Disclaimer - I own nothing you recognise.

Challenges listed at the bottom.

Word Count - 1546

Fic Detail - TonySteve / Fluff

Sleep At Last

Tony couldn't sleep.

It wasn't his usual 'too busy to sleep', but more of a bone deep tiredness that he couldn't fight and couldn't fix.

Insomnia was the worst.

It had been a long time since his last true bout of insomnia; contrary to popular opinion, he did actually sleep on an almost normal schedule for the most part.

He'd decided to try for a walk, after exhausting both his workshop and the gym, but he was currently second guessing his decision.

He wasn't lost, exactly, he just… didn't exactly know where he was.

He continued down the street, pulling his jacket tighter around him. It was colder than he'd expected it to be. An incessant ringing irritated him, and he looked around him to see who was ignoring their phone, only to realise that there was no one else there and it was his phone that was ringing.

If he'd been more with it, and remembered that he actually had his phone with him, he would have called Happy the moment he realised he was—not lost—slightly misplaced. Happy had definitely come out at worse hours than this for less reason.

The phone rang out while Tony stared at it, and then immediately started ringing again. It took him a moment to make his fingers work, but he finally managed to answer it and raised it to his ear, making an 'mph' sound.

"Tony?"

"Hmm? Steve?"

"Tony, where are you?"

Tony looked around him and sighed. "Out."

"JARVIS is concerned, he said you're wandering around New York in circles. Where are you?"

"In New York," Tony replied promptly. "M'fine, Steve."

"Tony… do you know where you're going?"

"Kind of," Tony hedged, and then sighed. "Okay, no. I, uh. Misplaced myself. But it's fine, I'll call for Happy and J can guide him in with the trackers. No worries."

There was a pause, and Tony heard a vague sound, like Steve was talking with his hand over the mouthpiece.

"Tony?"

"Hmm?"

"I'm going to come and get you in a taxi, okay. Stay where you are."

Tony frowned. "What? No. Why would you—Taxis are daylight robbery, Steve, I have a driver. I'll just call Hap. S'fine."

Steve snorted. "It's two in the morning, let Happy sleep."

"Is it? Really?"

"Yes, Tony. Really."

"Ew."

"I'm going to come and get you, okay? Stay there."

"Take one of the cars from the garage then," Tony muttered, leaning back against the nearest wall. "I'll be here."

He rung off and put his phone back in his pocket. A splash of water hit his cheek, and he looked up as the heavens opened.

The torrential downpour came from nowhere, and Tony looked around, hoping for an alcove or doorway he could stand in to protect him a little, but he didn't see anything. Closing his eyes, he gave himself over to the rain.

Maybe if he got ill, he'd be able to sleep.

…

Steve pulled into the street JARVIS had guided him too by the dash sat navigation, Steve looked on each side for Tony. The rain pounding down on the windscreen was making it difficult to see, but eventually, he caught sight of him.

He was leaning back against the wall, with no protection from the rain.

Idiot.

Steve stopped the car and got out, hurrying around to get Tony and help him into the car. He looked awful, pale and bleary eyed, not to mention soaking wet.

"Hmm? Steve?"

"Come on, Tony, get in the car."

Tony let him guide him into the backseat, and when Steve climbed back into the driver's seat, he turned around to look at him.

"Tony, what were you thinking?"

"Can't sleep," Tony slurred. He sounded like he'd been drinking, but Steve couldn't smell any alcohol on him at all, even with his heightened senses. "Thought a walk, but it didn't work. Sorry."

Steve shook his head fondly. "Put your seatbelt on, you bloody menace."

After struggling for a moment, Tony managed to clumsily plug the belt into it's holder, and Steve put his own on before he set off. He didn't talk, wondering if perhaps the soothing movement of the car would help Tony drift off—even if Steve couldn't leave him in wet clothing, a nap seemed like it would be better than nothing.

And yet, despite being so clearly exhausted, Tony was still awake when Steve pulled into the private garage of the Tower.

He helped Tony out of the car and gently guided him into the elevator, pressing the button for the Avengers floor. Once there, he led Tony to Steve's room and straight into the bathroom, where he sat the genius down on the toilet.

"I'm going to help you get dried and changed, okay?" he said, as he grabbed a few towels from the rack.

Tony just blinked up at him. The naked trust in his eyes was both gratifying and slightly terrifying, given that Steve knew just how hard it was for Tony to trust people.

He'd long ago sworn that he wouldn't betray that trust, not ever again. He'd been amazed, that after all the two of them had been through, that Tony would even slightly trust him now, but it was there.

So obvious in Tony's eyes, and the way he let Steve manhandle him into and out of the car.

Steve had been so sure that they'd never get back to this, but he was definitely grateful that they had.

…

Tony didn't know quite how it had happened, but he was sitting on the sofa in Steve's living room, in pajamas that were infinitely too big on him, and a blanket wrapped around him. He could hear Steve in the kitchen, but he couldn't bring himself to move to see what the soldier was doing.

Tony let himself sink into the sofa, and for a moment, he closed his eyes, wondering if he could just let himself drift off right here. He knew he was safe here; despite the many trials and tribulations the two of them had been through, he knew Steve wouldn't ever purposefully hurt him, and he knew that Steve would always protect him.

Not that Tony needed protecting, but it was still nice to know that someone wanted too.

"Tony?"

Tony opened his eyes to see Steve standing in front of him, with a large mug in his hands. There was a second one steaming on the side table at the other end of the sofa.

Tony accepted the mug, smiling when he realised it was hot chocolate, topped with cream and marshmallows, just the way he always asked for it.

"Thanks."

Steve nodded, sitting down beside him. The TV flickered on, startling Tony, who hadn't even realised Steve had the remote in his hand. Steve kept the volume low, but Tony smiled to himself when he realised that he'd put an older episode of Doctor Who on.

Tony loved the Doctor, especially the old episodes. He'd been the first to introduce Steve to it, all those years ago when the soldier was still finding his footing in the 21st century.

He drank his hot chocolate, letting the warmth run through him until he was comfortably sleepy, a state he hadn't been able to reach. He didn't realise his eyes were closing for longer and longer until Steve gently pulled the mug from his grip.

Tony looked at him, and wasn't really surprised to see a soft fondness in his eyes. Tony was clueless about relationships, but even he'd managed to pick up the hints of the one building between them.

It was unexpected, but not unwelcome.

Steve patted his lap invitingly, and Tony wondered if he wanted Tony's legs for a moment, before he decided that he'd much rather use the strong thighs as a pillow for his head instead. He twisted slightly and let himself fall, Steve gentling the landing with his large hands.

Tony turned his attention back to the TV, but the careful hands threading through his hair had his eyes falling closed almost immediately.

…

Steve stroked his hand through Tony's hair long after the man had finally fallen asleep. It was nice to see Tony look so peaceful, and sleep gave him a youth that the worry lines often robbed him off.

He knew he'd probably set himself up for a long night while the genius slept but he didn't mind. The serum meant that he didn't need as much sleep as a regular person, but even if it didn't he'd do this for Tony.

He'd do anything for Tony.

Steve often wondered if Tony could see where their relationship was heading, where Steve was so cautiously guiding them. Sometimes, he thought that Tony could, and that he was going along happily, but other times, he thought that the genius was utterly clueless to the vast amount of love that Steve had for him.

He could only hope that, when the time eventually came for them to stop dancing around one another, they'd be on the same page.

As Tony turned over and buried his face against Steve's stomach, his hand coming up to grip at his t-shirt, Steve smiled down at him. He thought that the odds were definitely in his favour.

Written for:

North Funfair: Christmas Sing Along - 14. It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year - 1. Slash

East Funfair: Snow Art - Red: "Do you know where you're going?" / "Kind of." / Blue: Clueless / Orange: Torrential Rain

South Funfair - The Night Before Christmas - Snack - 1. Cookies: Romance.

365. 265. Robbery