So here’s my submission for the Superhusbands Aluminium Anthology currently being put together by the hardworking mods @stevetonystudios.
I thought I’d give you guys a quick preview of my MCU post-CW fix-it. If you want to read the rest it will be published on the 20th September in the anthology and on AO3:)
P.S: @cazdraws did art for it and it is BREATHTAKING so even if you don’t feel like reading 10k worth of angst and denial, you should check it out for her art.
P.P.S.: even if you don’t want that you should check out the anthology because there is going to be TONS of good stuff in there.
P.P.P.S.: I’m JUST REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THE ANTHOLOGY OKAY
“The Avengers have successfully contained the flow of lava. The city of Akurana has been evacuated with only four casualties to speak of, despite the shocking speed of an explosive volcanic event that no seismologist had seen coming. The following videos were taken by residents after being evacuated in SHIELD Helicarriers…”
The grainy footage has no audio, but it’s impossible for Steve to miss the bright red of Natasha’s hair. She sits on the floor of the Helicarrier with soot-covered children braiding her hair. The scarlet of Wanda’s telekinesis distracts him as she hands out bottled water. Iron Man flies into view, an elderly man and his goat in hand, and gently sets them down near Natasha. At her waving, he comes closer to her and the videographer, the suit flying away to reveal Tony Stark in an undersuit.
Steve sits on the couch and ignores the rest of the newscast.
When the Avengers had been called to mobilise, Steve had already been on the tail of the Friends of Humanity plotting a terrorist attack at a school for mutants. An impromptu team-up with Logan and half a dozen explosions later, the children were shaken but safe, Logan was likely drunk in a bar somewhere, and Steve was ready for extraction.
There’s a single text on his phone from Tony Stark. They’re professional and impersonal, as they’ve been for months now. It reads, “Have exfil take you home, we’re done here.”
Steve replies, “Affirmative.” He doesn’t know why he does it, doesn’t even realise what’s happened until he hits send on a second message. “I miss you.”
He regrets it the moment he sends it. Iron Man might need Captain America for missions, but if the last year has taught him anything, it’s that Tony Stark doesn’t need anything from Steve Rogers.
