shall i leave

"It's not fair to you," Scott pressed a kiss against Hope's forehead. "Not fair to any of you. I don't want to leave, not now, not when everything is so..." He gestured with his hand. "So perfect."


"Scott," Hope smoothed her hand through his hair. "You can't let us hold you back."


"I'm not," Scott whined, wrapping his hand from hers. "I just... I don't want to be so much bigger. I don't want to be a big shot like that, all I want is for us to be together, and happy, and..."


"It's Captain America, Scott." Hope laughed, breathless and light and sweet. "You've had a man crush on this guy for as long as I've known you."


"Longer," Scott admitted, Hope's infectious laughter spreading to him. "But you, Cassie... this is all much more important."


"You act like you're going to die." Hope snorted, rolling her eyes. "Didn't they say they just needed you for one quick fight?"


"Well, yeah, but..." Scott chewed on his lower lip. "I..."


"Talk to Cassie, alright?" Hope asked softly, squeezing Scott's hand a little bit. "I don't want you to resent us for being the ones to hold you back."


"I'd never resent you." Scott whispered.


"Then go. It won't change how you feel about us, and it won't change how we feel about you."


Scott took a deep breath, and smiled fondly at Hope. "I love you so much." He laughed, unable to help himself from doing it. "And I don't want to risk having a life where something stupid like the Avengers or the Accords have messed up this peace that we have."


"And I don't want to go through life knowing that I could have had Captain America's autograph but my boyfriend was too much of a sentimental idiot to get it for me." Hope teased, scrubbing a finger against his cheek. "Just don't hold yourself back for us, okay?"


"Okay." Scott sighed, rubbing his thumb over the palm of her hand. "I just... Do you think that he's right?"


"Who? The Captain?" Hope pursed her lips together thoughtfully. "I can see both sides of this. The Accords, it's true that supers should be reigned in so that messes like Siberia don't happen. But at the same time, there are people who want to help others, and supers can't wait to get approved every time that they want to stop a mugging. And to be asked to compromise their identities..."


"It's dangerous." Scott agreed, rubbing his forehead wearily. "I don't like this. Life was so much simpler before this whole mess started."


"But you met me through this mess." Hope kissed the back of Scott's hand. "I know that you want to go. Don't force yourself to do anything for our sakes, okay?"


"...Okay." Scott sighed and stood up. "I'll go talk to the others, and then I'll decide."


Hope laughed and nodded. "Sounds like a plan to me."

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