Title: Full Circle
Author: CodeNameTargeter
Fandom: X-men/Avengers
Characters: Emma Frost, Tony Stark, Billy Kaplan
Prompt: 44. Circle
Summary: ["You just wait," she hissed through gritted teeth. "One day, I'll steal two of your team members without telling you just to see how you like it." Ahhh, how revenge is sweet.
Author's Notes: This could take place in either the normal 616-verse or in the XMH!verse although it was written with the latter in mind due to the backstory. Written for the fanfic100 over at LiveJournal.
"EMMA!"
It was a rather pleasant day in Westchester and unusually warm for early October. Instead of staying cooped up inside, the majority of the school was outside, including the teachers. While most of the students were relaxing or playing basketball, a select group was being put through their paces in the newly constructed obstacle course which served as an alternative to the Danger Room.
When the technology enhanced shout reached her ears, Emma Frost was in the middle of lecturing the training group as to what exactly they'd done wrong. The majority of those outside jumped or let out noises of fright at the shout. Emma merely sighed and turned towards the source.
That proved to be another reaction gatherer. While most of the school was well aware of the telepath's relationship with the superhero, not many had seen him before in person. An even smaller percentage had ever had the distinct pleasure of being confronted by a furious Iron Man hovering in mid-air.
Emma folded her arms across her chest and raised an eyebrow. "Are the theatrics really necessary, dear? We are trying to run a school here."
"And I'm trying to run two superhuman taskforces," he snapped back, the power source in the centre of his chest glowing brighter as if to emphasis his point.
"I'm not discussing this while you're hovering twenty feet above me," she said resolutely, ignoring the cautious whispers that were flying between the students all around her. The volume of the whispers elevated as he acquiesced with her request and landed before her. "Is there a reason for this display?"
Even without being able to see his face, she knew he was glaring at her. "There wouldn't be if you'd bothered to return my calls. If this is some ridiculous plan you've cooked up for your own amusement—"
"I'm hardly one for jokes, dear," Emma reminded him coolly. "What are you so upset over?"
"Your two newest recruits," he replied shortly. "I thought we had a deal—"
"Take your damn helmet off, Tony," she broke in irritably. "I'm not talking to you if you're wearing that ridiculous bucket."
One armoured fist clenched and unclenched. "Not with all these students around. My identity's technically secret--"
"Which is why most of the country knows it."
"—so I'd prefer to talk in private. And then I'll take my helmet off."
Emma sighed, barely able to restrain herself from rolling her eyes yet again. "Class dismissed," she said to her training group before stepping forward so she was right beside the armoured man. "We can talk on the roof," she informed him curtly as he wrapped an arm around her waist.
"Fine," he replied brusquely. The sensors in the armour picked up movement from one of the main sources of his anger and he turned sharply to face the young man. "Wiccan."
The spellcaster gulped visibly and offered a weak smile. "Uhh, hello sir."
"Was this your idea?" Tony demanded harshly, the metallic edge to his voice while in the suit sharp enough to stroke sparks.
"Yes, sir," the younger man replied, standing up straighter, his voice becoming stronger as he continued. "I thought this was the best place for me to gain a more refined control over my powers."
The same fist clenched and unclenched again. "All of it?"
"Well, not the email…"
Before he could reply, Emma broke in serenely. "The roof, Anthony. Now."
Instead of replying, he simply shot straight up in the air before landing carefully on the roof and releasing his grip on the blonde telepath. There was a hiss of escaping air as Tony released the catches of his helmet and pulled it off. "Alright, Emma, you can stop playing the calm teacher now."
She allowed a hint of a smile. He continued to glare.
"You took two of my Young Avengers." It was a statement, not a question.
Emma shrugged. "Billy came to me, not the other way around. I didn't see any harm in it. The boy thinks he should work on controlling his powers and I agreed with him that this was the best place to do so, especially since we are a school."
"There's no reason why he couldn't have at least talked to us about his concerns," Tony protested. "Any one of the Avengers would have been more than willing to try and help—"
"Who's on the team right now?" she broke in.
He frowned; she knew the answer well enough. "Myself, Steve, Hank, Janet, Luke, Julian, Rogue, and Carol. We've all been in the superhero business for awhile, even your two. He could've--"
"And how many of you have had your powers since adolescence or even have actual powers?"
"Just—Ah." Realisation struck home. "But still, Dr. Strange—" Tony began.
"—Has already said that he'd be more than happy to work with us to help Billy gain a more precise control over his power," she finished, a hint of triumph in her eyes.
He sighed in defeat. "Did you have to take Hulking too?"
"Did you have to take Rogue too?" she countered, more than a tad mockingly.
Running a hand through his hair, Tony shook his head slowly. "I'll have to shift the teams around then... maybe even have to call a reservist or two up to active duty…" His voice trailed off and his head shot up, an accusatory look on his face. "This is your revenge for last year, isn't it?"
"The circle is now complete," Emma deadpanned, cupping his cheek with her hand. "When last we met, I was but the learner. Now I am the master."
"You're enjoying this far more than you should be," he grumbled, an accusing finger jabbing at her chest. "Vengeance by quoting Star Wars is a bit much."
She shrugged. "Mmm." Amusement was obvious in her usually unreadable face. An apology was not. "What can I say, darling? I thought the best way to deal with your 'poor word choice' was with the film the children at the school have been watching lately."
As he replaced the helmet on his head, he muttered, almost so Emma couldn't hear him, "And besides, you quoted it wrong."