HARLOVSEN - An Avengers Fanfiction

Chapter 27 - Cold War

"Don't touch that," Magnus clapped Tony's hand as he tried to open a drawer.

"Okay, 'MOM'," he retorted. As soon as Magnus turned around, Tony opened the drawer, rummaging through various passports.

"Over here, Captain," Fenris ordered, waving Steve over to show him their first aid kit. Steve stepped and Fenris began stocking bandages into his arms.

"I'm sorry," Steve exhaled.

"What?" Fenris looked up, meeting his eyes.

"This whole situation - partly my fault," Steve admitted. Fenris scrutinised his facial expression, pressing his lips together.

"I know you thought you were doing something right, Rogers. This was the reason you were chosen to be the first of us."

"First of—us?" Steve frowned. He looked over to his uniform that was draped over a couch. The stars and stripes were stained with dirt and dried blood.

Fenris leaned against a counter and crossed his arms. His eyes flickered over to the kitchen door, checking if somebody was listening. Then, he turned his head back to Steve. "Back in the old days, not only the Americans thought it was a good idea to create human weapons, Rogers. Or let me be more precise, H.Y.D.R.A wasn't only an American institution." Fenris sighed.

"When have you been— changed?" Steve asked

Fenris shortly hesitated. "After 1945, it was the time of the cold war. It was an innovative experiment. H.Y.D.R.A wanted to test different versions of their serum." He pursed his lips. "And who would have been more suitable than a bunch of persons sharing partly the same DNA? That is why Katta is slightly stronger than the rest of us, Magnus's brain is working faster, and Arne can endure more pain. After they'd ended their experiments, we've been frozen and only woken up to occasionally do missions. Pretty much like Barnes."

The silence that followed was heavy. It took Steve a few minutes to answer. "That is unimaginable."

Fenris opened the fridge. "It seemed unimaginable for us to not help our government prepare to arm up. There was a war threatening us. We thought we did the right thing."

"I didn't know that Norway was involved in the cold war like that. I visited history evening classes to keep up," Steve frowned. "I thought I paid attention.

"By now, you should know that most government affairs don't are as they seem, my friend." Fenris placed two small glasses onto a table, unscrewed a bottle and poured a transparent liquid into the glasses. He motioned for Steve to take one and raised his.

"To us soldiers. Skal." Steve hesitantly raised the glass to his nose and smelled onto it, scrunching his face.

"Akvavit. Cleans the mind," Fenris smiled faintly. "Self-made."

"Cheers," Steve said, and both gulped their shots before placing the glasses back onto a table. Tony lurked into the kitchen and scowled.

"Wait. Since when does capsicle drink and why am I not invited?"

"Be my guest," Magnus said, entering the kitchen after him. Fenris pushed away from the counter and walked into the living room. He discovered Clint on a couch, sitting hunched.

"You look bad." Fenris pointed at Clint's dark eyebags.

"Thank you for the compliment," Clint answered, leaning back and rubbing his eyes. Fenris motioned for Erik to make a coffee before he took the seat opposite Clint.

"So, where is this Lang?" he asked.

"Probably at home. I should get him. It would scare him off when we all appear at once," Clint answered, stretching his arms.