Tales From the Tower
Series Metadata
- Creators:
- NyxEtoile, OlivesAwl
- Series Begun:
- 2014-06-10
- Series Updated:
- 2019-09-17
- Description:
The Avengers sitcom we all secretly want. Well, maybe the Avengers hour-long action dramadey we all secretly want.Multi story, multi couple series. Series order is suggested reading order (not necessarily chronological order). You'd don’t have to read them all to read one, but they do compliment (and spoil) each other. Heavy Boots of Lead contains a series summary at the beginning if you want to skip to.
Started after Winter Soldier, generally AU, but we have adapted and reimagined Ultron and Civil War for this universe.
- Notes:
Final Series List (updated 5/23/19)
1. My Scars, They are Your Scars. A recovering assassin and a prickly doctor become unlikely friends and fall in love while saving the world and each other a couple times. You know, that old story. Bucky Barnes/Amanda Newbury (OFC)
2. Between the Shadow and the Soul. A tale of two commitment-phobes taking seven years to fall in love. Clint Barton/Natasha Romanov
2.5. Six Maids A’Shopping. The ladies of the tower drink, dish, and buy shoes. Ficlet referencing multiple couples. Nat POV.
3. Best Mistake I Never Made. A tale of two loners learning how to live together. Clint Barton/Natasha Romanov
4. Heart of Steel. The indomitable Darcy Lewis meets her match. He’s been hiding in the server room. Darcy Lewis/Cal Bennett (OMC)
4.5 Girls Chase Boys Chase Girls. Pedicures, board games, and tequila. Meanwhile, Stark takes the boys to a strip club. Ficlet referencing multiple couples. Nat and Clint POVs.
5. Welcome to the New Age. How Amanda the doctor became Doc the Avenger. Bucky Barnes/Amanda Newbury (OFC)
6. History’s Like Gravity. Commitment requires communication. Communication requires honesty. Clint Barton/Natasha Romanov
7. Lifelong Love Letter. Keeping in touch becomes friendship. Friendship becomes love. Love becomes public. Steve Rogers/Sharon Carter
8. Life Makes Love Look Hard. The answer to taming the Hulk isn't a stronger cage. It's a tiny blonde English teacher. And her adorable kids. Bruce Banner/Violet Marsh (OFC)
8.5 Domo Arigato, Mr Robato. A day in the life of the tower through JARVIS’s eyes. Ficlet referencing multiple couples. JARVIS POV.
9. Heavy Boots of Lead. A retelling of Age of Ultron. Featuring more women being awesome, and less pointless death. Multi-couple, multi POV. Like, everybody.
9.5 The Real Housewives of Avengerville. Girls' day on the lake. Ficlet referencing multiple couples. Nat POV.
10. The Curse and the Blessing, They’re One and the Same. Love requires security clearance, and a whole new language. Or: Adventures in dating someone who can can kill you with her brain. Wanda Maximoff/Zev Taschengregger (OMC).
11. As Much As Nothing, Everything’s Changed. In which a one-night stand grows plenty of strings. Pietro Maximoff/Ora Martinez (OFC).
11.5 The Spirits of All Three. Glimpses of our favorite couples during Christmas past, present, or future. Multi-couple, Multi-POV
12. You Remind Me What I Used to Know. Steve, Sharon, baby Joey and the very human fears that even superheroes and spies face. Steve Rogers/Sharon Carter
13. Mysteries Explicit and Inherent. The Avengers finally hire a shrink. Sam Wilson/Lani Yee (OFC)
14. We Can Save Tomorrow If We Try. Life with a green monster in your head, and a study in Violet's backbone. Bruce Banner/Violet Marsh (OFC)
15. Truth is Marching On. Civil War comes to the Tales Universe. Sort of. It's a lot harder to fracture a real family. Multi-couple, multi POV. Literally everybody.
16. Halcyon Days. Nine years, seven moves, five disasters, three kids, and one sturdy relationship. Tony Stark/Pepper Potts
17. Turn, Turn, Turn. Life after exile, and the young punks that will carry the torch. Epilogue, Multi-POV
Bonus Material.
Tales From the Tower: The Missing Floors. One-offs, PWPs, drabble, and missing scenes from the Tales From the Tower series. Anybody and everybody. (Kept open for ongoing additions)My Kingdom Awaits. A story from the next series that involves the team finally going home. (Turns out a work can be in more that one series at a time, and it seemed fitting to have it here, too)
Follow on series:
Tales From the Tower: The Next Generation. A new cast (heavily) adapted from Young Avengers and other comics, with some familiar faces as well.Legacy of the Tower. The kids of the Tower, all grown up.
Tales Through the Looking Glass. An offshoot of Tales, occurring just after Heavy Boots of Lead. The entire team gets sent, together, back to 2012. (And starts a whole new timeline)
- Stats:
-
- Words:
- 942,726
- Works:
- 24
- Complete:
- Yes
- Bookmarks:
- 778
Listing Series
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My Scars, They are Your Scars by NyxEtoile
Fandoms: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
16 Oct 2014
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Summary
“Sergeant Barnes,” she said quietly. His gaze snapped to hers. Blue eyes, she noted. Pale and very focused, like a predator. “My name is Dr. Newbury. I’m sorry I startled you. . .I know people in white coats have done terrible things to you for a long time. I’m not like them. I’m the physician here. If you get hurt or ill I’ll treat you. But I can’t help you if I don’t understand you.”She hadn’t looked frightened. He’d looked right into her eyes, hand wrapped around her wrist, her pulse pounding against his fingertips. And all he’d seen was resignation. He’d seen that in the eyes of his missions before. Usually someone he’d been hunting a long time. Warriors at the end of their rope. It hadn’t belonged in the eyes of a female doctor, safe behind the walls of Stark Tower.
Series
- Part 1 of Tales From the Tower
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Between the Shadow and the Soul by NyxEtoile, OlivesAwl
Fandoms: The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Captain America (Movies)
23 Jan 2015
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Summary
I do not love you as if you were salt-rose, or topaz,
or the arrow of carnations the fire shoots off.
I love you as certain dark things are to be loved,
in secret, between the shadow and the soul.
-- Pablo Neruda Sonnet XVIIClint shrugged. Talking about things wasn't always his strong suit. "You have skills I don't. You see angles I don't. We work better together than I think either of us do alone. If you would rather work alone, obviously you could."
The idea of working alone, or worse, with someone else, set off little sparks of panic in Nat's chest. She contained the reaction with concerted effort and kept her voice level when she replied, "I've found working with a partner makes what I do far easier. There were too many variables to track when I worked alone. As long as you're content with the arrangement I have no objection." She looked at him. "If it isn't broke, don't fix it, yes?"
Series
- Part 2 of Tales From the Tower
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Six Maids A' Shopping by NyxEtoile, OlivesAwl
Fandoms: The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies), Iron Man (Movies)
25 Dec 2014
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Summary
Set in the same universe as Scars and Between the Shadow and the Soul (now dubbed the Tales From the Tower series). Pepper needs backup for Christmas shopping so she calls upon the unofficial "Avenger Wives Club." Drinking, giggling and secrets follow.
"There was shopping and Indian food and a lot of wine. So much wine. And talking. Lots of talking."
Series
- Part 3 of Tales From the Tower
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Best Mistake I Never Made by NyxEtoile, OlivesAwl
Fandoms: The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Captain America (Movies)
27 Mar 2015
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Summary
Sequel to Between the Shadow and the Soul. Begins pretty much immediately after that ends. Overlaps with events in My Scars They are Your Scars. You don't have to read that to understand this, but it might help. :)
Clint bent to kiss the top of her head as he passed on the way to his chair. "Morning. What are you reading?"
Nat flipped it up so he could see the cover, which proudly read "Avengers Team Handbook." The A was done in the same style as it was on the side of the building and there were little drawings of all their symbols underneath. "Pepper said it's for us and those directly associated with the team. Hill got the same one. So did Newbury and a couple of other SHIELD agents that defected. The rest of Stark Enterprises has more mundane rules."
He started to eat his breakfast, pleased the food seemed to settle his stomach. "Our rules are less mundane?"
"I don't think the typing pool has a rider in their vacation benefits clause about reimbursement for plans cancelled due to world saving."
Series
- Part 4 of Tales From the Tower
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Heart of Steel by NyxEtoile, OlivesAwl
Fandoms: The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
09 Jun 2015
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Summary
The tech arrived a few minutes later. He was tall and lanky, with curly hair that needed a trim going in every direction. He looked like the kind of guy you could have ordered from the Nerd Catalog. "Hi," he said. "I'm Cal. Have you rebooted it?"
Oh and now there was going to be the twenty computer-illiterate grandma questions. "Yes. I have rebooted it. I've also drive to reboot to disk."
He came over to the desk and she could see by the direction of his eyes he was checking the power was plugged in. "Did you try mounting it in Target Disk to another machine?"
"Yes," Darcy said. "It worked great, I got my data, and I decided to call you up here just for shits and giggles." As soon as the words came out, she knew the brain-mouth filter had once again failed. But instead of being upset at her rudeness, he looked over at her and grinned.
Still, she made an effort to sound pleasant when she said, "Seriously, man, what's the code word to get the tier two tech support?"
"Snark is a good start."
Series
- Part 5 of Tales From the Tower
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Girls Chase Boys Chase Girls by NyxEtoile, OlivesAwl
Fandoms: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
02 May 2015
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Summary
Hints of spring were just beginning to appear around New York when Pepper invited them for a girl's day. Mexican food, margaritas, and then a team from a salon would come in to give everyone mani/pedis. All from the comfort of her and Stark's apartment.There was a postscript at the bottom of the email. Tony's decided to take the menfolk out to a strip club. We'll have the place to ourselves.
Series
- Part 6 of Tales From the Tower
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Welcome to the New Age by NyxEtoile
Fandoms: Captain America (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
11 Jun 2015
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Summary
Sequel to My Scars, They Are Your Scars
Half an hour later, as Amanda walked him out to the beach to meet his ride, James was still apologizing. "I know you were looking forward to this weekend."
"It's really all right," she told him for probably the tenth time. "Risks of dating a superhero, right?" They could see the jet coming in for a landing and stopped where they were to watch the descent.
"Rain check, okay?" he said.
"For hot hotel sex? You're on." Amanda caught his face in her hands and kissed him hard a moment. "I love you. Go save the world."
His grin was rather sheepish. The jet's engines revved a little and she imagined if they had a horn they'd be beeping it now. James gave her one last fast kiss and jogged over to the jet, climbing the gangplank. He stopped at the top to wave and she waved back before the hatch closed up. And she wondered, as she often did, if this was the last time she'd ever see him.
Series
- Part 7 of Tales From the Tower
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Summary
Sequel to Best Mistake I Never Made. Might want to read/brush up on it before checking this out.
"Hey, Clint?"
"Mmm?" he asked.
"You can ask me things even if you can't read my mind. You can ask just because you want to."
He looked up at her. "Well. You know me. I don't like walking into things without proper intel."
That made her smile. "That's a good point. But I just. . . we're a team."
"I know." He slid an arm around her. "I enjoy keeping it that way."
Her head tilted and she studied him, mouth turning down at little. "I'm in this for the long haul, Clint."
Now they were wandering onto topics they never talked about. The future. Permanence. Long hauls. They seemed like impossible ideas for two people who both long expected to die with their boots on. "So am I," he replied.
She nodded and her mouth curved up into a smile. "Good."
Series
- Part 8 of Tales From the Tower
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Lifelong Love Letter by NyxEtoile, OlivesAwl
Fandoms: Captain America (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
28 Jul 2015
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Summary
She was, Steve realized, his last connection to Peggy. To his past. And he kind of liked her company. "I'd like to keep in touch."
Based on the slight widening of Sharon's eyes, the request surprised her. The fact she'd reacted at all probably meant she wasn't being a spy right now, which he liked. She dug in the pocket of her coat and pulled out a pen, using it to scribble a few lines on a napkin. "My number and email," she said, handing it over. "I'd love to hear from you. And like I said, if there's anything I can do to help find your friend I'd be happy to. I know he meant a lot to you."
He tore off half the napkin and wrote his information on it. "Thank you."
She glanced at the napkin and folded it and tucked it in a pocket. "Thank you again for coming to coffee. I hated how we left it last time."
He smiled. "I'm not a man who holds grudges or collects enemies."
She smiled back and again he couldn't stop himself from thinking how pretty she was. "That sounds like good advice."
Series
- Part 9 of Tales From the Tower
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Life Makes Love Look Hard by NyxEtoile
Fandoms: The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
29 Jul 2015
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Summary
Bruce watched the little boy scribble a moment, then looked back to his mother. “May I ask what you are doing back here again?”Her expression turned wry. “Neil here is an avid Iron Man fan.”
The boy looked up. “I’Man!”
“That’s right,” his mother said easily. “So we come here for lunch to watch and see if he takes off from the Tower.”
“He certainly knows his stuff,” Bruce commented.
“We take our superhero knowledge very seriously.” She smiled at him a moment, then he saw her swallow and she added, “I’m Violet, by the way.”
Violet. It suited her. Soft and pretty and old fashioned. “Bruce,” he said, offering her his hand.
She shook his hand, hers all but disappearing under his fingers. “Would you like to join us for lunch?” she asked quietly.
Feeling oddly shy, he said, “I’d like that very much.”
Series
- Part 10 of Tales From the Tower
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Summary
Six in the morning is the most common wake-up time in the building, so I am chiming in apartments of every floor. The more people I am interacting with simultaneously, the more rote and the less customized the interactions become. Some tasks are more processor intensive than others.
Ms. Potts is one of the 6AM wakers, which means Mr. Stark will be up soon.
I wait patiently for him to drink a minimum of three ounces of coffee before speaking to him. "Sir, you have a publicity meet-and-greet at eight thirty."
"In the morning?"
"Yes, sir."
"Why?"
"I merely keep the schedule, sir, I do not make the appointments."
Series
- Part 11 of Tales From the Tower
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Summary
"You don't see the bullet that gets you, Stark," Barnes said. This was the kind of thing only a person who had died could get away with saying. "Keep looking for it and you'll break your neck before it reaches you."
There was a moment of silence, then Nat asked. "None of that answers the question of why Ultron wants to kill us."
"Because Tony was never looking for the bullet aimed at his head," Pepper said. She smiled when he turned around. "Were you?"
All of the superiority seemed to drain out of him. His shoulders slumped and he shoved his hands in his pockets. "The goal hasn't changed. Protect the things I can't live without. The list has just. . . expanded." He gestured vaguely, encompassing the whole room, and, Clint assumed, his kid downstairs.
Pepper stepped close to give Stark a hug and the rest of them took a moment to contemplate the fact Tony Stark had made a homicidal AI to protect them.
Series
- Part 12 of Tales From the Tower
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The Real Housewives of Avengerville by NyxEtoile, OlivesAwl
Fandoms: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
06 Sep 2015
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Summary
Nat came home from a meeting in DC to find a pontoon boat floating off the end of the lake dock. She'd asked Wanda about it, since their house faced the dock, and she'd replied, "Ask your husband."
"It's fun!" he told her. "Take the girls out on it!"
"I don't think I have enough Pabst Blue Ribbon and Skoal to go around."
He folded his arms over his chest. "Stark wouldn't let me get a speedboat."
She sent a group text that night. So my husband has offered us his boat for a girl's day on the lake. Weather's been nice, how about next Saturday? I'll bring the beer in a can, you guys figure out snacks?
Pepper was the first to reply. Wow. He really has gone native, hasn't he?
I'm in. Get beer in a bottle.That was Maria.
Series
- Part 13 of Tales From the Tower
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The Curse and the Blessing, They're One and the Same by NyxEtoile, OlivesAwl
Fandoms: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
20 Nov 2015
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Summary
"There are certain things about me and my powers that are considered state secrets." Wanda sighed. "Would you be willing to get security clearance to date me?"
Zev blinked a few times, looking very surprised. "I think it's terrible that they require that of you. But that isn't your fault."
If she smiled wider her face would start to hurt. "I will talk to Maria Hill and see what is involved." And then, because she'd laid everything else out on the table, she added, "Sort of want to kiss you now."
He made a sound, half sigh and half groan. "I'm a fan of living in the moment."
She cupped his face in her hands and he tangled his in her hair. He took control of the kiss, tipping her head back and deepening it. Desire tightened her skin, formed a hot knot in her belly. She felt her powers start to respond to the emotion and jerked her hands away from him to direct it downwards.
The stool nearest them rattled and bumped the island. "Sorry." She gestured at the stool, still wobbling. "I'm working on controling them when I'm. . . distracted. I won't hurt you," she assured him.
"I'm a guy who likes roller coasters."
Series
- Part 14 of Tales From the Tower
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As Much As Nothing, Everything's Changed by NyxEtoile, OlivesAwl
Fandoms: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
22 Jan 2016
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Summary
Pietro's fingers trailed along the skin of her arm. "Some things are better together than apart. Bourbon and coke. Peanut butter and jelly."
There was something funny about the silence that followed, and so she ventured, "You want a PBJ, now, don't you?"
"I wouldn't say no to one. . ." he told her, nomming on her shoulder.
She swatted him. "Fine, fine. You and your enhanced metabolism."
Tilting his head, one corner of his mouth quirked up. "Did you google me?"
"Of course I did. I like to know who I'm sleeping with if I'm going to do it more than once.”
"You mad I didn't tell you?”
"I assumed you had your reasons. Maybe you liked being normal with me.”
"I do like being normal.”
She smiled and nodded. He really did make her happy. It was such a strange sensation. "Still want the sandwich?”
"Now that you know about the metabolism, I want two."
Series
- Part 15 of Tales From the Tower
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Summary
Glimpses of our favorite couples during Christmas past, present, or future.
Series
- Part 16 of Tales From the Tower
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You Remind Me What I Used to Know by NyxEtoile, OlivesAwl
Fandoms: Captain America (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
04 Jun 2016
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Summary
Tony studied him a moment. "I'd take the chance to sleep next to your wife, if I were you. It's an opportunity that'll become vanishingly rare."
That did sound appealing. "He's so tiny. I don't want to be away from him."
"I will let you in on a secret, that doesn't go away when they get less tiny." Tony got to his feet. "Look, I don't pretend to know what you're going through. I'm sorry your introduction to parenthood has sucked this badly. But I do know this—you are a better father if you take care of yourself and your marriage. I tried staying up all night, taking taking care of Ruby and Pepper and working and Banner had to throw me out of the labs. You can't be everything to everyone at all times. We trust Doc with our lives all the time and she's never let us down. Trust her and all the other nurses and doctors with your son for a few hours and spend some time with Sharon. It'll do you both good."
Steve found himself smiling. "Am I going to need to repeat that back to you in six months?"
"Yes, though I suggest switching out Sharon's name for Pepper or we'll both be in trouble."
Series
- Part 17 of Tales From the Tower
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Mysteries Explicit and Inherent by NyxEtoile, OlivesAwl
Fandoms: Captain America (Movies)
29 Jul 2016
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Summary
Lani braced her elbows on the arms of her chair and wove her fingers together loosely. "What can I do for you, Mr. Wilson?"
"The Avengers require a large support staff, including caring for some really, really unique medical needs. Mental health care is kind of a. . .gap we've got going on. I fill it at the moment but I'm way out of my depth. The level of discretion and clearance and tolerance for certain personalities required makes the job nearly impossible to find somebody for."
"And I have a well earned reputation for dealing with people with large personalities and big secrets." He nodded and she waited a beat before asked, "Are you here to offer me a job as the Avengers' shrink?"
"Well, there are a couple other people that want to meet you before it's official. But yeah. Pretty much."
Series
- Part 18 of Tales From the Tower
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We Can Save Tomorrow if we Try by NyxEtoile
Fandoms: The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
16 Aug 2016
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Summary
Bruce kissed her hair. “If you want to get your Masters, I will support that. If you want to write the great American novel, or poetry, or children’s books, or time travel space adventures, I will support that. If you want to sit on the couch and eat potato chips, I will support that. If you want my help, I’ll give it, if you want me to butt out I can do that, too. And if you start feeling like you’re being selfish or that you don’t deserve to put yourself first, tell me and I will remind you how very wrong you are."
She laughed and he swayed her back and forth a little, like they were dancing. “It’s good to see you smile,” he said softly.
If she was honest, it felt good to smile. “I know it’s only March, but this year has kind of sucked.”
“It has,” he agreed. “And it’s possible it will get worse before it’s better. But we’ll get through it. Together.”
Violet leaned back to look at him. “When did you become an optimist?
He smiled and cupped her face, running his thumb along her cheekbone. “I think it’s the company I keep.”
Series
- Part 19 of Tales From the Tower
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Truth Is Marching On by NyxEtoile, OlivesAwl
Fandoms: The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Captain America (Movies)
25 Oct 2016
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Summary
Ross began passing the very, very thick booklets around. "There will be no more asking for permission. You will receive orders from above if and when we choose to deploy you, and those are the only times you will act. We will decide who goes on missions. The activities and locations of dangerous individuals will be monitored at all times, and we will maintain a registry of enhanced persons."
There was silence around the table as he finished his circle. Then Pietro muttered something in Sokovian that made Nat snort.
"Care to share with the class, Mr. Maximoff?" Ross asked.
Pietro gave him a sullen look that he did so well. Nat answered for him. "He said he remembers the last time a government started registering its minorities."
Series
- Part 20 of Tales From the Tower