[ Some small part of Steve had held out hope that when he returns, Tony would know what to do. The two of them had called so many shots over the last decade that when Steve himself fails — the only other person he looks to, who could do better, is Tony.
But with that I'm sorry, Steve knows that this really is the end, and the weight of how helpless he truly feels seems to choke him. Steve can't talk. He can only hold Tony like his life depended on it. Like somehow, holding onto his husband could freeze this moment until they could come up with something — anything.
Tony pulls back just a little though and it takes a little coaxing for Steve to look him in the eye. There's a despair that has never been there before, and it's only when he feels Tony run his hand through his hair that Steve seems to even breathe again. But it's when Tony says I'm really glad you're back that Steve pulls Tony back into his arms again. From there, he shakes his head just slightly. ]
I don't de— [ It's a whisper that would've ended in deserve you, but Steve stops himself. There's no point in him saying something so depressing. Instead, he says something to help push him through this. ] We can't give up Tony. [ But given how Steve sounds right now, it's clear he has no idea what to do. All he has, more than anything else, is the guilt of a parent who's lost his child, and that irrational refusal to ever stop trying to reverse the impossible. ]
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But with that I'm sorry, Steve knows that this really is the end, and the weight of how helpless he truly feels seems to choke him. Steve can't talk. He can only hold Tony like his life depended on it. Like somehow, holding onto his husband could freeze this moment until they could come up with something — anything.
Tony pulls back just a little though and it takes a little coaxing for Steve to look him in the eye. There's a despair that has never been there before, and it's only when he feels Tony run his hand through his hair that Steve seems to even breathe again. But it's when Tony says I'm really glad you're back that Steve pulls Tony back into his arms again. From there, he shakes his head just slightly. ]
I don't de— [ It's a whisper that would've ended in deserve you, but Steve stops himself. There's no point in him saying something so depressing. Instead, he says something to help push him through this. ] We can't give up Tony. [ But given how Steve sounds right now, it's clear he has no idea what to do. All he has, more than anything else, is the guilt of a parent who's lost his child, and that irrational refusal to ever stop trying to reverse the impossible. ]