Screws fall out all the time. The world is an imperfect place.
He sat on the edge of his bed looking at the mirror. His face was stoic as he looked down at the tux laying beside him. A knock at his door went unnoticed until it opened slightly.
“Hey, Capcicle, it’s time.” Tony gave him a sad look when he saw his friend slowly get up.
“5 minutes Tony, I’ll be right out.” Ironman gave him a little nod and closed the door.
Steve looked back at the mirror. He closed his eyes and the anger inside built until his hand made contact with it. He opened his eyes slightly, seeing the blood run down. He shook his head and threw a towel on it. After a couple of minutes, he stepped out of the room. Natasha was sitting on the couch, her mind lost in thought and her eyes puffy. Bruce was next to her, trying to get a word out of the russian. Bucky was angrily trying to tie his tie. Steve walked over to him and took the tie in his hands.
Bucky ran his hands through his hair and mumbled quietly. “She use to tie it for me…”
Steve nodded and straightened it out. He put a hand on his friend's shoulder. “We should get going.” He looked around the room as they slowly got up. Bucky and Steve waited until everyone else was in the elevator when they joined. The ride down was silent as Tony watched Steve stare at the wall intensely. He put a reassuring hand on his shoulder that made Steve jump slightly. He looked at Tony, a ghost smile on his lips.
The ride to the cemetery was a blur to Natasha, Steve, and Bucky as the trees passing blended into one color. Natasha held the smallest piece nesting doll and she tried her hardest to hide the tears begging oto be let free. She put her head on Bruce's shoulder as they neared the gate. Bucky kept his metal arm in f a fist as he looked out the window. Steve stared blankly at the seat in front of him thinking of her last words.
They exited the car provided by Tony and silently walked the small trail. Steve’s gaze would drift to the tombstones as he held back his anger and sadness. Bucky walked beside his friend, lost in a daze. Sharon sobbed quietly into Sam’s shoulder as he held her and looked up at the sky.
They reached the small grave, freshly dug. They saw the name shimmer ‘(y/n) Romanov’.
The ceremony was dull as the group stood in a circle staring at her name. After they finished, Tony patted the tombstone lightly and walked back to the car.
Sharon and Sam walked up. “I’m so sorry, (y/n).”
Sam nodded. “You were good, (y/n). Hydra can’t change that.” They both paid their respects and followed Tony.
Bruce waited as Natasha kneed down and placed a flower. “This is my fault, I should have known you would do something stupid. Jesus (y/n). I-I thought you were dead for years and then I finally get you back and-and...I love you, mladshaya sestra.” She stood up and wiped a tear from her eye. She turned to meet Bruce, but stopped. She slowly turned around and placed the little nesting doll on top of the stone. Bruce put his arm around her and slowly walked her back to the car. She came undone as she desperately clung to him and cried.
Bucky was next. He slowly walked up and placed a hand on the stone. “(y/n)...damn the things we’ve been through, huh? Remember the first time we met? They were wiping me and they brought you in, you were all beat to shit, had just come from Germany. I thought you were going to die, especially when they strapped you in and turned it on. I remember your screams, they mingled with mine. After a while they gave up and threw us in our rooms. I was whimpering ‘like a baby’ as you like to say, and you came in, you didn’t even know me, but you came in and you...hugged me. It was the first time someone had shown me any kind of compassion in about 65 years. I knew from that moment I would spend my life by your side, kicking ass.” He paused and ran his hands through his hair. “You were my best friend, well one of them. I’ll miss you, hot head.” He got up and began to walk back to the car, patting Steve on the back.
He just stared at the white writing on the black stone.
“(y/n)...this isn’t how this was supposed to end. I was suppose to get the girl, don’t hero’s always get the girl?” He chuckled, a tear strolling down his cheek. “Peggy told me that I shouldn’t make the same mistake, but I guess history is destined to repeat itself. You know, there was something about you that caught my eye. You have a very-fiery-personality that just makes people gravitate toward you. I wasn’t lying when I said I fell for you. I love that you tried so hard to get me to blush and cuss, that you found so much interest in me. I love the banter you would exchange with Sharon and the jokes you had with Sam. I love that I only knew you few days, but it felt like a lifetime. When I came out of the ice I thought I would never love again. I closed that part of myself off thinking that it was the only way to get through. I focused all of my energy on being Captain America. You brought Steve back. I was wrong to close myself off to that, but it hurts (y/n), it’s almost unbearable to know I lost you, but it’s worse knowing I never had you. I loved you, I still love you.” He took a moment to sniffle and wipe his eyes. He looked down and after a minute he turned around. He began to walk away, but just like Natasha he stopped. He turned around and faced the tombstone. His voice came out desperate. “(y/n), you control fire, there has to be a way you-just-be alive. I need you! Can you not see that! Please!” He waited for something, anything. After two minutes of silence he sighed and returned to the car.
As they drove back to the tower, Steve watched the cemetery disappear from view. “Goodbye.”
After an erie drive back, they climbed the steps to their rooms. Natasha said nothing to anyone and Bruce, Sharon, Sam, and Tony quietly retreated into separate areas.
Steve slumped onto the couch. He barely noticed Bucky put something into the DVD player. He felt the cool metal touch his right arm and he turned his head to his friend. His eyes were rimmed red as he turned on the TV.
“Buck-”
“She loved this show.”
They both turned their attention to the screen as a young boy appeared. They watched as the title screen read Merlin and the adventure began. They sat for hours enjoying the friendship that blossomed between the future king and the sorcerer. Neither one of them said anything when the other sniffed or rubbed his eye.
Night stole away the sun and they were still sitting on the couch watching. They had stayed quiet for hours, a silent agreement between them. Steve twas lost in thought as he remembered the kiss he shared with (y/n) before she had hit him with a pole. It was real, loving, soft. He leaned his head and closed his eyes trying to remember the warmth. Bucky sighed and a bit of his bangs came forward. He smiled when he remembered the times (y/n) had braided it. The smile quickly diminished and he sat looking at the TV blankly.
“I miss her, Steve.”
The silence made Bucky look to Steve. He noticed that his friends face was the same one he had seen while he fell off the train. "Me too, Buck."