open arms, mcu

twenty

tw: death, blood.

chapter twenty
╰  ( civil war )

💫 ━━ SURVEILLANCE footage from december 16th, 1991 fills the screen.

Paisley is standing by the screen, watching with wide eyes as she witnesses someone's death.

"An empire toppled by its enemies can rise again. But one which crumples from within? That's dead. forever." Zeno smiles wickedly.

Tony freeze's when he looks at the screen, it's familiar, it's something he's seen before. His eyes move frantically as he watches whatever is happening play out on the screen in front of him. "I know that road. What is this?"

The video continues to play. A car that the Winter Soldier had forced off the road crashes into a tree. Smoke is quick to form and the front of the car is completely wrecked. The Winter Soldier rides up on his motorbike and slows to a stop by the wrecked vehicle. The driver lies on the ground beside the car, they're trying to say something. It's Tony's father, Howard Stark.

"Tony-pony." Paisley looks up at the person she would consider an uncle. She's heard stories about Tony's parents, and she never figured that she would be watching their death.

Tony shakes his head. "What are they saying?"

The volume on the screen increases, and the cracking static voices fill the room. "Help my wife. Please. Help."

The Winter Soldier walks over and grabs Howard up by his hair. He stares at Howard's bloody face, a gasp leaving Howard's lips as it all happens. "Sergeant Barnes?" He states, knowing he realizes who he's looking at.

Maria Stark, Tony's mother cries out for her husband. "Howard!"

Tony looks away from the screen, glaring at Bucky who looks towards the man softly. His past is haunting him, and it'll never stop, his life has been stolen from him.

Paisleys fingers are growing blue, holding her magic there as she readies herself for whatever is next.

The Winter Soldier in the video pounds Howard hard in the face with his metal fist. Killing him instantly. Howard slumps dead as the Winter Soldier pulls him back into the car and places him in the drivers seat, placing his head against the steering wheel.

Tony stares in horror as the screen focuses in on his mother. Maria is in the passenger seat with blood streaked down her face from an injury. The Winter Soldier walks around the car and grips her throat. Strangling her. When she stops moving, dead, the Winter Soldier aims a gun at the surveillance camera and shoots.

The room is still. Steve and Paisley watch Tony anxiously, waiting for him to snap. Tony lunges towards Bucky, but Steve stops him quickly.

"Tony. Tony."

Tony who's filled with grief and has tears threatening to spill, looks at Steve. "Did you know?"

Steve lies through his teeth. "I didn't know it was him."

Tony shakes his head. "Don't bullshit me, Rogers! Did you know?!"

Steve stills, but nods. "Yes."

Tony steps back, reengaging the Iron Man helmet of his suit. He punches Steve to the floor and deflects gunfire from Bucky, disarming him too. He grabs Bucky and flies across the chamber, slamming him onto the floor, then placing his foot on the Winter Soliders metal arm. Steve's shield hits Iron Man, the action distracting him.

Paisley stands there frozen. Her two uncles, Steve and Tony are fighting. She isn't sure what to do, it she should blast the room, or alter their surroundings, put them to sleep.