#i was either gonna use this intro or: hes a little nervous twitch of a man but hes all mine! | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

wiypt-writes · 4 years ago

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Stark Spangled Banner

Ch57: We’re In The Endgame Now

Intro: Steve and Katie, along with the rest of their team are locked in a fearsome battle, between light and dark, life and death. And it’s a battle they cannot afford to lose because they’re in the Endgame now…

Warnings: “Language!” Character death. Please have your tissues ready, we all know where this one is going and, well, I bawled like a baby writing it so…

Pairing: Steve Rogers x OFC Katie Stark

A/N: I’m REALY nervous about this one!! I hope I do it justice. It flits between perspectives so I hope you can follow it, and used a lot of visuals too. Once more HUGE, HUGE, HUGE thanks to @angrybirdcr for her wicked work.

Disclaimer: This is a pure work of fiction and classified as 18+. Please respect this and do not read if you are underage. I do not own any characters in this series bar Katie Stark and the other OCs. By reading beyond this point you understand and accept the terms of this disclaimer.

Chapter 56

Stark Spangled Banner Masterlist // Main Masterlist

“Stevie.” Steve heard Katie’s voice breaking through the fog in his brain. It was desperate, shattered, and something else inside him broke even more. “You gotta get up, Soldier,” she pleaded, shaking his shoulder, “come on, please.”

And then, suddenly, it was another voice he was hearing. A voice he hadn’t heard for almost a century, but it was clear as day, the memory as fresh in his mind as it had been the day she’d said it…

“You always get up Stevie, ya hear?” His Ma looked at him, wiping the blood from his split lip, ignoring his flinch. “No matter how hard they hit ya, you never give them the satisfaction of stayin’ down, lad, never. You push back, and eventually they’ll realise that they can’t fight forever.”

Steve grit his teeth as he rolled to the side, Katie’s hand still on his shoulder as he rest against his forearm, gathering his strength to push himself to his feet. He turned his face to look at Katie, her face plate was open and there were tears streaking down her cheeks, and she nodded to him.

“We need to try, keep him distracted until Tony and Thor come round. Hopefully the others can find their way back to the surface. And then if we can get the stones we can end this.” It was a long shot, beyond long in fact. Steve knew that. Katie knew that. But whilst there was hope, no matter how small a hope it was, or how beaten they felt, they had to try.

As he shifted again, ready to rise to his feet he felt Katie shift a little so she was shielding Steve with her body as she knelt by his side, and when he glanced up at her he saw her focussed to her left, utter hatred and fear clouding her pretty face.

“In all my years of conquest, violence, slaughter, it was never personal.” Thanos spoke as Katie and Steve both glared at him from their vantage point on the floor. “But I’ll tell you now, what I’m about to do to your stubborn, annoying little planet…I’m gonna enjoy it. Very, very much.”

And then, as they watched, behind Thanos, a blue light beamed down form the sky and when it dissipated it left what looked like thousands of soldiers stood in rows. Thanos had brought his entire army. The so called Children of Thanos, hundreds upon hundreds of Chitauri and those damned dog things they had fought in Wakanda…

Katie took a shaky breath, and let out a sob as she realised that any hope they had was gone. They might, just might have stood a chance against Thanos alone, but not against his full army. She locked eyes with Steve before he looked down at the ground, away from her eyes, his own tears filling his eyes as he understood this was it.

This was the end. For them, for their kids, for the world.

According to some, there’s a calm serenity that descends on you when you know your time is up. But Steve didn’t feel calm, he felt anger, hatred, and all towards himself. This was down to him, he’d brought this upon his family, his friends. He should have left those fucking stones in the past and dealt with his feelings of failure. Instead, here he was, a failure again. Beaten on a battlefield by the very man they actually killed some five years previously that was now about to wipe out the entire world. How fucked up was that?

“We are not going like this.” Katie was now openly sobbing as she shook her head, looking from Steve to the assembled army. “Not like this. We stand up, and we go fighting, you hear me?”

Steve glanced at the broken shield on his arm, swallowing as he remembered Jamie looking at him when he told him he used to be Captain America. His beautiful baby boy’s eyes that were so like Steve’s mother’s, wide with awe, and pride. Well fuck this. Katie was right, his Ma was right. If he was going, then he was going down fighting. Alongside his best gal, his partner, the woman who gave him more strength than any serum ever could.

With a low groan, Steve pushed himself to his feet, teeth grit, fierce determination across every line on his face. With a shaking hand he tightened the leather straps on his broken shield around his arm and stood tall, turning to Katie.

“I love you,” he choked out, holding out his right hand to grip her left gauntlet, “’til the end of the line.” She turned to him, her eyes streaming with tears before she reached up and pulled his face to hers, pressing a fierce kiss to his lips.

“The very end.” She stuttered out, before they turned to face their death.

Captain America and Supernova, Steve Rogers and Katie Stark, Man and Wife walked slowly towards Thanos, who simply stood, his head cocked to his right. However, they’d barely made it four foot when their communicators started crackling.

“Hey, Cap, you read me?”

It was faint…and broken…but it was a voice they hadn’t heard in five years other than in their dreams. A voice they would never forget.

Both of them stopped dead. Steve’s mouth dropped open and he looked at Katie, raising a shaking hand to his head in an attempt to press the coms piece further into his ear, not quite sure he was believing what he was hearing.

“Cap, it’s Sam. Can you hear me?”

Both Katie and Steve’s chests rose and fell deeply as they tried to understand where Sam was. They knew Banner’s snap had worked, but surely if everyone came back where they had vanished then they should be in Wakanda. Nevertheless, Steve instinctively glanced upwards, and Sam spoke again.

“On your left.”

They both turned in that direction, and immediately saw a sparkling yellow circle forming in the air. As they watched, utterly dumbfounded, three figures stepped through and Katie realised from their Silhouettes alone who it was- Okoye, Shuri, and T’Challa in his full Black Panther garb. Katie’s hand flew to her mouth as T'Challa’s mask faded away, the King looking at Steve. The Soldier took a shaky and relieved breath and a thankful smile broke through the filth and grime that covered his face. T'Challa gave him a small nod, before he turned to Katie and bowed slightly, the way he always did.

Katie’s breathing suddenly became erratic as her sobs began again, but this time they were punctuated by laughs and stutters of utter relief which turned into a yell of pure joy when Sam zoomed in above them in his Falcon armour. They watched as he flew and circled back round, Katie’s hands flying into the back of her hair, gripping as she doubled over and cried, simply unable to believe it.

The chanting of the Wakandan Army rang around the battle field as row by row the guard stepped through another portal headed by Bucky, his gun held firmly in his arms and Steve watched his best friend’s handsome face which wore a look of resigned determination, and the number of people arriving to support the Avengers continued to rise as Dr Strange conjured portal after portal.

A familiar red energy alerted them both to Wanda’s appearance, where she landed not far from Bucky, her eyes blazing. And then, with a clang Pepper landed a few feet away from Katie clad in her own Iron Suit and Tony joined them, shooting his wife a proud look.

Finally there was a loud roaring, crashing noise and Katie and Steve spun to see Scott Lang as the Giant-Ant Man emerging from the rubble with Banner, Rhodey, Rocket and Clint.

The group of thousands behind Katie and Steve up their fighting stances, brandishing whatever weapons or powers they had, battle cries loud and Steve looked around, almost bursting into tears himself at the emotions flooding his chest. He glanced at his wife who looked back, wiping her eyes, her breathing still deep as she couldn’t quite believe how all these people had come to help. Steve didn’t either, but all he knew was they had. And now they were almost if not completely equal on numbers. And they had hope once more.

In fact, they had more than hope. They had a chance. And that was good enough for the Captain. He’d beaten worse odds before, and he was damned sure they could do it again, especially when he turned to look at Thanos and saw for the first time something that looked like fear, apprehension even on the Titan’s face.

He turned to face Katie again as she gave him a nod.

“Call it, Captain.” Her voice was full of determination as her face plate slid back into place.

So, call it he did.

“AVENGERS!” Steve’s cry echoed across the battle field as he held out his hand, summoning Mjolnir to his palm. Thor landed by his side just as the hammer slapped into Steve’s glove and he glared up at Thanos, his teeth grit with utter determination. “Assemble.”

Behind him, Thor gave a loud battle cry as did Black Panther and the Avengers’ army began to charge. Katie, Tony and Pepper flying in formation with Sam as they sped forward. Almost instantly, the two sides collided violently, and the fighting began. Bullets, beams, punches, kicks, knives, spears all flying and smashing against one another. The air was filled with yells, grunts and the clanging of metal against metal as the battle raged on.

****

Thor and Steve found themselves fighting off a large group of the dog like creatures and somehow Steve ended up holding Stormbreaker. Not for long, because that belonged to Thor. His Thanos killing axe. No way was the God of Thunder letting the Captain wield that.

“No no, give me that! Thor held out his hand, tossing Steve Mjolnir. "You can have the little one.”

Steve took it and shot off across the ground towards another group of Outriders. Above him, Katie, Tony and Pepper were circling back to back, their booster beams shooting at anything and everything, spiralling into groups below, helping anyone they could. Katie spotted that Clint was swamped a little so she flew down, freeing him before she shot into the air and found herself flying alongside Sam.

“Mrs R.” He turned to face her and she gave him a nod, smiling broadly although she knew he wouldn’t see her.

“Good to see you Sammy!”

“You know me, never one to miss a good fire fight!” He smirked, shooting his semi-autos at something that was flying into the air in front of him.

Tony shot down, barrelling into a group of Chitauri warriors, just like he had in New York. With a whoop he scattered them like bowling pins, landing and shooting off guns and beams, before something hit him hard on the side of the head and sent him soaring through the air. He landed, and pushed himself up on his elbows ready to fight but before he needed to, Lang’s giant Ant-Man crushed his assailant, striding away.

And then, the kid was there. Parker was running straight to Tony. In the suit Tony had made for him. The Billionaire blinked, retracting his helmet as Pete’s usual, incessant and enthusiastic rambles filled his ear.

“Hey! Holy cow! You will not believe what’s been going on. Do you remember when we were in space? And I got all dusty? I must’ve passed out ‘cause I woke up, and you were gone. But Doctor Strange was there, right? He was like, ‘It’s been five years. Come on, they need us.’ And then he started doing the yellow sparkly thing that he does all the time..” he started using two fingers to demonstrate Strange’s swirl in the air but Tony stopped him, the emotions of seeing the kid alive again were swirling in his chest, and with watery eyes he stepped forward and pulled the kid into a hug.

“What are you doing?” Peter asked, shocked at his mentor’s display of affection before he hugged Tony back. “This is nice.”

The fight raged on and on and on. But no one gave up, they knew they had no option but to win this, for the sake of everything and everyone on the planet, and none more than Steve, who was fighting with every goddamned bit of strength he had to get back to his kids and his wife.

Across the field he could just about make out Clint, who was sprinting like his life depended on it. Which, in fairness, it did. The gauntlet was clutched to his chest and he spoke into his coms, asking his leader for instructions.

“Cap, what do you want me to do with this damn thing?”

“Get those stones as far away as possible!” Steve instructed, punching another creature in the head.

“No!” Banner yelled back “We need to get them back where they came from.”

“No way to get them back.” Tony sighed. “Thanos destroyed the quantum tunnel”

“Hold on…” Lang spoke, and Steve saw the 100 foot or so man shrink out of the air. “That wasn’t our only time machine!”

The sound of Scott’s van horn, rang out across the battle ground and Steve immediately ran up a pile of rubble to higher ground, trying to spot the van, following the noise.

“Anyone see an ugly, brown van up there?” Steve asked, looking up.

Katie shot above him and he watched her as she circled over the fighting armies before she stopped, hovering and pointing down underneath her

“Yes!” She yelled victoriously, as Valkyrie flew alongside her on her winged horse, shooting her a look.

“You’re not going to like where it’s parked!” The Asgardian finished, pointing her spear to it.

Tony flew up into the air shooting another Chitauri warrior off his, well, whatever the hell you called those flying scooter things, before he glanced down at Lang.

“Scott, how long you need to get that thing working?”

“Maybe ten minutes”.

“Get it started.” Rogers instructed. “We’ll get the stones to you.”

And then as Tony watched, ready to cover Lang as he broke for it, a woman materialised next to him. Nothing should surprise Tony anymore, nothing, but it did. And he had absolutely no idea why.

“We’re on it, Cap.” She spoke softly, before the pair of them shrunk again and FRIDAY kept a lock on them as they flew away, no bigger than ants.

Okay, so maybe Lang didn’t need covering after all. Tony watched them via FRIDAY’s scanners as they flew towards the van, and he saw Katie and Pepper fighting in tandem, the pair of them bringing down a huge Chituari beast that looked like a gorilla. He grinned at the sight of his wife and sister kicking ass, and then spotted Strange in the corner of his eye, trapping a load of Chitauri in his magic, sending them through portals to fuck knows where, not that Tony gave a shit.

Recalling the conversation he had held on Titan with the Wizard, he suddenly felt a desperation to know, so he landed, turning to look at him.

“Hey. You said one out of fourteen million, we win, yeah?” He asked, glancing around. “Tell me this is it.”

“If I tell you what happens, it won’t happen” Strange replied, and Tony groaned. Jesus this man was infuriating.

“You better be right.” Tony shot back, pointing an iron clad finger at him.

As Scott was hot-wiring his van, because of course it was dead, the fight continued and the gauntlet was in some kind of relay across the battle field towards them. T’Challa took it off Clint and as Thanos advanced on the Black Panther, Wanda landed in front of him, her eyes blazing. She then began to fight Thanos furiously, and she seemed to be getting the upper hand as bits of his armour began to peel off him as rose in the air, surrounded by her red power as she attempted to tear him apart.

In desperation, Thanos gave the instruction for his ships to fire down on the battle field, not caring whether he put his own army in danger as collateral. As the missiles began to hit the ground, everyone tried to dodge as best they could. Strange and the rest of his troops held up their arms conjuring magic shields to attempt to keep their allies as sheltered as possible.

Steve was too engrossed in the fight around him to pay too much attention to where everyone else was, but he heard his wife loud and clear, his ears tuned into her as they always where.

“Where are the stones?” Katie she asked frantically, and Steve had to admit, he’d kinda like to know as well. It was then that he heard Peter Parker yelling, and realised he had the gauntlet.

“I got this…” there was a scuffle "Ok, I don’t got this. Help! Somebody! Help!”

“Hey Queens,” Steve said, winding his arm back, “heads up!” He took a couple steps forward flung Mjolnir towards him. Peter shot his web at it, where it latched on and he was catapulted him through the air where Katie caught him.

“Hang on, I got you, kid!” She assured him as they flew through the air and she tossed him to Valkyrie as she flew past, Parker’s yells ringing in her years. But, as Katie watched, the Asgardian’s horse was hit by the fire from Thanos’ ship and Peter was blasted to the floor.

“Tony, have you any idea how we can shut that thing down?” Katie asked desperately, looking at the ship. “We need that damned thing out of order to stand any chance!”

“I’m working-“ Tony began, but he trailed off as the cannons stopped, lifting upwards before they began to fire into the sky.

“What the hell is this?” Sam asked, as he flew alongside Katie, as the two of them fired at a couple more Chitauri in front of them.

“FRIDAY, what are they firing at?” Tony asked, his voice slightly worried.

“Something just entered the upper atmosphere,” FRIDAY replied.

Then a huge, bright ball of pulsating energy came surging down straight through the ship, where it then turned, and shot straight back up through it again, destroying the engines.

It was Danvers.

Katie’s mouth dropped open as the woman hovered above the now fast descending ship as it crash-landed in the river.

“Now that’s how to make an entrance,” Katie glanced at her brother where he was hovering not far away from her. He turned to look at her, and even though she couldn’t see his face she knew he was rolling his eyes.

“I used to make a perfectly good entrance, thank you Kiddo.”

"Danvers,” Steve glanced up, hardly able to keep the smile of his face, even though he knew this was far from over. But Thanos was worried now, he could see from the Titan’s body language, and that was enough of a boost for the Super Soldier to sweep straight back into Captain mode as for the first time since the battle began, he felt that they could actually win. “We could use an assist here…”

“What on?” Carol asked, flying towards Katie.

“We need to get the stones to the brown van…” Katie circled, and then she spotted Peter who was crouched in a crater, the gauntlet tight within his arms. She landed, her helmet sliding away and Carol gently dropped besides her and looked down at Peter.

“Hi. I’m Peter Parker,” he said, looking up at Carol, his breathing deep and his nose blooded.

Carol smirked, almost flirtatiously. “Hey Peter Parker. Got something for me?”

Peter pushed himself up and handed her the gauntlet, before he looked at the Army who was crawling towards them. “I don’t know how you’re gonna get it through all that.”

Wanda then landed next to Katie and glanced around, her red power surrounding her. “Don’t worry.” The Sokovian woman said as Valkyrie landed on her winged horse

“She’s got help” Okoye stepped up alongside them all as she looked around.

“Where’s Nat?” Wanda asked as Pepper landed next to Okoye. Katie hung her head slightly as she looked at her, as more and more of the women from the battle joined them- Mantis, then Shuri Hope, Gamora and Nebula.

“She didn’t make it back from the mission to get the stones.” Katie said gently, swallowing as she shook her head.

Beside her, Okoye spun her spear in her hands, her face stoney as she eyed up the army which was advancing on them. “Then this…this is for her…” The Wakandan woman turned to Katie who nodded.

They began to stride forward and Thanos’ army charged a swarm of aliens, Chitauri and animals alike. Okoye took out the larger fighter that Katie recognised from the train station in Edinburgh as Wanda, her, Pepper and Valkyrie destroyed two leviathans. Carol Danvers shot straight towards the van with the Gauntlet, at a rate of knots, going through every blockade that was in her way with ease.

However, Thanos was hot on her tail.

“She needs cover!” Katie yelled as she flew down, followed by Pepper as Shuri and Hope also stood tall, the four of them unloading their various weapons and succeeding in blasting Thanos backwards. Danvers sped past him, but through the heat and flash of various beams and weapons, no one spotted him launching the remaining half of his sword towards the van until it was too late.

Steve threw himself on Thanos’ back grabbing at the axe, pulling with all his might in an attempt to slice it straight through his neck. But it was to no avail. With a mighty head-butt Thanos sent Thor sprawling backwards and he reached up and pulled Steve off him, flinging him through the air like a rag doll. He landed hard, his head colliding with something, and he was out cold.

“Steve!” Katie saw him sprawled on the floor, and was about to go after him, but she saw Thanos reaching for the gauntlet. Surging her suit forwards she shot at him, desperation flooding her system, and she kept her beam going as she flew down. Her fingers grazed the gauntlet before a harsh kick to her head sent her flipping back and through the air with no control over her flight plan. She landed heavily, groaning as she felt blood trickle down her temple, zoning in and out, the sounds of the battle muting slightly as she lay on her back, her helmet flying open as she took deep gulps of air, blinking as the stars swam in front of her eyes.

****

Tony, meanwhile, had come to. He sat up, and saw that Thanos and Danvers were locked in combat, Danvers’ hands were both wrapped round Thanos’ left and Tony could see that he now had the gauntlet. He grimaced as Thanos went to head but the woman, but nothing. It simply bounced off the energy surrounding her, a shocked and almost frightened expression crossing Thanos’ face.

At that, Tony felt a glimmer of hope, maybe she was their secret weapon. The one in fourteen million, six-hundred and five that meant they were gonna win. As he watched she surged upwards, forcing Thanos to his knees but the Titan pulled the Power Stone out of the gauntlet and clutching it in his right hand he hit Danvers hard and she flew through the air, landing harshly.

With pure desperation, Tony turned to look at Strange who was watching him. The magician simply raised one finger, which was trembling slightly. Trembling, Tony assumed, because the one win he foresaw was now at risk. But as he looked at the man, Strange’s eyes filled with sadness and Tony realised that it wasn’t Carol he saw winning the battle after all.

It was him.

Tony now understood completely. And he knew what he had to do.

***** With a heavy moan, Katie sat up, just in time to see Tony grappling with Thanos. With an angry cry she fired her suit up again and shot forwards, but as she did, Thanos cast aside her brother easily. She bore down on him, shooting her beams, using her boosters, a loud yell escaping her mouth as once more she powered everything she had into her firepower. FRIDAY yelled a warning as one of the Chitauri Leviathons came straight for her and she just managed to dodge it by flying sharply to the right, but was caught heavily by one of its fins and for the second time in as many minutes she was spiralling though the air with no control. The heads up display in her helmet flickered slightly and there was ringing in her ears mingled with FRIDAY’s desperate calls. The ground was rising fast to meet her but just in time she managed fire up her thrusters and right herself in the air. Spinning round she saw Tony knelt up, his helmet retracted as he stared at the Titan, who was leering down over him with a twisted grin on his face.

“I am inevitable.” It was the second time Katie had heard him say that, only this time, he rose his hand which bore the gauntlet.

Katie’s desperate scream echoed around her helmet, and before she could so much as move, the Titan snapped. But instead of the beams of light and the shaking of the ground that had happened when Bruce did it, there was nothing.

Katie’s face plate slid back, because the thought the displays were damaged, but her eyes widened as Thanos glanced down at his gauntlet. She realised at the same time he did that the stones were missing. And then, as if in slow motion, the pieces started to slot into place, both figuratively and mentally.

Tony knelt tall, the stones twirling round his hand. Lights circled his forearm and bicep and he let out a loud yell, the utter pain and power consuming him. It burned into every cell on his body and it took everything he had inside him to keep himself upright. This was it the end that he always knew he was going to meet. And strangely, he wasn’t scared. Not for him anyway, this was his destiny, the only way it would ever end.

“We’re in the Endgame now.”

Morgan’s face flashed across Tony’s mind, then Pepper’s, then his sister’s as his head fell back, the power surging up his arm and shoulder. Pulling his head up with an almighty wrench, his eyes locked on those belonging to Thanos and he could feel the stones vibrating on his gauntlet, humming, almost like they knew what was coming.

Maybe they did, because, from the look on Thanos’ face, he sure did.

Well, eat shit, you fucker!

Tony took a deep breath, before he spoke with the most conviction he could ever remember having, raising his fingers.

“And I…am…Iron Man.”

For a split second, Tony’s eyes flickered to his sister, who was watching the entire event unfold, paralysed in mid-air behind Thanos, her helmet retracted and mouth open in a silent scream. He gave her a soft smile as he concentrated hard on what he wanted to happen.

And then, he snapped his fingers.

The power surge made Tony collapse forward, his skin was burning and his throat felt like it was being closed off, and there was nothing but silence in his ears. He pushed himself to his feet, hand clutched to the arc reactor in his chest as he tried to speak into his coms, but the words wouldn’t come. Staggering a few feet, he stumbled to a large upturned piece of concrete laced with rebar before he fell down against it, hard.

****

Steve, who had just got to his feet was aware of a bright flash of light and the vibrating of the ground underneath him and knew instantly that someone had snapped. He spun round in desperate hope it wasn’t Thanos, and then, as he saw one of the dog-like bearing down on him he braced himself, aiming a hard punch to its head. But he connected with nothing. He paused, his eyes widening, mouth falling open in shock as he watched Thanos’ army turn to dust all around the field and he realised that they’d won. It wasn’t Thanos who had snapped, it was one of them. With a relieved sigh, he wheeled around expecting to see Thor or Banner with the gauntlet, his mouth suddenly going dry as he realised the effect it had on Banner the last time but they were nowhere to be found.

And that was when he spotted his wife, deactivating her suit as she ran, scrambling over piles of concrete and stones to get to someone.

****

Tony’s breathing was laboured and his eyes were fully wide when Katie finally reached him, grabbing his gauntlet clad hand.

“Tony, come on, look at me!” Her brother was dying, she realised that. But they’d won. And, as she looked at him, she knew he understood that too. Morgan, Pepper, Kiddo, Jamie, Emmy, Steve, their family were all safe. The world was safe. Tony tried to speak, and she knew he was trying to tell her it was okay, that he accepted what was happening, but his voice was merely a whisper.

“I…”

“Shhh, save your strength.” Katie gently placed her hand on the side of his head, down the cheek which wasn’t badly burnt and she was aware that someone had landed next to her. Rhodey dropped to his knee gently, his hand falling to Tony’s shoulder as he looked at his friend.

“Mr Stark?” Peter Parker landed between her and Rhodey. Katie turned her attention back to her brother as his head collapsed against the concrete, her vision blurring with tears as the kid continued to speak. “Hey Mr Stark, can you hear me? It’s Peter.” Tony’s face turned to the young man, a flash of recognition on his face as he tried to smile. “We won, Mr Stark” Peter took a shuddering breath. “We won, you did it Sir, we did it. I’m sorry, don’t….” He began to cry as Tony’s head lolled to the side and then Katie was aware of someone else behind them, gently pulling Peter up and away. Pepper crouched next to her right, gently squeezing Katie’s arm before she touched Tony on his shoulder, placing her other hand over the arc reactor on his chest.

“Hey,” She smiled said softly.

“Pep…” Tony managed to whisper as his hand fell on top of hers and Katie placed her own over his.

“FRIDAY?” Pepper spoke with a thick swallow, even though Katie knew there was no need to ask the AI. The stones had almost killed Thanos and Banner. Tony stood no chance. There was no way back.

“Life functions are critical,” the AI spoke and Katie bowed her head, her tears falling to the ground.

“Tony,” Pepper said softly, and Katie looked back at her brother, who was smiling up at his wife. Pepper gently smiled back, as he turned his head to his sister and she tried her hardest to keep it together.

“The stars,” he mumbled out, and Katie nodded choking back a sob as she gripped his hand tighter, finishing the saying for him.

“And back.” He voice was choked with tears and she reached up, wiping her face furiously.

Tony gave her a soft smile, as he turned back to Pepper who gently ran her hand up his arm. “We’re gonna be okay” she said, her voice soft as she glanced at Katie

“We all are.” Katie assured him, sniffing slightly.

His head lolled back once more and Pepper spoke gently, this time her voice cracked. “You can rest now.” Her hand brushed his hair back from his temple as he lay so still. For a second, Tony’s eyes glanced over Katie’s and she followed his eye-line to see Steve stood, stock still his face crumpled in sorrow. For a moment the two men locked eyes, Tony once more giving the faintest of smiles before his body slumped back against the surface behind him. Pepper bowed her head as Katie glanced down at her hand, still over the top of Tony’s as the light went out in his chest.

He was gone.

Katie let out a soft sob as she removed her hand gently taking Tony’s with her. Kneeling up, she pressed her forehead against his, scrunching her face up against the physical pain that was brewing in her chest. Pepper leaned up to kiss his face as a silence fell around them, not one single sound coming from the battle field. Pepper dropped her head to Tony’s shoulder and then she too began to cry. Katie placed a soft kiss to her brother’s cheek, his skin still warm and then bowed her head, listening to Pepper’s sobs through the silence of her own.

Steve limped forward, dropping heavily to his knees besides his wife. “Katie…” He spoke softly as she turned to face him, his eyes were red and the dirt on the parts of his face visible under his helmet were interlined with the tracks his own tears had made. The two looked at each other for a second, before Katie’s face crumpled and Steve wrapped his arms around her as she buried her face into his chest, her small body shaking with silent sobs, hands fisting around the Kevlar of his uniform. Steve lay his cheek against her head, his own tears pouring down his face as he held her to him. His eyes scanned the immediate vicinity of the battle field and he saw Clint in the near distance, dropping to his knee, his head bowed, hand resting on his fist. In front of him T’challa did the same, then Carol, and then Bucky. Everyone around took the knee out of respect to their fallen warrior.

It was Thor that broke the silence, but not by speaking. There was a huge rumble of thunder and Katie jumped, pulling back from Steve slightly, looking upwards as lighting flashed in the sky. The clouds that had descended with Thanos’ ship began to part slowly, a chink of the red sunset falling onto where Tony was sat, shards of light bouncing off his Iron Man suit.

Katie turned away from Steve and gently reached out with a shaking hand to close Tony’s eyes

“There, he could be sleeping.” She sniffed softly, her hand falling to Pepper’s shoulder. Pepper reached up and gripped it, almost painfully as she turned to her sister-in-law, her face streaming with tears. There was a moment’s pause before Katie wrapped her arms around her, gently stroking her hair.

“We should, we should move him.” Rhodey’s voice cracked. Taking a deep breath, Steve pulled himself to his feet with a groan and he looked around.

“Has any of the compound survived?” He asked softly, wiping his face as Sam approached him.

“The Hangar area and the labs are totally gone, Cap.” Sam shook his ehad gently and Steve looked at him properly for the first time in five years “But some of the living quarters and part of the training facility seems to be okay.”

“Can we check it’s safe to house people?” Steve did what he did best, compartmentalised his feelings, parking for the time being as he shifted back into Captain mode. “We need to set up somewhere to treat the wounded.”

Sam nodded.

“I’ll come with you.” Rhodey offered before he looked at Steve. “I’ll get onto the Emergency Services and Ross too.” With that, Rhodey took off straight away whereas Sam remained where he was, his eyes fixed on Steve who gave him a weary smile.

“It’s good to see you, Sam.”

“Well like I said, when Captain America needs your help.”

There was a pause, before the two men hugged, clapping one another on the back. Stepping back, with a nod, Sam launched back into the air.

“I leave you for what, five minutes and you start another war?”

Steve spun round to see Bucky, watching him, a slight smile on his face. For a moment, Steve stood still, just observing his friend before he rushed forward into a manly embrace, choking up once more.

“Jerk.” Steve gave a watery laugh as he stepped back, shaking his head.

“Punk.” Bucky retorted gently, before he looked down at Katie who was still knelt by her brother, her arm round Pepper. He gave a sigh and dropped his head.

“Sorry.” Bucky offered to Steve, not sure what else he could say.

Steve nodded, wiping his face as he glanced around, the Captain and the Sergeant both surveying the survivors. Banner was stood with Clint and TChalla, the three of them talking with their heads bowed. Clint reached out and patted Banner on the arm as the green man began walking towards where Steve was stood.

“Some of the living quarters are secure.” Rhodey spoke in Steve’s ear and he nodded.

“Okay, let’s set up some form of command centre, a triage maybe if we need it.” He took a deep breath and turned back to Katie as he dropped to his knee again, a little gentler than last time and he touched her shoulder.

“Honey,” he spoke softly, wiping away the blood from her temple, “we can move Tony now, take him inside. That is if you’re ready.”

She turned to him, taking a deep breath she nodded. “Pep?”

Pepper gave a sniff and nodded as well.

“I’ll take him.” Banner spoke solemnly as he stepped forward. Katie watched as he picked up Tony’s limp body as easily as if it was a rag doll and set off walking through the rubble.

“I don’t want him to be alone.” Pepper spoke, looking at Katie, before she stood up and walked after Bruce.

Katie took a deep breath. She didn’t want to leave her brother either but she knew there was nothing more to be done for him, he was gone, and there were other people that needed their help. She turned to face Steve who was still knelt next to her. He reached out to gently cup her cheek with his hand, and it was then she noticed the bone-deep almost foot long gash down his forearm.

“Your arm.” She took his wrist in her hand and gently flipping it so she could look at it. “I’ll be fine.” He brushed off her concern.

Knowing better than to try and argue with him, she looked around and asked with a shaky voice. “Did anyone else…” “No.” Steve shook his head, instantly understanding. “There’s a few injuries but, everyone’s fine.” “Except Tony.” Katie’s breath caught in her thoat as the tears once more flooded from her eyes.

“I’m so sorry sweetheart.” Steve’s voice cracked as he wrapped his arms round her and cradled her close, the pair of them lost in their grief for their fallen brother. *****

The night began to draw in.

Thanks to Rhodey, the Emergency services had swamped the area to begin a full clean up and treatment of the walking wounded. And there were so many people to greet, so many to thank, so fucking many. Once it was clear they were no longer needed, Strange transported everyone who needed to go back away, shaking Steve’s hand and informing Katie how sorry he was that there had been no other way to defeat Thanos.

But she wasn’t listening, Steve could see she’d gone into auto-pilot. And when she eventually told Steve she needed a break, he gave her cheek a soft kiss and watched her as she walked slowly into the compound, knowing full well that her breakdown would come later.

He continued to liaise with the military, speaking to Colonels, Captains, Commanders alike, but eventually he found himself alone, walking over the destroyed grounds, with absolutely no clue how he’d gotten there or how long he’d been there. All he knew was that it was dark, and quiet.

With a sigh and a glance down at his bandaged arm, Steve’s attention was caught by something shining in the beams of the searchlights that had been erected around the compound. As he looked harder, he noticed that it was a piece of his shield. Bending down, his fingers swept the dust and debris off the large piece of red, white and blue Vibranium. Picking it up, he swallowed slightly, remembering the horror and surprise he had felt as Thanos had hacked through it, as if it had been made of nothing but aluminium.

“So you met Danvers?” A familiar voice cut through his thoughts, shattering his peace.

Steve looked over his shoulder to see Fury stood behind him. He stood up and gave the man an exasperated look. “You were holding out on us.”

“In a fashion” Fury shrugged. “Code red only.”

Steve gave a snort, not in the least bit surprised.

“He’s a spy. Captain, he’s THE spy.” Tony said, gesticulating with his arms to make a point “His secrets have secrets.”

Steve looked down at the fractured piece of his shield which was held in his hand, before he glanced out over the now destroyed compound where the battle had been raging mere hours before and he shook his head.

“You know, all this, bringing everyone back,” he sighed heavily, “the victory kinda feels pyrrhic with losing Nat and Tony.”

“They both made their choices.” Fury sighed, softly. Both gave their lives for a cause they believed in.”

“Tony didn’t even want to do this, you know.” Steve shook his head. “He said no at first but I talked him into it.” “Since when did a Stark every do anything they didn’t wanna?” Fury turned to face Steve straight on. “He made a choice. As did Agent Romanoff. And you need to allow them the both the dignity of their choices by not blaming yourself. They clearly thought it was worth it.” With those words the Captain was catapulted way back in time to a conversation in a blown out London bar.

“You did everything you could. Did you believe in your friend? Did you respect him?” Peggy asked and Steve looked at her, incredulously. Of course he did. She nodded and continued “Then stop blaming yourself. Allow Barnes the dignity of his choice. He damn well must have thought you were worth it.”

“What?” Fury asked as Steve shook his head, a sad smile on his face.

“Nothing. You just reminded me of someone.” “I won’t ask.” Fury shrugged before he changed the subject. “I hear you and Nova have been busy these past five years. Couple of kids, huh?” Steve smiled as he looked at Fury, the thought of his children temporarily stemming the hollow feeling in his chest at the loss of his brother-in-law and friend. “Yeah.”

“Then you should go home. Be with them.”

“Is that an order?” Steve arched an eyebrow looking at him.

“You don’t work for you me anymore, you haven’t done for a long time, in fact I’m not sure you ever really did,” Fury smirked a little, “and I don’t think you never will again.”

He gave Steve a significant look, one which Steve instantly understood. This was Fury’s way of relieving him from his leadership of the Avengers. It was symbolic more than anything because Steve didn’t need releasing from service at all. But this was closure. It was Fury’s promise to Steve that he would never be called upon to fight again if that was what he chose.

And he did choose. He was ready to quit. His fight was done. He had other priorities now, and everything they’d been through over the past few months had shown him that. Tony and Nat had both sacrificed their lives, so that he would keep his, and he wasn’t going to dishonour their memory by putting his family at risk ever again.

Steve looked down at his feet, before he glanced up at Fury, and held his hand out. “It’s been an honour,” he said, as Fury shook his hand, “but you’re right. It’s time for me to hang up my shield, for good this time.” He looked down at the broken metal in his hand, “well, what’s left of it.”

“Or you could pass it down.” Fury suggested as Steve looked back at him, snorting.

“I think Jamie is a bit too young, and Katie would murder me if I even-”

“I don’t mean to your son.” Fury cut Steve off, shaking his ehad. “But Captain America has been a symbol of hope for years. And that’s something the world is always gonna need Cap, regardless of who it is. So think about it, maybe there’s someone else worthy of that title and shield, broken or not.”

Steve watched, pondering his words, as Fury gave him a final nod, and turned back towards the destroyed buildings

****

Chapter 58

#stark spangled banner #steve rogers #steve rogers fanfiction #steve rogers fic #Katie Stark #steve rogers x ofc #steve rogers x original female character #mcu #mcu fanfic #chris evans #chris evans characters

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what-is-your-plan-today · 5 years ago

Text

Stark Spangled Banner Ch 57: We’re In The Endgame Now

Intro The Time Heist worked, but at a cost. Natasha gave her life for the Soul Stone. Following a promise to make her sacrifice worth something, the Avengers continued their plan and succeeded in reversing the Snap. But along with everyone else, the biggest threat the Avengers have ever faced re-appeared.

Thanos.

Now Steve and Katie, along with the rest of their team are locked in a fearsome battle, between light and dark, life and death. Simply put, it’s a battle which they cannot afford to lose because they’re in the Endgame now…

Warnings:

“Language!”

Character death. Please have your tissues ready…there’s gonna be tears.

Pairing: Steve Rogers x OFC Katie Stark

Stark Spangled Banner Masterlist

So…I’m REALY nervous about this one!! I hope I do it justice. It flits between perspectives so I hope you can follow it, and used a lot of visuals too... Please re-blog and leave your thoughts xxx

"Baby…” Steve heard Katie’s voice, it was desperate, shattered, and something else inside him broke even more. “You gotta get up…” she pleaded, shaking his shoulder, “Come on…”

Steve grit his teeth as he rolled to the side, Katie’s hand still on his shoulder as he rest against his forearm, trying to muster the strength to get up.

“Come on…” Katie whispered, “We need to try, keep him distracted until Tony and Thor come round….hopefully the others can find their way back to the surface. And then if we can get the stones we can end this.” It was a long shot, beyond long in fact. Steve knew that. Katie knew that. But whilst there was hope…no matter how small a hope it was, or how beaten they felt, they had to try. Steve turned his head to look over his shoulder at his wife. Her face plate was open and there were tears streaking down her cheeks. She looked at him and then glanced to her left, and he saw utter hatred and fear cloud her pretty face.

“In all my years of conquest, violence, slaughter... it was never personal.” Thanos spoke as Katie and Steve both glared at him, from their vantage point on the floor, Katie almost shielding Steve with her body as she knelt by his side. “But I'll tell you now, what I'm about to do to your stubborn, annoying little planet...I'm gonna enjoy it. Very, very much.”

And then, as they watched, behind Thanos, a blue light shot down and when it dissipated it left what looked like thousands of soldiers stood in rows. Thanos had brought his entire army. The so called Children of Thanos, Chitauri, those damned dog things they had fought in Wakanda...

Katie took a shaky breath, and let out a sob as she realised that any hope they had was gone. They might have, just might have stood a chance against Thanos alone, but not against his full army. She locked eyes with his Steve before he looked down at the ground, away from her eyes. More of her tears fell as she understood this was it. This was the end. For them, for their kids, for the world.

According to some, there’s a calm serenity that descends on you when you know you’re time is up. But Steve didn’t feel calm, he felt anger, hatred…all towards himself. This was down to him, he’d brought this upon his family, his friends…he should have left those fucking stones in the past and dealt with his feelings of failure. Instead, here he was, a failure again. Beaten on a battlefield by the very man they actually killed some 5 years previously that was now about to wipe out the entire world. How fucked up was that?

“We are not going like this…” Katie said, openly sobbing as she shook her head, looking from Steve to the assembled army. “Not like this. We stand up, and we go fighting, you hear me?”

“You always get up Stevie, ya hear?” his Ma looked at him, wiping the blood from his split lip, ignoring his flinch. “No matter how hard they hit ya, you never give them the satisfaction of stayin’ down, lad, never. You push back, and eventually they’ll realise that they can’t fight forever...”

He glanced at the broken shield on his arm, swallowing as he remembered Jamie looking at him when he told him he used to be Captain America. His beautiful baby boy’s eyes that were so like Steve’s mother’s, wide with awe, and pride.

“You were Captain America?” Jamie frowned. “When you fighted with the Avengers?”

“Yeah” he sighed, running his hand through Jamie’s golden hair “I was.”

“Are you now?”

“I dunno.” Steve said, glancing back at his shield.

“I think you are” Jamie cocked his head to one side as his hand reached out to touch the shield. “Because Cap’s a hero and you’re my hero”

Well fuck this. Katie was right, his Ma was right. If he was going, then he was going down fighting. Alongside his best gal, his partner, the woman who gave him more strength than any serum ever could.

He pushed himself to his feet, teeth grit, fierce determination across every line on his face. With a shaking hand he tightened the leather straps on his broken shield around his arm and stood tall, turning to Katie.

“I love you.” he choked out, holding out his right hand to grip her left “’til the end of the line.” She turned to him, her eyes streaming with tears before she reached up and pulled his face to hers, pressing a fierce kiss to his lips.

“The very end…” she stuttered out, before they turned to face their death.

Man and Wife walked slowly towards Thanos, who simply stood, his head cocked to his right. They’d barely made it 4 foot however, when their communicators started crackling.

“Hey, Cap, you read me?”

It was faint…and broken…but it was a voice they hadn’t heard in 5 years other than in their nightmares about that fateful day they failed in Wakanda. A voice they would never forget.

Sam.

Both of them stopped dead, Steve’s mouth dropped open and he looked at Katie, raising a shaking hand to his head in an attempt to press the comms piece further into his ear. They both turned to each other, their faces shocked, not quite sure whether to believe if they were hearing things or...

“Cap, it's Sam. Can you hear me?”

Both Katie and Steve’s chests rose and fell deeply as they tried to understand where Sam was. They knew Banner's snap had worked, but surely if everyone came back where they had vanished then they should be in Wakanda. Nevertheless, Steve instinctively glanced upwards, and Sam spoke again.

“On your left.”

They both turned, seeing a sparkling yellow circle to the left of Steve. As they watched, utterly dumbfounded, three figures stepped through and Katie realised from their Silhouettes alone who it was- Okoye, Shuri, and T’Challa in his full Black Panther garb. Katie’s hand flew to her mouth as T'Challa's mask faded away to look at Steve. The soldier breathed shakily and relieved and thankful smile broke through the filth and grime that covered his face. T'Challa gave him a small nod, before he turned to Katie and bowed slightly, the way he always did.

Katie’s breathing suddenly became erratic as she gripped Steve’s hand and the sobs began again, but this time they were punctuated by laughs, laughs and stutters of utter relief which turned into a yell of pure joy when Sam zoomed in above them in his Falcon armour. They watched as he flew and circled back round, Katie ’hands flying into the back of her hair, gripping as she doubled over and sobbed, simply unable to believe it.

Steve could do nothing but watch in a relieved, thankful and astounded awe as dozens and dozens more portals opened up all around the battlefield. He knew who the man that descended at the front was- Doctor Strange and he was joined by 3 people he also knew to be Rocket’s friends- The Guardians of the Galaxy- then came Spider-Man, his mask flopping down to reveal an alive and well Peter Parker behind it. Katie tore her eyes away to look for Tony who was now sitting up, a look of utter shock on his face. He found her eyes and gave a small twitch of his mouth as he scrambled to his feet, and turned to Thor who was now grinning ear to ear as he watched the portal that was bringing Valkyrie and the Asgardian army to their aid. Katie could heard chanting now and she turned to see the full Wakandan Army stepping through another portal headed by Bucky. The number of people arriving to support the Avengers rose as Dr Strange continued to conjure portals, and Katie screamed as a familiar red energy alerted them both to Wanda’s appearance, where she landed not far from Bucky, her eyes blazing. And then, with a clang Pepper landed a few feet away from Katie clad in her own Iron Suit and Tony joined them, shooting his wife a proud look. Finally there was a loud roaring, crashing noise and Katie and Steve spun to see Scott Lang as the Giant-Ant Man emerging from the rubble with Banner, Rhodey, Rocket and Clint.

The group of thousands behind Katie and Steve up their fighting stances, brandishing whatever weapons or powers they had, Steve looked around, almost bursting into tears himself at the emotions flooding his chest. He glanced at his wife who looked back, wiping her eyes, her breathing still deep as she couldn’t quite believe how all these people had come to help. Steve didn’t either, but all he knew was they had. And now they were almost if not completely equal on numbers. And they had hope once more.

He turned to face Katie again as she gave him a nod.

“Call it Captain…” she said, her voice full of determination as her face plate slid back into place.

And call it he did.

“AVENGERS!” his cry echoed across the battle field as he held out his hand, summoning Mjolnir to his palm. Thor landed by his side just as the hammer slapped into Steve’s glove and he glared up at Thanos, his teeth grit with utter determination “ –Assemble.”

Behind him Thor gave a loud battle cry as did Black Panther and the Avengers’ army began to charge. Katie, Tony and Pepper flying almost in formation as they sped forward. Almost instantly the two sides collided violently, and the fighting began. Bullets, beams, punches, kicks, knives, spears, all flying and smashing against one another. The air was filled with yells, grunts and the clanging of metal against metal.

“No no, give me that…” he held out his hand, tossing him Mjolnir. "You can have the little one,"

Katie, Tony and Pepper were circling back to back in a 3, their booster beams shooting at anything and everything, spiralling into groups of the warriors, helping anyone they could. Katie spotted that Clint was swamped a little so she flew down, freeing him before she shot into the air and found herself flying along side Sam.

“Mrs R…”he turned to face her and she gave him a nod.

“Good to see you Sammy…” she smiled.

“You know me, never one to miss a good fire fight!” he smirked, shooting his semi-autos at something that was flying into the air in front of him.

Tony shot down, barrelling into a group of Chitauri warriors, just like he had in New York. With a whoop he scattered them like bowling pins, landing and shooting off guns and beams, before something hit him hard on the side of the head and sent him flying. He landed, and pushed himself up on his elbows ready to fight but at the same time the Giant Ant-Man crushed his assailant.

And then, the kid was there. Peter was running straight to Tony. In the suit Tony had made for him. The Billionaire blinked, retracting his helmet as Pete’s usual, incessant and enthusiastic rambles filled his ear.

“Hey! Holy cow! You will not believe what's been going on. Do you remember when we were in space? And I got all dusty? I must've passed out ‘cause I woke up, and you were gone. But Doctor Strange was there, right? He was like, "It's been five years. Come on, they need us." And then he started doing the yellow sparkly thing that he does all the time..” he started using two fingers to demonstrate Strange's swirl in the air but Tony stopped him, the emotions of seeing the kid alive again were swirling in his chest, and with watery eyes he stepped forward and pulled the kid into a hug.

“What are you doing?...” Peter said, shocked at his mentor’s display of affection before he hugged Tony back. “This is nice”

“Cap, what do you want me to do with this damn thing?”

“Get those stones as far away as possible!” Steve instructed, punching another creature in the head.

“No!” Banner yelled back “We need to get them back where they came from.”

“No way to get them back” Tony sighed “Thanos destroyed the quantum tunnel”

“Hold on…” Lang spoke, and Steve saw the 100 foot or so man shrink out of the air "That wasn't our only time machine!"

The sound of Scott’s van horn, rang out across the battle ground and Steve immediately ran up to higher ground, trying to spot the van, following the noise.

"Anyone see an ugly, brown van up there?" Steve asked, looking up.

Katie shot above him and he watched her as she circled over the fighting armies before she stopped, hovering and pointing down underneath her

“Yes!” She yelled victoriously, as Valkyrie flew alongside her on her winged horse, shooting her a look.

“You're not going to like where it's parked!” The Asgardian finished, pointing her spear to it.

Tony flew up into the air shooting another Chitauri warrior off his…well, whatever the hell you called those flying scooter things before he glanced down at Lang.

“Scott, how long you need to get that thing working?”

“Maybe ten minutes”.

“Get it started.” Rogers instructed We'll get the stones to you.”

And then as Tony watched, ready to cover Lang as he broke for it, a woman materialised next to him. Nothing should surprise Tony anymore, nothing, but it did. And he had absolutely no idea why.

“We're on it, Cap.” she spoke softly, before they pair of them shrunk again and FRIDAY kept a lock on them as they flew away, no bigger than ants.

Ok, so maybe Lang didn’t need covering after all. Tony watched them via FRIDAYS scanners as they flew towards the van, and saw Katie and Pepper fighting in tandem, the pair of them bringing down a huge Chituari beast that looked like a gorilla. He grinned at the sight of his wife and sister kicking ass, and then spotted Strange in the corner of his eye, trapping a load of Chitauri in his magic, sending them through portals. Recalling the conversation they had on Titan, he had to know and so he landed, turning to look at the Wizard.

“Hey. You said one out of 14 million, we win, yeah?” he asked, glancing around “Tell me this is it.”

“If I tell you what happens, it won't happen” Strange said back, and Tony groaned. Jesus this man was infuriating.

“You better be right.” Tony shot back, pointing an iron clad finger at him.

As Scott was hot-wiring his van, because of course it was dead, the fight was raging on and the gauntlet was in some kind of relay across the battle field towards them. T’Challa took it off Clint and as Thanos advanced on the black Panther, Wanda landed in front of him, her eyes blazing. She then began to fight Thanos furiously, and she seemed to be getting the upper hand as bits of his armour began to peel off him as he hovered in the air, surrounded by her red power. Wanda was attempting to tear him apart.

In desperation Thanos gave the instruction for his ships to fire down on the battle field, not caring that his own troops would also be hit. As the missiles began to hit the ground, everyone tried to dodge as best they could. Strange and the rest of his troops held up their arms conjuring magic shields to attempt to keep the troops on the ground as sheltered as possible. Katie and Pepper employing evasive manoeuvres as they sped across the sky, until a large explosion caught their attention and they glanced over to the bank of the river. One of the missiles from the ship had blasted part of it away and the water was now rushing up and over the edge and threatening to flood the canyon the battle was taking place in. After a nervous shout from Pepper, Strange jumped to it and conjured up his power, capturing the water in some kind of magic and holding it still.

“Where are the stones?” Katie asked frantically, circling above, still dodging the fire. And Steve had to admit, he’d kinda like to know as well. It was then that they both heard Peter Parker yelling, and they realised he had the gauntlet.

"I got this…” there was a scuffle "Ok, I don't got this. Help! Somebody! Help!"

"Hey Queens," Steve said, "Heads up!" He took a couple steps forward flung Mjolnir through the air. Peter shot his web at it, and it catapulted him through the air where Katie caught him.

"Hang on, I got you Spider-Kid!" she said, as they flew through the air and she tossed him to Valkyrie as she flew past. But her horse was hit by the fire from Thanos’ ship and Peter was blasted to the floor.

“Tony, have you any idea how we can shut that thing down?” Katie asked desperately, looking at the ship. They needed that damned thing out of order to stand any chance. The missiles were coming even harder now, and Steve dove to take cover behind a rock.

And then, all the noise stopped, and the cannons on the ship lifted upward and they began to fire into the sky.

“What the hell is this?” Sam asked, as he flew along side Katie.

"FRIDAY, what are they firing at?" Tony asked, his voice slightly worried.

"Something just entered the upper atmosphere," FRIDAY replied in both Tony and Katie’s ear.

Then a huge, bright ball of pulsating energy came surging down straight through the ship, and then back up through it again.

“DANVERS!” Katie yelled, watching as the woman hovered above the fast descending ship as it crash-landed in the lake.

"Now that’s how to make an entrance," she, glanced at her brother where he was hovering not far away from her. He turned to look at her, and even though she couldn’t see his face she knew he was rolling his eyes.

"I used to make a perfectly fine entrance, thank you Kiddo…”

"Danvers," Steve glanced up, hardly able to keep the smile of his face, even though he knew this was far from over. But Thanos was looking worried now, he could see from the Titan’s body language, and that was enough of a boost for the Super Soldier to sweep back into Captain mode, they could win this...

“We could use an assist here…” he looked up.

“What on?” Carol asked, flying towards Katie.

“We need to get the stones to the brown van…” Katie said, circling and then she spotted Peter who was crouched in a crater, the gauntlet tight within his arms. Gesturing to Carol she landed by Peter, her helmet sliding away and Carol gently dropped besides her and looked down at Peter..

"Hi. I'm Peter Parker," he said, looking up at her, his nose blooded.

Carol smirked, almost flirtatiously. "Hey Peter Parker. Got something for me?"

Peter pushed himself up and handed her the gauntlet, before he looked at the Army who was crawling towards them. “I don't know how you're gonna get it through all that” he said quietly.

Wanda then landed next to Katie and glanced around, her red power surrounding her. “Don't worry.” the Sokovian woman said as Valkyrie landed on her winged horse

“She's got help” Okoye said stepping up as she looked around.

“Where’s Nat?” Wanda asked as Pepper landed next to Okoye. Katie hung her head slightly as she looked at her, as more and more of the women from the battle landed in front of them- Mantis, then Shuri Hope, Gamora and Nebula.

“She didn’t make it Wan…” Katie said gently, and she heard Okoye gasp and then realised that no one had told the Warrior “She didn’t make it back from the mission to get the stones.” Okoye spun her shield in her hands, her face stoney as she eyed up the army which was advancing on them. “Then this…this is for her…” The Wakandan woman said, turning to Katie who nodded.

And then they attacked. Thanos' army charged while the women helped Carol Danvers go through the swarm of aliens, Chitauri, animals alike. Okoye took out the larger fighter that Katie recognised from the train station in Edinburgh as Wanda, her, Pepper and Valkyrie destroyed two leviathans. Carol Danvers then started flying towards the van with the Gauntlet, at a rate of knots, going through every blockade that was in her way with ease. Thanos, seeing this, started running towards her.

“We gotta cover Danvers!” Katie yelled as she flew down, followed by Pepper as Shuri and Hope also stood tall, the 4 of them unloading their various weapons and succeeding in blasting Thanos backwards. Danvers sped past him, but through the heat and flash of various beams and weapons, no one spotted him launching the half of his sword towards the van until it was too late.

Steve felt the explosion and looked up at the huge flash of light, seeing Danvers being catapulted back through the air, her grip on the gauntlet lost and it fell to the ground. Then, it was almost like time slowed down as Thanos paused, looking at the Gauntlet, at the same time as Tony sat up and did the same. As Steve sprinted towards the pair of them Tony went to tackle him from behind only to be batted away to the side somewhere. Steve continued to sprint, he was almost there, almost…and then Thor landed swinging his lightning covered axe at the Titan before his hammer flew into his hand and he used both weapons to hold Thanos at bay. Steve threw himself on Thanos’ back grabbing at the axe, pulling with all his might in an attempt to slice it straight through Thanos’ neck. But it was to no avail. With a might head-butt Thanos sent Thor sprawling backwards and he reached up and pulled Steve off him, flinging him through the air like a rag doll. He landed hard, his head colliding with something, and he was out cold.

“Steve!” Katie saw him go flying, and was about to go after him, but she saw Thanos reaching for the gauntlet. Surging her suit forwards she shot at him, desperation flooding her system, and she kept her beam going as she flew down. Her fingers grazed the gauntlet before a harsh kick to her head sent her flipping back and through the air with no control over her flight plan. She landed heavily, groaning as she felt blood trickle down her temple. She had taken a bad hit there and felt herself zoning in and out, the sounds of the battle muting slightly as she lay on her back, her helmet flying open as she took deep gulps of air before it all went black.

Tony, meanwhile, had come to. He sat up, and saw that Thanos and Danvers were locked in combat, Danvers’ hands were both wrapped round Thanos’ left and Tony could see that he now had the gauntlet. They were so close, surely…surely not. He couldn’t snap again. He grimaced as Thanos went to head but the woman, but nothing. It simply bounced off the energy surrounding her. And Tony felt a glimmer of hope, maybe she was their secret weapon. The one in 14 million, 605 that meant they were gonna win. As he watched she surged upwards, forcing Thanos to his knees but the Titan pulled the Power Stone out of the gauntlet and clutching it in his right hand he hit Danvers hard and she flew through the air, landing harshly. With pure desperation, Tony turned to look at Strange who was watching him. The magician simply raised one finger, which was trembling slightly. Trembling, Tony assumed, because the one win he foresaw was now at risk. But as he looked at the man, Strange’s eyes filled with sadness and Tony realised that it wasn’t Carol he saw winning the battle after all.

It was him.

And then he understood completely. And he knew what he had to do. With a deep breath, resigned to his fate he threw himself at the Titan.

With a heavy moan, Katie sat up, just in time to see Tony grappling with Thanos. With an angry cry she fired her suit up again and shot forwards, but as she did Thanos cast aside her brother easily. She bore down on him she shooting her beams, using her boosters and everything she had, but once again she was forced to quit after one of the Chitauri Leviathons came straight for her. She just managed to dodge it by shooting to the right, but was caught heavily by one of its fins and for the second time in as many minutes she was spiralling though the air with no control. The heads up display in her helmet flickered slightly and there was ringing in her ears mingled with FRIDAY’s desperate calls. The ground was rising to meet her but just in time she managed to pull herself round and righted herself in the air. Spinning round she saw Tony knelt up, his helmet retracted as he stared at the Titan, who was leering down over him with a twisted grin on his face.

“I am inevitable…”He said. It was the second time she had heard him say that. And then he rose his hand which bore the gauntlet.

Katie’s desperate scream echoed around her helmet as she hovered in mid-air and before she could so much as move, the Titan snapped. But instead of the beams of light and the shaking of the ground that had happened when Bruce did it. There was nothing. Katie’s face plate slid back, because the thought the displays were damaged but her eyes widened as Thanos glanced down at his gauntlet. She realised at the same time he did that the stones were missing. And then, as if in slow motion, the pieces started to slot into place, both figuratively and mentally.

Tony knelt tall, the stones twirling round his hand. Lights circled his forearm and bicep and he let out a loud yell, the utter pain and power consumed him. It bore into every cell on his body and took everything he had inside him to keep himself upright. This was it the end that he always knew he was going to meet. And strangely, he wasn’t scared. Not for him anyway, this was his destiny… the only way it would ever end.

“We’re in the Endgame now...”

Morgan’s face flashed across Tony’s mind, then Pepper’s, then his sister’s as his head fell back, the power surging up his arm and shoulder. Pulling his head up with an almighty wrench, his eyes locked on those belonging to the Thanos and he could feel the stones vibrating on his gauntlet, humming, almost like they knew what was coming. Maybe they did.

The bastards words echoed in his mind. “I am inevitable.”

Well, eat shit you fucker…

His eyes flickered to his sister, who was watching the entire event unfold, paralysed in mid-air behind the Titan, her helmet retracted and mouth open in a silent scream. With a soft smile he then turned back to the Titan and looked him square in the face, speaking with the most conviction he could ever remember having.

“And I…am…Iron Man.”

He raised his fingers, concentrating on what he wanted to happen, and snapped. The power surge made Tony collapse forward, his skin was burning and his throat felt like it was being closed off. He pushed himself to his feet, hand clutched to the arc reactor in his chest as he tried to speak into his Comms, but the words wouldn’t come. Staggering a few feet, he stumbled to a large upturned piece of concrete laced with rebar before he collapsed against it, hard.

Steve who had just got to his feet was aware of a bright flash of light and the vibrating of the ground underneath him and new instantly that someone had snapped. He spun round in desperate hope it wasn’t Thanos, and then as he saw one of the animals bearing down on him he braced himself, aiming a hard punch to it’s head. But he connected with nothing. He paused, his eyes widening, mouth falling open in shock as he watched Thanos’ army turn to dust all around the field and he realised that they’d won. It wasn’t Thanos who had snapped, it was one of them. With a relieved sigh, he wheeled around expecting to see Thor or Banner with the gauntlet, his mouth suddenly going dry as he realised the effect it had on Banner the last time but they were nowhere to be found. And that was when he spotted his wife, deactivating her suit as she ran, scrambling over piles of concrete and stones to get to someone.

Tony’s breathing was laboured and his eyes were full wide when Katie finally reached him, grabbing his gauntlet clad hand.

“Tony, come on…look at me…” He was done, he understood that. But they’d won. Morgan, Pepper, Kiddo, Jamie, Emmy, Steve…his family were all safe. The world was safe. He tried to speak, tried to tell her it was ok, that he accepted what was happening, but his voice was merely a whisper.

“I…”

“Shhh, save your strength…” Katie gently placed her hand on the side of his head, down the cheek which wasn’t badly burnt and she was aware that someone had landed next to her. Rhodey dropped to his knee gently, his hand falling to Tony’s shoulder as he looked at his friend, not saying a word. Katie turned to him, his eyes filling with tears.

“Mr Stark?” Peter Parker landed between her and Rhodey Katie turned back to her brother as his head collapsed against the concrete. “Hey Mr Stark, can you hear me…it’s Peter…” Tony’s face turned to the young man, a flash of recognition on his face as he tried to smile.

“We won…Mr Stark” Peter said, his breathing deep. “We won, you did it Sir, we did it…I’m sorry…don’t….” He began to cry as Tony’s head lolled to the side and then Katie was aware of someone else behind them, gently pulling Peter up and away. She turned to her right as Pepper crouched next to her. She gently squeezed Katie’s arm before she touched Tony on his shoulder, placing her other hand over the arc reactor on his chest.

“Hey…” she said softly.

“Pep…” he managed to whisper as his hand fell on top of hers and Katie placed her own over his.

“FRIDAY? ” Pepper spoke with a thick swallow, even though Katie knew there was no need to ask the AI. The stones had almost killed Thanos and Banner. Tony stood no chance. He was dying.

“Life functions are critical…” the AI spoke and Katie bowed her head, her tears falling to the ground.

“Tony…” Pepper said softly, and Katie looked back at her brother, who was smiling up at his wife. She gently smiled back, as he turned his head to his sister and she tried her hardest to keep it together.

“The stars…”He mumbled out, and Katie nodded chocking back a sob as she gripped his hand tighter, finishing the saying for him.

“And back…”

He turned back to Pepper who gently ran her hand up his arm “We’re gonna be ok” she said, her voice soft as she glanced at Katie

“We all are.” Katie assured him, sniffing slightly.

His head lolled back once more and Pepper spoke gently, this time her voice cracked. “You can rest now…” Her hand brushed his hair back from his temple as he lay so still, his eyes glanced over Katie’s shoulder to where Steve was stood, stock still, his own tears clouding his vision. He locked eyes with Tony who gave him the faintest of smiles. Steve nodded to him, his chest heaving with sorrow before his brother-in-law’s eyes stopped focussing and his body slumped. Steve saw Pepper bow her head next to Katie, and as his wife glanced down at her hand, still over the top of his, Steve saw the light go out in his chest.

He was gone.

Katie let out a soft sob as she removed her hand gently taking Tony’s with her. Kneeling up, she pressed her forehead against his, scrunching her face up against the physical pain that was brewing in her chest. Pepper leaned up to kiss his face as a silence fell around them, not one single sound coming from the battle field. Pepper dropped her head to Tony’s shoulder and then she too began to cry. Katie placed a soft kiss to his cheek, his skin still warm and bowed her head, listening to Pepper’s sobs through the silence of her own.

Steve limped forward, dropping heavily to his knees besides his wife “Katie…” he said softly, she turned to face him, noticing his eyes were red and the dirt on the parts of his face visible under his helmet were interlined with the tracks his own tears had made. The two looked at each other for a second, before her face crumpled and he wrapped his arms around her and she buried her face into his chest, her small body shaking with silent sobs, hands fisting around the Kevlar of his uniform. Steve lay his cheek against her head, his own tears pouring down his face as he held her to him. His eyes scanned immediate vicinity of the battle field and his eyes fell on Clint in the near distance, dropping to his knee, his head bowed, hand resting on his fist. In front of him T’challa did the same, then Carol, and the Bucky... everyone, all out of respect to their fallen warrior.

Eventually it was Thor that broke the silence, but not by speaking. There was a huge rumble of thunder and Katie jumped, pulling back from Steve slightly, looking upwards as lighting flashed in the sky. The clouds that had descended with Thanos’ ship began to part slowly, a chink of the red sunset falling onto where Tony was sat, chinks of light bouncing off his Iron Man suit.

Katie turned away from Steve and gently reached out with a shaking hand to close Tony’s eyes

“There, he could be sleeping…”she said softly, her hand falling to Pepper’s shoulder. Pepper reached up and gripped it, almost painfully as she turned to her sister-in-law, her face streaming with tears. There was a moment’s pause before Katie wrapped her arms around her, gently stroking her hair.

“We should… we should move him.” Rhodey said, his voice cracking. Steve pulled himself to his feet with a groan and he looked around.

“Has any of the compound survived?” he asked softly, wiping his face as Sam approached him.

“The Hangar area and the labs are totally gone, Cap.” Sam said gently and Steve looked at him properly for the first time in 5 years “But some of the living quarters and part of the training facility seems to be ok.”

“Can we check it’s safe to house people?” Steve said, switching back into Captain mode. “We need to set up somewhere to treat the wounded.”

Sam nodded.

“I’ll come with you.” Rhodey said before he looked at Steve. “I’ll get onto the Emergency Services and Ross too.”

The two men nodded. Rhodey took off straight away whereas Sam paused.

“It’s good to see you Sam.” Steve said, with a soft smile.

“Well like I said, when Captain America needs your help…”

There was a pause, before the two men hugged. Stepping back, with a nod, Sam launched back into the air.

“Steve…”

He spun round to see Bucky, watching him tentatively. For a moment Steve stood still, just observing his friend before he rushed forward into a manly embrace, Steve choking up once more.

“I leave you for what, 5 minutes and you start another war?” Bucky teased gently and Steve gave a watery laugh.

“Try 5 years you Jerk”

“Punk.” Bucky said gently, before he looked down at Katie who was still knelt by her brother, her arm round Pepper. He gave a sigh and dropped his head.

“Sorry.” he offered to Steve, not sure what else he could say.

“Living quarters are secure…” Rhodey said in Steve’s ear and he nodded.

“Ok, let’s set up some form of command centre, a triage maybe if we need it…” he took a deep breath and turned back to Katie as he dropped to his knee again, a little gentler than last time and he touched her shoulder.

“Honey…” he said softly, wiping away the blood from her temple. “We can move Tony now, take him inside…that is if you’re ready…”

She turned to him, taking a deep breath she nodded. “Pep?”

Pepper gave a sniff and nodded as well.

“I’ll take him.” Banner said, sniffing as he stepped forward. Katie watched as he picked up Tony’s limp body as easily as if it was a rag doll and set off walking through the rubble.

“I don’t want him to be alone.” Pepper said gently from her side before she stood up and walked after Bruce.

“Steve…your arm.” she said, taking his wrist in her hand and gently flipping it so she could look at it. “I’ll be fine.” He said.

Knowing better than to try and argue with him, she looked around and asked with a shaky voice. “Did anyone else…” “No.” Steve shook his head, instantly understanding “Few minor injuries but…everyone’s fine.” “Except Tony…” she said, her breath catching as the tears once more flooded from her eyes.

“I’m so sorry sweetheart.” Steve’s voice cracked as he wrapped his arms round her and cradled her close, the pair of them lost in their grief for their fallen brother. *****

The night began to draw in. Thanks to Rhodey, the Emergency services had swamped the area to begin a full clean up and treatment of the walking wounded.

And there were so many people to greet, so many to thank, so fucking many.

Katie’s head was a complete mash. She was utterly numb. Hugs and tears were shared with the people they had lost 5 years ago, thanks were given to those who had stood by them and come to their aid, and then more tears were shed for the two fallen heroes. Eventually, she told Steve she needed a break and he gave her cheek a soft kiss, both of them knowing full well her breakdown would come later. She headed into the compound to find Pepper and her brother before he was taken away by one of Ross’ men, the Secretary having actually proven useful for once.

Strange transported everyone who wasn’t staying at the Compound back home, in the same way he had led them there. He bid goodbye to Steve, shaking his hand, before he himself disappeared.

With a sigh and a glance down at his bandaged arm, Steve’s attention was caught by something shining in the dim light. As he looked harder he noticed that it was a piece of his shield. Bending down, his fingers swept the dust and debris off the large piece of Vibranium. Picking it up, he swallowed slightly, remembering the horror and surprise he had felt as Thanos had hacked through it, as if it had been made of nothing but aluminium.

“So you met Danvers?” a familiar voice cut through his thoughts.

Steve looked over his shoulder to see Fury stood behind him. He stood up and gave the man a weak smile.“Yeah. You were holding out on us all this time.”

“In a fashion” Fury shrugged. “Code red only…”

Steve gave a snort, no in the least bit surprised.

“He's a spy. Captain, he's THE spy.” Tony said, gesticulating with his arms to make a point “His secrets have secrets”

“You know, all this…bringing everyone back…” he sighed heavily “The victory kinda feels pyrrhic with losing Nat and Tony…”

“They both made their choices.” Fury sighed, softly “Both gave their lives for a cause they believed in.”

“Tony didn’t even want to do this you know.” Steve sighed “He said no at first but I talked him into it…” “Stark never did anything he didn’t want to do.” Fury said, turning to face Steve straight on. “He made a choice. As did Agent Romanoff. And you need to allow them the both the dignity of their choices by not blaming yourself. They clearly thought it was worth it.” With those words the Captain was catapulted way back in time to a conversation in a blown out London bar, the evening he realised he could no longer get drunk.

“It wasn’t your fault.” Peggy looked at him across the table.

“Did you read the reports?” Steve shot back.

“Yes.”

“Then you know that’s not true.”

Only this time, unlike Bucky, there was no second chance. If calling what Bucky went through a second chance was really accurate that is…

“What?” Fury asked as Steve shook his head, a sad smile on his face.

“Nothing.” Steve said, “You just reminded me of someone.” “Anyone in particular?” “Peggy.” Steve sighed, looking around at the ruins of the compound. “Well there are worse people to be likened to.” Fury considered what Steve said for a moment before he changed the subject “I hear you and Nova have been busy these past 5 years, couple of kids...” “Yeah we do, boy and a girl.” Steve smiled as he looked at Fury, the thought of his children temporarily stemming the hollow feeling in his chest at the loss of his brother-in-law and friend. They were safe.

“You should go home.” Fury turned to Steve. “Be with them.”

“Is that an order?” Steve arched an eyebrow looking at him.

“You don’t work for you me anymore, you haven’t done for a long time…in fact I’m not sure you ever really did…” Fury said, smirking slightly. “And I don’t think you never will again.”

He gave Steve a significant look, one which Steve instantly understood. This was Fury’s way of relieving him from his leadership of the Avengers. It was symbolic more than anything because Steve didn’t need releasing from service at all. Fury wasn’t his boss, no one was his boss, but this was closure. It was Fury’s promising Steve he would never be called upon to fight again if that was what he chose.

And he did choose. He was ready to quit. 7 years ago when he had been forced into it he hadn’t been, not really, but now he was. His fight was done. He was buying that fucking holiday home, and they were going to be a normal family, that did normal things, in normal ways. Tony and Nat had both sacrificed their lives, and he wasn’t going to dishonour their memory by putting his family at risk ever again.

Captain America was done.

Steve looked down at his feet, before he glanced up at Fury, and held his hand out. “It’s been an honour.” he said, as Fury shook his hand. “But you’re right. It’s time for me to hang up my shield, for good this time. “ he looked down at the broken metal in his hand. “What’s left of it that is…”

“Or you could pass it down.” Fury said as Steve looked back at him, snorting.

“I think Jamie is a bit too young, and Katie would murder me if I even-”

“I don’t mean to your son.” Fury said, cutting Steve off and giving him significant look. “Captain America has been a symbol of hope for years. And that’s something the world is always gonna need Cap, regardless of who it is. So think about it, maybe there’s someone else worthy of that title and shield, broken or not.”

Steve watched, pondering his words, as Fury gave him a final nod, and turned back towards the destroyed buildings

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jcmorrigan · 5 years ago

Text

Sun-Kissed

The F/O? Giovanni Potage from Epithet Erased. The S/I? Rachel Scribere - mundie, writer of much fanfiction, independent contractor supervillainous minion who has also given up on adulting. (Most of those things apply to me IRL!) I really hope this intro hasn’t become repetitive, because it’s the best way I have to kick these things off. Anyway, this was inspired by me realizing we hadn’t kissed in the confession oneshot and then realizing it was an opportunity rather than a misstep. Also, if you saw the necklace prompt I sent to @selfshipimagines...yes, this is why I thought of it, which is why it’s here.

***

It began with Giovanni refusing to use a Dungeons & Dragons board and its associated miniatures for their intended purpose. He had scribbled the names of locales in our next planned heist over it, drawing out the floor plan, and I’m not exactly sure where he got miniatures customized to look like me and the rest of the official Blasters in his squad, but there we were, positioned across the D&D board on the table in the abandoned library that served as our “evil lair.”

I came upon him there, in the Casual Friday wear of his worn gray sweater and a pair of beaten-up jeans, maneuvering the mini-minions around the board with intense concentration. “Composer,” he greeted without looking up. “What do you think is a more badass way of entering a building? Blowing up the ceiling and dropping in from above on parachutes, or tunneling in from underneath with a massive drill?”

“Do we have a massive drill?” I asked, taking my place across from him at the table.

“Not YET,” he said in the tone that indicated we could very possibly be in possession of one within a few weeks.

“If you can get one,” I told him slyly, “then use it. WAY cooler than dropping in. Probably safer, actually.”

“Good call, Composer! You get to take an extra percentage of the loot for your cut when we pull this off!”

I never liked taking more than my share. Really, being an independent-contractor Banzai affiliate (who the upper echelons of the organization didn’t exactly…know about) was the only way to survive financially in this climate. All the same, if Giovanni didn’t bring back quota, he was more screwed than usual. I aimed for a balance. And tried not to let on just how much more I was making than him by hawking jewelry.

Speaking of which, the reason I’d entered the room was concerning a rather special piece I’d lifted recently. Nothing that would go for any sum whatsoever. Something valuable in a different way.

Now, how to bring that up?

“Soooo,” I began, “you know how we’re…dating now?”

“Why wouldn’t I?”

Right. That wasn’t my smoothest opener. In my defense, we were still pretty new as an item. It wasn’t so long ago that he’d spilled his guts to me on a display bed in a mall department store with a broken leg –

Okay, that’s kind of a “You had to be there” incident.

The point is, we were only recently official, and I wanted to do a little something to commemorate that. Especially since we hadn’t hit a few rather…important landmarks. Like the first kiss. That hadn’t even happened on confession night, and it was rather tearing me apart, were I to be perfectly honest. I might have had a selfish agenda in taking the piece that currently rested in my jeans pocket – yes, I wanted him to have something nice, but also, maybe this would lead to the big moment.

“Well,” I babbled, “I was just thinking that…we’re on the grid now, and…and that means we…that I should probably start…doing things a little differently, since you’re…special…and I’m…also special…and…”

On the job, I can improvise. When writing fiction or accounts, I’m a wordsmith. When trying to talk to someone who made my heart flutter, I just couldn’t get to the fucking point.

Or look directly at him, for that matter. It was kind of like looking into the sun.

“…and I mean, I know we’re still starting out, and still figuring out boundaries like if kissing’s gonna be a thing, and I’ll admit I’m kinda new to this in general, but – “

“WHAAAAAT?”

I couldn’t help but look at him then – with the usual results, feeling like my circulation speed had suddenly spiked. He looked absolutely flummoxed. Angry, even. Like I’d told him he’d shown up five minutes late to the doorbuster craft sale where satin was on a massive discount (an incident I reference because I had seen this exact scenario take place and had to drive an incredibly peeved Giovanni home from while reminding him that we could just obtain it through less-than-legal means).

“What do you MEAN we’re still figuring out kissing?” he ranted. “I’ve kissed you, right? It was great! I wouldn’t be so NEGLIGENT as to forget that!”

Oh. So he knew. As of this moment, it had occurred to him. I could see right through him. I just shook my head wordlessly.

“We HAVEN’T?” he said in awe. “Okay, I am FIXING that!” He pounded his fist on the table; the tiny Spike fell over, and he glanced at the miniature sheepishly before righting it with a whispered “Sorry. Won’t happen again.” Then he looked back to me. “But we SERIOUSLY haven’t kissed yet?”

“…No,” I admitted. Which wasn’t exactly what I’d come there to say, but I would have been lying to say I hadn’t wanted to get to that discussion point sooner rather than later.

“Well, we’re fixing that!” he declared. “Right here! Right now!”

I very nearly exploded. I tried my best to keep calm. “You…sure? I mean, I kind of wondered if maybe you were putting it off because you didn’t actually wanna – “

“No! We are DOING this! And it’s gonna be GREAT!” He’d risen, advancing to me. “I’m gonna be the best guy you’ve ever kissed!”

Without even thinking, I teasingly replied, “That’s not a high bar.”

Giovanni stopped in his tracks as I rose to try and meet his height. “What, you’re saying you’ve only dated bad kissers or something?”

“Well, no,” I admitted, wondering just how far down this hole I should go. Honesty is the best policy, right? “I’ve just…never kissed ANYONE before. Which isn’t a big deal! It’s just – “

He looked like I’d just slapped him across the face: eyes wide, jaw dropped. “You’ve NEVER – “ He closed his eyes and shook his head. “No. Not here. Not like this.”

“What?”

“This is your FIRST FREAKING KISS!” He waved both hands in the air to emphasize his point. “I’m not just gonna plant one on you in the middle of the lair! No, you’re getting the best first kiss of your life – “

“I’m pretty sure I can only get one first kiss in my life – “

“And it’s gonna be somewhere SPECIAL, God DAMN it!”

I closed my hand around the jewelry waiting in my pocket. He was going to make me wait to hand it over, wasn’t he? “What…did you have in mind?”

Within moments, he’d (gently yet firmly) seized my free hand, beginning to lead me out of the library. “We’re gonna hit up all your favorite places in Sweet Jazz City until we find the one with the right atmosphere!”

“Don’t you have a heist to – “

“IT CAN WAIT!”

Well, I wasn’t about to say no to that.

The first place we tried was the actual public library that was still open, as that was one of my regular haunts. (Books you didn’t have to steal! What an innovation!) I found myself being led into the midst of the YA fantasy section, meaning that Giovanni really did know me far too well.

“And here we are in your natural habitat!” he said proudly. “So…does this feel…you know, romantic?”

“It’s good,” I said with a smile.

Which was a mistake. “Good?” he repeated, one lower lid twitching. “GOOOOOD? This can’t happen unless it’s GREAT!”

“No, no, it’s – “ Wait, why was I protesting? He and I were basically on the same page. I was just trying to be polite. “Okay. Really, it’ll be great no matter where it happens, but this feels a little…weird. Not exactly romance central.”

“Good!” Giovanni insisted. “This is gonna be your first freaking kiss, remember? You gotta stand up for this kind of thing!”

“Yeah, but it’ll seriously be – “

“AND LET ME LIVE WITH THE BURDEN OF UNDERWHELMING YOU ON YOUR FIRST KISS?”

“…Okay, I cave.”

He seized my hand again; “Let’s head out! I know EXACTLY where we’re going this time!”

We ended up in the middle of the craft store, of course. “Will you look at this?” he said, arms outstretched. “We’ve had so many good memories here.”

“We have,” I agreed.

“This is our place!” he said gleefully. “Our stomping grounds! Where you and I belong! So…yarn aisle or acrylic paint aisle?”

I bit my lip.

“…This isn’t it either, is it? C’moooooon, Composer, I said you gotta stand up about this and make it perfect, and I mean it!”

“I’m just – I’m trying to be polite, okay?” I argued.

“Well, we’re the bad guys! We might be secretly NICE, but we’re sure as hell not POLITE!”

I wasn’t sure how to argue that point, as much as I knew it didn’t really make sense at all. “Can we pick somewhere that’s not…aisles?” I asked. “You know…rows of shelving. The library was the same problem. It’s just not the right aesthetic.”

“Got it! No shelves! Onward!”

The next place he picked out was the fountain in the square, and I had to admit that was a pretty impressive locale, aesthetic-wise. “Now, THIS is Romance Central!” he proclaimed proudly as he led me toward the structure. “Can you see anyone not kissing here? No. You can’t. Because it’s perfect.”

It seemed good on paper, but the closer we got to the fountain itself, the more I began to get nervous. The square was full of heavy foot traffic at this time of day. There were hundreds of people who would potentially be…watching. And I was beginning to almost feel stage fright. Like I had to get this right, or the whole city would mock me.

“Yeah,” I said nervously. “Definitely a fan favorite kissing spot.”

How was I going to bring up –

“Wait a minute. No. No!” He rounded on me, glaring. “We can’t just pick EVERYONE ELSE’S kissing spot! It’s gotta be our own! …Unless you really want here – “

“No,” I said hurriedly. “Look, it’s hard to explain, but this isn’t it either.”

“All right! Fourth time’s the charm!”

We ended up in the zoo, and when I saw which exhibit Giovanni had led me toward, I couldn’t suppress a chuckle. “Ta-daaaa!” he said as he gestured to the wide, open pen of lazy mammals. “Your favorite place in town, am I right?”

Oh, how could I tell him this one?

He read it on my face. With a sigh, he asked, “How did I mess up now?”

“You’re not messing up!” I told him immediately. “It’s just…the bear exhibit isn’t my favorite place in town. It’s Molly’s.”

Giovanni froze, blinking, wide-eyed.

“You got me mixed up with your kid,” I teased, nudging his shoulder.

“…Right,” he muttered. “Which animal was yours again?”

“Giraffes and/or sharks.”

“So you wanna – “

“Not really.”

“Okay. Next!”

When I figured out he was leading me to the opera hall next, I practically collapsed laughing. “Gio…oh my God…”

“Don’t tell me.”

“This isn’t my favorite spot in town either. You know whose it is?”

“Don’t say it – “

“This is Sylvie’s,” I snorted. “You wanna tell me again how he’s NOT one of our kids?”

“Shut up,” Giovanni muttered as he did an about-face to lead me away from the opera house.

As we entered the park close to sundown, I admitted, “Gio, part of the reason this hasn’t been working is that I’m kinda freaked out by all the people. I just don’t want everyone to…watch this. It makes it feel like I gotta do this right, and I don’t even know if I’m any good at kissing.”

“Sure you are!” Giovanni replied. “How could you NOT be? Trust me, I know these things. But if you want privacy, then dammit, I’m gonna get you privacy! Follow me to the love destination!”

I had to admit this location had promise. It was further into the park, a wooded area next to a small brook framed with granite boulders. As we settled to sit in a gap between the rocks, the evening sun glittered off the surface of the water like a disco ball.

“Much better,” I told Giovanni, shifting my legs to the optimal position for comfort.

“So?” he asked. “Feelin’ it? Is this the place?”

“I think this is the place.” And I meant it. The impending twilight filtering through the leaves felt rather ethereal. The brook’s soft yet constant babble provided some pleasant white noise.

“Okay.” His voice cracked, and for the first time, I finally realized he was probably nervous, just like me. “So…we’re here. And it’s perfect. So…we can do this.”

“We can,” I agreed.

Neither of us wanted to be the one to move first. We just wanted it to happen on its own. But that wouldn’t happen unless somebody took initiative.

Fuck it.

“If you’re ready,” I told him, “I’m gonna just…I’m gonna do it.”

“Do your worst, Composer.”

At which point, he made the stupidest face I’ve ever seen him make in my life, bar none. Eyes shut, lips comically protruded forward – and I wondered how many people he’d actually kissed, though I wasn’t about to ask that.

Okay. This shouldn’t be hard. Just put my mouth on his mouth. Easy. We didn’t even have to involve tongues yet. Like a sputtering car engine, I moved ever closer, bringing myself to the connection point –

And he slapped his hand over his mouth before I could get there.

“Is this too fast?” I asked. “Because we don’t have to do this – I mean, I know, some people just don’t do the kissing thing, and I think I’m one of those people who does, but – “

“It’s not that!” he said, muffled and miffed. “You know I’ve seen every slasher movie in the book, right?” “Uh…what does that have to do with – “

“You think I haven’t seen this EXACT SCENARIO before?” he snapped from behind his hand. “Guy takes girl to the park, down by the river, for a romantic kiss. Guy whips out knife. Guy murders girl. Girl’s body gets dumped in the river. Guy goes on to commit series of increasingly more disturbing mutilations. And I am NOT going down that road!”

I did a double take. “Gio…you know you could just…not kill me. You’re not a serial killer, you know.”

“I know, but it still feels WRONG! We aren’t doing this here!”

His hand was off his mouth and back over mine, leading me up and out of the park.

“Where are we going now?” I asked as we headed back through the twilight.

“I’m still working that out – “ He then froze in his tracks. “Of COURSE! It’s PERFECT! Okay, I have it this time, and I really mean that! Come on!”

He picked up the pace, nearly pulling me over into a fall. He slowed a bit after remembering that my top running speed could be outdone by certain tortoises in the world.

I wasn’t sure where this was going at all, at first. We headed into the outer edge of town, almost to the city limits, but not yet where the buildings’ height truly diminished into suburbia. Giovanni scoped out the apartment buildings here, trying to pick out one of sufficient height. I wondered if he was going where I thought he was going with this.

“You know,” he remarked, “it’s kind of a good thing this didn’t happen until after the sun went down. …WHICH WAS MY PLAN, OF COURSE! All those other locations were just fakeouts to get your guard down until I showed you the REAL main attraction!”

As much as I knew that wasn’t the case, I had a good feeling about this one. “You really are an evil genius.”

“Now come on!” He tugged my hand sharply to hurry me toward the building he’d targeted.

By then, the sky was completely dark, giving me an extremely auspicious feeling about this. We hustled around back of the building, where Giovanni sought out the fire escape ladder. Of course, pulled up one story so that there would have to be an actual escape from the top down for anyone to reach it. Creep prevention and all.

Well, this building was about to meet a couple of creeps.

“Now, this is just standard procedure,” Giovanni bragged. “Any villain worth his salt can scale one of these without even trying. You’re still new to the biz, so I don’t blame you if you still need practice at it, but I’m an old pro by this point. Watch and learn!”

Oh, I already knew where this was going. Still, I couldn’t stop him and I knew this.

He bent, surveyed, sprang. He managed to catch the edge of the lowest balcony with his hands, then, completely lacking the necessary upper body strength to climb the rest of the way, just sort of dangled there, struggling and grunting to pull himself onto the metal surface.

“Not that you need help with that or anything,” I told him, “but if I was offering – “

“I mean, it’ll probably boost your ego if I pretend I need you to help me out here, and your ego is terribly malnourished, so go ahead. Even though I completely have this under control. Wait, what are you going to – “

Trying not to blush at the proximity, I bent just enough that I could hook one hand under each sole of his shoes. Then, I posed, “Ready?”

“Uh…yeah…”

I rose, bringing his feet up, and that gave him the necessary leverage to scramble up onto the balcony. Even though it had just been hand-to-foot contact with a layer of rubber between, I still felt that had been incredibly intimate, somehow.

Then remembered I was going to have the same problem. “So, um, I’m NOT going to be able to get up there on my own – “

He’d already turned around, lying on his stomach so he could look down to me. “Don’t worry about it. Just jump.”

“I’m not even sure I can actually jump.”

“Just go for it!”

Feeling rather foolish in advance, I bent my knees, ready to completely underwhelm. I jumped as high as I could (which is nowhere near as high as you want it to be), flinging up both arms on instinct.

He caught one forearm in each hand, his own arms extended down to me, and after a rather painful dangle, he managed to reel me up to the point where he could wrap both arms around my upper body, bracing against the balcony to rather gracelessly drag me up to the same level.

Which felt even more intimate.

“Thanks,” I said once we were both on terra firma. Or metal firma, I guess.

He clapped me on the back – which is not something I let most people do. “Don’t sweat it. Now let’s go!”

It was smoother sailing from there – just trying to climb the rest of the ladders as quietly as possible, the night punctuated by the clinking of our shoes on the rungs. Giovanni was ahead, and so he got to the summit first, yelling down an enthusiastic “Come on, come on!” as I hustled to finish the course.

It was exactly as I’d suspected. As I emerged atop the apartments’ roof, I gasped at the sight of the Sweet Jazz City skyline lit up like a treasure trove against the dark of the night.

A sudden shift caught my attention; Giovanni had put his hand behind his back. I realized he’d been extending it to help me the rest of the way, but when I’d gotten there myself and gotten distracted by the shiny stuff, he tried to make it look like he hadn’t been doing that.

“It’s perfect,” I told him. “…You’re…perfect.”

“I know,” he said proudly. “That’s why we work, after all, since you’re only slightly less perfect.”

Which was really his way of saying we were even keel, if you knew how to read the subtext, even if I did still think he was far too good for me to deserve.

“Let’s get closer,” I suggested, approaching the edge where we could really see the lights.

There we were, side by side, taking in the glittering panorama. And suddenly realizing that we still had to actually do something about it. Well, it wasn’t obligated, but it was the entire reason for this, and we did both want it – it was just still so difficult to initiate somehow.

Giovanni cleared his throat; “So…I’m going to assume you’re ready for the big moment.”

“Yeah,” I said, feeling my hands begin to tremble. “As I’ll ever be. So if you wanna…start it this time…”

I turned toward him, looking up into his eyes. The low light played with the shadows that blanketed him, and I could pick out every feature on him from memory. God, he was adorable. If we were fully illuminated, his rose-pink eyes with their gold flecks would probably be sparkling as brightly as the skyline.

I wondered if he really, truly looked at me the same way I looked at him. His expression seemed to be flustered enough to indicate it, but…why would he?

I guess I really did need to listen to him and work on my own self-worth.

He placed both hands on the sides of my face, sliding both thumb-pads over the cheekbones. And then started leaning in.

This time, it was me who slapped my hand over my own mouth.

He looked as though he’d been wounded. “Was…this not it either? Is this not what you wanted? Just tell me what needs to change, and I’ll – “

“It’s me,” I muttered. “I’m just stupid nervous. This is literally the first time I’ve done this, and…it’s gonna be bad.”

“No, it’s not! Even if you were bad, I’d totally be good enough to make up for it!”

“I have no bar to even measure this,” I said softly. “Do I have to…do anything? What if I smack you in the face? I’m going to smack you in the face.”

“Do you really think that’s gonna matter?”

I wasn’t sure how to answer that.

“Composer, you might totally suck at kissing. That’s fine. It’ll still be…it’s you, okay? So it’s not really gonna matter! You know I’m gonna love it, even if it’s awful!”

“But you made a whole big deal out of everything being perfect – “

“That was for you, Composer! And…I…wanted to have a safety net in case I’m the one who sucks. Maybe. Not that I would. But – “

That was when it really hit home, what he was trying to say. “You won’t suck at it, Gio. You can’t. Because you’re you. Which is exactly what you’ve been trying to tell me.”

He was silent a moment before saying, “Reverse psychology. I don’t REALLY think – “

“I know what you think, you dork.” I slid my hand away. “Now kiss me already.”

“But about that smacking faces thing,” he brought up. “Let’s just coordinate that before we get into it. You tilt left, I tilt right?”

“Good c – “ I blinked. “No, because if you mirror it, we’d be going the same way. So we either need to both go left or both go right.”

“…Right’s good?”

“Right’s good.”

I resolved to hold still, to not move outside my assigned head-tilt, but I broke that resolution – I advanced slightly to meet him, raising my heels just slightly to bridge the height gap. My eyes shut –

And we hit foreheads before our lips could ever touch, which I suppose was to be expected.

“Did you go left or right?” I asked, just about laughing.

“I thought I was going right…”

That turned out to be the perfect icebreaker. What relationship needs to be too serious, after all? I felt more spontaneous now, laying my arms over his shoulders, clasping my hands behind his head, as we gave it one more shot.

It struck this strange balance between unexpectedly mundane and unexpectedly divine. Had I really been so worked up about this? Just pressing one set of lips to another? Who decided to give this such cultural weight, anyway? This hadn’t been anything to worry about.

Except for the sensation that someone had slammed one paddle of an AED to my heart to get it to beat double-time with a sudden jolt.

And then it was over. Too soon.

“So?” Giovanni asked excitedly. “Was that perfect or was it perfect?”

I eased my eyes open. “It was,” I told him. “I kinda expected it would be longer, honestly, but for a first, it was – “

“You know, there’s no rule saying we can’t do it again.”

“…You bring up a VERY good point.”

We re-adjusted, replacing arms to put each other in more of an embrace. Then we went for seconds, pressing together just that much longer. I realized we hadn’t really talked about the concept of tongues, but we seemed to be on the same page regarding them – keep them were they were, for now. Still, we repositioned, trying to leech a little more affection off each other, almost biting –

“OW!”

I pulled back suddenly; Giovanni let me out of his arms, watching me press a finger to my lower lip.

“Heheh…” He knew what had happened, as had I, and he nervously buried a hand in the hair at the back of his head. “Sorry ‘bout that. Got kinda caught up in the moment there…”

His upper row of teeth had bitten down onto my lip. Gently enough not to draw blood, but he did have those rather pointed fangs, and they certainly were sharp.

Normally, I didn’t have a very high pain tolerance. That was why I was surprised, myself, when I said, “Actually…I kinda liked it.”

He reached peak flustering, muttering something about that also being part of his plan.

“By the way,” I said, emboldened by our current promotion in affection, “I got you something. Funny story! I had actually wanted to give this to you all the way back in the lair, but then we started out on the whole sidequest. Anyway, remember how when we became official, you gave me a very important hoodie?”

“Yeah,” Giovanni recalled. “The one you’re wearing. Lookin’ good, by the way.” He snapped me finger-guns at it.

Did I forget to mention that I had been wearing a pink-and-plaid hoodie? Did you get this whole way not picturing me in one? Well, now you know I was wearing one the whole time, so you can brush that mental image up.

“Well, it’s not fair that you steal me something and I don’t steal you something back, is it?” I reached into my pocket, feeling that both necklaces were still there. “Are you ready?”

“What did you do, Composer?” I retrieved the pendants, quickly detangling their silver chains. “This might actually be really silly. But I got us matching necklaces. Technically, they’re friendship necklaces, but I thought that we ARE best friends, just best friends who also date, and…” I held up one in each hand. The charms reflected the shapes of the sun and moon. “So this one’s mine,” I said, drawing the moon back to myself. “Because I’m the dark and depressing one. But you always make me smile and fill my life with sunshine, so…”

I offered the sun pendant toward Giovanni. At first, he stared blankly at it, and I worried I hadn’t picked the proper gift. After all, I’d never seen him really accessorize or talk about doing so aside from his self-described edgy and gangster black nail polish.

“But if you don’t want it,” I said hastily, “that’s cool too – “

The pendant had disappeared from my hand. He had it now. “This is why you’re my fucking favorite minion,” he said, voice trembling. “But you know you’re not the moon because you’re the depressing one, right? It’s because you’re the poetic one who’s always thinking about stuff. Also, I am gonna wear this forever.” He quickly fastened it around his neck. “Put yours on!”

I attempted to do so, fumbling with the clasp for a while before hearing, “No, no, no, let me get that!” right before a hushed “Teleports behind you,” at which point I realized Giovanni was behind me rather than in front of me, his hands taking the clasp away from me and fastening it expertly.

And you know what? I couldn’t even complain about him making me feel incapable, like I usually would if someone fastened my necklace for me.

His hands settled on my shoulders from behind, resting there for an odd length of time. “What’s up?” I asked.

“So we have lip-kissing down,” he stated. “Are you cool with…other places? Not naughty places. I’m just looking at prime real estate – “

“Please,” I said without thinking, feeling that defibrillator shot again.

He lifted my hair out of the way, and I could feel his lips brush the back of my neck.

“Oh, I am DEFINITELY going to get used to this,” I told him once he let my hair fall.

“So…um…what happens now?”

“I mean, I did kinda interrupt the whole plan you were making,” I reminded him. “We should probably go back to that.”

“Yeah, but it’s nice out here. I don’t wanna go back yet. Dammit, the spot I picked was TOO good and now I don’t wanna leave!”

“Okay,” I resolved. “So how about we just stay up here and talk about whatever?”

“Sure. I like whatever.”

We stood side-by-side, looking out toward the city.

“So,” I asked, “I know you have some kind of plan for getting us that giant drill. And now I need to know how you intend to do it.”

#selfship #i'm at soup!#oh man he is shooting up on my list #of most fun characters to fanfic as well #ALSO CAN YOU ALL BELIEVE #S1 FINALE IS TOMORROW????

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misbhaves · 6 years ago

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neko twitch stream log; the final entry.

2018, FEBRUARY 3rd 04:07 AM.

11.

The room was mostly dark, were it not for the neon lighting bathing itself across the walls, the cupboard, the bed in the corner and the silhouette of the petite hooded figure sitting bow-legged in a chair far too big for her. Between the length of her bangs that were falling into her eyes and the mask stretched over the lower half of her face, nothing was visible, but the feminine posturing and avatar seemed to do the job because not even ten minutes in and no words said and the number of people watching the stream had already jumped up to twenty. The first exhale she released was shaky, and her hands trembled around the XBOX controller in her hands. The viewer count went up and down sporadically as she tried to psych herself up, before, finally a soft voice began speaking: “K-konnichiwa, minna-san.” the girl gave a small bow with her head, the light washing over her concealed face creating shadows over the mask that almost indicated a facial expression. either a smile or a nervous laugh. “I-I’m Neko-chan. Pleased to meet you. Um. I’m a little shy, but I’ll do my best.”

After the first few encouraging comments poured in, her shoulders appeared to relax and her expression, too, or what was visible of it anyway.

2018, AUG 21st 14:21 PM.

67K.

There was certainly something to be said about popularity, although all her peers repeatedly claimed it wasn’t that important. It was certainly a phrase Neko was guilty of saying, and often, in both languages. Even as she thanked her followers for each milestone she passed from her humble beginnings. Unlike the shy manner with which she had carried herself in her first few videos, she now opened her videos with more fanfire and open excitement. She hadn’t grown comfortable yet to take off her mask, but as she inched closer to the 500K follower mark, she had already decided to change that soon.

“I-D-K how I feel about the Gamerscom trailer for DMC5. Personally, I’m not sure I really pictured Dante the way he’s been looking in the hyper-realistic rendering of his character,” The girl rambled, pausing only to give herself a sip of the gargantuan soda she had by her side, having to push the mask slightly upward over her mouth to do so. “Show my face?” She said, nearly choking on the soda in the process. “Just like Dante, I feel like the live-action is not going to live up to the anime drawings, you know?”

There was a voice off-camera, seemingly stealing her attention. “What, already?” She whined, before turning back to the camera. “Gotta run off for an IRL sidequest,” She huffed apologetically, setting aside her controller already. “Neko signing out. Ja ne!”

2018 SEP 2ND 16:45 PM.

127K.

“A-Ah, I’m nervous,” It was said daintily, her head ducked and voice shaky for the first time since her early days on the platform. There were already words of encouragement pouring in. Others were impatient, reminding that she had, in fact, promised that today would have been the day. An anxiety she didn’t know the birthplace of always knotted in her chest when it came to the prospect of allowing herself to be judged my others. It was strange. A sharp ache that felt defensive somehow. As if her body was shielding itself based on a previous rejection her mind could not remember.

Shaking hands came up to the tight cotton straps of the mask curved around her ears. “Um. I just want to say uh, I’m sorry if any of you are disappointed.” She mumbled quietly, breathing out shakily, painfully, before slowly unhooking the straps and lowering the mask off her face.

Then, with one of her hands, she went ahead and pushed her bangs out of her eyes, too. “Konnichiwa, minna-san,” She said, mirroring her first ever greeting, comfortable with her mother-tongue. “It’s me. Neko-chan. Nice to meet you.”

Her cheeks were stained a deep red, her gaze averted so she wouldn’t be too tempted to look at the chat. “A-Anyway, I’m going to play Yakuza-0 first,” She said, fumbling for her controller. “I hope you guys enjoy.”

2019 APR 20TH 20:07PM

45K.

The video opened with royalty-free 8-bit music playing in the background of a dark room bathed in neon pink lighting. sitting cross-legged and hugged by a gaming chair a little too big for such a small person. Neko - a video-gaming streamer of some influence greeted her viewers with a classic ‘v’ sign.. “Hey demons, it’s ya girl, Neko, back at it again with a cringey youtuber intro. First off, good evening to all of you and special greetings to the moon which is out here killing it after the sun was way too hot today.”

The girl fanned herself dramatically, “Today, I was going to go out to see what new games I could buy, but since it was too hot to wear a mask, I just stayed home and continued playing Yakuza all day long. But then like an hour ago, it hit me that i was being a doofus and should at least let you guys play Yakuza with me. So, here we go, minna-san. just a girl, her bunnies and some sweet Japanese gang action.” Her nose wrinkled. “I already don’t wanna know what the chat is gonna be like after that poorly worded statement.” The camera jerked slightly as the girl moves closer, knocking her knee into something underneath the desk and making the desk shake as she jumped in place. “itai... sorry...” She was mumbling, one eye squeezed shut, then louder and more cheerfully, she continued, I fell down the stairs earlier today and I think I might have hurt my ankle, but it’s okay as long as I don’t touch it. an’ I accidentally kicked the CPU.” The screen split then, showing live-action gaming footage. “I-R-L is looking pretty crazy lately, guys. every time I go outside it’s like, I see someone else being collared and taken into a van. america land of the free, home of the brave my ASTEROIDS. What’s brave about going up to people with weapons that render them totally powerless and shackling them without giving them the chance of a fair fight? And like, for what crime anyway? For being born? No wonder so many of you Americans are always raving about going to Japan, because let me tell you, I know plenty of people - some very close to me - who are mutants and nobody cares.” Her fingers continued to rapidly tap away at the controller in her hands, her eyes focused on the game as she spoke.

“You know what I think? I think the mayor of this city is just intimidated. he’s too scared and insecure in his own ability to control a city where some of his civilians are stronger, or faster or smarter than he is.” With an uncharacteristically humourless laugh, she continued. “Boo hoo, Virgie, everyone in the world has to deal with the fact they’re inferior to someone else. It doesn’t give them the right to commit genocide. For Hitler , it was art school. who wants to take bets on what Virgie’s big old justification is?”

“Maybe he was bullied in school, or like a mutant stole his girlfriend, or - wow, what if like, he auditioned for the school play and a mutant stole his role and the guy of his dreams? You know... like Sharpay Evans, who deserved better. whatever it is. It doesn’t matter, because people go through bad, horrible things every day and they still make the choice to be good. I make the choice every day, that even if I’m capable of hurting the people who hurt me a hundred times worse, I won’t do it.”

Her voice was then accompanied by the sound of automated grunts and groans as she concentrated momentarily on the in-game killing she was providing her audience. “And I won’t let you do it either. So, if any of you out there are scared, don’t be. Find others like you and take shelter, because the more unified you are, the less power he has over you.”

After a pause, the girl giggled. “Or something like that. I’ve had a lot on my mind lately, sorry. Um, moving on... did any of you guys play the latest Yakuza? what did you think of it, I personally...”

2019 MAY 25TH 22:17PM.

11K.

The steam begun with uncharacteristic silence, bereft of the tinny music the girl had been opening her streams with for the past five months, if not more. The room was the same, as was the chair, but there was something about the girl seated in it that seemed different. Haunted almost. The bruises on her youthful face had almost entirely faded, but they were enough cause for alarm amongst her fans, most of whom had flooded in after seeing her go live for the first time after a nearly month-long hiatus.

“Hi, everyone,” She greeted in English first before repeating the same in Japanese. “Been a while, huh?” She folded her legs up onto her chair, spinning to and fro. “I haven’t been home in a while. There’s been a lot going down in the city I live in and... I haven’t been dealing with it well, honestly.” She reached up, pushing her hair behind her ear. “You know, I used to think that being a hero just meant doing the right thing, or saving the day.

43K.

Her nose wrinkled slightly. “But recently, I’ve come to realise it’s not that simple. Sometimes being a hero means not being able to save the day, but being able to send a message.” She cleared her throat, her fingers clenching around her knees. “Yesterday, there was a rally, in which dozens of mutants of various ages were kidnapped. Chained and carted away like cattle. Some of these people are my friends.” Her voice cracked on the last word.

67K.

“And I have failed them.” She continued. “By being born someone privileged enough to have my status swept under the rug.” She bit into her lower lip. “While people like me rot in ... these pseudo-military bases and get tortured and prodded and experimented on as if it’s the second world war and we have learned nothing.”

113K.

“And just like me, if you’re sitting at home and you’re doing nothing while this happens even though you have the power to do otherwise,” She continued, voice strained. “Then you’re just as bad. Just as cowardly.” With a shuddering breath, continued. “The time I’ve spent here, with you guys, will always be the happiest memories I’ll ever have. And maybe one day, I’ll come back and make some more. But, for now, I guess...” She shook out another sigh, reaching up to catch a traitor tear that slipped down her pale face. “I’ll have to be on this hiatus indefinitely.”

130K.

“Because even if I don’t know how this fight is going to end... and even if I’m scared I,” She reached off-screen for something, and when her hand drew back it was holding a porcelain mask, shaped in the traditional Kitsune shape. “I can’t wait around expecting for things to just... get better.”

“And I can’t keep relying on friends or family anymore either, because in the end...” She trailed off, something about her expression breaking. “You never really know a person, do you?” Resolutely, she fastened her mask onto her face. “I can’t wait to be saved anymore.”

“I’m sorry, dad. But, in this story, the princess rescues herself.”

And just like that, the live stream ended abruptly.

#—aki's streams of consciousness.#☆*:･✧ i want to exhale stardust and create my own constellation | aki.

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sr116-blog · 8 years ago

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"Think Fast" OC Meme Part 2

This is the second part of a five part OC Meme I got from deviantArt. I am way behind on keeping up with this stuff, sorry.

Links:

Meme Intro

Meme Part 1

And now...

..:: || Phase Two, Personal Touch || ::..

You've survived phase one, now it's time to get personal >:3

5 and 7 are taking a shower, what's happening?

5 :: War-Prince Jothorr-Horics-Apudiin [FanChar - Animorphs] 7 :: Hiriin-Eillif-Gibyil [FanChar - Animorphs]

The aristh (an Andalite military cadet) stepped into the shower. It was a large one, one of the public shower stalls generally kept near pool complexes and such. Of course, earth was a strange place to Horiith, and he had no idea of such a concept as he looked up with his stalk eyes at the many shower heads above, his tail twitching in nervous anticipation as his main eyes looked for a potential threat. He would be ready to impress the legendary War Prince walking just behind him.

As for that high ranking Andalite, his own bladed tail was arched and ready, but held with a steady confidence. Jothorr's stalk eyes kept a sweeping vigil as his main gaze focused first on the shower heads, then upon the knobs that controlled water. He had heard of these places since the place called Earth had been explored. The pools were used for recreational swimming, and these artificial waterfalls known as showers for the humans to clean themselves.

The young one before him should have known too, if he'd paid attention in his schooling. Judging by the wary way Aristh Horiith was looking at everything, though, he had no idea what this equipment was for. A lesson should be taught here. So Jothorr reached out and tried the knob, figuring out which way to turn it so that the artificial waterfall they had stopped under would begin to dump upon them. He had no concern for his own blue fur getting wet as well.

The much younger Andalite reared up slightly tail whipping forward at nothing as he released a thoughtspeak shout of surprise, <Ahhh!>

<The humans call this place a shower, it is where they bathe,> Jothorr explained, his voice firm in the young aristh's mind, <By this point, that shouldn't be uncommon knowledge.>

Quick! 8 has walked in on 5 and 7 in the shower!!

8 :: Exsul-Issil-Impator [FanChar - Animorphs] 5 :: War-Prince Jothorr-Horics-Apudiin [FanChar - Animorphs] 7 :: Hiriin-Eillif-Gibyil [FanChar - Animorphs]

Exsul-Issil-Impator was another aristh, and could not help but wonder where the other two Andalites on this mission had gone. Wandering through the area in search of them he heard the thoughtspeak shout that Horiith had unwittingly broadcast far too openly. While it could be hard to tell where such voiceless communication was coming from, the Andalite people had evolved with it for eons. Exsul, therefore, was able to track his crewmate to the public shower.

Hesitantly he entered, uncertain of what waited. Inside, what did he find? Jotharr the great and fear inspiring War Prince was fumbling to maintain his footing on the wet tiles, four hooves scrabbling beneath him in search of traction. Horiith had already succumbed to the slick surface and was sprawled across the ground with great humiliation, his bladed tail flicking agitatedly.

Somehow an abandoned shampoo bottle was knocked over, the top sliced off (presumably by a tail blade). The soapy substance oozed its way out, and finally plopped onto Horiith. It coated his stalks, and again he let out a thoughtspeak cry of agony, <Aaagh! It burns! What is this slime weapon!>

<The tiles are impossible when wet!> Jotharr raged skittering towards the exit, <How do human use such environments daily!>

Exsul blinked all four eyes in stunned silence, not daring to set another hoof into the shower. If either of the others were injured for their foolishness, they could heal through morphing...he had no such luck if he became trapped in the slippery fiasco, <Good luck, Horiith! War-Prince Jotharr, you've nearly made it sir! >

With little pity for his fellow aristh and tormentor, Exsul focused mostly on trying to help the War-Prince to safety without exposing himself to danger.

While 8, 5 and 7 are busy, lets see what 1 and 12 doing in the hottub!

1 :: Ardell Mort [Experiment 666] 12 :: Noriko Gijouhei [FanChar - SamCham]

Noriko closed her eyes as she learned back in the hot tub. She had been hesitant at first, but eventually it was explained that it was rather like a hot spring. This strange limbo between universes was a mash of technologies from all the different realms they came from, and she was overwhelmed and anxious about it all. A nice hot spring...or hot tub...visit would do nicely.

Suddenly a disturbance in the water alerted her to someone else's presence. Her dark eyes snapped open as the elder Japanese woman shot a look at the intruder. His own eyes were shut in a grin as he faced her, "Hello there! Lovely day for a dip in a hot tub...Bubbles away the stress."

"Of course..."One of his eyes eased open, spreading his face into a cheeky wink, "There are other ways to work off one's stress as well~"

"How dare you!" Noriko drew away, attempting to cover herself, "I am a married woman, and far too-"

A sigh escaped the man, "Married, unmarried, does it matter? You are still beautiful, and beauty should be appreciated, shouldn't it? Are you appreciated, Noriko?"

A funny sort of sensation swept over the woman she looked into his blue eyes.. on one hand, she was ill at ease with his forwardness, and blatant attempts to sway her affections from her husband toward himself. He was a much younger man, it was a scandal and likely a blackmail scheme! On the other hand, she was flooded with the sudden sense that no, she wasn't appreciated. Her husband and son had ignored her objections to the boy's former fiance, which had lead to disaster. Yet she was still viewed as the wicked one in that scenario.

"Who are you?" She breathed out, "How...how do you know me?"

"I'm an admirer," The young man smiled, reaching up to tease a strand of silvered hair, "My name is Ardell, and I see how much you do for them...try to look out for them. They take it all for granted, though. Such a shame..."

Think fast! 11, 10 and 2 crashed 1 and 12's party in the hottub!

11 - Sister Agnes (aka Madeline Dawson) [Experiment 666] 10 - Umiko (Age 9) [FanChar - SamCham] 2 - Hiroshi Gijouhei [FanChar - SamCham]

Gripping tightly to the sunflower she had for her mother (it was purchased in the final bit of Part 1 in a trade) Umiko raced through the unknown melding of realms that formed the meeting place for this random crew. Sister Agnes, who had purchased the flower along with her own bouquet in exchange for a future favor was running to keep up with the child.

"Wait, little girl!" She found it hard to match the youth's pace, "I...I can't just let you run off alone!"

As the two females raced past, Hiroshi looked up from his wheelchair and immediately locked his sight on the child with the sunflower. There was something very familiar about her, for sure. She reminded him of a woman he loved...and a man she had married. Quickly he pushed himself off after them.

It was even harder for him to catch up, with their head start. Eventually though, Sister Agnes caught Umiko, which allowed Hiroshi to catch them both. Only then did they realize how awkward the situation they had walked in on was.

"Oh my!" Sister Agnes swept up Umiko and covered the child's eyes to shield her from the scene of Ardell's blatant attempts at seducing Noriko.

Hiroshi's chair jolted as he suddenly stopped, his dark eyes gawking at the unexpected and unwelcome sight, "Mother?! What on earth is going on?!"

Noriko was suddenly brought to her senses and pulled hastily away from the young stranger, looking in shock at her son, "Hiroshi? I..."

Ardell sigh and leaned back against the side of the hot tub, a pout on his features, "Now my fun is ruined..."

4 just found out that 9 used their toothbrush to scrub the toilet!

4 - Trinity Dawson [Experiment 666] 9 - Galbin Mort [Experiment 666]

As Trinity brushed her teeth, she thought something was off; a strange sort of taste from the bristles that blended with the minty paste. Pulling the brush from her mouth she spat the froth in the sink and fought back her gag reflex.

An obnoxious laugh sounded from behind the shower curtains, cuing her in to the fact she was not alone. The curtain pulled back to reveal a boy of around twelve with a wicked grin and mischief in his bright yellow eyes. His red hair was pulled into a high bun and freckles dotted his face, "You actually used it! Stupid girl, a literal potty-mouth!"

Trinity's eyes widened with realization as he spoke. The toothbrush flattered against the sink as she dropped it and heaved, needing to vomit, but finding the taunting boy no seated on the toilet and no trash can in sight. The only places to empty her stomach were the sink, floor, or tub.

"Oh. You could probably use this toilet about now, hmm?" Galbin canted his head in thought, "It would be rather nasty to puke anywhere else...I could move...for a price."

"You're Terri...ble" Trinity gagged out between waves of nausea, testing the door to find it locked somehow.

"Well, of course," Galbin shrugged, with a bored smirk, "It's the quickest way benefit. If you don't see that, well...You're only human. Now, how much do you have? I'm sure you don't want to scoop chunks of vomit out of the tub. So empty your wallet, or give me some valuable trinket, we can call it even at that."

Without putting up further argument Trinity dug out her wallet, but had no time to hand over any cash before doubling over and emptying her gut on the floor. The wallet dropped to her side as she braced herself on the sink. Hopping to his feet and carefully avoiding the splattering bile, Galbin grabbed up the wallet and easily opened the door, "Then this is payment for cleaning your toilet! Good business! And I don't do floors, you're gonna scrub that up on your own!"

#Think Quick OC Meme

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