Loki oneshots

Loss (Steve & Tony)

This is based on a tiktok by ashleygotatiktok about how Tony probably grew up with Peggy 

Steve has had a lot of bad days, but sitting in the front row of a London church, Peggy's lifeless body mere feet away, he's not sure he's ever felt more hopeless and alone.

Sam is here, at least. He was nice enough to come along. He was nice enough to pretend he hasn't noticed Steve crying off and on all day, too, which he appreciates more than he can say. Still, even with his friend by his side, he feels like he's completely alone in this world.

He doesn't pay much attention to the funeral. He doesn't want the tears to fall again. He's not sure he has any left to shed, but it's not a theory he wants to test.

When Sam nudges his arm, he lifts his gaze from the tile floor to the altar in front of him, and he's met with a shockingly familiar face — and the last one he'd expected to see here today.

Tony Stark stands before him, drumming a small stack of index cards against the podium. He wears a small smile, but it doesn't reach his eyes, the insincerity as glaringly obvious as the nerves he's trying so desperately to hide.

"I try not to speak in absolutes," Tony begins, eyes scanning the crowd but conveniently skipping Steve's row, "but I can say with certainty that my Aunt Peggy was the most amazing woman I have ever met."

Aunt Peggy.

Steve covers his mouth with his hand, awkwardly shifting to a gentle fist in a way he hopes will look casual if anyone notices.

My Aunt Peggy.

He doesn't know what to do other than just stare.

Tony doesn't seem to notice. His gaze drops to the cue cards in his hand, then he raises it to the audience of family and friends and continues. "I could go on and on about all the good she's done for us, for our country and our world as a whole, but if you're here today, you probably already know all that.

"What you might not know is that when she wasn't busy fighting Nazis and founding SHIELD, she was the greatest aunt a guy could ask for. She was my godmother for a reason — granted, she always said that 'reason' was that she was the only woman except my mom who could tolerate the great Howard Stark."

That gets a few chuckles from the room, and Tony pauses briefly, a small smile gracing his lips that fades once he returns to his speech.

"She used to love talking about her glory days," Tony says. "She was always proud of SHIELD and the work they did, but her eyes would always light up when she would talk about the war. They were some of the hardest times she ever went through, but she always said that with hard times come the strongest friendships. It's where she met my father, Bucky Barnes..." The corners of his lips twitch up in a wry smile. "Uncle Steve."

Steve's brows shoot up. Uncle Steve? Does that mean him? There's no way... Tony's Uncle Steve? That doesn't... That's not...

But then Tony's gaze flickers towards him, and for the briefest moment, they lock eyes, and he knows. He knows Tony was referring to him. And he can tell Tony didn't make up that name himself, too. Did Howard call him that? Did Peggy? Even after he'd been gone for decades?

Tony looks down at his cue cards, and he swiftly moves two from the front of the pile to the back. He takes a deep breath before raising his gaze to the audience again. "But as much as she'd talk about it, she wasn't stuck in the past. I usually credit my dad with getting me into inventing — good for marketing, you know? — but she was always so much more supportive. She always wanted to see the newest tech. I still remember when I was six, she bought me a circuit board set for my birthday, and we spent the whole day playing around with it, setting off alarms and lighting up lights. There was never any pressure to make anything. It was just fun.