Fic: Shades of Friendships Chapter 4
Title: Shades of Friendship
Fandoms: Torchwood/The Avengers
Pairings/Characters: Clint/Ianto, Ianto/Tosh friendship, Ianto/Natasha friendship, Clint/Natasha friendship, Nick Fury, Phil Coulson, Jack/Ianto, Owen, Gwen, Natasha, fledging Jack/Ianto/Clint, Tony/Pepper, pre-Steve/Tosh, Bruce, Darcy
Summary: Bonds of friendship and love can still be forged no matter how far apart those connecting hearts maybe and then there are some bonds that no matter how much time has passed are never broken.
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: I don't own Torchwood or the Avengers
Beta: milady_dragon
Chapter 4
Arriving at Stark's mansion Coulson was impressed to see that it was still standing. 'I wonder if the same can be said for its owner?' Given his own dealings with Tony there was a fifty percent chance that Tony was dead and if his son was the one to dispose of the body, well then they would never recover it.
All fears were pushed aside when a smiling Pepper Potts greeted him at the door. "Phil, I didn't think I would be seeing you today."
Coulson favoured Pepper with a small smile. "I thought it would be best to make sure that World War Three hadn't broken out."
A soft laugh escaped Pepper as she shook her head. "Crisis was averted when Ianto made Tony a cup of coffee. Be careful, I think Tony plans on stealing Ianto to be his personal Coffee God," Pepper warned Coulson with a playful gleam in her eyes.
Coulson wasn't at all surprised to hear his son had won Tony over with his coffee. 'I'm convinced that Ianto could rule the world with his coffee.' "Then I believe Stark would have all of SHIELD out for his blood and that's not even speaking of what Agent Barton would do to him."
Pepper had not missed the way Ianto and Clint looked or touched each other. "Well Tony is actually behaving himself for once and so far there's been no bloodshed. I think Tony and Agent Barton are too afraid to anger Ianto and Natasha."
Coulson's lips curled into a smirk. "As they well should be. Seeing as things are well in hand care to take an early lunch?" Coulson asked as he offered her his arm.
"Jarvis, please inform Tony that I will be unavailable for the next few hours and I that I will be unable to offer any assistance should he actually piss off Natasha and Agent Barton enough to kill him," Pepper informed Jarvis as she looped her arm into Coulson's.
"I will inform Master Stark. I do hope you have a good lunch with Agent Coulson. I have all emergency services on standby should World War Three begin," Jarvis reassured them.
Pepper and Coulson shared a smile. "Thank you Jarvis," Pepper called over her shoulder as they walked away.
*****
Ianto rubbed his forehead in hopes to fight off the oncoming headache. 'Why am I not surprised that Clint and Tony actually managed to find some common ground with their sarcasm?'
"I could kill them for you," Natasha offered from her spot on the couch.
As the combined voices of Clint and Tony reached them, Ianto and Natasha could hear them on the open channel Jarvis had left open for them discussing the merits of Bugs Bunny. "I may take you up on that," Ianto dryly informed Natasha as he sat down beside her.
Shifting so she could rest her head on Ianto's shoulder Natasha couldn't help but feel a sense of warmth and belonging as Ianto's arm curled around her. It was rare for Natasha to let anyone get close to her. Only three had that privilege: Coulson, Clint and Ianto. "It's perfect I can kill them and you can hide the bodies and if you keep providing Fury and the rest of SHIELD with your coffee no one will ever bother looking for them."
Ianto's low laugh made Natasha smile. It had been far too long since she'd last heard Ianto laugh. 'I don't know if I will ever be able to forgive Torchwood for the role they played in breaking Ianto.' Beneath Ianto's mask of dry wit and sarcasm were a gentle soul and a very loving but fragile heart.
"I'm afraid that I would miss Clint too much and Stark isn't without his charm." Ianto had to admit that for an egomaniac Tony was indeed had a certain charm about him. "I'm just impressed that Stark has managed to live this long. He does inspire feelings of violence in the most peaceful of souls."
"That he does," Natasha murmured as she nuzzled closer to Ianto.
Of course this was the moment Clint and Tony decided to grace them with their presence, Clint barely batted an eye at the sight of Ianto and Natasha curled up together; he just made his way over to the couch and dropped down beside Ianto and curled up against him.
Tony on the other hand raised an eyebrow at the three of them. "So... threesome?" he asked, pointing at the three of them.
Natasha sent him a sultry smile as she nuzzled Ianto's neck. "I guess you'll just have to wonder."
Tony's eyebrow rose. "Well I'm impressed. Here I was thinking that Junior Suit was a chip off the old block and didn't even know what sex was but it appears he's in a kinky threesome. Well done Junior Suit." Tony saluted Ianto with his glass.
"Trust me Stark, you have no idea just how kinky Ianto is." Clint leered at Ianto before glaring at Tony. "And if you want to live you'll make sure you never find out."
"I do have to wonder... are the suits an overcompensation for something?" Ianto finally asked in a purely deadpan voice as he quirked a single eyebrow.
Burrowing her head in Ianto's shoulder Natasha felt her body shake with laughter at the sight of the purely gobsmacked look on Tony's face, while Clint roared with laughter before pressing a kiss onto Ianto's forehead.
Hoping to recover his wits Tony took a long sip of his drink. "Well I would be glad show you just how not in need of overcompensation I am but I rather not find out how good of a shot Legolas is."
Clint's arm around Ianto tightened possessively. "Trust me Stark; I find out you touched Ianto, I would make sure you never got to use your favourite part of your body again."
"Then once Clint's done cutting out your tongue I would happily castrate you," Natasha added sweetly.
No, Tony was not an idiot and he knew that Natasha and Clint would be willing to murder anyone who dared to harm Ianto Jones. "Right. If any of you need me I'll be in my lab creating the next greatest world changing device and you just amuse yourself with your kinky little threesome."
"Mr Stark, may I reminded you that Miss Potts has threatened to take away all your toys if you blow up your lab again?" Jarvis chose that moment to speak up.
"Traitor," Tony mumbled under his breath.
"Jarvis, please keep us alert to any explosions and have the fire department on standby," Ianto ordered.
"Of course Mr Jones," Jarvis quickly agreed.
"Oh come on, even Jarvis is under your spell!" Tony tossed his hands up in the air. "It's a good thing you're one of the good guys."
Ianto grin had a bit of a wicked tint to it. "Haven't you heard, Sir? It's the quiet ones you have to watch out for."
A pout graced Tony's face. "Why do I have a feeling between you, Pepper, and Super Agent I'm not going to have any more fun?"
Ianto raised an eyebrow. "If by fun you mean your completely self-destructive ways, then yes your fun will be seriously limited."
Tony's pouted only grew. "I'll have you know I am perfectly stable."
"Yes, I can see that you are the picture of stability." Ianto rolled his eyes and decided that Tony and Owen had to be cousins or something like that. They were too alike not to be.
Tony sniffled but felt a smile tugging at his lips. He was enjoying bantering with Ianto. "I don't have to stand here and be insulted. I'll be in my lab making the world a better place." Tony turned on his heel and exited the room.
Tony's dramatic exit made Ianto smile sadly. 'That exit was so Jack. I can't believe how much I miss him.'
Both Clint and Natasha felt the change in Ianto's body language and they had a pretty good idea of whom he was thinking about that made him sad. As much as they disliked Torchwood and their treatment of Ianto, neither of them could deny they were a part of Ianto and something told them they would soon have to get used to their role in Ianto's life.
'But it doesn't mean we have to like it,' Clint and Natasha both thought, a little sulky.
*****
Tosh couldn't remember the last time she'd felt so happy as she watched Mary sleep. 'Maybe I'm finally moving on from Owen. It's a hopeless case; he'll never see me as more than boring old Tosh. I have a real shot of happiness. I won't let it slip through my fingers for a hopeless dream.'
Tosh's thoughts were like an open book to her. Mary felt a small pang in her heart as she realised how deep Tosh's longing for love went. 'I can't believe I actually feel guilty for using such a loving creature. Maybe when I leave this rock I can take Tosh with me, such a brilliant mind is wasted on this primitive dirt ball.' Mary felt her lips curve into a smirk. 'Yes, with Tosh by my side we could have anything our hearts desire.'
"What are you thinking about so hard?" Tosh asked as she saw the deep look on her new lover's face.
Cupping Tosh's face Mary kissed her teasingly. "If I could convince you to skip work tomorrow and just stay in bed with me," she purred out as she stroked the side of Tosh's face.
Tosh's smile was tinged with regret. "I can't, but we still have the rest of today and tonight before I need to go in. We should make the most of them." Tosh tugged Mary down into a lingering kiss.
'I really think I could love you Toshiko Sato but I wonder how you will feel about me once you learn the truth.' Mary knew that once Tosh learned who she really was it could only end in two ways and neither of them held much hope for a future between them.
*****
"Jack, we need to talk."
Lifting his eyes from the important paperwork from UNIT Jack fought back a groan as he saw a scowling Gwen standing at his office door. "I'm rather busy Gwen, can't it wait?" Of course Jack had a pretty good clue as to what Gwen's answer was going to be.
Gwen shook her head. "No Jack it can't. It's been two weeks and I think it's time we replaced Ianto. We need someone to pick up the slack around here, do the paperwork and filing. I'm sure we can easily find someone to fill Ianto's place. I mean, it's not like he was a true member of the team; he was just support."
'I don't see why Jack's taking so long in replacing Ianto. He wasn't a true member of the team. Jack even said so himself.' Gwen hated doing paperwork. At least when Ianto had been around she never had to worry. 'I do have a life outside of Torchwood, but given that none of the others do I can't truly expect them to understand what it's like to have someone waiting for you.' She pushed back the little voice that pointed out that lately instead of it being Rhys she was waking up to it was Owen.
Taking a deep breath Jack fought back the urge to growl. "Ianto was much more than support. He was the backbone of Torchwood. You have no idea what Ianto truly did around here and he just can't be replaced at the drop of a hat. If you did you wouldn't be standing here saying how easily it would be to replace Ianto."
"He's not coming back Jack! Why can't you see that?" Gwen couldn't understand why Jack was being so stubborn about this. "He was just the worthless Tea-Boy who should have been Retconned the moment we learned about that monster he was keeping here!"
As Jack's office went deadly silent Gwen knew she crossed a line with Jack but she wasn't about to admit it.
"Get out! I can't even look at you right now." Jack growled lowly a hint of threat in his voice.
Gwen opened her mouth to protest but the look in Jack's eyes quickly silenced her protest. "Fine, but you know I'm right." Turning on her heel Gwen stalked out of Jack's office slamming the door shut behind her.
Jack rubbed his head, a familiar headache beginning to form as he once again began to wonder why he'd hired Gwen. 'I claimed she was the humanity we needed yet I haven't seen her show that humanity to her teammates.'
*****
When Fury was informed that his agents in the Arctic Ocean actually found something he wasn't prepared for just what they had found. "Could you repeat that?" Fury demanded.
"Yes, Sir, I repeat we have found Captain America and he's alive."
TBC...