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[bottledblond]

Not every universe in the far and wide cosmos is as lucky (however unlucky itself that seems) to encounter Thanos during a time where people live who can do something about it. Steve Rogers, a particular version of Steve Rogers who had only just suffered through his first night of basic training in New Jersey as part of the Army’s Project Rebirth and thus had not yet become Captain America, bent to untie his shoes and saw his hands begin to disintegrate. He doesn’t panic, panicking is for people who do not live like every breath is their last. Instead, he blinks in surprise as the barracks fill with shouting. He has time to contemplate two things. One, he wishes he’d done more with his life. And two, he hopes Bucky will do all right.

He’s still thinking about that last issue when he exhales his last in a universe where Captain America never existed and finishes it bent over in the ruins of the barracks, roof half open to the sky and walls a burnt and ashy gray.

It takes him an hour to get to the road and by then, his asthma is already getting the best of him. He blacks out for the second time ‘that day’ and wakes up staring at the ceiling of what is obviously a hospital.

It just doesn’t sound or smell like a hospital. Sure. People are running around and yelling, but it smells painfully clean, artificially so, and there are machines he’s never seen before connected by wires to his body. He does the thing people should never do and yanks them loose. The machines squawk strangely and frantically and Steve is almost out of bed when two large men in green pajamas force him back.

Nothing makes sense to him for days. People come to talk to him, to find out who he is and who his family is. Evidently Steve Rogers is a popular name, because they bring in more people to talk to him, to ask him questions about his life, but no one has any answers.

He explodes, as he’s wont to do when frustrated, demands answers, but nothing they say makes sense.

By then, the war is over. Not World War II, which has evidently been over for over half a century, but this new war. And Bucky Barnes had been told of his presence. Steve is in bed, arms crossed, looking dour and getting an infusion of something that honestly is helping him breathe better when Bucky bursts into his now private room. It’s been two months

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[woundedwinter]

Bucky runs, but not at full speed. He tic tacs along the walls, waiting for Steve to catch up. He hits him hard and they go tumbling into the turf. He loops an arm around him, laughing as they fall.

"Okay okay, pal. You got me."

Bucky pulls them up, "So let's see what you've got. Take a swing at me."

[bottledblond]

Steve had very little intention of getting up right away. They’re alone, aren’t they? In the grass, it feels secluded too. He bends his head down and gives Bucky a tiny peck on the cheek before he drops his elbow beside his head to prop his head up on his hand.

He can’t help but gaze down at the older man, to touch his ear and arch an eyebrow over him.

He’d have stayed there all day if Bucky let them. Alas, they’re on the feet a moment later and Steve can’t help but roll his eyes. “I don’t want to have to hurt you, Barnes.”

[woundedwinter]

His pulse stutters at the way Steve touches him, resting his hand on his waist to keep him close for a moment. They can't have more than this in the open, but it's still nice the way they seem to fit together.

Bucky laughs as they stand up. "C'mon pal. Hit me with your best shot. Use what I taught you."

[bottledblond]

“Don’t say I didn’t warn you,” Steve says, shifting back to his dominant foot so that he can put all of his power into his attack. He already knows Bucky will see it coming, but having his form down is important. And so is trying to throw him off guard so he can execute an undercut.

He’d seen Bucky use it in the ring once and it stuck with him. The guy he’d been going against was head and shoulders taller but Bucky still managed to lick him.

Steve tries the same move, face determined and form crackerjack.

[woundedwinter]

He can see the move coming and they'll have to talk about telegraphing moves later. The undercut hits him hard though, sending him flying.

Well. That'll teach him to be distracted in a fight.

Bucky stands up, "Not bad." And he charges forward, aiming a snap kick at his chest to send him backwards, intent on a follow up blow to drop him to the ground.

[bottledblond]

Half impressed and half worried, Steve stares at his hand before he jogs towards Bucky to try and help him up. His guard is completely down when he’s kicked and he finds himself staring up at the very blue eyes before he can even exhale.

Steve is sure that his ribs have been shattered. He exhales slowly, testing himself, and when there is no pain radiating across his body, he pays attention to what’s going on around him.

“Teach me to do that?”

[woundedwinter]

His own chest is tight as he pulls Steve to his feet, trying very hard to shut out the memories on the helicarrier when he was finally starting to break from HYDRA control.

"Sure thing."

And they move back into an easy training pattern then, walking through blocks and blows and Bucky has to throw himself to the ground when Sam comes winging in with an 'on your left!'.

Dick.

But together they can help train Steve faster.

[bottledblond]

It takes hours before Steve is tired. He’s not beating sand bags to death like the other Steve did to keep his muscles and his reaction times on point: he’s learning how to use his muscles and how to build reaction time. By the time the sun is setting, the sky a hazy purple and orange, and Tony and Bruce emerge from inside, Steve is able to repel blows from both Sam and Bucky.

“That’s why we gave him a shield,” the vampire says to Bruce, leaning forward to cross his arms on the balcony railing. “He instinctively defends first and second and only hits back third. The similarities between people and timelines is remarkable.”

He watches as Bucky finally brings Steve down again, and listens to the blond laugh, before he claps.

“Shame there can’t be a dozen of him.”

[seven_phds]

Tony may be watching the three of them spar, but Bruce can't take his eyes off the vampire and the way the last of the light casts his skin bronze and warms his eyes. The similarities are indeed incredible, enough to make him reach out rest a large hand on his shoulder. "It really is."

"T'Challa still has his shield from the battle in Wakanda, and I think the other shield is in the Smithsonian. We can find a way to get him one if he's going to get back in the fight."

[starkingenuity]

It’s been half a century since he’s been touched outside of feeding and that’s not a genuine sort of action but a fail safe he uses to give pleasure to his donor so they won’t struggle. There’s a genuine affection behind Bruce’s thick fingers and Tony makes sure he’s slow as he turns his gaze towards the other. He knows that the quickness of his movements can be startling as he wants Bruce to keep doing this.

He knows it’s a band-aid for what he lost, sure, but it’s got the potential to be.... to be everything to him. Bruce won’t age. Or die. He can be his companion forever, if they click.

And if the universe doesn’t need to balance itself out by fixing itself.

“You know, I don’t want to encourage that,” Tony says. “Steve Rogers suffered as Captain America. There’s always wars. There will always be soldiers, but, and this is just between you and me, there are better ways to shut them down. Maybe he’ll pick up a shield one day. But it doesn’t have to be today.”

[seven_phds]

They've both lost their husbands and they found one another across time and across worlds. This isn't his Tony any more than he is his Bruce. But the connection is still there, the desire to reach out. It will take time, but time is one thing they have on their side.

Bruce finally turns his gaze back towards the men on the lawn, packing it in for the evening.

"Being an Avenger takes a toll on you. It's nothing that anyone should do forever." Because sooner or later you bury the ones you love most. "Steve should take one of the Wakandan shields," because he does need to protect himself.

"He should also put it down when the Flag Smashers are dealt with."

[starkingenuity]

"Maybe we should take a trip to Wakanda," Tony muses. "I wonder if they like me any better than the other one does. Buck's partial to them. Might be nice if they have matching gear." Tony grins up at Bruce and turns to sit on the edge of the railing. It's not like he's on the edge of the tower, and a fall from this height wouldn't even wind him.

He does tap his thumbs on the railing in thought though.

"Are you retired? Because you know, consulting gigs are really big with people like us. I don't think we should go back to Avenging but driving the bus for the kiddies and upstaging them in the brains department might be a fun little side project for us." And it's more time with Bruce.

[seven_phds]

With Tony sitting on the railing Bruce can rest his hand over one of his, taking comfort in the way he can feel his tapping against his palm. A trip to Wakanda, a chance to work with Shuri and watch this Tony explore her lab.

Us. It sounds really nice and his smile softens. "So a partial retirement? The two of us?" They don't have to get back into the fight full time but they can still help, they can still try and make the world a better place. "Yeah. I like that idea. I've been running the company quietly behind the scenes. Stepping back might be nice."

Bruce taps the tablet on the table near them and has FRIDAY make the arrangements.

[starkingenuity]

Tony is more surprised than ever about how little he cares that Bruce is running everything. Yes, this isn't exactly his company or his tech, but it's more than he trusts Bruce implicitly with everything. "So you're not really digging those board meetings?" Tony asks, deliberately running his finger up Bruce's palm before the other moves away.

In the house, he can hear Steve cooking something, obviously hungry after a full day of training, and Tony looks back up towards Bruce to wait for him to finish making arrangements on that tablet of his.

"Want to get dinner with me? Normally I'd have some reservations someplace nice lined up but I have been stock in a storage container lab for the last two months being forced to make super soldier serum. In my defense."

[seven_phds]

"They're not my favorite," he admits with a smile. But it had been Tony's legacy, his gift to him after his death so he threw himself into making sure that Stark Industries wasn't just successful but thriving.

Bruce can make out the distant sound of laughter and banging around in the kitchen. Guess they were done for the evening. Good.

"I think I can manage us some reservations," he promises with a smile. "Meet me out front in about twenty minutes? There's.. there's something I want to show you. Something that the other you and I worked on."

Twenty minutes later Tony will find Bruce outside of the villa, much shorter and far less green than he had been earlier. "Hi."

[starkingenuity]

Though he’s wearing shades, and a sports jacket pilfered from his doppelgänger’s unused closet, the way his eyebrows lift from behind the rim indicate that Tony is surprised. His mind blanks for a moment before he pulls himself back together again.

“Hey, look, sorry, I’m sure you’re a nice guy and all, but I’m waiting for someone,” he teases. “Six foot thirteen or fourteen, Elphaba’a complexion? Seen him?”

Tony needs to dial himself back. He can feel his lower lip two thirds of the way to trembling. Bruce as part Hulk had been devastating enough, but to see his beautiful husband, unchanged after so long, with just a kind of annoyingly short haircut, is too much.

Behind his glasses, Tony squeezes his eyes shut a moment to force his inactive heart to beat twice. Just for self comfort.

[seven_phds]

He's wearing the jacket Bruce had given him for his birthday and it makes his smile go soft and warm. He holds up his arm, letting his sleeve fall back to show the faintly glowing silver band around his wrist. "Inhibitors we designed. It doesn't work for long, the best we ever managed was a few hours, but it inhibits the gamma radiation effects and brings me back to a more.. reasonable shape."

Tony isn't moving, which is okay, but the way he squeezes his eyes shut has Bruce wondering whether or not this was such a good idea.

"Tony," he says softly, reaching out to him, "if this is too much, I can take them off, I can go back to the way I was. I didn't mean to upset you."

[starkingenuity]

The shake to his head in response is adamant and vehement. No. No, Bruce is fine. He’s been wearing his dead husband’s face for hours now, hasn’t he? He just needs a moment to recalibrate.

“I’m just jealous,” he says. “Did you get smarter than me?” He lets Bruce in, let’s the man touch him, and lifts his hand to touch Bruce too. It’s true, that he’s jealous. He’s jealous of the human Tony Stark that enjoyed having Bruce with him for as long as he had. He’s jealous that he’d missed out on giving these things to his own husband.

And most of all, Tony is just perpetually angry at himself for killing the most important thing in his life. He closes his eyes behind the glasses and sets his forehead to Bruce’s.

“You’re incredible,” he whispers.

[seven_phds]

He curls his fingers lightly around his wrist and steps in close enough for Tony to touch, to feel his warmth. "Smarter than you? No. We worked on it together." An anniversary present, but this Tony doesn't need to hear that. They had very different lives and while neither had gotten around to discussing loss, it didn't exactly take a genius to see how much it had devastated Tony.

Bruce smiles, moving his hand up to the back of his neck to hold him there for a moment. "This is incredible. For the first time in more than a year, I don't feel so alone."

"You're here and it feels like a miracle."

[starkingenuity]

Ever since Bruce found out about the notebooks, and really, about Tony’s involvement in his entire life, the vampire has never once kept things secret from him. He’d even told him that he would be scanning his hand for ring sizing a few weeks before he proposed because he didn’t want to keep anything from the man.

This isn’t his husband, but he still is. Tony is tried of blurring the lines when Bruce’s personality and his affection and his understanding mirror the man he’d loved. He’s not stupid enough to think that he doesn’t feel love towards this man anyway. It doesn’t matter if their circumstances before they’d come together a day and a half ago happened to be different.

Tony’s forehead bunches up as he gently traces his thumb over Bruce’s jawline.

“Forty-eight years for me,” he says. “But I’m not a miracle. You are. This is. I don’t know why you don’t hate me. I’m only here because your husband died to bring us all here. How crazy is that? You got a pretty shitty version in his place. I’m sorry, Bruce.”

[seven_phds]

"No," he corrects softly. "Don't be sorry. I could never hate you Tony. My husband died to save the universe and I am so proud of him for what he did. He was a hero. I don't know," he reaches up to hold his wrist, to keep his hand on his face for another long moment, "maybe this was his final gift to all of us. Bringing back those that were lost, the ones beyond reach."

Even if it's wishful thinking, it's nice to believe.
Tony Stark always had an incredible capacity for love.

"But right now? I would very much like to get to know this you a lot better. We have all the time in the world and I sure would like to share it with you." The differences between this eternal vampire and his husband are there, but they're so small anymore that Bruce can't find it in himself to care.

He can only find it in himself to love him.

[starkingenuity]

“You’d have me sobbing like a baby if I had tear ducts,” Tony replies, voice soft and eyes closed. He could kiss Bruce right now, but they haven’t even gone on their first date just yet and Tony is in many ways just a little old fashioned. So he steps back and offers the other man his arm. “Shall we, Doctor Banner?”

From inside the house, standing at the window, Steve watches the two go off down the long driveway towards a waiting car. He actually feels himself tingling from head to toe. He knows it’s silly, maybe even ridiculous, but they look so good together, so happy.

Like they’ve just picked up where love left off. Or like it’d never left at all.

“They’re not joining us for dinner,” Steve says as he sits down at the table with the other two, steak and potatoes high in a dish in the middle of the table. “I think they’re stepping out.”

A date. Steve almost wants to ask Bucky to do the same... but maybe not in front of Sam.

[woundedwinter]

Bucky can't help but watch Steve as he moves. There are no grimaces, no winces of discomfort. He's healthy and at ease in his own skin.

It's a good look on him.

He glances over his shoulder out the window and smiles a little himself. "Good. They've probably got a lot of catching up to do." And Bruce deserves to have some happiness again after what he'd lost.

Bucky sits down with the others. "We can talk to them before we leave tomorrow." They still have a lot of work to do.

If Bruce and Tony want to wait on the sidelines or even sit it out completely he's more than okay with that. They've fought their battles and lost plenty.

[bottledblond]

Sam is going to keep all comments to himself on this one. It doesn’t matter what he says anyway. He’s the fifth wheel. He can see it between these two. Bucky said something. Steve was receptive. Or maybe it was Tony Lestat Stark that caused the two to finally do more than glance each other’s ways.

He’s not mad. This isn’t his Steve. Not by a long shot.

He eats his steak as Steve starts to spread out paper on the table, lifting plates and cups as he goes. “We need to decide what the next move is. And I think I know how. Buck, how much of that serum do you have? We need to advertise it. Have them to us.”

[woundedwinter]

"We've got seventeen doses. Too many to risk getting out." They can advertise but he's going to have Stark destroy the serum before they move out.

Beers are pulled and he sits back down, "Okay Steve, what's the plan?" He nudges Sam's leg under the table because see, Sam? A plan. Plans are useful.