Steve was aware of what was at stake here. He knew how others would react, especially those who had seen Bucky vanish before their very eyes. People would make questions. Suspicious would arise and the veteran knew that the backlash for what he had just done would be… no short of monumental. What would Thor say? Or Natasha? What would Bucky say if he knew what he had done for the sake of saving him? How badly would his best friend react after learning why he had come back and no one else had? It was a price that Steve was willing to pay. It was something that only he could do. Maybe there was a way. Maybe later down the line, they would find some way to undo what Thanos had done.

MAYBE.

But how was he supposed to focus when he was blinded by grief and pain? To see Bucky die before his very eyes not once – but twice? That was far too much. He would even give his own life in exchange for Bucky’s if that was what it took for him to have the other man back. The one who didn’t want to fight. The one who wanted nothing more than to live his own life and put his past of war and conflict behind his back. It was his fault that Bucky had vanished. It was his fault that things had… been the way they were now. But it was not too late to make amends. They would stop Thanos and they would find a way to bring the ones who died back. They would find a way to right their wrongs. But for him to do that… he needed Bucky. He needed that ONE person that would make everything so much better and bearable.

Blue eyes turned to the demon and even though he knew sooner or later, he would have to pay the price for this – Steve was oddly at peace. Whatever the demon wanted, he would do. It was his end of the bargain. Whatever it took to bring Bucky back. To bring the one person he cared about the most back to the world of the living. It was not his time. Not yet. “Thank you.” Lips curled in a half smile and Steve offered his demonic contractor a short nod. If the blond could truly bring Bucky back – he would pay the price. It was worth it. “How do I know it is my time to fill my end of the bargain?”

_{He didn’t expect thanks. Nor did he expect true gratitude for what he was about to do. Tinkering with fate always came with a price – usually, he had something to weigh it out with properly, but words held their own power. A favor for a favor – something he did out of pure necessity than actual want.}

_{Bringing one man back wouldn’t tip the scales one way or another – the scales were already destroyed. That was what happened when the Titan decided to snap their fingers and throw the entire universe. Whatever balance there was… it was torn asunder.} 

_{All that was left was the fragments of what was once known as reality. Dust littering every room, street, and corner of not just the world, but the universe at large. A price to pay for someone who decided that most of all life needed to be eradicated.}

_{Maybe in another time Ky would have done the same thing, but not like this – never like this. Though, he doubted he’d ever get ahold of an infinity stone. Especially now… that they were all currently held by a very mad Titan.} 

_{“You’ll know.” It was a lie, but also a truth in all reality. Ky didn’t know when he’d call either one or a majority of his deals in. However, he knew fully well that when the time came? He’d be calling it in no matter what they were doing or what was on the line.} 

_{“Until then,” he said, hands slipping into the pockets of his pants, “I’ll be watching and I might even show up now and again.” Of course, the final words from his mouth were doubtful, but they held some sort of truth all the same.}