starkingenuity | The Darkside Has Cookies

It was supposed to be an easy fix. Sit back, let Loki do the work, clean up after. He didn’t understand how things could go so downhill, so fast. The Hulk was out and about, Thor was occupied, Black Widow-- She was a joke. The so-called X-Men were still trying to find their really terrible costumes and get to New York to help. Spider-man was cracking jokes somewhere—

Easy. It should have been so easy!

But nooooo. No, Loki had to take invasion a little too seriously and get in over his idiot head. Fury turned away from the console and glanced at the brooding blond to his left. “Suit up. Take the team. Help out with the Chitauri if you have to, but focus on the scepter. I’m not ready to welcome our alien overloads just yet, Rogers.”

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From:

starspangledspandex

Loki might have been stirring but the Soldier smacked his head hard against the floor to put him out again and nodded, "Confirmed."

He threw the God over his shoulder without any difficulty and immediately stalked out to do just that. The rest of the orders were relayed to the team, clipped and firm. They needed to finish this. After he locked Loki away, he returned to the battlefield and scaled the building to find Thor at the top with the scepter.

"I can close it," he said, twisting toward the Soldier.

"Do it," he responded, eyes raising to the portal. There would still be cleanup to do but at least there wouldn't be anymore coming through it.

From:

starkingenuity

Tony gave his appearance. He rushed around trying to help people from his building and eventually was taken in by the police to transport to safety. Tony let himself be taken across town and in the chaos of another Chitauri attack, one of the Leviathans swooping down over them, he broke away and headed recklessly back to the tower. He arrived just as Thor closed the portal and the Chitauri fell over dead. Good. The splattering sky monsters were going to end up making more of a mess. That would leave the Avengers busy while he and the Soldier interrogated Loki.

Tony arrived to the vault looking pretty worse for wear and waited for the Soldier to join him before stepping inside.

From:

starspangledspandex

Hydra plants made excuses for the Soldier to steal away from the clean-up. Steve would have stayed and helped but he wouldn't do what they wanted to Loki. They needed the Soldier for that too so they would have to sacrifice some of the Captain's image. Press would be told he had minor injuries. It would be forgotten.

His eyes flicked over Tony as he approached and turned his attention on Loki, stepping through the door silently. The Soldier was dirty but uninjured. Tony was the one that suffered a major electrical shock. He likely should be seeing a doctor but well, that wasn't The Soldier's judgment to make. Where Steve would have argued he remained silent.

He assumed that Tony would be asking questions. So his eyes shifted back to him once he confirmed that Loki was both awake and aware of them, but also not immediately prepared to attack.

From:

starkingenuity

That was the one thing he liked about his charge. The Soldier was quiet. He stayed in the back until he was needed. Tony appreciated that. He took the point here, looking absolutely like he should have let the medical team do more than put a butterfly bandage over the lower edge of his split lip. He grinned but it hurt.

"So why all this? Out of curiosity. Just a vendetta against your brother? Because that's mean. Take his ball and go home. Don't go doing wheelies in the neighbor's yard."

From:

starspangledspandex

Loki only grins as he looks between them. He's aware of his situation here but he's useful to people in power. They've promised him things. In return, they need things only he can get his hands on. They'll come for him. It's only a matter of biding his time. At least he can amuse himself with these mortals in the meantime.

"Hardly," he replies with the same grin. His head is killing him but he'll survive. "It is simply convenient that this upsets Thor."

From:

starkingenuity

"That would have been far too easy," Tony sighed. Far too easy. "Other than that cube. Powerful energy. We get it. Everyone wants infinite energy. Powers the universe. But why?"

They only had an hour. After that, if Loki didn't speak, they would have to figure it out on their own while Steve tried to figure out why his boots smelled like bleach from the cleaning process to get all the blood off of them.

From:

starspangledspandex

Loki isn't the one that wants the cube. The one that promised him Earth wants it. He'll have it too. One way or another. Stopping the god just delays the inevitable. He's seen real power. The humans have no idea.

"If everyone wishes for it, you already have your answer," Loki responds, canting his head at Tony and ignoring the Soldier hovering in the background. "Why do you crave power?"

From:

starkingenuity

"We stopped your army from coming through. This time. I'm going to guess that they're going to try again. Well. It won't be with you here."

Loki wasn't going to talk and Tony was running out of patience. He gestured for the Soldier to start working his magic. Let the Soldier start to break him. He might sing s little before they killed him. Tony was actually looking forward to that. Steve Rogers, when he was out of his mind, could be a thing of beauty.

From:

starspangledspandex

Loki struggled, of course he did, and he was strong enough Steve was going to have bruises in places only the Soldier remembered. Compartmentalization was an interesting thing.

It was acrually Asgard that came for the fallen god. Weak and broken and barely breathing as the Soldier was bathed in light, then thrown against the glass wall of the room hard enough it shattered. It left him covered in blood and gashes even as he scrambled back to his feet.

Then Loki was gone.

There wasn't anything they could do about it on Earth. For the Soldier, this was a failure of his mission. Dutifully, he dropped to his knees in front of Tony, accepting any punishment that would fall his way.

From:

starkingenuity

Tony himself hadn't actually been spared either, though only because the shock wave that took the Soldier also pushed him down too. It was sheer will that let him get to his feet, bruised and battered from Loki. "They could have done that at any time," Tony hissed, ignoring the prostrated blond for a moment before kicking him (ineffectually) until his foot hurt. He doubted the other man felt anything at all and Tony didn't feel better. "They could have stopped this the moment he got here. Jesus fucking Christ!"

He paced around the room before calling up Fury. The Director called the mission off because there was nothing else to do and told Tony not to worry.

Unfortunately, that was all he did do. His identity was exposed. If Loki told Thor-- Shit.

"All right Capsicle. Time for you to unfreeze. Go to sleep in the lobby and let Steve back out to play. I'm going to talk to the media."

From:

starspangledspandex

They could have, yes, but perhaps the all-seeing Guardian at the gates had thought Loki deserved a harsher measure of punishment than Asgard would give him. It was impossible to say. All the Soldier knew was his target was gone and his punishment was deserved. Tony was right; it didn't hurt in the slightest. He was used to being pretty abused.

"Acknowledged," the Soldier replied and, still bloody and injured, he went to lay down in the lobby.

When he woke up, Steve was confused but then, he was always confused after the Soldier was brought out. There was always a small chunk of time missing. He didn't know what happened to bring him to the front lobby of Stark's building. He had clearly taken a beating. He had multiple gashes that probably actually needed some stitches.

He raised his hands to his comm, "Can anyone read me?"

From:

starkingenuity

It was Clint that answered, sounding weary and in more pain than he would like to let on. "Yeah, Cap?" There was a groan. "You still at the Tower?" Barton unwittingly provided Steve with a reason not to question being there. Tony had already taken out his comm, he was not suppose to be Iron Man right now anyway, and was busy being helped into an ambulance.

Finally, something for his throat.

Funny that he and Steve would end up at the same hospital. They could thank Fury for that, likely. Steve was the only member of the Avengers that knew he was Iron Man so it didn't really matter to him. Besides, he was easy on the eyes. More pliant when he was the Soldier, but he couldn't exactly be picky right now.

"What happened to you?" Tony asked, feigning ignorance.

From:

starspangledspandex

"Yeah," he replied, frowning because he remembered being dropped off on the balcony but nothing after that and he made a mental note to make sure they checked his head.

He found his way to a medical team that dragged him to the hospital. He didn't think anything of it when they set him up next to Tony and he winced his way through having them pull glass out of his wounds. Ow.

"I don't remember," he admitted, dutifully being subjected to a test for a concussion. "I think I went through your window. Or floor. Guess I didn't need that ride down from Iron Man after all."

From:

starkingenuity

Careful. Tony gave Steve such a look. He had had enough of people even making jokes. He had never felt so completely insecure in his adult life as he did now. Steve was innocent of all of that, of course. Tony had to bite back any remarks.

"Someone said they saw you falling." It was on the news. Of course, that was out a different building before the Soldier came out to play but whatever. "After you saved us."

Sure. Give Rogers all the damned credit.

"I owe you pizza and a beer."

From:

starspangledspandex

He nodded, that would explain it. Falling from any height hurt and if he fell right, it could certainly knock him out. He wasn't infallible. Steve grunted as they started on stitches and they wouldn't have to be there long with his healing but it was probably good to have them anyway.

"I could eat a whole pizza," Steve agreed with a small grin. No, he didn't know that Loki saw the man's face. They were all alive so he was cheerful about that. "I might take you up on that sooner rather than later."

From:

starkingenuity

"I know. I've seen you. Fine. As soon as I'm released, you and me and beers." Tony wasn't sure why he bothered. Steve had to know his identity and playing nice with the captain was a way to insure that he would keep it a secret. But Tony honestly just preferred the Soldier. He was thinking about him now, smug and silent or giving one word answers--

Tony let his head fall on the pillow and he closed his eyes.

It would be two days before he was released. Pepper was there to cry with him. Happy and Rhodey came by. Media. Flowers and gifts. So many gifts. Didn't people realize that he was a billionaire? Jesus.

He let Pepper take him home and then immediately sent her to take care of another office. West coast. She was annoyed but she did it anyway.

After ordering pizzas for his guest.

From:

starspangledspandex

Steve went home with Tony. It was only a temporary arrangement. He was still trying to find a place to stay and well, the Tower was undergoing a little bit of remodeling after the whole aliens from outer space thing. He didn't have very many options unlike Tony and he appreciated the man putting up with him staying for a bit. He certainly hoped that made Pepper feel a little better.

"Mmm," he hummed in approval as he bit into his third slice. "Where's this from? This is good."

From:

starkingenuity

"I have no idea," Tony said. "My favorite place was destroyed." That's what annoyed him most of all. Loki had been allowed to play chaos up to the hilt and not only was Tony left exposed but he was also missing a few businesses he really appreciated and frequented.

His lips screwed up as he picked out another piece himself, crust left untouched and thrown back into the box.

"How much of the battle do you remember, Cap?" It was a game. A dangerous one. Tony liked to poke at programming of any kind.

From:

starspangledspandex

He reached out to flip the box lid over so he could read the name of the place. At some point, he might go back to get more from them. Right now though, Tony has bought enough and Steve is quickly making sure there aren't going to be any leftovers. He's starving.

Steve's forehead creases at the question and he struggles to recall the fight. "I remember you dropping me off at the top of the tower," he starts slowly. "I remember seeing the scepter and taking it to the device, but I don't remember anything else until I woke up in the lobby."

From:

starkingenuity

"You saved my life." Tony wasn't lying, though that had just been Steve's body. "Loki had me... You saved me and he threw you out of a window. You're extremely lucky to be alive but Cap? Memory loss?"

He would go to hell and enjoy it.

"Did you talk to someone about that?" Tony leaned forward. There was something strange in his eyes.

From:

starspangledspandex

His forehead creased as he eyed the other man. Honestly, he hadn't been too concerned about it.

"I mentioned it to the nurse," he replied and it was easy to rationalize the moments where the Soldier was in control. He was fighter; he got hit and most of the time it was hard. "She didn't seem to be worried. I fell out of a building. I don't think it's much of a surprise."

From:

starkingenuity

It was amazing what people In Authority could do. There was no way memory loss was a good thing and yet if a doctor or a nurse wasn't concerned, why be concerned yourself? Tony found the whole thing fascinating.

Just like he thought it was fun to poke at the programming.

"Loki knows my identity," he said, almost off hand. That I'm Iron Man. He saw me leave the suit. That makes four people now that know who I am."

From:

starspangledspandex

Steve did write it off. Maybe someday he would ask directly about it and whether he should be concerned, but so long as he kept filling in the blanks with logical reasons, it would be awhile. At some point, he might ask if it was safe to be having this many problems but right now? He wasn't worried.

He pressed his lips together at the admission. He knew Tony hid his identity for a number of reasons. He just wasn't sure what they all were. "Is that going to be an issue?"

From:

starkingenuity

The genius turned away. He wanted to see the look in Steve's eyes but this power play was just too interesting. Tony should have been an actor. He was just they good at fucking with people's minds.

Shoulders hunched, he put on an air of dismay and rubbed a hand over his face, gaze far off and alone.

"I don't know what I'll do."

From:

starspangledspandex

Steve watched the older man with a small frown. He thought Tony was maybe being a little dramatic but there was basically a picture of him in the dictionary next to the word so he wrote it off as normal. He weighed the pros and cons and finally asked, "What's the worst case scenario?"