BOMBSHELL. ❪ Steve Rogers ❫ ✓

ten

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Tony, rescued by Carol, was sitting at a table, getting blood for healing with the rest of the team. A holographic casualty report listed the names and faces of those lost to the Decimation.

"It's been twenty-three days since Thanos came to Earth," informed Rhodey.

"World governments are in pieces. The parts that are still working are trying to take a census. And it looks like he did... He did exactly what he said he was gonna do. Thanos wiped out fifty percent, of all living creatures," added Natasha.

"Where is he now? Where?" demanded Tony.

Steve shrugged lightly. "We don't know. He just opened a portal and walked through."

A sullen-looking Thor was sitting on a bench, lost in thought as Ophelia laid an arm around his shoulders and whispered consoling words into his ear. 

"What's wrong with him?" questioned Tony.

"Oh, he's pissed. He thinks he failed. Which of course he did, but you know there's a lot of that's going around, ain't there?" Rocket muttered.

Tony squinted. "Honestly, until this exact second, I thought you were a Build-A-Bear."

Rocket shrugged weakly. "Maybe I am."

"Who's she?" added Tony.

"His sister," answered Steve. "We've been hunting Thanos for three weeks now. Deep Space scans, and satellites, and we got nothing. Tony, you fought him."

"Who told you that?" He feigned a shocked expression. "I didn't fight him. No, he wiped my face with a planet while the Bleecker Street Magician gave away the store. That's what happened. There was no fight. He's unbeatable."

"Did he give you any clues, any coordinates, anything?" pressed Steve.

Tony scoffed. "I saw this coming a few years back. I had a vision. I didn't wanna believe it. Thought I was dreaming."

"Tony, I'm gonna need you to focus."

"And I needed you," he spat out. "As in past tense. That trumps what you need. It's too late buddy. Sorry. You know what I need?" Tony stood up, pushing items off the table with a clatter. "I need to shave. And I believe I remember telling all youse - " Tony went for Steve, but Rhodey quickly intervened. "Alive and otherwise what we needed was a suit of armor around the world! Remember that? Whether it impacted our precious freedoms or not - That's what we needed!"

Steve pushed back his shoulders. "Well, that didn't work out, did it?"

"I said, 'We'd lose.' You said, 'We'll do that together too.' And guess what, Cap? We lost. And you weren't there. But that's what we do, right? Our best work after the fact? We're the Avengers, we're the Avengers. Not the Prevengers," Tony spat.

Ophelia laid her head on Thor's shoulder. "You're all I have left, Thor."

He turned his head and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "You're the only remaining blood I have left, sister."

"Do you hear them out there?" she whispered. "This is your team? The one you've been traveling to?"

He nodded. "Seems I wasn't made to have a family."

Tony ripped his Arc Reactor from his chest and shoved it into Steve's hand. "Here, take this. You find him and you put that on. You hide."

He fell to the ground, and Steve was by his side as everyone gathered around.

"Tony!" exclaimed Steve.

"I'm fine. I..." He fainted.