Author's Note: First fic in "Avengers" fandom. Spoilers through "Civil War" and "Fallen Son" (it is no insult to say a dead man is dead). Thanks ever-so-much to CrimsonQuills, who dragged me into this fandom kicking and screaming at the top of my lungs.

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The one thing that Steve never understood - not really - was that words can't fix everything. Oh, he'd seen his fair share of carnage and inhumanity over the years, but he'd never lost his belief that humanity could reason its way out of a paper bag and come out with a conscience. It was part of what had made the Registration mess so painful. One thing out of many.

Words have their uses, certainly. Some of the best moments in Tony's life have been moments where words were bestowed like the most prized of gems: "I forgive you." "I believe you." "I trust you." "I love you."

Unlike Steve, Tony understands that words cannot heal every wound, cannot undo every injustice. There are cultures in the world which have no words for "thank you," and there is a reason for that. To give thanks is to absolve a debt, and sometimes the debt is too large for so casual an erasure. To put it simply, sometimes words are not enough.

This is why he still struggles, no matter how far into the pit of questionable allegiance and action he falls, unable to stop moving even as a quicksand of his own making pulls him deeper. For he is already beyond redemption, even if the others do not realize it - can't realize it - yet. But as long as he still breathes, a period guaranteed by Extremis to be exponentially greater than he deserves, he will attempt to pay his debts.

It is a foolish goal. It is all he has left.

The world may forgive, in time, but he owes Steve that much.

Finis