chuckling, and then tony and bruce and even natasha are joining in, and steve is suddenly hit with such a wave of emotion that he could burst into tears. he＊s home, god, he＊s home with this bunch of idiots and there＊s nowhere else he＊d rather be. he＊s not been left behind again, not lost everyone, they＊re all here with him-

※alright, let him go,§ tony＊s voice suddenly says. ※hop to, romanov, get your beautiful ass off his feet-§

the weight from his feet vanishes and then clint slides off his thighs as the same time bruce lets go of his arm. thor is the last to move; nodding and stepping back, apparently satisfied that steve isn＊t going to make another ill-advised break for it.

tony, however, doesn＊t move away; steve feels gentle tugs at the back of his hand and watches as tony untangles his arm from the iv line again, before leaning over to tug the sheets straight. his hands are efficient yet gentle and it makes his stomach twist in a confusing new way, shaky and warm and not altogetherfortable. he still feels strange, like his thoughts are trying to wade through treacle, slow and groggy.

※someone go find some more chairs,§ tony says, though his eyes don＊t leave steve＊s face. ※and raid the vending machine. raid all the vending machines, the poor guy hasn＊t eaten in days and he gets cranky when he misses second breakfast. actually, a thousand bucks to whoever can get a damn pizza here in the shortest amount of time.§

his hands smooth down over steve＊s shoulders, and they＊re shaking slightly.

※don＊t-§ steve begins, but he falters, stops. he wants to ask tony not to go, but everything＊s so tangled up and confusing, and he doesn＊t even know how to begin looking at tony anymore, not after what he found out about seven and stephanie and six-one-eight and hell, every other damn version of himself-

※steve, here.§

he blinks and tony is holding out a cup of water. he reaches out with a shaky hand to take it, draining it and realising just how thirsty he is, and tony takes the empty cup and refills it without question.

steve drains that one too, and as tony takes the empty cup he almost feels himself give up. he＊s exhausted and sick and emotional and he doesn＊t want to second guess or appease the denial that he can feel lurking on his periphery. he just wants to allow himself whateverfort he can before the fog clears from his mind and he has to start making sense of it all.

※don＊t go.§

the words are hoarse and quiet, and tony doesn＊t so much as flinch. he simply clambers back onto the bed next to steve and sits up, sliding an arm over his shoulders and pulling steve around until steve is resting against his shoulder, head on tony＊s collarbone.

※you think i＊m going anywhere ever again, you＊ve got another thinging,§ tony turns his head abruptly and speaks into steve＊s hair, and steve is confused because that＊s not what tony usually says, he usually makes jokes and tells steve he can do perfectly well without his star-spangled-ass, and he never sounds so genuine.

he thinks of stephanie, seven and the wedding band, and is this what they saw in their tonys? tony＊s fingers side over his ear and into his hair, the heel of his hand pressing gently against steve＊s cheekbone, thumb stroking against his temple. steve can hear the others moving around in the room and he should push tony away because this isn＊t how they are in this universe, or maybe tony is just being so handsy because steve got hurt and he thinks it＊s his fault?

should he even care?

he lifts his own hand and clumsily wraps his fingers around tony＊s wrist, holding the hand in place. tony＊s fingers stroke through the short hair above his ear and he shudders out a breath, aching for thefort, the simple touch keeping him grounded and reminding him that he＊s okay, he＊s still here.

he feels his eyelids drooping, tries to fight it. tony notices and shushes him, thumb stroking steve＊s cheek.

※go to sleep, cap,§ he says. ※i swear on jarvis i won＊t let you turn into a capsicle again.§

he hears clint snigger, hears something that sounds like natasha smacking him upside the head. he hears footsteps and the scrape of chairs on the floor. the quiet movement around him is so soothing, everything he needs right now to chase away the fear that he＊s still going to end up alone once more.

※where am i?§ he asks again, voice still hoarse and painful.

※shield medical. they wouldn＊t let me take you back to the tower,§ tony says, and his voice is wavering slightly, just enough for steve to notice. ※and you＊re too damn heavy to smuggle out.§

※have,§ steve tries, coughing roughly in the back of his throat. his fingers tighten on tony＊s wrist.

※for once in your life, stop talking,§ tony says, but there＊s no heat to the words, just a soft genuine cadence that steve rarely hears from tony, and certainly not ever directed at him.

steve ignores him, forces the words out.

※have i been here the whole time?§