Tony took his time in the kitchen, giving them both a chance to cool off. He wasn't mad at Steve. In fact, he saw their fight as kind of a good sign. As long as Steve had that passion inside of him, there was still hope that things would get better. Tony just had to work to make sure it was pointed in the right direction.
He decided to go with waffles again, since they had been a hit the night before. Trying something new was risky and he needed to build up as much goodwill as he could. And it wasn't like he was trying to seduce Steve, but they always said the way to a man's heart was through his stomach. Tony was going to fill Steve up with syrup.
Jarvis told Tony that Steve was in the living room, so he loaded up all the dishes onto a platter and carried it out to meet him there. Steve was pacing in front of the windows with his hands balled at his sides. Still a bit too amped up for Tony's liking, but he could work with that.
"Hungry?" Tony asked, holding his peace offering out in front of him. Steve whirled around at the sound of his voice, but there was no anger on his face. Only regret.
"Tony, I'm sorry."
"It's fine," Tony shrugged off, figuring it was safe enough to come closer and set the tray on the coffee table.
"No, it's not. What I said was petty and inappropriate. And not even true," Steve insisted, sagging his shoulders despondently. "You've done so much for so many people. Just because it isn't the same as what I do doesn't mean it's any less important. You could probably do more with the click of a button than I could in my entire life."
"Hey, we're good. We can butt heads like it's our job, but it doesn't change anything."
"But you've been so good to me. You don't deserve this," Steve sighed, shaking his head. "I think I should leave."
"Excuse me? No, that's not happening," Tony said, not willing to be swayed at all.
"But-"
"But nothing. The last thing I want you to do is leave. Even if we're being dicks to each other, it's better than you being God knows where doing God knows what. Friends fight, Steve, but then they get over it without running off. And I'm so far over it that I brought you whipped cream for your stupid waffles. So sit down and eat before I ground your ass into the next decade!" Tony exclaimed, running out of breath toward the end of his spiel. Steve was looking at him like he was out of his mind. He kind of was, but that was part of his charm.
"You can't ground me," Steve muttered, flopping down onto the couch in front of the food.
"Let's not find out either way," Tony declared, sitting down next to him. He bumped Steve with his elbow, trying to get rid of the last of the tension. "But I totally could."
"No way," Steve grumbled.
"Easily."
"Easily? Really? There is absolutely no way you could do it. In fact-" Tony cut off the rest of Steve's ranting by squirting his mouth full of whipped cream. Steve blinked in surprise, hanging his mouth open in shock. Tony put his finger under Steve's chin, pushing it up to force his mouth closed. A little bit of the whipped cream dribbled out over his lips.
"You got little something there," Tony said helpfully, smirking at Steve's incredulous look. "Need a napkin?"
"'Ony!" Steve exclaimed, the word coming out garbled through his full mouth.
"That's sort of my name. Don't wear it out," Tony grinned. Steve forced himself to swallow the rest, glaring at Tony the entire time.
"I can't believe you did that!" Steve hissed, snatching the napkin Tony was offering him.
"It feels very on brand to me," Tony smirked. He watched as Steve wiped his face in annoyance, completely missing a smear of cream. "Really?"
"What?"
"Let me do it," Tony scoffed, taking the napkin back from Steve and dabbing away the rest of the mess. Steve was staring at him with an unreadable expression. "What?"
"Why don't you let more people see this side of you?" Steve asked, looking into his eyes seriously.
"Overbearing and controlling? Most people are well aware," Tony joked, smiling smugly.
"No. This," Steve replied, reaching up and squeezing Tony's wrist. Tony wasn't really sure how to continue this conversation. Instinct told him to play everything off with humor, like he usually did. That was always safer than showing someone your honest feelings. But could he really expect Steve to open up to him if he wasn't willing to do the same? Wasn't their friendship worth taking that chance?
"Most people don't get to have this side of me."
"But why me?"
"Because you need it. And I think part of me needs this too," Tony admitted. He'd never seen himself as much of a caretaker, but the feeling he got sometimes when he knew Steve was safe and sound was unlike anything he'd felt before. It was like his heart settled in a way it never had. But it was the opposite when Steve was hurt. The blinding fear and constant worry was nearly unbearable. Tony didn't know when that switch had been flipped, but there was no changing it back now. And he didn't think he ever wanted it to.
They ate their breakfast in silence, since that's what men did after opening up to each other. You get it over with, then you're done. Nothing else to see here. And Tony kind of wanted Steve to be the one to speak next. It was his turn after all. And Tony was always the one filling the silence.
But Steve stayed quiet, even as they cleaned up after the meal. Tony could tell he wasn't doing it maliciously or to be stubborn. He had that tiny little line between his eyebrows that gave away that he was thinking about something carefully. Tony hoped it didn't mean Steve was trying to find the words to tell him he really was leaving.
"Bucky was always the one who looked after me," Steve said softly, after the last plate was put back into the cabinet. Tony froze, but tried to look natural. "I didn't think I needed him to, but he disagreed. Apparently I don't have the best judgment when it comes to my own well being."
"Sounds like a smart guy."
"That's why I took the serum. It wasn't just about being able to fight for my country. It was about being able to take care of myself, without anyone having to worry about me. Me picking the wrong fight with someone or my body finally giving out. I'd finally stop being a burden."
"You weren't a-"
"I was. Even if it wasn't my fault, I was. The fighting was my fault though," Steve interrupted, smirking a little at the end. "The point is, becoming this was supposed to make it so no one had to worry about me." Steve gestured to his giant body.
"Did it work?"
"Hardly," Steve scoffed, shaking his head ruefully. "Bucky may not have had to worry about me succumbing to illness, but I was the same guy who ran head first into danger without thinking of myself."
"Some things never change," Tony noted with a tinge of exasperation.
"So when he died while looking out for me, it made me even more determined to do things on my own. Maybe if he'd cared about himself more, he would've made it," Steve whispered, staring blankly at the floor in between them. "I think that's why it's so easy for me to go out there alone, no matter the repercussions for myself."
"Steve."
"So having you take care of me makes me think of Bucky, which makes me think of how I lost him, which makes me want to run back out there and fight these battles on my own. Because if you're here taking care of yourself, you won't get hurt worrying about me."
"Steve-"
"But then another part of me does want to be here with you. It's nice and it's easy, when I let it be. But all these doubts keep popping up in my head, making me question my decisions. I'm the one who is supposed to have the plan, to have the answers, but I don't. And I just don't know what to do with that."
"Steve!" Tony said firmly, cutting off Steve's stammering speech. He waited until the younger man made reluctant eye contact with him. "No one expects you to have all the answers in the universe. I pretend like I do, but I don't."
"But I don't like this. I don't like any of this. I always knew what I was supposed to be doing, even if I had to try a dozen different ways to get there," Steve argued. "Not knowing makes me feel like- like-"
"A kid?" Tony finished for him. Steve slumped where he stood, like the words were too accurate of an accusation. It was probably the first time in a long time that Steve was confronted by his actual age and was feeling that it fit.
"What do I do?" Steve asked, looking for the guidance that was so hard for him to admit he needed sometimes. Hell, Tony still needed it, whether it be Pepper forcing him to eat and sleep or Jarvis locking him out of his workshop after staring at the same tiny machine for ten hours straight. Now it was Tony's turn to do the same for someone else.
"You let yourself be a kid for once. Sit around and eat pizza and chocolate until you feel like barfing. Watch a bunch of movies all night without sleeping. Take a breath and worry more about having fun, instead of saving the world."
"I don't know how to do that. It doesn't feel right."
"That's because you've ever had the chance to. You went from spending your whole life trying to survive, to fighting battles the moment you were able to. Captain America has done an amazing job, but now it's Steve Rogers' turn to have some fun," Tony insisted, setting his hand on Steve's shoulder. "And I don't want to brag, but I'm the best guy to go to when it comes to having fun."
"You love to brag," Steve snorted, smiling a little for the first time in a while.
"That's true," Tony conceded, winking up at him. "Doesn't mean it's not true."
"So, what's fun?" Steve asked without his usual confidence. Throw the guy into battle and he won't blink, but tell him to have fun and he doesn't know what to do with himself. This just wouldn't do.
"Well, if it was just me, I'd suggest hopping on a private jet and going to nightclubs until I passed out."
"It's not even nighttime," Steve pointed out.
"That's what the jet is for. It can fly me to where it is dark. But since you're a tiny tot, that plan's out."
"A what?"
"And you still have a bit of healing left to do, so I think staying home is the best idea." Yes, he said home on purpose. He was going to give Steve a home, even if it killed him. "We'll ease you into it. No need to throw you into the deep end from the beginning."
"This is starting to sound more stressful than war," Steve grumbled.
"See, it's already working! We're joking and having a good time."
"Are we?"
"Love the dry wit, Rogers. Never change."
Tony herded Steve back into the living room, figuring a movie would be a good place to start. A comedy this time, since Titanic hadn't gone over too well. He flicked through the selection as Steve sat on the couch, awkwardly trying to get comfortable. Tony would never try to replace Bucky, but it wouldn't be bad for Steve to consider him a friend that he could be at ease around.
"Have you seen…" Tony trailed off, forgetting who he was talking to for a second. "Nevermind. I'm going to have to keep you away from the internet so you don't get spoiled before I can show you all the greats. Jarvis, make a list of all the best twist endings in movie history."
"Sounds like it's going to take a lot of time."
"We have decades of movies to get through. I'll do the math later to figure out how long it will take with minimal sleep added in."
"Not really the healthiest lifestyle." Tony wanted to counter that neither was having a building dropped on you after running yourself into the ground, but he held back. No need to mess up the vibe they had going.
Tony grabbed an armful of snacks as the movie started playing, getting the junkiest options he had available. He was going to corrupt Captain America, one potato chip and soda at a time. Of course Steve hesitated at first, but soon enough he was grabbing a few bites here and there. And then it was handfuls as he provided commentary for the movie. Tony felt like a proud father.
"But why are they so dumb?" Steve asked, frowning at the antics the characters were up to on the screen.
"The movie is called Dumb and Dumber. That's kind of the point."
"But they are just so dumb."
"I know, Steve, I know."
"I don't like what they did with the bird. That was cruel."
"Don't worry, I'll get you a bird."
"I don't want a bird. I want the boy to get his bird."
"You know it's just a movie, right?"
"He at least gets a bird by the end of the movie, right?"
"Well…"
"I'm starting to question your choice in movies."
"You're definitely not going to like what's coming up."
"Now an owl? Tony."
"You know they didn't actually kill any animals while making this movie, right? I don't know how they did it back in your day."
"I still don't find it entertaining."
"I'll make sure we skip Old Yeller during our movie marathon."
"I don't even want to know."
"You really don't."
"Why would they ruin their friendship over a woman they don't even know?"
"Not a fan of the love triangle?"
"The what? You all have a term for everything these days. I'm never going to be able to catch up."
"Aw, don't give up. We'll have you knowing all the slang in no time. And soon enough you'll be teaching it to me, since you're the young one."
"As you keep reminding me."
"Cut an old man some slack."
"Oh jeez."
"Well, that was a good ending, right?" Tony asked, turning off the TV as the credits rolled. "The woman got her husband back, the bad guys were thwarted, and the friends stayed friends."
"I feel like that could've run a lot smoother if they'd had a plan," Steve pointed out.
"Then the movie would've been called Smart and Smarter. That's no fun."
"I think our ideas of fun may differ."
"You're right. My idea of fun is mechanical engineering, while yours is punching a heavy bag."
"Are you calling me dumb?" Steve spluttered, looking offended.
"Don't worry your pretty little head about it. Most people are dumb compared to me," Tony smirked, raising his eyebrows when there was a ping on his phone. "That must be my delivery."
"Delivery? What did you get?" Steve asked, glancing around the room. "What else could you possibly need?"
"There is always something else to get, but this stuff is actually for you," Tony grinned, holding up his hand before Steve could start protesting. "There are things in there for me as well. Gotta have proper supplies for our hang."
"I'm not sure I even want to know."
"You're pulling a prank on me, aren't you?" Steve asked, walking back into the room after Tony sent him away to change. Tony was using every muscle in his body to keep his face blank, trying not to give anything away. This was too good to ruin. "What was wrong with my old clothes?"
"Uh, it looks like it fits. What's the problem?" Tony asked, looking over Steve from head to toe. This was hands down his best idea and that was coming from the man who'd invented a flying suit.
"It fits, I guess. This is really what people wear to hang out?" Steve asked, flicking at the zipper below his neck.
"Yep."
"Where's yours?"
"They gave me a size too small," Tony shrugged, holding up his own to show Steve. He ordered the wrong one on purpose, but Steve didn't need to know that. "Widow wears a bodysuit. What's the difference?"
"Hers doesn't usually have rubber ducks on it," Steve deadpanned, nodding to the print.
"Her loss, right?" Tony grinned.
"Tony."
"Come into the other room with me. I've got something set up that I think is much more your style," Tony said, waving Steve over. Steve rolled his eyes, walking to where Tony gestured. The sound of Steve's covered feet squeaking against the floor almost made him fall into a fit of giggles, but he held on. He needed to make a donation in the name of whoever invented the adult onesie.
"What are we doing now? I don't see anything," Steve said, standing in the center of the empty space. Tony had cleared out the furniture so they would have enough room for the next activity. It wasn't really anything he would do on his own and it sounded kind of boring, but he was pretty sure Steve would love it.
"Feast your eyes on this," Tony said, pulling out a giant box from around the corner.
"A puzzle?" Steve asked, walking over to take a closer look.
"Not just any puzzle. A jigsaw puzzle of old New York City," Tony grinned, holding up the cover of the box. "It's got thousands of pieces and the details are completely accurate. At least that's what the website said. If they lied, I'll just sue them."
"Wow," Steve breathed out, running his finger along the pictures of the buildings. "This is, wow."
"We should probably get to work. This is gonna take hours," Tony said, scratching his chin in contemplation. "Actually, I could probably have Jarvis scan all the pieces and tell us where to put them."
"That's cheating."
"That's working smart, not hard."
"That takes all the fun out of it!"
"Maybe just a preliminary scan," Tony offered, picking up the box to dump all the pieces out.
"You should keep them in the box. Less mess," Steve insisted, grabbing the other edge of the box.
"They are all gonna end up on the floor anyways," Tony argued, jerking the box back to his side.
"But we can organize them by hand," Steve said, pulling the box toward him.
"You're stubborn."
"You are."
"Nice comeback."
"I'm right."
"Not usually."
"Tony."
"Steve."
"Tony!" A particularly aggressive tug made the cardboard finally give way, sending little pieces of puzzle flying everywhere. Steve was standing there with his eyes wide in shock. "Tony."
"That was your fault," Tony shrugged, picking a few pieces out of Steve's hair. "Hey Jarvis, want to scan the puzzle now?"
"No!" Steve shouted, stooping down to try to collect all the pieces before Jarvis could do his job.
"We can beat him, Jarvis!" Tony exclaimed, batting the pieces out of Steve's hands and back to the floor. Steve gasped in shock, whirling around to tackle Tony around his midsection and hoist him onto his shoulder. "Put me down! You're gonna hurt yourself."
"Not until you call off your computer and stop cheating!"
"You'll never win!" Tony declared, jabbing his finger into Steve's armpit and making him yelp and almost drop him. Steve controlled the fall, making them both land in a heap without them getting hurt.
"How dare you tickle me?" Steve hissed, glaring over at him.
"You left me no choice."
"I'm gonna get you back."
"I dare you to try."
"What's going on here?" a voice suddenly asked. Tony and Steve's heads snapped up to the doorway, finding they weren't quite alone anymore. The rest of the Avengers, minus the demigod, were standing there watching them, looking highly amused. Clint was practically bent over completely, holding his laughs in with a hand over his mouth. Steve growled under his breath next to him and Tony knew he was going to be in trouble. It was all worth it.