"This can be your room." Tony said as he twisted the door handle open, reveling a room that was branded with dark, smokey walls and a crisp, clean king sized bed. Everything in the room was average compared to the other spare living quarters in the Stark Tower.

Turning, he examined Steve's face Blunt, plain, and simple. "Aren't you worried that something may be up?"

Tony tilted his head, looking over the muscular blonde as if he had just spoken a foreign language. "What do you mean?"

Rogers looked down at Tony, raising one of his eyebrows, questioning the shorter man with the gesture. "Someone blew up my apartment."

"You don't know that." Tony dismissed the thought with a gesture of his hand, shaking his head.

"Fury said there were signs of gun powder residue," Tony had begun to walk away from Rogers, so the Captain quickly followed as he continued his point, "and the only room that was effected was my apartment."

Tony stopped, turning to face the captain. Seemed like this was a common situation, Tony having to turn around and face the taller man. "Alright so your apartment was bombed, big deal."

"Yeah Anthony, big deal."

"Don't call me that either."

"Wh- look thats not whats important right now!"

Tony rolled his eyes. So persistent, couldn't he just drop it? "Look, that was a crumby apartment filled with Shield agents, do you really want to be surrounded by Shield?"

"That's not the point, someone could be after me."

"Yeah, I would expect that." Tony started, crossing his arms across his chest. "This place is a hell of a lot safer than some apartment."

"I can handle myself." Steve shot back.

"Then I don't see why someone trying to blow you up is a problem there Cap. If you can handle yourself, then it isn't an issue. Now, if you excuse me, JARVIS made me coffee, and I love a good cup of coffee in the morning."

Tony could hear Steve's teeth click together in what had to be a menacing glare. Deep down, Tony was a bit glad he had missed it. Yet he could imagine it in his head. Pearly white, perfect teeth clicked together, lips parted slightly. The brows narrowing over his bright, blue eyes.

It made Tony chuckle. Angry Steve was one he knew much too well. He saw him grimace and glare more often then he saw him laugh and smile.

Come to think of it... The most Tony had ever seen his smile were the past two days. And as more thought flowed through his head like a fixed faucet, he realized a lot more things that had happened while the Captain had stayed.

For one, his brain seemed to be cleared up. Flowing like fresh water over the side of a mountain. Another that crossed his thoughts was that, not only had he seen Steve smile more, but he too had smiled more now that Steve was around.

These thoughts made Tony's throat dry. He hurried over to the coffee machine, fumbling slightly as he pressed the small light, dispensing the dark liquid into the mug. Tony heard the tone of JARVIS' voice and shook his head.

"No, I'm fine JARVIS, I just can't wait for this cup of coffee."

The aroma seemed to wash over Tony and relax his muscles. Swallowing, he took a swig of the smooth, black coffee.

Tony went to go lean against the counter, but jumped when he saw Steve in the door watching him. Reacting so badly, the hot, dark liquid spilled onto his hand, searing the skin at the touch and causing the engineer's skin to turn red.

"Fuck!" Tony called out instantly, tossing the cup onto the floor, shattering the glass. Good thing Tony was barefoot. A few small shards of glass landed on his feet, along with more scorching liquid.

Before Tony could really react, he felt his feet rise off the ground. Confused only for a moment as he watched Rogers raise him up, holding him like a small child as he took him to the nearest bathroom.

Tony had just returned to common sense, and now his brain was over thinking things again. So many thoughts raced through his brain that Tony had no time reject the help.

He felt a something cold touch his hands and he flinched, only to see that the capsicle had begun to put the burns under the cold water of the faucet.

"What happened?" Steve asked after a few moments, and luckily Tony's brain had finally begun to comprehend the situation at hand.

"You startled me."

"Startled you? How?"

Tony didn't bother making eye contact with the big blond. "I didn't know you were behind me."

"But I was all the way across the room?"

Tony swallowed, his brain had begun to point out that Steve was holding Tony's hands under the cold, running water. Tony quickly swiped them away from him. "I'm used to being alone."

Tony was slightly surprised by the silence, the fact the captain had actually went quiet. Tony continued to keep the cold water on his hands before he felt the captain pick him up once more and set him on the side of the tub.

His face grew hot, and Tony clenched his teeth as the captain grabbed one of his feet. "What are you doing?"

"You stepped on a few pieces of glass. Nothing too deep, but it needs to be cleaned."

Adrenaline must have stunted the pain, but once the captain mentioned it, Tony could feel the sharp pricks of pain spread across his foot.

"I'll handle it," The captain started, his hands gentle on the wounded flesh. "Just stay still."

Tony watched as the captain worked. His hands were gentle, soft, and careful. He watched as they worked to clean up the wounds, and Tony felt his face grow hotter.

Once Tony was home, he tossed the paper onto the desk. She had given him what he had needed.

A Plan.

But at the moment, the only thing Tony longed for was the touch. The gentle and careful feelings of fingers moving carefully. His throat got even drier.

"Master," JARVIS began, breaking Tony from his thoughts. "You have ten missed calls from Ms. Potts."

"Just send her a message that I'm alive."

"Right away sire."

Tony looked at the paper he had tossed onto his desk. The paper looked old, slightly yellow, yet as if it was a thick stationary. It had been rolled like a scroll, a small, red ribbon tieing it shut.

"Master Stark, would you like a cup of coffee."

Tony swallowed, already on the brick of another sleepless night. "Yeah, that sounds great, JARVIS."

After gathering his cup, Tony sat at his desk. Now was the moment of truth. That bitch could have given him anything. Some menu from a stupid restaurant down the street. Tony could only see her fucking with him.

What reason would she have to help?

Tony grabbed the scroll, pinching the end of the ribbon and pulling it open. It came off easy, letting go of the paper it had kept closed for so long. The secrets it held so close and tightly wound, just dropping it in the palm of Tony's hand.

Opening it up, Tony looked over it. Something warm grew in his chest. It looked promising.

Science was always something he believed in

And a hope for Steve to return was what he desired.

It made him feel...

"You feeling better?" Steve asked, looking Tony over with close eyes.

"Sure there, Cap, I feel great." Tony could feel the sarcasm roll of his tongue in a poisonous dose.

"I'm being serious here, Anthony."

"I already told you not to call me that Capsicle."

"Well then don't call me that."

"Whatever."

Tony crossed his arms, lifting his chin and turning it away from Steve.

Tony was surprised to hear a chuckle come from Steve's lips. This caused Tony to look back down at him.

"What's so funny?"

"You act like such a small child."

"I do not! Take that back!"

Steve smiled more, and this made Tony's face grow hot. He prayed he wasn't blushing.

"Right there, that's something a kid would say," Steve paused, tapping his chin for a second, "Or a teenage girl."

"What!" Tony jumped slightly. Did he just compare him to some boy obsessed, teen? How dare he!

Steve laughed again. Standing up this tine, and patting Tony on the head. This time, Tony could feel himself blushing this time.

Steve headed to the door, pausing before he left. "your foot should be okay, and you can walk on it now."

Tony glared at the large, blond fossil. Cursing him silently in his head. But then, he swore he heard Steve say something before the bathroom door shut. Barely catching wind of it before the door shut behind him.

I might actually enjoy staying here.