he could not count how many times people have hurt him. Ā some intentional, some not. Ā some betrayals, some people heās had to simply cut out of his life, and some just asā¦ losses. Ā the world they live in is nothing if not riddled with pain, of course. Ā itās part of life. Ā hurting is normal, as much as tony wishes it wouldnāt be. Ā where the sun sets the day he loses someone, it rises the next; and, with it, means he has to continue. Ā heās never had too much trouble in the past, but the one loss he could never come to terms with wasā¦
steve. Ā
the only who found a way to warm him when all he felt was the cold. Ā the only one who knew what to say when he felt like heād been a burden to the rest of the team and the world. Ā the one who had knelt down on one knee and proposed to him even though tony had intentions to ask the next day (or so he told himself the next day, anyway). Ā the one whose simple presence was enough to calm the nerves heād never admit to. the one whose smile lifted his spirits and gave him hope.
every day he thought about it. Ā about his so-called ādeath.ā Ā tony never thought it could be trueā¦ that heād really just disappeared. Ā no trace left behind. Ā but with dead ends after dead ends, with the fall of stark industries, shield, and the avengersā¦ it had been difficult to maintain any semblance of hope. Ā instead, itād been replaced with grief and dread.
so when the final battles all settle, with MODOK defeated and AIM temporarily under control, tony finally finds a moment to rest. Ā when he wakes, with a solid body pressed up behind him, he canāt believe it. Ā steve really is alive. Ā he shouldnāt beāā Ā by all means, he should be deadāā Ā not after what heād done, yetā¦
ā please donāt let this be a dream, please donāt let this be a dream, please donāt let this be a dream, ā Ā he repeats, eyes still squeezed shut as he focuses on the warmth behind him. Ā be real. Ā please be real. Ā please let it be you, steve.
@thawedpatriot plotted starter bc avengers game
