so I don’t know why I made this but my head thinks that this could be a good character to the New Mutants from the 70′s        (Made with doll divine)

𝐁𝐮𝐜𝐤𝐲 𝐁𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐬 𝐀𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐜 🦾

by Fe铁

A/n: I'm sorry I'm in my Wanda phase😩 I'm bored so send requests. Sorry if this is bad. Also this is in first person. This is short. Reader is of age. Enjoy.

"What are cooking?" Wanda said while walking into the kitchen. "Spaghetti" I said while pouring the pasta in the pan. I walked over to the pantry grabbing the sauce.

     "What are you doing?" She said heading towards pantry. "Getting the sauce." I said questioning myself if I got the right thing. "No, no, no. I have a secret recipe for that." She said while grabbing the sause from my hand and taking it back.

     "Were going to need lots of tomatoes, onion, garlic, and herbs." She excitedly said. I turn off the stove because I wanted the sauce to almost be ready before I make the noodles.

     "Can you cut me up some basil please?" She said while perfectly dicing tomatoes. I grabbed a knife and started cutting.

     I started having trouble almost cutting my finger. "Here let me help." She places my hand the right way and guided me while cutting.

      She smelled like pumpkin spice. I felt her warm breath against my neck which sent shivers down my spine and butterfly's to flutter in my stomach.

   "Wow your a quick learner." She smirked. My cheeks went cherry red I tried using my hair to cover it. She let out a small chuckle and moved away. "I think you got from here." She passed me the onions. "Try these."

     She went back to cutting the tomatoes and quickly finished. Soon the place smelled like an Italian restaurant. I started boiling the noodles and the sauce.

   "We should put on some music set the mood. You know?" She grabbed two knives and forks. "Yes. Friday play Italian dinner music." "Yes Ms/Mr L/n."

    The music filled the kitchen. Wanda set the table and I toasted the bread.

   I was waiting for the bread to finish when Wanda snuck up behind me. She twirled me around. "Dance with me." She said, her voice was soft and careful.

   We slowed danced around the dining table. She lit the candle with her magic. I put my head on her shoulder listening to her heartbeat. I felt safe, at peace.

  The beeper on the toast startled me. "I'll get it." She said heading towards the kitchen.

  I looked down and smiled to myself. Everything felt perfect.

   I sat down a took a sip of water while watching Wanda carry in the food. She placed down the plate taking a seat.

   "Dinner is served." She said smiling. "Thank you madam."

    I took a bite of the pasta and my tastebuds felt blessed. "This is really good." I said with food still in my mouth pointing to the plate. She smirked. "Don't thank me, thank the recipe."

━◦○◦━◦○◦━◦○◦Marvel: A New Age◦○◦━◦○◦━◦○◦━

︰- ̗̀ ➛ Earth-1145.

A similar timeline to Earth-199999, what you might call the Marvel Cinematic Universe. However, Mutants have always been in this Earth, and so has affected the flow of history.

The Avengers have continued their work with the reformed SHIELD since the fall of Hydra, while the X-Men do their best to keep the threats from evil mutants in check. But now a new threat arises...

Humanity.

Humans have a tendency to fear what they do not understand, and Mutants, though still relatively small in number, have become a controversial topic. Anti-Mutant groups have begun to pop up, and even in the government, some oppose their existence. Senator Kelly has proposed a bill that all mutants must join a registry... and he has some military backing by one General William Stryker.

Some are even murmuring about making all those with powers or abilities register and make their identities public.

︰- ̗̀ ➛Our story begins here. What will you do in this new landscape?

━◦○◦━◦○◦━◦○◦━◦○◦━◦○◦━◦○◦━

We are a 21+ literate roleplay for fans of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and other Marvel properties. We accept both canon characters and OCs, and are open to roleplay veterans and newbies alike! Laid back and friendly, we aim to be a non-toxic, safe community for roleplayers who may or may not be on the older side.  

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Home || Lore || Rules || Taken Characters || Application || Ask || Discord

*piper's identity is revealed*

piper, immediately shoving her blouses in the back of the closet and stealing one of jess's leather jackets: oh thank god i am so sick of pretending to be boring as shit

Stop he looks like such boyfriend material, i can’t handle it.

Daredevil doesn't want to be an Avenger

read it on the AO3 at https://ift.tt/3EmYRuN

by Dragonslayer42

In which Matt is just tired of having superheroes crashing around in his city and the Avenger's can't get a handle on Daredevil.

Words: 6265, Chapters: 4/4, Language: English

Fandoms: daredevil - Fandom, Avengers

Rating: Not Rated

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Characters: Matt Murdock, Clint Barton, Steve Rogers, Tony Stark, Bruce Banner, Natasha Romanov (Marvel)

Additional Tags: Daredevil Meets the Avengers

read it on the AO3 at https://ift.tt/3EmYRuN

wandog

I am a simple woman who want simple things like Link showing up in hero societies, causing chaos, explaining nothing, then leaving.

Full image:

Comic: Shuri

December Solicitations: Doctor Strange appearances

Deadly but delicious food.

DEATH OF DOCTOR STRANGE: BLADE #1

DANNY LORE (W) • DYLAN BURNETT (A) Cover by BOSSLOGIC VARIANT COVER BY David Baldeon A long time ago, Doctor Strange destroyed every vampire in the world with one spell, including Dracula. Now, with Strange dead, Dracula's Vampire Nation celebrates! That doesn't sit too well with Strange's old friend, and new Vampire Nation sheriff, Blade the Vampire Hunter! But what happens when interlopers from another dimension invade the vamp's territory and put all the bloodsuckers' lives at risk? Will Blade do his duty to protect them? Or will he help make sure the vamps stay wiped out this time? 40 PGS./ONE-SHOT/Rated T+ …$4.99

DEATH OF DOCTOR STRANGE: X-MEN/BLACK KNIGHT #1

SI SPURRIER (W) • BOB QUINN (A) Cover by CORY SMITH Variant Cover by MATÍAS BERGARA LONDON'S BURNING! THE BLACK KNIGHTS RIDE AGAIN! All manner of vile extradimensional foes invade Earth following the collapse of Doctor Strange's magical safeguards for the planet. Dane Whitman, A.K.A. the BLACK KNIGHT, receives a terrible vision from the EBON SIEGE while Jacks, now sharing the burden of the EBONY BLADE with her father, rides off to confront a terrible evil attacking London – the X-MEN?! Krakoa's greatest heroes have been transformed – but by what?! Jacks, Dane and Faiza Hussain – wielder of the mighty sword EXCALIBUR – must team up to save the X-Men before an even deadlier threat destroys them all! 40 PGS./ONE-SHOT/Rated T+ …$4.99

DEATH OF DOCTOR STRANGE #4 (OF 5)

JED MACKAY (W) • LEE GARBETT (A) • Cover by KAARE ANDREWS Variant Cover by Paco Medina Devil's Reign Villain Variant Cover by ANNIE WU WHO WILL BE THE NEW SORCERER SUPREME? Someone has to stop the giant mystical threat devouring all magic, and it can't be the Avengers. Or the Fantastic Four. Or the X-Men. It'll take someone with the greatest skills and command over the mystic arts to save us all. It'll take the Sorcerer Supreme. But who will that be?! 32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

DEFENDERS #4 (OF 5)

AL EWING (W) • JAVIER RODRÍGUEZ (A/C) Variant cover by Ken Niimura BEFORE THERE WERE GODS... THERE WERE MARVELS! Doctor Strange and his Defenders land in the Fourth Cosmos – the home of the Archetypes of Good and Evil, primal entities of pure myth destined to echo through every reality to come – as the desperate Dr. Zota attempts to harness their power to rewrite all existence in his own hand! Al Ewing and Javier Rodriguez explore the truest origins of the Marvel Multiverse in a cosmos-colliding epic you'll have to experience to believe! 32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

SAVAGE AVENGERS #27

GERRY DUGGAN (W) • PATCH ZIRCHER (A) Cover by VALERIO GIANGIORDANO This is the one you've been waiting for—Conan, Dr. Strange, Dr. Doom and a time master to be named later all join your favorite Savage Avengers to put a dagger-sized pin into the heart of the Kulan Gath saga. You won't see this end coming...'cause we didn't either. 32 PGS./Parental Advisory …$3.99

As I said, deadly but delicious food.

Here we go...

Title: Far Have I Traveled Part 3 of Artifacts and Asgardians (The Relic) Rating: Mature Pairing: Loki/OFC Summary: New Asgard is worlds away. Loki and Cora embark on a farewell journey, preparing to depart Earth, saying goodbye to the homes she's known throughout her long life. Loki desires to formalize their plan to marry, but the more he sees of the places she's loved, the more he fears whether he, and the civilization the Asgardians are struggling to rebuild, can satisfy Cora's need for purpose and belonging. What makes an Asgardian an Asgardian? Can two adopted members of a race ever truly be at home?

Chapter 1 - Trondheim

“So at the cusp of the tenth century, Trondheim was settled by the Vikings.  For its defensive advantages.  The entire city—the Old City—is surrounded by water, save for a little sliver of land in the southwest..." (Read on Ao3)

What if the energy of the Phoenix when it died made a planet full of live and diferent creatures, i give you free use of the idea     (the image I did is from doll divine)

Fun Marvel What If ideas:

What if Wanda and Vision lived a happy life together (THEY DESERVE IT)?

What if Isaiah Bradley became Nomad / Captain America?

What if Nick Fury recruited The Defenders instead?

What if the Guardians of the Galaxy were a rock band / idol pop group?

What if the Avengers were an outlaw gang in the wild west?

What if Wakanda never went into hiding and eradicated slavery and colonialism?

What if Shang-chi never went to San Francisco and became the Mandarin?

What if Aunt May became Spider-woman / Spider-ma’am?

What if Valkyrie founded the Asgardians of the Galaxy?

What if Carol Danvers became the Grandmaster?

AU where Loki doesn't use the Time Collar to get out of his interrogation room in episode one and Mobius walks back in and actually gets to finish telling Loki that they're done for the day and they'll pick it up tomorrow and then he shows Loki to his cute lil TVA bedroom and he gets to take a nap

Sokovian Lovers Moodboard

Soft Aesthetic

A.N: Once again I have uploaded the script and edited it . Y/N has a lot of thoughts in this chapter, it's a sarcastic inner monologue at this point, I'm sorry if that gets annoying. There is also a lot of talking.

Warnings: Violence, Swearing

Masterlist

Chapter Five

"This is it." Steve said.

After a narrow miss with the STRIKE team at the mall, Steve had hotwired a car (with the help of Y/N) and the trio had made their way to New Jersey. The fact Natasha had kissed her while Steve was stood behind them hadn't really sunk in. She hadn't kissed anyone is years, not even for a mission. 'Was that your first kiss?' the red-head had asked, 'From a girl it was.' Y/N had replied, 'Not that I'm complaining in the slightest.' That had made Natasha laugh.

"The file came from these coordinates." Natasha told them.

"So did I." Steve said, sounding nostalgic as he looked around the place. "This camp is where I was trained back in the '40's"

It was now later that night while the three walked around the old army base still trying to pinpoint where the signal came from. They hadn't had a lot of luck with Y/N and Natasha waving their phones around like idiots at every square inch of the place.

"Changed much?" the red-head asked.

"A little."

"This is a dead end. Zero heat signature, zero waves, not even radio. Whoever wrote the file must have used a router to throw people off." Y/N said, standing a few feet from Steve.

While Natasha was still waving her phone around trying to get a signal, Steve was looking around the old army base. Y/N lowered her arm and walked over to Steve who held a slightly confused expression on his face.

"What is it?" Y/N asked the man.

"Army regulations forbid storing ammunition within five hundred yards of the barracks. This building is in the wrong place."

Steve swung his arm with the shield at the lock that was on the door. Pushing the door open, the trio entered inside. When they turned on the lights they noticed it's a S.H.I.E.L.D office. There were rows of desks in front them, they were covered in dust and they looked old.

"This is S.H.I.E.L.D." Natasha thought out loud.

"Maybe where it started." Steve suggested.

Y/N, Natasha and Steve entered a room where they found old framed portraits on the wall. There was one a young woman, one of a young man and one of an older man.

Natasha pointed to the young man on the wall, obviously recognising him "There's Stark's father."

'I know him from somewhere.' Y/N thought, 'Where do I recognise him from?'

"Howard." Steve said, noticing the slightly confused look on Y/N's face.

'Yep, the name definitely rings a bell.' Steve didn't reply to Natasha questioning who the woman was on the wall, he turned away to walk further down the room and stopped by the massive book shelf.

"If you're already working in a secret office..." Steve said as he pushed the books shelves apart and slide them open to reveal an elevator behind it. "Why do you need to hide the elevator?"

The three clamber into the elevator, when the doors shut they were asked to enter a passcode. Natasha rolled her eyes and wiped out her phone, she hacked the system pretty quickly. The elevator came to life and started to go down which took them to a room with old looking computers.

"This cannot be the data-point." Natasha scoffed.

"Definitely not. Right? I mean this some ancient ass tech." Y/N pointed out.

Suddenly Natasha noticed a small flash drive port. She and Y/N shared a look as they moved closer to it. Natasha placed the flash drive in it which then activated the ancient computer in the room. The old computer asked them if they wanted to 'Initiate system'. Natasha moved over to the keyboard and began to type.

"Y-E-S, spells yes." Natasha smiled as the old computer started to crank up.

""Shall we play a game?"" Y/N said in a low playful voice with a smirk on her lips, leaning on the table. She then turned to Steve and said "It's from a movie that..."

But Steve cut her off "Yeah, I saw it."

In the midst of all the whirring from the computers accented voice suddenly started speaking.

"Rogers, Steven. Born, 1918. Romanoff, Natalia Alianovna. Born, 1984. L/N, Y/N. Born 1988″

Steve and Y/N recognised the voice of the man immediately. 'You've gotta be shitin' me'. Luckily for Y/N, Zola in the computer decided to stick to the lie that she had been telling instead of outing her as his 70 year old daughter. A fact the she hated with a passion. The old camera that is by the computers began to move above them as it scanned them like they were food at a supermarket checkout.

"It's some kind of a recording." Natasha said.

"I am not a recording, Fräulein." Zola told the Natasha. "I may not be the man I was when the Captain took me prisoner in 1945, but I am."

The computer screen changed and showed the trio an old photo of Dr. Arnim Zola. Y/N's hands curled into fists as she tried to stay calm, Zola was one of the people who haunted her in her sleep - his voice screaming at her as a child, hit her when she didn't do what he wanted. She had nightmares of him braking her down over and over to try and remould her to be the most deadly assassin ever.

"Do you know this thing?" Natasha asked the blond man.

"Arnim Zola was a German scientist who worked for the Red Skull. He's been dead for years." Steve said.

'He's my dad.' Y/N answered in her head. 'Well, he was supposed to be but he didn't act like it.'

"First correction, I am Swiss." Zola began to talk. "Second, look around you. I have never been more alive. In 1972 I received a terminal diagnosis. Science could not save my body, my mind, however, that was worth saving on two hundred thousand feet of data banks. You are standing in my brain."

Y/N could faintly remember being told about his diagnosis, she could faintly remember her trying to hide a smile when she found out that he was going to die. However, the thought of standing in his brain was quite horrifying. She knew what went on in his head when he was alive, she certainly didn't want to know what he was thinking even though he's dead.

"How did you get here?" Steve wanted to know.

"Invited."

"It was Operation Paperclip after World War II. S.H.I.E.L.D recruited German scientists with strategic value." Natasha told Steve as she was looking slightly lost.

"They thought I could help their cause. I also helped my own."

"HYDRA died with the Red Skull." Steve insisted.

'Trust me Steve it really didn't.'

"Cut off one head, two more shall take its place." Zola sounded so proud and stuck up when he said the words.

'That phrase still irritates me,' Y/N thought.

"Prove it." Steve said.

"Accessing archive." He began, the computer screen showed them some old footage of Johann Schmidt who was the Red Skull (someone that Y/N faintly recognised) and of the the original S.H.I.E.L.D founders. "HYDRA was founded on the belief that humanity could not be trusted with its own freedom. What we did not realize, was that if you try to take that freedom, they resist. The war taught us much. Humanity needed to surrender its freedom willingly. After the war, S.H.I.E.L.D was founded and I was recruited. The new HYDRA grew. A beautiful parasite inside S.H.I.E.L.D. For seventy years HYDRA has been secretly feeding crisis, reaping war. And when history did not cooperate, history was changed."

Y/N wanted to punch the computer. Zola was always full of monologues about how the things that HYDRA was doing was changing the world for the better. As a child Y/N tried to believe him but as she grew up and she saw what they were truly doing to Soldat, she knew that HYDRA was in the wrong. By a mile.

"That's impossible, SHIELD would have stopped you." Natasha said, sounding slightly confused.

"Accidents will happen." Zola continued. The computer screen changed to show them that HYDRA had killed Howard and Maria Stark by making it look like a car accident along with the recent death of Fury. "HYDRA created a world so chaotic that humanity is finally ready to sacrifice its freedom to gain its security. Once the purification process is complete, HYDRA's new world order will arise. We won, Captain. Your death amounts to the same as your Life; a zero sum."

Without missing a beat Steve suddenly smashed the computer screen in anger.

"As I was saying..."

"What's on this drive?" Steve demanded to know.

"Project Insight requires insight. So I wrote an algorithm." Zola said proudly.

"What kind of algorithm? What does it do?" Y/N asked, getting closer to the computer as if it was going to help them get the answer that they wanted.

"The answer to your question is fascinating. Unfortunately, you shall be too dead to hear it." Zola continued.

The doors behind them started to close. In a desperate attempt to save the trio, Steve tried to stop the door by throwing his shield in between them but he was too late. They were stuck.

"Steve, we got a bogey. Short range ballistic. 30 seconds tops." Natasha called out.

And they were going to get blown up.

"Who fired it?" Y/N asked.

"S.H.I.E.L.D." Natasha sounded slightly horrified when she spoke.

"The fuck?"

"I am afraid I have been stalling, Captain" Zola admitted." Admit it, it's better this way. We're both of us...out of time."

Steve noticed a small opening on the ground that was covered by a metal grate. Leaning down, he threw the metal aside and just as the place began to explode he threw himself, Y/N and Natasha into the hole and protected the trio with his shield. What the fuck is going on?

Taglist:

@laura-naruto-fan1998 @empath-bunny @in-my-body-bag @thsfnn @hallothankmas @buckyys-doll @the-obelisk @inhumanwithpowers @supremepasta​  @cuddlycalcifer @dystopian-dez382 @sumwitch-scarlettbitch @winter-soldier-sebstan

just this once pt.7

a/n: almost done babes! we’re buildin that climax! also, i tried to find legit ways for some of the violence to happen, but it appears to be basically physically impossible. so im telling science to fuck itself because its my story and science can be what i want it to be

Words: 3,804

Warnings: graphic/descriptive violence, gore (I think), drug use

Pairings: Natasha x Reader

ublyudok - bastard

suka - bitch

(pt.1 pt.2 pt.3 pt.4 pt.5 pt.6.1 pt.6.2 pt.6.3 pt.7 pt.8)

Taglist: @twilight-99-tm @333hhm @mika-kc @xxromanoffxx @izalesbean @diaryoflife @bebe404 @strangegardentaco @the-empty-chxld @lgtftchan @m-zne237 @wickedmuses @hopingforromanoff @noodlybees @llamame-papi @gottacamz @wouldirunofftheworldsomeday @santasbitch @when-wolves-howl @madamevirgo @ohfuckno @lenalex78 @mrvvl @alowint @killm3slowly @causeitswhatjesuswouldfreakingdo​

Yelena’s POV

“Don’t tell them I was here,” Yelena said with A Look to Cheeseburger and Roger. “If you tell, I’m not sharing my snacks anymore.”

Admittedly, she had been in your suite a lot; something about the sound of water and the occasional critters was relaxing. Not to mention you always had the good vodka and tea, and she had a habit of sneaking into your suite while you were gone and taking some. And maybe she liked Roger and Cheeseburger. But that wasn’t the point.

Cheeseburger lifted a tentacle and waved it, and Roger waved his adorable little paw. It was enough to make Yelena go “aww” and put a hand to her chest. She loved those little critters. She was going to have to force you to let them hang out sometime, maybe a movie night.

She was just about to walk out of your suite when the door flew open. You stormed in, looking… human? She hadn’t even known you were back yet, but why did you still look that way? You had been so ready to take it off even before you had gotten it, why hadn’t you done that first?

“Y/N?” Yelena asked when she noticed the blood covering your face and clothes.

You didn’t stop, didn’t look at her. Just continued into your suite, throwing your shoes off before diving into the moon pool. Cheeseburger quickly followed suit, and Roger gave her one final wave before diving in after the both of them.

It left Yelena stunned. You had had a fire in your eyes that chilled her to the bone. You looked furious, and she could only assume it had to do with your mission. She hadn’t expected to see you just yet; Maria had guessed you would both still be gone for at least a few more weeks.

When you didn’t come up from the water, Yelena grabbed the bottle of vodka and raced back upstairs. She needed to talk to someone, whether it be Nat, Maria, or god himself. It didn’t matter, she just needed answers.

She threw open the door to Maria’s and Nat’s room and saw the both of them looking at her, stunned. Nat was sitting on the bed with her head in her hands, and Maria was standing in front of her with a hand rubbing her temple.

“What happened to Y/N?” Yelena asked quickly.

“Missed you too,” Nat mumbled.

“They just stormed past me covered in blood, and jumped in the moon pool,” Yelena continued. “What happened?”

Nat didn’t answer; she let out a sigh and curled in on herself even more. Dried blood was covering her shirt, and Yelena could see a hole in the middle of the blood. She tried to ignore it; her sister was tough, she was okay.

“The mission was… a bust,” Maria finally answered.

“What do you mean it was a bust?” Yelena asked. “They were gone for months-”

“Nick sold them,” Nat interrupted.

“He did what?” Yelena asked, walking further into the room.

“He sold them to the trafficker,” Maria confirmed.

“And I bet you knew all about it, didn’t you?” Yelena asked, directing her question to Maria.

There was no way she hadn’t known; no one was closer to Nick than she was. How could she not? And she had plenty of reason to want you gone. But there was something in her stance, in her eyes, that begged Yelena to listen, to give her the benefit of the doubt.

“I didn’t know,” Maria said softly. “He hasn’t really filled me in lately.”

“Ublyudok,” Yelena mumbled to herself.

“Language,” Nat shot back immediately.

Yelena let out a sigh and shook her head. This was going to be a problem. She walked over to the table and pulled over three shot glasses, filling them with the vodka. Downing hers, she slid the other two over to Maria and Nat before filling hers again.

“What do we do?” Yelena asked once everyone had downed their own fair share of shots.

No one had an answer.

Y/N’s POV

The water rolled off your skin as you pulled yourself up from the canal. Your clothes were soaked, the skin where you had ripped the implant out was sore, and your mind was solely focused on one thing.

Revenge.

You knew where her penthouse was. You had beaten it out of enough people to know her location, schedule, even her order at the cafe on the corner. She couldn’t hide from you.

Look what happened.

You shook your head with a growl, trying to force Nick’s voice out of your head. His voice had no reason to be in your head. Those words. Those words be damned. Look at what happened, indeed.

The Council made a decision.

“So did I,” you mumbled to yourself.

There were no true thoughts in your head as your feet walked the path you had ingrained into your mind. People stared, they always would, but you ignored them. At least they would have something to tell their children and grandchildren.

“You wouldn’t believe, we saw the Swamp Thing walking down the streets of Venice.”

You’re sure the kids would take quite a liking to the story. Like the Boogeyman. Only instead of looking for children to eat, you were looking for the villain of the story. And you weren’t going to stop until her blood covered your hands and you had ripped her heart out with your teeth.

The door to the penthouse was unlocked. Silly of her, really. After all, there was no way she hadn’t been expecting you. It had taken a few weeks, but you were there. With everything she had done, she had to know you would come for her.

“There’s clean clothes in the entryway,” she called from further in the penthouse.

You looked to your right and took note of the pants and flannel. A smirk formed on your lips when you noticed all the leather straps that went with the outfit, but who were you to judge. If that was how she wanted you to look when she died, you could grant her that one wish.

It took only a few moments to change, and you laced up the boots before making your way into the living room. And there she was, sitting in her finest dress, sipping on a glass of wine. No more pets. No guards. Perfect. Just the two of you.

“Have a seat, little dove,” Roulette said with a smile, gesturing to the seat across from her.

And sit you did. You grabbed the second glass of wine in front of you and leaned back. She looked good. Not a bit of fear on her face. You wanted to change that. You would change that.

“I heard you were coming,” Roulette said simply.

You said nothing.

“But I don’t think you’ll do anything,” she continued. “I saw the way you reacted to my sweet pet’s murder. At your hands, of course.”

Their deaths are on you.

“But I wanted to thank you for coming anyway,” Roulette smiled. “I wanted to see you one last time before moving.”

You locked eyes with her as you downed the wine. It burned on the way down; you hadn’t eaten or had anything to drink for the past week. No, you had waited just for today. All that rage and grief had settled inside you, and now you were going to get it out.

Roulette’s eyes flicked down as you set the empty glass back on the table and stood up. You took slow, deliberate steps to where she was sitting. Her fingers twitched against the glass once, twice, before you stood in front of her, towering over her.

“If you do this, you’ll be the animal SHIELD thinks you are,” Roulette said, her voice shaking ever so slightly.

You’re a liability.

You reached forward, your hand wrapping around Roulette’s neck; you could nearly completely circle her neck. This would be easy. That fear you craved to see finally crept into her eyes. Her pulse raced under your hand. Just one little squeeze.

“I’ll make a deal with you,” Roulette said quickly. “A deal you can’t refuse.”

The silence weighed heavy on the both of you as you waited for her to continue.

“I’ll hook you up with a dealer,” she continued. “Pets, guns, anything you want.”

No.

Just as you were about to squeeze, Roulette lifted something up and sprayed something into your face. You let go and took a step back, coughing and rubbing your eyes. You had no idea what it was, but it was suffocating. It swept down your throat and into your lungs and-

It was intoxicating.

Everything aspect of your vision narrowed until all you saw was Roulette. The aerosol dispenser in one of her hands, the sudden knife in the other, the pulse in her neck, the fear on her face. You could hear her pulse from where you were standing.

“I can get you as much of this stuff as you want,” Roulette rushed, “just say the word.”

Oh no.

Your hand circled her throat again and her pulse sent jolts up your arm. Her mouth opened and you assumed she was screaming, but you couldn’t hear anything. The only thing echoing in your head was the sound of electricity and the blood rushing in your ears.

When you started to squeeze, Roulette started slashing with the knife. You felt it in your bicep, your thigh, your stomach. But it didn’t hurt. No, it didn’t hurt. How could it? You were more powerful than you had ever been.

She went to stab again and buried it in your shoulder, but you didn’t let her take it back out. No, you picked her up by her throat and threw her to the other side of the room. She crashed into the bar before collapsing back to the ground.

Struggling to get to her feet, you stalked over, stepping down on her leg before she could stand. You felt it snap. She opened her mouth again but you still couldn’t hear her. You just grabbed her by the neck and slammed her against the wall, her feet dangling a foot off the floor.

Her lips moved frantically, and you knew she was saying something. Probably begging; it was a shame you couldn’t hear it. But you were tired of this game. You didn’t know how long this high would last, and you didn’t want it to disappear before you were done.

You squeezed around her neck again, and only when she was starting to turn red, you clawed your way through her chest with your other hand. Her jaw fell open and her pupils dilated. Only when you felt the thumping of her heart did you grab it, giving her your best smile before ripping it out of her chest.

She might have still been alive when you dropped her to the floor. Maybe she had a few moments to lay there and think about everything. But you just stood there, staring at the heart in your hand. That heart that looked just like all the others, only you knew the dark secrets it held.

You had fixed the problem.

I couldn’t save them.

Maria’s POV

Maria hadn’t gotten a straight answer out of anybody in five weeks.

She had talked to Fury, Sharon, Steve, Rhodey. It seemed like no one had any clue what was going on. No one knew what Fury had planned, no one knew that you had been sold, and no one knew where you had gone. Though Maria knew the answer to that last one.

After your “scene” in the tower, Maria had started digging. Your files were confidential to just near everyone, save you, Fury, and herself. But with her clearance, she managed to look, and she gave herself a better idea of what you would be doing.

It was easy to get word of your whereabouts. All she really had to do was follow the trail of destruction. New York, England, Poland, Mexico, ending in Italy. You had become a world traveller, leaving death and trauma in your wake.

And she knew you were in the right.

She had no official proof that you were after Roulette. After all, no one had talked to you before you had left. But she didn’t care about the official word anymore. If Fury was going to keep things from her, then she wasn’t going to share any of her findings either.

Maria hadn’t even shared them with Nat.

Not because she hadn’t wanted to. No, but because Nat had been slowly losing her mind since you had disappeared. It had been a struggle for Maria and Yelena to get her to the medic to get the gunshot wound taken care of. After that, she had seemed lost. Wandering around, barely holding conversations, training to the extreme.

Thankfully, Yelena had convinced her to go back to Saint Petersburg for a few weeks.

All Maria wanted to do was go back to her room, take a shower, and drink herself into a stupor. It was what she deserved, right? She deserved to drink herself stupid while she waited for her fiancee to get home. She had even told Fury she wasn’t going to be working over the weekend, which left her plenty of time to mope and feel sorry for herself.

She slammed her door shut as soon as she got to her room, not really looking up. Why should she? Nat was gone. It was quick work to get washed off and dressed again. She still had the bottle of vodka Yelena had stolen from your room. That would make a good start. She opened her bathroom door and-

“Shit,” Maria huffed when she saw you sitting at her desk.

You didn’t say anything. Just sat there, looking down at the table with empty eyes. Your clothes and face were caked in dried blood, highlighting your eyes. On the table was a-

“What is that?” Maria asked, pointing to the- no, she didn’t want to think about it.

“Her,” you said in a croaky voice. No emotion came over your face.

Maria nodded slowly, keeping her eyes locked on you. She couldn’t see any injuries on the skin that was exposed, so that was a good sign. Walking forward slowly, she pulled the chair out opposite you and sat down. The thing on the table was about to make her puke.

“Are you okay?” Maria asked. You let out the ghost of a laugh, more just a breath.

“No,” you whispered.

“Want a drink?” Maria asked. Then you did give a small smile.

“Please.”

She gave you a soft smile before grabbing the vodka bottle and pouring two shots, sliding one over to you.

“That’s mine,” you said, gesturing toward the bottle sitting by Maria.

“Yelena took it,” Maria said with a shrug.

“Suka,” you mumbled before downing the shot.

“Nat said you didn’t know Russian,” Maria said over the rim of her glass.

“I know how to swear,” you shrugged.

You reached over the table and grabbed the bottle, not even bothering to pour it in the glass. The knuckles on your hand were shredded, and Maria thought she could see the bone underneath. Your sleeves were rolled up, and various lacerations covered your forearms.

Maybe you hadn’t gotten out of everything as safely as Maria had assumed.

“Nat’s been worried about you,” Maria said after a few minutes of awkward silence.

“She left me,” you said with another swig of vodka.

“Fury told her you knew,” Maria said quickly.

You didn’t move. You didn’t say anything. No, the only thing you did was drink the vodka, downing the rest of the bottle in one swig. Maria waited, giving you the silence you would have wanted. Or, at least, she assumed you wanted it.

“She thought I knew?” You asked.

“He told her it was a covert op. She had to make it look real.”

“Then why come back?” You asked, finally looking up to meet Maria’s eyes. Yours were glassy, dark, pupils too large. Were you high? “Why come back if it was a mission?”

“Because she…”

Maria stopped herself; she didn’t want to say it out loud. She loved Natasha. Loved her so much that she would do anything, sacrifice everything for her. There had never been a time where Maria had given herself so wholly to someone.

But she wasn’t stupid. She knew what you meant to Natasha. And she knew her place. You were going through hell, and Maria couldn’t blame you. She might not have been your biggest fan, but she liked you; respected you, even.

And if admitting this out loud would bring you back from the edge, she would say it.

“Because she loves you,” Maria finished with a sad smile.

You shook your head and looked down at the table. A broken look washed over your face, and Maria saw the tears starting to trail down your cheeks. She wanted to reach out and grab your hand, give it a squeeze to let you know that she was there.

“Tell her not to,” you said with a sniff. You rubbed your eyes quickly before standing up and walking out of the room.

Maria just sat there, sitting in her own guilt and sadness.

Natasha’s POV

It had been nice to see family. Natasha would never admit it to Yelena, but it helped. Being able to get away from SHIELD, get away from the stress of life. She had gotten to rest, drink good vodka, eat good food, be with her family.

But now she had to be back in the real world, the world without you in it. The world that was dark and cold and made her want to curl up until she died. That was a little drastic. But it’s how she felt, and she didn’t want to own up to those feelings.

She saw Maria when she first got back; she would have felt even worse if she hadn’t. Maria had told her that you were back, and you were hurting, and she sprinted down to your suite. She threw the door open and saw you sitting at the edge of the moon pool with Cheeseburger and Roger.

“Hope you saw Maria first,” you said without looking up. You handed Roger a stack of coloured cups and let him get to work solving them.

“I did,” Natasha said in a huff. “You left.”

“Had something to attend to.”

“You left and you didn’t tell me,” Natasha continued.

“I don’t owe you anything, Romanoff,” you said, louder than before.

“You hold a gun to Nick’s head and then just leave?” Natasha asked.

You threw the things in your hand on the floor before standing up. Natasha had to look up to meet your eyes as you towered over her. There were cuts on your face, your collarbone, your arms. You looked like absolute hell.

“I’m not going to let you get upset with me for leaving when you’re the one who left me all those months ago,” you said.

“I thought you knew,” Natasha pleaded. “I thought you were playing the part, doing your job, getting what we needed.”

“And I wasn’t!” You shouted. “I didn’t know! Do you even know what they did to me?”

“No, because you won’t talk to me!” Natasha shouted back.

“I was drugged, I was flayed open, they poked and prodded me from the inside out, and why?” You asked. “Because I was convenient, because you left me.”

“I’m sorry,” Natasha whispered.

“Sorry? You’re sorry?” You asked.

“Yes I’m sorry, none of this should have happened.”

“You’re right, it shouldn’t have,” you nodded. “I shouldn’t have been your fucking pet. I shouldn’t have been left for fucking dead. I shouldn’t have been overlooked like some B-list movie just because you’re too scared to face your own fucking feelings,” you shouted.

“Feelings? I don’t have feelings, we’re friends and we both agreed on that,” Natasha shouted back.

“Then tell me why your fiancee said you were in love with me!” You shouted, tears starting to fall.

Natasha took a step back. You were lying, you had to be lying. Maria would never have said such a thing. She didn’t love you, you were a friend, and after everything that had happened you were barely even that. She didn’t love you.

She didn’t love you.

“You push me away and then pull me back whenever you want,” you continued, your voice shaking and tears flowing freely. “You left me, treated me like an animal, threw me away. Do I mean that little to you?”

No, Natasha thought to herself. You mean so much to me.

“Because I love you,” you said with a sad, watery chuckle. “And I shouldn’t. But I do. And it hurts so fucking bad, Nat, because you’re engaged, and you’re living your life, and we clearly don’t have the same priorities.”

Don’t say that. Please don’t say that.

“And I want nothing more than to be in your life, whether it’s as a friend or more,” you continued. Your cheeks were soaked and your eyes were bloodshot. “But that isn’t a possibility anymore. You make Maria so happy, and I know she makes you happy, and having me here is just too much for you.”

It’s not, it’s not too much.

“If I stay here, I’m going to die,” you said with a nod. “I’m going to die, and I’m not ready to die yet, Nat.”

“Please don’t,” Natasha finally said, her voice coming back weak and shaky.

“Respect me enough to leave,” you said, gesturing toward the door. “Please just leave.”

“I can’t,” Nat said softly.

“Please leave,” you said, choking around a sob that you were trying desperately to hold back. “Please just leave, please just-”

Natasha pulled you into a hug as you broke down in her arms. Your shoulders shook with heavy sobs, loud sobs that went straight to her soul.  You grabbed her shirt and held onto her like she was a lifeline, like you would float away if you let go.

And she just held you. Held you like you were made of stone; she wasn’t afraid of you breaking because you had already been broken. You two could talk about it at another time, but right now, she was going to be there. She was going to let you cry it out, get the emotions out, be angry and upset and frustrated and scared.

And Natasha was going to hold you through it all. You had always held her up, and now it was her turn to hold you in return.

Because she loved you.

MIT kids

[id: a drawing of young Tony Stark and Rhodey from the Marvel comics. Tony is standing by Rhodey, leaning over him. They’re wearing sunglasses and have them pulled down their noses, they’re both staring at the viewer and smiling. Tony’s wearing a blue button-up with the sleeves rolled up, and grey jeans. Rhodey’s wearing an orange sweater with white stripes. end id]