pent up
Steves up early again, earlier than usual. He couldn't stay still long enough to sleep. He was antsy; He felt tight and wound up, couldn't pay attention, had to be doing something with his hands. It's been like this for weeks now and the others had noticed. He's noticed them noticing and new his behavior wasn't normal but couldn't stop. Other people were allowed to be antsy, to have off days, he shouldn't feel bad for feeling bad. He rubbed the back of his neck and leaned forward, rested his head on the cabinet, and watched the Stark industries coffee machine work its magic.
Tony had off days all the time and the others never held it against him. Steves the only one who seems to dwell on his behavior. He just gets so riled up thinking about how cocky tony is. When Tony gets moody he acts untouchable like theres absolutely nothing Steve can do to him. That smirk of his makes everything he says sound like a challenge its as if he's silently punctuating every sentence with a bratty “and what are you gonna do about it”. Steve pressed himself into the counter and quietly groaned a little in frustration. He sipped at his fresh coffee trying to clear his mind. Two pieces of toast popped out of the stark industries toaster with a pop and a musical ping. He buttered his toast then set everything down, sighed heavily, and started rubbing under his eyes and over his forehead to try and soath the headache that seamed to follow him everywhere he went, showing up at the worst of times.. His hand ran through his hair then tugging a little. He hummed and pressed back into the counter, the pressure was nice.
He closed his eyes and ground into the indent of the cabinet handle. The feeling made his head rollback and mouth fall open in a silent ‘Oh.’ as his hips ghosted back and forth into the counter making his stomach tighten. He moaned, low and long, as he pressed real hard into the counter and held himself there. “Oh..Oh my god..yeah. Uuuh yeah.” he pulled back then started pressing harder and faster. Leaning forward to rest his head back against the upper cabinets “Yeah, just… uuuhh yeah.”. The tightness in his stomach was building and his low moans were turning into quiet wimpers when a familer wave of nausea came crashing down on him.
He pulled away from the counter breathing hard and grabbed his stomach, curling in on himself. He moaned again, this time in pain and gagged. It felt like some stuck a bicycle pump into his lungs and had blown them up to a uncomfortable fullness making his chest tight like right before a heart attack. His pained panting became long deep breaths as the aching and nausea subsided enough for him to snap back to reality and finish his toast without anymore incidents.
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Steves leg jumped anxiously the entire meeting, a constant thump thump thump that no one dared comment on. They had asked at first but stopped when steve snapped at Natasha, in front of everybody, for asking if he was okay. How was he supposed to respond to that? They had all been asking ‘are you okay? Whats wrong? Just talk about it.’ he didnt know what it was how was he supposed to talk about it? He knew he was upset and could name all the stressors in his life but the feeling was more than that it was primal it made him growl in frustration when he thought about it. He wanted something so damn bad he couldn't think straight or see clearly but had no idea what it was he wanted.
When the meeting ended steve was the first to get up and head for the door, he needed to go for a run. A arm looped itself around his shoulder slowing his stride to a shuffle. “Slow your roll soldier i need you for a minute. hate to interrupt the whole angry lone wolf thing but i need a teensy weensy little favor from mr stars and stripes.” tony was close. Not as close as they got while sparring but close enough to make steve uncomfortable. “No.” he said firmly. “But i didnt even get to-” steve pulled away from the embrace and put his hands in his pockets. “The fundraiser? Yeah, im not going for you. Fury gave you that assignment for a reason.” he also just didnt want to go. He hasnt wanted to go anywhere lately.
Tony stoped walking and put his hands on his hips in a display of what steve assumed was disapproval “Okay mr ‘teamwork’, lets keep the attitude to a minimum today.” steve scoffed and forced himself not to grab the entitled punk by his collar and shake him hard. “I wasnt gonna ask you to go for me i was gonna ask you to go with me.” steve crossed his arms and raise his brow in question. Tony rolled his eyes and threw his arms up “Jesuuus why are you being so difficult lately?” steve was about to walk off “its actually making me mad. Arent you the one who said taking things out on others is selfish? That being apart of this team is a choice?” he knew both of those things were true but he didnt have it in him to be nice right now. He could hear and feel himself being rude but couldn't ease up. He was just too tense, to wound up. Everything got on his nerves and nothing was relieving it, he was about to explode. “Your acting so childish.” steve saw red.
He snatched tony up by his expensive suit jacket, lifted him to eye level, and tightened his grip like a vice. Tonys eyes were wide with shock he gasped, smirk no where in sight. It was satisfying seeing that look of ‘oh no whats gonna happen’ it looked good on tony. He dropped him feeling a little better. People rushed over to defuse the situation and whisked them away from each other letting steve make his escape.
He was no longer boiling, just simmering with energy; it was like the brief argument had taken the edge off, and given him something to think about. He replayed the scene in his head over and over till it transformed into something else. In his head he hadn't dropped tony and they hadn't been separated because no one else was there. It was just them two alone in a room full of tension. He imagined tony dangling there with that defiant look still in his eyes as he spat insults at steve rilling him up making him grind his teeth and slam him into the wall. The image of tonys surprised face pops into steves head and he imagines pressing himself against tony.
A broken half moan half gasp filled the elevator as steve rode to the parking garage feeling sick and overwhelmed. He beat himself up while walking to the garage then proceeded to tear himself apart on the ride back to the avengers tower. It was hard for him to think about certain topics which left him with a bunch of feelings he couldn't rationalize. Feelings like shame, disgust, confusion, anger, and… need.
That night steve sat in bed palming himself through his boxers and, as per usual, couldn't come. He desperately lifted his hips up to rub himself against his hand and tugged his hair with the other. A wave a nausea flooded over him making him pull his hand back with a deep groan as he curled into a defeated ball. Before the serum he could masturbate fine but since the transformation its been different, more intense. Now all it takes is a few tugs before hes a squirming panting mess teetering on the edge of cuming. The build up right before finishing used to be the best part but now it's too much too fast and almost entirely unpleasant.
He took a few deep breathes before laying back flat and setting a shaky hand at the top of his boxers. He grabbed the fabric and gave it a gentle pull that felt so good he almost whined, high pitched and needy. The hand in his hair snaked to his mouth to guard the quiet wimpers that threatened to slip out. He let go of the underwear then ghosted a hand over his bulge for a second before resting it there and letting his eyes close. He wrapped a gentle hand around his bulge and gave it a squeeze which made his eyes rollback. Just then the familiar sound of the Avengers alarm, which was the sound of a trumpet, rang through the tower forcing him to drop what he was doing.
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The battle went well, It was a smooth fight where everyone seemed to be on the same page at the same time which didnt happen often. The antsy gloom that had been following steve around momentarily subsided and comradery replaced it. He had missed that feeling. The energy was good the whole way back to the tower. He didnt participate in the reindeer games but was still happy to be there and the others could tell. They were all secretly relieved steve was acting more like his old self and didnt want to waste the opportunity so tony ordered pizza and clint suggested a movie night. Things felt normal again.Steve sat on the big comfy recliner next to the couch while half watching the movie and half listening to the teams conversation. It was nice and lasted almost the whole length of the first avatar movie. Then people started filtering off to their rooms one by one till it was just bruce, tony, and steve. The two scientists were lazily commenting on the logistics of pandora until the end of the movie. Bruce stretched and stood “well you two may not need sleep but i do. See you in the morning .” he started towards the elevator “Nice work today guys”
Suddenly it was just the two of them. No background noise from the movie or the distraction of the others, just the quiet. “I’m sorry for grabbing like that earlier.” steve couldnt help but say. “Oh naw its all good i was being pushy and you obviously havent been yourself lately.” steve sighed at that and looked away. “Thats no excuse. It wont happen again Stark.” now it was tonys turn to sigh dramatically “Okay, dont throw a hissy fit like you did at Nat but whats wrong? I can see somethings messing you up- so can everybody else and before you say ‘oh im fine a-okay totally chill’ remember that im not stupid.” steve rested his head in his hand as tony spoke. “Nothing” tony looked at him like he was stupid which ticked steve off a little “its nothing” steve sat back in the recliner and ran both hands through his hair “its..its. I dont know” he dropped his hands and stared at the ceiling “its just…” he closed his eyes “I dont know” he sounded lost, not frustrated and standoffish like he usually was.
Tony could recognise a man on the brink and knew he should be doing something about it but emotions werent his strong suit and Steve wasn't giving him anything to work with so he siped his drink and scooted a little closer to his chair. “I think the root of the problem is that your thinking too much. Most of the time im thinking to much too but i can get away with that.” steve stared down at there legs which were practically touching. “You on the other hand are a simple man” tony said dramatically “and simple men think simple thoughts and have simple needs” he was starting to sound condescending but it didnt bug steve for some reason. He was half listening while mentally tracing the curves of tonys legs as he confidently rambled. “What im saying is that youve got us. The team and I.” Tony gently rested his leg against steves, steve went still and things were tense for a second then he set a shaky hand on tonys knee and gave it a weak squeeze.
Tony was momentarily shocked then continued talking. this tony could work with. He may not be able to talk emotions but fucking his way through some feelings is nothing new and that may not be whats happening here but it sure feels like thats whats happening. “We should have more movie night-next time i vouch for the godfather, its a classic” neither of them cared what tony was rambling about they were to focused on steves hand. Steves thumb ghosted back and forth over tony knee as his breathing started to shallow. He looked Way to wound up almost panicked. It was making tony kind of nervous. Tony decided to make a move and picked up the shaky hand on his knee, brought it to his mouth, and sucked on his fingers slow and seductively with clear intentions. Steves eyes were wide, mouth slightly open in awe and shock. a soft whine encouraged Tony's talented tongue. “Tony~” steve sounded broken, looked wrecked, and still had his clothes on. Tony was pretty proud of that.
Tony popped the fingers out of his mouth and swallowed, steve watched his throat bob and suddenly knew exactly what he wanted. What he needed to feel better. He needed that mouth, that snarky talented mouth. “Tony please.” he wanted so badly and tony was willing and right here and so inviting. “Please” the hard shell of frustration had completely crumbled away leaving him vulnerable and needy. “I know what you need cap” tony said with a confident smugness that normally would have upset him instead made him groan in excitement. ‘Tony knew what he needed and was gonna give it to him’ that thought made him shudder.
Tony stood in front of steves chair and boldly leaned down into his space to capture him in a kiss. His left hand was on the chair while his right tangled itself in steves hair. One of his knees found its way between steves legs making him gasp a little, breaking the kiss. Steves eyes were wild. Tony fondled his way down steves body stroking all the sensitive bits and mouthing at his neck till he got to his tented pants. He started palming him slow and steady to get him going but steve was already gone. His back arched head fell hack in ecstasy as he grabbed tonys hand and held it firmly to his crotch as his hips moved up and down ever so slightly like he absolutely couldnt help himself. The sight was mouth watering the way he desperately rubbed himself on against tonys hand lit a flame in his gut. He wanted every fiber of Steve's being to be screaming his name while coming.
Tony dropped to his knees in front of steve and started sucking him through his jeans making steve see white. His stomach twisted in pain making the rest of him tense and lean forward over tony. He blindly grabbed tony by his hair pulling him away then started breathing in through his nose and out through his mouth, eyes closed. Tony watched quietly for a second before weaving a hand under steves to lightly untangle it from his perfect hair. As much as he was loving this he didnt like anyone touching his hair. “Sorry” steve breathed out then dropped his hand to his thigh. “Nothing to worry about ive been told iv got a talented mouth although two seconds is definetly a new record of mine” steve just looked at him, brows drawn together. He hadnt cum that was the whole issue here, he couldnt cum. Tony didnt do well with silence especially the awkward variety so he stood “next time you get all pent up and bitchy let me know maybe we’ll get to second base.” he turned to walk away but was stopped short by a firm hand around his wrist. “I didnt come.”. Steve said desperately not sure what else to say. Tony was supposed to know exactly what he needed and how to give it to him and now he was walking away. “Oh.” tony felt stupid. The big wet stain on the leg on steves skinny jeans sure made it look like he came and now it was weird for some reason. He had made it weird by trying to leave so suddenly.
The awkward silence lasted just long enough for steve to have a moment of clarity. He felt stupid. It looked like Tony didnt want this and that thought made him deathly nauseous. “I..we...I should go.” steve stood and beelined it towards the elevator. Tony had had a moment of clarity as well and was having an intense inner debate while watching steve press the elevator button. He had lots of options at the moment and knew from the crazy look in steves eyes that it wouldnt take much to get with him but there was a reasonable voice in the back of his head warning him not to push it.
Steve stepped into the metal box and pressed the 87th floor, avoiding eye contact as tony stared his way; arms crossed, hip cocked to the side ‘sassily’, cogs visibly turning in his head. ‘Don’t.’ the voice said sternly ‘you've done enough damage, don't push it.’. The elevator closed separating them but the anxiety stayed.
For the next few days not only did tony have a stern voice of reason telling him to forget what happened but also an evil charismatic whisper in his ear egging him on with nonstop babble of smut. ‘He wanted it so bad- remember how it felt when he pressed your hand against his cock? He was twitching and throbbing and that look in his eye’ Tony stroked himself absentmindedly through his sweatpants while “watching” the news. A busty blonde with a low cut blue top gave a rundown of upcoming events. It was a busy time of year for his people. Lots of charity events and fundraisers and holiday parties that usually ended with some incriminating blackmail.
He did NOT want to attend the fundraiser tonight. ‘Blow it off. Go fuck the boyscout instead’ the sultry purr in his ear said ‘im sure he’d be aprecietive-look how pent up he is.’ a small screen next to the news showed steve; in the gym, destroying punching bags one after another, lining them up likea row of fallen soldiers, with a very obvious hard-on that had been steering tony's thoughts into the gutter for the past ten minutes or so. ‘Dont.’ said the stern voice. He turned back to the news and took his hand out of his pants. ‘All you'd have to do is go down there and ask if he’s up for a little sparring. Bet he’d let you fuck him.’ He put his hand back in his pants.
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This was already shaping up to be a notoriously lame party and tony wasnt sure if that was a good thing. He started the night in a weirdly good mood. Tony loved when events had dresscodes, dresscodes were ridiculous fake rules and he enjoyed breaking them, tonight was no different. The fundraiser was a annual event thats always been themed silver and gold. tony had attended this fundraiser only once before when he was in his twenties. He had worn a fire engine red suite with a gold undershirt and matching gold cufflinks. It was a simple outfit but had done the job. Everyone in there uniform silver and gold colors made a great background for tony. Some of his favorite pictures were from that event but things were different now.
The strict dresscode was blatantly ignored by many partygoers who opted for flashy colorfull outfit. There was a young man in a red suit that was earily similar to the one tony had worn all those years ago. The ones who stood out were the one who abided by the dresscode which put a bad taste in tonys mouth that lingered the whole evening. He tried washing it away with a steady flow of liquor but that didnt do much to ease the feeling. In fact it heightened the feeling and shaped it into something else. Resentment.
Resentment towards the party goers for being there, resentment towards fury for making him attend, towards himself for actually showing up, at that sultry whisper directing his attention to the young ladies in matching silver tube dresses, and resentment towards steve. He wasnt entirely sure why he was upset with steve but the idea that he should be here too was at the front of his mind. If steve was here he’d have an ally. Someone to put the stress off on and make fun of. If steve was here he wouldnt be the oldest person in attendance. He felt like he was part of a different crowd from a different time. A time where he was the life of the party, the king of coke, ‘Tony Stark’ billionaire playboy philanthropist. He wanted to leave. ‘So leave then.’ The stern voice had no argument for that so he left, two hours and six drinks in.
“BAM! Bam bam bam!” tony exclaimed while running over traffic cones. Three young ladies in matching short dresses were whooping and hollering as tonys gold bugatti fishtailed out of the empty lot they had been doing donuts in. “Aaah! Haha HA! Oh my gosh AAAH!” Beth, the malibu blonde with a hyenas laugh and perfect tits, was shimmying her way into the backseat where her precious metallic handbag sat. Being guarded by Bianca, a foxy black girl with a perfectly circular fro and an impressive pair of shiny platform heels, whos sultry voice had morphed into incoherent babble the second Beth broke out her coke when they first started driving. Tony heared aggressive snorting in the back seat followed by a gasp and the sound of open mouth breathing. “MmmMMM…” Beth sounded like a zombie.
“Tax time- ya’gotta pay your taxes ladies” Brittany, the most coherent of them, got the message and crawled into the front seat with Beths bag. Brittany wasnt the undeniable natural beauty the other two were but she was Tony's favorite. Before approaching the trio Bianca had caught his eye but Brittany won his attention by not acting like a teenager. ‘They practically are teenagers.’ the stern voice commented, sounding done with Tonys crap.
Brittany fished through the silver bag for a second before pouring a little pile of white powder, a couple flakes of what looked like sea salt, and another yellow powder into a teeny wooden teacup and mixed it around with a purple straw and held it up to tony. He leaned forward, one hand on the steering wheel the other on the straw, and finished two thirds of the cup in one go then smacked the hand with the straw over his mouth and breathed out making a weird half moan half groan sound. He smeared his sweaty hand back and forth over his face then wiped his nose on his hand down his arm.
“AAAHH!” Bianca screamed behind him. Tearing him out of his trance right as they flew past a semi truck tony had alost ran off the road. They skidded down a grassy hill then abruptly stopped right before a metal swing set. The car was completely still for a second before a pained groan came from the backseat. “Everyone okay?” he peaked at the rearview mirror as Beth's messy barbie blonde hair popped up into view next to Bianca who looked like a deer in headlights. “Im okay” Beth squeaked out while pulling the silver tube dress back over her $10,000 perfect breasts. He assessed the other two who had gone quiet then went to drive the bugatti back up the hill onto the road where he had almost caused a pile up.
If he was alone hed finish off that teacup to calm his nerves but the girls seemed pretty spooked so he decided not to partake until they started back up. He didnt have to wait long. Beths slender, well manicured hand plucked up the teacup just as the quiet was starting to get to tony. The sound of snorting eased his anxiety and restarted Biancas babbling which was a welcomed background noise. He put the car on auto pilot, much to Brittanys relief, and stretched while scratching the back of his head. Debating dropping them off somewhere before the tower, like at a club or something. ‘Take um home and make the blonde bounce on The Sybian. Why not? There the ones who wanted to go for a ride with Tony Stark- thats not your fault.’ the stern voice said nothing but tony felt the disapproval.
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Steve was sleeping like a rock. Mouth open eyes rolling back and forth under their lids as trumpets sounded off in his dream. A brand spankin new bright red buick sped past him, nearly hitting him, as the Andrew Sisters joined the trumpet “He was a famous trumpet man from Chicago way. He had a boogie style that no one else could play.~” steve stepped out of the road onto a snowy sidewalk with bare feet and looked around; A little boy with freckles and a stack of newspapers rang a bell on the corner while preaching the news. A tall old woman dressed in black walked a large dog down the middle of the street unphased by the cars. The sidewalk was swarming with people dressed in long grey and brown 2000’s trench coats. Steves feet felt cold.
“A toot~A toot~ A tooteley-ada-toot..He blows it eight to the bar…” the music continued as steve weaved through the future people and into Mr. Marrytyme’s shop across from the boy. He opened the door and without stepping in he was suddenly in the lab with tony, sitting on a swivel chair. It wasnt tonys lab though, it was howards. The one he had visited while on the secret base and it was different. “In boogy rhythm~” it didnt feel cohesive, like it was a movie set. “He cant blow a note unless the bass and guitar is playing with em… He makes the company jump!” tony leaned over his chair and blew a big cloud of eye watering smoke from his cigar right into steves face making him cough. “He’s THE! boogie woogie bugle boy of company B.”
Behind him a line of pretty girls in shiny little outfits began dancing in unison to the music while tony leaned in close and grabbed steve by his hair to kiss him hard. Panic was replaced with confusion as the well manicured hand in his hair morphed into a pudgy fist connected to the even pudgyer body of Connor, one of steves childhood bullies. The lab was no longer a lab but a schoolyard and connor wasnt kissing him he was beating him senseless. One of steves most vivid childhood memories is of the time connor had beat him unconscious behind the bleachers. Steve distinctly remembers the way he was being punched. It was like connor was punching through his face, aiming at the hand holding his head still.
“And when he plays boogie woogie bugle, he was busy as a bzzzz bee.” students and wemon in shiny outfits ran around oblivious to the scene. “And when he plays he makes the company jump, eight to the bar.” steves head hit the ground with authority making everything go black. “Hes a boogie woogie bugle boy of company B. toot-toot-tootley-ada-tootley-ada-TOOT-TOOT.” a spotlight about thirty feel in front of him illuminated a singing tony. “He blows it eight to the bar~~” he sang smoothly while tapping his foot then started sauntering over the steve, spotlight following him. “He cant blow a note when the base and guitar isnt with em~” steve felt anxious. “The company jumps when he plays reveille, hes the boogie woogie bugle boy of company B.” Tony smirked while singing sweetly and stalking forward menacingly. In real life steve was noticeably taller than tony but right now he had to look up at him as he leaned forward just like before as he gently grabbed steve by the shirt and winked. A loud trumpet pulled him out of his deep sleep making him sit straight up in bed. The Avengers alarm.
He jumped out of bed and started hastily putting on his uniform. “Status?” he asked jarvis while hopping on one foot putting on his shoe. A screen appeared by his dresser with a dark pixely picture of some kind of buck tooth little rat monster sitting in the light of a streetlamp. “Fury has decided to forgo the briefing due to the speed at which the problem is progressing.” the picture started moving, playing a video of the little creature burrying itself into a elderly womans stomach as she screamed. A big dog with a heavy leather leash dangling behind it rushed in from the right side of the screen grabbing the chiwawa sized thing by its head and shaking it roughly. The thing fell apart surprisingly easily and the video stopped. “They seem to be oddly fragile, easily torn apart, but the problem is there numbers. After consuming enough meat they split into two smaller creatures and the process repeated itself. There first siteing in the city was on hour ago and there numbers were roughly under fifty- theres now speculated to be anywhere from seven to eight hundred.” Steves eyebrows shot up in concern as he rushed out his door to the elevator to meet with the others.
Meanwhile, floors above him, tony gritted his teeth as a trumpet woke him up. “SSSHHH!” he hissed at jarvis. He hated the trumpet alarm it was much easier to sleep through before but steve insisted on it. Beth, Bianca, and Brittany were all startled awake looking how tony felt. Beths eyeliner was dried in black streaks running down her cheaks, her eyes her red and puffy, and she was the first to throw up. Biancas perfectly round afro was looked more like a dust bunny now and her nose was caked with dried blood. Her platform heals were sitting on tony desk next to the wooden teacup. Brittany was the only one of the three still wearing her dress which had fallen down enough to be a skirt. She looked dazed, confused, and regretful. She was the second to throw up followed by tony who looked the worst out of all of them.
“Sir the situation growing by the minute. I would highly advise you to join the team.” tony chucked a heal up at the ceiling and groaned. Jarves had already given him the rundown, he new the stake and he also new the others had this one covered. He could barely move right now; His head felt hot and swollen and achy; his chest felt tight like someone stuck a bicycle pump into his lungs and filled the to a uncomfortable level making every breath a struggle, and his back was killing him but that wasnt new. “Shut. Up.” he mumbled while shakily standing and wobbling towards the minibar on the far side of the room away from last nights mistakes who were all groaning and gagging and whining.
“Tell them I’m sick or something…” he gagge before taking a sip straight of a battle of hard liquor and making a disgusted face before crumpling to the ground continuing to gag. The only thing he had to throw up was the liquor but his body didnt seem to want to give that up so he layed there dryheaving behind the cover of the minibar for a minute.
“Sick?” Nat said in a doubtful tone. Steve fumed with anger but bottled it for later. “We dont have time for this. Bruce, Clint, Sam, and I will join the fight. Nat you go get Tony.” the men nodded and beggan heading out while nat crossed her arms in obvious disapproval. “Id argue that you should go get him. im better at long range than you i should be out there right now.” she said. Steve didnt want to fight, especially not with nat. Shes been pretty stand offishes since he yelled at her infront of everybody and she did have a point. Long rage would be more useful rightnow. “Fine. Go.” he walked past her back towards the elevator, hearing the edge in his voice and internally wincing at his tone.
“Sir, Rogers is attempting to call you.” tony made a dismissive motion from the floor then burped a nasty nose burning alcohol fuel burp and audibly winced in disgust with himself. He grabbed the counter and hoisted himself up back onto his shaky legs and started towards the elevator. The thought of steve walking in on this scene was stomach turning. “Hey what-” tony put and hand up to silence the blonde making her recoil in surprise. “Ssshh stop talking.” he grumbled and pinched the bridge of his nose then pressed the elevator call button. Seconds after he did the doors opened revealing a visibly upset Steve Rogers.
Steve paused when he saw tony. He looked sick, actually sick. He was ghostly pale with bloodshot eyes and a sick smell coming off him like smoke. Then he saw the girls behind him looking disheveled and just as sick. His anger came flooding back making him cross his arms the way Nat had a few minutes ago. “Sick, really?” he said condescendingly. Tonys smirk was nowhere in sight but he looked just as defiant. “I am sick.” he pushed past steve and pressed the floor to his workshop. Steve shot a concerned glance at the young ladies as the one in a shiny tube dress puked over the side of the couch while the doors closed.
Steve no longer wanted tony to be part of todays mission and decided now was not the time for a lecture. In fact he wasnt even sure what hed say ‘why are you like this?’ maybe. The ride was silent and lasted a eternity. Tony felt the disgust emanating off steve making him crumble internally. Steve got off on his floor leaving tony alone with his thoughts in the elevator. As soon as the doors closed he let out a shaky breath while leaning against the wall as a deep pain began radiating out of his bones burning his skin. Everything felt tight and inflamed, his eyes burned, his throat was so closed up he could barely breathe, and his chest ached.
“Status?” Steve asked. “It seems the Hulk has the situation under control.” Javis replied. ‘That was quick’ he thought. A screen appeared to his left with a video of the hulk going to town on a terrified group of little creatures, smashing them into the ground like raspberries, as he walked through the garage to the special bike Tony designed for Natalie and himself last year with. At the time he was touched tony would take the time to do that for them, even if it did have a big stark logo on the side. A few months later though, after the bike got lots of news coverage, tony released a very similar bike to the public without the artillery of course. Steve knew that didn't mean the gift wasn't genuine but it felt like he’d been used as a marketing device.
The video eased his nerves; Hulk who had a big menacing smile seemed to be enjoying himself, Clint was leisurely taking out the scrambling hairless creatures three by three from the roof with Sam close by taking them out from the sky, Natasha and a team of agents were clearing out a building which had been completely taken over. “Nat, statues.” He watched her screen as she easily cleared the mens bathroom of some particularly gross beasts with ease. “Yellow.” she stepped on a little two legged creature crushing it instantly. “There unbelievably easy to kill but they multiply so fast damn fast-” she kicked the door to the wemons bathroom open revealing a bloodbath. “Hold on one sec.” Roughly twenty sets of beaty black eyes were trained on her as she began shooting, popping there heads like water balloons. They were scrambling towards her now.
“There not intelligent, can't open doors, resort to cannibalism when isolated, and dont seem to have a goal besides eat and multiply. There have been getting slightly taller with each generation.” Javis informed them all. Another screen appeared in front of steve which showed a rough progression of a hamster sized naked mole rat looking thing morphing into a foot tall armless thing with stubby little legs and a little scraggly tuft of hair on its head that looked like pubes. “Sheild has determined they are earth based organic material held together with some type of magic.” a screan of a little caged monster screaching wile being poked witha familiar device. After the new york attack and the temporary imprisonment of loki that followed tony had invented two devices. One was emitted a good amount of radiation similar to a X-Ray and could detect magic on contact. Steve wasn't sure why he made the second one because of how dangerous it was. It detect magic within a large area with extreme accuracy but it also emitted enough toxic sludge to kill the entire ocean.
Steve drove out the garage and down the street towards the infestation. “Several more nests have been located in the area, not as developed as the one Agent Romanoff and team A is clearing but still sizeable.” a small screen appeared on the bottom right of his helmet. It was a map with four red dots. “Teams have been deployed here here and here.” three of the four dots went yellow; the last red dot was over a nearby subway entrance. “A fourth team is being deployed to the subway as we speak. ETA seven minutes.” Jarvis finished as tony watched steve speed towards the subway on a big screen in his workshop.
About a block away from the entrance the little beasts started showing up in droves. Steve wasnt concerned with them though, the evacuation was already underway and Sam Clint and The Hulk had the one on the street more or less under control, but he was worried about the nests. The subways probably infested right now. It was the perfect place for the little critters. He ran over a four legged critter, swerving slightly, then slowed down as he came up on the entrance. To his left, not to far away, he heard a terrified high pitched scream which made him speed back up and change his trajectory to the direction of the scream. Steve rounded the corner and found the source of the scream. A little brown haired boy with freckles and a green nike shirt was on top of a newspaper stand kicking at the little creatures climbing up the sides. Steve took out his gun and popped several heads before dismounting his bike and smashing a creature into the ground with his shield in one fluid motion. He stepped over the torn apart corps of a long haired faceless brunette woman in yoga pants and finished off the critters with ease. The little boy was hyperventilating; breathing hard stareing forward without looking at anything, and every once in a while screaming a little.
Steve plucked up the boy and went to put him on his bike, noticing a couple of bite marks around the kids ankles. “You okay kid?” no response. The kid was staring off into space in the direction of the faceless brunette. Steve did a quick once over then set him on the bike and tapped the side of his helmet. “Closest Evac.” a blue trail appeared on the map taking him in the opposite direction of the subway. Steve got on the bike then took off in the direction of the evacuation team. The kid was crying again now.
Tony took a few aspirin while watching the scene unfold on numerous screens around him; slumped on the couch in his workshop, sipping a strawberry banana drink loaded with hangover fighting vitamins and electrolytes, deciding what he was gonna have for lunch. “Nothing greasy. Maybe a nice miso soup or a cold pasta salad with cut tomatoes and cheese.”.
On a screen to his right clint harvested the critters three by three as they scuried out the building Nat was in. trampling over their fallen brethren. None of them looked up to see where the arrows were coming from. “North nest clear.” Nat reported. “Moving to help team canine now.” she mounted her stark industries bike outside the building. “Negative. Head to the subway ill be there shortly to back you up.” steve could see the evac point up ahead and didnt notice any other civilians along the way. “Clint, go with Nat. Sam and The hulk can stay topside.” He finished. “10-4”. He pulled up along side one of the men with automatic rifles, passed the kid over like a cat by the scruff of his neck, and rode off back the direction he came.
Tony was very unimpressed by the scene. He had alot more cooth than steve when it came to things like that. Things like public appearance and niceties. The man had a heart of gold and always seemed to have the best of intentions but he wasn't groomed by a team of media experts the way tony was from a young age. Tony snickered ‘he practically tripped over that kids mom. thatll leave a mental mark.’ he sipped his smoothy. Wincing as a bright light flashed from one of the shield agents screens. Flash bang. He coughed a little then made a motion with his hand that pulled up a keyboard in front of him and he began typing. The screens parted like the sea for moses and security footage from the subway popped up in their place. It was infested all right. Most buildings in the area were relatively safe because the creatures couldn't open doors. The subway however was free range and full of meat.
There numbers were insane but the team had been dealing with them just fine. Tony slumped back a little more resting his head on the back of the couch staring at the ceiling. He sighed wiped a hand over his face and started typing again. The subway screens disappeared making way for his person home security cameras. The three girls from earlier were gone. He sighed again this time in relief. ‘Thank you Jarvis old buddy old pal, youre a real one’ he thought. He pulled up the footage of them leaving and scoffed in amusement as Beth pushed over a monitor on his desk then stomped on a piece of paper. They had found there dresses but Bianca only had one shoe. The security footage shut off with the click of a button and the screens from the sides came back to the middle.
Steve made it to the entrance where Nats bike was parked then quickly dismounted and grabbed two more guns from the bike, discarding the one he just used. Gunfire could be heard on the monitor. The subway cameras got pulled back up as tony leaned over the couch, stomach making loud gurgling noises. “Uuughhg aauuuuhh oh my god uuuhh.” he moaned in pain. He wished that that charismatic voice would appear again so he could tell it off, place some blame, but it never showed up after the wrongdoing. Neither did the stern voice.
Steve had already joined Nat and Clint when the Shield agents showed up but they hadnt made it very far. As many as they killed they just kept coming, like a hydra. cut off one head two take its place. “They just keep coming! Lets just bomb it!” Clint shouted over the gunfire. “Yeah lets just bomb the foundation of the city that sounds like a great idea!” Nat couldnt help but sound sassy. “No not like gah!” Clint shook a critter off his ankle then stomped it. “Ouch. I meant small boms like the tatter tots. they come apart easy i bet that would make a dent.” Clint and Nat were back to back now working in harmony. The two of them worked well together. Steve always did his best to pair them up.
Behind steve a Agent fell to the ground with a yelp. A bucked tooth two legged creature with little trex arms had ripped a big chunk from the back of his leg. Two more jumped on top of him as he grabbed at it. Nearby critters abandoned what they were doing to dogpile the falled victim as steve swung his shield like a gold club, smacking off several critters and nicking the mans arm. He grabbed two in each hand and chucked them full force at the ground smashing them like watermelons. Clint provided cover for Nat while she retreated back to her bike for the sash of cherry bombs. They were more like extra strength fire crackers, they could take a persons arm off but death wasnt guaranteed.
Tony leisurely flipped through the subway cameras, keeping the one with all the action front and center. “Sir, Fury is attempting to contact you.” tony groaned. “Send him to voicemail.” he said flippantly. ‘It could be important.” said the stern voice. ‘He’s literally just calling to yell at you for being sick.’ rationed the charismatic voice. “Guuh! Fine, call him back.” he said, hunching over and pinching the bridge of his nose. Fury picked up immediately “youre beingsent some sample we need your evaluation immediately.” then he hung up without letting tony respond. He tsked and opened up the file. It samples of blood, siliva, and some kind of venom. At least the substance had a similar make up as venom. ‘Huh, weird?’ he sipped his smoothie then beggan typing furriesously. He was thoroughly intrigued which pushed his headache to the background along with his cramping stomach and the nagging voices.
Steve stuck his hand into another dogpile of critters who were ripping at a panicking agent woman. He was grabbing them and popping there heads in one motion, taking them out pretty quick. Steve inhaled sharply as blunt teeth bit into his arm. It hurt alot more than it should have, like the way paper cuts sting like heck. He grabbed the critter with his over hand, squishing it, then went back to the pile. The fight continued like that for a bit longer; nat and clint working there way further into the tullel with small explosives, the agents kepts the critters from leaving the area, and steve jumped back and forth between fights wherever he was needed.
Then, only a few minutes later, steve started to stumble. The room was spinning for him and he barely noticed as a critter latched on to his ankle. He flailed his leg in a daze to get it off, easily dislodging it. He put his arms out to his sides for balance and stappoed wobbling but the room only spun faster. “Captain?!” a young agent, probably in his early twenties ran over in concern and started providing cover while steve recuperated. Steves head lit on fire, figuratively. It felt like all the blood in his body had gone to his head; his legs gave out, ears started to ring, and he began to pant like a dog on all four while staring at the ground lost in a daze. A four legged critter rushed at his but popped a foot infront of his face as more agents surrounded him. Two tride lifting him to his feet but his legs didnt even try to work. Instead they dragged him up the stepps out of the brunt of the fight. He was staring blankly making quiet noises that were a cross between whimpering and dry heaving. He couldnt think it was like his mind was paralyzed.
“Whoahoho dang.” Tony finished typing his analasis and sent it back to fury with the file, after making copies of course. The venom was slow acting and non deadly so he wasnt particularly worried for the team at the moment but afterwards there gonna have a field day. Put into simple terms the progression of the bite would go as follows; searing pain followed by nearly a days worth of dormant dwelling before it attacks the brain. Incapacitating the unfortunate victim, messing with hormone levels, temporarily disrupting brain function, and specifically targeting the frontal lobe temporarily removing impulse control. This stuff was non deadly but still no joke. Tony turned his attention back to the subway screens watching Nat and Clint efficiently bomb the hairless mob of critteres.
Steve breathed heavily as a medic woman shined a bright light into his eyes, he stared at her blankly. “If you can hear me squeeze my hand or blink.” he heard her, understood what she said, new what he had to do, but couldnt. It was like he lost his higher brain function. He even think about squeezing her hand or blinking, the cogs just wouldnt turn. Instead he breathed heavily and continued making strained noises. They beggan packing him onto a gurney as soon as the pain in his head started receding. He blinked.
“What the?” Tony sat forward while watching steve get loaded onto the gurney. He typed a few things and a short video of steve being bit a few minutes ago started playing. “Huh.” weird the venom should be slow acting, maybe its due to the serum? Maybe it was metabolized faster? His headache returned and his nose started to run. ‘They could use back up.’ Tony finished his smoothie and stood then made a grabby motion at one of his new suits. He set down the cup and walked towards the suit which had dismantled itself and was flying at him.
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