Persuasion »Quicksilver

Battlelines

"Secretary Ross has a Congressional Medal of Honor which is one more than you have." James Rhodes said bluntly, glaring at Sam Wilson.

Sighing heavily, I place my forehead on the cool marble surface of the kitchen table top. The Avengers have gathered in the kitchen- to argue.

"So let's say we agree to this thing." Sam retorts, crossing his arms "How long is it gonna be before they LoJack us like a bunch of common criminals?"

"A 117 countries want to sign this. 117, Sam, and you're just like, "No, that's cool. We got it. ""

"How long are you going to play both sides?"

Vision: "I have an equation." Vision says coolly, preventing the two men from screaming at each other. I raise my head wearily.

"Oh, this will clear it up." Sam groans.

"In the 8 years since Mr. Stark announced himself as Iron Man, the number of known enhanced persons has grown exponentially."

A warm hand places itself gently on my shoulder, with a small squeeze. I twist my head to smile at Pietro. He slides into the seat next to me.

"And during the same period, the number of potentially world-ending events has risen at a commensurate rate."

"Are you saying it's our fault?" Steve says, a perfect eyebrow raised.

His calm exterior does not give way to his fast paced bubbling thoughts, that keep slipping into my head.

"I'm saying there may be a causality. Our very strength invites challenge. Challenge incites conflict. And conflict... breeds catastrophe. Oversight... Oversight is not an idea that can be dismissed out of hand."

"Boom." Rhodes adds with a smirk.

"But we don't need to be babysat by the United Nations." I huff, tugging on my hair.

Pietro slides a hand into my own, goosebumps running down my skin from the contact. His thumb traces calming circles against my palm.

"Tony. You're being uncharacteristically non-hyperverbal." Natasha says, twisting in her seat to look at Tony.

"It's because he's already made up his mind." Steve says, a trace of dry humour in his tone.

"Boy, you know me so well." Tony gets up, wincing. I raise an eyebrow questioningly. He ignores me, moving towards the kitchen. "Actually, I'm nursing an electromagnetic headache. That's what's going on, Cap. It's just pain. It's discomfort. Who's putting coffee grounds in the disposal?" Pietro's grip tightens, looking sheepish. I cough to disguise my giggle.
"Am I running a bed and breakfast for a biker gang? "

He touches his phone and a photo af a smiling, young man appears on a holographic screen. I frown, biting my lip.

"Oh, that's Charles Spencer by the way. He's a great kid. Computer engineering degree, 3.6 GPA. Had a floor level gig at Intel planned for the fall. But first, he wanted to put a few miles on his soul... before he parked it behind a desk. See the world. Maybe be of service.Charlie didn't want to go to Vegas or Fort Lauderdale, which is what I would do.
He didn't go to Paris or Amsterdam, which sounds fun. He decided to spend his summer building sustainable housing for the poor.
Guess where, Sokovia."

My breath catches in my throat, eyes flicking to Wanda. Her face is a blank mask. But her eyes... they shimmer with tears. Steves eyebrows crease sadly.

"He wanted to make a difference, I suppose. I mean, we won't know because we dropped a building on him while we were kicking ass." I wince at the haphazard bluntness. Tony swallows a pill with a swig of coffee before turning to face us. He folds his arms.
"There's no decision-making process here. We need to be put in check! Whatever form that takes, I'm game. If we can't accept limitations, if we're boundary-less, we're no better than the bad guys."

Steve speaks up, his words inspiring but falling on Starks deaf ears "Tony, someone dies on your watch, you don't give up."

"Who said we're giving up?"

"We are if we're not taking responsibility for our actions. This document just shifts the blames."

"I'm sorry. Steve. That... That is dangerously arrogant." Rhodes says. "This is the United Nations we're talking about. It's not the World Security Council, it's not SHIELD, it's not HYDRA."

" No, but it's run by people with agendas and agendas change."

I frown "But their agenda is always likely to be for the greater good."

Steve's eyes flick from Tony to me, and I hold his gaze for a moment. I hate to argue against him, but Tony's right. We're too dangerous. We're out of control like a powerful flame. And when there's fire, someone always gets burnt.

We turn back to Tony.

"And if it's not, That's why I'm here." Tony nods at me, "When I realized what my weapons were capable of in the wrong hands, I shut it down and stop manufacturing."

"Tony, you chose to do that. If we sign this, we surrender our right to choose. What if this panel sends us somewhere we don't think we should go? What if there is somewhere we need to go, and they don't let us? We may not be perfect, but the safest hands are still our own." Steve folds his arms.

"If we don't do this now, it's gonna be done to us later. That's the fact. That won't be pretty."

"You're saying they'll come for us." Wandas says quietly, gesturing at me and herself.

"We would protect you." Pietro and Vision say in unison, making me giggle despite the seriousness. Pietro rolls his eyes, leaning back in his chair and placing his arm around me.

"They can try." I say sweetly.

"Maybe Tony's right. If we have one hand on the wheel, we can still steer. If we take it off..." Nat adds, tapping her manicured nails on the table. Sam raises an eyebrow.

"Aren't you the same woman who told the government to kiss her ass a few years ago?

"I'm just... reading the terrain. We have made some very public mistakes. We need to win their trust back."

"I'm sorry, did I just mishear you or did you agree with me?" Tony Stark fake gasps, double taking Nat dramatically.

" Oh, I want to take it back now."

"No, no, no. You can't retract it. Thank you. Unprecedented. Okay, case closed - I win."

A phone chimes. It's tiny tune sounds abnormal and out of place.

Steve slides his phone out of his pocket. He turns it on and stares at the screen.

A rush of despair surges through me, making me flinch. I can feel Pietro looking at me confused, but I just stare at the source. Steve.

"I have to go." Steve gets up sharply, his chair screeching against the floor. The super soldier disappears, leaving the room staring in his wake.

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Poor Steve my son.

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