Pull | Infinity War

Chapter 6: "So you joined a pajama-wearing cult? Is that it?"

Literally. She'd collapsed to the wall, clutching her chest and felt the anxiety, worry, and the overwhelming fear of Stephen never waking up, setting in.

Okay, so maybe it wasn't quite a heart attack, but it sure seemed like one at the time. 

"You were a complete ass for weeks. Weeks. It drove me up the wall."

"And then one day, you came home and I was gone."

"Damn right you were, continue."

"The therapist I went to every week? He told me only one person had made a full recovery with the same scale injury as I had. When I found him, Pangborn said Kamar Taj was the only place that could help, and the price would be high. I didn't want to wait for you or drag you with me, so I booked the earliest flight I could and left.

"India was beautiful, and I met some fantastic people there, but it wasn't until the second day I was there did I actually find what I was looking for. I, I experienced some weird things. Things that, If I told you, you probably wouldn't believe." Iris scoffed under her breath.

"Please, I've seen some strange shit, no pun intended, and this," she gestured to his clothes and necklace. "It isn't the weirdest. Give me a rundown." Stephen sighed and nodded, and counted down on his fingers. 

"I got stabbed by a mystic sword; I found a cape that has a mind of its own and can float; I screwed with the laws of time; I killed a man, four I think, two were women; I bargained with a cosmic being from the dark dimension; I died, various times, various ways." Iris raised her eyebrows at that last one.

"Wait, wait wait. Let me just double check. You died? Multiple times?"

"I lost count honestly, somewhere around seven."

"I have a problem with that."

"Which one: losing count or dying?" Iris whacked his arm.

"Both, idiot."

"Ouch." Her pitch lowered as she mocked him. 

"Which one: the words, or the hit?"

"Both." Iris rolled her eyes.

"Do I even want to know the rest of the story? Or the details?"

"Probably not," Iris smirked as her next words lept out of her mouth.

"So you joined a pajama-wearing cult? Is that is?" Stephen sighed, and she laughed at his reaction (which she'd expected.) 

"It's not a cult." 

"That is exactly what a cultist would say." 

"All right, I'll let you have that one. Enough about me, your turn." Iris raised her eyebrow.

"Excuse me?" 

"I gave you my explanation, now it's time for yours." She sighed and settled back against his arm. 

"I was eleven. My sister and I used to share a room in Maine until we moved out and moved to New York. I don't know what it was, but that night, I had a shitty dream and woke up to find myself, my sister, and everything in our room glued to the ceiling. I freaked the-fuck-out, like, I wouldn't stop screeching and screaming: "We're going to die!" My sister was the calm one, telling me: "We're not going to die, but we might if you don't shut up." She calmed me down, and I don't think her nor I knew what was going on, but her first priority was to help me. 

"Eventually, when I calmed down enough so I could breathe normally, everything flopped to the floor. And I mean everything. We landed on our beds, mostly unharmed, but we spent the next week cleaning out room and fixing shit.

"After that, it only ever happened once or twice more, and that was all thanks to June. She taught me everything I know, even though she didn't have superpowers of her own. I take that back, she did. June was always there for me, making sure I didn't blow anything up or fling everyone up into space. I could call her at two in the morning and it wouldn't matter; she was always there." Stephen nodded.

"She seems amazing." Iris nodded too.

"June still is, she was the first person I called when you asked me on a date. She wouldn't stop screaming into the phone about how much she 'shipped us.'" Strange's eyebrows vanished into his forehead, and Iris laughed at his expression. 

"Iris? June? Did your parents have a thing for summer or something?" Iris's roar lept down the corridor, and she could feel Strange shaking with suppressed laughter next to her.

"Guess what my mom's name is?"

"Oh god, I don't want to know." 

"Lilly." Stephen's laughter echoed through hers.

"What's your dad's name?"

"John." They looked at each other again, before bursting into laughter. Stephen hugged her, sitting on the secluded ledge, hiding in the shadows, laughing like this was the last time they could. 

A/N: The Exposition Chapter™ (Part 2)

 Er mer gerd I'm so sorry for the late update, I know it's been ages. In case you haven't noticed, I'm asking for ideas for future chapters, and I really do appreciate any contributions. <3

If you also haven't noticed, Pull: Infinity War has reached over 300 views wtffff this story has been up for like, 2 weeks thank you so muuuuuuch. <3 <3 <3

Even more also, special thanks to @squidfib @Sigyn-Laufeyson for being there for me and voting and reading, you guys are the bomb <3

Have a fantastic day, love you all loads <3 *Sends hugs, chocolate, and tissues* 

~Kelly~