Tony was panicking.
He would never admit it, but he was.
"Did we just lose?" Starlord was scared. Tony was too.
Yes.
They cannot afford to let that happen again.
Tony looked over to Stephen Strange. He looked so hurt, granted he had just gotten stabbed and was lucky enough to have not damaged anything major.
"Why'd you do it?"
Stephen knowingly said, "We're in the Endgame now..."
"Dad?"
Tony whipped his head a little too fast. With all the blood loss and stress levels of today, he got really dizzy and was so tired. He should not have gone on that morning run with Pepper.
Peter, his son, Peter...thank God looked fine. Not a scratch on him. Tony applauded himself for being so damn smart in making that suit the toughest and safest place for him to be in.
"What's wrong, Buddy? You alright?"
Peter's eyes were as big as saucers staring at Tony's wound.
"Oh, shit..." Tony used his suit to spray a layer of icy particles to keep himself from bleeding out. "There, good as new." He smiled, trying to stay positive. His heart broke when Peter kept looking at him like he just kicked his puppy. He never had a puppy, though. Tony had a "No Pets Allowed" policy. Not even a goldfish was allowed.
"Come here." He held out an arm, noticing how little of his suit was left after the big fight.
Peter cautiously knelt down in front of his father and Tony pulled him in close.
"We're ok...it's ok...everything is going to be fine."
"I was so scared." Peter's voice was cracking.
Tony swore if Thanos laid another finger on his boy he would throw a moon on him.
"Come on, let's go." Stephen walked past them, mind set on something.
Tony was about to argue the point that they are stuck on this dead planet since they crashed their only way out when he saw a ring of sparks, the same kind used by Stephen when they first met earlier.
"WONG?!" This was the second time today Tony was so happy to see the sweet man.
"Figured you might need my help." Wong had a smug look on his face.
Everyone followed, Peter helping Tony through.
"The ring of fire is my safe space." Drax went through and turned to Wong. "I am eternally grateful, wizard."
Wong looked at Stephen, who rolled his eyes.
"Where's Bruce?" Tony asked Wong.
"Last I checked, he was headed to Wakanda to help the Avengers save the Mind Stone."
"Vision." Tony prayed that they still had it. "We need to go there now." He turned to the Guardians. "You in?"
Starlord still looked hurt, clearly blaming himself for the loss of not only the fight on Titan, but...
Gamora.
"Yeah, I've got a major score to settle with that big purple grape monster piece of nutsack chin-"
"Okay, let's just all take a deeeeeeeeeeeep breath..." Mantis was nervous. She did not like it when people were upset. Then she would be upset.
"Alright, ladies, let's go. No time to waste." Tony pulled out a capsule, and with a few clicks...
"That is the coolest thing, Dad!"
Tony beamed through the armor. He loved seeing Peter so happy. It was almost like it was two years ago when...
What a family we were.
How Tony wished things could go back to the way it was. When this was all said and done, he was going to have a looooooong talk with Steve.
His husband.
The love of his life.
He had to make things right.
He just wanted his family back together.
"BEHOLD! THE MAJESTIC PIRATE ANGEL BABY IS HERE!"
As they all reached Wakanda, the horrid battle raged on between the army and-
"Hey, Dad! Those things look like the aliens from ALIENS!"
"Yeah, beefed up with protein powder."
The vicious creatures were tearing themselves into the warriors, their screeches terrifying.
"Peter, go back to the Sanctum." Tony ordered.
Peter shot his head over. "But Dad-"
"NO BUTS! WONG! TAKE HIM BACK NOW! IT'S TOO DANGEROUS!"
Before Peter could argue, Wong through the portal at Peter, whose Spidey sense failed him to dodge it in time.
"DAAAAAAAAAD!" Peter screamed. He looked around the Sanctum and saw a crater the size of a meteor in the staircase. He was all alone, and there was nothing he could do about it.
"Please come back..."
Tony helped Rhodey, Sam, and Thor take to the skies and contain the monsters in one area.
There were so many of them, though.
"Glad to see you off your ass finally." Tony teased Rhodey.
"Good to see you too, jerk!" Rhodey dropped a series of bombs along the border where it was open just enough to let them climb into Wakanda.
Tony found Wanda saving Natasha from what Tony could see as the leader of this army. He flew down to them.
"Ladies, can we let bygones be bygones?"
The two girls looked at each other, Wanda a little nervous.
"The Accords are no more. I made sure they were toast. Turns out not everything was my fault." He smiled that cocky smile.
Natasha rolled her eyes. "Yeah, well, if it wasn't for Ultron, none of this would've happened."
"Ok! Can we settle this later?" Wanda asked impatiently as she used her magic to tear a flying piece of alien tech in half, saving them from being squashed like bugs.
"Yeah, right, big nasty battle." Tony's helmet covered his face back up, and he flew off.
With the extra help from Tony, the Guardians, Strange, and Thor, the battle finally ended. Bodies lied everywhere, from both sides of the fight. Tony looked around for one in particular. Thankfully, he could not find any sight of-
"What's that?" Nebula asked.
Tony looked up in horror to see Vision zoom across the sky and landing with a thud in the jungle. Before anyone could register, he beelined it towards the rustling trees.
"I'm on it! Avengers, damage control! Get everyone inside and taken care of!"
I'm not gonna lose...
"Vision?" Tony blasted a hole through one of the retched "children of Thanos" and knelt down to see the cyborg starting to short-circuit.
"Mr. Stark." Vision managed to get out. "It seems our plan to extract the Stone from me has failed, and...ngh!"
"There's no way around it, is there?"
"There's nothing we can do." Vision looked off. "I can't bear to make Wanda do it. Is she safe?"
"Yeah, she is." Tony felt weird talking to him. He sounded so much like JARVIS, but it wasn't. He missed his best friend.
"Sir?"
Tony's heart skipped a beat.
"It's been a privilege."
Tony smiled. "It sure has, Buddy."
Steve walked it off, shaking his head. How did he get all the way over here?
Oh, right. That big ugly monster threw him. Bruce was there immediately with the Hulkbuster to save him, but had to leave to help someone else.
This was a disaster. Steve never fought a war like this before. So brutal. No mercy.
The wind picked up, rustling the trees all around him.
He turned to see a portal form out of nothing and stepped back.
There he was.
Thanos.
Steve could not help but feel nervous. He lost his ear comm and no one was there for backup. And he had no shield to protect him.
"So..." Steve cursed himself for sounding so weak. He cleared his throat. Not to get Thanos' attention. He was already staring at him. "You're the one responsible for all of this?" Steve took a couple steps forward, stopping in a wide stance, arms crossed, trying to make himself look bigger.
"What I want is to end all of this." Thanos calmly answered. "You of all people should understand that...wanting to live without war and death..." He smiled at Steve's mind racing back a couple years ago to Ultron. How could he sound so similar?
"Don't you want that? To end the fight so you can go home to your family? They really miss you."
"Stop it." Steve was shaking. "You leave them out of this."
"I know what it's like to lose those who are closest to you. To feel so desperately that you're right, yet to fail them none the less."
Steve thought back to what he did. How he hurt those he loved the most. Because he thought he was right. But it cost him everything. And he missed them so much.
"Maybe I have...but that is none of your business. What is it you really want?"
Thanos smiled. "I'm glad you offered to help me, and for that you will be rewarded."
Before Steve could register, his whole world went black for a second. And it was hard to wake back up. Until he heard his voice.
"Oh my God..." Tony did not care about his vulnerability by pulling back the mask. His stomach flipped and he was scared.
There was Steve Rogers-Stark, frozen in an icy grip all the way up to his shoulders. He was shaking, could not feel his body. His heart was racing as he opened his eyes and saw his husband.
"T-T...Tonyy..." As the tears fell down his cheeks, they stopped halfway, now tiny icicles stuck to him.
"Steve?" Tony choked. His eyes cut to Thanos, and Steve realized he had never seen Tony so angry before. It was deadly.
"You let him go now..." Tony threatened.
Thanos just laughed. "Isn't it fascinating? You as a scientist should appreciate this, Stark." Thanos slowly circled Steve like a vulture. "The human body is able to survive 100 degrees Fahrenheit below zero for about three minutes. But this rare specimen..." Steve shook harder when his big hand rubbed the top of his head. "Might make it a little longer, don't you think? His body is stronger than most..." Thanos gave a menacing smile. "After all, he survived 65 years like this..."
Tony was furious. To think this Titan, running around killing people, could just abuse his husband, exposing him to his worst nightmare.
"You know, if I didn't know any better, Stark, I'd say this family of yours has made you gone soft...and to think I admired you for putting everything behind. You've achieved so much. I've watched you since New York. You caught my attention. And now with this..." Thanos showed the Soul Stone, shining in the afternoon sunlight. "...I know everything about you. You cleansed the Earth with your weapons, and then you decided to be the hero. And now, I give you permission to retire, go home. I'll take it from here."
Tony saw one empty socket in the gauntlet...he mentally cursed himself, realizing how far they have fallen in just one day.
In one day, the most dangerous being in the universe is now the most powerful. And he, Tony Stark, was the only one standing in his way of getting everything he wanted.
"Tony?" Steve cried. He could barely see, for his tears were frozen, blinding him. Tony stared at him, seeing him in so much pain.
"I promise, I'm gonna get you out of there, Babe..." He raised his hand to slowly start to melt the ice, when Thanos cut him off.
"Uh, uh, uh..." Thanos used the Reality stone to change Tony's nanobites into fire ants, who all immediately started to bite Tony.
Tony cried out. Steve cried out.
After what seemed like hours, Thanos made the ants disappear, and Tony fell to his knees.
"No more theatrics." He reached out his gauntlet-free hand. "Give. Me. The. Stone. And I'll spare him."
Tony's whole body ached and burned, the poison from the bites weakening him.
"Time's running out. I can hear his heartbeat slowing down."
Tony shrugged. "How do you know I have it? I just got here. It's still in the Vision."
"Do not lie to me, Stark. I know you destroyed the casing for it just now..."
"His name was JARVIS."
"Like I said..." Thanos shook his head disappointed. "Sentiment. It's what makes you weak. You care too much." He stepped back to Steve, who was fighting to stay conscious. With a wave of the gauntlet, Steve was released from his icy grasp, his body temperature back to a healthy range, the Stone's power keeping him from dropping dead towards the sudden temperature change into the tropical climate of Wakanda. Steve's knees buckled, but he never hit the ground, as Thanos grabbed him by the hair of his head. Steve was gasping for air, exhausted and unable to fight back.
"Let him go!" Tony begged. "Please..." He cried, tears streaming down his face.
"Why do you care now?" Thanos sincerely asked. "After he left you and your son for two years...breaking your hearts in the process. Why should you worry about what happens to him now?"
Steve swallowed hard. "Tony...I-I'm so, sorry..." He started to cry again. "I love you more than anything in this world, and I hurt you. I'll never forgive myself for what I did to you and Peter. Please...I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive mEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!"
Thanos shoved the gauntlet into Steve's temple, the Power Stone burning him.
It hurt Tony worse watching it. He then noticed a huge presence behind him.
"Really? We have an audience now?" Tony looked around, wishing the Avengers had come sooner.
"One move from any one of you, and he dies." Thanos shoved the Stone into Steve again.
Thor could not help but cringe, knowing from personal experience how painful it was. They all froze. And then vanished as Thanos used the Time Stone to reverse time back to give them more privacy.
"Please..." Tony stepped forward, pulling out the Mind Stone wrapped in a piece of cloth.
"Tony, NO!" Steve cried. "I-I'm not worth all of this...if he gets the Stones..."
"I can't lose you!" Tony interrupted him. "I just can't..." He focused back on Thanos. "You let him live. You don't lay a finger on us or my son ever again."
"You have my word."
"And why should I trust you?"
"Because you and I are just alike...you would do anything to get what you want, even if it means sacrificing everything."
Tony could not help but agree, but never showed it. He tried to look as offended as possible for being compared to the most evil presence in the universe.
And then it happened...almost in slow motion...
Nobody could get between them fast enough as Thanos threw Steve off to the side like a rag doll and Tony tossed the Mind Stone to those greedy purple hands.
Thanos savored this moment. As the Stone became one with him, the power surged through him more now than ever before. All these years, he had finally achieved his mission in life. He had won.
"Sentiment..." Thanos laughed as Tony dove for Steve, checking on him. "When I'm done, half of humanity will still exist. I hope they remember you. Before you became weak and pathetic. I hope your son grows up to be nothing like you. For he will only know pain and disappointment if he does."
"You got what you wanted." Tony stood protectively over Steve. "But I promise you...you're gonna regret this."
"You'll understand one day..."
And with that, the Mad Titan left.
Tony let out a sob, focusing on Steve.
Steve.
His poor husband.
"Babe? Are...are you ok?" Tony carefully combed Steve's long hair out of his face so he could look at the burns on him. "I'm so sorry he did this to you."
Steve shuddered, still upset from being trapped in the ice...again. Only this time was scarier. Much worse. "I'll be fine, I..." His eyes shot down for a second. "Tony, I've been-"
"Shhhh...it's ok...we're past that now. I'm just so glad to have you back."
Tony gently kissed Steve's lips. Steve whimpered, but embraced his husband.
"I love you, Tony...so much."
"I love you, Steve."
They returned to New York City that night with everyone. The Avengers Tower was as Tony and Peter had left it this morning.
Tony offered to give the Guardians the extra floor in the Tower to rest, but they went off to hunt for Thanos. They would let them know when and where to meet them.
Everyone was shook up from what all had happened.
Thor had it worse off than anyone could have imagined.
"Anthony, I thank you for allowing me back into your home after all this time." He started to cry again. He not only lost his home and everyone he loved, but he was losing his way. All he could think about right now was vengeance on Thanos.
The Avengers eventually made up completely after all that had happened the past two years.
Stephen and Wong promised they would alert them as soon as they found Thanos. They could keep in touch with the Guardians.
As they started to heal and make up, things took a turn for the worse...
Just as they were starting to get back to a normal routine...
Just as they were used to waking up each morning with more pancakes and poptarts than they knew what to deal with...
Just as they were enjoying a Movie Night again...
Just as they were becoming a family again...
It happened.
It was just Steve and Tony in bed, almost asleep, when they suddenly saw Peter standing in their doorway.
"Dad?" They shot up, the lights coming on. "Pops?"
"Peter, what's wrong, Honey?" Steve jumped out of bed, Tony following him.
"I-I don't feel so good."
Tony's mind raced. "Was it dinner? Food poisoning? Are you sick?"
"Oh God...Tony!" Steve could not believe what he was seeing.
Peter, their son, had dust coming up and out of his body. He looked down at his hands. "I don't know what's happening."
"Tony, what's going on?" Steve's heart was racing. Tony just stared.
"I don't wanna go...I don't wanna go..." The fathers both caught him as he fell forward into their arms.
"Please. Please..." Peter was crying. Begging them.
"Peter? You're alright..." Tony tried to remain calm, thinking of what could possibly be going on.
"Dad?" He was so small. "Pops? I don't wanna go..."
Steve and Tony tried to comfort their son, but it was of no use.
Peter collapsed. He opened his eyes just enough to see his two dads.
"I love you..."
And then he was gone. Like he was never really there.
"Peter?" Tony searched for him, looking at his hands, seeing the dust sticking all over him and the bed sheets.
"Tony, what is this? Where is he?" Steve shouted.
Tony knew what happened. He knew that bastard could not be trusted.
Thanos would pay for what he has done to his family.