Chapter 2
“What the hell happened to your hair!?”
Thor scowled at that. “It’s been a long couple of days for me, okay!?”
Natasha stared at Bruce, but the latter avoided her gaze.
”Bruce? We thought you were dead!” Steve states, mesmerized.
Thor glances at him with smug eyes. “That’s what I said!” He whispers.
Clint struggles in his grip, like a little kid being held by the collar of his shirt like that, and Thor sets him down.
”Barton- why are you attempting to snatch the life of Stark?” Thor demands, glancing at all of them. “And why are you all standing watch? What is going on?”
A heavy silence fell over the group.
“I ask you all, my friends, a question. What is going on here?”
Tony struggles to stand, coughing a bit and Thor blinked. He walked over grabbing the man by the arm and hauling him up gently. “What,” Tony began, voice raw. “What the hell happened to you hair?”
Thor rolls his eyes, looking around. He falters slightly when he notices the wary and guarded looks coming from everyone towards Tony. “What’s... wrong with all of you?”
”He’s a traitor!” Clint spits, eyes viscous. “He doesn’t deserve your help!”
”I dictate who receives my aid,” Thor snapped. “What do you speak of? What treachery?”
“I didn’t betray anything- you betrayed the law!” Tony snapped as well, done with Clint’s annoying voice.
”You're just a puppet for them to control, Stark! A remote controlled soldier!”
“I am not,” Tony snarls, eyes burning, “a soldier.”
“Oh really? He said he was going down to the raft to help Steve and Bucky but he attacked them and destroyed Bucky’s arm- he’s a monster! He tried killing them because Ross told him to!” Clint hissed.
”Bullshit!” A young voice filled with fury ranged through the room. Thor frowned as he looked at a young kid being held against the chest of an uneasy Steve.
“Peter,” Tony warns, eyes challenged.
“Who is the young child?” Thor asks.
”Spider-man.” Sam answers, eyes focused widely on him in surprise.
Thor glanced at Peter once more. “He is a child.”
”I’m so confused.” Bruce rubbed his eyes tiredly.
“You don’t know what happened down there!” Peter growls.
”Peter-“ Tony hisses.
”Your Captain isn’t as saintly as he makes himself out to be- just ask him what really happened down there! How Bucky may have lost his metal arm, but he left Tony down there to die!”
”PETER!”
Steve let’s go off him, stunned.
Tony’s expression is furious as he stares down at the boy.
Peter only looks back at him, hurt and angry. “He doesn't deserve even the littlest bit of your kindness to get out of this with his hands washed- I see the blood underneath his fingertips!”
“Peter get the hell out of this compound right now,” Tony snarls. “Now- leave! Before I make you!”
Peter’s mouth snaps shut, anguish burning in his eyes. He throws Steve one last dirty look before jumping out the window, pulling his mask on.
Sam turns to Steve with furrowed brows. “What was he talking about Steve?”
Steve is silent, staring at Tony with a horrified look. Tony swallows, brushing Thor’s hand off his arm before wobbling down to the lab with his crutches.
”FRIDAY,” He begins quietly.
”Sir.” The AI responds.
“Self lock. No one has access into this room except for my authorization and Peter’s.”
”Voice confirmation required, sir.”
“Maria.”
”Proceeding.”
>>> <<<
“Why are you all being so harsh on him?” Thor demands.
“You weren’t here, Thor. You don’t know what happened!” Clint snapped.
”Then what exactly did happen, Barton? Explain to me.”
“He attacked us, locked us up, and tried to kill Steve and his friend!”
”And his reasons for doing so?”
Clint faltered then, frowning. He glanced at Steve who looked away.
”Because.. Because we didn’t sign the Accords.”
”We are receiving a biased recognition!” Bruce declares. “I agree!” Thor hums. “Stark is many things- stupid yes, but killing of friends stupid? I do not think so.” The Asgardian frowns. “Something is going on here that we do not know of.” He stares at Steve who’s looking down at his hands.
A sudden realization passes through his eyes. “What did you do?”
His question is directed towards Steve and it takes everyone a moment to realize that he is in fact directing his question towards the Cap.
Steve swallows. “I didn’t do anything.”
Thor hums. “There is a reason you could not lift my hammer, Captain.” He murmurs so only they could hear. Steve tensed at that. “You are not worthy... and I believe you know why. So do tell me, because I have other methods of receiving my information.”
Steve stood up suddenly. “I didn’t do anything!” He hisses. “Tony attacked us- I defended my friend.”
Thor tried not to be disappointed. “I though Tony was your friend as well.”
”Bucky’s different.” Steve groans. “Tony and I don’t get along.”
”What happened in that Raft?” Thor presses.
“I don’t know.” Steve says abruptly, walking away with hurried steps. Thor rolls his eyes. He has yet to met this “Bucky” fellow. And to know who this Peter boy was as well.
He stood up with a sigh, entering the elevator with his arms crossed. “Computer- take me to Stark’s lair!”
”Access denied.”
Thor scowled. “What?”
“Self lock mode activated. Authorization is not given to Thor Odinson.”
”Who is authorized?” He demands. “Tony Stark and Peter Parker.”
Thor grumbled as he walked out of the elevator. “Stupid technology.”
>>> <<<
“Little kid,” Peter scoffs, swinging onto the edge of the tall building and pulling his mask off. His eyes wavered through the sparkling city lights that glimmered in the pitch black sky.
He ached deeply for Mr. Stark. Captain America was a grade A ass and Peter is disgusted that he even looked up to him. He read the letter- he was there when Mr. Stark was practically heaving out his last breaths in that winter air. And then they come back after all the hard work the billionaire had put in for them to be cleared, only for them to beat him down? Again?
Peter just wanted to know why Tony even bothered anymore. He was the punching bag for Captain America and the rest of the avengers only sat back, cheering him on.
It was fucked, really.
”Boy of Spiders!”
What the hell?
Peter turned around quickly, surprised to see Thor standing there with his hammer in his grip abs he crossed his arms. There was a raised eyebrow.
Peter stood up in a stumble. “T-Thor!”
”Aye. I have come to talk to the son of Stark.”
Peter flushed a shade of red, eyes widening. “O-Oh I-I’m not Mr.Stark’s S-Son-“ He began stammering.
Thor furrowed his brows. “He yells at you the way my father used to do with myself.”
Peter frowned. “Is that a good thing..?”
Thor shakes his head. “Never mind that. You must come back to the compound.”
Peter dulled. “I can’t. Mr. Stark told me to go home.”
Thor beamed. “Well now I am telling you to come with me.”
”I don’t know-“ Peter began hesitantly and Thor grabs his hand, pulling him over to the other side of the edge of the building, towards the direction of the Avengers tower instead of his apartment.
”Great! Off we go-“
“Wait- stop!” Peter panicked, yanking his hand out of the other’s grip.
Thor turns to him with a frown.
“I can’t go with you.” Peter stated calmly and firmly and Thor is now confused. “Why not?”
”Mr. Stark doesn’t trust the Avengers.”
“What nonsense. We are his friends-“
”Those monsters are not his friends.” Peter snarls and Thor blinks in surprise.
Peter’s eyes widen at the realization that he just snapped at a god and sighs, turning away from the other and sitting at the edge like before with his legs dangling, frowning down at the city they protect.
“Mr. Stark doesnt trust the Avengers- not anymore,” he began. “And he doesn’t want me with them at all. That’s why he got angry. You’re an avenger Thor- and I trust Mr. Stark. I can’t go with you.”
Thor stands silent for a moment, processing everything that had occurred today. He breaths out heavily and sets his hammer down, walking over and sitting down next to Peter quietly with his legs dangling as well as he folds his hands in his lap, looking out to the tall bright buildings.
They're both comfortable in the silence, letting it wash over them with only the wind whispering in their ears. It was much needed.
Thor turns to Peter, his eyes impeccably soft and caring. “Do you know what has happened to my friends?”
Peter looked at him warily, nodding.
Thor’s eyes are like ones akin to a puppy’s, Peter realizes. There’s innocence in them. As well as genuine worry for his teammates.
”Will you tell me?”
Peter swallows.
>>> <<<
“Bury me in the ocean with my ancestors who jumped from the ships, because they knew death was better than bondage.“
T’Challa really should have listened to the man. Should have pushed him over the cliff into the water below like he desired. It would’ve ended- all of it. And yet...
He couldn’t.
He stared blankly for a minute at the passed out body next to him and decided- this was not the doings of a cold blooded murderer, yet rather, of a hurting and bitter man.
Next thing he knew he was dragging the heavy body into the lab. “Shuri! Shuri, quickly!”
His sister pops up from the corner and freezes, staring at the body in her brother’s arms before looking up at the man himself with an annoyed look. “You had one job! Really- only one! Just kill the man, my god. I am not even shocked anymore- just dumbfounded by how low your stupidity has reached.” She grumbled.
”Just help him!” T’Challa snapped.
Throwing him the middle finger, she begins to set up her machines as T’Challa sets Erik down on the little bed table.
He sits back silently as she works, watching very carefully as she cleans the wound in his heart.
After a a couple of hours she sits down next to him, slumped and tired. “Ugh.”
”How is he?” He asks impatiently.
”Jeez- give me a moment to breathe, will you?” She snapped, throwing him a dirty look. “He is fine. But lucky. The heart shaped herb is the only thing that stopped him from dying.” She responds thickly. “If he tries to kill you again when he wakes up, I’ll personally slit his throat myself.”
“Thank you sister.” T’Challa sighs. She stares at him for a moment, eyes wary. “You will regret this T’Challa. He is an angry, evil person filled with bitterness.”
T’Challa stares at the peacefully sleeping face laying in front of him as he rubs his forehead. “I know.”
Shuri yawns. “You should go to bed. I will watch over him.” He tells her.
”And leave you alone with him? No way- he'll kill you first chance he gets.”
He chuckled at that. “He is weak. And I can beat him if I need to.”
”If you say so.” She shrugs, standing and stretching. “Goodnight.”
”Goodnight.”
As the door closed, T’Challa walked over to the large windows and looked out at his country- his beautiful Wakanda. This victory has proven so much of his country. They want to help the others- and they will. And if any other country wants to try their bet with Wakanda, then they will defend themselves and prove to the world that they are more than just a third world country.
His father and fathers before had sat back in the shadows as their brothers and sisters suffered.
T’Challa will no longer allow that to happen. He is a different man, changed. It is his duty as the king to protect Wakanda, but also his duty as the Black Panther to protect the world.
He really needs to meet up with Stark soon. They hadn’t talked in a while. Yet T’Challa just figured that the other man already had enough on his plate to deal with as it is with the Avengers back at their tower.
He’s witnessed what was not a pinch of Stark’s pain, and it outweighed all of his that he’s dealt with.
It really makes T’Challa wonder how Stark was able to keep his sanity and strength over all this pain he’s dealt with his entire life. It was sad, really- if T’Challa had a word to describe Tony Stark, it would just be misery.
”You just couldn’t let me die, could you kitty?”
T’Challa is ripped out of his thoughts by the deep, angry, and pained voice.
His eyes unfocused on the city, but rather on the reflection of Erik in the glass of the window. He’s shirtless- all the scars present that sends chills down his back every time he sees them. T’Challa doesn’t turn, continuing to look at the absolutely furious eyes of his cousin.
”N'Jadaka..”
T’Challa is whipped to turn back quickly, slammed against the wall with a hand wrapped around his throat. He wasn’t choking him, only holding him there firmly. Erik’s eyes are dark and stormy with a whirlwind of emotions.
”You ain’t got the right to call me that Cuz.” his voice is deadly serious. “Your Pops made that clear the minute he decided to shove his claws into my papa’s chest.”
He leans in threateningly. “If you were smart like your daddy, you would’ve killed me the minute you got the chance,”
”I am not my father.” T’Challa says calmly with slight boredom, face blank of emotions.
”That’s pretty obvious.” Erik scoffs shoving him away before weakly limping back over to the table bed and leaning over it for support, his back facing the other.
T’Challa watches his cousin with narrowed and cautious eyes, calculated.
“I am not going to kill you, Erik.”
Erik chuckles. “Obviously. The problem is- you should have.”
He turns over his shoulder to look at the other, eyes filled with a fiery gleam. “Because God- I hate you even more now, damn it.”
T’Challa sighs, walking over and grabbing the man’s hands and pushing his wrists against edges as restraints wrapped around them to keep him in place. Shockingly enough, the other Wakandan prince doesn’t fight with him. If it’s because he’s too weak, or just tired of fighting- T’Challa doesn’t know.
”You’re going to regret this, Kitty! You’ll regret keeping me alive!” Erik calls out to him as T’Challa walks out fo the room and a few Dora Milaje take his place to guard him.
“Believe me- I know.” T’Challa mutters to himself with a groan as the doors close.
>>> <<<
Thor marches into the elevator with fury now, and the rest of the avengers should be paying over the fact that they aren’t in his sight right now.
”Computer- Stark’s lair! Now!”
”Access denied.”
”Computer- either you take me to Stark, or I shall find a way to get to the man of iron myself!”
”Would you like me to ask for entry from Mr. Stark?”
”Yes- and tell him that shall he not offer entry, Thor will destroy the machine of drinks he loves so dearly.”
Not even a minute passes before the elevator starts moving up.
“Access granted.”
Thor grins victoriously as the doors open to the lab. He walks in and is met with Tony tinkering away at some car battery with frustration. When he notices Thor, he stops immediately.
“What the hell FRIDAY!?” He snaps at the AI. “Self-Lock protocol! What does that mean to you!?”
”You programmed access whenever an emergency has occurred.” She replies with a slight attitude. Tony is confused. “And what kind of emergency is going on here exaclty??”
”Thor threatened to destroy the coffee machine and you’ve put coffee machine down as an emergency.” She replied easily.
“What the- THAT WAS A JOKE!”
“Would you like me to remove it from the list?”
Tony pondered for a moment. “Nah.”
”As you wish, boss.” She responds with fake sweetness. “Watch the sarcasm FRI.” Tony warns, dropping his tools and turning to Thor. “Listen Thor. Thanks for what happened back there, but I really don’t wanna talk to any-“
“I know.” Thor breaths out. Tony freezes. “What?”
”Your son told me everything.”
”... I’m sorry- what? My son?” Tony is bewildered. “What are you talking about?”
”Your son- boy of spiders. Peter?”
Tony takes a moment to process what Thor is claiming from him, and when he does, his eyes widen in realization and then his cheeks pinken in embarrassment. “No... P-Peter isn’t my son Thor. I’m m-mentoring him.”
Funny; The two of them seemed to have the same reaction.
”Could’ve fooled me,” The prince of Asgard mutters. “Anyways- he has told me what Captain Rogers has done to you along with his friend, this Bucky fellow. I offer my sincerest apologizes for such horrendously awful acts towards you. The Captain is wrong in this situation.”
Tony sat quiet and still for a moment. “What exactly did Peter tell you about Thor?”
”He told me about the letter and the video-“
”Did he tell you that Barnes was the winter soldier?”
Thor frowned. “No? Well, that means..”
His eyes widened. “He did not know, Stark.”
Tony ignores him turning away.
”He was being controlled and you attacked him for what someone else forced him to do?”
“He killed my mom.”
”He did not know.”
”Give me a break!” Tony yells, throwing his tools down. Thor stares at him. “I spend my entire life,” his voice is shaky. “My entire life believing my parents died in some stupid car accident. Then to suddenly find out that it wasn’t? It was a murder? And the killer was standing right in front of me? How the hell was I suppose to react?”
“You cannot blame the gun for what the shooter does, Tony.” Thor murmurs. “No matter how much it eases the pain.”
”I look at that face... and all I see is a murderer. And that’s all Barnes is to me. As long as he stays away from me, I don’t care what the hell he does. But what you’re asking of me is too much.” Tony hissed eyes burning with hatred.
“Bucky is innocent, Tony.” Thor gives the other man one last look before turning to the elevator, walking away. “Steve has tainted his goodness in your eyes- and for that, I am truly sorry for.”
