Mystic Mystery’s (Chapter 4)

Marc Spector X Platonic OC & Steven Grant X Platonic OC

Chapter Summary: Olive tries to explain a little bit to Steven, meanwhile another Stephen enters the picture.

A/N: This story probably won’t be updated until after the finale. I have Olive’s story all outlined but I want to make sure that I don’t need to change anything first!! Thank you so much for the support for this story!

“Oh- good to see you again, your Steven’s uh…”

Olive glanced up to see the old lady from the elevator. In her hands were a couple bags of groceries and Olive quickly leapt up to take them off her hands. If there was one thing she was taught at the Sanctum it was to be respectful.

“Uh- his cousin, kind of. Taking these up to your apartment Ma’am?” Olive asked. “I’ll catch a ride in the elevator with you.”

Marc in his anger last night had refused to give her a key into the apartment building which meant that she’d been left outside all night until she could find someone to let her in. She’d jogged off to get a warm cup of coffee and had managed to see the lady returning back to the building.

“Your such a kind girl, thank you!” The lady replied buzzing into the building.

No, thank you. Olive thought. Khonshu’s orders were still stuck on a loop, to stay by Marc and Steven’s side. However Marc was making this increasingly difficult. Thankfully she was stubborn. She’d find her way back to his side once more.

“Have you noticed anything odd about Steven.” The old lady asked. “Last night- I got into the elevator…he said he was looking for a contact, but…he looked terrified.”

Olive frowned. Had this been before or after the museum incident?

“No- he has a habit of losing them, they just slip right out of his eyes I guess.” Olive answered giving a small smile.

The lady seemed content with this answer and they fell into a comfortable silence as they got off the elevator and headed towards her apartment. Olive glanced at Steven’s apartment as they passed by, but she didn’t hear anything unusual. After dropping off the groceries at the lady’s flat Olive made her way back around the corner only to catch Steven…or Marc enter the elevator. Before she had a chance to call out, the door’s shut. Taking the stair’s she tried to catch up to the man, but by the time she’d made it back to the lobby the elevator was empty and the lobby was still empty.

…

To say this was the worst day of Steven Grant’s life would probably be an understatement. Sure he didn’t have the best handle on his sleeping disorder, he missed a date, his goldfish had been replaced…

But to lose his job. He didn’t choose to be a gift shopist, he’d much rather been a tour guide, but he was proud of his job. It was something he was in control of…if he didn’t have control of anything else he always had his job. Silly little fake Egyptian knick knack’s and angry Donna- all of it now, down the drain.

The camera’s hadn’t caught any of the jackals, or the strange costume…just Steven- or not really Steven. Whoever was in his body, or maybe he had a look alike? All of it was so confusing.

The only good part of his day so far, had been that the museum had decided not to press charges. However, the little pamphlet tucked away in his pocket lurked in the back of his mind.

He wasn’t crazy. He was a good person. The girl from the museum stood in front of him-

He blinked.

She was still there.

“Oh no- no, no, no!” Steven muttered.

Swiftly rising from the bench he’d chosen to sulk upon he put some distance between himself and the girl. He weaved throughout the busy London crowds. He’d been searching all morning to find the Storage Unit that the key in his flat belonged too…maybe he should have taken a break sooner. Was he dehydrated? He’d skipped lunch…

“Wait! Please-“ She called out. Oh god’s- that meant she was real.

“Leave. Me. Alone!” Steven shouted suddenly.

Whirling back around to look down at the girl he took notice of his surroundings. The crowds around them were beginning to look at them. He wanted people to stop looking at him like that. The girl in front of him rose her hands up.

“I’ll explain! I promise!” The girl begged. “Just give me a chance- I’ve been looking for you all morning!”

He paused. He didn’t know if he could trust this girl, but maybe she could explain things. Better yet- he could drag her down to the museum and have her admit that she was the one to destroy the bathrooms. Of course that plan wouldn’t work because she hadn’t shown up on the security footage either.

“Everything?” Steven asked.

“As much as I possibly can…” She replied.

That was good enough for him.

…

“I found this storage locker key in my apartment- along with this cell phone. Someone- it said Layla on it- they called me and they kept calling me Marc.” Steven explained.

Olive had finally introduced herself officially to the man and they’d found a quieter place outside to go over some things. Unfortunately for Olive- she didn’t know anything about the cell phone, or who Layla was.

“Do you know who Marc is?” Steven asked. Ah- a question she did know the answer to, and an answer she couldn’t really give.

Her whole ‘explain everything’ plan was swiftly backfiring. She wanted to tell Steven, she really did. But most of it wasn’t her story to tell, and Marc would only make things worse for her if she butted in to much. At the very least being by Steven’s side fulfilled Khonshu’s request. Worse came to worse she could just put a tracking spell on Steven and follow him around.

Did she really want to resort to stalking someone though? It would be so much easier if Steven could just trust her.

She felt like she was just confusing Steven more.

“I do. We’ve only met a few times.” She answered. “We were working together…but now I’m not so sure.”

“You called me Marc too- a few times now. Back at the museum, and then up in the mountains…was that whole mess real?” Steven continued to question.

“You look alike-“ Olive admitted vaguely , “And yes- it was, but…”

“The museum, the bathrooms! You walked into the bathroom from behind me…not through the door! I should have you walk right back into the museum and tell them the truth! I lost my job because of this!” Steven’s voice rose.

“Yes- your right…” Olive said.

She hadn’t realized that Steven had lost his job because of the bathroom incident. Olive had been so mad at Marc she hadn’t even realized she could have fixed the bathroom before they left. She could have deleted the Security Footage too, but when Marc had walked off she’d simply portaled after him. After he’d entered his apartment though- she hadn’t wanted to risk Steven finding out more about the Mystic arts…now however, she may not have a choice.

Steven finally let out a frustrated groan. He swiped his hand through his hair a few times, only making the curls messier. Olive knew that she wasn’t making anything easier.

“You’re not explaining anything you know.” He finally said.

“I know- but, some of it isn’t mine to tell. The mountains, Marc, the cell phone…I can’t tell you what I don’t know.” Olive said.

Steven wasn’t going to trust her if she didn’t give him something, she could see he was getting frustrated.

“The bathroom- how I got there. I can show you.” Olive said. “How I just walked in-“

Standing up and making sure there were no on lookers she took a couple steps back from Steven. He looked unsure, but this may be her only chance to prove that she was willing to explain something.

“Tell me somewheres you want to go-“ She asked.

“What are you talking about?” Steven groaned.

“Don’t think too much- just tell me the first place that comes to mind.” Olive asked.

Steven thought for a moment before he finally pulled something out of his pocket. He took a second to stare at it before he stood up.

“This key goes to a storage locker-“ Steven said holding his hand open.

Oh no- this wasn’t going in the direction she intended.

“Take me there. Right now, or I’ll walk away.” Steven stuttered. Clearly he wasn’t used to making demands.

Unfortunately, she didn’t have much of a choice. She had to make this work.

“Fine. But you have to promise your not going to run off screaming- what I’m about to show you, people like me try to keep it quiet.”

Raising her hands up, she circled them waiting for the firmilar fizzle in her fingertips before she saw the sparks begin to fly. No less then five seconds later, the alley next to the storage unit came into view. A brilliant portal from their location to a brand new place. Steven didn’t look nervous though.

He was interested. He walked around it, standing by her side.

”Are you some sort of Wizard?” He asked.

Olive rolled her eyes. “I keep getting that but the answer never changes. I’m a Sorcerer of the Mystic Arts. We deal with strange happenings and protect people- like last night with the Jackals. I’m trying to help Marc, the man your mentioning, out with this problem. I’m not having very much luck.”

Steven’s brow furrowed in thought.

“Go on- you first.” Olive said. “Maybe the storage unit can answer more questions.”

Steven walked through before Olive and they made their way out of the alley. He held the key up to see the matching Logo and glanced over to Olive in surprise.

“I’ve spent all morning looking for this building.” Steven muttered. “And now we’re finally going to find out the truth.”

Olive hoped this would be for the right reason and that Marc wouldn’t be to mad at her.

…

Wong had advised against this.

From the minute she’d dissapeared Wong had warned him from following. Olive had never had her rebellious streak he’d said. This was just her adjusting to his return. But to Stephen Strange it seemed like she was taking a long time to adjust to his return. Sure, things weren’t as simple as they had been. So much had changed in the time he was gone, Wong was the Sorcerer Supreme and Olive had learned from him in his own absence. She was stronger then she’d been, smarter, she’d graduated.

He’d missed her High School and her first Collage Graduation.

It made Stephen sick with worry now that she was missing. Olive was somewhere out in the world and he didn’t know where she was. She’d left a simple note and no goodbye, a cloaking spell stopping him from finding her.

I’ll prove it to you. Five little words-

The argument was still fresh in his mind- they’d gotten so angry at each other, screaming and shouting. Wong had finally stepped in telling them both to go cool off. She’d portaled back to her room and Stephen had stepped out of the Sanctum. When he’d returned, Wong had asked him if he knew where Olive had gone. She’d disappeared right under their noses.

She didn’t understand he was just trying to protect her. She was still just a little girl. Except- she wasn’t. She was an adult now, he’d missed 5 years of her life. He didn’t have the heart to even look at the pictures Wong had left him. He’d taken pictures in his absence, but it hurt too much to look at them. But he vowed once he found Olive again that he’d go through the pictures with her, have her tell him about the days he’d missed.

The apartment building was quiet when he stepped through the portal.

She was good- clever even, using that cloaking spell to stop Stephen and Wong from finding her. She probably assumed Wong wouldn’t be bothered very much, the man was worried but she’d spent so long learning from him that Wong was more concerned about others safety then Olive’s.

But Stephen was still stronger in the mystic arts. The slightest slip of her spell and he’d managed to trace her. Of course, she’d advanced while he was gone. Her cloaking spell was strong enough he couldn’t break through or slip a tracing spell while her spell slipped. Instead he just had to latch onto the little blips of magic.

She’d been up in the mountains during the first. He’d assumed she had to use a healing spell, they were stronger and never her strong point either so it explained a little lapse in the cloaked spell. He had to wait until another slip to find a storage unit, but there was interference with this, someone else was messing around London with magic, and he’d lost her once more. This apartment building had been the last slip he’d caught. This blip was stronger- her spell was slipping and she didn’t even realize it.

The elevator down the hall opened with a ding and an old lady exited out of the elevator along with a younger women. The two were in a deep discussion but they noticed him when they entered the lobby.

“Excuse me- if you have a minute!” Stephen said.. “I’m looking for someone. I’m fairly sure they stopped in here and I was wondering if you’ve seen them around within the last day or so?”

Out of his wallet he pulled the most recent picture of Olive. Wong had snapped it shortly after Tony’s funeral. Everyone had started to settle back in and Stephen was back at the Sanctum with Wong. Olive had come to Steven with a question, the first time she’d done so since his return. The two of them had studied over the book she’d brought with her and Wong had called their names before he snapped the photo.

Olive was smiling and Stephen looked mildly annoyed, but when Wong had gave him the picture he’d swapped it out with the previous picture, a picture from nearly 6 year’s ago that Stephen himself had took. An outdated photo wouldn’t help him find his student.

“Oh- your looking for Steven’s cousin?” The old lady questioned. “She’s a nice girl, helped me with my groceries this morning.”

Stephen let out a breath he didn’t realize he’d been holding, he’d finally found his first lead.

Tag List: @xoxo-mylove@mahaloapollo@mirkwoodshewolf

Mystic Mystery’s (Chapter 3)

Marc Spector X Platonic OC & Steven Grant X Platonic OC

Chapter Summary: Olive finally gets drawn into this mess for good- and Marc Spector realizes she’s not going to give up very easily.

“I didn’t know you had children Mr. Grant-“

Marc was just about to lose it- nosy old ladies, reckless annoying teenagers- (‘ I’m 21 you know. I’m legally an adult so you can’t tell me what to do-‘) and on top of it all the whole mess that he’d just had to pull them out of because Steven kept insisting on butting in.

”Oh Steven’s not my father- he’s my cousin, twice removed on my mother’s side. And removed once more- so technically not cousins.” The teen-no adult in question chimed in cheerfully.

”Oh-“ The lady was taken back a brief look of confusion came over her face.

“Real complicated mess he got into, couldn’t believe the affair when it all happened. Sleeping with Great Aun-“ Marc swiftly cut her off by shoving his hand over her mouth.

The woman gaped at them in absolute horror.

”She tells lots of stories.” He faked a smile. “Overactive imagination…”

“Oh dear- my grandson is quite the same. They never quite grow out of it do they?” She nervously replied.

Great- Steven would be an outcast from his neighbors thanks to this kid’s big mouth.

“No they don’t.” Marc smirked, glancing over to the furious girl.

The apartment elevator thankfully chimed in and Marc tugged on her shoulder drawing her away before she could spout off any other nonsense, but she still had the nerve to give an over exaggerating goodbye. She was going to get Steven into trouble if she came up with any more of her silly stories.

”Come on, you have to admit the look on her face was hilarious .” Olive rolled her eyes. “You’re as bad as Wong honestly, he never appreciates me or Stephen’s jokes.”

“Fortunately I’m not here to entertain you, so maybe you should go back to making jokes with Stephen. Who is he, your dad?” Marc asked.

Olive frowned when he mentioned the name, a brief flash of guilt overcoming her face. A moment later and she was back to her overly annoying smile.

”A friend-“ She answered quickly. “Good save towards the end with that truck. I still can’t believe Steven tried to throw the gun.”

Marc thought back to the past events. Once Marc was absolutely sure he was in control he’d had the girl- Olive, use one of her weird magic portal’s to bring them back to London. It saved him more time then he’d initially thought he’d take away from Steven, but Steven would still wake up tomorrow and realize that it was Sunday.

Unlocking the door and letting the girl in, he took the Scarab out of his pocket. Blood was still stained upon the sleek golden tool.

“Here- take this to the sink and wash it.” Marc ordered.

The girl gave a grimace and glared at him when he tossed it into her hands, and swiftly rushed over to the kitchen sink. Repeating ‘gross, gross, gross.” under her breath.

Taking in the appearance of Steven’s apartment he was grateful that he didn’t have to take care of too much, his clothes could be dumped in the laundry and taken back to the storage unit. He’d tuck the cellphone back in its spot in the apartment after the girl left and he could listen to Layla’s messages.

“Aw no-“ The girls voice caught his attention.

“Don’t tell me you managed to break the scarab.” Marc groaned.

”No- it’s….your fish!” The girl sounded heartbroken.

Marc turned to the fish tank where Steven’s pet fish would normally be swimming about- except…it wasn’t swimming any more.

“Shit.”

…

She couldn’t believe it.

She was a glorified house pet stuck inside a 9 by 9 cubicle. Sure she had a key and could come and go- but what was the point of having a super cool Sorcerer helping you if you shove her into a storage unit.

“ Stay here and I’ll come back after Steven’s shift.” Olive mimicked.

They’d come to the storage unit to stow away the Scarab and Marc had gone back to his apartment after leaving behind a key to the storage unit.

It wasn’t like she had much of a choice, she was short on funds and it wasn’t like she could just run back home…Stephen and Wong wouldn’t let her out of their sights if she even tried to sneak back into the Sanctum. So instead she’d reluctantly accepted a key and had come and gone to the Unit to sleep.

Marc’s silly little cot was going to mess up her back.

“Better off sleeping on the concrete.” Olive muttered to herself.

The storage unit was a bit eerie with the mirror-like walls surrounding her, but she’d spent most of her free time sightseeing so she could avoid sitting around. She’d also taken the time to reinforce her cloaking spell, hoping that she hadn’t leaked too much energy with that healing spell on her arm. (And wasn’t she lucky she hadn’t grown 2 bone’s when she’d healed it?)

“Pesky brat-“

Oh right-

How could she forget the lurking Moon God that had decided to bug her since he couldn’t bug Steven.

“I’m not in the mood for your attitude today- so if you’ve got nothing nice to say…maybe just don’t say anything at all.” Olive groaned. “You’ve always got your feathers in a twist- and you don’t even have feathers!”

“You dare sit around- you don’t know what’s even happening right now! Harrow will steal it-“

Olive sat up then.

“What are you talking about-“ Olive asked.

“The bag you fool! Check the bag!” Khonshu screamed.

The one thing she’d refused to do since she’d stuck around the storage unit was go through Marc Spector’s stuff. She wasn’t that kind of person, nor did she want to unearth any of his dirty laundry, figuratively or literally.

“THE DUFFLE BAG- “ Khonshu’s voice pierced at her skull.

Swinging off the cot she’d knelt down to the black duffle bag and swiftly unzipped the top. Clothes- a license…

No scarab-

“No- no he put it in here…” Olive murmured.

She thought back to the previous day- just grateful to finally have a place to sleep. Marc had been searching for the extra storage key-

He must have forgotten to put the Scarab away.

“Steven has the scarab-“

…

Just his luck-

How on earth did he even get into these messes.

First he’d found out he missed his date after somehow mixing up the days, then his beloved one-finned wonder had simply regrown his fin. (Of course Steven knew this couldn’t really be Gus.) And to top it off that creepy man from the mountains was in his museum.

And now- now this was the worst.

Jackals- bloody Jackals were chasing after him.

Fleeing into the bathroom Steven watched in horror as the lights began to flicker- the door was caving in under the weight of the beasts attacks. The mirror man was walking towards him.

The what!?

“Steven- you’ve got to give me control. I can save us.” Mirror-Steven said calmly.

How was he so calm!?

“Oh gods- I’m going to die- I’m going to die.” Steven muttered.

“Calm down!” Someone grabbed his shoulder. “Your not going to die.”

Whirling around he found the nice girl from the village standing beside him. Behind her a strange sparky circle showed a strange room surrounded by hazy mirrors. Before he could get a good glimpse however- a whisk of her hand and the sparks closed and fizzled out.

“ Steven-“ Mirror-Steven called again. “You can’t let her do this alone-“

In Steven’s eyes it seemed the girl could do anything from heal broken bones to appear out of thin air, why couldn’t she take on a jackal on her own.

“Steven!” Mirror-Steven yelled.

The door was nearly broken open-

The girl lowered into a defensive stance and raised her hands up. More of those sparks appeared along with weird- were those runes!?

“Give me control-“ The mirror yelled once more.

So he did.

…

“You just had to keep a hold of that stupid Scarab!” Olive screeched squirming under his grip.

The jackals had broken down the door, but Marc had grabbed hold of it it, unleashing all of his anger and rage unto the creature. Olive could only stand by and watch in horror, magic fizzling out as Marc destroyed the jackal- and the bathroom around them.

“What were you thinking?” Marc- now unsuited- growled. His hand dug into her shoulder where he’d grabbed onto it to drag her out of the bathroom. She struggled more trying to shimmy out of his grips- his fingers were digging in harshly and it hurt. She managed to tug out of his grasp pushing his chest back away from her and he stumbled a few steps.

She was stronger than she looked.

“Khonshu said-“

“I had it handled!” Marc screamed.

“No you don’t!” Olive screamed back. “This isn’t fair to Steven! He was terrified!”

“Then. Go. Home!”

“The girl will stay.”

Khonshu stood behind them, going unnoticed by the two’s argument. The two were drawing closer and closer to fighting one another instead of focusing on the actual enemy. But the God had seen the avatar- he couldn’t risk him ruining everything. The girl had leapt into action and her ability to take them from one place to the next was a welcome addition. He could use her and her powers until her grew tired of her or his avatar could prove to him he could handle things on her own.

“What do you mean!? Your the one who told her she wasn’t needed, that she was annoying, a useless Wizard!” Marc exclaimed. The girl let out a frustrated growl.

“I’m a Sorcerer! And, If I hadn’t shown up, Steven wouldn’t have given up control.” Olive yelled. “What would have happened then- how would you feel if he got hurt!?”

“You don’t know anything about Steven!”

“ENOUGH. ” The building shook with Khonshu’s rage. “I will not repeat myself. You will return the scarab to the Storage Unit, the girl will stay. By both you and the useless worm. If you mess this up- I’ll kill you all.”

Marc stood still taking in heavy breaths. He glared at the girl standing in front of him, her eyes filled with equal amounts of anger. Everything was falling apart- he’d had control before she had come around. She was ruining everything- her and her mystical little witch powers. She would ruin everything for Steven if she stuck around- but he couldn’t deny one thing.

There was something else in her eyes- something he recognized.

Determination.

This girl wasn’t giving in- and now with Khonshu’s permission she had an in- and she wouldn’t let it go anytime soon.

Tag List: @xoxo-mylove@mirkwoodshewolf@mahaloapollo

Thank you guys for the interest in my Moon Knight fic idea- I’ve started working on it now so if you’d like to be added to a tag list please let me know! I’m hoping to have the first chapter posted by the end of the weekend! ☺️

Here’s the idea I posted below in case you missed it-

Lunar Love (Marc Spector/Steven Grant x Norse Moon Goddess!Oc) (Part 1)

TW: canon typical violence, mention of suicide, follows ep 2 very closely

Summary: Lune and Steven have been acquaintances for quite some time now. They both held back on getting closer to each other, but when Steven gets fired and goes through a rough time, Lune wanted to be there for him. She couldn’t know Steven would be the gateway into a world of mystery and Gods… A world Lune was familiar with.

Note pls read:This is the most on the nose fanfiction plot for Moon Knight. But it’s fun and I like fun. 

There is no Moon Goddess in Norse mythology. Lune is a mix of Artemis and what the moon card in tarot stands for. Asgard also does not exist canonly anymore, but it will for this fanfiction. Posting it here is kind of my test run because I’m not entirely sure about it yet It is also sadly not formatted the way I’d like because I’m posting from mobile.

Why could nobody see the damn jackal? A bloody jackal! It was there. Steven saw it, and was attacked by it for God’s sake. He did not make that up. He was sure… so sure.

A sense of heaviness filled him as he left the supervisor’s office not quite understanding yet what just happened. He loved to work at the museum. Even if he wasn’t able to actually share his passion and spread his knowledge, he was at least surrounded by ancient Egypt and that was enough for him. First the date, then Gus and now this. Steven was going mental.

But the worst part? That man… that walked out of the toilets? That was not Steven. Steven had no recollection of how he got home. But worse, the way that man looked at the camera, the anger in his eyes… It was a reflection of himself Steven could not recognize. It terrified him. Was that Marc? But who even was Marc? 

“Steven!” A familiar voice called out, making Steven turn around on the marble stairs. Lune hurried toward him, meeting Steven halfway. Her forehead was in a tight frown and her pale eyes gleamed with concern. “What happened? Are you okay?”

Lune was an archivist, working in a whole different department than Steven and actually touching and seeing ancient texts and documents. It was a real job… not selling candy to kids. Steven was quite jealous yet loved when Lune talked about her work.

Lune was perhaps the closest thing to a friend Steven had. Their commute to work was roughly the same and overtime they acknowledged each other, then made small talk, then, well, meaningful talk. Steven tried to not be weird and that was hard. He really did not want Lune to think he was creepy. He was just fascinated by her and loved every second of conversing with her. On the other hand Steven feared Lune was only nice to him out of pity, it was quite a conflicting bunch of emotions and holding him back from actually getting close to her.

“Yeah… uh. I got sacked. Haven’t quite registered that yet to be honest…. but– but at least they won’t press charges, eh?” Steven shrugged. He was feeling like a lost child. What was he gonna do now? His life was a pile of shit. All in a few days. How did any of this happen?

Steven met Lune’s eyes for a moment, seeing how they widened with realization and Steven quivered away from her gaze.

“That wasn’t– that was you?! The restroom?” She said in shock.

Steven’s face was burning hot and his throat tightened up, “I uh… yeah… I uhm–” God, he felt so much shame. Lune was never gonna talk to him again.

Lune’s hand moved to Steven’s arm and squeezed ever so gently, making his eyes shot back up. He was met with a soft and understanding gaze, no judgment or scrutiny.

“If you need to talk… or anything… Call me, okay? You don’t have to deal with everything on your own. You have my number.” Lune’s voice was sweet, almost soothing. Steven took a relieved breath and his tensed body relaxed momentarily.

But wait.

“Do I?” He asked. He had no memory of ever getting Lune’s number. He wanted to ask but did not want to be weird about it which was again the issue because he is weird. He settled for the ride to work and home, grabbing dinner together sometimes. That alone was giving him so much joy.

“Yes?” Lune squinted at him and tilted her head, some of her dark hair fell from behind her ear.

 "I’m sorry. It’s been a lot,“ Steven masked up, letting out a small chuckle. "I appreciate it… thank you… really.”

“What will you do now?”

“There are some things I have to uncover, really,” Steven shook his hands. “There has to be an explanation.”

“Uncover?”

“Yeah… I found things hidden in my flat and if I can find that storage locker,” he pulled out a key from his jacket, “I can perhaps explain what’s been happening to me. I will tell you all about it. If I don’t get killed that is,” Steven laughed and was already heading down the remaining stairs disappearing into the busy streets.

“Laters Gators?” Lune mumbled to herself.

Steven was special. There was no doubt about that. It was just not a negative thing. Steven was unbelievably kind and observant. He remembered the smallest details about the people around him even though no one gave the same energy back. It was infuriating. He was scarily knowledgeable about Ancient Egypt with so much passion to back it up yet no one gave him credit for it. Lune thought Steven was the most interesting human she had met in centuries. He didn’t get recognition, he was lonely and longing for connection and everyone treated him like he was invisible or an inconvenience, but there was not an ounce of bitterness in him. How?

However, the last few days have been tough for him and now this… something was seriously wrong and Lune wasn’t gonna sit back and watch. Whatever Steven was going through, she could help. She wanted to help. 

》》》》 

It was almost like he unintentionally made himself invisible and the only clue Lune had was the logo on the keychain Steven showed her earlier. She had been to three branches of the company already, just so missing Steven at each. Fourth times a charm or something like that, right?

Lune came out of the underground station seeing the big red U across the street. She sat one foot on the street when an eerie feeling washed over her, making her skin feel prickly and her senses sharpen, stopping dead in her tracks. She knew that energy, that power. It matched her own.

A car was honking violently, tearing Lune from her thoughts and throwing her back into the present. Steven had tripped and was cowering on the ground just a few meters away from Lune. A car almost hit him and people started to gather around yet no one helped him.

Steven didn’t know what was happening. He was terrified… so bloody terrified. Why him? Why did all of this happen to him? His heart was pumping up his throat and his lungs were closing up. 

“Steven! Get up!” Lune’s voice felt like an anchor back to the here and now. Steven could feel her hands on his shoulder, taking a hold of his jacket and pulling him up. He complied and like an inner force guided him grabbed the bag. Steven’s eyes met hers and a second of silence enclosed him, a moment of peace, a chance to take a breath, then Lune started to run, dragging Steven along. They hurried down the stairs of the underground station, catching a tube just before the doors closed.

“Are you okay? What happened?” Lune put her hands on Steven’s face, searching for answers in his eyes.

Steven felt like he would explode right then and there, forgetting the horrors he was just exposed to. Her skin felt right on his. Lune was breathtaking in her own peculiar way. She looked like someone straight out of a classic literature piece. Captivating. She was tall and strong and carried herself with so much confidence it was hard to not see her yet she did not want to be seen, elusive like she was running from something. She was out of this world. Her pale eyes still held so much warmth in them and her dark hair had this silver sheen Steven would only notice at night when the moon was shining strong. It was almost like a magical glow. Steven never understood where it was coming from just like he never understood why Lune cared about him.

“What are you doing here?” His voice was timid, just above a whisper.

Her face relaxed, “making sure you don’t do anything stupid, I guess?”

“It’s too late for that, innit?” He chuckled dryly.

“Are you hurt?" 

"No… no, I… I’m just losing it. Tis all,” Steven sat down. His hands were still shaking and he rubbed them together to hide the fact.

Lune sat down too. “Did someone come for you? Follow you? What happened in there?”

And immediately Steven’s fear set back in as the events replayed. He grabbed the duffle bag tightly and sank in his seat, looking around with alertness. His heartbeat picked up again as he remembered that thing. Khonshu? 

“Just get me to my flat, please… I’ll tell you everything,” he stammered, his eyes big. “Just get me home.”

It took the two of them not long until they reached Steven’s apartment complex, the remaining way was spent in complete silence and only when Steven unlocked his door he found his voice again.

“Thank you,” he uttered and Lune just met it with a smile, distracted by Steven’s flat. There were books everywhere, it was a mess but Lune could tell for Steven it had structure. The fish tank was the center of the place really, a goldfish swimming about in it. 

Lune approached the tank, “this is Gus then?”

“Sort of,” Steven said, putting the duffle bag on a table. It wasn’t Gus. He froze up when he saw Marc in the fishtank’s reflection looking at Lune like she was a bother.

“You can’t trust her,” Marc said. “Don’t tell her anything.”

“I just want my life back.”

Lune straightened up and looked at Steven with a frown. “Sorry?”

“No no! I was… I was talking to myself.”

Lune blinked but dismissed it, moving from the fishtank to the desk by the window. “Can you actually read hieroglyphics?”

“Oh well. It’s not that impressive really. It’s not like it’s a whole language… It is more of an alphabet. You still need to know ancient Egyptian though.” Lune loved when Steven would throw around the knowledge he possessed. It made him at ease. “You can read runes right? It is quite different from that.”

She nodded, “I see.” Her finger traced some of the open books then she leaned against the table crossing her arms. The look on her face was pressing and Steven could see she was trying to lay her words out carefully, hitting a nerve in Steven that made his stomach crunch. 

“Oh god, you think I’m totally bonkers, don’t you?”

“No! I don’t, Steven. No, I just– I think you have a hard time and might need some help navigating through it. And that is absolutely fine and nothing to be ashamed of. Mental health is just as–”

“No… no… it’s not that. Not all of it at least. I think? I don’t know how to explain what’s been happening… I don’t expect you to believe me. I-I I honestly don’t know if I believe myself,” Steven was stammering. The tone of his voice was sober and he was speaking truthfully. Lune watched how he walked over to the gym bag. She was willing to listen and also believe him.

Marc was ringing in Steven’s ears. Steven, stop. Steven, you’re making a mistake.

“All I can do is… all I can do is try to show you what I’ve found.” Steven… listen to me! “I found this bag in a storage locker, right?” Steven! Stop! “And inside of it are all sorts of things.” Steven, get away from the bag! Don’t show… don’t show her what’s in the bag! “But most interestingly–” You will get her killed! Steven stopped shuffling inside the gym bag, limbs going numb for a moment. Kill Lune? No. 

If you show her that scarab… you are responsible when they come after her. Do you hear me? 

“Most interestingly, what?” Lune asked.

Steven met her eyes. He would never want her to be in danger. He would never want her to get hurt. That was an awful thought.

“Nothing,” he said and closed the bag. “It’s nothing.”

“No… what’s in the bag?” Lune said with authority. She took a step toward the desk and Steven wouldn’t even have known how to stop her. Her shoulders drooped and she took the gun out, finding Steven’s eyes. “Suicide is not, it is not the answer, Steven,” her voice was calm, projecting no judgment. “Believe me. I know.”

“What? No… it’s– it’s not like that,” Steven whispered.

Lune put the gun down then took the scarab out next. Her brows were furrowed as she marveled at the golden ornament, her head tilting just a little as her eyes examined the scarab carefully. Her fingertips touched the inscriptions slowly as she seemed to take in every detail. She peered up at Steven, wonder and confusion in her eyes.

“It’s a scarab?” Steven felt the need to fill the silence. “That thing is ruining my life and I have no idea why I even bloody have it.”

Lune took another look into the bag and now got the passport out. Steven’s hands got sweaty. The scarab was one thing, but this… how would he explain this. There’s a strange angry man living inside of me. He said my body is an avatar to the moon god Khonshu. 

Lune opened the passport and her eyebrows pulled together. “Marc Spector?” Her eyes met Steven’s and softened ever so slightly but before she could say something there was a banging on the door. 

“Steven Grant, can we have a word?” A woman said.

Steven’s gaze widened in fear. “Oh, god, they’ve come for me.”

“I thought they wouldn’t press charges?” Lune whispered.

The knocking continued. Lune shook her head but Steven already moved to the door.

“Yeah! Just a minute!” He called out. Lune dropped the passport and moved away from the door. It was too late to stop Steven.

He opened the door just a gap, peaking out at a woman and a man holding up their badges. 

“Steven Grant?” The officer asked.

“I think so, yes. I mean, yep, yes. That’s me. A 100% Steven Grant.”

Lune went to hide behind a bookshelf, hearing Steven do a terrible job at not being suspicious. 

The “officers” forced their way in immediately scanning the place.

Lune was quick to realize they were here for the scarab. That damn scarab. It radiated an awful, world ending type of energy. Lune had never felt something like it before.

“Anyone here with you?” The woman asked and Steven was quick to respond this time.

“No! Just me and my fish.”

The woman walked to the bed, looking at the cuff attached to a pole then moved by the book shelf Lune was hiding.

The illusion Lune casted onto herself was easy yet fool proof. The woman had no idea Lune was there. She proceeded to go to the bathroom, ripping the sliding door open expecting to find something or someone.

“You are in possession of a stolen item,” the man said and Steven made the rooky mistake of letting his gaze fall to the duffle bag.

“Oh. Yeah… No. I don’t have it! I don’t. It’s not here.”

The man went through the bag and found the passport. In hindsight Lune realized she should have grabbed that entire bag. It’s too late now. 

“Marc Spector?”

“That’s not mine,” Steven answered truthfully.

“Funny that. Fella looks just like you.”

For the “officers” it was enough to take Steven with them and he wouldn’t fight it. Lune thought of stepping in right there, but something told her it was better to see this play out. Right now, Steven couldn’t make sense of any of this and Lune needed more information to truly be of help. The puzzle started to come together for her, but big chunks were still missing. What was apparent so far was that Steven is not just Steven. His sleeping disorder never was one. Marc was just in control and Steven would have no recollection of it whatsoever. It made sense with how he was acting and all that has happened, the passport sealed the deal. Just what in the world did Marc get into? The scarab was filled with old magic. You don’t just run into something like this randomly.

Lune followed the three of them, staying cloaked in her illusion. She was tense and felt trapped in her smidgen of magic. If she could use the full extent to her powers she could simply travel in the shadows or use Steven as an emotional anchor to teleport. It could be so easy. Instead she placed every single step as carefully as possible staying right behind the officers, invisible. When they reached the car Lune had to make a decision, slip in with them somehow or well… the roof? Both of these things were not ideal. Lune looked around, assessing the situation, could she steal a bike or motorcycle? Nothing was close. For a split second she bargained with herself. Should she travel in the shadows? No. She can’t risk being seen by Heimdall, not even for Steven. Lune put a foot on the back bumper and hoisted herself up on the roof as quickly and quietly as she could. It was an awful idea, but she wouldn’t risk losing them either.

The ride wasn’t long luckily and eventually they arrived in a neighborhood that seemed isolated. The two “officers” got out of the car but left Steven inside. Lune could sense his panic and confusion, but anger as well. Revealing herself to Steven would serve no purpose other than his comfort and Lune still did not know what was going on. 

A man approached. He looked exhausted, that kind of exhaustion you felt all the way in your bones, eating away at your soul. Lune felt uneasy in his presence, knowing his calm and collected exterior was only a facade and that underneath a ruthless individual was hiding whose hands were tainted in blood. Lune’s intuition is never off. That was part of the job. 

He was holding a walkie-talkie where Steven’s voice echoed through.

“No. No! I’ll never give you control again! Ever. Do you hear me?!” Steven said with determination. You figured he was talking to Marc.

“I hear you loud and clear Steven Grant of the giftshop,” the man replied then the officer opened the door to the car and Steven fell onto the streets.

“Sorry for the wait. We just needed a moment to better understand your situation.” He freed Steven from the cuffs and helped him up. What situation, Lune bit her lip while listening as closely as possible.

“It must be very difficult balancing all these voices inside your head. Steven Grant, Marc Spector, Khonshu.”

Khonshu? Lune felt a cold rush run over her then her eyes landed on Steven. If Steven was a God she would sense it, she would have sensed it a long time ago. Ironically, she knew that name because of Steven. 

They had gotten dinner after work, sitting at a park, and started to talk about mythology. Lune said her favorite Goddesses were always those associated with the moon. Artemis, Abuk, Selene, Chang'e. Steven then told her about the moon god Khonshu.

“I don’t know, Steven. Personally, it just feels wrong when a lunar deity isn’t depicted as a woman,” Lune said lightheartedly. “You can’t really assign our concept of gender to Gods, obviously, but she is for the ladies,” she pointed up at her. 

Steven had nodded and chuckled softly, “fair.”

Lune needed to suppress a laugh. Of course the first guy she actually had an interest in in centuries somehow was connected to a lunar deity. It was comical. It was dangerous. 

“I’m curious, do you think Khonshu chose you as an avatar because your mind would be so easy to break or because it was broken already?”

Lune’s chest started to feel tight as anger flooded her blood. Her hands were in tight fists and for a moment she thought about hitting, but Steven handled the situation.

“No, I’m not broken. I just need some help maybe.”

You tell him, Lune thought.

“That’s right. That’s why I’m here, to help." 

Cmon.

Steven was suddenly struggling for air, eyes wide and body trembling, then Lune felt him too.

She did not know if her illusion protected her from Khonshu. On Odin it worked, Frigga most of the time, Thor anyway, but Khonshu was like her a God of the Moon and perhaps different rules applied. If Khonshu wouldn’t be so angry, Lune was sure he would have at least sensed her.

"Is he here? Do you see him?” The man asked as the wind started to howl in the alley. “That’s a privilege I no longer have.”

Oh? So how does this work then?

“What’s he saying? Is he telling you to kill me?”

Steven nodded.

“Just remember, you don’t have to do everything he says. So before you get excited and put on the cape, I’d love to use this opportunity to show you around.”

Steven exclaimed as the winds picked up even more.

“Don’t worry. That’s all he can do without your help.”

Lune was starting to have a general idea. Steven was like Khonshu’s physical realization into this world, Khonshu could only act through Steven. She sympathized that that must not be a nice feeling. A God with no real power, not quite like herself, but close.

The man started to show Steven around the place. They were a community, providing for themselves and dedicating their lives to learning or something like that. It would have been quite nice if it was not a literal cult with a creepy  leader. Lune felt nauseated with how pretentious it all was too.

The man led Steven into a hall, it seemed to function as the community center. It had exposed brick walls and almost looked like the naked remains of a church. There was a section that had plants growing, the other was for entertainment and then a big dining area. A lot of people were around. He invited Steven to eat, still monologing on.

“I know being on the right side of things is important to you. Khonshu always tries to ensnare those with a strong moral conscience.”

“You have no conscience!” The bird looking God sneered from a ledge.

“He throws temper tantrums like a four year old. None of the gods respect him… maybe that’s why he’s banished.”

Lune swallowed. She could relate to the banished part. She didn’t know how she was gonna explain that to Steven really, seeing that with how events were unfolding… she will have to at some point.

“Can you hear him?” Steven asked, enjoying the lentil soup that was in front of him.

“Not anymore. Before you, I was his avatar. I was his fist of vengeance.”

“I’m not the fist of anything. That is the little American man living inside of me,” Steven explained, seeming to be a lot more at ease now.

“Khonshu punishes those who have already walked an evil path. His retribution comes too late. By the time his fist of vengeance arrives, people have already suffered. Ammit knows this too well. She tears evil up from the root, casting her judgment before any evil is done. That’s why we must resurrect her.”

A cold shiver ran over Lune’s skin. That was just wrong, wrong on so many levels. How could Ammit make that judgment at all? Things are never as they seem, never as bad and never as good. Nothing is that clear cut. There is always more.

“Right… but isn’t that a bit dodgy? Trusting the judgment of a weird crocodile lady?” Steven’s voice wasn’t shaky anymore and Lune could almost hear a challenging tone. 

“You don’t need to doubt her judgment. Ammit will light the path to good by irradiating the choice of evil, which brings us to the scarab.”

Suddenly everyone in the big hall got up and formed a circle around Steven and the man. The mood shifted drastically, creating tension that was building up to snap.

“So, the scarab?”

Lune reached into the pocket of her jacket, feeling the cold metal with her thumb. She looked around, knowing it wasn’t long now till she had to get Steven out of this.

“Oh I don’t have it. Really I don’t have it,” Steven’s voice picked up haste again.

“Well, you know someone who does? Maybe Marc?” The man was still calm, but Lune knew he was slipping up on his calm and collected manners.

“No, I don’t.”

“May I speak with Marc?”

“Uh… um.”

“Marc, what has Khonshu promised you? That this will be your last mission? And then you’ll be free? Trust me when I tell you… Khonshu is a liar. There is always one last thing ”

Lune bit her tongue. A lunar deity being a liar? Yes. Of course. That made sense.

“Sorry,” Steven’s voice had taken on a different color once again. Now it was strong and argumentative. Lune raised an eyebrow and listened closely.

“If Ammit judges people pre-evil, like, before the fact, isn’t she judging an innocent person? I mean, a thought can’t be evil, can it? I think about killing my boss all the time but I wouldn’t actually do it.”

Justifiably.

“Steven…” No, Steven wouldn’t let himself be interrupted right now and continued.

“Like, what about a child? Would she kill a child for something they might do in 30 years?”

“I’m glad you mentioned that. Sometimes the cure is a little taste of the disease. The difference between medicine and poison is sometimes only dosage. Consider a diseased limb. Amputation, horrific and grotesque… is necessary for the larger health.”

Lune had to admit that this analogy made absolutely no sense to her. If anything it was vile.

“But a child is not a diseased limb? I’m sorry… is that what… you’re all into that?” Steven turned to the others, disgust lacing his tone. “Killing children and that? Maybe that’s just me but I kinda draw a line there at child murder.”

The man picked up his cane and Lune could sense the potent magic within it. Everyone started to back away and Lune moved closer to Steven. She had picked one of the ledges and was ready.

“I need to know… where is the scarab?”

“No.”

Lune wouldn’t be surprised if Steven would give her up. She knew it wouldn’t be an act of betrayal, Steven just doesn’t know how these things work. He however did not.

“Where is the scarab!”

“I don’t have it… really." 

Lune took a deep breath, then her voice echoed in the hall even though she was not speaking.

"You looking for this?” A perfect illusion of herself was standing on a ledge holding the scarab into the air. A rushing surfed through the crowd. She had everyone’s attention.

“You couldn’t possibly understand the value of what you are holding. Give it to me, I’ll keep it safe,” there was not panic in the man’s manners, but anticipation.

“You can have it!”

“There is no deal in this Marc. Fix this! Fix this!” The bird’s voice echoed, the God being the one displaying panic.

Lune’s illusioned self threw the scarab and everyone in the hall started to run to catch it.

The real Lune grabbed Steven by the wrist and started running up a flight of stairs.

“Weren’t you just up there?” Steven said, uncertain of what just happened. When he looked at Lune he saw the tiniest smile tugging on her lips, almost like she enjoyed the action.

Dimitri cut them off, blocking the way. Lune let go of Steven and picked up speed, charging for him. She dodged his punch then landed her own before kicking the man into a construction platform. It all was so fast. 

“That was awesome?” Steven remarked, then followed Lune into a room where they barricaded.

“Oh my god. I’m gonna die in an evil magician’s man cave,” Steven panicked.

“No,” Lune said, then found the time to hug Steven quickly. Their eyes met as she pulled away. “Your critical thinking skill in there was really sexy, Steven.”

“What?” He blinked.

Lune took the scarab from her jacket and gave it to Steven.

“But you threw that?” Nothing was making sense to Steven right now.

“From what I’ve gathered, you can draw on Khonshu’s powers and summon a suit or armor of some sort. That would be extremely helpful right now, Steven,” Lune cupped his face and Steven could see the urgency in her eyes. “You can do it.”

Let me in, Steven!

“No! No! I can’t! Please stop! Please, both of you!” It was all too much. It was so overwhelming. Lune’s voice, Marc’s, there was banging on the door, making the situation even worse.

Lune looked at the mirrors behind her. Both of you. Could Marc and Steven talk? That was a thought for later.

“Steven, listen to me. You are the Avatar to an Egyptian god. I have no idea how it works, but you do! This is your thing!”

Steven, let me in! I can get us out of here!

“Please stop! Both of you, leave me alone!” Steven cried out in helplessness and Lune saw what she was doing. She couldn’t force this on him, he has already dealt with so much today already.

She hugged Steven again, “it’s okay. I’m sorry. It’s okay.” Her voice was soft but with an edge. The door would give in any second now. “The latter. Stay behind me–” The door slammed open, but Lune did not see anything.

“Jackal!” Steven shouted on the other hand. “Jackal! Jackal! Jackal!”

Lune couldn’t see it but it charged at Steven and catapulted him through the window. Lune shouted his name, almost summoning her powers to save him… but he was fine?

“That should have been much worse?” Steven said as he got up, feeling his body to make sure. He just fell a few stories.

Oy… Steven… what the hell are we wearing? Marc said with annoyance. Steven was wearing a white tuxedo, gloves, and a mask. It was a suit.

“I don’t know. Lune said I needed a suit?” Steven looked at Marc in the reflection of a glass door.

Yeah… the ceremonial armor from Khonshu’s temple, not psycho Colonel Sanders.

“I don’t know how any of this shit works, man… I– I think I do look sharp though.”

“You look snazzy!” Lune arrived in the alley. A little smile was on her face as she took in the white suit. “Not what I imagined though.”

When you two are done with fashion advice. Where is the scarab?

“The scarab… yes. What are these poles for? Pretty cool actually." 

"Those are weapons, for sure,” Lune said then Steven was suddenly hurled through the air once again. Why couldn’t she see whatever did it? She ran toward Steven.

“No! Stay away!” He shouted as he was lifted into the air and thrown against a parked car.

Lune closed her eyes, with a deep breath she opened herself up and could finally see it. That was some hefty cloaking magic. The thing was ugly… really really ugly. Lune searched the ground and found a big enough stone, hurling it at the creature. 

It let go of Steven and fixated Lune with its gaze.

“Regrettably,” Lune mumbled and ran, but the four legged thing was quicker so Lune sailed through the air, crashing across the street this time.

Give me control, Steven. You can’t handle this.

“I think I do,” Steven got up. His heart was pumping and courage started to spread in every cell of his body. “Get away from her, you! Yeah, I see you, you plug ugly coyote. You’re in the wrong ends, mate. You’re in my yard now!" 

The jackal turned to Steven again, growling lowly. Steven ripped his suit jacket off and pulled up his sleeve. He was balling his fists and hopping around. Lune caught her breath as she watched, amused and concerned at the same time. She loved his confidence but the jackal was closing in, jumping any second now.

"Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee, my name’s Steven with a V. Come on, now!” And for everyone’s surprise Steven landed a precise and hard punch. The jackal flew to the ground, squealing like a hurt puppy.

“I did it! You got planted! Lune! Did you see that?!” Steven was absolutely stoked but the jackal was on his feet quick again and once more Steven sailed through the air landing on a more busy street now. Lune rushed over but Steven somehow caught the jackal’s advance and they both crashed into a car. The jackal was now given a taste of flying across the street while Steven just stayed down.

“That was awesome,” Lune repeated his words and helped Steven up. He supported himself against a bus, looking at his reflection.

That was a hell of a punch back there. Look around. Someone’s gonna get hurt if you don’t let me help. 

“All right. Do it. Take control for now!” Steven said.

Lune felt her stomach tighten up at those words. Marc seemed… different from Steven. She held her breath as she watched Steven change. His eyes lit up and the snazzy suit was replaced by something looking a lot more the part.

Marc? acknowledged Lune, looking at her for a moment then disappearing into the night, leading the jackal away.

Lune was left in what now felt like awful silence. Her heart was pumping and her hands were tingling. She loved the action, admittedly, but seeing Steven get attacked was not enjoyable. There was so much information Lune had to make sense of. And now that Marc was in charge, would he give control back to Steven? How did that work at all?

She looked around and her heart sank. Every notion of thrill and excitement vanished, being replaced by dread. She saw that man in the alleyway, picking up that damn scarab.

Nocturne (3/?) | Moon Knight

Summary:Things take an unexpected turn in an unlikely direction.

A/N:Episode Two, comment to be tagged and let me know what you think!

Pairing:Marc Spector x OC, Steven Grant x OC

Warning:Canon-level violence, SPOILERS for Moon Knight, slight angst

Masterlist

An exhausted sigh left Aila as she surveyed from the rooftop, watching as Steven was pushed into a vehicle and made on his merry way to somewhere she did not know. The scarab clutched in her hand, she carefully tucked it away in her vest and scaled the building to the ground floor where her bike resided. A series of events and disputes led her right back to the remark - keep a close eye and keep Steven safe. He didn’t understand what was going on, especially with the fragments Marc had given him. She felt a great empathy for him, imagining how frightening it was to miss time and events; to hear and see another person talking back to you; to know someone else was in control. Pieces of their previous conversation filtered through, following through her visor as she concentrated on the road ahead.

“There’s a lot of books in here.” she traced the shelves with her fingers, “Have you read them all?”

“Yes.” he quietly replied, watching the woman in his flat with a curiosity in his stare. Steven stared because he was intrigued by her kind voice and the genuinity with which she spoke. 

She raised an eyebrow, looking at him over her shoulder. Aila closed her agape mouth and her eyes fell on the stacks of Egyptian books and decor, particularly the open book on the desk. 

“Sudden interest in studying hieroglyphs?” 

He shrugged, walking over as she stood over the pages “It’s-uh-nothing, not that impressive. It’s not really a whole new language…but more like-”

“An alphabet?” she offered.

Steven nodded, a soft smile reaching his eyes, “Yeah, well you still have to know ancient Egyptian to read it.” 

“Right.” she nodded

He was stumped, but found himself more comfortable in her presence after the interrogation from before. She listened and addressed him as a person, countless occasions leaving a person feeling less than they are. He continued, tracing his finger over the page to show her, “This one here, right?”

“Funeral rites.” she pointed out, watching as his face lit up.

More than that, she was patient with him, even as Steven hopelessly tried to offer up the scarab and rid himself of this horrible dream becoming his reality.

It was Marc’s word that halted him, but Aila’s persistence that meant it all returned to this moment.

Aila made sure to follow closely behind, tracking past the police station, justifying the reluctant feeling in the back of her mind. Tracing behind the vehicle, she recognised the calm and quiet of the town and particularly the imagery inked on the wrists she could see. Parking her bike, she stealthily approached the building and made her way through a lonesome corridor. It was easy enough to find them when following the sound of voices echoing off the high ceilings. Spotting Steven and the man across from him, Arthur Harrow, struck a nerve in her as she cursed.

“So, the scarab?” Arthur asked him.

“Oh, I don’t have it.” Steven denied with a shrug.

‘You must secure the scarab, Marc Spector’s safety is not our priority. Nor this Steven Grant.’ Aila glanced at Sekhmet’s figure behind her shoulder, ignoring her words.

“No?” he asked, although there was evident disbelief at the apparent lie he was met with.

“Honestly, I don’t have it.” Steven wasn’t lying on that end.

“Well, maybe you know someone who does? Maybe Marc?” Arthur leaned forward while Steven averted his gaze, glancing in the reflection of the bowl.

‘Don’t you do it.’ Marc warned him, ‘Do not say her name. Do not give Aila up-Just give me the body.’ he demanded.

Steven simply shook his head, staring down at the table, “No, I don’t.”

Arthur remained calm, exhaling deeply, “May I speak with Marc?”

Steven is left stumped as he stared at the man.

“Marc,” Arthur addressed, “What has Khonshu promised you? That this is your last mission, then you’ll be free?” 

Glancing down at his reflection, Steven sees the intensity taking over Marc’s face as it his resolve hardened. “Trust me when I tell you, Khonshu is a liar. There is always one last thing.”

“Sorry.” Steven diverted the conversation, “If Ammit judges people pre-evil, like before the fact, then isn’t she judging an innocent person?”

Aila’s brows furrowed in confusion at his tactics, unsure of how Steven planned to get out of this without Marc’s help.

‘What is he doing?’ Sekhmet tilted her head.

“I mean, a thought can’t be evil, can it? I think about killing my boss all the time-but I won’t actually do it.”

“Steven-”

“What-what about a child?” Steven continued, “Would she kill a child for what they might do in 30 years?”

A chilling smile twisted on Arthur’s face “I’m glad you mentioned that. Sometimes, the cure is a little taste of the disease. The difference between medicine and poison sometimes is only dosage.” 

He brought his hand up, “Consider a diseased limb. Amputation, horrific and grotesque, is necessary for larger health.”

‘That is not the way.’ Sekhmet’s staff tapped the ground., her voice ringing through Aila’s mind.

“But the child is not a diseased limb.” he defended, “Sorry, is that…are you saying…you’re all into that, like, killing children? Maybe that’s just me, but that’s…I kind of draw the line there at child murder.” Steven mused, raising his hands.

Everything seemed to go still for a moment as Aila sensed the room take a turn. Arthur stood from his seat, handling his cane with something sinister coming forward, Steven also sensing its arrival. The rest of the room took a step backward at this as well. “I don’t want to have to do this…” 

“Then don’t.” Steven stared wide-eyed at the cane as it began to glow a bright purple. “I can’t help you,” he pleaded.

“Yes, you can.” Arthur replied, “I need to know, where is the scarab, Steven? Where is the scarab?” he repeated.

‘It seems you are needed. Now is the time.’ she stepped back, looking down at her Avatar.

Aila swallowed down her anxieties as she opened her eyes and leapt from her spot, landing in a crouch behind the crowd. 

“I don’t know.” 

There wasn’t a clear or quiet passage to get Steven out of this, and so.

“I have it.” she raised the scarab above her head, causing all eyes to fall on her with a palm raised in the air. Steven glanced at her, his heart racing in his chest. The sound of Marc’s protests was loud in his ears as she walked forward and Arthur stared at the scarab greedily. 

‘This is not what I intended.’ 

She wasn’t afraid of Harrow, more so unnerved by his blind trust in Ammit’s vengeful name. Sure, she wasn’t in any place to place judgement on anyone, but this was clearly an imbalance. 

He spoke carefully, his voice low “You couldn’t possibly understand the value of what you’re holding.” reaching out a hand to accept it from her. She continued to stare at him, already having decided her next move as she kept a firm grip on it.

“Let me have that, I’ll keep it safe.” 

‘There is no deal in this, Marc! Fix this, fix this!’ Khonshu’s voice ordered while Steven stared at Y/N with shock.

‘Get out of there!’ Sekhmet’s echoed.

“Summon the suit.” she whispered, hoping to buy them some time.

Steven’s brows furrowed in confusion, “Sorry, what?” 

“Summon the suit.” she whispered, watching the figures swarm around them.

“Summon the soup? What are you saying?”

“Steven-Marc, the suit. Summon it.” she pleaded, trying to get to him through his mind. Wracking her mind for a plan, she shoved the scarab between his fingers and shut them, “Keep this safe.”

“What are you doing?” Steven searched for Aila’s gaze as she quickly looked around them.

“So be it.” Arthur sighed, twisting his cane toward the floor.

“It’s time to go.” she replied, pushing him behind her just as Arthur’s followers moved around them. Pushing Steven toward the stairs, Aila moved close behind before a pair of arms locked around her arm to pull her back. Steven’s shout of protest was quelled at the sight of Aila’s quick manoeuvre. She wrenched her arm back and swung a punch, knocking the man into a table and another was onto them. Swinging her leg in an arch, the man fell into the wall as she huffed and turned to push Steven back up the steps. 

“Go! Now!”

Another man blocked their path as they reached the top of the steps. Running in the other direction, Steven found himself halting at the sight of another before Aila jumped in and kneed the man in the chest and punched him, easily throwing him off the ledge before they started running again. 

“That was awesome.” Steven replied just as the ground began to shake. In the moment, she grabbed him by the hand and dragged him into an empty room.

“Bolt the door.” She helped him seal the metal lock and they turned around to the storage room. 

“Oh my god.” Steven gasped, glancing around at the artefacts “I’m going to die in an evil magician’s man cave.”

“Hey, listen. You’re going to be okay, alright?” she nodded her head, “Marc, I know you’re in there, I need your help right now. I need you to put on the suit.”

The door began to shake, something on the other side trying to get it.

“N-no.” Steven shook his head frightenedly.

“Come on, Marc. You need to fight, please. I need you.” She exhaled, searching Steven’s eyes for the remnants of the familiar man she knew.

Steven breathed, shaking his head anxiously “I can’t.”

‘Let me in, Steven.’ Marc stared at the man through the reflection of the mirror.

“No, I can’t.” Steven closed his eyes, trying to desperately get a breath.

‘Let me in, Steven. It’s the only way. There is no more time.’ Marc urged.

“Stop, please, both of you!” Steven glanced between Marc in his reflection and Aila. She breathed, taking a step back before glancing between the door and him. A bout of guilt rid her as he sank down and grabbed at his temples, the pressure of it all taking a toll on him. Nodding her head, she sighed and allowed her hands to gently brush his hands and squeeze. 

“It’s okay. Breath with me.” she urged, “Follow me, okay?” 

“I will fix this. Try and stay calm. Okay, Steven? I’m right here with you.” she repeated, grasping both of his hands in her gentle grasp. Still, she searched his eyes for signs of Marc, to no avail. As the door began to force itself open, her heart hammered in her chest but she glanced down at him with a sense of calm and assurance that began to seep into his bones. 

“Stay behind me.” she murmured, nodding to get him to understand before he followed reluctantly, a sense of trust formed between them. 

‘I am with you, strong one.’

Facing the door, she exhaled when it opened and the wild and large form of the jackal peered through the doors. A fire lit in her veins, reaching her eyes until she stared down with the creature.

“Do you see that?” he pointed out and she didn’t respond before it darted forward and she swung around, a sword extending out into her grasp and black armour covered her body. Her sword sliced, raising a screech from the creature before she twisted around and struck again, dodging its ferocious attacks for her neck. Aila darted to Steven as he froze up at the sight of the jackal. 

“Steven?”

The minute distraction was enough for the creature to retaliate and wrench her body into a nearby rack with a crash that sent shatters everywhere. The sound of Steven’s concerned voice reached her as she groaned. Not a second later did she hear his yell and the crashing of glass. Her head shot up toward the window, rushing off the ground to glance around. Searching for Steven, she scaled down the building and hit the ground, only to meet a silent street.

A figure wandered down the street, clad entirely in a white suit and a mask that looked eerily familiar, a crescent on the forehead. “Steven?…” she murmured, “You look different.” watching as he was tackled again to the ground. 

“Stay away from me!” he shouted, struggling against the jackal’s hold.

Not a second later, did the creature turn to her and leap to attack. Aila moved quickly, darting around to swing her sword down and roll behind the creature. It struck the ground where she landed, forcing her to flip and rise with her sword in hand, glancing over to Steven as his masked eyes studied her entirely. He glossed over the armour and the sword she brandished before she focused back on the jackal. It slammed into her, gripping her against the wall. 

“Let go of her!” He shouted, moving forward to intervene when a blast of fire came between Aila and the jackal. It screeched in pain and dropped her, raising a groan from the woman as she gasped. Aila breathed heavily, waving a fiery hand at the creature just as it set its sight on Steven and she launched the fire into its side. Opting to go for her instead, the jackal roared and galloped toward Aila who threw a dagger to impede it to no avail. It continued to make its way to her as she crouched low to the ground and drew her sword, flipping and striking the creature from above. She tucked and rolled into a crouch, looking up at Steven who stared at her in awe. His body language quickly changed, glancing behind her until she turned and buckled under the pressure of the jackal’s hit that sent her onto her back. Her heart leapt into her throat, the image of the gnashing teeth above her.

“Get away from her, you!” Steven yelled, self-assured with his new suit of confidence, “Yeah, I see you, plug-ugly coyote. You’re in the wrong ends, mate. You’re in my yard now.” He rolled his sleeves up, clenching his raised fists. 

“Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee. My name is Steven with a V.” He sang, lunging forward with a punch that sent the creature flying back several feet and slamming into the ground. 

“I did it! You got planted!” He cheered, looking over at Aila who stood from the ground, “Aila! Did you see that?”

He was quick to celebrate before the jackal rushed him and Steven slammed into the nearby bus, rammed into it several times. 

'That was one hell of a punch back there.’ Marc smirked in the reflection, his face now privy to Steven’s eyes. 'Look around. Someone is going to get hurt if you don’t let me help.’

“Alright. Do it. Take control, for now.” Steven sighed, pushing himself up against the bus. He gasped, leaning upward as his eyes shone white and Marc took over. The white suit of the Moon Knight armour covered his body and he turned to Aila crossing the street. Flickering over to the jackal only visible to their eyes, Marc glanced down at her hand gripping her side.

Aila nodded, “Get it out of here. I’ll follow behind." 

***

In the mirror, Steven found it suffocating and overwhelming while he looked out into the real world going on about without him. Marc was in control of the body after regaining consciousness and leaving him right here in this frighteningly position.

'Can I have my body back?’

"I can’t do that right now, Steven.” Marc leaned over on his knees, staring at nothing while he thought. He wrung his hands through his hair and exhaled sharply.

'Please.’he pleaded, staring at Marc’s back in the glass, 'I’m taking it back.' 

Steven visibly strained as he tried to regain consciousness. To no avail.

“Sorry.” Marc replied, “We’ve always managed to keep a wall between us, but something’s changed. The one who controls the body has become stronger." 

Looking in the mirror he stood in front of, Marc saw Steven shake his head in denial.

"The reflections help, but most of the time, it’ll take all your willpower just to be a fly on the wall.”

'You can’t do this. Keeping me trapped in here. You have no right.’ Steven countered helplessly. 

In spite of the circumstances, Marc sighed and remained calm. He offered Steven a bit of calm with the guilt weighing over him. 

'My whole life…I can’t go on a bloody date. I can barely keep a goldfish alive. I lost my job. It’s been you-its always been you-’

Marc raised his hand to object, “Look, when I am done, when I have repaid my debt, I swear to you, you will never see me or hear from me again. I promise you. We wouldn’t be alive if it weren’t for Khonshu. And my…servitude is the price that I pay.”

'What kind of servitude?’ Steven’s brows furrowed.

"The kind that leaves me covered in blood.” He replied, standing up.

'Yeah, well that blood is on my hands. You ruin people’s lives, you ruin everything you touch. You ruin,' 

Marc clenched his eyes shut, burying the building guilt in his chest while Steven continued to rise the anger he wrought. 

“You hurt people and you abandoned your partner. She clearly cares about you-understands you enough to come this far to try and help us, and you still hurt her.’

"I had to do it-” he gasped, “I had to do all of it to protect her and finish this before it gets worse.” Marc shook his head, “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

'All you had to do was tell her the truth-’

Marc narrowed his eyes in the glass, “And drag her further into this mess? No. It’s already too dangerous as it is." 

'You’re a liar. I don’t believe you. I don’t trust you.’ Steven screamed, 'You hurt people!’

"I’m not gonna let anything happen to her.” Marc lamented.

'I won’t let you hurt anyone again!’

“Just shut up!" 

'I will never give you a moment of peace, I promise.’

They kept going back and forth until Marc had enough and the rage let out with each kick lacing a crack, the mirror shattering under the force. Khonshu’s deep voice reverberated in his ears, drawing his attention to the rooftop. Marc sighed, preparing himself for the ridicule. 

"We’ll find the scarab." 

'Too late. Harrow has it.' 

"Then we’ll find another way. We’ll get to Ammit’s tomb first.”

'You know I’ll protect you with everything I have.’ Khonshu replied.

“I’ll do whatever it takes then. Then you let me go.” Marc decided.

'Let me remind you of your debt to me.’ Konshu remarked, standing over the terrace. He dropped down and stood over Marc, 'You were nothing but a corpse when I found you. I own this body.’

Aila clenched her jaw, lowering her head as a breeze brushed past. She knew all too well of the burden dealing with a god left. The crunch of glass under her feet sounded, a flinch from Marc as he turned. The sight of Aila’s black armour as it dropped from her head, revealed her graceful features. Careful eyes studied him, the change in posture and the recognition as he glossed over her which told her enough. 

“Marc…” she lamented, glancing down at the shattered mirror and the broken expression he swept behind a hardened stare.

“Why did you come? You had the scarab.”

“The one thing you told me was to take care of Steven. I did that. I can’t change what’s already happened.” she studied him, a moment of silence passing between them “Are you okay? Is Steven?”

“Not important right now.” 

She narrowed her eyes at his dismissal, stepping forward to grasp his hand when he retracted away, “Of course it is.”

He turned away from her, looking up at the ominous figure. Khonshu loomed over them, relaxed with his staff at his side. ‘You said it wouldn’t interfere and look where it got us.’

Sekhmet stood behind her shoulder, 'The work you’re doing is far greater than the life you led before. If Harrow completes his mission, millions could die. This cannot happen again.’

Aila averted her gaze to the ground, ‘It is an unfortunate price all Avatars must pay in return. The consequences otherwise, are dire.’

“We’ll find them.” Aila assured, tilting her head up, ”I will fix this.”

‘You will,’ Khonshu interjected, looking down at her, 'If you are unsuccessful, I fear Marc Spector will never see daylight again.’

The tremor of his voice rang true, tears instilled in Aila’s eyes while the two gods stood between her and Marc. She clenched her jaw, her fingers flexing at her side. Marc’s eyes met her own, and she saw the despair along with something else that he’d rather not share; an expected behaviour of her partner.

“Where are we going?”

Nocturne (2/?) | Moon Knight

Summary: A series of unfortunate events tied together in a mysterious crescent bow leads our protagonists astray.

A/N:Comment to be tagged.

Pairing: Marc Spector x OC / Implied Steven Grant x OC

Warning/s: slight angst

Masterlist

The streets were bustling with the traffic of London’s morning life around her as Aila carefully watched her surroundings. Wet puddles spread across the pavement, retreating into this dull aura around the city streets. 

Her eyes darted up to the key picture of interest, the British Museum. At 9:34am, she would be at the top of the steps and a minute later, following behind the morning tour group. It had been a few days and she had settled into a place a few stops from here on her motorbike. Only the second trip was required as she skirted the corner and her eyes locked onto his profile at the counter. The same man - tan skin, brown curls. But something-there was something she couldn’t put her finger on. Whether it was his posture, almost as if he’d rather slink into the background, or the kindness in his eyes. Aila was albeit intrigued despite that fury in her veins upon discovering his current location.

Beyond Aila’s better judgement, she has brought herself here, despite the countless missed calls and emails. A hopeless cause it seemed, right up until she finally got through to someone on the receiving end of that call. All of these events lead right up to the apartment she traced back to Marc. Her heart hammered in her chest loudly as she gently latched the window shut. Nerves were rushing to her stomach, stirring an uneasy sensation through her. The clink of a key in the lock triggered her eyes to the front as it swung open and she found herself vastly unprepared for the reunion. A shuddery breath escaped her mouth as Aila forced herself to breathe. 

She locked onto him and blinked, watching as he turned around completely and shut the door behind him. The image was albeit, inviting, a far cry from the memory in her mind. He flinched at the sight of her standing in his living room, stunned by her sudden appearance which she took as remorse for all of the ghosting he’d been doing since he disappeared abruptly. Marc was clearly dishevelled from a prior event from the dried blood on his hands and hidden beneath his jacket.

She watched him, unsure of where exactly to begin,

“Hi,” 

“What are you doing here?” he asked, frozen in his step.

She almost laughed, “What have you been doing? I’ve been looking for you and you’ve been hiding away here this whole time?” She stared at him, an incredulous look around the room.

“What you’re talking about-how did you get in here?” His voice sounded almost confused, but the more perturbing fact was the British accent. 

“What is-Is that accent a part of your cover?” Her face scrunched, stepping forward just as Marc retreated back. “I know it’s not my part to follow you around, but the least you could do as my partner is give me a heads up. Let me know that you’re alive.”

“I-I don’t know what you mean. Wh-Who are you?”

Her face dropped, halting in a step as she recognised the lack of recognition in his eyes. The danger sensed in her presence as she studied the confusion on his face, sending a pang through her chest. The man standing before her was a stranger if not the man she knew. 

“What happened to you, Marc?” she whispered, studying the difference in his mannerisms and the way he carried himself.

“You-” he breathed, “How do you know? You called me Marc before and now? That’s not my name." 

About the voice in his head. The troubling voice that continued to haunt him. The dreams that resided in his mind on the cusp of consciousness and a subconscious master over him.

"How did I know your name or how did I find you?” She narrowed her eyes, “Whatever happened must’ve messed with your memories.”

“Who is Marc?” he emphasised.

Steven knew nothing except for the inhuman abilities of his alter, the voice in his head.

“You are.” She repeated calmly, watching as his face twitched - unnerved by the conversation. 

“My name is Steven Grant.” He recited, “Not-not Marc. It’s the name I was born with. The one my mum chose.”

She stood firmly across, hands at her side “Your name is Marc Spector. I’ve known you for many years to forget it.”

“Do you know what’s wrong with me?” He exhaled deeply, eyes flickering around, “Am I crazy?”

She stared at him, the pure terror in this man’s eyes, something she was entirely unfamiliar with. Marc was possibly the most strong-headed and tenacious person she knew. But this look in his eyes at the moment, it rose a feeling of empathy as she shook her head. She had seen and heard of vastly wilder things than hearing voices, what with the enormous tragedy of the blip and the underworld that rose in its ashes. 

“You’re not.” A warm expression crossed her face as she caught the uneasy expression in Steven’s eyes. A silence fell over them before Steven finally stepped forward. “I’ll help you figure this out. 

“I know most of what happened right up until the change.“ She revised, rubbing her arms, "A year later and I lost contact. I’ve been tracking you ever since." 

"What exactly happened?” His features were softened, twisted in genuine confusion that stumped her.

She crossed to stand near his desk, glancing over all of the Egyptian books and imagery throughout his flat.

“We were tracking something when we were ambushed. Y-Marc was shot and we were in trouble." 

Steven studied her, the graceful image as her shoulders dropped and she brushed her fingers against the hieroglyphics of the open pages. "I couldn’t do anything to help him.”

She gulped down her anxiety and looked back at him, completely taking in his entirely different stance and mannerisms to the confidence she was used to. “And then that’s when I lost consciousness. I woke up in an entirely different place, no memories of how I got there. Except for the blood.”

Steven’s eyes shone in recognition, “I have a sleeping disorder. Recently found out all of it had nothing to do with me at all and rather…” he trailed off, thinking of the horrific week he had in discovering the voices in his mind.

“How long have you known about…" 

"About the voice in my head?” Steven’s eyebrows raised. “Not enough time to process it, that’s for sure.”

“It’ll be okay-” she stepped forward, reaching out for him.

His voice cut her off, “How is it going to be okay?! I hear and see things that no one else does? Can’t forget that I lose days at a time and now you’re saying I’m some American named Marc?" 

She nodded, stepping back to allow him some space as he paced the floor. "I know." 

Steven halted in his steps, his hair a mess from tugging it. A hopeless look in his eyes, "How can you possibly know?”

Aila’s hands leaned against the desk chair as she sighed, “Because…you’re certainly not the only person who’s gone through this." 

A beat passed as Steven watched her pause, "And you won’t be the last." 

“I don’t know how much he’s told you, and I think he could explain it best. I won’t interfere there. But you are not alone.”

The creaking of footsteps brought Aila’s head, a single glimpse bringing him into focus. From the confidence in his posture and the intensity of his stare alone, it clicked. The longing look behind his intense gaze.

"Marc?” She struggled to keep her voice level, the truth of a long time coming to fruition as she stepped toward him.

He nodded, almost reluctantly, “It’s me.”

She paused for a moment, taking his hesitance and pondered where exactly to begin, “What’ve you been doing here?” 

“It’s good to see you too.” he murmured, glossing over the subtle differences in her hair, the strong stance with the bag strapped to her back. “I’ve been working.”

An exasperated noise escaped her, “Working? I thought we discussed this ten times over. You can’t just run off and cut off all comms. What did you think would happen-”

“-I didn’t need to run it by you.” he huffed, “Konshu said this would be the last mission. I need to finish this and then it’ll be over.”

She stared at him indifferently, shaking her head “And you believe that?”

He blinked at her, clenching his jaw. He wanted to. Marc desperately wanted to believe that it would be the end after all he had to do since his awakening. A debt to be paid.

“I have to.”

“You know I understand this, better than anyone.“ Reminding him of her place as Sekhmet’s Avatar.

“It’s too dangerous, easier to run things on my own.” he clenched his fists at his side.

A choked laugh escaped her, “Always a team player, aren’t you? There isn’t time to argue about this.” she sighed, averting her gaze. “I’ve been getting this feeling lately that something is going to happen. I couldn’t ignore it anymore.” 

She looked up at the sound of Marc’s voice as he tilted his head, “Is that why you came?” 

She shook her head, pursing her lips at his ignorance to her concern for him “Sekhmet is worried. Hasn’t said much about the specifics except for finding you and…Konshu.”

Aila sighed, closing her eyes, “How long have you been living like this?”

His face twisted slightly, confusion laced through his agape mouth.

“Have you-have you tried to get help?” she murmured.

Marc remained silent as they breathed, feeling the pressure of her eyes scanning his every move for an indication. But he couldn’t muster an answer as he felt the pressure of Steven as he locked eyes with him in the reflection of the glass tank.

She stepped toward him, drawing his attention “I have to make sure you’re okay.”

He finally found his voice, trying not to choke on his words as Konshu lingered in the back of his mind, “Take care of him.”

The comment caused Aila’s brows to furrow in confusion, “Steven. Make sure he’s okay.”

Aila’s eyes glistened with tears, but she nodded her head nonetheless.

“What are we looking for?”

Moon Knight Masterlist

Series

Nocturne

One,Two,Three

TAGS

@ilymoonie@mia-j-333@flyingmushroomss

@rosaren2498@cornballmaple