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cap_ironman2012-09-10 06:14 pm
tresmaxwell.livejournal.com) wrote in cap_ironman2012-09-10 06:14 pm
Fic: The Altar of Human Sacrifice Chap. 6, NC-17
Universe: Movie
Rating: NC-17
Warnings: Sex. Yay, sex.
Beta: None
Summary: Everyone has an opinion, but Tony doesn't care.
Pairings/Characters: Steve/Tony, pre-established
Word Count: About 7,500
Chapter Five - LINK
Chapter Six - Don't Take My Stuff
A/N - So. Many. Characters... oh my lord, what was I thinking. I don't have a beta, as usual, so point out mistakes for me. I'll edit them when they're discovered.
xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Multitasking for Tony was like breathing to everyone else. It didn't take any effort. While Fury talked about the Brotherhood, Tony absorbed all of it and simultaneously penned out the designs for his new suit. He'd turned over the documents Fury had given to him and sketched dozens of potential concepts that wouldn't react to Magneto's mental control. His equations were getting too long for the paper.
"Mr. Stark, are we boring you?" Fury growled mid-sentence.
Tony waved his hand without looking up, "No, go on. I got it so far. Magneto has a helmet that keeps the good professor from finding him with the power amplifier he built in the basement. Though," tapping the pen to his jaw, Tony asked, "why aren't you searching for one of the teammates instead? Why look for him when he can block you- Graphene!"
The others stared at him blankly.
Tony rapidly adjusted his designs, marking through features that wouldn't calibrate with the material, "Nothing, continue. Just had an idea."
Graphene was still in the prototype phase, but prototype had never been a dirty word to Tony. In the article he'd read a few months ago, the initial testing showed a lot of promise for the material. He would need to synthesize a batch and do additional experiments to see if it would fit the bill, but his paper calculations had potential. It had the tinsel strength of metal and the conductivity of silicone. On the downside, his suit would be very light. Though, that could be an upside as well.
Outside of Tony's realm of propulsion and thrust-to-weight ratios, Professor X spoke, "There is no need to reprimand him, Director, he is capable of focusing on both issues at once. Magneto's allies are easier to track, as you say, but I believe Erik has replicated his helmet on a larger scale to hide them. The material he found to block my telepathy could be used to line a building, for example. Whenever they come into my realm of influence, they are alone."
"Magneto is always careful," Cyclops mentioned, drawing a snort from Wolverine. His eyes weren't visible beneath the pseudo-sunglasses, but the scowl he aimed in Wolverine's direction said enough. "What we don't know is what he's doing with this woman, she's not a mutant. Magneto doesn't usually associate with anyone who doesn't have the 'gift'. What's her role here?"
The Avengers shifted uncomfortably. Clint looked at the table, Steve crossed his arms over his chest and stepped away from the group, and Tony stopped writing. Thor and Natasha stayed quiet.
In his lap, Annika said, "You forgot to cube the trans-substantiated variable, Daddy."
When Fury's expression asked 'should she be here', Tony added the tiny three above the variable Annika indicated and shook his head, "She's not paying attention." To demonstrate, Tony asked, "Annika, do you want to go get some ice cream?"
The dark-haired girl slid her chubby fingers under the lines Tony's work, her lips moving as she silently read over the equation.
"See?"
"Your daughter has a remarkable mind, Mr. Stark, not something she inherited from you considering her actual parentage."
Tony glared, but it was Steve who snapped at the professor, "Raisa signed over her rights, so Annika IS ours. Don't suggest otherwise."
"It was not meant as an offense."
"You know damn well what it meant."
"Gentlemen," Fury's tone warned them into silence. "To get back on point, Raisa Golovin is a threat we've dealt with before. Using blood from two members of our team, she generated a serum that could transform ordinary men into creatures that had remarkable strength-"
"And rage issues," Clint tossed in.
Sinking down in his seat, Bruce twiddled his thumbs anxiously. He ran a hand through his mop of hair and gave a tight, half-smile, "It was a serum I'd been working on."
Tony could feel Steve's growing tension at his back. He didn't need to be in contact with the soldier, his anger was almost a physical presence. Steve never really forgave Bruce for the unauthorized experiment. It was a subject they all avoided. Tony heard the slide of fabric on leather and could picture Steve hooking his thumbs into his belt, his jaw set in a hard line.
Banner continued, "She modified the formula, it was meant to stabilize my... condition, not make other people change."
Wolverine pushed off the wall, his compact frame reminding Tony of a large predator preparing to spring. The man was small, but Tony remembered how effective he was in the fight in Washington. His voice was gruff, the way someone might sound after they'd woken up from a long nap, "Those are the things you called me in for a few months ago? They weren't so tough."
"Try fighting forty or fifty of them," Tony groused. "She got enough blood this time to make hundreds of them. Maybe thousands."
"But she's missing half the formula. She might be able to replicate the serum for the Captain, but she'd need the Stark tech that finished the job and those blueprints were vaulted," Bruce reminded them.
Tony was suddenly grateful he'd never digitized the rest of his old man's work. Though, officially, the blueprints still belonged to SHIELD and the US government, he wanted them back in his possession. Tony had seen them before, secretly taken a few photos he could study later, but he wasn't allowed access to them for long. The photos never made it into his AI's database, Fury deleted them before Tony ever got to the door. Not that he'd admit it, but the director was smart to do so, or they would've been one of the things Raisa stole when she hacked Jarvis.
Banner glanced around, his eyes jittery like he was searching for a way out. There was no green in them, so he wasn't panicking. It still made the others nervous, Natasha in particular. The spy slipped a bandaged hand beneath the table, presumably going for her gun even though they all knew Banner didn't respond well to getting shot.
Bruce drummed his fingers on the glass tabletop, his brow creasing, "From the data I gathered, I concluded that Erskine's original formula was based around the idea of lifting the human body to its greatest potential. It took what was already there-"
"Making what was good, great and what was bad, worse," Steve finished for him.
For the first time since the meeting started, Rogue raised her voice to be heard. She did it tentatively; as though she wasn't certain if she had the right to speak. Considering her age, she couldn't have been on the team long, "But you said he doesn't have the technology, right? How can they replicate it if they don't have everything they need?"
Her boyfriend, Tony could recognize an awkward young couple anywhere, cleared his throat, "Can they change the formula so they don't need the Stark stuff?"
Bruce spread his hands helplessly and shrugged, "It's possible. Raisa altered the original serum significantly in a very short period of time..."
"But there were casualties," Tony said and set his pen on the table. Annika snatched it the moment it left his hand, writing equations on another sheet in the big, sloppy letters of a child. With everyone's undivided attention, Tony explained, "In the warehouse... there were rooms, cells really, of failed experiments. Probably a hundred or so. She had to do a lot of testing before she got it right."
"And, when you turned in your report, why wasn't that in it?" Fury asked flatly and leaned on the table.
Tony frowned. He never turned in reports. In fact, he rarely attended debriefs unless Steve dragged him. Tony didn't think he'd even told Steve about what happened inside the warehouse. They touched on it, Steve knew he was taken hostage and that he'd fought his way out, but the discussion ended there.
"Uh, because I was busy fighting the fruits of her labors in Russia."
It could've gone on, Fury had a dozen reasons to yell at him between the snarky remark and the missing paperwork, but Fury let it go with a sigh, "Alright, so she'll need subjects to test on. What about this public statement for the mutants to rise up? What do we know about that?"
"The guy's full of hot air," Wolverine answered and thumbed his nose. He went back to the wall, leaning casually as he dug around in his jacket pockets.
When he pulled out a cigar, Fury spoke without turning away from the table, "I would appreciate it if you didn't smoke in my aircraft carrier." The edge in Fury's voice made it sound more like, 'I will throw you off the side of this boat if you light that.'
With a snort and a smirk, Logan tucked the cigar in the corner of his mouth but put his lighter away in his jeans pocket.
"The Brotherhood is constantly expanding and changing, but he's never made a call-to-arms before," Xavier admitted. As he braced his chin on his knuckles, his smooth head caught the sunlight coming through the expansive windows at the helicarrier's prow. "It's possible it was only a tactic to lure the Captain out into the open-"
Tony made a mental note to yell at Steve about that. Walking into a trap had no tactical advantage whatsoever and the soldier should've known better.
"-but it was also a show of power. By proving he has no fear of the Avengers he's given other mutants a reason to flock to his cause. Wherever he's hiding, he won't hold these gatherings there. Our best chance of finding them will be to target his attempts to garner forces."
While the professor mused aloud, Tony finished the layout for the new arc. He wouldn't be able to install it alone and there was no way he'd ask Steve to do it. Tony glanced up at Banner, staring until the other scientist noticed, and then lifted the page to show him. Banner's eyebrows raised and curved inward like concerned caterpillars. He shook his head. Tony nodded. Banner sighed and averted his eyes in silent agreement. Or he didn't want to 'talk' about it anymore.
Steve thumped his ear and Tony jerked his head away, "Ow! What?"
"Stop distracting Bruce."
Thor chuckled at them. He was always amused by petty arguments. For the thousandth time, Tony thought he should make him watch the Three Stooges. Slapstick humor was right up the Asgardian's alley.
"I'm not distracting him, I was asking him a question," Tony had to crane his neck to glare at Steve.
It was too much work, so he rubbed his ear and went back to his designs. In case Steve did happen to glance down at his papers, Tony slipped the reactor specs beneath the MARK stuff. He wouldn't be able to hide the new reactor for long, since it would be obvious the first time they got naked together, but he could at least postpone the impending argument.
"We've already started the search, but we'll be limited to existing cameras and facial recognition. Concerning Mystique, it's a bit limited," Fury said and gestured at the collection of agents working the computers on the level below them. Images of Azazel and Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch were scattered across the screens, the searches running at full speed.
"I will use Cerebro to expand the hunt for them. If possible, I would like to leave Cyclops and Storm here. They know Magneto and the Brotherhood very well, they will be assets to you," the professor offered. As he mentioned each mutant by name, they stood almost at attention.
Xavier's concentration seemed divided. Like Tony, he was involved enough in the discussion to respond appropriately, but his gaze continually strayed to Annika. Tony wrapped a protective arm around her, narrowing his eyes at the psychic. The file on Professor X was not overly detailed. Tony knew he could look into the minds of others, but he wasn't sure why Xavier had an interest in his daughter.
When the professor noticed Tony's defensiveness, their eyes connected over the conference table. Tony felt him brush through his mind. It was a completely unique experience, like someone was remote-accessing his internal databanks. Not sure how to keep him out, Tony blinked rapidly and shook his head. He was still there, searching for something. Tony curled his hand into a fist on the table and turned a warning glare on him.
"Daddy?" Annika asked softly, her hand going to the corded muscle in his forearm. Her fingers left smears of pen ink on his skin. "What's wrong?"
Back in the conference room, the director nodded, "We'll be happy to have them. And I'd like to send one of my agents back with you and your team, so I stay informed. Ms. Roma-"
"I'll go," Steve said abruptly.
"You will?" Tony questioned and rotated in the swivel chair. His brow line climbed his forehead.
There was no reason for Steve to go, especially since he was the Avengers ground commander. One of the super spies could keep Fury informed and wouldn't be an obvious void in their defenses if they were gone. Well, there would still be a void, Tony figured out a long time ago that the spies could hold their own, but the void wouldn't be AS big if it was one of them. Tony didn't know how long it would take him to fabricate a new suit. The team would be down by two heavy hitters if Steve took off with Xavier.
Without a sound, Annika got off Tony's lap and ducked around the chair so she could reach the paperwork. She turned over another document, her equation running onto it like a river that had broken through a dam. More scratchy, misshaped letters and numbers filled the white space.
Steve shrugged, but offered no explanation. As if he was just noticing all the science spilling out on the table in front of him, the soldier asked, "Aren't those files confidential? You can't leave here with those."
Tony cleared his throat and started gathering them into a stack. He let Annika keep the one she was working on, tapping the others on the tabletop so the edges lined up.
"We would be honored to have the Captain ride along with us," Xavier got back to the topic at hand, not missing a beat. "If you can spare him, director."
Wolverine groaned and rolled his eyes, "Great. Exchange one tight ass for another." Tony liked him, he seemed like he'd be a good drinking buddy. He was just as moody and snarky as Tony could be some days.
"With two of yours with me, we'll be fine," Fury straightened and went over to the rail that separated the floors of the command deck. One of the computer techs reported that they still didn't have any matches and he turned back to the group. "Mr. Stark-"
Tony talked over him, "I'm going back to New York to build a new suit. I'm taking Banner."
"Do I get a say in this?" Bruce took off his glasses and rubbed the bridge of his nose. Folding them up, he hooked the frames in the collar of his shirt and reminded Tony, "I'm not going to be much use. I'm a biomedical scientist, not a mechanical engineer. And I'm definitely not that kind of doctor."
"Why would you need a doctor?"
Tony didn't acknowledge his husband's question, focusing instead on getting Banner to come back to the tower with him, "Look, if I'm going to get this thing operational before the next mission, I'm going to need another pair of hands. I trust your hands, not any SHIELD stoogey hands Fury is about to offer."
Fury crossed his arms over his chest and let out a slow huff of air. Tony was intentionally ambiguous about what it was he wanted Bruce's help with. The only one in the room that would know any better was Xavier and Tony didn't see why he would say anything. It was Tony's chest on the line, after all.
"You know the tech, Banner. I need you on this," Tony added, giving the other scientist the best puppy-eyes he could manage. With the cocky edge his smile naturally took on, Tony knew it wasn't terribly effective.
Banner chuckled and ducked his head, "You're not even close to being cute enough to pull that off."
"Steve disagrees with you."
"The doc is right, not cute enough," Natasha chipped in.
Tony rolled an annoyed look in her direction.
Before they could get any deeper in their childish banter, Fury cut into the argument, "Dr. Banner, we need Stark back online as soon as possible. If you can hurry things along, or even keep him focused, I would appreciate it."
Banner pressed his lips together, his laughter subdued, but not hidden, "I don't think anyone can keep Tony completely focused, but I'll try."
"Good enough."
As the group broke apart, Tony asked Annika about her equation and listened intently as she explained it. He took her hand and led her to the door while she talked about subatomic quarks. Steve followed closely, his hand going to the small of Tony's back.
"We're going to have a chat before you ship out with them," Tony said, his voice low.
Steve's thumb rubbed gently along his spine, "I figured."
Behind them, Fury dished out the last of the orders, giving them check-in times and rendezvous instructions as they moved in mass through the double doors. The X-Men mingled loosely with the Avengers, each group mostly keeping to themselves. Natasha and Clint fell into step together. They talked in low tones, but Tony caught Annika's name and looked up.
As he studied them, Clint broke away from the redhead, "Stark, your kid is-"
"Unique," Xavier's voice was gentle, but firm enough to make the archer go silent.
The professor came out of the control room last, Cyclops pushing his wheelchair through the scattered groups of mutants and heroes. Thor stepped back to give him enough room to pass. Instead of breaking apart to execute orders, the collection of people stayed to listen. The spies and demi-god exchanged glances that made Tony rub his daughter's hand.
"Unique doesn't really cover it, she's brilliant," Tony defended, his brow creasing as he tried to figure out why the mutants were so keenly interested in what was going on.
Ever nervous, Annika edged closer to his leg. Steve's fingers stilled, but stayed spread out on Tony's bare skin. His family was uncomfortable, unsettled by what was going on and it fed Tony's irritation.
Xavier agreed with him, but Tony knew appeasement when he heard it, "Yes, of course. She has a deep understanding of technology, doesn't she?"
"Your kid's a muta-" Clint stopped with his mouth open. As Xavier's gaze passed over him, he closed it and took a step back, his expression darkening. Tony didn't miss the tightening of the archer's shoulder muscles or the slight twitch in Xavier's expression.
"I'm sorry, Agent Barton, but things cannot be approached that way," the words were quiet and strangely calming. Xavier smiled at Tony, "There is much to explain. Your daughter has some extremely unique abilities that she is still learning to control."
Tony pressed into Steve's hand, letting his husband speak while he analyzed what they refused to say out loud. He knew before Xavier said it. Annika was a mutant. It made sense. The appliances going nuts without remote activation, the way she accessed parts of the tower that had high-level security encryption, it all fit.
The genome that caused mutation had a million different iterations, hundreds of thousands of possible outcomes that could manifest as anything from regeneration to the manipulation of matter. Annika's specific iteration gave her access to the inner workings of technologically advanced machines. It probably had a name, but Tony didn't need a name for it.
"We can teach her control," Steve said, surprising Tony. With a statement like that, he had to know about her already. Tony wondered why he didn't tell him.
Exuding authority, voice crackling, Storm informed them otherwise, "She needs to learn with those who understand her."
Xavier raised one hand to quiet Storm, keeping his attention focused on Tony and Steve, "Your daughter is a technopath. It is a very rare ability, but she would do well in my school for the gifted. We can teach her how to handle her powers, how to control them and help them grow."
"She should remain with her adoptive guardians," Thor argued for them. The big blond was in his toned down battle gear, exposing his massive arms and the intimidating flex as he put himself between the mutants and the Avengers. "No matter her capabilities, she should not be usurped from her home."
"Most mutants don't have a home after their discovered, happens all the time," Wolverine growled, stepping up to Thor. The top of his head was barely even with the demi-god's shoulders, but his snarl wasn't affected by it. He had enough attitude to compensate. He jabbed a finger in Thor's broad chest, his jaw rotating as he moved his unlit cigar from one side of his mouth to the other, "And I don't like your tone, bub."
Clint braced his hands on his belt, "SHIELD has programs that could handle her training-"
"Absolutely not. We're not going to weaponize our little girl," Steve had to shout to get over the rest of the voices.
The volume rose, X-Men and Avengers yelling and arguing and gesturing. Tony clenched his teeth. Everyone had an opinion on the matter and it was a jockeying match to be the loudest voice in the dispute. The chaos brought Fury out of the control room. It was only seconds before he was involved in it as well. As the tension in the hall boiled over, Annika buried her face in Tony's thigh. Her tiny fingers gripped the seams of his pants until the digits were pale.
Tony looked down at her, his hands tightening into fists. He couldn't hear her fearful whimper, but he felt her tears soak into the denim. Inhaling deeply, Tony shouted over all of them, "Shut the hell up!"
The arguments broke apart as attention turned to him. Tony picked up Annika, his bad shoulder shooting pain at the motion, and cradled her against his chest. With a wet sniffle, she latched onto his neck, the arc lighting the space between them. One of her braids slid across his back as she put her head down. Tony stroked her hair, his dark eyes seething.
His words fell like stones in the silence. They were directed at Steve, but meant for the group, "I'm taking our daughter home."
Tony walked through the helicarrier halls without looking back. The tromp of Steve's boots joined the slap of his bare feet and Tony slowed to match pace with him. They passed a few unoccupied labs before they made a left that would take them toward the flight deck and the jets. Tony considered Steve's unconscious admittance concerning Annika's abilities. His tone lacked any vehemence when he asked, "How long have you known?" After the verbal battle they'd left behind, Tony didn't feel like arguing with his husband too.
"Found out this morning. She busted the television and a few lights when you..." Steve let the rest of the sentence die. Tony knew what he meant. "Didn't exactly get the chance to bring it up."
"Did I do something bad?"
Tony and Steve stopped at the sound of Annika's broken, tearful question. SHIELD crew passed around them until Steve took Tony's elbow and gently maneuvered him to a quieter hall. The narrow walkway was lined with doors and officer nameplates. Tony wasn't sure whether they were living quarters or cubicles.
"Sweetie, why would you think you did something wrong?" Tony questioned, trying to hoist Annika high enough that he could see her face. He winced when his wounded arm refused to do the work.
Steve took her around the waist, his red, heavy-duty gloves a sharp contrast against the pastel floral pattern of her dress. He made a seat out of one arm, letting her legs dangle over his forearm and her body lean against his chest. The streaks on her face were drying, but her big, green eyes watered threateningly.
She rubbed roughly at her face with her palms, "Because the people keep coming to take me away." Her pitch sharpened and fractured as the tears started fresh, "Why would they take me if I was being good?"
Tony's lips thinned as Steve's features twisted with confusion. "Where'd she get that idea?" Tony asked before Steve got the chance. The soldier shrugged helplessly.
Tilting his daughter's chin up, Tony told her, "Whether you're good or bad, we still love you and we won't let anyone take you away. Do you understand?" When she didn't respond, he asked again, "Do you understand?"
"Yes, Daddy."
"Good," Tony sighed and brushed her tears away with his thumb.
Steve lifted her, pressing a kiss to the top of her head, "We should get you two on a jet. It's past lunch, bet you're hungry."
As he straightened, Tony caught a glimpse of the bruising at his husband's throat. It peaked through the fabric of his cowl, only visible because the mask hung off his shoulders. The battered flesh was already the ugly green and yellow of healing flesh, but it was still there, rising up past his Adam's apple as a dark reminder of their encounter. Tony's eyes stuck on it.
Steve talked easily as they walked, telling Annika that he wouldn't be coming home with them, but that he would be home soon. They discussed possible lunch options, Steve glancing over at Tony whenever she asked for something with a high fat content or too much sodium or sugar. It was one ongoing spat that Tony had no interest in at the moment. He walked a step ahead of Steve so he could watch the triangle of discolored flesh at the soldier's throat.
He wondered how it had bruised at all with all the blood Raisa had taken. Considering the amount of pressure Magneto applied with Tony's suit, the contusion had had time to rise before she got there. Steve's back should've been ripped up too. Tony's shoulder ached absently as he thought about it.
If the plan was to bring in Raisa, then Magneto wouldn't have killed Steve. They needed him. The explosion generated the opportunity for Steve to get away, but the stubborn bastard had stayed. Tony understood why, he knew why, but Steve could've gone and returned with backup.
"Tony, you alright?"
Tony's eyes tore away from the bruise and went to Steve's face. They traced the concern there, written in the crease between the soldier's brows and the parted lips. Tony wasn't sure whether he wanted to hit him or kiss him. He'd come so close to losing him. Their job description included a lot of close calls, but knowing that never made it any easier. When the situation was so hopeless it left Tony calculating that one of them might not make it out alive, the moment clung to him for days, sometimes weeks.
Annika multiplied that by a thousand. She needed them to come home after every mission, because she had no one else. As far as Tony was concerned, her mother was not an option. Raisa had so much hate built up inside her that it was leaking out her pores. Tony didn't want Annika anywhere near her. The visits in the penitentiary were different. Raisa was calm, almost normal once she was in jail, but loose, she reverted back to the personality she relied on for survival.
Steve put himself in a situation where Annika would lose both parents to a single event. Tony couldn't answer his question, because he was not 'alright'. He wasn't even close. When Tony got quiet, it was always a reason to worry, but Steve must've seen the anger in his eyes. The soldier didn't ask again.
When they got to the airlock that led outside, they found Banner waiting. The doctor had his threadbare sport coat thrown over his arm, his other hand stuffed in his pocket as he tried to dodge around the flights crews. There were more personnel than normal since they were prepping several jets. The pilot was easy to pick out of the collection of mechanics and inspectors. He was the only one not running. He passed by Bruce and said, "We'll be ready in twenty, sir."
"Uh, thank you," Banner responded uncertainly as the pilot saluted him and left. He crossed the room as Steve and Tony entered, looking over his shoulder toward the retreating pilot, "Do we officially have rank or something? I mean, you do, Steve, but what about-" Banner stopped talking when he spotted Tony's expression, his hands folding into their twiddling habit.
"Would you take her for a few minutes, Tony and I need to talk," Steve asked, setting Annika on her feet.
"Sure, I guess."
Kneeling to pull the hem of her dress straight, Steve soothed her before she could get too worked up, "Daddy and I will be back in a little bit, okay? Can you stay with Dr. Banner for me?"
Annika peered up at Bruce and he gave her a nervous smile. Banner was rarely around, but she knew him well enough that she wasn't going to run and hide in the nearest air duct. Pouting, she said, "Yeah."
"Yeah?" Steve echoed.
"Yes."
"Yes what?"
"Yes, sir."
Steve kissed her forehead and murmured, "Good girl. Daddy will be back in a minute, but I'm going to be gone a few days for work. Be good and I'll see you soon."
Tony waited until she'd hugged on him and they finished their goodbyes before he stalked deeper into the helicarrier. On his heels, Steve let out a loud exhale. It took a few locked doors for Tony to find an empty equipment room. There were several gun lockers along the wall and shelves of oxygen masks for the agents that needed to deal with threats on the deck. A prepping table held boxes of clips and magazines for the rifles.
Steve closed the door and Tony heard the click of the bolt sliding home, "Go ahead."
"You walked right into it!" Tony snarled, turning on his heel. "I told you it was a trap. You KNEW it was a trap, you didn't need me to tell you, and you came busting in anyway! You idiot!"
Steve stood with his thumbs hooked in his belt, back straight, shoulders squared, unmoved by Tony's anger. His words were even and low, "You were caught in the middle of it."
"I was the bait! Of course I was caught in the middle!" Tony shouted and flung his good arm through the air.
"Wouldn't hesitate to do it again."
Tony lifted his head, his nostrils flaring with his barely contained anger. His body hummed with it. Unable to stay still, Tony paced the tiny room. He could only take four steps before he had to change direction. Steve tracked him with his eyes, staying planted in front of the door with his feet shoulder-width apart.
The muscle in Steve's jaw twitched, but it was the only sign he was upset, "They were going to kill you-"
"Despite what everyone else seems to believe, you're not indestructible," Tony invaded Steve's space, standing toe-to-toe with him. "What was your contingency plan if they killed me anyway? You had no backup."
"Wasn't going to let that happen," Steve whispered, searching Tony's face. "If it were me, you would've done the same."
Tony knew it was true. He didn't need a plan before he jumped into action; he always dove headlong into the threat. The only thing he needed was a little incentive and he was there with weapons ready. If his husband was in danger, he wouldn't hesitate. Steve probably tried think of a good plan of attack before dropping into the middle of the Brotherhood. The problem was that there wasn't a good plan when a loved one was involved. It blinded to anything beyond 'save him'.
The rough palms of Steve's gloves touched his biceps and Tony's raging emotions morphed. He grabbed Steve's belt between the utility pockets, yanking him away from the door. Steve let Tony manhandle him. Without his cooperation, Tony wouldn't get him to go anywhere Steve didn't want to go. When Steve didn't want to move, it was like trying to drag a mule. A very big, blond mule.
Steve allowed Tony to maneuver him all the way to the table, sitting on the edge of it when Tony pushed him. As Tony frantically undid the catch to the utility belt, Steve peeled his gloves off. The moment the fabric was gone, Steve's overly large hands were in Tony's hair. They stroked through the messy strands, rubbing firmly at his scalp. Desperate heat bloomed in their movements. Steve's hands went from stroking to tugging as he drew Tony in to devour his mouth.
Tony shoved Steve's belt off and opened the catch underneath. Steve's costume was getting to be like his armor, Tony didn't have to see what he was doing to remove it. He knew every hook and button and zipper by heart. Tony slipped his hand into the durable material, gripping the soldier's hardening cock and drawing it out.
"Need," Tony breathed into Steve's lips.
"I know."
Steve hoisted him by the waistband of his pants and Tony spread his legs over the Captain's lap. Settling on his knees, Tony thumbed the button of his jeans out of the hole. Steve hooked the denim with his fingers, dragging it past Tony's ass and swelling cock. Already panting with arousal, the soldier gripped the globes of flesh and kissed the arc.
Tony couldn't wait for the daily worship to end. He stuck two fingers in his own mouth and slicked them with spit, reaching back to work himself open. His muscles were tight, but he pushed through them and spread his fingers. Spit was not lubricant. It got him wet but would do very little to ease the slide of Steve's cock. Tony didn't care. Even if it hurt, he needed to feel him.
Barely stretched, Tony pulled his fingers free and quickly stroked his husband's cock with what little spit was left. Steve blinked, his eyes contracted at the light from the arc as he glanced up at Tony.
When Tony guided the shaft to his hole, Steve's brow furrowed, "Wait, that's not enou-"
Tony shoved down anyway. He only took in a few inches before his body tightened around the invasion. Agony rose up his spine, hot and scalding. A ragged sound made it through his bared teeth as he rolled his body into the pain. Steve snatched his hips before he could go any farther, drawing him up off of his cock. The soldier pinned him against his chest with one arm, his grip a vice Tony couldn't break.
"Stop it," Steve murmured, making Tony shudder against him. "You're too dry. Don't want you to hurt yourself."
"Come off it, you've fucked me so hard I could barely walk," Tony growled and struggled in Steve's hold.
Hoisting him higher, Steve tilted his head back to look Tony in the eye. "Fucking you hard and fucking you raw are two different things," Steve argued softly and slipped two fingers into him. The lubricant was warm and Tony immediately filed it away as precome. Steve nuzzled under his jaw, being far sweeter than Tony felt he deserved, "I would tear you if we did it like that."
Tony tried to buck down onto his hand and speed things along, but Steve wouldn't let him move. When he'd nearly exhausted himself trying, Tony leaned on Steve's upper body and closed his eyes. Thorough and gentle as always, Steve took his time adding another finger. He coated Tony's insides and prepared the muscles more effectively, stretching him with three digits.
Eyes half-lidded with pleasure, Tony saw the bruising at Steve's throat again. He pushed the neckline of the cowl aside so he could examine the thick band of green and purple circling Steve's neck. Throat constricting in response, Tony pressed his cheek to Steve's forehead. His nails scratched over the blue, ultra-light Kevlar as a choked whimper crawled out his mouth.
The fingers in him retracted and both of Steve's hands went to his back, smoothing over his tense shoulders. Steve brought him to eye-level, resettling Tony on his knees, and wrapped him in a comforting hold. His lips brushed Tony's ear as he told him, "I'm okay. It's okay. It's all fine."
"It's not fine," Tony bit out. "He used me to get to you."
Tony breathed deeply through his nose, fisting Steve's uniform shirt as he tried to get a lid on his emotions. Anger and fear and despair rushed through him. They tugged at his chest and made his eyes sting. Tony hated feeling so out of control. Very few things could pitch him into turmoil of this degree, so few that he couldn't remember the last time he'd been so upset.
"Tony..." Steve kissed the skin below his ear, at the junction of his neck and jaw. "If you can't find an alternative to your titanium, I don't want you involved in this."
"I've already found it," Tony said immediately. "And it's a gold titanium alloy, not just titanium."
"But if you can't get the other stuff to work-"
"I will. Don't worry about my end, you just hunt these bastards down."
Steve sat up and kissed him. The wet slide of their mouths was loud in the equipment room, their tongues meeting roughly in the middle. Tony groaned low and opened his lips wider so Steve could get inside and dominate the kiss.
Feeling the nudge of Steve's cock, Tony took him in again. Being filled still sent traces of pain zigzagging up his body, but it was familiar pain. It was the slow burn of stretching out to accept Steve into him. His muscles relaxed around the shaft and Tony slid easily down to the base. When he felt Steve's crotch settle against his ass, he ground and rolled to feel the shape of his husband's dick.
Steve gasped and grabbed Tony's hips to still him, "Clearly you're okay. I didn't hurt you?"
"Nah, I'm peachy," Tony said and wriggled, forcing himself to tease Steve even though he wasn't really in the mood for it, "But next time, you get to bottom."
He was expecting Steve to ignore the comment, or outright deny it, or to flush and say he'd rather not. What Tony was not expecting was for Steve to go, "Alright, sounds swell."
Contact heat from the idea fried Tony's brain like an egg. His eyes went wide, bewilderment settling over everything else. When he stopped moving, Steve lifted him with the hold on his hipbones and slid deep again. The soldier moaned, not noticing Tony's stare until the second thrust.
Pausing, Steve drew back a little, "What?"
Tony continued to stare.
"What?" Steve rubbed a thumb over one of his cheekbones, "Honey, are you sure you're okay?"
Tony blinked once, very slowly, "I'm sorry, I had to reboot. Did you just say you would let me fuck you, or was I hallucinating that?"
A lewd grin curled the corner of Steve's mouth. His gaze was soft, amused but incredibly fond as he resumed pumping Tony on his cock. Each move made his biceps and chest bulge beneath his uniform, "You didn't think I was giving it to Bucky when I weighed a hundred pounds, did you? We went both ways after."
"Hold on, hold on," Tony gestured wildly with one hand, his face scrunching as he digested what he was hearing, "I could've been buried in that perfect ass for well over a YEAR and you never bothered to mention it?"
"You never asked," Steve said plainly, offering a slight shrug.
Tony glared at him, "Oh, I'm not going to forget this. Next time, I get to top. Maybe a couple of times. If I was really going to get even, I should be on top for the next year."
"But you like having me inside you too much for that," Steve explained the unvoiced part of that thought and Tony, unfortunately, couldn't disagree with it. His smile grew when Tony didn't respond, "Did I hit a nerve?"
"Shut up and move, soldier boy."
They couldn't find a pace, there was too much desperation hanging over them for that. Tony grumbled until Steve let his hips go, slamming down onto Steve's cock the moment he was loose. Rolling his whole body into the action, Tony rode him hard and fast. The rhythm would surface for a few seconds and then Steve would buck under him and it vanished in frantic groans.
"Oh yes," Steve crooned as sweat gathered at his brow. "Oh yes, Tony, faster, baby."
For once, Steve stayed passive under him. Tony was expecting that to change any moment, for him to lift him and push him against the wall or spread him out on the table, but it didn't happen. Steve palmed his erection and watched Tony with lust-blown pupils.
It wasn't meant to last. They didn't have time for anything drawn out. Tony cradled the back of Steve's head, leaning in to touch their lips together. As Steve wrapped a hand around his cock, Tony growled and increased his speed until he bounced off Steve's thighs with each slam. The upward stroke brought his erection deep into the sheath of Steve's hot palm, dragging him dangerously close to the edge.
Steve pressed his thumb into the underside and scraped it over the sensitive head on Tony's next thrust and Tony's release shuddered through him. Body seizing and bowing, Tony shot in hot spurts on their stomachs. He clenched his mouth shut to subdue the animal sounds, forcing them into a growl that hissed through his teeth.
As his interior walls contracted around Steve's cock, the soldier returned his sticky hand to Tony's hip and humped up into him. Tony absently realized that he'd gotten off the table and was holding Tony up as he rode out his release. Steve made one, sharp noise that was akin to a grunt and spilled inside Tony. Rolling his hips, Tony gave Steve a little extra friction to milk the last of the come.
Gasping, Tony said, "Your costume is going to stain."
"Let it, I have spares."
Steve sat back on the table and Tony wound his arms and legs around him so he could feel his heartbeat. He spread his palm over the star, relaxing at the rise and fall of Steve's chest. They clung to each other as Steve's cock softened inside him and come slid slowly down Tony's stomach. The desperation passed. They were both alive. They'd made it.
There would always be days like this, Tony knew there was no way around it. Not every mission was life threatening, but they would always find enemies that pushed them to their limits. Tony slanted his lips over Steve's mouth, letting them linger there.
Be safe, he thought, words he was afraid to say out loud. It was as if speaking them to the air would curse them, though Tony didn't believe in things like that. Superstitions were ridiculous. Still, he kept his mouth shut.
"I'll meet you at the rendezvous," Tony stated, his voice confident.
Steve nodded, "Alright. Get some sleep at some point and make sure Annika gets to bed too. I know how the two of you are."
"Yeah, yeah."
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TBC...
Holy crap that was a long chapter. There was just so much I wanted to put in it that it kept growing! I know the sex scene was not as long as usual, but they had a time limit. And I seriously hate writing scenes with a million characters... I'm splitting up the groups for the sake of my sanity. Steve gets to hang out with Wolverine, could be awkward.
Rating: NC-17
Warnings: Sex. Yay, sex.
Beta: None
Summary: Everyone has an opinion, but Tony doesn't care.
Pairings/Characters: Steve/Tony, pre-established
Word Count: About 7,500
Chapter Five - LINK
Chapter Six - Don't Take My Stuff
A/N - So. Many. Characters... oh my lord, what was I thinking. I don't have a beta, as usual, so point out mistakes for me. I'll edit them when they're discovered.
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Multitasking for Tony was like breathing to everyone else. It didn't take any effort. While Fury talked about the Brotherhood, Tony absorbed all of it and simultaneously penned out the designs for his new suit. He'd turned over the documents Fury had given to him and sketched dozens of potential concepts that wouldn't react to Magneto's mental control. His equations were getting too long for the paper.
"Mr. Stark, are we boring you?" Fury growled mid-sentence.
Tony waved his hand without looking up, "No, go on. I got it so far. Magneto has a helmet that keeps the good professor from finding him with the power amplifier he built in the basement. Though," tapping the pen to his jaw, Tony asked, "why aren't you searching for one of the teammates instead? Why look for him when he can block you- Graphene!"
The others stared at him blankly.
Tony rapidly adjusted his designs, marking through features that wouldn't calibrate with the material, "Nothing, continue. Just had an idea."
Graphene was still in the prototype phase, but prototype had never been a dirty word to Tony. In the article he'd read a few months ago, the initial testing showed a lot of promise for the material. He would need to synthesize a batch and do additional experiments to see if it would fit the bill, but his paper calculations had potential. It had the tinsel strength of metal and the conductivity of silicone. On the downside, his suit would be very light. Though, that could be an upside as well.
Outside of Tony's realm of propulsion and thrust-to-weight ratios, Professor X spoke, "There is no need to reprimand him, Director, he is capable of focusing on both issues at once. Magneto's allies are easier to track, as you say, but I believe Erik has replicated his helmet on a larger scale to hide them. The material he found to block my telepathy could be used to line a building, for example. Whenever they come into my realm of influence, they are alone."
"Magneto is always careful," Cyclops mentioned, drawing a snort from Wolverine. His eyes weren't visible beneath the pseudo-sunglasses, but the scowl he aimed in Wolverine's direction said enough. "What we don't know is what he's doing with this woman, she's not a mutant. Magneto doesn't usually associate with anyone who doesn't have the 'gift'. What's her role here?"
The Avengers shifted uncomfortably. Clint looked at the table, Steve crossed his arms over his chest and stepped away from the group, and Tony stopped writing. Thor and Natasha stayed quiet.
In his lap, Annika said, "You forgot to cube the trans-substantiated variable, Daddy."
When Fury's expression asked 'should she be here', Tony added the tiny three above the variable Annika indicated and shook his head, "She's not paying attention." To demonstrate, Tony asked, "Annika, do you want to go get some ice cream?"
The dark-haired girl slid her chubby fingers under the lines Tony's work, her lips moving as she silently read over the equation.
"See?"
"Your daughter has a remarkable mind, Mr. Stark, not something she inherited from you considering her actual parentage."
Tony glared, but it was Steve who snapped at the professor, "Raisa signed over her rights, so Annika IS ours. Don't suggest otherwise."
"It was not meant as an offense."
"You know damn well what it meant."
"Gentlemen," Fury's tone warned them into silence. "To get back on point, Raisa Golovin is a threat we've dealt with before. Using blood from two members of our team, she generated a serum that could transform ordinary men into creatures that had remarkable strength-"
"And rage issues," Clint tossed in.
Sinking down in his seat, Bruce twiddled his thumbs anxiously. He ran a hand through his mop of hair and gave a tight, half-smile, "It was a serum I'd been working on."
Tony could feel Steve's growing tension at his back. He didn't need to be in contact with the soldier, his anger was almost a physical presence. Steve never really forgave Bruce for the unauthorized experiment. It was a subject they all avoided. Tony heard the slide of fabric on leather and could picture Steve hooking his thumbs into his belt, his jaw set in a hard line.
Banner continued, "She modified the formula, it was meant to stabilize my... condition, not make other people change."
Wolverine pushed off the wall, his compact frame reminding Tony of a large predator preparing to spring. The man was small, but Tony remembered how effective he was in the fight in Washington. His voice was gruff, the way someone might sound after they'd woken up from a long nap, "Those are the things you called me in for a few months ago? They weren't so tough."
"Try fighting forty or fifty of them," Tony groused. "She got enough blood this time to make hundreds of them. Maybe thousands."
"But she's missing half the formula. She might be able to replicate the serum for the Captain, but she'd need the Stark tech that finished the job and those blueprints were vaulted," Bruce reminded them.
Tony was suddenly grateful he'd never digitized the rest of his old man's work. Though, officially, the blueprints still belonged to SHIELD and the US government, he wanted them back in his possession. Tony had seen them before, secretly taken a few photos he could study later, but he wasn't allowed access to them for long. The photos never made it into his AI's database, Fury deleted them before Tony ever got to the door. Not that he'd admit it, but the director was smart to do so, or they would've been one of the things Raisa stole when she hacked Jarvis.
Banner glanced around, his eyes jittery like he was searching for a way out. There was no green in them, so he wasn't panicking. It still made the others nervous, Natasha in particular. The spy slipped a bandaged hand beneath the table, presumably going for her gun even though they all knew Banner didn't respond well to getting shot.
Bruce drummed his fingers on the glass tabletop, his brow creasing, "From the data I gathered, I concluded that Erskine's original formula was based around the idea of lifting the human body to its greatest potential. It took what was already there-"
"Making what was good, great and what was bad, worse," Steve finished for him.
For the first time since the meeting started, Rogue raised her voice to be heard. She did it tentatively; as though she wasn't certain if she had the right to speak. Considering her age, she couldn't have been on the team long, "But you said he doesn't have the technology, right? How can they replicate it if they don't have everything they need?"
Her boyfriend, Tony could recognize an awkward young couple anywhere, cleared his throat, "Can they change the formula so they don't need the Stark stuff?"
Bruce spread his hands helplessly and shrugged, "It's possible. Raisa altered the original serum significantly in a very short period of time..."
"But there were casualties," Tony said and set his pen on the table. Annika snatched it the moment it left his hand, writing equations on another sheet in the big, sloppy letters of a child. With everyone's undivided attention, Tony explained, "In the warehouse... there were rooms, cells really, of failed experiments. Probably a hundred or so. She had to do a lot of testing before she got it right."
"And, when you turned in your report, why wasn't that in it?" Fury asked flatly and leaned on the table.
Tony frowned. He never turned in reports. In fact, he rarely attended debriefs unless Steve dragged him. Tony didn't think he'd even told Steve about what happened inside the warehouse. They touched on it, Steve knew he was taken hostage and that he'd fought his way out, but the discussion ended there.
"Uh, because I was busy fighting the fruits of her labors in Russia."
It could've gone on, Fury had a dozen reasons to yell at him between the snarky remark and the missing paperwork, but Fury let it go with a sigh, "Alright, so she'll need subjects to test on. What about this public statement for the mutants to rise up? What do we know about that?"
"The guy's full of hot air," Wolverine answered and thumbed his nose. He went back to the wall, leaning casually as he dug around in his jacket pockets.
When he pulled out a cigar, Fury spoke without turning away from the table, "I would appreciate it if you didn't smoke in my aircraft carrier." The edge in Fury's voice made it sound more like, 'I will throw you off the side of this boat if you light that.'
With a snort and a smirk, Logan tucked the cigar in the corner of his mouth but put his lighter away in his jeans pocket.
"The Brotherhood is constantly expanding and changing, but he's never made a call-to-arms before," Xavier admitted. As he braced his chin on his knuckles, his smooth head caught the sunlight coming through the expansive windows at the helicarrier's prow. "It's possible it was only a tactic to lure the Captain out into the open-"
Tony made a mental note to yell at Steve about that. Walking into a trap had no tactical advantage whatsoever and the soldier should've known better.
"-but it was also a show of power. By proving he has no fear of the Avengers he's given other mutants a reason to flock to his cause. Wherever he's hiding, he won't hold these gatherings there. Our best chance of finding them will be to target his attempts to garner forces."
While the professor mused aloud, Tony finished the layout for the new arc. He wouldn't be able to install it alone and there was no way he'd ask Steve to do it. Tony glanced up at Banner, staring until the other scientist noticed, and then lifted the page to show him. Banner's eyebrows raised and curved inward like concerned caterpillars. He shook his head. Tony nodded. Banner sighed and averted his eyes in silent agreement. Or he didn't want to 'talk' about it anymore.
Steve thumped his ear and Tony jerked his head away, "Ow! What?"
"Stop distracting Bruce."
Thor chuckled at them. He was always amused by petty arguments. For the thousandth time, Tony thought he should make him watch the Three Stooges. Slapstick humor was right up the Asgardian's alley.
"I'm not distracting him, I was asking him a question," Tony had to crane his neck to glare at Steve.
It was too much work, so he rubbed his ear and went back to his designs. In case Steve did happen to glance down at his papers, Tony slipped the reactor specs beneath the MARK stuff. He wouldn't be able to hide the new reactor for long, since it would be obvious the first time they got naked together, but he could at least postpone the impending argument.
"We've already started the search, but we'll be limited to existing cameras and facial recognition. Concerning Mystique, it's a bit limited," Fury said and gestured at the collection of agents working the computers on the level below them. Images of Azazel and Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch were scattered across the screens, the searches running at full speed.
"I will use Cerebro to expand the hunt for them. If possible, I would like to leave Cyclops and Storm here. They know Magneto and the Brotherhood very well, they will be assets to you," the professor offered. As he mentioned each mutant by name, they stood almost at attention.
Xavier's concentration seemed divided. Like Tony, he was involved enough in the discussion to respond appropriately, but his gaze continually strayed to Annika. Tony wrapped a protective arm around her, narrowing his eyes at the psychic. The file on Professor X was not overly detailed. Tony knew he could look into the minds of others, but he wasn't sure why Xavier had an interest in his daughter.
When the professor noticed Tony's defensiveness, their eyes connected over the conference table. Tony felt him brush through his mind. It was a completely unique experience, like someone was remote-accessing his internal databanks. Not sure how to keep him out, Tony blinked rapidly and shook his head. He was still there, searching for something. Tony curled his hand into a fist on the table and turned a warning glare on him.
"Daddy?" Annika asked softly, her hand going to the corded muscle in his forearm. Her fingers left smears of pen ink on his skin. "What's wrong?"
Back in the conference room, the director nodded, "We'll be happy to have them. And I'd like to send one of my agents back with you and your team, so I stay informed. Ms. Roma-"
"I'll go," Steve said abruptly.
"You will?" Tony questioned and rotated in the swivel chair. His brow line climbed his forehead.
There was no reason for Steve to go, especially since he was the Avengers ground commander. One of the super spies could keep Fury informed and wouldn't be an obvious void in their defenses if they were gone. Well, there would still be a void, Tony figured out a long time ago that the spies could hold their own, but the void wouldn't be AS big if it was one of them. Tony didn't know how long it would take him to fabricate a new suit. The team would be down by two heavy hitters if Steve took off with Xavier.
Without a sound, Annika got off Tony's lap and ducked around the chair so she could reach the paperwork. She turned over another document, her equation running onto it like a river that had broken through a dam. More scratchy, misshaped letters and numbers filled the white space.
Steve shrugged, but offered no explanation. As if he was just noticing all the science spilling out on the table in front of him, the soldier asked, "Aren't those files confidential? You can't leave here with those."
Tony cleared his throat and started gathering them into a stack. He let Annika keep the one she was working on, tapping the others on the tabletop so the edges lined up.
"We would be honored to have the Captain ride along with us," Xavier got back to the topic at hand, not missing a beat. "If you can spare him, director."
Wolverine groaned and rolled his eyes, "Great. Exchange one tight ass for another." Tony liked him, he seemed like he'd be a good drinking buddy. He was just as moody and snarky as Tony could be some days.
"With two of yours with me, we'll be fine," Fury straightened and went over to the rail that separated the floors of the command deck. One of the computer techs reported that they still didn't have any matches and he turned back to the group. "Mr. Stark-"
Tony talked over him, "I'm going back to New York to build a new suit. I'm taking Banner."
"Do I get a say in this?" Bruce took off his glasses and rubbed the bridge of his nose. Folding them up, he hooked the frames in the collar of his shirt and reminded Tony, "I'm not going to be much use. I'm a biomedical scientist, not a mechanical engineer. And I'm definitely not that kind of doctor."
"Why would you need a doctor?"
Tony didn't acknowledge his husband's question, focusing instead on getting Banner to come back to the tower with him, "Look, if I'm going to get this thing operational before the next mission, I'm going to need another pair of hands. I trust your hands, not any SHIELD stoogey hands Fury is about to offer."
Fury crossed his arms over his chest and let out a slow huff of air. Tony was intentionally ambiguous about what it was he wanted Bruce's help with. The only one in the room that would know any better was Xavier and Tony didn't see why he would say anything. It was Tony's chest on the line, after all.
"You know the tech, Banner. I need you on this," Tony added, giving the other scientist the best puppy-eyes he could manage. With the cocky edge his smile naturally took on, Tony knew it wasn't terribly effective.
Banner chuckled and ducked his head, "You're not even close to being cute enough to pull that off."
"Steve disagrees with you."
"The doc is right, not cute enough," Natasha chipped in.
Tony rolled an annoyed look in her direction.
Before they could get any deeper in their childish banter, Fury cut into the argument, "Dr. Banner, we need Stark back online as soon as possible. If you can hurry things along, or even keep him focused, I would appreciate it."
Banner pressed his lips together, his laughter subdued, but not hidden, "I don't think anyone can keep Tony completely focused, but I'll try."
"Good enough."
As the group broke apart, Tony asked Annika about her equation and listened intently as she explained it. He took her hand and led her to the door while she talked about subatomic quarks. Steve followed closely, his hand going to the small of Tony's back.
"We're going to have a chat before you ship out with them," Tony said, his voice low.
Steve's thumb rubbed gently along his spine, "I figured."
Behind them, Fury dished out the last of the orders, giving them check-in times and rendezvous instructions as they moved in mass through the double doors. The X-Men mingled loosely with the Avengers, each group mostly keeping to themselves. Natasha and Clint fell into step together. They talked in low tones, but Tony caught Annika's name and looked up.
As he studied them, Clint broke away from the redhead, "Stark, your kid is-"
"Unique," Xavier's voice was gentle, but firm enough to make the archer go silent.
The professor came out of the control room last, Cyclops pushing his wheelchair through the scattered groups of mutants and heroes. Thor stepped back to give him enough room to pass. Instead of breaking apart to execute orders, the collection of people stayed to listen. The spies and demi-god exchanged glances that made Tony rub his daughter's hand.
"Unique doesn't really cover it, she's brilliant," Tony defended, his brow creasing as he tried to figure out why the mutants were so keenly interested in what was going on.
Ever nervous, Annika edged closer to his leg. Steve's fingers stilled, but stayed spread out on Tony's bare skin. His family was uncomfortable, unsettled by what was going on and it fed Tony's irritation.
Xavier agreed with him, but Tony knew appeasement when he heard it, "Yes, of course. She has a deep understanding of technology, doesn't she?"
"Your kid's a muta-" Clint stopped with his mouth open. As Xavier's gaze passed over him, he closed it and took a step back, his expression darkening. Tony didn't miss the tightening of the archer's shoulder muscles or the slight twitch in Xavier's expression.
"I'm sorry, Agent Barton, but things cannot be approached that way," the words were quiet and strangely calming. Xavier smiled at Tony, "There is much to explain. Your daughter has some extremely unique abilities that she is still learning to control."
Tony pressed into Steve's hand, letting his husband speak while he analyzed what they refused to say out loud. He knew before Xavier said it. Annika was a mutant. It made sense. The appliances going nuts without remote activation, the way she accessed parts of the tower that had high-level security encryption, it all fit.
The genome that caused mutation had a million different iterations, hundreds of thousands of possible outcomes that could manifest as anything from regeneration to the manipulation of matter. Annika's specific iteration gave her access to the inner workings of technologically advanced machines. It probably had a name, but Tony didn't need a name for it.
"We can teach her control," Steve said, surprising Tony. With a statement like that, he had to know about her already. Tony wondered why he didn't tell him.
Exuding authority, voice crackling, Storm informed them otherwise, "She needs to learn with those who understand her."
Xavier raised one hand to quiet Storm, keeping his attention focused on Tony and Steve, "Your daughter is a technopath. It is a very rare ability, but she would do well in my school for the gifted. We can teach her how to handle her powers, how to control them and help them grow."
"She should remain with her adoptive guardians," Thor argued for them. The big blond was in his toned down battle gear, exposing his massive arms and the intimidating flex as he put himself between the mutants and the Avengers. "No matter her capabilities, she should not be usurped from her home."
"Most mutants don't have a home after their discovered, happens all the time," Wolverine growled, stepping up to Thor. The top of his head was barely even with the demi-god's shoulders, but his snarl wasn't affected by it. He had enough attitude to compensate. He jabbed a finger in Thor's broad chest, his jaw rotating as he moved his unlit cigar from one side of his mouth to the other, "And I don't like your tone, bub."
Clint braced his hands on his belt, "SHIELD has programs that could handle her training-"
"Absolutely not. We're not going to weaponize our little girl," Steve had to shout to get over the rest of the voices.
The volume rose, X-Men and Avengers yelling and arguing and gesturing. Tony clenched his teeth. Everyone had an opinion on the matter and it was a jockeying match to be the loudest voice in the dispute. The chaos brought Fury out of the control room. It was only seconds before he was involved in it as well. As the tension in the hall boiled over, Annika buried her face in Tony's thigh. Her tiny fingers gripped the seams of his pants until the digits were pale.
Tony looked down at her, his hands tightening into fists. He couldn't hear her fearful whimper, but he felt her tears soak into the denim. Inhaling deeply, Tony shouted over all of them, "Shut the hell up!"
The arguments broke apart as attention turned to him. Tony picked up Annika, his bad shoulder shooting pain at the motion, and cradled her against his chest. With a wet sniffle, she latched onto his neck, the arc lighting the space between them. One of her braids slid across his back as she put her head down. Tony stroked her hair, his dark eyes seething.
His words fell like stones in the silence. They were directed at Steve, but meant for the group, "I'm taking our daughter home."
Tony walked through the helicarrier halls without looking back. The tromp of Steve's boots joined the slap of his bare feet and Tony slowed to match pace with him. They passed a few unoccupied labs before they made a left that would take them toward the flight deck and the jets. Tony considered Steve's unconscious admittance concerning Annika's abilities. His tone lacked any vehemence when he asked, "How long have you known?" After the verbal battle they'd left behind, Tony didn't feel like arguing with his husband too.
"Found out this morning. She busted the television and a few lights when you..." Steve let the rest of the sentence die. Tony knew what he meant. "Didn't exactly get the chance to bring it up."
"Did I do something bad?"
Tony and Steve stopped at the sound of Annika's broken, tearful question. SHIELD crew passed around them until Steve took Tony's elbow and gently maneuvered him to a quieter hall. The narrow walkway was lined with doors and officer nameplates. Tony wasn't sure whether they were living quarters or cubicles.
"Sweetie, why would you think you did something wrong?" Tony questioned, trying to hoist Annika high enough that he could see her face. He winced when his wounded arm refused to do the work.
Steve took her around the waist, his red, heavy-duty gloves a sharp contrast against the pastel floral pattern of her dress. He made a seat out of one arm, letting her legs dangle over his forearm and her body lean against his chest. The streaks on her face were drying, but her big, green eyes watered threateningly.
She rubbed roughly at her face with her palms, "Because the people keep coming to take me away." Her pitch sharpened and fractured as the tears started fresh, "Why would they take me if I was being good?"
Tony's lips thinned as Steve's features twisted with confusion. "Where'd she get that idea?" Tony asked before Steve got the chance. The soldier shrugged helplessly.
Tilting his daughter's chin up, Tony told her, "Whether you're good or bad, we still love you and we won't let anyone take you away. Do you understand?" When she didn't respond, he asked again, "Do you understand?"
"Yes, Daddy."
"Good," Tony sighed and brushed her tears away with his thumb.
Steve lifted her, pressing a kiss to the top of her head, "We should get you two on a jet. It's past lunch, bet you're hungry."
As he straightened, Tony caught a glimpse of the bruising at his husband's throat. It peaked through the fabric of his cowl, only visible because the mask hung off his shoulders. The battered flesh was already the ugly green and yellow of healing flesh, but it was still there, rising up past his Adam's apple as a dark reminder of their encounter. Tony's eyes stuck on it.
Steve talked easily as they walked, telling Annika that he wouldn't be coming home with them, but that he would be home soon. They discussed possible lunch options, Steve glancing over at Tony whenever she asked for something with a high fat content or too much sodium or sugar. It was one ongoing spat that Tony had no interest in at the moment. He walked a step ahead of Steve so he could watch the triangle of discolored flesh at the soldier's throat.
He wondered how it had bruised at all with all the blood Raisa had taken. Considering the amount of pressure Magneto applied with Tony's suit, the contusion had had time to rise before she got there. Steve's back should've been ripped up too. Tony's shoulder ached absently as he thought about it.
If the plan was to bring in Raisa, then Magneto wouldn't have killed Steve. They needed him. The explosion generated the opportunity for Steve to get away, but the stubborn bastard had stayed. Tony understood why, he knew why, but Steve could've gone and returned with backup.
"Tony, you alright?"
Tony's eyes tore away from the bruise and went to Steve's face. They traced the concern there, written in the crease between the soldier's brows and the parted lips. Tony wasn't sure whether he wanted to hit him or kiss him. He'd come so close to losing him. Their job description included a lot of close calls, but knowing that never made it any easier. When the situation was so hopeless it left Tony calculating that one of them might not make it out alive, the moment clung to him for days, sometimes weeks.
Annika multiplied that by a thousand. She needed them to come home after every mission, because she had no one else. As far as Tony was concerned, her mother was not an option. Raisa had so much hate built up inside her that it was leaking out her pores. Tony didn't want Annika anywhere near her. The visits in the penitentiary were different. Raisa was calm, almost normal once she was in jail, but loose, she reverted back to the personality she relied on for survival.
Steve put himself in a situation where Annika would lose both parents to a single event. Tony couldn't answer his question, because he was not 'alright'. He wasn't even close. When Tony got quiet, it was always a reason to worry, but Steve must've seen the anger in his eyes. The soldier didn't ask again.
When they got to the airlock that led outside, they found Banner waiting. The doctor had his threadbare sport coat thrown over his arm, his other hand stuffed in his pocket as he tried to dodge around the flights crews. There were more personnel than normal since they were prepping several jets. The pilot was easy to pick out of the collection of mechanics and inspectors. He was the only one not running. He passed by Bruce and said, "We'll be ready in twenty, sir."
"Uh, thank you," Banner responded uncertainly as the pilot saluted him and left. He crossed the room as Steve and Tony entered, looking over his shoulder toward the retreating pilot, "Do we officially have rank or something? I mean, you do, Steve, but what about-" Banner stopped talking when he spotted Tony's expression, his hands folding into their twiddling habit.
"Would you take her for a few minutes, Tony and I need to talk," Steve asked, setting Annika on her feet.
"Sure, I guess."
Kneeling to pull the hem of her dress straight, Steve soothed her before she could get too worked up, "Daddy and I will be back in a little bit, okay? Can you stay with Dr. Banner for me?"
Annika peered up at Bruce and he gave her a nervous smile. Banner was rarely around, but she knew him well enough that she wasn't going to run and hide in the nearest air duct. Pouting, she said, "Yeah."
"Yeah?" Steve echoed.
"Yes."
"Yes what?"
"Yes, sir."
Steve kissed her forehead and murmured, "Good girl. Daddy will be back in a minute, but I'm going to be gone a few days for work. Be good and I'll see you soon."
Tony waited until she'd hugged on him and they finished their goodbyes before he stalked deeper into the helicarrier. On his heels, Steve let out a loud exhale. It took a few locked doors for Tony to find an empty equipment room. There were several gun lockers along the wall and shelves of oxygen masks for the agents that needed to deal with threats on the deck. A prepping table held boxes of clips and magazines for the rifles.
Steve closed the door and Tony heard the click of the bolt sliding home, "Go ahead."
"You walked right into it!" Tony snarled, turning on his heel. "I told you it was a trap. You KNEW it was a trap, you didn't need me to tell you, and you came busting in anyway! You idiot!"
Steve stood with his thumbs hooked in his belt, back straight, shoulders squared, unmoved by Tony's anger. His words were even and low, "You were caught in the middle of it."
"I was the bait! Of course I was caught in the middle!" Tony shouted and flung his good arm through the air.
"Wouldn't hesitate to do it again."
Tony lifted his head, his nostrils flaring with his barely contained anger. His body hummed with it. Unable to stay still, Tony paced the tiny room. He could only take four steps before he had to change direction. Steve tracked him with his eyes, staying planted in front of the door with his feet shoulder-width apart.
The muscle in Steve's jaw twitched, but it was the only sign he was upset, "They were going to kill you-"
"Despite what everyone else seems to believe, you're not indestructible," Tony invaded Steve's space, standing toe-to-toe with him. "What was your contingency plan if they killed me anyway? You had no backup."
"Wasn't going to let that happen," Steve whispered, searching Tony's face. "If it were me, you would've done the same."
Tony knew it was true. He didn't need a plan before he jumped into action; he always dove headlong into the threat. The only thing he needed was a little incentive and he was there with weapons ready. If his husband was in danger, he wouldn't hesitate. Steve probably tried think of a good plan of attack before dropping into the middle of the Brotherhood. The problem was that there wasn't a good plan when a loved one was involved. It blinded to anything beyond 'save him'.
The rough palms of Steve's gloves touched his biceps and Tony's raging emotions morphed. He grabbed Steve's belt between the utility pockets, yanking him away from the door. Steve let Tony manhandle him. Without his cooperation, Tony wouldn't get him to go anywhere Steve didn't want to go. When Steve didn't want to move, it was like trying to drag a mule. A very big, blond mule.
Steve allowed Tony to maneuver him all the way to the table, sitting on the edge of it when Tony pushed him. As Tony frantically undid the catch to the utility belt, Steve peeled his gloves off. The moment the fabric was gone, Steve's overly large hands were in Tony's hair. They stroked through the messy strands, rubbing firmly at his scalp. Desperate heat bloomed in their movements. Steve's hands went from stroking to tugging as he drew Tony in to devour his mouth.
Tony shoved Steve's belt off and opened the catch underneath. Steve's costume was getting to be like his armor, Tony didn't have to see what he was doing to remove it. He knew every hook and button and zipper by heart. Tony slipped his hand into the durable material, gripping the soldier's hardening cock and drawing it out.
"Need," Tony breathed into Steve's lips.
"I know."
Steve hoisted him by the waistband of his pants and Tony spread his legs over the Captain's lap. Settling on his knees, Tony thumbed the button of his jeans out of the hole. Steve hooked the denim with his fingers, dragging it past Tony's ass and swelling cock. Already panting with arousal, the soldier gripped the globes of flesh and kissed the arc.
Tony couldn't wait for the daily worship to end. He stuck two fingers in his own mouth and slicked them with spit, reaching back to work himself open. His muscles were tight, but he pushed through them and spread his fingers. Spit was not lubricant. It got him wet but would do very little to ease the slide of Steve's cock. Tony didn't care. Even if it hurt, he needed to feel him.
Barely stretched, Tony pulled his fingers free and quickly stroked his husband's cock with what little spit was left. Steve blinked, his eyes contracted at the light from the arc as he glanced up at Tony.
When Tony guided the shaft to his hole, Steve's brow furrowed, "Wait, that's not enou-"
Tony shoved down anyway. He only took in a few inches before his body tightened around the invasion. Agony rose up his spine, hot and scalding. A ragged sound made it through his bared teeth as he rolled his body into the pain. Steve snatched his hips before he could go any farther, drawing him up off of his cock. The soldier pinned him against his chest with one arm, his grip a vice Tony couldn't break.
"Stop it," Steve murmured, making Tony shudder against him. "You're too dry. Don't want you to hurt yourself."
"Come off it, you've fucked me so hard I could barely walk," Tony growled and struggled in Steve's hold.
Hoisting him higher, Steve tilted his head back to look Tony in the eye. "Fucking you hard and fucking you raw are two different things," Steve argued softly and slipped two fingers into him. The lubricant was warm and Tony immediately filed it away as precome. Steve nuzzled under his jaw, being far sweeter than Tony felt he deserved, "I would tear you if we did it like that."
Tony tried to buck down onto his hand and speed things along, but Steve wouldn't let him move. When he'd nearly exhausted himself trying, Tony leaned on Steve's upper body and closed his eyes. Thorough and gentle as always, Steve took his time adding another finger. He coated Tony's insides and prepared the muscles more effectively, stretching him with three digits.
Eyes half-lidded with pleasure, Tony saw the bruising at Steve's throat again. He pushed the neckline of the cowl aside so he could examine the thick band of green and purple circling Steve's neck. Throat constricting in response, Tony pressed his cheek to Steve's forehead. His nails scratched over the blue, ultra-light Kevlar as a choked whimper crawled out his mouth.
The fingers in him retracted and both of Steve's hands went to his back, smoothing over his tense shoulders. Steve brought him to eye-level, resettling Tony on his knees, and wrapped him in a comforting hold. His lips brushed Tony's ear as he told him, "I'm okay. It's okay. It's all fine."
"It's not fine," Tony bit out. "He used me to get to you."
Tony breathed deeply through his nose, fisting Steve's uniform shirt as he tried to get a lid on his emotions. Anger and fear and despair rushed through him. They tugged at his chest and made his eyes sting. Tony hated feeling so out of control. Very few things could pitch him into turmoil of this degree, so few that he couldn't remember the last time he'd been so upset.
"Tony..." Steve kissed the skin below his ear, at the junction of his neck and jaw. "If you can't find an alternative to your titanium, I don't want you involved in this."
"I've already found it," Tony said immediately. "And it's a gold titanium alloy, not just titanium."
"But if you can't get the other stuff to work-"
"I will. Don't worry about my end, you just hunt these bastards down."
Steve sat up and kissed him. The wet slide of their mouths was loud in the equipment room, their tongues meeting roughly in the middle. Tony groaned low and opened his lips wider so Steve could get inside and dominate the kiss.
Feeling the nudge of Steve's cock, Tony took him in again. Being filled still sent traces of pain zigzagging up his body, but it was familiar pain. It was the slow burn of stretching out to accept Steve into him. His muscles relaxed around the shaft and Tony slid easily down to the base. When he felt Steve's crotch settle against his ass, he ground and rolled to feel the shape of his husband's dick.
Steve gasped and grabbed Tony's hips to still him, "Clearly you're okay. I didn't hurt you?"
"Nah, I'm peachy," Tony said and wriggled, forcing himself to tease Steve even though he wasn't really in the mood for it, "But next time, you get to bottom."
He was expecting Steve to ignore the comment, or outright deny it, or to flush and say he'd rather not. What Tony was not expecting was for Steve to go, "Alright, sounds swell."
Contact heat from the idea fried Tony's brain like an egg. His eyes went wide, bewilderment settling over everything else. When he stopped moving, Steve lifted him with the hold on his hipbones and slid deep again. The soldier moaned, not noticing Tony's stare until the second thrust.
Pausing, Steve drew back a little, "What?"
Tony continued to stare.
"What?" Steve rubbed a thumb over one of his cheekbones, "Honey, are you sure you're okay?"
Tony blinked once, very slowly, "I'm sorry, I had to reboot. Did you just say you would let me fuck you, or was I hallucinating that?"
A lewd grin curled the corner of Steve's mouth. His gaze was soft, amused but incredibly fond as he resumed pumping Tony on his cock. Each move made his biceps and chest bulge beneath his uniform, "You didn't think I was giving it to Bucky when I weighed a hundred pounds, did you? We went both ways after."
"Hold on, hold on," Tony gestured wildly with one hand, his face scrunching as he digested what he was hearing, "I could've been buried in that perfect ass for well over a YEAR and you never bothered to mention it?"
"You never asked," Steve said plainly, offering a slight shrug.
Tony glared at him, "Oh, I'm not going to forget this. Next time, I get to top. Maybe a couple of times. If I was really going to get even, I should be on top for the next year."
"But you like having me inside you too much for that," Steve explained the unvoiced part of that thought and Tony, unfortunately, couldn't disagree with it. His smile grew when Tony didn't respond, "Did I hit a nerve?"
"Shut up and move, soldier boy."
They couldn't find a pace, there was too much desperation hanging over them for that. Tony grumbled until Steve let his hips go, slamming down onto Steve's cock the moment he was loose. Rolling his whole body into the action, Tony rode him hard and fast. The rhythm would surface for a few seconds and then Steve would buck under him and it vanished in frantic groans.
"Oh yes," Steve crooned as sweat gathered at his brow. "Oh yes, Tony, faster, baby."
For once, Steve stayed passive under him. Tony was expecting that to change any moment, for him to lift him and push him against the wall or spread him out on the table, but it didn't happen. Steve palmed his erection and watched Tony with lust-blown pupils.
It wasn't meant to last. They didn't have time for anything drawn out. Tony cradled the back of Steve's head, leaning in to touch their lips together. As Steve wrapped a hand around his cock, Tony growled and increased his speed until he bounced off Steve's thighs with each slam. The upward stroke brought his erection deep into the sheath of Steve's hot palm, dragging him dangerously close to the edge.
Steve pressed his thumb into the underside and scraped it over the sensitive head on Tony's next thrust and Tony's release shuddered through him. Body seizing and bowing, Tony shot in hot spurts on their stomachs. He clenched his mouth shut to subdue the animal sounds, forcing them into a growl that hissed through his teeth.
As his interior walls contracted around Steve's cock, the soldier returned his sticky hand to Tony's hip and humped up into him. Tony absently realized that he'd gotten off the table and was holding Tony up as he rode out his release. Steve made one, sharp noise that was akin to a grunt and spilled inside Tony. Rolling his hips, Tony gave Steve a little extra friction to milk the last of the come.
Gasping, Tony said, "Your costume is going to stain."
"Let it, I have spares."
Steve sat back on the table and Tony wound his arms and legs around him so he could feel his heartbeat. He spread his palm over the star, relaxing at the rise and fall of Steve's chest. They clung to each other as Steve's cock softened inside him and come slid slowly down Tony's stomach. The desperation passed. They were both alive. They'd made it.
There would always be days like this, Tony knew there was no way around it. Not every mission was life threatening, but they would always find enemies that pushed them to their limits. Tony slanted his lips over Steve's mouth, letting them linger there.
Be safe, he thought, words he was afraid to say out loud. It was as if speaking them to the air would curse them, though Tony didn't believe in things like that. Superstitions were ridiculous. Still, he kept his mouth shut.
"I'll meet you at the rendezvous," Tony stated, his voice confident.
Steve nodded, "Alright. Get some sleep at some point and make sure Annika gets to bed too. I know how the two of you are."
"Yeah, yeah."
xxxxxxxxxxxxx
TBC...
Holy crap that was a long chapter. There was just so much I wanted to put in it that it kept growing! I know the sex scene was not as long as usual, but they had a time limit. And I seriously hate writing scenes with a million characters... I'm splitting up the groups for the sake of my sanity. Steve gets to hang out with Wolverine, could be awkward.
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They have a war at some point, I think. But they're not going to end up in a real fight here, just minor conflict.
Anyways, glad you're enjoying it :)
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