Disclaimer - I own nothing you recognise.

Challenges listed at the bottom.

Word Count: 683

Not Steve friendly, and very much team Iron Man.

Left Behind

"Are you ready to return, my love?" T'Challa asked, stroking a hand through Tony's hair. "Are you ready to see them?"

Tony sighed, curling up even closer against T'Challa's side. They lay side by side in the bed, though neither of them had had much sleep. Today was a big day, possibly the biggest Tony had had to deal with for years.

"No, but then, I don't think I ever will be, and I know that I don't have too much of a choice here."

"I'll be there, right by your side, sweetheart," T'challa promised, turning his head to press a kiss against Tony's temple. "They'll never hurt you again."

…

Tony woke up in Wakanda, and found out that he'd died. Twice.

Vision had found him and performed CPR on him, but it had still been a close call.

Steve… Steve had just left him there to die.

…

The flight was comfortable, but quiet. Pepper and Rhodey would be meeting them at the airport and taking them straight to the Compound where the Avengers were waiting.

They didn't know who was coming; they just knew that Rhodey had arranged for some help.

Tony wasn't sure what kind of reaction he was expecting; honestly, he'd hoped this day would never come, even when he'd known that it would.

He'd been preparing for this for years; even when nobody believed him.

…

T'Challa kept his distance while Tony healed, full of regret and self recrimination. But he was still present, there when Tony wanted company.

He was a silent support while Tony put himself back together.

And he was still there when it was done.

…

Rhodey hugged him so tightly it made Tony wince; despite the many improvements he and Shuri had made to his body and overall health.

"It's so good to see you," Pepper murmured, when Rhodey eventually passed him over to her. "You've got no idea how much we missed you."

Tony smiled and pressed a kiss to her cheek. "I have some idea; I missed you both too, Pep."

…

"You can remain here with me," T'Challa offered. "We can hide you from the rest of the world without difficulty, Tony. You have my word."

"I can't just… die," Tony replied, rubbing a hand over his face.

"You did die. If you don't want anybody to know that you were saved… I believe you have earned that right."

…

"Tony?"

Steve was staring at him with disbelief, and the others standing behind him weren't doing much better. Even Natasha looked surprised, and Tony felt a vicious kind of victory at that.

"In the flesh," he replied flatly, before turning his eyes to Thor. "Tell me about Thanos."

"You left me!" Steve said, before Thor could say anything. "You pretended you were dead, what, to punish me? You absolute—"

"You left me first," Tony snapped. "You left me to freeze to death in a Siberian bunker, Steve, so you can fuck right off. You risked my body, you broke my spirit, and I won't stand here and let you try and reprimand me for doing what I had to do to survive after you killed me."

Steve cringed back from his words, and there was a murmur between the others, asking what Tony was talking about.

Tony ignored them all and turned to Thor expectantly. "Tell me about Thanos."

…

"We need you back here, Tones," Rhodey said, and there was enough desperation in his tone that Tony knew this was it.

He was going to have to face the world again.

…

They beat Thanos.

Tony had been determined that he hadn't 'outed' himself for nothing, and he fought with a ruthlessness he'd never fought with before.

Thanos hadn't stood a chance.

When it was done, Steve tried to approach him, but Tony turned his back and buried his face against T'Challa's chest.

"Let's go home," he murmured. "I don't belong here anymore. I belong with you, in Wakanda."

T'Challa nodded. "Whatever you want, my love."

This time, it really was Tony leaving. He didn't look back once.

Written for:

Record Collection: Back To Black: 7. Tears Dry On Their Own: Leaving someone

Elizabeth's Empire: 1. Sharing a bed.

Marvel Appreciation: Iron Fist 1: Returning to a place years after everyone thought you were dead.

Lyric Alley: 18. You risked my body, broke my spirit.

TV Spree: 3. Performing CPR

Treasure Hunting: Sharing a bed