To Fate They Fall || HP

CH: 7 - Old Wounds & Worries

Tony Stark is a confident man.

Some would say Tony takes confidence to a faulty level. Others would say he's just a man who believes in himself.

But one thing is for sure, no matter the circumstance, he'd never shy away from the face of a threat. It's one of what people would consider his 'better' traits.

And he may be a guy who enjoys putting on a show. Might like being in the spotlight once or twice, or all the time. Big ego? Maybe. Witty, horribly so sometimes? Indeed.

Because like any real person, he has flaws. Flaws that may rub some people the wrong way, producing some enemies.

But there are things that make him a great man too.

He's an undoubtedly intelligent person. Even his biggest haters will admit it.

The man can engineer.

And despite his sometimes childish demeanor. Tony Stark is the kind of person who follows through. That's true regardless of what others might say.

So yes, Tony Stark is many things. But one thing people will never call him is weak. As he is many things, save a coward.

He'd never turn his back on someone he values. Even if he hardly shows it. Tony would give heart and soul to save the innocent. Because he never lets his fear control him.

So when a particular one-eyed director told him that the team would be taking over a potential alien case. Well, he was none too happy.

He didn't exactly have great experiences with aliens in the past. And he was in no rush to have any of it happen again. The unaccounted variables worried him, and he isn't the type of guy to let things get to him.

So when just the idea of encountering an alien began to make him nervous. Well, that was what scared him.

The entire morning had him in a mood. He was grouchy and snapped at anyone who dared breathe in his direction. Nobody was having a good day, no thanks to Tony. All though it was arguably better than showing weakness.

So there Tony sat, waiting in one of his many cars for Thor and Bruce to arrive. Even though Tony Stark is known to have his own jets, as well as a helicopter, which sat parked on Stark Towers at the very moment, having a very convenient spur of the moment repair.

It was petty and quite honestly obnoxious, but it made the trip a longer one.

Normally, Tony loathed long trips, except in this case, he couldn't seem to make the ride longer. And would do anything to postpone their upcoming mission. Despite the fact, Tony had been asking for something to do for the past week.

Tony was knocked from his negative contemplating when the car door behind him banged closed, alerting him to the appearance of his travel companions.

Mere minutes later, the three Avengers -and Happy- were exiting Stark Towers and traveling through the crowded streets of Manhattan on their way towards the 'crime scene.'

Throughout the entire car ride, Bruce continuously shot Tony looks of very poorly veiled concern. Of which Tony noticed, but chose to ignore.

He was in no mood to spill his innermost thoughts. Those were his and his alone. And he didn't need a guy who shifted into a green monster when he got angry. To lecture him on the importance of having and embracing emotions.

Finally, after what seemed like forever, but not nearly enough to Tony. The car pulled onto a dirt road. Rocks and stray twigs crunching below as the car crawled at a snail's pace.