We're in the Endgame Now | Endgame [2]

Chapter 11

Happy Pride Month, y'all!! Love you guys :)

Where's everyone from?
Me: Texas, USA

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Winter 2022

  Irina squeezed through the door as it creaked when a gust of cold air blew. She allowed the wind to close the metal door and inched further inside. It seemed so foreign, yet it was so familiar. She knew this place like the back of her hand, if not better.

  The first after the Snap, she visited many, many times. But four months after Morgan was born, Irina never came back.

  "Didn't think I'd see you here again."

  Irina looked across the room; on the sides, tables were folded against the walls and chairs stacked. All except for a circle of vacant ones in the centre that could seat up to 10 people. She smiled, "And I didn't think you'd miss my 27th birthday, fossil."

  Steve unfolded his arms, lips pressed together to suppress a smile, "Is that right?"

  "Mhm." Irene met him by the circle of chairs that seated the Brooklyn Support Group Steve ran. "We've known each other for, what, 10 years?"

  "Something like that." Steve wrapped his large arms around her, and she wrapped her smaller, more defined ones around his torso. "How have you been, Irene?"

  She pulled back, as did Steve. "Don't you dare turn this into one of your therapy sessions, Rogers." He put his hands up in surrender and denied. "Good. Otherwise, I'd kick your ancient ass." She pointed at him when his lips parted to rebuttal, "And you know it; I'm practically a higher level than you and Nat ever were in S.H.I.E.L.D.."

  Steve chuckled. "I'm glad you're doin' good, Irene. You look good."

  Irina's expression turned serious. "I'm sorry it's been a while."

  "Yeah, two years."

  "I just apologized!"

  "And that's supposed to make me feel better?" Irina knew he was teasing, and she rolled her eyes.

  "Yes. But, I was on my way to see Nat; no one likes to be alone for the holidays —it's Christmas Eve. So .  .  . cancel your make-believe plans, because you, Cap, are comin' with me."

In an hour, she and Steve were inside the Compound, wrapped presents in Captain America's arms; Irene insisted he carry the load of it, since he's the super soldier.

With a red Santa hat on and a fake beard, Irina swung open the door of the lounge room, startling Natasha. "Ho, Ho, Ho! S Rozhdestvom (Merry Christmas)!"

"Nice beard, Irene," Carol's hologram complimented, smirk in place.

Rocket's hologram was confused. "You earthlings are very weird."

"Thanks, D," Irina put the cardboard box of decorations and other miscellaneous items on the round table, while Steve put the boxed-fake tree and presents on the couch. "Bite me, Rocket." She observed that Nebula's hologram wasn't present. Her brows furrowed, "Where's Nebula?"