Chapter Text
Steve Roger’s (Captain America) pushed open the large metal door to the Avengers main conference room and was met with the familiar faces of all the Avengers already sat down in the room, spread out around an oval table in the middle. Earlier that morning Steve at been at Buckys and his favourite coffee shop just downtown from the avengers compound. Waiting for his order to be called, a ding sounded from his pocket and Steve scrambled for his phone. He pulled it out and struggled to open it for about 20 seconds before opening it and was met with a message from Tony Stark (Ironman).
He tapped on the message begrudgingly.
“Meeting now” He read the first sentence of the message and already felt his stomach sink.
He sighed softly, Tony’s meetings where never really meetings more like…something Tony always got away with (Which to put in perspective, he gets away with a lot of things). Some of the topics from Tony’s meetings include:
“How many rubber duckies have been situated in each of the bathrooms in the Avengers compound?” (Too many)
“Why Tony deserved to be the leader of the Avengers” (That one didn’t go well at all)
And “Why Steve should from now on be called Captain Capsicle” (He particularly didn’t like that one)
Even so he continued to read the message. “Like right now now. No I’m not telling you why, but all of you get your pretty butts over to the main meeting room” A winky face emoji ended the message.
Steve stared at the message for a long moment. Wow. Now that was the kind of thing that guaranteed to make every Avenger suddenly remember they had somewhere else to be. Steve included. Every alarm in his head went off at once. Tony’s meetings were already a gamble, but this one felt like a disaster waiting to happen, and that was saying something by Tony’s standards.
He pinched the bridge of his nose, partly out of frustration (well… mostly), but also because he knew he didn’t have a choice. He had to go. He was the anchor that kept Tony from drifting too far off the deep end. Tony never knew when to stop, and that’s how they’d ended up with Ultron, and a handful of other catastrophes Steve refused to think about.
He wondered how a man with a whole arsenal of special agents and hero’s always ended up making dangerous decisions all by himself.
That was exactly why he needed to be there.
Still, he doubted he’d be the only one showing up. Some people actually found Tony’s meetings entertaining, mostly Clint. And maybe, in a one‑percent, miracle-level chance, the meeting would be productive. Steve wasn’t holding onto that hope.
The barista called his name, pulling him from his thoughts. He pocketed his phone, grabbed his order, and exhaled.
This was going to be a disaster.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Steve used his shoulder to shove the door open, two cups of coffee, rendering his hands full. His eyes widening from the sight in front of him.
Scott Lang (Antman) was sat next to Thor Odinson (God of thunder). Scott had a stack of cards in his right hand. He waved his left hand over the cards and they suddenly disappeared which got a loud gasp from Thor whose eyes were wide and mouth open, looking like a star struck child at it. Scott made a ‘Bleh’ sound and all the cards fell out of his mouth one by one, unscathed. Thor squealed and started throwing questions at Scott who was now bowing proudly.
Natasha Romanoff (Black Widow) was sat next to Clint Barton (Hawkeye). Clint had his bow in his hands, arrow already steadied in place and string flexed. Natasha looked two seconds away from stabbing him out of pure annoyance. Clint shot at everything he could which was mostly stuff that was expensive and that Tony would lecture him for later on. He shot the lights, the vase in the corner, and even Steve, who ducted last second and looked up to see a guilty looking Clinton.
Bruce Banner (Hulk) was in the corner, hair slightly ruffled but his uniform looking neat as always. He was looking at nothing specifically but Steve could tell he had better things to do right now then come to one of Tony’s meetings.
Sam was sat on the side of the table, surrounded by various tools and gadgets. In the middle was his robot, redwing. His eyebrows were furrowed as he carefully twisted something inside redwing making it flicker to life, lifting into the air. A grin spread on Sam’s face before Redwing buffered for a second and them completely backtracked. Bits of metal and screws came flying around as Redwing smashed back onto the table. Steve didn’t enjoy Sam’s Colorful language.
Steve wasn’t sure what do think of it, he wasn’t surprised by the chaos that had filled the room, he was even more surprised why everyone had decided to come. He thought Clint or even Bruce would decide begrudgingly to attend but even Scott came? Really? Scott? (He hadn’t come to any of the meetings so far, using a variety of excuses Steve thought were mildly amusing). Did everyone get a bribe from Tony to come? (Which did happen once). His thoughts were paused as a man waved him over from his seat.
Bucky.
Steve’s face softened slightly as he saw Buck, relief filling his chest. Maybe this meeting wasn’t going to as bad after all.
Steve walked over, maneuvering through the chaos and narrowly avoiding one of Clint’s arrows again.
“Hey” Steve said casually as he sat down on the chair next to the metal armed man. He handed him his coffee and took a sip of his. For the first time he let himself smile, really smile. Genuine.
Bucky took the cup of coffee, sniffing it before taking a large gulp of it “Steve! Didn’t think you’d come in time” A smile tugged at Bucks lips as he looked over at the chaos that where called his teammates. “I’m surprised they aren’t warming up to go through another one of Tony’s meeting”
Steve snorted softly “I’m more surprised everyone showed up. What, did you guys get a bribe from Tony? Or some promised trinket?”
“You mean paying for our therapy after we’re done with the meeting? No sadly, but maybe we could try to catch him up on that” Bucky placed the now empty coffee cup on the table, wiping the top of his mouth. Sometimes Steve forgot how much caffeine Bucky could take, Especially paired with the enhanced metabolism from the super serum.
“Maybe we should…” Steve trailed off as he leaned back in his chair eyeing the room around them. Everything seemed to be polished and clean. The walls, the floors, the table and even the chairs, all of it was so clean that Steve could see his reflection in the table. To think about it, the whole avengers compound had this type of cleanliness to it. Stark had millions in his bank and could probably hire all the cleaners in the state if he wanted too and Tony had definitely came to that realization. Steve had seen cleaners every meter he went and kind of seemed like an extension of this place by now. He didn’t know how many there where and they seemed to be the main population besides the Shield agents that worked on the location.
He was thrown out of his thoughts as the table suddenly rattled violently.
He looked up to see four big boxes and Tony at the head of the table, bustling through the boxes he seemed to have brought in, looking through them. Well it wasn’t really “Looking” More truthfully, he was making a big disaster. Papers where thrown across the room, files where shoved on the table and items where now on the floor. Somehow a rubber duck was thrown into Steve’s face, which made him scowl and fling the toy on the floor.
Everyone had forgotten what they were doing and had their heads turned towards the front, even Clint who was mid draw was now was focused on the scrambling inventor. How could the room get even more confusing.
A timid voice breaks the silence “Uhm… Mister Stark, sir? Why are we here exactly?”
A person near the front, who couldn’t be older than eighteen, questioned. Steve had met this kid multiple times, some in the battlefield but most as allies. Peter Parker Or Spider-Man when he put on the mask. Steve had always respected him not only for his age but because of his sheer willpower. Though more weirdly he earned the title of being of Tonys favourite. Steve didn’t know how he did it but Peter had gotten more visits and upgrades to his suit than Steve had gotten since he and Tony first met, maybe it because he was a kid but well… he didn’t seem like a normal kid. He’d seen him hold up more weight than Steve could even fathom, stop Buckys metal arm punches and hold a ship that had been split in two together. Peter wasn’t always around though, he had to manage going at school and being a superhero. So “Normal” had been scratched out entirely.
“Because today is the day that some changes happen,” Tony put forth as he slammed a couple folders onto the table with a proud look on his face.
The expressions on the Avengers shifted, mostly to confusion at Tony’s statement. Steve’s stomach strained a bit, Tony being excited about something meant putting all the avengers lives at risk.
“What do you mean by ‘changes?” The former red room assassin questioned, raising an eyebrow slightly
Tony grinned “Great question, Natasha! Round of applause.”
Natasha gave an unamused look but didn’t say anything more, leaning back into her chair.
As it went back to silence Tony clapped his hands twice, and immediately blue holograms flickered around him. Steve squinted trying to make out what they were. From what he could tell they where 3D structures of people or atleast some of them where. The holograms circled around Tony slowly. A name had been situated to each of them.
Moon knight,
daredevil,
Deadpool,
Venom
That was what he could make out of the names. He didn’t know if he was the only one but he didn’t have any idea who these people where or why Tony had 3D hologram structures of them.
“Who are these people?” Steve asked, folding his arms as he leaned forward, curious.
“These Capsicle,” He took a large pause which Steve thought was unnecessary “Are potential recruits” Tony replied, breathing out like he’d practiced this before.
What.
That pause should’ve been longer. The whole room went silent, the kind of silent you’d find when you’d be dropped on the midnight zone, the kind of quiet your pretty sure you went deaf. Maybe the air went out of the room because everyone seemed to be holding onto their breath. Tony looked around, his eyes studying each of the avengers reactions with barely contained energy.
“Knew recruits? I-I don’t think I hear you right Tony” Bruce sputtered out, breaking the long silence. He pushed up his glasses slightly, folded his hands on the table and leaned foreword, Almost looking like he was hoping he did hear Tony wrong but so hoped Steve.
“You heard me right Bruce, New recruitments, new teammates, new players whatever you want to call it. But don’t you guys worry I thought you run it through you guys first”
“First time for everything am I right?” Scott remarked, a small laugh lacing the end of his words, which resonated across the room.
Before Tony could shoot back at him Clint squinted at one of the recruits.“Hey! That guy tried to stab me last year!”
He said, pointing a finger to a hologram of a guy called “Deadpool.”
“Yeah, well, I don’t blame him, Clint” Tony shot back
Steve just stared at the holograms. These were going to be the new recruitments? He didn’t want to be rude or anything but none of these people looked like they where recruitment energy or even likable energy. His eyes focused on one of the holograms showcasing one of the recruits, who was called “Eddie Brock” thanks to the big, bold, illuminated letters underneath. The man looked normal for all he could tell, face looked fine, clothes weren’t flashy spandex but was only a white sweater and jeans.
Why would Tony want to recruit him?
The hologram flicked for a short second and Steves brows furrowed slightly. The hologram shifted from the man to something that could only be described as being ripped straight from a horror film. What stood now in place of the man was a towering, highly muscular human…thing? He didn’t know what to label it as. He could only guess what it was but the white pupil-less eyes and long tongue that was pouring out of the sharp teeth filled mouth made a cold shiver go down his spine. He begrudgingly looked closer and instantly regretted it. The things body was covered in a kind of goo or slime, black in colour. The only other colour was the white eyes and the white spider emblem on its chest. Below the letters had changed to “Venom”.
Tony straightened, somehow looking more professional than his earlier appearance.
“Look,” he said, tapping the neat pile of files, “these individuals are each powerful in their own right. And I don’t mean cute powerful, I mean could probably rival our own power, powerful. S.H.I.E.L.D. has practically zero intel on them. For all we know, they’re hiding world‑domination plans, working for some shadowy corporation, or juggling three different personalities like it’s a hobby.”
He glanced around the table, eyes narrowing.
“Have any of you even met one of them? Seen them in action? No? Didn’t think so.”
“I actually have—” Peter began, raising a hand.
Tony immediately pressed a finger to Peter’s lips.
“You don’t count. You know everyone. And everyone loves you.” He placed hand over his chest, striking a proud, dramatic pose.
While Peter huffed and sank back in his chair, resigned to his fate.
Steve cleared his throat loudly snapping Tony out of whatever bizarre Dad‑Son moment they drifted into.
“So,” Steve said, folding his arms “are we just… recruiting people against their will now?”
Tony scoffed but it wasn’t mean, it was softer. It was like he didn’t know why he had to explain himself to the team and just thought everyone would just go along with his fairy tale mission.
“I’m not forcing anyone into this team.” Tony said. The sudden softness in his voice made some people look up too meet Tony’s eyes
“I’m giving these people a home, a team, hope, and something to anchor them, too, to make sure they don’t fall into the wrong hands. I mean, think of HYDRA, some evil company or a cosmic being with a superiority complex. All of these people would want someone like these rogues to join them and probably won’t stop until they do.
“I don’t want that to happen and I don’t think any of you want that too.”
Steve was kind of surprised by what had come over Tony, he seemed to be genuine about this. Which was part of the many surprises brought upon Steve today. Was Tony…worried about these Rouges? It didn’t really match up with Tony’s usual image. The rouges seemed perfectly fine by themselves, they weren’t little kids playing hero.
So why this sudden shift? The concern?
Steve studied him for a long moment, trying to see through him.
Tony’s shoulders were tense, eyes darting around and jaw tight, even though Tony tried to hide it behind his mask of sarcasm. Definitely not Tony coded at all.
Maybe, Tony saw something in these people….something the others hadn’t. Something of himself.
“I’m not really sure Tony, I mean these are dangerous people and I’m not really catching a vibe that they even want to be recruited” Bruce stammered slightly, flicking his hand to the holograms, specifically Deadpool’s.
Tony’s eyes narrowed at Bruce, fingers curling to grip the table harder.
“Yeah It’s like one of the rouges,Venom, can change colour when they transform, triggered usually by anger, caused by a certain supernatural anomaly, grows big…” Tony muttered carelessly, his eyes on nothing specifically.
“Does that remind you of someone Bruce?” Tony zoned in on Bruce, a smug look painted on his face.
Bruce didn’t blink. He just stared back, jaw tightening a fraction. The room went still. Steve watched the exchange with the resigned patience. He’d seen this to many times, Tony pushing and Bruce trying to not let it get to him.
The silence stretched long enough for everyone to feel it. Natasha shifted her weight. Sam glanced at Steve, Redwing forgotten to the side. Clint kept spinning a pen.
Bruce finally exhaled through his nose, leaning back. “Yeah whatever” He muttered.
Tony leaned back, but the victory didn’t sit right. His smirk softened into something unreadable. He tapped his fingers against the table fast, restless, almost anxious. The room stayed quiet except for the soft whirl of Clint’s pen spinning between his fingers
Steve flinched slightly as Tony clasped his hands together, the sound jolting him back into reality. Tony had regained his usual grin back on his face.
“Let’s not forgot all of you guys too,” Tony started as he grabbed a sleek, metal tablet on the side of the table. He pressed a button and something flickered and a screen was projected right behind Tony. He tapped a few buttons on the tablet and soon the screen was filled with a picture.
Steve sucked in a breath.
The screen had a picture of a pre serum Steve
Steve froze, his jaw tightening slightly. Whatever this was about, it couldn’t be good.
He didn’t like it when people showed him what he looked like before. It wasn’t something he resented just…felt wrong whenever he saw himself like that, in his sickly form. The pale skin, the bruises, and the way is body looked underfed (Which half the time he was). He knew his stomach shouldn’t twist every time he saw himself. It shouldn’t be bothering him, even back then he was strong headed and as stubborn as he was right now and that is what he should be only focusing on, not his…past state.
“Tony whatever your—”
But before Steve could even get his own words out, Tony interrupted. His voice was louder than Steve’s and held his voice like it was a battle.
“You Steve, underdog, bullied, turned into a weapon”
Tap
A blurry picture of Natasha on a of a rooftop. A sniper was stationed and aiming at something far but who ever it was, is probably dead. “You Natasha, Taken, conditioned and turned into a puppet for the Red room to use”
Natasha stared at the photo, her arms where crossed but she didn’t look away from the photo. Memories seemed to be passing through her mind
Tap
Any other photo was replaced by the last. This time it was Bruce or more rather Hulk. It was the year he had gone rouge. The photo was of the Hulk ripping right through a car.
“Bruce, turned from a scientist to monster. People would only see one side.”
Bruce turned his head slightly away
Tap
The photo was of Thor, whole body drenched in rain. He had his hands wrapped around his hammer and was trying to lift it up. The strain in Thors face made Steve realize he couldn’t lift it up.
“Mighty god, exiled from his own home”
Thor just huffed and leaned back in his chair
Tap
Clint was covering his ears, blood dripping through his fingers. A terrified expression was on his face.
Steve looked over to Clint who was staring at the photo, his left hand moving up to brush his hearing aids.
“Battle changed more than your mind”
Tap
This one was a mug shot of Scott Lang. His face was blank and hands holding a black identification card
“A life taken away from one choice”
Scott stopped shuffling his cards.
Tap
Steve felt his hand twitch toward Buckys.
The photo was of the winter soldier, in a secluded alleyway. Blood stained his metal arm and was smeared across the floor. A body of a suited man was in front of him.
Steve felt a cold touch grip his hand. He didn’t need to look, he just held Buckys hand tighter.
Tony let a moment pass before motioning his hands towards the screen
“We weren’t always the world saving hero’s where we? We’ve all had our experiences and they’ve shaped us. What would’ve happened if none of us met? Never freed from our chains?” Tony knocked the files with a flick of his finger and let them scatter across the table, not for them to read but as an example.
“Read the files. We aren’t so different from these rouges then you might think”
The quietness in the room was overwhelming. No one spoke, everyone had their own thoughts. Steve’s thoughts turned to Bucky.
HYDRA, an evil German operation that molded him into a weapon, forced to do things that still kept Bucky screaming at night and leaving Steve to hold him down and console him. He’d seen some of the things they’d done to him and they’d never wish that upon anyone. Though HYDRA was a dying organization thanks to the avengers taking out bases and people within, it didn’t necessarily mean HYDRA wouldn’t try to dig out if they’re own grave. They would kill for rouges like these, literally.
After a moment, Steve found his voice, “What if they say no?” Steve said softly
Tony faced Steve directly, looking straight at him “Then atleast they know they have the option and we know we tried. Remind them they’re not alone”
Tony gives a humorless smile “We’re preventing a battle before it even happens”
Another silence followed, longer than the last and more tension in the air but something else creeped in… like thoughtfulness or something close to that
Tony took a breath in, leaning his palms on the table. “I know you guys think this may be a stretch for us”
Clint gave a very loud audible cough which made Tony shoot a look at him before continuing. “But I feel like we need to give this a shot, to make sure the next villains aren’t these guys. Give them something to be.”
Steve sighed. He hated it. Never in a million years would he say this. Despised the very thought. It pained him to say it and never actually say it out loud. But maybe this one little tiny minuscule bit….Tony had a point. He was only going to be saying that one time.
“….He’s right” Steve turned his head to Natasha
Clint turned to her, surprised. “Nat?”
Natasha nodded her head slowly, “We’ve all been used in some way. I just don’t want it to happen to these guys” Her voice was steady and calm, didn’t crack once. Steve knew she was the best at hiding her emotions, always had been.
Peter was the first to speak up, rubbing the back of his neck “Not too butt in or anything, but I feel like we could try It”
A couple of the avengers nodded, a silent agreement spreading through the room as people glanced at each other, confirming.
Steve felt the tension in the room swell down and Steve’s shoulders felt less tense. He huffed out a breath he didn’t know he was holding. These rouges probably never had experience being on a team and probably wouldn’t even join. This was definitely was going to be an adventure. A long, annoying, frustrating and stressful adventure. Even with all of that Steve wanted to see how this played out.
“Thank you underoos” Tony said ruffling Peter’s hair.
Steve looked over at Bucky who was already looking at him. A blank look filled his face but he looked down at the files on them table for a second before looking up and nodding to Steve. A smile spread across his face and his chest warmed.
“It’s settled, we’ll do it” Steve declared
“I agree this will certainly be a great and worthy mission!” Thor yelled
“We’re going to regret this…but I maybe I guess it won’t come down in a fiery Blaze ” Bruce said
“Sure I’m in” Scott said easily
Sam sighed softly “I’m not going to be the only one disagreeing so I guess I’m in”
Tony clapped once, sharp and decisive.
“Excellent, we’ll go in groups to confront our assigned rouges.”
Bonus!!!
Tony stood over the pieces of the vase, the jade pieces scattered across the floor. His brows were furrowed and his hands where situated on his hips.
“Is that my vase? The one in a kind one, that was forged in the caves of ancient china by skilled architects. Then left to rest for two thousand years next to an emperor? That I spent four million dollars on?”
Tony slow turned to Clint “Hm?”
Clint took a step backwards, trying to pose the definetly too big bow behind his back. “Huh….must’ve been the wind” :)