This…. This pairing came out of nowhere and hit me in the face.

And when a new pairing hits me, I need to write a fic…. And because it's in the Marvel universe, it's time for another OC, next generation fic.

Everstrange series, here we go ?

Please read, review and enjoy ?

…..

It was midnight.

Stephen and Everett had spent hours arguing.

Everett was fed up of having to decline missions and missing days off of work, whilst Stephen swanned about the world, solving supernatural events, never even offering to take Lancelot for the week or even a day.

And it had been six months since the baby was born.

Today, Stephen had brought Everett souvenirs from all corners of the globe… Everett had thrown them at him and accused him of trying to keep him at home like some trophy wife…. And then he pulled out his service weapon and told Stephen to get the hell out of his apartment.

Stephen had to remind himself that Everett was a man of action, and he was tired of being cooped up, but someone had to stay and look after Lancelot and Stephen was saving the world from all manner of threats.

For a little while longer, until Wong was able to look after Lancelot or a babysitter could be hired, it had to be Everett.

It was midnight, and Everett had stormed out of his apartment, growling about going for a walk before someone would 'have to find a new Sorcerer Supreme.' Stephen knew he would be back… had to be back, he wouldn't just leave their son here all night with Stephen.

Sighing, Stephen flipped the kitchen light off, walking through the living room and turning off all the lamps… and using the Eye of Agamotto to fix the wall.

He walked towards the bedrooms, hoping that this tension in their relationship was temporary. The pregnancy and the arrival of Lancelot had changed things for them…. He wasn't rejected, but he wasn't exactly planned. Stephen loved his son more than anything else in the world and if this relationship did fall apart, then he might never see the baby again… he couldn't let that happen.

There was a pang in his heart at the thought.

He stopped just before the main bedroom, glancing at the bedroom just next door.

Right before Lancelot had been born, Stephen had helped to decorate his nursery in this particular apartment. He'd painted the door blue (with a few protective runes, just be sure). The walls were covered in pictures, an alphabet-themed poster hung by the window and there were tiny crystals in that lit up in different colours when it was dark, attached to the ceiling.

Everett thought it was a little weird, however, he ended up liking them…. Eventually.

Sighing wearily, Stephen turned the bronze knob and slowly pushed the door open, peaking inside. Lancelot was asleep in his cot, flat on his back and covered in his favourite blanket, causing Stephen to smile.

If he ever doubted his purpose in life, he had his son. He walked further into the nursery, softly closing the door behind him.

Not quite quietly enough.

Lancelot moved slightly, and his eyes fluttered open…. He looked ready to cry.

Stephen was there in a second. "Hey…" he whispered soothingly, "… I'm sorry."

His son huffed and stretched out his arms, giggling as Stephen lifted him into his arms, taking his blanket with him in order to keep Lancelot covered.

"How's my little sorcerer?"

Lancelot whimpered, eyes fluttering as he glanced around, clearly expecting someone else to be there.

"Daddy's not here… he'll be back soon, don't worry. He loves you just as much as I do." Stephen promised, walking over to the rocking chair and sitting down.

Lancelot stared up at him. His eyes were so much like Everett's, but Stephen swore they were brighter. Everett's eyes were slightly muted by a shade of grey, unlike Lancelot's own, which contained shades of blue and green. Stephen knew his son was going to be a heartbreaker when he grew up.

Like Father, like son.

"AH!" Lancelot huffed.

"Papa… Pa-pa." Stephen chuckled, "Think you can say it?"

"Ah." Lancelot repeated, closing his eyes as Stephen smiled warmly at him.

"I love you Lancelot." He muttered softly, "I promise I'll always be there for you… and I'm going to be there for your Daddy."

…

Everett's eyelids were heavy as he ascended the stairs. After his argument with Stephen, he'd made his way to the office and spent a good part of the night catching up on paperwork and finishing several projects, earning him a little lee-way with his boss.

He hung his head, suspecting that Stephen was probably waiting for him, possibly even ready to continue the argument.

He reached the door and took a deep breath, unlocking the door and stepping inside.

Stephen was waiting on the sofa, his eyes instantly flying to Everett when he walked through the door.

Before Everett could even ask the other man to leave, Stephen held a finger up to his lips and gestured to his chest. Everett's eyes drifted from his lover to his chest… and his heart immediately melted at the sight.

He hadn't noticed it when he came in, but he noticed it now.

Lancelot was resting on Stephen's chest, his eyes closed and his little mouth open as he slept soundly, his small chest rising and falling.

He looked away long enough to meet Stephen's eyes and he found him wearing a gentle smile that made Everett shake his head fondly.

"I've not forgiven you…" he warned as he made his way over and sat beside Stephen, wrapping his arm around Stephen's back, "… Understand? I'm still angry at you."

"I know… but maybe I can make it up to you?"

"Oh?"

Stephen nodded, "You were right… I've been selfish over the last few months, not letting you work to your usual level. You're a kickass agent, and that's why I fell in love with you. So, I'll take over the majority of the babysitting duties… Wong can deal with any minor supernatural events that pop up."

"Hmmm, "Everett frowned, "Why the sudden change in mind? You've never said anything like this since Lancelot was born."

"Because I was wrong… and then I realised that there was a chance that I was going to miss everything about Lancelot, all the milestones, everything! I c-can't deal with that."

Everett was silent for a brief time, before reaching over to his son and gently running his fingers through his hair.

Lancelot's eyes, so much like his own, lifted slowly and beamed toothlessly. "Ah-ah…" he murmured happily as his eyes slid closed, asleep before Everett could return the smile.

"Alright…" Everett eventually whispered, "… I'll give you another chance. But if you ever treat me like that again, I'm taking Lancelot and leaving… future Sorcerer Supreme or not."

"Okay… Okay Everett…. I am sorry you know."

"Let's just get to sleep… we'll take about this more in the morning."

…..

Much to Everett's surprise, Stephen kept his promise, waking up early to get a crying Lancelot changed and dressed for the day.

"So…" Everett frowned, watching as Stephen heated up some milk for the baby, "… you know about the schedule, right?"

"The one pinned to your fridge? Yeah, I might have spotted it." Stephen beamed at Everett, letting the other man know he was only teasing, "He'll have a little playtime after his bottle and then he has breakfast."

"Hmmm, he likes the pea one."

"I'll take that into account…. You don't have to worry Everett, I know what I'm doing."

"Yeah… yeah, I'm sure you do."

Feeling slightly calmed by how Stephen was handling the situation, Everett nodded, kissing his son on the cheek and left for work.

"Alright… "Stephen sighed, clapping his hands together, "… fun day with Papa. Let's do this!"

…..

"He said you liked the pea one… "Stephen grumbled, trying to catch the food Lancelot was spitting out of his mouth, "… this doesn't seem like you liking it."

"Ah! Ah! Ah!" Lancelot slapped his hand against the table of the high chair, giggling and turning his head away as Stephen tried to feed him a little more. "AH!"

"Alright!" Stephen threw his hands in the air, "No more pea mush!"

Gently, he lifted the baby into his arms and placed him in the playpen, watching fondly as the baby shuffled forwards on his belly, reaching out to grab a Tigger teddy… and promptly proceeding to bite on the tail.

"Really?" Stephen sighed, "You refuse green mush, but Tigger's tail is tasty?"

"Ah!"

"Fair enough."

Taking a quick glance at the schedule, Stephen sighed in relief when he noticed that Lancelot was due a nap at around ten o'clock. It meant that he could get some important research done for a couple of hours.

Keeping his eye on his son and keeping the baby entertained (floating objects worked like a treat), the time seemed to fly by and Lancelot went down without even the slightest bit of fussing.

"This isn't so hard…" he muttered to himself, summoning a book to his hand, "… He'll sleep for two hours, then we can have lunch- wait a minute." He stared at the schedule and winced, "Playgroup… why Everett, why."

…

After spending about half an hour trying to put a diaper on the six-month-old (why must they wriggle and try to get away!), Stephen transformed his clothes into a simple suit, set up the pram (why couldn't they make those things simpler?) and created a portal that took them into the alleyway by the playgroup.

"This had better not be full of screaming children…" he muttered to his son, "… if it's full of screaming children, I won't be happy."

"Ah!"

"… We really need to start developing your vocabulary."

They entered the building and a lovely young girl came rushing over, a beaming smile on her face as she caught sight of Lancelot.

"Hey Lance!" she greeted the baby eagerly, before turning her attention to Stephen, "You must be Mister Ross's husband! He always talks about you!"

"Really?" Stephen felt a pang of panic, "All good I hope."

The girl nodded, practically jumping up and down on the spot, "Oh yes, he thought your paternal leave would never come! It's so nice to meet you!"

"It's nice to meet you too… do you mind if I ask how this all works?"

"Oh of course!" She gestured towards a large play area, "This is for children who aren't quite old enough for nursery or school just yet, so we have children up to around four in here. They tend to prefer the play area, but we have a section just for babies as well. Follow me!"

Wearily, Stephen followed her, walking into a room that had several walkers and playpens in it, with mothers cooing over their children.

Cooing was meant to be a soft sound, but multiple mothers in the same room could honestly break the sound barrier, and Stephen was sure about that.

"Lance tends to like sitting in here with all the toys…" the girl gestured to a playpen, that had soft edges, with several teething toys and sensory toys in it, "… do you need any help with him or- "

"-Thank you." Stephen quickly interrupted, giving her his best smile, "But I think I can manage."

The girl nodded, a big smile still on her face as Stephen parked the pram in the corner of the room, and lifted Lancelot into his arms. "Alright…" he muttered, noticing how every woman in the room turned to look at them, "… damn you for being cute."

Although, and maybe he was biased, Lancelot was the cutest baby in there. And he didn't mean to toot his own horn, but the stripy long-sleeved top and soft dungarees he'd dressed his son in, must have helped.

"Okay my little Sorcerer…" Stephen sighed, "… let's get this over and done with."

….

They'd decided to have lunch at the playgroup, with Lancelot eagerly tucking into some sort of carrot mush.

"I'm telling Everett you know…" Stephen chuckled, "… no more pea mush for you."

After around another hour of playtime (with Lancelot starting to fuss when Stephen wouldn't use his magic), Stephen managed to get some workers to heat up another bottle of milk, that Lancelot could have on their way home…. Not that it really took long, but it kept Lancelot occupied for the five minutes it took and allowed him a little peace and quiet as the baby guzzled it down eagerly.

Of course, less than an hour later, he started to fuss again, tears building in his eyes as he started to sob quietly.

"Okay, okay…" Stephen picked him up and rushed towards the bedroom, "Naptime, I get it, I get it."

…

Around an hour and a half later, there was a sharp cry from the bedroom, prompting Stephen to rush in, groaning as Lancelot reached up for him.

"You can't have been asleep for long!" Stephen heard himself sigh wearily, "It can't have been an hour and a half already!"

Lancelot just cooed at him, straining himself as he practically begged to be picked up.

"Alright, alright…" Stephen lifted him into his arms and headed back into the living room, checking the schedule, "… playtime seems like a good idea. Maybe we'll wear you out and you can have another nap…. And I can do the same."

After changing him, he placed Lancelot in the bouncy walker, that was full of loud, colourful things for him to play with. Stephen desperately tried to turn his attention back to his research, tuning out the rattling and random musical sounds.

Checking on his son every few minutes, Stephen eventually found it easy to focus on his work, glancing over and making the occasional item flew over to Lancelot, causing the baby to giggle in glee.

By the time 5pm rolled around, Stephen actually felt like he had managed to get enough done… which was good because he also felt like he was going to collapse at any moment.

"Please don't spit any of this out…" he begged quietly, "… do you know how much mush I found on my clothes after this morning's fiasco?"

Needless to say, the baby just giggled at him and slapped his palms against the highchair table.

"Nice."

"Don't try and reason with him Stephen, he's a baby, remember?"

Stephen and Lancelot instantly turned towards the doorway at the familiar voice, with Stephen sighing in relief and Lancelot squealing in joy, reaching out for his Daddy as the CIA agent strode in.

Everett knelt by the highchair, gently running his fingers through Lancelot's white streak and smiling softly at him, before turning to Stephen… and smirking. "You look tired… harder than it looked?"

Bowing his head in defeat, Stephen nodded wearily. "I admit it… this was hard. But I think I'd get used to it… how was work?"

"The paperwork was a little bit hectic… but luckily for you, I've worked out a system for the higher-ups. So long as it remains in a heavily locked briefcase when not being read, I can take some of this paperwork home. Only the relatively non-confidential ones though."

"So- "

"- so, it means that I will have to be in work at least four days of the week, but the other days, I can be here with Lancelot… and I can pick and choose when I'll be in. If you have an emergency, then I can take over."

Almost immediately, Stephen got to his feet and pulled his lover into a hug, kissing him as Everett chuckled fondly, turning his attention to a huffing Lancelot, who was looking a little bit upset at the lack of attention.

"I think someone deserves some jelly, hmmm?"

As Everett pulled away and headed towards the fridge, Stephen frowned. "He can have jelly?"

"Sugar-free and only a little bit, yes."

"… Sugar-free kind of defeats the purpose of jelly doesn't it?"

"Sssshhhh."

…..

Later that night, when Lancelot was happily asleep, and Everett and Stephen were curled up in bed, Everett shuffled around in Stephen's hold and smiled at him.

"I know you didn't really enjoy it today… but thank you."

"Thank you?"

"… I don't mind looking after our son, but I was brought up to be a soldier, an agent, to defend this country… being a stay-in Dad was never part of the plan."

Wincing at the knowledge that all of this was unplanned, Stephen nodded in understanding, pulling Everett closer. "I'm sorry… I know you never planned to- "

"- Stephen…" Everett shuffled around in his grip, and smiled at his lover, "… I wouldn't change Lancelot for the world… but even you need to admit that things needed to change."

"I know… and I like spending time with our son, I really do… I think I was just scared."

"Scared?"

Stephen was silent for a few moments, before sighing wearily. "I never wanted to be a Dad… so when I had to spend time alone with him, I didn't think I'd be any good at looking after him, keeping him entertained…. So I was scared."

"… and now?"

"Now?" Stephen smiled up at the ceiling, "I think today was the best day ever."

"… Liar."

"… Yeah, a little bit."