Chapter 3
They’re shoving something under her skin and she’s
Screaming
stop it!
stop it!
im sorry
I’m sorry
They don’t Stop
and she remembers laying on the ground crying, blood running out of the corner of her mouth.
Screamed herself bloody.
And
it
hurts
make
it
stop
please...
she doesn’t remember where she went wrong.
And then they pull it back Out. And it hurts even More.
They shove things in her hands, In her hips, over her ribs, any where and everywhere
they teach her how to ignore bullet’s in her skin. They show her just how much
Failure
will
Hurt
and
it
burns...
stop please.
Then the softer words come covering his tracks.
Holding her after days with nothing but pain.
Running fingers through her short hair.
Pressing soft kisses to her hair, holding her close when the world becomes too much.
and sense Bucky left
Stephany
finally
oh god finally,
feels
Safe.
and it makes her
sob.
If Stephany didn’t speak for a week after her episode in the kitchen
No one said anything
If Stephany’s Hands shook for two weeks after
No one said anything
If Stephany wandered around like a ghost for a month after
No one said anything
If Stephany didn’t pick up a pencil for a Month and a Half after
No one said anything
Simply, Stephany wasn’t one to speak of her feelings.
And that was that.
Even when it burned under her skin so badly that it made her want to scream.
No
one
said
anything.
Stephany flexes her fingers, heaving her sheild up and over her shoulder locking it into place.
Sliding under Fallin’ rubble, kicking her feet out from under the Doombots legs.
She rolled pulling a knife from her boot.
And then proceed to slice open several bots.
Pint up anger was released, lashing open the left over bots like chains.
Stephany whinced at the static curling over her ear pierce.
It grew louder,
pulling and yanking,
it grew into White noise.
Loud and ringing.
She yanked the metal piece out of her ear.
Breathing heavy.
She
could
still
hear
it
Stephany curled her hands around her ears, knife clattering to the ground.
She tugs and claws.
Then nothing.
The curling was gone, Stephany opened her mouth.
“Guys?” Her could feel the vibrations but she couldn’t hear them.
Shecouldnthearthem
Stephany knew deafness
deafness.
Deafness
Deafness
She ran her fingers over her ears, warm liquid pooled on her fingers.
Nononononononono
this can’t be right
she gripped at her ears.
Nononono She can’t do this again.
Shecantshecantshecant
Stephany’s fingers curled into the rubble covered ground, chuncks of concrete curled into her hands.
She desperately blinked back tears.
Bite her lip so hard she could taste copper. It filled her mouth, burning across her tongue.
And she hated it
Hated it
Hated it
Stop it.
Her fingers scrambled for a gun in the mess, she blindly scrapped and clawed.
She ripped off over gloves, shaky hands frantically reached for that hard cold metal handle.
Bloodied hands grasped the forgotten weapon, she tested the weight.
Eyes blinking out tears.
She can't hear...
She can't hear...
Nonononono
That's no right she's been able to hear completely since, since...
She drops the gun, she can't hear it hit the ground.
And it sends a chill up her spine.
Becauseshecanthearitwhycantshehearit
Stephany’s fingers curling to her hair.
She unarmed, and where did the boots go?
And where are her team?
Why can't she hear?
She keeps one hand in her hair, eyes wildly chasing lurking shadows that don't exist.
She grips the cold handle of the gun and fires it into the air.
She feels the kick, it roars to life beneath her bloodied palm.
And she scoots till her back is against a wall and she can see almost everything around her.
Her shield tucked in front of her boots, and the gun clutched to her chest like a child's toy.
Tears burn her eyes, and she's bitten almost clean through her lip.
And she's not there but she is.
And the floor is the same but it's not.
And suddenly everything is too close, she's wearing too much clothing,
and
she
can't
Breathe.
Stephany desperately clawed at her suit.
It's too much
Get it Off
Please.
Everything is too bright and she can't Breathe,
She can't hear
Stephany curls tighter in on herself.
Hands abandoning the gun in favor of curling her hands into short hair.
Her mouth is full of blood
her blood
She tugs at her hair till it hurts.
Stop it
Stop it
I'm sorry
Just stop, please
Tony blasted another bot, ”Has anyone seen Cap?”
”She disappeared about an hour ago.” Natasha offered, before she drop kicked a Doombots head.
Static curled over their comms. Clint ripped out his hearing aid.
”JARVIS?”
”On it sir.” Natasha crushed her comm under her foot.
The bots scattered at the noise, Thor who lacked a comm due to his lighting didn't notice the noise.
And the hulk didn't have one for obvious reasons.
Tony’s noise rung out and came to stop.
”Shit,” Clint said sharply.
”Shit is an understatement, Birdbrain.” Tony’s faceplate slid up so Clint could see his lips.
Thor dropped down next the pair, ”They seem to be self-destructing.” The Demigod Said as he walked closer, flipping his hammer.
His brow furrowed, “Where is Captain Rogers?” The five avengers Froze. Like the previous conversation about her being missing was whipped with the static over the comms.
“Dubble shit.” Natasha offered, slipping her gun back into its holster.
“Still an Understatement.”
“Fuck.” A tired voice offered. Bruce came stumbling over, holding his pants up with one hand. “Yeah that’s Better.”
Thor unclipped his cape handing it to Bruce with a soft smile.
“Thanks.”
A gun going off in the distance startled the group of five.
Tony shot into the sky before anyone could truly process the sound.
Tony found her curled into a ball, hands curling at her ears.
Her hands bloodied, her hair stained a dark crimson.
Tears in her suit, as if she was trying to claw it off.
“Stephany?” She didn’t look up.
He walked towards the girl.
And every time he say her like this he could see just how much the world was balance across her shoulders.
He steped out of his suit, crossing the street of rumble with frantic movements.
He crouched in front of Stephany. “Stephany?” He whispered softly, placing his hands over hers.
Stormy eyes shot up to meet his, eyes wild.
She flinched backwards successfully smacking the back of her head against concrete.
“Hey, hey. It’s just me Steph. Just me.” He whispered softly, a slurred, frantic ”Tony?” was his response.
Her Face was tear stained, lips covered in blood, lines of the liquid ran down the sides of her face.
“Yeah Steph I’m right here.” Tony said back. Though he noticed her eyes where on his lips, “Good.”
No this isn’t good.
Tony reached down to help her up, she curled away again.
Okay okay so that’s a no.
Her breathing was way to short for his liking. Tony shaped his fingers, Stephany watched them with sharp interest.
Her breath hitched, she slowly uncovered her ears. “Can’t hear.” She whispered
”canthearcanthearcanthear-“ Her Voice grew frantic, it slurred slightly.
“icantbreatheifeellikeimsufficatingstopit-“
Tony sat infont of her, folding his finger over her eyes. He didn’t say anything, just sat there.
Her breathe caught in her throat. But like a pressure being released she relaxed.
Her breathing calmed slighrlt but he could practically head her heart hammer out of her chest.
He uncovered her eyes slowly, redrimmed, hazy, stormy blue eyes met his.
Tony called the suit, letting it incase him.
He lifted Stephany, holding her slightly like you would a toddler.
He flew back to the tower.
When he got back he took Stephany down to medical.
She panicked slightly, but let the doctors drag her into another room.
It was two days before Stephany was allowed to leave Medical.
She was almost like a ghost
the doctors said her hearing was repairing itself, slowly, but it was healing.
Tony found her sleeping on the couch, her features smoothed over Her face lacking the normal frown.
And as if he was hit by a train he suddenly remembers her age.
What 24?
Maybe 25?
Tony studied her face and for the first time, he noticed that she was covered in freckles.
Splashed lightly across her nose, over her forehead. He could see them dusted across her fingers, he blinked.
Small White barely visible scars curling over her hands.
Like spider webs.
On one hand, black ink curled around her middle and pointer fingers.
Tony's eyes went back to her face, he looked at her ears.
And where the comm would sit where burns and deep cuts made by nails.
Dark and healing but still there.
He felt sick.
Because this wasn't supposed to happen.
Tony started towards the Elevator, clicking the level of his lab.
This wasn't going to happen again.
Not if Tony could help it.
Hands ran through her hair, ”We could see if you could get some new pencils.”
Stephany looked up, her stormy blue eyes warm.
Happy
Normally hard brown eyes were, soft and fond.
”Maybe.” Steph’s gaze returned to the page.
Her fingers rolling the small pencil between them. ”Have you seen Buck?” She asked softly, finishing a rough sketch of hands.
the hands French braiding her wild curls Reached for another strand. ”I saw him with the commandos before heading over here. You have wild curls, they will not say put.” Stephany laughed.
”So I’ve bent told.” The other rolled their eyes, fondness in their movements.
“Love you, Stevie.”
”Love you too Peggy.”