Seeing Ghosts(Avengers)Moon/Lady

Steve Rogers, Age 28, or 95 depending on who you asked, was watching Loki intently. The godling had been acting very peculiar in the days of late. They had taken him in after the mess with the Dark Elves. He had been assumed dead, so Thor had left Loki there in the realm od the Dark Elves, Steve forgot the name of the place. Thor had told them all of Loki's courage and his self sacrifice to save Thor and Jane, how he'd whispered apologies to Thor with his last breath. To say they had been surprised to find Loki, bleeding out in a side street of New York after dragging himself into one of the space/time breaks , would have been a great understatement. He had settled in to live with them after that, unwilling to return to Asgard where everyone had hated him even before his actions against Thor. They where happy to have him. He was one of the few people capable of keeping u with Tony and Bruce after all, and his magic made healing and battle so much easier. He was a good ally, despite the occasional explosion caused by him and the slew of pranks. Not to mention the various Asgardians who came down to 'punish him' since Odin and Thor where too 'weak willed' to do it themselves. They tended to cause tons of damage until Loki got annoyed and beat the shit out of them. Hell, he could take Thor in battle, what the hell did those lack witted excuses for Aeser think they could do to him?

“Steve.” Loki said, breaking Steve out of his thoughts. “i must speak with you.” Loki admitted, motioning for Steve to follow him. More than a bit curious, and just a touch cautious in case he was walking into a prank, Steve followed Loki. “i am sorry about this Steve.” Loki admitted suddenly, magic snapping up around the Super soldier who tensed violently. “i have been through so many scenario and this is the only one that seams to have any true impact.” Loki admitted, looking deeply tired. “Loki. What are you talking about?” “you remember how I can see into the future? On occasion the Vanir send me visions to accompany those far sight images. This one was... bad. I have searched the time streams for any possible resolution but this was the only one that seamed to have any effect at all.” he admitted. “i need to send you forward in time. I'm not sure how long, the Magic will stop you once you reach the right time.” he promised. “i can't tell you more than that. It's forbidden, but you'll figure it out soon enough of that I have no doubt.” Loki admitted softly. “no one will be able to see you save one, and you'll have limited ability to interact with your surroundings. You won't need food, though you can still eat if you can manage to pick up the food.” he admitted. “you'll still be able to sleep, though you won't need it.” he admitted. “do your best Steve.”

“Do my best to do what?” Steve asked, a bit frightened but firm. Loki wouldn't be messing about with the time streams for a joke. Whatever this was, it was serious. Very serious. “....to save everything.” Loki admitted softly. “to stop the world from burning. To stop the future from becoming death and blood and regret.” he admitted, Steve wincing at the morbid tone. “i am dead in your future. But I know that eventually, you will return to here. How, when I don't know.” he admitted. “i can't even tell you if you'll arrive back the same day you left, now, or if it will be a few days, or even years.” he admitted. “also, you can't die in the future and even if someone does manage it, you'll return here.” he admitted, drawing glyphs in the air. “travel safe, Steve.” “you be safe too Loki.” Loki nodded and when a loud crackling sound, and then a large boom, Steve was gone. Bright white light was the last thing he saw before he blacked out.

He woke, groaning in pain, entire body aching in a very unpleasant way. He blinked sluggishly at the room he'd landed in. empty for the moment but very familiar. This was Fury's office! The Directors office for Shield! He staggered to his feet and headed to the desk, looking for any hint as to how far ahead in time he'd traveled. There was nothing, no paperwork with dates, no calendar, nothing. “well fuck...” he muttered, looking around there wasn't even any names. Loki had said that no one would be able to see him. No one but a single person, who? One of his teammates probably. Tony? Thor? Perhaps Bruce or Fury? He paused and moved over to the window and choked on what he saw. However fr into the future he was, the world was a very different place. Very different indeed.

“Welcome,Sir.”The intercom system said sounding suspiciously like Jarvis, and it would only take steve a moment to realize that the AI wasn’t talking to him, but the man coming in from the added on balcony that wound around around the edge of the helicarrier. Now that steve looked around more, while it looked like Fury’s office, and was definitely still the director’s office ,there was just enough touches to say that someone else very different was living within the space. And living in was right, if the blanket and pillow tossed on the couch was any indication. “I trust your flight was satisfactory, Sir?”

“about as satisfactory as fucking my wife these days, J. But it did let me blast doombots, so it was okay.”The mechanical voice of Iron man said as he stepped inside, the suit shimmering slightly before seemingly melting into his skin as the man stepped into the office, barely sparing a glance for the room as he walked for his desk. This Tony was definitely at least a few years older then Steve’s Tony, though both were still really fit and in shape, this tony was more grey at the temples, a little more ragged.

Pouring himself a scotch the current director of shield moved to his desk and slumped down into the seat, sipping it, before setting down the glass and simply drinking from the decanter, before slightly bleary eyes focused on his computer screen, for the moment not seeing that he had company. “J?Can you have Ca....”Tony trailed off, not even able to force himself to call James, Cap. “the idiot reschedule our meeting, I dont’ want to deal with his idiocy today.” "Of course sir." "Thanks, J."

Steve jumped at the voice, startled. "...Jay?" he asked, wondering if the computer could hear him? nope. he blinked when he saw Tony landing and scuttled just out of sight, not sure why he was hiding. not really. wait a minute... Tony!? Tony was the director of Shield?! what the bloody fuck? and he was married?! to Pepper no doubt. why did that annoy him so much? this Tony was a bit more handsome than his other Tony, though he'd always liked older men. have who? he'd almost said Cap. was he alive in this world? maybe it was himself he was supposed to interact with? he closed his eyes, pondered his moves and then decided to step out and see if he couldn't get Tony's attention. more than likely it was Tony he was supposed to be dealing with, this was HIS office after all and it only made sense, especially as there was no such thing as coincidence when it came to Magic, as he had learned.

finally he stepped out of his hiding place and cleared his throat. "Tony?" he asked watching the other. wondering how he'd react to Steve, in his favorite pair of jeans and his favorite hoodie sweater. barefoot because he never wore shoes in the Tower. "Tony, can you hear me?" Steve asked, studying the billionaire for any hint of a reaction.

Tony stirred at the sound, lowering the decanter from his lips as he looked up from the computer screen, making a slight distressed noise. “No. Not yet. I’m not plastered enough for you to be haunting me yet. Go away, come back later.”Tony said waving a hand at him as he returned to work before pausing, eyes shifting to look over at him again. “Oh for fuck’s sake, if I have to be haunted by you, do you have to look like that? I mean, you’re old, Captain. You could at least do me the decency of not looking like that.”Tony grumbled, disliking that his delusions were looking like steve, when steve liked him. He wanted his usual delusions of a older, bitterer, angrier steve, not this one.

Steve had to smile. "well at least someone can see me." he admitted, deciding not to tell Tony the truth just yet. not until he knew more. "of course, i could be a figment of your imagination i suppose, though that would rather suck because once your in your right mind what would happen to me?" he wondered, amused. "i thought you gave up alcohol?" he asked, his head tilted. "i distinctly remember you being four months sober." he admitted, giving Tony a time frame to work with. there was only one time he'd been Four Months sober and that was more because Loki put a charm on him to turn any alcohol that touched Tony's lips to turn into grape juice. or when he was feeling particularly vindictive, pickle juice. by the time Loki had reversed the curse, Tony had stopped trying to drink and had managed to stay sober. "sorry. can't help what i look like. though, i do wish i'd put some socks on." he admitted, blinking down at his bare toes. "can't really feel the cold though so..." he shrugged. "so. Director of Shield? not a job i'd expected you of all people to have." he admitted. "....what happened to Fury? or Phil? i mean, last i knew Phil was the leader of Shield.... Clint was NOT happy that month." he admitted with a wrinkle of his nose.

“....Oh for fuck’s sake. Not only am I torturing myself with you, I get a even younger you then I thought?This is stupid. I’m not doing this. Go away.”Tony said as he finished off the decanter before standing, swaying slightly before he stablized himself, the only good thing about extremis, well one of the many good things, is his body absorbed and burned alcohol to quickly to erally keep him drunk. “Haven’t been sober in years. Now go away.”He ordered his eye twitching a little as he realized steve wasn’t going to go anywhere, at least not his delusion. Twitching as he headed for the bedroom he’d put in next to the offfice, “No one else wanted it, Capsicle. Had a run in with a Super Soldier Idiot, or SSI as I call him, and faked his death...and why am I talking to you?Go away.”Tony ordered as he set out to get ready for his evening plans, “And phil is currently second in command, it makes both him and clint happier.”Tony shrugged, well at least it wasn’t simply tony being power hungry. He’d taken the post to let phil not have it....not to mention they hadn’t gotten the choice. The president had given him the post of acting director, and he’d taken it to keep the world from utterly imploding....at least he was trying to.

he smiled and shrugged. "i don't know that i can." he admitted calmly. "this is a bit new to me you know." he admitted, following the other. "you really should stop drinking." he admitted. "it's not very good for you in case you where wondering." he admitted before blinking. "Super Soldier? you mean me? did we have a falling out or something?" he asked, curious. "...i'm not dead am i?" he asked, examining himself a bit. "that would explain a few things though, wouldn't it?" he wondered. "wait, faked his death? why fake my death?" he asked, only getting more and more confused. "oh. well that explains why your office is so organized." he mused, chuckling a little. "you never could keep your areas straight." he admitted before sitting on the bed. it didn't dip at all and he blinked. "...huh...." he hesitated, reached down and yelped when his hand passed right through the bed. "okay... okay that was... i'm not doing tat again." he decided, sitting up to go sit in a chair instead.

“No it’s not. You haunt me most of the time, Capsicle. Like I said, go away.”Tony said as he started stripping down out of the suit he was wearing before walking into his closet to find something new, before twitching. “I don’t care. If I could drink myself to death, I would, but I can’t these days, like you would know, if you were my usual Captain. Can’t I have that one, I don’t want to explain all of this when you already know this.”Tony grumbled not bothering to answer the questions because he really didn’t think steve was there. “I can to keep things straight, now I need you to go away. I’m serious. Pepper will murder me if I show up talking to myself, and I’d rather face a angry you again then deal with her. I do enjoy sex sometimes, and she’ll kill me if she doesn’t get laid on her anniversary.”

Steve shrugged. "again, don't know that i can." he admitted, watching the other strip, head tilted. "huh. that's new you used to be rather modest.... where's the blue glowing thing?" he asked, indicating Tony's chest. "besides, i don't know that you can have the Cap your used to. you never answered me, when i asked if i was dead." he admitted before grimacing. "yeah, married to Pepper then?" he asked before snorting. "Tony if you don't want to talk to me, then don't. you where always so good at ignoring me, i don't see what that's changed now." he admitted, examining the other. "....goodnight then, i guess. i'll either be here in the morning or it'll turn out i was just a figent of your imagination." he stated calmly.

when Tony woke up. Steve was amusing himself by walking through doors and walls. "hey Tony! did you know that when your dead, and you walk through a window, falling eighty six floors not only doesn't hurt, but is actually really fun?" Steve asked, before vanishing through a wall again, only to return seconds later. "also, your fridge is empty and Pepper is waiting for you in the Office of Doom." a knickname Steve had given the place because something bad always happened when he was in there. either he was getting yelled at, was given orders he didn't want to follow, or a few dozen times he'd gotten shot.

“Yea, when I had the arc reactor. Got rid of that, no longer have to be dressed. Besides, you’re a figment of my imagination, don’t have to worry about being modest in front of my own fucking imagination.”Tony grumbled before sighing. “Yes, you are. Now please, can I have that steve back to haunt me, instead of the child version?”Tony grumbled before nodding. “I did....I don’t want to explain the last...whatever number of years. This is so stupid.”Tony said not sure why he couldn’t stop talking to the other man. “Goodnight then.”he said as he went to bed.

“...Bloody hell!What-shit, what in the world...fucking hell.”Tony startled, looking amused and startled, having no idea what to think of having his delusions coming to him first thing in the morning. This so rarely happened when he was stone cold sober. Frowning as he laid in bed for a long moment he sighed,”Fridge is always empty, and what do you care, you’re a ghost, Caspar, and awesome.”Tony grinned to himself as he got up, not even bothering to get dressed as he went in search of his wife. After all, the bedroom connected their offices, sort of a resting place for either of them if they were working out of the offices.

he shrugged. "if you say so. you have a nice ass by the way." he admitted. back in his own time, he and Tony half flirted constantly. Tony loved commenting on Steve's ass so why not return the favor. "it's pretty firm. just begging to be pinched." he teased before smirking. "i'm twenty eight." he stated calmly. "not a child." he paused. "how old are you now? seventy?" he asked, looking amused.

"...hey, watch your mouth." Steve ordered, snorting. "i have discovered that i can, in fact, pick up soap." he informed the other. "though, i don't suppose i need showers anymore, not sure i could take one even if i did." he admitted. "i care because your too skinny." he stated. "besides, if i can pick up soap, then i can pick up a Hostess. and if i can pick it up, i can eat it!" Steve informed him. Steve, oddly enough, had a thing for Twinkies, Sno Balls, Ho Ho's, Ding Dongs and the Hostess Brownies. an obsession that carried right on to his death. "Tony, good morning." Pepper chirped, all business as usual. she had not liked Tony's choices originally, but once she'd learned the truth about why he was doing it, she had stuck by his side like the loyal woman she was. she didn't love him by any means, but she did care very deeply for him and enjoyed the sex they got to have. protecting him had always been her first priority so marrying him to protect him had been well accepted. "i have a number of things you have to sign off on." she admitted. "and the president is whining again, the useless man." she huffed. "apparently we're not 'hunting down freaks' fast enough." she wrinkled his nose. "how in the hell did you convince him you where hunting mutants again?" "your doing what?" Steve asked, startled. "why would the president think your hunting mutants? you would never!"

“I know. I work hard to have a amazing ass. Though I remember yours is always better. Though you cheat for yours.”Tony huffed before twitching. “You’re more a child then my Captain. And I am not!I do not look that old!I just turned 47!”

“I can’t, it’s sorta under my eyes, I can’t see it, and if you’re going to go bouncing around at all hours, I’m going to curse and be careful when you bend down to pick up the soap. Might cause some problems.”Tony snickered a little before staring, eyes wide. Having forgotten that steve had a obsession with hostess. “Morning.”Tony grinned at his wife, smirking slightly as he slumped down into his office chair, running a hand through his dark hair, before making a face. “Fine, hand over the paperwork, I’ll sign it.”Tony said making grabby hands before sighing. “Cause I’m just amazing like that-besides, he’s just sulking cause-”Tony winced at steve’s question, waving a hand at him. “You-you shut up. Seriously, I’m trying to work and not over think the fucking list in my head, and stop.”Tony growled sounding annyoed, before refocusing on pepper, despite how he acted in public, calm and collected, behind closed doors, where his privacy was guaranteed, the man was often found talkign to steve, or any of the countless other heros who’d fallen in his war, but mostly, it was steve. Tapping a finger against his temple he smiled slightly at pepper. “Having the list in my head that I do, it was easy to convince him that I was hunting them.”Tony said even though he wasn’t, and was still working on a way of deleting his own mind without killing himself, along with working to get steve back. So many projects, so many things pulling his attention.

Steve blinked a little. "your still an asshole i see." he muttered, amused before snickering. "you know i think i'd enjoy that too much." he teased. "besides i'm not sure you can actually touch me. no one else can and i tend to slide through everything else" he admitted. "it's kind of fun actually. did you know that Phil and Clint are fucking like bunnies? they totally are." he admitted. "wheres Natasha anyway?" Dead, and so was Bruce for that matter just like Loki and Steve. Pepper snorted and handed over the papers and paused when Tony got distracted. "...Steve again?" she asked, her head tilted. "me again?" Steve asked, looking surprised. "do you see me often then?" he wondered. "what list?" he asked, sidling closer to look over the paperwork while Tony was distracted. "hmm, not that you remind me, i do recall the president mentioning something about your mind when he appointed you." she admitted before chuckling a little. "you know, eventually he's going to figure out that your playing him for a fool." she admitted, patting his hand, Steve scowling little. jealous that she could touch Tony but he couldn't. it wasn't fair at all.

“Always.Born and bred to be a ass.”Tony yawned before snickering. “You totally would.”he groaned, trying really hard to not follow that mental thought to far in what steve would enjoy. “...well probably not. I never try.”Tony shrugged a little before snickering. “I know. I’ve caught them on my desk to often to not be aware.”Tony said wrinkling his nose a little before flinching, looking away. “...Gone.”He said swallowing thickly, because that had been another death laid at his feet, another death that had nearly gotten him killed when James had hit town. “hmm,hmm. Stupid teenaged cap, he’s being distracting.”Tony growled ignoring steve’s question, not about to admit to seeing him alot. Letting steve see the paperwork that was mostly just shield agents class work and what needed to be done, before twitching a little. “He’s not intelligent enough to figure out I’d rather blow my brains out then let him have that list. He wont figure out I’m protecting them rather then hunting them.”Tony said in that vague way that said he wasn’t really aware that he’d admitted to being suicidal have the time.

he smirked. "i don't recall Howard ever having an ass like that." Steve admitted. they both hated Howard about the same. Steve because Howard was a bigot and had been homophobic and all sorts of other things. and Tony because the poor man actually had to live with the asshole. they had long gotten past the 'don't mention Howard' crap. "hmm. i think i'll see how much of you i can touch while our sleeping." he decided. "it's not cheating if i'm molesting you." he pointed out with a grin before pausing. "...oh.." he whispered, realizing Natasha was dead. "...i'm sorry." he whispered before blinking a little at Tony as Pepper rolled her eyes. "i'll get your pills." she promised, getting up and moving over to Tony's cabinet, getting him his anti hallucination pills. she could never remember the actual name of them, all she knew was that it helped cut back the visits from dead people. well, when Tony remembered to take them, which was mostly never. "here." she ordered before wincing at him. "Tony! that's terrible! you can't just talk about shooting yourself in the head!" Steve protested. "i really wish you wouldn't talk so callously about killing yourself." Pepper seconded, unaware of Steve. "but so long as the president seams to think your destroying people he won't be getting in your way." she admitted with a sigh. "fool idiot that he is. also, James has been demanding a meeting. he's getting quite... vocal about it." "James? as in Rhodes?" Steve asked curiously. no. James, as in Bucky Barnes, but this Steve didn't know that Bucky was even alive.

Tony made a face at the mention of howard, but not saying anything. “....As long as you don’t mind me having wet dreams while you’re doing it, go ahead.”Tony grinned smirking a little at the molesting joke, before sighing. “It’s fine....well no it’s not, but I’ve moved on.”Tony said shaking his head. “Thanks Pep. Someday, I’m just going to lace this with alcohol and just have my medicine while I drink.”Tony said sulking a little because he couldn’t drink for awhile until the pills settled, otherwise they made him sick. Sipping a glass of water and taking the pills before sighing. “You, go away. I’m not the kid in that movie, I do not talk to dead people. And You, lovely wife mine, know I’m way to much of a narcissist to actually do it. If anything, I’d build a hole in the ground and hide with all my pretty pretty toys for the rest of my natural life, and let Coulson and birdbrain run the show.”Tony rolled his eyes a little before twitching a little. “Well, James can take his pretty shield and shove it up his ass and blow me. I’m not seeing him until I stop seeing dead people. Well. Besides him. I’m totally telling him that. I can’t see him cause I can’t see dead people anymore. I like it.”Tony said smirking, the only problem with the medicine was for that first hour or two until it settled his nerves, it made him slightly more manic then normal.

he smirked. "so long as you enjoy yourself i don't care how you go about it." he agreed with a chuckle. "pills? pills can't get rid of me." Steve scoffed, shaking his head. "might as well settle in because i'm not leavin." he admitted simply. "you'll get sick." Pepper reminded him, her lip twitching when Tony complained about 'that' movie. Steve had watched it once. and he'd never watched it again, mostly because he was too busy hiding under the bed. same thing happened with The Grudge, the exorcism of Emily Rose and Paranormal activities. they had freaked Steve out so bad that he refused to come out from under his bed for days. "i don't know that reference." Steve stated. because he hadn't learned about those movies until after Tony had the Arc Reactor removed. "i know nothing of the sort." she stated with a sniff. "considering how your attempt last time went, i don't believe you." she'd never forgiven himself for trying to kill himself, no matter how many years had passed. "Shield?! Tony does Rhodey have my shield?! why the fuck does Rhodey have my Shield Tony?!" Steve demanded, annoyed before scowling. "i really wish you'd accept that i'm not leaving." he complained. "and tell me what the hell is going on. kinda sucks being dead and not knowing how i died you know!" he complained. "i'm going to find a marker and draw a dick on your face tonight." he decided. "and then i'm going to color your real dick black too. in permanent marker. see if Pepper sleeps with you then!"

“I know, I know, but it’d almost be worth it if I could be plastered and not see them still.”Tony grumbled even if they both knew he wouldn’t drink yet. Because while he drank like a fish, from the moment he got up, until the moment he stopped working in the evening, he didn’t drink. He never drank in the office, or when he was on call as Iron man, it was only after that he let himself drink. “...You don’t know alot of references as a teenager.”Tony retorted twitching a little. “...Pepperrrrr...it’s not fair to keep punishing me for that.”Tony whined a little before pausing, listening to steve. “Oh for fuck’s sake, shut up!I KILLED YOU. Pepper, will you tell James he can come up?I’ll get this out of the way at the same time, and I’ll go get dressed. And you, you fucking annoying vision of a Captain I actually liked, stay right there and you can enjoy James’ company time I get back.”Tony said walking out looking frustrated and upset.

she smiled at him. "i know." she admitted, patting his hand before snorting when he shot that quip at Steve. "i'm not a fucking teenager damn you! i'm almost thirty!" he protested. "i'm more of an adult than you are, even now!" "oh, i'm only punishing you twelve percent of what you deserve." Steve started to laugh before gasping at Tony's declaration, startled and hurt. "oh...." he whispered. "i... i'm sorry." why in the world was Steve apologizing for being 'murdered'? well, n one could say they had ever fully understood Steve. "Of course i will Tony." Pepper promised. "do you want me to warn him it's a bad day?" she asked. James was one of the few people who knew Tony had visions. James liked to think it was a fitting retribution. they had found a bit of a compromise, James wouldn't try to kill Tony, not yet. but he hated Tony with almost every fiber of his being. "yeah. okay Tony..." Steve said, sounding strangely subdued.

James was there in minutes, dressed as Captain America and Shield slung over his back.he sat in his chair, ignorant of Steve freaking out. "Bucky! that's Bucky! fucking hell that's Bucky! Tony! TONY! that's Bucky Barnes! he's dead! i saw him die! answer me! what the FUCK is he doing here!? was he frozen too!? how did he survive!> STOP IGNORING ME!!!!!"

“You are a fucking teenager, and I’m the adult in this friendship, always have been.”tony grumbled before twitching, “Hey, hey hey, no punishing me for one thing, using another thing. That’s just mean.”Tony huffed. “...Don’t apologize, never...don’t...”Tony flinched dipping his head at steve’s apology, pain tightening his features, guilt and regret in that look, showing that no matter what tony said, him killing steve wasn’t the whole story, but the one he believed. “Yes, please. I’d rather not have to explain myself that I’m seeing a younger steve, when it’s usually the one who hates me hanging around.”Tony grumbled the explanation, knowing she’d understand just how painful this current delusion was for him, sighing quietly as he leaned down to kiss pepper, resting his head against her shoulder for a moment, for a long moment simply relaxing and letting her comfort him before he walked out.

“...”Tony stepped into his office straightening his tie as he walked in, looking every inch like the director as he stepped into his office, taking a deep breath. “...He’s the new Captain, Captain. And he was, and he’s among the honored few of being a super soldier on ice. Now, can I discuss why he’s here, so I can send him away before he gives into the urge to kill me?”Tony said for the moment ignoring James, knowing the man would understand that he was at least trying to control his visions enough to act sane, because tony was so very sure this was still just his fucked up mind punishing him, and not really steve.

Steve huffed. "just because your smarter than me, does not make you the adult in this relationship Tony." he huffed, shaking his head before smirking when Pepper did, both of them amused at Tony's complaints. "i'm a mean person." Pepper stated calmly. "...Tony." Steve tried to think of something to say, but what could he say? he didn't know how he died. he knew Tony would never murder him in cold blood so it was either an accident or he'd deserved to die. he wished Loki had been able to tell him something. "i'll explain to him." Pepper promised, wrapping her arms around him, holding him, comforting him. it only made Steve wish all the more that he could touch Tony. it was easy to see the man was breaking.

"....the new... really?" Steve asked, sulking. "well at least i know Bucky will do it right." he mumbled unhappily. upset that he'd been replaced. "he doesn't look too surprised about you talking to thin air at least." he admitted. "tell him he's a Jerk!" Steve ordered. for once, James didn't look vindictively delighted. he hated Tony, but even he felt bad for Tony being faced with a Steve who didn't hate him. that was just too much pain for a man that even James knew was trying his best to stop the world from burning. he hated Tony, but he needed him too. "just ignore the punk." James ordered. "i want to know what the fuck your doing! there's a Kill on sight order for almost the ntirity of the X-men! what the fuck Tony!?" James demanded.

“Yes, yes it does.”Tony huffed, sighing quietly as he leaned into pepper. Simply accepting that shewas one of the few people he’d let see him like this, would accept the comfort because he was breaking. “Thanks.”He muttered as he left to get ready.

“Don’t sulk. I had no choice, he was going to be Cap either way, not protesting it kept me from having him shoot me.”Tony huffed a little before wincing. “Well, considering how often he sees me, it was easier to let him in on the secret of my delusions rather then trying to hide it.”Because only james and pepper knew just how extensive his delusions were, the others suspected he sometimes saw things, but only pepper and james knew that there was barely a day tony wasn’t haunted. “You’re a jerk. At least according to tall blond and dangerous.”Tony twitched looking at James before nodding, “I’ve been trying to.”He said before paling, pausing in the middle of sitting down, pushing back to his feet, “Jarvis?” “He is correct Sir, at the moment there is a kill on sight order for all the team.” Tony paled even more, looking shaken. “I didn’t put it out and-Wait. The list, does it list them by name?”he asked knowing it was the only way to prove to james this hadn’t been him. “...No sir, only a few are listed by name.” “Barnes, if I wanted to kill them, I would have handed out real names and locations, you know I can do it.”Tony said pointing out the fact that very few people werer aware of. That because of the registeration list, and all the heros who’d signed it....then the technical glitch that had followed...Extremis was the only copy of the complete list of heros left in the world. “Jarvis, reverse the order, and call the president, tell him that the director of shield and the good captain are on their way to see him. Captain, you ready to go?”tony asked, speaking to them both really

Steve huffed. "yeah well. at least it's not the Archer." he grumbled before blinking at Tony. "huh. good point. so you are keeping me a secrete then?" he asked, looking amused. "well i'll not bother you unless your alone or with Pepper and James then." he decided, realizing how bad it would be if people thought the Director of Shield was insane. "yeah well. he's a punk." James stated calmly. he was used to Tony's delusions involving him in conversation. mostly because it was what Tony was used to, Steve and James bickering. "yeah he's hard to ignore." "asshole!" Steve complained to James. not that the other could hear him. James relaxed a little, glad to see that Tony hadn't ordered the kill on sight decree. he hadn't thought so, but sometimes... well that was besides the point. "well it's not like i knew if there where names involved or not." James pointed out. "i just got the Order that all X-men where to die." he admitted. "it's bad enough that almost all of them are registered, but some, like Charles and Jean are already known mutants and X-men." James admitted as he yanked on his mask. "ready as i'll ever be." he stated. "you know honestly, i think i might hate that fucking man more than i hate you." James admitted simply, leading the way to Tony's private Jet, Steve following them. silent now. not wanting to disturb Tony when he was in public.

“No shit I’m not telling anyone. People were bothered enough that I was director, I wasn’t going to give them even more reason to want me out of this office.”Tony pointed out. “Well, you should have. I mean, seriously. If I wanted them all dead, I wouldn’t advertise it. Easier to make things look like a accident then letting out a list only I would be able to put out....which makes me wonder how he pushed the list through, considering it breaks the deal of me dealing with you all.”Tony growled sounding annoyed before sighing. “Jarvis, let the ones who have already been outted, know that things are going to be messy till we get it sorted out. And put the other’s on alert please.”Jarvis while not knowing the names, knew them by their codenames, and would be able to easily inform all the x-men to lay low for awhile. “I didn’t think that was possible, Barnes. I thought I was your favorite person to hate.”Tony grumbled as they headed for the jet, though the simple act of walking there proved in part why tony had been named director. A small word, a kind one to everyone they past said that he remembered not only field commands, but had gotten to know his people. Which really wasn’t a surprise. People had always mattered to him, even if he had never been able to show it well. “...We have about a hours flight. Anything besides this, I should know about?”Tony asked as the pilot headed for DC, looking at the other man.

Steve nodded. "makes sense." he agreed. "and at least James won't go blabbing about it... do Phil and Clint know? what about Bruce?" Bruce was dead, but Phil and Clint in fact, did not know how bad Tony's psychosis went. "yeah well, it's not like i know what your ultimate goal is Stark." James sneered at him. "for all i know yer planning world domination. you'd have to get rid of the X-men for that to be sure." not that James actually believed that, it was just his anger speaking. at least Tony was taking care of it, he wouldn't let the X-men be hunted down and slaughtered. "you are my favorite person to hate. but the president just put out a kill order for about thirty kids who haven't even hit their sixteenth birthday and that is NOT okay." he snarled. if there was anything James hated more than Tony, it was people who hurt kids. "yeah. Deadpool stole my Coffee Cups. literally all of them and i want them back." he sneered. "Sam broke his arm in Harlem so he's off duty for now so you'll need to assign some Shield agents to cover that district while he's down. also, one of the Government branches is trying to rebuild the Sentinels so you're going to have to get involved in that." he warned. the Sentinels had been terminated after they started destroying anyone with the X-gene, even the people who haven't become mutant. it all came to a head when the Sentinels attacked a hospital and slaughtered the entire nursery because one of the babies had been born with the X-gene. tht one of the government branches was trying to start that up again was very, very troubling. "oh! and someone released the Abomination..." he warned. "he's running loose somewhere in Guatemala right now trying to find ...." he paused, swallowed thickly and then continued. "so you mght be getting calls about that because i don't have the man power to deal with him right now."