A Poisoned Touch

He didn’t know where he was going. He didn’t really care. In that moment all he wanted was to get far away from the embarrassment and shame. And the ice. He was running, well, flying from that as well.

Sadly he didn’t get far. As he landed in a green field outside the city, so did Thor. His face was worried and he stalked right to Steve to hug him, accidentally squishing his wings to his back.

“Don’t run from me. Please. I cannot help you if you run.” Thor spoke into Steve’s hair.

“Sorry. I’m sorry.” He couldn’t stop the tears if he wanted to. There was just something about Thor’s concern that allowed Steve to actually let go. “Sorry.” He mumbled into the embrace. His wings ached at the grip that Thor kept, but he didn’t complain.

“Do not apologize elskan. Do not, not for me. I understand your pain, just please, do not run.” One big hand started to stroke the tips of Steve’s wings. Thor slowly, incrementally pulled back, but didn’t let go completely. “Now, this is a nice place to sit. Let us do that.”

“We should go back. They’re gonna worry.” Steve let himself be arranged, despite his own words.

“They do worry, you are correct. But they will wait. For now, let us just rest here. Just let me hold you for a moment.” His voice was soft and it hit Steve just how selfish it had been. Of course Thor worried. He cared for Steve a lot, and he’d just flown away like his problems wouldn’t follow him.

He let Thor soothe him and did his best to forget the feeling of ice creeping along him, stopping his breath and his movements. Again.

“My Steven. I will not let the ice take you again. You do not have to worry about it. I know that sounds impossible, but please trust me to keep you warm.” Steve noticed the tremor in Thor’s voice and vowed to never put it there again. Not on purpose. He could let this giant, soft hearted god help him.

“Speaking of warm, what did Pepper do?” He’d not imagined that at all.

“The Lady Pepper is more than even I know. She came in with fury, and set her hands to red to pull you out of the ice that Loki had unleashed. He is sorry by the way. He is angry with himself for losing control. I admit I do not understand why there is so much animosity between them still. It has been years.” He ran one big hand down Steve’s wing, soothing both of them, probably. “I wonder if there is more than I believed to what happened.”

“I should thank Pepper. She’s probably worried too.” He sighed and pulled back from Thor. The big man had a tentative smile on his face. Steve leaned in to give him a soft kiss. “Thank you for coming to get me. I shouldn't have run like a toddler.”

“We all act out when we are upset. It is natural.” He stood the both up, “I am not upset with you, put that out of your mind immediately. Now, let us go back to those who love us.”

“Yeah, okay.” Digging his toes into the soft grass, he let out a sigh before spreading his wings and pushing off into the sky. This time his flight was slower, less panicked. And he was joined by Thor. Steve had never seen him fly almost lazily, usually Mjolnir pulled him fast. It was nice.

They landed at the tower in sync, and it took less than two seconds for the others to come running. Sam got to them first.

“You are lucky I didn’t strap on my wings and go after you! Come inside now.” He turned to Thor, “smack him upside the head for me!”

“Everyone, back off.” Bruce called out. “Steve, come on. I made some tea and we have a guest.”

“My boys.” Frigga said as she stood. “I will stay until we all go home together."

“Mother, you are visiting?” Thor asked. He looked to Loki who looked abashed.

“I felt that my son needed me. So here I am. Good that I came, since Steven needed me as well. Now, come.” She held her hands out and again, there was no way Steve was going to ignore that. He stepped forward and took her hands. She pulled him in for a light hug.

“Drink. I brought herbs from Asgard. They will serve dual purpose today. To settle your anxieties from this morning and to keep you from feeling sick as you travel the Bifrost.”

She turned to the others, all who were watching in fascination as Steve took touch from her. “I brought plenty. All of you who travel with us should drink some.”

One by one, they all took a mug that Loki poured for them. The tea was sweet but smooth and Steve drank it quickly. And before he chickened out, he cleared his throat. “Sorry guys, for the spectacle. And for running.”

“No, it is I who is sorry.” Loki chimed in.

“Yeah, enough of that.” They all turned at the new voice, and Tony came sauntering in with Pepper, who’d changed clothes into more comfortable lounge wear. It reminded Steve again, that she’d brought him back while wearing a snappy work outfit. “Only one who should apologize is currently getting his ass kicked by Legolas. Now, Cap, you good?”

Steve nodded. “Good. And this is Queen Frigga? Welcome to my home.”

“Thank you for your hospitality. My husband came home with nothing but kind words to say of my sons’ new friends. I had wanted to visit, of course, though not like this.”

“I have found, since I've been with Tony, that there is nothing that brings people together quite like a destructive incident.” Pepper added, holding her hand out to shake with the queen. “I am Pepper, Tony’s wife. If there is anything we can get you while you visit, please let me know.”

“Again, thank you. And I believe I have you to thank for bringing Steve out of the ice. So I thank you for that. I have grown quite fond of him.”

“Yes, we are fond as well.” Tony added before walking over and kicking Steve’s bare foot with his booted one. “Now, can we move past or do we need to debrief? We all know how Cap feels about the ice.”

Loki opened his mouth, but then closed it again, he was probably going to apologize again. But it was Sif who broke the silence.

“There is not a warrior I have met who does not later suffer for their actions. It does not place shame on you at all, Captain.” She said it seriously but then she leaned forward with a grin, “I could tell you stories of the time that Thor had to dress as a woman.”

“Not today devil woman.” Thor growled out. The room erupted in laughter and that was all they needed apparently to move past the incident.

“Sir.” Jarvis interrupted.

“Yeah J?”

“I am aware that our visitor Fandral is Asgardian, but he might still need medical.” If a computer could sound amused, this one did.

“Well, I guess I will go check on him then.” Bruce sighed.

“I’ll go with.” Nat added. “Hey Jarvis. How is Clint?”

“Mister Barton is just fine. Though the sparring room might need to be upgraded with this in mind.” He put up a hologram video of the gym, specifically the sparring room, and there is a dent in the wall approximately Fandral sized.

“Oh, this is fascinating. Is this magic, Mister Stark?” Frigga tried to touch the hologram, making it waver.

“No. This is science. We don’t do magic in my tower.”

“Except of course, when I am here.” Loki added with a smirk. Tony glared. They were all well aware of his feelings on the idea of magic.

“Right, should we go check on them down stairs?” Steve asked. It didn’t seem like anyone was too worried about it, bit still. Clint put Fandral into a wall.

“Yeah, we’re going” Bruce replied, following Nat towards the elevator.

“And you, my friend, you are going to sit and drink more of this tea the lovely Queen brought. And we’re going to have an impromptu session, since you are clearly not doing as well as you want us to believe.” Sam said sternly. Steve dropped his head and nodded, following Sam over to the couch.

When he sat his wings folded over himself, in a mimic of how he always used to sit when he first got defrosted. The shrink they'd made him see told him it was a defense mechanism, and Steve had snorted, because yeah no shit. That shrink didn’t last long. Tony had made him sign a pile of NDA’s and threaten his career if he spoke of Steve. It had been impressive. And Steve hadn't made any moves to find a better doctor. He’d rather just keep it all to himself. Probably not the smartest move, considering.

While Sam was doing his best to help Steve, the rest of the folks found a different place to be. Steve was thankful for that, though in all honesty, if Frigga had stayed around, he wouldn’t have minded a hug. All the things that Sam was saying, were the same things he always said.

Don’t hold it all on his shoulders. Talk to his friends. Write the stuff down. Rest more often. Stay away from triggers.

The thing was, Steve didn’t do rest. Or at least, not well. He was given this body and the ability to do things with it and it felt wrong to not use it.

“Steve.” Sam snapped his fingers in front of his face. “So you’re not listening at all. I spent all that time getting certified to be a councillor, just for you to ignore all my good advice. Fine.”

“Sorry Sam. I’ll listen. But to be fair, I don’t think anyone expected Loki’s heartbreak to trigger me like that.”

“Yeah, we definitely didn’t account for that. Okay, drink your tea. Take a few minutes to close your eyes. Tony is here, so I guess you guys will be leaving soon.”

“Yeah, but will Fandral be staying behind is the question. Just how much damage was Clint able to do against an Asgardian warrior?”

“Don’t discount him. I think we all forget that he was Shield for a long time before this whole crew got thrown together. That guy has seen things.” Sam brought up and really, he had a good point.

“True.” Steve stood, shaking out his wings before pulling them tight to his back. “Hey Jarvis, where did everyone go?”’

“Everyone has come together in the gym. The Queen decided it was best to leave you alone and inquired to the area where Fandral got hurt.”

“Thanks J-man!” Sam called out. Together they headed down to the gym as well. Steve was just as curious.

They found the gym crowded. Frigga was sitting on a pile of mats looking regal as Clint showed off the move that threw Fandral. Only, he did it softer than he must have before. Steve could see what he’d done, using Fandral’s momentum against him. It still didn’t explain the force he had to put a dent in the wall, but Steve didn’t really care in the end.

“I seem to have gotten my wish, but the cost was more than I wanted. I am sorry.” Steve hadn't heard Loki come up to him, but then again, Loki could walk through air, so who knows.

“It wasn't your fault. It wasn't. Lots of things had to happen for that exact incident. I don’t blame you at all. But I gotta say,” he grinned at Loki, “I don’t see what you see in him at all.”

“Oh. You jokester. I’ll have you know, that I was young and naive. It would not happen now. I've learned to see past his smile. And perceived charm.” Loki bumped his shoulder and glanced over to his mother who was clapping at the display. “I am glad she visited. And you should now, like Odin, for them to visit here for you and means more than I really have words for. I wouldn't be surprised if she had already started planning your handfasting.” He said with a wink and Steve, he should be alarmed at how not alarmed he was by that teasing remark.

“Aww, you want me to be your brother?” His wing slipped around Loki’s shoulders, much to the dark haired man’s surprise.

“If I had gotten to choose, then yes I would have chosen you. But since I got that oaf, I will gladly welcome you as recompense.”

Steve laughed. Head thrown back, his shoulders shook until tears slipped from his eyes. When he was done, he found everyone had stopped to stare at him. Surely it wasn’t so odd to see him laugh. But then again, it was, wasn't it? He’d been withdrawn and sad since he’d been here. The lack of touch had him depressed and surly. It was all changing thanks to Thor.

“Well, who the hell knew that Cap could laugh?” Tony asked to the room. Then he went “omph” as Pepper smacked the back of his head.

“It is so good to see you happy Steve.” She gave him the softest smiled he’d ever seen, before she said her goodbyes to everyone. “Remember Tony, you have to be back before one month. I know you’re excited to visit Asgard, but this is still your company.” She gave him a soft kiss before leaving the gym.

“Right! Who’s ready to leave this sad sack of a planet?” Tony clapped like an idiot, but everyone followed him out of the gym.

“Guys, I’m gonna grab my shield case.” He looked down to his feet, his bare toes wiggling on the carpet. “And shoes.” He jogged up the stairs to his room, ignoring the elevator. He made sure he had sketchbooks still in the case, and grabbed a pair of slip shoes that Tony had bought him. He didn’t worry about clothes, he knew what was waiting for him on Asgard. He made it to the balcony at the same time that Sif and Fandral were saying goodbye to their Queen.

“You two behave.” They both made a sight bowing motion before stepping back from the image still burnt into the balcony. Steve briefly wondered if Tony would ever get it fixed at this point.

“Sam, Clint, we’ll see you soon.” He makes a sharp salute before walking towards Thor and taking his hand.

“Be safe you guys.” Clint called out. “Tasha, you come back to me.” She nodded sharply, before Frigga called out for Heimdall. The last thing Steve saw before the lights hit them was Loki blinking out of sight.