#taj original

[tajmutthall]

So you are like 60 years old reading porn about imaginary male characters. I am baffled get a hobby

I don't understand the purpose of asks like this. I, too, am baffled. Are you determined to prove that you are so young and lacking in imagination that you cannot conceive that people continue to be human through their entire lives? Are you trying to distance yourself from the fact that people who are older than you might like the same things that you do, as if your naïve youthfulness somehow makes you special and you think that I, in some way, am challenging that specialness? Of course you're special. But clearly not in the way that you think you are.

BTW, I have hobbies: as you so adroitly pointed out, at least one of which is reading porn about gay male characters. I won't bother mentioning other hobbies that I and many people of many ages also share, because I am extremely skeptical that you would have any idea what to do with that information.

So you are 16 years old and dropping presumably insulting anonymous comments into strangers' asks. I am baffled. Get a better hobby.

And I use punctuation better than you do, sweetheart.

[tajmutthall]

BUT THIS DOESN'T ANSWER THE QUESTION.

Those words *name* _emotions_; they do not *describe* _facial expressions_! Different people express their feelings in different ways. to describe facial expressions, you need to, um, *describe* them. A lopsided grin. One eyebrow shot up. Eyes focused on nothing at all. Lips pressed together hard. Jaw muscles clenching. Rolled their eyes. Scrunched nose. Snarling upper lip. corner of his mouth twitched upward. Blinked rapidly. Those facial descriptions that might depict various emotions.

Simply naming an emotion actually shows an assumption on the part of the viewpoint character, which might or may not accurately reflect what the other character is feeling. "Bob's face showed his anger." "She was clearly despondent.". WTF does Bob's face look like to make the character think that Bob is angry? Maybe Bob just has indigestion? Or is thinking hard? Or has resting bitch face?

I need help to describe face expression and the voice of my characters.

Words used to describe facial expressions:

Absent

Agonized

Appealing

Beatific

Black

Bleak

Blissful

Brooding

Bug-Eyed

Chagrined

Cheeky

Cheerless

Choleric

Coy

Crestfallen

Curious

Darkly

Deadpan

Derisive

Despondent

Doleful

Downcast

Dreamy

Ecstatic

Etched

Expressionless

Faint

Fixed

Glazed

Flowering

Grave

Haunted

Hostile

Impassive

Jeering

Languid

Meaningful

Mild

Mischievous

Mobile

Mona Lisa

Pained

Pitying

Pleading

Quizzical

Radiant

Roguish

Sardonic

Set

Shamefaced

Slack-jawed

Sly

Smiley

Straight-Faced

Sullen

Taut

Thoughtful

Tight-Lipped

Unblinking

Unreadable

Vacant

Wan

Wanly

Wide-Eyed

Wild-Eyed

Withering

Wolfish

Worried

Wry

Words to describe voices:

Adenoidal

Appealing

Breathy

Brittle

Croaky

Dead

Disembodied

Flat

Fruity

Grating

Gravelly

Gruff

Guttural

High-Pitched

Hoarse

Honeyed

Husky

Low

Matter-of-Fact

Modulated

Monotonous

Nasal

Orotund

Penetrating

Plummy

Quietly

Raucous

Ringing

Rough

Shrill

Silvery

Singsong

Small

Smokey

Soft-spoken

Stentorian

Strangled

Strident

Taut

Thick

Thin

Throaty

Tight

Toneless

Tremulous

Wheezy

These were my sources. Visit them for more information on these words and a wider variety of words.

[viagginterstellari]

Agra, 2013

[fotobyandre]

Taj Mahal

[greyinthecolorprism]

A Sweet Intoxication

"I dream of rain, I dream of gardens in the desert sands. I wake in vain, I dream of love as time runs through my hands." - Desert Rose (Sting)

Part 1: Sketch Oh, my heart… How I miss this woman as much as I missed Tony. For a long time, I had thought of drawing The Ancient One with Damon, but I could never find a scenario that suited them. A few weeks back I stumbled across Desert Rose by Sting, and I immediately was taken back to when I met her - I call her Caoihme - back in 2017. I was awestruck by her beauty and her strength, captivated by her wisdom and barely above a whisper in her voice. I knew upon seeing her that she would forever be a part of myself and of Damon. My girlfriend suggested the courtyard with them walking side by side as a background and I was suddenly taken with inspiration. I wanted to draw them in the spring, their relationship just beginning to blossom as they keep in step to show their synchronicity. Through their longevity, they would become tantric in every way. The Ancient One got me through a very hard time in my life, and for that I will forever be thankful to this variant of her. As I sketched this, I was overwhelmed by the smell of cactus rose and I wept for the woman whom so many lost. But as I drew her, I was surrounded by warmth and a feeling of pure love radiated from the lines. I have no doubt that she is with me, even though she has finally chosen to rest. But I wish I could thank her one more time. I know that someday, whether it be through my own energies, through the blessings of God and he universe, or simply by grand design, I will meet her again. And so too, will Damon, who loved her for a century and longer.

✨This is a blog transfer! You've been tagged because you liked this on my main blog! I apologize for the inconvenience. ✨

@aces-and-arrowz @illustep @icytrickster17 @fanartka @mizuki-t-a--art @strangelockd @stewardofningishzida @cirocity @sobeautifullyobsessed

[sobeautifullyobsessed]

Share your newest OC and a few facts!

I'm excited to share about this OC, so thank you so much for the Ask @arrthurpendragon!

Contessa 'Tess' O'Neill

fandom: Marvel Cinematic Universe/Doctor Strange

face claim: Liv Tyler

I originally created Tess as an RP character. Since then, she appeared in my fic, 'It's Not the Years Honey - It's the Mileage', a Doctor Strange one-shot. And I'm currently working on a Defender Strange one-shot where she'll make her second appearance.

mid-thirties, Bachelors Degree in Literature, published two minor poetry collections, worked as a freelance copy writer pre Blip

speaks fluent Italian, gift of her maternal grandmother who lived with her family

ended up in Kathmandu, Nepal, after months traveling Europe & Asia; her trip had been motivated by the death of her flight instructor husband on the day of Blip; taking such a trip had been on their bucket list

however, Tess had never planned to return to the United States

trigger warning below the cut...

trigger warning: attempted suicide stemming from depression; survived due to the timely intercession by a Nepalese street vendor who brought her to Kamar-Taj for medical treatment

during her recuperation, Tess found her spirit healed as well, witnessing the philosophy, tranquility, and unselfish purpose of the residents of Kamar-Taj

found her own new purpose as an initiate of the Mystic Arts, eventally becoming a Healer

[crossingbaranduin]

Y'all ever realize you have a WIP that's so close to done you're shocked you never posted it?

Because damn, I just found one that's like, 95% done. How'd that end up there??

[dweebpotato]

Introduction

Sahir Ludhianvi's Taj Mahal stands as a critique of the societal values that elevate material monuments over true, intangible emotions. Unlike conventional praise for the Taj Mahal as a symbol of eternal love, Ludhianvi exposes the imperial opulence that birthed it and contrasts this grandeur with the realities of ordinary, forgotten lovers. His work urges readers to question whether love needs wealth and physical monuments to endure.

Key Lines and Their Non-Literal Interpretations

1. "For you, my love, the Taj may well be the quintessence of ardour; while full well may you regard this exquisite veil."

• Literal Meaning: The Taj Mahal may appear to be the ultimate symbol of love.

• Non-Literal Interpretation: The poet calls the Taj an "exquisite veil," implying that while its beauty is undeniable, it masks deeper truths about love and the social inequities that surround its creation. True passion doesn't need such extravagant displays.

2. "What worth, this lowly ones, loitering in the halls of the lords, where on every path lie etched remains of pomp and glory?"

• Literal Meaning: What is the value of wandering in the opulent halls of rulers where grandeur is celebrated?

• Non-Literal Interpretation: Ludhianvi critiques the legacy of emperors who built such monuments. The "pomp and glory" they left behind glorify their power but hold little value for ordinary people, whose emotions remain unacknowledged.

3. "My love, behind the veils of love's proud proclamations did you see the signs of imperious grandeur?"

• Literal Meaning: Behind grand declarations of love, can you see the signs of imperial pride?

• Non-Literal Interpretation: The poet reveals the irony of the Taj Mahal-built to proclaim love, yet rooted in the wealth and authority of a king. This line questions whether love that relies on material displays is genuine or corrupted by pride.

4. "Beyond count are those, in this world who have lived and loved. Could anyone deny the truth of their passions?"

• Literal Meaning: Many have loved passionately, yet their love remains unnoticed.

• Non-Literal Interpretation: Ludhianvi highlights the universality of love, contrasting it with the singular, celebrated story behind the Taj Mahal. Most lovers lack the wealth or recognition to immortalize their feelings, yet their emotions are no less real or profound.

5. "The lush gardens and palaces, the Yamuna's edge; the exquisitely carved portals... has mocked our very love, our impoverish'd, destitute love."

• Literal Meaning: The beauty and grandeur of the Taj Mahal stand in stark contrast to the struggles of common lovers.

• Non-Literal Interpretation: The poet's tone here is both mournful and critical. The Taj Mahal's luxury mocks the simple, often unrecorded love of ordinary people who cannot afford such tributes. True love exists beyond wealth and monuments.

Themes and Message

1. Wealth vs. True Love

Ludhianvi critiques how love is often celebrated through material extravagance, ignoring the simpler yet equally powerful emotions of ordinary people. The Taj Mahal, though beautiful, is a product of privilege and imperialism.

2. Social Inequality

The poem exposes the vast disparity between the emperor who could commission the Taj Mahal and countless nameless lovers whose love stories remain unrecognized.

3. Mortality and Impermanence

While the Taj Mahal is immortalized, those who built it and the lovers it celebrates have faded.

Ludhianvi reminds us that physical monuments do not transcend the passage of time or human mortality.

4. Critique of Historical Narratives

The poem challenges society's glorification of historical rulers and their wealth, asking us to question the values these monuments truly represent.

Conclusion

Sahir Ludhianvi's Taj lahal offers a profound reflection on love, wealth, and societal priorities.

Rather than celebrating the Taj Mahal as a romantic icon, he exposes the inequality and impermanence hidden beneath its beauty. The poem urges readers to see beyond material grandeur and recognize the authenticity of love that exists without wealth or recognition.

Through this critique, Ludhianvi gives a voice to the forgotten, ordinary lovers whose passions are as eternal as any monument.

In analyzing this poem, we gain not only a new perspective on the Taj Mahal but also a deeper understanding of love's true essence-simple, timeless, and beyond material measure.

[koreamal]

The Taj; Agra, 2015.

[tajmutthall]

Link to my ever-growing (sometimes shrinking) AO3 List OF ABSOLUTE FAVORITE CAPTIVE PRINCE FAN FICTIONS.

I had hoped that simply marking "rec" for the ones I really liked would narrow it down for myself and others. But after doing that for a while, I am approaching 500 stories and I don't really want that many in my "absolute favoritest" list. So I am slowly going back through them and adding the ones that really stick with me to this collection , Taj MuttHall Capri favorite fanfiction. Enjoy!

(and let me know if there are stories I should check out that aren't on either of my lists.)

Taj_MuttHall Captive Prince favorites | Archive of Our Own

:readmore:

Some are long, some are short, some are incomplete, some are agonizing, some so happy, some are a similar mix to what the original books had… mostly they all have the qualities that they are true to the original characters and themes in some way and that their writing is excellent and that I would read them again. for each story, you can check my bookmark for more tips about it (i try not to do spoilers)

I don't do incest or ABO. there are a few "major character deaths" stories, but I don't generally include ones where the last thing in the story is that somebody dies and it's left for the shock value. No no no. That's cruel and pointless. In my opinion.

[artifacts-and-arthropods]

Emerald Spectacles from India, c. 1620-1660 CE: the lenses of these spectacles were cut from a single 300-carat emerald, and it was believed that they possessed mystical properties

These eyeglasses are also known by the name "Astaneh-e ferdaws," meaning "Gate of Paradise," based on the symbolic associations between the color green and the concept of spiritual salvation/Paradise. That symbolism (which is rooted in Islamic tradition) was especially popular in Mughal-era India, where the spectacles were made.

The lenses were crafted from two thin slices of the same emerald. Together, the lenses have a combined weight of about 27 carats, but given the precision, size, and shape of each lens, experts believe that the original emerald likely weighed in excess of 300 carats (more than sixty grams) before it was cleaved down in order to produce the lenses. The emerald was sourced from a mine in Muzo, Colombia, and it was then transported across the Atlantic by Spanish or Portuguese merchants.

Each lens is encircled by a series of rose-cut diamonds, which run along an ornate frame made of gold and silver. The diamond-studded frame was added in the 1890s, when the original prince-nez design was fitted with more modern frames.

The emerald eyeglasses have long been paired with a second set of spectacles, and they were almost certainly commissioned by the same patron. This second pair is known as "Halqeh-e nur," or the "Halo of Light."

The Halo of Light features lenses that were made from slices of diamond. The diamond lenses were cleaved from a single stone, just like the emerald lenses, with the diamond itself being sourced from a mine in Southern India. It's estimated that the original, uncut diamond would have weighed about 200-300 carats, which would make it one of the largest uncut diamonds ever found.

The lenses are so clear and so smoothly cut that it sometimes looks like they're not even there.

Both sets of spectacles date back to the mid-1600s, and it's generally believed that they were commissioned by a Mughal emperor or prince. The identity of that person is still a bit of a mystery, but it has been widely speculated that the patron was Shah Jahan -- the Mughal ruler who famously commissioned the Taj Mahal after the death of his wife, Mumtaz Mahal. Shah Jahan did rule as the Mughal emperor from about 1628 to 1658.

The emerald and diamond lenses may have been chosen for symbolic, sentimental, and/or cultural reasons, or they may have been chosen simply because they're pretty and extravagant; the original meaning and purpose behind the design is still unclear. Experts do believe that the eyeglasses were designed to be worn by someone, though.

At times, it was believed that the spectacles had spiritual properties, like the ability to promote healing, to ward off evil, to impart wisdom, and to bring the wearer closer to enlightenment. Those beliefs are largely based on the spiritual significance that emeralds and diamonds can have within certain Indic and Islamic traditions -- emeralds may be viewed as an emblem of Paradise, salvation, healing, cleansing, and eternal life, while diamonds are similarly associated with enlightenment, wisdom, celestial light, and mysticism.

The Gate of Paradise and the Halo of Light were both kept in the collections of a wealthy Indian family until 1980, when they were sold to private collectors, and they were then put up for auction once again in 2021. They were most recently valued at about $2 million to $3.4 million per pair.

Sources & More Info:

Sotheby's: Mughal Spectacles

Architectural Digest of India: At Sotheby's auction, Mughal-era eyeglasses made of diamond and emerald create a stir

Only Natural Diamonds: Auspicious Sight & the Halqeh-e Nur Spectacles

The Royal Society Publishing: Cleaving the Halqeh-Ye Nur Diamonds

Gemological Institution of America: Two Antique Mughal Spectacles with Gemstone Lenses

Manuscript: From Satan's Crown to the Holy Grail: emeralds in myth, magic, and history

CNN: The $3.5 million Spectacles Said to Ward off Evil

BBC: Rare Mughal Era Spectacles to be Auctioned by Sotheby's

[serendippertyy]

FANKID DOODLES!!✨

up first the ICONIC pix by @undeaddrabble , he is so so much fun to draw omg!! 💜

jaiden by @alicealmost a cutie patootie, love her design and this lil outfit! 💜

aand the twins taj and trixie by @sparklewolfglitch !! suuper fun designs love these guys a lot!!! 💜

hope ya guys like em!! originally I was gonna do a doodle a day but I got too excited-also didn't realize these were all jax kids until just now LOL

watch out all tadc fanartists your fankid may be next!! 😼

[unhingedmarvelandclassicwhobuff]

I'm done bottling this up. I need to go on a rant about how much Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness insulted me the one and only time I watched it.

I’m still furious that the trailers didn’t spoil that Wanda was the villain, because if they had, I would’ve sworn never to watch the movie.

I liked the first 15 minutes or so fine, and got really excited when Wanda was introduced. But I don’t think I’ll ever forget the way my heart dropped when the reveal happened two minutes later.

It shocked me so much in the worst possible way that I totally zoned out and barely registered anything else that was said in that scene, or the next one for that matter.

The Kamar-Taj massacre legitimately made me want to vomit. I truly couldn’t believe what I was seeing. This couldn’t be fucking happening. And to think it was almost even worse if that horrific BTS footage of Wanda hacking the sorcerers to pieces in melee combat made it into the movie.

This may sound odd, but the visual of Wanda ripping herself apart to get out of the Mirror Dimension truly disgusted me, because I sincerely think it was intended to dehumanize her and make her look more like a monster. Again, it was like the movie was TRYING to personally insult me.

I wasn’t paying attention to anything that was happening with Strange and America when they got to the other universe. I couldn’t focus on anything at all because I was reeling from the shock.

I hate to admit it, but when the Darkhold got destroyed for a moment I hoped against everything that that would be it. But no, immediately after that she intentionally tortured some of the surviving sorcerers to make Wong talk. Again, I genuinely could not believe what I was seeing. How was this real?

The Illuminati massacre, like the earlier battle, insulted me in ways I truly cannot articulate. I feel like everyone involved was trying to insult me specifically with how evil they were making Wanda. [A part of me has grown to morbidly like this scene, however, as the Illuminati are full-on fascists, and with how much I've grown to hate Captain Carter it was darkly cathartic seeing Wanda bisect her, but still.]

During the final battle I was sincerely expecting either those demons to drag Wanda to whatever hell dimension they came from, or for America to do that instead. If that happened then the anti-Wanda whiners would feel even more vindicated about how she was "finally being properly punished".

The way she is written out rung completely hollow, because there was no indication whatsoever that she wasn’t being corrupted anymore. It just looked like she stopped because she wanted to. And again, I feel like the movie was trying to make me upset by saying "no, this is just how Wanda is".

I want to say I felt nothing when it looked like Wanda died, but the truth is it was just the final middle finger. I guess I should be thankful for small mercies since apparently she was originally planned to go on ANOTHER killing spree ending with Strange killing her.

So yeah, TLDR, Multiverse of Madness was the absolute worst movie watching experience I’ve ever had, and cemented itself as my most hated film of all time before it even ended. I made a conscious choice to never watch it again before I even got up from my seat. It truly felt like Sam Raimi and Michael Waldron were intentionally and maliciously ruining Wanda, and the fact that it was just sheer incompetence that caused this to happen is somehow even worse, because that's how little Marvel values this character.

And just for the record, my mom, who got into the MCU because of WandaVision, was also really excited for this movie, and she has no standards whatsoever, so the fact that even SHE hated the movie's treatment of Wanda speaks volumes.

Fuck Marvel, fuck Michael Waldron, and fuck the anti-Wanda losers while we're at it.

[space-mermaid-writing]

Consort and King [IronStrange]

Summary: Anthony Stark, King of Midgard, needs a spouse. Whether he wants one or not. So he accepts an arranged marriage with the Prince of Kamar-Taj – a man he has never met in his life to the day they are standing in front of each other at the altar, speaking their vows. Is it possible that the feeling of duty grows into something more? Will their future be happy?

Relationship: Tony Stark / Stephen Strange

Tags: arranged marriage au, royal au, strangers to husbands, enemies to lovers, slow burn, idiots in love, fluff, hurt/comfort, miscommunication, all the good stuff

Author's note: Beta by @kvjjjjjj

Ko-fi | Read it on AO3 | Series Masterlist | Word count: 5.2k | Previous | Next

15 Dealing with the rogues

The portal took Stephen and the other masters to the underground catacombs beneath the temple, where the earlier explosion had been heard. They stepped right into what seemed to be the middle of a summoning.

There were lines and symbols drawn onto the ground and the rogues stood in a large circle, chanting in an ancient language. The black and purple smoke seemed to have originated here.

Whatever they were trying to accomplish, it couldn’t be anything good.

The sorcerer’s of Kamar-Taj immediately attacked; Stephen leading them, sending a powerful beam at one of the rogues. He threw the rogue off his feet. This broke the circle but the others continued their chanting.

It was clear that they were willing to pull through, no matter what.

“They are wearing the mark of the dark dimension!”

Stephen shifted his focus and he realized that the master was right: the rogues had purple glowing marks on their foreheads.

This was bad.

Analyzing the whole situation Stephen noticed that one of the rogue sorcerers standing in the circle had a book hovering in front of him. If Stephen had to bet, he’d say this was the stolen book from the library.

He gritted his teeth as he recognized the rogue's face: it was Kaecilius, a former student of the Ancient One.

And suddenly Stephen had no doubt who had plunged the black dagger into her chest.

Stephen gave the sorcerer closest to him a sign and they attacked Kaecilius together. The other sorcerer, a man around Stephen’s age wearing his brown hair in a ponytail, used a spell to hit the rogue right into his chest.

Kaecilius doubled over in pain.

At the same time, Stephen snagged the book through a small portal – a nifty trick he used to annoy Wong with.

As soon as he got the book in his hand and closed it, the chanting stopped as if a spell had been broken; and all heads turned to him. The marks on their foreheads remained, as well as the hostile look in their purple eyes. It warned Stephen that they would aim to get that book back at any price.

Kaecilius straightened up again, his attention now on Stephen as well. “Look at that! The lost prince has returned.,” he sneered and threw a lightning bolt at him.

Stephen couldn't activate a shield without putting the book down, so he jumped to the side, feeling the heat of the spell way too close for his liking.

For a moment he thought about storing the book in his personal pocket dimension just to keep his hands free. But he couldn’t take on Kaecilius and his zealots at the same time; even with the help of the other masters. They had to split the rogues up.

He weighed his options. He deemed Kaecilius the greater threat. Maybe he was biased, blinded by the image of the Ancient One lying dead on the ground in his mind.

This was personal.

He tossed the book to a younger master nearby; The last time Stephen had seen him before he left for Midgard, he had been wearing the red robes of an apprentice. Now he was wearing the colors of a master.

“Get that book away from here!”

The sorcerer nodded – his face stern – and with a swift motion he opened another portal.

Several sorcerers and rogues followed him, starting a chase. Stephen didn't have time to help him, he was busy dodging another attack from Kaecilius.

“It’s too late,” the rogue sorcerer taunted him. “The channel is already open. The power we draw from it is greater than you could ever imagine. Even your new piece of jewelry won't help you.” His purple blazing eyes darted to the necklace on Stephen's chest, hungrily. “But go ahead. Play with your new toy.”

Only the most powerful mages could actually use it. That was why the Ancient One had had to die.

Stephen summoned a golden mandala, which he threw at Kaecilius. The rogue swiped it away easily.

Both men didn’t hold back in the fight that followed. They threw spells at each other, blocking the other’s magic or redirecting it. More than once, a charge of magic slammed into one of the rock walls and caused the ground to shake.

Stephen noticed that Kaecilius moved mainly within the drawn summoning circle. And it seemed to enhance his magic even further. Like he had said: although the ritual had been interrupted, a channel remained open to the Dark Dimension.

Having this realization, Stephen quickly came up with a plan to get the rogue out of there. And he put this plan into action as soon as he saw an opportunity.

He dodged the falling debris caused by another quake. Using his slingring, he appeared right next to Kaecilius.

As the rogue whirled around to face him, Stephen opened another portal, directly behind him. Before Kaecilius was able to throw up a shield, Stephen hit him with a full blast. He didn't knock the rogue off his feet, but Kaecilius did stumble backwards through the circle.

Stephen followed him, not letting the rogue out of his eyes, and stepped on the roof of one of the temples, which were still surrounded by the black and purple smoke.

The new location up in the air didn’t stop them from continuing to fight. Kaecilius didn’t even bat an eye at it. Stephen simply put a spell on his boots to keep balance, before charging at the rogue.

_________________

Tony helped Wong and some of the other masters to clean up. Most of the damage had been done in the courtyards and between the temples. The sorcerers used magic to repair broken windows and balconies and to get rid of any quicksand.

Overall, it seemed like the attack had been a diversion. And a good one. Tony briefly wondered what kind of enemy Stephen was facing.

Since Tony couldn't contribute much to the repairs with no magic, he assisted a few injured sorcerers to get to the healers.

Suddenly he and Wong saw a flash of orange as a portal opened nearby. Several sorcerers and rogues were running through and past them.

Wong raised his hands for a spell, glancing at Tony, who had his hands on the hilt of his sword. Then he looked back at the sorcerers. He seemed undecided, weighing the potential danger against Stephen's silent plea to protect Tony's life.

The king took the decision away from him, sprinting ahead. “Let's get them!”

That was all the conviction Wong needed, and he quickly caught up to Tony's side. He created a magic rope, similar to the whips Stephen often used fighting, but this time with a knife at one end. He whirled it around and swung it in the direction of a rogue, stopping him from pursuing.

More people were portaling in and out and soon it was a mess to recognize who was a sorcerer of Kamar-Taj and who was a rogue without looking into their faces first; something that needed a few seconds which Tony did not always have in a fight.

Watching them, Tony quickly found that the rogues seemed to be chasing a young man who had an old book tucked under his arm.

Someone grabbed Tony’s arm, and he whirled around to shake off whoever it was – until he noticed it was Wong, who pulled him towards a bunch of portals.

“This way.”

They joined the chase to eliminate the hunters of the book.

Tony recognized the hallway they stepped into next. He had been here in the past two days, even though he wasn’t able to nail down which of the temple buildings it belonged to.

It didn’t matter anyway, because suddenly gravity shifted and the hallway seemed to rotate. Tony elbowed a rogue who staggered too close to him in the side, when the wall that had been to his left was now the new ground.

Man, magic was really annoying.

Tony used Whisperwind to deflect another attack from the rogue he had just elbowed. They had a buzz-cut and their slender form made it impossible to tell their gender. Tony struck their leg, made a lunge to the side and immediately struck them again at the shoulder.

Gravity shifted again. Tony lost his footing and stumbled over a chandelier and right into another portal.

He landed in snow, somewhere in the mountains. It was cold and windy. Tony hated it instantly, but looking up he saw the portal was too high in the air to get back.

He rolled out of the way when Wong came through. The sorcerer landed at his side with grace. He was probably used to these kinds of stunts.

Well, back to the chase.

Tony threw his blade the same time Wong threw his rope dart, both of them hitting different rogues that were still after the book guy. The young sorcerer had toppled to the ground – and he didn’t get back up. When he tried his leg gave in under him, preventing him from getting out of here.

Tony doubted it was his only injury.

The king engaged the rogues in a duel while Wong opened another portal under the young sorcerer with the book; and closed it as soon as he fell through with a yelp.

Now it was Tony and Wong against three rogues. Angrily, they turned towards them.

Tony had Wong's back while he continued to attack them from afar with Whisperwind.

He wasn't stupid enough to face magic without a shield of his own. Luckily, Wong provided one for both of them. Tony had already noticed after today that the sorcerer was a skilled fighter, and between the two of them, the rogues stood no chance.

After the last of the three bodies had hit the snow, he pulled his blade back onto the hilt.

“Can we get out of here?” He asked, freezing from the cold.

He was shivering from the weatherand sweating from the fight at the same time. His breath came in little puffs of white fog whenever he exhaled, and he barely felt his fingers anymore.

Used to the warm climate of Midgard, Tony was not a fan of these winter mountains. Especially when he wasn’t wearing any warm clothes.

Wong nodded and opened another portal. Tony was glad to step through it, and he saw they were back in the garden of the Sorcerer's Temples.

Apparently Wong had followed the sorcerer's magical signature with the book or something like that, because they found the man. His legs had failed him and he had sunk to the grass, leaning his back against a tree.

He panted heavily, his fingers raised for another spell. As soon as he saw Wong, he dropped his hands, relief visible on his face.

“You did good,” Wong reassured the young master as he stepped up to him. “I’m taking this from here.”

The young man nodded and handed him the book. “Thank you, Master Wong,” he sighed, closing his eyes for a second.

Wong hung the book on his belt before making it disappear with a gesture.

“Where did it go?” Tony asked because apparently this old looking book was important enough that people would kill for it.

Wong patted the space where it should be, and there was a surprising solid noise.

“I hid it from prying eyes.”

“Great.” Tony turned back to the injured sorcerer. “Let's bring him to the infirmary. Can you open another one of those magic circles?”

“It’s called a portal.” Wong rolled his eyes, but there was no bite in his voice.

“Of course. Whatever you say.” Tony helped the younger sorcerer onto his feet. The boy groaned in pain as soon as he moved his leg.

Tony put his arm around his shoulders, taking most of his weight.

“Thanks,” the sorcerer muttered. “I’m Aimar, by the way.”

"Tony." Aimar didn’t seem to be aware that he was talking to royalty. Tony helped him limp through the portal that Wong had opened. “Don’t worry, you will be back in shape in no time.”

Aimar hummed. “Did we win?”

“There may be some of them left, but we will get them. You rest.”

The sorcerer nodded.

Tony helped him sit down on an empty bed in the infirmary and Aimar passed out almost instantly. Tony waved over a healer before he and Wong went back outside; this time through the front door.

Just as he was about to descend the steps of the temple, he noticed a movement and looked up. Stopping in his tracks he stared as he saw Stephen fighting another sorcerer on the roof of a temple.

Kaecilius hurled a powerful spell at Stephen, some kind of purple beam. Tony didn’t see what Stephen did, but before the beam hit him, it exploded into hundreds of butterflies. They scattered in all directions.

“Wong!”

Wong, who was instructing some apprentices, whirled around, alarmed by the king’s worried voice. His eyes followed Tony’s pointing arm.

Stephen moved as if his shoulder was injured. His movements were no longer fluid, his face tense. He was biting back the pain.

Nevertheless, he returned the attack. Wind came up, roaring into an almost visible storm of yellow and orange, moving around them. Small, delicate swirls, that suddenly morphed into needles and attacked Kaecilius.

It cut his skin and he let out an angry cry that was heard even in the yards.

Tony hated not being able to do anything to help. Even though he had fought enough wars to know when to join a fight and when to trust others to win. Any interference from him would only hinder Stephen.

He sent a prayer to all known gods that his husband would return safely to his arms.

Stephen mustered up all his strength. He couldn’t just use raw power. Kaecilius simply had more of it.

But he could try the Sorcerer Supreme’s way.

Stephen closed his eyes for a moment. His fingers touched – as he had seen the Ancient One do so often – and he crossed his hands.

The Eye of Agamotto opened, glowing bright green.

Kaecilius laughed. This was Strange’s end. You needed years of training and studies to use the Eye without any consequences. Strange was a fool for trying to use it. It would be his downfall.

As soon as the Eye opened, Stephen felt its power. It was so much more than he had ever imagined. It was like embracing a wave while trying to redirect it with nothing but his bare hands.

His broken hands.

He could only hope it would not drown him.

It was dangerous to experiment with these kinds of powers; it was easy to be corrupted by them – or crushed by them.

At that moment Stephen didn’t care. Anger and grief clouded the rational part of his mind, letting him become careless.

It also allowed him to dig deeper into his own powers.

Kaecilius hurled a spell at him and Stephen wasn’t able to block it; his whole focus went into controlling the Eye. He did manage to stay on his feet, but still slid backwards. It hurt. He was bleeding from somewhere. But there was no time to dwell on it.

The green glowing necklace on his chest felt like a pool of lava. Stephen needed to draw from it without burning his hands. It was an impossible task.

He moved his fingers anyway; in a pattern he had once read about. A spell of banishment, forceful enough for a demon.

A memory of the Ancient One came into his mind. She smiled gently at him – patiently – whenever he had thrown a tantrum. And Stephen had thrown a lot of them when he first started to study magic.

A single tear ran down his cheek.

Another attack hit Stephen and he heard Kaecilius laughing. He clenched his teeth. By now he was standing up only by willpower alone.

“Faith is my sword, truth is my shield, knowledge my armor,” he murmured. It was something the Ancient One had taught him and he had internalized the words.

Everything hurt. Especially his heart.

Stephen's mind wandered to Tony; his brave, beautiful husband, who was still at the temples somewhere. Stephen would defend him, fight for him until his dying breath.

“Let’s see if you still laugh if you meet the demon you planned to summon in person,” Stephen growled through gritted teeth.

The faint green glow that had followed the movement of his fingers, finished its pattern and lit up brightly now.

Kaecilius’ laughter stopped abruptly. There was suddenly fear in his eyes upon realization.

Stephen had done it.

With a grunt he pushed the green magic at the rogue. Kaecilius tried to dodge it, but it was to no avail. The magic wrapped around him, held him tight and confined his movements as well as his voice. The magic had him in its grip and there was no escape.

The green got brighter and brighter until it exploded in a sphere of light, as the rogue sorcerer was catapulted from this world.

Stephen barely noticed it. The blast wave from the explosion had caught him and knocked him backwards off his feet. His focus was solely on controlling the Eye, which was why he lost grip of all the other spells - including the one on his boots that had been holding him on the roof.

And thus he fell.

Tony panicked because it was too fast and Stephen was diving head first. His movements were slow and staggered as he tried to perform a spell.

However, nothing happened – his magic failed him – and Stephen continued to fall, unhindered.

Suddenly, a golden glowing portal opened in front of him; its counterpart leading to Wong, who was controlling the spell. Stephen fell through it, hitting the ground at a shallow angle that abruptly ended his fall. He tumbled across the ground, rolling over several times before coming to a halt groaning.

He felt like he had just bruised everything for a second time today.

Tony ran over to him. “Stephen! Shit, are you okay? Talk to me!”

The sorcerer struggled to get to his feet; his legs trembled and gave way under the weight of his body when he tried to move.

Tony’s hands were all over Stephen, making sure he was alive.

“You’re alright! Everything’s fine.” Tony reassured Stephen as well as his own self. Seeing his husband fight – and almost falling to death – had shaken him more than he cared to admit.

“You’re not allowed to do these kinds of stunts again. You hear me? I don’t… I need you to be safe.” His voice was shaking.

“Is he gone?” Stephen asked, his voice rough.

“That other guy? Yes, he exploded or something like that. He is gone.”

Relieved, Stephen stopped trying to get up and rolled onto his back instead. He hissed in pain. “Can you… get a healer please?”

“Of course!” Tony turned around to pass the request to Wong – because there was no way he was leaving Stephen’s side.

Only, Wong was gone. Always a step ahead, the sorcerer had hurried inside the infirmary as soon as he had closed the portal behind Stephen.

Tony praised his quick thinking. Wong deserved a raise.

Stephen was on the verge of fainting, overwhelmed by the pain that seemed to get stronger the more the adrenaline was wearing off.

He didn't notice a rogue sorcerer creeping up, a black dagger in his hand.

Not all of them were neutralized yet. The rogues were defeated, their plan had failed; but that only made the remaining ones angrier.

It was easy to direct that anger onto Strange, who had stepped in to stop them. Who was wearing the Eye of Agamotto now.

Strange, who had left the temples a while ago to play consort.

Strange, who lay defenseless on the ground. Vulnerable.

The rogue saw his chance for a quick revenge. Even with Tony at the sorcerer’s side, he thought they would be an easy target. Tony's clothes were clearly not from Kamar-Taj, so he wasn’t a Master of the Mystic Arts.

Stephen didn’t notice the rogue sneaking up.

But Tony did. With a swift motion he drew Whisperwind and swung the blade at the rogue. “Don’t you dare touch him!” he spat angrily.

Tony had been trained in sword fighting since the age of nine, when he had been tall enough to hold a wooden weapon in his hands, and wield it. His movements were practiced and precise.

The rogue sorcerer was surprised by the fury that met him. He defended himself but he stood no real chance against the fierce husband.

A blade in his chest stopped the rogue’s beating heart.

Tony stepped to him and connected the sword back into one piece before he pulled out the blade, ignoring the blood dripping from it. His eyes darted around to see if anyone else was stupid enough to attack his Stephen.

There was no one.

“Tony..” Stephen coughed weakly and Tony was back at his side instantly.

“I’m here, Stephen.”

Finally, Wong was back, a healer hot on his heels. He was startled by the freshly dead rogue next to Stephen, but Tony gave him a look that reassured him.

Everything was under control.

Tony stayed at Stephen’s side while the healer moved faintly glowing fingers over the sorcerer’s body. Tony wasn’t sure what kind of magic he did, but Stephen exhaled deeply. His breathing seemed to come easier to him after that and he was in less pain. He was even able to sit up.

It didn’t stop Tony from fussing over his husband and he only stopped when Stephen took Tony’s hands into his.

“Tony,” he spoke softly and waited until Tony looked at him. “I’m fine.”

“You’re fine…” Tony echoed.

And it was the truth: by some miracle both men had survived.

Tony accepted a cup of water handed out by some apprentices in red robes and handed it straight to his husband. Stephen drank from it and then gave it back to Tony, wordlessly asking him to do the same.

They were still sitting on the ground near the infirmary. It wasn't even midday. That such an attack had happened in broad daylight was unusual. The attackers had used the cover of the fog, but they must have been very sure of their victory. Maybe overconfident.

Stephen looked at the place where the body of the Ancient One no longer lay, and he realized something. “She knew it.”

“Who?” Tony asked.

“The Ancient One. She must have known what would happen today. She wasn’t even surprised by the alarm. She probably even suspected she would die today, and I was the person she asked to see before she… I think she wanted to make sure I was happy in Midgard.”

Stephen looked at Tony, his eyes suddenly wet.

Tony put a sympathetic hand on his arm. He had known her only for a day, but that was enough to see what an incredible woman she had been. And she had clearly cared about Stephen a lot.

Tony briefly wondered why she had not tried to prevent her death if she had known. He couldn't imagine living with that kind of knowledge and still letting it happen.

He remembered Donna’s words about time magic.

And who knew… maybe the alternatives had been even worse…

“Luckily we had chosen now to visit,” he concluded his trail of thoughts. At least that had given Stephen the opportunity to speak to his mentor one last time.

The sorcerer made a noise that sounded somewhere between a hollow laugh and a painful sob. “There are no such things as coincidences. Everything happens for a reason.”

Tony didn’t fully agree with that. They had planned this trip and informed the Sorcerer Supreme, or really anyone, only after everything had been agreed on.

On the other hand… if Stephen hadn’t stepped in fighting that evil guy – who else would have? And would they have succeeded?

Wong stepped to their side. He had stayed close to him the whole time since the fight had started. Not only as Stephen's manservant but today,  as their guard and – most importantly – as Stephen’s friend.

“Stephen, The Council is meeting to decide how to proceed. They asked us to join them.” He turned his face to Tony. “As Stephen’s husband and ally of Kamar-Taj you are welcome as well.”

Stephen nodded and slowly got up to his feet. He briefly staggered when a wave of dizziness overtook for a moment, but he rejected Tony’s hand that tried to support him.

“I’m fine. Just magical exhaustion.”

Tony didn’t know anything about that. Sure, Stephen's exterior wounds seemed healed; mostly scratches and cracked skin from when he was rolling all over the ground. But he didn’t believe that deeper, internal injuries would heal just as quickly. Even with magic.

Tony was glad to be able to join the Council and keep an eye on Stephen. Although he would have understood if he had been excluded from what was clearly a discussion about internal affairs of the sorcerers.

Some might say it was way too early to deal with the political consequences; the damage caused by the attack was still being recorded. The bodies of the fallen were still being carried off the battlefields.

But this had been an act of war and war didn’t care about sensibility or anyone’s grief.

Tony wasn’t fully familiar with the command structure of the sorcerers, but he knew they were in a weaker position without their leader.

Wong led them to a nearby temple and into a smaller room. Several other men and women in robes of various colors had gathered there. They greeted the three men and introduced themselves to the King of Midgard.

Stephen removed the necklace from his neck and put it onto a pedestal that had the exact shape to hold it. Nobody else touched it.

Tony noticed someone had brought food. It was just a big bowl of rice – nobody had time to cook with the attack - but Tony was still thankful. Breakfast seemed like an eternity ago and everyone knew that council meetings could go on forever.

And really: it started with everyone present telling what had happened from their perspective. It helped to get the big picture; like pieces of a puzzle.

It took a long time and often the stories overlapped.

Stephen was the last to talk, as he reported how he managed to defeat the head of the attackers, Kaecilius.

For once, Tony leaned back and listened quietly. He only talked when he was asked to.

The council meeting was long and tedious. Some people were circling back multiple times to discuss why the incident had happened in the first place.

Tony was used to this; it was similar to holding a council with the nobles. And Stephen seemed to feel the same way, except he wasn’t shy about his opinion on that. There was a lot of eye rolling from his side and he took an active part in the discussion, although he no longer lived here. But he was still a sorcerer – the Ancient One had said he had a forever  place here – and he was also still their prince.

Then the question was raised who should become the next Sorcerer Supreme, and instantly silence fell.

Stephen looked at the others and needed a moment to realize all eyes were on him. He frowned.

“No.”

“It was supposed to be you,” an older sorcerer interjected. Tony had gotten to know him as Master Hamir. “You are one of the best candidates we have ever had.”

“I have other commitments,” Stephen interjected. “And I'm going to be king.”

“Not of Kamar-Taj. It's a technicality, but the law doesn't apply in this case,” Master Minoru interjected.

Stephen was truly surprised that all his arguments were discarded and instead he even received encouragement. He hadn't expected that; he had been gone for months and had not planned on coming back for anything more than a visit.

He looked at Tony as if asking him for backup. He had made a promise to Tony the day they had married. The day he had signed the wedding contracts.

But to his surprise, Tony sided with the sorcerers. “We could arrange around your new duties.”

“It would mean that I would mostly stay in Kamar-Taj,” Stephen pointed out.

“I know.” Tony stepped closer to his husband. Stephen flinched and it almost looked like he would draw back, but he didn’t move away, his feet planted in the ground. Gently, Tony took the scarred hands into his. “I don’t want to keep you from this. It’s important to you.”

He remembered the Ancient One’s words from yesterday – and oh god it was really only yesterday they had arrived in Kamar-Taj and met her. It felt like weeks ago.

Even if it meant making sacrifices and only getting a small part of Stephen; Tony wanted him to be happy.

The other masters listened in silence. This was now a discussion between husbands. And between the rulers of a kingdom.

Stephen realized just how serious Tony was. He didn’t know how he deserved this man.

When his parents had presented him the marriage proposal he had thought that this part of his life was done and over. But now Tony offered him a second chance.

Stephen knew what it meant for Midgard and its king: Stephen would barely be there, his attention always divided between two realms that weren’t even close to each other.

How often would they even be able to see each other?

It was a big decision to make and Stephen should take his time for it. But he knew what he wanted for his future; even more so after what Tony had just offered.

“You are right.” Stephen was suddenly clear on what to say. “But there’s one thing that you didn’t consider. The most important thing.” There was a smile on his lips. “I love you.”

Tony looked at him in awe, his mind blanking. He needed a second to find his words. “You… uh, really? You really mean that?”

“I truly do. There are other perfectly fine candidates and-…”

Tony pulled him into a kiss. It was a kiss that spoke of whispered confessions and shared dreams.

Stephen would stay at Tony’s side. He chose Tony.

Tony was enough for him.

He felt like the happiest man alive.

Tony only remembered there were other people in the room when someone cleared their throat. He didn’t care; kissing his husband wasn’t the worst he had been caught doing.

Stephen's cheeks, on the other hand, were tinted red. He stood up a bit straighter when he turned to the other masters, but he kept his fingers interlaced with Tony’s, who was outright beaming.

“I decline,” Stephen announced what they had come to realize was his final answer. “That doesn’t mean I won’t aid you if anything happens. Just not in the position as the Sorcerer Supreme. Instead I propose Loki, Prince of Asgard, for that.”

Now, those words surprised some of the sorcerers.

Some others didn’t seem shocked at all.

“We will consider it,” Master Hamir said.

And somehow that marked the end of this meeting.

_____________

Taglist: @goopierthenyou (tell me if you want to be added/removed)

[queen-of-deans-booty]

Reality Check

Pairing: Dean Winchester x Avenger!Fem!Reader

Word Count: ~3.1k

Warnings: angst, murder by magic, MoC!angst

Summary: The gang comes together to create a plan in order to catch you and remove the Mark. Sam and Dean get to go to space for the first time, and a new stone gets to experience humanity for the first time. It’s everything they need to get you back to who you were before, just like Dean promised.

Past, Present, and Future Masterlist

Square Filled: wanda maximoff (mcuxspn crossover) for @fandombingo

Author’s Note: any and all comments are appreciated <3

x

The Mark of Cain originated from God and Lucifer, and the only two people that can provide information about that are Sam and Dean. Dean has had the Mark before, he knows the ins and outs of the curse whether he likes it or not. Dr. Strange and Wanda are the only ones that can do magic, and it’s not like Stephen is going to go to Asgard to convince Loki to help out. No, this is their business only. Asgard has nothing to do with this so it doesn’t make sense to involve them now.

“The only way to get the Mark off is using what we call the Book of the Damned. It’s a spellbook that contains the worst kind of spells, usually paired with cosmic consequences,” Sam explains.

“If you don’t want your God and Amara to be free, then we can’t use the Book of the Damned to remove it. I believe that if we can connect this mark to something from the multiverse, it won’t need to draw power from the Book of the Damned. We’d be able to remove it from her without releasing them. It would still bind them to their prisons but it won’t unlock by that book. Does that make sense?”

“So, how do we pair it to the multiverse?” Dean asks. “I thought God erased all other multiverses.”

“He erased the ones that you two were in. There are others without you in it, and those are the ones we will use.”

“How?” Sam asks.

“That’s why Wanda is here.” All eyes turn to her. “We need something that has equal power to the Book of the Damned. We need the Darkhold.”

“You want me to use it again?” She takes two steps back and shakes her head. “Knowing what happened the last time I used it?”

“What is the Darkhold?” Dean asks.

“Our version of the Book of the Damned,” Stephen explains. “Your spell is bound to the Book of the Damned. If we can create a new spell and trap it with a spell from the Darkhold, there won’t be any ties to your book. Therefore, no one in your world will be able to use it.”

“I think that’s a great idea!”

“I think that’s too good to be true,” Sam glares.

“Stephen, do you know what happened last time? I almost killed you and America.”

“We have a way to protect you, too. Everyone at Kamar Taj is willing to lend their magic so you can fall back onto them when it gets to be too much.”

“I can’t go back there. Not after I nearly destroyed it.”

“They have forgiven.”

Wanda looks away from the men and steps off to the side to think about what Stephen is asking her to do. Maybe she can ask Vision to use the mind stone to help strengthen her mind against the Darkhold if she accepts.

“This is a great plan and all, but how are we going to get to her? I can’t imagine she’ll go willingly.”

“I’m afraid there is only one thing that can help us right now. The Reality Stone.” He pauses to let that information sink in. “If we can manipulate her reality to think she is gaining more power, we can trap her.”

“What about me?” Wanda asks. “Why not let me do that and you use the Darkhold?”

“You’re the only one who can use it well. It was meant for you to use.” She sighs and looks away again in thought. “I need you at Kamar Taj to learn the spell and get used to its power.”

“When you mean the Reality Stone, you mean…?”

“The Reality Stone. I will turn it into its own person. It’s fairly easy but to do that, I need the stone which is on planet Knowhere with the Collector. It’s your job to steal it for me.”

“Come again?” Sam asks.

“Are you capable of doing that?”

“Why can’t you? You’re the one with magic,” Dean says.

“Yes, I’m the one with magic who has to help with the spell to help your little girlfriend. So, are you capable of stealing a magical stone for me?”

“Yes, we are,” Sam answers for his brother.

Stephen doesn’t respond and opens a portal to Kamar Taj. Wanda steps through the portal hesitantly knowing she has to do this to help to atone for her mistakes even if Strange says people have forgiven. The portal closes and Stephen opens the one to Knowhere.

“Before you go, I have to warn you. The collector is Taneleer Tivan, and he is cruel and obsessed with treasure and money. If he even so much as has an inkling of what you’re after, he will kill you.”

“Great,” Dean says sarcastically.

“Can you handle this?”

“Can you?” Dean challenges.

“What are you doing? Come on,” Sam whispers.

Both Sam and Dean feel guilty for your state because it’s their fault you’re like this. If they hadn’t wanted God and Amara locked away, you wouldn’t have come to visit them. If you never did, Sam would have never taken the Mark, therefore, keeping you from taking it. They have to do this for you. Sam and Dean gear up before stepping through the portal into Knowhere.

“I will open a portal in this exact spot in an hour.”

Dr. Strange closes the portal seconds later, and the brothers look around the dead planet in awe.

“Never have I ever thought we’d be in space much less on another planet.”

“Come on, we only have an hour.”

“How are we going to get the stone?”

“I don’t know. I’ll think of something. Just you get the stone, I’ll distract him.”

They walk into the Collector’s shop which is littered with a bunch of items. The place looks like a crowded flea market.

“How the hell am I supposed to look for a stone in here?” Sam whispers.

“Try the EMF reader. It picks up waves, right? I’m assuming an Infinity Stone gives off some sort of waves.”

Sam slips into the shadows while Dean continues straight, looking for the Collector. Some of the items are kind of cool, nothing like Dean has ever seen.

“Can I help you?” Dean looks up to see a tall man with white hair approach him. There is a woman with pink skin right behind him who doesn’t say a word. “Who are you?”

“Dean Winchester. I hear you’re the one to go to if you have something worth something, right?”

“You’ve heard right. Are you here to… donate?”

“You betcha.” Dean slings his duffel bag onto the table and zips it open. “I have a full bottle of holy oil.” He sets the bottle on the table but the Collector doesn’t look that impressed. “Not enough for you? Alright. I also have the First Blade. You know, the one with Cain and Abel.”

The Collector’s eyes light up when he sees the weapon. He holds his hands out to touch it but pulls back as if it will burn him.

“Go ahead. Touch it. You don’t have the Mark. It won’t hurt you.”

“You know what I could do with a blade like this?”

“Well, it doesn’t have juice without the Mark but I’m sure you can find some use for it, right?”

“You have no idea the possibilities this brings. Why are you giving it to me?”

“I’ve had enough pain to last a lifetime, and most of it is caused by this blade. So, you want it?”

“Carina! The finest alcohol for our dear friend,” the Collector smiles.

“Right away, sir,” the pink woman nods and scurries off.

Come on, Sam. Get the damn stone. Carina returns with a tray of alcohol that Dean can’t refuse. He has never tried anything that didn’t come from Earth, so this will be interesting. He accepts the drink only because Sam hasn’t returned from wherever he’s at. Or he might be dead because there is more than just the Collector inside this place.

“So, Earthling, where did you get something like this?”

“A friend gave it to me.” The Collector hums and grabs the blade from the box. Dean packs the holy oil knowing he doesn’t want it and slings the duffel bag over his shoulder. He spots movement from the corner of his eye before seeing his younger brother’s shaggy hair. “Well, this has been fun. Thanks for the drink but I must be going.”

Dean turns away to head to the front door, eager to get the hell out of there. There’s only so much space a person can take before becoming homesick. He’s almost at the front door when he hears a shriek come from the pink woman.

“Taneleer Tivan! They have the stone!”

“Run!” Sam gasps.

Sam and Dean book it out of the Collector’s place and straight to the place where Strange made the portal.

“You will not escape me, Dean Winchester!” Tivan shouts. “Carina! Get me that stone!”

“Where the hell is Strange?”

“I don’t know. It’s been an hour.”

The brothers are stuck with no way off this planet while the pink lady is running at them angrily. When she’s about a yard away from them, a portal opens behind them and both brothers jump through it.

“Close it!” Sam yells. Strange closes the portal before Carina can get to them, and they sigh in relief. “Never going to space again.”

“Did you get it?”

“Yeah, we got it. Next time, get your own damn stone.”

“Tivan doesn’t exactly like me. Anyway, let’s get started.”

Strange brings Sam and Dean deeper into the Sanctum Sanctorum to the place where Strange made you. He removes the stone from its protective carrier before putting it into the device. Strange uses magic and technology to bring the stone to life and in no time, a naked man steps out of the device the stone was placed into. A bright red stone is embedded into the man’s chest where his heart is. Strange grabs some clothes and hands them to the man who quickly changes into them.

“I’ve never seen a person being made like this before. Is he… like us?” Sam asks, cringing at how awkward his question is.

“Yes. Reality, we need help.”

“Reality will suffice for now,” he says in a deep voice.

“Listen, it’s about the time stone.”

“Ah, yes, little sister,” he smirks. Dean explains what’s going on starting from when you first came to them about God and Amara to escaping and going darkside. “So, you need me to give her a taste of her own medicine? I can do that.”

“Do not make me regret transforming you into a person,” Strange glares.

“Don’t worry, Strange. You won’t.”

You’re already halfway through the list you got from Spencer when you freeze. Something like waves is washing over your body. Waves that are coming from something powerful. The Mark burns brightly at the thought of something powerful calling to it. You want to ignore it but the urge is just too strong.

You drop the person whose life you just stole to the ground before leaving the house. You’re not sure where you’re going but the Mark does. It’s taking control now, leading you right to the thing it wants the most. The streets are desolate and every house you pass by is dark as if no one is home. You look around and frown at the lack of people but you keep on walking to wherever this thing is pulling you to.

You walk around the corner and see something shining in the middle of the street. That’s it. That’s the thing you’re attracted to. You’re not sure what it is but it’s pulling you toward it as if you have a rope tied around you. The closer you get, the more you see bone. Bone that’s in the shape of a blade with what looks like teeth on the blade.

You grab it and an immediate surge of power runs through your body. Red tendrils from your Mark up to your heart, and you close your eyes to bask in the power. This is so much better than killing with your power. It’s like you were meant to have this bone. You turn to leave when you spot someone standing on the other end of the street as if they can prevent you from leaving.

Their mistake.

“It’d be wise to leave before you get hurt.”

The man steps closer until the street light illuminates his face. You’ve never seen this man before so you’re not sure who he is but you bet you can take him with one flick of your wrist.

“Can’t do that little sister,” the man smirks. Little sister? Your only sibling is Vision and he is nowhere to be seen. The only reason this man calls you his little sister is because… Oh, Stephen… You didn’t. “You’ve been a bad girl.”

A red light shines where his heart is beneath his clothes.

“Reality,” you say. “You can’t stop me.”

You turn to escape the other way but Stephen Strange stands at the other end of the street. Before you can blink, Stephen sends a whip of magic at you, wrapping you inside his spell. Before you know it, you’re back inside the glass tube, this time, with a spell encasing it so you can’t escape. You look down to see the blade is gone which was just another trick by Reality.

“Let me out!!” you scream. You bang your fist on the glass but flinch back when it sends a painful shock through your body. Stephen, Reality, Vision, Wanda, Sam, and Dean walk into the room. “Please, let me out. I’m better. I can be better. Please let me out.”

Dean walks to the glass with tears in his eyes but he doesn’t let them fall.

“You’re not okay. I’m sorry for my part in this but we’re going to get you all better.”

“Let me out!” you scream at him.

“I’m not going to do that. I told you that in order to want to do the things I want to do with you, you have to get better and that’s what we’re going to do for you.”

He walks back to his brother when Vision steps up to the glass chamber.

“This is what’s best for you, Y/N.”

“Vision, look into my mind. I’m better now.”

The Mind Stone glows and connects with your mind, and your eyes glow the same color. He tries to manipulate your thoughts and feelings to get you to calm down and think rationally, but the Mark is too strong. You growl angrily and slam your body against the glass but the spell Stephen put there knocks you back.

“It’s not working. The Mark is too strong,” Vision says and steps back.

“Wanda, Reality, you’re up.”

Since Wanda destroyed all copies of the Darkhold when she was using it, Reality has to make a new one that only exists in this universe. It will be a less powerful copy so it won’t affect her as much as the original did, but it’ll be powerful enough to capture and contain the Mark. Red power swirls around Reality as he creates a new Darkhold, and Wanda steps up to it and uses her magic to connect with the power.

“Let her out,” Wanda instructs.

Everyone steps back as Strange uses his magic to undo the spell on the glass. Once you know you’re free, you break the glass and step forward angrily. You raise your arm to use your power on them but Wanda beats you to it. She blasts you with her red magic that encompasses your entire body. She chants the spell over and over again while her magic shoots right through the Mark on your wrist.

You scream out in pain and fall to your knees, unable to do anything but take what she is giving you.

“Dean! Please help me!” you beg through the tears.,

Sam holds his brother back from going to you. You’ll say anything to get it to stop and right now, they can’t stop until the Mark is off you. Wanda sucks the Mark off your body and straight to her. Strange conjures a magical box that traps the spell, keeping it in its physical form. You fall completely on the ground and Dean rushes over to you despite his brother’s protests. He pulls you into his arms and you cry into his chest at the aftereffects of bearing the mark.

Reality creates a box to hold the spell and locks it tightly with Strange’s magic. It’s over. It’s finally over and God and Amara are still locked away. You sniffle and use Dean’s help to stand. Vision, Reality, and Wanda step back to give you some privacy as Stephen walks over to you and Dean.

“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry,” you cry. “I’m sorry for everything I did. I’ll accept any punishment you give me.”

“I forgive you,” Stephen bites out.

“What?”

“Look, you’re just a child. You have a lot to learn. While this was a really bad fuck up, I didn’t do a good job training you.”

“So, what are you saying?”

“I’m saying I’ll be more strict on you checking up with me. We will have weekly sessions where I train you, and don’t do shit without me knowing.”

“Yeah, you got it.”

“Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to clean up your mess.”

Stephen might have forgiven you right now but you know the real punishment will come with the rigorous training he’ll give you. He joins Reality’s side and takes the spell to keep in Kamar Taj where it will always be protected.

“How are you feeling?” Dean asks.

“Guilty like a lot. Is that normal?”

“Yeah. If you come back to the Bunker with me and Sam, I might have something that will help with that,” he chuckles.

“Like what?”

“Like this.” Dean pulls you close and kisses you. While it doesn’t take your guilt away, it does bring back the butterflies. The kiss is short and sweet but it leaves you wanting more. “You’re going to need people on your side like Sam and me.”

“Thanks for not giving up on me,” you whisper. “I want to go back to the Bunker but I should stay here for a little bit. You know, face up to my actions. I can’t let Stephen clean up my mess without me.”

“I’ll be waiting for you.”

“I promise I won’t let you wait long,” you smile.

x

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[agentoffangirling]

as a south asian why the hell did they make aladdin and jasmine south asian. I am so confused. Isn't jasmine's name literally persian

Okay okay so there's a bit of a story for this

And to quickly answer your last question, yup, Jasmine is one of the forms of Yas/Yasmine, our jasmine flowers

So back in the 90s, and still a little bit today, many production companies such as Disney didn't really see a difference with the Middle East and South Asia. When Disney decided they wanted to make an adaptation of "Aladdin" from "One Thousand and One Nights" (slight tidbit here, the story of Aladdin is not part of the original book. A French guy added it in and for some reason, set it in China? One Thousand is a Persian story, most of the stories in there are Persian, so this choice was. Interesting), it's not like they suddenly hired a bunch of Middle Eastern experts to consult on the film. No, they just created a desert-y landscape and lumped in Persian, Arab, and South Asian all in there

This is why the palace of Agrabah heavily resembles the Taj Mahal on a more Arabic-sounding name. Rajah, Jasmine's pet tiger, is an Indian word for king. Names such as Jafar and Jasmine are Persian in origin, while a lot of the clothing is Turkish-inspired. Villains such as the Captain and Jafar have a lot more stereotypically Middle Eastern features (hooked nose, bushy eyebrows, etc [and it's a convo for another day about how the "good" characters don't have these exaggerated features])

This melding of several cultures is what led up to the live-action "Aladdin" in 2019. The creators of that movie wanted to be more respectful of the region, and so this time, they did hire consultants and the like to help ensure it would be much less offensive ("where they cut off your ear if they don't like your face", nice going 1992)

And for the most part, they did that. Except for Jasmine

Jasmine is played by Naomi Scott, a half white half Indian woman, and look, it's pretty obvious she only got this part because she's well known. I would also like to point out that the casting calls for the characters in general once again lumped Southeast Asian and Middle Eastern people, however, almost all of the cast is Middle Eastern, and several of them are Persian (Sultan and Mara, notably)

So while everyone else is wearing clothes more indicative of the Middle East, you have miss Jasmine over here dressed in sarees and Indian-inspired clothing because costuming department went "oh! She's Indian now!" Agrabah is also a lot more similar to South Asia than the Middle East, further deepening this issue

To an outsider, "Aladdin" is Indian. To them, there's some Arab inspo, but they would mostly think it's set somewhere in India or South Asia. That's what the casting and costuming department in "Rise of Red" were working with, and so they just opted to go the whole South Asian angle. None of the actors who portray Jasmine, Aladdin, and their kid are Middle Eastern, they're all South Asian. The clothes they're wearing are very obviously from that region

And if I'm being completely honest, that's exactly what I expect from Disney. Why would they bother to do research for extremely minor characters with two lines? The problem here is what I've been talking about above, is that Hollywood is constantly thinking South Asians and Middle Easterners are interchangeable when we're not. If I see a MENA character on screen, more often than not the actor is South Asian. This is a continuous problem no one from these places wants to see happening, and yet it is because Hollywood doesn't actually care. The more it's done, the more they think it's okay and so they continue to blur the lines between several different cultures

So, on an ending note, Jasmine and Aladdin are Arab, if not Persian, and the idea that we are interchangable with South Asians harms both our cultures