𝒑𝒖𝒑𝒑𝒆𝒕 || s. rogers & b. barnes

2||; 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒂𝒗𝒆𝒏𝒈𝒆𝒓𝒔 𝒊𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒗𝒆

She stops in front of the men's private bathroom, hand hovering over the doorknob as she hesitates, chest constricting in an uncomfortable manner.

Was it a trap?

Had they found her?

Was she going to be —

Inhaling sharply, she shakes her head, disregarding her thoughts as she turns the knob and enters the bathroom. It's a private one, not with any stalls like fast food places, as they were a more private cafe; with creamy white walls and a cold, harsh black tiled floor, and a toilet in the far corner from the door with the sink across from it, an automatic hand dryer beside it.

By the toilet, turned around so their back faced her, stood a man; tall, probably just about six feet, dressed in a black trench coat, and...

With a glower, she clicks the lock to the bathroom, facing the man with clenched fists. "You've been keeping tabs on me?" She demands.

The man dips his head. "Have been for awhile. You know this..." he slowly turns around, facing her, one eye staring at her with all the knowledge in the world,

"...Irina."

"I want to talk to you about something. A...proposition for your future."

Irina frowns, sending a glare his way. "It's still a no, Fury," she says.

"No. I won't go back to that life."

Fury turns to her fully, hands clasped behind his back as he peers at her, one eye covered in a black eyepatch, the very same she remembers from last year.

"This time it's more than just your future, Irina," Fury begins. "It's the futures of everyone on Earth."

Irina shakes her head. "It's still a no," she replies, crossing her arms over her chest. "I'm done, I told you. I'm trying to get clean. I am...getting clean. Slowly," she mumbles, bitterly glancing at the ground as she recalls her small panic in the bathroom, just that morning.

Fury watches her, observing her like he always does. "I know," he says in a less pushing voice, "but if you just take a look, I think you'll put some more thought into it." He holds up a sleek black tablet, reaching it out to her without another word.

Irina frowns, glancing at it apprehensively, before giving in with a soft sigh and taking the tablet. She turns it on, and the screen lights up.

There's files, videos, information; all of it compacted and organized carefully. She reads and takes in the photos, the videos, every bit of important information.

Gods, a space cube, the Hulk, Captain America, Iron Man...

...her.

The Avengers Initiative.

Irina lets out a long sigh when she's done, handing the tablet back to Fury as she rubs at her temple. "That's...a lot," she mutters. "You got some big guns... God, this is — it's too much. It's..." she looks up at Fury with a frown, "...Why do you think I'm capable? I mean — I'm... I don't think I'm ready to get back into that life. It's only been five years, and I'm doing better, but —"

"Last year you showed me just what you could do," Fury interrupts her, voice steady and calm. "And you showed me that you can do it for good. For not only your life, but others lives, too. The people chosen for this were not chosen lightly, Irina, I can assure you that. And I've recommended you personally for this, because I know you can do it. And you can do it well," he lifts his eyebrows at her. "And my approval is not given easily."

Irina sighs, holding her elbows close to her chest, her foot beginning to tap anxiously. "I don't know what to say, Fury — I don't do that anymore. That can't be my life anymore. It — It can't."

Fury regards her with a determined look, like he knows he's won. "One last fight. That's all we need from you. What the world needs," he says. "One last fight."

Irina looks at the floor.

One last fight.

"Come back with me! We can still fix things! We can still fix you! Just come — come with me!"

One last fight.

"I don't want to be fixed."

One last fight.

"Stop — Stop holding on!! Let go! Let go of this! All of this! This isn't your life! Irina, please! We're — We're meant to be together!"

One last fight.

"I'm sorry."

One last fight.

One last fight.

Irina breathes deeply through her nose, looking up and meeting Fury's eye. It glitters with triumph, and she grimaces.

"One last fight."

𓆩*𓆪