Healing the Broken

[byok]

healing the broken meme a shipping meme The events of many canons have left its characters ravaged, unable to be the whole people they once were. They can never go back to the innocence they had before. However, they can find someone who can pull you back from the brink. Some say love can conquer all ills and cure all broken people - the jury is still out on that, but enough people subscribe to the notion that it may have some merit. With the right affection behind it, can it be the elixir to heal traumas or mend angst? For this meme, it can be. No matter what your what your problem is, from daddy issues to being mind controlled to hating all humans or being just a jerk, all you need is healing from the right person. All in all? This is a shameless meme playing with the idea of "cured by love." Love it or hate it, it's prevalent in fiction, both fan and published. And sometimes, no lie, you just want to play it and not be judge for the pure shlock you know it to be. Here is the place; now is the time. However, you don't have to go for unrealistic escapism. One partner trying to help the other through trauma is not an easy task, and there are bound to be setbacks, resistance, and hurt feelings. And what if BOTH partners are a little bit broken? Can they survive together, or will they bring each other down? how to play - Comment with your character and preferences. Feel free to talk about your character's problems. You might also want to mention if your character is the one who needs to be healed or can do the healing. Or perhaps you and your thread partner can play two roughed up characters learning to trust again! - Reply to others.

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[im_ironman]

"Yeah? What are your remedies? Because I've tried pretty much all of them and they don't work."

His lab was too quiet. Not because of the lack of blaring music, or machinery clanking in the background. Jarvis was gone, really gone, and he had almost ended the world. Images of the wormhole kept coming to mind, and Pepper was getting sick of everything, and--

"Tasing me until I pass out doesn't count, by the way."

[avengeme]

"No. Really?" He feigned disappointment with an exaggerated scowl before regarding Tony a bit more solemnly. "Companionship and lots of alcohol. I'm sure you've tried that already but, sorry to say, they weren't me."

[im_ironman]

Tony stayed still, his eyes suddenly on Coulson. As if trying to figure out whether or not he was serious, or if he was just trying to see how far gone he really was.

Coulson wasn't flinching, though, or backtracking. Which maybe didn't mean much, considering his line of work, but still. "...you're serious?

[avengeme]

It's a little bit of both. Facing death has had a huge impact on his outlook on life, so maybe he is a little different from the Agent Coulson of yore.

"Deadly," he answers with a faint smile. "So what's really bothering you?"

[im_ironman]

Tony nodded slowly, looking away. He didn't turn back to Coulson for a moment, as if weighing his options before downing his drink.

"Did you hear how Ultron came about?"

[avengeme]

Coulson waited, taking slow sips of his drinks. He tilted his head slightly as if thinking.

"All I know is you created it." A statement. Pure fact. No judgement or accusation. He figured Tony got enough of that from himself.

[im_ironman]

"Yep. I did." He set his glass on the nearest table and scrubbed a hand along his face. "I saw everyone dead. Literally, the entire team was dead at my feet. I saw what was going to happen, and I didn't--... I didn't hesitate. All I wanted to do was stop it."

He glanced towards the computer monitor, where Jarvis' schematics were. He was gone. He was gone, and...

"They're all alive, but there was still a cost to it. So many people died, Coulson. I keep trying to stop the blood from spilling with whatever I touch, and it just doesn't."

[avengeme]

The twins. He'd read up on the files Maria shared with him. He listened and was silent for a moment. Then he leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees.

"The road to Hell is paved with good intentions." He let out a breath. "Describes people like us to a tee." He can't say it wasn't his fault. Because it was. It was going to be something Tony had to live with for the rest of his life. "What do you plan to do about it?"

[im_ironman]

Tony huffed out a breath that was very similar to a bitter chuckle, because he sure as hell wasn't wrong. The road to Hell really was paved with good intentions, and he was sick of how bloody he was turning it with every step that he was taking.

At the question, he stayed quiet again, before slouching a little in his chair. "I need to do something good. Improve the team's suits again, give them whatever they need... And take a step back. From all this. I think Iron Man needs to take a break."

[avengeme]

"Good. That's a good step." He actually sounds sincere, which is odd considering the relationship they had before he up and died. As if to counter that, he adds a vague gesture at his own chest. "Like the new look."

[im_ironman]

The sincerity is a change, but Tony's lips twist a little in a small smile. It feels odd, to be willing to step aside and take a step down, because in a lot of ways it feels like defeat, but there's not much he can do.

At the compliment, he glances down at his chest and that's when he realizes that Coulson had missed all that. "Oh. Thanks. No more nightlight, so that's good." He drums his fingers against the spot where the reactor used to be, the sensitive skin reminding him exactly where the scars are.

"What have you been up to? How's life treating Phil Coulson these days?"

[avengeme]

"Would you believe me if I said I run SHIELD now?" He holds up a hand. "Not Hydra. SHIELD. Fury gave me the keys to the kingdom after it fell, and I've been trying to build it back up and keep it together ever since." Not exactly an easy job considering it just recently got fractured by a well-meaning group again. If not for the helicarrier he built in secret, he wasn't sure how much bigger the death toll in Sokovia would be.

[im_ironman]

"At this point I can pretty much believe anything." It's not just him being a smart ass, he's actually honest. Maybe at this point it's his lack of sleep, or how much he has been drinking the last few days, and the fact that someone he believed was dead is in his lab right now. Having a conversation with him.

No, he's not really surprised.

"How's that going?"

[avengeme]

He shrugs a little. "It's going." Not great. A little horribly but could be worse. "It's hard to beat being brought back to life with alien DNA and having someone you trust scramble your memories to make sure you don't remember the process."

So maybe they both have reasons to be broken. Coulson's just a lot more adept at... 'coping'.

[im_ironman]

Tony had been about to reach out for the bottle so he could refill his glass, but he pauses at what Coulson says. "...alien DNA. And...someone scrambled your memories? Man. You've been having it rough, too."

To prove that he sympathizes, he even offers to refill his glass as well. Because this was Tony's version of coping, as much as everyone disapproved of it.

"Is it safe to assume that was all Fury, or is there someone else in SHIELD I haven't met that can pull something like that off?"

[avengeme]

Coulson uttered a soft thanks before he leaned back with the glass again, gently swinging the contents. "It's Fury. The irony is I was the former head of the project he used to bring me back. It's a long story. We'd be here all night if we get into it."

[im_ironman]

"That is ironic. But with Fury I'm learning that I shouldn't be surprised by much anymore." He takes a sip of his drink and shrugs. "I'm not going to sleep any time soon, so I've got all night."

He wasn't going to force him to talk, though. If he didn't want to share details, he wouldn't push. Tony hated it when others did that with him, so he's not going to start to do that to Coulson.

[avengeme]

Coulson watched as the liquid swished satisfyingly in the glass, contemplating his options before saying, "the program was meant for a fallen Avenger. But the side effects were too debilitating - aphasia, catatonia, psychosis, hypergraphia... The only way around it was memory replacement." he stilled his hand. "it worked. Until I found out the truth. And found out what all the other subjects were obsessed over. Turns out having alien DNA in your blood messes with your mind, makes you carve lines and circles onto the walls until you figure it out. Drives you mad." he paused and looked over at Tony solemnly. It wasn't a story he was comfortable sharing but he figured it could count for a tit for tat kind of situation.

[im_ironman]

Tony listens carefully, and his brow furrows when he mentions that the alien DNA messed with his mind. Shit, and Fury was going to use that on someone from the team if necessary? While he's glad to see Phil back, it sucks that he had go through that, and Tony's own expression is solemn.

"I'm glad you were able to to get it fixed." Or he assumed it was fixed, considering how lucid and not-crazy he seemed right now. He stayed silent for a moment before sighing under his breath. "For what it's worth, it's good to have you back."

[avengeme]

"Yeah." Sure, he's recovered but the price they paid for messing with alien DNA, that's... another can of worms. He smiles though. "Thanks. Kind of weird being honest around you. I'm going to start thinking I'm hallucinating."

[im_ironman]

"Well that's what I was thinking for most of your visit in the beginning, so I guess it's only fair that it's your turn." He smiles, leaning back against his chair. "If you need anything... Now that I know you're alive and kicking, if you need anything, you can let me know. I can try to help."

His confidence about helping was shaken after Ultron, but at least he'd try. He couldn't at least offer even if he wasn't sure how much he could help him.

[avengeme]

Coulson smiles back. "That'd be nice. I have a lot of toys and a solid team but things have been tough, fighting from the darkness. Who knows, maybe just meeting you will be a good motivator"

Regardless of what he's done, he is still Tony Stark. "If you're up for it."

[im_ironman]

That part is actually surprising, and it's probably a good thing he hadn't taken another sip of his scotch yet otherwise he would probably be choking on it. Because, even if he's Tony Stark, after what happened in Sokovia...

Well. The last thing that Tony feels he can be is a motivator of any kind.

"If you think it'll help," he just answers after a moment with a nod. And he means it. He hadn't been lying when he said he would try to help him if he needed it, and if that's what he needs, then sure. He'll do it. "I don't have to prep a speech, do I?"

That part is said more jokingly than anything, as if trying to make the conversation a little lighter at least in some way.

[avengeme]

Coulson is more than aware of Iron Man's tarnished reputation, it's why he's here after all. But he thinks it'll be a good boost for both his team and Tony to get to talk, for the heroes behind the scenes to speak to the one always standing in the limelight and scrutinized.

"If you're sure you're going to actually read from it." so maybe he's still holding that whole 'I'm iron man' thing against him.

[im_ironman]

"Where's the fun in that?"

It's said with a smirk, the heaviness that he had felt at the pit of his stomach easing up long enough to make him look all too proud of himself. Because he remembers that press conference all too well, and the look on Coulson's face after he walked off the podium.

"But, I'll do my best."