Walking in the Wind // Avengers

To Sign, Or Not To Sign, That Is The Question

•••

"Secretary Ross has a Congressional Medal of Honor, which is one more than you have," Rhodey told Sam as the two were arguing about whether to sign the Accords or not. 

"So let's say we agree to this thing," Sam began. "How long is it gonna be before they LoJack us like a bunch of common criminals?" Lexie sighed and rolled her eyes, not noticing Tony doing exactly the same from where he was sat on the other couch.

"117 countries want to sign this. 117, Sam, and you're just like, 'No, that's cool. We got it.'"

"How long are you going to play both sides?"

"I have an equation," Vision interrupted.

"Oh, well this will clear it up."

"In the eight years since Mr. Stark announced himself as Iron Man the number of known enhanced persons has grown exponentially. During the same period, the number of potentially world-ending events has risen at a commensurate rate."

"Are you saying it's our fault?" Steve said, holding the Accords in his hands.

"I'm saying there may be a causality. Our very strength invites challenge. Challenge incites conflict. And conflict... breeds catastrophe. Oversight... Oversight is not an idea that can be dismissed out of hand."

"Boom," Rhodey concluded, agreeing.

"Tony," Natasha began, making the man in question look up. "You are being uncharacteristically non-hyperverbal."

"It's because he's already made up his mind," Steve noted.

"Boy, you know me so well," Tony sassed, beginning to stand up. "Actually, I'm nursing an electromagnetic headache." He began walking towards the kitchen. "That's what's going on, Cap. It's just pain. It's discomfort." He paused in his speech. "Who's putting coffee grounds in the disposal?" 

Lexie sunk slightly into the couch, attempting to make herself smaller. Natasha, who was sat beside her, was the only one who noticed and chuckled slightly, realizing who the culprit was. 

"Am I running a bed and breakfast for a biker gang?" He pulled up a screen, showing a young, black man in his late teens to early twenties. "Oh, that's Charles Spencer, by the way. He's a great kid. Computer engineering degree, 3.6 GPA, had a floor-level gig at Intel planned for the fall. But first, he wanted to put a few miles on his soul, before he parked it behind a desk. See the world. Maybe be of service." 

Lexies shoulders sank as she began to realize where this was going. 

"Charlie didn't want to go to Vegas or Fort Lauderdale, which is what I would do. He didn't go to Paris or Amsterdam, which sounds fun. He decided to spend his summer building sustainable housing for the poor. Guess where. Sokovia... He wanted to make a difference, I suppose. I mean, we won't know because we dropped a building on him while we were kicking ass." He took a sip of his coffee. "There's no decision-making process here. We need to be put in check! Whatever form that takes, I'm game. If we can't accept limitations, if we're boundary-less, we're no better than the bad guys."

"Tony, someone dies on your watch, you don't give up," Steve tried to reason with him, causing Lexie to roll her eyes, yet again, beginning to get very fed up with the super-soldier.

"Who said we're giving up?"

"We are if we're not taking responsibility of our actions. This document just shifts the blame."

"I'm sorry, Steve," Rhodey cut in. "That is dangerously arrogant. This is the United Nations we're talking about. It's not the World Security Council, it's not S.H.I.E.L.D., it's not HYDRA."

"No, but it's run by people with agendas, and agendas change."

"That's good," Tony walked over to them. "That's why I'm here. When I realized what my weapons were capable of in the wrong hands I shut it down and stopped manufacturing."

"Tony, you chose to do that. If we sign this, we surrender our right to choose. What if this panel sends us somewhere we don't think we should go? What if there's somewhere we need to go and they don't let us? We may not be perfect, but the safest hands are still our own."

"If we don't do this now, it's gonna be done to us later. That's the fact. That won't be pretty."

"You're saying they'll come for me?" Wanda spoke up for the first time in the conversation.

"We would protect you," Vision promised.

"Maybe Tony's right," Natasha told them. "If we have one hand on the wheel, we can still steer. If we take it off..."

"Aren't you the same woman who told the government to kiss her ass a few years ago?" Sam questioned.

"I'm just reading the terrain. We have made some very public mistakes. We need to win their trust back."

"Focus up," Tony interrupted. "I'm sorry. Did I just mishear you or did you agree with me?"

"I want to take it back now."

"No, you can't retract it. Thank you. Unprecedented. Okay. Case closed. I win"

"Lexie, you agree with not signing, right?" Sam looked over to the only team member who was yet to speak up. Everyone else looking at her as well.

She sighed, turning her head to look directly at Steve. "Look, yes, if we sign the Accords we'll have someone controlling when and where we go to help, but that's not too different from what you did back in the 40's, or what most of us did with S.H.I.E.L.D," she looked at the others as well when saying that last part. "If we don't sign the Accords, we're done. The Avengers are over for good. They won't let us continue. Now you might be fine with this, but if we refuse to sign, some of us, namely Wanda, myself and Bruce, will be locked up for the rest of our lives because they've deemed us as too dangerous and uncontrollable." She shook her head sadly. "I'm not saying signing the Accords will be all sunshine and rainbows with no challenges. All I'm saying is that not signing them, will be even worse."

"I'm sorry, Lexie," Steve sighed, "but I believe that signing them would be a mistake." He made eye contact with her. "And I'd never let them take you."

Lexie sighed in disappointment and was about to argue that he was being naive and wouldn't be able to do shit if the UN decided to stop them. However, before she could, Steves phone buzzed and he checked it, suddenly saying 'I have to go' and leaving the room.

•••

I hated Steve in Civil War. You might be able to tell.

Also, it felt a bit strange writing about a straight, white, cis man in his thirties complaining about 'losing his right to choose'. I know this chapter has nothing to do with abortions, but still... 

Where I am it's currently snowing. There's no reason for me sharing this information, I just wanted you to know. It's October and I'm not ready for winter and snow yet.

Hope you have a great weekend <3

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