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Challenges listed at the bottom.

Word Count: 591


Lullaby


The four poster bed, usually a welcome sight after a long day schmoozing foreign investors, made Tony grimace.

It wasn't that he wasn't tired, because he really was, but the bed was depressingly empty and Tony was used to at least half of it being filled by Steve when he dragged himself to bed.

That this bed didn't have a Steve didn't make it look at all like a happy place to be.

Tony really missed his husband.

He showered and changed quickly, rubbing his hands through his damp hair as he sat on the end of the bed. He wanted Steve, dammit.

Only two more days. He could last two more days, right?

Blowing out a long breath, Tony climbed beneath the sheets and turned off the bedside lamp. He just needed to go to sleep and then when he woke up, maybe he'd be feeling a little better.

Except he couldn't sleep.

He was cold, and he was alone and he just wanted his husband.

"Is Steve awake, Jay?" he asked his AI, grateful that he'd thought to install him in his phone.

"He is, Sir. Would you like me to patch you through?"

"I—" Tony hesitated. Was there really any reason to worry Steve? And Steve would definitely worry, because he knew Tony inside out and he'd know that Tony was sad and tired and he'd worry and— "Yeah, J. Lemme talk to him."

Steve sounded so relaxed as he told Tony about his day. It made Tony happy and sad and he really didn't like feeling so conflicted about emotions.

"So, how's the hotel? Did you get a really romantic room like the one we had when we went there?"

Tony scoffed. "No, of course I didn't. They could have scattered the place with rose petals and I still wouldn't think it was romantic without you here though, so maybe I'm not an objective judge."

Steve sighed softly, and Tony cursed himself for being soft, but he just couldn't help it. If he wasn't trying really hard to not be defiant and annoy Pepper, he'd have flown home already.

"You doing okay, baby?" Steve murmured into the phone, and Tony had to force himself to not beg Steve to get on a flight.

"I'm fine," he replied. "I just… really miss you. More than I thought I would honestly."

He could hear Steve's smile in his voice when he said, "Next time, you should take me with you for, uh, protection. We can sell that, right?"

"Honey, I'm Iron Man. Not sure I actually need protection."

"Sure you do," Steve argued cheekily. "Who else is going to make sure you eat and sleep and take care of yourself? You need protection from a lifetime of terrible self care habits."

Tony chuckled at the teasing taunt, and shook his head.

"Steve?"

"Yeah, baby?"

"Will you sing me to sleep?"

"Sure thing, sweet thing."

Tony put his phone on speaker on the pillow beside his own and turned on his side, curling up beneath the blanket. Steve's voice was soft and had a tiny lilt to the words as he sang an old lullaby that Tony loved.

And finally, with his husband's voice in his ear, Tony fell asleep.

(The next day, Tony lasted until 11pm before he flew home a day earlier than scheduled. Pepper didn't shout at him—she teased him relentlessly for weeks for being a sap. Tony thought that was a pretty good price for being in Steve's arms twenty four hours before expected.)


Written for:

Showtime: 8. Defiant

Empire: 10. Lullaby

Shelf: 5. Beg

Scamanders: 10. Relaxed

Christmas Eve Boxes: Sweet: Candy Cane: Four Poster Bed

Advent Calendar: Plot Point:: Unable to sleep

Nativity: Joseph: Husband

Stocking: 18. Candles: (word) romantic

Stickers: Villentretenmerth - 1. Protection

Insane: 60. Taunt