fossilised | It's AU time

It's AU time

Building 64 down in the East end of Brooklyn was not a fashionable place to live. The apartments were small, barely more than studio size, and the rent was pretty cheap. Not many people lived there permanently, most people only came and stayed a year or two to get enough money together to move onto somewhere better. But there were two residents who had been there a while.

Steven Grant Rogers, early twenties, who earned his rent doing tattoo designs part time to fund his college course, and occasionally dipped his toe into online art commissions. He'd moved in there when his mother had died four years previously, leaving him enough money to get by, but not enough that he could stop working. And right across the hall was Natalia Romanova, an aspiring ballerina from Russia. She was tough as hell, she had worked herself right through high school, paid her own way to America when she didn't even speak the language, and kept going through tenacity alone.

Somehow a friendship had struck up between them when Steve had been the first person not to look at her like she was an idiot or disgusting for not speaking the language. He'd helped her learn, and they'd been firm friends for the last three years. Everyone else was transient, coming and going, not really making an impact. Natalia had friends and a boyfriend outside of the apartment, but she sometimes worried that Steve never seemed to do anything but work and study.

Which was probably why he would be in his apartment when a loud crash sounded on the stairs outside. Said crash had come from a box of (now very broken) plates and bowls being dropped by the man just moving in to the apartment directly above Steve's, judging by the amount of cardboard boxes that were littering the hallway. He was tall, muscled, dressed in faded jeans and a hoodie with long slightly scruffy hair, leather gloves, and deep blue eyes.

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“Steven?” Natalia’s accent was thick from sleep. “Are you truly Steven? I do not like you this size. You are better off small and cute. But I will still put on my makeup and dress. We shall talk after that. Come in, come in. Thor, you must dress as well.”

Thor shrugged, as if it wasn’t his top priority, but went back to where Nat’s bed was in the corner of the small studio. He didn’t quite fit behind the changing screen, though Tony turned his back to him and exhaled through his mouth as if all of this was tedious. “So are we all like…friends? Me, you, Buck, Thor, Nat, that archer dude, Rhodey…? Because that’s pretty weird. You’d think we’d all be in different areas, not all congregated together. I only just met all of these guys through Loren and if Loren is an alien god where you’re from, how did I meet them?”

It was a good question. That they were all so connected really was strange. Most people in other realities had all sorts of different connections.

"I don't know how much of a good idea it is to tell you all these things," said Steve, looking apologetic as he found a seat and eased himself down into it. He tried not to be offended that all of his friends were looking at him as if he were an alien himself, it was understandable considering his size compared to their Steve and also because he was an interloper in this reality. "It's not that there's anything too bad, it's just that I don't want to contaminate your reality any more than necessary."

So he lived opposite Nat in this world, that was nice. Nat was one of his best friends, he would never forget all that she had done for him when he had first been pursued by the Winter Soldier, back before they even knew that the man had been Bucky underneath it all.

"The rip here is a mistake, I just want to get it sealed up so you can go back to your lives as they're meant to be. I know that I'm too late to save all the people who died that night, but-- I can at least keep it from happening again."

“Uh, so you’re here and you gave my fiancé something so he could walk again, which would have been other wise impossible, and now you’re worried about influencing our time line?” That sounded ridiculous. “Whatever you say isn’t going to drastically change the world. Not the same way that aliens appearing overhead for a day did. We did all of this ourselves. We sort of screwed the pooch, yanno? So I wouldn’t worry too much about you decide to say.”

There wasn’t anywhere in Nat’s apartment to sit other than the couch and if he did sit there, he’d be sidled up to a guy that was too big to be comfortable next to so he just stood and waited for first Thor and then Natalia to return to the room.

“Steve’s here to help out until they can fix things on the other end. But there’s a few people we need to have join the party. Nat, looks like you have a friend that used to be an Olympic archer? Still talk to him? Because he’s got five days to get to Manhattan so we can keep aliens from coming to visit again.”

Tony was probably right, it just felt different to Steve. Like if he told people things, it might influence them to do those things, when people should be allowed free will. What if he told Tony that he was married to Bruce Banner, would he break it off with Loren and pursue someone he might think was better for him? Steve might be being too cautious, but he just didn't want to wreck things.

So he sat in uncomfortable silence until Nat reappeared, a little surprised, but nodding almost at once. She was good at adapting to insane situations and very rarely not in control of herself.

"Of course I know Clint, he is a very good friend of mine. He is disaster. I do not know if he is near or not, I will text him and tell him to come."

She knew that he would, Clint would do anything for her, he may still be a little bit in love with her.

“Awesome. So this is going really well. Now all we need is Rhodey, J and his girlfriend, right?” No one mentioned Banner to him. Not Loki, at least, and not Loren and while Bruce had said that he had similar dreams, Tony was only going by who was on the list he’d been given. “So good. My place, Friday night. We’ll have a little meet and greet and go over whatever game plan Ken Doll has for us. Oh. Thor. Listen, give Loren like…two more days of rest before you go barging into the hospital. I’m bringing him home then and you can come over.”

Thor looked skeptical. “You have no lift, Stark. How do you intend to get him to your home? Impossible.”

“Pulleys. I have the car lifts and I have a manlift in the garage so we’ll be fine, trust me.” He fully intended Loki to just walk anyway. “And if all else fails, you can suffer all the bruises it takes to carry him for me. Deal?”

Thor took it with a large hand and a hard squeeze. Good enough, Tony decided, wincing at the strength behind the grasp. At least Thor wasn’t going to be a huge problem until Loren got on his feet again. Literally.

"What about Bruce?"

That was Steve, having been listening in and counting off the people that they needed. Bruce was pretty important, sure he wouldn't be the Hulk here (and he was sure the Bruce he knew and cared about was very jealous of that fact), but he was an integral part of the team and would be needed to seal the gap.

"This is so," said Nat. "I have been dreaming of my Thor with long hair, he has told me names and one was Bruce Banner."

Steve glanced sidelong at Tony, wondering why he hadn't just told Thor that his brother would be capable of walking out. It seemed needlessly cruel to let him keep worrying and grieving over such a severe injury when he could be told the truth.

“Huh. Well, I have the doc on speed dial and he knows where I live so I’ll text him.” He left with Steve, heading down the stairs, and when the blond did ask him the burning question while they climbed back onto the bike, Tony snorted. “Yeah, you want me to tell Thor his brother can walk… And then Thor, who has a very big mouth, boasts to his buddies that his brother was given something so he could walk again after his spine was all but severed…? Nah. I’ll let him think it’s a miracle when he sees him and everyone will be happy.”

With Banner, who was his primary care physician thanks to the surgery he had performed in triage, Tony might take a different sort of approach though. He sort of hoped it didn’t come up…even if it would. Of course it would.

“Now suck it in, Rogers, so I can get my arms around you. Time to go home.”

The next morning, with Steve doing something or other to one of the bikes in the shop as payment to be allowed to stay with him (or whatever), Tony went alone to the hospital. Talking with J, Wanda and Rhodey had actually gone really well. Really, really well. Now it was just time to bring Loren back into the fold. So Tony would wait until he woke up.

Loren had dreamed strange dreams. He had dreamed of his brother again, accented strangely and so insistent. But he had also dreamed of Anthony in many different horrible scenarios, trapped under falling masonry, lost to him through illness, turning from him because of Loren's inability to show love properly. It left him feeling nauseous when he did finally jolt awake, eyes wide.

"Anthony?"

No. No, he was there, his fiance still sat in the chair beside him and not driven away. Strangely he felt much better, despite the dreams. His back no longer hurt, which might just mean that he had been given better painkillers.

"I was starting to wonder if I needed to do something stronger than kiss you to get you to open those eyes of yours, Sleeping Beauty," Tony said, reaching out to take Loren's hand and bring it to his freshly shaved cheek. It had been awhile since he had trimmed himself up and it made his eyes stand out like gems of dark smokey Quartz. There was mischief in his eyes, some knowing mirth, that left him seeking more impish than usual. It was more than just his usual libido talking. Tony Stark was entirely too pleased about something.

Good news? But in the form of what? Banner had mentioned a Dr. Strange but with the travel ban in place, he wouldn't have been able to fly out that fast.

"I-- Loren, this is going to sound cruel, but please don't kill me. Can you--" Tony slipped his hand, warm and wide, under the light blanket and up Loren's thigh. The hospital gown didn't stand a chance against his clever fingers, pushed up with every inch of gained ground. He felt the soft skin beneath his touch and wondered, hoped, that Loren might feel him too. Maybe it was too subtle? Well, nothing would be subtle once he took Loren in hand. He was careful about the catheter. There was no need to cause his fiancé pain.

Loren opened his mouth to tell Anthony exactly how grateful he was to have him, a vulnerability from the dream that needed rare voice, but he was stopped when Anthony began to speak first. Initially he believed that it could only be a phantom sensation, his brain tricking him because he could see where Anthony's fingers were and remembered what it should feel like.

But then--

Then oh, that was not a phantom sensation. He gasped, eyes wide, and reached down to take hold of Anthony's wrist in a grip that was like iron. Not that he wanted it to stop, he was just so shocked.

"How? Anthony, tell me what has been done? Was I operated on again? I did not think that I would feel you again."

"You won't believe a word I say," Tony said, feeling his jaw tremble. It was what he had been most afraid of. He could carry Loren around and change their living space to suit him. Having the man walk wasn't that big a deal. But if their sex became one sided, that might just rip his heart right out of his chest. He wasn't a good man. He tried, but he knew he would stray. And he knew Loren would resent him but wouldn't be able to leave him for the infidelity. And he knew it would crush them both.

So this? This was welcome news. Tony leaned in to kiss Loren's gaping mouth, feeling him wriggle beneath his stalled hand. His legs were working too. But nearly three weeks in a bed might make it hard to walk. Then again, that salve had literally just healed his spine. His muscles might be perfect too.

"The you from the dreams, the other world," Tony said, inches apart with the kiss concluded, "sent a crazy huge Steve Rogers with future medicine to fix you up. Shhh I told you that you wouldn't believe me so shut up. Doesn't matter. Just trust me. Let me get you up and on those shapely legs again. We have some business to conduct."

Tony was wrong, Loren believed every single word. Those dreams were not just dreams, he had known it deep in his soul, the part of him that would always be connected to magic even if he couldn't access it in this life and this world. But to think that a different version of one of them had come and healed him.

Well-- He too was a selfish creature, though he was fascinated, he was mostly just ecstatic over his own good fortune. He surged upwards and pressed his lips passionately to Anthony's, biting on his lower lip hard enough to make it swollen, even as he moved his legs very deliberately under the covers.

"Business later, pleasure now."

He had thought he would never get to fuck Anthony again, he planned on celebrating.

This was probably not what Bruce Banner wanted to walk in on, Loren in Tony's lap while he rocked, Tony's hand on his bare thighs, lips pressed together-- Wisely, he would come back later, even if he was confused at how it was Loren was even capable of what he was doing.

Luckily, he wouldn't have to wait for long, the pleasures moans turning to grunts and then half amused and half relieved laughter. Both had noticed Banner had been there but neither cared.

Tony would be the one to open the door to the hall, all tucked in but eyes flush and lips red. "Hey. What are you doing Friday night, Doc?"

Loren was lively and ecstatic, he could not keep his hands off Anthony as his fiance opened the door, standing behind him with his arms wrapped around his waist and his chin on Anthony's shoulder.

Bruce stared, unable to believe what he was seeing. The damage to Loren's spine had been severe enough that the man shouldn't have been capable of even twitching his toes again, let alone standing as if he had never been injured in the first place.

"--what?"

Friday night? That was brushed aside at once.

"Loren, I need you to get back on the bed, I need to examine you. This is-- it's amazing!"

"Shh, shh, keep your voice down," Tony bit back, knowing better than to put his hand over Bruces mouth considering where it had been a few minutes ago. He did hold out his hand though, a shushing gesture. "I'll explain not here. Not now-- Know what? Come by tonight. Do not tell anyone. But I'm taking him out of here before anyone else wants to see what this miracle is."

He was not risking Loren after he'd just gotten him back. He wasn't a moron.

Tony turned and wrapped an arm around Loren's waist. "Dinner. You know where we live. Make it for seven." He was not giving Bruce a chance to disagree as he turned towards Loren and pointed to the duffle bag.

"Clothes. Just until we get home."

Bruce had no idea what was going on, but this was genuinely medically impossible and so he would go all the way to India, let alone just to Tony and Loren's apartment, to find out the truth of what had happened. He at least had the presence of mind to stay quiet, even if he burned with curiosity. If there was one thing that Bruce Banner was exceptional at, it was patience.

Loren grinned, wicked and excited, as he slipped into his clothes in an almost sensual way, making sure that Anthony got a show as he slowly covered each part of pale skin until he could wind his arm around Anthony in return.

"Let us leave here, I wish never to set foot inside a hospital again."

Steve was still in the garage when the door went up and Tony guided his bike back into the spot along the wall. There were a few new orders pinned to the walls, the work was steadily increasing, but Rhodey and Pepper were handling things fine for now. The sun had set and Loren was a warm spot on his back. That was all be cared about.

Tony tossed the keys to the bike into a lockbox on the wall before he guided Loren towards the stairs. "Rogers," he called, "I need the place for sex. Don't come up stairs for at least two hours unless you like to watch." He picked Loren up, tall but thin, and carted him right up the metal stairs to their home, settled on the second and third floor over the garage.

Clothes that had been so carefully slipped on were now ripped off as Tony struggled out of his own clothes and tried to touch Loren all at the same time. The dance was not at all graceful.

It probably left Steve feeling a little lonely. Everyone here was so normal. No super powers. Now great burdens on their shoulders. Just love and need and togetherness.

He felt the most lonely when he had seen Bucky pursue Steve into the kitchen and embrace him in that easy way that spoke of affection and love. It made his heart ache for the easy way that Bucky used to swing his arm around Steve's shoulders, or muss his hair, or just bump up against him. Even though they're married, his Bucky now is so careful and always so aware of his own space. His touches are deliberate, telegraphed, and cautious. He loves Bucky, he'll love him no matter what, but his heart aches for this piece of what he'll never get back.

So he throws himself into working on the bikes and cars for another few hours, giving it three to be on the safe side, before he tramped upstairs. Tired, aching, and covered in oil, he looked like a wet dream from a mechanic calendar pin-up.

"Excuse me?"

He knocked at the door politely, already wishing he could be back in his own world where he belonged, where he wasn't an outside.

"Can I come in and use your shower, please?"

It was a good thing that Tony was satisfied because every single time he looked at this version of Steve Rogers, he was pretty sure he was going to break his gay for Loren only rule. Men weren't supposed to look that good. Except for Loren, of course. And the two couldn't be more different. That was the craziest part. Steve was not his type. And yet... He sort of was.

Loren was out in the balcony upstairs with his coffee looking over the river so Tony was alone, wearing a robe that looked a little retro, almost like a smoking jacket. He stood aside to let Steve in and then sort of followed him to the bathroom, under the guise of directing him to the guest room on this level of the house.

"So question. You said something back in Steve's apartment... About you and Bucky always finding each other. So how many other worlds have you been to? And was there ever a version of me that was a cat person?" He was curious! And he always wanted a tail.

"I've not been to any other worlds, not really, but I've seen a few and read about a few more. These rips have been happening more and more, so it's something that we've had to look into a fair amount."

The reason for asking, however, that was a weird one. Not that Tony was ever fully normal in any reality, Steve didn't think that he would ever get his jokes properly even if he lived for another ninety years and spent that time doing nothing but analysing Tony's speech patterns.

"Uh-- I don't know if you were ever a cat person. I guess you must have owned cats in some reality; why, do you really like them? Is this apartment not for pets in the lease?"

"No. No. Like. A person. Who is a cat." He put his hands on his hand to mimic ears. "Like, is there a reality where everyone is a bipedal cat? I just want to know if Japan got some things right." Or Doctor Who for that matter, though the cat people in Doctor Who were another species that were just capable of interbreeding with humans and having kittens so... It was all very confusing and interesting.

Tony leaned against the doorway of the room he had given to Steve. He didn't correct him about the lease (since he owned the garage and the apartment on top of it). He kind of did want a cat but he was pretty sure that Loren would find a way to get rid of it. Loren was the most territorial man he knew and sharing a space with another living thing that could take any part of his affection was a no go.

"Oh well. Anyway, what did you guys do to break apart reality? More aliens? Evil mad genius?"

And that was actually sort of funny. Since Tony did pretty much count as the evil mad genius that helped to break the universe.

Steve did not want to tell this Tony that his counterpart had accidentally helped rip open spaces between worlds. Not that it would have been the only terrible mistake that Tony had made, the man seemed to blunder into potential world ending disasters on a worryingly regular basis, though his intentions were usually good.

"I really don't think I should talk about it. All you need to know is that we need all of you in the right place to help close the rift, and then you can go about your lives as you were before."

Or maybe not exactly like, because now they were aware that other worlds and aliens existed, and that tended to change a person.

"It's probably safer to tell you about your daughter and husband and all that stuff instead, if you absolutely have to know something."

Poor Steve, he was too keen not to be an asshole that he couldn't quite say no altogether.

Husband got Tony's attention. "But I'm not-- Hang on. So I'm not with Loren. But I'm with another man? I'm not gay. That's not me. I'm not going to say that Loren is the first guy I've slept with but he's the only man I think I could actually love. What's my husband's name? And did we adopt or is she like... From a woman I wasn't careful with?"

Rogers had just popped open a can of worms. Tony wanted to know all about the version of him that Steve was friends with.

"Or... Me and you-- did we ever hook up?" Maybe he was gay in that other world. It could happen. He didn't feel like he was born gay this time he just happened to fall in love with Loren. That was different. He was sticking to his assessment of that. "Oh shit. Are we like three way married with Bucky?"

His imagination was running rampant.

Oh... God.

Steve had faced down Nazis single-handedly, he had jumped from a plane without a parachute, and he had gone toe-to-toe with his brainwashed best friend. But he looked genuinely scared as Tony got hold of the line of questioning and ran with it, he knew from experience that there were few things more persistent than a Stark with a burning need to know something.

"Us?" It was a little strangled. "That's-- not where I'm from, we're just friends, Tony. Good friends. You're married to Dr. Banner, and you adopted your daughter, as far as I know she's not directly related to either of you."

Please let this be over.

Please let the rift open again and swallow him whole.

Tony had two diverging thoughts here and both competed with each other for attention. "What?" He found it strange that he and Banner would have anything sexual because they both preferred women over men (and Banner didn't look like the type to even dabble with homosexuality). He also was a little disappointed that he didn't get to lick the abs he saw rippling under the sweat drenched shirt Steve was wearing.

Hormones and attraction levels were very confusing for Tony and he seemed to be working his way around some questions here.

"So you've read about realities where you and I are together then?" Steve had made it pretty clear in his word choice that it happened, but not where he was from. "And... I have an adopted kid. With Banner. Bruce Banner. Guy about this high," Tony's own height, actually, "and probably enough body hair to choke a lawnmower? Seriously? What do we even have in common other than that he patches me up when I hurt myself?"

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