The dust of Sokovia is slowly settling.
Above the ruins, silence replaced the noise.
Only the occasional wail of police sirens and the sound of rubble rolling down from the ruins could be heard in the distance.
Natasha·Romanoff was the first to move.
She stepped over the rubble on the ground and walked towards the figure huddled in the crater.
Bruce·Banner is naked from the waist up except for a pair of elastic pants.
He hugged his knees and his whole body was still shaking uncontrollably, like a child who had just woken up from a nightmare.
Natasha pulled out an emergency blanket from the tactical bag he carried.
"Hey, Bruce, it's okay..."
Her voice was very soft, she walked to Banner, squatted down, and gently wrapped the blanket around him, covering his naked body.
Banner shrank suddenly, then slowly raised his head.
"I... I messed up again, right?"
Banner's voice was filled with deep despair.
"How many people are there? How many people died? Natasha... tell me the number."
He looked around and saw the collapsed residential buildings in the distance and the black smoke rising from the ruins. He closed his eyes in pain and clutched his hair with both hands.
"No, Bruce." Natasha reached out and grabbed his wrist, stopping him from harming himself. "Listen to me, no one died. This time, someone caught your fist."
"Moreover, all the buildings here were bought by Tony, and you did not cause irreparable damage."
"Really?" Banner couldn't believe it.
"Really." Natasha wiped a piece of mud on his cheek with his thumb, "Someone stopped you, and everything is over."
Banner let out a long breath, slumped down, and leaned on Natasha's shoulders.
"Thank you..."
The other side of the ruins.
Pietro·Maximoff was lying on a flat concrete slab, his legs showing an unnatural twisted angle. The severe pain made his face pale, but he gritted his teeth and said nothing, just holding on to the gravel beneath him.
Wanda knelt beside him, his hands hanging above his brother's legs. The red Chaos energy was trembling at his fingertips, but he didn't dare to touch it.
Tears fell from her face like broken beads.
"It's all my fault... it's all my fault..."
Wanda choked with sobs, her voice broken.
"I shouldn't have messed with that monster... if I hadn't been trying to control him..."
She raised her head and looked at the mess around her. This was her hometown. But now, because of her anger and recklessness, it had become a battlefield.
"I'm a monster...Pietro... I'm a disaster..."
A hand gently placed on her shoulder.
That's a hand wearing a red glove.
Wanda trembled and turned his head.
Homelander walked to her side, restrained all his sharpness, squatted down, and his eyes were level with Wanda.
"Wanda·Maximoff."
"I am Homelander."
He reached out his hand and gently helped her tuck a stray hair on her cheek behind her ear.
"I know you, girl." Homelander smiled, his eyes full of pity, "Pietro often talks about you to me."
Pietro lying on the ground. "..."
He swore that at Vought, apart from complaining that the training was too tiring and the pizza in the cafeteria was not delicious, he had no chance to talk to his boss, let alone his sister.
But looking at Homelander's sincere eyes, Pietro swallowed, wisely chose to shut up, and silently recited the employee code in his heart.
"He... mentioned me?" Wanda was stunned.
"Of course." Homelander nodded, "He said you are his only concern in this world."
"I..." Wanda glanced at the surrounding ruins, tears streaming even more fiercely, "I can only destroy... I am a monster..."
"Look at me, Wanda." Homelander's voice seems to have the power to penetrate people's hearts.
"There is nothing right or wrong in power itself."
"It's like a fire. It can burn down a house, or it can keep people warm in the cold winter. You just don't know how to control the fire."
"But I hurt Pietro..." Wanda looked at his brother's legs with tears in his eyes.
"It's called the price of growing up, sweetheart."
Homelander turned around and glanced at Pietro, giving the stubborn silver-haired boy a knowing look.
"As a hero, being injured is a medal. This is what he bears for you and for this city."
"That doesn't mean you're a disaster."
Homelander held Wanda's face with both hands and forced her to look at him.
"This only means that you need guidance."
"You need someone to teach you how to harness this talent, how to turn this power that can destroy the world into a shield that protects the world."
"This is a responsibility, Wanda. You can't escape it, you have to learn to bear it."
Wanda looked at him blankly.
In his eyes, she saw what she had longed for.
"I... can I?" Wanda's voice was trembling.
"Of course... I will lead you." Homelander showed his iconic perfect smile.
This sentence completely shattered Wanda's psychological defense.
Tip! Harvest Special Popularity Points+15000! (from Wanda·Maximoff)
"As for Pietro."
Homelander walked to Pietro and looked down at the broken legs.
"Be patient, kid. This kind of injury is nothing at all at Vought. I promise, you can go to Paralympics and get a gold medal in one month!"
Pietro was sweating profusely in pain, but he still forced out an ugly smile, "Boss... your joke... is really bad."
"Is it bad? I think it's quite humorous."
Homelander shrugged.
At this time, there was a sound of metal friction.
Tony·Stark emerged from the severely damaged Hulkbuster Armor.
Natasha also supported the weak Banner and walked over.
The Avengers, in this devastated square, reunited with the leader of Vought.
"Okay."
Tony opened his visor, wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, and looked at Homelander who was unharmed.
"Although I don't want to admit it, this time... you stole the spotlight again, Mr. Stars and Stripes."
Tony kicked the gravel on the ground.
"However, the moment he receives the fist is really cool. If you don't mind, JARVIS, send me that video later. I will analyze his force structure frame by frame."
"As long as you like it, Tony." Homelander smiled, "I can even sign it for you if necessary."
"Save it." Tony rolled his eyes.
Natasha supported Banner and walked to Homelander.
The top agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. has complicated eyes at this moment.
"Homelander." Natasha said, "In other words, Mr. Starr."
"Just call me Anthony. Long time no see, Natasha."
"Okay, Anthony." Natasha shrugged, "I just figured out one thing. To get along in this world, it's important to follow the right boss."
"Fury That old fox, I've had enough of his bad things..."
"I was planning to retire..."
Natasha looked directly at Homelander.
"However, I still plan to ask... Is your Vought still recruiting people? You don't need to fill out the dozens of pages of employment application forms."