Take Off The Mask // Son of Stark 2

Chapter 11

Steve watched in horror as the pod, which was holding his boyfriend prisoner, was carried away by a military level forklift. He tried to make eye contact with the brunet but Bucky made no signal that he had seen him. The soldier then turned away, trying to ignore everything that was happening...

"Come along," T'Challa said, his tone indicating that it was an order and not just a request. Despite his youthful looks, the soon to be king seemed to have years trapped behind his eyes- grief burrowing its way to the surface.

Steve followed after the prince with Sam trailing along behind him, heading to where a certain Sharon Carter was stood. "What's gonna happen to him?" Steve asked, trying to mask his panic with the usual face of confidence he wore.

"Same thing that ought to happen to you. Psychological evaluation and extradition," a man diminutive man, who also had a dusting of grey hair coating his head, replied. His voice was cold, tarnished with the ideals of someone that always believed they knew best... someone that thought rules were more important than morals.

Before Steve had the chance to ask who the clearly delightful man was, Sharon stepped in for him. She introduced him as: "Everett Ross, Deputy Task Force Commander..."

"What about our lawyer?" questioned Steve, his eyebrows still raised in disbelief of this 'Everett Ross'. He threw a quick glance at Sharon, realising that she too was waiting for an answer.

"Lawyer. That's funny. See their weapons are placed in lockup. Oh, we'll write you a receipt." Now, the man was trying to humour the Captain. It wasn't going to work, though. Instead it just added to the uneasiness created by being without his shield. It was almost as if a part of him was missing.

Sam looked at the glass panes, shaking his head. He huffed as his wings were taken away from him. " I better not look out the window and see anybody flying around in those."

"Now..." Everett continued, "You'll be provided with an office instead of a cell. Now, do me a favour, stay in it?"

Steve didn't like the idea of an actual cell but the idea of being in a room with the order not to leave it still felt as much a prison as the real thing. His eyes wandered to T'Challa's, who was just about to speak.

"I don't intend on going anywhere."

The five headed down a walkway, the usually breathtaking view ruined by the atmosphere of what had happened. The crystal barrier between them and the outside world let in so much light that it would have been impossible to make the ten minute walk feel dark... yet it still felt like rain was crashing down as Steve set foot across it.

Natasha was next to speak. She had somehow materialised next to them, her training paying off in both missions for S.H.I.E.L.D. and the occasional prank war. "For the record, this is what making things worse looks like. Please don't do anything else, Steve. Peter might have Tony but he does need a responsible adult in his life to turn to... speaking of the devil."

Tony was stood up in the middle of an office, his neck craned in an effort to keep his phone in place as he noted something down. He tossed the paper to the side, before saying, "No. Romania was not Accords-sanctioned. And, Colonel Rhodes is supervising cleanup."

As Steve got closer to his ex, he realised his son was also in the room. Peter was sat on the desk chair, casually spinning it side to side, in an act of boredom. Natasha broke him from his trance. "Try not to break anything while we fix this."

"Consequences? You bet there'll be consequences. Obviously you can quote me on that 'cause I just said it. Anything else? Thank you, sir." Tony shoved his phone back into his pocket. He looked sympathetically at Peter, knowing full well what it felt like to be stuck in your father's business room with nothing to do.

The man had had to cancel his date, drag his son out of the house and think of all the possible things to let things go the way he wanted them to. He didn't exactly want Steve in a cell... however much they disagreed.

"Consequences?"

The billionaire spun on the spot. He hadn't seen the group come in. "Secretary Ross wants you both prosecuted. Had to give him something," he stated, shrugging.

"I'm not not getting that shield back... am I?"

"Technically, it's the government's property. Wings, too," Nat reasoned.

"That's cold," said Sam.

"Warmer than jail," replied Tony.