𝐋𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐒 𝐔𝐏, avengers: endgame [3]

two.

02 — poetic evaluation.

SILENCE STRETCHED IN THE ROOM filled with Avengers. Many beats passed, as pictures and names all flashed across the hologram computer. It showed a fraction of who was lost to Thanos.

Tony sat at the table, an unreadable look on his face. He had an IV in order to help him along in his healing process... Thanos had really done a number on the man. In more than one way.

"It's been twenty-three days, since Thanos came to Earth." said Rhodey, and Ava could practically feel the grimaces and pain that rippled through the room with that statement.

"World governments are in pieces," Natasha told them, mostly informing Tony, "The parts that are still working are trying to take a census. And it looks like he did... he did exactly what he said he was gonna do. Thanos wiped out fifty percent of all living creatures."

Ava frowned, the phantom feeling of Pietro falling apart in her arms making her nauseous.

"Where is he now? Where?" Tony asked, a stony look on his face.

"We don't know," supplied Steve, holding back a wince. "He just opened a portal and walked through."

Ava's frown deepened, and she glanced over to Thor, who seemed to be deep in thought. His hands were clasped together, and Ava knew it was to stop them shaking. He glanced up, and Ava couldn't even manage to produce a smile.

"What's wrong with him?" asked Tony, staring hard at where Thor sat on a bench.

"Oh, he's pissed," Rocket spoke up, "He thinks he failed. Which, of course, he did. But you know, there's a lot of that going around, ain't there?"

"You all failed," Ava snapped, in Thor's defence. After all, it wasn't fair to put everything on Thor's shoulders. Yes, he had the weapon, but he only got there so fast. Thanos already had all the stones, right?

"Honestly," piped Tony, "until this exact second, I thought you were a Build-A-Bear."

"Maybe I am." Rocket said.

Sensing the tension, Steve chose this moment to speak up. "We've been hunting Thanos for three weeks, now. Deep Space scans, and satellites, and we got nothing." He told them, before settling his gaze on Tony. "Tony, you fought him."

The man himself seemed... surprised. "Who told you that? I didn't fight him. No, he wiped my face with a planet while the Bleecker Street Magician gave away the store. That's what happened. There was no fight—"

He spoke so harshly, so angrily, that most people in the room shrunk in on themselves. Ava didn't know how to react — Tony had always been so... she wasn't even sure what Tony had been.

"Okay." said Steve, cutting him off, not wanting to argue.

"'Cause he's not— he's not beatable." continued Tony, ignoring the increasingly hopeless expressions on people's faces.

"Did he give you any clues? Any coordinates? Anything?" Steve asked, and even Ava was growing annoyed with Steve's questions.

"Do you stop attacking someone to give coordinates, Steve?" Ava bit, annoyance festering in her chest. Tony had been through a lot. They had all been through a lot — Steve should know better. And with how Tony had been talking? He clearly didn't have anything left to give.