The Ancient Sorceress ~Loki x Bucky AU~

Chapter 77

*Shadows' POV*

"Five years ago..." Ugh...listening to this man already makes me want to pluck my ears and eyes out. "I had a heart attack and dropped right in the middle of my backswing." I made fast eye contact with Sam and rolled my eyes. He had to stop himself from laughing. "Turned out it was the best round of my life because after 13 hours of surgery and a triple bypass...I found something 40 years in the Army had never taught me. Perspective."

No one made a move. No one made a sound. Everyone looked so uptight and tense. Tony was seated in the corner and I was doing everything I could to not talk to everyone telepathically. I shifted my weight in my chair, my back becoming stiffer than before. I just prayed that I wouldn't have any type of episodes in front of this guy.

I fiddled with the drawstrings of my sweats while I listened to him drown on. "The world owes the Avengers an unpayable debt. You have fought for us, protected us, risked your lives...but while a great many people see you as heroes...there are some who would prefer the word "vigilantes"."

I heard Natasha suck in an almost inaudible scoff. Only the enhanced could hear it. She gave him a crooked smirk before speaking in a level tone. "What word would you use, Mr. Secretary?"

"How about "dangerous"?" Ross shot back immediately.

My eyes found Wanda's immediately. I knew she was on edge being here. She knew Ross would more than likely bring up what happened in Lagos. I flashed my eyes at her, a sign showing her I was there for her.

"What would you call a group of US-based, enhanced individuals who routinely ignore sovereign borders and inflict their will wherever they choose and who, frankly, seem unconcerned about what they leave behind?" Ross steps aside to pull up video footage of past battles the Avengers had fought in.

"New York." The screams of the people rang through my ears. Bits of images of the Chitauri flashed through my eyes as I relived one of the scariest and happiest days of my life. "Washington DC." I wrapped my hands around the glass of water sitting in front of me. I despised these events because this is when Hydra got me but that's when the Avengers saved me and I finally had both mates. "Sokovia." Everyone in the room flinched at this one. Ultron was surely hated. "Lagos." I squeezed my eyes shut as my anger began to grow.

Ross had no right to come in here and speak on these events like he could do better. I could feel my powers bubbling because I knew that Lagos was still fresh on Wanda's mind. I squeezed the glass tighter, hoping I could distract myself. The thin glass began to crystallize with ice, freezing the water. The room got a bit colder and everyone else's glasses began to freeze. Steve was the first to notice as he sat right next to me. He placed a hand on my thigh discretely and slammed his hand against the table. "Alright enough!"

Ross didn't seem to care about anything other than what he came here to do. "For the past four years you've operated with unlimited power and no supervision. That's an arrangement the governments of the world can no longer tolerate." I looked back towards Tony, noticing how he was fiddling with his hands, which is what he does when he's nervous or worried. "But I think we have a solution."

He proceeded to lay a fat book of paperwork in front of Wanda, "The Sokovia Accords. Signed by 117 countries, it states that the Avengers shall no longer be a private organization. Instead they'll operate under the supervision of the United Nations panel only when and if that panel deems it necessary."

I couldn't help but scoff. I clenched my fists as pain shot through my side.

"The Avengers were formed to make the world a safer place. I feel we've done that." Steve countered, standing up for the team as a whole.