Blurred by darkness, smoke and distance, the gaping mouth of the valley was a towering glowing haze, colossal and terrifying in its sheer size. Even as Steve watched, colours started to solidify, amber, crimson and glittering spiralling patches of gold splashing across his vision as the fire raged toward them.
Denying the reality of his disbelief, his complete and utter unpreparedness for such a sight, Steve shook himself from his shocked stupor.
They had to move. Now.
He ducked to crawl back inside their previously cosy tent, which suddenly felt ten times smaller, the air seeming stale and sweltering hot as it dragged at his throat. Steve was plagued by strange dread, his fear trying to convince his mind that the fire, unseen, unheard, was just outside, set to consume them at any second.
It was Tony's completely normal presence that calmed Steve's racing mind. Tony hadn't stirred, hadn't even moved from where he'd curled into Steve's vacated spot a few minutes earlier, his fingers fisting the empty area in unconscious protest.
"Tony. Tony, wake up. We've got to move." Steve prompted, voice intense and focused, adding a gentle shake for urgency.
To his credit, Tony's eyes opened almost immediately, wide and alert, which for someone who usually met Steve with hooded sleepy eyes until at least noon and/or four cups of coffee, was actually a little unsettling.
"Trouble?" Tony asked, and Steve mind snapped back to the situation at hand with a startling jar.
"Wildfire- we need to leave." Steve replied, knowing Tony was likely expecting something more super-villainous than Mother Nature.
"Fire. Okay. Shit. Right- If we call for an evac, how much time?" Tony asked, sitting up and scrabbling out of the tangled mess of sheets wound around his legs.
"None. Clothes and shoes- we've got to move, now." Steve replied, pulling the first shirt he laid hands on from their bag and tossed it to his naked lover, following it with a pair of jeans, before dragging his own shirt over his head.
Tony reached for his trainers, grabbing Steve's at the same time, dumping them between them as he pulled the left on, tying the laces securely.
Crawling back out the small opening, the first thing Steve noticed was that the smell of smoke now permeated the area. It wasn't subtle anymore, it was thick and cloying and damn near visible, wisps starting to form in the air around them.
Tony climbed to his feet beside him, already turning to take in the approaching wall of flame.
And 'wall' was the most apt description Steve could think of. In just the few minutes he'd been in the tent, the fire had crept closer with alarming speed. Steve could make out individual plumes of flame that danced with their neighbours.
"How fast is it moving- how far has it travelled?" Tony asked,
Steve tried pinpointed the exact spot he'd been staring at earlier, but the smoke and the fire were too obscuring. "Can't tell- but it's moving fast, very fast"
Shielding his eyes with his hand, Tony tried looking beyond the fire, to see how far back its path still blazed, asking "Do you think we can make it through?"
Steve considered, "Not in the car- we might burst through with enough speed, but the road is pretty narrow, and if we lose it in the smoke, or it's blocked..."
"Boom"
"Yeah- I'm not willing to risk it on foot either." What Steve didn't say was that if he had been alone, he might have attempted to go through the fire on foot, trusting his enhanced speed, agility and healing factor.
But he wasn't alone.
"We head further up the valley then, outrun it until it burns itself out, or we find a way out." Tony reasoned, his eyes tracking the progress of the fire, assessing, theorising, calculating, before continuing, "We'll have to go on foot- there's no way we'll get the SUV through that undergrowth"
"The far canyon wall has been climbed before. It's not exactly beginner, but we can make it up that if we have to," Steve replied.
"Let's go", was all Tony said, obviously not dwelling on the fact that less than ten minutes ago he'd been peacefully asleep, and was now running for what very well might be his life.
Steve headed off at a steady jog, following the line of the river as it wound out of sight of their camp, Tony falling into step beside him.
Steve set the pace, a steady loping stride, faster than a jog, but not yet an outright run. Beside him, slightly to the left and half a pace behind, Tony matched him step for step.
It would probably have made more sense for Tony to set the pace, his maximum speed being the lower of the two, yet Steve knew that, if allowed, Tony would push himself far beyond what he could endure, trying to allow for Steve's greater ability.
The river was a steadily meandering path, a glistening guiding beacon that snaked off into the dark. The soft trickle of water as it swept by was a welcome distraction from the growing cacophony of snaps and hissing pops from behind them.
The fire was gaining. Steve hadn't chanced more than a fleeting glance over his shoulder, but the quiet of the night was slowly fading beneath the dull roar of the approaching flames, and he could feel warmth starting to prickle at the back of his neck.
Darting around a rock that lay half submerged at the rivers edged, Steve breathed a warning to his partner, "Watch your step".
He felt more than saw Tony nod, also altering his path slightly to avoid the rock.
They'd been silent for the past few minutes, about 15 since they'd left the camp, each seemingly lost in their own panicked thoughts and getting into the steady repetition of the movement.
Stressed, agitated and scared, Tony of course, took his mind off their current situation by running his mouth.
"Camping, he said. Peaceful and relaxing, he said."
Glancing across, and seeing no actual anger or blame, Steve replied, "Roasting marshmallows on an open fire, he said"
Tony snorted, stumbling half a step as they rounded a bend, "Open fire! Yeah, okay. Shall we strip off and dance around it too?"
"Not a view I'd be opposed to seeing. Like, at all." Steve shot back, glad for the wicked grin he caught from the corner of his eye, and he wondered slightly at the state of their lives, if bantering back and forth was the norm when running for your life from a raging inferno.
"And people think I have a mouth on me", Tony threw back, inclining his head to slip beneath the overhanging branch that Steve had just ducked beneath.
"You do often have a mouth on you. It's not my fault that it's usually mine." Steve grinned back, feeling the adrenaline thrumming through his veins.
Tony actually stilled for half an instant, Steve's continued movement prodding him back into action as he replied, "Usually?! What do you mean usually! Yours is the only – oh, except that one time with Clint"
Steve finished with him, "-that one time with Clint. Yeah. Exactly, although the less said about that the better, I think."
"Agreed" And it truly was agreed. Definitely not the timing for that kind of Story. Actually, Steve was pretty sure that no timing was right for that particular story.
Thinking about Clint though, Steve asked, "Do you think Clint and the others have caught this yet?"
Tony seemed to brighten slightly as he answered, hope catching on his voice, "JARVIS was monitoring the area, so I'd imagine they are already on their way here."
"Do you think we'll be able to intercept them?" Steve asked, his own hope rising.
"Maybe. It's pretty dark, and smoky, and neither of us have our Comm devices, so no tracking, but if anyone's going to be able to spot us, it's Clint with his creepy bird ey-"
Steve wasn't sure if the wind suddenly changed direction, but whatever the case, thick cloying white/grey smoke suddenly engulfed them, cutting visibility completely.
Steve stopped on a dime, an arm flinging out to catch Tony as he overshot lover's unexpected halt.
Tony curled in against his side, and wrapped an arm about his waist, even Steve turned sharply, trying to keep his bearings in the sudden onslaught of smoke.
Tony tried to waft the air between them, but it made little difference, and Steve felt viciously nauseous as he breathed in and the acrid thick smoke coating his mouth and throat. Beneath his arm, he could feel only just feel Tony's chest inflate, his partner obviously trying his best to breath shallowly.
"Shit! Shit, fuck. I can't see a fucking thing. Can you see anything?" he heard Tony ask from just below his left ear.
"Very little. Blurry outlines at best. Stay close- I don't want to lose you in this."
"'We need to- keep m-moving. Stay low-"
Tony choked on the third word, and spoke around rasping hacking coughs as he breathed in a lungful of the smoke.
"Tony- Is-" Steve tried, but Tony cut him off, already tugging him into movement again.
"Keep go- Keep going!" Tony gasped out and Steve felt his heart stutter as he heard the rattle of Tony's lungs around the last word. He'd grown up with asthma, he knew the pain, the fear, the danger..
"Tony!- You need to-"
Steve once again found himself cut off as Tony replied, "No- noth- thing you can do. Just ke- keep going!"
And Steve realised that Tony was telling the truth. There was nothing he could do, except get them out of this smoke as fast as possible, and so he led the way. Following the bend of the river, peals of thick smoke curling away from them as they cut their path through.
They stopped for a mouthful of water, using the moment to try to catch their breaths. Both knew the break was for Tony, who'd been stumbling along, half blind in the smoke for the past ten minutes, his breathing a raw rasp at Steve side. Both knew, and for once, Tony didn't fight him on the coddling, knowing that he'd be more of a liability if he didn't take a break.
Neither one had turned to look at the fire, but Steve could feel the skin on the back of his arms reddening from the heat, and knew that they were almost out of time. The pops and crackles of burning, breaking twigs had long since been drowned out by the constant roar of all consuming flames, only the loud gunfire like cracks and occasion thuds spoke of larger branches and entire trees giving way under the onslaught.
The fire had gained, eating up the ground behind them faster than Steve had thought possible, but he was pretty sure they were going to make it. The canyon wall was only another half mile or so.
They'd make it.
"Come on, we're almost there." He said, pulling Tony back to his feet, and the two of them set off again at a slightly increased pace.
They had to make it.
Something close behind him cracked, and a dull thud caught Steve's attention. Something wasn't quite right about the sound, something niggled at his brain. It had come from too close behind him.
Steve stopped, swivelling back to look over his shoulder, just catching Tony pulling himself back to his feet, brushing leaf matter from the palms of his hands.
Immediately he pressed closer, hands moving to settle on Tony's shoulders as his eyes trailed over his lover's body, as he asked urgently, "Tony? Are you oka-"
"It's nothing. Keep going. Steve- we ha- have to keep going!" Tony reminded him when he desperately wanted to stop, to check, to know.
But the fire was right behind them, and Steve knew, if he looked, that his entire field of vision would be flame. Tony and flame.
He kept moving.
It only took him 34 seconds to realise that Tony was limping, badly, and cradling an already swelling wrist against his chest. It only took him 34 seconds because Tony didn't say anything, didn't slow, didn't stop pushing himself like Steve wouldn't have believed possible for any other man. But then, this was Tony Stark.
Steve didn't ask, and Tony didn't say anything. Steve just looped Tony's arm over his shoulder, wrapped his own around Tony's waist, and propelled them toward the canyon wall that was looming up before them.
They made it.
Only Steve knew they were never going to be able to climb it. Tony might have managed with just the leg injury, but he'd definitely need both hands. Steve could, in theory, carry/drag them both up. But not in time.
The canyon wall was already almost unbearably hot beneath his hand, and the fire was so close he could feel his hair stating to melt, hear it sizzle, and smell the noxious burning smell.
They were too late.
And he was kind of waiting for a quip from Tony, his beautiful, 'Laugh in the face of danger' Tony, about owning a really awesome suit of armour that would be really nifty right about now.
But Tony, when he turned within Steve's supporting embrace, and looked him square in the eye, simply said, "You need to go"
Steve just stared at him for a moment, thoughts running through his head, trying and failing to compute the fact that Tony actually thought that Steve was going to leave him.
Was ever going to leave him.
Steve continued staring for an instant longer, and then simply scooped Tony up, one arm beneath his knees, the other at his back, cradling his injured lover against his chest as he waded into the large pool of water nestled against the canyon wall.
Tony went rigid in his grasp, and then his breath left him in an exaggerated huff and his voice was furious when he spoke, "Put me down. Put me down and Climb the fucking wall, Roger's! You need to go! Now!"
Steve didn't still his advance into the water, small waves rippling at his knees as he hoisted Tony higher, settling the wildcat that had seemingly replaced his lover more firmly into his grasp.
His voice, when he spoke, was matter-of-fact; sure and no-nonsense, "Would you leave me? Is there anything I could say that would convince you to leave me here to burn to death? And if you say yes, then you Tony Stark, are a god-damn liar."
Tony stilled. Closed his eyes. Breathed. Then giving one last futile shove to Steve's immoveable chest, he slumped into his hold, asking "Fine. You're the man with a plan. So what's the plan?"
Steve looked to where the water was darkest, coldest, deepest, answering quietly, gently, "We're going to use the water, submerge ourselves."
Steve could tell that Tony knew he wasn't talking about a few seconds, but he didn't say anything.
He still hadn't said anything two minutes later, not when the water had crept up over Tony's legs, waist, and chest, to just below his chin. He hadn't said anything when they'd waded in past Steve's walking depth, and wading had become swimming.
He hadn't said anything, he'd simply wrapped his arms more firmly around Steve's shoulders and allowed himself to straighten, helping as best he could with his attempt at kicking to keep them afloat, Steve still doing most of the work.
Steve really needed him to say something.
"Do you know what they call this place?" The captain asked quietly, running a hand through Tony's hair, trickling water over skin that was already warm to the touch, wishing for just a bit more light so he could make out the depths of Tony's brown eyes.
He didn't get any words, but did receive a "hmmm?", and he'd take whatever he was offered.
"Lover's Sanctuary" he answered dryly, and was rewarded with a smile and a weak laugh.
"How apt" Tony replied drolly, and Steve could hear the fear, could feel the fear, and wondered how Tony could stand this- the water and the memories and the terror.
And then light, golden and warm splashed across Tony's face, kindling a thousand hues and tones in damp chestnut hair, sending shadows and lines into oblivion, and for an instant, he was the most wondrous sight Steve had ever seen, and he knew if they got out of this, he'd never, ever see anything quite so vividly again.
And nothing so much so as the complete and utter trust reflected back at him from unblinking brown eyes.
Steve leaned in and captured Tony's lips with his own, wondering how their gentle passion could out burn even a wild blaze. He whispered "Breathe" against Tony's lips, and then, one long breath later, he stopped swimming, and they sank, fast, beneath the water.
Steve deflated his lungs and they sunk like a rock. They went down, down further than Steve had really anticipated, but that was okay, because deeper was better. The deeper they were the less heat would reach them.
Steve felt his ears 'pop' as the pressure changed, and the relatively murky lightness of the surface water gave way to deep inky darkness of the depths. And finally they settled, Steve automatically folding into a cross-legged position as they reached the bottom.
Yet he noticed none of this, his entire focus on the man curled against his chest. Tony appeared calm. Relaxed, or as relaxed as one might be under these circumstances. His eyes were closed and he was still, peaceful, but for the hands Steve could feel clenching and unclenching in the back of his t-shit.
The water around them heated slowly, but not unpleasantly so, the increase in temperature little more than that of a luke-warm bath. Comforting even, until Steve glanced up, and realised he was looking at flames licking against the surface above them.
The vision, equal parts enthralling and terrifying, kept Steve's attention until he became aware of Tony fidgeting against him, slowly morphing into a squirming writhe.
Steve bent, chasing Tony's lips in the dark, and ignoring his attempt to pull back, Steve forced him to accept a mouthful of air. The memory of other breaths of life pressed between desperate lips suddenly blindsided Steve, and he gentled the flow of air into a kiss, trying to draw away from the memory of Tony's recent drowning, for himself, as much as Tony.
Seconds passed in an eternity, Tony's head pressed against Steve's chest, and after several seconds of steady tapping against his chest, Steve realised that Tony was using his heartbeat to keep calm. His own hand left Tony's hip, coming up to settle over Tony's where it rested against his chest, and his fingers joined the gentle tapping motion, connecting them.
Time slowed, stopped, and instant and so much longer, jus the two of them existing in a quiet muffles world of softly glowing haze.
The relative clam couldn't last though, and Tony started to struggle. Steve knew it wasn't something he could sooth, or calm; this was pure raw human need driving Tony to struggle for air, struggle to live, and Tony Stark was exactly the type to struggle to survive when most others would have just given up and died.
Steve was as gentle as he could be, as he moved from comforting to restraining, but he knew that if Tony got away from him, the superheated air above would shred his already compromised lungs and he'd burn from the inside out.
Steve had often, and with true concern, worried that Tony would burn himself out one day, but not this day.
Tony may have been smaller than Steve, and lacking the enhancements of the serum, not to mention injured, but he was also a hell of a scrapper, and half of Steve's mind was consumed with keeping Tony from hurting himself, and the other half from hurting Tony himself.
With Tony's writhing form pinned to his chest with one arm, and the other coming up to clamp over his lovers mouth and nose to stop him breathing water, Steve had Tony trapped, but by no means restrained.
At first, it was simply Tony instinctively pushing against him, squirming, still aware enough to know that this was Steve holding him down, to know the reason, but to be unable to help himself.
Knowledge slowly gave way to desperation though, and desperation to terror, as the flashback swept Tony away from reality, and into the darkness and fear of the past.
Tony bucked against him, fighting for real, hands and feet flying, knees and elbows finding tender skin. And then a fist connected with the side of Steve's head.
Steve would later admit to seeing stars, as it was, he was glad that there had been water cushioning the blow, and glad for the fact that Tony seemed to come back to his senses for a moment. Curling into Steve, with his face buried against Steve's shoulder, Tony's entire frame quaking with need, but his fingers were light and graceful as they traced over where they'd just graced pain.
And then, as his already compromised lungs revolted violently against the lack of oxygen, and his body weakened, Tony slowly regressed to tremors and convulsions.
Steve didn't think anything could be worse that the way Tony twitched and spasmed fitfully in his hold.
And then Tony stopped moving completely.
Steve stared at surface, trying to judge the muted blue of the sky above, but with Tony's complete and utter unresponsiveness in his arms he decided he simply couldn't wait any longer.
When he broke the surface, Steve only waited the bare minimum one breath, and upon deeming the air breathable, if unpleasantly warm air, he dragged Tony out of water.
Tony was a limp pale mess, still and sodden.
And he wasn't breathing.