Narrator's POV
"Fun. Now we both have guns." Timothy said.
"Let him go, or I swear to god, I will shoot you." Tony said.
"If you keep pointing that gun at me Anthony, I swear I will blow his brains out." Timothy rolled his eyes. "Quit being so dramat-"
"Shut up!" Tony said, keeping the gun pointed at Timothy.
"Five, four, three-"
"I'll shoot her." Tony pointed the gun at Natasha.
She looked up and over at Timothy.
"Oh, go ahead." Timothy said. "Please. I need to get rid of her. I just needed her to lure you in here." He explained. "She means nothing to me."
Natasha stopped struggling under T'challa. She looked up at Tony. Tony looked at her, he could see the pain in her eyes.
"I thought you said you had no attachments." Tony told her.
"What?" Timothy gasped. He looked at Nat. "No." He said in shock. "No way. You thought... Oh. My. God." Timothy laughed. "You thought that there was something happening here? Oh my god, this is unbelievable. Why would I ever seek company from someone like you?"
Tony watched as Natasha grew even more discouraged.
"I can't believe this." He laughed. "I'm so sorry to break it to you, but no one-"
"Stop it." Tony said.
"No one ever, in this world-"
"Timothy." Tony said.
"Would want someone like y-"
>Bang<
Everyone looked toward Tony.
"Well..." Timothy said. "That's one way to get everyone's attention."
"Let everyone go..." Tony said. He looked at his gun pointing at Timothy. He slowly picked it up and put it under his chin. "...or I'll shoot."
"Tony, no!" Stephen spoke.
"Anthony what are you doing?" Timothy asked.
"Let everyone go, and I'll give you anything you want." Tony said. "Keep pointing that gun as him, and I'll terminate the only thing that can you the way to unlocking the power that you strongly desire."
"Stop it right now!" Timothy asked.
"Five."
"Anthony." T'challa said.
"Four."
"Tony! Stop!" Stephen yelped.
"Three."
"Quit being dramatic." Timothy said.
"Two."
"Alright, enough!" Timothy pulled his gun away from Stephen and pointed it at Tony. He fired.
"Ah..." Tony gasped for air as led broke through his skin.
"Tony!" Stephen yelped.
"Anthony!" T'challa jumped off of Natasha and rushed over to Tony.
Natasha got up, watching T'challa rush over to Tony. She looked back at Timothy and Stephen. There was nothing for her here.
She ran away, the clicking of her heels got fainter and were eventually gone.
"Anthony." T'challa shook him.
Tony coughed, sitting up. "It's okay. It was just my shoulder." He said.
He looked up to see Timothy pointing the gun at Stephen's head again.
"That was a warning shot." Timothy said.
Tony took his gun and pointed it at him. He pulled the trigger.
>click<
He looked at the gun.
Timothy chuckled. "Looks like you threw away your shot."
Tony threw the gun at him. "Go to hell."
"Oh, how rude." Timothy said. "I don't think Stephen liked that, did you?"
Stephen only staid silent.
"Careful." T'challa said as he felt Tony get up. He helped him up. Tony held his shoulder.
"The equation." Timothy said, pushing the gun further against Stephen's head. "Now."
"Do it." Tony said.
Stephen looked at him.
T'challa looked at Tony.
"Excuse me?" Timothy asked.
"You heard me." Tony said. "Do it. Shoot him."
"Oooooo, what a game changer." Timothy said. "You're going to sacrifice his life to save yours? That doesn't sound very heroic."
"I don't care." Tony said, gasping for air. "He means nothing to me. I just used him to fill up the empty hole in my chest. That's it. He was just a distraction. He means just as much as the people in my past, nothing more."
Tears began to run down Stephen's cheeks. He was in pain, yes, but he felt the most pain in his heart.
"What are you waiting for?" Tony asked.
Timothy looked at Tony, then at Stephen. He put slightly more pressure on the trigger.
"Do it." Tony said.
"Anthony." T'challa said.
"Do it! Now!"
"Anthony!" T'challa yelped.
"Urgh!" Timothy groaned. He pulled the gun away from Stephen. Stephen gave a sigh of relief. "It's no use anymore. It's not hurting Tony anymore." He moped.
T'challa sighed in relief.
"You've killed him with words now." Timothy said. "You ruined the fun."
"You know, once we turn you in; you'll be put away forever?" Tony told him.
"Not if I'm dead." Timothy laughed and put the gun in his mouth.
"Tim-"
>Bang<
"Ah!" Stephen gasped as Timothy's body fell limp on the ground.
"Jesus-" Tony gasped, falling back on the ground.
T'challa stood wide eyed, next to Tony.
"We're here!" Thor said, coming in through the door. The rest of the guys were behind him.
"Sorry we too so long, Natasha let us...holy hell." Bucky said, looking down at the dead body next to Stephen.
Steve sighed and looked away. "We're done here." He said, leaving the room. Bucky followed him. Everett and Clint followed them.
"God, Stephen." Bruce said, running over to Stephen, who was sobbing. He untied his hands and legs. "Are you okay? Where does it hurt most? Where did he..."
Bruce's voice trailed off as Stephen stared at Tony. Tears raced down his face. He watched as Thor helped T'challa help Tony up. Tony stared at him.
"You're okay, Stephen." Bruce voice said, coming back into Stephen's ears. "We're gonna take you to the hospital and have you examined. They'll make you feel better." Stephen tried standing up but fell back down in his chair. "No, no. Don't try to stand. I'll-"
"I-I gotta go." Stephen said.
"What?" Bruce asked.
Stephen opened a portal and disappeared into it.
Bruce looked back at Tony. "Tony, what happened here?" He asked.
Tony didn't say anything, he just continued to walk away with Thor and T'challa, shaking his head.
"You're gonna be okay." Bruce said. "Steve, call an ambulance."
///0///0
"I'm fine." Tony said, pushing Bruce and Thor away as he made his way down the hall to his room. He had his arm in a sling.
"Alright." Bruce said, standing back. "You know we're close if you need anything."
Tony didn't say anything and opened the door to his room. It was dark. He flickered the lights on.
He gasped when he saw all of Stephen's belongings were gone. He looked in the bathroom. Stephen wasn't there.
"Stephen." He called. He got response. He sighed and went over to the bed. He sat down and put a hand to his head. "Dammit!" He kicked a lavender flower near the bed.
///0///0
"Who goes there?" The Ancient One ask with shields at her hands.
She waved her hand, making all the oil lamps in the hallway light up and aluminate the hallway of the temple. She saw a figure on the ground. She looked closely.
"Stephen?" She asked.
The figure picked its head up and looked at her. It was Stephen. He was in tears, sniffling. He was injured.
"What are you-oh." She was interrupted when Stephen ran to her and embraced her, crying in her robe. She put her shields away. "It's okay. Shh..." She said, holding him close, allowing his tears to soak her robe. "There, there...it's alright." She whispered softly.