Work Text:
When Tony woke up, he was lying on his back, staring at the ceiling burning above him.
Forcing himself to move, he scooted back, his brain trying to catch up with the memories: they were fighting the dude– the guy Wanda warned them not to trust, but of course, no one took her seriously, and now the guy wanted to destroy them, for whatever reason. They were fighting, and then…
He destroyed my suit… I fell out of it... Tony checked himself but found no wounds. He remembered that wave of yellow energy coming straight at him, and then–
When the memory hit, Tony quickly turned around, finding Steve standing in the middle of the large, burning hall. He couldn’t see his face, so Tony stood up, and it was then that he noticed the evil dude lying far ahead, unconscious or dead.
Tony almost fell, his ankle hurting like hell. “Rogers?” he called, limping towards him. “Hey, are you–?” Tony froze when, getting close enough, he notices streaks of red energy surrounding Steve’s body, and something shining in front of him.
Carefully, Tony moved around him until he could see what he was holding: there was a ball of bright, yellow energy levitating between his hands that seemed to be controlling it. Tony swallowed down and tried again, “Steve?”
Steve’s body flinched slightly, and when his eyes opened, they were bright red.
Tony took a step back, unsure. “What…? Did Wanda–?”
“Steve gave permission to control him,” Steve said, but there was Wanda’s voice mixed with his, “To stop this.”
“How...? Ok, nevermind. Can you really do it?”
“I can destroy this energy, but you need to make sure Steve will let my powers go once I’m done,” Wanda said, echoed by Steve’s voice.
“What do you mean? You just have to stop controlling him, right?”
Steve shook his head, “He’s not– reacting well to my powers. He’s trying to control them himself…”
“To destroy that thing?”
“He doesn't know my powers!” Wanda screamed, “He thinks he can handle it, but it won’t last. Try to make him understand, please,” she continued, her voice now sounding on the verge of tears, “I don’t want him to die because of me.”
Confused, Tony nodded. “Ok, I’ll tell him to–!” He jumped back when Steve’s eyes closed again and Wanda moved his hands, using her powers through him, to make the yellow energy smaller and smaller until it was completely gone.
Tony breathed out in relief, then saw Steve opening his eyes again, and they were still red– and he was smiling slightly. “Wanda?” he tried, and Steve looked down at his hands, studying the red, bright energy floating around them.
“Not Wanda. Alright, Steve? Hello?” Tony moved, realizing that was a mistake when one of Steve’s hands quickly grabbed him by the neck. Tony gasped and clutched at his arm, his feet not touching the floor. “Steve– come on, it’s me!”
Steve’s face was blank, except for that slight grin. His bright red eyes were looking at Tony, but not really. He was just testing Wanda’s powers.
“Ste-ve… Wake up!” Tony kicked him in the chest, not even making him flinch. “You’re– going to kill me!”
Steve kept staring at him but, after a moment, the smile slowly faded. He frowned and suddenly let Tony go, watching him fall on the floor.
Coughing, with a hand over his neck, Tony turned to him, and the confusion and worry on Steve’s face weren’t surprising. “‘Welcome back,” he told him, coughing between the words, “Steve, you– need to give that power back to– to Wanda, ok?”
Steve looked around the room, then down at his own hands again before falling on his knees.
Tony saw Steve’s hands shaking, and the skin was turning dark, the power already starting to consume him. He moved closer again, “Just, let it go.”
“I’m- trying!” Steve growled, his eyes closed. Wanda’s voice was gone.
Down on his knees in front of him, Tony felt the whole place shaking. Not knowing what else to do, he grabbed Steve’s hands, ignoring the burning sensation.
Steve’s eyes flashed open, scared.
“You were right,” Tony said, not letting go. “You were the only one– that believe Wanda when she told us not to trust that man… She trusts you- doesn’t want you to die because of her powers,” he said, the burning sensation starting to get painful, “and I don’t want that either.”
Steve kept staring at him until his eyes closed again, his whole body trembling for a long moment.
Tony felt the air changing in the hall and then promptly held Steve as he crashed against him. Not feeling him moving, Tony grabbed his shoulders to look at his face.
Steve looked exhausted, completely drained, but, when his eyes opened, they were blue again. “Getting… sentimental on me, Stark?” he murmured, smiling tiredly.
Tony’s shoulders dropped in relief, seeing the smile he knew so well. “Don’t you dare tell anyone.”
Steve scoffed weakly, just before falling against him again.
Tony held him in his arms, and could feel Steve panting over his shoulder, his body getting abnormally warm. “Hang in there, alright?” he told him, trying to calm both of them, “You’ll be alright.”