Thanks for waiting for this delayed chapter :) Per usual I don't own anything, including song lyrics
Tony and the New Hope
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Tony a kick ass, shoot to thrill day. He and Bruce began to make Sesshomaru's toxin weapon viable. They had actually managed to successfully separate the compound, and produced two separate toxins. Tony wanted to name them Venom and Carnage but Bruce told him those were already taken.
It worked out; he thought of two even better ones.
He named the first toxin, which produced the potent neurotoxic effects in organic matter: Cerberus, and the hyper corrosive acid for inorganic matter: Sirius. Tony loved a good name, and he certainly thought Sesshomaru would appreciate the nod to the whole Dog Demon thing.
He was a naming genius. Mastermind. Savant.
Well…assuming that the beautiful time-travelling Demon Lord knew Greek mythology, and astronomy… Well, shit he could always just explain it. He had a lot of experience in one on one tutoring, especially when mixed with the subject of anatomy. MIT gave him a lot of opportunities to 'practice'.
It wasn't like Sailor Moon lacked in the intellect nor anatomical department either.
Speaking of that, he couldn't wait to show the pompous canine what he managed to chemically engineer once they were complete. It would totally blow his mind.
And they would make him think twice about studying documents on his own, and choosing to open up to Capsicle, of all people, about his brother who got pinned to a tree. Not that he was still sore by that. Tony made others sore, not the other way around.
Sometimes the looks he'd get from Bruce would make him want to reinforce that point.
He and Bruce now were in the testing stages for each toxin, trying to increase the potency of Cerberus and Sirius. So far, they had succeeded in making each marginally stronger separate than when they were together. They hoped to improve the results by the end of the week.
But, that wasn't even close to being the best part of his day.
In addition to the toxins, the youki sample Sesshomaru gave him produced a rather unpredictable result with his current suit, the Mark XLVI. The Mark XLVI suit was his forty-sixth suit that he had created in a ravenous panic of an anxiety induced workaholic binge.
He likened his binge creation period to Picasso's blue period. Pepper did always love curating that fine art gallery. Unlike, or who knows maybe like, Picasso's period his was punctuated with many a fine bottle of scotch.
Ultimately, and unsurprisingly to Rhodey, that was the cause of the demise of his relationship with Pepper. Or whatever loose definition of the term 'relationship' any healthy human being would claim he had with her.
He should have really never attempted a romantic relationship with Pepper in the first place. He knew, deep down, it was a mistake. She didn't deserve a work-obsessed 'does-not-play-well-with-others' piping hot mess like himself. Really. But Tony had never claimed to be anything but selfish. He wanted it all, at his speed, on his terms.
'Capsicle was right, though I'd obviously never admit that out loud. Even when I carried the tactical nuclear warhead into space, I was being somewhat selfish.' Tony suddenly just then became the target of a 'What's wrong with you now? You should be happy' look from Pepper and he waved it off with a flick of his drink and a grin as Happy helped her into the car, Rhodey next to her.
He managed a warmer look than usual and Rhodey just put his head in his hands as the car door shut and the Bentley pulled away. He slipped back into his thoughts.
Though, his instincts at the time did tell him that perhaps letting 'the city that never sleeps, which also houses the genius that rarely does' get glassed was a horrifically bad idea, that wasn't what made him commit.
'I didn't save New York only for the ten million strangers that live here. I didn't save it knowing that the United States couldn't handle the beacon of their country being sent to the bronze era. I saved it for Pepper, for Rhodes, for me, and yes, partly for the other Avengers, specifically Bruce and Natasha. It's my home.' Tony turned on his heel and made his way back up to the penthouse of the tower, oblivious of Sesshomaru leaping away as a white blur above.
He saved New York because deep down, it was in his own best interests to do so. His lungs stung like he actually inhaled cigar smoke whenever someone called him a hero. Ugh. Hero. What was this, a comic book?
Yeah, yeah, yeah, he had the argument with Steve about the laying down on a wire for someone, and instead clipping it on the helicarrier. He hadn't changed that mentality. Because truthfully, he had held on to the fantastical belief that his suit would have held out better. He was Tony Stark and it was his finest suit.
But it hadn't.
And that void. That gaping, horrifying mouth that swallowed him only to vomit him out like a bad night of drinking haunted him. If he had to do everything again, he would have done it probably exactly the same. Probably. Maybe he could have figured out an alternative…but if he couldn't he would have done the same thing. Except without his well-honed cocksure belief that of course he would turn out alright.
Because while he survived the improbable, coming out 'alright' was certainly a relative term.
If he thought that coming back from Afghanistan, Obie betraying him, or his own previous brush with death in Monaco would be the worst his warped psyche would endure he was mistaken.
His mind slipped closer to the edge of a tangle of PTSD breakdowns. The silent void of space, the choked voice of JARVIS, the warmth of the missile, the sight of that looming armada just overwhelmed him. It was too much. His chest dense as lead, the shortness of breath towards his end made him want an escape, stability, a solace. He found his escape in drinking, his stability in tinkering, and his solace in Pepper.
Tony, by nature, distrusted and hated self-reflection. However, whenever he saw his suits, it sprouted it in him. His suits reflected his mentality at the time he made them.
'I had a reason why the Mark XLVI had more dark-red panneling, why it had more menacing lines. Beefier armor. Sleek is out, security is in. Defense is always the best offense. Defense wins games. It should also get the point across that I'm not the hero people sometimes laud me to be. Super heroes trend towards all those showy, gaudy golds, silvers, blues, hot-rod red. I'm just not one, I'm just trying to protect who matters the most to me.' Tony took another deep sip of his second gin tonic.
Tony couldn't, at first, figure out why exactly he hadn't relapsed with a panic attack when his magic signature detector pinged in New Mexico. He had even been sleeping more than two hours a night! He figured if anything would trigger one it would be Loki showing up with another promise of extra-terrestrial Armageddon.
It took him putting on the Mark XLVI today for it all to piece together.
He put on the suit in his lab to test if he could potentially add Cerberus or Sirius to the repulsors. He knew he could easily weaponize them both to cartridges and arrows.
What he didn't expect was the youki that raced up his arm and into his arc reactor earlier that morning actually had harmonized with the arc reactor and subsequently incorporated itself into the suit.
Him. Tony Stark harmonizing with something that wasn't a single malt or a computer system. His rebellious arc reactor was resonating with Sailor Moon's Demonic energy. Facinating and at the same time, a bit terrifying.
The youki pulsed and tingled in his chest and through his suit all the way to his toes. Tingled somewhere else too. Tony pushed that sensation reluctantly out of his mind. It was official, the Demon Lord was mayhem.
He wasn't just attracted to Sesshomaru aesthetically, his arc reactor and the Demon Lord's youki had started to integrate! Christ, how did this go unnoticed?!
Or maybe noticed and he just brushed it off?
Bruce just laughed at him. Ass.
Jarvis naturally ran a diagnostic, Bruce grinning on the edge of his seat. Jarvis reported back that the positively charged ions in the youki, similar to an electrical storm, caused the surge in power, but the long wavelengths caused it to stabilize. It acted just like how he thought the youki would when he analyzed it aweek ago.
This had been going on gradually since Sailor Moon arrived, the outfit just jumpstarted it.
His suit had off the chart power readings, almost exactly like when Point Break struck him with lightning way back when. Only this was a lot more stable, and… somehow controllable. But that made sense… lightning produced positively charged ions… Sailor Moon's youki was positively charged.
Tony then decided to conduct a delicate, highly sensitive test of his new found power.
He shot a test dummy. And damn it was a sight.
Which, while rewarding watching his repulsors light up red and hit at approximately 331% percentage of power, it only ended up in getting his entire lab foamed by Dum-e who he brought from Malibu. Again. So. Once was enough. Bruce wasn't impressed with his impulse control issues. Like he could talk. He once leveled Harlem.
But seriously, what did Bruce expect? It's like having an Audi R8 and expecting him to want go to the speed limit. Or having a dangerously sexy Demon Lord living in his tower and expecting him not to want to jump his bones.
In fact, now he had an excuse for being attracted to the Demon Lord. It literally wasn't even his fault, his mentality, or anything deep seeded like that. The arc reactor, the crowned jewel of his inventions, which Sesshomaru actually called a jewel once, went rogue. He could be vindicated of any personal responsibility of his raunchy dreams, desires and callings towards the calm, silver haired Demon who only smiled for him. Well, and Rin.
Absolved completely. Not his fault at all. He was being manipulated by his own invention. It's totally not his fault that he mentally inventoried his shirtless pointy-eared body deep into his 'spank bank' archive. The arc reactor was to blame that he worked overtime to get the com'rin'acator working just to get a positive reaction.
Yeah. His smile, that was the best part of his day. But it wasn't his fault it was.
Tony even punched the air in victory when his translator invention worked well enough. He may even be able to mass produce them if he managed to get the kinks worked out. Or, you know, if they managed to stave off world domination from a psychotic warlord who already tortured a powerful Demigod he knew well.
Dour thoughts be damned. He still glowed with excitement about the second small smile he got from the normally stoic Demon Lord when Rin could understand what Bruce said.
'I can see why he doesn't smile much. They could stop New York City traffic, maybe even a Chitauri invasion.' Tony chuckled.
'I just wished he had been more talkative at dinner. He looked bored or distracted or both, he didn't even say anything snarky about me listing all his nicknames when introducing him to Rhodey. Thought for sure that was worth some retort!' Tony rubbed his beard as he exited the elevator. Maybe he should have made him play the question game again, but he didn't want to have to explain Sesshomaru and Loki until Rhodey got a beer or two in him and full.
Though his 'son of a bitch' comment sure didn't help. The sulky Demon took what he said about the Chitauri personally. He needed to just loosen up. Of course he'd take what he said the complete wrong way. Again.
Not that Tony cared if he offended him, he had offended probably thousands of people and remorse never spiked in his chest. It was Sesshomaru's fault he was so offended. Tony responding the way he did to Loki had to be because of youki in his arc reactor. Yet, why did he feel a needle of remorse?
'Not because I cared that the hard glare he shot my way also had a hint of incredulity embedded in it. Like I could possibly see the only person on the planet who could intrigue me this thoroughly on the same level as those backwater space hicks.' Tony undid the top button on his charcoal grey button up, feeling a bit hot.
The same backwater space hicks who Rhodey who got his American flag boxers in a knot about.
The grand reveal, which of course Loki went full diva for, ended up ultimately better than Tony thought it would. No one was dead, his tower still stood, and most importantly there wasn't a tact squad outside from a government he didn't trust in the slightest trying to detain him.
Tony would have bet his vintage Shelby Cobra that Rhodey would shoot actually shoot Loki. He was glad he learned his lesson and didn't actually take Natasha up on that bet. Though the only reason Rhodey didn't may have been mostly due to Rin sitting in his lap like she was listening to Santa Claus. It had come as quite a surprise to him that she referred to Loki as 'Uncle'.
Definitely the 'black-sheep-of-the-family' uncle.
Sesshomaru's impersonation of Legolas throwing what was left of his fork into Rhodey's gun like a ninja made him almost choke on his own tongue.
Despite that Sailor Moon didn't look like Rhodey's biggest fan, he couldn't help but feel a warm, stout smugness at Sesshomaru's indirect compliment of his intelligence, 'You have ears and if you are Stark's comrade, most likely a brain between them…' made his heart skid to a brief stop.
So he did think he was a genius. Not that it was ever in doubt but it was always good to be praised. Especially from someone who doled out praise like Fury doled out foot rubs. He couldn't acknowledge it at the time though, he had to show Rhodey the video of Loki turning into a Christmas tree and their spar. Rhodey wasn't too thrilled about the situation. Neither was he. But, deep down, they did both fear another attack ever since he slipped through the portal.
Fury was right about one thing, even though Thor and the rest of Asgard wanted peace with Earth, it didn't mean that other dimensions and civilizations did.
Rhodey was so shocked he left his jammed Beretta behind when he left with Pepper. He couldn't blame him for that. Rhodey probably didn't want a reminder of this night while he processed that the worse was yet to come. Tony, however, brimmed with confidence. The Avengers were united, they had time, they had a secret weapon, he had a brand new suit, and they had inside knowledge. They'd be ready.
Tony downed his drink with a solid clink on the bartop and with confidence and optimism fueling his stride he swept out for an update on 'Operation: Seduce Fury'.
Though when Tony walked back into the dinner party the atmosphere was grim. What?
"Hey, who died in here? Didn't know I so integral to the party." Tony asked and received a smattering of glares, coughs and awkward as hell glances. 'Don't tell me someone actually died, I leave for like, a half hour and the party crashes. Just like MIT.' Tony scanned the crowd.
Sesshomaru was missing, Loki looked like he just got tossed by the Hulk, Clint stood beside Loki but faced away from everyone else. Nat was furiously typing something in her phone and Thor appeared to actually be thinking about something.
Steve looked like someone kicked his dog. Jaken was also letting Rin poke him with a fork.
'Shit. What did I miss here? I leave these guys for like ten minutes…' Tony began to make his way to the table, picking up a grape and popping it into his mouth casually.
"Um. Tony, well...good news is we got a pretty good plan for Fury. Loki, Thor, Natasha, and Rin are going to Asgard to talk to Heimdall about the location of the invading fleet. We decided bringing Fury here to inform him of what's going on is a good plan. Maybe we should get more crabs…" Bruce cleared his throat, obviously masking something.
"Good. Love home court advantage. Taking the crowned 'Miss Spy Universe', and Little Miss Sunshine will help grumpy Allfather hopefully not try to lock up Bambi again. Operation: Seduce Fury sounds underway, what's the bad news? This sounds pretty solid." Tony rambled, vying for any sort of positive reaction, also trying to not crane his neck too obviously for the missing Demon Lord.
Jaken slapped his hands over Rin's ears.
"Lord Sesshomaru scryed his own demise and you filthy humans and troublesome Gods barged into business that was not your own! Even that Mischief God's magic went haywire forcing him recharge the proximity barrier! I knew coming to this realm would be the end of us all!" Jaken's youki raised as he ranted. He then released Rin's ears and she looked around.
'So that's why my Bambi finder doesn't work, and why Fury can't find him either! Sailor Moon has been hiding him this whole time. And he didn't even tell me!' Tony's mind whirred, he had to get his own proximity barrier up, but then he realized he had other things to deal with first. Like a missing, high-maintenance, Demon Lord.
No wonder Sailor Moon left the party early, obviously it got to be a bit TMI.
'That's...a lot to digest. No wonder he was in such a broody mood.' Tony's lungs tightened. 'He probably didn't see himself dying of old age in Boca Raton wearing a tacky hawaiian shirt and sperry boat shoes either.' Tony put his hand to his temple.
"He did that scry thing again?! I mean Christ, And you let him just take off? You are all really classy. Stay put, I'll go bring Lassie back. Jarvis get my suit ready." Tony heard someone say something but he didn't really care, he headed out to the balcony like a man on fire and when his suit assembled he was in the air. He couldn't let Sesshomaru go all sulky and alone.
Where was the fun in that?
He wasted no time in activating his youki locator, though it was soon to be unnecessary. He then saw a flash of shimmering blue youki high in the air, the proximity barrier. He put his thrusters on full and headed to the epicenter of the glittering blue youki snowing down: The Chrysler Building.
"Sir he appears to be sitting on the antennae." Tony nodded and flew out, it didn't take him long to spot the silver hair whipping in the air. He looked small wearing human clothes, without his swords perched this high up. He stared out at the Hudson with perfect posture, pursing his lips tensely like a human would.
It was then Tony noticed that Sesshomaru hadn't noticed his approach. He was wearing headphones, probably not listening to AC/DC.
Tony swooped out in front to catch his attention, and to hack his i-pod to play 'Shoot to Thrill'. That fixed that.
'And put your hand out to me, cause I'm the one who's gonna make you burn. I'm gonna take you down.' It was worth seeing the shocked look on Sailor Moon's face. Shocked of course, on Sesshomaru meant his eyes widened slightly.
"Hey, Sailor Moon, it's poor form to leave a frat party before they play Journey, or Semisonic's, Closing Time." Tony swung out to face him, his gaze neutral, but distant. He didn't respond at all to his joke, not even an ear twitch or a blink. The only thing that moved was his hair, thrashing out in all directions, catching all the fading sunlight like a candle flame.
He simply took the earbuds out of his ears. His ears pointed low on his head.
"Want company?" Tony offered and Sesshomaru didn't respond except with a flick of a gaze to his left. Probably Sesshomaru for 'sure knock yourself out.' He took as one anyway and sat next to him on the surprising thick antenna pole. He flipped up his face shield.
Sesshomaru's mouth remained a thin line on his face and Tony felt he had plunged truly out of his depth.
No one said anything for a while.
"So, I gotta say, if you keep running away from home I'm gonna have to give you a name tag and write my address on it. Maybe microchip you or something." Tony attempted humor, Sesshomaru unfazed, pointed up with his left hand.
Tony, however, didn't fixate on the long, clawed finger nor the direction it pointed in, but his wrist. The dark magenta stripes that slashed across the thin column of ivory smooth skin called to him.
He resisted the ravenous urge to grab it again just barely.
"I needed to recharge my proximity barrier to continue blocking Loki's magic from being detected, and in case… Rhodey decided to lead an assault on your fortress." Sesshomaru sighed, a real sigh. Tony rocked back, for all his hijinks to get Sesshomaru to emote, he really didn't like it when he did it like this.
He sounded almost defeated. But it did amuse Tony that Sesshomaru thought 'Rhodey' was Rhodes' real name.
"Ok, well you don't have to worry him, he is on board and isn't going to predator drone strike my tower. Oh and yeah, not buying it was the only reason you left. Nothing is so urgent that you leave your precious swords, N*sync and Backstreet Boy behind on purpose. You just bolted after Loki got mad you put yourself in danger again." Tony called his bluff edging him again for any reaction. Tony knew he was particularly sensitive when it came to his sword's names.
Sesshomaru visibly stiffened and turned to Tony, eyes bright orange from the setting sun. His glare could have shattered crystal and Tony, while almost losing his balance and his heart skipping a beat, smirked in victory at getting the Demon Lord back on track.
"Do not presume so know so much about this Sesshomaru." Tony groaned, not this 'formal I speak in the third person' bullshit again. He only did this when he was uneasy, defensive, or pissy. At least he hit the nail on the head.
"I know a lot, it's one of things I do best: know things. Like how I you don't like attention so no judgments here. It's just running doesn't seem like you." Tony received a tightening of Sesshomaru's jaw as a response. He was making him more tense, not less. A plus job Tony Stark.
'God I suck at this. How do you comfort a Demon Lord who on average emotes as much as a slab of marble? Should I buy him a beer? I should have paid attention in those therapist sessions Pepper made me go to.' Tony began to think of lines to say. But all he could think of, oddly, were apology lines one would say to making a lover angry: 'I swear; I'll never do it again…I'll do better…Yes, I know its unhealthy when…' The responses that came to mind told him volumes about his previous therapy sessions.
It was then it dawned on Tony just exactly what he was trying to do.
Comfort someone.
Was this real life? What sort of joke was life playing on him now? When did he ever do something like this? Tony couldn't even tell Pepper he was dying years ago out of fear of having to comfort her.
"I won't allow it." Sesshomaru stated, voice low. Tony turned to him, wondering if he missed something or he just had to pull the context from thin air. Oh, yeah the scrying seeing the future thing.
"I can change the future. I will behead the Mad Titan personally and achieve unparalleled greatness." Sesshomaru's voice reached a gravelly huskiness that aroused Tony more than he cared to admit. With only a slight hesitation, put his armored hand, boldly, on his shoulder.
He instantly wished he wasn't wearing his suit, so he could really feel his broad, yet lanky shoulder beneath him. Tony craved to absorb the warmth from his white shirt, to really know if his lats were as suspension bridge wire taut as he thought.
Tony vowed he'd find out sooner or later.
"Hey, you're a part of a team now. You got me, the rest of the Avengers, Toady, and your unbalanced bestie. You aren't alone in this. This isn't solely on your shoulders no matter how Loki originally spun it. In a surprising turn of events, we trust what he says. And you know only went ape-shit because you give him heart attacks on a daily basis." Tony held his breath as Sesshomaru turned, lips slightly parted, like when he carried him. Face alight, the sunset haloed him making him look afire.
Tony, somehow, dug deep and resisted the urge to claim those lips with his own. All Sesshomaru did was break eye contact to look down and reflexively Tony caressed his shoulder with his thumb absently.
"You aren't used to the team thing are you? Loki filled us in some as you know." Tony found words coming to him more naturally. He was gradually getting in his element.
"No." Sesshomaru replied slowly, eyebrows raising with his ears. To Tony, his response was his version of stating the obvious. Tony grinned.
"Well, get used to it, for better or worse we are all roped into this. And get used to everyone harassing you. Especially Loki. Despite the like five hundred years you've been apart you're still the Spock to his Kirk. Which, uh, means that you two are partners who explore space and fight aliens. That diva will always have your back." Tony laughed at Sesshomaru's confusion at his analogy, he had to make Sesshomaru watch Star Trek at some point, at least the movies. He'd totally get the Spock reference. Yet, Tony became confused when Sesshomaru's eyes widened.
"You truly believe so? You trust in Loki's loyalty towards me?" Tony stopped rubbing his shoulder, and he hadn't really realized he had kept doing it. This was well beyond the 'manly comforting' thing. Tony knew whatever Sesshomaru scryed had to be bad. Since when did 'Mr. I'm above all humans' need reassurance from one about his best friend no less?
"There are several things I am certain of in life: one Justin Hammer is a giant tool, no pun intended, two, AC/DC is the best band, not sorry Kurt Cobain, three, Loki would take a Mjolnir blast to his family jewels for you. I believe what I can study, so don't…believe any LSD vision quest you saw over fact." Tony listed, he hoped that he wouldn't run into Justin Hammer anytime soon. He got released from prison two and half years ago due to 'overcrowding'. Maybe he could get Sailor Moon to melt him.
"Mmmm." Sesshomaru hummed simply, voice like velvet. Tony finally saw his sharp jaw relax and he wanted to hold it and jerk it towards him. To roughly open his mouth and shove his tongue down into it.
Though he was still wearing the damned gloves, the relaxing of Sesshomaru's lats beneath his shoulder didn't go unnoticed.
"You didn't just see your death, did you?" Tony braved, he didn't know if he was about to strike out or hit a home run. Sesshomaru shook his head, bangs ruffling in the wind.
"I saw many, among other events." Sesshomaru stated, voice stoic and deep looking away, as if trying to see beyond the horizon.
Tony, for a moment, wanted to know just how sharp his chin really felt. Sesshomaru's facial features cut just too acutely to be human, his skin too smooth, his hair too polished. His gold eyes, with the slit pupils, which at first struck an instinctual, biologically based fear in him, now just made sense with the rest of his thin, pointed self. Delicate nor fragile could accurately describe the apex predator. Yet, the way his features cleaved, his lithe frame, his lethal talons, depicted something meant for only offense, something that burned brightly and didn't last.
A glass cannon.
"Did you see mine?" Goddamnit Tony. 'Way to be sensitive. I should have brought Pepper.' Tony wanted to kick himself in the ass.
"Yes." Sesshomaru's whisper almost got caught by the wind.
"My death is the real tragedy. I'm pretty famous here, kind of a big deal. There'd be parades everywhere. The whole world would be in mourning for years, especially the women, I get around. They'd be throwing their panties on my casket, men would write countless biographies about me. Bands would be started, good ones. I'd get a national holiday, no a global holiday! Even observed in North Korea." Tony rambled and Sesshomaru turned to him, eyebrows slanted in skepticism.
"...you have bedded no human female since I have arrived." Sesshomaru's crimson lidded eyes crinkled and Tony shot up, taking his hand from his shoulder in offense.
"What? How would you know? You were gone for three days and live in my basement like a moody college drop-out!" Tony flailed, not expecting to be called out on his dry streak by the stoic Demon Lord.
"I can smell such things, and Jarvis informed me of everyone's comings and goings." Sesshomaru tilted his head to the side. Jarvis that traitor.
"Sorry sir, he asked this morning." Jarvis butted in.
"God you are so fucking creepy. And weird. Jarvis you're fired. You, Sailor Moon, literally keep your nose out of my business." Tony flipped his face plate on to hide what was probably an obvious blush. He saw Sesshomaru tilt his head back slightly, as if listening for something.
"This Sesshomaru is not creepy and my actions are within reason. Your opinions of me are skewed, human." Sesshomaru retorted, Tony caught that Sesshomaru didn't sound nearly as moody as before, another Tony Stark success.
"Says the guy who melts silverware into ninja weapons, barters for ice cream with music, and sits on top of The Chrysler Building probably listening to emo music on the way here. You're. Weird." Tony flipped his face plate back up, not really wanting to talk to him through it.
"This Sesshomaru was listening to the wind while running." Tony face palmed, of course he'd get all cryptic again.
"Ok Pocahontas, what music were you listening to before I played AC/DC?" Tony fired back and Sesshomaru glanced back, a slight smirk on his lips. He didn't care if Sesshomaru didn't catch his Disney reference.
"That is an inquiry this Sesshomaru did not consent to answer." Holy hell this guy is so high maintenance.
"Christ you're such a pain. Fine. Ask me a question, but answer mine first." Tony relented, secretly enjoying it.
"I was listening to the Airborne Toxic Event." Oh, well that explained everything.
"Wow. Even the band name is depressing. Don't going to start dying your hair strange colors, well stranger colors, and wearing lace up black combat boots." Tony joked and hooked a lock of Sesshomaru's hair, wishing he could actually feel the satin strands on the pads of his fingers.
"This Sesshomaru will not change his person, and prefers his own boots…Do you know of a land of flat, white salt near a building of tall white spires?" Tony made a face. Sesshomaru hesitated asking the question which had to mean it was important or personal or both. Why would he want to go to the Bonneville Salt Flats? Did he want to break a world record speed test? Tony smirked, a plan forming.
"Yeaaah. I do." Tony baited, smirking smugly. Sesshomaru waited for an elaboration that wouldn't come.
Pause.
"In which direction would it be?" Sesshomaru finally asked a second question. Tony struck back.
"Now that's a question I didn't give consent to answer." Tony quipped back, chin high. Sesshomaru frowned deeply, brow creasing. "What, it's not my fault you didn't correctly pose the question you wanted to ask." Tony supplemented airily. Sesshomaru tossed his windblown hair, ears flicking up then down, obviously irritated. Prissy Demon. Tony knew if he asked why he wanted to know he wouldn't get an answer. So he wouldn't ask, at least not right now.
Tony just loved it when he won.
"Let's get back before Loki thinks we eloped or something." Sesshomaru's mouth drawstringed small, as if the joke truly confused him. Maybe it did. Tony reveled in irking and confusing the Demon. Anything was better than dejected, emo sighing Sailor Moon.
There really wasn't much space between them. They could be sitting side by side in his R8, in which he would just lean over the center console, grab the back of his head, and maul his mouth senseless. Instead, he shook the thought from his head literally and put on his face plate.
Together, side by side with Tony flying and Sesshomaru leaping, they arrived back at Stark Tower with everyone already around the big screen TV. Movie night.
'I bet it was Steve's idea for team building. At least it was a better idea than a trust fall.' Tony allowed the suit to fold up and collapse off his body before entering the room.
"Hey you're just in time for the Star Wars movie. A New Hope! I haven't seen it yet! Clint says we have to watch the fourth one first." Steve announced with popcorn, which always smelled better than it tasted. Tony quirked an eyebrow. It was an oddly appropriate choice considering the impending invasion. He sat on the sofa, on Steve's left, the only empty seat to his own right.
He could have sworn he saw Sesshomaru glare at Clint and Loki, who sat side by side, but in separate chairs. Sesshomaru with inhuman grace sat down next down next to Tony.
"Is this for tactical purposes?" Sesshomaru inquired to Loki and Natasha laughed.
"It's for entertainment. I was informed it is a fictional series of events that hold no clear useful battle strategies." Loki informed from across the room, eyes glinting.
"He asked the same question." Clint clarified. Tony rolled his eyes. Figures Bambi and Sailor Moon would not get the concept of R&R.
"Lord Sesshomaru it's supposed to be fun!" Rin ran into the room holding more popcorn and sat on the floor cross-legged in front of Sesshomaru. Jaken was suspiciously absent.
The movie played, and upon the insistence of mostly Rin, Thor and Steve, they also played the sequel The Empire Strikes Back. Tony restrained himself well. He tried hard not to show that he tingled with satisfaction that Sesshomaru sat next to him. Tony would have made some excuse to sit next to him anyway, especially if he sat next to Clint.
Clint and Sesshomaru at dinner were getting a little too friendly for his tastes. Clint even hit on him! Supermodel figure, what was that about?!
'Whoa, Tony…cool your jets, it's not like I care. Stupid life-saving, youki-merging, arc reactor. This better not have any crazy long term effects.' Tony crossed his legs, an excuse for his and Sesshomaru's knees to touch.
Tony didn't mind at all when Sesshomaru's leg brushed against his, and stayed there, sharing in the body heat. Or when their shoulders touched when Tony adjusted. Or even when Sesshomaru's obscenely long hair got all over him when he shifted his back so now their shoulders were flush against each other. His silver hair was splayed all over the whole sofa. He swore he saw Steve brush some off him. However, the almost unbearable inch and a half of space between them had been extinguished. Worth it.
He would have to buy a Roomba. Maybe a Roomba team, have them line change like in ice hockey. He could number them. Tony swore Clint watched hockey. Maybe he knew of a good team.
When the movie stopped, Tony was ready for his master plan. He had Jarvis get him paper and pens during the break between movies. He stood up, slightly reluctantly. He had gotten pretty strangely comfortable for sharing a sofa with two full grown men.
"So. Bets. Let's say twenty dollars. Let's try to guess Reindeer Games' and Sailor Moon's favorite characters. Let's start with Reminder Games! Oh and you two," Tony pointed to Sesshomaru and Loki "You aren't in on the bet. that'd be practically cheating, but you can play, you just have to announce after everyone else." Tony announced and Sesshomaru straightened. He ignored Bruce's knowing smirk. He could be too smart for his own good.
Tony handed out the paper and pens and everyone wrote down a character, putting it in the empty popcorn bowl. Loki fully stretched out like a cat, smiled like one too, clearly entertained.
"Ok, so for Reindeer Games, we got two votes Darth Vader, three votes Boba Fett, one vote Yoda...really Steve, Yoda?" Tony called out like a sports announcer. Steve gave his best 'What?!' face.
'His is totally the Fett. Scary, loner, gets shit done, uses all sorts of tricks and is the only one to figure out where the Millennium Falcon goes.' Tony knew he, Clint and Natasha had this one in the bag.
"While all interesting guesses you are all wrong." Loki stated haughtily. Tony nearly threw the bowl at him to wipe that look off his face. He didn't miss Clint's shocked reaction either.
"What?! How can it not be Boba Fett? He wears green, plays by his own rules, and not even Darth Vader intimidates him!" Clint exclaimed, clearly exasperated.
"You asked for my favorite character, not the one perhaps most like myself." Loki responded, wagging a finger in admonishment to Clint who just groaned deeply. Pfft stupid clever Diva God.
"Ok, valid point, then who?" Natasha responded and Loki held up his paper, which on it had written: R2D2.
"The droid?!" Clint asked looking to Loki who smiled satisfactorily.
"He is the most underestimated member of the team, and often the most humorous and intelligent. He is the only reason that buffoon Luke and that cringe worthy c-3PO are alive. He repairs the Falcon's hyperdrive as well, clinching their retreat from the Star Destroyer Excecutor. He is often gallant and doesn't let just anyone order him about." Loki responded and Sesshomaru nodded. On Sesshomaru's paper he had written, in the most crazy-pretty calligraphy Tony had ever seen, 'the small blue robot, or the only rebel pilot of any skill.' Tony pointed to Sesshomaru, all eyes now on him.
"Wait, who do you mean the only good pilot?! Both Han Solo and Luke are great, even Chewy." Tony asked as Bruce took the paper from behind Sesshomaru.
"Whoa, you have really nice handwriting, here everyone, check it out." Bruce passed the paper around. Tony heard murmurs of approval.
"No silly, Lord Sesshomaru means Wedge!" Rin responded, drawing on her paper, Loki as Boba Fett. Tony looked to Sesshomaru and threw up his hands in defeat. Wedge Antilles, what did he ever do?!
"The character Antilles is clearly the most skilled pilot, and was correct about the computer being unable to hit the target. The only reason their mission succeeded in the first film was due to Skywalker's magic, not his piloting abilities. The pilot Antilles had to distract and shoot Skywalker's pursuer in order for him to destroy the enemy space station. In the second film he was a commendable leader and only successful pilot against the walking devices. Since he operated as a support pilot and was often underestimated, and taken for granted, I would think Loki would favor and relate to him." Sesshomaru said more than he had all day, maybe all week. Tony didn't care what he had to say, he was glad Sailor Moon was back.
Loki flipped over his paper to reveal he too written Wedge. Clint took the paper from his hands in disbelief.
"Your handwriting isn't bad either. Like I said, arts and crafts at summer camp for the privileged and powerful worked." Barton passed Loki's paper around, getting the same murmurs of approval. Loki flashed a satisfied smile.
"Ok, you two, Sesshoki, are officially psychic. You guys should go on some newlywed game show, you'd never lose. They'd have to name the show after you." Tony looked at them both, noticing Loki was smirking and Sesshomaru didn't look uncomfortable so they are back on good terms. Tony liked it when everything returned to equilibrium.
"Brother, I commend of your choices. Both are fine examples of heroism!" Thor gave a thumbs up and Loki gave his best 'OK thanks.' face.
"I got mine for Sesshomaru." Bruce announced, passing his guess forward. The rest followed suit. Tony knew he had this one in the bag. There could only be one character Sesshomaru would absolutely go for.
"Oohh no repeats for this one! One vote Darth Vader, one Lando, One Chewbacca, one Princess Leia, one Obi Wan Kenobi, and lastly Han Solo." Tony said with a flourish and he spotted Loki rolling his eyes dramatically. Stuff it Bambi, he got this one right.
Tony could feel the cash in his hand. Lando was perfect. classy ruler, ends up helping his best friend, handsome, smart, and outsmarts the empire with a good tactic.
"...all false." Tony almost dropped the bowl. Everyone turned to Sesshomaru whose eyes widened. 'Still not quite used to the sudden turn of attention, total introvert.' Tony concluded.
"Really?! Not princess Leia who got tortured and only after they threatened to destroy an innocent planet gave up the plans then defeated them?" Steve looked almost hurt.
"I put Chewbacca, crossbows are awesome." Clint leaned back putting his hands behind his head.
"I believe they wanted Sesshomaru's favorite not yours." Loki glanced sideways.
"The earlier dart into Rhodes gun? Had to chance it. Besides, Chewbacca should be everyone's favorite." Clint retorted and Loki slowly facepalmed in return.
"I give up. You are impossible. Who is your favorite?! Jabba? Don't say Aunt Peru or the damn Jawas." Tony sat back down looking into Sesshomaru's eyes which were backlit with amusement. He showed his paper.
"I knew it!" Loki showed his paper, eyes bright in victory. Tony swore if they had the same answer…
Both said Admiral Piett.
Pause.
"Who?!" Everyone save Rin and Bruce asked.
"He was basically the only imperial officer not to get force choked by Darth Vader." Bruce explained, leaning back, exhaling through his nose. Bruce reacted like he knew he should have put down this nameless third tier garbage character.
"Yeah! He is smart! Though Rin's favorite character is Lando! Does that count?" Tony couldn't help but smile at that. Yeah, Lando being Rin's favorite made a lot more sense.
"Admiral Piett isn't even a real character. He probably says two wor…oh nevermind. I get it. I give up. I can't win." Tony put his head in his hands, Sesshomaru would pick a character with less lines than the Adidas logo.
"Why him?" Natasha asked, genuinely interested.
"He is a loyal, capable Captain of their flagship, the Executor. He brought the intelligence of the rebels to his general, despite the ineptitude of his superior officer. When his general Vader executes his superior officer in front of him and in turn promotes him to Admiral, he remains composed and does not disrespect him. A sign of true strength and nobility." Sesshomaru leaned back, rolling his neck back fluidly, like an Egyptian pharaoh would.
"He salvaged a tactical disadvantage out of that imbecile Ozzel's miscalculations giving away their positioning on Hoth. He even had the better tactic than Vader of avoiding the asteroid field when persuing the Falcon. It is clear that the emotional liability who is Vader spares him because he did everything he correct in that situation, and is an invaluable Admiral." Loki added with a point Sesshomaru's direction.
"Indeed. I also agree with his voiced distaste for mercenaries when the bounty hunters were summoned to find the Millennium Falcon. I would employ him." Sesshomaru nodded, ears up, as if taunting Tony. Ok, so tie game, one point Tony, one point Sesshomaru.
"Figures they managed to actually turn these movies into a tactics analysis. Return of the Jedi will be a hoot." Clint groaned, Tony was with him. No post-tactics analysis from ESPN's Sesshomaru Gruden and Loki Tirico.
"You know, I can see where they both come from, the minor characters in the movies really were intelligent too." Steve looked like he had an epiphany.
"Yeah. They have their merits, I could see Fury hiring Piett, and Wedge." Natasha admitted casually, looking towards Loki.
"Ok, Ok you know let's all move on. It's confirmed Sesshoki are hipsters apparently only like obscure characters from movies." Tony couldn't help but feel an edge of envy. Those two were like, stupid close, almost like perfect compliments to each other.
Again, for like the eleventh time that day, not that he cared.
Bruce got up and turned on the lights as well as everyone else, and Tony watched as Loki made his way to Sesshomaru and put up his hand.
And Tony's jaw nearly fell out of his head when Sesshomaru high-fived it.
"Brother! Son of Taisho! That was indeed a proper time for a high five!" Thor. Actually. Clapped. What was this a Hallmark channel straight to TV movie?
'I'm surprised they don't have a secret hand shake. Stupid God of Mischief, stupid Demon Lord. I need a drink.' Tony grumbled, turning away from the both of them.
"Yay! Rin wants one Uncle Loki!" Loki high-fived Rin, who picked up her sketch of him as Boba Fett and Loki nodded and smiled in approval.
"Hey Loki, Fancy Pants, Tony we are all gonna go out for a drink for the grand Asgard homecoming, want in?" Clint said as the rest all headed towards the elevator. Tony could get behind that idea. He knew the perfect bar.
"If you insist upon my presence, then I suppose I will capitulate and join you." Loki, at his height of arrogance, made Clint throw out his hand in revulsion.
"Yeah, just give me a minute. Let me set my cap and look my prettiest." Tony wanted to talk to Sesshomaru about the Salt Flats, and the scry now that he was back to his normal placid self. They all, except Loki went down the elevator.
"Rin, it is time to retire." Sesshomaru informed mildly. Tony then jumped to intercept them.
"Yeah, and sorry, remember no more substorage room 3-b. There is a perfectly good room up here that has furniture that isn't crates. Pepper picked it all out, she insists Rin has a real bed. " Tony scratched his head and pointed with a flourish to the room. Loki sighed.
"Fine Stark. The storage room has outlived its purpose anyway." Loki put his hand on his hips in fake exasperation, mischief dancing hidden in his eyes.
"I will go retrieve Tenseiga, Bakusaiga, and Jaken." Sesshomaru stated, listing all three as if they were all actual people, and Rin followed him to the elevator with the rest. Tony decided to wait for him to come back up, and turned to the kitchen.
Tony was surprised when a strong arm pulled him into his own bedroom, Loki looked as serious as a plane crash. Green magic coiled and snaked on the floor, his eyes icy flecks of matching green. The strength of the grip on his arm shocked Tony. Ok?
"Stark. You must keep an eye on Sesshomaru while I am in Asgard. He. Must. Not. Scry. He knows not of what he is doing and is too stubborn to back down. What he is doing could easily kill him, or render him mindless. What he scryed earlier today is not even supposed to be possible!" Loki hissed venomously, shoving Tony roughly up against the wall with a dull thud. Loki definitely was stronger than he looked, Tony winced.
Tony's lungs flared, colossally annoyed. Loki was getting too physical.
"Why don't you teach him then? Scrying is magic right? Or I don't know take him Asgard and have someone show him." Tony shoved back. Hard. Loki stumbled back in surprise. No one pinned Tony Stark to the wall in his own bedroom. If it was so important why didn't Loki just help him?
"Because I am not a skilled in the art of scrying! I think that travelling through time in Bifrost triggered his gift. I don't even know anyone personally who is as powerful at it as Sesshomaru is except Frigga. Who, as you could possibly surmise, is in no mood to assist a scorned fugitive of Asgard!" Loki retaliated and shoved Tony again against the wall with a louder thud, holding him there. His grip tight like industrial vices. Tony found himself caving, to Loki's demands, not to his dominance.
"Also, it would be unwise for all three, Sesshomaru, Thor and I to be off Midgard in case The Mad Titan or The Other are somehow closer than my knowledge puts them." Loki admitted tactfully. Tony, still pinned against his own bedroom wall, then conceded. It would probably be a bad idea to have all three off Earth. They both still stared at each other, waiting for the other to break.
"Fine. Whatever, I'll babysit the scry-baby. I need a drink. You coming helicopter mom?" Tony bit out. Really, he could use that damn drink, but also being held against the wall in his own bedroom with an admittedly not unattractive Loki felt wrong. And not just because he used to be on SHIELD's most wanted either.
Loki backed up, probably realizing the same thing and his green magic that had started to fill the whole bedroom started to fade.
"Yes, let's-" Loki was cut off by Tony shoving him sternly, earning a stumbling step backwards from the God. Loki, not one to be outdone, dropped and swept out his right leg and took out Tony's feet from under him with a reverberating crash. Tony then grabbed Loki's ankle and with a tug and a chop at this knee brought Loki crashing to the floor with a booming thud.
Tony realized this was stupid, but it felt good to take out some aggression on the God, the whole Star Wars character thing still grated him.
Tony and Loki wrestled like kids until Loki had pinned Tony to the floor, straddling him, both breathing heavy. Tony, under Loki, saw a tall figure dark in the doorway.
There they were, Loki was straddling Tony like a sloppy attempt at rough foreplay. Tony swallowed, looking up to see a blank faced Sesshomaru cracking his knuckles of one hand, his swords in their tubes in the other.
"Ahem. Not what it looks like, we uh, both fell." Tony coughed, the expression on Sesshomaru's face didn't change, if anything the temperature dropped.
'Is he pissed? If he is, is he pissed at me or Loki? Both? Does he get jealous? Why do I even feel awkward? Its not like Loki would ever be a thing. Hell, It's not like and Sailor Moon and I are a thing. How stupid would that be? I mean really. Bad idea even for me. Really bad. Capital B bad. Definitely glad I didn't act on it earlier today. Definitely.' Tony rubbed the back of his neck as Loki got off him in a singular fluid motion.
He still hadn't found any porn matching Sesshomaru's description yet though.
"..." Sesshomaru iced out an exhale through his nose. Loki sprung up from the floor too gracefully, a rug burn itched on Tony's elbow. Of all the dumb things to do, picking a hand to hand fight with a God only to make the overly-sensitive Demon mad all over again.
"Come Sho, let's meet the others to celebrate my most glorious homecoming! Twill be a most wondrous disaster!" Loki, beaming, stepped forward gesturing to the elevator and Sesshomaru's jaw clenched. Tony then wondered if Loki had planned the whole thing.
Crafty fucking God of Mischief… he was trying to make Sesshomaru jealous. Why Tony had no idea, it's not like he threatened their centuries long bromance.
Then his brain processed a crucial bit of information. Loki didn't call him Sesshomaru.
"Wait! You have a legitimate nickname?! Sho?!" Tony called out, catching up and swore he heard a low, hair prickling growl as Sesshomaru turned back to Tony, eyes bright in anger.
'This is just too good. Tony two, Sesshomaru one, Winning the game.' He rubbed his beard as he followed the pissed Demon into the elevator, fighting the urge to grab his ass from behind.
Thanks to all of y'all for your support. Gotta love a good fluff chapter after some heavy ones. Next will be Loki going back to Asgard!
thanks for reading, let me know what you think! Your reviews truly make my day!
-TL