Between Destruction

The middle (6)

(I did the disappointment disappearing thing again. Crap. Thanks for sticking this out with me. I will finish this book before 2020 if it is the last thing I do!)

Tony watched Clint step out of the plane with a shivering step. He took another and he shoved harder, Tony walked next to him and the shivers stopped the moment they touched.

The rest of the avengers watches from inside the plane. Their faces were just as confused as the first time. Everyone had taken a turn trying to leave but it was too cold for anything but Tony, then they tried to leave with Tony but the warmth only seemed to transfer to Clint. It was a conundrum they would all like to solve.

"I think I figured it out," Clint said suddenly and very randomly, "Tony let me see your arm." He didn't even bother for a response and just grabbed Tony's arm and pulled up the three quarter length sleeve. Four little circles were lightly imprinted there, twice as many as last time Clint say them, he ran his finger over the skin and Tony shivered. Clint pulled his focus off of the lower shoulder and up to Tony's face then said, "where did you get these?"

Tony looked at his shoulder, in all honesty he hadn't noticed these little symbols until today, he shrugged. Where did he get them? He tried to remember, they definitely weren't there last week, what was different this week. "You're kindness will be repaid," played loudly in his mind, four voices blending into one powerful phrase, and Tony went pale. He gaped for a moment before stepping back from Clint. Instantly the blond started to shiver. "I-," Tony sputtered out, "I need to try something!"

He ran off with Clint only getting a few paces after him before Nat made him retreat. Tony kept running and running. A plan was already forming in his mind. The winds tossed high in the air and Tony looked through the forest. There, the tallest tree around. He gripped the closest branch and swallowed.