Flicker ✦ STEVE ROGERS¹ [✓]

12 | TRUST

"THE BATTLE OF NEW YORK", THEY WERE CALLING IT. It was a fitting name, honestly. Though it felt like a war more than a battle (since it had taken more out of the team than any simple battle ever could), it was still a good name for it. Had a nice ring to it, too.

And as for the Avengers? They were a topic of debate around the world. Were they saviors or destroyers? They were hailed as heroes by some for saving the city, but also called reckless for nearly destroying it. Lives were saved, but many were lost. They were protectors, but also dangerous. They were praised, but also criticized. It seemed if everyone in the world was divided on whether the Avengers were good or bad.

Honestly, Kato didn't care about any of that. True, she was still a bit wary of the others and didn't feel one hundred percent comfortable, she was still grateful for them. They'd showed her that not everyone that was part of an organization was horrible and heartless like VICE had been. And of course, the world had been saved. So that was always a bonus.

The first thing Kato did after the fight was go to her apartment to check on Cherry. Thankfully, the apartment was still intact, and Cherry was alright - albeit very frightened, but still alright. Kato was extremely thankful that nothing had happened to her beloved feline. She didn't know what would happen if she'd lost Cherry.

About a week after the fight, Kato went to Central Park. The Avengers were going to meet there one last time before they went their separate ways. The world no longer needed them. But they would still be on call. The next time the earth was threatened, they'd be there. No matter what.

Kato flew to Central Park, and arrived there only minutes after she left. Steve, Tony, Bruce, Natasha, and Clint, as well as Dr. Selvig, were already there, waiting for Kato as well as Thor and Loki. The team grinned when they saw Kato; they were clearly glad to see her again.

"Hey, guys," Kato greeted the group. "Good to see you."

"Good to see you too, Kate," Tony said with a smile.

Kato rolled her eyes at the comment, but chose not to respond. Instead she turned so she could address the group. "Before we go, I wanted..." She took a deep breath. "I wanted to thank you all."

Steve frowned, exchanging looks with Natasha before asking, "For what?"

"For being there for me," Kato told them. "When I first met you all, I can't deny that I was wary of you. I didn't know you very well, and plus, you were strange people with powerful abilities. And even now, if I'm being honest... I still don't know if I trust you completely. But still, I'm grateful for you. You guys showed me that not everyone in the world is horrible and heartless. So..." She offered them a small smile "Thanks."

The group exchanged more looks with each other before they faced Kato, giving her warm smiles.

"Of course," Natasha said with a nod.

"You're part of this team now, Kato," Steve agreed. "And that means we'll have your back, no matter what."

Kato smiled and nodded. Their words made her feel a little better, and she trusted them a little more now. "Thanks, guys."

That was when Thor and Loki arrived. Loki, who was handcuffed and muzzled, stared coldly at the team as they took him to a blocked area. Then Thor went around, shaking hands with them before giving Dr. Selvig a hug, and once he had finished, he turned to Tony, who opened the case in his hands that contained the Tesseract. Bruce took it out and placed it inside a glass tube, which was held by Thor. Thor then extended the other end to Loki, who glared at his brother before reluctantly taking it.

And with that, Thor turned the handle, and an energy beam shot down from the sky. It flashed brilliantly for a moment, and then it vanished, taking the Asgardians with it.

With Thor and Loki gone, the remainder of the Avengers began to head off, walking back to their respective vehicles. Natasha handed Bruce his bag before she and Clint climbed into a S.H.I.E.L.D. car and drove off. Tony waved to them and to Kato and Steve before he and Bruce climbed into Tony's sportscar and drove away as well.

That left Kato with Steve. She turned to him and walked with him to his bike, then stopped and smiled at him.

"So... what are you gonna do now?" Steve asked.

Kato shrugged. "I dunno. Head home, I guess. I'm definitely gonna take a few weeks off, though. No more hero stuff while I try to recover." She nodded at Steve. "But I promise I'll keep in touch, okay?"

Steve nodded again. "I'm gonna hold you to that." He took a deep breath before cocking his head. "So I guess I'll see you around sometime." He grinned. "Savior."

Kato rolled her eyes. "Who told you about that?"

"I have my sources," Steve replied mischievously, then added when Kato started to protest, "Hey, don't worry about it." He smiled. "It suits you."

Kato stared at him for a moment before she smiled back. "Well, uh... Thanks."

Steve nodded at her. "No problem." He then raised an eyebrow at her attire, which was roughed up and singed from the battle. "You know, I still think you need a suit."

Kato shook her head with a playful grin. "Like I said before. I don't need a flashy costume."

Steve grinned. "Never say never."

The two were silent for a few moments before Kato cleared her throat. "Well, I really should be going."

Steve nodded back. "Alright." He stuck his hand out to her. "See you."

Kato stared at his hand for a beat before slowly reaching out and shaking it. "See you, Captain."

Steve smiled again, watching and taking a few steps back as Kato slowly rose into the air. Then she thrust her hands down to her sides and took off into the city, ready to head home for some well-deserved rest.