Oh My Labyrinth!

Oh How the Mighty Have Fallen

Chapter one:

                                                                        Oh, How the Mighty Have Fallen

Captain America sliced through the monstrous-worms as they came up from the earth, each one more gruesome than the others, or so it seemed to him. He couldn't believe that just hours ago he had been at home appreciating a well to due "vacation" thinking nothing could possibly go wrong.

He should have known better.

The avengers had been at Stark tower, enjoying what rarely for them was a needed day off from saving the planet. Steve had been in the gym, per his usual training schedule, beating away on the boxing bags. Sweat ran down his hair into his eyes, causing him to blink furiously as he scrubbed a hand over his face. He wouldn't admit it to anyone should they ask, but he honestly always felt most at home when in the gym. He loved his team, even the most annoying members (cough x STARK x cough), but never once had he felt like he really fit in with them and he supposed that came from his being of the past, rather than the present age.

The pressurize air release of the gym door sliding open caused him to look up as one Anthony Edward Stark walked in. Tony, the self-proclaimed "King" of technology and weaponry was perhaps the last person Steve wanted to see so early in the morning.

Granted, the man truly was a genius and this was, by all rights, his home. However that didn't make Steve anymore excited about the prospect of conversing with the man 24/7 than it did the first day he moved in, which was several months ago after they saved the planet from Loki, the brother of Thor.

"Ah Cap, just the stars and stripes guy I wanted to see" Tony said as he flashed a grin towards the blonde man who stared at him with something akin to annoyance. Stark as usual, ignored the look.

"What is it Stark?" asked Steve with a sigh, when he realized the engineer purposely ignored his warning gaze.

"I have been looking over your shield data again and I noticed that..."

"This again?!" huffed Steve, "Stark, I thought we agreed that you would leave my shield alone. No, I won't let you break it down for scientific mumbo-jumbo."

"I wasn't going to..." started Stark before he narrowed his eyes, "It is not scientific mumbo-jumbo. Your shield would be a great asset to uncovering the working developments and molecular sub..."

"No. I told you that before and I am saying it again. No."

Tony huffed and crossed his arms, but he didn't leave like Steve had thought he would. Stark wasn't a man to be turned down and usually when he was, he threw a hissy fit. Then again, he thought to himself with a grumble, the man was a stubborn as they came. No doubt, he was about to go into a rant.

It surprised Steve completely however when instead of ranting, Tony just walked over to where the shield was laying on top of Cap's clothes and picked it up, running his scanner over it.

"Stark!" Steve roared, angered that the man had literally ignored every word he had just said.

"I'm not..." but before Stark could reply, a fist slammed into his nose sending him reeling back into the lockers behind him.

Both Steve and Tony stood at one another in shock. Steve surprised at himself for losing his cool and Tony, surprised that the Captain had just him without warning. While the two constantly fought, they never physically attacked one another before.

"Stark, I didn't mean..." started Steve, but Tony stuck up a hand as his other wrapped over his now heavily bleeding nose.

The man turned and left the room without another word, passing Clint Barton and Natasha Romanoff on the way. The two stared at him in stunned and curious silence before turning to look at their leader inquisitively.