The battle with Thanos had left the Avengers victorious, but the scars it left on each member were more than just physical. The fight for the fate of the universe had been a collective struggle, and each member of the team carried a different burden in its aftermath. As much as they celebrated their victory, they couldn't shake the weight of what they had just experienced.
Jordan watched his teammates carefully, seeing the subtle changes in each of them. While some were more obvious—Tony's lingering fatigue or Steve's quiet contemplation—others were harder to read. But each of them was affected in ways that only those who had been through the battle truly understood.
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**Setting: Avengers Compound – Common Room**
The first sign of how deeply the battle had affected everyone came when Tony Stark stood up from the table, his eyes scanning the room as if searching for answers he couldn't find.
"Alright, team," he began, his voice carrying the weight of someone who had barely slept in days. "I know we've all been through hell. We've got a lot to deal with right now, but we can't forget that we're all here. We survived because of each other."
Jordan watched Tony closely. He could see the exhaustion in his eyes, the lines that hadn't been there before. The weight of losing so much, of playing a role in a mission that had cost so many lives—Tony was trying to be the glue that held everything together, but Jordan knew it was wearing on him.
"I'll be in the lab," Tony muttered, before heading toward the elevator. The rest of the team exchanged glances, understanding that Tony needed time alone, but also knowing that there were things that needed to be addressed.
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**Setting: Avengers Compound – Steve Rogers's Room**
Steve Rogers had always been the steady hand, the one who held the team together through their darkest moments. But in the aftermath of the battle, he was quieter than usual. Jordan had seen Steve fight with an unwavering sense of duty, but now, he could see the cracks beginning to show.
Jordan knocked lightly before stepping into Steve's room. The Captain was sitting by the window, looking out over the Compound's grounds. He didn't turn when Jordan entered, but Jordan could feel the heaviness in the air.
"You alright?" Jordan asked, his voice softer than usual.
Steve let out a deep sigh, his gaze never leaving the horizon. "I don't know, kid. We won, but at what cost?" There was a weariness in his voice that Jordan hadn't heard before. "We lost so much… so many lives. So many we couldn't save. It's hard to just move on like nothing happened."
Jordan took a seat next to him. "I get it. It's hard not to feel like we should've done more." He paused, his mind racing as he thought about all they had endured. "But we did everything we could. We're still here. The world's still here."
Steve's eyes flicked to him, a faint, tired smile tugging at his lips. "I know. But sometimes, it feels like it's never enough. No matter how many battles we win, it's always at a price."
Jordan nodded, feeling the weight of those words. Steve had always been a symbol of hope, but now, he seemed like a man who was starting to question whether the cost of that hope was too high.
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**Setting: Avengers Compound – Natasha's Room**
Natasha Romanoff had always been the one to keep things under control, to hold her emotions in check. But Jordan knew her better now. He had seen the cracks in her armor, the times when her eyes betrayed her tough exterior. In the aftermath of the battle, she was no different.
Jordan found her in her room, sitting on the bed, her hands folded in her lap. She looked up as he entered, her gaze steely but distant.
"You holding up okay?" Jordan asked, leaning against the doorframe.
Natasha let out a long breath and looked away. "I don't know if I'll ever be okay after this," she said quietly. "We did what we had to do, but that doesn't mean it doesn't hurt. Some of those choices… they were hard."
Jordan stepped further into the room, feeling the tension radiating from her. "It's not easy. We lost people. We sacrificed. But we didn't do it alone. We did it together."
Natasha's eyes softened as she looked at him. "Yeah. I know. I just… sometimes it feels like no matter how many times we save the world, it's never going to be enough."
Jordan was silent for a moment, trying to find the right words. He had seen Natasha struggle before, but this felt different. "Maybe it's not about saving the world," he said softly. "Maybe it's about making sure we don't lose ourselves in the process."
Natasha gave him a small, sad smile. "Yeah, you're probably right."
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**Setting: Avengers Compound – Clint's Room**
Clint Barton had always been a man of few words, but in the aftermath of the battle, he was even more withdrawn. Jordan found him sitting by his window, looking out at the stars. Clint had lost so much, and though he never said it, Jordan knew that the battle with Thanos had reopened old wounds for him.
"You okay?" Jordan asked, his voice low.
Clint turned his head, his eyes tired but clear. "I don't know. We won. But I still feel like I've lost something." His voice was hoarse, as if the weight of everything was finally catching up to him. "I lost people. People I couldn't save."
Jordan stepped into the room, standing beside him. "We all did. But you did what you could. We all did."
Clint nodded slowly. "Yeah, but it never feels like enough, does it?"
Jordan didn't have an answer. Sometimes, there was no way to make sense of the pain, no way to explain why things happened the way they did. But he knew Clint—he knew that the archer had always carried the weight of the world on his shoulders, even if he never showed it.
"We just keep moving forward," Jordan said, his voice firm. "We keep fighting. For the people we've lost, and for the ones still here."
Clint gave him a sideways glance, a small but genuine smile forming on his lips. "Yeah. Guess that's all we can do."
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**Setting: Avengers Compound – Group Dinner**
As the days passed, the team began to find moments of normalcy again. But even in these quieter moments, the weight of the battle was still present. They gathered for a dinner in the common room, and though there were jokes and light conversation, Jordan could sense that everyone was still processing the aftermath in their own way.
Tony had rejoined the team, though he still looked like he was running on fumes. Steve had his usual calm demeanor, but there was a shadow behind his eyes. Natasha was quieter than usual, and Clint had his thoughts locked away behind his usual stoic gaze.
But Jordan saw it—small moments where each of them was trying to heal, trying to move forward. They had all been through something none of them could fully comprehend, and though they were heroes, they were still human.
And that was something Jordan would carry with him for the rest of his journey.
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