"Do you want me to go with you?"

"Hmm?" Steve stood from the edge of your bed once his shoes were secure and quickly put on his jacket, gave his pockets one last quick check, tapping each one to check for his keys and cash before rushing out the door. He hadn't seen Chris in far too long, and he didn't dare be late when he was looking forward to this for the last week. It took forever just to get Evans on the phone, so this felt like a rare chance to finally get together. Ever since the universe was snapped back, the guy had been different; not that it wasn't expected, but this was hanging on.  "Um, no...I think I'll be okay," he answered absentmindedly at first, but pausing to turn back once he knew he had everything. "Wait, do you want to go with me?"

"Not really, just being polite," you smiled hesitantly. "Actually, I'm glad that you said no. I think he'll be more honest with you than he will with me."

"Why do you say that?"

"It's just a feeling, I guess. But also, I'm going back to sleep because you boys are stupid to be up and out this early. Even the sun is confused, Steve."

"Okay," he relented with a shrug before leaning down to grab a quick kiss goodbye. "Alright, wish me luck. I'll let you know if I can get anything from him. He hasn't even answered my texts today to be sure that we're still meeting. I don't know, doll, I can't figure out what's happening with him. He's never been so quiet before. I sure hope that nothing is wrong."

"I feel like Seb would've called us, or at least Robert if no one else. They talk to him probably more than anyone else other than his mom."

"True, but he used to talk to us even more," Steve nodded in agreement, pausing at the door. His hand had just landed on it to push it open, but his thoughts were now racing and he wasn't sure about his plans anymore. "Do you think we should give her a quick call before I head out?"

"No, let's see how your visit goes first," you reassured him. "I don't want to use the mom card unless we really need to. Last time I called her he wouldn't let me hear the end of it for months."

"Yeah, but at least we could count on hearing from him that way."

~~~

Chris looked around the bar as he walked in, needing to squint as his eyes adjusted from the glaring sunlight and into the dark and hazy room. His ballcap was pulled down enough so that he felt like he could remove his sunglasses without giving himself away, and he had let his beard grow in again so that usually helped some. It wasn't even close to midday yet, but still in the middle of the week, so he was one of only a handful of customers there; it made for an easy way to blend in, given who it was that was about to meet him there. When the two of them got together anywhere public it was never truly alone. When Steve finally walked in a few minutes later, it felt like forever since he had last seen the guy and it immediately set off his guilt and anxiety for letting his friend down after they had been so close for so long. He started to wonder if maybe Steve was going to rethink naming his only son after him after acting like such an asshole lately.

"Hey, Cap."

"Chris. How have you been?" Steve gave his friend a solid grip on his shoulder and pulled out one of the bar stools next to him, looking for the bartender to wave him to their direction. He quickly ordered two beers so that he could give his attention fully to the conversation because he was immediately on edge from the vibe he was getting. When he had said that Chris had become a brother to him, he meant it, and it meant that he could read the guy in a mere few seconds of seeing him. Something was going on and he was going to waste no time in getting to the bottom of it.

"Good."

"How's work?"

"Busy."

"Must be, we haven't heard from you in forever. Is everything okay?"

"Yep."

"Then why are we talking in one-word sentences? This isn't like you."

"Sorry."

"Come on, man, it's me. Just tell me what's on your mind. Good or bad, I can take it." Two dark bottles were set unceremoniously in front of him before he could even thank the bartender, and he took the top from one to hand it to Chris before opening his own.

"Thanks," Chris nodded, taking a long drink. "I don't know, Cap, I'm just busy. I've got so many projects up in the air that I can't see straight. I feel like I barely get one thing started and another comes up. I mean, I wanted to have new things to do after my Marvel contract was up but this is more than I expected." He stopped and began to fidget with the label on his bottle, nervously picking away at it and looking like he couldn't get himself to make eye contact with Steve. "And then...dammit, things are just...things are...shit."

"We've been worried about you, ya know? Now that I'm in front of you, you barely even look like yourself, and we haven't seen you in months. CJ asks where you are all the time, and (Y/N) has pretty much given up on trying to reach out." Steve watched for a reaction, to try to read the guy before he kept going, but ever the actor, Evans was giving him nothing back that felt real. "It's like you're trying to distance yourself from not just Marvel, but maybe from us too. Am I reading you right? Did we do something?"

"What? No! No, of course not! I miss you guys, all of you," he answered hurriedly. "I get her messages and then I just...I don't know, I guess I forget to reply. God, I'm such a dick. I don't blame her for giving up." He took another long drink and pulled the bottle back, looking at it disappointedly that he'd finished it so fast, holding it up to signal for another.

"Okay, I may have exaggerated," Steve relented, "she didn't give up, but she's frustrated and not sure what to do. We don't want to bother you because we know how much you always have going on, but Chris, if you don't make some time for yourself, you're gonna break."

"Yeah, you're one to talk."

"I've been out of the game for a year now."

"Shut the fuck up," Chris choked out, coughing slightly on his drink that he had barely had the chance to start. He wiped his sleeve across his mouth quickly before he lost control and made himself even more of an idiot than he already felt.

"I have!" Steve laughed. "I decided...well, (Y/N) encouraged...and decided with me, that CJ was growing up so fast and I was missing too many firsts. I don't think it's a permanent leave, but I don't feel any rush to get back to it yet."

"So...she told you to stop."

"I agreed."

"Did you have a choice?"

"Pfft, you know that answer as well as I do, pal."

"Yeah, I do," Chris sighed, "which is why I'm shocked that she isn't here giving me all sorts of hell instead. Funny thing is, I almost miss it. I miss her...and don't get me wrong," he paused, emphatically raising his hands in front of him, "it's not like that. Not again. Those feelings are gone, Cap, I promise. It's just that no one talks to me like that and gets me quite like (Y/N) does."

Steve reached out and made another contact with his friend, putting a supportive hand on his shoulder with a gentler squeeze than his first greeting had been. He didn't want to scare the guy, when he was already looking worried that he had said too much. "Don't worry, kid, I know that you're not in that place anymore, and we're good. Although, I asked her if she wanted to tag along, but she said no. Kinda shocked me. I've gotta warn you, she has your mom on speed dial so maybe she's just getting her info there instead."

"Shit, I can't believe they still talk to each other."

"You really think that she'll give that up so easily?"

"No," Chris groaned, taking another drink. "Not like I have a choice either. I guess they're friends now so I'm double fucked no matter what I do."

"She's always nice when we call. We have really good talks."

"When we call?! You too?! What could you possibly talk to my mom about, Steve?"

"Well, the last time we talked, about a month ago or so, she gave me some really good tips on helping us potty train CJ. So far it's working great. We were starting to think the kid would be in college before he got out of diapers."

Once again, Steve smiled to himself at the sound of laughter coming from Chris, taking a little of the worry away that he might never hear it again. "Nah, college is when you get back into diapers so you don't have to miss anything by stopping to take a piss. Alright, so let's hear it. What magical advice did she give you?"

"To tell him that his Uncle Chris didn't learn how to use the potty until he was almost 5, so now it's a competition to beat you."

"Goddammit. She promised to let that one die. I'm sooo calling her after this. That's not cool."

"What, it's not true?"

"Not...entirely," Chris mumbled into his beer sheepishly, "but also, not exactly...untrue."

As Steve watched him tip the bottle back once again, he felt a little more at ease now compared to when he first walked in. He could see Chris relax now, and the awkwardness that both of them hated was finally gone. He took the first deep breath he felt able to have since he sat down, until it was short-lived and jarring to a halt. He stopped breathing in pure shock of not noticing it sooner. Plain as day, right in front of him, and he was now convinced that a year away from the job had made him lose his edge at both seeing the obvious and his expert skill in reading a room. "Chris?"

"Yeah, Cap?"

"Where's your wedding ring?"

"Uh...um, well...I must've forgotten to, uh...to put it on before I left," he stammered, his gaze now moving to anywhere in the room that wouldn't connect with Steve.

"You know, I've seen all of your work and I never realized how shitty of an actor you are."

"Hey, language, man. I've told you a thousand times, it just sounds weird when you do that."

"Don't change the subject."

"Don't push the issue."

"Fine," Steve relented, a hand up in defeat while the other grabbed his beer, "I won't push. I've got (Y/N) for that."

"Oh, fuck off, Rogers."

"So, it's okay for you, but not for me?" Steve chuckled dryly. "I'm a hell of a lot older than you, junior. I was around when some of those words were invented."

Chris snorted and coughed, dropping his bottle down onto the bar top and reaching to take a towel from the other side of it before he spit his drink everywhere in a fit of laughter that he couldn't stop. "Jesus, Steve, warn a guy, would ya? You must be hard up if you're insulting yourself now. Does (Y/N) know how bad you miss the team?"

"I said, don't change the subject."

"Fine," Evans gave in with a huff. "If you must know, we're...we're taking a...a break."

"Chris, I'm so sorry, I didn't know." Steve let go of his drink and turned to face Chris fully, making a concerted effort to give him his undivided attention. "Can I ask?"

"It's no one's fault. But, in her defense, I'm a handful."

"Aside from helping you to find original material," Steve cautiously risked the hint of a smile, "what can I do?"

Chris groaned under his breath, barely audible to anyone other than Cap, his hand over his eyes as if hiding himself away would make his answer any easier to give. "Well, I suppose maybe don't tell your wife?"

"Wait...what?" he startled. "Why not?"

"I just...I'd rather she not know, that's all."

"Do better, Chris."

"Drop it, Steve."

Steve sat silently for a few minutes, trying to use his skills that he had just convinced himself that he'd lost. If Chris wasn't giving him anything, he'd have to find it for himself. He watched his friend take another drink, the hint of a shake in his hand as he held the bottle. He still wouldn't make eye contact and had struggled with it for the entire conversation thus far. Chris appeared to be sitting still, but his foot was just barely moving, though incessantly, bouncing his heel against the rail of the bar stool just enough to catch Steve's eye. As Evans sat his beer down onto the bar top, there was a subtle remnant of condensation where his hand had been, telling Steve that Chris was nervous about something. What would he possibly be nervous about? They've been friends for years so there isn't anything that Chris couldn't tell him...they had been able to talk about everything...everything except...

"She's why, isn't she?" Steve asked with remarkable restraint. "It's (Y/N)."

"What?!" Chris choked on his drink again, this time Steve didn't make a move to offer aid.

"You said you were past all that."

"I am!"

"You get her messages but don't answer them on purpose, you don't forget at all, do you?" he began, counting the points out on his fingers. "You seemed relieved when I told you that she didn't want to join me today. You're upset that she's friends with your mom but it's funny that I talk to her-"

"No."

"Then convince me that I'm wrong."

"You don't want me to do that," Chris muttered and turned away again, hoping to God that Cap would just back down. "I promise you, it's better to just leave it."

"Alright," Steve nodded with a firm slap of his hand against the bar in finality as he stood, "then we're done here. I'll see you around, Evans."

Chris considered letting him go, believing it really would be better for everyone. It wasn't selfless by any means; he just didn't want to deal with it anymore. He couldn't see a way out that would avoid hurting anyone in one way or another, so avoidance felt right. At least until he watched Steve reach the door and actually prepare to step through without hesitation. He meant it when he said they were done and this would be it for their friendship. Forever. "Steve, wait," Chris panicked. "Okay...okay fine, just please...sit back down." He waited an eternity for Steve to look back and allow himself to believe that Chris would be honest, and as soon as the Captain was seated in front of him once more, he knew he couldn't hold back for another second or he'd lose him again. "I'm thinking about going back to Marvel for a few quick jobs, a cameo here and there, that sort of thing."

"Okay?"

"That means you and I will probably start hanging out more again, and we'll be getting both teams together again like we used to. Cuz let's face it, I'm the glue of that crowd."

"I think maybe Robert-"

"Shut your fucking face."

"And Tony-"

"What the hell, do you want to hear this or not?" Chris snapped, losing his will for even a hint of humor.

"Yes, I do," Steve relented, "sorry. Continue."

Now Chris could feel the tremor in his hands that he had managed to ignore up until now, trying to hide it as he waved to the bartender for another refill to steel his nerves. It was painful agony waiting for the guy to see him, and the stare that Steve was boring through him as he waited was killing him until he couldn't stand it anymore. "Remember how after we got married they were like instant best friends? Have you ever taken a minute to notice that she doesn't stop by to hang with (Y/N) anymore?"

"Sure, but I just figured the newness wore off a bit. Everyone's been so busy. CJ's taking up a lot of our time-"

"Woah, hold up, did (Y/N) really not tell you about their blow up? I'm told it was pretty epic. Like, duck and cover epic."

"Does this look like the face of someone in the know?! You're the actor here!"

"Well let's just say that your wife is a force, Steve, and she knocked mine down very efficiently. When I tried to figure out what the fuck happened, it just started to escalate into our own fight, over and over until the pressure was too much. It got hard to tell what was truth and what was real anymore, and then I doubted everything like I always do and fucked it all up. Stepping away was my best option...staying back from you guys to focus on my own stuff, thinking it would just get better. I tried that for a while, but I decided I can't live like that, no matter who it's for. So...a break. Kinda feel bad for Ma, though. She doesn't want to take sides-"

"Chris, stop," Steve commanded, a hand up to halt him, "you lost me. What was their fight even about? What could possibly be so important that they just let their friendship fall apart with one fight and take your marriage with it?"

"Well, about that..."

"Jesus, just spit it out already. What is it?"

"It's you."