Warning: Yaoi/boy-on-boy
Pairings: Tony StarkXSteve Rogers, ClintXNatasha, ThorXLoki
Story: Steve is off to war. And Tony's only comfort is that he is coming back. He promised, after all.
Disclaimer: All Characters (c) Marvel


I needed him to stay alive. I told him that, as I held him tightly. He held my waist and placed a kiss against the side of my head. He told me he would be back, no matter what. He would be back. And so he kissed me and I tried so hard to hold onto him until Rhodey placed a hand on my shoulder and he and Steve left. On a plane, off to fight in that stupid war that no matter my smarts I couldn't stop.

For the first few days, I just stayed in the house. I buried my face in his pillow and wrapped myself into his blanket, just to feel like he was still there holding me. Bruce came by, then, and convinced me to go back to lecturing. I was out of it, teaching the class on auto-pilot. Natasha and Clint came in afterwards, finishing teaching their own college courses. Clint and Bruce agreed to take me out drinking that night.

We met Thor that night, and I almost fell into bed with him I was so wasted. But the moment he tried to kiss me, I began to cry. Bruce came rushing over, Thor rubbing my back as I cried against his shoulder. Bruce was thankful to Thor, and he was soon integrated into our small drinking group.

I was forced to drink less than I wanted to, after two more emotional outbursts. Pepper and Natasha came along to make sure I didn't drink too much, and comfort me if I did. I just missed him so much...

And then the first call came. I cried when I heard his tried voice, and I heard him tear up as well. I told him about Thor, and I confessed to how drunk I had been. He scolded me, and I explained I had just missed him so much... His hair, his skin, his hands, his eyes... He told me it would just be a few more months. I had lost track of time, it seemed.

Then the explosion in the background and Steve told me he loved me, and I told him that he had to come home, so be careful. And the phone was cut off in the middle of my 'I love you'. I called over Bruce and cried then. Pepper came over as well, holding a six pack and giving me a warm smile.

She and Bruce were so lucky... And Clint and Natasha, and Thor and the guy Loki he was always telling us about. And the only one who I had ever loved was on the other side of the world, with no guarantee of coming back. I missed him...


The call came five months later. I think I screamed, I don't really remember. I think Bruce and Clint had to wrestle a gun from me. I don't remember, though. I do remember two days later, waking up in our bed, Natasha sleeping in the chair in the corner of the room.

I got up, thinking it had all been a dream. Then I saw Bruce walk in with this look on his face... I do remember screaming then, and my friends running in and trying to comfort me. I threw things at them, and soon all but Pepper had left. All sharp objects were hidden from me, but that didn't stop me. What was the point in living, the love of my life was dead. He was dead... And it was all THEIR fault.


It was a year later that Rhodey found out it was me that was supplying the army with such advanced weaponry. They paid me well, so I bought a new house. I think you would have liked it. I kept our old house, though, because it held all your things that I refused to get rid of. Because you were only MIA... It didn't mean you were dead. But it had been a year.

Rhodey fought with me, yelling and accusing me of things I had not done. He said I was just a whore who was selling his genius for money and his body for comfort. I just looked at him. My new AI, JARVIS, forced him out of the house.

JARVIS was the only companion I wanted. I didn't share my bed, and I wasn't selling my genius for money. I was selling it for revenge.

My company grew. Stark Industries, I called it. I was harsh, and cruel, and more than a bit paranoid. I made sure my company was indestructible. No chance of internal sabotage. By the end of my company takeover, only Pepper and Thor would talk to me. They were the only ones I shared my real anguish with, the only ones who saw me smile, the only ones who knew how hard I was still looking for Steve.

When Thor told me he was going to the middle east with Loki, I was surprised. When he asked me to go with me, I was moved. He was going for fun, having a break from football season, and had decided to take his boyfriend to the place Loki talked about visiting most. And when Pepper mentioned that that was where Steve had been lost, he could only invite me along.

I paid for the rooms, getting Thor and Loki the honeymoon suite, which Loki admitted a grudging thanks for. I took a large suite for two people. Maybe... No.

Loki tagged along with me, meaning Thor came along as well. Loki was logical, though he didn't talk much. We got along, it turned out.

So when we reached the army camp that Steve had last been at, they greeted me with salutes and cheers. Loki folded his arms and sighed as Thor waved back, holding his lover around the waist. I just chuckled at the two before I let my poker face fall into place and storm off to the commanders quarters.

He stuttered as I strode in, slamming my hands onto his desk. That's when it all started to fall apart for them. Thor and Loki followed me in, Thor standing at an impressive height and Loki's eyes boring through the man.

"Give me all the information you have on Steve Rogers. Now."

The commander barely managed to get out a single word before Loki stepped forward.

"You will tell us now, or you will find this war is very hard to win without Stark technology."

He gave us the folder on him. The man I loved. And there it was, he wasn't MIA. I stormed out of the camp, Thor and Loki shielding me from prying eyes. This was going to end now.

Thor and Loki stayed in the middle east. I made them, telling them they needed to stay and enjoy themselves. Loki was happy to allow me the space, and forced Thor to let me go as well.


When I arrived in Washington, the military was already there to greet me. More like take me into custody, but either way they were taking me to where I wanted to be. Right in the middle of where they were keeping Steve.

"Mr. Stark," the General's voice was trying to be sly and condescending. It was just like a grating noise in my ears.

"Look, I don't give a shit what your excuses are. You either take me to Steve, or I self-destruct all the weapons I have given the military," I hissed, glaring at the man. "And don't think you can stop me, I'm smarter than all your so called 'geniuses' put together."

The General's face lost its fake smile. He stood and showed me the way.

He pushed open a heavy door, motioning for me to go in. And there was Steve. In the room, completely tied down, eyes almost blank, face gaunt, and muscles deteriorated. I sprinted inside, undoing the restraints as fast as my shaking fingers could. I didn't hear any of the General's protests. I just saw Steve, lying there like a... a... dead body! It was just, so... I barely noticed the tears that fell.

I sat up on the table Steve had been tied down to, lifting up his body to lean against mine. His head fell lifelessly against my chest, his eyes barely moving as I stroked his hair gently. I called Bruce and Natasha after that. When they heard, it was like there had been no falling out between us. They were there as quickly as they could.

They helped me get Steve out of there. I never let Steve out of my sight, barely out of my grip, as we flew back to New York. I went back to our old house, Clint helping me set what was left of Steve on the bed. My old friends left us alone after that. They realized I would never hurt myself, not when I had Steve back.


"Oh, Steve," I whispered as I laid down next to him, resting my head against his shoulder. "I'm so sorry I didn't find you sooner. What have they done to you?"

The next day saw me taking Steve to my - our - mansion. JARVIS could help me there. I went out and bought a lot of chicken broth and plain soups, straws, eye drops, moisturizer, band-aids, and condoms. Once Steve was better, I was going to ride him like no tomorrow.

I put eye drops in his eyes when I got back, making him blink his eyes. I placed band-aids on his injection sites, and then began to massage his body with the moisturizer.

"I swear, Steve, if you don't get better, I'm going to be pissed," I muttered, chuckling slightly. "You need to get up and yell at me for trying to get revenge on the wrong people, and almost losing all my friends. You need to yell at me for making weapons. And you need to meet JARVIS."


I was still in bed, sleeping after taking care of Steve for 3 weeks. He had made a quick recovery, but had still shown no signs of waking. I was scared, and had only fallen asleep two hours ago, I think. It was then that I smelled pancakes, something I wasn't used to.

When I opened my eyes, Steve wasn't there.

I was terrified, he was gone again! I couldn't lose him, not when I had just gotten him back. This wasn't happening, it wasn't, it...

"Steve?" I whimpered as I entered the kitchen. There he stood, an apron wrapped around his waist and flipping pancakes on the stove top.

He turned around and smiled and I think I almost collapsed. Steve caught me, strong arms wrapping around me as I sobbed into his muscled chest, holding onto him tightly as he whispered words of sweet promises into my ear. Oh, if this was a dream I never wanted to wake up.

"Oh, Tony," he whispered. "I love you, so much."

He set me down in a chair, bringing pancakes for us both and sitting at my side, running a hand through my hair as we ate in almost silence, comfortable in each other's presence. I had missed this so much. Just being here with him, together, with my best friend and lover.

I felt Steve looking at me. I glanced up at him to see a smile on his lips, reflected in his beautiful blue eyes.

"Tony, I want to marry you," he said, plain and simple.

"W-what?" I muttered.

He chuckled. "I meant to ask you the day I got back from duty, I even had a ring picked out. I guess since I'm back, now is as good a time as any. You saved my life, Tony. You're the most... amazing man I have ever met. Even if you did decide to create weapons of mass destruction."

I winced at that. "Rhodey?" I asked.

"Rhodey," he confirmed. "But I'm sure you can use that big brain of yours to create a better world, a better United States. Right after we get married."

I smiled, for the first time in so long. "Of course," I murmured, leaning up and kissing his lips. "I wouldn't have it any other way."


A/N: Hooray! I wrote another Stony fic! I actually had fun writing this.