You were sensible to the very bitter end, my friend (One)
Title: You were sensible to the very bitter end, my friend
Author: MetaAllu
Universe: Civil War AU.
Rating: G, NC-17 overall.
Summary: AU. After his death, Steve wakes up in a world where there is no such things as superheroes, Registration never happened, friends he’d lost are still alive and last but not least, he’s married to Tony Stark.
Author's Note: Me and this chapter had a very sexy wrestling match in the mud with my fever.
[ Prologue | One | Two | Three | Four | Five ]
*
Thor comes by later that day (or maybe the next day; it's always so hard to keep track of time in the hospital and he spends so much time sleeping that he just can't tell anymore and he doesn't bother trying) with his brother on his arm. It's not the first time Steve's seen Thor and Loki in the middle of some kind of truce, and the Avengers had grown used to Loki being around sometimes, but there was something about his body language that was off: he seemed too calm, too at peace. There was hardly the amount of chaos there that Steve had grown accustomed to.
"You look awful," Thor says by way of greeting and Loki smirks against the blonde's shoulder.
"Thanks," Steve answers sarcastically. "That means so much to me."
Thor snickers and sits in one of the small hospital chairs, looking practically as if it will break under his weight. Loki stands by his side, not looking like he's in any rush to sit down, seeming perfectly happy to stay right where he is with one hand on one of his brother's broad shoulders.
"How are you?" Steve murmurs, feeling an odd tightness in his chest.
"I should ask you the same," Thor answers, reaching out a hand to touch Steve's chest. The bandages have been changed, and Steve had seen the angry gaping wound in his chest. It had made his stomach roil uncomfortably and he hadn't wanted to think too hard on how close... whatever it was, had been to killing him.
"I'm alright. It doesn't hurt. He has me on morphine," Steve smiles vaguely, still feeling drowsy.
Thor gives a snort. "Well he can't just keep you on it for all of eternity."
Steve nods, eyes sliding slowly shut.
"I'm sure he'd love to try," he hears Loki say before he drifts off to sleep.
-
When he next wakes, it's pitch black outside and he feels disoriented and on guard. It takes him a few moments to realize there's someone else in the room, and when he does, he immediately sits up, taking a defensive position. The figure stops, seeming startled; and then rich, familiar laughter rolls through the room.
"Relax, Steve, it's just me."
Steve frowns and the lights come on. There's so many different feelings in his chest that he's not sure what to do with them all: Anger, fear, regret, confusion. Tony's standing with both hands palms up, one on each side of his head. He's in a suit and he's got the softest of smiles on his lips. Steve also takes note of the fact he's got a silver ring around his finger. He decides to ask about it later if he remembers.
"What are you doing here?" he asks. He wants to sound cold, he wants to sound cruel, but instead he just sounds needy and grateful and lonely.
"I know I wasn't due back for a few days still, but, I just... I wanted to make sure you were okay."
Confusion curls around Steve's stomach. He feels dizzy and everything hurts: Not from his wounds but his heart; spreading out in a deep, visceral ache deep in his bones. This isn't.... how is.... Tony, Tony, Tony.
He feels like he's got two people, two sets of memories in his head, and god, he aches. Everything screams at him, two different things. He jerks, convulses, and then his world spins away to the sound of beeping and people shouting.
-
There is a distinct feeling of more tubes in him than before, and there is the grating sound of machines that makes his head throb with every sound. He groans and turns his head, blinking blearily to clear his vision.
Tony's expression is tight, drawn with worry and he makes a little choked noise when he sees Steve's eyes open.
"What...?" Steve mumbles muzzily, more confused than ever.
"You had a seizure," Tony croaks, looking so close to tears that it breaks Steve's heart, and he finds himself drawing the other man close to him before he can even think about it. Tony nuzzles into his neck, curling against his side. "I thought..."
"Shh," Steve murmurs. "I'm here, Tony." I shouldn't be. How am I here? Where is here?
"I know," Tony murmurs. "I know, I know, I just.... you looked.... I thought...." Tony gropes blindly for his hand and Steve looks down.
He has so many questions, so many things he wants to ask. Instead he says, "That beeping is really annoying."
With a blink, Tony has quieted the machines and turned off the lights, and Steve is too tired, and too grateful to have Tony's warmth against him to ask questions.
In the moonlight, their matching silver rings shine.
Author: MetaAllu
Universe: Civil War AU.
Rating: G, NC-17 overall.
Summary: AU. After his death, Steve wakes up in a world where there is no such things as superheroes, Registration never happened, friends he’d lost are still alive and last but not least, he’s married to Tony Stark.
Author's Note: Me and this chapter had a very sexy wrestling match in the mud with my fever.
[ Prologue | One | Two | Three | Four | Five ]
*
Thor comes by later that day (or maybe the next day; it's always so hard to keep track of time in the hospital and he spends so much time sleeping that he just can't tell anymore and he doesn't bother trying) with his brother on his arm. It's not the first time Steve's seen Thor and Loki in the middle of some kind of truce, and the Avengers had grown used to Loki being around sometimes, but there was something about his body language that was off: he seemed too calm, too at peace. There was hardly the amount of chaos there that Steve had grown accustomed to.
"You look awful," Thor says by way of greeting and Loki smirks against the blonde's shoulder.
"Thanks," Steve answers sarcastically. "That means so much to me."
Thor snickers and sits in one of the small hospital chairs, looking practically as if it will break under his weight. Loki stands by his side, not looking like he's in any rush to sit down, seeming perfectly happy to stay right where he is with one hand on one of his brother's broad shoulders.
"How are you?" Steve murmurs, feeling an odd tightness in his chest.
"I should ask you the same," Thor answers, reaching out a hand to touch Steve's chest. The bandages have been changed, and Steve had seen the angry gaping wound in his chest. It had made his stomach roil uncomfortably and he hadn't wanted to think too hard on how close... whatever it was, had been to killing him.
"I'm alright. It doesn't hurt. He has me on morphine," Steve smiles vaguely, still feeling drowsy.
Thor gives a snort. "Well he can't just keep you on it for all of eternity."
Steve nods, eyes sliding slowly shut.
"I'm sure he'd love to try," he hears Loki say before he drifts off to sleep.
-
When he next wakes, it's pitch black outside and he feels disoriented and on guard. It takes him a few moments to realize there's someone else in the room, and when he does, he immediately sits up, taking a defensive position. The figure stops, seeming startled; and then rich, familiar laughter rolls through the room.
"Relax, Steve, it's just me."
Steve frowns and the lights come on. There's so many different feelings in his chest that he's not sure what to do with them all: Anger, fear, regret, confusion. Tony's standing with both hands palms up, one on each side of his head. He's in a suit and he's got the softest of smiles on his lips. Steve also takes note of the fact he's got a silver ring around his finger. He decides to ask about it later if he remembers.
"What are you doing here?" he asks. He wants to sound cold, he wants to sound cruel, but instead he just sounds needy and grateful and lonely.
"I know I wasn't due back for a few days still, but, I just... I wanted to make sure you were okay."
Confusion curls around Steve's stomach. He feels dizzy and everything hurts: Not from his wounds but his heart; spreading out in a deep, visceral ache deep in his bones. This isn't.... how is.... Tony, Tony, Tony.
He feels like he's got two people, two sets of memories in his head, and god, he aches. Everything screams at him, two different things. He jerks, convulses, and then his world spins away to the sound of beeping and people shouting.
-
There is a distinct feeling of more tubes in him than before, and there is the grating sound of machines that makes his head throb with every sound. He groans and turns his head, blinking blearily to clear his vision.
Tony's expression is tight, drawn with worry and he makes a little choked noise when he sees Steve's eyes open.
"What...?" Steve mumbles muzzily, more confused than ever.
"You had a seizure," Tony croaks, looking so close to tears that it breaks Steve's heart, and he finds himself drawing the other man close to him before he can even think about it. Tony nuzzles into his neck, curling against his side. "I thought..."
"Shh," Steve murmurs. "I'm here, Tony." I shouldn't be. How am I here? Where is here?
"I know," Tony murmurs. "I know, I know, I just.... you looked.... I thought...." Tony gropes blindly for his hand and Steve looks down.
He has so many questions, so many things he wants to ask. Instead he says, "That beeping is really annoying."
With a blink, Tony has quieted the machines and turned off the lights, and Steve is too tired, and too grateful to have Tony's warmth against him to ask questions.
In the moonlight, their matching silver rings shine.