Disclaimer - I own nothing you recognise.

Challenges listed at the bottom.

Word Count - 3202

Fic Detail - Post Ultron, but not compliant with the winter soldier / TonySteve / Hurt/Comfort.

Stay Some More

"What the hell are you doing here?" Clint asked, turning to see Tony landing on the grass outside the compound. "I thought you quit."

"I did," Tony replied shortly, the suit helmet falling away. "But word still travels, and since you lot are having no luck finding your fearless leader, I figured I might as well do it for you."

"I'm surprised you even care," Clint replied, rolling his eyes.

Tony bit back a sigh as he followed Clint inside. He'd known what he was walking into, though the looks of distrust and dislike still hurt when he stepped into the room where the Avengers were stationed.

Only Natasha greeted him with any semblance of friendliness, her lips tilting up in welcome. "Thanks for coming."

"You called him in?" Sam asked, raising his eyebrows. "You really think Steve will thank you for that?"

Tony rolled his eyes. "Look, I'm not looking for forgiveness," he said looking around the room. He hadn't forgiven himself for Ultron, so the idea that anyone else would was laughable. "And I'm way past asking for permission. You can either give me what information you've got, or I'll hack the building until I have it anyway. This way is just slightly faster."

They all shared looks while Tony waited impatiently until Natasha snorted and shook her head. "Here, Tony," she said, handing over the tablet. "I've loaded everything onto that for you."

He accepted it with a nod and then walked out of the room, ignoring the way they called his name. He'd almost made it off the premises entirely before they caught up with him.

"You can't do it alone! Use your team, Tony!" Clint called.

Tony looked back over his shoulder and arched an eyebrow. "I'm not an Avenger. I don't have a team."

…

He was still shaking. His hands trembled in his lap, and he wasn't sure if it was anxiety or exhaustion, but it was irritating him. He was sure they were a neon sign to the others that he wasn't as fine as he'd told them, and he hated that.

He'd never been one to show weakness if he could help it, and especially not in front of people that could and would use it against him.

"I think, for the time being, you should be benched," Steve said, staring at him across the table. "I'm not punishing you, I just think you need to take some time out and I know you won't agree to it unless I take you off the field myself."

Instead of agreeing, Tony shook his head. "Consider this me removing myself from the team permanently, effective immediately. I tried it, it's not working. I wish you all luck but… I was never made for teamwork. So…" he stood up and saluted them, before he turned away from the table.

"Tony, I don't want you off the team for good—"

"We don't always get what we want, Cap."

"So you're just running away?" Clint sneered. "Figures. Poor little rich boy, Stark, things get tough and you can't hack it. We all knew you were never made for this. You don't have the stones to hack being part of something where people are relying on you."

Tony wanted to argue that people relied on him daily, given the many, many, people he employed at SI, but he held it back. He'd known they were angry at him, and he wouldn't deny them the right to spew it at him if it was what they needed.

It had been his fault, after all.

Steve and Thor had already taken their pound of flesh, it was only right for others to do the same.

"Of course we knew that I wasn't made for it, Barton. What was is, Natasha? Iron Man, yes, Tony Stark, not recommended? Looks like you were right after all. I've signed the Compound over to the Avenger's Initiative and S.H.I.E.L.D, so… I'd say that's the last thing that needs to be said."

"Tony, wait," Steve called as Tony left the room.

Tony didn't. He was done.

…

Tony flew through the air, pushing the suit as fast as it could go. The rebooted J.A.R.V.I.S had managed to hack the Hydra cell's servers, and he'd found where they were holding Steve. Tony knew that he really should have alerted the team to the whereabouts of their lost captain, but he didn't want to deal with them.

It wasn't even like he was planning to try and take down the cell by himself. He was planning to get in, get Steve, and get the hell out of there again.

Simple plan, but he knew he wasn't lucky enough for it to go well.

That just didn't happen. Like, ever.

Except, it kinda did. Oddly, they didn't seem to have anyone watching the super-soldier. Tony couldn't decide if it was arrogance, or if they were just dumb. A well placed blast to the chains holding Steve had him slumping down, docile and so clearly drugged.

Maybe that was why he wasn't being guarded.

Hefting the soldier up into his arms, bridal style, Tony didn't bother trying to make it out of there through the corridors he'd entered. Instead, he blasted his way through the walls and left before anyone even realised he was there.

…

"What do you want, Steve? You've been harassing Pepper and Rhodey for weeks, I thought you might take the hint that I don't want to talk to you."

"I want you to reconsider quitting the team. The way you left… Tony, nobody wanted that."

"I wasn't even a member of the team," Tony argued. "I was a consultant, that's all, and now I've decided you can't afford me. It's that simple, Steve. Now will you stop bugging Pep. She's pissy with me as it is."

"So that's it?" Steve demanded. "You're just going to walk away, no cares in the world?"

"What can I tell you Steve? I tried it, I'm not a team player. So sue me…. But probably don't because I pay my lawyers a lot of money and they'd run rings around you."

"I thought you were better than this."

"Well, clearly you thought wrong. You can all go and play the heroes, Cap. I'm perfectly happy to be the villain in this little fairytale."

"What you're doing is worse than being the villain, Tony. Villains… at least they still care, even if it's about the wrong things."

"Are we done here?"

"You know, my mother, she was a good woman, and… I was always taught that there's good in everyone. You've proved me wrong!"

"Yeah," Tony said. "We're done here. Lose this number, Steve, you've got no reason to call me again."

"You're right," Steve agreed. "I don't."

…

"Tony?"

Through the hud of the suit, Tony watched as Steve came around. They were almost back to the compound, and the armour was beginning to lag, the added weight doing nothing to help his power.

Steve seemed to flail when he realised how Tony was carrying him, clearly uncomfortable in the arms of the armour.

"Don't worry," Tony muttered. "I've got you."

"You… you saved me."

It hurt that Steve sound so astonished that Tony had saved him. Even after all their arguments and fights about Tony leaving the team, he didn't think Steve actually believed he was such a bad guy. Apparently he'd been wrong.

"Don't sound so surprised, will you. I know you think I'm worthy of the seventh level of hell, but even I'm not quite despicable enough to leave you in Hydra's clutches."

"Tony, I'm not—"

"I really don't want to talk about… well, anything," Tony interrupted, as the compound came into view. "You're home. You can… I'm sure there will be a welcome back party or something."

"You'll stay, right?" Steve asked. "You'll need to debrief at the very least."

Tony snorted. "Bold of you to think I need to do anything. I'll send Nat a report in the next few days, she can file it with S.H.I.E.L.D for me."

Tony landed smoothly on the sprawling grass and carefully set Steve down, holding his arms out until he was sure Steve was steady on his feet. Sure enough, the team were spilling out of the doors, all rushing to welcome their Captain home.

Stepping back, Tony engaged the thrusters, and ignoring Steve's loud protests, left them to it. He wasn't part of that anymore.

He wasn't welcome there.

He wondered if he ever really had been.

…

"You know, I could have you charged with breaking and entering. I thought we were over the super spy bollocks, Nick?"

Tony grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge and sat down on the sofa facing Fury. He'd had a long day of meetings, and he had an even longer night ahead of him in the workshop. Having Fury turn up wasn't part of his schedule.

"You were, and still are, a member of the Avenger's Initiative. I've left it alone this long, because I thought you needed time after Ultron, but it's getting ridiculous now. The team need you."

"No, they really don't, and even if they did, they don't want me, Nick. I'm done being around people that barely put up with me, it's not good for my self esteem."

Fury snorted. "Steve has been in my office daily, pushing for me to come and see you about this. There is no way that they don't want you back."

Tony rolled his eyes.

"Ultron wasn't your fault."

"Actually it was," Tony disagreed. "But that's for me to live with. People died, and their blood is on my hands, and I've got to live with that. I don't need reminding of it by them every day."

"Actually, it wasn't. The sceptre brought it online, it wasn't really anything to do with you. Sure, you built the code, but I know your AI's, Stark. I know that you're the best, and I know how much care you put into them. That bastardised bit of code was not your work, and not your fault."

Tony just shook his head. Fury sighed, but put a manilla folder on the table. "That's the report if you don't want to take my word for it."

"Is that all?"

Fury stared at him for a long moment before he stood up. "When I thought about the Avenger's initiative, I never imagined it being as… successful, as it's turned out to be. A lot of that success can be put solely on your shoulders, Tony. I know at first, we said that we wanted to retain you as a consultant, but you became an Avenger when you flew a Nuclear bomb into a wormhole, and I know you know that. What you have with that team is rare. Don't throw it away, Stark."

…

"Sir, Miss Romanoff is calling," J.A.R.V.I.S intoned, turning the music down to speak to his creator.

"Take a message," Tony replied, never taking his eyes off the schematics he was looking at.

"Or, you could just talk to me now," Natasha suggested, from behind him.

"J.A.R.V.I.S, you're fired."

"Miss Romanoff used her access code," the AI replied primly. "You haven't retracted them despite leaving the Avenger Initiative."

"You and I are going to have a talk, J," Tony muttered, turning to look at Nat. "What do you want, Nat?"

"He didn't mean it," she said, stepping forwards. "Steve. None of what he said. He's sulking at the compound because he can't get through to you that you belong there with us."

Tony shook his head. "He made himself very clear when I spoke to him, Nat. I just… I can't come back. If anyone could understand that, then I thought it would be you."

"I do understand," she admitted. "And I don't even really blame you for leaving, but…. How can you make up for something if you don't even try?"

"I'm making up for it by not putting anymore people in danger," he retorted. "I try my best and every time, someone dies. I'm not doing it anymore, Nat. I can't."

Desire to work leaving him, Tony quietly closed down his work and stood up, stretching before he headed for the sofa.

"He misses you. We all do, but he misses you the most. He loves you, Tony. And I think you love him right back."

Tony lay down on the sofa, and looked at her. "Wake me up when I care, won't you?"

He didn't sleep that night.

…

Tony groaned as he woke up. The white walls were the second clue that he was in a hospital bed, but the first was the incessant beeping of the machines attached to him.

"Turn the noise off," he requested, voice rough.

When the beeping stopped, he opened his eyes, blinking when instead of Pepper or Rhodey, who he was expecting, he found himself face to face with Steve.

He looked wrecked, his eyes red rimmed and his hair a mess.

"What… why are you here? Actually, why am I here?"

"You collapsed in a board meeting," Steve said quietly. "I guess you never changed J.A.R.V.I.S's protocols, because he alerted me almost as soon as it happened."

Tony closed his eyes. Bloody meddling AI. "Why did I—"

"Exhaustion, and malnutrissian. I guess you were wrong every time you protested that you could look after yourself just fine."

Tony snorted. "I've been busy."

"Tony…"

"Can we not do this right now?" Tony asked, because he knew that tone of voice and he really wasn't in the mood for a lecture.

"I think we have too, because you're avoiding me every other time I try and contact you. I didn't mean what I said. I fucked up because I was frustrated and… I was so wrong, Tony. You're not… you're not just a part of the team, you're essential to the team. You make me a better leader, you're someone to talk to for Nat, you make Clint laugh. Thor… he's missing you so much and his puppy eyes have power like you wouldn't believe."

"I didn't know he was back," Tony admitted, because he'd been studiously avoiding news of the Avengers since Fury's visit.

"I miss you like I'd miss a limb," Steve said, ignoring Tony. "At least five times a day, I turn around, expecting to see you there, and when I don't, it feels like being stabbed in the gut. Tony, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry for the things I said, and for blaming you—"

"Just because Fury's report takes a lot of the blame off my shoulders, I still claim at least some of that fuck up," Tony interrupted. "I… I was scared. What I saw through that wormhole… I was scared and I thought if I could just… I just wanted to protect the world. Instead, I helped almost destroy it. I shouldn't be trusted, Steve."

"I trust you. I trust you implicitly, because even when things go wrong, it's because you've tried to do the right thing. I just… I wish I could have remembered that, before. Maybe then, we wouldn't be in this mess."

"I'd have still left," Tony replied, looking away. "Even if you hadn't said what you did, I would have still left. Nothing you said or did would have changed that, Steve."

"I'm still sorry," Steve said stubbornly.

When Tony looked back at him, he was sitting forwards in his chair, leaning as close to Tony as he dared, and his eyes were once more brimming with tears.

"Hey, I'm okay. I should have been more careful about eating and sleeping, that's all, I'm fine."

Steve nodded, but the tears still fell regardless.

"Come here," Tony murmured, tugging at Steve's hand until he stood up. Tony shifted across the bed and gestured for Steve to climb up beside him.

"We'll break it," Steve protested, looking longingly at the space.

"I'm not inviting you here for energetic sex, Cap," Tony replied dryly. "I'm telling you to lie down so I can aggressively cuddle you until you stop looking like I just kicked your kitten."

"I don't have a kitten," Steve mumbled, blushing as he gave in and carefully joined Tony on the bed. True to his word, Tony pulled him close and hugged him tightly, until finally, Steve relaxed.

"I'm okay," Tony reiterated into Steve's hair. "I promise, I'll do better."

"You should just let me do it," Steve mumbled against Tony's collarbone.

"Do what?"

"Take care of you. You should come home and let me make sure you eat and sleep enough. I can make sure you get human contact too, it's important."

"Is it?" Tony asked, slightly amused as Steve's arms tightened around him. "Being Tony Stark, and all that glamour that comes with it, you don't think I get enough human contact?"

Steve snorted. "Glamour my ass. You're a million times more comfortable in an oil covered tank and worn jeans. Anyone who doesn't know that doesn't know you at all."

"You'd be surprised how few people actually know that."

"No. No, I wouldn't. Most people only know Tony Stark. I like to think I know Tony pretty well."

With Steve pressed up against him, Tony couldn't really argue with that, could he?

…

A conversation in a hospital bed couldn't fix everything. It was awkward and awful, and Tony wondered why he was even bothering more than once but a smile from Steve was enough to make him persevere.

Clint didn't handle being wrong well, and for a while, it made him even more caustic and unreasonable as usual. Tony took it with grace and aplomb and told him to go and fuck an arrow. It broke the stalemate between them, given the way Clint choked on his toast and then laughed for a solid ten minutes.

Thor was Thor, and after he apologised for choking Tony, he went about trying to make it up to the genius, which was equal parts amusing and just plain horrifying.

And Steve… Steve stayed. He brought food to the workshop, and tugged Tony upstairs whenever he thought the genius needed to sleep. He listened when Tony rambled, and surprised him with walks in Central Park after a meeting, or a meal from his favourite takeaway during movie night.

And when he kissed him… Tony couldn't say he was surprised because he'd been in the game long enough to know when someone fancied him. It was when he kissed him and then stayed some more that he surprised Tony.

Not many people had done that before.

"Hey you," Steve murmured, breaking Tony's thoughts. He wrapped his arms around Tony from behind and pressed a soft kiss to his shoulder. "Are you busy or can I tempt you away?"

"Hmm, depends what you're tempting me with?"

"Hotdogs. I'm craving them hard today."

Chuckling, Tony leant back into the embrace and nodded. "I could go for hotdogs."

"You're the best."

Tony grinned. "I know."

Written for:

Angel's Archive - 6. "Wake me up when I care."

Film Festival - 26. "I was always taught there's good in everyone, but you've proved me wrong!"

Marvel - 14. "I'm not looking for forgiveness, and I'm way past asking for permission."

Wandmaker - Redwood (Rare) / Snallygaster Heartstring (Astonished)

Build A Bear - Fluff/Sew - Sharing a Bed

Sci Fi - Apocalypse - Who are you stuck with? Abandoned Pets - "Don't worry, I've got you."

Games Night - Despicable

Mythology - 2. Chains

365. 260. Glamour