silenttiger43
Less than three
The world had been set right again.
Right, as it turns out, meant quite a few jarring changes however.
People who had been thought lost forever were suddenly back as though not a day had gone by, for them at least. It caused a lot of issues around the world, overcrowding and population numbers were suddenly back up which was putting a strain on resources across the world. Countries had only just begun to adjust their needs to a smaller crowd, only to have to readjust all over again. The world was a mess but at least it was a mess worth fighting for.
Of course, not everyone had been recovered and not all had been gained without sacrifice.
Try as Tony might, the infinity gauntlet, the most powerful device assembled in the universe, couldn't bring their Natasha home. It had taken everything from him to try, it had nearly killed him. If Thor hadn't been so swift to remove his arm with a swing from Stormbreaker, Tony would surely have died. Thor was never going to let him live that one down either.
While the others returned the infinity stones to their proper places in time, Tony had been held up in a hospital, ten pounds lighter and pumped full of delightful painkillers. The recovery was long, arduous and painstaking but Tony was never one to pass up an opportunity. He made himself a new arm, half a dozen of them actually. It was easy to explain away the time locked up in his shop for such a thing. Obviously it was necessary for his recovery right? But it was honestly just easier to throw himself into his work than it was to accept that he'd failed Natasha.
What good was it if he could save everyone except people he cared about? He'd give his second arm to get her back and so when an opportunity came, he took it without a second thought.
He really ought to have informed Pepper first but sometimes you get sucked into an interdimensional portal and there's just no time to shoot a 'See you later' text. Hey, stuff happens.
All that to bring us to this morning, about 3am and well before sunrise, Tony landed in his Ironman suit just outside his home. Yes he landed a little hard, yes he stumbled a bit across the ground, but it can't be called a crash landing if you finish on your feet, right? Besides, the rough landing wasn't his fault, systems were damaged and acting out in protest. Even his stupid garage door opener wasn't working which meant he could sneak the back way into his shop.
Tony deactivated the suit, letting the moving parts compact themselves back into his arm. He cringed at the vibration of gears grinding in protest at the process, this thing was going to need a serious overhaul. It had not been meant to do half the things he'd forced from him out there. It had been a rough week, getting bounced around the harsher areas of the universe. God, he was really starting to hate space but it had been worth it. They'd brought Natalia home.
The Russian woman was safe, getting checked out by some unfortunate doctors. Tony didn't envy the poor souls who would have to try and convince that fiery woman to take a little bedrest. Speaking of bed, he wanted to sleep for a month.
With all the care that he could muster, Tony crept stealthily through the front door, hushing the greeting from his home in haste. He detached his arm, carefully setting it aside in the entranceway charging station, sighing in relief at the loss of the weight. He rubbed at his aching shoulder as he tiptoed to the kitchen, digging around the cupboards for his pain meds, taking two of them and washing it down with a much needed shot of Bourbon. Just the taste of it on his lips let his body relax, some of the tension alleviating from his sore muscles.
Some nagging, Pepper-sounding voice in Tony's head said that he ought to follow that Bourbon with a proper meal and a shower. Unfortunately, the weary side of him won out the moment that he saw the couch and stumbled over to it instead, collapsing into the cushions and passing out the moment he touched the soft surface.
Right, as it turns out, meant quite a few jarring changes however.
People who had been thought lost forever were suddenly back as though not a day had gone by, for them at least. It caused a lot of issues around the world, overcrowding and population numbers were suddenly back up which was putting a strain on resources across the world. Countries had only just begun to adjust their needs to a smaller crowd, only to have to readjust all over again. The world was a mess but at least it was a mess worth fighting for.
Of course, not everyone had been recovered and not all had been gained without sacrifice.
Try as Tony might, the infinity gauntlet, the most powerful device assembled in the universe, couldn't bring their Natasha home. It had taken everything from him to try, it had nearly killed him. If Thor hadn't been so swift to remove his arm with a swing from Stormbreaker, Tony would surely have died. Thor was never going to let him live that one down either.
While the others returned the infinity stones to their proper places in time, Tony had been held up in a hospital, ten pounds lighter and pumped full of delightful painkillers. The recovery was long, arduous and painstaking but Tony was never one to pass up an opportunity. He made himself a new arm, half a dozen of them actually. It was easy to explain away the time locked up in his shop for such a thing. Obviously it was necessary for his recovery right? But it was honestly just easier to throw himself into his work than it was to accept that he'd failed Natasha.
What good was it if he could save everyone except people he cared about? He'd give his second arm to get her back and so when an opportunity came, he took it without a second thought.
He really ought to have informed Pepper first but sometimes you get sucked into an interdimensional portal and there's just no time to shoot a 'See you later' text. Hey, stuff happens.
All that to bring us to this morning, about 3am and well before sunrise, Tony landed in his Ironman suit just outside his home. Yes he landed a little hard, yes he stumbled a bit across the ground, but it can't be called a crash landing if you finish on your feet, right? Besides, the rough landing wasn't his fault, systems were damaged and acting out in protest. Even his stupid garage door opener wasn't working which meant he could sneak the back way into his shop.
Tony deactivated the suit, letting the moving parts compact themselves back into his arm. He cringed at the vibration of gears grinding in protest at the process, this thing was going to need a serious overhaul. It had not been meant to do half the things he'd forced from him out there. It had been a rough week, getting bounced around the harsher areas of the universe. God, he was really starting to hate space but it had been worth it. They'd brought Natalia home.
The Russian woman was safe, getting checked out by some unfortunate doctors. Tony didn't envy the poor souls who would have to try and convince that fiery woman to take a little bedrest. Speaking of bed, he wanted to sleep for a month.
With all the care that he could muster, Tony crept stealthily through the front door, hushing the greeting from his home in haste. He detached his arm, carefully setting it aside in the entranceway charging station, sighing in relief at the loss of the weight. He rubbed at his aching shoulder as he tiptoed to the kitchen, digging around the cupboards for his pain meds, taking two of them and washing it down with a much needed shot of Bourbon. Just the taste of it on his lips let his body relax, some of the tension alleviating from his sore muscles.
Some nagging, Pepper-sounding voice in Tony's head said that he ought to follow that Bourbon with a proper meal and a shower. Unfortunately, the weary side of him won out the moment that he saw the couch and stumbled over to it instead, collapsing into the cushions and passing out the moment he touched the soft surface.