scarletsromero

[scarletsromero]

Sarah had been all over the news this week. Her mask had fallen off while she'd been raiding a DMC truck and the world was absolutely frenzied when Captain America's daughter was caught with facial recognition software heisting a government vehicle full of illegal mutants. She'd been caught in 4k, ripping the doors off of the hinges before throwing two officers out of the moving vehicle. The news condemned her of course, citing the warrants now out for her arrest and long think pieces about how the Rogers family actually had a long-running history of bordering on domestic terrorism or something or rather he'd skimmed over. A few fringe publications cited her as a radical hero, protecting the vulnerable from the fascists who kidnapped them. He'd gotten used to seeing his family on every corner of the internet from a very young age.

After killing Thanos, the Avengers had a brief revival in the public favour. Instead of New York Times think pieces about the net harm their existence had brought upon the world; it was rabid fandom consumption. His parent's marriage and its notable break down, Tony Starks favourite shoe brand, and how to braid your beard like Thor Odinson! For godsakes, Nate had a wiki made about him while still in utero in anticipation– One of the nurses had gone public about his condition before his parents had even found the words to tell anyone outside of his Grandma.

He knew it could be worse. Sarah didn't like to talk about Foundlings, at least not in James's presence. He'd been around ten, complaining about something he couldn't remember now beyond vague broad strokes. Something had hit a nerve he hadn't known existed, her face twisted into a frown, uncharacteristically teary-eyed. James felt awful before she'd even spoken, but that didn't absolve him of the sad squeak in her angry words outlining just how lucky they had it in comparison to other kids just like them; who didn't have friends in high places to keep them safe. He'd tried to apologise but she'd leaned away, muttering about needing to help someone with something or other. By the time they'd seen each other next, she didn't acknowledge it, leaving him with an awkward lump in his belly.

They'd never really gotten along. That wasn't to say they fought, in fact, they fought less than any siblings he knew really. But they didn't get along. She was a coworker in another department, they exchanged pleasantries and jokes even from time to time but he didn't know her really and she definitely didn't know him. He always thought about asking her about it, but lost the nerve when she tilted her head waiting for him to speak, swallowing the lump down. His throat was dry now too, trying to listen without looking like he was listening. Tony was outlining something about lawyers with his mom, both their faces set in stoney frowns. They'd lost his dad somewhere about ten minutes ago, his eyes looking far away. Sarah on the other hand, was biting down a laugh, texting away. More likely Arik on the other side than Bjorn, James figured. A twinge of annoyance shot up his spine, what was funny? Fox News preached all but a firing squad all morning over this crap and she's gonna giggle?

She'd been doing the Ice Box interceptions for a little while now, he thought he'd been the last to know but looking at their mother's face, the shock and worry mixing with that maternal anger, he guessed not. He hadn't worked up the nerve to tell her he didn't think she should be doing it. Instead, he hoped someone else might, someone Sarah would listen to. But no one did. Now look at everything, it was fucked. There was going to be no normal for the foreseeable future. There was no way she wasn't ending up in the Box after this; how could she not? And in the months to follow, no corner would be safe from idiots with a camera asking him what he thinks about that. He felt hopeless- sick, really. The nausea sat low in his stomach as he dared to steal little glares at his sister.

"What?" She asked, not quite irritable but not far off. He jumped in his seat, startled to have been caught in the act.

"What?" He snapped back, furrowing his brows in return. His shoulders jerked in a question.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" So much for not fighting he thought. She sat up straight from her slouch, her shoulders jerked just the same stoking his annoyance.

"Like what?" He wasn't even one hundred percent what he was mad about in that instant if he was being honest. All of a sudden, he felt pissed just for the sake of it, like she could pull a piece of paper from a hat and have one of fifty reasons he was so irritated.

"All pissed off."

"I'm not." He barked defensively. It was enough of a spectacle to finally pry everyone's eyes from the paperwork.

"What's going on?" Grace's voice was pinched.

"Nothing." They answered, still scowling at one another.

"You know they're worried sick about you right?" He leaned in to ask a moment later, voice loaded with quiet implication. "They have to stay up all night trying to figure out how to keep you out of jail for this-"

"Okay?" She asked, as if waiting on the relevant information.

"It's not fair."

"The kids in that truck were younger than you and you want to talk to me about fair?

"Why does it have to be you?" He accused. "Why you all the time- this is going to blow up our world for god knows how long and you just expect me to-"

"I don't expect you to do anything." The double meaning in her words stung.

"We don't all have to wear spandex to help, Sarah."

"Yeah? And how are you helping? Gonna vote blue next election?" She held her hands up in a patronizing cheer. "You want to know why me? Because where was anyone else?" James felt tears stinging at the back of his eyes as he turned his face down with an embarrassed frown, feeling ten years old again- wishing that the world could just figure itself out and leave his family out of it. Leave him out of it. He stood up in a rush, rubbing at his eyes as nonchalantly as he could manage, ready for a hasty exit. "James-" She sighed, he shrugged and turned away. An apology out of her mouth would only make Sarah feel better.