💏 — Rhodey
KISSES: (perma accepting)
It ends.
Against all odds, against her father’s burning hatred and his incredible will, it ends. The Avengers do exactly what they set out to do, and what Nebula thought was impossible for all her life.
They toppled the Mad Titan.
But not without cost. She sees the way they circle around Stark. He has a gravity to him, a kindness she’s never seen before. It’s easy to see how all these people were drawn to him. Gods and monsters, heroes and sorcerers. Her heart aches at the light going out in his eyes, and she has to turn away.
They would be telling her to leave soon. She served her purpose and without Stark and his deep seated kindness, they wouldn’t want her around. Gamora was gone. The best she could hope for is to find use with Rocket, so maybe she might have somewhere to sleep.
There’s a hand on her shoulder. Heavy and encased in metal. For one terrifying second she thinks maybe her father has risen, too spiteful to die. But it’s Rhodey. Watching her with dark, careful eyes.
He tells her that the sorcerer used the time stone before it was banished. That Stark will live. (He doesn’t say ‘hopefully’, but she can see it written in his eyes.) That they’ll need to take him to Asgard for care.
The words are like water. They pour over her. That metal hand tightens just so against her shoulder. Rhodey smiles. We did it. Her knees feel weak, which shouldn’t be possible. They’re cybernetic.
Her throat is full of words. Please don’t make me go away. Nebula doesn’t speak. Maybe they wouldn’t even be heard. Maybe Rhodey would laugh. (He wouldn’t. She knows this. He is not like her father or his men. His strength is genuine, and kind.)
So she takes her rebellion the only way she knows how. If this is to end, let it be levered from her cold, dead fingers. This victory was hers too. We did it.
Slowly, carefully, eyes kept on the dirt just to the right of Rhodey’s shoulder, Nebula turns her head. She purses her lips, the same way she’d seen Gamora do with that idiot Quill, and lets her lips press against the first knuckle of Warmachine’s gauntlet.













