I Dreamt We Had a Kid

Chapter 20

They head back to earth, everyone besides Tony and Steve completely hammered. Bruce has decided to stay and help Thor rebuild the people of Asgard for a while longer, he says he will return in a few days.

Even though it has been a few months since the first time Steve dragged Tony to bed, Steve still sits with him. Tonight though, he seems on edge. Something is bothering him, Tony is sure of it. He doesn't know if should pry, but he does it anyway.

"Are you ok, Steve?" He asks while he climbs into the bed.

"Fine," his tone tells Tony he does not wish to discuss this.

"I know that's not true."

Steve holds his face in his hand for a few moments. "If the people who disintegrated really are reliving old memories." He sighs, "I am concerned about Bucky."

Tony understands, Steve hopes Bucky isn't reliving what he did in hydra.

"I'm sure he is living a happy memory, not one of him working for Hydra," Tony says, trying to sound reassuring.

Steve looks puzzled at what Tony said for a moment. His eyebrows raise and his gaze goes down.

"That is what you are worried he is remembering, right?" Tony asks cautiously.

Steve looks to his left, "Yes." He says with finality.

"I don't believe you."

Steve looks flustered again, "You don't think I'm worried about him reliving killing hundreds of people?"

Deflection.

"Of course I do Steve but-"

"There is no but, Tony." He stands from his chair and grabs his sketchbook. Tony can see briefly see he was looking at the July 4th picture.

"I think you can handle yourself now," He says, opening and closing the door.

The room feels empty when he leaves. Tony would never admit he enjoyed not being alone. He lay awake for hours, unable to fall asleep. He was thinking about why Steve wouldn't answer a simple question. Maybe he was worrying that Bucky was remembering something else about his past. Something about the 40's.

No, Steve would want Bucky to remember everything from their time as kids so he would be the Bucky Steve remembered. What could have happened in their past Steve didn't want Bucky to remember?

Tony was still confused and unable to sleep. He gave up at 3 am and decided to go down to his lab. When he walked by the living room, he heard a voice. Curious, he pressed his ear gently against the wall.

"It's not that I don't want you to remember," Steve's voice came through the wall.

"I want you to remember everything, but I don't want, well I just-" He sounded desperate and sad. His voice was wavering. Tony peeked around the corner to see Steve holding something in his hands, Bucky's necklace, he presumed.

"I don't want you to hate me," Tony heard a feeble cry from him and decided this was far too personal a conversation for him to be listening in on.

Tony made his way to the lab, unsure of what he was going to do now that Vision was back to normal. He looked around and it came to him. He was going to make Steve a better suit.