"Mr. Stark, I strongly suggest you stay overnight for observation," Dr. Something said, pushing his glasses up his nose in irritation for the millionth time. Tony couldn't be bothered remembering this guy's name. His mind was floors away, focused on a certain tow-haired super soldier.
"I think I'll take my chances, since you're only an elevator ride away," Tony scoffed, adjusting the strap of his sling. The whole point of having a clinic in his tower was so he could have all the comforts of home at his fingertips whenever he got banged up. He'd have to make a note in the system to tell all the staff to stop hassling him when he made a decision. It wasn't like Tony enjoyed playing the boss card all the time, but he also didn't like being questioned. Especially when he had somewhere more important to be. And someone more important to see.
"Whatever you say, Mr. Stark," the doctor sighed, opening the door for him and gesturing for him to leave.
"That's just what I like to hear," Tony grinned, sauntering out of the room like he hadn't a care in the world. He was good at this part, acting like nothing could shake him. This is what people expected of him, and he was going to give it to them. He could fall apart in private. Tony walked to the elevator, smiling and nodding at all the personnel he passed. Just a few more feet and he'd finally be alone for the first time in hours. The elevator was blessedly empty and he climbed on with ease, turning to face the doors with his usual swagger.
As soon as they closed, he slumped against the side of the car, running his hand down his face. Tony didn't know how this day had gone so wrong, so fast. It was just a simple trip to check out a possible new building, but it had ended in disaster. It almost ended his life.
It was really something that Pepper would normally take care of, but now he was thankful she hadn't. She was out of town, but this was the only time either of them would be able to view the building, before it was snatched up by someone else. It was in the perfect location and fit every specification he was looking for. But now, he never wanted to see the thing again.
Steve had been hanging out with him in his lab when he'd gotten the call, sketching in the new book Tony had gotten him recently. This was becoming a regular occurrence and Tony wasn't complaining. It was only natural for him to invite Steve along, and of course Steve accepted.
They took one of Tony's cars, discussing where to go for lunch when they were done. Tony suggested shawarma, just because he loved how it seemed to exasperate Steve every time he brought it up. That little moan that always slipped out was too adorable that Tony couldn't help himself. But then Steve suggested a hot dog from a cart, like the good little Brooklyn boy he was, so Tony didn't feel too guilty for needling him.
The building was a little bit out of the way, at least as much as it could be while still in the heart of the city. The group that owned it had finally put it on the market, after not being able to afford the work needed to keep it up to code. That wouldn't be a problem for Tony at all, and he wasn't afraid to throw a little extra money at them to sweeten the deal in his favor. Other companies had been sniffing around it for years, but he was getting the first shot at it.
The building was beautiful, with giant windows letting in an abundance of natural light on the upper floors. It was tall, but not excessively. Multiple elevator banks and a good amount of underground parking made the space even more desirable.
Tony decided to start at the top and go down, since that's where the more important offices would be. If those floors weren't up to par, there wouldn't be any point in looking at the rest of the space. Steve trailed after him, commenting on the random things he saw that he liked. Evidently he liked the buttons in the elevator.
The roof was a bit basic, but the floor just below it was interesting. It was kind of an open air situation with no walls along the sides. There were guardrails, but they looked pretty shoddy. Definitely something to be replaced.
"What's this floor for?" Steve asked, peeking over the edge of the building before backing away.
"They used it for parties, when the weather was too unpredictable to stay on the roof. Makes sense if you have sensitive equipment you want to keep safe. But then you still get the fresh air and feel of being a part of the city," Tony explained, regurgitating the information that was in the file he'd gotten. It wasn't the huge selling point for him that they'd thought it would be. Tony much preferred filling up ballrooms.
Steve wandered closer to the middle of the floor while Tony kept to the edge, getting a feel for the surrounding area. Not too much foot traffic and most of the buildings close by were basic offices. They were pretty much empty at the moment, since it was a Saturday morning, but he figured it stayed mostly quiet even on the busiest of work days.
Tony was about to call for Steve to head down to the lower floors with him when the ground started to shake beneath him. He was used to fighting literal space aliens without hesitation, but for some reason, in this instance he was frozen. Maybe it was the fact he wasn't in his suit? Or that danger was the furthest thing from his mind? It didn't matter really, because the next thing he knew he was falling backwards. Shouldn't have been that big of a deal either, maybe a few bruises on his butt, but he fell against the shitty guardrail and it crumbled under his weight. The last thing he saw before he fell over the side of the building was a look of pure terror on Steve's face.