Chapter 6
I stand and circle him slightly while he does the same, neither of us noticing our family come out after about half an hour. He zooms and I slide to the left to avoid him, spinning to look at him as he stops. "You have many scars, Captain."
"Yeah, I do. They don't like it when slaves try so hard to escape."
"Yes, tell me about it." He starts to zoom and I make a vine pop up to trip him before making a basket of vines to catch him as he slides to a stop. The vines bring him over and I smirk, patting his shoulder.
"Tag, Maximoff. What's the score now?"
"Ten to ten. You tied it up."
"Hell yeah!" I smile and let him go so he can zoom away from the vines and me, not trying to tag me. He looks over my shoulder and zooms past me. I turn and see the others, grinning a bit. "Hey, guys." Loki comes over and looked not happy.
"I thought that you were going to join us. It has been two and a half hours, Rogue," He growls softly when he reaches me and I look at my wrist com to see he was right. "And I see you doing... Something with another man? What the Hell?"
"Whoa, whoa. Calm down, Loki," I chuckle and he looks more pissed. "We were just training. We've been training for the past thirty minutes and before that, I was in the gym destroying a punching bag." He crosses his arms and glares at me. "Loki, come on. What's wrong?"
"What's wrong? What could possibly be wrong with anything that we have seen, Rogue? Where in the Hells are your clothes?" He was raising his voice and the others look at us.
"Hey, calm down... My clothes are over there on that tree. I've been trying to get used to seeing... Everything... For, like, therapy and stuff... Why are you acting like this? You know about how I've been doing that... And supported it... Is everything OK?"
"I was under the impression that you would only be doing your therapy in the privacy of our Quarters," He explains, sounding annoyed, and I look at him. "I do not want others to see you."
"Why? Are you jealous or do you not want people to know how broken and ugly of a wife you have?" I ask softly and he looks shocked, hurt, and angry at the same time. "I've been trying to get past all of my insecurities for so long, Loki... This is how I'm doing it and I just need you to support me... Not try to keep it restricted to my Quarters because that doesn't help me get better... It makes me worse," I explain and he looks at me, sighing softly.
"I do not like the thought of people looking at you and believing they can try to flirt with you."
"No one tries to flirt with me, Loki. And if they do, I handle it myself. Go get my clothes." He nods and goes to grab them while I go over to the others.
"You look like you need a drink so here. A bottle just for you." Thor hands me a bottle of Asgardian ale and I take it, looking at it before I just take a swig.
"Mom!" I look down at Petey and he looks up at me. "Yondy wants to know if we can look at your scars..."
"No! He does!"
"No, I don't!"
"They both do," Gamora explains and I sit on the ground, looking at them as I sit up straight. "Mom?"
"If you wanna look at them, look at them. Ask anything you want and I'll probably answer." They look at the scars along my back and I drink my ale slowly.
"What's this one from?" They lightly touch a burn scar around my neck and I think slightly.
"A collar."
"Why's it look like that?"
"Electric shocks."
"Why's the back look like you got stabbed?"
"Hmm..." I think and roll the bottle between my hands slightly. "Oh. I think the back of the collar had little spikes and whenever they did something to make me complacent, they dug into my neck there."
"What's complacent mean?"
"Right. Um... Easy to deal with."
"Oh. What about this one?" They touch a large one across my shoulders and I take a moment before replying.
"An invention the Skrull and Kree alike were proud of."
"What's that?"
"A whip that goes down to the bone. That's what a lot of the scars on my back are from."
"What about this one?" Gamora lightly touches a small scar on my stomach and I look at it.
"I got stabbed by a Skrull that was pretending to be your Dad... Doc patched me up and I didn't let them use pain killers..."
"Why?"
"It was a way for me to get rid of the guilt I was feeling."
"Why did you feel guilty?"
"I found the job of stealing the knife and didn't do any proper research on it or who we'd be selling it to once we stole it."
"What was it?"
"A ritualistic slave killing knife from the Skrull and your Dad had to sell it to the Skrull in disguise by himself because everyone else on that team was busy trying not to get arrested by the Nova Corps."
"You stole it from the Nova Corps? But, you seem tight with Nova Prime!"
"Oh, yeah. So tight. Before that, though..." I chuckle softly and they look at me. "She blatantly accused me of lying about my past on Terra and I pissed off Gramps because I disobeyed direct orders to be nice to her after I blew up on her. After that, I got the scar below it because I got captured by the Skrull and Kree on Terra on Halloween. That was the first time they had ever used that whip on me."
"What about this one?" Petey points to a scar on my forehead and I touch it, thinking as I take another drink, bottle about half empty now. "There's one just like it on the other side of your head. They look like... Claw marks?"
"Ah. The first time the Skrull tried to capture me. I had just gotten picked up by Gramps and had met Aleta. We stop on Contraxia and I didn't listen to Gramps about staying with certain people because I thought I saw my Mom and sister. They were not and I don't remember much because they knocked me out and they were trying to trade me for Krags when I came too."
"And this one?" They touch one on the back of my neck and I tense slightly.
"That one's from before I left Terra... An alcohol bottle got thrown at me and shattered on impact with my neck and skull."
"What about here?" They touch the back of my head and I smile a bit.
"That's where my implant used to be. Until it decided that fucking with my nervous system was a good pastime."
"Cool." They smile and sit in front of me, done looking at my scars now.
"Mom?"
"Yeah, Gamora?" I take my tank top from Loki and pull it on, resting the rest of my clothes in my lap.
"Do you miss our Dad?" Everyone goes silent and I look at her, thinking.
"Well, Rogue?" Loki leans against the building for the meetings and I ignore him.
"Yeah... I miss him a lot..."
"Why? I get he was your husband, but you have Loki now. Why do you still miss him?"
"Your Dad wasn't just my husband, Gamora..."
"What was he then?" I think back on all of the memories I have with Jay and smile a bit.
"He was my first real friend... He was my best friend... He was my partner in crime... He was always there for me... He was my First Mate... He was one of the first people who believed I could make something of myself... Even when I didn't think I could ever amount to anything more than an entry-level Mechanic... He was the one who listened to me rant about my Dad or Gramps or Krags or anyone and he would rant with me... He was my drinking partner... He was my first kiss... He was like my happily ever after..."
"Like in fairy tales? Those exist?"
"Yes... And no..."
"What do you mean?"
"If happy ever after did exist, I would still be holding him like this... All those fairy tales are full of it... One more stupid love song, I'll be sick..." I kinda sing and Gamora looks at me.
"Your Dad... Helped me a lot while we were growing up... We were always together... No matter how hard people tried to keep us apart... He would've loved you little jackasses with every molecule in his body... And still wouldn't think that it was enough love to give you... Because that's the way he was... He always wanted kids... But... The Gods didn't want to let it happen... Until you guys..."
"What does that mean?"
"Well... Before you guys... I could never seem to maintain a pregnancy and they all... Died before they were born..."
"Is that why you kept getting crews that had mainly kids on them?"
"Maybe... I don't know..."
"What do the tattoos on your ribs say?"
"They're names of my last crew full of kids... The ones that died when the Kree and Skrull tried to capture me again along with some other people in our fucking insane family. And I tried to outsmart them..."
"How'd that work out for ya?"
"Yeah... It didn't. I got tricked because they fucked with my tech and I relied on it too much, which they knew."
"Changing the subject here," Indri says and I raise an eyebrow at him. "Why did the Kree have Centaurians as slaves? Wouldn't the blue skin confuse people?"
"I answer your question with another question... Why did the founders of America have African American people as slaves?" Sam asks and Indri looks confused.
"He doesn't know Terran history, Sam..."
"Terrans had slaves, too?"
"Yeah. I think some places still do, honestly..."
"Why?"
"People have so many fucked up reasons for it. Why do people who don't like the opposite gender get killed on Terra?"
"Seriously?"
"Yep."
"Wow... Terrans suck..."
"A lot of them, yeah."
"Wait, you said people had reasons to do that?"
"They say they do."
"Like what?"
"OK... Some people say it goes against their religion to support them."
"OK... But what if the people they don't want to support don't follow the same religion?"
"They don't care."
"Don't the religions they follow say that their Gods are loving and accepting of everyone?"
"Yep."
"Then why do they say it goes against their religion?"
"Because of one mistranslated quote in this annoying ass book called the Bible."
"What does it say?"
"Man shall not lay with another man as he does with a woman, for it is an abomination. It was severely mistranslated by some homophobic asshole. It's about pedophilia, not homosexuality. It originally said... Man shall not lay with young boys as he does with a woman, for it is an abomination."
"If people know it's a mistranslation, why do they still follow it?"
"Because people can be small and closed-minded assholes that only exist to make your life a living Hell. They also use the argument of basic biology to argue that people who are trans or nonbinary are invalid. When, what they actually mean, is high school biology. High school biology has to try to cram basic biology into your head in nine weeks. So, they simplify it to the point that it's not even accurate anymore. People also use the argument of God creating a man and a woman. But, they never seem to like the fact that people bring up Jesus being trans if you look at it from the basic biology argument."
"What do you mean?" Tony asks and I look at him.
"It's another mistranslation in the Bible, but it says that Jesus is the son of God and he is birthed from a virgin named Mary. She wasn't a virgin, just a young woman. People are stupid. But, using the basic biology argument, since Jesus was born from a virgin, that means he didn't have any of the male chromosomes when he was born. He would've been born with two X chromosomes, meaning a woman, instead of an X and a Y chromosome, meaning a man. So, Jesus is trans and it's canon in the Bible. Well, the mistranslated version, at least. And guess what? People just roll with it. They don't be assholes and misgender, deadname, or commit hate crimes against him. What have we learned today, kids?"
"People can seriously suck," Gamora says simply and I nod.
"People can be seriously stupid and follow blatant mistranslations as an excuse to hate people and be rude to them," Morgan adds and I look at her with the others. "What? It's true. They use stupid arguments and invalidate people then try to make themselves feel better about themselves by saying they're following the will of God when God is supposed to be loving. God doesn't hate. It's kinda His whole thing."
"Yeah. We agree with Morgan," Petey says for the kids and I nod. "Good way explaining it, M."
"Thanks." She smiles and he smiles back. I notice someone standing off to the side and Yondu follows my gaze.
"Ya should talk ta 'im, Girl," He says softly and I nod, pulling the rest of my clothes on before standing easily.
"Where you going, Mom?"
"I gotta go talk to somebody."
"OK. Can we talk to your Moddy?" I look at Doc to see them smiling and they nod.
"Go ahead. Go easy on them, yeah?"
"You got it!" They smile and go over to talk to Doc while I go talk to the person standing off to the side.
"Hey, kid..."
"Hey, Fang..."
"You seem to be coping well..."
"Now I am. Thanks to Loki. Fang, you gotta understand, if I would've known what was going on, I would've done my best to stop it..."
"I know, kid. I know..."
"I'm so sorry..." He looks at me and grabs my jacket to pull me down to his level.
"You don't have to apologize. Yeah, I lost my son. But... You lost him too and he was so much more to you than I ever thought or knew... I'm sorry for what I did that one time on Contraxia." He lets me go and I straighten back up, looking at him. "Hah... It was always weird to not have him in the Hangar with us... He left because he wanted to let you be happy..."
"I know..." He looks at me and I look away slightly. "I'm not always an idiot... I know when people do things for me, most of the time..." I pat his shoulder gently and awkwardly hug him, patting his back gently.
"Awkward sibling hug?"
"Awkward sibling hug," I chuckle and we both pat each other's backs awkwardly before we let each other go. "I am sorry, though... Do... Do you want to meet your grandkids?" He looks at all of the twins then at me and I smile a bit. "The Kree helped for once..."
"Yeah... Yeah, I would..." I lead him over to the family and Gamora looks at us, kinda narrowing her eyes at Fang.
"Hey. Claws away."
"Haven't even done anything."
"Yet."
"Always ruining my fun," She mutters and I roll my eyes. "Who's he?"
"Fang. He was the Lead Mechanic on the Eclector before it became my job."
"OK...?"
"He had a son on the team too."
"Does he have a last name?" I start to answer when Fang kneels in front of the kids to be more eye level with them and they look at him.
"Hi... Um..."
"Your name's Fang?"
"Yeah... Fang Fletch..."
"Fletch? Like... Dad?" Petey looks at me and I nod slightly.
"Jay was my son..."
"So... You're our grandfather?"
"Yep..."
"Hey, Fang?"
"Yeah, kid?"
"Brace yourself."
"What? Why?"
"Three... Two... One," I say just as Stark and Leta knock him onto the ground and he grunts, arms wrapping around them. "That's why. Meet Stark and Leta, the youngest set of twins. They love to do that because it forces the person they did it to, to hug them."
"Little con artists, huh?"
"Oh, yeah. All of them."
"Hey!" Gamora looks at me with her arms crossed and I just grin at her.
"Have fun, dude. Ask him anything you want." She looks at me, confused before she smiles and whispers to Petey. "Ooh, conspiring. Always fun. Good luck." I go over to Loki and he looks at me, not looking too happy. I sit on the ground next to where he's leaning and lean my head against the wall, looking up at him. "You mad at me?"
"No."
"You sure?" He looks at me and looked sad. "What's wrong?"
"I wish that you wouldn't expose the children to the horrors of people at such an early age."
"The horrors of people will always be there. They should learn at an early age, Loki."
"I suppose..." He looks at the kids interrogating Fang and I watch him.
"Hey."
"Hm?" He looks at me again and I smile gently.
"I love you," I say softly and he smiles back.
"I love you, too. My Treasure."
"My Harmony."
"Oh?"
"Easier to say in public."
"I see." He chuckles and I smile. I hear a ship overhead and we all look up as I stand, stomach in knots at the sight of it.
"Kid?"
"You got the feeling too?"
"Yeah... Wha'cha think it is?"
"Hell if I know. Nothing good, though."
"Followers of Thanos," Loki says simply and I look at him. "They have been planning this for a while now. Ever since-"
"Ever since we killed Thanos?" Drax asks and he nods.
"You knew about this?"
"Father told me in a message and I told Loki as well as the other Avengers," Thor explains and I look at them, a little pissed off.
"So... There's a threat to the entire fucking Galaxy and no one thinks to tell me or the Guardians?" I bark and Thor winces slightly.
"Well... We did not think that we should concern you about it... We were going to handle it ourselves..."
"You idiots couldn't even fucking leave Terra! How the Hell were you going to handle it yourselves?"
"Carefully," Tony says simply and I glare at him before turning the glare on Loki.
"And you. We have a fucking agreement. No damned secrets. Especially not ones like this!" I point to the ship and he looks guilty. "I am immensely pissed off right now but I can't deal with it now. Because we've got to deal with this bullshit with limited information on them." The ship lands and I turn to look at it, going toward it.
"Hello again, 22-3-16. How have you been?" I freeze at the voice and look at the Skrull with Mom's face. "What? Do you not enjoy this image?"
"Take it off."
"I beg your pardon?"
"Take. Off. Her. Face," I snarl and they shift to instead look like Keiko.
"Is this better? Or, would you prefer this one?" They shift to look like Jay and I feel like I've gotten stabbed through the heart ten times. "I do. It gives you a look of pure despair and I revel in it."
"Take it off or I'll take it off for you when I peel your skin off of your body like a fucking banana!"
"Ah. The threats. How we have missed them. We really must thank you for saving that one with the speed. He led us right to you. Trackers are nifty little things, aren't they? There are some small enough to be inserted into a tooth while the subject is unconscious and they are none the wiser." I reach for my blaster to find it gone and remember it's on the ship with the rest of my weapons.
"Shit..."
"Defenseless, are we?" They smirk and I clench my jaw slightly before I lick my lips quickly. "Ah, yes. The arrow." I whistle and send it soaring for their face.
It stops suddenly and I see a Kree come to stand next to them, wearing a metal glove that had glowing stones in it, the blue one glowing slightly while they smirk. "That did not work, did it?" They take my arrow and break it in half, making me wince slightly. "What now, 22-3-16?"
"Strange. What are those?"
"The Infinity Stones... How did they manage to get them?" I watch them and see more ships land behind them. "And they brought an army... Great..."
"Tell me about it."
"Are you done talking?" The Kree asks and I look at him, not noticing Loki talking to Strange. "Good. We are going to be using these stones to follow our Master's plan and to get rid of you unruly slaves once and for all. The cost is more than worth it."
"What's the cost?"
"I will die as well once I use them. But to see you all turn to dust? More than worth it in the end."
"Rogue. Use a vine to cut off his arm. Strange and I will deal with the rest," Krugarr says in my head and I tighten my fists slightly before a vine is going through the Kree's arm.
He screams and the glove falls through a portal of Strange's before I'm knocked to the ground by the Skrull, the others getting knocked down as well. I lift my head and see Loki on the roof with the kids and the glove. "No..." He takes the Kree's arm out of it and puts it on his hand. "No... Please..."
"Boy! Wha' the Hell are ya doin'?" Yondu barks only to get his face shoved into the ground and Loki looks at him.
"Rogue... You have always believed me to be a hero... It is time to prove you right... The followers of Thanos will perish today, once and for all! For that to happen... I am prepared to sacrifice my life. I would gladly do it twice." He snaps and there's a flash of blinding light before he starts to fall off the building.
I elbow the Skrull holding me in the face and run over to the building, sliding to a stop to catch him. "It's alright, it's alright. You're gonna be fine." I notice the enemies turn to dust with their ships and look around for a moment before looking at Loki again. "You're gonna be fine."
"Rogue... Whoever uses the stones... Will die," He explains between strained breaths and I hold him tighter.
"That's for mortals, like that weakling Kree... You... You're a God... You're Loki Laufeyson... God of Mischief and Trickery... That means you're stronger than them and you're gonna be fine... Right?" I glance at Odin and he stays silent. "Right, Odin?" He doesn't look at me and I ignore him, going back to looking at Loki. "Besides... You're gonna be fine... Know why?"
"Why?"
"Because I'm the Captain... And you have to do what I say... Them's the rules... So... If I say you're going to be fine... You're going to be fine... And... And if you aren't... I'll never forgive you, got it? I will never forgive you... Ever... You get that? I need you to be OK... I need you to stay here with me... I can't do this without you..."
"Yes, you can... You are stronger than you think..."
"No... No, I can't..."
"Rogue..."
"You're going to have a son," I say suddenly and he looks at me.