Can't See the Truth

Toni sat with Loki at bar, gazing in the direction the god had mentioned Clint had gone.

“Need help finding someone, sweetheart?” the bartender cooed to Loki.

“Actually, have you seen a man with a bow?” Loki asked with a small smile.

“Yeah, the bloke left with some blonde bombshell. Why, is he your boyfriend?”

“No,” Toni said, quickly realizing that this accented woman was flirting. “I’m his girlfriend.”

“Shut up, I didn’t ask you,” the brit snapped without taking her eyes off the god.

“Well well,” a horrifyingly familiar voice purred. “What an interesting place to find you. I didn’t think to find you in a club.”

Loki and Toni spun around, facing the older gentleman with a bowler hat and a bowtie.

“Doctor Bradstone,” the teen said shakily.

“You seem surprised to see me. And who is this handsome lad?”

Stepping into a defensive stance, Loki glared daggers at the man threatening Toni. “I am Loki, of Asgard.”

“Ah yes, the God of Mischief.”

Loki took a step closer to Dr. Bradstone, hands ready to summon magic.

“Loki, no!” Toni said with a hushed voice. “If you fight him, he’ll kill you too.”

“Darling, he can’t kill me, and I wouldn’t let him touch you.”

“I just...I feel like I need to run, Loki. I need to get out of here.”

“You’d be safer here with me, love. Let me protect you.”

Toni clutched to Loki’s shirt, feeling her anxiety rise. The blood pumped quickly through her body and caused her hands to shake as she held the soft baby blue fabric between her fingers. “Please,” she somehow managed to whimper. “Please, baby, I don’t want to die.”

The god’s hands clenched into fists as a tremble ran through him. “I’ll hold him back for as long as I can handle. I’m just,” he paused, swallowing the lump in his throat. “I won’t be able to protect you if you leave.”

Toni nodded quickly. “I know.”

Loki sighed and nodded in return, not taking his gaze off the smirking threat. “Then run,” he said flatly. “Run and for the sake of Odin, please try to stay alive.”

Without another word from Loki or Bradstone, Toni took off the opposite direction of the imminent threat. She ducked and dodged hordes of people, attempting to put as much distance between herself and the evil doctor.

It was then that Toni’s gaze shifted upwards, locking on the bright red ‘Exit’ sign hanging above a heavy-looking metal door.

Not questioning a well-needed escape, the teen threw herself into the door. As it swung open, she tripped on her own two feet and feel to the concrete floor.

****

Tony sat in an uncomfortable metal fold-out chair next to the airtight plexiglas window, looking in on a sickly Hetalia.

“So how are things on the homefront?” the Russian rasped as she tried to make herself comfortable on the hospital bed.

“Decent, I suppose. Things aren’t as smooth-sailing as we would’ve hoped, but I think things are going better than others would expect. I mean, at least we’re making headway.”

“That doesn’t sound like Tony Stark,” she muttered. “What has really been going on?”

Tony cleared his throat and straightened up, even though he knew it didn’t matter. “That’s not important. How are you feeling? Has your sight started coming back? Can you breath any better?”

“It does not matter how I am feeling. According to the doctors, I am actually improving, despite my current state. Now, tell me what is going on.”

“I met with CHERI today. She, uh, she told me all about the virus.”

“I could’ve told you all that, given the time. She’s just more efficient because whatever she doesn’t know off the top of her head, she can Google.”

“You’re very cynical for a dying girl.”

“Aren’t dying people usually cynical?”

Tony shrugged. “CHERI told me a lot of things. She even tried to talk me into patching things up with Steve.”

“‘Patching things up?’ What does that mean? What’s happening back home?”

Tony sighed. “I don’t really want to talk about it, okay? It’s just,” Tony gave another sigh, not liking the idea of sharing his feelings. “Steve is getting a little nosy and suspicious. I understand where he’s coming from, but all that’s really happening with me is that I’m worried about my daughter and I just want her to get better as quickly as possible.”

Hetalia continued to stare up at the ceiling. “Maybe CHERI was right. You should try to make things right before it’s too late.”

Tony gave a quick nod. “I’ve the most horrible feeling that it already is.”

Bruce walked in, give a quiet ahem as he did so. “Tony, we have to get going.”

****

Steve was in the kitchen when Tony walked in. He and Bruce agreed that it would only make the two of them look more conspicuous if they came into the house together.

“Where did you go?” Steve asked Tony as he stared at his hands on the table.

“Didn’t you get my note?” he replied. “I thought I left it here on the counter.”

“No, I saw it. I read it, too, but that doesn’t answer my question.”

“I went to visit Hetalia.”

Steve finally looked up at Tony, eyes red from the many tears. “Bullshit,” he hissed. “I called Fury. He, nor any of the other workers in SHIELD, saw you anywhere in the building. So I ask again, Tony: Where the hell were you?!”

Tony looked down at the floor, examining his boring white socks. “I went to see Hetalia, Steve. I promise.”

Steve practically jumped out of his chair and stormed up to Tony, slapping him square across the face. “Don’t you fucking lie to me, Tony!” Steve yelled.

“Steve, I’m not lying!”

“Where did you go?! Did you and Bruce agree to meet up somewhere out of the house to avoid being caught while you two fondue?! JARVIS told me everything about it!”

“Goddamnit, Rogers, why are you so fucking suspicious?!”

“Why do you have to make me so suspicious, Tony?!”

“I’m not making you do anything! I’m just trying to fix everything!”

“Well you’re not doing a very good job!” he yelled as tears started to pour. “While you’re out ‘making things right,’ this marriage of ours is falling apart at the seams! Just tell me what you’re doing with Bruce down in the lab with all honesty!”

“Why does it matter what I do?!” Tony barked back, ignoring the obvious sadness that was consuming his husband. “Can’t you just...take my word for it? Maybe trust me once in a blue moon?”

“I’ve tried to trust you, but you just keep making it harder and harder each day!”

Tony threw up his hands in defeat and exasperation. “I’m done, Rogers. I don’t want to talk about this anymore.”

The billionaire spun around and walked out of the kitchen towards his bedroom, nearly pushing Pamplemousse and Brooke over as he did so.

“Brooke?” the ten year old asked as she clung to the teen’s side. “Why does everyone have to fight?”

“Because everyone is really stressed out right now. They’re worried about Toni and Hetalia, mostly, but I think the stress of life has finally caught up to them.”

Notes