A/N: Thanks so much for the great response guys! I was really worried about this, and I'm so glad you liked it. Now, I hope you like this part, too. It's a lot longer than the others, because it inexplicably evolved from the sweet little two paragraphs deal in my head to . . . this.

Little note: for this, I'm working under the assumption that at least some of the Avengers live with Tony if only part-time. Even though that may never happen in the actual movies, it's just too fun an idea to pass up . . . not to mention convenient :P

Disclaimer: I don't own it, which is a good thing, or else there would never actually be a plot to anything.


Tony didn't laugh much. Not for real anyway.

He had plenty of jokes and antics for the press and the public and his friends (the few he would classify as such) to chuckle about, but the man himself rarely joined in whole-heartedly.

In fact, it took a month of knowing the man and living in his house (tower? mansion?) for Steve to even hear it.

It was Bruce that made it happen. It was breakfast (and Steve is still trying to figure out how they all started magically eating breakfast together with no one saying anything) and he and Bruce were wondering through the kitchen preparing their respective meals. Tony sat at the table with his usual cup of coffee and tablet in front of him, rubbing the sleep away from his face.

Bruce wandered behind the fellow scientist and glanced at the tablet. Steve didn't really hear what was said – it was probably some science joke he wouldn't understand any way – but was startled at the sudden loud "HA!" from the table. When he turned, box of cereal in hand, Steve saw Tony with one hand still over his face laughing tiredly at Bruce who was also grinning wider than usual.

Tony looked up to see Steve's deer-in-the-headlights expression and only laughed harder. Not at him . . . just because. It was infectious – that was the only explanation – as Steve and Bruce started laughing with him.

It was then that Steve started to see the resemblance.


It took even longer to hear Tony really talk.

Never let it be said that Tony Stark had any reserves when it came to talking. Banter was his specialty, almost more so than his engineering genius. He could twist a conversation and throw it back in the second party's face faster than anyone, and then leave said party confused as to what the conversation was about in the first place.

But it was rare to hear Tony speak without the edge of snark and mischievous undertones. Although, his voice seemed permanently laced with teasing, the billionaire did have the ability to communicate without the underlying hostility. Well, it came as a shock to Steve anyway.

Nevertheless, it came and at first it was strangely unnerving.

But now, sitting in Tony's over-the-top lab, watching him repair the arm of his Iron Man suit, it seemed perfectly natural.

"Honestly, Steve, when I said you should get out more, I didn't mean extending your morning jog," Tony said, continuing an argument that had gone on for a week now, "I was thinking more along the lines of getting yourself a lady-friend – Pepper and Natasha don't count," he pointed a screwdriver at Steve when the latter opened his mouth to object, "What I meant was to engage in a little fondueing now and then."

Steve was shaking his head in exasperation, "I still can't believe he told you about that." 'Fondue' had officially become the unofficial code-word for Steve's non-existent dating life. Ever since Steve learned that Tony knew about that stupid misunderstanding with Howard, the super soldier's minor embarrassment had been enough to keep it in Tony's books for a while.

"Well, one of the few things Pops and I shared was Captain America," Tony muttered absently. It was unfortunate that Steve missed the bitter undertone.

"You know, it's strange," Steve mused after a moment, fiddling with a wrench on the table. He wasn't thinking really, just making conversation . . . a dangerous thing around this particular genius.

"What is?" Tony asked without looking up from his work.

"That you and Howard didn't get along better," Steve didn't see Tony's movements stop at that statement, "You're just like him."

That seemed to catch the junior Stark off-guard. He looked up at Steve rather abruptly, "How do you mean?"

The tone finally registered with Steve and he looked over at the man across from him, realizing too late he'd slammed right into no-man's land in conversing with Tony Stark. It was fine to mention Howard in passing, but anything deeper than that and the offender usually got chewed out.

"Well, um," Steve couldn't think of a good way to back-track. He didn't want to dig the hole any deeper . . . but Tony was watching him rather strangely, robotic arm on the table forgotten, like he really did want to know the answer. So, Steve gave it to him, "Well, it's just that you sound a lot like him," he chuckled, trying to keep his words light, "When you talk . . . it's funny 'cause I knew you were definitely Howard Stark's kid when I heard you talk . . ." his voice trailed off as he studied Tony's face which was suddenly unreadable.

The silence stretched into uncomfortable when Steve knew he'd really stuck his foot in his mouth, "Tony?" Unfocused brown eyes found their way back to him.

Tony seemed to suddenly remember Steve was there and smiled oddly. Steve looked on worriedly as the other glanced back at the table, at him, flicked to the door, and finally, without warning Tony stood up.

"Um, Tony?" Steve repeated.

Tony was half-way to the door when he turned back to look at Steve still sitting at the table. The former opened his mouth as if to speak, but closed it again pointing vaguely at the door and then disappeared through it.

Steve could only stare after him, blinking.


Tony barely spoke to anyone for days. It was incredibly unnerving, not just for Steve but everyone.

When Steve did finally hear Clint loudly telling Tony to shut up (or I swear I'll make sure you hit the ground next time) he was so relieved that he never mentioned the incident again, not even to ask what happened. Not that he hadn't pretty much figured it out on his own.

It just became a silent agreement.


A/N: I finally had to just bite the bullet and post this. I really hope Steve isn't as OOC as I think he is. Tony was supposed to be a little out of character there at the end, but I hope I got them both right for the most part.

Anywho, hope you liked it. I really like this archive and I might do more here if this goes well. Course, I should probably finish some of my other stuff first . . . yeah . . .