Tony and the Anomaly
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"Dum-e, hold it steady or I'll have Fury mount you as the figurehead on one of the Helicarriers." Tony chirped as Dum-e held up a blow torch. Dum-e whined and Tony rolled his eyes. He was almost done.
Tony Stark used to make weapons for a living. All sorts of weapons, big, small, semi-automatic, auto-targeting, incendiary, explosive, heat seeking, tactical, aircraft, anti-aircraft, nuclear, you name it. Tony Stark knew weapons. He helped write the book on being an arms dealer, merchant, savant, whatever.
So, Tony Stark knew a weapon when he saw one. He knew Sesshomaru, the reserved Dog Demon he was, had tricks up his sleeve and held back. He was waiting for the intimidating Demon Lord to show them how he really threw down.
Tony wasn't a very patient person, if he didn't see more out of the Demon Lord soon he was going to provoke him with his new and improved 'youki blasters'. Nothing like taking a dose of your own medicine, especially after causing him so much grief.
Yet, he didn't expect his display of power to be against an alien attack cruiser that was two months ahead of schedule. Tony couldn't get a cocktail made on time at one of his own functions, but an alien invasion, that made sense. Early even.
When the ship descended upon New York, Jarvis immediately alerted him and his blood ran icy. When he had his chat with Loki three years ago in Stark Tower, he said that the invasion was on him. That even if the Chitauri were to come and reap the Earth, that it was on Loki. He and the rest of the Avengers would avenge the Earth.
This time around though, was different. It was on all of them.
Especially on him.
He made the decision to not turn Loki into SHIELD when he appeared on his balcony. He decided to not kill Sesshomaru when he had passed out after his 'scrynado'. He, Tony Stark, unintentionally had taken responsibility, even if for selfish, mostly curious reasons. 'Responsibility' plus 'Tony Stark' was supposed to equal 'not in this lifetime'.
But then he had to go and sign up with Fury's super secret boy band.
He couldn't pay Pepper to do this. He couldn't pay Pepper to get rid of everyone who was inhabiting his house, his tower. Blowing up his microwaves, drinking his coffee, using his kitchen, queuing up terrible movies to his Tivo. He couldn't tell everyone to buzz off and stop acting like a weirdly comfortable family.
Before, his family was Dum-e, Jarvis, and on occasion when he wasn't being particularly anti-social, Pepper, and Rhodey. Now, well, now he was not only entertaining, not only harboring, but full out getting used to them being in his tower.
And, the past two days, and an encore of presentation of the blue man group told him he wasn't quite sure how to handle it. If he could handle it. It didn't escape Tony that it took the event of having four of the 'ice cream party' missing to how uneasy and unbalanced everything became.
It made his stomach churn.
Because, after the four of them left, everything frayed at the edges. Sesshomaru left like he had more important places to be. He hated being left, but he did promise him he would stick around, so Tony grumbled, drank more of his 'overpriced but totally worth it' coffee and stuck to his work.
Clint mostly tensely paced around from room to room, which only phased Tony because he knew Clint was usually was perfectly fine being alone. Cap made everything worse to Tony by pointing out that yes, the com he gave to Nat would most likely not work, and Steve proclaimed it would be on himself if she didn't come back with all spidey-senses tingling.
'No Steve. It isn't on you. It's actually, mostly on me. Yes, you're the lead singer for Fury's 'SHIELD's Got Talent' squad, but this isn't your tower, you aren't funding SHIELD, you didn't have to make the call about Loki, about Sailor Moon, risk having your best friend shun you over having an 'enemy of the state' squatting in substorage room 3-b. Your arc reactor isn't harmonizing with a Demon Lord.' Tony ran a finger around the outside of his arc reactor absently.
Bruce kept up with him in the lab, to Tony's relief, but he mostly thought it was also to keep him from binge-drinking. Bruce was good company and all, but he didn't keep the rakes of anxiety scratching his mind at bay.
He also hadn't slept the past two nights, how could he? He had to prep, he had to get the proximity barrier fully up and running. He had the toxins to perfect. He had to get everything ready, if no one else was.
He had to be on his A-game especially with Thor and Loki still having tea and biscuits with Allfather and friends, Steve and Clint having a boy scout field trip at a baseball game, and Sesshomaru wandering around AWOL. Sesshomaru was probably going on a romantic stroll with that loser he caught him with last night.
Not that he was spying on the Demon Lord. Loki did tell him to make sure he didn't scry, it was preventative maintenance.
Obviously, he tracked Sailor Moon as he went all over Soho with Toady in tow. Ultimately when he back to that Steakhouse on 9th street Tony decided to investigate. Tony's mind overheated in an attempt to rectify how he managed to barter for that Armani crimson silk shirt, unbuttoned to show far too much of his throat and chest, and those charcoal pants that made his legs look runway long.
But he wasn't wearing the outfit for him, and he didn't return to Stark Tower that night either.
That didn't sit well with Tony. Just who did this new guy think he was? He probably didn't know anything about Sailor Moon, especially that he wasn't even human, and that his species ate humans. Like a guy like that could handle who he really was.
Tony was prepared to drag Sailor Moon back to Stark Tower by his hair if he didn't return by tonight.
But of course, as his life would have it, Sailor Moon was quite literally a mayhem magnet because an alien battleship appeared and what did he know?! The ship actually chased him!
Tony knew once the ship didn't accelerate towards anything nor open fire indiscriminately that it had an intended target, as most weapons do.
And if the intended target wasn't Stark Tower, Tony made a wild guess that the ship's target had to be single most destructive force in his life: the Demon Lord. Tony, per usual, was right of course.
He was thankful Clint wanted to get off a stop early from the Iron Man Express. He wasn't about to let Sesshomaru face down an unknown alien death ship with swarms of Chitauri alone especially after the whole 'Tony Stark attempts comfort' speech he gave him.
But, turns out, he didn't have to make a bee-line after all.
Because, while you can piss in his suits, as he once showed at a party, he didn't like to make a habit of it. Yet, when he saw the giant green death-ray incinerate over fifty of those Chitauri flying scooters, a little bit may have come out.
It jellied his bones and caused every warning bell and whistle alarm in his suit to sound. Jarvis jabbered in his ear like Armageddon had arrived. He had never seen anything like it, it was terrifying, and humbling. He wondered if the victims of his weapons hearts thudded like his did when he saw the incomprehensibly powerful torrent of green energy surge past him.
For a split second, all rational thought of trajectory, direction and logic went out the window as Tony Stark, Iron Man and one of 'Earth's Mightiest Heroes', was too late to save New York, and a certain lost dog of his.
His arc reactor jolted him back to reality when it lit up like Steve's eyes when he talks about teamwork. Jarvis reported his arc reactor had a positive relationship with the energy. Instantly, Tony got it.
That blast came from Sailor Moon, not the other way around.
'Destructive force in my life, again right on target. Sailor Moon may be in the lightweight weight class, physically, but he doesn't fight like one.' Tony thought Thor had a mean swing. This is who they had mouthed off to in the desert of New Mexico. Tony really should have known better.
They really could have used him three years ago.
Tony wondered just how much Loki knew about his best friend's power he really knew about. Loki, when they learned about Sailor Moon's past admitted he didn't know exactly what he was capable of.
Tony, along with Natasha figured that Sesshomaru hadn't used his swords: Rosencrantz and Guildenstern…Nsync and Backstreet boy, whatever, for a reason. Tony also figured that they weren't ordinary swords, belonging to a Demon Lord and all. But, he made that one sword of his sound like a surly teenage girl, not the imperial Death Star.
Tony couldn't envision a more efficient weapon, and he thought SHIELD would realize the same thing.
Tony, however, knew that just because you got a big gun doesn't mean someone else doesn't have a bigger one. That was what the Cold War was all about, the Arms Race. Nuclear Deterrents. Who can blow each other up more, not who can just blow something up.
Again, he knew weapons. So, when Sesshomaru wanted to take off to be bait for a battleship of unknown firepower he had a problem with it. No one else seemed to, but they didn't see things the way Tony did. They weren't as smart as he was, and well, Tony couldn't really fault them for that.
Well, Bruce was up there, but Bruce was currently the Green Machine and didn't have a whole lot to say besides grunting.
Because, he was one guy versus a ship; one false move and you're Swiss cheese, or a smear on a wall. Ask that tank guy from Tianamen square. Oh, wait, you can't.
He began to understand Loki's frustration Sesshomaru's recklessness...and the last thing Tony needed for his sanity was to understand Loki's rationale for anything.
'Like I said literal mayhem magnet, and I'm harmonizing with him!' Tony grumbled, hunched over his workshop counter, trying, in vain, to quell his anger.
He still let Steve have it for giving the green light to the stupidest game of playing hard to get ever. Just because Sesshomaru wasn't an Avenger didn't mean you could just whore him out to do your dirty work. Sailor Moon even said he didn't do dirty work, but here he was, drawing a deadly spaceship away from a densely populated city to safety. He didn't even have a good reason to, it was obvious to Tony Sailor Moon hated New York City.
Tony almost expected him to let the ship fall to get rid of some of the 'moronic humans' but that was definitely more Loki's deal.
'Yet, he took on a fucking space battle cruiser, blew it up, suppressed its payload without a scratch on him. All from on top of the Statue of Liberty like he wasn't showing off enough. 'Sho is a total 'sho' off.' Tony rolled his eyes.
All five of them, Jaken included, held their breath when they saw Sesshomaru's red youki almost get snuffed out by the ship's attack. Tony didn't have a pulse until he saw Sesshomaru retaliate and implode it successfully.
Tony usually liked being right, but he didn't want to be right with a dead Demon Lord, a pissed-off Loki, and a crying little girl.
Tony, when his pulse returned, didn't dare to philosophize whether or not he worried over the Demon Lord. Tony Stark didn't do 'worry'. Clearly his arc reactor was going all 'rogue-omaru' on him. Also, he had to admit if Statue of Liberty was blown to hell it wouldn't be good for anyone's morale.
However, it would be wrong for Tony Stark, former merchant of death, to say he underestimated Sesshomaru. He didn't. How could he? He just saw the guy obliterate almost a whole battalion of Chitauri wearing a Nirvana T-shirt and aviators.
Plus, the whole slicing and dicing on the way out of New York was brilliant.
Tony just didn't like underestimating an enemy, and if he got killed Rin would cry and Pepper, and Reindeer Games would probably blame him.
'Speaking of Pepper, she should be getting here in a few hours. I was good this time and told her what was happening when I left Stark Tower. She can't be that mad.' Tony reasoned rubbing the back of his neck. 'Well, too mad.' Tony corrected as he finished repairing one of the repulsor gauntlets that got damaged in the fight in the park.
The hours following the attack were long and obnoxious. Tony had a lot to say to the sulky Demon, but he opted instead to cool off and do repairs. He wasn't the only one who wanted to talk to him though. Fury called him approximately four hundred times to talk to Sailor Moon and each time he redirected the call.
Instead, Fury blew up Clint's phone demanding to know where Natasha was. That went over well. Fury obviously didn't like Clint's snarky answer of 'she's studying abroad', and Clint shouted into the phone for a good forty seconds. Fury was pissed and on his way over to Stark Tower in a few hours after wrapping up E.T.'s playhouse in the bay.
'Cool your jets cyclops. I get it, you're pissed, I'm pissed too. It's just a big fucking pissing match. Let's arm wrestle over it. It's not like you even did anything this go around.' Tony scowled, the nerve of that entitled asshole. Clint already seemed on edge and in a general bad mood. Tony didn't usually notice those types of things, but he had seen Clint literally staring at a turned off TV. Fury blowing his top over something Clint couldn't control didn't sit well with the inventor.
Another reason Tony didn't trust SHIELD. If that's how they treated their most dedicated people, he sure as hell didn't want to see how SHIELD treated that Galaga player he called out. Or to see them get their hands into his tech, especially Sirius and Cerberus he and Bruce perfected.
Bruce was moping somewhere, totally overreacting to his recent 'hulkburst.' All the did was bust up a motorcycle and scare some kids. He even apparently saved Toady and a little girl, then threw a Chitauri all the way to Queens. Tony knew Bruce could be hard on himself, so he didn't say anything. But still, guy has got to cut himself a little slack.
Steve was talking to Agent Hill about the Chitauri, the invasion, and how to proceed from here. Agent Hill looked about as approachable as a box of snakes.
'Good luck with that Steve, like any of us, maybe save Reindeer Games, know what the hell is happening. Hopefully the 'scamtastic four' come back soon so we can actually talk strategy. Seriously. We have to rely on Loki. This has disaster written all over it.' Tony shrugged to himself, finally leaving his workshop, fixing up his suit from the minimal damage it too during the fight.
So far they didn't tell SHIELD anything about Loki, but it was only a matter of time before they came back from Asgard and the shitstorm really picked up speed.
Luckily, there was only one ship, not a whole fleet. No signs that the whole armada was gonna bust down their gates while two of their players and Reindeer Games were in the penalty box.
Everyone, including Agent Hill, was avoiding the elephant (dog?) in the room, Sesshomaru. Fury wasn't the slightest bit grateful that Sesshomaru probably saved countless lives, which irked Tony. Even though Sesshomaru took matters in his own hands, Tony had to admit that the calculated explosive force of the ship's cannons would have shredded through the helicarrier's armor. Along with the enemy ship's maneuverability it could have easily taken out one or two of the helicarriers.
'Maybe it would have been worth it if Fury was on board a helicarrier. Nah, he'd survive just to spite me." Tony snuck out of his workshop, trying his best to avoid everyone.
In short, it would have taken a lot longer to deal with the ship on their own without Sailor Moon's help. Not that he wasn't still mad. He still should have waited for backup.
'It was a turn on though.' Tony, aggravated at himself for that rogue thought, then downed his coffee. Using the resulting caffeine rush to fuel his confrontation with the arrogant Demon Lord, he made his way through the living room. He may have been a Lord in his time but he it was his name on his tower.
After he battle, He did credit the Demon for coming back to Stark Tower after the helicarriers arrived. Tony laughed when one of them tried to order Sesshomaru via loudspeaker to stay where he was on the Statue of Liberty. That resulted in Sesshomaru leaping onto the helicarrier and slicing the nose cone off one of Fury's F-22 Raptors with his whip. He should have predicted that outcome. Luckily Sailor Moon decided enough was enough and came back home.
Tony found Sesshomaru on the roof, sitting on the Quinjet staring intently off into the distance like something called out to him. Or maybe practicing for an upcoming photo shoot for that Jason Sisson. Yeah, he found out who his hot date was.
Toady sat next to him, suspiciously silent, and it didn't get past Tony that the atmosphere was tense.
Maybe they were discussing what exactly he heard inside his head when the space dragon came out of the mothership like a stripper out of a birthday cake.
Tony was beginning to really get sick of all these plasma readings he couldn't actually study.
"Hey toady, gotta talk to Sailor Moon here. Why don't you, Oh, I don't know, go find two friends and make a Budweiser commercial?" Tony strutted up to the Quinjet and Jaken balked.
"How dare you order me around! Lord Sesshomaru punish him for his insolence!" Jaken shook his fist.
"Leave us Jaken." Sesshomaru's deep voice rang out, but didn't turn to face Tony. Tony scrunched his face, suddenly irked.
"Yeah beat it, you know Michael Jackson don't you?" Jaken grumbled and with a dexterity Tony didn't know Jaken possessed, jumped down, landed on his feet, and muttered something about how AC/DC was better. Agreed.
"Hey, look, so Director Fury of the helicarrier 'who do I yell at first' is gonna come by. Not that I prefer it, but Cap loves a good Pow-Wow and Pepper gave me the ' you need to compromise' look. We gotta talk about how all this is gonna pla-hey are you ignoring me?!" Tony reacted as Sesshomaru still stared off in space, the wind blowing his hair softly.
"Oh my god. You. Princess. You're mad at me." This got Sesshomaru's attention and in a blink he was in front of Stark, so close Tony could see his razor blade sharp pupils dilate slightly.
So, he was mad at him? Game on. Tony grappled onto his simmering anger; he was going to give him hell.
"This Sesshomaru is no woman." Sesshomaru hissed, looking like he wanted to take Tony by the throat again. Tony couldn't help but try to take in all of his facial features. They hadn't been this close since he carried him.
He was right about him in Central Park. He was easier to rile up than Cap.
"I am so right, you do too sulk. Still hung up over me telling you off about the death-ship aren't you?" Tony challenged, shifting his weight to the balls of his feet.
"...this Sesshomaru is no child to be ordered about." Tony caught the minute tells that he was actually mad, and not just bored. His pupils shrank in, his ears even went back, like a dogs would.
"Yeah, yeah, I think we have confirmed you're an adult male, thanks Sex Ed. If you think I had a problem with you going toe to toe with a murderous alien death-ship, you're right but not because I underestimated you." Tony flipped his wrists in a 'goddamnit just listen to me' pose. Sesshomaru calmed, interested.
"Explain." Sesshomaru's ears twitched, which Tony noticed. Tony still wanted to bite one. Angry sex always helped.
"I used to make weapons for a living. Big ones, bigger than that space ship's cannons, and could reap a higher death toll and payload. Hell, the nuke I threw into the first invasion's armada could have been mine. I've also been blown up by my own weapons. Not fun. So, when I see a super star destroyer coming I know it's gonna pack a punch. It had nothing to do with you not using your Backstreet Boy sword on it, but everything to do with its weaponry and capability!" Tony began to get mad, he also hated looking up to him. Sesshomaru had be like 6'2". Tony could see the twitch of the side of his lip downwards.
'Sailor Moon is accusing me of underestimating him, but I saw what happened to that one cannon shot. He had trouble containing it. It wasn't easy for him. If both shots had been accurate he would have been… no. I do not deal in what ifs.' Tony's eyes lit up in realization.
"In fact, I think you underestimated the cruiser and that's why you're really pissed." Tony's mouth crooked into a shit-eating grin and Sesshomaru's eyes widened marginally. Sesshomaru' talons released a bit of toxin onto the roof, sizzling it.
Oh yeah. Hammer meet nail.
"It's OK, I mean, we all can't be perfect, well I can, and am. I'm the exception. I mean, look at me. You can try to measure up to my greatness, I do like some good competition. But don't try to measure up by taking on another battleship solo again. Teamwork remember? I told you, you have the Avengers, and you have me and my tech. God, Capcicle would be so proud of me right now." Tony preened himself, relaxing. Sesshomaru still stood stock still, regarding Tony like a one would a creature they had never seen before. Tony began to feel a tingle on his skin. How much would Sailor Moon maim him if he did bite one of those wiggling ears?
'Is he like, looking me over like a predator would a meal? What in the hell is going on? Gods his skin is flawless; Pepper would probably want his skin care routine. Is it weird to notice skin? Christ, he is still wearing that Nirvana T-shirt. Where did he find it anyway?' Tony's thoughts rambled.
"...this Sesshomaru does what he pleases." Sesshomaru eventually replied, and Tony fucking lost it. His brown eyes lit up and poked Sesshomaru's hard chest with his finger. Which in hindsight may not have been his wisest idea since Sesshomaru positively growled, he could feel his chest rumble and that too turned him on.
He was so warm, and his finger tingled at his cotton t-shirt. He wondered what it would be like to touch his chest, skin to skin.
"No, not in fucking battle. Not when we are all working together to save our world. You should know how bad it is for one of your soldiers to go AWOL or do their own thing. We work together so no one gets hurt. You almost didn't suppress that blast. Do you really think we didn't notice your struggle?" Tony's voice dipped low, waiting for a response, any response from the stoic Demon Lord. Sesshomaru remained unresponsive, and the only one who could get him to respond was currently having a family reunion in a different dimension.
He was so done. Talking to Sailor Moon was like talking to a brick wall. People called him stubborn! Maybe when Thor came back he could whack some sense into him.
"Or you know what? Fine. Do you! Go get your ass blown to tell and back! I'm sure Rin will understand. You know, how your stupid pride got you killed and left her an orphan again. Jaken will probably off himself, since he has no idea what to do without you! Oh, and Bambi! It's not like he wouldn't blame himself till Ragnorak for your death since, oh I don't know, he brought you into this! And don't forget about the Avengers! Clint won't stop gushing about your stupid death ray, and you're probably the only reason Bruce isn't a complete wreck. Steve, while angry at you too for taking on the Empire and not waiting for back up, still likes you despite everything he has ever known about Demons has been disproven. Trust me, he isn't one to throw previous teachings out the window. And you! You promised me you'd stay, and I really, really have a problem with people leaving." Tony out of breath from his rant finally removed his finger from Sesshomaru's chest.
He looked into Sesshomaru's eyes and saw nothing but an impassive stare.
Fuck it.
"What's more important to you? Your pride or us? We need you. I…" Tony's voice trailed off as he turned. If Sesshomaru didn't care about his wellbeing, then he wouldn't care about his. He started to walk away when he felt a steel hard grip on his wrist.
They had a thing for wrists, didn't they?
He looked back, Sesshomaru hadn't changed his facial features at all, but damned if his posture wasn't completely erect. His ears even looked a bit low.
'His hands are soft, I thought they'd be calloused or something.' Tony thought, then noticed the gnarly burn on the back of his left hand. He must have gotten hit by a Chitauri ray like Clint did. Tony frowned. If a rifle blast burned his skin like this, then if the cannon pierced his youki he wouldn't have stood a chance. Tony also noticed his wrist stripes were red, while the ones on his arms and face were still magenta. He was about to berate the Demon for his recklessness when he opened his mouth.
"...this Sesshomaru is no liability." Sesshomaru's words carried so softly Tony barely heard them.
The words smacked him like Mjolnir to the chest. That was not really the point Tony wanted to get across. Tony didn't understand how someone so intimidating could also sound so soft. Sesshomaru was a walking contradiction that continuously threw him for a loop.
'Doesn't he get that people care about him? Didn't he have any friends besides Loki growing up?' Tony's eyebrows shot up.
'That's it. Loki and Sesshomaru were probably each other's only friends. He must have some serious issues if Loki was his only childhood friend. Explains a metric shit ton.' A light bulb the size of the sun went off in Tony's head.
'I knew I should have eavesdropped in on Bambi's and Sailor Moon's heart to heart Christmas special the other night, but even I know some things should be private...at least Jarvis recorded it just in case.' Tony sighed deeply at Sesshomaru's unreadable expression.
"Look. Just…make sure that you heal your hand before Pepper gets here or she will make Bruce play nurse, and I know how much you'd like that." Tony wasn't sure how to follow up on the realizations he thought of. He also didn't know how his anger shriveled up so quickly. He wanted it back again but couldn't seem to harness it.
The Tony Stark rant train had grinded to an unexpected halt.
Sesshomaru's eyes flickered down to his hand and back up to Tony's. Then Tony remembered what he really wanted to talk about in the first place.
"You know, I can put two and two together and sum up that those space hicks were trying to capture you. I don't think the others have made the connection, but I did." Tony twisted, but the grip Sesshomaru had on his wrist made it a bit awkward to face him head on. Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed.
"They aimed to capture either me or Loki. I do not know for what reason. Their babblings were not anything I concerned myself with…They will not be successful." Sesshomaru stated evenly, though Tony caught a hesitant edge to his voice that he didn't like.
"You were successful only because I had to use my laser to cut their voodoo leash, Lassie." Tony attempted flat humor, and Sesshomaru cracked his knuckles on his other hand. Tony grinned in victory.
He was not about to let some henchmen take what was rightfully his. He put up with Sailor Moon's strangulation urges, scrys, identity crises, and runnings away from home. Yes 'runnings'. Multiple. He dealt with his angsty teenager behavior, not anyone else.
"This Sesshomaru is not so easily subdued." Sesshomaru seethed and Tony could have sworn he looked hot and bothered. Was that a challenge? He wanted to ask him about the space dragon, he itched to ask him what in the hell he was doing around Soho all day yesterday. Yet instead, Tony had a head rush of an urge to do something else.
He wanted to grip his chin like one would a weapon. His eyes travelled up to his mouth, small and still, so unlike his own. Yeah, he knew he was a loudmouth, so what people should listen to him.
Everything about the Demon was almost human. It was if someone had tried to make a human, but sanded and whetted every possible feature, angle and attribute to a lethal, polished edge.
Where Tony was rough and rugged around the edges, everything about Sesshomaru was incessantly refined to a needle-sharp precision, well except for two things.
Tony Stark was notorious for many things: impulsiveness, bad decisions, binge drinking, being a coffee snob, and going after what he wanted relentlessly while ignoring any possible negative consequences were some.
So, when Tony closed the distance between them like a collision on the freeway, grabbing Sesshomaru by his jaw lifting himself up, planting his lips on his, he didn't really think.
He just went for it.
He could endorse Nike.
No. Nike should endorse him.
He relaxed his jaw and worked his own needy lips against Sesshomaru's testing, gathering data, examining. This is what he was waiting for. His head spun with the revelation that he wanted to know every millimeter of the Demon Lord. He wanted to know him so well he could map him into a hologram. Tony had to know if Sesshomaru's lips were as sharp as the rest of him, or if they were an anomaly: yielding and pliant.
They were an anomaly and Christ did Tony love those.
Tony's pulse raced, his lips tasted fuller than he expected. The danger of kissing the Demon Lord pumped adrenaline through his veins. He did the only logical decision and deepened the kiss, because Tony never did anything half way or half-assed. He didn't think Sesshomaru did either.
The smooth, steel tight grip on his wrist loosened.
He flicked his tongue between his lips; he tasted like a nine-volt battery. Damn. He moved his hand to the back of his head and his hair felt smoother than fiber optics cables. He had to have more; he found the anomaly to beat all anomalies.
He raked his teeth on his bottom lip and sucked it hard, he wanted it to swell, he wanted evidence he did this to him. He wanted to claim him.
Tony fought a smile when the stone-rigid Sesshomaru slacked almost imperceptibly. Tony saw his opening and attacked. So far, so good.
He snaked his now free arm around Sesshomaru's back and brought their bodies flush together with a harsh tug, arc reactor thumping against the serpent on his white t-shirt. The arc reactor resonated warmly.
He didn't need Sesshomaru to reciprocate; he didn't need him to do anything at all except accept it. He chanced a real bite on his lower lip this time. A tingle of energy surged through him and coiled in his chest. The energy unique to Sesshomaru only, his youki vibrating under his skin caused a shiver down Tony's spine and the back of his triceps.
Something that Tony could only consider a small gasp escaped Sesshomaru's lips. Tony knew it. He would bring this Demon Lord down to earth.
Tony went in for the kill and shoved his tongue in. He wanted him to take it, but to rise to his challenge at the same time. He accidentally ran his tongue down and around his pointed fangs, he'd have to get used to those. Sesshomaru's lips then kneaded his own back with response shocked him with its intensity, his own desire. Victory. Not easily subdued huh?
His pointed jaw relaxed and Tony scratched the back of Sesshomaru's head, curling his fingers through his long hair. It wasn't an action he intended, he never meant to caress him like that but he went with it. Sesshomaru hummed just the slightest bit, but Tony caught it.
'Oh yeah, Tony you still got it.' Tony smirked a bit that time. The warmth and mild sweetness that bombarded him made him want to give it to him right back. He curled his tongue and relished another anomaly.
'Christ is his mouth is tingly.' Tony fought Sesshomaru's tongue with his own, a heated, humid battle for dominance. Tony nearly moaned when claws grazed down the side of his neck and then down his back, teetering on that edge of lethal and…and…. loving?
His skin prickled in desire and the hair stood on the back of his neck and his groin tightened. An instinctual reaction that just with a little bit more pressure those talons would leave marks, could cut him, could kill him.
It put Tony into orbit, flirting (well now way past flirting), with the edge of a danger that he could curb. A danger he could bend his way, maybe even later into a ninety-degree angle.
His arc reactor whirred, powering up and his ankles warmed. Tony wondered if Sesshomaru had unleashed youki on the floor beneath them. He wasn't about to look. It would break everything.
Tony began to win their fight of dominance and that made him harden, going from half-mast to full on hard below deck. Sesshomaru picked up on it. Tony inhaled sharply, not a gasp he told himself, as the gorgeous Demon in front of him slipped his other hand down around his side to his groin, cupping and caressing his erection through his jeans.
'This was not Sailor Moon's first rodeo, he has some ski-' Tony's thoughts snowed out as he unzipped the fly on his jeans. '-lls. Yeah, but I am not one to be outdone.'
Tony finally moaned this time and Sesshomaru throated a growl in response, his lips vibrating on his like a sex toy he knew he had around somewhere.
That growling wasn't fair.
In response, Tony tangled himself into him, hand through his hair, tongue in his mouth, hand cupping the curved, toned ass that always hid behind his hair. Sesshomaru continued his massage and Tony could feel the Demon Lord's own arousal jutting into his hip. Damn, how big was he? The same claws swept up his neck to come to rest as a full hand on his neck, thumb resting on the side of his jaw.
The action ran contrary to what Tony had expected. He envisioned the Demon Lord would have thrown him against something or tore him open by now. He thought this kiss would be a lot more macho, and a lot less intimate.
'Damn he is affectionate. Didn't see that one coming.' Tony pulled away to catch his breath and saw Sesshomaru's usually slit pupils, were blown out in lust. His lips glistened, swollen and pink, and Tony knew he looked probably just as undone.
'This is new. This is incredible. His lips, his skin, everything about him strums with energy. He is the most alive person I've ever seen.' Tony's body was still flush up against his, eyes locked on his gold ones like a missile targeting system. Tony relaxed into the Demon Lord's slender, lanky frame, just a bit. Tony could allow himself a little bit of weakness here, sometimes it did feel good for someone else to hold himself up for a change.
Tony read the raw emotion Sesshomaru stared him down with like lines of code.
It frightened and flattered him at the same time, because he wasn't sure if he was picking up only lust from him. A rare wave of self-consciousness swept across Tony, he wasn't used to looking in someone's eyes like this after playing a round of tonsil hockey. Usually he was too focused on taking his clothes off, or too drunk to care.
Sesshomaru's claws had glided their way down to Tony's shoulders. Before he knew it, he was pushed back against the front landing strut of the Quinjet. The action almost knocked the air out of him. Tony wanted to throw the 'subdued' thing back at Sesshomaru, but it would ruin the current mood and he could always do it later.
"I bet that Jason Sissy-pants didn't kiss you like that." Tony panted, then he wondered exactly how good his breath smelled, he did drink a lot of coffee. Eh, Fuck it, deed done.
Sesshomaru didn't respond with words. He opted instead to counter attack, fangs raking across Tony's lips, tongue lashing out into his mouth quick and precise like his whip. Sesshomaru teased his hard on with a couple quick strokes. Tony didn't have a chance to respond from the sudden attack before Sesshomaru pulled back, lips parted and bangs askew. Tony wanted to provoke that out of the Demon Lord again, not just because it felt so good to be so close, but also because in that moment he wasn't perfectly guarded.
"You would bet against this Sesshomaru again?" Sesshomaru smirked, a barely there lift of his lips and glint in his eye. Tony wanted to scowl, it wasn't the exact answer he wanted but he would run with it. Did that wanna-be kiss him or not?
"I'll wear that ridiculous outfit again if he did." Tony pushed off with his back from the landing gear and took Sesshomaru again, only this time with the expressed intention to see those abs again. He wanted that stupid Nirvana shirt off, like yesterday.
Off went Nirvana. 'Come as you are' played in his head.
He hadn't seen him shirtless since that shower which felt like eons ago. He wanted to trace the stripes that streaked up his sides and arced over his hips with his fingers or his tongue. He was just too pale, too smooth, and that silvery happy trail that fuzzed down from his navel...sexy was an understatement.
Tony couldn't help it; he went to his tiptoes. Which was really awkward because he didn't usually kiss anyone taller than he was, but he went straight for the left ear anyway. He sucked the lobe and ignored a growl. He then retaliated by shoving his hand roughly down the front of Sesshomaru's jeans, hand gliding across his pubic hair. So, the Demon went commando, good to know.
Tony found exactly what he was looking for, his fingers teased the base of Sesshomaru's cock as he sucked his earlobe harder. This time the growl turned into a gravelly, low bark. Tony needed his own shirt off now. Sorry, not sorry, Black Sabbath.
'OK, he isn't slicing me into coleslaw so this seems promising...' Tony's mind landed on the Quinjet, 'Oh yeah that could work...' Tony's mind stuck on his growing need, now damp with pre cum in his pants. Tony's body fired on all cylinders; he had to finish taking the Demon Lord apart. They had time. He removed his hand from Sesshomaru's jeans and traced his stripes up his body till he reached his shoulders.
"You. Me. Quinjet. Now." Tony murmured in his pointed ear. His lats really were as strong as wires on a suspension bridge, just covered in satiny ivory skin. Tony didn't care if they didn't have lube, they would make something work. Tony was anything but resourceful. That one time in Iceland when he didn't have a condom he….
Sesshomaru reared back and in an instant his Nirvana shirt was back on, back to him. A stinging pang of rejection shot Tony through. What? What did he say?
"Hey guys! You guys might want to come down here, we have, um, sort of a situation." Steve popped up from the roof access and Tony never wished for a rogue lightning strike more in his life. Tony zipped up his fly, hiding his own 'situation' before Steve caught him.
'Steve, I'm gonna get you back for this. I swear you are the biggest cock block of all time.' Tony turned around to an oblivious Steve now peeking out from behind the door. Sesshomaru must have heard him, or smelled him, or something. So, he didn't strike out.
Tony Stark, you're still at bat.
"What now stars-and-stripes?!" Tony didn't even have anything witty to say as he urged his hard-on to make a hasty retreat.
'Think Fury kissing Agent…ugh what a waste of good wood. This better be good, like Clint decided to cross dress, no better, like… ' Tony's mind failed to think of any good reason with an opening like that to interrupt his romp in the Quinjet.
"You gotta just come down and see the TV." Steve almost pleaded. So now Cap wants to join 21st century. Tony sighed heavy. He turned back to Sesshomaru, who while composed, had his ears up in alert.
Tony wondered if another body part of his was still up too.
"I swear Cap if you just now found 'Touched by an Angel' reruns or Clint roped you into one of his pranks I'm getting Little Miss Sunshine to paint flowers on your shield." Tony, reluctantly, started to follow Steve down the stairs, mood ruined.
He heard the TV before he saw it. Tony should have seen this coming. He really should have. Tony ran a hand down his face and crossed his arms. On the TV was channel 8 news, showing shaky clips of Sesshomaru twirling his whip, slicing the Chitauri up like blender, their blood spraying across the pavilion. Family friendly fun for prime-time TV.
Another video clip of Sesshomaru bringing the Rage Machine back to reality, snapping him out of his uncontrollable rage in the nick of time to save Toady and some little girl.
Different angle, another camera phone of Sesshomaru jumping into the air and powering up, then hesitating, then pointing the beam a bit off course and unleashing it. Tony paused at that one, Sesshomaru didn't seem like the type to hesitate, why would he change his trajectory of his shot…then Tony remembered.
He was at that those coordinates. He changed his attack to miss him. Oh, he would use this sentiment against the Demon Lord later.
A shakier clip then played of the Hulk decimating some of the Chitauri, while Sesshomaru made dog food out of the others. Which officially made Sailor Moon and Rage Machine a terrifying team.
Reminder: never challenge those two to a demolition derby.
Tony's jaw dropped when another clip, this one in better focus, caught Sesshomaru decapitating a Chitauri and then throwing the severed head at another Chitauri, only to seconds later eviscerate him. Clint chuckled as it showed Sesshomaru flick the blood onto the sidewalk like he just washed his hands.
And this was the guy he just mauled his roof. Tony forced himself to be grossed out at that he felt oddly turned on. This was unknown territory; he shouldn't like someone who did this.
"What Fancy Pants, no touchdown celebration? Not even a spike?" Clint's eyes flashed tauntingly at the Demon Lord who simply looked his way. Clint rolled a bandaged shoulder, He had gotten winged by a Chitauri ray blast after Sesshomaru left Central Park.
"No one can call you inefficient, but was that really necessary?" Steve sighed, hand over his mouth.
"They disrespected me. That lowly trash did not deserve to have their bodies in tact." Sesshomaru placidly replied. Steve facepalmed.
The last clip was of Sesshomaru standing on the tip of the fountain with one foot and firing again upon the chariots with a shock of green energy. The scene then cut to another shaky video of Sesshomaru talking to Clint, Steve and Tony.
"Oh hey, they got my good side." Tony smirked.
"Just who is Mr. Nirvana?! Is he the newest Avenger?! That's the question on everyone's lips! Let's go to the streets!" The image shifted to an attractive reporter at Central Park, with people clustered all around her, seeking their fifteen seconds of fame.
Oh, this is going to make Fury all warm and fuzzy inside.
"I don't care who he is, I'm just glad he is kicking alien ass and rocks Nirvana! Wooo Nirvana!"
"He is so cool! Is he single? I love his hair and his tattoos! They are so epic! Tribal is back!"
"I was in the park when he was there! The bro totalled those aliens like they were made of rolling paper. He cut one of their heads off his own hands and threw it another one. Savage!"
"I'm glad he is on our side, even if he isn't human. This city needs all the help it can get, even from good aliens!"
"He's so flashy! Mr. Nirvana sign my tits!"
"Oh, sorry viewers for the explicit language, as we warned earlier this material may not be suitable for all viewers. Up next: we also have word that our very own traffic copter: Chopper Dave got a shot of this mysterious new Avenger, Mr. Nirvana, taking out the alien spaceship from the Statue of Liberty. Stay tuned to channel 8!" Steve groaned and Clint shook his head as the scene cut to the ship's doors opening to reveal the dragon coiling out. Then the eventual shot that would disable then the imploded cannon blast.
Chopper Dave should get a raise.
"Lord Sesshomaru! These humans praise you for your strength, however they are most untoward!" Jaken ran up to him, pointing to the TV.
"I am aware." Sesshomaru cut a glance to Tony and he would have blushed if he were a lesser man.
'Oh, like you didn't enjoy it.' Tony set his jaw, but didn't feel any real anger.
"Who is this new hero? Where did he come from? Is Loki back? All we know is that the Chitauri are back an—" Steve muted the TV. Tony didn't know what had Steve's stars and stripes all in a knot. All of this was going to have to happen eventually. Let Fury have his tantrum.
"What do we do? I mean, they're going to put two and two together that uh.. 'Mr. Nirvana' is here." Steve crossed his arms, gesturing to tower.
"We won't do anything till Pepper gets here, she is flying in from LA. She will know what to do. Till then, take a siesta! Jarvis full privacy on the tower." Tony ordered and the glass on the tower fluctuated and turned tinted.
"Done sir." Jarvis reported. Tony looked around, noticing that Bruce had just came up the stairs.
"Hey, did I miss your photo shoot?" Bruce joked, but he still looked shaken and wan.
"Tony says they got his good side, but I don't think such a side exists." Clint ribbed trying to lighten Bruce's mood.
"Um, who in this room is the only one in world's top five most eligible bachelors?" Tony retorted flawlessly.
"Well, after this photo shoot, there might be two." Bruce chimed in, pointing to the muted TV at the female and male admirers flocking central park with photos, some with surprising high resolution.
Sesshomaru cracked his knuckles and Clint just laughed again. Tony swore if he saw that wanna-be Jason Sisson got on TV he'd hack the network. But there was one thing that still didn't make any sense to the inventor. The close captions had talked about the death ray, the star destroyer, the storm troopers, everything except…
"So, why is no one else talking about fantasia coming out of the mothership and talking to everyone in their minds?" Everyone turned to Tony like he had said that he would quit being Iron Man.
Pause.
"What in the hell? Did you hit your head?" Clint asked, rolling his non-injured shoulder.
"Not today. Didn't anyone else see it? The giant space dragon. You know, the one who came out like a jack-in-the-box out of the space ship. He was talking to Sailor Moon, mentioned something about a bastard and orders to capture him. He called him an Eternal, and talked about Loki." Tony explained and the room fell silent.
"Loki?" Clint's expression turned less skeptical and more curious.
"I know I'm hard to take your eyes off of… But really no one saw it?" Tony recovered with a joke, was he really going crazy?
"Tony…I can tell you're not drunk, but when was the last time you slept?" Bruce ventured. Damnit Bruce mind your own circadian rhythm.
"Um, maybe fifty hours. That's not the point. I know what I saw, Jarvis scanned it. It said it had orders to capture either Bambi or Moonie over here." Tony shot back, blood getting hot. Why did no one else see it? It was recorded, they just saw it on the news courtesy of Chopper Dave. Why SHIELD didn't immediately subpoena the traffic helo footage was beyond Tony, but it amused him more than anything.
"So, you not only saw, but heard him. Ryukotsusei." Sesshomaru finally stated and Tony turned to him, exasperated. Now he says something. And Ryukitty? Why did that sound familiar?
"Wait. So, there actually was a space dragon and Tony isn't hallucinating? Is this a good thing or a bad thing?" Clint said smirking, but hardly meaning it. Tony narrowed his eyes at him. Maybe he should make Clint wait on the toxins he perfected.
"That insolent human must have been able to understand and see Ryukotsusei with your youki in his suit Lord Sesshomaru!" Toady piped up. Where did he come from? No one better tell Pepper about the youki juice in his suit. She definitely couldn't sell that to Stark Enterprises as a part of his new clean energy proj…oh no. He had to check the Tower's arc reactor.
Why did this have to happen to him?
"His youki is in your suit? Tony that sounds beyond reckless." Steve complained, and Tony rolled his eyes. 'Don't give me the 'calculated risks' thing Steve, I already gave that speech today, I get a 'get-out-of-Capsicles'-look-before-you-leap-seminar-free' pass.' Tony sighed.
"Not intentional. Sort of. Long story. Getting off topic. What's up with puff the magic dragon?" Tony steered the topic back on track. He was not going to let this go.
"Ryukotsusei was a Dragon Demon from my time, he perished long before I arrived here. I had never encountered him personally, but…members of my family had. What you saw, Stark, was his spirit from the underworld." Sesshomaru carefully explained. Oh. Hot. Shwarma. That was the dragon who killed his dad, and subsequently ruined his life.
'He handled that a lot better than I would have. I would have absolutely lost my shit if I found out that someone killed my old man and he came back to order me around. Well, maybe not. Mostly my mom….Wait. Underworld? Am I in the Sixth Sense? Can I see dead people now?' Tony whipped around.
"Let me get this straight, the dragon who killed your father, came out of a Chitauri space ship and wanted to…capture you or Loki?" Bruce chuckled, as if the question itself made absolutely no sense, and it didn't.
"Dragon spirit. He came from the Demon underworld. Never thought I'd say it, but good thing Loki is in Asgard, he would have flipped out." Clint corrected, ever quick on the uptake.
"So, are we now saying that there is an underworld and that Demons can literally come out of it?" Steve looked pale, like he was about to throw up into the nearest receptacle. He hoped it would be Clint's quiver.
"You blubbering humans! Of course there is a Demon Underworld! Lord Sesshomaru, do we have to explain everything to them?!" Jaken blurted out and Sesshomaru brought down his fist to knock him unconscious.
The room silently thanked him.
"Um can we talk about how I can apparently see dead people now?" Tony collected his thoughts, and no one apparently listened to him.
"It can be about you some other time Tony. Sesshomaru, where did the dragon go? Is it a threat?" Steve's voice became serious; he was in impending invasion mode.
"He was never any threat to this Sesshomaru. I utilized Tenseiga to return his soul to the Demonic Underworld where it belonged." Sesshomaru explained and sighed through his nose. Tony could tell he didn't like this line of questioning.
"Demons exorcising other Demon ghosts, are we the ghostbusters now too?" Tony still couldn't get past that not only did he see the Demon ghost, he heard it speak to him!
"Well, if it is something strange, and it 'don't' look good….they do usually call us." Clint pointed out next to him smiling next and this time Bruce manage to smirk. Steve and Sesshomaru, per usual, stood completely confused.
"Stark." Tony automatically turned to Sesshomaru. It wasn't often he said his name with such seriousness. "I did not purify Ryukotsusei. Tenseiga cannot purify souls outside of the underworld. He has the ability to cut beings not of this world only, including the dead, and the undead." Sesshomaru pressed and Tony's mind whirred to read in between the lines of what he was trying to say.
"Dibs on him for the zombie apocalypse." Clint raised his hand and Jaken just then began to rise up along with Tony's blood pressure. Clint calling dibs? Um, no he staked that claim first. Wait, Tony got it.
"You have a sword, that can't cut organic, but can cut inorganic matter? Oh, prove it. So, prove it. Cut me." Tony's eyes lit up. He had to see how this was supposed to work. Was it chaos theory? Did the blade simply just go through him? Did it stop? Did the Jedi force keep it from touching him?
"Tony. Take this seriously." Steve warned, he was obviously not seeing how potentially cool this could be.
"Oh this I gotta see." Clint leaned back as if he was about to watch a fight in a hockey game.
"Tony, I told Pepper tha—" Bruce was cut off by Sesshomaru unsheathing N*sync with his left hand. Tony immediately noticed the burn on his hand healed, interesting. N*sync, compared to its destructive sister, Backstreet boy, appeared completely normal. The only thing was that the steel glinted a bit blue.
Sesshomaru, with an aristocratic flourish, butterflied the blade around and slashed through the air. Tony stood defiant, locking eyes with the regal demon across the room. He wasn't going to flinch, there was no room to back out now.
Sesshomaru brought Tenseiga down right at the juncture where his neck met his shoulders with a blow that Tony had seen cleave a Chitauri neatly in two, possibly a Volvo.
Everyone in the room jumped except for Clint who grabbed his bow. Tony made a note to thank him for that instant reaction, it was a better one than what Point Break did in the Quinjet when he got strangled.
But, not only did the force of the blow not hurt, it felt more like a blade of grass on his shoulder, than a blade of steel. It looked sharp, but it was actually dull. Tony had to study it. Sesshomaru then flipped the blade and cut through a side table with a fraction of the force. He didn't like that table anyway.
"Damn, I was so gunning for chaos theory." Tony twisted his lips together and Bruce took off his glasses, knowing full well what Chaos Theory was. Tony swore he saw amusement dancing in Sesshomaru's gold eyes. He wanted to see those pupils blown out again.
"I was going to say 'me next' but I think I'm good." Clint yielded, putting down his bow.
"But, what you're implying is that if we run into one of those spirits again, you're the only one who can…get rid of it?" Steve ventured a guess and Sesshomaru turned to him, sheathing the real mystery sword.
"Tenseiga removes such obstacles, not I." Tony couldn't tell if Sesshomaru was being purposely cryptic to completely grate on Steve's nerves or not but it jazzed him. Sesshomaru wasn't going anywhere, Tony would make sure of it.
"But…how did Dragonforce get on the Chitauri ship in the first place?" Tony pressed, he didn't know what made Sailor Moon's weird Demon world so intriguing, but it just was.
"This Sesshomaru is not certain. However, it is doubtful that he did so on his own accord. Ryukotsusei was many things, subservient was not one of them. He begged for his end." Sesshomaru explained, curling a finger to his lips in thought.
Lips Tony wanted to attack again.
"Well, if Thanos can make a God of Mischief do his dirty work, it's possible the same could be said for a dragon… I can't believe I just said that. Dragons, Gods, Demons? I really should have stayed away from all of this. I almost decimated Central Park! Killed a little girl, again." Bruce looked a little green and a hell of a lot more tired.
If Bruce kept up with him in the lab he hadn't slept much either, one reason for the hulk-out.
Surprisingly, Sesshomaru walked right up to Bruce and stood next to him.
"This Sesshomaru is in your debt. You protected my retainer, Jaken, when I miscalculated. You may request something of this Sesshomaru of equivalent worth." Sesshomaru's voice sounded crisp and even.
"Oh my Lord! I knew you cared about me!" Jaken began to literally cry in happiness. Suck up. Bruce shot Tony a mischievous look. Tony raised his eyebrows.
'Oh man, he better not try anything funny. He better not request anything lewd. Bruce has to respect the bro code.' Tony's jaw dropped when he realized what he had just thought in terms of that Jason guy, Clint, and now Bruce.
Since when did his craving to jump Sesshomaru's bones turn into a weird possessiveness?
'I have get this out of my system. I can't be getting territorial over a prissy Demon Lord I just met. Tony Stark doesn't do territorial or possessive. Tony Stark does easy sex, 'hit it and quit its'. What do the teens call it these days? Netflix and chill? I just do flings, the more the better. I'm just… simply curious. I can keep my cool, figure out what he's all about, and then drop him like a bad habit. It will be easy, just like all the rest, except Pepper of course.' Tony reassured himself and took a deep breath, tapping his arc reactor out of habit.
"Well, I'd really like you to help me with..." Bruce paused and Tony knew it was on purpose because he smirked his way. Bastard. "the other guy. You are pretty much the only person, err, Demon? That I've met that the green guy listens to." Bruce sheepishly requested and Sesshomaru appeared to have seen it coming.
"This Sesshomaru accepts. We shall begin now. Come... Banner." Sesshomaru motioned him to follow, saying his name for the first time that Tony could tell.
Huh, he was the last one to be called by his name.
"Um, uh, ok, where we going?" Bruce, caught off guard, but bright with hope let loose a breath and began to follow. Another cock block. I'm blue balling it over here while Bruce green guys it with him.
'I want everything about Sesshomaru out of my system, now.' Tony's pulse picked up in anxiety.
"...to my old quarters." Sesshomaru spared a quick, and since Tony was a betting man, he guessed a teasing glance, back at him. Tony knew should have filled substorage room 3b with crates. He would tomorrow, or maybe he would get frisky later with the Demon Lord in it. Having him sit, or bent over one of those crates, with his stupid long silver hair and his abs he wanted to run his tongue over.
'Oh, he wants to play games? You chose the wrong player. I am so in. Operation: Hit It and 'Sho'get It, is on.' Stark crossed his arms over his chest, ready for a completely different type of battle.
At least that's what he told himself.