𝐇𝐄𝐘 𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐄, 𝐒𝐎𝐔𝐋𝐌𝐀𝐓𝐄, avengers

𝘨𝘶𝘪𝘭𝘵𝘺

Chapter 71:
𝘨𝘶𝘪𝘭𝘵𝘺

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WANDA'S EYES REMAINED ON Y/N WITH soft brown and red eyes, her fingers entangled in her H/C hair, rubbing at her scalp softly. It didn't take a genius to know that this was the best sleep she'd ever gotten, chest rising ever so slowly which was the only indication that she was even alive.

The brunette managed to keep her in a soothing daze with her powers, bending her subconscious reality. There were no dreams, no nightmares. Just the feeling of being protected and in someone's arms again because who knows how longs it's been since she'd last have that. Wanda, more than anything, knew what it felt like to not have that at all.

There were always people around you that you knew you could turn to, but there's a restraint there. Sometimes it's physical, but most of the time, it's a mental restraint others had put onto you.

Her hand caressed Y/N's cheek, almost retracting it when she moved. Although Wanda knew you wouldn't be getting up anytime soon, she still feared it happening. You managed to keep Loki out of your head for a while, who's the say the same wouldn't happen to her?

A relieved sigh left the witch's lips when her features relaxed even further, and moved even closer to her hand. The action tugged at her heart strings, the smallest of comforting smiles on her face even though she knew you wouldn't be able to see it.

A knock on the door drew her focus off of you, turning towards it to see Steve and Bucky standing in the doorway. Wanda acknowledged to two with a hum and nod before looking back over to Y/N.

''How is she?" the blonde super soldier asked as the two of them entered the room, soft eyes observing the unconscious girl who fell asleep in the Sokovian woman's lap. ''Will she be okay?"

Wanda raised an eyebrow at him, pursed lips as a knowing look was in her eyes as Steve scratched at the back of his nape. ''You know what I meant.''

She glanced down at Y/N again, moving a piece of her hair that fell over to the side of her face when she moved around slightly. ''It honestly depends on what you're looking for with your definition of okay,'' she said quietly, eyebrows furrowing. ''For me, with the amount of abuse she's had to endure, how she even manages to look okay is beyond me.''

The room went silent for a moment, the only remote sound being the AC blasting in the background accompanied by Y/N's light breathing, hands trying to grasp onto something as she shuffled around here and there.

Wanda looked over to Bucky. ''How are the others taking things?" she asked, to which he clenched his metal hand, the action making a small noise similar to the material clinking together.

''Bruce and Vision are trying to convince the others to not go out and commit murder. Though, if it was me, I would've let them gone, with them, too,'' he said, glaring at the ground, trying to find a focus point to calm himself down and not hurt himself or anyone else.

Steve closed his eyes, silently agreeing with the comment. He didn't condone violence in the slightest, but with someone as important as Y/N, he couldn't let something like this get handled calmly. A bit of blood needed to be a shed.

He wasn't ready to leave someone important again, none of them were. And it sure as hell wasn't going to be Y/N.

It had to be his second drink withing the part 8 minutes. He didn't plan on getting drunk, but he wanted to numb some of the emotions that were swirling inside of his very being.

Bruce and Vision had (somehow and very luckily) managed to calm the lot of them down while Steve and Bucky went to go check on Wanda and Y/N. The others wanted to go along with them of course, but it was better that way. They all were practically vibrating with anger, and seeing her might just set things off.

Tony continued to glance down at his watch, though it didn't matter anymore. Before, he was counting down the minutes, hours til Y/N left, but that wasn't happening anymore. He wouldn't let her go back home with that monster. It would be the last thing he would ever allow in his human lifetime, and even after that.

The sound of heels clicking down the hall and making their way over to the bar he was seated at made him sit up a bit more straight, already knowing his ex-assistant was there.

Pepper was silent for the most part as she took a seat next to the billionaire, eyeing him intently as he took a swig of the drink in his hands. 

''FRIDAY told me everything she knew on the way over,'' she said quietly, reaching over the counter herself to grab a bottle of vodka. It wouldn't take them long to get tipsy with this, and it would help him get things off of his chest quicker so they wouldn't have to be here long. ''You seem to be taking this the hardest."

Not exactly, but she didn't know that. Loki, Bucky, Clint, and Natasha were currently in the armory part of the tower, though Loki was keen to sharper some of his vast numbers of knives (he enjoyed a hands-on experience). Peter and Harley were trying to see if they could make f̶a̶t̶a̶l̶ harmful versions of his web shooter. Bruce might be making a poison while Sam was going to see if he could find a vacant torture room of sorts on the outskirts of the city, the man already loaded with the proper tools. 

So sure, he was taking this the hardest.

Note his sarcasm please if you're dense.

A heavy sigh let him as he ran a hand over his face. He didn't need a reminder. Part of him felt horrible for not being able be so openly outraged as the others. Of course, he wanted to kill the man in 100 or more ways possible, but instead he ran back to alcohol when he was faced with his problems (just like y/n). Did that make him a bad person?

Maybe, but more than anything, he felt like a coward.

Haha, chicken little. Okay, I'll stop.

"Something else is on your mind, though,'' Pepper interrupted his short inner monologue, handing him a shot glass as she poured vodka inside it. ''Say it now. Bubbling things inside never helped anyone,'' she scowled gently.

The liquid burned his throat more than it should've, but he welcomed the feeling with open arms, not totally against it.

''She told me something about her dad a couple of months ago, but I guess I just tried to convince myself that it wasn't true. Just scrambled thoughts and words coming out of her mouth because she was high and drunk. I was making excuses and... FUCK!'' he shouted, slamming his fist down on the marble surface, but the ginger didn't flinch, use to his outburst.

''I messed up, Pep,'' his voice sounded strained when the words left him, almost as if he was defeated already. ''She'd call me and seem perfectly fine. I should've done something to help her. I should've-''

Pepper cut him off. ''You're not the one that should feel guilty, and neither should Y/N. We've all done some things that we regret, and yes, it's horrible that she'd had to grow through that, but she's here now. I know you and the others will protect her with every fiber inside you,'' she said, smiling softly at the last part.

In truth, the ginger had grown close to Y/N, seeing her almost as a daughter. It hit hard that she wasn't able to help you either, but for now, she had to be strong for Tony. But best believe, she would play a part in bringing Justin down too.

''So?" she asked, seeing a familiar glint in the billionaire's eyes. Once a while ago, she would've been against it all and try to convince him to stop, but no, for the occasion, she would allow it. A smirk appeared on his face, though it was hidden behind his shot glass for a second as he downed the alcohol. He and all the others knew what they needed to do.

''Let's go play Justin King a visit.''

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-babybluejeans