Draumr

Tony leant against the car window, focusing on the cool glass against his forehead. The day had gone by too fast, leaving him feeling weak and empty. Of course, the others had tried to stop him from leaving, told him it was too soon. Bruce had said he still needed to monitor Tony’s health, but he had pushed his remark aside. If anything happened, Jarvis would be able to alert someone. Cap had also tried talking sense into him, which had been useless.

Tony knew he was being childish, knew he was being ridiculous. But he couldn’t help it. Being around the Avengers was slowly driving him insane. The paranoia was getting to him. Two of them were shield agents, one of them a military lap-dog. The only person Tony really felt like he could trust was Bruce, but he was always being monitored by the shield agents.

“you ok, boss?” Happy asked, glancing at him from the driver’s seat. No doubt he had been informed of what had happened.

“I’m fine, Hap” Tony muttered into the car window, focusing on the world outside. His driver didn’t say anything after that, though he would give the inventor worried looks from time to time, when he thought Tony wasn’t paying attention.

Being back in Malibu was a bigger relief than he had expected. JARVIS greeted him by the door, opening it so he could drag his suitcase inside with less trouble.

The first thing Tony did, after throwing his suitcase into a nearby couch, was to head down to his lab. The familiar scent of motor oil and metal washed over him, filling him with a sense of belonging. You and Butterfingers bleeped happily, swarming him. Tony’s chest clenched painfully as he greeted the two bots. There was supposed to be three…

JARVIS must have been able to sense it, because he spoke up: “Dum-E will arrive at noon tomorrow, sir. You will be able to start the assembly by then”

“Thanks, J” Tony replied, forcing his lips to form a smile. His eyes drooped, automatically trailing towards the bed he kept in his lab for late nights. God, he was still so exhausted.

Sighing, he headed back up the stairs.

“Put on some coffee, Jarvis” He ordered, sauntering towards the kitchen like a zombie. The cup was ready by the time he got there, and Tony swallowed it down in three big gulps, ordering Jarvis to make another.

He ended up walking around the rooms, thinking yet not able to grasp his own thought process as he went. His legs were on autopilot, and he must have passed the piano at least ten times by now.

What was going on in his life? Tony was as close to answering that question, as a viking was getting to the moon. He looked down at his fingers, the same fingers that had been on fire only hours ago. The feeling of something different in his veins was enough to make his entire body tingle uncomfortably.

Air… he needed air.

“I’ll be right back, Jarvis” Tony said, hurrying towards the door to the balcony.

“Sir?” JARVIS questioned, but received no answer. Tony ripped the door open, surprised when it nearly came off it’s hinges. But he didn’t linger on it, instead hurrying outside, across the balcony, down the stairs, until his socks were soaked in the wet sand of the beach below. But he didn’t care, he just needed more air. The wind ruffled his hair, growing stronger and angrier, as though it could sense Tony’s distress. In the distance, he could have sworn he heard music, strangely familiar, but it was too hard to focus.

He didn’t know when his knees hit the sand, or when he stopped moving. The wind howled around him, dark clouds gathering above. Tony sat there, unable to process what was happening around him. His vision flashed, something pulling at his chest. He was back in space, looking up at the monster of a ship- he was back on the beach, wind ripping at his clothes.

It wasn’t until the first flash of lightning, that Tony gasped. It had started to rain, though he didn’t know how long it had been going on. He was soaked to the bone, and the cold was finally starting to bite his skin. The sound of thunder rolled over the sky like giant boulders. Tony got up, legs shaking, before he hurried back to the mansion.

He didn’t like the thunder.

~0~

Bruce sighed, looking out the window of the common floor. A storm was drawing closer and closer, rain building up until the constant tapping of heavy drops against glass, drowned out any other noise. In the distance, lighting flashes suddenly, followed by thunder.

“Alright, get ready, team. We’re leaving in five minutes” Steve spoke up from somewhere behind him. Bruce turned, seeing the captain and two shield agents packing up their weapons. With another sigh, he stood from his chair, leaving an un-touched cup of tea on the table next to him.

Once they were all ready, they headed out of the tower. Natasha drove, heading right towards the centre of the thunderstorm, which had stopped right outside the city.

She parked the car, stepping out of it, followed by Clint and Steve. Bruce waited a few seconds, still unsure about this. They had finally gotten in contact with Thor, but now that Tony had left, it felt more like they were going behind his back than helping him. Logically, he knew Thor was their best bet. Whatever Tony had contracted, it wasn’t from earth. And right now, they didn’t know whether it was killing him or not. Though with the symptoms he was showing… Bruce shook his head, stepping out of the car.

The rain was pouring down in streams, thunder and lighting crackling right above them. Bruce looked around, spotting the others a few meters away. He hurried over, rain whipping his eyes, making it difficult to see properly.

Thor looked grim, though Banner could have guessed that judging by the weather. His expression was stern, unmoving, as he listened to Steve explain why they had called him.

“Do you think you can do something about this weather?!” Clint cut in, having to yell over the sound of rain. Thor gave him a quick glance, and slowly, the rain subsided into a light drizzle.

“So you see why we called?” Thor nodded in reply. Cap continued: “Do you have any idea what it could be?”

Thor was silent for a second, contemplating the answer. From what Banner had learned about Thor, he was much more of a shoot first ask questions later kind of guy. The god had been practically all smiles and laughter during the time they had spent time together, always asking about something earth-culture related. Seeing him now, so serious and… sad… felt unusual and wrong.

“I believe I know what ails our dear man of iron” Thor said finally, voice heavy like lead. The Avengers gathered around closer, all eager to hear the answer they had all been searching for. Bruce bit his lip. Thor looked less than pleased. What if whatever it was that bothered Tony killed him? What if there was no known cure, and they couldn’t help their friend and host?

No… no, he couldn’t think like that. He had to stay strong. If not for himself, then for Tony.

“I do not know how to explain this properly, my friends,” Thor explained. “But from how you explain it, it sounds to me like Stark has… contracted magic”