#post age of ultron
Text
You're Not Alone
master list
dark master list
Post Age of Ultron (WandaNat)
Summary: Wanda discovers a secret about The Black Widow after a mission.
Word Count: 4.5K
Content: Talks of Hydra, The Red Room, Feelings, Tramua and flashbacks.
Wanda was still learning a lot since moving to America and becoming an Avenger.
Much to the dismay of Clint Barton, she discovered how much more trashy American reality TV is compared to other countries. Choosing to watch two toxic people argue while shitfacrd was a late-night pleasure for Wanda.
She also found her niche of new sitcoms to enjoy. Ones like The Office and Parks and Rec. She tried Always Sunny, but Wanda COULD NOT get into it. That disappointed Maria Hill, who liked that one. But not as much as How I Met Your Mother.
Regardless, Malcom in the Middle was a new favorite for Wanda Maximoff.
She also found new oddities about her teammates. Like Sams love of naming his little gadgets. Steve's late-night ballroom dancing practices. Vision curiosity over his humanoid teeth and Thor's love of all things Pop-Tarts and sugary sweets before heading off-world.
Lastly, Wanda most recently discovered something about Natasha Romanoff that almost no one knew.
Natasha Romanoff had a tattoo.
Wanda couldn't believe it when she saw it. But then again, Wanda was never supposed to see it. She only happened to see it because a mission went wonky...
Since joining the team, Wanda had one goal in mind aside from the obvious for the greater good hero crap. Wanda wanted to eliminate Hydra and their bases.
Joining Hydra was a mistake. It gave her, her powers but at the cost of her young adult years. At the expense of her sanity. She lost herself and then her brother.
Now, she was slowly discovering who Wanda was. Who Wanda Maximoff wanted to be. One of the first things on that list was to take down Hydra.
So that's what led Steve, Sam, Wanda, and Natasha in route to the snowy mountains of France. It wasn't the first mission Wanda was cleared to go on. But it was the first time she was on with Natasha Romanoff.
The Black Widow.
To say Natasha intimidated the Sokovain would be an understatement. Wanda was frightened of Natasha. Even if Wanda could clearly use her powers to her advantage, she didn't want to do that anymore.
At least not to her teammates and friends.
Besides, the pair had barely spoken since the fall of Wanda's home country, but yet Natasha's red jacket still hung in Wanda's closet.
They shared the same floor and went to movie nights at the same time, but aside from a look over and a tight-lipped smile. Natasha never gave Wanda anything more.
Not even when Wanda gave everyone on the team a handwritten apology for her actions in the rise and fall of Ultron.
She never received anything back from Natasha.
And yet.
Natasha chose to sit next to Wanda on the flight to France.
Wanda smiled as the redhead looked over the younger woman. Wanda did the same as her eyes traveled over Natasha's face. She couldn't deny how beautiful the Widow was. Her green eyes and striking features were hard to look away from. But that's what benefitted Natasha when she was in the Red Room. Use any and everything to your advantage.
Natasha wasn't doing that now.
She was just being herself. She wanted to talk to Wanda.
So when she saw Wanda's eyes leave her lips and get visibly nervous, Natasha decided to speak up.
"Hi." She started. Simple enough.
"Hi." Wanda softly spoke back.
Natasha took a second before speaking.
"I want you to know that I know this isn't your first mission. But it's your first one with me since..." Wanda nodded as Natasha steadied herself. "I just want you to know that you can count on me to have your back." Wanda smiled at that. "I know you'll have mine." Natasha ended that with a reassuring nod and a look away before looking back when the witch spoke up.
"Thank you, Natasha."
"Of course."
With that, Natasha cleared her throat and started looking at her widow bites. Double-checking them. Even though they had been thoroughly looked over by the Widow herself before the team even left the compound.
Wanda didn't know what to say anyways. Everything that had just happened was shocking to her.
The most shocking part might have been when Natasha didn't leave when she got done with her gadgets; instead, she remained sat in her seat next to Wanda.
Wanda racked her brain, thinking of anything else to say, but nothing came out when she opened her mouth.
But finally, when she was about push the words "have you ever seen the Dick Van Dyke show?" through her lips, Steve called the team up to go over the mission one last time.
The mission? Infiltrate the located Hydra Base. Save prisoners, if any. Capture the goons inside and try not to kill anyone. However, if it comes to it, do what you have to.
Steve made a better speech, but you get the jist.
When the wheels touched down, the group decided to split off. Through the coms, Wanda could hear Steve and Sam finding guys left and right. But that wasn't the case for her and Natasha.
Their side of the base was empty. Cells and rooms had been cleared out, long left abandoned. Dust and dirt had gathered. Flashbacks came to the front of Wanda's mind, but she pushed down the screaming and the trauma that came with it just in time for Natasha's thoughts to be loud.
Begging for Wanda to read them.
The Black Widow tried to focus on the mission, but for the last couple of months, Natasha had been silently struggling.
After mouthing off to Capitol Hill, Natasha came to Avengers Tower under Fury's orders. She stayed and made herself useful to the cause at hand, however, before and in between Ultron happening. Natasha had thought she found solace in someone after her and Maria split. But even after Natasha begged for them to go with her. It wouldn't work.
Nothing Natasha did worked.
So when a little witch made Natasha relive her nightmares, it didn't anger Natasha. It made her feel weak and small, like she deserved it.
So all this time when, Wanda felt like Natasha wasn't making an effort or ignoring her. Wanda technically wasn't wrong. It, however, wasn't because Natasha hated Wanda she was just dealing with her own shit.
"Natasha?" Wanda whispered when she noticed that the Widow wasn't walking next to her anymore. Instead, she was severely feet back looking into a cell.
Wanda walked back and saw what Natasha was staring at. A stuffed pink bear laid face down in the middle room. Covered in dirt and dried blood.
Wanda didn't say anything. She and Natasha had lived something similar. She just forced her eyes to pull away from the bear and look at Natasha, rubbing the left side of her ribs with her right hand, mumbling something to herself before remembering where she was, and what she was supposed to be doing. She cleared her throat and looked at Wanda.
"We should get moving."
Again, Natasha's thoughts were begging to be viewed, but Wanda ignored them and followed Natasha.
"Did you find it yet?" Sams voice came over coms. "We're almost at the drives now. If there's no one to save or take, prepare to evac in five." Natasha said as she and Wanda stopped before a room storing this base's secrets.
Wanda lit up the room with her magic before deeming it safe for Natasha to flick the switch on. "Is that new?" She asked when Wanda lowered her hands. "Steve, Vision, and I have been trying to come up with inventive ways to use my powers."
Natasha nodded as she put the thumb drive into the computer in the corner of the room.
"That's right," Natasha said. "I can see you lifting him from my window." That surprised Wanda. She had no idea Natasha had been watching them after team training ended. "You're doing good." Natasha offered a genuine smile to the Sokovian, who tried her best to hide the red on her cheeks.
Natasha noticed but didn't comment on it.
Instead, she turned to look at the files loading up on the monitor. Folders and folders full of information on this Hydra bases dealings.
What test they ran. Who they tested it on. What bodies were traded for and to whom.
It was all horrible.
Natasha's eyes watched each document and picture flick by her. The progress bar at the bottom of the screen was getting closer and closer to 100% when a picture of a young blonde girl flew by.
Natasha leaned forward.
No.. It couldn't be..
Wanda saw how Natasha's whole body language changed. She saw how her green eyes changed from focused to scared. Before Wanda could comment on it. A loud bang was heard from outside the door down the hall.
Instantly, Natasha rose to her feet, gun drawn. She looked over at Wanda with raised hands. Ready to fight. Natasha nodded to Wanda and then back to the computer and whispered. "Stay here. Make sure it gets to 100% and then take it with you to the quinjet. I'll be there."
Wanda felt like she should stop Natasha. Or that they should go together, but the words never left her mouth as Natasha rounded the doorframe, disappearing from sight.
As Wanda waited, Natasha quietly stalked her way to where the noise had came from. Her breathing was slow and calculated as she kept her gun in front of her. She listened for any voices or footsteps that might give away whoever was around. But no noise was made.
Natasha turned around and was about to head back when a woman wearing a grey Hydra outfit emerged from the shadows with a gun in their hand—firing two rounds at Natasha before they took off running.
Natasha used her quick reflexes to get up onto her feet and immediately started chasing after the person who just shot at her. "I got one running west," Natasha yelled in the coms. "Heading your way, Wanda."
Wanda's head shot up at learning that piece of information, and stood up from the computer to rush out the doorway. Without thinking about Wanda used her magic to stop the Hydra agent. Immobilizing their body, sending them crashing to the floor. The gun sliding away from their hand.
Natasha stopped next to the fallen body and bent down to turn the woman's body over. Natasha saw how the woman's eyes were red. Wanda had her under. "She's scared," Wanda spoke up for the woman.
That's why she ran. Natasha thought as she looked over the woman's blonde hair and at the features on that dawned her face.
Memories came to the front of her mind as her fingers itched to touch the side of her ribs again.
Natasha shook them away and swallowed before standing back up with a groan. The sharp pain rushed through her body as the adrenaline started coming down. Natasha winced and placed her hand on her side where the pain was coming from.
"You're bleeding."
Natasha looked into Wanda's concerned green eyes and didn't move as Wanda stepped closer to her. Walking right over the now incapacitated Hydra goon. Natasha wanted to take a step back away from Wanda but froze when Wanda's soft hands placed themselves on Natasha's body. Her hands gripped Natasha's hips as she bent down to take a closer look at the wound.
"It looks like the bullet just grazed you. Did you not feel it?" Wanda looked up at Natasha, who just shrugged. "I didn't even realize."
Wanda accepted the answer because she could start to see that pushing Natasha would push her away. So, instead, Wanda nodded to herself and raised her hand to Natasha's wound.
"I've been working on something.. Do you trust me?" Wanda asked the one person whom most people could never see Natasha trusting. "Yes," Natasha said without hesitation. Wanda hid a blush at that before continuing.
She raised her hand higher and brought it closer to Natasha's bleeding side. "It won't hurt."
Natasha watched as red wisps extended themselves from Wanda's hand and landed on the marking of the bullet. Before her eyes, Natasha watched as Wanda started patching the wound as if she were stitching her body. "Oh my.. Wanda..." Natasha couldn't believe it, and yet her wound was now sown shut with a red glow around it.
Wanda looked at what she did and smiled. She was proud of herself. So when she looked up, and saw Natasha smiling back down. Wanda smiled brighter. "That's amazing," Natasha said as Wanda stood up. Her hands were still on the Widow's body. "Thank you!" Natasha looked at Wanda with newfound respect and admiration.
And before she knew it, Natasha's eyes traveled from Wanda's green eyes to her pink lips. She started scanning every inch of the Sokovain's face in a new way.
Wanda wasn't sure if what she was seeing was actually happening, so it was best not to comment on it. However, she did notice that slight fall from Natasha's lips when Wanda removed her hands from her.
"When we get back, you'll have to get it checked out. My magic won't hold it forever... At least not that I know of." Wanda chuckled at that last part, making Natasha crack a laugh for the first time in a long time.
The nice eye-darting moment between the two had to come to an end when the prisoner groaned from the floor. They were still unconscious, thanks to Wanda. But needing to be moved.
"I'll check the hard drive if you want to..." Natasha didn't need to say anymore as Wanda effortlessly lifted the prisoner with her powers. Natasha smiled at the easy use of her powers and subconsciously rubbed the side of her ribs above the area where she had been shot once again—an action Wanda had picked up on.
Perhaps it was a nervous habit of Natasha's?
Maybe a tic?
Wanda didn't know, but when she saw Natasha do it again, she sat back down in the chair in front of the monitor. The screen sitting on an image of an experiment being ran on a young kid.
The progress bar below sitting at 100%.
Wanda watched as Natasha's body tensed, followed by her thoughts becoming louder and louder.
_
The flight went by quicker than Wanda thought it would.
She wanted to sit and talk with Natasha but couldn't when Natasha landed herself in the pilot seat. Wanda was sure she wouldn't have been if the Widow told the team about her getting shot, but Natasha didn't.
Instead, when Wanda and Natasha arrived with the unconscious Hydra goon, Steve and Sam had no idea that Natasha was in a fight. Something about the coms failing right after the download started. Steve asked Natasha if she was fine, and Wanda watched her teammate lie and put on a brave face.
So Natasha flew the team back.
When they landed, Sam went to start a report on the mission while Wanda went with Steve to take the prisoner to holding. Natasha went to the medical unit to get her wound looked over.
At least, that's what Wanda thought.
To no surprise but Wandas, Natasha headed straight to her room. She locked the door and went to her bathroom. She opened a cabinet and pulled out her own med kit. She rested it on the counter as her nerves began to calm down. The pain worked its way through her soft and battered body as her suit was slowly peeled off, hitting the floor.
There, Natasha stood in her private bathroom, scanning over her semi-naked body. What's been done to it by others. What's been done is by her own hands. Scars and wounds healed but still leave a mark.
She brings her fingers up over her newest wound and lets the bit of undried blood drip onto her middle finger before she rubs it into her skin.
The red staining her.
Natasha brings her face up from her fingers to look back at the mirror. Natasha realizes just how close the bullet was. Had it been appropriately aimed and higher, it would've gone right through the middle of Natasha's first and only tattoo.
On the side of Natasha's ribs were two incredibly detailed fireflies. One was slightly bigger than the other.
"Look, forest stars!"
"Yeah! You know what? Those are actually part of the Lampyridae family. And the glow that you see, that comes from a chemical reaction called... bioluminescence... Come on time for dinner!"
"I want Mac and Cheese."
"Natasha..?"
Natasha, startled, jumped back and away from the shut bathroom door. Covering herself before, she immediately closed her eyes and got upset at her actions once she realized it was Wanda on the other side.
Had she not heard the witch enter her room?
"I was calling your name over and over, but you didn't hear me." The witch answered. "I came to check on you. I went to the medical wing and... and you never made it. So I knocked on your door before letting... myself.. in..." Wanda tried to laugh to cover the light criminal work she had done. Even then, she opened and closed her mouth, but before Natasha could do anything, Wanda asked: "Are you okay? Do you need help?"
Natasha stood with her bodysuit held in her right hand. A part of her was yelling at her to put it on and send Wanda away. Fix yourself up alone and get back to training. But there was the other half. The one who was exhausted and hurt. The one who needed help.
That voice won out.
"Wa-Wanda..." Natasha's voice was cracked before she cleared it. "Yes?" Wanda answered with a voice of surprise and concern. But then Natasha didn't speak. Instead, there was a click of the door as Natasha removed her hand from the lock. "Come in.." She quietly called out to the Sokovian, who now wore a set of grey sweats, gingerly placed her hand on the knob before turning it slowly, opening the door.
"Natasha..." Wanda hitched her breath as her eyes became focused on the woman standing before her. Only wearing a black sports bra and black shorts. Riddled with scars and bruising. A bullet wound below a black and white marking that Natashas was hiding with her hand.
Wanda took her gaze off Natasha's body and found her eyes. Taking a step forward, Natasha didn't look away from the younger woman. She didn't move. She kept her grip on her suit and waited. "Natasha?" Wanda spoke.
"Hmm?"
Wanda looked away from the Widow and picked up the Avengers-level first-aid kit. "Take a seat.." She gestured over to the edge of the counter. Natasha looked at the spot before nodding.
Cautious, she dropped the suit from her grip but kept her hand covering the tattoo.
Wanda caught onto it and wasn't sure what Natasha could possibly be hiding; after all, SHEILDS secrets had been public knowledge for the last year and a half. But Wanda wasn't going to bug her about. Right now, she just wanted to care for her teammate and friend.
So, as Wanda got closer to Natasha, Natasha sat straight up and lifted her arm up to give Wanda enough space to work. Wanda sent the older woman a flat smile and bent down slightly before starting to clean the grazed area of the bullet.
Natasha did her best not to wince or show much emotion as Wanda cleaned her up and tossed the bloodied pieces of tissues to the side. Wanda knew Natasha wouldn't, but still, she was in such close proximity to THE BLACK WIDOW, and yet she could tell something was wrong. "Natasha?" Wanda finally said when she went to stitch her up without using her powers.
"Yes?" Natasha brought her eyes to Wanda as her loud thoughts of a young blonde child slowed. "Are you okay?" Wanda asked the question that had been begging to be asked.
Natasha wasn't sure what it was, but she easily could've lied to Wanda. She could've nodded, put on a brave face, and shut down any remaining questions, but when the green eyes of the Sokovian looked up at her, she broke. She closed her eyes and squeezed them tight as tears threatened to spill.
Wanda quickly put down the medicinal supplies in her hand and placed her hands on the shoulders of the redhead before they moved down to Natasha's side. Her hand sitting inches above the still-covered tattoo. "Tas-Natasha?"
Natasha shook her head and used her one free hand to wipe at her face. A tear slipped past her mouth as she opened to speak. "I'm tired." She spoke through her rough throat. Wanda nodded. She knew. "So tired."
Wanda rubbed her hands up and down Natasha's side. It seemed like it was still a safe thing to do, considering Natasha hadn't stopped her, and they were both enjoying the touch of each other on their skin.
Wanda was going to let the silence linger. She didn't know what to say to help Natasha that the Widow didn't know, and she was focusing really hard not to read her thoughts. But luckily for Wanda, Natasha very quietly looked up and said: "I miss her."
Wanda saw the soft sadness in the eyes of her friend and felt hurt. She didn't like seeing Natasha like this. It didn't feel right, and someone this pretty should never be sad.
"Who?" Wanda asked, genuinely curious.
"Yelena. My sister."
Natasha saw the confused look on the witches face, but instead of elaborating, Natasha leaned closer to Wanda and lifted her hand off of her tattoo. "Here." She placed her hands on top of Wanda. Moving one just in front of her forehead and the other hand, she moved down the side of her body.
The feeling of their fingers resting on top of one another sent a warmth wave throughout each woman as Natasha finally placed Wanda's hand on the tattoo.
"I got this a year after my deflection to SHIELD."
Wanda rubbed her thumb over the larger firefly before tracing her fingers over the delicate linework. The action making Natasha smile. "Do you know where she is?" Wanda gingerly asked when she took her eyes off the piece of art.
"No."
"Do you wish you did?"
Natasha didn't waste another thought on a lie. She answered truthfully while looking into Wanda's eyes.
"Yes."
Wanda's eyes stayed on Natashas before dropping to her lips and back up. "Can.. I..?" Wanda asked, awaiting consent before earning a nod. With that, Wanda lowered her hand and began looking into Natasba's mind. Looking at what Natasha wanted her to see.
A young blonde child and a girl with dyed blue hair. The two are playing in a backyard near a swing set. The younger girl is laughing and having fun before she falls over.
"Yelena," Natasha repeated her name. "My sister." Wanda smiles at the memory and then raises her hand up and leaves Natasha's mind. "Before she was taken. She didn't know..." When she opens her eyes, Natasha is looking at her. "Thank you for showing me that." Wanda once again looks down at Natasha's watery smile—her lips.
Natasha nods and notices the look on Wanda's face. "Wanda.." Natasha starts as her hands move to Wanda's waist, tugging her closer to her sitting on the bathroom counter.
"We shouldn't..." Wanda already knows what the older woman is thinking, but Natasha wants this. She needs this. It's been a while since she's felt the care from someone else. The touch of another. She also has shared something with Wanda that no one else knows.
So, as she pulls Wanda closer, Wanda knows that they shouldn't, but she can't say no. The words fail to get past her throat. She wants to feel the lips of the other on her... So she leans into Natasha, and the moment between them is soft. Slow and careful. But the sparks fly.
Something happens.
Natasha's hand moves around to Wanda's lower back, pulling her closer, causing Wanda to fall more into her without a fight as their lips collide again and again.
A whimper makes Natasha smile as she bites and pulls the witches bottom lip between her teeth. "You sound so good for me," Natasha whispers, earning another moan. "Natasha..." Wanda tries to speak again but fails when Natasha's right hand begins pulling at Wanda's grey sweatpants. "Shhh.. It's okay.. I want this.." Natasha reassures Wanda to only earn a shake of the head. The younger woman is doing her best to tell Natasha that she's...
"Tasha.." Wanda moans when Natasha's hand brushes past her bare pussy. "Come on. Tell me you want this, Wanda..." Wanda gasps and moans when a finger touches her clit. "Tasha, please..." Natasha smirks and kisses the lips of the scarlet woman with passion.
"Please, what baby..." Wanda loves the kisses being planted by Natasha, but she has never done anything past this moment with someone. She's feeling lost, and the feeling of passion is morphing into nervousness. And she doesn't want to do this with Natasha when she knows and can feel the thoughts coming from Natasha.
Natasha is looking for an escape.
Wanda moans again in pleasure. "Please stop." She says, surprising Natasha. Immediately, Natasha pulls her hands out of Wanda's sweatpants, placing them on her sides taking her lips off of the Sokovian. Looking into her eyes with concern. "What- what's wrong?" Wanda bites her bottom lip before returning them to Natashas, still keeping her confused. "Wanda?" Natasha looks at her friend with soft eyes.
"I've never..." Wanda says, making Natasha feel guilty for pushing her. "Oh Wanda..." Natasha starts, but Wanda stops her again with a kiss, moving their bodies closer together. "Stop. I want to, but..." Wanda bites her lips again. "I don't want to be used." She takes a careful breath before saying: "You and I both know what that's like."
Natasha doesn't realize a tear has fallen from her face until Wanda drags a finger up her cheek. Wiping it away with tenderness. "I'm so-" "Don't." Wanda cups Natasha's chin. "It's okay." Natasha wants to yell at her that it's not, but all she does is collapse as Wanda runs her hand over the tattoo of a distant memory.
Wanda doesn't speak about what almost happened between them. Instead, she leaves Natasha on the bathroom counter as she brings her some clothes to rest in later tonight. She finishes wrapping the wound around Natasha before leading her out to her bed.
Both women are tired but don't let go of one another hand. Wanda smiles when Natasha asks her to stay.
They don't talk about what is new between them. But the two feel closer as Wanda keeps her hand on the tattoo, and with permission, she is allowed to relive the happiest memories from Natasha's childhood. A majority of them involving Yelena. Natasha thanked her as she laid in the Sokovian's arms.
In return, Wanda made her remember that she's not alone.
dividers by @/benkeibear
#wandanat imagine#wandanat#wandanat smut#soft natasha romanoff#soft wanda maximoff#wanda x natasha#wanda maximoff fanfiction#natahsa romanoff#natasha romanov#natasha romanoff fanfic#natasha romanoff#scarletwidow smut#scarletwidow#young yelena#yelena belova imagine#yelena black widow#yelena boleva#age of ultron#post age of ultron#AoU#wanda maximoff fluff#fluff n#fluff wandanat#kisses#cuties#lesbians#sapphic#fanfic#fluff#wanda maximoff
184 notes
·
View notes
Text
Steven Rogers, James Barnes, and Sam Wilson sat in front of the man all in guilty silence.
He sat in front of them with hatred and rage.
"You killed my wife. You killed my son. You killed my daughter. You almost killed me. If Mr. Stark had not found me buried under a shit ton of debris I would be dead right now. But I'm just a number. A casualty. A blank face."
With each sentence this man got louder and more violent. Barnes flinched. Rogers stared at the floor. And Wilson just held in his sobs.
"I'll never get to see my kids graduate from highschool. I'll never get to see my baby girl get married. I'll never have grand kids. I'll never get to grow old with my WIFE!! Because you all think you're some perfect person who does no wrong! Who thinks it's okay that you lived and everyone else dies!"
The man's rant was cut short thanks to a violent coughing fit. Tony gently helped him through it. Tony had promised the man that he would get his justice. That his family would get justice. The man, James Morgan, only wanted one thing.
"I want to know what was so important about this murdering son of a bitch that you costed my family their lives! I want to know just why you thought you could justify killing them! Why?! What's so special about this bastard that my kids had to die?! To never grow up?!"
James coughed again. He also sobbed. He had no legs. They had been crushed by a piece of the overpass from the knee down. He was too scared to go under bridges, too traumatized. He had to quit his job as a nurse because he couldn't stand the sight of blood anymore.
"I still see my Emily's bloody face. Her eyes full of blood and tears staining her cheeks. I still see my baby girls impaled body leaned against the back of her mother's seat. I can't stand to think about my boy. Do you know what it's like to be stuck physically and hear your child scream for you? Do you? My little boy, screaming his tiny lungs out because his arm was pinned by glass and his stomach was filling with blood."
Barnes flinched and shook. Wilson was doing his best to keep from vomiting. And Rogers just stared more. James looked at the man he once admired, who his son idolized. And felt nothing but hatred.
"You talk about how 'the safest hands are your own'. When the safest hands kill the people you're supposed to protect, who protects those people from you?"
James felt the emotions drain away from him. He got to say what he wanted. And Tony had already promised that these three would never hurt anyone else like they had his wife and children. He wasn't expecting these murderers to admit their guilt. They never had in the past. He looked at Tony and nodded.
"I have nothing else to say."
He said softly and the other brunette nodded in understanding. James Morgan, now a widower, was wheeled out of the room in silence. His sobs heard the entire way by those he passed.
______
Wanda Maximoff was led into a room with two children. Twins she had been told.
Orphans.
The boy, rendered mute thanks to too much dust getting into his throat. And a girl, losing her left arm after it was burnt too badly to fix.
When the boy saw her, his eyes widened and he grabbed his sister and pushed her behind him. Moving them both to a further corner away from the red head. Maximoff tried to get closer but the little girl wailed.
"MOMMY! DADDY! Help! Someone help!"
She wailed. The boy, despite his brave front, was shaking like a leaf. The girl wailed and begged for help. When Pepper entered the room the little girl waddled over to her and begged to be picked up. Her face red with tears running down her face.
"I want my mommy!"
Her tiny lungs heaved with the force of her cries. The boy ran over and hid behind the other red head's legs. Tears of his own streaming down his face silently. Maximoff watched all of this.
"Did Stark do this?"
She only got an even louder wail as her answer. Then, two other adults entered the room. Pepper gently coaxed the wailing girl to the female. But the boy was harder to move. Whenever Maximoff would try to help, he only clung to Pepper tighter.
"Get away from Brandon! No! Stay away from my brother!"
Maximoff was stunned. The girl was trying to get down to protect her brother. From her.
The boy, Brandon, took her distraction as a chance to dart to the man behind the other woman. Hiding behind his legs and gripping his pant leg tightly. Pepper looked at Logan and Jean and the two X-Men led the children out of the room.
"The one who orphaned them was you, Miss Maximoff. The one who disabled them was you. The one who traumatized them was you. The one who found them was Tony. The one who had to keep them from looking behind them, to keep them from further trauma at the sight of their parents, was Tony."
Pepper said this with a monotone voice. She kept eye contact with Maximoff and watched as the fight left the other woman.
"You sent their home into the building next to it. It crushed their father to death. You caused both to catch fire. It burned their mother alive. They survived because Tony had heard Brandon screaming for his sister's life. She was unconscious and bleeding. Brandon will never speak again because that fire blew smoke and dust into his lungs and throat. And Maria, the little girl, won't let those two they left with out of her sight."
Pepper looked deep into the other's eyes.
"Because the red lady took her parents away."
Maximoff sobbed softly to herself. Pepper left her there without another word. When she opened the door, Maximoff was left to listen to the heartbreaking wails of little Maria.
_______
Clint Barton and Natasha Romanoff were sitting in a room silently. They had been told that they had someone that want to talk to them. When the door was opened, a woman was led into it. A teenager walked with her. Her hands were shaking violently. James Rhodes walked in with them, holding a Baby Carrier with him.
"Barton and Romanoff, this is Agatha Lopez. She is the Widow of Agent Markus Lopez. And this is his eldest son Jackson, and his youngest son Ethan."
James introduced the three. Both the spies where confused as to why this lady needed to talk to them. Did she need their help?
"What can we do for you Mrs. Lopez?"
Barton asked. The widow was still shaking too badly. So Jackson Lopez spoke.
"You worked for Shield right?"
His question was answered by twin nods. And both had to jump back when Jackson punched Barton in the face and almost hit Romanoff too. Vision entered the room and gently but firmly held him back.
"You Fucking Bastards! You killed my Dad! You Killed him! He promised to come home and you killed him! I hate you!"
Jackson got so loud and violent, it woke Ethan up. The baby wailed and it seemed to snap Jackson out of his tirade. The older boy stiffened and darted to James' other side to gently pick his brother up and rest him in his arms. Agatha was silent the whole time.
"Mrs. Lopez you need to keep your son under control."
Barton said and that got him a nasty glare from the teenager.
"Shut the fuck up. You have no right to order my Mom around after the hell she's been through. She just got out of the fucking Hospital thanks to your little info dump."
Jackson sat down and rocked his baby brother back to sleep. Vision rested a gently hand on his shoulder and it seemed to soothe the boy. The two agents were stunned. This was a victim of the info dump? They could see it now. Scars lined her neck and wrists. She was refusing to look around but her eyes laid on her two sons.
"I'm sorry, Jackie."
Was her near silent whisper. Jackson shook his head.
"Mom you don't need to apologize. It's okay. Doctors said you need rest anyway."
Jackson moved and slowly hugged his mother, careful of his little brother. Agatha carefully took her youngest and rocked him gently. Jackson turned to them again.
"You owe my family more than just a fucking apology. You made my mother a widow. And now Ethan will never get to know his dad. You almost made me and my brother orphans if Mr. Stark and Mr. Rhodes hadn't gotten there when they did."
The boy had rage in his eyes. The only thing stopping him from jumping the table was his mother. She couldn't handle the loud bang of a table being knocked over.
"Thanks to you, my mom may never handle loud noises the same without thinking it's a fucking gun shot. Cause she had to watch as my dad was shot right in front of her after he refused to snitch on your asses."
Jackson felt the anger fill him again and was thankful Mr. Vision had not let go of his shoulder. He probably would have tried to give the blonde bitch a matching black eye to the other.
"You're paying for my mom's medical bill. You're paying for my dad's funeral. And this time, Tony is not allowed to help you. He's already helped enough. Saved me and my baby brother from becoming Hydra soldiers."
Jackson stood up slowly, gently taking his mother's fragile arm and getting her to stand. He took Ethan and placed him in his Carrier. He nodded to Mr. Rhodes and guided his mother out. The Colonel followed behind him with Vision not far behind. Leaving the two Shield agents to sit in shock and horror at what could have happened if Tony hadn't been fast enough.
______
Tony gently hugged Mrs. Lopez. He guided her to sit on the couch in the common room. Jackson was getting her medicine for the pain in her arms and back. Ethan was sleeping soundly in his Carrier as little Maria watched him. Brandon was with James Morgan as the older man taught him sign language. Ever since meeting these few victims, Tony could not just leave them to suffer alone.
Mrs. Lopez's home had been burned to the ground. She had no family to go to as her parents had passed away and her husband's parents were too old to be able to take care of a baby while she was at physical therapy. Jackson still had highschool so he could only take care of his brother after he got home.
James Morgan had no legs and no job. His phobia of blood making it hard to work as a nurse or near a hospital. But he still helped the best he could. Tony was going to offer him a job as a teacher in the Avengers Initiative. Many heroes, super human or not, could learn a thing or two from him.
The twins, Maria and Brandon Simmons, had mutant powers. Maria was telepathic, though she wore a necklace her mother made that helped block it. Brandon was able to create explosions with his hands if he thought about it hard enough. But like his sister, he had a necklace that blocked it. Professor Xavier was going to send Jean Grey and Logan Howlett in one week a month to help them build their powers.
Once they were old enough he would collect them from the Tower for proper training and education. As they were only eight. Although Maria was still very against either of them leaving so soon. Since they had been there with the twins since they were found. Neither X-Men minded.
Tony wasn't sure how Jackson Lopez was mentally. He had suffered trauma at the hands of Hydra after his father's identity was leaked. The Latino boy was tense when his mother was gone for longer than he had been told. More than once Vision had been called to gently calm him down from a panic attack or raging fit. It seemed the android was the only one who calm the teenager down. Despite the former's inexperience with emotions.
"You're not gonna let em walk free are you?"
Tony looked at Jackson as he walked over. The seventeen year old was slower than the stories Agatha told him. Tony guessed it was because he didn't want to startle his mom.
"No. They'll get long sentences."
That seemed to satisfy the boy. He went on to help his mother with her medicine. Tony's attention went to James Morgan. The other man was quietly teaching sign language, his eyes fond but full of grief and sorrow. Brandon seemed to help. Maria was quietly rocking the baby in his Carrier. Cooing over how tiny he was and getting a small smile from Agatha.
Yeah, the Accords will be able to prevent things like this from ever being normal when heroes went to save the day. Tony rubbed Agatha's back. Seeing these few victims of his former team's mistakes, he couldn't help but wonder if it could have been prevented. If Maximoff never sided with Ultron, the Simmons Twins would have their parents. If Barnes had surrendered, James would have his life and his family. If Romanoff and Rogers had asked him for help, Agatha wouldn't be a widow.
Then Jackson wouldn't have to act as the man of the house. And Ethan would not have to grow up not knowing his father.
Tony promised himself and them that the Rogues would never harm another family.
He promised them they would get their justice.
He promised.
#tony stark#james barnes#james rhodes#the vision#steve rogers#natasha romanov#clint barton#post cacw#post age of ultron#post winter soldier#victims#ocs#angst#original au#wanda maximoff#marvel#team iron man#not team cap friendly#actions have consequences#angst with a hopeful ending#tony stark has a heart
75 notes
·
View notes
Text
Read on AO3
----------------------------------------------------------
Way More Than That
"Tony?"
Steve's drained voice echoed in the hallway of the workshop which was in the midst of being remodelled, following the events of Ultron. He sighed at the lack of response and allowed himself to lean against the sidewall and close his eyes momentarily, feeling extremely worn out. God, he was so tired. Maybe it was the post-battle rush fading away as the weight of their actions fell upon him, or just the fact that the silence in the tower echoed the emptiness in his heart. It was understandable -- the rest of the team moving in the new facility, it made sense. They would still, more often than not, be at the tower to visit and Steve was pretty sure atleast one of them would be staying over all the time. It was okay.
And yet, he resented the change. Fuck, so many things had changed. Ultron. Wanda. Pietro. Sokovia. He let out a gasping shuddering breath, remembring the floating city falling down to its demise. He remembered how he had almost accepted it -- looking at that beautiful of a view was certainly not that bad of a way to die; he could think of worse scenarios. But it seemed that for the first time in forever, he didn't want to die in a mission. The fact that it scared him seemed so foreign. No. He didn't want to die. He wanted to live. Things had been going so good - they had Peter now, he had a son. He wanted to be there for him to grow up and be there for his first dance and send off to college as he would hug a misty-eyed Tony who would probably be way too emotional for his own good --
Tony.
He pushed himself from the wall and moved into the lab, the aforementioned lack of response worrying him. It seemed like that's all he was doing nowadays. Worrying about Tony. How could he not? Things had been so rocky between them lately and they hadn't had any chance to talk it out, not as Captain America and Iron Man but as Tony and Steve.
It hurt even more cause he knew Tony was avoiding him.
Granted, it just had been a couple of weeks since Sokovia and they were still in being-the-world's-mightiest-heroes- mode. Dealing with Goverments, dealing with post-war damage, dealing with press. He had to only issue a statement as to what went down in Sokovia but it was Tony who was constantly running around, taking all the hits for them as Fury had said "you are the public figure, you built something, you deal with it." (Steve wasn't the one to punch Directors but honest to God, he really came close with that one.) Throughout all this, whenever Steve would try to hold a conversation with Tony, to touch him, to hold him; there was always some late meeting that Tony had to run to and when he couldn't get away with excuses, he would freeze up and just stare as if comprehending what Steve was gonna do.
And it sure as fuck hurt a hell lot knowing Tony didn't trust himself with Steve.
The familiar smell of metal and alcohol hit him and he scrunched his nose in anticipation because it was so clear. Tony had broken his streak. He ignored the heavy feeling in his chest beneath his white tee as he looked around the messy lab. His gaze settled onto the mass bending down on one end of the couch and his eyes softened. Tony was fumbling with some wires but Steve knew that it wasn't something that needed attending to. Through the years they had been together, Steve had been captivated by the way Tony treated his tech. Sometimes when Tony would be working, Steve would just observe him and would chastize himself for ever thinking that Tony was like Howard.
Howard always treated his tech as its master; demanding and dominating. Tony, on the other hand, for him was always so gentle, always so precious. The genius's mind was always working and Steve was sure Tony could turn anything into an impressive device. His tech from his knowledge, if anything, was never beneath him.
Steve approached him carefully, wary not to startle the man unnecessarily and stopped in front of him. "Tones."
The genius's hands continued to fumble absentmindedly with the mess of wires and Steve's heart dropped at the unacknowledgement. Something was wrong. So wrong.
"Honey," He continued gently, crouching beside him, "Tony." And yet, the brunette didn't look at him. Instead, Steve's eyes fell down at how terribly his arms were shaking and oh god, when was the last time he saw Tony eat something? "Hey, hey, love, look-" He heard Tony inhale sharply, still focused on the irrelevant project in his hands and his heart clenched. He held his husband's face between his hands, gently forcing Tony's gaze at him. "Sweetheart, look at me."
Steve stopped breathing for a moment.
Because fuck, fuck, Tony looked so-- so broken. His face had lost all of its usual charm, looking thin and malnourished. His hair were messed up and Steve could almost imagine the way the genius must have pulled at his repeatedly. The white of his brown eyes was tainted with red and the lack of sleep was so apparent that Steve's chest tightened with worry.
"Steve," Tony started out in surprise, almost as if he was only now aware of his arrival, "You are here."
He took a deep breath, holding Tony's shaking hands between his as he stated, his voice firm and gentle, "I am here."
"You are--You are here. With me."
Steve had to literally restrain himself from not pushing Tony against his chest and never let him go because the way Tony said it made Steve think that his husband believed that the blond would never return. "I told you I would be back in a couple of days, didn't I?" He managed to say, holding the shorter man up by his elbows as they stumbled to stand on their feet. "I just had some work to do at the new facility. And now I am back here. With you."
"Steve, Steve, Stevie," A lazy grin painted across his face and Steve tried to ignore the way Tony was slurring on his words as the genius pushed his face in Steve's chest. "I missed you."
Steve felt the familiar tug of tension in his throat. He knew an upcoming breakdown when he saw one. And the way Tony was basically clinging to his body, almost as if begging for some form of contact made the wave of guilt crash in full force because Steve couldn't even remember the last time he had told Tony that he loved him. He allowed himself to say, wrapping his arms around the smaller man, "I missed you too, love."
He felt the familiar brush of lips against his jaw and fuck, apparently Steve couldn't remember anything because he also didn't know when was the last time that they kissed. Tony spoke up, murmuring against Steve's chest, "You- you are back. And we are here. And--and where's Peter? Where's my boy, Steve? I need my boy."
Steve's heart clenched. "He's at Laura and Clint's, remember? We thought it would be a good idea to have him there till stuff got sorted out." Tony backed up from his chest, frowning as if he didn't remember talking to Steve about it. Then, he stumbled which made Steve curse as he leaned forward to hold him, "Jesus-- Tony, how much did you drink?"
"I-I don't know," Tony mumbled, letting out a weak chuckle as he allowed Steve to lead them out the workshop, "Lost count. JARVIS would know. J? J, how much did I--"
He stopped short and Steve hated how Tony went still in his arms, the bitter reminder washing upon them again and again. His husband's eyes were spaced out and Steve inhaled a sharp breath before murmuring out, "FRIDAY?"
"Boss had eleven glasses of scotch, two bottles of beer and four cigarettes."
He expected Tony to say something-- a snarky remark about how FRIDAY was betraying him by ratting him out or an unnecessary flirty comment about how Steve was worrying about him. But he stayed silent in his arms as Steve led them towards their bedroom.
"Tony," He couldn't help the annoyance that brushed off in his tone, "You know you have a heart condition, right? Do you want your liver to fail?"
The silence stretched and Steve regretted the words that had left his mouth as Tony dipped his head down, not willing to meet his eyes. He opened his mouth to apologize but Tony said, his voice so quiet that Steve almost didn't hear it, "I kinda wish it would."
Steve let out a shuddering breath at the confession and he felt the familiar sting of tears in his eyes because how the fuck did they get here? Him barely holding himself together as he led a drunk off his ass Tony who just indirectly admitted he wanted to off himself. How did they get here?
"You don't mean that," He whispered quietly against his lover's forehead, pressing a light kiss and chose to ignore the way Tony flinched cause no, Steve was not going to cry. Not right now. They were going to be okay. He kept reminding himself. They had no other choice. They were going to be fine.
"Captain, might I add, Boss has also not eaten anything in the past thirty-seven hours and has not slept since last four days despite my constant reminders."
The door to their bedroom slid open gently and Steve entered, a tense and stumbling Tony leaning against him as the super soldier held his weight up. Their bed looked like it hadn't been slept in for days-- infact, the whole room looked untouched. Steve hated how there was no familiar scent of Tony's cologne in the room or how his own clothes weren't thrown across that chair in the corner. It seemed... foreign. It didn't feel home.
He ignored the unsettling feeling as he lowered Tony down, the corner of the bed dipping with their weight. The brunette laid across at once, the exhaustion visible in his fatigue form while Steve took off his watch, placing it gently on their bedside table. His eyes settled onto their wedding photo that resided there -- Tony in a grey suit standing on his tip toes to meet Steve's lips halfway, who funnily enough had a small pink flower held behind his right ear. It was one of the best moments of his life.
Because for that moment, everything made sense and nothing seemed like it had been in vain. For that moment of utter happiness and bliss and peace, the fact that he had spent seventy years in ice or that he had once lost everybody he loved or that he woke up to see that the world still needed saving-- everything seemed like it was worth it. Tony was worth all of it. He always would be.
He gazed down at his husband whose small figure was folded onto itself against the white sheets, his eyes still spaced out as the brown orbs stared at the far right corner of the room. Steve sighed, gently running his fingers across his scalp before he bent down to press a kiss and murmured, "I will be back in a minute."
Tony's eyes flickered to his and his mouth twisted into a displeased frown. "Where are you going?"
"Well, someone has to feed you, right?" Steve managed to pass a small smile before standing up from the edge of the bed, "Sandwich sounds okay?"
The familiar grasp at his left wrist tugged him down, preventing him from getting up as he turned his head back in confusion at the intervention. Tony was balancing his weight on one elbow, his other one holding Steve's wrist. His hair fell back, messed up against the motion as he sat there, biting his lower lip, his eyes still not focusing on Steve. Eyes that were full off uncertainty and hesitance.
His voice came out small, "Stay."
Steve faltered. "I am not going anywhere, honey. You haven't eaten anything and I can't let you go to sleep drunk on an empty stomach."
His husband visibly deflated, his hand falling dead weight against the linen sheets. He clenched his eyes shut, the pain visible as his face contorted into a frown. It reminded him of those days. The days early in their relationship-- when they pretended they were just friends but not quite-- when Steve wasn't aware of Tony's trauma and there were walls he could never get past through. It took him time to learn certain things - why Tony hated going swimming in pools or why sometimes a bombing in a movie would make him have a panic attack. Afghanistan was the answer to a lot of things, he assumed but there were so many that he yet didn't understand about the man he was falling in love with. The audible quavering sigh that escaped Tony's lips made Steve's chest seize in panic. The way Tony was clinging onto him wasn't his usual cute way -- when Steve would have to unwrap a koala Tony from his arms with ten different versions of "I will be back before you know it", "Tony, for God's sake, get off me" or "You are really cute and I love you but you are being so annoying". No. This wasn't that. This was a sad Tony clinging onto Steve as if the world would end if he didn't.
This whole situation was so not Tony that it actually scared Steve.
"Tony," The fear seeped through the crack of his voice, "What's wrong?"
The engineer sat up halfway, his hands wrapped around his abdomen with his head rested against his knees. His jaw visibly clenched as his knuckles tightened around themselves. Steve visibly frowned, going to hold his hands because god, didn't Tony see he was hurting himself with the cuticles of his nails digging in his palms? But before he could, the genius turned away and Steve's heart dropped to his stomach. Tony had never seemed so small.
"Tony, wha--"
"I can talk to Pepper if you want."
His voice didn't come out slurred, didn't waver with the amount of pain he was clearly feeling. Instead, it was stable, a scary calm as if he had practiced this a hundred times. Steve blinked in confusion. "What?"
Tony's eyes finally snapped up to his blue ones and for the first time since he had gotten together with Tony, Steve couldn't read what the genius was feeling. They both had a habit of lashing out, being stubborn, getting closed off but never it had been the vague indifference that was swimming in his husband's right now. Steve carefully sat down on the edge of the bed, urging Tony to continue who let out a small insecure shrug before continuing, "I mean, if you are hesitating or something. She could get the best lawyers and the media would be handled if that's what you are worr--"
"What are you talk--"
"But, well," He continued despite the interruption, the frantic movement of his hands giving away his dishevelled state of mind, "It's not like anybody would blame you for it. Fuck, even I get it. But-- but can I see Peter on the weekends? Like, I know it's too much to ask for and you have every right to say no. After all, you are getting the custody and-- don't worry, even if you don't, I will make sure you do. So, weekends? Like does that sound okay for you--"
"Tony," Steve cut him off, his blue eyes wide as his hands held a slight tremor as he got a sense of what Tony was proposing, "What on Earth are you talking about?"
The engineer pressed his lips into a thin line as their eyes met and there was nothing Steve wanted to do more than cross the distance between them and hold his husband cause Tony looked so defeated as he said, his voice quiet, "If you wanted to file for a divorce, I meant."
Steve felt the air knocked out of his lungs at the statement. Tony didn't stutter and it only made his assumption concrete that this was something that had been on the genius's mind for awhile. His tone sounded resigned as if the battle was already lost. Steve couldn't help but stutter, "Wha--? Why would I-- Tony, why would you even think that I wanted to divorce you?"
Tony kept fidgeting with the sleeves of his black tee, a clear sign of nervousness that was hid behind a wall of indifference as his voice came out empty, "I would get it. After everything-- Ultron, Sokovia, Pietro. I would get it if you wanted to--"
"Is that-- is that what this is about? Tony, I-- is that why you took off your wedding ring?" Steve had noticed the absence of the band as soon as he had held his husband's trembling hands back in the workshop. He had let it go back then, not wanting to look into situations that probably didn't make sense but now a sharp stinging pain claimed his throat as he considered the possibility that Tony thought Steve - Steve who was so irrevocably in love with him - wanted to divorce him. Was that it? Was he making Tony feel that unloved?
Tony nodded as a hollow chuckle left his chapped lips. "Almost-- almost took the dog tags off too. But couldn't-- I couldn't cause you gave them to-- to me after our first night and I just couldn't." He remembered that night. He cherished that night. People would assume that Tony being Tony Stark would jump into the bed with his boyfriend the first moment he got but it was anything but that. Contrary to popular belief, in their relationship Tony had been the hesitant one when it came to that cause he knew. He knew the moment he let himself go completely in his most vulnerable state would be the moment when he would fall in love head over heels for the amazing blond tall man. So, when it finally happened, it was slow and lovable and peaceful. It made sense as something deep inside both of them clicked. The warm glow of the following morning had induced tears in Steve's eyes cause he had never felt so happy as he stared at the naked brunette man cuddled up next to him. His dog tags were placed against his lover's olive skin that day and had never came off since.
Steve inhaled a sharp breath, trying to keep his voice from wobbling. He had to be the strong one right now. "Tony," He said gently, "I would never--"
"I can't do this," Tony whispered, his voice breaking in the middle. His hitherto calm and controlled tone slowly descended into a messy string of words and Steve could see the familiar outlining of tears in his husband's eyes. The brunette shook his head in dismal, his shaking hands clutching on the tips of his hair. "I-- I can't. I though I could but I can't, Steve."
Tony abruptly stood on his knees, moving forward as he closed the distance between them and placed a kiss on Steve's lips. The shock at the sudden touch wore off as Steve allowed him to process the messy and urgent and desparate kiss. The genius placed his head in the crook of Steve's neck and god, the way his whole body was shaking made Steve feel like he was dying a million deaths every single minute. Tony's frantic voice came out muffled as he said, "Don't leave me. I am sorry. I am sorry. I know, I know if I was a good man I would let you and Pete go but- but I am not. You guys deserve so much better than me. I am nothing but a selfish asshole and I can't live without you. I am sorry. I thought I could let you go but fuck, I can't. Please, don't leave me. Steve, I can't--"
"Tony." Steve choked out, his eyes burning with the sting of tears that threatened to fall. He felt the familiar damping of his shirt and the realisation struck him that Tony was crying. Steve's mind drifted back off to their first meeting when he had thought that Tony Stark just couldn't cry. He had never been so wrong about someone on the first meeting. He had seen Tony cry before -- whether it was a way too emotional Pixar movie or Peter's first day at school or another one of his terrible terrible nightmares. It was never easy.
"I am sorry, Steve. I am." He looked up at Steve, his movements frantic and desparate, "I am so sorry. I was just-- I was just trying to protect everyone. Ultron wasn't supposed to-- We are so screwed, Steve. There are things out there that we are not even ready for. I was just trying to protect you and Peter and everyone. You--" He shook his head, wiping his cheeks with the back of his hand, "You died in my arms, Steve. That's what I saw. You and Peter cause I wasn't doing enough. And I couldn't let that happen. I am not-- I am not evil, I swear. I just wanted to do one right thing and I fucked up cause that's what I do. That's what I have done all my fucking life--"
"Tony, honey, no--"
"You believe me, don't you? When I say that I am sorry. Cause I am, Steve," An unwilling sob left his lips and Steve's heart broke at the sight. "They all think I am this-- this monster. And I get it. People died because of me. Wanda was right. I don't know the difference between saving the world and destroying it. I didn't-- I never wanted to hurt anyone-- You believe me, right?"
He was-- oh god, he was begging. Steve's own tears left the brink of his eye because fuck, it hurt. It hurt so so bad to see the man he loved hate himself so much. "I believe you," He tightened his grip around his husband, pressing three frantic kisses across his forehead, "I know, Tony. I believe you. And they all do too, okay? The people still love you cause you saved so many lives--"
"That's cause they don't know I created Ultron," He snapped, struggling against Steve's assuring hold but in vain, "They just know it was a mistake involving alien tech and-- and they don't know. They hate me even though they don't know. Imagine them finding out-- you know what, tell them. That's what I deserve."
It had been a unanimous decision to not disclose to the public the actual story of how Ultron came into being. The story that was sold out was that the sceptre interacted itself with the AI present at the Stark Tower and Ultron was created. Tony hated the idea, it didn't make sense and more so, he hated hiding behind a cover up. But Fury was right. People were still hating on the Avengers, even though they didn't know the full story and if the truth got out, it would just be worse. The world needed the Avengers, irrespective of what PR stunt they had to hide behind.
"Listen to me," Steve's voice was stern as he held his husband's face between his hands, caressing his cheek with his thumb, "We fought together, Tony. Cause we are a team. So, we win together and if we lose, we do that together too. You are not the only one at fault. You didn't fuck up, we all did--"
"But-"
"Wanda messed with your head and let you take the sceptre because she knew. She planted the seed of fear and knew that it would drive you to depths. Bruce was the one who agreed to help you--"
"I forced him--"
"Is he not an adult? Mind I say an adult that can change into a raging green monster if he is forced to do something he doesn't want to?" He raised his eyebrown in anticipation silencing the man who just ducked his head, avoiding Steve's intense gaze. "And I should have known better too."
Tony's eyes snapped up. "What?"
"We fought," Steve said quietly, running the calluses of his thumb across Tony's collarbone, the guilt scratching at his throat, "When we got back the sceptre, you were acting different and I didn't get why and we just-- we fought." He didn't even remember what it was about. Maybe something about Tony acting closed off for no reason or the fact that not knowing enough about the Maximoff twins was getting on his nerves. He always knew he was a control freak and one thing escalated into another and then, they had a fight. He should have seen what was coming. "I should have known better."
"I hid it from you--"
"And even after that. I should have understood where you were coming from," He shook his head, disappointed in himself, "You had to deal with it alone. I am your husband, I should have been there for you more. Everyone was blaming you and- and Thor almost punched you. Even though, it wasn't only you. It was all of us."
"Steve," Tony whispered brokenly, his trembling hands wiping away Steve's damp cheeks inducing a small smile from the other man. "I wish I could believe you. But-- but I can't. I don't know what to do anymore. I don't know how I am supposed to-- to live after all this. I just can't keep doing this."
And that -- that, out of all the things said yet, that was what hurt the most because Tony was never the one who just said he can't.
Steve knew Tony had never been really fond of himself. They both had had those conversations about how it always seemed like there were things that they could have done more or things that they shouldn't have done. In their line of work, the concept of being enough was abstract. Hundreds of lives could be saved but there would always be that one lost. They knew this. But Steve had never seen Tony feeling so low about himself -- so hateful towards himself that he believed Steve was going to leave him.
"I am not leaving you, Tony," He said, his voice sternfully soft as he held the smaller man onto his lap, "We will get through this together. You can. We can. I know it seems like the world is closing in on you and everybody is out of reach but I promise I am there, love. I will always be there because I love you. Peter loves you." Tony hid his face once again in Steve's chest as Steve ran his fingertips lightly across the man's hair. "You are not a bad man, Tony. I really wish you would stop seeing yourself as one."
"I hate myself for all of it, Steve." It was whispered like a secret that would never see the light of the day. "Everything I did-- I just, I hate myself."
And Steve knew.
Steve knew this was one of those nights that they wouldn't speak of again. This was one of those nights that the world would never know about-- about how Tony Stark, the sassy, smiling, sarcastic genius was nothing but a broken man who regretted his decisions. Steve knew this was one of those nights where Tony was stripped bare of his walls. This was the Tony that no one would ever know, the Tony that only Steve was allowed to see.
Steve also knew there was no dearth of bleak promises in their world. Meaningless promises were made and broken but that night, as he held a shaking Tony in his arms, Steve promised himself that he would never let the man feel as if he was unloved, as if Steve would ever leave. He couldn't promise him a forever-- they both knew it didn't exist but Steve would be damned if the man he loved spent his life in fear that he was going to be abandoned. So, he held Tony tightly against his chest, every touch reassuring of the fact that they were together and alive as he whispered the following words, a promise that he would never break.
"And I will always love you way more than that."
#stony#stony angst#age of ultron#post age of Ultron#steve x tony#steve rogers#tony stark#mcucanon#superfamily#peter parker#wanda#hurt tony#ao3 fanfic#bruce#thor#marvel fandom#marvel cinematic universe
15 notes
·
View notes
Text
@steggyfanevents Steggy Month – Week Two theme – Steve
Steve + text posts pt. 2/?
#steggymonth#steve rogers#captain america#the first avenger#the winter soldier#the avengers#age of ultron#civil war#avengers:aou#infinity war#ca:tfa#ca:tws#ca:cw#steve text posts#text post meme#marvel#mcu
129 notes
·
View notes
Photo
Avengers: Endgame (2019) // Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)
#idk this was in my drafts and i haven't posted a gifset in months#tony stark#steve rogers#avengers: endgame#avengers: age of ultron#tonystarkedit#steverogersedit#marveledit#marvelgifs#marvellegends#marveladdicts#mcuedit#mcugifs#yeamarvel#mcufam#dailymarvel#dailyavengers#dailymarvelstudios#dailymarvelgifs#my edit
555 notes
·
View notes
Text
tony's biggest fear coming true, over and over again
alternatively titled: "i watched my friends die. you'd think that'd be as bad as it gets, right? nope. wasn't the worst part." "the worst part is that you didn't."
robert downey jr as tony stark in iron man (2008), iron man 3 (2013), avengers: age of ultron (2015), and avengers: infinity war (2018)
#my gf posted her sad steve edit today so it was only fair i posted sad tony content too#gifs by soliloquent#tony my beloved#tony stark#iron man#mcu gifs#marvel#mcu#tony stark meta#iron man 1#iron man 3#avengers age of ultron#avengers infinity war
140 notes
·
View notes
Text
STOP. IM LITERALLY IN TEARS
#natasha romanoff#natasha romanoff x reader#natasha romanoff fluff#black widow x reader#natasha romanoff fanfiction#natasha romanoff imagine#natasha romanoff imagines#natasha romanoff x fem!reader#black widow#natasha marvel#marvel#text post#age of ultron
1K notes
·
View notes
Photo
WANDA MAXIMOFF | THE SCARLET WITCH
↪ marvel cinematic universe (2014—)
#wanda maximoff#scarlet witch#marveledit#mcuedit#marveldaily#dailymarvelstudios#mcudaily#womenofmcu#mcufam#mcu#marvel#wandavision#multiverse of madness#age of ultron#civil war#infinity war#endgame#wandaedit#elizabeth olsen#long post cw
2K notes
·
View notes
Text
#thor#avengers age of ultron#og thor supremacy#we need og thor posts#this colour scheme looks very good for him
81 notes
·
View notes
Text
On Narrative Bias
I keep saying it annoys me how Wanda has done so many evil ass things and is never held accountable for her actions, and it never fails that someone tries to respond with “but aren’t you a loki stan? He’s done evil shit too! So you have a double standard and are a misogynist!!!!” Yeah, no. The difference is that you can clearly tell who the writers have predetermined as a hero vs a villain. You can tell who they want you to root for. Loki’s actions are given narrative consequences as harsh as possible, while Wanda’s are narratively excused and softened and sympathised. Let me show you what I mean.
* Loki commits treasons, tries to kill his brother & attempts genocide -> Loki’s father rejects him while he attempts suicide
* Loki tries to conquer earth -> Loki is sentenced to life in prison
* Loki incapacitates the king and secretly takes the throne -> Loki is threatened with a hammer to the face, we’re reminded how awful he is by all the other characters for the rest of the movie & he would’ve faced more consequences if the apocalypse hadn’t interrupted
* Loki steals the tesseract from the vault -> Loki watches his brother be tortured & then has his neck snapped
Now compare that to…
* Wanda willingly signs up to work for a nazi organisation, tries to help an evil robot murder the avengers, intentionally sets the hulk loose on a town of innocent people, & helps destroy Sokovia for a lil while -> Wanda gets a fatherly pep talk from Clint & is immediately accepted as an Avenger
* Wanda accidentally murders a bunch of people while on a mission -> Wanda is put on temporary house arrest in a giant mansion with her boyfriend
* Wanda buries her boyfriend/teammate under like 10 floors of concrete, breaks out of house arrest, & goes against a government order -> the leader of the superhero team defends her, a grown ass woman, by saying “She’s just a kid!”, she’s detained in a government prison for like a week maybe (?) during which she’s shown as a sad helpless victim to encourage sympathy from viewers, & then she gets busted out by the ex-team leader & eventually gets to run off to Scotland with her boyfriend
* Wanda holds an entire town hostage & tortures them just to fulfil her own grief-fuelled fantasy -> one of the women Wanda attacked reassures her that she’s the actual victim in all this and that the people she tortured just have no idea what she’s sacrificed for them & she escapes to an isolated location to read a forbidden demon book and make herself more powerful without anyone interfering
* Wanda goes on a serial killing spree across the multiverse, kidnaps a child, holds her hostage, tortures her, & attempts to take her powers all so she can steal another Wanda’s children because she misses her children that were never actually real in the first place -> Wanda gets some badass power sequences and #girlboss one liners, is the one that destroys the demon book, essentially saving the multiverse from future corruption, & is allowed to die a hero’s death (which we all know isn’t permanent)
See the difference?
#Wanda stans PLEASE dni#loki meta#marvel meta#if you’re gonna make a pro Wanda argument please stay off of my post. respectfully.#anti wanda maximoff#anti scarlet witch#anti wanda stans#Wendy mayomoff#Wanda critical#Wanda maximoff critical#not Wanda friendly#captain america civil war#cacw#multiverse of madness#avengers aou#avengers age of ultron#marvel wank#mcu wank#negativity
72 notes
·
View notes
Text
Well, I don't know what happened, but my original post with these gifs seems to have disappeared! I thought the link was just dead, but the rest of them are working, and when I scroll through my dash I don't see it at all! 😭
So here you go again, an excuse to drool over this man on a Friday morning. 😘
[Part One] [Part Two] [Part Three] [Part Four]
#ulysses klaue#the klaue brainrot is real#never not thinking about that man#when the shot pans from his hand and up to his face#i become unwell#his profile jfc#the blorbo#from my show#gif set#gifs by me#mcu gifs#age of ultron#black panther#andy serkis#where did my post go tumblr??#there were a lot of notes on that one#🥺
37 notes
·
View notes
Text
Me busting into every Avenger's house demanding to know what their excuse is for not being there for Wanda
Then proceeding to slam open the doors of a nursing home and catch that star spangled son of bitch's eye
Steve's old ass just eating his jello:
#wanda maximoff#wandavision#age of ultron#avengers aou#mcufam#wandavision memes#wandavison spoilers#avenger death#avengers theory#the avengers#avengers ultron#captain america#steve rogers#old steve#post endgame#endgame#maximoff twins#maximoffs#vision#tony stark#iron man#marvel cinematic universe#marvel
180 notes
·
View notes
Text
Peter Maximoff as text posts and onion articles (with bonus Pietro and Spider-Man memes)
.
Bonus:
#possible part two coming later if I can find more good textposts/articles to use#peter maximoff#quicksilver#xmen#incorrect quotes#text post#onion articles#pietro maximoff#avengers age of ultron#aou#Spider-Man#peter parker#spider man nwh#NWH
180 notes
·
View notes
Text
Avengers film posters (ish) but it's just Steve and Tony and the things they've said to each other that I registered as turning points. A few of these I feel mirror the other's experiences either in parallel or as a foil. These boys are complex, got multitudes & whatnot
#ill post them on ao3 in a few#i think quality's been lowered by tumblr#the rest of the weekend will only be fic writing & the beach dw#stevetony edit#stevetony graphic design#my graphic work#stevetony#steve rogers#tony stark#ugh the av tags#avengers 2012#avengers: age of ultron#captain america: civil war#avengers: infinity war#avengers: endgame
41 notes
·
View notes
Text
in defense of the scarlet witch
i am unwell
but i don't think Wanda was 100% unjustified in what she did. since we've met her in the mcu she's been abused and tormented and forced to watch everyone she loves die.
first, her home is attacked and her parents killed, and she hides under a bed for two days just waiting to die. that alone is a traumatic event worthy of some mental breaks.
but THEN
she's tortured and manipulated and experimented on by HYDRA.
we're never told how long the twins were with Struker, and we don't know what exactly he did to them. but whatever they - and Wanda specifically - endured at the hands of HYDRA must've taken a emotional and physical toll. yet again, a trauma worth lashing out over.
but Wanda doesn't lash out completely because she has one stabilizing force in her life: her brother.
Pietro is selfless and kind, and he's always taking care of Wanda. every problem she has, he fixes. everything she asks of him, he does. they live a life based entirely on a symbiotic, co-dependent relationship.
and than Pietro makes a decision without consulting Wanda.
he sacrifices himself, selfless to the very end. and it seems to be the very first time that selflessness wasn't directed at his sister. it was the very first time Pietro ever saw something as being more important than Wanda.
what a betrayal that must've been. Wanda's the younger twin, she's never before lived in a world where Pietro wasn't by her side. she's never known a single moment when she had to do anything alone. he left her completely by herself, one half of a whole. no roadmap, no hand to hold, no one to kiss her forehead and say I'll fix it
if you ask me, after all she's been through, her Ultron-Fight grieving was an underreaction
her twin is dead and her city is in ruins. she's taken away from everything she's ever known, away from the country her brother and parents are buried in, and taken to a place where she knows no one and nothing.
she's a young woman with the weight of years of anger and trauma on her shoulders. she has no family and new powers she doesn't understand. it's a miracle her mind hadn't broken already.
and than, because of powers she didn't ask for and can't understand yet, she's labled a "weapon of mass destruction"
she's told she's a monster, that she's dangerous and people should fear her. her agency is taken from her on the grounds that she's more weapon than woman.
even through all of this, Wanda keeps her composure, and she's able to find a light in her life. to fill the hole that Pietro left.
for a brief window of time, she's happy. she's content. she's not an Avenger or a prisoner. she's just Wanda. she's in love and she's unbothered.
but Wanda's happiness never lasts.
she's forced into a corner. forced to choose between killing the love of her life and letting the entire universe die. she can't be selfish, she's an Avenger, a hero. and at the core of her being, she's a good person.
she makes an unbearably painful sacrifice - a sacrifice that doesn't even amount to anything - and she bears it.
(THEN SHE GETS DUSTED FOR FIVE YEARS!!)
and this is the last straw. she's been so strong for so long, fighting off her demons and trying not to let her brokenness show.
she's tried to move on, tried to simply remember the love she once had, but it's all too much. she's so powerful that her long-due mental break manifests itself in something she didn't ever mean to happen.
but she just can't bring herself to stop it. she's finally found a place where she's safe.
she finally has a family. all she's ever really wanted.
and it's taken from her. again.
other people can make all the mistakes they want, be as dangerous and reckless as they want, hurt as many people as they want, and still get to live happily ever after. but not Wanda.
througout Wanda's whole story, she's been searching for hope - in SHEILD/HYDRA, in the Avengers, in Vision - and the black magic of the Darkhold gives her that hope.
but it warps her mind. it seduces her with the promise of that coveted happily ever after. it brings all the worst parts of her into the foreground, all the grief and longing and pain. it changes this beautiful, loving woman into what she always feared she was: the bad guy.
Wanda Maximoff has spent so much time trying to stay strong, trying to ignore all the trauma she's been put through, but when she finally lets herself actually grieve - as what she is, a mourning mother - what does Stephen Strange tell her?
Instead of sympathizing and offering help, he tells her that her children weren't real. In that one sentence he invalidates her pain, and all the other pains that came before it. She's had everything taken from her, and all she's asking is to be given one thing back. She's not asking for much.
She said she didn't want to rule everything, she just wanted to be a wife and a mother, and be loved.
This part of Wanda's story is not a "villian turn" it is the end of a very long rope. She’s been pushed to the breaking point too many times. It is a worn down mind finally snapping.
Wanda Maximoff is not a villian, she's a tragedy.
#wanda maximoff#multiverse of madness#dr strange spoilers#the scarlet witch#mcu#avengers: age of ultron#the avengers#captain america civil war#avengers infinity war#avengers endgame#wandavision#wanda x vision#wanda and pietro#pietro maximoff#maximoff twins#journaling is for nerds#mcu meta#character study#long post
454 notes
·
View notes
Text
Hey people write Steve in character challenge GO
(warning long ass post ahead, character analysis turned Civil War analysis BC I'll never shut up about that movie)
Right off the bat, Steve isn't and has never been a rule follower. Steve has an extremely strong moral compass, he has the strongest feeling of right and wrong and he is going to go after the right thing even if he's told not too. This is so prevalent in ANY captain America movie.
Why he behaves so seriously would also come from how he grew up. He wasn't taken seriously ever due to his size and his health, if he wasn't loud and clear on what he thought, no one would be paying attention. But to be honest, I think the movies kinda do him wrong when showing he isn't serious outside of battle, he's always coping with some kind of fight or dilemma or stressful situation to be fixed, especially with the role of leader on his shoulders it's his job to take it seriously. On the rare occasions we do see him relaxed we can see he's just a calm and polite guy who's just maybe a little quiet in big groups. (Which would also be a product of his pre-serum days. In big groups no one's paying attention to the little guy)
I think a reason he's misconstrued as an asshole (aside from needing to be used as a plot point in a fic) is because of how he reacts in a battle. He's stern and being the leader of the group, is telling people what to do in the heat of battle. He takes problems seriously and looks at them from a very logical stand point, (again, which is his role as the leader) which is such a VAST fucking contrast from Tony who still thinks of problems from a logical stand point too but tries to find humor in every situation, even the world ending issues.
So it makes sense if you much prefer Tony's type of character, that you aren't going to like the way Steve handles problems, which is the opposite method of Tony's emotionally.
I think the first movie really enforced that divide between Tony and Steve fans with how opposing they were. And even with Age Of Ultron to clear the air, Civil War threw out all of the relationship we were supposed to believe they had.
If I'm being honest, on Marvel's behalf, I don't think they did a very good job in enforcing that Steve and Tony were good friends before Civil War. But it will always and forever be crazy to me that Tony would ever consider himself as close of a friend with Steve as Bucky is.
"I was your friend too"
He says like he was there when no one would listen to Steve, like he was there when no one took Steve seriously. Like he was there when Steve was sick all the time. Like he was there when Steve's mother died and he had no one. Like he was there for Steve when he got into fights he couldn't handle. Bucky was there since day one.
It links back to steve wishing to have someone who 'understood his experience' the ENTIRE catws movie being about how important Bucky is to Steve and Steve being willing to let Bucky KILL him to prove how much he cared. TONY AND STEVE NEVER HAD THAT CONNECTION.
And I know that's the point. I know that's the point of the movies, Bucky being the thing Steve is willing to leave the avengers for, the avengers who have been his new family in his time where he knows no one in a new world. But when I see people saying Steve betrayed Tony I just don't understand. Bucky means SO much more to Steve. And technically yes, the Avengers were all certainly helpful when he needed it, they were definitely important to him too, but they just don't compare to Bucky.
And quick side note, don't get me wrong, if someone killed my parents I'd want them dead too. It's not like I blame Tony's immediate reaction to the information but to look me in the eyes and say Tony had the right to, is ridiculous. Bucky was tortured and brainwashed and forced to kill and do what he did. That is an innocent man.
#this isnt a tony hate post its a steve hater hate post#also if there are grammatical errors which there probably are im sorry 💀#steve rogers is important to me guys lol#so is bucky#but god steve is so ridiculously misunderstood particularly in post civil war days#steve rogers#bucky barnes#tony stark#the avengers#cacw#catws#catfa#age of ultron#captain america civil war#marvel cinematic universe#mcu
13 notes
·
View notes
Last Seen Blogs
cherrypikkins
all we are is fluff in the wimd
gumbo
☀️
ahilva
Ahilva
acabasteaqui
acabaste aqui
minasesouya
Hortum 無窮庭園 Aeterna