Welcome to the World of the Demon Possessed Avengers Au where your favorite Avengers are forced to fight their inner demons every day of their lives.
The reason I'm doing the origin stories rather than an actual story it's because I'm not sure whose story to tell. I don't want to focus on only one person and their demon, and make everyone else a background or side character. I want everyone to have their time to shine.
(In endless suffering)
So here it is.
Starting with the man who started it all.
I... AM... IRON MAN!
Child Psychiatrist, Dr. Blue had thought she had seen the worst cases when it came to children. From recurring nightmares to psychological horrors of abuse.
All of it, she had handled with patience and comfort.
But nothing could prepare her for the day the Stark family stepped into their office, under the concerns for their son.
10-year-old Tony Stark was seated on his knees in front of a low brown coffee table, scribbling away on a piece of paper.
On a couch behind him was an older man in a fancy suit, Edwin Jarvis, who was watching the child with care and concern.
The child's main focus was on the pictures he was drawing, trying to distract himself from overhearing his parents conversation with the child psychiatrist, about him.
In the main office, Dr. Blue was seated behind her desk, with Maria and Howard Stark sitting in the chairs in front of her.
Maria was listing everything that had been happening to their son with concern while Howard listened. Or it at least looked like he was listening.
"He's been losing sleep, he's not eating. He's afraid all the time. Afraid that this… purple man - thing from his nightmare is out to get him,"
Howard suddenly cleared his throat loudly, bringing Maria to a stop in her concerned rant.
"As a Stark, it's not uncommon to feel like someone is after us," the man said nonchalantly, "My business is a dangerous one, at some point someone is going to be after Tony when he takes over,"
Maria looked at her husband with shock while Dr. Blue was listening to it all with interest.
"I'm sure that this whole nightmare is just a phase-"
"It's not a phase!" Maria insisted sharply, "He's been having nightmares for an entire week straight. There's something wrong with our son!"
Dr. Blue suddenly raised her hand up to silently tell the woman to stop, Maria, of course, compiled all the while covering her mouth to suppress her upcoming sobs.
"After hearing both sides of your stories," the psychiatrist said carefully, "I think that it would be best if I heard it from the child in question,"
When Maria looked ready to protest, the psychiatrist quickly added:
"It would help me get a better diagnosis if I properly hear what the problem is."
Maria brought the child into Blue's office, the boy brought his drawings into the office as well. Placing them down at the coffee table before being seated in an armchair.
It took some convincing before Maria finally agreed to leave Tony alone with the psychiatrist.
Once the office door had clicked shut, Dr. Blue began her treatment.
The ticking sound of the metronome echoed across the walls of the office.
Dr. Blue had moved to a soft beige armchair with young Tony seated in a similar chair across from her, causing the two to face each other. The metronome sat on a coffee table in between the two, keeping the two separated.
Tony's eyes were gently shut, and his chest rose in a rhythmic pattern. The metronome had placed him in a small trance, enough for him to answer her questions honestly.
Dr. Blue spoke softly as the metronome continued ticking.
"Tony, I'm going to ask you a few questions. Is that okay?"
Without opening his eyes, the child nodded.
"Before we begin, I want you to know that you're completely safe. Your parents are right outside the door," Dr. Blue glanced to the small window by the door to see Maria looking intently at her son, "If you ever feel that you want in here then I'll get them straight away. Ok?"
Again, Tony just nodded silently.
"Alright," the psychiatrist paused for a moment to take a breath before beginning.
"I would like you to tell me about the man from your dreams, the purple man."
Tony's breathing hitched just for a minute before returning to a relaxed pace.
"Tell me about your dreams,"
The metronome swung three times before the child finally began to speak.
"I'm on Titan,"
Dr. Blue's eyebrow creased together in confusion, "What's Titan?"
"The planet that he's from, everything is orange, and all the buildings are destroyed," The child's face scrunched up in anger for a second, "I hate it there,"
The psychiatrist was visibly concerned. Not once had she met a child who was so tormented.
"And the man, the purple man, is he there?"
The metronome swung two times.
"Always."
"Does he talk to you?" Tony took a few deep breaths through his nose before nodding, "What does he say?"
The metronome swung four times.
"He says that I can't ignore my destiny, just like he can't ignore his. He says that the universe is imbalanced, and it needs correcting. And in the end, he will get what he wants,"
"And what is it that he wants?"
The metronome swung six times.
"My soul."
Dr. Blue was taken back by those two words, obviously not expecting the child's dream to be so... terrifying and specific.
Silently, Dr. Blue grabbed the metronome stick with her index finger and thumb, bringing the clicking noise to an end.
"Tony, could you open your eyes for me, please?"
The child slowly blinked his dark brown eyes open. He stared at the older woman with curiosity and slight fear.
Dr. Blue reached for the small stack of paper that was beside the metronome, they were the same pictures that Tony had been drawing from the other room.
After ruffling through the small stack, Dr. Blue pulled out a piece of paper and placed it flat on the table for both of them to see.
"Is this the man from your dreams?"
The picture had a giant man with purple skin, dressed in golden armor as well as a helmet. On his massive right hand, there was a gauntlet with six different colored dots across the back of his hand, and his face had a deep angry scowl on it.
Enough to scare any child in the world.
Tony stared at his drawing, fear, and hatred could be seen in his eyes. Giving the answer the psychiatrist needed away.
"And does this man have a name?"
At first, Tony only stared down at the picture before slowly lifting his head to face her.
"Thanos,"
Tony sat alone in the same chair as before, while Dr. Blue talked to his parents in the other room.
Through the slightly cracked open door, Tony could make out:
".. not sure unless I do more tests, but there is a possibility we are dealing with schizophrenia or..."
Tony ignored the rest of the conversation. Even at his age, he knew that every adult would think that he was just overreacting or crazy.
But he knew the truth. He knew what was coming.
"You are not the only one cursed with knowledge,"
Suddenly, in a heat of anger, he grabbed the paper and angrily crumbled it up in his small hands with a growl.
28 Years Later...
Tony Stark was in a meeting room in his building: Stark Industries, listening to (or at least pretending to) a Board of Directors meeting.
The man had his head leaning heavily against one of his heads, while his free one was flat against the table. His fingers knocking on the wood in a bored motion.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Stark," One of the men speaking suddenly said, "Am I boring you?"
Tony chuckled and held up his free hand, pinching his index finger and thumb closely together.
"Just a smidge,"
The man didn't find it amusing, neither did anyone else as they all stared at him with disbelief and some even with concern.
"Just got a minor headache, carry on."
The man cleared his throat to re-grab everyone's attention and then continued.
As the man returned to rambling on, Tony tried his best to pay attention but he could feel a massive migraine forming in the back of his mind
Suddenly, another wave of pain rolled in the CEO's head. One much larger than before.
With a small groan of pain, Tony used his hand to cover his face entirely, hoping to ease some of the pain.
Just then, the whole room fell silent.
"I'm not falling asleep!" Tony said without lowering his hand, "I'm just taking a breath,"
After a few seconds, the pain finally numbed to a tolerable level.
"Now, where were-"
Tony's voice trailed off as his eyes widened and his face paled as he took in his surrounding.
He wasn't in the meeting room anymore, or Stark Industries, or any building at all.
Still in his chair, Tony was now in the center of the planet that had tormented him for years.
Titan.
Oh thought as he looked frantically around the deserted planet, Please, no, please!
Particles of dust were in the air and rained around the man.
All too soon, a large shadow draped over him, causing Tony to look straight ahead.
Standing just a few feet away from his, was Thanos.
"What you've tried to ignore for all these years will come to pass," the Titan said with no emotion, "Dread it. Run from it. Destiny still arrives,"
Suddenly, the stones on his gauntlet began to glow brightly.
"You will sacrifice your soul to me, there is no way around it. It is your destiny,"
Tony was breathing heavily. Fear and Anger swirled in his chest, too many thoughts ran through his head. He wanted this to stop.
He lunged forward in his chair.
"LEAVE ME ALONE!" Tony screamed as he jumped from his chair and sprung to his feet.
When he stood flat on the ground again, Tony found himself back in the meeting room.
Everyone in the room was staring at him.
Tony's breath remained uneven as his eyes scanned the room for any traces of his vision.
He's coming for me!
"Excuse me," he said in a hoarse voice as he stumbled towards the door. His panic caused his legs to shake, making it hard to walk properly.
As Tony rushed to the door, he bumped harshly against other people sitting in their chairs and knocked the papers that were on the table to the ground. Fumbling for the door, Tony yanked it open and raced out of the room. Ignoring the shouts of his names from behind.
Tony walked aimlessly down the halls of his building, occasionally bumping harshly against the wall when he turned a corner. Anyone he walked past would stare at him with confusion and horror but he paid no mind to them.
The man had nowhere, in particular, he wanted to go, he just had to get out of that office.
Suddenly, a strong pair of hands grasped firmly onto Tony's shoulders, forcing him to a stop in his aimless wandering.
"Tony, what happened? Are you ok?"
Calming down just a tad, Tony saw his best friend, Rhodey was the one that had stopped him.
"No! No, not okay," the frightened man stammered in his panic, "Definitely, not okay!"
Rhodey quickly brought his friend to a nearby chair and sat him down.
"What happened? You look like Hell,"
Tony's face was deathly pale and he was gripping the armrest of the chair tightly.
"He's back! He's back! He's Back!" Tony repeated over and over, panic in his voice and clear in his face.
Rhodey tried to quiet his friends shouting all the while trying to understand what he was saying.
"Tony, what are you talking about? Who's back?"
"Thanos!" Tony practically screamed.
Suddenly, Rhodey's face dropped into one of panic. He recognized the name, and what it meant to Tony.
"Oh man, Tones..."
"He's coming," Tony proceeded, quieter this time, "He's back. Thanos is coming,"
This is also a post on Tumblr: Demon Possessed Avengers - Snowflake251.
Yeah, when I mourn a character, I event elaborate ways to keep them alive.
ENDGAME SPOILER BELOW!
I WARN YOU!
Apparently, I saved Tony from death... by making him suffer more than what he already has
...
Man, I am a terrible person.
