#Feeling like I got all the momentum swept from under me. Like somebody just pushed a block onto my path

[nonuggetshere]

Having a very shitty day after yesterday, will probably just focus on the doodles and don't do anything more today ✌️ but that depends on how I'll feel later

So, sorry if I don't end up replying to many asks today

[mcutrio]

Breaking Point (CW) [18]

Breaking Point (CW) [18]

Note: so maybe the accords aren’t this chapter, lol. i’ve had this scene written for a very long time and was actually going to post it as chapter seventeen but it didn’t feel like the right time

Tags: @imaginesofeverykind @buckys-little-monster @kaydeinkf

The next evening, Kat found herself bound to her bedroom, perhaps more comfortable to be isolated rather than threatened and terrified of Steve being within arms reach. However, her simmering anxiety suddenly rushed to the surface the moment he knocked and gently swung open her door.

“Can I talk to you?” He asked quietly.

Instinctively, she scanned his bodies for weapons. “What about?”

“About the past month,” Steve clarified, heaving a breath.

“Seemed like forever,” Kat muttered, squinting her eyes as she recalled the dull cell she was forced to be in.

“I know you don’t like me very much,” Steve began, “but I was just doing what I thought was best for the team, and I think that’s important.”

“Are we a threat to you?” Kat questioned suddenly.

Steve scrunched his brows together and unfolded his arms, “not anymore, no.”

“But we were,” Kat felt the words on her tongue and nodded, clenching her jaw for a moment. “Doesn’t that necessarily mean that… everybody else on the team is a threat? That Bucky should’ve been thrown in the cells alongside us?”

“No,” Steve said firmly.

“So are we not part of the team? How are we any different from anybody else, coming from a path we didn’t choose?” Kat frowned, “I just feel like that whatever we put on the line in order to keep your team together and take Ultron down is all a piss-poor ‘excuse’ for us to be not a part of Hydra anymore.” She heaved out, standing to her feet. She sucked in a breath, almost surprised at the lash of her uncontrolled tongue, but she stood her ground.

“You’re angry with me for not trusting you,” Steve nodded, remaining to not take her words too personally. “But do you blame me? SHIELD and I aren’t exactly on the best of terms… when I found out there were still more working under their nose even after their downfall, I reacted.”

“You’re doing it again!” Kat almost yelled, sucking in a breath. “We were never working under their nose! You’re blaming us for doing something that was never our choice, to begin with. Christ, Steve, if your trust issues are as severe as you claim them to be, you think you’d do a background check on us first, but you didn’t even think twice to invite us onto your ship and, might I remind you, into Clint's home.”

Steve stayed silent. “You helped us that day; you were an ally.”

“But it doesn’t count, right? Because we were brainwashed and held to do things we were convinced were our only ever possible achievements, we’re not trustworthy and deserve to be thrown and locked into a cell, right? No, you don’t know anybody like that, do you? It’s not like we’re able to comprehend morals and make our own decisions, ie keep you alive and fight on your side,” Kat felt a deep, burning hatred towards Steve; one that had sprouted from his distrust and finger-pointing attitude and the horrifying hallucinations that haunted her at night.

“I know that you’ve been through a lot and you were, most of the time, held against your will,” Steve reasoned, “but until I knew exactly who you used to be, I couldn’t trust you. You were a threat to the team because there was nothing we knew to trust.”

Kat felt her arms tense up. “What about you?”

“Sorry? I don’t follow,” Steve responded, confused.

“Aren’t you a threat to the team? A threat to me and my friends? Haven’t you thought about it, Steve?” Kat took a step forwards threateningly, though Steve held his ground if a little more cautious to her hostile behaviour. “I mean come on, we’re treading eggshells around you buddy. If we do one fucking thing that you don’t like you’ll bind our wrists together and throw us in a fucking cell. You’re a predictable senile bastard who’s so far up Bucky’s ass he’s unable to see his own wrong-doings, and how everybody else feels as if they have to abide by some man out of time who used to be a Captain, might I remind you, and still feels as if he can throw around orders and pretend that they’re the right thing to do. Because God’s righteous man would never do anything wrong, would he? What happens if somebody hurts Bucky? Who’s got your back? Who’s really the threat here, Steve? We never lay a finger on you yet we’re paying for crimes we never committed.”

Steve was quiet, unable to think of how to respond. “I never wanted to make enemies with you. I’m sorry you feel this way,” Steve looked down. “But you are his daughter.”

An overwhelming rage overtook her and a hot, powerful feeling ran over her skin like the jolt of electricity, or like her skin had touched a flame. With the movements as quick as a cat, she shot forwards, pinned him against the wall and press her hands upon his chin to slam his head against the wall. Starting at her elbows, a hot flush of fluorescent orange began to spurt, growing and creeping through her veins like a parasite. It looked as if a flashlight was pressed against her skin or like her blood was glowing.

Steve shoved her backwards, to which she rolled and skidded on the ground for a moment before regaining her stance. Kat heaved, her shoulders rising and falling as the glow reached her fingertips. Her hair fell over her face, dishevelled, as Steve became frozen with cautiousness. If it came down to it, she’d overpower him. If it came down to it, she’d kill him.

The Grandmaster stood tall beside an unknowing Steve, a menacing grin on his face.

“Destroy him.”

It was almost as if a switch flipped and the hesitation between the both of them was instantly snapped when Kat lunged for him, though he broke out into a sprint to avoid her attacks. The speed at which the two ran caused havoc in the compound; they burst through and broke down doors and slammed into walls, leaving a litter of debris and smashed glass with every tread.

Mid-sprint, Steve hesitated as he scooped up his shield from the ground. Having gained momentum, Kat threw herself and shoulder-barged the shield that guarded his upper body, pushing him into a wall. She then pulled back her elbow before slamming her fist towards his face to which he swiftly dodged, though his eyes became clouded with fear as he saw her arm buried elbow-deep into the wall, realising that it was a punch with force intended to kill.

“You gotta control this,” he choked out, shoving her backwards, hard, with his shield so that he gained the advantage. Even though the relationship between the two was rocky and particularly bitter, he wanted to believe that she wouldn’t cause him real harm. But, with this new and recently discovered power, he couldn’t be so sure. Even she looked uncertain.

After glancing down at her hands for a moment, Kat shook her head. Letting out an unearthly yell, she swept up a lamp from the dresser table they stood nearby and tossed it hard and fast. However, a sudden net of purple shrouded the lamp, stopping it a hair away from Steve’s face with a non-gradual halt. Tabitha immediately became frozen, watching as Kat turned with a vicious look in her eyes. Though it wasn’t the expression that frightened Tabitha; it was the fluid, orange colour that swam like fire in Kats eyes.

Steve scrambled to a stance before he ran again, which instantly triggered Kat into a strong pace. However, Tabitha threw her arms up in an x shape, forming a webbing of swimming, purple energy that encased Kats' arms. However, she watched in horror as Kathryn’s orange skin seemed to manipulate and dissolve the energy shrouding her hands; almost as if they were a comparable state of matter or force.

Tabitha immediately shot away from the scene, seeking out her friends before she burst through the lab doors, being met with the surprised, confused eyes of Courtenay, Tony and Vision.

“There’s a fight,” Tabitha heaved, “it’s bad, guys.”

“What? Who’s fighting?” Tony questioned, standing straight and becoming directly alert.

Tabitha swallowed. “Kat and Steve.”

“What’s new?” Court shot back, though her humour dropped when she realised that Tabitha was being serious.

“Vision, you know what to do,” Tony said, grabbing his blazer jacket and hurriedly leaving the room, where he was followed by the purple droid. “Come on,” he ushered, urging the two girls out of the room as Vision melted through the walls in pursuit of the brawling pair.

“Fight back!” Kat yelled, grabbing a chair as they neared the kitchen. She slammed it down, hard, though it snapped upon impact with his shield. It was at that moment that she became increasingly tired of her damn shield, so she quickly thought of a way to disarm him by yanking it towards her and then thrusting it backwards, connecting with his face so that he stumbled and she snatched it from his grasp, taking a hold of it in her left hand.

There was a pause as Kathryn felt a rip inside of her; like the voltage inside of her had doubled. She suddenly felt completely torn in two; one side of her was fighting and crawling, scraping at the back of her mentality to escape from the mystical bubble the Grandmaster has formed, whereas the other side was baring its teeth and reaching for Steve, preparing to kill.

With a scream, she wielded her right fist before slamming it to the marble ground, enforcing a crack that spider-webbed outwards and towards Steve, where the force unearthed him from the ground and catapulted him a few feet backwards before he skidded and hit the wall. She stepped forward, lifting up the shield with a sharp elbow.

The sudden clap of thunder in the distance immediately snapped her out of her trance like a slap, and the anger in her face dropped as she stared down at Steve, who held his hands up in defence. The flash image of the Grandmaster with his fingers around Thor's throat caught her off guard, and then her anger melted away into a brief, blissful nothingness. Before she could respond, the team came rushing out to witness the scene though they stood back and watched with held breaths as the weapon began shaking in her hand.

“Kathryn, release Captain America's shield,” Vision stated, standing close to her with a hand reaching forwards.

“Kat please think about what you’re doing,” Tabitha urged, her voice pleading.

She dropped the shield with a heavy clunk and the plasma that ran through her veins melted away, revealing the naturally pale skin underneath. Kat blinked her eyes and the fire morphed to its original grey. Before she could be obtained, she turned out of the room and ran.

Court stepped towards Steve and offered him a hand, to which he grasped her forearm and pulled himself to his feet, still feeling relatively uneasy.

“You alright, bud?” Court questioned, looking as Steve winced when he pressed a hand to the side of his head.

“I’m not bleeding, so,” Steve said after staring down at his hand as he pulled it away, “god, I really feel like my age now.”

“Is that right, grandpa?” Court comforted, before lowering her voice. “What was that all about?”

“I-- I don’t know,” Steve admitted, shaking out of his dazed funk.

“Yeah, we’re gonna need a little bit more than I don’t know, pal,” Tony told him, sucking on his teeth as he stared at the damage to the flooring. “Vision, chase after the psycho feline, would you?”

“I’m in pursuit,” the android responded, morphing through the wall.

“Was that a pun?” Tony breathed. “I’m so proud.”

“She’s not herself,” Tabitha realised, ignoring Tony's remarks. “She’s different.”

“Yeah,” Court scoffed.  “What the heck was all that stuff with her hands? She looked like a fucking glow stick. Bet that’d be great at a rave,” she said, oblivious to the cold eyes upon her.

“She’s stronger,” Steve heaved, holding a hand to the stitch he felt in his side. “Scarier. She was hitting to kill.”

“I can tell from the damage,” Tony scorned, rolling his eyes.

“Yeah, she really had it out for you,” Tabitha swallowed. “I know she doesn’t like you but-- this is different. It’s almost like she was…”

“Brainwashed,” Courtenay finished, rubbing her clammy palms together. “She was in a trance.”

“Someone is definitely behind this,” Tabitha agreed. “Now would be a great time for Thor to visit. Maybe he knows what’s going on,” she shrugged.

“You know he’d be down here at the speed of light if anything serious was happening,” Courtenay grinned.

Tabitha arched a brow. “That was a tasteful pun. I enjoyed it.”

“Thank you,” Court responded.

“Hmph,” Tony shrugged. “I say we just carry on like it didn’t happen.”

“Are you mad?” Tabitha questioned. “She’s clearly unwell.”

“So we keep an eye on her and make sure she’s safe,” Tony offered. “But if there really is someone behind this, there’s gotta be a purpose to it and ignoring it is sure as hell gonna piss on their parade. I’m speaking from experience; don’t challenge them and definitely, do not give them what they want.”

“He’s right,” Courtenay agreed. “Keep her safe and figure out what’s wrong. That’s all we can do.”

Tabitha rubbed her arms. “Okay.”

Kathryn found herself upon the roof in her attempt to escape the situation she had found herself in. She was visibly shaking; even more so in the cold, slashing rain from thunderous, heavy clouds above.

She stared up at the sky, squinting past the rain.

“You know, it’d be really good to see you right now,” she called out. “I don’t even know what I’m doing anymore,” she admitted sorrowfully, feeling a little silly although comforted as she yelled to the storm. “You always seemed so sure.”

Vision merged behind her, though he simply watched and analysed instead of interrupted.

“I almost killed him, Thor,” she breathed out. “He almost died and it would’ve been my fault,” Kat choked, looking down at her hands. “I don’t know what’s happening to me. Maybe I am just as bad as he thinks I am. The Grandmaster said one thing and I-- maybe I should be locked in that cell. I’m scared, Thor. Why aren’t you here?”

“You’re in pain,” Vision said quietly, causing her to turn around in sudden surprise. He held out his hand. “Please, come with me.”

With a final, yearning and hopeful glance towards the sky, her emotions dwindled to nothingness and she followed Vision back into the compound.