(1.0)The Sound Of Silence

g r i e f

🎵

A piece of paper should not affect someone like this.

It's just paper, crushed tree pulp. Not exactly a weapon, unless paper cuts suddenly become fatal.

So why did it feel like Steve Rogers' heart was going to tear itself up?

The patriotic Avenger had been in the kitchen in the Avenger's Tower, looking for milk, and when he had gone to open the fridge, he had seen the picture.

And suddenly, he couldn't breathe.

The picture seemed simple enough, four people close to the camera. Himself, Tony Stark, Natasha Romanoff, and- her

The beautiful girl with star shaped glitter in her hair, a big smile gracing her face, and her hands mid-movement, forming a sign that meant family.

The rest of the "OG  Avengers and Family" as she liked to call them, were sitting at a table in the background. Steve thought that they had been about to start a food fight when the picture was taken.

His eyes caught on Clint, who was picture bombing - no, photobombing.-He was perched on the couch, and his arms were out, like wings. She had called him a chicken, and Clint had exclaimed he was a hawk, because he was Hawkeye.

Definitely a chicken.

The edge of Steve's mouth curved as he remembered her laughing so loudly.

But...

It had been thirty-one billion, five hundred and thirty six thousand seconds since she-

Steve sighed, letting his head fall, his shoulders curve inwards, and a hand covered his eyes, every piece of him screaming defeat.

my fault my fault my fault

His other fist tightened, and he slammed it on the counter next to the fridge, careful not to break it.

A steady clicking that Steve had been blocking out, stopped. And Steve uncovered his eyes, looking over, and he saw Tony Stark, who had been working on his laptop.

Tony was staring at Steve with a blank look on his face, and when he realized Steve was staring back, he resumed typing.

"It's all my fault."

The typing halted again.

"She shouldn't have been there."

"She made her own decisions."

Steve laughed without humor. "What idiot brings a deaf girl to a fight and leaves her alone?"

"An idiot who knew she had strengths and could take care of herself." Tony said. "Cap, no one blames you."

"They should."

The words were filled with so much self-loathing, that Tony was surprised Steve was still living.

"She should've never been there." Steve continued.

"Cap-" Tony tried.

"I should've stayed with her. I was supposed to keep her safe-"

"Steven"

Steve's head snapped up, whether from the venom in Tony's voice, or the fact that Tony had called him by his first name, was unknown.

"When she was taken, you were five hundred feet in the air, getting your ass shot by your best friend, Blender Head-"

"Hey."

"You were getting your ass shot, so millions, including her, wouldn't!"

"But-"

"Steven Grant Rogers-!"

"Am I interrupting? "

The two men turned, seeing a familiar redheaded woman.

"Agent Romanoff." Tony said, while Steve said "Natasha."

"Agent Romanoff, please tell Steven that he is being a dumbass." Tony said, fixing a glare on the blonde man.

Natasha Romanoff smirked. "Steve, please stop being a dumbass." And then, her gaze fixed on the fridge and the picture, and a flash of grief crossed her face. "And there's no need to sound so glum. I come bearing good news."

"Do tell." Tony said. "The suspense is killing me."

"An undercover agent has made Christmas come early." Natasha said vaguely.

"He found Santa Claus?" Tony asked.

Steve let out a huff of air that was almost humor. Natasha smiled, and said. "We found the scepter."

"That means-"

"They found-"

"Yeah." Natasha breathed, nodding.

Captain America, known as Steve Rogers, felt a sliver of hope, He grabbed that hope, holding it tight.

"JARVIS." He said. "Get the team ready. We leave in thirty minutes."

🎵