with kisses. “Yes, but not so high.” He pulled away and looked up at to where Winter, T’Challa, and Shuri stood talking softly to one another and looking concerned and perplexed.

“Hey, um… do you have kind of masking tape?” He asked softly, a pit of worry growing in his stomach just by the expressions on their face.

T’Challa looked at Shuri and she nodded before jogging off.

Winter helped him up and T’Challa brought a chair for him to sit in. Kamala offered him him Nova as Shuri returned and T’Challa helped the pups reapply their suntan lotion.

Winter put the masking tape roll on Miles’ arm like a bracelet. “We want you three to climb up, but when we say stop, you stop, and wrap the masking tape around the tree so that you know where to stop in the future.

“Okay.” He turned to Gwennie and Peter. “Ready guys?”

“YEAH!!” They exclaimed as they readied themselves to climb.

The tree trunk was large enough for all three to be around it without crowding. Shuri, T’Challa and Winter stood behind each as a safety precaution. Amadeus, Kamala, and Riri stood behind Tony to watch.

“Okay, now climb, but carefully. This isn’t a race.” Winter called out.

They climbed at everyone watched in awe and a little confusion.

“That’s… That’s not how I showed Miles how to climb.” Amadeus whispered.

“They look like…”

“They climb like…

“Spiders.” Tony whispered. “They climb like spiders.” He said softly.

Spiders, of course they would. They make web fluid, but climbing? What else could they do? God, what else was there?? It didn’t matter to him. They’d deal with it as they did with everything else… but it made him wonder about Kamala. How much like Yensen would she be? And Nova and his voice...And Riri…

He took a deep breath to steady himself and heard Winter call out for them to stop.

Tony readied himself to look up, but it didn’t really matter. They were still too far up. Anything above the ground beneath their feet was too far up as far as he was concerned.

“Now wrap the tape right above that branch.” He called out.

“Yes Poppa Winter.” The chorused, and Tony didn’t miss the wry smirk on his face when he heard it. That would never get old.

It wasn’t really that high, but when you’ve never seen your pup on anything higher than a makeshift table, seeing them 40 foot above your head was going to take a bit getting used to.

“That’s good now come down.”

They climbed down and at the last branch they jumped. Gracefully, with perfect form. Even Petee, his sometimes clumsy baby, was somersaulting as though it were something he’d done a thousand times. Their landing was flawless, yet effortless. There were olympic gymnasts that would never be able to aspire to what they had just witnessed.

It made Tony almost to clap. Almost.

The trio seemed oblivious to the looks of awe and wonder an the faces of those around them. They were intent on Tony, and only Tony. They approached him hesitantly, heads tipped down and hands behind their backs.

“We’re sorry we scared you, Boba.”

The twins nodded. “We didn’t mean too!” They insisted vehemently.

Tony opened his arms and said. “C’mere.” They rushed him and clung to him fiercely. He pulled away reluctantly, but not before pulling the twins into his lap and pulling Miles up against his knees.

“I’m not mad at any of you. And yes I was scared. But I need you to understand something, and this goes for the lot of you.” He looked over his shoulder at his two eldest, his youngest, and Amadeus. “We’ve spent your entire lives cooped up in a very small place where nothing could really hurt you,” asides from the guards. He mentally added. “But we’re not there anymore. We’re free.” His chin trembled, saying it out loud made it that much more real.

He cleared his throat and pushed onward. “And now that we’re out there are a million different things for you to experience. Bicycles, making new friends, swimming pools, jungle gyms, and climbing trees. And you know what?” The twins shook their heads no. “I’m gonna worry. That’s what Boba’s do. That’s my job. I worry about skinned knees, and hurt feelings, and broken bones and all that life entails.”

“But you know else? They are going to happen. And I don’t want my worrying to stop you from exploring. Does that mean that you get to climb as high as you can in the tallest tree that your Boba has ever seen? Absolutely not.” They all chuckled.

“Baby steps. We’re gonna take baby steps. Just because you can do something doesn’t necessarily mean you should okay? Do we all understand?”

They all nodded.

“Good.” He looked up at the sun and realized it was starting it’s descent into the west. God he’d missed the sun. The sun rises, the sun sets. He’d never take it for granted ever again.

They’d spent the entire afternoon having fun. He reckoned it was time for dinner.

“Good talk, good talk. Now, let’s see if it’s time for dinner.”

They all looked over to where T’Challa, Shuri, and Winter stood.

“We were also thinking that same thing. Come. Let’s feast.” T’Challa couldn’t help but laugh as the pups all scrambled into the mansion.

Everyone but Amadeus.

“Sukbu Tony?” He said hesitantly.

Tony stood up and turned around. “If this is about…”

“No no. Not really. I… After dinner I need to talk to you. All of you… and any of the guards that are going to be on hand. I have… I need to show you something.” He was nervous, more nervous than Tony had ever seen.

“Okay, Deus, whatever it is, it’s gonna be okay.”

Amadeus gulped, nodded, and started to follow the rest into the mansion. God I hope so.

----

Dinner was full of ‘oohs’ and ‘aahs’ and excited chatter from all involved. Amadeus seemed more sedate, but never less involved in it. The food was delicious, and far too soon they were all stuffed to the gills and the pups were bummed, but were quickly reminded that there were leftovers for later. This was new and exciting to them. They could barely contain their excitement… well, if they weren’t so tired.

Before they retired to bed they watched the sunset. It was the first for the pups, save Amadeus, but even Deus seemed to soak it in more than he had ever before. The pups couldn’t stop pointing out the colors that shifted over the landscape and the way the weather changed ‘Just like the books says’ Peter whispered in awe.

Soon thereafter they all washed up and were put to bed. For now they would all share of room with a giant bed, as that is what they were accustomed too. Well, their bed had been much smaller, but at least they could all still be together.

After they were all settled Tony, T’Challa, Shuri, and Winter all walked out on the balcony overlooking the backyard, the kingdom, and the expanse of the desert beyond the walls of Wakanda.

“What’s up, Deus?”

Deus was turned away from them, looking into the night sky as though he was afraid of their reaction. He turned around slowly and they saw the tears in his eyes.

“I… I… Sukbu, I need you to trust me.”

“I do, Deus. But you’re kinda scaring me right now.”

He gulped and looked at his shoes. “I need… I need.” He shook his head sharply and turned to face T’Challa. “I need a pair of shorts that won’t split if… when I hulk out.”

“Wha-what? Wait… What’s going on?” Tony asked sounding alarmed.

“Do you need them now?”

“If you can, yes.”

He turned to talk to Shuri but she was already standing there, with a pair of shorts in her hand, and a select group of Dora Milaje. “I had a feeling this would come up.” She said as they entered the balcony and surrounded the group a safe distance away from those in the center.

She handed the shorts to Amadeus and the Dora held up a large piece of cloth to give him some privacy.

“Okay. I’m ready. Thanks Ms. Shuri.”

The Dora took away the cloth and there he stood, shirtless and in a pair of loose but fitted shorts.

“Okay, hold on. Time out. Deus--”

“I need you to trust me.” He approached Tony with his wrists held out. “And I need you to take the bracelets off… Please.”

Tony walked forward reluctantly. “On one condition.”

“Okay.”

“Why?”

Amadeus deflated in relief, he’d been worried it would be so much worse, like demanding him not do what he was about to do.

“I… When you were talking to the pups it dawned on me. I’d been outside for hours. I touched everything. My scent is everywhere. And, I know it doesn’t make scientific sense, but the Hulk and science don’t necessarily see eye to eye.”

“So what you’re saying is that the Hulk is going to smell you from the backyard?” Winter chimed in.

“We’ll be lucky if he makes it half way through the desert, honestly. The Hulk is as much a part of my dad as dad is part of the Hulk. The Hulk can sense danger and can smell things that even a super soldier can’t. Even when my dad isn’t transformed, the Hulk is present and always alert. The moment he smells my scent--”

T’Challa cursed under his breath. “There is no way that you can stop him, Amadeus. I do not mean to cause you any offence; but your Hulk is about half the size of your fathers, and that will be when you are an adult. At your age, you’ll be but a puny gnat to him.”

“But that’s the point. I’ll still be his kid though. I remember him. I remember the Hulk protecting us while we were on the run. I was his pup. I was his ‘puny hulk’.”

T’Challa’s eyes widened. “I understand now.”

“That’s nice, now fill in the rest of the class because I’m still clueless.”

“Sukbu, the only thing that can possibly stop the Hulk from trashing everything in his path once he smells my scent… is me.”

Winter cursed profusely and shook his head. “It kinda makes sense.”

“What? How? Why?”

“The Hulk has probably scenting the air for my particular scent since I disappeared. The moment he smells my scent the only thing that is going to be on his mind is finding his pup. Me.”

“Okay, okay. But what if it’s not enough. What if he just bypasses you and goes right for everything else.”

“He won’t.”

Tony could feel his chest constricting. Amadeus was his pup in his mind. Nothing would change that. And the thought of putting his pup up against a man the size of a two story building was not something he wanted to contemplate.

“Why?”

“Because he listens to me. He will listen to me. I promise.”

“And… and you want us to see it? You want to show us?”

Amadeus smiled softly, kicking the ground with his barefeet. “I don’t want it to take you by surprise. It’s… it’s important to me that you see before it happens.”

“And your mind. You said that your dad--”

“It’s like Mr. T’Challa said. I’m half the Hulk that he is. I keep my mind.”

“And you think this will work? This will prevent him from losing it.”

T’Challa nodded off to the side. “He is not wrong about the Hulk looking for him. Even I have seen him scenting the air after a battle. Even when not transformed Bruce does it. The Hulk is always there, just waiting to pounce on whoever has hurt his ‘puny hulk’.”

Tony took a deep breath and stood back.

“There’s not talking you out of this is there?”

“Nope.”

“Okay then.” He reached out and took off the bracelets as delicately as he could. “Show us.” He said once he was standing next to Winter. “I’ve always been curious, but now… I’m still curious honestly.”

Amadeus chuckled under his breath and took several steps away until he was a safe distance away from everyone. “Okay… it’s been a while… but here we go.”

It was a thing of beauty and wonder.

First he curled into himself and then the change started. His flesh turned green and then his body started to grow. Winter put an arm around Tony’s waist when his steps seemed to falter, but everyone assembled couldn’t look away as the transformation happened.

And then it was over.

Where once there had stood a relatively short twelve years old now stood a 15 foot tall goliath with a faux hawk and a smile.

The Dora Milaje looked rather impressed

“Fascinating.” Tony breathed softly before taking a step forward. “How does it feel? You okay?”

“I’m good, Sukbu. A little hungry. But good.”

“Hungry for what?” T’Challa asked curiously.

Amadeus smirked. “Pineapple pizza.”

T’Challa bit his lip. “It must be a Hulk thing.” He wondered out loud.

“Huh?”

“Nothing, nothing.” T’Challa said as he walked towards Amadeus. “You are definitely smaller than the Hulk. But you are quite big.”

“Thanks.” His voice was deeper, a booming baritone. “I can’t stop Hulk, but I can stop him.” He sniffed. “Make sense?”

“Yes and no. We have no way of stopping him. Amadeus, I really hope this works.”

“It will.” He looked over T’Challa’s shoulder to Tony and Winter. “You have to believe in me.”

“I do, Deus. I do. But that worry thing we talked about earlier, still there.”

Amadeus walked over to Tony and Winter and very gently patted each mans head. “Puny Sukbu. Puny Winter.” He chuckled. “Puny Hulk has to protect his puny family.”

“Hahaha.” Winter chuckled wryly. “Very funny.”

“It is to me.” He chuckled back.

He turned to the Dora Milaje and bowed. “I’ll protect you. Don’t go after Hulk.”

The leader of the Dora bowed in return. “We will give you space. But we will protect our own.”

Amadeus nodded before returning to the center of the circle and shrinking down to his normal size. Tony rushed forward when he stumbled. “You okay?”

Amadeus chuckled. “Can I get some of that pineapple pizza before I go to bed?”

-----

Tony was sitting on the side of the bed feeling at loose ends. On the one hand he wanted to ask Winter to stay with him. On the other hand he knew that Winter didn’t owe him anything. It was tearing him up on the inside.

Just as he was about to give up and just curl on the bed in defeat he heard a light knock on the frame of the opened door. He turned and saw Winter leaning against the doorway casually.

“Hey.”

“Hey,” Tony winced at how his voice cracked.

“T’Challa said he made me up a room… But…”

“You don’t have too.” He whispered hastily.

There was a long pause before he heard a soft sigh, quiet footfalls, and the bed dip behind him.

“You’re right. I don’t have to. But that doesn't… What if I want to?” He asked softly as he scooted across the bed until he was sitting a little bit behind Tony. He didn’t want to overstep his bounds. Things were different now. In the best way; they were different, but it changed so much that neither man knew quite where they stood anymore.

Tony let out a shaky breath. “I… I wouldn’t turn you away.” He whispered and deflated in relief when he heard Winters sigh of gratitude.

He felt more than heard Winter settle a little bit behind him and smiled to himself as he felt Winter run the tips of his fingers delicately up his arms and resting his calloused hands over his shoulders. “You need to relax, sleep.”

“Relax? I’m terrified! Sleep? What if this is a dream? What if … What if…” His voice become breathy and wavered.

Winter pulled him against his chest, wrapped his arms around him and squeezed. “Hey… hey… it wasn’t a dream. This is real. We are really really real.” But Tony’s shuddering breath indicated that he wasn’t convinced.

“Even if, by some small chance a dream, the plan is still ready. You made the suit; too small for me- idiot.”

“Your idiot.” He snuffled sleepily.

“My idiot.” He agreed softly. He scooted back until he was leaning against the headboard and situated Tony so that he was nestled against his chest, his head on his chest and arm laying across his torso.

“The sacks are ready, the suit is ready. We are getting out of here tomorrow.” He swore softly.

“I don’t deserve you…” Tony muttered sleepily, his eyes already growing heavier.

Winter couldn’t help but snort derisively. “I think you have that turned around, Tony.” He could feel Tony’s breaths even out and feel his body relax. “Whether you want it or not, whether you think you deserve it or not.” He let out a small yawn. “I’m with you, til the end of the line.” He whispered sleepily before kissing the top of Tony’s head and drifting off to sleep himself.

*looks left*

*looks right*

*dives behind closest bookshelf*

I know i treaded on sacred ground… but i couldn’t HELP it!!!