(A/N: Tumblr prompt fill for the-sunshine-epidemic. Prompt: Where Tony and Steve get into a fight (relationship wise) and then the Avengers go to battle and Tony gets hurt. Steve feels guilty. I don't own the Avengers.)

Battles

"There was always the other option," Steve growled, attempting to keep it together when all he really wanted to do was smash his hands against something and shout. He knew that their relationship would never be easy; he just didn't think that it would be so hard.

"What other option? I had to go. It was sort of my party. And since you, Mr. up-right 40's boy don't want to deal with the public asking questions, I took her. She's no one, nothing, but it's your fault that she even needed to be there," Tony retorted, eyes down focusing on his hands and the work they were doing. It was a technique that he had learned from his Father, work through the argument and eventually the other party will get tired enough of it to walk away. Sure it left things unresolved, but when he was already two days without sleep, he didn't feel much like seeing it through to the end.

"If she was nothing Tony, why would you dance with her?" Steve said flatly and Tony chanced a glance up, seeing normally bright blue eyes turning to ice and promptly ignoring it. Steve caught the flash of frustration and guilt in Tony's gaze and his jaw tightened as he grew even more upset.

"I did what any normal man with a date would do. I didn't hold onto her any longer than required, I didn't kiss her, and I didn't even hold her damn hand. Get out of my lab Steve; think about what you want from this relationship. I can't keep hiding you away if you're going to throw it back in my face every time I go out of my way to protect your image," Tony said and Steve obliged, stalking out in a rage. How dare Tony imply that he was the one that was causing trouble in their relationship, he wasn't the one gallivanting around with a Playboy model.

"Dammit," Tony swore darkly, Steve wasn't gone five minutes and the alarm was going off, Fury had summoned them, the Avengers were needed.

He scrubbed his hands over his eyes and moved to suit up, maybe he could beat the rest of the team there and get it all sorted out quickly.

Steve was furious. They had gotten a call out and Tony hadn't bothered to respond. The Avengers needed Iron Man, after all, Crimson Dynamo was pretty much his responsibility. The fact that Tony had left them to their own designs had resulted in Clint breaking a wrist, which would put him out of commission for months.

But when they made it back to the tower a sinking feeling began to settle into Steve's chest.

"JARVIS, where is Tony?" Steve asked once he was alone. Not even the team knew that they were together and it was certainly stress worthy.

"Not in the vicinity," Steve waited while the AI thought, "He has not returned or checked in since responding to the Avengers summons. My current coordinates for him place him in the middle of the battlefield," JARVIS said and Steve felt the world fall out from under him.

He wasn't thinking at that point, just running as fast as he could to the garage and his motorcycle. Tony had been there, he had been there the whole time; he had to be hurt. Steve hated himself in that moment, hated every single thing about himself. He had fought with Tony, made Tony reconsider their relationship; probably left Tony wondering if he loved him and on top of that, he had been upset with him for not showing up.

"Point me JARVIS," Steve's voice shook as he surveyed the wreckage of no less than four office complexes, still smoking from the fight.

"Due north," the computer responded and Steve swallowed thickly, staring at the building in front of him.

"I need help," Steve whispered and knew that JARVIS had heard him.

By the time the rest of the team showed up, Steve was covered in dust and his fingers were bleeding from shifting rock. No one mentioned the muddy tear tracks that marked his cheeks, or the desperation with which he clawed at the rubble, the just started digging.

When at last they finally found him, Tony had been unconscious and buried beneath the building-thankfully in a pocket of space under a slab of concrete from the parking structure so he hadn't been crushed-for six hours. Though JARVIS assured him that Tony was alive, Steve's heart remained in his throat and he wept bitterly as he clutched Tony's limp form to himself.

Bruce was their doctor, the only one they trusted, that much was long established, but Steve would not accept being told to wait outside. He told the doctor as much with a severe look and both of his hands wrapped firmly around Tony's left.

"Steve?" Tony's voice was weak and gravely but it was easily the most beautiful sound that Steve had ever heard. He had been waiting nearly a day and a half for Tony to wake up.

"Yeah, I'm here Tony," Steve whispered, brushing his knuckles lightly over Tony's cheek, avoiding the bruising around his blackened eye.

"How long?" Tony asked, his hand tightening around Steve's.

"Nearly two days," Steve responded and handed Tony a glass of water. The straw seemed to irritate Tony, but he used it none the less.

"Almost surprised that you're here," Tony said morbidly and Steve felt another stab of guilt in his chest.

"I'm never going to leave you Tony. It was stupid and I was wrong to treat you the way I did. I'm an idiot and I only hope that you'll forgive me," Steve whispered and Tony frowned, running his thumb over the back of his lover's hand.

"Everyone fights Steve. It happens. I was over-tired and snapped back more than I should have..."

"Not for the argument...I mean, I am sorry that it happened and that I don't want it to happen again. No, I've been an idiot the last couple of days, everyone else knows...about us," Steve said rather bluntly and Tony smiled.

"And you're okay with that?" the brunette asked carefully, watching Steve's blue eyes intently.

"Yeah. I told them. You were right. I don't think we can work if we keep hiding it...so I decided that I wouldn't keep it a secret anymore," Steve said and Tony's relieved smile stretched as far as his battered face would allow.

(A/N: Well folks what did you think? And yes I am still accepting prompts; it just might take me a little while to get to you.)