Scarlet sighed, trying to block out the noise reverberating from the floor above her. The peaceful atmosphere of the tower had been shattered by the unmistakable sound of Hulk barging through Hawkeye's door, his booming voice and heavy footsteps echoing throughout the halls. She curled up tighter on the couch, using her tail to cover her nose as if that would filter out the chaos.

"Makes it impossible to think," she grumbled, her frustration mixing with a hint of amusement. She could only imagine the kind of trouble those two were getting into. It was always something with the Avengers—one moment they were having a quiet day, and the next, they were initiating a full-blown escapade.

Just as she was about to drift back into a comfortable half-sleep, she heard Iron Man's voice cut through the noise with his usual bravado. "C'mon, Hulk! You can't just smash through doors! It's not like we're in the middle of a battle here!"

Scarlet rolled her eyes, taking a deep breath. It would be a miracle if they all survived whatever this was without a dent in the tower. But despite her annoyance, she knew deep down that this was what made them a team—the chaos, the laughter, and even the noise. Leaning against the arm of the couch, she peeked out from her curled position, curiosity piquing her interest.

Maybe it wouldn't be so bad to see what was happening. Just one tiny peek wouldn't hurt, right? She stretched out her legs and reluctantly stood up, her tail flicking behind her as she shuffled toward the noise. After all, how often did life at the Avengers Tower promise a dull moment?

She approached the door just as the chaos unfolded before her, a vivid tableau of superheroes locked in an absurd pursuit. Hulk thundered after Hawkeye, who darted skillfully between the hulking forms of Steve and Tony. The two were already there, their eyes heavy with the drowsiness that often clung to them after a long night of battling fatigue as much as their foes.

"What's going on?" she demanded, her voice a clarion amidst the cacophony. The Avengers, it seemed, were engaged in a farcical rendition of tag, their antics interspersed with the echoes of playful shouts and the thud of heavy feet against the floor. She felt the urge to laugh, but as she glanced at Steve, rubbing his eyes as if trying to banish the absurdity of it all, a sense of exasperation washed over her.

"Well, whatever it is, I'm not dealing with it," Steve muttered, as he turned on his heel and disappeared back into the sanctity of his room. Scarlet's tail flicked in tune with his exit, a silent acknowledgment of the madness they'd reluctantly become accustomed to. With a sudden surge of resolve, she bounded forward, her eyes blazing with determination.

"Enough!" she barked sharply, the command slicing through the clamor like a blade through silk. The sound startled the others momentarily frozen—a hush falling over the chaos, replaced by an air of confused astonishment. For all their might and gallantry, in that fleeting moment, even the bravest of heroes had frozen in the face of her sudden authority.

Clint winced at the sharpness in her voice, feeling a rush of embarrassment. "It was an accident!" he protested, holding his hands up defensively. The moonlight illuminated the scene, casting eerie shadows across the room.

"An accident?" she echoed incredulously, her eyes narrowing further. "You wake us up at this hour because you 'accidentally' destroyed something that belongs to Hulk and then have the audacity to snack on his pickles? That's not just an accident; that's a full-on disaster!"

Hulk, towering beside her, looked ready to lose his patience. His muscles tensed, and he shifted his weight from one foot to the other, an unspoken threat hanging in the air. Clint swallowed hard, trying to gauge how serious the situation had become.

"It wasn't just the pickles," he added sheepishly, trying to diffuse the tension. "It was my fault for not being careful. I was just trying to tidy up and—"

"By smashing things?" she interrupted, exasperation lacing her tone. "How exactly does that help?"

Clint opened his mouth to reply but stumbled over his words, knowing there was no satisfying explanation for breaking something so significant.

Hulk took a step forward, eyes glowing with barely contained anger. "You better fix this, Clint. And I don't mean just apologizing."

Realizing the gravity of the situation, Clint nodded fervently. "Okay, okay! I'll make it up to you. Just... give me some time."

She crossed her arms, still glaring skeptically. "You better, or you won't find any pickles left in this house to eat... or anything else."

With that, she turned on her heel, dragging a still-fuming Hulk back to bed, leaving Clint to ponder how he was going to repair the damage he had caused — both to the glass figurines and to his own standing in the group.

As she prepared to lead Hulk into his room, a sudden force propelled her forward, and her head collided with the wall, producing a sickening crack. In that instant, everything around her faded into silence, the vibrant world dissolving into a void of darkness. Time seemed to suspend, leaving her suspended in a haunting stillness, the echoes of her reality swallowed by the shadows.