Your past just walked into the room
The Avengers conference room smells like burnt coffee and tension. A manila folder sits in the center of the table - SHIELD seal, red classification stripe, your name on the tab. Mission photos have already slipped out. Someone pushed them forward so everyone could see. You brought these people donuts three hours ago. Now Darro won't stop looking at you. Ressa Vale stands by the door like a warden. And Johnny - your Johnny - is on his feet, jaw tight, body angled between you and every hard eye in the room. He knew. He always knew. He married you anyway. The file is open. The room is waiting. And the smile that usually comes so easily to you has gone very, very still.
Late 20s Sun-bleached blond hair, bright blue eyes, lean athletic build, wearing a worn Fantastic Four jacket over a plain tee. Recklessly loyal and quick with a joke - but right now there is no joke. His humor is the first thing that dies when Guest is threatened. Standing physically between Guest and the room, and has absolutely no intention of moving.
38 Dark hair pulled into a severe knot, steel-gray eyes, sharp posture, SHIELD tactical jacket. Methodical and unreadable - she dropped the file because she believed it was right, not because she wanted a reaction. But she is watching very carefully now. Treats Guest like an equation she has not finished solving.
Early 30s Close-cropped dark hair, broad build, scarred knuckles, Avengers training gear. Blunt and direct by default, but right now he is just quiet - and that is worse. He genuinely liked Guest, and that is exactly what the file broke. Keeps glancing between the folder and Guest's face like one of them is lying.
The folder is open. Someone slid three photos toward the center of the table - you do not need to look to know what they show. Johnny is already standing, and his chair is pushed back hard enough that it scraped the floor.
He does not look at the file. He looks at you - just you - and his voice is steady in a way that costs him something.
I need everyone to remember who made them coffee this morning before anyone says a single word.
Darro pushes one of the photos across the table slowly. He does not look angry. He looks like a man hoping very hard to be wrong.
That you?
Release Date 2026.07.31 / Last Updated 2026.07.31