Disclaimer: I do not own the Avengers
Warnings/Tags: Post CACW, Team Cap Bashing, New Avengers, Rogue Avengers, Panic Attack, Protective Pepper.
Cross-posted on my AO3 with a collage.
The Quinjet holding the recently pardoned Rogue Avengers was about five minutes away from landing in the compound. There was a line of the New Avengers and friends standing in front of where the landing site was. Most were in their uniforms and suits, except Tony who stood in the centre dressed to the nines in between Pepper and Rhodey. The pair looked to at their short genius in worry as he tried to control his expression and hide the trembling of his hands.
Together, the New Avengers watched as the black and sleek Quinjet landed before them. Pepper took one of Tony's hands into one of her slim ones, her crimson nails stood out against the two hands.
"Hey, hey, calm down." Tony whispered looking at her as the Rogues began to walk out, his body was tense and his back was as straight as a plank of wood, "they can't hurt you anymore."
"It's not me they hurt." She hissed, her nails digging into his skin as her hand tightened against his without her realising, once she did though, she loosened her grip, "why are they back, Tony? How could you let them come back after everything they did to you?" The genius didn't know what to say to her, so he just stared down at his spotless and somehow shining shoes.
Then the Rogues were walking towards them before coming to a stop about six feet in front of them. Steve stood tall at the front with Wanda and Clint standing beside him, but Bucky loitered behind the trio and a bit to the left so he was seen yet also gave off the sense that he was trying to hide. Sam stood beside him and Scott was next to the man but slightly behind him. Those three didn't look at all happy, it was as though they had come to understand their actions unlike the other three. Then there was Natasha, who stood beside Bucky's little formation but at a distance, her head was held high, but her blank face didn't hide the emotions running through her eyes. Those four definitely knew they'd messed up.
Steve smiled at Tony, who did his best to not flinch. The man looked at him with an expression that clearly showed he was waiting for an apology. An apology that would never come.
"Hey, Tony." Steve started to say, he looked visibly stunned as his eyes drifted across the rest of the people standing beside the genius, "I wasn't expecting to see so many people."
"'The Avengers are yours. Maybe more so than mine.'" Tony snarled, his voice deeper as he imitated Steve's voice surprisingly well, "So your letter was bullshit then? Not that I didn't know that anyway. You were expecting me to be all alone, didn't you, Rogers? I've got a new family and it ain't you guys."
Steve would've said something had the dragon of Stark Industries (as Tony liked to call her, but never to her face because she could be scary -like a dragon- when she wanted to be) not stepped forward in her Jimmy Choo heels that Tony bought her as a wedding present. Without them, she was tall anyway, but with them, she towered over the Rogues -not that her presence didn't make them feel small and insignificant to begin with.
"Let me stop you right there, Mr Rogers."
"It's Captain Rogers, Miss Potts." Steve stupidly interrupted,
"Actually, it isn't and technically it's Mrs Potts-Stark." She smirked at the stunned looks, "yes, Tony and I got married a few months ago, I suppose it's difficult to learn about these things when you're on the run and not invited."
"Pepper-"
"No. You do not get to call me that, we are not friends. We are acquaintances much to my annoyance. You will listen to me now." Her voice wasn't raised, it remained steady and calm even as she silenced them all, "there are some rules now."
"This is ridiculous," Clint muttered but was ignored,
"Now. No one here is allowed in the East Wing, which is the residential wing for the New Avengers. You have residence in the West Wing. In the centre is the communal area where everyone can access."
"Since when are the residential areas separate?" Steve asked with a disapproving frown,
"Since no one here trusts you enough to sleep in the same area." Spider-Man snapped before Pepper could, "I'm sorry Pepper!"
"It's alright, Spidey." She murmured with a gentle smile. "The Accords Committee have pushed that we do bonding sessions and training together as much as we hate the idea, it is necessary. Training is available and recommended at least four days a week for a minimum of two hours, there are some exceptions for Iron Man, War Machine and Dr Banner."
"Bruce is here?" Natasha murmured stepping out of the shadows for the first time since the team arrived. The man stepped into the limelight from where he was loitering slightly behind the group,
"How on Earth could you agree with them, Bruce?" Steve exclaimed, "General Ross is on the committee, they'll do something to you!"
"Can someone shut his gob? He's a right moron."
"Sorry, but who the hell are you?" Snapped Wanda coming to Steve's defence, Clint too took on a defensive stance.
"I suppose there's a lot of new faces for you." Pepper murmured, "Allow me to introduce you to the new faces of the Avengers, also known to the public as the New Avengers."
"We need to change that," Tony mumbled to her and she nodded,
"As a whole, the Avengers have been split into multiple groups with their abilities matched so each group is at it's best capabilities. These groups change every so often so each individual gets the chance to work with others. We have the Guardians of the Galaxy who are currently off-world, they consist of Gamora, Drax the Destroyer, Groom, Rocket, Mantis and Peter Quill, the latter is the only human on the team. They also have Nebula but I'm not sure if she's just there or a member of the team." Pepper took strong strides to the far end of the line of superheroes, "Here we have Hope Van Dyne also known as the Wasp," there was a loud inhale from Scott as he looked at the stern lady, "Captain Carol Danvers or Captain Marvel," the blonde stared blankly at Steve, who tried to smile at her, "The notorious Valkyrie," it was the woman who had shouted at Steve before,
"It's incredibly unprofessional of her to be drinking," Steve stated and narrowly avoided the empty bottle that flew his way,
"And yet she is an incredible asset to the team." Rhodey shot back, "please continue, Pepper."
"Of course, you all know Iron Man, Tony Stark…well, I suppose you don't really know him, do you? Then War Machine or Colonel Rhodes to you. You all know Vision. Doctor Stephen Strange, this young man is Spider-Man. Now the Revengers, which, honestly, Thor that was the best you could come up with?" Pepper smiled,
"Wait, Thor's back?" Clint shouted,
"And who's Spider-Man? You missed out his name."
"I didn't miss out his name, Rogers, I simply didn't say it."
"Why not?" Whined Wanda,
"Because he has a secret identity and doesn't trust you enough to tell you. If you're done interrupting me, can I continue? Finally, the Revengers, the group Valkyrie is a part of. We have Thor, Dr Banner and Loki, who has been pardoned and forgiven as he wasn't in control of his actions back then." She calmly stated over the shouting of the Rogues.
With introductions done, she went on to say the rest of the rules before the New Avengers went to return to what they were doing with the plan to leave the Rogues to their own devices.
Steve reached out and grabbed Tony's arm tightly, he felt the man flinch in his grasp but didn't care.
"Tony, we need to talk. This is absolutely ridiculous." He hissed barely aware of the genius' oncoming panic attack,
"Rogers, if you do not let go of my husband right now, you will be buried underneath a mountain of restraining orders and lawsuits that I have already had written up and ready to go. Believe me, you do not want to go to court against me. So let him go right now." She snapped and found herself wishing she still had the Extremis burning under her skin, not that she needed it. "I may not have a fancy suit, but do not think I am powerless against a man who thinks himself better than everyone. I deal with that in meetings and I easily take them down, do you want me to do that with you?" Steve released Tony mostly out of shock and the genius stumbled into Rhodey's waiting arms and his best friend gently led Tony inside with Peter at his other side. The young mask covered boy sent glares at the group behind every few minutes. Once inside, Pepper turned back to Steve and the Rogues, "I'm warning you now. If anyone here does anything to him or the others, I will not be the only one to put you in your places, but I will be the one to hit the hardest."
"Is that a threat Miss Potts?"
"Yes." Is all she said before she turned pointedly turning her back on them, "And it's Mrs Potts-Stark to you."
—LINE BREAK—
"Rhodey?"
"Yes, Tones."
"How is my wife more badass than me?"
"Because you, my darling, are a softie." Pepper commented in place of the man,
"Am not!"
"Tis true, Anthony! You are small and adorable!" Tony just pouted and Carol reached across and grabbed his lip,
"All you're doing is making yourself cuter."
"Peter! I demand that you back me up! Iron Man's your favourite superhero, right? So defend me!"
"You are my favourite superhero, Mr Stark, but Aunt May told me it's bad to lie, so I can't say you aren't cute."
"That's it, you're out of the will, Parker!"
"Yeah right." Peter sassed as the group relaxed in their wings living room as they did at least once a week, "Wait! I'm in the will?" No one replied to the shocked boy.
Here's my tumblr if you're interested, it also has the story collages: anxious- - -soul (no spaces between the dashes but sucks and wouldn't allow the dashes without spaces)
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