Avengers Initiative: Percy Jackson

Let's Suit Up

"So, let me get this straight," Victoria started, leaning against a work table next to Steve and Natasha. "You decided, with Bruce, to try and harness the power of the staff, because you thought that you could- what? Create a being that would ultimately dissolve the Avengers Initiative? 'A suit of armor over the world'" She shook her hands as sarcastically as she could.

Tony snorted, humorlessly. "Yes, I did, because how else were we going to fight what was up there?" He gestured to the sky. "That's the endgame. Have you been into space? Let me tell you, there's a fight coming and sooner or later, someone stronger than us will come here and then what? Huh? How will you fight it?" He chuckled and shook his head.

"When and if that happens, we will fight it together." Steve said, staring at the other man with disappointment.

"Right, together." Tony replied quietly and sarcastically. Loki rolled his eyes at this pointless squabbling. He actually agreed with Stark about needed to protect this world from the threats above.

Victoria shook her head and stood up. "I can't deal with this right now." She walked over and stood in front of Tony, staring him deep in the eyes. "When you pull your head out of your ass, come find me, because until then, I don't want to see you. Not unless you know how to track something that could destroy Jarvis like that." She snapped her fingers and walked out of the lab. Loki followed after her.

"You are a foolish mortal after all. Have you learned nothing from the Battle of New York?" Thor asked, genuinely curious and angry.

Tony slammed his hand down on the metal table. "That's why I was working on this! We didn't even have an interface yet! This thing learned and grew and infiltrated my system. My system! I want to protect this world, because if there is anything I learned from that battle was that we are horrendously outnumbered and we do not have the technology to keep up." He pointed to Thor. "You are a great example of that by the way." He let out an angry breath and combed his fingers through his hair.

Stiles felt conflicted. He understood where Tony was coming from. He had studied the Battle of New York; he knew how scary that shit was for everyone, especially Tony who was trapped in space for a good minute. But.... he also knew that Tony went about this the wrong way. He looked at Percy, who shook his head and walked over to Tony, talking to him quietly; he gave him a half hug before walking out as well.

Enya clapped her hands. "Well, I don't know about you all, but I say, instead of sitting on our asses, yelling about who's to blame, I say that we find the bastard before he can do any lasting damage."

Clint nodded. "She's right. We need to stop this Ultron before he can do anything else. Do you know how to track him or find him?"

Tony snorted. "He's basically the internet, there's no way to track him, but..." He paused thinking. His eyes widened and he snapped his fingers. "We can find him, the old fashion way."

"You know that Stark's not wrong."

Victoria frowned and continued sparring with the punching bag. Loki stood, leaning, against the door frame, watching as she kicked and jabbed at the heavy bag.

"There is a war coming, one from space... and no one on Midgard is prepared for what's going to come." He continued. "The Chitauri were just the beginning an-"

"I know!" She yelled, panting. She gripped the bag hard and pressed her forehead against it.

"I know," She said, quietly. Turning to face Loki, she wiped her forehead of sweat. "It doesn't change the fact that Tony messed with something that he knew he couldn't control and it took off with information about everything and everyone, you and I included."

She sighed harshly and looked at the ceiling. "But, I know that he wasn't wrong about trying to protect the world, he just went about it the wrong way. He should have told the rest of us in case something went wrong, but he too much of a stubborn ass to admit that there is a chance he might be wrong."

Loki chuckled. "True, but if there is anyone more stubborn that Anthony Stark, it's a Miss Victoria Nightshade."

Victoria rolled her eyes and gave him a wry look.

"Look who's talking." She replied, accepting the towel Loki held out to her. She wiped the sweat off of her.

"Well, unlike you, I'm not romantically involved with anyone in this building." He responded. They left the training room and walked down the hall towards the elevator.

Victoria scoffed. "I'm not involved with Tony." She looked at him pointedly. "And, you can't tell me that you're not romantically interested in anyone in the building."

Loki looked at her incredulously. "What are you talking about?"

"Does a certain ocean-eyed demigod ring a bell?" She pointed out, smirking at him slyly. They entered the elevator and as the door closed, Loki turned to her.

"Percy? I do not have romantic feelings for Percy." He pressed the 'P' button.

Victoria crossed her arms and gave him a disbelieving look.

"I'm sure all those looks you've been giving him since Tartarus were nothing."

"Yes, they were nothing."

"So, you mean to tell me that you haven't been wanting to spend extra time with him, even though you love right across from each other and spend an obscene amount of time with each other already?"

"We are friends, that's what friends do, do they not."

"Point. But, tell me that you haven't been sneaking glances at him ass every time he walks by you. Don't deny it, I've got photographic evidence." She looked at the god and almost broke out in giggles by how red his face was.

"I don't blame you; he does have a cute booty. Must be from all of those years training at that camp of his." She said, knocking shoulders with him.

"Will you stop?!" He hissed out.

He sighed loudly. "Okay. Okay, maybe I have some feelings for him, but it's not like he feels the same way about me. I mean, I'm almost as old as his father, for Odin's sake." He gestured vaguely.

Victoria rolled her eyes. "First off, if you can't see that that boy is smitten with you, than you are oblivious."

"Oh, like you are with Stark, or Stark with you?" Loki quipped back.

"Whatever, let me make my point. Second of all, this is Percy we're talking about, he wouldn't care about all of that, because you're you and he likes you." Victoria said, putting a hand on the other's shoulder to comfort him.

"I'll believe that when I see it, also nice deflection." He replied, crossing his arms.

"I wasn't deflecting," She started. The elevator dinged and the doors opened and they walked out, headed towards the dining room where the team was. "I just don't think about Tony tha..." She grunted as she ran into something solid.

Stumbling back, she looked up to see Tony standing there with papers in his hands. Speak of the devil...

He raised an eyebrow at her. "Don't think of me how?" He asked, a slight smirk on his face.

"Nothing. What? Nevermind. What's up?" She rambled, her heart stuttering in her chest. She caught Loki's eye as he sneaked away, moving down the hall and glowered at his smug face.

"Riiight. Anyway, we found Ultron." Tony stated, handing her the papers.

She flipped through them and frowned. "Ulysses Klaw? That guy that stole some Vibranium from Wakanda?"

Tony nodded. "Yeah, we believe that Ultron's going to make himself a new body using it."

Victoria nodded. "Then, we better suit up." She said, slapping the papers against his chest.