dear_mun | I can't fix the drops, Tony.

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I can't fix the drops, Tony.

Good. Great. I'm glad you're finally getting on the ball with things. I know, there's that other me you have to worry about. Well, as much as I love me--and we both know I love me--he's kind of getting in the way.

So how about we pay more attention to this me? We're losing ground here. People, we're losing people.

Don't try to tell me it's not your fault, because if you'd let me fix it, this wouldn't be happening.

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I hope you find your people, mister.

Yeah, me too.

Though I don't really have to find them. They just have to come back.

Where did they go?

Good question. Home, if I can believe that.

Oh.

I don't want my friends to go home.

They're happier there. At least that's what I hear.

I bet they miss you, though.

You think so, huh? Well, everyone misses me, so you're probably right.

Uh huh.

Hey, I like your beard, mister.

What happened, Tony?

Nothing. [Lies.]

What's the point of being a hero if you can't watch out for your friends?

[Sighing quietly, he tries to think of an answer when he's never found one that ever made it any easier for him.]

We do it because it's right. Because we can protect the people who can't protect themselves.

[Shaking his head, he gives Tony a weak smile that doesn't quite reach his eyes, remembering that last mission with Bucky.]

But knowing that doesn't make it any better when something happens to someone we care about.

But what if we can't?

This is stupid. I'm an inventor. A genius, in case anyone forgot that. There's no reason why I can't find a way to fix everything.

[He's sulking, because drops from games should totally be fixable, right? He's that awesome.]

That's part of it, too. No matter how much we hate it and how wrong it might seem. We can't save everyone.

[It's a lesson Steve still hasn't learned but that didn't make it any less true. And, hopefully Tony could learn it though he doubts Tony will.]

Some things can't be fixed, Tony. You can't fix everything no matter how much you want to.

But we should. We should be able to save the people that are important to us, or else why even bother?

[Tony? Learn a lesson? That's aiming pretty high, Steve.]

Everything has a solution. We just haven't found it yet.

We should. But we can't. Not yet at least.

[Steve has faith in people...or at least hope that a friend won't have to go through that. Even if that lesson is impossible to learn.]

I guess it depends on the problem. 'Protecting the people you care about' is kind of vague.

[Steve, he's not good at this. He can't do things on his own, you know. That's why he always has others do stuff!]

We'll I'll find a way.

[The hard stubbornness cracks a little.]

...I don't want them to leave.

[He understands that from his Tony. It seems that most of them need a Pepper and Rhodey and, in some realities, a Steve to be there for him.]

You'll find a way but it'll take time. If I could help, I would.

I know you don't but that's not just part of being a hero, it's part of being alive. And part of going to these places we're sent to.

[What he needs is a babysitter. The hard reality is that Tony is a genius, but he's sobusy with all of the projects and tinkering he fills his time with that he fails completely at normal life.

Without people in his life to ground him, he's lost.]

I don't- I'm not asking for help, I just... I want them to stop disappearing on me.

I thought going to these places was supposed to bring us together, not make us split up all over again.

[Too many people had tried to babysit Steve for him to consider Tony needing that role, but someone to ground him... Yeah, that Steve understands.]

You don't have to ask for someone to offer to help.

This places seem to have a way of bringing people together, then taking them away from us. [Steve knows he's lucky that his mundane made an agreement with her friend to app and leave at the same time.] But it usually means that they're going home.

Uh - who was it that was sent home?

[Oh, Steve. Tony appreciates that help more than he lets on.]

I don't think most people really want to offer help to the guy who has everything. And I don't need the help. I just... need them to cooperate.

Couple people left. A few of Thor's girlfriends, and they were pretty good company. You, and you came back as someone new. That's just as bad, you know. I have to explain everything all over again.

[There's a small pause.]

Pepper.

[Steve manages to fight back a smile at Tony's instance that he doesn't need help since to him, cooperation would be help. But he knows Tony's probably not used to be part of a team yet.]

They'll cooperate eventually. Just takes time to get everyone to realize they have similar goals.

[The 'few of Thor's girlfriends' confuse him until Tony mentions a Steve leaving and coming back. Not more than one, then. Probably different versions. Then, he connects who had been sent home.]

Tony - I - [His first thought is of Peggy and how much worse it for Tony to lose someone who had been with him so long.]

I'm sorry, Tony. Nothing I can say'll make that better so I won't even try.

Hey, don't worry about it. It was going to happen.

[Yeah, he's honestly pretty torn up, but it's Tony. He can talk normally even when his heart is breaking. He knew it was coming, but it doesn't make anything easier.]

That's what those places are all about, right? People coming and going so that these players can play their games. I figured...

[He has to pause to get his breath again.]

It can't last forever.

[He is going to worry because Steve worries about his friends, even when they're variations of the ones he knows.]

It gets better, Tony. [That grief that has followed him since he was revived is in his voice, but also a hint of hope.] It gets better. Doesn't seem like it, but it eventually does.

And...she could come back. It is possible.

Does it? [He sounds a bit bitter and petulant there.]

Because they keep disappearing. I don't see how that is getting better.

[He can only hope everyone will come back.]

It's possible. But is it likely?

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I can't fix the drops, Tony.

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sorry for my typos :||||

I'll probably have a bunch too since I'm on my laptop|

<3

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