CRUEL SUMMER| w.maximoff x reader |

5

CHAPTER FIVE: I get bad vibes

I was stood up behind Wanda as we had our little "meeting". When I say it was a meeting- it wasn't as going as smooth as other meetings we'd had. Sam and Rhodey wouldn't shut up. Half of us wanted this to go through, the other half didn't like it at all. So, other than those facts- it was going great. Just great. 

"Secretary Ross has a Congressional Medal of Honour, which is one more than you have." Rhodey said to Sam. I rolled my eyes.

"So, let's say we agree to this thing. How long is it gonna be before they LoJack us like a bunch of common criminals?" Sam asks out.

"A hundred and seventeen countries have signed this, Sam. And you're just like, No that's cool. We got it." I was getting tired of their bullshit now.

"How long are you going to play both sides?"

Vision finally spoke up." I have an equation."

"Finally. Something that might just clear it up." I say, rubbing my back.

"In the eight years since Mr. Stark announced himself as Iron Man, the number of known enhanced persons has grown exponentially. And during the same period, the number of potentially world-ending events has risen at a commensurate rate." Vision states.

"Forget I said anything." I mutter.

"Are you saying it's our fault?" Steve asks.

"I'm saying there may be a causality. Our very strength invites challenge. Challenge incites conflict. And conflict . . . breeds catastrophe. Oversight . . . oversight is not an idea that can be dismissed out of hand."

"Boom." James says, looking over at Sam, all proud of himself. Not helping.

"Tony, you are being uncharacteristically non-hyper-verbal." Nat says, looking over at him who's slouched on the couch.

"Leave him alone, he's made up his choice." I scowl." Probably choosing the pen and ink he's going to sign with." 

"Boy, you know me so well." Tony winces and rubs the back of his head." Actually- I'm nursing an electromagnetic headache." He says matter-of-factly. I raise an eyebrow at him, tilting my head a little, as if to say- oh really? He walks into the kitchen and grabbed a mug." That's what's going on. It's just pain. It's discomfort." He looks at the coffee maker." Who's putting coffee grounds in the disposal? Am I running a bead and breakfast for a biker gang?"

Tony projects an image of a smiling man up for us on the kitchen cabinet." Oh, that's Charles Spencer, by the way. He's a great kid. Computer engineering degree, 3.6 GPA. Had a floor level gig at Intel planned for the fall. But first, he wanted to put a few miles on his soul, before he parked it behind a desk. See the world. Maybe be of service. Charlie didn't want to go to Vegas or Fort Lauderdale, which is what I would do. He didn't go to Paris or Amsterdam, which sounds fun. He decided to spend his summer building sustainable housing for the poor. Guess where, Sokovia."

I feel myself get protective of Wanda whenever the subject of Sokovia or her brother is brought up." He wanted to make a difference, I suppose. I mean, we won't know because we dropped a building on him while we were kicking ass." Tony says. I rub Wanda's shoulder to let her know I'm there, she grabs my hand as I do so. I squeeze her hand tightly." There's no decision-making process here. We need to be put in check! Whatever form that takes, I'm game. If we can't accept limitations, if we're boundary-less, we're no better than the bad guys."

"Tony, if someone dies on your watch, you don't give up." Steve tells him.

"Who said we're giving up?"

"We are if we're not taking responsibility for our actions." Steve says, I understand what he's saying and finish what he's saying.

"This document just shifts the blame." I finish for him. 

"I'm sorry. Steve, Y/N- that is dangerously arrogant. This is the United Nations we're talking about. It's not the World Security Council, it's not S.H.E.I.L.D, it's not H.Y.D.R.A." Rhodey says.

"No, but it's run by people with agendas, and agendas change." Steve says.

"That's good. That's why I'm here. When I realise that my weapons were capable of being in the wrong hands, I shut it down and stop manufacturing." Stark says. Why is half of these guys getting on my nerves all of a sudden? Oh- because they're wrong... Got it...

"Tony, you chose to do that. If we sign this, we surrender our right to choose. What if this panel sends us somewhere we don't think we should go? What if there is somewhere we need to go, and they don't let us? We may not be perfect, but the safest hands are still our own."

"If we don't do this now, it's gonna be done to us later. That's the fact. That won't be pretty." Stark says.

"I'm going for a lie down." I say, "And, if any of you come to irritate me, don't expect me to pay for your funeral bill. I have one of Stark's electromagnetic headaches. They really get to you after a while." I give Wanda's hand another squeeze before going to walk away. As I pass the kitchen, Stark walks over to me, stopping me.

"Hey, just because you have a thing for Maximoff, doesn't mean you have to choose the wrong side." He told me.

I scoffed," I'm on the right side here, Stark, and I'm not choosing just because of how I feel for someone." I push away Tony and walk down the corridor, down to my room.