Regarding a certain announcement at Comic Con

[like_a_gerbil]

Yeah, I want to see him again, but that doesn't mean...

This isn't how I wanted it to happen.  I didn't want him to go through that.  I'd hoped they'd find a better way.

And we know what it might lead to...I'm not afraid of what happens to me later in the comic canon, but...

I thought we'd have more time before it we got to that point.

Comments

Mun and Muse alike...

[legacyofiron]

[like_a_gerbil]

It's not going to happen to us. There's enough different realities for ours to avoid it.

[legacyofiron]

Uh huh. But it doesn't stop mental issues from occurring.

[like_a_gerbil]

We knew about it for years. The issues are already there, Tony.

I just - My mundane's taking this worse than I am.

[legacyofiron]

Point. Yes. But bringing it to reality in our reality is... well.. sobering.

I can't say I blame her. I get to be an ass slash villian. It's exciting. You should try in. [Rolls his eyes.]

[like_a_gerbil]

How things are going you won't be the villain. We'll barely know each other. It'd make more sense for Bucky to do be the reason somehow.

[And that thought is almost as horrifying as what Tony'll go through.]

I'm not much better in those stories, Tony. We both were stupid and bull headed. But you shouldn't have gone through all that or what they did to you afterward.

[legacyofiron]

Maybe. It is shoddy storytelling without a doubt. But that's Hollywood for ou.

[Tips his head and watches him. Quite honestly, he doesn't want to think about it.]

Come here?

[like_a_gerbil]

[Moving closer, he ducks his head, rubbing the back of his neck as he avoids looking at Tony. He might not have told the complete truth when he said he wasn't afraid. He's not...not for himself, but for everyone that would be left behind.

And his mundane who is turning into a ball of angst.] Yeah?

[legacyofiron]

[Reaching up, he slips his fingers into Steve's hair and tugs him closer. After a moment, he wraps his arms about his neck and presses into him.]

You've always got me. And we both know I can be a real idiot... so... long as you know that, we can play the prevention game, right?

[like_a_gerbil]

[Sighing quietly, Steve lets him pull him closer, arms wrapping around his waist and slowly begins to relax.] Yeah, we can. I won't let any of that happen to you, Tony. You're not...You're not a villain. And I don't plan on leaving you behind.

[legacyofiron]

Well... proven fact you keep me human. So it'll work out. [He hugs him tighter, not quite willing to let him go. In fact, he buries his face in Steve's neck clutching tighter to him.] So... don't worry. It'll work out. [Not like he's great at the reassuring thing. But he's sure of Steve and that totally counts.]

[like_a_gerbil]

[Brushing his fingers through Tony's hair, he chuckles quietly.] You're human even without me. Unless it's in one of those weird verses we've got going.

I think it's my mundane that needs to be reassured right now. She's...she'd kind of mad at the fandom right now.

[legacyofiron]

Well... nuance. [Laughing a little, he purrs and leans into the touch in his hair softly.] And you always make me more human. You just don't know it.

And seriously? We're the abused parties here. I think we are the ones that need the spoiling.[

[like_a_gerbil]

Might quit working if I know about it. [He can't quite stop himself from holding Tony tighter, though he's still careful not to go too far and accidentally hurt him.]

Yeah, but no one thinks we're the abused parties. Everyone's sure they won't go there but we both know what's gotta happen to me. At least if it happens sooner instead of later, it won't hurt you.

[legacyofiron]

Well then. I just won't detail the how then. [Pressing in closer, he kisses softly at Steve's neck, one hand softly tangling into the blonde hair.]

Don't say that. Just... [It was his turn to hug tighter. And he didn't hold back.] It's going to hurt me. And if it doesn't, they should just go right ahead and delete the brain cause it's useless info anyway without that important factor.

[like_a_gerbil]

[Relaxing at the kiss, he tries to let it go, but he's too worried about everyone to completely accept this as good news.]

Tony, that's not true. That version of you won't know about this. He'll have Pepper. I won't be anyone important to him. A teammate. An acceptable loss. [He knows that for his Tony that'd never be true but he can hope that other one would see it that way so it wouldn't hurt as much.]

And you'd never be useless even without me. You're a genius. The world needs you. [He gently rubs Tony's scalp, trying to reassure him that it'd be all right.]

And remember, I help bring him back after that. If he hadn't run away...

[legacyofiron]

[Fisting a hand in Steve's shirt, he furrows his brow and tries his best not to let any of the feelings bleed through.]

Stop it. You don't know where they're going to go with that. And you will never in any verse be an acceptable loss. Never. Don't you even dare say that. I won't accept it. And any version of me that does? Deserves the hell of repercussions. [And he means that utterly and completely because that way of thinking was unacceptable.]

Steve...

[like_a_gerbil]

[If Tony hadn't said his name like that, Steve would have reminded him that there might be a time that the loss would be acceptable and Steve would have to make that choice again. But not when he seemed so hurt by all this.] Tony...

I'm not planning on leaving you. We'll make sure it doesn't happen to us. I love you too much to let it go that far.

[legacyofiron]

[He hates that he needs that much reassurance. But it's true. He can't even begin to imagine a world without Steve in it. It shouldn't exist. In any verse. And he didn't give a damn about what was right or wrong if it came to that choice, he'd pick Steve over himself and he knows it.]

It better not. I refuse to let it happen. Just... [Sighing in exasperation, he leans back and kisses him on the underside of his jaw.] I love you. Got that?

[wwii]

Yeah, well, that's the thing about time. Always less than you think there's gonna be. [ or way, way more. ]

[like_a_gerbil]

I'm glad you're going to come back. [Why is this awkward? Things aren't supposed to be awkward with Bucky.]</i I just... I'm not even going to be used to being alive before this and... I thought we'd all get to heal before we all get torn apart.

[wwii]

Not much mercy in movie makers these days, I guess. Hard to believe these are the same people who made Snow White.

[like_a_gerbil]

I don't think they're the same ones, Buck.

[He manages a smile and then shrugs.] Guess they want to get us out there as soon as possible.

At least you'll get to come back home.

[wwii]

Yeah, we'll see. [ not exactly the welcome he'd been working on for himself, and he's not sure how much of a home is left to him. a lot's changed. but you go ahead and hope, steve, it's what you're best at. ]

[allneonlike]

I hope things go the way you want to.

[like_a_gerbil]

Thank you. I hope it does too. For all my friends' sakes.

[allneonlike]

Your friends...?

[like_a_gerbil]

Some horrible things are going to happen to my best friend. And, if my mundane's right, the new friends I've made since I woke up.

[definingfuture]

If it makes you feel any better, as things stand, the sides won't fall the same way.

[like_a_gerbil]

Not sure if that makes things better or not. I just - [Letting out a sigh, he tries to untangle his thoughts but so much happened in that reality.] - I know that I probably have to die, but I don't want my friends to be hurt like they were in that world. I don't want you or a version of you to be the villain. You don't deserve that. None of you do.

[definingfuture]

[Upsetting Steve is not what he's going for here. Okay. Okay, just take it calmly.]

You don't have to. You shouldn't have to, because it can be different. It can all be different.

You know better than anyone what I deserve. But maybe he doesn't, and the way things go could be different for him. So there's always that. I'm always in favor of the better ending.