As soon as they landed on Vormir, Tony felt unpleasant shivers through his body.
"So, do we have any hint where the Soul Stone is?" Steve asked.
"On Vormir?" Tony said sarcastically.
"Yeah Tony, I just hope we won't spend whole day looking for that..."
"I have to agree - it's kinda depressed atmosphere here." Tony said and as soon as he finished the sentence someone approached them from behind.
"Welcome, Anthony, son of Howard, Steven, son of Joseph." Red Skull said approaching from the dark.
"You know us?" Tony asked puzzled.
"It is my curse to know all who journey here, looking for stones."
"Red Skull?" Steve was even more puzzled about this.
"What are you doing here?" Steve asked confused, finding an old enemy.
"A lifetime ago, I, too, sought the stones. I even held one in my hand. But it cast me out, banished me here, guiding others to a treasure I can not possess. Consider me a guide. To you, and to all who seek the Soul Stone."
"Oh, good. You tell us where it is. Then we'll be on our way." Tony added, not wanting to stay here any more second. He didn't liked it.
"Ah, liebchen. If only it were that easy..." Red Skull answered in his mysterious voice. "You should know, it extracts a terrible price."
"I am prepared." Tony said ready to hear a price for a stone while Steve put his jacket on Tony's shoulders 'cause he was obviously cold as the wind blew.
"We all think that at first. We are all wrong."
Steve and Tony exchanged a look and nodded ready to hear it. Red Skull gave them the sign to follow him to the cliff.
"What you seek lies in front of you, as does what you fear." Said Red Skull showing down the cliff.
"The stone is down there?" Steve asked.
"For one of you. For the other... In order to take the stone, you must lose that which you love. An everlasting exchange."
As they heard the last words, blood in their veins froze and they look in each others eyes again.
Tony makes a step forward. "What does that mean?" He asked afraid to know.
"The price. Soul holds a special place among the Infinity Stones. You might say, it is a certain wisdom. So, to ensure that whoever possesses it, understands its power, the stone demands a sacrifice. In order to take the stone, you must lose that which you love. A soul for a soul." As he said that, he dissapeared.
"We need to do this, Steve. There's no way we can go back without the stone." He touched Steve's face gently, looking at his eyes filled with sadness.
"Then we agree." Steve said placing hands on Tony's cheeks. This was the first time Steve was not fearing death at all but the tears still formed in his eyes. "I..." he muttered unable to form a sentence.
"Hey, don't cry. I am ready." Tony removed his lover's tears but on that words Steve's face changed in confusion and he stepped away.
"Tones? What did you just say? Please, don't start this now. I don't want to fight. It has to be me. I know that you will lead the team successfully. You can win over Thanos and return half of world's population. I need to sacrifice..." Steve said approaching to the cliff.
"Don't you dare, Stevie." Tony got him in a hug. "I know you have that hero complex since you were born probably, but..." Tony squeezes his husband very, very tight. "I can't let you. I love you forever, always will." Tony started slightly panicking.
"I love you Tones, and you have to know that I will forever. I will always live here." Steve said placing hand gently on Tony's heart and brush their lips together. "Forever Tony." And with that words he had to take a run to the end of the cliff because he knew otherwise Tony would stop him.
"No!" Tony's voice was full of sorrow, he let a blast to Steve, knocking him down on the floor.
"Tony!" Steve's heart break as he saw Tony's running towards the edge. Tony was just to fell when Steve caught his wrist and pulled him back.
"Let me, Stevie, please." Tony pleaded. For the first time they did not fight to death, but for death and they both were dermined in that. For the moment they stayed like that, their eyes locked. Tony's wrists were in Steve's hold and Steve shook his head.
"Goodbye, my love." Steve said and then he jumped of the cliff.
"Steve..." Tony said in very, very low voice, almost a whisper. Then he took Steve's jacket in a hug and took a deep breath of Steve's scent which gave him strenght to live. And then, in front of him, there was a Soul Stone.
Little did he know that as soon as he will save half of the world's population, he will join his once and forever love in eternity. Their eternity.
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