"You're telling me," Tony said slowly, "That you came to this universe after dying in yours."
"Yep,"
"So the thing about you being an alien?"
"Technically true."
Then Loki, who actually looked surprised for once, asked, "But, you... you saw the future."
Nodding, "Yep, I did."
"How?"
"Well," I did not want to tell them about being fictional characters in my universe, if somebody ever told me that I would have the biggest crisis in existence, "You see back in my world I saw the future of yours. I never thought I would actually meet you guys and let me tell you, when I found out about soulmates I had a lot of questions. Like a lot, but it's been cool after a little minor freak out."
"You had a vision of us before even being in this world? And you didn't know about... soulmates?" I could tell he wanted to ask if I knew they were my soulmates, but I just shook my head.
"Yeah, I had no idea soulmates were a thing. Really romantic though, the rate of teenage pregnancy is so low in this world- amazing truly. But yeah, I saw a... vision of your world ending. Never expected to actually be here though, so when I did end up here I thought I could do something to prevent it." Shrugging, I could see the shock on their faces.
"Your powers," Bucky asked, "You had them in your universe as well then?"
"Nope," I said, "After I died I was stuck in this white space with some Mysterious Voice that made me spin a giant wheel of fortune. It gave me my powers and then trained me on using them."
Tony's mouth fell open and I could hear him whispering, "What the fuck?"
"Yeah, I know. I said the same thing." I nodded in agreement with him, "Anyways this giant purple alien called Thanos decides that the answer to all of the world's problems is destroying half the population of the entire universe. Loki, you know him, asshole right?"
Loki frowned, but nodded.
"So to do this he decides to collect the infinity stones, these six immensely powerful objects tied to different aspects of the universe, created by the Big Bang from six singularities. Well, when I came to this world I was kinda like 'Aliana, you know where all of the gems are and you have these cool new powers' so I decided to collect them before he could."
Loki's eyes widened and he asked, "Aliana, you haven't been collecting the most powerful artifacts in the universe by yourself have you?"
I blushed, but nodded.
Steve held up a hand, as if to stop everything for a moment, "Aliana, you saw the end of the world and tried to solve it by yourself? Why? Why not ask us for help? Our job is to save the world."
I groaned, "I didn't want to screw up what I had seen. My only advantage is knowing the future, what if I fucked it up and then everything changed?"
Bucky looked down, clenching his hands, "We could have figured it out together."
Damn these motherfuckers made me feel guilty. But I still reached down into my purse and pulled out the box, placing it down on the table in front of us and opening it up. The three jewels inside glowed even under the sunlight, the pure power in them radiating throughout the room.
"Are those-?" Bucky didn't even finish asking the question but I nodded.
"The infinity gems: reality, power and space." I closed the box and locked it once again, "They are protected with me, I've been blocking their signal for years now."
Tony looked like he just realized something, "Then, that stone in Vision. It's another gem?"
"Yep," I said, "The mind gem. I got it from Loki's staff and used it to give the twins their powers as well. I didn't want to make him a target for Thanos, but he's not only a great warrior but an important part of the future as well." I smiled as I thought about how he and Wanda were so in love. I couldn't take that away from her, not even for the mind gem.
But there was still one thing they had to know. However, as soon as I opened my mouth Steve interrupted, "Wait, if in your world you didn't have soulmates, does that mean you have no soulmarks?"
Bucky and Tony gave Steve a scandalized look, "Steve, you can't just ask that!" Bucky said.
Steve blushed, "What?" Then he looked at me, "Is that why you kept rejecting us? Because you don't know about mates?"
"Steve, I've lived in this world for four years now. I know about mates," He looked embarrassed, but I took a deep breath and continued, "And I do have soulmarks. I got them about half a year after living here."
Everyone except Loki gave me a heartbroken look, which I was sadly beginning to get rather familiar with.
"Oh," Said Bucky sadly, "Yeah, that makes sense." Man even cleared his throat like he was the second male lead in a Hallmark movie.
"There really isn't a good way to say this, but before I do let me explain myself. I always planned on dying." They started protesting, but I raised a hand and continued, "I have tested my powers and to destroy the gems would be impossible for me. My abilities are to control and explore the mind, they're not energy related. It would exhaust my powers to destroy one infinity gem, let alone four. I would have to use the gems to destroy each other, which would kill me."
Looking down I said, "And the last gem- the soul stone- it demands a sacrifice. A soul for a soul. There was no way that I was going to sacrifice someone for it, so I was going to sacrifice myself."
Steve let out a sound rather like a whimper, "Were you just going to die alone? Without telling anyone?"
I gave him a sad smile, "That's why I told Wanda. She is capable of destroying the stones herself, she wouldn't die trying. I was going to take her to Vormir, where the soul stone is, and then have her destroy all four stones right there. It would leave no trace and the danger of half the universe being destroyed would be over."
As I looked at them I could tell they did not agree at all with what I had said, "Guys, the lives of half the people in this universe versus mine. It's not even a question is it? It has to be done."
Tony shook his head, "No," He argued, "All this self sacrificing bullshit. There has to be another way! You can't just carry all this weight by yourself."
I sighed and smiled, Tony would always be the genius that believed that if there wasn't another way he could just make one, "That's why I'm telling you guys. If there is another way- one where I don't have to die- I'm willing to try it."
They all calmed down and seemed relieved. It was a nice moment, us just sitting there and smiling at each other, a moment of peace. But of course, Bucky just had to go and ruin it.
"So what was it?" He asked, "What you wanted to tell us?"
I immediately felt my heart race increase- this was it, "It would be easier just to show you guys." I then stood up and took off my sweater, leaving me in only my bra and leggings.
"Aliana, what are you doing?" Steve asked, blushing. God, he acted like a blushing virgin which I knew damn well he wasn't.
"Please just, don't be too angry." I begged, then let down all the barriers keeping my soulmarks hidden.
AN: Thank y'all for your support while I took my first exam! I wanted to let y'all know that I did really well! So to celebrate I will update today and on Saturday as usual!
Also, can y'all believe that our girl Ali finally told the truth- I was beginning to believe it would never happen.