starkingenuity | (no subject)

"You have my name. On your arm."

Tony hadn't been agonizing about it but maybe he had just a little and maybe he had driven down to DC to tell Steve Rogers what he was pretty sure that the blond already knew. A plane or the Iron Man armor would have taken much less time, but Tony needed to make frequent stops along the way so that he could try to get himself to turn back and just leave it.

It didn't always happen, the mythical arm writing, but that's what made it to special. Every teenager pretty much spent their years before college hoping for a name to turn up one day. Less than ten percent ever did, and that number was dwindling seeing as how people didn't really care if they had a name on their arm or not. If their parents and religion weren't going to tell them what to do, weird indelible writing appearing on their bodies was not either.

The thing one, Tony did not have a name on his arm. There was no corroborating Steve Rogers written in interesting patterns on his skin. There was nothing. Tony hadn't been a lucky one.

But he'd seen, accidentally, on Steve well after they had first met and it was pretty obvious that yeah, Steve would know that he'd just met Anthony E. Stark, fought beside him in New York, nearly watched him die, and then just moved away to DC after as if nothing at all happened.

Now he wanted answers,

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From:

starspangledspandex

The corner was about as comfortable as he expected it to be but he knew when he needed sleep and they were probably going to have a long day ahead of them tomorrow. He shifted slightly at the weight of the blanket over him but surprisingly didn't wake at the sound of Tony's nightmare.

It'll be a few hours before he finally was stiff enough to wake up himself and he immediately frowned, "You're supposed to be asleep."

From:

starkingenuity

"I don't sleep," Tony replied. He had taped up his ribs with stuff he found in Steve's bike packs and put a few butterfly bandages over his face. He took some pain killers and was more than ready to go now.

"I don't have anything in for breakfast. Sorry Cap. But how about we break into some terrorist base and figure out why soldiers are blowing up?"

From:

starspangledspandex

"That's not good for you," Steve observed, because even if he needed less sleep than most people, even the super soldier required some kind of shut eye. He wasn't as bad off as some people but Tony was generally a normal guy. Sleep deprivation caused all kinds of bad judgement.

"I'll be alright," he said, tilting his head at Tony, before nodding. "If you think you're up for it."

From:

starkingenuity

"Not much I do is good for me." He grinned at that. It was true. A person could become as much as 16 times more impaired from lack of sleep. They could become paranoid. They could become moody and angry.

Tony was generally all those things. Luckily he functioned far higher than most people so he was still doing all right even without sleep.

Tony pushed his hair back and slipped on a ball cap before he hitched up his hoodie. "You're the one in the uniform. There are some overalls and a coat that should fit you over there. Funny. The little name tag actually says Steve on it."

His grin was manic but he was ready to go. Even if he more or less limped his way towards where he thought the base might be. He was glad Steve was with him. He just would never tell him that.

From:

starspangledspandex

He glanced over at the normal clothing and frowned. He didn't know how he felt about borrowing a random person's clothes out of their backyard toolshed. Did they even know that Tony is in here? He doubts it.

"Why are we sneaking in?" he asks as he tugs off his boots and tests to see whether the overalls will fit over his uniform. He might get warm but he has a feeling the protection will be a good thing. "Why not take the suit and go in the front door."

From:

starkingenuity

Tony arched an eyebrow at Steve. "So you don't want to play spy?" Well the direct approach was typically better.

Tony snapped the reactor back into the armor and watched the eyes glow before he exhaled slowly and gestures towards the suit. This was probably going to hurt, considering the damage he was in, but there wasn't too much to do about that.

Steve was in for a treat. He would get to see something truly remarkable as Tony controlled his suit with his mind. More or less.

From:

starspangledspandex

"It's not my usual approach," he responded with a shrug. He wore a brightly colored uniform and shield in the color of the American flag. It didn't exactly scream subtle. Of course, many of the missions he was sent on were assaults. Could he be quiet? Sure. "Depending on the layout of the area, it's probably the better move, especially since what we're looking for will be heavily guarded."

Steve looked surprised and impressed, "you can control the suit remotely?"

From:

starkingenuity

Tony waited until the armor had attached itself to him. He stumbled back just a little bit he managed not to topple over and he caught the face plate before it could bonk him in the phase. "Electromagnets. Controlled by my reactor. Controlled by implants I've placed subdermally at key nervous point."

He sighed in relieve as the suit compressed the air around his torso, keeping his ribs from jostling.

"I'll have to carry you. Ready?"

From:

starspangledspandex

"You put implants into yourself to control your suit," Steve summarizes with a frown. It was Tony's body but he wasn't sure how he felt about that one. "Is that safe?"

Says the man that was injected with an experimental drug to make him a super soldier. Difference being, Steve was already sick.

"Hiding the shield is going to be difficult."

From:

starkingenuity

"It's probably not safe. No. I disabled safety protocols." Maybe he shouldn't have told Steve that but. Well too late now. He hated how honest he was with the blond.

He hated a lot of things about this that he didn't really hate at all.

"Listen. I'm riding in in a gold and fire engine red steed. Your shield? That's the least of our worries."

From:

starspangledspandex

His frown deepened, because he didn't like the sound of that either. There were a reason that safety protocols were in place. It wasn't just for fun. He swung his shield up onto his arm. He really wasn't sure what the best way to hold it was going to be.

"True," he said with a nod. "What's the easy way for you to carry me?"

From:

starkingenuity

"Just don't block my palms," Tony said, striding fluidly towards the door. That he could move at all in that thing was pretty remarkable. He waited outside for Steve and grabbed him tightly around the waist. "Ready? I go fast so you hold on!"

From:

starspangledspandex

Well, those instructions were easy enough. Steve didn't think that would be a problem. He was capable of holding on pretty tight. It was probably a good thing he wasn't afraid of heights.

"Don't do anything too crazy," he said as he stepped up to wrap his arm around the armor. "I don't want dropped."

From:

starkingenuity

"I wouldn't drop you. And if I did, I would catch you again." He cursed inwardly for saying that and then took off, heading towards where he was certain the facility and the Mandarin would be. Everything hurt, every part of him, but he pulled through it, even if the landing wasn't exactly graceful. There was a blinding hot pain against his chest, but he managed not to let Steve tumble too badly even as he skidded to a halt against some girders.

From:

starspangledspandex

Well, that was good to know. Steve didn't even consider how sappy that sounded so Tony was safe there. He wasn't as thrilled about zooming across the country with nothing but his grip keeping him in the air. He hid his face and eyes against the armor so they didn't dry out or get hit by anything.

The landing was not at all as neat and tidy as he typically saw from Tony and that was definitely concerning.

"Are you sure you're okay?" He demanded.

From:

starkingenuity

Tony felt like he was going to throw up but he didn't say a word. He left his face plate down and scanned the edge of the building. "There are massive heat signatures inside," Tony noted, his voice tight. "This must be the right place. Let's try to go slow and quiet."

So said the man kicking down the door. Literally. The alarms went off and Tony laughed.

"Stay out of my range. I'm not so good up close and personal or in tight quarters."

From:

starspangledspandex

Slow and quiet. Sure. Did Tony even know what the meant? As Steve followed him through the door, he assumed that he really didn't grasp the concept.

"I'll do my best," he assured the man and he checked his grip on his shield, then darted to the side, keeping stuff between him and the armed guards. Hopefully, Tony would draw all of their attention and he could pick them off while they were distracted.

From:

starkingenuity

Distracted? Oh, Tony could do that. They never seemed to get along, but they fought as if they were meant to always be this way. A kick here, blast there, round house somersault? They moved without having to think.

Luckily, Tony was not currently doing much thinking. "I'll go left and you go right. We can clear more ground," he told Steve and didn't wait for a confirmation. Cap might be their leader when they were Avenging...but this was personal.

From:

starspangledspandex

It was easy to move with Tony. To read his movements and predict them so that they could systematically take care of guards. It was easier than it should be considering the difference in their fighting styles and they really didn't get a lot of chance to fight alongside one another.

"Be careful," Steve acknowledged, accepting the order and heading to the right. The man was in a full suit of armor so he could only hope that he would be alright even with his injuries. Steve told himself he didn't worry because of the name on his arm but rather because they were teammates. He would be concerned about anyone on his team. A name didn't mean anything.

From:

starkingenuity

Tony was carefully right until he passed out from the enormous current he had pass through him, armor and all. A name on Steve's arm might give him an idea of where tony was but it didn't give him any personal insight into how he was doing.

Getting himself can opened and lashed up to what sort of looked like a bed frame wasn't one of those things that translated well between soulmates.

From:

starspangledspandex

He cleared out his side of the compound without much trouble and he frowned as he moved toward a rendezvous with the other man. Nothing. He didn't see the man and he didn't hear the suit in the air anymore. This was a problem. Steve debated momentarily and then decided to feel the man out.

Where was he? Did he proceed already? He couldn't wait on Steve?

It took time for Steve to work his way through the guards to where Tony was being held and it became clear that he wasn't exactly down here because he wanted to be. There didn't seem to be anyone else around right now so he made his way into the room.

"Need a hand?"

From:

starkingenuity

"Who me?" Tony leaned against the ties holding him to the frame and looked over his shoulder as best he cold st Steve Rogers. Oh he hated that man's face. He really hated it. "Nah. I'm good. What have you been up to anyway? Did you stop for coffee?"

He tried to jostle his bonds but the whole frame threatened to fall over on him and he did not need That right now when Steve was watching.

From:

starspangledspandex

He scans the room, looking for any hidden threats before he moves into the room and surveys the predicament that Tony has gotten himself into. He doesn't see how the man is getting out of it himself.

"I cleared most of the guards upstairs and on the way down. I haven't seen anyone in charge."

From:

starkingenuity

"Well someone does have to be in charge," Tony pointed out, watching Steve as he neared...but didn't move to help him. Was sarcasm lost on the blond? Probably they bred that out of him when them pumped up his muscles.

Oh, he was so very annoyed to have nearly thrown himself -- okay, he did actually throw himself -- at the man. He was not his type at all! Minus the whole leggy blond thing Tony had going on...

"Are you sure you were thorough? That mask probably makes it hard to catch everything."

From:

starspangledspandex

"Someone probably is but that doesn't mean they're here," Steve said and yes, he knew what sarcasm was thanks and that was precisely why he ignored the comment about the mask. He wanted to make sure there weren't any traps. It seemed too convenient. He frowned as he stepped up to the man and reached for one of his hands. "I don't like this."