end of all things | avengers

021 | 𝙢𝙞𝙣𝙪𝙨 𝙩𝙬𝙤

BRENDON counted thirteen. Now there's only eleven. He counted again. Wait? Nine-- Oh, he forget Rocket, and Clint was now on his knees. That's still eleven. Thirteen left and, only eleven got back? That can't be right. Who was missing? Brendon's head was still spinning from traveling through. Maybe he counted wrong. He must have counted wrong. He had to have counted wrong. Silence surrounds the group. Okay, maybe he didn't miscount. Maybe they're all noticing there's only eleven people.

"Clint, where's Natasha?" Bruce asked, and then followed, "Wait. Anika as well."

Brendon's heart dropped to the floor. Clint didn't answer. Brendon ran a hand over his face and looked too Clint, who had his eyes trained on the ground. After a beat of silence he looked up, around the group and his eyes landed on Rhodey. "Where's Anika?" Clint asked.

"Rhodey?" Jamie interrupted. "I thought Anika was going with you, Clint?"

"We had a change of plans." Rhodey mumbled. Brendon looked at him, eyes narrowing. Rhodey fell back slightly and leaned on the railing. "She-She was fine. The three of us were together, counted to three together." Rhodey turned to Nebula, who was standing beside him. "You saw Anika with us right? She was next to you. Next to us."

Brendon felt his breath catch in his throat as he looked among the group. Bruce called out to them, bringing attention back to the missing Natasha. Clint just stared on, giving them the answer without saying anything. Brendon let himself fall to floor. The group was silent as Bruce slammed his fist on to the floor making the platform shake. Brendon lifted his head up and glanced at the group.

"Theres a chance Anika felt Natasha die, which caused her not to come back." Brendon said. The group, except from Thor, looked at him curiously. Thor's saddened face morphed into triumph for a second, before realizing more and face falling into sadness once more.

"What do you mean, Dad?" Jamie asked. Brendon shrugged.

"It's um, complicated." He shrugged.

Thor's happy face came back once he realized he was the only one who knew. "They were soulmates!" He said happily. The group looked at him, Brendon just nodded his head, closing his eyes.

"Okay, maybe he did get to the wine cellar." Rocket muttered.

"That's ridiculous, soulmates are just a fable." Tony scoffed.

"No, Thor's right. Anika and Natasha are soulmates." Brendon called. the group focused back at him, some of them scoffing at him.

"Who else are soulmates?" Marvel's voice called. Brendon looked up. The boys eyes were tear stained, obviously pained to know that his aunts are both dead and missing.

"Um. Well, Clint, you and your wife are, which is why this has been so painful for you. Steve, you've had two. Uh, Tony, Marvel, me." Brendon rambled off. The group broke off with questions. Brendon looked at all of them with wide eyes before holding up his hand. He started with Steve, pointing to him. "Howard, and now Jamie. I know weird, but when you met Jamie you switched soulmates. Tony, you and Crimsyn. Marvel, I-I don't know."

"What about you, Dad? You said you had a soulmate." Jamie asked. Tony rolled his eyes.

"For gods sake, Jamison you were named after him." Tony said. "And how'd you even find this out? You can barley work a cell phone."

Brendon forced a chuckle. "Beyond technology, Anthony. A Guardian named Caliban came and told me."

"Caliban he--"

"They." Brendon coughed. Jamie paused for a second.

"Caliban, they came to the house before everything happened." Jamie said. Thor's face brightened.

"Cali?" Thor asked. "They're Loki's soulmate. Kind of heart breaking really. The two of us were in a relationship for ages." The group looked at Thor as he dragged on the word ages. "It ended rather quickly when they became a Guardian. They gained all this knowledge and found out Loki was their soulmate. Caused a lot of drama and my father banned them from Asgard for a while. Rather chaotic actually."

The group stared at the rambling god. Brendon bit his lip and nodded before running a hand down his face. "Let's just hope Anika is okay." He whispered. Brendon pushed himself from the ground and wandered off, deciding it would be best to hide from the other Avengers at the moment. He needed a breather, a break from them and their fights. He wouldn't be surprised if they broke into an argument over Natasha's death, and Anika's disappearance.

After going through so much trauma and death, you'd think Brendon would be immune to it. He wishes that were the case. Every death seemed to be added baggage to his shoulders. Another reminder that although he gets to live one-hundred years, not every one can live past forty. His own son passed away at the age of thirty. That was too young in his opinion. Especially since he didn't look a day over twenty and had been living for longer than one-hundred years. Nothing seemed to be fair when it came to Brendon and his family. His life was nothing but a crazy roller coaster that wouldn't stop. Even if he's tried to stop it in the past. His powers never really allowed that anyway.

Brendon knew they would win. They were going to get everyone back. Maybe not Natasha, hopefully Anika. But, Bucky, Silas, Sarah, Easton, and everyone who disappeared thirteen years ago. They'll be brought back. And A part of Brendon is scared for that. He knows and realizes what must happen for that to happen. That's another reason why all of this is so unfair. He knows what's going to happen and he knows there is no way to stop it from happening. He needs to let fate run its course.

Caliban warned him of that after all.

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author's note
this was not what i originally planned for this chapter which is why it took so long so i apologize, i started school again today (all online) it was so exhausting omg, hope y'all aren't having to much trouble with school
any who have a great night/day/afternoon/morning my dudes gals and enbys :))

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( 01/05/2021 )