The street was still smoking, busted pavement and gangsters moaning in the background, but now every eye in the crowd was on them. Two groups standing off, the heat practically radiating in the neon haze.
But before things could snap again—Red Guardian's stomach growled. Loud. Like a bear waking from hibernation.
"...People are watching," Alexei muttered, rubbing his gut. He puffed his chest, glancing between Butcher and Walker, then sighed dramatically. "And I am starving. We settle this over food. Da?"
Yelena rolled her eyes. "Oh my god, you're unbelievable."
But he was already shoving people along, muttering something about "proper Soviet constitution requiring protein intake after battle." Before long, the groups were crowded into a dim-lit restaurant two blocks away, commandeering three tables pushed together.
On one side: Alex, Butcher, Deadpool lounging with his feet on the chair.
On the other: Red Guardian chewing bread like it was steak, Yelena picking at salad, Bucky sitting with his arms crossed, Ghost phasing in and out of her seat, and John Walker nursing his pride with a bruised jaw.
The silence was unbearable.
"So…" Deadpool finally said, leaning forward, hands together like a gossiping aunt. "Family dinner! Who's gonna start asking the awkward questions? Or do I have to break the ice with a fart joke?"
Bucky ignored him. His gaze went straight to Alex. "How did you know Tony Stark?"
Alex froze for a second. Everyone on the other side leaned forward.
Butcher scoffed. "We're just gonna pretend taco-boy didn't get ragdolled by me first?"
Walker clenched his jaw. "Shut up."
Butcher smirked.
Alex cleared his throat. "Look. This is going to sound insane, but… we were gone. Two years. A timeslip, a… curse, whatever you wanna call it. For us, it was two days. But for the world? Two years."
Yelena blinked. "You expect us to believe you… time-traveled?"
Alex nodded, steady. "I'm telling you the truth. We come back, and suddenly Fisk is mayor, the Avengers retired, new team wearing the name, everything changed. And yeah—we knew Tony. He gave us his card. Trusted us. He's the only reason we got half the stuff that kept us alive."
Ghost tilted her head. "...Wait." She looked at Walker, then Bucky, then the others. "He said Stark's card?"
Bucky's stare hardened, a flicker of something sharp flashing in his eyes. "Tony didn't hand those out. If Stark trusted you—why?"
Alex sighed. "Because he knew we weren't lying about what we faced. And I can't explain every detail. Not yet."
The new Avengers shifted uneasily.
Butcher finally leaned back, grabbing his drink, tone heavy and sharp. "As for why I went off on those muppets outside? They spilled my f***ing beer. Then tried to act smug about it. Didn't end well for 'em."
Red Guardian paused mid-chew. "...You beat gang of men senseless because they spill your beer?"
"Damn right," Butcher said flatly. "Wouldn't you?"
There was a long pause. Red Guardian slowly nodded, completely serious. "Da. Absolutely."
Yelena groaned, putting her face in her hands.
Walker slammed the table. "That doesn't explain how you threw me around. I've got the serum. I'm not easy to put down."
Everyone turned toward Butcher.
He smirked. "Compound V."
The table went cold.
Bucky's eyes narrowed, his voice low and dangerous. "...You're a supe?"
Deadpool clapped his hands together like it was dinner theater. "Ooooh, now it gets juicy. Big bad Butcher, hunter of supes, turned himself into one. Oh, the irony. Oh, the hypocrisy. Somebody call Alanis Morissette!"
Butcher leaned forward, his voice rough, dripping with venom. "Yeah. I'm a supe. Difference is, I didn't want it. Didn't ask for it. Took it because the fight needed it. I ain't like the rest of those shiny, smiling psychopaths—you lot included."
Walker pushed up from his chair. Bucky's eyes darkened. Red Guardian looked like he was thriving in the drama. Yelena rolled her eyes again, whispering, "This is why I hate group dinners."
And Alex? He was staring down at the table, the system's faint glow reflecting in his eyes.
[SYSTEM ALERT]
Side Quest Unlocked: "Trust or Betrayal."
Outcome may determine allies… or enemies.
He muttered under his breath, "Not now…"
Deadpool leaned toward him, whispering loud enough for everyone to hear. "Dude. You really need to disable notifications."
The standoff was simmering. Answers had been given, but not enough. Questions still piled up. And now—both teams were sizing each other up, wondering if they were looking at future allies… or their next war.
Author: If you dont know how they know of Compound V....collapse of those two worlds occured 3 years ago, ofc they know by then, after encountering those vought people.