e twenty-first century seem to find necessary. Only his heart that still beats away in his chest, the fluttering of his pulse, the warmth in his skin.

※So. How＊re you doing?,§ Seven asks, shifting to getfortable on the grass. ※I assume not all that great considering the escaping act.§

Steve hums nomittally, eyes on the not-quite right arrangement of buildings that make up what should be Wall Street. ※Well, I＊ve been asking around, and I＊ve found three Steves that married Peggy Carter, ten that married or were involved with someone called Sharon, twelve that were invested in relationships with other women, five who admitted to sleeping with Bucky and thirty-one who have somehow be involved with Tony Stark, including two who married him. And that＊s not counting the ones who admitted kissing or sleeping with Tony whilst involved with someone else.§ He shrugs, fingers pulling at the grass by his hip. ※Seems I am an awful cad throughout the multiverse.§

※No, it seems you have a thing for Tony Stark across the multiverse,§ Seven says, unapologetically, turning his face up towards the sun and shutting his eyes. ※It＊s not a big deal.§

※For you, maybe,§ Steve sighs.

※Thought about it?§ Seven asks suddenly.

※No,§ Steve says abruptly, but he＊s not quite sure that＊s the truth anymore. His mind keeps drifting towards what if more times than he＊sfortable with. He keeps rethinking over everything that＊s ever happened between him and Tony with this new context in mind, and he＊s alarmed to find how easily it could fit together. He knows it＊s different to how things are with Bruce or Clint or any of the others, and he hates that he now recognises it.

※Have you really never thought about it?§ Seven asks, sounding curious and not altogether convinced.

※No,§ Steve groans, flopping down onto his back so all he can see above him is clear blue sky. ※Not until now, anyway,§ he continues, raising a hand to shield his eyes from the brightness of the sun. ※And it＊s stupid. If I start thinking about it＃§ he trails off. ※When I get home, I＊m going to be seeing everything differently, even if T- even if everyone else isn＊t. It＊s going to be awkward enough as it is. What do I say? ＆Hey, Tony, remember the time you got me almost killed? Well it＊s okay because there＊s a whole goddamn gang of Steve Rogers＊ out there across the multiverse that are actually swooning over you.＊§

Seven laughs at that, shaking his head. ※I don＊t think swooning is the right word,§ he remarks.

Steve pauses, squints over at Seven who is idly twisting blades of grass between dexterous fingers. He feels the question on the tip of his tongue, wants to force it back down. He doesn＊t quite manage it.

※What is the right word then?§

Seven breathes out, and it＊s clear he knows exactly what Steve is asking. ※It wasn＊t some instant falling in love thing,§ he says, beginning the explanation that Steve still isnt sure he wants. ※It was＃he＊s like the goddamn sun. So intense, so in your face and just＃hell, I don＊t even know. It＊s not always pretty, and we fight like cats and dogs some days. But we both know that we＊re in it together, we＊ve always got something underneath it all.§

Steve swallows, because that＊s exactly how he＊d describe Tony some days. ※How did you＃§ he asks hesitantly. ※How did it change?§

Seven smiles crookedly. ※Not really sure. We were fighting because there＊d been an inter-dimensional breach and we＊d been given orders by SHIELD to remain on standby. Of course Tony didn＊t listen and stormed off without me to go and raise hell; I could have throttled him for that.§

※But you didn＊t,§ Steve says.

Seven smiles again, quiet and warm. ※But I didn＊t,§ he murmurs.

※And the whole＃§ Steve ventures. He clears his throat. ※Being married, thing?§

※Years later. We were fighting,§ Seven pauses, grimaces. ※Hell, what a broken record. We were fighting about changes to the initiative that the government were proposing, and he made some awfulment about us not actually being on the same side, like he didn＊t believe I＊d side with him when it mattered. Gets right up in my face and has the balls to say ＆why the hell should I assume we＊re on the same side with anything?＊ I dragged him to the City Clerk＊s office in Brooklyn and walked up to the counter, asked to apply for a marriage licence. The look on his face. I think he thought I was bluffing, so outes the ID, he signs the form with this look on his face, like he＊s daring me to do it. Neither of us backed down, and there we are with this valid licence, and Clint＊s behind us yelling that we＊vepletely lost the plot, bow in hand and scaring the hell out of the woman behind the counter.§

※I＊d side with Clint,§ Steve says, and Seven laughs again.

※Yeah, everyone else did. I don＊t think I＊ve ever seen Coulson speechless before.§

※And you went through with it?§

Seven nods. ※Yep. He locked himself in his workshop, I was ready to knock down the damn door and drag him out, but of course there's an alert and I had to go with Clint to deal with a situation in Michigan. When I got back he was sparring with Thor, and the ass turns around and says ＆if you wanted to pussy out you could have hid in Brooklyn, didn＊t realise it was that bad that you＊d consider Detroit as the better option.＊§

※Oh God,§ Steve groans, pressing the heels of his palms to his eyes because he knows exactly where this is going. He can imagine exactly how he＊d react to a statement like that.

※Yep,§ Seven says. ※An hour later and Coulson has managed to hustle the guy who used to be the Mayor into the tower, Natasha has got her hands on a pair of rings that fit damn near perfect, and Clint is insisting he gets to be best man and waving a bunch of flowers around. Tony glares at me throughout the whole thing, and then after he just says ＆I don＊t do divorce, I＊d be a walking clich谷, so suck it up Rogers.＊§

Steve starts to laugh, because really, what else is he supposed to do? ※Still in the suit?§ he asks.

※Still in the suit,§ Seven nods. ※Clint tried to pin a veil to the helmet and Tony nearly decked him. Bruce wore it instead.§

Steve just laughs harder, because the mental image is not only bizarre and terrifying butpletely hilarious, and it would be so like him and Tony to end up married out of sheer bull-headedness. He thinks his laughter is erring on the side of hysterical, but he thinks it＊s perfectly understandable. After a few long moments the laughter fades, and he rubs vigorously at his face with his hands.

※Did it work?§ he finally asks, dragging his fingers down over his cheekbones, pressing his fingertips hard to his mouth. ※Did you stop fighting?§

Seven just looks at him. ※What do you think?§

Steve breathes out, looking up at the sky again, thinking about what Shield had said regarding Seven＊s marriage and the aversion of the war that appears to have scarred some universes. ※I think you stopped the serious kind of fighting,§ he says.

※It＊s like you think arguments over bagels and whose turn it is to fill in mission reports isn＊t serious,§ Seven deadpans, and despite the strange twist of some unknown emotion in his gut, Steve can＊t help but laugh again.

※It probably seems crazy,§ Seven says, and that＊s not the only word Steve would use but he lets it slide. ※But it works. For both of us. For everyone, really.§

Steve feels the familiar ache of grief and want twisting painfully. He＊s lost everyone before, and god, he doesn＊t want to lose this bunch of misfits that he＊s been thrown in with this time around. He can＊t. Though most of it undoubtedly is, it＊s not even just about Tony; he misses all of them fiercely and unwaveringly.

※You don＊t look too traumatised,§ Seven remarks with an arched brow.

Steve blows out a breath, reading between the lines and knowing what Seven is trying to say. ※I＊m glad you were happy,§ he says sincerely. ※But that doesn＊t mean the same for me.§

Seven just looks at him for a moment, before turning his face back up towards the sun, and doesn＊t say anything.

※Here.§

Tony jumps at the sound of Natasha＊s voice just behind him, cursing and rubbing his chest with one hand, the other locked around the arm of the cafeteria chair. He unclenches his fingers, heart thudding painfully against the arc reactor.

※How is it even possible for you to sneak up in those shoes on this floor?§ he snaps, and then registers what she＊s holding out towards him, his anger vanishing. Without a word, he reaches out and taking the bottle of Macallans from her, turning it over in his hand and rubbing his thumb against the label.

※The last one?§ he says, mouth twisting contemplatively and ignoring the lump in his throat. He remembers Steve sitting at the kitchen counter, seven empty bottles in front of him, the eighth in Tony＊s hand as he poured out yet another measure. ＆Tony, no,＊ he＊d protested half-heartedly, though he＊d looked amused and had drank without an objection, only the same wince and heavy exhale. Tony had been laughing by that point out of sheer disbelief, both impressed and a little awed. Seven bottles and the only indication that Steve＊d consumed his own damn bodyweight in alcohol was a slight pink flush to his cheeks, though whether from the booze or amusement, Tony hadn＊t been able to tell.

He just remembers being secretly pleased beyond measure that Steve had been willing to go along with it. In the beginning, Steve hadn＊t been at all open to humouring Tony; it was still pretty hit and miss depending on his mood and exactly what Tony was after.

※The last one,§ Natasha confirms, and slides into the chair opposite him, leaning back and breathing out deeply.

※Thought you would be more of a vodka girl,§ he says.

※She is,§ another voice calls, and Tony looks up to see Clint walking over, three tumblers grasped between the fingers of one hand and a metal champagne bucket in the other. ※But this,§ he begins, pushing Tony＊s half-finished meal aside with his elbow, ※was up for grabs and free booze always tastes better.§ He sets the glas

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