Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

※Iron man, I need you here, now.§

Steve knows how strained his voice sounds, but seeing as he＊s in the middle of single-handedly taking on what looks like an entire battalion of city-destroying robots, he thinks he can be let off. He turns unsteadily on his heel, ducking his head and shoulders behind his shield just in time; there＊s the metallic thunk of bullets hitting its surface, and Steve waits only for a break of a second before pulling his arm back and flinging it in the direction the bullets came from.

A series of loud crunches tell him that the shield found its mark, and he vaults over the crumpled remains of a car to snatch it back out of mid-air. He allows the momentum to carry him around, spinning around and hurling the shield again. Five robots down and he already knows that it＊s not going to be enough.

※Iron Man, where the hell are you?§ he pants, grabbing the straps of the shield in both hands and shoving it star first into the chest-like part of the next robot before it can shoot at him. It topples backwards and Steve stoops down to wind his hand and wrist through some of its wires, roughly yanking them out and killing the robot＊s power.

※Yeah, be there in a moment,§ Tony replies, sounding distracted. Steve can hear the whine and blast of repulsors over thems and resists the urge to swear. Tony is the only one who can hope of getting to him; Thor and Hulk are busy on the other side of the bridge with the tanks and Natasha and Clint are busy killing their way through the building that seems to be the source of the electronic invasion, searching for whoever or whatever is inmand.

※Iron man-§

※Five minutes, Cap,§ Tony assures him. ※I＊ll just-§

Steve doesn＊t hear the rest of the sentence; a flare of heat and a whipcrack of sound, and a white-hot laser catches the top of his shoulder, close to his neck. It sears through the suit and he feels his skin burn. Staggering back a step, he raises the shield and flings himself to the floor, rolling behind the car he＊d vaulted over earlier.

※I need you five minutes ago!§ Steve yells, raising an arm instinctively to cover his face as a laser hits the pavement a metre away, shattering the asphalt and sending dirt and rocks showering over him. Fuck, his only saving grace is the fact the damn things take so long to recharge. If they could fire as quickly as he can throw his shield, he＊d be dead by now. He coughs, shaking dust and dirt out of his eyes. ※Tony, I＊m 每 I＊m in trouble here.§

※Okay,§ Tony replies instantly. ※Cap, I＊ming.§

Steve＊s not sure if he believes him, despite how quick the answer was. Panting and trying his best to ignore the pain in his shoulder, he springs from behind the car and smashes a robot with the edge of his shield. He takes out two, then three, and then something hard and hot hits him in the small of his back. He grunts in pain and wheels around, just in time to take a vicious uppercut to the jaw from an armoured fist.

※Cap? Cap, hold on, I＊m on the way,§ Tony is saying, and he sounds urgent in a way Steve has never heard before. Great, he thinks as he spits out a mouthful of blood and scrambles to his feet. Now Tony gives a shit about listening to me in battle.

His attacker is the biggest bot he＊s seen yet; easily seven feet tall and bulky in a way the others aren＊t. Steve has a moment in which to feel thankful that it has neither gun nor laser, but then his shield is ripped unceremoniously from his hands and tossed away, and the thought is gone.

He dodges a punch that could have shattered his sternum, deflects another with his forearm. The robot advances, pressing him backwards against the ruined car. He punches it as hard as he can and the metal buckles, sparks flying from the wiring near the dent. He goes to hit it again, but his wrist is grabbed and forced aside, and then metal fingers grab him by the throat, tightening slowly. He chokes, trying to breathe in, but the fingers get tighter and tighter, and why the damn thing is trying to throttle him when it could easily break his neck he doesn＊t know.

With his free hand, Steve grasps the robot＊s right arm and twists it violently backwards. There＊s a metallic screech and sparks fly from the centre console, and Steve grits his teeth and pulls harder, the metal buckling between his fingers. If he can just push it back far enough, then-

The robot＊s left hand lets go of his throat so suddenly it leaves him reeling dizzily, gasping for oxygen. Heart pounding in his ears, he raises his free hand to grab for the wires he can see snaking out of the column that serves as a spine, knowing that if he pulls enough free then he＊ll be able to take it out. He reaches up, towards the wires.

The robot＊s left hand shoots forwards and he instinctively tenses, but to his surprise the hand goes past him. It＊s so quick he doesn＊t even have time to process what＊s happening. His fingers brush against the wires. The robot tears a twisted piece of metal free from the crushed wreckage of the car, pulls its arm back, and shoves it straight into the side of Steve＊s chest.

Steve stops breathing.

He stares at the robot with wide eyes as then chokes as he feels the twisted lance push further into him, another few inches stabbing straight under his armpit and through his ribcage.

It hurts. Oh god, the pain is like fire, agony twisting through every fibre of his being. Behind him, he hears someone scream, and he tastes blood in the back of his throat. He tries to breathe again but all he can do is cough, wet and thick.

With an inhuman noise of rage and despair, he surges forwards and rips the bundle of wires out of the robot＊s case. Sparks fly, circuits flicker and expire and the robot slumps backwards with a fading, electronic whine. It hits the floor with metallic clang, still spitting sparks and jerking spasmodically. Steve stares at it, and then lifts his hand and drops the wires that are clutched in his fist. Everything around him sounds strange; distorted and echoing like he＊s underwater.

Steve stumbles back half a step, knees not feeling altogether steady. A voice in his ear is screaming at him, but he doesn＊t know what they＊re saying. He swallows, tries to reach for the spike of metal and pull it out from under his arm. His fingers limply brush the end of the bar and he drops to his knees on the broken concrete. Reaches out with a hand to prop himself up on his fist, leaning forwards. He can＊t move his other arm, though he＊s trying.

He needs to get up.

The voice is still screaming, but it sounds different, further away than the screaming in his ear but getting closer all the while. He stares down at the concrete in front of him. Notices how red his glove is. Notices the blood that＊s spattered in front of him, staining the ground a deep, rich scarlet. Realises it＊sing from him.

※Shit,§ he manages to say, and then his arms give out. He coughs, tries to breathe in and chokes. Everything hurts. He can taste blood and brick dust and everything is moving further and further away. He rests his cheek on the rough concrete, blinking slowly.

There＊s a dull clunk nearby. Golden boots appear in front of him, and then shining red knees as someone drops down next to him. A metal hand on his shoulder, and is that the robote to finish him off?

※Gotta get up,§ he murmurs, and he＊s exhausted.

※No, no, no, don＊t you dare, shit, medics are on the way, don＊t you even dare try and move, just lie there and breathe, you fucker. God - Cap, Cap, Steve - stay with me buddy,e on, look at me.§

A metal palm on his cheek, and with the little strength he has left he lifts his eyes. A panicked face. Wide brown eyes, looking terrified. He knows that face.

※Always gotta get up,§ he says, and then his eyelids close and there is nothing else.

Leaning back against the wall of the quiet hospital room, Tony stares at Steve＊s pale face, unblinking. He can＊t look away. He doesn＊t dare move, because if he moves he＊ll start thinking, and he can＊t.

The monitors beep softly, the ventilator hisses quietly as it moves up and down, forcing breath in and out of Steve＊s ruined lungs.

Tony should have gotten there quicker.

He forces the thought from his mind, knowing it＊s enough to break him. He breathes in and out through his mouth and edges forwards, pulling out the chair that＊s next to Steve＊s bed and sinking down into it. He rests an elbow on the edge of the bed and presses his palm hard to his mouth for a long moment, trying to keep everything inside.

He jerks his hand away, shaking his head. ※You＊re only doing this to annoy me, I know you,§ he says, and hates how unsteady his voice is. ※You＊re making a point about me following orders, you might have Clint fooled but I know better. One measly near death experience isn＊t going to do squat, Captain.§

The machines beep. The ventilator hisses. Steve doesn＊t move.

Tony puts his head in his hands and cries, shoulders shaking with grief.

The first breath Steve takes is a choked gasp, filling his lungs with cold, sharp air. He feels his body jerk with the force of it, and his eyes fly open, his chest burning as he gulps in air. His return to the land of the living is fast and rough, no gradual ease back into consciousness, no slow warm slide of realisation.

Eyes watering, he struggles to sit up. The ground is hard beneath his back, sharp stones digging into his shoulder blades. All he can hear is his ragged breathing, the scrape of his boots on the concrete as he sits up unsteadily, listing slightly to the side. He aches all over, and his chest is throbbing like it did the time Thor identally clipped him with Mjolnir whilst gesturing too enthusiastically.

His hand reaches automatically for his shield but he quickly realises that it isn＊t there. Alarm rises in his stomach, and he feels horribly vulnerable without the familiar weight in his hand. He twists around, eyes scanning the nearby ground for a familiar flash of red, whi

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