The Asset (Avengers) Moon/Lady

Tony was quiet as he watched everything, swallowing hard. “Yes, that his him.”Tony muttered quietly, shuddering, already bracing himself for what he assumed was going to be bad, but knowing better then to wait, otherwise the others would beat him to offering htis, and he couldn’t have that. “No. But I will pay it Lady Hela, Just tell me what it will be.”Tony said his hands tightening on james and steve’s, anxiety and worry tightening his features, worried about what was going to be asked of him, but willing to pay. Even though he knew without looking that the others were probably wanting to kill him for speaking before they could.
 
she nodded. "yes. i see him." she admitted, turning her face to Tony, her eyes not seeing him... yet, seeing all of him. "it is, a Soul for a soul. some souls are worth more than others." she admitted. "i must have a soul, one that is worth equal to TJ's." she admitted, staring at them all, her head tilted. "how curious that nearly everyone in this circle is of the same merit." she admitted, turning to stare at Tony again. "you would pay this price? give your life, your soul to return TJ?" "no. he won't." James stated sternly. "i will." "no you won't! it's MY fault TJ is dead, if anyone should give up their life, it should be me!" Steve stated firmly, Phil looking stunned at the price they would have to pay. "hmmm." Hela hummed, as if thinking, everyone was demanding that they be the one to pay the price. it was not a situation she had ever encountered before. "Silence." that was Bruce, stepping forward but not breaking hands. "my soul. both of them." her entire self focused on Bruce and he gasped, dropping to his knees at the intensity. it was only the others tightening their grips that kept the circle from breaking.
 
Tony shuddered under the weight of her gaze, swallowing hard. “yes.”He said refusing to look at his boys. “No he wont, I will.”Natasha snarled, and she was pretty sure that if they would have been able to, it would have devolved into a fist fight by now in the effort to pay, not only guilt driving them, but love. Startling at Bruce’s words she turned to look at him, tightening her hold, nearly falling as bruce dragged her almost to her knees, trusting Doug to keep her up to. Watching Hela, anxious and scared to see what she would decide. “Bruce?!”Tony said his voice high and frightened, not ready to lose bruce either, the emotions he’d managed to hide for the night and push away, starting to break through.
 
"i'm okay." Bruce gasped, panting as he struggled back to his feet with Natasha and Steve's help. "i'm okay." he promised again. Hela smiled suddenly. "yes. you please me." she admitted. "never have i seen such loyalty to a fallen. you would all fight for the right to die for him, but it would leave the others empty." she mused. "in this case, one death does not fix another. it rarely does, but so rarely does anyone seam to realize this. even all of you, you focus only on how much you miss and love TJ, and forget how all the others will feel... everyone but...you." she focused on Tony again. "you know how much TJ would hate you for giving up your life for his. know how much Steve and James would cry and mourn... yet you are the first to Offer. tell me why."
 
Tony swallowed nervously, worried at the smile. Wondering what it meant for them, glancing around the circle as he listened to her. Startling at her speaking to him, he focused again, eyes studying her face before swallowing thickly. Not looking at steve or james, simply staring at the goddess as he answered the only question that mattered at the moment. He knew james and steve would mourn, that the others would miss him, yet... “They’d tell you it was guilt or something, for me to do this.And it is. Sort of. He shouldn’t pay the price for my stupidity. But that’s not it.”Tony swallowed thickly, tears in his voice even if they weren’t falling.”....He was the first. To care. I’d never known that before when...”Tony shuddered, looking away from her, knowing that as a goddess of the dead she, better then anyone would know the single secret that tony and tj had never shared. Wouldn’t share, unless someone asked. A secret that had nearly destroyed a 12 year old, and only tj had managed to reach into a child genius and see the potential for so much good. “...He gave me a life when I had none. I’m just paying it forward.”
 
she didn't do whatever she did to Bruce, thankfully. but it was like she was burrowing deep into Tony's body, filling him up with knowledge that he couldn't actually access. it was like she was reading him, reading him like he as a computer, making copies until it filled him up and then she was gone again, leaving him breathless and shaken but unharmed. "Guilt is an interesting emotion." she agreed as she watched him, her head tilted. she nodded. "i find you worthy. break the circle and step forward, Anthony Edward Stark." amazingly, the two at his side allowed him. their hands released him, and then rejoined to keep the circle open and she smiled. the people on the sides of Tony protested, but she silenced them. "come here, Tony." she ordered, smiling as she looked up at him, touched her hand to his cheek and with a sound like rushing wind, crackling fire and a giggling child filled the air before everything was gone and the circle broke. only no one had broken it. Tony was on the floor. strangely enough, he was still alive, and still there. alive and feeling like he had all the wind knocked out of him, but alive. and TJ too, was gasping for air, gulping it down and Phil and Clint both cried out in joy, Clint clinging to Tony and babbling his thanks as Phil gathered TJ into his arms and began to sob.
 
Tony shuddered even as he wavered on his feet at the feeling, eyes wide as he felt what she was doing. Tilting his head at her orders, he startled slightly at the feel of james and steve letting him go, guilt sucker punching him for a moment as he considered what he was doing to them, wondering briefly if they were glad to see him go?Because telling him he was being stupid. Shuddering as he stepped forward he swallowed thickly as she looked at the goddess, eyes widen as she touched him, collapsing as he tried to figure out what was going on. Blinking stupidly as he sat on the floor, gasping, trying to breath as clint held onto him.”C-cant’ breath.”Tony coughed trying to breath.

TJ gulped down air, looking ready to pass out and utterly confused on what was going on and where he was and looking around him he stared, “My son, you are scaring your heart.”Mab said softly kneeling at Phil’s side stroking his back, offering TJ a small smile. “You are safe, thomas.”Mab said softly, kneeling and looking worried, keeping calm even as the room erupted into chaos
 
she smiled at him, as if knowing his thoughts, James making high pitched whining noises because he couldn't speak and couldn't breath the circle, no one could. Hela had them all trapped, stuck in place. "i don't understand." Steve breathed once he felt the spell break loose, Loki chuckling weakly. "it is... a test." he muttered. "a test of heart, of soul and of loyalty. Tony would have happily sacrificed himself. maybe even killed himself to save TJ and Hela took his faith and loyalty and used it to gap the bridge between life and death because she liked the reasons why Tony was offering himself up." Loki explained. "she never does something for nothing, i'm sure we'll feel the ramifications of this somehow." Loki admitted. "someone will become sterile or someone else will find themselves without superpowers or something else horrific and evil. she IS my daughter after all." he admitted, letting Natasha take over holding him up. "i'm probably going to Torpor after this so if you see me completely encased in Ice, don't freak out."

"sorry. Tony, sorry..." Clint muttered, sniffling and hiccuping. "i honestly... thought you... where gonna... die!" he gasped, checking again to make sure Tony's hadn't. "Tj's... gonna kill you, when he finds out." Clint sniffled. "and that's only... if your Super lovers... don't first." he admitted, half laughing and half sobbing now.

"Hush... it's okay. hush now TJ." Phil whispered, sobbing and laughing too as he cradled the other. "TJ. this is my mother." Phil explained, once he'd calmed down a little more. "Queen Mab of the Winter courts."
 
Natasha tilted her head, watching tony. Wondering what tony had offered up, but not curious enough to bother a man looking ready to fall over himself. Supporting Loki more she smiled a little,”She is. So if the ramifcations are we have to deal with a pregnant tony or something horrific like that, I might kill you for procreating, Loki.”Natasha teased a little before holding onto him tighter. “Where do you want to go?You’re laying down now.”She said her voice stern and unwilling to listen to any protests. “You might want to go get clint off Tony. He’s looking ready to bolt.”Natasha muttered looking up at steve and james.

“Fuck...F-fuck.My chest hurts.”Tony coughed, whining a little as the other checked him over, panting quietly. “No he wont.”He muttered, okay, so he knew that tj was going to kill him, or well his boys probably would. Leaning heavily into clint he sighed quietly, raising a hand to sooth Clint, stroking his hair “The Fantasy twins might....though I should be forgiven for...surviving that.”he muttered looking utterly lost on how to deal with the sobbing archer clinging to him.

“Oh....okay.What...happened?”TJ muttered frowning, looking at Mab. “Oh!I’m sorry, i should..I should be doing proper things. I am a politicans son, I can be better then laying down to greet you!”TJ rambled, well, it was a good thing to see that his momentary death hadn’t dulled his need to give a good impression, or to please someone else. “No, you are fine, my son. Rest. You need it.”Mab soothed, letting her voice sooth the other, vaguely amused as tj let the magic sooth him.
 
"i don't know what the ramifications will be. Tony probably doesn't either." he admitted, shaking his head. "we won't find out until it happens. she's a bitch like that." Loki admitted, voice slurring now from exhaustion. "my room." Loki decided. "need to be somewhere where i won't be disturbed." he admitted. "can't be disturbed." he muttered. "so tired...." Loki muttered as Steve sighed and moved over to Clint, gently nudging him to Phil and TJ.

"he will." Clint teased with a sad sort of chuckle, letting the Super men nudge him over to TJ before Steve picked up Tony, gently cradling him as he and James headed to the elevator. "stupid... self sacrificing... asshole." Steve muttered, sniffling as he held Tony close. "and i can't... even yell at you... because i was... going to do the same thing." he admitted, sounding annoyed and gleeful all at once. "

"...you died." Phil explained softly. "we made a deal with Loki's daughter, Hela, to bring you back... i'm not sure what the deal was." he admitted with a shake of his head. "Don't you move!" he ordered sternly, making Clint chuckle as he staggered over. "you're going to lay there and be a 'good boy'!" Phil ordered as he carefully picked the other up and headed for another elevator so they could all take a well deserved nap.
 
“Okay. Let’s go then.Your room.”natasha muttered smiling at Loki as she got him to bed and took care of her own husband, helpign the exhuasted man into bed. They all deserved some sleep. She’d let him go see TJ later, for now, they all needed rest.

“Will not.”Tony huffed, whining a little as he was picked up, resting his head against the other’s chest, “Good. No yelling Captain. You don’t get to be yelling at me for doing stuff you do. Like self sacrifice. Or helping old ladies across streets...I want to sleep...”Tony muttered flailing out a hand as they walked towards their bedroom, searching for james, making a small contented sound as his hand fisted in his shirt, holding the other close, so tight that the man was probably nearly running into steve as they moved towards tony’s bedroom, but he didn’t want to let go. Not when he knew he was counting down on hours he got to be with them. Because once they got over this, they’d remember that this was his fault and leave him. Well...he’d just have to take care of that. In the morning. Tonight, he needed them. “Sleep.”He demanded snuggling into steve even as he was put in bed, the non-sleep from the night before finally catching up to him.

“What?Who made a deal?What did you give away?!It wasn’t worth it!who?What happened?”TJ said sitting up anxiously looking up at Clint, reaching out to grip his shirt. “Who?”He demanded anxiously looking around before shuddering at the order, sighing quietly as he leaned into phil as he was picked up, mab’s quiet laughter following them as she took teh step between here and there, going home to fey to tell the others of the good news.
 
Doug was just sitting on the floor, staring off into space and crying silently when Natasha made it back to him. he was in a state of complete shock and didn't seam to realize anything at all was happening. hopefully, he'd be alright after some sleep, which he did without any urging at all. just closing his eyes once Natasha had him in bed and drifted off to sleep.

Steve snorted and James blinked. "...you helped a little old lady across the street. seriously?" James asked, sounding incredulous and amused. "shut up James... she was old and needed help. of course i lended my assistance." "you are such an Alter Boy." ".... shut up James." Steve ordered, fond and exasperated. "we will. i'm too exhausted to do anything else." he admitted as he gently laid Tony down and crawled into bed with him, James following until there was a Tony sandwich between two loaves of Super soldier.

"easy." Clint ordered. "we don't know what or who." he admitted. "she tested us first you know... so... there's going to be a lot of Drama going on for a while." he warned. "but as for the price and who pays it? we... don't know." he admitted. "Loki's going to be in... uh... hibernation? for a while. he gave up a lot of energy fighting that bitch and then opening a channel for Hela to come through, but he might find out once he wakes up." Clint admitted. "all i know is that we're all willing to pay the price for having you back and nothing you say can make us think differently."
 
While he had had every intention of climbing out of bed in the morning, it was nearly 24 hours before TJ climbed out of bed, smirking slightly at the sight of his boys sleeping, gently shaking their shoulders.”I’m going after food. Don’t freak out.”He muttered when they were half awake, heading for the kitchen, before pausing and after a quick word with jarvis, detoured down to the lab, staring at the sight that greeted him, and fairly amazed that there wasn’t two super sized guard dogs blocking Tony’s way out yet. . “....You idiot. It was you wasn’t it?”He stared at the billionaire who looked like he was trying to shove his whole lab into a duffel bag. “Where do you think you’re going anyways?” “Away.” “IF you leave me here with them, I’m going to kill you. I’m serious. Tony, they’re going to be pissed.”TJ growled even though he was watching the man, he let him go, watching the iron man suit closing around him, because he knew where he’d go. Not bothering to protest his leaving, when he could just send the idiots after him. Wondering actually how he’d gotten down here without having them following him, not realizing he’d drugged their coffee, not alot, just to give him a hour or so to get out of dodge without being stopped. Shaking his head he huffed, before heading back to the kitchen to wait for the eventual explosion of the super soldiers realizing their flight risk of a boyfriend really had bolted.
 
Phil grunted as he was shaken awake and blinked at TJ, hesitating before deciding TJ would be okay to get food on his own. he was still too tired from being Heart sick to do anything more than sleep for another couple of days. Steve and James had been up doing too much for too long after being badly injured so they too where down for the count for several more hours twelve to twenty even with being drugged. so it was noon before they finally came out, looking seriously pissed. they both knew better than anything what the after effects of being drugged felt like so they where bound and determined to make Tony pay. especially when Jarvis informed them that he was missing. "we're putting a fucking tracer in him." James growled. "with a hand held tracking device so we can follow him no matter where the fuck he goes!"
 
TJ looked up from where he was laying snuggled up on the couch with Doug, the two twins looking utterly at peace, even if there was anger and worry in TJ’s features, resting his cheek against doug’s hair he offered a small shaky smile. Worried they were angry with him, because he was the reason....at least part of it...why tony had bolted. “....He’s in europe somewhere. I’m not sure where, but Jarvis gave us a general area, he disabled the tracking in the suit after he realized I was using it, but he’s in europe, and ‘he hides there when he’s upset.I have a map.”TJ said quickly, holding up the big folding map like it was a shield, protecting him from the angry super soldiers.
 
the two Super soldiers paused when they saw the twins and Doug carefully situated himself in front of TJ just enough that he could get in the way if thy attacked. "Europe?" James asked, sounding strangly amused. "at least i wanted to go somewhere cool." "Atlantis isn't real." "still cool." James stated, making Steve roll his eyes as he accepted the map. "Jarvis? is Tony still wearing his collar?" he suspected so, since all three keys had been in the dresser drawer. "is the tracking chip still activated within the collar?" he asked as he unfolded the map and spread it out onto the table, examining it intently.
 
“Yea. Not sure where though.”TJ said even as he looked at the two nervously, snickering. “Atlantis would be cool. Tony was never that imaginative when he’s freaking out. Boring cities.”TJ rolled his eyes. “Yes, captain, he’s wearing it.”Jarvis went quiet for a moment as he processed before something like a tired sigh escaped. “And the chip is still activated by he’s figured out how to ping it around the world, it’s changing locations about every 30 seconds.”Jarvis added. “Always knew his brains were going to get him in trouble. I so don’t want to be him when you catch up...”TJ muttered still looking nervous as he eased closer to look over the map, pointing to the spots he’d marked out. “Vienna. Amsterdam. Prague. Dresden. Berlin.”TJ muttered, shifting nervously, because he knew why tony had chosen these cities to have bolt holes in, but he wasn’t sure if they’d apperciate just how scarred a 16 year old tony had been to choose these cities of all places. Natasha frowned as she moved from the chair she’d been reclining in, tilting her head. “....Why did he choose cities that the howling commandos were stationed in?That’s why he chose them isn’t it?”She said immediately seeing the connection. “...uh. Not sure.”TJ squirmed a little, avoiding the question, inelegantly, but avoiding it.
 
he nodded as he studied the map closely. "Atlantis is cool." James agreed with a smirk before sighing as he realized that Tony was scattering the signal. "can you use an interference? set one of our Collars to control his?" Steve asked, his head tilted before he paused as he realized the same thing Natasha did. "...i know where he is." Steve admitted. "he's in Berlin. it's the first time me and Tony met. fighting Loki. it's also where we met Howard, where Howard would have all the best stories about us. Howard knew one of MY bolt holes there. Tony probably re-purposed it." Steve admitted. "James. come on. we're taking the Jet." Steve stated, heading for the plane. "you people stay here. your not going to want to see this." James admitted as he followed Steve. "are you sure this is the right location?" "no. but if it's not, we'll just try the others. Jarvis? you don't tell Tony that we're coming for him. this is Priority code 325 Alpha, Steve Rogers override command." while not exactly what that code was supposed to be used for, it would work. it was supposed to give Steve control over doors so he could go in if he thought Tony was being passively, or aggressively suicidal or engaging in dangerous behaviors. Steve knew Jarvis would obey anyway. "if he asks, tell him we're searching his home in Malibu."
 
“No I can’t. I am sorry, even wishing to help him, keeps me from directly interferring with what he’s trying to do.”Jarvis said sounding truly sorry for not being able to help. TJ nodded a little, “....Those stories might be why he chose them, but I doubt he’d be in the house. There are reasons Tony doesn’t talk about Howard.....just be ready to search. I’ll work with JArvis, see if we can undo what Tony did”TJ warned, knowing that while each city might have a former commando bolt holes there, he also knew the reason why tony had chosen these cities were because there was places Howard Stark would never consider returning to, without having found steve rogers. “Of course Sir. I’ll let him know as soon as he asks that you’re enjoying the sunny weather.”JArvis said sounding for once, vindictively pleased that his maker was being tricked.

And indeed, it wasn’t until the last city of vienna that they found tony, in the most unlikely spot you’d ever think about finding a billionaire in. Not in a mansion. Hell, not even in a nice hotel. Just a simple town house, right on the edge of the canal, the corner house offering enough of a view that he’d be aware that he ewas about to have company if he was at home. And he was, just not in the house. Settled onto the dock below the street, cozied up against one of the boats there, the billionaire looked younger then 39, and utterly miserable and lost. As if he really hadn’t figured out anything in the nearly two days he’d been gone.
 
Steve nodded. "it's kay Jay." Steve promised before looking at TJ. "and thank you, Teej." he said softly. "Tony doesn't talk about Howard because Howard was an abusive fuckehead." James stated simply. "we'll search for however long it takes." he promised. "we can't leave him alone. he's part of us." James admitted before smirking at Jarvis. "thanks Jay. if Loki wakes up before we find him, ask him about those locating spells for us would you?" he asked.

turns out, they found Tony before Loki woke up. Loki was actually frozen solid, as was his entire room. he'd turned the whole thing into a bit of a glacier. Phil assured them it was normal. "pretty." James admitted as he looked around. "i vaguely remember this place." he admitted. "at least it's not an underground bunker like the place in Berlin was." "shut up." Steve ordered, as he strode to the boats where Natasha's super skilled Hacking abilities had found him, hunkered down through a street camera. thank god for technology or Steve would have walked right past him. he grabbed tony by the arm before the man even registered he was being disturbed and slung him over his shoulders before turning to the Townhouse where James was already unlocking the door using a set of lockpicks. they would have made awesome kidnappers because Steve had Tony inside, up the stairs and strapped to the bed before the man could even think to start screaming.
 
Tony yelped as he was grabbed, sputtering the whole way as he was dragged inside, but even as out of it as he was, he was aware of who had him, wasn’t about to scream bloody murder when he got to stare at steve’s ass as he was put over his shoulder. He knew that shouldn’t be his focus, but it was such a fine ass...sputtering as he was put on the bed he looked up at the other with wide eyes, jerking at his hands as he tried to squirm away. “No no no no, you have to let me go. Come on, this isn’t fair guys. I left for a reason. Let go!”He demanded jerking at his hands hard enough that even in soft edged handcuffs-they’d expected him to struggle- he was cutting his wrists to bloody ribbons.
 
Steve watched Tony before straddling the other and pinning his wrists down with his hands so he'd stop yanking at his bonds, James huffing as he undid those cuffs and replaced them with some bondage tape. he could yank on that all he wanted and the most he'd get was friction burns. if he managed that at all. "shut up." Steve ordered, staring at Tony, rage in that voice. "your such a selfish little SHIT!" he snarled. "taking off! leaving us like that! we thought you where DEAD for a good THREE HOURS! we thought maybe you hadn't run off after all, that maybe Hela had taken you away from us! and now i'm fucking PISSED OFF because you LEFT! you ABANDONED us because you didn't want to FACE THE FUCKING MUSIC!!!!" "Steve. enough. no yelling. you promised." James ordered, sounding anxious. and that's when it happened. Steve crumbled and began to sob, his face pressed into Tony's chest as he demanded to know why Tony didn't love them enough to stay.
 
Tony stopped, yelping as his hands were taped, staring up at steve, cringing away from the angry super soldier sitting on him, pressing back into the bed, eyes wide and for the first time ever, utterly frightened as he looked up at his super soldier. Turning his head to look at James as the other spoke he looked anxious, “No, no no you’re not supposed to cry!I left so you wouldn’t!You have to stop, Cap, I wanted to keep you two safe!I had to go!”Tony said sounding so anxious and scared, utterly believing he was going to get them killed, simply by being with them.
 
James shook his head. "i'm sorry Tony but your not going to get him to sop. he's been a wreck." James admitted. "the only reason why i'm not is because i'm in the middle of an episode right now and i can't quite remember why i'm mad at you..." he admitted. "i've been having a lot of those in the last couple of days. i tried to kill Captain America... Steve, i mean." he shook his head. "we almost got arrested. it was fun." "it was not." Steve complained. "stupid selfish asshole." he growled at Tony. "you think we're any safer with you gone!?" he demanded. "the only reason James was as sane as he was, was because you where there! the only reason i was in that fucked up tower was because you where there! the only reason i haven't killed myself is because you where there. do you know how close i came to hanging myself in my Shield assigned bunker when he call came in?" he demanded, tears streaming down Steve's face. "don't you understand that the only reason my life is worth living is because your in it?! and your taking it away now because your SELFISH!" "yelling again." James warned. "you think i don't want you, but in all the years i've been alive the only thing i've ever wanted was you. you and Bucky, that's IT tony. you leave, and what purpose do i have? helping little old ladies across the street? fighting hydra? what good is a world without you in it?"
 
Tony looked up at James’ words, eyes wide and even more worried about the two of the man, flinching at steve’s complaint, pressing back into the bed, nodding slowly, looking utterly wrecked himself. “....yes....I’m going to get you killed. Like I did TJ....like pepper...like I’ve nearly gotten johnny killed multiple times...I can’t...I wouldn’t survive you two dying on me...”he said his voice sounding broken and hurting, like he had no understanding a world where he mattered to someone so much that they didn’t wnat to live without him. “...You’d have Jamie. You’d be safe....I don’t...”he stared down, looking utterly lost, and so very young. And in that look there was a 12 year old who had had no one, looking sad, trying to understand. “...I don’t understand. I thought...you’d be okay. I.. thought....I don’t know.”Tony swallowed hard resting his head back against the wall, closing his eyes. “...I’m sorry....I...”He shuddered, not ever going to admit how close he’d come to eating his own gun in these two days he’d been gone.
 
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