MCA #9, Wednesday Night

[screwyoumarvel]

It was late, and Steve was, like any sensible person, sound asleep in his bed, dreaming of sugarplums fighting AIM agents. And polar bears wearing snuggies.

This state of affairs was probably not going to persist.

((For that guy. Intruder and intruder's unconscious friend's identities NFB.))

Comments

[hoorayimrich.livejournal.com]

Someone had managed to save the unknown cat guy and found that he was unconscious, but stable. And he couldn't just, like, leave him on the street somewhere. Or the hospital.

He wore a mask for a reason.

So, Tony did the sensible thing. And brought him back to Fandom with him. More accurately, brought him to Mr. Rogers' apartment.

Yeeeeeah.

After leaving the unconscious man on a nearby couch, Tony went looking for Mr. Rogers. Who was probably doing something sensible like sleeping, so bedroom it was. "Hello?"

[screwyoumarvel]

What the narrative above failed to mention was the small but critical fact that Steve slept with his shield beside his bed so he could touch it for reassurance like a teddy bear grab it quickly if needed. You know, like in case of intruders. Also, Steve had extremely quick reflexes.

He wasn't actually what you would call 'awake' when he sent the shield flying at said intruder's head, but his aim was not lacking.

[hoorayimrich.livejournal.com]

Which would be why there was a resounding clang as the shield hit Tony in the face. Not even his best suit could have kept that one from hurting.

He raised his hands to his head as the display screen flickered in and out before settling on 'ERROR'. What the hell was that? And why was he on his back??

[screwyoumarvel]

Steve caught his shield, then sat up the rest of the way, rubbing at his face. "Tony, that had better be you," he said, sounding not the least bit sorry. It wasn't the usual armor but it would not surprise him to learn Tony was branching out into fashion armor. Maybe this one would kidnap him next.

He was in his usual sleeping attire, so, you know. His underwear.

[hoorayimrich.livejournal.com]

HIS ARMOR WAS FINE NOW. HE FIXED THAT.

Tony blinked up at the dead display for a moment before tapping the side of his head to retract the helm. "Did you just hit me with your shield?"

[screwyoumarvel]

"You snuck into my apartment in the middle of the night," Steve pointed out. "What did you think was going to happen?" A beat, and then a sigh. "What's wrong?"

[hoorayimrich.livejournal.com]

"Do you sleep with it in your bed or something?" Tony. Focus. He say up, touching the bridge of his nose experimentally. "I--uh--I need your help."

With the strange man on your couch, Steve. Didn't Tony bring you the best things?

[screwyoumarvel]

"Beside my bed," Steve corrected. "In case of emergencies." Be glad you were wearing a helmet, Tony! It was why you still had a head! "And I guessed that part by how you're in my apartment in the middle of the night in your armor. Unless you just came to chat." If he had, Steve was tempted to just go back to sleep. He wouldn't, of course, but it was tempting. "What is it?"

[hoorayimrich.livejournal.com]

Steve, don't hate. That way leads to Civil War. Don't make them Civil War!

"I. Um."

Tony looked out the door toward the living room.

"Maybe you should just come see?"

[screwyoumarvel]

Steve sighed again and conceded, "All right, fine. Just give me a minute to get some pants." Pants were critical.

[hoorayimrich.livejournal.com]

Sure, draw attention to it.

Tony looked down before nodding in agreement. "I'll--just." He scrambled to his feet (which was less simple when you wore armor heavier than most motorcycles) and went to check on the, ah, guest.

[screwyoumarvel]

Steve came out into the living room a few minutes later, wearing sweatpants and in the process of pulling a t-shirt on. He finished doing so and--froze. When he saw what was on his couch. Then he pinched the bridge of his nose and counted to ten before asking, "Tony, what did you do?"

[hoorayimrich.livejournal.com]

"I didn't do anything!" A beat. "There was a misunderstanding and it might have been my fault AIM shot at him."

[screwyoumarvel]

"You shouldn't have even been out! You should have been here! On this island! In your dorm room! Not running around in that--whatever fancy armor that is. Don't you have finals?" God, Tony.

[hoorayimrich.livejournal.com]

"I finished with them!" That made it okay, Steve. God. "They had this arms dealer coming in from Africa. It was all over SHIELD and the FBI chatter!"

Which somehow meant Tony had to deal with it.

[screwyoumarvel]

"So SHIELD and the FBI knew about it," Steve pointed out, "and were probably handling it, so I hope you didn't manage to ruin it for them." You didn't, did you, Tony? Steve would be very disappointed if you had.

[hoorayimrich.livejournal.com]

"No." Maybe. "He was following them too," Tony added. Because you should blame the guy in the cat costume. "I--might have thought he was AIM's contact. He attacked me when I was just doing a stake out."

One that didn't necessarily involve fighting!

[screwyoumarvel]

"Why were you even--no, you know what, never mind. You never learn. Nothing I say is ever going to get through your head." Steve might have been projecting issues with more than one Tony Stark there. "So now you've brought me--Black Panther, I assume, unless Black Cat is really different in your universe."

[hoorayimrich.livejournal.com]

"...is that what his name is?" Tony asked, tilting his head for a moment as he looked at the man. Then--very carefully--pulled the mask off the unconscious man.

Man might have been a little kind. He was probably only a few years older than Tony.

[screwyoumarvel]

"I assume so. He could call himself something completely different." Universes were weird. Some people were kids, other people were actors. "So what did you want me to do about him?" Especially now that you took his mask off, Tony. Well, at least Steve could tell more easily that he wasn't just dead now.

[hoorayimrich.livejournal.com]

"...something?" He didn't know! "You've actually done this kind of thing before," Tony hissed.

A beat.

"Wait. I've seen him before. He's that prince from--" An African country that no one knew because they were soooo isolated.

[screwyoumarvel]

"I don't usually bring unconscious strangers to other people's houses, no." Steve sighed. "...Wakanda. He's the prince of Wakanda." Unconscious royal strangers.

[hoorayimrich.livejournal.com]

Tony stared at Steve for a moment and then at the newly dubbed Prince T'Challa.

"Well. That explains how he was able to cut through the suit."

[screwyoumarvel]

Steve glanced over the suit. "It looks fine to me."

[hoorayimrich.livejournal.com]

Right. That.

"Different suit." Damn you, Vibranium! "The claws are probably made of the same kind of thing as your shield..."

Tony, don't get ideas.