AVENGE THE FALLEN | AN ENDGAME READER INSERT STORY

part six

It was silent as everyone got back on the ship. 

The movements of your friends were slow. Words were few. After a few hours of just sitting on the dry grass, mourning and thinking, trying to stir yourself from the shock that you were in. Eventually it was Rhodes and Bruce, with Bruce now out of the Hulkbuster suit, grabbing you from under the arms and pulling you to your feet. 

"Come on, kid," Bruce said softly. 

You didn't speak, didn't move your eyes. They started to walk with you to bring you out of the woods.

"No, no," you suddenly mumbled. 

Bruce furrowed his eyebrows. You turned your head and looked behind you. 

"Rocket," you said. The creature looked up at you and nodded shortly. Slowly, he got up and trudged behind you and the others. 

Everyone loaded up in the ship. Okoye stood in the dry grass, her eyes red. 

"Our king and princess are gone," she said. It was obvious that she was struggling to keep her voice steady. "Wakanda is without a leader."

"I'm sorry," Nat whispered.

She shook her head. "We've all lost people today."

Nat nodded in agreement. 

Shortly after, you parted ways. 

Everyone was inside of the ship. Bruce was tending to the wound on your leg, while you stared at the wall. No one made a sound, except for Rocket, who was weeping softly in the back, his face in his paws. 

Bruce looked at you as he finished stitching you up. "How are you holding up?" 

"Do you think they're alive?" you asked. "Peter and Dad?"

Bruce exhaled through his lips and then pressed his lips together in a thin line. "You're old enough to not be lied to. I don't know." Your eyes met his and you nodded once. "But I know your dad well. I can guarantee that whatever happened, he did not go down without the biggest fight."

Your eyebrows came together on your forehead. You scoffed, tears coming in your eyes as you ducked your head down, "I, uh - I know I'm almost twenty. But... he didn't tell me he loved me before he left. And if he's d-dead, then..."

"What's being an adult got to do with being sad? Look around, ___, we're all mourning. But you don't need to just yet. Let's see what happens. Who knows, when we land... he could already be there, waiting for you."

                                                                                         ***

He was not there when you landed. 

You got off the ship slowly, wanting to crumble onto the ground and cry. You held your composure as well as you could-

Then Pepper was running outside. She saw you right away and broke out into a sprint. 

A sob broke out of your throat when you saw her. Her body collided with yours and she was holding you to her, and the scent of her hair filled your nose. She held you even though you were covered in dirt and sweat and blood. 

Pepper wasn't your biological mom, but you loved her as much as you would have loved biological mother. And when she held you, you almost felt like things were going to be okay. 

She put her hands on either sides of your face and pulled back, red face staring at you. "Tony. Your dad-" She gulped, "Is he...?"

Another sob broke out of you. "I-I don't know. He went without me."