50 Shades of Tony
By Rey
Tony chooses to think differently, see the little details, in the aftermath of the Battle of New York. The arc reactor in his chest is failing for the second time, at that. These, coupled together, sees him pelting down quite a different road than what anyone expects, including himself. An alien family, a pre-made romance, some inherited species change… oh, my!
Story notes:
1. This story is a fusion/crossover with a few other fandoms, but you needn't be familiar with those fandoms to enjoy this story, as Tony (the POV) isn't, either. I'm telling you this just as a forewarning, since some readers do prefer not to read any kind of crossover, and I'd like to respect that.
2. Given the space constraint (only 50 words max per section) and rule (following a preset chain of words from the prompts I created, which you can suggest more to or take under your own interpretation), this fic is more of an outline of glimpses that hop about everywhere. But you can request for expansion to one of the dribbles, or a series of them if a scene is covered by not just one dribble. (The story will then be posted in a separate title under a series involving this main one.)
3. To be safe, proceed more carefully or skip a particular snippet if you see an asterisk tagged to it. It means there's a possibly (very) sensitive topic inside, ranging from language not suitable for polite company to very traumatic past to mature themes. It's rather rare, but still there. Please pay attention on the warning(s) tagged at the beginning of each chapter, if there's any, as it/they'll explain what the asterisk(s) is/are for.
4. I've never written romance before, or anything lemon-like, so I guess the lameness is a warning, as well, for parts on which they may apply. Suggestions, critiques and corrections are quite welcome, in that case. – But, well, actually, all kinds of complaints, comments, thoughts and ideas are welcome. I always love people's thoughts and discussions on things.
Dialogue markers: (Note: Screen-reader users, please turn on the "attribute speaking" feature for the best experience reading this story.)
• "Usual dialogues, in English."
• `Thoughts or mental dialogues, usually Tony's, otherwise noted.`
• "Written notes, chats, signs, etc."
• "Spoken dialogue in languages other than English."
Language markers (Ýmska – language of the jötnar in Rey-verse):
• abý: dad (closest equivalent)
• amma: mum
• Aslakonnar: Your/their Highness (singular) (for spouse and children of the reigning monarch)
• býma: second-mum (like "abý", but closer)
• Ðolukonnar: Your/their Majesty (for the reigning monarch)
• milaða: jötun (singular, modifier)
• milaðen: jötnar (plural)
• Ýmirheim: Jötunheim (in the language of the jötnar)
• Ýmska: the language of the jötnar
Rating markers: (Rating is otherwise mostly General)
* – containing heavy Teens or Mature content(s), noted on the respective chapter's note section
** – containing somewhat Explicit and fully explicit (but without lingering on observation or thoughts) content(s), whether of a sexual, traumatic, violent nature or some other mature theme
Chapter 1
Tony Stark and a Taste of Freedom
Warning for:
Piece 11: Heavy Teens: References to Sexual Content
Stark Tower, New York, United States, 10th June 2012
1. Civil
Looking at the ruins of his penthouse, Tony wonders why he invited those strangers to come to stay with him here in his tower. But then, old-man Jarvis always lectured him about courtesy and civility. So perhaps that's why.
2. Strange
There is an emerging pattern in all the snapshots of people's encounters with Loki that Tony has gathered, both from his own security cameras and those that SHIELD keeps in their database. It doesn't sit well with him. But whom can he tell about this strangeness?
3. Bleak
The medical photos that JARVIS took on Tony's chest area show him a bleak, short future. Apparently, the arc reactor embedded in his chest hasn't been able to cope well with all the strenuous activities that happened this few days.
Labuan Bajo, Flores, Indonesia, 13th June 2012
4. Teal
With all the stresses piling up, from reconstruction of the tower, to demands to debrief from Fury, to his own impending death, Tony seeks shelter with his bots in the tropics. Here in Indonesia, from his sea-side little lab, he can watch the calm blue-green water to his heart's content.
5. Yonder
A komodo dragon is lazily sunning itself just beyond the fence of the little getaway home. Tony observes it with envy. He used to do that; just… in another life, it feels. But now there are so many things to do, to prepare for… things.
6. Guise
Mingling with the natives is fun. Tony is just another ridiculous American tourist in a village of short, black-skinned, cheerful people. With his goatee gone and him garbed only in baggy shorts, baggier T-shirts and flip-flops, nobody will be able to recognise him as Tony Stark, the Iron Man.
7. Quilt
Staying in a tropical climate would make everyone shun thick blankets. But Tony can't ditch the quilt that Anna made for him that long time ago, when his world was practically just old-man Jarvis and that lovely wife of his. She was his mum in all but blood.
8. Scale
In the scale from "horrible" to "horrendous," this second impending death by arc reactor…. Well, it's actually out of the scale, and not in a bad way at that, Tony muses. There are less loose ties to deal with, and SHIELD or other government agents are yet to find him.
Labuan Bajo, Flores, Indonesia, 15th June 2012
9. Clutter
"Oh, shit," Tony grumbles, as he trips yet again on the toolboxes that either of his three bots have left open on the floor. Fortunately, this time he isn't holding anything. "Oi! I didn't program clutteriness into the three of you, did I? Come on – clean this up!"
10. Pump
`One last good thing before I die.` That's the idea. And now, Tony is delivering his custom-made water-finder kits to a few nearby villages, consisting of a groundwater measurer, a water driller and a pump set. The drought is still there, but at least it's something… right?
Labuan Bajo, Flores, Indonesia, 16th June 2012
*11. Nice
Tony's home-away-from-home is… swamped; by villagers with profuse thank-yous in rough and stumbling English, and gifts ranging from food items to virginity. And all because of just a handful of kits that cost so little, that he could rather easily make. To be appreciated so is… nice; bizarre, though.
12. Cup
Playing with a few village children with the available utensils in his kitchen, Tony accidentally gets an idea when one of the rambunctious little things pretends to scoop "the blue light" out of his chest using a cup. `This kid might just save my life!`
Malibu, California, United States, 19th June 2012
13. Tired
The need for advanced technical and medical tools regretfully sent Tony back to his home country. Now he is recuperating in his Malibu home, exhausted after a thirty-six-hour bender tweaking the arc reactor in his chest. And it works!
Malibu, California, United States, 21st June 2012
14. Wave
Back on his figurative feet, Tony surfs about along his private beach with abandon. This reminds him of the waves just outside his little lab half-way on the other side of the globe, however, and the little child that unknowingly saved his life.
Malibu, California, United States, 23rd June 2012
15. Prolific
Numerous water-finder kits after he began the industrious production, which had been sparked by the déjà-vu surfing, Tony has to concede that he misses his sea-side home in Flores, Indonesia. But, well, maybe it's indeed the right time to return there for a while. SHIELD is sniffing round again.
16. Plate
JARVIS has been fielding lots of calls from an exceedingly worried and increasingly frantic Pepper, apparently. Tony feels that he can't face the world yet, though. So he sends her a custom-made plate he bought online, whose face displays embossed shapes of little strawberries forming the word "PEPPER."
Labuan Bajo, Flores, Indonesia, 24th June 2012
17. Burn
The land is still starving for water, Tony finds, as he visits his Flores home again. The soil is dry and cracked. The yellow grass crackles and breaks beneath his shoes. The waterways are empty. He delivers the water-finder kits he made to the villages, but they don't seem enough.
18. Tasteless
The porridge, made from mashed corn and nothing else, is tasteless and dry. In other places, in other times, Tony might reject it, shun it, even mock it. But the villagers insist to give it to him, in repayment for the water-finder kits, from so little that they have.
Labuan Bajo, Flores, Indonesia, 27th June 2012
19. Kitchen
Tony has learnt much, from tailing his mother in her Maria Stark Foundation events but actually speaking with people other than her. With that knowledge, he coordinates with the foundation and opens a soup kitchen that the villagers can partake of, as well as selling food ingredients inexpensively to them.
20. Itch
JARVIS relays a video call through various bouncer servers. It's Fury, and he is… furious. He rants about Tony's lack of responsibility, lack of cooperation, lack of care. And Tony's fists itch horribly. He wants to punch that bastard black and blue. He must keep "in character," though.
21. Drink
A group of Swedish tourists invite Tony "the American gone native" to drink with them, with the supplies that they brought from Jakarta, their previous stop. Tony has to pause, on that. `When did I last drink anything other than water, coffee, milk, pea soup or smoothies?` He can't remember.
Labuan Bajo, Flores, Indonesia, 30th June 2012
22. Scoundral
Pepper is the one ranting, next. Tony can't send up designs for new products from far away. Tony can't just disappear, without telling anybody where he's off to. Tony can't ditch his responsibilities to Stark International. Tony can't behave like a scoundral forever. And through all that, Tony is silent.
Puncak Jaya, Papua, Indonesia, 2nd July 2012
23. Cap
Indonesian government agents have begun to sniff Tony's presence. SHIELD will be just a step behind, he bets… or maybe they're the one who squawked. So he moves to a more isolated place near the edge of the country, delighting in the snow that barely caps the highest mountain there.
24. Brindle
Tony has a new bot, shaped like a little child. He names her Brindle, for her colourful coating. He wants a living reminder of his time here. A child living in a village of browns and yellows and creams and blues and precious green saved him, and he doesn't forget.
Cartenz Piramid, Puncak Jaya, Papua, Indonesia, 3rd July 2012
25. Sublime
Tony is gathered with his four bots and JARVIS – in his newest Iron Man suit – atop the highest peak in Indonesia, seated on the light dusting of snow and watching the sun rise. The silence, broken just occasionally by the chattering of his bots, feels sublime.