It's about time for a new chapter don't'cha think? This one answers where the fuck Tony went at the end of the last chapter. I'll see you at the end.


It didn't take very long for Steve to find Tony. They knew all his hiding spots at this point and JARVIS had informed Steve that Tony hadn't left the tower. So, Steve started to make his way down to the lab. And he'd almost made it there, if not for getting distracted.

As Steve rounded the corner after getting out of the elevator he heard the sound of heart-wrenching sobs. There, in a tiny little alcove in the wall was Tony. He was curled in on himself and he looked absolutely miserable. Steve didn't even think. He instantly knelt down at Tony's side and put a hand on his shoulder to let Tony know he was there. Tony flinched back a little but didn't outright refuse the contact. Steve took that as his queue that he could pull Tony into a hug.

Steve sat down on the ground and pulled Tony onto his lap. Tony just burrowed his face into Steve's chest and continued to cry as Steve gently rocked them back and forth. Steve knew that if Tony was this hysterical and upset that he wouldn't listen to what Steve had to say, so all he could do was comfort Tony until he calmed down.

They sat there for a long time. Steve just kept murmuring soothing words and offering comforting touches until Tony finally calmed down enough to at least listen to what Steve had to say. Steve wanted Tony to know that the anger Steve was feeling wasn't because of him. Steve hated bullies, and it turned out that Howard Stark became one of the biggest of them all.

"Have you calmed down a bit now Anthony?" asked Steve. Like with back in medical, Tony seemed to just sink into Steve's arms when he used his full name. Tony nodded and Steve took that opportunity to begin talking.

"I'm not mad at you alright. I'm not mad at you. I know that's what you're thinking but it's not true. I'm not mad at you Anthony." Started Steve but Tony just shook his head and curled in closer.

"I'm sorry." Came the fearful whisper and Steve's heart broke.

"Don't you dare say you're sorry Tony. You've done nothing wrong."

"But he was your friend, and I ruined that for you." Came a more panicked reply and Steve just countered by having Tony snuggle in closer.

"No Tony. Not anymore. He hurt you. He hurt you and I wasn't there to protect you. He's nothing but a bully and a monster. And Anthony, you're not worthless. You are so so good. It's my fault for not seeing it before. You are so good. You are so brave. You survived all of that. You've survived so much. You don't need to be alone anymore. I'm gonna keep you safe with me Anthony. Gonna keep you safe with me Sweetheart." Whispered Steve.

Now, Steve wasn't sure where the endearment came from. All he knew was that it felt right. He was going to keep Tony safe with him. He wasn't going to let the world continue to break him. Steve leant his head down and rested his cheek over Tony's fluffy hair. All he wanted to do was run his fingers through it while the snuggled in close. And that was the moment Steve knew he was well and truly screwed. He was in love with Tony Stark. It had been building for a while, since before Loki and his stupid spell, but getting to know Tony even better this past couple of weeks just had Steve falling deeper and deeper in love. But, before Steve could dwell on his thought any longer, he was pulled back by Tony starting to cry out anew.

"All I ever wanted was a family. To be loved. Why is that so impossible for me to have?" cried Tony and Steve hugged him closer.

"You have us now Tony. You have us and I'm not going to leave you. The Avengers, everyone, you're stuck with us. I'm going to make sure we become a stronger team. That we work better together and have each other's backs. No one is going to be left behind or left out." Soothed Steve. The affirmation was just as much for him as it was for Tony. The Avengers would never leave one of their own behind to suffer in silence. Not anymore.

Tony just nodded along to what Steve was saying. Steve looked down and saw that Tony's big brown eyes were beginning to droop. All the emotional turmoil must have tired him out. Steve couldn't really blame him. He was feeling tired himself and the thought of a small nap was sounding more and more appealing. So, Steve stood up and scooped Tony into his arms. Tony just held on tight and fisted his hands in Steve's shirt. Steve noticed this and spoke to Tony with gentle words.

"Tony, you need to let go. We should really get you back to your room." Tony just shook his head and looked scared.

"Too empty."

"Do you wanna stay with me in my room?" asked Steve. The question he posed surprised him but he didn't want Tony to feel alone and scared in that big room of him. Plus Steve knew that if he was with someone while he slept then the cold of the arctic was less likely to seep into his bones.

Luckily, Tony said yes and soon enough Steve was removing both their shoes and preparing to curl up on the bed.

By the time Steve had laid himself and Tony down on his bed, Tony had already fallen asleep. He subconsciously curled up at Steve's side and Steve wrapped his left arm around the smaller man. Tony really was small compared to him. Almost like a little kitten. After Loki's spell, Tony had lost 2 inches because his 18-year-old self hadn't hit that last growth spurt. Tony had been mad about that, but Steve secretly loved how small Tony was. His height paired with the fluffy hair and big brown doe eyes always made Steve want to just pick him up and never let go.

It made Steve sad to think about how he and the rest of the god damn world seemed to have dismissed all of Tony's pain throughout his life. Steve could clearly see it all now. Tony's eyes were extremely expressive. It was amazing that Steve had even fallen for the masks in the first place. Steve hated the masks now that he knew what he knew. If the world hadn't have been such vultures, just waiting around for Tony to mess up so they could swoop in and finish the kill then maybe Tony wouldn't have needed to hide in the first place.

But this Tony, the REAL Tony. That was the Tony that Steve was falling in love with. Not the man-made for the media, but the man behind the masks who just wanted to be loved.


So, what did y'all think? I hope you liked it. Also, Steve is falling in love! Both he and Tony deserve to be happy so I can't wait to make that happen. Also, I'm thinking of making a playlist for this fic like I have with the others. Let me know what you think. I'll see you soon! -Shadows