Y/N sat on the edge of the couch, his leg bouncing nervously. The past few days had been a whirlwind of stress and responsibility, and now, in the relative calm of Janet Van Dyne's apartment, he found it difficult to relax. The weight of leadership and the looming threat of the Skrulls gnawed at him.

Janet, radiant despite the early stages of her pregnancy, placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. "You need to take a break, Y/N," she said softly. "You can't carry all this on your own."

Y/N looked at her, his eyes softening. Janet always had a way of grounding him, of making the world seem a little less overwhelming. "I know, Jan. It's just... everything is falling apart. The Avengers are divided, and now with the Skrull threat..."

Janet moved to sit beside him, her hand finding his. "We'll get through this, together. And remember, you have a team that trusts you, even if it feels like everything is against us right now."

He sighed, leaning his head back. "I just worry about keeping everyone safe. Especially you and... and our baby." His voice wavered at the last part, the reality of their future child hitting him anew.

Janet smiled, her eyes filled with warmth and determination. "Our baby is going to be just fine. And so are we. You're stronger than you think, Y/N."

She placed his hand on her small, but growing belly, a gesture that always managed to soothe him. Y/N felt a rush of love and responsibility wash over him. "You're right," he said, his voice firmer. "We'll face whatever comes our way."

For a few moments, the world outside seemed distant, and Y/N allowed himself to be present in the moment with Janet. They talked about the future, about names for the baby, and even managed to laugh about the absurdity of their situation.

Y/N and Janet lay on the couch, wrapped in a soft blanket. The quiet hum of the city outside provided a soothing backdrop to their moment of peace. Janet rested her head on Y/N's chest, her hand idly tracing patterns on his arm. He held her close, feeling the warmth and comfort of her presence.

"Jan," Y/N began softly, his voice barely above a whisper. "I've been thinking about... us, and our future."

Janet looked up at him, her eyes curious. "What is it, Y/N?"

He took a deep breath, gathering his thoughts. "With everything going on, it's made me realize how much you mean to me. And with the baby on the way... I want to make sure we're a real family. I want to give our child the stability and love they deserve."

Janet smiled, her eyes sparkling with emotion. "We already are a family, Y/N. But I know what you mean."

He nodded, his heart pounding in his chest. "What do you think about getting married? I mean, not just for the baby, but because I love you. I can't imagine my life without you, Janet."

Her smile widened, and she reached up to cup his face in her hand. "Y/N, I've been waiting for you to ask. Of course, I want to marry you. I love you, too."

Relief and joy washed over him, and he leaned down to kiss her softly. "I promise, I'll do everything I can to keep you and our baby safe. We'll get through this together."

Janet kissed him back, her hand resting on his cheek. "I know we will."

———

The common room of Avengers Mansion was eerily quiet, the usual hustle and bustle replaced by an uneasy calm. Tobias lounged on the couch, remote in hand, flipping through channels with a look of utter boredom on his face. His feet were propped up on the coffee table, and a smirk played at the corners of his mouth as he settled on a particularly violent action movie.

"Ah, finally, some quality entertainment," he muttered to himself, stretching out lazily.

Just then, Elroy and Max walked in, deep in conversation about the latest developments. Max looked particularly anxious, his fingers twitching slightly, a telltale sign of his nervousness.

"Hey, look who decided to join the party," Tobias drawled, not bothering to look away from the TV. "What's the matter, Elroy? Max? Finally get tired of playing hero?"

Elroy glanced at Tobias, his expression serious. "We're trying to figure out our next move. This isn't the time to be slacking off, Tobias."

Tobias rolled his eyes, a mocking grin spreading across his face. "Oh, please. You two can strategize all you want. I'm just here for the fun. Besides, it's not like our esteemed leader left us with much of a plan, did he?"

Max fidgeted, clearly uncomfortable with Tobias's attitude. "We need to stick together, Tobias. We can't afford to fall apart now."

Tobias laughed, a harsh, mirthless sound. "Stick together? Cute, Max, really. But let's be honest, half the team has already bailed. Why should I care more than they did?"

Elroy stepped forward, his tone firm. "Because we're still a team, Tobias. And if you can't get that through your thick skull, then maybe you shouldn't be here."

Tobias finally turned his attention away from the TV, his eyes narrowing as he looked at Elroy. "Oh, I'm sorry. Did I hit a nerve? Face it, Elroy. We're on our own, and I'm just making the best of a bad situation."

Max interjected, his voice shaking slightly. "We have to believe in each other. That's the only way we're going to get through this."

Tobias shrugged, his smirk returning. "Believe all you want, Max. Just don't expect me to lose sleep over it. Now, if you don't mind, some of us are trying to enjoy the little downtime we have."

Elroy shook his head, frustration evident on his face. "We don't have time for this, Tobias. We need to be ready."

Tobias waved them off dismissively, turning back to the TV. "Yeah, yeah. You two go play hero. I'll be right here, enjoying the show."

———

From their vantage point, the villains watched the Avengers Mansion through a series of high-tech monitors. Blackheart stood at the center, his dark aura commanding attention. Doctor Jekyll, a figure cloaked in shadows, approached cautiously.

"Blackheart," Jekyll began, his voice tinged with unease, "we have a problem."

Blackheart turned slowly, his eyes narrowing. "What is it, Doctor?"

"It's Blackstar," Jekyll continued, casting a wary glance towards the reinforced cell visible on one of the monitors. "He's getting restless. I don't know how much longer the cell is going to hold up."

Blackheart's expression remained cold, but his eyes glinted with a dangerous intensity. "How long do we have?"

Jekyll shook his head, clearly troubled. "It's hard to say. He's stronger than we anticipated, and the containment field is starting to falter. If he breaks free before we're ready..."

Blackheart's lips curled into a cruel smile. "Then we simply expedite our plans. The Avengers are already fractured. With Blackstar unleashed, they'll be too distracted to stop us."

He turned to address the rest of his team. Riot, Tobias's nemesis, leaned casually against a wall, a look of eager anticipation on his face. Klaw, Elroy's nemesis, meticulously cleaned one of his sonic weapons. Icicle, Jordan Mahkent, stood off to the side, his icy demeanor reflecting his cold powers. Nocturnal, the enigmatic shadow manipulator, watched silently from the darkness.

"Listen up," Blackheart commanded, drawing their attention. "Project Blackstar is nearly ready. It's time to have some fun."