“An Avenger”
Chapter 5
Work Drabble- Avengers AU
Characters: Mutant!Reader, Tony Stark, Bucky Barnes, Anthony Masters, ft. (mentioned) Enchantress, GOLIATH, Wanda Maximoff, Steve Rogers, Peter Parker
A/N: LAST CHAPTER!!! Thank you to everyone that read this one, that loved on it, and I AM SO SORRY.
WARNINGS: angst? ANGST? IDK how to warn for this one....
Italics: Past events, memories
You sat separate from them, the quinjet was spacious. Tony winked at you from the front, you offered him a small smile.
Four of you, you only came cause Bucky was on the roster. Same old song and dance, villains, end of the world, civilians…
Why were you even called out?
You frowned at the floor, looked over when someone sat next to you.
"You should hang back and be careful." You nodded looking away from him. "I am trying here."
Your shoulders relaxed, he wasn't lying. It was easier to breathe and there wasn't that over flow of hate, even though it was there, it just wasn't aimed at you. "You shouldn't hate yourself as much, it's exhausting."
Bucky didn't move, kept his arms crossed over his chest, "I know I haven't made it easy for you, Steve should have put you with someone else."
You shrugged, "life is hard. I've dealt with it, not even Tony hates you."
He stayed silent for a long while, you felt the tension between the two of you wane, you let out a long breath, Ant had been right. "You should do something better than this, maybe… Tony can find something for you. Something safer. I like you, you could do better than us, you could work in a kids hospital…"
"Better than you?" You looked at him sideways, lips curving at the corners, eyes crinkling shut.
Bucky felt his cheeks redden as you smiled at him, it was genuine, soft and wide, he liked it.
"You'll be okay, stick with it and maybe they can find somewhere else for you. Somewhere safe."
"Maybe after this… you can join Tony, Peter and me. Bring the ice cream." Bucky relaxed, a small smile gracing his lips as he nodded reluctantly. "I'm sure Tony won't mind," you added.
You wanted to tell him, tell Ant he had been right. You leaned into Bucky, who tensed for a moment before he softened next to you, you felt your body heal. The ache in your bones dulled, bruises stopped hurting, if you checked they would probably be gone. You could see the cuts on your knuckles disappear, so this was the turning point?
You tensed as Bucky dropped his hand on your head, heart warming as he mussed your hair up.
Your breath hitched, the pain was unbearable, a scream tearing out of you.
You could hear them, Bucky screaming your name, Tony demanding you stand down, begging you to stop.
Ant crying out to you, asking you to stay back. “You’ll die..!! STOP IT!!”
You exhaled, dropping to your knees as your body was torn apart, you healed just as quickly and the pain had you slipping in and out of consciousness as you struggled to push back to your feet.
“...the life of a superhero is difficult, full of choices that aren’t easy. Why are you here?”
You wondered, could you find your place here?
It had to be Ant, it had to be them, your old life and new coming together to clash. Literally tearing each other apart in battle and you couldn't.
What did it mean to be a hero? Sacrifice, pain, dedication, endless training.
Laughter echoed through your mind. Ant shoving, Tony and Peter tossing popcorn at you, Ant reminding you to be better. Bucky, Bucky finally softening. Your old and new life clashing, colliding, you couldn't choose.
Tears streaked down your face, how had you come between them? How did it come to this? You screamed as Wanda battled with Enchantress, Bucky and Steve driving into the powerhouse of your old life Goliath, and Ant fighting against Tony.
You couldn't choose, each attack stronger than the next, each blow driving you back, the pain resonating through your entire being, teeth chattering as Bucky took a blow to the jaw, breath escaping in a quick exhale as Tony drove his fist into Ant's gut.
How were you supposed to choose?
"Mr. Stark says it's been hard on you?"
You stared at Peter, "aren't you afraid?"
He smiled, dropping his head to your shoulder, "always."
Is this what it meant to be a hero?
If you continued, if you took the damage, you weren't sure you could. You grimaced as a gash appeared along your cheek, your ribs ached as they cracked; pain radiated throughout your body as you continued to take all of it.
You met his gaze, you still didn't understand your power, you didn't understand why you were here.
This was why you had come, this was why you were here.
To save the lives of those you loved. This is what it meant to be a hero.
You exhaled as the world darkened.