The Gen-Z Avenger| Book 2

013| Calmness

Slow-motion.

When Nat and Bucky entered that room it was silent slow motion.

There was no moving, just tears, silent tears.

I handed my baby to Loki who was standing beside me, my movement triggering the two of them to run towards me and pull me in for the tightest hug possible.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry.." I whispered to them quietly as the tears fell.

"Calm down, it doesn't matter you're here now.." Nat cried out, running her hand through my hair and squeezing me.

Everything stopped at that moment, it was like the world closed in on something so simple as a hug. But it was a hug that was four years overdue.

The only reason we pulled away from it was the sound of Celeste beginning to cry. Our three heads turned to Loki who was trying to calm her down, although it wasn't working, so I picked her up and bounced her to peace.

"Who's this?" Bucky asked as he wiped the tears from his eyes.

"Um, this is Celeste. My daughter.." I said nervously.

They were quiet, looking back and forward to each other and to the kid in my arms.

"Hi, hi.." Celeste giggled, waving to the pair.

"Hi.. hi.." Nat replied through tears, a smile bursting onto her face.

"I fire them?" Celeste turned to me and asked innocently.

"No! No no, but you can fire them.." I said, pointing to Tony and Steve who let out a massive scoff.

"Fire?" Bucky asked, running his hand along Nat's back.

"Celeste has fire control, she can control the fire element.." I clarified, "You wanna show them?" I asked the baby.

She nodded and I held out my hand, creating a tiny flame. Cece held out her tiny hand and copied my move.

"The tiny human is very powerful.." I gently laughed, trying to make sure that joke was actually appreciated.

There was even more silence, staring, silence. There was nothing to say, or so I believed.

"Can I, can I hold her?" Nat asked, filling the silence.

"Of course, yeah of course.." I said, handing Celeste to Nat.

She giggled being held by her grandmother, well maybe she wouldn't like that term, or maybe she would. Maybe she wouldn't want any inflation or association with my child. Or me.

Bucky held out his hand, Cece grabbing onto his thumb. He looked at me with a smile, I looked at the three of them and realized this was something they wanted to be a part of.

Something I stripped them of being a part of.

"Why did you come here, it's been years?" Bucky suddenly asked, breaking the moment's calmness.

"Because um, my entire team is dead and there's someone planning on killing half the universe. So I'm gonna stop him and save everyone's life's in the process.." I announced, leaving shock on their faces.

"You are-" Tony tried to say, although he was interrupted by that damn door opening again.

"So, you steal my sister and then you steal my last name?" The voice announced.

The voice as it so happened to be was one Pietro Maximoff with my wife by his side. The comment was probably distasteful seeing as my name change was unknown to other people in the group.

"It wasn't that hard, plus, you knew all about it.." I smiled, hugging him tightly.

Because in truth, we did stay in contact with Pietro. A few months after we left, we managed to get in contact with Loki, who was able to fill us in on everything. We found out who was really involved and that my video had gone viral all over the internet.

So, they helped Wanda keep a line of communication with her brother and let her explain it all. We were going to come back, we were.

In the end, we chose not to.

"Now where is my little niece, who is for some reason not named after me.." He asked, scanning the room to find the tiny human.

"Four years and your still an ass.." I giggled, wrapping my arm around my wife.

"You two stayed together? After all this time?" Nat asked as she handed the baby to her uncle.

"Yeah we got married four years ago and-"

"We are not married!" Wanda interrupted.

"We are not doing this right now! You have a ring on and you said I do, so yes we are married!" I answered back.

"Let's not argue when we have got a universe to save.." Wanda whispered to me, kissing my cheek and facing the room.

"Yes, we have a universe to save! So you need to call everyone, everyone. As much as I don't want to have to talk to your lying, murdering, idiotic asses, I want Thanos's head mounted on my wall and if I've got to do this on earth with dumb and dumber, then that's what I'm gonna do. So make the calls and get everyone here for a meeting, right now.." I said to Tony and Steve, making them do what I asked.

Because so help them if they didn't.