“Cap, civilian on your six o’clock.”

“Impossible. There was no one there two minutes ago.”

“Yeah, well, check again. I can see her still as a statue.”

Now, you were about to resign to your poor, unfortunate fate. You saw something faintly reminiscent of an alien with a sword-thing bulldozing straight towards you, aiming for your untimely demise, and you thought oh! great, i wouldn’t have to embarrass myself in front of the panelists.

Well that would’ve been the plan, if not for a certain super-soldier-serum-infused captain sliding over to save your ass and a lone arrow whirling straight to the alien-thing’s brain—blowing it cleanly off with a loud baam!

You saw guts. Purpley, goey, guts.

Were those intestines?

Oh my god, why the fuck was it chunky?

⋆⁺₊⋆ ━━━━⊱༒︎ • ༒︎⊰━━━━ ⋆⁺₊⋆

“Do not ask me the color of anything.” You whispered, brain still too pretty to function, staring at the person carrying you into… safety? You don’t know anymore. At some point, you thought cyan and turquoise were the same thing—and you used to be very particular with colors. Like five minutes ago, when you hadn’t seen an alien’s flying guts in 4k resolution.

Then your eyes drifted to your—for lack of better terms—now-unmasked-carrier.

Damn, why does he look like that—in a good way, but like why?

He looked insanely familiar, too. Mhmn…

It wasn’t until a debris-filled road made him slightly trip, almost loosening his grasp on you—shaking your insides. Not the good kind. “Oh god, I think I’ll hurl my dinner.” Whispering, your grip involuntarily tightened on his neck, heart immediately dropping to your ass as it pounded heavily in your eardrums. Hey, at least you got your senses back. Barely. But a win is a win.

It was afternoon. 2:54 pm, to be exact.

Meanwhile Steve Rogers just thinks he (unfortunately) picked up a mildly pathetic chick. And he would’ve brushed it off, if not for his soul-mark—coincidentally placed below your frozen-in-fear hand—burning like a bitch. It’s the only reason why he tripped; after all, nothing could deter the captain when he’s saving lives. Not even a lone pebble deliberately placed to screw him over (the pebble did nothing, it was innocent).

“You’re safe, don’t worry.” Steve couldn’t help but reassure the stranger. His instincts automatically made his mouth spew the words without thinking of the consequences—if there were even consequences. It’s normal to comfort strangers, he thinks. More so if the stranger was his soulmate, he thi—no, he backtracks. “I got you.”

“I mean, I would hope so.” You replied without thinking, eyes trailing to stare ahead of you, blinking once, twice—then whimpered involuntarily when you caught a glimpse of a heinous-looking gigantic alien that looked exactly like it was pulled from your worst nightmares. “Okay, no matter what you do, do not look back. Please.”

Normally, he would’ve listened. Because Steve treats warnings with careful precaution—he’d learnt that from his military days. But he hadn’t been doing things as he normally would for the past ten minutes. You’re the anomaly. He’s actively choosing to blame you.

“What?” Steve momentarily stopped, confusion coating his features as he subtly tried to turn.

When he did, what he saw was an ugly fucking alien beelining straight to where he was currently standing—all towering and fucking ugly. “What the fuck.” He whispered, staring at the god-awful centipede-like creature. Well, if the centipede was 10x angry and 10000x bigger. Did he mention ugly?

Subtlety be damned, you still felt the light shift—and, swear to god—you felt him freeze. “Do not look ba—I told you not to look back!” You panicked. And panicked was an understatement as your painted nails dug into his soft flesh.

And then he’s sprinting. Oh god, he’s sprinting.

Not away, no. Oh no, you would’ve fallen for that handsome, bulky stranger if he was.

He was sprinting towards it. With the sole intention of killing it off with his well-painted shield and brute force.

You think he had forgotten the fact that he was still carrying you—the quote-unquote innocent civilian he was supposed to rescue. He didn’t. He very clearly whispered a hold on tight—I’ll make this quick, while shifting you securely in his hold. And then you thought you met god.

Not that god, the other god. The one who screams another! while breaking a mug-god. The one who preaches those who are worthy could lift the hammer-god. The one who—yeah, you get the gist. It’s damn Thor Odinson, the God of Thunder-god.

You were hammered, but not hammered enough to the point that you’d forgotten Chris Hemsworth gorgeously portrayed that handsome male specimen—that’s, well, currently standing in front of you, striking that god-awful fuck-ass creature-thing. “Are you alright?”

You would’ve swooned. Really, you would’ve. If only you weren’t—you know—creating impossible hypotheses you never thought would’ve been created, due to the sheer absurdity of ever thinking about it, like, at all.

Great, now you don’t even know what the absolute fuck you were thinking.

At least now you’re assured that you aren’t made by A.I. Because if you don’t even know what you’re thinking, what makes you think a chatbot would?

But to simplify:

The one carrying you + painted shield + reassuring phrases + very captivating plump ass = Captain-America-slash-Steve-Motherfucking-Rogers

The one who bitch-slapped a creature + gorgeous long blond locks + hammer god = God-of-Thunder-slash-Thor-choke-me-with-those-bulky-biceps-Odinson

(America’s Ass + Golden Retriever God) + Chaos n’ Destruction + n = The Avengers

Now this leads to three utterly substantial statements of the problem—with their mind-fucking, corresponding hypotheses. Let’s delve deeper, shall we?

01. You had gone clinically insane, hyper-realistically imagining impossible scenarios from ypur severe lack of sleep.

Ha₁: You don’t need to defend your research no more; you’re insane.

Ho₁: You’re more prone to being admitted to the mental asylum, saying goodbye to your family and the friends you’ve made along the way.

02. You had somehow been transported into a parallel-slash-alternate reality due to the sudden clockwise shifting of the Earth’s axis.

Ha₂: The professors who laughed at you for proposing this as your research title can now suck your juicy fuckin’ ass.

Ho₂: They literally can’t; you (accidentally) altered a timeline (or universe, rather) you weren’t supposed to be in.

03. You died, finally biting the dust after an umpteen number of all-nighters and caffeine-induced psychosis.

Ha₃: You died. In theory.

Ho₃: You died. In practice.

With those written (in your head) SoPs, you arrived at approximately three (3) conclusions. Either you’ve gone insane (unlikely), or Earth said fuck you in tagalog then spun in reverse (maybe likely), or you’ve died from caffeine-induced overdose (please don’t be likely).

Either way, one thing’s for certain: you’re fucked.

[next part]

˚　　　　✦　　　.　　. 　 ˚　.　　　　　 . ✦　　　 　˚　　　　 . ★⋆. 　　　.   　　˚　✭　 　　*　　 　　✦　　　.　　.　　　✦　˚ 　　　　 ˚　.˚　　　　　✭　.　　. 　 ˚　.　　　　 　　 　　　　 ✦

okay hear me out, in my defense, i got lazy editing my masterlist okay. making banners (although satisfying) sucks the soul outta me (like how i wish leon would). so then i started writing like a drabble, then the drabble became a story, then the story became a chapter, then i started making a banner, then the next thing i knew, this post was already drafted lololol. Leon will be making a comeback soon, i have like *checks notes* 10 wips of that guy he's not going ANYWHERE. anywhoo, i truly do miss these guys so i thought, why not make a classic avengers polyfic? rbs & comments for kisses, as always, ily

⠀ ㅤ۫ㅤ ͜ 𓈒 ⠀ 𝓑RUCE 𝓑ANNER ⠀ ︵˖⠀ ᩙᩙ ⠀

notebooks filled with equations half-erased by frustration. a whiteboard filled with formulas no one else could decipher. glasses sliding down your nose while you’re scribbling furiously. glass beakers clinking when you set them down too hard. leftover takeout containers on the floor. staring out the window at clouds. whispering “not today” when you feel anger bubbling. fists clenched under the table while pretending nothing is wrong. a half-drained bottle of pills. throwing something across the room in frustration. wishing you could fix everything. flipping a switch on the lab lights. avoiding mirrors. leaving your laptop half open because you can’t focus anymore. scratched-up microscopes. stacks of journals. overturned chairs. empty cardboard boxes used for storage. broken pens with ink smears. scorched metal clamps from experiments gone wrong. a wire bent awkwardly from constant adjustments. broken glasses held together with tape. notebooks with pages stuck together from spilled liquids. not being able to control your anger. checking your phone repeatedly to avoid making eye contact. a half-empty box of gloves. rubbing the back of your neck after a lab mistake no one noticed. half-dried chemical splashes across the counter. a binder spine split from overstuffing. pencil shavings. wanting to help others instead of yourself. leaving a window cracked to let in fresh air. anger issues. avoiding crowded rooms. watching the clock tick too slowly. staring at the ceiling when overwhelmed. pacing while phone rings unanswered. pressing a hand to your chest to slow your heartbeat. getting overwhelmed. a lab stool left spinning after you get up too fast. broken mechanical pencils you pressed too hard on. lab coats thrown over chairs instead of hung up. cracked ceramic bowls from dropping them during a bad morning. an unplugged charger you never remember to actually use. graph paper. outdated ID badges dangling from doorknobs. torn-out notebook pages scrunched into balls. batteries scattered on a desk from things he disassembled. reading glasses sitting on top of unopened mail. a stack of mint wrappers. loose change you never spend. paper towels used as tissues. a half-finished crossword puzzle.

⠀ ㅤ۫ㅤ ͜ 𓈒 ⠀ 𝓑UCKY 𝓑ARNES ⠀ ︵˖⠀ ᩙᩙ ⠀

dog tags you keep in a drawer instead of wearing. a folded piece of paper with a phone number he hasn’t called. instant oatmeal packets. a single plant he tries not to kill. taking the stairs instead of elevators. keeping an old photo in your wallet. sunglasses worn indoors. a fridge with three items in it. checking the peephole before unlocking the door. nodding instead of speaking when you’re tired. a baseball cap pulled low enough to disappear under. leftover bullets tossed in a drawer. a spare key he never gives to anyone. lingering in the cereal aisle longer than necessary. standing with your back to a wall. a single plate washed and drying in the rack. keeping your phone on silent. a book left open at a page you stopped on suddenly. leaving gatherings early because the noise gets too loud. a half-zipped duffel bag always ready to go. water rings on the nightstand. a beat-up backpack that’s been everywhere but home. learning to cook something simple. staring at the ceiling at 3 a.m. a metro ticket from a city he doesn’t remember visiting. hair falling into his eyes while he ties it back. half-smiles that look like they hurt. waking up from nightmares and pretending you didn’t. a surprising laugh. the ghost of a brooklyn accent. two unread books on the nightstand. keeping the curtains closed all day. a burner phone with the battery removed. losing yourself. keeping the same playlist for years. washing dishes at midnight because you can’t sleep. breaking a pencil in half. staring at your reflection like you’re trying to recognize it. sitting with your arms crossed. a single chair pulled away from the table. a lighter you don’t smoke with. avoiding bright lights. sitting in the shower with the water running. wearing the same hoodie for three days. a dish towel draped over the oven handle the same way every time. standing on the balcony just to breathe. an empty space on the wall where a picture used to hang. rubbing the bridge of your nose when you’re overwhelmed. standing in the kitchen in the dark. a coaster you try to remember to use. watching dust float in a sunbeam. locking the door behind you. a shadow stapled to you no matter where you go. leaning over the sink to steady yourself. a jacket you shrug on even when you’re not cold.

⠀ ㅤ۫ㅤ ͜ 𓈒 ⠀ 𝓒LINT 𝓑ARTON ⠀ ︵˖⠀ ᩙᩙ ⠀

bruises you don’t remember getting. letting your dog hog the entire bed without complaint. a fridge magnet shaped like a pizza slice. pretending you didn’t hear someone because you didn’t want to answer. wiping your hands on your jeans instead of using a towel. eating cereal for dinner again. squinting at signs you should be able to read. falling asleep with your hand still on the TV remote. the relief of sitting down after a long day. grocery shopping with zero plan. your dog’s leash hanging on a wall hook because it’s the only thing you never lose. sitting outside on the steps just to breathe. standing in front of the fridge staring blankly inside. shoving everything into the closet when someone visits. letting your dog lick the plate clean. slippers you wear down the hall but never outside. mismatched mugs because half the set broke years ago. a broom leaning in the corner from when you meant to sweep. leaving a light on in the bathroom without realizing it. burning your tongue because you were too hungry to wait. your pets toys pushed under the couch where neither of you can reach. forgetting what you were doing halfway through doing it. muttering you’ve gotta be kidding me at every minor inconvenience. zoning out mid-conversation and snapping back with a blink. laying face-down on the bed without taking your shoes off yet. leaning out of the shower to grab a towel you forgot. sleeping in. forgetting where you parked. shirts with tiny holes you refuse to throw away. heating pads. opening mail and immediately regretting opening mail. falling asleep in your chair instead of your bed. a drawer full of takeout soy sauce packets you’ll never use. calling every dog you see buddy. stretching your back until it pops. muttering nope when you see people drama. putting something “somewhere safe” and instantly forgetting where. leaving a half-empty water bottle in your car. letting laundry stay in the dryer for days. tv dinners. misplacing your glasses and blaming everyone else. sighing before getting out of the car. letting your dog pull you in whatever direction they want.

⠀ ㅤ۫ㅤ. ͜ 𓈒 ⠀ 𝓓R. 𝓢TRANGE ⠀ ︵˖⠀ ᩙᩙ ⠀

sitting on the floor with books spread around you. circles under your eyes that no amount of sleep fixes. rubbing your temple when people ask obvious questions. a sudden intense craving for solitude. looking done with everything before the day even starts. biting back a sharp comment and failing. pretending you’re fine because you have things to do. ancient symbols scribbled on scrap paper. judging someone silently for asking a stupid question. refusing to cry even when you need to. flipping to the exact page you need without even looking. ignoring someone mid-sentence because a thought suddenly clicked. refusing help even when you obviously need it. keeping people at arm’s length. judging people from behind your teacup. feeling more understood by texts written a thousand years ago than by people today. rolling your eyes. refusing to ask for clarification because you already know you won’t like the answer. letting someone finish their flawed reasoning before dismantling it. raising one eyebrow as your default response to nonsense. knowing you sound arrogant and deciding not to care. getting a headache from people. feeling out of sync with the world. sitting in the same spot for hours without realizing it. talking to yourself because everyone else is too frustrating. losing track of what day it is. jars filled with ingredients no one else could identify. pinching the bridge of your nose after hearing someone’s bad plan. staring at a candle flame. feeling older than you actually are. avoiding conversation because you have no energy to fake polite. waking up tired, going to bed tired. pointing out flaws in someone’s logic without looking up. correcting someone’s pronunciation mid-sentence. letting silence answer for you. only giving instructions once. closing a book with a sigh that sounds centuries old. reading while walking and never bumping into anything. forcing your expression into neutrality. choosing the most complicated explanation just to shut someone up. muttering unbelievable under your breath. walking away mid-conversation. giving someone a look that says please don’t. the soft glow of a relic lighting your face in the dark. old parchment paper. sigils drawn so many times you can do them in your sleep. closing yourself off mid-conversation without meaning to. drifting off into memories you don’t want to revisit. using precise, unnecessarily complex vocabulary to insult someone.

⠀ ㅤ۫ㅤ ͜ 𓈒 ⠀ 𝓝ATASHA 𝓡OMANOFF ⠀ ︵˖⠀ ᩙᩙ ⠀

checking your reflection in a mirror to watch someone behind you. fixing your lipgloss during a fight. a perfect poker face. not flinching when a door slams. lying convincingly. sitting cross-legged on the kitchen counter. instantly distrusting kindness. a copy of the great gatsby dog-eared in a corner. avoiding answering personal questions. keeping your true thoughts to yourself. a hidden knife tucked in a boot. letting someone else talk while you study their hands. waking up instantly alert. never forgetting a face. a passport with multiple identities hidden beneath the photo page. turning heads without trying. only letting someone see what you want them to. never showing your full hand. refusing to talk about your childhood. knowing exactly what you’re doing. a dress you could commit crimes in. feigning ignorance to gather information. not letting people know when something hurts. freezing people out when you’re angry. keeping conversations deliberately shallow. dark sunglasses resting on your head while listening. showing interest in someone just to manipulate outcomes. a hotel phone you’ve disconnected to avoid tracking. forgiving but not forgetting. letting someone think they’ve gotten to you when they haven’t. keeping a ledger of grudges mentally. a refusal to be controlled. expecting betrayal before trust. black heels dangling from your fingers. turning your back because you know they’ll follow. a hand on someone’s knee to get information. standing too close on purpose. letting someone think they’ve won your trust. keeping secrets you’ve long stopped caring about. catching someone’s lie mid-sentence. red heels left on the floor beside the bed. a smile that could either be cruel or flirtatious. hiding your phone screen from prying eyes even when it’s just a text. flicking hair back while maintaining eye contact. receipts from purchases meant to cover tracks. lipstick stains on a martini glass. an old journal with names crossed out violently. slipping small lies into the truth. letting someone win an argument so they underestimate you. saying less than you mean. hiding true intentions behind politeness.

⠀ ㅤ۫ㅤ ͜ 𓈒 ⠀ 𝓟ETER 𝓟ARKER ⠀ ︵˖⠀ ᩙᩙ ⠀

notebooks with drawings of webs in the margins. apologizing to strangers you bump into. a camera strap left tangled on the floor. missing homework because you were busy helping someone. leftover deli sandwich in a bag on your desk. sweaty palms hiding under the table during presentations. forgetting your bag on the bus but pretending it’s fine. a notebook of “what-if” science experiments. looking both ways thrice before crossing the street. fumbling with keys while anxious. staying up late editing photos of cityscapes. holding doors open for strangers. a piece of gum stuck to the bottom of your shoe. buying extra slices of pizza to give to a friend who forgot lunch. a stack of VHS tapes or DVDs that you refuse to replace with remakes. backpack jostled and overstuffed. calculator battery dying at the worst possible time. replaying a social interaction in your head a hundred times. scribbled reminders about deadlines you’ll miss anyway. getting nervous asking someone to sit with you at lunch. messy hair from rushing out of the subway. glancing at the clock constantly when you’re anticipating something. web-shooters hidden under jacket sleeves. doodles of spiders next to physics equations. stammering when introducing yourself to someone new. empty soda cans by your bed. apologizing when you bump into a pole. re-reading old science notes for fun. holding your breath when walking past someone intimidating. making comic book scenes that never make it past your notebook. checking on construction workers crossing the street while swinging by. quoting star wars. offering to help a stranger carry groceries. feeding stray cats. humming nerdy movie themes while doing homework. apologizing for things you didn’t do. picking up stray litter. noticing every act of small kindness. saying what you think people want to hear. a half-built lego set on your desk abandoned for homework. action figures lined up perfectly on a shelf. a half-written fan theory on a scrap of paper. marking your favorite scenes in a film script. a piggy bank for emergencies. giving your last five dollars to a homeless person. obsessively rereading a message to make sure you didn’t sound rude. defending someone getting bullied even if it means trouble for you. staying up late to finish a project so your team doesn’t get points taken off. staring out a window imagining swinging across the city. movie quotes in response to real-life drama. feeling guilty when you prioritize one thing over helping someone. respecting your elders. having a crush on someone you can barely even say hi to. sneaking back into your room after you’ve been out all night. losing track of time whenever you daydream. sticky notes reminding you to call someone. dirty sneakers from running through puddles. standing a little taller when someone you admire walks by. seeking approval from people you like.

⠀ ㅤ۫ㅤ ͜ 𓈒 ⠀ 𝓟IETRO 𝓜AXIMOFF ⠀ ︵˖⠀ ᩙᩙ ⠀

a racing heartbeat after jumping into something without thinking. speeding up during yellow lights instead of slowing down. standing in front of someone to block their view on purpose. getting along with kids easier than adults. grabbing a gadget and pressing buttons immediately. racing someone for no reason. tapping your fingers impatiently. leaving doors unlocked because “I’ll be back soon.” a grin when someone challenges you. leaning forward in a chair ready to spring. tapping your foot. ignoring safety instructions. tossing and catching items in the air while waiting impatiently. jumping into a fight before you know the plan. taking shortcuts that clearly look unsafe. teasing a sibling while secretly covering for them. cutting in line because it’s faster. pushing buttons you shouldn’t just to see what happens. grabbing the last slice of pizza before anyone else. moving faster than the group can keep up with. running into an abandoned building on a dare. making a sarcastic comment mid-crisis. jumping into water without checking depth. whispering jokes to someone when others are serious. pushing a lever without reading instructions. drumming fingers against your leg. grabbing the spotlight in a tense moment. ignoring rules. leaning out a window to see better than everyone else. shouting watch this before doing something reckless. bouncing knees under the table constantly. bouncing a ball against a wall. grabbing someone’s backpack to pull them along. shifting weight from foot to foot endlessly. rolling shoulders and cracking necks absentmindedly. spinning in a chair. fidgeting to concentrate. repeatedly checking the time even without urgency. skipping steps when walking to feel faster. hovering nearby to make sure someone’s safe. making a joke to lighten tension when someone’s scared. checking on a worried family member. the wind hitting your face when you run. silently watching someone to ensure they’re okay. never letting others see your vulnerability. holding a door for someone carrying too much. flicking someone to get a reaction. cracking a joke at the worst possible time. giving nicknames that only make sense to you. mimicking someone. teasing friends until they chase you. pretending to fall asleep mid-conversation. joking about things that make others nervous. making faces behind someone’s back. sneakers worn on the soles. pushing a grocery cart and jumping on it. letting a little sister take the last cookie, but only because you like seeing her happy. teasing someone for overthinking while secretly doing the same. grinning when you win an argument. flopping dramatically on a couch.

⠀ ㅤ۫ㅤ ͜ 𓈒 ⠀ 𝓢AM 𝓦ILSON ⠀ ︵˖⠀ ᩙᩙ ⠀

worn aviator sunglasses left on the dashboard. offering to carry something heavy without thinking. sneakers scuffed from too many runs. pausing to make sure no one got left behind. a backpack with a zippered compartment for everything. checking gear before a mission. pacing when waiting for news you can’t control. uneven laces because he’s in a rush. earbuds dangling around his neck mid-conversation. shaking your head at a plan that’s obviously going to fail. a worn baseball cap shoved into a backpack. utility knife clipped to a backpack strap. offering your jacket when someone else looks cold. wishing people would anticipate what you need. tapping your fingers impatiently when someone’s slow. leaning on a counter with a look that screams I can’t deal with this. judging questionable life choices. frowning when someone hesitates on something you know they can do. smiling tightly to hide annoyance. trying to fix things before anyone else notices they’re broken. tapping the steering wheel impatiently at a red light. feeling frustrated when others don’t care as much as you do. walking a friend home because its safer. running errands. reminding yourself to be patient with others. giving a nod of encouragement instead of words. clenching your jaw when someone refuses to listen. crossing your arms and sighing when plans are delayed. worrying you’re not doing enough for the people you care about. clapping slowly when someone is obviously behind. wishing someone would just hurry up already. stepping in before a situation escalates. a half-empty thermos left on the kitchen counter. sometimes giving the benefit of the doubt even when you don’t want to. protecting your space, your time, and your energy. feeling frustrated when people don’t respect your expertise. keeping your distance emotionally until trust is earned. “really?” under your breath at avoidable mistakes. secretly holding grudges for a long time before letting go. giving orders once and expecting them followed. narrowing eyes at obvious lies. chuckling when someone accidentally proves your point. giving one-word answers because you’ve had enough talking. a first-aid kit stashed in a bag. wearing a pair of binoculars around your neck.

⠀ ㅤ۫ㅤ ͜ 𓈒 ⠀ 𝓢COTT 𝓛ANG ⠀ ︵˖⠀ ᩙᩙ ⠀

waving at someone and realizing they weren’t waving at you. a neon-colored sticky note stuck to your fridge reminding you to “call mom.” tripping over your own feet in front of a crowd. pretending you understood instructions you didn’t. old magazines collecting dust. a small stuffed animal forgotten in the closet. trying to impress someone with a skill you barely remember. forgetting which door you came in from. giving a pep talk to yourself before doing something. t-shirts from old gigs or jobs. wanting to impress people you admire. popcorn kernels stuck in the couch cushions. trying to remember everyone’s names at a big gathering. rambling about your favorite sci-fi movie. cheering for yourself when no one is watching. a bag of trail mix left open for days. explaining a joke too much because someone didn’t get it. attempting to stealthily sneak past someone and failing. trying to mediate an argument even if you’re confused. a hammer you never actually use. talking to animals like they understand. joking to hide insecurity. a half-eaten bag of chips on the couch. superhero trading cards. trying to make everything a team effort. a tiny broken toy you’re secretly attached to. panicking when everyone else seems to have it together. doing favors you don’t want to just to be liked. thinking everyone else is better at adulting than you. making impulsive decisions to prove yourself. worrying if someone’s mad at you even if it’s unrelated. daydreaming mid-conversation. wanting to help everyone but knowing you can’t. laughing at a joke you don’t really get just to fit in. feeling nervous when meeting someone important. wishing people would notice your effort. pretending to be okay with criticism . wanting everyone to like you. eating ice cream to cope with being sad. forgetting the password to your netflix account. nodding seriously during a conversation he completely lost track of five minutes ago. doing finger guns and immediately regretting the finger guns. saying not to brag before telling the least brag-worthy story imaginable. forgetting where you put something while holding it in your hand. getting peer pressured because you want to fit in. trying to relate to teens and accidentally sounding like a dad who just discovered slang.

⠀ ㅤ۫ㅤ ͜ 𓈒 ⠀ 𝓢TEVE 𝓡OGERS ⠀ ︵˖⠀ ᩙᩙ ⠀

a wristwatch that’s older than most people in the room. missing people you’ll never see again. carrying other people’s guilt. addressing strangers as sir/ma’am even if they’re younger. defending someone who doesn’t deserve it. neatly stacked newspapers. holding doors open for long, uncomfortable lengths of time. refusing to sit while others are standing. envelopes sealed with wax instead of glue. saying it’s alright even when it’s not. a pocketknife he’s had since the 1940s. honest eyes that give away too much. being suspicious of smartphones listening to you. record players. smiling awkwardly when someone compliments you. a perfectly made bed. avoiding burdening anyone with your problems. taking screenshots accidentally. feeling guilty for saying no. black and white films. offering help even when you’re not asked. being too polite to correct someone. typing with one finger. stepping aside so others can go first. saying the google without irony. expecting too much from yourself. eating the burnt piece so no one else has to. a sketch he never finished. loving people you can never fully have. helping an elderly person cross the street. cleaning up after yourself in public places. not understanding why people record concerts instead of watching. a candle blown out before leaving the room. feeling out of place in your own life. choosing kindness even when the world has not been. a keychain from a place that doesn’t exist anymore. worrying more about others’ comfort than your own. being the first to apologize. saying back in my day unironically. getting intimidated by starbucks sizes. replaying decisions you cannot change. forgiving everyone but yourself. vintage postcards he never mailed. a bowl of apples always on the counter. neatly stacked firewood. being too hard on yourself even when you did your best. missing a version of yourself that never existed. stepping into responsibility automatically. staying calm so others don’t panic. avoiding conflict. feeling like you don’t fit the version of yourself others see. giving second chances too easily. hating when people worry about you. a photo booth strip of smiles that no longer exist. rolled sleeves revealing veins. expecting yourself to endure anything. bruised knuckles wrapped in clean white bandages. a bottle of aftershave that lasts him too long. attracting people who need saving. staying kind even when it’s not reciprocated. trying to be the person others think you are. shirts ironed with military precision. dropping everything for someone in need. charcoal sketches scattered across his desk. having a moral compass that hurts more than it helps. walking away instead of starting a fight you’d win. seeing the best in people who have none to offer. wanting peace but being built for war. loving people harder than they’ll ever love you back. accidentally intimidating people just by existing. being loyal long after someone stopped deserving it. never knowing where you truly belong. struggling to let go of the past.

⠀ ㅤ۫ㅤ ͜ 𓈒 ⠀ 𝓣ONY 𝓢TARK ⠀ ︵˖⠀ ᩙᩙ ⠀

refusing to apologize first. stark tower illuminated against the night skyline. custom-tailored suits hanging in a temperature-controlled closet. knowing people like you for exactly who you are or hate you for it. sunglasses perched on the bridge of his nose. dismissing criticism rather than listening. a rooftop party. floors so polished you see your own reflection. standing in the spotlight. people knowing who you are everywhere you go. being completely unbothered when someone doesn’t like you. a velvet rope parting automatically as you walk toward the party entrance. spending days alone in your room. obsessing over legacy and how you’ll be remembered. thinking rules exist to be bent or broken. impulsively jumping into danger. resenting authority because of early betrayals. laughing at inappropriate moments. taking risks to feel alive. reminiscing about a father who was distant and critical. private jets landing outside. needing admiration. obsessively reworking ideas because you see flaws no one else does. sabotaging all your relationships. floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking a city. refusing to conform to expectations. smart glasses that record everything. a car with doors that open like wings. ordering another drink. choosing ego over confession. pushing people away. a champagne bottle popping just as someone yells your name. photographers’ cameras clicking incessantly. a limousine door opening before you even reach it. knowing you’re the smartest person in the room. exclusive invites. glancing at a crowd and everyone is watching you. intentionally being obnoxious. never apologizing for your personality. refusing to depend on anyone for anything. pushing others buttons for fun. asking personal questions but never answering them. making sure your opinion is heard. loving the sound of your own voice. showing interest in people selectively. believing everyone struggles, so your pain isn’t special. people constantly misjudging you based on appearance. keeping your true feelings to yourself. pouring a drink to deal with your feelings. going for days without sleep. replaying arguments with parents that never had closure. feeling lonely in a crowded room. isolating yourself for months. leaving parties with someone’s number you’ll never call. wanting to be better than you are. one night stands. giving people the best night of their life then disappearing. dismissing someone’s pain because you survived worse. keeping relationships shallow on purpose.

⠀ ㅤ۫ㅤ ͜ 𓈒 ⠀ 𝓣HOR 𝓞DINSON ⠀ ︵˖⠀ ᩙᩙ ⠀

sparks dancing off a weapon being forged. being separated from friends in class for talking too much. not understanding sarcasm. a feast table littered with half-eaten fruit and overturned cups. making a kid cry in fortnite. laughter echoing in a grand hall. an inability to whisper no matter how hard he tries. wanting to be close to someone who keeps slipping away. storm clouds gathering behind a silhouette. needing a purpose constantly or feeling useless. staring with open admiration because subtlety isn’t his thing. showing off in fights. defending your sibling even when they’d happily blame you. being unreasonably optimistic until the very last second. trying to lead even when you should listen. mourning a bond that never fully existed. taking everything too literally. fear of rejection. treating friends like family. ducking to fit in doorframes. wind slamming a door shut even though the windows are closed. answering questions with confidence even when you’re guessing. wanting a simple bond but getting a complicated one. getting way too competitive over board games. defending your friends instantly without knowing the full story. telling exaggerated stories that keep getting bigger. confidently mispronouncing a word and refusing to admit it. getting offended when someone says you’re wrong. yearning for old memories that mattered to you more. wind catching your hair at the perfect moment. trusting too easily and entirely. promising you won’t brag and then bragging immediately. being the first to volunteer when a friend needs help. offering to fix something even when you have no idea how. a laugh that shakes the walls. wanting forgiveness faster than you deserve it. speaking from the heart even when you should think first. eating like you haven’t seen food in centuries. forgetting your own strength. trusting someone again right after they broke that trust. holding onto hope long after others have let go. correcting someone’s story because they didn’t make you sound impressive enough. needing everyone to know you contributed. getting defensive when someone points out your flaws. throwing yourself into danger because you don’t know who you are without it. mistaking your own self-destruction for bravery. fearing that the best version of you already died. being angry at the past and nostalgic for it at the same time. waiting outside someone’s door just to make sure they’re alright. smiling proudly when someone you care about wins. wanting to share good news with someone who no longer answers. trying to be what they needed but never knowing what that was. assuming every dog at the park wants to play with you. clapping someone on the back so hard they stumble. using way too many exclamation marks in texts.

⠀ ㅤ۫ㅤ ͜ 𓈒 ⠀ 𝓥ISION ⠀ ︵˖⠀ ᩙᩙ ⠀

floating a few inches off the ground when you’re deep in thought. struggling to fit in with others. realizing you don’t know why your chest hurts, only that it does. mourning things you’ve never lived. accidentally hurting someone’s feelings. dressing like a math teacher. trying to use logic to solve a problem that is definitely emotional. sitting stiffly on a couch. being the quiet one in the friend group because you don’t want to interrupt. a mug held too delicately in careful hands. knowing how everyone else feels but not yourself. the click of a lamp turning on in a room. overanalyzing intentions. a single ray of sunlight warming one side of your face. finding a forgotten note in handwriting you recognize instantly. choosing to be gentle. finding symmetry in unrelated objects. knowing too much and not enough at the same time. practicing smiles in the mirror. wanting to hold someone’s hand but unsure if you should. understanding loneliness. finding comfort in routines. being too honest. not knowing how to comfort someone crying. lining up pencils so their points are perfectly parallel. hovering your hand over someone’s shoulder. overthinking a handshake. opening your mouth to speak and closing it when someone else does. smiling a second too late because you had to process the joke. waiting for permission to sit beside someone. stepping aside so someone else can walk through the doorway first. speaking formally without meaning to. pausing to hear birds chirping. noticing a chair slightly out of place and straightening it. pausing before speaking. asking may i before doing something. stopping to smell a flower. studying a pattern in wallpaper. lining objects by size. following traffic laws precisely. noticing someone’s posture change mid-conversation.

⠀ ㅤ۫ㅤ ͜ 𓈒 ⠀ 𝓦ANDA 𝓜AXIMOFF ⠀ ︵˖⠀ ᩙᩙ ⠀

staring into a puddle and seeing a distorted reflection. watching embers fade in a fireplace. feeling everything too intensely. flickering candlelight casting shadows across your room. leaning against brick walls. longing for simple joys. shuffling a deck of tarot cards. thinking about the what ifs constantly. wanting revenge. hoping to be recognized for your strength. pressing your palms to a cold wall and tracing its cracks. watching kids play across the street. loose sheets of music fluttering in the breeze. feeling conflicted between right and wrong. curling into a window seat with an old blanket. longing for family connection that’s gone or never existed. watching everyone back away from you. listening to rain hit tin roofs. a red ribbon tied to a branch. wondering if anyone would care if you disappeared. loving someone so fiercely it terrifies you. feeling envy for people who had a normal life. leaves crunching under boots in a quiet park. wishing you could undo the past every day. fear you pretend not to feel. drifting your hand over tall grass as you walk past. wanting to call someone you no longer can. a streetlamp about to burn out. touching a cracked mirror. staring at your hands and feeling afraid of them. an old television left on in the background. picking at chipped nail polish. pressing your forehead to a cold window. humming a lullaby from your childhood. picking up broken objects even when they cut your palms. reading old journals and not recognizing yourself. twisting your rings when you’re anxious. stepping into a warm room after being cold for too long. wandering markets and not buying anything. letting wind whip your hair around dramatically. sitting on a rooftop with your knees pulled to your chest. keeping old friendship bracelets. wrapping your arms around yourself when no one else will. smoothing wrinkles out of your clothes. stepping into shadowy alleys without fear. letting your fingers hover over something before touching it. realizing you’re not the same person anymore. missing your home. loving kids even though they cry when they see you. taking what you want without asking. smelling a jacket that belonged to your brother. crying yourself to sleep. dried rose petals in a shallow bowl. a necklace twisted around a finger for comfort.

POSTED 11/15/2025.

𓎢𓎟  ⸝⸝  masterlist (wip)  .ᐟ  𝜗𝜚

©️ latedeparture

A few minutes later, Vision, Wanda, Rhodey, Bruce and Natasha arrived at the main lounge. “What are you guys talking about?” Wanda asked. 

Thor answered Wanda’s question, “The young one wants a vacation.” 

Tony groaned and crashed into a nearby couch.

“[Y/N] is right, Stark. Most of us could really use a vacation here.” Bucky called out. Soon, everyone is now staring at Tony, pleading for a vacation that he will pay for. 

“Fine-” Before the billionaire finish his sentence, everyone cheered. Their little celebration about the upcoming vacation was halted when their red mission alarm in the Tower was activated. 

“Another mission? Seriously?” [Y/N] grunted as they all hurriedly prepared for their sudden mission.

"That's the life of being an Avenger, kid."

"Hey, I'm not complaining.”  [Y/N] shrugged. 

Once they finished mini preparing for their sudden mission, they all ran towards the Quinjet and went inside. It was a bit quiet until Steve spoke up. His hands on the tablet. 

He read aloud what was written on the mission file, “Fury said they found out another building of Hydra’s. We must sweep everything and find out if they have been keeping any information in there. 

[Y/N] checked the time in their left wrist watch, 2:45 PM. ‘It’s already been 5 minutes since we’re in this Quinjet?’ They mentally asked themselves, a bit forgetting that Wanda can hear other people’s thoughts or read minds. 

‘Don’t worry. Hopefully, this mission will be quick and we’re all just gonna chill in the living room.’ Wanda replied to her thoughts. The two of them gave each other a smile. 

“About the vacation-” Pietro suddenly mentioned. Tony groaned while others broke out into laughter. “I’m serious!” He put his hands up the air in defense then laughs as well. “When will we schedule it? I do hope it’s-”

Tony cut him off, “Let’s all talk about it later. Right after this mission. Only IF everyone get’s out alive.” 

“Ha-ha, Mr. Billionaire,” [Y/N] said, then giving him a smug look. “Did you forget you literally have a human time machine right here? If anyone dies later, I could just rewind and POOF! We’re all safe and sound.”

“We’re all gonna go back to the tower alive and in one piece.” Natasha stated. 

Bucky joined in, “Don’t be such a jinxter, Tony.”

The rest of the ride was either just goofing around, giving each other snarky comments, or Steve trying to stop them because they have a mission to focus on. 

∿

Everyone had arrived at the location where Hydra was doing experiments and planning evil plans. Everyone knows the drill and the mission already, sweep off Hydra guards in every floor, get information and stop the evil works. 

They’re all divided into 2 pairs per floor level. The Hydra building consists of 5 floors. Steve and Natasha on the first; Tony and Rhodey on the second; Thor and Bucky on the third; Pietro and Clint on the fourth; and Wanda and [Y/N] on the fifth floor. Sam volunteered to check the entire building perimeters outside because he wants to have a “bird’s eye view”. 

Meanwhile, Vision is just helping everyone by phasing through the floors back and forth. Then, Bruce is just at the Quinjet, waiting for everyone just in case they need the Hulk for later. Well, he mostly prefers to be there, he has some science stuff to finish anyways. 

After 10 minutes of taking down Hydra guards and agents, they’re all almost done checking every room for any useful information or stuff. Wanda and [Y/N] decided to split in order to finish looking into every room as soon as possible. 

[Y/N] had organized a movie night later and they want this mission to end so that they can start relaxing and hanging out.  [Y/N] doesn’t have that much powers except for some enhanced agility, fast reflexes and reversing time. Although, some may confuse her reversing time powers for time travelling, both are very much different from each other. 

They are about to check the last room, already assuming it’s the main room of the building due to how wide the doors are. 

“Going in the last room now.” [Y/N] said as everyone had been communicating through the earpiece. “Might need backup, just in case.”

Pietro said, “We’re coming to your floor now.” 

“Steve and I will catch up, there’s too many stairs.” 

[Y/N] tried to break-open the big doors but was immediately cut off when Wanda effortlessly opened it with a swish of her hands. “Thanks.” 

They both walked inside the room. An uneasy feeling appeared as their stomach gets twisted. Something doesn’t feel right. 

Wanda was examining the other side of the room while  [Y/N] ran towards the center as there is a note that was placed on the table. 

They picked it up and read it out loud, “Dear Avengers, if you are reading this. You have perfectly walked into Hydra’s best trap. Tick, tick, tick. Time is running. Goodbye forever.” This immediately caught everyone’s attention. 

[Y/N] was about to make a joke about the note on how amateur the note is. Like, Hydra doesn’t write those kind of notes but [Y/N] is guessing they hired a newbie to write that note. Luckily, they think it is not the best time to joke around when the building could blow up any minute now. 

[Y/N]’s eyes quickly glanced the item that was beside the note and then their eyes widened. “WE HAVE TO GO NOW!” 

It was a bomb. With only 10 seconds left until it explodes and destroys the entire building. They are pretty sure Hydra planted more around the area but wasn’t sure if there are more. 

Wanda and [Y/N] swiftly tried to escape as Pietro appeared in front of them, ready to get everyone out safely before the bomb goes out. 

They were all panicking and hurrying to get outside the building as soon as possible. 

5...

“SHIT. SHIT. EVERYONE OUT.” 

4...

3...

Pietro was about to grab Wanda and  [Y/N] first until a random Hydra agent appeared out of nowhere, pointing a gun towards them and shot Pietro at the shoulder. 

2...

“ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME-”

1...

The bomb went out and exploded, causing other hidden bombs around the building to slowly explode. It sounded like a loud shotgun that almost shattered  [Y/N] ‘s eardrum as they are the closest person to where the bomb is. 

They gave a quick glance of their left wrist watch to mentally note what time the bomb went out. This has been a thing for [Y/N] to take note of the time before and after using their rewinding time powers. 3:

“NOOO!” They shouted. They can feel themselves getting lifted up in the air as their hair levitates, getting ready for the entire body to be flown across the building floor. [Y/N] hurriedly pulled out their arms to rewind 15 minutes before it exploded. They chose 15 minutes because the Avengers have not yet arrived the Hydra area.

[Y/N] watched everything rewind but they stayed being lifted up in the air as they can still experience the exploded bomb effects. They watched their old self and Wanda examine the rooms and then slowly goes back to the staircase. 

With only rewinding back to 5 minutes, they can feel themselves gradually feel tired and drained as they can only usually go back in time seconds by seconds. 

But, they are determined to save their friends and family from Hydra’s unpredictable trap. Forcing themselves to go back 15 minutes. They can already feel blood coming out of their nose, this was the first time [Y/N] used their powers with great force. 

Finally, they were able to rewind 15 minutes before; thus, everything goes back to normal and they immediately gets thrown off across the floor. [Y/N] groaned. 

Not wanting to move for a while due to the pain of getting thrown to the ground and also because of the immense headache they are currently experiencing, they stayed lying on the floor for a short while. [Y/N] doesn't like how they have side effects of using the powers too much.

Now, they’re regretting they shouldn’t have used their powers hours ago. They used it to rewind several seconds out of pure boredom, and now they are facing the consequences of it. 

Feeling heavily drained, they casually lifted up their left arm to check what time it is in their wrist watch. 3:03 PM. They all left the Tower around 2:40 PM, it was around 20 minutes of traveling from the Avengers Tower to the Hydra base that was located. 

‘They should be arriving anytime soon.’  [Y/N] told themselves mentally. After resting their body on the floor for a few minutes, they managed to gain some remaining energy to stand up and walk towards the big room to diffuse the bomb.

Once they reached the main room, they grabbed unto the table for some support in case they accidentally stumble or fall.

[Y/N] stared at the ticking bomb. They have 12 minutes left until it explodes.

"What the fuck?" They muttered under their breathe. This is not a normal bomb. It's in Russian and the usual colors of green and red were replaced by pink and purple. What are they supposed to do now?

If only Natasha or Tony or Vision is here, then at least one of them can help diffuse the bomb.

[Y/N] limped around the room, looking for any sharp objects that could cut the wires. They can just rewind again if they accidentally cuts the wrong one. Well, if they can still rewind back in time.

“Fuck.” They cursed under their breath. Hydra is actually smart enough to make sure there’s no sharp objects around the room for the wires to get cut.  [Y/N] then searched around her suit pockets in case they actually hid a cutter or a small knife somewhere. 

Nothing. They groaned and carefully walked out of the room to find anything small or sharp in the hallways. Their eyes immediately saw the window and they smiled. They can just shoot or destroy the window and a shard of glass would be fine.

Forgetting that there are Hydra agents in the hallway, they all noticed them and went to shoot them.  Before [Y/N] swiftly moved their hand, they counted how many Hydra agents were in the floor. 

There are 5 agents. After [Y/N] rewinded time, they found themselves back in the room. Pulling out their gun again, they went to count how many bullets they have. 6 bullets. 

‘I better not miss then.’  

[Y/N] counted until 5 before they opened the door and shot all the Hydra agents carefully yet precisely. All the Hydra agents dropped dead on the floor, so much to [Y/N]'s dismay. [Y/N] never wanted to kill anyone, even if they're Hydra agents but they have no other choice as of the moment. 

They aimed at the window and shot it, causing it to break. They limped towards it to grab a shard of glass. Not wanting to waste any more time, they tired to ignore the pain in their body as they sped up.

∿

Meanwhile, the Avengers are gearing up in the quinjet as they are almost near the Hydra base. Some were still joking around and throwing comments about their vacation until Wanda swiftly scanned the room.

“Where’s [Y/N]?” Wanda asked. Everyone stopped talking. They stared at the seat of the quinjet that [Y/N] was seating on just a while ago. 

Natasha came into a realization ang gasped. “Something went wrong with this mission, [Y/N] rewinded.”

“Shit, shit, shit.” Tony muttered as he went to the pilot’s seat and sped up the quinjet. 

This wasn't the first time that [Y/N] rewinded back in time during a mission, Natasha knew it her all too well.

They have arrived earlier than expected in the Hydra base. The Quinjet was about to land on the ground until a window from the very top of the building smashed which caught the Avenger’s attention. The moment they landed, Sam and Vision were the first to go out of the Quinjet, immediately going inside the building through the smashed broken window. Pietro swiftly went inside the building too. 

The three of them went inside the room to see [Y/N] destroy a wire until it suddenly set off.  [Y/N] turned back to look at them and their eyes widened, quickly pulled out their hand to rewind again. 

∿

Okay, maybe the purple wire isn’t the correct one to diffuse. 'I'll try the other one.' They immediately cut off the pink one and it still exploded. Mentally groaning, they rewinded back in time for the last time.

They give up. The bomb sets off either way. And even if they want to go out of the building, they have no energy. Too tired from using her powers, too tired from the aftermath of using her powers, too tired from fighting. Too tired from everything.

[Y/N] walks towards the nearest wall and slid down, resting. They'll just hope the Avengers gets in here in time so that they can save her.

"Yeah. They'll come. Don't worry, [Y/N]." They tried to comfort themselves. There's only 3 minutes left until it sets off. Mentally pleading the Universe that the Avengers will appear to save them.

They started to sing Can't Fight This Feeling by REO Speedwagon. It may sound cliché or weird but for them, singing this specific song soothes them whenever they feel alone or scared. [Y/N] feels like it helps lighten the mood.

Other than that, it's also one of the Avengers favorite songs. So, whenever the song play, [Y/N] was immediately reminded of the Avengers and they just imagine their usual reactions: random dancing around the room or unsynchronized and out of tune singing.

[Y/N] cracked a smile and closed her eyes, still singing Can't Fight This Feeling but their voice was low and raspy. "'Cause I feel so secure when we're together."

"You give my life direction. You make everything so clear."

Suddenly they heard their earpiece let out a static noises until it became clear and silent. They continued to sing lazily, "And even as I wander. I'm keeping you in sight."

"You're the candle in the window." They suddenly heard Pietro sing. Their eyes opened up as their eyes perked as if they had regained energies but they're still low battery.

"Pietro-"

Bucky joined in the singing, "On a cold, dark winter's night."

Wanda and Natasha chimed in, "And I'm getting closer than I ever thought I might."

And soon, the others joined in, creating a not-so-perfect harmony but it still gives [Y/N] happiness, "And I can't fight this feeling anymore!" 

Abruptly, Sam turned on the music and played the song but they all stopped singing as to let the song play. 

“You guys came.” 

“Of course we came Max Caulfield.” Tony remarked.

Wanda said, “We quickly noticed you used your time powers again the moment we saw that you were not in the Quinjet.”  

“We’re about to reach the perimeter, now-”

“DON’T!” [Y/N] suddenly screamed, then regretting it since it just took away another energy. “It’s a trap. Hydra, I...I tried so many times already but it’s still the same outcome. Just, please...hurry. I’m scared.”

10 seconds left. "You know, Hawaii sounds like a good place for a vacation."

"We're about to land, now just hold on, [Y/N]. We're coming for you, pumpkin." Clint said as [Y/N] started to tear up. It was a random habit of Clint to call them pumpkin, [Y/N] likes to think of him as one of their fatherly figures.

5 seconds left.

“I have scanned the premises. [Y/N] is in the top floor building.” Vision stated and immediately phased out of the Quinjet and flew towards the building. 

They have landed and quickly opened the door and scattered. Wanda used her powers for her to easily reach the top floor just like Vision did. 

“I love you guys.” 

Everyone halted as the building exploded. Their ears rang, some took cover as there would be flying debris or ashes coming towards them. Those who were near the building got thrown away as well. 

Wanda landed on her back and coughed. She horridly stared at the building that her best friend was in, tears forming in her eyes. 

Natasha ran up to Wanda’s side to help her up. 

Wanda croaked, “We’re too late.” 

∿

The Avengers just felt numbness and sadness for 6 months straight. Although some of them may not admit it, it was very well shown through their actions and how they cope.

The death really did a big impact in their lives. Especially when they're close with [Y/N]. [Y/N] was the only teen in the team that gives so much energy, life and mischief to their everyday lives.

But, now that they're gone. It seems like the light has been turned off and the energy in the compound is not the same anymore.

It's dull and quiet and no life.

Denial.

It was the first stage of grief. The death was unexpected and so sudden, it was a shock to everyone. They deny the death of the youngest Avenger. There are times one would roam the Tower and they can still feel the presence of [Y/N]. 

She had brought a lot of life, chaos, and happiness to the Tower that the Avengers enjoys very much. 

The Avengers grieved together and then on their own. 3 weeks after the death, they held a funeral for [Y/N]. After the funeral, they all went back to the Avengers Tower in silence. They all sat down in the main lounge, comforting each other with one’s presence. 

At first, it was silence. Slowly, they just randomly reminisce the memories they have with [Y/N] as if they didn’t die. It was denial once again. The Avengers cannot acknowledge the fact that [Y/N] had died, even though they just held a funeral for them hours ago.

Most of them acts like nothing happened. There would be a time where their day will continue as it normally would and they all act like as if [Y/N] is still alive.

Wanda would then be the number one person to pretend everything is fine and nothing ever happened. One specific time, Natasha passed by [Y/N]'s room and would hear Wanda talking as if she was actually talking to [Y/N].

Anger.

Oh boy, this one was the most chaotic stage that the Avengers had gone through. The Avengers did not handle this one very well. One line mistake and the entire room would be filled with angry shouts, comeback, sarcastic comments, and etc.

Small arguments and fights exists even before  [Y/N] ‘s death. Though, it was a friendly argument and everyone would resolve it easily. But this one is different. Their arguments would last for days causing one or the other to not talk for a long time. Usually when things like this happen,  [Y/N] would be the person to make peace. 

There was a time where Steve suggested that resuming training sessions as a team would help lessen the grieving process, but boy he was wrong. The Avengers would just randomly let our their anger out of nowhere during training session, thus will cause an argument. 

Anger is Hulk’s best friend. If Hulk’s anger is the worst, then you should be prepared when it comes to Hulk being angry about the death of his friend. Despite Hulk not liking most people,  [Y/N] was one of the few people that Hulk actually likes besides Natasha. He thinks of her as a friend and a cool tiny human. 

Everyone in the team seem to almost forgot about Bruce’s Hulk. So whenever they create a fight and Bruce gets to be a part of it, they are all doomed. Hulk was brought out and destroyed the entire floor. Thanks to Wanda, he was calmed down and prevented him from going out and wreck the city. 

Bargaining.

Wanda locked herself in her room for 2 weeks straight, blaming herself and pondering about all the things she could've done using her powers to save her best friend.

Some of the Avengers grief process of bargaining was mixed up together with anger. It was not a very good match. Especially when it comes to Tony and Steve.

A simple conversation can start with coffee and end up with blaming each other and going after each other's throats.

Depression.

Vision felt like it was a need for everyone to be left one or at least talk to someone, which is a therapist. Though, one time Bucky kept ignoring his therapist's calls and messages. It may feel like such a bore or a stupid idea for others, but they all kept going to therapy sessions. It helps ease the pain.

Months after [Y/N]'s death is still painful, especially when others decided to leave the Tower and go back to their usual lives, either drowning in work or spending time with their family to somehow forget the pain they are feeling.

Thor and Loki went off-world and back to Asgard. They just simply couldn't bear the haunted memories around the Avengers Tower and New York.

Clint returned to his family in the barn, but would occasionally be visited by Natasha.

At last, acceptance. The last and foremost stage of grief that was never overcome by the Avengers. They were all stuck at a loop beginning from denial to depression and again and again and again.

Wanda indulged herself in cooking as frequently as possible but would also lock herself in her room again.

Pietro still haven't pulled pranks in a long time and he's always out and would just return at night. stopped pulling pranks around the tower.

Tony and Bruce continues overworked themselves in the lab; Steve would often get caught looking at the photos and going to museums. Natasha indulged would with more missions and returned back to Ohio to spend time with her family.

Sam offered Bucky to come with him back to his hometown and Bucky went along with him. Rhodey went back to serving the military; while Vision felt sadness too, he made sure to comfort the others as he knows how this affected everyone very much. 

Some months after ignoring each other, they all decided to get back together and being away from one another actually gives more sorrow. The Avengers decided to heal together even though the wound may still be fresh. Healing takes time and a part of them knows that [Y/N] wouldn’t want them to mope around like this. 

As much as they want to reach the stage of acceptance, they can't. The wound is still fresh. It will take a long time to stitch it up.

6 months had passed. Still no progress. It is still very difficult to move on. But when Tony saw a video of Spiderman in YouTube, he decided that recruiting a new Avenger the same age as [Y/N] would help heal the pain and distract them from it. Plus, he thinks the kid has potential. 

Before tracking down where Spider-Man lives, Tony told everyone about it. However, some disagrees with this idea. 

“And how old again is this Peter Parker person?” Sam asked. 

“15.”

“You can’t be that serious, Tony. This Spider-guy is just a kid.” Steve argued.

“Oh yeah? And so was [Y/N].” Tony snapped back. "Come on, we need to give this kid a chance. Plus, they'd love to have them around."

Sam smiled. "They'd probably do. They're the same age, if they were here...they'd be best friends and partners in crime. I know it."

"This just sounds like we're replacing [Y/N]." Wanda said out loud, tears forming in her eyes. "It's just been months, it's way too early to replace her just like that, Stark."

Stark. Tony's face fell. It hasn't been a long time since Wanda called him by his last name. Well, at first they were on a last name basis until they all became close friends and decided to get rid of the last name basis and change to first name basis.

Tony replied, "No one is replacing [Y/N]. She's practically irreplaceable."

“Well, it feels like you are.” Wanda said with hurt in her voice as she stands up and leaves the room. 

Pietro stands up as well and turns to Tony, “You are right --  [Y/N] is irreplaceable. But, I agree with my sister.” With that, he speeds out of the room, possibly to go after his twin.

Tony sighs. He looks around at everyone again, waiting for their replies. “Come on guys, give this kid a chance. All those in favor?” He raises his own arm.

Natasha slowly raises her hands, then Sam, then Rhodey. 4 out of 12 agrees. 

“If I may,” Vision speaks up. Everyone’s attention shifted to him. “I understand that we are still in the process of grieving, and this act of letting in another teenager in the team unsettles most of us. But, I believe that we shouldn’t be consumed by our grief and continue on closing the door on anyone that may seem like a replacement for her.” 

He continues, “This Peter Parker is not a replacement, no one could ever replace our beloved [Y/N]. But I think we should give this boy a chance. We all have abilities, skills, and powers that serves for the purpose of goodness and helping mankind. This kid seems to be on the same path as us. And so does,  [Y/N]. I think we should give him a chance because we all know that they would too.”

Everyone was silent for now, contemplating on what Vision had just said. 

They all looked at each other, eyes communicating as they finally decided. 

“Okay,” Steve breaks the silence, speaking for everyone. “Let’s give this kid a chance.”

Tony grinned slightly, clasping his hands together. “I promise, you won’t regret this.”

Author’s Note:

That became the rhythm of your days. You became his guide to humanity, not through textbooks or databases, but experience. You took him to art museums not to identify the paintings, but to stand in front of them until something moved inside him (whatever passed for a heart in his synthetic form.)

You dragged him to street fairs where he wrinkled his nose at the smell of fried dough and stared in confusion when you won him a stuffed animal at a rigged carnival game.

"You did not need to spend seven dollars to obtain this object. Its material value is approximately—"

"Do you like it?"

Vision looked at the small yellow creature and then at you. "I believe I do."

You taught him about music, not frequencies or decibels, but the way a song could hollow out your chest and fill it with something nameless. You lay on the floor of the compound's common room with him, sharing earbuds, playing him everything from Chopin to Pitbull.

However, when Purple Rain came on and you were singing along, Vision wouldn't stop staring at you. "What?"

"I've heard this song before, and theoretically, the sound waves emitting from both earbuds are identical. Yet I find myself liking it better alongside you."

You felt your throat tighten. "That's called sharing, Vision. It's...it's one of the best parts of being human."

You saved emotions for last, partly because they felt enormous, and partly because you were afraid. How do you teach someone to feel? How do you guide them through joy and sorrow and anger and hope without becoming lost yourself?

You were sitting on the roof—your spot now ,though you'd never said the words—when you finally broached it.

"So," you swung your legs over the edge. "Emotions. The big ones. Happiness, sadness, anger, fear, love."

Vision went very still beside you.

"You've probably got definitions for all of them. Happiness is a chemical reaction in the brain. Sadness is—"

"Are you sad?" he asked quietly.

You looked up, surprised. "I'm not—"

"Your heart rate has increased. Your breathing is shallow. You are avoiding eye contact." He turned fully toward you. "Have I failed? In learning what it means to be human?"

"No." You reached out, then hesitated, your hand hovering near his. "God, no, Vision. You've been...you've been incredible. It's just...I don't know how to explain emotions to you, especially love. I don't know how to make you feel it and I want you to feel it so badly."

He was quiet for so long you thought you'd broken something inside him. However, after a few more seconds, he slowly took your hand and pressed it flat against his chest. Through the fabric of his sweater, you felt nothing. No heartbeat, no rise and fall of breath.

"I do not have a heart. Not as humans define it. No blood pumps through me. No electricity fires in biological synapses." He leaned closer, his forehead nearly touching yours, the Mind Stone glowing soft and steady. "But I feel."

"Vision—"

"I feel the warmth of the sun and know it is good because you are beside me. I feel the weight of existence and know it is bearable because you listen. I feel the pull of curiosity and know it is worthwhile because you answer." His voice dropped to something like a whisper.

"I do not need you to teach me love. I have been learning it every day, in every moment, simply by being near you."

"You feel love for...for me?"

"I feel everything that is correlated with the word," he said, and his thumb traced a careful path across your knuckles. "The desire for proximity. The fear of loss. The elevation of your wellbeing above my own. The...the rightness of your presence, as if all my calculations finally balance when you are here. Is that not love?"

"It is," you breathed. "Vision, that's exactly what it is."

"Then I have known it for some time. Perhaps since the cup of tea shared between us. Perhaps before even then. I could not name it, but I felt it. I feel it now. Constant. Unwavering. Like gravity. Like light."