look after you × winterwidow & oc

IX. assemble

October 17th, 2023

"Do this again."

Katya frowned, looking at Tony. She didn't do anything. She told everyone about Vormir and Melina's sacrifice a few minutes ago, accepted all the condolences and now stood between Stark and Rocket and observed as Tony operated the six robotic arms, each holding an Infinity Stone.

"Do what?"

"Scratch your head. Or just lift your arm, whatever."

Rocket frowned too, looking at him completely confused. "What are you on?"

"Just do it."

Shrugging, Katya did as told. She lifted her arm and waved.

And one of the stones burst out of the grip and followed her movements. She felt her eyes widened as she tracked the stone, her gaze flicking between it and her hand.

"What the hell...?"

"Which stone is it, again?" Bruce asked. It was the blue one.

"Space." Rocket said, eyeing Katya. "Is there something you want to tell us?"

"Like what?" Katya opened her arms. The stone kept following. "I have no idea why is it doing that!"

"Yeah, I might have an idea." Tony interrupted. "Stop moving and step away, better safe than sorry." Katya rolled her eyes but did as told. "This little guy." he said, catching the wandering Stone and guided all six towards the gauntlet, where six recesses showed, ready to accept the stones. "It was inside the Tesseract. Pop Quiz, in whose possesion was it for decades?"

"S.H.I.E.L.D.'s" Bruce answered. The Stones locked inside the gauntlet.

"And who was infiltrating Nick Fury and friends for about as long?"

The puzzles clicked in place in Katya's head. "Hydra."

"The very same that experimented on you." Tony concluded. "Have you ever wondered how did you get your powers, little miss Nostradamus?"

"I did, but..."

"No buts, unless you have a better theory."

"Okay, can we leave the conspiracies for later?" Rocket suggested. "I would rather we check if that Stone won't pop out if she blinks near it. 'Cause that would complicate things, you know. And we still have to decide who's gonna snap their freaking fingers."

"I volunteer as a tribute." Katya said, lifting her arm.

"First, no sudden movements from you." Tony warned, getting the gauntlet out and carrying it to an another table. The rest was waiting near. "Second, absolutely not."

"But one stone already likes me!" she protested. Clint looked at her, confused.

"Likes you, or wants to kill you. We don't know if what you have was given or taken. Maybe it wants it back."

"I don't think foundation of the universe would let anything be taken from it but-"

"I'll do it." Thor interrupted. For a brief moment, when the rest started bickering and the god tried to convince them he was the right chose, Katya thought about snatching the gauntlet. But only for a second. It wasn't what Melina died for. Although she understood Thor, when he pleaded to let him do something right, something good. She felt the same.

"It's gotta be me." Bruce said. "You saw what those Stones did to Thanos. They almost killed him. None of you could survive.

"How do we know you will?" Steve asked.