Really now, Tony Stark had no plans to become who he was today. He supposed that as a child, being a superhero sounded cool. But Tony Stark was no superhero. He had no powers and superheroes were brave. They were courageous. Real superheroes didn't wake up with nightmares and drown out their PTSD with alcohol. Hell, Real superheroes don't even have PTSD. Or have alcohol addictions. Or have anxiety disorders. Tony was not a hero, even if he was called one by the media.
So when Tony woke up at 4 am sporadically, he would head to the bar and pour himself a very large glass of Jack. Only during this particular morning when he walked to the bar in a haze, he didn't notice the man curled up on the couch reading a book in the dim light of the city creeping through the window.
Tony didn't bother to flick the lights on. He knew where everything was. However when he reached for the bottle of Jack Daniels, the bottle clanged with another. Tony didn't think much of it. All the avengers rooms were too far down the hall to hear.
"Tony? Is that you?" Someone called through the room. Tony froze closing his eyes. He was caught.
The lights were flicked on illuminating the room, granite counter tops and a very startled tony stark with a bottle in his hand as well as a wide eyed steve Rogers carrying a copy of Harry Potter.
"Steve... I-" Tony started to try to explain. Steve put his hand up in a signal for tony to stop talking. Tony tried explaining himself again before he realized it would be hopeless.
"Put the bottle down tony. We can talk," the super soldier said calmly. Tony's mood took a turn for the worse.
"I don't need to talk," tony said then whispering be with his breath "I need alcohol is what I need".
"Well I hate to break this to you Tony but normal people don't wake up in the early morning to drink," Steve said.
"I just- I needed to think!" Tony said loudly before running his hand through his tousled brown hair.
"Alcohol doesn't focus your mind, it empties it," Steve said stepping toward tony and taking the bottle out of his hand before setting it on the counter.
"Maybe I want an empty mind," Tony mumbled looking at his bare feet.
"No, you don't. You think you do. You should be talking about whatever's bothering you. Not drinking to forget it. The only thing that will do is make it worse later," Steve explained him hand on the genius' shoulder. He started guiding him towards the center couch.
"Wait! Why do you care?" Tony whipped himself out from under Steve's arm.
Tony- I-" Steve was cut off by Tony again.
"Just because you're the perfect superhero doesn't mean you need to save me," Tony spat.
"Tony... Is that what this is about?" Steve said clearly catching on and softly placing a light hand on Tony's arm.
"No! I-it's not! I'm fine," Tony denied a little quieter than before.
"You're not fine though. And it's okay to be 'not fine'. Just because we're superheroes does not mean we have to be fine all the time," Steve said. This seemed to break Tony's wall.
"I'm not a superhero though," Tony almost whispered but steve could hear him.
"Tony- what are you talking about? Of course you're a superhero!" Steve corrected. Tony seemed to almost sink into the couch.
"No steve. You're a superhero. Superheroes don't have PTSD. Superheroes don't drown themselves in alcohol. Superheroes have powers. Superheros don't wake up screaming at night. Superheroes aren't weak. I'm weak!" By the end of his rant, tony was out of breath and tears welled in his eyes.
Steve sat down next to tony his arm wrapped around his shoulder.
"Tony. Is Bruce a hero?" Steve asked. Tony looked at him like he was insane.
"Of course he is!" Tony exclaimed.
"Why? What makes him a hero?" Steve asked eyes trained on Tony was staring at his hands.
"He saves people. He's brave. He isn't weak," Tony answered looking at steve as though looking for an approval for his answer.
"You're right. Bruce isn't weak... But neither are you tony! Do you think Bruce doesn't get nightmares? He does! That isn't what makes us Heroes. What makes us heroes is being able to see good in others and being able to help those who need help. Tony you are a superhero," Steve said and Tony smiled lightly back at him.
"Thanks man," Tony said.
"Anytime,"