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"When did you know?"
-
"Remember, you have to return the stones to the exact moment you got 'em or you're gonna open a bunch of nasty alternative realities." Bruce stated, handing Steve the suitcase of stones.
Sam, Wade, Nova, Natasha, Bucky and Bruce were all seeing him off as he did his quick job, Ivy busy climbing a tree with her powers.
"Don't worry, Bruce. Clip all the branches." Steve replied, clipping it shut.
"And if you look down, I might give you a wave." Nova teased receiving a slap on the arm form Natasha. "Ow. I regret saying that now."
"You know, if you want, I could come with you." Sam smiled.
"Or me. I-I mean, I wouldn't say no or anything like that." Wade stumbled over his words and Steve smiled, everyone else smirking at the two of them.
"You're a good man, Sam." Steve said. "And you're a strangely fascinating man. This one's on me, though." Steve's eyes lingered on Wade who was still grinning at him like a mad man before he walked over to Bucky.
"Don't do anything stupid till I get back." Steve joked and Nova frowned, glancing at Wade who's face seemed to drop.
"How can I?" Bucky asked with a small chuckle. "You're taking all the stupid with you."
Steve brought Bucky into a hug and Nova could faintly see Bucky's lips twitch upwards before they settled into a thin line again. They pulled back and, with his back turned to everyone, Steve winked at Bucky.
"Gonna miss you, buddy." Bucky whispered quietly but Wade heard and turned his back to everyone, making his way over to Ivy.
"It's gonna be okay, Buck." Steve stated.
"Steven, you better not pull a dick move." Nova hissed threateningly, glancing to Wade.
Steve nodded at her before climbing on the pad and and picking at Mjolnir after clicking his red and white suit on.
"How long is this gonna take?" Sam questioned.
"For him, as long as he needs. For us, five seconds." Bruce answered. "You ready, Cap?" Steve nodded, eyes lingering on Wade for a second. "Alright, we'll meet you back here, okay?"
"You bet." Steve nodded, looking away from the mercenary as his helmet clicked on.
"Going quantum. Three, two, one." Bruce counted and Steve disappeared. "And retiring in five, four, three, two, one."
A click sounded and Steve wasn't there. Bruce looked down at his computer in confusion and started to type into it. Nova looked around, seeing Wade beginning to glare at the floor, kicking a small rock away from his foot sadly.
"Where is he?" Sam demanded.
"I don't know." Bruce replied. "He should be here."
"On your left." Steve smirked and Bucky turned around with an achieved grin as everyone span to the blonde.
"Steve." Wade breathed in relief.
"You really thought I'd go?" Steve asked, in mock offence.
"You two planned this, didn't you!?" Wade yelled, pointing between Bucky and Steve, the two old friends grinning teasingly. "You're both stupid old men. I take offence to this. I feel like dog that just had its nuts removed!"
"Shut up." Steve smiled, walking over to the mercenary.
"Uno reverse, bit-" Wade was cut off by the blonde grabbing his cheek and pulling him into a passionate kiss.
"Fuck yes! Whoo!" Nova basically screamed. "Now who's the pornstar, huh?"
"Quiet in the porn studio." Wade demanded, pulling away for a second before pressing their lips back together.
"Whoa, watch it! There's a child present." Natasha laughed as Wade moved his hand down to squeeze Steve's ass.
"But it's just so... mm." Wade mumbled as they pulled away properly, Steve grinning broadly.
"Sam." Steve spoke up.
"I feel bad for you already." Sam smirked as Wade flipped him off.
"Me too." Steve joked and Wade gasped dramatically.
"I'm a bit bummed out though, 'cause I take it the worlds gonna be living without a Captain America." Sam smiled.
"That reminds me." Steve began, grabbing the shield from behind him and holding it out to Sam. "Try it on."
Sam's smile dropped slightly and he looked towards Bucky who nodded slightly at him. His eyes then drifted to Nova and Natasha, the red head smiling warmly at him while Nova looked ecstatic. Sam then picked up the shield and placed it on his arm.
"How does it feel?" Steve questioned.
"Like it's someone else's." Sam replied.
"It isn't." Steve responded and Sam sighed, swallowing thickly as he looked down at the shield.
"Thank you." Sam nodded. "I'll do my best."
"That's why it's yours." Steve said, shaking Sam's hand.
"Don't steel him, too." Wade joked.
"C'mon, Steve. Let's go for a dinner date." Sam teased, throwing his arm over the blonde and going to walk away but they stopped with a chuckle. "Where you gonna go?"
"I have no idea. Wherever he's taking me, I suppose." Steve smiled, nodding his head in the direction of Wade who was now playing with Ivy.
Sam nodded at him before Ivy was dragging him away and he pretended to start fighting her with the shield, Ivy and Wade on a team against Sam. Natasha was talking to Bruce when Nova walked over to Steve, nudging his side playfully with a smirk.
"When did you know?" Nova questioned softly.
"What?" Steve asked.
"C'mon, I'm dumb not stupid." She smiled as he laughed. "You didn't know you liked Wade until something happened. When did you know?"
Steve hummed, looking over at the mercenary who sent him an excited wave, grinning uncontrollably. And then he thought back to New Jersey 1970 when they time traveled with a smile.
"And you've never seen these three men before?" A guard asked.
"No, I've got an eye for this. The three of them looked fishy. One had a cap covering his face and the other two seemed to be hiding him." A woman replied.
"Can you describe them?" The guard questioned.
"One of them had a hippie beard." The woman replied.
"Hippie. Like Bee Gees or Mungo Jerry?" The guard quizzed.
"Defiantly Mungo Jerry." The woman answered and Steve hid in an office.
He glanced around the office before his eyes fell on a picture. A picture of him when he first arrived at the army base, before the serum. He picked it up and looked at the name of the office that said;
MARGARET CARTER
DIRECTOR
He looked through the blinds and saw Peggy enter the opposite room, someone else with her.
"I said bring them in." Peggy ordered.
"They're trying, ma'am, but Braddock's unit has been stopped by lightning strikes." The man with her responded.
"Oh, for the love of... I'll look at the weather projections." Peggy stated and her voice seemed to trail away as Steve stared at her.
He walked closer to the blinds as Peggy started to look through some files. A sudden clatter was heard and the pairs eyes snapped towards the sound and they spotted Wade getting up from under a desk.
"Who are you?" Peggy demanded, pulling out a gun.
"Henry the 8th?" Wade said, well more asked than anything.
"Tell me who you are or I'll shoot!" Peggy ordered.
"Hmm... No." Wade faked a dreamy voice, wiggling his fingers around.
Peggy warned him and she did shoot him in the stomach. Wade fell back against a folding cabinet dramatically, making sure to sweep files off of tables in the process as he faked crying loudly.
"Spare me! Spare me!" Wade shouted mockingly. "I haven't masterbated in a week! I've got so much to live for! I have blue balls over here, woman! Don't kill a poor man with blue balls!"
And that when Steve realised he want looking at Peggy anymore. He forgot she was there if he was honest. His eyes were only focusing on Wade, a smile playing a on his lips at the dramatic show the mercenary was putting on, still waving his arms around.
It was always Wade he noticed first. When he came into a room, Wade was the first person he saw. He was the first person he'd make a drink for. The first person he'd smile at. The first person he'd hug. Wade had become the first thing Steve thought about when he woke up.
From the crude jokes to the silly dances, Steve had fallen in love with every part of Wade, including the messy bits.
Through the blinds, Wade caught his eyes and he smiled at Steve, stopping his performance before starting it again, wailing falsely and pretending to cry for help. Steve started to laugh and Peggy turned in his direction so he span around and sped through the office door, away.
"I'm happy for you both." Nova grinned after Steve finished his explanation. "I would've had to stab you if you'd have left though."
"You think I'd miss my friends wedding?" Steve asked with a smile.
"No, but it's be a shame if you did. I already planned on you going with Wade. Imagine how awkward that would've been." Nova grimaced and the blonde chuckled.
"You retiring now?" Steve questioned as they stood together, watching Sam, Wade, Ivy and Bucky all mess around with the shield.
"Maybe I'll just be on emergency calls. No more cliffs for me, though. Natasha might re-alive me to un-alive me."
"Got that right, squish."
{1557}