Nocturnus | Marvel AU ✓

(41) - Anger and Accords

NADiA'S POiNT OF ViEW

I wake up in my room at the compound and rub my face down. My head has had a slight ache in it ever since Lagos last month and it feels better. I take it slow as I walk into Wanda's room. Wanda is watching the news. The only bad thing is our names are on the screen and they're blaming us for the attack.

Her lips are in a frown as she stares at the screen. "Eleven Wakandans were among those killed during a confrontation between the Avengers and a group of mercenaries in Lagos, Nigeria, last month. The traditionally reclusive Wakandans were on an outreach mission in Lagos when the attack occurred." Oh, god... they're making us look horrific when we were trying to help. I make my way and sit beside her on the bed.

"Our people's blood spilled on foreign soil. Not only because of the actions of criminals, but by the indifference of those pledged to stop them. Victory at the expense of the innocent, is no victory at all." King T'Chaka sounds a bit forlorn. Wanda watches the screen with a guilty expression. I set my hand on her's and she looks at me.

I give her a weak smile.

"They are operating outside and above the international law. Because that's the reality if we don't respond to acts like these." Another reporter appears on the screen and I look down at my hands, are we really that bad?

"What legal authority do enhanced individuals like Wanda Maximoff and Nadia Oakley have to operate in Nigeri–" The TV turns off abruptly and I look to the door and see Steve setting the remote down.

"It's my fault." Wanda mumbles and I shake my head.

"Not true, Wand." I put my hand on her shoulder again.

"Turn the TV back on, they're being extremely specific." Her voice is quiet as Steve leans on the doorframe.

"I should've clocked that bomb vest long before you had to deal with it." He makes his way over and sits on Wanda's left side.

"He said 'Bucky' and... suddenly I was sixteen again, in Brooklyn." Steve takes a deep breath while I squeeze her hand. "And people died, it is on me."

I shake my head. "It's actually on me..." They both look at me, Wanda's eyes not believing and Steve's confused.

"I know Wanda doesn't have very much control over her powers since she doesn't use them to their full capacity. But me? I'm pretty much always in control." I conjure a ball of purple mist and toss it as an example.

"I shouldn't have left her side knowing she couldn't contain it without trouble. I'm not belittling her... she just needs to trust herself more often than not. I'm at fault. I knew I could have done something but I left to go get the weapon; when there were more than one. Natasha was capable of taking down those guys but I'm so used to helping that I didn't think about it." Steve shakes his head.

"In this line of... work, we try to save as many lives as possible. Sometimes it isn't everybody and if we can't find a way to live with that, next time... maybe nobody gets saved." Steve's got a point there. I wasn't even feeling guilty until they begin talking about how we as the Avengers work on our own accord and set of rules.

But if we are regulated then so many lives are at stake. Take HYDRA in S.H.I.E.L.D for example, if we hadn't exposed them then so many people would have died.

Then we would be blamed for not doing anything. There is no way to win. Vision appears through the wall and interrupts Wanda and she jumps up, "Vis! We talked about this." Her voice is a bit whiny but I don't hold it against her, the dude just materialized his way in her bedroom.