My Playlist

It was raining.

Of course it was raining. What decent funeral would be complete without a chilly down pour to soak the mourner. The crowd was small, the service being kept private.

The only sound was the patter of rain on umbrellas and the occasional cry of sorrow from the mourners. The solemn atmosphere was shattered as the sound of rock and roll blaring obnoxiously from above had everyone tilting their heads up to pear into the gloomy sky.

The Ironman suit was impossible to miss as it zigged and zagged clumsily through the air. The music coming from it. Tony landed with a thump and it opened, Tony stumbling out. He was a mess. Dark circles under his eyes, dress shirt unbuttoned and stained with oil, wrinkled slacks and bare feet.

He didn't look at anyone. Simply turned back towards the suit for the bag held in the right gauntlet and pulled out a half empty bottle of scotch. It took him a couple of tries to get the bottle open.

"Tony?..."

Tony whirled around mid swig to face Natasha who was approaching him cautiously.

"Natty-cakes! Want some scotch? it's really good. I brought enough for everybody!" He grabs the bag and it clinks as the bottles inside shift.

Natasha frowned. "Tony I don't think this is the time for that." She took another step closer.

"I respectfully..." Tony swayed for a moment before regaining his balance. "... Disagree. There is always time for scotch!" Tony takes another generous swig from the bottle.

"Stark you need to leave." Barton stepped up beside Natasha a furious expression on his face.

"Fuck you Katniss! Your only allowed in this country because I cleared you fucking name. You and and the rest of your band of traitors!"

"Tony... What would he say if he could see you acting this way?" Natasha's tone was soft but stern.

"He can't say anything anymore!" Tony chucked the mostly empty bottle at her but missed by a good three feed. The bottle hitting the damp grass behind her and rolling to a stop against the freshly turned earth of the grave.

~Steve Rogers, Born 1920 - Died 2018~

(Flashback)

Tony was watching Steve and the others of team Cap on a mission to stop a band of terrorists. He was watching via a hijacked spy satellite. He was still mad at them especially Steve but he wanted to make sure they didn't get in over their heads.

"Damn it Cap... And you call me reckless..." Tony hadn't been sleeping well since all of this began. He spent most of his nights stalking back and forth in his workshop clutching at the crappy flip phone Steve had scent him and telling himself he didn't need a drink. He'd bee doing so well. Of course he'd only stopped drinking for Steve and now Steve wasn't here. The ungrateful prick! 

Tony glanced towards the filing cabinet where he had a bottle of vodka hidden in case of emergencies. 

"Sir Captian Rogers is down." FRIDAYS voice pulls Tony from his grumblings and his eyes snap back towards the screen. Steve was in Barnes arms and there was blood everywhere.

"What happened!? FRIDAY Rewind the footage now!"

The footage rewinds and Tony watches as an enemy, a dark haired woman, disguised as a civilian came up behind Barnes to shoot him in the back but Steve jumped in the way and took the bullet. Tony watched in horror as the side of the blondes face was torn away and he fell back into Barnes. A moment later Natasha was there taking the woman down hard.

Tony's knee's went weak and he had to grab onto the work table to keep from hitting the floor. "No... FRIDAY Live footage" His voice was a choked whisper but the AI heard and brought up the live feed. Barnes was carrying a limp Steve to the team truck. His movements were slow, there was no haste to his steps. Sam is at his side a hand on the Winter Soldiers back.

"Steve." The name came out as a sob and Tony could feel wetness on his face. He brought a shaky hand to his cheek and it came away wet with tears.

(Present)

"Thats it Stark." Clint growled moving forward but a hand on his arm stopped him, before he could turn to see who it was Bucky walked passed him and approached Tony.

Tony bristled instantly. "What the fuck do you want Barnes!" He spat viciously.

Bucky stopped a couple of feet in front of him and reached into his pocket with his flesh hand. Tony flinched back not sure what to expect when Bucky pulled something out and held out his hand for Tony.

Tony stared at him then looked down at the metal chain in his hand and a cry of pure pain is torn from his throat. Resting so innocently in Bucky's palm were Steve's dog tags.

Tony's legs gave out but before he could hit the ground Barnes was there holding him. The same way he'd held Steve as the blonde died.

"Don't touch me!" Tony cries the rain instantly washing away his tears as he struggled weakly to push Bucky away. "It's all your fault! This is all your fault!"

"I know."

Tony froze. Bucky's voice was so hollow and flat. Brown eyes met blue and he could see his own pain reflected back at him. He whimpered and buried his face in Bucky's chest, shoulders wracked with sobs as Bucky hugged him close.

Tony hated the helpless feeling that washed over him. Steve was gone and there was nothing he could do about it.

"Thank you." Bucky's voice was a hoarse rumble, his cheek resting against the top of Tony's head as he holds the genius. "For helping us to... To get Steve back here so we could bury him proper... I know he'd have really appreciated it."

Tony grunts softly and Bucky's hand shifts enough to loop the chain to Steves dog tags over Tony's head.

"Stevie wanted you to have these... Kept talking about how his guy was gonna wear his tags as soon as he was let out of the dog house... He talked about you a lot."

Tony moved to curl his fingers around the tags. His eyelids drooped. He was so tired, and there was something about the sound of Bucky's voice that he found soothing, the feel of strong arms wrapped around him making him feel safe for the first time in many months.

"Thank you... For taking care of him when I couldn't... You made him happy and for that I will always be grateful to you."

"Barnes." Tonys voice was small and frail. "I can't do it without him."

"You can... I know you can cause your strong. It's what Steve loved most about you."

Tony huffed out a broken laugh. "Steve always thought I was a better man then I am." He could feel Buckys lips curve into a soft smile against his hair.

"I know what you mean. The Punk... He'd give you that dissapionted look when ya messed up and make you feel like you just kicked his puppy."

Tony finally felt a bit of warmth bloom in his chest. For the first time in days he could picture Steve clearly withou any blood or bullet wounds. Just standing there scowling at the two of them for sitting in the rain and lecturing them on how they'd catch their death.

"I... I need to say goodbye." Tony mumbles and Bucky nods helping Tony up and over to the grav, their steps are slow. The others backed away giving the two some privacy. Neither of them said anything. Just staring at the grave. Tony rested his hand on the headstone.

"Goodbye Steve..." Tony let his hand fall back to his side. "Come on Barnes." He turned to start walking back towards the Ironman suit.

"Where we going?" Bucky fell into step beside Tony with no hesitation.

"Home."