(MCU) Arcs Collide: Chapter 36 - Rogue Separation

Chapter 36 - Rogue Separation

Summary: Tony decides to help a couple of surprised people and has an unfortunate encounter as a result.

Tony watched as most of the team members began to leave the conference room, each to their own destination.

Some, like Strange, decided to head to the medical floor for a checkup, though Tony is pretty sure the only reason Stephen is doing it instead of having Wong treat his wounds magically is Christine's threats.

Others like Jess and Val went out looking for a drink. And many others went to their rooms to rest a little, or in the case of Hope and Scott, they had a better idea for their time rather than simple rest if the look on his childhood friend's face was saying anything.

Carol was staying at his side and Tony began to think he may be on the receiving end of a similar treatment as Scott, but then his eyes landed on two figures who looked like they were reluctant to leave and go to their next destination.

Tony heard from Rhodey and Carol about how during the simulation those two clearly showed signs that they had adjusted to their new environment while the others on their team kept rejecting it.

While Barnes did look a little less tense amongst the group now that Maximoff is gone, he still gave Rogers the occasional wary look.

Wilson, on the other hand, had a constant air of disappointment to him. Was it for himself or because he now saw the American brute for what he really is and always was?

Tony knew he had no obligation to either of them.

When Wilson joined the Avengers, Tony treated him like any member of the team and paid for anything the man asked, even helped the man with a problem his sister had after the former soldier pointed it out to Tony. And still, when Tony tried to talk about the accords rationally, the man was at Rogers's side making it impossible while supporting his blood-filled crusade.

Barnes was a far more complicated issue, especially for Tony. Willingly or not, that man killed his parents. The image of Barnes's hand around his mother's throat was burned into his mind.

But on the other hand, Barnes has already suffered enough, both because of Hydra and Rogers. The man himself admitted he remembers every mission he was sent on, which was bound to create the worst case of PTSD ever.

Tony didn't owe either of them anything and still he found himself calling out "Bird boy, Robocop!"

Both of them were startled to see him approach them, and grew a little tenser when they noticed Carol following him with a confused look on her face.

Wilson shook off the surprise and asked politely, "Is there something we can help you with Dr. Stark?"

Tony shrugged and commented, "You can drop the Doctor, I don't do the whole title thing if I can help it. Anyway, I think I can help you two."

Both of them looked shocked at him before Wilson asked as if he misheard, "You want to help us?"

Tony hummed for a moment before pointing out, "Neither of you look happy with your current living situation, do you?"

Both of them looked uncomfortable with the question so Tony let out a heavy sigh before saying, "Look, I don't blame you for wanting to put some distance between you and Rogers. The rest of the team feels comfortable enough around you to allow you to leave the current accommodation."

Wilson blinked twice before asking in wonder, "All of you are willing to let us on your floors?"

Tony considered his next words carefully. "Yes and no. While mostly there are no problems with both of you, your attachment to Rogers's team is... problematic. You were told about the guest rooms on the higher floors, we can offer you a couple of those if you want."

Wilson and Barnes looked at each other for a long moment before nodding. Wilson turned to Tony and said gratefully, "We will be thankful, Mr. Stark."

Tony clapped with a smile and said, "Great, I will make the arrangements, and Friday will let you know when and where to go. You better go pack your things."

The two of them began to leave with small smiles on their faces when Tony remembered something and called out again, "Oh, Robocop..."

Barnes froze in place, his body tensing, but he did turn to look at Tony. "I have this tech called BARF..." Tony paused when he heard Carol's sniggering. He scowled and kept talking, "The name is perfectly fine! Anyway, it's meant to help deal with trauma."

Barnes's eyes widened so Tony kept pushing on, "Me, Loki, Jess and Bruce are using it to deal with the results of mind control and it proved itself very helpful. I would like to offer you the same chance."

Barnes's face was slack in shock, not something you see too often, as he whispered, "After everything, you're offering to... help me?"

Tony took a deep breath before speaking calmly, "Look, we have our issues with each other, but I'm not asshole enough to let a guy with a fucked-up brain and 70 years of PTSD suffer because of it. So, are you going to take it?"

Before the ex-soldier even thought about that he was nodding. When his brain caught up, he said with a tone Tony never heard from the man before, "I will. Thank you, Dr. Stark. You don't owe me anything, quite the opposite in fact, and still you are offering it to me."

Tony shrugged and tried to dismiss it with a simple comment, "That's why we're all here, aren't we? Earth's mightiest heroes and all that. Wouldn't be much of a hero if I didn't."

Suddenly Carol laid a hand on his shoulder, her face was beaming as she said, "Don't let him fool you, this man has the biggest heart you will ever see. He's probably the biggest hero in the universe, and I would know."

Barnes had a small smile on his face, another rarity, as he nodded. There was a slight hesitation from the man before he eventually spoke, "I know it maybe won't mean much coming from me, but Howard would have been proud of you."

Tony could feel himself tense and he mumbled, "Not likely," hoping the other two in the room wouldn't hear it.

Carol frowned as did Barnes. After a moment of tense silence, Barnes spoke again, "I read about some of Howard's later behavior... And can I offer my opinion?"

Tony really wanted to just forget this entire topic, but Carol caught his hand in her own and squeezed it in comfort. With a deep breath Tony said, "Might as well."

Barnes's frown deepened. "I knew Howard longer than Steve, he was our contractor when I joined the 107th. The first time I ever saw him drink and party so much was only after whatever they did to Steve. I think Howard was like you, he wanted to protect people. It was war so he turned to making weapons so our side could win. But when the doctor died it was the first time he experienced it firsthand, and it was one of his best friends, someone he worked months with that was dead. Steve became the link to those dreams Howard and Erskine shared. When Steve disappeared, it was like losing Erskine all over again and he became obsessive, and his condition with the drinking got worse."

A small smile appeared on Barnes's face. "The first night before we were deployed, we were all nervous, so Howard sat with us and tried to calm us down. He asked us what we would do after the war was won. When it was his turn to tell, he said he wanted to build the kind of family he never had. He wanted a son to treat him the way he never was, a son he was sure would change the world for the better."

Tony could feel his eyes stinging and when he locked them with Barnes's, he saw the ex-assassin's had tears flooding them as well. "The Howard I knew, the one who just wanted to keep people safe and end the war, he would have been so happy to know his dream came true."

Tony had to choke back the sobs that wanted to leave him in that moment. With years of experience, he pushed back the grief and pain he was feeling so he could calmly reply, "Thank you... Umm, what do I call you, because I refuse to call a grown man Bucky."

Barnes blinked a few times, seemingly shocked someone finally asked it, but after a moment he responded, "Well in Wakanda they either called me the White Wolf, or James. I like it."

Tony nodded before snarking in his usual way, "James works for me... though I will stick with Robocop, like that one better."

Barnes shrugged in what looked like an amused manner and simply said, "I can get used to it."

With that Barnes left to find Wilson and probably pack his stuff. Before Tony could leave the room himself, he was pulled into a kiss that after a long moment turned into a hug with his fiancée.

Tony held her back tightly and asked in an amused voice, "Not that I'm against you kissing me like that, normally in our bedroom, what was that for?"

Carol shook her head against his and just commented, "I said it before and I will say it again, you are a good man, Tony Stark."

And just like the last time she told him that, Tony didn't know how to react, so he just kept hugging her and kept his mouth shut for once.

---

It was a couple of days since the battle with the two Black Order members and since Tony offered Wilson and James a different place to live in.

It was a spur of the moment decision on Tony's part, though the idea was discussed before amongst the team. Tony wouldn't just make this kind of decision without considering the feelings of his teammates first.

The only reason those two weren't offered the option earlier is that the team wasn't sure what their response would be, but when Tony saw their expression in the aftermath of the battle, he took his chance, and it paid off!

The problem was that no room was ready for them and packing their things takes time, considering both of them had the most property among the rogues due to them not using Tony's money for their own things before the accords.

So today after all preparations were done, the two of them finally moved out from the second floor and Tony wondered how that was going to go.

According to Friday, James and Wilson just left the apartment on the second floor while all their teammates were in the common room and some interrogation followed that, but Tony didn't care—he had better things to do.

For example, he just finished programming James's BARF therapy sessions while overseeing Loki's weekly one.

Peter had some free time and chose to spend it with Tony as well, but thanks to him being a teenage superhuman his appetite was always acting up, and so at the end of the session all three of them were heading toward the cafeteria, because Tony missed some sleep tonight and being anywhere near Carol right now would surely result in an hour of scolding.

Just before they could reach the doors of the cafeteria a familiar and annoying voice called from behind them, "TONY!!!"

Tony let out a heavy sigh and began to turn around so he could face the idiot, while doing so he caught the eye roll of Loki at his side. With a small gesture Tony made sure that whatever happened Loki stays out of it, after all it would look bad if the prince attacked the former Avengers. This was one PR headache Tony knew he could turn around with minimal problem, but still would like to avoid.

Rogers wasn't coming alone. Rushing down the hallway toward him was Romanoff on his right, with her usual blank mask.

Rogers's face was an unusual mask of anger. After he noticed Tony was looking at him he began to shout while still angrily approaching them, "I WON'T LET YOU TAKE BUCKY FROM ME!"

Tony rolled his eyes and replied calmly, "I didn't touch your precious Bucky, Rogers."

Romanoff for some odd reason seemed to want the altercation to get worse apparently, because she threw some oil into the fire known as Rogers by saying, "We saw Sam and Bucky moving to their new rooms this morning. Only you could make that happen."

Tony raised an eyebrow at her and countered easily, "How many times must I tell you Romanoff that most of this building is owned by the UN's accords council, and they are the ones to make the decisions not me."

Romanoff let out a small smirk and said in a taunting voice, "Now, now Tony, lying won't work on me—you should already know it. If you want to try and separate us at least you could have given the rooms to your true family instead of two people you never worked with."

Tony smirked back to himself and replied sharply, "Why Romanoff, my family is always close by and has my back. Can you say the same?"

Tony knows that Yelena confronted Romanoff a couple of weeks ago after a suggestion from her therapist. Romanoff was very annoyed that she failed to recognize her 'sister' and worse that this 'sister' hated her for leaving her in the Red Room.

The smirk fell from her face and her eyes flinched slightly at the jab. But she was fast to recover and decided to attack Tony indirectly, "So now that you have your 'family'..." she said the word in the most mocking voice she ever mustered, "You're taking revenge on Steve by separating him from his?"

The question was rhetorical, they both knew it, as they both predicted what would happen next. After all the magic words had been spoken and the blonde oaf went to his 'kill for Barnes' mode.

Rogers yelled, "Are you so petty Tony?! After everything I did for you, you still..."

While screaming Rogers seemed to get ready to attack Tony and got closer for that with his usual puffing chest technique.

Once it would have caused Tony to have a panic attack and he would back off, but now after months of therapy he could handle it just fine.

Tony was about to sidestep the attack and allow Rogers to embarrass himself, but that was when Peter took a step forward and screamed back, "I won't let you touch Uncle Tony again!"

Rogers though was too far gone thanks to Romanoff's encouragement and he just replied angrily, "Out of my way kid."

When Peter glared back at him Rogers swung his arm to push him aside, but knowing the man he wouldn't take into consideration the difference in power they were supposed to have.

Of course, Peter as Spider-Man is more than capable of stopping that punch, but that would mean revealing his true identity to Rogers and worse so, to Romanoff. That Tony couldn't allow.

Allowing the reactor to increase the Extremis flow in his blood Tony stepped forward and caught Rogers's arm with ease.

A little surprised, but still overcome by rage and protecting Bucky instinct he drew back his other arm and sent his most powerful punch toward Tony.

Now if Tony was still like he was before Siberia that punch was sure to make a hole in his chest and kill him, not that Rogers or Romanoff seemed to care, in fact the ex-Red Room spy seemed eager for it.

But the current Tony began increasing the level of Extremis in him, he could feel the heat of his now glowing eyes, as he caught Rogers's punch without even flinching.

Rogers's anger turned to pure shock, and after a moment of simply staring blankly at his caught punch he asked weakly, "How..."

Before he could finish the question though Tony pulled his own arm and punched Rogers in the face.

A tooth came flying out his mouth as the man himself was sent through the air, falling at the red-head's feet, knocked out.

Romanoff herself seemed in a state of paralyzed shock, she looked at Tony as if he was the devil himself coming to claim her soul. A pale face, with wide eyes and was she shaking a little?

Tony really didn't care. He felt the heat leaving his system and the burning eyes were gone too. Grabbing Peter's arm, he began to turn back toward the cafeteria doors while commenting dismissively, "You might want to drag the trash to the medical wing Romanoff."

Just before they walked past the corner and lost sight of the two nuisances, the weak voice of Romanoff called out, "What did you do Tony?"

Tony didn't even turn back as he responded, "Blame the pile on the floor for it, all I did was survive."

With that he pulled his two companions around the corner and into the cafeteria.