Characters: Steve Rogers & Tony Stark. Features Natasha, Clint.
Summary: Steve sees Stark hit the water, and then he's running.
Went ahead and did TBB 10 Songs Challenge, where you hit shuffle on your music and write to whatever ten songs come up. When the Emperor Arrives/The Death of Yoda/Obi-Wan's Revelation came up, the follow-up for the theme "drowning" came out. Apparently, my schedule is determined to make a liar out of me. Considering I have quite a few written now, expect rapid updates.
Part VII: Misfortune
Steve crouches, shield clasped firmly to his body. There are too many enemies around him to repel, too many civilians, too little manpower –
"Stark to Rogers. We have a breach on West. Do you copy?"
That's his side. Steve throws himself around the building and almost gets shot by enemy fire as a result. He snaps his shield up, deflecting blasts that manage to blow a hole in a nearby parked car.
"Working on it, Stark," Steve snaps, voice thrumming with tension.
"I'm on it," Natasha's voice comes as a surprise and there's a thud as she drops from above to land on top of one of the metal soldiers. Natasha drops him, her Widow's Bites crackling as they activate. "Hey, Cap," she greets him casually. "Thought I might drop in."
"Last I heard, you were in Canada," Steve replies casually, throwing his shield once more. Natasha takes out another soldier, denting it's helmet with a forceful kick.
"Clint and I thought we'd drop in and say hello," comes her casual response. "Say hello, Clint."
"Hello, Clint," the archer announces himself and Steve can't help but flinch as an arrow on its way to take down one of the invaders skims a little too close for comfort. "You guys have really done a number here, you know."
"Press tours are boring," Stark says. "I'm pretty sure it's Cap's fault we got attacked, anyway."
"You're the one that published our schedule online," Steve points out genially. "Given the technology involved, I'm fairly certain someone's angry with you."
A thoughtful pause. "That would explain why-"
Stark's transmission abruptly dies, and Steve almost gets shot as he misses a step from surprise. "Stark? Stark come in," he orders, flinging his shield away from him.
"Cap, on your nine o'clock," Hawkeye snaps out. Steve lashes his head to the side and can see Tony falling, suit pinwheeling in the air as he tumbles. There's no evidence that Tony's doing anything to stop his fall – no thrusters, no snarky voice on the headset.
The suit falls from the sky, the lack of light from thrusters and reactor obvious to Steve's eyes, even from this distance. Steve moves before he's truly aware of what he's doing, shedding shoes and jacket as he flings himself forward.
Steve takes off at a run as the suit continues to fall, sprinting down the street in the direction he thinks that Stark will hit the ground. Under his boots, pavement turns to gravel, and then to sand. Impatiently, Steve sheds both boots and jackets as he goes. Steve's always been a good sprinter since he received the serum, and that comes in handy now as he runs.
He can see the impact as Stark's body hits the water, and then he's dashing forward even more quickly, Natasha and Clint's hurried assurances in his ear.
As rapidly as possible, Steve moves, flinging himself forward off the end of the pier. He fixed Stark's location in his mind when he hit the water, and now he just needs to reach it. He does, and then Steve dives underneath the water. The sand's disturbed into a fierce cloud - unsettled by the impact of the suit, he can only assume. Steve swims quickly, stroking as far down as he can even as his lungs strain. . There's no comm. chatter from Clint and Natasha. Steve's alone down here in the water, except for Tony.
Tony. Where is Tony? He has to be here somewhere. Come on, Stark, give me some help he- there!
Tony's gotten most of the suit off, luckily, the pieces of metal floating around him after detaching. However, it's clear he's disoriented, trying to put the pieces together after the unexpected fall. It looks like he's reaching – for what, Steve's not sure.
Black spots swim at the edge of his vision as he moves, the salty water irritating his eyes. Almost there. Almost there.
And finally, finally, Steve is almost to Tony. He reaches forward through the water – he's not going to be able to reach Stark, not through the debris separating them. It's not just pieces of the suit down here, but old wreckage as well. Come on Stark, give me some help here.
For a moment, he doesn't think Tony will. Then slowly, gently, one of Tony's hands reaches out through the water. Steve brushes against him, grips his wrist, and kicks.
Many thanks to everyone who's reviewed, faved, and followed so far! You guys are brilliant. Up next we'll either have a Bruce and Clint piece, or a Thor and Jane one. Let me know if you have a preference.
-V
