Archive of Our Own ^beta

-New York-

The studio lights burned hot, casting a harsh glow on Alexei Shostakov, the Red Guardian, as he sat in a chair too small for his massive frame. His crimson uniform gleamed, the Soviet star on his chest polished to a mirror shine. Across from him, the reporter, a wiry man with a practiced smile, leaned forward, microphone poised like a weapon. The cameras rolled, capturing every word for a live broadcast across New York and beyond.

“Red Guardian,” the reporter began, his voice dripping with rehearsed enthusiasm, “your team’s heroics in Manhattan last week, containing that mysterious darkness, have people talking. Everyone wants to know: who are you??”

Alexei’s grin was wide, his beard twitching with pride. He leaned forward, nearly toppling the mic stand. “We are the New Avengers, comrade! Or maybe… the AvengerZ, with a ‘Z’ for extra zeist! Also, we are still the Thunderbolts. Very flexible, yes? Like a good Soviet gymnast!” He laughed, a booming sound that rattled the studio’s cheap set.

Behind him, Yelena Belova stood with her arms crossed, her black tactical vest with the red Avengers symbol. blending into the shadows of the set. Her eyes rolled so hard they might’ve fallen out. “Alexei, you moron,” she muttered under her breath, just loud enough for Bucky Barnes, standing nearby, to smirk. The rest of their team, John Walker (U.S. Agent), Ava Starr (Ghost), and Bob stood off-camera, watching the circus unfold. Bob fiddled nervously with his phone while Walker polished his bent shield with a scowl. Ava, phasing slightly in her agitation, whispered to Bucky, “He’s gonna get us sued.”

The reporter, sensing a viral moment, pressed on. “So, you’re claiming both the Avengers and Thunderbolts names? That’s bold, especially since the Avengers disbanded after Thanos. How do you justify that?”

Alexei puffed out his chest. “The Avengers, they were great, yes? But they are gone. And that’s very sad! But we carry the torch! And Thunderbolts? That’s our heart, our grit. We saved Manhattan from the darkness, poof, like that! Who else can do this?”

Yelena pinched the bridge of her nose, muttering, “Valentina’s gonna love this.” She referred to Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, their shadowy backer, who’d pushed the “New Avengers” branding to capitalize on nostalgia. Yelena hated the name, and Alexei’s insistence on juggling both was making her want to strangle him.

Yelena muttering, “You’re an idiot, Alexei. Pick one and stop dragging their name into this.”

The camera didn’t catch her words, but the internet did. Clips of Red Guardian’s bombastic interview went viral, sparking debates across social media.

The interview wrapped, and within hours, clips flooded the internet. X posts exploded with hashtags: #NewAvengers, #AvengerZ, #Thunderbolts. Some praised the team’s heroics; others called them pretenders, disrespecting the Avengers’ legacy. The most scathing comments came from a small but vocal group who knew the Thunderbolts’ name belonged to another team, one that had clawed its way from villainy to heroism.

-Chicago-

Far from the glitz of New York, in a rundown safehouse on the outskirts of Chicago. The real Thunderbolts gathered around a large TV screen. The room and stale walls were lined with tech scraps and weapons. Mach-IV (Abe Jenkins) sat in his armor, a wrench twirling in his hand, his jaw tight as he watched Alexei’s interview. Songbird (Melissa Gold) stood beside him, her pink-streaked white hair catching the dim light, her expression darkening with every word. Atlas (Erik Josten), his massive frame hunched to avoid the low ceiling, cracked his knuckles. Meteorite (Karla Sofen), lounging on a couch, smirked, but her eyes were cold. Techno (Paul Norbert Ebersol) tinkered with a drone, his goggles reflecting the screen.

“He’s using our name,” Mach-IV growled, tossing the wrench onto a table with a clang. “Thunderbolts. And Avengers? The fucking nerve. The Avengers died fighting Thanos, and now this clown’s slapping their name on his circus?”

Songbird’s voice was sharp, her sonic powers humming faintly in her throat. “I don’t want to be mean. It’s not just the name. It’s the disrespect. We fought to make ‘Thunderbolts’ mean something, heroes, not villains, ever since Zemo left the group. And now this Russian guy’s turning it into a marketing stunt.” She crossed her arms and spoke in her country accent.

Atlas snorted, his voice a low rumble. “I say we go to New York and teach 'em a well-deserved lesson. Problem solved.” He stuck his palm with his first, cracking a knuckle.

Metorite’s smirk widened, while holding a soda. Her tone was calculating. “Easy, Erik. They did stop that Manhattan darkness. That’s not nothing. I’m curious who they are.”

“You are right Karla, we can’t exclude that, after all we were once the Masters of Evil. I’m curious if is a similar situation the same for them, too.’

Techno looked up, his drone buzzing to life. “Curious? I’m pissed. That darkness was off according to my calculation. No way they ‘stopped’ it. Contained, maybe, but something is off.”

Mach stood, his armor whirring. “Then we find out. We infiltrate Avengers Tower, midday, when they’re likely out. Dig up their files, see who these posers are. If they’re legit, fine. If not…” He trailed off, but the threat hung heavy.

Songbird nodded, her eyes steely. finishing what Mach-IV said, “We protect our name. And the Avengers’ legacy. Let’s move.”

-New York-

The sun beat down on Avengers Tower at noon, its glass facade gleaming like a beacon. The Thunderbolts slipped through a service entrance, Techno’s hacks disabling the outdated security systems. The halls were silent, a hollow monument to the Avengers’ glory days. Mach-IV’s sensors whirred, finding no trace of life. “They’re out,” he said. “Sloppy.”

Atlas ducked under a low beam, grumbling. “Or they’re eating burgers somewhere.”

Meteorite’s heels clicked as she scanned the sleek corridors. “Or they’re too confident. That’s dangerous.”

Songbird split off, her sonic senses guiding her to the top of the penthouse. The air felt heavy, charged with something she couldn’t place.

She found a man slouched on a couch, brown hair a tangled mess, twirling a Rubik’s Cube with lazy precision. He looked harmless, like a lost college kid. Her guard lowered slightly.

“Hey,” she called with kindness in her voice, stepping closer. “ Are you alright? You a hostage? This is Avengers Tower. You shouldn’t be here.”

The man looked up, his eyes warm but distant. “I’m Bob. I am fine I think… for now… I’m with the team. They’re cool, mostly. Except Walker he’s kind of an asshole.”

Songbird let out a smile, reaching for his arm to escort him out. “I am glad you are ok, Come on, let’s move. I protect the way out”

The moment her hand touched his skin, reality shattered. Darkness swallowed her, and she was in the void dimension, a black expanse that clawed at her soul. The Void’s shame room materialized, and Songbird froze as two figures emerged from the shadows, ghosts of her past, each a dagger to her heart.

The first was herself at fifteen, scrawny and desperate, in a tattered jacket. She stood in a dimly lit alley, clutching a stolen purse, her hands shaking. The memory hit like a fist: Melissa, poor and hungry, running from her parents, stealing from a corner store to survive. The shopkeeper’s screams echoed as he chased her, calling her a “ thief.” In the void, the young Melissa turned, her eyes hollow. “You were born trash,” she hissed. “You’ll die trash. Stealing’s all you’re good for.”

Songbird staggered, her sonic powers flaring instinctively, but the void absorbed them. Then the second figure appeared—Screaming Mimi, her villainous self from the Masters of Evil, under Baron Zemo’s command. Mimi’s pink-streaked hair whipped as she unleashed a sonic scream, the sound laced with venom. “You thought you could be a hero?” she sneered. “You betrayed Zemo, betrayed us. You’re weak, Melissa. A coward who ran from power.”

The words cut deeper than any blade. Songbird remembered those days Zemo’s cold orders, the thrill of villainy, the shame of knowing she’d hurt innocents. She’d joined the Masters to feel strong, but it left her hollow, a puppet for Zemo’s schemes. The void amplified every regret, every failure, until she was drowning in them.

She fought back, her sonic waves clashing with Mimi’s screams, but the void tightened its grip, looping the memories stealing at fifteen, trembling in fear; serving Zemo, her soul eroding. “No!” Songbird shouted, her voice cracking. “I’m more than this!”

Suddenly, the darkness receded. She was back in the penthouse, gasping, Bob kneeling beside her, his face etched with guilt. “I’m so sorry,” he said, voice soft. “I didn’t mean to fwoosh you into the void. It happens sometimes when people touch me. You okay? I am so sorry,” he gently hugged her

Songbird’s chest heaved, tears stinging her eyes. “What the heck was that?” 

Bob sighed, spinning his cube. “I’m Sentry. Also… The Void. That was my shame room, a dimension where you face your worst fears. I can’t control it yet.”

She stared, her heart still pounding. “You’re with them? The ‘New Avengers’?”

“Yeah,” he said, scratching his head. “Yelena, Bucky, Ava, Alexei, and Walker. They’re trying to do good. A week ago, they stopped The Void “me” from swallowing Manhattan. They didn’t beat it, just contained it. I’m helping them figure out how to stop it for good.”

Songbird’s jaw tightened. “Oh, so you were the one who engulfed New York?” she rubbed the back of her head. ”You are kinda too cute for that,” she had her face a little red. After that, she shook her head. “Your friends are using our name. And the Avengers. It’s wrong.”

Bob nodded. “Alexei’s a loudmouth, but they’re legit. They’re fighting for good to be better than their pasts.”

- Downstairs -

 The tower’s silence was shattered as the New Avengers—Yelena Belova, U.S. Agent, Ghost, Red Guardian, and Winter Soldier, returned, only to find Mach-IV’s drones buzzing through their base like angry hornets. The sleek machines darted through the air, scanning and firing low-yield stun pulses.

Yelena’s eyes narrowed as she dove behind a console, dodging a drone’s laser. “Who the fuck are these guys?” she hissed, pulling twin pistols and returning fire, her bullets pinging off the drones’ armor.

Mach-IV hovered in his silver black suit, his voice amplified through speakers. “We’re the real Thunderbolts. You’re stealing our name and the Avengers’ legacy. Explain yourselves before this gets ugly.”

Red Guardian laughed, unfazed, cracking his knuckles as he stepped into the open. “Comrades, we honor all heroes! Join us for vodka and teamwork!” A drone fired a pulse at him, but he caught it with his shield, hurling it back like a discus. The drone smashed into a wall, sparking.

Atlas grew to twelve feet, his muscles bulging as he loomed over Red Guardian. “Not funny, Russian. You don’t get to claim either name.” He swung a fist the size of a tire, but Red Guardian rolled aside, the blow cratering the floor. Red Guardian countered with a leaping tackle, his strength surprising even Atlas, sending them crashing through a glass partition.

Yelena flipped over a console, planting a sticky bomb on Atlas’s back as he grappled with Red Guardian. “Big guy’s tough, but not bright,” she muttered, detonating the charge. The explosion staggered Atlas, but he roared, growing even larger, his hand swiping at her. Yelena twisted mid-air, landing on his arm and driving a stun baton into his neck. Sparks flew, but Atlas shook her off, sending her skidding across the floor. While he grew even more and smashed Red Guardian through the floor, leaving a man-shaped hole.

Bucky, meanwhile, faced Techno, whose arsenal of gadgets unleashed chaos. A swarm of microbots crawled toward him, their tiny blades whirring. Bucky’s vibranium arm smashed through them, but Techno deployed a sonic disruptor, its high-pitched wail forcing Bucky to his knees. Due to the pain in his prosthetic “Nice arm toy,” Techno sneered, “but tech beats toys.” Bucky gritted his teeth, ripping a panel from the wall and hurling it, knocking the disruptor from Techno’s hands. He charged, landing a metal-fisted punch that sent Techno sprawling.

Ghost phased through the floor, emerging behind Meteorite, who was weaving psychic threads to manipulate the battlefield. “You’re out of your league,” Meteorite said, her voice dripping with hypnotic suggestion as she tried to cloud Ava’s mind. Ghost’s intangibility shrugged off the mental assault, and she landed a solid kick to Meteorite’s ribs, phasing her foot at the last second for extra impact. She gasped, retaliating with a telekinetic blast that sent Ghost crashing into a server bank, sparks flying as circuits fried. She phased and tackled Ghost while she was in her phase.

U.S. Agent charged Mach-IV, his shield clashing against the armored hero’s energy blades. “You’re just a bunch of washed-up villains!” Walker taunted, deflecting a blade and slamming his shield into Mach-IV’s chest. The impact sent Mach-IV spinning, but he stabilized, firing a concussive blast that knocked Walker through a reinforced window. Glass rained down as Walker rolled to his feet, spitting blood. “That all you got?” he growled, hurling his shield like a missile. Mach-IV dodged, but the shield ricocheted, clipping his thrusters and sending him crashing into a pillar.

The tower shook as the brawl escalated, furniture splintering and walls cracking. Yelena danced through the chaos, her agility keeping her one step ahead of Atlas’s massive fists, while Red Guardian laughed maniacally, trading blows with the giant. Bucky and Techno’s duel became a tech-fueled slugfest, with Bucky’s raw strength pitted against Techno’s endless gadgets. Ghost and Meteorite circled each other, phasing strikes meeting psychic barriers in a deadly chess match.

“Enough!” Meteorite finally shouted, her voice amplified with hypnotic power, rippling through the room. The New Avengers froze, muscles locked by her command, except Bucky, whose Winter Soldier conditioning let him shake it off. He glared, advancing on her. “Nice trick,” he growled, “but it won’t work on me.”

Upstairs, Songbird had been listening as Bob recounted the Manhattan incident. “The Void’s my dark half,” he said. “It got loose, turned the city into a nightmare. Yelena’s team risked everything to pull me back. They’re not perfect, but they’re not posers.”

Songbird’s jaw tightened. “We might have made a mistake. ”

Bob nodded.

She wanted to say something, but explosions were heard downstairs. “Oh no, I hope my friends didn’t hurt yours”.

The explosion below cut their conversation short. Songbird and Bob rushed downstairs, finding the teams locked in chaos. Songbird’s sonic wave screamed through the air, forcing both sides to pause. She brought Bob with her, holding his hand. Her sonic wave had stopped the fight, and she stepped forward, voice firm. “Stand down! They’re not the enemy.”

Mach-IV lowered his weapons, skeptical. “You sure about that, Songbird?”

She nodded, glancing at Bob. “They stopped the Void” 

Yelena holstered her pistol, smirking. “Told you we’re legit.”

Red Guardian clapped, oblivious to the tension. “See? We are all comrades now!”

U.S. Agent scoffed. “Speak for yourself, Shostakov.”

Bucky stepped forward, addressing Techo, “You guys finished with you being butthurt about our name?e”

“Not as much as you guys being butthurt about us kicking your butt” Techno spat back.

The air in Avengers Tower was thick with the aftermath of the battle.

Songbird stood at the center of the room, her gaze sweeping over both teams her Thunderbolts and the so-called “New Avengers.” The idea had been brewing since she spoke with Bob earlier, and now, with the team not fighting, it felt like the right move.

“We should merge,” Songbird said, her voice steady but firm. “You guys, the New Avengers, you need more heavy hitters. We’ve got powers, experience, and a name that’s already got weight. Let’s just be the Thunderbolts. One team, one mission.”

Mach-IV raised an eyebrow, his armor clanking as he leaned forward. “Merge? Songbird, are you sure about this? They’re still half-villains in the public’s eyes.”

“So were we,” Songbird said back to her teammate with a smile.

Yelena snorted, lounging against a wall with her arms crossed. “Says the guy who used to rob banks in a beetle suit. Look, I’m fine with Thunderbolts, at least now….”(thinking when her dad pushed it) “Would’ve kept it from the start if Valentina wasn’t so damn set on milking nostalgia for cash. ‘New Avengers,’ ‘AvengerZ’ all her marketing bullshit.”

Red Guardian clapped his hands, grinning. “Yes! Thunderbolts! See I was right from the start. It’s strong, like Soviet steel! We unite, comrades!”

U.S. Agent scoffed, polishing his shield. “I don’t care what we’re called, but I’m not taking orders from a bunch of ex-cons.”

Bucky, sitting quietly, finally spoke up. “John, shut up. Merging makes sense. We’re stretched thin, and The Void’s not gone for good. And other threats will emerge. We need their firepower. Look, we got Bob, but he is unstable.” He looked at Bob, “No offense, buddy.”

“It’s ok” replied Bob with a smile, “I am really a ticking bomb.”

 He nodded to Songbird. “I’m in.”

Atlas cracked his knuckles, a slow grin spreading. “Hell, I like it.”

Meteorite smirked, eyeing Yelena. “As long as we don’t have to deal with more of Red Guardian’s vodka toasts.”

Techno adjusted his goggles, already sketching team formations on a tablet. “Logistically, it’s viable. Their skills complement ours: phasing, super-soldier strength, sonic disruption. We’d be a powerhouse.”

Bob, still fiddling with his cube, looked up. “I’m cool with it. Just don’t touch me by accident… unless you want another void trip.”

Songbird nodded, a flicker of hope in her eyes. “Then it’s settled. One team. Thunderbolts.”

The decision wasn’t without friction. Later that evening, the teams gathered in the tower’s war room to hammer out details. Yelena leaned over a table strewn with maps and OXE intel, her voice sharp. “Valentina’s gonna lose her shit when she hears we ditched her ‘New Avengers’ brand. She was banking on selling T-shirts and action figures.”

Red Guardian laughed, pouring himself a shot of vodka. “Let her cry! Thunderbolts is better. No ‘Z’ needed!”

Bucky frowned. “Valentina’s not our biggest problem. OXE’s still out there, and they’ve got lawyers circling like vultures. Not too mention I doubt Sam will let this slide despite us changing our name.”

Techno looked up from his tablet. “Already on it. I’ve got a buddy who owes me ex-S.H.I.E.L.D. lawyer.”

 Bob still grappling how this is all his fault cause he lost control over his his Sentry powers, stood at the center, his golden glow flickering in his eyes.

Songbird spoke him, her voice steady but warm. “You okay Bob?. ”

She stood closer than necessary, her hand brushing his shoulder as she adjusted his stance. Her eyes lingered on his face, a subtle flush creeping up her neck. Bob, oblivious,

 Yelena, leaning against a wall with her arms crossed, caught the look. Her eyes narrowed, lips twitching into a frown.

Walker, polishing his shield nearby, noticed Yelena’s expression and smirked. He sauntered over, voice low but dripping with mockery. “What’s got you all pissy, Belova? Jealous of Songbird making eyes at Bobby over there?”

Yelena’s glare could’ve cut steel. “Fuck off, Walker. I’m not jealous. I just don’t trust her.”

Walker chuckled, undeterred. “Sure, sure. Keep telling yourself that. You’re practically green watching her flirt with the guy who could bench press a skyscraper.”

Yelena shoved past him, muttering in Russian under her breath.

Yelena’s knife hits his bent shield head with a loud thunk, and Walker’s laugh echoes through the sublevel. The team pressed on, but the undercurrent of tension person

Atlas managed with Mach-IV to bend Walker's shield back to normal.

Before the tension could escalate further, the sublevel’s reinforced doors slid open, and Mel walked in, clutching a tablet. Her dark hair was pulled into a messy bun, and her eyes darted nervously across the room. She’d been sent by Valentina Allegra de Fontaine to check on the “New Avengers,” but the sight of the original Thunderbolts: Mach-IV, Songbird, Atlas, Meteorite, and Techno mingling with her team sent a jolt of panic through her. Valentina’s gonna lose her shit, she thought, her grip tightening on the tablet. The corporate handler had been obsessive about branding the team as the New Avengers for profit, and this unauthorized crossover was a PR disaster waiting to happen.

Mel tapped furiously at her tablet, pulling up the team’s files to regain control. Her eyes scanned the roster Yelena, Bucky, Walker, Ava, Red Guardian, Bob, but froze when she accessed the Thunderbolts’ dossier. There, under Songbird’s profile, was a name that made her stomach lurch: Melissa Gold. Her own name, Melissa Joan Gold, stared back from her ID badge. The coincidence was uncanny, almost eerie. Same first name, near-identical last name, and both tied to the Thunderbolts’ legacy in their own way. Mel’s heart raced. What the hell is this?

She glanced at Songbird, who was still focused on Bob, her pink-streaked hair catching the light. Mel’s mind spun. Was it a typo? A coincidence? Or something deeper, tied to Valentina’s shady machinations? She shook her head, pushing the thought aside, she had bigger problems. The original Thunderbolts weren’t supposed to be here, and Valentina would have her head if this merger talk got out.

Stepping forward, Mel cleared her throat, her voice shaky but authoritative. “Uh, excuse me, what’s going on here? Who authorized this… meeting?” She gestured at the Thunderbolts, her tablet clutched like a shield.

Mach-IV turned, his armor whirring. “We were here to protect our team name, fought your boys, then we made peace.”

Red Guardian laughed, oblivious to the tension. “Comrade! We are all Thunderbolts now!”

Mel’s eyes widened. “Thunderbolts? No, no, you’re the New Avengers! Valentina’s orders!” She glanced at Yelena, hoping for backup, but Yelena just smirked, clearly enjoying Mel’s panic.

Songbird stepped forward, her expression hard. “We’re merging. One team, one name: Thunderbolts. Your boss can deal with it.”

Mel’s tablet nearly slipped from her hands. “Valentina’s gonna kill me,” she muttered, then caught herself. She looked at Songbird again, the name Melissa Gold burning in her mind. “Wait, you’re… Melissa Gold? Like, the Songbird?”

Songbird raised an eyebrow. “Yeah. And you are?”

“Melissa… Joan Gold,” Mel said, her voice faltering. “I work for Valentina. This is… weird.”

The room went quiet, all eyes on the two women. Bucky frowned, sensing the oddity. “Same name, different people. Coincidence?”

Karla (Meteorite) smirked, her voice dripping with suspicion. “Or someone’s playing games. Valentina’s not above screwing with records.”

Mel shook her head, flustered. “I-I don’t know. I just handle logistics. But this merger? It’s not approved. Valentina’s banking on the Avengers brand for—”

Yelena cut her off, her tone icy. “Valentina can shove her brand in her ass. We’re Thunderbolts now. Deal with it.” Alexei was glad his daughter finally embraced the name.

Walker, still grinning, leaned in. “Oh, and Mel? Don’t worry about Songbird stealing your thunder or your name. She’s too busy making googly eyes at Bob to care.”

Yelana was going to strangle Walker