Chapter Text
Stiles doesn’t take burglar cases. Five years in the Force and two years being a detective, he has concentrated on the ones that have high possibility of supernatural connections like kidnapping, missing person and murder. It is after all the primary reason why he joined the Force. To be that person who can meddle between the human and supernatural worlds and exact a just and unbiased judgment. To stir hunters in the right path and also provide a sanctuary for innocent supernaturals.
And now looking at his case at hand, Stiles knows that there is something big that's going to happen. It doesn't hurt that he recognizes some magical residue remaining at the crime scene. A jewelry store has been emptied of all its precious stones, all security cameras are busted as if it has been clubbed by an angry caveman. But they managed to capture the face of the burglar.
Stiles has traced several similar cases across the states. And he has a very strong suspicion that the next hit will be in New York. It is the closest and the burglar has been steadily working a path to it. That's why he contacted NYPD and stayed at a crappy hotel.
He is right about New York being the next hit. But the burglar doesn't exactly came to steal some new shiny stones. It’s a little messier than that.
It turns out the burglar is actually an Earth Mage and he uses the jewelries as powerhouse for his stone golems and is now terrorizing New York. This is way beyond his paycheck.
The Mage declares war against NYPD for imprisoning his lover and threatens to destroy New York if they don't give him back his man. Love does make you do crazy things. But this guy has taken it to a whole new level. Like national threat level.
NYPD immediately responds, heading to the rampaging Mage and setting up the perimeter. Stiles tags along a cruiser. His dad will be so mad at him. He is sure he's watching and he'll definitely see his only son on national television, tangling with a murderous mage.
The mess get uglier when the NYPD chief refuses to release his lover. The Mage summons more golems and orders with a gleeful and maniacal cackle to destroy everything.
NYPD gallantly fights back. But they are way out of their league. The bullets simply ricochet or just got absorbed. Stiles is very tempted to sing Bulletproof.
Suddenly, the golems are being blasted away and explosions simultaneously go off. The Avengers finally arrives! And crowd booms a louder cheer. Hulk jumps on top of golem and pounds it. Shield cut off a golems arm and a hammer smashes through a column of them.
The Mage laughs manically. "You think it is that easy, don't you? My golems cannot be defeated."
The rocks starts to float and reform into its monstrous form. He makes more, bigger and stronger ones. And in no time, the fight was in his favor. The Avengers are losing big time.
Stiles can't stay quiet anymore. He stands up and runs into the fray. Several officers calls him back, that he can't do anything. Ironically, he may be the only one who can do something.
Stiles pulls out his other gun, the one which he reserves specially for this kind of situation. Stiles took a deep breath and let his magic flow into his gun. He whispers, “Shatter.” He can feel that click that tells him his magic is working.
Stiles shoots the nearest one, aiming for the precious gem glinting brightly in contrast with the rest of its rough, unpolished body. It shatters and loses its unnatural brilliance and the golem breaks down into rubbles. It doesn't reformed again.
"Booyah!" Stiles cheers. He hasn't been in a target range for a month. It might be the best time for a shooting spree.
Steve can see that they are at a tight spot. The monster rocks keeps reforming and the man controlling them have a shield that neither Thor nor Tony can penetrate.
"What the hell?" Ironman curses through their coms. "Cap, five o'clock."
Steve turns to see a police officer shooting a golem. The golem breaks down and the surprising thing is it doesn't reform.
"How'd he do that?" Iron man asks.
"I don't know. But I'm going to find out." Steve strikes his shield on the golem and then bounds after the officer.
"Officer! How did you do that?"
The officer turns and Steve feels like the whole world stop. There he was the young man who helped him once upon a time.
“You see those shiny gemstones?” The officer asks.
"Yes." Steve can see them glinting clearly.
"They're like batteries. Break them-" the officer shoots a golem right at the gemstone and it drops into a pile of lifeless unmoving rocks. "and they break apart."
Steve nods and touches his earpiece. "Avengers, focus on the gemstones in their bodies. It's their battery. Break them and they won't reform."
Steve decides to stay with the officer and covers him. The police officer decimates more golems than all of the Avengers put together.
But then, Steve’s shield got stock on a golem and he can’t take it back. And suddenly, he can't move and his life is being squeezed out of him. He can hear the sickening crunch of his own bones. Pain flares, burning and wild. White splashes across his vision.
He sees the young officer, he seems to be shouting, arguing with someone. But he can't focus. The pain is just too much and everything else is fading. There's ringing in his ears...
It feels like one of those movies. Stiles sees the exact moment the golem grabs Steve like some rug doll and tightens its hold. The super soldier grimices in pain. He doesn't scream not even when Stiles can hear the bones snapping, breaking and crunching into pieces. Stiles almost hurls everything he ate that morning.
He sees the agony on Captain America's face and it springs him into action.
"Let him go!" Stiles shouts. He can't see its power source. He shoots the golem in the head. The bullets only embeds in the concrete. Stiles fires until his magazine is empty but it won't break apart. "Damn it! He got nothing to do with your boyfriend."
"I don't care! I'll kill anyone who stands on my way.” And true to his words he commands his golem to kill Steve. It tightens its grip and Steve screams in pain. Something in Stiles snaps.
Fuck it. Stiles doesn’t care if his powers got revealed on national television. Stiles has no choice but to use it now. The life of Captain America is much more important. Stiles takes a vial and a small blade costumized to be fastened on his belt holster. Using his thumb he opens the vial. Then he slices his left hand until he draws out blood. He let it fall inside the vial and drenches the mountain ash inside it. The powder of mountain ash starts to glow blue and Stiles finally feels that click that means his magic has slotted in all the right places.
“Last chance to surrender.” Stiles offers to the mage.
“Never!” The mage bellows angrily. And the golems come bounding to crush him.
“Get out there!” He hears Ironman's warning. He can also hear the crowd calling him to move out of the way. But he stands fast, righteous fury surging in his vein.
Stiles points the opening of the vial to Steve. “Crumble.” Stiles whispers. A continuous stream of black power rapidly shoots out of the vial and creates a tidal wave of black powder. It swallows the golem attacking him. It races across the streets, leaving piles of lifeless rocks.
“NO!!!!” The mage screeches, hurling a spell to Stiles. Mountain ash surges up and intercepts the spells.
The mage becomes more outraged. He blindly fires spell after spell at Stiles. But the mountain ash continues to intercept it.
Stiles clenched his hands into fists. The mountain ash engulfs the mage and forms a coffin like box to contain him.
"You hurt an innocent." Stiles states. "You are no longer worthy of your gift." And he proceeds to take away that spark of power and makes him into a human. Stiles hates this part but sometimes it is necessary. He diverts the spark to the Earth, letting her take back what she had generously given.
When he is done, the mountain ash glows blue and disperse into the wind, fading as it goes back to nature.
Stiles puffs a heavy breath and he comes back from the high of using such potent and surmount power. His fingers are shaking, his knees are weak but he can still move, albeit barely. All he wants is to pass out. He has never used that much power in all his magical life.
The Avengers are gathered around Captain America. The hulk has changed back to Doctor Banner who is now applying first aide on Steve. He sprints to them.
"I can help." Stiles said. Everyone looks at him unsure. He didn't wait for them to agree. He pushes forward and kneels beside the injured hero..
The super soldier is breathing quick and shallow. Some bones are sticking out of his chest and his sides. His arms are bent and segmented unnaturally. Blood, warm and dark, is pooling around him.
Stiles immediately hold his hand and wraps thier hands with his magic, making it visibly glow.
"What are you doing?" Hawkeye asks, an arrow pointing at his head.
"I'm binding his soul to mine. Temporarily. So when his body gives, he won't die." Stiles says sincerely. Stiles hover his free hand over Steve’s heart and from there he traces his life force.
Stiles can’t help but hiss a horrified, “Shit.” Every internal organ is damaged and most of them are beyond repair and so much blood is lost.
“What's happening?” Black Widow asks.
“There’s too much damage. I don’t have enough magic to heal him.”
“Can’t you just heal the important parts?” Ironman asked.
Stiles shakes his head. This couldn’t be it for Steve G. Rogers, the man who saved the world. The Fates can’t be this cruel. Something has to give. The soldier deserves to live. Steve deserves a happy ending.
Stiles makes a decision. He will save Steve, even if it’s the last thing he’ll do.
Stiles summons his life force. He feels like his body is burning, like those suicide run where you kept running even if your lungs and muscle are protesting for you to stop. Stiles starts to glow white and he gathers the light to the palms of his hands. He places it over Steve’s heart.
“What’s going on?” Hawkeye asks.
“I’m healing him.”
“But you said-“
“I know. But I figured it out.” Stiles smirks through the pain. Every heart beat stabs like a knife. “I won’t let him die. I refuse to accept it. The Fates can kiss my ass.”
Stiles places his palm on Steve’s chest and he wills his life force to heal what has been hurt. To change the Fates’ design. The bones jutting out goes back to where it should be, wounds start to close and bruises begin to fade.
Stiles can feel the blood vessels in his head throbbing painful. His skin feels like being seared by fire. Just a little more, Stiles encourage himself and pours more of his life force into Steve. Steve gasps and he suddenly sits up, whole and healed.
“Thank you.” He said, marveling at his recovery.
“Anything for you, Cap.”
Stiles stands up but he sways a little. Thor steadies him. Stiles smiles thankfully at the God of Thunder.
“I guess my work here is done.” He gives cocky salute before he walks away.
He sees the NYPD officers looking at him with awe.
“He doesn’t have powers anymore.” He tells the Chief. He slowly ambles away from the scene. He catches a cab and goes back to his hotel. It doesn’t even take a minute before he passes out due to exhaustion. He is distantly aware of his phone ringing. But he just took down an Alpha Level threat and heal Captain America. He’s tired. Everything can wait until he gets his rest.