The Devil With The Face of an Angel | Irondad, pepperony

Chapter 27

"Secretary Ross has a Congressional Medal of Honor, which is one more than you have," said Rhodey to Sam, while Steve flipped through Sokovia Accords with a frown. Tony massaged his temples, hoping it would end soon. He hoped everyone would agree. Ross had been gone for some time now, and everybody was trying to work out the options they got... or respectively didn't.

"So let's say we agree with this thing. How long is it gonna be before they lock us like a bunch of common criminals?" Sam asked.

"A 117 countries want to sign this. 117, Sam, and you're just like - no, that's cool. We got it," Rhodey argued, and Tony was very glad that at least he was on his side. Even though the two of them against the rest of the team... that meant nothing.

"I have an equation," Vision intervened.

"Oh, this will clear it up," said Sam sarcastically. Tony didn't know how long he could listen to their bickering before his head would explode.

"In the eight years since Mr. Stark announced himself as Iron Man, the number of known enhanced persons has grown exponentially. And during the same period, the number of potentially world-ending events has risen at a commensurate rate."

"Are you saying it's our fault?" Steve asked.

"I'm saying there may be a causality. Our very strength invites challenge. Challenge incites conflict. And conflict... breeds catastrophe. Oversight... oversight is not an idea that can be dismissed out of hand," Vision concluded.

"Tony. You are being uncharacteristically non-hyper-verbal," Natasha said and he sighed. Was it foolish to hope that they would not involve him?

"It's because he's already made up his mind," Steve answered instead of him.

"Boy, you know me so well," he said slightly annoyed and got up. The situation was far from ideal, but he has a family, damn it. And first of all, he had to think about the safety of his family. "Actually, I'm nursing an electromagnetic headache," he informed them on his way to the kitchen. A cup of coffee could fix it.

When he finally drank his black drink and burned his mouth because he couldn't wait any longer for the coffee to be cooler, he put his pocket projector on the table.

"Oh, that's Charles Spencer, by the way," he spoke after a moment of silence, pointing to the hologram, "He's a great kid. Computer engineering degree, 3.6 GPA. Had a floor level gig at Intel planned for the fall. But first, he wanted to put a few miles on his soul, before he parked it behind a desk. See the world. Maybe be of service. Charlie didn't want to go to Vegas or Fort Lauderdale, which is what I would do. He didn't go to Paris or Amsterdam, which sounds fun. He decided to spend his summer building sustainable housing for the poor. Guess where... Sokovia. He wanted to make a difference, I suppose. I mean, we won't know because we dropped a building on him while we were kicking ass," he said, pausing for a moment. His mind began to drift toward Peter and Pepper again. Signs of the panic attack began to appear, and he needed a minute to calm down. He took a sip of coffee and took a deep breath. "There's no decision-making process here. We need to be put in check! Whatever form that takes, I'm game. If we can't accept limitations, if we're boundary-less, we're no better than the bad guys," he expressed his opinion finally. And everyone had to know that it meant something from him because he always had problems with authority and obeying orders.

"Tony, someone dies on your watch, you don't give up," Steve said in a firm voice, and Tony knew he wasn't going to accept the Sokovia Accords.

"Who said we're giving up?"

"We are if we're not taking responsibility for our actions. This document just shifts the blames."

"I'm sorry. Steve. That - that is dangerously arrogant," Rhodey blurted out.

"You know I didn't want that, Steve. But then the strange lady came to me and blamed me for her son's death. And you know what I was thinking? What if it was Peter. I always threatened him with my actions. Him and Pepper. And I don't want to continue. I don't want to threaten innocent people," Tony opened exceptionally. He needed them to understand. They needed the supervision of their actions.

"We cannot entrust ourselves to the UN. It's run by people with agendas, and agendas change," Steve insisted.

"That's good. That's why I'm here. When I realized what my weapons were capable of in the wrong hands, I shut it down and stop manufacturing."

"Tony, you chose to do that. If we sign this, we surrender our right to choose. I understand, I do. But that doesn't mean I agree with you. We are a team and we always got each other back. No one would ever let anything happen to your family. And Peter doesn't need your protection anymore if I am right," Steve said, and Tony took a step back. He knew they were supposed to talk to whom they were going to tell in advance, but somehow he had forgotten it, and his very chatty son had to talk about it. He just hoped Steve was the only one who knew it. He didn't need any more problems.

"If we don't do this now, it's gonna be done to us later. That's the fact. That won't be pretty," he said a truth that no one wanted to admit.

"Maybe Tony's right... If we have one hand on the wheel, we can still steer," Natasha spoke finally.

"Aren't you the same woman who told the government to kiss her ass a few years ago?" Sam reminded her.

"I'm just... I'm reading the terrain. We have made... some very public mistakes. We need to win their trust back," she said heavily. She was surprised at Tony's attitude, but it actually made sense. Clint's family was always safe thanks to Fury, but Tony's family never was. And she liked Tony's family. She was Peter's aunt, just as she was Aunt to Cooper, Lila, and Nathaniel.

"Focus up. I'm sorry, did I just mishear you or did you agree with me?" Tony asked in surprise. He thought it would be more difficult to persuade Natasha.

"Oh, I want to take it back now."

"No, no, no. You can't retract it."

"According to Friday, your meeting ended an hour ago. Have you forgotten me?" Peter interrupted their discussion.

"Peter, Mr. Stark didn't mention that you're here with us," Vision informed him. Peter thought that. After arrival, he saw only Rhodey, and then Tony locked him in the workshop. And he was so bored there!

"Yeah, Pep's out of town, and I hate to leave him alone. Don't you have some work in the lab, kid?" Tony asked, not wanting Peter to get involved. It was quite complicated already.

"I've finished that long ago and now I'm bored," he replied annoyed, and then a smile appeared on his face when he saw the redhead. "Aunt Nat!"

"Aren't you gonna hug me?" she teased as he stood there without a move. She was quite glad that he was here. They needed to relax a little.

"I miss you," he told her as he corrected his previous actions and held her in an embrace.

"I missed you too. Is there anything new about you?" she asked as they pulled away so she could see him better. Something about him was definitely different.

"New hairstyle," Tony said quickly. He didn't need Peter to talk about his new skills in front of everyone in this room.

"I have to go," Steve said suddenly, leaving the room without another word, leaving the others behind with confused glances on their faces.

"What's wrong with him?" Peter asked. This was not the usual behavior for the Captain.

"Nothing to worry about," Natasha replied while Tony stared at the notification on his phone.

"Jesus, this day couldn't really get any worse," he muttered under his nose, "I have to go to Steve. You stay here and stick to Nat or Rhodey, all right?" he commanded Peter and put his hand on his shoulder to get his full attention. He noticed that Peter had recently caught another of his traits, and at times he listened only half of what others were telling him.

"All right," he said, watching with worry his father leaving the room. He was no longer small and he knew something serious was going on. But nobody wanted to tell him what.

"So, a new hairstyle? I don't think so at all," Nat said suspiciously as soon as Tony was out of sight.