I'm totally going to update Never Let You Down as quickly as I can but I was watching Infinity War again and I could not help but notice how much more RDJ was able to say with his expression, especially in the scene where they met the Guardians. I remember thinking that the gun Tony created was a little overkill but it wasn't until I watched the movie a few more times that I realized why, fear. I definitely should have realized it before but for whatever reason it hit me this time and this little drabble of a story struck me so I had to write it.

This is from Tony's perspective and it is just that small scene.

I hope you enjoy it!

Jarring fear.

Strangling panic.

Those were the only thoughts to flash through his mind before he again chastised himself for not making sure Pete was on his way home before he got onto the ship because this, this was exactly what he had assumed would happen.

Tony's quickly freezing mind reacted the best it could as he fully recognized what was going on. Still he forced himself to speak through the ice, even if he could feel the fear bleeding across his expression, "Yah I'll do you one better, who is Gamora?" He snapped.

Then the idiot beneath his feet spoke, asking another question about this Gamora. But Tony barely registered it because he could not tear his attention away from where the previously masked man had his gun trained on Pete's head. No.

The others around him started talking but it was muffled, unimportant and all Tony could do was stand there with his hand held up in front of him, repulsor charged as he waited for the man holding Pete to make a move so he could end him. But he didn't move. Instead, Tony watched as the masked man pressed Peter more firmly in front of him and jammed the gun harder into his kid's temple, threatening him. Tony saw red.

He didn't know how to react, so he resorted to anger, "Let's do it, you shoot my guy and I'll shoot yours." Immediately, he wished he had said anything else but he hadn't so instead, he produced the largest gun he could think of, a ridiculous weapon that would more likely disintegrate the grey man under his boot while continuing through the floor of the ruined ship. It was overkill and Tony knew it but he also knew he needed to do something to get the masked man to drop the gun at still pressed to Pete's head.

The others were much calmer. Someone who sounded female said that the grey man couldn't take it, which Tony was sure he wouldn't be able to, a thought echoed a second later by the calm voice of Strange. Still, Tony could not take his eyes off the gun. The gun that was pressed to his kid's temple. The gun that, while significantly smaller than the one he had just produced, was still large enough to do significant damage. Still large enough to do deadly damage. As that thought tore through his mind, Tony felt fear tighten across his vocal cords. He couldn't speak again if he wanted to so, Tony could only hope the previously masked man would understand the threat and back off because if that trigger was pulled, Tony was going to kill every last person in this room to get to Peter.

But the man didn't stop, he just kept talking and so Tony had no choice but to pay attention, "You don't want to tell me where she is, that's fine. I'll kill all three of you and I'll beat it out of Thanos myself," Tony felt his heart leap into his throat, as the man pressed the weapon none too carefully into Peter's head. Tony watched the kid move with the motion, as if he was trying to get away from the gun even though he apparently couldn't move. The gunman spoke into Spider-Man's ear and Tony could not help but flinch as he thought about how loud that had to be for Peter, "Startin' with you." The madman growled. He watched in horror as the man pulled his arm tighter around Pete's throat and pressed the gun aggressively against his head, an angry scowl written across his face.

Then Strange picked up on something Tony hadn't because he was too busy figuring out a way to get his kid away from the clearly deranged man, "Then…wait, let me ask you this one time, what master do you serve?"

That was the point when Tony realized the man had said he was looking for Thanos. He had heard it but it had not registered, the fear that had jumped into his throat lessened a bit when the man with the gun answered.

"What master do I serve?" He looked incredulously at the wizard, "What am I supposed to say Jesus?"

Tony realized they were on the same side. But the man still had not dropped the gun, "You're from earth?" He snipped, the anger still clear in his tone.

"I'm not from Earth, I'm from Missouri." The man with the gun, still pressed tightly to Peter's head, answered.

The nanobots crawled back into the suit, mimicking his fear, as he dropped the ridiculously powerful weapon he had created and he tried to look nonchalant, ignoring the panic that had threatened to strangle him a few moments before. And Tony could not help himself, "Yah that's on Earth, dipshit. What are you hasslin' us for?" Then he heard Pete speak for the first time and immediately relief coursed through him.

"You mean you're not with Thanos?" Peter's voice was quiet under the mask but it seemed to confuse the man with the gun, at least if the stupid look on his face was any indication.

"With Thanos? No I'm here to kill Thanos, he took my girl. Wait who are you?" Tony watched as the gun was finally dropped completely away from his kid's head and he realized he could breathe again.

Peter ordered the mask back and Tony felt a jarring sensation as he fully saw his kid with someone else's arm wrapped tightly around his throat. Still Peter pulled his attention when he answered, "We're the Avengers, man."

Tony felt the burn of anger when he watched the Missouri man let go of Pete, who immediately gasped a bit as he was able to take in a full breath.

"You're the ones Thor told us about." Tony finally was able to spare a glance at the female voice he had heard before and he could not help but recoil just a bit…she had…antenna?

But Thor's name caught his attention, and he turned back to the idiot still standing too close to Pete for his comfort, "You know Thor?"

The apparently still angry, confused, stupid, Tony wasn't really sure, man answered his question, "Yah, tall guy, not that good looking, needed saving."

Then Strange chimed back in, "Where is he now?"

"They went to some mythical forge or something, Nividaller…Nidivaner…or Nidavellir, something like that. Apparently, he needs to get some Thanos killing weapon." The man from Missouri's voice deepened in a mocking tone as he said the names, Tony wasn't sure but it seemed like he was trying to mimic Thor. Then before Tony could ask him anything else, he continued, "I think we all should have a weapon like that but we're here so…" Tony could not help but look back at Strange, confusion clear on his features. Then he noticed that Peter still could not move.

Anger flared again as Tony stepped forward menacingly and he gestured at the faintly glowing wires still wrapped around Pete's chest. He couldn't help but growl, "Get those off him."

The Missouri man looked at him with a scowl that Tony was beginning to think was just his natural expression, "I will. Why don't you tell me who you are first?"

Tony took another half a step forward, snarling this time, "Not until you get those off him," Tony could feel the nanobots shifting under his hands, waiting to form whatever he could think of to deal with the apparently non-neutralized threat.

But the man instead held up his hands, seeming to sense the fury rolling off Tony, "Alright, alright, hold on." And he held up a device and pressed a button, immediately the wires flashed and fell away, allowing Pete to move his arms again. He unconsciously brought his hands up to rub at his elbows where the wires had been and Tony felt another bout of rage shoot through him but he somehow managed to keep it off his face.

Tony physically kept himself from tugging Peter into his side, realizing how odd that would look so instead he just stepped forward again and quickly laid a hand on his arm. The kid looked up at him when he did and Tony discreetly looked the kid over. He looked a little shook up but other than that he was fine. Tony knew he could not tug him behind him but seeing the shock on Pete's face forced Tony to take another unconscious step forward as he placed himself between Pete and the man from Missouri. Finally, he introduced himself, "I'm Tony Stark, back there is Dr. Strange, and this," he threw a thumb over his shoulder making sure the fury bled through in his tone, "is Spider-Man."

Peter took a step out from behind him and Tony had to keep himself from clamping his hand down on the kid's forearm. Instead, Pete held his hand out to the man from Missouri, "I'm Peter." He said in the forever innocent tone that Tony would do anything to protect.

"Peter Quill but most people call me Starlord." He took ahold of the kid's hand briefly before he gestured to the others in the room, "That's Mantis and Drax."

Tony was not listening, instead he watched the interaction and did not miss the fact that Peter took a step back behind him as soon as Starlord, Starman, Star-something, let go of his hand. As soon as he did, Tony spoke up, trying to draw the man's attention away from Pete, "How about we head outside? Apparently, we have a visit to plan for." Thankfully, no one questioned the suggestion and they all started to move toward a hole that had been torn in the hull when they landed.

Tony waited for the others to step in front of them before he laid his hand on Pete's shoulder, "You alright, kid?" He asked, scrutinizing him more closely now that they were mostly alone.

The kid nodded, "I'm alright, Mr. Stark." Peter replied, leaning just slightly into Tony's hand.

Tony did not quite believe him but did not want to comment on it because he instinctually knew it would be a denial, "Wish you had stayed on the bus?"

Peter's disbelieving look covered up most of his shock, "And miss this? No way. We're in space, Mr. Stark!" He threw his hand out in a vague direction of the planet's surface.

Even though Peter's eyes lit up at the prospect, Tony could sense the underlying fear. He could hear it in the slight quiver to his voice. For the thousandth time since this stupid foray had started, Tony wished the kid was anywhere else and bit back the fear that something was coming he would not be able to protect him from, "Just…stay close to me." He halfway ordered, knowing that it would promptly be ignored if anything happened.

If Peter thought it was weird, he didn't say anything, instead he just nodded carefully.

And as Tony dropped his hand off his kid's shoulder, he swore that no matter what happened, he would give his life to protect this kid. Strange had his stone and Tony had Peter.

There you have it! My short take on why Tony used such an overstated gun on Drax because really it was pretty ridiculous. I hope everyone enjoyed it and for those of you who are reading Never Let You Down, my goal is for this to get the muses back to work on that story.

I hope everyone has a wonderful night/day and stay creative!

-Lily