Till the End|MCU|3

fifteen

   "But I want to stay and help," Stevi whines as I pack some of his books into his bag.  He sits on my bed next to his open backpack, his feet swinging slowly back and forth as he watches me.  

   The majority of all his stuff is in my room.  I mean, yeah, he has his own room, here and in Wakanda.  But he feels more comfortable when he sleeps in my bed.  So naturally, he'll leave all his stuff in my room.  

   "No," I repeat myself for the hundredth time.  

   "But why?"  Stevi continues to whine.  "I want to help Tony build the time travel machine.  And I want to see Scott turn back into a baby."  

   Tony had arrived yesterday, immediately after our failed test.  Claims to have figured out our time-traveling problem.  Ever since he's been building a machine that could make time travel less disastrous.  

   Fingers crossed.  

   "Because we need to focus on doing this time travel mission and we can't do that with you around," I say as I grab his Avengers action figures (given as a joke) and shove them in his bag.  

   "But I don't understand why you and everyone else are so desperate to do this time travel thing?"  Stevi asks as he pulls Bucky Bear onto his lap.  

   I release a breath and glance up at the ceiling.  How can I explain this to him in a way he could understand?  He's a very smart kid, don't get me wrong, but some stuff just goes right over his head.  Like when I tell him to do something.  

   I squat down in front of him, grabbing his hand in mine.  "You remember those stories I use to tell you?  You know, the ones about the White Wolf and the Black Panther?"  He nods his head as he watches me.  "You remember the one about the Evil Hunter?"  

   "Yeah, the one where the Evil Hunter attacked Earth wishing to gather the last pieces for his great weapon," Stevi says with a nod.  

   "And what happened?"  

   "The Black Panther gathered all his warriors to fight the Evil Hunter and hide the pieces of the weapon.  Along with the White Wolf, the Black Panther called upon his allies from the outside worlds, even calling upon the Elder White Wolf.  Together they fought against the Evil Hunter and his monsters, but it wasn't enough.  The Evil Hunter still got the pieces and put the weapon together."  

   "Then what happened?"  I ask as Stevi pauses.  

   "The Evil Hunter destroyed half of all life not only on Earth but the whole universe."  Stevi finishes, watching me with his big dark brown eye.  

   I nod my head as I stand and sit down next to him.  "That's right.  And do you remember what I told you about those stories when you were a little older?"  

   Stevi nods his head.  "Yeah, that all those stories are true.  They happened in real life.  And all the characters are based on real people.  Like how the Eagle was Big Steve.  And the Black Widow Spider was Nat.  And the Bear was Dr. Banner.  And in some of the stories, you were the White Wolf and your older brother T'Challa was the Black Panther."  

   I nod my head again.  "And do you remember who the Evil Hunter was?"  

   "You said the Evil Hunter was an ugly purple space potato named Thanos."  I nod my head with a chuckle as Stevi knits his eyebrows in confusion.  "But Umakazi Ara, I still don't understand what this has to do with time travel?"  

   I release a breath as I brush some dark brown curls out of his face.  "Well like in the story, Thanos used the weapon to destroy half of all life in the universe.  He took away a lot of people's friends and family.  He took away my brother and sister, and some of Big Steve and Nat's friends.  He took away your parents when you were just a baby, too young to remember them.  And when he was done, Thanos destroyed the weapon.  But with this... this 'time heist', we can get the pieces and bring everyone back."  

   Stevi continues to watch me with his eyebrows knit together.  I release a sigh as I wrap an arm around his shoulders.  "You'll see.  Everything will go back to the way they were."  I murmur as I pull him close, planting a kiss on the top of his head.  

🐺

   I open the door leading to the landing zone as a rough breeze blows my hair over my shoulder, along with a bunch of weird leaves and someone's trash.  

   "Dr. Banner, they're here!  Let's go!"  I call over my shoulder as the Guardian's spaceship lands.  Stevi runs out the door I'm holding open, sprinting towards the ship.  "Hey, carry your own bag," I order Stevi, holding out his backpack.  He rushes back to me and snatches his bag out of my hands before turning and running towards an approaching figure.  

   "I'm coming." Dr. Banner shouts back.  

   I shut the door and walk towards Scott, sitting and eating his lunch.  Glancing around, I notice the ingredients for a taco scattered on the ground and Scott holding an empty taco shell.  I chuckle as I step next to him.  

   "Nebula."  Stevi cheers as he flings himself at the blue cyborg, wrapping his arms around her waist.  Nebula looks awkward as she glances down at Stevi, still getting used to the feeling of receiving hugs.  

   Stevi glances up at Nebula as she tries to smile at him - only achieving a grimace - and gives him a quick pat on his head.  "Little Steven."  Nebula growls kindly.  

   "Hey, Humie!"  Rocket calls from the lowered ramp.  "Where's big green and- oh never mind, I see her."  

   "Nice to see you too, Rocket," I call back.  

   "Rocket!"  Stevi shouts as he releases Nebula and rushes to the downed ship.  His backpack bounces against his back as he runs, Bucky Bear's head bobbing all over the place from where it sticks out.  

   "Hey Little Man, you coming with us?"  Rocket asks Stevi as he rushes up the ramp to hug him.  

   "No," I shout before Stevi can respond.  "We're dropping him off at Wakanda before going to New Asgard."  

   Scott just watches Stevi with Rocket and Nebula's approach.  "He's in the kitchen, I think..."  He calls to Rocket.  

   "Dr. Banner's coming right now Rocket," I add before nodding my head towards Nebula.  "Hey, Nebula."  

   I hold up my forearm for her to bump with her own as she passes, giving me a nod of her head.  "Kidara."  

   "That's awesome," Scott says to Nebula as she passes him, admiring their spaceship.  

   Nebula just glares at him before speaking into her comm.  "Rhodey, careful on re-entry.  There's an idiot in the landing zone."  

   Suddenly, War Machine crashes down on the ground in front of us.  Scott jumps up in fear, accidentally throwing his taco shell.  He clutches his chest and gasps.  "Oh, God!"  

   I laugh at his reaction before turning to Rhodey.  "Hi, Rhodey."  I smile brightly, giving him a small wave.  

   "Hey, Ara.  What's up, regular-sized man."  Rhodey greets from behind his mask.  I continue to laugh at the pout Scott gives as Rhodey turns to head inside.  

   "Dr. Banner, let's go!"  I shout again.  

   "I'm right here.  You don't have to shout."  Dr. Banner responds, walking towards me and Scott.  Noticing Scott's destroyed taco, Dr. Banner grabs two of his own and hands them to Scott.  

   "See ya later Scott," I call out as I follow Dr. Banner to the ship.