Gojo lay half-buried in the rubble, the last traces of dust settling around him like a fading storm cloud. His white hair, disheveled and streaked with grime, caught the fractured light above as he cracked one eye open.
A low hum filled the air, followed by the sharp whine of repulsors. Gojo's gaze sharpened as a gleaming red-and-gold figure descended toward him, the angular lines of the Iron Man suit gleaming with heat. As the boots touched down with a soft thud, the faceplate slid back, revealing Tony Stark's face — a smirk already dancing across his lips.
"Well, well, look who's still breathing" Tony began, arms crossing over his chest. "Most people when they're bored play chess, drink maybe binge-watch Netflix... you, though? You go and rearrange the skyline. What is this, a mid-life crisis or a new abstract art project?"
Gojo's lips curled into a tired grin. As he pushed himself up, wincing slightly, he chuckled under his breath. "Good to see you too, Tony."
Dusting off his tattered trousers, Gojo turned to glance at the wreckage around them buildings all gone by now , glass glittering like shattered stars on the ground, and the ground cracked and cratered in most parts of the city. His voice light, almost amused, he gestured with a sweeping motion.
"Pardon the…" he paused, searching for the word, "…redecoration."
Tony let out a low whistle, shaking his head. "Redecoration? You're worse than Thor on a bender. Remind me not to invite you to any house parties."
Gojo opened his mouth to reply, but before he could speak, a sharp bamf echoed nearby, followed by a gust of displaced air. Kurt materialized in a blur of blue smoke, Rogue clinging tightly to his arm. The second her boots hit the ground, she bolted toward Gojo, nearly tackling him with the force of her hug.
"Are you okay?" she asked breathlessly, her voice cracking with relief.
Gojo gave her a warm, gentle smile, his tone soft as he hugged her back. "Yeah... I'm good. See?" He stepped back and spun in a slow 360, arms out. "No injuries."
The rest of the X-Men weren't far behind. Logan grunted as he stepped over broken concrete, his sharp eyes narrowing at the carnage. "Well, bub... I gotta give it to you." He looked around, gesturing to the chaos. "You sure know how to make an entrance... or an exit. Or... whatever the hell this is."
Tony smirked, cutting in before Logan could finish. "Honestly, at this point, I'm thinking Gojo's just allergic to intact city blocks, first with graviton and now this."
Storm exhaled sharply, folding her arms as she cast Tony an unimpressed glare.
Storm crossed her arms, her expression stern. "We are wasting time. This isn't the place to joke."
Beast stepped forward, eyes wide with a mix of admiration and scientific curiosity. "Gojo, that was... extraordinary. You held off Magneto alone and" he gestured to the flattened cityscape, "leveled an entire city in the process."
Jean, standing off to the side, stared at Gojo with a mix of concern and awe. Scott stood beside her, frowning in thought but said nothing.
Storm's voice cut through, sharp and clipped. "Where is Magneto?"
Gojo's smile faltered. The brightness in his eyes dimmed for a moment, and he seemed to weigh his words carefully before answering in a low, almost distant voice.
"Gone."
Tony's comms crackled as Nick Fury's voice filled the space, harsh and demanding.
"Gone? How the hell is he gone? What happened down there, Stark? And why the hell did we lose the feed again? I sent you in because we had another blackout. What the hell buried him this time?"
Before Tony could respond, a sharp shout erupted from behind them.
"Put your hands up! Step away from the mutant!"
A squad of SHIELD agents, fully armed and armored, poured into the scene. At their front was agent Rumlow.
Logan snarled, baring his teeth. "What the hell does the council and fury want with the bub?"
Tony's gaze sharpened. "Fury didn't send them. I came here. What's your name, Agent...?"
The lead agent snapped back, "Rumlow. Agent Rumlow."
Tony's repulsors whined as they powered up, the glow intensifying. His voice rang sharp with authority.
"Okay, Agent Rumble-Low, that's enough. Fury gave you an order stand down."
Rumlow didn't flinch, his gun still leveled at Gojo. "Our orders come from the World Council. He's to come with us into custody. Now."
Gojo tilted his head, narrowing his gaze as if truly seeing the man for the first time. His voice calm, he asked, "What's your name again?"
"Rumlow."
Gojo stared at him for a long moment, a flicker of something dangerous in his eyes. Then, with a wry grin, he said, "Ah, that's it I remember now... Crossbones."
Confusion rippled through the group. Logan's brow furrowed, and even Tony paused.
"Crossbones?" Tony echoed, raising an eyebrow.
Gojo just smirked, waving it off. "Forget it. I'm tired."
He turned, stepping forward, but the agents tensed, weapons snapping up again. Rumlow's voice barked out, sharp and commanding.
"I said halt!"
Gojo's steps slowed. Rogue's hands clenched into fists. Kurt shifted, ready to teleport. Logan's growl deepened.
Tony's voice cut through the rising tension, calm but edged with warning.
"I really wouldn't piss him off if I were you."
The agents took another step
And then it happened.
A single word echoed in their minds.
"Sleep."
As if a puppeteer had snipped their strings, the entire squad collapsed in unison. Weapons clattered. Boots thudded against the broken ground. Silence followed.
The team stared, wide-eyed.
Jean's voice broke the stillness, quiet and almost hesitant. "That... wasn't me."
She slowly lifted a hand, pointing at Gojo, whose expression had gone blank, his gaze distant.
He let out a tired sigh, running a hand through his hair before turning to Tony.
"Tell Fury to keep a better eye on his men... especially Agent Rumble over there."
Tony blinked, then smirked. "Yeah. I'll pass that along... and Gojo, Fury would like to have a word in private."
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