"Goons, warehouse, circling the wagons," Tony sighed. "Must be Thursday."
"Indeed it is," Thor called back with a grin, smashing another series of opponents. "Though if you hurry, Friend Stark, I will save some for you!"
"You'll save some for me?" Tony exclaimed indignantly, and blasted two enemies with his repulsors. "Who's in the flying suit of armor shooting lasers from his hands?"
"No lightning," Steve said preemptively. "We're in a building, Thor."
"Very well," Thor said, though he did not sound pleased.
Tony whistled. "Better luck next time."
Thor's eyes narrowed, and he raised Mjolnir.
"Woah, woah, Big Guy," Tony backpedaled, "take it ea..."
Too late. The hammer flew...past Tony, missing him by nearly two feet to strike an enemy menacing Natasha. The demigod widened his eyes innocently as Mjolnir returned to his hand.
"Is something wrong, Stark?" he asked.
"Ha, ha," Tony grumbled, spinning to shoot at three goons who had opened fire at once. Thor just grinned.
"Thor!" Steve called. "Behind you!"
Tony spun in midair to see a man with a knife lunging at Thor's back. He couldn't easily strike at the guy with Thor's bulk in the way, but Thor's armor could reflect machine gun fire, let alone a simple knife. The demigod began to turn at Steve's warning, his hammer curving in an arc. Instead of impacting just above Thor's spine, the knife hit his shoulder…and sank through the armor as though through butter.
Thor roared in surprise and pain but completed the turn, ripping the knife from his attacker's grip. The man tried to stumble backward, but Thor sprang after him. There was a sickening crunch.
That crunch was too much for the rest of the thugs. Almost as one, they broke and ran. The Avengers let them go.
"Thor, you okay, buddy?" Tony demanded, landing beside him.
"Yes," Thor said, though his face looked a little pinched with pain. "It was not a fatal blow." He started to reach back for the blade and winced. "I had thought these ordinary mortal foes, but only an enchanted weapon could have pierced my armor."
"Stop that, you idiot," Natasha said. "You'll tear it open further."
They found a chair for Thor that wasn't too rickety, and he sat while Natasha examined the knife still sticking out of his back. He never removed the armor if there was still a chance for battle, but the links surrounding the injury spun aside. The rest of the team gathered around anxiously (except for Hawkeye, who kept an eye out for thugs returning).
"It looks like it went in cleanly," the Widow said after a moment. "But if we wait much longer to pull it out, you might just heal around it."
Thor nodded. "Pull it out."
It was dirty in the warehouse, but no one argued. Thor's immune system was nearly as impressive as his strength. Steve found a mostly clean cloth tucked away in a corner and brought it to Natasha. She gripped it in one hand and the dagger in the other.
"On three," she said.
Thor let out a deep breath and visibly forced himself to relax.
"One." The dagger came out with a pop. Blood welled up, but Natasha expertly covered it with the cloth and began to apply pressure. Thor's only reaction was a soft grunt of pain.
"Eiir has never waited either," he said. "I believe you would like her."
"Your family doctor?"
"The head of the palace healers." Thor barely seemed to notice the gaping hole in his back.
Natasha lifted the pad to check the injury beneath. "It looks like it's already stopped bleeding. Just don't do anything stupid like tear it open again."
Thor rotated carefully in his chair and smiled at her. "Thank you, Lady Natasha. This is not the first time you have treated wounds."
Clint snorted from the rafters. "Are you kidding? Tasha does all my injuries."
"And that's besides all the times she's done mine," Steve said.
"She makes me somewhat redundant," Bruce agreed, buttoning up the last button of the spare shirt Steve now carried with his gear.
"Nah," Tony said. "Widow's good, but she just doesn't do smash like you do."
"Thor does okay," Bruce said, looking at the last man Thor had killed. The rest of the team followed his gaze. It was actually a bit of a disturbing sight.
"I wish I had not acted so hastily. Perhaps he could have given us information about this group's allies, " Thor said. "Once more, I allowed anger to get the best of me." He got to his feet and winced. "So am I paid."
"Still, Avengers 20, attacking goons 0," Tony said airily. "We can figure out why they had enchanted weapons later. Shawarma sound good to anyone else?"
Clint groaned. "What is it with you and shawarma, Stark?"
"Hey, it's a delicious, culturally diverse meal," Tony defended himself. "Don't tell me you don't enjoy it, Birdbrain."
"Meat sounds good," Thor said. "I care not what variety."
"Let's have hamburgers this time," Bruce said. "I know this little place on 7th..."
Suddenly, Thor groaned. The team turned to look; the Asgardian's face had gone a lot paler beneath his beard.
"My friends," he managed before his knees buckled.
"Thor!"
Facedown on the floor, Thor did not respond.
