like he＊s about to tear in two from the sheer pressure inside of him, the grief and the guilt and the regret.

※This wasn＊t your fault,§ Natasha says.

Tony walks away.

※Hello."

A quiet voice makes Steve look up. He＊s sitting on the bare floorboards in an empty room in the apartment building, back against the wall. He＊s been here for hours, alone with his thoughts and listening to the sounds of voices and movement in the room below. Outside the light is slowly fading into a beautiful violet sunset, and everything is quiet and still.

It＊s the young Steve that＊s there in the doorway, fingers curled around the frame and temple resting on the wood. His eyes are wide, looking at Steve with open curiosity. God, he＊s so damn small, it＊s hard to believe that he was once that tiny. God, if the others could only see him, they＊d have an absolute field day.

※Hey,§ he replies softly, and is relieved to note that his voice sounds back to normal again. He＊s calmed down significantly since his minor breakdown, and seems to have passed from borderline hysterical to quietly epting of his situation. He＊s not dead, and so he will make it home. No other options.

The young Steve in the doorway shoves his hands in the pockets of his shorts, kicks his toe against the doorframe. ※They call me Steve Junior,§ he says, chin held up high. ※SJ.§

Steve smiles weakly at that. ※I guess it would get confusing if we just called everyone Steve.§

SJ nods and edges into the room a step. Steve recognises the small, gradual approach, remembers how he used to do the same when unsure as to whether he was wee. ※We all get new names eventually,§ he explains, sounding eager to share. ※Like nicknames. There＊s me, and there＊s Shield and Brooklyn who found you,§ he counts off on his fingers. ※Then you met Violet and Trip downstairs. Oh, and Stephanie just gets called Stephanie because she＊s the only girl around here, and Seven. He looks exactly the same as you but has got shorter hair. He＊s actually Steve Rogers Earth Seven One Eight but it＊s kinda long to say.§

※Have I got a nickname yet?§ Steve asks, and SJ shakes his head before padding closer, slowly crouching down and sitting on the floor next to Steve. He crosses his legs and props his elbows on them, elbows and knees startlingly sharp points. His eyes are bright and blue, full of energy and questions.

※Shield says you＊re not dead,§ he says, and Steve connects the name to the Steve in the navy uniform who had found him earlier. ※He says you＊re warm.§

Steve responds by holding his hand up and out. SJ instantly reaches out too, pressing his palm against Steve＊s. The touch is cool but he＊s honestly more aware of the way his hand-spanpletely dwarfs SJ＊s. Without thinking, he gently folds his fingers around SJ＊s hand, covering it with his own.

※Wow,§ SJ says, breathing out a huff of a laugh, grin wide and bright. ※You＊re warm. Really warm.§

Steve＊s mouth flickers in a weak smile. ※Tony always says he＊s going to rent me out as a space heater.§

SJ frowns. ※Seven says Tony thinks he＊s funnier than he is,§ he says, and Steve laughs shortly. His current feelings towards Tony are a tangled mess, buzzing unhappily in the back of his skull. He thinks he could easily be so furiously angry at him, but at the same time he＊s worried how Tony will cope with the guilt he will undoubtedly feel at his actions, worried about what he＊ll do without Steve there to work things out with. And god, he misses him; if he lets himself think about not seeing Tony again he＊s pretty sure he＊ll lose the plotpletely. The others too of course, but he and Tony have still got so much unfinished business between then, especially after what happened out there today.

※I see that Tony being a pain is consistent across the multiverse,§ he opts for saying, stretching out his fingers again. SJ doesn＊t move his hand away, he just splays his fingers out against Steve＊s, looking at their hands contemplatively before pushing his fingers into the gaps between Steve＊s.

※I don＊t know Tony,§ he says. ※Only what the others have said about him. I know Bucky though.§

The ache in Steve＊s chest turns piercing and longing for a long moment. ※Yeah?§ he asks quietly.

SJ grins again and squeezes Steve＊s fingers. ※Bucky＊s swell,§ he says. ※The best. Did you know him?§

Steve can＊t help but smile back. It＊s easy to think about Bucky in a way, the grief, love and remnants of guilt simple and uplicated to understand. ※Yeah. Yeah, I did.§

Still grinning, SJ reaches up with his free hand and grabs Steve＊s fingers with both hands, holding onto his thumb with one and his middle finger with the other. ※I＊m glad you knew him too,§ he says earnestly, and then turns his head to the side and coughs, hunching in on himself and rocking forwards.

※Hey, hey,§ Steve says, concerned as the coughing intensifies. He reaches out with his free hand and smooths his palm down SJ＊s back, his heart breaking a little as he feels how hard SJ is gripping onto his fingers.

※Thanks,§ SJ gasps, his coughing subsiding a little.

※Don＊t die again,§ a voice says from the doorway, and Steve looks up to see Navy-Steve walking towards them, a tired smile on his face. Steve＊s oddly relieved to see it; he was staring to get worried about how serious all of his other selves seem, and it＊s making him feel oddly guilty.

※You＊re causing quite a stir,§ he says to Steve. ※Word has got out that you＊re not dead. People are pretty interested in how you managed it.§

Glancing away from SJ for a moment, Steve frowns. ※I don＊t know how I managed it,§ he says. ※I＊m not even certain this is all real.§

Something horridly close to pity flickers across Navy-Steve＊s 每 Shield, Steve mentally corrects himself, they call him Shield 每 face before vanishing. He shrugs, looking down at SJ who has stopped coughing and is now gulping in rattling breaths, uneven but clear.

※Okay?§ Shield asks, holding out a hand.

SJ looks unsure, mouth twisting up. He looks from Steve to Shield, uncertainty turning a little guilty. ※He＊s warm,§ he mumbles, and Shield instantly lowers his hand, a crooked smile hitching the corner of his mouth.

※Now you＊ve done it,§ he says to Steve, but he doesn＊t really seem to mind. ※Kid won＊t leave you alone, now.§

SJ grins up at Shield. ※You＊re just jealous you＊re not warm,§ he says.

※Hell yes I＊m jealous,§ Shield says easily, and then he does smile, open and relaxed. ※You know who＊s going to be more jealous?§

SJ＊s brow furrows for a moment and then his expression lights up. ※Ice! Is Ice here?§ he twists around and turns to Steve, eyes huge and excited. ※He died crashing a plane in the arctic,§ he explains. ※He＊s so cold he＊s blue.§

Steve takes a moment to process, ignoring the roiling of his stomach. ※Right. Ice,§ he says. ※Shoulda guessed.§

e on,§ SJ says and scrambles to his feet, reaching for Steve＊s hand and pulling at him in an indication to get up. e meet him.§

※There＊s more than just Ice turned up,§ Shield warns, arms folded across his chest. He＊s very still, Steve notices. It sometimes takes him effort to reign in all the motions and movements which give away his feelings, but this Steve seems to have all his tells firmly under control. Steve wonders if he＊s learned how to do it over years of practice, or if he＊s just different and has always been that bit more controlled.

SJ is still futilely pulling at Steve＊s hand, and Steve doesn＊t know whether to laugh or cry at the way the kid is most determinedly not giving up even though he hasn＊t a hope in hell of actually moving Steve. He capitulates and clambers to his feet, and SJ takes hold of his fingers again, holding them tightly between both of his own hands.

Shield turns towards the door and Steve follows, oddly grateful for the feel of SJ＊s small hands in his. For a bizarre fleeting moment he wonders what it would be like to have a son holding onto his hand like this, but he＊s still hyper aware of how this is a version of himself that seems to have taken to him so much. The awareness marks SJ out as an equal of sorts, despite his young age and heart-breaking naivety.

※Brace yourself,§ Shield calls back over his shoulder as they head for the stairs. ※You＊re about toe face to face with a whole room full of ways you could have died.§

Steve shuts his eyes for a long moment, breathes out through his nose and hopes that if he makes it out of this mess and back home, it＊s not going to be too late for him to learn to not to be quite so blunt with people in traumatic situations.

※Well, we just don＊t know.§

※What do you mean you don＊t know?§

Clint＊s voice is loud and demanding and Tony is so ridiculously grateful that he＊s there. Not that he＊s ever going to say that out loud, mind.

The doctor just sends Clint a patient, sympathetic look and Tony see＊s Clint＊s fingers twitch. ※We don＊t know,§ he repeats calmly. ※We＊ve never treated anyway with a physiology like his - he＊s one of a kind.§

Too right he is, Tony thinks, and feels his throat tighten. Damn it. After his spectacular fit of temper in the cafeteria yesterday, he＊s woken up today back in ready-to-burst-into-tears mode. Calculating that there＊s a seventy percent chance he will is the only reason he＊s allowing Clint to do the yelling. Well, that and the fact Coulson had specifically and explicitly said ＆no shouting at the doctors,＊ and Tony doesn＊t want to be shot.

※So he＊s not going to wake up?§ Clint asks, voice rough like Tony＊s inside＊s feel.

The doctor looks from him to Tony and back again. ※We don＊t know,§ he says gently. ※His injury should have killed him. No normal person could survive that. Scans show he＊s still healing internally.§

※So he could wake up,§ Tony says suddenly, the words bursting free without conscious decision.

※Yes,§ the doctor says. ※But he also might not.§

※Stop being so vague,§ Tony snaps. ※I＊m not an idiot. Hell, not even Barton is going to be scared away by you using words longer than two syllables.§

The doctor breathes out, looking from one to the

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