Chapter One

Squeek! How is everyone! Please review!

(2012)

"Do you trust me?"

"No."

"Come on. Don't you like surprises, spoil sport?"

"Your variety of surprises? No."

"You liked the girls that I left for you at that NYE party, right?"

"One was a junkie, and I think the other was a man, Tony."

He just laughed as he pushed him along into the loft area, his hands were over his eyes still as they walked into the center of the room. He pulled them free, "Tadah!"

Rowen looked around and saw that Tower had been nearly put the floor back together since it had been ripped apart by the Chitauri. He looked at Tony and crossed his arms, "This is it?"

Tony pranced over to the bar and hugged his espresso machine, "Isn't she beautiful?"

Rowen turned around, "If that's it, I'm going to go back to my research. That hole in the sky really gave me some valuable data..."

"Oh! One more thing," he said as the elevator opened and several people came through. He recognized them as the Avengers who graced every tabloid and newspaper cover in the US at the moment. Although they didn't look nearly as heroic or fearsome without their suits. Tony beamed, "Happy Birthday, dude!"

Rowen raised a brow as he cursed, "Kuso... Did I forget it again?"

"For like the twentieth year in a row, Robro."

A mousy looking man sighed, "You mean you threw a surprise party for someone who forgot their birthday?"

"I have tendency to do that," Rowen said as the group set down snacks and drinks at the bar. "Sorry, don't think we've met."

The man smiled softly and held out a hand, "I'm sure you don't recognize me..."

Tony snorted but Rowen ignored him as he shook his hand, "Dr. Rowen Hashiba."

"Your work on molecular elasticity was brilliant," the man grinned. "Dr. Bruce Banner."

"Rowen turned to Tony but lost his words and Tony hugged the mousy man, "The one and the same!"

"Your work on gamma radiation is absolutely brilliant," Rowen said grabbing the man's hand and shaking it again. "Wow, you disappeared off the map."

"I had my reasons," he said and Tony saw Rowen match his look strangely.

Tony grabbed Rowen in a light choke hold like a child who was too excited for his friends from one grade meeting his friends from another grade. Rowen tried to shove him off as Dr. Banner laughed softly following him to the bar, and Tony introduced, "Robro meet the Avengers! Avengers, meet Robro!"

Rowen shoved him off and bowed, "Konbanwa."

"You didn't say he was Rowen Hashiba," the man with sandy hair complained. He was slightly taller than Tony with square features and brown eyes. Although he wore baggy, modest clothing, Rowen could see he was Hawkeye. An archer like himself...

Rowen smiled and rubbed the back of his head bashfully, "yes, well..."

The woman with red haired unpacked the beers into a mini fridge, "He's the only genius that Tony knows that hasn't tried to kill him...yet."

Rowen remembered that the woman had been Pepper's 'secretary' a few years ago. Now, he knew that the she wasn't anything of the sort, "We've met.. right...?"

"Natasha," she smiled darkly. It was a fake smile, he realized. Something, that he knew how to do too well himself. She laid a hand on the man who had spoken before her, "This is Clint."

Rowen nodded, "Pleasure."

"You wouldn't happen to be the grandson of Takeshi Hashiba," the blonde man who had been quietly opening the box that Rowen assumed had a cake in it. Rowen knew that it was Steve Rogers, AKA Captain America, because everyone knew who the prolific man was.

Rowen felt his mouth go dry, "Yes, he's my grandfather."

"I didn't know him, but I knew of the brilliant code breaker from Japan who could crack anything for the US," he said with a smirk. "Is he well?"

Rowen nodded, "more, or less. He runs a shrine in Sendai."

Tony caught Rowen's look of admiration, "Don't, just don't."

"Nani?" He asked of the man. For whatever reason, Tony assumed that he was gay. He wasn't, but he could see why Tony assumed he was. Rowen had never been interested in women much since he left Japan. It wasn't that he didn't like them, of course he found himself looking at the right ones from time to time, but none seemed to catch his attention or he theirs. Dates always went badly. Tony never knew of these, just the visits he paid to Sage in the Bronx, and for whatever reason Tony assumed they were an item. Why did Rowen never bring up they weren't? He didn't want Tony digging into his past, plain and simple. If he gave the man any idea that there was something from his youth that he wanted to keep covered... he would never hear the end of it. He was content with being a simple researcher at Stark Industries, able to conduct his research without interruption, and his past would be a hindrance to that. It always was.

Tony grabbed one of the cold beers from Nat's hand, popped it open and shoved it in Rowen's hand. He then said, "To the big thirty nine! You better not forget forty!"

Rowen smirked, "yes, Tony."

They all shared a laugh with their salute as Tony dragged the man aside, "So?"

"So, what?"

"What do you think?"

"Of?"

Tony sighed, "Of the crew."

"They're nice," Rowen nodded sipping the beer. "What did you expect me to think?"

"I thought you would disapprove."

Rowen shook his head, "I disapproved of the Avengers initiative initially because you aren't exactly a team player."

"Ouch."

"...but I realized, it just takes the right sort of team," Rowen finished and Tony saw the melancholy return to his expression. "I'm just sad Rhodey didn't get a part in your club."

"He does his own thing," Tony snorted. "I'm glad you got to meet Banner, aren't you curious...?"

"He's the foremost expert in Gamma radiation and biology, it doesn't take an expert to figure out that he's the green guy," Rowen laughed. "Where's the other one?"

"Blondie had to take Reindeer Games back to Asgard," Tony said with a shake of his head. "It's as ridiculous as it sounds."

"It was strange the look Rowen had for a moment, it was almost like he was a different person. Something cold burned in his eyes momentarily before he said with a smile, "I would like to meet him."

"Let me get you a piece of cake," his boss said before stepping away towards the bar.

Bruce said, "What did you say to him?"

Tony glanced back and saw Rowen walk outside to the reconstructed balcony. He frowned, "He's always been like that."

Clint said, "Are you sure you don't smother him like Bruce? I mean, the only difference would be is that he wouldn't turn green on you."

Bruce nodded, "You do have a tendency to persist."

"Is it pick on Tony day?"

"No, he's always been like that," Natasha said. "I mean, when I was Pepper's secretary he acted pretty much the same."

Steve added, "You've known him for twenty years. I guess that's why you and Dr. Banner get along so well."

Bruce nodded and Tony frowned as Nat took the cake from his hand, "Isn't he an heir like you are? What's he doing working for you?"

"Same reason I didn't work for my dear old dad when he was alive." Tony griped noticing the look he got from Steve.

She nodded and didn't say more as she walked past the group of men to give the cake to the birthday boy. She knew more than enough about Tony's father issues that she could only guess what Rowen's were. The air was cool as she stepped out with the cake in her hand, Tony had cut a corner piece with a rose on it. Rowen was starring at the stars above his teal colored eyes, his blue hair gently wafting in the chilly New York air.

She said, "They look better from the mountains."

He turned to look at her, "yes, the light pollution is a terrible tragedy. Tony has no idea."

She smiled at the remark and leaned her back against the banister, "Tony is worried about you for some reason."

"Me? He guided a tactical nuclear missile into a portal yards above where we are now," he paused with a snort and the shake of the head. "He's worried about me? Seems ridiculous if you ask me."

"Despite the ass he is at times, he genuinely cares about the people he calls friends," she said handing him the cake. "and you seem like someone he admires very much."

Rowen just looked the red haired woman like she was crazy. She reminded him of another woman from his past, which was on his mind a lot as of late. So he had to ask, "For what reason do you think that is?"

She shook her head as she watched Tony laughing at something Steve might have said by mistake. Bruce also chuckled and Clint had a just a smirk. She then said, "He remembers your birthday when you can't seem to. That means something, right?"

He nodded and ran a hand through his messy hair. He smiled at her, "Guess you're not a secretary, huh?"

"Nope," she answered.

"So that date..." he asked.

"To establish my cover."

"I see..." he said with a tinge of disappointment to his voice. "I'll be back in in just a few. I have to clear something from my mind."

"Look, it wasn't anything personal."

"I didn't think it was."

"Oh," she said surprisingly.

Rowen closed his eyes as he watched the city. It had changed so much since he was a kid running through its dark alleys. Of course those alleys still existed, and the things that existed in the shadows of those alleys still existed as well but it wasn't his responsibility anymore. Not with them there. They may have been a nuisance, but they did a better job at saving New York than he could have imagined. He could relax now and be normal. Twenty years and he could finally be okay with being normal.

He took a bite of cake before deciding to walk back in. He smiled at Tony, shoving his worries aside, "This is really good..."

Ba-thump

Rowen felt a pain in his chest cutting the sentence in half as his world swam for a moment. He gulped as Tony said with a smirk, "Don't choke on it, there's plenty..."

Ba-THUMP.

Rowen felt his chest grow tight and he lost his breath as he fell to his knees instantly. It was like someone was stepping on his chest squeezing him tight, and his vision swam. It went dark for a moment, but he could see Tony sliding to his side yelling his name as he grasped at his chest. Every nerve in his body burned as lost the strength in his limbs to keep himself up. He could see Natasha on her phone calling for an ambulance, and his eyes went dark again. He heard a faint familiar laughter and felt a searing pain through his side, as his vision went completely black...

"Did you really think you could run from me, Suiko?"

Rowen saw blood momentarily as every nerve lit on fire. He yelled out as he grasped at his chest for air. Why couldn't he just breathe? He felt a searing pain in his chest again, and the quiet solitude of darkness was the only reprieve from pain. He heard a whisper from the voice, "Oh, Tenku, you are next..."