Author's Note: These characters belong to Marvel and Disney. I only own the plot!
Thanos hadn't won.
It was the one thing Steve could say for sure without feeling a niggling of doubt in his chest. That didn't mean they'd won though.
In the end, they still lost. The universe, Earth, the Avengers and Guardians. It was carved in the faces of Shuri and Parker, having lost large remnants of their youthful innocence in the midst of war with unforgiving consequences and their time in the soul realm. In the new hardness to Clint and his very sudden and understandably wordless disappearance when his family returned. There was the pain of the survivors like Quill and Wanda who would not know the relief of a returning loved one.
Some would be fine. Bucky and Natasha had survived worse and to them this had been another cruel war in a long lines of wars they'd made it through. Scott went home with his small band intact after Thanos' defeat.
That left very little room for past quarrels and disagreements for most of the teams. As Wakandans and Avengers found solace in bonding with their old teammates and allies and putting things in the past to be stronger and solid for whatever came next.
And it's how Steve found himself back in New York at a familiar place and yet somewhere he hadn't been in over two years. Tony's lab door.
Rhodey had informed Steve that the genius hadn't been at the newer Avengers compound since returning to Earth. Pepper explained their relationship had been put indefinitely to the side. Any information Steve gathered, the people giving it had the mercy to not ask why he hadn't gotten it from Tony himself.
Steve knew he wasn't welcome here.
The last time he'd seen Tony was on the battlefield, thankfully on the same side as Steve this time. The charismatic genius had a wild, feral look in his eyes then. It was clear Tony was ready to tear the mad titan apart limb from limb himself, Iron Man suit or not. It was the same look Steve remembered from Siberia, a look that had haunted the soldier longer than he'd like to admit. It had kept him away from Tony until now.
Why was he here now?
"Cap'n Rogers?"
Steve inhaled sharply, blinking at the still closed door in front of him before he recognized the Irish lilt.
"Hey, Friday," he murmured. He waited for the harsh dismissal Tony no doubt had given her.
Instead the AI let a very human pause lapse before answering that made Steve look skyward at the source of her voice.
"It's nice to see you again, Cap'n." Friday said warmly. "Though if a girl can be honest, you look a bit rough."
Friday, the warmer successor to Jarvis speaking to him kindly was an unexpected, surprisingly relieving feeling that loosened the tightness in Steve's chest a little. His mouth quirked a sad smile as he rubbed at his bearded cheek a little.
"Been a rough few years, Friday."
"Ain't that the understatement of year," she chirped in agreement.
It helped. But the gravity of what he was about to do settled in again quickly. "Is Tony in the lab?"
"The boss is in," Friday said hesitantly. "Not in a good way though."
Steve took a deep breath, "I know. That's why I'm here."
"I'm glad to hear it." And Friday really did sound it. "I'll make sure you're not interrupted."
At her words the door slid open to an unnervingly quiet lab. There was no blasting noise of rock music or sound of machinery being put through its paces.
Steve braced himself and stepped in, hearing the door close behind him with a mechanical click of the lock moving into place.
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