Games like Starcraft 1 would handle it by adding an artificial delay to your inputs (and all your opponent's inputs). Putting it into a buffer for future steps instead. If anyone remembers the latency option for "Extra high latency", this would increase the delay on inputs so that simulations did not have to pause while waiting for inputs from other clients. And then if any network fluctuations causes your input buffer of other clients to empty, you have to pause again.
In fighting games this is usually called delay-based netcode, and people hate it. It makes your inputs feel unresponsive, and in games that require fast reactions (like fighting games) gives you a smaller window to react.