Scars of the fleeting past
"Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards." ― Søren Kierkegaard
Tony POV:
I am at my tower, as usual pouring myself a glass of scotch. For the past five months things have been rather quiet. Pepper and I were enjoying ourselves, no drama in sight, and hey, surprisingly we were rather happy. She still nagged me with the papers (oh god, the papers) and company and what not, and I still did my Iron Man work, helping with cleaning up the destruction Thor's adopted brother has caused (aah, the good old times when a person could just fly through the window).
The playboy thing…well the playboy thing didn't actually stop altogether. Sure I stopped screwing every other woman I met, because Pep is just hot like that, and for the first time I just might like someone for real. But sometimes when I saw a really hot chick practically throwing herself at me, well I can't say I didn't get certain thoughts about rekindling my title. Thought I never cheated (as in 'no I did not put my thing into her thing'), I couldn't help myself. I even made out with a few and felt like an ass in the morning, when the alcohol left my system.
Pepper doesn't know, if she does, she never said anything. And it's not that I don't love her, because I do, but the truth is, sometimes I just…I feel like she…doesn't get me. Not in the way I would want anyway. Like with the palladium poisoning. I tried, I really did. Just wanted her to be with me, wanted her to see me for who I am (or trying to be), really, honestly see me. I hate myself for thinking like this but I can always feel a stab of something (disappointment, betrayal?) when she doesn't see my gestures for what they really are. For some reason I always think back to those strawberries (fucking strawberries, couldn't even remember she was allergic). But it wasn't even that. It was that casual dismissal (I can't deal with you right now Tony) and not looking past those fucking strawberries to see what I was trying to do and…
But anyway, my glass of whisky is already empty and I go cheerfully for another round, when JARVIS alerts me of Bruce and Steve coming up to see me.
The elevator opens and I'm just a little surprised to see them both in casual clothes ("what's this? No tight panties for you today Stevie?" –"oh shut up Tony"). I smile at them and offer a drink. We are sitting at the bar when it happens – a shit load of lightning piercing the sky and thunder growling in the background.
Suddenly there is a loud crash on the platform and Thor all but stumbles inside, his eyes wide and gasping for breath. It's almost funny how the three of us stand up so fast, at the same time, that you would think our movements are programmed to be in sync. My head starts swimming when I hear the breathless almost-whisper uttering the dreaded words I had trouble even comprehending.
"He escaped, Loki escaped."
And so, without even a question (questions? Pffft ain't nobody got time for that) we scrambled to get our weapons, rushed as fast as we could and trying not to let panic take over. We were outside; Thor and I flying and Steve and Bruce in one of my terrain cars, looking for Loki at the ground level.
After two hours of searching, Steve's mind finally clicked back into place I guess, and he notified SHIELD. Just as we wanted to turn in another direction my face-scanning program picked up a face in the more secluded part of the city. Loki's face. And if I ignored a steady mantra of 'oh fuck oh fuck oh fuck' well, no one needed to know.
"Ummm, hey guys? I think I just hit the jackpot." I said over the communicator and flew to the entrance of the abandoned warehouse where I just saw the bastard slither inside. Thor was still on the other side of the city since we split up, but thankfully Bruce and Rogers were near. I could already hear the screech of tires when I landed with a metallic 'thump'. I ripped open the door and blasted inside.
Loki was on the other side of the warehouse, sharply turning around, looking slightly like a deer caught in the headlights (heh, deer…get it?) with his big green eyes, as I hovered a few feet away, aiming all my weapons at him.
For a moment he just stared at me. He didn't actually look frightened. Just surprised I guess.
And then he had the gall to grin at me. Like, 'full teeth-splitting his face' kind of grin…wolfish you could say. (Which completely defeats the deer joke….unless….wolf in deer clothing? (Oh Jesus, shut up brain, we need to focus here!))
"Look what the cat dragged back from the dead." I chimed. "So lovely you could visit, but I think I would prefer if I didn't have to see you this soon. Or ever for that matter. Now, why don't we make this easy for all of us and you make a calm surrender, hmm?"
Loki let out a small 'ehehe' and really? It would be kind of cute (like a kid sneaking to the cookie jar) -if it, you know, wasn't the noise of a sociopathic killer who threw me out of the window.
"But, Mr. Stark" he said evenly. "Wouldn't that be kind of…counter-productive?"
Just as I went to retort, Banner and Steve came rushing into the place. Rogers put out his shield and took a battling stand. "Loki! Surrender now!" He almost screamed (jeez Captain! He's insane not deaf). Banner was standing right behind him, clearly upset, but not wanting to release the Kraken err… Hulk just yet.
It was almost fascinating how Loki's demeanor changed in a matter of seconds. His face went from teasing to a snarling rage, his shoulders hunched, legs in a slight crouch. He reminded me of an angry wild animal. And did he just let out a growl? Jesus…the man could be scary when he wanted to. Not that I would ever be scared. I was just sweating because it's hot in my suit ok? (Yeah, never mind the cooling system (we talked about this, brain. I told you to shut it))
It was then that Rogers moved, throwing his shield into the god. For a second, I thought it was going to hit home.
Wrong fucking assumption.
The angry god moved so fast I couldn't even see it at first, and as he teleported in front of Steve, freaking backhanding him and sending him flying through the air, I couldn't help but think that the soldier just doesn't get the 'proceed with caution' warning that is almost visible in the air around the trickster. Not that I have any room to talk.
When Steve's head cracked ominously against the wall and Bruce looked ready to Hulk out, I finally snapped into action. I fired six missiles, which he dodged, and teleported back into his previous location.
He started to chant something, green light crackling in the air. And that was probably not so good (and the reward for amazing deduction goes to…). I charged my repulsors at him and just as he sent a blast of green towards us, my beam countered his magic. I was slightly reminded of me and Rhodey, and from my experience, this could quite possibly blow up bad. Literally.
My beam and Loki's magic somehow reacted to each other and it all looked like they canceled each other out. For a few seconds, everything was quiet. Like a calm before the storm. And then…then all went to hell.
A blast of air sent us all toppling to the ground.
Light started spreading first through Loki and then continued throughout the whole place, surrounding us like a blanket of white. My vision started spinning and soon I had to close my eyes to avoid nausea.
I just hope I'm not going to die. That is the only thing I'm asking for right now.
And holy hell, my head is thumping,
…and I feel a pulling sensation…
…and I have…no fucking idea…what is going on…
…god I…need…a drink…
