Not Without You: Book 1 (Canon-Divergence Stucky Fix-it-Fic)

Nineteen

One step closer to happily ever after. Well, until he heard Scott ask, "That wasn't supposed to happen, was it?"

What made it worse was when Tony replied, "Oh, we blew it."

Steve definitely didn't like hearing that at all. Quickly, he nearly begged, "Tony, what's going on? Tell me you found the cube."

Only, he didn't get a reply. Instead, he turned the corner to find his younger, naïve self. Groaning, he complained under his breath, "Oh, you gotta be shitting me."

Talking into his own communication ear piece, 2012 Steve claimed, "I have eyes on Loki. Fourteenth floor."

"I'm not Loki," Steve corrected, cautiously setting the scepter's case down, "And I don't wanna hurt you."

Instead of answering, 2012 charged with his shield lifted to decapacitate Steve. Luckily, Steve had brought his own shield up to block the blow. Knowing most of 2012's moves and fighting style, Steve had the upper hand. Blocking shield blows with his own shield and dodging out of the way of an impressively high kick.

However, it seemed that not much of Steve's fighting style had changed over the years as he went to kick the younger version of himself, only to have 2012 block and kick him first. Effectively knocking him, not only on his ass, but a good 12 feet from where he had been standing. Even causing him to slide further back.

"I can do this all day," 2012 said.

And yeah, maybe that was annoying to hear during a fight. Or perhaps it was the whole situation because, exasperated, Steve pushed himself up and deadpanned, "Yeah, I know. I know."

Deciding enough was enough, Steve threw his shield at his younger self. Unfortunately, 2012 had a similar idea, causing the shields to bounce off each other with a loud clang. With the shields falling off the glass bridge, both star-spangled men charged at each other. Blocking and dodging punches.

When 2012 managed to land a hit along his cheek, Steve grabbed his arm, pulled him over his back and flipped him to the ground. Not that the man stayed down. Got no god damn sense, Bucky used to say and damn it if he wasn't right.

Both men grabbing each other in a lock, Steve managed to knee 2012 in his side. Going to repeat the blow, however, 2012 moved out of the way and Steve's foot knocked the case through the glass barrier of the bridge. It wasn't the first time that Steve had wondered why these glass and steel bridges were made, but he resented Tony's modern architectural flare even more in that moment.

Trying to knock 2012's feet out from under him, Steve miscalculated and the pair slipped in the broken glass. Slipping over the side of the bridge and falling. Dropping quickly through glass balcony floors. Tumbling and bouncing harshly down sets of stairs. And slipping in between the spiral staircases until landing roughly on solid ground.

Although Steve had more of a difficult time standing than the younger him, when he found 2012 holding his compass in his hand, he felt as though his knees were going to give out beneath him. He hadn't carried Peggy's picture as a cover for years, but back in 2012, he still was. Unsure of how people felt about men like him, he hadn't removed it until the following year after he witnessed his first Pride parade.

2012 was gazing at the compass, but Steve couldn't read his expression. Not with that stupid helmet on. But when his voice nearly broke, Steve knew that he was fearful and he was angry, "Where did you get this?"

Instead of answering, Steve made a fast grab for the scepter that laid out of the case on the ground. Not that it did anything as 2012 stepped on it and put Steve in a chokehold. Throwing them to the ground, 2012 had the upper hand, but that didn't stop Steve from rolling, trying to shake his younger self off.