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The Avengers: Tainted Love	By : ParadoxdelaPaladino Category: Marvel Verse Movies > Avengers, The Views: 6390 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: I do not own the Fandom of Avengers or anything Marvel. I do not own the characters. I make no profit, money, etc. from it. I own nothing. :)

Chapter List
- 15
- 16
- 17
Author’s Note: I’m back – did you miss me? I’ve been back to the motherland for the past month and catching up with school and boring stuff like that – but now I’m back, baby!
Thank you to my beta, Paradise!
~*~
A cold shiver crept into his hand and the blood rushing to his face dulled any sound. He clenched his fist around nothing. Electric static surrounded his body like a second skin and he let it run up the length of his arm. With a flex, he released it towards the last remaining infrastructure of the carrier.
With the chains surrounding him, Thor attempted a desperate escape but gravity had other plans. His stomach lurched as the weight of the chain pulled him down through the broken ground.
In a state of panic he called his hammer which sprung to his hand. Without proper leverage he could do no more than strike at the chains that bound him. He spun out of control, seeing only a blur and he braced himself for the ground.
Instead, he slammed into a blurred red object. Metal grinded against metal but to his chagrin the chains remained. He hit the ground and watched the dirt rise up to form his grave.
~*~
“Thor! Thor, wake up!”
A hand shook his arm growing more desperate with each shout of his name. One blue eye opened to watch the white mist form into a dark mass of hair. The figure brought his face closer and Thor smiled.
“Loki . . .”
“You are ever so lazy.”
Gratefully, Thor grasped the offered hand as he rose to his feet with a wobble.
“Come on, we’re almost there!” Loki ran away with impatience, sparing only a glance at Thor before darting away.
“Wait!”
With his strength returned, Thor clambered to his feet before bolting after his brother. He briefly registered that they were running in an endless white space accentuated by steams of lights in a grid pattern. As he ran, he jumped over jagged fragments of glass. Every direction looked the same; a white room stretching to eternity. Still Loki pressed on and Thor felt the burning in his lungs as he fought his own body’s exhaustion to keep pace.
At times he seemed close enough to grab Loki’s tunic but then his brother would reappear further ahead.
“Up ahead!”
Turning around with a smile, Loki disappeared into one of the jutting slivers of glass. With his heart racing, Thor darted towards the fragment, fearing that his brother had left him alone. A hand reached out from the glass, beckoning him forward. Without hesitation, Thor took it and felt an electric shock travel to his heart. For a moment he felt disjointed as if his body and mind had separated.
A rumble of voices rushed around him before another shock snapped him back together.
~*~
A warm light slowly caressed his brow, easing his eyes open. Hesitantly, Tony opened his eyes but could only see a grey haze. After a few more blinks his eyes fell upon a large red velvet armchair – his armchair. After a quick scan of the room, he sighed with relief.
He was home.
The covers suddenly felt constricting and he tried to remove them but found that his arm was numb. He began thrashing, hoping to get some blood flowing back into his limbs and after a moment he could finally feel his toes. Using his forearms, he pushed himself in a seating position as he tried to remember what had happened.
The invasion had not been a dream if the bandages around his torso were anything to go by. He forcefully pushed his mind forward, trying to remember every detail. The screams, the blood – the kiss.
Pressing his fingers to his lips, Tony smiled as he remembered the feel of Loki’s cool lips pressed against his own. He could still feel the weight of Loki’s body pressed against his before a sudden flash of green. When the smoke cleared he was alone with nothing more than a promise.
Before he had a chance to relieve the last moment, he felt a sharp pain run from his temple to the back of his head. Gingerly, he touched the spot, feeling a lump. Rubbing it seemed to trigger his memory.
After the burst of smoke, his eyes desperately searched the valley for any traces of the trickster.
“Sir! An object is–”
At the frantic voice of his AI, he had looked up to see a mass of chains. He flared his boosters a second too late and the object collided with him, pulling both of them towards the ground. Even with his boosters at full capacity, he could only slow his descent.
Pieces of his armor began bending with the weight, almost crushing him in the process. He was almost grateful when he was smashed into the ground below. In the last few moments of consciousness he remembered panicking as his armor began to give way. Fragments of iron had moved out of place and began digging into his skin. He began to suffocate and vaguely heard a roar before he passed out.
He moved his hand away from the bruise and looked at the peaceful ocean outside. The fact that he was home meant that Doom had disappeared, taking his army with him. However, he could find no logical explanation for him not waking up in a hospital. For the moment, he was grateful that he had not woken up somewhere in the bowels of S.H.I.E.L.D., handcuffed to a hospital bed at Fury’s request.
~*~
White lines flashed around him frantically until they began building a room filled with people whose faces were a blur. Beneath his grip he felt soft cloth as his body fell on what seemed to be a bed. Slowly, the face of a relieved nurse came into view. She touched his arm gently before walking away.
“Welcome back.”
He turned to see Fury move from his place against the wall. He nodded to the hospital personnel who quickly vacated the room. Still panting, Thor slowly relaxed into the comfort of the soft pillow underneath him. The sanitary smell of the hospital room brought his mind back into focus and he slowly sat up.
“What happened?”
“The carrier blew up and sent you hurtling towards Stark. We found you both in the ground. Fortunately, Dr. Banner still retained his transformation and was able to pull both you out of the crater you created.”
“Is Tony –”
“He’s fine. After a week when his vitals were stable, we transferred him back to his home.”
Thor leaned back with a sigh.
“My brother?”
“Gone. Would you have any idea where he went?”
Thor shook his head. His dream has been so real.
“You, on the other hand, had lapsed into a coma. Until today, you were not responding to any treatment.”

A sudden realization hit him. He had been in the white space before. When they were children, Thor had fallen down ravine, suffering a brutal concussion. Loki had just begun practicing magic and by some miracle was able to manifest himself into his unconscious mind. The fact that Loki had used the same trick meant two things – his magic was restored and their bond, while strained, was not broken. He smiled as he leaned back against the headboard.
“Actually, that’s what I wanted to talk about.”
Fury’s voice shook Thor out of his stupor and he stared at him in curiosity.
“What ails your mind, friend?”
“It has come to my attention that the weeks Mr. Stark and Loki spent together have bonded them,” he spoke slowly, choosing each word as carefully as possible.
“They are . . . allies?”
“Not quite, but they have developed a relationship, so to speak.”
He studied Thor’s blank expression and sighed, realizing that Thor only understood when things were spelt out to him.
“They have bonded . . . romantically.”
Fury stood silently, studying the muddied blue depths of Thor’s eyes. His emotions moved across his face in waves starting with surprise then drifting to anger and finally, worry.
“I have had a talk with Stark in order to make him understand that our mission to defend the Earth is our priority. And that –”
“I’m not worried for Tony,” calm cerulean eyes locked onto Fury’s remaining one. “I am worried for my brother. He lives in a world built by his own lies and misconceptions. He’s very passionate in his own self destruction and he does not need someone to uproot him further.”
The anger in Thor’s eyes surprised him, but Fury was able to keep an outward appearance of indifference.
“My concern is for the team. Anything else is details I do not care for. When you are well, we will have a meeting.”
Fury left the room wondering how the Avengers can hold together when two of its members sympathized with the enemy.
~*~
The smell of dull iron mingled with oil permeated the air and Tony breathed the scent in like the finest perfume. His eyes trailed down his collection of suits, lined up like soldiers ready for battle.
Pulling apart his newest suit was out of the question. His first suit, bulky and dull, would also remain untouched. Perhaps he was sentimental, but he could not destroy it. By process of elimination he chose the one in the middle.
With a few commands to his robots, the suit was pulled from the wall and moved into the center of his lab. With the eagerness of a child, he snatched a wrench and began to tear it apart. The lights above him flickered a few times but he paid no attention.
“Sir there’s been a breeea–aa–aa,” the once proper British voice of his AI began speaking in dubstep before completely turning off. Slowly, Tony stood up and turned away from the mess of wires and metal.
An eerie silence took over his lab and even dummy attempted to curl in on itself. He evened out his breathing, trying to be as quiet as possible, straining his ears for any sound. Upstairs, his TV turned on followed by his mixer and coffee maker. He bolted up the stairs to his living room with his wrench clutched tightly.
Channels flickered quickly on the TV and every electric utensil began moving on its own accord. One quick glance around his living room showed no signs of the intruder and he began running back downstairs for his suit, his heart a palpitating mess. The lights above him began turning strange colors before he heard –
The Soviet national anthem.
“Sir! There’s been a breach –”
“I noticed. May I say that your singing career is really taking off?”
If his AI could, it would roll its eyes. Instead it settled for: “I’m so happy you noticed, Sir. I’ve been practicing.”
When he entered his lab, Natasha was calmly inspecting his suits, scraping a fingernail against the paint before checking her manicure.
“I was looking for some new music.”
“Glad I could help,” Natasha smiled, her eyes traveling to the wrench in Tony’s hand. “Interesting choice of weapon.”
Tony shrugged. “I like to surprise myself.” He placed it on a table before walking over to his cabinet of scotch. “I wasn’t expecting a guest.” He pulled out two glasses and began filling them, enjoying the sharp odor.
“Drinking on the job?”
“How else do you get things done?” Tony tossed over his shoulder. When he turned around, Natasha was right in front of him. He barely suppressed a yelp.
“What are you, a ninja?”
She only smiled as she took the glass from his hand, taking a small sip. “How are your injuries?”
Tony looked down at the bandages still covering his chest. As if on cue, he felt a quick flash of pain in his ribs.
“I’m a little sore and I don’t remember much. How long was I out?”
“Two weeks. You remember what happened?”
“A giant thunderball hit me,” Tony smiled at his own joke. Natasha rolled her eyes.
“Yes and he smashed your suit around you. Luckily Bruce was there to help.”
Tony took a long swig of his drink, enjoying the familiar warm feeling burning a trail down his throat, leaving an aftertaste of burnt wood.
“I’m guessing Fury didn’t send you?”
“You guess correctly.” She finished her drink and shook her glass in front of him. He poured her another drink without fanfare. “Actually I dropped by to check on you.”
“And tampering with my system is how you say hello?”
She shrugged. “I wanted to see if I could hack it. Seemed like fun.”
He swirled the liquid in his glass, itching to ask what he really wanted to know.
“How come I’m here and not –”
“ – in the best room S.H.I.E.L.D. can offer?”
“I was going to say hospital.”
“No you weren’t.”
He stared at her, his eyes narrowing as he wondered how much she knew. To his ire she giggled.
“Everything.”
“What?”
“I know everything. I saw you and Prince Charming sharing a rather special moment near his cell.”
His knees suddenly felt weak as he stood there, petrified beyond belief. Natasha had seen him tenderly kiss the glass between him and Loki. A blush crept onto his cheeks and he quickly turned away and mechanically refilled his glass.
“I’d never thought I’d see the Tony Stark blush. How cute.”
He turned around with a glare only to spot Natasha comfortably sitting on his desk, dangling her legs as her hands gripped the sides. Part of him began to wonder if she had some sort of teleportation ability.
“So why did Fury let me stay here?”
“Once your vitals were stabilized, you had no need of a hospital. I convinced Fury to have you moved here.”
“Why would you do that?”
“Maybe because I know what it’s like to fall for the enemy.”
Their eyes locked for a brief moment before she turned her attention back to his suits, absentmindedly moving a lock of hair from her face. Sometimes he forgot that she was human and not a mindless killing machine.
There was a reason that Fury called the Avengers a rag-tag team and it had nothing to do with their skills. All of them had personalities on every end of the spectrum and even with his suit, Tony had never felt like a true member. Despite his love of being independent, he begrudgingly admitted that he wished he could have a few more friends in his life.
Thor was an Asgardian Prince and despite his loyalty to the team, he showed no signs of reaching out to establish a friendship with anyone, much less with Tony. Steve was a team-player only when it came to battle. After the dust cleared he retreated to the gym or to gaze at old photo albums; his mind forever in the past. Clint was in the business of being an assassin and nothing more. For some time, Tony had bonded with Bruce over science, but found that they became strangers once they left the lab.
By process of elimination he was left with Natasha who up until today seemed as distant as the rest.
“What?”
He started at her voice, realizing that he had been staring at her the whole time.
“Nothing. Just thinking. You want another drink?”
She hoisted herself off his table. “No thanks. I should be getting back.”
A feeling of loneliness began to overwhelm him making him suddenly realize why he asked Pepper to live with him.
“Do you need me to drive you home?”
Her eyebrow raised in a quiet question before she shook her head.
“I have a motorcycle in the front. See you around,” she was already at the stairs.
When his front door locked he sat down in his chair dejectedly. Suddenly, building a new suit did not interest him anymore.
~*~
The next few days passed in a haze and sometimes Tony needed to look at the clock to know what time it was. Even then, the hour had no meaning. He slept during the day and worked from evening well into morning before working a twenty-four hour shift and switching his sleep pattern again.
For the past few weeks, Pepper had been traveling the globe, attending various conferences in his place. She called him daily which should have annoyed him. Instead, he found himself looking forward to hearing the phone ring.
After the night in his lab, Natasha had not stopped by and a strange dread was beginning to brew in the back of his mind. He used his experiments to shove away any unpleasant thoughts. A mix of drinking and working dulled his senses to anything except hunger and sleep.
Pushing aside any unnecessary objects, he began assembling a metal bracer. He had intertwined bits of wire and microchips in the metal, hoping to move his creation past the purely mechanical stage. From across the lab, his phone dinged. His face perked up as he wondered whether Pepper was bored again. He flipped open the phone and read the text.
AVEGNERS ASSEMBLE AT BASE.
He tried to feel excited about seeing his teammates but part of him still held a small grudge. None of them had made contact; not even to ask about his injuries. A strange tension crept up into his shoulders but he dismissed the feeling as nervousness.
His body moved on autopilot as he showered and dressed. An hour later he drove into the headquarters with no memory of how he got there. Everything seemed the same, but he knew better. As his eyes roamed the complex, he felt like he was playing a real-time version of “what’s the difference in these two pictures?”
There were multiple cameras embedded into the surrounding buildings, leaving no corner unmonitored. The amount of S.H.I.E.L.D. agents had increased like an infestation as most walked around, weapon in hand, while others blended into the shadows.
The buildings seemed the same, only more fortified. An electrical spark trailing down the side of the main building caught his eye. Apparently, S.H.I.E.L.D. was now using shields. He laughed at the sad irony of having no one to share his joke with.
He waltzed in through the front entrance expecting some type of greeting. Instead, passing guards spared a brief glance before scurrying away.
“Welcome, Mr. Stark,” the secretary gave him a quick nod before returning her gaze to the computer monitor. Luckily, the new building had the same layout as its predecessor and he was able to find the conference room easily. He pushed open the door as quietly as he could.
“Good of you to join us, Mr. Stark.”
He fought the urge to return the remark with a snappy comeback of his own, but before he could open his mouth, Fury turned around towards the projection of the map behind him. With a sulk, he slid to the side, leaning against the wall for support.
“Doom has disappeared since our last encounter and has yet to resurface. In the mean time, we must make all necessary preparations for his imminent return.”
From the corner of his eye he spotted Clint fiddling with his bow as he listened. Next to him, Steve drummed his fingers on the conference table, keeping his attention fixed on Fury. Tony moved his eyes and they locked with Banner’s. The intensity of the doctor’s gaze let him know that there would definitely be an exchange of words after this meeting. He sighed in irritation as he let his eyes drift back to Fury.
“We have already fortified everything we can. Globally, our agents are on standby and will alert us the moment Doom reappears. However, we still have no idea of the whereabouts of Loki and most importantly, the tesseract.”
At the mention of Loki, he looked at Natasha. Almost immediately she seemed to sense his gaze and returned his look. Her eyes darted to the other team members before shifting to stare at him. She slowly nodded. He felt his skin crawl as the uneasiness in the pit of his stomach began to grow.
Crossing his arms, he leaned further against the wall before tentatively moving his eyes towards Thor. To his surprise, Thor was already staring at him with an unblinking gaze. The intensity in the usually demure blue eyes frightened him and Tony quickly darted his eyes back on Fury.
“Unfortunately, I have no more information. The purpose of this meeting was to inform you of the gravity of the situation. Due to the fact that both of these men could return at anytime, you are all on call. Meeting adjourned.”
The second Fury ended his lecture, Tony slipped through the open door. He purposefully walked down a meandering hallway with twists and turns that made him feel more at ease. Footsteps quietly echoed behind him only serving to quicken his pace. In front of him, the door to a stairwell lingered like an oasis. He was only a few steps away when someone grabbed his collar and threw him against a wall.
Before he could regain his balance, he was picked up and slammed into the wall with enough force to snap his head against the concrete. Blinking rapidly, he tried to clear his vision of the white spots. When his eyes finally refocused, he found himself staring into the snarling face of the thunder god.
“Where is he?”
“Who?”
The blow to his head still made him dizzy. Thor took his question as insult. Gripping his collar, he drew him from the wall before slamming him against the concrete again.
“My brother.”
“I–I don’t know! I haven’t seen him since our fight with Doom.”
Thor seemed unconvinced. Using only his left arm to pin Tony to the wall, Thor wrapped his other hand around Tony’s throat. He only needed to squeeze once to end his life. Panic took over Tony’s rational mind and he began kicking and clawing his way from Thor’s grasp. Without his suit, his efforts proved fruitless.
“I have been informed of your relationship with my brother.”
He felt the heated sneer in his face, which only caused him to struggle more. He was scared but also angry. Fury had no right to disclose such personal information, even to Loki’s brother.
“I am not pleased.”
Over the years, Tony had imagined his death in every possible manner. Torn apart by terrorists, blowing up with his damaged suit and even drunkenly ramming his vehicle over the highway into the ocean seemed the likely culprits. Never in his mind would he have imagined his death would come at the hands of his so-called ally. He briefly considered trying to claw Thor’s eyes out. All he needed was one distraction to get away.
“Put him down.”
Both of them momentarily ceased their struggle to stare at Bruce who leaned stood in the middle of the hallway with his hands casually in his pockets.
“This does not concern you.”
“Whether you like it or not, we are a team. Generally, teammates do not kill each other. I have some things I’d like to discuss with Mr. Stark regarding my research. It’s of utmost importance.”
“I’m not finished with my discussion.”
“Thor,” Bruce breathed the name through clenched teeth as he stepped forward. His brown eyes swirled green and the muscles beneath his shirt began to vibrate.
“I’m asking nicely.”
Thor turned back to Tony with a final glare.
“This is not over.”
Thor released his grip and Tony hit the floor in a coughing fit. Thor walked past Bruce into the hall without another word. Slowly, Bruce kneeled before Tony, offering his hand.
“We need to talk.”
He had gone from one trap to the next. With no other choice, Tony took the offered hand and Bruce hoisted him to his feet. They walked down the hall in silence with Tony reaching up to rub his throat a few times. A few guards passed them as they took the stairs to the lab below. From outside, Tony could see that no one else was inside – most likely taking a lunch break.
As soon as they were inside, Bruce roughly turned Tony to face him.
“What were you thinking?!”
“It’s not like I planned it, ok?” Tony shot back with his fists clenched.
“Tony –”
“Look, I know everything you’re going to say. I’m careless. I’m endangering the team. I’m –”
Bruce put his hands on Tony’s shoulders, gripping lightly.
“Tony, breathe.”
Obediently, he took a few quick gasps before his hand rubbed the sore spot around his throat.
“So you don’t know where he is?”
“I must have forgotten to slip a tracker on him when Doom was – I don’t know – destroying New York!”
“You don’t need to be sarcastic. I’m just trying to help.”
He needed to leave. The air was too thick around him and he couldn’t deal with anymore judgmental stares and prying questions. His eyes kept darting to the door. Bruce sighed before grabbing a hold of his arm and dragging him to sit in a chair.
He moved to retrieve two sodas for them. Tony eyed the offered drink, hoping it would magically transform into a scotch. Eagerly, Bruce opened his soda with a snap.
“So what do we –”
“Why didn’t you visit me?” Tony stared at Bruce, who midway through sipping his soda. “I woke up alone with no one to explain what happened.” He purposefully left out Natasha and enjoyed the look of guilt in Bruce’s eyes.
“I – we were at the hospital every day to check on you. One day I walked in and your bed was empty. Fury told me they had moved you back home and you were not to be disturbed.”
“And you just listened?”
“I–”
“Forget it,” Tony mumbled into his drink. At least the sharp bubbles were comfortingly scratching his throat although he preferred a nice alcoholic burn. “Do all of you know?”
Bruce slowly nodded as he shifted from one foot to another.
“Great.”
“None of us judge you.”
Tony gave him a sideways glance, labeling him a liar with his eyes.
“Well . . . the whole concept is new to Steve, but he already had a feeling when you went back for Loki. Clint just shrugged, so I guess he doesn’t care either way. Natasha seemed accepting. I only worry for your safety,” Bruce bent placed his soda on the table, kneeling in front of Tony. He placed his hand on Tony’s shoulder in a comforting gesture.
“You’re the closest person I have to a friend.”
“You left out Thor. Who wants to kill me.”
“Give him time. This is his little brother we are talking about. It doesn’t help that you’re a well-known playboy.”
Tony took another sip. Thor had overacted in his opinion but Bruce had a point. He rubbed the side of his head.
“I need to go home.”
Bruce nodded as he got to his feet. They exited together and Bruce walked Tony to his car. The gesture was meant to be friendly, but Tony knew Bruce was keeping an eye out for a bloodthirsty thunder god.
~*~
Auburn eyes glinted in the last rays of the evening sun, looking forward for a pause before sharply glancing at the rearview mirror. He continued the motion at nauseam the entire drive home which took less time than usual since his foot never left the gas pedal.
One sharp turn and he drove into his garage, making sure to secure the door behind him. Despite giving orders for Jarvis to check the perimeter, he walked around his house, making sure every window and door was secure.
After an hour of doing a thorough sweep of his property he finally decided to descend to his lab, feeling safe within its concrete walls.
“Jarvis, inform me of any powerful energy source coming this way. Especially one with lightening.”
“Yes, Sir.”
Various models of the most expensive cars available stood in a pristine row mirroring the line of suits across from them. Metal scraps and wires were piled on the desk in a thick layer. His schematics were strewn across the floor. His eyes darted around the room but could not focus on one object. Anxiously he paced around his lab, unable to make up his mind about which project to undertake.
In exasperation, he collapsed in his chair and stared at the ceiling. Events like today were the reason Tony kept his distance from people. He had always thought Thor as someone who kept his violent actions on the battlefield and began wondering the probability of dying at his hands.
“Rough day?”
He started at the voice, swiveling his chair around. A figure moved from the shadows and he cursed himself for not noticing earlier. Natasha had forgone her uniform for more comfortable slacks and a simple red long-sleeved blouse.
“That’s an understatement. Thor didn’t send you to stealth kill me did he?”
“You’d be dead.”
He knew she wasn’t intending to scare him but her blank face coupled with the emotionless statement unnerved him. He licked his lips and swallowed nervously.
“So you heard what happened?”
“Dr. Banner told me.”
Of course he did.
Tony fought the urge to slam his fist through his glass table.
“How? Were you guys all gathered around the water cooler, gossiping about me?”
Before she could answer he went towards his cabinet of liquor. Instead of a bottle of scotch he took out a cigarette and lit it. With his back towards her, he finished his cigarette after a few minutes, barely waiting a second to light another.
“I had no idea you were a chain smoker.”
He whipped around with the cigarette in one hand and the lighter in the other. “Well I am volatile and self-destructive, according to you.”
“You’re not still sore about that, are you?”
He answered her with a plume of smoke which she waved away with a slight cough.
“I know I’m not perfect, but I’m not the worst person in the world, either,” he sneered before going back to the safety of his chair.
“I never implied –” Natasha stopped in mid-sentence, her eyes focusing on Tony. “You don’t think you’re good enough for Loki?”
He snorted before taking another puff. “No, Thor doesn’t think I’m good enough for his precious baby brother.”
“Who cares what he thinks.”
The cigarette hovered near his lips as Tony turned to look at his ally in surprise. Natasha walked over to his table, moving a few things to give her room to sit. Once seated, she put her legs on either side of Tony’s thighs, keeping the swiveling chair from moving.
“I’m not going to lie. Some of the other members are uncomfortable with your relationship. However, who you chose to be with is no concern to me as long as you know where your loyalties lie when it counts.”
The cigarette continued burning into ash as Tony stared at the sincerity reflected in Natasha’s somber blue eyes. Sighing, he put out the cigarette on one of the metal scraps still dotting his table. He sat back in his chair, his melancholy brown eyes focusing on nothing.
“I just . . . feel so alone,” he whispered softly, almost to himself.
A hand softly was softly placed on his shoulder, gripping lightly. He shifted his eyes to see Natasha smiling at him.
“You’re not alone. I told you I would help you as much as I am able.”
He moved his hand to rest on hers.
“Thanks.”
“I suggest you try to avoid Thor as much as possible. Also,” She gazed at the scraps of metal lying on his table. “I think another upgrade is in order. You never know what the next invasion will be like.”
“How about a drink?”
Natasha removed her hand and nodded as she moved her legs so that Tony could get to his cabinet.
~*~
The next two weeks passed in a blur. Tony had worked in his lab like a man possessed. His new suit was coming together nicely. He had started working on the bracers first, since they were smaller. He was sure that if he got them to function properly then he could duplicate the technology to the rest of his suit.
With the bracers on the other end of the room, Tony walked to stand on his circular platform. He pressed a button on his bracelet in anticipation. After a few seconds of delay, the bracers moved from the floor and onto his arms. He yelped in pain when the bracers caught his skin. The movement was still unsynchronized since the left one traveled faster and latched onto him quicker than the right one.
He sighed with exasperation as he took them off and went back to look at his schematics, searching for a miscalculation. The numbers jumbled together and he rubbed his eyes. With his erratic sleeping schedule he could not tell if he slept too much or too little.
His eyes drifted towards his cars and he grinned with newly found inspiration.
~*~

An eerie echo resounded through the cavern walls and he watched liquid slowly drip to the floor; the fruits of its labor would only be seen in a few millennia. The small man shuddered and wondered why his master preferred dank places to hide in.

He made his way through the stone walls to see Doom sitting on his chair, staring into nothing. His hands twitched and he stood up.

“What is it, master?” He only dared to ask.

“I can feel its power. It’s stabilized, which means he’s no longer traveling.”

“Do you know where?”

“I have an idea.”

He could not see beneath the mask but he knew for certain Doom wore a grin. With a sigh he went about his business arranging the troops.

~*~
“Sir.”

A cylinder was thrown callously as a man dug his way through the mess on the floor. The more he moved the more he seemed to tangle himself into the chaos. Pipes intertwined with wires creating a labyrinth in the middle of the lab. Every car within reach had been emptied as Tony attempted to create his Franken-automobile.

“Sir,” the voice persisted as Tony beat a few gauges out of his way, scrambling to the surface. In hindsight, he should have been more organized.

“What, Jarvis?” Tony snapped as he finally scrambled to his feet, kicking at a few clinging wires.

“There’s been a breach of security.”

He tensed as his ears strained to hear the sound of hammer tearing apart his complex.

“Thor?”

“I do not believe so. The back door has been opened.”

He sighed with relief as he wiped the sweat from his forehead. Most likely Natasha had invited herself over again. Even though she was a welcome guest, she enjoyed tinkering with his security system. Unknowingly, they had begun a game – every time he updated his security systems, she saw it as a challenge.

Sometimes she would sneak in during the day and move things around. On more than one occasion he had found one of his cars missing, only to turn up the next morning in its proper parking place. He was surprised that after all these weeks Jarvis would detect her.

“Sir, it’s not –” the voice of his AI wilted into a strange drone before shutting off completely. A green spark ran through his computer screens before they turned off.

Tony froze as a cold sweat ran through his body. With his heart racing he bounded up the stairs and into the living room, looking around for the culprit.

A movement in the corner of the room caught his attention and he turned to see the thin frame of a man enter into the light.

Anger ran through his nerves like lightening. Weeks had passed since he last saw Loki and here he was, entering his home like his own.

Taking a sharp intake of breath, Tony prepared to shout until his lungs grew sore, but when Loki stepped into the light, his anger faded into worry. The once glistening armor, now dull, barely clung to Loki’s haggard frame. His hair was a mess and his once vibrant green eyes lacked their usual luster.

“Do you have any of those . . . strong Midgardian beverages?”
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The Avengers: Tainted Love