Kingdom Come • Avengers Soulmate AU

real life | catch up

"knock knock, you decent?" cartia said, poking her head through her brother's door. "everyone's wrapping your presents for tomorrow, so you can't go downstairs. i thought i'd give you company. can i come in?"

"thanks." jordan smiled at her, moving over to let her sit on his bed next to him.

"do you ever wear a shirt?"

"nope. free the nip, my dude." he jokes, though his smile didn't reach his eyes like normal.

"jordan... can i ask you something?" her brother nods, looking at her straight. "are you okay? like, really? you've seemed... i don't know, distant lately. even sam caught it when you were messaging him."

"i didn't know you'd spoken to him."

"he's my best friend, i talk to him everyday, this was a couple days ago. don't change the subject, what's wrong?"

jordan sighed, tapping his fingers on his leg.

"i guess... we've both found our soulmates. i just... never expected us to find them this early. i thought i'd at least be an adult before even one of them was found. it's been a couple weeks, and i know nothing has really changed, but one day it will." cartia gives him a confused look, tilting her head sideways. "like... what if we stop hanging out? one day we just stop."

"jord, we're going to move out. like heidi and charlotte, we're going to be living with the people we're destined to spend the rest of our lives with. but think about how much we still see them! they're round for dinner at least twice a week, they'll spend the odd weekend with us, and they'll even have a random sleepover if one of us need it! we'll still see each other so much. we're not like normal siblings, everyone knows that. heck, heidi's nearly 30 and she still comes for sleepovers with her little siblings." they laugh.

"yeah, i guess we're a lot closer than a lot of other families."

"we have to be. some days, the only people we have is each other."

"what about when we have our own families?"

"jordan, you're 15. don't tell me you're already thinking about kids."

"no, no. i just... we'll get so busy when we're older we might not have time for each other."

"of course. eventually, our lives will be different. but it'll be so gradual we won't even notice and it'll become as normal as it is now. like, notice how you barely realise you've grown? that's because you see yourself every single day. but i bet when sam comes, he's going to comment on how you've grown at least 4 inches since he last saw you, or how long your damn hair has gotten."

jordan stands up and grabs a drink from his mini-fridge, handing one to his older sister too.

"and i guess, we could all get houses near each other. not too close, but within walking distance would be good. and our kids could be great friends on top of close cousins."

"exactly. and we'll see each other at least once a week, exactly like we first promised 11 years ago. remember? we recite it every year."

"how could i forget?" jordan belly laughs as cartia spills her drink down her front, almost completely missing her mouth. she slurps what she can back before sighing at her clumsiness. "here, i'll get you a shirt." he goes to his wardrobe and throws a shirt at her, nearly causing her to spill more of her drink. he turns his back and waits for her to tell him she was done, throwing her messy, wet shirt in the hamper.

"thanks. i heard some of the guys talking about you all the other day, bucky was saying how already saw all of you like siblings and the others agreed. tony joked about making you all a suit, even tommy, alexis, chris and emily."

"that'd be cool."

"no, you're not getting a suit. but even if they didn't, you will ALWAYS be my little brother. i'm not going anywhere, and you better not either. you're my best friend, jord, always."

cartia grunts as jordan knocks her back, arms tight around her in a strong hug. she laughed, lying back on his bed, holding her little brother in her arms tightly. they stayed like that for a few minutes before jordan started chuckling.

"what's so funny? did you fart? jordan i swear to gods -"

"no, no. i just thought, if only i still lived in england." cartia raised an eyebrow in confusion. "you know, i'm turning 16. if i knew emily and lived in england -" he was cut off with a slap to the back of his head.

"dirty child. not until you're 50."

"oh, but you can?" he teased.

"what? i haven't --"

"you haven't?"

"no!"

"i thought you would've, y'know, cause of the thirst account."

"doesn't mean that would happen within a couple weeks! i've only just had my first kiss with all of them!"

"okay, okay. i surrender. but if it does, tell me. i need to give them the stern talking to."

"you wish."

they looked at each other with straight faces for a few seconds before cracking and breaking into grins, quickly turning into laughter. cartia tumbled backwards and grabbed for her brother, holding onto him to stop herself toppling off the bed. this just made him laugh harder, their laughs turning silent and making it harder to breathe.

"hey, you two? i'm sorry to interrupt, but you should come downstairs, you need to see this."

their eldest sister's worried voice came from the doorway, causing them to look over at her. her face was etched with a frown, making them sober up quickly.

"what's up?"

"something's happened, there's a bunch of articles spouting bs about dad. it's pretty bad."

•••

i love their relationship oh my god

sorry it's a bit short, i want to get the next few chapters out in the next hour because i have an early start tomorrow, and there's quite a few chapters to write and edit.

"SIBLINGS - THE DEFINITION THAT COMPROMISES LOVE, STRIFE, COMPETITION AND FOREVER FRIENDS"
-
byron pulsifer