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Chapter 86 - Chapter 24 – Part 1: Midnight Confessions

Location: Avengers HQ, After-Hours Cafeteria

Time: Late Night, Same Evening

The cafeteria was dim and nearly deserted, lit only by the soft overhead glow reflecting off polished countertops and stainless steel tables. Riven sat alone at the far end, a half-drunk glass of water in front of him. The silence around him was thick, but his mind was louder.

Steve Rogers stepped in quietly, pausing when he spotted Riven. The young man hadn't noticed him—his eyes were locked on the window, lost in thought. Steve approached with calm, careful steps.

"Couldn't sleep?" Steve asked, his voice low but easy.

Riven blinked, then looked over slowly. "Didn't feel like it."

Steve sat across from him, studying his face. "Something on your mind?"

There was a long pause. Riven's hands tightened around the glass, then loosened. "I don't know how to explain it. Just... I don't know how to feel about something."

Steve didn't press. "You don't have to explain it. Not if you're not ready."

Riven nodded faintly. "That's the problem. I don't even know if I'm ready or just avoiding it."

Steve leaned forward slightly. "You've been through hell. It's normal to be uncertain."

Another silence. Then, Riven shifted. "Also... about the things I've done—those Hydra labs I burned down. I've been thinking about what you said. How I acted. You were right. It wasn't just war. It was personal. Angry. Maybe too angry."

Steve met his eyes. "I meant what I said. It's not that you were wrong to fight. But how you fight? That matters. Cold anger turns into something you can't control if you don't stop to breathe."

"I don't regret what I did," Riven murmured. "But I regret that maybe I lost something of myself doing it."

Steve sat back. "That just means you still have a self to lose. And that matters more than you think."

Riven let out a slow breath. His jaw unclenched. "That helps... more than I expected."

Steve gave him a nod. "You're not alone, Riven. Not now."

Riven didn't answer. But for the first time that night, he didn't feel like the only one awake.

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