Thoughts Can Hurt || Percy & Avengers Crossover

T is for Trauma

Percy rubs his palms on his pants and takes a shuddering breath, trying to calm himself down. Aight, Percy. Just pretend this is a capture the flag game. Percy takes a slow, deep breath. I'm at camp. I'm at camp. I am at camp. Percy nods and then methodically checks his guns, making sure they're loaded.

Practiced movements have always calmed him down.

Percy takes another breath. "Okay." He mutters. "I'm good, I'm good."

He stands up off the floor and shoves his shaking hands in his pockets. It has been far too long since I've been on a combat mission if I'm reacting like this.

Percy takes another deep breath, rubbing his hands on his arms to calm himself down. "Okay, Percy. Middle of capture the flag. You got this. You got this." He nods and walks down the hallway, projecting an air of fake confidence.

I-know-exactly-what-i'm-doing his posture says.

Where-the-heck-am-i his brain says.

Shut-up Percy says.

Percy gives himself an unconscious thumbs up. "I am the best spy."

Percy rounds the corner, assuring himself mentally that he will be fine. Because-he-is-best-spy. He stops walking and his eyes widen.

Crap! That's the dude on TV! The one that is supposedly one of the leaders of hydra!

Curse my stupid luck.

Percy slowly backs around the corner, walking away slowly. Not good, not good, not good. He winces when the thudding sound of soldiers footsteps resound through the hallway. He takes a deep breath, trying to calm his racing heart and slides along the wall, looking for a room to hide in.

He steps away from the wall and stands straight when a cleaner walks towards him, his movements practiced and natural. If all went well, the cleaner would just assume he was about to light a cigarette.

The cleaner ignores him and walks past him. Phew.

The cleaner glances at him when he walks past and Percy ignores him, reaching in his pocket.

The cleaner raises his eyebrow and keeps walking.

Heh.

Percy is best spy.

Or not, because when he looks up a girl is walking towards him with a purposeful stride. Her high heels click on the floor with every step she takes and she looks every bit as business-like as Pepper, which is saying something.

Percy steps to the side so that she can walk through but the woman gives him a once over as if confirming something and then gestures to him to follow her. "Follow me, soldier."

Percy hesitates and then falls into step beside her, keeping quiet.

The woman raises an eyebrow. "I'm not going to bite."

Percy falters, not sure what to do. "Uh, yes ma'am."

"So it does have a voice!"

The woman sounds gleeful and Percy resents that. He manages to keep his expression calm.

"Indeed I do, ma'am."

The woman stops walking and pokes his nose. "My my, such good manners."

Percy freezes, trying not to smack her hand away. "Thank you, ma'am?"

The woman smiles and puts her hands in her pockets. "I'm Eren. What's your name?"

"Tony, ma'am." All hail fake names.

Eren hums. "Tony... that reminds me of someone... not pleasant."

"I'm sorry?"

Eren continues walking. "Nothing to be sorry for."

They walk in silence for a while.

Eventually Eren speaks up again. "Are you wondering why I had you come with me?"

"A little bit." A lot, really a lot. Zeus' beard, I hope this isn't a trap...

Eren smiles, amused. "You have an air of... power around you. Quite a bit like the winter soldier."

Percy's steps falter. "So you... had me come with you because I... emit the same... aura as the winter soldier?"

"Exactly. I also need an... escort."

"Escort for what?"

"There's a test I'd like to run. I've wanted to experiment with it for a while, but I never found who-" She clears her throat, "What I need. I've had trouble finding the right... ingredients but I stumbled upon it yesterday."

"I'm glad?"

Eren laughs. Her eyes gleam, as if she knows something he doesn't. A strange expression crosses her face and she slips something in Percy's shirt pocket. Percy reaches for it but Eren grabs his hand.

Percy freezes, quite uncomfortable.

Eren chuckles and stops walking. "I'm afraid you can't touch what's in your pocket yet." She shakes her head. "It's quite unfortunate, we could have had so much fun..."

Percy tilts his head. "What?"

Eren leans closer to Percy. She whispers in his ear, "If only you hadn't..."

Percy feels a sharp pinch in his neck and he tries to back away from Eren, but his muscles seem to have grown weak.

Eren strokes Percy's hair, "If only you hadn't escaped."

Percy's world slowly turns black and he crumbles towards the floor.

The last thing he remembers is Eren standing over him, smoking a cigarette.

∆∆∆
Five hours later
∆∆∆

The last thing Tony wanted to do was get another phone call. He was trying to find his kidnapped nephew for goodness sake! Could he get a bit of peace? But there was a small voice in his head telling him that if he ignored even just one call, that call might be Percy.

He buries his head in his hands and groans. "J, who is it?"

"Unknown number, sir."

"Answer it and put it on speaker."

Raspy breathing comes from the other side and Tony looks up, his eyebrows drawn together in confusion. "Hello?"

"Uncle Tony?" The voice whimpers.

Tony sits straight up and hits the alert button, telling the team to come to the conference room. "Yeah! Yeah, kid. It's me."

He begins typing rapidly on his computer, trying to trace the call.

Natasha and Clint run in, looking around. They pause when they see the phonecall on the screen.

"Uncle Tony, it's all my fault." Percy whispers, his voice raspy as if he'd been crying.

Tony glances at Natasha and Clint. "What's all your fault?"

"I killed them, Uncle Tony." Percy, whispers in a horror filled voice. "I killed 'em."

Steve and Bruce walk in, wondering what's going on. Natasha quietly briefs them.

Tony's eyes widen and he stops typing. "Why... why did you kill them?"

"They were... they were going to wake up later. They were all gonna come after me."

"You had no choice, Percy. You did what you had to do."

Percy's voice cracks. "That doesn't make it any easier." His breathing quickens, "I gotta go." He whispers.

"No! No, Percy, do not hang up!"

Natasha's eyes narrow. "Percy, what's going on? Why are you whispering?"

Percy whimpers softly. "Because..." his voice cracks. "I think there's something in here with me."

The phone line goes dead.