Genre: Smut, Romance, and a hint of Fluff
Ships?: Tony Stark/Zexion
Characters: Tony Zexion
Rating: R
Spoilers: Nope
Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts, Ironman, or any related characters. This was written out of enjoyment of the series, and no profit is being made.
Music: One Minute Man by Missy Elliot
Notes:
Falling and Catching - Renascent
"I admit myself slightly shocked. Both young Mister Parker and yourself seem rather fond of the, ah, 'witty' one liners, Tony. Of course I suppose it's been a stressful time for all of us but you really do have nothing to complain about. Company, world, so very different, and it's not just one world but the others, having to collaborate and converse and coexist when a creature craves clawing fingers clear into a companion's cords of calling, creating a cut of cruor creeping to the cuticles of my nails-"
"Zexion! Calm down."
"Wha- Oh. I apologize. The alliteration can be so bothersome, but it happens sometimes. I forget..."
"...What happened to you...?"
"... Heh. Heh ha hah ha...."
"It's not funny."
"It... Isn't it? It's merely that.. Ha, there's so very much... Wherever would I work out the start of a wholly unfortunate tale? Shall I sing a story of a small subterfuge, simply sketched in the start so that students seeking sincerity in science yet scream into sorrow and suffering?"
"I already know what happened to Radiant Garden. I've met Ansem."
"Does he mean the Heartless... The liar with no memory, stealing names and triumphs and titles... No, too stubborn, too delusional... Can't be... Master...?"
"Yes, Master Ansem, former King of Radiant Garden. We've met, and he's pretty pissed off."
"...Understandable. Under unequally fair conditions, I would no doubt have found myself enraged as well. We... I... Did he ever tell you who I was...?"
"Yes. Everything means everything, Zexion. I know you were his youngest apprentice, Ienzo Orosco, and that you betrayed him with the others."
"...Not... quite what I meant. I think he's ashamed..."
"Because of what you've become."
"No. Because of what I was. To him."
"..."
"Get your mind out of the gutter, you perverted neanderthal. That wasn't what I meant at all."
"Don't blame me for your poor choice of words!"
"If it was any other, perhaps I'd lend the benefit of the doubt, but I know how your mind works, Tony. Honestly!"
"Bite me."
"I'm certain you'd like that. Tch. So unbelievably impossible... Ha. I've missed this! It... It was... Such a relief it was to not act, just be. Nobodies never needed to exist, never should have, or that is what we are told, from others, even within our own hierarchy. Yet..."
"...I didn't know what you were."
"You would have pushed me away at best. My death would have occurred at worst."
"...I-"
"You can't even lie, create a fallacy of denial!"
"I would have HELPED you!"
"..."
"And nothing you say will be able to convince either of us that's a lie. You know it."
"...A sentence should not begin with 'and'."
"Don't try and change the subject. Is this what you really want, Zexion? This hollow life in this castle, locked up of your own will!? Surrounded by possessed corpses!?"
"Xion... did indeed leave. She and Lexaeus... They left-"
"Hey! Hey... Calm down. Watch out, you're hurting yourself."
"This...? This is naught but minor injuries. Nails into flesh... Just simple punctures. Allow me to reveal something... I'd forgotten how your face feels..."
"What..."
"No sleep. Sometimes... Eating seems such a silly action... Xion helped keep me in check. The Fallen... They try, but... Fingers are a writer's most treasured possession, and it's a loathsome habit to chew on one's nails, yet here we are... No illusion."
"It's just going to get worse..."
"...I know. I know...Don't!"
"What-"
"I know you, don't ever think I don't, and don't you dare get that look in your eyes again! Never again! I won't- Are you blind!? Do you see what I've become?"
"You're being ******** stubborn."
"Ha! I'm the only one with an ounce of sense. I'm the only one who knows, who can see. Lies and ludicrous limits leading us to lethal legacies and laments-"
"Zex-"
"-Can't even trust the others! They're fools and tools and traitors who would see my throat slit! I know so many things... They tell me so. The Fallen..."
"What... are those?"
"Them? Ah, how rude, you haven't met them. They like me so very much... My precious Fallen ones... They were one of the only Lessers to name themselves, and I see, I see why, I know now.... I had to read so many different books and truly listen... Ha. Our 'Lucifer', he of the silver tongue..."
"...Xigbar has turned against the Organization."
"...I thought so. The... reports said he died, but... I know Braig better than that."
"You could do what he did."
"I jusst told you-!"
"I don't care! I don't care what you do to me, what tricks you try to pull, but goddammit, you're getting on that goddamn ship and getting help! I... I..."
"...Please. I... I grow tired of this. Should never have brought him here... I apologize... For what it's worth."
"...Why did you lead me here?"
"Who knows, Tony? Who knows."
"I think you wanted me to help you."
"Perhaps I just wanted you. Why the surprise look? Hah... Things were strange around you. Things are strange around you. The team on Wonderland was sloppy, by the way. Tell Aeleus' son that he can't afford to hold back against us, no matter what. I may not clean up the next mess."
"Aeleus- What do you mean you cleaned up?"
"...I'm not humble. I'm one of the most dangerous Organization members in existence. Simple... Just a fact. I would not be welcomed... Wherever it is that you all hide. Especially- HA! Not in this state. Never in this state... Never a Nobody that nails no returns next to nonexistent nostalgia..."
BOOM!
"Sonova-!"
"Oh. How droll. They knew about the Cauldron's weakness. Or perhaps discovered a new one...? Your... universal militia is quite unique. Anything could have happened- What are you doing!?"
"I think I've already established that you're coming with me, hell or high water."
"Well, you buffoon, both are happening right now! The castle is crumbling around our ears, sinking into the lake! Stop it! Stop this right now, and thrice damned your cursed hero mentality while I still have a voice to use!"
"We don't have time for this, Zexion- Get back here!"
"What was that quaint term you used? 'Bite me'? Consider it repeated to yourself."
"Ngh-"
"See? I can make you see things. Illusions I illustrate to inform ignorant idiots. You being a case in point. Just... leave. Don't want to see you now, would despise you if I possessed the heart for it. I'll just move you in a direction far away from here-"
"Zexion-"
"You can't hear me, not right now, but I so rather wish... I wish it could have been different. I... Wouldn't it have been pleasant if we could have met under different circumstances. I wonder how it would have felt..."
"Zex-"
"Trick you straight through the doorway, I shall-"
"I love you."
"...No. That's... Don't. Stupid, stupid fool... King of fools..."
"Grgh- nn... Christ... Ah...."
"I can't... I don't..."
"Get back- sonova- get back here!"
"Love... Twenty one different definitions. Fourteen are nouns. Six are verbs used with objects. The last a verb without an object... A profoundly tender, passionate affection for another person. For not only your sake, but mine, Tony... Leave it be. Leave me be in this crumbling statetimeplace.
"It will only be a definition for me, Tony, and just a breaking point for you."
------
"He can't be dead!"
To no one's surprise, it's Sora who protests the loudest. On a beach tinted gray by the clouds and dust which hang in the sky, he stands before the 'group leader' of the secondary group. Mirage can't bear herself to look the boy in the eyes, even when Violet's hand wraps around her fingers and squeezes. Maybe it's because she's almost too busy staring at the backs of two other Supers who stand on the beach, a patriot and a web-slinger, both so close to the imbecile who had ended up separated from their initial squad. Usually, she's so good at keeping her emotions hidden, but perhaps it's an exercise in futility to keep feelings invisible from an invisible girl.
"We cannot wait for long."
Beast, next, crouched by an outcropping of rocks. In his arms, he cradles Belle, her face twisted in pain and sweat slipping down her cheeks, staining the collar of her shirt. Mexjas, curled up with his head between his knees and as far away from the vomit he'd coughed up earlier as possible, is hardly any better. Beast also does not meet anyone's eyes; his own are focused on Belle's face. "The Organization may learn of this sooner than we think."
"Five more minutes." Clenching his fists, Captain America stares at the still crumbling castle, watching as each chunk of stone falls into the water. "We wait five more minutes for any-"
Darkness ripsbreakspullsapart the air, and something royal gold and red bursts through like a rocket. Already they all jump back, tensing for action even as some recognize the blur while it carves a crater into sand and past that into wet dirt. The Parr family as a group are quick to act, but none so much as Dash and Spiderman.
Hidden among the trees in the gouge through the earth, Zexion coughs and pushes himself up from the metal chestplate. "Tony," he whispers hoarsely, pupils letter opener thin. "I... I can't see-"
"Damn-" With a wince hidden by his faceplate, Tony tries to sit up, one hand already reaching for Zexion's face even as a whirl of red and black and blond skids onto the scene. "Hold on, kid- Can you seriously not-?"
"No, nevermind-" Wincing, Zexion bats away Tony's hand. With a few blinks, his eyes return to normal. "It was merely temporary. Your-" He pauses, awkwardly, as if the butt of some cosmic joke, even as he gestures at Tony's chest. "The chestplate. The light... But I-" Nothing needs to be said. They both know what the fear had been, what twisted thoughts had stumbled through his mind, more or less.
"Dude, what's going on?"
"Tony!" Steve's voice destroys Dash's chance for an answer, and Tony just smiles at seeing the familiar face. With one arm still tightly holding onto Zexion, he reaches up with the other and allows himself to be pulled up. "How did you capture him?"
Out of the corner of his eye, Tony can see Zexion looking around. His eyes are hidden, but he can tell from how his body slowly tenses up that he doesn't like the sight of so many people looking ready to attack him. Before terrifying madness, a deadly threat, or, worse, convoluted sense can spill smoothly from the Nobody's mouth, Tony almost casually picks him up and tosses him over his shoulder. A sound like a very annoyed cat erupts and is quickly smothered by his ear.
"Later. Let's get off this freakin' world, first."
