fillers or aus i would love to play running list; if you're interested in any of this, throw up a starter and i am there
steve + peggy
Peggy and Steve's reunion when he returns to the past.
That dance scene. /sobs
Anything about their life afterward.
steve + tony
Conversations about Peggy or Howard, or anything else they'd talk about during their 2-man mission to the past
First time Steve and Tony interact after Tony calls Steve out on how failing together sucks.
Did Steve and Tony ever talk during those 5 years? If so, what did that look like?
[au] Tony survives, but Steve doesn't know that when he goes back in time. So now Steve is really old and Tony is not.
[au] Tony survives and Steve comes back from returning the stones and they rebuild their relationship
steve + natasha
Awful life at Avengers compound before Ant-Man, basically lots of hurt/comfort with each other
[au] When Steve tells Natasha that maybe they should both move on, he asks her out on a date — it becomes a very sad attempt at moving on, but it's also a sad kind of solace.
steve + bucky
Honestly, they barely got any time back together. Steve and Buck MUST have talked before Steve just decided to go back in the past. Possible convo where he admits he's not coming back, and asking Bucky if he wants to return back to their time with him?
steve + anyone
So ... you can so Mjolnir now?
Conversations with various characters when he returns the stones to their rightful place in the past
Someone insisting on going back in time with Steve, and they return all the stones together and this person convinces Steve to come back (or, is convinced that he really doesn't want to)
shuri + anyone
Rebuilding the world from Wakanda
Meeting the other avengers
One-uping our science bros during reconstruction :D
tony stark (AI) + morgan/anyone
I imagine this will be mostly sass.
And with everyone who is not Morgan, this will basically be him joking about how he's going to live forever.
[ Although Happy (and Pepper, and Rhodey) keep insisting that he should keep resting, Tony’s starting to go a little stir crazy being home. He’s tired of laying down, of napping, of being cooped up. And he gets why they’re so protective and careful with him, really, he does. He knows the first days after the battle hadn’t been easy, that he had scared the hell out of all of them. He knows how close he came to death because there are some days where he still feels like death warmed over.
Today is a good day, though, and after some insisting he manages to convince Happy to drive him to where the compound used to be. He had turned over the keys to Fury for the reconstruction, and he assumes people are there working with whatever they have while they get the compound up and running again, but even if they aren’t he just...wants to be there. Maybe it’s morbid, maybe it’s pointless, but, well, the heart wants what it wants.
While Happy drives, Tony manages to sleep during most of the drive, but he wakes up in time for them to cross the gate. Most of the debris has been cleared, giving way for the craters from the blasts to become visible, but it’s not all gone. People are working, trying to get the place up and running, and it’s something. It makes him feel better just at the sight.
As they approach, the sight of a familiar face makes him pause. He hadn’t expected anyone from the team to actually be there, but Steve Rogers is off to the side, close to where some of the tents are, and for some reason it takes him by surprise.
“Pull over, Hap,” he says after a brief pause. Once they park, Happy is quick to walk over to his door to help him out of the car. Not that he can’t do it, exactly, but considering his right arm is more or less useless and in a sling that keeps it close to his body, he’s not stupid enough to deny the help. ]
Hey, Cap.
[ He looks a million times better than the last time they had seen each other; he’s standing on his own, for one, and doesn’t look as white as a ghost. The scarring on the right side of his face is nothing more than faint lines that show where the effect of the stones had almost carved him from the inside out, but it’s healed. He’s speaking, and other than his right arm being out of commission, he seems more or less okay. At least, okay enough to be here.
The corners of his lips quirk slightly in a small smile. ]
[ From Bruce, Sam and Bucky's perspective, Steve Rogers had gone back in time for only 30 seconds. Then, just like that, he was back, Mjolnir in one hand, an empty metal case in the other. He'd seemed normal — he was extra glad to see them, which made sense, but Steve also seemed pensive, like he'd experienced something he wasn't ready to share yet.
A couple days later, Steve eventually tells Bucky that he'd nearly stayed in the past, permanently. Bucky tells Steve he'd been surprised to see him come back. The two of them just smiled after that.
Now, a few weeks later, Cap is back at the compound to fulfill a promise. Before he left, Peggy made him agree to two things. First, that he'd always keep SHEILD — the organization she built — honest to its founding mission. Second, that he'd find himself a nice girl and settle down. The first was easy to agree to, the second, not as much. But he did agree, eventually. So he's here, rebuilding, because even if SHEILD no longer exists like it used to, the Avengers do.
The sound of a car door shutting pulls his attention though, as he turns around to see who it is. He sees Happy, walking over to open the passenger side door, and Steve expects to see Pepper more than he expected to see—
Steve smiles, with a sense of warmth and nostalgia in his eyes. He hasn't seen Tony since leaving to return the stones. ]
Tony.
[ And he does look a million times better. When Shuri had shepherded Tony to Wakanda for his initial treatment, Steve had only stayed long enough to make sure he'd be alright. ]
Recovery looks good on you.
[ He'd only visited once after he came back. Tony had been knocked out then, but Pepper and Rhodey had filled him in. Stable. Healing. Expected to make a nearly full recovery. That had been enough for Steve. ]
Thanks. Not bad, right? Came a long way from being fried extra crispy.
[ He says it with a smirk, as if he’s joking, but it’s not a lie. His arm is the only thing that shows the true extent of how the damage was initially, since no matter how many treatments he goes through they can’t seem to make it better, but at least it’s hidden under the sleeve of the henley that he’s wearing. ]
You look good, too. Taking some downtime while the compound is up and running, or are you back to the usual Cap duties?
[ Steve gives Tony a small, lop-sided grin at the joke. It's good to know that Tony's acting like his old self again. ]
A little bit of both. [ He turns around then, to take a look at where the Avengers compound used to stand, and what they still have left to clean. After a few seconds, he turns back towards Tony with his hands resting on his hips. ]
No missions. [ He says it definitively like it's a deliberate decision to opt-out. ] Except maybe just one. Get this place up and running again. [ Steve lifts an eyebrow as he searches Tony's eyes for a moment. ] It is home, after all.
[ Like Steve, Tony turns to look at where the compound used to be. Some days the fight feels like a far away dream - a very painful and long one - but here’s proof of it. It happened. They survived. They had won. That’s partly why he’s here, as if to remind himself of it, but he’d never admit that even to himself.
When Steve answers about this being his mission, of sorts, and getting the place up and running, Tony smiles faintly. Good, he thinks, because it’d be just depressing to let this place go. It held a lot of bad memories, but it holds great ones as well.
His smile grows a bit more when Steve says that it’s home, and Tony nods with a small sigh under his breath. ]
Yeah...guess it is. [ A pause. ] So you’re moving back in after it’s all done?
[ Steve doesn't say anything either, but he also senses something poetic about the two of them standing here, looking over a pile of debris that used to be home and that might be home again. In so many ways, this had been a place they'd built together.
His smile grows too when he sees Tony's. ]
I'm not sure. [ There's a hesitancy there, for many reasons. ] But I think I'd like to. At least for a little while. Eventually ... [ He lets out a small chuckle. ] ... I think it might be time for me to retire.
[ He anticipates some kind of teasing, even if he isn't sure how Tony would react. But Captain America, hanging up his shield at his age? It's rife with material. ]
[ Initially Tony nods slightly when Steve mentions that he isn't sure, mainly because he thinks he means due to everything that has happened. And, well, it's not like he can judge him. It would be a lie if he said he hadn't considered that maybe the compound should stay as is but, at the same time...he can't quite let it go.
When he adds that he might retire, though, Tony blinks over at him in surprise. ]
Retire, huh? Is it that time? I gotta tell ya, of all things, that I definitely was not expecting it.
[ Not that the man doesn't deserve it. If there's one person that deserves some peace and quiet, it's Steve Rogers. ]
Any plans for when that happens? Travel the world as a tourist rather than to right some wrongs?
[ When he first sees the surprise in Tony's eyes, Steve gives him a small, confirming nod. ]
Not sure I was expecting it either.
[ All it takes, apparently, is traveling back in time. ]
I think I've seen enough of the world for a couple of years. [ He takes a few steps towards Tony, so they're standing shoulder to shoulder and they can look at the compound together if they so choose. ] I wanna ... [ He glances over at Tony again. ] ... spend more time with the people I love. [ And with the way Steve is looking at him, he might as well be saying: that includes you. A beat passes before Steve continues. ]
[ Tony does look towards the compound for a moment, quiet as he listens to Steve speak. When he feels his gaze on him again, Tony glances in his direction and a small smile tugs at his lips again. Partly surprise, partly...something else he can’t quite put his finger on. ]
That doesn’t sound so bad. I’m glad you are letting yourself doing something you want to do.
[ He looks towards the compound again, quiet for a brief moment. ]
It’s just going to be weird. Both Iron Man and Captain America retiring.
[ He doesn’t know if that’s a surprise to Steve, although he guesses it isn’t. There’s only so much that Tony’s very human body can take, after all. ]
It’s a good thing we have so many other superheroes that can do our job.
[ A blessing from Tony wasn't what Steve went into this conversation was looking for, but actually getting it feels full circle, and Steve can't help but smile a little. The two of them have come a very long way.
Then Tony makes that comment about both of them retiring and Steve's brows scrunch into curiosity as he looks back over at him. Iron Man. Retiring. He isn't surprised to know it, but he is surprised to hear it. In the way that even if you see something coming, sometimes you need it to be tangible to feel real.
After a moment though, if they make eye contact, there's just a small smirk on Steve's lips. It's about time we left this to the kids, yeah? ]
And they'll do our jobs better than we did. [ His smirk widens. ] They'll have the benefit of having seen our mistakes.
[ At the look of surprise, Tony just nods slightly with a small smile. It’s hard to say, even for him, if he wants to retire or if it’s just the physical limitations reminding him that he’s not made for this anymore, but either way he’s retiring. There’s no question about that. ]
They will. I’m sure.
[ He chuckles when he mentions that they’ve learned from their mistakes and he nods again. ]
God, I hope so. [ A beat. ] I do want to see this [ He motions towards the remaining rubble ] go back up, though. Make sure the foundations are set up for them.
[ He turns back to the rubble, the site of so much destruction. Where he almost died. It’s a place tied with good and awful memories, but he’s choosing the good ones and rebuilding on them. ]
Believe it or not, I got attached to this place.
happy to jump to a literal rebuilding montage over the course of the next 2 weeks
[ Maybe the place needed to get torn down for them to build new memories here. Time in the compound during those five years ... was no cakewalk. They needed a fresh start. And the new Avengers deserve something to call their own. ]
Can't say I feel the same. [ Steve jokes, that smirk returning to his face as he lifts an eyebrow over at Tony. ] I'm only here out of the goodness of my heart.
[ It feels good, honestly, to live in a world where one could joke again. Because for too long, he truly lived in a world in which you couldn't. ]
I guess that means we'll be seeing a lot of each other Tony.
[ His smirk softens then. And Steve looks genuinely happy to know that they'll be able to spend some time together in the future. ]
[ Tony chuckles at the joke, and...yeah, it feels strange to be able to feel this light again. He hasn’t felt it in years, and there’s a certain relaxation to his features that Steve has probably never seen before.
That is why, when he says they’ll see each other a lot in the rebuilding process, his smile seems more genuine than it has been in a while. ]
Yeah. Guess it does.
[ Considering the medications and treatments he’s still on, Happy subtly reminds him that they need to head back and Tony says his goodbyes before he gets in the car to make the trek home.
In the weeks that follow, Tony finds himself glad to see that he does get to see Steve more than usual. Each week they catch up a bit more and more, conversations more about what they’re doing rather than missions or fights they’ve shared. It’s strange, but at the same time it’s a welcome change to their usual relationship. Who would have thought that the threat of the literal end of the world would have finally made them do this.
Tony’s just more annoyed at himself for a) never doing this before and b) that he sounds so boring whenever they talk. Each few days that pass he does a bit better, so the visits to see Dr. Cho become less frequent. At the same time, it also means it’s less that she can do for the damage that’s left. Tony still tinkers and works as much as he can, but the one arm situation doesn’t allow for a whole hell of a lot just yet.
Visiting the compound keeps him busy, though, and hanging out with Steve during his visits always lifts his spirits. The construction goes fast, and a few weeks later they have walls and a good chunk of it built. When Tony walks up, he sets his glasses at the top of his head and smiles when he sees Steve. ]
[ Steve smiles back and nods. ] Apparently I've missed my true calling. Construction.
[ It is true that he's a little unfairly built for it. Not that people have let Steve make that his main contribution. But more than anything, he finds the physicality of it extremely satisfying. After spending so many years fighting and usually, tearing things down, it feels good to put them back together. ]
The designs are really something, Tony. I can't wait to walk around the place when we're done.
[ For the past few weeks, Steve's really enjoyed this too. The more he talks to Tony, the more he realizes how much he's missed out on in all those years. Maybe it's because they survived the end of the world, but Tony feels ... different. Relaxed, in a way Steve's never seen him. And maybe it's too presumptuous, but sometime in the last week, Steve's started thinking of himself as Tony's friend again.
They became teammates again the moment Steve shook Tony's hand since before the battle. But friends? He'd never been willing to even think about it. But now ... now it just feels natural. ]
Good, I’m glad they’re working out. They’ll get the compound, but their own design.
[ This way, he figures, it’s their own. Yes they’re the new Avengers but they don’t have to stick with the old, right down to the building itself.
Tony never would have imagined that Steve would be interested in construction, but he does seem pretty at ease with this new hobby. He’s happy for him, too. In all the years they’ve known each other, he has usually been so wrapped up with the Captain America gig that he’s glad he gets to do something he’s enjoying. Even if the discovery came from something so awful. ]
How are you doing? You gotten a chance to eat yet?
Yeah, sure. You wanna drive, or you trust me behind the wheel?
[ He taught himself how to be ambidextrous from a very young age, and his car has already been modified while he’s in recovery mode, but still. Just because he drove himself here (which on its own is a victory, considering how he’d manage to sleep through the entire drive over in the first few days), he doesn’t want to subject Steve to it if he doesn’t want to. ]
[ Whatever tools are still in Steve's hands, he sets down, and he wipes his hands with a small rag. ]
Well, I guess that depends.
[ Steve, actually, hasn't thought too much about how Tony's arm would affect his ability to drive. For all he knows, he just assumes that FRIDAY can drive for Tony at this point. Instead, he wonders actually, if after so many weeks of limited activity, Tony wants to do something different. ]
[ The offer takes him by surprise, but in a good way. He hadn’t expected it, for one, and Steve is the first to offer something normal. No kid gloves, how he feels whenever he’s around Happy, or Rhodey, or Pepper. They mean well, of course, and he knows that. They’re especially concerned after how close he was at death’s door.
But the offer alone is enough to make Tony’s day. ]
Yeah. Let’s do that. [ His features seem to brighten at once, his smile growing. ]
It’s been a while since I’ve been on a bike, so yeah. That sounds great.
[ Seeing that smile on Tony's face makes him grin, too. ]
Follow me. Pretty sure I've got a spare helmet if you want one. [ Steve himself has never really worn one, even if maybe he should. ] But, you're gonna have to be okay with a hot pink streak on it. [ Needless to say, Steve didn't buy that helmet himself. He does leave it completely up to Tony though, whether he wants that kind of protection. They're only going a few miles and Steve is pretty confident in his ability to get them to a diner in one piece.
There's a small, temporary dirt-based parking lot — the kind where rough lines are etched into the ground while work is going on — about five minutes away. Steve's bike is there, amidst a sparse set of cars and trucks. Once they get close, Steve digs the keys out of his back pocket and turn back to look at Tony. ]
What's your grip like these days? [ Steve extends his left hand and nods towards it, asking Tony to shake it and show him.
If his grip is strong enough, Steve will plan on Tony sitting like a normal passenger, behind him. If it isn't, he's going to insist that Tony sit in front. ]
[ He chuckles as he walks along with Steve. ] I’m not afraid of pink. But I don’t think I’ve ever actually used a helmet while riding a bike. The only type of helmet hair I allow is from my own suits.
[ Probably not a good thing, considering how he drives, but whatever. He’s obviously still here.
Tony has always liked Steve’s bike - it’s beautiful and he does a good job maintaining it and he’s glad it’s still in good standing. What can he say, he’s fond of those type of things? He’s about to walk over to get on when Steve’s extending his hand and Tony smirks slightly. ]
It’s not bad. Getting used to a new dominant hand.
[ He takes Steve’s hand and gives it a squeeze. His grip isn’t like how his right hand would have been, but it’s still strong enough now that he’s doing better. ]
Seeing as I do the same thing? Can't blame you there.
[ There's always going to be a special place in Steve's heart for his bike and it shows in how much time he puts into maintaining it. Steve's never been a man who's extremely into cars, or motorcycles, and he can't recite the makes and models of the vehicles he sees off the streets. But this bike in particular? He'd purchased it so soon after he woke up from the ice, and he'd been struck by the model because back then, it reminded him of home. Now, it feels like just the right blend of past and present.
That squeeze though gets Tony a nod. ]
You definitely won't fall off the back. [ He smirks. ] Not with that grip. [ And Steve let's go so that he can mount the bike, then leaning it towards the left so Tony can get on behind him. There's a small passenger seat in the back, and if he needs it, Steve'll offer a hand to help Tony balance as he gets on. ]
Oh good. I didn’t want a lecture on helmet safety.
[ He smirks as he says it, playfully.
Despite himself, Tony feels oddly proud of Steve agreeing his grip is good. While Steve gets situated, Tony puts his sunglasses back on and then mounts the bike. When Steve offers a hand to help with the balance part, Tony’s not proud enough to refuse it and says a quiet thank you once he’s settled. ]
Alright, ready when you are. Let’s go check out this diner.
[ He probably shouldn’t be this excited about going to eat at a diner, but he sounds pretty damn happy about it nonetheless. ]
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noble_sentiments) wrote2019-04-28 12:02 pm
after the stones are returned, after tony survives
Today is a good day, though, and after some insisting he manages to convince Happy to drive him to where the compound used to be. He had turned over the keys to Fury for the reconstruction, and he assumes people are there working with whatever they have while they get the compound up and running again, but even if they aren’t he just...wants to be there. Maybe it’s morbid, maybe it’s pointless, but, well, the heart wants what it wants.
While Happy drives, Tony manages to sleep during most of the drive, but he wakes up in time for them to cross the gate. Most of the debris has been cleared, giving way for the craters from the blasts to become visible, but it’s not all gone. People are working, trying to get the place up and running, and it’s something. It makes him feel better just at the sight.
As they approach, the sight of a familiar face makes him pause. He hadn’t expected anyone from the team to actually be there, but Steve Rogers is off to the side, close to where some of the tents are, and for some reason it takes him by surprise.
“Pull over, Hap,” he says after a brief pause. Once they park, Happy is quick to walk over to his door to help him out of the car. Not that he can’t do it, exactly, but considering his right arm is more or less useless and in a sling that keeps it close to his body, he’s not stupid enough to deny the help. ]
Hey, Cap.
[ He looks a million times better than the last time they had seen each other; he’s standing on his own, for one, and doesn’t look as white as a ghost. The scarring on the right side of his face is nothing more than faint lines that show where the effect of the stones had almost carved him from the inside out, but it’s healed. He’s speaking, and other than his right arm being out of commission, he seems more or less okay. At least, okay enough to be here.
The corners of his lips quirk slightly in a small smile. ]
Good to see you.
no subject
A couple days later, Steve eventually tells Bucky that he'd nearly stayed in the past, permanently. Bucky tells Steve he'd been surprised to see him come back. The two of them just smiled after that.
Now, a few weeks later, Cap is back at the compound to fulfill a promise. Before he left, Peggy made him agree to two things. First, that he'd always keep SHEILD — the organization she built — honest to its founding mission. Second, that he'd find himself a nice girl and settle down. The first was easy to agree to, the second, not as much. But he did agree, eventually. So he's here, rebuilding, because even if SHEILD no longer exists like it used to, the Avengers do.
The sound of a car door shutting pulls his attention though, as he turns around to see who it is. He sees Happy, walking over to open the passenger side door, and Steve expects to see Pepper more than he expected to see—
Steve smiles, with a sense of warmth and nostalgia in his eyes. He hasn't seen Tony since leaving to return the stones. ]
Tony.
[ And he does look a million times better. When Shuri had shepherded Tony to Wakanda for his initial treatment, Steve had only stayed long enough to make sure he'd be alright. ]
Recovery looks good on you.
[ He'd only visited once after he came back. Tony had been knocked out then, but Pepper and Rhodey had filled him in. Stable. Healing. Expected to make a nearly full recovery. That had been enough for Steve. ]
no subject
[ He says it with a smirk, as if he’s joking, but it’s not a lie. His arm is the only thing that shows the true extent of how the damage was initially, since no matter how many treatments he goes through they can’t seem to make it better, but at least it’s hidden under the sleeve of the henley that he’s wearing. ]
You look good, too. Taking some downtime while the compound is up and running, or are you back to the usual Cap duties?
no subject
A little bit of both. [ He turns around then, to take a look at where the Avengers compound used to stand, and what they still have left to clean. After a few seconds, he turns back towards Tony with his hands resting on his hips. ]
No missions. [ He says it definitively like it's a deliberate decision to opt-out. ] Except maybe just one. Get this place up and running again. [ Steve lifts an eyebrow as he searches Tony's eyes for a moment. ] It is home, after all.
no subject
When Steve answers about this being his mission, of sorts, and getting the place up and running, Tony smiles faintly. Good, he thinks, because it’d be just depressing to let this place go. It held a lot of bad memories, but it holds great ones as well.
His smile grows a bit more when Steve says that it’s home, and Tony nods with a small sigh under his breath. ]
Yeah...guess it is. [ A pause. ] So you’re moving back in after it’s all done?
no subject
His smile grows too when he sees Tony's. ]
I'm not sure. [ There's a hesitancy there, for many reasons. ] But I think I'd like to. At least for a little while. Eventually ... [ He lets out a small chuckle. ] ... I think it might be time for me to retire.
[ He anticipates some kind of teasing, even if he isn't sure how Tony would react. But Captain America, hanging up his shield at his age? It's rife with material. ]
no subject
When he adds that he might retire, though, Tony blinks over at him in surprise. ]
Retire, huh? Is it that time? I gotta tell ya, of all things, that I definitely was not expecting it.
[ Not that the man doesn't deserve it. If there's one person that deserves some peace and quiet, it's Steve Rogers. ]
Any plans for when that happens? Travel the world as a tourist rather than to right some wrongs?
no subject
Not sure I was expecting it either.
[ All it takes, apparently, is traveling back in time. ]
I think I've seen enough of the world for a couple of years. [ He takes a few steps towards Tony, so they're standing shoulder to shoulder and they can look at the compound together if they so choose. ] I wanna ... [ He glances over at Tony again. ] ... spend more time with the people I love. [ And with the way Steve is looking at him, he might as well be saying: that includes you. A beat passes before Steve continues. ]
Call me old-fashioned.
you cheat with that icon, steve
That doesn’t sound so bad. I’m glad you are letting yourself doing something you want to do.
[ He looks towards the compound again, quiet for a brief moment. ]
It’s just going to be weird. Both Iron Man and Captain America retiring.
[ He doesn’t know if that’s a surprise to Steve, although he guesses it isn’t. There’s only so much that Tony’s very human body can take, after all. ]
It’s a good thing we have so many other superheroes that can do our job.
you're icon isn't half bad tony
Then Tony makes that comment about both of them retiring and Steve's brows scrunch into curiosity as he looks back over at him. Iron Man. Retiring. He isn't surprised to know it, but he is surprised to hear it. In the way that even if you see something coming, sometimes you need it to be tangible to feel real.
After a moment though, if they make eye contact, there's just a small smirk on Steve's lips. It's about time we left this to the kids, yeah? ]
And they'll do our jobs better than we did. [ His smirk widens. ] They'll have the benefit of having seen our mistakes.
❤️
They will. I’m sure.
[ He chuckles when he mentions that they’ve learned from their mistakes and he nods again. ]
God, I hope so. [ A beat. ] I do want to see this [ He motions towards the remaining rubble ] go back up, though. Make sure the foundations are set up for them.
no subject
Is that why you're here?
[ Most of the rubble has been cleared out, but there's certainly no building left to live in. They'll have to start over. ]
To check it out? Rebuild?
no subject
[ He turns back to the rubble, the site of so much destruction. Where he almost died. It’s a place tied with good and awful memories, but he’s choosing the good ones and rebuilding on them. ]
Believe it or not, I got attached to this place.
happy to jump to a literal rebuilding montage over the course of the next 2 weeks
Can't say I feel the same. [ Steve jokes, that smirk returning to his face as he lifts an eyebrow over at Tony. ] I'm only here out of the goodness of my heart.
[ It feels good, honestly, to live in a world where one could joke again. Because for too long, he truly lived in a world in which you couldn't. ]
I guess that means we'll be seeing a lot of each other Tony.
[ His smirk softens then. And Steve looks genuinely happy to know that they'll be able to spend some time together in the future. ]
let me know if you want me to change anything!
That is why, when he says they’ll see each other a lot in the rebuilding process, his smile seems more genuine than it has been in a while. ]
Yeah. Guess it does.
[ Considering the medications and treatments he’s still on, Happy subtly reminds him that they need to head back and Tony says his goodbyes before he gets in the car to make the trek home.
In the weeks that follow, Tony finds himself glad to see that he does get to see Steve more than usual. Each week they catch up a bit more and more, conversations more about what they’re doing rather than missions or fights they’ve shared. It’s strange, but at the same time it’s a welcome change to their usual relationship. Who would have thought that the threat of the literal end of the world would have finally made them do this.
Tony’s just more annoyed at himself for a) never doing this before and b) that he sounds so boring whenever they talk. Each few days that pass he does a bit better, so the visits to see Dr. Cho become less frequent. At the same time, it also means it’s less that she can do for the damage that’s left. Tony still tinkers and works as much as he can, but the one arm situation doesn’t allow for a whole hell of a lot just yet.
Visiting the compound keeps him busy, though, and hanging out with Steve during his visits always lifts his spirits. The construction goes fast, and a few weeks later they have walls and a good chunk of it built. When Tony walks up, he sets his glasses at the top of his head and smiles when he sees Steve. ]
It’s actually looking like a building now, huh?
love it, like always
[ It is true that he's a little unfairly built for it. Not that people have let Steve make that his main contribution. But more than anything, he finds the physicality of it extremely satisfying. After spending so many years fighting and usually, tearing things down, it feels good to put them back together. ]
The designs are really something, Tony. I can't wait to walk around the place when we're done.
[ For the past few weeks, Steve's really enjoyed this too. The more he talks to Tony, the more he realizes how much he's missed out on in all those years. Maybe it's because they survived the end of the world, but Tony feels ... different. Relaxed, in a way Steve's never seen him. And maybe it's too presumptuous, but sometime in the last week, Steve's started thinking of himself as Tony's friend again.
They became teammates again the moment Steve shook Tony's hand since before the battle. But friends? He'd never been willing to even think about it. But now ... now it just feels natural. ]
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[ This way, he figures, it’s their own. Yes they’re the new Avengers but they don’t have to stick with the old, right down to the building itself.
Tony never would have imagined that Steve would be interested in construction, but he does seem pretty at ease with this new hobby. He’s happy for him, too. In all the years they’ve known each other, he has usually been so wrapped up with the Captain America gig that he’s glad he gets to do something he’s enjoying. Even if the discovery came from something so awful. ]
How are you doing? You gotten a chance to eat yet?
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I'm starving. [ A beat. ] You know, some of the guys have been talking about a little diner nearby. Opened just a few miles south of here.
You ... wanna go?
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Yeah, sure. You wanna drive, or you trust me behind the wheel?
[ He taught himself how to be ambidextrous from a very young age, and his car has already been modified while he’s in recovery mode, but still. Just because he drove himself here (which on its own is a victory, considering how he’d manage to sleep through the entire drive over in the first few days), he doesn’t want to subject Steve to it if he doesn’t want to. ]
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Well, I guess that depends.
[ Steve, actually, hasn't thought too much about how Tony's arm would affect his ability to drive. For all he knows, he just assumes that FRIDAY can drive for Tony at this point. Instead, he wonders actually, if after so many weeks of limited activity, Tony wants to do something different. ]
If you're up for it, we could take my bike.
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But the offer alone is enough to make Tony’s day. ]
Yeah. Let’s do that. [ His features seem to brighten at once, his smile growing. ]
It’s been a while since I’ve been on a bike, so yeah. That sounds great.
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Follow me. Pretty sure I've got a spare helmet if you want one. [ Steve himself has never really worn one, even if maybe he should. ] But, you're gonna have to be okay with a hot pink streak on it. [ Needless to say, Steve didn't buy that helmet himself. He does leave it completely up to Tony though, whether he wants that kind of protection. They're only going a few miles and Steve is pretty confident in his ability to get them to a diner in one piece.
There's a small, temporary dirt-based parking lot — the kind where rough lines are etched into the ground while work is going on — about five minutes away. Steve's bike is there, amidst a sparse set of cars and trucks. Once they get close, Steve digs the keys out of his back pocket and turn back to look at Tony. ]
What's your grip like these days? [ Steve extends his left hand and nods towards it, asking Tony to shake it and show him.
If his grip is strong enough, Steve will plan on Tony sitting like a normal passenger, behind him. If it isn't, he's going to insist that Tony sit in front. ]
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[ Probably not a good thing, considering how he drives, but whatever. He’s obviously still here.
Tony has always liked Steve’s bike - it’s beautiful and he does a good job maintaining it and he’s glad it’s still in good standing. What can he say, he’s fond of those type of things? He’s about to walk over to get on when Steve’s extending his hand and Tony smirks slightly. ]
It’s not bad. Getting used to a new dominant hand.
[ He takes Steve’s hand and gives it a squeeze. His grip isn’t like how his right hand would have been, but it’s still strong enough now that he’s doing better. ]
What’s the verdict?
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[ There's always going to be a special place in Steve's heart for his bike and it shows in how much time he puts into maintaining it. Steve's never been a man who's extremely into cars, or motorcycles, and he can't recite the makes and models of the vehicles he sees off the streets. But this bike in particular? He'd purchased it so soon after he woke up from the ice, and he'd been struck by the model because back then, it reminded him of home. Now, it feels like just the right blend of past and present.
That squeeze though gets Tony a nod. ]
You definitely won't fall off the back. [ He smirks. ] Not with that grip. [ And Steve let's go so that he can mount the bike, then leaning it towards the left so Tony can get on behind him. There's a small passenger seat in the back, and if he needs it, Steve'll offer a hand to help Tony balance as he gets on. ]
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[ He smirks as he says it, playfully.
Despite himself, Tony feels oddly proud of Steve agreeing his grip is good. While Steve gets situated, Tony puts his sunglasses back on and then mounts the bike. When Steve offers a hand to help with the balance part, Tony’s not proud enough to refuse it and says a quiet thank you once he’s settled. ]
Alright, ready when you are. Let’s go check out this diner.
[ He probably shouldn’t be this excited about going to eat at a diner, but he sounds pretty damn happy about it nonetheless. ]
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