A Place of Refuge (4/?)
Title: A Place of Refuge
Author: darklumi
Characters/Pairings: Steve/Thor/Bruce/Tony, Clint & Natasha, brief mention of Happy/Pepper
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: All Marvels! :P
Warnings: AU!Movie/616 Verse, Alpha/Omega verse
Author's Notes: No beta, so I apologize for all the errors you may encounter! Btw, Comments are love! ;)
Prompt Fill: http://avengerkink.livejournal.com/4305.html?thread=3083729#t3083729
Summary: "I'll admit I knew Tony was an Omega and I willingly helped him hide his gender," Pepper said clearly, "and I don't regret a thing."
The sun was just beginning to appear, peaking around the bodies of the city buildings, lighting the streets as it made it's way up and over the spread of the Atlantic Ocean; the blue water sparkling with yellow and gold ripples, and the clear sky shinning bright from the enormous star's brilliance. It was trully a glorious morning, Thor thought, rising from his bed and staring out the giant window. The golden light creeped in through the window along the floor, touching each surface in the room until it was entirely engulfed with the summer sun's radiance. It highlighted the curves and dips of Thor's muscles, glinting dazzingly off his warm skin, and wheat colored hair.
Thor smiled contently when he spotted pigeons fluttering by, the sound of the usual New York traffic crowding the streets, and the general public rushing to get to work had become familiar to him and comforting. This world had been completely foreign to him, machines dominating peoples lives, and few of them knew the kinship and brotherhood between warriors. Now, he could say, while he didn't completely understand human's ways, he had began to adapt to living on Earth.
Before he had thought little of the puny humans, for they had become comfortable with their meager lives, but after spending time among them, Thor knew there was more to them than meets the eye. He had seen what they were capable of when Loki had tried to take over their planet. He could see hidden strength within them and the buried resilience. Some had a tiny spark, the beginnings of something magnificent, a spark that had yet to be unleased, and others, such as Tony Stark, had a gradeur that surpassed even the most brightest star. The Man of Iron didn't know this of course, but Thor, who was almost three centuries old, could see what others refused to. Thor had thought humans to be weak, always in need of Asgardians to protect them, but men like Steve Rogers, Bruce Banner, and the other Avengers had proven him wrong in that aspect.
Jane Foster was the first earthling to have proved him wrong about humanity, after she had ran him over of course. He had thought she was nothing more than timid, a mouse-like creature, nothing like Sif or the other women of Asgard, until he saw her in action. There was so much spirit in her small frame, her thirst for knowledge, her bravery swirling in the iris of her brown eyes. There was undeniably something captivating about her and Thor could admit he had fallen in love with her just a bit, she had qualities he cherished, but she wasn't exactly what he was looking for. She was a Beta and the fire that kindled between them faded when he was sent back to Asgard and had completely tempered when he had returned.
When Thor had been banished to Earth, he had believed it was the perfect opportunity to find his Chosen, to find his life mate. What he wanted was something he could only find with an Omega, the bond that was everlasting, a mutual connection that granted the ability to sooth a spirit with a touch, a glimpse, a whisper. However, Fate had a funny way of weaving her threads, for Thor found that Omegas were also an extremely unique gender amid humans; it was one thing Thor found to be disappointing. They weren't as rare as they were in Asgard of course, but they certainly weren't treated as well either. They were kept captive, away from prying eyes, away from human touch, waiting for appropriate Alphas to be chosen for them. Thor had been disgusted to learn of this, the segregation Omegas had to face, but Thor was unable to interfere because this was how humans believed they were protecting them. The demi-god couldn't imagine how much chaos would errupt on the streets if all those Omegas roamed the street unprotected as Alphas closed in around them, battling for their ownership, clawing for their flesh.
In Asgard, Omegas were regarded as wonderous beings for being able to carry life and being able to suppress an Alpha's rage; they were honored for their ability and treated with respect. Asgardians believed in the common balance between an Alpha and his Chosen, here however, this was not so. In Asgard, Omegas had nothing to fear, on Earth there was everything. It saddened him that Omegas lived in such a way, always a cloak of trepidation covering their shoulders, and Thor wanted nothing more than to remove it. He wanted to cast aside the weight of anxiety, shame, and pain and replace it with a sense of opulence, warmth, and love.
The god of thunder was brought out of his thoughts when his stomach rumbled with hunger, he left the room, away from the thoughts of useless melancholy, and the down the hall to the kitchen. Clint and Natasha were already gathered for breakfast, he grabbed three boxes of poptarts before he joined them at the table, smiling, "Good morning, shield brother and sister! How are you this fine august morning?"
"Morn'," Clint grumbled around a mouthfull of eggs. The archer swallowed thickly before shoveling more of the fluffy yellow crumbles into his mouth.
"Good morning Thor," Natasha returned the smile with the tiniest lift of the corner of her ruby lips. "Would you like some coffee?"
Thor nodded, munching contently at a strawberry poptart. "Yes, thanks." Natasha quietly placed a full mug of coffee down in front of him before resuming her breakfast.
"Did Steve ascend before the sun today?" Thor asked. The Captain was usually the first up, either going for a morning jog or making breakfast for the rest of them, however there were the few mornings where he was last to rise.
"Yeah," Clint answered, "he went for a run. He should be back any moment now." Thor hmmed, engulfing the last bit of the delicious goodness of strawberry and frosting, as the front door opened revealing the blonde super soldier. "Ah, speak of the devil."
Steve smiled, wiping the sweat from his brow with a damp rag, and grabbing a water from the fridge before sitting at the table. "Morning everyone. Bruce and Tony still asleep?"
"Bruce is," Natasha nibbled at her toast, "I don't think Tony ever came home last night though."
"That lucky dog," Clint smirked lewdly, "probably went home with two gorgeous babes. One on each arm."
"I'll make sure to tell Coulson that," Natasha simpered, "when he comes over later." It was no secret that Clint and Coulson were in the beginnings of a relationship, finally confessing their interest after they had saved the world from the Loki catastrophe. Natasha wasn't sure who had finally grew a pair of balls to ask the other out, but she figured it didn't matter as long as they weren't making pathetically longing looks behind each others backs anymore. Presently, the red headed spy couldn't tease Clint about his miserable looks of yearning now that they were aware of their mutual love, so she had to find other reasons to pester the other SHIELD agent, which was still spectacularly easy.
"Why would he go home with babies?" Thor looked up, cheeks puffed out with food, while Clint eyes widened.
"He means women." Steve supplied.
Thor's perplexed face abated. "Ah! These terms you humans refer to women as are confusing. Why don't you just call them women?"
Natasha sat back and crossed her arms. "Because men feel the need to always belittle women in some way."
"Ah, ah, ah, that's not all true. Take Steve for example he calls all you women dames, darling, and all that jazz and you women think it's sweet." Clint chuckled.
"Clint, really, Steve gets away with it because he doesn't have lecherous intentions dripping from each word, unlike you. Plus, he's adorable, stumbling over words when he talks to girls." Natasha leered. "Half of them don't whether they want to pinch his cheeks or spread their legs."
Steve raised his hand, a tint of rouge forming on his cheeks. "Can we get back to talking about where Tony might be?"
Natasha sat forward, elbows balanced on the table, breasts bulging forth from the low collared shirt she wore. "I don't know where he is Steve, I just didn't hear him come home last night."
"And like I said he probably went home with two chicks." Clint patted the blonde soldier's arm. "What I want to know is why Coulson is coming over?"
"Wouldn't you like to know?" Natasha whispered teasingly, one perfectly shaped eyebrow cocked.
Pushing aside his plate, he leaned forward, trying to stare the woman down with his bright grey eyes. "Yes, I would."
The redhead smiled sweetly. "Well, I guess you'll just have to wait and see."
"You're being mean!" Clint cried smacking his hands down on the table before he grabbed his plate, and started frustratingly shoveling more food into his mouth. Silence reigned supreme while Natasha relished in her tiny victory and Steve sipped his water contently.
Thor lowered his poptart that had made it halfway to his mouth, asking, "Is chicks another term for women? I would just like to be clear on that."
<><><><>
It was five thirty when the Avengers gathered for dinner. The spices of Chinese takeout had filled the room and the tiny white boxes splayed across the enameled lava stone countertops, and moans of delight could be heard as the Avengers ate their fill. Coulson had stopped by earlier, delivering several files full of paper work for Natasha, and with a simple kiss on Clint's cheek before he left. It was six fourty when they realized anything was wrong. They had just finished cleaning the table, throwing the dishes into the washer, before relaxing in the living room when the first sign of concern made itself known.
It was Pepper, stomping in, cheeks flushed with anger, hair a tangled mess, and spewing up a storm, "--to do everything! Tony!?! Where are you little miscreant?!"
"Uhh, hello?" Steve said, rising from the couch. "Tony--"
"Where is he?!" Pepper stomped her foot. "I've called his cell phone a million times and each time I got the voicemail. Doesn't he understand that even though I'm the CEO now, it doesn't mean he can completely ignore his duties? This is the eighth time Yamamoto has had to reschedule!"
Steve raised his hands peacefully. "Miss Potts, Tony--"
Pepper continued to trample around the room, papers flying free from her arms. "I can't believe what a selfish brat he is! He didn't even close the deal with Williams like he said he would and now this, this is the final straw. The insufferable little--"
Steve looked back at the others, who were quite entertained as the mad woman ranted around the room, seeing they weren't going to be any help he turned back to the red head. "Miss Potts, Tony isn't here!"
Pepper stopped abruptly, confusion painting her face. "What do you mean isn't here? He has to be. Are you sure he isn't in his workshop?"
"Well he isn't," Clint snarked, "so don't get your panties in a twist." Then muttering under his breath, "Geez, I can see why he didn't answer any of your phone calls." Natasha promptly hit the back of the archer's head, smirking at the yelp of pain.
"Sorry Pepper," Natasha murmured, "he hasn't come by or called any of us either."
The second warning went off like a chime, tinkering in the back of their minds and coming forward as the voluptuous spy's words processed fully in their minds. Though Tony was an impulsive individual, even appearing irresponsible and callous to some with his flippant and careless attitude, but he was actually very considerate and thoughtful, often checking in through out the day. At first, the Avengers found it to be annoying, the phone calls interrupting their day's activities but after a while they became use to it, even finding Tony's constant jabber of unimportance comforting. It was after a few months when they finally got around to asking Pepper why Tony always called. She had just smiled, answering in a smooth murmur, "He does it for me, Happy, and Rhodey. After Afghanistan--he just wants to reassure us he's still safe and we're still here. I guess it seems he believes you are considered important to him too, he wouldn't do it otherwise."
In short, Tony never disappeared without a phone call as to where he might be.
"Did you call Happy?" Bruce suggested, scooting to the edge of his seat, and turning off the TV. "Perhaps he might have driven Tony somewhere."
Pepper stared at each of them, her angry scowl turning more into a worried frown, nibbling her lip, before she pulled out her phone. Her fingers danced across the key board before she held the device up to her ear, balancing her paperwork on her cocked hip. "Happy, hi, it's Pepper," she smiled a little, before asking, "Yeah, see I was wondering if you drove Tony anywhere last night?" Her smile dropped a bit, appearing strained. "Oh, oh I see, well, thank you. I'll talk to you later. Ok, bye."
The CEO of Stark Industries quietly shut her phone and set down all the papers and files she had in her arms down on the table, before swiftly trotting down the hall to the billionaire's bedroom. The Avengers stared at one another uneasily, shifted to the edge of their seats restlessly, but remaining silent. They could hear her rustling around the room, drawers being opened, slammed shut, and ojects being upturned before there was a complete absence of silence.
The last sign was quiet as Pepper reentered the room, pale faced, and blue eyes enhanced with tears. Her bottom lip trembled and yet she managed to refrain from crying, only her eyes betraying what she trully felt; they were glazed with a frightenly alarming color of dismay that the Avengers couldn't help but start to feel at the base of their skulls.
Pepper was stopped at the edge of the room, both hands clutching desperately to a tiny white tablet bottle, nervously shifting from one foot to the other. There was a moment when all she did was stand there quietly, before she squeezed her eyes shut and held out the container. It was Natasha who rose, swiftly crossing the room to stand in front of the other woman, prying the prize from the woman's grip. The Avengers couldn't see Natasha's face as her back was to them but they heard a sharp intake of breath, watching as her body froze, and murmuring thickly, "We have to find Tony."
"Tasha'?" Clint stood hesitantly, eyes staring intently at the other SHIELD's back. The assassin turned slowly, face blank of emotion, but eyes wide and hands devoid of blood as they clenched into fists, one around a little white container. Her eyes shifted quickly from one Alpha to the next before settling on Clint, and with her eyes implored him to back away; he did so making sure not to back into a corner.
"Romanova," Steve got to his feet, standing tall, "what is that?" He didn't approach, which Natasha was grateful for, because the more space there was between her and the Alpha the better when she had to tell him the news. However, the wide berth didn't mean anything when he was using his Alpha voice which had a unusally ability to affect people. An Alpha could easily comfort a wounded soul with a soft tember or even command obedience with a warning growl, their voices didn't just influence Omegas' state of mind but could also stir a Beta's.
So it was not surprising to hear Pepper whimper from behind Natasha, curling closer to her back, or even see Clint's slight shudder from across the room, Natasha succeeded with only the slightest twitch. It wasn't an impossible feat but it was surprising to see because it wasn't a common skill. Omegas couldn't help how an Alpha voice affected them, it was embedded in their psyche, but with enough training a Beta could be able to accomplish it.
Steve's eyes narrowed. "Don't make me ask again."
Natasha licked her lips, answering in a hushed tone, "Tony's in danger and we need to find him as quickly as possible because he's...an Omega."
Thor got to his feet with a deafingly howl. He towered over everyone, destroying the coffee table as his fist slammed down; while Bruce shrank into himself, teeth bared, as he growled deep in his chest, and fought not to transform into his other more dangerous counterpart.
Clint's eyes widened with shock and a sudden fear as he backed further away from Bruce, slowly. "Are you fucking kidding me--"
"Clint." Natasha halted anything further the archer had to say with the slightest swish of her hand, her eyes never parting from the three figures in front of her.
Steve breathed deeply, trying to calm his racing heart and his craving soul. The Alpha inside him was battling for dominance over his body, wanting to find and save with Tony, wanting to mate and mark him now that it knew of Tony's true gender. The Alpha side couldn't help but remember the bright glow he had seen embellishing Tony's form the day before, the gleam of melted gold and summer rainfall; it remembered Tony's warm honeymilk skin and enticing curves. The Alpha wanted to lick that slender body and see if he tasted as delicious as he looked. Steve bite the inside of his cheek, he couldn't allow the Alpha to take over, he had to have control so he could find Tony the safest and fastest way possible. After, he silently promised his other half, after we find him we can taste his skin.
"We have to find him now!" Thor stopped suddenly, body wound tight, and eyes a blaze. "He needs us!" The room darkened, the once bright blue sky was covered with a blanket of dark clouds, they rolled in, trampling over each other, and shrouding the city in a shade of obscurity and gloom. The ground quivered with the force of thunder, lightning echoed it with a manisfestation of blinding light, and wind began to spin and push, the buildings creaking with the strength of the violent storm.
Bruce fingers tangled in his hair, eyes flashing green, roughly mumbling with a snarl, "He smelt like an Omega, he smelt like it Steve--We let him go out like that!"
"Quiet." It was nothing more than a quietly uttered word, managing to silence the room, cutting through the chaos straight down to everyone's core with it's commanding semblance. Everyone, as one, turned to Steve, who's face was blank and body stiff with strain, and his eyes were bright with a promise that sent a shiver down the Beta's spines. Steve turned to Natasha, "How much time do we have to find Tony?"
Natasha blinked. "There's typically a fourty-eight hour window before he's lost in the system."
Ice blue eys flickered to the other lady in the room. "What time did he leave the party last night?"
"I'm not sure," Pepper murmured uneasily, "I wouldn't say anymore than a hour. Happy was never asked to picked him up so..."
"So he was most likely taken outside the building." Steve fists clenched. "Jarvis?"
"Yes Mr. Rogers," The AI acknowledged.
"Can you review the surveillance of the building and all the camera footage in the area?"
"Already ahead of you, sir. I'll have the footage in ten more minutes."
"Thank you," Steve replied. He turned to Pepper, who stood slightly straigher but still wary of the Alphas of the room, "Maybe you should tell us what you know while we wait."
Pepper sighed before gesturing to the couch. "You should all get comfortable." She sat down on the couch, Natasha pressing near her side assuringly, and Clint came around the room, sitting on the otherside protectively.
Steve joined Thor and Bruce on the other couch. The super soldier sat between them, their thighs touching comfortingly, and the air relaxed slightly. Thor's eyes dulled a bit from their crazed glaze and Bruce's nerves faded, his face appearing less pinched with frustration.
"I'll admit I knew Tony was an Omega and I willingly helped him hide his gender," Pepper said clearly, "and I don't regret a thing."
The storm mellowed out but the people below still hurried along, seaking shelter from the withering gale, and there, towards the end of the veil of lightlessness, was a beam, a single glorious beam of light streaking through the thick overcast. It was a consolation, the beam of hope among the somber and oppressive darkness.
<><><><>
Tony's first thought when he woke was was the realization that he had been drugged. His mind felt a bit disconnected, his head floating around and in pain, and the sour flavor of vomit did little to settle his upset stomach. Nether did the heat. The room was humid, his shirt sticking uncomfortably to his back, and his forehead sparkled with sweat; he kept his eyes closed, his breathing regular, and listened for any signs of life aside from himself. When he heard nothing but the sound of his own staggering breathing and the hum of his arc reactor Tony opened his eyes, looking around.
The room was plane but dirty, garabage, broken glass, and mice droppings could be found with his attentive eye. The windows, the ones not boarded up or broken, were coated in a layer of dust, which meant they were in a builidng that hadn't been used in a while. He could also hear the ocean not far off, bashing against the rocks, and seagulls crying; Tony's conclusion was the shelter was most likely an old fisherman warehouse.
"How very unoriginal," Tony grumbled sarcastically to himself, as well as trying to see if he had any wiggle room to free his hands. He was tied to a chair, arms bound behind his back, so he couldn't see much when it came to how the rope was twisted and knotted but his ankles free, so Tony was a little grateful. He could, thankfully, still feel the metal coolness of the Supressor Bracelet still upon his wrist, it comforted him for a moment before he remembered it wasn't exactly working as it should. Tony had thought it was good to go when he had presented himself infront of Steve and Bruce and neither had pounced on him; they would have, too, since Tony was in the beginnings of Heat, which only meant there was a few gliches he hadn't worked out yet. Tony certainly didn't feel anything when he stood in front of them either, nothing, not even the slightest need to drop on all fours and spread himself.
Tony wanted to kick himself for automatically assuming the Supressor worked, but he couldn't help it, he had been estatic to think it was complete and operating; he had been happy to think he had finally managed to create a wall of protection, a safety net, but he was wrong. Tony's calculations were slightly off, the conclusion being the SRB only prevented Alphas from mating with him but didn't hamper the certain attraction they had to an Omega. That much was obvious when Nathaniel Williams had felt the urge to mark him but couldn't fully comprehend that it was because Tony was an Omega. The Supressor Bracelet only needed a few more adjustments, he didn't want to imagine what could have happened if he had exposed himself infront of Steve and Bruce and it didn't work as well as it had.
They could have claimed him and owned everything he possessed. They could have left him marked, their scent polluting his skin, their semen flooding his passage, and Tony found that he wouldn't have cared in that moment when their flesh pressed against his. Though, as soon as the rush of mating had faded to a regretful memory, Tony would become aware of something he wasn't ready for, they could have impregnated him. If the Supressor hadn't have worked as much as it had, there could have been a child forming within his belly, the Avenger shivered at the thought.
Sure, he trusted Steve, Bruce, and Thor with his life, he knew they had his back when they went out to fight evil forces, but deep down he still had his doubts. He didn't know if he could trust them with such a life altering secret such as him being an Omega. There were times when he could picture himself being with them, allowing himself to melt into their hands, but when he would catch himself staring at one of them, he didn't know whether he had these feelings because he trully felt something for them, or if it was just because of his Omega desires coming into play.
Tony was brought out of his thoughts when he heard someone approaching, stopping just outside the door that was infront of him, closing his eyes, he listened as the hatch was released, the hinges creaking obnoxiously, and soft footed steps enter the room. Whoever it was, they approached until they loomed over Tony, close enough that Tony started to feel a bit uncomfortable. Their hatred was palpable, their stare drilling holes into Tony's ducked skull with every blink.
They were close enough that Tony could smell the type of cologne the other was wearing. It was Ambre Topkai, an expensive brand, which meant this guy had money or liked to pretend he did. It was a cologne Tony was familiar with, the blended aromas of cinnamon, cardamom, and ginger bottled in a clear glass and topped with a royal crown stopper, it had never been Tony's preferred perfume, seeing as he could afford better, and he always thought this stuff had been beyond atrocious. It might also have to do with the person Tony associated the cologne with but the man had been locked up with a sentence of fifteen years minimum.
Tony had to fight the urge to sneeze as the fragrance drifted along in the airways, prickling Tony's nostrils with the sharp bittersweet spice. It had been put on a tad to heavy; Tony tried not to make any snarky comments of telling the man to go take a bath.
Tony's personal space was invaded when the other's hand ran through Tony's hair, fisting the strands, and jerking Tony's head back. The billionaire bit back a gasp, eyes shooting open and locking with the one and only, Justin Hammer, and then he didn't know whether he wanted to laugh or cry.
Hammer's face split into a grin, it was completely poisonous, his fangs appearing sharper with the moonlight casted upon them, more sharp, more inhuman. "Hi Tony, miss me?" He asked sweetly, but it wasn't, not with the way his glinted with madness, and the rough grasp he had on Tony's hair.
Don't let him get to you, Tony thought, returning the grin with a cocky smirk. "Not particularly no." Tony quipped. "I thought you were going to be in jail for another, I don't know, twenty years. What did ya do to get out early?"
Hammer's menacing face melted into something more pathetic, pouting as he said, "That's too bad because I missed you, I missed you so much I just had to see you. As for how I got out, lets just say I know some people."
"Lucky you," Tony said sarcastically.
"Yeah, lucky me." Hammer whispered. "Now, we both know this whole get together is so I can exact some revenge on you, so let's not idle by and waste time, shall we?"
Distract him, he thought frantically, just until the others get here. "Why not? Let's catch up! Soooo, how've you been? Any good at sucking cock now? I bet you are--"
Tony didn't finish as Hammer's hand connected with the side of his face, rings cutting deep, and blood spraying in an arc of red, before his face was grasped harshly in Hammer's unyeilding grip, twisting him back to face the other man. "I rotted away in that shit hole for three years. I don't appreciate that kind of talk." Hammer hissed, eyes ablaze. "The one thing that got me by was I just couldn't wait to see your face twist in agony as I cut each limb from your body."
The bound man was silent for a moment before, "Ohhhhh," Tony gushed excitedly, "who wrote that? That was really good! I almost believed you!"
Hammer smiled fondly, as if he were talking to a child but it didn't make Tony feel any better, in fact he felt more nervous with Hammer grinning that way since there was an edge to it, slightly twisted and sinister. "I just want to watch you suffer until your very last breath." Hammer whispered sinisterly Tony's ear, "And I know the most perfect way because I know exactly what you are."
Author: darklumi
Characters/Pairings: Steve/Thor/Bruce/Tony, Clint & Natasha, brief mention of Happy/Pepper
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: All Marvels! :P
Warnings: AU!Movie/616 Verse, Alpha/Omega verse
Author's Notes: No beta, so I apologize for all the errors you may encounter! Btw, Comments are love! ;)
Prompt Fill: http://avengerkink.livejournal.com/4305.html?thread=3083729#t3083729
Summary: "I'll admit I knew Tony was an Omega and I willingly helped him hide his gender," Pepper said clearly, "and I don't regret a thing."
The sun was just beginning to appear, peaking around the bodies of the city buildings, lighting the streets as it made it's way up and over the spread of the Atlantic Ocean; the blue water sparkling with yellow and gold ripples, and the clear sky shinning bright from the enormous star's brilliance. It was trully a glorious morning, Thor thought, rising from his bed and staring out the giant window. The golden light creeped in through the window along the floor, touching each surface in the room until it was entirely engulfed with the summer sun's radiance. It highlighted the curves and dips of Thor's muscles, glinting dazzingly off his warm skin, and wheat colored hair.
Thor smiled contently when he spotted pigeons fluttering by, the sound of the usual New York traffic crowding the streets, and the general public rushing to get to work had become familiar to him and comforting. This world had been completely foreign to him, machines dominating peoples lives, and few of them knew the kinship and brotherhood between warriors. Now, he could say, while he didn't completely understand human's ways, he had began to adapt to living on Earth.
Before he had thought little of the puny humans, for they had become comfortable with their meager lives, but after spending time among them, Thor knew there was more to them than meets the eye. He had seen what they were capable of when Loki had tried to take over their planet. He could see hidden strength within them and the buried resilience. Some had a tiny spark, the beginnings of something magnificent, a spark that had yet to be unleased, and others, such as Tony Stark, had a gradeur that surpassed even the most brightest star. The Man of Iron didn't know this of course, but Thor, who was almost three centuries old, could see what others refused to. Thor had thought humans to be weak, always in need of Asgardians to protect them, but men like Steve Rogers, Bruce Banner, and the other Avengers had proven him wrong in that aspect.
Jane Foster was the first earthling to have proved him wrong about humanity, after she had ran him over of course. He had thought she was nothing more than timid, a mouse-like creature, nothing like Sif or the other women of Asgard, until he saw her in action. There was so much spirit in her small frame, her thirst for knowledge, her bravery swirling in the iris of her brown eyes. There was undeniably something captivating about her and Thor could admit he had fallen in love with her just a bit, she had qualities he cherished, but she wasn't exactly what he was looking for. She was a Beta and the fire that kindled between them faded when he was sent back to Asgard and had completely tempered when he had returned.
When Thor had been banished to Earth, he had believed it was the perfect opportunity to find his Chosen, to find his life mate. What he wanted was something he could only find with an Omega, the bond that was everlasting, a mutual connection that granted the ability to sooth a spirit with a touch, a glimpse, a whisper. However, Fate had a funny way of weaving her threads, for Thor found that Omegas were also an extremely unique gender amid humans; it was one thing Thor found to be disappointing. They weren't as rare as they were in Asgard of course, but they certainly weren't treated as well either. They were kept captive, away from prying eyes, away from human touch, waiting for appropriate Alphas to be chosen for them. Thor had been disgusted to learn of this, the segregation Omegas had to face, but Thor was unable to interfere because this was how humans believed they were protecting them. The demi-god couldn't imagine how much chaos would errupt on the streets if all those Omegas roamed the street unprotected as Alphas closed in around them, battling for their ownership, clawing for their flesh.
In Asgard, Omegas were regarded as wonderous beings for being able to carry life and being able to suppress an Alpha's rage; they were honored for their ability and treated with respect. Asgardians believed in the common balance between an Alpha and his Chosen, here however, this was not so. In Asgard, Omegas had nothing to fear, on Earth there was everything. It saddened him that Omegas lived in such a way, always a cloak of trepidation covering their shoulders, and Thor wanted nothing more than to remove it. He wanted to cast aside the weight of anxiety, shame, and pain and replace it with a sense of opulence, warmth, and love.
The god of thunder was brought out of his thoughts when his stomach rumbled with hunger, he left the room, away from the thoughts of useless melancholy, and the down the hall to the kitchen. Clint and Natasha were already gathered for breakfast, he grabbed three boxes of poptarts before he joined them at the table, smiling, "Good morning, shield brother and sister! How are you this fine august morning?"
"Morn'," Clint grumbled around a mouthfull of eggs. The archer swallowed thickly before shoveling more of the fluffy yellow crumbles into his mouth.
"Good morning Thor," Natasha returned the smile with the tiniest lift of the corner of her ruby lips. "Would you like some coffee?"
Thor nodded, munching contently at a strawberry poptart. "Yes, thanks." Natasha quietly placed a full mug of coffee down in front of him before resuming her breakfast.
"Did Steve ascend before the sun today?" Thor asked. The Captain was usually the first up, either going for a morning jog or making breakfast for the rest of them, however there were the few mornings where he was last to rise.
"Yeah," Clint answered, "he went for a run. He should be back any moment now." Thor hmmed, engulfing the last bit of the delicious goodness of strawberry and frosting, as the front door opened revealing the blonde super soldier. "Ah, speak of the devil."
Steve smiled, wiping the sweat from his brow with a damp rag, and grabbing a water from the fridge before sitting at the table. "Morning everyone. Bruce and Tony still asleep?"
"Bruce is," Natasha nibbled at her toast, "I don't think Tony ever came home last night though."
"That lucky dog," Clint smirked lewdly, "probably went home with two gorgeous babes. One on each arm."
"I'll make sure to tell Coulson that," Natasha simpered, "when he comes over later." It was no secret that Clint and Coulson were in the beginnings of a relationship, finally confessing their interest after they had saved the world from the Loki catastrophe. Natasha wasn't sure who had finally grew a pair of balls to ask the other out, but she figured it didn't matter as long as they weren't making pathetically longing looks behind each others backs anymore. Presently, the red headed spy couldn't tease Clint about his miserable looks of yearning now that they were aware of their mutual love, so she had to find other reasons to pester the other SHIELD agent, which was still spectacularly easy.
"Why would he go home with babies?" Thor looked up, cheeks puffed out with food, while Clint eyes widened.
"He means women." Steve supplied.
Thor's perplexed face abated. "Ah! These terms you humans refer to women as are confusing. Why don't you just call them women?"
Natasha sat back and crossed her arms. "Because men feel the need to always belittle women in some way."
"Ah, ah, ah, that's not all true. Take Steve for example he calls all you women dames, darling, and all that jazz and you women think it's sweet." Clint chuckled.
"Clint, really, Steve gets away with it because he doesn't have lecherous intentions dripping from each word, unlike you. Plus, he's adorable, stumbling over words when he talks to girls." Natasha leered. "Half of them don't whether they want to pinch his cheeks or spread their legs."
Steve raised his hand, a tint of rouge forming on his cheeks. "Can we get back to talking about where Tony might be?"
Natasha sat forward, elbows balanced on the table, breasts bulging forth from the low collared shirt she wore. "I don't know where he is Steve, I just didn't hear him come home last night."
"And like I said he probably went home with two chicks." Clint patted the blonde soldier's arm. "What I want to know is why Coulson is coming over?"
"Wouldn't you like to know?" Natasha whispered teasingly, one perfectly shaped eyebrow cocked.
Pushing aside his plate, he leaned forward, trying to stare the woman down with his bright grey eyes. "Yes, I would."
The redhead smiled sweetly. "Well, I guess you'll just have to wait and see."
"You're being mean!" Clint cried smacking his hands down on the table before he grabbed his plate, and started frustratingly shoveling more food into his mouth. Silence reigned supreme while Natasha relished in her tiny victory and Steve sipped his water contently.
Thor lowered his poptart that had made it halfway to his mouth, asking, "Is chicks another term for women? I would just like to be clear on that."
<><><><>
It was five thirty when the Avengers gathered for dinner. The spices of Chinese takeout had filled the room and the tiny white boxes splayed across the enameled lava stone countertops, and moans of delight could be heard as the Avengers ate their fill. Coulson had stopped by earlier, delivering several files full of paper work for Natasha, and with a simple kiss on Clint's cheek before he left. It was six fourty when they realized anything was wrong. They had just finished cleaning the table, throwing the dishes into the washer, before relaxing in the living room when the first sign of concern made itself known.
It was Pepper, stomping in, cheeks flushed with anger, hair a tangled mess, and spewing up a storm, "--to do everything! Tony!?! Where are you little miscreant?!"
"Uhh, hello?" Steve said, rising from the couch. "Tony--"
"Where is he?!" Pepper stomped her foot. "I've called his cell phone a million times and each time I got the voicemail. Doesn't he understand that even though I'm the CEO now, it doesn't mean he can completely ignore his duties? This is the eighth time Yamamoto has had to reschedule!"
Steve raised his hands peacefully. "Miss Potts, Tony--"
Pepper continued to trample around the room, papers flying free from her arms. "I can't believe what a selfish brat he is! He didn't even close the deal with Williams like he said he would and now this, this is the final straw. The insufferable little--"
Steve looked back at the others, who were quite entertained as the mad woman ranted around the room, seeing they weren't going to be any help he turned back to the red head. "Miss Potts, Tony isn't here!"
Pepper stopped abruptly, confusion painting her face. "What do you mean isn't here? He has to be. Are you sure he isn't in his workshop?"
"Well he isn't," Clint snarked, "so don't get your panties in a twist." Then muttering under his breath, "Geez, I can see why he didn't answer any of your phone calls." Natasha promptly hit the back of the archer's head, smirking at the yelp of pain.
"Sorry Pepper," Natasha murmured, "he hasn't come by or called any of us either."
The second warning went off like a chime, tinkering in the back of their minds and coming forward as the voluptuous spy's words processed fully in their minds. Though Tony was an impulsive individual, even appearing irresponsible and callous to some with his flippant and careless attitude, but he was actually very considerate and thoughtful, often checking in through out the day. At first, the Avengers found it to be annoying, the phone calls interrupting their day's activities but after a while they became use to it, even finding Tony's constant jabber of unimportance comforting. It was after a few months when they finally got around to asking Pepper why Tony always called. She had just smiled, answering in a smooth murmur, "He does it for me, Happy, and Rhodey. After Afghanistan--he just wants to reassure us he's still safe and we're still here. I guess it seems he believes you are considered important to him too, he wouldn't do it otherwise."
In short, Tony never disappeared without a phone call as to where he might be.
"Did you call Happy?" Bruce suggested, scooting to the edge of his seat, and turning off the TV. "Perhaps he might have driven Tony somewhere."
Pepper stared at each of them, her angry scowl turning more into a worried frown, nibbling her lip, before she pulled out her phone. Her fingers danced across the key board before she held the device up to her ear, balancing her paperwork on her cocked hip. "Happy, hi, it's Pepper," she smiled a little, before asking, "Yeah, see I was wondering if you drove Tony anywhere last night?" Her smile dropped a bit, appearing strained. "Oh, oh I see, well, thank you. I'll talk to you later. Ok, bye."
The CEO of Stark Industries quietly shut her phone and set down all the papers and files she had in her arms down on the table, before swiftly trotting down the hall to the billionaire's bedroom. The Avengers stared at one another uneasily, shifted to the edge of their seats restlessly, but remaining silent. They could hear her rustling around the room, drawers being opened, slammed shut, and ojects being upturned before there was a complete absence of silence.
The last sign was quiet as Pepper reentered the room, pale faced, and blue eyes enhanced with tears. Her bottom lip trembled and yet she managed to refrain from crying, only her eyes betraying what she trully felt; they were glazed with a frightenly alarming color of dismay that the Avengers couldn't help but start to feel at the base of their skulls.
Pepper was stopped at the edge of the room, both hands clutching desperately to a tiny white tablet bottle, nervously shifting from one foot to the other. There was a moment when all she did was stand there quietly, before she squeezed her eyes shut and held out the container. It was Natasha who rose, swiftly crossing the room to stand in front of the other woman, prying the prize from the woman's grip. The Avengers couldn't see Natasha's face as her back was to them but they heard a sharp intake of breath, watching as her body froze, and murmuring thickly, "We have to find Tony."
"Tasha'?" Clint stood hesitantly, eyes staring intently at the other SHIELD's back. The assassin turned slowly, face blank of emotion, but eyes wide and hands devoid of blood as they clenched into fists, one around a little white container. Her eyes shifted quickly from one Alpha to the next before settling on Clint, and with her eyes implored him to back away; he did so making sure not to back into a corner.
"Romanova," Steve got to his feet, standing tall, "what is that?" He didn't approach, which Natasha was grateful for, because the more space there was between her and the Alpha the better when she had to tell him the news. However, the wide berth didn't mean anything when he was using his Alpha voice which had a unusally ability to affect people. An Alpha could easily comfort a wounded soul with a soft tember or even command obedience with a warning growl, their voices didn't just influence Omegas' state of mind but could also stir a Beta's.
So it was not surprising to hear Pepper whimper from behind Natasha, curling closer to her back, or even see Clint's slight shudder from across the room, Natasha succeeded with only the slightest twitch. It wasn't an impossible feat but it was surprising to see because it wasn't a common skill. Omegas couldn't help how an Alpha voice affected them, it was embedded in their psyche, but with enough training a Beta could be able to accomplish it.
Steve's eyes narrowed. "Don't make me ask again."
Natasha licked her lips, answering in a hushed tone, "Tony's in danger and we need to find him as quickly as possible because he's...an Omega."
Thor got to his feet with a deafingly howl. He towered over everyone, destroying the coffee table as his fist slammed down; while Bruce shrank into himself, teeth bared, as he growled deep in his chest, and fought not to transform into his other more dangerous counterpart.
Clint's eyes widened with shock and a sudden fear as he backed further away from Bruce, slowly. "Are you fucking kidding me--"
"Clint." Natasha halted anything further the archer had to say with the slightest swish of her hand, her eyes never parting from the three figures in front of her.
Steve breathed deeply, trying to calm his racing heart and his craving soul. The Alpha inside him was battling for dominance over his body, wanting to find and save with Tony, wanting to mate and mark him now that it knew of Tony's true gender. The Alpha side couldn't help but remember the bright glow he had seen embellishing Tony's form the day before, the gleam of melted gold and summer rainfall; it remembered Tony's warm honeymilk skin and enticing curves. The Alpha wanted to lick that slender body and see if he tasted as delicious as he looked. Steve bite the inside of his cheek, he couldn't allow the Alpha to take over, he had to have control so he could find Tony the safest and fastest way possible. After, he silently promised his other half, after we find him we can taste his skin.
"We have to find him now!" Thor stopped suddenly, body wound tight, and eyes a blaze. "He needs us!" The room darkened, the once bright blue sky was covered with a blanket of dark clouds, they rolled in, trampling over each other, and shrouding the city in a shade of obscurity and gloom. The ground quivered with the force of thunder, lightning echoed it with a manisfestation of blinding light, and wind began to spin and push, the buildings creaking with the strength of the violent storm.
Bruce fingers tangled in his hair, eyes flashing green, roughly mumbling with a snarl, "He smelt like an Omega, he smelt like it Steve--We let him go out like that!"
"Quiet." It was nothing more than a quietly uttered word, managing to silence the room, cutting through the chaos straight down to everyone's core with it's commanding semblance. Everyone, as one, turned to Steve, who's face was blank and body stiff with strain, and his eyes were bright with a promise that sent a shiver down the Beta's spines. Steve turned to Natasha, "How much time do we have to find Tony?"
Natasha blinked. "There's typically a fourty-eight hour window before he's lost in the system."
Ice blue eys flickered to the other lady in the room. "What time did he leave the party last night?"
"I'm not sure," Pepper murmured uneasily, "I wouldn't say anymore than a hour. Happy was never asked to picked him up so..."
"So he was most likely taken outside the building." Steve fists clenched. "Jarvis?"
"Yes Mr. Rogers," The AI acknowledged.
"Can you review the surveillance of the building and all the camera footage in the area?"
"Already ahead of you, sir. I'll have the footage in ten more minutes."
"Thank you," Steve replied. He turned to Pepper, who stood slightly straigher but still wary of the Alphas of the room, "Maybe you should tell us what you know while we wait."
Pepper sighed before gesturing to the couch. "You should all get comfortable." She sat down on the couch, Natasha pressing near her side assuringly, and Clint came around the room, sitting on the otherside protectively.
Steve joined Thor and Bruce on the other couch. The super soldier sat between them, their thighs touching comfortingly, and the air relaxed slightly. Thor's eyes dulled a bit from their crazed glaze and Bruce's nerves faded, his face appearing less pinched with frustration.
"I'll admit I knew Tony was an Omega and I willingly helped him hide his gender," Pepper said clearly, "and I don't regret a thing."
The storm mellowed out but the people below still hurried along, seaking shelter from the withering gale, and there, towards the end of the veil of lightlessness, was a beam, a single glorious beam of light streaking through the thick overcast. It was a consolation, the beam of hope among the somber and oppressive darkness.
<><><><>
Tony's first thought when he woke was was the realization that he had been drugged. His mind felt a bit disconnected, his head floating around and in pain, and the sour flavor of vomit did little to settle his upset stomach. Nether did the heat. The room was humid, his shirt sticking uncomfortably to his back, and his forehead sparkled with sweat; he kept his eyes closed, his breathing regular, and listened for any signs of life aside from himself. When he heard nothing but the sound of his own staggering breathing and the hum of his arc reactor Tony opened his eyes, looking around.
The room was plane but dirty, garabage, broken glass, and mice droppings could be found with his attentive eye. The windows, the ones not boarded up or broken, were coated in a layer of dust, which meant they were in a builidng that hadn't been used in a while. He could also hear the ocean not far off, bashing against the rocks, and seagulls crying; Tony's conclusion was the shelter was most likely an old fisherman warehouse.
"How very unoriginal," Tony grumbled sarcastically to himself, as well as trying to see if he had any wiggle room to free his hands. He was tied to a chair, arms bound behind his back, so he couldn't see much when it came to how the rope was twisted and knotted but his ankles free, so Tony was a little grateful. He could, thankfully, still feel the metal coolness of the Supressor Bracelet still upon his wrist, it comforted him for a moment before he remembered it wasn't exactly working as it should. Tony had thought it was good to go when he had presented himself infront of Steve and Bruce and neither had pounced on him; they would have, too, since Tony was in the beginnings of Heat, which only meant there was a few gliches he hadn't worked out yet. Tony certainly didn't feel anything when he stood in front of them either, nothing, not even the slightest need to drop on all fours and spread himself.
Tony wanted to kick himself for automatically assuming the Supressor worked, but he couldn't help it, he had been estatic to think it was complete and operating; he had been happy to think he had finally managed to create a wall of protection, a safety net, but he was wrong. Tony's calculations were slightly off, the conclusion being the SRB only prevented Alphas from mating with him but didn't hamper the certain attraction they had to an Omega. That much was obvious when Nathaniel Williams had felt the urge to mark him but couldn't fully comprehend that it was because Tony was an Omega. The Supressor Bracelet only needed a few more adjustments, he didn't want to imagine what could have happened if he had exposed himself infront of Steve and Bruce and it didn't work as well as it had.
They could have claimed him and owned everything he possessed. They could have left him marked, their scent polluting his skin, their semen flooding his passage, and Tony found that he wouldn't have cared in that moment when their flesh pressed against his. Though, as soon as the rush of mating had faded to a regretful memory, Tony would become aware of something he wasn't ready for, they could have impregnated him. If the Supressor hadn't have worked as much as it had, there could have been a child forming within his belly, the Avenger shivered at the thought.
Sure, he trusted Steve, Bruce, and Thor with his life, he knew they had his back when they went out to fight evil forces, but deep down he still had his doubts. He didn't know if he could trust them with such a life altering secret such as him being an Omega. There were times when he could picture himself being with them, allowing himself to melt into their hands, but when he would catch himself staring at one of them, he didn't know whether he had these feelings because he trully felt something for them, or if it was just because of his Omega desires coming into play.
Tony was brought out of his thoughts when he heard someone approaching, stopping just outside the door that was infront of him, closing his eyes, he listened as the hatch was released, the hinges creaking obnoxiously, and soft footed steps enter the room. Whoever it was, they approached until they loomed over Tony, close enough that Tony started to feel a bit uncomfortable. Their hatred was palpable, their stare drilling holes into Tony's ducked skull with every blink.
They were close enough that Tony could smell the type of cologne the other was wearing. It was Ambre Topkai, an expensive brand, which meant this guy had money or liked to pretend he did. It was a cologne Tony was familiar with, the blended aromas of cinnamon, cardamom, and ginger bottled in a clear glass and topped with a royal crown stopper, it had never been Tony's preferred perfume, seeing as he could afford better, and he always thought this stuff had been beyond atrocious. It might also have to do with the person Tony associated the cologne with but the man had been locked up with a sentence of fifteen years minimum.
Tony had to fight the urge to sneeze as the fragrance drifted along in the airways, prickling Tony's nostrils with the sharp bittersweet spice. It had been put on a tad to heavy; Tony tried not to make any snarky comments of telling the man to go take a bath.
Tony's personal space was invaded when the other's hand ran through Tony's hair, fisting the strands, and jerking Tony's head back. The billionaire bit back a gasp, eyes shooting open and locking with the one and only, Justin Hammer, and then he didn't know whether he wanted to laugh or cry.
Hammer's face split into a grin, it was completely poisonous, his fangs appearing sharper with the moonlight casted upon them, more sharp, more inhuman. "Hi Tony, miss me?" He asked sweetly, but it wasn't, not with the way his glinted with madness, and the rough grasp he had on Tony's hair.
Don't let him get to you, Tony thought, returning the grin with a cocky smirk. "Not particularly no." Tony quipped. "I thought you were going to be in jail for another, I don't know, twenty years. What did ya do to get out early?"
Hammer's menacing face melted into something more pathetic, pouting as he said, "That's too bad because I missed you, I missed you so much I just had to see you. As for how I got out, lets just say I know some people."
"Lucky you," Tony said sarcastically.
"Yeah, lucky me." Hammer whispered. "Now, we both know this whole get together is so I can exact some revenge on you, so let's not idle by and waste time, shall we?"
Distract him, he thought frantically, just until the others get here. "Why not? Let's catch up! Soooo, how've you been? Any good at sucking cock now? I bet you are--"
Tony didn't finish as Hammer's hand connected with the side of his face, rings cutting deep, and blood spraying in an arc of red, before his face was grasped harshly in Hammer's unyeilding grip, twisting him back to face the other man. "I rotted away in that shit hole for three years. I don't appreciate that kind of talk." Hammer hissed, eyes ablaze. "The one thing that got me by was I just couldn't wait to see your face twist in agony as I cut each limb from your body."
The bound man was silent for a moment before, "Ohhhhh," Tony gushed excitedly, "who wrote that? That was really good! I almost believed you!"
Hammer smiled fondly, as if he were talking to a child but it didn't make Tony feel any better, in fact he felt more nervous with Hammer grinning that way since there was an edge to it, slightly twisted and sinister. "I just want to watch you suffer until your very last breath." Hammer whispered sinisterly Tony's ear, "And I know the most perfect way because I know exactly what you are."