A/N: Hey Guys I Re-wrote this a little bit because it was atrocious. thx
P.S I would love to hear what you think...
P.S.S I own nothing. NOTHING!
The writing had been on the wall for months, the constant bickering about anything and everything they could find to disagree on. Bickering wasn't always a sign of a bad relationship, sometimes it was far from it, but with them it was different. Tony had started to withdraw again, much like when the team first came to the tower; spending all his time in the lab and away from anyone or anything he couldn't control. Pepper was usually the sunny day that broke through even the darkest clouds in their home high in the sky, however she had begun to look sad and lost, lonely in that bone deep way that hurt to look at.
Steve had tried to broach the subject with Tony, pull him out of his funk by suggesting working out together; an activity that usually had Tony pumped full of energy and highlighted his competitive nature till it was a mile wide. The moment they had hit the gym however Tony had become antsy, looking around at the unusually empty space like there were enemies waiting to attack. After a few sets on different machines Steve turned to Tony to start the conversation, only for Tony to bolt and stay in his lab for 3 days straight. Unfortunately the genius had figured out what Steve was up to.
It all came to a head one evening when Jarvis restricted access to the penthouse, he quoted his master as saying that the rest of the Avengers could do whatever the hell they liked with the rest of the tower, but movie night was cancelled. Nat taking exception to this herded the men to her floor where she set the movies going after ordering takeout. Steve didn't sleep much that night.
A week later, a single solitary box was all that was left of Pepper, the team had been informed that Tony had given her his refurbished mansion in Malibu and that she was going to be running the company from there for the foreseeable future. The engagement was off and four of the bravest people in the world dare not ask why.
After the first week of no sign from Tony except the slowly dwindling bottles from the bar, the team decided that they could stand back no longer. Steve went his usual route when helping any of his fellow team members and began to cook, and even though some of the plates he took down to his friend remained untouched he stuck with what he knew. The shining moment came soon after when Tony returned a half eaten steak and asparagus to the kitchen whilst Clint cleaned up, the small smile he graced Steve with was worth it.
Bruce began spending more time in the lab with Tony. Covered in soot and grease and a small number of things that none but the pair of geniuses could even begin to identify began to be commonplace, and the small laughs that Bruce was able to coax from his wounded friend seemed to be helping so no-one complained. Well until Nat sat on the sofa in the common area, and came away with a rather large stain on her rear that no one dare point out, Steve decided that warning the good Doctor was probably best.
Clint decided that small projects could help Tony focus on something else, which was perfectly fine until a small quake rippled through the building; setting off alarms and causing an evacuation. The source had been small (Steve heard large) explosion in the parking garage when Tony and Clint had decided that the Batmobile really wasn't that unattainable.
No matter what the team tried to do to distract Tony from his failed relationship, the night always brought the same. Each time the sight of Tony squirreling away bottles caused an ache to settle in Steve's chest, the need to envelope the man and let him cry grew stronger as days passed. Only held back by the delicate, deadly fingers of his assassin best friend, fingers that would curl around his forearm as if she could read his mind. Silently telling him that Tony wasn't ready to cry yet.
The breaking point came when hung-over, haggard and hurting Tony slouched towards the coffee machine, only two days after he had stolen away three bottles of the remaining whiskey to his rarely used office. The stench of unwashed man danced with the lingering odour of stale alcohol as he passed Steve who was diligently staring at the unfinished crossword in front of him. Pointedly ignoring the man in an effort to not stand and force his friend to finally start to grieve.
The sound of shattering glass broke Steve from his thoughts as glittering flakes of sharp snow floated in the air, remnants of the coffee pot that Steve must have forgotten to fill after his last cup.
"How fucking hard is it to fill a pot" Tony growled, his back hunched and his breathing hard,
"I'm sor..."
"Sorry? Fuck sorry" Tony yelled, reaching for the machine that sat innocently on the counter, lifting it high and throwing it across the room, only to smash a floor to ceiling window separating the kitchen from the living room. The madness continued as Tony took his anger out on as many things as he could reach, appliances went flying and doors ripped off of cupboards with an unholy strength that Steve wasn't aware Tony was capable of. One by one the team had run in, ready to fight the threat that was destroying the kitchen, weapons raised just to lower them again when they saw what was in front of them, a broken man breaking further.
"Tony?" Nat edged closer when finally Tony slumped against the worktop and began to sink out of sight. No answer prompted her to follow him down to the floor, no one commented on the sobbing billionaire whose head had come to rest on her lap. Expert fingers running through unwashed hair in a show of silent support that nobody but Nat could bring. Seamlessly the team worked around them as they moved to clean up the mess that had been made as his exhaustion got the better of him on the cold floor.
Nat stayed with him that night, encouraging him to shower and eat before joining everyone on the sofa's in a pile of blankets and pillows in a show of solidarity that made Steve proud.
Months passed and the bad days dwindled until the cocky self-assured side of Tony once again began to emerge. The small signs were encouraging and the team began to heal as a whole.
Steve had been up since 5 the serum in his body required he sleep only a little unless his body had been over-exerted, and today was no different. Spending two hours in the gym had seemed to help with his abundance of energy, however now famished he decided to see what food he could steal from the communal kitchen fridge which was often filled with leftover takeout and other unhealthy offerings that he was craving for. Filling a plate high he moved to the table at the edge of the room and began to satiate his hunger when a small noise from the stairs leading to Tony's personal quarters caught his attention.
A naked foot appeared on the steps, followed by a long pair of slender legs and Steve ducked his head, already feeling the blush blooming on his cheeks. He silently marvelled at the women of this century, their open and freeness, he often found it alluring to see a woman who was so willing to admit what she wanted and take it. That didn't mean he was used to having half-naked women in his presence. Making sure his eyes remained respectful he watched as she inspected cupboards for what she was looking for, filling bowls with granola, fruit and yoghurt, pouring glasses full of orange juice and arranged it all on the tray she had dug out from somewhere. Deciding that this woman wouldn't be in the tower if she hadn't been invited, Steve's attention turned back to his news app on his phone and the deeply unhealthy breakfast he had made for himself. A delicate throat clearing broke him from his reading however, causing him to look up into the deep blue eyes of the woman before him, a blush bloomed once more when the peak of skin from under Tony's dress shirt showed him just how underdressed she really was.
"Are you finished with that?" she asked quietly, an undercurrent of amusement in her eyes as she gestured to the paper next to him.
"Oh, um sure" Steve handed her the paper, then listened as her tiny feet padded across the floor once more, collected the tray and made her way back to her destination of what could only be Tony's bedroom.
That Evening.
Clit decided that the team were going to have a pool tournament, he had arranged them into pairs, made up score sheets and even had a board set up ready to decide who played the winners of each round. Steve having only played the game a few times was quickly knocked out in the first round against Sam and had now taken to watching Nat and Bruce play, hoping to learn as much as he could.
Clint yelled up the stairs for Tony to get his ass in gear because his round was up next. It didn't take long for Tony to respond and the team laughed as Clint's ears went pink at the innuendo. Two minutes later the game was on hold as they watched Tony lead the woman Steve had seen this morning down the stairs and across the room.
"Are you sure you don't want to stay?" Tony asked her, his hand on her waist.
"It's not polite to ignore your friends" she admonished playfully, patting his chest with a beautifully manicured hand.
"Oh come on, we both know I am more than polite" a wolfish grin spread over the genius's face and the woman pinked, a shiver ran through her as she kissed him. Leaning in to whisper in his ear, she turned and walked away fully aware of Tony's and probably half the team's eyes on her as she sauntered into the elevator, only to turn and wave before the doors closed.
Tony silently moved to the bar and poured himself a drink before perching on a stool,
"If you ever want to remind me of just how well mannered you are, call me" Clint called in a high pitched imitation of the woman, Tony guffawed and just like that the noise in the room resumed as the team played through many games of pool. The night ended when one of Clint's trick shots went awry and the ball went whizzing past a few heads, only stopping in the tight grip of Steve's large hand.
It soon became commonplace for strange women and men to exist the tower at all times of the day and night after spending what seemed to be a satisfying few hours with Tony.
Steve had paid very little attention to it, until the night of the team dinner one week.
They had all been sat around, ready to say grace for those at the table who still believed in God when Jarvis interrupted,
"Sir, Agent Coulson has requested you answer your phone"
"Put him through" Tony waved away Jarvis concerns that Tony might wish to take this call privately as Agent Coulson seemed in a foul mood.
"Stark could you please see that you stick to your usual type instead of moving through the Agents of Shield for your upcoming conquests" Coulson growled into the air around them, Tony rummaged for his phone and the call shifted.
"I am sorry Agent, but they are all grown-ups who can make their own decisions." Tony pointed out as he moved away from the table, "Yes I understand that... I know... Well Agent Carrington... ok fine but..." the call ended and Tony slumped back into his seat and began to eat.
The awkward silence that settled over the room was once again broken by Clint.
"Isn't Agent Carrington, that big muscle bound guy, who works for um..."
"Extraction Team" Nat filled in for him.
"Yep"
"and you two..." he trailed off once again,
"Yep" Tony replied once more, the small blush covering his cheeks had Steve laughing, "Oh come on, it's not funny, giant mother-hen that he is Agent has told me his agents are off limits"
"Awww shucks" Clint mocked, "Guess me and you will have to do without Nat"
"Birdbrain, I didn't think you swung that way, but if you want to... you know I like to break the rules" Tony smirked wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.
"I'm good" Clint scowled which caused a ripple of mirth to move around the room.
"I don't get what I did wrong though, it was consensual and I made sure everyone enjoyed themselves," Tony pouted. "Agent is just a spoilsport."
"I imagine he is doing it for your own good Tony, you know what they say about a woman scorned" Steve supplied when everyone else shrugged, "who knows what a trained and armed government agent might do."