choose your next words wisely

  “That was, easily, the stupidest thing you’ve ever done,” he scolded her seriously, then sighed, brushing his thumb over her cheekbone. “Besides...you know how much I hate being handed things.” That lifted (Y/N)’s cheeks as she snorted.

  “Had to beat you,” she shrugged, earning a scoff from Tony. “What choice did you give me after, ‘I’m gonna Snap myself out of existence for the greater good.’ Sir, have you lost your damn mind? ‘Cause I’ll help you find it!” she shouted as he playfully shoved her. “GIve me a run for my dumb, reckless ideas,” she muttered before he pulled her back in, feeling, more than ever, that it was too much of a risk to let her go. His ridiculously stupid person that he loved more than life itself. He suddenly wondered how much Strange knew, positing over the sorceror’s inquisitive expression when he was told about the Soul Dimension. Had he only spared Tony knowledge about his destiny to Snap because he thought Tony wouldn’t be selfless enough to go through with it (a ridiculous notion considering the nuke through the wormhole, etc.)? Knowing he only had to indicate Tony’s choice at the last minute so he wouldn’t try to change his fate? Had Strange even seen (Y/N) save his life in his vision? Seen the Soul Dimension? Had Tony really been supposed to die?

  The thought rattled him, tugging (Y/N) closer as he quietly thanked her over and over, knowing all of three things: 1. He could now go home to Morgan and Pepper, continuing the life he’d earned and built for them, breathing in the thought of waking up next to his wife and to be eagerly greeted by his daughter every morning the only way he wanted to wake up, 2. Strange had some serious questions to answer, especially considering his ability to allow Tony to choose to sacrifice himself, 3. (Y/N) would be taken care of for the rest of her life, even more than before. Whatever she wanted, whatever she needed, it was hers. He made the vow right then and there that (Y/N) immediately dismissed.

  “I think this is ridiculous to say, but you’re life and seeing you go home to your daughter is, easily, payment enough,” (Y/N) assured him as he shook his head, so she offered an alternative, reaching into her lucky holster that never really served a purpose considering her abilties other than making her feel sexier than normal, but today. Today, it served a purpose. “Fine, then. I’ve got only one favor to ask,” she stated as she pulled out a blunt from her stash, rolling it between her blood-stained fingers. “Light me up, chief.”

  Tony’s face dropped as his Iron Man glove extended over his hand, the nanotech igniting his pinky. “You fucking stoner,” Tony accused as (Y/N) took a bull’s nutsack worth of an inhale, hoping to dull the pain throughout her aching body as she dropped her head back at the exhale, rolling her neck back to Tony with a laugh.

  “You only wish you were a cool kid like me, you fucking tech nerd,” she taunted. “You and your little Junior AV Club buddies trying to pimp out space aliens because you can’t find any girl to impress with your Axe Body Spray for senior prom.”

  “Oh...okay. I see, I see. So, the Axe Body Spray?” Tony scoffed, nodding to himself. “That’s your new running joke, huh?”

  “Look, when the material’s just handed to me,” she shrugged. “It’s really fate, and who am I to intervene if the Universe wants to punish you for your bad fragrance decisions?”

  “So, you want to discuss bad decisions, then?” Tony questioned, ignoring her budding protests. “Let’s take the backside of bullet through time, shall we?”

  “We shalln’t,” she interjected to no avail.

  “Matching drunken foot tattoos with Clint,” Tony listed on his fingers, starting out pretty strong as Rhodey, Steve, Bucky, Natasha, Sam, and Wanda trickled in to join them, Pepper wrapping herself under Tony’s arm. “Set General Ross’s car on fire. Got sued for bullying Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos on Twitter that I had to pull you out of. Blew up my Lab. Broke into a museum to steal Cap’s uniform.”

  “A tactic that worked,” she muttered.

  “Tell that to the security alarms,” Sam scoffed. 

  “That’s what made the experience...the experience,” (Y/N) defended herself proudly, following up with a chef’s kiss before catching Sam’s eye who nodded to her blunt, cocking a brow.

  “You dealing now, or-?” he questioned as she tilted open her holster. “Gee, didn’t realize me leaving would have such a drastic shift in your life,” he commented, letting out a long whistle as she latched the top closed again.

  “You know, I was really gonna let you bum one,” she pointed at him as he raised his arms, hoping to laugh it off. “Then, you just had to open your damn mouth. Getting real fucking chatty.”

  “What do you want from me? An apology for stating facts?” he boasted.

  “Well, at least this is familiar,” Wanda huffed as she reached into (Y/N)’s holster, pulling out one for herself and one for Natasha as Tony casually offered a light, thoroughly engaged by Sam and (Y/N)’s banter, basking in their immediate return to their silbing-rivalry. It wasn’t surprising, just refreshing.

  “No, I want your bitchass to slow your fucking roll,” she retorted charismatically as she took a deliberate drag, rubbing it in his face.

  “I seem to remember Tony was listing all the bad decision you’ve made,” he reminded everyone as he stroked his chin.

  “We were,” Tony encouraged as Steve rolled his eyes over to Bucky who snorted.

  “Good. Then, I’ll continue that fucking roll,” Sam demanded. “I seem to remember you forgetting that you’d broken your thumb and didn’t remember until two days after the mission when it was...fuck, how’d you phrase it?”

  “Homosexual,” Steve groaned in memory as laughter broke out.

  “Right,” Sam exhaled, reminiscing on bad decision after bad decision. “Tried to break up Dave Mattews Band. Threw up after trying to recreate your drunk kitchen nightmare: orange chicken on top of cheese pizza.”

  “Yeah...that one still haunts me,” she admitted with a disgusted shiver.

  “Convinced David Miscavige to let you guest speak, then showed a slideshow about the, and I quote, ‘varying degrees of gay’ for each Avatar: The Last Airbender character,” Bruce cut in as he joined the group.

  “Oh, yeah! Cabbage boy!” (Y/N) exclaimed, shaking her head in memory. “He was so excited to have an Avenger finally join his cult- ehem, I mean nudge-nudge, wink-wink religion. He told me my Thetan was diseased, or whatever. And, I told him that Satan has his ways,” she dropped her voice demonically. “And, he went, no...Thetan. And, I was like, yeah...Satan has it out for people who psychologically manipulate other people for money. I also hear he has a toe fetish...then, I asked Cabbage what his feet looked like for reference!” she laughed. “He put me on their website’s banned list,” she reveled with a sigh.

  “Oh! Blackmailed that guy until he got fired after he posted that article comparing yours and Nat’s tits on Facebook,” Clint added as he made his appearance, flanked by Hope and Scott who were inseparable.

  “I thought we were listing mistakes?” Natasha questioned with a puff.

  “The hell, Clint?” Wanda asked him.

  “Oh, no!” he quickly intervened as his cheeks burned. “Thought we were just listing shit (Y/N)’s done. That Scientology thing was hilarious,” he chuckled, then nodded over to (Y/N). “So, then that foot tattoo we got after that mission.”

  “Already listed, buddy,” (Y/N) waved him off. “Next.”

  “For someone who was protesting all this, you seem pretty chill now,” Rhodey proposed suspiciously as she tilted her head in thought.

  “I mean, fuck it. Yeah, I’ve done some headass things, but I’m still here, right?” she offered. “We’re all still here despite our collective dick-to-the-wind moves. You,” she nodded over to Clint. “Spilled red wine on one of Tony’s fancy rugs, then tried to clean it with dish soap,” she accused as Clint whistled away from Tony who glowered in memory before she pointed at Bruce. “Started a Twitter feud with the Flat Earth Society, as if that was ever gonna go anywhere,” then over to Rhodey. “Warmachinerox as a professional government-related password that a 10-year old could hack on accident,” then over to Steve. “Getting spooked by a sex doll in your own bed.” Sam almost dropped to his knees at that one as he fist-bumped (Y/N), their teamwork a prize before she finally nodded over to Tony with a malicious smile. “Giving Pepper a 10 foot tall stuffed rabbit for Christmas and...drumroll, please...”

  “Don’t say it,” he sighed. “Please, don’t say it.”

  “Spritzing Axe Body Spray after the Battle of New York!” she exclaimed, her arms raised like goal posts. “Tony motherfucking Stark wears Axe Body Spray! Feel free to bully him on any social media platform you can-!” she shouted at the crowd of heroes as Tony borderline tackled her to shut her up. “Well, it looks like someone’s a little embarassed,” she teased.

  “What is this Axe Body Spray?” Thor asked as he joined the group, Carol beside him who looked about ready to explain it to him, but paused at (Y/N)’s approach. She stared directly at Thor, her warm smile spreading a smile across his own face as she placed each of her hands on his shoulders.

  “It’s what you spray directly into your armpits to reach ultimate axe-swinging potential,” she explained with the most self-assured confidence imaginable. “I’m sorry I haven’t mentioned it to you sooner,” she apologized before curling herself into his chest as he instinctually embraced her back, confusion on his face as the group tried to conceal their laughter.

  “Why must you always do this to me?” he asked (Y/N) who just shrugged in his arms, about to actually explain it properly to him before the Fantastic Four arrived, Reed Richards at the helm to essentially kill everyone’s buzz to no one’s surprise.

  “Seems like everyone’s had time to get reacquainted,” he announced, his voice carrying over everyone else’s as he clapped his hands together, calling the team’s attention with just one sentence. “The sorcerors are all ready for the jump. (Y/N), Dr. Strange has requested your assistance, if you would please join him. Everyone else, you’re with me.”

  Oh, it was the false authority that absolutely triggered her.

  “Well, who put your Gumby ass in charge?” she demanded, casually leaning against the wall that was Thor’s bicep as she took another drag.

  “I- it’s...what?” he stuttered, taking a quick moment to compose himself.

  “You heard me,” (Y/N) repeated, pushing herself off of Thor as she flicked away her drained blunt. “Gumby. Ass. Why are you in charge?” He balked at her, clearly taken aback by such directness, never one to be questioned by, really, anyone. Who would? He was Dr. Reed Richards. The name held the same esteem as Stark and Banner. That confusion only intensified as she let out a laugh, pulling another blunt from her holster. “Nah, I’m just messing with you, mate. Do well to listen to the opinions of others, though,” she suggested with a wink before disappearing through her portal. 

  Had her reaction been valid in that moment? Probably not. But, she’d protested the Baxter Building and the things going on inside it almost as much as Stark Industries. Yeah, Tony had more than proved himself, but Fantastic Mister Stretch-Man hadn’t proven shit. Hopefully, her warning kept him enough on edge to allow others to add to the conversation.

  “Was she- was she serious?” Reed questioned, earning a round of laughter and nods as he shook himself off, inclining his head with a professional air as he readjusted himself. “Regardless, allow me to explain the full-scale of the situation to everyone,” he announced, not reflecting on a single word of (Y/N)’s warning, making Tony shake his head. If there was one thing about (Y/N) (among the sea of things about her), she knew how to make a point, even if it wasn’t to her intended audience.

-

  (Y/N) portalled onto the cliffside where Strange surveiled his sorcerors, their shadows lined up where the original portals from the Soul Dimension had appeared, his hands folded neatly behind his back. 

  “You’re late,” he reprimanded, not even feigning her a glance.

  “Yeah, well I got hung up by actually caring about other people, so,” she shrugged, placing the blunt to her lips that was no-longer lit from Rocket who she’d passed on her search for Strange, his friend Quill taking a strong interest in the concept of weed. Who was she to deprive him? Just call her the cannabis fairy by that point. 

  “It doesn’t bode well for our first lesson that you would choose to ignore my summon and shrug your practice,” he maintained, his magic melting the blunt from her fingertips.

  “Lesson?” (Y/N) posited, assuming she’d been summoned for some...well, what Gumby said, assistance. Though, what the Supreme Ruler of Turning Tricks could want from her, she couldn’t fathom. Which is exactly why she’d shown up. Plus, like...to help. Obviously.

  “Among many if you accept my offer to train you as my apprentice,” he disclosed, finally peering over to (Y/N) who seemed to be combatting a wide variety of invading thoughts. “Whatever you need to ask, I insist you do so,” an offer reminiscent to The Ancient One’s, subsiding a few of her doubts. She was about to let the words spill off her tongue, but the line of the injured waiting to be portalled to safety pressed her lips back together. Luckily, none were urgent, but it couldn’t have been comfortable sitting among the ashes. “Wise choice,” he nodded, seeming thrilled by her response despite his lackluster attitude. She couldn’t explain why he didn’t bother her the way Reed did, but that was a thought to be mulled over at a later time. 

  “Please, just show me what to do,” she requested politely as he bowed his head.

  “As I heard from Banner while treating his wound-”

  “He’ll be okay, right?” she interrupted, eyes startled in a sudden rush of guilt. 

  “Thanks to you, there’s enough salvagable tissue for me to work with,” he reassured her, giving her a moment to relax. “It seems you have an innate ability to transfer energy, a skill that requires decades of study, yet the instinct appears natural in you. I’m sure there’s a reason that I can’t yet provide you, but I would be most interested if you allowed me to try in the near future,” he explained, pausing only a moment to shift his position to face her, “but for now, I will teach you the most basic form of energy transference in the vain hopes you will accept my offer,” he smirked before moving his hands into position, encouraging (Y/N) to do the same as he stepped in to fix her form to her dismay. 

  He merely chuckled as he returned to his own position, both facing the edge of the cliff towards the sorceror’s who also got into position below. “It won’t be pretty your first time, but just breathe and push through how awkward it might feel,” he advised.

  “I’d imagine that’s a feeling that will come around often if I take up your offer,” she joked, rolling her eyes over to him, but he had his eyes closed, concentrating.

  “Precisely. Now focus and keep your intentions clear,” he responded. “Your role in this mass spell is to direct each portal to the correct location. Picture Wakanda in the most finite detail possible, and support the existing portals. Understand?”

  “Not as much as I’d prefer, but cheers to hoping in vain, yeah?” she threw back at him, taking pride in the use of his own words against him.

  “I know you imagine yourself immune from accepting guidance, an attitude I once entertained as well,” Strange mused, collecting himself before casting the spell. “Though, I doubt your ability to retain the arrogance I possessed. Just keep in mind I knew what a challenge you were the moment I was shown your potential. Don’t mistake me for someone who makes decisions lightly,” he asserted as she felt a wave of serenity pass over her with the calming scent of lavender ghosting her senses, staving her from panic at whatever was about to happen. “I will ask again, do you understand?” he requested as she affirmed her comprehension. 

  Just imagine and support the energy that exists. Couldn’t be too hard, right?

  That could’ve been the weed and lavender talking. Regardless, she felt ready, excited even as the spell was cast, each sorceror lifting their portals as Wakanda opened to the refugee heroes, the abundant city never the same after T’Challa was Snapped, but remaining a thriving society under Okoye’s direction, but never rule. All five years, she never gave up hope that her King would return. There was nothing for T’Challa to be impressed by as he stepped back into his kingdom, never a sliver of doubt his people would be cared for and protected by his fiercest general to ever grace the palace along with his mother.

  The crowds gathered around each portal, watching in awe as the spell took hold, some more skeptical than others about entering another portal, but T’Challa and Okoye promised aid of all kinds from housing to medical assistance to protection and more for as long as anyone required, knowing that jobs had not been retained, houses sold, and planets entirely decimated. It was the reality of the displaced, a reality brought about through no fault of their own. The sheer will of others who sought destruction, and reaped it’s selfish rewards.

  At least Wakanda had it’s moral priorities straight.

-

  Two days were spent organizing everyone who had no place left to go. A meeting was held on the second night to explain everything that had happened over the past five years while the displaced had been Snapped, focusing on Thanos’s plot and how everyone would be completely covered by Wakanda and New Asgard until they could get assimilated back into society, wherever that may be.

  All of which included a testimony from (Y/N) herself. As the team imagined, she wasn’t thrilled by the prospect, preferring Steve and Tony to give the fancy speeches, which they did, but Carol encouraged her to at least say something. So, she did, forcing herself to take the route of resistance rather than cowering behind the words of others, knowing they would protect her, but she could speak for herself. She stepped on stage, passing the line-up of speakers including T’Challa, Okoye, Strange, and Valkyrie, standing behind the platform as she wrestled with the microphone. Looking up, she immediately became dizzy staring from face to face to face to face to-

  “Fuck, there are so many of you,” she blurted out, rippling a sea of laughter as nervous laughter bubbled from her own lungs. “Thank you for laughing, whether it’s with or against me, I just beg of you to break the fucking tension,” she pleaded, finally getting the microphone where she wanted. “I know I’m not anyone important. I don’t have wealth, or knowledge to give you, so I guess I’m...more, or less useless to you all,” she rambled, clearing her throat. “But, there is one reason I brushed off my sweaty hands to come up here. I wanted to give you all my condolences for the time that you’ve lost, most of you more than just that. And since so many of you have been asking, yes, I was mentally manipulated by Thanos. It was...well, regardless of what it was to me, all I have more to say is that I am prepared to do anything I can to ensure that not a single one of you will be left in the dust-”

  “Already was, sweetheart!” someone yelled from the crowd, followed by a few complimenting jeers that were immediately struck down with an overwhelming surge of backlash in (Y/N)’s favor, the conflict rising like a tide of bodies and voices.

  “Hey! Hey!” (Y/N) shouted into the microphone, pausing the chaos with the resounding backlash of screeches from the auditory system. “Sorry about that, too,” she apologized as everyone recovered from their cringes. “You know what, you have every right to feel that way. To feel angry at what happened,” she admitted, then sighed. “But look, dude. Not to suck my own dick here, but I didn’t leave you. None of us did, or you wouldn’t be here,” she retorted back, unsure of who she was even talking to, and maybe that was a mistake. “You all deserve more than a punishment you never earned, was thrown at you out of absolutely nowhere. It must’ve been terrifying,” she confessed, looking down at her shaking hands. 

  “But please, I urge you to think for yourselves,” she said, balling her fists on the platform. “You’re allowed to hate me for standing up here like an ass telling you things I doubt you want to hear from the mouth of someone who wasn’t even Snapped. I can only empathize with what you’ve been through and what’s still to come, but I do want to help. All of us who’ve spoken want only that. Imagine what would’ve happened had we not all come together during the battle. Picture the destruction in your mind, and understand what will happen if we turn on one another out of anger at someone who’s already dead,” she insisted. “I mean, feel free to leave Wakanda. This isn’t Jonestown. I’m just saying, imagine the possibilites we can accomplish pulling all our minds together. I know I’m just some socialist scum, but compared to what Thanos had in mind for...well, not even us. He was gonna kill all of us and start a new Universe with new people he planned to control, a place devoid of even the concept of equality. This is the closest we’ll ever come to starting over. Shouldn’t we at least attempt to change some shit?” she asked, the sounds of murmured conversation spreading through the crowd. She sighed, “Regardless, my point of speaking was to apologize. I hope I made that clear among my ramblings. Dispute me, don’t. Stay, leave. I know many choices have been stripped from you due to the lost time, but your life isn’t over. The war may be, but your future isn’t. Please, don’t let that psychopath win. He’s dead, we’re not. We have an oppotunity now that we stole back from him. I think we would all hate for that to go to waste. More than anything, I’m honored to know that I share a Universe with such an insanely powerful group of indivuiduals who will always stand even when the odds are against us. It’s good to know that not a single one of us are alone anymore,” she proposed with a genuine smile, thinking of being able to go to any of her homes now with her family of found freaks. That was before she leaned into the mic and stated, “All I have left to say is...fuck Big Pharma. Insulin should be free and hail Satan,” she concluded, throwing both her middle fingers over her head before exiting the stage, relieved to hear a rouse of applause behind her.

  She had meant to just apologize, knowing it would fall on deaf ears for those who didn’t want to listen, and that was fine. As much as she wanted to aplogize on a more personal level, the speech would have to do, despite how hot and itchy her skin felt as she sensed people exiting the stage behind her.

  “Never again,” she turned on Steve and Tony who just eyed her with pride despite how she was scratching anxiously at her arms. “I felt like I was spreading propoganda for some New World Order,” she exhaled as she tugged at her shirt sleeves, but Steve wrapped her in his arms, tucking her head against his chest. 

  “I thought you did great,” he whispered in her ear as he kissed the top of her head. Peeking out, she caught sight of Tony who grinned at her.

  “What?” she demanded petulantly as he shook his head.

  “As much as I’ve doubted your ability for public relations,” he stated in disbelief. “That wasn’t half-bad. Better than anything I said, and far more entertaining. It was honest and concise. Like Steve said, you did great,” he complimented humbly despite how moving his speech had actually been.

  “I don’t want to do great. All I wanted was to apologize,” she objected.

  “Well, I’m afraid you did much more than that, punk,” Tony sighed, booping her nose as she flipped him the finger. “Yeah, like I’ve never seen that one before,” he scoffed as the sounds of applause indicated the end of the meeting, followed by footsteps coming off the stage behind them.

  “Other than the sucking your own dick section,” Strange interjected as himself and Carol joined the conversation, “I’d say that was one of the best on-the-spot speeches I’ve ever heard.”

  “You’re fucking with me? That section was the best part,” Carol disagreed with Strange, sending (Y/N) a wink who tried not to melt.

  “Well, when my cock’s this huge it’s hard not to brag about it,” (Y/N) boasted, trying to impress Carol, then realized what she’d just said. “Oh, fuck. Why doesn’t anyone stop me?” she exclaimed, dragging her hands over her face.

  “I believe that is up to your own conscience,” T’Challa smiled at her.

  “You’re right,” she conceded, pointing over to Strange. “So, how do I get that shit back?” she asked, but just as he was about to answer - Valkyrie.

  “Why bother? A conscience is overrated if it keeps you from stating the truth,” she howled, giving (Y/N) a rough slam on the back. “Hel be damned, I was a hair’s breadth away from blasting that guy through the atmosphere.”

  “As much as I would pay to see that, I’m glad you didn’t,” (Y/N) admitted, earning some questoning glances. “I mean, I get their point. There’s not really any evidence to prove that my involvement with Thanos wasn’t manipulated. If I wasn’t myself, I’d absolutely be questioning the shit out of everything. What’s there to trust after the world had been swept out from under their feet?” she explained. “Like, I’m not entitled to anyone who doesn’t know me to believe in me. None of us are. If there was evidence to give and people were choosing not to see it, that would entirely different. But, there isn’t. So, I just hope that even if they don’t like me, they’ll find solidarity with everyone else who’s struggling to come to terms with what happened,” she shrugged, earning contemplative silence, some shocked by her composure instead of the rampage some had come to expect from her. She took the silence to mean they found her proposition ridiculous, so she backpeadalled a bit. “And, I mean that in like the most naive way possible. I understand we’ll never live in a utopia, but if you don’t strive for more, you’ll only be left with less, man."

  Lo and behold, that mentality struck a cord with Tony, hatching an idea from (Y/N)’s ideologies and Natasha’s to form a superhero council of sorts that held monthly meetings to exchange ideas, then have their transcripts open for the population unless determined the information would cause unnecessary panic. The New Avengers, if you will.

  The council included, and would never be limited to: Tony Stark, Steve Rogers, T’Challa, Reed Richards, Stephen Strange, Susan Storm, James Rhodes, Natasha Romanoff, Carol Danvers, Wong, Okoye, Valkyrie (King of Asgard), and consulting expert of absolutely nothing other than humanitarianism and keeping egos in check, (Y/N) (Y/L/N). Because what a travesty a vastly rich, white, cis-het male council would be. On top of that, how boring and ill-informed they might be on the struggles of minorities, perhaps lacking in a certain perspective to properly assess if their decisions would be harmful, or not. But also, to discuss topics other than the strife of men such as themselves. We wouldn’t want that, right?

  And with the responisibility of keeping people’s egos in check, there had been one particular theatrical performance that kept (Y/N) from being a permanent member, which was perfectly fine with her after T’Challa, Steve, and Valkyrie took shot after shot at the less-than-humanitarian ideas some of the others came up with.

-

  “Everything dies,” Reed monologued, racking up more and more time as he indulged in the sound of his own voice, but everyone politely listened...except for (Y/N) and Valkyrie who shared malicious glances from across the table, long fed up with his arrogance. Strange already sensed what was about to occur, but kept his opinions to himself. Reed had discouraged one his ideas just a week previous, and he had still been stewing over it. “You. Me. Everyone on this planet. Our Sun. Our galaxy. And, eventually, the Universe itself. This is simply how things are. It’s inevitable and I accept it...”

  The strumming of a guitar was heard lowly in the room, building with each passing second of Reed’s speech that he didn’t notice until (Y/N) started lightly singing her taunt.

  Karma police, arrest this man,

  He talks in maths, he buzzes like a fridge

  He’s like a detuned radio.

  Valkyrie had tears in her eyes as she forced herself to remain composed for the benefit of New Asgard, staying in these meetings to keep them fully informed. Otherwise, she’d be on the table screaming the same thing.

  “(Y/N)!” Tony scolded her, his conversation with her about ‘keeping the peace’ clearly going nowhere as she kept her eyes on the guitar she’d potalled from home, playing on.

  “Did you have something to add?” Reed questioned, long tired of her insolence. He’d attempted to remain calm at her constant attacks at, what appeared to be, mostly his work. Taking shots at his ‘lack of empathy for others.’ But, one break of composure, and now they were sworn enemies (in the most docile way possible, but still. It kept the meetings entertaining).

  “Yeah!” she nodded, still lightly playing as she swayed back and forth. “Uh...you’re a bitch!” she pointed at him as Wong let a snort escape. Reed was about to argue, but she continued. “Ay, F.R.I.D.A.Y, what’s the percentage of codename: Hubba Bubba’s talking time compared to everyone else’s over the last five meetings?” she inquired, returning to her absent strumming.

  “Talking time elapsed has been 57% for codename: Hubba Bubba over the remaining collective talking time of 43% for the remaining council,” she responded. “(Y/N) had also asked me to provide evidence to anyone,” static interfered as a recording of (Y/N)’s voice cleared her throat, “ehem, Reed Dickards,” then F.R.I.D.A.Y’s voice returned, “who would like a copy.”

  “Yeah...that’s some shit,” she smiled to herself as she played another verse.

  This is what you’ll get, this is what you’ll get,

  For messing with us.

  As she rose from her seat, knowing this was her last act of justice for her last strike as she bowed her head, playing her guitar out of existence.

  “I have no regrets!” she shouted. “Enjoy the wolves! Hope they don’t completely eat you alive, or I do. Capitalism is a farce and prison labor is a crime against humanity. Arrivederci!” she announced as she portalled out of the room, leaving everyone to collect themselves. Rhodey had to keep himself from passing out after holding his breath for as long as he did.

  As much as Tony had been pissed about her utilizing F.R.I.D.A.Y once again to make her points, the point itself...Reed was in some massive trouble.

  Susan Storm herself even reached out to (Y/N) to commend her on her performance. She was rarely invited back, but when she was...she made that shit count.

-

  Despite the literal Hel that had come, despite the pain endured, everything the Avengers had learned had come down to this: there was strength in solidarity. No matter how obvious, the lesson was clear. There was no such thing as a successful society built on the divide of people. There was no team unless there was balance. 

  Of course there would be disagreements, but that was human nature. What human nature never required was war. That’s why humans are enabled the ability to communicate. Basically, use it, or lose everything as seen time and time again. 

  The life of an Avenger wasn’t pretty, but it brought the most unlikely group of outcasts together to make something special, created something bigger than themselves. A team-

   “Oh, my God. That’s so fucked up,” (Y/N) exhaled, reading the meme Peter showed her on his phone as they lounged together on Tony’s couch back at his house in the woods. The meme was about Thanos’s plot being a huge ploy by the broom and dust bin market. She gawked for another second, then nodded, “I love it. Send it to me,” she said as he messaged her the screenshot, interrupted by her elbow in his side. “Watch and learn, Tingle Tangle,” she whispered as she hit send, waiting only a few seconds before Steve and Sam came into the living room from the kitchen, Sam in damn-near tears.

  “I already accepted the joke, (Y/N). What more do you want from me?” he demanded, holding up his phone as an animation of Winnie the Pooh played on the screen with full volume, Peter and (Y/N) both shouting the words.

  Oh, bother. I’m so stuffed with fluff. I’m dummy thick.

  They recited, emphasizing the ‘k’ on thick.

  And the clap of my asscheeks...alerted the bees.

  They fell over each other in laughter as Sam had to hold onto Steve’s shoulder for support. Steve merely crossed his arms, but the smirk on his face couldn’t be concealed. This is exactly where he wanted to be, surrounded by these idiots. He really was happy.

  That was until Bucky and Tony joined the conversation and ruined his entire career. The man was flayed alive. America’s ass...he blamed the uniform.

  “It was like a beacon sent from God,” Bucky mused in memory. “I just remember waking up, seeing his new height, and then...there it was.”

  “The ass that’s lit Fourth of July fireworks across America since World War II,” Tony finished for him, raising his glass in celebration to clink with Bucky’s.

  “I mean, look at him! All caked up on this Tuesday afternoon,” Sam added, punching Steve in the chest until Steve rounded him into a choke hold, Sam immediately tapping out. “I yield, man. Get off.”

  “Do you yield, Sam?” (Y/N) questioned, accepting her beer from Natasha who slipped onto the couch beside her. “Do you yield to the mighty shield?”

  “I don’t yield to shit from you!” Sam yelled as Steve released him, pointing at (Y/N) who just snapped the cap straight off her beer, chugging the whole thing just to spite him. “Was that supposed to intimidate me?” he asked as she let out a belch to scare the birds away.

  “Not everything’s about you, Chicken Wings,” she dared. “That one was for me,” she asserted, wiggling her brows at him as Bruce entered the living room from the backyard, calling for everyone to gather for the jump. Steve immediately charged (Y/N) among all the excitement, throwing her over his shoulder just the way he’d done after they exchanged their first ‘I love you’s’ as he rushed outside, everyone following behind to join Wanda, Clint, and Thor. Pepper and Morgan even came up from the river bank from collecting more rocks for Morgan’s nature soup to see the action, immediately being welcomed into Tony’s arms.

  “Time Jump, bitches!” (Y/N) called over to Wanda and Clint who gave each other amused glances before Steve dropped her on the platform. “Well, what was that all about?” she laughed up at him as he leaned down to where she was sat, his smile radiating in the mid-afternoon rays that shifted through the tree branches above, freckling both of their faces.

  “Do you remember?” he whispered just for her as she smiled devilishly, her cheeks warming at the faint memory of butterflies in her stomach as she tried to force out the words that she absolutely did feel, but was too nervous to get out right. It was the single-most adorable thing Steve had ever laid eyes on, her attempts holding a dear place in his heart.

  “I remember,” she whispered back. “How can I not? It was the first time I’d felt loved...and trusted...and was clearly nervous about all of it,” she joked lightly as he brushed the hair from her face with a tilt of his head.

  “Are you nervous now?” he asked, the breeze lifting dandelion seeds through the air as she peered around the clearing, catching smiles thrown her and Steve’s way before pretending they hadn’t seen a thing. Especially Peter who got extremely flustered by her eyes. She couldn’t help but feel emotional at seeing Natasha and Clint standing side-by-side, their hands interlocked beside Wanda who had a strong smile on her face. (Y/N) couldn’t understand how supportive she had been when she’d heard about Steve’s and (Y/N)’s wedding, burying her own grief for her best friend. All (Y/N) could do was promise to always be with her as they regaled their wild time as roommates, then shared a moment in memory of Vision. Shared many of those moments together...despite (Y/N) and Strange actively searching for other alternatives to retrieving him...but she decided not to give false hope, just in case.

  Beyond her was Thor who was waving over to Morgan, her face burying into Tony’s chest as he continued to make faces at her, her tiny face peeking out every few seconds to catch a glimpse of her uncle. She panned over to Bruce who waited patiently at the controls, shuffling awkwardly at her lifted brow, getting flustered by her gaze. After all this time, the man was still just a massive softie in a Hulk’s body.

  Then, there was Bucky who had been the reason she was alive in the first place. Brooklyn, the man behind the bars, the one who kept her going when she felt no reason to continue to fight. Steve’s ass might’ve been his beacon, but Bucky had been (Y/N)’s. 

  Then, she caught Tony’s eye, his face filled with a sudden hitch of emotion as Pepper comforted him, placing her hand on his shoulder as he calmed down, despite how his reaction had effected (Y/N), their brains more-or-less inextricably linked. This is what they had both fought for, what Tony had always fought for. They’d actually fucking made it. All the things they joked would never come to pass considering their once volatile alcoholic personas, a fun time, yes. But, nothing compared to where their lives ended up now.

  “Not anymore,” she answered Steve, her silver eyes flashing at him below her eyelashes. “I have no reason to be anymore. We made it home,” she affirmed softly, absorbing the moment...before stealing a quick kiss from his lips, jumping up to dramatically scream, “1.21 gigawatts!”

  “Well, it had been a nice moment,” Steve groaned as he straightened his spine to stand on the platform beside (Y/N).

  “Yeah, and then I felt weird, so-”

  “You made it weirder?” Bucky scoffed as she nodded at him.

  “Exactly!” she exclaimed, pointing to Thor who was now sat on the cooler, sipping on his alcohol-free mojito Tony had made for him, now ten days sober. “Orange juice for the road, yeah?” she shouted as he grumbled, but grabbed the juice for her. He tossed it in the air as (Y/N) caught it through her portal, knocking off the cap before draining the whole thing, smashing the empty plastic between her fists. 

  “Send us, cowards!” she howled, earning whoops from Sam, Thor, and Tony (who encouraged Morgan to join), snatching Steve’s hand in her own, her other carrying the briefcase of Stones while Steve flipped his new hammer in the air. “F.R.I.D.A.Y, play us out!” she called as After the Storm by Kali Uchis, Tyler the Creator, and Bootsy Collins blasted through the platform as she rolled her body.

  Ah, whatever goes around eventually comes back to you

  So, you better be careful, baby,

  And look both ways before you cross my mind.

  She mouthed to Steve who just shook his head as he laughed.

  “Going Quantum in 3, 2-” Bruce counted down.

  “You programmed her to do this?” Tony yelled at her, but she shook her head.

  “No, Peter did!” she yelled back before they disappeared as Tony peered over to a suddenly very sheepish Peter who kicked at the dirt. “Kid-” he started, but Peter threw his hands up in defence.

  “She made me do it, Mr. Stark,” he rushed to explain as Tony walked over to pat him on the back, assuring him that he knew she did. “She’s really persuasive,” he huffed as Tony agreed. “I mean, personally, I thought Jump by Van Halen would’ve been better, but...” he shrugged as Tony glared down at him, but pulled himself out of it as Bruce announced the return.

  “And returning, in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1,” he counted down as the Tunnel began to vibrate, crackling with energy...but nothing happened. The platform remained empty. A gust of wind dragged through the weeds as they waited, but they were gone.

  “Where are they?” Sam asked, quietly at first, but his panic started the set in. “Bruce!” he shouted as Tony placed Morgan in Pepper’s arms, hurrying over to the control panel to assist as Bucky piped up.

  “Guys!” he called, perking everyone’s heads as Wanda retrieved herself from falling apart, her nose already burning at the effort. “Look,” he nodded over to the lake’s edge where two people were sat leaning against one another, almost unrecognizable from behind, but it was them.

  Bucky, Sam, and Tony approached with caution, rounding the bench to realize the unexpected: the couple had gracefully aged, having, apparently, enjoyed their lives together in some different decade. (Y/N) smiled up at them contently as Tony kneeled before her, taking her hand.

  “How was it?” he asked, tears sparking in his eyes. “How was...how was all of it?” she placed her other hand over his...as the powers of the Reality Stone faded around the couple, melting away to reveal their ageless complexions.

  “Not sure, yet,” she remarked as Tony threw her hand back at her, Bucky and Sam groaning loudly as Clint shouted from behind them, ‘Are you fucking kidding me?’ “Cheers to hoping we’ll all find out, yeah?” she laughed as she nudged Steve who was attempting to school his expression.

  “I told you it would work,” he taunted her as the shock waves blasted through the others.

  “You- you,” Sam stuttered. “You came up with idea? Captain America decided to pull a prank?”

  “And he got your bitchass good!” (Y/N) exclaimed, kissing his cheek before shoving Bucky out of his stupor. “Welcome to the team, asshole!” she laughed before launching herself down towards the dock, stripping her uniform down to her t-shirt underneath before taking a canonball into the lake, followed closely by Thor who immedaitely joined the party, eventually by Wanda, Nat, Steve, and Sam.

  The sunset over the horizon, Tony and Pepper passed out towels to their delinquents, all sat together boozing and barbecuing on the docks as Wanda and (Y/N) took turns manipulating fireworks to Morgan’s amazement. (Y/N) tucked herself in Steve’s arms while Wanda laid her head against (Y/N)’s shoulder, Thor lounging at her feet as Tony looked back towards her with a smile, his family all together at last.

  The summer breeze passed and they all were able to breathe it in, the warmth of the bonfire, the buzzing crickets, the budding stars, and the feeling on belonging wrapping them in warmth.

  And, that’s what the life of an Avenger should’ve been and now could finally be. They could all rest now.

-

A/N: Fair warning I wrote 70% of this 3-4 white claws deep.

In canon, I support Sam as Captain America so fucking hard. I am only alive and breathing to watch The Falcon and The Winter Soldier.

The New Avengers council is in reference to a comic book series New Avengers: Illuminati that has had me in a rage since I first read it, and was horrified by it’s lack of diversity. So, changed that in my own personal canon. Feel free to add it to yours.

Also, guess I decided now to continue this series once Multiverse of Madness comes out. I’m feeling crafty today.

Also also, the word ‘obviously’ is ruined forever after watching the movie The Platform. Proceed with caution unless you want the word marred in your memory, but I can’t use the word ‘clearly’ again.

Fuck Donald Trump and his attempt to get rid of DACA. Please help to make sure his second attempt doesn’t gain any traction either.