![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
cat-13145.livejournal.com) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
cap_ironman2009-09-29 02:44 pm
The Lucky One: Chapter 3
Rating: R
Fandom: Marvel - probably Movieverse, but it can be read as AU.
Pairings: Tony/Tiberius, pre-slash Steve/Tony,
Part word count: 787
Genre: Drama, angst, hurt/comfort, character study
Warnings: This is a horrible fic, and I have no idea what Tony Stark did to make me do this to him. This first chapter contains references to: Non Con/Rape (I'm not sure what the difference is), Child abuse, Physical and Mental abuse, vomit and Voilence. The warnings will probably increase as the fic progresses
Disclaimer: I own none of these characters and make no profit from them
Part Summary: Tony's Coming Home, but things aren't sorted yet.
Thanks:
![[info - personal]](https://s.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
jazzypom
a terrfic beta Author's note: Please, please, please do not kill me for what I do to Tony. I promise it will get better. Apologisies for the weird formating at the end, LiveJournal won't let me alter it.
Thank you for any and all comments
Chapter 3
“Cap.”
How Nick Fury managed to just melt into the shadows until he wanted you to see him was one of the mysteries of the universe, along with how come Bruce Banner’s pants didn’t spilt when he hulked out, and how on earth none of them had realised that Tiberius was beating Tony up?
“He’s sedated. Woke up while you weren’t here and freaked out a fair bit.”
Had none of them picked up?
“Tell me you didn’t know Nick.” He said, softly. Nick's eyes didn't meet Steve's.
“Tell me you didn’t.”
“Fuck it, Rogers.”
“Tell me you didn’t”
Nick was doing a fairly good impression of the X Men’s old leader, Cyclops, avoiding Steve's eyes as though he was wearing a visor
“Nick!”
“I had no proof. Even now I don’t.” At Steve’s expression he sighed. “What did Tony say to you? Ty. The man was in shock, barely conscious. Any Court, heck any attorney I take that to is going to say that he was asking you where Ty was, whether he was hurt or not, because it’s a heck of a lot more likely to most people, than one of the most powerful men in the world gets beaten up by his boyfriend!”
“The Injuries-”
“All they prove is that someone raped and attacked Stark,” The cigar in Nick’s mouth was moving up and down like it was on a spring. “Heck, I even know a couple of scum bags who’d argue that Stark liked it rough.” He spat on to the floor, making Steve very glad none of the hospital staff were around. He sighed. “Bottom line. We all know what happened, but we can’t prove it.”
“You’re saying Tiberius is going to get away this?!” Sometimes Nick wandered if Steve Rogers was honestly as innocent as he seemed. Heck, he was as old as Nick; he could remember how hard it was to get a conviction for domestic violence in 1940s. Things had moved on, but for a man whose partner of either sex was hurting them, things were borderline impossible.
“Legally. Yeah.” At Steve’s expression, he sighed. “Look, I’m doing what I can! How come you think the bastard hasn’t shown up here yet?”
This fact hadn’t occurred to Steve.
“My guys have been heading him off at every opportunity, Audits, inspections, fire alarms, fainting women, you name it we’ve done it.”
Nick’s eye bored into him. “There’s a couple of bits in the Avengers' charter, you can use. Technically it’s a UN Base, and Tiberius doesn’t have clearance, which supersedes names on medical records, and…”
he sighed. “Don’t look at me like that Steve, there’s nothing I can do.”
“Nothing?” Steve sounded skeptical.
“Even the director of SHIELD has his limits.”
“What were you planning to do once Tony was released?”
“I’ve got something’s set up, what kind of man do you think I am?”
“The kind who leaves a man in an abusive relationship and says nothing.”
Nick didn’t pale, but his eye seemed more vivid in his face. “Guess that makes two of us, Rogers, or didn’t you wonder how you’re so sure what happened when Stark’s said nothing!”
****
Everyone had chipped into to try and make Tony’s homecoming a little easier.
Janet had almost completely redesigned Tony’s room, and Carol had got rid of anything that Tiberius might have brought into the mansion.
Bruce had recommended the name of a good psychiatrist, and Hank had made sure that there was enough coffee brewing to keep a Rhino awake until Christmas. Peter had webbed a Banner saying, “WELCOME HOME TONY.” Unfortunately he and Clint had been scrapping about…something-Steve couldn’t honestly bring himself to care what-and Clint had fired a silly string arrow at Peter, missed and hit the banner. It now looked more appropriate to a Halloween celebration, but no one had had the heart to tell him that.
Clint was refusing to tell anyone what his contribution was, but Fury had called to warn that someone had broken his seals on the house, and Clint was nursing a burnt arm. Whatever it was had been hidden in a corner of the room, under a dust sheet and occasional made beeping noises.
Steve had spent most of the day in conference with Nick, who had briefed Stark Industries security that their boss was taking a vacation, and that Tiberius Stone was not to be admitted under any circumstances. He had issued the same instructions to JARVIS, who had informed him that Mr. Stone would be denied access to all properties.
Steve was fairly certain he saw a couple of Nick’s people hanging around on the sidewalk outside the Mansion, and he knew he’d seen Logan up a tree in the grounds.
He waited, and watched as the car pulled up and Tony got out. He had spoken to the hospital psychiatrist enough to get himself discharged, but he was still quiet.
Almost as soon as he saw Jan’s face, Steve wished he had warned them about what had happened.
Tony looked, quite simply, like a walking dead man.
He had lost weight, though how much was hard to gage as it had been a long time since any of them saw him outside of the armor, but it was obvious from the way the sweat pants were hanging off him that it had been a lot. His right eye was black and there was a white cast on his wrist.
But it wasn’t that which was making the other avengers stare. It was the eyes. Eyes that quite simply looked like they were dead inside.
What was worse was that Tony didn’t even seem aware of it.
Jan, with her status as Tony’s oldest friend, tried hard, pointing out the banner peter had made, leading him though to the kitchen and pouring him coffee, even offering to let him go down to the lab once he’d eaten something, but none of it made any effect.
Clint, in a last ditch attempt to get some response out of Tony, flung the dust cover off the machine, revealing:
“Dummy? That’s your big secret?” Peter enquired, but Before he and Clint can start having one of their arguments more suited to six year olds, the robot rolled over and gently nudged Tony in the thigh, like a confused dog asking its master what’s wrong.
Tony blinked, almost, but not quite waking up, and looked down at the robot, who was regarding him with what Steve would have called an mixture of hurt and confusion on its “face.” It whirred softly. Unthinkingly, Tony's fingers slipped down to pet the robot.
Those thin fingers running over the casing sounded like an explosion in the room, interrupted a moment later by the trilling of Steve’s phone. Withdrawing it from his pocket, he was surprised to see a text from Logan.
“Let it b. He’ll b alright.” Steve didn’t ask how Logan was so sure of this, given the man hadn’t left his tree as far as Steve could tell since Tony’s arrival, but the mutant was normally the expert in such matters.
“Come on,” he said, gently placing a hand on Tony’s shoulder. “We can do this later.”
Tony flinched at the touch, but he didn’t pull away.
With Dummy bringing up the rear, Steve guided Tony upstairs, carefully opening the bedroom door.
“Jan redesigned it, but she says you can alter anything you don’t like.” He watched as Tony stared around the room, hardly seeming to take anything in.
“See you in the morning.” He muttered, more for something to say. The door was almost closed, when he heard a voice say softly, “Thanks.”
****
“You should have learned your lesson earlier, Tony." Ty’s voice was soft, like silk, the way it always was when he was angry with Tony, when he was punishing him.
"How many times do I have to reprimand you before you learn your lesson?" his thumb was brushing gently against a cut on his face, moving down towards his mouth, while the other hand stroked softly at his jeans.
“It’s a pity someone else got involved.”
Steve! Desperately Tony turned his head, trying to locate him. In a corner, he can see a crumpled pile of red, white and blue.
“No.” he cried, hating the pleading note in his voice, but seeing no other option. “Don’t, Ty.”
Hands tear at the jeans, and at his shirt, stripping him, leaving him exposed.
Ty knelt above him looking down at his handiwork.
“I wish you could see yourself now Tony,” He muttered softly, producing lube from somewhere, the scent of vanilla hanging heavily in the air.
“so exposed, so pretty.” His fingers stroked around Tony’s mouth again, a cruel smile on his lips. “Everyone sees it. Everyone knows. You’re begging for it aren’t you?” his fingers have moved down to Tony’s cock, stroking it.
Tony struggled, trying desparately to get free, but Ty was bigger than he was stronger his arms feeling like steel bars conpressing Tony's chest. Eventually, he lay still, hoping it would be over quickly.
In one sense it was, as the clock ticking told him that it only last a few moments. But the pain, the bruises, Tony knew he'd bear them for days. And there was nothing he could do about it.
“What are you Tony?” Ty’s voice asked, silkily.
He swallowed eyes downcast. “I’m a whore.”
Ty’s eyes narrowed. “Somehow I don’t think you believe it.” He’s gripping Tony’s shoulders, harsher than before and…
“NO!” Tony sat bolt up right, sweat running off his back, his lungs feeling like someone had lit a fire in them.
He gasped, drawing the cool air down into them, trying to get himself back in control.
“Just a dream,” he muttered, but it was based on facts.
He glanced around the dark room, his eyes resting on the red glow of the digital alarm clock.
03:30.
He sighed. No way was he getting back to sleep now. Slowly he slid off the bed and pulled the sweatshirt back on. Jan had said something about getting him something else to wear, but it was three am, so who was honestly going to be around? He got his answer to that when he padded into the living room. Through the open plan design, he could see into the kitchen, where Steve Rogers sat, laptop balanced on the kitchen table.
“Tony.” He said, looking up , concern in those soft blue eyes. “Everything O.K?”
He couldn’t bring himself to say anything, so he just dropped into a chair next to him.
“Bad dreams.” He muttered after a pause. Steve gave him a rueful smile.
“Same.” He moved over and poured another mug of hot chocolate. Feeling Tony’s eyes on the back of his neck, he elaborated. “Bucky, my old partner, falling…and others. People I couldn’t save.” He doesn’t think it would be a good idea to add that Tony came into that category last night, his mind going over all the ways he failed him.
“I’ve been reassured by some old friends, that if they don’t stop, they do get easier.”
“Old friends?” Tony looked surprised and Steve grinned.
“More than you might think made it home.” He said, softly. “You can meet them if you want.”
“I’d like that.” Tony said, enjoying watching a smile creep across Cap’s face, and the one he could feel on his own.
Suddenly, without warning, he yawned.
“You should get some sleep.” Steve said.
“Not tired.” He muttered. “Can’t sleep anyway.” At Steve’s raised eyebrow, he sighed. “Ty coming to get me. Hurting…others.”
You hung unspoken in the air.
Steve’s eyes softened. “He can’t get in.” he said, standing up and guiding Tony over to the kitchen window. In the dim light from the streets, four figures standing stock still against the undergrowth could be observed.
“Fury’s finest. And Logan is out there up a tree somewhere, and it’ll be a cold day in hell before anyone gets past him.
Especially spineless cowards, who hit people they’re supposed to care about, his brain supplied.
“Even if he could get passed them, you programmed JARVIS to protect you, right? So he won’t let him in.”
Tony muttered something about programming, and Steve had to resist the desire to wake everyone else up by asking JARVIS if Tiberius was allowed in. He took a look at Tony, trying to remember what he’d been reading online about domestic abuse, rape and post-traumatic stress (which he had known as combat fatigue or going bomb happy). Survivors tended to avoid places or objects that reminded them of the event.
“You could sleep on the couch,” he offered, cautiously as he didn’t want Tony to bolt. “I’m not going to get back to sleep, so I can sit up and make sure no one disturbs you.”
It’s a mark of how tired he was that Tony agreed to the plan and let Steve help (read: all but carried him) to the couch.
Steve found a crocheted blanket from a chest, and it was comfortable. He watched, half amused, half saddened, as Tony fought to keep his eyes open. But slowly, they closed. His breathing evened out, and while he still twitched and whimpered occasionally (reminding Steve strongly of a stray mutt that Bucky had adopted while they were in France. Or Logan), for the most part he was still.
For the first time since that morning, Steve allowed himself to relax and to believe Tony would be alright.
TBC
Whoa.
Cut Problems
the text appears highlighted in grey, but for some reason isn't registered when posted. The formating problem appears to be fixed, but after nearly a hour wrestling with it to get there, I am seriously considering just writing drabbles!
no subject
I'm looking forward to read more of it, you're doing a great job capturing the characters.
no subject
Yes, there has been a couple of problems with my cuts too, but I...well I thought it was just me, because I'm new at all this.
XD
Anyway, keep this going! I want to know what happens next.
no subject
And Yay! for putting Dummy in there.
no subject
If you have trouble again, select your text, cut it, click the tab for the HTML editor, paste your fic back in. Then you can switch back to the Rich Text editor to add in your LJ-cut/bold for the header information/lj user tags/whatever. If you don't know what I mean by the Rich Text and HTML editors, here's the FAQ to read