Lawyer, Lawyer

There's No Place Like Home

After being rescued from imprisonment, the first-responder Avengers who miserably competed against the Hulk and his Warbound were all set free and treated by S.H.I.E.L.D. personnel. (Y/n) was constantly on edge after his wife leapt into battle to confront her cousin. Hours would come to pass until the media acknowledged that the Hulk had finally been apprehended. 

(Y/n) bit his nails in anticipation as for the entire morning through to late afternoon, he looked after his infant daughter and even took up drinking. Despite knowing how capable his wife was, (Y/n) couldn't help but fear all the negativities of things going wrong. When night fell, (Y/n) had fallen asleep after resorting to drinking a full bottle of wine when he heard the front door click. 

"(Y/n)? Elaine? Oh, my sweets..." Jennifer sang as she entered her home which miraculously wasn't caught in the Hulk's rampage. 

Her husband stirred in his drunken state. She became disappointed when she noticed the empty wine bottle and glass on the table in the living room yet she was far too exhausted to say anything else. 

"J-Jenn...?" (Y/n) burped. 

"Oh my God, (Y/n). You drank the whole bottle?!" Jennifer exclaimed and grabbed the bottle by the neck. 

The (h/c) man hummed as Jennifer shook her head in disappointment before taking the glass as well and put one in the bin and the other in the sink. When Elaine sensed her mother approach, the infant opened her mouth in a smile and reached for her mother. 

"Hello, pumpkin. Hello! Hello, little one! Mommy's here now." Jennifer cooed when she suddenly raised her voice at her husband. "Thank God you didn't lock our daughter in her room while you were out here drunk. Why the hell were you drinking anyway?" 

(Y/n) growled in irritation with her tone and raised his voice back at her. "Why don't you mind your own business..." 

Jennifer carried her daughter away to her crib before quietly closing the door to give the two privacy to hold their argument. 

"I thought you were happy for me, (Y/n)? And what's this I find? My own damn husband dead drunk and neglecting his duty as a father all because of... what, huh? WHAT?!" 

"Y-Y'know... I get, I get l-l-less and less... less happy ev-every, e-e-every, e-every, every... less happy when you come home bl-bloodied and b-b-b-beaten... You're, you're, y-you're always out there risking your, your life for others. Th-That's valiant en-enough, but... w-w-what about me? W-What about our d-d-d-d-daughter? I'm, I'm always s-s-s-s-scared y-you won't c-come home..." He slurred as tears began to run down his face. 

"It's my job, (Y/n)! What are we going to do if I just let those scumbags plough through this city like a sandcastle and destroy our home? I fight for us, (Y/n. I fight for our family. Maybe if you actually supported me instead of getting me under the fucking sheets with you then maybe we wouldn't be having this argument!" 

"I care! I-I've always loved you, Jen. B-But I-I-I-I'm s-s-scared when th-the Avengers w-win the next battle, y-y-y-you won't come h-home... I-If I l-lost you..." 

"Oh, grow up and have some goddamn faith in me! I can handle myself, (Y/n)! I'm always out there busting my ass while you're sitting here at home or in another part of the world, probably having an affair with your fucking secretary! You're just so fucking useless! Why did I marry you?! If you weren't so scrawny, then maybe I wouldn't have to worry about you being robbed at the damn park! Oh God... (Y/n/n), w-wait. I, I didn't mean it." 

(Y/n) stood with a hardened expression, a stray tear escaped his eye as he accepted what she spat with venom and staggered his way for the front door. 

"I'm sorry for wo-worrying about you. I-I'm sorry for caring about you. If, if, if you want s-s-someone who doesn't care about your f-feelings, then go clubbing you, you... oh fuck it! I d-don't matter to you s-s-so w-w-w-w-why should I care anymore?" (Y/n) murmured. 

"(Y/n/n), just wait, please!" 

"D-Don't call me that! Just s-stop! L-Leave me alone... s-s-she doesn't l-l-l-love me... she doesn't love m-me..." 

Eventually, (Y/n) was able to stagger out the front door on both feet as his sobriety began to make its way back to him faster than Jennifer's apologies. In the dead of the night, (Y/n) hobbled along the footpath to anywhere but home. (Y/n) wasn't able to make it any further than the next block when he wound up in the entrance to an alleyway behind a dumpster. 

Concealed from sight, (Y/n) finally broke down where nobody would see him as regret slapped him in the face for the words shared and for getting drunk in the first place, for lacking the confidence to talk to Jennifer peacefully. Footsteps clapped in the alleyway. (Y/n) quickly became aware and used the wall behind him to pull himself up to his feet in hopes of fleeing. 

"Hey, bud. Got a light?" The stranger asked. 

"Go f-f-fuck yourself!" (Y/n) spat and clenched his fists, knowing exactly what was coming. 

The stranger sighed and dropped his shoulders. "Alright then. Getting straight to it. Fine by me." 

The sound of a flick knife flicking made (Y/n)'s heart drop in his chest knowing he couldn't match someone with a knife, let alone with fists. In one clean thrust, the stranger found the blade of the knife a warm home as (Y/n) let out a pained grunt. His legs gave way as he collapsed to the ground on his side while the stranger stripped him of his belongings and fled. 

As he laid on the floor, (Y/n) breathed quick, deep breaths as he cried in apology, murmuring to himself before he fell into unconsciousness. "I'm sorry, Jenny. I'm sorry, Jenny. I'm sorry... I'm, I'm sorry..."