Red meets Blue

Chapter 8: Steve

Waiting has to be the worst thing on the planet. I'm on my third  cup of coffee and the jet still isn't back yet. I'd have more, but I hate Tony's coffee maker. Like, no I don't want a latte or a mocha, I just want a regular goddamn coffee. You can take your steamed milk and your caramel shots and shove them right-

"Hey, Uncle Sam." Stark pokes his head in. "They're back. You're gonna wanna hear this."  Oh, fantastic. Nothing good ever follows that phrase. 

I abandon my coffee and walk with Stark to the hanger. Sam meets us in the hall. We don't speak, but I know we're all thinking the same thing.

Is it him? Is he back?

Tony is more on edge than usual, which is understandable. If the worst is true, than everyone will be just as twitchy. I silently resolve to make sure no one gets too emotional. I'll have to watch for Clint especially.

Stark and I meet the rest of the team in the hanger. Vision's already there, not surprising. I check over my team. They're a little banged up, but nothing a band aid won't fix. Pietro keeps smiling to himself and running his fingers through his hair distractedly. Clint looks a little shook up, confirming my fears. Taking a deep breath, I step forward.

"So? How'd it go?"

"Train stopped, no one hurt. Took out a couple hot dog stands before we got to it, though." Natasha reports, almost lazily.

"What a shame." I reply. She smirks back at me, but Stark has no time for banter.

"And? Is it him? Loki, is it Loki?" He says. A heavy silence fills the air.

"Yeah." It's Clint, in a thick voice. He's staring at the floor, refusing eye contact with anyone. "It's him. The same light, the same sorta thing. I'd know it anywhere." 

No one says anything. None of us know what to say. Well, I have a few thoughts but they're mostly just cursing. Thank god, Natasha breaks the silence.

"Well, I'm hungry and tired.  We're gonna get out of our gear, and we'll discuss this later." With that, the jet crew straggles off to their respective quarters.

Three days later, we're all sitting in what I call the couch room, but Clint insists is the Lounge. Natasha wants to call it a parlour. Wanda's vote is for Lobby, which doesn't make any sense. It's just a room with some couches and a television. Not that exciting. I mean, it's nice, with large windows that let sunlight pour in and a little kitchen and everything, but honestly. It's a couch room.

"So...this Loki." Sam says. "What's his deal?"

"He's a demigod who enjoys the arts of mind control, illusions, and generally douchy-ness." Tony replies.

"Also Thor's brother." Clint adds.

"This guy is Thor's brother?" Wanda's eyebrows shoot up. "He sounds crazy."

"Of course, the question is not concerning his sanity, but his intentions relating to that train." Vision's comment quiets us all down right away. He's right, too. What could Loki want with a train?

"Maybe he was just bored?" Natasha suggests. "He does like playing with things. Sorry, Clint." She adds with a sideways glance at her friend. He just shrugs.

"Wait, didn't Thor say Loki was dead?" Tony pipes up. "How the hell is he back? More importantly, what the hell does he want?"

Vision opens his mouth to answer, but is cut off by the clanging sound of the alarm. The entire room snaps to attention.

"JARVIS?" Tony says over the klaxon.

"I'm not sure, sir, I picked up some movement but it's disappeared." The hesitant reply comes from the speaker.

"Pietro-" I turn to the kid, but he's already out of his chair.

"On it, captain." A light whoosh, and he's gone. Tony shuts off the alarm, and we sit in tense silence, waiting for Pietro's return.

We aren't kept waiting long. Only a few seconds after his departure, a window smashes behind me. Whipping around, all I see is two blurs, one red the other blue, and then nothing. The glass table in the corner shatters, and two figures appear. One's Pietro, but I don't recognize the other.

"Who-are-you?" Pietro manages as he wrestles the other person. I don't hear a reply, and seconds later they're off again. Flying around the room, just flashes of colour before becoming invisible again. Eventually, the two end up on the floor behind Sam's couch. Pietro has the intruder pinned to the ground; he's young, maybe twenty something with light brown hair and cheerful face which is currently wearing a stubborn expression.

"Well, maybe if you'd stop throwing me into walls, I'd be able to tell you who I am." The stranger says, continuing a conversation apparently started at super speed.

He and Pietro lock gazes, and both of them freeze. Eyes go wide, jaws drop, and the two start speaking at once.

"You-"

"But how-"

They stop, and just look at each other for a moment. Then, the intruder grins, clearly noticing their position.

"We have got to stop meeting like this, Pietro Maximoff." Hostility to confusion to flirting real quick.

"Ah, it's not so bad, Barry Allen." Pietro's smile stretches from ear to ear. Then, his brow furrows. "But seriously, how are you here? Why are you here?"

"Well," The stranger, Barry, begins. "I know it sounds weird and super stalkery but I had to see you again. I just couldn't believe I'd found someone like me. Who could do what I can."

Pietro pulls Barry to his feet. "You mean, you can run too?" He says, full of wonder and a hint of excitement. "I thought I was the only one."

"Yeah, so did I!" Barry exclaims. "But now we know." Pietro and Barry just beam at each other for a minute until Sam clears his throat.

"So...you know him?" He asks Pietro.

"Yeah, we met at the train. But I didn't know he could..." Pietro trails off. We make eye contact, and I raise my eyebrows, silently asking him if we can trust Barry. Pietro nods, and when I look at Vision for confirmation of this newcomer, he does the same.

After Vision's verdict, everyone relaxes and Natasha breaks the silence. "Well, hi Barry, I'm Natasha Romanoff. AKA Black Widow. Ex criminal and current master assassin." To his credit, Barry doesn't flinch at her bluntness, just replies with a "Nice to meet you," and a smile.

The rest of the team follows with introductions.

"Sam Wilson. I pilot metal bird wings, and people call me Falcon."

"Tony Stark: genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist. Also Iron Man." I roll my eyes at the reference to a past argument. "By the way, how did you find our super secret hideout?"

Barry holds up his phone. "I just googled 'Avengers'  and this came up."

"Ah." Tony says, disappointed. Clint laughs and introduces himself.

"Clint Barton. I gotta bow and arrow. And a farm." He adds as an afterthought.

"I am Vision, an artificial intelligence created by Mr Stark and Mr Banner."

"I'm Wanda Maximoff, I can manipulate stuff with my mind.  I'm also his twin sister." Wanda sounds like she's dating Barry to say something.

"I know, I saw you. You're amazing. That stuff with the train...I've never seen anything like it." Barry says earnestly. Wanda lights up at the praise.

"I'm-" I start to introduce myself, but Barry cuts me off.

"I know who you are. Sorry, I've just heard a lot about you. By the way, I have someone who wants to see you."

Uh oh. "You do, do you?" I try to stay calm. "And who might that be?"

"Bucky Barnes." He says, with a small smile.