New Beginnings
The compound was quieter than usual, the soft hum of the training rooms a distant background noise to the group of Avengers lounging in the common area. Despite the peaceful atmosphere, Arthur couldn't shake the restlessness that had taken root in his chest over the past few days. He had made some progress—he knew that—but progress felt like a distant mountain, one that still loomed far ahead. Yet, there was something different today. A shift. A feeling of possibility.
Arthur wasn’t sure where it came from. Maybe it was Bucky’s words. Maybe it was the slow but steady routine of being surrounded by people who wanted him there. Whatever it was, it made the air feel a little lighter than it had before.
He walked through the halls of the compound, his footsteps echoing in the emptiness as he made his way toward the common room. There was a small part of him that still hesitated, still fearful of being around others—of engaging, of letting anyone in. But the more time he spent with the team, the more that nagging feeling of isolation started to fade. He was slowly, but surely, realizing that maybe this—this—wasn’t so bad after all.
Arthur pushed the door open and stepped into the room, blinking at the sudden influx of noise. Steve, Sam, and Clint were gathered at the table, laughing at something Sam had said, while Natasha and Wanda were in the corner, deep in conversation about the latest mission they’d completed. A few of the newer recruits were milling around, their chatter light and easy. It was the kind of moment where you couldn’t help but feel like you belonged.
“Arti!” Steve called from the table, waving him over. His smile was warm, the kind that made Arthur feel like maybe there was more to life than just surviving. “Come join us!”
Arthur paused, uncertainty flickering in his chest. He wasn’t sure if he was ready to just jump into the middle of it all. His old habits kicked in—the ones that told him to stay in the shadows, to avoid attention. But before he could talk himself out of it, he felt a hand clap on his shoulder.
“You’re not getting out of this one, big guy,” Bucky said, his voice teasing but gentle. He gave Arthur a playful nudge, and the way his brother's grin made the air seem just a little less heavy made Arthur hesitate for only a moment before nodding.
“Alright,” Arthur said with a half-smile, finally stepping into the room. “You guys win.”
As he joined them at the table, the chatter continued, the easy banter flowing like a stream, and for once, Arthur didn’t feel like an outsider. Steve passed him a plate of food, and Clint offered him a half-hearted joke about “recruiting new blood to the team.” Arthur found himself laughing—actually laughing—for the first time in a while. It was strange, how normal everything felt. How, for just a brief moment, he felt like maybe—just maybe—he was home.
"Alright, big guy, we’ve got a mission coming up,” Sam said, leaning back in his chair with a grin. “You in?"
Arthur hesitated, his fingers curling around the edge of his glass, but he could see the genuine curiosity in Sam’s eyes. The offer wasn’t forced, it was just… an invitation. An invitation to belong. He had always been a soldier, but now, it felt like he could choose who he wanted to fight for.
“I don’t know,” Arthur said, giving a small shrug. “What’s the mission?”
Clint grinned at him. “Oh, it’s just a little trip to Paris. You know, saving the day, stopping some bad guys. The usual.”
Arthur felt a pull of excitement stir inside of him. Paris. He hadn’t been to Europe since before everything changed. Before he became Death. Before HYDRA. A small part of him—the part that still remembered what it was like to just be Arthur—wanted to see the city again. Maybe it was that stubborn hope, that little spark that refused to be snuffed out, that made him want to say yes.
“Alright, I’m in,” Arthur said, his voice steady, though his heart raced a little in his chest. The thought of going back out into the field was terrifying, but there was something about the team—about this group of people—that made it feel less like a burden and more like a chance. A chance to be.
Steve clapped him on the back. “Good to have you on board. We’ll get the details later, but for now, relax. Enjoy the peace. You deserve it.”
Arthur nodded, allowing himself to relax into the moment. For once, it felt good to just be a part of something. No labels. No past. Just here.
Later that night, Arthur found himself outside on the balcony, staring at the stars. The compound had settled into a quiet hum, the usual bustling energy replaced by the peaceful calm of the evening. Bucky had gone to bed early, exhausted from the day’s training session, but Arthur couldn’t quite shake the lingering excitement in his chest. The mission. Paris.
It was strange. For the first time in so long, the thought of doing something—anything—brought a sense of thrill, not dread.
“Can’t sleep?”
Arthur turned his head to see Steve standing in the doorway, leaning casually against the frame. There was something about Steve’s presence—his quiet, unassuming strength—that always made Arthur feel like maybe, just maybe, there was hope after all.
“I’m fine,” Arthur said, though the words didn’t feel entirely true. He wasn’t fine. He was terrified. But he was also… excited. Excited about the mission, about the chance to do something good. It was the first time in a long while that he could remember actually looking forward to something.
“Do you ever just stop and think about how much everything has changed?” Steve asked, his voice soft, almost like he was speaking to himself more than to Arthur.
Arthur glanced at him, surprised by the question. It wasn’t something he had expected from Steve, but the more he thought about it, the more he realized it made sense. They had both been through so much—so much pain, so much loss. And yet, here they were. Fighting together. Living again.
“Yeah,” Arthur said after a moment. “It’s... weird. But I think it’s a good weird.”
Steve smiled at that. “I think you’re right. It’s weird, but it’s the kind of weird we can get used to.”
Arthur chuckled softly. “You know, I thought I’d be stuck in the past forever. That there was no way I could ever find peace with any of it. But it feels… different now. Like I’m actually allowed to move forward. To have a future.”
“You are,” Steve said, his voice firm. “You are allowed to move forward, Arti. You’ve already taken the first step. The rest? That’ll come with time. Just don’t rush it. You’re allowed to heal.”
Arthur looked up at the stars, feeling the weight of Steve’s words sink in. He had spent so long fighting—fighting against HYDRA, fighting against his own mind, fighting to survive—but maybe, for the first time, he didn’t have to fight so hard. Maybe he could just… live.
“I think I might be ready,” Arthur said, his voice barely above a whisper, but the conviction behind it felt like the first piece of armor he had ever worn without it weighing him down.
Steve’s smile widened. “I think you are too.”
The next morning, the team gathered in the briefing room to go over the mission details. Paris wasn’t just a vacation—it was a delicate operation involving a high-profile arms deal, and the Avengers had been called in to stop it before it could escalate. The stakes were high, but the plan was solid. And for the first time in a long while, Arthur felt like he was more than just a soldier. He was part of something, a team. A family.
As the mission began, Arthur moved with a confidence he hadn’t felt in years. His mind was focused, his instincts sharp, and his heart—surprisingly—felt lighter. When the team finally succeeded in their mission, preventing the arms deal and bringing the criminals to justice, Arthur couldn’t help but feel a surge of pride.
This wasn’t just about being The Reaper. This was about being Arthur—and for the first time in years, that felt like enough.
To be continued…