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The meeting wrapped up without much fanfare, and most people dispersed quickly, splitting into predictable groups. Steve stayed in place where he stood at the head of a long table, hands balled into fists and pressed into the table, holding him up. Difficult decisions were made, though Steve didn't expect that anyone was really surprised at what those decisions were. It was always going to be him.
After a long moment, he finally looked up, expecting the room to be empty, but Thor stood about halfway down the table. Steve offered him a small smile, and Thor nodded and stepped closer.
"I wish I could keep it." Thor looked at Mjölnir sadly, reaching over and stroking the block of metal that sat on the table in front of them. "Stormbreaker is wonderful, of course, but there's something to be said for a companion that consistently validates one's worth." He sat in a chair, leaning back and crossing his arms as he considered the weapon.
Steve chuckled and picked up the hammer with one hand, turning it and touching each side, fingers running smoothly along the star-forged Uru, tracing the details at the corners. "It's good for that, yeah." He handed it back to Thor. "But you know we have to make sure it goes back with the Stone—sorry, the Aether."
Thor spun the hammer in his hands, then placed it back on the table. "Yes. 'Tis a shame for me, but important for, ah, past-me? I suppose?" They stared at each other, not really sure what all this time travel stuff meant, but willing to trust Bruce and Scott with it.
After a long moment, Steve sat down and hunched over the table, leaning closer to Thor. "Do you remember when we all tried lifting it? Before Ultron happened?" Thor nodded. "I couldn't lift it then."
Thor furrowed his brow. "No, I remember you didn't. Not entirely."
"No, I mean, I couldn't. I know it budged a bit. But that's all I could do. I always thought maybe I imagined it budging." Steve looked at his hands, as though he didn't recognize them. "I don't know how I summoned it this time." He remembered the panic that clouded his mind, the urgent screaming in his head for something to help him. He'd seen the hammer lying there, and in the last shot of all last shots, he'd reached—
Thor clapped his hand onto Steve's shoulder. "You are worthy, Steve Rogers. Mjölnir knows how to find one who is worthy of wielding it, even in the most desperate hour. It was ready for your summons."
Steve rolled his head slightly, taking a moment to consider if he really wanted to dig deeper into this topic. With the not unreasonable chance that he might not have another time to speak with Thor alone, he decided to go for it. "I've found myself wondering, you know, when it happened? I mean, at what point did I become... worthy?"
"Oh, I'm sure you've been worthy the whole time." Thor spoke with such conviction that Steve snapped his head around, frowning. "What I learned," Thor added, gentle now, "is that part of being worthy is believing that you are worthy."
Steve nodded at that, his frown softening. "I can see that. I didn't really expect it to work the first time." Too many reasons, too complicated to explain, but Steve knew that he wasn't surprised when he couldn't lift it.
"Personally, I'm glad you found your strength in yourself."
"Yeah," Steve said. "So am I."