I Thought You Were Different: Part 3

Opposition

It felt like it had been forever since you sat at the conference room table, seeing your teammates with you now making it painfully clear that it had been too long; it had been too long since you had just a normal mission or a normal day, or honestly had a definition of normal in the first place. Tony sat next to you, with Steve at your other side, none of you taking the initiative to say anything to your uninvited guest. Doctor Strange had gone over his reasoning for his visit with everyone, going into detail about what he could teach your children about their abilities and their roles in this and other universes, determined to make you all see that through him was the best way for them to find mastery of their skill. He also spoke of a future where they would be needed to serve the world around them, perhaps even a key to saving it one day. Once he had finished his side of the discussion, he sat and waited patiently to hear everyone's thoughts.

"I have a question," Tony finally began, "do you trim that yourself, or do you have a groomer who keeps your beard so neat?"

"Really, Dad? Move on."

"You told us to ask questions," he argued, looking at you with a roll of his eyes, "so I'm asking. You're gonna have to be more specific."

"I trim it myself," Strange replied with a slight grin.

"Would the kids stay with you, or would they be able to live here and travel to the Sanctum?"

"Steve," you interrupted, turning your chair to face him, "what are you doing? They aren't going either way."

"I think we should hear him out."

"Well I don't," you argued. "They need a normal education. They need to be allowed to be kids. I get that they're intellectually so much farther than they should be, but that doesn't mean that they aren't still only seven years old. If we let them do this, they're going to be trained and groomed with responsibilities that they are too young to be burdened with, and you know that they'll jump into any danger that they think they can fix. We've already seen it."

Steve shook his head with every word as you spoke, shooting down each argument that you were making almost before the words had a chance to leave your lips. "But that makes it more important to be sure that they're ready to protect themselves. Their abilities need to be mastered so they don't inadvertently cause any damage, but also so that they can protect themselves if they're threatened again. How well do you think that you would've handled Hydra coming after you if you hadn't been trained to fight back? You're being a hypocrite."

"Oh, shit," Clint muttered under his breath, turning to Sam, "not cool."

"Cap, come on," Sam urged, only to be ignored by both of you.

"Excuse me? I'm being a hypocrite?"

"Yes, you are," Steve answered plainly, his expression determined and steady. When the man thought he was right, he didn't waver, even if it meant arguing with you and the risky consequences that could follow. "You're not thinking about the kids, (Y/N), you're thinking about yourself."

"Oh, give me a break," you spat in retort, "you heard the words save the world and your eyes lit up. You're so programmed to fight that you don't even care if it's your own children in the battle next to you."

"Guys, we're getting a little heavy," Tony interrupted. "Has anyone thought to ask the kids what they want to do? Maybe they don't even want to go, and this entire argument is for nothing. How about if I go get them?" He stood up to leave, waiting briefly for someone to argue against his plan like they normally would, but when no one did, he took his leave to get the kids so they could have their own input.