𝐀𝐋𝐋 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐒 | parker²

xxxiii. the re-assembling

Rolling down the driver's side window, Tony raised an eyebrow at the blonde through his sunglasses. "Why the long face?"

Aster leaned over the center console to offer Steve a sympathetic look. "Scott turned into a baby, didn't he?"

Averting his gaze, Steve sighed. "Among other things, yeah."

When Tony opened the door and got out of the car, Steve took a step back, clearly confused. He was most likely expecting Tony to drop Aster off and that be it. "What are you—?"

"That's the EPR Paradox," Tony cut him off, walking around to the back of the car. Aster smirked a little, opening the passenger door to follow them. "Instead of pushing Lang through time, you might've wound up pushing time through Lang. It's tricky. Dangerous. Somebody should've cautioned you against it."

"...You did."

Dramatic as ever, Tony pointed a finger at himself and frowned sarcastically. "Oh, did I? Thank God I'm here. Regardless, we fixed it."

At Steve's confused glance over at Aster, the teenager held up her right hand. There was a small metal device clinging to the back of her hand. "It's like a GPS. But for the time-space continuum."

Steve's lips parted in surprise, yet a small, hopeful smile made its way onto his face.

"I just want peace," Tony told Steve, accentuating his words with two fingers held up in a peace sign. "Turns out, resentment is corrosive, and I hate it."

Nodding, Steve's shoulders relaxed. "Me too."

The amusement on Tony's face settled into a more serious expression. He glanced back at Aster, but refocused on Steve to say, "We got a shot at getting these stones, but I gotta tell you my priorities: Bring back what we lost? I hope, yes. Keep what I got? I have to, at all costs. And... maybe not die trying will be nice."

The slight tremble in his voice made Aster look down at her feet. It was silent for a moment before Steve reached out his hand and said, "Sounds like a deal."

Their palms collided in a handshake and Aster let go of a breath she didn't even know she was holding. With a small smile on his face, Tony opened the hatch of the trunk and reached inside, pulling out a familiar red, white, and blue that his father had built long ago.

Steve's mouth fell open and a nostalgic look crossed his face. Exhaling, he hesitated. "Tony... I don't know."

"Why? He made it for you." Flipping it over, Tony held the shield out. "Plus, honestly I have to get it out of the garage before Morgan or Aster takes it sledding."

"Already done that," Aster mumbled.

Of course, Steve's super-soldier ears picked up her quiet voice. He narrowed his eyes at her questioningly. "What? When—?"

"That's irrelevant."

Chuckling, Steve took the shield from Tony and slid his arm under the strap. He held it to his front and stared down at it with a smile. "Thank you, Tony."

Tony nodded. "Will you keep that a little quiet? Didn't bring one for the whole team." Tentatively, he leaned closer and asked, "...We are getting the whole team, yeah?"

Aster perked up. She was far past not getting her hopes up.

"We're working on that right now," Steve promised them.

Finally, finally, things were starting to look up.

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