Ant-Man: The Smallest Avenger (Male Reader Insert)

2.6 Down, but Not Out

The team was at an all time low. Loki had escaped and Thor was missing. Pym was the only one who knew the location of the tesseract, but he was still unconscious, recovering from his injuries. T'Challa was beside his sister, trying to help her fight off the remaining bits of Loki's spell. Natasha was beside herself. She had done what she set out to do and rescued the princess, but at the cost of their prisoner escaping and Coulson's life.

Y/N, Peggy, and Peter were all sitting at the round table on the bridge. Y/N was trying to process what just happened. For the first time in his hero career, a great man was killed and he could do nothing about it. Fury was standing by the table with his head down, looking at some trading cards. 

Fury: These were in Phil Coulson's jacket. I guess he never did get you to sign them. 

He threw the cards over to Peggy. They were Captain Carter trading cards. Y/N sighed at the realization. Coulson was also a Captain Carter fan.

Fury: We're dead in the air up here. Our communications, the location of the cube, Thor... I got nothing for you. I lost my one good eye. Maybe I had that coming.

Fury sighed before looking back up. He decided to clear things up and set the record straight.

Fury: Yes, we were going to build an arsenal with the tesseract. I never put all my chips on that number, though, because I was playing something even riskier. There was an idea, L/N knows this, called the 'Avengers Initiative.' The idea was to bring together a group of remarkable people, to see if they could become something more. To see if they could work together when we needed them to, to fight the battles that we never could. Phil Coulson died still believing in that idea. In heroes.

Peter had enough. He got up from his seat and walked out of the room. Y/N watched him go before getting up to follow him.

Fury: Well, it's an old-fashioned notion. 

Shuri was waking up. She found herself strapped to a gurney with her hands restrained. She blinked a few times before a massive migraine hit her. Everything was fuzzy. When she concentrated, she found her brother sitting beside her.

T'Challa: Take deep breaths. You're going to be alright. Just focus.

Shuri: You know that? You know I'm going to be alright?

T'Challa: You are a warrior. But above all else, you have a strong mind. You can push him out. 

Shuri took a few deep breaths and concentrated. Her vision became sharper as her mind cleared. She was finally able to flush out the last remnants of Loki's control. She was sweating profusely. T'Challa grabbed a nearby towel and dried her forehead. He then began to loosen her straps.

Shuri: How did you get him out?

T'Challa: A new friend gave you a nasty blow to the head. 

Shuri: Tell them I said thanks.

T'Challa: I'll make sure to do so. For now, just concentrate. You need rest. 

Shuri: Loki. Did he get away?

T'Challa: I'm afraid so. I don't suppose you know where?

Shuri: I didn't need to know. I didn't ask. All I know is that he's going to move soon. Today.

T'Challa: Don't worry about that right now. Rest. Regain your strength.