Twenty five

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Emil stepped up onto the time travel machine platform with a long stride. He followed behind Natasha as the team assembled in a circle, all facing inwards towards each other. Emil could feel the tension in the air. Anticipation and anxiety curled in his pocket. He tugged on the collar of his suit. It was the same as all the others. Based of the ant man design but in colours of red and white with the avengers insignia on the breast. On each of their right wrists sat the time watch, as Tony had dubbed it. It was the device which controlled where and when they went. If they lost it, they were stuck.

Emil was a true avenger now. Missions, badge and everything. He wondered if Peter would be proud. Or if his boyfriend would be excited. It was getting harder to think about how Peter would have reacted. It was over a year for Emil. Over five for the world. He just hoped that it wouldn't be much longer.

Steve took a deep breath and straightened his shoulders. He looked around at them all with a set expression, meeting each of their eyes in turn. "Five years ago we lost", he stated clearly. "We lost friends, we lost family. We also lost apart of ourselves". His eyes meet Emil's. Emil raised his chin and stared back with determination as he squared his shoulders. He would do this, what ever it took.

"Today we have a chance to take it all back. You know your teams. You know your missions. One round trip each", Steve reminded them. As a unit, they all held their right fists in to the middle of the circle as a sort of salute.

"All for one and one for all", Emil whispered. Tony stifled a snort.

"I never thought I'd say this but I have missed your pop culture references", he sighed. "Let's hope we bring him, them all back". Him and Emil shared a smile.

"No screwups or do overs", Steve continued his speech with a pointed glare at Tony and Emil. Both of them shut up. "Most of us are going somewhere we know. But this doesn't mean that we should know what to expect. Be careful and look out for each other. This is the fight of our lives. And we're going to win".

He stated it for such certainty that Emil could almost believe that it was true. That the fact that they were going to win was a nonnegotiable fact. They had to win. It was the only way. And the cost of losing, well that was something Emil couldn't bare to think about.

"What ever it takes. Good luck". Steve nodded at them all and stepped into his position on the pad.

"He's pretty good at that", Rocket remarked.

"Right?" Scott nodded with a grin.

"Nothing like a speech from uncle Steve to get the blood pumping", Emil grinned. Scott laughed as he moved into position. Next to Emil, Natasha snorted.

"Alright. Get those keys pumping jolly green", Scott called. Bruce was messing with the control pad. Emil hoped that he knew which keys he was pressing. He didn't want to end up like baby Scott. Bruce waved a big green hand at them.

"Yeah yeah".

"You promise to bring that back in one piece right", Rocket stated, watching Clint with a scrutinising glare. Clint tucked the miniaturised ship into his pocket with a noncommittal noise. It was the guardians of the galaxy ship and it meant a good deal to Nebula and Rocket. Both of them were eyeing Clint wearily.

"Yeah yeah yeah, do my best". Clint gave them a weak grin.

Rocket was unamused. "As promised go, that was pretty shit".

"Don't worry guys", Emil gave the raccoon a reassuring smile. "I'll look after it". Rocket seemed to accept this better than Clint. He nodded and waved his paw. Back at the control panel, Bruce was coming to the end of his button pressing.

"You ready?" He called as he came round to stand in position.

Nat grinned challengingly over at Steve. "See you in a minute". Emil waved at them all as their helmets drew up around their faces. Around them, the machines began to hum. The power charging up as everything seemed to turn. Emil closed his eyes and began counting down in his head.

Four

Three

Two

One

——

2014

Time travel, Emil learned very quickly, was not like teleporting. Teleporting was something natural to him. A feeling of stepping through a door and exiting somewhere else. Time travel seemed to pull, push and squeeze him all at once. It was a feeling of compression and being ripped through walls. It was draining and almost unnatural. It was something he would rather not do again, Emil decided. After this, hopefully there should never be a reason too.

Emil landed on his feet in a grassy field somewhere in the US. His knees immediately buckled and he lay in the grass breathing heavily for a second. Around him, Natasha, Clint, Nebula and Rhodes watched him. They had all managed to remain on their feet but some of them staggered at the head pounding feeling. Emil pushed himself up once the world had stopped spinning.

"Are you going to unshrink that thing or what?" Rhodes asked as his helmet visor lifted up. Emil pressed a button on his time travel suit. The whole thing seemed to melt away and back into the storage buckle on his belt. Nanotech really was a amazing thing. Underneath he was wearing his usual combat suit. It was still the same one Shuri had designed for him after his and Peter's fight with the vulture almost even years ago. He had chosen different weapons for this trip. On his belt was a long curled whip what could conduct electricity as well was the  beautiful blue blade he had picked up when in space with Carol. They were simple, but weapons he was comfortable and confidant using.

Clint nodded and took the tiny ship out of his pocket. He handed it to Nebula who walked a short distance away from them and set it in the grass. She returned and watched the ship for a second.

"How long is it going to take?" Rhodes asked.

"Scott said to throw this at it", Clint muttered. He stared down at the tiny blue disk in his hand in confusion. The threw it experimentally at the ship. It hit with a small metallic noise and the ship expanded. Everyone took a step back as it burst into full size in front of their faces.

"Imagine how much food you can smuggle into a cinema with that", Emil spoke with awe. Rhodes gave him a weird look.

"Dude, how much do you eat?"

Emil shrugged. "It depends. When Peter and I would go on dates, we'd quite regularly eat about three meals each. We both have stupidly high metabolisms with all the powers and stuff. It used to cost us a fortune at the cinema".

Rhodes whistled. "Damn kid. Remind me never to offer to buy you food".

Nat cracked her knuckles with fierce expression. She and Nebula began walking towards the ship. "Are you boys coming?" She called. "We've stones to collect". Emil broke into a jog to catch up with her.

"I claim dibs on the copilot seat!" He called.


Unedited

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