.ೃ࿔*:･𝐱𝐱𝐱𝐢𝐢𝐢. bad blood

"𝐅𝐑𝐎𝐌 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐃𝐀𝐖𝐍 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐔𝐍𝐈𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐄, 𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐄 𝐖𝐀𝐒 𝐍𝐎𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐍𝐆. Then, boom!" Wong's voice resonated through the ancient halls of the New York Sanctum. His hands moved with practiced precision, conjuring ethereal projections of the Infinity Stones. The room dimmed, the glowing crystals casting eerie reflections on the walls. "The Big Bang sent six elemental crystals hurtling across the virgin universe. These Infinity Stones each control an essential aspect of existence."

The swirling colors of the projections filled the room with an ominous glow, casting flickering shadows on the anxious faces around them.

"Space. Reality. Power. Soul. Mind. And Time." Dr. Strange intoned solemnly, his expression grave as he opened the Eye of Agamotto, revealing the Time Stone.

Tony turned to Bruce, his voice edged with tension. "Tell me his name again."

"Thanos." Bruce said, his voice almost a whisper. "He's a plague, Tony. He invades planets, takes what he wants, and wipes out half the population without a second thought. He sent Loki—the attack on New York, that was him."

Ingrid, who had been standing quietly beside her father, felt a cold chill creep up her spine. She crossed her arms tightly over her chest, her muscles tensing. "And you fought this guy?" she asked, her voice laced with disbelief and a touch of fear she struggled to hide.

Bruce nodded. "Yes," he admitted, his voice barely more than a breath.

"If he beat the Hulk, then we're all dead," Ingrid stated, the finality in her voice sending a shiver through the room.

"What's our timeline?" Tony asked.

"No telling," Bruce replied. "He already has the Power and Space Stones. That alone makes him the strongest being in the universe! If he gets his hands on all six Stones, Tony..." His voice trailed off, unable to voice the horrific possibilities.

Dr. Strange, his face a mask of grim determination, finished the thought. "He can destroy life on a scale hitherto undreamt of."

Tony leaned back against a nearby cauldron, stretching casually. "Did you seriously just say 'hitherto undreamt of'?"

Ingrid’s irritation spiked. How could Tony be so casual at a time like this? She clenched her fists, feeling her anger simmer beneath the surface. The entire universe was on the line, and he was making jokes? "Are you seriously leaning on the Cauldron of the Cosmos?" Dr. Strange’s voice was sharp, his patience wearing thin.

Tony glanced at the cauldron as if noticing it for the first time. "Is that what this is...?" he asked, attempting nonchalance, but the tension in the room was palpable. The Cloak of Levitation, sensing the collective irritation, snapped at Tony’s arm, a physical reprimand that made Ingrid smirk despite the situation.

Tony’s brow furrowed, an offended look crossing his face. "I'm going to allow that," he replied, his tone laced with sarcasm but tinged with underlying frustration. "But if Thanos needs all six, why don't we just stick this one down the garbage disposal?" He gestured vaguely toward the Time Stone, as if the solution to their problem was that simple.

"No can do," Dr. Strange answered instantly, his voice firm and resolute.

Wong stepped forward, his expression unyielding. "We swore an oath to protect the Time Stone. With our lives."

Tony, however, wasn’t ready to back down. "And I swore off dairy, but then Ben & Jerry’s named a flavor after me, so…" His voice trailed off, the attempt at humor hanging awkwardly in the air.

Dr. Strange’s expression remained stony as he deadpanned, "Stark Raving Hazelnuts."

"It's not bad," Tony remarked, a faint smirk playing on his lips.

"It's awful," Ingrid interjected.

"A bit chalky," Dr. Strange agreed, his tone dry.

Wong, his stoic demeanor momentarily softened, chimed in. "'A Hunka-Hulka Burning Fudge' is our favorite."

Bruce blinked, confusion knitting his brows. "That’s a thing?" he asked, his voice laced with disbelief.

"Mhm, and it’s actually good," Ingrid replied.

"Whatever." Tony waved his hand dismissively, trying to steer the conversation back. "Point is: Things change."

But Dr. Strange’s expression hardened, his eyes narrowing. "Our oath to protect the Time Stone cannot change. This Stone may be the best chance we have against Thanos."

"And still conversely, it may also be his best chance against us," Tony countered, his voice lower now, more serious.

"Well, if we don’t do our jobs..." Dr. Strange’s voice was steely, every word clipped as the tension in the room continued to build.

Tony couldn’t resist a jab, even now. "What is your job exactly, besides making balloon animals?"

"Protecting your reality, douchebag," Dr. Strange shot back, his eyes narrowing with barely contained irritation.

Ingrid rolled her eyes, her annoyance bubbling over. They were supposed to be figuring out how to stop Thanos, and here they were, bickering like children. It was infuriating, and the constant back-and-forth only added to the anxiety gnawing at her insides.

Bruce stepped in. "Okay, guys, can we quick-cable this discussion right now?" His tone was strained, the tension clearly getting to him as well. "The fact is, we have the Stone. We know where it is. Vision is out there somewhere with the Mind Stone, and we have to find him now." His eyes darted between Tony and Ingrid, searching for a plan, a solution—anything that could turn the tide in their favor.

Tony and Ingrid exchanged an awkward glance, the weight of what they had to reveal hanging between them. "Yeah, that’s the thing," Tony began hesitantly, his usual confidence faltering.

Bruce frowned. "What do you mean?" His voice was edged with unease.

"Two weeks ago, Vision turned off his transponder," Tony explained, his tone flat. "He’s offline."

"What?" Bruce’s voice was a mix of disbelief and frustration. "Tony, you lost another super bot?"

Tony bristled at the implication, his frustration boiling over. "I didn’t lose him. He’s more than that. He’s evolving." He turned to Ingrid, seeking her help. "Do you know where he is?"

Ingrid sighed, the exhaustion evident in her voice. "With Wanda."

Dr. Strange, still focused on the task at hand, pressed on. "And where’s Wanda?" His voice was impatient, every second they wasted felt like a nail in their coffin.

Ingrid threw her hands up in exasperation, her irritation flaring. "I don’t know! I’m not her mom!"

Dr. Strange sighed, the weight of their predicament pressing down on him. "Who could find Vision, then?"

Tony’s expression darkened as the answer came to him, the name carrying a thousand memories, many of them bitter. "Shit. Probably Steve Rogers." Ingrid’s gaze dropped to the floor, her mind racing.

Dr. Strange let out a heavy sigh, his frustration barely concealed. "Oh, great," he muttered, the weariness in his voice echoing the collective exhaustion weighing on them all.

Tony seemed lost in thought, his usual bravado tempered by the gravity of the situation. "Maybe. But..." He trailed off, the uncertainty hanging in the air.

Bruce, sensing the hesitation, stepped forward, his voice firm. "Call him."

"It’s not that easy," Tony responded, frustration lacing his words. "God, we haven’t caught up in a spell, have we?"

"No," Ingrid and Bruce said in unison, their voices flat.

Tony sighed heavily. "The Avengers broke up. We’re toast."

Bruce looked between Tony and Ingrid, confusion and concern etched on his face. "Broke up? Like a band? Like The Beatles?"

Ingrid couldn’t help but smile at Bruce’s analogy, though the smile was tinged with sadness. "No, we’re not nearly as cool as The Beatles," she replied, shaking her head.

Tony’s shoulders slumped. "Cap and I fell out hard. We’re not on speaking terms."

Bruce’s expression hardened, his voice taking on a more desperate edge. "Tony, listen to me. Thor’s gone. Thanos is coming. It doesn’t matter who you’re talking to or not."

Tony hesitated, his mind a whirlwind of conflicting emotions. The bitterness he still felt towards Steve, the weight of their fractured friendship, and the undeniable truth that the universe itself was at stake. Finally, with a resigned sigh, he pulled out the old, worn cellular phone that Steve had mailed him. He stared at it for a moment, muttering, "Flip phone," as if the simplicity of the device was some cruel joke on top of everything else.

His finger hovered over the “Call” button, the enormity of what he was about to do weighing heavily on him. Before he could press it, an unusual sound echoed from outside, breaking the tense silence.

Tony’s eyes narrowed as he turned towards Dr. Strange. "Say, Doc, you wouldn’t happen to be moving your hair, would you?" There was a forced casualness in his tone, an attempt to maintain some semblance of normalcy in a situation that was anything but.

Dr. Strange glanced up, trying to see if one of his stray hairs was indeed fluttering, but his face was serious. "Not at the moment, no."