#magic attacks

He’d only been at the mall with Wanda because he figured she’d know better than him what to get Marissa and Hope, clothes wise. He wanted them to have something new and pretty for the party with Trip’s pack on New Years’ Eve. She was often the one to take them clothes shopping, for those ‘girls’ day’ trips with Pepper (who was in California for a series of meetings for their facility there) and Natasha (who was on a mission for five more days).

Sighing, Tony pulled his tie loose and dropped it on the ground. He toed off his shoes, ignoring the incredulous, confused look Wanda was giving him.

“What are you-” she finally started to ask when he pulled his shirt off.

“If he starts to look like he’s going to be paying attention, distract him. Just… keep him monologuing, if you can.” He shoved his slacks down, and shifted.

The scent of magic was even stronger - and almost burned smelling, like explosions, maybe that was what magic-on-magic battles smelled like, interesting - and it made Tony want to sneeze. He resisted as best he could.

The best thing going for him was the element of surprise. The magician wouldn’t expect a ‘wolf to pounce - and at least like that, Tony had teeth and claws.

Of course, the magician still had magic. Bucky would not be pleased about this kind of risk-taking.

Nor would Steve, which meant a double-lecture in Tony’s future.

Couldn’t be helped.

He crept around a fake plant area of the mall center - big like a fountain area would be, but no water, no earth-smell. Good cover. It allowed him to get both closer to the magician, and on his side. Tony settled closer to the ground and waited, calculated. Most of the civilians had long-ago taken cover. There was no way to know if any of the team were on their way or how long till they got there, and waiting was risky.

Tony adjusted, tensing, waiting for the right-

He lunged.

The taste of blood didn’t really bother Tony - he’d hunted little rabbits, deer sometimes. He’d defended himself before, too. He didn’t like it, either, especially when he knew it was coming from a person, even if he was doing it for a good reason.

He let go, then bit down again, tearing the flesh of the magician’s arm worse. He tried to dig his claws in past thick cloth.

He could smell magic swelling, growled at the feeling of it raising his hackles.

It burned.

Snarling, Tony bit again, new flesh, and yanked, tearing. The magician screamed, rage-pain-fear in the sound and his scent.

The burning was getting worse.

Just when Tony was thinking this was going to get particularly bad, there was the sense of another person standing over them, and then-

The magician went unconscious. Tony waited a moment, then slowly let go and stepped off the body.

Wanda was panting, eyes wide, some warped piece of metal in her hands. Tony vaguely wondered where she’d gotten it, but didn’t worry - he’d find out later, during debrief probably.

He laid out on the floor, blessedly cool.

After a moment, Wanda crouched down next to him, hands hovering, a worried frown on her face. “Someone with magical abilities will have to heal these burns,” she murmured. “I’m not very good at it - and I used the last of my strength until I’ve more energy breaking that bench leg off.”

Ah - metal piece explained.

She sat down with a sigh and little grace. After a brief hesitation, she stroked through the fur at his neck carefully - maybe because she wasn’t sure of her welcome, maybe in consideration of these magic burns he’d gotten.

“Thank you, Tony,” she said quietly.