Steve
It's so late it's early when Tony finally gets home. He finds Steve in the gym, ferociously hitting a punching bag as though his life depends on it.
He stands there a moment, hands in his pockets, bouncing on his toes before he obviously can't take the silence any longer.
"Keep hitting it like that and you'll knock that thing off its hinges."
Steve punches once more with considerable strength before he stops, reaching out and holding the bag in place.
"What do you want, Tony?" he asks with a sigh, not bothering to turn around. He wasn't in the mood for anything Tony had to say.
"So, it turns out, I'm going to be losing a kidney in a couple of days," Tony mentions, swaggering around the gym as he tries to process everything.
Steve begins hitting the bag again.
"Congratulations," he gets out drily, trying not to blame Tony for the emotions welling up in him.
Tony is still ambling around, half in a daze.
"I can't believe, knowing, after all this time- I gotta say, I thought it would feel different," he babbles.
Steve stops the bag again, looking at the floor as he shakes his head.
"Look, Tony. I'm happy for you. Well, I'm sure I will be, someday. But I've kind of had a heck of a day, and I've got a new apartment to look for, so if you don't mind-"
"Apartment?" Tony asks, and he seems genuinely confused. "What on earth are you doing looking for a new apartment at a time like this?! Artists- always so overdramatic."
Steve closes his eyes and clenches his teeth before exhaling loudly, still not looking at the other man.
"Tony, I was only here for her, and now it turns out that Natasha-"
"Is going to need help after surgery, and apparently, I'm going to be laid up for four to six weeks." He comes up besides Steve, hands on his hips. "Don't think you get to duck out of your responsibilities now. I'm going to need someone to administer my sponge baths," he continues, and Steve knows he's desperate by how close to pleading he sounds.
Steve does look up then, a question in his eyes. He appraises Tony as he always does, looking at him in a whole new light. Then he takes a step back, inhales deeply, and smiles at his friend, his family, shaking his head.
"Don't worry. I'll make sure someone hoses you down once a day," he offers.
They stare at each other a little longer, a new understanding passing between them, before Tony squirms, apparently deciding things are officially awkward.
"I'm going to shower and get back to the hospital. You should too. Nat will be up soon. We both should be there when she wakes."
Steve nods once.
"You're a good man, Tony."
He rolls his eyes as he walks away.
"Just grab that ridiculous badger she loves so much." He says, muttering some more about "overdramatic artists" under his breath.