The Night We Met | Steve / Bucky

forty-seven - enemy

Tucked away in the forested woodlands, a secluded cabin rested. Fields of wild fruit surrounded the cabin. It was quiet, peaceful. A sense of tranquility resided over the cabin. The interior of the cabin was dark but felt like home. A fire pit rested in the center of the room, the only light source apart from the cracks in the wooden walls or the dimly lit candles surrounding the room.

A long table stood at the back of the cabin, a large figure standing above the table adding leaves and herbs to a pot. Using their right hand, they did everything. Their left hand, hung loosely by their side - damaged. The figure hummed to himself, peace overcoming him. This was Thanos in retirement. 

Thanos placed the pot on the fire pit to boil, sitting down in front of it. As he sat, he sighed watching the pot. All of a sudden, he heard a click from outside. Not anything he had heard before. He lifted his head toward the door, hoping to distinguish the sound but a beam was shot through the wall and hit Thanos. Thanos lifted the gauntlet to protect him, the gauntlet taking all of the damage. 

A figure flew through the new hole in the wall, hitting Thanos in the chest. He grunted in pain as Carol tumbled after her collision with the purple being, and landing on her feet. She ran for him, swinging around his neck and eventually hoisting herself on his shoulders. She moved too fast for Thanos to even process where she was. She wrapped her arms around his neck while outstretching her leg and pushing her foot against the gauntlet. 

Bruce came up from the fire pit. in the Hulk Buster suit; bursting through the floorboards and grabbed onto the gauntlet, aiding Carol in any way he could. Rhodey then flew in and grabbed onto Thanos' right arm, completely incapacitating him. 

Thanos grunted, trying to wriggle from their grip. Thor flew through the back wall of the cabin, swinging the Stormbreaker over his head and slicing through Thanos' left arm - the gauntlet falling to the floor. Thanos' screams echoed - piercing the ears of those around him. 

Steve, Katherine, Rocket and Natasha entered through the door, on foot. Rocket approached the gauntlet, Thanos' moans of pain still echoing throughout the room. Rocket took hold of the gauntlet and flipped it over to reveal an empty gauntlet. "Oh no." He spoke, realization hitting everyone. 

Katherine took a step toward the gauntlet, the lack of Stones present destroying her. Steve stood by her side, his heart crushing. "Where are they?" Steve asked, looking Thanos in the eye.

He grunted in response. Carol squeezed her arm around his neck slightly tighter, "Answer the question." 

"The Universe required correction." Thanos spoke, "After that, the Stones served no purpose beyond temptation." 

Katherine could feel her blood boil, her hands shaking with rage. She looked to Thanos, a hard lump in her throat, "You murdered everyone!" She barked, hitting Thanos in the chest with a blast of flames. 

He flew from the grip of Bruce, Carol and Rhodey and landed hard on his back across the room. Katherine marched toward him, placing a heavy foot over his freshly burned chest, holding her fist above his head. The hot flames close to his face, causing him to sweat. "You should be grateful." He spoke to her, taunting her almost. Katherine lifted her foot from his chest and stomped hard on his head. He grunted in pain, hitting his head against the floor beneath him. 

Katherine continued to hold the flames close to him, threatening him. "Where are the stones?" She asked. 

Thanos looked to her, "Gone." He spoke bluntly. "Reduced to atoms." 

"You used them two days ago!" Bruce shouted from across the room. Katherine didn't take her eyes from Thanos, she felt tears sting her eyes and her hand become hotter with rage.