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couldntbedamned · 2 years

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Goodbye Grey Sky, Hello Blue - 19

Summary: In an alternate universe where trains and zeppelins are still common forms of travel and the internet and cell phones exist, nineteen year old Peter Parker has few options left after he’s swindled out of his inheritance. Unable to pay for college, let alone keep the house left to him by his deceased aunt, he’s running out of time before he’s out on the streets. Desperate, Peter signs his life over to the Bureau of Civic Spousal Selections to take his chances as the selected husband of a complete stranger. After all, he only has to make it through a year and then he can choose to annul.

Dr. Stephen Strange has little interest in marriage, preferring to focus on his career. When his career is threatened by what a nosy board of directors considers a “lack of personal fulfillment and settling down,” he opts to select a spouse through the BCSS and chooses Peter Parker. The young man’s profile he’d briefly skimmed suggests intelligence and compatibility. It’s not ideal, but if after a year it’s not working out, he can always annul the marriage and send Peter on his way.

It’s a marriage neither truly wants, with sharp learning curves for both. It’s either going to be forever or it’s going to go down in flames.

Warnings/AO3 Tags: 18+ MINORS DNI, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - 1950s/Modern Fusion, Doctor Stephen Strange, Jewish Peter Parker, Peter Parker is of Legal Age, Marriage of Convenience, Marriage Contracts, Government Sanctioned Marriages, Domestic Discipline, Dubiously Consensual Spanking, Spanking, Aftercare, Mildly Dubious Consent, Dubious Morals, Dubious Ethics, Asshole Stephen Strange, Smartass Peter Parker, Past Domestic Violence (not between Stephen/Peter)

Notes: Please remember to read the tags/warnings listed and read/avoid as best for you. YOU are responsible for the content you chose to consume on the internet.

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Chapter 19

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When Peter went downstairs to start cooking breakfast at six, he found that Tony was already awake and drinking coffee.

“Not to be rude,” Tony said. “But I was up and needed a fix. Plus, I designed pretty much everything in here, so, I kind of feel like I’ve earned it.”

Peter nodded; grateful Tony didn’t say anything about how noisy he’d been with Stephen the night before. He wouldn’t say anything if Tony didn’t, he decided. (Stephen had let him cry out loud on purpose, he just knew it!)

“I had a look at the refrigeration cabinet set up; you’ve had to get pretty creative with it, haven’t you?” Tony asked as Peter pulled out the two stratas he’d put together the day before, one from either side.

“I guess,” Peter said. “If Stephen and I had more leftovers than we do it would be harder, but I’ve managed well enough. When I was growing up, we had two standing refrigerators and that helped. My aunt had to sell one though, after my uncle died and by that point it was hard for us to keep kosher and not starve.” he looked around. “Even if Stephen wasn’t adding another cabinet this set-up would still be better than I could expect.”

“So, tell me about your ideal kitchen set-up,” Tony prompted when Peter heated both ovens. As they began to preheat, Peter pulled out his mixing bowls.

“You’re pretty much looking at it. I use one oven for meat, the other for anything dairy. One strata has mushrooms, sweet potatoes, leeks, and spinach so it will go in the bottom oven. The top oven will cook the strata with turkey sausage, peppers, and cheese.”

“Do you always make two separate things?” Tony asked.

“Sometimes but not always. I made a trief strata because I wasn’t sure what you and Sharon would like.”

“And trief is?”

“Not kosher.”

“Simple and to the point,” Tony commented. “I like it. So, if I wanted to design a kosher kitchen selection and market it, which I do, what would your advice be?”

Peter was slightly taken aback; he hadn’t thought Tony had been serious when he’d mentioned it to Stephen. It was a nice dream to think that he’d inspired a brilliant man like Tony Stark, sure, but he’d really thought it was just a nice thing said in the heat of the moment.

“Talk to Jewish people,” Peter said finally. “Like, properly devout Jewish people and get their thoughts and needs. I keep kosher but I’m not exactly great about a whole lot else.” While he mixed dough for another loaf of challah, he broke down some differences of the various denominations and how holidays like Shabbat were observed but made sure Tony understood that he was speaking generally. “And if you can get the approval of one or more of the main groups that certify products as kosher, that would do a lot for consumer trust.”

“I had no idea so much goes into it,” Tony said, now into his third cup of coffee.

“Have I scared you off?” Peter asked with a smile. He wouldn’t blame the man if he decided to not go through with it.

“Not in the slightest. I like a challenge and it’s a market that needs serving.” He checked the clock and saw it was just after seven. “I know my better half likes to sleep in when she can, but the Doc?”

“He had a big day yesterday,” Peter offered. “He’s usually downstairs to eat breakfast by seven. The only time he’s late is when…” he broke off, face heating.

“When otherwise occupied, got it,” Tony said easily. “No shame in that.”

Eventually Stephen ambled in, freshly showered. Tony poured him a cup of coffee since he’d taken up guard at the machine. Peter covered his dough with a tea towel and set it near the ovens to rise.

“Strata?” Stephen asked.

“Yep. And there’s fruit in the refrigeration cabinet.”

“You know, I really need to pick a catchier name for them,” Tony said idly. “Refrigeration cabinet is a mouth-full.”

“I call them cold cabinets sometimes,” Stephen said.

“Oh! That’s good!” Tony said. “I’ll write you a check for it. The cost of one sound fair?”

Stephen smirked. “Sure.”

When Sharon joined them, Peter had both dishes out of the ovens and the dining room table set. He went back for the fruit and salt and pepper.

“This looks wonderful,” Sharon said.

“She never complains about free food, especially food she doesn’t have to cook herself,” Tony said conversationally.

“If you’d been stuck with rations while on assignment with the CSB, you wouldn’t either,” Sharon said simply. “I haven’t had a good strata in a while, so hopefully yours is up to par.”

“It is,” Peter said. He’d known his were good when his old Rabbi’s wife had asked him to cook one for a gathering instead of his Aunt May.

“Confidence. I like it,” Sharon said.

Breakfast was much more laid back than Peter had experienced since his marriage. There wasn’t the looming departure time of Stephen for work and Tony and Sharon had no problem filling any silence with stories and questions.

“Have you decided which cabinet we’re replacing?” Tony asked.

Peter was up before Stephen could say anything and showed off the cabinet he’d emptied in preparation. “I already found new homes for everything,” he said.

“I’m glad one of you is on the ball,” Tony said to Stephen. “Cabinet should be here around ten, according to the tracking.”

“And you’re taking care of any rewiring?” Stephen asked.

“Considering I’m the only qualified electrical engineer in this room, yeah.”

“And since that is going to be a snooze fest, why don’t you and I go out, Peter?” Sharon asked. “You said you like to run, right?”

“Yeah,” he said. “There’s a park nearby that has a nice circuit.”

“Actual terrain instead of a treadmill sounds great,” Sharon enthused. “You’ll have to come with Stephen to Malibu sometime. There’s a really nice trail to run and the views are incredible. Or we can just run on the beach.”

Peter wasn’t sure if Stephen would even want the bother of traveling with him, or they’d even be married long enough to travel.

“I’ve never run on a beach before,” he said. “I’ve never actually been on a beach before.”

“Then you’ll definitely have to come visit,” Tony said.

“There’s really no point in showering if I’m just going to get sweaty while running,” Sharon said. “You?”

“I can wait,” Peter said as he cleared the table and put away the leftover fruit. “Did you bring clothes that you’ll be comfortable to run in? It can get pretty cool before we warm up.” He loaded the dishwasher with the ease of having used it nearly every day.

“I’m always prepared,” she assured him. “New Amsterdam is gorgeous this time of year and I would have gone for a run by myself if I’d had to.”

“Take water with you,” Stephen said to Peter when he came downstairs.

Peter nodded and went to fill up two of the water bottles he’d gotten a few weeks after moving in. He handed one to Sharon who was dressed as though she were about to run a marathon. She clipped it to her running belt, and said they’d call when they were on their way home.

Left alone to their own devices and awaiting the delivery of the new cabinet, Tony and Stephen each sat heavily on an armchair in the den.

“What are you doing, Stephen?” Tony asked.

Stephen let out a sigh. “I have no idea. Enjoying it while it lasts, I suppose. We haven’t even made it to six months.”

"Are you thinking of keeping him?

Stephen looked over at Tony, his closest friend since college when they’d been paired together for a now-defunct joint semester program between MIT and Columbia their junior year. Tony had roomed with Stephen for a semester at Columbia and the next semester saw Stephen rooming with Tony at MIT. They’d gotten into enough trouble that the already controversial program was terminated the next year. But they’d clashed and clicked until they settled into the friendship they now had. Stephen didn’t keep secrets from Tony and Tony kept none from him.

“I want to,” he admitted. “More than anything. But it doesn’t matter; Peter will annul at the end of twelve months. Anyone married to me would.”

“You seem pretty adamant about that,” Tony said. “He didn’t seem to have any issues last night when I’m assuming he was taming that boa constrictor of yours.”

Stephen’s lips twitched into a smirk. “He was positively scandalized at not just my plans to have sex in a house with guests but that the guests were having it as well.”

“It’s a comfortable bed,” Tony said with a careless shrug. “It would feel rude to not make use of it.”

“We’re all adults here,” Stephen said. “Some of us more than others,” he added pointedly.

“I agree, Sharon can be so childish!” Tony mocked.

Stephen simply stared at him.

“Listen, you don’t know what’s going to happen, Stephen. Believe it or not, you can’t control everything. There’s like, twelve percent you’re never going to manage. Maybe he annuls in a year, maybe you do. But there’s no sense in treating it like a sunk cost. I’m pretty sure the kid is gone on you, but my lady fair will let me know once they return from what he doesn’t realize is actually a clever ruse to hide her true intention of an interrogation.”

“Of course, she is,” Stephen muttered. “I suppose she wants to ensure I’m not hurting him.”

“More like she wants to make sure he’s not hurting you,” Tony said.

The surprise expression he wore wasn’t flattering, he knew. “You’re joking.”

“She likes Peter; we both do. But you are our friend and we kinda want to make sure you’re happy.”

Stephen wasn’t sure what to say.

“You don’t know how badly I’ve messed things up already,” he admitted.

“Well, the cabinet is delayed until eleven, so we’ve got time to kill. Lay it out.”

Stephen did.

Peter studied Sharon as they stretched against the equipment set up in the park for their cool-down.

They’d been evenly matched as they made several circuits around the park.

He’d never had a running group, since the groups in Midtown were made up of older adults and both he and Aunt May hadn’t been keen on him spending so much time around them. His own peer group was either busy with other sports or more academically inclined. Or had asthma.

He’d fallen into running to help deal with anxiety after losing his Uncle Ben. He didn’t remember losing his parents; he’d been so young. But the loss of his uncle, right in front of him in such a violent way, had upended his life so dramatically that for months afterwards he didn’t recognize himself. He didn’t like talking to the therapist Aunt May had found for him, and he’d liked talking at the support group hosted by his old synagogue even less, but he’d needed some way to get his thoughts in order so during his physical education class he’d simply started running around the track. Then he’d run home the twelve blocks after school.

He’d been too sore to function for the two days following, but while he’d run his mind had been blissfully calm and it became a release for him. His Aunt May had scrounged to save up enough money to buy him a nice pair of running shoes and his running belt and he’d run ever since.

Having a friend to run with was nice, he’d decided when they were a quarter of a way into their second circuit.

“This is a really nice park,” Sharon said as she focused on hip flexors.

“I like it,” he said. “I wasn’t sure if I would since the first time I ever ran here I was so angry.”

“Oh, it sounds like there’s a story there,” Sharon teased.

Peter shrugged. “Kind of. Looking back, it’s all kind of ridiculous but at the time Stephen and I were pretty steamed at each other. I think a lot of it was actually feeling hurt, but I put myself through a run I had no business doing with how out of shape I was.”

“And you’re good now?”

“Yeah, we reached an understanding. On that issue, at least.” Peter felt his lips turn up into a smile. “That’s actually when we started our whole staying-in-on-Friday-nights thing.”

“I like nights spent in, too” Sharon said. “People think Tony is always on the lookout for the next gala or event but dragging him out of his scientist’s lair is a challenge. We spend a lot of time just at home.”

“Were you really a spy for the Central Security Bureau?” Peter asked.

“I was an operative, yes,” Sharon said. “The whole five years they keep us.”

“And you met Stephen and Tony when you left?”

“Not exactly, but I’ll tell you over lunch. There’s a slice of pie in that diner across the street that I know is calling my name.”

“What about Stephen and Tony?” Peter asked.

Sharon brushed that off with a wave of her hand. “They have several doctorates between them. I’m sure they can figure out how to manage lunch for themselves.”

They were seated at one of the Formica tables and ordered their food before Sharon started explaining. Peter had the sense that she was taking his measure before she decided on what to say.

“I loved being a CSB operative. I’ve traveled the world and I’ve done things most people can’t even dream up. And then I was cut free and there was nothing for me. I figured I might as well give the whole marriage thing a try, and I went to the BCSS.”

“Really?” Peter asked, shocked. “Your marriage to Tony is like mine?”

She shook her head, stirred some sugar into her iced tea. “No, my marriage now is a standard one. Well, it’s as standard as anything related to Tony Stark can be, I suppose. But my last marriage was a BCSS marriage, yes.”

“You didn’t like your selecting spouse?”

She smiled, though there was little humor to it. “I was the selecting spouse, actually. Before you ask, neither one of us annulled; the Bureau did it for us.”

“What happened?” Peter asked. “I mean, you don’t have to tell me if you’re uncomfortable but I’m just wondering because statistically most BCSS marriages don’t annul.”

“We made it almost four months,” Sharon said. “It was most difficult and emotionally taxing time of my life, actually, and I was once held captive in Canada.”

The waitress brought their food to them (a double cheeseburger with bacon and a fried egg on top and seasoned fries for Sharon and a grilled cheese sandwich with a side salad for Peter) and Sharon fought with the ketchup bottle, so she’d have something to dip her fries in.

“The Bureau for Civic Spousal Selections was actually started to help people returning to civilian life, so I figured why not?” She shrugged. "I submitted my application, underwent the background check, mental health evaluation, and everything. And I met Steve Rogers.

“Steve was a captain in the army and had just left and figured he’d do the same thing. He didn’t qualify as a selecting spouse, so he signed over to the other side. We’d met, had some interviews per procedure, and I married him.”

“How does an army captain not qualify as a selecting spouse?” Peter asked, puzzled.

“I don’t actually have that answer. I’m sure the reason is something only known between the Bureau and the Army,” Sharon said delicately.

“The first couple of weeks were fine, and then July arrived and with it, fireworks. What I hadn't been aware of was that Steve had terrible shell shock. Hearing the fireworks sent him back to dark places in a bad way.”

She dipped a fry in her milkshake, sucked the creamy cold concoction off before eating the fry. “I remember just staring off in the distance in stunned amazement, the first time he hit me. I’m a trained fighter, Peter, and I won’t lie and say I’ve never fought to kill, because I have. But fighting back never even crossed my mind.”

She sighed. “He was devastated when he realized what he’d done, begged me to give him another chance because he’d never raise a hand to a woman. I did because it was just so out of character for him.”

“By the second month, I had bruises everywhere and I felt like I couldn’t make noise or even exist in my own house. But Steve would have days where he was just so kind and wonderful and then something would snap the trigger and it was like he was back on the battlefield, and I was an enemy.”

Peter wasn’t sure what to say. He’d never heard of a BCSS marriage going so wrong, especially not because of the selected spouse.

“I reached out to the psychologist who had done his evals before he was listed as a potential selected spouse. She said that I probably wasn’t trying hard enough and needed to be more understanding of the kind of needs a man like Steve had.” She smiled bitterly. “I was sleeping in the guest bedroom by that point since it was the easiest way to defend myself without hurting him and risking getting myself arrested.”

“How could any of it happen?” Peter asked, anger roiling in him. “How could she not listen to you?”

“I’ll get to that,” Sharon assured him. “Eat your sandwich before it’s too cold to bother.”

Peter took another few bites but tasted little. He felt sick for her, for what she’d endured.

“One day Steve and I were out in the back yard. It was one of our rare peaceful days. I was gardening, he was reading, and everything seemed like it would be okay. Then a car door slammed, and Steve had another episode. I was on the ground and unconscious by the time our neighbor stopped him from killing me. James knocked him out, his wife called the constables, and he drove me to the hospital.”

She paused long enough to order a double slice of cookie and cream pie, encouraging Peter get a slice as well. He chose cherry, and she continued.

“I don’t remember much of it all,” Sharon said. “I know Stephen operated on me, since the scans showed I’d taken several blows to the head.” She fiddled with her wedding ring. “When all was said and done, Steve was institutionalized. He’d confessed that he’d begged the doctor who had vouched for him to not say anything about his shell shock. She confessed to altering his results and ignoring my concerns and she was sanctioned by the state. Then the Bureau very quietly stepped in and annulled our marriage.”

“Who was the doctor?” Peter asked. He had a funny feeling.

“Dr. Peggy Carter,” Sharon said.

“So that’s why Stephen hates her,” Peter said slowly. “I couldn’t understand it, because even though he can definitely be an asshole, he’s just not built to hate people. But yeah, a doctor ignoring someone who needs help would do it.” He knew Stephen well enough to know that, at least.

“I can’t speak for Stephen and his feelings,” Sharon said. “All I can say is that he’s been very protective of me ever since my stay at the hospital under his care.”

The waitress brought their pie and the bill which Sharon snagged before Peter could even think to move. “It’s Tony’s money anyways,” she said with a wink. “He’ll be offended if it’s not used and soothing his ego afterwards is a pain.”

“Tony happened to be visiting Stephen that week, overseeing the remodel of the kitchen at the time. He happened to see me while one of the orderlies was with me outside getting some air and because Stephen won’t discuss patients, did some digging.” She smiled. “He found out that I’d have to pay a fee for early annulment because I hadn’t had to pay to select a spouse upfront or I’d have to select another spouse. He paid the fee without my knowing and I’m pretty sure he threatened the BCSS as well. Then he proposed and I think Stephen nearly had a heart attack.”

Peter grinned. “And you said yes.”

“After a bit of convincing and some date nights in my hospital room,” she said. “I wasn’t exactly scared of getting married again, just of doing it again so soon. But he made it clear he wasn’t expecting anything right off and that we’d have more time to get to know each other. He can be such a pain, but Tony really is a sweet man under it all.”

“And you’re happy,” Peter said.

“I’m very happy,” she confirmed.

“I’d never hit Stephen,” Peter said after they’d started walking home. “I don’t even know how to throw a punch, let alone swing out in a rage. The last thing I ever want to do is hurt him.”

“I believe you and I’m not accusing you,” Sharon said, looping her arm through his. “But there are plenty of ways to hurt someone that don’t involve hitting. And no one ever considers that the selected spouse could hurt the selecting. I just wanted to offer a different perspective.”

“And you’re protective of Stephen, too,” Peter reasoned. “I’m glad. He needs people who care about him.”

“He does,” Sharon agreed.

They strolled along, enjoying the cool weather and easier conversation than they’d had over lunch.

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And a fun little graphic I made for Sharon and Tony in this AU. ❤️💙

#spiderstrange #spideystrange #peter parker x stephen strange #stephen strange x peter parker #1950s modern fusion au #1950s au #couldntbedamned fic #READ THE FUCKING TAGS #NO SERIOUSLY READ THEM #peter parker #stephen strange #tony stark #sharon carter #tony stark x sharon carter #sharon carter x tony stark

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witchofthemidlands · 2 years

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Notes On Primeval (Book Four): Fight For Survival (Covers Series 2 Episodes 1-3)

for @simplyshelbs16xoxo this will be the last one i can do for awhile because the next four books are super long & there is so much content to make a note of 😅

nick is having the worst day of his life.

this is not okay

stephen being like this man is stupid what is he doing & immediately knowing that nick is heading back into that fading anomaly.

nick is in his mid thirties (no offence, but i thought he was much older than that)

lester thinking that nick is unstable.

‘the man had clearly cracked’ - james lester.

abby think’s that nick’s just stressed.

‘is he having an nervous breakdown’

nick decided not to trust leek the second they met.

nick decided to pretend to know leek because without claudia he knew there wouldn’t be anyone to fight for them if lester decided to fire them all.

he decided that he was going to go along with it until he could find the nearest anomaly to find claudia.

nick being confused as to why stephen is letting lester push him around.

connor actually did believe nick about the timeline change because of his love for conspiracies.

connor is actually pretty upset about the fact that stephen won’t let him have a gun. he thinks he doesn’t trust him in general.

nick & stephen thinking of all the worst things that could have happened to connor when he’s running from the raptor.

lester gets his updates on the team from stephen.

lester’s description of the team omg.

connor thinks that abby looks like a modern day lara croft when he's trying to defend her & the cleaner from potential raptors.

nick thinking about how he & stephen have spent their whole careers studying fossil & bones & how wonderful it is to get to see the creatures in the flesh.

nick thinking about how he did not want to lose his friendship with stephen over what had happened with helen.

stephen being like if he wants to leave it in the past that’s good for me.

stephen thinking that connor is annoying but he’s like family.

connor ended up carrying abby most of the way to the bowling alley.

they all made stephen tie the baby raptor up.

the raptors attacking them again & nick laughs it off & explains to the team about how the raptor saw the slushies as a threat & stephen getting angry with him because the raptor had almost killed abby & connor.

nick not liking how stephen doesn’t trust his judgment on the raptors & really not liking how ‘he seems to be making his own rules.’

nick wanting stephen to believe him more than anyone else.

nick thinking about his time with claudia when he goes into the anomaly with the raptors & deciding to stay to find some way of being with her again.

stephen had apparently known exactly what nick was going to do about five minutes after he’d left through the anomaly & was like nope.

stephen is angry at him for trying to stay but decides to remain as calm as possible because he wants to get them both home.

‘there’s no way he was going to leave him here to be eaten by hungry raptors.’

nick went back because he realises that he & stephen are still a team.

also he was worried that lester was just going to kill every creature that came through an anomaly.

stephen reaching out to take nick’s hand to pull him up the hill with him.

‘prehistoric tug of war’ 😂😂😂

connor absolutely freaking out about the raptor grabbing stephen’s foot.

stephen just limping around in pain & no one helps him.

rip to stephen’s foot.

stephen deciding not to like jenny immediately.

nick being concerned that lester & jenny are flirting.

jenny was really scared.

helen was angry with stephen for humiliating her by not leaving with her & plans to use him.

abby was heartbroken when she learnt about stephen’s affair with helen & doesn’t trust him anymore.

connor thinking that caroline is the most gorgeous woman in the world.

apparently leek acted like he really liked nick during the new timeline.

nick thinking that lester has a thing for jenny & is disgusted by him.

abby had a bad feeling about caroline from the first second she saw her.

abby spent the entire car journey to the office building thinking that caroline seemed horrible & that connor should trust rex’s instincts.

stephen was scared to tell nick that helen had shown up to his apartment because he thought that nick would instantly believe that he wanted her there.

nick just being completely done with jenny & thinking that stephen is stressed because he doesn’t like her as well.

he thought it was funny when she had to face the big worms.

he had ended up being impressed with how she’d handled the public relations side of things though.

jenny doesn’t live in the same place as claudia but everyone on the team has each other’s addresses for safety purposes.

jenny wears the same perfume as claudia did.

jenny being a bit freaked out about why nick came to her home & thinks that he’s clearly troubled.

she feels sorry for him but doesn’t want to be responsible for him being thrown off the team.

stephen thinking about how really exhausted he is after having to deal with helen, climbing the elevator & fighting the big worms.

connor being so sad that he can’t have one peaceful date with caroline & was a little confused as to why she only let him kiss her cheek when he was aiming for a proper kiss goodbye.

he’s so happy that he has a girlfriend.

lester abandoned them on the sabre tooth mission to go on a holiday with his family.

stephen loves annoying leek.

nick was convinced that connor’s detector worked & that there was another reason for the creature the entire time.

nick thinking about how beautiful the sabre tooth is even when it’s trying to kill him.

nick describing how the sabre tooth killed valerie. apparently it tore out her throat first.

nick was furious that leek dared to say that the sabre tooth died because of abby & goes on for at least a paragraph about how good at her job she is because she absolutely is.

nick thinking about how claudia is now his reason to never give up on the job because he is determined to find her one day no matter what. 😭😭😭

#nick cutter #claudia brown #stephen hart #connor temple #abby maitland #james lester #oliver leek #helen ambrose #jenny lewis #primeval

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