ANGRBODA ※ Tony Stark [1]

30 - FULL CIRCLE

"SUPERHEROES IN NEW YORK? Give me a break!"

The plasma screen TV was blaring the latest news reports. Natasha shifted through the channels absentmindedly. It was all the same really. Every news outlet in the world was talking about the battle of New York. The general opinion seemed to be split in two: some were wholeheartedly supporting the Avengers, others believed they had to take responsibility for what happened. As if it was somehow their fault.

Natasha puffed out and looked around her. Clint, Steve, Bruce, Thor and herself were sitting around in one of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s lounges. Out of the five of them, Bruce was the most captivated by the broadcasts, followed closely by Steve. Thor's head was somewhere else and Clint clearly couldn't care less. As for Natasha, she simply didn't know what to think. On one hand she was interested in hearing about the aftermath of the battle but she also desperately wanted to relax and think about nothing, for once.

She switched the channel again, landing on an emergency conference given by Matthew Boynton, the senator from New York.

"These so called heroes have to be held responsible for the destruction done to the city," he berated into the microphone "This was their fight. Where are they now?"

Natasha rolled her eyes and switched the channel again.

"Wait, leave it on!" Steve protested.

"It's just more of the same," Natasha sighed but complied anyway.

The senator kept going on and on about the cost and effort it would take to repair everything.

Bruce rubbed his eyes tiredly "The government wanted to nuke the entire island of Manhattan yet he's blaming us for the casualties?!"

Thor had a comically confused look on his face "I don't understand you humans."

His comment made Clint laugh loudly "No one understands asshole logic."

The senator was taking a dig at each and every one of them. He was insisting especially on bashing the Hulk which made a frown melt on Natasha's face. From the corner of her eye, she watched Bruce sitting stiff, an impassible expression on his face. She knew him well enough to tell how much this kind of talk affected him and so she flipped the channel again, ignoring the other's protest.

They were interviewing some of the survivors of the battle. The camera filmed a close up of young woman in a waitress attire, covered in dust. She had a few cuts and bruises on her face but seemed in pretty good shape otherwise.

"What are your thoughts on the group known as the Avengers? Many people seem to think they represent a growing threat to the civilian population," the reporter bellowed before shoving the microphone in the waitress' face.

"What, that is this somehow their fault?" she asked, eyes wide in surprise "Captain America saved my life! Wherever he is, wherever any of them are, I just want to say thank you."

A short silence fell as the five Avengers took in what she had said. The atmosphere was getting a bit too solemn for Black Widow's taste.

"I think she's got a crush on you Cap," she teased in Steve's direction.

A smirk spread on Clint's face as he took a jab at Thor "See, does this restore your faith in humanity or what?"

Thor chuckled with a brushing hand gesture "I never wanted people to sing our praises but this woman seems more sensible than average."

Natasha pretended to be absorbed by her nails "I don't think anyone with a crush on a fossil like Steve can be qualified as sensible, though."

One of the cushions came flying across the room, almost hitting her in the face. She cackled mockingly, throwing it right back at the super-soldier. They teased each other back and forth and Natasha was glad she had managed to soften the mood. The accusations thrown around by the politicians weren't easy to take in but they just had to ride out the hysteria for now.