When You Were Never Mine: Part 3

I Have a Plan

Everywhere you looked as you moved through the compound, he was there. In every design, in each piece of furniture, in every detail down to the silverware and cups in the kitchen, Tony was a part of those decisions. It was maddening and was likely driving you towards being a little mad; so much so that every now and again one of your remaining teammates would almost catch you talking to Tony to soothe your mind. They acted as if they understood, but it was a stretch for them. The only ones who came close were Nat, who shared the loss of Tony, and Steve in the shared loss of Bucky.

Thor had been ever-present since the return from Wakanda, and you were trying your best to be supportive of him after what he felt to be his own failure in stopping Thanos. He had taken on the loss of half of the universe onto his shoulders alone, no matter how many people tried to convince him otherwise. He hadn't even taken the time to mourn the loss of Loki, and you worried that if he didn't allow that in it would take him into a spiral of darkness that you had now found yourself lost within. Thor had asked if you took your own advice, but you were already too far gone, so what would be the point? He noticed this about you as well, so he was persistent in helping you find a way out when he couldn't do the same for himself.

"Would you care to take a walk?"

"Now? It's getting a little late. I was just about to head upstairs for the night."

"(Y/N)," he smiled coyly, "are you afraid of the dark? I promise to protect you."

"No, I'm not. I'm tired."

"I can carry you, if that would help?"

"I think you're missing the point of a shared walk, my friend, but if you're really that determined to go, I can spare some time for you. With a face like that, how could I say no?"

Thor smiled wider now, and you dared to think that you saw a remnant of the familiar sparkle in his eyes that you loved so much. He was always one to take mischief when it presented itself, and once again you felt sorrow for his loss of Loki. Despite his pain, he was doing his best to be here for you; you had both lost too many. "Yes, I am quite attractive and very difficult to resist."

You stood when he held out his hand eagerly, taking a firm grip of yours and shifting so your fingers laced together as he led you to the door. The path to outside took you through the kitchen and then the lounge, where you found a few of your teammates sitting together in silence, staring at their phones and hoping to find something hopeful within them as a last effort for something positive to end the day. When the two of you entered the room they took notice, with Steve standing and moving quickly to meet you before you could get away.

"(Y/N), hold on."

"Aww, Cap," you chuckled at the sight of him as he got closer, "you took off the beard? I was just starting to maybe be able to look at it."

"And that's why it's gone. That and we have actual shaving cream and razors here that don't risk tetanus."

"You can't catch it anyway."

"Still," he shrugged, stepping up next to you and leaning in to bring his face within your reach. "Here, feel it."

"Steve, we're not close like that."

"Shut it, just check it out," he persisted. "Did I do okay? I haven't shaved in forever and I feel like I missed something. It was getting a little out of hand-" he stopped, his expression immediately shifting to one of confusion, followed by intense focus and then to his protective Cap persona fully taking over. The building shuddered around you, some of the glass vases on nearby tables shifting their way across and towards a crash to the floor, and pictures on the walls shaking so much that you held your breath for the inevitable shatter of them falling.