Trauma-Coaster

The days after the frisbee game had been a blur of training, laughs, and peaceful moments—an unusual but welcome sense of normalcy. Arthur had been adjusting, learning to live in the present rather than being haunted by the shadows of his past. His time with the Avengers was proving to be more than just a healing process; it was a journey toward finding himself again.

But, as with all things, the peace was never meant to last forever.

It was another morning at the compound when the briefing room doors slid open, and the familiar tension filled the air. The Avengers gathered around the table, their faces serious as they took in the new mission details. The relaxed atmosphere that had been so prominent the last few days was now replaced with a sharp focus.

“We’ve got a situation,” Steve began, his voice steady but commanding. “An arms deal, similar to the one in Paris, but this time it’s in Istanbul. We have intel that says a group of mercenaries is planning to auction off some high-tech weaponry to the highest bidder. We can’t let that happen.”

Arthur felt his pulse quicken. The excitement from Paris was still fresh in his mind, and the idea of helping to stop something dangerous brought a rush of adrenaline. He had found his place among these people, and now, he had the chance to do something good again.

“Details are still coming in, but we’ll be heading out in a few hours,” Natasha continued, her tone all business. “Your mission will be to infiltrate the auction, locate the weapons, and secure them before they’re sold.”

Arthur nodded. He’d been on missions like this before, and he knew the stakes. His heart raced, not from fear, but from the anticipation. This wasn’t just a job—it was a chance to do something that mattered, to prove that he could be more than just Death.

The mission itself went as planned at first. The team infiltrated the event smoothly, blending into the high-end crowd that had gathered at the lavish auction house. Everything was in place—the weapons had been located, the security systems were bypassed, and all they had to do was wait for the right moment to make their move.

Arthur, alongside Bucky and Steve, was stationed near the back of the room, watching for any signs of trouble. He could feel the adrenaline in his veins, the familiar rush of being in the field, the need to act at a moment’s notice. But this time, something felt different. There was a strange tension in the air, a feeling that nagged at him.

It wasn’t long before that feeling was confirmed.

The alarm went off with a shrill, ear-piercing sound, followed by the immediate chaos of people screaming and running in every direction. The auction house had been compromised. The mercenaries had set up a trap.

“Move!” Steve barked, as he and Bucky immediately sprang into action, clearing the path ahead of them. Arthur’s heart raced, but his mind was already calculating the best way to move. His instincts were sharp, and as the rest of the team made their way through the crowd, he stayed close to Bucky and Steve, watching their backs.

But that’s when things went wrong.

As they reached the back exit, a sudden explosion rocked the building, and debris rained down from the ceiling. Arthur’s world tilted. The ground beneath him shook, and before he could react, the floor gave way.

In a split second, Arthur found himself falling—falling fast. He hit the ground hard, the impact knocking the wind from his chest. Pain flared through his body, but he pushed it aside, forcing himself to sit up. His mind raced, trying to process what had happened.

“Arthur!” Bucky’s voice cut through the ringing in his ears.

He turned toward the sound, but all he could see was a cloud of dust and smoke. The explosion had created a massive hole in the floor, and it looked like he’d fallen into some kind of lower-level storage area, dimly lit and filled with crates. He could hear the muffled voices of the mercenaries moving around him, but they were too far away to make out.

“Arti!” Bucky shouted again, but this time his voice was fainter.

Arthur shook his head, trying to clear the fog from his thoughts. Focus, he told himself. He needed to get out of there. He couldn’t let himself get trapped, not again.

His hands found the edge of a crate, and he pushed himself to his feet, ignoring the dull ache in his bones. He quickly assessed his surroundings, noticing that the area he’d fallen into seemed to be some kind of storage basement. There were heavy-duty doors on the far side of the room, but they were locked. He could hear footsteps approaching—mercenaries closing in.

Not good, he thought, his chest tightening. But then, in the distance, he heard a faint sound. It was the voice of Bucky.

“Arti! We’re coming for you!”

Arthur’s heart skipped a beat. The team was coming, but he didn’t know how much time he had. He had to act fast.

His hands moved quickly as he scanned the room, searching for anything that could help him get out. He spotted a rusty ventilation shaft in the far corner of the room, just big enough for him to crawl through. It wasn’t ideal, but it was the only option.

Just as he was about to make his move, a voice rang out from the shadows.

“Well, well. Looks like we’ve got ourselves a little surprise.”

Arthur whipped around, ready to fight, but before he could react, two mercenaries appeared from behind a stack of crates. They had their guns raised, and their eyes locked onto him.

Great, Arthur thought, a bitter laugh rising in his chest. This isn’t exactly how I planned today to go.

He barely had time to react when he heard Bucky’s voice again, much closer this time.

“Don’t you dare hurt him!”

The mercenaries turned in surprise, and before they could make another move, Bucky, Steve, and Sam burst into the room, guns drawn. The fight was quick and efficient, with the Avengers taking control in seconds. Arthur stood back, heart pounding, watching as Bucky and Steve neutralized the threat.

“Got your back, Arti,” Bucky said with a grin, his voice filled with relief.

Arthur exhaled sharply, feeling the adrenaline drain from his system. He was safe. For now.

As the team cleared the rest of the mercenaries out, Arthur stood still, letting the reality of the situation wash over him. He had gotten trapped. He had almost been left behind.

But this time, he wasn’t alone. And that, in itself, made all the difference.

“We’ve got the weapons,” Steve said, his tone calm now that the danger had passed. “Mission’s a success.”

Arthur gave a small nod, though the weight of what had happened still lingered. He was more than just a soldier. He was part of something bigger now, something that would always have his back.

Even when he stumbled.

“Thanks,” Arthur said quietly, looking over at Bucky.

Bucky smiled. “Anytime, big guy. Anytime.”

And as the Avengers gathered together to head back to the compound, Arthur couldn’t help but feel that maybe, just maybe, he was finally starting to understand what it meant to have a family.

The journey wasn’t always easy, but with them by his side, Arthur knew that whatever came next, he was ready.

To be continued…