Okay, guys, seriously – I'm not writing EVERYTHING that happened. That's kind of boring because we've all seen Iron Man 2 and if we haven't it's over on the YouTube. So check it out, because I'm NOT writing that whole party scene. It's embarrassing and terrible and awful...and I hate it. There, I said it, I hate it.
So I'm going to cut to the bit that has my changes in it. That and we're to about an hour into the movie and I want to round this story off at 20 chapters. Can I do it? Maybe. That means a little bit of a longer wait for the jam-packed chapters
Tony held his shirt open to reveal his arc reactor to the screen he'd brought up on the window. He wasn't looking at the device at the moment. No, his eyes were only for the number of the toxicity count. Eighty-nine percent. No wonder he couldn't breathe, that number was stifling. He traced the patterned lines on his neck down to the thicker ones on his chest, twice as bold as they had been two week ago. The scar tissue was heavy around his reactor but it didn't seem to slow the poison down any.
Tony closed his eyes for a moment, bringing back the memory from yesterday in the memorabilia room. Steve's face had been priceless, full of awe and tender-touching everything in the room at least once. He'd taken a risk showing him but the soldier had reacted favorably to it. He'd hoped to keep his childhood worship a secret but Steve seemed to think it endearing rather than pathetic, and that was soothing.
That room and the bracelet had been his private goodbye to Steve.
This party? This was his public send-off.
A few hours ago he'd goaded Steve into a harder work out than normal, pushing him through six punching bags before the soldier was ready to collapse. Exhausted and sweaty, he'd led Steve down to his own floor and urged him to shower. Tony had felt kind of bad for tricking the blonde but it had been worth it to see him collapse onto his plush bed in nothing but a towel. God, Steve could tempt a saint with the way he'd looked.
Towel hiked up his thighs, damp hair in his eyes, pale chest rising and falling in soft breaths...
"Is it okay if I sleep through your party?"
"No, Spangles, go ahead."
Steve had smiled gently and let his eyes fall closed after that, sinking into the pillows with the sweetest little sigh. It was wrong to deceive him but there was no way his pretty little soldier boy would agree to have the Tower's loft rooms flooded with beautiful women, contacts, reporters, and anyone else considered fashionable. It had been two hours since the party started and they hadn't stopped filing in. The drinking, the debauchery, the crowd...
No, Steve wouldn't like this at all.
There was an audible click of heels outside his door, he started to pull his shirt shut just a moment before Natalie appeared in the doorway.
"Do you know which watch you want to wear, Mr. Stark?" Natalie inquired, brandishing a wooden box with a clear glass on top.
"I'll give it a look" Tony hurriedly buttoned up the horribly expensive shirt, closing the view of his arc reactor. The statistics had dismissed on her arrival but the mirror-like reflection was still there. He used it to fix his shirt and collar, covering up as many marks as he could with the material.
"Start a drink for me."
Natalie didn't turn around but he could feel her tense, "I thought you'd given up drinking?"
"It's my birthday."
"Indeed" she started up the martini, a note of displeasure in her voice.
Tony looked over at the woman, noting the form-fitting dress with the enticing print on the bodice, "I should cancel the party, shouldn't I?"
"Yes" Natalie replied without hesitation.
Tony walked over to her, holding out his hand to accept the martini, "It's kind of-"
"-the wrong time" she finished, handing the drink over.
He conceded, "It sends the wrong message."
"It's inappropriate" Natalie raised an eyebrow delicately "Captain Rogers would hardly approve."
"Well, the good captain is sleeping at the moment" Tony took a drink before collapsing in one of the chairs "And hopefully he'll stay asleep through the whole thing. Right, JARVIS?"
"Yes, sir."
"If you wake him up for any reason, I'll rewire you into a high-end toaster" Tony set the glass aside "Bring the watches over."
Natalie obeyed, brandishing the wooden box for only a moment before he took it from her to set it on his lap. Tony looked at her, simply looked and studied and found nothing in her eyes or her body language. She was beautiful but there was something off about her, something strange in the way she could take Steve in a fight and hold Pepper's hand...something different.
Tony tapped the discolored bruise on his cheek, she pulled out the small bottle of cover-up from her discreet pocket.
"You're very beautiful, Natalie" Tony stated, trying not to wince at the first touch of her fingers on his cheek "Has anyone ever told you that?"
"Yes" she replied curtly, putting another dollop of cover-up on her fingertips.
The genius pursed his lips, "Pepper says you're perfect."
Natalie sighed lightly, her first human gesture, "Miss. Potts is a saint. I don't know how she puts up with you."
That was the last thing he expected her to say.
"You're hard to get a read on" Tony narrowed his eyes at her "Where did you say you were from?"
"Legal."
Oh great, now she was flippant.
"Let me ask you a question. Purely hypothetical" Tony watched her carefully shut the tube of cover-up and set it on the table "If this was your birthday – like, your last birthday ever – what would you do?"
"Whatever I wanted to do" Natalie's gaze was unwavering "With whoever I wanted to do it with."
He smiled, "Who would you chose to spend it with?"
And that's when Natalie dropped her eyes, lingering on the leather chair for a moment too long. A memory flashed in her mind, one of her hands on soft flesh to massage the aches away. Natasha didn't have a birthday, not really, but she would certainly spend any kind of last day with Pepper. She snapped those thoughts away, shaking them off with a roll of her neck and a stiff determination. She needed to stop those kinds of thoughts, they were much too distracting.
'Natalie' was starting to feel more like a glove than a cover, "I thought you would want to spend this night with Steve."
"He wouldn't want this" Tony glanced at the drink, remembering the party crowding in his living room "Any of this."
Natalie slid off the arm of the chair, "Then maybe he's the smart one."
Tony watched her go, hating how right she was. He snatched the drink off the table and downed it in one go. It wouldn't be his last tonight, that was for sure.
He was going to celebrate if it killed him.
xXx
The sound of shattering glass pulled Steve rather violently from sleep. He jerked off his blanket and sat up, the towel that had been around his waist on the floor and dry. He scrubbed his hand over his eyes, forcing away the haze and sleep and focusing on what was around him. Nothing was broken or out of place, the curtains covered the glass wall but he couldn't see an ounce of sun behind it.
"What was that sound, JARVIS?"
"That was the sound of Master Stark's party."
"The party?" he got out of bed "Of course. How can I hear it down here?"
"I amplified the sound through your bedroom sound system. I promised Master Stark I wouldn't awake you. It's a small loophole, captain."
"How out of control is it?"
"Very."
"For Pete's sake" Steve cursed, going to his dresser and digging out a pair of modern underwear "Give me the rundown."
"So far Master Stark has managed to suit up into the Mark IV, get excessively drunk, host a party much too large to control, try to kiss Miss. Potts at least three times, and has just now announced the 'after' party has started. I know Master Stark wouldn't want me to say, but his excessive flirting must be mentioned as well."
Steve hissed at the last bit, almost ripping the elastic in his haste to adorn his (boxer-briefs? Is that what Tony had call them?)
"There's one more thing, captain."
"I don't know if I can take it" Steve opened the door to his closet, pulling out clothes.
"Lieutenant Colonel Rhodes is, at this moment, using his emergency pass to hijack the Mark II."
Steve froze, "Are you telling me he has access to the suits?"
"More than" JARVIS replied "Master Stark told me to give the Lieutenant Colonel access should he ever request it. He believed that if he needed to use it, it was a dire situation."
"Is it dire?" the soldier asked, pulling out a thick suitcase from the closet instead and setting it on the nearest dresser.
"Master Stark is shooting bottles mid-air as a party trick, the Lieutenant Colonel deems it dire enough. I, however, do not. I believe Rhodes plans on taking the suits by force."
"The hell he will" Steve flipped the lid open, revealing his shield and his suit "Can this material withstand a blast from the Iron Man suits?"
"Yes. Master Stark made it so."
"Good" Steve started pulling out pieces of the suit, strapping on the pants first "After this I want all access that Tony may have given erased. Do you understand me? No one but Tony and I are allowed near the suits."
"Yes, captain."
Steve slapped the material over his chest, hands brushing the bold silver star there, "Where's Pepper?"
"Miss. Potts is trying to control the situation but her efforts have failed. Miss. Rushman is in the south hall consoling her."
"Tell her to stay clear of the living room and the rooms around it. If Rhodes wants a fight, he's got one" Steve yanked on his gloves, zipping them tight "I'm not going to let them destroy the flat, I promise. Keep the girls safe as best you can, JARVIS."
"I will, sir. Good luck."
"Thanks" the soldier stepped into the boots, feeling like his old self for the first time since the race track "I'm going to need it."
xXx
Steve arrived the moment Rhodey did, though on the other side of the room. His cowl was down, revealing the rage on his face. Their eyes met and electricity crackled between them, enough to light a hundred fires.
"This has gone far enough!" Steve shouted, gaining the crowd's attention "Ladies and gentlemen, it's best you exit the Tower immediately in a calm and orderly fashion. Anyone who attempts to cause a panic will be tossed out the window."
They stared, he grinned, "Understand?"
Still murmuring amongst themselves the party dispersed, heading towards the hall that would lead to the multiple elevators and the staircase. Once he was sure the crowd was gone he turned his attention to Rhodey.
"Get out of the suit" Steve demanded.
"Me? Do you have any idea what he's been doing up here?" the Colonel pointed accusingly a the genius "He's making a mockery of everything Iron Man is supposed to stand for! You should be yelling at him, not me."
"I'll get to him" Steve gestured at the stumbling genius "But he's not the one in stolen property. Surrender the suit and we'll talk this out like rational human beings. This, what you're doing, is asking for a fire fight."
"Steve, Stevie, Steve!" Tony came at him, a bottle of alcohol in one hand while the other reached out for a hug "Hey, baby, you made it!"
"Tony, please, I'm trying to fix things" the soldier cringed at the strong smell coming out of the suit "Jeez, how much have you had to drink? You smell like a hot speak-easy."
"I was just coming to wake you up, sweetie" Tony slurred, leaning into the hero and trying to steal a kiss but getting a palm to the forehead instead "Don't be like that. You were all pretty and soft earlier. Don't be mean, Daddy just wants a little kiss. One kiss, that's all, come 'ere..."
"Stop it" Steve grabbed the helmet, looking into the man's dark eyes "You look like a wreck. You need to get out of that suit and into bed."
"I can sleep when I'm dead" Tony's tone held a serious note "How about we try some of that hot kinky suit sex, huh? I've been thinking 'bout it."
"You want to do this again?" Steve hissed through his teeth "Huh, Howard? You want to try something with me?"
That sobered Tony up, "Fuck, Steve, I didn't mean it like that."
"Stark!"
They turned to see Rhodey had flipped down the face plate, taking a few steps closer.
"Keep your distance, Colonel!" Steve barked, brandishing his shield.
"He doesn't deserve to wear that suit" Rhodey took another step, holding up his hand "You've abused the responsibility, Tony, and I'm here to relieve you from it."
Steve held his shield sturdy, "Surrender the Mark II or I'll be forced to-"
The blast was unexpected and sudden, bouncing off his shield and hitting the ceiling. He raised his head, eyes narrowed and jaw set.
"Hey!" Tony flipped down his faceplate, getting in front of the soldier "You don't fire on him! Your beef is with me, Rhodey!"
"He's in the middle of this whether you like it or not."
"Like hell he is!" Tony growled, holding up his hands to fire back.
Steve watched, frozen and horrified, as Rhodes charged full blast at Tony and knocked them both through the wall. He shielded himself from the glass and metal shrapnel, looking again to find they had crashed through to the gym.
Pepper rushed in, Natalie hot on her heels, "Oh my God! What the hell are they doing?!"
"Pepper" Steve got in front of her, taking her shoulder in his hand to keep her steady "It's alright. I'm handling this. You don't need to be here right now."
"What are they...are they fighting?" Pepper held a hand out toward the new hole in the wall "Why are you suited up? Is Rhodey in the Mark II?"
"Miss. Potts, please-"
"He can't take that suit!"
Steve grit his teeth, "Do you trust me?"
Pepper stopped her rambling, caught off-guard by the question, "Steve...of course I trust you."
"Then trust me to keep that suit from leaving this Tower" the soldier encouraged, looking into her eyes "Can you do that?"
"Yes" Pepper nodded tightly "Of course I can."
There was another crash, they all winced.
"I want you to tell Happy to make sure every witness is out of the Tower" Steve was looking to the younger red head "I don't want a single picture or video of this incident."
Pepper nodded, reaching to her headset to
"Natalie" Steve turned to the CEO's arm over to the assistant "Get her away from here. This isn't going to be pretty. Protect her."
Natalie nodded, leading the older woman away as gently as she could.
Steve pulled on his cowl, slipping 'Captain America' on the best he could. His first objective was to protect Tony at all costs, the second to keep the suits in the building, the third...the third was to show Rhodey he couldn't push them around. He followed the path of destruction, eyes hard. Steve wasn't sure where all this righteous fury came from but it was useful. He knew there was something going on below the surface of all this, something terrible and awful...but no one bothered to let him in on the secret.
So until he knew what was wrong, he was going to protect Tony with his life.
Tony was his everything. His home, his family, his best friend, his teacher, and his lover (at least as far as he was concerned.) He was going to keep him safe, no matter what the cost.
Steve found the hole in the tile to the lower floor, jumping through it in time to bounce a piece of hurled steel off his shield. He looked up to find Rhodey on one side, Tony on the other. Both suits looked roughed up, apparently they had been brawling like men in a pit.
"You need to stop, both of you" Steve commanded "Rhodey, you know better. Just take the suit off and we can discuss this."
"Move, Captain."
"That's not going to happen, Lieutenant Colonel" Steve put himself between them "That suit is Stark property."
Rhodey scoffed beneath the mask, "That's not all Stark owns, is it?"
The soldier squared his soldiers, daring the man to continue.
"I should've known the rumors were true" Rhodey raised his palms, the stabilizers glowing strongly "Tell me, Captain, how long have you been under Stark Industries patent?"
"You need to leave" Steve replied lowly, voice rougher as he tried to contain his rage.
He could hear Rhodey's sneer, "With the suit."
"Get out of the way, Cap!" Tony was ready to continue the fight.
"Shut up, Stark!" Steve turned his head, glaring at the other hero "I'm trying to keep you out of jail or worse, so if you don't shut your mouth-"
Steve found himself thrown back a few feet, knocked on his back and out of breath in seconds. He blinked up at the ceiling, running a hand over his hot chest to make sure there wasn't a gaping hole there. He raised his head and looked down to find a circular burn mark on his suit, just under the star.
"That's it!" Tony charged on his friend, locking fists with the man "You touch him again and I'll smash your skull, you understand me?"
Steve was so done fucking around. He got to his feet, securing his shield before he ran at the two suits. He grabbed them both by the neck, picking them up and slamming them down with a groan. They sunk a few inches into the floor but didn't break out of the grip, and in seconds Steve had crushed the metal around his fingers.
He straddled the Mark II, disabling the arms with two swift punches to the shoulder joints. He raised his shield and brought the edge down on the man's chest, denting the metal with the first strike...but the second strike cut through the core, the power source. It's glow faded to a dull pulse, the suit humming in protest as it threatened to shut off on him.
"Get out of the fucking suit" Steve cursed "Now. Or I'll rip the core out and let Tony pry you out piece by piece."
Rhodey didn't say anything. The moment he raised his shield to strike again the suit began to detach itself, falling apart at the plates and revealing the man beneath. Steve got up, watching the Mark II blossom open until the colonel could free himself and sit up. The captain held out his hand, the other took it and allowed himself to be pulled to his feet. Rhodes looked roughed up but unharmed for the most part, thought the suit would take months to repair.
They were both too angry to apologize, but they shared a little nod to show that the fight was over.
"He needs to be dealt with" Rhodey stated, not pushing the issue anymore.
"He will be" Steve promised "I'm sure I'll see you soon, Lieutenant Colonel."
Rhodey raised his chin, "You will, Captain."
Without a word to Tony, Rhodes took his leave of the Tower.
Steve pushed back his cowl, taking a deep breath to push back the adrenaline. He turned to Tony to give the man a piece of his mind but found the genius on the floor, collapsed to his knees with a hand over his chest. The soldier rushed over, picking the man up under his arms and helping him stand up.
"Tony?"
"Get me down to the lab" Tony wheezed, sounding sober "Need to get the suit off...I need to..."
"Okay, I'll get you to the lab" Steve was confused but could tell when his friend was in pain "What else do you need?"
There was no answer.
"Tony!?" Steve shook him a little, getting the man to groan "Stay with me."
xXx
Steve hauled the genius up onto the platform, stepping back as the machines sprang to life and started to remove the older suit. Tony looked pale and shaken when the plates fell away, sweat beading on his forehead and dampening his hair. The soldier was on the verge of having a panic attack despite the fact that he didn't have the physical capacity to distress like that ever again. His lungs were heavy in his chest and his mouth was dry, a helpless sensation choking him up.
"What's wrong?" he rasped, holding out his arms for the other to fall into.
Tony collapsed against the soldier, hands grasping at the burnt material over the man's chest, "Did he hurt you?"
"No, I'm made of stronger stuff than that" Steve tried to joke but he choked when Stark nearly fell over his own feet "But it doesn't seem like you are. What did he do to you?"
"Cigar box" Tony wheezed, making his way to the desk with the blonde's reassuring hands braced on his lower back and stomach to keep him upright. He pushed away from the soldier, bracing himself on the edge of the desk with a heavy groan.
Steve relented, "Just tell me what you need."
"In the drawer, get it" Tony gestured to the lower drawer "It's wooden. Hurry."
Steve knelt down and pulled the drawer opening, searching for the box. Tony shed his silk shirt to reveal the scarring and poison lines on his body, not caring about hiding it anymore. He couldn't breath and his chest was on fire, his dream becoming all-to-real. The soldier stood and turned with the box, nearly dropping it when he saw the lines on his lover's body.
"What the hell?"
"Poison" Tony spat the word, digging his fingertips into the edges of the arc reactor to twist it out "It's the palladium Vakov mentioned. It's...fuck, just hold on..."
Tony pulled the reactor from his chest, ignoring the way the soldier gasped and told him to be careful. He brandished it like a broken trophy, the core fluttering open to pop out the ruined core.
"It's smoking" Steve was horrified "Is is...supposed to do that?"
"No" the genius replied truthfully "It's neutron damage from the reactor wall. That box you're holding is full of them. They're burning out quicker than I can make them, and they're making the marks you see. So please...just get me one..."
Steve sat the box down and opened it, pulling one of the new cores out. He fingered the burning hot chip in the reactor, sliding it out and examining it's fried exterior with a sense of dread.
"This was in your body" Steve sounded as if it was in his chest instead "Tony...you let it get this far?"
"Steve, you can yell at me in a minute" the brunette gasped, growing paler "But right now I'm kind of dying, so if you could-"
Steve muttered a curse before switching the cores, coming closer to grab the man by the nape of the neck. Tony tried to protest but was shushed while the captain took the reactor from him.
"Stay still."
"Cap, it's delicate, I can't breathe-"
"Then be quiet and do as your told" Steve cut him off, voice still soft.
Tony bit the side of his lip and stayed still, watching as the soldier slid the arc reactor back into place. He turned it just so, pushing down, and the device lit up against his palm. Tony gasped as the pressure lifted, firm fingers digging into his neck to keep him stable.
"Better?" Steve inquired, getting a silent nod in response. He pushed Tony into his seat, letting his fingers stay on the warm glass of the reactor to keep himself completely grounded. The soldier's head was swimming with dark lines and the strange element 'palladium' that he'd tried to find but couldn't. His fingers trailed away from the device to touch one of the thicker black curves that marked the poison's trail.
How had he missed this? He hadn't seen Tony without his shirt...not really, not ever.
"This is why you've been reckless lately, why you've been guzzling down that strange drink" Steve let his hand fall away, unable to meet the other's dark eyes "How long have you known?"
"Since before I kissed you" Tony confessed, flinching at the blonde's hurt look. He turned in the chair and grabbed his bottle of chloroform concoction, flipping open the lid and taking a long drag.
"It's killing you...isn't it?"
Tony dropped his head, the tip of the container digging into his temple. That was the sound of Steve Rogers, the weak kid from Brooklyn who couldn't walk ten feet without a puff from his inhaler. There was no trace of the captain in that tone, not one drop of that usual steel or determination. This sounded like a boy who didn't know what to do with himself.
"I'm hanging on, Steve" Tony admitted, clutching the bottle like a lifeline "But I don't know how much longer I can carry on like this."
"There has to be a way to fix it" the soldier said, mostly to himself.
"What the hell do you think I've been doing?" Tony snapped.
Steve leaned against the desk, feeling a little woozy, "Does Pepper know?"
"No, no one but Rhodey knows" Tony couldn't lie anymore, he was just too tired "I should've told you...I should've told everyone. But I thought I could handle it."
The soldier rubbed his chest over the burn mark, the heaviness there more from hurt than actual injury, "So you told Rhodes but not us, your family? You've been walking around with poison in your veins...and you haven't said a word?"
Steve ran his hand through his hair, sweat and dust plastering to his locks, "I don't know whether to be proud of you for sticking it out this long or angry because you lied and hid this from me."
Tony drained the bottle, tossing it aside with a scowl, "I feel...fuck, I feel like I should be in some shitty, generic zombie movie. God, who would keep going when they're this weak?"
Steve got closer, leaning against the table right beside the genius. He was still angry and feeling a little betrayed, but this was the man he had just risked his life for – he had to give it a try. He unzipped and unlatched his gloves, setting them aside with care. He threaded his bare fingers through the other's thick dark hair, turning his head to meet their eyes.
"You know how sick I used to be" Steve spoke softly, heart breaking at how helpless Tony looked "I couldn't sleep through the night, I had an inhaler in my mouth every other minute. Hell, I couldn't get too excited without losing my breath. I was so weak, a real pathetic sight. Someone like you wouldn't have looked twice at someone like me. I got beaten bloody more than once...and the New York winter almost took me a time or two."
Tony cringed at the thought of a smaller Steve struggling for warmth, alone and cold in a threadbare bed.
"But I overcame it" Steve continued, pushing away those lonely thoughts "I never backed down from a fight, not one. I pretended I was ten feet tall and stood up to every bully I could find. I squirmed my way into the army, I went through boot camp, and I let them turn me into what I wanted to be. I never backed down, I never surrendered."
Tony smiled, his eyes wet and catching the lab light, "And that's why I looked up to you."
The soldier's calm faltered, mouth twisting in a frown, "Not anymore?"
The genius shrugged, leaning unconsciously into the touch, "Maybe I still do."
"Then listen to me" Steve insisted, digging his fingers into the man's scalp "You have to keep looking for a...a cure, a pill, a new core, something. You have to keep fighting it."
"Aren't you mad at me for lying?" Tony brushed the soldier's hand away, missing the warmth of it the moment it was gone "I broke your trust. Remember how mad you got last time?"
Steve's jaw clenched visibly, Stark flashed him a knowing grin.
"See? It hurts, doesn't it?" Tony needled "Just say it: I abused your trust...again."
The other was stubborn and didn't say a word.
"I'm obviously just a carbon-copy of my father" Tony spat, throwing his chin at the door "So why don't you leave already? Or would you like to make a grand exit?"
"Is that what you want me to do?" Steve couldn't keep the tremor from his voice "You want me to leave you alone to die?"
"It'd be for the best, wouldn't it?" Tony pushed the chair away, putting some distance between them "I can have some dignity, and you can move on."
"What is wrong with you?" the soldier seethed "I don't even know who is sitting here in front of me! You're Tony Stark!"
Tony crossed his arms over his chest, wincing at the movement, "There are some things even Tony Stark can't fix."
Steve grabbed the chair and dragged the man closer, "Well you may have given up on yourself, but I haven't."
"You can stay here, if that's what you're worried about" Stark broke their stare, each word like lead on his tongue "I had JARVIS write up a will a while ago. You're in it. You can keep your rooms and everything I've bought you. You have just as much right to the Tower as Pepper does. I can't leave you with nothing."
"Don't bother" Steve spat, pushing the other away so hard he smacked against the desk "Because if you die, I have nothing."
"Stop trying to save me!" Tony stood, knocking the seat over "It's too late."
"You're not alone anymore, Tony!" the soldier reached out to grab him but the darker man shoved his hand away "You can't push me away, so quit trying!"
Tony was losing his conviction, the man's pleading tone was getting to him, "You're better off this way."
Steve's brow furrowed, "What the hell are you talking about?"
Tony steeled himself against the soft look, deciding a knife to the heart would be better than a lifetime of pain. What he was about to say...he knew Steve would leave the moment the words spilled from his lips. He braced himself, raising his chin defiantly.
"We haven't even fucked, Cap" Tony snarked, managing an annoyed look through the ache in his heart "Whatever we're doing here...it's pointless. It's better you get out now before you get too attached to me."
He saw it coming but he couldn't dodge it.
Steve punched the man, maybe not as hard as he could but hard enough to knock the genius off his feet. Tony hit the floor hard, jaw nearly out of place and fire dancing down his neck and up through his temple. He clutched his cheek and flexed his jaw to make sure nothing was broken. It hurt but it wasn't ruined. His eyes teared up from the blow, his fingertips starting to tremble as the adrenaline shot through his system to make him fight or flee.
Tony did neither, he merely let the stars dance in front of his eyes as he tried to get over the fact that his soldier had struck him. A meaty hand grabbed him by the hair, dragging him up for what he assumed would be another blow. He clenched his eyes and braced himself for another hit. There was no way he could fight off Captain America without a suit and he had no urge to challenge the hero to a fist fight.
Dry, full lips slanted across his own. He opened his eyes and gasped, surprised more than before.
Steve could taste the sickly sharp taste in Tony's blood, different than the usual copper. The reality hit him full force and he couldn't stop from holding the man tighter, forcing his touch upon him.
Tony moaned into his mouth, wrapping his arms around the soldier and letting him take what he wanted. His lower back pressed against the table, the captain's hard body pinning his own. Palms cupped his ass and pushed him up until he was sitting on the desk, the soldier's hips taking up the space between his parted thighs. It was hot and harsh and all the things he needed righ tnow. His mouth was bleeding, his head was spinning, he was seconds from crying, but he couldn't part their mouths for more time than it took to snatch a breath.
"Didn't you hear one word I've said?" Steve ripped his lips away, panting from the rush of agony and love he felt for this man "If anyone knows how hard it is to fight for your right to live, it's me. And I'm telling you right now, Tony...it's worth it."
Tony wanted to say something else nasty. He wanted to tell Steve to get the fuck out and get on with his life. He wanted to shove him away, punch him back, do anything but give in. But he made the mistake of looking into the man's eyes, and in that moment he was lost. Those blue eyes he admired were full of tears and uncertainty, as if he was the only one who cared about what happened to them.
Tony pulled the man back into a hug, holding him so tight it almost hurt. He could feel his reactor digging into Steve's chest and he knew his nails were biting into the man's skin, but the hero didn't voice one word of protest. If anything he hugged him back just as hard.
"You can't give up" it was barely a whisper in his ear.
"Fuck" Tony huffed, turning his head brushing his nose against the man's smooth cheek "Why aren't you yelling at me? Why aren't you leaving and making everything easy?"
"How about this?" Steve began, pulling back enough to steal another brief kiss "We'll have a really big fight after you get better."
The soldier smiled suddenly, trying to lighten the mood, "I'll even hit you again. It'll be more realistic."
"No way" Tony's laugh was weak but sincere "I think we'll keep that a one-time performance."
The smiles faded, the reactor warming between their bodies.
"Can you deal with this?" Tony was pushing it and he knew it "I...might not make it, Cap."
Steve put on a brave face, kissing the frown off the man's face, "I don't know about you, but I believe in Tony Stark."
xXx
Pepper decided a night at her actual apartment was better than spending another night in her spare bedroom at the Tower. She kicked off her heels by the top of the staircase, hissing when her aching feet touched the tile. She limped toward her bedroom, cursing her choice of heels for the stupid party. The whole thing had been a disaster, she couldn't believe Tony had pulled that stunt.
And now there were repairs thanks to Rhodey and Stark's little suit-fight.
But from what she'd been told Steve had gotten Rhodes to give up the Mark II and now it was safety back in the lab. Of course that needed repaired too, which meant even more money to be funneled into the Tower. Why was everything going to hell? Wasn't it stressful enough that she was the new CEO, did Tony have to humiliate her too?
"Next year we're skipping his birthday" Pepper sighed to herself, reaching back and managing to catch her zipper. She shimmied out of her slim black dress, kicking it aside. She tossed her jewelry into the glass bowl on the kitchen table, leaving it for tomorrow. She pulled out her silver kettle, pouring a fair amount of water in it before setting it on the burner.
Right now she didn't care, right now all she wanted was to change and have a cup of tea.
Pepper leaned against the door frame of her bedroom, shedding her stockings and tossing them on the dresser. She should've known the moment Steve hadn't appeared at Tony's side that something was going to go wrong.
Who knew it would take Captain America to keep the big bad Iron Man in check?
Pepper tossed her bra and underwear into the hamper, going to the dresser to get more. She was sorting through the mess of her top drawer when she felt eyes on her, burning a path down the slope of her back. She turned around to confront the intruder but there was no one there. She rolled her eyes and stepped into a pair of panties, the lace resting just below the jut of her hip bones. She pulled a few bobby pins from her hair and untwisted it, letting it flow down past her shoulders. She ran her fingers through it a few times, smoothing it out and taking out a few tangles.
She pulled open the second drawer, pushing through the nighties until she found one she liked. It was a soft cream pink and pure silk. She pulled it over her head, lashes fluttering as the material brushed her skin like pure butter. It fluttered around the tops of her thighs, just loose enough for her to sleep in. She tugged out the matching robe, slipping the material up her arms and over her shoulders. She loved these little nighties that Tony gifted to her, she'd never buy them for herself and they felt amazing.
Pepper slipped out of the bedroom, heading down the hall to the kitchen and the living room. She ran her fingers through her hair again, pulling it together and letting it all fall down one shoulder. The moment her feet hit the tile she realized she was being watched.
She pulled open the junk drawer, curling her fingers around one of the handguns she kept for protection in every room of the house. She thumbed off the safety, taking a short measured breath before she pulled it out.
Pepper whirled around, aiming the gun straight and true with her index finger parallel to the trigger (just as she'd been showed at the range), "Alright, scumbag, what the hell-"
Pepper cut herself off, a pink flush working it's way across her cheeks, "Natalie?"
The younger woman raised an eyebrow at her, a few folders clutched to her chest. She'd changed into more casual clothes, her dark scarlet curls pulled up into a sloppy ponytail. Her jeans hugged her curves and hung low on her hips, her emerald colored t-shirt was cut at the neck to show off more of her pale skin. She looked...lovely.
"Miss. Potts" Natalie greeted, eyes fixed on the gun "Were you expecting someone else?"
Pepper flicked the safety back on and set the gun on the table, "I'm sorry. I know the building has security, but you can never be too careful."
"No, I support it" Natalie set the papers down "I'm just surprised to see you with a gun. You seem more the passive-aggressive type."
"A lot of people think that" Pepper turned to the stove, snatching up the kettle before it had a chance to whistle "Would you like a cup of tea?"
"No thank you."
Pepper found a mug and a bag of cherry mint tea, carefully pouring the steaming hot water. She could hear the woman coming closer but didn't look up.
"You know, Pepper, I always pictured you as a huge t-shirt kind of woman."
Pepper tensed, realizing she was in almost nothing in front of the assistant. She wet her lips put the kettle down, trying ot keep the shameful red from her cheeks.
"You caught me off guard" Pepper waited until she heard the woman go to the living room before she turned around "Not that I'm sad to see you, but why are you here?"
"I brought the guest list you requested, a damage assessment, the electronically signed deals from the contractors I've called, and the finish dates I've anticipated" Natalie replied briskly, laying the papers out in order on the coffee table "You don't have to look over them tonight but you said you wanted them in your hands before you came in tomorrow. I just finished before I came over, I thought it would be easier than bothering you at breakfast."
She looked over her shoulder, still bent over the table, "I don't mean to intrude or startle you. Do you want me to leave?"
"No, stay" Pepper sank down on the white leather couch, the thick mug clutched between her hands "It's...it's alright."
The older woman took a small sip of her tea, using it as an excuse for the heat in her cheeks. She couldn't believe she was half-naked in front the very assistant she had been engaging in guilty fantasies about. Natalie circled around the table, blue eyes tracked her movements from beneath light lashes.
"I also wanted to check on you" Natalie sat down beside her boss, eyes dark with more than concern and skimming over the slim body "Tonight was rough. I wanted to make sure you were okay."
"Things like this happen" Pepper took another sip, setting the cup aside "Every time there's an event centered around Tony he finds some way to take it too far. I'm used to it, I've dealt with it for years."
"You shouldn't have to" Natalie looked like she was trying to stop herself, but the words were almost flooding past her lips "Tony's brilliant but he's an ass. He makes your life a hundred times harder and you condone it! I don't know how you do it, Pepper. I don't know how you can baby-sit and run a company at the same time."
"I don't know" Pepper tilted her head, flattered "I just kind of...do it."
"You make it look flawless" Natalie's eyes were straying to the bare tops of the older woman's thighs "In more ways than one."
"What are you saying?" the CEO tucked a lock of cinnamon hair behind her ear.
"I just wonder" Natasha was the one who moved closer, not Natalie "While you're watching over Tony and Stark Industries, who watches over you?"
"I can watch over myself" Pepper's voice went weak as the woman's hand came up, untucking the lock she had just pushed back "Nat, what are you doing?"
"Tony told me you were perfect" the younger woman took the hair between her fingers, the texture softer than she had imagined "And I believe that's the only pure truth he's ever told."
Pepper wanted to protest but she couldn't, she was lost in the vixen's eyes. Like the stare of a predator...it was hypnotizing, beautiful, and it made her melt.
Natasha could hear the rational voice in her head screaming at her, telling her to get up and leave the woman alone. She didn't need this, she was undercover and didn't have permission to seduce the sweet CEO. Her mission was to make Tony want her, get Steve on her side, and watch to make sure Stark took control of the reactor's poison and it's plans. She was here to keep the Iron Man secret protected, not take a tender interest in this wonderful woman. Pepper's was kind, strong, smart...beautiful...
Natasha closed her eyes slowly, taking in the woman's shocked look as she took her lips in a kiss. Pepper was stiff for a moment or two, but with the plump mouth demanding so much she ended up giving into temptation. The assassin grinned, the lips she'd fantasized about parting beneath her firm touch. The CEO tasted like hot mint, she took her tongue and forced her to play.
Pepper returned the kiss with soft experience, still hesitant but oh-so-willing to let the other take what she wanted. Natasha's fingers slid down the ginger lock, following it's path down to the silken curve of the woman's breast. Pepper gasped and arched a little into the barely-there touch, the assassin could feel the hardening flesh of her nipple just touching her knuckle. She gave in and cupped the smaller breast, it fit perfectly in her palm.
Pepper let out a weak moan, breaking the kiss to duck her head. Their cheeks brushed, curls of hair mingling and creating a red curtain of privacy. Natasha's hand fell from Pepper's chest, she stroked her thumb along the woman's knee in a silent plea of apology. Guilt filled her heart, weighing it down in her chest and making each breath that much more difficult.
Natasha didn't meant to let it get it this far, she hadn't meant to give in. But the way Pepper had bared her neck, the subtle part of her thighs, the way she'd flirted back...fuck, the woman was skilled whether she knew it or not. No one could resist those submissive vibes, not one man on this Earth could've stopped themselves from kissing her after that smile.
But Natasha wasn't just 'any man', she was better than most of the men out there in the world. She should've been able to stop herself and now she might've blown her whole cover.
She pushed 'Natalie' to the forefront and stood, backing away and keeping her eyes lowered. 'Natasha' may want to ravage the trembling woman on the couch but 'Natalie' was a little more professional.
"Is there anything else you need, Miss. Potts?" Natalie inquired, losing her breath when she raised her eyes to find her boss in a state. Pepper's skin was prickled with goosebumps and her face was flushed, the peaks of nipples showing through her nightgown. She was glassy-eyed and her lips were still parted, looking to all the world like a woman left wanting.
Pepper pulled herself together long enough to shake her head no, folding her grasping hands in her lap.
Natasha forced herself to look away, fingers curling into fists at her side as she resisted the urge to go back to the couch and take what was hers.
"Good night, Miss. Potts" Natalie whispered, giving a little skirtless curtsey before she took her leave towards the stairs.
Pepper wanted to stop her, but by the time she voiced a protest the younger woman was gone. She couldn't bare to sit up anymore and curled up on her side, letting the leather glide against the silk of her nightgown and the smooth of her skin. Her fingers were curled up by her mouth, eyes wide in surprise and pupils blown in arousal.
She couldn't think, she couldn't breathe, but she knew her skin was on fire.
What had they started?
xXx
The blinds were pulled back from the window wall, exposing the New York skyline to the large bedroom. The man on the bed was lost in the depth of sleep, sweat slick with skin and muscles straining as he waded through those depths. The blonde arched and cried out, chest heaving as he struggled to breath past the invisible bindings in his chest.
Two companions laid by his side.
Nightmare and death.
Shades overtook the soldier, dragging him even deeper into his own mind. He was chained down, held still by claws and fangs and nails until he could do nothing but scream and watch. These scenes appeared before him like the tragic plays of the past, unscripted, and each time new and more horrifying than the last.
At first it was Howard, slain in a thousand ways and alone every time. Captured by Hydra and tortured for knowledge he didn't possess, his ship wrecking the ocean he searched so long for his friend, the scenes were endless...some longer, some blissfully brief. The last was painfully realistic, showing him Howard's truest death. A car accident, killing a woman he'd never met but had given life to his lover.
One of the most brilliant men he'd ever known...lost in a blaze of flame and swirl of metal.
And when he lost Howard, it was Tony who replaced him. These images were far too real, he'd seen the man engage in horrible life threatening situations every day and now he was viewing them in fast forward. A simple lab accident turned into a flesh-eating acid spill, the man's sweet skin gone in seconds to eat through to muscle and bone. Tony's screams curled in his ears, rougher and twice as painful to his heart as his father's had been. Then it was the suit, metal plates clamping down on fragile all-too-human limbs and slicing them clean off. The flight-system failing mid-air, the circuits overheating with the man still inside.
Tony Stark...crushed like a tin can.
Steve woke up screaming, fingers clutched hard in his damp hair like it would keep the images away. Sweat stung his eyes, the images of his nightmares burned into his retinas. Whines of fear and pain escaped his lips, body curling up tight on itself.
Minutes went by and he still couldn't calm down, blood pumping quick and sharp through his veins. Adrenaline drove him out of bed and across the room. He grabbed the edges of the dresser and nearly flipped it over as he pushed it out of the way, baring the blank white wall behind it. He grabbed his new charcoal set off the nightstand and tossed them at his feet, digging through them with blurry eyes until he came across one of the thicker sticks.
Steve started sketching, still whining from the pain that felt like needles behind his ribs. Even as his eyes physically adjusted to the screen he couldn't see, his vision full of fire and fire red metal scraps. The image of the arc reactor appeared on a section of wall though different, cracks spidering down it's center. It was dark, showing no signs of life. He growled and smeared a dark hand across it, smudging and ruining the image. He dug his fingers into his hair, nails raking across his cheeks as he tried to wake up from the fucking nightmare.
His mind was in a loop, he couldn't take it another second.
Steve pried his hands his hair and started drawing again, eyes starting to glisten as the lines started to form into a real shape. The dark curve of eyes, the sweep of a jaw, a nose...half a neckline, then a loosened tie and worn collar. Then came the blood, smeared across those cheek and that pale neck. He scraped his raw nails across the image, pushing away from that part of the wall to start fresh.
It wasn't enough.
The charcoal crumbled in his balled fist, he grabbed another and started again.
A familiar face started to appear on the wall, the man's strong jaw and dark goatee obvious to anyone who looked upon it, his fingers fumbling when it came to the curve of his mouth. Half of his lover's face appeared on the wall, looking pained and almost betrayed. The soldier couldn't breathe as he dug a gash into the man's neck so deep it grooved into the wall, another cut appearing down his cheek and the jut of his jaw.
Steve slammed the charcoal in the wall in one thick black streak, finally breaking down into harsh sobs. He cried like he had for Bucky, he cried like he hadn't for Peggy and Howard...he cried for the loss that was soon to come. He collapsed against the wall, sliding down slowly until he couldn't move anymore.
xXx
Tony busted through his soldier's door with a look of concern, "What the hell, Cap? JARVIS said you were having nightmares and I was-"
Tony couldn't believe what he was seeing. He expected to find the man sulking or still asleep, he would never in a hundred years think to discover him like this.
The room was dark and streaked with moonlight, it took his eyes a moment to adjust. Steve was sitting against the wall with streaks of charcoal up and down his arms, across his face, and even in his hair. The only thing that cut through the streaks were his tears, handsome face twisted in pain as he subbed into the back of his hand. He was fresh out of bed and barely covered but his skin was damp with sweat already. And the wall...the drawings on the wall were raw and practically etched into the surface, every line screaming pain.
There was the arc reactor, broken into pieces and dead. Then bits and pieces of what looked like a familiar man, and on the other side...on the other side was him, his face (kind of.) It was so rough, stark wounds striking across his likenesses skin. He rubbed at his own neck, pulling a face.
"What the hell is in your head?" Tony whispered, quickly pulling himself together. He went over and knelt in front of the soldier, trying to think of something to say. He reached out a hand and touched the man's knee, calling his name softly to try and get his attention.
Blue eyes, stormy with shadows, cracked open to try and see him. It took Steve almost a minute to realize he was there, but when he did the tears came even harder.
"T-Tony?"
"Yeah, baby, it's me" Tony let the endearment slip, dropping down so both knees were on the carpet "What were you drawing? What happened?"
The genius lost his breath when he found himself with his arms full of heaving, sobbing soldier. Steve grabbed him tight and buried his face in his chest, cheek brushing against the arc reactor and tears soaking through the darker man's skin.
Steve managed to swallow down his sobs long enough to speak, "You were dead."
"What?" Tony laced his fingers in the man's hair, unsure what to do "Steve, I'm fine."
"You were dying" the soldier palmed the arc reactor, begging for it all to be a lie "You were dying a thousand ways and I couldn't stop it. I was...I was s-scared, Tony. I thought you were gone."
The tears were drying up but the man was still trembling, "I can't lose you. I just can't! Tony...you mean everything to me."
Tony's heart breaking in his chest, he hugged Steve harder into him. He dropped kisses on the man's cheeks and across his temple, soothing him the only way he knew how. Touch was his native tongue, any words he could've come up with would've been empty.
"Tell me it's okay?" the soldier's voice was weak, but the plea was desperately strong.
"It'll be fine" Tony half-lied, rubbing his hand up and down the other's broad back "It'll al be fine."
"Everyone leaves me" Steve rasped against the man's neck, his own tears choking him up "Please be different, please don't leave."
The soldier's palm pushed at the reactor, drinking up it's warmth, "Don't die. I don't want to be alone anymore. It hurts, Tony...I can't do it again."
In that moment everything changed. The drive he had lost was rekindled, his hopelessness bleeding away as he cradled the blonde against his neck. He'd been so worried about what to do with his last days and leaving everything in order...he'd forgotten why he had been so concerned in the first place.
He was Steve's everything. He'd been so busy scrambling to keep him boarded, fed, and comfortable that he'd nearly forgotten about this tender thing between them. What use was a wardrobe and a floor in the Tower if he was alone?
Truthfully Tony had tried to fool himself into thinking the man didn't care, that whatever they were doing was just fooling around. He'd forgotten that Steve wasn't wired like that. The soldier had trusted him with his body and all he'd done is lie and sneak around behind his back. He'd been planning on going out with a bang, but what kind of man would leave his hero behind?
All this time Steve had been protecting him...and he wouldn't even suck it up to do what it took to protect the soldier.
Tony decided right then that it was time to ask for help.
He needed to sacrifice his pride.
"Come on, pretty boy" Tony whispered in his ear, sliding his hands under the man's arms to push him upwards.
Steve managed to stand but his hand still laid over the reactor, eyes clenched shut in an effort to ground himself. Tony led them over to the bed, rolling the blonde into it with a sigh. He stripped down to his boxers and undershirt before pushing the covers aside so he could slip in. Steve immediately reached out to him, pulling him down into the bed and in his arms for a tight embrace.
"At ease soldier" Tony touched their foreheads, prying one of the man's hands off his arm to let it fall over his reactor again. The sharp pain the fingertips left behind told him he'd have little bruises on his skin in the morning.
"Don't make me sleep" Steve begged, lashes still wet "It's so dark and sharp. Please, Tony, don't make me. I-"
"Shhh" Tony shushed him with a soft kiss "Just close your eyes, baby. I'm right here, I'm not going to make you do anything."
Hazy eyes fell shut once more, though this time he seemed a little more at ease.
"Tell me about Brooklyn" Tony encouraged, the soldier's brow creased "No, really. Tell me about your house. What was your mom like?"
He smiled when Steve sank into the pillow, memories of his old life starting to replace the nightmares.
"There's that pretty smile" Tony teased "I bet your mom was a real knock-out."
"Tony!" Steve whined, fingers flexing against the warm reactor "Shut up."
"Come on" the man's tone softened "Tell me all about it."
The super soldier's lashes fluttered for just a moment, then he relented and started to talk.
Just an hour later, Tony had crooned his lover into a peaceful sleep.
Sorry for the late update, but it was my birthday this week and there has been many festivities and I've been spending loads of time with my little sister. She's wonderful and amazing and I love her, but I never get to see her so I've spent days with her, barely writing anything.
But I'm back, pretty much, and I've got this doozy for you.
This universe is now called the "Ever Fallen 'Verse". Awesome? Awesome
Hope you enjoyed yourself, feedback is appreciated and squee-d over
AND HEY!
No more 'you need spellcheck' reviews unless you're going to point out what the hell I misspelled so I can fix it. Being UNHELPFUL isn't cool, marking a few places I may have misspelled something is awesome. You understand? Telling me I fucked up is called being a douchy-flamer, showing me where I fucked up is being a super-cool-awesome fan that I love and wish I could hug.