Tony is a proper gentleman as he escorts Saffron down and off the ship's ramp. She couldn't help but fidget a bit considering the fact that she was wearing Tony's clothes. She'd discarded the dress Tony had bought for her somewhere in the abyss of the sea. To be fair, he had left her rather distraught. Steve—quite the nimble man that one—had managed to tighten the fabric to befit her feminine figure, but it hadn't minimized the fact that pants were still a peculiar piece of garment and the redhead simply could not understand why men would even contemplate bothering with them.
"You okay, kid," Clint teases as he watches Saffron fiddle with the waistband of her borrowed pants.
She gives him a pitiful glare and he can't help but laugh, lightly ruffling her hair as he passes by, lantern in hand.
"So this is Orionis Cove," Bruce says absently and to no one in particular as he examines the site.
It's a beautiful creation of Mother Nature with its vibrant green vegetation thriving across massive rocks and boulders that loomed masterfully over the white sands that faded into crystal blue of the sea. But it is but a guise, a façade for the grave entity below. A wondrously misleading majesty. The mermaid looks to Tony awaiting a sign or some sort of signal. He too seems to be taking in the splendor of Orionis, but Saffron can only hope they all grow tired of it soon. Just as all legends go, those who fall prey to beauty only lose themselves in vanity. The curse of a mermaid.
The haunting thought sends a chill down her spine. They truly hadn't a clue as to what they were walking into. Stories and tales of passing could only say so much, less so when everyone firmly believes the threats of the sea to be figments of a shipman's lapse in sanity. The sand beneath her feet and the sun on her back are warm but she knows well that the journey into the cave however will be a cold experience.
"We should get going. The journey by foot will be long and the power of the Aether awakens when the moon is at its peak."
The men nod at her seriously and before Saffron replies by leading the way towards and into the darkened cave, she makes sure to kiss each man on their cheek. They eye her questioningly, but neither vocally questions her motives. Her kiss would help prevent any of them from falling prey to the music of the sea and the song of her sisters, not that the fate would be rendered inevitable. Still it was a start…
"Does the Aether awaken every full moon?" Clint asks from behind and Saffron briefly glances back to him before replying.
"No, only every five centuries on the night of the Red Moon. Its scarlet color can only be seen here on Orionis. It is also the one night my sisters from all over the seven seas gather."
"Are you all really sisters?" Steve inquires from Saffron's left.
It's difficult to completely make out his visage due the loss of sunlight and the dull glow of the three lanterns they'd all brought along. Saffron shakes her head with a thoughtful sigh.
"By mortal standards, no. But we believe that because we all are brought to life by the hands of the same all-father that we are bonded as closely as the connections of blood, if not more."
"It seems as though mermaids have quite the history," Thor states and the smile that plagues Saffron's lips is bittersweet.
"Yes, after all, we have been around so very long…"
The journey is traveled mostly in silence, excluding everyone's curious statements and the mermaid's appropriate replies. The men are visibly mesmerized by the sparkling gems and rubies strewn across the cavern ceiling and walls, each a different shade of blue. A pale blue glow now surrounds everyone, courtesy of the glowworms scattered across the roof of the cave and their emanating illumination reflecting upon the water.
"It's gorgeous," Steve whispers softly as he runs his hand across the cavern walls, the smooth texture of the gems running across his fingertips.
Saffron smiles sadly as his appreciation, "Aren't they? The gems, they're called Poseidon's Tears. It is said that each time a mermaid is 'wronged' a new crystal begins to form, a way to mourn her woe."
Steve hums thoughtfully as he takes his hand from the wall. He looks to Saffron with something akin to empathy, a wordless apology, and she shakes her head with a soft smile.
"No need to apologize. It's not your fault they're here..." she trails off and Tony observes her carefully.
He wonders what one has to do to a mermaid for the action to be considered a wrong. He wonders if perhaps there was a crystal forming somewhere, forced into existence by his own deed. But he says nothing, opting to focus on crossing the thin stone bridge-like feature the loomed over the water below, a light steam settling above the heated pool. As each of them moved pebbles bound into the water, splashing into the water as they fell from view.
"Careful not to fall."
"Do you figure the fall would kill us?" Clint asks jokingly and Saffron shakes her head.
"No, but 'those' lurking down there will."
The message is clear and everyone receives it. They are not to enter or drift too close to the waters. Orionis Cove is usually free of mermaids, but with the Red Moon on the rise the cove is but a death trap to wandering humans. Everyone crosses safely, breathing sighs of relief before continuing onwards. They all venture deeper into the cave and when they find themselves before three diverging tunnels, each with the slight sound of singing drifting to their ears, and Saffron pauses before turning to address everyone.
"We're going to have to split up. Your scent will spread slower if you're all not together, but it will still spread."
"Would it not be a bit reckless for us to part from you? After all you , Lady Saffron, are the only one who knows both the way and the rules of this game."
"Yes, but it's a precaution we'll have to a take, especially if Loki and his men are here. Their presence only means more scents to alert my sisters. But don't worry, every tunnel leads to the same place."
"To the Aether," Bruce says, nodding thoughtfully before moving to take the lantern from Clint and moving towards the leftmost tunnel.
"Hey, that my lantern!"
Bruce smirks playfully as he walks away, "Was it now? I suppose you should come over here and take it."
Clint glares at his back, but he gets the hint, moving to follow after the doctor grumbling beneath his breath as he goes. Thor snorts with amusement before briefly glancing to Saffron and Tony and then to Steve."
"Well Brother Steve, I suppose we best be off!"
Steve flashes Tony a wide grin, face illuminated by the lantern in his hand, before nodding to Thor, "Yes, I suppose we should be."
The men head down the middle tunnel, slowly fading from Saffron's and Tony's view as the darkness swallows them. Tony simply couldn't believe his mates. Here they were, on the verge of possible death and definite demise, and they were still trying to set him up with the gentle mermaid at his side. But Saffron, ever so oblivious the men's antics, failed to notice their intentions as she raises the lantern to peer at Tony. He looks to her before sighing and taking the lantern from her hands.
"I'm sure your arm is tired. I'll carry it."
She smiles brightly as she nods to him. Simultaneously they both look to the darkness of their decided tunnel. Saffron glances to Tony and he to her.
"Well, shall we?"
Again Saffron nods before moving forward, Tony right at her side. The silence isn't too unbearable, but Saffron finds herself unable to manage to keep her mouth shut for very long, desperate to ensure the tentative relationship she and Tony had established hadn't faded already.
"I—!" "Say—!"
She and Tony both startle, looking to one another before laughing, careful to keep the volume down. Tony chuckles—that masculine sound the mermaid had grown so accustomed to echoing about—before he clears his throat and speaks.
"I guess we we're both thinking how awful that silence was."
"Yeah," she replies softly as she brushes a loose strand of hair behind her ear, cheeks flushed, "It wasn't so bad with everyone here, but…"
"But with just the two of us, well it's plain bizarre."
The redhead nods simply and Tony grins, smile illuminated by the glow of the lantern.
"So what were you going to say?"
"Oh, nothing…" Saffron trails off as she stares into the distant darkness, "You?"
"Nothing."
Another silence falls and Saffron sighs quietly as she chews the inside of her cheek.
"Why are you so different?"
Saffron blinks absently before turning to look at Tony. He's watching her with furrowed brows and a slight frown.
"What do you mean?"
"You admitted that mermaids really do kill men but you've been around five for the last few days, give or take, and you haven't so much as lifted a finger. Why's that?"
Saffron groans, weakly and bitterly, as shifts her gaze back to the blackness ahead. Tony had come clean about Pepper and his hatred of Loki. He'd told her of his past and his darkest of secrets. It was only fair that she do the same, after all she loved him too much for anymore secrets.
"I doubt it's ever crossed your mind, but I've ended enough lives to match your and everyone's age combined in the span of a few years."
"Hell…and just when did you find the time to do all that?"
Saffron grins widely before drawing closer to Tony's side.
"And just how old do you think I am?"
Tony quirks his brows upwards before they furrow in thought. He shrugs his shoulders as he moves the lantern closer to the woman beside him so that he could make out her face.
"I don't know. How old?"
"Old enough," she replies with a coy smirk, "Old enough."
"Old enough? As in Stonehenge old or the world is flat old?"
"Hmm…I wonder…"
They both laugh once more, bodies far more closer than when they'd both begun this trip.
"You didn't answer my first question," Tony says softly with a slight smile and she returns it weakly.
"I started thinking. Mermaids aren't supposed to think. We're collectivistic creatures. One is not to think for themselves but instead for the many. But I couldn't help it. I began to wonder. Did the men I killed have families? Had they been on their way home to wives and children? Were they simply young men venturing out into the world, young men whose mothers had kissed them farewell that very day unbeknownst to them just how long of a farewell it would be? Husbands, fathers, sons, and lovers, all of whom have suffered at my hands."
She pauses to take in a deep breath, struggling keep the guilt and tears at bay.
"I couldn't do it anymore. I just couldn't. It made us no different. They'd kill us and we'd kill them. It's a never ending cycle of revenge and disdain. It simply wasn't worth it all. All it did was create more problems and inflame already existent loathing."
Tony watches her with something akin to awe. Formerly, in his eyes, he'd seen Saffron as an oblivious and naïve child, but now it suddenly seemed as though she carried the weight of the world on her tiny shoulders. He too knows the feeling, but he's only dealt with his rage for so long. Her hate and guilt has consumed her far longer than his own, that much he knows for certain.
"Anthony?"
"Yeah?"
"Want to know a secret?"
Tony looks to the mermaid beside him a slightly mirthful smile before he offers her a nod.
"And you won't tell anybody?"
Tony is unable to hold back his chuckle and in the slight loom of light he can barely make out the pout on Saffron's lips. He watches as she indignantly folds her arms across her chest and Tony finally offers her another nod.
"You promise?"
"Yes, I promise."
"Good," She nods, mostly to herself, before she clears her throat and moves her gazes back ahead and from Tony's visage.
"When I was little I used to want to go to see the bottom of the ocean. I was convinced there was a whole other world down there—a trouble free world in which there was no wrong. So I vowed that when I'd grown older, grown strong enough, I would venture down there and see that utopian world below."
"Did you?" Tony questions softly and solemnly the mermaid shakes her head.
"No. As it turns out I never will. Despite being creatures of the sea, there are places even we cannot go. Travelling that far down would only mean certain death. Still, I can't help but wonder what's down there on that ocean floor…if that world of mine is true…"
Her words drift off into the dank air and Tony observes the disheartened look upon her face. Tony moves the lantern to his other hand before wrapping an arm around her shoulders, silently drawing Saffron near. She stumbles a bit at his sudden tug, but only into his warmth. They both remain silent, travelling the rest of the way encased in the warmth of the other.
The sudden addition of light is but a gift from the gods. Saffron draws away from Tony to peer past the tunnel's end. They're both elevated on a ledge of sorts, a narrow pathway to the ground below on the left. As Saffron assesses the next course of action, Tony peers over the edge with awe. One day Tony had never seen a mermaid and another day he was gazing upon hundreds of them. Saffron's sisters were gathered in the center of the massive crystal blue pool directly below, chanting melodiously as they swayed rhythmically in place.
"Alright, Anthony. That narrow slope over there is our only way down. It circles down to the bottom over there just across the way. All we have to do is remain quiet and get down there."
Tony eyes the tapered slope with a wary eye, "Looks a hell of a lot easier said than done."
Saffron laughs lightly, "That's because it is."
She leans over to Tony, taking in a courageous breath of air, before standing on her tiptoes to kiss him lightly on the lips. Tony is plainly surprised as he watches her draw back with flushed cheeks.
"What was that for? Don't tell me the one from earlier is wearing off…" he inquires with a whisper and Saffron shakes her head with a soft smile.
"For good luck," she replies simply as she heads left for the narrow incline, back against the wall as she shimmies down the way, Tony following closely behind.
It's a frightening experience. The drop is fairly decent and for Tony, a fall would only toss him into the lion's den. The journey is overall trouble free, excluding the heart stopping times in which pebbles and debris would topple to the waters below. Nothing could take a person's breath away quite like knowing they may have alerted their potential killers of their most unwanted presence. Noiselessly Saffron hops down the slight drop left to reach the cavern ground, quickly shifting to hide behind an enlarged stalagmite. Tony follows suit, both crouching down and out of view, and he waits for Saffron's signal to move once more.
Wordlessly she points to the slight indent of the cave wall across the way and Tony follows her line of sight. There it is, the Aether. It looks almost orb-like as the black and red particles dance about in a circular motion with no particular pattern in mind. It's clearly incased by a blue power of sort, holding the Aether within the slight carved hole in the wall.
"So that's the Aether, huh?" Tony whispers and Saffron nods, "Looks pretty ominous."
"That's because it is. It's an entity comprised purely of devastation, the black, and rage, the red."
Tony nods in agreement, eyes still resting watchfully on the Aether.
"Okay. So all we have to do is make sure Loki doesn't get his hands on the Aether, right?" Tony inquires as he peers around the cover of the stalagmite, noticing his comrades who signal to him of their evident survival as they too remain under the cover of stone.
"I certainly hope it's that simple…" the mermaid sighs as she watches her sisters follow the motions of the night's ritual.
There's a sudden rush of wind and the ground rumbles with a vengeance. Alarmed Saffron looks to Tony before shooting to her feet just in time to see the wall across the way now has a large hole in it, blue smoke snaking about the edges. Her sisters hiss with a rage unlike any other, each wary and ready for whatever attack that may ensue. Calmly Loki steps through the large new cavity, a smirk about his lips as he toys with the neon blue quadrangular object in his hands.
"Hello ladies," he purrs mockingly as his large burly men shuffle past him, guns readied and smirks sinister.
"Humans! Why have you dared set foot on our sacred land?" one of the mermaids all but growls as her murderous glare aims to burn holes into Loki and his men.
"Don't fret. We're only here to retrieve something. With that we'll be gone and out of your hair."
The mermaids growl in unison and Loki rolls his eyes as he watches them rev up for battle.
"Things would go far more smoothly if you'd all merely cooperate."
The mermaids at the front lunge aggressively out of the water and towards Loki and the man rolls his eyes with a sigh. A quick movement of both his hands and the Tesseract and the mermaids are sent flying back in the cavern wall directly across from him. Loki smirks devilishly as he prepares to allow Saffron's other sisters to meet the same fate.
"Loki stop!" Saffron exclaims as she throws herself from cover of the rock and out into the open.
Loki is visibly alarmed by her presence and he lowers his hand as he looks to her.
"Why are you here?"
"I could ask you the same," she briefly glances past him to the Aether and Loki gets the hint.
"Was it not apparent? I'm here for the Aether."
"Loki, you don't want to do this. You've no idea what misfortune the Aether would bring!"
"I know very well the calamity the Aether would bring forth. It's for that very reason I'm here at all."
"No Loki, listen! The Aether will kill you and by then it will have been freed to impose the same fate on the rest of the world."
Loki eyes Saffron with disbelief. He knows she isn't one for deception, but he can't say for sure what she wouldn't do to protect the sacred treasure of her people.
"Loki, she's right. You'd only be ending the world. What good is ruling the world when there isn't one left to lord over?"
Loki snorts at both at Tony's appearance as well as his words and the appearance of the rest of the Romanoff crew.
"You brought him along with his mutts? Saffron, why would you ever waste your time with those heathens?"
"They're good people. Heaven knows I could do with a bit more good in my life and I'm afraid the same goes for you. You know this is madness, don't you? Then why bother following through?"
Loki cackles, a haunting sound echoing and bouncing off the cavern walls.
"It's only fair. The world has wronged me, so it is only just that I repay the favor."
"Brother please! Listen to Saffron! She knows better than anyone the darkness that would befall us all!"
Loki has no patience for Thor nor his words as he sends his 'brother' flying back into a distant stalagmite, the ground quaking at his rage being amplified through the Tesseract. Loki looks to them all with apparent disdain before he slips his hands past the barrier protecting the Aether, with the aid of the Tesseract, and taking the red and black entity into is hands. The Aether trembles with a new found rush of energy, a body to feed upon and freedom from its prior encasement. A rush of gusting winds fill the open area as the Tesseract and the Aether seem to bond about Loki's body. The waters of the pool begin to swirl, water rising to alarming height before crashing back downwards with a vengeance. The mermaids cry out and Saffron's heart shudders at their call. They quickly dive down, hurriedly evacuating the premise and heading back to the safety of the open seas. No matter how fearless, every mermaid knows death is imminent when in the presence of the unleashed Aether. The swirling of the pools grows as Saffron's sisters flee, forming a dangerous whirlpool and revealing the deadly jagged rocks that lurked below the water's surface.
"It's too late!" Saffron shouts over the loud whirling winds and sound of water battering against the wall.
The cave walls rumble, quaking and trembling, and it quickly becomes apparent that the place won't be able to withstand the rush of power. Stalactites have begun to lose grip of their foundation, tearing from the cavern's ceiling and crashing both into the water and onto the ground below. Their tremors shakes her footing and Saffron stumble, but Tony is quick to catch her and prevent any sort of fall. Saffron looks to him gratefully before stepping back and they both crouch down to hands and knees to remove herself from the onslaught of wind.
"How do we prevent the Aether from getting out!?" Tony shouts as he points towards Loki, careful to cover his face from any flying debris.
"The Aether is a creation of the sea! It'll want to stay near the water! The cave collapsing could be a good thing! It would trap the Aether within its ruins beneath the sea and out of anyone's reach!"
"Any sort of catch!?"
"As of now, it'll be dragging us all down too!"
Loki's unearthly cackling acquires everyone's undivided attention, red, black, and blue swirling about his body wildly.
"The Aether is going to kill him!"
"And what exactly are we supposed to do!?"
"If we could just get him to remember, to remember himself and not the rage of Poseidon, then—!"
Tony glances to Saffron, noticing the evident worry on her face, and groans loudly. Sometimes he swore he just may be the world's biggest idiot—and all for one woman it would seem. Tony rushes to his feet, fighting against the wind as he dashes over to Loki, sword drawn.
"Anthony!"
Loki swiftly dodges Tony's attack eyeing him with evident surprise, but what astonishes Saffron the most is Loki's next move. Instead of using the Aether, the man withdraws his own sword, fully revved for battle. Her heart skips a beat. If Loki still had the human sense to draw his sword then perhaps there was still hope.
'Tony, you outrageous genius!' she exclaims internally, silently watching as they spar.
Tony is at an apparent disadvantage, having neither the sinew of the Tesseract nor the Aether on his side. But he doesn't have to win. All he has to do is bring Loki back…by pissing him off. Tony was fairly certain that angering the other man would be no hard feat. Tony smirks as he shoves Loki back with a heavy push against his sword.
"So tell me!" Tony shouts over the gushing winds, "Are you really doing this all because of your blatant father issues?"
Loki's eyes widen with fury and he dashes towards Tony with an inhuman speed. The captain manages to narrowly avoid a blade to his chest. Clearly angering Loki was the ieasy/i the part. Now all he had to do was stay alive. Tony throws his sword upward, blocking Loki's rush of an attack. The brunette struggles to maintain his ground. Loki has also acquired an inhuman amount of strength courtesy of both the Aether and the Tesseract.
"Really now, where's the maturity in that? Or is it something else? Like your apparent rivalry with Thor?"
Sparks of red and black flash from Loki, scattering and crashing into the walls and rocks of the cave. Aspects of the ceiling fall and Saffron scream as she narrowly avoids a large boulder that falls from above. Saffron's cry catches Tony's attention and his heart winces at the sight. His loss in concentration is all Loki needs to throw him to the ground, drawing his sword upward before thrusting it down. Tony swiftly rolls to the left, his shirt tearing against the steel of Loki's blade, barely avoiding a fatal blow. A bout of fury fills his veins as he hurries to his feet with enough time to deliver a hefty kick into Loki abdomen. The sword topples from Loki's grip as he rolls, skidding roughly against the rocky terrain.
Saffron observes Tony warily with wide eyes, a sense of foreboding bubbling up in her chest. The look on Tony's face is alarming, almost vindictive, as he delivers another hard blow into Loki's side. Tony swishes the sword in his hand with great speed. Loki had almost gotten Saffron killed. It was his fault this place was coming apart of the seams, his fault she'd almost died, and his fault Pepper did. Holding the hilt of the blade in both hands, Tony draws the sword up, preparing to deliver a lethal blow and finishing this once and for all.
"Tony, no!"
Saffron's voice pulls Tony from the depths of his ire and he blinks rapidly as he returns to the real world. He turns his gaze to her with a look akin to genuine shock. His sword falls from his hands, clattering on the ground beside him. She sighs with relief as she watches him let it go. The rage, the pain, and most importantly the hatred. As Saffron and Tony silently watch one another, Loki makes his move, grabbing Tony's forgotten blade and thrusting it into his abdomen.
"ANTHONY!"
Loki chuckles darkly as he stands to his feet, kicking Tony onto his back before withdrawing the sword. The others quake with outrage helpless to do anything having been stripped of their weapons by Loki's minions and standing no chance against the increasing strength of the winds and the splashing of the reckless waters.
"You always were weak," Loki mocks as he flips Tony's sword in his hand, creating a rhythmic twirling motion as he moves to loom over the captain's wounded body, "No wonder you couldn't save that woman. You couldn't save anything, even if you tried."
Tony groans as he grits his teeth, blood flowing over and through the fingers of the hand resting upon his open wound. Loki laughs darkly at Tony's useless position and Saffron finds that she simply can't stand by and do nothing. Struggling to her feet, drawing on all the strength her Mermaidian blood has to offer her, move forward. The ground quakes in time with Loki's next laugh and the ceiling gives once more.
She's no time to move. This close to the power's source, the wind is too strong and she hasn't the strength to move. Motionless and heart pounding, she watches as the stalagmite rushes downwards towards her.
"Saffron!"
It's quick—streaks of red, black, and blue—and so very suddenly painful as her body is thrown to the ground. Roll roughly against the cave floor, skin bruising and scraping. Saffron struggles to weakly lift her upper half up with her elbows, wearily peering to her left. Her eyes widen at the sight and she's quick—quick as can be with the pain—to her feet, stumbling over as she clutches at her right shoulder, the blood seeping through the white fabric of Tony's shirt.
It's significantly easier to stand and walk with the decrease in the wind's speed, growing weaker with each of Loki's shaky breaths. She moves over to his impaled body, fighting back tears as she struggles to remove the large impaling rock from his body. Her efforts are futile and it takes Thor's strength to remove the rock from his brother's person. Thor is visibly shaken as he watches his brother while Clint, Bruce, and Steve all rush over to aid their captain. Bruce—ever so prepared—is quick to patch up Tony's wounds as best he can with all he has on hand, Steve and Clint standing by helplessly but supporting their captain by merely being there.
Loki breathes in weakly and Saffron quickly take up one of his hands. The Aether has fled his body—his form unsuitable for sustenance in this state—fleeing to the still raging whirlpool.
"Just hang on," Saffron manages to get out, weakly so.
Loki shakes his head with a self-deprecating smile as he looks to her past tired eyelids.
"You're too good for your own good, you know that?"
The redhead shakes her head pitifully as tears well up and Loki chuckles lightly, but there is no menacing sound within it. Simply genuine and sincere laughter. He weakly tighten his grip around her hand and Saffron adds her other hand to his, cradling his hand in both of her own against her chest.
"You know, I've loved you from the moment I saw you…I'd been so certain you were but a figment of my desperate imagination. But there you were, as ethereal and true as could be."
"I cannot return your feelings. You're not my mate. You're not—!"
"Tony. I know," Loki says finishing her sentence in a bitter voice, "Hmm...what a cruel fate. Of all the men in the world, it simply had to be him."
Loki chuckles usurping a bout of blackened liquid past his paling lips and Saffron's heart shudders at the sight. He would soon fall prey to death's embrace and it wounded her just to know–to see–his untimely demise and know she could do nothing about it.
She reaches out a shaky hand, running gentle fingers through his raven hair with a soft smile on her lips.
"I think that perhaps it's best I die here. That I die for a cause...that I die for you."
The tears trickle down her face but she still fights to smile. Again Loki chuckles as he wearily shakes his head, his hands drawing up to wipe at the tears.
"I just wanted to say I love you. To meet you again and tell you hello."
Loki's eye slip shut and Saffron shifts to kiss him lightly on his forehead, his hand slackening in her grip. She chokes back a sob as she pulls back to look at his visage.
"Hello," she mutters softly before arranging his hands neatly in his lap and standing to her feet.
Everyone has remained silent as they watched, the others having drawn near sometime earlier. Tony, who had been relying on Steve's support, draws from the blonde to stand on his own.
"We have to keep moving," Saffron utters gently and wordlessly everyone nods, moving only when she does and quietly following after her.
Saffron pauses briefly before turning back around and throwing herself carefully into Tony's arms. Tony remains quiet as he holds her, letting her sob into his chest. When the well of tears has run dry Saffron steps back. The cavern shakes, harder than before, as the winds increase once more the water rages.
"What the hell do we do about ithat/i?" Clint exclaims over the sound of rocks crashing and winds whipping.
Saffron shakes her head before replying, "Nothing! It'll take care of itself! All we have to do is get out of here!"
The crew nods, more than ready to leave this hell hole. But no one could've anticipated the Aether's next sudden fit. The water begins to move, almost lifelike, as it snatches and throws things about. The slither of water sweeps over knocking them all to the ground. The cave floor quivers violently, large cracks ripping the ground into pieces that eventually fall prey to the racing winds and shred off into the water. Despite the agony burning in his abdomen, Tony stands to his feet and helps Saffron to her. The floor beneath her feet tears away and Saffron and Tony manage to step back in time.
"We need to move and fast!" Thor calls loudly as he helps both Bruce and Clint to their, the two men having been closet to him when they were all thrown about.
Saffron holds tight to the captain, determined to help him hold his ground. They both make to move, but the Aether has other plans in mind, eating away at the ground beneath their feet faster than before. Saffron stumbles at sudden loss of foundation, rock tearing away and tumbling into the spiraling abyss. Tony slips, tumbling down, and Saffron fall beneath his weight. The others move to grab for them both but not quick enough. The ground beneath Tony falls into the whirlpool and with it Tony.
"Tony!" Steve shouts and Clint and Thor quickly hold him back.
"We need to get him!"
There's an ache ripping at Saffron's lungs and stabbing at her heart. She temporarily stops breathing as she distraughtly watches the furious waters. She can vaguely hear the others in the background desperately calling for her attention, but her mind has gone mostly blank and only one thought consumes it. Tony.
"All of you go! Hurry back to the ship before this place caves in!" She eventually shouts over the rumbling of trembling rock and stone as she stands shakily to her feet, fingers tugging at the buttons of her shirt—Tony's shirt—to free her body from its confines.
"We can't leave Tony!" Clint shouts.
"Indeed. We won't!" Thor agrees firmly.
The look upon Saffron's face is filled with pure determination, "I promise I will bring him back to you!"
Steve is the first to move, nodding to the mermaid firmly, "I'll hold you to it."
As of now, with Tony's absence, Steve is in charge and his first order of business was to get his crewmates to the safety of the Romanoff. The men quickly decipher the message in Steve's eyes and make to quickly depart.
"Be safe, Saffron," Bruce shouts over the rumbling.
"Yeah and don't do anything I wouldn't do, kid! You know, like die!" Clint calls as he fades from her view.
Saffron nods firmly, "Of course. We will all meet again, that I'm certain of!"
The crew's words only serve to strengthen Saffron's resolve and after swiftly divesting herself of the rest of her clothing she moves forward, tossing her body in the spiraling abyss of the ocean.
Tony's mind is blank, comprised of blue and a tautness stretching in his head. Drifting lower, and lower, and lower and Tony lets it happen.
'Tony. Are you simply going to give up?'
The brunette hasn't heard that voice in years.
'Think of it this way. If I die, we could be together.'
This apparent apparition of Pepper chuckles as she drifts downwards beside Tony.
'Oh, Tony. I don't need you. I'm fine.'
'Way to put it gently.'
Pepper rolls her eyes, 'You know very well what I mean. I'm gone Tony and there's no amount of drinking and wallowing in self-pity that will change that.'
'I know, but if I had just been–!'
'Even if you had been with me there was nothing you could've done.'
'I'm sure I could've if I tried...'
'Oh please! You were but an aristocrat. What did you know of battle?'
Tony says nothing and Pepper nods victoriously.
'What has been shall always be and that's okay. I'm glad you weren't there back then because it meant that you could be here now.'
"Anthony!"
Perhaps this time around Tony's certain he's truly died and gone to heaven. Pepper smiles fondly, as if she'd heard his thoughts. Perhaps she had, after all there was no possible way he could be conversing underwater. The direction of his drifting seems to have changed, his body drifting in an upward motion. Pepper lays a hand on Tony's cheek.
"Tony!"
'Tony, don't give up. She needs you...and you need her. You've got a good thing here. Try not to muck it up.'
She then kisses Tony lightly on his forehead before fading away, the soft smile on her lips the last to fade.
"Anthony..."
Tony wakes with a start, shooting up to survey his surroundings and regretting the sudden movement as the pain spreads throughout his body. His eyes dart about observing and mentally jotting down all he sees. Room, bed, cabinets, familiar swaying. He's back aboard the Romanoff, sickbay to be specific. Tony lets out a weary sigh. He remembered falling in into the whirlpool, the water, and...Pepper.
Had it just been a dream? An adrenaline driven hallucination? Tony sighs wearily as he runs a hand through messy hair.
"Thanks for all you've done. I really appreciate it. We all do."
Tony hears Bruce's voice in sync with the creaking of the stairs, a clear sign that the man was making his was back down here to sickbay, likely to check on Tony.
"Oh don't mention it! I'm glad I managed to help, especially after loafing about the past few days."
"Are you kiddin' me? If it weren't for you the world would be in ruins and Tony would be dead!" Clint exclaims, and Tony watches as the man throws an arm around Saffron's shoulders.
The redhead's face flushes red at his compliment and after placing the box in her hand down on the table she moves her gaze to the floor.
"Oh, you're exaggerating..."
Tony doesn't particularly care for the way Saffron blushes for Clint. The captain's fairly certain a look like that should be reserved only for him.
"Oh. Look who finally decided to wake up," Bruce says with a knowing smirk, as he gestures to Tony with the nod of his head.
"Well if it isn't the Captain!" Clint adds in enthusiastically, but neither of them move forward.
And a good thing they didn't too, for they would've only wound up beneath the mermaid's hurried feet. Saffron is temporarily in flight as she all but throws herself into Tony's arms. He groans at the pain her sudden weight induces and Saffron quickly removes herself from his person.
"So sorry! I just got so excited!" she replies with an apologetic smile, but the elation in her eyes hasn't dimmed in the slightest.
Clint throws Bruce a playful wink and the doctor rolls his eyes as he forces the man up the stairs before shutting the door behind himself, politely giving Saffron and Tony some time alone. Tony quickly recognizes the gesture, but Saffron is much too full of him to notice their sudden departure. She drops gently to her knees beside the bed, taking up Tony's closest hand in both of her own as she eyes him with pure admiration and relief.
"How long have I've been out?"
"Just a week or so. How are you feeling?" she asks gently and Tony groans tiredly as he rests his head against the wall behind him.
"I've definitely been better."
The mermaid laughs merrily, "I'm sure!"
Tony smiles gently as he pulls his hand from her grasp to run it through her maroon hair as he silently takes her all in. Her sparkling olive eyes, her kissable lips, and her clothes. He frowns as he notices the cerulean dress the mermaid was currently wearing and Saffron frowns at the sight.
"Is something wrong?"
"Where did you get the dress?"
"Oh, this? Clint picked out for me when we stopped at this town called Sacre. Bruce had mentioned how I couldn't keep wearing items from your wardrobe, so everyone was kind of enough to purchase me a few dresses of my own!"
"And Clint picked that one?"
Saffron nods absently, that pure smile still playing about her lips.
"You should get rid of it. Actually why don't you get rid of them all."
"What?! Whatever for? They're all so lovely and everyone took the time to help me find them…"
"I don't particularly care to see you in the garments another man picked for you, let alone four different men."
Tony refuses to look at her, opting to keep his gaze on the wall to his left and Saffron tilts her head to the side in slight confusion before smirking slightly.
"Tony…could you be as, Clint says, jealous?"
"Since when do you spend so much time with Clint and no I'm not jealous!"
Tony's tone is a bit harsh, but it doesn't deter her in any manner whatsoever. Saffron chuckles lightly to herself before rising to her feet and sitting on the bed beside Tony. She runs a gentle hand down his well shavened face—Bruce refused to have a rugged and hairy beast laid up in his workplace. She then smiles at him, wholeheartedly and lovingly. Tony sighs contently, leaning into the touch as he brings a hand up to gently take up her wrist into his hand.
"Tony—!" "Saffron—!"
They both pause having spoken at the same time. A grin raids Saffron's lips and Tony barks out a laugh. The laughter between the two is short-lived when Tony begins to experience some pain in his abdomen.
"I suppose sometimes laughter isn't always the best of medicines," the siren teases as she pokes him lightly in the cheek and he chuckles softly as he moves to envelope her hand.
Tony falls silent as he observes her digits in his hands before twining his fingers about hers and drawing her hand up to his lips, kissing Saffron's knuckles.
"I should've told you this a lot sooner, but I supposed I lack the courage to do so."
Saffron remains silent as she patiently waits for Tony to continue.
"I've done a lot of wrong in my life. Things I will have to live with for the rest of my life, but I know that every wrong step I took led me to you. And with you by my side I can begin to take the right ones…"
Tony sighs fondly as he looks to Saffron, wholly and openly.
"So if you find that you don't completely hate me by now, I'd love it if you'd stay with me…"
Saffron's heart is racing as she watches him but the dam of her emotions overflows and topples altogether as she throw herself forward, wrapping her arms about his neck as she connects her lips to his passionately. Tony's hand venture up to her back, lightly traveling up and down Saffron's figure.
"Yes!" she replies against his lips, "I'd love to stay with you!"
Tony's vision begins to blur and he can't help but wonder if perhaps he's begun to cry.
"Anthony! Please wake up! Anthony!"
It's Saffron's voice calling for him, but the Saffron before him, gazing down at him lovingly, hasn't uttered a word.
"Anthony please! Tony!"
The water rushes from his lungs as he coughs violently and Saffron watches him with apparent alarm. The coughing soon subsides and she sighs with relief and Tony blinks rapidly as he looks about his surroundings.
"Oh thank god you're okay!" Saffron cries out as she looms over him, the water dripping from her hair and down onto his face.
Tony sits up slowly, mindful of the vicious pain in his abdomen and carefully she helps him do so. Tony looks to her dazed, noticing her azure tail, her state of dress or there lack of, and the panicked look upon her face. Tony is almost afraid to ask, but he knows that he has to.
"Where are we?" he inquires as he brings a hand up to his throbbing head.
"We're still at Orionis Cove. You fell into the water and I…oh god Anthony…"
"What happened?"
"I went after you, but I couldn't leave with you unconscious. My sisters are livid and they want your head, you and the others. They firmly believe everything that happened was wrought by your hands. They've already…'taken care of' Loki's men."
"The others?"
"I made them leave for the ship. I don't know if they…I'm sure they're fine," Saffron says as she nods repeatedly uncertain as to whether or not she were trying to convince herrself or Tony.
Tony sighs bitterly. A dying dream, huh? Being back on the Romanoff, Saffron in his arms, and his men safe, alive and well, and away from this godforsaken cave! The pain that clenches at his heart is almost as cruel as the joke fate has played on him, convincing him Saffron would always be at his side.
"You need to go. I'll get you to the Romanoff and you and the others need to go. Go as far as you can."
"What about you?"
"I'll stay here. I've already caused my sisters enough problems. Not to mention if I stay I can make sure none of them follow you ashore."
"Are you telling me your sisters would waste their three days to be on shore just to find and kill me and my men?"
"Yes! You more so than the others. They firmly believe you've led me astray. So it wouldn't be much of a waste to them. They don't truly want to set foot on shore, but if it's for your blood then…"
Tony watches for any signs of deceit, but he knows it's trivial to do so. Saffron couldn't lie to him if she tried, he was certain. His pure sweet siren could never—would never—utter words that would lead him astray.
"That's why you should just go. Just go and never look back. Oh, this is all my fault!"
Saffron's breath hitches as tears begin to fall and she begins to sob pitifully. Her chest cavity constricts as the woe seems to swallow her whole. How cruel the world could be! And to think she ever sought to find the beauty in it. There was no beauty. Just misery and anguish! Tony watches her fall apart and he knows that no matter how things may turn out he absolutely has to say it.
"I love you," Tony whispers softly and his words all but wrench a succession of sobs from Saffron's already raw throat as she observes him with awe.
Saffron quickly draws up a hand to smother her cries, but all for naught. The sobs continue to assault her as she struggles to breath.
"Oh, Tony! It's not going to work, Tony. It just…I wish but…"
"You know, when I first saw you I was fairly certain I'd died and gone to heaven. That or I had lost my mind," he chuckles tiredly a small smile on his face, "You're just a bit too good to be true. A mermaid who could wander on shore…and changes back when doused with water. Much too unreal to be believed. But there you were, as true as the setting of the sun in the west."
The siren's heart flutters at his word and slight smile tugs at her lips.
"And then we wandered into that village together. I bought you flowers."
Saffron lets out a tearful laugh before swallowing hard and Tony smiles at her gently.
"I used to hate flowers. Actually, I'm pretty sure I just hated the world. Not nearly as much as I used to thanks to my men, but something about knowing you existed in this world just made it all the more brighter, as though there was a reason to get up every day."
He reaches out a hand to comb his pruning fingers through her water slicked hair and Saffron leans into the touch with a shaky sigh.
"I was pretty certain I was treading dangerous waters, seeing you the way I did…a mermaid. It was absurd."
"And you forgave everyone. Me, the people who murdered your sisters, Loki when he almost hurt you…when I thought the world had taken you from me…I genuinely thought that I would find the strength to end him, to slit his throat and avenge you despite my wounds. And earlier…I had every desire to murder the man in cold blood, but you stopped me and I glad you did. I couldn't live with myself if I had followed through."
Tony sighs wearily as he closes his eyes for a moment. When opens them, seeking Saffron's out instantly, his face is set as though he's just arrived to some sort of conclusion. Apparition of wistful dreams or a spirit come to aid a loved one, Pepper was still right. About Saffron, about him, and about this.
"You said you were my soul mate."
The mermaid nods slowly with teary eyes, wet hand still resting over her mouth to stifle any more possible whimpers.
"Did you mean it?"
She nods again as another bout of tears spill over and Tony reaches out a hand to take up one of hers, intertwining his fingers with hers.
"Do you believe it?"
Saffron nods swiftly and repeated as tears still flow, "With all of my heart."
He moves in to kiss her—gently and possessively all at once—his other hand coming up to cup her cheek and brings her in close and readily she melts against his touch.
"Then take me with you."
"What?"
"Take me with you," he repeats.
His eyes are firm and hard, he isn't going to—will not—back down or waver in his decision. Both his heart and his mind are set, "Take me with you."
"Where, Tony? Where?" she asks with shaky and bated breath, a single trembling hand running through his wet hair.
"To that blue ocean floor. That place of your beautiful childhood dreams."
Saffron's next intake of breath is almost painful, but she forces herself to smile.
"Don't be absurd, Tony," she runs a light and soft finger across his lips, "Neither of us could ever survive it. Even mermaids have their limitations. We'd both die."
"I know…so let's go there together. There where no one will finds us. Just you and I…"
Saffron searches his eyes for any sign of hesitance, but she finds none. His mind is made. Saffron mentally apologize for not being able to keep her promise to others and praying that whatever deity currently reigning over the world would allow them all both a safe journey and a peaceful life. They were all good men and they deserved nothing less.
"On that blue ocean floor," she eventually finishes, arms wrapping around his neck, ushering his body from the dryness of the cavern floor and back into the cool water.
Lips joined and hearts connected, they both head down into the azure abyss in pursuit of the ocean's base where there would be no more rules and customs, only what Saffron and Tony felt was worthy of their time: one another.
"Tony. Your new assistant will be here shortly. Try not to chase her away just yet," Pepper says with a helpless sigh.
"I didn't 'chase' the others off, as you so elegantly put, I simply offered them a good time and apparently one night just wasn't enough."
Pepper runs a hand through her strawberry blonde locks and grits her teeth, "Is there any reason you're such an insufferable jerk?"
Clint chuckles as he pulls an icy beer from the fridge, shutting it with his foot as he pops the cap off.
"Asking Tony that is like asking why the sky's blue. That's how it is and that's how it'll always be."
Clint looks over to Tony with devilish smirk and Tony kindly flips him off.
"You need to behave too, Clint. She'll be staying here at the tower after all."
Pepper's phone goes off, a phone call from the front desk to alert her of the arrival of Tony's new assistant.
"Well I'll just be taking this here beer and getting the hell out of here," Clint says as he moves, clapping Tony on his shoulder, before heading back into the living room and sprawling about on the sofa.
Tony can hear Steve complain about Clint taking up all of the space and Thor is merely concerned with making sure that the last of his poptarts remained undamaged.
"Honestly, will the two of them ever relax," Tony hears Bruce mumble wistfully as he makes his way into the kitchen, Thor following behind in pursuit of more delicious strawberry filled rectangles.
Tony sighs wearily as he rubs at his throbbing temples and Pepper kindly escorts him to the elevator. The ride down is miserable, as far as Tony is concerned. There were a million and one things he could—would've preferred to—be doing, like hanging out with the guys and watching the game.
"Do be nice."
Just as Pepper finishes her sentence the elevator doors slide open and they step out to see a nervous woman lingering in front of the lobby desk, eyes darting about as she swayed lightly in place. Tony groans as he follows after Pepper.
"You must be Martha Williams. Welcome!" Pepper greets sweetly and the woman nods taking extended Pepper's hand.
Martha turns her gaze to Tony and an eager grin invades her face
"Hello...you're Tony Stark…I'm your new assistant. Pleased to meet you.!" The woman stretches out a hand and Tony eyes it displeased.
"You picked a nerdy fanatic on purpose," he mutters, loud enough for both Pepper and the other woman to hear.
"Tony—!" Pepper starts.
"You seem like a nice girl, but I'm not looking for a new assistant right now…at all actually," Tony says, pretending to be upset to have to be the bearer of bad news as he directs the woman towards the lobby doors.
"But I—!"
"Do have a wonderful life."
And with that she's standing on the other side of the door, being escorted away by an unsurprised Happy. Tony smiles proudly before turning to Pepper, who promptly slaps him across the face.
"I cannot believe you just did that!"
"Hey, no need to go and get physical."
Pepper is all but ready to rip Tony a new one when the door swishes open.
"Um…is now a bad time, Ms. Potts?"
"Who is this one? Don't tell me you set up a string of 'appointments'," Tony utters before he's even turned to face the newest occupant.
"No," Pepper says with a sigh, "This is Saffron and she's our newest team designer."
His hearts stops, shudders really, as he offers this newcomer all of his attention. That name seemed so…
"Saffron O'Conner. It's a pleasure to meet you!" she greets cheerfully, hand stretched out expectantly.
Tony moves forward and it all happens so quick that even Pepper can't find the time to process what's going on. His lips are gentle against hers and the hand on the back of her neck tickles the tender skin. Saffron is a bit surprised, still she can't help but melt into his touch, a hand coming up to rest on his shoulder. Tony sighs contentedly as he pulls back to look at Saffron—to look into her—and there he sees all he needs to.
"Tony, what in the world—!"
"Team designer, huh? That's a bit of a waste. How would you like to be my personal assistant, help me out in the lab and whatnot. More hands on and such."
"You want me to be your personal assistant?"
"You bet."
"Tony, I swear if you're—!" Pepper begins to reprimand, but Tony is quick to silence her.
"No joke, Pepper. I needed a new assistant anyway, right? So what do you say? I'd love if you'd stay with me, Saffron."
"…I'd love to!" She exclaims taking one of his hands into both of herss.
As Tony escorts Saffron towards the elevator, leaving a stunned Pepper behind, but as the elevator doors slide shut the strawberry blonde smirks knowingly, chuckling pleasantly to herself. Hopefully Tony wouldn't muck it up this time around. She hugs the files in her hands close to her chest with a pleasant grin before turning on her heels to head off to work and basically keep this company afloat.
The first few minutes of the elevator ride are ridden in silence. Tony's begun to wonder if perhaps his lost his last shred of sanity. Perhaps all this alien and other world nonsense was starting to take a toll on him. He sighs as he gives the woman beside him a sidelong glance, wondering if she remembered any of what his brain seems to be telling him he did. The elevator doors slide open in time with the ring of the bell and Saffron moves swiftly out into Tony's lab, taking his hands and tugging him close. Standing on her tiptoes she lays a loving kiss upon his cheek. She then pulls back to gaze at him with a mirthful smile, running a gentle finger across his lips.
"I'd be more than happy to stay with you…Anthony."
And as he all but kisses her senseless, Tony is certain that Saffron remembers absolutely everything.