Like no one does

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Steve's POV somewhere over the Atlantic ocean

Already on his way back to New York after hearing the news about Vienna Steve's mind had been racing with what to do when Bucky called. "Steve, it's me. You need to get here fast, but first we need to talk."

The conversation that followed hadn't been what Steve was expecting at all. Even more so was the feeling of his jealousy doubling when he learned that not only was his best friend in love with Ronnie, but Loki was back and trying to make a play for her as well. It had been hard enough that he could see how close Ronnie and his best friend had become in such a short amount of time. Much closer than they'd been when he first met Ronnie and on top of that there was the attraction to each other that even Tony had commented on it to him. If her own brother saw it then he knew it wasn't just in his head.

Pushing aside Bucky's confession for a moment, which being honest with himself he'd seen coming, Steve needed to think about how he would deal with the Loki situation on top of Bucky's. He also needed to think of what he was going to say to Ronnie when he saw her later today. If he could, he would try to fix what he broke between them. Steve refused to believe that he'd lost Ronnie for good and would do anything to get her to forgive him even if it was to just be her friend.

Setting the coordinates for the Tower into the navigation system he left Sam to the controls while he went to change out of his suit. He just needed a moment to process everything Bucky had told him. Grabbing his bag he took it into the small bathroom taking out much more comfortable clothes than the suit he'd worn to Peg's funeral. Slipping off his jacket he carefully folded it and set it on the edge of the sink. Hands gripping the edge hard enough that his knuckles shown white he let out a harsh sigh as he stared at his reflection.

Buck had kissed Ronnie after the press conference. He said it was something that had just happened and Steve could believe it. There had been many times since he'd finally admitted his own feelings to himself for her that he'd had the impulse to kiss her. So he'd let that go.

When they got to Tony's cabin they'd found that Thor and Loki were there hiding out until Fury could deal with Ross and the whole Accords debacle. Ronnie had gotten into a tense verbal sparring match with Loki when she saw him. He'd said she'd implied that her and Bucky were together to get the god to back off, but Loki had seen through the lie. Bucky had gotten jealous of the troublesome god of Mischief and that led to him confessing his true feelings for her when he and Ronnie had gotten into a fight.

What had surprised Steve the most had been Bucky's description of Ronnie and Loki's exchange. It sounded like what it had been like four years ago when the god had hit on her while he was being restrained by his brother before being taken back to Asgard. There hadn't been feelings involved for Steve back then, but there was now and Loki would be here to pursue her which was made easier by them staying together for the foreseeable future. If you'd asked him three weeks ago if she'd ever think twice about the Asgardian he would have said you were crazy, but apparently he'd been wrong.

How had things snowballed so quickly?

He'd been so close to having everything he'd ever wanted only to have it literally slip through his fingers at the last second. If he and Ronnie hadn't fallen out they'd be together right now and Loki never would have been an option for her. She was a very committed person to whoever she was dating no matter how short the relationship. When she loved you it was only you in her eyes, but he'd ruined it and now she had other options.

Fuck.

Coming out dressed in jeans and a white t-shirt he sat down next to Sam who gave him a look that said he was holding himself back from whatever it was that he wanted to say. Steve knew the other man was bursting at the seams to share his opinion. That he'd only held his tongue this long because of the Accord's situation and then Peggy's funeral. Sighing he waved his friend on. "Just get it out Sam. I know you have something to say."