So I don't mean for it to happen but sometimes I end up torturing myself when I think of possible bad stuff that might happen in Endgame. This is one of them. Once again I drew inspiration from the show Supernatural so you know this is gonna hurt. Members of the SPNFamily will recognize where I'm going and may hate me, especially if they're also Marvel fans. Also I had this idea before any of the Endgame trailers came out so don't get crazy on me. Now... Let's break some hearts.
Tony gripped the uniform tighter, grunting slightly as he dragged and tugged his way through the bowels of the ship, ignoring the sharp scent of blood from the person he was trying to hold steady on their feet.
"Maybe…maybe it's better this way."
"Shut up."
"Seriously, I've…I've stolen so much time already." The voice next to him was low, raspy, and filled with acceptance. It made Tony grit his teeth. In his ear Friday's small voice was telling him that the wound was still flowing despite the application of the suture spray.
"I need you to shut up for me, alright Rogers? We need to get out of this place and you to a medic, so I would appreciate less talking and more walking."
The pair was quiet for a few seconds.
"What happened to you being okay with this?" This was spoken quietly with a hint of curiosity, absent of sarcasm.
Tony glanced over, seeing the fresh red wetness that colored the man's lips and chin. He looked forward, trying to quicken his steps.
He remembered the flash of bitterness at seeing Steve for the first time since Siberia, standing outside the compound when Quill's ship had touched down.
He remembered the words spoken minutes earlier; when Tony had said he needed time to break past the alien ship's firewalls to infect it with his virus and Steve had taken that as his cue, telling Tony he'd get him time and then had started to argue with the genius as he locked the door from the outside. Tony hadn't been able to stop the shiver up his spine at the strong déjà vu.
Steve had disappeared from the door and Tony'd been forced to return to the control system, enacting their plan of destroying the ships that housed Thanos' minions, trying to even the battle raging on the surface of the Earth.
He remembered finishing the virus infection and running off, blasting through the locked door and following the bodies of extraterrestrials that had fallen by Steve's hand. At the time the flashbacks had threatened to overcome him, worry twisting and knotting in his stomach. He had tried to fight against the anxiety, that he was angry at the other man and not worried but he hadn't been able to stop the comparison between Yisen and Steve, soothing himself with the words 'super soldier' and 'stubbornness.' Because Tony was pissed at him, and he needed to be alive for Tony to be pissed at him. That was how it worked.
Tony remembered turning the corner and stopping, letting out the tension in his shoulders when seeing multiple bodies littering the floor and Cap at the end of the corridor a bit banged up with dirt smeared across his face, a bloody lip, and a leaking cut over an eye. Banged up but alive.
"You taking a nap, Gramps?" The quip had been easy, slipping past his lips with an almost playful yet painful familiarity. Steve had looked up, giving a small smile and a tired chuckle at the tease.
Of course the good humor hadn't lasted.
Tony remembered glancing behind himself, checking to make sure nothing was sneaking up on them when Friday's voice nearly yelled in his ear, informing him of the danger at the other end.
Spinning around Tony had only had time to take in a breath, eyes locked on the silhouette standing behind Steve before the super soldier did half a turn, lashing out with the shield.
In that moment several things had happened so quickly and simultaneously that it'd seemed impossible. Even too fast for Tony's quick mind to completely process and act in accordance. But it had been enough for him to capture everything and sear it to the back of his eyelids forever. He would remember this moment forever.
The alien, four-armed and taller than Steve by nearly a foot, had stopped Cap's assault by grabbing a hold of the soldier's arms, pinning them down using it's superior strength against the battered man.
In the same instant the third alien appendage wrapped itself around Steve's waist, lifting the man up into the air.
Tony would forever remember seeing the glint, the shine of some kind of metal hiding in the darkness and he'd remember lifting his hands, intent on firing a blast.
He'd also remember being too late.
Because at that moment the fourth arm made itself known, coming around and shoving the long foreign blade into Steve's chest.
He'd remember the scrape of metal against bone when the knife had plunged in…
….remember the wet gasp Steve had made when the weapon had dig in all the way to the hilt…
…remember the loud yell that had reverberated off the walls, the word No bouncing through the ship; vaguely acknowledging that it was his own voice, shaky and desperate…
…And he'd remember Steve looking up from the wound in his chest at the sound, eyes finding Tony's own with a look of tired resignation on his face as his head fell back weakly.
Tony hadn't recalled how he got to Steve, he may have ran, he may have flown, he wasn't sure but he'd made it to his side. The alien bastard had pulled the knife out when Tony had charged over, dropping the soldier with a heavy thud and disappearing quickly enough to dodge the repulsor blast aimed at it.
Tony had let it go, focused more on Steve as the blonde man had attempted to sit up while taking off one of his gloves to staunch the blood.
"Let me see." The super soldier had hissed at Tony's probing hands but he hadn't fought him on the exam.
"Tony, you gotta…you gotta get out of here before it comes back."
He'd ignored how painful and weak the sentence had ended, Steve's voice wobbly with his last couple words.
"Shut up. You're gonna be fine. It's fine." The suture spray had coated the wound and surrounding area of the uniform, the color taking on a crimson hue. It would have to hold. "Can anybody hear me? Rogers needs a medic. Anybody out there?"
The communicator had instantly crackled to life. "Tony, what happened?"
The words hadn't wanted to come. "One of Thanos' bitches stabbed him in the chest. It pulled out the knife when it ran."
The line was quiet for a second. Anyone listening knew the significance of pulling the knife from a stab wound. Romanoff's voice came back, steady but Tony knew she was shaken. "I'll get to Bruce, just get back here."
She was gone and Tony had then moved to help lift Steve to his feet. "Come on old man, your life alert did its job. Let's move."
That was how it had all fallen apart so spectacularly.
Leading to this moment, dragging Steve to the nearest exit as quickly as possible, ignoring the blood they left smeared on the floor in their wake, Steve's words bouncing around in his head.
"What happened to you being okay with this?"
Tony tightened his hold, bracing as he shifted Steve upright. "I lied."
Because right now Tony's heart was racing, his stomach a ball of fear and stress. This wasn't suppose to happen. Steve was Captain fucking American, a super soldier, a living legend. This wasn't suppose to happen.
They made it through a few more hallways, Tony having to tell Rogers to shut it several times. "You know…I think Sam would be a good Captain America. Buck never liked fighting." "Nope. Don't wanna hear it." "It's true though. Sam…he'll do good." "Seriously Rogers. Don't wanna hear it." And he didn't. Tony didn't want anything to do with that kind of conversation. A last will of sorts. Nope.
It was a few minutes later that they finally exited the hallways, emptying out into an open area, possibly a type of hanger, he wasn't sure. But it could mean a faster way of getting out of here.
Tony honed in on a few stacked metal containers, dragging Steve toward them. "Here, hang out here for a second." The soldier grunted in pain but settled down, leaning back against the metal. Tony did a slow turn, looking around himself. "Friday, scan the room. Find me a control panel, something."
Friday spoke in his ear, telling him where the panel she had found was. He rushed to it. He needed to hurry.
It was quiet for a few breaths as he poked at the alien technology. And then…
"Take care of the team, Tony."
"Damn it Rogers." Tony glared over at the other man, trying not to panic about the suture spray being completely red or Friday whispering to him about rapid heart beats and dropping blood pressure.
"I'm serious Tony." Steve held a steady gaze, jaw clenched. "The team…our family. Take care of them. No matter what happens."
"Didn't I just say it didn't want to hear this?!" Tony whirled around to yell at the wounded man, his patience thinning along with his sanity. "I gotta get this thing open so I need to concentrate but you're yapping and bleeding everywhere. Which wouldn't have been a problem if you had just stuck with the plan!"
Steve sighed, wincing at the pain. "Whatever it takes. Remember? Besides…this was always the plan Tony."
"Don't you say that to me." Tony growled, eyes stinging. Memories, comparisons, were forming in his mind. "Don't you fucking say that."
"It's true though. You got…Pepper. You got a fiancée who loves you and who you love back. You got a kid, Tony. A good kid, a son in every way that counts. Hell, that mind of yours could be considered a wonder of the world. There's so much you can accomplish Tony. So many good things. The medical field, environmentalism. Give you a weekend off and you could probably solve world hunger. You are needed in this world. But me?" Steve leaned back, eyes closed and slouching as he scoffed, whispering. "I'm just a kid from Brooklyn too stubborn and nosy for his own good."
He couldn't do it anymore. Not with his nerves fraying and Rogers feet from him bleeding all over the place. He was done. He stalked away from panel and walked toward the empty space. "Friday, is this one big giant door?"
Keeping an eye on Rogers, Tony walked further out, making note of the metal under his feet. He had enough power to fuel his lasers for quite awhile, certainly enough to cut through. It had to be enough.
"The whole floor splits in two, opening outward. The door themselves are several feet thick."
"How long would it take the lasers to cut through?"
"Running the numbers, Boss."
He hurried back, freezing when seeing Steve slumped against the crates, skin pale. It was hard swallowing past the lump in his throat. "..Rogers."
The blonde man flinched, eyes barely opening into slits. "Tony."
He let out the breath he'd been holding, Friday speaking in his ear that the lasers would work. Revitalized he stepped forward, arms maneuvering to wrap around and help Steve up. "Come on, time to go."
"Wait. Wait." Steve fought the hold for a second, trying to sit up. "I gotta say something."
More anxiety. "We don't have time for this Rogers, we need to go."
"Just…I just…" Steve's eyes cleared, sharp and calm. He reached out, giving Tony a strong pat on the shoulder that turned into a solid grip. Blue eyes locked onto brown, earnest as they stared. "I'm happy that I was wrong. You…you're a good man Tony. And when it happens…you're gonna be a great dad." He smirked, tired but seemingly happy.
It made Tony sick in the stomach, his eyes burning. Shit, shit, shit.
Steve gave another pat, his grip firm, his eyes turning bright yet giving Tony a soft smile. "I'm proud of us. Proud of the team, our family. Proud of you Tony. Proud to call you my friend."
Tony's throat closed, trying to get his quivering lip under control.
And then Steve's hand slackened, sliding off his shoulder and the man's eyes slipped closed as he tilted forward into the genius' arms.
"Nope, wake up Rogers." Tony pushed Steve upright, nanotech peeling away from his hands so he could place them on the blonde's cheeks. "Rogers?"
The soldier's skin was cool, slick with sweat and features limp. His eyes remained closed.
Tony gave a gentle shake, gritting his teeth and fighting against the trembling, feeling something wet trail down his face. "Rogers?" He bared his teeth at the pain blooming within. No. No. Please no. "Steve?!"
The super soldier remained still, remained cold.
All Tony could do was hold his friend.
And weep.
I might have one more chapter after this, not sure though. But yeah, there you go. I picked this because of the fact that the brothers were fighting when this happened and the fact that Tony and Steve had been as well seemed to match. Yep. Also, if anyone is following my fic Welcome Wagon, that one may be on hold or something. Thinking of making it apart of my Mirage series. Anywho, let me know what you guys thought of this. Peace out. -Mez