As The World Caves In: An Avengers / Star Wars Story

survivors

**Don't skip ahead to read translations or risk spoilers**

Twenty two days. It had been twenty two days since Thanos snapped half the population of an entire galaxy away. Twenty two days since I snapped and cut off nearly all my hair. Only a day, however, had passed since the arrival of a woman with long, blonde hair had arrived dressed in red, blue, and yellow. Only a day since she had left in search of the Avengers that had gone to space to fight there.

Today, on this twenty second day, I sat before Natasha as she brushed what hair I had left. She had done what she could. My hair had been cut into a pixie style as she said, it was very short. The places that had been cut were damaged and frizzed black. Natasha had shown me a type of soap that was supposed to help that type of hair. She called it shampoo and conditioner. I was hesitant at first. It seemed like the type of soap only the wealthy would use. However, after I had used it on my hair, it felt very different. Different in ways that it had never been before. Soft. Well, as much as it could be.

       I had stitches across my cheeks, ears, and neck from my burns and cuts. However, so did many of the other Avengers. When Steve stopped me from taking off all my hair, he showed me to a room that I could call mine for the time being. It was large, much larger than any room that I had ever had. I hated it. But I could not leave. I knew not of how this world worked. For now, until I learned what I needed to survive, I would stay here. Most of the Avengers had made it more than obvious that I was welcome. Thor, remained silent in his time of despair. I would not have expected him to come begging for me to stay.

     I understood how he suffered and he understood me. As the first person I could call a friend, however, I had begun to grow concerned for him. I did not want him to shut us out as I had done all that time ago.

      Natasha tilted her head in the mirror as she ran her finger over the bald spot on my hair. I flinched and she quickly removed her hand. Natasha set down the brush and patted my shoulders. I stood and returned her weak smile. I didn't feel much like talking, neither did she, so I left her room without a word other than a simple: "Thanks..."

        I held my arm to my chest as I made my way down the halls as the windows beside me began to shake. I looked out, only to remember that it was a common commotion of a landing ship. I turned my head as Steve and Natasha came running past. I noticed Steve had shaved his beard as well. Not wasting any time, I followed after the pair, soon to be accompanied by Bruce and Rhodey. Once outside, Pepper Potts, the fiancé of Tony Stark, the was already there, waiting eagerly for the ship to land.

     Steve had called her when Carol Danvers informed us she could retrieve Tony. She arrived barely an hour later, panting and filled with hope. I winced at my senses of it. I hated hope.

      I winced now as she stood before the landing ship, carried by Carol. There was half a chance Tony would even still be on it. Carol's body glowed as she slowly set down the massive ship. That one... that one could travel in light speed. As the door opened, we saw him.

     Tony.

     He was skinny. Too skinny and too weak as he was helped down the ramp by a blue woman. Steve sprinted up to him, willing to help support him down the ramp of the ship. The blue woman stood behind, watching the men walk.

       "I couldn't stop him," Tony breathed, panting.

        "Neither could I," Steve responded. "Hang on."

         Tony pulled Steve to a stop, looking him dead in the eyes. "I lost the kid..."

          I looked away. The child soldier who had went with him to space, Peter, was gone. Steve shook his head, "Tony, we lost."