After her brother had called her from the air, Shuri had arrived to the landing area at a dead run, and she hadn't moved much slower getting the wounded man to her lab. There hadn't been time for questions while his eyes had looked so glassy, but she gets him onto her lab table and all her focus goes to the arm. It's faster for her to do most of the work herself, but her assistants are keeping up as best they can. It isn't until she has the damaged sections removed entirely that she has a chance to look up at the other man, the friend who had refused to budge and had stayed out of the way while keeping his eyes on her patient without a pause.
"Captain Rogers," she greets him a little wearily, waving him forward. "My brother told me about you. I didn't want to meet you like this."
Steve has lost count how many people he has already shrugged off as politely as possible as they insist that he should get checked out, maybe clean up the blood that is still on his face. He doesn't want to move, though. The last thing he wants to do is move, he's more concerned about Bucky than anything else, and besides, as far as he's concerned he is fine. Whatever bruises and cuts that remain won't take more than a few days to heal, he doesn't need medical attention.
At her voice, he looks up at once and steps closer.
"I appreciate your help, ma'am," he says with a small, polite nod. "I wish circumstances could have been better, too, but...thank you. For helping him."
Bucky's eyes seem unfocused, almost another world away, and Steve watches him for a moment before turning back to her. "Is there anything I can do to help?"
"Stop calling me 'ma'am,' that will help," she says with a laugh. "Call me Shuri. I was happy to do it. He's stable now, there is no pain."
But that's about the best news she has for him. Instead of asking, she takes his wrist and tows him to the stool she'd been sitting on for the procedures. "You are a mess. Yes, yes, you'll heal, does that mean you need to look like a mess on the way there?" She grabs a sterile cloth and swipes it down his cheek, then shows the streak of dirt and blood from his face before she keeps going, more gently now that she's made her point.
"The trauma of losing his arm...is not so bad, not as bad as it could be. He is safe, he's stable. But I needed to remove the rest of the arm. I want to remove the rest of everything, but I cannot until I know exactly what is there." She's silent for a moment, then adds more quietly, "I need to know what they did. Do you know?"
[ This is the best and worst plan. Best because it's working. Steve Rogers, America's Former Sweetheart, is a war criminal. Tony Stark, angel of the limelight, is soaking up the good PR. No one should be surprised by this. Life should be good. Great, even.
Actually, it isn't. It isn't cause this lie they've been living for over a year now is a pain in the ass. It's a pain in the ass in the way that Steve usually is and not in any of the fun ways. It works, though. Steve moves places carefully on instruction with the others, and Tony soaks up the information Ross gives him, and deflects it. Tony only pretends to go along with the Accords because of course he would.
Of course he would.
This brilliant idea was Steve's. It's a good idea. Still is. Doesn't mean Tony has to like it. This week is one of the few times he can escape the spotlight cast on him, and travel out of the country under the radar. By under the radar he means in a suit that has a fantastic stealth ability that he's never going to share with anyone that isn't a part of the team. 117 countries signed the Accords, and Tony is sitting incognito in one of the 78 that didn't.
It's a dingy cafe that he usually wouldn't have been caught dead in, but it should be worth it. If the person he's meeting can make it, that is. ]
[ Some days are easier than others. He knows why they have to do this, and Steve with his sense of duty and responsibility does his part to the best of his abilities. He’s a soldier, after all. He knows how this goes.
It doesn’t mean it’s any easier, though, to live like this. It is very liberating from the perspective that he doesn’t have to answer to SHIELD or the military, and it sure as hell hasn’t stopped him from doing his part in cleaning up wrongdoings that he and the team have come across in their ‘travels,’ but it’s not home. He has a team, yes, but...it shouldn’t be like this.
Not that he’ll ever actually say it, or show how much this plan irritates him sometimes despite the fact that he knows the need of it. Because ultimately that’s what outweighs everything else, and as much as he and Tony may dislike meeting like this, it’s their life now. They have to make it work.
When he arrives at the cafe, Steve’s face is mostly hidden by the beard and the way his hair falls on his face. With his need to blend in, his uniform has been ‘traded’ for a pair of jeans and an old, worn leather jacket. Maybe back home someone would have noticed him, considering Captain America’s popularity, but in this corner of the world - and in this particular corner - he actually almost manages to blend in as just another drifter passing by the bar.
As he approaches the table where Tony is, he can’t quite hide the small smile that plays at his lips. ]
[ This is one of the easier ones, for sure. At least it doesn't hurt so much, in that dull ache sort of way that sits heavy in the chest. One of them is more or less free to do as they please, and the other one is left playing the game closer to home. It's dangerous.
Hell, if Ross found out about their little meet ups that'd be the end putting him on hold for hours at a time. Sometimes he thinks he'd like him to find out just so he could see the look on his face. For Ross to realize he got played in a big way. It'd almost be worth it.
He looks up when someone approaches, unable to hide the quirk of a grin that tugs at his mouth when he speaks. It's a new look for Steve, definitely. He's not sure if he's overly fond of it or if he wants to drag him a bit. ]
No, but I didn't invite the Unfrozen Caveman Soldier. [ He's trying really hard not to laugh, even though his get up is not much better. Leather jacket, t-shirt, jeans, and a ballcap pulled down low. ] Who're you?
Edited (sorry messed up the title it's been a while) 2018-05-15 01:29 (UTC)
[ He sits down as he asks the question, unable to hide the look of amusement in his eyes at the comment. At least it’s better than a baseball cap and sunglasses, right? It still weirds him out every once in a while, to see this side of himself staring back in the mirror, but it’s the best he can do to blend in. ]
Oh, I’m just someone passing by. [ He leans back against the chair, watching Tony for a moment almost as if seeing all the ways the other man has changed in his own way the last few months. ] It’s good to see you.
[ There's a distinct lessening of the ache that's been living in his chest for months now when he sees the other man's face, hears his voice. It's been difficult, there's no hiding that. All of this bullshit pageantry and nothing to really show for it. Unless exhaustion counts. He sleeps less. A lot less. ]
Well, I guess you can stick around. Don't know what the other guy'll say when he gets here. [ He waves someone over for coffees for the both of them, fingers fiddling with the edge of the mug. ] Likewise. This place isn't as bad as FRIDAY made it out to be. Are you guys holding up okay?
Need anything.
[ He wouldn't have to pull money here, he already has stuff set aside to give over if they need it. ]
[ The fondness in his eyes is impossible to hide, because Steve has missed this. Their banter, the chance to just talk. It’s something that he’ll forever hold against Ross, that he has pushed them into hiding and for their team to seemingly disperse. On very few occasions does Steve let himself actually get homesick, and somehow now, even if Tony’s in front of him, he finds himself longing to go home. ]
No, it isn’t so bad. [ He has definitely seen worse. They have been hiding in seedier places than this, after all. ]
We’re okay. Keeping busy, laying low. The usual.
[ As helpful as extra money would be, he wouldn’t take it. They can find their way around, and he refuses to do anything that could make someone do a double take and get Tony in trouble. ]
How are you doing? [ He notices the circles under his eyes, the lines that hadn’t been there before. ] The truth. Are you okay?
[ Tony has missed it too. The mansion is too sparse without them. The halls echo in odd ways, and it feels less like home. Home was less the place and more the people in it. ]
I can't help but think that's some kind of code for it's terrible.
[ A lot of people don't clock him for it, but Tony worries. A lot. He and anxiety are old friends. He wants to do more than just give them a heads up when Ross is sniffing too close.
He's about to answer, but then snaps his mouth shut, smiling. ] That's subjective, you know. I keep busy too.
[ A small smile crosses his lips, one that is wry and a little humorless. Leave it to Tony to guess that right in the first shot. Their living arrangements aren't the best, and it's not home, so...he's not wrong. It is terrible.
Either way, though: ]
It's fine. We make it work.
[ Steve nods slightly, looking down at the table for a moment before peering over to look at Tony. ] Is that your code for terrible, too? Is he causing you any trouble?
[ 'He.' Steve doesn't say the name, in case someone is listening, but it's not like there's any doubt in who they're talking about.
Guess working is all we've got. [ It's sad, isn't it? This is what they've all been reduced to here. ]
Yeah, think it is. [ His mouth twitches like he might smile, but it doesn't reach his eyes. Ross is more trouble than he's worth, and he's got scary amounts of power to back it, as Tony is starting to realize. Not all of it is legal either.
It's like Banner all over again. ]
Nothing putting him on hold for hours on end can't cure.
[ He tries to smile, but it doesn’t really work. He’s concerned, too concerned for Tony. He usually is, but generally he can chalk up those concerns to him exaggerating. After all, it could all be in his own head. Tony could have been fine.
But now that he’s here, and he’s seeing evidence of the contrary, Steve wishes he could do more to help him with the burden that is General Ross. ]
I’m sorry, Tony. I wish there was more I could do right now.
[ Which means it really isn't. Everybody knows what fine stands for after all.
Ross might have had his near-death epiphany, but it fueled the same monster that had made Banner's life a living hell and torn him away from Betty. The same mistakes that she still had yet to forgive her old man for, and probably never would. ]
Don't be. We chose this, we knew what could happen. [ He reaches out, before he really even realizes it, and claps a hand over Steve's, squeezing. ] We'll get through this.
Together, right? [ Even if the rest of the world doesn't know. Can't know. ]
[ It had taken everything in him after the blast of lightning that rained down from the sky, from the one whose brother had already failed his father, in order to try and climb back to his feet. Tony had been flung far enough away from the energy that he survived, clothes smoking and arc reactor sputtering in a way that caused his face to twist in pain. He calls his suit out from implants, mottled silver cresting over exposed skin as his vision clears.
In enough time to see the Asgardian bury an axe in his father's chest. His horror is muted only by what the Titan spits out at the much shorter man, snapping his fingers in a blinding flash that renders the gauntlet into smoking scrap. Tony's hesitation vanishes as the wounded man calls on a portal, and he uses the nanites that pour out of his skin to mold at his command into repulsors that drag the Titan the rest of the way through.
It closes and Tony slumps, weakness finally getting the better of him. He hears one of the others demand to know Thanos' location with a weak and hurried where is he, and laughs, settling back on his knees. ]
[ It had been a jolt to see Tony on the battlefield - not just for him, but for everyone in the team. The blow was worse, though, when they realized that he wasn’t here to help them; he was here to help Thanos. Thanos, who had killed Vision. Thanos, who had made Bucky and so many others - oh god, how many others? - disappear with just snapping his fingers. Steve had known it was a long shot, but he had been ready to keep fighting, try to do anything to get some leverage back, but before he could even get up Thanos was gone.
Thanos was gone, because Tony had helped him escape, and Steve feels like the air is knocked out of him.
But then Tony speaks, and Thor’s temper gets the better of him as he storms over to him, demanding to know where he is. The question seems to echo in the now silent field as everyone is too stunned to process what’s actually happening. Because Tony is laughing, and he looks off, and— ]
No. No, we need to— [ Thor hauls Tony up with one hand, the other holding tightly onto the ax as if he’s ready to take off the second Tony gives them a location, but judging by Tony’s face his guess is that it won’t be so easy. ]
[ Tony is healing, more rapidly now that the nanites are reforming and regrouping to do their jobs. He'd done it partially as a way to be better, but also to help himself when he'd first came to Thanos. When he first rebelled. They're self-replicating. Self-repairing. Not just armor he calls up if he wants or weapons, but his augmented body and tissues.
The arc reactor in his chest stops sputtering with it's pale blue glow, and brightens once more. Just in time for Thor to haul him up. There's a high-pitched whir of power pouring into the reactor, and it blasts out with enough force to throw the Asgardian free of him. Tony skids back, regaining himself in a crouch, and calling on a blade to form around one hand. It digs into the ground and stops his backward motion.
He pulls it free of the dirt, eyes narrowing on the others, especially the captain. His voice is a sneer when he speaks again: ]
[ Watching the transformation feels like Thanos himself has punched him in the gut, knocking the air out of him all over again. What is he doing? He’s…
He’s fighting Thor. At first it’s as if he’s watching it all in slow motion, the way he blasts Thor back, and then Tony is landing on the ground with such precision that for a moment he doesn’t know what to do. His suit is changing as if on command, and…God, what happened to him?
Picking up the shield, he approaches him before he can continue his attack on Thor (if that’s his plan). The sneer is something he tries to actively ignore, and he keeps his own voice firm. ]
Tony. We don’t want to hurt you. We just want to know where he is.
[ Tony is on his own. His father is too wounded to come back for him yet. He knows he will, but he doesn't know when. He will do whatever is necessary to ensure Thanos is protected. He's been betrayed too much by lesser creatures.
Thor is still getting up and the Captain is closer. His plan is to leave. At least try to make it to one of the landing ships and see if there is anything salvageable to use to escape capture. Barring that, he'll make them suffer for as long as he's able. ]
You don't know me so stop trying. [ Once, they did, but Tony doesn't remember that now. Capture bonding. His mind did what it had to in order to survive. ] Good, makes it easier to hurt you.
Returning the stones hardly takes a few minutes, but for Steve it feels as if he’s gone for years. It’s cathartic, in some way, to go back in time and replace the stones from where they had borrowed them, but at the same time it feels like he’s ripping a wound open with every new place that he visits. Get in and get out, that had been the plan, but he lingers a little too long in the seventies, and then again in 2010. It’s tempting to stay, to try to find a way to save Natasha and Tony by altering events that he knows will be coming, but at the same time he’s very well aware that he could make things worse. What if he saves them, but gets someone else killed?
You have to respect his sacrifice, he remembers Peggy telling him in another lifetime, as he tried to drown his grief after losing Bucky. Or, after he thought he lost Bucky. He could try to save him by altering the timeline, and it would save Howard, and...he knows that Tony would chew him out if he could know what he’s thinking. If none of those things happened, would things work out the way they had for him, after all? Would he and Pepper have gotten married? Would he become a father? Would Morgan exist? He remembers the promise he had made, to not alter or undo anything that happened in the years after the Snap, and with a sense of defeat he finally takes the final trip back home.
And, when he arrives, he knows that his mission is finally complete. Not just to return the stones, but...he’s done. It’s not his turn anymore, to carry the shield and be Captain America. It’s time for someone else to carry that honor, and after sharing as much with Sam, he tells him that he needs to leave for a few days. He needs a break. He needs to mourn. He needs to just be, and maybe with that he’ll figure out a way to figure out what the hell is next.
By the time he comes back to New York a few weeks later, it’s hard to tell if he really has any direction of where he wants to go next, but he knows where he needs to be right now. He finds himself parked outside of an apartment building in Queens, leaning against his bike as he waits for Happy to send him the last piece of the puzzle - what apartment to go to. But, before his phone buzzes, he sees the person he’s here to see. Without the uniform, Peter Parker looks like just a regular kid, nothing about him screams Spider-Man, but Steve wonders how many people have noticed the change in him. How he doesn’t seem like just a kid anymore; how he had grown up, even if he technically ‘didn’t exist’ while he was gone after the Snap.
“Hey, Queens,” he greets as if this is normal. As if Steve Rogers stops by to see him on a regular basis, and a smile quirks slightly at the corners of his lips. “Good to see you.”
His alarm goes off late, snoozed one too many times and Peter's in a rush the moment he falls out of bed. May, for all her due diligence, looks up at him expectantly over a mug of coffee and the morning newspaper. The TV still chatters on and on and on about the death of Tony Stark, even if it feels like the great battle was such a long time ago. He makes a point to turn the station when he hurries past it in the kitchen.
He'll never forget the charred, distant eyes, the sound of Pepper's voice, the hologram at the funeral. How many people lost their lives to save the world? Worlds in fact?
Nothing could prepare him for this, though. The sudden return to normalcy, the sudden quiet that comes with returning to the life of a normal, every-day, teenage boy who is just running a little late for school. School that he loves, with friends he loves even more. And while Peter Parker doesn't exactly feel that different from the guy he was when all of this started, he also knows he'll never be the same. But he tries. It shows in the way he rushes to brush his teeth, the way he scrambles for clothes and dunks his head under the sink faucet to do something about unruly curls, the way he groans when he can only find one sneaker, not two.
"May, I'm leaving! Love you!" He all but screams as he webs his backpack from across the room, just in time for it to slip through the door.
Peter Parker doesn't feel the same, but he's trying. He has a chemistry test later today that he stayed up too late "studying" for. (He played Minecraft with Ned for literal hours instead, but what May doesn't know won't hurt her, right?) He bounces down the stairs and almost misses the man altogether, eager eyes set so far up the road that it's the man's voice that has him stumbling, shoes skidding o the pavement.
"W-whoa. Oh. Uh. Hey. Brooklyn, right?" He winces, because it sounds much more lame when he says it. He knows who this man is and his heart thunders in his chest. "Captain America. Sir. I... how'd you know where I live? I mean, it's cool that you know, because you know you probably know way more than I do about this whole city and all, but—"
Steve doesn't think the response is lame; if anything, he finds himself chuckling under his breath. At the corrections that follow, though, he gives him a look, shaking his head slightly.
"I know I'm old, but you can drop the 'Sir.' Please, Steve is fine."
I told you he's a good kid, he can almost swear he hears Tony tell him in the back of his head, where occasionally the ghosts of his past speak and keep him company. He knows damn well he's probably losing it, but Steve Rogers has always had a foot in the past and another in the present and apparently this is no different.
Besides, he can definitely see for himself that Peter is a good kid. He had known it years ago, but he had never quite gotten a chance to really know him considering what followed after Germany. He hopes he gets a chance to change that now.
"Uh, Happy filled me in. Sorry, I hope you don't mind. I just wanted to check in. See how you're doing." His eyes trail down to his backpack and he nods towards it. "It can wait, though, school comes first. You want a ride?"
"No way, you're not old. Well, I guess you were frozen for a billion years but that's just a technicality and—" he lets out a breath, hands held up mid-gesture like he's mock surrendering. "Peter. I mean, that's my real name."
Sure, they've probably done introductions a dozen times before, but the opportunity to introduce himself as anything other than Spider-Man had never really been on the table up until this point. There was the funeral, but even then, they all still had so much to do before they could go back to normal life.
And here he is in the flesh, Captain America. Ned's actual brain would explode if he showed up on Cap's ride, and a part of him almost wants to indulge. Peter almost visibly relaxes until Steve mentions Happy, and his brow furrows. "Wait, Happy sent you? Am I in trouble, Cap— Steve?"
He's done all of his homework since he's been back, he's aced all of his tests, he's only webbed into one lady's apartment window and he stayed to help her patch it up like the good, friendly, neighborhood Spider-Man that he is. (He's even paying for it with his own Science Fair prize money, thank you very much). And the last time he saw Cap? He'd left, right?
Steve realizes his mistake too late, and he's quick to shake his head once it dawns on him how Peter took his response. "No, no. You're not in trouble. I asked him for it. I just wanted to say hi."
It sounds so simple, like him showing up out of the blue is normal. Like this is just something that he would generally do. But, well, it's not like they ever really had a chance to establish anything. If the team hadn't dissolved right around the time that Tony wanted to have Peter join it, how different would their relationship be? Would he have gotten as close to Peter as he and Tony had been? He knows that's unlikely, that Peter and Tony had a bond that transcended just being team members, but he'd like to think that they could have at least been friends.
"I've been gone for a bit," he continues as if to explain why he wanted to say hi, suddenly unsure if Sam or someone else had filled him in about Steve's 'time off.' "I'm back in the city, though, so I just...wanted to check in. See how you're doing."
It sounds better than saying, 'I know how much you meant to Tony, and Tony meant a lot to me even if actions may have said otherwise, and I just want to make sure his kids are okay.' That is really, ultimately, the real purpose of this visit. It's how he had managed to get Happy to share Peter's information. While his relationship with Tony may have been complicated at best a lot of the time, it doesn't change the respect and affection he felt for the man. It doesn't change the fact that he's mourning his friend, and he wants to look after his children on his behalf. It's the very least that Steve can do.
"So. You want that ride? I'd hate to make you late."
The air rushes out of him almost immediately and one raised hand presses against his chest. "Jeez, you scared me." Happy usually only gets in touch when things go south or he's gaining unwanted publicity, but even Peter suspects that's more out of a duty to Tony than it is to him. Either way, he seems to relax finally, looking less like a wind-up toy and a little more like a regular high school kid. Maybe a tired one, but still a regular kid.
More surprising, however, is that Steve Rogers, Captain America, is here for a glorified wellness check. Who on the whole wide Earth could say that they have Captain America dropping by to check in. He feels a little silly, acting like they're strangers, but they are in a sense. They fought against and alongside one another, but the devastation of the world left them little time to try and clear whatever air sat still and stagnant between them.
"I'm... doing good, yeah. Got a chem exam final period today that I'm gonna ace, and first block's started— it's politics so they're talking about the blip anyway— so I kind of made myself late already. They probably won't miss me, anyway," he shrugs one shoulder, shifting the weight of his backpack, one hand gripping the strap. Peter Parker, open mouth, insert foot. He clears his throat.
"A ride would be nice. I mean, if you don't mind. But, uh. Did you really come all the way here just to check in? I mean that's like a whole twenty-five minutes from Brooklyn, and even longer by bus." He's touched, even if he won't quite own up to it. As weird as it is seeing another one of the heroes, it's nice, too. Nice to know that he doesn't have to explain himself, really. That everything that happened can go unsaid when his mind wanders, when the news feels a little too real.
"Sorry," Steve responds with a soft chuckle, but looking properly embarrassed about frightening him. He should have properly led with that, and he makes a mental note for next time. Because this definitely won't be the last time that these wellness checks happen, he'll just time it a little better next time. It's easy to forget sometimes that Peter Parker is still a high school student - to the point that he himself forgot, but this would be the first and last time that happened.
If Peter hadn't mentioned the blip, and that they're covering it in class, he would probably be suggesting that they leave now so that he could get him to school on time. But, considering the subject, he can't say he blames him for wanting to miss it altogether. Steve would do the same. After all, he can hardly watch television lately or check the news, since he tends to keep bumping into coverage about the battle. The blip. The aftermath. It's all still a little too fresh.
He smiles, standing and reaching for the helmet that's strapped on the back of his bike. Because, while he may not wear a helmet, he's generally prepared for others.
"I did. I didn't take the bus, though. I'm faster with the bike." He says it with a smile as he hands him the helmet, as if that makes a difference. "I just got back, actually, and you were on my way in. If I would have noticed the time I would have waited until after school, but hey, at least I get to give you a ride."
And this is (he hopes) less awkward than standing outside of his school, talking. He has a feeling they would have less privacy there, with kids milling about around them.
"Oh, man. You don't need to be sorry. I'm still sort of new at this whole... you know," he lowers his voice, though there's no one really close enough on the street to hear, "superhero thing and Mr. Stark used to send Happy all the time when I'd goof up, so."
He shrugs a shoulder, sheepish, and moves to slide his other arm into the loose strap of his back, so that his bookbag is situated on his back. But he takes the helmet, turning it between his palms. "I've never ridden a motorcycle before. But I guess it can't be any scarier than webbing around, right? I mean, especially if you're driving. You're probably a way better driver than I am that's for sure."
Not that Peter's really had any experience driving, but sometimes the words come tumbling out when he's a little unsure of what to say. But they'll be headed to school again, and remembering that he's supposed to be plain Peter Parker right now seems to help calm the nerves. He doesn't have to be Spider-Man right now.
"Uh, speaking of driving, could we go around the back of the school when we get there? It's just that I'm pretty sure everyone's gonna notice me showing up late if we pull up out front. That and... well, I mean I have this friend who thinks you're pretty awesome and I know we're not exactly doing our made-up names and stuff anymore but it would be sweet if you could like. Wave at him. Or something. Our PE teacher uses a lot of your videos and stuff for class and detention— not that I get detention. I've just. Heard things, and stuff."
A faint smile crosses his lips as he nods slightly in understanding when Peter says he doesn’t have experience in this superhero business, and looks down at his keys for a second. “Well, you’re doing great. Or, I haven’t heard of you goofing up, at the very least.”
At his admission that he has never ridden a motorcycle, Steve chuckles. “I’d think that’s scarier, yes. But I’m also more used to traveling on ground than your method of transportation, so I’m not sure I’m the best judge on that.”
Steve wouldn’t consider himself a reckless driver, but he’s also not necessarily the slowest. That’s generally when he’s on his own, at least; for all his rule abiding ways, he sure loves to break the speed limit. Whenever he’s driving with someone else, though, he’s more conservative. In this case, especially with Peter. He’s not planning on anything too crazy.
“Yeah, I can wave at your friend.” Just as he’s about to mount the bike, he pauses at the mention of the videos and he makes a face as he remembers what he’s talking about. “They’re still using those? God, here I was hoping no one would ever have to watch those things.”
"Hey, webbing around isn't so bad once you get over the whole roller coaster feeling, you know? But the drop's the best part. Haven't tried the Empire State Building yet, but it's on the list."
Peter turns the helmet between his hands again and lets out a little laugh. The Washington Monument had felt impossibly high, but after being dragged up into the exosphere by an alien tractor beam, he's not sure any heights really frighten him anymore.
"My friend's gonna freak. It's why I said wave, because I think if he met you in person he might actually meltdown." There's a fondness in the way he speaks about Ned, a warmth in his tone and smile. He couldn't have landed a better best friend, a better Chair Guy.
"There's a spot out back, a little courtyard thing. We can sit there until first period's over. Got another hour before AP Physics 2. Second block. I mean, if you got time. If May finds me out here on her way to work she might kill me." He grins and moves to pull the helmet on over his head. He feels a little silly, admittedly, but he reminds himself he spends half his time in a powered spandex-turned-metal Spider-Man suit. Or is he Iron Spider? Nah, too lame. Way, way too lame.
"You'll have to tell me how that one goes. I've jumped from planes, but I can't say I've ever swung from buildings."
He probably shouldn't encourage him to swing from the Empire State Building, but he doubts Peter needs the encouragement, anyway. Besides, the kid has earned it by now, hasn't he?
Steve smiles as Peter speaks of his friend. It's impossible to miss the fondness in his demeanor as he does so, and he's glad that Peter has that. Considering the influence Bucky had in his life, and how Steve doesn't know how in the hell he could have survived without him, he's glad that Peter has someone like that in his life as well.
"Ah, right," he responds as he glances over towards the front door of the building before he gets on the bike, starting the engine as Peter gets on. "Yeah, I definitely got time." Once he gets the address, Steve just nods and instructs him to hang on before he starts the drive over to his school. Overall, the ride over is smooth and he moves the bike through traffic with ease, and by the time they make it to the school he parks in the back as requested. For a moment he wonders if he should have asked him if he was hungry, or if he wanted to stop elsewhere before coming here, but maybe that would have caused bigger problems. He's not sure how much people are still hounding them with questions, wanting pictures or to talk about what happened, and Steve doesn't want his time with Peter to be taken over by any of it.
"Nice campus," he comments as he walks with Peter towards the courtyard. "I'm not going to get you in trouble by keeping you here, right?"
While riding on a motorcycle doesn't exactly seem all that exciting, the fact that he's being given a ride to school by Captain Freaking America? That's pretty awesome, and he knows for a fact that Ned's brain might actually explode when he shares the news.
The ride doesn't take long but Peter enjoys it for what it is. There's no pretending here, no reason to plaster on a silly smile to cover up the fact that he'd been much closer to Tony Stark than the public could ever know. It gives him some time to recenter himself, so that when they're walking in the courtyard after, he doesn't feel so taken aback, surprised.
"Nah, I mean if they catch me out here detention's really not that big of a deal anyway. I think they're giving a lot of people breaks, with the Blip and all." He shrugs a shoulder and digs a toe into the concrete, kicking a pebble along the walkway. "It's like thirty minutes of watching some videos and we can usually do our homework. Aunt May might yell at me a little but I think she's chilled out a lot. Turns out when you're the friendly neighborhood Spider-Man detention doesn't seem like it's that big of a deal."
He laughs a little and rubs awkwardly at the back of his head. As they walk, they come to a small fountain. It's not turned on, but in the center sits a tiger, the school's mascot, surrounded by stone birds and flora. "Hey, uh. Can I... can I ask you a question?"
Peter doesn't look at Steve as he approaches the fountain and moves to sit up on its edge. He looks across at the back of the school, the campus quiet as all of its students settle into their morning lectures. His phone buzzes and without checking, he knows it will be Ned.
"Does any of this stuff get easier?" His voice goes quiet, as though the fountain itself might overhead. "The uh, the fighting." The part where they lose people. "All the creepy alien stuff and the bad guys. When I found out what I was... I mean, what happened to me, I knew I should use it to do something good, but—" A small intake of breath. "It doesn't feel like enough."
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"Captain Rogers," she greets him a little wearily, waving him forward. "My brother told me about you. I didn't want to meet you like this."
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At her voice, he looks up at once and steps closer.
"I appreciate your help, ma'am," he says with a small, polite nod. "I wish circumstances could have been better, too, but...thank you. For helping him."
Bucky's eyes seem unfocused, almost another world away, and Steve watches him for a moment before turning back to her. "Is there anything I can do to help?"
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But that's about the best news she has for him. Instead of asking, she takes his wrist and tows him to the stool she'd been sitting on for the procedures. "You are a mess. Yes, yes, you'll heal, does that mean you need to look like a mess on the way there?" She grabs a sterile cloth and swipes it down his cheek, then shows the streak of dirt and blood from his face before she keeps going, more gently now that she's made her point.
"The trauma of losing his arm...is not so bad, not as bad as it could be. He is safe, he's stable. But I needed to remove the rest of the arm. I want to remove the rest of everything, but I cannot until I know exactly what is there." She's silent for a moment, then adds more quietly, "I need to know what they did. Do you know?"
hoppin on the au train. choo choo
Actually, it isn't. It isn't cause this lie they've been living for over a year now is a pain in the ass. It's a pain in the ass in the way that Steve usually is and not in any of the fun ways. It works, though. Steve moves places carefully on instruction with the others, and Tony soaks up the information Ross gives him, and deflects it. Tony only pretends to go along with the Accords because of course he would.
Of course he would.
This brilliant idea was Steve's. It's a good idea. Still is. Doesn't mean Tony has to like it. This week is one of the few times he can escape the spotlight cast on him, and travel out of the country under the radar. By under the radar he means in a suit that has a fantastic stealth ability that he's never going to share with anyone that isn't a part of the team. 117 countries signed the Accords, and Tony is sitting incognito in one of the 78 that didn't.
It's a dingy cafe that he usually wouldn't have been caught dead in, but it should be worth it. If the person he's meeting can make it, that is. ]
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It doesn’t mean it’s any easier, though, to live like this. It is very liberating from the perspective that he doesn’t have to answer to SHIELD or the military, and it sure as hell hasn’t stopped him from doing his part in cleaning up wrongdoings that he and the team have come across in their ‘travels,’ but it’s not home. He has a team, yes, but...it shouldn’t be like this.
Not that he’ll ever actually say it, or show how much this plan irritates him sometimes despite the fact that he knows the need of it. Because ultimately that’s what outweighs everything else, and as much as he and Tony may dislike meeting like this, it’s their life now. They have to make it work.
When he arrives at the cafe, Steve’s face is mostly hidden by the beard and the way his hair falls on his face. With his need to blend in, his uniform has been ‘traded’ for a pair of jeans and an old, worn leather jacket. Maybe back home someone would have noticed him, considering Captain America’s popularity, but in this corner of the world - and in this particular corner - he actually almost manages to blend in as just another drifter passing by the bar.
As he approaches the table where Tony is, he can’t quite hide the small smile that plays at his lips. ]
Am I late?
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Hell, if Ross found out about their little meet ups that'd be the end putting him on hold for hours at a time. Sometimes he thinks he'd like him to find out just so he could see the look on his face. For Ross to realize he got played in a big way. It'd almost be worth it.
He looks up when someone approaches, unable to hide the quirk of a grin that tugs at his mouth when he speaks. It's a new look for Steve, definitely. He's not sure if he's overly fond of it or if he wants to drag him a bit. ]
No, but I didn't invite the Unfrozen Caveman Soldier. [ He's trying really hard not to laugh, even though his get up is not much better. Leather jacket, t-shirt, jeans, and a ballcap pulled down low. ] Who're you?
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[ He sits down as he asks the question, unable to hide the look of amusement in his eyes at the comment. At least it’s better than a baseball cap and sunglasses, right? It still weirds him out every once in a while, to see this side of himself staring back in the mirror, but it’s the best he can do to blend in. ]
Oh, I’m just someone passing by. [ He leans back against the chair, watching Tony for a moment almost as if seeing all the ways the other man has changed in his own way the last few months. ] It’s good to see you.
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[ There's a distinct lessening of the ache that's been living in his chest for months now when he sees the other man's face, hears his voice. It's been difficult, there's no hiding that. All of this bullshit pageantry and nothing to really show for it. Unless exhaustion counts. He sleeps less. A lot less. ]
Well, I guess you can stick around. Don't know what the other guy'll say when he gets here. [ He waves someone over for coffees for the both of them, fingers fiddling with the edge of the mug. ] Likewise. This place isn't as bad as FRIDAY made it out to be. Are you guys holding up okay?
Need anything.
[ He wouldn't have to pull money here, he already has stuff set aside to give over if they need it. ]
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No, it isn’t so bad. [ He has definitely seen worse. They have been hiding in seedier places than this, after all. ]
We’re okay. Keeping busy, laying low. The usual.
[ As helpful as extra money would be, he wouldn’t take it. They can find their way around, and he refuses to do anything that could make someone do a double take and get Tony in trouble. ]
How are you doing? [ He notices the circles under his eyes, the lines that hadn’t been there before. ] The truth. Are you okay?
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I can't help but think that's some kind of code for it's terrible.
[ A lot of people don't clock him for it, but Tony worries. A lot. He and anxiety are old friends. He wants to do more than just give them a heads up when Ross is sniffing too close.
He's about to answer, but then snaps his mouth shut, smiling. ] That's subjective, you know. I keep busy too.
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Either way, though: ]
It's fine. We make it work.
[ Steve nods slightly, looking down at the table for a moment before peering over to look at Tony. ] Is that your code for terrible, too? Is he causing you any trouble?
[ 'He.' Steve doesn't say the name, in case someone is listening, but it's not like there's any doubt in who they're talking about.
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Yeah, think it is. [ His mouth twitches like he might smile, but it doesn't reach his eyes. Ross is more trouble than he's worth, and he's got scary amounts of power to back it, as Tony is starting to realize. Not all of it is legal either.
It's like Banner all over again. ]
Nothing putting him on hold for hours on end can't cure.
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[ He tries to smile, but it doesn’t really work. He’s concerned, too concerned for Tony. He usually is, but generally he can chalk up those concerns to him exaggerating. After all, it could all be in his own head. Tony could have been fine.
But now that he’s here, and he’s seeing evidence of the contrary, Steve wishes he could do more to help him with the burden that is General Ross. ]
I’m sorry, Tony. I wish there was more I could do right now.
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[ Which means it really isn't. Everybody knows what fine stands for after all.
Ross might have had his near-death epiphany, but it fueled the same monster that had made Banner's life a living hell and torn him away from Betty. The same mistakes that she still had yet to forgive her old man for, and probably never would. ]
Don't be. We chose this, we knew what could happen. [ He reaches out, before he really even realizes it, and claps a hand over Steve's, squeezing. ] We'll get through this.
Together, right? [ Even if the rest of the world doesn't know. Can't know. ]
IW SPOILERS ( beautiful souls torn apart. )
In enough time to see the Asgardian bury an axe in his father's chest. His horror is muted only by what the Titan spits out at the much shorter man, snapping his fingers in a blinding flash that renders the gauntlet into smoking scrap. Tony's hesitation vanishes as the wounded man calls on a portal, and he uses the nanites that pour out of his skin to mold at his command into repulsors that drag the Titan the rest of the way through.
It closes and Tony slumps, weakness finally getting the better of him. He hears one of the others demand to know Thanos' location with a weak and hurried where is he, and laughs, settling back on his knees. ]
It doesn't matter. You've failed.
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Thanos was gone, because Tony had helped him escape, and Steve feels like the air is knocked out of him.
But then Tony speaks, and Thor’s temper gets the better of him as he storms over to him, demanding to know where he is. The question seems to echo in the now silent field as everyone is too stunned to process what’s actually happening. Because Tony is laughing, and he looks off, and— ]
No. No, we need to— [ Thor hauls Tony up with one hand, the other holding tightly onto the ax as if he’s ready to take off the second Tony gives them a location, but judging by Tony’s face his guess is that it won’t be so easy. ]
Tony. We need to know where he is.
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The arc reactor in his chest stops sputtering with it's pale blue glow, and brightens once more. Just in time for Thor to haul him up. There's a high-pitched whir of power pouring into the reactor, and it blasts out with enough force to throw the Asgardian free of him. Tony skids back, regaining himself in a crouch, and calling on a blade to form around one hand. It digs into the ground and stops his backward motion.
He pulls it free of the dirt, eyes narrowing on the others, especially the captain. His voice is a sneer when he speaks again: ]
No.
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He’s fighting Thor. At first it’s as if he’s watching it all in slow motion, the way he blasts Thor back, and then Tony is landing on the ground with such precision that for a moment he doesn’t know what to do. His suit is changing as if on command, and…God, what happened to him?
Picking up the shield, he approaches him before he can continue his attack on Thor (if that’s his plan). The sneer is something he tries to actively ignore, and he keeps his own voice firm. ]
Tony. We don’t want to hurt you. We just want to know where he is.
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Thor is still getting up and the Captain is closer. His plan is to leave. At least try to make it to one of the landing ships and see if there is anything salvageable to use to escape capture. Barring that, he'll make them suffer for as long as he's able. ]
You don't know me so stop trying. [ Once, they did, but Tony doesn't remember that now. Capture bonding. His mind did what it had to in order to survive. ] Good, makes it easier to hurt you.
Cause the only thing you'll get from me is pain.
this is not the end, this is not the beginning;
You have to respect his sacrifice, he remembers Peggy telling him in another lifetime, as he tried to drown his grief after losing Bucky. Or, after he thought he lost Bucky. He could try to save him by altering the timeline, and it would save Howard, and...he knows that Tony would chew him out if he could know what he’s thinking. If none of those things happened, would things work out the way they had for him, after all? Would he and Pepper have gotten married? Would he become a father? Would Morgan exist? He remembers the promise he had made, to not alter or undo anything that happened in the years after the Snap, and with a sense of defeat he finally takes the final trip back home.
And, when he arrives, he knows that his mission is finally complete. Not just to return the stones, but...he’s done. It’s not his turn anymore, to carry the shield and be Captain America. It’s time for someone else to carry that honor, and after sharing as much with Sam, he tells him that he needs to leave for a few days. He needs a break. He needs to mourn. He needs to just be, and maybe with that he’ll figure out a way to figure out what the hell is next.
By the time he comes back to New York a few weeks later, it’s hard to tell if he really has any direction of where he wants to go next, but he knows where he needs to be right now. He finds himself parked outside of an apartment building in Queens, leaning against his bike as he waits for Happy to send him the last piece of the puzzle - what apartment to go to. But, before his phone buzzes, he sees the person he’s here to see. Without the uniform, Peter Parker looks like just a regular kid, nothing about him screams Spider-Man, but Steve wonders how many people have noticed the change in him. How he doesn’t seem like just a kid anymore; how he had grown up, even if he technically ‘didn’t exist’ while he was gone after the Snap.
“Hey, Queens,” he greets as if this is normal. As if Steve Rogers stops by to see him on a regular basis, and a smile quirks slightly at the corners of his lips. “Good to see you.”
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He'll never forget the charred, distant eyes, the sound of Pepper's voice, the hologram at the funeral. How many people lost their lives to save the world? Worlds in fact?
Nothing could prepare him for this, though. The sudden return to normalcy, the sudden quiet that comes with returning to the life of a normal, every-day, teenage boy who is just running a little late for school. School that he loves, with friends he loves even more. And while Peter Parker doesn't exactly feel that different from the guy he was when all of this started, he also knows he'll never be the same. But he tries. It shows in the way he rushes to brush his teeth, the way he scrambles for clothes and dunks his head under the sink faucet to do something about unruly curls, the way he groans when he can only find one sneaker, not two.
"May, I'm leaving! Love you!" He all but screams as he webs his backpack from across the room, just in time for it to slip through the door.
Peter Parker doesn't feel the same, but he's trying. He has a chemistry test later today that he stayed up too late "studying" for. (He played Minecraft with Ned for literal hours instead, but what May doesn't know won't hurt her, right?) He bounces down the stairs and almost misses the man altogether, eager eyes set so far up the road that it's the man's voice that has him stumbling, shoes skidding o the pavement.
"W-whoa. Oh. Uh. Hey. Brooklyn, right?" He winces, because it sounds much more lame when he says it. He knows who this man is and his heart thunders in his chest. "Captain America. Sir. I... how'd you know where I live? I mean, it's cool that you know, because you know you probably know way more than I do about this whole city and all, but—"
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"I know I'm old, but you can drop the 'Sir.' Please, Steve is fine."
I told you he's a good kid, he can almost swear he hears Tony tell him in the back of his head, where occasionally the ghosts of his past speak and keep him company. He knows damn well he's probably losing it, but Steve Rogers has always had a foot in the past and another in the present and apparently this is no different.
Besides, he can definitely see for himself that Peter is a good kid. He had known it years ago, but he had never quite gotten a chance to really know him considering what followed after Germany. He hopes he gets a chance to change that now.
"Uh, Happy filled me in. Sorry, I hope you don't mind. I just wanted to check in. See how you're doing." His eyes trail down to his backpack and he nods towards it. "It can wait, though, school comes first. You want a ride?"
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Sure, they've probably done introductions a dozen times before, but the opportunity to introduce himself as anything other than Spider-Man had never really been on the table up until this point. There was the funeral, but even then, they all still had so much to do before they could go back to normal life.
And here he is in the flesh, Captain America. Ned's actual brain would explode if he showed up on Cap's ride, and a part of him almost wants to indulge. Peter almost visibly relaxes until Steve mentions Happy, and his brow furrows. "Wait, Happy sent you? Am I in trouble, Cap— Steve?"
He's done all of his homework since he's been back, he's aced all of his tests, he's only webbed into one lady's apartment window and he stayed to help her patch it up like the good, friendly, neighborhood Spider-Man that he is. (He's even paying for it with his own Science Fair prize money, thank you very much). And the last time he saw Cap? He'd left, right?
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It sounds so simple, like him showing up out of the blue is normal. Like this is just something that he would generally do. But, well, it's not like they ever really had a chance to establish anything. If the team hadn't dissolved right around the time that Tony wanted to have Peter join it, how different would their relationship be? Would he have gotten as close to Peter as he and Tony had been? He knows that's unlikely, that Peter and Tony had a bond that transcended just being team members, but he'd like to think that they could have at least been friends.
"I've been gone for a bit," he continues as if to explain why he wanted to say hi, suddenly unsure if Sam or someone else had filled him in about Steve's 'time off.' "I'm back in the city, though, so I just...wanted to check in. See how you're doing."
It sounds better than saying, 'I know how much you meant to Tony, and Tony meant a lot to me even if actions may have said otherwise, and I just want to make sure his kids are okay.' That is really, ultimately, the real purpose of this visit. It's how he had managed to get Happy to share Peter's information. While his relationship with Tony may have been complicated at best a lot of the time, it doesn't change the respect and affection he felt for the man. It doesn't change the fact that he's mourning his friend, and he wants to look after his children on his behalf. It's the very least that Steve can do.
"So. You want that ride? I'd hate to make you late."
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More surprising, however, is that Steve Rogers, Captain America, is here for a glorified wellness check. Who on the whole wide Earth could say that they have Captain America dropping by to check in. He feels a little silly, acting like they're strangers, but they are in a sense. They fought against and alongside one another, but the devastation of the world left them little time to try and clear whatever air sat still and stagnant between them.
"I'm... doing good, yeah. Got a chem exam final period today that I'm gonna ace, and first block's started— it's politics so they're talking about the blip anyway— so I kind of made myself late already. They probably won't miss me, anyway," he shrugs one shoulder, shifting the weight of his backpack, one hand gripping the strap. Peter Parker, open mouth, insert foot. He clears his throat.
"A ride would be nice. I mean, if you don't mind. But, uh. Did you really come all the way here just to check in? I mean that's like a whole twenty-five minutes from Brooklyn, and even longer by bus." He's touched, even if he won't quite own up to it. As weird as it is seeing another one of the heroes, it's nice, too. Nice to know that he doesn't have to explain himself, really. That everything that happened can go unsaid when his mind wanders, when the news feels a little too real.
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If Peter hadn't mentioned the blip, and that they're covering it in class, he would probably be suggesting that they leave now so that he could get him to school on time. But, considering the subject, he can't say he blames him for wanting to miss it altogether. Steve would do the same. After all, he can hardly watch television lately or check the news, since he tends to keep bumping into coverage about the battle. The blip. The aftermath. It's all still a little too fresh.
He smiles, standing and reaching for the helmet that's strapped on the back of his bike. Because, while he may not wear a helmet, he's generally prepared for others.
"I did. I didn't take the bus, though. I'm faster with the bike." He says it with a smile as he hands him the helmet, as if that makes a difference. "I just got back, actually, and you were on my way in. If I would have noticed the time I would have waited until after school, but hey, at least I get to give you a ride."
And this is (he hopes) less awkward than standing outside of his school, talking. He has a feeling they would have less privacy there, with kids milling about around them.
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He shrugs a shoulder, sheepish, and moves to slide his other arm into the loose strap of his back, so that his bookbag is situated on his back. But he takes the helmet, turning it between his palms. "I've never ridden a motorcycle before. But I guess it can't be any scarier than webbing around, right? I mean, especially if you're driving. You're probably a way better driver than I am that's for sure."
Not that Peter's really had any experience driving, but sometimes the words come tumbling out when he's a little unsure of what to say. But they'll be headed to school again, and remembering that he's supposed to be plain Peter Parker right now seems to help calm the nerves. He doesn't have to be Spider-Man right now.
"Uh, speaking of driving, could we go around the back of the school when we get there? It's just that I'm pretty sure everyone's gonna notice me showing up late if we pull up out front. That and... well, I mean I have this friend who thinks you're pretty awesome and I know we're not exactly doing our made-up names and stuff anymore but it would be sweet if you could like. Wave at him. Or something. Our PE teacher uses a lot of your videos and stuff for class and detention— not that I get detention. I've just. Heard things, and stuff."
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At his admission that he has never ridden a motorcycle, Steve chuckles. “I’d think that’s scarier, yes. But I’m also more used to traveling on ground than your method of transportation, so I’m not sure I’m the best judge on that.”
Steve wouldn’t consider himself a reckless driver, but he’s also not necessarily the slowest. That’s generally when he’s on his own, at least; for all his rule abiding ways, he sure loves to break the speed limit. Whenever he’s driving with someone else, though, he’s more conservative. In this case, especially with Peter. He’s not planning on anything too crazy.
“Yeah, I can wave at your friend.” Just as he’s about to mount the bike, he pauses at the mention of the videos and he makes a face as he remembers what he’s talking about. “They’re still using those? God, here I was hoping no one would ever have to watch those things.”
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Peter turns the helmet between his hands again and lets out a little laugh. The Washington Monument had felt impossibly high, but after being dragged up into the exosphere by an alien tractor beam, he's not sure any heights really frighten him anymore.
"My friend's gonna freak. It's why I said wave, because I think if he met you in person he might actually meltdown." There's a fondness in the way he speaks about Ned, a warmth in his tone and smile. He couldn't have landed a better best friend, a better Chair Guy.
"There's a spot out back, a little courtyard thing. We can sit there until first period's over. Got another hour before AP Physics 2. Second block. I mean, if you got time. If May finds me out here on her way to work she might kill me." He grins and moves to pull the helmet on over his head. He feels a little silly, admittedly, but he reminds himself he spends half his time in a powered spandex-turned-metal Spider-Man suit. Or is he Iron Spider? Nah, too lame. Way, way too lame.
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He probably shouldn't encourage him to swing from the Empire State Building, but he doubts Peter needs the encouragement, anyway. Besides, the kid has earned it by now, hasn't he?
Steve smiles as Peter speaks of his friend. It's impossible to miss the fondness in his demeanor as he does so, and he's glad that Peter has that. Considering the influence Bucky had in his life, and how Steve doesn't know how in the hell he could have survived without him, he's glad that Peter has someone like that in his life as well.
"Ah, right," he responds as he glances over towards the front door of the building before he gets on the bike, starting the engine as Peter gets on. "Yeah, I definitely got time." Once he gets the address, Steve just nods and instructs him to hang on before he starts the drive over to his school. Overall, the ride over is smooth and he moves the bike through traffic with ease, and by the time they make it to the school he parks in the back as requested. For a moment he wonders if he should have asked him if he was hungry, or if he wanted to stop elsewhere before coming here, but maybe that would have caused bigger problems. He's not sure how much people are still hounding them with questions, wanting pictures or to talk about what happened, and Steve doesn't want his time with Peter to be taken over by any of it.
"Nice campus," he comments as he walks with Peter towards the courtyard. "I'm not going to get you in trouble by keeping you here, right?"
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The ride doesn't take long but Peter enjoys it for what it is. There's no pretending here, no reason to plaster on a silly smile to cover up the fact that he'd been much closer to Tony Stark than the public could ever know. It gives him some time to recenter himself, so that when they're walking in the courtyard after, he doesn't feel so taken aback, surprised.
"Nah, I mean if they catch me out here detention's really not that big of a deal anyway. I think they're giving a lot of people breaks, with the Blip and all." He shrugs a shoulder and digs a toe into the concrete, kicking a pebble along the walkway. "It's like thirty minutes of watching some videos and we can usually do our homework. Aunt May might yell at me a little but I think she's chilled out a lot. Turns out when you're the friendly neighborhood Spider-Man detention doesn't seem like it's that big of a deal."
He laughs a little and rubs awkwardly at the back of his head. As they walk, they come to a small fountain. It's not turned on, but in the center sits a tiger, the school's mascot, surrounded by stone birds and flora. "Hey, uh. Can I... can I ask you a question?"
Peter doesn't look at Steve as he approaches the fountain and moves to sit up on its edge. He looks across at the back of the school, the campus quiet as all of its students settle into their morning lectures. His phone buzzes and without checking, he knows it will be Ned.
"Does any of this stuff get easier?" His voice goes quiet, as though the fountain itself might overhead. "The uh, the fighting." The part where they lose people. "All the creepy alien stuff and the bad guys. When I found out what I was... I mean, what happened to me, I knew I should use it to do something good, but—" A small intake of breath. "It doesn't feel like enough."