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The first time Danny was rescued, he died minutes after his hands were unbound. Wolverine turning around and driving his claws straight through Danny’s skull. Nothing he could have done about it. He would not remember the look on Logan’s face, but he did remember the feeling of betrayal and confusion as it happened.

He had woken up at the start again. Dangling uselessly in the air, waiting for rescue to come.

-

The second, third and fourth time Danny was rescued, it had been Spider-Man who killed him. Danny wasn’t fast enough to defend himself, he had expected Logan to move, so Spider-Man’s strike caught him off guard. Even after the third time, after he already prepared himself for Spidey’s attack.

He woke up at the start. His mind left reeling every time.

-

The fifth time Danny was rescued, he tried to talk. The second he opened his mouth, Wolverine had impaled it with his claws. It would be one of the more painful deaths, Danny would find out.

-

Six, seven, eight and nine all ended the same way. Danny opened his mouth, a bullet or shield or claws would take out his mouth.

He didn’t try it again after he could still taste the blood in his mouth in attempt ten.

-

The next 33 times Danny was freed from his binds by Luke, he didn’t sway from his friend’s side; if someone would have his back, it would be Luke. But it didn’t seem to matter. Spider-Man had long range attacks. His webs simply sticking Danny to the walls and having Wolverine or Captain America finish him off.

He tried to meet Luke’s eyes.

Luke stared back; his eyes indifferent to his friend’s murder.

His expression was the only thing Danny could see for the next dozen tries.

-

Not much changed. Danny kept failing to stay alive. But it got worse on attempt 126. Wolverine had managed to pin Danny on the ground after Danny managed to knock out Spider-Man. But death didn’t immediately follow. Captain America’s gun was still pointed on him, but no shots were fired.

He glanced at Bucky, but he was looking at Luke.

Danny’s stomach dropped.

Luke approached Danny’s prone form. He wanted to scream, plead, beg Luke to stay back. But all the words died in his throat.

He closed his eyes. He wouldn’t look. He couldn’t look.

“I’m sorry.”

It was the first time Luke had killed him.

-

Attempts 127 through 158 were short lived.

Luke freed him. He walked a bit with his rescuers. Spider-Man or Wolverine killed him. Danny refused to fight back.

He couldn’t get himself to meet Luke’s eyes.

-

The 159th time Iron Fist was unbound, he didn’t move. It was as if a mental switch had been flipped.

Spider-Man paused—staring at him consideringly. Probably planning on how to kill him this time.

Iron Fist threw a punch towards Wolverine—catching the man off-guard. His punch would have connected, but Spider-Man had barely managed to intercept the blow. The web he shot successfully pinning Danny’s arm to the ground. He stared up at Spider-Man with poorly contained fury.

Spider-Man’s eyes were blown wide; they were almost taking over his entire face.

“Wow man, calm down! We’re the good guys! Bad guys don’t walk around in colors like these.” He gestured at his bright attire. “Except maybe Luke, but ignore him.”

Danny had been ignoring Luke. But now that Spidey mentioned him.

He met Luke’s eyes, and the fight drained out of him.

“I… What am I doing?”

Captain America’s shot echoed through the room and Danny opened his eyes. His hands bound once again. Luke’s confused and pitying expression burning in his eyes.

-

The second time Iron Fist considered striking first was on attempt 169. Spider-Man paused again. Danny remembered Luke’s expression.

He didn’t even try to dodge—didn’t move as he let Spider-Man kill him.

-

Attempt 180. Iron Fist decided to go for Spider-Man first. He failed. He died.

-

Attempt 185. He got freed. He gathered up his chi and Spider-Man turned on full alert. He struck through the heart. Just like he had done to Shou-Lao.

Wolverine and Captain America turned to him. He wasn’t quite fast enough to take out Wolverine before Captain America’s shield knocked him out. He hadn’t looked at Luke at all.

-

Attempt 208 and he managed to take out Wolverine for the first time. Taking out Spider-Man had become easier; the man was never ready for the first blow.

He had used Captain America’s shield to take out the mutant. It seemed to be the only thing strong enough to do so.

Captain America’s bullet hit its mark. Iron Fist woke up bound once again.

-

It took him until attempt 270 before he managed to repeat what he had done in attempt 208. Captain America always seemed to catch on what Iron Fist was going to do with his shield, so he primarily used his guns. Iron Fist was still struggling to deal with those.

He hadn’t looked at Luke for over 100 attempts.

-

275. He was pretty sure he could get the Captain to throw the shield if he went for him first while ignoring Wolverine entirely—then taking the shield and taking out Wolverine with it.

He could deal with the bullets later.

For now, he would follow the new script. He waited for Luke to unbind him again.

-

290. He could now consistently take out Wolverine. The bullets were still a problem.

He didn’t even think about Spider-Man anymore.

He still couldn’t look Luke in the eyes.

-

301. The bullets could be punched back with a chi–powered fist. He just needed to find the time to power it.

-

309. If he managed to start powering-up his fist while he threw the shield to take out Wolverine, he had just enough chi build up to deflect the bullets.

He was not ready for the second round of shots.

-

312. The bullets hit the Captain’s shoulder. Iron Fist still died. But if he just managed to reflect the bullets a little bit more to the left… and then if he could just manage to do that consistently.

He woke up to loop 313 with determination rushing through his veins.

-

313. He missed the shield throw, he died.

-

314. The Captain layed dead at his feet. The hole in his head still leaking blood from the bullet he fired himself.

There was now only one breathing organism left in the room aside from himself.

Luke hadn’t moved. He was just staring at him with an angry look in his eyes.

Iron Fist tried to rush him.

Danny fell to his knees before he got within 3 feet of him. “Help me.” He whispered, staring at the ground.

“Of course.”

He woke up to Luke unbinding him.

-

Loop… something. He stopped counting. It didn’t matter.

The people in front of him were enemies. He was aware of that; they weren't.

Spider-Man was first. He always was first. If he didn’t strike him down first, he would lose.

A clean strike through the heart. It reminded him of something. He brushed it off. He continued.

Wolverine was attacking. Iron Fist jumped over him to rush Captain America, who retaliated by throwing his shield. His consistent mistake.

Taking out Wolverine with the shield felt like muscle memory. Deflecting the bullets required a bit more focus.

Luke was attacking him. Iron Fist dodged. Finally looked at him.

“No…” Danny deactivated his fist. “Something is terribly wrong with me, Luke.” He bowed his head in front of his friend. “Help me. Please, help me.”

“Gladly.”

Danny felt Luke’s hands on his face. The split second of pain going through his neck.

He woke up. Bounded. Waiting to kill his enemies once again.

-

He awoke once again with the ghost of Luke’s hands on his face. He blinked a few times.

His rescuers approached him.

“Hey man,” Luke spoke up as he approached the binds. He had never spoken before. “Sorry we’re so late.”

“Stand back.” Wolverine commanded. Luke stepped back. Iron Fist blinked at them a few times. This wasn’t how this was supposed to go. They weren’t supposed to talk.

Snikt.

His hands were freed by a quick swipe of Wolverine’s claws.

Iron Fist blinked a few times. He stared at Luke. Luke stared back; Iron Fist searched his expression, but couldn’t find anything but kindness, compassion and determination.

Danny couldn’t take his eyes off of it. He couldn’t do anything like this. He wanted to permanently burn the sight into his eyes. He couldn’t stand to see it transform back into the apathy or anger he was so used to seeing.

So Danny followed as his rescuers led him through the hallways; sneaking glances at Luke’s face whenever he could. He only stopped when Luke’s expression slowly morphed into poorly hidden concern.

He wanted to preserve his previous expression, not this one.

He waited for death.

They continued walking.

He waited for death.

They continued walking.

He waited for death.

The sun was blinding.

Danny stopped dead in his tracks. He hadn’t seen the sun in… well, a very long time.

This loop was cruel.

“One of you, carry the kid. We can’t afford to waste time here.” Wolverine spoke up when it seemed like Danny wasn’t going to move. Danny felt a spike of anger at being called “kid”—he had killed Logan multiple times—but the sun on his skin washed the anger away.

“Okay!” Spidey bounced towards him. Danny felt his fist flare up on instinct, he wasn’t planning on using it, though, he had already accepted the way this loop would go.

“Nevermind!” Spidey jumped back, out of direct range; Danny’s fist losing its glow as he did.

Spider-Man had never backed down from the kill before.

Danny felt very wrong footed. Nothing was going the way it was supposed to.

“Luke, you know him best. You carry him.” Captain America ordered.

“Man, are you forreal?” Luke complained.

Wolverine walked closer to Danny. Danny’s fist flared yellow. Wolverine stepped back. Danny’s fist returned to normal.

“Okay, I see your point.”

Luke approached Danny, his hands held out—palms facing forwards—as if Danny was a frightened animal. It made something in Danny break. He was more like a startled predator, he did not deserve this treatment from Luke. He deserved to be dead right about now.

Luke was in front of him. The scene was familiar. Danny bowed his head, waiting for death to come—as it had every time before.

“Hey man,” Luke greeted Danny—breaking the script. “If I see any pictures of this I will know who to kill,” he threatened the rest of the group.

Danny closed his eyes. Luke’s kind expression still burned in his memories.

Luke’s hands touched his skin.

Suddenly he was lifted from the ground. His head pressed into Luke’s black shirt.

“Bridal-carry style? Luke, you are not beating those allegations,” Spidey commented.

Danny felt Luke tense. He prepared for death. Luke relaxed again. Danny wasn’t sure what to think.

“That’s why I said ‘no pictures’. I’m not gonna make him dizzy by going with the fireman-carry.” Luke responded. They all started walking again.

“What allegations?” Bucky eventually asked, breaking the silence that had settled over the group.

“Oh!” Spidey immediately started—drawing out a groan from both Luke and Logan. “So a lot—I mean—some people think that Luke and Danny are… well… sleeping together.”

“Oh.” Bucky didn’t offer anything else. Luke wasn’t responding at all. Danny was still kind of waiting for the loop to end.

“But Luke and Jessica Jones are dating, so people are split on whether Luke is cheating on her; if she’s aware and okay with it; or if they’re just straight up a throuple.” Spidey continued.

“Oh.” Bucky responded again.

“I’m not cheating on Jess. People are crazy.” Luke grumbled. It made his chest vibrate. Danny didn’t want to lose this comfortable feeling.

“I know that!” Spidey immediately tried to clear his name. “That’s why I’m on team throuple.” He spoke confidently.

The absurdness of it all drew a laugh out of Danny. He pressed his eyes closed, waiting for his mouth to be shot off or pierced through.

Nothing came. Just the relieved sigh from both Spidey and Luke.

“So he’s not that far gone.” Logan remarked, sounding satisfied.

Danny didn’t want to open his eyes. He was still waiting for death.

He nodded off in Luke’s arms.

-

He woke up. His hands were unbound.