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Challenges listed at the bottom.

Word Count - 913

A Familiar Companion

Tony flipped through the photo album, his eyes tracing the pictures of his parents. He didn't often indulge in the painful memories of his childhood, but he couldn't sleep, and he couldn't focus on work, and he really didn't want to bother the team.

It was still a little awkward between them after the Civil War and Thanos and…

He just didn't want to bother them.

Their relationships in the field had been as stellar as ever, but their personal relationship had suffered. It was hard, knowing that they'd faced off against each other.

One team and two sides never ended well.

Apologies had been made from everyone involved and they were working on it but… it just wasn't the same.

Flipping the cover of the photo album shut with a sigh, Tony leant back against the wall. He really just wanted to sleep.

Insomnia was a familiar companion, but it was one that Tony didn't enjoy. He'd gone way past the productive exhaustion he did enjoy, and now he just felt useless.

"Sir, perhaps a warm drink will help you sleep?" JARVIS suggested.

Tony nodded but made no move to actually get up, even as he smiled slightly. He always did when he heard JARVIS's voice, because he thought he'd lost his AI for good. It had taken a lot of hard work to bring him back to life, and even now, he wasn't completely the same.

Tony prided himself on letting his AI's learn for themselves, and JARVIS' systems had learned a lot over the years that Tony couldn't simply add with code. He had to let JARVIS grow again, despite having a few back ups that had helped bring him back.

This time, Tony was taking no chances, and had written a line into the code for JARVIS to back himself up to three separate sites. He wasn't expecting another Ultron situation, but he also wasn't going to take any chances.

Not with JARVIS.

He'd learnt that lesson.

Eventually, Tony got up on slightly shaky legs and stepped into the elevator. He didn't realise until he reached the kitchen that JARVIS had let him off at the Avenger floor rather than his own, and before he could return to the elevator, the team spotted him.

They were all sitting around the television, a movie playing on the screen.

It hurt that they hadn't invited him, even if he would have refused.

Ignoring them, Tony walked towards the kitchen, stumbling over his own feet twice on his way. It was getting harder to even pick his feet up, the exhaustion was bone deep.

He set the coffee maker to hot chocolate, and leant against the counter to wait, his head falling down to rest on his shoulders.

"Tony?"

"Hmm?"

"Are you… okay?"

"Hmm."

A hand on his back made him flinch, and he stood up, the room spinning at the movement.

"Whoa, easy there," Steve murmured, his hands resting gently on Tony's shoulders. "Tony, when did you last sleep?"

"I. I don't know," Tony admitted. "Can't. S'fine."

"It's not fine," Steve replied sadly. He reached around Tony for the hot chocolate, and then wrapped a firm arm around Tony's waist, propelling him towards the living room.

Sam moved off the sofa when he saw Steve coming, and Steve settled Tony down on it, sitting beside him.

"I'm fine," Tony muttered, even as he sunk into the soft sofa cushions.

"I know you are," Steve replied softly. "Think you can hold your cup?"

Tony nodded and held his hands out for it. It was probably a good job that Steve clearly didn't trust him to tell the truth, since he would have dropped the cup if Steve hadn't kept hold of it.

"I'll help you," Steve whispered, carefully lifting the cup to Tony's lips. "Drink, Tony."

The warmth from the hot chocolate was perfect, and Tony had to force his eyes open after he blinked. The thought of walking all the way to the elevator to get to the penthouse was a lot, but Tony knew he had to do it.

He wasn't welcome here, among the team. If he was, they'd have invited him to the movie night they were having, right?

A gasp, a soft curse, and a hand on his shoulder told Tony that perhaps the insecure thoughts hadn't stayed solely in his mind, and he sighed.

Between one blink and the next, Natasha was crouched in front of him. "Tony, we weren't trying to exclude you. You were refusing every time we asked you to join us, we thought that maybe you still needed some time."

Tony just nodded, because he didn't have words to reply and honestly, he didn't have the energy.

Steve helped him drink again, and when the hot chocolate was gone, put the cup on the table. A moment later, Tony felt himself being manhandled into lying down, his head pillowed on Steve's thighs.

A blanket was draped over him, and a gentle hand was carding through his hair.

"We're going to talk about this," Steve said softly. "But first you need to sleep. You're safe with us, Tony."

And despite everything that had happened between all of them, Tony felt safe.

He knew Steve was right, they did need to talk. Things between them wouldn't get better until they did, but for right now, with Nat's blanket covering him, and Steve's thighs under him and his hand carding through Tony's hair…

Tony slept.

Written for:

North Funfair: Sing Along: 10. Blue Christmas: 2. Memories

East Funfair: Christmas Cracker 20: Hot Chocolate / Hurt/Comfort / Insomnia

South Funfair: Stocking Filler: 18. Nail Varnish: Photo Album

365: 338. Insecure