Who: Strange, Steve and Peggy What: Return and reunion When: Nowish Warning: Schmoopiness Rating: PG
With as many times as Captain America was in and out of this universe, it was easy for Stephen to hone in on his metaphysical energy to find the tangible person it belonged to. Once the spell woven like a web over the city triggered, it sent a vibration through that marked it like a grid over a map.
Stephen moved quickly. His t-shirt with hoodie and khaki pants changed into his mystic arts garb, the cape flying over to rest around his shoulders. He quickly opened a portal while calling out to Wanda, "I'll be back shortly. Watch over the Sanctum and contact Wong if anything goes drastically wrong."
Considering the Sanctum was full of powerful artifacts, he knew any number of things could go wrong. He trusted Wanda to keep them contained. But if there was trouble, Wong was easily contactable with a mental nudge that he knew to be waiting for, even all the way in Hong Kong.
Stephen walked through the portal, not sure what this Steve Rogers was going to be like, or how he would react to hearing that the universe was fouled up.
And yes, Stephen Strange is still sorry about that.
Steve had been preparing to go to Wakanda like the rest of them. However that wasn’t what happened. When he stepped through his door he was no longer in New York. He hadn’t known where he was. He thought he heard faint voices that seemed familiar, but no matter how much he looked or listened he could never zero in on them.
Just as frustration was giving way to anger a portal opened up and there stood Dr. Strange. Steve gave him a frown of curiosity. “Hey, doc. Care to fill me in on what happened?”
Stephen stared in the way one would when they were trying to figure out a complex puzzle. That lasted a grand total of five seconds before he replied.
"You're a Steve Rogers that's been here before," he surmised, looking relieved that he didn't have to give The Talk all over again.
That relief didn't last long because he needed to figure out which Steve this was. Because life simply couldn't be less confusing than ending up in a universe splintered off from another, overlapped into it, and a brand new inclusion in the Multiverse.
"Let's start with what you remember," he asked Steve, trying to narrow things down as swiftly as possible to save them both a headache. "Do you remember Sharknado, breaking Stark out of prison, a Hulk Rampage in Manhattan, or our plan to lure Thanos to Wakanda?"
Talking with Dr. Strange never got any easier. It would always be filled with weird statements filled with less than half of the information. Steve stopped trying to follow along. If he needed to know something he asked a direct question. Like now. He just smiled and answered.
“No. Yes, but not here. No. Yes.” The last bit made his face go serious again. “That’s the last thing I remember.”
True to form, Strange's answer was....strange. What more could be expected when someone was dressed like a Tibetan yoga instructor with a magician's cape?
"Glad you're back, Captain. Then there's only one Steve inbetween Wakanda and right now. That one went underground, besides an episode that ended up on the news." Stephen smirked at this Steve Rogers, like this was a good thing. He didn't feel any irritation toward the man or his straightforwardness. It was simply that sometimes, he couldn't give the answers that people liked hearing.
"Those of our group were able to escape the Soul Dimension, but a lot of people are left in that dimension. We defeated Thanos and have the remaining stones, which are being guarded. By us. No government or alien entities will get them."
That was as much of a fill in as could be told in brief, because everyone had been enjoying a period of restful quiet between the battle and the present moment. They were still shuffling who they could find out of the Soul Dimension, but that was slow going.
"There are people waiting for you," Stephen said. "Bucky is still here. So is Peggy Carter. Would you like me to take you to one of them?"
Another him? Steve’s brows lifted a little. It might be worth knowing what that incident was so he could be prepared for any backlash that might fall on him. Someone else could probably answer that for him, however.
The two people Dr. Strange brought up were the people Steve had been thinking about. Peggy. She was going to kill him. “Yeah,” he said with a hint of eagerness in his voice. “Glad to hear they’re ok.” Sounded like everyone came through Thanos and Wakanda alive.
Call it a hunch, but Stephen sounded pretty certain when he told Steve, "Peggy can probably fill you in better than anyone else can. Let's get you there."
He turned and opened a portal for Steve, to where Peggy was, nodding at him that it was ok to step through.
Peggy had grieved Steve three times now, and none of them got any easier. It was easy, however, to pinpoint why. Not once had they gotten even a goodbye. The trauma of his crash, her fading to dust, and then him leaving to go to the store on a cold and blustery day for more teabags and simply never returning… none of them were very final. But if she had to judge herself, Peggy wouldn’t grade too hard. At least this time she didn’t show up on Bucky’s doorstep simply to lie in Steve’s bed for days.
No, this time she managed to keep herself together enough to maintain her day to day life. Not that she had much of one. Between the battle, and her one off vacation to Hawaii and the appearance of a second Steve… she hadn’t even had time to speak with Fury about getting an actual job. For once in her life, she was a little thankful that a Stark was so eager to make sure she never needed a thing, not that she would ever own up to that if Tony ever mentioned it. But if this was going to be her life, she was going to need something to occupy her time.
At this particular moment, she was finishing their laundry, well… her laundry now. It was the easiest thing in the world, for Steve to simply stay with her until he was ready to seek out his other friends. But as far as Peggy knew, he hadn’t managed it. She wasn’t even sure he had seen Bucky this time around. Which, in hindsight, made her feel a little guilty for keeping him so close. But he hadn’t exactly reached out either.
There were two laundry baskets on her couch, one filled with her clothes folded neatly, and a second filled with Steve’s, also folded neatly. Her couch had clearly seen better days. After having a very large super soldier occupying it every night, it tended to sag in the middle, and she was sure that the dip his large shoulders had made would never quite return to its original state. It was clear there had been two people living there, something Peggy had not managed to erase the second Strange put it to the network that her fears had been confirmed. Two tea cups, two pairs of slippers by the door, there were pairs of things everywhere and she sighed when she imagined herself trying to throw those out, or even pack them up.
She was in her laundry closet when she heard it, a distinct … sound. She knew it was familiar but she didn’t know exactly from where, and considering all the strange noises she had heard during the battle in Wakanda, it was natural that her first instinct was to raise up and grab the Shield she had put up on the shelf. The Steve that she resided with hadn’t wanted it, and she didn’t have the heart to return it to Stark after he gave it to her for the battle. So instead she placed it in the easiest place to reach if anything ever attacked.
“Bucky?” She called out. It was a silly notion, that Barnes would ever enter her apartment without simply knocking. But she hoped maybe it was a friendly face. When she didn’t hear a response, she felt her annoyance grow. “I must tell you...” she said, her voice resonating loudly as if she was speaking to soldiers. “...I have been having a bloody shit week, and today really is not the day, to upset… me.” At that moment, she rounded the corner, half her body hidden behind the cover of the shield and her gun pointed out from the side of it. Her eyes, however, fell on who and what exactly had made that distinct sound.
“Steve…” Her voice was a little breathless at the simple sight of him again. That, apparently, was a feeling that would never fade with time or proximity. However, after a second she realized that Strange was indeed there as well, and her professionalism washed over her, back straightening and her voice going more stern than fond. “Captain.” She instantly dropped the Shield and set it to rest against the wall, tucking her gun into the back of her jeans, after turning the safety on of course. Peggy walked a few steps closer, eyeing Steve for a moment. She had memorised the look on his face when he saw her young again, the surprise and awe, both times it had been identical. This look, this reaction was different. “You’ve been here before...” Her voice was soft, looking from him to Strange for guidance. Her body willing her to keep moving to him but her mind holding her back in case that was not what he wanted or in case she was wrong.
Stephen nodded slowly, the ghost of a smirk on his lips that let her know her eyes weren't deceiving her. It didn't happen often, but Stephen Strange actually looked...happy. Like some pieces of the universe had fallen back into place.
"He's been here before," he confirmed. "I'll show myself out. Take care."
With the whirring of sparks flying as a portal opened and closed, Dr. Strange left the couple to their reunion. He had the task of putting Darcy Lewis' belongings away, and taking her cat to Jane's apartment. No better time than right then.
As soon as Steve laid eyes on Peg he completely forgot that Strange was there or that anything was out of place or wrong. The overwhelming sense of relief coupled with excitement made his chest lift and fall with his quickened breathing. “It’s not Buck,” he muttered.
That cute, twitch of a smile he could put out without realizing it flickered over his face. “Hey, Peg.” A brief glance was given to Strange, but even before the sparks faded Steve had rushed forward to pull Peggy into his arms and into a thorough kiss.
A quick reply was forming in her throat, about how Bucky would visit her, and that naturally, it was not in any romantic capacity, and that it was more a warning call than any true belief Barnes had been there. But before a single word of that could escape her lips, he was against her and it was as if her whole world fell into place once more the second his lips were pressed to her own.
She wasn’t sure how long they kissed, and Peggy honestly didn’t care at all. She pulled back and looked up at him fondly, licking over her lips as her hands moved to settle against the skin of his biceps. She was only human after all. “It’s you.” She was breathless and maybe a little love drunk. Had she tried to walk at that moment it’s likely she would have needed a second to gain her balance. Luckily though, she was standing still and had two firm hands holding her in place. “Oh Steve,” She pushed up on her toes to hug him to her. “I’m so sorry.” The whole turning to dust thing wasn’t exactly her fault, but she imagined the trauma of it and that was enough to make her stomach knot.
Thinking on it later, she would laugh at how she had managed to know Steve well enough to tell the difference between his different selves but right now her hands moved to hold the back of his head protectively, as she always did, before she whispered again. “I missed you.”
He wasn’t going to let her go anytime soon if he had his way. There were people he wanted to see. Bucky. Tony. The other Avengers. But right now this was what he wanted. This was who he wanted to be with. She might have her hand on his arm, but his was lightly stroking her cheek. When she hugged him, all he had to do was straighten up to lift her off her feet.
“Shh,” he said before kissing her hair. “You have nothing to be sorry about. Ok?” His cheek pressed against her head. There was a moment of silence then…
“When did you start wearing jeans?”
The pounding of her heart in her chest seemed to settle a little when he soothed her. She knew it was not her fault, and there was truly nothing she could have done, but the thought of him so utterly alone, even for that short time, made her ache inside. The pause gave her a moment to breathe, her mind trying to settle on what to say first, how to explain the state of her apartment, what had happened while he was gone… but then he spoke first and she couldn’t stop the laugh that came out of her.
She pulled her head back, letting him set her back down on her feet and the simple joy and pleasure of being able to laugh with him was enough for her. “Not too long after I got back, I spent a good couple weeks in those sweatpants or whatever you call them. The soft gray ones you had in your bottom drawer…” She blushed a little at admitting she had worn his clothes and breathed in and out deeply before cocking her head at him. “Do you like them?” She asked, with just the slightest hint of a cheeky smirk on her face.
“You wore my sweatpants?” Steve grinned at her. “Most girlfriends were their boyfriend’s tshirts, not their sweatpants.” He chuckled as he leaned down to kiss her forehead. His arms were still around her. Nope. He was not letting go any time soon.
One brow lifted as he smirked then pulled her closer so he could look down over her shoulder. “Yep. Definitely like them.”
Peggy felt her cheeks redden even more at that. “Yes well, I perhaps wore those as well. Who knows, really?” She blinked for a moment, when he leaned to look over her shoulder and she huffed out a small laugh as she hugged onto him once more before pulling back, grabbing his hand in her own and tugging him further into her apartment. “I can’t believe you’re back. You’re… you.” She hastily let him go and moved the laundry baskets out of the way so they could sit on the already squished couch. “Here, sit. Do you need anything? Water? Tea?”
It was kind of neat to make Peg all flustered. Usually it was him who was all blushy and uncomfortable. One would think he’d be sympathetic, but this was fun. And she had worn his shirts, huh. Definitely neat.
“I can’t believe I was gone,” he said as he let Peggy lead him to the couch. Once he sat, however, he wrapped his arms around her again to hold her close. They had wasted so much time before. He wasn’t going to do that now. “I got what I need right here.”
It felt good to have him back. Her heart ached because she knew that if he left again, it would only hurt even worse. But this sort of love… it was worth that ache. “I knew you were gone the moment we came back and you weren’t there to greet us.” She swallowed and took a deep breath. “Bucky let me come over, sleep in your bed, have some company that… understood, I suppose.” Another deep breath. “And then we went to Wakanda, and… Tony gave me your shield.” Her arms that encircled him relaxed a little, one still curving around his waist while the other hand rested on the muscle of his chest. “I think you wouldn’t have been proud of me if you’d seen me.”
He felt he needed to stop doing that to her. Leaving. At least the last time he’d left her he’d gotten to say something of a goodbye. Her voice had been the last one he’d heard before he went into the ice. If Steve had his way this last time would be the last.
Having her on his lap was comfortable. Familiar. Not that’d really done this much before, but it felt...right. “Not a chance. I’m proud of you no matter what.”
“You are likely a little too forgiving in my case.” She spoke softly, and fondly. “Once we returned Tony sent us all on vacation, I went to Hawaii, and then I came home and one day there… was just… another you. I saw a report on the news of a man with a shield and I knew. But… he didn’t… speak out or contact anyone… so I tracked him down. Feeding the 107th.” The smile on her face remained as she looked into his eyes. “Because of course that’s what you would do.”
It was weird hearing about another him. He’d heard about these things before, but it had all seemed a little too surreal for Steve to wrap his head around. Now, however, he had to.
“What did he...I...say?” And why was Steve suddenly feeling a little jealous?
Peggy shrugged a little. “Nothing very different than you did. He asked me a question to make sure I was me, which, obviously, I am. Then kissed me in front of the whole bloody room, where they promptly applauded.” She shook her head a little and the hand on his chest raised to touch her brow. “So dramatic.” She sighed but laughed a little before she kept going. “He came home with me and… that was it. Lived with me for… however long, a few weeks, he’s the reason my bloody couch looks so ridiculous.” She laughed a little again and let her hand rub over his broad shoulders. “I’m not sure he even spoke to anyone but me and Tony.”
Steve’s brows shot up and for a moment he wanted to punch something. “He...kissed you? In front of everyone?” Yeah, he would never do that. Not in a million years. His personal life was not something he would put on display, and he would never do that to Peggy. Not only would it embarrass her, but it would be too much like he was trying to strip her of her identity. No, way.
What was it. What else happened? What did he...they...do that made the couch look like this? He wanted to ask all of these questions, but all he ended up doing was giving her a tight smile. “Oh.”
Peggy could tell from the look on his face a couple things. Steve was jealous. A fact that made her heart pound a little faster because if she vanished and came back and found out there had been another her? She’d feel the same way. The other thing she could tell was that he had about a million questions he was holding back. She hated the thought that he was holding back. “Darling…” She said softly. “Tell me what is on your mind, please?”
If he knew how well Peg could read him, Steve would be a little bit frightened. It wasn’t comfortable to know someone knew you that well. He’d remind himself that this was Peggy. He trusted her entirely. She would never betray his confidence.
Of course, she never held back in asking the difficult questions, either. For some reason the memory of her shooting at the shield after he’d picked it up came to mind. Oh boy.
“Well…” he started with a roll of his eyes. They looked down to her denim clad legs as he continued. “I mean...what happened on the couch?”
A small grin crept over her face. “Well… this is where he slept. Every night. Clearly, such furnishings were not made for everyday use by super soldiers.”
Yeah, that wasn’t good enough. Steve tried to accept that. He really did. But what was with that grin?
“And ah...where did you sleep?”
“In my bed. He did not wish to join me, though I offered.” She pressed her lips together for a moment before admitting. “We were not intimate, if that is your worry.”
She offered. She…offered. She offered and the other him refused. Part of Steve was hurt that she’d offered, but most of him was wondering one thing: “Are you sure he was me? Because I don’t think I’d turn that offer down so often. Unless something was wrong with the other me.”
Peggy laughed a little, looking down. “I offered once, when he arrived, I…” Her voice cracked a little and she wished she could bury herself in the floor to escape this strange feeling. “I missed you so much. And I just wanted to know he was there. But he did not think it appropriate so I did not ask again.”
“The other me was stupid,” he insisted before he snitched a quick kiss from her. Oh, he knew that there had been a time when he also would have thought it wasn’t appropriate, but that was before he lost Peggy. Twice. Steve wasn’t going to let this opportunity slip through his fingers.
Peggy returned the kiss instantly, leaning into him more before smiling and pressing her face into his temple and cheek. “Well, you are welcome to stay here if you’d like, but if you’d rather return to Bucky I understand.”
“Bucky doesn’t look as good in jeans,” was Steve’s immediate answer.