Stark Mansion
It is almost dawn.
At the backyard,
The owner of the mansion sat on the wooden chair, his invention place beside him while thinking of a way how to activate his new gadget for the Shield agents. He was too distracted not noticing someone approaches him from behind. That is until when a sudden chill down on his spine causing him to reacts without thinking and grabbing anything that beside him to defend, which happens to be a hammer, swing it around to protect himself from the stranger.
Clank!
Making contact with something metal causing him to let go of the hammer as it flies away and crush down to the ground, his eyes widen in fear at the stranger stood before him. The figure is dark due to the dawn slowly become dark sky and his body frozen in horror.
What can he do now?
There's a possibility that this stranger is either a soldier, an assassin or a mutant.
He can't protect himself from either of those. He is an engineer. He creates the impossible but he is not physically strong like Layla. He doesn't have power. Preparing himself, crossing his arms to his face to embrace his soon-to-be-death fate, when he heard a familiar voice.
"That kind of action would hurt me someday, Howard."
That voice.
He immediately stood up from the ground, looking at the person in front of him in surprise yet speechless because it is none other than the goddess herself. "Layla!" He shouts happily at the sight of her and before he could hug her, he takes notice of her appearance.
Her clothes is wet... even her hair... everything... Did she walk or take a taxi to come here? "What happened to you, missy?" He asked, crossing his arms with a stern face.
"I... was swimming... to come here..?" She laughed nervously.
He sighed, rubbing his forehead not surprise by her strange action anymore, "Let me guess. You somehow dive in the middle of the ocean just to come home."
Dropped her head slightly and muttering, "I apologize for my reckless action."
She knew that she can't fool him. This is Howard Stark, he is a genius engineer prodigy. When she got a called from little Tony, she knew that Howard was tracking her location to make sure she is not in danger and she is still surprised by his genius methods and ways of finding her without asking anyone. Somehow, she wonders if his son, Tony, would someday become like him too?
What the famous phrase again...
Ah!
'Like father, like son.'
He scoffed, "Of course you are." Slowly turning his head to look at her, smile genuinely just this once, "At least you're back in one piece."
"Mommy!"
The two of them turn around to see the adorable little boy rush to her and grabbed her hand eagerly with a big smile on his face. "Mommy Lay! Welcome home!"
She chuckles, lifting him up and secures him into her arms. "I'm home."
In the realm
How many years had passed yet he stopped counting.
Everyone has changed except him.
Everyone has moved on about her death but not him.
He was furious. How can everyone easily forget about her?!
He wants them to feel his pain and loss of the love of his life. True, he admitted his feeling but it's too late. It took him years to understand this tingling and warmth sensation when he thought about her. He doesn't believe it at first but when he finally had the courage to asked his mother about this, he understands now.
But, what can he do?
It's too late for him.
His goddess is no longer with him.
The woman who protects and taking care of him from danger and his nightmare.
... always by his side...
And now, he is all alone.
But he noticed something.
When years goes by, he grown up into a handsome yet mischief young prince, he kept a promise to a certain goddess to become a Master of Magic and every time he improved his power, he finally felt it.
Her magic.
Her blue aura covered his body like a protective barrier from any threats. To say he was shocked is understandable but to finally felt her warmth aura is not something easy to ignore because when the owner of its magic died, the aura will disappear along but her aura has not yet lift and it is either be a sign that...
....she is still alive.
Staring at the starry sky from his balcony, he mumbles with a vow.
"I will find you soon, Lea."
Howard's office
"So you were saying that deep inside of that Pentagon is similar to a prison?" Howard assumed, leaning into his comfy sofa while taking a few sips of his glass of wine.
After they had a great family dinner just now, Layla took Howard to his office to tell him her report of her research. She sat beside him, showing him the picture and few data from the Pentagon research. "Yes and underground of it, around 100th feet below, is somehow away from any kind of metal and that's where I found Erik."
Placing his thumb under his chin in deep thought, "A prison for dangerous mutants. A threat to humanity. If they build other than using any kind of machine or iron but... why would they create that kind of prison just for mutants? It doesn't make any sense."
Layla nodded her head in agreement, "Indeed. I thought humans didn't want to do anything with mutants. Something is suspicious."
"Suspicious." Glancing at her, he frowned, "Or... they use them as a weapon."
"What?!"
Her eyes widen in shocked, doesn't realize that her own action that she punches the table in front of her with much force and Howard could only just stare at her with a calm façade. She gritted her teeth, trying to hold back her anger, "Why would they do such a thing?"
He sighed, folding his fingers under his chin and spoke with a serious tone, "Not all humans are good and not all evil is bad. We don't know what they are up to but if Hydra is involved, we must do something to prevent them capture the mutants."
Glaring down at the luxurious carpet on the floor, her eyes glow in dark blue electrify and if only it could burn by just glaring on it, "If it's related with weapons, Hydra is truly involved."
"But, what if it's not just Hydra?" He said, as he finishing his wine.
"Then, what if Shield also involves before them?" She shoots back with a glare.
He stands up from his seat, staring down at her since his height is tall than her and starts to debut, "The Shield has nothing to do with this! How could you accused that we have anything to related with mutants especially Hydra?"
Crossing her arms under her chest, she may look calm right now but deep down she also thinking twice about her friends and fellow mutants' safety. "Who said I accused The Shield? I only state the facts."
"But why The Shield?"
Placing both of her hands on the table that blocks between them as she leans closer to his face with serious expression and whispers lowly so only he can hear her. "Don't you think it's strange that most of the agents in The Shield I saw... dark auras."
Howard narrowed his eyes in interest. "By dark aura, you mean..."
Surprised him by clapping her hands and said, "Don't jump to conclusion and I am not 100% sure who is our biggest threat. Let's focus on something else, okay?"
"Now you're making me curious, princess." He sighed.
Layla turns around and makes her way towards the door. "It's late. You need to take a rest, Howard."
"And where are you going, young lady?"
"To check on Tony."
After she left the room, she walked into the silent hallway in search of Tony's room to check on him and making sure he sleep at this late hour. Finally, at her destination, she grabs the doorknob and swings it opened to see Tony sat on his comfy bed while staring at the window where he can see the view of the beautiful starry sky.
"Not sleepy?" She asked, walked closer before sitting at the edge of the bed.
"No.." He shakes his head.
By the looks of his face, she knew he was lying due to his sleepy yet tired gaze at the outside window. Ruffles his hair gently, she speaks, "Go to sleep. It's late."
Rubbing his eye, he mumbles and yawns a little. "No... If I sleep, you will leave me again..."
She stares at him sadly before she places her right hand to his face and pushes him a little causing him to lay back on his bed and said, "That's not true. I will be here when you wake up."
He hummed, "Tell me a story then."
"Story?" Blinking her eyes in nervous. "Maybe another time. I promise."
"Okay..."
She kissed his forehead softly with a smile. "Goodnight." She closed the night lamp before she stands up and makes her way to leave the room but stop when she heard him causing her to smile slightly.
"I love you 1000."
2 days passed, Layla was shocked when she watch the breaking news in Washington where the white house is located about the ceremony and saw Erik hurt few innocent people and almost killed someone is truly unexpected to see.
"I did not expect he would bravely enough to show off his majestic power like that." Howard spoke in awe before he mumbles to himself in curiosity, "Maybe he could make my machine move freely like how he did to the robots." She slaps his head causing him to yelp in surprise. "Ouch! What did I do?"
"Stop saying nonsense."
"but it's the tru—"
Before the conversation could go any further, the door in the living room burst wide opened as the young boy rushed to her side and grabbing her hand while his other hand pointing at the door in curious.
"Mommy Lay, a scary man is here."
"Scary man?"
Maria calmly enters the room with a sad smile on her face and stood beside Howard, looking at Layla as if giving her a hint. "He is here, Layla."
Staring at the entrance, Jarvis stood few feet behind the man who is now famous after the news all around the country walks with his body posture straight and blank expression yet you can see the slightest exhaustion at his face. By his appearance, it seems he had changed his clothes like a normal person to hidden himself from everyone's view.
"Erik." She gasped at his state.
As a healer, she can't resist the urge to heal him. Rushing to him in concern, her hands glow in blue prepare to heal him and his mental state. He stopped walking when she reached to him and grabbed her left hand in relief, finally able to see her again after the terrorist event.
He dropped his head on her shoulder as he opened his mouth and said one word in his mind. "Tired."
Her hand reaches up to pat his head while soothing him gently, "It's okay. You're home now."
"No. This is not our home." His voice is deep, mumble into the crook of her neck. "Not safe."
"Erik?"
Lean back from her neck so he can stares at her with a serious expression and said, "We must go now. To our home. The place where you saved me."
She steps back, wonders why he suddenly rushes things out. "But Howard's place is the safest one here. Why would we move out? Erik... tell me, what is going on?"
Erik looks trouble to tell her the truth before looking back at Howard making eye contact, communicate with each other through gaze and Howard nodded his head in understanding. Only between them knew what's going on. He makes his way to her and places his hand on her shoulder to gain her attention as he speaks.
"I have to agree with him, Layla. I think Erik has a good reason for this. It's for your safety." Howard tried to reason her.
She stares at Tony, who somehow stands beside her, staring up at her with those sad eyes of his. "Are you going to leave me again?"
Layla kneels down to his height and embraces him a little tight. "Yes... maybe I will be gone for a while. Far, far away from here but don't worry... I promise to come and visit you."
"Promise?"
"Yes, I promise." His little finger wrapped around her finger making a pinky promise.
Once she stood up, she handhold of Erik's hand and says her goodbye to the Stark family before the duo leaves the mansion for their journey.
***
A/N- I have a question. So far, who do you guys ship Layla with?? Please comment below \\(O^ O)//