Italic: Memories
Bold Italic: Song Lyrics

I realize the way your eyes deceived me
With tender looks that I mistook
For love

The team gathered around you, holding back the tears that threatened to spill over. Trying to be strong for each other.
For you.

So take away the flowers
That you gave me
And send the kind that you
Remind me of

A long, never ending sound that pierced the silence and made their hearts drop in unison. It was as if everything was moving in slow motion as the doctors tried their best to bring you back.
But, in vain.

Paper Roses
Paper Roses
Oh, how real those roses seem to be

The tears finally began to flow freely as they watched you, in all your gloss and glory, being lowered into the earth. Each one of them held a rose in their hand.
A paper rose.

But their only
Imitation
Like your imitation love
For me

They knew how much you had loved the song. It was something from your broken childhood that you kept and whenever you began to sing, everyone would listen. Your enchanting voice always captured their attention, no matter what they were doing.

Natasha was the first to let go of her paper rose.

"I win!"
Natasha rolled her eyes playfully as you danced around the PAC-MAN Machine, jabbing your fists in the air. You had dragged her to the arcade room in the mall and as reluctant as she was, Natasha was satisfied with how happy you looked.
It wasn't everyday you got to enjoy your time as a regular teenager and the way your face lit up every time you won a game made her want to hug you and never let you go. She was the most inviting when Tony had found you, taking you in as if you were her own.

"Come on, Y/N. We've been here long enough."
"Aww, don't be like that. How about this? You beat me at one of these games and we can leave. Or maybe you're just not good enough." You said casually. Natasha's eyes gleamed at the challenge.

"Game on, kid."

The corner of her mouth lifted slightly as she remembered how she had let you win every single game. Because if she was being honest, she hadn't wanted to leave. And now, she'd give anything to have that precious moment back. Clint wrapped a comforting arm around her shoulder as fresh tears slipped down her cheeks.

Tony stepped up and, after a long moment, let his rose drift into the earth.

"Hey. Kiddo, get up." Tony shook you awake and you slowly opened your eyes, startled at the sight.

"What are you doing in my room?"
"You're not in your room, Y/N. You fell asleep in one of my cars. Now what's that about?"

You furrowed your brow trying to remember and it dawned on you that you had come down here because—
"I couldn't sleep in my room. I always...I'm used to sleeping in cars." Tony nodded his head, aware of your past and how it had messed you up quite badly. Instead of leaving you, he climbed into the passenger seat and tugged on your blanket. You shared it with him without complaint and he patted your head. He made a mental note to instruct JARVIS to always let him know if you fell asleep anywhere besides your room. He would either stay with you or carry you back to your bed.
"Go to sleep, then. I'll be here if you need me."
"Thanks, Tony."
"No problem, kiddo."

There was no hiding it from the others. The affection he had for you ran deep, awakening the fatherly traits in him. He cared for you in ways that your own parents couldn't, provided for you when you needed it, protected you always.
Until now. When he had failed at doing so. And he felt sickeningly broken inside.

Clint watched as his rose got caught in the wind before making its way to your coffin.

"Eat up, Hawkie!"
"Don't you-"
Smack!
"Y/N!"
Clint slowly wiped off the mustard, glaring daggers at you before scooping up a handful of mashed potato.
"Clint, don't encourage-"
He ignored Steve and launched the food at you as you tried to hide behind the counter. Clint shook with laughter as you popped up from the other side of the island with a deadly look on your face and mashed potato on your forehead. Soon, everyone was engaged in a major food fight, yelling loudly and tackling each other to smother them with food. You winked at Clint before smashing strawberry jam into his face.
"Fruits good for Hawkie!"

"Hawkie." He muttered under his breath.
"What a stupid nickname." Clint roughly brushed the stray tears from his eyes and tried to not to think too hard about you: his little partner-in-crime. He couldn't describe how much he missed you if he tried.

Steve dropped his paper rose next.

"I'm just saying, Rihanna isn't my type, Y/N. Her music is-"
"Ding dong, your opinion is WRONG!" You screeched, throwing a ceramic plate at him. He ducked as the plate broke against the wall and turned back to you, shocked into silence.
"Rihanna is amazing, Cap. I don't care what you say." You said, holding up another plate threateningly. He held up his hands in surrender knowing you'd throw it without hesitation and this time it wouldn't miss.
"You're crazy. You're absolutely insane."
"Just because I threw a plate at you doesn't mean I'm nuts."
"This is the fourth plate you threw at me. Today."
You dropped the plate onto its rack, abashed.
"Oops. Tony told me to stop using the china on you."
"What?"
"Yeah!" You pulled out one of Natasha's electric batons. "He said I could use this instead."

Steve sighed heavily. He knew how much you meant to Tony and he mourned at the fact that they hadn't done enough to take care of you. Something they had promised to do. Wanda took his hand in hers and gave it a little squeeze.

He nodded in acknowledgment as she moved to drop her rose into the earth.

"Cookie dough waffle cone, stat. I need a sugar boost or I'm gonna pass out right here on your floor so make it quick."
Wanda shook her head, amused as you stumbled back to the table and collapsed into the chair, obviously very exhausted.
"It wasn't that bad of a run, Y/N."
"Oh, says the girl who wasn't gasping for air the fifth time around!" You said sarcastically.
Soon, the cones came and your mood lifted almost immediately. Wanda giggled as ice cream found its way onto your nose.
"What are you trying to do? Inhale it?" She grabbed a napkin and wiped your face as you struggled to avoid her pretentious swipes.
"Quit it!"
"Let me just-"
"Wanda!"
She finally got the ice cream off and burst into loud laughter at your sulking frown. She laughed even harder when you crossed your eyes at her in defiance.

Wanda drew herself out of the distant memory, not wanting to cause herself more pain than it was worth.  You were the closest thing she'd ever had to a younger sister and the memories she made with you were playful and so full of love that it made her heart clench just to watch them play back in her mind.

Bucky silently stood on the other side of Steve, peering into the hole emotionlessly before tossing his rose in.

"Damn it's cold." Bucky complained, shivering from the biting air. The team was prancing around outside of the compound, enjoying the soft white snow that fell from the gray sky. Bucky didn't feel like being outside but Steve had told him it would be "good for him to get out." So here he was.
Not enjoying himself at all.
He watched as Steve beckoned him over and with a muttered curse under his breath, walked forward only to stop at the sudden sound of a painful cry. He looked down at his metal arm and was more surprised than angry to see your tongue stuck on his bicep.
"Dony mae me. A hunre bucks." You said, pointing at a snickering Tony behind a wall of snow. He didn't want to move, afraid of hurting you, but he was so shocked by the situation that for the first time in forever, he laughed.
"Let's get you off of my arm and we'll go after him when we're finished. How does that sound?" He offered you a half smile and you gave him a thumbs up before awkwardly shuffling back to the compound to unstick you.

He swallowed the lump in his throat before stepping back to hide behind Steve. The team was tentative and walked on eggshells around him, but you had been a refreshing change. You hadn't been afraid to approach him and show him some tough love when needed and he was going to miss the only other person that made him feel human.

Pietro clapped a hand on his shoulder and released his paper rose.

"Wanda, where's my Oreos?"
He was searching the fridge for the cookies and the fact that he was coming up empty was annoying him.
"Uhhh..I don't know. I think Y/N had some earlier." Wanda replied from the living room.
Pietro huffed in irritation and was about to storm your room for his Oreos when you turned the corner, a cookie halfway to your mouth.
You gave him a hesitant smile before stuffing it in your mouth and attempting to run.
He was in front of you before you could take a step and instantly ripped the pack of Oreos out of your hands. Pietro watched with a triumphant smirk as you ran up the stairs.
He stuffed a cookie into his mouth and the smirk slipped off his face as he quickly realized why you ran, spitting the food into the sink.
"Toothpaste. She put freakin' toothpaste in my cookies. I'm gonna kill you, Y/N!" He shouted before speeding up to your room.
Wanda shook her head as she heard you begin to scream.

Bruce went next, clearing his throat and looking up at the sky to prevent the tears from falling.

"Okay, okay. Why can't you trust an atom?"
Bruce was knee deep in paperwork, but he smiled in spite of himself.
You liked to visit him in the lab a lot and he enjoyed having you there as a distraction from all the work he had to do.
"Why?"
"Because-" you cut off with a snort, already laughing before you could tell the joke. Bruce chuckled and shook his head as you sucked in a breath to compose yourself.
"Because they make up everything. Get it? Make up? They make up everything?" You cackled loudly and Bruce began to laugh as well, more at you than the joke.
"That was a good one, Y/N."
"Yeah? Okay how about this one? Why shouldn't you make fun of a paleontologist?"
"Why?"
"You'll get Jurasskicked!"
Bruce watched as you fell off your chair and he moved to help you up, chuckling all the while.

He moved a little to the side as Thor reluctantly let go of his rose, watching it fall morosely.

"Thor! Thor, I need help!"
Without hesitation, he crashed through your door, searching for the threat. He was taken aback by the sight of you sitting cross legged on your bed with a big smile.
"What is it, little one?"
"Can you try this on for me?"
You brought your hands out from behind your back, revealing a black headband with a huge sunflower that perched at an angle.
"You want me to...wear it?"
"To try it on, yeah."
He slowly sat beside you and held his breath as you slid the headband over his hair.
"Just as I thought. It totally matches you!" You squealed, clapping with excitement.
He smiled and sat up purposefully.
"Then I shall wear it as my own. Thank you, little one, for this kind gift."

Loki shot his brother a disdainful look, scoffing quietly at the big yellow flower atop his head. He adopted a casual and unbothered demeanor as he did his part, not letting anyone know just how much you meant to him.

"I don't know, Lo. It's a surprise."
Loki pressed his lips into a thin line at your overzealous expression.
"I do hope it's not something awfully dreadful like the last time you decided to "surprise" me, Y/N."
You rushed to assure him it wasn't, hiding the little smile that tried to break free.
He sighed before opening the beribboned green box that sat atop the counter and pulling out his helmet.
"I fail to see how this is some sort of gift if it already belongs to me, child."
"You're so dense, Lo! Turn it around!"
Loki, used to your casual insults, rolled his eyes before turning to inspect the other side.
Emerald green rhinestones spelled out his name in big, flashing letters with a small crystal heart at the end.
"Well. This certainly is...something."
"Don't thank me too much. Bedazzling is a hard job to do, ya know."

Much like the situation with Bucky, you hadn't treated him like some sort of parasite. The others had warned you to stay away from him as a precaution. Instead, you forged a relationship with the God of Mischief and he was stunned to find that you were genuine in your attempts to befriend him.
Loki blinked back his tears and immediately turned away as Sam, the last one, moved to throw in his paper rose.

"Sam Wilson, I will never talk to you again, so help me-"
"Sorry, Y/N. Gotta do what I have to if I want to survive."
He slapped the Wild Card 4 onto the pile and you screeched wildly.
"Damn it, I fucking-"
"Language!" Steve called from the kitchen.
"Fine, fine. My turn."
He watched carefully as the game continued, formulating a plan in his head.
You set down a Draw 2 and stuck your tongue out at him mockingly.
"Ha! Get along with that!"
Sam smugly picked up two cards before putting down yet another Wild Card 4.
And over the edge you went.
He ran and hid in the training room, snickering all the way, as Steve tried to prevent you from going after him while cringing at the long stream of curses pouring from your mouth.

Everyone watched as it landed on your coffin, coming to rest with the ten other paper roses.
It signified a piece of your dark past that had brightened your future. A future that had been taken from you too early.
Once they had arrived back at the Tower, everyone took refuge in their personal sanctuaries to let loose the feelings of sadness.
Anger.
Guilt.
Grief.
The lyrics of an old time song lingered in the air like a ghostly echo as it played over and over in each of their heads.

Paper Roses
Paper Roses

And their hearts ached as one.
For the young girl that knew exactly how to bring out the best in each of them.

—————

Sorry if it's too long for some, but I really felt like writing this because I wanted to do something that focused on one of my favorite songs while playing around a memory-themed piece. Hope you liked it! Comment and vote!

*Song: Paper Roses-Marie Osmond

*Steve Roger's Memory inspired by SilverQuartx