" love me until i love myself. "
The team had gotten their plan underway and had successfully brought the cradle to the tower. Ash and Clint had started their search for Natasha, eventually, they found her and the message she was sending them. What came next however, wasn't surprising. Ash had joined Steve and the Maximoff twins in going to the lab, leaving Clint to do his thing. They walked in to find Tony and Bruce working on opening the cradle.
"Jesus Christ. Can you just not?" Ash sighed.
"Yeah, no." Tony replied.
"Oh for– Shut it down!" Steve ordered.
"Nope. Not gonna happen, Cap."
Ash rolled his eyes, watching the argument in exasperation as he listened to Nicotine's commentary. He was thankful when everything was unplugged by Pietro.
"No, no, continue." He said expectantly as he dropped a plug.
He proceeded to fall to the floor after Clint shot the glass below him. Ash raised an eyebrow,
"Seriously?' He deadpanned.
Tony moved towards his desktops, "I'm gonna reroute the upload!"
Steve threw his shield to stop him and he returned the attack by blasting him away with his repulser. Ash let out an annoyed groan before storming over his brother.
"This would be so much easier if you just got your head out of your ass!" He exclaimed.
"Ash, my silly little brother. Stop being annoying for like– Five minutes!" Tony retorted, blasting his repulser at him.
He dodged and used Nicotine to pull him forwards by the collar of his shirt. Before either of them could do anything, Thor stormed into the room and used Mjolnir to power the cradle. Everyone watched in silence as he stopped, there was a pause and the machine below him burst open, causing him to be blasted into the floor. Ash's eyes widened and he shoved Tony away, running over to his side.
"You okay?" Ash asked quietly as he helped him up.
Thor nodded in response. There was a moment of silence as everyone looked at the machine that emerged from the cradle. It was short lived when he moved to attack, Thor had flipped him over and he flew off, stopping in front of the window while the group gave chase.
After a moment, he flew down to them, forming a kind of suit over his body. Thor moved toward him, making sure Ash wasn't so close.
"I apologise. That was... Odd. Thank you."
"What the fuck is happening?" Nicotine piped up.
Ash almost laughed in response to the alien.
"Thor, you helped to create this?" Steve questioned.
"I've had a vision of a whirlpool that sucks in all life and at its centre is that." He responded, pointing to the stone in the machine's head.
A sudden pit formed in Ash's stomach, Nicotine formed a hand in his to calm him but it didn't do much to help as he squeezed it anxiously.
"Wait– The gem?" Bruce asked.
"It's the Mind Stone. One of the six Infinity Stones, the greatest power in the universe." Thor corrected.
The pit in Ash's stomach grew and he swallowed down the lump in his throat nervously. Flashes of his experiences with the stones sparked in his mind and he tried his best to hide his unease.
"Then why would you bring–?" Steve snapped.
"Because Stark is right." Thor interrupted.
Ash watched them speak and couldn't help the shaky breaths leaving his throat. Without a word, he left the room, his chest heaving. It hurt to lie to them, his team. But what would he say? And how could he say it? He found his way to the locker rooms and leaned against the wall, running a hand through his hair. Nicotine's head appeared beside him.
"Ash, calm down." He said.
"No... I'll– We'll–" He stuttered, unable to get his words out.
"Ash!"
It was Thor, his eyes widened and he spun around. Seeing the man walking towards him.
"Thor." Ash breathed out.
"Are you alright?"
"I'm fine. I just needed a moment."
He could tell Thor was suspicious but he had said nothing all the same. He stepped close to him and raised a hand to his face, pressing his forehead against his.
"I missed you."
"We missed you too."
They stayed still for a moment. Likely one of the only ones they would have before the coming battle.
***
The evacuation of Sokovia was going well. At least until Ultron began his plan. Ash and Thor had been making their way through the caverns when the ground began to rumble. The couple exchanged glances before quickly making their way out. Ash had been dropped down at the bridge as cars started to fall. Thor had rescued the people inside and the trio made their way into the city.
They were fighting Ultron's sentries when Ash was grabbed and thrown into a car, he groaned, trying to pull himself up when Thor collided into him. The wind was knocked out of him.
"Sorry..."
"It's fine."
The couple rolled over, with Ash on top of Thor as they clung to each other. Everything seemed to blur as they stared at each other.
"Marry me." Thor said suddenly.
"W-What? Are you serious?" Ash asked.
"Yes. I've lost you both once before and it made me realise you are the only ones I want to spend my life with."
Ash stared at him and kissed him. He returned the gesture as if it was their last until a voice interrupted them.
"Thor! You're annoying me."
It was Ultron, Ash was pushed away before the machine grabbed his target, flying off with him. He watched on in shock.
"At least we're getting married!" Nicotine exclaimed.
Ash shook himself out of his stupor and started running, joining up with Steve and Natasha. They had continued to help the civilians.
"The next wave is gonna hit soon." Ash breathed out, leading a little girl to her father.
"Agreed. What do you got, Stark?" Steve asked.
"Well... Nothing good. I got a way to blow up the city if you guys can get clear." He replied.
"I asked for a solution, not an escape plan." Steve retorted.
"The impact radius is growing bigger every second, Cap. We gotta make a choice." Tony told him grimly.
Ash walked over to Steve with Natasha, "There's no way we're getting the civilians off this rock. If Tony finds a way..." He said, trailing off anxiously.
"No, not until everyone is safe." Steve protested.
"Everyone down there versus up here? That's not–" Natasha sighed.
"I'm not leaving. Not with anyone on it." He snapped.
"We didn't say we should leave." Ash smiled.
"Yeah... There are worse ways to go. Where else am I gonna get a view like this?" Natasha shrugged, but they knew how stressed she was.
Ash hummed in agreement, but before he could speak a voice stopped him.
"Glad you like the view, Romanoff."
The helicarrier appeared in view and their eyes widened.
"Fury, you son of a bitch." Steve smiled.
"Ooh! You kiss your mother with that mouth?" He sassed.
Ash chuckled and the transport ships made their way to the rock. Where they got to work getting everyone on board. After a while, the team joined up in what was left of the church.
"So... What's up, big brother?" Ash smirked as he shifted from Nicotine's form.
He could tell that Tony rolled his eyes.
"Yeah, what's the drill?" Natasha smiled as she appeared beside him.
"This is the drill. If Ultron gets his hand on it we lose." Tony said, pointing at the core.
"That's some pressure." Ash commented, stretching his shoulders.
Ultron appeared in the air above them and they watched him.
"Is that the best you can do!?" Thor shouted.
He raised his hand and more of his minions emerged, charging at them. Ash cringed, making an awkward face that Natasha and Clint laughed at.
"You had to ask." Steve deadpanned, sending a look.
Within seconds, the fight started and they fought all of them. The fight had pushed outside of the church where Vision, Thor and Tony blasted Ultron, before he could get a word out, Hulk had punched him away. Steve had given them their new plan, Ash, Clint and Natasha would get the rest of the civilians to safety while Wanda would protect the core and Steve would sweep for any remaining machines.
Ash sat in the backseats while Clint drove the car. He was telling them about his house work.
"I know what to do! The dining room, if I knock out the east wall, it would make a pretty good workspace for Laura, right?" He told them.
Natasha shrugged, "You eat in the kitchen anyway."
"Yeah, but no one eats in a dining room." Ash said.
"Exactly!" Clint agreed.
They stopped and got out of the car. Immediately doing their job. Ash started to make his way through the civilians to ease their fear with his abilities. While he was with someone, he paused, feeling an agonising anguish pulse through him. He didn't notice the tears that had fallen from his eyes. He made sure the person he was with was okay and stood up seeing Steve bring over a dead Pietro. That was when he knew. Ash walked over to Clint and sat down beside him.
"You okay?" He asked him.
"Yeah, there's a lot going on, ya know? I can feel everyone's fear and pain." Ash shrugged, wiping the fresh tears away from his cheeks.
Clint nodded and patted his shoulder. It was over, it was finally over.
***
Ash was walking with Thor, Steve and Tony. There hadn't been a mention of the engagement just yet.
"The rules changed." Steve said.
"Well, we're dealing with something new. A machine." Tony replied.
"So it doesn't count." Steve concluded.
"No, it's not like a person lifting a hammer."
"Yeah, different rules for us."
"Nice guy! Artificial though!"
"Thank you."
Ash laughed at Steve and Tony talking when Thor finally piped up.
"He can wield the hammer, he can keep the Mind Stone. It's safe with the Vision, and in these days safe is in short supply." He told them.
"But if you put the hammer in an elevator..." Steve mused.
"It would still go up." Tony exclaimed.
"Elevator's not worthy!" Steve told him.
"I'm going to miss these talks of ours." Thor smiled.
"Not if you stay." Tony reminded.
"I have no choice. The Mind Stone is the fourth to appear in the last few years, it's not a coincidence. Someone has been playing a game and has made us pawns. Once the pieces are all in position..." Thor explained.
"Triple yahtzee." Tony said, looking over at them.
"You think you figure out what's going on?" Steve asked.
"I do. Besides this one, there's nothing that can't be explained." Thor smiled, as he walked further away, Ash joining him.
"Oh and by the way. We're engaged!"
And just like that, they were off.
author's note:
WOWIE! a new chapter after *checks notes* 9 months! im not sure if this means ill be updating this fanfic very often since I have a lot of personal stuff going on but im exciting to finally get the chance to write Ash and Thor's wedding 😌