Life in the Multiverse

If The Protectors Had to Save the World Pt. 2

Adonis P.O.V
Earth 404
July, 2032
The Amazon Rainforest
4:47 pm

    "You can't seriously be considering this, Stark!" Brooks shouted across the room to where Y/N was standing, at the opposite end of the table.
    "How can you not be?" Y/N retorted.
"These are the same people who had knives against our throats hours ago!" Brooks said. "And now you want to believe every word that comes out of their mouth? They can't be trusted!"
"He was never going to kill us," Y/N said. "He needs us, he won't touch a hair on our heads. It was a power demonstration. To show us that he was legit."
"Well, he clearly is," Brooks said. "I have no doubt in my mind that he could kill us whenever he wanted. They did already injure Adonis. Which is exactly why we need to leave. Tonight."
"We can't!" Y/N said. "Don't you see? They need us. Hell, the whole world needs us. Even if there's an off chance this is real, we need to stick it out. It's only a few days. We stay to the Blood Moon. If something happens, we help. If nothing happens, we leave."
He ended his statement with a raised eyebrow and a head tilt, questioning what Brooks though of the idea. Brooks sighed heavily, muttering under his breath. He looked over to Lucy for backup, but she sat against the wall quietly, sharpening her sword. He looked over to Peter who was fiddling with his fingers and watching out the window anxiously. He knew Peter agreed with Y/N anyway, he couldn't turn away from people in need.
Finally, he looked to me. He cocked an eyebrow, but I shook my head slightly, showing him that I wasn't on his side. I had to side with Y/N.
"Is that really that bad?" Y/N continued. "Would you rather waste a few days waiting around and possibly save the world, or leave now and put the world at risk, knowing there was something we could have done to stop it?"
"What I think of the situation morally or objectively doesn't matter," Brooks replied. "The EPSID is a worldwide document. Its rules and regs cross all borders, including here. That means the decision to intervene or not, is a Council decision."
Y/N huffed and clicked his tongue, then plastered on a polite smile. I could tell that Brooks was getting under his skin.
"Those in favor of intervening?" He said, raising his hand in the process. I watched as Peter's attention was taken away from the window. He stepped over to stand next to Y/N at the table and raised his hand as well.
"We have an opportunity to help these people," he said. "I say we take it."
"Uh huh. And those against intervening?" Brooks said, raising his hand. Lucy set her sword aside and raised her hand, her face expressionless.
"Perfect," Y/N said. "A tie. The Council isn't complete, Brooks. Without Dalton here we can't arrive at a decision, and we can't contact him while Smoak is gone."
Brook sighed, then looked over as Lucy stood up and walked over, leaning against the table.
"It's an emergency," Lucy said. "I say the Council moves to accept Adonis' vote supplementary for that of Dalton's."
"Fine. Agreed," Y/N said, turning to look at me. "What's your vote?"
I swallowed deeply and looked between Y/N and Peter, and Lucy and Brooks. I cleared my throat slightly, then licked my lips, getting prepared to speak up.
"I think we should help," I said slowly.
"Of course you think so," Brooks snapped. "You're in bed with the one who proposed the idea of staying!"
     "Hey!" Y/N snapped. "All personal aspects are to be left behind when dealing with Council matters. He knows that. So do you. Act like it."
"Don't you command me, Stark!" He snapped. "I've got just as much pull as you do!"
"Then act like it!" Y/N shouted again.
"Enough!" Lucy yelled, slamming her fist on the table. "The decision was made. There's no point in arguing over it now. Get over it, Brooks. You didn't get your way. But you're a Protector. Which means you fulfill your duty whether you wholeheartedly agree or not. I'll inform the Shaman of our decision. Get some sleep. We all need it."
There was no more fighting after she finished speaking. She nodded once, then pushed herself away from the table and picked up her sword, sheathing it. Then she walked out the door, headed to find the Shaman. Brooks sighed and went to sit down in one of the chairs, closing his eyes and shaking his head.
"If this goes south, Stark," he said calmly. "If they aren't the friendly bunch they're trying to be. God forbid, if they try to or manage to kill us...it'll be on your head."
"I know," Y/N replied. "If or when the situation goes south, we'll deal with it. We always do."
Brooks sighed slowly and nodded hesitantly. Y/N watched him for a beat longer, than began to walk towards the door. He nodded me after him. I followed him out the door, stepping back into the humidity of the rainforest. The hut we were in was a large one, situated on a platform high up in the trees. Y/N walked over to the edge of the platform, leaning against the railing. I stepped behind him and placed my hands on his waist. I leaned down slightly, to place my head on his shoulder. He hummed quietly and leaned slightly into me.
"This day is not going the way I expected," he mumbled.
"They never do," I mumbled back.
"Ain't that the truth," he chuckled, then began to turn to face me. I lifted my hands for a moment, so he could spin, then placed them back on his waist.
    He rested his hands on my shoulders, looking up at me with admiration, and a hint of seriousness.
    "So, tell me, Adi," he said. "What do you really think about all this?"
    "It seems a little too perfect to simply be chance," I said. "But, this...Shaman, has power we don't understand. He could easily be deceiving us."
    "Do you think it's wise?" He asked me slowly. "To stay here. To try and help."
    "I try not to worry about the wisdom of it all. I like to leave the thinking to you, and Peter, and Lucy. I'm muscle. I help after the wisdom has been figured out."
    "Adi," he said with a small smile, his voice sentimental. "You're not just muscle. You've technically been alive longer than any of us. So, in all fairness you should have the most wisdom."   
     "Yes, but I was asleep for most of my life," I said. "I also don't think the first part, spent in Greece, counts. I suppose my life truly started after I woke up. So...that really only makes me...seven years old."
    Y/N laughed in front of me, a smile gracing his lips. His smile and laugh slowly seeped through his body to mine, my lips upturning into a smile.
    "Yeah, seven years old and six-foot-four," he said, his laugh coming to a stop.
    I smiled down at him, then leaned down a little to press my lips against his. He kissed back, his hands sliding from my shoulders to drape behind my neck. After a moment a smile spread across his lips, half-breaking the kiss. I smiled back, pulling back slightly and leaning out foreheads against each other's.
    "Se agapó," I said quietly, gazing into his E/C eyes.
    He smiled, gazing right back into mine.
    "I love you too."