You Know Who I Am
“You know just because I'm, oh I don't know, DEAD doesn't mean I can't get a headache!” Tony yelled as he rubbed his temples.
Steve had been screaming at the door, for half an hour now, hoping someone would hear them and help. Earlier he was banging on the door with as much strength possible, hoping for the same thing but thanks to the invisible barrier that trapped them, Steve's hands had looked burned to the point of no return. Tony had nearly screamed at the sight, while he tried to medically examine the supernatural burns, only to actually scream when the injuries heal suddenly on their own. Even though the effects that the barrier caused weren't permanent, it still hurt like a bitch.
“Stop saying that.” Steve growled without turning away from the door.
“Saying what?” Tony tilted his head to the side as a scowl grew on his face.
“You know what I mean.” Steve shot a glare over his shoulder. He was beyond pissed. Tony hadn't exactly tried to help. He needed to at least try to move his surroundings but after several failed attempts the genius gave up. That's when Steve decided to take matters into his own hands. Sure he couldn't leave but his situation was different so he thought he could attract attention if he tried, since he was still technically alive. Still, deep down Steve's main reason for being angry was that Tony kept saying he was dead. It hurt more and more each time he said it. It seemed like he didn't care.
Tony had walked up behind Steve, leaned forward til his mouth was near Steve's ear just so he could be heard.
“I'm sorry, I didn't know being DEAD wasbothering you!” Steve spun around so that his face was inches from Tony’s.
“Look just because you gave up-”
“You act like I've only recently tried to move things. I've been here for years, remember? You'd be surprised at how much I've tried. I'm sorry that I'm not getting you results as quickly as you want, but I don't exactly understand how all of this works, Captain. ” Tony raised an eyebrow as venom oozed from his voice.
Steve stared Tony in the eye, his temper softening. He opened his mouth to speak but Tony wasn't done being pissed.
“Look I get it. This is all my fault. If I hadn't tried to show off and be a hero, I wouldn't have died, I wouldn't be stuck here, you wouldn't have come in here, and you would have never been possessed or whatever. None of this would have happened if I had just realized that I was not invincible.” Tony's rage faltered the more he talked. His eyes dropped to the floor and his face wore a somber expression.
Steve's eyes burned with tears that he refused to let fall. He felt awful for not realizing that Tony had spent most of his time trying to figure all of this out. He should have known. Tony can't just sit around, he felt the need to find answers, so of course he had tried everything he could think of. Steve's head hurt at the thought that, after five years, Tony made no progress. It must have destroyed Tony deep down when he couldn't figure it all out, and here was Steve giving him a hard time for not fixing everything in one day. Behind his calm outer shell, Tony was most likely going insane.
“Tony, I didn't mean it like that. I just-” Steve let Tony interrupt.
“It doesn't matter. Whatever we did to make that box explode yesterday isn't working now. No matter what I do, I'll never figure it out so welcome to your own personal Hell. You're stuck with me…”
“Tony, being around you isn't hell. I-”
“Don't bullshit me, Rogers.”
“Tony-”
“Why don't you stay on your side of the room and I'll stay on mine. That way you won't have to be anywhere near me.”
“Tony, would you just shut up and listen!” Steve yelled as he grabbed Tony's arms and shook the genius.
“The reason I avoided this room for so long was because I was scared. In the past I let my emotions get the best of me and I really liked having you around, and then you were gone and I couldn't handle the pain of coming in here without you being here. If I had known that you were stuck here, I would have shown up sooner. I swear I wasn't avoiding this room because I hated you. I did it because I knew once I set foot in here the weight of losing someone I loved would crush me…”
Tony stood there, shocked by Steve's words. His hands slowly reached up and grabbed Steve's wrists. With a shaky breath he removed Steve's hands from his shoulders.
“Someone you loved?” Tony whispered.
Steve snorted. “Of course you caught that.”
“It doesn't matter though. I'm dead. If we figure this out you can't exactly date a dead guy.” Tony shrugged his shoulders.
“Please stop reminding me that you're gone.” Steve looked at the floor and scratched the back of his neck.
“Sorry. But, that means you liked me? Like for real?” Tony continued to pry.
Steve laughed a quiet laugh. “Technically, I still do. You're hard to let go, Tony.”
Instantly, the windows flew open, letting the sun light up the room. Tony ran over to one of the windows and took a deep breath in as he soaked up some of the bright sunlight.
“Tony how did you do that?” Steve asked, eyes wide.
“I don't know. Let's see, the last time something like that happened was when you touched me. Obviously that's not what happened this time, so what about this moment is the same as last time?” Tony was talking to himself more than Steve.
After mumbling words Steve couldn't hear, Tony looked up at the super soldier and smiled. Steve felt his heart jump at the sight.
“You… you're the common variable. Sure you've done different things each time, but the only time something actually happens is because you do something. It sounds stupid and I don't know why that would make sense, but for whatever reason you seem to be the thing that causes me to affect our surroundings.” Tony shrugged his shoulders.
Steve looked down at the floor, deep in thought, before he marched towards Tony and grabbed his hand. Tony’s eyes shot down to look at their hands intertwined together. His mind went blank except for the sudden realization that their hands seem to fit perfectly together. It felt right to Tony and he felt his face grow warm because of it.
“Ready to test your hypothesis?” Steve asked with a smile.
Before Tony could answer, Steve was pulling Tony towards the door, gradually picking up speed the closer we got. Tony realized Steve was going to try to run through the door.
“Steve! Wait! Slow down please. We can test this other ways. Steve!” Tony yelled, only to be ignored.
“Steve it was just a suggestion. No need to become irrational on me. I'm the irrational one! Not you! Steve!” Tony started smacking Steve's shoulder. He didn't care that he probably looked stupid. The burning sensation that door caused was bad enough to let Tony show he was scared.
Tony closed his eyes once they were inches from the door. He waited for the sudden impact that has burned him so many times before only it never came. Slowly, one brown eye opened and saw nothing but hallway. His breath became caught in his throat as they looked around.
“Steve… i-it worked!” Tony let go of Steve's hand and jumped in a circle for joy.
“And yet you doubted me.” Steve grinned down at Tony. “When will you learn that I know what I'm doing… sort of.”
Tony laughed. He realized he missed laughing. Especially when Steve caused it, but the realization quickly left his mind as slowly the laugh became a cough. Then Tony was choking. He fell on his hands and knees as he continued to struggle for air. Steve fell down to his side, fear rising as Tony clawed at his throat. Tears started falling from the billionaire’s eyes. Steve had never seen Tony this scared before and it caused him panic.
“Tony!” Steve felt tears sting his eyes once Tony started coughing up blood.
“Tony I don't know what to do!” Steve panicked as he grabbed Tony's face. Their eyes met and Tony was able to swallow a deep breath in. The feeling burned his throat slightly, but he ignored it as he took long breaths in before speaking.
“Don't let go of me… please.” Steve rested his forehead on Tony’s as he continued to breathe loudly.
“I don't understand. What happened?” Steve whispered as he shook slightly.
“I think it's because I let go of your hand… I'm not sure if it's my heart racing that causes everything or what, but for some reason I can't do anything without you.” Tony mumbled under his breath. He cursed under his breath. That would have sounded like a romantic compliment in any other situation.
“But why was there blood? I didn't think you could still bleed or have a heartbeat for that matter. I mean you don't need those to survive so why does that stuff still affect you?” Steve’s mind was running wild with questions.
“I don't know. Eternal suffering or something. I can't die but I can definitely suffer…” Tony shrugged his shoulders.
“... I'm sorry Tony.” Steve felt his throat tighten. He hated the idea that Tony had to spend possibly eternity like this. He hated that Tony seemed so calm about it as well.
“Don't be. Come on, let's go find your body.” Tony changed the subject before to many feelings were shared. He might be the good side of himself but he still acted the same way when he was alive. He chest hurt at the thought. It was a little unfair that his good side was the side people saw the most and saw as the bad guy, when the real bad guy had never shown his face.
The two got up off the floor and started walking, arms intertwined. Tony put most of his weight onto Steve. He hated to admit it but the sudden scare had taken a lot of his energy. At least Steve didn't seem to mind.
“Hey.” Steve's voice shook Tony out of his thoughts. “I promise I won't let go of you.”
Tony could help but smile at Steve.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
“Hey Cap, you okay? You seem off.” Natasha asked the physically present Steve.
“Never better, Nat.”
Steve's voice sounded like another was trying to take over. Like something else was in his skin with him. The team instantly notice something was off with the Captain. The way he walked seemed different. The words he used. Even the facial expressions he made seemed more like he was an actor pretending to be Steve. Each day someone on the team would ask if he was okay, waiting to see if he'd say something that would show them he wasn't, but they got the same answer each time.
“Never better.”
It was getting to the point where they felt like this was the new Steve and they'd have to get use to it. That is until they heard a voice.
“Help us..”
“Please tell me I'm not the only one who heard that.” Clint sat up straighter on the couch. His mind told him it sounded like the deceased genius. He shook his head at the thought. There was no way that was true.
Everyone but Steve was together watching TV. They had no idea where Steve was.
“It sounded like… no it couldn't be.” Bruce shot down his thought before he could say it. Clint felt less crazy once he realized Bruce thought the same thing.
“Please..”
“That's not possible..” Natasha whispered as she looked around the room. To her that voice sounded oddly like the Captain.
The room had become cold. It was like a layer of ice covered the place. It was cold enough the windows started to freeze. Everyone's eyes went wide when an invisible hand wrote on the window.
‘Avengers Assemble.’
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
“Really? That's what you write?” Tony shook his head at Steve.
“What? Now they know it's me.” Steve shrugged his shoulders.
“You as well write ‘Hi I'm Steve Rogers’ because that's basically what you did.” Tony said flatly.
“Well what would you have written?” Steve raised an eyebrow at the shorter man.
Tony grinned as he stepped forward.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Clint shook his head at the window. “You've got to be kidding me.”
“Tony?” Bruce mumbled at the window.
“Quick call the Ghostbusters. We don't need Stark haunting us.” Natasha smirked, knowing that even though they couldn't see him, Tony was fake pouting.
“Well now what do we do?” Thor asked from behind everyone.
“We help them.” Clint shrugged his shoulders.
They all glanced at the window one last time before they turned to find imposter Steve. Bruce couldn't help but chuckle at Tony’s message.
‘You know who I am.’